tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16500204969562620372024-02-19T18:37:36.473-08:00AKACOMSWE ARE EVERYWHERE | WE POST IT AS IT HAPPENS | NO EDITING | INFORMATIVE!AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.comBlogger445125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-15318221652756240272018-01-11T20:21:00.001-08:002018-01-11T20:22:29.347-08:00REGAL 2018 RESOLUTION <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedVxgoEaI9cBQzZEq7dX9NeCiBjYMuK7rn8vki52dD5msHKBFXSYjSmkoljzghiFR_Sff7j6bMG4Z7SU3sEn7e7wL_1PHXf-XsaC_jrHoSTHTuOPyKFi9HWw9vZ5X9GI46llAJRjRpwY/s1600/img_news_i6Jv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedVxgoEaI9cBQzZEq7dX9NeCiBjYMuK7rn8vki52dD5msHKBFXSYjSmkoljzghiFR_Sff7j6bMG4Z7SU3sEn7e7wL_1PHXf-XsaC_jrHoSTHTuOPyKFi9HWw9vZ5X9GI46llAJRjRpwY/s640/img_news_i6Jv.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 60px; font-weight: bold;">REGAL 2018 RESOLUTION </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 36px; font-weight: bold;">The Next New Innovation!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18px;">Hereby
we would like to announce the steps we will take in addressing the
issues about Regal that are now beyond our predictions.<br /><br />Since
Regal offered ICO for the first time and was greeted with tremendous
popularity in the international market and with the soaring demand in
the international market made us work more extra without stopping until
this day.<br /><br />After facing so many problems besides that we get valuable learning and we have learned many things,<br /><br />at the beginning of 2018 we will do RESOLUTION to clear all errors and problems for the long term<br /><br />This
step should be taken to maintain the Regal for at least 3 years and
become the only one of the most innovative Coin System Lending<br /><br />We are sure we all love REGAL and hope REGAL will go ahead and continue to grow.<br /><br />We can not deny that REGAL was begins with the energy of LUCK from all of us, and this is what we must keep.<br /><br />Whatever
we do is a form of our concern to our friends in the world of crypto
currency, we work together with the team of day and night to keep the
system from competitors in any form of attacking that non of you know
but we & the team knows. <br /><br />REGAL has disturbed many
competitors so that not a few who want REGAL fall, but we started with a
team that has a soul of a fighters and with this soul that makes us
will continue to move and survive in order to fulfill the dreams of
friends with REGAL<br /><br />Here are the steps we will take<br /><br />1. All transactions we will stop so that we do not work in the busy traffic and we can work with the utmost<br /><br />2. We will do the Resolution Coin in total, and every member who has RegalCoin will experience SPLIT<br /><br />If you have 1000REC in your wallet after SPLIT then your REC count becomes 2000REC<br /><br />3.
The Next New Innovation in the system, we will innovate the concept of
Lending system that can make REGAL survive at least 3 years ahead with a
very measurable calculation<br /><br />(Given the rampant competitors that
imitate our concept, then we decided not publish the concept of publicly
but we will update after 2x24 hours when the system will run via email
or freshdesk)<br /><br />4. For SPLIT process we only record REC in member
area Regalcoin.co because we will take steps to avoid REC mastery by
some people who are not member Regalcoin out there who have started to
control the price of REC (this is quite disturbing for member of
REGAL)<br /><br />For make this process runs smooth, we also
inform some of the things we have planned ahead of time and that we need
to take together wisely<br /><br />1.
Thailand event we will re-arrange with new more appropriate schedule
after next new innovation running (For eligible members currently valid
for later events)<br /><br />2. Visa Card that has not met the target of the
first 1000 Card we will continue until the target is reached 1000
VisaCard Request (for now only 60% of member who already apply)<br /><br />3. Lending Competition is still running as agreed, and we will give rewards according to achievement.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 30px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><b>Best Regards</b></span></span><span style="font-size: 36px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="font-size: 30px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><b>Regalcoin Team</b></span></span></b></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-59978174693714822662017-01-16T21:36:00.000-08:002017-01-16T21:36:13.722-08:00Gold - Closing Trade As of 17.01.2017 = $100 profit made.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-47865139182487852962017-01-16T21:26:00.001-08:002017-01-16T21:26:25.869-08:00Stock Market Tutorial - The Only Video You'll Ever Need<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cJOzzrt60sg" width="480"></iframe>AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-30712236382683533882017-01-16T19:59:00.003-08:002017-01-16T19:59:25.366-08:00Muted reaction in Russia to Trump's talk of nuclear arms cut<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Suggestions by President-elect Donald Trump that sanctions against Russia could be lifted in exchange for a nuclear arms cut attracted a frosty reception in Moscow on Monday. In an interview with the Times of London published on Sunday, Trump indicated that he could end sanctions imposed on Russia in the aftermath of the 2014 annexation of Crimea in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Russia isn't so anxious to get the sanctions lifted that it is prepared to "sacrifice something, especially in what concerns security," said Konstantin Kosachev, the Kremlin-connected chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the upper house of parliament.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kosachev also told the RIA Novosti news agency that Trump's comments to the Times should be treated with caution because it wasn't an official statement, since Trump hasn't assumed office yet. Washington, along with the European Union, has imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Russia and travel bans for individuals following Moscow's annexation of Crimea and interference in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The latest round of U.S. sanctions came at the end of December.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, sounded similarly cautious with reporters in Moscow later in the day. "Let's wait until he assumes office before we give assessment to any initiatives," Peskov said. He added that Russia never raises the issue of sanctions in talks with its foreign counterparts and doesn't intend to do so because it's not up to Moscow to scrap them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another influential Russian lawmaker, Alexei Pushkov, in a tweet late Sunday laughed off warnings of the CIA director about challenges that will follow lifting the sanctions. Speaking on Fox News, CIA Director John Brennan said on Sunday that in his opinion Trump doesn't have "a full understanding of Russian capabilities and the actions they are taking on the world."</span></div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-22018244822602800822017-01-16T19:56:00.002-08:002017-01-16T19:56:29.945-08:00Gold rises toward 8-week high with focus on May, Trump<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gold prices rose toward an eight-week high on Monday, as investors await more detail on the U.K.'s Brexit plan and the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. later this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gold for February delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange touched a session peak of $1,208.70 a troy ounce, a level not seen since November 23.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was last at $1,202.65 by 9:25AM ET (14:25GMT), up almost $7.00, or 0.6%.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Trading is likely to be quiet because U.S. markets are closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/investing/2016/09/01/706672_gold-bars_MONEY-xlarge_trans++IkUhv7k5mil0w0oeVCztIgidJvfuFJmBq3TREsU3sqM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for gold" border="0" height="247" src="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/investing/2016/09/01/706672_gold-bars_MONEY-xlarge_trans++IkUhv7k5mil0w0oeVCztIgidJvfuFJmBq3TREsU3sqM.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Worries about the terms of Britain's departure from the European Union intensified following media reports that suggested Prime Minister Theresa May's government was prepared to make a "clean and hard" exit from the single currency region, ahead of her speech on Tuesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">May has previously stated she will trigger Article 50, which starts the formal withdrawal process from the European Union, by the end of March, but so far has given few details about what deal she will be seeking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, global financial markets will continue to focus on U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump as he takes the Oath of Office and offers his inaugural address on Friday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Investors will welcome any detail he may give on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation, as well as insight regarding policies on China and the domestic economy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">President-elect Trump has been credited with being a major catalyst behind the market's impressive rally since election day, although he has yet to outline his economic policies in detail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Markets were disappointed last week after Trump failed to offer details on his promises to boost fiscal spending and cut taxes at a highly-anticipated news conference on Wednesday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The precious metal has been well-supported in recent sessions amid uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve’s pace of interest rate hikes this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Fed had indicated in December that at least three rate increases were in the offing for 2017, according to a forecast of interest rates from members of the central bank, known as the dot-plot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, traders remained unconvinced. Instead, markets are pricing in just two rate hikes during the course of this year, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A delay in raising interest rates would be seen as positive for gold, a non-interest-bearing asset, and negative for the dollar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery was up 8.7 cents, or 0.5%, at $16.85 a troy ounce during morning hours in New York.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, platinum tacked on 0.3% to $989.55, while palladium advanced 0.1% to $750.12 an ounce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures dipped 2.4 cents, or 0.9%, to $2.666 a pound.</span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-79807679383495074312017-01-16T19:54:00.001-08:002017-01-16T21:33:23.748-08:00Gold - Opening Trade As of 17.01.2017<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-36601996394151025722016-05-18T08:17:00.002-07:002016-05-18T08:43:46.348-07:00 Hacker finds flaws that could let anyone steal $25 Billion from a Bank<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="main-article-info">A security researcher could have stolen as much as $25 Billion from one of the India's biggest banks ‒ Thanks to the bank's vulnerable mobile application.