Hot Dog Marketing Online - ShoeMoney Internet Marketing Blog

A lot of people call me ?The Hotdogman.? I got my nickname from working in the food business, just like Shoemoney. Last week, all the buzz at Affiliate Summit West was about Shoemoney?s book, Nothing?s Changed But My Change, The Shoemoney Story. I picked one up at the Summit and read it on my flight home, it was a pretty good read and a great American Dream kind of tale. I met up with Jeremy on the exhibit hall floor and we had a chat. As it invariably does, the conversation swung around to hot dogs. Since I am The Hotdogman, I guess that?s a good thing; I have branded myself well in the internet marketing world.

As we were talking, Jeremy remarked that being a hot dog vendor and an internet marketer have a lot of similarities. We tossed that idea around for a minute or two, and the more I thought about it, the more I thought he was right. I was a hot dog truck owner and operator for 6 years and I started fiddling around with blogs, the internet, and affiliate marketing back in 2007 when a particularly harsh winter kept the truck closed for a few months.

That?s when I started The Hot Dog Truck, a blog about ?the life and times of a Hotdogman.? I started monetizing my site with Adsense (thanks in part to a certain blogger?s famous photo), did a lot of paid posting, and began experimenting with affiliate marketing. My wife thought I was wasting my time, but she changed her tune when I used my first few months blog earnings to take the family to Las Vegas to visit her folks! She?s been on board with my ?online thing? since. Six years later, the hot dog truck is gone, but the website remains. I also have a stable of 20 or so niche sites and I do freelance writing.

Hot Dogs and Marketing

My transition from hot dog man to The Hotdogman online was fairly easy, I have always been a decent writer and I was in sales since I was ten years old. Marketing online was understandable and doable for me. I decided to give the internet marketing thing a serious whirl when a series of bad luck left me essentially disabled for nearly a year; I got Lyme Disease, bad blood clots, and I broke my knee! The immobility this caused lent itself to spending my days at the computer. I sold my hot dog truck and dove right in to creating websites and marketing various products online.

My first ventures were geared toward what I know, most notably hot dogs. I sold hot dog related courses and products across a series of websites with success. When I was doing this, I?d think back to what made me successful in the hot dog business and applied what I could. The most notable similarity between online marketing and selling hot dogs is the autonomy for the entrepreneur. Both businesses can be one man (or one woman) ventures. As many people who read this know, there is nothing quite like working for yourself. You don?t have to answer to a boss, you do things your own way, and you reap all the financial rewards from your ventures.

Going into the hot dog business is a low investment proposition. Even a shiny new hot dog cart can be bought for less than three grand; if you buy used, that number goes lower. Compared to opening a brick and mortar restaurant, starting up a hot dog cart is short money. The same is true for starting out in internet marketing. I got started with eight bucks and a free host. As time went on, I invested in premium WordPress themes, an email program, more domains, private servers, and other tools, but other than that first eight bucks, I never paid for any of that stuff ?out-of-pocket.? Investments into my growing online ?empire? always came from profits. I don?t know any other legitimate business you can start for eight bucks!

The Hot Dog Cart Principle in Online Marketing

Starting in the hot dog business is a bit more complicated than buying a cart, setting up shop, and hanging out a sign. There are some regulations involved and you need the appropriate permits. You also need to sell. If nobody knows you?re there, you won?t sell any hot dogs; you need to market your business. That involves getting out to the businesses nearby and giving them an incentive to stop by and try your chow. Theoretically, once someone takes a bite of your delicious hot dogs, they?ll tell their friends and co-workers and you?ll be off and running.

The same goes for online marketing. Like any business, there are rules and regulations to follow, so you need to know them before you get started. You could have the best offer or product in the world, but nobody will buy it unless they know about it. Just setting up a website and hoping won?t get you any sales. You need to use proven methods for generating traffic, the online equivalent of letting people know about your offer. Just like offering a free hot dog to get people to try you out, you can offer incentives to take a look at your offer. Think about it, how many free e-books have you downloaded? (I like mine with mustard and relish).

Whether you?re selling hot dogs or an online product, you still need to provide value to your customer. A good hot dog man will have premium hot dogs, fresh rolls and condiments, and he?ll serve them up HOT for a fair price. A good online marketer will have a quality offer or product that gives the customer what they?re looking for, whether it?s a product to solve a problem, an entertaining book, or a deal on the latest gadget, there has to be value for the customer at the right price or else you?re spinning your wheels.

Both businesses are scalable, too. I know many successful hot dog vendors who have moved on to managing multiple carts and trucks and even opened full-on restaurants. The concept is fairly simple and easily duplicated, you just need to find the right people. Online marketing is the same. Once you have a system and a set of processes in place, you can expand and duplicate your business. Hiring the right people is key here too. Make sure you hire and work with people who have complimentary skill sets. I started with one website, now I have more than 20 and I have people I call on for certain tasks that I just am not good at.

Notice in that previous paragraph ?the right people? came up a number of times. Whether you?re selling hot dogs or pitching the latest hot info product, having good people to work for/with you is key. A crappy employee can bring down any small business pretty quick if left unchecked. Whether that employee is serving food that?s under cooked or servicing online customers with an inconsistent attitude, the bad apple can be a killer. Conversely, good people can boost your business. An enthusiastic, friendly vendor brings people back to your cart. A savvy employee who ?gets out there? and helps boost business, whether it?s with good follow through or promotion through their social media networks, can be a great asset to any business.

Not ready to leave the security of a paycheck to start a business? Start part-time! Hot Dog vending can be started as a part time venture. Just work weekend events or find opportunities to set up shop within your existing schedule. The same goes for an online business. You can start on your living room couch! Spend a few hours a day building your business; you?ll know when you can transition to full-time in either venture.

Fun is Good too

Online marketing and hot dog vending are fun businesses. I was always cutting it up with my customers at my hot dog truck and I made many new friends in the six years I was in the business. Hardly a week goes by that I don?t run into an old customer. I?ve even made some good business connections from my old hot dog contacts! Online marketing is fun too. While many relationships are forged online, the same principles apply. Treat people well, be nice, offer good products and service and you?ll make new friends. The one thing online marketing has going for it in the fun department over the hot dog business is industry events. Parties at online marketing conferences ROCK! Hot dog events I?ve attended have been small; while they were fun and informative, there were never open bars in fancy nightclubs with go-go girls!

It all boils down to one thing: good old American entrepreneurship. Despite the woes afflicting our nation right now, entrepreneurship is alive and well in the US of A. Many of the hot dog vendors I encounter on a regular basis are in the business due to corporate downsizing. They chose the hot dog biz for many of the same reasons I listed here. The same goes for online marketing. Many people are content to moan about the economy and wring their hands in despair. The folks who decide to do something about it, whether they start slinging hot dogs or selling stuff online REFUSE to let macro circumstances dictate their future. No matter what the economy looks like, people still need a good, cheap lunch and they?ll continue to by all sorts of products online. Entrepreneurs who decide to capitalize on opportunities will always find success if they go about it the right way.

The most important thing any entrepreneur can do is get started NOW! No business gets started by thinking about it. If you want to sell hot dogs, start scouting locations, research carts, and learn about your business. If you want to get going in the online marketing game, start learning the basics (I hear Shoemoney has a course or two about that). You can have a website up in an hour or two. I know many online entrepreneurs who built a website in one night and were doing business the very next day. Don?t fall into the ?paralysis by analysis? trap, if you want to start a business, START NOW!

