Press Roundtable with Secretary Panetta in Rome, Italy

??????????? SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON E. PANETTA:? Everybody ready?? Okay.??

??????????? First of all, buonasera.? Good evening to everyone.? I want to thank you for coming tonight.? Most of you, I believe, have heard the statement that I gave today at the Ministry of Defense, so I'll be very brief before moving on to your questions.?

??????????? I guess I'll just note for you that any time I come to Italy, it's a very special occasion for me, as the son of Italian immigrants.? I think the first time I came to Italy with my parents -- as I said, both of whom were immigrants who came in the '30s and then decided in the '50s that it was time to go back to Calabria and visit the home.? And I had a chance to do it.?

??????????? My grandfather actually came out in 1938 to visit my mother in Monterey.? And because the war broke out, as an Italian, he was not able to come back to Italy.? So he spent most of his time raising me, because my parents were working in a restaurant.? So I got to know my nonno very well.? And that's where I learned to speak Italian.? I had to in order to eat, to be able to talk to him to make sure that he did that.? So I had a chance -- my nonno came back to Italy and had a chance then to come back and visit him and my nonna, who were still alive at that time.?

??????????? Since then, I've come back a number of times to Italy in different capacities, both in the Congress.? I came back in a private capacity a number of times to be here and then also as chief of staff to President Clinton, who visited here on the anniversary of the war, the anniversaries from the war.? And obviously, I came here as director of the CIA and now as secretary of defense.?

??????????? So it is -- it's something that is very important for me to be able to go back to the roots of my family and to enjoy the great hospitality of Italians, and not to mention the great food and great drink that you get, as well.?

??????????? Let me -- let me indicate to you that today, in addition to the meetings that I had with Minister Di Paola, I had a very good consultation today with President Napolitano, with Prime Minister Monti, and also with Minister Terzi.? I had a good discussion on a number of issues and expressed to all of them, again, my deep thanks for the great partnership that the United States has with Italy, particularly when it comes to security issues.?

??????????? In all of the meetings, we reaffirmed the importance of the alliance between the United States and Italy and our commitment to strengthening our defense relationship in order to meet future security challenges together.? I was also particularly honored to be able to pay tribute to Italy's war sacrifices at the (El Tati de la Patria) and be able to, again, do this in remembrance of all of those that have been lost in past wars.?

??????????? America deeply appreciates Italy's steadfast support over the last decade of war and its continued leadership in Afghanistan and the continued support that we receive in the many bases that host our American men and women.? We will never forget -- never forget that Italy stood with us after 9/11 in every way.?

??????????? Let me mention to you at this point, if I might, that I've just been informed about what happened in Algeria.? And I received an initial briefing on this, and obviously we're continuing to review the situation to determine exactly what happened.?

??????????? By all indications, this is a terrorist act, and the United States strongly condemns these kinds of terrorist acts.? It is a very serious matter when Americans are taken hostage along with others.? We will continue to review the situation.? We're in consultation with the Algerians, as well as the British, to determine exactly what happened and what the situation is.? And I want to assure the American people that the United States will take all necessary and proper steps that are required to deal with this situation.?

??????????? So with that, I'm open to your questions.?

??????????? GEORGE LITTLE:? We'll start with the Associated Press.?

??????????? Q:? Mr. Secretary, on that particular note, do you happen to know whether the al-Qaeda reports that seven Americans have been taken hostage are accurate or not?? Do you have any sense of how many and whether or not there are any casualties??

??????????? And then as a follow-up, just on what you just said about what the U.S. would do in this regard, how do you think this -- how do you think this is associated with the Mali operation?? Have you made any further decisions on U.S. assistance to Mali?? And doesn't something like this make the case stronger for the U.S. to take action?? Or does it (off mic)?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Yeah, I do not have, you know, firm information as to how many hostages are involved.? We do believe that there are Americans involved here, but I don't know the number of hostages that have been taken.???????????

??????????? And I also, you know, don't know what the -- whether there is any relationship to the situation in Mali.? I do know that terrorists are terrorists.? And terrorists take these kinds of actions not just in Algeria.? They take them elsewhere.? We've seen their terrorism in Pakistan.? We've seen their terrorism in Afghanistan.? We saw their terrorism against the United States on 9/11.? And we have witnessed their behavior in a number of occasions where they have total disregard for innocent men and women, and this appears to be that kind of situation.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? We'll turn to the Italian press, TG2.?

??????????? Q:? Mr. Secretary, I'm here.?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Where are you?? (Laughter.)? Thank you.?

??????????? Q:? My -- (inaudible) -- same (off mic)?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? No, really?? (Speaking Italian)?

??????????? Q:? (off mic)?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? (Speaking Italian) (Laughter.)?

??????????? Q:? So a question please -- what kind of specific commitment is necessary in Mali by USA and by Italy at this moment??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Well, we had a good discussion on Mali with the minister of defense and, frankly, with the others who I met with.? And I believe that there is a consensus that France took the right step here to try to deter AQIM from taking even further action there and that there will be an effort to try to bring the European community together.? I believe tomorrow there will be a meeting to discuss what additional assistance will be provided to help France in this effort, and the United States is going through the same process.?

??????????? The goal, though, I think is -- for all of us, the goal is to do what we can to ensure that ultimately the African nations, at ECOWAS and the other West African nations, ultimately come in and play a key role in providing for the security of Mali.??

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? Washington Post.?

??????????? Q:? Mr. Secretary, if I could follow up on Mali, to what degree -- you know, I realize information is still coming in about the hostage situation, but that seems to escalate quite a bit the urgency of this conflict in northern Mali and Algeria, that Americans are involved in, and as we haven't seen many Americans targeted in Mali or Algeria, it's been Europeans.? Have you had discussions today with others in the administration about perhaps an escalation of military cooperation with the French?? And have you been in touch with your Algerian counterparts, as well?? Might the American military take steps to intervene in the hostage situation??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? I have not specifically with regards to this issue.? As I said, I was just briefed before I came here.? And we're continuing to engage in consultations to determine exactly what the situation is.?

??????????? Obviously, with regards to -- to Mali, it is a situation that involves AQIM.? This is an al-Qaeda operation, and it is for that reason that we have always been concerned about their presence in Mali, because they would use it as a base of operations to do exactly what happened in Algeria.? I mean, that's the kind of thing that terrorists do.? And that's why we're concerned about it.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? Republica??

??????????? Q:? Good evening, Mr. Secretary.?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Good evening.?

??????????? Q:? Can I ask you something about the bilateral issue between U.S. and Italy?? There are two questions, one about the F-35, the fighters.? You know that -- (inaudible) -- debate in Italy about the cost and the numbers of the airplanes.??

??????????? And, secondly, recently in Sicily, the -- (inaudible) -- administration blocked the -- (inaudible) -- that you are going to build there.? What is your opinion about the current situation?? And are you going to offer to the local Sicilian authorities guarantees about the safety, the mission, the -- (inaudible) -- mission of this plan?? Thank you very much.?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Thank you.? First of all, with regards to the F-35, as I indicated today, the United States is fully committed to the development of the F-35.? It is the future in fighter aircraft.? And it is an important investment.?

??????????? And the reality is that we have made very good progress in the development of that plane and in dealing with issues that have been raised with regards to the plane and its operations.? The testing of this plane has been very successful in almost all three models, I think, that we are dealing with.?

??????????? So we believe it is a -- it's a very good investment.? We believe that the F-35 will be a reality.? And we appreciate Italy's commitment to -- willingness to participate with regards to the F-35.

???????????? The F-35 is the plane of the future.? That's the reality.? And I think countries like Italy and others that are participating in this process recognize how important it is to our future defense system.?

??????????? With regards to the satellite MUOS, this is the location of a communications facility in Sicily that the United States has been interested in, in order to advance our defense communications.? And I understand the concerns of the people there.?

