iPhone Tips: Tips on How to Unlock Your iPhone 5 Today

If you need to unlock your new or not-so-new iPhone 5 that is locked to AT&T, you have two options: call AT&T and ask them to unlock it or use a third party service like Keys2iPhone.com that sells iPhone unlocks. If you decide to go with option #1, be prepared to give AT&T your current phone number, name and other related information to verify your identity. You can call them directly at their customer support toll-free number: 1-800-331-0500.

At&t has repeatedly stated that as long as you meet their unlocking conditions, they will generate the unlocking code for your device. The conditions may be difficult to meet if you just bought a second hand iPhone from someone else, since they will need to verify that you are the original owner of the device before they can issue an unlock. Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous sellers out there who can sell you a locked handset, or, even worse, a blacklisted iPhone in which case you can stop dreaming about getting it officially unlocked!

TIP: Always request the IMEI number of the iPhone you are about to buy and run it in the official Apple IMEI database to check if it has been reported stolen or blacklisted for some other reason.

For the reasons stated above it may be a real chore trying to get your iPhone 5 unlocked on your own. Naturally, the second option is to use a third party facilitating service that via their special relations with carriers secure official unlocks. There are many services out there ? some are more expensive than others. Since you have already invested good money in purchasing your iPhone, it is only wise to pay a little more for a sure thing and avoid unpleasant surprises down the road. You can check customer reviews before ordering an unlock.

AT&T iPhone 5 comes in one version with a nano-SIM card slot for CDMA and GSM networks. The AT&T uses GSM technology and once they unlock your GSM slot, you will be able to use your iPhone with any GSM provider in U.S. and all over the world. The unlock will work with most European carriers that also use GSM technology. Simply check the world GSM coverage map for a list of GSM mobile carriers in your country.

Source: http://www.suunews.com/weblogs/iphone-tips/2013/jun/30/tips-on-how-to-unlock-your-iphone-5-today/

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Funeral held for man in ex-Patriot's murder case

BOSTON (AP) ? Hundreds of relatives, friends and teammates wept together and hugged Saturday at the funeral of a semi-pro football player whose killing led to murder and weapons charges against former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez.

The body of Odin Lloyd was found June 17 near Hernandez's home. Police arrested Hernandez on Wednesday and charged him with orchestrating the execution-style shooting.

Lloyd played for the Boston Bandits and was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee. Members of Lloyd's team showed up for the funeral in their uniforms and chanted his name as pallbearers placed his casket in a hearse outside Church of the Holy Spirit in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood. The crowd of mourners was so large that some could not find room inside the church for the two-hour service.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Two other men are also in custody. Prosecutors say the three were in a car with Lloyd shortly before his death.

Authorities have said trouble that led to Lloyd's killing happened June 14, when Lloyd went with Hernandez to a Boston nightclub. Hernandez became upset when Lloyd began talking with people Hernandez apparently didn't like, prosecutors said.

On June 16, the night before the slaying, a prosecutor said, Hernandez texted two unidentified friends and asked them to hurry to Massachusetts from Connecticut.

A few minutes later, he texted Lloyd to tell him he wanted to get together, prosecutors said. Authorities say Hernandez, Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace picked up Lloyd at around 2:30 a.m. June 17, drove him to an industrial park near Hernandez's home and shot him five times. They have not said who fired the shots.

Prosecutors said an ammunition clip found in Hernandez's Hummer matched the caliber of casings found at the scene of Lloyd's killing.

Hernandez's lawyer argued in court that the case is circumstantial. He said Hernandez, who was cut by the Patriots the day he was arrested, wanted to clear his name.

Ortiz's attorney, John Connors, said he will seek bail for his client at the July 9 hearing. He described Ortiz as a "gentle person" and said he will advise Ortiz to plead not guilty to the gun charge he is facing.

Wallace surrendered in Miramar, Fla., on Friday, police said. Authorities had been seeking Wallace on a charge of acting as an accessory after Lloyd's murder. Details of that allegation weren't released.

Hernandez was drafted by the Patriots in 2010 and signed a five-year contract worth $40 million last summer. He could face life in prison if convicted.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/funeral-held-man-ex-patriots-murder-case-151835012.html

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Truth About Marriage: 6 Lies That Give Brides False Hope

Written by Mary Fischer on CafeMom?s blog, The Stir.

Ugh. Why do people feel the need to tell brides all this sweet, mushy, heartwarming stuff on their wedding day about how being married is all kinds of wonderful? You know, the endless gushing over how much happier you'll be now that you have a partner to share all of life's beautiful moments with?

Yeah -- that's what people say because they don't want to burst your bubble and give you the real story. Sure, marriage takes work, and most of us are smart enough to realize that it's not going to be all sunshine and roses 365 days a year. But most wedding well-wishers don't even dare touch the, "You'll have some good moments and not-so-good moments" bit.

Instead, they load up on free food and booze and party like rock stars at your reception while filling your head with images of how wonderful your life is going to be from that point forward.

And then they go home at the end of the night muttering, "Just you wait, honey..." under their breath (in between hiccups, of course.)

At some point down the road, the honeymoon period wears off, and then the reality that is marriage sets in and you wonder why in the hell no one told you the truth about how things were going to go.

That being said, I present six lies about marriage people can't resist telling brides over and over again.

1. "You lived together for a while, so you're already 'married'" -- Um, why does anyone fall for this one? Living together as an engaged couple and living together as a married couple are two entirely different things. It's a whole lot easier to put up with things like the toilet seat being left up and clothes piled in a heap on the floor when you know in the back of your head you can move out at a moment's notice. (It's kind of a downer when you realize you're trapped.)

2. "You won't have to worry about money anymore!" -- Ah, yes -- the combined finances speech. If you've never had a joint bank account before, get ready for trouble to set in. It's so much harder to keep track of who is spending what when you're taking out funds from the same cash pool. The whole "our money" thing is basically a recipe for fighting.

3. "Don't worry, after a few years with you, he'll come around." -- OMG. Whoever tells you that your spouse will change his/her political or religious beliefs to fit in line with yours simply because he put a ring on your finger is a BIG FAT LIAR.

4. "You'll never be lonely again." -- Who says you have to be alone to be lonely? It's only natural that when you get married, you see your other friends and family less -- which can feel really, really lonely at times.

5. "You'll have so much more fun than you did in your single days. You won't miss those times one bit." -- Yeah, right. Find me one married woman who doesn't fantasize about reliving crazy nights in college, that girls' weekend in Vegas, or even a day spent lying on the couch watching movies alone simply because she could -- and I'll probably faint in disbelief.

6. "Trust me, you'll love everything about your spouse -- because that's what marriage is all about!" -- Gag me with a spoon. Loving every single aspect of a person, even their disgusting habits and annoying quirks? That's just not realistic. For example, do you know one woman who finds her husband farting in bed, smoking, belching, scratching his balls, etc. endearing? (Probably not. And you'll be her at some point down the road, I promise.)

Have you heard any of these lies?

More from The Stir:

DON?T Marry Him if His Parents Can?t Stand You ?- Trust Me, I Know

6 Things for Wives to Love About Their Husbands Being Out of Town

15 Things a Wife Never Wants to Hear Her Husband Say

The Unfair Secret Trick to Staying Married

6 Things You Can Never Change About a Man

Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/29/truth-about-marriage_n_3513026.html

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Obama recasts chase for Snowden as unexceptional

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The last thing President Barack Obama wants to do is turn Edward Snowden into a grand enemy of the state or a Daniel Ellsberg-type hero who speaks truth to power.

In the shifting narrative of the Obama administration, the man whose leaks of top-secret material about government surveillance programs have tied the national security apparatus in knots and brought charges under the Espionage Act has now been demoted to a common fugitive unworthy of international intrigue or extraordinary pursuit by the U.S. government.

A "29-year-old hacker," in the words of Obama; fodder for a made-for-TV movie, perhaps, but not much more.

