medicate irvine: June 2013

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Israel lawmaker emerging as main foil to Netanyahu

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) ? Danny Danon says he has no problem with his party leader, Israel's prime minister ? so long as he doesn't make peace.

The ambitious deputy defense minister isn't a household name internationally yet, but at home he has emerged as an unlikely opponent to Benjamin Netanyahu and his strongest opposition within the hawkish ruling Likud Party.

A soft-spoken lawmaker with a penchant for sharp suits, Danon is suddenly a major stumbling block toward Palestinian statehood as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry embarks on his latest push to restart long-dormant peace talks.

While Netanyahu attempts to convince the world of his peaceful intentions and sincere commitment to establishing a Palestinian state as part of a final peace settlement, Danon has repeatedly defied the prime minister's stance while generating the type of political power that could hinder Netanyahu's ability to make concessions.

His rising influence has raised Palestinian suspicions that Netanyahu is unwilling ?and unable ? to make peace. From his plush office on the 15th-floor of the gleaming, state-of-the-art Defense Ministry complex in Tel Aviv, Danon does nothing to dispel the suspicions.

"I think the prime minister knows that if he is presenting the ideology of the Likud Party we all support him," Danon said, noting that Likud has only had four leaders in its 65-year history. "It means that we do respect our leaders. But if the leader decides to go to the other direction then ... there will be changes within the Likud."

The Likud has long been the leader of Israel's nationalist camp, believing the country should control all of the biblical Land of Israel between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. But Netanyahu and other party moderates have gradually come to the conclusion that there is no choice but to divide the land between a Jewish state and a Palestinian one.

Danon, 42, is among a group of young hard-liners who rose to prominence during a Likud primary vote last year. These officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin, Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein, deputy transportation minister Tzipi Hotovely and coalition whip Yariv Levin, oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state and are strong proponents of building settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. The Palestinians claim both areas, captured by Israel in the 1967 war, for their future state.

Danon, a secular father of three, is the most vocal and has become the brightest star and strongest counterforce within the party. He finished fifth in the slate of candidates chosen in last year's primary, well ahead of many party stalwarts, and this week he was overwhelmingly elected head of the Likud convention with 86 percent of the vote. On Sunday, he is expected to score another landslide victory and become chairman of the Likud Central Committee, a key position that will grant him power to set the agenda of the committee's 3,500 members and complicate any Netanyahu initiatives.

He has also generated an impressive following in America, particularly among Christian evangelicals. His recent English-language book ? "Israel: the will to prevail" ? outlines his vision of further Israeli control over the West Bank. It won't find many fans in the Obama administration, but it did receive high praise from two of Danon's closest American allies: former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and conservative TV personality Glenn Beck.

The front page of Friday's mass-daily Yediot Ahronot points to Danon's surge to prominence at home. Under the headline "Between Kerry and Danon," a cartoon shows Danon and others pinning Netanyahu to the ground. The paper's humor column has a mock quote from Kerry saying he is optimistic his visit can help promote a "brave and effective negotiation between Netanyahu and Danny Danon."

Danon, until recently a rather anonymous backbencher, has garnered so much influence that Netanyahu's chief peace negotiator, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, recently called on the prime minister to reject "Danonism" and forge ahead toward peace. The Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, had also cited Danon by name as someone who is killing the prospect of peace.

Danon remains undeterred and is convinced Netanyahu does not have the political backing to cede parts of the West Bank.

"I think that the majority of people, not only inside the Likud, but also within the Israeli public, will not support such a dangerous initiative," he said of a Palestinian state. "It is not just my personal opinion. I represent a lot of people ... that think like me that the idea of land for peace doesn't work anymore."

Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula following its 1979 peace accord with Egypt and made small border adjustments after signing peace with Jordan in 1994. It unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip and evacuated Jewish settlers there in 2005. But the Hamas militant group subsequently seized control of the area, and continued rocket fire out of Gaza has stoked fears that a pullout from the West Bank, located close to major Israeli cities, would bring similar and devastating results.

That withdrawal also spawned a revolt within the Likud against then-leader Ariel Sharon, who eventually bolted to establish the centrist Kadima Party. Netanyahu, who led the rebel forces, eventually took over as leader.

His party has since drifted further to the right, with Jewish settlers taking over key positions and introducing legislation that seeks to give Israel's Jewish nature precedence over its democratic nature.

Political commentator Hanan Kristal said Danon is trying to position himself as leader of the group and a potential future alternative to Netanyahu.

"Danon is Bibi from 10 years ago," he said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. "He (Danon) is a Likudnik and he is saying what a lot of them believe. He just says it clearly and without mincing words."

Netanyahu has distanced himself from Danon, insisting his comments do not reflect government policy, but he hasn't fired him either as some have suggested he should.

Danon makes no apologies for his maverick ways.

"I don't do things to try and disturb him," he said. "We are in the same boat. I don't want everyone rowing their oars in different directions but I do try to preserve what I believe in."

With Kerry pressing hard to get Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume peace talks that have been on hold since 2008, and Netanyahu's centrist coalition partners urging a breakthrough, the prime minister may soon be forced to choose between the unity of his government and the unity of his party.

Danon says Netanyahu is free to negotiate as he pleases, but if he ultimately reaches the contours of a deal he will have to bring it to a vote among his party and a general election for the people to decide.

"It is not the case today. It is premature to even discuss this because I don't think the prime minister is going in this direction," he said.

Others disagree. There are jitters in the party that Netanyahu is nearing the point of following in Sharon's path toward concessions. He has recently been sending signals that he is ready for compromises and has accepted the narrative of former opponents that ending the West Bank occupation is essential for Israel.

The prime minister's office refused to comment on Danon's rise in Likud. Associates, though, have been quoted anonymously in the media as saying Danon is pushing Netanyahu out of the party with an extremist hostile takeover.

"Being prime minister of Israel is a very difficult job," Danon said. "There are those who are pushing the ship in one direction and it is legitimate for people like me to pull him in a different direction. He is the captain, steering the ship. At the end of the day, the prime minister navigates."

____

Follow Heller on Twitter @aronhellerap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-lawmaker-emerging-main-foil-netanyahu-072900230.html

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TKC BREAKING AND EXCLUSIVE NEWS!!! KANSAS CITY MAYOR'S SLY'S HIP-HOP SON KJ OFFERS A MESSAGE OF PEACE!!!

Believe it or not, Mayor Sly's son KJ seems to be showing signs of maturing - At least in his social media messaging.

KJ has been known for hard partying, bar room confrontations and even mouthing off to the cops . . . But a recent message shows the young man developing a bit of perspective . . .

