Morsi sworn in as Egypt's first civilian president

Mohamed Morsi was sworn in as Egypt's first freely elected civilian president on Saturday and formally received a transfer of power and pledge of support from the military, which has ruled since last year.

"I swear by the Almighty God to sincerely preserve the republican order and to respect the constitution and law, and completely care for the people's interest," said the 60-year-old Morsi in a ceremony at the constitutional court.

The swearing-in, aired lived on national television, was delayed because of a dispute between Morsi, who did not want it broadcast, and judges, who insisted on it, one of the judges told the state's Al-Ahram newspaper.

Morsi had also wanted to take the oath before the Islamist-led parliament, but the military dissolved it earlier this month following a court order in what the Muslim Brotherhood described as a "soft coup."

In the handover at Cairo's Hike Step base, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi pledged to support Morsi, who had been a senior Brotherhood figure until resigning from the movement after his election and with whom the army has had uneasy relations.

"We will stand with the new president, elected by the people," the head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) said in a speech after an honour guard parade and a helicopter fly-past.

He saluted Morsi and awarded him the highest military honour, "the shield of the armed forces."

Morsi thanked the military and pledged to support it.

"I accept the transfer of power," he said in his speech, at the same base where members of the once-banned Brotherhood had faced military trials under Mubarak.

Just after taking the oath of office, Morsi went to Cairo University to deliver a speech in which he pointedly mentioned the "elected parliament" several times and said the army should resume its normal role.

"The elected institutions will return to fulfilling their roles. And the great military will devote itself to the task of protecting the country," he said.

He then set out some of his international and domestic objectives, saying he would be a "servant of the people" in a "democratic, modern and constitutional state".

Internationally, he said Egypt respected would back the Palestinians and called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria.

"I announce from here that Egypt, its people and presidential institution stand with the Palestinian people until they regain all their rights," he said.

"We support the Syrian people. We want the bloodshed to stop," he added.

He repeated that Egypt would respect its international treaties, in an allusion to its 1979 peace accord with Israel.

Morsi had spoken out forcefully in support of Palestinians during his campaign.

The Brotherhood is vehemently opposed to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and supports the uprising against him.

But as president, Morsi is not expected to radically change his country's foreign policy, especially towards Israel, in which the military is expected to exercise its clout.

In a Friday speech before tens of thousands of supporters in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicentre of the revolt that ousted Mubarak, he said that he would insist on retaining all the presidency's powers.

"I renounce none of the prerogatives of president," he told his supporters, adding: "You are the source of power and legitimacy."

"There is no place for anyone or any institution ... above this will."

The SCAF assumed legislative powers after disbanding parliament and also formed a powerful national security council headed by the president but dominated by the generals.

The military also reserves the right to appoint a new constituent assembly should the one elected by parliament be disbanded by a court decision expected on September 1.

The Muslim Brotherhood insists that only parliament can appoint the assembly.

Media reports said Morsi was consulting a cross-section of Egyptian society before appointing a premier and a cabinet made up mostly of technocrats.

In a meeting with newspaper editors reported by most dailies on Friday, he pledged there would be "no Islamisation of state institutions" during his presidency.

Morsi became the Brotherhood's candidate to succeed Mubarak only after its first choice, Khairat El-Shater, was disqualified. He beat Ahmed Shafiq, Mubarak's last premier, with 51.73 percent of the vote.

Many had written him off as an uncharismatic substitute, saying he would be unable to muster widespread support.

But the powerful Brotherhood mobilised its formidable resources and supporters behind Morsi, who was appointed last year to head its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-morsi-tahrir-tribute-oath-051252331.html

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Did EU Leaders Actually Deliver A Fiscal And Banking Union At The Summit?

Italy's Monti and Spain's Rajoy look as France's Holande shakes hands with Germany's Merkel - Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife

As the Italian soccer team was beating their German counterparts in Warsaw during the semi-finals of the 2012 Eurocup, leaders of the 17-nation currency block met in Brussels to try and put an end to the sovereign debt crisis.? On Friday, the leaders announced a series of measures that will create a de facto banking and fiscal union, bullish for both Italy and Spain, which also meant a great concession by Germany?s Angela Merkel. ??While there was no talk of Eurobonds, markets breathed a sigh of relief, sparking a risk rally across the globe.

Italy and Spain kicked the summit off on the offensive.? Blocking every single item on the agenda, Mariano Rajoy and Mario Monti, leaders of Spain and Italy respectively, negotiated a set of terms to ease funding pressure on their sovereigns, forcing other leaders to stay at the summit overnight, according to the FT.

Effectively, Rajoy and Monti managed to convince Merkel that a banking union was necessary.? Among the pivotal issues was the direct capitalization of banks via the EFSF and the ESM.? The importance of this measure is paramount, as it breaks the vicious bank and sovereign link that was putting so much pressure on Spain?s banks.? Large financial institutions using sovereign debt to fund themselves came under increasing pressure as peripheral bond yields spiked, particularly in Spain.

By channeling the recapitalization (read bailout) directly through the emergency facilities, Rajoy and Monti also managed to ease the weight on their sovereign books.? Rather than lending money to the sovereign, which in turn lends to the banks, it is the ESM and the EFSF that are lending directly, thus the bailout won?t add to the distressed nation?s sovereign debt load.

Another major victory for Monti and Rajoy was getting approval for the ESM to lend directly to Spain and Italy, without having to impose austerity and Troika supervision.? Thus, it was speculated that Monti was paving the way for a formal bailout request from Rome in the near future.? Getting a rescue package without preconditions is a political victory in that it will allow leaders like Monti breathing room, while reducing popular ire against the ECB, the EU Commission, the IMF, and Germany.

Angela Merkel was forced to adopt a more flexible stance during this summit, as it had been Germany?s resistance that obstructed the direct recapitalization of banks by the EFSF and the ESM.? While Chancellor Merkel managed to avoid discussion Eurobonds and direct ECB financing for the EFSF and the ESM, she was the party that was forced to concede the most.

In what the FT?s James Mackintosh called a banking and ?fiscal union by the back door,? Europe also decided to implement a single banking regulator.? Currently, all of the 17 nations in the Eurozone have their own banking regulators; moving to a scheme with a single regulator will require ratification by all countries, implying a prolonged political process.

