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NEWS MONDAY, DECEMBER
9, 2013 NEWS
Just
A PR Problem? ObamaCare Architect Claims 'Big PR Campaign' Needed
The federal health care overhaul was central to President Obama's two
campaigns for the White House, and has been the defining achievement --
for better or worse -- of his presidency. But one of the architects of
ObamaCare, in a heated interview on "Fox News Sunday," argued that the
reason young people are not signing up in droves for coverage under the
law is the administration hasn't promoted it. Ezekiel Emanuel, a former
health adviser to the president (and the brother of former White House
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel), argued the administration has been too caught
up with fixing HealthCare.gov to give the law the proper promotional push.
Fox
News
VOA VIEW: Bad is bad, regpardless how
much PR.
The
Real Tragedy Of America's Gun Violence
It’s almost a year since the tragedy at Newtown, yet remarkably little
has changed. Despite the loss of 26 lives in the Sandy Hook School shooting
that day, including 20 children, Washington has failed to coalesce around
any really substantive changes to America’s gun laws. Sadly, that means
it is only a matter of time before the next mass shooting. As part of a
GPS special airing tonight, we went all over the world in search of solutions
and lessons that we might apply here to bring down the epidemic of gun
violence that afflicts us. We saw many interesting ideas that worked, all
of them centering around some simple, common sense ideas that would put
some checks on the unfettered sale and possession of firearms. What we
did not find was a large-scale, nationwide example where expanded attention
to mental health issues could be tied to a reduction in homicides or suicides
using guns. CNN
Supreme
Court Justice Denies Stay In Airline Merger
A U.S. Supreme Court justice on Saturday night denied a last-ditch
effort by a group of consumers and travel agents to stop the merger of
American Airlines and US Airways. The application was denied by Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the court's public information office said. The combination
of American's parent, AMR Corp, and US Airways Group would create the world's
largest carrier and follow last month's resolution of antitrust objections
by the U.S. Department of Justice. In their appeal to the Supreme Court,
plaintiffs led by California resident Carolyn Fjord warned that "irreparable
injury" could be caused to the domestic airline industry if the deal goes
ahead as planned. They fear the merger will drive air travel prices up
and service down and make planes more crowded. Reuters
Day
Of Prayer Begins Week Of Services Honoring Mandela
People of differing races and religions across South Africa gathered
to pray and sing on Sunday in the first official day of mourning for former
president Nelson Mandela, the country's beloved champion of acceptance
and equality. “The public is urged to gather in halls, churches, mosques,
temples, synagogues and in their homes for prayer services and meditation,
reflecting on the life of Madiba and his contribution to our country and
the world,” urged South African President Jacob Zuma. Although Sunday opened
the state-wide observances that will culminate in a funeral service next
Sunday, South Africans have expressed their gratitude for Mandela in somber
but celebratory gatherings since he died Thursday at the age of 95. MSNBC
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Sen.
Richard Durbin: No Line In The Sand On Unemployment Benefits
Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said Sunday that members
of his party have not drawn a line in the sand on an extension of unemployment
benefits getting included in a possible budget deal. “I don’t think we’ve
reached that point where we’ve said this is it; take it or leave it,” Mr.
Durbin said on ABC’s “This Week.” “What I hear from [Sen.] Patty Murray
— I spoke to her the other night — negotiations are making progress, moving
in the right direction. They haven’t closed the deal, but I certainly hope,
as part of it, that the negotiators will take to heart what the president
had to say.” Washington
Times
Hagel:
U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan "A Very Real Possibility"
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned that a U.S. retreat from Afghanistan
at the end of 2014 is entirely possible if Afghan President Hamid Karzai
continues to refuse to sign a security agreement that will keep a handful
of American and NATO troops in the country after 2014 to advise the Afghan
security forces. “I hope he'll come to the right decision on this. Because
we need that bilateral security agreement signed for our own planning,
for our own purposes, as well as our international partners,” Hagel told
CBS News State Department correspondent Margaret Brennan in an interview
from Afghanistan, where he is traveling. Hagel warned that there is “a
very real possibility” that the U.S. will have to make a full retreat from
the country at the end of 2014 if Karzai doesn’t sign the agreement. CBS
Paul
Says His Economic Plan Is The Only Hope For Depressed Areas Such As Detroit
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a possible contender for the 2016 Republican
presidential nomination, said Sunday that his plan to spur job creation
in high unemployment areas is the only politically viable plan to help
depressed cities, with Detroit as the prime example. “My economic stimulus
plan for Detroit would leave over a billion dollars in Detroit's economy
and would stimulate Detroit,” he said. “There is no other plan on the table
and there's not going to be some grand bailout that's going to go through
Congress, other than my plan, if my plan would pass. I think it's
the only one that politically could pass.” Paul unveiled his program in
a speech at the Detroit Economic Club on Friday. His plan would set ultra-low
tax rates and lift some government regulations in any Zip code in which
the unemployment rate is more than one-and-a-half times the national average.