Check it:

Kyle James: "Let me make this clear In case you didn't know. I love music and I rap because i love too. I'm not a gangster rapper. I have made mistakes, but I go out to kick it with my homies, and talk to these girls, not to fight/beef with ppl I don't know. My wristband is in commemoration to my dead best friend and says stop the violence.The amount of hate out here is incredible man, and I'm still not mad, it comes with the territory. Just thought I'd let those of u who were unaware know that."

Sage wisdom regarding public perception, the nature of local celebrity and real life vs. the media world. At the very least, it's a powerful insight from the guy who wrote: "Sotally Tober."

Here @ TKC we celebrate progress from Mayor Sly's son and hope the moment of Summer introspection is shared by all local fans of rap music along with politicos who seem obsessed with their pet projects.

Developing . . .

Source: http://www.tonyskansascity.com/2013/06/tkc-breaking-and-exclusive-news-kansas_30.html

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?Union? looking for extras in Alabama for Civil War battle scenes

On July 23 ? July 25, 2013, Black Scorpion Films, LLC will film battle scenes at Tannehill State Park in Mc Calla, AL and they are looking for extras.

Specifically, they are in need of?30-50 Caucasian ?thin to athletic build males? to play Civil War soldiers in the film. Facial hair, longish hair, and Civil War gear is a plus.

If you fit the description and would like to take part, you can email a headshot and resume to kwfscasting@gmail.com and include ?Attn: Victoria Jarvis? in the subject line.

Source: Alabama Film

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Gay marriage opponents ask court to intervene

Cynthia Wides, right, and Elizabeth Carey file for a marriage certificate at City Hall in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Dozens of gay couples have lined up outside City Hall in San Francisco as clerks have resumed issuing same-sex marriage licenses one day after a federal appeals court cleared the way for the state of California to immediately lift a 4-year freeze. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Cynthia Wides, right, and Elizabeth Carey exchange wedding vows at City Hall in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Dozens of gay couples have lined up outside City Hall in San Francisco as clerks have resumed issuing same-sex marriage licenses one day after a federal appeals court cleared the way for the state of California to immediately lift a 4-year freeze. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Jen Rainin, left, laughs as her wife Frances holds up their dog Punum after they were married at City Hall in San Francisco, Friday, June 28, 2013. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a brief order Friday afternoon dissolving, "effective immediately," a stay it imposed on gay marriages while the lawsuit challenging the ban advanced through the courts. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Army Capt. Michael Potoczniak, center left, and Todd Saunders, of El Cerrito, Calif., are married by deputy marriage commissioner John Loschmann, center, as witnesses Bill Hershon, left, and Sean Boileau watch at City Hall in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Dozens of gay couples waited excitedly Saturday outside of San Francisco's City Hall as clerks resumed issuing same-sex marriage licenses, one day after a federal appeals court cleared the way for the state of California to immediately lift a 4 ? year freeze. Big crowds were expected from across the state as long lines had already stretched down the lobby shortly after 9 a.m. City officials decided to hold weekend hours and let couples tie the knot as San Francisco is also celebrating its annual Pride weekend expected to draw as many as 1 million people. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Army Capt. Michael Potoczniak, at left, and Todd Saunders, right, of El Cerrito, Calif., exchange rings as they are married by deputy marriage commissioner John Loschmann, center, at City Hall in San Francisco, Saturday, June 29, 2013. Dozens of gay couples waited excitedly Saturday outside of San Francisco's City Hall as clerks resumed issuing same-sex marriage licenses, one day after a federal appeals court cleared the way for the state of California to immediately lift a 4 ? year freeze. Big crowds were expected from across the state as long lines had already stretched down the lobby shortly after 9 a.m. City officials decided to hold weekend hours and let couples tie the knot as San Francisco is also celebrating its annual Pride weekend expected to draw as many as 1 million people. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? A wave of weddings were performed in San Francisco City Hall on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court's historic decisions to restore same-sex marriages to California, as defeated backers of the state's gay marriage ban filed a last-ditch effort to halt the ceremonies.

Less than 24 hours after California started issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples, lawyers for the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom filed an emergency petition to the high court Saturday asking it to halt the weddings on the grounds that its decision was not yet legally final. They claimed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acted prematurely and unfairly on Friday when it allowed gay marriage to resume by lifting a hold that had been placed on same sex unions.

The motion was filed as dozens of couples in jeans, shorts, white dresses and the occasional military uniform filled City Hall to obtain marriage licenses. On Friday, 81 same sex couples received marriage licenses.

Although a few clerk's offices around the state stayed open late on Friday, San Francisco, which is holding its annual gay pride celebration this weekend, was the only jurisdiction to hold weekend hours so that same sex couples could take advantage of their newly restored right, Clerk Karen Hong said.

A sign posted on the door of the office where a long line of couples waited to fill out applications listed the price for a license, a ceremony or both above the words "Equality=Priceless."

"We really wanted to make this happen," Hong said, adding that her whole staff and a group of volunteers came into work without having to be asked. "It's spontaneous, which is great in its own way."

The timing couldn't have been better for California National Guard Capt. Michael Potoczniak, 38, and his partner of 10 years, Todd Saunders, 47, of El Cerrito.

Potoczniak, who joined the Guard after the military's ban on openly gay service was repealed almost two years ago, was scheduled to fly out Sunday night for a month of basic training in Texas.

"I woke up this morning, shook him awake and said, 'Let's go,'" said Potoczniak, who chose to get married in his Army uniform. "It's something that people need to see because everyone is so used to uniforms at military weddings."

Also waiting to wed Saturday were Scott Kehoe, 34, and his fiance, Aurelien Bricker, 24. After finding out on Facebook that the city was issuing same sex marriage licenses Friday, the San Francisco couple rushed out to Tiffany's to buy wedding rings.

"We were afraid of further legal challenges in the state," Kehoe said.

The Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Proposition 8's backers lacked standing to defend the 2008 law because California's governor and attorney general have declined to defend the ban.

Then on Friday, the 9th Circuit appeared to have removed the last obstacle to making same sex matrimony legal again in California when it removed its hold on a lower court's 2010 order directing state officials to stop enforcing the ban.

Within hours, same sex couples were seeking marriage licenses. The two couples who sued to overturn Proposition 8 were wed in San Francisco and Los Angeles Friday.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Austin Nimocks said on Saturday that the high court's consideration of the case isn't done because his clients still have 22 days to ask the justices to reconsider Wednesday's 5-4 decision.

Under Supreme Court rules, the losing side in a legal dispute has 25 days to request a rehearing. While such requests are almost never granted, the high court said that it wouldn't finalize its judgment in the case at least until after that waiting period elapsed.

