'Zero Dark Thirty' unofficially banned in Pakistan

Aqeel Ahmed / AP

People watch "Zero Dark Thirty" outside a computer shop in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the town where Osama bin Laden was found hiding when American special forces killed him in May 2011. The Academy Award-nominated film appears unlikely to be shown on the local big screen anytime soon.

By Waj S. Khan, Producer, NBC News

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan ??Very Zero, Very Dark? reads one Pakistani film review.

?Zero IQ Thirty? another headline screams.

But just like Osama Bin Laden, the subject of the Oscar contender that recreates the most expensive manhunt in history, "Zero Dark Thirty" is not supposed to be in Pakistan.

The film has not been released, officially. Thus, there is no response, officially, from Pakistani government censors to Kathryn Bigelow's controversial depiction of Pakistan. Therefore, technically, no one in Pakistan is supposed to have ever seen the movie.?

AFP - Getty Images, file

Local actors perform on the set of Kathryn Bigelow's film "Zero Dark Thirty," in Chandigarh, India.

But in reality, "Zero Dark Thirty" is being watched, noticed, slammed and unofficially banned, even while trending on Twitter.

Some of the backlash in the mainstream press here was balanced.

?Though sharp in its production and direction and largely accurate in depicting the events that led to the death of Osama Bin Laden,? wrote respected columnist, Nadeem Farooq Paracha, in Dawn newspaper. ?It went ballistic bad in depicting everyday life on the streets of Pakistan.?

Paracha says that the movie may be designed to embarrass Pakistan, its people, its military and even its distinct culture. ?Or it might be simply a victim of sloppy research, he mused.

The journalist lists what he believes are the films goofs: The Pakistanis sound like an Indianized Arabic speakers (they are not). They eat hummus (which Pakistanis largely don?t). A?character in the movie claims that nobody in Pakistan drives SUVs (people love their SUVs here).

Both Sen. John McCain and Senate Intelligence Chair Dianne Feinstein have complained to SONY Pictures that the film is 'factually inaccurate.' NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.

But what triggered more questions about the movie's message and motive here was when the country?s major cinema players decided not to buy the film from international distributors.

?As a local distributor, there was no financial viability for me. The film was already widely available in the [pirated] DVD market,? said Mohsin Yaseen, general manager of Cinepax, the largest multiplex chain in Pakistan . ?But as a film buff, the movie was inaccurate about Pakistan. If you?re going to say something about a complicated part of the world, then you should say it right.?

But Nadeem Mandviwalla, chief executive of Mandviwalla Entertainment, who has been buying and distributing Hollywood blockbusters for three decades in Pakistan, played down the hype.

?This whole ?ban, ban, ban? bit is a scam. It?s an assumption and just pure hype that?s perfectly timed for Oscar season,? Mandviwalla said. ?There is no politics [regarding screening "Zero Dark Thirty"]. There are tons of movies that don?t make it here. It?s not a political decision the army or the ISI [Pakistan's intelligence agency] makes for us. We, as businessmen, make it. And it was bad business modeling to bring this movie to Pakistan.?

Jonathan Olley / Columbia Pictures via AP

Jessica Chastain starred in "Zero Dark Thirty."

But on the ground, reality has matched the fiction featured in the 157-minute thriller. ?In Islamabad, the movie was widely available in local DVD stores until mid-January, offered with either the original cover art or a locally designed version featuring bin Laden and current al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahri.

Things are different now.

?We were asked to stop selling the movie by some guys a couple of weeks after we started stocking it,? said an attendant at Illusions, a popular movie and music retailer in Islamabad?s upscale Jinnah Super arcade.

?There were four of them. Two stood outside, as if on guard, and two came inside and told us that 'Zero Dark Thirty' was banned,? said the man who asked not to be named because for his own security. ?They said they were from Aabpara [the local neighborhood that headquarters the ISI]. They asked us to send the DVDs back to the warehouse, and they took a few discs back for themselves.?

?They were very polite,? he added.

("Zero Dark Thirty" is distributed in some parts of the world by Universal Pictures, which is?owned by NBC Universal.)

Related:

'Zero Dark Thirty' torture controversy: Filmmakers stand their ground

5 tips to help you win your Oscar pool

From alcohol to kites: An A to Z guide to the Islamic Republic of 'Banistan'

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This story was originally published on Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:16 AM EST

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/21/17004297-zero-dark-thirty-unofficially-banned-in-pakistan?lite

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NCIX February Super Sale: HP Deskjet AiO Printer $30, Microsoft Arc Wireless Keyboard $20 and More!

If you're up this late browsing RedFlagDeals, chances are, you're waiting on the weekly NCIX sale. This week's February Super Sale, features close to 200 weekly surprise specials which you'll want to get in on quickly as stock is limited. We've taken a quick look at the list and have listed some of the highlights below:

The sale is live now but expires on February 27 at midnight.

Source: http://feeds.redflagdeals.com/~r/redflagdeals/latestdealsrss/~3/8U1ak9DTCNo/

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France and India Deepen Ties "As Europe weathers a recession, major players on...

France and India Deepen Ties

"As Europe weathers a recession, major players on the continent are looking towards India to boost their sagging economies. Despite its own economic slowdown, the subcontinent?s rising economic profile and rapidly expanding infrastructure prompted newly elected French President Francois Hollande to visit New Delhi on Valentine's Day, his first official trip to Asia since assuming office."

http://thediplomat.com/the-pulse/2013/02/18/france-and-india-deepen-ties/

Source: http://www.facebook.com/diplomatmagazine/posts/10151338701717979

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Germany, France, UK: big firms must pay tax - The Local

The finance ministers of Germany, Britain and France on Saturday launched a new drive to force big business to pay its fair share of tax and halt the schemes of top firms to keep payments to a minimum.

Germany's Wolfgang Sch?uble, Britain's George Osborne and France's Pierre Moscovici said it was time for internationally-coordinated action to clamp down on the practice of shifting profits from the company's home country to pay less tax under another jurisdiction.

The drive -- which is backed by a study by the Organisation for Cooperation and Economic Development (OECD) on the consequences of the so-called profit shifting -- comes as cash-strapped governments try to use every means to inject new funds into their budgets.

"We are talking about something that is fundamentally legal. We need to modify the law," admitted the OECD secretary general Angel Gurria.

"Avoiding double taxation has become a way of having double non-taxation."

"No single country can go by itself," he said at a news conference on the sidelines of the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Moscow, insisting that the drive was not aimed at "bashing" individual corporate giants.

Sch?uble said it was "unfair that multinational companies should be able to use globalisation as a tool" not to pay their fair share of taxes while Moscovici described the issue as a "matter of fairness for our citizens".

Osborne said that current global tax rules had been developed almost 100 years ago -- along principles set out by the League of Nations in the 1920s -- and few changes had been made since then.

"This means that the tax system does not reflect how international companies do business."

"We want businesses to pay the taxes that we set in our countries. And this cannot be achieved by one country alone. No one country can create an international tax system by itself."

The ministers emphasised that their proposal was supported by the Russian presidency of the G20.

Online retailer Amazon, Internet giant Google as well as coffee shop chain Starbucks have been under the spotlight for their tax strategies in Britain and other EU countries in recent months.

Starbucks came under particular pressure in Britain following the revelation last year that it has paid just ?8.6 million ($13.8 million) in British corporation tax since 1998, despite generating ?3 billion in revenues.

It has now pledged to voluntarily pay back millions in extra tax.

A person familiar with the OECD's report said it was essential to move rapidly, especially with the United States apparently not sharing Europe's wholehearted enthusiasm for the anti-tax avoidance drive.

