Keepingitreal

Today's News Highlights 06.27.11

 TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
At Fort Campbell, mixed reviews for Afghan plan
Pfc. Rob Nunez, who spent eight months in Konar province near the Pakistani border, and some of his fellow soldiers have vastly different reactions to the plan.
(By Kevin Sieff)

Nancy Pelosi pursues her own ‘faith-based initiative’
House minority leader has her sights on winning back the speaker’s gavel for Democrats.
(By Karen Tumulty and Paul Kane)

Does GOP have a compromise on debt?
As President Obama prepares to meet with Senate leaders to try to restart talks over the debt, some Republicans see a potential path to compromise: Significant cuts in military spending.
(By Lori Montgomery and Paul Kane)

DNA links fugitive to professor’s slaying, FBI says
DNA evidence links a fugitive in Mexico to the killing of an American University professor, the FBI says.
(By Dan Morse)

A pair of veteran spies cross paths
Betty McIntosh and Doris Bohrer served in the OSS and CIA, but their remarkable friendship didn’t form until they moved to the same retirement community.
(By Ian Shapira)

POLITICS
President Barack Obama talks spending and debt limit with Senate leaders
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama takes over negotiations on spending cuts and raising the government’s borrowing limit when he holds separate meetings Monday with Senate leaders.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court to rule Monday on Arizona law giving extra cash to publicly funded candidates
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is expected to rule Monday on an Arizona campaign finance law that gives extra cash to publicly funded candidates who face privately funded rivals and independent groups.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

AP IMPACT: Once-rural populations skyrocket near some US nuclear plants, evacuations unlikely
BUCHANAN, N.Y. — As America’s nuclear power plants have aged, the once-rural areas around them have become far more crowded and much more difficult to evacuate. Yet government and industry have paid little heed, even as plants are running at higher power and posing more danger in the event of an accident, an Associated Press investigation has found.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court to rule Monday on California ban on sale, rental of violent video games to kids
WASHINGTON — Is it unconstitutional to ban the sale or rental of ultraviolent video games to children?
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court to rule Monday on Arizona law giving extra cash to publicly funded candidates
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is expected to rule Monday on an Arizona campaign finance law that gives extra cash to publicly funded candidates who face privately funded rivals and independent groups.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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STYLE
Recession-wary performers turn Las Vegas Strip into parade of cartoon, movie characters
LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Strip is teeming with Spidermen, Elmos and Elvis Presleys of all waistlines.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ask Amy: Husband ’fesses up to old affairs; wife is torn
Her husband confessed to indulging in two affairs years ago. She went to counseling with him and was told by the counselor to “get over it.” A) She’s not ready to and B) What kind of therapist is that?
(, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: A unique wedding gift
Why not donate food left over from a wedding reception to a homeless shelter?
(, King)

Can sisters’ estrangement be avoided?
My religious-convert sister told my gay sister that she, her husband and children will not ever meet our gay sister’s 1-year-old twins.
(, The Washington Post)

Documentary presents case against tort reform
Susan Saladoff’s compellingly persuasive, no-nonsense documentary, “Hot Coffee,” explores the effects of the American war on “frivolous lawsuits.”
( by Hank Stuever , The Washington Post)

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SPORTS
Sunday's Sports In Brief
LEON, Mexico — Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton won the Mexico Open for his first Nationwide Tour title, closing with a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Richard H. Lee.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Former Tar Heels star Jessica Breland recives Honda Inspiration Award at dinner
NEW YORK — Jessica Breland is always happy to share her story of overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma with the hope it can be helpful to someone else.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

PGA Tour: Travelers win is Jacobson’s first title
CROMWELL, Conn. — Fredrik Jacobson closed out his first PGA Tour title on Sunday, shooting a 4-under 66 in the Travelers Championship for a one-stroke victory over John Rollins and Ryan Moore.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Knee, hamstring injuries had Mitts fearing World Cup 'jinx' but she's with US in Germany
DRESDEN, Germany — When Heather Mitts felt that familiar pain in her hamstring during training last month, it was almost too much for the U.S. defender.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Tseng runs away with LPGA Championship
Top-ranked Yani Tseng wins the LPGA Championship by 10 strokes and, at 22, become the youngest player to win four LPGA Tour majors.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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WORLD
Malaysia says women must hold 30 percent of top corporate posts by 2016 for gender equality
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s government says women must hold 30 percent of top corporate posts by 2016 in a move toward gender equality in the boardroom.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Syrian opposition to meet in Damascus for first time since start of uprising
BEIRUT — Some 200 critics of President Bashar Assad’s regime are gathering in the Syrian capital for the first time since the start of the three-month uprising against his family’s rule.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

China says arrival of Sudanese president in Beijing for talks has been delayed
BEIJING — A planned visit by Sudan’s president to China, which was criticized by rights groups because he is wanted on international war crimes charges, was delayed Monday, though officials gave no reason.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to strike trade deals worth $1.6 billion in UK talks
LONDON — Britain says the U.K. and China are sealing trade deals worth 1 billion pounds (US$1.6 billion) at a summit between national leaders.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Palestinians fan out across globe to seek support for recognition at UN
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian delegations will make the rounds of nearly a dozen countries to try to drum up more support for their bid to have the United Nations recognize a Palestinian state, senior officials said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS
The Mil Life: Keeping spouses' careers, education off the chopping block
Military wives discuss keeping a career and educational goals through deployments.
(, vForum)

The Web Hostess: Online manners, memes and must-see video
A weekly chat about the best ways to kill time online. Our Web Hostess, Monica Hesse, sifts the Internet so you don't have to, searching for meaning, manners and the next great meme.
(, vForum)

Real Wheels Live
Live online discussion with Real Wheels columnist Warren Brown about car-buying and the auto industry.
(, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column
Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes!
(, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column
Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes!
(, vForum)

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TECHNOLOGY
The Celebrity Moment

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Startups Don’t Die, They Commit Suicide

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Fanvibe Signs A Letter Of Intent To Be Acquired By beRecruited

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

RunKeeper Adds New Integration To Its Health Graph In Hopes Of Building ‘The Facebook Of Fitness’

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

World stock markets mixed on fears that Europe's debt crisis is about to get worse
BANGKOK — World markets were mixed Monday as Greece’s parliament began debating harsh new austerity measures that must pass for the country get its next batch of emergency financial aid.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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BUSINESS
Greek deputies to begin debate on crucial austerity plans before votes
ATHENS, Greece — Greek lawmakers begin debating new austerity plans Monday that must pass this week if the debt-ridden country is to receive the critical next installment of loans from its international bailout plan and avoid default.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

The Celebrity Moment

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Saab says $18.4 million car order from China could pay staff's wages
STOCKHOLM — Troubled car maker Saab Automobile AB has received a €13 million ($18.4 million) car order from a Chinese company that could help pay salaries to its employees, its owner Swedish Automobile AB said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Akzo Nobel, world's biggest paintmaker, warns 'adverse factors' will hurt Q2 earnings
AMSTERDAM — Akzo Nobel NV, the world’s largest maker of paint, warned Monday that second-quarter earnings will be hurt by commodity price rises, weak business in some regions and maintenance delays at some plants.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Oil falls to near $90 a barrel in Asia as US dollar gains amid Greek debt crisis
SINGAPORE — Oil prices fell to near $90 a barrel Monday in Asia as a stronger U.S. dollar made crude more expensive for investors with other currencies.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Today's News Highlights 06.20.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
McIlroy captures history at Congressional
Rory McIlroy posts the lowest mark in tournament history, shooting a final-round 69 for a total of 16-under 268, as he runs away with the 111th U.S. Open.
(By Barry Svrluga)

CEO Pay: What the area’s executives make
Hefty stock awards and bonuses drove total compensation up over 20 percent for Washington’s highest-paid chief executives last year, reflecting a nationwide trend among the largest public companies.
(By Danielle Douglas)

With executive pay, rich pull away from America
A mounting body of economic research indicates that the rise in pay for company executives is a critical feature in the widening income gap.
(By Peter Whoriskey)

Rise in charitable giving may signal economic rebound
Charitable giving in the United States rose last year for the first time in two years, signaling a rebound in the economy.
(By Annie Gowen)

Hospitals courting primary-care doctors
The push is forcing doctors to make decisions about how to deliver care to patients.
(By Lena H. Sun)

POLITICS
PROMISES, PROMISES: No action yet from Obama on guns despite call for steps
WASHINGTON — More than five months after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, the White House has yet to take any new steps on gun violence, even though that’s what President Barack Obama called for in the wake of the shooting.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Black slaves, freedmen risked their lives to work as Union spies down South during Civil War
WASHINGTON — In the Confederate circles he navigated, John Scobell was considered just another Mississippi slave: singing, shuffling, illiterate and completely ignorant of the Civil War going on around him.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

PROMISES, PROMISES: No action yet from Obama on guns despite call for steps
WASHINGTON — More than five months after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, the White House has yet to take any new steps on gun violence, even though that’s what President Barack Obama called for in the wake of the shooting.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Michelle Obama aims to inspire youth leaders during upcoming visit to South Africa, Botswana
WASHINGTON — Michelle Obama is fond of saying there’s no magic to her being first lady.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

First lady departs for trip to to Africa
First lady Michelle Obama, along with her two daughters, left for Africa on Sunday, her second official solo journey abroad.
(, The Washington Post)

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STYLE
Ask Amy: Words of love, uttered and ... forgotten?
During a weekend outing, her boyfriend told her he loved her, would marry her “in a week” and wanted her to have his baby. The next day, he couldn’t remember what he said. Yes, there was drinking involved.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Special guest request
Heloise asks: Is it fair to ask for unusual, specialty or hard-to-find food items when you are a guest in someone’s home? Readers, what do you have to say?
(, King)

Why a mom may have stayed with an abusive husband
Mom didn’t leave her abusive husband and now a daughter won’t forgive her. Did Mom have a good reason for staying — such as loss of her children?
(, The Washington Post)

Calm by the green, crazed by the pitch
At the U.S. Open and the Gold Cup, vastly dissimilar cultures were on display — entirely different, yet very much the same.
( by Rick Maese , The Washington Post)

