Curious Friends: How Facebook?s Mark Zuckerberg Can Help Republicans

Without his partnership with Mark Zuckerberg, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wouldn?t have had his first?Oprah moment. The Facebook founder?s $100 million donation to Newark, N.J., schools was the subject of a 2010 episode that?positively?portrayed the conservative governor, along with Newark Mayor Cory Booker, on national television.

So now that Zuckerberg is?co-starting a political advocacy group, could he provide the same benefit for other Republicans??

Zuckerberg and Joe Green, his close friend and college roommate, are establishing a 501(c)4 organization that will initially focus on comprehensive immigration and education reform, according to a source familiar with the group?s?plans.

The group is wading into topics conducive to?bipartisanship. Immigration reform has made Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., unlikely allies. Education, another issue ripe for bipartisan efforts, brought the?liberal Bookerand?conservative?Christie together.?

?When you?re thinking conservatives or liberals or progressives, or Democrats and Republicans, education reform has been [where] the partisan or ideological labels don?t apply,? said Hari Sevugan, a former Democratic National Committee spokesman who later worked for Michelle Rhee?s StudentsFirst education-reform lobbying group. ?While they might apply in nearly every other issue, they don?t necessarily carry into this space.?

?These are interesting issues because they tend to be coalition-driven rather than party driven,? said Christie strategist Mike DuHaime, who added he expects the group to be a major player in politics. ?It?s great to have ? an outside group, pulling the coalition together.?

There?s a political benefit for Republicans to engage on education reform. Passage of the No Child Left Behind law helped President George W. Bush, who made it the hallmark of his "compassionate conservative" agenda. And in the midst of current-day Republican soul-searching, GOP leaders are looking to education reform as a way to show off their softer side. It?s become a focal point of?House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's strategy to recast the GOP as a kinder, gentler party, as he often talks up his experience spending time with a D.C. father who struggled to get his child into a good school. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has argued reforming failing urban public schools will help Republicans make inroads with minority voters.?

And for a party that?s perceived as unhip, technophobic, and overly partisan, it?s a boost to have common ground with Zuckerberg, a young, successful entrepreneur with Silicon Valley connections.

Although Christie already enjoys solid support across the aisle in New Jersey, DuHaime said being associated with Zuckerberg was helpful: ?It?s beneficial politically, but that?s kind of a byproduct of good policy.?

Despite Zuckerberg?s political foray, he?s not a partisan. While Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg?hosted a fundraiser?for President Obama and Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes (now the publisher of?The New Republic) worked on the president?s campaign, Zuckerberg doesn?t?publicly?identify as a Democrat or Republican. He?s friendly with Obama and hosted a Facebook town hall for him in 2011, but he also held a fundraiser for Christie earlier this year at his Palo Alto home.

?It?s turned into a very good friendship, but it was driven by their similar views on education reform,? DuHaime said. ?It was issue-driven, and then it became a friendship.?

Further proof of Zuckerberg's bipartisan bent: the?prominent inside-the-Beltway advisers?he's brought on board to run his new political group. The roster includes?former National Republican Senatorial Committee Executive Director Rob Jesmer, former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart, and Republican strategist Jon Lerner, a longtime consultant for the antitax Club for Growth.

Lerner has worked for a number of conservative clients, including South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Gov. Mark Sanford in his gubernatorial campaigns. A 2010 McClatchy profile?written about Lerner?said he displayed an "unwillingness to work for candidates whose views don't match his own hard-line conservative beliefs."?

Now Lerner, whose work includes an ad describing Howard Dean as a "latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading? liberal, will be partners with a hoodie-wearing Silicon Valley icon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/curious-friends-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-help-republicans-121945830--politics.html

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Pope's foot-washing final blow for traditionalists - News, Weather ...

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis has won over many hearts and minds with his simple style and focus on serving the world's poorest, but he has devastated traditionalist Catholics who adored his predecessor, Benedict XVI, for restoring much of the traditional pomp to the papacy.

Francis' decision to disregard church law and wash the feet of two girls - a Serbian Muslim and an Italian Catholic - during a Holy Thursday ritual has become something of the final straw, evidence that Francis has little or no interest in one of the key priorities of Benedict's papacy: reviving the pre-Vatican II traditions of the Catholic Church.

One of the most-read traditionalist blogs, "Rorate Caeli," reacted to the foot-washing ceremony by declaring the death of Benedict's eight-year project to correct what he considered the botched interpretations of the Second Vatican Council's modernizing reforms.

"The official end of the reform of the reform - by example," ''Rorate Caeli" lamented in its report on Francis' Holy Thursday ritual.

A like-minded commentator in Francis' native Argentina, Marcelo Gonzalez at International Catholic Panorama, reacted to Francis' election with this phrase: "The Horror." Gonzalez's beef? While serving as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, the then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio's efforts to revive the old Latin Mass so dear to Benedict and traditionalists were "non-existent."

Virtually everything he has done since being elected pope, every gesture, every decision, has rankled traditionalists in one way or another.

The night he was chosen pope, March 13, Francis emerged from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica without the ermine-rimmed red velvet cape, or mozzetta, used by popes past for official duties, wearing instead the simple white cassock of the papacy. The cape has since come to symbolize his rejection of the trappings of the papacy and to some degree the pontificate of Benedict XVI, since the German pontiff relished in resurrecting many of the liturgical vestments of his predecessors.

Francis also received the cardinals' pledges of obedience after his election not from a chair on a pedestal as popes normally do but rather standing, on their same level. For traditionalists who fondly recall the days when popes were carried on a sedan chair, that may have stung. In the days since, he has called for "intensified" dialogue with Islam - a gesture that rubs traditionalists the wrong way because they view such a heavy focus on interfaith dialogue as a sign of religious relativism.

Francis may have rubbed salt into the wounds with his comments at the Good Friday procession at Rome's Colosseum, which re-enacts Jesus Christ's crucifixion, praising "the friendship of our Muslim brothers and sisters" during a prayer ceremony that recalled the suffering of Christians in the Middle East.

Francis also raised traditional eyebrows when he refused the golden pectoral cross offered to him right after his election by Monsignor Guido Marini, the Vatican's liturgy guru who under Benedict became the symbol of Benedict's effort to restore the Gregorian chant and heavy silk brocaded vestments of the pre-Vatican II liturgy to papal Masses.

Marini has gamely stayed by Francis' side as the new pope puts his own stamp on Vatican Masses with no-nonsense vestments and easy off-the-cuff homilies. But there is widespread expectation that Francis will soon name a new master of liturgical ceremonies more in line with his priorities of bringing the church and its message of love and service to ordinary people without the "high church" trappings of his predecessor.

There were certainly none of those trappings on display Thursday at the Casal del Marmo juvenile detention facility in Rome, where the 76-year-old Francis got down on his knees to wash and kiss the feet of 12 inmates, two of them women. The rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his 12 apostles during the Last Supper before his crucifixion, a sign of his love and service to them.