The San Francisco-based appeals court had said when it imposed the stay that it would remain in place until the Supreme Court issued its final disposition, according to Nimocks.

"Everyone on all sides of the marriage debate should agree that the legal process must be followed," he said. "On Friday, the 9th Circuit acted contrary to its own order without explanation."

Many legal experts who had anticipated such a last-ditch effort by gay marriage opponents said it was unlikely to succeed because the 9th Circuit has independent authority over its own orders ? in this case, its 2010 stay.

While the ban's backers can still ask the Supreme Court for a rehearing, the 25-day waiting period is not binding on lower federal courts, Vikram Amar, a constitutional law professor with the University of California, Davis law school, said.

"As a matter of practice, most lower federal courts wait to act," Amar said. "But there is nothing that limits them from acting sooner. It was within the 9th Circuit's power to do what it did."

The city, home to both a federal trial court that struck down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional and the 9th Circuit, has been the epicenter of the state's gay marriage movement since then-Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered his administration in February 2004 to issue licenses to gay couples in defiance of state law.

A little more than four years later, the California Supreme Court, which is also based in San Francisco, struck down the state's one-man, one-woman marriage laws.

City Hall was the scene of many more marriages in the 4 1/2 months before a coalition of religious conservative groups successfully campaigned for the November 2008 passage of Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to outlaw same sex marriages.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-30-Gay%20Marriage-California/id-1e27ab862a174573a710a875266d3a9a

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Carter: World religions perpetuate women's plight

ATLANTA (AP) ? Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says religious leaders, including those in Christianity and Islam, share the blame for mistreatment of women across the world.

The human rights activist said Friday religious authorities perpetuate misguided doctrines of male superiority, from the Catholic Church forbidding women from becoming priests to some African cultures mutilating the genitals of young girls.

Carter said the doctrines, which he described as theologically indefensible, contribute to a political, social and economic structure where political leaders passively accept violence against women, a worldwide sex slave trade and inequality in the workplace and classroom.

"There is a great aversion among men leaders and some women leaders to admit that this is something that exists, that it's serious and that it's it troubling and should be addressed courageously," Carter said at an international conference on women and religion.

The 39th president is hosting representatives from 15 countries at The Carter Center, the human rights organization he launched in 1982 after leaving the White House.

The Mobilizing Faith for Women event emphasizes to world leaders that religious institutions can be forces for equality, he said.

Nations represented at the Carter conference include Afghanistan, Botswana, Egypt, Iraq, Malaysia, Nigeria, Senegal and the Sudan. Carter mentioned widespread oppression in many of nations where iterations of Islam dominate, but also had criticism for the developed Western world where Christianity is the strongest cultural influence.

A common thread, he said, are "gross abuses of religious texts in the Koran and in the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament. Singular verses can be extracted and extorted to assert the singular dominance of men."

Referring to the Christian apostle Paul, credited with writing much of the New Testament outside the gospels, he said, "Paul said there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, slaves or masters, man or woman."

The former president noted that the early Christian Church included leaders of both sexes. It wasn't until a few centuries after Jesus Christ's time on earth, he said, that leaders of what would become the Roman Catholic Church established the exclusively male priesthood. Catholic doctrine justifies the practice by noting that Jesus, according to gospel texts, named only men among his apostles.

Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were once members of the Southern Baptist Church. The couple recently disassociated from Southern Baptists, citing its prohibition on ordaining women or allowing them to serve as deacons or other leadership posts in local congregations.

Their independent Baptist church has a woman pastor and a man pastor and divides six deaconships equally between men and women, Carter said. "My wife is probably the most famous Baptist deacon in the world."

He noted that women in Saudi Arabia can't drive or vote. Girls in some cultures are forced to marry before they are 10 years old and women in the United States, he said, are paid about 70 percent of what men earn for the same work. Across the world, he said, prosecutions for rape are either rare or too often become a referendum on the victim.

"The point is that the voices demanding these circumstances change are few and far between," Carter said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/carter-world-religions-perpetuate-womens-plight-145100259.html

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Extreme weekend heat wave could bring temperatures above 120 to Western US

In Los Angeles, heat-related power failures snarled traffic, and in Death Valley, where temperatures hit triple digits, the forecast is could bring a record 129 degrees. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.

By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News

Thirty people were taken to hospitals for heat-related injuries and illnesses Friday at a music festival in Las Vegas, authorities said, as a wave of life-threatening blistering temperatures blazed across the West.

Clark County fire personnel treated about 200 people for heat-related nausea, vomiting and fatigue Friday afternoon and evening at the Vans Warped Tour, an eclectic outdoor music festival at the Silverton Casino off the famous Strip.

Most were given water and taken to shaded areas, but 30 had to be taken to hospitals for further treatment, the fire department said.

The high temperature officially hit 117 degrees at Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport ? equaling the airport's record ? on the same day thousands of people streamed to the casino site for the festival.

Records are similarly expected to be broken across the West and the Southwest through the weekend and into next week, the National Weather Service said, thanks to a high pressure "dome" parked over the sprawling region.

Death Valley, Calif., could even top 130 degrees Saturday through Monday, just below the world record high of 134 recorded there on July 10, 1913, The Weather Channel said.

Temperatures in Phoenix are expected to soar between 115 and 120 degrees. In western parts of Arizona, temperatures could reach 125.

Officials in Arizona warned residents to take precautions.

"If you get dizzy or lightheaded, those are some signs of dehydration. If you become confused, that's a real warning sign," Dr. Kevin Reilly of the University of Arizona Department of Emergency Medicine told NBC station KVOA of Tucson.

In Las Vegas, meanwhile, the National Weather Service warned of the potential for a "life-threatening heat event." Temperatures were expected to match those of a July 2005 heat wave when 17 people died in the Las Vegas Valley.

The extreme weather is expected to reach Reno, Nev., reach across Utah and stretch into Wyoming and Idaho, where forecasters are predicting potentially lethal hot spells. Triple-digit temperatures were forecast during Idaho's Special Olympics in Boise.

Matt York / AP

Runners take advantage of lower temperatures at sunrise Thursday in Mesa, Ariz. Excessive heat warnings will continue for much of the Desert Southwest as building high pressure triggers major warming in eastern California, Nevada and Arizona.

Organizers urged coaches to prepare their athletes.

"The basic stuff, wearing breathable, appropriate clothes, staying in the shade as much as possible, staying hydrated is obviously a big thing," Matt Caropino, director of sports and training for Special Olympics Idaho, told NBC station KTVB. "We've put in place some misters that we're going to have at our outdoor venues."

The National Weather Service advised people to keep tabs on signs of potentially lethal heat stroke.