Market expectations for this latest EU Summit had been very low, which in part explained Friday?s risk-on sentiment.? All three major U.S. equity indexes opened well in positive territory and stayed there, with the Nasdaq leading the charge, up 3% to 2,935 points by the closing bell in New York.? U.S. banks were doing well, with Bank of America up 5.5%, Citigroup up 3.9%, and Wells Fargo gaining 2.8%.? Gold staged a nice rally, gaining 3.2% to $1,600 an ounce, while oil surged, up 9.1% to $84.80 a barrel.

European leaders appear to have delivered a set of measures that provide solutions to pressing matters.? The direct capitalization of Spain?s financial sector breaks the vicious bank-sovereign circle, while paving the way for a possible Italian bailout should ease funding pressure on those bonds.? Spanish and Italian bond yields fell, with rates on their 10-years at 6.35% and 5.82% respectively.

While the Summit?s positive surprises are welcome, they are far from providing closure to what seems like a never-ending crisis.? According to Nomura, the EU?s growth underperformance will become even more pronounced going forward.? Fiscal austerity and bank deleveraging will continue, along with the fear a default or a possible breakup, keeping contagion alive.? The capital flow picture continues to weaken, explained the analysts, who have seen capital flight exacerbate as of late.

Europe?s problems are still on the table.? Rajoy and Monti just bought themselves some time, at Merkel?s expense (she will now have to convince her political allies in Germany).? It?s not the first time that the EU has bought itself time, markets must hope that this is time they actually take advantage of it.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/afontevecchia/2012/06/29/did-eu-leaders-actually-deliver-a-fiscal-and-banking-union-at-the-summit/?utm_source=allactivity&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=20120629

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Afghanistan Arrests Five University Students For Links To Taliban

Afghan intelligence officials have arrested five students at Nangarhar University for alleged links to the Taliban in Asadabad, the capital of Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province, according to an Afghan website.

To read the full report, click here.

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Source: http://www.thememriblog.org/urdupashtu/blog_personal/en/42088.htm

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AP sources: Some at Gitmo could go to Afghanistan

FILE - In this May 25, 2012 file photo, Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Obama administration is considering a new gambit to restart peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The plan to send several Taliban detainees from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a prison in Afghanistan, could boost the credibility of Afghan President Hamid Karzai as he and U.S. officials try to draw the Taliban back to peace negotiations. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)

FILE - In this May 25, 2012 file photo, Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The Obama administration is considering a new gambit to restart peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The plan to send several Taliban detainees from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a prison in Afghanistan, could boost the credibility of Afghan President Hamid Karzai as he and U.S. officials try to draw the Taliban back to peace negotiations. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration is considering a new gambit to restart peace talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan that would send several Taliban detainees from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a prison in Afghanistan, U.S. and Afghan officials told The Associated Press.

Under the proposal, some Taliban fighters or affiliates captured in the early days of the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and later sent to Guantanamo under the label of enemy combatants would be transferred out of full U.S. control but not released. It's a leap of faith on the U.S. side that the men will not become threats to U.S. forces once back on Afghan soil. But it is meant to show more moderate elements of the Taliban insurgency that the U.S. is still interested in cutting a deal for peace.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and others have said that while negotiations with the Taliban are distasteful, they are the best way to settle the prolonged war.

The new compromise is intended to boost the credibility of the U.S.-backed Afghan government. President Hamid Karzai and U.S. officials are trying to draw the Taliban back to negotiations toward a peace deal between the national Afghan government and the Pashtun-based insurgency that would end a war U.S. commanders have said cannot be won with military power alone.

The Taliban have always been indifferent at best to negotiations with the Karzai government, saying the U.S. holds effective control in Afghanistan. The Obama administration has set a 2014 deadline to withdraw forces and is trying to frame talks among the Afghans beforehand.

Under the new proposal, Guantanamo prisoners would go to a detention facility adjacent to Bagram air field, the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan, officials of both governments said. The prison is inside the security perimeter established by the U.S. military, and is effectively under U.S. control for now. It is scheduled for transfer to full Afghan control in September.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta would have to sign off on the transfer and certify that the men did not pose a danger. He would not confirm details of the new proposal at a Pentagon news conference Friday, but he said discussions continue to try to promote a peace deal.

"There are no specific commitments that have been made with regard to prisoner exchanges at this point," he said. "One thing I will assure you is that any prisoner exchanges that I have to certify are going to abide by the law and require that those individuals do not return back into the battle."

Any such transfer is unlikely to include the five most senior Taliban figures held at Guantanamo, the subjects of separate negotiations with the Taliban that have stalled, a senior U.S. official said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the transfer is still under discussion and no offer has been made.

Afghan officials and other diplomats said it is not yet clear whether the new proposal could include those five, but said it has not been ruled out. Republicans in Congress bitterly opposed the plan to send those men to house arrest in Qatar, a Persian Gulf nation that has emerged as a key broker with the Muslim Taliban. The opponents feared the men would be set free and endanger the U.S.

The latest proposal was a topic of recent discussions in Washington with members of Karzai's peace committee, a group of elders charged with reaching out to the Taliban on the government's behalf.

"The possibility is strong," for a transfer to Afghanistan that includes the five top figures, said Ismail Qasemyar, international relations adviser for the Afghan High Peace Council.

Afghans involved in the discussions were still angling to get all 17 prisoners, including the five most senior men, released or transferred. The Taliban has demanded release of all the Guantanamo detainees as a condition for talks.

The Taliban abandoned direct talks in March, accusing the U.S. of reneging on several promises. The United States considers the talks suspended, not dead. The U.S. and the Afghan government are pursuing several new avenues to restart talks, including the use of proxy emissaries to the Taliban, diplomats said.

Karzai has long sought the return of all 17 Afghans imprisoned at Guantanamo, men he sometimes calls brothers, as a point of national pride. He has argued that their imprisonment at the detested Guantanamo prison undermines his credibility as a national leader, and that Afghanistan's own institutions should deal with captured insurgents.

The U.S. has said publicly that, in regards to the five senior Taliban, they would be transferred to another country's control, not released. But terms for the proposed transfer to Qatar were fairly loose. Officials briefed on the discussions said the men would have to agree not to return to fighting, forswear any ties to al-Qaida, and submit to a ban on their travel. Beyond that it was not clear how closely they would be controlled by the Qatar government.

The Taliban would have been asked to release Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only U.S. prisoner of war from the Afghan conflict.

