Monday Gut Check: Name change for the Washington Redskins?

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House Republican: Meeting with president was ‘positive’

Michele Richinick, @mrich1201, Morning Joe

Rep. Buck McKeon said he is both hopeful and anxious to hear from leaders about the progress made overnight after President Obama met with House Republicans on Thursday. Read More

More Americans blame Republicans now than during the ’95 shutdown

Michele Richinick, @mrich1201, Morning Joe

A new poll found that 53% of the public has a negative view of the country's Republican leaders. Read More

Chris’ List: Most Powerful Women in Business

Sari Roth, Jansing & Co

There are now 21 Fortune 500 companies with women CEO's. The magazine is out with its annual list of… Read More

Source: http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/10/07/monday-gut-check-name-change-for-the-washington-redskins/
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Bill Young, Florida's Master Appropriator, to Retire - NYTimes.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Representative C. W. Bill Young of Florida, currently the longest-serving Republican in Congress, will retire in 2014, he announced Wednesday. Representative C.W. ... My family, my job, my rehabilitation from my back.� ... But those days have gone by the wayside with both chambers of Congress imposing bans on earmarks in recent years, inhibiting the ability of lawmakers � even members of the appropriations committees � to bring home the bacon. A moderate ...
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Kyle Busch finally wins again at Watkins Glen

Driver Kyle Busch, center, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race, at The Glen Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Watkins Glen, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Driver Kyle Busch, center, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race, at The Glen Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Watkins Glen, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Kyle Busch celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race, at The Glen on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Watkins Glen, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Military personnel hold a large flag as fireworks go off during ceremonies before the start of a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at The Glen, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Watkins Glen, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Kyle Busch (18) drives during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at The Glen, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Watkins Glen, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Clint Bowyer (15) leads a group of racers during a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at The Glen Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013, in Watkins Glen, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) ? There was no slipup on the final lap this time, so Kyle Busch's victory celebration at Watkins Glen International was as sweet as it gets.

Bumped aside a year ago by Brad Keselowski on the final lap as they sped around an oil-covered track, Busch held the reigning Sprint Cup champion at bay on a two-lap dash to the checkered flag Sunday.

Busch kept his foot on the accelerator a tad longer than usual during his postrace burnout, even sticking half his body out the window while smoke swirled all around and the tires kept churning.

"A big sigh of relief, just a deep breath. Whew!" said Busch, who also was victimized two years ago while leading on a green-white-checkered finish and finished third. "I was just trying to take it all in and figure it all out. The last couple of years here have been tough, and today it could have been tough again."

Keselowski finished second in this race for the third straight time, and challenged Busch on the final lap, pulling to his rear bumper at one point. There was no bump this time.

"We had a shot at it," Keselowski said. "I was going to have to wreck him to really get it, and I didn't want to do that. There's racing and there's wrecking. Those are two different things.

"Everybody defines them a little differently, and I guess that's the code you live your life by. If I was going to take out Kyle, it would have been wrecking in my mind, and there's a distinct difference."

Racing can be all about luck sometimes, and Busch couldn't get much luckier than he was on this day.

Polesitter Marcos Ambrose dominated the race, leading 51 laps, but his good fortune ? he was seeking his third straight Cup win at The Glen ? finally ran out just past the halfway point of the 90-lap race.

Crew chief Dave Rogers was planning to have Busch pit on lap 60, but his crew noticed fluid on the track and brought the No. 18 Toyota in a lap early. Busch was in the pits when a caution flew and Ambrose had to pit under yellow, losing his spot to Busch at the front.

"That was a game-changer right there," said Busch, who won from the pole in 2008 at The Glen.

Busch held on through a series of cautions over the final 28 laps. Ambrose, who restarted 12th, crashed late trying to make a run with an ill-handling car and finished 23rd. He entered the race with an average finish of second in five previous starts at Watkins Glen and also had won all three Nationwide races he'd entered at the storied road course in upstate New York.

"That's just the way it goes," Ambrose said. "We put on a strong showing. It wasn't our day, but we've had plenty of good days here."

The field didn't have to worry about five-time Watkins Glen winner Tony Stewart. The man known as Smoke is out indefinitely after breaking two bones in his right leg last Monday night in a sprint car race in Iowa. Stewart, who has undergone two surgeries, saw his streak of 521 consecutive Cup starts come to an end. Max Papis drove Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet on Sunday and finished 15th.

Several drivers had stickers on their cars honoring Stewart with the message: "Get Well Smoke 14."

Martin Truex Jr. was third, followed by Carl Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya. Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top 10.

Jeff Gordon entered the race with momentum in ninth place in the points standings after a second last week at Pocono, but his day was ruined early with a wreck on lap 15. The four-time Watkins Glen winner finished 36th and dropped to 13th in the standings with four races to go until the Chase for the Sprint Cup title starts.

The top 10 drivers in points and the drivers from 11th to 20th with the most wins earn wild-card berths for the 10-race postseason. Kurt Busch moved into 11th place, just two points behind Truex and only four behind ninth-place Greg Biffle.

Ambrose was unchallenged for the lead through the first half of the race, building a margin of nearly 3 seconds over Kyle Busch, who started fifth and was up to second by lap 21.

Busch had been unable to close on Ambrose before a red flag flew midway through the race and was focused on the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford in front.

"They're better," Busch said of Ambrose. "I'm trying to figure out where I'm getting beat. He's been driving away."

On the ensuing restart on lap 43, Ambrose again sailed clear of the field, building a cushion of 3.5 seconds over Busch as the final pit stops loomed.

The complexion of the race changed when Aric Almirola blew a right front tire and slid off course into a tire barrier, bringing out that fateful caution.

When the race restarted, Busch was in front with Keselowski third and Ambrose 12th, and the car that had dominated the race out front became just ordinary in traffic, unable to move forward. Nine laps after the restart and struggling, Ambrose had picked up only one spot and trailed Busch by nearly 10 seconds.

Truex managed to pass Busch on lap 65, but Busch banged past him in the Inner Loop seconds later and Keselowski followed into second. Keselowski stayed close for a while, but Busch began to pull away just as he had a year ago when oil spoiled his day.