The church's liturgical law holds that only men can participate in the rite, given that Jesus' apostles were all male. Priests and bishops have routinely petitioned for exemptions to include women, but the law is clear.

Francis, however, is the church's chief lawmaker, so in theory he can do whatever he wants.

"The pope does not need anybody's permission to make exceptions to how ecclesiastical law relates to him," noted conservative columnist Jimmy Akin in the National Catholic Register. But Akin echoed concerns raised by canon lawyer Edward Peters, an adviser to the Vatican's high court, that Francis was setting a "questionable example" by simply ignoring the church's own rules.

"People naturally imitate their leader. That's the whole point behind Jesus washing the disciples' feet. He was explicitly and intentionally setting an example for them," he said. "Pope Francis knows that he is setting an example."

The inclusion of women in the rite is problematic for some because it could be seen as an opening of sorts to women's ordination. The Catholic Church restricts the priesthood to men, arguing that Jesus and his 12 apostles were male.

Francis is clearly opposed to women's ordination. But by washing the feet of women, he jolted traditionalists who for years have been unbending in insisting that the ritual is for men only and proudly holding up as evidence documentation from the Vatican's liturgy office saying so.

"If someone is washing the feet of any females ... he is in violation of the Holy Thursday rubrics," Peters wrote in a 2006 article that he reposted earlier this month on his blog.

In the face of the pope doing that very thing, Peters and many conservative and traditionalist commentators have found themselves trying to put the best face on a situation they clearly don't like yet can't do much about lest they be openly voicing dissent with the pope.

By Thursday evening, Peters was saying that Francis had merely "disregarded" the law - not violated it.

The Rev. John Zuhlsdorf, a traditionalist blogger who has never shied from picking fights with priests, bishops or cardinals when liturgical abuses are concerned, had to measure his comments when the purported abuser was the pope himself.

"Before liberals and traditionalists both have a spittle-flecked nutty, each for their own reasons, try to figure out what he is trying to do," Zuhlsdorf wrote in a conciliatory piece.

But, in characteristic form, he added: "What liberals forget in their present crowing is that even as Francis makes himself - and the church - more popular by projecting (a) compassionate image, he will simultaneously make it harder for them to criticize him when he reaffirms the doctrinal points they want him to overturn."

One of the key barometers of how traditionalists view Francis concerns his take on the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass. The Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that brought the church into the modern world, allowed the celebration of the Mass in the vernacular rather than Latin. In the decades that followed, the so-called Tridentine Rite fell out of use almost entirely.

Traditionalist Catholics who were attached to the old rite blame many of the ills afflicting the Catholic Church today - a drop in priestly vocations, empty pews in Europe and beyond - on the liturgical abuses that they say have proliferated with the celebration of the new form of Mass.

In a bid to reach out to them, Benedict in 2007 relaxed restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass. The move was aimed also at reconciling with a group of schismatic traditionalists, the Society of St. Pius X, who split from Rome precisely over the Vatican II reforms, in particular its call for Mass in the vernacular and outreach to other religions, especially Judaism and Islam.

Benedict took extraordinary measures to bring the society back under Rome's wing during his pontificate, but negotiations stalled.

The society has understandably reacted coolly to Francis' election, reminding the pope that his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, was told by Christ to go and "rebuild my church." For the society, that means rebuilding it in its own, pre-Vatican II vision.

The head of the society for South America, the Rev. Christian Bouchacourt, was less than generous in his assessment of Francis.

"He cultivates a militant humility, but can prove humiliating for the church," Bouchacourt said in a recent article, criticizing the "dilapidated" state of the clergy in Buenos Aires and the "disaster" of its seminary. "With him, we risk to see once again the Masses of Paul VI's pontificate, a far cry from Benedict XVI's efforts to restore to their honor the worthy liturgical ceremonies."

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.klkntv.com/story/21830764/popes-foot-washing-final-blow-for-traditionalists

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The Orlando Limousine Service and Discovering It | Oregon Attractions

In these times, transportation is definitely something, which holds importance. There are even more reasons becoming apparent in recent years. Owning a car, or flying by private plane are two of the methods of transportation. It can be said that there are some far more interesting methods of transportation, which are frequently forgotten. Traveling by limousine is definitely an interesting opportunity, and if you find yourself in Orlando, you should look up a good Orlando limousine service for proper transportation.

There are a lot of people out there, who think of limousine travel as a benefit reserved only for the rich. Even though this is true to some extent, there are still good reasons to try it out. If you want to reach your hotel from the airport efficiently, and you want to do so in comfort, you should try to find a good limousine service in Orlando. To set another example, you might want to bring your lover the trip of a lifetime. There are a lot of viable applications for this sort of service, and you should get familiarized with all of them.

Making use of the services of a proper Orlando limousine service offers a wide range of benefits too. It is easy to state that the drivers employed by such agencies are always experienced, and you can expect a lot of the driving quality. You will simply have to give the team at the agency at a call and tell them what you want, and you can enjoy a full range of various luxuries during the ride. Luxurious traveling can easily be called one of the best things you can enjoy in your life, and you should not miss out on the many opportunities out there.

For finding a good limousine service in Orlando, you do not need a lot of things. You will just have to contact a company. The team of specialists tasked with helping you, will set up a quote in no time, which will give you information on their offers and prices. The choice will come by itself after you do that. You should know that quality varies from agency to agency though, and you need to keep it in mind. Obtaining some feedback is your best bet when it comes to that. If you want honest opinions from users, you should head to one of the many online forums.

Trying out what a good Orlando limousine service can offer you is something great. A good ride in a limousine will be the ultimate addition to your vacation spent in luxury in a nice hotel. You can expect great enjoyment from such a service, even if finding the right provider is a bit slow. Riding in a limousine is one of the best things you can enjoy, as it is one of the rarest as well. You should never hesitate to try it out, as it will bring the comfort and luxury, which your vacation requires.

For more Orlando Limousine information visit: bluediamondlimousines.com

Source: http://oregonattractions.net/travel-leisure/the-orlando-limousine-service-and-discovering-it/

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Jun Group Launches HyprMX To Help Mobile Publishers Manage Their Video Ads

Video ad distribution company Jun Group has launched a new, wholly-owned subsidiary called HyprMX, offering mediation tools for mobile publishers and developers manage video ads from multiple sources. HyprMX CEO Corey Weiner said that Jun Group runs its ads through hundreds of publishers, and it found that some of those publishers needed more help managing their inventory: "They're just not in the ad business ? they're in the content business, they're in the games business." So HyprMX helps those publishers run ads from multiple sources, including Jun Group.

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

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Ways On How To Efficiently Improve Your House

There are a number of reasons why people want to spend money on home projects. These projects can be anything from tiny details that take a few hours to complete to major structural changes that involve weeks of labor. Whether hiring a pro or doing it on your own, there are many important factors to take into consideration before beginning any home improvement project. The article below is brimming with tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your home improvement efforts.

