Google Play Games app launches today, provides a portal for tablet gamers (update: it's here)

Today Google unveiled a brand new Play Games app, that serves as a companion hub and portal for the Google Play Games Services, announced at I/O. The app serves as a front end for viewing leader boards and connecting with friends (from your Google+ circles, of course), simplifying the act of challenging them in head-to-head competitions. Play Games, in addition to serving as a place to track all of your achievements and other such gaming goodness, serves as a single repository for launching all your games. Think of it like Steam, but for your Android tablet or phone, and with a slightly less graphically-impressive library of titles. Asphalt 8 Airborne, Riptide GP2 and Prince of Persia The Shadow and the Flame are will be among the first to take advantage of the new Play Games App, with the latter hitting virtual shelves tomorrow.

Update: It's now available on Google Play; hit the source link for your download.

Gallery: Google Play Games hub

Filed under: Google

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Source: Google Play

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/24/Google-Play-Games/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Union says drug bans likely not served this year

NEW YORK -- The baseball players' association says any suspensions resulting from the sport's latest drug investigation likely won't be served until next year if the discipline is challenged before an arbitrator.

Union head Michael Weiner expects Major League Baseball will notify the union of its plans for penalties in the next month, and the union will maintain any discipline should not be announced until after a grievance hearing and then only if arbitrator Fredric Horowitz upholds a ban.

"We're going to have a discussion with them. That discussion will include whether or not names of suspended players will be announced publicly," Weiner said Tuesday during a meeting with the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Former MVPs Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun are among the more than a dozen players under investigation for ties to Biogenesis, a closed anti-aging clinic in Florida linked with the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs. MLB officials have been interviewing players, who have been represented by the union and their own lawyers.

A provision in baseball's drug agreement says discipline can be announced before a hearing if the penalty results from an allegation that became public other than through MLB or a team. Miami New Times published allegations in January, but the union could argue that a penalty results from evidence baseball has gathered rather than the newspaper account.

After MLB and the union decide how to process grievances, hearings will be scheduled before Horowitz ? but not before September and possibly later. Each player is entitled to a separate hearing, and Weiner said the union wants Horowitz to hear all cases.

"When all the interviews are done, we will meet with the commissioner's office and we'll try to work something out," Weiner said. "Our players that deserve the suspensions, we'll try to cope with their suspensions. Our players that don't deserve suspensions, we will argue that they don't deserve a suspension. And I hope we have success. We may not have success on every single player, but I hope we have a fair amount of success."

Weiner spoke from a wheelchair and said symptoms have increased in the last month from a brain tumor he was diagnosed with last summer. He currently can't move his right side or right arm and must use a wheelchair.

Weiner said the union will appoint a deputy executive director within a week or two.

Most of his talk was dominated by the drug investigation.

While most suspensions have been for positive tests since the joint drug agreement was reached in 2002, players also can be penalized for "just cause," based on other evidence.

"In theory, they could be suspended for five games or 500 games," Weiner said. "We could then choose to challenge or not, but the commissioner's office is not bound by the 50-100-life scale."

If multiple players are disciplined, management and union will have to decide the order of the grievance heearings.

"They've got to prove all those cases. I like Dan Halem, a lot, but he's going to be running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off," Weiner said, referring to an MLB senior vice president. "If that's the circumstance, we'll just have to schedule them and get them done as quickly as we reasonably can. And if we have the number that you suggest, it's going to take a while."

Speaking before Weiner in a separate session, baseball Commissioner Bud Selig repeated his call to toughen penalties in the drug agreement for 2014.

"We've heard from a lot of players that increased penalties are called for. We've heard from a lot of other players that don't think increased penalties are called for," Weiner said. "And I imagine we will work it out at or near in early December and then have a negotiation with them over that very subject."

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/16/3503108/union-says-drug-bans-likely-not.html

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Ramp Up Your Trade Show Marketing: PR Opportunities Abound ...

Make sure your trade booth staffers are on the lookout for media representatives and familiar with the schedule of media appointments.

Trade shows are an important component of most companies? marketing initiatives. While participating in the show expo can be a valuable way to connect with customers and prospects at local and national levels, the promotional opportunities afforded by the event extend way beyond the exhibit booth. Boost your company?s return on investment and marketing success with a well-planned public relations effort to gain significant editorial coverage before, during and after the event.

Before the event

Start with pre-event publicity to maximize interest in and coverage of your activities through press releases, media alerts, invitations, and your company?s web site, newsletters and social media programs. Also take advantage of all the opportunities offered by trade show management, such as access to media lists and coverage in the event?s newsletter, show guide, website and social media.

Find out whether the show needs keynote speakers, panel discussion participants, presenters or authors of conference papers. Secure one of these opportunities for your business leaders and you?ll strengthen your industry reputation. Plus, you?ll form relationships with the trade editors, who will come to think of you as thought leaders and industry experts. Each speaking engagement offers the opportunity to send editorial advisories ahead of the event.

For editorial briefings, you will need a press kit to leave with the editors you meet with, to send to those with whom we?re unable to visit, and to leave in the press room of the trade show. Contents could include press releases, backgrounders, fact sheets, images and other supporting materials. In addition to print documents in a pocket folder, your press kit should be made available electronically, either on a branded CD or jump drive. If the trade show?s website has a virtual newsroom, upload your press kit there.