"It was a really, really sticky situation last year, and it wasn't all Brad's fault," Busch said. "There was oil on the race track, but Brad's the one that spun us out. It eventually cost us being able to make the Chase. I figured maybe he could do some of the same again, but he kept it clean today."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-08-11-NASCAR-Watkins%20Glen/id-8b0d970eba7c4551a276bad4e5748c18

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08/20/2013 - SLA Election: Meet the Candidates for President-Elect

[ All | None ]

Chapter Onsite Program Chapter Webinar Division Onsite Program Division Webinar HQ Certificate Program HQ Events HQ Webinar Leadership Webinar Series SLA Annual Conference SLA Leadership Summit

Source: http://calendar.sla.org/index.php?com=detail&eID=161

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Oregon delays wide access to Obamacare insurance exchange

By Sharon Begley

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The online insurance exchange that Oregon established under President Barack Obama's healthcare law will not allow residents to sign up for coverage on their own when enrollment begins nationwide on October 1, state officials say.

The state is the first to say it won't be open for all comers by that date, raising concerns that other states running their own "Obamacare" exchanges might also be struggling.

The decision by Oregon, an enthusiastic supporter of the Affordable Care Act, gives ammunition to opponents who have warned of an Obamacare "train wreck."

Instead of enrolling in health insurance online themselves, at least through mid-October Oregonians will need the help of an insurance broker or an aide trained by the state to log on, Cover Oregon spokeswoman Lisa Morawski said on Friday.

They also will need assistance to see what policies are available, and to determine which federal subsidies they might be eligible for.

"This approach will give Cover Oregon the ability to iron out the technology, customer service and other internal processes during the first few weeks of October before consumers begin applying on their own," Morawski said. "It also will prevent the system from being overloaded in its first weeks."

Experts working with the state exchanges, as well as the Government Accountability Office and the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), have warned that the massive effort to build new online insurance marketplaces in all 50 states may not be ready by October 1.

Efforts to get people without health insurance to buy a policy through their state exchange, as required under the Affordable Care Act, have emphasized that the process would be fast and easy: log on, enter personal information such as address and income, and in real time the system would show you a list of available policies and tell you what they would cost after federal subsidies.

HHS spokeswoman Joanne Peters said, "There will be a marketplace open in every state on October 1, where families can comparison shop for quality, affordable health coverage."

The delay, Cover Oregon chief information officer Aaron Karjala told Reuters, reflects "concerns about the capacity of the exchange as a whole, not just the technology but also the people."

"We're not worried about IT capacity," he said. "We have enough to run the stock exchange."

Instead, officials worry that too many people trying to enroll in coverage will phone the state's Obamacare call center, which has about 50 full-time employees and plans for up to 100 more.

About 550,000 state residents are uninsured.

"The largest choke point and the biggest constraint is the limited number of people in the call center," Karjala said. "People might need a lot of help" when they try to enroll, "which could mean fairly long calls."

Oregon has trained about 1,000 agents and about 800 community partners, Morawski said. Each will be given a secured account allowing them to log on to Cover Oregon and help someone buy insurance.

"This strikes me as something that most states probably would want to do, because they don't want bad stories in the press about how the exchange didn't work and people were disappointed - which is virtually inevitable in the early weeks," said Joe Antos of the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

"So this seems to be a pretty prudent move on Oregon's part. They can say they did everything in their power to avoid leaving Joe Public baffled by an admittedly complicated system."

(Reporting by Sharon Begley and David Morgan; Editing by Xavier Briand)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oregon-delays-wide-access-obamacare-insurance-exchange-201315935.html

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iPhone 5S Champagne parts arrive upstream

This afternoon a new set of parts ? and therefor clues ? have arrived in the upstream iPhone parts market indicating a new color combination for the next-generation iPhone 5S. This device will be delivered with a body and set of specifications very similar to the iPhone 5, coming some time this year with what?s likely to be a next-generation processor and camera setup. Hardware appearing today suggests that a new option for coloring will be appearing as well, right in-between white and black with a rather unforeseen shade of Champagne.

While there?s a distinct possibility that these little bits of hardware could be created by the site to fool consumers into believing there?s a new version of the iPhone being delivered soon, the source that supplies these pieces has a history of doing nothing of the sort. These volume buttons come from Luna, aka ?Luna Commerce?, a self-proclaimed ?supplier from upstream.? They?ve appeared more than once quite recently in mainstream tech news due to their delivery of several ?iPhone 5C? parts as well.

Those volume and rotation lock parts showed this ?budget? iPhone to be working with at least four different color back panels: red, green, yellow, and blue. What we?re to believe here with the upcoming iPhone 5S is that Champagne will be joining the likes of the current iPhone?s standard black and white color choices.

Another bit to be wary of is the possibility that though the source suggests that this set of buttons is indeed ?official? as the rest of their future-release parts are, there?s always the chance that they?ve expanded beyond custom-made iPhone home buttons. Luna Commerce also plays host to a ?color your own iPhone? service which sells colorful glass backs and fronts to the iPhone 4/4S, as well as a variety of home button iterations.

So pay heed ? you may soon be seeing an iPhone on the high end with the strangest combination of metal rims and front/back colors you?ve ever seen. How real is the possibility of a Champagne iPhone? Just as real as the possibility of a red, green, yellow, or blue iPhone 5C.

Source: http://feeds.slashgear.com/~r/slashgear/~3/FuFHcvM1D20/

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Movie review: Chennai Express starts well but goes off track quickly ...

By Suprateek Chatterjee

At some point during the third act of Chennai Express, the latest sure-to-be-a-moneyspinner from director Rohit ?Midas touch? Shetty, it becomes painfully apparent that part of the film is a tribute to Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, as re-imagined by Shetty. As you sit through the climax, which features Shah Rukh Khan getting beaten to a pulp by Parmeet Set?oops, I mean Nikitin Dheer (who plays love-interest rival Tangaballi), you?re already drawing parallels to DDLJ?s iconic final scene. Props for nostalgia value.

And then, the movie ends. The final words of Khan?s narrative voice-over are: ?Kyunki dilwale dulhaniya le jaayenge.? Groan. Captain Obvious called, he says hello.
This is Shetty?s mission statement ? to make sure that if there are two people in a theatre of 300 who didn?t get the joke/reference/pun he?s been hammering in, he?s going to make damn sure those two don?t go home confused. It?s almost like he?s paraphrasing a line from Paresh Rawal?s character in Andaaz Apna Apna and telling the audience: ?Director main hoon, joke idhar hai.?