These are quite common in older houses and can evolve quickly into serious issues. Tackling them when they're little is simple and easy. Waiting until they're big problems can be costly and costly. A bit of bleach can work really well on little mold issues. You can sand away small patches of rust.

Use fans when you are renovating in your home during the summer. Ceiling fans can be particularly great for increased circulation and cooling.

Use baby food jars to add organization to your work area. You should screw or glue to attach these jars underneath a wall shelf. You can put small items like nails and screws. This is a great way to use your wall shelf and recycle the jars you might not use otherwise.

If you're looking to replace your home's siding, you must remember insulation. It will add to the resale value of your house as well as lower energy costs. You can put that extra money in hand.

Homes that are well maintained tend to sell for a higher price than homes that haven't. This type of earning back your investment.

If your roof leaks, you should start by checking near the chimney, wall step flashing, in any low spots, and near your wall step flashing. Gutters that are damaged often cause a roof to leak because water goes directly down the outside of the home.

Green home improvements are always great to do in your home. It's a fantastic way to add some value as well as to be environmentally friendly. Installing an air conditioning or furnace that is energy efficient will make your home more comfortable, saves energy costs and helps keep the earth clean.

If you are working on your gas lines or anything connected to them, take the time to be sure the gas has been turned off completely. Just because you're not smoking in your home doesn't mean you won't end up creating a spark. Also, even if you think you haven't done any damage, so be careful.

Remember that safety precautions when it comes to home improvement jobs. There is some danger in any home improvement project you do, so make sure to read the instructions on power tools and ask for help from store associates if you need it. You can find many online tutorial which can help.

You can complete home improvement projects on your own. You might be able to paint, simple plumbing repairs, and certain drywall jobs on your own. You can keep some money by simply doing the repairs yourself.

Major home improvements generally need permits and approval before the work is commenced.If you aren't aware of local regulations or you don't undertake structural property changes, then you need a professional so that you can prevent serious mistakes that can cost you a lot.

Be mindful of which product you select to tackle stubborn clogs. Some drain cleaners are very harsh and dangerous. Don't used drain cleaners that are crystallized because they will stick to the inside of the pipes and damage them. Be sure to use drain cleaning products intended for use with the type of septic tank you have.

The leveled line creates a useful reference point for measuring when putting in your cabinets. The benchmark line should start the floor's highest pot.

If your bedroom set is tired and worn, you can try your hand in building your own. While this requires a great deal of work, you can create beautiful furniture styled directly to your own personal taste.

You can save a lot on homeowner's insurance by installing smoke alarms in your home and checking them regularly. This effect is greater with older homes because the insurance companies know that more recent homes are usually built using materials that are more fire-resistant. Smoke alarms are essential safety equipment; they could save money and your life.

Always check the legitimacy of any company you plan to hire is a legitimate one. Try to get with a company that has a solid reputation.

Don't buy furniture that has busy patterns.You can experiment with patterns to your heart's content with pillows and throws without making too much of a unique effect.

Are you discovering that your summer heating bill? It's easy - most people have the ability to do yourself. In the end, tinting your windows will help lower your overall cooling bill.

Be certain to seal your grout once the tile has been laid. If it is not sealed, you may find that moisture seeps inside the grout, and mildew and mold can result. By sealing the grout, you will save time when cleaning tiles and prevent unnecessary costs for mildew issues.

Updating your home can be an expensive and lengthy process. However, if you know what you're doing, your expenditures will be far less. Make use of this article's great advice so that you can avoid making common mistakes and ensure your home improvement project turns out great.

Tagged as: construction, home, project

Source: http://yarwoodrealestate.com/ways-on-how-to-efficiently-improve-your-house/

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Small business loans exceed expectation | BuildMyBiz News

March 29, 2013 in Finance and Accounting

Huntington Bank, a Columbus, Ohio-based firm, announced on March 18 that it had surpassed its goal of providing $4 billion in loans to small businesses.?

The bank, with a footprint across six states, provided 24,000 loan applicants with small business funding since the goal was set in 2010. Ohio businesses saw the highest number of successful loans, with 15,400. Loans for businesses in Michigan totaled 5,200, while both Indiana and Pennsylvania companies were awarded over 1,000 loans.?

?Huntington was one of the first banks during the economic downturn to commit to increased small business lending,? said Huntington?s President and CEO Steve Steinour. ?We also hired more than 150 additional business bankers to work with businesses and take a second-look at loan applications to make certain nothing was missed in determining their qualifications for a loan.?

Steinour?s?bank isn?t the only one that has been active in supplying small businesses with loans. The Baltimore Business Journal recently reported that SNL?Financial released a report that lists which large banks provided small businesses with the most loans last year. Coming in first was Wells Fargo, which contributed $32.8 billion to small business finance.?

Bank of America was number two on the list, with $26.2 billion in loans.

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Source: http://buildmybiz.com/small-business-loans-exceed-expectation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=small-business-loans-exceed-expectation

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House Speaker admonishes fellow Republican for immigrant slur (reuters)

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Lawsuit filed in Ohio's child cancer cluster case

CLYDE, Ohio (AP) -- Lawyers in Ohio filed a $750 million class action lawsuit Thursday against Whirlpool Corp. that's related to a child cancer cluster between Toledo and Cleveland.

The lawsuit attempts to link Whirlpool and others to the cancer cluster, though the families of the children who've been diagnosed with cancer aren't involved.

Three families filed the suit, including a man whose wife died at age 23 a year after she was diagnosed with cancer.

The U.S. EPA has said high levels of a chemical believed to increase the risk of certain cancers were found in soil samples from a former park Whirlpool once owned near the town of Clyde. Whirlpool has a washing machine factory in Clyde.

The findings, though, didn't link the contaminants with the cancer cluster that has been under investigation by state and federal agencies for more than six years. Nearly 40 young people have been diagnosed with cancer since the mid-1990s in the area.

Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool hasn't been directly connected to the chemical found in the tests. A statement from the company said that it's reviewing the lawsuit.

"As a member of the community for over 60 years, with more than 3,000 employees in the area, we are also very interested in figuring out the facts behind this ongoing issue," the statement said.

Families whose children have been among the dozens sickened in an Ohio cancer cluster have hired a private company to test several spots around the area in northern Ohio.

Still, the odds are against coming up with an answer because pinpointing the cause of a cancer cluster rarely happens.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawsuit-filed-ohios-child-cancer-213837381.html

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Is Traverse City Going to the Dogs? | Pet Friends Magazine News ...

From the Ticker?

The dog days of summer are still months away, but is becoming a canine-friendly town? According to livability.com, the most pet-friendly city for Fido is Portland, Ore. with more than 32 dog parks. That got The Ticker thinking, just how dog-friendly is TC? Click here for more info.