FTC vs. National Gallery
Republican lawmaker’s push to have the National Gallery take over the historic FTC building has sparked a turf battle in Washington.
( by Ned Martel , The Washington Post)

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SPORTS
Giants fan beating suspect up for parole revocation hearing at Los Angeles jail
LOS ANGELES — The main suspect in the brutal beating of a San Francisco Giants fan outside Dodger Stadium in March faces a court hearing to determine whether he should remain in jail for violating terms of his parole.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Sunday's Sports In Brief
BETHESDA, Md. — On another brilliant day of golf, Rory McIlroy ran away with the U.S. Open title, winning by eight shots and breaking the tournament scoring record by a whopping four strokes.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Franchitti wins in Milwaukee, pulls even with Power in IndyCar points standings
WEST ALLIS, Wis. — With Sunday’s win in Milwaukee, Dario Franchitti pulled even with Will Power in the IndyCar Series points standings.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Even with White Sox, Cubs under .500, crosstown series could provide some drama
CHICAGO — Ozzie Guillen’s kidney stone just might be the perfect metaphor for this baseball season in Chicago.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ticket to Augusta: Kevin Chappell's strong US Open comes to a Masters-ful conclusion
BETHESDA, Md. — The top eight finishers at the U.S. Open qualify for next year’s Masters, and that’s a big deal for someone like Kevin Chappell.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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WORLD
Reports: Japan's prime minister under pressure to resign next month
TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, criticized for his handling of the tsunami disaster and the country’s sluggish economy, is under pressure to resign next month if budget bills are passed by parliament, reports said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Syria’s president: ‘Saboteurs’ are trying to exploit a movement seeking legitimate reforms
Syria’s embattled president says “saboteurs” are trying to exploit legitimate demands for reform in the country.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

British foreign secretary says Syrian leader Assad must reform or go, asks Turkey's help
LUXEMBOURG — Britain’s foreign secretary said Monday that Syria’s leader must reform or go, as the country’s regime continues a brutal crackdown on dissent.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Greek power company workers start strikes against privatization, potentially causing shortages
ATHENS, Greece — Greece faces potential power outages as employees at the main power utility strike to protest the company’s privatization, part of austerity plans essential for the country to avoid a default.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Handful of Melbourne-Sydney flights canceled as volcanic ash moves over southern Australia
SYDNEY — Qantas and Virgin Australia plan to cancel flights into and out of the southern city of Adelaide on Tuesday, when an ash cloud from a Chilean volcano is expected to again move into Australian airspace. Some service on a budget carrier between the country’s two largest cities was also suspended.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS

Outlook: Faux lesbians and anonymity online
Join Washington Post bloggers Melissa Bell and Elizabeth Flock as they discuss the quest to unmask the real blogger behind the "Gay Girl in Damascus" blog.
(, vForum)

D.C.'s biggest stories: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (video)
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for.
(, vForum)

Outlook: Faux lesbians and anonymity online
Join Washington Post bloggers Melissa Bell and Elizabeth Flock as they discuss the quest to unmask the real blogger behind the "Gay Girl in Damascus" blog.
(, vForum)

From devoted, to deadbeat, to cannibal: How animal fathers survive in the wild
Join Dr. Stephen Vessey as he chats about the various ways animals choose to rear their young. How different are they from human dads?
(, vForum)

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TECHNOLOGY
‘Reminder: Call Dad,’ Another Notch In Google’s Belt Of Social Fail

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Adobe Software Updates To Help Devs Build iOS, PlayBook And Android Apps

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

The Bitcoin Trials Continue: Mt. Gox Exchange Collapses Due To Compromised Account

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

VillageVines Relaunches As Savored, Expands Discount Dining To 10 Cities

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Yup, YouTube Counts Video Ads As Regular Views

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

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EDITORIAL
More questions about those erasures
D.C. school officials wonder why the popular Singapore math program hasn’t worked at an elementary school.
(, The Washington Post)

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BUSINESS
Athens will get loan to avoid default, but must act on spending, privatization laws
LUXEMBOURG — The markets were in jittery mood once again Monday after eurozone finance ministers failed to agree to release the next bailout loan installment to Greece — money that is needed to prevent a debt default that could trigger financial chaos.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Athens will get loan to avoid default, but must act on spending, privatization laws
LUXEMBOURG — European stocks and the euro slipped Monday after eurozone finance ministers came up short of a final deal to get Greece its next installment of bailout money that is needed to prevent a default that could cause financial chaos.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Airbus superjumbo A380 grounded at Paris Air Show after clipping a wing
LE BOURGET, France — Airbus’ star jet has been grounded after clipping a wing on a taxiway structure, the latest in an embarrassing string of incidents for the European jet maker at the aviation industry’s premier showcase.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Japanese exports drop 10.3 percent in May as impact from quake and tsunami lingers
TOKYO — Japan’s exports dropped for the third straight month in May, hit by massive production losses in the auto sector following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disasters, the government said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

‘Reminder: Call Dad,’ Another Notch In Google’s Belt Of Social Fail

Today's News Highlights 06.16.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
White House defends Libya action
The administration’s stance puts it at odds with GOP leaders and some anti-war Democrats.
(By Scott Wilson)

Greek default fears sharpen
Growing political turmoil intensifies concerns that Greece may be spiraling toward default, potentially igniting a new phase in Europe’s debt crisis.
(By Anthony Faiola and Howard Schneider)

A new low for U.S., Pakistan
Officials say the security relationship between the two nations is the rockiest it’s been since 2001.
(By Karen DeYoung and and Griff Witte)

Arizona Rep. Giffords released from Houston hospital, 5 months after being shot
HOUSTON — Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was released from a Houston hospital on Wednesday, five months after being shot in the head during a Tucson political event.
(By Associated Press)

Bruins hoist the Stanley Cup
Boston captures the Stanley Cup for the first time in 39 years with a 4-0 victory over the Canucks in Game 7 in Vancouver.
(By Associated Press)

POLITICS
AP source: House Democratic leaders plan to meet Thursday to consider next step in Weiner case
WASHINGTON — House Democratic leaders are planning to meet Thursday to consider the next step in handling the scandal embroiling Rep. Anthony Weiner, who has resisted calls to resign in the midst of a sexting scandal that has been a major distraction for his party for nearly three weeks.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Study finds dads are spending much more time with kids than they did a few generations ago
WASHINGTON — The percentage of American fathers who live apart from their children has doubled over the last half-century. But, to their credit, many of today’s dads are spending more than twice as much time with their kids as they did back then.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

White House report on Libya does little to soothe anger among lawmakers on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON — The White House is vigorously defending President Barack Obama’s right to keep the U.S. military engaged in Libya without seeking congressional approval, a move that appears to have done little to soothe anger among Republican lawmakers and anti-war Democrats over the president’s consultations with Congress during the nearly three month-long campaign.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

White House report on Libya does little to soothe anger among lawmakers on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON — The White House is vigorously defending President Barack Obama’s right to keep the U.S. military engaged in Libya without seeking congressional approval.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Hackers who breached Senate computer system say they hit CIA website
WASHINGTON — A group of hackers who breached the Senate computer system earlier this week claimed responsibility for problems with the CIA’s website Wednesday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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STYLE
Carolyn Hax: Money matters
How to handle a situation in which you loan an old friend money.
(, The Washington Post)

Ask Amy: Teacher needs to go to spending school
Retiree scrimped and saved so much during her working years that she’s at a loss now on how to enjoy her hard-earned money.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Miss Manners: Who wins in ‘culture’ clash?
Dear Miss Manners: When cultural differences result in different expectations of the hostess and guest obligations, to whose culture should we defer; the hostess’s or the guest’s?
(, United Media)

Is it a musical? Or a textbook? ‘Canto’ can’t decide
GALA Hispanic Theatre’s final offering of the 2010-11 season trips over its wordiness.
(, The Washington Post)

‘Green Lantern’ is plausible and none too illuminating
‘Green Lantern’ is neither amusing nor exciting enough to ensure a long-running franchise.
( by Mark Jenkins Special to The Washington Post , The Washington Post)

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SPORTS
Wednesday's Sports In Brief
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Tim Thomas drew a virtual line in his crease throughout the crazy, contentious Stanley Cup finals, and Boston’s brilliant goalie just wouldn’t allow the Vancouver Canucks to cross it whenever it really mattered.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Vancouver fans set cars on fire, fling bottles after Stanley Cup loss to Bruins
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Parked cars were set on fire, others were tipped over and people threw beer bottles at giant television screens following the Vancouver Canucks’ 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Luongo insists Canucks will compete for Stanley Cup again after falling to Bruins in Game 7
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Roberto Luongo insists the Canucks will be back.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Boston Bruins end 39 years of futility beat Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 for Stanley Cup
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Zdeno Chara thrust the Stanley Cup high above his 6-foot-9 frame, knocking off his own championship hat and nearly falling down. The Boston Bruins’ captain passed it to 43-year-old Mark Recchi, who raised the shiny silver trophy for a third and final time.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Malaysian soccer coach is third suspect charged with match-fixing in youth tournament
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian authorities have charged a second soccer coach in a widening scandal over match-fixing at a domestic youth tournament.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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WORLD
Countries back treaty recognizing labor rights for millions of domestic workers
GENEVA — Countries have voted to to back a new convention that will recognize labor rights for millions of maids, nannies and cooks around the world
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

ConocoPhillips, Bangladesh sign contract to explore for gas in deep waters of Bay of Bengal
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Bangladesh has signed a production-sharing contract with American energy giant ConocoPhillips to explore for gas in the virtually unexplored deep waters of the Bay of Bengal.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

French health authorities recall hamburgers after 5 children sickened from E. coli
PARIS — French health authorities have ordered a recall of hamburger patties after five children were contaminated with E. coli.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Second governing Socialist party deputy resigns his parliamentary seat in Athens
ATHENS, Greece — Second governing Socialist party deputy resigns his parliamentary seat in Athens.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Syrian authorities detain hundreds of young men in the northwest, activists say
GUVECCI, Turkey — Syrian security forces made sweeping arrests Thursday, randomly detaining males above the age of 16 in a northwestern province that has been under military siege for a week, a Syrian human rights activist said.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Campus Overload Live with Jenna Johnson
Jenna Johnson answers your questions about college life, on and off campus.
(, vForum)

The Weather Gang Lab with Jason Samenow (Video)
Capital Weather Gang's Jason Samenow digs into this week's big weather story. Join the chat to find out what will happen -- and why.
(, vForum)

D.C.'s biggest stories: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (Video)
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for.
(, vForum)

Elementary graduations, D.C. best for families, Catholic U ditches co-ed dorms: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (Video)
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for.
(, vForum)

The Web Hostess: Online manners, memes and must-see video
A weekly chat about the best ways to kill time online. Our Web Hostess, Monica Hesse, sifts the Internet so you don't have to, searching for meaning, manners and the next great meme.
(, vForum)

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TECHNOLOGY
Citigroup says hackers stole data on 360,000
HONG KONG — Hackers stole account information of more than 360,000 of Citigroup Inc.’s U.S. credit card customers in a recent data breach, the bank said Wednesday, almost double the number initially thought.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Hell Yes, Mayor Bloomberg. I’m With You.