Qatar recently sent a letter to U.S. officials with proposals to rekindle talks, a U.S. official said, but it was not clear whether the new proposal for transfer to Afghanistan was among them.

The latest Bagram proposal would appeal to the Taliban, Qasemyar said.

"The High Peace Council could use that opportunity as a goodwill gesture," he said in an interview.

Qasemyar said that the proposal may have benefits for the U.S. beyond boosting his organization's bargaining power with the Taliban.

"What I gathered from what I heard in Washington is the U.S. government was afraid that if they released a prisoner and he went back to fighting," the Obama administration "would lose faith before the Congress or before the people of the United States," he said.

A way around that concern, Qasemyar said, is "to send them to the Afghan government. Then that responsibility would be shifted to our side."

Karzai supports the new proposal, Qasemyar said, despite some concern in the Afghan government that the five could become a rallying point for ethnic tension in Afghanistan.

Mullah Norullah Nori, for example, could be a problem for Karzai. He was a senior Taliban commander in Mazar-e-Sharif when the Taliban fought U.S. forces in late 2001. He previously was a Taliban governor in two provinces in Northern Afghanistan, where he has been accused of ordering the massacre of thousands of Shiite Muslims.

___

Riechmann reported from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writers Heidi Vogt in Kabul and Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-06-29-US-Afghanistan-Taliban/id-4bf2d78bee52445a93bb660ff2d8c304

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Remote Maine puffin colony up close on HD web cam

This still frame from streaming online video, provided by explore.org, the Annenberg Foundation and the National Audubon Society, shows puffins on the shore of Seal Island, Maine, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The island is the habitat for the largest puffin colony in the U.S. (AP Photo/explore.org, Annenberg Foundation, National Audubon Society)

This still frame from streaming online video, provided by explore.org, the Annenberg Foundation and the National Audubon Society, shows puffins on the shore of Seal Island, Maine, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The island is the habitat for the largest puffin colony in the U.S. (AP Photo/explore.org, Annenberg Foundation, National Audubon Society)

This still frame from streaming online video, provided by explore.org, the Annenberg Foundation and the National Audubon Society, shows puffins on the shore of Seal Island, Maine, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The island is the habitat for the largest puffin colony in the U.S. (AP Photo/explore.org, Annenberg Foundation, National Audubon Society)

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) ? Two high-definition cameras began streaming live video Wednesday of clown-like Atlantic puffins waddling, preening and nesting on a remote Maine island.

The National Audubon Society and explore.org teamed up to stream video from Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge to anyone with an Internet connection. Located about 20 miles offshore, the island has the largest puffin colony in the U.S.

The video marks the first time high-definition cameras have been used in North America to stream video of Atlantic puffins, said Steve Kress, director of Audubon's seabird restoration program.

One camera shows puffins and other seabirds on the island's rocky ledges, flapping their wings and coming and going while waves crash on shore. The other camera is underground, inside a burrow showing a puffin in her nesting site. It is so close to the bird you can look into its eye.

The goal is to engage the public and spur interest in seabird restoration, said Kress, who has worked with puffins for nearly four decades.

"About a third of all seabird species in the world are threatened with extinction," Kress said. "It's the most troubled group of birds in the world. And the puffin is the bird among seabirds that people can relate to."

The Atlantic puffin is sometimes called the "clown of the sea" with its colorful striped beak, its diminutive stature and the comical way it waddles.

The birds live across a vast expanse of the North Atlantic from Maine to northern Russia, but they almost disappeared from Maine when settlers hunted them to near-extinction for food and feathers in the 1800s. By 1900, only small numbers of puffins nested on just two Maine islands.

Kress has been working to restore puffin and other seabird populations to Maine's islands since 1973, when he founded the Project Puffin restoration project.

Today, puffins breed on five Maine islands, with Seal Island having the largest population, about 550 pairs. The birds arrive each April and leave in August, spending the rest of their lives at sea.

Scientists count 3 million to 4 million pairs of Atlantic puffins worldwide, with roughly 60 percent of them breeding in Iceland.

Project Puffin put a web camera on Maine's distant Matinicus Rock, home to about 300 pairs of puffins, in 2005 in an effort to stream video, Kress said. But the video was low-quality and worked only intermittently.

The latest project, with its high-definition cameras, gives views of puffins that were previously unavailable.

The project also includes a third camera on Seal Island that is aimed at common terns, and a fourth camera on another island elsewhere off Maine that's focused on a family of ospreys.

The project is funded by explore.org, a philanthropic organization in Santa Monica, Calif., and a division of the Annenberg Foundation.

Tom Pollak, executive producer of explore.org, said his organization has other cameras streaming video of a panda, a polar bear, a beluga whale and other animals, with the aim of having people "fall in love with the world."

"The feedback has been very positive," he said. "One of the best experiences we had was when we covered a polar bear migration in Manitoba and somebody commented, 'This is better than football.'"

___

Puffin web cams: www.explore.org/birds

Project Puffin: www.projectpuffin.org

Associated Press

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New York City mayor proposes creating an internet wall of shame for bad drivers

Mayor Mike Bloomberg is struggling to find a use for red light cameras that are unable to issue violations

By now, all of us know the pain of buying a technology that almost immediately became obsolete. That's precisely the position?New York City finds itself in: After installing 40?red light cameras to help catch traffic violators, state legislators recently ruled that the city can't use them to issue fines to violators. So, in an attempt to make lemonade from its 40 digital lemons, New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing the city use the cameras to create an internet wall of shame showing the names and photos of speeders.

Despite the fact that New York can't use the cameras to issue fines, there's no law that says the city can't use the cameras other ways. "We'll put up their names and pictures someplace,?maybe we can shame them," the mayor said. "We should look at that."

This red light camera snafu is far from the only controversy Bloomberg has found himself in lately. Earlier this month, the mayor proposed?banning the sale of larger sizes of sugary soft drinks, a move that was widely?mocked by the national media.

[Image credit:?-Tripp-]

Capital New York via?Autoblog

This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca

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2012 Beijing Auto Show - Fuel Economy Impetus for Stop-Start Deployment in China

180% CAAGR Growth for Modified Starter Motors in 2011-2016

Boston, MA - June 26, 2012 - At the 2012 Auto China show in Beijing, Strategy Analytics noticed a significant increase in the number of automotive electronics offerings, including fuel efficient stop-start, micro-hybrid powertrains and a host of other innovative automotive electronic systems that are often taken for granted in mature markets.? Findings from the Beijing auto show were written up in, "2012 Auto Show - The State of the Chinese Auto Industry."

