When we first saw Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim back in December
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Tuesday 30 April 2013
Pacific Rim's Latest Trailer Is Even Better Than the First
Discuss College Savings During Divorce Process
When Mary Thate and her now ex-husband divorced, she had no idea where her children would go to college. As a couple, they had put aside money for their three children's college education. Early on in the divorce process, they decided to stay in touch and save individually for the collegiate needs of their children.
Saving for college after a divorce is a process of communication. However, the communication is easier if a framework is set up during the divorce settlement, says Mike Fitzgerald, chairman of the College Savings Plans Network.
The framework could include freezing the current 529 plan account (a tax-advantaged investment account used for higher education), splitting 529 plan accounts when needed and deciding what proportion each parent will pay toward their children's education.
[Learn more ways to save for college.]
First, freezing a 529 plan account means no more deposits are made to the account. The money already in it can only be used toward education for the child designated, Fitzgerald says.
Under normal circumstances, an account owner could withdraw money at any time for any reason - a car, a vacation or another purpose - though they would have to pay a tax penalty for non-education spending. Freezing the account prevents former spouses from doing so during what is often a very tense process, he says. Freezing the account would also prevent a parent from using account funds to pay for the education of a child from a new marriage.
The other issue that should be discussed or decreed is what to do with money left over after the child completes his or her education, says Ernest Almonte, a certified public accountant. Possible options include one of the parents using funds to return to school or a sibling using leftover funds, he says.
Once the account is frozen, there are still investment decisions, Fitzgerald says, which are made by the account owner. The legal owner could decide to change the investment strategy to a riskier, more stock-based one or take a more conservative route with a greater percentage of short-term bonds and money market and savings accounts, he says.
[Examine your college savings strategy.]
There is a solution to the problem of one parent having full investment control. "The judge can order splitting an existing 529 plan, and the state has to abide by it," Fitzgerald says.
That means each half of the plan would be set up as a new account and owned by one spouse, who would make investment decisions on his or her half of the account. If a 529 plan had $5,000 in assets, each spouse would be responsible for a new account containing $2,500.
"That money could eventually be used by each parent to help pay for his or her share of the college costs as outlined in the divorce settlement," Fitzgerald says. The court can mandate the percentage each parent will pay toward the child's education, he says. However, each parent will make their own decisions as far as how and where the savings is held or invested.
Thate set a goal of saving $4,000 a year, which she deposits into Idaho's Ideal College Savings Program 529 plan. Her new husband also deposits $4,000, for a total of $8,000. Her ex-husband makes his own decisions about how he will save.
[Avoid the college savings mistakes parents make.]
Each child's education had a different price tag, and that cost wasn't known until college neared. It varied per child based on scholarships awarded, the tuition at time of graduation and high school grades, Thate says. Their oldest won a scholarship and the former couple adjusted what each needed to contribute toward their daughter's education accordingly.
They have an open discussion with each child and say they will pay the full cost of tuition if the child chooses which college to attend from among a set list of schools, she says. If the child chooses a more expensive school, she and her ex-husband will pay a certain amount.
Parents have to keep working together and be in agreement when it comes to education, Thate says. She and her ex-husband managed to get two children started in college by working together.
Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/discuss-college-savings-during-divorce-process-150730767.html
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The Captain's Journal ? Dangerous Old Guys
The Baltimore Sun:
Besides drinking beer, there are two other pastimes that Bavarians love: driving and sport-shooting, including hunting. Bavarians build BMW?s ?Ultimate Driving Machines.? Bavarians? national dress is hunter green. No one who visits Munich is likely to miss the German Hunting and Fishing Museum in the middle of the main shopping street. When in Munich, I saw the world?s best-known opera devoted to shooting and hunting, Carl Maria von Weber?s ?Der Freisch?tz? (?The Marksman?), with its unforgettable Hunters? Chorus singing, ?What on earth can equal the pleasure of hunting??
Nationwide in Germany, there are hundreds of Sch?tzenvereins (shooting clubs) with thousands of members. At fairs and festivals, members march through village streets sporting their weapons. In the 19th century, German immigrants brought Schuetzenvereins to the United States, including one in Baltimore in the 1850s; some of the descendants of those immigrants are core supporters of shooting and hunting. At brewing beer, driving cars and shooting guns, Bavarians are world class.
When individual Bavarians want to own and operate Ultimate Driving Machines, they don?t think twice about getting licenses to drive and registrations to own these vehicles. They don?t think twice that they have to be of the legal age to drive, have to show that they know the traffic laws, have to show that they know how to operate these machines safely and have to present liability insurance in case their Ultimate Driving Machines injure anyone.
It?s no different in America. Those who want to own and operate a car are not troubled that they must show that they are of legal age, must demonstrate that they know the traffic laws, must show that they can operate cars safely and must maintain liability insurance on the cars they own. They do not think of licensing as a limitation on their freedom but as a protection for us all against potentially dangerous use of driving machines.
Just as Bavarians accept that they must be licensed to own and operate their Ultimate Driving Machines, so too do they accept, without objection, that they must be licensed to own and shoot firearms. What are these requirements? They are similar to those for cars.
Applicants must show that they are of legal age. They must show that they are ?reliable,? i.e., that they have not recently been convicted of certain crimes. A background check is required. Applicants must have ?personal aptitude? ? they are not mentally ill or substance abusers. They must pass a test that shows that they have ?specialized knowledge.? They must maintain liability insurance.
Sounds oh so reasonable, right?? Wait for the next part.
Finally, applicants must show that they have a ?need? to own a gun. The law defines ?need? broadly to include ?personal or economic interests meriting special recognition, above all as a hunter, marksman, traditional marksman, collector of weapons or ammunition, weapons or ammunition expert, endangered person, weapons manufacturer, weapons dealer or security firm ?? Licensing their use of firearms is no more an imposition on their freedom than is licensing the use of Ultimate Driving Machines.