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Citigroup says hackers stole account information of 360,000 customers in recent data breach
HONG KONG — Citigroup Inc. says hackers stole the account information in a recent data breach of more than 360,000 U.S. credit card customers, much higher than initially thought.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Yahoo Tries Its Hand At Mobile App Search

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Attn Sports Fans, Journalists, And Parents Of Young Athletes, GameChanger Is On Line Two

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

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BUSINESS
Korean Air takes first A380 to the skies with unique configuration for business travelers
INCHEON, South Korea — Korean Air showed off its first Airbus A380, outfitted with a unique full business class upper deck, in a pair of special flights Thursday, a day before the launch of regular international service.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Asian markets tumble on unrest over Greek debt crisis, China ecomomy fears
HONG KONG — World stocks tumbled on Thursday, hammered by continuing fears that Europe’s debt crisis could spiral out of control and worries over China’s economy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Greek PM may resign amid austerity riots
Greece’s beleaguered government was in power-sharing talks with the opposition conservatives and negotiating the resignation of Prime Minister George Papandreou, an effort to ensure approval of new austerity measures required to avoid bankruptcy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

UK retail sales fall 1.4 pct in May after royal wedding spending spree in April
LONDON — Officials figures show that retail sales in Britain fell by a worse than expected 1.4 percent in May as consumers turned their attention from a royal wedding to their own economic worries.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Citigroup says hackers stole data on 360,000
HONG KONG — Hackers stole account information of more than 360,000 of Citigroup Inc.’s U.S. credit card customers in a recent data breach, the bank said Wednesday, almost double the number initially thought.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Today's News Highlights 06.15.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
A tough mission in Afghanistan 
A low-key Marine, Gen. John R. Allen, is set to take over the war at high-stakes moment.
(By Craig Whitlock) 

Nuclear waste dump is mired in inertia 
Yucca Mountain is a case study in government dysfunction and bureaucratic inertia. The project dates back three decades. It has not solved the problem of nuclear waste.
(By Joel Achenbach and Brian Vastag) 

Bachmann basks in newfound momentum 
Rep. Michele Bachmann enjoyed a day of fundraising, media exposure and glowing analysis of her newfound momentum on Tuesday, following a strong presidential debate performance.
(By Amy Gardner and Sandhya Somashekhar) 

States seeking to save on Medicaid 
Republican governors step up their resistance to rules requiring states to maintain current levels of health-care coverage for the poor and disabled under Medicaid.
(By Michael A. Fletcher) 

Graduating from elementary school? 
Dozens of elementary students in the D.C. area are celebrating what some critics call graduation inflation, the growth of ceremonies to mark the end of elementary school. 
(By Steve Hendrix) 

POLITICS 
Ambassador post blocked as US adoptive families fight for release of Vietnamese orphans 
HANOI, Vietnam — Marsha Sailors painted the nursery pink and green at her Missouri home, put up princess pictures and built a crib for her new little girl. They hadn’t yet met, but she already was in love with the smiling 6-month-old in a photo sent from Vietnam. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Detainee who provided key information about bin Laden courier rejoins al-Qaida 
WASHINGTON — The terrorist described as the linchpin in the hunt for Osama bin Laden has rejoined al-Qaida after the Bush administration released him from a secret CIA secret prison under pressure from Pakistan, according to former and current U.S. intelligence officials. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

House Democrats hoping pressure from colleagues and wife's return will prod Weiner to resign 
WASHINGTON — House Democratic colleagues of scandal-scarred Rep. Anthony Weiner are looking for him to step down this week amid a growing chorus for him to resign. Even President Barack Obama has suggested he should leave. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Detainee who provided key information about bin Laden courier rejoins al-Qaida 
WASHINGTON — The terrorist described as the linchpin in the hunt for Osama bin Laden has rejoined al-Qaida after the Bush administration released him from a secret CIA secret prison under pressure from Pakistan, according to former and current U.S. intelligence officials. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

New era sees more, bigger wildfires, echoing blazes a century ago as control policies change 
WASHINGTON — The fires searing parts of the West are an eerie echo of the past, a frightening reminder of a once terrible danger that had been held largely at bay for decades. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

---

STYLE 
Group lists Coltrane house, Chicago hospital among endangered sites; Charleston on watch list 
WASHINGTON — Jazz musician John Coltrane’s home on Long Island, N.Y., a cloverleaf-shaped Chicago hospital building and a Pillsbury plant in Minneapolis that once was the world’s most advanced flour mill are among America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Ask Amy: Military couple failing basic training 
A military couple who live in separate states, decided to set up joint checking and savings accounts to strengthen their bond. Alas, one side didn’t practice complete transparency. 
(, Tribune Media Service) 

Hints From Heloise: A change in dishwasher detergent 
After years of using the same dishwasher and the same detergent, a white film developed on a baffled reader’s dishes. 
(, King) 

Carolyn Hax: The ‘other woman’ first needs to face the truth 
She’s in love with a guy who’s seeing someone else. He won’t take her out in public and bad-mouths the woman he’s with. Ditch him? Well . . . 
(, The Washington Post) 

U.S., Russian actors connect without words 
President Obama’s reset of relations with Russia takes center stage, this time with California students in a Moscow theater. 
( by Kathy Lally , The Washington Post) 

---

SPORTS 
Defending champion Serena Williams seeded No. 8 at Wimbledon; Nadal and Wozniacki both No. 1 
WIMBLEDON, England — Defending champion Serena Williams was seeded No. 8 for Wimbledon on Wednesday and will avoid playing the highest-ranked players until at least the quarterfinals. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

JOC president Takeda says Tokyo nearing a decision on whether to bid for 2020 Olympics 
TOKYO — Japanese Olympic officials expect to know within weeks if Tokyo will bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Tuesday's Sports In Brief 
NEW YORK — An end to the NFL lockout might not be imminent, but it does appears much closer than at any point in the last three months. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Singaporean faces 20 years in prison after being charged in Malaysia for match-fixing 
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian prosecutors have charged a Singaporean man with match-fixing at a youth football tournament. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Earning spot in Gold Cup quarterfinals with sloppy 1-0 victory can't disguise US problems 
Less than a year after Spain won the World Cup, it’s already time to kick off qualifying for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

---

WORLD 
South Korea's capital turns ex-military command with painful past into modern art museum 
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is trying to make peace with its painful past by turning a building once allegedly used as a torture center into a modern art museum. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

New flooding kills 7, leaves 7 others missing in China as torrential rains continue 
BEIJING — More flooding in central and south China has killed another seven people over the past three days, the government said Wednesday, as the country continued to be battered by seasonal rainstorms. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Former Bahrain editor claims outside plot to plant false stories 
MANAMA, Bahrain — The former chief editor of Bahrain’s main independent newspaper says he has evidence of an apparent effort to plant false news stories during Shiite-led protests for greater rights in the Gulf island kingdom. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Attack on Afghan governor’s office kills 8 
MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber killed eight people and wounded four in a strike Wednesday on the governor’s office in a northeastern province, while a mortar targeted a building where NATO and Afghan officials were attending the inauguration of the country’s largest police training center in central Afghanistan. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Putin says Russia's economy has two-thirds recovered from global financial crisis 
GENEVA — Russia’s prime minister says his nation’s economy remains well below the level it was at before the global financial crisis. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

---

LIVE DISCUSSIONS 
Parenting advice: Help for raising children of all ages 
Family Almanac columnist Marguerite Kelly discusses the ups and downs of parenting, and tips for helping children through challenging times. 
(, vForum) 

Tuesdays with Moron: Chatological Humor Update 
Gene Weingarten brings you an update to his monthly Chatological Humor live chat. 
(, vForum) 

D.C.'s biggest stories: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (Video) 
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for. 
(, vForum) 

Real Wheels Live 
Live online discussion with Real Wheels columnist Warren Brown about car-buying and the auto industry.
(, vForum) 

Campus Overload Live with Jenna Johnson 
Jenna Johnson answers your questions about college life, on and off campus. 
(, vForum) 

---

TECHNOLOGY 
Crowd-Source Your Night In The City With The AreaNow iPhone App (TCTV) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Exposed: Facebook’s Secret iPhone Photo Sharing App (Which Looks Amazing) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Could Efficiency 2.0 Eclipse Solar? CEO Tom Scarmellino Thinks So (TCTV) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

On BizSpark And Bubbles: Q&A With Microsoft VP Dan’l Lewin (Video) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Internet radio service Pandora delivers latest IPO hit as strong demand drives shares to $16 
SAN FRANCISCO — Pandora Media Inc. sold its initial public offering of stock at $16 per share late Tuesday, fetching twice as much as the popular but unprofitable Internet radio service expected less than two weeks ago. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

---

BUSINESS 
Crowd-Source Your Night In The City With The AreaNow iPhone App (TCTV) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Oil falls below $99 in Asia as traders eye mixed signs on US economy 
SIGNAPORE — Oil prices fell below $99 a barrel Wednesday in Asia as traders eyed mixed signs about the strength of the U.S. economy and crude demand. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

World stock markets down as investors anticipate rate hikes in India, China 
BANGKOK — World stock markets mostly slipped Wednesday as investors anticipated growth-denting rate hikes by central banks in India and China to contain stubbornly high inflation. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

