60 Minutes To Honor Troops For Memorial Day 5/27/2012

60 Minutes continues its tradition of doing a Memorial Day weekend show dedicated to the men and women who serve in our armed forces. Tonight?s show has a one on one interview with Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, combat vets returning to Iraq to face their tragedies head on, and will highlight 5 sets of brothers who are serving in Afghanistan. This Memorial Weekend show will look at the toll our two biggest ongoing wars have extracted on our brave soldiers.

Being wounded in combat is a very traumatic experience that a lot of soldiers have trouble coming to terms with. Who could blame them as most have seen things that would shake the most solid person for a lifetime. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is real and can haunt a person for many years if not dealt with. Some experts have said returning to the scene of a tragedy can help a person deal with it and move on. Is this what the segment tonight will be about? We can?t say for sure until we see the show. Facing tragedy head on has been proven to help people and if returning to Iraq will help a wounded soldier deal with his or her demons then we should do it more often. Returning will give them a chance to reconcile what happened to them and their friends. This should be a very moving segment.

The next segment will be an interview with Dakota Meyer, who is the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor the marines have had in over 48 years. Meyer made a quick decision to head into a firefight and help out other soldiers. It was aid that he is responsible for returning 4 soldiers who were killed and saving over 20 friendly personnel. He also laid down the ground fire that allowed quite a few troops to get out of a highly volatile situation. Meyer is also famous for suing BAE Systems, a defense contractor he worked for, for making false statements about him because he openly objected to the sale of arms to Pakistan. It got pretty nasty for a while but the suit was settled out of court in December of 2011.

Check back here on CMR for a full recap of 60 Minutes at 8pm eastern time tonight.

Photo courtesy of: CBS

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Obama, Karzai push post-2014 vision of Afghanistan

By NBC News and news services

Updated 6:22 p.m. ET: CHICAGO -- President Barack Obama on Sunday pressed world leaders to help implement a strategy for post-2014 Afghanistan after U.S. troops leave, a transition that Afghan President Hamid Karzai said will mark the day that his war-torn country is "no longer a burden" on the rest of the?world.

Obama and Karzai met on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Sunday to discuss Afghanistan's post-conflict future. After the meeting, Obama told reporters that the two-day summit would focus on Afghanistan's move to peace and stability after a decade of war.

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"We still have a lot of work to do and there will be great challenges ahead," Obama said. "The loss of life continues in Afghanistan and there will be hard days ahead."

Standing next to Obama, Karzai reaffirmed his commitment to the transition timetable?process, which he said will lead to a time when Afghanistan "is no longer a burden on the shoulder of our friends in the international community, on the shoulders of the United States and other allies."

Karzai also thanked Americans for the help that their "taxpayer money" has done in?Afghanistan.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during their meeting at the NATO summit in Chicago on Sunday.

"Afghanistan is fully aware of the task ahead and of what Afghanistan needs to do to reach the objectives that we all have of a stable, peaceful and self-reliant Afghanistan," he said.

President Barack Obama welcomes foreign leaders to the NATO summit in Chicago. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.

Obama later opened the summit by telling world leaders: "For over 65 years our alliance has been the bedrock of our common security, our freedom and our prosperty, and although times have changed the reasons for our alliance has not."

Obama urged NATO leaders to ratify a "broad consensus" for gradually turning over security to Afghan forces and pulling out most of the 130,000 NATO troops by the end of 2014.

Earlier, a top NATO official?insisted?that the Afghanistan fighting coalition will remain whole despite France's plans to yank combat troops out early.

"There will be no rush for the exits," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. "We will stay committed and see it through to a successful end. Our goal, our strategy, our timetable remain unchanged."

NATO leaders gathered in Chicago to chart a path out of Afghanistan as war-weary Western nations seek to fend off dissent in their alliance and ensure Afghanistan can hold a still-potent Taliban at bay when foreign troops withdraw.

