Standing on guard post-Nexen: Chinese state-owned enterprise and national security in Canada

International China expert draws lessons from Chinese SOEs staking claim in Canadian firms

Media Release

OTTAWA June 25, 2013 ?Canada must expect many more Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs)? to come knocking as they seek to invest in the high growth potential of Canada?s globally important energy and mineral resources.??? Yet last year?s vetting process for the proposed investment by the China National Overseas Oil Company (CNOOC) in oilpatch firm Nexen proved itself inadequate to the task, and highlighted the need for national security agencies to be fully engaged in judging whether such investments pass the ?net benefit to Canada? test for foreign investment according to a new Commentary released today by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

?This Commentary highlights the security-related implications of Chinese SOEs, particularly as demonstrated by the Nexen deal, and it also recommends effective risk-assessment criteria for future deals,? says author Roger Robinson, an internationally-recognised expert on the national security implications for Western countries of Chinese economic and business activities.

Despite evidence to the contrary, Chinese SOEs will continue to portray themselves as independent, remote, environmentally ethical and benign operators unaffiliated with the Communist government of China; these claims are at best dubious says? Robinson, author of ?Standing on guard post-Nexen: Chinese state-owned enterprise and national security in Canada?.

Lessons learned from the Nexen deal:

• The government should not again place the Canadian security services in a position of playing catch-up;
• The definition of an SOE needs to be scrutinized carefully;
• Despite heightened sensitivities coming out of the Nexen experience, there is still significant room for greater vigilance and security-minded diligence; and
• Every major Chinese company is controlled or influenced by the Communist Party.

The People?s Republic of China is an authoritarian police state that controls nearly every facet of people?s daily lives, a fact that is too easily forgotten when dealing with emissaries of the regime such as SOEs, including CNOOC.

This is where it becomes necessary to view Chinese SOEs and their ?private sector? equivalents through a security-minded lens. The Canadian economic and security community should be asking a different set of questions about such Chinese entities than they would, for example, about a Norwegian sovereign wealth fund or even a Malaysian state-owned firm, like Petronas. This is not due to mere speculation or unfounded suspicion, but is based on their behaviour. Among the standard inquiries the Canadian economic and security community should undertake are:

• Is the SOE doing any business in security-sensitive countries such as Iran, Sudan, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, North Korea, or Pakistan? What is the scope and type of that business?

• Has the SOE solicited or received stolen commercial information/competitive intelligence on Canadian or other Western firms through the cyber warfare/hacking activities of the People?s Liberation Army (PLA) or other Chinese government-sponsored entities?

• Does the SOE have any business divisions or activities supplying equipment, technologies, services, or commodities to the Chinese military, any of its affiliates, or the Chinese security/intelligence services? What is the precise nature of any such supplier relationship?

• Do any subsidiaries or affiliates of the SOE have any military/intelligence ties or involvement in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or ballistic missiles?

• Are any senior managers or Board members of the SOE or its subsidiaries now or have they previously been affiliated with the military or the security/intelligence services of the Chinese government? What are or were the nature of such relationships or former employment?

• Have the SOE or its subsidiaries/affiliates been the subject of any corruption scandals or delisting from equity exchanges in China or abroad? If so, what are the underlying details?

• Has the SOE ever been charged, directly or indirectly, with any World Trade Organization violations or with providing any form of unfair financial or trade subsidies?

• Has the SOE or any of its subsidiaries ever been a member of a consortium of companies that has engaged in controversial, security-related projects domestically or abroad?

• Has the SOE been responsible for despoiling the environment or committing public safety violations in China or abroad?

• Has the SOE been responsible for the employment of forced labor or unsafe workplace conditions in China or abroad?

• Has the SOE employed counterfeit or contaminated goods or materials in its manufacturing processes or broader business services in China or abroad?

Moving forward, making only minor tweaks to the current process of reviewing investments by SOEs from China is insufficient? given that the strategic intentions of these SOEs are substantially different than private firms from Canada or the US.? With known involvement from the PLA in SOEs it is not hard to see that the long-term objectives of Beijing will be at odds with Canada?s.? With this in mind, Ottawa must review investment by SOEs from China with more than the standard ?net benefit? test, and consider the broader strategic implications of a Chinese SOE acting as proxy for Beijing on Canadian soil.

Knowing that every SOE is controlled by the Chinese Communist party, the definition of what constitutes? an SOE needs to be carefully considered and greater scrutiny from security and intelligence services need to be implemented at the outset, so as to avoid? leaving Canada?s security services to play catch up.

-30-

For more information, read ?Standing on guard post-Nexen: Chinese state-owned enterprise and national security in Canada.? here.

?

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is the only non-partisan, independent national public policy think tank in Ottawa focusing on the full range of issues that fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government.

For media inquiries:

?

Sean Osmar

Director of Communications

Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Sean.osmar@macdonaldlaurier.ca

613-482-8327 x 103

@MLInstitute

?

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Source: http://www.macdonaldlaurier.ca/standing-on-guard-post-nexen-chinese-state-owned-enterprise-and-national-security-in-canada/

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FIFA 14 Cover Revealed For USA And Mexico [PHOTO]

EA Sports has revealed the cover for FIFA 14 that will be sold in the United States and Mexico beginning this September.

On the cover, Lionel Messi and Javier ?Chicharito? Hernandez are featured, which will be used on all of the packaging for the game sold in Mexico and the US. As you can see, there are no MLS or USMNT players to be seen.