UK unemployment rate holds steady at 7.7 percent as wage growth remains moderate 
LONDON — Official data show Britain’s unemployment rate held steady at 7.7 percent in the three months ending April, matching the rate reported a month ago. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

UK government to back proposals to separate banks 
LONDON — The British government intends to force banks to insulate their retail operations from their more volatile investment banking, a Treasury source confirmed Wednesday. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Today's News Highlights 06.10.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Newt Gingrich’s 2012 campaign implodes
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign imploded Thursday afternoon with virtually his entire senior staff leaving en masse, according to multiple sources familiar with the moves.
(By Chris Cillizza and Karen Tumulty)

Romney will skip Iowa straw poll in August
Former Massachusetts governor, widely regarded as the front-runner in the GOP presidential race, has decided not to participate in this year’s Iowa straw poll nor any other early tests in advance of the 2012 primaries and caucuses, his campaign announced Thursday night.
(By Philip Rucker and Chris Cillizza)

Ex-NSA official Thomas Drake pleads guilty to misdemeanor
The plea brings an end to a troubled prosecution that was one of the Obama administration's most prominent efforts to punish accused leakers of classified information.
(By Ellen Nakashima)

Senate legislation may slow, but quorums continue
The old ritual of calling senators to the Senate floor to bide time, “quorum calls,” has increased dramatically. Meanwhile, the amount of legislative business the body conducts is down.
(By David A. Fahrenthold)

An embassy-in-exile
American diplomats who evacuated from Libya are still working — in a makeshift mission at the State Department.
(By Mary Beth Sheridan)

POLITICS
Americans, Africans debate future of program that links trade opportunities to good government
LUSAKA, Zambia — Americans and Africans are debating the future of a program that links trade opportunities to with the U.S. to good government.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Alaska set to release emails from Palin's time as governor as she considers White House run
JUNEAU, Alaska — The nation is about to get a new look at Sarah Palin’s tenure as Alaska governor.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Citigroup credit card data taken from 200,000 customers in latest hack of major company
NEW YORK — Citigroup Inc. has become the latest victim in a string of high-profile data thefts by hackers targeting some of the world’s best-known companies.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Not even summer yet: Heat grips half the country; scientists say sign of things to come
WASHINGTON — Public schools in Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey and Maryland cut their days short, worried about students sweltering in temperatures in the 90s.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Redistricting stalemate in Virginia
The GOP-controlled Virginia House of Delegates and the Democratic-led state Senate approved conflicting plans for redistricting.
( by Rosalind S. Helderman , The Washington Post)

---

STYLE
In wake of staff walkout, questions abound about Newt Gingrich's viability in White House race
ATLANTA — Rocked by the stunning walkout of his entire senior campaign brain trust, Newt Gingrich is nonetheless vowing to remain in the race for president.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Is age the only thing keeping them apart?
A reader wonders why she can’t get to the next level with a guy 13 years her senior.
(, The Washington Post)

Ask Amy: Learning the truth about the past
I come from a very large family — eight sisters and three brothers. By the time I was 8, my father and mother had both died. I went to live with my oldest sister (also the oldest child in the family) and her husband and his son.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Sanitizing a spa tub
I am requesting a suggestion for deep-cleaning or sanitizing my spa tub. I’ve just cleaned it and scrubbed the jets with an old toothbrush. I want to be certain that all bacteria is gone so I can feel good about getting in my spa tub.
(, King)

Music review: ‘Juggler in Paradise’ at NSO
Christoph Eschenbach conducts the emphatic work’s American premiere in his last program of his first season.
( by Anne Midgette , The Washington Post)

---

SPORTS
Thursday's Sports In Brief
OSLO, Norway — Usain Bolt ran the fastest time in the world this season as he eased to victory in the 200 meters at a Diamond League meet, while Caster Semenya finished third behind Halima Hachlaf in the 800 meters.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Softball, baseball considering joint Olympic pitch for 2020 reinstatement effort
OKLAHOMA CITY — The sport of softball could be facing an identity crisis.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Mathis matches best PGA round for 1st lead on tour with 5-under 65 after 1st round at St. Jude
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — David Mathis certainly took the long way around to grabbing the first PGA Tour lead of his career.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Already connections for the four new men's basketball coaches in the Big 12 Conference
Before they became new Big 12 head basketball coaches, Missouri’s Frank Haith and Texas A&M’s Billy Kennedy had already known each other nearly two decades.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Alex Smith 'absolutely' expects to be 49ers starting QB, says there's no beef with Crabtree
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Alex Smith finds it awkward that a free agent quarterback is organizing the San Francisco 49ers workouts during the NFL lockout.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

---

WORLD
Vietnam announces naval live fire drill as South China Sea dispute with China heats up
HANOI, Vietnam — A squabble over territory in the South China Sea escalated Friday when Vietnam announced a live ammunition drill in an apparent reponse to China’s demand that the Vietnamese halt all oil exploration in the area.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Gates says NATO has a ‘dim’ future
BRUSSELS — America’s military alliance with Europe — the cornerstone of U.S. security policy for six decades — faces a “dim, if not dismal” future, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday in a blunt valedictory address.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Japan government says tsunami survivors need long-term mental care to prevent suicide
TOKYO — Survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami need long-term mental health care to protect them from debilitating conditions that could lead to suicide, Japan’s government said Friday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Karzai arrives in Pakistan for reconciliation talks
Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Islamabad Friday for talks with top Pakistani leaders amid cautious hopes that the two nations can forge a coordinated strategy for reconciling with insurgents.
( by Griff Witte and Pamela Constable , The Washington Post)

German disease control center says cause of E. coli outbreak locally-grown vegetable sprouts
BERLIN — Investigators have determined that locally grown vegetable sprouts are the cause of the European E. coli outbreak that has killed 29 and sickened nearly 3,000, the head of Germany’s national disease control center said Friday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

---

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
We're having a heatwave: The Weather Gang Lab with Jason Samenow (Video)
Capital Weather Gang's Jason Samenow digs into this week's big weather story. Join the chat to find out what will happen -- and why.
(, vForum)

Palin vs. Bachmann, 2012 Elections and more: The Live Fix with Chris Cillizza
Get your Friday Live Fix as Chris Cillizza discusses Mitt Romney's Presidential candidacy, Weinergate, the Worst Week in Washington, and all the latest political news.
(, vForum)

Weiner's confession and Palin's emails: Dana Milbank Live
Dana Milbank answers your questions about politics and his columns and judges your "Etch-a-Sketch" submissions.
(, vForum)

Carolyn Hax Live: Advice columnist tackles your problems (Friday, June 17)
Advice Columnist Carolyn Hax takes your questions and comments about the strange train we call life.
(, vForum)

Carolyn Hax Live
Advice Columnist Carolyn Hax takes your questions and comments about the strange train we call life.
(, vForum)

---

TECHNOLOGY
Lipdub? No. Founders Forum Re-creates Bond Movie Featuring Europe’s Startup Stars

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Groupon Was “The Single Worst Decision I Have Ever Made As A Business Owner”

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Citigroup says hackers accessed credit card data of some North American customers
HONG KONG — Citigroup Inc. said Thursday that hackers have accessed the credit card information of tens of thousands of its North American customers.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Apple Just Handed Twitter The Keys To The iOS Kingdom — Here’s Twitter’s Take

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Interview: Martin Rae, President Of The Academy Of Interactive Arts And Sciences

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

---

BUSINESS
World stock markets mostly down on concerns global growth is slowing
BANGKOK — World stock markets moved lower Friday over concerns global economic growth is slowing, despite news of a narrower U.S. trade deficit that sent Wall Street up after a weeklong slump.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Probe finds that NRC head manipulated information to make case for closing proposed nuke dump
WASHINGTON — While he apparently broke no laws, the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission withheld and manipulated information to make the case for shutting down the proposed radioactive waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, according to an internal investigation.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Dutch government, unions, employers agree to increase retirement age to 67
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch government says it has brokered a new pact with unions and employers to lift the retirement age to 67 to ease the financial burden of a graying population and rising life expectancy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Lipdub? No. Founders Forum Re-creates Bond Movie Featuring Europe’s Startup Stars

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

British industrial production slides 1.7 percent in April, far worse than forecast
LONDON — Industrial production in Britain plunged by 1.7 percent in April, far worse than expected and partly due to disruptions caused by the extra public holiday for the Royal Wedding, according to official figures published Friday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Morning News 06.06.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
Yemen’s Saleh flies to Saudi Arabia
President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s departure raised the prospect that a key U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaeda had lost his grip on a nation tumbling into chaos.
(By Ernesto Londono and Sudarsan Raghavan)

Redesigning Metro’s map
Lance Wyman, the creator of the transit system’s colorful map, has the challenge of redesigning the map more than three decades later.
(By Dana Hedgpeth)

Wireless Net access, GPS on collision course
Two of 21st-century America’s favorite gadgets — the smartphone and the GPS device — are on a collision course, according to a report delivered Friday to the FAA.
(By Ashley Halsey III)

Housing bust still hurts in Fla.
Once a booming area, Flagler County, Fla., illustrates the problem President Obama faces in politically pivotal places hit hardest by the recession.
(By Michael A. Fletcher)

Egyptians say economy is top concern
A U.S. government-funded poll finds most Egyptians say they backed the revolution because of their economic difficulties, not a lack of democracy.
(By Mary Beth Sheridan)

POLITICS
AP Interview: Huntsman's not yet in 2012 White House race, but he's mapping campaign strategy
NORTH CONWAY, N.H. — Toeing the 2012 line, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman sounded like a full-fledged White House candidate Saturday set to join the field this month as he mapped out a campaign strategy that bypasses early-voting Iowa to focus on New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Lawrence Eagleburger, career foreign service officer who rose to secretary of state, dies
WASHINGTON — Lawrence S. Eagleburger, the only career foreign service officer to rise to the position of secretary of state, died Saturday, according to two of his one-time bosses, former President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State James A. Baker III.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Cut the costs, cache the cash
A new cost-cutting effort by Montgomery County is encouraging employees to come up with ways to save taxpayers money.
( by Michael Laris , The Washington Post)