The national average is now 7 percent. MSNBC
Ezekiel
Emanuel: If You Want To Pay More For Your Doctor, You Can Under Obamacare
Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a bioethicist and architect of President Obama’s
health care law, offered a somewhat novel explanation for Mr. Obama’s now-debunked
promise that if people liked their doctors and health insurance plans,
they could keep them under the law. “The president never said you were
going to have unlimited choice of any doctor in the country you want to
go to,” Dr. Emanuel said on “Fox News Sunday.” “[I]f you want to pay more
for an insurance company that covers your doctor, you can do that. This
is a matter of choice. We know in all sorts of places you pay more for
certain — for a wider range of choices or a wider range of benefits.” Washington
Times
Rand
Paul: No Problem With Amazon Delivery Drones
You might expect Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to be among the loudest critics
of an idea floated by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to deliver packages using
unmanned aerial drones. After all, this is the same senator who vaulted
to prominence in March with a 13-hour filibuster of CIA Director John Brennan’s
nomination in protest of the U.S. government’s policies on drones. But
when Fox News’ Chris Wallace asked him Sunday whether he would move to
ground Bezos’ high-flying ambition on the launch pad, Paul said his objection
is focused on privacy, not technology. CBS
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Gross
Unheeded By Japan Seeing U.S. Disinflation Buoying Bonds
Honed by 15 years of falling consumer prices that burnished the appeal
of fixed-income assets in Japan, the Asian nation’s bond buyers are amassing
long-term Treasuries as disinflation emerges in the U.S. Led by Mizuho
Asset Management Co., at least five money managers that oversee a combined
$236 billion are snapping up Treasuries due in about a decade as inflation-adjusted
yields approach the highest level since 1998 relative to Japanese government
bonds. Japan’s holdings of U.S. debt rose by $98.2 billion last quarter,
the second-largest increase since the Treasury Department began releasing
the data in 2000. While Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Bill Gross
is recommending short-term U.S. debt, Japanese bond investors are finding
value in longer-dated Treasuries as U.S. consumer prices rise the least
since 2009. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s stimulus policies are also weakening
the yen by the most in three decades this year, bolstering the allure of
dollar-based assets. Bloomberg
Pope
Offers An Unexpected Gift
Pope Francis was probably not looking at the Jewish calendar when he
released his new apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium,” (The Joy of
the Gospel). It was a serendipitous Hanukkah gift that brought joy to the
Jewish world. The document is full of warmth to Jews and Judaism. It speaks
of the growing friendship with the Jewish people and regret for the history
of Christian persecution of Jews. Of Judaism he wrote: “We cannot consider
Judaism as a foreign religion; nor do we include the Jews among those called
to turn from idols and to serve the true God.” It confirms the continued
contribution of Divine truth that comes through the “treasures of wisdom
which flow from their encounter with his word.” Las
Vegas Sun
Politics:
Congress' To-Do List Could Require Time It Doesn't Have
The good news for the U.S. Congress is that members have the month
of December to complete their laundry list of items -- including a farm
bill, food stamps, a budget for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, a slew
of presidential nominations, possibly revisiting unemployment benefits,
maybe take up imposing more sanctions on Iran -- before 2014. The bad news
is Congress has less than a week to do it. The House returned Dec. 2 and
expects to adjourn for the year by Friday. The Senate is scheduled to return
from the Thanksgiving break Monday and has Dec. 20 as its tentative end
date. That's a one-week overlap to git'er done -- although House leaders
indicated they could be in session past their get-back-to-the-district
date. UPI
Iran
Says It Improves Accuracy Of Missiles
Iran's Defense Minister says his country is now using laser systems
to dramatically improve the accuracy of its ballistic missiles. Hossein
Dehghan said missiles can now hit to within two meters (yards) of their
targets, compared to 200 meters (yards) previously. His comments were posted
on the ministry's website Monday. Iran frequently announced breakthroughs
in military technology that are impossible to independently verify. Iran
has a variety of missiles, some with a reported range of 2,000 kilometers
(1,200 miles), enough to reach much of the Middle East. Commanders have
described them as a deterrent, capable of hitting a U.S. base or an Israeli
target in the event of a strike on Iran. San
Diego Union
South
African Police Prepare For Mandela Ceremony
Thousands of South African police officers will be on hand at a ceremony
honoring Nelson Mandela in a Soweto soccer stadium, and authorities will
block access to the site if crowds become too large, officials said Monday.