"The timetable is going to be very tight -- otherwise the (OECD) report will be buried," the person said.

According to the OECD, some multinational companies use avoidance strategies that allow them to pay just five percent in corporate taxes while smaller businesses are paying 30 percent.

It says that practices have become more aggressive in the past decade, with some multinationals creating offshore subsidiaries or shell companies and taking advantage of the tax breaks offered in the countries where these are registered.

This has led to absurdities like the tax havens of Barbados, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands in 2010 together receiving together more foreign direct investment than either Germany or Japan, the OECD said.

In 2010, the creation of offshores meant the British Virgin Islands was the second largest investor in China, it noted.

The three EU states and the OECD warned that it would be smaller businesses that paid their taxes in full who risked bearing the brunt of the multinationals' complex schemes to avoid tax.

"In times of difficulty when you need to increase revenues, when the large multinationals are not making a contribution, you go for (taxes from) the small and medium enterprises or the middle classes," said Gurria.

"This is something that is quite undesirable."

AFP/hc

Source: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20130216-48005.html

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THIS WEEK On Washington Watch: Danny Glover Discusses His New Documentary On Pres. Obama; Jamie Foxx Discusses Trayvon Martin

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR AND ACTIVIST DANNY GLOVER AND INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR JAMIE FOXX ON FEB. 17?WASHINGTON WATCH WITH ROLAND MARTIN

Topics to include: Glover?s new documentary, ?The House I Live In;? the ?Day of Remembrance Peace Walk? in honor of Trayvon Martin; the State of the Union Address and President Obama?s recent speech on gun violence in Chicago;

February, 15, 2013, Silver Spring, MD, ? In an exclusive interview with actor and activist?Danny Glover, Roland Martin discusses Glover?s views of President Obama, his lifetime of activism, and his new documentary exploring the failures of America?s ?War on Drugs,??The House I Live In?in the latest edition of?Washington Watch with Roland Martin?airing?Sunday, February 17, 11 AM/ET. Additionally, Martin interviews actor?Jamie Foxx?about his participation in the?Day of Remembrance Peace Walk?honoring the late Trayvon Martin during which he joined the family and supporters of Trayvon Martin, illuminating the family?s battle to repeal Florida?s Stand Your Ground law.

Other topics include: a recap of President Obama?s State of the Union Address and his recent address on gun violence in Chicago.

Washington Watch with Roland Martin?is TV One?s hour-long weekly public affairs series focused on issues of importance to African Americans, through interviews with officials from the Obama Administration, Congress and other policymakers who represent black communities, as well as discussions with journalists and commentators, and a wide range of policy experts. The program?also explores a wide range of timely and relevant topics including history, books, music, films, technology and black culture. Roland S. Martin is a two-time NAACP Image Award winner and a six-time nominee. The executive producer of?Washington Watch?is Jay Feldman and the executive in charge of production for TV One is Craig Henry.?Washington Watch?airs weekly, Sundays at?11 AM ET / 8 AM PT on TV One.

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Launched in January 2004, TV One (www.tvone.tv)serves more than 57 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies, and music designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult African American viewers. ?In December 2008, the company launched TV One High Def, which now serves 14 million households. TV One is owned by Radio One [NASDAQ: ROIA and ROIAK;?www.radio-one.com], the largest radio company that primarily targets African American and urban listeners; and Comcast Corporation [NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK);?www.comcast.com], one of the nation?s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services.

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Family Creates Personal PSA to Encourage Adopting 'Not So Little ...

Two years ago Kelli Higgins and her husband adopted two children, a 10 and 5-year old, and recently realized they didn?t have any pictures of them as newborns.

Higgins, who is a photographer, improvised her own solution of sort: she would shoot her now 13-year-old son and recreate a new baby announcement.

Higgins posted the image above on Facebook with the caption, ?Here?s my sweet not so little Newborn! His name is Latrell and weighs 112lbs ;)?

The photo has been shared by more than 4,700 people and has 10,000 ?likes.?

Higgins says she?s happy the photo went viral because she wants other to consider adopting foster care children that are ?not so little newborns.?

Today.com has more:

Higgins and her husband adopted Latrell and his sister Chanya two years ago, welcoming the siblings to their home in Crestview, Fla. The family already had five biological children, with a sixth one on the way, but Higgins felt she had more love to give, especially to kids who would have a harder time finding a home because they were older. In the past decade, more older children have become available for adoption, experts say.

?These children, once they get past a certain age, they don?t find homes and they age out of foster care,? Higgins told TODAY.com.

?They have to figure out the world on their own and there?s no one to go back to as an adult. Where do you go for Christmas? It?s just horrible, it?s heartbreaking.?

Then one day, social services called: Latrell and Chanya, then 10 and 5, were looking for a family. ?Let?s just go for it,? Higgins recalled her husband saying. A few days later, the kids moved in. The Higgins were the only ones to submit paperwork to adopt the pair, the family found out.

(h/t Jezebel, Today)

Source: http://colorlines.com/archives/2013/02/family_creates_personal_psa_to_encourage_adopting_not_so_little_newborn_foster_kids.html

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To Save Earth From Asteroids, We Must Find Them Early

On Friday the 165-foot-diameter asteroid 2012 DA14 will pass by the planet just 18,000 miles above the atmosphere. The near miss of Earth is a dramatic reminder of the threat posed by its rogue relatives. Planetary scientists estimate there are close to a million near-earth asteroids the size of DA14 or larger. A cousin of DA14 probably strikes Earth every 1000 years or so, and does so with the explosive force of several megatons?enough kinetic energy to destroy a city.

We have the space technology for a mission to deflect a threatening asteroid: We could change its course with the gentle tug of gravity (gravity tractor), slam into it with a hypervelocity bullet (kinetic impact), or vaporize the "topsoil" of an asteroid to divert it from a collision course with us (nuclear explosive).

To execute any of these schemes, though, we need precise knowledge of the orbits and the timing of predicted Earth encounters for the many hazardous asteroids roaming the inner solar system. For 15 years, NASA has been scanning the skies for the largest of these?those larger than 1 km (0.6 miles) in diameter?which could cause global damage. NASA says it has found about 90 percent of these, and none of the known 861 large near-earth asteroids currently threatens Earth.

Yet the total of nearly 10,000 known near-earth asteroids, large and small, is scarcely 1 percent of the true population. Because the most likely impact event we could face in coming decades (or possibly tomorrow) will come from an undiscovered asteroid just a few tens of meters across, we humans must set out to find and track the orbits of the 99 percent.

Earth-based telescopes are limited in this search: The atmosphere's clouds and haze obscure viewing efforts, and these telescopes can observe asteroids only in the night sky. Even new, larger ground-based observatories will take decades to find the majority of small objects.

A more efficient solution is space-based telescopes. They can see small asteroids, warmed by the sun, glowing brightly in the infrared (heat) part of the spectrum. Space telescopes can operate around the clock. Placed far from Earth, they are much better at seeing asteroids that are circling inside Earth's path around the sun.

Canada is about to launch the suitcase-size, Earth-orbiting NEOSSat search telescope to prove these advantages. NASA is considering mounting asteroid sensors on a geosynchronous communications satellite, and its Jet Propulsion Lab is proposing an infrared telescope that would hover at the L1 Lagrange point, 1 million miles sunward of Earth.

The private B612 Foundation has set its sights even higher. Its Sentinel telescope would circle the sun on the inside track, similar to the planet Venus's orbit, to look outward past Earth at the asteroid swarm. Sentinel's perch is especially good for finding objects that spend most of their time in Earth's daytime sky. In just six and one-half years, its half-meter-diameter infrared telescope will locate and follow the trajectories of more than 90 percent of asteroids larger than 140 meters, a population that numbers in the hundreds of thousands.