Trust the government, says the commentary.? If you want a weapon it?s virtually the same thing as needing a weapon.? We really do want to serve you.? Trust us.
Do I seem like a guy who is amenable to these ?reasonable? proposals???WRSA notes that I?m?a dangerous old guy.? Don?t try to sell a pack of lies to dangerous old guys.? After all, we have guns, and we?re dangerous.? We just want to be left alone.
Source: http://www.captainsjournal.com/2013/04/28/dangerous-old-guys/
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Extreme political attitudes may stem from an illusion of understanding
Apr. 29, 2013 ? Having to explain how a political policy works leads people to express less extreme attitudes toward the policy, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
The research suggests that people may hold extreme policy positions because they are under an illusion of understanding -- attempting to explain the nuts and bolts of how a policy works forces them to acknowledge that they don't know as much about the policy as they initially thought.
Psychological scientist Philip Fernbach of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado, Boulder and his co-authors were interested in exploring some of the factors that could contribute to what they see as increasing political polarization in the United States.
"We wanted to know how it's possible that people can maintain such strong positions on issues that are so complex -- such as macroeconomics, health care, foreign relations -- and yet seem to be so ill-informed about those issues," says Fernbach.
Drawing on previous research on the illusion of understanding, Fernbach and colleagues speculated that one reason for the apparent paradox may be that voters think they understand how policies work better than they actually do.
In their first study, the researchers asked participants taking an online survey to rate how well they understood six political policies, including raising the retirement age for Social Security, instituting a national flat tax, and implementing merit-based pay for teachers. The participants were randomly assigned to explain two of the policies and then asked to re-rate how well they understood the policies.
As the researchers predicted, people reported lower understanding of all six policies after they had to explain them, and their positions on the policies were less extreme. In fact, the data showed that the more people's understanding decreased, the more uncertain they were about the position, and the less extreme their position was in the end.
The act of explaining also affected participants' behavior. People who initially held a strong position softened their position after having to explain it, making them less likely to donate bonus money to a related organization when they were given the opportunity to do so.
Importantly, the results affected people along the whole political spectrum, from self-identified Democrats to Republicans to Independents.
According to the researchers, these findings shed light on a psychological process that may help people to open the lines of communication in the context of a heated debate or negotiation.
"This research is important because political polarization is hard to combat," says Fernbach. "There are many psychological processes that act to create greater extremism and polarization, but this is a rare case where asking people to attempt to explain makes them back off their extreme positions."
In addition to Fernbach, co-authors include Todd Rogers of the Harvard Kennedy School; Craig R. Fox of the University of California, Los Angeles; and Steven A. Sloman of Brown University.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.
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Journal Reference:
- P. M. Fernbach, T. Rogers, C. R. Fox, S. A. Sloman. Political Extremism Is Supported by an Illusion of Understanding. Psychological Science, 2013; DOI: 10.1177/0956797612464058
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/n46HoETan78/130429130543.htm
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Monday 29 April 2013
Mormon Church to accept gay Boy Scouts
In a major step regarding openness in the Boy Scouts of America, Mormon Church officials have approved the scout organization's acceptance of gay scouts. Still, the new ruling remains controversial because it bans gay scout leaders.
James Oliver, left, hugs his brother and fellow Eagle Scout, Will Oliver, who is gay, as Will and other supporters carry petitions to end the ban on gay scouts and leaders in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
Tony Gutierrez/AP
EnlargeFor the Boy Scouts of America, a new effort to chart a middle ground on the issues of sexual orientation is proving controversial.
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The proposed policy by the Boy Scouts, announced recently, is to welcome youths into the organization, regardless of sexual orientation, but to maintain a ban on gay adults serving in the organization. The proposal must be approved by the Scouts?National Council at a meeting in Texas the week of May 20.
It?s an effort to quell rising controversy, but it comes with its own ability to stir passionate arguments.
On the one hand, an important ally of the Boy Scouts, the Mormon church, has given an important welcome to the move. Important because of the reiligion?s large involvement in Scouts, along with other churches.
On the other hand, many groups and individual Americans are voicing criticism of the Scouts? proposal as not going far enough. If a young man earns his way to be an Eagle Scout, they ask, is it fair to bar him from becoming a troop leader later in life, based on sexual orientation?
The Boy Scouts of America is walking a line more difficult than many a woodland ropes course: Any position it takes will come in for significant criticism.
Among Boy Scouts members in the heavily Mormon Great Salt Lake Council, some 4 in 5?Scout?leaders and parents said they're opposed to lifting the ban on gays, the Associated Press reported. Nearly half of some 4,700 respondents to the survey said they would quit the?Scouts?if the ban on gays is lifted.
But the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Thursday that ?while the Church?has not launched any campaign either to effect or prevent a policy change, we have followed the discussion and are satisfied that BSA has made a thoughtful, good-faith effort to address issues that, as they have said, remain ?among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.?
The statement is significant, because of the strong role that Mormon churches and families nationwide play in sponsoring scout groups. The church sponsors 25 percent of all local Cub?Scout?and Boy?Scout?groups, and accounts for 15 percent of the Boys Scouts? total membership of 2.7 million, according to a Saturday news report in the New York Times.
The Boy Scouts of America, defending its proposed policy, said in a recent statement that ?while perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community, and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting.?
At the same time,?many people involved in scouting nationwide are reluctant to change the current policy on adults in the group. The group?s current policy is that ?While the BSA does not proactively inquire about sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.?