<br /><br />Late last year, security researcher Sathya Prakash discovered a number of critical vulnerabilities in the mobile banking application of an undisclosed bank that allowed him to steal money from any or all bank customers with the help of just a few lines of code.<br /><br />Being a white hat hacker, Prakash immediately reached out to the bank and alerted it about the critical issues in its mobile app and helped the bank fix them, instead of taking advantage of the security holes to steal money from the bank that has about 25 Billion USD in Deposits.<br /><br />While analyzing the mobile banking app, Prakash discovered that the app lacks Certificate Pinning, allowing any man-in-the-middle attacker to downgrade SSL connection and capture requests in plain text using fraudulently issued certificates.<br /><br /><a href="http://akacomng.blogspot.com.ng/2016/05/how-did-hackers-who-stole-81-million.html" target="_blank">Also Read: Hackers Stole $80 Million from Bangladesh Bank.</a><br /><br />Besides this, Prakash also found that the mobile banking app had insecure login session architecture, allowing an attacker to perform critical actions on the behalf of targeted account holder without knowing the login password, like seeing victim's current account balance and deposits, as well as to add a new beneficiary and making illegal transfers.<br /><br /> "So invoking the fund transfer API call directly via CURL, bypassed the receiver/beneficiary account validation. I was able to transfer money to accounts that weren't on my beneficiary list," Prakash wrote in his blog post.<br /><br /> "It was a matter of 5 lines of code [exploit] to enumerate the bank's customer records (Current Account Balance, and Deposits)."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If this wasn't enough, Prakash discovered that the app did not check to see if the given customer ID or Transaction Authorisation PIN (MTPIN) ‒ used for critical controls like transferring funds, creating a new fixed deposit ‒ actually belong to the sender's account.<br /><br />This blunder in the mobile banking app could have allowed anyone with the app and an account in the bank to transfer money from someone else's account, reported by Motherboard.<br /><br /> "I tested [the hack] with a bunch of accounts belonging to my family. Few of those accounts don't even have net banking or mobile banking activated," Prakash added. "And it all worked like a charm."<br /><br />However, instead of taking advantage of these bugs, Prakash responsibly emailed the bank on November 13, 2015, and within few days, bank’s deputy general manager informed him that the security flaws had been fixed, without rewarding him with a bug bounty, that's unfair. </span></div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-47924147383116590542016-05-18T08:10:00.002-07:002016-05-18T08:10:33.856-07:00 Ukrainian Hacker Admits Stealing Corporate Press Releases for $30 Million Profit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsvrK_V35JFdGl6n9uXRkNiFr6qby9WjTzpHClg1NmWJCCYNnyGTfB4rCA_GEtPiSuCVB8_NKuMKAqh2hLF4p1R3CWPxf3nDRwkEs8D_aviznRoSDaGGmcZBGcNh2lqgm3PlSQHmNY4jo/s1600/breaking-news-hacker.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ukrainian Hacker Admits Stealing Corporate Press Releases for $30 Million Profit" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsvrK_V35JFdGl6n9uXRkNiFr6qby9WjTzpHClg1NmWJCCYNnyGTfB4rCA_GEtPiSuCVB8_NKuMKAqh2hLF4p1R3CWPxf3nDRwkEs8D_aviznRoSDaGGmcZBGcNh2lqgm3PlSQHmNY4jo/s1600/breaking-news-hacker.png" title="Ukrainian Hacker Admits Stealing Corporate Press Releases for $30 Million Profit" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A 28-year-old Ukrainian hacker has pleaded guilty in the United States to stealing unpublished news releases and using that non-public information in illegal trading to generate more than $30 Million (£20.8 Million) in illicit profits.<br /><br />Vadym Iermolovych, 28, admitted Monday that he worked with two other Ukrainian hackers to hack into computer networks at PR Newswire, Marketwired and Business Wire, and steal 150,000 press releases to gain the advantage in the stock market.<br /><br />The defendants then used nearly 800 of those stolen news releases to make trades before the publication of the information, exploiting a time gap ranging from hours to 3 days.<br /><br />The trades would occur in "extremely short windows of time between when the hackers illegally accessed and shared the [news] releases and when the press releases were disseminated to the public by the Newswires, usually shortly after the close of the markets," said the Department of Justice in a press release.<br /><br />Thirty-two people have been charged in connection with the global scheme to hack into services that distribute corporate news releases and then rapidly pass the stolen information to stock market traders in the US, resulting in more than $100 Million of profit.<br /><br />The group hacked the computer networks of Marketwired LP, PR Newswire Association LLC, and Business Wire between February 2010 and August 2014 using phishing and SQL injection techniques, the Justice Department says.<br /><br />The group traded the stolen information with the companies including Align Technology, Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard, Home Depot, Panera Bread and Verisign.<br /><br />Iermolovych was initially arrested in November 2014 on credit card fraud and computer hacking-related charges, the U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman in New Jersey said.<br /><br />Iermolovych has pleaded guilty to up to three charges including conspiracy to commit computer hacking, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.<br /><br />The other accused Ukrainian hackers include Oleksandr Ieremenko and Ivan Turchynov.<br /><br />Iermolovych will be sentenced on August 22 in Newark, New Jersey and could face up to 20 years in jail. </span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-54138965596101123892016-05-17T08:48:00.000-07:002016-05-17T08:48:11.948-07:00Google to Face a Record $3.4 Billion AntiTrust Fine in Europe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="main-article-info"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7PqX371OsnrC2ddw_0deH7w5Z2ZowmbmaYlttrqiLn2k6MhUj1rUKjQbLug8SCWp8GHmyHcaO24fugNctwxowjfVMQB6UNu-0bfWMp1RO4YqBpCsh6nTLovmuiMH9vQPd3FStInuw-Gt/s1600/google-europe-antitrust.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="google-europe-antitrust" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7PqX371OsnrC2ddw_0deH7w5Z2ZowmbmaYlttrqiLn2k6MhUj1rUKjQbLug8SCWp8GHmyHcaO24fugNctwxowjfVMQB6UNu-0bfWMp1RO4YqBpCsh6nTLovmuiMH9vQPd3FStInuw-Gt/s1600/google-europe-antitrust.png" title="google-europe-antitrust" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="main-article-info">Google faces a record anti-trust penalty of about <b>3 BILLION Euros</b> (US$3.4 Billion) from the European Commission in the coming days, according to reports.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info">After 7-years of the investigation, the
European Commission filed anti-trust charges against Google last year
for violating antitrust laws.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info">The European Union accused the search
engine giant that it had abused its dominance in search by unfairly
prioritize and displaying its own comparison shopping service at the top
of its search results at the expense of rival products.<br />
<br />
British newspaper The Sunday Telegraph <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/05/14/google-faces-record-breaking-fine-for-web-search-monopoly-abuse/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reports</a>
that the European Union is currently preparing a fine of about 3
Billion Euros ($3.4 billion), which is almost triple the amount (1.06
Billion Euro) that Intel was levied several year ago over violating
antitrust law.<br />
<br />
According to the newspaper's sources, the EU officials, led by <i>Margrethe Vestager</i>,
are planning to openly announce the fine against Google as early as
next month, although the exact figure of the fine has yet to be
finalized. <br />
<br />
Reportedly, the European Commission regulators can impose a maximum
penalty of up to 10 percent of the company's annual sales, which, in the
case of Google, is possibly more than 6.6 Billion Euros.<br />
<br />
Not just fine, but Google will also be banned from manipulating its
search results in the region so that it does not continue to favor its
homebrew products.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info">In a separate antitrust case, Google has
also been accused of abusing its dominant position in the smartphone
industry with Android by pre-installing its own apps, like Google
Search, Chrome, YouTube, Gmail as default apps, making it harder for
other companies to compete.<br />
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Anyone can use Android with or without Google applications. Hardware
manufacturers and carriers can decide how to use Android and consumers
have the last word about which apps they want to use," Google
spokesperson says.</blockquote>
The EU is also looking into the transparency of paid reviews and the
conditions of use of services like Google Maps and Apple's iOS mobile
operating system.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info"><span class="main-article-info">Credit to: http://thehackernews.com </span> </span> </span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-29031293422335109202016-05-17T03:50:00.000-07:002016-05-17T03:50:03.406-07:00My full name is Anthonia Shodunke, more or less known as 'Tonia’.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6aLCyz3eQoUalgzSWUb-BBEg-qAV92HT_FjocwQR8bWekQ-YzbLZ1nbeNUEFCouxr9Fa9xcIjgYZL39zEQsXkVobtB26_R-famnnTUbgoN7yZp3TpCwPq0DiYRiqbWkb9y5AQtLrd_Y/s1600/DSC_0808+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6aLCyz3eQoUalgzSWUb-BBEg-qAV92HT_FjocwQR8bWekQ-YzbLZ1nbeNUEFCouxr9Fa9xcIjgYZL39zEQsXkVobtB26_R-famnnTUbgoN7yZp3TpCwPq0DiYRiqbWkb9y5AQtLrd_Y/s640/DSC_0808+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Please let’s know
you? </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My full name is Anthonia Shodunke, more or less known as 'Tonia’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Can you talk about
people or books you have read that have inspired you to embark on your own
career?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have indeed been immensely blessed and inspired musically
by several Great people on my journey; some of which are Don Moen, Darlene Zschech,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cece Winans, Yolanda Adams, Kim Burell and so
many more. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One of such destiny moulding experiences is the encounter I
had, reading the book, \\'Extravagant Worship\\' by Darlene Zschech as far back
as April 2004. The truth I came across in that book, started me on this
journey. It birthed in me an unquenchable passion in addition to the zeal I
already had for the work of the Master with a deep intention to see Him
worshipped and extolled across the Globe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Why did you choose
this particular career?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, would I say I chose this career or the path chose me? lol.