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Source: http://petfriendsmagazine.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/is-traverse-city-going-to-the-dogs/

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Pop-up Gmail compose now default whether you like it or not

When Google soft launched its new Gmail composer last October, it did so in a preview release that gave users the option to test it out and turn it off. Not so anymore, because starting today that resizable, pop-up window is now the default interface for its web Gmail client. The widespread change was apparently spurred by abundant positive feedback from users that found the new layout bolstered multitasking -- a claim we're not entirely sold on. Regardless of your feelings towards this permanent switch, it's headed your way soon and should finish rolling out "over the next few days." So, turn and face the change, people -- it's not like you have a choice.

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Official Gmail Blog

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/28/pop-up-gmail-compose-now-default/

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BP to go ahead with $500 million Shetlands investment

By Sarah Young

LONDON (Reuters) - British oil group BP is pressing ahead with a $500 million-plus investment in the Shetland Islands, a shot in the arm for the government's efforts to revive the North Sea oil industry to help kickstart a flagging economy.

Though North Sea output has fallen by about two thirds since 2000 and a surprise tax increase in 2011 led to dire predictions about its future, industry body Oil & Gas UK in February forecast a pick-up in production from 2014, fuelled by renewed government support and a surge in investment.

BP's investment, which could pave the way for a big add-on project at its Clair field, coincided on Thursday with a government effort to boost investment in the oil and gas sector.

Business Minister Vince Cable and Energy Secretary Ed Davey will travel to Aberdeen, known as the oil capital of Europe, where they will pledge government commitment to a stable tax regime for the industry, and announce plans to develop Britain's supply chain further and try to plug an engineering skills gap.

Under BP's plans, it will drill at least five appraisal wells in the giant Clair field off the west coast of the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland, to discover whether it is worth further development.

BP and its Clair partners, Shell , ConocoPhillips and Chevron , in 2011 said they were investing 4.5 billion pounds in a second phase of development for the field, which first started pumping oil in 2005.

"If successful, the appraisal program could pave the way for a third phase of development at Clair - this is now a real possibility," BP's North Sea regional president Trevor Garlick said in a statement.

Big oil companies have tended to look beyond the North Sea in recent years, favoring new oil provinces with more potential, but the rich geology of the areas around the Shetland Islands has kept them hooked.

The British government has been at pains to reclaim the trust of oil and gas industry after the 2011 shock tax rise.

New tax breaks, for older oil fields, heavy oil fields, deep-water fields and clarity over field abandonment tax relief have over the last two years helped give companies the confidence to move ahead with new plans.

BP's plan for Clair follows other recent new investments in the North Sea, including a $7 billion project announced by Norway's Statoil in December and a 1.6 billion pound ($2.4 billion) investment by Canada's Talisman Energy two months earlier.

"This is an expanding industry. We can either help create more jobs and opportunities across the UK if we get this right or see work going overseas if not," Business Minister Vince Cable, who once worked for Shell, said in a statement.

Britain's oil and gas industry contributes more to government coffers than any other sector and paid over one fifth of total corporation taxes in 2012. It also employs over 400,000 people including its supply chain.

The government said it will invest 7 million pounds to establish a new centre for subsea engineering and help the industry by establishing a program to retrain ex-military personnel to work in oil and gas.

BP, which has the biggest stake in Clair at nearly 29 percent, said that it had already started drilling the first appraisal well and it could complete up to 12 wells over two years, depending on the results of the first wells.

($1 = 0.6617 British pounds)

(Editing by David Goodman and Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bp-ahead-500-million-shetlands-investment-085925439--finance.html

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Pope washes feet of young detainees in ritual

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis washes the foot of an inmate at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo, Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Francis washed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, an unusual choice given that the rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his male disciples. The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the Vatican said the 12 selected for the rite weren't necessarily Catholic. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis washes the foot of an inmate at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo, Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Francis washed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, an unusual choice given that the rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his male disciples. The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the Vatican said the 12 selected for the rite weren't necessarily Catholic. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis kisses the foot of an inmate at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo, Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Francis washed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, an unusual choice given that the rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his male disciples. The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the Vatican said the 12 selected for the rite weren't necessarily Catholic. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis, with back to camera at right, washes the foot of an inmate at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo, Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Francis washed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, an unusual choice given that the rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his male disciples. The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the Vatican said the 12 selected for the rite weren't necessarily Catholic. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis washes the foot of an inmate at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo, Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Francis washed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, an unusual choice given that the rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his male disciples. The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the Vatican said the 12 selected for the rite weren't necessarily Catholic. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho)

Pope Francis waves from his car as he arrives at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo to celebrate the rite of the washing of the feet, in Rome, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Previous popes have celebrated the Holy Thursday ritual, which re-enacts Christ's washing his disciples feet before being crucified, but they have done so washing the feet of priests in one of Rome's most ornate basilicas, St. Peter's Basilica, not a jail. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

ROME (AP) ? Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of a dozen inmates, including two young women, at a juvenile detention center in a surprising departure from church rules that restrict the Holy Thursday ritual to men.

The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the 12 selected for the foot-washing rite reportedly included Orthodox and Muslim detainees.

Because the inmates were mostly minors ? the facility houses inmates aged 14-to-21 ? the Vatican and Italian Justice Ministry limited media access inside. But Vatican Radio carried the Mass live, and in his homily Francis told the detainees that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion in a gesture of love and service.

"This is a symbol, it is a sign ? washing your feet means I am at your service," Francis told the youngsters. "Help one another. This is what Jesus teaches us. This is what I do. And I do it with my heart. I do this with my heart because it is my duty, as a priest and bishop I must be at your service."

Later, the Vatican released a limited video of the ritual, showing Francis washing black feet, white feet, male feet, female feet and even a foot with tattoos. Kneeling on the stone floor as the 12 youngsters sat above him, the 76-year-old Francis poured water from a silver chalice over each foot, dried it with a simple cotton towel and then bent over to kiss each one.

Previous popes carried out the foot-washing ritual on Holy Thursday in Rome's grand St. John Lateran basilica. The 12 people chosen for the ritual were always priests to represent the 12 apostles whose feet Christ washed during the Last Supper before his crucifixion.

As archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio would celebrate the ritual foot-washing in jails, hospitals or hospices ? part of his ministry to the poorest and most marginalized of society. He would often involve women: photographs from his days in Buenos Aires show him washing the feet of a woman holding her newborn child in her arms.

That Francis would include women in his inaugural Holy Thursday Mass as pope, however, was remarkable given current liturgical rules restrict the ritual to men.

Canon lawyer Edward Peters, who is an adviser to the Holy See's top court, noted in a blog that the Congregation for Divine Worship in 1988 sent a letter to bishops making clear that "The washing of the feet of chosen men ... represents the service and charity of Christ who came 'not to be served, but to serve.'"

Peters noted that bishops over the years have successfully petitioned Rome for an exemption to allow women to participate, but that the law on the issue is clear.