Begin your outreach at least two weeks prior to the event to set up on-site interviews, schedule visits to your exhibit and invite editors to your speaking engagements. Also consider activities to develop meaningful relationships with editors, such as inviting some of them to your company-sponsored seminars or hospitality events at the show. Hosting a media dinner at one of your marquee events is another possible media relations activity that will benefit you and your company for years to come. This will enable your executives to interact with editors who are important to your organization, to thank them for their past coverage and to present some highlights of your company?s recent developments.

During the event

The day before the event opens, drop off your press kits at the press room and your exhibit booth. Make sure your trade booth staffers are on the lookout for media representatives and familiar with the schedule of media appointments. Also provide them a list of all media registered for the show and details on how to contact you when a media representative stops by.

When you?re not busy coordinating press interviews or meeting with editors at company-sponsored activities, look for opportunities to engage media representatives by attending the show?s networking events or by visiting their magazine?s exhibit booth. If possible read the magazines and review editorial calendars before your meetings so you have a feel for the tone and editorial focus. Take the time to listen to their objectives for the year and then suggest ideas on how you can help by participating in their staff-written articles and/or contributing by-lined features, testimonials or other types of editorial materials.

After the event

Following the event, you?ll want to evaluate your media relations strategy and pinpoint the deliverables for immediate and future publicity. Send out a press release on your speaking engagement, look for ways to repurpose your conference paper into a feature article, and follow up on editorial commitments that you secured at the show. Also continue the coverage on your website, newsletters and social media by posting your presentation, speech and videos of exhibit hall interviews and announcements. Keep on top of all these opportunities and your efforts will reap the benefits in valuable short-term and long-term media exposure for your company.

Source: http://blog.a-b-c.com/2013/07/15/ramp-up-your-trade-show-marketing

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OECD: Unemployment to stay high next year

PARIS (AP) ? Unemployment levels in the world's advanced economies could improve next year, even though the number of people without work will likely continue to rise in several European countries, a leading international economic body said Tuesday.

In a report published Tuesday, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predicted that the jobless rate for the countries that use the euro would rise from 12.2 percent to 12.3 percent by the end of next year. Many countries, like Greece, Spain and Portugal will see a much sharper increase as their economies struggle to recover.

But good news is on the way for some countries. For the 34-country OECD, unemployment is projected to fall slightly next year from 8 percent to 7.8 percent. The United States could see its unemployment rate fall from 7.6 percent to 6.7 percent, while Germany's could drop from 5.3 to 4.7 percent.

The OECD says young people and low-skilled workers have borne the brunt of high unemployment.

"The social scars of the crisis are far from being healed," the organization's secretary-general, Angel Gurria, said. "Many of our countries continue to struggle with high and persistent unemployment, particularly among youth."

In some countries, the youth unemployment rate is double the overall figure, as young people struggle to even enter the job market at the most basic level.

The report warned that many people who have been out of work for a long period are now facing the possibility of losing their unemployment insurance and having to shift to less generous benefits. In many countries, even unemployment benefits are not what they used to be, as many governments have been forced to make big cuts to public spending; the report said average spending per jobseeker in the OECD has fallen around 20 percent since the crisis began.

The report said there are no quick fixes to unemployment, only the slow work of making labor market reforms. It praised countries like Greece, Italy and Spain that have made such reforms, introduced as part of efforts to tackle their debt problems and turn round their economies.

It also cautioned against falling back on offers of early retirement in the hopes of combatting unemployment, noting that the trend of older workers staying in their jobs longer hasn't seemed to have an adverse effect on young people.

"Bringing back early retirement schemes or relaxing rules for disability or unemployment benefits for older workers would be a costly mistake," the report said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oecd-unemployment-stay-high-next-103356719.html

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Apple needs Samsung for iPhone, iPad chips

July 15, 2013

Apple is turning to Samsung, its toughest competitor, for a pretty vital smartphone and tablet component: The processor chip.

The Korea Economic Daily reports that Apple and samsung have signed an agreement to work together for processing chips for Apple?s [..]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techblorgecom/~3/lf6NcgL3c7g/

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Kyle Massey Does Not Have Cancer, Despite Widespread Rumors

SplashNews

The former Disney Channel star and??Dancing with the Stars? contestant was forced to address a widespread rumor that he?s dying from cancer. In a lengthy statement, Kyle reveals the truth.

Kyle Massey wants the world to know that, despite Twitter rumors which were trending worldwide over the weekend, he is not dying of cancer.

Kyle Massey Denies Cancer Rumor ? ?That?s So Raven? Star Refutes Twitter Lie

The 21-year-old actor is healthy, but upset that anyone would start a rumor like this, considering his family?s history with the disease. Kyle released a lengthy statement to ET:

?Over night it was trending on Twitter that I am dying of cancer. I want to say first, ?I do not have cancer,? and I don?t know where this inconsiderate and insensitive rumor originated from. Cancer is a disease that is very personal to me and my family. I have had 2 uncles and a very dear friend who passed away in the last two years from cancer and my Granddad currently has prostate cancer and my Grandmother is currently in a nursing home because of Alzheimer?s Disease?So, making light of any illnesses that a person has no control over getting is not something to joke about or make light of!?My team and I are making every attempt to find out the original source of this story because it?s just not cool.?I support Children?s Hospital of Los Angeles through Disney Channel and Britti Cares International in support of children with various diseases and illnesses and donate my time with pride and dignity.?This hoax is just plain classless! Especially in light of the various tragedies happening this weekend and the Trayvon Martin verdict.?