Private asteroid mining companies like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries will use this new asteroid catalog to find prospecting targets. Finding new asteroids is also critical to NASA's plans to send astronauts to one or more asteroids in the late 2020s. NASA is also looking at a robotic mission to capture a small, 500-ton asteroid and return it to an orbit around the Moon for astronaut exploration and resource prospecting. Finding small asteroids in the right orbits is necessary to identify "grabbable" targets for the mission.

In his new book, Near-Earth Objects: Finding Them Before They Find Us, JPL astronomer Don Yeomans says there are three essential steps to defending Earth from rogue asteroids. First, find them early. Second, find them early. Third, find them early. All of our plans for deflecting an asteroid depend on accurate knowledge of orbits and close-earth encounters. A space-based search would cost an estimated $500 million over 10 years, much less than 1 percent of NASA's budget. For us on Earth, gliding with our fingers crossed through a cosmic swarm of asteroids like 2012 DA14, that's cheap insurance.

Tom Jones is a veteran astronaut, planetary scientist, and co-author of Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/telescopes/to-save-earth-from-asteroids-we-must-find-them-early-15102080?src=rss

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White House details Obama's actions during Benghazi attack

People wave Libyan national flags as preparations take place in the city for the upcoming celebrations to commemorate??Bowing to pressure from Senate Republicans, the White House disclosed on Thursday that President Barack Obama did not personally ask the Libyan government for help during September's deadly terrorist attack on the American compound in Benghazi. Instead, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reached out on his behalf, according to a letter from Obama?s official government lawyer, Kathryn Ruemmler, to key Republicans.

?Secretary Clinton called Libyan President Magariaf on behalf of the President on the evening of September 11, 2012 to coordinate additional support to protect Americans in Libya and access to Libyan territory,? she wrote.

?At that time, President Magariaf expressed his condemnation and condolences and pledged his government?s full cooperation. The President spoke to President Magariaf on the evening of September 12,? Ruemmler, whose title is Counsel to the President, told Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, John McCain and Kelly Ayotte.

Ruemmler?s response, obtained by Yahoo News, could clear a major obstacle to the confirmation of Republican former Sen. Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary.

GOP senators had vowed to block his nomination unless the White House detailed Obama?s personal outreach to Libyan officials during the Sept. 11, 2012, attack. Senators were expected to vote as early as Friday to end debate on the nomination, which requires 60 votes, and then later on his confirmation, which requires only 51. Democrats have 55 seats in the Senate.

Graham, McCain and Ayotte had pushed the White House in a Feb. 12 letter to say whether Obama spoke to Libyan officials during the attack that claimed the lives of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

?During the eight hours the U.S. mission was under attack, did you personally speak with any officials in the Libyan government to request assistance for our American personnel?? they wrote.

The White House on Thursday came out swinging at Republicans trying to block Hagel's confirmation, with spokesman Josh Earnest saying Obama "stands strongly behind" his choice to succeed the departing Leon Panetta.

"These delaying tactics are unconscionable, and they should end right away," he told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-did-not-talk-libyans-during-benghazi-attack-185052644--politics.html

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Fish and Wildlife Foundation to Administer Deepwater Horizon Funds

A federal court judge accepted a plea agreement with Transocean on Thursday over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion in which the company would pay $150 million in settlement funds. Those funds will be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation . Here are the details.

* The settlement resolves criminal charges against Transocean as a result of the explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the foundation stated.

* The Transcocean funds will be paid over a two-year period and will be used "to protect and preserve the natural resources of the Gulf Coast that suffered from the spill," stated Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

* According to the agreement , Transocean waived prosecution and pleaded guilty to negligently discharging oil into the Gulf of Mexico in violation of the Clean Water Act.

* Transocean contracted to provide BP with a mobile offshore drilling unit and crew to implement BP's drilling plan for the Macondo Well, the agreement states. Transocean and BP had the joint duty to maintain control of the well and to conduct safe drilling and rig operations.

* On April 20, 2010, personnel for both BP and Transocean aboard the Deepwater Horizon failed to complete an investigation into a known pressure build up in a drill pipe at the Macondo Well. The pressure build up led to a blowout that caused natural gas and oil to spread across the rig floor and ignite, the agreement stated. Oil and natural gas began flowing into the Gulf of Mexico.

* In addition to the $150 million paid to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, an additional $150 million will be paid by Transocean to the National Academy of Sciences for the purposes of oil spill prevention and response in the Gulf of Mexico, the agreement stated.

* According to a joint memorandum to the court provided by the Justice Department and Transocean, nine of the 11 workers who died aboard the Deepwater Horizon were employees of Transocean.

* The fine against Transocean is the second-highest criminal environmental recovery in U.S. history, behind only BP's recent settlement for the same incident, the memo stated.

* The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will also administer the nearly $2.4 billion from a recently approved plea agreement between BP and the Justice Department. Those funds will be paid over a five-year period.

* According to the settlements for both Transocean and BP, half of the funds will be received by Louisiana for restoration of barrier islands off the coast and river diversion projects on the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers to help build marshlands. The rest of the money will be divided among the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fish-wildlife-foundation-administer-deepwater-horizon-funds-211800101.html

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101.5 P!nk Rose Parade Party

PHOENIX, ARIZONA ? FEBRUARY 13th. 101.5 presents the P!nk Rose Parade Party on the opening night of P!nk?s ?The Truth About Love Tour? at the U.S. Airways Center. (Photo by Randall Tyree/ KZON 101.5 jamz)

101.5 was out at the US Airways center hosting the official pre-concert party for the opening night of P!nk?s ?The Truth About Love? tour.?Lady La and Chilly hosted the event with DJ Thaicoon mixing!

101.5?s P!NK celebrity impersonator was?played by Shari Cherie & The Haus of Fame who put own a spectacular performance of P!nk with Shari Cherie starring as P!nk and The Haus of Fame dancing to original P!nk choreography.

In the crowd, we had the Chippendale models walking around handing out Pink roses courtesy of Cactus Flower to listeners just in time for Valentine?s Day. Tea of a Kind was passing out free samples of their delicious tea and there was even a body paint artist.?

Check out the photos to from the 101.5 P!nk Rose Parade Party below!

Source: http://1015jamz.cbslocal.com/2013/02/13/101-5-pnk-rose-parade-party-2/

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Find the Right Internet Service Provider for Your Business ? TeraGo ...

Finding the right Internet Service Provider (ISP) is critical to the success of your business, and with so many options to choose from, the task can feel quite daunting. In addition to the variety of providers, there is a multitude of different deals, offers, and promotions that are created to compete for your business. So which is right for you? Below is a list of the 5 ?S??s you should focus on when researching Internet Service Providers; Scalability, Security, Services, Support, and Symmetrical.

1. Scalability: Be sure that the ISP is able to scale your service as your business grows. Your internet demands will increase as your company develops and become more active. Having a provider that can easily adjust to meet your needs is essential. Some ISPs use technology that is not easily customized, such as DSL, so it is important to inquire about the technical capabilities of a provider before you commit.

2. Security: Question the level of security that the ISP is able to provide. Your company information and data is important, and you want to be sure that your ISP is able to provide you with a secure connection. However, it is crucial for your company to do what it can to increase security, such as installing a firewall, in order to obtain the highest level of protection.