??????????? The people of Sicily have been very supportive of the United States mission, particularly with Sigonella, and so I deeply appreciate the support that we have received from the Sicilians.?

??????????? But I also -- as I said, I understand their concerns here.? We are working with the minister of defense to try to address those concerns.? There have been studies that have indicated that I know their concern is in particular with regards to, you know, perhaps what it might do to impact the health of citizens in the vicinity.? I understand those concerns.? We have done studies to indicate that there are no -- there are no risks in terms of health as a result of that.?

??????????? But I want to make sure that we do everything possible to address the concerns of those residents so that they, too, have to be convinced that this is something that can be done without impacting on their health or well-being.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? New York Times??

??????????? Q:? Mr. Panetta, given that what you say is the urgency of what is happening in Mali and now Algeria, why has the administration not yet announced any kind of specifics for aiding the French in this conflict?? And do you believe that AQIM is an imminent threat?? I mean, I know there are -- there's discussions of -- some of the administration perhaps do not see the immediate threat here.?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Yeah, no, I think the administration takes this very seriously.? And they have, indeed, been reviewing areas where assistance can be provided.? And I'm confident that we're going to be able to provide that assistance.?

??????????? Frankly, we already are providing assistance in terms of information to them to try to help in this effort.? So, you know, we are going to be taking steps to provide assistance to them.? And with regards to AQIM, with regards to al-Qaeda in general, I guess, you know, I say this from my own background in having dealt with al-Qaeda.? They are a threat.? They're a threat to our country.? They're a threat to the world.? And, you know, wherever they locate and try to establish a base for operations, I think that constitutes a threat that all of us have to be concerned about.?

??????????? Q:? Just to follow up, what is the delay in the -- in announcing any kind of (off mic)?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? I think what they want to make sure is that, you know, it is -- it's the kind of assistance that the French are -- you know, that could help the French in this effort and, two, that we have the proper legal authorities to be able to provide them.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? CBS Radio.?

??????????? Q:? Can I ask you what -- the attack in Algeria apparently happened very close to the Libyan border.? At the same time, you've had the Italians recently close their consulate in Benghazi.? The U.S. State Department is saying it's not going to open or reopen a permanent facility in Benghazi.? The British have pulled out of Benghazi.? What does that say for this region that we're talking about?? And how much of the U.S. military effort is focused on that??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Well, as you know, it is because of security concerns in that region that we have a large presence in the Middle East.? And we have a deployed significant force to the Middle East.? Both our troops and bombers and planes and ships are located in that region specifically for the purpose of dealing with security threats that are there.?

??????????? And the reality is that, you know, we continue to be concerned about the threats to security in Libya and elsewhere throughout that region.? And it is for that reason that I think the United States has to be fully prepared to deal with potential contingencies that we're going to have to confront.? This is a real consideration that security in this area is one we have to keep a close watch on to ensure that we protect Americans from the threats that are taking place.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? TG3.?

??????????? Q:? Good evening.?

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Good evening.?

??????????? Q:? There are big cuts that are going to be done on the Pentagon budget.? How do you think this will affect the security in this -- in both of the regions, Afghanistan and also Africa, which is becoming the new failed area where al-Qaeda can sort of reorganize?? And do you think that the next administration should change any way its strategy that's being followed so far??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? First of all, I don't -- I don't think they ought to change the strategy.? I don't know if you're talking about future administrations.? Who the hell knows what future administrations may or may not do?? But this administration is not going to change, I think, in terms of the strategy that has been put in place.?

??????????? Just to give you a little background, we were handed a number in the Budget Control Act of $487 billion to reduce the defense budget, almost a half a trillion dollars.? And the approach we took in dealing with that was not to cut across the board, as has been done in the past, but to develop a strategy for the kind of defense system we need not just now, but in the future.?

??????????? The defense strategy consists of some very key points.? Let me just briefly state those, first of all, that we know we're going to be smaller as -- and leaner as a result of the coming out of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.? But we have to be agile, we have to be flexible, and we have to be quickly deployable, and we have to be on the cutting edge of technology.?

??????????? Two, that we have to be able to have force projection in the Pacific and in the Middle East, because of threats that we confront in both of those regions.?

??????????? Number three, that we have to have a presence elsewhere in the world, in Europe, in Latin America, in Africa.? And that presence we will continue through rotational deployments of our forces that will go in and develop alliances, help develop partnerships, as we have in this area with Italy, and continue to train and exercise and develop their capabilities so that we can develop the kind of alliances and partnerships that help -- can help provide security.?

??????????? NATO is a perfect example of the capability to do that.? They served us well in Libya, and they are serving us well in Afghanistan.? And it's a model for the kind of partnerships we would like elsewhere.?

??????????? Fourthly, we need to be able to confront more than one enemy at a time, because we have to do that.? We may face a war in North Korea or in -- and at the same time, face a closing of the Straits of Hormuz.? We've got to be able to deal with both of those threats.?

??????????? And lastly, we have to invest in the future.? This can't just be about cutting.? We have to invest in the future, invest in unmanned systems, invest in cyber, invest in space, invest in special operations, and invest in the capability to mobilize.? Those are all elements that are part of our budget.?

??????????? Yes, we have to make cuts, and we are making cuts, in every area of the defense budget.? And we will -- you know, I think we feel confident that we can do this.? We can meet our fiscal responsibility and meet our responsibility to national security.? We don't have to make a choice.?

??????????? But having said that, there is a threat of additional severe cuts to the Defense Department in something called sequester.? And my fear has always been that if sequester should happen, it would badly damage our national defense and it would probably force us to throw that strategy out the window.?

??????????? So if we are kept to the numbers that we're dealing with now, we think we can remain the strongest military power in the world.? If sequester happens, then I fear that there could be deep and severe cuts to defense that could take place.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? The Wall Street Journal??

??????????? Q:? Back to Mali for a minute, you mentioned proper legal authorities, but you've said -- you've described repeatedly this week that the enemy in northern Mali is al-Qaeda, the 2001 authorization for the use of military force authorizes military force, not just support for another nation for al-Qaeda.? Can you describe the sort of legal issues here in any more depth?? Does this really reflect a division within the American government about the threat of AQIM??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? No, not really.? I mean, look, one thing I've learned is every time I turn around, I face a group of lawyers.? And it's no different now.? You know, lawyers basically have to review these issues to make sure that they feel comfortable that we have the legal basis for what we're being requested to do.??

??????????? And I understand the need for that.? I think the president understands the need to ensure that we have that kind of basis.? So I think those are the discussions that are occurring.?

??????????? I would not -- you know, I'm not going to say that these questions are insurmountable.? I think because of what you pointed out and because of some of the legal authorities that we have, in terms of dealing with al-Qaeda, I'm confident that we'll be able to provide the assistance that's requested.?

??????????? Q:? And just to follow up, do you think that the Italian announcement of logistical air support and the German announcement of air cargo support, will that -- does that increase the pressure on the U.S. to sort of work through these issues quickly??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? I don't think there's any question that all of us -- and particularly in the discussions that I had today -- I think all of us concur that we want to provide whatever assistance we can to assist the French in their effort and to ultimately, as I said, ensure that the West African nations themselves ultimately take responsibility for security in Mali.? That's going to ultimately be the answer to the challenge we're facing now.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? I have to get the secretary off to a nice Italian dinner soon, so we only have time for a couple more questions.? Bloomberg News??

??????????? Q:? (off mic) quick one -- (inaudible) -- you still say to assist France, to support French, but this is a French war?? Is this is just a French war????????????

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? I think this is an international -- I think this is an international effort.? You know, France obviously took the action they did, but I believe this should be an international effort.? And the U.N., in confirming that these steps should be taken, I think made clear that the international community should do what we need to do in order to confront AQIM.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? Bloomberg??