The last time a MLS or USMNT footballer was featured on the cover was FIFA 12, which had Landon Donovan in action wearing his LA Galaxy uniform.

MORE ? All the details about FIFA 14 including photos and video.

FIFA 14 will be released on September 24, 2013 and will be available on the following platforms: Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, PS2, Microsoft Windows, Wii, iOS, Android, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita.

Pre-order FIFA 14 today so you?ll get it in your mailbox as soon as it?s available.

Founder and publisher of EPL Talk, The Gaffer (aka Christopher Harris) is a journalist who has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian and several other publications as well as on NPR, BBC World, CBC, BBC Five Live, talkSPORT and beIN SPORT. Harris, who lives in Florida, has supported Swansea City since 1979. Harris launched EPL Talk in 2005. View all posts by The Gaffer ?

Source: http://worldsoccertalk.com/2013/06/29/fifa-14-cover-revealed-for-usa-and-mexico-photo/

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Obama travels to South Africa as Mandela's condition worsens (cbsnews)

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Miley Cyrus Parodied By Dogs in "We Can Bark" Video

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Latest Edition of Widely Used Exercise Guidelines Edited by UConn ...

Linda Pescatello, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and senior editor of the American College of Sports Medicine?s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, ninth edition. (File photo)

A prescriptive handbook widely used in medicine, athletics, and fitness programs, was recently republished in its ninth edition, edited by UConn kinesiology professor Linda Pescatello.

The latest edition of the American College of Sports Medicine?s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription seeks to remove barriers that often delay or prevent healthy individuals from starting beneficial exercise programs.

The book is the most widely circulated set of exercise guidelines in the world, the ?international gold standard? for all professionals conducting exercise testing or exercise programs, says Pescatello, senior editor of the ninth edition, and also associate editor of the eighth edition, published in 2009.

Previous editions of the ACSM?s Guidelines recommended a medical examination and physician-administered exercise testing, or stress testing, as part of health screening prior to starting vigorous-intensity exercise for individuals at moderate risk of cardiovascular disease, in order to identify those at risk for a sudden adverse cardiac event during exercise.

The new edition of the Guidelines, presented by Pescatello at the ACSM?s Health Fitness Summit in Las Vegas in March and ACSM?s annual conference in Indianapolis in June, still recommends both a medical exam and physician-administered stress testing for individuals at high risk of, or with known, cardiovascular disease before they begin either a moderate or vigorous-intensity exercise program.

But the Guidelines no longer recommend these steps for individuals at moderate risk before they start a progressive exercise regimen, and no longer recommend stress testing for the same group before starting vigorous-intensity exercise.

The benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks.

ACSM?s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription is based on the most current evidence in the field, including ACSM position and statement stands, says Pescatello, UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and a principal investigator at UConn?s Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP). She has focused her career on examining the connection between exercise and health.

?The updated guidelines for pre-participation health screening remove unnecessary and unproven barriers to starting an exercise program, and reinforce the public health message that the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks,? she says. ?At the same time, the guidelines place a stronger need on identifying those clients with known disease, because they are at the highest risk for an exercise-related cardiac event.?

In place of previous emphasis on medical evaluation, the new pre-participation health screening guidelines place a greater emphasis on self-guided screening methods, encouraging all individuals who want to begin a physical activity program to complete a health risk appraisal questionnaire at a minimum, Pescatello said. The need for and degree of follow-up required can then be guided by the responses to the questionnaire.

?There are multiple considerations that have prompted these different points of emphasis,? Pescatello explains. ?The risk of a cardiovascular event is increased during vigorous-intensity exercise relative to rest, but the absolute risk of a cardiac event is low in healthy individuals. Recommending a medical examination and stress test as part of the pre-participation health screening process for all people at moderate to high risk prior to initiating a light- to moderate-intensity exercise program implies that being physically active confers greater risk than a sedentary lifestyle.?

Hartford Hospital cardiologist Dr. Paul Thompson, a research collaborator of Pescatello since 1998, served as associate editor of the new Guidelines and wrote the introductory chapter for the book emphasizing the safety and benefits of exercise. He also authored what Pescatello describes as the ?long overdue? second chapter, which contains the new pre-participation health screening recommendations.

Other new features of the ninth edition of the Guidelines include a new chapter about proven theory-based behavioral methods to increase adherence to exercise programs; more specific information about working with special populations, such as those who have had bariatric surgery or who have multiple chronic diseases and health conditions; and a new automated reference system that was developed by UConn medical librarian Jill Livingston.

Also for the first time for the ninth edition, Pescatello invited a clinical pharmacist ? UConn assistant clinical professor of pharmacy practice and CHIP affiliate, Thomas Buckley ? to prepare the appendix on commonly encountered medications among people that exercise.

Pescatello?s work on the ninth edition of the Guidelines began almost as soon as her work on the eighth edition ended.

?It is a professional honor to be selected as editor of the ACSM?s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription because of the significant impact they have on the work that we do in our field,? she says, ?and it is a labor of love.?

Source: http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2013/06/latest-edition-of-widely-used-exercise-guidelines-edited-by-uconn-fitness-expert/

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Are you ready to say you love your job? - Business Management Daily

Question: "I feel strange when I talk about my enthusiasm for my work. I'm basically a mid-level admin and have been for four years, but I love it! Maybe I've just gotten lucky with my circumstances or the right combination of challenges, but I can't be the only one who just plain enjoys doing this for a living, helping people in a thousand different ways. I want to find out how many admins really love their job like I do!" ? Vanessa, Property Administrator

See comments below, and send your own question to Admin-Pro@nibm.net.