Mourners including dozens heads of state are expected to flock to the 95,000-capacity
stadium for Tuesday's memorial for the anti-apartheid icon. Mandela made
his last public appearance at the same stadium for the closing ceremony
of the 2010 World Cup, when the venue was called Soccer City. Lt. Gen.
Solomon Makgale, a spokesman for the South African Police Service, said
"thousands" of officers will direct traffic, protect mourners and help
the bodyguards of visiting dignitaries. "We will be on hand to make sure
people are able to grieve in a safe environment," Makgale told The Associated
Press. Kansas
City Star
Preserving
What You’ve Worked To Build
South Florida has always had a vibrant community of family-owned enterprises.
Entrepreneurs are drawn here by the positive business climate, rapidly
growing population and favorable tax environment. Entrepreneurs share many
traits. They are focused, hard-working and risk-taking, but they also tend
to be concentrated in one asset: their business. Creating a successful
business often leaves little time for other matters. So after years of
hard work building a profitable enterprise, the business often represents
the bulk of an entrepreneur’s net worth. With such concentration, their
wealth is almost entirely predicated on the business’ performance. When
entrepreneurs do invest in other assets, they too frequently invest in
businesses similar to their own, feeling well-equipped to evaluate such
companies. This only exacerbates risk since similar companies are similarly
vulnerable. Miami
Herald
Congress
Ready To Extend Ban On Plastic Firearms
A Senate vote to renew an expiring ban on plastic firearms capable
of evading metal detectors and X-ray machines is shaping up as a bittersweet
moment for gun control supporters, days before the anniversary of the deadly
mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Monday's
vote to extend the prohibition on plastic guns for another decade responds
to a growing threat from steadily improving 3-D printers that can produce
such weapons. But gun control advocates seem sure to lose an effort to
impose additional, tougher restrictions on plastic firearms — a harsh reminder
of their failure to enact any new federal gun curbs in the year since 20
first-graders and six educators were murdered in Newtown, Conn. SFGate
Spies’
Dragnet Reaches A Playing Field Of Elves And Trolls
Not limiting their activities to the earthly realm, American and British
spies have infiltrated the fantasy worlds of World of Warcraft and Second
Life, conducting surveillance and scooping up data in the online games
played by millions of people across the globe, according to newly disclosed
classified documents. Fearing that terrorist or criminal networks could
use the games to communicate secretly, move money or plot attacks, the
documents show, intelligence operatives have entered terrain populated
by digital avatars that include elves, gnomes and supermodels. The spies
have created make-believe characters to snoop and to try to recruit informers,
while also collecting data and contents of communications between players,
according to the documents, disclosed by the former National Security Agency
contractor Edward J. Snowden. Because militants often rely on features
common to video games — fake identities, voice and text chats, a way to
conduct financial transactions — American and British intelligence agencies
worried that they might be operating there, according to the papers. NY
Times
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out and be heard by having your own "Column"
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Key
Senators ‘Hopeful’ On Budget Deal By End Of Week
As Congress heads into its final week before it adjourns for the holidays,
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said he is “hopeful” a short-term budget deal
will be reached to avoid the threat of a potential government shutdown
in January. “I’m hopeful that even by the end of this week we’ll be able
to come together and achieve that,” Portman told George Stephanopoulos
on “This Week” Sunday. “The key is that we not have another government
shutdown, that we do keep the spending caps in place, that we don’t raise
taxes at a time when the economy is still weak,” added Portman, who is
a member of the joint committee negotiating the deal. “And I think we can
accomplish that over the next couple of days.” ABC
Asia
To S&P 500 Futures Rise As Yen Slips; Aussie Climbs
U.S. and Asian index futures rose as better-than-estimated American
jobs growth bolstered prospects for the world’s largest economy. Australia’s
dollar strengthened versus the greenback after China reported the biggest
trade surplus in four years, while the yen extended declines. Nikkei 225
Stock Average futures were bid at 15,580 in the Osaka pre-market, from
15,555 in Chicago Dec. 6. The gauge lost 2.3 percent last week to 15,299.86.