"Heat stroke symptoms include an increase in body temperature, which leads to deliriousness, unconsciousness and red, dry skin," it said in a report. "Death can occur when body temperatures reach or exceed 106-107 degrees."

Los Angeles was forecast to peak between the upper 80s and the lower 90s Saturday as inland communities like Burbank edge toward the low 100s. Palm Springs, Calif., no stranger to steamy summers, may peak at 120 degrees, NBC station KMIR reported. Sweltering heat also is expected for the state's Central Valley, according to The Weather Channel.

While the west remains hot and dry, the east is getting lots of rain that has resulted in flash flooding. Some of the worst flooding was in upstate New York where whole neighborhoods remain under water. ?The Weather Channel's Mike Seidel reports.

Commercial airlines were also monitoring conditions because excessive heat can throw flights off course. The atmosphere becomes less dense in extremely high heat humidity, meaning there's less lift for airplanes ? calculations that have to be made individually for every type of aircraft.

Triple-digit heat forced several airlines to bring operations to a halt after Phoenix climbed to 122 degrees in June 1990.

Daniel Arkin of NBC News contributed to this report.

Related:

'It's brutal out there': Weekend heat wave to bake western US

Alaska sweating through brutal blast of heat

Oppressive heat hits West as storms soak East

This story was originally published on Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:50 AM EDT

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Lionel Richie: My own songs saved me

Celebs

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper TODAY

2 hours ago

NBC

Lionel Richie says his own songs helped him.

Many people have turned to music at sad times in their lives. Singer Lionel Richie is no different -- except the music he turned to was his own.

Richie told the U.K. Mirror that in the 1990s, he was going through a divorce and fighting depression

"Then a friend said to me: ?Lionel, I have some inspirational tapes I want you to listen to,'" Richie recalled to the newspaper. "He handed me my own songs with certain ones underlined and I started listening to my lyrics ? this time from the point of view of someone who needed that message.

?I used to look out into the audience and wonder why that guy was crying to one of my songs and now I get it -? it just hits something in your core," Richie said.

The singer also admitted that he wasn't always there for daughter Nicole when she was growing up. ?When Nicole was young I was trying to become Lionel Richie," the singer said. "I wasn?t there as much as I should have been. ... These days we are incredibly close and I am a very proud grandfather. She?s a wonderful mother.?

Richie will start his first U.S. tour in a decade this fall. "I have never had a job in my life," he told the Mirror. "This is still my hobby and I want to use the gift for good."

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/lionel-richie-my-own-songs-saved-me-depression-6C10488483

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Car buyers appear unfazed by stock market gyrations

Autos

Joseph Szczesny The Detroit Bureau

June 28, 2013 at 10:10 AM ET

Keith Srakocic / AP

In this Wednesday, May 8, 2013 photo, a row of new 2013 Ford Fusions is seen at an automobile dealership in Zelienople, Pa.

It seems like the recent stock market tumble, and the perception that interest rates are rising, are, at most, background noise to American car buyers.

Sales of new cars and trucks continue to move along at a steady clip during June, according to new estimates from J.D. Power & Associates and LMC Automotive. A monthly sales forecast based on direct dealer data indicates new-vehicle retail sales are showing no signs of letting up at the start of the summer selling season.

New-vehicle retail sales in June are projected to come in at 1,118,800 vehicles, which represent a Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate of 13.2 million units, a healthy increase of 500,000 from the May SAAR. Retail transactions are the most accurate measure of true underlying consumer demand for new vehicles.

Total light-vehicle sales in June 2013 are expected to grow by 12 percent from June 2012 to 1,380,800 units. Fleet sales in June are just 19 percent of total sales. Fleet volume for the month is projected at 262,000 units.

Adding together retail and fleet business and the overall SAAR is expected to reach 15.7 million units this month. That?s a big jump from the 14.5 million vehicles sold in 2012 ? a five-year high ? and nudges by even the most optimistic forecasts for 2013, which general had set a high of around 15.5 million sales this year.

The strong selling pace continues to be matched by strong transaction prices. Thus far in June, the average transaction price of new vehicles ? what customers actually spend when both incentives and options are included ?is $28,900, the highest figure ever for June.

While sales overall are strong, not all segments are selling at the same pace. Sales of premium vehicles account for just 11.7 percent of new-vehicle retail sales thus far in June, down from 12.9 percent in June 2012.

?Although the premium segment growth has lagged non-premium, there is some good news for the industry in that the average price of premium vehicles in June is $47,000, up almost 4 percent from June 2012,? said John Humphrey, J.D. Power senior vice president of the global automotive practice. ?New premium vehicles entering the market late this year will also help bolster sales through the second quarter of 2014.?

Among other new models due for launch are the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and a trio of luxury diesels from Audi.

The underperformance of premium light-vehicle sales is largely due to the age of the models in these segments. J.D. Power calculates that the average age ? the number of months the vehicle has been in the market since it was introduced or redesigned ? of premium models sold in the second quarter of 2013 was 43 months. In comparison, the average age of non-premium models, excluding pickup trucks is only 34.5 months.

Hyundai America chief executive officer John Krafcik noted last week that competition in the auto industry is very fierce and forces manufacturers to intensify efforts to win over customers. Even the threat of higher interest rates hasn?t undermined the market?s momentum, he said.

Competition in the mid-sized segment has been particularly fierce in recent months with Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Kia all introducing new or substantially updated models. The compact and subcompact segment also have seen a flood of new entries.

J.D. Power expects that by the second quarter of 2014, the average age of premium products will fall to just 33 months, as new and redesigned products enter the marketplace.

LMC Automotive continues to hold the outlook for total light-vehicle sales in 2013 at 15.4 million units, but has increased its forecast for retail light-vehicle sales to 12.6 million units from 12.5 million units, as retail sales growth expands.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Consumer sentiment ends June to near six-year high

By Richard Leong

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer sentiment improved in late June, ending the month close to a near six-year high set in May, as optimism among higher-income families rose to its strongest level in six years, a survey released on Friday showed.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment was 84.1 points, just slightly below a near six-year high of 84.5 in May. The late-June figure was higher than the preliminary reading of 82.7.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the final June reading of 82.8.

"Consumers believe the (economic) recovery has achieved an upward momentum that will not be easily reversed," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement.

He added the recent drop in stock prices and the jump in mortgage rates have not caused a deterioration in consumers' view on the economy.

"To be sure, few high or low income consumers expect the economy to post robust gains or think the unemployment rate will drastically shrink during the year ahead," Curtin said.

Consumer sentiment is considered by some economists as a predictor on consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the U.S. economy.