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Obama recasts chase for Snowden as unexceptional

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The last thing President Barack Obama wants to do is turn Edward Snowden into a grand enemy of the state or a Daniel Ellsberg-type hero who speaks truth to power.

In the shifting narrative of the Obama administration, the man whose leaks of top-secret material about government surveillance programs have tied the national security apparatus in knots and brought charges under the Espionage Act has now been demoted to a common fugitive unworthy of international intrigue or extraordinary pursuit by the U.S. government.

A "29-year-old hacker," in the words of Obama; fodder for a made-for-TV movie, perhaps, but not much more.

"This is not exceptional from a legal perspective," the president said Thursday of Snowden's efforts to avoid capture by hopscotching from Hawaii to Hong Kong to Russia.

"I'm not going to have one case of a suspect who we're trying to extradite suddenly being elevated to the point where I've got to start doing wheeling and dealing and trading on a whole host of other issues simply to get a guy extradited," the president told reporters in Senegal.

It was the second time in a week that the administration had toned down its rhetoric as Snowden remained out of reach and first China and then Russia refused to send him back.

Just Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry was talking tough against China and calling Snowden a traitor whose actions are "despicable and beyond description." By Tuesday, Kerry was calling for "calm and reasonableness" on the matter, and adding, "We're not looking for a confrontation. We are not ordering anybody."

There are plenty of reasons for Obama to pull back, beyond his professed desire to avoid international horse-trading for the leaker.

The president, in his own words, has "a whole lot of business to do with China and Russia." Why increase tensions in an already uneasy relationship when Obama is looking for Russia's cooperation in finding a path to peace in Syria, for example?

In addition, less-heated dialogue could make it easier to broker Snowden's return because, despite the latest shrugs, U.S. officials very much want him.

"There's a lot of signaling going on," said Steve Aftergood, director of the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists. "If the White House were issuing ultimatums, then Russia might feel obliged not to cooperate. But if it's merely one request among many others, that might make it easier to advance to a resolution."

The president also may have a U.S. audience in mind for his comments.

Obama's Democratic base includes plenty of defenders of civil liberties who are sympathetic to Snowden's professed goal of making government more transparent.

Benjamin Pauker, managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine, said the president was loath to elevate Snowden to a state enemy or "an Ellsberg-type truth-teller," referring to the 1971 leaker of the Pentagon Papers, which showed the U.S. government had misled the public about the war in Vietnam.

Ellsberg himself recently called Snowden's revelations the most significant disclosures in the nation's history.

The administration, though, would rather marginalize Snowden, a former National Security Agency systems analyst who is thought to have custody of more classified documents.

"Calling him a hacker, as opposed to a government contractor or an NSA employee, brings him down a notch to someone who's an irritant, as opposed to someone who has access to integral intelligence files," Pauker said. "To externalize him and brand him with a black-hat hacker tag distances him from the government."

The disdainful talk isn't just coming from the White House.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, called Snowden "a high school dropout who had a whole series of both academic troubles and employment troubles" after a recent closed hearing on the leaks. The committee's top Democrat, C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger from Maryland, called Snowden "a legend in his own mind" for claiming to be able to use NSA systems to access any email or phone call anywhere ? something the NSA's director has said can't be done.

There may also be face-saving benefits for Obama in cutting down Snowden, who turned 30 last week. An unsuccessful full-court press for Snowden's return would only show the limitations of Obama's international influence.

It's not the first time a president has tried to reset expectations by first elevating and then playing down the importance of an international fugitive who eluded capture, at least for a time.

President George W. Bush went from putting out a "dead-or-alive" ultimatum for 9-11 terror mastermind Osama bin Laden to dismissing him as "a person who's now been marginalized."

"I just don't spend that much time on him," Bush said in March 2002.

Candidate Barack Obama pledged during the 2008 presidential campaign: "We will kill bin Laden, we will crush al-Qaida. That has to be our biggest national security priority."

By January 2009, just days before his inauguration, Obama was saying: "My preference, obviously would be to capture or kill him. But if we have so tightened the noose that he's in a cave somewhere and can't even communicate with his operatives, then we would meet our goal of protecting America."

As it turned out, he got him.

___

AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.

___

Follow Nancy Benac on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-recasts-chase-snowden-unexceptional-073112725.html

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Black and Red Headphones for Vampires Are Your Deal of the Day

True Blood, HBO's softcore vampire epic, doesn't have anything to do with consumer audio, but that didn't stop V-Moda from releasing a pair of their popular M-80 headphones with True Blood branding. As a result of this ill-fated crossover, you can cop a pair of nice cans for $70 off the normal price.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/n0KcKz0bXj0/black-and-red-headphones-for-vampires-are-your-deal-of-587218463

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Discovery Communications working on a HBO Go-esque streaming ...

