British voters see more gloom in years ahead - poll

LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly half of Britons expect their living standards to fall further by the time they vote in the next election in 2015, but the opposition Labour Party could still struggle to win if the economy does rebound, a pollster said on Monday.

A YouGov poll showed 46 percent of respondents thought they would be worse off in 2015 than now. Only seven percent saw a full recovery in the next two to three years.

YouGov president Peter Kellner said the level of pessimism was higher than usual, but said Labour's lead over the Conservatives, the senior ruling coalition partner, in other opinion polls of about eight or nine points could prove too small if the economy recovers.

"If the pessimism is confounded and the economy does show signs of steady growth between now and the next election, then the Conservative argument that the medicine is working, the economy has turned a corner and they are cleaning up Labour's mess would be quite a powerful message which Labour would have real difficulty counteracting," Kellner said.

"As long as Labour is blamed more than the Tories (Conservatives) for the mess that Britain is in, the Conservatives will have a fighting chance of winning the next election."

The questions in the poll about living standard expectations and how long it will take for the economy to recover were put to 1,761 respondents between February 27 and 28. It was conducted for The Resolution Foundation, a think tank

For more on the poll, click on: http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/2015-living-standards-election/

(Reporting by William Schomberg Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.)

(This story was refiled to fix typo in paragraph 2)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/british-voters-see-more-gloom-years-ahead-poll-124854763.html

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US panel: Afghans need more religious freedom

FILE - In this Sunday, March 31, 2013 file photo, an Afghan police man offers evening prayers on a hill overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan. As the country braces for next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014, the panel urges the U.S. government and its allies to work harder to promote religious rights in the war-torn nation. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, March 31, 2013 file photo, an Afghan police man offers evening prayers on a hill overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan. As the country braces for next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014, the panel urges the U.S. government and its allies to work harder to promote religious rights in the war-torn nation. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 21, 2007 file photo, Afghan women pray as Afghan men hoist a holy mace, unseen, on the occasion of Nawroz, a new year ceremony, at the Sakhi Shrine in Kabul, Afghanistan. As the country braces for next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014, the panel urges the U.S. government and its allies to work harder to promote religious rights in the war-torn nation. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)

FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 file photo, Afghans listen to preacher while offering the Eid al Adha's prayers outside of Shah-e-Dushamshera mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. As the country braces for next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014, the panel urges the U.S. government and its allies to work harder to promote religious rights in the war-torn nation. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, March 20, 2010 file photo, Afghan women offer prayers at the grave of their relative in a grave yard in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. As the country braces for next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014, the panel urges the U.S. government and its allies to work harder to promote religious rights in the war-torn nation. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Despite significant improvements since the hard-line Taliban ruled Afghanistan, religious freedom remains poor, especially for minorities, and Afghans still can't debate religion or question prevailing Islamic orthodoxies without fear of being punished, a U.S. commission said in a new report on Tuesday.

As the country braces for next year's presidential election and the planned withdrawal of most foreign combat troops by the end of 2014, the panel urges the U.S. government and its allies to work harder to promote religious rights in the war-torn nation.

The environment for exercising religious freedom remains "exceedingly poor" for dissenting members of Afghanistan's Sunni Muslim majority and for minorities, such as Shiite Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said in its report.

"Individuals who dissent from the prevailing orthodoxy regarding Islamic beliefs and practices are subject to legal actions that violate international standards," according to the commission, which was created in 1998 to review violations of religious freedom internationally and make policy recommendations to the U.S. government.

"The Taliban and other non-state actors continue to target individuals for activity deemed 'un-Islamic,' and the Afghanistan constitution fails explicitly to protect the individual right to freedom of religion or belief."

An Afghan government official disputed the findings.

"The Afghan government is fully committed to ensuring religious freedom for followers of all religions in Afghanistan, something our constitution is very clear about," Janan Mosazai, spokesman for the Afghan foreign ministry, said in an email to The Associated Press. Mosazai said that even though Islam is Afghanistan's official religion, the constitution clearly states that "followers of other faiths shall be free within the bounds of law in the exercise and performance of their religious rituals."

In its 2013 annual report, USCIRF praises that clause of Afghanistan's 2004 constitution, but notes that another part of the charter says these fundamental rights can be superseded by ordinary legislation. This shortcoming is compounded by "a vague, repugnancy clause" that says no law can be contrary to Islam and allows courts to enforce it, the commission says.

In addition, the penal code discriminates against minorities by allowing courts to defer to Shariah, or Islamic law, in cases involving matters such as apostasy and conversion that are not explicitly addressed by the penal code or the constitution, resulting in those charges being punishable by death, the report says.

Because of legal restrictions, "Afghans cannot debate the role and content of religion in law and society, advocate for the rights of women and religious minorities, or question interpretations of Islamic precepts without fear of retribution or being charged with religious "crimes' such as apostasy, blasphemy or insulting Islam," USCIRF says.

Religious freedom is especially repressed in areas heavily controlled by the Taliban, which governs by their own interpretation of Islamic law, the report said.

It cited two cases in 2010-2011 during which Afghans accused of converting to Christianity were prosecuted in the courts for apostasy, but later released. USCIRF also noted that marriage is formally restricted to Muslims and that non-Muslims are allowed to marry as long as they do not publicly express their faith.

"The few Afghan Christians, converts from Islam or their children, long have been forced to conceal their faith and cannot worship openly," the report said. "The situation for Christians worsened in 2010, when authorities arrested 26 Christians. After their release, many fled to India, where they have applied for refugee status due to a fear of religious persecution."

Despite restrictions on religious freedom, Afghanistan has been largely spared the sectarian violence that has roiled Iraq and neighboring Pakistan.

Afghanistan recorded its first major sectarian assault since the fall of the Taliban regime in December 2011 when a suicide bomber slaughtered 56 Shiite worshippers and wounded more than 160 outside a Shiite shrine in the capital. The Taliban condemned the attack, and suspicion about who was to blame centered on militant groups based in Pakistan, where Sunni attacks on minority Shiites are common.

Some violence in Afghanistan, however, does have religious overtones.

In November 2012, Sunni and Shiite students clashed at Kabul University on a Shiite holy day, and at least one person was killed. That same month, Afghan security personnel and local residents reportedly prevented Sikhs from performing cremation ceremonies for their deceased relatives, the report said.