Australian stocks gained after index futures from South Korea to Hong Kong
rose. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (SPX) futures added 0.2 percent after
the measure snapped a five-day slump Dec. 6. Australia’s currency climbed
0.2 percent while the yen retreated a second day against the dollar and
the euro. Gold and silver advanced. Bloomberg
Peek-A-Boo,
The Drone Sees You
Last week's eye-popping demonstration by Amazon.com of its proposed
method of delivery -- packages dropped on doorsteps by little helicopter
drones -- has become an Internet sensation. The company uploaded a video
demonstration of drone delivery on YouTube, and raked in more than 11 million
hits in less than a week. Amazon's drones are warm and friendly, like the
heroes of a Disney movie. Others coming your way, not so much. Analyses
in 2012 and earlier this year by United Press International and others
predicted tens of thousands of drones will populate U.S. air space in the
near future. UPI
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PORTAL.
System
Of Snow, Sleet, Freezing Rain Due To Hit Mid-Atlantic Sunday
A powerful storm system that spread hazardous snow, sleet and freezing
rain widely across the nation's midsection rumbled toward the densely populated
Eastern seaboard on Sunday, promising more of the same. Forecasters said
the potent system already blamed for numerous power outages and thousands
of weekend flight cancellations elsewhere, has Virginia and other Mid-Atlantic
states in its icy sights before the Northeast is up next. Icy conditions
were expected to last through the rest of the weekend from Texas to Ohio
to Tennessee. And officials warned a major ice storm was possible in Virginia's
Appalachian region along the busy Interstate 81 corridor. Fox
News
FHA
To Pull Back On Big Mortgages
The Federal Housing Administration has announced plans to reduce its
stake in the market, an indication it sees some signs of strength in real
estate. The agency, which insures low down-payment mortgages, is reducing
the upper limits of what it will backstop in areas where home prices are
high. Starting in the new year, the biggest cap in these areas will drop
to $625,500 from $729,750. Limits will be set lower in about 650 counties
as a result, the agency said. The FHA will maintain current limits in areas
where home prices are lower and said the move will allow it to refocus
on less wealthy homebuyers. CNN
U.S.
War Veteran Released By North Korea Returns Home
An 85-year-old Korean War veteran held for more than a month by North
Korea as a war criminal arrived in San Francisco on Saturday to be reunited
with his family. North Korea detained Merrill E. Newman for crimes it accused
him of committing during the conflict six decades ago as a member of the
U.S. special forces. He was released for humanitarian reasons after he
apologized, the country's state news agency said. Newman flew to China,
where he boarded an 11-and-a-half-hour flight home. His United Airlines
airlines flight landed at about 9 a.m. Reuters
RI
Gun-Permit Tiff Puts Officials' Jobs In Danger
This sleepy town of 6,000 doesn't have a police department, and the
only firearm violence tends to be directed at deer. Its biggest controversies
usually stem from the local animal shelter or noise from the town pub.
It's an unusual place for a debate over gun control. Yet this rural community
30 minutes south of Providence has become the latest place where officials
are facing consequences for proposals to change gun laws. Four of the five
council members are now the subject of a recall election to be held Dec.
14 after they angered local gun owners with an idea to tweak the way the
town issues concealed weapon permits. "It's frustrating. I'm a gun owner
myself. My sons are hunters. I have no problem with the Second Amendment,"
said Councilman Bob Johnson, who, like the others facing recall, is a Democrat.
ABC
China
Withholds Visas For NYT, Bloomberg Reporters
Chinese authorities have been withholding residence visas for reporters
working for The New York Times and Bloomberg in apparent retaliation for
the agencies’ investigative stories on wealth accumulated by leaders’ families.
If authorities do not soon start approving renewals for visas due to expire
by the end of the year, it would effectively shut down or significantly
curtail the two organizations’ newsgathering operations in the country.
The Foreign Correspondents Club of China said in an emailed statement to
members Monday that none of the correspondents working for The Times and
Bloomberg in China have been able to renew their residence visas for next
year. ‘‘The authorities have given no public explanation for their actions,
leading to the impression that they have been taken in reprisal for reporting
that displeased the government,’’ the statement said. Boston
Globe
New
Federal Safety Plan Aimed At Senior Drivers
New federal safety plans for elderly drivers. But what you might not
know is statistically — older drivers are the safest on the road. So what's
with this new 5-year safety plan announced by the U.S. Department of Transportation?