We?re certainly glad this claim ended up being a rumor.

What do YOU think of celebrities and rumors, HollywoodLifers? Should stars have to address rumors?

WATCH:?Kyle Massey & Lacey Schwimmer ? Freestyle On ?DWTS?

? Chris Rogers

More Celebrities Dealing With Rumors:

1. Khlo? Kardashian & Lamar Odom: Truth Behind The Cheating Rumors
2. Lucy Hale Quitting ?Pretty Little Liars?? She Addresses The Rumors
3. John Mayer Addresses ?Paper Doll? Rumors: Is It About Taylor Swift?

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Source: http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/07/15/kyle-massey-cancer-denies-twitter-rumor/

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Will abortion backfire on GOP?

By Michael O'Brien, Political Reporter, NBC News

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Republicans may be tirelessly working to rebrand their party since losing last year?s race for the White House, but a recent slew of state initiatives to restrict access to abortion isn't doing this effort any favors ? and may only widen the party's so-called "gender gap" in attracting women voters.

Indeed, while conservatives celebrate Texas' early-morning passage of a high-profile bill that bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and places new requirements on which facilities can perform the procedure, liberals are once again railing against the party for its so-called "war on women."

Yet despite the risk of alienating female voters, the campaigns have undoubtedly energized conservatives, particularly opponents of abortion rights who compose a cornerstone of the Republican base. And conservatives argue that polling suggests that most Americans ? including most women ? favor limiting late-term abortions.

Despite Wendy Davis' dramatic filibuster delaying Texas' abortion bill, the Republican-dominated Texas legislature is expected to support the measure which would ban most abortions for women more than 20 weeks pregnant. Just this year, 17 states passed new measures impacting abortion. NBC's Kate Snow reports.

?Rhetorically, this can be really hard,? said Liz Mair, a Republican strategist. For the efforts to work to their benefit, party leaders need to "figure out what [they're] going to say, and test it out in advance," she said, "and not by talking to committed pro-lifers.?

The wider movement, reignited in part by the murder conviction of Philadelphia abortion provider Kermit Gosnell, has found Republicans on Capitol Hill and across the country looking to follow Texas' path in restricting access after 20 weeks.

?I think [the push] in fact helps, because one of the reasons Republicans haven't done well in the past few cycles is because the base hasn't turned out and been energized,? said Sarah Huckabee Sanders, an Arkansas-based Republican strategist.?

The challenge of wooing women voters

Conservative enthusiasm aside, the movement comes in the face of a real, proven struggle for the GOP to attract women voters. For as much hand-wringing consultants did after the 2012 election about Republicans? deficit among Hispanic voters, the party?s struggles with women were nearly as damaging. President Barack Obama beat rival Mitt Romney by 11 points among women voters, who made up 53 percent of the electorate, according to national exit polls.

Democrats drove that wedge in part by successfully seizing upon examples ? a bill in Virginia to require transvaginal ultrasounds before an abortion, or Missouri Rep. Todd Akin?s comments about ?legitimate rape? ? of Republicans seeming hopelessly out-of-touch with women.

The experience prompted Republicans to vow to speak more softly on social issues and promote women within the party. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., crafted a series of legislative proposals that seemed poll-tested to appeal to suburban soccer moms.

But some House conservatives balked at Cantor?s measures, forcing the No. 2 Republican to shelve some of his initiatives. And the talk about a softer tone toward social issues gave way to the new abortion restrictions in some states ? North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin and Texas ? and in Congress, where the House passed a law to effectively ban most abortions after 20 weeks of gestation. (There are rumblings that Florida Sen. Marco Rubio may champion a similar measure in the Senate.)

Senator Wendy Davis (D-TX) speaks at a women's rights rally before a Special Session of the Texas Legislature, telling the crowd, "I don't regret for one minute my decisions about my daughters, my education, or my direction in life ... and that's what we are fighting for now."

Three of the states that have passed new abortion measures were swing states that were heavily contested in the 2012 presidential election. And the fourth state, Texas, has attracted widespread attention for the actions of state Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis to initially block the Lone Star state?s proposal.

The attention these battles have generated has made Democrats downright giddy.

?These are like layups on a five-foot rim,? said Brad Woodhouse, the president of the liberal advocacy group Americans United for Change. ?I think the way that they?re conducting themselves gives me more hope for the immediate political consequences than I?d had they followed through on what they said they?d do after the election.?

Can the GOP change its face?

The prevailing fear among some Republicans is that these measures make the GOP seem unduly focused on abortion. And moreover, the party has too often relied on old, white men as their messengers in these fights.

Huckabee Sanders, the Republican strategist who favors the legislation passed by the varying states, warned against letting ?old, white guys? become the face of the abortion argument.

?I think that people like me and my peers need to be more aggressive about getting out there and talking about the issues,? she said.

And conservatives also argue that concerns about their legislation closing most abortion clinics are largely overstated anyway.

It?s also important to note that these fights are playing out early in 2013; Akin and Mourdock?s impolitic comments came at the height of a presidential election season, when even the most benign remark can be instantaneously amplified into a national controversy.