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Justin recommends you check out these amazing posts:

1. 6 Things I Learned From Sifting Through 724 Blogger Emails
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Source: http://www.shoemoney.com/2013/01/30/hot-dog-marketing-online

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Feds Crack Down On Auto Loan Modification Scam | Connecticut ...

In a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, two California-based companies and their principals, who allegedly took hundreds of thousands of dollars from consumers, are banned from marketing auto loan relief or any other type of debt relief to consumers.

The FTC filed charges against the companies ? Kore Services LLC, doing business as Auto Debt Consulting, and NAFSO VLM, Inc., doing business as Vehicle Loan Mod ? and their principals last year.

The FTC alleged that the defendants promised to reduce consumers? monthly auto loan payments by 25 to 40 percent, for fees ranging from $350 to $799. The defendants offered a 100 percent money back guarantee.

According to the FTC, many consumers were told to stop making payments on their auto loans, which increased the risk that their vehicles would be repossessed. But once the up-front fees were collected, the defendants did not do anything to obtain the promised loan modifications. Consumers who tried to get refunds were denied. And some consumers? vehicles were repossessed by their finance companies.

The settlement bans the defendants from providing any type of debt relief service; prohibits them from making misrepresentations about any other product or service they market; and requires them to support claims with competent and reliable evidence. In addition, the defendants are required to destroy customer information obtained by the loan modification scheme within 30 days after the settlement order takes effect.

The settlement also imposes a $279,728 judgment against the defendants, which represents the total amount of consumer injury they allegedly caused by deceptively marketing auto loan relief to cash-strapped consumers. The companies? available assets will be turned over to the FTC. The judgment against Michael Kamfiroozie and Naythem Nafso will be suspended due to their inability to pay. If it is later determined that the financial information the individual defendants provided to the FTC was false, the full amount of the judgment will become due.

This case is part of the FTC?s ongoing effort to protect consumers in financial distress and to halt unfair or deceptive practices in the auto marketplace.

Recognizing that a car is second only to a home as the most expensive purchase many consumers make, the FTC has been highly engaged in auto-related consumer issues. The agency recently held a recent series of roundtable workshops to gather information on possible consumer protection issues that may arise in the sale, financing or lease of motor vehicles.

For FTC consumer information about managing their auto loans, see the video Paying Your Car Loan, and Ads for Auto Loan Modifications: You May Be Able to Drive a Better Deal with Your Lender.

The Commission vote approving the proposed consent decree was 4-0-1, with Commissioner Joshua D. Wright not participating. It is subject to court approval. The FTC filed the proposed consent decree in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California on January 14, 2013.

NOTE: This consent decree is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendants that the law has been violated. Consent decrees have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC?s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC?s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.? Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

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Source: http://ctwatchdog.com/finance/feds-crack-down-on-auto-loan-modification-scam

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Ferocious battle for strategic suburb could hold the keys to Damascus

Syria's Assad regime appears to be investing all it has in the battle for Daraya to insure its grip on power.?Sixty percent of Army troops are deployed in Damascus.

By Nicholas Blanford,?Correspondent / January 30, 2013

Men stand in the Haresta neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday. While Syria's Assad regime appears to be investing all it has in the battle for Daraya, the Free Syrian Army can commit to an assault on central Damascus in a bid to oust the regime from its center of power.

Goran Tomasevic/Reuters

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Three tanks are parked at a street junction in a southwestern suburb of Damascus when one of them is struck by an anti-tank missile. Smoke shoots out of the barrel and turret and swiftly turns into a fiery jet of flame as the interior ignites, incinerating the crew.?

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The dramatic combat footage posted on YouTube demonstrates the ferocity of the struggle between the Syrian Army and armed rebels for the key district of Daraya, the outcome of which could determine the fate of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to diplomats and analysts.

?The regime and its supporters [Russia and Iran] are investing all in the counterattack [on Daraya] to ensure Mr. Assad?s grip on power. But if it fails, the regime will be in a very difficult position, internally and externally,? says a Western diplomat. The diplomat, who has wide-ranging contacts with the Syrian regime and opposition, agreed to give a detailed briefing on the situation in Daraya and elsewhere in Syria in exchange for strict anonymity.

Although the district has been under rebel control for months, the Syrian military has stepped up efforts in the past two weeks to seize the strategic neighborhood. Daraya lies within mortar range of the presidential palace on Mount Qassioun and neighborhoods populated by Alawites, the minority sect that forms the backbone of the Assad regime.

It also lies adjacent to Mezze military airport, which is the only air lifeline for the regime in the capital since the closure of Damascus International Airport in November. It is located between two major road arteries connecting the capital to Lebanon, 22 miles to the west, and to the Syrian town of Deraa and the Jordanian border, 65 miles to the south.

Daraya is an important component in the rebel Free Syrian Army's effort to establish an uninterrupted belt of territory under its control connecting the northern, eastern, and southern suburbs of Damascus. Once those neighborhoods have been secured and sufficient numbers of fighters, weapons, and ammunition have been deployed, the FSA can commit to an assault on central Damascus in a bid to oust the regime from its center of power.

"The regime losing Daraya would give the opposition a strategic advantage, and that's why [the regime] wants to focus power on it and has done so for a long time and that's why the opposition is fighting back so hard," says Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "What's interesting is that despite the use of special forces and despite the concentration on Daraya, they are unable [so far] to clear and hold the area."

If the Army is able to retake Daraya, however, it will hinder the FSA?s plans to advance on the center of Damascus and buy more time for the regime to press for a negotiated settlement with Assad still in control and enjoying the continued backing of Moscow and Tehran.

The diplomat says that some 60 percent of what is left of the Syrian Army (following months of defections) is deployed in Damascus, underlining the importance of the struggle for the Syrian capital for the regime.

?I think 60 percent actually does sound reasonable, as crazy as that sounds,? says Joseph Holliday, senior analyst at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War. ?I?ve been crunching the numbers on the units the regime has used and where; and they basically have a skeleton crew outside of Damascus and Homs.?

Urban warfare

Video footage posted to YouTube underlines the dangers faced by both sides in the bomb-ravaged neighborhood. One video shows a column of tanks thundering down an empty street. The tanks pause, turrets rotating swiftly from side to side, barrels firing until the scene is covered in smoke and dust while the unseen cameraman continues to calmly film the scene.?

Another extraordinary video is shot by an intrepid cameraman who ignores the fact that the two tanks he is filming some 40 yards away are firing at the building in which he is hiding.

Although the offensive was renewed on Jan. 16, the elite Fourth Armored Division has been engaged in combat in Daraya on a near continual basis since November. In general, the Syrian Army is ill-trained for the street fighting necessary in urban areas such as Daraya. When troops move into the suburb, they fight from house to house, knocking holes in walls to avoid having to use the streets. One news report filmed by Iran?s Al-Alam TV channel paints a vivid portrait of the claustrophobic and confused fighting in Daraya as soldiers dash for cover across rubble-strewn streets and pour machine-gun fire from windows.

The FSA has described Daraya as a ?big slaughterhouse,? and it seems the intention is to grind down the manpower and will of the regular forces. The FSA has encouraged the local population to leave, and only some 10 to 15 percent of residents still remain.

According to the diplomat, the Syrian Army has managed to secure part of the northwestern edge of Daraya beside Mezze military airport and is busy demolishing houses to remove cover from which FSA units could launch attacks.