In China, the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla now offer stop-start systems which save fuel by cutting the engine when vehicles are waiting at traffic lights or in traffic jams.? Competing Chinese auto makers, Chang?an, FAW, Geely and Jianghuai (JAC), also offer stop-start in their new models.? The launch of these stop-start models comes just days after the latest Chinese government announcement seeking further fuel economy standards by 2020. ?

"With government ambitions to have half a million electric vehicles on Chinese roads by 2015, and five million units by 2020, much focus has been on electric vehicles," says Kevin Mak, analyst at the Automotive Electronics Service at Strategy Analytics.? "However, consumers in emerging auto markets, such as China, find it hard to justify the additional high purchasing cost of an electric vehicle, just like car buyers in mature markets.? Stop-start brings fuel economy to the consumer at an affordable price."

Beyond stop-start, engine downsizing will also make a wider range of cars eligible for government incentives on fuel efficient car purchases, as long as the vehicles offer a minimum level of fuel economy (6.3 l/100 km, 37 mpg) and comply with Euro-5 emission standards.

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Happy Birthday Khloe! See Childhood Pics of the Kardashians

As Khloe Kardashian turns 28 on June 27, check out these adorable Twitpics of her and her equally photogenic family!

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Mary W. Landy Blog ? Your brand-new designer clothes clothing, or ...

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Lawmakers Traded After Meeting with Treasury, Fed Officials (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

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Why do fat cells get fat? New suspect ID'd

Monday, June 25, 2012

As the world fights obesity at the human level, scientists at the University of Michigan and their colleagues have made a surprising finding at the microscopic level that could help fuel that fight.

Their work helps explain why fat-storing cells get fatter, and burn fat slower, as obesity sets in. If their findings from mice can be shown to apply to humans, they may provide a new target for obesity-fighting drugs.

By studying the tiny signals that fat-storing cells send to one another, the team has shown a crucial and previously unknown role for a molecule called Sfrp5.

The results, which appear online today and will be in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, surprised them.

In a series of experiments, the team showed that Sfrp5 influences a signaling pathway known as WNT to stimulate fat cells ? called adipocytes ? to grow larger and to suppress the rate at which fat is burned in the mitochondria inside them.

By stopping cells from making Sfrp5, they were able to make mice that didn't get as fat as quickly because their adipocytes didn't grow large ? even when the mice were fed a high-fat diet. They even showed the impact when transplanting fat from Sfrp5?deficient mice into other mice.

The research was performed with National Institutes of Health funding in the U-M Medical School laboratory of Ormond MacDougald, Ph.D., the Faulkner Professor in the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, a professor of internal medicine and a member of U-M's Brehm Center for Diabetes Research.

Working with postdoctoral fellow and first author Hiroyuki Mori, Ph.D., and colleagues, MacDougald says the team built on its previous findings about the importance of WNT signaling in fat cell development.

"WNT signaling plays a crucial role in regulating, and inhibiting, white fat cell growth and the recruitment of new cells to store fat," he explains. "But it appears that in obesity, Sfrp5 can interfere with that signaling, and may create a feedback loop that keeps stimulating production of more of itself."

He notes that the new results contradict previous work published by another group, which found essentially the opposite role for Sfrp5. A commentary accompanying the new U-M paper, by scientists from Denmark, notes the strong evidence behind the new findings and emphasizes the importance of further research on the topic.

MacDougald and his team zeroed in on Sfrp5 after years of studying WNT signaling between adipocytes. They and other teams had already seen that the amounts of Sfrp5 produced within fat tissue were higher in obese animals.

They were able to breed mice that could not make the molecule, and expected to see that these mice resisted obesity because they couldn't convert more cells into adipocytes to store excess fat from their high-fat diet.

But instead, they found that the mice without Sfrp5 did have just as many fat cells as other mice -- but that these cells didn't accumulate fat and grow bigger. As a result, the mice didn't get fat, no matter how rich their diet.

Looking more closely at Sfrp5-deficient mice, they saw a surge of activity in expression of genes related to mitochondria ? the furnaces inside cells that burn fat or other fuel to power cell activity. It was as if the furnaces had been stoked when Sfrp5 wasn't present, so fat could be burned at a higher rate than normal.

"From our results, we believe that Sfrp5 is an important moderator of mitochondrial activity, the first time this has been seen for the WNT signaling pathway in adipocytes," says Mori. "This underscores the complexity of WNT signaling."

In essence, MacDougald says, Sfrp5 poses as a decoy receptor for WNT signals to bind to, keeping them from binding to the receptors on the cell surface that they otherwise would bind to. With WNT signaling reduced, cells store fat and grow larger, and don't burn it as quickly. Then, the cells produce even more Sfrp5, creating the feedback loop that perpetuates the tendency for adipocytes to accumulate lipid.

While pharmaceutical companies are already looking at WNT signaling as a possible target for drugs related to bone formation, the new findings suggest that perhaps the same signaling pathway could be a target for anti-obesity drugs.

But, MacDougald cautions, the findings need to be explored further in both mice and humans. With the obesity epidemic putting hundreds of millions of people at risk of all types of diseases, that research has a special urgency behind it.

###

University of Michigan Health System: http://www.med.umich.edu

Thanks to University of Michigan Health System for this article.

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June 2012 - Marcela Alfonsin Real Estate

AUSTIN, Texas ? June 20, 2012 ? According to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report released today by the Austin Board of REALTORS?, the competition for Austin properties is intensifying as May 2012 became the 12th straight month of sales volume increases and the fourth straight month of price increases for Austin-area homes compared to the same month of the prior year.

Specifically, 2,340 single-family homes were sold in the Austin area in May 2012, which is 25 percent more than May 2011. During the same time period, the median price for Austin-area homes was $215,000, or 10 percent more than the same month in 2011.

Leonard Guerrero, Chairman of the Austin Board of REALTORS?, commented, ?The inventory of homes in the Austin area has been shrinking since this time last year while demand has remained strong, outpacing 2011 by double digits each month since last summer. As a result, prices are increasing as buyers compete more aggressively for available properties.?