In an earlier court case not cited by USCIRF, Sayed Parwez Kambakhsh, a journalism student, was condemned for blasphemy in 2008, for distributing material found on the Internet questioning women's rights under Islam, and sentenced to death. However, a court later commuted the sentence to 20 years and President Hamid Karzai then pardoned the student.

Mosazai said the state of religious freedom in Afghanistan today must be compared with the suffering and brutality that people of all faiths suffering during the 1990s, first during the civil war, then under the Taliban regime.

He praised USCIRF for a passage in the report saying that since then, "conditions for religious freedom have markedly improved, especially for religious minorities."

USCIRF concludes its report by recommending that the U.S. and its allies "increase and strengthen diplomatic, development and military engagement to promote human rights, especially religious freedom." It also urges the U.S. to raise directly with Karzai "the importance of religious freedom, especially for dissenting Muslims, Muslim minorities and non-Muslim minorities."

___

Follow Thomas Wagner on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/tjpwagner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-30-AS-Afghanistan-Religious-Freedom/id-457c928cde4a4a8baf757d518d791f48

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NBA's Michael Jordan marries ex-model over weekend

Michael Jordan got married over the weekend, with Tiger Woods, Spike Lee and Patrick Ewing among those attending the NBA Hall of Famer's wedding in Palm Beach, Fla.

Jordan married 35-year-old former model Yvette Prieto on Saturday, manager Estee Portnoy told The Associated Press on Sunday.

The 50-year-old Jordan owns the Charlotte Bobcats.

Nearly 300 guests were present as they exchanged vows. The reception took place at a private golf club in Jupiter designed by Jack Nicklaus. Jordan owns a home near the course.

Entertainment included DJ MC Lyte, singers K'Jon, Robin Thicke and Grammy Award winner Usher and The Source, an 18-piece band.

The six-time NBA champion and Prieto met five years ago and were engaged last December.

Jordan had three children with former wife Juanita Vanoy. The couple's divorce was finalized in December 2006.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nbas-michael-jordan-marries-ex-model-over-weekend-024122152.html

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Florida lawmakers hope to speed up executions

By Bill Cotterell

TALLAHASSEE, Florida (Reuters) - The Florida Senate sent Governor Rick Scott a package of capital-punishment reforms on Monday designed to prevent condemned killers from spending decades on Death Row, despite warnings that speeding up the legal appeals process could lead to innocent prisoners being executed.

The "Timely Justice Act" sets deadlines for condemned killers to file appeals, and for the state to proceed with issuing warrants after the Florida Supreme Court upholds death sentences.

It also sets competency standards for lawyers handling cases. To reduce the number of appeals alleging incompetent counsel, any attorney twice found to have provided "constitutionally deficient representation" will be suspended from handling death appeals for five years.

"Is swift justice fair justice?" asked Democratic party Senator Arthenia Joyner, a Tampa attorney who voted against the bill. "We have seen cases where, years later, convicted people were exonerated," she said.

"I don't see the reason for the swiftness, especially with DNA evidence that can exonerate," said Senator Maria Sachs, who is also an attorney and a Democrat.

But Republican Senator Rob Bradley said, "this is not about guilt or innocence, it's about timely justice." Frivolous appeals designed only for delay are not fair to victims and their families, he said.

The act also requires the state Supreme Court to make annual reports to the Legislature on how many capital appeals have been pending more than three years. Attorneys found to have provided incompetent counsel would also be reported to the Florida Bar.

"Only God can judge," Matt Gaetz, a Republican who sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives, said last week during House debate. "But we sure can set up the meeting."

The House passed Gaetz's bill 84-34 last week. Governor Scott, a conservative Republican, is expected to sign the changes into law.

Florida has 400 men and five women currently under death sentence, with the next execution set for May 29. Gaetz and backers of his bill said 155 have been on Death Row for more than 20 years and 10 have been there more than 35 years.

Staff analysis of Gaetz's bill said the average time between sentence and execution, since Florida resumed executions in 1979, has been 13 years. The state has carried out 75 warrants in that time, second only to Texas, which has executed 496 convicted killers since 1976.

Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington, D.C., said 33 states currently have capital punishment, but Maryland is set to abolish it when that state's governor signs a repeal law this week. Five states have repealed the death penalty in the past six years, Dieter said.

"There's been a trend away from capital punishment," said Dieter. "The number of sentences imposed in the country has declined by 75 percent since 1990 and only nine states carried out an execution last year."

State Senator Darren Soto tried on Friday to raise the required jury vote from seven to 10 for death penalties. He said Florida is the only state allowing juries to recommend death by a simple majority of 7 to 5. He said Alabama is the only other state allowing non-unanimous death recommendations, which he said require 10 votes there.

(Editing by David Adams and Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/florida-legislators-approve-measure-speed-executions-194651847.html

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Report: Police in 2 Egypt provinces protesting

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's state news agency says police in a Nile Delta province are blocking off entrance to their station, the latest labor unrest hitting the country's police force.

Police in Kafr el-Sheikh province locked the gate to the security division with chains, MENA reported. The police are demanding better working conditions, along with dismissal of the Interior Minister. They are also protesting alleged attempts by the Muslim Brotherhood to take over the ministry, which controls the police. The Brotherhood has denied that charge.

Also Sunday, police at two stations in the southern province of Assuit went on strike, charging that the government did not carry out promises to fulfill their demands.

Last month, there was a wave of police strikes. The Islamist government promised to study demands of the police.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-police-2-egypt-provinces-protesting-133129479.html

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Knicks roll to 3-0 lead over Celtics

New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony grabs a pass over Boston Celtics' Jeff Green (8) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first round NBA basketball playoff series, Friday, April 26, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony grabs a pass over Boston Celtics' Jeff Green (8) during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first round NBA basketball playoff series, Friday, April 26, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New York Knicks point guard Pablo Prigioni (9) looks to get around Boston Celtics' Avery Bradley during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Boston, Friday, April 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Boston Celtics' Brandon Bass (30) tries to get a rebound over New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Boston, Friday, April 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New York Knicks' Raymond Felton (2) gets a high-five from a teammate as Boston Celtics' Doc Rivers walks onto the court after calling a time out during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series in Boston, Friday, April 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Boston Celtics' Brandon Bass lands in the lap of Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca during the second quarter of Game 3 of a first round NBA basketball playoff series against the New York Knicks, Friday, April 26, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

BOSTON (AP) ? When the New York Knicks finally returned to the playoffs two years ago, the Boston Celtics let them hang around for only four games.