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/NmmqeDVGUv8/Mormon-Church-to-accept-gay-Boy-Scouts
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Chris Dixon Plans On Investing In More Bitcoin Startups, Says More Entrepreneurs Are Getting Involved
Chris Dixon joined our co-editor Eric Eldon this morning at Disrupt NY 2013 to discuss his move out to San Francisco for a job at Andreessen Horowitz. One of the areas that interests him the most is the much-hyped Bitcoin space. The reason why Dixon is so interested is because it solves many problems for those who have tried to start a financial company in the past. He said: “There’s the whole problem of fraud online, which is a massive problem, along with all of the payment fees. The interesting thing with these math-based currencies is that you can do transactions without trusting the person at all.” He went on to discuss the beauty of Bitcoin, mostly the anonymous aspect of it, requiring no authentication or trust on either side of a transaction. Dixon stated: “The Internet is an anonymous network, but it requires authenticating identity. The exciting thing about these new currency schemes is that you have these anonymous payment systems grafted onto anonymous networks.” An example of the type of companies that Dixon is interested in investing in when it comes to Bitcoin are the companies like “Pay For Bits,” who would like to be the PayPal of Bitcoin. Due to regulations alone, there’s been a massive wall in between startups and doing something like this with actual money. Dixon feels like the best entrepreneurs on both coasts will probably start getting into Bitcoin and that means that we’ll see more innovation in the space. While top entrepreneurs won’t necessarily jump off of what they’re doing to start a Bitcoin company, but there are elements of the anonymous currency that could creep into existing products. For example, Reddit added Bitcoin as an option to purchase gold on the site, and we’ll have to see more of those types of things happen before the real products and investing starts.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/EWMYsyCnIWU/
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Samsung Announces The Underwhelming Galaxy Tab 3
Samsung introduced its latest tablet today, the Galaxy Tab 3, and it's clear that the Tab line is destined to play a distinct second fiddle to the Galaxy Note brand. The Tab 3 sounds like it could've been released a year or two ago, with a 7-inch 1024x600 display at just 169 PPI, a 1.2GHz dual core processor and a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UmAi934mFaM/
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3 Taliban bombs target Pakistani politicians
PARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) ? Taliban bombs targeting politicians in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday killed 11 people, the latest in a series of attacks meant to disrupt next month's parliamentary election, police said.
The wave of political violence has killed at least 60 people in recent weeks, and many of the attacks have been directed at candidates from secular parties opposed to the Taliban. That has raised concern the violence could benefit hard-line Islamic candidates and others who are more sympathetic to the Taliban because they are able to campaign more freely without fear of being of being attacked.
Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the three attacks, plus two others against secular parties in the southern port city of Karachi on Saturday that killed four people and wounded over 40.
"We are against all politicians who are going to become part of any secular, democratic government," Ahsan told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.
The first bomb on Sunday ripped through the campaign office of Syed Noor Akbar on the outskirts of Kohat city, killing six people and wounding 10, police officer Mujtaba Hussain said.
A second bomb targeted the office of another candidate, Nasir Khan Afridi, in the suburbs of Peshawar city. That attack killed three people and wounded 12, police officer Saifur Rehman said.
The politicians were not in their offices at the time of the blasts. They are both running as independent candidates for parliament to represent constituencies in Pakistan's rugged tribal region along the Afghan border, the main sanctuary for Taliban and al-Qaida militants in the country.
Many politicians running in the May 11 election from the tribal region have their offices located elsewhere and find it hard to campaign in their constituencies because of the danger. The two who were attacked Sunday are considered to hold relatively progressive views compared to the deeply conservative Islamic beliefs of many in the tribal region.
The third attack occurred in the town of Swabi, where a bomb went off during a small rally held by the Awami National Party, which has been repeatedly targeted by the Taliban. The blast killed two people and wounded five, said police officer Farooq Khan. The two candidates targeted in the attack, Ameer Rehman and Haji Rehman, were not hurt.
The Pakistani Taliban have been waging a bloody insurgency against the government for years that has killed thousands of civilians and security personnel. The group's goal is to oust Pakistan's democratic government and implement a system based on Islamic law.
In mid-March, the Taliban threatened attacks against three secular parties that have earned the militants' ire by supporting military operations against them in the northwest: the Awami National Party, the Muttahida Quami Movement and the Pakistan People's Party. The Taliban have carried out at least 20 attacks against politicians and campaign workers since then, mostly from these three parties.
The violence has forced the parties to close dozens of campaign offices and has prevented them from holding large political rallies that are normally the hallmark of Pakistani elections. Many of the candidates have had to find ways to campaign from a distance, relying more on social media, advertisements and even short documentaries to rally support.
That has put these candidates at a disadvantage, and many have complained the militant violence amounts to vote rigging.
Candidates from Islamic parties and others who have advocated negotiating peace with the militants rather than fighting them have been able to campaign with much less fear of being attacked.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the Pakistan Muslim League-N party, held a rally with several thousand people in the northern town of Murree on Sunday without incident. Many analysts predict Sharif's party will come out on top in the parliamentary election.
The Taliban issued a statement earlier this year requesting that Sharif and the heads of the country's two largest Islamic parties mediate peace negotiations. Sharif declined but said he was a supporter of the talks.
The parties that have been targeted by the Taliban also support peace negotiations with the militants, but only if they lay down their weapons and accept the constitution first ? conditions the militant group has rejected.
____
Associated Press Writers Riaz Khan and Rasool Dawar in Peshawar contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/3-taliban-bombs-target-pakistani-politicians-172732748.html
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Unprecedented talent of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble in ...
The dancers of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble (NCYTE) brought their youthful exuberance and polished precision to an enthusiastic audience at the Carolina Theatre on opening night for their new show Rhythm Evolved. They?ll be repeating the performance Sunday, April 28th at 2:00 pm and you would do yourself a favor to be there.
The two seniors, Laura and Sarah, planned the show with the help of director Gene Medler and assistant director Rachel Teem. The pair of seniors?also choreographed the opening number, entitled Rhythm Evolved. The apt name of the dance and program was given in recognition of tap?s historical evolution to the present, the evolution of NCYTE over its 30 years, and the two seniors? personal tap journeys over the years with NCYTE, according to Laura.