Chennai Express

Every director belonging to the mainstream Bollywood brat-pack does this, of course, but it drives me especially nuts when Shetty follows suit. Because the guy really knows his craft, from a commercial cinema point of view. He knows his set pieces. He knows how to use a sweeping helicopter shot to make a moment seem grand and then follow it with a jerky, handheld shot so that it still seems gritty (so what if he?s taken a leaf out of Michael Bay?s book). He knows how to add a touch of quirkiness to everything. He?s good at being irreverent and taking pot-shots, especially at himself.

He just doesn?t know when to stop.

Chennai Express starts off on an agreeable note, with Khan (you know he?s called Rahul) narrating the back-story of his character: a 40-year-old man-child who handles his family?s mithai business. Orphaned at a young age, he has been brought up mostly by a doting, cricket-loving grandfather (a delightful cameo by the venerable Lekh Tandon). When Dadaji suddenly passes away, Khan must go to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu (this is important because Shetty proceeds to treat all of South India as a single geographical entity) to scatter his ashes.

Along the way, he meets Meena (Deepika Padukone), who is the South Indian every woman ? basically, an attractive, doe-eyed version of Bhavana Balsaver?s character from Zabaan Sambhal Ke. She?s the daughter of a don and running away from home to escape an arranged marriage.

To be fair, the first act is tolerable and at times even enjoyable, especially if you go in with rock-bottom expectations (as I did). It has a whimsical, John Hughes-like quality to it; reminiscent of early ?90s Hollywood comedies like Home Alone and Mrs Doubtfire ? cheesy, but tolerably so. Khan hams, but every now and then he ad-libs and deadpans successfully. I found myself laughing out loud more than a couple of times, albeit with palm planted firmly on face. Padukone is actually quite good and far more consistent than Khan as an actor in Chennai Express. The pair have great chemistry and there are a few old-school Bollywood moments that work.

But trust good ol? Bollywood excess and relentless North-Indian-centric stereotyping to ruin the party ? although, if it?s any consolation, it could have been much worse. Since the material is slight and familiar, the story essentially ends up limping from gag to gag. Predictably enough, Chennai Express starts going off the rails around the one-hour mark and, towards the end, sputters and dies like Archie Andrews?s jalopy.

Shetty, of course, takes care to pull entire sequences out of his tried-and-tested bag of tricks (it?s a telling sign when the audience applauds at the first sign of a car turning turtle in slow motion) and saves the day every now and then. But all the shock and awe in the world can?t hide the fact that he is running out of ideas.

Suprateek Chatterjee is editor of Visual Disobedience, a community for emerging indie artists, and a freelance writer. In his spare time, he likes to compose music with his electro-rock band Vega Massive and his Twitter handle is @SupraMario.

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Source: http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/movie-review-chennai-express-starts-well-but-goes-off-track-soon-enough-1022253.html

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Can an independent contractor use a company car? ? Business ...

Q. If we use independent contractors as drivers/couriers, can they use our company cars? ? Nancy, Florida

A. Yes, you could authorize or require the use of a company vehicle by a driver/courier who is working as an independent contractor (and having compensation reported on a Form 1099). As with any independent contractor relationship, however, you must be careful not to undermine the individual?s status as an independent contractor by treating this individual as an employee.

One of the hallmarks of an independent contractor is that typically he provides his own tools. And an essential tool for a driver position is, of course, a vehicle. That means you must carefully structure the relationship to suit your needs. For example, you want to ensure that the driver still operates independently. So you might charge the driver a fee for the use of the vehicle. All other expenses should be borne by the driver, including proof of sufficient insurance.

Note: Car ownership is only a small part of the analysis of how to ensure your independent contractor is properly classified. Consult with a local lawyer or tax advisor to ensure you?ve structured the relationship correctly. Look at the entire relationship, including whether the driver is free to accept or decline work for you, sets his or her available hours or takes work for other entities.

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Recharging iPhone blamed for another serious shock in China

Quotable Quotes

We, the undersigned jurors, understand there is a great deal of interest in this case. But we ask you to remember that we are not public officials and we did not invite this type of attention into our lives.

George Zimmerman trial jurors

From a statement released by 4 jurors after the trial.

Source: http://www.greekherald.com/index.php/sid/215926391/scat/d805653303cbbba8

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UPDATE: Chapel Fire at Mount St. Mary's University

Beach Bum Tanning

Deal Ends In:

20 Hours 22 Minutes 39 Seconds

Beach Bum Tanning & Airbrush Salon

Source: http://your4state.com/fulltext?nxd_id=318582

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What Is a 'Real' Vacation? ? AARP

Home & Family | Travel | Your Life Print

This would seem to be an easy question, but I think many of us would define ?vacation? differently. For some it?s simply days off?? not being at work. For others a true vacation means getting away ? traveling ? to someplace different than home. I?ve encountered many folks who regularly do not take any vacation. Workers accrue unused vacation days, their firms do not let them roll them over to the next year, and they just let them expire. I asked in a meeting at my office last week how many have taken a two-week vacation, and no one replied affirmatively. They did say that two-week vacations are only when they go out of the country to places like Europe or Asia, and that those are not frequent.

Yet those same folks recalled that they always took at least two weeks? vacation with their families growing up, typically in August. My family always packed up the station wagon and drove to Ocean City, Md., for three weeks. The firm my father worked for closed down all its factories for annual maintenance, so everyone left on holiday. And, since this was before the Internet, parents did not work on vacation. Even when we went to Europe for the first time, we still went to Ocean City for a week, as that was our ?real? vacation.

Vacation for me these days is being at home and reading a novel in one week instead of over several months.

I recharge best working in my garden and doing day trips to New York City to visit museums or take in a Broadway show with friends. Since I work in D.C. but live in Connecticut, I feel like I am traveling all the time, and home is relaxing and nurturing. So for July 4 I was in Connecticut with my friends at a pool party and totally unplugged. My college-age niece was on Cape Cod with her boyfriend?s family and 30 of their close friends, but I doubt she was more than a foot from her iPhone. I think I got the better deal.

Whether you take weekend, a week or a month off, try to do something out of your normal routine and promise yourself to leave the BlackBerry or iPhone in the drawer (well, okay, maybe check emails every three days for a hour).

AARP recently asked Americans what summer activities they are planning. Not surprisingly, the top activities are visiting family or friends (79 percent), going to or hosting a barbecue (71 percent), entertaining at home (62 percent) and going swimming or to a pool (56 percent). Forty-seven percent are planning a vacation and 49 percent are not. Some of this may be due to financial constraints, but some is no doubt due to the culture of work that may make people feel guilty for taking time off. I say: ?Take a vacation!? They are fun, relaxing and necessary for recharging to maximize job performance.