Now Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks are on the verge of beating Boston, and they want to do it just as quickly.

Anthony scored 26 points and the Knicks moved to the brink of their first playoff series victory in 13 years, routing the Celtics 90-76 on Friday night in Game 3 of the first-round series.

"It feels good to be sitting in this seat, this situation, to be sitting in the driver's seat right now," Anthony said. "So it's just a matter of us just doing what we've got to do Sunday. We want to close the deal, we want to seal the deal."

Quickly taking the crowd out of it in the first NBA game here since the Boston Marathon bombings, the Knicks built a 16-point halftime lead and now can take out the Celtics.

"That first quarter on the road, you've got to make sure you take that first punch and we did that," Knicks veteran Jason Kidd said.

Raymond Felton added 15 points and 10 assists for the Knicks, who haven't advanced in the playoffs since reaching the 2000 Eastern Conference finals. Game 4 is here Sunday afternoon.

"Guys are hungry," Anthony said. "We really want this, we feel like it's right there in the palm of our hands."

They'll have to hope they have J.R. Smith, who inexplicably threw an elbow right into Jason Terry's face with 7:06 left and was thrown out of the game with a flagrant foul 2, an automatic ejection. The league office will review the play and can fine or suspend Smith.

Pablo Prigioni gave the Knicks a boost with three early 3-pointers as the Knicks positioned themselves to avenge their first-round sweep at the hands of the Celtics in 2011. Boston hasn't been by swept since 2004, by Indiana.

The Knicks were also swept that year, by the Nets, as part of their NBA-record, 13-game postseason losing streak.

Jeff Green scored 21 points for the Celtics, who will try to become the first NBA team to win a series after trailing 3-0. They own the most titles in league history, but their present outlook is extremely bleak.

"I didn't think we showed up not to play well," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought overall our effort was there, I thought we did lose our spirit early on."

Fans cheered the responders who helped after the marathon but booed the Celtics, who managed only 31 points in the first two quarters, getting their bad half out of the way early this time. They had been held to 25 and 23 points after halftime while dropping the two games in New York.

Smith finished with 15 points for the Knicks, who are loaded with veterans who've had playoff success the franchise hadn't in recent years and weren't fazed by the pregame atmosphere. Once the game started, they simply outplayed the Celtics, as they have while going 6-1 against them dating the regular season.

"We came in here believing that we could win this basketball game and we did it," Anthony said. "It was a total team effort."

Everything went perfectly for the Knicks until Smith, while holding the ball on offense with a huge lead, decided to throw his elbow right into Terry's face. Terry charged after him but was stopped by Rivers, while Knicks coach Mike Woodson appeared to be lecturing Smith before the Sixth Man of the Year was sent off.

"He'll learn from it. I don't think he was trying to hurt the kid, I thought he was trying to clear space, but hey, they saw it differently," Woodson said. "I'm going to stay in his ear and make sure he learns from it."

There was a moment of silence before the game for the victims, and that was the last time it was quiet for a while. First responders and other personnel were greeted with loud cheers as they were brought onto the floor during timeouts, and a tribute to the city's strength played on the overhead video board during a first-quarter stoppage.

But the Knicks' dominance wore down even the most spirited supporters, just the way LeBron James did in his 45-point performance in Game 6 of last year's Eastern Conference finals in the last playoff game here.

Rivers said he was aware of some of his team's shortcomings, with the absence of Rajon Rondo leaving the Celtics without a point guard. But Rivers ? himself a former point guard ? couldn't have imagined his team would be this unable to get into an offense, finishing with 18 turnovers that led to 26 Knicks points.

He started Terry for forward Brandon Bass, trying to find a way to get another ball handler on the floor. But it couldn't fix the Celtics' shooting and didn't really help much with the ball handling, as Terry had his dribble taken right away from him on one third-quarter possession when Boston briefly looked ready to get back into it.

Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett missed layups on the same possession to start the game, and it was clear right from there this wasn't the Celtics' night ? or their series.

"Right now at this point, just take it one game at a time," Green said. "They haven't won it yet."

Garnett had 12 points and 17 rebounds, while Pierce missed six of his first seven shots and finished with 17 points.

The Celtics were within three early in the second quarter before Prigioni and Smith hit 3-pointers in an 8-0 run that made it 34-23. The Celtics had held Anthony in check until then, but he got hot late in the half while they remained ice cold.

Back-to-back jumpers had the defense keying on his jumper, so he spun toward the basket to catch an alley-oop, and Felton followed with a 3-pointer to make it 47-29 with 58 seconds left in the half. Green made a layup for the final basket of the half, then the Celtics walked off to boos.

Boston cut it to 49-38 and Terry was dribbling up the floor on a fast break when Prigioni stepped in and swiped the ball away from him. The Knicks missed a shot, but Prigioni grabbed the rebound to set up a 3-pointer by Anthony. Felton followed with another basket to make it 54-38, and Boston's momentum was gone for good.

The Knicks later led by as many as 21.

Boston has been held to 78, 71 and 76 points in the series.

NOTES: The Knicks' last sweep of a best-of-seven series was when they beat Atlanta in the 1999 East semis. They swept Toronto in a best-of-five series in the first round the following year. ... Rivers, on being fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday for his criticisms of the officiating in Game 2. "Usually the way it works, once NBA security calls, they're not calling to tell you they love you," he said. "Listen, like I said to them, I didn't get fined for being wrong. I got fined for saying it."

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-27-BKN-Knicks-Celtics-Folo/id-6e897a2883544876a8bbaaa2f020f706

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The Fusion Plate ? two camera accessories in one package

Do you own a camera? Do you use a sling-style shoulder strap to carry that camera instead of an old-fashioned neck strap? Are you tired of screwing on and off the attachment loop to mount your camera to a tripod? The Fusion Plate?camera accessory Kickstarter project may just be your solution. It’s a dual-purpose camera [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/04/27/the-fusion-plate-two-camera-accessories-in-one-package/

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New conservative lobbying push for gay marriage

FILE - In this April 18, 2013, file photo Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton tell hundreds who turned out to rally at the State Capitol, in St. Paul, Minn. in support of a bill to legalize gay marriage that he hoped legislators will pass this year. A spokesman for American Unity PAC tells The Associated Press that the group has established a lobbying operation and already spent more than $250,000 to lobby Republican lawmakers in Minnesota, with plans to spend more. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

FILE - In this April 18, 2013, file photo Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton tell hundreds who turned out to rally at the State Capitol, in St. Paul, Minn. in support of a bill to legalize gay marriage that he hoped legislators will pass this year. A spokesman for American Unity PAC tells The Associated Press that the group has established a lobbying operation and already spent more than $250,000 to lobby Republican lawmakers in Minnesota, with plans to spend more. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) ? A national group of prominent GOP donors that supports gay marriage is pouring new money into lobbying efforts to get Republican lawmakers to vote to make it legal.