When the curtain lifted you could feel positive energy and a lightness in the theater. The dancers looked sharp in black dress clothes, uniform but individual.
I found it impossible not to smile when I heard the Old Crow Medicine Show song Hard to Love and heavy footsteps coming from backstage that signaled the beginning of the Bluegrass Suite, one of two suites choreographed for the company by alum Michelle Dorrance. Petite Suite, a set of three dances is equally charming and quirky. The newest addition to Petite Suite, The Waltz is a laugh out loud dance full of show-offs with a Spanish flare.
Dancers Luke and Max performed the demanding tap dance choreographed and made famous by Steve and Nick Condos in 1938, The Condos Brothers? Indian Routine. Sam Weber reconstructed and restaged the work in 2003. It?s a dance full of unbelievably fast and challenging flash tap steps in which Luke and Max remained consistently in sync with each other and the music.
The Taiko Drumming Dance is a new piece conceived by Medler based on traditional Japanese Taiko drumming. In this beautiful piece, drummers move slowly and cast long shadows, gradually increasing the tempo. They are joined by two dancers who add to the complexity of the drums? rhythm before finishing as one with the drums.
Rhythm Evolved features guest artists Matthew Shields and Michelle Dorrance, who each dance alone and return to the stage together later in the show. Shields, currently based in Austin, TX where he is a principal dancer with Tapestry Dance Company, gave a whimsical performance to continuously changing music. His ease with slides and turns made it seem he was on ice. Shields danced in a familiar and understated way and worked his way up to super-fast taps that came from imperceptible movements.
Dorrance?s physical whole-body based tapping and authentic expression created an attention grabbing and captivating performance. I?ve never seen a tap dancer so connected to the sounds she produces. The sounds separated from her movement as smoothly as liquid mercury separates into droplets.
Dorrance, who is a Bessie award winner and the first tap? choreographer to receive a Princess Grace award, spoke as a former NCYTE member about the company?s 30 years, its legacy, and the impact of Gene Medler as the director. ?He is developing artists,? Dorrance said of Medler. She also said the company is unprecedented in the world and throughout tap history.
From the seniors to the youngest and newest, NCYTE members are creative in improvisation, precise and engaged in groups, and a joy to witness in action. These kids are top-notch artists you don?t want to miss. Do yourself a favor and go see the Sunday performance.
For ticket information visit: http://www.ncyte.dreamhosters.com/?page_id=43
See some pictures from a studio rehearsal at Artsview NC : A day with NCYTE
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Sunday 28 April 2013
GOP faces Senate recruitment woes in key states
In this Jan. 15, 2013 file photo, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad delivers the annual Condition of the State address before a joint session of the Iowa Legislature, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. The state has paid nearly $400,000 in attorney fees to an outside lawyer handling a discrimination lawsuit against Branstad. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
In this Jan. 15, 2013 file photo, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad delivers the annual Condition of the State address before a joint session of the Iowa Legislature, at the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. The state has paid nearly $400,000 in attorney fees to an outside lawyer handling a discrimination lawsuit against Branstad. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? Republicans are struggling to recruit strong Senate candidates in states that present the party's best opportunities to reclaim the majority, a sign that the GOP's post-2012 soul-searching may end up creeping into the midterm congressional elections.
It's admittedly early, with more than 18 months before the November 2014 elections.
But candidate recruitment efforts are well underway. And, so far, Republicans haven't been able to field a top-tier candidate in Iowa or Michigan, swing-voting states where the GOP hopes to make a play for seats left open by the retirement of veteran Democratic senators. Also, the GOP is facing the prospect of contentious and expensive primary races in Georgia and perhaps West Virginia, two GOP-leaning states where sitting senators ? one Republican, one Democrat ? are retiring.
With President Barack Obama not on the top of the ticket, Republicans may have their best chance in years to try to retake the Senate, which would put a major crimp on the president's efforts to enact his agenda and shape his legacy in the final two years of his presidency. Republicans need to gain six seats to win control of the Senate. Democrats will be defending 21 seats to Republicans' 14, meaning the GOP has more opportunity to try to win on Democratic turf.
Only recently, Republicans were reveling in the fact that several veteran Democrats were retiring in states where the GOP had not had a chance to win in decades. Last week, Democrat Max Baucus of Montana became the latest to announce his retirement in a state that typically tilts Republican.
But a combination of no-thank-yous from prospective Republican candidates in Iowa, slow movement among others in Michigan and lack of consensus elsewhere over a single contender have complicated the early goings of what historically would be the GOP's moment to strike ? the sixth year of a presidency, when the party out of power in the White House usually wins congressional seats.
Despite that historical disadvantage, Democrats are fighting to reclaim the majority in the House, where control will be decided by a couple of dozen swing states.
After embarrassing losses in GOP-leaning Indiana and Missouri last year, the new Republican Senate campaign leadership is responding by wading deep into the early stages of the 2014 races, conducting exhaustive research on would-be candidates, making hard pitches for those they prefer and discouraging those they don't, to the point of advertising against them. The hope is to limit the number of divisive primaries that only stand to remind voters of their reservations about Republicans.
"It's more about trying to get consensus and avoid a primary that would reopen those wounds, rather than the party struggling to find candidates," said Greg Strimple, a pollster who and consultant to several 2012 Republican Senate campaigns.
This year, the party's top national Senate campaign strategists are so concerned about squandering potential opportunities by failing to convince popular Republicans to run in key places that they visited Iowa last week to survey the landscape after two top Senate prospects ? Rep. Tom Latham, a prolific fundraiser, and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, a rising star ? decided against running despite aggressive lobbying by the National Republican Senate Committee.
Its senior spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, and its political director, Ward Baker, met privately Wednesday with state Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and state Sen. Joni Ernst, who have expressed interest. They invited Mark Jacobs, the former CEO of Reliant Energy, to breakfast Thursday. And they also tried again ? and in vain, it turns out ? to persuade veteran Gov. Terry Branstad, Iowa's longest-serving governor, to run for Senate instead of seeking another gubernatorial term.