Sulaimon Brown shows money orders
The former D.C. mayoral candidate says they were given to him by Howard Brooks as part of payments he says he received to disparage Mayor Fenty during the campaign.
( by Nikita Stewart , The Washington Post)

Waiting for the promise of high-speed rail
Critics say Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell missed an opportunity when his administration decided not to apply for federal funds.
( by Anita Kumar , The Washington Post)

---

STYLE
Miss Manners: Overwhelmed by photo requests
I seem to be the only person in the last several years who has taken a camera to parties, family gatherings, school plays, etc.Afterward and sometimes during the event, I am asked to take pictures and “send” them to several people.
(, United Media)

Ask Amy: This mom has had it with gift tradition
Dear Amy:How can I (or should I?) tactfully end obligatory gift-giving among relatives who barely know one another? I suggested a couple of times that we end this tradition, but it was poorly received each time.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Carolyn Hax: Can she get over husband’s ‘emotional affair’?
Last month I found out that my husband of four decades had an “emotional affair” for the past year.
(, The Washington Post)

Honduras, on the rise
The view from Honduras’s Lenca Trail is of a country back on the right path.
( by Nancy Trejos , The Washington Post)

Terrific summer toys for outdoors and on the go
Here are some great toys to make playing outdoors more fun this summer, along with five fun games to take along on vacation.
(, The Washington Post)

---

SPORTS
Marcos Mondaini scores in 70th minute, Chivas USA beats expansion Timbers 1-0
CARSON, Calif. — Marcos Mondaini scored in the 70th minute off a pass from Paulo Nagamura and Chivas USA won for the second time this year at home, beating the expansion Portland Timbers 1-0 on Saturday night.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Asia hails Li Na's French Open win, China urges others to follow her example
BEIJING — Li Na’s landmark French Open victory sparked celebrations and recognition throughout Asia on Sunday, while China’s state media told its athletes to learn from her as they prepare for the London Olympics.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Josh Parr had 3 RBIs, Illinois eliminates Kansas State 5-3 in Fullerton Regional
FULLERTON, Calif. — No. 9 hitter Josh Parr had a two-run triple and an RBI double to help Big Ten champion Illinois beat Kansas State 5-3 on Saturday in an elimination game in the NCAA Fullerton Regional.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Florida, Baylor join Tide, Sun Devils in Women's College World Series semis
OKLAHOMA CITY — With Whitney Canion putting an endless line of zeros on the scoreboard and unlikely heroes providing extra-inning homers, the Baylor Bears are getting just enough to stay alive in the Women’s College World Series.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

NCAA Tournament Capsules
AUSTIN, Texas — David Lyon hit a grand slam to key Kent State’s six-run sixth inning and the Golden Thrashers stunned Texas 7-5 in the Austin Regional on Saturday night.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

---

WORLD
Defense chief Gates meets with US troops in farewell tour of Afghan war zone
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WALTON, Afghanistan — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed his concern about pulling troops out of Afghanistan too soon as he embarked Sunday on two days of farewell visits to remote U.S. bases in this war-weary country.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Syrian television reports 2 killed, 5 wounded in Israeli gunfire along the border
BEIRUT — Syrian television reports 2 killed, 5 wounded in Israeli gunfire along the border.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

NATO jets target military barracks in Tripoli, following on from first helicopter strikes
TRIPOLI, Libya — British jets hit a military barracks in the Libyan capital early Sunday, further intensifying NATO pressure on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi nearly four months into an uprising to end his erratic 42-year rule.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Pope denounces 'disintegration' of family in Europe, urges couples to marry, not live together
ZAGREB, Croatia — Pope Benedict XVI denounced the “disintegration” of family life in Europe on Sunday and called for couples to make a commitment to marry, not just live together, as he reaffirmed traditional Catholic family values during his second and final day in Croatia.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Qatar bans imports of cucumber, tomato, lettuce from Germany and Spain over E. coli outbreak
BERLIN — The Gulf nation of Qatar has temporarily banned imports of fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuces from Spain and Germany because of concerns about a deadly strain of E. coli.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

---

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Recovering from the 2011 Post Hunt
The Washington Post Hunt is a game of brainteasers, humor, puzzles and family fun dreamed up by Dave Barry, Gene Weingarten and Tom Shroder. The 2011 Post Hunt is set for June 5 in downtown Washington, D.C.
(, vForum)

Outlook: Are 'SlutWalk' protests the future of feminism?
Author Jessica Valenti will be online Monday June 6 at 2 p.m. ET to chat about her recent Outlook piece "SlutWalks and the future of feminism."
(, vForum)

The 2011 Post Hunt: Are you ready?
The Washington Post Hunt is a game of brainteasers, humor, puzzles and family fun dreamed up by Dave Barry, Gene Weingarten and Tom Shroder. The 2011 Post Hunt is set for June 5 in downtown Washington, D.C.
(, vForum)

Carolyn Hax Live: Advice columnist tackles your problems (Thursday, June 9)
Advice Columnist Carolyn Hax takes your questions and comments about the strange train we call life.
(, vForum)

Over-harrumphing, pregnant teens, quadruple weddings, and more: Carolyn Hax Live
Advice Columnist Carolyn Hax takes your questions and comments about the strange train we call life.
(, vForum)

---

TECHNOLOGY
A TechCrunch Disrupt Proposal

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

When Facebook Captured Beluga, They May Have Harpooned It In The Head

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Hornik on VC’s Secondary Mania: “If It’s Just Money, We’re All Fungible” (TCTV)

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Why The Groupon IPO Feels Like A Swindle

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

OMG/JK: iCloud, gWallet, and tPhotos

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

---

BUSINESS
Economically struggling Belarus to get $3 bln Russia-led loan in exchange for privatizations
MOSCOW — The financially struggling former Soviet republic of Belarus is to receive a $3 billion loan from a Russia-dominated group in exchange for privatizing a large chunk of its state-controlled economy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Oil storage tank attacked in southern Iraq, officials say
BASRA — Iraqi officials say an oil storage tank has been attacked in the southern province of Basra.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Nintendo says it was targeted in recent online data attack, reports no data loss
TOKYO — Nintendo was targeted in a recent online data attack, but no personal or company information was lost, the Japanese maker of the Wii game console said Sunday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

US agency allows restart of Canadian oil pipeline; oil flow could resume as soon as Sunday
WASHINGTON — U.S. regulators have allowed a Canadian company to restart its Keystone oil pipeline after completing repairs and safety tests.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

A TechCrunch Disrupt Proposal 

Today's News in Brief

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS

Looking for answers down tornado alley
The latest tornado in Missouri has experts asking why 2011 has spawned so many deadly storms, with many blasting through heavily populated areas.
(By Brian Vastag and Ed O’Keefe)

A costly ‘special relationship’?
Obama visits London at a time when Britain is debating whether it can afford its global role.
(By Anthony Faiola)

U.S., allies weigh Yemen options
Officials, however, acknowledge that any action they pursue to force Saleh’s resignation poses risks in this strategic but turbulent and fragile country.
(By Karen DeYoung)

High court upholds order to reduce Calif. prison population
The Supreme Court says prison conditions there are “incompatible with the concept of human dignity.”
(By Robert Barnes)

Report tracks earnings among the majors
Over a lifetime, the earnings of workers who have majored in engineering, computer science or business are as much as 50 percent higher than the earnings of those who major in the humanities, the arts, education and psychology.
(By Peter Whoriskey)

POLITICS
Congress races to extend Patriot Act, send to Obama in Europe before Friday deadline
WASHINGTON — The tortoise-like Senate is under uncommon pressure to pass a four-year extension of the anti-terrorist Patriot Act before key provisions expire Friday. But the deadline is even tighter, because President Barack Obama is in Europe.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Advocates to military: Keep evidence in rape cases to enable prosecution, disability claims
WASHINGTON — The military too quickly destroys records from the hundreds of rapes and sexual assaults reported confidentially each year, say victims’ advocates and some members of Congress.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Top Supreme Court lawyer says WWII-era predecessor hid key information on Japanese internment
WASHINGTON — Nearly 70 years after the Supreme Court upheld the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, the government’s top high court lawyer says one of his predecessors concealed critical information that could have tipped the cases.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

In reminder of al-Qaida's strength without bin Laden, Yemeni bomber leaves fingerprint behind
WASHINGTON — The FBI has a fingerprint and forensic evidence linking al-Qaida’s top bomb maker in Yemen to a trio of explosive devices used in recent attacks on the United States, tangible reminders that Osama bin Laden’s death has not eliminated the threat from the group’s most active and dangerous franchise.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Despite his worries about cutting US military strength, Gates sets path for lower budgets
WASHINGTON — One of Robert Gates’ final tasks before retiring as defense secretary is to set the Pentagon on a budget-cutting course he had spent much of his 4 1/2-year tenure trying to avoid — a path that could shrink the military’s role in the world.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

STYLE
Ask Amy: Adults stuck on childhood favoritism
Dear Amy:During childhood, my husband’s parents blatantly favored him at the expense of his siblings.For the 25 years we have been married, he, I, and our two children have been the target of his brother’s resentment, acted out at their family’s frequent gatherings.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Does tip include alcohol?
Dear Heloise: I read the restaurant tipping hint in the Houston Chronicle. The reader suggests doubling the tax as an easy way to figure out the tip. This will work only if you don’t order alcoholic beverages. (Heloise here: This is not the case everywhere and in every situation.)
(, King)

Miss Manners: Artist doesn’t want to give away personal information
Dear Miss Manners:I live on a disability pension for a condition that is not readily apparent. I also occasionally sell works of art. When I am asked what I “do,” I usually state that I am an artist. Few are willing to leave it at this and persist with comments like “But you certainly can’t pay the rent with THAT!”
(, United Media)

Frank Stewart’s Bridge: See declarer’s hand

(, Tribune Media Service)

Take time to adjust to newly single status
Getting divorced, and have reconnected with a 20-years-ago lost love. We’ve hit it off great, but she wants to be neither the rebound nor the transitional person.
(, The Washington Post)