"This is not exceptional from a legal perspective," the president said Thursday of Snowden's efforts to avoid capture by hopscotching from Hawaii to Hong Kong to Russia.

"I'm not going to have one case of a suspect who we're trying to extradite suddenly being elevated to the point where I've got to start doing wheeling and dealing and trading on a whole host of other issues simply to get a guy extradited," the president told reporters in Senegal.

It was the second time in a week that the administration had toned down its rhetoric as Snowden remained out of reach and first China and then Russia refused to send him back.

Just Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry was talking tough against China and calling Snowden a traitor whose actions are "despicable and beyond description." By Tuesday, Kerry was calling for "calm and reasonableness" on the matter, and adding, "We're not looking for a confrontation. We are not ordering anybody."

There are plenty of reasons for Obama to pull back, beyond his professed desire to avoid international horse-trading for the leaker.

The president, in his own words, has "a whole lot of business to do with China and Russia." Why increase tensions in an already uneasy relationship when Obama is looking for Russia's cooperation in finding a path to peace in Syria, for example?

In addition, less-heated dialogue could make it easier to broker Snowden's return because, despite the latest shrugs, U.S. officials very much want him.

"There's a lot of signaling going on," said Steve Aftergood, director of the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists. "If the White House were issuing ultimatums, then Russia might feel obliged not to cooperate. But if it's merely one request among many others, that might make it easier to advance to a resolution."

The president also may have a U.S. audience in mind for his comments.

Obama's Democratic base includes plenty of defenders of civil liberties who are sympathetic to Snowden's professed goal of making government more transparent.

Benjamin Pauker, managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine, said the president was loath to elevate Snowden to a state enemy or "an Ellsberg-type truth-teller," referring to the 1971 leaker of the Pentagon Papers, which showed the U.S. government had misled the public about the war in Vietnam.

Ellsberg himself recently called Snowden's revelations the most significant disclosures in the nation's history.

The administration, though, would rather marginalize Snowden, a former National Security Agency systems analyst who is thought to have custody of more classified documents.

"Calling him a hacker, as opposed to a government contractor or an NSA employee, brings him down a notch to someone who's an irritant, as opposed to someone who has access to integral intelligence files," Pauker said. "To externalize him and brand him with a black-hat hacker tag distances him from the government."

The disdainful talk isn't just coming from the White House.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, called Snowden "a high school dropout who had a whole series of both academic troubles and employment troubles" after a recent closed hearing on the leaks. The committee's top Democrat, C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger from Maryland, called Snowden "a legend in his own mind" for claiming to be able to use NSA systems to access any email or phone call anywhere ? something the NSA's director has said can't be done.

There may also be face-saving benefits for Obama in cutting down Snowden, who turned 30 last week. An unsuccessful full-court press for Snowden's return would only show the limitations of Obama's international influence.

It's not the first time a president has tried to reset expectations by first elevating and then playing down the importance of an international fugitive who eluded capture, at least for a time.

President George W. Bush went from putting out a "dead-or-alive" ultimatum for 9-11 terror mastermind Osama bin Laden to dismissing him as "a person who's now been marginalized."

"I just don't spend that much time on him," Bush said in March 2002.

Candidate Barack Obama pledged during the 2008 presidential campaign: "We will kill bin Laden, we will crush al-Qaida. That has to be our biggest national security priority."

By January 2009, just days before his inauguration, Obama was saying: "My preference, obviously would be to capture or kill him. But if we have so tightened the noose that he's in a cave somewhere and can't even communicate with his operatives, then we would meet our goal of protecting America."

As it turned out, he got him.

___

AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.

___

Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-recasts-chase-snowden-unexceptional-073112725.html

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Rival demonstrators mass in Egypt after deadly clash | Morocco ...

CAIRO, June 28, 2013 (AFP)

Supporters and opponents of Egypt?s Islamist President Mohamed Morsi gathered for rival demonstrations on Friday, raising fears of fresh violence after one activist was killed overnight.

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist allies massed outside the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo?s Nasr district to demonstrate their backing for Morsi in his rejection of opposition calls to step down just a year into his term of office.

They gathered under the slogan ?legitimacy is a red line?, in reference to Morsi?s insistence that he won a free and fair election and has a popular mandate.

Opponents of the Islamist president gathered outside Cairo?s Al-Azhar ? Sunni Islam?s highest seat of learning ? for a march to Tahrir Square, the iconic epicentre of the protest movement that ousted veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Hundreds of Morsi opponents have been holding a sit-in in Tahrir since Tuesday.

Their protest was called by the Tamarod movement (Arabic for rebellion) which says it has collected more than 15 million signatures to a petition demanding Morsi?s resignation and a snap election.

The mainly secular opposition charges that the president has reneged on his promise to rule for all Egyptians and has failed to deliver on the uprising?s aspirations for freedom and social justice.

The overnight violence erupted in the eastern part of the Nile Delta, north of the capital, Morsi?s own home province.

Rival demonstrators clashed outside offices of the Muslim Brotherhood?s political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, on whose platform the president won last year?s election.

The FJP said on its website that one of its supporters was killed. Thirty people were also wounded, the health ministry said.

Germany warned that Egypt faced a ?moment of truth? for its fledgling democracy and urged the Islamist president to implement reforms.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that demonstrators had a right to peaceful assembly but urged both sides to refrain from bloodshed.

Westerwelle ?is deeply concerned about the current escalation in political tensions in Egypt,? his spokesman Andreas Peschke told reporters.

?This is in his view a key moment of truth for political change in Egypt.?

Morsi himself warned in a televised speech on Wednesday that the growing polarisation between his fans and foes threatens to ?paralyse? the country.

He pledged to consider constitutional reforms and appealed to the opposition to join talks.

It was his latest attempt to strike up a dialogue between political factions in a country deeply split between his Islamist allies and an opposition of leftists, liberals, Christians and some Muslim groups.

But late on Thursday, the opposition National Salvation Front coalition rejected his offer of talks and renewed its call for a snap election to replace him.

Since taking office a year ago, Morsi has squared off against the judiciary, media, police and even artists.

However, he has admitted to failings and has vowed to correct them.

?I have made many mistakes, there is no question. Mistakes can happen, but they need to be corrected,? he said.

He warned the media against abusing the freedoms they won from the 2011 uprising.

Judges imposed a ban on foreign travel on Thursday on the owner of a private television channel that hosts a popular satire show.

CBC owner Mohammed al-Amin faces charges of tax evasion, and Morsi singled him out by name in Wednesday?s speech.

The army, which oversaw the transition from Mubarak?s autocratic rule but has been on the sidelines since Morsi?s election, warned it would intervene if violence breaks out.

It has brought in reinforcements to key cities, security officials said.

In Cairo, residents were withdrawing cash and stocking up on food, and many companies have said they will close on Sunday, the first day of the working week in Egypt.

Fuel shortages have seen drivers queueing outside petrol stations through the night, bringing parts of the capital to a standstill.

Source: http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2013/06/95872/rival-demonstrators-mass-in-egypt-after-deadly-clash/

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EU deal boosts prospects for banking union

BRUSSELS (AP) ? A hard-fought deal on how to pay for future bank bailouts gave European Union leaders a boost going into a summit Thursday, injecting credibility into their efforts to end the spiral of financial and economic troubles.

But other challenges await the 27 EU leaders, who will hold talks in Brussels through Friday.

Unemployment is at a record high across the bloc, particularly for the young, who have been disproportionately punished by years of crisis and recession. Germany has dashed hopes of investing any new money to ease the problem.

Meanwhile, a growing dispute between France and the EU leadership in Brussels is highlighting divisions between Europeans and their decision-makers.

The EU leaders will take stock of progress on the bloc's financial and economic policies just hours after their finance ministers reached a breakthrough, middle-of-the-night deal determining who will pay for future bank bailouts, so that taxpayers don't have to.