Importantly, you deserve it.

?

Interested in what other Americans are doing for their summer holidays? Check out our latest fact sheet on summer fun:

?

More on Becky: Becky is AARP?s senior vice president of research and strategic analysis, and is focused on fostering understanding of the interests and concerns of people age 50-plus and their families. Before coming to AARP, Becky served as the vice president of global market research and guest satisfaction for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. In her spare time, she likes visiting her niece in Ohio, gardening and collecting American art and antiques.

Tagged: AARP Bulletin, family, infographic, polls, research, summer fun, travels, vacation??? Share via: Facebook

Source: http://blog.aarp.org/2013/07/18/what-is-a-real-vacation/

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Bombing in Sunni mosque in Iraq kills at least 17

BAGHDAD (AP) ? A bomb ripped through a full Sunni mosque in central Iraq during midday prayers Friday, killing at least 17 people in the latest outburst of deadly violence targeting worshippers during the holy month of Ramadan.

Suicide attacks, car bombings and other violence have killed nearly 200 people since the Islamic holy month of daytime fasting and charity began last week.

The violence is an extension of a surge of attacks that has roiled Iraq for months, reviving fears of a return to the widespread sectarian bloodshed that pushed the country to the brink of civil war after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Diyala provincial councilman Sadiq al-Husseini said Friday's explosion hit the Abu Bakir al-Sideeq mosque in the town of Wijaihiya, which is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad. He said it killed at least 17.

The blast went off on the left side of the mosque, which was filled with men and children, as worshippers were kneeling during prayers, said 30-year-old Mohammed Faleh, who was praying inside.

Faleh said security forces found a second bomb left near the mosque that they rendered safe with a controlled detonation.

"I stood up to find blood-stained bodies lying on the ground. The Friday prayer turned into a disaster. Whoever left these bombs has no religion," he said.

Diyala province, where the attack occurred, was once the site of some of the fiercest fighting between U.S. forces and insurgents in Iraq. It remains a hotbed for terrorist attacks. The area is religiously mixed and witnessed some of the worst atrocities as Shiite militias battled Sunni insurgents for control in the years after the invasion.

"Terrorism is targeting all sects in Diyala mainly by attacking Sunni and Shiite mosques, funerals and football fields to draw the province into a sectarian conflict. All the victims were civilians," said al-Husseini, the councilman, appealing for calm. "I call on all Diyala residents to show self-restraint."

Police and hospital officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information to media, confirmed the death toll. They also reported that more than 50 were wounded in the explosion, and warned that the number of dead could rise.

The attack struck while Iran's outgoing president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, wrapped up a two-day trip to Iraq with visits to Shiite Muslim holy cities of Najaf and Karbala south of Baghdad. There was no indication the mosque blast was related to his trips.

Violence across Iraq has risen sharply since a heavy-handed crackdown by security forces on a Sunni protest camp in the northern town of Hawija on April 23. That raid followed months of rallies by Iraq's minority Sunnis against the Shiite-led government over what they contend is second-class treatment and the unfair use of tough anti-terrorism measures against their sect.

The surge in bloodshed has left more than 2,800 people dead and many more wounded since the start of April.

Attacks on Sunni mosques, for years a relatively rare target in Iraq, have picked up significantly in recent months.

There has been no claim of responsibility for Friday's bombing or many of the other recent attacks.

Sunni extremists such as al-Qaida's Iraq arm that seek to undermine the Shiite-led government are frequently blamed for bombing attacks targeting civilians. They could be behind the Sunni mosque bombings too, hoping to incite a sectarian backlash against Shiites. So could Shiite militias that have been remobilizing following years of relative quiet.

___

Associated Press writers Adam Schreck and Sinan Salaheddin contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bombing-sunni-mosque-iraq-kills-least-17-131058042.html

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BIG BROTHER AFRICA: The Chase- Meet The Emerald Housemates

On Friday 19 July, the Diamond and Ruby houses will merge. In addition, six fake Emerald housemates will join The Chase during the Airtel Arena Showdown and will stay on for a few days to spice up the game and will bring lots of excitement and intrigue.

Their objective is to confuse the other housemates and convince them that the Emerald house is real. The housemates are: Sophie (Uganda); JJ (Zimbabwe); Jazz (Kenya); Busi (South Africa); Eveva (Zambia) and Alusa (Kenya).

Alusa (Kenya)
Age: 32

TV Entertainer Alusa is a married father of two. He has a Diploma in Communications and hails from Nairobi. He lists Sauti Sol as his favourite musician and his favourite screen star is Denzel Washington, because ?he?s an intense and passionate actor?.

Alusa says the best things about Africa are the diversity in landscape and culture of the people. His favourite places in Kenya are his village ? Kakamega ? and Mombasa. Outside of his home country, his favourite place is Greece, because of its rich historical culture.

His role model is Bishop TD Jakes, because ?He?s not only a religious leader but also a smart and influential businessman in the modern world?. The achievement he?s most proud of? Being nominated for an Emmy award for a radio drama he directed: ?Songo Love?.

Alusa says having Africa?s eyes on him 24/7 will be ?a bit intimidating and very challenging?. He warns viewers to ?expect the unexpected? from him, and promises ?mad fun & energy?. He says his strategy as an Emerald housemate is to ?pretend, pretend, pretend. I have so much information on them so I know which buttons to press.?

Busi (South Africa)
Age: 23

Third year BA Marketing student Busi describes herself as ?spontaneous, opinionated, open-minded and friendly?. She feels she can strike up a conversation with anybody and also express herself and her opinions without holding back. She values honesty, friendliness and open-mindedness in others.

Busi?s favourite book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and on the small screen, she enjoys watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians, The Vampire Diaries, Modern Family and, of course, Big Brother Africa. Her favourite actors are Leonardo di Caprio, Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet and Kate Blanchett ? no wonder Titanic is one of her favourite films.

Her favourite place in South Africa is Rosebank in Johannesburg, and the thing she likes most about the continent is the way its people pull together in support of a common cause. Away from home, she loves New York because of the fast pace, opportunities and the way people can express themselves.

Her mom has played a major role in her life, guiding her through every disappointment. In her time as an Emerald housemate, she promises to deliver entertainment, confusion, a fashion extravaganza, openness, laughs, drama and intrigue for viewers.