SPORTS
A's shut down by Weaver, get runner thrown out at plate by Hunter in 4-1 loss to Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Josh Outman did the job in his first major league outing in almost two years. The Oakland Athletics offense didn’t. Of course, Jered Weaver had something to do with that.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Hunter throws out runner at plate, drives in go-ahead run for Angels in 4-1 win over A's
ANAHEIM, Calif. — If given a choice of cutting down the potential tying run at home plate or delivering a tiebreaking hit late in the game, Torii Hunter would always go with the clutch defensive play.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

All Night Long: Florida State League game goes 23 innings, Jupiter beats Clearwater 2-1
JUPITER, Fla. — A minor league game in the Class-A Florida State League lasted 23 innings Monday night before the Jupiter Hammerheads finally beat the Clearwater Threshers 2-1.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Padres lose again as Pujols ends longest HR drought with solo shot in 3-1 win
SAN DIEGO — Hours after shaking up their lineup by demoting light-hitting leadoff batter Will Venable, the San Diego Padres went out and lost again with little offense.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Pujols ends longest HR drought with solo shot as Cardinals beat Padres 3-1
SAN DIEGO — One ball left the yard and another one didn’t, both providing highlights for the St. Louis Cardinals.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

WORLD
Palace says Prince William and the former Kate Middleton to meet Obamas during state visit
LONDON — Palace says Prince William and the former Kate Middleton to meet Obamas during state visit.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ash cloud from Iceland volcano reaches western Norway and Denmark, disrupting air traffic
OSLO, Norway — Authorities say the ash cloud from the erupting volcano in Iceland has swept over western Norway and Denmark, stalling air traffic in part of Norway and causing delays in Copenhagen.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, resists pressure to reform in PM comments
MBABANE, Swaziland — The prime minister of sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarchy says Swaziland will resist pressure from the West over democratic reforms.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Roadside bomb kills 10 Afghan laborers
A roadside bomb hit a truck packed with laborers, killing at least 10 of them onTuesday in Afghanistan’s restive southern Kandahar province, a doctor at a local hospital said.
( by Sayed Salahuddin , The Washington Post)

Moscow court hears Khodorkovsky appeal on 2nd conviction, oil magnate calls charge 'absurd'
MOSCOW — A Moscow court is expected to decide whether to overturn imprisoned oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s conviction for stealing from his company and laundering the proceeds.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Fix Faceoff: 2012 Presidential Election
Political blogger Chris Cillizza's fast-paced video Q&A about the 2012 presidential election.
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Ask Boswell
Sports Columnist Tom Boswell will take your questions about baseball, the Redskins, the Wizards and more.
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Ask Boswell
Sports Columnist Tom Boswell will take your questions about baseball, the Redskins, the Wizards and more.
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Talk about Travel
Have a travel-related question, comment, suspicion, warning, gripe, sad tale or happy ending? The Post Travel section's editors and writers are at your service.
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D.C.'s big stories: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (Video)
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for.
(, vForum)

TECHNOLOGY
Twitter Buys TweetDeck For $40 Million

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Yahoo's giving email service long-promised facelift in bid to widen appeal, attract more users
SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo Inc. is giving its popular email service a long-promised facelift in an attempt to make it more appealing to people who are increasingly using Facebook, Twitter, Google and other online alternatives to communicate.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Jeff Jarvis: When It Comes To New Journalism, ‘Transparency Is The New Objectivity’

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Symantec Continues Move Into eDiscovery, Acquires Clearwell Systems For $390 Million

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Happy Toy Machine Allows You To Build Your Own Plush Toys

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

BUSINESS
Ford sees chance to woo Japanese buyers as rivals battle production delays
TOKYO — Ford sees a big chance in coming months to snatch buyers away from the Japanese automakers that are battling production delays caused by the March earthquake and tsunami.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Investor decides to sell Va ethanol plant, lays off majority of workers
HOPEWELL, Va. — Osage Bio Energy says it’s throwing in the towel on plans to brew ethanol from Barley at a plant in Hopewell.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Malaysia to export durians to China in July, but faces tough task breaking Thai dominance
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia will start exporting durians to mainland China from July, challenging Thailand’s virtual monopoly on shipments of the spiky, stinky delicacy that many Southeast Asians hail as “the king of fruits.”
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

DNA evidence said to link ex-IMF leader with NYC hotel maid who says he sexually assaulted her
NEW YORK — DNA taken from former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn matches material on the uniform of a hotel maid who says he sexually assaulted her, two people familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Brazil's Congress debates changes to forest law that environmentalists say threatens Amazon
SAO PAULO — Brazilian legislators are pushing to resume debate Tuesday on changes to an environmental law that watchdog groups warn will speed destruction of the Amazon rain forest.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)   

Morning News 01.06.2011

1. Obama Narrows in on New Advisers
   The president will probably choose Clinton-era officials to serve as White House chief of staff and chief economic adviser.
   Read original story in The New York Times | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

2. U.S. to Send More Troops to Afghanistan
   1,400 marines will be sent to boost the surge before troops begin exiting in July.
   Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

3. Passengers Foil Airline Hijacker
   A man on a Turkish Airlines flight declared he had a bomb, and was promptly restrained by his fellow passengers.
   Read original story in Reuters | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

4. Investors Clamor for Facebook Shares
   Goldman has had to start turning away frenzied investors hungry for a piece of the Facebook pie.
   Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

5. Obama's Oil Spill Commission: It Wasn't Just BP
   BP, Transocean and Halliburton were all guilty of mistakes that could happen again.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

6. Starbucks Changes Logo
   The coffee company is stripping "Starbucks Coffee" from its logo, leaving only the two-tailed siren to grace its cups.
   Read original story in Reuters | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

7. LinkedIn to Go Public in 2011
   The business networking site is hoping to hold an IPO before Facebook does.
   Read original story in Reuters | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

8. Ark Encounter Goes Green
   From geothermal heating to rainwater collection, the creation park in Kentucky will feature the latest in green building technology.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011

9. Boehner Elected House Speaker
   After being designated the Republican nominee for the Speaker of the House in November, Rep. John A. Boehner (R-OH) officially took over the role from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) following his formal election this afternoon.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

10. Student Opens Fire at Omaha High School
    A student opened fire at an Omaha High School on Wednesday and wounded two adults.
    Read original story in Associated Press | Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

11. Anti-U.S. Cleric Returns to Iraq
    After three years of voluntary exile in Iran, a radical Muslim cleric who led attacks against U.S. troops after the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in 2003 has returned to Iraq.
    Read original story in New York Times | Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

12. Babe Creator Dick King-Smith Dies
    Dick King-Smith, author of the book that inspired the movie Babe, has died at age 88.
    Read original story in BBC | Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011

Happy New Year 2011

Morning News 11.19.10

1. Obama Faces Off Against GOP Over Nuclear Treaty
   The president has embarked on a high-stakes gambit to push through a nuclear arms treaty with Russia in the face of Republican opposition.
   Read original story in The New York Times | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

2. Fed Chairman Cries Foul on the Global Economic Playground
   Ben Bernanke will unleash an academic diss-fest against rising economic powers that he says aren't playing fair.
   Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

3. New Zealand Mine Explosion Traps 27 Miners
   The cause of the explosion and the fate of the miners is still unknown.
   Read original story in BBC | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

4. Ethics Panel Votes to Censure Rangel
   Rangel may be the first representative to be censured by the House of Representatives since the Congressional page sex scandal of 1983.
   Read original story in The Boston Globe | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

5. Fox Boss Apologizes for Calling NPR Execs "Nazis"
   News chief Roger Ailes said he should have called them "bigots" instead.
   Read original story in CBS | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

6. Republicans Extinguish Unemployment Benefits
   GOP rejection of a bill to extend benefits for three months means the unemployed will be without help starting Nov. 30.
   Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

7. Battle Tanks Roll into Afghanistan for First Time
   The sixteen jet-powered battle machines are part of a plan to "take the gloves off" in the war with the Taliban.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

8. Russians Baffled by GOP Opposition to Nuclear Treaty
   "I really don't think Republicans want to kill arms control."
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

9. Bugatti Found Rotting in Barn Prompts Auction Frenzy
   The 1926 collectable went for seven times its estimated $15,000 value to a mystery bidder.
   Read original story in The Daily Telegraph | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

10. Indian Microlending Industry in Danger of Collapse
    Angered by huge profits being made by for-profit mircrolenders, millions of borrowers have defaulted on their loans, sometimes with the encouragement of local government leaders.
    Read original story in The New York Times | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

11. American High Schools Improve, Barely
    Scores on national reading and math exams inched up last year, but the vast majority of kids still can't read good.
    Read original story in The Washington Post | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

12. Should Everyone Give Willow Palin a Break?
    She called a kid a "faggot" on Facebook, but is that grounds for universal condemnation? Several commentators say 16-year-olds should be able to run their mouths online without being endlessly analyzed by a bunch of adults with blogs.
    Read original story in Outside the Beltway | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

Accuser's Message to Bishop Long

The unemployment emergency

By Eugene Robinson ~ The good news is that unemployment has fallen to "only" 9.5 percent. The bad news is that the jobless rate is down only because so many people have given up hope of finding work. Perversely, the jobless who aren't actively looking for jobs are not counted as "unemployed." Perhaps there should be a new category: "mired in existential despair." If anyone in Washington wants to know why people in the hinterlands are angry, one simple answer is that our political leaders seem to be so calculating and unmoved about the parlous state of the economy.

The disheartening employment figures released Friday quickly became fodder for the kind of political to-and-fro that has become standard operating procedure. President Obama quickly put his spin on the numbers, noting that the private sector added 83,000 jobs in June. The president's Republican opponents noted that overall, the economy lost 125,000 jobs -- taking into account not just the private-sector gain but the end of 225,000 temporary jobs for census workers.

Last month, it was the other way around. The overall number, showing what happened in May, indicated a healthy-looking gain in jobs -- so that was what Obama wanted to talk about. But the increase reflected mostly census hiring, with the private sector adding a paltry 41,000 jobs -- which was the number the Republicans wanted to highlight.

All the spinning and counterspinning drives people crazy. And why shouldn't it? The employment numbers aren't just a monthly set of partisan talking points. They represent actual lives. They represent mortgages that might not be paid and college educations that have to be deferred; they tally mental health crises and broken marriages. Those sterile, emotionless figures speak of pain and anxiety. They mock our faith in the American dream.