?We know midterms are different than presidential elections. So there may be a strategy related to this based on what voters they think might turn out in the midterm,? Woodhouse conceded. That?s not to mention that many of the Senate seats Democrats must defend in 2014 fall on more reliably Republican turf, and House seats have largely been drawn to protect GOP incumbents.

But, he added: ?If they weren?t already shrinking at a party based on where they were on immigration and other issues, they?re certainly not doing any favors.?

Related:

This story was originally published on Sat Jul 13, 2013 12:58 PM EDT

Source: http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/13/19419323-abortion-fights-risk-worsening-gops-gender-gap?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=2

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Washington's newest power couple: Max and Dave

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Welcome to the "Max and Dave Show," a campaign-style swing around the country featuring two of the most powerful members of Congress rallying support for their effort to overhaul the nation's tax laws - and, just maybe, change the way Washington works.

Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana, and Rep. Dave Camp, a Republican from Michigan, are Washington's newest power couple - and an odd one during these politically deadlocked days in Washington. They are lawmakers of different states, different parties and they're a decade in age apart. Yet, Camp and Baucus are developing a close friendship as they try to rally other lawmakers to their cause.

Their secret: Burgers, beer and a culture of working toward public policy answers that Americans seem to want in Washington - even when there's no solution in sight.

"Dave's my buddy," Baucus told a gathering of workers at 3M, the Minnesota-based maker of everything from Scotch tape to electronic touch screens. "My comrade."

These days, you don't often hear Democrats talk that way about Republicans, or see campaign-style events for a topic as dry as tax reform. But the pair have a common goal for an overhaul they believe is long overdue. And tax policy, to them, is exciting for all that is wrong and could be improved about it. So beginning last week in Minnesota, Baucus and Camp began barnstorming the country, employing a similar burgers-and-beer strategy that's worked for them with colleagues in Washington.

"You have to have some basis to deal with each other to work together," Camp said in an interview. "What we're trying to do is create that foundation so that we are going to be able to work together on a very important bill that could have profound beneficial effects for the country."

At issue is a tax system that many inside and outside of Congress say is too complicated for individuals and too onerous for businesses. The broad goal of tax reform is to simplify the code by eliminating or reducing tax breaks and using the additional revenue to lower tax rates for everyone.

Lawmakers in both political parties are convinced that simpler, easier-to-understand tax laws would spur economic activity. One problem is that many of the biggest tax breaks, including those for owning a home or contributing to retirement plans, are very popular.

And there are significant differences among Democrats and Republicans over how much tax revenue the government should raise and who should pay it. Democrats generally want reform to generate more revenue; most Republicans in Congress are opposed to raising taxes.

Camp and Baucus also are working in a toxic partisan environment in Washington that makes it difficult for Congress to pass routine legislation, let alone a monumental package like tax reform.

"I don't see how we get anywhere, candidly," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who is up for re-election in Kentucky next year.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn't much more optimistic. "We're a long way from getting something on paper as to what we're going to go forward on," Reid said.

Still, Baucus and Camp are pressing forward.

Camp, 60, grew up in Midland, Mich., and was first elected to the House in 1990. A close ally of House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Camp chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, which has authority over tax laws.

Its Senate counterpart is the Finance Committee, chaired by the 71-year-old Baucus. For him, it's legacy time. Baucus grew up on a ranch near Helena, Mont., was elected to the Senate in 1978 and has become an independent voice generally more conservative than many of his Democratic colleagues. He's announced plans to retire next year, and tax reform would be his swan song.

Face time is key to the effort in Washington and beyond.

The Montana senator says he is on track to meet individually with every member of the Senate by the end of the month. Camp is trying to forge bipartisan relationships on the Ways and Means Committee by pairing small groups of Republicans and Democrats to develop options for addressing different parts of the tax law.

Every few weeks, Baucus and Camp invite about a dozen lawmakers to lunch at a Capitol Hill pub, always a mix of Democrats and Republicans, senators and House members.

Camp and Baucus have dubbed their lunches "burgers and beer," and the location - a pub called Kelly's Irish Times - has historic significance. Former Sen. Bob Packwood, R-Ore., is credited with helping to rescue the 1986 tax reform package with a plan he devised over two pitchers of beer at the pub. At the time, Packwood was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, a position now held by Baucus.

"Part of it is, we've been so polarized in this town, this Congress for so many years, many of us don't know each other," Baucus said. "A burger and beers makes a lot more sense to me than a fancy dinner."

Camp and Baucus have held two lunches so far. The latest was Tuesday, and Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kansas, was there. She said Camp and Baucus are setting a good example for other lawmakers.

"There was a time when members of Congress moved their families to Washington, and they got to know each other. Their kids went to school together, they went to church together, they socialized together," Jenkins said. "We don't do that anymore. Our constituents demand that we be in church with them on Sunday."

Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., was at the lunch, too.

"It's when preparation meets opportunity that something can happen, and that preparation just happens to coincide with knowing your colleagues," Larson said. "And knowing them not like, `Hey, let's go out and have a beer.' I'm talking about knowing them in terms of going through what the issues are."

Camp says he is committed to passing a tax reform bill out of the Ways and Means Committee by the end of the year. There is no guarantee the full House would vote on a bill. But Boehner has signaled his support for the effort by reserving the prestigious bill number HR 1 for a tax overhaul measure.