In May 2012, the market featured 4.4 months of inventory, which was 2.4 months less than May 2011. In addition, the market featured eight percent more new listings, 23 percent fewer active listings and 20 percent more pending sales in May 2012 compared to the prior year. On average, homes spent 62 days on the market in May 2012, which is 19 days less than May 2011.

May 2012 Statistics
2,340 ? Single-family homes sold, 25 percent more than May 2011.

$215,000 ? Median price for single-family homes, 10 percent more than May 2011.

62 ? Average number of days that properties spent on the market, 19 days less than May 2011.

3,375 ? New single-family home listings on the market, 8% more than May 2011.

7,551 ? Active single-family home listings on the market, 23% less than May 2011.

2,592 ? Pending sales for single-family homes, 20 % more than May 2011.

4.4 ? Months of inventory* of single-family homes, 2.4 months less than May 2011.

$652,520,700 ? Total dollar volume of single-family properties sold, 31 percent more than May 2011.

The following sections describe trends in other sectors of the Austin-area real estate market.

Townhouses & Condominiums
The volume of townhouses and condominiums (condos) purchased in the Austin area in May 2012 was 278, which is 45 percent more than May 2011. In the same time period, the median price for condos was $190,000, or six percent more than May 2011. When compared to the same month of the prior year, these properties spent four percent more time on the market, or an average of 79 days.

Leasing
1,376 properties were leased in May 2012 in the Austin area, which is nine percent more than May 2011. The median price for Austin-area leases was $1,350, or eight percent higher than the same month of the prior year.

The Austin Board of REALTORS? is a non-profit, voluntary organization representing more than 8,200 licensed REALTORS? in Central Texas. Visit AustinHomeSearch.com, a public resource on Austin real estate, for the latest news on the local housing market. For more information, please contact Angela Brutsch? at 512-454-7636.

* The inventory of homes for a market can be measured in months, which is defined as the number of active listings divided by the average sales per month of the prior 12 months. The Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University cites that 6.5 months of inventory represents a market in which supply and demand for homes is balanced.

Source: Austin Board of Realtors

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'Catching Fire': Wait, Is Romeo Joining The Cast?!

Romeo Miller tells MTV News he's already met with Lionsgate about possibly appearing in one of the 'Hunger Games' flicks.
By Kevin P. Sullivan

Romeo
Photo:

Romeo Miller (formerly known as Lil' Romeo) has racked up an impressive number of credits in the decade or so that he's been acting. As the 22-year-old makes moves in his career as an adult actor, Romeo has his eyes set on one franchise in particular.

One of Miller's ideal projects would be a trip to Panem for "The Hunger Games," he told MTV News during a recent interview for "Madea's Witness Protection." In fact, he's already met with Lionsgate to discuss the possibility.

Although he got his start as the rap star son of Master P, Miller has been acting for years now. "A lot of people don't know I've been doing this for 10 years now," he said. "I felt that all of that was practice, leading up to the time now."

But for his next roles, Miller has his sights set on an acting career similar to Will Smith. "I want to be the next big action hero or I want to do a lot of romantic type movies, romantic comedies, a little bit of everything, but definitely the next action hero," Miller said, and then added, "You can see me in 'The Hunger Games' or something like that. Just throwing that out there."

Though he admitted to not being very familiar with Suzanne Collins' books, Miller confirmed that there has been some discussion about possibly joining "Catching Fire," which is currently casting.

"I actually just met with Lionsgate about that, so you may be seeing me in one of the 'Hunger Games.' That's all I'm saying," Miller said. "Not a particular role, we just had a meeting, seeing if it was something I was interested in. I can't really talk too much, or they'll kill me. You know how 'The Hunger Games' is."

Who should Romeo play in "Catching Fire"? Leave your comment below!

Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may hit Verizon on July 5th

The bad news: if you've been hoping to grab a Droid Incredible 4G LTE so you can show it off to your friends at your local July 4th extravaganza, you're out of luck. The good news: you might be able to cheer up from your post-holiday depression the very next day. According to internal employee docs captured by Droid-Life, we should expect Verizon's first Sense 4 device to arrive at stores on July 5th for $200 with a two-year contract. As always, pricing and availability are never set in stone; after all, internal employee docs gave us false hope that the Motorola Droid 4 would show up several weeks before it actually launched, but that was likely a result of Verizon pulling the launch at the last minute. Provided Big Red doesn't change its mind (or other snafus throw a wrench into the process), we won't be disappointed this time around.

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may hit Verizon on July 5th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Penn St. assistant Sandusky guilty of sex abuse

In this booking photo released early Saturday morning June 23, 2012 by the Centre County Correctional Facility in Bellefonte, Pa., former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is shown. Sandusky was convicted on Friday, June 22, 2012, of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years Friday, accusations that had sent shock waves through the college campus known as Happy Valley and led to the firing of Penn State's beloved Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno.. (AP Photo/Centre County Correctional Facility)

In this booking photo released early Saturday morning June 23, 2012 by the Centre County Correctional Facility in Bellefonte, Pa., former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is shown. Sandusky was convicted on Friday, June 22, 2012, of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years Friday, accusations that had sent shock waves through the college campus known as Happy Valley and led to the firing of Penn State's beloved Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno.. (AP Photo/Centre County Correctional Facility)

Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, center, leaves the Centre County Courthouse in custody with Centre County Sheriff Denny Nau, left, after being found guilty of multiple charges of child sexual abuse in Bellefonte, Pa., Friday, June 22, 2012. Sandusky was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years, accusations that had sent shock waves through the college campus known as Happy Valley and led to the firing of Penn State's beloved Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

In this courtroom sketch, Judge John Cleland, second from left, defendant former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, right, and his lawyer Karl Rominger, second from right, listen at the verdict in Sandusky's child sexual abuse trial is read by the jury foreman at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Friday, June 22, 2012. Sandusky was found guilty of 45 charges of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years. (AP Photo/Aggie Kenny)

Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, rear, leaves the Centre County Courthouse with a Centre County Sheriff's deputy after being found guilty of multiple charges of child sexual abuse in Bellefonte, Pa., Friday, June 22, 2012. Sandusky was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years, accusations that had sent shock waves through the college campus known as Happy Valley and led to the firing of Penn State's beloved Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Jerry Sandusky leaves the Centre County Courthouse Friday, June 22, 2012, after being found guilty in his sexual abuse trial, in Bellefonte, Pa. Sandusky was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years Friday, accusations that had sent shock waves through the college campus known as Happy Valley and led to the firing of Penn State's beloved Hall of Fame coach, Joe Paterno. (AP Photo/Centre Daily Times, Nabil K. Mark)

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) ? For years, the children Jerry Sandusky had preyed upon kept quiet about what the former Penn State assistant football coach did to them in echoing shower stalls, empty hotel rooms and the muffled confines of his basement bedroom.