Many saw Jesus as the man who didn't like carpentry anymore and as such,
ventured into teaching; little did they know that it was the assignment He had
been separated unto, even before the World began. What they saw Him do was who
He really was all along; so I would say... this is who I am. I am on a mission!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What advice would you
give to upcoming authors?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My advice to upcoming authors is that they go all out in the
delivery of their talents. You never can tell who is reading and at what point.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Creativity is not a function of man possessing knowledge, it
is rather, a function of knowledge possessing man and the spirit form of
knowledge is what empowers a man. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Every time you get the opportunity and inspiration to write,
think outside the box, see yourself coming up with ideas that span through a
life time, Impacting a whole generation and many more yet unborn. Isaiah 9:8
says;</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">\'The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon
Israel.\'</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What advice would you
give to future musicians?</b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />#Smiles. We all look up to God as our inspiration, I would say. I am still working
towards perfection with everyday I am privileged to see; but to everyone out
there, I would say, no matter what you do, stay glued to the Vine, because
everything we desire and everything we aspire to become in life is found in
Him. Please don\'t become known simply for the sake of being known, but
endeavor to add something of value to the World. Enrich the World with the gift
and abilities God has given you. Someday, at the end, the trophies will rust,
the accolades will fade and all that will remain is the God you serve and the
impact you made.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Questions that would resound are:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- What do you stand for?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Can you be confident in the person you are becoming?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">- Whose life is brighter because you were part of it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So in all;</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Stay connected to God just like you spend time with a
friend. If you are disconnected from the gift-giver, you will miss out on the
full power and purpose of your dream.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Believe in yourself. You are not the observations others
have of you; you are the thoughts you have and the actions you take.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Endeavor not to sell your morals away, stay true to who you
are, be patient and stay faithful while in the process of \'becoming\'. The
things you learn and imbibe during this time paves the way for your rising and
sustains you even when you have attained your dreams.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Acknowledge God in all your ways and He will direct your
paths. Make Him known in everything you do for He deserves all the glory.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Psalm 37:4 says;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">\'Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the
desires of your heart.\'</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What advice would you
give to kids today who look up to you as their inspiration?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I could go on and on about that, but simply put, I would
say my goal is to be God's mouthpiece and masterpiece; declaring His praise,
faithfulness and glory as embedded in His word to the ends of the earth;
bringing hope and life to all humanity. In line with that, I nurse a strong
passion to see Africa excel, the Youths awaken to responsibility and her dear
children nursed to greatness, for in her bossom lie riches, yet untapped.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What are your
personal goals/ambitions?</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">#Smiles.... I will leave it at that for now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0ikXTEBHP90hEnKQslk6zn77z0AC3ngOc1CLNDyz2qpxd6fNQC-zphmBaknBAhkCMgnluMOl3eWx_BYOTGdeWhesVQbFTf0TG7yDaIoTEJP6BL4XBDeh71zUJ6VYM3ly7lIPOGVd870/s1600/IMG_20151206_192543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0ikXTEBHP90hEnKQslk6zn77z0AC3ngOc1CLNDyz2qpxd6fNQC-zphmBaknBAhkCMgnluMOl3eWx_BYOTGdeWhesVQbFTf0TG7yDaIoTEJP6BL4XBDeh71zUJ6VYM3ly7lIPOGVd870/s320/IMG_20151206_192543.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How did you overcome
your challenges? </b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One of the challenges I would say, is getting started. Many
pass on with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often, it is
because they are always \'getting ready to live\'. Before they know it, time
runs out. I’ve been there and I know the state. It took me 10yrs from 2004 to
actually get out there and get started. I know about the \'Process\', and I
know about \'An appointed time for everything\’, but learn to stop making
excuses. Why you have not taken that first step does not matter. What matters
is that you take that first step NOW!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I know finances can sometimes be a challenge, but by all
means, don't put money first. Let passion precede and the provision will
follow. I have always believed that where there is a vision, there is a
provision. There is a grace I enjoy that gives me a seamless flow through it
all; but above all, I have a supportive spouse and adorable kids who make it
all so easy for me and for this I am forever grateful and indepted to God.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-48318244429585472932016-05-17T03:11:00.002-07:002016-05-17T03:18:44.933-07:00How Did Hackers Who Stole $81 Million from Bangladesh Bank Go Undetected?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="aim29081521654813351073" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="in-short" style="text-align: left;">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="main-article-info"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxQt4KDF5a8eu84B8BS46GZoN8qQjGb_lMRJfhBmt3fN_5rTVfQ7EQDUlLLEg3nzU1_16I5zHxGWX6BBQZ2F1OW6Ss2vFhhXgVNPrmF5b56mwifLuP05UlyjxHHRZxidfsx0y2FEKuZUo/s1600/bank-hack.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bank-hack" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxQt4KDF5a8eu84B8BS46GZoN8qQjGb_lMRJfhBmt3fN_5rTVfQ7EQDUlLLEg3nzU1_16I5zHxGWX6BBQZ2F1OW6Ss2vFhhXgVNPrmF5b56mwifLuP05UlyjxHHRZxidfsx0y2FEKuZUo/s1600/bank-hack.png" title="bank-hack" /></a></div>
</span> </span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In Brief</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
Investigators from British defense contractor BAE Systems discovered
that hackers who stole $81 million from the Bangladesh Central Bank
actually hacked into software from SWIFT financial platform, a key part
of the global financial system.</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
The hackers used a custom-made malware to hide evidence and go
undetected by erasing records of illicit transfers with the help of
compromised SWIFT system.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
The Bangladesh Bank hackers, who managed to <a href="http://thehackernews.com/2016/03/bank-hacking-malware.html" target="_blank">steal $81 Million from the bank</a>
last month in one of the largest bank heists in history, actually made
their tracks clear after hacking into SWIFT, the heart of the global
financial system.</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>SWIFT</b>, stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial
Telecommunications, is a global messaging network used for most
international money and security transfers.</span>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
More than 11,000 Global Banks on HIGH ALERT!</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
Nearly 11,000 Banks and other financial institutions around the World
use SWIFT system to send securely and receive payment instructions
through a standardized system of codes.</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
Recently, Bangladesh police investigators uncovered evidence revealing that the Bank was using second-hand $10 network switches <a href="http://thehackernews.com/2016/04/bank-firewall-security.html" target="_blank">without a Firewall to run its network</a>, which offered hackers access to the bank’s entire infrastructure, including the SWIFT servers.</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
Now, researchers from British defense contractor BAE Systems <a href="http://baesystemsai.blogspot.in/2016/04/two-bytes-to-951m.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">reported</a>
Monday that the Bangladesh Bank hackers used a piece of sophisticated,
custom-made malware to manipulate logs and erase the history of the
fraudulent transactions, which even prevent printers from printing the
fraudulent transactions.</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
The malware also has the capability to intercept and destroy incoming
messages confirming the money transfers. These malware capabilities
prevented hackers to remain undetected.</span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
"This malware appears to be just part of a wider attack toolkit and
would have been used to cover the attackers' tracks as they sent forged
payment instructions to make the transfers," security researcher Sergei
Shevchenko wrote in a blog post.</span></blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
When and How Did They Get Detected?</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
The hackers had attempted to steal $951 Million in total from Bangladesh
central bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York using
fraudulent transactions, but a simple typo (spell error) by hackers
halted the further <a href="http://thehackernews.com/2016/03/bank-hack.html" target="_blank">transfers of the $850 Million</a> funds.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The BAE researchers believe the malware used to target Alliance Access, a
piece of software that allows banks to connect to the SWIFT network.</span><br />
<div id="aim39081521654813351073" style="margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
According to SWIFT's official website, Alliance Access has more than
2,000 installations worldwide. So even though the SWIFT financial system
is used by around 11,000 banks and financial institutions, all of them
are not affected by the notorious malware.</span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
"By modifying the local instance of SWIFT Alliance Access software, the
malware grants itself the ability to execute database transactions
within the victim network," Shevchenko said.</span></blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
SWIFT To Issue Emergency Security Update</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
Meanwhile, Brussels-based SWIFT <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-nyfed-bangladesh-malware-exclusiv-idUSKCN0XM0DR" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">confirmed</a>
to Reuters that the company was aware of the nasty malware used to
target its client software and that it would roll out a security
software update on Monday to fix the issue, along with a special warning
to financial institutions.</span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
SWIFT Spokeswoman Natasha Deteran said the software update was intended "<i>to assist customers in enhancing their security and to spot inconsistencies in their local database records.</i>"
</span></div>
</div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-52900050664434778162016-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:002016-01-31T18:48:07.987-08:00‘I’m gay and I’m a priest, period.’<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="The Rev. Fred Daley greets Grace Moran, 13, before the start of mass at All Saints Church in Syracuse, N.Y., on Dec. 5. Daley came out in 2004." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoWAm7.img?h=535&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=2155&y=759" /><br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px; margin-bottom: 1.9rem; padding: 0px;" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0px auto 2.4rem; padding: 0px;"><span class="caption truncate" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: bottom; color: #666666; display: inline-block; font-size: 1.3rem; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; max-height: 3.7rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 72.8rem;"><span class="attribution" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.8rem 0px 0px;">© Heather Ainsworth for The Washington Post</span> The Rev. Fred Daley greets Grace Moran, 13, before the start of mass at All Saints Church in Syracuse, N.Y., on Dec. 5. Daley came out in 2004.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px; margin-bottom: 1.9rem; padding: 0px;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">God, what are you calling me to do here, prayed the priest. Come out, or stay in the closet</i><i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">?</i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px; margin-bottom: 1.9rem; padding: 0px;">
After 23 years in Chicago parishes, the question had pushed its way to the surface.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px; margin-bottom: 1.9rem; padding: 0px;">
He considered the reasons he should do it. He thought about his parishioners. Many, he knew, were accepting of gay people, even of same-sex marriage, but others — less so. He had grown up in a large Catholic family; he understood what people’s faith meant to them. He didn’t want to harm his flock, or the Catholic Church.</div>
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He wondered if he could be penalized in his job. And, in truth, he considered his status. He knew many Catholics had what he might call a romanticized view of the priesthood: Priests are supposed to be pure, almost above the world of sexuality, selfishly willing to give up creating a family of their own to serve God. This would mean falling from that pedestal.</div>
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Then, he weighed these factors against the impact his coming out could have on the lives of young gay people in treatment for addiction or who are suicidal, on the parents and grandparents who feel they must choose between their gay child and their church. For some, knowing their priest is gay — and at peace with it — could be healing, he felt.</div>
<span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px; margin: 0px auto 2.4rem; padding: 0px;"><span class="image" data-attrib="Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger" data-caption="The Rev. Warren Hall, shown in 2014, joined the tiny number of out priests after he was removed as campus minister of Seton Hall University last May." data-id="73" data-m="{"i":73,"p":69,"n":"openModal","t":"articleImages","o":4}" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><img alt="The Rev. Warren Hall, shown in 2014, joined the tiny number of out priests after he was removed as campus minister of Seton Hall University last May." class=" loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"73","h":"48","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoWvCr.img?h=481&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1251&y=1142"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"41","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoWvCr.img?h=412&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1251&y=1142"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"41","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoWvCr.img?h=412&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1251&y=1142"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoWvCr.img?h=481&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1251&y=1142" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 48rem; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 73rem;" width="728" /></span><span class="caption truncate" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: bottom; color: #666666; display: inline-block; font-size: 1.3rem; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; max-height: 3.7rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 72.8rem;"><span class="attribution" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.8rem 0px 0px;">© Frances Micklow/The Star-Ledger</span> The Rev. Warren Hall, shown in 2014, joined the tiny number of out priests after he was removed as campus minister of Seton Hall University last May.</span></span><br />
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He thought of his complex feelings. He had no ax to grind, and he wasn’t an advocate.</div>
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He set the rules at the outset: He did not want to be identified in this article. But at the end of the first conversation, he said: I’m leaning towards using my real name.</div>