"By disregarding his own law in this matter, Francis violates, of course, no divine directive," Peters wrote Thursday. "What he does do, I fear, is set a questionable example," particularly as it regards adherence to liturgical rules.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said he didn't want to enter into a canonical dispute over the matter. He said in a "grand solemn celebration" of the rite, it would make sense to only involve men because during the Last Supper, Christ washed the feet of the 12 apostles, all of whom were male.

"Here, the rite was for a small, unique community made up also of women," Lombardi said in an email to The Associated Press. "It was a specific situation in which excluding the girls would have been inopportune in light of the simple aim of communicating a message of love to all in a group that certainly didn't include refined experts in liturgical rules."

Others on the more liberal side of the liturgical spectrum welcomed the novel example Francis set.

"The pope's washing the feet of women is hugely significant because including women in this part of the Holy Thursday Mass has been frowned on ? and even banned ? in some dioceses," said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author of "The Jesuit Guide."

"It shows the all-embracing love of Christ, who ministered to all he met: man or woman, slave or free, Jew or Gentile," he said.

After the Mass, Francis greeted each of the inmates and gave each one an Easter egg. In exchange, he was given a wooden cross and kneeler that the inmates made in their workshop.

"Don't lose hope," Francis said. "Understand? With hope you can always go on."

One of the inmates then asked him why he had come to visit them. Francis said it was to "help me to be humble, as a bishop should be." He said he wanted to come "from my heart. Things from the heart don't have an explanation."

Italian Justice Minister Paola Severino, who has made easing Italy's woefully overcrowded prisons a priority, also attended the Mass.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-28-Vatican-Pope/id-1d8f9fa8794d4f7797ab4768472aa010

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Prosperity Prayer Any Man, Woman And Child Can Use

Tags: attraction, success, abundance, wealth, money, motivational, self improvement, self improvement and motivation, finances, spiritual

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What is Gods will for His children? It is to have abundance and prosperity in every aspect of their lives. How can we be sure about this? First of all it is Gods nature to be good. Moreover, His will and promises are written clearly in the Scriptures--words that have seen centuries of lives transformed through knowing His purposes and desires. So how can I get to the wealth that is reserved for me? Is there a prosperity prayer out there that God will hear and answer?

Wait, before you start reciting every prayer you have ever heard,you need to know that its not so much what you say but why and how you say it. God is not after your words or any offering you might give--He wants your heart. He is eager to see you blessed so there is no need to beg for meager resources to get you by. See the whole world as this overflowing abundance of gifts designed with you in mind. Knowing God's goodness will allow you to trust in His providence for your life.

Now you have abundance and prosperity deposited in your account; how can you withdraw from it? By praying according to His promises as stated in the Bible. Agree with His Word and speak prosperity over your life. There is nothing more effective in bringing about change than divine creative word given full reign in somebody's life. Acknowledge your position as a rightful heir to these promises and watch the power of your prosperity prayer begin to manifest. You can use this prayer as a guide:

Father God, I honor You for who You are to me. You are a holy and mighty God, (Luke 1:49) Nothing is impossible for you. (Jeremiah 32:27) All things on earth you have given for man to enjoy, (Psalm 115:16; Jeremiah 27:5) You want only the best for me. (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13) It is Your desire to prosper me (Proverbs 28:35) All because You love me. (Jeremiah 31:3; John 1:17; Romans 8:31)

I enter into Your presence bringing with me your promises. You are God and there is no deceit or failure in what You have uttered. (Titus 1:2) When there is no way, I trust You will make one for me. (Joshua 2:10). You give me the wisdom and strength to create wealth, (Deuteronomy 8:18) And You will exceed every goal I set for myself. (Ephesians 3:20)

There is power in Your Word (Hebrews 1:3) It frames the whole world as we know it. (Hebrews 11:3) I agree and speak out Your Word, I trust that it will be as You said. Thank You Father, Your goodness and love surrounds me. I bless Your Name, Amen.

It is vital that you do not entertain negative energy that is bound to come against you one way or another. Combat this by thinking of all the things that are good in your life and start giving thanks for them"no matter how insignificant they may seem at first. There is a peace that will settle in your heart as you do so.

Pray this prosperity prayer whenever you can. It is not a formula or a magic charm to get your prosperity. This prayer serves to remind you of the abundant blessings coming your way, thus strengthening your faith. Use other scriptural verses that you feel a connection to you to. What is important is that you understand that you and your household are title holders to the divine prosperity" and its time to claim it today.

About the Author

Zoe Smith recognizes abundance and prosperity in her life. Learn ways to develop your Prosperity Prayer today.

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Metal Gear Solid V is Kojima's first next-gen FOX Engine game, developer reveals (update: video)

Kojima Productions head Hideo Kojima this morning announced that The Phantom Pain and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes combined is actually Metal Gear Solid V, the first next-gen game from Kojima Productions running on its powerful FOX Engine. The news was revealed today during a FOX Engine panel at the Game Developers Conference. Kojima announced the combination of the previously announced concepts in a dramatic fashion, with his head wrapped in bandages, presumably as his alter ego Joakim Mogren. They provided a sneak peek trailer at the game's opening sequence, where Snake is attempting to escape from a hospital -- the trailer previously teased in late 2012. As FOX Engine is a next-gen platform, we're assuming that the game is heading to next-gen consoles, but Kojima's not saying anything solid just yet.

Update: GamesHQMedia managed to snag a trailer of the game, which we've embedded below.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/27/metal-gear-solid-5/

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A boost for gay marriage: Justices question US law

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Concluding two days of intense debate, the Supreme Court signaled Wednesday it could give a boost to same-sex marriage by striking down the federal law that denies legally married gay spouses a wide range of benefits offered to other couples.

As the court wrapped up its remarkable arguments over gay marriage in America, a majority of the justices indicated they will invalidate part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act ? if they can get past procedural problems similar to those that appeared to mark Tuesday's case over California's ban on same-sex marriage.

Since the federal law was enacted in 1996, nine states and the District of Columbia have made it legal for gays and lesbians to marry. Same-sex unions also were legal in California for nearly five months in 2008 before the Proposition 8 ban.

Justice Anthony Kennedy, often the decisive vote in close cases, joined the four more-liberal justices in raising questions Wednesday about a provision that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman for purposes of federal law.

It affects more than 1,100 statutes in which marital status is relevant, dealing with tax breaks for married couples, Social Security survivor benefits and, for federal employees, health insurance and leave to care for spouses.

Kennedy said the Defense of Marriage Act appears to intrude on the power of states that have chosen to recognize same-sex marriages. When so many federal statutes are affected, "which in our society means that the federal government is intertwined with the citizens' day-to-day life, you are at real risk of running in conflict with what has always been thought to be the essence of the state police power, which is to regulate marriage, divorce, custody," Kennedy said.

Other justices said the law creates what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called two classes of marriage, full and "skim-milk marriage."

If the court does strike down part of DOMA, it would represent a victory for gay rights advocates. But it would be something short of the endorsement of gay marriage nationwide that some envisioned when the justices agreed in December to hear the federal case and the challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage.