3. Services: Finding an ISP that is able to provide a variety of services, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is highly beneficial. This will allow for your business to cut costs by obtaining all your services from one provider. It is also advisable to ask about their customer base; are they serving residential customers as well? Or only businesses? If they are providing service to residential customers, it is likely that you will be competing for bandwidth during peak periods. A slow internet connection during these times will hinder your employee?s productivity and impact your company?s bottom line.

4. Support: Most ISPs offer a service level agreement (SLA) that outlines the performance and support terms, such as up-time guarantees and support availability. You should also examine their communication practices. If you have a problem that isn?t related to the technical aspect of your service, who would you call? Do they have a dedicated customer service team? How does the ISP communicate any planned or unplanned service interruptions? These are all things that you should examine while researching ISPs.

5. Symmetrical: Businesses are now uploading data as well as downloading, so it?s important to have an internet connection that is symmetrical. This feature is growing in importance as cloud computing continues to increase in popularity. As previously stated, it is important to find an ISP that is able to match the growth of your business. Although you may not be uploading a lot of data at the start, it is likely that the amount will increase as your company develops. Having a symmetrical connection will allow for your company to upload its data to the cloud quickly and efficiently.

The success of your business is the most important factor, and finding an Internet Service Provider that is able to support the growth of your company is imperative. Reviewing these 5 S?s while researching ISPs will help you find a provider that is right for your business.

Next week, we will be discussing the different types of technology used to provide internet services to assist you in discovering which method is best for your business. Learn about fixed wireless technology now by clicking here. ?

Blog Author: Vanessa Hartung

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Source: http://blog.terago.ca/2013/02/14/find-the-right-internet-service-provider-for-your-business/

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'Earth from Space': See the Planet Like Never Before

You may have seen pictures of our planet from space, but never quite like this. A new NOVA show on PBS, "Earth from Space," features amazing images captured by satellites used to observe the planet, and these pictures have given scientists a better view and understanding of the Earth than ever before. The NOVA program features photos, videos, computer models and other data that the show's creators have combined to create a comprehensive image of Earth's interconnected ecosystems.

OurAmazingPlanet caught up with NOVA senior executive producer Paula Apsell to hear more aboutthe new program, which debuts Wednesday, Feb. 13, at 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. Central) on PBS (check local listings).

OurAmazingPlanet: Tell us about the show.

Paula Apsell: There are more than 120 satellites used to capture images of the Earth. I think most people know that satellite technology exists and that satellites have improved weather predictions ? But I don't think most people know how much satellite technology has helped us to understand our planet.

Satellites don't just see how we see, with optical light, but can [also] see in infrared and microwave light. Because they see in so many waves in the electromagnetic spectrum, they can get more info about the earth than our eyes can give us.

The question becomes, with all these satellites in space, what have we learned? The answer is fascinating and unpredictable. The big take-home lesson is that everything is interconnected ? the air, the land, the water and light itself are all part of one big system that works together and [they all] feed into each other. It's really given us, and scientists, a whole new view of the planet. [Watch a Preview of the Documentary]

OAP: How have satellites given scientists a new understanding of the Earth??

PA: Well, for one, satellite imagery has shown us that studying any one thing in isolation isn't going to help you. You have to look at the planet as a system and see where these connections are.

OAP: Do you have any examples from the show of these connections?

PA:? There are a bunch of examples of how different processes from different parts of the Earth are connected. We show how, for example, hurricanes that end up in Florida and the Gulf Coast often start near the Cape Verde islands off the coast of northwest Africa.

We also show how a massive, underwater waterfall in the Antarctic affects ocean currents as far away as Peru, nourishing plankton and an enormous stock of fish there, which helps feed everybody on Earth.

OAP: Are there any other ways that physical processes ultimately affect humans?

PA: The sun gives us energy for life to be sustained, and for electricity. There's a satellite called the Solar Dynamics Observatory that can look at forces from the sun and help scientists understand them. It can also help predict solar storms, which can completely disrupt all of our electronics. It's a satellite that's directly helping us protect and preserve civilization.

Other satellites have shown us how dust that blows off from deserts in Africa helps nourish plant life in the Amazon rainforest, which functions as the lungs of the Earth. It takes in carbon dioxide we breathe out and provides us with oxygen. Also, these plants provide us with many products like medicines.

Would anybody suspect that dust particles from African deserts go all the way to South America, fertilizing the rain forest? Without satellite imagery, I think that would be completely counterintuitive. [Earth Pictures From Space: Landsat Satellite Legacy]

OAP: Why have this show now?

PA: A lot of these satellites have been there for a long time. Some have gone past the number of years they were supposed to last. I think understanding the importance of satellites is key to people, because satellites don't last forever, and you have to replenish them.

We're at a point in time where, first of all, we're all profoundly affected by weather and climate change, and understanding scientific instruments that will let us know better what the future holds, that's important.

In some ways, it's a timeless show, but on the other hand, it's only now that scientists have enough satellites up there and enough computer power to have payoff in understanding these systems. The study of this is really reaching a certain mature level where you can actually say things about [the Earth]. That's the point at which NOVA feels it can tell stories.

OAP: What challenges did you face in making this program?

PA:? The challenge was visualizing it. Satellites record all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, only a small part of which is visible. I think the great achievement is how beautiful it is.

Also constructing a narrative, that's always a challenge. Where do you start? We decided we'd start with hurricanes, because that's such an immediate threat. How do satellites visualize the formation of hurricanes? We show that in a lot of detail.

OAP: What do you want people to take away from this program?

PA: I hope people take away from it how important these satellites are and how important these instruments are that enable scientists to get a better idea of how the planet works. I hope it will help people understand the Earth's complexity and appreciate it more, see how fragile it is, and learn more about what we need to do to keep our planet healthy.

Reach Douglas Main at dmain@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @Douglas_Main. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter?@OAPlanet. We're also on?Facebook?and Google+.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/earth-space-see-planet-never-144429900.html

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NBA schedule: Several teams play final game before All-Star break

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Source: http://www.sbnation.com/2013/2/13/3986204/nba-schedule-celtics-bulls-all-star-break

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TransCanada profit falls on lower earnings from power business

(Reuters) - TransCanada Corp , which is seeking U.S. approval for the Keystone XL pipeline, reported a 19 percent fall in fourth-quarter profit due to lower earnings from its power business and reduced contributions from some natural gas pipelines.

Canada's largest pipeline company said it plans to complete C$12 billion of projects over the next three years, including the $5.3 billion Keystone XL pipeline that it expects to be in service in late 2014 or early 2015.

The approval of the 830,000 barrel-per-day pipeline from Alberta to Texas has been pending for more than four years.

The U.S. State Department has said that a final decision on Keystone XL was not expected before the end of March.

TransCanada, which raised its quarterly dividend by 5 percent to 46 Canadian cents per share, also plans a new way to get Canadian crude to new markets by converting one of its cross-Canada natural gas lines to Eastern Canada to transport oil.

Net income attributable to common shareholders fell to C$306 million ($304 million), or 43 Canadian cents per share, in the quarter from C$376 million, or 53 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

Comparable earnings, which exclude most unusual items, fell 13 percent to C$318 million, or 45 Canadian cents per share, from C$365 million, or 52 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

The company said the results were hurt partly due to plant outages at Bruce Power in Ontario. TransCanada is one of the partners in the nuclear power company.

Revenue rose 4 percent to C$2.09 billion.

TransCanada shares, which closed at C$48.25 on Monday on the Toronto Stock Exchange, were down slightly in early trading.

(Reporting by Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay in Bangalore; Editing by Joyjeet Das, Maju Samuel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/transcanada-profit-falls-lower-earnings-power-business-135514684--finance.html

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Print-Print Blog ? Blog Archive ? Business postcard printing and ...