American Unity PAC was formed last year to lend financial support to Republicans who bucked the party's longstanding opposition to gay marriage. Its founders are launching a new lobbying organization, American Unity Fund, and already have spent more than $250,000 in Minnesota, where the Legislature could vote on the issue as early as next week.

The group has spent $500,000 on lobbying since last month, including efforts in Rhode Island, Delaware, Indiana, West Virginia and Utah.

Billionaire hedge fund manager and Republican donor Paul Singer launched American Unity PAC. The lobbying effort is the next phase as the push for gay marriage spreads to more states, spokesman Jeff Cook-McCormac told The Associated Press.

"What you have is this network of influential Republicans who really want to see the party embrace the freedom to marry, and believe it's not only the right thing for the country but also good politics," Cook-McCormac said.

In Minnesota, the money has gone to state groups that are lobbying Republican lawmakers and for polling on gay marriage in a handful of suburban districts held by Republicans. So far, only one Minnesota Republican lawmaker has committed to voting to legalize gay marriage: Sen. Branden Petersen, of Andover.

"I think there will be some more. There are legislators out there that are struggling with this," said Carl Kuhl, a former political aide to former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. Kuhl's public affairs firm is contracted by Minnesotans United, the lead lobby group for gay marriage in Minnesota and main recipient of American Unity's Minnesota spending.

Gay marriage's fate in Minnesota may rest with the House, where support is seen as shakier than in the Senate. A handful of votes from Republicans could put it over the top. Nearly two dozen House Republicans represent more socially moderate suburbs and might be candidates to vote yes.

House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he has encouraged advocates of the marriage bill to round up Republican votes, if nothing else than to send a message to Minnesota residents that it's not a partisan proposition. But that will be politically risky; the main opposition group to same-sex marriage, Minnesota for Marriage, has said it will seek consequences for Republicans who stray on gay marriage.

Part of American Unity PAC's original mission was to spend money on behalf of Republican gay marriage supporters. Many GOP lawmakers have faced primary challenges funded in part by anti-gay marriage groups such as the National Organization for Marriage, which argue that the lawmakers had betrayed the party's core principles.

Since forming the lobby group last month, American Unity also spent money to win over Republican lawmakers in Rhode Island, where last week all five Republicans in the state Senate jumped on the gay marriage bandwagon. Rhode Island is on track to legalize gay marriage by next week, which would make it the 11th U.S. state where gay marriage is legal.

There are also plans to lobby federal lawmakers on gay rights issues.

"We intend to work on this effort until every American citizen is treated equally under the law," Cook-McCormac said. Other wealthy, traditionally Republican donors giving money to the group include Seth Klarman, David Herro and Cliff Asness.

Though only one current GOP officeholder in Minnesota is on record supporting gay marriage, a handful of prominent Republicans have spoken out in favor of it. They include former state auditor Pat Anderson and Brian McClung, who was spokesman for former Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Prominent Republican donors including former politician Wheelock Whitney and businesswoman Marilyn Carlson Nelson have also lent support and donated money.

Since it first formed to campaign against last fall's gay marriage ban and then shifted to pushing for its legalization at the Capitol, Minnesotans United has been building Republican alliances, hiring multiple lobbyists with Republican ties.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-04-27-US-Gay-Marriage-Republicans/id-5edec00cbf8942698b6ef824d7385bf3

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inSSIDer

The free inSSIDer software utility for Windows, iOS, and Android is one of the most useful and easy-to-interpret wireless networking tools I?ve encountered. InSSIDer displays information about the wireless networks in proximity to you, including an access point?s MAC address, encryption type, signal strength, and channel. InSSIDer is a great tool for wireless networking novices, because it has an easy-to-understand interface and includes an abundance of help and tutorials. Experienced Wi-Fi professionals may find the software a bit too light and might be more interested in a more robust program such as?WiFiBuilder or Wireshark. But home power users looking to tweak their networks and those managing smaller business Wi-Fi networks would benefit by getting acquainted with inSSIDer.

Download
inSSIDer is available as a free download from www.metageek.net/products/inssider/. It?s available as a Windows desktop app or as an iOS or Android mobile app.? I run it on a Windows 7 laptop and it?s a quick and lightweight install. I can honestly say that unlike what I?ve found with some other free networking utilities I?ve used, inSSIDer has given me no problems with memory leaks or interfered with my Windows wireless settings or any other installed software.

Features and Interface
Opening inSSIDer?s interface displays the wireless adapter information of the client machine on which inSSIDer is installed. The program?s UI is divided between a pane that displays real-time information about wireless networks in proximity, and another screen shows really handy information, including tips and a user guide.

The user guide has illustrations and plain-speak about the features in the software. You don?t just get a user guide though. The interface includes links to free webinars for those who want to dive deeper into the wireless world?from diagnosing RF interference to performing basic wireless packet analysis.

There are also links to additional tools that help users find interference issues and reduce Wi-Fi saturation as well as selecting the right wireless channel.

Clicking on the ?network? tab pulls up the real-time information about all wireless networks in proximity. By default, the network you?re connected to gets starred. The software helps you optimize that network and considers it the main one to which you?re most likely to connect. The interface prominently displays details about this starred network, so you can view information such as how many other access points are using the same channel as your starred network. For performance improvement, you could place your starred network on a less crowded channel. This may be one of the most useful troubleshooting features in the software.

You get details on all networks in proximity, including signal strength (some tools refer to this as RSSI, in which the closer the number is to 0 the better), channel, security, MAC address of each access point, and the 802.11x standard being used. I do have an 802.11ac access point deployed nearby but inSSIDer reported it as 802.11n. 802.11ac reporting may not happen until the standard actually gets ratified; inSSIDer may require an update for this.