Late Friday, after a swift trial and less than two days of deliberations, a jury issued an emphatic verdict: Sandusky was guilty on 45 counts of sexual abuse, meaning the man once considered a successor to coach Joe Paterno will likely die in prison.

The verdict is not the end of the scandal that took down Paterno and deeply shook the state's most prominent university. It will play out for years in courtrooms and through a set of ongoing investigations.

But the trial did present one piece of finality: Sandusky was taken away in handcuffs to the county jail. Sentencing will be in about three months, but mandatory minimums will keep him behind bars for life.

"One of the recurring themes in this case was, 'Who would believe a kid?'" Attorney General Linda Kelly said. "The answer is, we in Bellefonte, Pa., would believe a kid."

Sandusky, a retired defensive coach, showed little emotion as the verdict was read, giving his wife, Dottie, and family members a half-wave as the county sheriff led him away.

There were only three acquittals among the charges related to 10 victims, eight of whom took the stand to describe fondling, forced oral sex and anal rape. Many of the accusers testified that they had told no one of the abuse that dated as far back as the mid-1990s ? not parents, not girlfriends and not police.

The accuser known in court papers as Victim 6, whose mother alerted authorities in 1998 after Sandusky took her son into a shower, broke down in tears upon hearing the verdicts in the courtroom. Afterward, a prosecutor embraced him and said, "Did I ever lie to you?"

The man, now 25, testified that Sandusky called himself the "tickle monster" in a shower assault. He declined to comment to a reporter afterward. His mother said: "Nobody wins. We've all lost."

One of the three counts for which Sandusky was acquitted concerned Victim 6, an indecent assault charge. The man testified that Sandusky had given him a bear hug in the shower but at one point he just "blacked out."

The other acquittals were an indecent assault charge related to Victim 5, who said Sandusky fondled him in the shower, and an involuntary deviate sexual intercourse charge regarding Victim 2, the boy graduate assistant Mike McQueary saw being attacked in a campus shower.

Almost immediately after the judge adjourned, loud cheers could be heard from a couple hundred people gathered outside the courthouse as word quickly spread that Sandusky had been convicted. The crowd included victim advocates and local residents with their kids. Many held up their smartphones to take pictures as people filtered out of the building.

As Sandusky was placed in the cruiser to be taken to jail, someone yelled at him to "rot in hell!" Others hurled insults and he shook his head no in response.

Defense attorney Joe Amendola was interrupted by cheers from the crowd on the courthouse steps when he said, "The sentence that Jerry will receive will be a life sentence."

In addition to the eight who testified, there were two yet-unidentified victims for whom prosecutors relied on testimony from a university janitor and McQueary, whose account of a sexual encounter between Sandusky and a boy of about 10 years old ultimately led to the Paterno's dismissal and the university president's ouster.

Sandusky did not take the stand in his own defense.

After the verdict was announced, defense attorney Karl Rominger said it was "a tough case" with a lot of charges and that an appeal was certain. He said the defense team "didn't exactly have a lot of time to prepare."

The ex-coach had repeatedly denied the allegations, and his defense suggested that his accusers had a financial motive to make up stories, years after the fact. His attorneys also painted Sandusky as the victim of overzealous police investigators who coached the alleged victims into giving accusatory statements.

One accuser testified that Sandusky molested him in the locker-room showers and in hotels while trying to ensure his silence with gifts and trips to bowl games. He also said Sandusky had sent him "creepy love letters."

Another spoke of forced oral sex and instances of rape in the basement of Sandusky's home, including abuse that left him bleeding. He said he once tried to scream for help, knowing that Sandusky's wife was upstairs, but figured the basement must be soundproof.

Another, a foster child, said Sandusky warned that he would never see his family again if he ever told anyone what happened.

And just hours after the case went to jurors, lawyers for one of Sandusky's six children, Matt, said he had told authorities that his father abused him.

Matt Sandusky had been prepared to testify on behalf of prosecutors, his lawyers said in a statement. The lawyers said they arranged for Matt Sandusky to meet with law enforcement officials but did not explain why he didn't testify.

"This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy," the statement said. It didn't go into details about his allegations.

Defense witnesses, including Dottie Sandusky, described Sandusky's philanthropic work with children over the years, and many spoke in positive terms about his reputation in the community. Prosecutors had portrayed those efforts as an effective means by which Sandusky could camouflage his molestation as he targeted boys who were the same age as participants in The Second Mile, a charity he founded in the 1970s for at-risk youth.

Sandusky's arrest in November led the Penn State trustees to fire Paterno as head coach, saying he exhibited a lack of leadership after fielding a report from McQueary. The scandal also led to the ouster of university President Graham Spanier and criminal charges against two university administrators for failing to properly report suspected child abuse and perjury.

The two administrators, athletic director Tim Curley and now-retired vice president Gary Schultz, are fighting the allegations and await trial.

The family of Paterno, who died exactly five months before Sandusky's conviction, released a statement saying: "Although we understand the task of healing is just beginning, today's verdict is an important milestone. The community owes a measure of gratitude to the jurors for their diligent service. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims and their families."

In a statement, Penn State praised the accusers who testified and said that it planned to invite the victims of Sandusky's abuse to participate in a private program to address their concerns and compensate them for claims related to the school.

Sandusky had initially faced 52 counts of sex abuse. Prosecutors dropped one count and the judge tossed three others during the trial, on grounds two were unproven, one was brought under a statute that didn't apply and another was duplicative.

Associated Press

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Pena, Price lead Rays over Phillies

Associated Press Sports

updated 4:11 p.m. ET June 24, 2012

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, leading David Price and the Tampa Bay Rays over the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 Sunday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

Phillies starter Cole Hamels pitched three-hit ball for seven shutout innings in his first appearance against the Rays since he was the MVP of the 2008 World Series.

Pena put the Rays ahead when he connected off Antonio Bastardo (2-2) for his 10th home run.