Still, the tenor of the arguments over two days reflected how quickly attitudes have changed since large majorities in Congress passed the federal DOMA in 1996 and President Bill Clinton signed it into law. In 2011, President Barack Obama abandoned the legal defense of the law in the face of several lawsuits, and last year Obama endorsed gay marriage. Clinton, too, has voiced regret for signing the law and now supports allowing gays and lesbians to marry.

In 1996, the House of Representatives' report on the legislation explained that one of its purposes was "to express moral disapproval of homosexuality." Justice Elena Kagan read those words in the courtroom Wednesday, evoking a reaction from the audience that sounded like a cross between a gasp and nervous laughter.

Kagan's quotation gave lawyer Paul Clement, representing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives that has taken up defense of the law in place of the administration, some uncomfortable moments at the lectern.

"Does the House report say that? Of course, the House report says that. And if that's enough to invalidate the statute, then you should invalidate the statute," Clement said. But he said the more relevant question is whether Congress had "any rational basis for the statute." He supplied one: the federal government's interest in treating same-sex couples the same no matter where they live.

Clement said the government does not want military families "to resist transfer from West Point to Fort Sill because they're going to lose their benefits." The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal, and Fort Sill is in Oklahoma, where gay marriages are not legal.

Opposing Clement was the Obama administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, Donald Verrilli, who said the provision of DOMA at issue, Section 3, impermissibly discriminates against gay people.

"I think it's time for the court to recognize that this discrimination, excluding lawfully married gay and lesbian couples from federal benefits, cannot be reconciled with our fundamental commitment to equal treatment under law," Verrilli said.

Both Verrilli and Roberta Kaplan, the lawyer for Edith Windsor, the 83-year-old New York woman who sued over DOMA, told the court that views about gay people and marriage have shifted dramatically since 1996 when the law was approved.

"Why are you so confident in that judgment? How many states permit gay couples to marry?" Justice Antonin Scalia asked Kaplan.

Nine, she said.

"So there's been a sea change between now and 1996," Scalia said, doubtfully.

But Chief Justice John Roberts jumped on the idea of a rapid shift in opinion to suggest that perhaps gays and lesbians do not need special protection from the court.

"As far as I can tell, political leaders are falling all over themselves to endorse your side of the case," Roberts said.

The justices stepped into the dispute after lower federal courts ruled against the measure.

The DOMA argument followed Tuesday's case over California's ban on same-sex marriage, a case in which the justices indicated they might avoid a major national ruling on whether America's gays and lesbians have a right to marry. Even without a significant ruling, the court appeared headed for a resolution that would mean the resumption of gay and lesbian weddings in California.

Supreme Court arguments are the most visible part of the justices' consideration of the cases before them, but they often play a relatively small role in rulings compared to the mountain of legal briefs that are filed in the weeks leading up to the public sessions.

Lawsuits around the country have led four federal district courts and two appeals courts to strike down DOMA's Section 3, which defines marriage. In 2011, the Obama administration abandoned its defense of the law but continues to enforce it.

The change in position led the court to consider the related questions of whether the House Republican leadership can defend the law in court because the administration decided not to, and whether the administration forfeited its right to participate in the case.

Roberts and Scalia seemed most interested in this sort of outcome, and the chief justice offered perhaps the most pointed comment of the day when he wondered why Obama continues to enforce a law he believes is unconstitutional.

"I don't see why he doesn't have the courage of his convictions and execute not only the statute but do it consistent with his view of the Constitution, rather than saying, 'Oh, we'll wait till the Supreme Court tells us we have no choice,'" Roberts said.

If the Supreme Court finds that it does not have the authority to hear the case, Windsor probably would still get the $363,000 estate tax refund for which she sued because she won in the lower courts. But there would be no definitive decision about the law from the nation's highest court, and it would remain on the books.

Windsor, who goes by Edie, married Thea Spyer in 2007 in Canada after doctors told them that Spyer would not live much longer. Spyer, who suffered from multiple sclerosis for many years, died in 2009 and left everything she had to Windsor.

There is no dispute that if Windsor had been married to a man, her estate tax bill would have been zero. Windsor was in court Wednesday, where she received a hug from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi before the argument started.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York agreed with a district judge that the provision of DOMA deprived Windsor of the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the law.

Reflecting the high interest in the cases, the court released an audio recording of Wednesday's argument, just as it did Tuesday for that day's proceedings.

Wednesday's audio can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/d626ybg . Tuesday's is at: http://tinyurl.com/dxefy2a .

A somewhat smaller crowd gathered outside the court Wednesday, mainly gay marriage supporters who held American and rainbow flags. "Two, four, six, eight, we do not discriminate," a group chanted at one point. "If this isn't the time, when is the time? When does equality come into play?" asked Laura Scott, 43, of Columbia, Md.

Wednesday's case is U.S. v. Windsor, 12-307.

___

Associated Press writer Jessica Gresko contributed to this report.

___

Follow Mark Sherman on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/shermancourt

Follow Jessica Gresko on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/jessicagresko

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boost-gay-marriage-justices-us-law-210143944--politics.html

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Vizio brings pricing and release information to spring line of laptops and desktops

For those opting to "replace" instead of "clean" this spring, Vizio's got a bit of news for you -- the outfit's latest line of touch-friendly laptops and desktops now have firm pricing details to pore over. Starting with the portables, the 14-inch Touch Thin + Light (CT14T-B0) will ship soon with an AMD A10 APU and a base price of $1,089.99; the Core i7-equipped CT14T-B1, however, will start at $1,419.99. For those needing a bit more screen to stare at, the 15.6-inch versions of these guys will go for $1,189.99 (AMD A10) / $1,469.99 (Intel Core i7). Sliding over to desktops, the 24-inch Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B0) will ship momentarily for $1,279.99 with an AMD A10 APU, while the Core i7-infused CA24T-B1 will start at $1,439.99 and the 27-inch CA27T-B1 will get going at $1,549.99. As you'd expect, Windows 8 will find itself on home across the entire range, and those looking to buy in immediately can do so at the source links below.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets

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Source: Vizio, Microsoft Store

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Epson PowerLite W16SK 3D 3LCD Dual Projection System

As long as its name is, and as much information as Epson has packed into the name, the Epson PowerLite W16SK 3D 3LCD Dual Projection System, leaves out one critical piece of information: Namely, the W16SK works with passive, rather than active, 3D glasses. That's particularly important for a data projector, because it makes 3D far more economical for an audience of more than a handful of people. The lower cost, in turn, removes the major hurdle to making 3D practical in an office or classroom. And if you need 3D, it also earns the W16SK a spot on your short list.

Support for 3D is common enough to be nearly standard on DLP projectors today, and it's even starting to show up on LCD projectors, including the Editors' Choice Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 3020e home entertainment projector and the Epson PowerLite W16 3D WXGA 3LCD Projector that I recently reviewed. However, the 3D in virtually all of these projectors depends on active-shutter glasses.