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At a time when the phrase “coming out” is starting to sound almost quaint, the Catholic priesthood may be one of the last remaining closets — and it’s a crowded one. People who study gay clergy believe gay men make up a significant percentage of the 40,000 ordained priests in the United States, including some who believe they may even be the majority. Meanwhile, the number who are out is minuscule.</div>
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The Catholic Church is in the throes of a historic period of debate about homosexuality. Between Pope Francis’s now-famous “Who am I to judge?” line and two high-profile, global meetings he called in the past year to open up discussion about sex and family, there has perhaps never been as much dialogue among Catholics about how far to extend the welcome mat to gay people.</div>
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Francis is expected in the next couple of months to release his conclusions from the meetings. Both sides claimed a measure of victory two weeks ago when he told a Vatican court that “there can be no confusion” between the family willed by God and any other type of union. To some, it was a sign that Francis will not give a doctrinal inch; others saw it as evidence that he might not put up a fight on civil unions.</div>
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Gay priests are invisible in this debate; the church does not research the topic. However, interviews with a dozen priests and former seminarians who are gay, and experts on gay priests, reveal a group of men mostly comfortable with their sexuality. Many express no urgency for the church to accept it. Some, however, say the priesthood remains sexually repressive; one said there is an “invisible wall” around the topic among priests.</div>
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They speak forcefully about the tough work they had to do to accept their sexuality and how important a part it is of who they are. But their acceptance of the closet often harks back to an earlier time.</div>
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This is in part, they say, because as priests they vowed to put service to God over all else.</div>
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The Rev. Warren Hall decided to join the tiny number of out priests after he was removed as campus minister of Seton Hall University last May. Officials noted he had supported a group on Facebook that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and racial justice.</div>
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But while Hall has since been outspoken about the need for more tolerant, open dialogue about human sexuality, he said he understands why gay priests don’t come out — or see gay rights as their cause.</div>
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“Priests want to be good priests, they want to do their job,” said Hall, who was reassigned to a Hoboken, N.J., parish. “More priests are rightfully more concerned about homelessness versus getting caught up in something about sex. We <i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">should</i> be more concerned about those issues [like homelessness] that are impacting people.”</div>
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But some also fear the consequences of coming out in the Catholic Church, whose hierarchy frames a gay life as a diversion from God’s ideal. Parts of <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a6.htm" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #126d91; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">church teaching </a>call being gay “objectively disordered.” Activism under such circumstances can seem out of the question.</div>
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The Chicago priest remembers wanting to speak from the pulpit when same-sex marriage became legal in California in 2008. But he talked himself out of it. “I thought: ‘Oh my gosh, if I talk about it, they’ll think I’m gay.’ ”</div>
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He is torn as he watches the spike in dioceses firing employees who marry someone of the same gender, but his instinct has been to defer to the church.</div>
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“I have a problem with Monday morning quarterbacking. There’s always stuff you don’t know about why people are fired,” he said. It grates on him, though. “But where do you draw the line? There are all kinds of folks not in line on morality stuff,” not just gay priests.</div>
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Priests who have come out — in some cases citing the need to confront anti-LGBT discrimination — say they have found scant support among other priests.</div>
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“Parishioners were very supportive. Religious women were very supportive. One group that was silent were my brother priests. Gay as well as straight,” said the Rev. Fred Daley, a Syracuse, N.Y., priest who came out in 2004 after he was angered by people blaming gay priests for the global clergy sex abuse crisis. “In a sense, it was like I sort of broke the rules of the clerical club.”</div>
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The mixture of fealty to God and the church and concern about harming parishioners or their standing in the priesthood has led some gay priests to gauge each situation before opening up.</div>
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A New York priest says he comes out only in rare private circumstances, when counseling someone struggling to accept their homosexuality. “I’ve been in multiple situations where someone will say: ‘I’m a piece of s---.’ I’ll say: ‘Do I look like a piece of s--- to you? God made me this way.’ ”</div>
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A Pennsylvania priest says he’s “quietly subversive,” speaking acceptingly of gay people but not to just <i style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">anyone</i>. Even the confessional is not a truly safe place for him to tell someone who is gay that it’s not a bad thing. “We have too much to lose. I’ve invested my life in this business.”</div>
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Priests’ views of the church’s handling of homosexuality are not uniform. Some blamed Catholicism for the decades it took them to accept themselves. Others credited their training and the help of other priests with their self-knowledge, saying homophobia in the non-church culture is the problem.</div>
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Even as the doctrine banning same-sex relationships has not changed, the church has varied its emphasis and message on the topic.</div>
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The most recent authoritative statement came in 2005, from Pope Benedict XVI, who, seeking to clarify doctrine after the sweeping changes under the Second Vatican Council, wrote that being gay is “objectively disordered.” The church, “while profoundly respecting the persons in question, cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture,’ ” Benedict said,</div>
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The message seemed clear, say many priests and several people who train seminarians. Many who had considered coming out of the closet decided to stay in.</div>
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Yet the intent behind Benedict’s words has been debated. Some say he never meant to bar gay men who are celibate. Others say he meant to keep out men who feel strongly defined by their sexuality, and perhaps would be challenged by celibacy.</div>
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Regardless, there is no question that in the past few years church leaders are emphasizing far more that Catholicism accepts people who are gay — it’s the sexual relationships or marriage that is the problem. Francis’s famous “Who am I to judge?” comment was said after a question about gay priests.</div>
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Last spring, a Jesuit — Francis’s community — wrote about being gay in a blog post believed to be the first time a Jesuit has come out with the explicit permission of his superiors. Damian Torres-Botello denied requests to be interviewed for this article.</div>
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In some communities, particularly the Jesuits, gay priests can be out — to a point, the priests interviewed said. Others say Benedict’s words created a lasting chill for gay men and that conditions are much harsher today.</div>
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“If there is a seminarian who is gay, my recommendation would be: Don’t tell anybody,” Hall said.</div>
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Monsignor Stephen Rossetti, a D.C. priest-psychologist who helps seminaries create materials about sexual health, said there is a hesitancy today to admit people who are gay and that the percentage of gay priests has dropped. All other priests interviewed disagreed.</div>
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“They’re more conservative, but no less gay,” said the Pennsylvania priest of the incoming, younger generation of clergy.</div>
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The Chicago priest doesn’t disregard the church’s teaching on sexuality, but he tries to emphasize the church’s teaching that sexuality is an expression of the divine and encourages people topray and discern their own place. His place, he says, is that of a man who didn’t understand he was gay when he entered the priesthood and now views his sexuality as a gift to his ministry.</div>
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“There’s a level of witnessing here that’s important for me to do. The Christian faith has a lot to say about the underdog, about the marginalized or the leper, the blind, the lame, the ostracized woman prostitute, widow, the little one,” he said.</div>
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“I’d like to be one of those priests, who, with great respect for the church’s teaching, can say: I’m a human being. I’m a son — one of six — I’m gay and I’m a priest, period.”</div>
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Prayer has led him to believe this article is part of that witness. He has decided he wants to be known: His name is Michael Shanahan.</div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-71240369332679417912016-01-29T21:23:00.002-08:002016-01-29T21:24:42.389-08:00Fired Wal-Mart worker wins $31 million in discrimination case<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "segoe ui" , "segoe wp" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px;"><br />A jury has awarded more than $31 million in damages to a former Wal-Mart pharmacist in New Hampshire who claimed she was wrongly fired after reporting safety concerns about co-workers dispensing prescriptions.</span><br />
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Maureen McPadden was a 13-year employee who reported her concerns to management while working in Wal-Mart's Seabrook, N.H., pharmacy. She was fired in 2012 after losing her pharmacy key.</div>
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The jury awarded most of the money Thursday based on gender discrimination claims.</div>
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Wal-Mart denied that it engaged in any form of wrongful conduct.</div>
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A spokesman for the Bentonville, Ark., company said Friday that the facts do not support the verdict and that it plans to ask the trial judge to review it. He says McPadden had been disciplined before and the lost key led to her dismissal.</div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-41392920276209301382016-01-29T21:22:00.001-08:002016-01-29T21:22:16.451-08:00Walker presidential campaign owes $1.2M in debt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="Republican presidential candidate and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker waves a U.S. one dollar bill as he formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on July 13, 2015." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAcY55b.img?h=468&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1267&y=408" /><br />
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Republican presidential candidate and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker waves a U.S. one dollar bill as he formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on July 13, 2015."><span class="attribution" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-size: 1.3rem; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.8rem 0px 0px;">© REUTERS/Darren Hauck</span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 1.3rem; line-height: 1.384;"> Republican presidential candidate and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker waves a U.S. one dollar bill as he formally announces his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination during a kickoff rally in…</span><span style="font-size: 20.8px; line-height: 28.7872px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 20.8px; line-height: 28.7872px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px;">During his three-month presidential campaign, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) racked up over $1.2 million in debt and ended with little over $150,000 cash-on-hand.</span></span></span><br />
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His campaign’s year-end report on Friday showed that his arrears had ballooned by over a million dollars from the third to fourth quarters of 2015.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.</em></div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-44145589962429579582016-01-28T23:33:00.003-08:002016-01-28T23:33:19.300-08:00With no Trump onstage, GOP debate focuses on Cruz, policy, other issues<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Mike Huckabee speaks as Rick Santorum, left, Carly Fiorina and Jim Gilmore listen during a Republican presidential primary debate, Jan. 28, in Des Moines, Iowa." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoPXxn.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1272&y=545" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Republican presidential candidate, Ben Carson, speaks during a Bloomberg Politics interview in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., on, Jan. 27." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoPo17.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1572&y=771" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Rand Paul, (R-KY), handles a AR-15 style rifle as he meets with customers during a campaign stop at a gun show at Bektash Shrine Center, Jan. 23, in Concord." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoPDfb.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=839&y=311" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RAND PAUL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Rand Paul, (R-KY), handles a AR-15 style rifle as he meets with customers during a campaign stop at a gun show at Bektash Shrine Center, Jan. 23, in Concord.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Republican presidential candidates (R-L) Ben Carson and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie participate in the Fox News - Google GOP Debate January 28, 2016 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQeN9.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1142&y=415" /><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BEN CARSON SPEAKS ON A POINT</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Republican presidential candidates (R-L) Ben Carson and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie participate in the Fox News - Google GOP Debate January 28, 2016 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="John Kasich argues a point during a Republican presidential primary debate, Jan. 28, in Des Moines, Iowa." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQ2Ad.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=544&y=525" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">JOHN KASICH ARGUES A POINT</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">John Kasich argues a point during a Republican presidential primary debate, Jan. 28, in Des Moines, Iowa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DES MOINES — The first Republican debate without Donald Trump unfolded differently than the others. It was quieter, more cordial – and far more predictable, as the politicians onstage often retreated into talking points and rehashed bits of stump speeches — without a bombastic billionaire onstage to throw them off their game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The night’s most interesting moments largely revolved around Sen. Ted Cruz, who played the front-runner’s role as Trump boycotted the debate because of a running feud with Fox News Channel, which hosted the event. Rival Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) said that Cruz’s campaign was built on a “lie,” because Cruz (Tex.) was not honest about his position changes on the subject of immigration. Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) said Cruz had an “authenticity problem.”</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 25.992px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And Cruz was pressed about an issue where he has been criticized by the popular and long-serving Republican governor of corn-growing Iowa: Cruz’s call to phase out the federal mandate to use ethanol in fuels.