Used well, cheap business postcards can be an effective direct mail method of driving customers to contact you. To get the most out of marketing postcards, though, you need to get the design right, have an effective call to action, and a way to measure return on investment.

You should also use a quality print supplier, use an up to date high quality mailing list, and plan and manage your campaign.

Business postcard design
Successful postcard marketing begins with good design, and good design begins with a clear idea of what you want your mail campaign to achieve. Do you want to drive direct sales, generate leads for your sales staff to complete, promote your online brand, or something else?

Once you know what you want to achieve, keep these tips in mind to design an eye-catching postcard that support your goal:

? Full colour postcards have greater ?keepability,? improving your response rate.
? Simple designs often have greater impact, as they?re easier to read from a distance.
? Try not to over sell, remember a Postcard is a taster of your company or organisation, its not a brochure so don?t try to cram everything at once, when it comes to Postcards ? then less is definitely more.
? Use a font size above 11 points and keep text to a minimum to avoid crowding, you want your cards to have impact, fonts less than 11pt usually indicate you are trying to display too much text and can?t fit it all in.
? Use offers and coupon codes to add perceived value.

Effective call to action
Just because you know what you want your customers to do after reading your postcard, doesn?t mean they do, unless you tell them. Include a single, direct and immediate call to action, such as ?Call Now,? or ?Subscribe Today,? at the focal point to the sign-off of your design.

Measuring ROI
If you don?t track the results of your postcard marketing, or any other marketing campaign for that matter, you will have no idea what is working and what is a waste of valuable resources. Knowing how well each campaign performs is vital for planning future campaigns.

? Use an offer or coupon code to track results, with a different code on each campaign or channel (postcards, flyers, brochures etc)
? Drive customers to a customized landing page, so you can match their experience to the material that brought them to you, and track where they came from at the same time.
? Calculate the Return on Investment using metrics that make sense to you.

Postcard printing
Direct mail marketing postcards are usually A6, or 105x148mm, printed both sides in full colour (for maximum impact. Look for a printer who offers card stock of a minimum of 250gsm, but 350gsm is a better option. A high gloss finish can add a professional touch to any design, while a silk finish can give a touch of sophistication.
You should be able to download template files from your printer?s website to make delivering your design in the right format simple. Shop around for a postcard printing company with friendly customer service staff who will talk you through every step of the process if you need help.

Postcard marketing
Postcard marketing is particularly effective at either end of the age spectrum, with younger and older audiences responding well. If you?ve designed with your audience in mind, postcards offer a way to keep your brand and message in your customer?s mind, as they?re easily pinned to notice boards, or stuck on the fridge with a magnet.
Send a business postcard with valuable information to existing customers, and a single card could drive repeat sales for months to come.
What makes the difference between a successful postcard campaign and one that bombs? Targeting, and timing. Target your campaign with a quality list, whether it?s your own customer list carefully filtered, or a direct marketing list from a broker, make sure the list is current, and filtered to remove duplicates and low value targets.

Managing your direct mail campaign
Time your campaign to arrive on the most responsive day of the week for your industry. If you are targeting small businesses then avoid the end of the month as money is usually tight as most business owners are waiting for payment from their customers. If you are targeting the retail sector, then aim for around the 23rd of each month, which is when most people get paid. If you get this timing right then you?ll increase the response, get it wrong and you risk your promotion being put aside for another time, which has the risk of being lost, or worse it?s thrown straight in the waste paper bin!
Make sure you have the staff to handle increased enquiries. If your staffing resources are limited, try staggering delivery over a few weeks rather than risk losing sales or leads because you can?t answer the phones quickly enough.

Author: Dean Williams is a social and business commentator working for Print-Print Limited, promoting business and building your brand through quality printing. If you?re interested in marketing your business through quality print then please get in touch info@print-print.co.uk

Source: http://www.print-print.co.uk/blog/index.php/business-postcard-printing-and-postcard-marketing-made-easy/

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Obama order due on cyber attacks defense: report

Staff , Reuters ? ? ? 7 hrs.

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama plans to release a long-awaited executive order aimed at improving the nation's defenses against cyber attacks as early as Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The order, drawn up after Congress failed to pass legislation on the issue last year, is meant to improve the protection of critical industries and infrastructure from cyber intrusions.

Concerns about cyber attacks, which have hit a succession of major U.S. companies and government agencies in recent months, also could be raised by Obama in his annual State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday evening.

One of the White House's major goals is to improve information-sharing about attacks among private companies, and between companies and the government.

"Our biggest issue right now is getting the private sector to a comfort level so they can report anomalies, malware, incidents within their network" without undue fear of being "outed" as victims, said FBI Executive Assistant Director Richard McFeely, head of the Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch.

Most cyber security experts say the executive order ? which does not have the same force as a law ? is a step in the right direction and a sign that Obama wants to show that he takes the problem seriously.

"I think this can fairly be described as a down payment on legislation," said Stewart Baker, former National Security Agency general counsel and a past assistant secretary for policy at the Department of Homeland Security.

Stewart said he thought the executive order would make a difference in policy and practical terms "but whether it will provide practical protection from cyber attacks is still in doubt."

The executive order will make it easier for people at private companies to get security clearances so classified information can be shared, according to earlier drafts that were leaked and posted online.

It will also make companies work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to come up with sector-specific standards for cybersecurity and then will require companies to engage with their regulators to decide how those standards are implemented.

"Companies aren't going to, at first, be required to do anything. These are voluntary standards, except for a few critical infrastructure companies," said James Lewis, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"If you're regulated, the regulator will be able to say, 'Here are some new standards.' If you're not regulated you won't be touched at all."

(Reporting By Steve Holland, Deborah Charles and Joseph Menn. Writing by Warren Strobel; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/obama-may-issue-order-wednesday-defense-against-cyber-attacks-sources-1B8332835

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Defining Physical Therapy and How AdvantageMedical.com Can Help

Physical therapy is used to treat mobility impairments. The goal of engaging in physical therapy is to relieve the severity of certain conditions and to reduce the chances that the original impairment will occur again. Physical therapists work to ensure that their patients are restored to their normal selves, which is free from suffering and pain. Physical therapists are often described as being experts in the art and science of healing and caring.

Physical therapy is actually an umbrella term that encompasses many different specialties. Just a few of the most common types of physical therapy include pediatrics, geriatrics, cardiopulmonary, and orthopedic. While each of these disciplines focuses upon a different aspect of care, the services are generally provided in the same settings, like outpatient clinics and doctor?s offices, hospices, sports training facilities, fitness centers, and the like. There are even many physical therapists that make in home visits, which is why many doctors will encourage their patients to invest in physical therapy equipment of their own.

Physical therapy provides a number of benefits to its patients. For example, it seeks to restore physical abilities to those who might have lost them due to age, environmental factors, disease, or injury. It can prevent the return of an illness, minimize its severity, restore flexibility and range of motion, and improve overall fitness, among many other things.

As aforementioned, many doctors and physical therapists encourage their patients to invest in physical therapy equipment of their own, so that they can continue to perform the exercises in between visits. One of the most recommended sources of at home physical therapy equipment is AdvantageMedical.com. From treadmills to free weights to treatment furniture, AdvantageMedical.com offers one of the widest ranges of physical therapy equipment on the market today, both online and offline.

They actively strive to keep their prices low, so that patients will be able to afford the equipment that is needed to keep them in optimal health, and there is a reason why patients and professionals alike continue to return to them time and time again. The ordering process is simple, and their professional customer service representatives are always ready and willing to answer any questions a client might have.