Let me put it in terms that Washington understands: The party that begins to treat the unemployment crisis with the hair-on-fire urgency that it deserves is the party that will do well in November.

In the past, a steep fall into recession has often led to an equally steep climb back to prosperity. Clearly, that's not the case this time. In relatively short order, the economy lost about 7 million jobs. So far this year, we've gained back more than 600,000 -- not bad, given that in early 2009 we were shedding that many jobs each month, but not nearly enough to have the kind of impact the nation can really feel.

The debate among economists about whether or not this will prove to be a "double-dip" recession is beside the point. For most people, this feels more like one long, uninterrupted dip -- with no end in sight. Adding 83,000 private-sector jobs in June sounds like something of an accomplishment, until you realize that the U.S. economy has to add more than 125,000 jobs a month just to accommodate the natural growth of the workforce. With a gain of 83,000 jobs, we actually lost ground.

Our political leaders know that unemployment is on their constituents' minds, so they talk about it. A lot. But we're not seeing either party show the kind of courage that's really needed.

Republicans block an extension of unemployment benefits, rail about the deficit and complain that Democrats don't understand that economic renewal will come when the private sector is unleashed. The problem is that since Republicans are in the minority, they have to work with the Democrats to get anything done. I suspect that their strategy -- standing on the sidelines and yelling, "The Democrats are doing it all wrong!" -- will not win as much favor from voters as the GOP hopes.

Democrats, on the other hand, do have the power to enact an agenda. But individual members of Congress act as if they are more concerned about their own electoral prospects than about bringing those unemployment numbers down. If a second economic stimulus is the answer, then that's what Democrats should do. If the answer is something else, fine. But they should know that whether they call themselves progressives or Blue Dogs or whatever, voters see them as one party and will hold them accountable.

Washington gets all excited when someone commits an embarrassing or impolitic gaffe. Beyond the Beltway, people cannot understand why our leaders can't be similarly focused and energetic about the most tragic spasm of economic dislocation in eight decades.

Does BET Have a Double Standard for Sexy Women?

From The Grio — According to the blogs, BET has been busy in the last two months banning videos by Teiarra Mari and Ciara and, this time, Ciara’s fans are fuming mad. At the center of the current controversy is the video for Ciara’s current single “Ride” featuring Ludacris. Captured at various points in a revealing one piece swimsuit and a mink coat with heels on as well as on top of a mechanical bull in a wet t-shirt and super short jean shorts, Ciara looks far more sexually charged in “Ride” than at any point in her debut video “Goodies.” Back in 2004, she was crooning “lookin for the goodies/keep on lookin’ ’cause they stay in the jar.” Now, she’s proclaiming “he love the way I ride it.

The Uniform Project: How to wear one dress for 365 days - CNN.com

(CNN) -- One outfit at a time, Sheena Matheiken was determined to make a change

She sported a simple, tunic-style dress for not one, two or three days. She did it for 365 days in a row.

The New York resident gave herself the fashion challenge of reinventing the same black dress. She did it by adding colorful tights, funky shoes and patterned tops, all donations from eco-friendly designers, thrift shops and mail-in leftovers from strangers.

Her outfits varied. Some were random, others organized; some bright, others muted; some classic, others modern. For example, she dressed as an intergalactic goth mermaid one day. The next, she became a modern hippie adorned with a floral bandana and cutout tights.

See Matheiken's outfit on Day 1, Year 2

Matheiken completed her yearlong Uniform Project this month; the effort started a year ago to raise money for the The Akanksha Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit helping children in India's slums attend schools. She raised enough money to send 233 children to school for a year.

Matheiken also wanted to bring awareness to sustainable fashion. That's not a bad lesson for those of us feeling the recession's pinch.

CNN spoke to Matheiken about the Uniform Project and her eclectic style.

CNN: Why did you decide to pick a uniform?

Matheiken: First, giving yourself a creative challenge requires giving yourself a constraint. I wanted to recreate one dress for 365 days and have that test. I also have a personal connection with uniforms. I grew up in India and went to a Catholic school where we had to wear uniforms.

The cool thing was that even with uniforms, there are so many subtle ways everyone reinvents it so that all the idiosyncrasies of teenage adolescence come out. Their personality came out in how you roll up the sleeves or add a few accessories. I was very fascinated by all of this.

CNN: I think we all have that white T-shirt in our closet. How do you jazz up something plain?

Matheiken: Accessorizing can go a long way to elevate something. Just a pair of tights or maybe if you have a jacket, you can wear it over, and it will look chic and upscale. A white shirt doesn't have to look like a white T-shirt.

CNN: For some people, it's hard to mix and match. You seem to do it so effortlessly. How?

Matheiken: There is so much of fashion that is prescribed by magazine trends and looks that are seasonal. I think that's the biggest problem with fashion. And some people really are stressed about getting ready.CONTINUE READING...

Today's Newspapers

1. BP Slows Oil Leak Using Mile-Long Straw
   A four-inch-wide pipe is siphoning oil from the site of the leak at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico to a drillship at the ocean's surface.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Monday, May 17, 2010

2. ADHD Linked to Pesticides
   A new study out of Harvard found that children who ingested a certain toxic pesticide used on fruits and vegetables were more likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
   Read original story in Time | Monday, May 17, 2010

3. Iran Agrees to Nuclear Deal With Brazil, Turkey
   Iran will send some of its uranium to Turkey in exchange for a smaller amount of uranium that has already been enriched. Will the United States and its allies agree to this deal or will they push the UN to impose sanctions anyway?
   Read original story in The New York Times | Monday, May 17, 2010

4. Euro Continues to Fall, Reaches Four-Year Low Against the Dollar
   Amid returning fear that the eurozone will not be able to sustain a bailout of the Greek economy, the value of the euro continues to fall sharply.
   Read original story in BBC | Monday, May 17, 2010

5. Rima Fakih Is Named the First Arab American Miss USA
   Probably. The pageant's records aren't comprehensive enough to know for sure.
   Read original story in The Detroit Free Press | Monday, May 17, 2010

6. YouTube Turns Five, Celebrates New Record
   On average, users only spend 15 minutes on the site, which is still struggling to turn a profit, but YouTube is now hosting two billion video streams every day. That's more than twice the audience of the three prime time TV stations in the U.S. combined.
   Read original story in BBC | Monday, May 17, 2010

7. Tuesday's Primaries Could Deliver Fresh Blows to Incumbents
   In what is being dubbed the Super Tuesday of 2010, a few high-stakes races will be used to predict what lies in store for politicians in November.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Sunday, May 16, 2010

8. Tiger's Mistress Inks Playboy Deal
   Nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel will show the world her top half in Hef's magazine for an undisclosed sum.
   Read original story in TMZ | Monday, May 17, 2010

9. India Tests Ballistic Missile
   After failing twice last year, the Agni-II has successfully launched. The intermediate-range missile is capable of carrying a nuclear payload of 1,000 kg up to 1,250 miles.
   Read original story in BBC | Monday, May 17, 2010

10. Rockers Remember Ronnie James Dio, 67
    Dio, who replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the lead singer of Black Sabbath in 1979, died Sunday morning while battling stomach cancer.
    Read original story in CNN | Monday, May 17, 2010

11. Steve Jobs: Apple Offers "Freedom From Porn"
    The head of Apple's habit of personally responding to e-mails has once again made news when he traded e-mails with an angry Gawker writer early on Saturday morning.
    Read original story in Gawker | Sunday, May 16, 2010

12. Greece Might Take Legal Action Against U.S. Banks
    The prime minister says he "wouldn't rule out" the possibility that his government could try to hold American investment banks legally responsible for contributing to the country's debt crisis.
    Read original story in Bloomberg | Sunday, May 16, 2010

iphone Weekend Blog Buzz 04.23.10

After 32 years as a morning radio personality in Washington, D.C., Donnie Simpson bid an emotional farewell to his listeners. According to the Washington Post, Simpson wept as he played Lionel Richie's "Jesus Is Love," his traditional closing song. This followed a parade of calls from celebrity well-wishers and other supporters. His four-hour show on WPGC-FM (95.5) spilled over an extra two hours to accommodate the phoned-in farewells from Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Wyclef Jean and other musicians whom Simpson has championed during his decades on the radio and as host of Black Entertainment Television's 'Video Soul.'....Simpson, who will be 56 on Saturday, was gracious and warm throughout his final program on the air. He thanked his listeners repeatedly, as well as his wife, Pam, his producer-son, D.J., and his colleagues.... Following the show, he treated fans and friends to lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl, the same popular diner visited by President Barack Obama days before his inauguration.SOURCE: Washington Post

lyvain White's latest film, 'The Losers,' which stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Holt McCallany, Oscar Jaenada, Jason Patric, and Peter Macdissi, has debuted online.Based on the DC Comics/Vertigo comic books, 'Losers' centers around a Special Forces team, who are set up and betrayed by their enigmatic handler, Max, who soon discovers that you should never leave a bunch of black-ops commandos for dead. The Losers regroup for revenge, and to get their names off a pesky CIA death list. For issue after issue, they conducted covert operations against the CIA, and sought to uncover the plans and conspiracies of the powerful, secretive Max. Warner Bros. will release the film in theaters on April 9.Somebody in Lil Kim's camp must've had a come to Jesus convo with the hip-hop surged "I used to be afraid of the d*ck" poet. Kim recently appeared in public looking less like a Disney villain and more like an African-American woman with facial features that are movable. I must say, Kim is looking normal and damn good!Apart of Nightline’s “Face off” series, the much talked about debate “Why Can’t A Successful Black Woman Find A Man” airs tonight on ABC at 11:35pm (ET). Hosted by Vicki Mabrey and Steve Harvey, the panel features Sherri Shephard co-host of the “The View,” Jacque Reid co-star of VH1’s “Let’s Talk About Pep,” Jimi Izarel, author of “The Denzel Principle” and “CSI” star and author, Hill Harper. Umm…we can’t imagine what kind of new information will be shed on the issue. We’re all pretty exhausted with the topic. Are you watching? Check out some snippets her

Sistas sure do spend plenty of time putting our men in their places. Checkin’ them. Givin’ them the business. Letting them know when they’re wrong, how wrong they are and how quick they ‘betta’ get done with that wrongness. We have an arsenal of friends, sisters, Sorors and co-workers to dog them out with, ready to co-sign on black men’s trifling, no-good-doin’ ways. And we have a dozen or more media outlets we use to vent about their shortcomings and failings, their problems and issues, their failures and faults. (Essence for one, has a tumultuous love/hate relationship with them, always willing to dedicate a good amount of real estate vocalizing our collective complaints about black men and then giving us 12 instructional pages on how to find one.) SOURCE...CLUTCH MAGAZINE

Shocking news as the principal of Woodland Middle School in Henry County, New Jersey, has come under fire over rapper T.I.‘s recent appearance. Parent we offended that T.I. spoke to their children and were not notified. Clifford Harris is a great father and family man, he just happens to be the rapper T.I., it sounding like the parents just wanted to see the rapper. but the appearance has cause and huge issue at the school now.