"They say the number of older drivers increases dramatically, the number
of traffic injuries and deaths for that group will also skyrocket. Since
2003, the number of adults 65 and older has increased 20 percent." A quick
look at the numbers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
Atlanta
Journal
New
American Airlines To Emerge As Deal Closes
American Airlines emerges from bankruptcy protection and US Airways
culminates its long pursuit of a merger partner when the two complete their
deal Monday and create the world's biggest airline. The merger survived
a challenge from the government and criticism from consumer groups, who
fear it will lead to higher prices. It's the latest in a series of mergers
that will leave four airlines controlling more than 80 percent of the U.S.
air-travel market and with more power than ever to limit seats and boost
profits. When American emerges from bankruptcy as American Airlines Group
Inc., it will mark a monumental victory for CEO Doug Parker and his executive
team at smaller US Airways, who convinced American's creditors that a merger
made more sense than letting American remain an independent company. Charlotte
Observer
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Paul
Says His Economic Plan Is The Only Hope For Depressed Areas Such As Detroit
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a possible contender for the 2016 Republican
presidential nomination, said Sunday that his plan to spur job creation
in high unemployment areas is the only politically viable plan to help
depressed cities, with Detroit as the prime example. “My economic stimulus
plan for Detroit would leave over a billion dollars in Detroit's economy
and would stimulate Detroit,” he said. “There is no other plan on the table
and there's not going to be some grand bailout that's going to go through
Congress, other than my plan, if my plan would pass. I think it's
the only one that politically could pass.” Paul unveiled his program in
a speech at the Detroit Economic Club on Friday. His plan would set ultra-low
tax rates and lift some government regulations in any Zip code in which
the unemployment rate is more than one-and-a-half times the national average.
The national average is now 7 percent. MSNBC
Ezekiel
Emanuel: If You Want To Pay More For Your Doctor, You Can Under Obamacare
Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a bioethicist and architect of President Obama’s
health care law, offered a somewhat novel explanation for Mr. Obama’s now-debunked
promise that if people liked their doctors and health insurance plans,
they could keep them under the law. “The president never said you were
going to have unlimited choice of any doctor in the country you want to
go to,” Dr. Emanuel said on “Fox News Sunday.” “[I]f you want to pay more
for an insurance company that covers your doctor, you can do that. This
is a matter of choice. We know in all sorts of places you pay more for
certain — for a wider range of choices or a wider range of benefits.” Washington
Times
Rand
Paul: No Problem With Amazon Delivery Drones
You might expect Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to be among the loudest critics
of an idea floated by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to deliver packages using
unmanned aerial drones. After all, this is the same senator who vaulted
to prominence in March with a 13-hour filibuster of CIA Director John Brennan’s
nomination in protest of the U.S. government’s policies on drones. But
when Fox News’ Chris Wallace asked him Sunday whether he would move to
ground Bezos’ high-flying ambition on the launch pad, Paul said his objection
is focused on privacy, not technology. CBS
Senators:
Aim Cameras At Train Tracks, Engineers To Stop Crashes
A week after four people died in a New York commuter train derailment,
two federal lawmakers proposed Sunday that trains nationwide be outfitted
with cameras pointed at engineers and at the tracks. “I know you’re going
to hear from Metro-North that there are costs, but the costs of these audio
and visual recorders is minuscule, in fact negligible, compared to the
hundreds of millions of dollars that this tragic incident will cost Metro-North
in the end,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut who joined New
York Sen. Charles Schumer for a news conference at Manhattan’s Grand Central
Terminal. Detroit
News
New
Penn Study Casts More Doubt On Movie Ratings
Before you allow your kids to take in a PG-13 movie at the local gigaplex,
a new study suggests you may want to think twice. Recent PG-13 movies are
not only more violent than R rated films, PG-13 movies are also studded
with violent lead characters who glorify other risky behaviors including
drinking and sex, according to research published today in the journal
Pediatrics. Those depictions, which one researcher called “troubling,”
may lead young and impulsive teenagers to prematurely experiment with alcohol
and sex, the study suggests. “If the goal of the rating system is to shield
youth from age-inappropriate behavior and be a tool for parents, I think
its effectiveness is in doubt,” said Amy Bleakly, the author of the study
and senior research scientist at the Annenberg Center for Public Policy
at the University of Pennsylvania. Phliadlephia
Inquirer
FBI
Can Turn On Your Web Cam, And You’d Never Know It
The FBI has developed advanced surveillance techniques that give it
the power to covertly activate Web cams to spy on unsuspecting computer
owners. Tech savvy G-men can remotely turn on cameras that transmit real-time
images to investigators — without triggering the light that shows the camera
is in use, according to The Washington Post. The FBI can also burrow into
a suspect’s computer and download files, photographs and stored e-mails.