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“I don’t believe that Washington should be picking winners and losers. And I believe that there should be no mandates and no subsidies whatsoever” for any kind of fuel, Cruz said. His call for the elimination of the ethanol mandate, which boosts purchase of corn, brought an attack by Iowa’s long-serving governor, Terry Branstad.<br /><span style="line-height: 25.992px;"><br />Cruz sought to reframe his opposition to the ethanol standard as part of a broader roll-back of government regulations, which would eventually boost the corn-ethanol industry along with everyone else. He mentioned an even more obscure issue – at least, obscure outside of Iowa – which was the “ethanol blend wall.” That is a limit on the percentage of ethanol that can be blended into fuel, set by the government and supported by oil companies. The logic of the “wall” is that a greater amount of ethanol may harm auto parts. “I will tear down the EPA’s blend wall, which will enable ethanol to expand its market share.”</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 18px; line-height: 25.992px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trump himself sought to overshadow the entire event, holding a rival event across town meant to honor veterans. He also dominated the news during the debate, after Fox News charged that Trump had asked for a $5 million donation to his charities in return for his appearance at the debate.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Late Thursday evening, Trump responded with a statement that didn’t specifically deny he’d asked Fox News for what the network called a “quid pro quo.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The event tonight, which raised more than $6 million dollars, and in many respects turned out to be bigger than the debate, was for the Veterans. If FOX wanted to join in that effort and make a contribution Mr. Trump would have welcomed that,” the statement said, in part. It concluded by saying that “Mr. Trump won tonight as well,” even without showing up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was unclear whether Trump’s boycott will actually pay off: That may have to wait until Monday, when Iowans finally go to the caucuses.<br /><span style="line-height: 25.992px;"><br />But his absence showed the rest of the GOP field what their race might have been like, without this bombastic and unexpected outsider. For one thing, there was a lot more of what politicians call “pivoting” – taking a dangerous, difficult question, and responding with a safe, poll-tested answer. Asked about their own issues, candidates turned quickly to subjects they all agreed on: the Islamic State must be defeated. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton cannot be trusted.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“One of her very first acts as president may be to pardon herself,” Rubio said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The days of the Clintons in public housing are over,” said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Those got good laughs, but they did little to differentiate those candidates in a crowded field of candidates, all chasing Trump.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the most memorable statements of the night came from retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who had been a largely quiet presence onstage. Carson was asked for a closing statement. He responded by reciting the preamble to the Constitution, one of the most beautiful and succinct explanations of what America is about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Folks, it’s not too late,” Carson said after that. “Enough said.”</span></div>
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<span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0px auto 2.4rem; padding: 0px;"><span class="image" data-attrib="" data-caption="Republican presidential hopefuls from left Rand Paul , Chris Christie , Ben Carson , Ted Cruz , Marco Rubio , Jeb Bush and John Kasich on stage during the Republican debate at the Iowa Events Center. Rodney White/The Des Moines Register via USA TODAY NETWORK" data-id="156" data-m="{"i":156,"p":70,"n":"openModal","t":"articleImages","o":6}" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><img alt="Republican presidential hopefuls from left Rand Paul , Chris Christie , Ben Carson , Ted Cruz , Marco Rubio , Jeb Bush and John Kasich on stage during the Republican debate at the Iowa Events Center. Rodney White/The Des Moines Register via USA TODAY NETWORK" class=" loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"73","h":"50","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQoJJ.img?h=500&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1307&y=769"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"43","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQoJJ.img?h=428&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1307&y=769"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"43","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQoJJ.img?h=428&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1307&y=769"}}" height="400" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQoJJ.img?h=500&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1307&y=769" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: 50rem; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 73rem;" width="326" /></span><span class="caption truncate" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: bottom; color: #666666; display: inline-block; font-size: 1.3rem; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; max-height: 3.7rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 72.8rem;" title="Republican presidential hopefuls from left Rand Paul , Chris Christie , Ben Carson , Ted Cruz , Marco Rubio , Jeb Bush and John Kasich on stage during the Republican debate at the Iowa Events Center. Rodney White/The Des Moines Register via USA TODAY NETWORK"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Republican presidential hopefuls from left Rand Paul , Chris Christie , Ben Carson , Ted Cruz , Marco Rubio , Jeb Bush and John Kasich on stage during the Republican debate at the Iowa Events Center. Rodney White/The Des Moines Register via USA</span></span></span></div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-84860559964028966822016-01-28T23:24:00.001-08:002016-01-28T23:24:39.205-08:00Fox News: Trump wanted $5M to participate in debate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="Fox News: Trump wanted $5M to participate in debate" height="360" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoQ25i.img?h=152&w=270&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=352&y=115" width="640" /><br />
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Donald Trump told Fox News that he would only participate in Thursday night's GOP debate if the network donated $5 million to charities, according to the network.</div>
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"We explained that was not possible and we could not engage in a quid pro quo, nor could any money change hands for any reason," a Fox News spokesperson told The Hill in a statement.</div>
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Trump, the GOP front-runner, decided to skip the event, claiming that the network was unfair to him, the latest salvo in his long-running feud with Fox. Trump cited a harsh statement from the network released after he called for sidelining moderator Megyn Kelly.</div>
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The spokesperson also pushed back against Trump's recent claims that the network's CEO called him repeatedly after he decided to pull out of the debate.</div>
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“Roger Ailes had three brief conversations with Donald Trump today about possibly appearing at the debate – there were not multiple calls placed by Ailes to Trump," the spokesperson said.</div>
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"We acknowledged his concerns about a satirical observation we made in order to quell the attacks on Megyn Kelly, and prevent her from being smeared any further."</div>
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The spokesperson said the network stood by "our journalistic standards" as well as Kelly, noting that it is "proud to have her on stage as a debate moderator."</div>
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Trump followed through on his threat to skip the debate and is hosting an event for veterans just a few miles away. </div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-51219022046733318092016-01-26T21:13:00.004-08:002016-01-26T21:13:38.689-08:00 This Photo of a Potato Sold for $1 Million<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="" class=" loaded" data-initial-set="true" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"73","h":"41","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoKcUA.img?h=410&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=664&y=419"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"35","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoKcUA.img?h=352&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=664&y=419"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"35","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoKcUA.img?h=352&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=664&y=419"}}" height="359" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoKcUA.img?h=410&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=664&y=419" style="height: 41rem; width: 73rem;" width="640" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">© Provided by Eater<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That must be one fancy potato.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
potato is a great tuber. It can be prepared in all sorts of ways, and
without it, French fries wouldn't exist. But, is the potato so great
that its likeness is worth a million bucks? Apparently so, because <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/photography/businessman-buys-photograph-of-a-potato-for-1m-a6831681.html" target="_blank">the <em>Independent </em>reports</a> a European businessman has purchased this photo of a potato for 1 million euros ($1,086,950).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of
course, it's probably not the potato itself that made the photograph so
pricey. It was taken by acclaimed photographer Kevin Abosch in 2010 and
is one of three versions of the print in existence. Abosch says it's
the most expensive photo he's ever sold, and most of his work typically
goes for around $280,000. So if any photo of a potato is ever going to
be worth $1 million, it seems this would be the one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span xmlns=""></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Still, that's an absurd price to pay for <em>a photo of a potato</em>. At least this guy didn't <a href="http://www.eater.com/2015/10/2/9440525/eat-noma-dirt-alan-cumming-dee-hilfiger-wall-street" target="_blank">pay $5,000 to eat dirt</a>.</span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-44447656395167559472016-01-26T02:26:00.002-08:002016-01-26T02:26:16.668-08:0010 Stupid Mistakes Small Businesses Make With Social Media<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosX46.img?h=587&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" /></span><br />
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<span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0px auto 2.4rem; padding: 0px;"><span class="caption truncate" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: bottom; color: #666666; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; max-height: 3.7rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 72.8rem;"><span class="attribution" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.8rem 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">© luismolinero - Fotolia.com</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s hard to find a person or a company that doesn’t have a Facebook, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn account—but small companies beware! Just because everybody uses social media doesn’t make it a useful marketing tool. In fact, without a smart strategy, committing human and financial resources to a social media campaign could cost you big, draining resources and generating negative ROI. Here are 10 mistakes to avoid:</span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Spreading Yourself Too Thin</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Building a social media presence takes a lot of time and effort. You have to engage with people continually, and communicate highly informative and/or provocative messages to stand out from the crowd. It’s hard enough to do this on one social platform, let alone two, three, or twenty. Smart small businesses, knowing their internal resources are limited, take on one platform at a time.</span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Having an Undifferentiated Strategy</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When companies make mistake No. 1, they begin taking shortcuts, usually in the form of mechanically sharing the same content on each of their platforms. Big mistake. Social media users use multiple platforms; once they read your company’s same message everywhere, they will lose interest. Have a unique strategy for each platform. For instance, use Twitter to announce sales promotions and Facebook to share action shots of your products in use. This gives users a clear reason to follow you on the applicable platform(s).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosPvt.img?h=485&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It’s amazing how many companies forget social media is social. When someone reaches out to your company with a comment, you must respond—quickly and thoughtfully. Once the perception takes hold that your company is above engaging with the audience, you are dead. You will be labeled as a company that is interested only in self-promotion, a cardinal sin of social media marketing.</span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Controlling the Message</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Similar to No. 3, companies err by viewing their social media accounts as advertising platforms. On social media, authenticity is valued highly. It’s OK to admit a mistake, ask for help, and respond frankly to criticism. Many small companies are unwilling to do this, and if you are one of them, either change your attitude or look for another method of Internet marketing.</span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Not Giving to Get<br /><img src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosHUA.img?h=487&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" /></span></strong></div>
<article class="articlecontent loaded" data-aop="article" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/NewsArticle" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 22.005px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 728px;"><section class="articlebody" data-aop="articlebody" itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.444; margin: 0px 0px 4rem; max-height: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; transition: max-height 1s ease-in;"><div class="arsegment" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
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<span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0px auto 2.4rem; padding: 0px;"><span class="caption truncate" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: bottom; color: #666666; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; max-height: 3.7rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 72.8rem;"><span class="attribution" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.8rem 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">© Justin Sullivan/Getty Images</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“Giving to get” is the path to success in social media. This strategy requires a generous spirit. Small companies succeed in social media when they go out of their way to help people by providing useful content, sharing other people’s content, jumping into conversations where they can lend a hand, and making it easy for people to try their products and services.</span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6. Selling Too Much</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Social media users don’t like the hard sell. As a matter of fact, many use social media to escape commercialism. Don’t try too hard to sell your products and services; there will be a backlash. Again, social media is social. The best path to generating sales is to build relationships with your social media community, and then introduce the idea of doing business together.</span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. Not Selling Enough</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The flip side of No. 6 is also a big mistake—not attempting to sell through your social media campaign. This amounts to not having a strategy at all. If you view social media as a way to build credibility and brand awareness, that’s fine, but at some point you have to turn that credibility and brand awareness into sales. Smart small businesses gradually ramp up lead and revenue generation activities on their social media accounts; not doing it prematurely, but when the time is right to convert the “soft” asset of brand affinity into hard dollars.<br /></span></div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">8. Failing to Leverage Your Knowledge</strong></div>