Obama was hosting the two-day summit in his hometown, a day after leaders of major industrialized nations tackled Europe's debt crisis, backing keeping Greece in the euro zone and vowing to take steps necessary to revitalize the world economy.

Public opinion in Europe and the United States is solidly against the war, with a majority of Americans now saying it is unwinnable or not worth continuing.

Newly elected French President Francois Hollande has said he will withdraw all French combat troops from Afghanistan by year's end ? a full two years before the timeline agreed to by nations in the U.S.-led NATO coalition.

"President Hollande has stated that France would be prepared to support Afghanistan in a different way," Rasmussen said.

But signaling tensions over the issue, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters: "We went into Afghanistan together, we want to leave Afghanistan together."

Hollande repeated a pledge during his inaugural visit to Washington last week to pull "combat troops" from Afghanistan this year. He has said an extremely limited number of soldiers would remain to train Afghan forces and bring back equipment beyond 2012.

"This decision is an act of sovereignty and must be done in good coordination with our allies and partners," said Hollande, who was?to discuss his exit plans with Karzai.

A last-minute addition to the list of leaders at the NATO meeting was President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan, whose western tribal areas provide shelter to militants attacking Karzai's government and NATO forces. He pressed the United States to help find a "permanent solution'' to U.S. drone strikes that have fueled tensions between the two uneasy allies.

"The president said that Pakistan wanted to find a permanent solution to the drone issue as it not only violated our sovereignty but also inflamed public sentiments,'' Zardari spokesman Farhatullah Babar said in a statement after the Pakistani leader met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the summit.

The statement did not specify what such a solution might entail.

Gen. John Allen, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, told Reuters he was confident a deal would eventually be struck but "whether it's in days or weeks, I don't know."

Zardari also called for the United States to do more to make amends for the deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers killed in November by U.S. aircraft along the border with Afghanistan.

Pakistan has demanded a high-level apology for that incident, which the White House has resisted so far.

Fiscal demands, including plans for major cuts to defense spending in Europe and the United States, were sure to color the talks in Chicago, as they did those between G-8 leaders.

The overarching message from that G-8 summit reflected Obama's own concerns that euro-zone contagion, which threatens the future of Europe's 17-country single currency bloc, could hurt a fragile U.S. recovery and his re-election chances.

Information from The Associated Press and Reuters?is included in?this report.

More NATO coverage:

US veterans return war medals in NATO protest
Great-grandmother: Ready to 'lose my life' protesting
Storify: Scenes from NATO summit protesters
Video: Police say?Chicago protesters planned bombings

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Leap Motion reveals super-accurate motion control tech, $70 device to change the UI game

In many respects, Microsoft has led the charge towards a future of gesture-based controls with its Kinect, and other tech giants like Samsung and Apple are getting in on the action, too. The move to motion controls isn't limited to the big boys, however. Leap Motion has created a new device, called the Leap, it claims is 200 times more accurate than existing technology and will take gesture controls to the next level.

It's about the size of a pack of gum, and once connected to your computer via USB, it creates a four-cubic-foot virtual workspace. Within that area, it tracks all ten of your fingers simultaneously to within 1/100 of a millimeter -- that level of accuracy allows for rudimentary gestures like pinch-to-zoom and more complex actions like manipulating 3D-rendered objects. Naturally, the company isn't telling much about the black magic making it happen, but Leap Motion claims that its software can be embedded in almost anything with an onboard computer, from phones to refrigerators. Users can customize it to suit their needs with custom gestures and sensitivity settings, in addition to chaining multiple Leap devices together to create a larger workspace. Plus, Leap Motion has created an SDK for devs to create Leap-compatible applications and an app discovery platform to distribute them to others. That means the Leap can work in a variety of use cases, from simply navigating your desktop to gaming and computer-aided design. The best part? Leap brings you this next-gen UX for a mere $69.99, and a select few can pre-order them now, with the full roll-out coming this winter. Full details follow in the PR below, and you can see the Leap in action in the videos after the break.