Despite all that, the Washington delegation shrugged off the recruitment troubles, with McLaughlin saying: "It's more important to take the time to get it right than it is to rush and get it wrong."
McLaughlin and others have lamented the national party's decision not to intervene in the candidate selection last year, when Republicans lost races viewed as winnable in Indiana, Missouri and elsewhere.
Hence, the GOP's active role in Iowa this year.
The mission in Iowa: Beat Democrat Bruce Braley, a four-term congressman seeking to succeed retiring six-term Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. Braley is the party's consensus prospect, winning Harkin's endorsement and already raising more than $1 million for his campaign.
Democrats are similarly set in Michigan, where veteran term Democrat Sen. Carl Levin is leaving office after six terms. The Democratic field has been all but cleared for three-term Rep. Gary Peters, who already has more than $800,000 toward his campaign. Last week, Debbie Dingell, wife of Michigan Rep. John Dingell, opted not to run for the Senate, after some of her key donors made clear they were for Peters.
But, as in Iowa, Republicans have faced recruitment challenges in Michigan.
So, the GOP's Senate campaign committee is planning a visit soon to Michigan, and hope to coax Rep. Mike Rogers into the race. There's a belief in GOP circles in Washington and in Michigan that the seven-term Rogers, a former FBI agent who now chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, would be a stronger candidate than two-term Rep. Justin Amash, a tea party darling with little money in his campaign account.
National Republican officials also are working to head off primaries in several states and are taking sides when they can't. That includes in West Virginia, which Mitt Romney won and where six-term Democrat Jay Rockefeller is retiring.
Rep. Shelley Moore-Capito quickly announced her candidacy and became a favorite of the GOP establishment. Some conservatives complained about her votes for financial industry bailouts, and former state Sen. Patrick McGeehan has announced plans to challenge her. National Republican Senate Committee officials said they would campaign ? and run ads ? against McGeehan if he appeared to be a threat.
In Georgia, several Republican candidates are considering trying to succeed the retiring Republican Saxby Chambliss. But so far, the two who have entered the race are arch conservative House members Paul Broun and Phil Gingrey. So far, national Republicans are treading carefully there to avoid enraging the conservative base. But the primary field could eventually include up to a half-dozen people.
At the local level, some Republicans are worried the delay is costing precious organizing and fundraising time.
"Every day Iowa Republicans spend talking about potential candidate deliberations ... is a day lost," said former Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn.
But others say that the meddling from Washington stifles the voices of voters, who they say ought to be in charge of shaping the party's future, even if the primary is loud and divisive.
"It's a truer reflection of where the Republican Party needs to go," said Iowa Republican Doug Gross, a veteran adviser to Branstad.
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Obama jokes about aging during 2nd term
President Barack Obama speaks at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama speaks at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Michael Douglas poses for a photo during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama talks with Michael Clemente, Executive Vice President of Fox News, the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama looks to the podium during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
First lady Michelle Obama, right, and late-night television host Conan O'Brien attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama joked Saturday that the years are catching up to him and he's not "the strapping young Muslim socialist" he used to be.
Obama poked fun at himself as well as some of his political adversaries during the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner attended by politicians, members of the media and Hollywood celebrities.
Entering to the rap track "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled, Obama joked about how re-election would allow him to unleash a radical agenda. But then he showed a picture of himself golfing on a mock magazine cover of "Senior Leisure."
"I'm not the strapping young Muslim Socialist that I used to be," the president remarked, and then recounted his recent 2-for-22 basketball shooting performance at the White House Easter Egg hunt.
But Obama's most dramatic shift for the next four years appeared to be aesthetic. He presented a montage of shots featuring him with bangs similar to those sometimes sported by his wife.
"So we borrowed one of Michelle's tricks," Obama said. "I thought this looked pretty good, but no bounce."
Obama closed by noting the nation's recent tragedies in Massachusetts and Texas, praising Americans of all stripes from first responders to local journalists for serving the public good.
Saturday night's banquet not far from the White House attracted the usual assortment of stars from Hollywood and beyond. Actors Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Claire Danes, who play government characters on series, were among the attendees, as was Korean entertainer Psy. Several Cabinet members, governors and members of Congress were present.
And despite coming at a somber time, nearly two weeks after the deadly Boston Marathon bombing and 10 days after a devastating fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, the president and political allies and rivals alike took the opportunity to enjoy some humor. Late-night talk-show host Conan O'Brien headlined the event.
Some of Obama's jokes came at his Republican rivals' expense. He asked that the GOP's minority outreach begin with him as a "trial run" and said he'd take his recent charm offensive with Republicans on the road, including events with conservatives such as Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Michele Bachmann.
"In fact, I'm taking my charm offensive on the road -- a Texas barbeque with Ted Cruz, a Kentucky bluegrass concert with Rand Paul, and a book-burning with Michele Bachmann," Obama joked.
Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson would have had better success getting Obama out of office if he simply offered the president $100 million to drop out of last year's race, Obama quipped.
And on the 2016 election, the president noted in self-referential irony that potential Republican candidate Sen. Marco Rubio wasn't qualified because he hasn't even served a full term in the Senate. Obama served less than four years of his six-year Senate term before he was elected president in 2008.
"I mean, the guy has not even finished a single term in the Senate and he thinks he's ready to be President," Obama joked.
The gala also was an opportunity for six journalists, including Associated Press White House Correspondent Julie Pace, to be honored for their coverage of the presidency and national issues.
The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza won the Aldo Beckman Award, which recognizes excellence in the coverage of the presidency.
Pace won the Merriman Smith Award for a print journalist for coverage on deadline.
ABC's Terry Moran was the winner of the broadcast Merriman Smith Award for deadline reporting.