Discovery Channel, DMAX, 3NET (with Sony and IMAX) and Revision 3 owner Discovery Communications is pondering an HBO Go-style streaming service. In an interview with Reuters, company boss John Hendricks said that shows that are between three and 18 months old can still make money before they're launched on Netflix. His plan is to let subscribers access that programming online for a small additional monthly fee, which, according to Hendricks' autobiography, is between $6 and $8 a month. The boss also said that the company is developing the infrastructure for the platform, but that we won't see such a service arrive for anything up to five years.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/26/discovery-online-streaming-service/

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10 things you need to know today: June 26, 2013

The Supreme Court invalidates a key part of the Voting Rights Act, Obama spells out his plan to fight climate change, and more

1. SUPREME COURT INVALIDATES A LINCHPIN OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a key part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In a 5-4 ruling, the court's conservative majority said Congress must update the section of the law that requires states with a history of discrimination to get Justice Department approval before changing their voting laws. Proponents of the provision, which recently blocked voter ID laws in Texas and South Carolina, said a bitterly divided Congress will never agree on how to restore it. [Washington Post]
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2. TEXAS ABORTION RESTRICTIONS FAIL AFTER FILIBUSTER
A Texas abortion bill, one of the toughest in the nation, failed late Tuesday after a confusing stand-off. Republicans managed to bring the bill to a vote after an epic, 10-hour filibuster by Democrat Wendy Davis. It appeared to have passed 19 to 10, but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the presiding officer of the Senate, said "an unruly mob using Occupy Wall Street tactics" had made it impossible for authorities to make the vote official before midnight, when the legislative session ended. [New York Times]
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SEE ALSO: Wendy Davis' stunning filibuster of a Texas abortion bill

3. OBAMA UNVEILS HIS STRATEGY FOR FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE
President Obama unveiled his new plan to fight climate change in a speech at Georgetown University on Tuesday. The president, looking to revive his climate agenda by side-stepping Congress, promised to use his own authority and the EPA's regulatory powers to impose new rules to cut carbon emissions from U.S. power plants and increase support for renewable energy. "This is a challenge that doesn't pause for partisan gridlock," Obama said. "It demands our attention now." [Reuters]
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4. DEMOCRAT MARKEY WINS MASSACHUSETTS SENATE SEAT
Rep. Ed Markey, a Democrat, won a special election Tuesday to fill the Senate seat of John Kerry, who became secretary of State in February. Markey defeated Gabriel Gomez, who was hoping for an upset like the one his fellow Republican Scott Brown pulled off in 2010 by winning a special election to fill the late Ted Kennedy's seat. Markey, however, wasn't just a popular Democrat in a heavily Democratic state ? he also out-spent Gomez, $8.6 million to $2.3 million. [USA Today]
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SEE ALSO: An everyman's guide for going invisible on the internet

5. PUTIN SAYS SNOWDEN REMAINS 'A FREE MAN'
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Tuesday that fugitive NSA leaker Edward Snowden was hanging out in the international transit section of a Moscow airport after leaving Hong Kong. Putin dismissed as "drivel" American demands that Russia send Snowden to the U.S. to face espionage charges, saying Russia had no grounds to extradite him. Snowden "is a free man," Putin said, "and the sooner he selects his final destination, the better it will be both for us and for him." [Bloomberg]
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6. RUDD OUSTS GILLARD AS AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER
Kevin Rudd won back his old job as prime minister of Australia on Wednesday. Rudd handily defeated outgoing leader Julia Gillard. Gillard led a 2010 revolt to oust Rudd, but her leadership had come under fire recently. Gillard called a leadership vote among lawmakers of the ruling Labor party to settle a long-running debate over whether she or Rudd was better suited to lead Labor into September elections, in which polls suggest the party faces a landslide defeat. [Wall Street Journal]
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SEE ALSO: 4 secret societies you probably don't know about

7. VIGIL CONTINUES AS MANDELA REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION
A leading South African cleric, Cape Town Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, joined Nelson Mandela's family members in a Pretoria hospital Tuesday and prayed for the ailing, 94-year-old anti-Apartheid icon, who slipped into critical condition recently with a recurring lung infection. In a prayer that echoed the nation's resignation that the revered former president is near death, the archbishop posted a prayer on Facebook asking for Mandela to have "a peaceful, perfect, end." [Telegraph]
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8. SUPREME COURT PREPARES TO UNVEIL RULINGS ON GAY MARRIAGE
Supporters and opponents of gay marriage braced for potentially game-changing rulings from the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The court heard arguments on two same-sex marriage cases ? one a challenge to California's gay-marriage ban, Prop. 8. The ruling in that case has several potential outcomes. The court could establish gay marriage as a constitutionally protected right or uphold the ban, setting back the gay marriage movement. It could also punt, and dismiss the case. [CBS News]
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SEE ALSO: Why most Americans hate their jobs (or are just 'checked out')

9. BRAZILIAN PROTESTERS WIN TWO MORE DEMANDS
Brazil's Congress handed two significant victories to protesters who have filled the streets of the South American nation's biggest cities recently, demanding more public services and less corruption. Lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have limited the power of prosecutors, potentially increasing corruption. Congress also agreed to dedicate all royalties from vast newly discovered undersea oil fields for education and health. [BBC News]
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10. ARMY PREPARES FOR DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS
The Army's chief of staff, Gen. Ray Odierno, said Tuesday that the Army would reduce active-duty troops by 80,000 ? to 490,000 ? over the next five years. The scaling down, following withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan and $487 billion in military spending cuts over a decade, will amount to the military's biggest organizational change since World War II. [New York Times]

SEE ALSO: How typeface influences the way we read and think

View this article on TheWeek.com Get 4 Free Issues of The Week

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-today-june-26-2013-082600877.html

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Australian TV Reporter Makes Racist Sex Joke, Then Laughs During ...

This is worse than most Ron Burgundy rants!

Australian news reporter Natasha Exelby came under serious scrutiny recently after laughing her way through the reading of super-sad world news!!!