This is a key step toward establishing a so-called banking union for Europe, aimed at restoring stability after a tumultuous few years that have dragged down the global economy.

The set of rules determines the order in which investors and creditors will have to take losses when a bank is restructured or shut down, with a taxpayer-funded bailout being only a limited last resort.

"That's a major shift from the public means, from the taxpayer if you will, back to the financial sector itself which will now become for a very, very large extent responsible for dealing with its own problems," said Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem.

A year ago, EU leaders pledged to tackle the eurozone's financial crisis by introducing a banking union. That would hand the supervision and rescue of banks to European institutions rather than leaving weaker member states to fend for themselves.

The project has stalled on many fronts, notably because richer countries fear they might have to pay for the banking woes of weaker countries. But Thursday's breakthrough offered new hope by establishing clear rules.

Following the 2008-2009 financial crisis, countries like Ireland, Britain and Germany each had to pump dozens of billions of fresh capital into ailing banks to avoid the financial system from collapsing.

To avoid that happening again, the new rules foresee for banks' creditors and shareholders to be the first to take losses. But if that isn't enough to prop up the lender, small companies and ordinary savers holding uninsured deposits worth more than 100,000 euros ($132,000) will also take a hit, officials said.

Those forced losses will go as high as 8 percent of a bank's total liabilities, only then would national governments kick in and top it up with a bailout possibly worth another 5 percent of the liabilities.

EU leaders are meant to focus at this summit on fighting youth unemployment ? which has topped 50 percent in some of southern Europe's crisis-hit economies and affects almost one in four youth across the EU.

The flagship policy touted since last year in Brussels remains that the 27 nations, forming a 13 trillion euro economy, have pledged to use 6 billion euros for the fight against youth unemployment starting in 2014. Half the money is being repackaged from other existing budget positions.

Germany, Europe's reluctant paymaster, again made it clear before the summit that those funds won't be increased. Berlin insists that the main responsibility lies with the member states themselves, saying they have to reform their economies to encourage growth.

With stimulus policies off the table in times of belt-tightening across the bloc, leaders were instead touting a previously agreed capital increase for the European Investment Bank, which should boost lending and foster job creation.

"The employment problems in some, and in most, European nations cannot alone be solved with European taxpayers' money," a senior German government official said Wednesday. "The precondition for a successful fight against youth unemployment must happen in the respective countries through necessary reforms, including on the labor market," he added. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was briefing reporters about the summit's closed-door talks.

___

Angela Charlton and Raf Casert also contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eu-deal-boosts-prospects-banking-union-062013575.html

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Reaction to court ruling on marriage provision

Reaction to the Supreme Court's decisions Wednesday in two gay marriage cases:

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"The laws of our land are catching up to the fundamental truth that millions of Americans hold in our hearts: when all Americans are treated as equal, no matter who they are or whom they love, we are all more free." ? President Barack Obama.

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"While I am obviously disappointed in the ruling, it is always critical that we protect our system of checks and balances. A robust national debate over marriage will continue in the public square, and it is my hope that states will define marriage as the union between one man and one woman." ? House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

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"The Supreme Court's decision affirms that all couples, regardless of their sexual orientation, deserve the same rights and opportunities under the law that my wife and I enjoy. The Defense of Marriage Act was a discriminatory law that unfairly treated LGBT couples differently, and has rightly been relegated to the dust bin of history." ? Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.

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"We are devastated that the Supreme Court succumbed to political pressure by voting to weaken the sacred institution. They neglected our most precious children who need a mother and a father united in marriage for healthy development." ? Rev. William Owens, president of Coalition of African-American Pastors.

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"At long last, the legal marriages of countless gay and lesbian couples will be afforded the same federal recognition and protections as any other. Today is a cornerstone for justice and equality? when our nation once again moved closer to recognizing and celebrating all LGBT Americans for their contributions to our great country." ? GLAAD spokesperson Wilson Cruz.

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"While we are disappointed in the Supreme Court's decision to strike down part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the court today did not impose the sweeping nationwide redefinition of natural marriage that was sought. Time is not on the side of those seeking to create same-sex 'marriage.' As the American people are given time to experience the actual consequences of redefining marriage, the public debate and opposition to the redefinition of natural marriage will undoubtedly intensify." ? Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.

____

"This is a watershed moment for equality and a clear statement from the highest court in the land that discrimination and hatred have no place in a country founded on the principles of liberty, justice and equality." ? Rick Jacobs, chair of the California-based CourageCampaign.org.

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"At the heart of the gay marriage argument is an untruth: unions of two men or women are not the same as unions of husband and wife. The law cannot make it so, it can only require us to paint pretty pictures to cover up deep truths embedded in human nature." ? Maggie Gallagher, fellow at the American Principles Project and co-founder of the National Organization for Marriage.

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"Today's ruling affirms what we stand for as Americans ? the guarantee that every person and every family is given equal respect under the law. It means that married same-sex couples can participate fully in federal programs that provide much-needed security for American families. ? Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.

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"We are deeply saddened by today's decision to not only allow but encourage same-sex marriage in our country? a country that was founded on biblical principles. We mourn for America's future, but we are not without hope." ?Tim Wildmon, president of American Family Association.

___

"Marriage is the true foundation for strong families. Every loving, committed couple deserves the basic human right to get married, start a family, and be treated equally under the law. No politician from this day forward should try to stand in the way of this fact." ?Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

___

"The House defended this law, which passed with a large bipartisan coalition and was signed by President Clinton, because courts should determine the constitutionality of laws, not presidents. I'm disappointed in this decision, and the marriage debate will continue in the states." ? House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.

___

"The Supreme Court bent the arc of history once again toward justice. The court placed itself on the right side of history by discarding Section 3 of the defenseless Defense of Marriage Act and by allowing marriage equality for all families in California. The highest court in the land reaffirmed the promise inscribed into its walls: 'equal justice under law.'" ? House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

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"It is a sad day when the same court that upheld Obamacare decides to reverse course on thousands of years of tradition and a strong bipartisan coalition in Congress by striking down the Defense of Marriage Act. This Supreme Court ruling marks a low point in judicial activism where unelected judges turned against traditional marriage which has been a hallmark of American society since our nation's founding." ? Steve Scalise, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

___

"Today's rulings advance civil marriage equality, but they should also serve as a call for Christians to embrace religious marriage equality. Countless faithful Christians have lived out their lives in committed same-sex relationships, and we have seen the fruits of their fidelity in our families, our congregations and our communities. If we use this historic moment to see more clearly how their faithfulness contributes to the common good, we will better be able to walk with our LGBT sisters and brothers as an act of Christian faith." ? Rev. Gary Hall, dean of Washington National Cathedral.

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"The court's decision does not silence the voices of Americans. Marriage? the union of husband and wife? will remain timeless, universal, and special, particularly because children need mothers and fathers." ? Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom.

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"Today's decision is a step in the right direction for same-sex couples who have made legal commitments to each other... It seems almost unthinkable that such a blatantly unfair law would exist today." ? David Dinielli, deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

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"I firmly believe that preserving the institution of traditional marriage is crucial to the stability of our society and serves the best interest of American families... Today's decision is certainly a setback for the traditional values that make up the backbone of our country." ? House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va.

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"We still have a long way to go, as far as marriage equality throughout the country, but as a military spouse it is a great day to be an American." ? Ashley Broadway, a mother of two small children and married to Lt. Col. Heather Mack, stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C.

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"The Supreme Court got it wrong when it said that the state can tell the federal government how it must define marriage. The federal government, on behalf of those who elected them, should be able to recognize the unique value of relationships that provide children a mother and father." ? Joseph Backholm, executive director of the Family Policy Institute of Washington.

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"The U.S. Supreme Court's decision today puts the court on the right side of history. DOMA is unjust, un-American, and out of step with the values of our country." ? Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va.