The latest Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan data was consistent with the June consumer confidence readings from the Conference Board released earlier this week. The research group's U.S. consumer confidence index rose to 81.4 this month, the highest since January 2008.

Household expenditures, however, have remained sluggish despite improving optimism. Consumer spending grew at an annualized 2.6 percent in first quarter, faster than the 1.8 percent pace in the last three months of 2012 but slower than an earlier government estimate of 3.4 percent.

The barometer of current economic conditions ended at 93.8 in June, down from 98.0 in May. This was above an early June reading of 92.1 and economists' forecast of 92.8.

The survey's gauge of consumer expectations ended June at its highest level since October at 77.8, up from 75.8 in May. The latest reading was stronger than the preliminary June figure of 76.7. Economists had projected a late-June figure of 77.0.

Other areas of the U.S. economy have been uneven, which economists have blamed on higher taxes and federal budget cuts. Weak overseas growth especially in China has been a drag on business activities and hiring, economists say.

The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said its index on Midwest business activity posted a steeper-than-expected drop in June to 51.6. A reading below 50 points suggests business contraction.

"It's not firmly in expansion territory where businesses are ready to hire and invest," said Tim Quinlan, an economist with Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina.

HIGHER-INCOME FAMILIES

There was a divergence in outlook between higher-income families and lower-income ones, according to the latest Thomson Reuters and University of Michigan consumer survey.

Higher-income households showed increased optimism about their incomes and wealth, while lower-income ones reported less optimism. Families in the top third income bracket were the most optimistic since the June 2007 survey.

Rising home and stock prices likely bolstered sentiment among wealthier families, although gains on Wall Street were reduced by a recent market sell-off due to worries that the Federal Reserve might pare its $85 billion monthly bond purchases later this year.

Still, the Standard & Poor's 500 index is currently up 2.1 percent for the quarter and 12.4 percent for the year, its best first-half performance since 1998, though it is on track for its first monthly loss since October.

Domestic single-family home prices posted their biggest annual gain in seven years in April, according to data from S&P/Case Shiller released on Tuesday.

The survey's one-year inflation expectation ended June at 3.0 percent down from 3.1 percent in May and from the 3.2 percent in early this month.

The survey's five-to-10-year inflation outlook ended unchanged at 2.9 percent for a third straight month. It dipped from 3 percent in early June.

(Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/consumer-sentiment-improves-june-135623050.html

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Friday, June 28, 2013

The Newcomer's Guide To Efficient Internet Promotion - Maynas Eric

It is no secret that there is a lot of hard work involved in Website marketing. Hard work and persistence can help your Internet promotion plan improve your bottom line. It does no good to work very hard at pointless tasks. The tips listed here will get you going in the right direction.

A client mailing list is vital. Post notification on your website to collect emails. However, if you want to be slightly more aggressive, request it in order for customers to purchase items off your site. Either way, you can use this information later to send out sales information, offer promotional materials or to ask for customer feedback.

You need to create a great site before worrying about getting it ranked. Building a great website should be your very first step in starting a web business. Once your website operates without glitches and looks great, you are ready to move forward with marketing.

TIP! To increase your ad clicks, place an image on your page that, when clicked, leads to a page that describes the item you are advertising or selling. Ensure you use the font that you use in your articles and linking it.

Split your website into sections, and have a map from which people can choose the products they?d like to see. While variety is desirable, ensure that your options are presented in an organized way.

Try putting a blog on your site and updating it regularly. Frequent blogging is a great way of keeping your potential customers informed and up to date about your business. Having a blog also makes your site larger, which gives search engines more material to index and should thus bring you more traffic.

You have everything you need to be successful with internet marketing. Fancy computer programs and overpriced get-rich-quick schemes can?t compare to a person with knowledge and the desire to get the job done. Just work hard and imagine what you can achieve when you are marketing yourself.

TIP! Use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook as a part of your Internet marketing campaign. You can use these sites to advertise new offers or to share your latest articles.

To build a good website, be as content-focused and as comprehensive as you can. Your main goal should be to teach the viewer about your product in a timely manner. Repetitive descriptions and data, facts and information that the customer will find irrelevant or even boring, should be avoided.

Video marketing is an awesome way to generate interest in your business. Incorporating an informative video onto your website is a great method for gaining the attention of your viewers. Sharing these videos should be easy thanks to social networks and blogs.

To become a successful internet marketer, you need dedication and a high work ethic rather than luck. There is no such story about a business that just got lucky in their success. Coca Cola?s success isn?t pure luck, but rather years of research and work that culminated in a wildly successful soft drink. Not at all. They did a superb job of marketing their product.

TIP! A ?squeeze page? can be an effective way to gather contact info for your mailing list. This will encourage visitors to enter their email addresses.

The majority of cellular providers permit multiple numbers to be routed to a single phone. Therefore, it is wise to get a dedicated number.

To bolster the credibility of your web business, you should try to land interviews with authorities within your niche who are well respected. The interviews can be done on video, audio, or in text form. Your interview will boost readership of your website, improve your reputation as someone in the know and give you more incoming traffic.

You should approach banner advertising differently, and go for a unique approach when designing one for your website. The more appealing and original your banner ad appears, the more people you?ll have clicking on it.

TIP! Check out what your competition is up to. You can check your competition?s site to see what they have.

Consider creating a web page for comments and customer reviews of your products and services. Customer reviews can help establish loyalty and will increase your reputation in the industry.

Add the word ?fast? in you advertisement campaigns and add language that would strengthen your products. Customers value speedy service, which is why you want to ensure that your products are delivered quickly.

TIP! If you website is static and rarely ever changes, perhaps you should consider including a blog on your site. New content gets the attention of the search engines which will increase your ranking in their listings and lead to more traffic for your site.

Offering free gifts or promotions will make your customers feel valued. Sometimes, it is easy to overlook simple things such as this, but offering freebies can keep customers coming back.

Customers will order their products faster if you give them incentives to do so. This could include free shipping, faster shipping or free gift wrapping. One way to do this is to offer free shipping to the first 100 customers who purchase a specified item. Offering incentives can encourage more people to purchase your product and promote customer satisfaction.

Are you searching for some way to do online marketing? Encourage people to give you their email address or to connect with you on social networks by advertising special offers regularly. Offer freebies or contests and ask them if you can send them future emails. A customer will provide their email if they get something in return for it.

TIP! Internet marketing ventures will not succeed through chance, only through deliberate effort and hard work can you hope to enjoy success. No one ever got rich in their own business from luck.

Employ a lot of descriptions on the site. Adjectives work very well in the world of web marketing. Be creative, and come up with your own words and site- or product-specific jargon. Make them want to revisit your site just to read what you have to say.