Those who are in need of physical therapy equipment are strongly encouraged to visit their website today to order the supplies they need. It will be one of the best investments in their health that they could ever make.

Source: http://www.qualityhealthguides.com/defining-physical-therapy-and-how-advantagemedical-com-can-help.html

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All eyes on Frank Ocean as Grammy Awards approach

FILE - This Nov. 17, 2011 file photo shows musician Frank Ocean at the 16th annual GQ "Men of the Year" party in Los Angeles. The Recording Academy announced Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 that R&B singer Frank Ocean will join Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Jack White and fun. _ acts competing for the night's top honor. Alicia Keys and Maroon 5 will also join forces for a special performance on Feb. 10. Presenters include Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Carly Rae Jepsen, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, as well as actors Kaley Cuoco and Neil Patrick Harris. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

FILE - This Nov. 17, 2011 file photo shows musician Frank Ocean at the 16th annual GQ "Men of the Year" party in Los Angeles. The Recording Academy announced Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 that R&B singer Frank Ocean will join Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, Jack White and fun. _ acts competing for the night's top honor. Alicia Keys and Maroon 5 will also join forces for a special performance on Feb. 10. Presenters include Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Carly Rae Jepsen, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, as well as actors Kaley Cuoco and Neil Patrick Harris. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

Singer Frank Ocean performs at Levi's An Evening with Frank Ocean in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. (Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP)

Singer Frank Ocean performs at Levi's An Evening with Frank Ocean in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. (Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Everybody's thinkin' about Frank Ocean.

Ocean is a cause celebre and the man with the momentum as Sunday's Grammy Awards approach. One of six top nominees with six nominations apiece, the 25-year-old R&B singer turned cultural talking point will have the music world's attention.

It remains to be seen if it will be the "Thinkin Bout You" singer's night, but there's no question he's dominated the discussion so far. Already a budding star with a gift for building buzz as well as crafting songs, Ocean was swept up by something more profound when he told fans his first love was a man last fall as he prepared to release his major-label debut, "channel ORANGE."

It was a bold move and one that could have submarined his career before it really even got started. Instead, everyone from Beyonce to the often-homophobic R&B and rap communities showed public support. It was a remarkable moment.

"It speaks to the advancements of our culture," renowned producer Rick Rubin said. "It feels like the culture's moving forward and he's a representative of the new acceptance in the world for different ideas, which just broadens (our experience), makes the world a better place."

Ocean is up for major awards best new artist, album of the year and record of the year when the show airs live on CBS at 8 p.m. EST from the Staples Center, sharing top-nominee billing with fun., Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, Jay-Z and Kanye West.

Don't hand Ocean those trophies just yet, though. R&B and hip-hop performers (Ocean is part of the Odd Future collective) have had a spotty history at the Grammys recently when it comes to major awards.

Only one R&B act has won album of the year this century, and it's hard to even call him just an R&B act given his legend, artistic scope and material: Ray Charles for his "Genius & Friends," an all-star collaboration that was honored posthumously.

Also limiting Ocean's chances for a clean sweep are his fellow top nominees. Most are riding waves of their own.

Fun. became just the second act to sweep nominations in all four major categories with a debut album, equaling Christopher Cross' 1981 feat. Like Cross' "Sailing," the New York-based pop-rock band has ridden along on the crest of an inescapable song: "We Are Young," featuring Janelle Monae.

Cross won five Grammys, sweeping the major awards. Fun. likely will have a much harder time piling up that number of victories because of the buzz surrounding the group's competitors. It's not just Ocean who has people talking.

London-based folk-rockers Mumford & Sons had one of the top-selling albums of the year with "Babel" and already has a history with The Recording Academy's thousands of voters, having been nominated for major awards the year prior. Also, The Black Keys have a winning track record at the Grammys.

And don't count out West and Jay-Z, who were shut out of the major categories but remain very much in voters' minds.

Jack White's "Blunderbuss" competes with fun.'s "Some Nights," Ocean's "channel ORANGE," Mumford's "Babel" and The Keys' "El Camino" for the night's top award, album of the year.

Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know," featuring Kimbra, Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" join the fun., Ocean and Black Keys entries in record of the year.

Fun. and Clarkson also are nominated for song of the year along with Ed Sheeran's "The A Team," Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" and Miguel's "Adorn."

And rounding out the major categories, fun., Ocean, Alabama Shakes, Hunter Hayes and The Lumineers are up for best new artist.

Those major nominees figure prominently on the 3 1/2-hour telecast, broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. EST.

Swift will kick things off with a show-opening performance. Fun. and Ocean will take the stage. Others scheduled to perform include Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, Clarkson, White and Juanes.

There will be no shortage of mashups the Grammys have become famous for, either. Elton John, Mavis Staples, Mumford, Brittany Howard, T Bone Burnett and Zac Brown are saluting the late Levon Helm, who won the Americana Grammy last year a few months before his death. The Keys will join Dr. John and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on stage. Sting, Rihanna and Bruno Mars will perform together. Other team-ups include Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley, and Alicia Keys and Maroon 5.

___

Online:

http://grammy.com

___

Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-10-Grammys/id-48a83cbc26e74869a2d706d157d11da9

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Carnival Triumph to be Towed to Mexico, More than 4,000 On Board Are Safe

GULF OF MEXICO (WPMI) ? Sunday morning the cruise ship Carnival Triumph experienced an engine room fire while the vessel was sailing approximately 150 miles off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The ship?s automatic fire extinguishing systems activated and the fire was contained to the aft engine room. At this time, the fire is fully extinguished. There were no casualties or injuries to guests or crew. All appropriate authorities including U.S. Coast Guard have been notified.

The vessel is currently without propulsion and the ship is operating on emergency generator power. The ship's technical crew has determined the vessel will need to be towed to port. A tugboat is en route to the ship's location and will tow the vessel to Progreso, Mexico, which is the closest port to the ship?s current location. Guests will be able to disembark and get home as quickly as possible. The ship is expected to arrive in Progreso Wednesday afternoon and guests will be flown from there back to the U.S.

There are 3,143 guests and 1,086 crew on board. Guests are being provided with food and refreshments. Another Carnival ship, the Carnival Elation, is currently on scene and transferring additional food and beverage provisions to the Carnival Triumph.

Carnival Cruise Lines contacted the designated emergency contacts for all guests presently on board Carnival Triumph. Concerned family and loved ones of guests and crew may call 888.290.5095 or 305.406.5534.

All guests on the current Carnival Triumph voyage will receive a full refund of the cruise, along with transportation expenses. In addition, they will receive a future cruise credit equal to the amount paid for this voyage, as well as reimbursement of all shipboard purchases during the voyage, with the exception of gift shop and casino charges.

The next two voyages of Carnival Triumph, scheduled to depart Monday, February 11 and Saturday, February 16 are being canceled. Guests scheduled to sail on either of those voyages will receive a full refund, reimbursement for non-refundable travel expenses and a 25 percent discount on a future three to five-day cruise. Carnival is in contact with impacted guests to advise them of the situation.

The current Carnival Triumph voyage departed Galveston, Texas on Thursday, February 7 and was scheduled to return on Monday, Feb. 11.