Price (10-4) became the first AL pitcher to reach 10 wins this season. He went seven innings and gave up four hits, including Jimmy Rollins' homer in the sixth.

A duel between two of the top left-handers in the major leagues shaped up from the start. Price left trailing 1-0 before the Rays rallied.

Fernando Rodney pitched a scoreless ninth for his 21st save in 22 chances. Rollins reached second base with two outs after a single and stolen base, but Rodney struck out Hunter Pence swinging to end the game.

Rollins had three hits and Pence had a pair of doubles for the Phillies, who are 6-14 this month.

Hamels was 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts against Tampa Bay in 2008 when the Phillies won their title. He pitched even better on Sunday.

Hamels retired the first nine batters before walking B.J. Upton to lead off the fourth. After striking out Pena, Hamels surrendered his first hit to Jeff Keppinger - the play was originally ruled an error on third baseman Hector Luna and later changed to an infield single.

Hideki Matsui followed with a clean single to center and the bases were loaded when Ben Zobrist walked. But Hamels got Sean Rodriguez to fly out to end the threat in a 33-pitch frame.

Price allowed a pair of hits in the first inning, including Pence's double. Price retired 11 straight batters until hitting John Mayberry Jr. with one out in the fifth.

Rollins opened the sixth by hitting a changeup to left field for his third homer in as many games. Rollins slumped in April (.235) and May (.241) but raised his June average to .333.

Bastardo entered in the eighth in relief of Hamels and walked two of the first three batters he faced. Pena hit the first pitch over the fence in right field.

The Phillies got a run back in the bottom half on Ty Wigginton's RBI single off Burke Badenhop. Philadelphia had a chance to go in front with the bases loaded and two outs, but left-hander Jake McGee came on and got Michael Martinez to fly out to short right field.

The nightcap originally was scheduled for Friday, but was postponed due to heavy rain, wind and lightning after a 2-hour, 48-minute delay.

NOTES: Jim Thome, pinch-hitting for the Phillies in the eighth, was intentionally walked to tie Mickey Mantle for seventh place all-time with 1,733 walks. ... Hamels fanned seven to tie Hall of Famer Jim Bunning for sixth place on the Phillies' career strikeout list with 1,197. ... The Phillies recalled right-hander B.J. Rosenberg from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to the game and Tampa Bay recalled left-hander Alex Torres from Triple-A Durham. Both were recalled due to a new rule allowing teams to add an extra player for doubleheaders. .... The Rays open a three-game series at Kansas City on Monday night with RHP Alex Cobb (3-3, 3.82 ERA) scheduled to face Royals RHP Luke Hochevar (4-7, 5.65). ... Philadelphia hosts the Pirates on Monday night for the first of four when RHP Joe Blanton (6-6, 5.04) opposes LHP Erik Bedard (4-7, 4.13).

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Fans honor Youkilis in Red Sox win

??Cody Ross hit two homers and drove in five runs, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 9-4 Sunday in a game that likely was Kevin Youkilis' farewell to the Fenway Park fans.

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3 Steps For Effective Swimming Pool Maintenance | KUSIQUYLLUR ...

Having a swimming pool is a wonderful luxury and finding an easy and effective plan for your swimming pool maintenance will allow you to relax and enjoy your pool. Good swimming pool maintenance can be boiled down to just a few minutes per day. Save money, save time, and get more enjoyment out of your pool!

Step 1 in Effective Pool Maintenance:

Keeping a good water balance is key to ensuring proper swimming pool maintenance. While your pool is in use, test the water every other day. Find a pool test kit that contains test strips or use a DPD kit to accurately measure the amount of free chlorine in the water, the pH balance and the pool?s total alkalinity. Keeping the chlorine level between 0.5 and 3 PPM is a must to prevent the growth of algae and bacteria. The proper pH level is 7.2-7.6 PPM. Total alkalinity should ideally be kept at 80-120 PPM.

Do not let it fall below 80 PPM or climb above 400 PPM. Remember, pH balance and alkalinity work together to ensure stability in your water balance.

Step 2 in Effective Pool Maintenance:

In addition to chlorination, on a weekly basis add algaecide to your water. Remember with any chemicals, you are adding them to the water, not the other way around. Follow all instructions carefully. Algae can be very problematic and difficult to get rid of, so good swimming pool maintenance is key to clean, healthy water.

Step 3 in Effective Swimming Pool Maintenance:

Also on a weekly basis, shock your pool. Shocking a pool needs to be done on top of regular chlorination. Do it more often if the pool has been heavily used. The greater the introduction of contaminants, the more chemical treatments need to be done.

Another way to prevent the build up of contaminants after the pool has experienced heavy use is to raise the chlorine level to 5 PPM.

Focusing on the key steps to good swimming pool maintenance on a regular, on-going basis will help you avoid problems. These steps should only take around five to ten minutes per day, no more than one hour per week. A Regular swimming pool routine will give you a clean and healthy pool to enjoy every day.

For in depth tips and advice to save piles of cash and reduce your maintenance time to just 5 minutes a week, please visit: www.YourPoolTips.com. Head on over right now so you too can begin enjoying these money saving ?insider secrets? today!

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US snowboarding halfpipe team leader Rick Bower named USOC Olympic Coach of the Year

By Tom Degun

June 23 - Rick Bower, the United States snowboarding halfpipe coach, has been named by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the 2011 Olympic Coach of the Year at a special reception during the 2012 National Coaching Conference at the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis.

During his six seasons as coach of the US snowboarding halfpipe team, Bower (pictured above, left) has played an integral role in advancing women's snowboarding.

Last year was arguably his finest in the role as he led his athletes to 31 major event podiums and took snowboarding to new heights after helping Kelly Clark (pictured above, right) become the first female to land a 1080 in competition.

This achievement, at the pinnacle of snowboarding events for the year, had a monumental influence on up-and-coming female athletes and the progression of women's snowboarding.

For his efforts, Bower was also recognised as the US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) International Coach of the Year and USSA International Snowboarding Coach of the Year in 2011.

He was one of five coaches to be honoured by the USOC during the 2012 National Coaching Conference.

Paralympic Coach of the Year went to swimming coach Dave Denniston, Developmental Coach of the Year to judo coach James Hrbek, Volunteer Coach of the Year to rugby coach Tom Waga and the Doc Counsilman Science Award to Neal Henderson (pictured below) for applying scientific principles in the laboratory and on the field to improve athlete performance in cycling.