In the Senate, Baucus is teaming with Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, to write a new tax code, almost from scratch. Instead of trying to figure out which tax breaks to scrap, Baucus and Hatch are starting with a blank slate and inviting other senators to make the case for restoring various deductions, credits and exemptions.

In a question-and-answer session with 3M workers, Fred Palensky, the company's chief technology officer, hit on a theme that Baucus and Camp will have to deal with.

Palensky said he has met with members of Congress in the past and, on an individual basis, they seem like reasonable, sensible people. What happens to them when they get together back in Washington? Palensky asked Camp and Baucus.

"We're trying to break, frankly, the Washington method of operation," Baucus said. "Most people in the country want us to work together. Not the Washington way, which is gridlock, but the American way, which is work together and get things done."

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Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_TAX_REFORM?SITE=INELK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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Church owner Grant Henry paints over graffiti calling for ?riot 4 Trayvon?

Thomas Wheatley
clatl.com
July 15, 2013

Last night around 10 p.m., Grant Henry, the local artist and owner of Sister Louisa?s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium, noticed some graffiti on a commercial building that, he says, ?brought fear to the core of my being.?

Spray painted on the building near the intersection of Randolph and Irwin streets were the words ?Fuck APD Riot 4 Trayvon.? He feared that the message could fuel anger after the verdict and help spark violence in the city, especially near the King Center.

Anger over the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin sparked a storm of passionate responses,?particularly on social media in and around Atlanta.

?Many thoughts went through my head,? Henry recalled in a Facebook post early this morning outlining his actions and titled ?Transparency.? ?1: Who owns the building? 2. Could I be arrested for covering it up? 3. Is covering evil graffiti justified? 4. Should I call the city? 5. Should I get permission from someone??

Full article here

This article was posted: Monday, July 15, 2013 at 5:19 am

Tags: domestic news

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Source: http://www.infowars.com/church-owner-grant-henry-paints-over-graffiti-calling-for-riot-4-trayvon/

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Medford, OR housing market - Zillow Real Estate Advice

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GOP Congressman Blames Obama For Zimmerman Having To Stand Trial For Killing Trayvon Martin

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) suggested Sunday that George Zimmerman should never have even had to stand trial for killing Trayvon Martin, blaming President Obama and his Department of Justice for the case.

On Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace claimed that though ?local authorities originally decided not to prosecute,? Florida prosecutors decided to after civil rights groups and ?even the president stepped into the case.? King furthered this misleading claim and then lamented that Zimmerman even had to stand trial for Martin?s death.

WALLACE: Congressman King, let me start with you. Should George Zimmerman ever have been prosecuted?

KING: From what i have seen of the evidence, I would say no. My sympathy goes out also to the Martin family and the Zimmerman family for this ordeal that they?ve been through. The evidence didn?t support prosecution and the Justice Department engaged in this, the President engaged in this and turned it into a political issue that should have been handled exclusively with law and order. I regret that this all happened. I?m sorry that it was turned into a race issue by the media. Otherwise, it would have been tried or not tried depending on the laws that were there. This is unfortunate.

Watch the video:

Wallace and King?s statements both confused what actually happened. After Zimmerman shot and killed Martin ? an unarmed 17-year-old carrying only a package of Skittles and an iced tea ? police initially did decline to charge him. While the U.S. Department of Justice did indicate that it would conduct a review of the case to determine whether there were an federal civil rights laws violated on March 20, the Florida state attorney sent the state case to a grand jury on the same day. Only three days later did the president weigh in, calling only for a full investigation and noting that if he had a son, ?he?d look like Trayvon.? The federal investigation has been on hold while the state trial played out.

While the Florida jury ultimately found that the prosecution had not proven the case beyond all reasonable doubts, the grand jury in the case also did find that there was ?probable cause.? King?s suggestion that a ?not guilty? verdict proves that there should not have been an investigation or trial at all suggests a stunning disregard for the value of Martin?s life. But his ? and Wallace?s ? inference that there would not have been a prosecution if not for President Obama is flatly contradicted by the facts.

Source: http://thinkprogress.org.feedsportal.com/c/34726/f/638931/s/2ea3d836/l/0Lthinkprogress0Borg0Cjustice0C20A130C0A70C140C22972410Cblame0Epresident0Ezimmerman0Etrial0C/story01.htm

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Sweat Equity: From Co-Founders To Co-Investors, Freestyle.VC Invests More Than Just Cash