The new snooping capabilities came to light during an investigation of
a mysterious man named “Mo’’ – who threatened to blow up a building filled
with innocent people unless authorities free Colorado movie-theater shooting
suspect James Holmes. NY
Post
Detroit
Ruling Opens Threat To NY Worker Pensions
A federal bankruptcy court's decision in Detroit last week putting
that city's constitutionally protected public pension on the table for
cuts cracks the door open for pension reductions in New York. The concern
among unions is that the assurance that New York's public workers have
operated under since 1938 -- that pensions "shall not be diminished or
impaired" -- could now be threatened by local governments fighting off
insolvency. "It's a turning point. ... What has been sacred -- pensions
-- are not sacred anymore," said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, who has
been a leader in seeking action to save New York's distressed municipalities
from insolvency. That has so far been avoided through higher taxes and
layoffs and reducing services. NY
Post
Thai
PM Dissolves Parliament, Calls Elections
Thailand's prime minister announced Monday she will dissolve the lower
house of Parliament and call elections in an attempt to calm the country's
deepening political crisis. The surprise move came as 100,000 protesters
vowing to overthrow her government marched through the streets of Bangkok
for a "final showdown." Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's appeared emotional
and her voice shook as she spoke in a nationally televised address Monday
morning. "After listening to opinions from all sides, I have decided to
request a royal decree to dissolve Parliament," Yingluck said, breaking
into regular programing. "There will be new elections according to the
democratic system." Tampa
Tribune
Employers
'Try Out' Workers In Temp Jobs Before Hiring
As the economy improves, state data show South Florida employers continue
to use temporary workers, often hiring them within a few months, local
recruiters say. Staffing agencies say temp workers have been a steadily
increasing part of the employment mix in South Florida, with a recent surge
in demand for temporary retail workers before the holiday sales rush. "Companies
… [have] used temporary [workers] and the temp-to-hire approach quite a
bit," said Ryan Skubis, South Florida district president for Robert Half
International, a professional staffing business. Sun
Sentinel
Tech
Giants Band Together In Anti-Snooping Coalition
Torched by disclosures the National Security Agency tapped into its
data and spied on people and businesses, some of tech's biggest names have
banded together to form what is essentially an anti-NSA coalition. Google,
Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo lead the Reform Government Surveillance
coalition, announced late tonight, to rein in the vast tentacles of the
NSA and — perhaps — salve the worries of privacy-conscious consumers. The
coalition hopes to limit the federal government's authority to collect
user information, protect citizens' privacy, and impose more legislative
oversight and accountability of organizations like the NSA. USA
Today
Senators:
Aim Cameras At Train Tracks, Engineers To Stop Crashes
A week after four people died in a New York commuter train derailment,
two federal lawmakers proposed Sunday that trains nationwide be outfitted
with cameras pointed at engineers and at the tracks. “I know you’re going
to hear from Metro-North that there are costs, but the costs of these audio
and visual recorders is minuscule, in fact negligible, compared to the
hundreds of millions of dollars that this tragic incident will cost Metro-North
in the end,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut who joined New
York Sen. Charles Schumer for a news conference at Manhattan’s Grand Central
Terminal. Detroit
News
New
Penn Study Casts More Doubt On Movie Ratings
Before you allow your kids to take in a PG-13 movie at the local gigaplex,
a new study suggests you may want to think twice. Recent PG-13 movies are
not only more violent than R rated films, PG-13 movies are also studded
with violent lead characters who glorify other risky behaviors including
drinking and sex, according to research published today in the journal
Pediatrics. Those depictions, which one researcher called “troubling,”
may lead young and impulsive teenagers to prematurely experiment with alcohol
and sex, the study suggests. “If the goal of the rating system is to shield
youth from age-inappropriate behavior and be a tool for parents, I think
its effectiveness is in doubt,” said Amy Bleakly, the author of the study
and senior research scientist at the Annenberg Center for Public Policy
at the University of Pennsylvania. Phliadlephia
Inquirer
FBI
Can Turn On Your Web Cam, And You’d Never Know It
The FBI has developed advanced surveillance techniques that give it
the power to covertly activate Web cams to spy on unsuspecting computer
owners. Tech savvy G-men can remotely turn on cameras that transmit real-time
images to investigators — without triggering the light that shows the camera
is in use, according to The Washington Post. The FBI can also burrow into
a suspect’s computer and download files, photographs and stored e-mails.