The renewed offensive against Daraya has seen an increase in air attacks and rocket firings. According to the Daraya Local Coordination Committee, a network of opposition activists, the district was struck by 100 Grad rockets and 15 other unidentified surface-to-surface missiles in just one hour on Jan. 19.

The end of Assad? Unlikely.

It is difficult to judge with any certainty whether the battle for Daraya is shifting to the advantage of either side or remaining a bloody stalemate.

However, Assad recently expressed confidence in the overall situation in Syria to a group of ?visitors? in Damascus.

According to Lebanon?s Al-Akhbar newspaper, which generally supports the Assad regime, the Syrian president told his visitors that ?the Army has regained the initiative on the ground to a large extent, achieving important results, in addition to what is has achieved in the past 22 months.? Assad reportedly added that the areas under rebel control were limited to the Turkish, Jordanian, and Lebanese borders.

?There are also some pockets in the capital?s countryside which are being dealt with by the Army. The capital Damascus is in a better situation. Its strategic points ? despite all the attempts by the militants ? remained safe, especially the airport road,? the newspaper quoted Assad as saying.

Such sentiment may be wishful thinking, but the ferocity of the assault on Daraya suggests that the Assad regime is still willing to put up a strong fight. Last week, Laurent Fabius, France?s foreign minister, sounded a pessimistic note in suggesting that Assad?s fall was not imminent.

?The solution we hoped for ? that is to say, Bashar?s fall, the rise of the opposition to power ? there are no recent signs as positive as that.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/XYIaRjdTfaQ/Ferocious-battle-for-strategic-suburb-could-hold-the-keys-to-Damascus

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It's about time, retired general says of women in combat

On the Radar

This past week we saw an extraordinary change in the military lifting the ban on direct combat for women. Former Marine Corps General James Cartwright, a defense consultant for ABC News, lived through a similar sea change in the 1990s, when the military lifted its combat ban for female aviators.

Cartwright recalls the first integrated deployment with female marines to Japan and the Philippines in the early 1980s.

"For all of the hoopla that goes with that, quite frankly they did extremely well," says the retired general. "If you set the conditions, if you set the moral temperature of the organization, you will do just fine."

"Fast forward to when we brought them into the officer ranks as pilots," adds Cartwright. "There were all sorts of speculation -- women couldn't go faster than the speed of sound, they'd break or whatever, I don't know ... But the reality was, in many cases they were better."

Cartwright, who also served as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says it all comes down to leadership. But in 1991, then Commandant Robert Barrow came out publicly against women in combat.

"If you want to make a combat unit ineffective, assign women to it," Barrow told the Senate Arms Services Subcommittee.

"We change and we evolve," says Cartwright, who adds that emotional strength is probably more important than physical strength in modern combat units.

"The evolution of seeing this gender integration ... has been overdue, it's been a little bit too slow, but now that we're able to realize it, you know I can only see that we will be better off," says Cartwright. "Because at the end of the day, any time you add diversity to an organization, it's going to be better."

The Marine Corps recently put two young women through the infantry officers course; neither of them completed it. That class of young male marines may now be saying, 'Yea, see, they can't do it,' but to get over that prejudice, Cartwright says leaders have to make sure ground rules are the same for everybody.

"We found that in aviation if you make them special, if you set them aside, if you do things, then you set them up for failure. They've got to be equal," says the former Marine Corps aviator.

To those young female marines, he offered some advice.

"Don't give up," says Cartwright. "If this is your goal and this is your passion, then get yourself back together again."

For more from Ret. Gen. Cartwright, including his response to the alleged problem of arm strength, whether women should be called to serve if there was a draft again, and a memorable story involving a guy, a gal, and the ability to pull Gs to centrifuge, check out this week's On the Radar.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/former-marine-corps-general-women-combat-long-overdue-123830231.html

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Bitter Rivals Obama, Clinton Now Bosom Buddies

In something of a parting gift, President Obama is making abundantly clear his deep support and fondness for outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is leaving wide open a possible presidential run in 2016.

Sitting together for their first joint interview, you could almost forget that they once politically bludgeoned each other in the 2008 Democratic primary.

"I'm going to miss her," Obama told CBS News' Steve Croft. "Wish she was sticking around."

"A few years ago it would have been seen as improbable," Clinton admitted, before explaining that she ultimately agreed to take the position as secretary of state "because we both love our country."

"I'll tell you what I finally thought. You know, if the roles had been reversed, and I had ended up winning, I would have desperately wanted him to be in my cabinet," Clinton said.

Sitting casually next to each other, laughing and smiling, the president and Clinton praised one another effusively.

"I consider her a strong friend," Obama said, while Clinton described their relationship as "warm" and "close."

Obama said he proposed the joint interview because he wanted to publicly say "thank you" to Clinton for all of her hard work. For those eagerly looking for hints of Clinton's future ambitions, however, the interview certainly felt like a political endorsement.

Clinton notably offered no outright denial, when asked about her plans for 2016.

"Obviously the president and I care deeply about what's going to happen for our country in the future and I don't think either he or I can make predictions about what's going to happen tomorrow or the next year," she said.

"I am still secretary of state and forbidden from even hearing these questions," Clinton joked when asked about her future.

The president brushed off the question.

"You guys are incorrigible," he told Croft of the press. "I was inaugurated four days ago and you're talking about elections four years from now."

Clinton declared herself in good health, following her concussion last December that led to a blood clot.

"I still have some lingering effects from falling on my head and having the blood clot," she said, still wearing her glasses. "But the doctors tell me that will all recede. And so, thankfully, I'm looking forward to being at full speed."

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/president-obama-hillary-clinton-bitter-rivals-bosom-buddies-022602363--abc-news-politics.html

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babylaoui: underbelly arlyn: Tourism & Recreation: Extreme Sport

A recent article in Leisure Opportunities reports that Manx tourism officials are looking to diversify the economy of the Isle of Man by pushing extreme sport tourism. Director of Manxtreme.com, Simon Crellin, is working with tourism officials to push sports such as sea kayaking, mountain biking, open-water swimming and coasteering, making the most of the island?s natural resources such as mountains, coastline and mountain bike trails. The island already has a busy calendar of events, including the Sleepwell end2end mountain bike race ? a 75km cycle across the island?s natural trails and the Manx Mountain Marathon, a 31 mile fell race. As well as maximising these existing competitions, others will be organised too. This June, a triathlon is being organised to coincide with the TT races. It will include an open-water swim, the equivalent of three laps of the TT course on a bike and a full marathon. The end will be at the TT Grandstand.

Source: http://recreationsporttourism.blogspot.com/2013/01/extreme-sport-tourism.html

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Source: http://underbelly-arlyn.blogspot.com/2013/01/tourism-recreation-extreme-sport-tourism.html

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Source: http://babylaoui.blogspot.com/2013/01/underbelly-arlyn-tourism-recreation.html

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Source: http://miltonkanna.blogspot.com/2013/01/babylaoui-underbelly-arlyn-tourism.html

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Weekend death toll in Egyptian riots rises to 40

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) ? Clashes flared anew in the turbulent Egyptian city of Port Said on Sunday, killing at least three more people as a mass funeral was held for most of the 37 people who died during intense riots in the city a day earlier.

The three were killed when police exchanged fire with gunmen trying to storm two police stations and the local prison, according to the city's director of hospitals, Abdel-Rahman Farah. A total of 418 people were injured, some of them with gunshot wounds, he said.