Reporters Jim Morris, Chris Hamby and Ronnie Greene of the Center for Public Integrity won the Edgar A. Poe Award for coverage of issues of national significance.
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So, while American TV news was mesmerized by the Royal baby ...
If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves. - Howard Zinn
Someone pointed out to me that North Korea has been awfully quiet this week, all things considered. Or, at least, our crackerjack news networks haven?t seen fit to cover them.
True, we have had two major events happen in close succession - the Boston bombing and the plant explosion in Texas. Oh, and how our ?lawmakers? sprang into action when airline profits were threatened by the government budget battles.
Other than that, though, what else (other than stories about the Boston bomber) have we learned about?
We have seen endless footage of the Royal ?baby bump,? with anxious Americans being informed of the child?s role when it comes to succeeding the current Queen of England - roughly, a few thousand supermarket openings and other photo ops to go, kid.
We don?t actually know anything about the oddly-bland made for TV Royal couple, other than what press releases tell us . . . but then, modern journalism lives on press releases.
The opening of the George Bush Presidential Library, which featured fawning reporter after fawning reporter talking to the former president about his new found love for painting.
Som yes, Wagnerian Reader, one might possibly be forgiven for thinking that nothing else happened in the world this week. Except for . . .
I picked up a copy of the New York Times yesterday, just to see if there might have been one or two stories the networks might have let slip through the cracks, and here are some of the nuggets I found:
North Korea Issues Threat At Ceremony For Military - North Korean generals warned that not only were their forces ready to launch ICBM attacks against this country, but that the North is ? . . . one click away from pressing the launch button.? The claim was made that pilots, instead of loading up with fuel for a return trip, would be prepared to launch ?kamikaze-like? attacks against this country.
Venezuela Says U.S. Citizen Plotted Unrest - Timothy Hallett was arrested on accusations that he was working with right-wing groups hoping to promote violence, and possibly even a civil war.
Cuba: U.S. Bars Raul Castro?s Daughter from a Forum - Castro?s daughter was to attend a gay rights conference in Philadelphia next week, when she was to receive an award. No explanation was given for the decision to bar her from the conference.
South Africa: Lawmakers Pass Contentious Secrecy Bill - The South African government approved a highly criticized bill would increase the government?s power to restrict access to information.
Agency Halts Trials for AIDS Vaccine - A trial of a possible Vaccine against AIDS was halted because it appeared not to be working, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Cancer Specialists Attack High Drug Costs - More than 100 cancer specialist from around the globe met to take what has been described as the ?first step? in banding together in the hopes of persuading drug companies to bring their prices down.
Wouldn?t it be nice if ?lawmakers? who get campaign donations from drug manufacturers also felt such concern?
And if this wasn?t bad enough, it takes the excellent HBO documentary series VICE to lay open just what is happening in Europe, while on American TV news all we hear is that folks are in an uproar due to ?austerity measures.?
I still cling to the old-fashioned view that knowing things (real things, not conspiracy drenched crap) is important to our culture, and to ourselves as human beings. It sets good example for our friends, and for the young people in our lives, while being pig ignorant, on the other hand . . .
Maybe it?s too late to expect anything of local and national news, but we can expect more of ourselves, and it only takes a few minutes a week to stay informed.
******
And here is one bit of news a local anchor and weatherman twisted out of all proportion
A local anchor and weatherman were practically giving each other high fives a few days ago, because ?the drought is over.?
This headline from the New York Times:
In Midwest, Drought Gives way To Flood.
Deep, deep sigh.
*****
Quote of the Day
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition. - Carl Sagan
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Top Business Blogs | Content for Reprint
Word Count: 975 Date:
You can enjoy nearly unlimited success when you apply effective Internet marketing principles. There are lots of different ways one can interact and communicate customers today that was never possible in the past. This article will help you develop a better understanding of the basics behind this form of advertising.
Hold events and promotions to attract traffic. Perhaps you could run a two day sale on an e-book, with loss-leader price of a dollar or two. They will come for the sale, but they will often see other things that they like. They may even make another purchase while they are there picking up their cheap e-book.
Have a section of your site dedicated to customer feedback about your products. Your visitors will enjoy reading others' opinions of your product and your service. Comments show that your site is honest and trustworthy and makes your customers feel comfortable purchasing from you.
If you want to get a large number of visitors at your site, viral videos can accomplish this. However, it can take some real creativity and determination to develop a video that catches on with thousands and thousands, if not millions, of viewers. If done the right way, it will have a big impact on your sales as opposed to any other kind of campaign.
Contribute to a charitable organization on behalf of top business blogs. Select a cause that will most likely reflect your customers interests and agendas, and inform them that some of your profits are donated to that charity. This charity will advertise for you, and it will also make your company look better. You could support several charities and allow your customers to choose their favorite.
You can use organic methods to increase the visibility of your business and you can pay to advertise online. This can easily be accomplished by using a company such as Google AdSense. This allows you to get the most exposure and variety for your advertising dollar.
Try offering special discounts for buying the same product regularly. Offer them a plan where if they agree to sign up for a subscription to receive additional supplies periodically, they will receive a small amount off the normal single unit price.
Consider advertising your business online to increase its visibility. You will be glad you spend the money over time because it will pay for itself. It's a great way to attract clients who might not have found you otherwise.
Your customers are going to have a lot of questions, and you need to be ready to answer them. People visit your website in a quest for further information. If you do not provide prompt and accurate responses, they will move on. If you give them info that will answer their inquiries, they will be more likely to purchase your products.
Put relevant and useful information on your page. A simple digital billboard featuring your hours of operation, address and toll free number is simply not going to garner you much business. Try adding articles and things like reviews to gain interest in potential customers. This helps them know that you're informed about your products and services.
Create a website that has informative content and is easy to navigate. Your main focus should be educating your customers quickly so they have an idea what they are buying. Don't pad your descriptions or provide irrelevant information that will just bore your customers.