After a light-hearted and flirty segment, she reported on deadly riots in Brazil, an accident killing children in India, and a toddler falling off of a building ? but she laughed her way through the ENTIRE broadcast!

Ch-ch-check out her awkwardly inappropriate gaffes (above)!

Yikes!!! Laughter is a natural human reaction to unbearably stressful situations, but TV anchors are trained to tread delicately!!!

Worse, perhaps, was Natasha calling an Irish guest "one lucky little Leprechaun" while implying she might have sex with him!

She apologized for her poorly timed laughter, but neither bigotry nor sexual solicitation are appropriate for serious news programs!!!

Tags: accident, australiastic, bigotry, broadcast, channel ten news, icky icky poo, inappropriate, natasha exelby, tv news, video

Source: http://perezhilton.com/2013-06-25-australia-news-gaffe-natasha-exelby-inappropriate-laughter-bigotry

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Spying Revelations Affect US-China Cyber Security Talks (Voice Of America)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/315018196?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Food & Drink Events This Weekend: June 24-30, 2013 | WindsorEats

Old Sandwich Town Walking Tour

This Saturday, June 29, 2013, take a walk through history with WindsorEats?and enjoy a drink or two along the way. Considered one of the oldest, most historically significant settlements in Ontario, Old?Sandwich?Town is home to some of Ontario?s oldest and most important buildings. We?ll visit sites where General Isaac Brock and Chief Tecumseh planned strategic battles in the War of 1812, essentially helping create the Canada we know today.? Have a pint at one of the oldest remaining and continuously run taverns in Ontario, The Dominion House. We?ll even visit Rock Bottom Bar and Grill, an popular stop for?students and professors from the?near by University and try some of the 30 beers on tap.

Ticket prices are $45 per person and can be purchased here.

Sips, Sounds & Bites

Visit Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery this (and every) Sunday to enjoy live entertainment on the patio overlooking beautiful Lake Erie or nestled in the vineyard. This Sunday, purchase and enjoy tapas hor d?oeuvres prepared by Mezzo Ristorante & Lounge from 1pm-4pm or sip on a glass of wine or Sprucewood?s signature sangria with a picnic basket, and soak in the music and view.

Canada Day Pub Crawl

From June 28 to July 1, 2013, Sandwich Town is holding a huge pub crawl with lots of prizes to be given away. Visit establishments, such like WindsorEats members The Dominion House and Rock Bottom Bar & Grill, to get your passport signed to win the grand prize!

Bike Day at the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market

From 8:00am to 1:00pm, this Saturday, June 29, 2013, the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market is inviting you to join them for Bike Day 2013. There will be prizes and giveaways for oldest bike, best tricked out bike, youngest and oldest rider, best costume (male and female), and more. There will also be free tune-ups for kids bikes!

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Source: http://www.windsoreats.com/2013/06/food-drink-events-this-weekend-june-24-30-2013/

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The Obama administration is too cocky about Syria (Powerlineblog)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/313030845?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Mystery of X-ray light from black holes solved

June 14, 2013 ? It is a mystery that has stymied astrophysicists for decades: how do black holes produce so many high-power X-rays?

In a new study, astrophysicists from The Johns Hopkins University, NASA and the Rochester Institute of Technology conducted research that bridges the gap between theory and observation by demonstrating that gas spiraling toward a black hole inevitably results in X-ray emissions.

The paper states that as gas spirals toward a black hole through a formation called an accretion disk, it heats up to roughly 10 million degrees Celsius. The temperature in the main body of the disk is roughly 2,000 times hotter than the sun and emits low-energy or "soft" X-rays. However, observations also detect "hard" X-rays which produce up to 100 times higher energy levels.

Julian Krolik, professor of physics and astronomy in the Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, and his fellow scientists used a combination of supercomputer simulations and traditional hand-written calculations to uncover their findings. Supported by 40 years of theoretical progress, the team showed for the first time that high-energy light emission is not only possible, but is an inevitable outcome of gas being drawn into a black hole.

"Black holes are truly exotic, with extraordinarily high temperatures, incredibly rapid motions and gravity exhibiting the full weirdness of general relativity," Krolik said. "But our calculations show we can understand a lot about them using only standard physics principles."

The team's work was recently published in the print edition of Astrophysical Journal. His collaborators on the study include Jeremy Schnittman, a research astrophysicist from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Scott Noble, an associate research scientist from the Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation at RIT. Schnittman was lead author.

As the quality and quantity of the high-energy light observations improved over the years, evidence mounted showing that photons must be created in a hot, tenuous region called the corona. This corona, boiling violently above the comparatively cool disk, is similar to the corona surrounding the sun, which is responsible for much of the ultra-violet and X-ray luminosity seen in the solar spectrum.

While the team's study of black holes and high-energy light confirms a widely-held belief, the role of advancing modern technology should not be overlooked. A grant from the National Science Foundation enabled the team to access Ranger, a supercomputing system at the Texas Advanced Computing Center located at the University of Texas in Austin. Ranger worked over the course of about 27 days, over 600 hours, to solve the equations.

Noble developed the computer simulation solving all of the equations governing the complex motion of inflowing gas and its associated magnetic fields near an accreting black hole. The rising temperature, density and speed of the inflowing gas dramatically amplify magnetic fields threading through the disk, which then exert additional influence on the gas.

The result is a turbulent froth orbiting the black hole at speeds approaching the speed of light. The calculations simultaneously tracked the fluid, electrical and magnetic properties of the gas while also taking into account Einstein's theory of relativity.