Continue reading Leap Motion reveals super-accurate motion control tech, $70 device to change the UI game

Leap Motion reveals super-accurate motion control tech, $70 device to change the UI game originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arcretail ? Blog Archive ? Discovering and Getting a Pet Jogger

In case you perform more than 6 hours every day as well as personal your puppy, you?ll need a canine master!

Downtown life can be hard regarding canines. Most of us maintain pets within filled town condominiums and function expanded stays, resulting in a pet dogs lifestyle the industry great distance away via exactly what a countryside or even suv pet that normally has some other garden to be able to wander in daytime ? or maybe they are really fortuitous, miles of available territory in which to frolic.

Yet there is no cause a city pet cannot try a amazing complete well-being. Moving into town possesses his own negatives but additionally brings by using it levels of activation ? points of interest, seems as well as scents ? which usually suburban as well as rural canines by no means get to experience. Area canines may also be furthermore lucky along with far more interpersonal options, whether or not they be with various other dogs all the time or even having a pack of the pals within the community canine car park or puppy operate.

Nonetheless, numerous entrepreneurs work long hours and get energetic sociable lives, that means very long periods through which their particular domestic pets are usually alone. For the canine, therefore hours associated with lack of exercise ? especially in just a little condo or business that has tiny room to learn or even work.

For this reason, many metropolitan dog owners employ nyc dog walkers . Possessing someone take your puppy out and about for exercising as well as comfort one or more times per day helps to make the big difference. The idea smashes upwards individuals long one hrs and gives your furry friend a chance to emerge towards the clean air, extend his or her hip and legs along with lose a number of the calorie consumption they need ingested taking pleasure in. For most puppies, their own day pet walker will be the day friend.

Although your occupation involving canine going for walks getting significantly well-liked, you can find increasing numbers of pet backpackers to select from within urban centers. Pet walking as well as pet sitting providers tend to be springing upwards all over the place plus in many urban centers dog owners are usually spoiled with regard to option. However all puppy jogging solutions won?t be the same ? there are versions inside top quality and type of iPage supplied. Follow this advice for picking the correct puppy master available for you:

Make sure to accurately what exactly you need before beginning searching You need to end up being obvious around the type of support you desire. A huge, set up canine strolling companies tend to be more likely to present satisfaction plus much more security, however, if they?re too large many times their particular services a tad too impersonal ? several be sure that the very same runner every single day, however, many do not. If you?d like the walker plus your canine to develop an agreeable, trustworthy relationship, it?s well worth asking concerning this. A fantastic dog jogging support may designate an every day canine jogger in your puppy along with tell you just about any changes in staffing significantly beforehand. But that they can become a bit a lot more unhealthy with organizing. Additionally, a close impartial puppy master whom operates by yourself is actually sure to develop a close Posicionamiento and you?re simply at risk of develop a helpful romantic relationship along with them oneself, that literally brings familiarity along with fulfillment. The particular downside is the fact only hikers hardly ever have anyone to give a support after they become unwell or even visit.
Set up an excellent routine, after that anticipate to give up In the end, most canine owners choose to their dog being went through the core of the evening, that usually implies among 11am and also 3pm inside the pet going for walks organization. Because of this afternoon occasion machines come in great desire and it is less likely that you will work with a roofing who can assure your current best timetable. Expect you?ll skimp using a leeway of approximately an hour each side of the ideal. Moreover, in case you choose a function you have to know which pet going for walks is usually a profession the nature that signifies it can be extremely difficult to keep using a plan 100% correctly daily. Ramblers frequently have to go to between canines and can happen way up which has a thousand then one distinct scenarios. Don?t let yourself be also unhappy but if your dog walker will come slightly early or late every single day ? usually it wouldn?t end up being made it easier for. End up being focused on virtually any dog jogging services that will promises punctuality for that moment ? usually they may not be getting trustworthy with you!
Puppy jogging throughout packages or perhaps on their own? This is the way viewpoint is actually split strongly for the middle! This is a typical sight within towns such as Nyc to determine load up ramblers with as much as a dozen canines at any moment ? but are these claims really things you need to your puppy? The reward for this sort of companies are generally mostly price tag ? pack go walking rates are occasionally fifty percent the cost of personal or even small group taking walks and sometimes last longer. About the pessimistic, your furry friend will not acquire wherever at the identical amount of consideration it could inside a smaller sized team or even alone ? and infrequently much of your walk is expended resting sure inside large organizations throughout the sidewalk because the dog master has a dog upstairs to its condo. It is obvious that you have a powerful interpersonal element in order to these kinds of walks that many pet dogs take pleasure in, but also for the higher diploma a lot of dog owners choose their pet dogs becoming went within smaller sized delivers or even alone. Many individuals furthermore concern yourself with dogs combating in large delivers even though this could be exceptional, it is going to occasionally happen. Somebody, non-public go walking brings from it the particular backpackers complete consideration, even so, an individual should also take into account that the majority of dogs appreciate some kind of interpersonal ? thus think about deciding on a service which walks pairs or modest sets of simply three. Several dog backpackers will reveal that will canines who have conduct ?issues? on the street using their owners profit drastically via getting walked along with an additional dog, whose reputation typically acts for you to ?center? an added dog along with cause a fantastic a higher level focus and also consideration. However, there?s no keeping away from the fact several canines merely won?t abide the company of other canines whatever! At the conclusion of the day you understand your own puppy as good as anybody and the selection is completely the one you have to make.