Right-clicking on any listed network opens a menu that lets you quickly select the information you want to see about that network: SSID, signal, channel, maximum rate, network type, and even the access point?s vendor. The entire view of networks can also be sorted by the same parameters.

inSSIDer will also calculate a Link score based on information such as channel overlap and signal strength for each wireless network. You can see how tweaking channel settings or even relocating an access point or router influences the score?the higher the score, the better the network performance you will receive.

A Fun, Useful Tool
What?s great about inSSIDer is that you can use it for several real-world purposes for your wireless network. For instance, say you are trying to find the best location to place an access point or router. Position the device and then fire up inSSIDER to see what? signal strength the software reports. This is really useful if you are trying to setup a Wi-Fi network in a place with lots of thick walls, glass or mirrors or multiple levels.

You can also use inSSIDer to tweak your wireless channel. In the U.S, there are 14 channels used for the 2.4GHz signal. These channels typically are 1, 6, and 11. So if you see many wireless networks in your area using channel 11 for example, by using inSSIDer you can change your 2.4 GHz signal to operate on channel 6 to tweak performance.?

Yes, it may be lightweight for those who deploy wireless networks professionally. But anyone managing a home or small business wireless network will certainly benefit from the information inSSIDer provides. It earns a 4.5 out of 5 star rating and is easily a PCMag Editors? Choice for networking utilities.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/54xJAW10n2A/0,2817,2418212,00.asp

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Where did the Tsarnaev brothers get their money?

>>> the more we learn about the boston marathon bombing, the more new questions are raised. where did the suspects' money come from? and what went on in the car they hijacked before their confrontation with the police ? joining me now is boston globe investigative reporter michael razendies. welcome back to the program. i'm curious where the guys were getting their money. it appears the parents didn't have much at all. students say dzhokhar drove around a bmw.

>> i think actually the opposite is probably the reality. we don't know for certain whether the tsarnaev brothers received any assistance, but it's looking more and more like the bombing of the boston marathon was an example of homegrown terrorism on a budget, if you will. i mean, each of these bombs could have been made for under $100 with commonly available components, pressure cooker stuffed with ball bearings and nails and commonly available explosive material. s about we know now when they staged their haphazard escape, they were broke. they had no money. furthermore, we know a lot now about how they were living, and while dzhokhar did seem to have more money than his older brother, the fact of the matter is he was a scholarship student at umass dartmouth and i think that's where a lot of his funds came from. we know fromself source that is he was a marijuana dealer. so i think his money was coming from dealing marijuana and the scholarship money he had.

>> yeah. any idea how -- how did tamerlan fund the six months in russia last year?

>> that i don't know. that's more of a bit of a mystery. maybe he had family connections over there and as i said, we're not certain whether there was any outside assistance offered to these two or not. but he obviously had family connections over there. we're not certain how he funded that, but we know he was a stay-at-home dad and living off his wife's salary as a home health care worker.

>> okay. your colleague, eric moskowitz, has an article where he interviewed the carjacking victim danny . it's fascinating. some of the stuff they were talking about, they're talking about girls, credit limits for students, the marvels of the mer mercedes-benz ml 350. it seems to teenage normal.

>> eric did write a terrific story. i think as he said, a lot of this was reminiscent of a quinton tarantino movie with these humorous remarks these guys were making about music and girls. what's really remarkable is after the bombing, there's a growing pile of evidence that suggests they were utterly casual about what they had done, just going about leading their routine lives. it's quite amazing.

>> absolutely amazing. you have to wonder if that's going to play into the cold-hearted interpretation of dzhokhar's actions as he's the only one who survived this. when danny , and this is not his real name , but sort of his american name, when he escaped, he called the cops immediately. he was critical to the police locating the brothers, wasn't he? and if so, how?

>> well, i'm not sure i understand that you mean he was critical of the police locating the brothers.

>> he had an iphone. didn't he leave that iphone in the car and, if so, if it was on, the ping, couldn't the cops trace that?

>> well, that's how they found them was because of the cell phone . so, in fact, i think he did the right thing and it was leaving the cell phone behind that allowed the police to pick up the brothers, absolutely, yeah. but i don't think that he was critical to my knowledge of the police . i think the police were grateful that he did the right thing --

>> i'm sorry. i meant critical to the police 's investigation. i'm sorry if that came out wrong. i don't believe he was critical of the police and i apologize if i didn't say that right. the article notes that the police had danny then go and do this drive-by lineup after he escaped to try to identify the suspects that they detained. do we have any idea who those people were or what they were doing at the time?

>> no, we don't. i think when we reported that, it was the first i learned of that. i don't think we have any more detail on that, but it is very interesting.

>> yeah. there have been suggestions that this was not an operation conducted exclusively by these two men. is there anything in the investigation at this point that gives any concrete evidence to that fact?

>> i have not seen any, and i have not heard any. it's not to say it didn't happen, but, again, you know, it looks like very home grown kind of operation. was there outside assistance? perhaps. did tamerlan receive some instructions when he was in russia? perhaps. but again, this looks very, very home grown , very low budget operation, and not very well planned out when it came to the escape, that's for sure.

>> yeah. okay, bostmichael, thank you.

>> sure.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b4032ff/l/0Lvideo0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C51687331/story01.htm

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Fish win fights on strength of personality

Public release date: 26-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jo Bowler
j.bowler@exeter.ac.uk
44-013-927-22062
University of Exeter

When predicting the outcome of a fight, the big guy doesn't always win suggests new research on fish

When predicting the outcome of a fight, the big guy doesn't always win suggests new research on fish. Scientists at the University of Exeter and Texas A&M University found that when fish fight over food, it is personality, rather than size, that determines whether they will be victorious. The findings suggest that when resources are in short supply personality traits such as aggression could be more important than strength when it comes to survival.

The study, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, found that small fish were able to do well in contests for food against larger fish provided they were aggressive. Regardless of their initial size, it was the fish that tended to have consistently aggressive behaviour - or personalities - that repeatedly won food and as a result put on weight.

Dr Alastair Wilson from Biosciences at the University of Exeter said: "We wondered if we were witnessing a form of Napoleon, or small man, syndrome. Certainly our study indicates that small fish with an aggressive personality are capable of defeating their larger, more passive counterparts when it comes to fights over food. The research suggests that personality can have far reaching implications for life and survival."