Direct marketing for a home based business blog, should not be overlooked as a complement to the marketing system for your Internet site. Contact your customers via email, phone or fax to let them know about any upcoming specials you may have. The yellow pages or Internet phone books will be of great use.
Affiliate marketing is similar to other markets, but it can also be drastically different in some distinct areas. Maybe search engines won't focus as much on title tags in the future. If the search engines do implement a major change, you need to be ready to alter your campaigns to include techniques such as video marketing.
Make use of emphasis coding on your website. Draw focus to words or phrases that you want to highlight by using bold text, underlining the phrases or italicizing the words. This can help you determine how you wish your customers to receive a specific type of message. This also makes the message more clear.
Getting Google to list your website is essential for your internet promotion success. Google is utilized by millions of people daily, and you need your business there in case they are searching a term related to you. You can list your business on directories such as Yahoo Maps, Google Places or Yelp, for instance.
You must determine the composition of your audience and decide what sort of information will draw them to the website. When you have a target audience in mind, deciding on content becomes much simpler.
Nothing sells quite like a product that the customer feels an attachment to, so it's up to you to propagate that attachment. Ask the user to think about how their life would benefit from using the product you are offering. The customer should be able to imagine the benefits just by reading about the product.
We have already seen how marketing through the Internet offers a way to contact new customers. It is also an excellent way to retain the customers you already have. The Internet has opened up a whole panoply of new ways for customers and businesses to connect with each other. Implement what you've learned from this article, and start a rewarding Affiliate marketing journey.
Businesses go to so much trouble when there is one sure-fire, simple, very inexpensive way to attract new clients to a business: Teach a free class. That is what article marketing is like. Your articles are just like free classes. You teach your target readers something helpful in your article. Your resource box then says, "If you enjoyed this article you can visit my website and apply what you have learned."
Being an entrepreneur and earning multiple streams of income is a dream that many have, but in reality it does take some initial hard work to achieve this. Earning multiple streams of income is the wave of the future, and here are some tips and advice for you when you are looking for ways in which to do this for yourself.
Starting a home based business to earn income online takes a significant amount of time and energy upfront to get things going. Not seeing results immediately can be discouraging and cause people to give up too early. In this article, we look at the process of starting a home based business and working through the frustrations to be there when the sales come flowing in.
Cyber marketing has now become an indispensable segment of e-commerce as well as the internet and World Wide Web related topics. Cyber marketing simply refers to a technique of attracting potential customers by advertising your products or services through such means as websites, emails, and banners.
If you want your SEO to work you now need to concentrate on appeasing Google Panda, and to do this you need to know what Google Panda's spiders/bots will be looking for. Find out here how to search engine optimise your website for the latest Google Panda algorithm, and achieve the success you deserve.
Source: http://www.content4reprint.com/internet-marketing/top-business-blogs.htm
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Saturday 27 April 2013
'Smart skin' hope for touch sensor
26 April 2013
Last updated at 03:35 ET
Scientists have made a step forward in their ability to mimic the sense of touch.
A team from the US and China made an experimental array that can sense pressure in the same range as the human fingertip.
The advance could speed the development of smarter artificial skin capable of "feeling" activity on the surface.
The sensors, which are described in Science magazine, could also help give robots a more adaptive sense of touch.
Using bundles of vertical zinc oxide nanowires, the researchers built arrays consisting of about 8,000 transistors.
Continue reading the main story?Start Quote
End Quote Zhong Lin Wang Georgia Institute of TechnologyThis is a fundamentally new technology that allows us to control electronic devices directly using mechanical agitation?
Each of the transistors can independently produce an electronic signal when placed under mechanical strain.
The touch-sensitive transistors - dubbed taxels - have a sensitivity comparable to that of a human fingertip.
"Any mechanical motion, such as the movement of arms or the fingers of a robot, could be translated to control signals," said Zhong Lin Wang, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
"This could make artificial skin smarter and more like the human skin. It would allow the skin to feel activity on the surface."
Mimicking the sense of touch electronically has been challenging, and can be achieved by measuring changes in resistance prompted by mechanical touch.
The devices developed by the Georgia Tech researchers rely on a different physical phenomenon - tiny polarisation changes when so-called "piezoelectric" materials such as zinc oxide are moved or placed under strain.
Piezoelectricity essentially refers to current that accumulates in certain solids in response to applied mechanical stress.
In the "iezotronic transistors, the piezoelectric charges control the flow of current through the wires.
The technique only works in materials that have both piezoelectric and semiconducting properties. These properties are seen in nanowires and certain thin films.
"This is a fundamentally new technology that allows us to control electronic devices directly using mechanical agitation," Prof Wang added.
"This could be used in a broad range of areas, including robotics, (very small devices known as MEMS), human-computer interfaces and other areas that involve mechanical deformation."
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22302487#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
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Blogger Showcase April 2013 - Recipes From A Pantry
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Requiem for Our Wonderfully Inefficient World
Once our faces can be tied our social networking profiles, all sorts of other manipulations enter the picture Photo by Ricardo Moraes/Reuters
Last summer, Momentum, a Spanish marketing agency, ran an ingenious campaign: It installed 18 smart vending machines that lowered the price of cold drinks on hot days. A drink bought in 77 degrees Fahrenheit cost 2 euro. If the temperature went above 86 degrees, you had to pay just 1.40 euro.
The experiment in sensor-based pricing was clearly a marketing stunt: What real business would be dumb enough to lower drink prices on a hot day? A business that wants to stay afloat would deploy sensors to do the very opposite. And, short of outright vandalism, consumers wouldn't be able to do much in protest: The machine can easily tolerate any grumpy complaints.
Momentum got one thing right, though: The proliferation of cheap sensors has made dynamic pricing?whereby the cost can be adjusted in real-time without intervention by the human operator?a tempting option. And while some sensors try to work out environmental factors like the temperature outside, others could concentrate on learning more about the buyers themselves: Are they young? Are they dressed fancy? Are they on Facebook?