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"Sadly, the courts have chosen to follow at a time when our nation most needs strong leaders? leaders who wish to promote strong families instead of dismantling them." ? Rev. William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reaction-court-ruling-marriage-provision-161019974.html

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Official Facebook and Flipboard apps are coming to Windows 8.

Official Facebook and Flipboard apps are coming to Windows 8. It's "official" according to Steve Ballmer. "Official" built by the companies or "official" Microsoft built? We don't yet know.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rDCcjNi2xcg/official-facebook-and-flipboard-apps-are-coming-to-wind-586541741

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Oil higher on durable goods data; pump price down

NEW YORK (AP) ? The price of oil climbed showed a small gain Tuesday, as positive U.S. economic news provided some support while traders wait for the latest supply reports.

By midday in New York, benchmark oil for August delivery was up 10 cents to $95.28 a barrel.

A trio of economic reports boosted both oil and stocks. The government said U.S. businesses ordered more long-lasting manufactured goods, including a surge in commercial aircraft orders. Readings on home prices and consumer confidence were also positive.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 103 points to 14,763 in afternoon trading. Oil trading is often influenced by stock market trends which can reflect the state of confidence in the economic outlook.

Traders are awaiting the weekly report on oil and gasoline supplies due out Wednesday from the Energy Department. The nation's supply of crude oil is near a record level, while gasoline supplies remain high because of tepid demand.

Drivers are seeing some relief in gas prices. The price of a gallon fell a penny to an average of $3.55. It's dropped 8 cents in two weeks.

Brent crude, used to set prices for oil used by many U.S. refineries to make gasoline, was up 33 cents at $101.49 a barrel.

In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:

? Natural gas lost 5 cents to $3.69 per 1,000 cubic feet.

? Heating oil rose 1 cent to $2.86 a gallon.

? Wholesale gasoline was unchanged at $2.73 a gallon.

__

Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oil-higher-durable-goods-data-pump-price-down-165508948.html

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Marginalized filmmaking: a review of 'Rekorder' - Rappler.com

by Rhea B. Gulin
Posted on 06/21/2013 1:40 PM ?|?Updated 06/21/2013 6:33 PM

POST-MODERN THESIS. Red's 'Rekorder,' in the Godardian tradition, is a film about filmmaking. Production still from Rekorder 2013 Facebook Page.

MANILA, Philippines - This year's Cinemalaya Film Festival has got some big shoes to fill in. Since last year's films challenging the old conventions, Filipino movie enthusiasts are eager for more. Most films have not released their official trailers yet and we are still more than a month away from the festival week.

But it seems like we moviegoers aren't about to be disappointed, because there's one film that can probably carry the entire festival itself.

It was through a lifestyle-oriented program that I discovered "Rekorder." If you have been following my Cinemalaya updates on Twitter, I had tweeted that this year's line-up doesn't get me giddy at all. Good thing though, someone sort of slapped me for concluding stuff way too early.

Mikhail Red's "Rekorder" tells the story of Maven, a former cameraman in the '80s who now works as a film pirate. He is a cammer ? one who illegally records films running in cinemas ? and one of the last of his kind, as illegal camcording becomes more obsolete, amid the digital evolution of piracy (as in Pirate Bay and such) and the increasing crackdown against this illicit industry.

We won't risk committing spoilers, so let's just say that Maven soon inadvertently records something. His footage goes viral and the plot thickens.

NO INTEL INSIDE. Maven visits a shopkeeper to have his camcorder inspected

"Rekorder" somehow revels in the stifling, oppressive obscurity of these lowly technicians in the piracy trade.

Through Maven's interchanging lenses, we behold the psychological thriller as a mixed-media animal, morphing under several digital formats (professional cameras, CCTVs, hand-held).

"Rekorder" is indeed a cinematic experiment as it explores the bewildering possibilities of the old formats tossed in with the new.

"I imagined this type of treatment and storyline because I wanted to present something [old] with a modern approach," the 21-year-old director said in an interview.

His own identity

With independent cinema, Red is certainly in familiar territory. His father Raymond Red won the prestigious Palme d?Or of Cannes for his now-classic 2000 short, "Anino."

The younger Red followed in his father's footsteps but was fast on the way to establishing his own identity. At 17, Red took part in Cinemalaya, submitting a short entitled "Harang" which won, to his surprise, a Best Screenplay.

Red followed that up with another short film entitled "Hazard," a crime drama involving a moral conflict between father and son which isn't at all about Raymond and Mikhail Red.

"Rekorder," says Mikhail Red, is "much more daring, pushing cinematic boundaries further." Indeed, he steps up his technical playfulness here to intensify the film's atmosphere.

STERCUS ACCIDIT. Maven (Quizon) amid the stifling obscurity of his trade

Ronnie Quizon was already his choice to play the lead even before Red and his team started casting.

"In 1997, my father made a film entitled "Kamada." I remember watching that film as a child and I was always fascinated by Ronnie Quizon's character."

Skeleton crew

Although he's no stranger to the filmmaking community, it feels like it's always the first time for Red. After all, this is his first full feature.

"I was used to my own process when making short films, doing everything independently with a skeleton crew." He was also overwhelmed by the larger scale of production in full-length films ? of more people being involved and more sequences shot.

Even with the backing of the Red family's PelikulaRED, Mikhail Red still had difficulty gathering funds to finish the project.

"We had to find producers, people who believed in the vision of 'Rekorder,' and we had to make sure that we could make the film a reality with our limited resources."

Red is as fulfilled as his also-young crew to have overcome the challenges in making this film. That itself is the reward for this director and everything else that may follow is a bonus.

"I just want audiences to remember my films; I want them to think about it. It doesn't matter if they react positively or disagree with it completely. As long as they were affected by it, and they remember my work, then I believe I am successful in a sense. I don't need to win anything."

Red's inspiring words for aspiring young filmmakers paraphrase Godard. "All you really need is a concept and a camera, just go out there and shoot, be daring, do something new and don't be afraid to make mistakes."

Watch the trailer here:

- Rappler.com

Rekorder will be shown on July 26 to August 4, 2013, at the CCP, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma malls, together with the other CINEMALAYA 2013 entries.

Rhea B. Gulin

Rhea B. Gulin, 17, is currently enrolled at the Philippine Normal University, majoring in literature. She's also a cineaste as this article shows.

Source: http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/31842-rekorder-post-modern-movie-experience

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Britons freed, Canadian jailed for 9 years in Cuban graft cases

By Marc Frank

HAVANA (Reuters) - Two British businessmen were released from custody in Cuba this week but a Canadian remained behind bars after courts delivered verdicts in two high-profile corruption trials, sources close to the cases said on Thursday.

Amado Fakhre and Stephen Purvis, the top executives of British investment and trading firm Coral Capital Group Ltd, were found guilty of minor charges and released for time served, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

But Canadian businessman Sarkis Yacoubian, originally from Armenia and the owner of import firm Tri-Star Caribbean, and his cousin and associate, Lebanese citizen Krikor Bayassalian, were found guilty of bribery and other related charges.

Yacoubian, who provided evidence to the government after he was arrested and his company closed two years ago, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Bayassalian received a four-year prison term.

The four were tried in two separate cases last month.

Yacoubian, who along with Bayassalian is being held in a Cuban jail, plans to waive his right to an appeal and hopes to be transferred to Canada, his relatives told the Canadian Press news agency.

The Cuban government and the defendants' attorneys and family were not immediately available for comment.

Fakhre, who was born in Lebanon, was arrested in October 2011 when the company's offices were raided and closed and recently had been held in a Cuban hospital. Purvis had been behind bars since March 2012.

The sources said Purvis was free to leave the country, while Fakhre's status was unclear.

A trial date has yet to be set for the owner of another Canadian trading company, Cy Tokmakjian, who was taken into custody when his firm, the Tokmakjian Group, was raided and closed in September 2011.