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<span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; margin: 0px auto 2.4rem; padding: 0px;"><span class="image" data-attrib="KeremYucel/ iStock Editorial/ Getty Images" data-caption="" data-id="59" data-m="{"i":59,"p":51,"n":"openModal","t":"articleImages","o":8}" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><img alt="" class=" loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"73","h":"66","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosHZc.img?h=663&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1203&y=593"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"57","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosHZc.img?h=568&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1203&y=593"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"57","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosHZc.img?h=568&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1203&y=593"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBosHZc.img?h=663&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=1203&y=593" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 66rem; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 73rem;" width="728" /></span><span class="caption truncate" style="box-sizing: border-box; caption-side: bottom; color: #666666; display: inline-block; line-height: 1.384; margin: 0.5rem 0px 0px; max-height: 3.7rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 72.8rem;"><span class="attribution" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0.8rem 0px 0px;">© KeremYucel/ iStock Editorial/ Getty Images</span></span></span>Small companies know a lot about their products, services, markets and audiences. This knowledge, when communicated on social media, attracts the interest of potential customers. When a small business delegates its social media campaigning to a junior staffer with limited business knowledge, these potential customers will not be attracted, and may additionally conclude your entire firm is inexperienced and incompetent. By overdelegating, such companies turn their biggest potential advantage into a crippling disadvantage.</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">9. Failing to Establish Metrics</strong></div>
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Many small businesses that have been on social media for a few years have absolutely no idea how well their campaign is working. Obviously, not having a way to evaluate a social media campaign leads to wasted investment and an inability to improve campaign effectiveness. Popular and useful metrics include tracking brand mentions; social shares of your company’s content; referred traffic from social media sites to your company website; and the number of engaged community members as measured by comments, direct messages. and other measurable actions. These metrics are not perfect, but provide a reliable sense of whether your campaign is stagnant, improving, or worsening.</div>
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<strong style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">10. Putting Too Many Eggs in the Social Basket</strong></div>
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Social media marketing is really, really tempting for small companies because the financial barriers to entry are basically zero—signing up is free and the main investment is time. However, for revenue generation, brand awareness, and credibility building, other Internet marketing options may produce far better and quicker results—<a href="https://www.straightnorth.com/blog/glossary-ppc-terms/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #126d91; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">pay-per-click advertising</a> and email marketing, to name two of the more obvious. Companies are smart to test various options. Social media could be the path of most resistance, but you won’t know unless you test. Budget accordingly and prosper!</div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-52400900823846717372016-01-25T03:23:00.000-08:002016-01-25T03:23:08.220-08:00Best medical treatment abroad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Medical treatment abroad" height="427" src="http://cdn1.hmc-israel.org.il/cdn/farfuture/9fpcta7J1cg86eO2O0RdE2Sy-6caHlvqgSHGzRT2yOE/mtime:1440655993/sites/default/files/shutterstock_164833343_2.jpg" style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;" width="640" /><br /><br />Medical Tourism once broadly focused on provision of health care and emergency treatment provided by higher-income countries to less developed nations, has since expanded to include patients from many parts of the world to countries with the full range of health care system infrastructure and modernity. Medical Tourism (MT) has become particularly popular in the United States, mainly due to high living costs and costly health services and care. In the United States, a staggering 50 million people are uninsured and over twice as many are uninsured for dental care. Nevertheless, insurance may not cover specific treatments and many are unable to meet the financial requirements specified for medical procedures that they require.</div>
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<em style="background: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background: none; border: 0px; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding: 0px;">The popularity of Medical treatment abroad is expanding globally mainly due to its greater capacity to provide safe, high quality treatments to those who cannot receive comparable care in their country of origin; many turning to India and Israel.</span></em></div>
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Therefore, Americans have many reasons for seeking treatment elsewhere - since it has also become easier over time to receive the treatment they need that is on average 30% cheaper than in the United States. They can also receive the quality and safety that equals national standards for the very same procedure. Furthermore, patients reap the benefits of getting medical care and treatment while they travel and vacation.</div>
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In the modern MT industry, international patients can be rest-assured that in nearly all countries, patients receive quality treatment in the same hospitals that also serve the local population. Services are provided by licensed professionals who maintain international accreditations that adherence to strict medical protocols.</div>
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MT is forecasted to expand even further, becoming an increasingly global phenomenon. Along with its growth, affordable and highly sophisticated diagnostic tools that guide the development of innovative treatments. Renowned specialists work with international patients; contributing to the growth of the industry and its success through expertise in specific branches of medicine. Today, an astounding 7 million people have travelled the globe for medical services for procedures like heart transplants to cosmetic surgery and dental care.</div>
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MT allows those seeking care to obtain treatment for conditions requiring procedures and processes that would be otherwise unobtainable in their home country; specifically in countries with a medical infrastructure, that lacks important resources for health care delivery.</div>
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The MT industry strengthens local economies and provides important employment opportunities of countries that offer medical treatment to foreign patients. Patients worldwide are drawn to new and efficient treatments that have become more cost-effective in places such as Israel and India – this includes complex surgical procedures. Other popular destinations for Medical treatment abroad include Thailand, Singapore, and Mexico.</div>
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Medical tourism in India</h2>
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India often attracts patients that require orthopedic and cardiac surgeries, as well as IVF and oncological treatment. Complications have arisen in incidents of malpractice, lack of comprehensive follow-up care and other difficulties that result in patients seeking services elsewhere. India also has a long rainy season (monsoon) that makes the country difficult to navigate due to weather conditions from May to September – which may affect a patient’s decision to travel to India, especially if the patient is living with a chronic disease.</div>
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India is emerging, creating new departments within government-managed facilities to serve medical tourists and working to improve the coordination of healthcare services. In addition, India aims to promote traditional and alternative medical care through the incorporation of yoga and ancient medicine - Ayurveda.</div>
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Israel: Top medical tourism destination</h2>
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<img alt="" pagespeed_url_hash="2083055031" src="http://cdn1.hmc-israel.org.il/cdn/farfuture/5JpvxQ2mRX7KVlzfnz5HzE0RePpEo2rPz8r3It-sL1U/mtime:1440656246/sites/default/files/uploads/israel.jpg" style="background: none; border: 0px; float: right; height: 264px; margin: 0px 25px; max-height: 1e+06px; padding: 0px; width: 385px;" />Israel’s rising popularity as a destination for MT originates from its dynamic tourist attractions, high quality and safe medical procedures and leading doctors, all of which continue to evolve, advancing its successful medical services. In 2014, the Medical Tourism Index (MTI) ranked Israel highly as third in a list of top destinations for medical treatment around the world. Israel uses the most modern techniques for medical practice through the incorporation of advanced screening techniques, laboratory analysis, and individualized treatment. In addition, Israel’s industry, pioneering in the production and development of bio-medical devices, such as the ReWalk exoskeleton.</div>
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Bordering the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is an easily accessible destination to access from many countries of the world. The beaches of Israel are among the finest in the world and enjoyed by patients who stay for post-operative care (following orthopedic surgeries, for example) who simultaneously can enjoy their vacationing period and save money on their medical care.</div>
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Israel has successfully established its medical presence on a global scale, including plans for developing Israeli clinics within Russia, as Israel is a popular destination for many Russian patients, as well as in Cyprus; where medical facilities in the countries seek to employ Israeli doctors. Many esthetic and reconstructive surgical techniques of Israeli doctors are implemented within hospitals across the globe.</div>
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As mentioned, medical successes in Israel, such as success rates for IVF (In-vitro fertilization) are significantly higher (25-30%) than global averages for procedures of this type and performed at a fraction of the cost than most other countries. Cardiac surgery is another main branch of medicine that attracts tourists to receive care in Israel with many successful bypass surgeries performed. In addition, a large proportion of Israel’s medical tourists come for various cancer treatments.</div>
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Furthermore, Israel is known as a country that is focused on health and wellness. The Dead Sea, a natural water source is rich with unique mineral salts, known to have miraculous healing properties to treat a multitude of conditions that range from eczema to rheumatoid arthritis.</div>
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Globally, Medical treatment abroad continues to flourish, with greater accessibility to innovative treatments and medical technologies, many foreign patients can take full advantage of what the industry has to offer. Before traveling for a medical procedure, all prospective patients should consider and remain aware of all possible complications regarding treatment abroad. Patients should ensure that the hospital of choice for treatment is fully accredited, equipped, as well as a trusted and registered medical tourism provider for safe and effective medical practice. <a href="http://www.hmcisrael.com/" target="_blank">Visit Site.</a></div>
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AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-78854701092332154272016-01-25T03:17:00.003-08:002016-01-25T03:17:48.451-08:00The richest people in United State<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<img alt="Harry H. Stine, Mack Chase and George Kaiser." src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/CCi5LF.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=917&y=353" /><br />
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The net worth of just 20 U.S. citizens is greater than the combined wealth of more than half of the U.S. population. Political discourse over the past few years has focused on comparisons between the average American and the wealthiest 1%, but this comparison does not capture the wealth disparity within this top echelon of affluent Americans. It ignores an additional strata of individuals whose bank accounts and influence dwarf most of the 1%.<br /><br /><span style="line-height: 25.992px;">These individuals are so wealthy that they have the resources to singlehandedly affect the course of a national election or to start a massive philanthropic organization. Often, these donations and foundations primarily impact the region in which these individuals live. As might be expected, most of the nation’s hyper-wealthy live in New York, Florida, California, and Texas -- some of the country’s largest and most productive economies.</span></div>
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But even in the most sparsely-populated states, there are individuals worth hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions. 24/7 Wall st. reviewed the wealthiest person in each state.</div>
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As the election season continues, many of these ultra-wealthy individuals will be in the spotlight as major political donors. Many of the names on this list are well known for contributing massive sums to political action committees in past. The wealthiest person in Nevada and Las Vegas Sands owner Sheldon Adelson contributed more than $100 million to Republican candidates during the 2012 presidential race. A number of GOP candidates have been actively courting Adelson for support. The brothers Charles and David Koch, wealthiest in Kansas and New York, respectively, are also powerful and influential donors for conservative causes.</div>
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On the left, Oklahoma’s wealthiest resident George Kaiser contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.</div>
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How the people on this list amassed their fortunes varies. Many of the country’s wealthiest residents earned billions through their own ingenuity, risk, and hard work. One prominent example is Bill Gates, who is one of wealthiest -- if not the wealthiest -- individual in the world. Born into a middle class family, Gates earned $20,000 at age 15 for developing a computer program to track Seattle traffic patterns. He dropped out of college and went on to start the now ubiquitous Microsoft and is worth an estimated $76 billion today.</div>
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In stark contrast to the self-made narrative embodied by those like Bill Gates and others, many of the individuals on this list did little to earn their vast fortunes. Alice Walton, for example, inherited much of her $32 billion estate from Wal-Mart's founder Sam Walton. While she remains largely uninvolved in her family’s business, Walton is the wealthiest person in Texas. Similarly, Bill and Susan Alfond -- the wealthiest people in Maine -- acquired each of their $1.2 billion fortunes as the Berkshire Hathaway stock they inherited from their father increased in value.</div>
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While many of the wealthiest people in each state inherited either an established business or a vast fortune from a family member, others took an inheritance and turned it into something much bigger. Harry Stine, Iowa’s richest resident, for example, took his father’s soybean cleaning business and expanded it by genetically modifying and breeding soybeans and seed corn to improve crop yields. Though he did not start the Stine Seed company, he played a major role in the company’s expansion. This likely contributed to the size of his current $3.4 billion fortune and his status as Iowa’s richest man.</div>