The new snooping capabilities came to light during an investigation of
a mysterious man named “Mo’’ – who threatened to blow up a building filled
with innocent people unless authorities free Colorado movie-theater shooting
suspect James Holmes. NY
Post
Detroit
Ruling Opens Threat To NY Worker Pensions
A federal bankruptcy court's decision in Detroit last week putting
that city's constitutionally protected public pension on the table for
cuts cracks the door open for pension reductions in New York. The concern
among unions is that the assurance that New York's public workers have
operated under since 1938 -- that pensions "shall not be diminished or
impaired" -- could now be threatened by local governments fighting off
insolvency. "It's a turning point. ... What has been sacred -- pensions
-- are not sacred anymore," said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, who has
been a leader in seeking action to save New York's distressed municipalities
from insolvency. That has so far been avoided through higher taxes and
layoffs and reducing services. NY
Post
Thai
PM Dissolves Parliament, Calls Elections
Thailand's prime minister announced Monday she will dissolve the lower
house of Parliament and call elections in an attempt to calm the country's
deepening political crisis. The surprise move came as 100,000 protesters
vowing to overthrow her government marched through the streets of Bangkok
for a "final showdown." Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's appeared emotional
and her voice shook as she spoke in a nationally televised address Monday
morning. "After listening to opinions from all sides, I have decided to
request a royal decree to dissolve Parliament," Yingluck said, breaking
into regular programing. "There will be new elections according to the
democratic system." Tampa
Tribune
Employers
'Try Out' Workers In Temp Jobs Before Hiring
As the economy improves, state data show South Florida employers continue
to use temporary workers, often hiring them within a few months, local
recruiters say. Staffing agencies say temp workers have been a steadily
increasing part of the employment mix in South Florida, with a recent surge
in demand for temporary retail workers before the holiday sales rush. "Companies
… [have] used temporary [workers] and the temp-to-hire approach quite a
bit," said Ryan Skubis, South Florida district president for Robert Half
International, a professional staffing business. Sun
Sentinel
Tech
Giants Band Together In Anti-Snooping Coalition
Torched by disclosures the National Security Agency tapped into its
data and spied on people and businesses, some of tech's biggest names have
banded together to form what is essentially an anti-NSA coalition. Google,
Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo lead the Reform Government Surveillance
coalition, announced late tonight, to rein in the vast tentacles of the
NSA and — perhaps — salve the worries of privacy-conscious consumers. The
coalition hopes to limit the federal government's authority to collect
user information, protect citizens' privacy, and impose more legislative
oversight and accountability of organizations like the NSA. USA
Today
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Syrian
Opposition Head Fears US-Iran Thaw Could Benefit Assad
The head of the Syrian National Coalition opposition group said on
Sunday a thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran could strengthen
President Bashar Assad's hand in Syria's civil war. Ahmed Jarba said a
disbursement of Iranian funds frozen in overseas bank accounts as part
of a deal under which Iran is to curb its nuclear activity in exchange
for sanctions relief could leave it more cash to spare to support Assad.
"I am worried about this closeness (in relations) from the financial side,"
Jarba said in an interview with Reuters, referring to relations between
the United States and Iran. "There are frozen Iranian funds in foreign
banks. If these funds were released to Iran, part of it could go to the
Syrian regime and this complicates matters even more," he said during a
visit to Kuwait, which hosts a Gulf Arab summit on Tuesday. Jerusalem
Post
Netanyahu:
Ready For Historic Compromise With Palestinians, But Peace Is A Two-Way
Street
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he is ready for
"a historic compromise" to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "once and
for all," but stressed that peace is a "two-way street." Speaking to the
Saban Forum of the Brookings Institution via a satellite link from Jerusalem,
the prime minister asserted that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not
the source of the Middle East's problems. Offering a laundry list of problems
facing the region, Netanyahu suggested putting the conflict in perspective
- but said that peace was vital nevertheless, primarily for Israelis and
Palestinians themselves, referring to a final-status agreement as a "strategic
goal" of his office. Jerusalem
Post
Iran
Nuclear Crisis: UN Inspectors Visit Arak Plant
Inspectors from the UN's nuclear agency have visited Iran's Arak heavy
water production plant for the first time in more than two years. The visit
comes two weeks after a six-month interim agreement was reached between
Iran and world powers over the country's nuclear programme. Iran has agreed
to curb some nuclear activities for six months in return for sanctions
relief. It has promised not to commission or fuel the Arak reactor during
that time. The Arak heavy water production plant is designed to supply
a research reactor under construction nearby. BBC
N
Korea Confirms Removal Of Powerbroker Chang Song-Thaek
North Korea has confirmed that Chang Song-thaek, a powerful uncle of
North Korea's young leader Kim Jong-un, has been dismissed from his post.