??????????? Q:? Good evening, Mr. Secretary.? Just on the -- on Mali, what is the end game that you foresee?? Is it one of hanging over the responsibility at certain point to the African nations, like you're saying?? Or is it capture and killing of a particular number of AQIM members?? What is the end game you foresee in Mali??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Well, I think -- you know, look, as I indicated, this is -- this is not easy.? This is difficult.? Elisabeth asked that question yesterday.? And the reality is that you are dealing with a dispersed enemy.? It requires, you know, important intelligence efforts to be able to develop the kind of targets that are necessary here.?

??????????? So this is not an easy challenge.? At the same time, it is important to try to do whatever we can to try to stop the momentum of AQIM in what they were trying to do in Mali.? And I think France has done a good job at taking that first step.? More needs to be done.??

??????????? I think ultimately what needs to be done is to be able to develop a situation -- similar to what we did in Somalia -- where the African nations themselves can then come in and provide the kind of security and the kind of support on the ground that will ensure that they continue to bring pressure against AQIM.? This is -- you know, as we've often found in these kinds of wars, it isn't something where you can kind of throw your hands up and say it's all over.? This is -- this is the kind of war that's going to require continuing pressure over a period of time.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? One final question.?

??????????? Q:? Thank you.? Mr. Secretary, the U.S. troops in Afghanistan -- (inaudible) -- this spring.? How successful has the ISAF operation been?? And are Afghan forces ready to take security lead??

??????????? SEC. PANETTA:? Yeah, thank you.? That was -- that was an important discussion last week with President Karzai when he came to Washington.? I had long discussions with him, and so did the secretary of state, and so did President Obama.?

??????????? Prior to that, a few weeks before, I had the opportunity to go to Afghanistan and visit our troops there and visit the areas -- some of the more difficult areas, particularly in the south.??

??????????? I -- in asking -- I met with most of our key military leaders.? And to a person, everyone of them felt very confident about what was taking place, that the Afghan army was developing greater capability, they were taking on the battle, they were incurring casualties, but the fact is, they were taking on the battle, that they felt that they have, in fact, impacted on the Taliban.??

??????????? The Taliban has been unable to regain any territory that has been lost.? They'll continue to be there.? They'll continue to be a threat.? But all of the -- all of the military officers and generals involved felt very confident that, working with the Afghans, that they could, in fact, provide better security for the Afghan people.?

??????????? We have seen this transition taking place.? We have five tranches that are supposed to take place of provinces that we would transfer to the Afghans.? We have done that in three of the tranches.? We're implementing the fourth tranche of areas.? That represents over 75 percent of the population in Afghanistan that now is under Afghan control and governance.? The fifth tranche will take place sometime in 2013.?

??????????? I think a reflection of our confidence in the Afghans is the fact that General Allen felt confident enough that, in 2013, in the spring of 2013, he felt we could, in fact, convey to the Afghans the lead on combat operations with ISAF in support.? And that's what we'll happen.? I think that's an indication that we are making progress and that we have growing confidence in their ability to be able to provide security.?

??????????? But nobody's naive about what's happening in Afghanistan.? We have made good progress.? I think we're on track.? We're implementing General Allen's plan, a plan that was affirmed in Chicago by NATO.? But we -- you know, the Taliban continues to be resilient and we have to be continually vigilant about that.? Secondly, Pakistan continues to represent a safe haven for those that come across the border and conduct attacks, and that continues to concern us.? And, thirdly, we have to be assured that ultimately the Afghans can develop the kind of strong governance that will ensure that Afghanistan can secure and govern itself in the future.?

??????????? MR. LITTLE:? Thank you, everyone, for joining us tonight.? Grazie.

Source: http://www.defense.gov//transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=5178

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FTC's proposed used-car rule a lemon, critics claim

16 hrs.

Herb Weisbaum, NBC News contributor

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is in the process of updating its Used Car Rule -- and some prominent consumer advocates are not happy with the proposed changes.

?The FTC really blew it,? said Rosemary Shahan, founder and president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS). ?This industry has a real problem and the proposed rule changes do not address that.?

Shahan and other consumer advocates want the FTC to require more information on the Buyer?s Guide that must be on every used vehicle offered for sale.

Right now, that window sticker must tell potential buyers if the vehicle comes with a warranty or is sold ?as is.? It also advises potential buyers to have the car inspected by an independent mechanic prior to purchase and even lists the major mechanical systems that should be checked.

Under the proposed rule revisions, the Buyer?s Guide would also advise shoppers to check the vehicle?s history via a federal database and show the address of an FTC website (not yet created) that would have information about vehicle history reports.

Consumer groups and law enforcement officials in many states demand more. They want the Used Car Rule to require dealers to disclose significant vehicle history information if they have it.

In comments submitted to the FTC on behalf of the attorneys general in 40 states, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) called the current Buyer?s Guide ?archaic? and of ?limited value? to used car buyers.

?We think this a lost opportunity,? said NAAG?s Bill Brach. ?When it comes to a used vehicle, nothing is more important for a consumer to know than its history. Was it previously wrecked, flooded, or a lemon law buyback??

Dealers and the FTC agree?
Auto dealers oppose adding any more information to the Buyer?s Guide. They say it was designed to do one thing: make it clear whether the dealer is offering any sort of warranty on the vehicle.

?It has been very effective because it discloses information that 1) is important to a used car consumer?s purchasing decision and 2) the dealer knows and controls,? said Bill Underriner, Chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), in a statement to NBC News.

NADA says the information dealers have about a vehicle?s history is often incomplete, outdated or inaccurate. For that reason, Underriner wrote, ?it does not help consumers to require dealers to disclose information about a vehicle that may not be available to a dealer or that may not be accurate.?

In its comments to the commission, the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (which represents used car dealers) said any requirement to report damage, defect or title history would be costly and ?result in chaos in the industry.?

Dealers say one potentially confusing issue when it comes to a vehicle?s past is what?s known as ?title branding? ? putting information on a vehicle?s title if it has been totaled by an insurance company or repurchased by the manufacturer under a lemon law.?

States don?t all use the same language when they brand titles. For example, Alaska only uses the term ?Reconstructed,? while Maryland has ?Salvage,? ?Reconditioned,? ?Reconstructed,? and ?Rebuilt?.

At this point, the FTC is siding with the dealers. Commission staff members who wrote the proposed new language told me they don?t think having vehicle history information on the Buyer?s Guide is workable or necessary.

?It sounds really simple in concept. If they know there?s a serious problem, tell people about it. But when you try to do a regulation to specify what they say and under what circumstances, it?s not as easy as it sounds,? said Steve Baker, director of the FTC?s Midwest regional office.

Baker said the commission firmly believes its role is to encourage used car buyers ?not to rely on a dealer? but to do their own homework and have the car inspected before they buy it.

Critics believe the Federal Trade Commission?s position is shortsighted.

?The FTC failed to take a big step forward to make used auto sales more transparent and fair,? said John Van Alst, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center. ?At best it will allow dealers to continue business as usual, which all too often leads to car dealers defrauding consumers."

The FTC is accepting comments on its proposed changes to the Used Car Rule until Feb. 11.

The bottom line:
?No matter how much disclosure is given or required, it will always be up to you to protect yourself. It is your responsibility to look for hidden damage and potential problems before you buy any used vehicle.

You need to 1) check the car?s history and 2) have it inspected by an independent mechanic before you sign the sales contract. No matter what the friendly salesperson says, don?t assume you can bring that vehicle back if there?s a problem. Verbal promises don?t count.

Check the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. NMVTIS has reports on cars with branded titles. It?s far from complete, but it?s a good resource. You should also check one of the commercial services such as CarFax and AutoCheck.

Remember: These databases do not always have up-to-date or complete information about a particular vehicle.