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The practically unlimited resources these individuals have also give them the opportunity to create massive public trusts and charities that can fund anything from wildlife reserves to need-based scholarships. Often, the case is made that these individuals are pledging only a token of their wealth as a public relations tactic, or are simply using philanthropic activity to dodge taxes. There is no easy way to determine the motivations behind these charitable groups, but there are at least substantial differences in how much is contributed from case to case.</div>
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South Dakota billionaire T. Denny Sanford donated an estimated $800 million -- more than half of his current net worth -- to fund a new hospital system in his hometown. In 2006, Warren Buffett famously pledged to give more than 99% of his total wealth to charity. On the other hand, according to one estimate, the Waltons have given collectively less than $55 million, or an estimated .04% of their combined net worth.</div>
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The wealthiest person in each state list is based on Forbes's net worth estimates. 24/7 Wall St. determined each state’s wealthiest person based on Forbes’ frequently-updated estimates, and all values listed are as of December, 2015. When a husband and wife are listed by Forbes as the wealthiest in a given state, they are both included in the summary. This is also the case for siblings who inherited equal shares of a fortune, and are also tied as the wealthiest in a state. In each case, the wealthy individual’s state refers to their current residence, as determined by Forbes, and not by their birthplace or where their business is headquartered.</div>
</div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-52643297689336252762016-01-21T11:35:00.004-08:002016-01-21T11:35:56.336-08:00The FBI's most wanted fugitives still on the run<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="On January 16, the FBI captured Myloh Jaqory Mason, also known as Colorado's "Scream Robber," one month after Mason debuted on the FBI's most wanted list.<p>The following individuals on the <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten">FBI's</a> list have alternate identities and are considered armed and dangerous.</p><p>All photos and captions are provided by the FBI.</p><p>Please do not attempt to apprehend any of these fugitives. Report any tips to the FBI by clicking <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/">here</a>.</p>" class="loaded" data-initial-set="true" data-src="{"default":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotTPb.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=227&y=479"}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotTPb.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=227&y=479" title="On January 16, the FBI captured Myloh Jaqory Mason, also known as Colorado's "Scream Robber," one mo... - FBI" width="497" /><br /><br />On January 16, the FBI captured Myloh Jaqory Mason, also known as
Colorado's "Scream Robber," one month after Mason debuted on the FBI's
most wanted list.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The following individuals on the <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten" target="_blank">FBI's</a> list have alternate identities and are considered armed and dangerous.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All photos and captions are provided by the FBI.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Please do not attempt to apprehend any of these fugitives. Report any tips to the FBI by clicking <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/victor-manuel-gerena/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotRgd.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotRgd.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="484" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Victor Manuel Gerena is being sought in connection with the armed
robbery of approximately $7 million from a security company in
Connecticut in 1983. He allegedly took two security employees hostage at
gunpoint and then handcuffed, bound, and injected them with an unknown
substance in order to further disable them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/glen-stewart-godwin/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1AE.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1AE.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="476" /><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/glen-stewart-godwin/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1AE.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1AE.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="476" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Glen Stewart Godwin is being sought for his 1987 escape from Folsom
State Prison in California, where he was serving a lengthy sentence for
murder. Later in 1987, Godwin was arrested on a charge of drug
trafficking in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. After being convicted, he was
sent to a prison in Guadalajara. In April 1991, Godwin allegedly
murdered a fellow inmate and then escaped five months later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/jason-derek-brown/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotRgh.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=444&y=195"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotRgh.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=444&y=195" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="469" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jason Derek Brown is wanted on charges of murder and armed robbery in
Phoenix, Arizona. During November 2004, Brown allegedly shot and killed
an armored-car guard outside a movie theater and then fled with the
money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/yaser-abdel-said/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotRgq.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=464&y=175"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotRgq.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=464&y=175" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="492" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yaser Abdel Said is wanted for his connection with the murders of his
two teenage daughters. The girls died of multiple gunshot wounds on
January 1, 2008, in Irving, Texas.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fidel-urbina/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou99B.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=401&y=166"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou99B.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=401&y=166" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="488" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fidel Urbina is wanted for allegedly beating and raping a woman in March
1998. While out on bond, he also allegedly beat, raped, and strangled a
second woman to death in October 1998. Her body was later found in the
trunk of a vehicle that had been burned. Both crimes occurred in
Chicago, Illinois.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/alexis-flores/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1AV.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1AV.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="434" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Alexis Flores is wanted in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a
5-year-old girl in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The girl was reported
missing in late July 2000 and was later found strangled to death in a
nearby apartment in early August 2000.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/eduardo-ravelo/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotTPt.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=464&y=189"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotTPt.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=464&y=189" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="445" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eduardo Ravelo was indicted in Texas in 2008 on charges of racketeering,
conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and conspiracy to possess
heroin, cocaine, and marijuana with the intent to distribute. His
alleged criminal activities began in 2003.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/victor-manuel-gerena/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotTPw.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotTPw.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="500" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Victor Manuel Gerena is being sought in connection with the armed
robbery of approximately $7 million from a security company in
Connecticut in 1983.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="<p>Source: <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/william-bradford-bishop-jr/view">FBI</a></p>" class="loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"wait","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1B6.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=480&y=147"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBou1B6.img?h=373&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=480&y=147" title="Source: FBI - FBI" width="443" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">William Bradford Bishop Jr. is wanted for allegedly bludgeoning to death
his wife (age 37), mother (age 68), and three sons (ages 5, 10, and 14)
in Bethesda, Maryland, on March 1, 1976. He then allegedly transported
their bodies to Columbia, North Carolina, where he buried them in a
shallow grave and lit them on fire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br /></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-84966420763725718682016-01-21T11:31:00.003-08:002016-01-21T11:31:48.303-08:00 Louisiana serial killer convicted in 2 deaths, accused in 5 others has died, official says <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="Baton Rouge serial murder suspect Derrick Todd Lee appears in Fulton County Superior Court for an extradition hearing May 28, 2003 in Atlanta, Georgia. Lee is wanted for the murders of at least five Louisiana women and was taken into custody May 27 without incident by the Atlanta Police Department fugitive squad. Lee waived his rights, allowing for his return to Louisiana." class=" loaded" data-initial-set="true" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"27","h":"37","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBowY3w.img?h=372&w=270&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=632&y=518"}}" height="320" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBowY3w.img?h=372&w=270&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=632&y=518" style="height: 37rem; width: 27rem;" width="233" />N</span></div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Serial killer Derrick Todd Lee, who
was convicted of murdering two women and was sentenced to death for the
second killing, has died at a hospital where he was taken for emergency
treatment, state corrections officials said.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lee went to the
hospital early Saturday and died shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday,
Department of Public Safety and Corrections spokeswoman Pam Laborde said
in an emailed statement. She said an autopsy will determine cause of
death.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lee was sentenced to life for one murder and to death for
killing 22-year-old Charlotte Murray Pace, who was stabbed 81 times and
bludgeoned with an iron in May 2002.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Louisiana Supreme Court
upheld that conviction and sentence in September, rejecting claims that
his lawyer should have brought up evidence of mental illness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Given
the compelling evidence that Lee committed five brutal murders marked
by exceptional violence and unsuccessfully attempted another, he cannot
show that counsel's failure to present additional evidence that he may
suffer from other mental disorders, whether or not related to his
troubled upbringing, deprived him of a fair sentencing hearing or
resulted in an unreliable recommendation of death," Justice Scott J.
Chrichton wrote in a concurring opinion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DNA evidence linked Lee
to five additional killings from 1998 to 2003; Diane Alexander survived
to testify against him in both the Pace trial and that for the murder in
2002 of Gerilyn DeSoto.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lee was convicted of second-degree
murder, which carries an automatic life sentence, in DeSoto's death.
Jurors voted 11-1 to convict him of first-degree murder, which can bring
a death sentence. Because the vote was not unanimous, he was convicted
of the lesser charge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span xmlns=""></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge later reported that
the juror who voted not guilty had become ill during deliberations, was
unable to fully participate and had to cast a vote of not guilty by
default.</span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-36836342473190674992016-01-20T21:12:00.000-08:002016-01-20T21:12:18.551-08:00 Poll: Slight majority think Donald Trump would be a bad president<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="image" data-attrib="Provided by The Hill" data-caption="Poll: Slight majority think Donald Trump would be a bad president" data-id="72" data-m="{"i":72,"p":69,"n":"openModal","t":"articleImages","o":3}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="Poll: Slight majority think Donald Trump would be a bad president" class=" loaded" data-initial-set="true" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"27","h":"15","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoufK6.img?h=152&w=270&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=266&y=68"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBoufK6.img?h=152&w=270&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=266&y=68" style="height: 15rem; width: 27rem;" width="270" /></span></span><span class="storyimage floated inlineimage" data-aop="image"><span class="caption truncate"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="attribution">© Provided by The Hill</span>
Poll: Slight majority think Donald Trump would be a bad president</span></span></span><br />
<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A slight majority of voters think that Donald Trump would be a bad president, according to a new <a href="http://www.people-press.org/2016/01/20/voters-skeptical-that-2016-candidates-would-make-good-presidents/" target="_blank">Pew Research Center poll</a> released Wednesday. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fifty-two
percent of voters said the business mogul would make a poor or terrible
president, with 38 percent saying they think he would be terrible in
the role. Thirty-one percent said that he would either be good or great,
while just 12 percent said he would be average.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
poll also found that voters don’t think highly of the 2016 field in
general. Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton leads all the
candidates when it comes to favorable ratings, with 35 percent saying
she will make a good or great president.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Forty-four percent said the former secretary of state would be poor or terrible as commander in chief.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In
terms of the percentage of voters who think a candidate would make a
good or great president, Trump and Clinton were followed by Democratric
candidate Bernie Sanders, at 30 percent, and Republican candidates Ted
Cruz, at 28 percent; Ben Carson, at 26 percent; Marco Rubio, at 24
percent; Chris Christie, at 19 percent; Jeb Bush, at 17 percent; and
John Kasich, at 13 percent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most candidates
received mixed reviews. Thirty-five percent said Sanders would be poor
or terrible as president, and 22 percent thought he would be average.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cruz
has a similar split, with 31 percent saying he would be poor or
terrible and 28 percent saying he would be average. Respondents were
also divided on Rubio, with a third of voters saying he would be average
and 28 percent saying he would be poor or terrible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The poll surveyed 2,009 adults, 1,525 of whom are registered voters, from Jan. 7 to 14. It has a margin of error of 2.5 percent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />--BITP-- credit to msn.com</div>
</div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-35595416505591073492016-01-20T21:10:00.000-08:002016-01-20T21:10:20.492-08:00 L.A. to Pay $24 Million to 2 Men Who Spent Decades In Jail for Murders They Did Not Commit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Los Angeles will pay more than $24 million to two men who spent decades in prison after they were <a href="http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/14111-7-cases-of-men-who-spent-years-behind-bars-for-crimes-they-didnt-commit" target="_blank">wrongfully convicted of murder</a>, officials said. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kash
Delano Register won his freedom in 2013 after lawyers and students from
Loyola Law School doubted a key prosecution witness’s testimony.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He
was awarded $16.7 million by the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday.