Tens of thousands of mourners poured into the streets for the mass funeral of those killed a day earlier, chanting slogans against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

"We are now dead against Morsi," said Port Said activist Amira Alfy. "We will not rest now until he goes and we will not take part in the next parliamentary elections. Port Said has risen and will not allow even a semblance of normalcy to come back," she said.

Violence in the city, about 140 miles northeast of Cairo, erupted on Saturday after a court convicted and sentenced 21 defendants to death for their roles in a mass soccer riot in a Port Said stadium on Feb. 1, 2012 that left 74 dead. Most of those sentenced to death were local soccer fans from Port Said.

The clashes in Port Said were the latest in a bout of unrest across the country that has left more than 50 people dead since Friday. That death toll includes 40 dead in Port Said and 11 killed in clashes in other cities between police and protesters marking the second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew Mubarak after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.

The riots stemmed mostly from animosity between police and die-hard Egyptian soccer fans, known as Ultras, who have become highly politicized. The Ultras frequently confront police and were also part of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime two years ago.

They were also at the forefront of protests against the military rulers who took over from Mubarak and are now again on the front lines of protests against the Morsi, the country's first freely elected leader.

A prominent Islamist leader delivered a thinly veiled warning that Islamist groups would set up militia-like vigilante groups to protect public and state property against attacks.

Addressing a news conference, Tareq el-Zomr of the once-jihadist Gamaa Islamiya, said:

"If Security forces don't achieve security, it will be the right of the Egyptian people and we at the forefront to set up popular committees to protect private and public property and counter the aggression on innocent citizens."

The threat by el-Zomr was accompanied by his charge that the mostly secular and liberal opposition was responsible for the deadly violence of the past few days, setting the stage for possible bloody clashes between protesters and Islamist militiamen. The opposition denies the charge.

There was also a funeral in Cairo for two policemen killed in the Port Said violence a day earlier. Several policemen grieving for their colleagues heckled Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, who is in charge of the force, when he arrived for their funeral, according to witnesses. The angry officers screamed at the minister that he was only at the funeral for the TV cameras ? a highly unusual show of dissent in Egypt, where the police force maintains military-like discipline.

Ibrahim hurriedly left and the funeral proceeded without him.

In Port Said, mourners chanted "There is no God but Allah," and "Morsi is God's enemy" as the funeral procession made its way through the city after prayers for the dead at the city's Mariam Mosque. Women clad in black led the chants, which were quickly picked up by the rest of the mourners.

There were no police or army troops in sight. But the funeral procession briefly halted after gunfire rang out. Security officials said the gunfire came from several mourners who opened fire at the Police Club next to the cemetery.

Activists, however, said the gunfire first came from inside the army club, which is also close to the cemetery. Some of the mourners returned fire, which drew more shots as well as tear gas, according to witnesses. They, together with the officials, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation in the city on the Mediterranean at the northern tip of the Suez Canal.

Survivors and witnesses of the Port Said soccer melee blame Mubarak loyalists for the violence, saying they had a hand in instigating the killings. The troubles erupted after Port Said's home team Al-Masry beat Cairo's Al-Ahly 3-1. Some witnesses said "hired thugs" wearing green T-shirts and posing as Al-Masry fans led the attacks.

Other witnesses said at the very least, police were responsible for gross negligence in the soccer violence, which killed 74 people, most of them Al-Ahly fans.

Anger at police was evident in Port Said, home to most of the 73 men accused of involvement in the bloodshed. Of those, 21 were convicted of murder charges on Saturday and the court is to rule on the remainder of the defendants in March.

The trial was in Cairo and Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid did not give his reasoning when he handed down the guilty verdicts and sentences for 21 defendants. Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

Verdicts for the remaining 52 defendants, including nine security officials, are to be delivered on March 9. Some have been charged with murder and others with assisting the attackers. All the defendants ? who were not present in the courtroom Saturday for security reasons ? can appeal the verdict.

In Port Said on Sunday, army troops backed by armored vehicles staked out positions at key government facilities to protect state interests and try to restore order.

The military issued a statement urging Port Said residents to exercise restraint and protect public property, but also warning that troops would deal "firmly" with anyone who "terrorizes" citizens or infringes upon the nation's security and stability.

Rioters on Saturday attacked the prison where the defendants were being held and tried to storm police stations and government offices around the city. Health officials say at least 37 people were killed, including two policemen, in rioting on Saturday.

Clashes broke out in Cairo for the fourth straight day on Sunday, with protesters and police outside two landmark, Nile-side hotels near central Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Police fired tear gas while protesters pelted them with rocks.

The clashes show how turmoil was deepening in Egypt nearly seven months after Morsi took office. Critics say Morsi has failed to carry out promised reforms of the judiciary and police, and claim little has improved in the two years since the uprising.

At the heart of the rising opposition toward Morsi's government is a newly adopted constitution, which was ratified in a nationwide referendum.

Opponents claim the document has an Islamist slant. It was drafted hurriedly by the president's allies without the participation of representatives of liberals and minority Christians on the panel that wrote the charter.

Protesters on the streets this past week demanded the formation of a national unity government, early presidential elections and amendments to disputed clauses in the constitution.

Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which he hails, counter that the opposition was seeking to overturn the results of democratic and free elections. The Brotherhood, a well-organized and established political group in Egypt for decades, has emerged as by far the most powerful force in post-Mubarak Egypt.

As the situation in Port Said spiraled out of control Saturday, police disappeared from the city's streets, residents and security officials said, staying put in their camps, police stations and the city's security headquarters.

The military then dispatched troops to the city, taking up positions at vital state facilities, including the local power and water stations, the city's main courthouse, the local government building and the city prison. Navy sailors were guarding the local offices of the Suez Canal company.

Navy vessels were escorting merchant ships sailing through the international waterway, a vital income earner for Egypt's beleaguered economy. Military helicopters were flying over the canal to ensure the safety of shipping, according to Suez Canal spokesman Tareq Hassanein.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/weekend-death-toll-egyptian-riots-rises-40-184955404--spt.html

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Movie Reviews: Hansel and Gretel, Gangster Squad, Zero Dark ...

Editor's Note: Some reviews and information aggregated from?Moviefone.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters?

Mark Glass, Patch blogger:?Of all the classic fairy tales stretched or twisted into feature films, this is one of the least likely...and less successful. H & G (Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton) survived the witch and her candy-coated honey trap of a hovel, then grew up to become itinerant witch slayers in a vaguely Medieval era.?

They are summoned to one imperiled hamlet after nearly a dozen children have been abducted. They soon realize that a coven or two of evildoers is apparently massing in the adjacent forbidding forest for some major event. So much for the plot. The rest is all about the f/x, as H & G do their thing with an arsenal of anachronistically advanced weapons, which they need because these witches show some mad Ninja skills to go with their magical powers. The fights are more fast and furious than the auto races in a certain series of flicks that traded on those terms. Full Review

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Parker

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Quartet

Mark Glass, Patch blogger:?Every "mature" viewer who enjoyed last year?s?The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel?can confidently line up for this ticket. What you?ll get is another gentle comedy among the retirement set showcasing a fine ensemble cast of actors from Great Britain. Both include Maggie Smith. This one also features Pauline Collins, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon and Tom Courtenay, under the direction of Dustin Hoffman.??