That?s why the independent inspection is critical. Mechanics can find problems that don?t show up in even the best vehicle history report, such as worn brakes or poor maintenance. They can spot hidden signs of flood damage or a crash that can make that vehicle unsafe and reduce its value.

If you?re shopping online and the vehicle is not nearby, consider services such as InspectMyRide and Carchex.

Remember, hundreds of thousands of vehicles were flooded in Superstorm Sandy. Some will make it on the used car market. The auto editors at Consumer Reports warn that a flooded car is ?inherently unsafe and unreliable? even if it seems to be OK.

As a consumer reporter, I hear a lot of complaints about used cars. In almost every case, the buyer got burned because he or she did not take the time to check the history and spend a small amount of money to inspect the vehicle before making such a significant purchase. Make sure you don?t buy someone else?s problems.

Herb Weisbaum is The ConsumerMan. Follow him on Facebook and Twitteror visit The ConsumerMan website.

More Info:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ftcs-proposed-used-car-rule-lemon-critics-claim-1B7956550

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S_47::Somali militants say they will kill French hostage

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) ? Somalia's al-Qaida-linked rebels said Wednesday that they will kill the French intelligence agent they hold hostage.

The Islamist extremists said that France signed the death warrant of a French intelligence agent by launching a rescue operation last weekend that failed to free him, in a statement released Wednesday.

The militant group al-Shabab has held the French agent, Denis Allex, since July 2009. Al-Shabab said that it decided to kill Allex in retaliation for the late Friday to early Saturday operation. Two French soldiers and 17 Somalis were killed during the rescue attempt, French officials say.

French officials believe Allex is already dead. Al-Shabab has said Allex was still alive after the rescue attempt.

"It could have succeeded. It should have succeeded. Its consequences weigh heavily and I take full responsibility for the operation, because it is also a message from us: France cannot allow its citizens to be detained," French President Francois Hollande said at a press conference in Paris Wednesday.

Vague language from the Islamist extremists in Wednesday's statement does little to make things clear. Al-Shabab did not offer proof Allex is alive or say when he would be executed if he is still alive.

"With the rescue attempt, France has voluntarily signed Allex's death warrant," the statement said.

Adm. Edouard Guillaud, France's military chief of staff, said officials there believe al-Shabab's announcement is propaganda.

"We have had no indication since Friday night's raid that ... Denis Allex is alive," he told Europe 1. "We think that he is in all likelihood dead. ... It's a technique that they have already resorted to in other cases that didn't concern us."

Al-Shabab also said it had been willing to free Allex in exchange for "Muslim prisoners." It accused France of persecuting Muslims and pointed to a recently launched military operation by French forces against al-Qaida-linked extremists in Mali.

Al-Shabab claimed in its statement that Allex provided "a wealth of information" during interrogation sessions conducted over the last three years. They provided no proof for that claim.

Transported by helicopters, the French commandos attacked the al-Shabab position early Saturday in an attempt to free Allex. France's defense minister has said the government decided to stage the rescue a month ago, when Allex's location seemed to have settled down "in a spot accessible by the sea." U.S. military aircraft briefly entered Somali airspace to support the rescue operation, President Barack Obama said Sunday, but did not use weapons.

Al-Shabab provided their version of last weekend's attack. It said the French forces landed a few miles (kilometers) from the village of Bulomarer and walked to the targeted location, but that Islamist fighters knew they were coming and intercepted them. Al-Shabab said it had killed several spies in possession of "electronic gadgets" recently.

Al-Shabab said a battle raged for nearly three hours, and that attack helicopters came to the French fighters' assistance. Al-Shabab described their counterattack as having turned the French battle objective from a rescue mission to damage control.

French officials said they killed 17 of the Islamist rebels. Al-Shabab said many villagers were killed.

Al-Shabab once controlled all of south-central Somali, including the capital, Mogadishu. African Union troops pushed al-Shabab out of the capital in 2011, but the Islamist rebels still control wide swaths of rural southern Somalia.

___

Straziuso reported from Johannesburg. Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/somali-militants-kill-french-hostage-075229187.html

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Do You Run Full-Screen Apps in Windows 8?

Whether you're a fan of Windows 8 or not, it doesn't look like the new interface is going away any time soon. We'd like to know whether you're taking advantage of the new interface or have tried your best to make it just like Windows 7.

Even if you hate Windows 8, you can make it more comfortable. You can even run Windows 8 without ever really seeing the new Start interface if that's what you want. There are tools that let you bring back the Start menu and some even let you boot straight to desktop and hide hot corner actions. Some new computers even come with downgrade rights for Windows 7. On the other hand, Windows 8 boasts a lot of great new features, and even the new Start interface has some cool things going for it.

So, let's hear from you:

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Nglh79clP98/do-you-run-full-screen-apps-in-windows-8

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Google Fiber turned Kansas City into a magnet for tech startups

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - "The Muppets 2" will open in theaters March of 2014, "Maleficent," a reimagined "Sleeping Beauty" tale starring Angelina Jolie moves to July of the same year and Brad Bird's "1952" will open before Christmas of 2014, Disney announced on Monday. The news was part of an omnibus announcement, as Disney also announced "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" will open July 10, 2015. The next "Pirates" will star Johnny Depp with a script by Jeff Nathanson, but no director has been attached. Disney's planned 3D re-release of "Little Mermaid," set for September 13, has been called off. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/google-fiber-turned-kansas-city-magnet-tech-startups-032141228.html

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PFT: Carroll angry over kicker-icing backfire

After any close game, there are moments to which either side can point as affecting the ultimate outcome.? But whenever the tuck rule rears its head, Putin-style, in any contest of consequence, it stands out.

On Saturday night, the tuck rule was applied in a much different way than it was 11 years ago, under circumstances that made its impact on the final score far more remote.? But the apparent ignorance of the clear provisions of the rule, both in real time and on replay review, was stunning.

It came in the third quarter, with the Broncos leading the Ravens, 28-21.? Quarterback Peyton Manning cocked his arm to throw, and Ravens defensive end Pernell McPhee hit Manning just below the elbow just after Manning began his throwing motion.

The ball clearly started to come out, with Manning trying ? in vain ? to maintain possession as his arm and the ball went forward.? But while super-slow-motion review suggests that at one point Manning had two hands on the ball, Peyton never was able to secure it.? The ball ended up on the ground, Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger recovered, the replay process upheld the ruling, and the Ravens tied the game five plays later.

Again, the blunder came early enough in the game to make the consequence not as clear or dramatic as it was when the Patriots retained possession against the Raiders in the 2001 playoffs ? and the Pats ultimately went on to win the game and their first of three Super Bowl trophies.? But the ruling of a fumble in the latest case seemed to disregard completely the tuck rule.

Referee Bill Vidovich was not made available after the game to explain the decision made both in real time and on replay review.? The league has provided no insight other than a citation to the rule.

According to Rule 8, Article 1, Section 1(b):? ?If, after an intentional forward movement of his hand, the passer loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body, it is a forward pass.? If the player loses possession after he has tucked the ball into his body, it is a fumble.?

Not cited by the league was Rule 3, Section 22, Article 2, Note 2, which emphasizes that ?any intentional forward movement of his hand starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body.?

Manning?s arm was moving forward when the ball started to come out.? The tuck rule doesn?t apply because the ball was out before Manning tucked the ball back into his body.

It?s a far easier and more logical application of the rule than 11 years ago, because Manning didn?t lose the ball after his arm had finished moving forward but before he had ?tucked? the ball (like Tom Brady).? Instead, the ball was clearly coming out after Manning?s arm started to move forward, and he never possessed it again.

And so, once again, the Patriots benefit from the tuck rule.? Instead of having to go to Denver for the AFC title game, they get to host it.