Eveva (Zambia)
Age: 27

Massage therapist Eveva is from Chipata and enjoys music by Bob Marley, Rihanna, Shakira and Espee and her favourite actress is Julia Roberts. Her favourite book is The Secret and her favourite TV show is The Oprah Winfrey Show.

She lists her mom as her role model, praising her as ?a strong woman?. She is inspired by Russell Simmons, because of his business savvy. The achievement she?s most proud of is opening her own massage parlour, because she has always dreamed of running her own business.

Eveva?s favourite place in Zambia is Livingstone and says the best thing about Africa is that the people are very loving and friendly. Her favourite place outside of the continent is Holland, ?because the people are open-minded?.

She feels ?honoured and blessed? that Africa will be watching her 24/7 in the Big Brother house, promising viewers entertainment and lots of drama, her strategy in the house is ? to be herself?. Asked to describe herself in five words, she lists: ?hyper, hardworking, efficient, outgoing & crazy?.

Jazz (Kenya)
Age: 26

Copywriter Jazz describes herself as fun, lovable, humorous and cute. She considers herself to be a friendly person who enjoys comforting people and making them feel special & loved. Jazz likes people with a sense of humour and openness ? ?whether bad or good, at least you know who you?re dealing with?.

Her favourite TV shows are Modern Family and Game of Thrones, with her recent favourite film: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. She has a number of favourite actors, but singles out Bill Nighy as one.

Jazz says the best things about Africa are the weather, the people and the wildlife. Her favourite place in Kenya is the Shaba Game Lodge, with Australia her favourite place outside the continent.

Her mom is her role model, because she raised her and her two brothers alone. She says her family has taught her to be who she is today.

She?s excited and nervous to have the continent?s eyes on her in The Chase, but says: ?I was born to do this!? her strategy is to shock and surprise the current housemates.

JJ (Zimbabwe)
Age: 22

Harare-born JJ is a singer and songwriter from Zimbabwe, with a National Diploma in Media. His favourite books are 48 Laws of Power and The Secret and his favourite movies include American Gangster, 300 and The Vow.

He describes himself as ?fun, ambitious, happy, loving and warm? and says the thing he likes most about himself is his ?chilled quality?. JJ likes ?happy, smiley people? but dislikes people who are ?full of themselves?.

JJ cites his dad as his role model and says the best thing about Africa is its people and his favourite place in Zimbabwe is Nyanga, ?because of the fresh air?. Outside of Africa, his favourite place is Studio 25 in Manchester, which was a roof over his head ?when times were tough?. The achievement he?s most proud of so far is the release of his first single ? internationally ? this year.

His strategy as an Emerald housemate is to confuse the current housemates and use reverse psychology on them. He says that viewers can expect ?laughs, jokes and fun times? when he?s in the house.

Sophie (Uganda)
Age: 22

Nicknamed ?Little One?, Sophie is a freelance jewellery and clothing designer from Kampala. She describes herself as ?tolerant, candid, silly, real and loud?. Her favourite personal quality is that she?s not easily angered and doesn?t bear grudges. She dislikes people who are rude, dishonest or hypocritical.

Sophie lists her favourite TV show as Shameless and she likes the music of Lady Gaga, Liquideep, Nas, Asa and Jason Mraz, while her favourite movies include A Bronx Tale, The Lion King and The Dictator.

She says the best thing about Africa is the people: ?Africans are warm, welcoming, full of life and smiles despite their everyday struggles?. Her favourite place in Uganda is a small town called Kilemba ? she calls it ?a little piece of heaven?. She also loves Venice, despite never having been there, calling it ?truly beautiful?.

Sophie cites her mom as her role model. ?Her devotion to my sister and my wellbeing is just inspirational ? everything she has done was for our comfort,? she says.

She says viewers can expect her to be ?real and different? and her strategy is to stick with her fellow Emerald housemate on their mission as fake Big Brother housemates.

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Source: http://www.ghanacelebrities.com/2013/07/18/big-brother-africa-the-chase-meet-the-emerald-housemates

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2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 90 TSI COMFORTLINE AU $26,777 - Bathurst

Used 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 90 TSI COMFORTLINE AU Car For Sale
	CAR DETAILS Location: Central West Bathurst, NSW Price: $26,777 Km: 208 Body: Hatchback Colour: Limestone Grey Transmission: 6 Speed Manual Engine: 4 Registration: CNY25H LIMESTONE CALL 1300 790 968 Local call charges apply ?
SELLER DETAILS Location: Central West Bathurst, NSW Type: Car Dealer Ref: 288056 Updated: 19th Jul 13 AdLinx: 1427795 DLN: 025033 Print car details Back to cars for sale All advertisements on this site have been fully prepared by the sellers without any input from Countrycars. Countrycars has no means of verifying any aspects of the advertisements whether the existence, quality, title, encumbrance, state-of-repair or condition or value of the vehicle described by any seller or any representation made by any seller. Countrycars does not and cannot make any representation with regard to any goods advertised in any respect. Countrycars strongly recommends that buyers do all due diligence including inspection, testing, obtaining expert's reports, reference checks and of-course, a REVS check (REVS can be reached on 133 220) Pricing applicable for location listed above unless otherwise indicated

Used 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 90 TSI COMFORTLINE AU Car For Sale in Bathurst Central West, NSW

Source: http://www.countrycars.com.au/1427795

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Jobless claims tumble, raising hopes for labor market

Economy

Reuters

2 hours ago

Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Job seekers wait in line to enter the East Bay's HIREvent on July 17, 2013 in Emeryville, California.

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits dropped more than expected last week to its lowest level in four months, a possible sign that hiring could pick up in July.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell by 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 334,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

Readings for jobless claims can be volatile in July because many factories close to retool during the period, and it is difficult for the government to adjust the data for seasonal swings because the shutdown schedule varies from year to year.

Still, a four-week average of new claims, which smoothes out volatility, fell 5,250 from a week earlier.

The data reinforces the view that the labor market is weathering this year's tax hikes and federal budget cuts, which appeared to drag heavily on economic growth during the first half of the year.

Indeed, Thursday's claims data was drawn from the same survey week in which the Labor Department polls employers to estimate how many jobs the economy added during the full month.

Compared to the same survey week in June, the four-week average was 0.7 percent lower last week.