"In some ways, we had to wait for technology to catch up with us," Krolik said. "It's the numerical simulations going on at this level of quality and resolution that make the results credible."

The scientists are all familiar with each other as their paths have all crossed with Krolik during graduate school at Johns Hopkins. Schnittman was previously a postdoctoral fellow mentored by Krolik from 2007 to 2010 while Noble was an assistant research scientist and instructor also under Krolik from 2006 to 2009.

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation Grants AST-0507455, AST- 0908336 and AST-1028087.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/astronomy/~3/8roMrCg3YXQ/130614140504.htm

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Britain holds off arming Syrian rebels despite U.S. decision to do so

Well, here we go. This is how it starts. Or how it ends. Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's wedding plans are apparently on hold. So this is it. Here it is. Poor old Jennifer Aniston, the lonely old maid of the Southland, is about to lose love once again. Who knows what's happened. Perhaps she showed him too many of her mysterious curio rooms, full of jars of hair labeled "Vince" and "John" and "Brad. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/britain-holds-off-arming-syrian-rebels-despite-u-104000841.html

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Three Vital Points For A Successful Human Resource Management ...

Follow Us on?Facebook!Working in Human Resources (HR) can be a fulfilling job because it allows you to help people and at the same time, you get to play a significant part in the growth of the business. But oftentimes, employees dislike their HR and they have lots of negative things to say about them.

If you want to do well in the Human Resources field, here are some things you need to do:

Engage

Being ?old school.? You have to adapt to the modern role of HR personnel. You cannot just be sitting at your desk doing some paperwork from the time you clock in to the time you clock out. These days, HR people reach out to the company?s employees. They take time to talk to them, ask them about their day, and listen to their complaints.

Create Trust

Being the company?s spy. You need to make the employees feel like they could trust you. Act as their advocate instead of watching them like a hawk, reporting every single move they make to management. Remember that your role is to help the employees in a way that?s beneficial to them and the company.

Lead/ Guide

As HR, you need to understand that your job is essentially to help your company?s employees. Be their voice, be a friend, and make it your goal to help them in the best way possible. If you can do this, then there?s no reason for them to hate you. Inspired by the Link below:

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Three Vital Points For A Successful Human Resource Management

June 14, 2013

Source: http://www.smallbusinesscourse.org/three-vital-points-for-a-successful-human-resource-management/

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Active launches June 21st on AT&T for $199.99

The ruggedized version of Samsung?s flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone will launch later this month in the United States. AT&T announced on Thursday that it will begin taking preorders on Friday for the Galaxy S4 Active, a $199.99 Android handset featuring?a 5-inch full HD display, a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The phone will then become available beginning June 21st, the day after Samsung?s upcoming press conference. AT&T?s full press release follows below along with a video.

High-Performance Meets Real-Life with the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active, Exclusively from AT&T

[More from BGR: Android 5.0 rumored to debut in October]

New Water and Dust Resistant Galaxy Smartphone is Built to Withstand Whatever Life Throws Your Way

Dallas, Texas, June 13, 2013

With summer in full swing, you need a phone that can go just about anywhere and endure the demands of an active lifestyle.? To help you keep up with whatever comes your way,?AT&T* and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announce the Samsung Galaxy S? 4 Active?, an evolution of the popular Galaxy S? 4 designed to withstand the hazards of everyday life.

Beginning June 21, you can pick up the Galaxy S 4 Active from any AT&T store or online for $199.99 with a two-year agreement.? For consumers who prefer to place their orders now, AT&T will begin taking pre-orders on June 14?at?www.att.com/galaxys4active. ?The Galaxy S 4 Active will be available in two colors: Urban Gray and Dive Blue.

The Galaxy S 4 Active runs on?AT&T 4G LTE, which currently covers more than 200 million people; with plans to expand to cover 300 million people by the end of 2014.? AT&T?s 4G LTE network was called ?blazing fast? in a report** by independent testing organization RootMetrics.? The report found AT&T?s 4G LTE network delivered the fastest pure LTE speeds in markets where AT&T provided 4G LTE.

?Continuing AT&T?s legacy as the first carrier to launch the Samsung Galaxy series, we?re excited to offer the next evolution of the popular Galaxy S 4.? The Galaxy S 4 Active is a high-performancesmartphone?with a stylish, protective design to keep up with the demands of everyday life.? It?s truly summer-proof,? said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president ? Devices and Developer Services, AT&T.? ?With its quad-core processor and access to the nation?s largest 4G network and fastest 4G LTE network you can stay connected nearly anywhere life takes you.?

Built For Life

The Galaxy S 4 Active was designed around life.? It is IP67 certified to be water-resistant and dust-resistant, making it perfect to take on any summer vacation whether it?s camping or the beach.? It also has an Aqua Mode feature that lets you capture photos and videos underwater.? Its 5-inch FHD TFT display is made from Gorilla? Glass, which is specially built to be tougher and more scratch-resistant.? It runs Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) and comes packed with a quad-core processor for faster, smoother gaming and apps.

But there?s more to the Galaxy S 4 Active than its sturdy, more resilient exterior.? It also includes high-performance features that let you get more done on-the-go.? The 8-megapixel camera includes multiple custom shooting modes, including Aqua Mode and Eraser Shot.? It also features enhanced low light performance to help you get the shot you want even when lighting isn?t ideal.