The intrigue here is whether some of the members of a once-lauded operatic quartet can get past some old wounds and newer anxieties for a reunion performance on the birthdate of Giuseppe Verdi (as Victor Borge noted, Joe Green, in English).

The music is pleasing; the actors are still in fine fettle. Hoffman steers them at a pace that evokes empathy without milking the sentimental side. The reliable old pros on both sides of the camera deliver another first-rate product. Anglophiles and trivia buffs who recall a 1981 film with the same title starring Smith and Alan Bates should be advised that there?s no other relation between the two stories. Full Review

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Broken City

Mark Glass, Patch blogger:?This urban political/crime drama is surprisingly well-scripted, with more than its fair share of twists and turns. Mark Wahlberg plays a hardnosed New York cop, who is stripped of his badge early in the film over a controversy about his shooting an alleged rapist. Although the mayor (Russell Crowe) understands and approves of what he did, public outrage over what may have been excessive force compels The Brass to throw Wahlberg under the proverbial bus.

Brian Tucker?s script is particularly impressive for a rookie. Director Allen Hughes? experience in the genre helps, with the pacing and mostly non-glamorous settings well-suited to the material. The rating comes more from violence than sexual content, and is relatively restrained. Wahlberg, Crowe and Jeffrey Wright (the police chief) add solid performances.

This is Crowe?s second role in less than a month as a distinctly unlikable character, following his Inspector Javert in?Les Miserables. Could he be trying to supplant Mel Gibson as everyone?s least-favorite Australian actor??Full Review

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Gangster Squad

• Run Time: 113 mins.
• Starring: Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin
• Director:?Ruben Fleischer

Review from Patch blogger Mark Glass:?Movie Review: Gangster Squad

Austin Chronicle: "Despite the unrelenting action and the terrific cast, Gangster Squad comes up more scattered than successful." Austin Chronicle.?Full Review

A.O. Scott of The New York Times: "His (Fleischer) first feature, "Zombieland," was a half-witty genre parody. This one might be described as genre zombie-ism: the hysterical, brainless animation of dead clich?s reduced to purposeless, compulsive killing. Too self-serious to succeed as pastiche, it has no reason for being beyond the parasitic urge to feed on the memories of other, better movies."?Full Review

Ann Hornaday of Washington Post: "Slick, sick, self-consciously stylish and defiantly shallow, Gangster Squad is one of those movies you can't talk about without invoking other (often better) movies. A lot of movies."?Full Review

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Zero Dark Thirty

• Running Time: 157 mins.
• Starring: Joel Edgerton, Jessica Chastain, Edgar Ramirez
• Director:?Kathryn Bigelow

Review from Patch blogger Mark Glass:?Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

The Guardian: "Telling a nearly three-hour story with an ending everyone knows, Bigelow and Boal have managed to craft one of the most intense and intellectually challenging films of the year."?Full Review

Alison Willmore of Movieline: "Zero Dark Thirty makes you feel every step of Maya's journey, but it's her impressive achievement and that of the film itself that we're left contemplating, not her humanity - a stunningly well-realized whole with few soft spots to latch onto."?Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir of Salon.com: "A sweeping and magnificent work of cinematic craft, by far the best film of Bigelow's career."?Full Review

Have you seen this movie??Write a review by posting a blog on Patch!

Source: http://ballwin-ellisville.patch.com/articles/movie-reviews-hansel-and-gretel-gangster-squad-zero-dark-thirty-and-parker-3d546a91

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Mass funeral held in Egypt after riots kill 37

PORT SAID, Egypt (AP) ? Tens of thousands of mourners poured into the streets of the restive Egyptian city of Port Said on Sunday for a mass funeral for most of the 37 people killed in rioting a day earlier, chanting slogans against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Violence erupted briefly when some in the crowd fired guns and police responded with volleys of tear gas, witnesses said. State television reported 110 were injured.

"We are very worried about what may happen after the burial," said local youth activist Rasha Hamouda, noting the city was fraught with tension.

The violence in the city, about 140 miles northeast of Cairo, broke out on Saturday after a court on Saturday convicted and sentenced 21 defendants to death for their roles in a mass soccer riot in a Port Said stadium on Feb. 1, 2012 that left 74 people dead. Most of those sentenced to death were local soccer fans from Port Said. The 21 were convicted on murder charges and the court is to rule on the remainder of the 73 defendants in March.

The riots stemmed mostly from animosity between police and die-hard Egyptian soccer fans, known as Ultras, who have become highly politicized. The Ultras frequently confront police and were also part of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak's regime two years ago.

They were also at the forefront of protests against the military rulers who took over from Mubarak and are now again on the front lines of protests against the Morsi, the country's first freely elected leader.

A prominent Islamist leader delivered a thinly veiled warning that Islamist groups would set up militia-like vigilante groups to protect public and state property against attacks.

Addressing a news conference, Tareq el-Zomr of the once-jihadist Gamaa Islamiya, said:

"If Security forces don't achieve security, it will be the right of the Egyptian people and we at the forefront to set up popular committees to protect private and public property and counter the aggression on innocent citizens."

The threat by el-Zomr was accompanied by his charge that the mostly secular and liberal opposition was responsible for the deadly violence of the past few days, setting the stage for possible bloody clashes between protesters and Islamist militiamen. The opposition denies the charge.

There was also a funeral in Cairo for two policemen killed in the Port Said violence a day earlier. Several policemen grieving for their colleagues heckled Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, who is in charge of the force, when he arrived for their funeral, according to witnesses. The angry officers screamed at the minister that he was only at the funeral for the TV cameras ? a highly unusual show of dissent in Egypt, where the police force maintains military-like discipline.

Ibrahim hurriedly left and the funeral proceeded without him.

In Port Said, mourners chanted "There is no God but Allah," and "Morsi is God's enemy" as the funeral procession made its way through the city after prayers for the dead at the city's Mariam Mosque. Women clad in black led the chants, which were quickly picked up by the rest of the mourners.

There were no police or army troops in sight. But the funeral procession briefly halted after gunfire rang out. Security officials said the gunfire came from several mourners who opened fire at the Police Club next to the cemetery.

A witness said the police responded to the gunfire with volleys of tear gas. The witness and the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation in the city on the Mediterranean at the northern tip of the Suez Canal.

Survivors and witnesses of the Port Said soccer melee blame Mubarak loyalists for the violence, saying they had a hand in instigating the killings. The troubles erupted after Port Said's home team Al-Masry beat Cairo's Al-Ahly 3-1. Some witnesses said "hired thugs" wearing green T-shirts and posing as Al-Masry fans led the attacks.

Other witnesses said at the very least, police were responsible for gross negligence in the soccer violence, which killed 74 people, most of them Al-Ahly fans.

Anger at police was evident in Port Said, home to most of the 73 men accused of involvement in the bloodshed.

The trial was in Cairo and Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid did not give his reasoning when he handed down the guilty verdicts and sentences for 21 defendants. Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

Verdicts for the remaining 52 defendants, including nine security officials, are to be delivered on March 9. Some have been charged with murder and others with assisting the attackers. All the defendants ? who were not present in the courtroom Saturday for security reasons ? can appeal the verdict.

In Port Said on Sunday, army troops backed by armored vehicles staked out positions at key government facilities to protect state interests and try to restore order.

The military issued a statement urging Port Said residents to exercise restraint and protect public property, but also warning that troops would deal "firmly" with anyone who "terrorizes" citizens or infringes upon the nation's security and stability.