The sheepshead swordtail fish (Xiphophorus birchmanni) fish were placed in pairs in a fish tank, food was added and their behaviour was captured on film. The feeding contest trials were carried out with both male and female fish. The researchers found that while males regularly attacked their opponent to win the food, females were much less aggressive and rarely attacked.

In animals, personality is considered to be behaviour that is repeatedly observed under certain conditions. Major aspects of personality such as shyness or aggressiveness have previously been characterised and are thought to have important ecological significance. There is also evidence to suggest that certain aspects of personality can be inherited. Further work on whether winning food through aggression could ultimately improve reproductive success will shed light on the heritability of personality traits.

###

This work was funded by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) David Phillips Fellowship. No fish were distressed or received physical injury during these experiments.

About the University of Exeter

The Sunday Times University of the Year 2012-13, the University of Exeter is a Russell Group university and in the top one percent of institutions globally. It combines world-class research with very high levels of student satisfaction. Exeter has over 18,000 students and is ranked 7th in The Sunday Times University Guide, 10th in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2012 and 10th in the Guardian University Guide. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 90% of the University's research was rated as being at internationally recognised levels and 16 of its 31 subjects are ranked in the top 10, with 27 subjects ranked in the top 20.

The University has invested strategically to deliver more than 350 million worth of new facilities across its campuses for 2012, including landmark new student services centres - the Forum in Exeter and The Exchange in Cornwall - and world-class new facilities for Biosciences, the Business School and the Environment and Sustainability Institute.

http://www.exeter.ac.uk

For further information:

Dr Jo Bowler
University of Exeter Press Office
Office: +44 (0)1392 722062
Mobile: +44(0)7827 309 332
j.bowler@exeter.ac.uk
Twitter: @UoE_ScienceNews

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 26-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jo Bowler
j.bowler@exeter.ac.uk
44-013-927-22062
University of Exeter

When predicting the outcome of a fight, the big guy doesn't always win suggests new research on fish

When predicting the outcome of a fight, the big guy doesn't always win suggests new research on fish. Scientists at the University of Exeter and Texas A&M University found that when fish fight over food, it is personality, rather than size, that determines whether they will be victorious. The findings suggest that when resources are in short supply personality traits such as aggression could be more important than strength when it comes to survival.

The study, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, found that small fish were able to do well in contests for food against larger fish provided they were aggressive. Regardless of their initial size, it was the fish that tended to have consistently aggressive behaviour - or personalities - that repeatedly won food and as a result put on weight.

Dr Alastair Wilson from Biosciences at the University of Exeter said: "We wondered if we were witnessing a form of Napoleon, or small man, syndrome. Certainly our study indicates that small fish with an aggressive personality are capable of defeating their larger, more passive counterparts when it comes to fights over food. The research suggests that personality can have far reaching implications for life and survival."

The sheepshead swordtail fish (Xiphophorus birchmanni) fish were placed in pairs in a fish tank, food was added and their behaviour was captured on film. The feeding contest trials were carried out with both male and female fish. The researchers found that while males regularly attacked their opponent to win the food, females were much less aggressive and rarely attacked.

In animals, personality is considered to be behaviour that is repeatedly observed under certain conditions. Major aspects of personality such as shyness or aggressiveness have previously been characterised and are thought to have important ecological significance. There is also evidence to suggest that certain aspects of personality can be inherited. Further work on whether winning food through aggression could ultimately improve reproductive success will shed light on the heritability of personality traits.

###

This work was funded by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) David Phillips Fellowship. No fish were distressed or received physical injury during these experiments.

About the University of Exeter

The Sunday Times University of the Year 2012-13, the University of Exeter is a Russell Group university and in the top one percent of institutions globally. It combines world-class research with very high levels of student satisfaction. Exeter has over 18,000 students and is ranked 7th in The Sunday Times University Guide, 10th in the UK in The Times Good University Guide 2012 and 10th in the Guardian University Guide. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 90% of the University's research was rated as being at internationally recognised levels and 16 of its 31 subjects are ranked in the top 10, with 27 subjects ranked in the top 20.

The University has invested strategically to deliver more than 350 million worth of new facilities across its campuses for 2012, including landmark new student services centres - the Forum in Exeter and The Exchange in Cornwall - and world-class new facilities for Biosciences, the Business School and the Environment and Sustainability Institute.

http://www.exeter.ac.uk

For further information:

Dr Jo Bowler
University of Exeter Press Office
Office: +44 (0)1392 722062
Mobile: +44(0)7827 309 332
j.bowler@exeter.ac.uk
Twitter: @UoE_ScienceNews

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/uoe-fwf042613.php

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New Android apps worth downloading: RecieptMatch from AMEX, Swype, Zombie HQ

Business owners ? struggling to keep up with receipts and stay organized in your spending? If you're an American Express customer, you'll want to check out the ReceiptMatch Android app. We've also got Swype, the gesture-based keyboard app that supports lots of other text input methods, and Zombie HQ, a zombie shooter in which you spend your off time building an awesome base of operations.

---

Also on Android Apps

Instead of celebrating Earth Day once a year, adopt an eco-friendly consciousness. Zinio ?s digital newsstand saves 104 thousand trees per month, and here?s how you can get involved.

---

What?s it about? Keep track of all your business spending and save your receipts with the help of American Express's ReceiptMatch.

What?s cool? ReceiptMatch is a pretty handy app if you're an American Express Business Card customer. The app makes it possible to save your receipts just by snapping a picture of them with your mobile device, which makes it really easy to keep organized and avoid losing important receipts in the future. Even better, the app links with your credit card account, so every time you snap a receipt shot, the app automatically matches it with the corresponding charge on your billing statement, helping you to keep track of every charge at the end of the month. You can also add notes to receipts for more annotation and details.

Who?s it for? If you're an American Express customer for your business, try ReceiptMatch.

What?s it like? Digital Receipts and Receipt Wallet are a pair of good receipt-saving alternatives, in case you're not an American Express customer.

What?s it about? Keyboard app Swype provides users with a number of different options for composing text on their mobile devices, from tapping and typing to dictation and swipe-based input.