While that may not benefit the Pats strategically, it definitely helps the team tuck some more cash into the coffers via another home game.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/14/pete-carroll-offers-novel-excuse-for-kicker-icing-backfire/related

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What's Facebook's secret? Company tells all today

	Essential News from The Associated Press

? ?Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-15-US-TEC-Facebook-Event/id-486d2a76f0d44b7e8cbedfacaf6f5edd

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Billionaires Set to Return NBA to Seattle - Without the Big Tax Bill

Seattle may be about to get an NBA basketball team back -- and this time, its citizens might not have to pick up part of the tab.

It's been four years the Seattle SuperSonics bolted for Oklahoma City after Seattle refused to pay for $220 million in renovations to KeyArena in 2006, and again refused to use tax money on a new $500 million stadium in 2007.

The team's buyers took it to their Great Plains hometown after agreeing to pay $45 million to get out of the KeyArena lease, leaving Seattle residents to watch from afar as Kevin Durant blossomed into one of the best players in the NBA.

By then, a stadium plan was already taking shape and Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer was rumored to be ready to put his billions to work in returning a team to the city. But it was too late.

Now it looks like billionaires are coming to the rescue yet again.

Crowning New Kings in Seattle

Ballmer and hedge fund manager Chris Hansen are reportedly teaming up to buy the hapless Sacramento Kings for $500 million, with plans to move the team into a new $490 million arena in Seattle that Hansen already has approval to build.

This is a scenario we've seen before, with Seattle being a case study in the ups and downs of basketball in middle markets.

Denying rich sports owners public funding for stadiums hasn't gone well for some other cities. Municipalities that wanted to avoid subsidizing the profits of already wealthy owners often ended up spending even more on stadium costs later.

The Cleveland Browns asked for $175 million to refurbish Cleveland Stadium before the team moved to Baltimore in 1996. Voters approved the funds but the team moved anyway, and it cost $200 million in public funding to build a stadium for the next incarnation of the Browns in 1999.

The city of Houston didn't even offer the Oilers help building a stadium before they bolted in 1996 to Nashville, which laid out $144 million in new stadium subsidies and $70 million in ticket sales to lure the franchise. A few years later, Houston pumped $289 million into a new stadium for the newly formed Houston Texans. Had the city chosen to help the old Oilers, the might have been able to keep the team for around half as much.

Perhaps Seattle has learned its lesson. This time around, the city seems to have bucked the trend with the help of Chris Hansen and his group of investors.

According to ESPN, he has agreed to pitch $290 million into building a new stadium near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field on the south side of town, with the remaining $200 million coming from the city. But in this deal, rent and ticket taxes are earmarked to pay the $200 million back, and Hansen would be on the hook if those two income sources fall short. Not a bad deal for the city.

Not a Done Deal Yet

The sale of the Kings and a move to Seattle (and the new stadium) aren't done deals yet. But when there's this much smoke, there's bound to be fire.

The Maloof family, which currently owns the Sacramento Kings, are having financial trouble at their Las Vegas casino, The Palms, and their basketball franchise doesn't look much better. Ballmer and Hansen both have the funds to make a deal happen and build the kind of stadium Seattle needs.

It may have been a tough few years for basketball fans in Seattle, but if they can get a team back and put up little to no public money to do it, everyone should be happy. Maybe the tides are turning and the public won't keep having to shell out hundreds of millions in public funding for private sports teams anymore.

Motley Fool contributor Travis Hoium owns shares of Microsoft. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft.

Source: http://dailyfinance.com/2013/01/14/nba-seattle-kings-ballmer-taxpayers/

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HMV's woes mean your online business needs to change | Internet ...

It had to happen really; HMV is calling in the administrators in a last-ditch bid to salvage at least something from the business which has been going downhill for ages. Less than a week ago, of course, embattled camera chain Jessops was closed down. And before Christmas we lost Comet.

These are high profile retail problems; so much so, we seem to have forgotten that Woolworth disappeared, or that Robert Dyas only survives because retail superstar Theo Paphetis bought the ailing chain. JJB, the sports retailer closed down its stores in 2012 and several retailers went into administration, such as Peacocks and Carsite, the Tesco-owned second-hand supermarket car dealership.

The ?bricks and mortar? retail sector is ailing. There are several issues, such as consumer demand, online competition, increased travel costs and the world economy. But for most failures these are not the issue. They are mere excuses for the management. The real issue is slowness to accept or implement change or a complete failure to respond to the various changes in the business environment; indeed some managers in business appear to not even know that changes are taking place which could affect their business.

It is a clich?, but many of the business failures are down to the ostrich-like behaviour of their managers and directors.

Of course, people do not like change ? we would prefer it if things remained the same because that makes it so much easier to cope. The difficulty that managers have to face these days is that there is dramatic and rapid change taking place. We have witnessed more changes in retail in the past decade than in the previous couple of centuries.

But it is not UK retail alone that is being affected. Apple is starting to face difficulties it might not have envisaged with less demand for the latest iPhone and increased competition combined with loss of legal action preventing such competition. And the giant computer company Dell is considering going back into private ownership in a bid to deal with the current turmoil in PC-buying.

Ten years ago people were selling five-page business planning documents online for $97; nowadays they can?t give them away for nothing. Whatever your business area, change is happening and it is happening fast.

All that the HMV story really tells us is that we need to monitor our business environment constantly and react and adapt to what is going on. If we do not, we go the same way as all those once-famous retailers.

Just ask yourself this question: do you want to be the HMV or Woolworth or Comet of your industry sector?

Source: http://www.grahamjones.co.uk/2013/blog/web-business/hmvs-woes-mean-your-online-business-needs-to-change.html

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Retail stocks lead a late upturn on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks are ending mostly higher on Wall Street after a rally in retail stocks offset flaring tensions over increasing the country's borrowing limit.

The Dow Jones industrial average ended up 27 points at 13,534 Tuesday. The index drifted higher late in the afternoon after being in the red most of the day. It fell as much as 61 points.

The Standard and Poor's 500 rose a point to 1,472, edging above the five-year high it reached Thursday. The Nasdaq fell six points to 3,110, dragged down by another loss in Apple.

Retail stocks moved higher throughout the day, boosted by a report that showed sales increased in December.

Rising stocks outnumbered falling ones on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was 3.1 billion shares, slightly below the recent average.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/retail-stocks-lead-upturn-wall-street-211025809--finance.html

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Military suicides hit a record high of 349

By The Associated Press
Published: January 14, 2013 Updated: January 14, 2013 - 7:09 PM

WASHINGTON ? Suicides in the U.S. military surged to a record 349 last year, far exceeding American combat deaths in Afghanistan, and some private experts are predicting the dark trend will grow worse this year.

The Pentagon has struggled to deal with the suicides, which Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and others have called an epidemic. The problem reflects severe strains on military personnel burdened with more than a decade of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, complicated by anxiety over the prospect of being forced out of a shrinking force.

Pentagon figures obtained today by The Associated Press show that the 349 suicides among active-duty troops last year were up from 301 the year before and exceeded the Pentagon's own internal projection of 325. Statistics alone do not explain why troops take their own lives, and the Pentagon's military and civilian leaders have acknowledged that more needs to be done to understand the causes.

Last year's total is the highest since the Pentagon began closely tracking suicides in 2001. It exceeds the 295 Americans who died in Afghanistan last year, by the AP's count.

Some in Congress are pressing the Pentagon to do more.

"This is an epidemic that cannot be ignored," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "As our newest generation of service members and veterans face unprecedented challenges, today's news shows we must be doing more to ensure they are not slipping through the cracks."

Military suicides began rising in 2006 and soared to a then-record 310 in 2009 before leveling off for two years. It came as a surprise to many that the numbers resumed an upward climb this year, given that U.S. military involvement in Iraq is over and the Obama administration is taking steps to wind down the war in Afghanistan.