The arrests of the foreign businessmen, part of a broad government campaign to stamp out corruption, sent shockwaves through Cuba's foreign business community where the companies were among the most visible players.

Until then, expulsions rather than imprisonment had been the norm for those accused of corrupt practices.

Dozens of Cuban state purchasers and officials, including deputy ministers, have been arrested and convicted as part of the government's investigation into the Cuban imports business.

Soon after taking over for his ailing brother Fidel in 2008, President Raul Castro established the comptroller general's office with a seat on the ruling Council of State, even as he began implementing market-oriented economic reforms.

The measure marked the start of the anti-corruption campaign. Since then, high-level graft has been uncovered in several key areas, from the cigar, nickel and communications industries, to food processing and civil aviation.

The Cuban government has been less successful, however, in tackling low salaries and lack of transparency, which contribute to the problem, according to foreign diplomats and businessmen.

There is no open bidding in Cuba's import-export sector and state purchasers who handle multimillion-dollar contracts earn anywhere from $50 to $100 per month.

Cuban officials blame U.S. sanctions for the lack of open bidding, accusing Washington of trying to scare off any foreign company interested in doing business with the Communist-ruled nation.

Transparency International, considered the world's leading anti-graft watchdog, rates Cuba 58 out of 178 countries in terms of tackling corruption, ahead of all but eight of 33 nations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

(Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Tom Brown and Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/britons-freed-canadian-jailed-9-years-cuban-graft-170915271.html

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Alice Munro says she is 'probably' done writing

NEW YORK (AP) ? Less than a year after Philip Roth announced he had stopped writing books, another literary great may be retiring: Alice Munro.

The 81-year-old Canadian author, widely regarded as one of the world's greatest short story writers, told Canada's National Post during a recent interview that she was "probably not going to write anymore." Munro made the comments after receiving the Trillium Book Award for the story collection "Dear Life."

"Not that I didn't love writing," she said, "but I think you do get to a stage where you sort of think about your life in a different way. And perhaps, when you're my age, you don't wish to be alone as much as a writer has to be. It's like, at the wrong end of life, sort of becoming very sociable."

Roth, 80, made similar comments last year in explaining his decision to quit. The list of voluntary literary retirees is tiny, with the vast majority of authors continuing for as long as health permits.

Fiction editor Deborah Treisman of The New Yorker, where Munro has often been published, told The Associated Press on Thursday that she has not received any new material from Munro since last year. Munro's most recent story in the magazine, "Amundsen," appeared in August 2012. "Dear Life" was published in the fall.

Munro, whose other books include "Open Secrets" and "Friend of My Youth," has said before that she was quitting, only to resume writing. During a brief interview posted last fall on www.newyorker.com , she acknowledged her previous statements.

"I do stop ? for some strange notion of being 'more normal,' taking things easy. Then some poking idea comes," she said. "This time, I think it's for real. I'm 81, losing names or words in a commonplace way."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/alice-munro-says-she-probably-done-writing-152037664.html

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Obama nominates Comey to head FBI

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama nominated James Comey to be the new FBI director Friday, tapping a Bush-era Justice Department official to lead the agency as it grapples with privacy debates over a host of recently exposed investigative tactics.

Obama praised Comey for demonstrating unyielding integrity in the face of uncertainty. Flanked by Comey and his outgoing FBI director, Robert Mueller, in a sunny White House Rose Garden announcement, Obama said Comey recognizes that in times of crisis, America is judged not only by how many plots are disrupted, but also by its commitment to civil liberties and the ideals espoused in the Constitution.

"Jim understands, deeply in his core, the anguish of victims of crime ? what they go through," Obama said. "He's made it his life's work to spare others that pain."

"He's a rarity in Washington sometimes: He doesn't care about politics," Obama added.

Comey is perhaps best-known for a remarkable 2004 standoff at the hospital bedside of Attorney General John Ashcroft over a no-warrant wiretapping program. Comey rushed to the room of his bedridden boss to physically stop White House officials from trying to get an ailing Ashcroft to reauthorize the program.

If confirmed by the Senate, Comey would serve a 10-year term and replace Mueller, who has held the job since the week before the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Obama praised Mueller effusively and said he could declare without equivocation that countless Americans are alive today because of Mueller's efforts. Mueller is set to resign on Sept. 4 after overseeing the bureau's transformation into one the country's chief weapons against terrorism.

"I must be out of my mind to be following Bob Mueller," Comey said. "I don't know whether I can fill those shoes, but I know that however I do, I will be truly standing on the shoulders of a giant."

Comey was a federal prosecutor who served for several years as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York before coming to Washington after the Sept. 11 attacks as deputy attorney general. In recent years, he's been an executive at defense company Lockheed Martin, general counsel to a hedge fund, board member at HSBC Holdings and lecturer on national security law at Columbia Law School.

The White House may hope that Comey's Republican background and strong credentials will help him through Senate confirmation at a time when some of Obama's nominees have been facing tough battles. Republicans have said they see no major obstacles to his confirmation, although he is certain to face tough questions about his hedge fund work and his ties to Wall Street as well as how he would handle current, high-profile FBI investigations.

The FBI is responsible for both intelligence and law enforcement with more than 36,000 employees. It has faced questions in recent weeks over media leak probes involving The Associated Press and Fox News; the Boston Marathon bombings; the attack at Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans; and two vast government surveillance programs into phone records and online communications.

The leaker of those National Security Agency programs, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, also is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation. And just this week, Mueller revealed the FBI uses drones for surveillance of stationary subjects and said the privacy implications of such operations are worthy of debate.

"This work of striking a balance between our security but also making sure we're maintaining fidelity to those values that we cherish is a constant mission," Obama said.

Comey played a central role in holding up Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, one of the administration's great controversies and an episode that focused attention on the administration's controversial tactics in the war on terror.

In dramatic testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2007, Comey said he thought the no-warrant wiretapping program was so questionable that he refused to reauthorize it while serving as acting attorney general during Ashcroft's hospitalization. Comey said when he learned that the White House chief of staff Andrew Card and counsel Alberto Gonzales were heading to Ashcroft's room, despite Ashcroft's wife's instructions that there be no visitors, Comey beat them there and watched as Ashcroft turned them away.

"That night was probably the most difficult night of my professional life," Comey testified. He said he and Ashcroft had reservations about the program's legality, but he would not discuss details since the program was classified.

Senior government officials had expressed concerns about whether the NSA, which administered the warrantless eavesdropping program, had the proper oversight in place. Other concerns included whether any president possessed the legal and constitutional authority to authorize the program as it was carried out at the time.

Comey was deputy attorney general in 2005 when he unsuccessfully tried to limit tough interrogation tactics against suspected terrorists. He told then-Attorney General Gonzales that some of the practices were wrong and would damage the department's reputation.

Some Democrats denounced those methods as torture, particularly the use of waterboarding, which produces the sensation of drowning.

Comey's defiance won him praise from Democrats. In a statement, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who will oversee Comey's confirmation hearing, said, "Mr. Comey showed the kind of independence needed to lead the FBI when he stood up to those in the last administration who sought to violate the rule of law." Leahy called for senators to give Comey "the swift and respectful confirmation he deserves."

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Comey's experience on national security would benefit the FBI. "He's previously dealt with these matters with integrity and shown a willingness to stand his ground if necessary," Grassley said in a statement. He added that he wants to question Comey on his work in the hedge fund industry and wonders whether he could improve the Obama administration's efforts to prosecute Wall Street for its role in the economic downturn.

Concerns over Comey were raised by the American Civil Liberties Union, which doesn't take positions on nominees but is interested in civil liberties issues. ACLU senior policy counsel Mike German said while Comey stood up to some surveillance, he eventually approved the NSA program along with interrogation techniques that included waterboarding, as well as defended the indefinite detention of Jose Padilla, an American terrorism suspect.