Mr Chang had committed "criminal acts", according to the state-run KCNA
news agency. He was seen as an economic reformer and regularly handled
talks with China, Pyongyang's only major ally. His removal is the biggest
upheaval in North Korea's leadership since Mr Kim succeeded his father,
analysts say. Two of his close aides have been executed for corruption,
according to earlier South Korean reports. BBC
Edward
Snowden To Give Evidence To EU Parliament
The European parliament is lining up Edward Snowden to give evidence
by video link this month, in spite of resistance by British Conservatives,
a Green MEP has announced. Jan Philipp Albrecht, a German Green MEP, said
parliamentarians wanted Snowden to appear before the assembly's committee
on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE). Albrecht said it would
represent a great success for the parliament's investigation into mass
surveillance of EU citizens. He said: "Half a year after the first publications
from his collection of numerous NSA documents, the truth of which has not
so far been refuted, there are still consequences as far as political responsibility
is concerned. Guardian
South
Korea Extends Its Air Defence Zone To Overlap With China's
South Korea says it has extended its air defence zone to partially
overlap with a similar zone declared by China two weeks ago that has sharply
raised regional tensions. Beijing's declaration of an air defence identification
zone in an area that includes islands at the heart of a territorial dispute
with Japan has triggered protests from the United States, Japan, South
Korea and Australia. Announcing the expansion of its own zone to include
two territorial islands to the south and a submerged rock also claimed
by China, South Korea's defence ministry said the move would not infringe
on neighbouring countries' sovereignty. Guardian
'Schizophrenic'
US Foreign Policy Pushing Arab States Toward Russia, Bahrain Warns
America’s “schizophrenic” approach to the Middle East could result
in many key Arab states deciding to align themselves more closely with
Russia, the rulers of Bahrain warned on Sunday. In an exclusive interview
with The Telegraph, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, the Crown Prince
of Bahrain, warned that Barack Obama's administration would lose influence
in the region if it persisted with what a “transient and reactive” foreign
policy. There has been a sharp rise in tensions between Washington and
several major Arab states in the wake of last month’s controversial interim
agreement with Iran over its nuclear programme. Telegraph
White
House Fights To Stop Congress Imposing Fresh Iran Sanctions
The Obama administration is mounting a determined bid to stop the US
Congress from introducing fresh Iran sanctions legislation that the White
House has warned could hamper efforts to close a comprehensive agreement
with Tehran. However with expert-level negotiations due to begin in Vienna
on Monday morning, senior senate aides said a bipartisan group of Democrat
and Republican senators were “90 per cent” of the way to agreeing a text
for new sanctions legislation. Under the plan being discussed over the
weekend, Congress would grant the White House six months to conclude a
deal with Tehran followed by two fixed 30-day extension periods to clinch
a deal, if it was close. Telegraph
In
Call To Ukrainian President, Ban Urges Peaceful Means To Diffuse Political
Tensions
With hundreds of thousands of protestors reportedly rallying anew in
the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, General Ban Ki-moon today appealed directly
to President Victor Yanukovich for peaceful dialogue to defuse ongoing
political tensions in the country. In a telephone call with the President,
Mr. Ban expressed his grave concern and emphasised that there must be no
resort to violence. He also welcomed President Yanukovich's assurances
that consultations would be initiated to defuse the situation, according
to a readout of the conversation from Mr. Ban's spokesperson. The wave
of demonstrations was sparked by a Government decision on 21 November to
not sign an agreement on broader integration with the European Union. UN
News
Philippines:
'Encouraging Progress' But Long Road Ahead - Senior UN Official
One month since Typhoon Haiyan slammed the Philippines, the top United
Nations humanitarian official in the country today urged the international
community to continue support so that people have access to food and clean
water, as well as shelter and jobs. “Visiting Tacloban today, I see big
differences from my first visit, almost one month ago,” Resident and Humanitarian
Coordinator in the Philippines Luiza Carvalho said. “The airport is operational,
fuel is available, the water system is reconnected, people are receiving
assistance and the town hall is functioning. “It is encouraging to see
significant progress in such a short space of time but we need to remember
there is a long road ahead,” she added. UN
News
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