Rioters on Saturday attacked the prison where the defendants were being held and tried to storm police stations and government offices around the city. Health officials say at least 37 people were killed, including two policemen, in rioting on Saturday.

The clashes in Port Said were the latest in a bout of unrest across the country that has left a total of 48 people dead since Friday. That death toll includes 11 people killed in clashes between police and protesters marking the second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew Mubarak after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.

Clashes broke out in Cairo for the fourth straight day on Sunday, with protesters and police near central Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Police fired tear gas while protesters pelted them with rocks.

The clashes show how turmoil was deepening in Egypt nearly seven months after Morsi took office. Critics say Morsi has failed to carry out promised reforms of the judiciary and police, and claim little has improved in the two years since the uprising.

At the heart of the rising opposition toward Morsi's government is a newly adopted constitution, which was ratified in a nationwide referendum.

Opponents claim the document has an Islamist slant. It was drafted hurriedly by the president's allies without the participation of representatives of liberals and minority Christians on the panel that wrote the charter.

Protesters on the streets this past week demanded the formation of a national unity government, early presidential elections and amendments to disputed clauses in the constitution.

Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which he hails, counter that the opposition was seeking to overturn the results of democratic and free elections. The Brotherhood, a well-organized and established political group in Egypt for decades, has emerged as by far the most powerful force in post-Mubarak Egypt.

As the situation in Port Said spiraled out of control Saturday, police disappeared from the city's streets, residents and security officials said, staying put in their camps, police stations and the city's security headquarters.

The military then dispatched troops to the city, taking up positions at vital state facilities, including the local power and water stations, the city's main courthouse, the local government building and the city prison. Navy sailors were guarding the local offices of the Suez Canal company.

Navy vessels were escorting merchant ships sailing through the international waterway, a vital income earner for Egypt's beleaguered economy. Military helicopters were flying over the canal to ensure the safety of shipping, according to Suez Canal spokesman Tareq Hassanein.

Residents said Port Said was quiet overnight except for intermittent bursts of gunfire. The city was still on edge early Sunday ? but streets were largely deserted, stores were closed for the second successive day, and some hotels asked guests to leave, fearing more violence.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-funeral-held-egypt-riots-kill-37-134608043--spt.html

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Ex-CIA officer gets prison time for leaking agent's name

John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for leaking the name of a covert officer to a reporter in 2007. Kiriakou was among the first to confirm the use of waterboarding in interrogating al-Qaida terrorists.

By Matt Barakat,?Associated Press / January 26, 2013

Former CIA officer John Kiriakou, (l.), and his attorney John Hundley, leave federal court in Alexandria, Va., Jan. 23. Kiriakou, who disclosed an agent's name to the media, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

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A federal judge rejected arguments that a former?CIA?officer was acting as a whistleblower on the agency's use of torture when the officer leaked a covert agent's name to a reporter, sentencing him to more than two years in prison.

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A plea deal John Kiriakou made with prosecutors required the judge to impose a sentence of two-and-a-half years. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said she would have given him much more time if she could.

Kiriakou's supporters describe him as a whistleblower who exposed aspects of the?CIA's?use of torture against detained terrorists. Prosecutors said his claim was laughable, given that the first public statements he made largely defended the?CIA's?use of waterboarding.

Kiriakou's 2007 interviews about the interrogations of al-Qaida terrorist Abu Zubaydah were among the first by a?CIA?insider confirming reports that several detainees had been waterboarded.

The 48-year-old pleaded guilty last year to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act. No one had been convicted under the law in 27 years.

Absent the plea deal, federal sentencing guidelines would have called for a prison term of at least eight years, which the judge said she would have imposed. She said she understood the government's desire to secure a deal, given the difficulties in holding a public trial for national security cases that invariably delve into classified evidence.

Kiriakou chose not to speak at Friday's hearing, to which Brinkema responded, "Perhaps you've already said too much."

Kiriakou did give a brief statement outside the courthouse after the hearing, thanking supporters.

"I come out of court positive, confident and optimistic," he said.

Kiriakou was an intelligence officer with the?CIA?from 1990 until 2004.

In 2002, he played a key role in the agency's capture of Abu Zubaydah in Pakistan. Abu Zubaydah, who was waterboarded by government interrogators, revealed information that exposed Khalid Sheikh Mohamed as the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Accounts conflict, though, over whether the waterboarding was helpful in gleaning intelligence from Abu Zubaydah, who was also interrogated conventionally.

Kiriakou, who did not participate in the waterboarding, expressed ambivalence in interviews about waterboarding, but he ultimately declared it was torture.

In court papers, prosecutors said the investigation of Kiriakou began in 2009 when authorities became alarmed after discovering that detainees at Guantanamo Bay possessed photographs of?CIA?and FBI personnel who had interrogated them. The investigation eventually led back to Kiriakou, according to a government affidavit.

Prosecutors said Kiriakou leaked the name of a covert operative to a journalist, who disclosed it to an investigator working for the lawyer of a Guantanamo detainee.

In previously sealed court papers that were made public late Thursday, Kiriakou's lawyers say that the journalist who him told about the covert officer was not actually a journalist but an investigator working for Guantanamo defense attorneys.

"Mr. Kiriakou now realizes that he made a very serious mistake in passing any information to Journalist A, but he would not have done so had he known how Journalist A would make use of that information," defense attorney Robert Trout wrote.

Prosecutors say that leak was one of many that Kiriakou made and that they simply lacked the resources to bring charges for all of the leaks.

Kiriakou was initially charged under the World War I-era Espionage Act, but those charges were dropped as part of a plea bargain.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/S5UjBe2mRcE/Ex-CIA-officer-gets-prison-time-for-leaking-agent-s-name

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Britain's economy shrinks anew, flirts with "triple dip"

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's economy shrank more than expected at the end of 2012 with a North Sea oil production slump, lower factory output and a hangover from London Olympics pushing it perilously close to a "triple-dip" recession.

The country's gross domestic product fell 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday, a sharper fall than the 0.1 percent decline forecast by analysts.

The news is a blow for Britain's Conservative-led government, which a day earlier defended its austerity program against criticism from the International Monetary Fund. It needs solid growth to meet its budget targets, keep a triple-A debt rating and bolster its chances of winning a 2015 election.

Sterling fell to its lowest in 13-1/2 months against the euro and hit a five-month low against the dollar in response to the data. The euro was also buoyed by a stronger-than-expected German Ifo sentiment survey.

"This is a very disappointing outturn," said Philip Shaw, economist at Investec in London. "Clearly now the talk will focus on whether we are in a triple dip recession. Certainly the news is unwanted."

Britain's economy is now 3.3 percent smaller than its peak in Q1 2008, having recovered only about half the output lost during the financial crisis - a worse performance than most other major economies.

The country slipped back into recession in the last three months of 2011, and only emerged from it in the third quarter of 2012, after a boost from the London Olympics.

After a bout of inclement snowy weather in January - which is likely to have hit spending and output - the risk is that the economy will continue to shrink in the first three months of this year, technically pushing it into a rare and unwelcome "triple dip" recession.

Britain's biggest department store group, John Lewis , said earlier on Friday that snow was responsible for its sales growth stalling in the latest week.

POLITICALLY INCENDIARY

In economic terms, the picture remains one of stagnation over the past year. But politically, the latest dip in national output is more incendiary.