Entertainment

The Galaxy S 4 Active has an Integrated Infrared (IR) controller which acts as a TV remote control, so you can use your smartphone to control your home theater system.? When you?re on-the-go, Samsung Hub gives you access to more music, movies, books and games from multiple content sources all in one place? perfect for passing the time on summer road trips, or even while waiting in line while running errands.

Galaxy S 4 Active includes all the features that made the Samsung Galaxy S? 4 popular including:

• Air View?:?Hover your finger over photos, files, links and text for an instant preview.
• Air Gesture?:?Skip to the next song or photo, check your notifications or, if you?re driving, automatically answer a call on speakerphone just by waving your hand over your phone.
• Eraser Shot: Remove unwanted background distractions in your photos and videos with just one touch.
• Drama Shot:?Capture a time-lapse event all in one frame.
• Samsung Smart Pause:?While watching a video, if you look away from the screen, the video will automatically pause and wait for you to return.
• Story Album?:?Create a printed book of your photos and have it delivered right to your door.

Productivity

The Galaxy S 4 Active is a master multi-tasker.? Features like Multi Window let you use two apps side-by-side like a PC so you can reference your notes while writing an email or follow the game live while checking out your friends? reactions on social media simultaneously.

This smartphone is SAFE? (Samsung For Enterprise) to help keep your work data secure and separate from your personal content.? Whether you are in the office or on vacation, the Galaxy S 4 Active balances stylish, professional design with enhanced durability.

Additionally, the Galaxy S 4 Active features an optional Easy Mode that simplifies the home screen with larger icons and your favorite apps.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-active-launches-june-21st-t-140539740.html

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Apple posts OS X Mavericks preview page

Interested in getting more information about OS X Mavericks? Visit Apple's Web site, they've posted the details. Apple outlines ten of the new features coming to Mavericks when it debuts later this year.

Among the new features are iBooks, finally coming to OS X after being an iOS exclusive up to now, Maps (another carryover from iOS), enhancements to Calendar, a new Safari, iCloud keychain, dramatically improved support for multiple displays, a reworked notification manager, Finder Tabs, Tags and advanced technologies designed to improve power efficiency.

Mavericks is named after a popular California surfing location. With OS X 10.9, Apple is moving away from the "big cat" nomenclature and instead switching to California place names.

Mavericks is due out this fall.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/u2Hj-8B2uKI/story01.htm

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How the brain controls a machine

10 June 2013 Last updated at 18:00 ET By Melissa Hogenboom Science reporter, BBC News Continue reading the main story

Previous work on "mind machines"

Activity observed in the brain when using a "mind machine" is similar to how the brain learns new motor skills, scientists have found.

Participants' neural activity was recorded by using sensors implanted in their brain, which were linked to a computer that translated electrical impulses into actions.

The researchers believe people will be able to perform increasingly complex tasks just by thinking them.

The study is published in PNAS journal.

The subjects in the study moved from thinking about a task to automatically processing a task, in a similar way to how other motor movements are learnt - like playing the piano or learning to ride a bicycle.

This was shown by the areas of neurons that were active in the brain, which changed as subjects became more adept at a mental task.

Scientists analysed the results of a mind control task on a brain-computer interface (BCI) of seven participants with epilepsy.

Mind control

They were asked to play a computer game where they had to manipulate a ball to move across a screen - using only their mind.

Recent studies using BCIs have shown that our minds can control various objects, like a robotic arm, "but there is still a lot of mystery in the way we learn to control them", said Jeremiah Wander from the University of Washington in Seattle, US, who led the study.

"It's similar to learning a new motor task, but in other ways it's really different as there is no sensory feedback coming to your brain."

He believes his research could help individuals master more advanced levels of mind control.

"If we slowly work to add in more and more difficulty, we can push the limits on how complex the devices are that people can control [with their minds].

"We now have an understanding from the brain signals themselves, as to whether or not a user has developed proficiency with the current level of complexity of a task," he explained.

Ian Dale from the University of Reading, UK, who works on non-invasive BCIs, said that the study would help other scientists build BCIs that are more useful for analysing the different interactive paths of the brain.

"We expect from previous reports in the literature that there's a similar response in the brain when you make a movement and when you imagine a movement.

"The novelty of this study does not come from discovering the area is involved in learning. What is novel is studying the learning effect of subsequent trials in a BCI context," Dr Dale told BBC News.

"This paper highlights that neural networks of the brain are not static; they are dynamic and they change over time."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22812253#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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A sunny, quiet day of practice at Merion

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) ? Merion Golf Club opened the gates Sunday to fans who wanted to buy U.S. Open merchandise. Some of them got a free glimpse of Tiger Woods.

But not for long.

Woods played 13 holes under hazy sunshine, far different conditions from what he saw two weeks ago in the wind and rain that made the shortest U.S. Open course in nine years feel much longer. He was among a scattering of players who spent a lazy afternoon getting to know a golf course that last held a major championship 32 years ago.

But while no one in the field played in that 1981 U.S. Open that David Graham won with a flawless final round, Kevin Chappell is among those getting reacquainted.

Chappell played four competitive rounds in 2005 during the U.S. Amateur, the litmus test for the USGA to make sure Merion was still current with the modern game. He lost in the third round that year, and while the surroundings look different with the grandstands and hospitality areas, one thing hasn't changed.

"It's a tour event on steroids," Chappell said.