"We want to make sure whoever sits in that chair has a determined interest in protecting the rule of law, particularly since they will be there 10 years, outlasting this president and potentially the next president," German said.

German said these issues are particularly relevant given new revelations about surveillance programs.

As U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Comey headed one of the nation's most prominent prosecutorial offices and one at the front lines in the fight against terrorism, corporate malfeasance, organized crime and the war on drugs.

As an assistant U.S. attorney in Virginia, Comey handled the investigation of the 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers housing complex near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 U.S. military personnel.

He led the Justice Department's corporate fraud task force and spurred the creation of violent crime impact teams in 20 cities, focusing on crimes committed with guns.

After leaving government in 2005, Comey was senior vice president and general counsel at Lockheed Martin. In 2010, he went to the Westport, Conn.-based hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, before leaving in February.

The White House also said Comey has developed improvements in the military justice system's performance regarding crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of the Defense Legal Policy Board, which provides independent advice to the defense secretary.

Comey also has taught at the University of Richmond Law School and worked for law firm McGuireWoods LLP, also in Richmond. He has a bachelor's degree from the College of William & Mary, a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School and clerked for former District Court Judge John M. Walker, Jr. in the Southern District of New York.

___

Follow Nedra Pickler on Twitter at https://twitter.com/nedrapickler

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-nominates-comey-head-fbi-182258647.html

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The Call Blog: United Federation Of Teachers Endorses Bill Thompson For Mayor

Have something to tell us at The Call? Drop us a line at thecall@ny1.com and we'll post it to our blog.

Natasha's blog entry will be posted later...

After sitting on the sidelines in the last mayoral election, the United Federation of Teachers announced today it is endorsing former City Comptroller Bill Thompson for mayor. The endorsement from the powerful teachers union is expected to give Thompson a boost in the polls and more "get out the vote" support leading up to Election Day.

Earlier in the week, Mayor Bloomberg said the UFT's endorsement is nothing more than a "kiss of death." The Bloomberg administration has clashed with union leadership over teacher contracts, evaluations, tenure, and test prep in recent years.

What's your reaction to Bill Thompson receiving the endorsement of the teachers union? How will it affect the race for City Hall? Will it influence your vote? Do you consider the UFT's support a "kiss of death"? Which mayoral candidate is best suited to oversee the Department of Education?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

I think it was a good choice. He has some good ideas and the schools need fixing, Bloomberg will leave them in shambles. I would like to see a Thompson vs Lhota election. Anything but an extension of the Bloomberg Oligarchy.

Roscoe
Park Hill

I am proud to stand with my brothers/sisters of the UFT to endorse Bill Thompson.

He believes in fair contracts, respect and just relying on test scores for students!

I support this endorsement!!!

I invite him to spend a day with my students and I in September!

Fanilow
Flushing

I think Thompson will do very well at the polls and as Mayor. It was very close
in the last election and of course it was quite obvious that there were some
shenanigans that went on.

As far as the remark that Bloomberg made. Well it just goes to show you that instead
of making a remark such as ?THE KISS OF DEATH? because Thompson accepted the
support of the UFT. The mayor should have given his blessings. But it just goes to show
us that no matter how much money and possessions he has this mayor has never, ever
shown any class at all.

THIS BLOOMBERG SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THAT HE STOOPS SO LOW THAT HE
IMPOSES THE KISS OF DEATH ON EVERYONE JUST BY BUYING WHAT EVER HE WISHES
TO HAVE. NO MATTER WHAT IT MIGHT BE. PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS, ETC.

I?M AFRAID THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AND ALBATROSS AROUND ALL OF OUR
NECKS RIGHT ON TO THE END OF HIS STAY IN OFFICE AND FAR BEYOND THAT.

Maxxiee
Morris Park

I want our next mayor to make sure the students graduate on time so they'll be ready for college he or she should bring back bilingual education for the students if the parents dont know english they should be able to take classes so they can learn and they'll be abe to help their kids with homework and study for tests the kids are our future

Herman
Upper West Side

I think this is a mistake - Bill Thompson will not win the general election, if he even makes it to a runoff.

While I respect the work of teachers, their union's endorsement will not affect my vote (nor the votes of many teachers I know, who are not planning on voting for Thompson). I am a long-time public school parent who has been let down time and again by this administration. I will wholeheartedly support Bill de Blasio, who I think knows how to listen and to lead.

Anni
Upper West Side

Source: http://www.ny1.com/content/the_call/the_call_blog/184126/the-call-blog--united-federation-of-teachers-endorses-bill-thompson-for-mayor

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To Rebuild NYC's Beaches, A Native Plant Savings And Loan

Heather Liljengren, a field taxonomist with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, examines the seed pods of the Virginia spiderwort at Oakwood Beach, Staten Island. Liljengren collects seeds from across the region for a seed bank of native plants.

Andrea Hsu/NPR

Heather Liljengren, a field taxonomist with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, examines the seed pods of the Virginia spiderwort at Oakwood Beach, Staten Island. Liljengren collects seeds from across the region for a seed bank of native plants.

Andrea Hsu/NPR

Across the New York region, people are still working to rebuild homes and businesses after the havoc wrought by Hurricane Sandy. But the storm also devastated the dunes and native flora of New York's beaches.

When the city replants grasses on those dunes, it will be able to draw on seeds from precisely the grasses that used to thrive there. That's because of a very special kind of bank: a seed bank run by the Greenbelt Native Plant Center on Staten Island.

Heather Lea Liljengren has been a seed collector and field taxonomist for the New York City Parks Department, which runs the Native Plant Center, for more than five years. She's been on the hunt for new deposits: plant seeds that might ensure the survival of the city's flora.

Traipsing through the swampy wetlands of Staten Island's Oakland Beach, Liljengren crashes through towering phragmites, the common reeds that have invaded the world's wetlands and compete with local grasses. When the grasses get this tall ? taller than an adult human ? "It's hard to remember where the trail used to be," Liljengren says.

She says she loves being in a swamp and is thrilled to be out in the wilds of New York City, hunting for seeds that are ripe for collecting. "When people walk around, they maybe just see green. But when I walk around I am drawn to every small flowering thing, from the ground all the way up into the trees."

"Well, what a treat," she says, peering at the blooms of the thin-leafed iris, iris prismatica. "[This is] one of the only spots, I believe, in the five boroughs where this species naturally still exists. ... The insects that will come and pollinate these irises love them."

That's why native flora is so important, Liljengren says: If these plants disappear, then so will the insects. In time, the loss of species will snowball.

Seeds are coaxed out of dormancy in the nursery at the Greenbelt Native Plant Center on Staten Island. The center considers its seed bank the "Library of Congress" for the region's native plants.

Andrea Hsu/NPR

Seeds are coaxed out of dormancy in the nursery at the Greenbelt Native Plant Center on Staten Island. The center considers its seed bank the "Library of Congress" for the region's native plants.

Andrea Hsu/NPR

Just Before Sandy, A Serendipitous Seed Hunt

Liljengren was on a routine mission last October, just a few days before Hurricane Sandy. She was collecting seeds from Ammophila breviligulata ? the grasses that helped stabilize the dunes on the beaches at Far Rockaway, Queens.

"It was serendipitous for sure," she says. "I was in awe and in marvel of these beautiful large, rolling dunes across the beach." But when Liljengren returned a few weeks ago, all of the dunes were gone. Now, the seeds Liljengren collected that October day will likely be a part of the city's restoration of those very beaches.

Oakwood Beach, on the eastern edge of Staten Island, was also ravaged by Sandy. Rows of small houses with views of the Lower Bay and the Atlantic beyond were damaged ? many beyond repair. Like the dunes of the Rockaways, these Staten Island wetlands are also in harm's away. The seeds Liljengren collects may help preserve them.

Liljengren and colleague Judith Van Bers range over the greater New York metropolitan area ? 25 counties in three states ? in search of native seeds. They've collected more than 500 species and hope to get to 700. "Every seed is a possible plant," Liljengren says.