"Now that we're decreasing our troops and they're coming back home, that's when they're really in the danger zone, when they're transitioning back to their families, back to their communities and really finding a sense of purpose for themselves," said Kim Ruocco, whose husband, Marine Maj. John Ruocco, killed himself between Iraq deployments in 2005. She directs a suicide prevention program for a support group, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS.

The Army, by far the largest of the military services, had the highest number of suicides among active-duty troops last year at 182, but the Marine Corps, whose suicide numbers had declined for two years, had the largest percentage increase ? a 50 percent jump to 48. The Marines' worst year was 2009's 52 suicides.

The Air Force recorded 59 suicides, up 16 percent from the previous year, and the Navy had 60, up 15 percent.

All of the numbers are tentative, pending the completion later this year of formal pathology reports on each case.

Suicide prevention has become a high Pentagon priority, yet the problem persists.

"If you have a perfect storm of events on the day with somebody who has high risk factors, it's very difficult to be there every moment, fill every crack, and we just have to continue to be aware of what the risk factors are," Ruocco said.

David Rudd, a military suicide researcher and dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Utah, said he sees two main categories of troops who are committing suicide at an accelerating pace: Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress or substance abuse, and those who have not gone to war but face troubled personal relationships, money problems or legal woes.

He is not optimistic about a decline soon.

"Actually, we may continue to see increases," he said.

The Pentagon says that although the military suicide rate has been rising, it remains below that of the civilian population. It says the civilian suicide rate for males aged 17-60 was 25 per 100,000 in 2010, the latest year for which such statistics are available. That compares with the military's rate in 2012 of 17.5 per 100,000.

Officials say they are committed to pursuing ways of finding help for service members in trouble.

"Our most valuable resource within the department is our people. We are committed to taking care of our people, and that includes doing everything possible to prevent suicides in the military," Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith said Monday.

Two retired Army generals, Peter W. Chiarelli and Dennis J. Reimer, have spoken out about the urgency of reversing the trend.

"One of the things we learned during our careers," they wrote in The Washington Post last month, "is that stress, guns and alcohol constitute a dangerous mixture. In the wrong proportions, they tend to blow out the lamp of the mind and cause irrational acts."

As recently as 2005 the Army's suicide total was less than half last year's.

Joe Davis, spokesman for the Washington office of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said war veterans have faced difficulty adjusting to the less intense environment of their home bases. Others struggle with leaving the military in search of work in a tight civilian job market.

"It's difficult to come back from a war footing to garrison life," he said, where more mundane problems intrude on troops who had been focused almost entirely on their war mission.

Each year the Pentagon performs an in-depth study of the circumstances of each suicide. The most recent year for which that analysis is available is 2011, and among the findings was that those who took their own lives tended to be white men under the age of 25, in the junior enlisted ranks, with less than a college education.

The analysis of 2011's 301 military suicides also found that the suicide rate for divorced service members was 55 percent higher than for those who were married. It determined that 60 percent of military suicides were committed with the use of firearms ? and in most cases the guns were personal weapons, not military-issued.

That study also found that most service members who attempted suicide ? about 65 percent ? had a known history of behavior problems, whereas 45 percent of those who actually completed the act and killed themselves had such a history.

One such case was Army Spc. Christopher Nguyen, 29, who killed himself last August at an off-post residence he shared with another member of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C., according to his sister, Shawna Nguyen.

"He was practically begging for help and nothing was done," she said in an interview.

She said he had been diagnosed with an "adjustment disorder" ? a problem of coping with the uncertainties of returning home after three deployments in war zones. She believes the Army failed her brother by not doing more to ensure that he received the help he needed before he became suicidal.

"It's the responsibility of the military to help these men and women," she said. "They sent them over there (to war); they should be helping them when they come back."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tbo/nationworld/~3/Sy4z_rbOU6s/

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Animal Attraction: Two New Lively Breeds Join AKC Family

by Stacy Fox

khou.com

Posted on January 14, 2013 at 5:30 AM

The American Kennel Club? (AKC?) expanded its litter of recognized breeds on January 1 to welcome the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno and Chinook, growing AKC?s family to 177 breeds.
?
In addition, the AKC also welcomed the Lagotto Romagnolo and Berger Picard into the Miscellaneous Class.

"The AKC is thrilled to add these lively and energetic breeds to the registry giving dog lovers even more breeds to choose from," said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "Both breeds are very athletic and will make great companions for those who love to stay active.?

An American breed joining the Working Group, the Chinook was bred as a sled dog for drafting and sled dog racing in New Hampshire. The breed was later named the state dog of New Hampshire in 2009.? Chinooks enjoy activities such as backpacking, skijoring, sledding, jogging, and hiking with their families. They are especially fond of children and get along well with other dogs. They are playful, highly trainable, and adaptable. Their tawny-colored double coat requires occasional bathing and brushing.? Additional facts on this breed can be found on the Chinook Club of America?s website at: http://www.chinookclubofamerica.org.

The Portuguese Podengo Pequeno joins the Hound Group. The breed is known for its small size, erect ears and wedge shaped head. Bred to hunt in harsh terrains, they use sight, scent and sound to catch their prey--typically rabbits. They have two coat types, smooth and wire. This breed is active, intelligent and easy to train. They require regular exercise but should be kept on a leash or in a fenced yard due to their instinct to chase. Additional facts on this breed can be found on the Portuguese Podengo Pequenos of America?s website at: www.pppamerica.org.

SOURCE and LINK:
American Kennel Club
http://www.akc.org
?

Source: http://www.khou.com/community/blogs/animal-attraction/Animal-Attraction---186758611.html

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AfterShip Launches Package Tracking API, Gives Amazon-Style Post-Sale Powers To Any Online Merchant

One of the nice things about ordering from Amazon is that you get package tracking details and information right on site. It's a key ingredient in why Amazon leads all others as an online retail destination, and now, thanks to Hong Kong-based startup AfterShip, any merchant will be able to offer the same thanks to an API for package tracking that works with a wide range of international shippers and couriers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/iHCLHR0PLoo/

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Inland American Acquires Two Necessity-Based Shopping Centers ...

January 14, 2013

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

Inland American Real Estate Trust, Inc. has purchased two necessity-based shopping centers in Oklahoma and Texas for a combined total of approximately $94.7 million.

The transaction includes Rockwell Plaza, a 254,690-square-foot shopping center in Oklahoma City, Ok., and Stone Ridge Market, a 218,436-square-foot shopping center located in San Antonio, Texas.

?Both properties contain a diverse tenant mix with ideal locations in high-traffic retail corridors,? Jeff Manno, Inland American Real Estate Trust?s vice president of acquisitions, told Commercial Property Executive. ?In addition, both Rockwell Plaza and Stone Ridge Market offer complete and diverse mixes of high-performing national tenants combined with strong, necessity-based retailers and shadow anchors.?

Inland America had been looking to build on its multi-tenant, necessity-based retail investment portfolio.

?Both of these properties are located in growing metropolitan areas with low unemployment averages,? Manno said. ?Their demographics and positions for growth are well suited to our long-term strategy of investing in multi-tenant, necessity-based retail properties.?

Rockwell Plaza provides a diverse mix of more than 40 tenants and draws additional traffic from the center?s shadow-anchor, Target.?It also benefits from the other high-traffic retail centers in the corridor, including Home Depot, Sam?s Club and Office Depot.

?Rockwell Plaza in Oklahoma City offers many attractive features that played a key role in our interest in the property.?First, the center?s location at the intersection of Northwest Expressway and Rockwell Avenue allows for exposure to more than 66,000 vehicles daily,? Manno said. ?In addition, approximately 161,000 residents live within a five-mile radius and over 500,000 consumers live within a 20 minute drive of the center, making the buying power in the region exceptional.?