According to AllHipHop, T.I., born Clifford Harris Jr., appeared at the school on March 5th and spoke to students.Parents of some students took issue with the fact that they were not notified of who would be speaking to their children. T.I., who was recently released from a halfway house to house arrest with a curfew, served a year in prison for attempting to buy multiple machine guns with silencers. As part of his probation, the rapper was sentenced to 1,500 hours of community service, 1,000 of which were completed prior to his prison sentence.He flew around the country visiting middle schools, recreational centers and various Boys & Girls Clubs, where he encouraged teens to stay away from drugs, violence and gangs.

Well FORBES Magazine just released the 10 wealthiest Black Americans in the US. Wow, this is shocking though guess who dropped off the top 10. No 50 Cent? And Jay Z jumps up…no Diddy and Russell Simmons doesn’t make the top 20 cut.

Flip it to get it….

1. Oprah Winfrey – Net worth of $2.7 billion

2. Tiger Woods – Net worth $600 million

3. Robert Johnson – Founder of BET – Net worth $550 million (he took a hit during the recession)

4. Michael Jordan – $525 million

5. Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr. – $500 million

6. Bill Cosby – $450 million

7. Sheila Johnson – Robert Johnson’s ex-wife – Net worth $400 million

8. Don Peebles – Runs Peebles Corp. a real estate development company – Net worth $350 million

9. Berry Gordy – Founder, Motown Records – Net worth $350 million

10. Quintin Primo III – Founder of real estate financing company Capri Capital – Net worth $300 million.

11. Don King – Net worth $290 million

12. Janice Bryant Howroyd & Family – Net worth $250 million

13. Herman J Russell – Net worth $200 million

14. Ulysess Bridgeman Jr. – Net worth $200 million

15. Tracy Maitland – Net worth $150 million

16. Alphones Fletcher Jr. – Net Worth $150 million

17. Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter – Net worth $150 million

18. Kobe Bryant – Net worth $140 million

19. Shaquille O’neil – Net worth $130 million

20. Kenneth Chenault – Net worth of $125 million

Below the line: (the ones who didn’t make the top 20 this year)

Russell Simmons – barely misses the cut with a fortune of $110 million.

John Mayer Didn’t Hurt This Black Girl’s Feelings

By Leslie Pitterson  Memo to black girls everywhere: John Mayer may think you’re attractive, but he probably won’t be taking you home to meet his mama.

Oh, wait. You already knew that didn’t you? Did you have a feeling? Woo-hoo?

Now look, before all the “she hates her brown skin” mess starts, I want to preface this by saying that I am a black girl who loves herself and loves being black. I am not secretly self loathing nor am I the ‘kill-whitey’ type either. I am, like most people, somewhat hard to explain. I went through a prepster phase in middle school, but I wore Kente cloth for my children’s choir performances at church in the Bronx. My home is full of laughter, curry goat and reggae music on Sundays but I went to school with friends who played lacrosse, summer-ed in the Hamptons and introduced me to indie music- and John Mayer.

When Mayer dropped Room for Squares, he became a staple in my fold out CD case. His lyrics were detailed and lush. I mean who says things like “I love the shape you take while crawling to the pillowcase.” He could play guitar like nobody’s business (fast forward to his riffing to “Human Nature” at MJ’s memorial service). To this day, there are few artists who can cover classics like Tom Perry’s “Free Fallin’” and make them new again while simultaneously hopping on new joints and making them hot (see his collab with Wale on “Letters”).

John Mayer has been sampled by Kanye and Common, been featured on tracks with Alicia and was even background music to the infamous Merwin 1st season split on Mara Broc Akil’s The Game. Besides Memphis’ own Justin Timberlake and Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin, there have not been too many white boys who hip-hop embraced. And now two weeks into black history month, I find myself sitting here asking the question- how, Mr. Mayer, how did you screw this up? CONTINUE READING...

Within hours of his Playboy interview going online, John Mayer got subjected to a twitter scolding like I have not seen since Chris Matthews forgot Barack was black (that was just two weeks ago you say? Yes. My point exactly.) In the now notorious (no Biggie pun intended) interview for the March issue of Playboy, John Mayer talks in detail about his relationship with Jen Aniston, Jessica Simpson (whom he calls “sexual napalm”), his addiction to porn and then the two topics that have lead to the “John-Mayer-is-a-secret-racist” charge: 1. having a hood pass and 2. having a “Benetton heart” and a “David Duke d*ck.”

On being asked how it feels to have a hood pass, Mayer said,

“…it’s sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you could call it a nigger pass. Why are you pulling a punch and calling it a hood pass if you really have a hood pass? But I said, “I can’t really have a hood pass. I’ve never walked into a restaurant, asked for a table and been told, ‘We’re full.’”

Sharpton: Clinton 'Coffee' Remark About Obama 'Disturbing'

The Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday said he was disturbed by condescending remarks reportedly made by former President Bill Clinton about Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign. Sharpton was referring to a passage in the new book, "Game Change," which recounts the conversation Clinton had with the late Sen. Ted Kennedy when he was trying to convince the liberal lion of the Senate to endorse his wife for president. 

"A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee," Clinton told Kennedy, according to the book -- a comment that angered Kennedy, who later endorsed Obama.

Sharpton, speaking on Fox News, defended Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over a passage in the book in which he said Obama doesn't have a "Negro dialect" unless he wants one. But the reverend would not give Clinton such a pass for his remark. 

"I think that's far more disturbing because this is someone seeking to stop Mr. Obama's campaign and making a direct reference -- I don't know the context in which he said it -- but that is far more disturbing to me than even the comments that were made by Mr. Reid," Sharpton said. 

Sharpton and other civil rights leaders last took on Clinton during the Democratic presidential primaries, after the former president compared Obama's win in the South Carolina contest to Jesse Jackson's victories in the state two decades earlier. Sharpton brought up the South Carolina flare-up Monday in discussing the "coffee" remark. 

"If someone said that he would have been getting us coffee like that in the context they said he said it, that would be very offensive to me, and I would definitely take Mr. Clinton on as I did in South Carolina," Sharpton said. 

He said Clinton has not yet called him over the report, "So I guess I'll have to make the call." CONTINUE READING...

Study shows pot more popular among teenagers

Smoking marijuana is becoming even more popular among U.S. teens and they have cut down on smoking cigarettes, binge drinking and using methamphetamine, according to a federal survey released Monday. More teens also are getting high on prescription pain pills and attention-deficit drugs, according to eighth, 10th and 12th graders surveyed by the University of Michigan for the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The increase of teens smoking pot is partly because the national debate over medical use of marijuana can make the drug's use seem safer to teenagers, researchers said. In addition to marijuana, fewer teens also view prescription drugs and Ecstasy as dangerous, which often means more could use those drugs in the future, said White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske. The "continued erosion in youth attitudes and behavior toward substance abuse should give pause to all parents and policy-makers," Kerlikowske said. "These latest data confirm that we must redouble our efforts to implement a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to preventing and treating drug use," Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in remarks prepared for his Monday speech at the National Press Club in Washington. Marijuana use, while well off peak levels of the late 1990s, has edged up. According to the study of 47,097 students, among this year's 12th graders, 20.6 percent said they used it within the past month, compared with 19.4 percent in 2008 and 18.3 percent in 2006. Among 10th graders, pot use in the past month rose to 15.9 percent this year from 13.8 percent in 2008. "The upward trending of the past two or three years stands in stark contrast to the steady decline that preceded it for nearly a decade," said Lloyd Johnston, who has directed the annual survey since it started in 1975. The percentage of eighth-graders who saw a "great risk" in occasionally smoking marijuana fell from 50.5 percent in 2004 to 48.1 percent in 2008 and 44.8 percent this year. The perceived danger of using Ecstasy once or twice fell among eighth graders, from 42.5 percent in 2004 to 26 percent in 2009. 

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/12/14/national/a071320S03.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0ZhMOHgRW

Uninvited Pair Met Obama; Secret Service Offers Apology

 WASHINGTON — President Obama and his wife, Michelle, had a face-to-face encounter with the couple who sneaked into a state dinner at the White House this week, White House officials acknowledged on Friday. The revelation underscored the seriousness of the security breach and prompted an abject apology from the Secret Service.A White House spokesman said that the couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi of Virginia, met and shook hands with the president and the first lady in the receiving line in the Blue Room, as the Obamas greeted each of their 400 invited guests Tuesday night before moving to a tent on the South Lawn for dinner.

That disclosure coincided with a statement from the director of the Secret Service, Mark Sullivan, saying that his agency was “deeply concerned and embarrassed” by the events. Secret Service officials said the agency wanted to interview everyone connected with the episode, including the Salahis, and had not ruled out criminal charges.

“The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint, verifying that two individuals were on the guest list,” Mr. Sullivan said.“Although these individuals went through magnetometers and other levels of screening, they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely,” Mr. Sullivan said. “That failing is ours.”

On Friday night, the White House released a photograph of the couple in the receiving line, being greeted by Mr. Obama. In the photo, a smiling Mrs. Salahi, wearing a red and gold sari, is clasping Mr. Obama’s hand with both of hers, as her husband looks on. The prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh, is standing next to Mr. Obama.

Mrs. Salahi’s Facebook page has photographs of the couple with officials including Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff. It is not known who took the pictures. CONTINUE READING...