Back at the Greenbelt Native Plant Center, Van Bers is separating seed from grass, Carex pensylvanica, recently collected on Sparta Mountain, N.J. It's primitive, tedious work.

"It's very, very labor intensive, this next step, which is bringing the seed in and cleaning it," says Ed Toth, the director of the center. "It's the biblical separating the wheat from the chaff."

A Bulwark Against The Impact Of Climate Change

Toth says the seeds that his center collects, stores, plants in a green house and then farms out to others all comprise a kind of plant-seed savings and loan ? one that knows its local needs and environments.

"Populations have adapted to local conditions. Those adaptations are captured in their genes," Toth says. "You want to keep that basis healthy and vital."

Of course, threats like rising waters and temperatures may require further adaptation and new genes. "Many species are highly adaptable," he says. "Some may adapt very well if the temperature rises significantly."

But which species? Toth says scientists simply don't know yet. So the aim of his native plant center is to have a huge backup supply in store, before the city discovers its next need, whether that's seeding a landfill, replacing dune grasses on city beaches or planting trees in parks where old trees have fallen.

He figures the bank will be especially important if calamitous conditions become more common.

"It's a hugely complex story about how this is going to unfold, this man-made change that we're bringing upon the world," Toth says. "What we need is the raw genetic material that's contained in these healthy populations. It's like having a Library of Congress in seed, so that all of this tremendous diversity is available to us when we face these problems in the future."

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/06/19/192800039/to-rebuild-nycs-beaches-a-native-plant-savings-and-loan?ft=1&f=1007

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Jawbone Special Orange Edition UP Fights Childhood Obesity

The Jawbone UP is indeed a personal fitness device, but purchasing a new wristband may improve more than just your own health habits. The company recently announced a new Special Orange Edition in support of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which is a charity dedicated to helping kids make fitness-conscious decisions.

As part of the fundraiser, Jawbone will donate $20 for every Special Edition Orange wristband sold. The money will work toward preventing childhood obesity and will be implemented in the organizations school and community programs.

?With UP, we can all support the Alliance?s mission by being role models, financial contributors, and voices for a cause we truly care about?teaching kids healthy habits that will last a lifetime,? Travis Bogard, VP of product management and strategy for Jawbone, said in a statement.

Jawbone?s $129 UP armband has certainly come a long way since it launched in 2012. The company has improved the wristband?s design and added features such as body tracking, sleep monitoring and smart vibration alarms to the Android platform. The new Special Orange Edition will come in small, medium and large sizes and is available at the same price from Jawbone?s website.?

Follow Lisa Eadicicco on Twitter and Google+. Follow LAPTOPMAG on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

Source: http://blog.laptopmag.com/jawbone-orange-edition-up

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GaryMoller.com - Health, Fitness - Naturally!: Does intense exercise ...

Intense, exhausting exercise may damage the heart; but I disagree with what is done in response to it: Retirement, drugs and surgery.

When reading Greg's article, you may have noted that the only athlete (Hayden Roulston)?who elected not to go down the conventional medical path is the only one to have fully recovered and has gone on to greater performances than ever and continues to do so today.? All others referred to in the article have retired?with varying degrees of ill health or limitations on activity.

It is a shame that Greg and the medical experts involved in these case did not inquire more into what those "alternatives" Roulston partook of that brought about such a miraculous and lasting recovery.

(In case you are wondering: Yes, I have talked to Hayden about what he did to restore his health - but what he actually did is his to tell).

Why are non-medical solutions consistently ?ignored?

Is there a taboo within mainstream medicine to even suggest, let alone admit, that there are effective alternatives to the allopathic medical paradigm which is to attack a health problem by administering patent poisons or maiming with the scalpel? ?Is it because there are really cheap, non-patentable naturally occurring substances and procedures that can cure! ?Is it because non-patent natural products have the potential to undermine the multi-billion dollar industry that has built up around high tech patent medicines and expensive surgical procedures?

Some years ago, I attended a lecture by a cardiologist who, among other things, made mention of Rob Waddell's heart problems.? I was horrified at what he described was in prospect for Waddell in the way of surgery and which he has subsequently undergone in some form.? What should have been asked was this:

"Why did Waddell's heart problems apparently diminish when he switched from rowing to grinding and why did they reappear when he switched back to rowing???

Surely there are better alternatives to barbaric and life-threatening surgery which is, essentially, slicing and/or?scraping the surface of the heart muscle to create scars!? More about this later.

It is not unusual for extreme athletes to have heart rates as low as the 30-40 beats per minute range.? In fact it is a source of pride among athletes to have the lower the better!? But this is far from healthy and more an indication of chronic exhaustion, more commonly known as Adrenal Fatigue.? Blown out adrenals is near universal in endurance sports such as triathlon, running, rowing and cycling.? In fact, I am currently touring New Zealand and Australia, running a one day course for health professionals about adrenal and thyroid burnout in athletes.

Incidentally, the last course was in Brisbane last weekend, attended by 70 enthusiastic health professionals. ?The feedback has been sensational and there are more than 100 enrolled for this weekend's course in Melbourne:
http://blog.garymoller.com/2013/06/feedback-on-running-on-empty-courses-is.html?utm_source=BP_recent
Sadly, few doctors have been in attendance. ?This has to change, or else the medical profession will fall further and further behind and remain dependent on drugs and surgery when treating this most treatable of conditions.

Think about it:? When a person collapses with shock and their heart stops beating, resuscitation may include

injecting adrenalin into the heart in a desperate attempt to kick start it.? Olympic athletes such as Mo Farah and Galen Rupp have been resorting to injections of adrenalin and thyroxine to power their athletic performances.? Adrenalin is produced by the adrenal glands; thyroxine is produced by the thyroid. The fact is this: ?Strong adrenal and thyroid glands power the cardiovascular system, including the heart.? One of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue is unusually low blood pressure and an unusually low resting pulse, that is often erratic.? If the adrenals give up the ghost completely, the heart stops and the person dies.? This is presumably the cause of death of the first person to run the marathon:?Pheidippides!

Bradycardia (unusually slow pulse), tachycardia (racing pulse) and heart arrhythmias (irregular/flutter pulse) are strongly associated with adrenal fatigue which, as I mentioned earlier, is near universal in endurance athletes. In fact, it is common in any group of people who experience unrelenting stress. ?Especially when combined with the nutrient depleted diet.

My personal experience with adrenal-related heart problems

One of my last real running races was as a member of the Victoria University team contesting the NZ Veterans Cross-country Relay Championships.? I was about 42 years old then.? We were in the lead by the time the baton was handed to me.? I took off, setting a winning pace; but, at about the half way mark, I suddenly slowed.? My legs were dead and I felt I was going to die!? I staggered to the finish, having given up the lead.? I felt terrible and I had let the team down. ?I was heart-broken. ?Our team leader was most unimpressed.? I did not run competitively again until well into my 50's, mainly because I could not get beyond a staggering trot.

I was suffering a chronic?irregular heart beat.? In the lab my maximum pulse peaked at a miserable 109 beats
per minute and my 24 hour cortisol levels had dropped to nearly zero (cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands).? I was consulting a cardiologist and my doctor wanted to place me on steroid (Prednisone) medication.? I chose, instead, to begin a conservative programme of nutrition balancing and rest.

Today I am a new man: I?have not had an irregular pulse for years, my resting pulse is a healthy 50-60 beats per minute (not too low)?and my heart red lines at about 175 beats per minute - not bad for a 60 year old, if you don't mind my saying!

It took a good ten years to get to where I am at; but the journey?has been well worth the effort!

The evidence is clear:?I have reversed what was progressing to outright heart disease that would ultimately kill me!? The evidence is clear in terms of blood tests, blood pressure and heart response to exercise.? Further evidence is via the stop watch: I am a full 20% faster over a two hour cycling race as compared to when I was in my 40's. This is sensational news; but it has not warranted any attention at all, other from the few people who read this blog.