Click here to read this story on www.local15tv.com

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50765256/ns/local_news-mobile_al/

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Pope's resignation stuns native Germany

Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Benedict XVI , sits in his house in Regensburg, southern Germany, Monday Feb. 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he lacks the strength to fulfill his duties and on Feb. 28 will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The announcement sets the stage for a conclave in March to elect a new leader for world's 1 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/dpa, Armin Weigel)

Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Benedict XVI , sits in his house in Regensburg, southern Germany, Monday Feb. 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he lacks the strength to fulfill his duties and on Feb. 28 will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The announcement sets the stage for a conclave in March to elect a new leader for world's 1 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/dpa, Armin Weigel)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives for a statement at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Feb. 11, 2013. Merkel says she has the "very highest respect" for German-born Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down. Further she told reporters after the pontiff's announcement: "As chancellor, I thank Benedict XVI for his work and wish him from the bottom of my heart all the best for the coming years." (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

FILE - This mid-1970s file photo shows the archbishop of Munich and Freising, Joseph Ratzinger, who is to be elevated to cardinal by Pope Paul VI. Ratzinger was elected Pope, April 19, 2005 and chose Benedict XVI as his papal name. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday, Feb. 11, 2013, he would resign Feb. 28 because he is simply too old to carry on. (AP Photo/File)

A man takes pictures of the birth place of Pope Benedict XVI in the German village of Marktl am Inn, southern Germany, Monday Feb. 11, 2013. In front the 'Benedikt Column'. Pope Benedict XVI said Monday he lacks the strength to fulfill his duties and on Feb. 28 will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The announcement sets the stage for a conclave in March to elect a new leader for world's 1 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/dpa,Andreas Gebert)

BERLIN (AP) ? Many in Germany haven't always had an easy relationship with the conservative-minded Pope Benedict XVI, but most on Monday praised their countryman's courage in deciding to step down from his position amid failing health.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, a Protestant, said that the 85-year-old pope's decision that he was no longer fit enough to continue in the job "earns my very highest respect."

"In our time of ever-lengthening life, many people will be able to understand how the pope as well has to deal with the burdens of aging," she told reporters in Berlin.

The pope's elder brother, 89-year-old Georg Ratzinger, told the dpa news agency at his home in Regensburg that his brother had been advised by his doctor not to take any more trans-Atlantic trips and was having increasing difficulty walking.

"His age is weighing on him," Ratzinger said of the pontiff. "At this age my brother wants more rest."

He said he had known for months of the pope's decision. Others, however, were caught off guard.

Two old acquaintances of Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, from his time at Germany's University of Tuebingen, said they first thought the news was a joke.

"I didn't expect it, but it was something I wouldn't have put past him," Max Seckler, a retired theology professor who worked with Ratzinger at Tuebingen in the 1960s, said in a telephone interview. "He was in many aspects of his papacy very innovative and unconventional."

Seckler highlighted Benedict's ability to form "a real friendship" with Jewish leaders and said that "he invigorated dialogue with Islam in a credible manner."

He also highlighted the pontiff's "patience" in seeking reconciliation with the ultraconservative Society of St. Pius X. That's an issue that drew criticism in Germany, and even a public demand for clarification from Merkel, when he removed the excommunication of a traditionalist British bishop who had denied the Holocaust.

"He tried to present faith positively ? his writings as pope served that ? and he tried to foster reconciliation toward the right," said Dietmar Mieth, a professor emeritus of theology at Tuebingen who first met Ratzinger in the 1960s. "But otherwise, he reacted reservedly to changes or reforms, and in ecumenism there were rather symbolic actions than concessions of substance."

Hans Kueng, a theologian who was an early colleague and friend of Ratzinger but later fell afoul of the Vatican for challenging church doctrine and became a vocal critic, told news agency dpa that he respected Benedict's decision ? "but it has to be hoped that Ratzinger will not exert influence on the election of his successor."

He asserted that, given that Benedict has named many conservative cardinals, it would be hard to find someone "who could lead the church out of its many-layered crisis."

Unlike Polish-born predecessor John Paul II, Benedict hasn't enjoyed undivided admiration in his country, which is roughly evenly split between Catholics and Protestants and where many didn't appreciate his conservative approach. The day after he was elected in 2005, best-selling newspaper Bild's front page screamed "We are the Pope!," but the left-leaning Tageszeitung countered with the headline "Oh, my God!"

"The papacy of Pope Benedict XVI was a missed opportunity," said Volker Beck, an openly gay lawmaker with the opposition Greens. "Under him, the church in some cases fell back behind the innovations of the Second Vatican Council," the 1962-65 meetings that brought the Catholic Church into the modern world.

Still, the pope commanded pride in Germany ? particularly in his native Bavaria, where Gov. Horst Seehofer said: "Germany and Bavaria have an infinite amount to thank him for."

Even Germany's leading soccer authority weighed in ? Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup both as player and coach.

"It's a pity for the Catholic church," Beckenbauer wrote on Twitter. "He was the best pope for me, which I experienced. I appreciate him very much."

_____

David Rising contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-11-Germany-Pope/id-32115d632e33491eaf3c33155d762d98

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10 dead in stampede at Hindu festival in India

ALLAHABAD, India (AP) ? At least 10 people were killed and a dozen more injured Sunday after a stampede broke out at a train station in the northern Indian town where millions of devout Hindus gathered for a religious festival, a senior government minister said.

Pawan Bansal, India's Railway Minister, told reporters that the stampede took place as massive crowds flooded the Allahabad train station on Sunday evening.

At least two television channels, NDTV and CNN-IBN said as many as 20 people were feared dead and 30 others injured. News reports said the large crowds caused a section of a footbridge at the station to collapse leading to the accident.

News reports said tens of thousands of people were at the train station at the time. Television showed large crowds pushing and jostling at the train station as policemen struggled to restore order.

"There was complete chaos. There was no doctor or ambulance for at least two hours after the accident," an eyewitness told NDTV news channel.

An estimated 30 million devotees were expected to take a dip at the Sangam, the confluence of three rivers ? the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati ? on Sunday, one of the holiest bathing days of the Kumbh Mela, or Pitcher Festival. The festival lasts 55 days and is one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

The auspicious bathing days are decided by the alignment of stars, and devout Hindus believe a dip in the sacred river on one of these days will wash away their sins and free them from the cycle of death and rebirth.

The festival brings together millions of devout worshipers and thousands of religious leaders and ascetics.

The most dramatic feature of the festival is the Naga sadhus ? ascetics with ash rubbed all over their bodies, wearing only marigold garlands ? leaping joyfully into the holy waters.

According to Hindu mythology, the Kumbh Mela celebrates the victory of gods over demons in a furious battle over nectar that would give them immortality. As one of the gods fled with a pitcher of the nectar across the skies, it spilled on four Indian towns_Allahabad, Nasik, Ujjain and Haridwar.

The Kumbh Mela is held four times every 12 years in those towns. Hindus believe that sins accumulated in past and current lives require them to continue the cycle of death and rebirth until they are cleansed. If they bathe at the Ganges on the most auspicious day of the festival, believers say they can rid themselves of their sins.