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ADATA ships its Premier and Premier Pro SSDs to US, gives your laptop a dose of energy

If you remember those Premier SP800 and Premier Pro SP900 solid-state drives that ADATA teased us with in February, you'll be glad to know that they've crossed the Pacific to reach the US and Canada. The two SSDs are meant to give a swift kick to the performance of laptops with regular-sized, 2.5-inch drive bays. Both use SandForce controllers, but are focused on very different areas: the Premier's SATA II interface, 280MB/s reads and 260MB/s writes suit it most to newcomers looking to escape the land of spinning hard drives, while the tangibly faster SATA III, 550MB/s reads and 520MB/s writes of the Premier Pro cater more to the speed junkie set. Tracking down the Premier's 32GB and 64GB flavors might be a challenge, based on our early checks, but we've already found the Premier Pro's 64GB, 128GB and 256GB varieties lurking on Newegg at pre-discount prices between $100 and $300.

Continue reading ADATA ships its Premier and Premier Pro SSDs to US, gives your laptop a dose of energy

ADATA ships its Premier and Premier Pro SSDs to US, gives your laptop a dose of energy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 05:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Most popular Amazon Books auctions | Writers bloc

May 9, 2012

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Willis Lease Finance Earns $2.5 Million, or $0.29 Per Share in First ...

Willis Lease Finance Earns $2.5 Million, or $0.29 Per Share in First Quarter of 2012

Willis Lease Finance CorporationWLFC?-0.54%?, a leading lessor of commercial jet engines, reported pre-tax earnings of $5.4 million and net income available to common shareholders of $2.5 million, or $0.29 per share, in the first quarter of 2012. In the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2011, Willis Lease generated pre-tax earnings of $3.7 million and net income available to common shareholders of $2.9 million, or $0.33 per share, and in the first quarter a year ago reported pre-tax earnings of $8.2 million and net income available to common shareholders of $4.3 million, or $0.47 per share.

First Quarter 2012 Highlights (at or for the periods ended March 31, 2012, compared to March 31, 2011):