Write relevant content and submit it to article directories online. Make sure these articles are signed with your full name and contain information about your business. If you get published in an online magazine, include a link to your site. You can entice the editors with commissions or freebies that encourage them to publish your content.

Offer something free with your business name and logo on it. For example, if it?s a wallpaper, submit it to sites that offer free wallpapers. Many websites are available that give out free e-content and are easy to submit too.

TIP! Put customer testimonials on your site. It is easy to claim that your product is effective, but without good, solid proof, your audience may not buy it.

Many people won?t believe ad copy. For years, advertising has been misleading. Because of this, you have to show proof of what you claim on your website. Examples of this include testimonials, before-and-after photographs, and test reports. Just do not say anything that you cannot back up. You must take your customer?s word as truthful and sincere. Don?t take advantage of people. You will get a great reputation and gain customers to do business with for a long time.

Take advantage of these hints and ensure that you are making positive strides toward maximum profits. Armed with the information you learned here, and with a bit of hard work, soon you will see the results of your website marketing efforts.

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Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/the-newcomers-guide-to-efficient-internet-promotion

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We speak to writer, broadcaster and creative writing teacher Sian ...

highlight Sian Prior is a writer, broadcaster and creative writing teacher whose essays have been published in Fairfax and Meanjin. She is currently working on her first non-fiction book.

We spoke to her about the benefits of freelancing, the importance of having something at stake in your writing, and how reader correspondence made her adjust her views on former prime minister Julia Gillard.

What was the first piece of writing you had published?

The first few articles I had published were in the Melbourne University magazine Farrago. I wrote some profiles and arts reviews and also a personal column that was published anonymously because I was embarrassed about the subject matter. An editor picked that one up and published it in a high school textbook ? the first time I was paid for my writing. Priceless encouragement. (And no I won?t tell you what it was about.)

What?s the best part of your job?

Variety. I have a low boredom threshold and being a freelancer in a range of areas (writing, teaching, broadcasting, singing, editing, event hosting, etc.) means that if I get tired of one thing, there?s always something else I can do until I feel refreshed.

What?s the worst part of your job?

Insecurity of income ? although I have got better at tolerating that uncertainty over the years. It?s worth it at the moment for the freedom.

What?s been the most significant moment in your writing career so far?

Being contacted by an editor who said she might be interested in the book I?m currently writing (the first one I actually believe I?ll finish). It?s been a painful process and it was good to be offered hope that all that work might see the light of day.

What?s the best (or worst) advice you?ve received about writing?

American essayist Ander Monson has some insightful things to say about writing. In his essay ?Voir Dire? he wrote, ?How often is something actually at stake in essays, in memoirs, in most of the non fiction I read?? How often is there actual risk involved??? Whenever I feel anxious about being too self-revealing in my writing I remind myself of those questions.

What?s the most surprising thing you?ve ever heard or read about yourself or your work?

I once received some very negative emails in response to a critical column I wrote about the former Prime Minister Julia Gillard. I was shocked but those correspondents were right. I?ve now written a piece about how my thinking changed after receiving those emails. Writing is so ridiculously self-reflexive sometimes, isn?t it?

If you weren?t writing, what do you think you?d be doing instead?

More music. More more more more more music. When I?m not rehearsing or performing music I feel like a limb is missing.

There?s much debate on whether creative writing can be taught ? what?s your view?

As a long-time teacher of creative writing I am entirely biased. You can definitely have an influence on the quality of someone?s writing by encouraging them to develop new skills and to be more self-critical with their own writing. The RMIT writing courses (where I teach) have helped to produce some breathtakingly good published writers.

What?s your advice for someone wanting to be a writer?

Take risks with your writing. Show your writing to others and take their criticisms seriously. Write every day.

Do you buy your books online, in a physical bookshop, or both?

Both. I am doing a PhD and I buy most of my academic texts online (still hard copies) but I buy my novels in independent bookshops like Readings. I don?t yet own an e-reader (always a late adopter).

If you could go out to dinner with any fictional character, who would it be and why? And what would you talk about?

Can I pass on this one? I?m happy for imaginary people to stay within the pages of a book. I?d prefer to have dinner with some flesh and blood writers. New Zealand writer Lloyd Jones, maybe. He seems like a compassionate bloke. We could talk about the fact that he has the same name as my maternal grandfather.

What?s the book that?s had the most significant impact on your life or work ? and why?

I am a passionate devotee of Margaret Atwood?s writing, both fiction and non fiction. I envy the deft way she mixes humour and political critique with suspenseful narratives. I find it hard to imagine the literary landscape of the 20th century without her books. As the weather gets weirder and weirder (with climate change) I think often about her book Oryx and Crake. If only we could clone and transplant her imagination into the minds of the world?s political leaders.

Sian Prior is a writer, broadcaster, musician and creative writing teacher. Her essays have been published by Fairfax and in Meanjin, and she is currently working on her first non-fiction book. Sian blogs and does performing arts reviews at sianprior.com.

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Source: http://wheelercentre.com/dailies/post/70dd7326d5d6/

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Over-Engineered Speaker Cables? Nope, Actual Speakers

Do you live in a bizarre, warped, Escher-style home that's made installing a booming sound system next to impossible? The Anakonda KAN200 might look like a well shielded audio cable, but it's actually a flexible speaker designed to squeeze into spots where traditional boxy speakers don't fit, but still require jam pumping.

Flexible enough to even be wrapped around a pole, the Anakonda KAN200 can be mounted to curved surfaces or other irregularly shaped architecture, and up to 32 of them can be daisy-chained together to cover large spaces.

At over six-and-a-half feet long the Anakonda speakers are aptly named since installation is probably like wrestling a large snake, and at $900 per section they're actually not outrageously priced as far as high-end home audio gear goes. But unlike a real snake, let's hope these are properly balanced so they don't hiss. [K-array via Gizmag]

Over-Engineered Speaker Cables? Nope, Actual Speakers

Source: http://gizmodo.com/over-engineered-speaker-cables-nope-actual-speakers-612362215

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Is Pandora Scamming Artists? Pink Floyd Says, 'Yes' ? WCBS-FM ...

John D McHugh/AFP/Getty Images

Record sales have been on a steady decline for more than a decade: file sharing and streaming services have been the main culprits. The former has been the focus of lawsuits and headlines, but it?s the latter that has quietly crept into the consciousness of artists making their music available to services like Pandora, Spotify, Last.fm and the like. Artists like the Black Keys have declined to let their most recent record?the critically acclaimed and Grammy Award winning El Camino?from being available on Spotify and other streaming services, saying it?s not a viable, profitable option.