When Freestyle.VC co-founder and investor Josh Felser walked into the TechCrunch office a few weeks ago, you could tell something was on his mind. He was in the midst of sorting through a hiccup one of his portfolio startups was having with the Apple App Store. As we sat down, he excused himself for a few minutes to reach out to his contacts to figure out what could be done. I don’t usually find investors this consumed with tactical issues, particularly when it’s for seed-stage startups. But that’s what makes Felser and his partner in crime, Dave Samuel, distinct in the ever-growing sea of angel and seed investors. Felser and Samuel are part of an elite group of co-founders who have not only started multiple companies together but have also seen successful exits for these companies. Together, the duo started Spinner (acquired by Aol for $320 million), and Grouper (acquired by Sony for $65 million). While Samuel and Felser had been making angel investments for some time, they announced a formal $27 million fund in 2011, Freestyle Capital, which makes investments in early-stage startups. What makes Samuel and Felser?so intriguing is that they are truly entrepreneurs at heart. They are open about the fact that if they had the bandwidth, they would start another company together. But with family commitments and such, digging into a startup is difficult. So the next best thing, they say, is to help other entrepreneurs, especially at the beginning stages of building a product and business. A Lasting Partnership Felser first met Samuel at a conference in 1996. At the time, Samuel, who is an MIT grad and engineer at heart, wanted to reimagine personalized radio online through Spinner. As Samuel explains, he needed to have someone on the team with more business and sales experience, and he immediately connected with Felser. Not soon after Felser joined Samuel in 1997, their relationship was tested. An unnamed investor came between them and attempted to oust Felser from the company. As they tell the story, this investor would tell Samuel that Felser wasn’t performing, but would say the opposite to Felser himself. But as bad as the investor’s experience was in pitting Samuel and Felser against each other, they were able to move forward and keep the company’s leadership as is. Despite this hardship, this was a turning point for Samuel and Felser’s personal and professional relationships,

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/uwGR9BYM7qY/

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Annals of New York (talking-points-memo)

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Bret Hart Talks About Future of Pro Wrestling in Canada, MITB Ladder Match & More

Bret Hart recently spoke to Smacktalk Radio Live. Here are some highlights from the interview.

Bret Hart on the concept of the MITB ladder match and whether he would of liked to have participated in one: I think I?m the guy that brought the ladder match concept to the company in the first place. I brought it from Calgary and Shawn stole the idea from me. I wouldn?t really say it?s a touchy subject but we all know what happened, Shawn too. I think if they hadn?t stole the idea from me and used it at Wrestlemania, I think I would?ve had a ladder match with Owen instead of a cage match. The concept was great, and Shawn got all the credit for having a great match with Razor Ramon, but it?s easy to take someone?s idea and do all the spots. There?s nothing but suspense in a ladder match. But you have guys like Edge and the Hardy Boys who have taken the concept much further than it was. I think it would have been interesting to see Bret Hart and the Dynamite kid in a ladder match say circa 1987-88. But a lot of wrestlers have come down the road who have improved on the match INCLUDING Shawn and Razor, I mean give them credit they deserve, they had a great ladder match. It stills stands out to people as being one of the greatest of all time. And I have no problem saying that, it was a greatmatch. The [MITB] is a different idea?its at least different and interesting and its not so easy to be different and interesting all the time.

On the recent flooding in his hometown of Calgary, AB: Calgary?s always been a real giving town. Everybody?s gotten out and pitched in where they can, but there?s still a lot left to be done here. It?s brought the community together and everyone?s working together and people are working hard to help with the burden of something we all went through. It?s been a tough time for Calgary because it?s for sure one of the safest cities in the world, but I think they?ve really shown their backbone in the last two weeks in the way they got through the thing with the river, and the flooding. It was quite a crisis.

On whether the famous Hart dungeon was affected by the flooding: Nah, it?s safe. It?s probably in the safest part of the city. It?s nice and high. It was a serious fortress that house, and it would take a pretty serious flood to wash THAT place away.

On the future of pro wrestling in Canada: I think there have been a lot of great Canadian wrestlers and wrestling?s still really popular in Canada. I think you?re going to see a lot guys in the future who?ll aspire to be the next Bret Hart or Owen Hart or Chris Jericho. I think if anything, in Canada they?re held to a higher standard, and in the dressing rooms and stuff like that you?re actually respected and required to be a little more respectful than the American guys are down south and that always pays off. Guys who are in the WWE who are Canadian are always humble and are really hard workers and guys that don?t really complain a lot. It has a lot to do with why they do as well as they do it?s because they have a good attitude. Wrestlers from Canada always have good attitudes. They always have their feet on the ground, they?re not troublemakers or complainers when things don?t go right. They?re just a little more rational. American wrestlers are a little more hot under the collar, alittle more opinionated, and sometimes, just sometimes, they?re a little bit harder to deal with. The egos sometimes get out of check and other things hold them back. I find Canadian guys never forget where they came from, and remember being that kid staring up for an autograph.

Several HOT Photos of Bret Hart?s Daughter Bean Hart?.

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Source: http://www.twnpnews.com/2013/07/bret-hart-talks-about-future-of-pro-wrestling-in-canada-mitb-ladder-match-more/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bret-hart-talks-about-future-of-pro-wrestling-in-canada-mitb-ladder-match-more

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In Canada, Young People Need Both Degrees Experience to Land Jobs

Even though the worldwide economy is slowly getting back on track after the lengthy recession, employment problems continue to plague certain segments of the population. According to Jan Hein Bax of the Financial Post, in Canada, this is a particularly difficult issue for people over the age of 55 and especially young people under the age of 25.

Under- and unemployment rates for young people are especially problematic because they go hand in hand with increasing student debt loads ? so much so that a growing number of people wonder if getting a higher education is no longer financially prudent because a college degree is no longer a surefire conduit to lucrative employment.

A recent survey by Randstad Canada Workmonitor found that more than 84% thought employment experience played a bigger role in landing someone a job than a degree did. However, would the story be different if the respondents were recruitment professionals rather than average Canadians? According to Bax, the answer is yes ? sometimes.