Passive glasses are much cheaper. Epson's are $15 (direct) for a pack of five, while its active glasses for the W16 are $99 each. So even though the W16SK costs more than twice as much as the W16, if you need more than about 10 pairs of glasses, the total cost for the W16SK for 3D will be lower. And since passive glasses don't use batteries, you won't be constantly changing or recharging batteries either.

All this makes a 3D data projector for a relatively large audience a lot more practical with passive glasses. That's what the W16SK brings to the table.

Basics
The W16SK is similar to the W16 in some ways. Both offer WXGA (1,280 by 800) resolution, and both are built around LCD engines, which means they share the advantage of not showing rainbow artifacts the way single-chip DLP projectors can. They also share the advantage over most DLP projectors of offering equal color brightness and white brightness.

Both also let you connect directly to a 3D Blu-ray player or other video device for 3D input, even though they don't fully support HDMI 1.4a. According to Epson, they also both work in 3D with a 3D computer equipped with a Quad-buffered, Open GL 3D-compatible graphics card. However, they don't support the 3D format that computers typically use, and they don't support 3D over a VGA connection. To get 3D with a computer, you need third-party software for the computer, and have to connect by HDMI.

Where the two most obviously differ is that the W16 is a single projector while the W16SK consists of two projectors plus a stacking mount. The mount holds the projectors in the right position relative to each other, so their images will be registered, meaning they'll be precisely aligned, pixel by pixel, without one turning into an apparent ghost image of the other.

Setup
Setting the W16SK up is surprisingly easy, considering the need to get the images aligned. However, Epson doesn't supply a splitter for either VGA or HDMI connections, and it doesn't supply any cables, so be sure to order these along with the projector. For my tests, I used a simple Y-cable splitter for VGA, connecting it to the computer and then connecting standard VGA cables between the splitter and each projector. For the HDMI connection, I used a powered splitter and three HDMI cables, with one going to the image source and one going to each projector.

Epson provides clear instructions for every step of the installation, starting with putting the projectors in the mount and adding the polarizing filters. You then plug in the cables, with one cable from each image source going to each projector. There's also a supplied USB cable to plug into both projectors, so you can change settings in both simultaneously with one remote or one projector control panel.

Each projector has independent manual focus and zoom controls. In addition, a Screen Fit feature automatically adjusts the images to correct for any misregistration. Here again, the steps are simple and clearly explained. They consist basically of pressing a button, following the instructions on screen to zoom the two images so one is larger than the other, and pressing the button again.

Once two projectors are set up, you can use them for 2D or 3D images, just as you would use a single projector. If you move them so they get misaligned, you can quickly realign them using the Screen Fit feature. I tried it several times, moving the table the projectors were on between each try, and it worked as promised every time.

A Word about Brightness
Epson rates the W16SK at 3,000 lumens for each projector, or 6,000 lumens for both together. It's important to understand that you actually wind up with fewer lumens to work with, however, which is why you need so much brightness to start with.

Before using the Screen Fit feature, the image in my tests was roughly 78 inches wide. After using the feature, it was 75 inches wide, with Screen Fit scaling the image on one projector to fix the misregistration. This is obviously needed, since the two images need to be aligned, but it works out to a reduction in screen area of about 7.5 percent. So if you assume a true 3,000 lumens per projector, you only get to use about 2,775 lumens with these particular settings for the image size, or a total of about 5,550 lumens.

There's also a reduction in brightness from the polarizing filters. Epson claims they drop the brightness by about 17 percent, but I measured it at 24 percent, bringing the total brightness down to about 4,260 lumens. And if you don't spend the time I did tweaking the zoom settings to give you the largest possible final image, you'll get a still lower brightness level. In one test run I wound up with a 71-inch width, which works out to about 3,820 lumens.

Keep in mind too that for 3D images the left and right lenses in 3D glasses each block out the light meant for the other eye, which effectively cuts the brightness in half again for 3D. So although 6,000 lumens would normally be bright enough for a small auditorium or large classroom, in the W16SK's case the actual brightness level is more appropriate for a suitably large image for a medium-size conference room or classroom with typical levels of ambient light.

One other twist on brightness relates to the screen. Passive 3D depends on polarized light. It won't work with a standard white screen, because the light from the projector loses the needed polarization when it's reflected from the screen. Instead you need a silver screen like the Severtson GP169923D ($1,150 street, 4 stars), which I used for testing. However, screens for 3D also tend to offer a high gain, with a 2.4 gain in the case of the GP169923D. That means the screen increases the brightness for the image by reflecting more of the light back towards the audience and less towards the sides.

Image Quality
The W16SK's 2D data image quality was a little short of excellent, but not by much. On our standard suite of DisplayMate tests, it delivered fully saturated, vibrant color in all modes, and excellent color balance, with suitably neutral grays at all levels from white to black in all modes. It doesn't show fine detail well, however, with black text on white easily readable only down to 9 points in my tests, and white text on black taking some effort to read even at 12 points. This shouldn't be an issue for most people, but if you need show images with fine detail, it could be a problem.

Video quality was far better than you'll get with most data projectors, making it easily good enough to watch a full-length movie. I saw some exceedingly mild loss of shadow detail (details based on shading in dark areas), but only in scenes that are particularly hard to handle and that most data projectors do far worse with.

I didn't see any motion artifacts, posterization (colors changing suddenly where they should shade gradually), or other issues worth mention, and the projector did a good job with skin tones. Colors don't pop they way that would with a better contrast ratio, but that's just another way of saying that the W16SK isn't in the same league as a home theater projector. It also helps that, as an LCD-projector, it doesn't show rainbow artifacts.

3D and Other Issues
The W16SK comes with only one pair of 3D glasses, so plan to buy more. Image quality in 3D is reasonably good overall, with good color quality in particular. I saw some crosstalk in one scene that tends to bring out crosstalk, but I didn't see any 3D-related motion artifacts in scenes that other projectors have problems with. In general, watching 3D with the W16SK was one of the most comfortable 3D viewing experiences I've had outside of an IMAX theater, with a good sense of depth, smooth movement, and no obvious issues beyond the occasional crosstalk.

One feature that's almost not worth having is the W16SK's sound system, with its severely underpowered 2-watt mono speaker. If you need sound, plan on getting an external sound system.