Located in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the nation, Stone Ridge Market is strategically located at the northwest quadrant of U.S. Highway 281 and Evans Road Junction in San Antonio, drawing from a customer base that expands as far as 15 miles north of San Antonio.

?The center integrates a broad merchandising mix of destination-oriented tenants, including PetSmart, Sports Authority and Half Price Books,? Manno said. ?The property is also shadow-anchored by the strong necessity-based retailer, H-E-B, and its newest store format, a 168,000-square-foot HEB plus! store.?

As of September 30, 2012 Inland American owned, directly or indirectly through joint ventures in which it has a controlling interest, 887 properties, representing approximately 48 million square feet of retail, industrial and office properties, 8,564 multi-family units and 16,098 lodging rooms.

Source: http://www.cpexecutive.com/regions/southwest/inland-american-acquires-two-necessity-based-shopping-centers-for-95m/

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Exynos-powered Kite tablet flies Android 4.0 and Ubuntu 12.04 for ?309

Italian electronics firm DaVinci Mobile Technology is now accepting pre-orders for its Kite Full-HD tablet. This European slab features a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, a Samsung Exynos 4412 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a front-facing VGA camera and a rear-facing 2-megapixel shooter. In addition to packing some decent specs, the device also dual-boots Ubuntu 12.04 for ARM and Android 4.0. While there's no telling if this switch hitter will ever officially make its way to US soil, our friends abroad can fly this Kite for €309 (around $413 USD).

Filed under: Tablets

Comments

Via: Notebook Italia (translated)

Source: DaVinci Mobile Technology (translated)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/pOw5_WH_MHQ/

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Israel pursues ethnic cleansing policy: Saeb Shaath

An analyst says the Likud Party is firm on its plans to disconnect Palestinians from their land totally and to do a deal with Jordan.

In the background of this a protest group that consisted of both Palestinians and foreign activists set up a tent camp in a creative effort to show peaceful resistance to the occupation of Palestinian lands and a demonstration against illegal Israeli settlement building. The move was legally approved by the High Court of Israel. Netanyahu acting in defiance of the High Court rule had army forces forcefully dismantle the tent camp, which was on private Palestinian property. Several activists were injured in the process. The reaction has been has been seen as desperate by many observers. The tent camp however, has received wide praise as the event - and indeed the Israeli reaction - successfully attracted international attention to the Palestinian cause.

Press TV has interviewed Mr. Saab Shaath, author and political commentator, Belfast about this issue.

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Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nBBSHGrFVg&feature=youtube_gdata

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Money-saving offers and discount codes for babies, toddlers, pre ...

We have some outstanding money saving offers and discount codes for babies and toddlers. Click on the?below offers to start saving or?click here to see all our fantastic money-saving offers and discount codes.

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Source: http://www.smallstepsonline.co.uk/news/4681/money-saving-offers-and-discount-codes-for-babies-toddlers-pre-school-children-and-all-the-family

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Oil: Seaway pipeline expansion bullish for WTI to impact Brent Crude

OKLAHOMA/MUMBAI (Commodity Online): US WTI crude oil may extend gains seen on Friday as the newly expanded Seaway oil pipeline to carry 400,000 barrels per day, began pumping oil from US Midwest region to Gulf Coast.

On New York Mercantile Exchange, WTI February contract has risen 1.74% to $94.23 per barrel in electronic trading on Monday after closing Friday at $93.26.

?On daily charts, WTI crude oil is witnessing an up trend since mid-December and currently market appears sideways to bullish,? Sreekumar Raghavan, Chief Commodity Strategist at Commodity Online said.

The completion of the Seaway pipeline expansion will weigh on Brent Crude oil prices and the differential between the WTI and Crude oil has now narrowed to $17 per barrel. Historically, WTI has traded at or above the price of Brent, a benchmark crude from Europe's North Sea region. Over the last few years Brent has fetched large premiums as surplus crude glutted the U.S. midcontinent.

The 500-mile (805 km) pipeline, a joint venture between Enterprise Product Partners and Enbridge Inc, had been shut since Jan. 2 to prepare for shipping higher volumes from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Freeport, Texas. Its earlier capacity was 150,000 bpd.

At India?s Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), crude oil January is trading flat at Rs 5135 per barrel.?At India?s Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), crude oil January is trading flat at Rs 5135 per barrel. ? ?MCX Crude oil is trading sideways and has support at 5090, 5000 levels,? Sreekumar Raghavan added.

The international crude oil price for Indian Basket as computed/published on Monday by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas went down to US$ 108.63/barrel (bbl) on 11.01.2013. This was lower than the price of US$ 109.74//bbl prevailing on the previous trading day of 10.01.2013. In rupee terms also, the crude oil price fell to Rs 5924.68/bbl on 11.01.2013 from Rs 5995.10/bbl on 10.01.2013. This was due to fall in price in dollar terms and rupee appreciation with rupee dollar-exchange rate on 11.01.2013 at Rs 54.54/US$ against Rs 54.63/US$ on 10.01.2013.

News that may impact Crude Oil:

-The U.S. economy is expected to grow by 2.5 percent in 2013, improving to 3.5 percent growth in 2014, top Fed official Charles Evans said on Monday.

- Fears of disruption of supplies from Middle East has resurfaced, recovery signs in some major economies provide support for Brent crude at $111 levels?

Source: http://www.commodityonline.com/news/oil-seaway-pipeline-expansion-bullish-for-wti-to-impact-brent-crude-52214-3-52215.html

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Miss America crown goes to Brooklyn woman

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? A woman who grew up in Alabama and moved to New York City is the new Miss America, winning the title after tap dancing to a James Brown tune, deftly dealing with a question about guns, and raising the issue of child sexual abuse in her contestant platform.

In addition to dancing to "Get Up Off of That Thing," 23-year-old Mallory Hagan strutted down the runway during the Las Vegas pageant Saturday night in an asymmetrical white gown and donned a revealing black string bikini.

She won a $50,000 college scholarship and a year as an instant celebrity and role model to many girls as she defeated Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers, who took second, and Miss Oklahoma Alicia Clifton, who finished third.

She told The Associated Press in an interview after her win that it was her mother who encouraged her to tackle the issue of child sex abuse in her platform ? the issue she will promote during her reign.

She said that sexual abuse had "rippled through" her family, touching her mother, aunt, grandmother and cousins. Her mother had trouble at first convincing others of the trauma she had faced.

"That kind of sent her into a whirlwind of anxiety and depression. So as a teen I lost my mom kind of for a couple years," she said. "She was dealing with her own issues, and that's something that now as an adult I understand, but then I certainly did not."

During an interview backstage, Hagan's mother Mandy Moore wiped tears away as she spoke.

"It's very overwhelming," she said. "It's all hitting me so fast."

Hagan said she will work to make child abuse education mandatory in all 50 states.

"It's something I can hopefully change for the next generation," she said.

Hagan left her native Alabama for New York at 18 with less than $1,000 in her pocket. She tried for the Miss New York title in 2010 and 2011 before winning last year.

She studied communications at the Fashion Institute of Technology and has been living in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Hagan, who aspires to be a global cosmetic company executive, ends a long dry spell for New York in the competition. The previous winner from that state was actress Vanessa Williams, who became the first black winner when she took the crown in 1984. Hagan is the first Brooklyn-dweller to claim the title.

During the show, she survived the cuts as the contestants competed in swimsuit, evening wear, and talent events.

In the final moments of the contest, "Good Morning America" weatherman Sam Champion asked her if schools should hire armed guards in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting.

"I don't think the proper way to fight violence is with violence," she replied. "I think the proper way is to educate people on guns and the ways we can use them properly. We can lock them up, we can have gun safety classes, we can have a longer waiting period."