There are fields where specific qualifications are mandatory, such as medicine and law, but how you communicate your experience in any sector and at any life stage can be equally important. On the other hand, with candidates applying for a more diverse range of roles, and new positions being created in response to technology or compliance, for example, direct experience seems to have become less important than the ability to demonstrate the relevance of your education and career history to the job at hand.

And sometimes it?s not even a matter of choice. A lot of the time, even recent graduates have experience that can be highlighted on their resumes although they don?t even know it. Things like class projects, on-campus activities and any leadership roles they played are worth mentioning ? if only to give a prospective employer a fuller picture. Also vital is knowledge about the company and even the industry that the applicant is attempting to join.

Getting some help in the form of references also helps. Bax recommends that students begin developing a relationship with their professors early in their academic careers so when time comes to ask for a recommendation, they won?t be just a face in the crowd.

Regardless of age, the ability to adapt to new or old systems and technology is paramount. As is a willingness to continually learn and apply newly acquired knowledge and skills.

With Canada?s current skills gap there is a greater focus on employers helping with on the job training, be it assisting employees to gain industry mandated qualifications or in nurturing the experience and expertise of high quality candidates. As such, any candidate young or old needs to be prepared to demonstrate their abilities in interview situations and share their interests in personal growth.

Source: http://www.educationnews.org/international-uk/in-canada-young-people-need-both-degrees-experience-to-land-jobs/

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Oregon lands top Class of 2014 California running back

Oregon landed a verbal pledge from running back Royce Freeman on Friday, giving head coach Mark Helfrich and his staff their highest-profile recruit yet in the current cycle.

The 6-foot, 227-pounder from Imperial High School (Imperial, CA) is the Ducks' first running back commitment in the Class of 2014. He impressed the Ducks at the recent Nike event, The Opening, a few weeks ago, displaying his various skills in 7 on 7.

One of the best running backs in the country, Freeman is well-built with good speed and shiftiness. He is a powerful back more in the mold of a LeGarrette Blount than a LaMichael James. And if he does sign his Letter of Intent with the Ducks next February, he would be yet another top running back to head to Eugene, joining Lache Seastrunk, De'Anthony Thomas and Thomas Tyner.

Freeman also had offers from major programs such as Alabama, USC, Florida and Stanford. He is Oregon's eighth pledge in the 2014 class.

Source: http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Oregon-lands-top-Class-of-2014-California-running-back.html

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Oil ETFs Continue To Surge: Weekly Energy ETF Report

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Firetrucks sport pink, participate in parade for cancer awareness

EAST MOLINE -- A parade of pink firetrucks will be in town today to raise cancer awareness.

The Pink Heals Tour is a national nonprofit trying to raise awareness about women's health issues, particularly cancer.

The event is expected to start with a short parade at noon involving the pink trucks, along with more conventionally colored counterparts from the East Moline Fire Department, as well as vehicles from other local fire departments, police departments and ambulance services, said Sean Genung, an East Moline firefighter.

They will stop in the Station 23 parking lot, 901 Avenue of the Cities, as well as another nearby lot, and will be there until 7 p.m., Mr. Genung said.Volunteers in pink firefighting gear will be on hand, and merchandise will be available for purchase, Mr. Genung said.

Refreshments will not be provided, and people should be prepared for the weather, he said.

More about the tour can be found online at pinkfiretrucks.org.

Source: http://www.qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=645552

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LSU's Hill pleads guilty to misdemeanor battery

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) ? Suspended LSU running back Jeremy Hill has pleaded guilty to simple battery in connection with a bar fight in April.

Hill entered the plea Friday in state district court in Baton Rouge. He will not have to go to jail for the fight, but his future remains in question. He faces the possible revocation of the probation he was granted following a January 2012 guilty plea to a misdemeanor stemming from his sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl at his high school.

District Attorney Hillar Moore says it will be up to a judge to decide whether Hill should serve the suspended six-month sentence in that earlier case.

A hearing would likely be set for August. Coach Les Miles, who suspended Hill after the bar fight, was not immediately available for comment.

The 20-year-old Hill rushed for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012, his freshman season. Hill got increased playing time after season-opening starter Alfred Blue went out with a season-ending knee injury in LSU's third game.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-07-12-LSU-Hill%20Arrested/id-ac43a1b043a34c489c18897fcccc3dd9

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76ers still sans coach after flirting with prospects

By Matt Moore | NBA writer

July 13, 2013 11:23 AM ET

Jrue Holiday has been traded, but there are Sixers left without a coach. (USATSI)

This is taking tanking a bit far, don't you think? The Philadelphia 76ers parted ways with Doug Collins on April 18. Three months ago.

They still don't have a coach. They've flirted with candidates, most notably Spurs assistant Brett Brown, but they've yet to make a hire. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports they're interviewing Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga, who was considered the front runner for the Boston gig before the stunning hire of Brad Stevens. But the fact remains we're through the draft, the summer league has started, and the 76ers still don't have a coach.

The Sixers want to bottom out next year after trading Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans for Nerlens Noel, injured project center, and a 2014 draft pick, but they still have veterans on the roster. How do Thad Young and Evan Turner feel about being on a roster without a coach? Or Jason Richardson, at the end of his career?