Given the Epson PowerLite W16SK 3D 3LCD Dual Projection System's price, there's little reason to consider it unless you are serious about 3D. But if you need 3D for an audience of 10 or more, it offers a complete, cost-effective option. The problem holding fine detail will be an issue for some people, but shouldn't matter for most. And for that majority, at least, the Epson PowerLite W16SK 3D 3LCD Dual Projection System is a potentially cost-effective solution that will be hard to beat.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/00BheyW8Q_Y/0,2817,2417121,00.asp

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Crowdfunding, Micro-Patronage, And The Future Of Free Software

The "free" in Free Software refers to "freedom", rather than cost. It is largely a happy coincidence that Free Software is available gratis. Copyleft licensing certainly helps, but there's no overarching reason that Free-as-in-Freedom software need not cost anything. As Free Software has evolved and matured over the years, several major developmental archetypes have emerged.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/4Wk4Z089WrI/

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Clinton's Take On Gay Marriage Today

The Daily Beast:

I wrote in No Excuses: Concessions of a Serial Campaigner about Bill Clinton?s 2004 advice to John Kerry that he should consider supporting a ban on same sex marriage. I?m obviously not the only source: Newsweek independently reported the story eight years ago. My book came out six years ago and no one denied the accounts then or since then?until now. A Clinton spokesman told The New York Times that the anecdote was completely false. But the story is true and I stand by it. The long silence speaks more powerfully than a pro forma, convenient denial at this late date.

Read the whole story at The Daily Beast

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/clintons-take-on-gay-marriage_n_2968145.html

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Cyprus: cash withdrawals capped at 300 euros

People use ATMs outside a closed branch of the Bank of Cyprus in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

People use ATMs outside a closed branch of the Bank of Cyprus in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Students shout slogans outside from a Limassol district office during an anti-bailout protest in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. A banking official said Wednesday ? on condition of anonymity because the measures have yet to be officially announced ? that they include restrictions on large-scale money transfers from the country's two largest lenders to avoid a run. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)

A kiosk with the name Europe written in Greek, is closed as people use the ATMs outside a closed branch of the Bank of Cyprus in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Customers enter a Bank of Cyprus branch as a Piraeus Bank branch is seen in the background in Athens, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Greece's Piraeus Bank reached an agreement Tuesday to buy the Greek operations of three Cypriot banks for euro 524 million ($678 million). Piraeus Bank said Cypriot bank branches in Greece re-open Wednesday, a day earlier than in Cyprus. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Banks in Cyprus are to open for the first time in more than a week on Thursday, operating for six hours from noon (10:00 GMT), but restrictions will be in place on financial transactions to prevent people from draining their accounts.

Among the capital controls, cash withdrawals will be limited to 300 euros ($383) per person each day. No checks will be cashed, although people will be able to deposit them in their accounts, according to a ministerial decree that was released late Thursday.

The controls will be in place for four days.

Cyprus's banks were closed on March 16 as politicians scrambled to come up with a plan to raise 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 billion) so the country would qualify for 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion) in much-need bailout loans for its collapsed banking sector. The deal was finally reached in Brussels early Monday, and imposes severe losses on deposits of over 100,000 euros in the country's two largest banks, Laiki and Bank of Cyprus.

Since Monday's deal, Cypriot authorities have been rushing to introduce measures to prevent a rush of euros out of the country's banks when they do reopen.

Other capital controls include a cap of 5,000 euros on transactions with other countries, provided the customer presents supporting documents. Payments above that amount will need special approval.

Travelers leaving the country won't be able to take with them anything over 1,000 euros in cash ? as well as the equivalent sum in foreign currency.

Tuition fees and living expenses of up to 5,000 euros for three months will be permitted for overseas students, but documentation must be provided proving the student's relationship to the dispatcher.

Also investors will also not be able to terminate fixed-term deposit accounts before they mature unless the funds are to be used for the repayment of a loan in the same bank, the decree says.

In the capital, Nicosia, armed police officers guarded several trucks carrying containers arriving at the country's Central Bank, while a helicopter hovered overhead.

The contents of the trucks could not be independently confirmed, although state-run television said they were carrying cash flown in from Frankfurt for the bank reopening.

Meanwhile, private security firm G4S will dispatch 180 of its staff to all bank branches across the island to keep a lid on any possible trouble, said John Argyrou, managing director of the firm's Cypriot arm.

"Our presence there will be for the comfort of both bank staff and clients, but police will also be present," he said.

Argyrou said he doesn't foresee any serious trouble unfolding once banks open their doors because people had time to "digest" what has transpired.

"There may be some isolated incidents, but it's in our culture to be civil and patient, so I don't expect anything serious."

Another 120 staff from G4S would be assigned money transportation duties.

In Nicosia Wednesday night, several hundred demonstrators marched from the European Union's offices in the capital to Parliament to protest the bailout plan.

Before its collapse, Cyprus's banking sector grew to nearly eight times the size of the country's economy, mainly on the back of substantial deposits from Russia. This sparked accusations that the country was being used by Russian criminals to launder their money. Over the past week, the government in Moscow has criticized Europe's handling of the crisis in Cyprus.

Russian millionaire businessman Andrey Dashin told the Associated Press in an interview that he doesn't believe his fellow countrymen would rush to pull businesses or money out of the country once banks reopen, despite the fact that many will take a hit from a tax on accounts over 100,000 euros in both Bank of Cyprus and Laiki.

"There won't be a substantial Russian run" on Cypriot banks, said Dashin, 37, who runs his currency speculation company ForexTime from a brand-new high-rise in the southern coastal resort of Limassol. Dashin doesn't stand to lose on his deposits which aren't in either of the top two Cypriot banks.

"Russians are much more accustomed to such circumstances, we've had so many crisis in Russia...I don't have the feeling that (Russians) are ready to pull out their business or money out of their country," Dashin said.

But he said Russians want to have a "clear picture" on the kind of capital movement limits that will be imposed so as not to choke off businesses, warning that tight restrictions would be "a sign for businesspeople that their cash is trapped."

Dashin dismissed reports that Cypriot banks were being used to launder dirty Russian cash as unproven rumors and urged Cyprus to bring in internationally respected auditors to clear the air.

Under the deal clinched in Brussels early Monday, Cyprus agreed to slash its oversized banking sector and inflict hefty losses on large Laiki and Bank of Cyprus depositors.

Laiki is to be restructured, with its healthy assets going into a "good bank" and its nonperforming loans and toxic assets going into a "bad bank," officials have said. The healthy side will be absorbed into the Bank of Cyprus.

The board of directors of both banks has been fired and administrators appointed to handle the restructuring and absorption, the banking official said.

Bank of Cyprus CEO Yiannis Kypris issued a statement saying the Central Bank governor had asked him verbally Wednesday to resign.

"These are very difficult times for everyone. The Bank of Cyprus was and must remain the basic support of the economy and our society in the effort to deal with the crisis our country is going through," Kypris said. "I hope that the handling of this transition phase will respect the workers, shareholders and customers of the Bank of Cyprus."

Cypriot officials said the deal would mean the country would shift its focus away from being an international center of financial services. That is expected to cost jobs, adding to the unemployment rate which now stands at around 14 percent.

The country's foreign minister said his country almost left the eurozone during last week's bailout talks.

Ioannis Kasoulidis told German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an interview to be published Thursday that dropping the common currency was "a possibility which we seriously considered for a while."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-27-Cyprus-Financial%20Crisis/id-515a0775e8a042149e92be93718f5247

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