It is the largest settlement in an individual civil rights case in the
city’s history, according to reports.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bruce Lisker, who was released from prison in 2009 after<a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-wrongful-convictions-20160119-story.html" target="_blank"> a <em>Los Angeles Times</em> investigation </a>into his conviction, will walk away with $7.6 million.<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Though their cases were unrelated, both men maintained that detectives ignored evidence that proved their innocence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">City
Councilman Paul Krekorian told reporters on Tuesday the two cases were
the “very unfortunate” result of police misconduct in the past, but did
not reflect how the department operates today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“It’s just regrettable that these two individuals spent the better part of their lives in prison as a result of the<a href="http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/11460-man-who-spent-34-years-in-prison-for-teens-murder-is-freed-by-dna-evidence" target="_blank"> inadequacy of the investigations</a> that happened back then,” said Krekorian, who heads the budget committee that weighs settlement payments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Register,
now 55, was arrested and charged in the 1979 armed robbery and murder
of Jack Sasson, 78, after eyewitness testimony put him at the scene at
the time of the shooting, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-wrongful-convictions-20160119-story.html" target="_blank">the <em>Times </em>wrote</a>.<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Witness Brenda Anderson reportedly told police she heard gunshots and that she saw Register running from the scene.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anderson picked him out of a photo lineup, officials said, but her sisters told police that her accounts were untrue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Despite
there being no recovered murder weapon, no fingerprints lifted and
Register’s girlfriend’s insistence that he was with her at the time of
the shooting, he spent 34 years behind bars for the crime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anderson’s
sister, Sheila Vanderkam, reportedly testified that she tried to tell a
detective that her sister had lied about seeing Register, but the
investigator put a finger to his lips, meaning she should stay quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Her other sister, Sharon Anderson, said that she, too, was ignored by police.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Register’s
attorneys claimed that Anderson picked out Register under the threat of
being prosecuted for credit card forgery and a recent theft if she
didn’t choose someone.<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Register
was finally freed after a fresh examination of his case, spurred on
after Vanderkam read many years later that he was still imprisoned. <a href="http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/13188-man-who-served-16-years-in-prison-for-rape-is-exonerated-by-dna-evidence" target="_blank">He was ultimately freed</a> in 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“After almost 37 years, I am more than ready to try to put this all behind me and move on with my life,” he told reporters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lisker,
now 50, also said he was ready to move forward after spending 26 years
in prison for the murder of his 66-year-old mother, Dorka.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Though happy to be vindicated, he told the <em>Times: </em>“How
can one place a monetary figure on a lifetime of stolen freedom, of
crushed aspirations and a shattered reputation, on my mother’s tragic
murder going unsolved and neglected for 33 years and counting? There are
no words…”<br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the time of
the murder, Lisker, who had a reputation for fighting with his mother
and a history of drug abuse, told police he saw her lying in the foyer
and <a href="http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/14145-woman-asks-fire-department-to-cut-her-loose-from-chastity-belt-after-losing-key" target="_blank">broke into the home to help her</a>. They did not believe him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A <em>Times</em>
investigation in 2005 raised questions about the case against Lisker,
pointing to details that showed the murder investigation was "sloppy and
incomplete."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">During a
hearing in federal court challenging Lisker’s conviction, key elements
of the prosecution’s case were undermined or disproved, including that a
bloody print found in the bathroom was not in fact made by Lisker’s
shoes as it was once thought to be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">His attorneys also said that the lead detective ignored evidence that Lisker’s friend may have been a possible suspect.</span></div>
<span class="storyimage smallfullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="image" data-attrib="Provided by CBS Interactive Inc." data-caption="Though their cases were unrelated, both men maintained that detectives ignored evidence that proved their innocence." data-id="72" data-m="{"i":72,"p":69,"n":"openModal","t":"articleImages","o":3}"><img alt="L.A. to Pay $24 Million to 2 Men Who Spent Decades In Jail for Murders They Did Not Commit: Though their cases were unrelated, both men maintained that detectives ignored evidence that proved their innocence." class=" loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"67","h":"38","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotPf7.img?h=377&w=670&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=159&y=122"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"35","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotPf7.img?h=352&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=159&y=122"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"35","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotPf7.img?h=352&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=159&y=122"}}" height="362" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotPf7.img?h=377&w=670&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=159&y=122" style="height: 38rem; width: 67rem;" width="640" /></span><span class="caption truncate"><span class="attribution">© Provided by CBS Interactive Inc.</span>
Though their cases were unrelated, both men maintained that detectives ignored evidence that proved their innocence.
</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since his release, <a href="http://www.insideedition.com/headlines/8483-west-memphis-three-death-row-inmate-finds-true-love" target="_blank">Lisker has married</a>. </span></div>
</div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1650020496956262037.post-18166938721680700152016-01-20T15:35:00.003-08:002016-01-20T15:35:29.122-08:00 Fight against the Islamic State enters a new phase with pledge from seven countries <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">PARIS – The U.S.-led military coalition’s fight against the Islamic
State militant group entered a new phase on Wednesday, with defense
ministers from the seven countries most heavily involved in the
operation pledging to continue fighting and look for ways to more
aggressively target the group.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The United States, France,
Germany, Britain, Italy, Australia and the Netherlands made the promise
here after a joint meeting hosted by U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton B.
Carter and his French counterpart, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
The group’s members said in a joint statement that they have “expressed
our broad support for the campaign plan objectives, and the need to
continue gathering momentum in our campaign.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Separately, Carter
announced during a news conference alongside Le Drian at the French
version of the Pentagon that he has invited leaders from all 26 nations
involved in the military side of the campaign against the Islamic State,
along with Iraq, to meet in three weeks in Brussels. The first-time
meeting will be focused on how the war may be expanded to include more
resources. That leaves out 37 other countries that are a part of the
63-member coalition in some way, but not contributing militarily.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Every
nation must come prepared to discuss further contributions,” Carter
said of the countries invited to attend the meeting in Brussels.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span class="storyimage fullwidth inlineimage" data-aop="image"><span class="image" data-attrib="Provided by WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post" data-caption="Tanks are seen in the city of Ramadi, December 28, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer" data-id="74" data-m="{"i":74,"p":70,"n":"openModal","t":"articleImages","o":4}"><img alt="Tanks are seen in the city of Ramadi, December 28, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer" class=" loaded" data-src="{"default":{"load":"default","w":"73","h":"49","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotBBG.img?h=486&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"42","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotBBG.img?h=417&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"42","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotBBG.img?h=417&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}}" src="http://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBotBBG.img?h=486&w=728&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f" style="height: 49rem; width: 73rem;" width="728" /></span><span class="caption truncate"><span class="attribution">© Provided by WP Company LLC d/b/a The Washington Post</span>
Tanks are seen in the city of Ramadi, December 28, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer
</span></span>
Le Drian said that the United States holds the leadership role in the
fight against the Islamic State, but that the French are on the front
lines of the battle with about 3,500 service members involved. Over the
last few weeks, the Islamic State has suffered a series of defeats,
providing reason to step up operations against the group with a
consistent military strategy, he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Le Drian added that the
cities of Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq — de facto capitals of the
Islamic State — must be won back, but that the military coalition also
must sever the militant group’s control of surrounding areas. The
ideology of the group also must be combated, he added, noting the large
numbers of people who have traveled to Iraq and Syria from across the
world to join the ISIS.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Carter said there is no other defense
minister who he has spent as much time discussing the Islamic State
fight with than Le Drian, and that they discussed accelerating the
campaign against the militants even before the terrorist attacks in and
around Paris in November that killed 130 people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The meeting came
after a the arrival of an elite U.S. “expeditionary targeting force” in
Iraq that is expected to include up to 200 Special Operations troops. It
is not yet clear whether it has begun carrying out operations, but it
is expected to conduct raids, collect intelligence and carry out other
operations against Islamic State leaders.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Carter said Tuesday
while flying to Paris that he thought it was likely the number of U.S.
troops deployed to Iraq as military advisers will expand in coming
months, as additional Iraqi military units and police must be trained to
hold areas leading from Ramadi to Mosul. While the United States could
deploy some, other countries will be involved, he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“I can’t
give you a number, but I would [say it] will increase greatly as the
momentum of the effort increases,” Carter said. “And that will be
[focused on increasing the] throughput not only of Iraqi security
forces, but also Iraqi police forces. And obviously, there are many
countries that contribute to both of those training streams. The United
States does, but most of the countries represented in the room when I
meet with them will do that also.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As of Jan. 10, the U.S.-led
military coalition has carried out 6,341 airstrikes in Iraq and 3,219 in
Syria, according to the Pentagon. Of those, the United States has
carried out the majority, with 4,361 Iraq and 3,029 in Syria.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The
rest of the military coalition has carried out 1,980 strikes in Iraq and
190 in Syria. The countries doing so in Iraq include the United States,
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands
and Britain. In Syria, the nations that have carried out airstrikes
include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan,
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Britain.</span></div>
AKACOMShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08659130216873985738noreply@blogger.com0