Now, the Magic took until July 28 last summer to bring a guy to the sideline. But at some point, you have to get a guy in to start having an offseason plan in place. Even if you're tanking, you have to have some sort of organizational structure. Or maybe you don't.

Maybe they should take this further. Just don't hire a coach.

"We're just going to trust the players, go on out there, and see what happens!"

In a related story: 76ers season tickets are on sale now!

---

The Eye on Basketball three-man game emphasizes a lack of ball movement, excessive jumpers, and elaborate handshakes. You can follow them on Twitter at @MattMooreCBS, @talkhoops, and @RoyceYoung

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Source: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-on-basketball/22744813/oh-hey-by-the-way-the-sixers-still-dont-have-a-coach

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Rovio teases new Star Wars prequel based Angry Birds announcement for July 15

Angry Birds isn't going away any time soon, and Rovio is today teasing a big announcement for Monday July 15. There's not much to go on, but from this promo image alone it's clearly related to Star Wars, and more specifically the Star Wars prequels. There was only a short passage on the Rovio blog accompanying it that doesn't really give much away:

Attention, Angry Birds fans! Stay tuned on Monday, July 15th, for big news about a brand new game! We?re talking the biggest character line-up ever, awesome new powers, and maybe even a few surprises!

For anyone who hasn't seen the connection, the bird in the image is wearing Anakin Skywalker's goggles from Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, while casting the shadow of the infamous Darth Vader whom he becomes in Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. Exactly what's coming though is still a mystery, so stay tuned on Monday. Anyone got any guesses?

Source: Rovio

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FDA proposes limit for arsenic in apple juice

Almost two years after consumer groups raised alarms over arsenic levels found in apple juice, the Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed an "action level" of 10 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic, the same limit that environmental regulators place on drinking water.

The agency said it was confident that apple juice is generally safe for children and adults to drink but the new limit will make it easier to take enforcement action when higher levels of arsenic are discovered.

"FDA's action level sends a strong signal to industry to help keep out of the food supply even the occasional lot of apple juice with arsenic levels above those permitted in drinking water," FDA spokeswoman Theresa Eisenman said in an email. "The action level will also provide FDA investigators with the information they need when considering regulatory action."

Of 94 samples of apple juice the FDA tested in late 2011, none were found to exceed 10 ppb of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, the agency said. But FDA officials acknowledged that testing from previous years found samples that did exceed 10 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic.

In 2008 the FDA established a "level of concern" for inorganic arsenic in apple juice at 23 ppb. Like an action level, a level of concern can trigger regulatory responses if exceeded, such as ordering further testing or detaining products.

But both levels are seen as less stringent than a formal standard, or tolerance level, which if violated can trigger immediate legal action.

Michael Taylor, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said developing tolerance levels involves "an extraordinarily long and cumbersome rule-making process," while action levels can be created less formally and changed to adapt to new evidence.

Urvashi Rangan, director of consumer safety and sustainability for Consumers Union, called the FDA's announcement a move in the right direction. The group serves as the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, which released the results of its own arsenic testing on apple juice in 2011.

"While we would have liked to see a stronger (rule), we still applaud the FDA for what they did today," Rangan said. "I still think it's a really important first step and good precedent to set an action level for this particular contaminant in food."

The sustainability and food safety group Food & Water Watch was also cautiously hopeful about the move.

"We hope that, at some point, they do put in place some concrete standards, but this is something where the agency can at least work with the industry when these levels are reached or exceeded," said Tony Corbo, a lobbyist for the group.

Inorganic arsenic in food can come from pesticides or from soil and groundwater pollution, though some occurs naturally in the environment. Organic arsenic is viewed as relatively safe, but emerging research suggests that two types of organic arsenic may be toxic. The FDA says these occur rarely or in negligible quantities in apple juice.

The outcry about arsenic and apple juice was triggered by test results that consumer groups and federal officials released in 2011. In FDA testing, 6 percent of 160 samples of apple juice analyzed from 2005 to 2011 exceeded 23 ppb for total arsenic, including both organic and inorganic. At the time the FDA said it was not sure what portion of that total was carcinogenic inorganic arsenic.

Consumers Union had pushed for a limit of 3 ppb of total arsenic in apple juice, saying this level of risk would accept one excess cancer in 1,000 assuming lifelong consumption of apple juice.

According to the FDA's website, more than two-thirds of the 94 samples tested in late 2011 contained levels of inorganic arsenic above 3 ppb. For total arsenic, more than 80 percent exceeded 3 ppb.

Consumer Reports' testing also found that some grape juice samples had higher concentrations of arsenic than apple juice. The FDA's Taylor said the agency is aware of those results but views arsenic and rice as its next most pressing issue.

Last year, Consumer Reports and the FDA reported that some rice products carry high levels of inorganic arsenic residue. The FDA promised to finish 1,000 tests by the end of 2012, but Taylor said those results are still undergoing "quality checks."

"It's turned out to take longer than we expected," he said. "The rice is a lot more complicated than the apple juice because there is such a wide array of rice products ? and we want to make sure we do the proper quality checks. I don't want to put out a timetable, but we are working on it and I want people to know that it's on the front burner."

The proposed action level on arsenic in apple juice is subject to 60 days of public comment.

meng@tribune.com

Twitter @monicaeng

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-juice-arsenic-standards-20130713,0,6419142.story?track=rss

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