"These five coaches have impacted countless athletes throughout their exemplary careers," said Alan Ashley, the USOC chief of sport performance.

"They are shining examples of the team behind the team and their efforts have encouraged athletes of all levels to strive for excellence."

The five coaches were honoured after the National Governing Bodies selected their 2011 Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Programme.

The three finalists in each category were then chosen by a panel of coaching and sport education professionals before a single coach in each category received the award.

Contact the writer of this story at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Boehner takes hard line on Holder contempt vote

WASHINGTON (AP) ? House Speaker John Boehner demanded Thursday that the Obama administration give in and turn over documents related to a botched gun-tracking operation, insisting that's the only way to stop a House vote to hold the attorney general in contempt.

Boehner took a hard line against the Obama administration and Attorney General Eric Holder despite a willingness by House Republicans and Holder to negotiate a settlement before the matter becomes a constitutional crisis. The president has invoked executive privilege, a legal principle used to avoid disclosure of internal presidential documents.

While a confrontation between the legislative and executive branches of government would be an academic dispute to most voters, Boehner on Thursday injected a human element into the battle over documents related to Operation Fast and Furious. He said the family of slain border agent Brian Terry deserved answers about the guns that killed him.

Two guns that were allowed to "walk" from Arizona to Mexico in the failed effort to track weapons were found near Terry after he was killed.

"The Terry family deserves answers about why their son was killed as a result of an operation run by the United States government," Boehner told his weekly news conference.

During the year and a half investigation by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the Justice Department turned over 7,600 documents about details of Operation Fast and Furious. But because the department initially denied and then admitted it used a risky investigative technique known as "gun-walking," the committee has turned its attention to how the department responded to the investigation. The additional documents it seeks are about that topic.

Agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Arizona abandoned the agency's usual practice of intercepting all weapons they believed to be illicitly purchased. Instead, the goal of gun-walking was to track such weapons to high-level arms traffickers who had long eluded prosecution and to dismantle their networks.

Gun-walking has long been barred by Justice Department policy, but federal agents in Arizona experimented with it in at least two investigations during the George W. Bush administration before Fast and Furious. These experiments came as the department was under widespread criticism that the old policy of arresting every suspected low-level "straw purchaser" was still allowing tens of thousands of guns to reach Mexico. A straw purchaser is an illicit buyer of guns for others.

The agents in Arizona lost track of several hundred weapons in Operation Fast and Furious.

Boehner renewed his allegation that President Barack Obama's decision to assert executive privilege to withhold the documents "is an admission the White House officials were involved in the decision that misled the Congress and covered up the truth." In fact, historically, several presidents have invoked executive privilege over Cabinet department documents that did not directly involve White House officials.

In an election year, each party leveled charges against the other.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., accused Republicans of pursuing Holder to retaliate against his effort to stop suppression of voters in the upcoming elections. "I'm telling you, this is connected," she told reporters.

In an effort to back up her assertion, Pelosi's office emailed Democratic reports from 2007, when the party accused Republicans of an ongoing effort to deprive people of the right to vote.

Meanwhile, the liberal People for the American Way distributed a video in which Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., suggested a motive for the Obama administration's initial support of the gun-walking fiasco.

"Could it be that what they really were thinking of was in fact to use this walking of guns in order to promote an assault weapons ban?" said Issa, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

"Many think so. And they haven't come up with an explanation that would cause any of us not to agree," Issa said.

Issa commented in an interview during the National Rifle Association convention in April.

His spokesman, Frederick Hill, said, "Emails from officials who worked on Fast and Furious clearly show that they wanted to use aspects of the operation to justify new restrictions on gun sales." Hill provided several documents on the subject from Fast and Furious officials.

Holder, in Copenhagen, Denmark, for meetings with European Union officials, said Thursday the administration had given the committee a proposal to negotiate an end to the conflict.

"I think the possibility still exists that it can happen in that way," Holder said. "The proposal that we have made is still there. The House, I think, the House leadership, has to consider now what they will do, so we'll see how it works out."

But he called the contempt vote "unwarranted, unnecessary and unprecedented."

White House press secretary Jay Carney said there was "absolutely" no cover-up on the Fast and Furious controversy. He said executive privilege was asserted only on internal deliberations and "that is separate from trying to find out the truth about this operation."

Democrats contended that a 23-17 party-line contempt vote in the House Oversight committee Wednesday was just political theater.

On Tuesday, Holder offered to give lawmakers a briefing on the withheld documents but insisted that this action satisfy Issa's subpoena for the records and negate the need for a contempt vote.

Boehner on Thursday rejected Holder's approach.

"The negotiation that was proposed by the attorney general is, we should accept some documents of his choosing and, as a result of him turning over some documents of his choosing, that we would never ever pursue contempt," Boehner said. "Now this is not hardly a rational basis for a negotiation, nor is it a reasonable attempt at turning over the documents we've been asking for."

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Bubbles of Mischief ? Pets Behaving Badly

It?s not always easy getting your pets to pose for a photo.

Some just can?t help themselves

Others may fall asleep at the most inopportune times?

Willy

Last year, while working on my Burgy Blackheart post, I was attempting to take an interesting shot of Burgy when this big fish came up behind me and tried to bite my head off? while Burgy himself was trying to decapitate me.

Cymre vs Burgy and humongous fish

If you treat your pets well, it will feel like you?ve been bathed in a beam of warm holy and nature-based light, just like the Druid and Priest Statue Set.

Druid and Priest Statue Set

Just don?t get them wet or they?ll multiply.

Both items may be obtained through Archaeology.

But most importantly, don?t feed them after midnight, even if they beg. Otherwise this might happen?

Look out, he?s out to get you

Follow these rules or you may have some Gremlins on your hands.

Curious Oracle Hatchling

OK, random post out of the way now.

This is what happens when I have nothing to write about?

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Unfixable Computers Are Leading Humanity Down a Perilous Path

I?ve been writing about Apple and the value of repair for the better part of the last decade. Repair is our mission at iFixit ? and it always has been. Even so, I didn?t expect the scale of the public response when I argued last week that consumers should choose the hackable, fixable non-Retina MacBook Pro over its sleeker-and-shinier-but-locked-down sibling.

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