The most recent gripe between artist and online radio has proved to be the lone galvanizing motive for Pink Floyd, a band whose surviving members haven?t put differences aside for more than 30 years?aside from their all-too-brief reunion at Live 8 in 2005.

Pink Floyd collectively submitted an op-ed piece to USA Today, accusing Pandora of using tricks to fool artists to agree to an 85% slash in the royalties they receive. Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason have singled out the service for their support of the Internet Radio Fairness Act of 2012,?the IRFA died in committee?which called for the drastic cut.

?For almost all working musicians, it?s also a question of economic survival. Nearly 90% of the artists who get a check for digital play receive less than $5,000 a year,? the members said in the piece. ?They cannot afford the 85% pay cut Pandora asked Congress to impose on the music community.?

WCBS-FM afternoon drive jock ?Broadway? Bill Lee agrees with Pink Floyd?s assessment of Pandora?s action. ?Waters (along with Gilmour and Mason) is well within his rights to make that claim,? says Lee. ?Even though Pandora isn?t turning a profit yet, based on their stock performance, they certainly will be in the future.?

Pink Floyd also pointed out that Pandora?notably founder Tim Westergren?was emailing artists ?asking them to ?be part of a conversation? about the music business and sign a simple ?letter of support? for Internet radio.? A copy of such a letter between Westergren and New York-based musician Blake Morgan was published on the Huffington post: it includes Morgan?s disapproving response and the continued exchange between the two.

Pandora released their own statement, respectfully denying Pink Floyd?s claims. ?Unfortunately, they have been given badly misleading information ? the result of a well-orchestrated campaign by the RIAA and their lobbying arm to mislead and agitate artists,? the statement reads. It continues, saying the accusation that Pandora supports an 85% cut are ?? simply not true? and that ?Pandora is by far the highest paying form of radio in the world and proudly pays both songwriters and performers.?

Pandora?s statement proceeds to call into question Pink Floyd?s source for this 85% cut in royalties, saying the Internet Radio Fairness Act doesn?t mention specific rates?which it does not.

But musicFIRST, a coalition whose aim ?is to ensure music creators get fair pay for their work everywhere it is played,? pointed out that Westergren and Pandora currently pay a 50% royalty rate but wishes to make the cut to 8%: the same as satellite radio. After crunching the numbers, the drop from 50% to 8% is roughly the same as an 85% cut, which is pointed out by this infographic.

Pink Floyd?s battle with Pandora is just the beginning of what looks to be a lengthy conflict, especially with continuing advances in the digital age that sees businesses looking to continually pad their pockets while artists pursue their fair shake of revenue.

- E.J. Judge, CBS Local

More Pink Floyd News On WCBSFM.com

Source: http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2013/06/27/is-pandora-scamming-artists-pink-floyd-says-yes/

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Research in fruit flies provides new insight into Barrett's esophagus

Public release date: 27-Jun-2013
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Contact: Kris Rebillot
krebillot@buckinstitute.org
415-209-2080
Buck Institute for Age Research

Buck Institute research focuses on regulation of adult stem cells

Research focused on the regulation of the adult stem cells that line the gastrointestinal tract of Drosophila suggests new models for the study of Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus, a risk factor for esophageal cancer, is a condition in which the cells of the lower esophagus transform into stomach-like cells. In most cases this transformation has been thought to occur directly from chronic acid indigestion when stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus. A new study, published June 27, 2013 online in Cell Reports, suggests a different cause, namely a change in stem cell function, for this transformation.

Researchers at the Buck Institute manipulated a signaling pathway (BMP-like Dpp) implicated in the development of Barrett's esophagus. After manipulation, the adult stem cells that normally generate the lining of the esophagus of fruit flies morphed into the type of stem cells that generate stomach cells. "Up until this point, it's not been clear what this signaling pathway does in stem cells of the gastrointestinal tract, or how it influences the regeneration of various types of epithelial cells in the gut of the fly," said Heinrich Jasper, PhD, a professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and senior author of the study.

"Barrett's esophagus may not be simply a mechanical response to the overabundance of gastric acid," said Jasper. "Antacids may not be the best means of treating a condition whose development appears to be more complex. This gives us avenues to look for targets for new therapies."

Between five and ten percent of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) develop Barrett's esophagus, usually after the age of 55. Among that population the risk of developing an esophageal adenocarcinoma is about 0.5 percent per year. Typically before the cancer develops, precancerous cells appear in the Barrett's tissue. Barrett's esophagus may be present for many years before cancer develops. Periodic upper GI endoscopy is often used to monitor those with the condition to watch for signs of cancer development.

The Jasper lab is developing the fruit fly, which shares many genetic pathways with humans, as a model to study gastrointestinal disease. Jasper says his lab is now looking at the impact BMP-like Dpp signaling has on the muscles and sphincters of the gastrointestinal system.

###

Contributors to the work:

Other Buck Institute researchers involved in the study include Hongjie Li and Yanyan Qi. This work was supported by the National Institute on General Medical Sciences (NIH RO1 GM100196), and the Ellison Medical Foundation (AG-SS-2224-08) to H.J.

About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging

The Buck Institute is the U.S.'s first independent research organization devoted to Geroscience focused on the connection between normal aging and chronic disease. Based in Novato, CA, The Buck is dedicated to extending "Healthspan", the healthy years of human life and does so utilizing a unique interdisciplinary approach involving laboratories studying the mechanisms of aging and those focused on specific diseases. Buck scientists strive to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, cancer, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke. In their collaborative research, they are supported by the most recent developments in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and stem cell technologies. For more information: http://www.thebuck.org

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Research in fruit flies provides new insight into Barrett's esophagus

Public release date: 27-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: Kris Rebillot
krebillot@buckinstitute.org
415-209-2080
Buck Institute for Age Research

Buck Institute research focuses on regulation of adult stem cells

###

Contributors to the work:

About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging

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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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/bifa-rif062013.php

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Murder conviction against US Marine overturned

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? The military's highest court overturned a murder conviction Wednesday against a Camp Pendleton Marine in one of the most significant cases against American troops from the Iraq war.

The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces threw out the conviction of Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III of Plymouth, Mass., who has served about half of his 11-year sentence.

According to the ruling posted on the court's website, the judges agreed with Hutchins, who claimed his constitutional rights were violated when he was held in solitary confinement without access to a lawyer for seven days during his 2006 interrogation in Iraq.

The decision is seen as a major blow to the military's prosecution of Iraqi war crimes.

Hutchins led an eight-man squad accused of kidnapping an Iraqi man from his home in April 2006, marching him to a ditch and shooting him to death in the village of Hamdania.