Read this:
http://blog.garymoller.com/2011/07/more-about-reversing-cardiovascular.html

As with Hayden Roulston's remarkable recovery, as compared to the others, when it comes to health, mainstream media and mainstream medicine are completely blind to the obvious when it comes to the truth about what works and what does not.

For most people:?

"Oh dear, I have heart disease: Better?do what the Good Doc says;?take?his poisonous drugs, have the surgery and resign myself to a lesser life and a sooner death".

Rob Waddell is an interesting case study.? Before proceeding to comment, I warn that I am making a number of assumptions based on?comments?by the cardiologist during his lecture, and my assumptions about dietary variations typically seen in endurance athletes and athletes who are bulking up.? The diets can be very different and it is in these differences that we may discover the key to prevention and recovery form an irregular heart beat.?

An endurance athlete's diet is typically high in carbohydrates, while being relatively low in fats and proteins.? The proportion of vitamins and minerals to energy is usually very, very poor. ?When tested, an athlete on this kind of endurance diet is depleted. ?Here is a good example:
http://blog.garymoller.com/2012/01/running-on-empty-why-athletes.html

An athlete who is bulking up for the role of grinder on a yacht will typically be consuming much more protein and fat while, by default, the intake of vitamins and minerals is proportionally much higher in relation to calories.? I understand that the Team NZ crew are generously fed with food of the highest quality.

I believe this nutritional shift, combined with the adrenal and thyroid burnout associated with endurance sport, is the key to the apparent reduction in heart problems when Waddell switched from rower to grinder and why the symptoms came back when he switched back to rowing once again. ?I will assume he resumed rowing by adopting a restrictive diet to shed the bulk he was carrying while working as a grinder.

Of course, grinding has a huge cardiovascular component but not of the same unrelenting intensity? as experienced in rowing training and competition.

The widespread, uncontrolled use of NSAID anti-inflammatory medication in sport

?There is clear evidence of increased risk of heart flutter or atrial fibrillation with the use of anti-inflammatory medication.? Such medicines are dished out like lollies in sport, often by the coach who is supplied with endless amounts by their team's "Sports Doctor", or purchased from over-the-counter sources.

This article here gives you an idea of just how widespread is the use and abuse of these drugs in sport:
http://blog.garymoller.com/2013/06/a-kiwi-cyclist-has-admitted-to-using.html

In my opinion, there is no need for these drugs in sport: The potential health risks outweigh any dubious benefits.

Please read these articles:
http://blog.garymoller.com/2012/06/does-taking-anti-inflammatory-drugs.html

If an athlete, or anybody, for that matter, suffers from an irregular heart beat here is what I recommend:

Go see your doctor without hesitation

Get a thorough check up, get zapped with a defibrillator or whatever else is needed to ensure your immediate safety. ?This may include medication.

Get a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis completed right away

It takes about three weeks to get the results back. ?This test will give us a really good idea of what is going on with your adrenal and thyroid glands and the balance between minerals such as magnesium, calcium, copper and iron (A blood test does not do this!). ?We want to get this report asap so as to avoid the risk of becoming physiologically and psychologically depend on any medication (Time is a factor).
Here is the link to the test:
http://www.garymoller.com/Products/Products/H/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-Profile-Two.aspx

Commence a programme of nutritional balancing

Guided by the Hair Test results. ?Nutrition supplementation without accurate testing to guide a person is a bit like target shooting while blind-folded.

Nutritional balancing is the key to restoring health, including strong cardiovascular function. ?It takes time but it is every bit worth the time and effort. ?Seldom does a programme of nutritional balancing fail to get a person into a state of health where medication is no longer necessary.

What do other health professionals think about this approach to health care, including nutritional balancing?

If the response to the current lecture tour of New Zealand and Australia is anything to go by....
http://blog.garymoller.com/2013/06/feedback-on-running-on-empty-courses-is.html?utm_source=BP_recent

How to prevent heart damage from "excessive" exercise

If the heart is deprived of critical nutrients - and it just needs to be one of hundreds of nutrients - such as magnesium, calcium, ubiquinol or d-ribose, to name just a few, then it will be at risk of damage. ?If there is an imbalance between calcium and zinc, for example (present in 80% of the athletes I test), there will be disastrous deposition of calcium in the heart and arteries (arteriosclerosis). ?If there is a lack of or excess of copper, cholesterol may soar, the heart may become floppy and the heart valves leaky. ?These can all be prevented and even reversed, if present, through a careful and patient process of nutritional balancing.

I am once again back to extremely intense exercise, red-lining the heart at 170 beats per minute on a regular basis. ?In doing so, I am not worried about all the growing evidence that this can be extremely harmful. ?The reason I do not worry is because I am carefully monitoring markers of cardiovascular health (Cholesterol is not one of them): Blood pressure, resting and exercising pulse, calcium/magnesium ratios and more. ?My cardiovascular health is maintained by supplying the nutritional building blocks a strong heart and flexible arteries require and I am carefully replacing the nutrients that are lost during intense exercise. This is guided by repeating the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis on an annual basis. ?

How do you know this works Gary?

Over several years of nutritional balancing my own cardiovascular work output has increased by at least 20% - All for no extra training! ?As they say: ?"Better than Lance!"

Source: http://blog.garymoller.com/2013/06/does-intense-exercise-damage-your-heart.html

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Malaysia Budget Airport Delayed: Now Expected To Open May 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia ? The opening of a new airport to accommodate budget carriers has been delayed until next year because of design changes and other construction setbacks, Malaysia's airport operator says.

Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad said late Tuesday that the contractors for the terminal building of the new airport, who previously said the facility would be completed this month, need additional time and set late April 2014 as a new target date for completion. Operations are to start on May 2, 2014.

The airport operator said in a statement that the 4 billion ringgit ($1.27 billion) airport, dubbed KLIA2, was originally slated to open in mid-2012 but was delayed due to design changes. The contractors also have blamed poor ground conditions for the delay.

Malaysia Airports has said 90 percent of the project is complete and that costs haven't risen despite the delay.

The project cost doubled from an earlier estimate of 2 billion ringgit ($631 million) in 2011, after Malaysia Airports scaled up the design to increase capacity to 45 million passengers annually, up from 30 million. That will make KLIA2 the biggest low-cost airport in the world. It also included plans for aerobridges, automated baggage handling systems and a huge retail space.

AirAsia, Southeast Asia's top budget carrier and the main user of the terminal, has criticized the multiple delays and the higher expense.

Aireen Omar, head of its Malaysian operations, said earlier this month that what was meant to be a simple low-cost airport has developed into a "vast and highly complex infrastructure." AirAsia is worried the high project cost will mean high landing fees that will hurt its operations.

Aireen called for an investigation into the delay, saying it was puzzling as Malaysia Airports in January announced the project was ahead of time and would be completed by June 28.

Malaysia Airports has said it was in talks with AirAsia and other low-cost operators to address congestion at the existing low-cost terminal, which can handle 15 million people a year. It said measures include allowing airlines to use the main international airport if needed.

Malaysia hopes the new budget airport will bolster the country's international airport as a significant air hub in the region, rivaling Singapore's Changi Airport and Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Malaysia's international airport and its current low-cost terminal handled nearly 40 million passengers last year, close to its capacity due to high traffic at its budget terminal.

In comparison, Changi's three main terminals have a combined capacity of 66 million passengers and handled 51 million people last year. Suvarnabhumi, which opened in late 2006, handled similar number of passengers last year.

With the proliferation of low-cost airlines in the region, Singapore is upgrading its budget terminal to double capacity to 16 million people and will reopen in 2017. Singapore is also building a fifth terminal that will bring its total capacity to more than 85 million passengers by 2023.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/18/malaysia-budget-airport_n_3463096.html

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