"Stagnation is going to be the theme for the next couple of quarters or so. This obviously brings Osborne's strategy into sharp relief and also the (Bank of England) strategy of maintaining or not sanctioning further monetary policy action," said Rob Wood at Berenberg Bank. "The Bank of England were forecasting a return to some growth in Q1 and that is likely to be disappointed."

Finance minister George Osborne stuck fast to his austerity plan on Thursday, rejecting suggestions from the International Monetary Fund's chief economist that he should consider slowing his deficit reduction plan.

Prime Minister David Cameron this week staked his political future on offering a referendum on Britain's place in the European Union. But it is Osborne's gamble that austerity will deliver strong growth before a 2015 election that will be crucial in determining his Conservative party's chance of winning.

After the figures were released, the Treasury conceded that Britain still faced a "very difficult economic situation".

"While the economy is healing, it is still a difficult road," it said in a statement.

Britain's chief central banker Mervyn King expects no more than a "gentle recovery" this year, while this week the IMF cut its 2013 forecast for British economic growth to 1.0 percent from 1.1 percent predicted in October.

However, economists and business groups warn that even such lackluster growth could be derailed by a hit to firms' and consumers' confidence from talk of a triple-dip recession.

That prospect will add to pressure on the ruling coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to loosen its deficit-cutting drive and bolster the economy as George Osborne prepares his 2013 budget, due in March.

The biggest driver for the fourth-quarter fall in GDP was a 10.2 percent drop in mining and quarrying output, the biggest since records began in 1997, driven by disruption from extended maintenance affecting North Sea oil and gas fields.

This knocked 0.18 percent off GDP, while slightly smaller amounts of damage were done by falls in factory output and in the 'government and other services' category, where the Olympics had boosted sports and recreation services in the third quarter.

Friday's figures showed output in the service sector -- which makes up more than three quarters of GDP -- was flat in the fourth quarter. Industrial output was 1.8 percent lower.

(Reporting by David Milliken and Olesya Dmitracova, writing by Mike Peacock. Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-gdp-falls-more-forecast-fourth-quarter-094734833--business.html

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Dr. Phil to interview alleged girlfriend hoaxer

FILE - In this July 24, 2007 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw is shown in Los Angeles. McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, confirmed on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, by a spokesperson for the "Dr. Phil Show." (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this July 24, 2007 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw is shown in Los Angeles. McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, confirmed on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, by a spokesperson for the "Dr. Phil Show." (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this July 24, 2007 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw is shown in Los Angeles. McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, confirmed on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, by a spokesperson for the "Dr. Phil Show." (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Dr. Phil McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o.

A "Dr. Phil Show" spokesperson confirmed on Friday the interview with Ronaiah Tuiasosopo (roh-NY-ah too-ee-AH'-so-SO'-poh), the man accused of creating an online persona of a nonexistent woman who Te'o said he fell for without ever meeting face-to-face.

The ruse was uncovered last week by Deadspin.com, which reported that Tuiasosopo created the woman, named Lennay Kekua, who then supposedly died last September.

No further details of the "Dr. Phil" interview, including its airdate, were announced.

This interview follows the first on-camera interview with Te'o conducted this week by Katie Couric.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-25-US-TV-Dr-Phil-Girlfriend-Hoax/id-153d0f5748534dd889620fde61730b8c

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100-mph winds halt search for Antarctica plane

A plane carrying three Canadians has gone missing in Antarctica. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

By John Newland, Staff Writer, NBC News

Howling winds and snow grounded an effort Thursday to find a small plane missing in a mountainous area of Antarctica for more than two days, rescuers said.

The twin-engine plane, carrying three Canadian crew members, was about an hour into a flight from the U.S.-run Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to an Italian research station at Terra Nova Bay, when its emergency beacon was heard by rescue officials in New Zealand at about 4 a.m. ET Tuesday.

The company that owns the plane,?Kenn Borek Air Ltd.?of Calgary, Alberta, said it was ?maintaining a respectful silence? until the fate of the plane and its crew was known.

The?Calgary Sun?newspaper identified one of those aboard the plane as Bob Heath of the Northwest Territories, calling him a ?star pilot? for Kenn Borek Air.

The newspaper quoted Heath?s wife Lucy Heath as saying she was ?worried? and ?waiting for news.?

A search plane spent about five hours circling over the site of the beacon, which is in a mountainous area, but heavy cloud cover hampered the search and then the weather got worse, officials said.

Winds have topped 100 mph and it was also snowing, Michael Flyger, spokesman for New Zealand?s?Rescue Coordination Center, said.

He added he hoped the next weather forecast "will bring good news,? enabling the search to continue.

Five-day water supply
The beacon?s signal is coming from an area about 11,000 feet above sea level, Flyger said.

?It?s pretty mountainous terrain. It?s impossible to say whether it crashed or made an emergency landing or they had a mechanical problem and had to ditch the plane,? he said. ?At the moment we have a plane that?s not where it should be and a locator beacon is going off.?

The beacon can be switched on manually, but it also would begin transmitting if sensors detected a crash, Flyger said.

Despite the conditions in the area, there may be reason for optimism, he added.

?We do know that onboard the aircraft there was a significant amount of survival equipment -- heavy-duty mountain tents, enough water for three people for five days,? he said. ?They?ve certainly got the equipment to look after themselves.?

The National Science Foundation, which manages the U.S. Antarctic Program, said the plane was flying in support of Italian Antarctic research.

Searchers from the United States, Italy and Canada are assisting in New Zealand's efforts and have helicopters and airplanes ready to return to the site, Flyger said, adding that the the ideal scenario would be for a helicopter to either land or use a winch to bring up survivors.

?If conditions are good enough, hopefully we can land a short distance away and the team will walk to the crash site,? he said. ??There?s some frustration that the weather has been the way it?s been. The searchers are very keen to get in and crack on with the job."

?We?re very aware that not only are there people out there who need our help, but there are people ... wanting to know what?s going on. We hope to be able to give some good news.?

Related:

Plane with 3 on board missing near South Pole

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/24/16679382-100-mph-winds-ground-search-for-plane-missing-in-antarctica?lite

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Manti Te'o to Katie Couric: I'm Not Gay!

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Are Bank Branches Going the Way of the Dinosaurs? | Cambridge ...

Growing up, I remember bank branches on just about every major corner in our town.? They were welcoming (and brimming with lollipops.) As a result, I enjoyed accompanying my grandfather there on payday. ?A lot has changed since then.? Nowadays, you can do most of your banking from your Smartphone and over the internet (no lollipops).? With the shift to electronic banking, many large banks have begun shuttering branches across the country.? It stands to reason.? Banks are businesses, and when there?s a way to save money? well, profits drive decisions.? Institutions are citing the high cost of regulation and the low-interest environment as factors in the closures; however, we?re a long way off from a ?Branch Free? America.? Although larger institutions are re-strategizing their footprint, local banks rely on community exposure. ?To learn more about branch closures, please visit ?Say goodbye to more bank branches.?? Also, let us know your thoughts on closures and electronic banking in our comment section.

Until next time, I?m Thomas Fox for Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp.

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About Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp.

Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. offers its financial education to consumers throughout the United States. Our experienced staff is dedicated to helping people understand and manage their debts by providing personalized attention and a free, comprehensive review of each consumer?s financial situation. It is our objective that, as consumers become more educated about debt and the impact it can have on their lives, they can apply this knowledge to successfully manage their finances in the future. This entry was posted in Budgeting and Personal Finance and tagged banking. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://cambridgecredit.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/are-bank-branches-going-the-way-of-the-dinosaurs/

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Netflix and YouTube's DIAL promises to be open alternative to AirPlay

It's already clear that most of us prefer watching Netflix on TV rather than on our PCs or tablets, but it appears the subscription video pioneer isn't content with just direct streaming. As we learned at CES 2013, Netflix is currently in cahoots with YouTube to build out a multiscreen initiative called DIAL (which stands for "discovery and launch") that could provide real competition for Apple's AirPlay. It works in essentially the same way -- DIAL lets you play streaming video on compatible TVs without having to launch the app first -- but there are a few key differences. Unlike AirPlay, DIAL lets you launch apps, even web apps, on the TV -- if it's a Smart TV, you'll even be redirected to download an appropriate app from its app store. However, it can't send URLs to the TV and mirror displays like AirPlay can, supposedly to avoid protocol conflicts as it builds its network of partnerships.

And that's where DIAL's growing momentum comes in. According to GigaOm, DIAL is an open protocol, which gives it massive dev and OEM appeal. All Google TV boxes already have it, while Sony, Samsung and LG are reportedly very interested. Scott Mirer, director of product management at Netflix, said the latter two have already incorporated it in some 2012 TVs, with more coming in the future. More important is the support from app devs and content providers -- BBC, Hulu, Pandora and Flingo have already signed up to take part in the effort, with Chrome purportedly working on DIAL compatibility for browser-to-TV page-flinging. On the whole, it's a promising path for not just Netflix and YouTube, which have previously only released relatively limited remote control applications, but the second screen movement in general.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Source: GigaOm

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/24/netflix-youtube-dial/

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Azarenka eludes chokehold, gains Australian final

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus receives treatment during her semifinal match against Sloane Stephens of the US at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus receives treatment during her semifinal match against Sloane Stephens of the US at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts during her semifinal match against Sloane Stephens of the US at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Sloane Stephens of the US reacts during her semifinal match against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus leaves Rod Laver Arena to take a medical time out during her semifinal match against Sloane Stephens of the US 405at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus serves to Sloane Stephens of the US during their semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Julian Finney,Pool)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Sloane Stephens sat for nine minutes, mostly staring at the court and trying to forget the curious timing of Victoria Azarenka's medical timeout. She may have been the only one trying to ignore it.

The 19-year-old American had just saved five match points and broken Azarenka. But she knew she had to hold serve to stay in her first Grand Slam semifinal whenever Azarenka ? the No. 1 player and defending Australian Open champion ? returned to Rod Laver Arena.

The restless murmuring in the crowd gave way to slow claps. Why had Azarenka chosen that very moment for a medical break?

Azarenka eventually hustled onto the court, and Stephens won only three more points, losing 6-1, 6-4.

"I almost did the choke of the year," Azarenka said in a frank admission during an on-court interview. "At 5-3, having so many chances, I couldn't close it out."

The crowd that had cheered wildly for Stephens, only 25 hours after she ousted an injured Serena Williams, gave Azarenka tepid applause as she left the court. She'll face 2011 finalist Li Na in the final Saturday night. Given the support Li enjoyed in her 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova, there's no question which player the crowd will favor in the title match.

Azarenka's immediate post-match remarks suggest she panicked after failing to convert five match points, her forehand misfiring. She had little trouble finishing the match after she came back, and the No. 29-seeded Stephens had cooled off.

"I just felt a little bit overwhelmed. I realized I'm one step away from the final and nerves got into me for sure," Azarenka said.

The 23-year-old Belarusian said she was later compelled to explain that she misunderstood the question in the on-court interview, and she wanted to dispel the perception that her medical timeout amounted to little more than gamesmanship.

"I understand the point of people maybe not understanding what I said; me not understanding what I've been asked," she said during an official news conference more than two-thirds devoted to questions on her medical timeout. "So I'm just glad that I'm here, you know, to make everything clear.

"You know, I think you cannot really judge by (a) few words. The situation had to be explained."

Medical staff said Azarenka had timeouts for treatment of left knee and rib injuries. The rib needed to be manipulated because it was affecting her breathing. Tournament director Craig Tiley said Azarenka hadn't broken any rules.

Azarenka hadn't helped herself in a second television interview after the match when she said she couldn't breathe.

"I had chest pains," she said. "It was like I was getting a heart attack."

She tried to allay any negative perception with her explanation that the choking was related to shortness of breath from the rib injury, not her faltering game.

"When you cannot breathe you start to panic," she said. "I was really panicking, not because I couldn't convert my match point. That's not the case. I mean, I'm experienced enough to go over those emotions. But when you cannot breathe, when something's really blocking you, the stress ? that was the stress I was talking about.

"What I said ? that I was stressed out and choked ? was not because I couldn't finish my shot. It was just so stressing me out the pain that I had that, maybe it was overreaction, but I just really couldn't breathe."

Azarenka had retired during previous Grand Slam matches, including a fourth-round match against Serena Williams at the 2009 Australian Open. But with a second major title so close, and the fact she needed to reach the final to retain the No. 1 ranking, she desperately didn't want to quit this time.

For her part, Stephens seemed sympathetic. She had to wait through a medical timeout Wednesday when Williams received treatment for a sore back ? the 15-time major winner injured herself after leading by a set and a break. Another rival earlier in the tournament took a long break between sets for other reasons.

"I mean, when you take a medical break or timeout, obviously it's for a reason," she said. "I mean, just another something else that happens. If it was one of my friends, I would say, 'Oh, my God, that sounds like a PP, which is a personal problem. Other than that, it's just unfortunate."

Besides, Stephens said, it didn't affect the outcome of the match.

"No, not at all. She played obviously a really good match," she said. "First set she played awesome; got close in the second. It didn't go my way, but I wouldn't say at all what happened affected the match."

Novak Djokovic dispensed with No. 4-seeded David Ferrer 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in the night match, saying he "played perfectly" to reach his third consecutive Australian Open title match. Then he dispensed some medical advice of his own.

The Serb, who won the Australian titles in 2008, 2011 and 2012, wore a white shirt with a red cross on the back, pretending to be a doctor to treat Henri Leconte during a legends doubles match at Rod Laver Arena.

He's relaxed now that he has an extra day to prepare for Sunday's final. Djokovic will next play the winner of Friday's semifinal between No. 2 Roger Federer, a four-time Australian Open champion, and No. 3 Andy Murray, the U.S. Open champion.

Djokovic lost only seven points in 11 service games against Ferrer, and hit 30 crisp, clean winners in an almost flawless performance.

"I cannot remember the last time I played so well," Djokovic said. "I've played many great matches, but this one stands out. Hopefully, I can play the same level on Sunday."

He played confidently in the first two sets, and was sublime in the third. Even Ferrer, who has now lost five Grand Slam semifinals and never reached a championship match, was surprised.

After hitting a forehand a fraction wide of the line and losing his challenge in a review, Ferrer double-faulted to give Djokovic match point. The errors were a measure of just how much pressure Djokovic was applying.

Right after his semifinal, Djokovic started playing mind games leading to the final.

"Federer-Murray, when they're playing it's always very close," he said, confirming he'd be closely watching the match. "I wouldn't give the role of the favorite to either of them. I expect to enjoy it. Whoever I play against, I'm going to be ready."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-24-TEN-Australian-Open/id-95c6f511c34743cf8fafad54c7eac478

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