Merion is 6,996 yards on the scorecard, making it the first major championship under 7,000 yards since Shinnecock Hills (also 6,996 yards) for the 2004 U.S. Open. But the yardage can be deceiving. One of the par 5s is 628 yards, and Geoff Ogilvy figured there would be dozens of players who struggle to reach the green in three shots, much less get home in two. Another par 5 has been shifted to the right, bringing out-of-bounds close to the edge of the fairway.

It has a par 3 of only 115 yards ? the other par 3s all are over 240 yards.

And perhaps the biggest change from most recent U.S. Opens is the rough. It's long and thick.

"The rough is longer than we've seen," said Ogilvy, who had never seen Merion until arriving this weekend. "You can't make grass grow in four days, but you can cut. Although I don't think they will."

USGA executive director Mike Davis was making the rounds Sunday afternoon, checking on a course that received about 3? inches of rain Friday, so much that the creek near the par-4 11th green was starting to creep over the rock wall. It was back to normal Sunday, though the forecast is suspect for a big part of week.

Chappell played 18 holes with former Masters champion Zach Johnson and Tim Clark, and he couldn't help but notice how many of the fairways have shifted to move closer to the trouble. Then, he clarified what he meant by "trouble."

"Closer to the boundary stakes," he said.

Some of the fans leaned against the railing by the road on the left side of the 15th hole, so close to the fairway that they could have a personal conversation with Hunter Mahan, and even applaud his short iron to about 12 feet.

Merion has a lot of meat early in the round, particularly the opening six holes. What follows is a seven-hole stretch of par 3s and par 4s, the longest at 403 yards, which is short by today's standards. It's where the birdies are to be made, assuming the ball is placed in the correct part of the fairway. And then comes the strong finish.

Mahan opted for a driver off the 15th hole ? it's about 290 yards to cover the bunkers dotting the right side, so he picked out a tall fir tree just left of them. It was an aggressive play, and that's that Chappell expects to see from several players. But not all of them.

"There will be a big discrepancy in play," Chappell said. "You can challenge some of these holes if you want to."

The winning score at Merion has improved each of the previous four U.S. Opens. Olin Dutra won at 293 in 1934, followed by Ben Hogan at 287 in 1950, Lee Trevino at 280 in 1971 and Graham at 273 in 1981.

Chappell can see something along the lines of 10-under par if the week gets enough rain to make the greens soft. Yes, Merion can hold its own against the best in the world.

"There's too many wedges," he said, referring to the middle stretch of the golf course.

Ogilvy was walking up the 12th fairway when he pointed to the thick grass framing the landing areas and said, "There won't be any scoring records this week."

There was rain early in the week at Olympia Fields in 2003, which softened the course. Vijay Singh shot 63 in the second round. Jim Furyk was at 10-under 200 to set the 54-hole record at the time, and despite bogeys on the last two holes, his 272 tied what was then the U.S. Open record. It was soft at Congressional in 2011 when Rory McIlroy set the new standard, finishing on 16-under 268.

"I think there will be low rounds, but I don't think the total will be low," Ogilvy said.

There's no telling what this week will bring at Merion, though Ogilvy figured it would start from the tee.

"It takes a lot of practice to work out some of these lines," he said. "On 10 of the holes (minus the par 3s), you've got to be comfortable. There's no specific clue where to hit it. You have to know it. Off the tee, it's quite awkward. Someone who drives it the best this week will fare quite well ? not the straightest, but the best."

Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker played Merion in the 1989 U.S. Amateur. Chappell, defending U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and New Orleans winner Billy Horschel were among those at the 2005 U.S. Amateur, while Morgan Hoffmann and Rickie Fowler played Merion in the 2009 Walker Cup.

The biggest difference? Except for one qualifying round at the U.S. Amateur, that was match play. The worst anyone could do was to lose a hole. Starting Thursday, they have to count every stroke on every hole.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sunny-quiet-day-practice-merion-215534776.html

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Rafael Nadal drops from 4th to 5th in ATP rankings

AAA??Jun. 10, 2013?8:09 AM ET
Rafael Nadal drops from 4th to 5th in ATP rankings
AP

Spain's Rafael Nadal hugs compatriot David Ferrer after defeating him in three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, in the final of the French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday June 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Spain's Rafael Nadal hugs compatriot David Ferrer after defeating him in three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, in the final of the French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday June 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Spain's Rafael Nadal, right, holds the trophy after winning against compatriot David Ferrer, left, in three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, in the final of the French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday June 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Serena Williams, of the U.S, reacts as she defeats Russia's Maria Sharapova during the Women's final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium Saturday, June 8, 2013 in Paris. Williams won 6-4, 6-4. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Russia's Maria Sharapova holds the runner-up trophy after losing to Serena Williams of the U.S. in two sets 4-6, 4-6, in the women's final of the French Open tennis tournament, at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday June 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

PARIS (AP) ? Eight-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal drops from No. 4 to No. 5 in the ATP rankings this week, swapping places with David Ferrer, the man he beat in the Roland Garros final.

Nadal only retained the ranking points he earned by winning last year's French Open, while Ferrer gained points by reaching his first Grand Slam final.

Ferrer joked after his straight-set loss to Nadal: "I prefer to win here and to stay No. 5."

Novak Djokovic remains No. 1 on Monday, followed by No. 2 Andy Murray and No. 3 Roger Federer.

French Open champion Serena Williams increased her lead at No. 1 in the WTA rankings, while the runner-up, 2012 winner Maria Sharapova, fell from No. 2 to No. 3, trading spots with Victoria Azarenka.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-10-TEN-Rankings/id-4d71139a7331427aa447a7d85d6299e1

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