Hagan defeated titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Several of her competitors had grabbed headlines this year because of their backstories.

Miss District of Columbia plans to undergo a preventive double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer, which killed her mother and grandmother.

Miss Montana was the pageant's first autistic contestant. Miss Iowa has Tourette's syndrome. And Miss Maine lost more than 50 pounds before winning her state crown.

During the opening number at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, when all the queens gave short quips about their states, Hagan referenced last year's superstorm, saying, "Sandy may have swept away our shores but never our spirit."

The contest, which started as little more than an Atlantic City bathing suit revue, broke viewership records in its heyday and bills itself as one of the world's largest scholarships programs for women.

But like other pageants, the show has struggled to stay relevant as national attitudes regarding women's rights have changed.

Hagan's boyfriend Charmel Maynard said he thinks that pageants are dismissed by some, but he hopes Hagan's willingness to take on the sexual abuse issue will lend legitimacy to her new role.

"I don't think it's taken seriously, but I think she's going to be a great ambassador and it could change," he said.

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Hannah Dreier can be reached at http://twitter.com/hannahdreier

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/miss-america-crown-goes-brooklyn-woman-095909199.html

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Two Independent Woman I love The Most | All About Education

This morning I started from home took my car and started driving to office. At a signal I was thinking about writing a post for ini and that very moment I remembered something my filled my eyes. I spent two weeks with family for a special occasion and those memories filled my eyes and I couldn?t stop writing this post.

Couple of months before I called mom, she said some family is coming to ask my sister for marriage. I was bad on last few proposal because of education and other factors about guys. My relatives hate for me. But my mother understand what I am saying. My sister is a medical practitioner and worked really hard to be best in her studies. I told my mom that the best suite for her is a medical practitioner or an average but someone accept challenge and courageous to stand by right in all means. Because I feel that competition (professional, social, economical,..etc) in married couple would lead to bad life. Some understand others and provide equal and good opportunity to grow need guts and courage in super successful marriage. Truly speaking its real sprit of marriage in Islam, equality n simplicity.

Next day when I called mom was happy and started talking about how everything is. I just asked her to wait for a minute and asked what does my sister think about it. Mom asked me to ask myself because I am more open and close to my sister than others in family. She said, she did istikhara (seeking opinion from Allah SWT) and feel comfortable with it. I asked her again he is an engineer, have you thought about it. She said I feel comfortable. I congratulated her and asked her to send his details to me so that I can see how he is. Tech world is so small for me.

I talked to mom congratulated her and asked to start moving ahead with official things like dates of marriage and Mahar (it is a right that is given to the woman, as enjoined by Islamic sharee?ah, as an expression of the man?s desire to marry her). We dont go into too many details to keep things as simple as possible. My dad and mom went to boys home and decided all things in one go and thats it. My sister was graduating in two months and third month her marriage was fixed.

My dad went back to Saudi for his work, I am in South Korea for work, others are busy with work. My family is totally independent, everyone did their work till now, like admissions, study and other things. Don?t expect anything from anyone, it?s your work you should do it. Mom takes care of overall need of family and manages finances. Dad make money for family and make big decision. Whole family runs in this ecosystem. But this is first marriage at home, but no one again.

Mom and sister did everything together, everything mean everything you can imagine in marriage. They both bought cloth, mom stitched at home (because tailors don?t fit her standard of stitching cloth). They made list of invitees, made invitation card on her own, corrected ordered and she distributed on her own.

I was first to reach home (just a week before). I am lazy and gave all lazy and easy to do ideas. I went with sister to post office to post rest of the invitations we wanted to send to her friends and our relatives. Did little bit of shopping. I kept talking to her and telling her my experience in life and always asking her to be patience and encourage her husband. I know she is a super girl, highly educated, super cool with religion and a great doctor. I was thinking about her husband, how can he handle all that. She will be more popular and in focus because of her profession and nature.

I thought to meet the hero before marriage so that I can understand how he is and how he can handle things ahead. Fortunately his father called us to meet and discuss things about marriage day and also informed about that his son is in the city. After night prayers I took my lovely brother and visited their home. We all hugged each other, and as this was my first visit their home the boys dad introduced all family members to me and then we sat and talk. I asked few things and loved the way he answered, I tried to see myself a couple of years back I would have did the same thing and answered same way. I was super happy and felt I got someone who can stand with me to inspire the world again. With little encouragement he will be do great. I went home and started teasing sister.
Marriage plan was simple, formalities will be done at home after asr (prayer at 4PM) and khutaba nikah will be at masjid then the boy and his family would take their daughter in law. We agreed and came back home. After coming home mom said, do ask them to have dinner here before they take our daughter. My brother said okie and then called them, he is like little father in family. They agreed to join us for dinner that night.

After the Asr prayers we started running, , my brother called Qazi (incharge of islamic affairs) he came with papers, and started filling marriage forms. when we completed formalities in men?s section ( which was our first floor) we moved to woman section (second floor of my home) to ask my sister about proposal and take her sign on marriage papers. The Qazi asked father to go with witnesses, I went up as I was witness.

Every step I climbed I was lost in memories, how we grew up, how I used to carry her when she was young, and I used to avoid her when she cried because she was heavy. How I used to leave her in one place fixed to make sure she dont move and I go on play. How I was looking for MBBS admissions and how she moved for the first time to prepare for medical exam. How hard it was for her to stay in a new place for MBBS and how independently she did all. Stood as a good muslima, protected her and did great in her studies. She not only did hijab but complete her niqab and does everything to its perfection.

My little father is a strong man, loved him for it. As my sister took pen to sign on papers she started crying, my mom was already crying, I am weak and love to cry, so I was just waiting to start. My eyes are still filled as I write this. My brother, sad on bed with pen and papers, asked her to sign no emotion totally perfect with time. Hugged her and said congratulations and told me let go give this papers down so that we can start for masjid. Woow what a strength. I hugged my sister cried a bit and controlled a lot to make sure everyone is ok. My brother did the real magic, he common lets go it?s not time cry, she is not going anywhere, she was your daughter, is and will be. Just a more family added you got a son now.
Marriage happened at home with family members and relative and almost ten woman from boys side. We all had dinner together and they took her with her. I was just like a family gathering and totally on islamic norms. No useless expenses and no too much of show offs.

I was just thinking about my mom, who got her after three crazy boys, took care of her and she became her strength and in no time she was leaving her. She lost her friend her doctor, teacher for her younger children and a great moral support from around her. I wished I could be her daughter for rest of my her life. One independent woman, whose husband left her 24yrs back for searching a life for family, took care of every single child she have. Made sure that all them become educated, simple and contribute to the growth of world and make human life easier than before. She is real example for to understand and see the result of constant work and being patience for results to come. We all grownup got phds, doctors and show courage for biggest projects in the world but her effort, courage, patience and support make it look like nothing at all.

My mom and sister are independent ladies I have ever met in life. As she was leaving home said to me, I am leaving you now you go to find someone who understand the idea of your world, bold and courageous. And I pray for you to get the best in the world. I said you were my weakness, I kept comparing and leaving girls, now as you are not here I will find one who will replace you in better way. We smiled and moved on in our lives.

I wish I could write more about them. But limitations of time busy life style is limiting it but I keep my memories for future, where I can compile them in a tale or novel. When I remember all this, my eyes fill with tears and my hurt pray for every single simple, independent girl to get a great family, that supports her, care for her and encourage her to move ahead in life in her husband and in her in laws.

This post is bit off the track but it?s a part of my personal life and I love to share it here at ini, because it?s my home too, with a larger family. I wish success to all its residents as I expect for my family.

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2. WOW!!! I Am Back Home For A Short Visit Again
3. A Short Visit To India And Too Many Big Decisions

Source: http://www.inspirenignite.com/two-independent-woman-i-love-the-most/

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