What?s cool? Typing on a mobile device can be a pain. From goofy auto-corrects to just the irritation of small keys, composing messages and emails isn't always as pleasant as it should be. Swype is best-known for its gesture-based typing input that lets you swipe across the keyboard quickly to make words, with the app interpreting what you're trying to write, but it also supports standard typing and even dictation. It also pays attention to your input and adapts it based on how you use the app, and adapts its language capabilities based on what you write, as well.

Who?s it for? If you're looking for a better way to type on your phone or tablet, try Swype.

What?s it like? TouchPal Keyboard and Swiftkey are two popular keyboard replacements, and both support gesture typing.

What?s it about? Scavenge a zombie-infested city to find new equipment, armor, weapons and more, and use it all to thrash the undead and create an awesome base in Zombie HQ.

What?s cool? Lots of games put players in the middle of the zombie apocalypse, but they rarely let you make a home for yourself in the middle of it. Top-down shooter Zombie HQ is a little different. You'll spend most of your time smashing through zombies to find new gear and become a more effective fighter. But between the game's missions, you'll be able to deck out your own zombie headquarters with items like arcade machines, pool tables, and a giant hamster wheel with a zombie in it. Then, when you're done hanging out in the HQ, you can head back into the field and blast through the hordes once more.

Who?s it for? Fans of zombie games and shooters will have plenty of both in Zombie HQ.

What?s it like? Try Zombieville USA and Plants vs. Zombies for more games about taking down the undead.

---

Best Educational Apps, Handpicked By Experts

Appolicious is pleased to introduce appoLearning.com, where parents, teachers and students find great education apps. Check out our introduction video here!

---

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/13433-new-android-apps-worth-downloading-recieptmatch-from-amex-swype-zombie-hq

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A Really Story

Long, long ago, the dragon was adopted with the Jade Emperor, they still enjoy every day. Of course, the queues are familiar with the matter on the sky. One day, and the Jade Emperor published list of successful candidates, for all the zodiac animals to the throne. But only 12 places. Dragon is the first one to know of this incident, it immediately to please the Jade Emperor Gold hope to be the first. The effort to pass a very short time in 2001. To become a zodiac animals on the first day before literally had to sweat blood to the competition in practice. Dragon? Long popular in bed like it : We love the Jade Emperor, the last one I even have no fear. He will help us in the first place. The next day, almost all the animals have the sports ground to the sea. Started! Twelve players began intense competition. Unexpectedly, the first half dragon is ranked first.

Runescape is incredibly different in comparison with real world .Olympia runescape Gold Grande Chennai. Olympia Grande may be the latest wonderful residential undertaking introduced by simply Olympia Team. The project is providing you fantasy houses with lot of features.Every single house is a perfect combination of technological innovation and also fashionable dwelling. Considerable sun rays along with venting ensures the particular diet and weight loss for you you. With the enough liveable space, make no mistake of having an effortless and enjoyable dwelling. Near the before historical knowledge with the huge Pallavaram monarchs that employed to are now living in the suburbs in the past, the event is nothing less than the particular paradise on the planet.

Followed, more than Lung more interesting; Vietnam more than happy to go up gradually, but also tried to ridicule the other team members. Competition has finally come to an end, the Jade Emperor stand on the rostrum, said : "I now announce that the first"
D3 Gold , The audience broke the coagulation of blood in the blink of an eye, "old-mouse! second, cow! third, and the tiger! Next is the rabbit, dragon, a snake, horse, sheep, throat, chicken, dog and pig! "broke into cheers. However, dragon tears, he said : "I am very proud of all that he did not receive the first zodiac. "Then, It returned to their East dragon palace, no longer see a person face up.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/-----A-Really-Story/4570968

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Deal of the Day ? Best Gear for Multitasking

Instead of a single product for Saturday’s Deal, LogicBUY has information about some of the Best Tech Gadgets for Multitasking. ?With increased work efficiency, we can get more done in less time, leaving more time to spend with our families and still have some time to work on our health. Check the above link for [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/04/27/deal-of-the-day-best-gear-for-multitasking/

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Poll: Will you pay $250 for a BlackBerry Q10?

By Simon Evans WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - Landon Donovan's return to the U.S. squad for June's World Cup qualifiers is no certainty as the country's all-time top scorer dropped down the pecking during his break from the game, coach Juergen Klinsmann said on Wednesday. Donovan has already missed World Cup qualifiers against Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico in recent months following his decision last December to take a break from the game. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poll-pay-250-blackberry-q10-173042172.html

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Supreme Court case shows venture capitalists viewed differently ...

The Supreme Court of Canada?s dismissal today of the leave application?in Garage Technology Ventures Canada v. L?ger reaffirms the message that directors and officers of venture capital companies cannot be expected to behave as they would in more mature and financially stable companies.

The case arose when the founder of a debt-laden company secured financing from a venture capital fund whose representatives also acted as directors of the company. When the company closed after only a few months of operations, the founder sought an oppression remedy, arguing, among other things, that the investors should have put up more money.

But the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled that the obligations of directors and officers of start-ups had to be analyzed in the context of venture capital investments. Venture capitalists could not be judged in the same light as traditional financial institutions which are accustomed to committing to longer term investments. In this case, the speculative nature of the investment had to be taken into account in determining the reasonableness of the directors? actions.

?According to the [Quebec Court of Appeal], to conclude otherwise would amount to imposing disproportionate obligations on the shoulders of directors and officers of start-up companies, and would run against the principles of equity that must govern oppression remedies under the CBCA, by creating a new injustice,? write Sylvain Lussier and Elizabeth Meloche, the team from Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt who represented the successful venture capitalists throughout. Lussier and Meloche have more online.

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/04/25/venture-capitalists-held-to-different-standards-than-directors-of-mature-companies/

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See What Your Favorite TV Shows Reveal About You!

See What Your Favorite TV Shows Reveal About You!

There’s interesting new market research that reveals that the type of shows you tune in to watch on television and DVR tell quite a bit about you. What are your favorite shows on TV and what does that mean? Check it out. Very informative! Mad Men If you love the show “Mad Men”, you are ...

See What Your Favorite TV Shows Reveal About You! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/04/see-what-your-favorite-tv-shows-reveal-about-you/

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T-Mobile Has To Stop Its "Deceptive" No-Contract Ad Push

T-Mobile's big no-contract, Uncarrier campaign just hit a bit of a snag; Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has ordered the company to correct the deceptive campaign, which promised no contracts and no commitment without saying anything about hardware subsidies. T-Mobile has agreed to update the ads nationwide. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/WVcq_D_tpgo/t+mobile-has-to-stop-its-deceptive-no+contract-ad-push

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'Survivor's' Malcolm talks about leaving show

CBS

Malcolm Freberg on "Survivor."