____

Associated Press writer Biswajeet Banerjee contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/10-dead-stampede-hindu-festival-india-172028808.html

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New England begins the big dig-out after epic snow

April Palmieri digs out her car in front of her home, background left, on 17th Street after a snow storm on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 in Bayville, N.Y. Palmieri had five feet of water in her basement as result of the rains from Superstorm Sandy. A howling storm across the Northeast left the New York-to-Boston corridor shrouded in 1 to 3 feet of snow Saturday, stranding motorists on highways overnight and piling up drifts so high that some homeowners couldn't get their doors open. More than 650,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

April Palmieri digs out her car in front of her home, background left, on 17th Street after a snow storm on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 in Bayville, N.Y. Palmieri had five feet of water in her basement as result of the rains from Superstorm Sandy. A howling storm across the Northeast left the New York-to-Boston corridor shrouded in 1 to 3 feet of snow Saturday, stranding motorists on highways overnight and piling up drifts so high that some homeowners couldn't get their doors open. More than 650,000 homes and businesses were left without electricity. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Snowbound vehicles remain stranded Saturday morning, Feb. 9, 2013 along Route 347 in Lake Grove, N.Y. Hundreds of cars were stranded on New York?s Long Island roadways as snow rapidly covered roadways. Many people abandoned their vehicles and first responders rescued motorists who chose to spend the frigid night in their vehicles. (AP Photo/Newsday, John Paraskevas)

Shop owners clear the sidewalk in front of their stores on Main St. in Irvington, N.Y., Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. The year's first major winter storm dumped up to 21 inches on the Lower Hudson Valley. (AP Photo/The Journal News, Seth Harrison) NYC OUT, NO SALES, ONLINE OUT, TV OUT, NEWSDAY INTERNET OUT; MAGS OUT

Payloaders clear snow from the Long Island Expressway just west of exit 59 Ocean Ave where several cars and a truck are abandoned after a snow storm on Saturday, Feb. 9, 31, 2013, in Ronkonkoma , N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Workers at a car dealership on Route 6 in Carmel, N.Y. clean snow from the cars in their lot, Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013. The year's first major winter storm dumped up to 21 inches on the Lower Hudson Valley. (AP Photo/The Journal News, Frank Becerra Jr.) NYC OUT, NO SALES, ONLINE OUT, TV OUT, NEWSDAY INTERNET OUT; MAGS OUT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) ? New Englanders began the back-breaking job of digging out from as much as 3 feet of snow Saturday and emergency crews used snowmobiles to reach shivering motorists stranded overnight on New York's Long Island after a howling storm swept through the Northeast.

About 475,000 homes and businesses remained without power late Saturday night, down from a peak of about 650,000, and some could be cold and dark for days. Roads across the New York-to-Boston corridor of roughly 25 million people were impassable. Cars were entombed by drifts. Some people found the wet, heavy snow packed so high against their homes they couldn't get their doors open.

"It's like lifting cement. They say it's 2 feet, but I think it's more like 3 feet," said Michael Levesque, who was shoveling snow in Quincy, Mass., for a landscaping company.

In Providence, where the drifts were 5 feet high and telephone lines encrusted with ice and snow drooped under the weight, Jason Harrison labored for nearly three hours to clear his blocked driveway and front walk and still had more work to do. His snowblower, he said, "has already paid for itself."

At least five deaths in the U.S. were blamed on the overnight snowstorm, including an 11-year-old boy in Boston who was overcome by carbon monoxide as he sat in a running car to keep warm while his father shoveled Saturday morning.

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee cautioned that while the snow had stopped, the danger hadn't passed: "People need to take this storm seriously, even after it's over. If you have any kind of heart condition, be careful with the shoveling."

Blowing with hurricane-force winds of more than 80 mph in places, the storm hit hard along the heavily populated Interstate 95 corridor between New York City and Maine. Milford., Conn., got 38 inches of snow, and Portland, Maine, recorded 31.9, shattering a 1979 record. Several communities in New York and across New England got more than 2 feet.

Still, the storm was not as bad as some of the forecasts led many to fear, and not as dire as the Blizzard of '78, used by longtime New Englanders as the benchmark by which all other winter storms are measured.

By midday Saturday, the National Weather Service reported preliminary snowfall totals of 24.9 inches in Boston, or fifth on the city's all-time list. Bradley Airport near Hartford, Conn., got 22 inches, for the No. 2 spot in the record books there.

Concord, N.H., got 24 inches of snow, the second-highest amount on record and a few inches short of the reading from the great Blizzard of 1888.

In New York, where Central Park recorded 11 inches, not even enough to make the Top 10 list, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city "dodged a bullet" and its streets were "in great shape." The three major airports ? LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark, N.J. ? were up and running by late morning after shutting down the evening before.

Most of the power outages were in Massachusetts, where more than 400,000 homes and businesses were left in the dark. Hours before midnight Saturday, about 308,000 customers remained without power. In Rhode Island, a peak of around 180,000 customers lost power, or about one-third of the state. Late night, the total was down to 130,000.

Connecticut crews had slowly whittled down the outage total to 31,000 from a high of about 38,000, and power was restored to nearly all of the more than 15,000 in Maine and New Hampshire who were left without lights after the storm hit.

Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island imposed travel bans until 4 p.m. to keep cars off the road and let plows do their work, and the National Guard helped clear highways in Connecticut, where more than 240 auto accidents were reported. The Guardsmen rescued about 90 motorists, including a few who had hypothermia and were taken to hospitals.

On Long Island, which got more than 2? feet of snow, hundreds of drivers spent a cold and scary night stuck on the highways. Even snowplows got bogged down or were blocked by stuck cars, so emergency workers used snowmobiles to try to reach motorists, many of whom were still waiting to be rescued hours after the snow had stopped.

One of those who was rescued, Priscilla Arena, prayed as she waited, took out a sheet of loose-leaf paper and wrote what she thought might be her last words to her husband and children, ages 5 and 9. Among her advice: "Remember all the things that mommy taught you. Never say you hate someone you love."

Richard Ebbrecht, a chiropractor, left his office in Brooklyn at 3 p.m. on Friday and headed for home in Middle Island, N.Y., but got stuck six or seven times on the Long Island Expressway and other roads.

"There was a bunch of us Long Islanders. We were all helping each other, shoveling, pushing," he said. He finally gave up and settled in for the night in his car just two miles from his destination. At 8 a.m., when it was light out, he walked home.

"I could run my car and keep the heat on and listen to the radio a little bit," he said. "It was very icy under my car. That's why my car is still there."

Around the New York metropolitan area, many victims of Superstorm Sandy were mercifully spared another round of flooding, property damage and power failures.

"I was very lucky and I never even lost power," said Susan Kelly of Bayville. "We were dry as anything. My new roof was fantastic. Other than digging out, this storm was a nice storm." As for the shoveling, "I got two hours of exercise."

At New York's Fashion Week, women tottered on 4-inch heels through the snow to get to the tents to see designers' newest collections.

Across much of New England, streets were empty of cars and dotted instead with children who had never seen so much snow and were jumping into snow banks and making forts. Snow was waist-high in the streets of Boston. Plows made some thoroughfares passable but piled even more snow on cars parked on the city's narrow streets.

Boston's Logan Airport was not expected to resume operations until late Saturday night.

Life went on as usual for some. In Portland, Karen Willis Beal got her dream wedding on Saturday ? complete with a snowstorm just like the one that hit before her parents married in December 1970.

"I have always wanted a snowstorm for my wedding, and my wish has come true to the max," she said.

In Massachusetts, the National Guard and Worcester emergency workers teamed up to deliver a baby at the height of the storm at the family's home. Everyone was fine.

Some spots in Massachusetts had to be evacuated because of coastal flooding, including Salisbury Beach, where around 40 people were ordered out.

Among them were Ed and Nancy Bemis, who heard waves crashing and rolling underneath their home, which sits on stilts. At one point, Ed Bemis went outside to take pictures, and a wave came up, blew out their door and knocked down his wife.

"The objects were flying everywhere. If you went in there, it looks like ... two big guys got in a big, big fight. It tore the doors right off their hinges. It's a mess," he said.

___

Lindsay reported from Salisbury, Mass. Associated Press writers David Klepper in Providence, Ebony Reed in Quincy, Mass., Karen Matthews in New York, Frank Eltman in Farmingville N.Y., Charles Krupa in Boston, and John Christoffersen in Fairfield, Conn., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-09-Northeast%20Snow/id-733bd47514134937a871e35888f76d96

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