A Labor Department analyst said there was nothing unusual in the data and that no states had provided estimates.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected first-time applications to fall to 345,000 last week. Claims for the prior week were revised to show 2,000 fewer applications received than previously reported.

The U.S. labor market has shown signs of strength in recent weeks, with 195,000 jobs added to payrolls in June. This has fueled expectations the Federal Reserve will start winding down its massive stimulus program as early as September.

At the same time, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said this week the Fed would only begin withdrawing its support if the economy improves as much as policymakers expect.

The claims report showed the number of people still receiving benefits under regular state programs after an initial week of aid rose 91,000 to 3.1 million in the week ended July 6.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663286/s/2ed675af/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cjobless0Eclaims0Etumble0Eraising0Ehopes0Elabor0Emarket0E6C10A671971/story01.htm

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Asiana no longer suing San Francisco TV station

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? Asiana Airlines said Wednesday it no longer plans to sue a San Francisco TV station over the use of racially offensive names.

The South Korean air carrier said that KTVU-TV has already apologized for using fake names for four pilots on a plane that crashed in San Francisco on July 6. It will no longer sue, as it had said it would do.

Asiana says it wants to focus on supporting passengers and families. The crash killed three and injured dozens.

Last week, an anchor for KTVU-TV read the fake names ? apparently someone's idea of a prank to use fake Asian-style names that sounded out distress calls and curse words ? on air and then apologized after a break.

Asiana earlier said the report seriously damaged its reputation. It said Monday that it would sue the TV station to respond to the racially discriminatory report that disparaged Asians.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asiana-no-longer-suing-san-francisco-tv-station-121340851.html

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SPORTS: Seymour graduate benefited from playing college golf

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University of Indianapolis golfer William Whitlow, a Seymour High School graduate, follows through on a tee shot during the Bridgestone Invitational in the fall of 2012. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Golf is a game that you have to continually work at to be good.

William Whitlow, a Seymour High School graduate, was able to play alongside some dedicated golfers at the University of Indianapolis, and it encouraged him to stay on the course and work to improve.

?One of the biggest things Seth Fair said is ?You?re going to fail more than you?re ever going to succeed in golf, so you have to accept that,?? Whitlow said of advice from his all-American teammate who turned pro.

This story appears in the print edition of The Tribune. Subscribers can read the entire story online by signing in here or in our e-Edition by clicking here.

Source: http://www.tribtown.com/view/local_story/Seymour-graduate-benefited-fro_1374125190

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Classical music: Wisconsin-born and Vienna-based dramatic soprano Elizabeth Hagedorn will replace Julia Faulkner at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the next school year. But Faulkner?s leave of absence could become longer or even permanent.

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Source: welltempered.wordpress.com --- Wednesday, July 17, 2013
By Jacob Stockinger As I have written before, the University of Wisconsin School of Music is facing some serious challenges in terms of staffing in the near future and probably over the long-term. One of the challenges that The Ear has just learned about is that the acclaimed dramatic soprano Julia Faulkner, who has been at the UW since 1994, will be spending the next academic year on a leave of absence. She will spend it teaching at the Lyric Opera of Chicago where she will be on the faculty of the program for Young Artists. Anyone want to bet that the Lyric will see a good deal and offer her a permanent position? That is a major temporary loss for the UW and for Madison since Faulkner (below), like many of the professors at the UW, is both an accomplished performer and a popular teacher with very successful students. (I have sat in on her impressive classes.) Just read the ratings and remarks from her students at this link: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=424180 As a performer, Faulkner, who remains on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera , has sung often with the Madison Opera and with the Madison Symphony Orchestra , whose music director John DeMain admires her work and her professionalism. Faulkner, who possesses a large voice and beautiful tone, has also sung with the UW Choral Union and the UW Chamber Orchestra among other local and University groups. Here is a link to Faulkner?s impressive bio and disc ...

Source: http://welltempered.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/classical-music-wisconsin-born-and-vienna-based-dramatic-soprano-elizabeth-hagedorn-will-replace-julia-faulkner-at-the-university-of-wisconsin-madison-for-the-next-school-year-but-faulkners/

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PFT: Hernandez 'nothing but perfect' as prisoner

Getty Images

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel declined to say whether he was drinking alcohol over the weekend at the Manning Passing Academy, but he says the reason he left the camp early was ?absolutely not? because he was hungover.

In an interview on SportsCenter, Manziel was asked directly if he was drinking alcohol during his time at the camp, and he answered, ?I?m not going into details about what happened at the Manning camp. We had social events every night.?

Manziel said his early departure from the Manning camp was a ?mutual decision? between himself and the Manning Passing Academy organizers, and he said that Peyton Manning and Eli Manning did not tell him to leave early. He did not say whether Archie Manning told him to leave early, but he did acknowledge that he overslept and missed a morning meeting.

?I made a mistake and didn?t wake up in time when I should have, and that?s pretty much the end of that,? Manziel said. ?Missing the meeting wasn?t anything due to the night prior. It wasn?t anything involved in that. It was just simply my phone died, I overslept, I woke up the next morning whenever I did, went and talked to them and it was kind of a mutual decision to get home and get some time to relax.?

Manziel has earned a reputation for hard partying during his college career, and that reputation may affect his stock in the 2014 NFL draft, which Manziel is expected to enter. Manziel said he?s not going to apologize for the way he lives his life.

?I?m still 20 years old, I?m still a sophomore in college, I?m still going to do things that everybody in college does and I?m going to continue to enjoy my life. Hopefully people don?t hold me to a higher standard than that,? Manziel said.

Manziel is under the legal drinking age, but most college students drink before they turn 21, and Manziel is entitled to live his life however he wants. At the same time, NFL teams are entitled to decide that if they?re going to spend a high draft pick on a franchise quarterback, they want it to be a straight arrow like Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III, and not a guy who oversleeps, misses meetings, declines to say if he was drinking the night before, gets in trouble in connection with bar fights, and generally seems like he has a lot of growing up to do.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/16/as-a-prisoner-hernandez-described-as-nothing-but-perfect/related/

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Nicole Scherzinger: 'X Factor UK' London Auditions!

Nicole Scherzinger is pretty in pink while attending the auditions for The X Factor UK held at the Wembley Arena on Monday (July 15) in London, England.

The 35-year-old entertainer was joined at the event by her fellow judges Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh, and Gary Barlow.

PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Nicole Scherzinger

?Let?s go #XF London,? Nicole tweeted that day along with a pic of herself. ?Show us what you?ve got!?

15+ pictures inside of Nicole Scherzinger and others at the London auditions?

Like Just Jared on Facebook

Source: http://www.justjared.com/2013/07/16/nicole-scherzinger-x-factor-uk-london-auditions/

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Stocks lower as market awaits Bernanke views

stocks

JeeYeon Park CNBC

11 hours ago

Stocks closed lower on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 breaking its 8-day winning streak, following a mixed batch of economic and earnings reports as investors hesitated to jump in a day before Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's congressional testimony.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 32 points lower at 15, 451.85, dragged down by Coca-Cola and Walt Disney.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq snapped their 8-day rallies to close in the red. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, rose above 14.

Most key S&P sectors turned lower, led by energy and utilities.

On the earnings front, Dow component Coca-Cola matched analyst expectations of 63 cents a share in second-quarter profit, but missed on the revenue end with $12.75 billion against expectations of $12.95 billion.

Also, Goldman Sachs was the latest participant in the parade of big U.S. financial institutions to report blowout profits. The company reported earnings per share of $3.70, well ahead of the $2.82 estimates. Revenue also easily beat expectations, sending shares higher.

(Read More:Enjoy it while itlasts: Bank earnings face trouble)

"We know earnings in the second quarter aren't going to be particularly good and we know GDP growth in the second quarter wasn't particularly good, but there's a fair bit of optimism built into the back half of the year and so from our standpoint, we're focused almost entirely on what companies had to say on the second half of the year and what that means for stock prices," said Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG.

Investors will be looking ahead to Federal Reserve Chairman chief Bernanke's semi-annual testimony to Congress on Wednesday, from which they hope to garner further clues on the direction of monetary stimulus. Markets jumped last week when he said the central bank was inclined to keep its policies in place for some time

"In recent weeks the message that he's given is that we have seen signs of improvements in the U.S. economy and we're going to move towards tapering. Then he gives us the message that we got last week, so I think markets will be cautious ahead of Bernanke's testimony," said Robert Rennie, global head of currency strategy at Westpac.

Meanwhile, Kansas City Fed President Esther George said the central bank should begin to reduce its massive bond-buying program and bring it to a close "sometime in the first half of next year."

On the economic front, homebuilder confidence jumped in July to its strongest level since January 2006, according to the National Association of Home Builders. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market index rose to 57 from a revised 51 in June. Analysts polled by Reuters had projected the index likely held at its originally reported June level of 52.

Consumer price index gained 0.5 percent in June thanks to a gain in gasoline prices. Economists polled by Reuters had expected consumer inflation to increase 0.3 percent last month. Excluding food and energy costs, the core reading edged up 0.2 percent.

And industrial production edged up 0.3 percent in June after an unchanged reading in May, according to the Federal Reserve. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a gain of 0.2 percent.

Elsewhere, Japan's benchmark index hit a new seven-week high and as earnings season picked up.

The Nikkei 225 hit its highest levels since May 24, and the yen weakened to the 100 handle against the U.S. dollar, after Japan's economics minister, Akira Amari, said the government will go ahead with a planned sales tax hike.

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663286/s/2ebc98f2/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cstocks0Elower0Emarket0Eawaits0Ebernanke0Eviews0E6C10A645829/story01.htm

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Jeff Scott Sports posted Pete Yanity & Ken Talk 2013 Carolina Panthers to NFL .

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Vermont Releases Final Health Insurance Rates ? CBS Detroit

WebMD Health News

By Julie Edgar

Reviewed by Katherine Swartz, PhD

July 12, 2013 ? Vermonters can expect to pay slightly lower premiums than those initially proposed by the two insurance carriers approved to sell plans on the state?s new health insurance Marketplace, called Vermont Health Connect.

The Green Mountain Care Board ? the regulatory authority for insurance and hospital rates in Vermont ? announced this week that it negotiated 4.3% to 5.3% rate cuts in individual and small-group plans offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont and MVP Health Care. The rates go into effect Jan. 1.

Vermont approved six ?metal? plans in its health insurance Marketplace, also called an Exchange. There are two bronze, two silver, one gold, and one platinum plan, each with different combinations of copayments, coinsurance rates, and limits on annual out-of-pocket spending.?

Every plan must cover the same services, but the companies pay a bigger share of costs going from the bronze to platinum. Bronze plans pay about 60% of the average person?s health costs. Silver plans pay 70%, gold plans 80%, and platinum plans 90%. Customers pay the remaining costs. (For example, customers pay 40% of the costs under a bronze plan.)?Bronze plans have the lowest premiums, while the platinum plans have the highest. ?

In Vermont, final rates for mid-range silver plans are from $395 (BCBS) to $410 (MVP) per month for a single person. Family plans range from $1,111 (BCBS) to $1,151 (MVP) per month. About 100,000 state residents are expected to buy insurance through Vermont Health Connect.

Lower-income Vermonters can expect to pay 0.5% to 8% of their income on health insurance premiums, according to Robin Lunge, Vermont?s director of health care reform. Financial aid in the form of state subsidies and federal tax credits are available to ease the financial burden for about 49,500 residents.

Under the Affordable Care Act, signed into law in 2010, each state must have a health insurance Marketplace in place by Oct. 1 for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2014. Most Americans will be required to have health insurance starting Jan. 1. Vermont is one of 17 states, along with the District of Columbia, that will run its own Marketplace.

SOURCES:News release, Green Mountain Care Board.Robin Lunge, director of health care reform, state of Vermont.Anya Wallack, chair, Green Mountain Care Board.Emily Yahr,?education and outreach manager,?Vermont Health Benefit Exchange-Vermont Health Connect.

? 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Source: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/07/16/vermont-releases-final-health-insurance-rates/

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Egyptian liberals embrace the military, brooking no dissent

By David D. Kirkpatrick

New York Times

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 16, 2013

CAIRO ? In the square where liberals and Islamists once chanted together for democracy, demonstrators now carry posters hailing as a national hero the general who ousted the country's first elected president, Mohammed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood. Liberal talk-show hosts denounce the Brotherhood as a foreign menace and as "sadistic, extremely violent creatures" unfit for political life. A leading human rights advocate blames the Brotherhood's "filthy" leaders for the deaths of more than 50 of their own supporters in a mass shooting by soldiers and the police.