By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

Don't lie: Your heart sank when Malcolm Freberg was voted out Wednesday night on "Survivor: Caramoan -- Fans vs. Favorites."

Athletic, easygoing (and easy on the eyes), friendly but fiercely intelligent, it's no wonder Malcolm was invited back as a Favorite before viewers and his fellow competitors had even seen him dominate "Survivor: Philippines."

After repeatedly using immunity idols to wreak havoc at tribal council, his inability to locate the last one sent him packing. Still, on his way out, he said he was so sure of his alliance that he wouldn't have played the idol anyway.

"I don't know what the hell I was talking about," he clarified to TODAY.com. "I want to completely distance myself from that comment. I saw that (on the broadcast) and I was in shock. If I had had it, it would've been a very different situation. That (idol) was getting played."

Malcolm didn't just give up on his search just because Andrea discovered him, either. "I dug under all these trees for hours and hours, and when Andrea came down I was already about to give up," he admitted. "My hands were bloody and blistered, so I was like, that's it. I'm over it. I'll just fake like I have it."

When asked which was worse -- being voted out or reuniting with Phillip Sheppard in the post-elimination Ponderosa camp -- Malcolm didn't miss a beat.

"Reuniting with Phillip. Hands down. No hesitation. I didn't realize it at first. It took me a second, to piece it together: 'So I just used all my immunity idols to get rid of a guy because I couldn't stand him, and then I have to go see him three days later, and spend the rest of the time with him?' ('Survivor') is a cruel, cruel mistress."

Phillip wasn't the only one who marred what was mostly "a very young, fun vibe." Malcolm noted that Brandon Hantz was "very unstable" long before his ignominious exit.

"He'd have mood swings and his lows were so low? At the end he was ready to go home and it felt like a quit to me, a trashy reality TV throwaway."

He also had to endure another tribemate's emotional roller-coaster. "Dawn cried so, so much, like manic highs and lows," he said, adding that even her "dead whale scream" when she lost her dental prosthesis didn't elicit a reaction. Erik goes, 'Oh, that's just Dawn crying,' (and we said), 'Oh. You stir the rice recently?' We didn't even react to it anymore."

Monty Brinton/CBS

Another woman's tears touched his heart, though: His mom, when she found out his merged tribe, Enil Edam, was named after her. ("Madeline" spelled backwards.)

"She lives in Dallas, so I went out there for that episode. She threw a big party, (and) when it happened the entire room goes, 'Oooooh,' and she started crying. It was sweet. She was touched. I hadn't told anybody else. Nobody on the show even knew."

Speaking of "new beginnings" (Malcolm's hilariously convincing translation of "enil edam"), how many times would the 25-year-old be willing to play "Survivor" before winning a million? (Hey, it took even Boston Rob four tries.)

He rephrased the question, laughing: "How many times would I have to lose to finally just call it a lost cause? It would take a lot -- a lot of trying. (Both times) I was out there to win that stinking game. If they ever ask it's really going to be hard to say no."

Do you hope Malcolm returns again to "Survivor"? Tell us on our Facebook page!

Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/04/25/17918068-survivor-caramoan-star-malcolm-reuniting-with-phillip-was-worse-than-being-voted-out?lite

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Kellan Lutz on Sesame Street: All About Vibrators!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/kellan-lutz-on-sesame-street-all-about-vibrators/

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Poll: Will you pay $250 for a BlackBerry Q10?

By Simon Evans WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - Landon Donovan's return to the U.S. squad for June's World Cup qualifiers is no certainty as the country's all-time top scorer dropped down the pecking during his break from the game, coach Juergen Klinsmann said on Wednesday. Donovan has already missed World Cup qualifiers against Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico in recent months following his decision last December to take a break from the game. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poll-pay-250-blackberry-q10-173042172.html

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U.S. seeks to ease Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions in Brussels talks

By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai met Pakistan's army chief and foreign minister in talks on Wednesday hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry aimed at easing tension between the neighbors before the end of NATO's Afghanistan combat mission.

Afghanistan has grown increasingly frustrated with Pakistan over efforts to pursue a peace process involving the Taliban, suggesting that Islamabad is intent on keep Afghanistan unstable until foreign combat forces leave at the end of 2014.

Kerry is hosting the talks in Brussels involving Karzai and Pakistani Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani and Foreign Minister Jalil Jilani, with the aim of calming tensions over border disputes and the stalled peace process.

Kerry told reporters at the start of the meeting at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to NATO on the outskirts of the Belgian capital that Afghanistan was in "a critical transformational period".

"(I am) very, very pleased the president could travel, General Kayani and Secretary Jilani could take the time to be here," he said. "We are very, very hopeful for a productive series of discussions."

Karzai called it an important meeting and said he was glad Kayani and Jilani had found the time to travel to Brussels.

"Let's hope forward for the best," he told reporters.

Jilani called it a very important meeting, adding: "We are looking forward to a very productive and forward-looking discussion."

The talks come after a day after a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels at which NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Pakistan must crack down on militants who use the country as a sanctuary to launch attacks in Afghanistan.

The meeting follows weeks of tension with Pakistan over their 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border and stalled peace efforts.

Afghan officials say Pakistan has a long history of supporting Afghanistan's Taliban and other insurgent factions. Pakistan has in turn accused Afghanistan of giving safe haven to militants on the Afghan side of the border.

U.S. officials hope that Kerry, who has a good relationship with Karzai, can bring the parties back to the negotiating table and make constructive progress on an issue that has long-term security implications for Washington.

Rasmussen held talks with Karzai at NATO headquarters on Tuesday which he said focused on the legal framework for NATO's presence in Afghanistan after 2014.

NATO-led forces are expected to cede the lead role for security in Afghanistan this spring to Afghan soldiers, 12 years after the United States invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban government harboring Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader.

The White House has yet to decide how many U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan after 2014. Much depends on progress in negotiations with Karzai on a Bilateral Security Agreement to define the future legal status of U.S. forces.

(Editing by Andrew Roche)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-seeks-ease-afghan-pakistan-tensions-brussels-talks-121604613.html

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