Hutchins has said he thought the man ? who turned out to be a retired policeman ? was an insurgent leader. Prosecutors accused the squad of planting a shovel and AK-47 to make it appear he was an insurgent.

None of the other seven squad members served more than 18 months.

The move is the latest in a series of twists and turns for Hutchins, whose case already was overturned once by a lower court three years ago.

The lower court ruled Hutchins' 2007 trial was unfair because his lead defense lawyer quit shortly before it began. The military's highest court disagreed on that point and reinstated Hutchins' conviction in 2011, sending him back to the brig after eight months working at a desk job at California's Camp Pendleton. The high court said at the time that the problem wasn't grave enough to warrant throwing out the conviction.

On Wednesday, it agreed with Hutchins' latest petition.

Hutchins' lawyer, Babu Kaza, said he expects him to now be released in days.

"Sgt. Hutchins and his family have suffered enough with this case, and it's time for this to be over," Kaza said. "Enough is enough."

The Navy can appeal to the Supreme Court or send the case to the convening authority, who can either order a retrial or let the ruling stand.

Navy officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

In their ruling Wednesday, the court's judges said the Naval Criminal Investigative Services violated Hutchins' Fifth Amendment rights when it interrogated him in May 2006 about the incident and then put him in a trailer in Fallujah with no access to a lawyer or phones.

After seven days, the same Navy investigator returned and asked Hutchins for permission to search his belongings. Hutchins said he asked to tell his side of the story and was told he could do so the next day, when he waived his right to counsel and provided a sworn statement about the crimes.

The judges ruled much of the case rested on that confession, which they determined was illegally obtained after Hutchins was held under guard for seven days.

"Accordingly, under the circumstances of this case, it was error for the military judge to admit the statement made by Hutchins on May 19, 2006," the judges concluded in their ruling.

The case was among the most serious Iraqi war crimes prosecuted by the government. In another major case that took six years, the lone Marine convicted in the killings of 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in a raid in Haditha seven years ago reached a deal to escape jail time.

Another case involved the November 2004 death of an unarmed Iraqi detainee in Fallujah. One Marine was spared prison time after pleading guilty to dereliction of duty, and another was acquitted. Their former squad leader was acquitted in federal court.

Former Navy officer David Glazier, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said Wednesday's ruling demonstrates the military's poor prosecution record.

"For these very serious allegations of conduct that one would think of as war crimes, the military justice system has not performed very well in the past couple decades," Glazier said.

"Here this guy's conviction is overturned on the basis that he was mistreated by the government during his initial apprehension, and yet he's already served five years in prison," he added. "If the conviction was unjust in the first place, it's kind of appalling it's taken the military justice system five years to resolve it."

Hutchins' lawyer said his client told him after the ruling that he can't wait to return to his wife and two children.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/murder-conviction-against-us-marine-overturned-232459983.html

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GOHMERT! Gay Marriage Means the End of Civilization (Little green footballs)

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Toronto to become a yuan trading hub? | FP Street ... - Financial Post

A plan is afoot to turn Canada?s largest city into the next yuan trading centre.

According to Chinese media reports, authorities from the Department of Finance, the Bank of Canada and several big Canadian banks recently met with representatives of? major Chinese banks to discuss ways to promote Toronto as the first North American hub for offshore yuan trading.

A story in Shanghai Daily says the gathering, held on Friday, included Canada?s big five banks, HSBC, Industrial Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China.

As it stands, the major centres outside Mainland China where the currency is traded include Hong Kong, Singapore, London and Taiwan, with Hong Kong holding the biggest market share.

With its large and growing Chinese community, Toronto has long had close business ties to the world?s most populous country, so such a move would likely strengthen that relationship.

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/06/26/toronto-to-become-a-yuan-trading-hub/

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Environmentalists demand new climate analysis for Keystone XL (Washington Post)

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Zimmerman trial: Joke by defense is a bust

Zimmerman trial joke: A defense attorney for George Zimmerman started the trial with a 'knock, knock' joke. It didn't go so well.

By Kyle Hightower and Mich Schneider,?Associated Press / June 26, 2013

George Zimmerman (2nd from r.) stands with his defense team, Mark O'Mara (l.), Don West, and Lorna Truett, during his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla., on Tuesday. Mr. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/AP

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George Zimmerman was fed up with "punks" getting away with crime and shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin "because he wanted to," not because he had to, prosecutors argued Monday, while the neighborhood watch volunteer's attorney said the killing was self-defense against a young man who was slamming Zimmerman's head against the pavement.

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The prosecution began opening statements in the long-awaited murder trial with shocking language, repeating obscenities Zimmerman uttered while talking to a police dispatcher moments before the deadly confrontation.

The defense opened with a knock-knock joke about the difficulty of picking a jury for a case that stirred nationwide debate over racial profiling, vigilantism and Florida's expansive laws on the use of deadly force.

"Knock. Knock," said defense attorney Don West.

"Who is there?"

"George Zimmerman."

"George Zimmerman who?"

"All right, good. You're on the jury."

The courtroom was silent. He later apologized for the poor delivery.

Zimmerman, 29, could get life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder for gunning down Martin on Feb. 26, 2012, as the unarmed black teenager, wearing a hoodie on a dark, rainy night, walked from a convenience store through the gated townhouse community where he was staying.

The case took on racial dimensions after Martin's family claimed that Zimmerman had racially profiled Martin and that police were dragging their feet in bringing charges. Zimmerman, whose mother is Hispanic and whose father is white, has denied the confrontation had anything to do with race.

Prosecutor John Guy's first words to the jury recounted what Zimmerman told a dispatcher in a call shortly after spotting Martin: "F------ punks. These a-------. They always get away."

Zimmerman was profiling Martin as he followed him, Guy said. He said Zimmerman viewed the teen "as someone about to a commit a crime in his neighborhood."

"And he acted on it. That's why we're here," the prosecutor said.

Zimmerman didn't have to shoot Martin, Guy said. "He shot him for the worst of all reasons: because he wanted to," he said.

The prosecutor portrayed the watch captain as a vigilante, saying, "Zimmerman thought it was his right to rid his neighborhood of anyone who did not belong."

West told jurors a different story: Martin sucker-punched Zimmerman and then pounded the neighborhood watch volunteer's head against the concrete sidewalk, and that's when Zimmerman opened fire.

Showing the jury photos of a bloodied and bruised Zimmerman, the defense attorney said, "He had just taken tremendous blows to his face, tremendous blows to his head."

West said the story that Martin was unarmed is untrue: "Trayvon Martin armed himself with a concrete sidewalk and used it to smash George Zimmerman's head."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/yJY2OHb8ODM/Zimmerman-trial-Joke-by-defense-is-a-bust

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