A hypernationalist euphoria unleashed in Egypt by the toppling of Morsi has swept up even liberals and leftists who spent years struggling against the country's previous military-backed governments.

An unpopular few among them have begun to raise alarms about what they are calling signs of "fascism": the fervor in the streets, the glorification of the military as it tightens its grip and the enthusiastic cheers for the suppression of the Islamists. But the vast majority of liberals, leftists and intellectuals in Egypt have joined in the jubilation at the defeat of the Muslim Brotherhood, slamming any dissenters.

"We are moving from the bearded, chauvinistic right to the clean-shaven, chauvinistic right," said Rabab el-Mahdi, a left-leaning scholar at the American University in Cairo.

Many Egyptians are overwhelmed with dual emotions: relief at the end of an Islamist government that many called arrogant and ineffective, and thrill at their power to topple presidents. The voices on the left who might be expected to raise alarms about the military's ouster of a freely elected government are instead reveling in what they see as the country's escape from the threat that an Islamist majority would steadily push Egypt to the right.

Many on the left are still locked in a battle of semantics, trying to persuade the world ? and perhaps one another ? that the overthrow of Morsi was not a "coup" but a "revolution." The army merely carried out the popular will, they insist. On Sunday, one private satellite network in Egypt was running commercials of citizen testimonials proclaiming as much.

Some have begun to voice doubts. Amr Hamzawy, a political scientist who held a seat in the dissolved Parliament, was among the first to condemn the military's shutdown of the Islamists' satellite networks, the arrest of their staff, and the detention of Morsi and hundreds of other Islamist leaders.

Hamzawy objected in a recent newspaper column to "the rhetoric of gloating, hatred, retribution and revenge against the Muslim Brotherhood." After the mass shooting, he called the celebration of the military takeover "fascism under the false pretense of democracy and liberalism." Fellow intellectuals who said nothing, he wrote, were "the birds of darkness of this phase."

But he was almost alone. A chorus of liberals and leftists rushed to denounce Hamzawy for defending the Islamists.

Khaled Montaser, a liberal columnist, declared that the Islamists were worse than "criminals and psychopaths" because they could never reform. "Their treason, terrorism and conspiracies are an indelible tattoo," Montaser wrote. "They do not know the meaning of 'homeland.' They only know the meaning of 'the caliphate' and their organization first."

Ahmed Maher, a founder of the left-leaning April 6 group, initially joined a small volunteer team who tried to enlist Western support for the ouster. But after the arrests and shootings of Brotherhood supporters, he began to recall the generals' long hold on power after mass protests drove President Hosni Mubarak from office two years ago.

Maher put his worries about the generals in an online message to another activist: "If we assume it's not a coup, and I tell people it's not a coup, when they screw us again like they did in 2011, what would I tell people?"

His allies responded by trying to drum him out, not just from the volunteer team but from the April 6 group. Esraa Abdel Fattah, a prominent activist, campaigned against him in the media and circulated a list of his statements questioning the "coup." And Abdel Fattah insisted that the Muslim Brotherhood, whose political party won the post-Mubarak elections, amounted to a foreign-backed terrorist group. "When terrorism is trying to take hold of Egypt and foreign interference is trying to dig into our domestic affairs, then it's inevitable for the great Egyptian people to support its armed forces against the foreign danger," Abdel Fattah wrote in a newspaper column.

In the turbulent period of military rule after Mubarak was ousted, many liberals and leftists stood shoulder to shoulder with Islamists to demand that the generals relinquish power to elected civilians. Now the liberals appear to have joined in a public amnesia about the abuses and scandals of that period - the forced virginity tests of female protesters; Coptic Christian demonstrators shot by soldiers or run over with armored vehicles; the videotaped stripping and kicking of a female demonstrator who became known as the Blue Bra Woman.

The activist Hassan Shaheen was captured in the same video, bleeding from the head as a soldier stomped on his chest. But this spring he helped lead the petition drive asking the military to remove Morsi. And he joined in the rejection of Maher, saying that by calling the ouster of Morsi a "coup" he was "following the rhetoric of the Muslim Brotherhood."

"We will stand together, the people and the military, in the face of terrorism," Shaheen wrote in an online message, arguing that the Brotherhood's political party "must be dissolved and all its leaders must be arrested."

"No negotiation, no reconciliation, no going back," he added.

Hossam Bahgat, founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Right, said that the liberals' goal ? an Egypt governed by an inclusive civilian democracy ? appeared to be further away than when Mubarak fell. Now, he said, the old institutions and elites from the Mubarak era are emboldened to push for a full return of the old order. "There is a powerful and well-resourced player now trying to push Egypt back to 2010," he said.

Even those on the left who are critical of the military overthrow fault Morsi and the Brotherhood for their actions in power, for excluding other groups from decision-making, accusing critics of treason and exploiting religion as a political tool. They say that in recent days some Islamist leaders have told their supporters to prepare to use violence to defend Morsi, as they did during a crisis in December.

Brotherhood leaders say their organization has not condoned violence in Egypt since the days of British rule. They say that private media outlets have worked for months to stir up nationalist sentiment against them, for example by circulating false rumors that they were considering giving away the Sinai or selling the Suez Canal. Over the last week, many news outlets have claimed that Brotherhood leaders invited foreign interference by appealing for help from Washington to hold off the military takeover. Television hosts even assert that the crowds at pro-Morsi rallies are actually full of Syrians and Palestinians.

The military has set the mood as well. Before the takeover, it broadcast aerial images of the protests against Morsi, set to soaring martial music. On Sunday, it released another 30-minute broadcast depicting soldiers protecting the public, set to a similar score.

State and private television channels also broadcast images of Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in his trademark black beret, explaining to admiring soldiers the military's obligation to intervene in the national interest. "Egypt is the mother of the world, and Egypt will be as great as the world," he declared.

Much of the public, fatigued by revolutionary turmoil, has embraced him. "The people had been saying 'down, down with military rule,' but el-Sissi completely changed them," said Mohamed Mofeed, 38, a barber in downtown Cairo. "They love him."

Morsi "should have been tougher with the media," he added. "They were disrespecting him all over the place."

Osama Mohamed, 20, a student sitting with a group of friends, said they wanted el-Sissi to "leave his office and elect himself president."

Mohamed Abdel Fattah, 24, an advertising manager, agreed. "For Egypt," he said, "democracy is chaos."

Source: http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20130716_Egyptian_liberals_embrace_the_military_brooking_no_dissent.html

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