           --  Pre-tax income was $5.4 million in the first quarter of 2012, up 46%               from the preceding quarter and down 35% from the year ago quarter,               largely due to differences in gains from sale of leased equipment.           --  Lease portfolio decreased 2% to $974.3 million from a year ago, with 3               engines purchased and 5 engines sold in the current period.           --  Average utilization for the first quarter was 84% compared to 89% in the               first quarter a year ago and 85% in the fourth quarter of 2011.           --  Quarter-end utilization was 85%, the same as a year ago and up from 82%               at December 31, 2011.           --  Total revenues fell 12% to $35.7 million from $40.8 million a year ago,               reflecting lower average portfolio utilization, decreased portfolio size               and lower gains from sale of equipment.           --  Lease rent revenues decreased 12% to $24.1 million compared to $27.3               million a year ago.           --  Maintenance reserve revenues increased 4% to $8.6 million, compared to               $8.2 million a year ago.           --  Gains on sale of leased equipment totaled $2.6 million, down from $5.1               million a year ago.           --  Total net finance costs decreased 14% to $7.9 million, compared to $9.2               million in the year ago quarter, reflecting the maturity of higher cost               interest rate swaps over the past year and lower levels of debt.           --  Liquidity available from the revolving credit facility was $116 million               at quarter end, up from $71.5 million a year ago.           --  Share repurchases totaled 141,358 common shares in the quarter at an               average price of $12.16.           --  Book value per common share was $22.44 compared to $22.32 a year ago.  "The major factors impacting the engine leasing business in the short-term have not changed significantly in the past year," said Charles F. Willis, Chairman and CEO. "Overall demand for leased engines remains strong for most engine types but there continues to be an overhang of supply for certain types which keeps lease rates under pressure. However, we have noticed that the pricing spread between short and long-term leases has shown some improvement. We have also seen a higher percentage of requests for longer term leases presumably to lock-in today's favorable lease rates. Pricing on sale and leaseback transactions remains very competitive, and accordingly we have been quite selective in those that we choose to pursue."

?As more aircraft are being retired and parted out, we see more engines, mainly older engines, adding to the supply of engines available for lease?albeit generally for short periods to run out the ?green time? in the engines,? Willis continued. ?We have always relied in part upon the secondary market for sourcing our older engine types. As we announced last year, however, we have moved up the food chain and are selectively pursuing the acquisition of older aircraft in order to primarily harvest and lease-out the engines. If done correctly, this strategy provides a source of lower cost engines.?

?Our utilization rate at the end of the first quarter was 85%, up from 82% at the end of the previous quarter,? said Donald A. Nunemaker, President. ?While the oversupply of certain engine types in the market clearly impacts our utilization, there are other factors that are not market-driven that have an impact as well. One such factor is the number of engines that are either under repair, awaiting repair or awaiting the determination of repair, sell or consign. A large lessor like Willis always has some assets in these various categories, and the amount of such assets can vary considerably from time to time. In addition, because Willis is in the business of trading aviation assets, it is not unusual for unserviceable assets to be acquired with the intention of making them serviceable and available for lease or sale. Until these assets are made serviceable, they are not available for lease, and show up in the off-lease category. Of the assets off-lease at the end of the first quarter, about a third of the assets were in this unserviceable category.?

?Our net finance costs continue to reflect the favorable interest rate environment, with total interest expenses down 4% compared to the prior quarter and lower 14% year-over-year,? said Brad Forsyth, Chief Financial Officer. ?We had $60 million of high cost swaps mature on March 15, 2012, with our total swap position decreasing to $315 million or 46% of floating rate debt.?

?We also saw a large swing in our blended federal and state effective tax rate in the fourth quarter of 2011 where we realized minimal tax expense due to a change in California state tax law in the year,? Forsyth noted. ?First quarter tax expense returned to more normal levels, at 38.8% compared to 38.3% in the first quarter a year ago.?

Balance Sheet

At March 31, 2012, Willis Lease had 193 commercial aircraft engines, 3 aircraft parts packages and 12 aircraft and other engine-related equipment in its lease portfolio, with a net book value of $974.3 million, compared to 185 commercial aircraft engines, 3 aircraft parts packages and 3 aircraft and other engine-related equipment in its lease portfolio, with a net book value of $998.9 million a year ago. The Company?s funded debt-to-equity ratio continues to drop and is 2.96 to 1 at quarter end, compared to 3.03 to 1 at December 31, 2011 and 3.26 to 1 a year ago.

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