The first two can be answered today. In 2011, Intel and Kraft teamed up to launch iSample kiosks that rely on an optical sensor to determine the age and sex of the shopper and then suggest products to serve him or her. The machine was initially used to market Temptations?a jelly-based dessert advertised as ?the first Jell-O that's just for adults.? So, on detecting a child, the machine would ask them to step away. A similar vending machine in Japan relies on facial recognition technology to recommend drinks to different consumers: Men younger than 50 are recommended canned coffee drinks, while women in their 20s are offered tea.
Right now, sensors could help automate simple, binary decisions?don't let youngsters borrow adult DVDs!?but it won't take long before they enable interventions of the more elaborate variety: Once our faces can be tied our social networking profiles, all sorts of other manipulations enter the picture. Discounts, yes?but there may also be situations in which our willingness to pay for something is clearly greater than the price we are charged by a dumb, sensorless machine. If the machine can predict those situations?by analyzing our social networking profile or querying the self-tracking app on our phone to find out just how thirsty we are?it can charge us exactly what we are willing to pay.
In theory, at least, there's much to celebrate here: Sensors will make resource use more efficient?and a new generation of startups will gladly exploit these new efficiencies. Max Levchin, the former CTO of Paypal and a prominent technology investor, said as much in a keynote talk he gave in January at the high-profile Digital-Life-Design conference (a German equivalent of TED). For Levchin, sensors can finally allow us to use ?cars, houses, humans, etc.,? to their full potential. ?The world of real things is very inefficient: Slack resources are abundant, so are the companies trying to rationalize their use,? he says. But today, thanks to ?the digitalization of analog data, and its management in a centralized queue,? one can ?create amazing new efficiencies? simply by using sensors to better allocate resources.
Take transportation startups like Uber or Hailo. When you called a taxi service in the past, the dispatcher was supposed to treat everyone the same?first called, first served. If you hung up in anger, you'd have to start all over again. Under this ?dumb? system, notes Levchin, ?even if you are willing to pay a hundred times more than everyone else waiting ahead of you in line to speak to dispatch, you never get to express that demand. The data exists in an analog-only format, and it moves at analog-only speeds.?
Digital systems like Uber are different: The data about you come in the digital format, and you know exactly when resources become available, how long you need to wait for them, and so forth. And, down the line, perhaps if you are willing to pay more than others, you could get a different, better service. (Uber already uses ?surge pricing? when demand is high?like on New Year?s Eve.)
Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=d534aa9f1f86512cce6d4355284c3424
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5 Facts you should know about Payday Loans - Enterprise Dojo
Payday loans, also known as cash advance, is an easy finance option for those who are in need of some instant cash. There are many businesses providing this service across the country and this happens to be a popular source of finance amongst many Americans. So if you are interested in this type of credit, here are 5 essential facts listed below which will help you understand what cash advance is and how it works -
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- Don?t worry about the credit score
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If you have a not-so-fair financial past and poor credit score, don?t worry. Unlike traditional bank loans, there is no credit check when it comes to get approved for these types of credits. Instead of your credit, these types of loans are secured by your employment.
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- You must have a secured employment
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The money you borrow from the lender, will be secured through the total amount of money you make. This signifies that your salary must be higher than the combined amount of the loan and additional fees. Make sure the employment is consistent and regular and note that any sort of freelance work or occasional employment is not counted. Some companies even require the borrower to have the job for a minimum time, before the loan will be sanctioned. There is also a minimum salary requirement which is usually something around 800 dollars per month, excluding all the taxes.
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- Make sure you have a bank account
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It is through your bank account the lender will get paid. If the cash becomes due, he posts the charge to your account. Moreover, it will take much longer to get the credit approved if you don?t have a bank account. However, don?t forget to keep your banking information with you, especially the routing number as it will be needed to deposit money to your account.
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- Be truthful to your lender
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While applying for a loan, make sure you provide absolutely correct information. Remember that being truthful to your lender is probably the most important factor to get approved for the loan. If you think that you can?t fulfill all the approval requirements, tell him and he will try to help you in every possible ways.
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- It?s a short term finance option
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The costs and features of payday loans make them suitable for short term requirements. Due to the high fees of borrowing, they prove to be very expensive when you think of a long term involvement.? Usually the fees vary from 15 to 35 dollars for every 100 dollars and the time period, usually allotted for repayments is 14 days.
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So, these are some of the basic facts that will help you get the best payday loans.
Source: http://www.enterprisedojo.com/5-facts-you-should-know-about-payday-loans/
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US options limited on Syria despite weapons report
FILE - In this March 28, 2013 file photo, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks at the Pentagon. Hagel said Thursday that U.S. intelligence has concluded "with some degree of varying confidence," that the Syrian government has used sarin gas as a weapon in its 2-year-old civil war, (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - In this March 28, 2013 file photo, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks at the Pentagon. Hagel said Thursday that U.S. intelligence has concluded "with some degree of varying confidence," that the Syrian government has used sarin gas as a weapon in its 2-year-old civil war, (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House disclosure that the Syrian government has twice used chemical weapons still leaves the Obama administration stuck with a limited choice of military options to help the rebels oust President Bashar Assad.
Arming the rebels runs smack into the reality that a military group fighting alongside them has pledged allegiance to al-Qaida. Establishing a no-fly zone poses a significant challenge as Syria possesses an air defense system far more robust than what the U.S. and its allies overwhelmed in Libya two years ago.
President Barack Obama had declared that the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons in the two-year civil war would be "game changer" that would cross a "red line" for a major military response, but the White House made clear Thursday that even a quick strike wasn't imminent.
Reflecting a strong degree of caution, the White House said the intelligence community assessed "with varying degrees of confidence" that the Syrian regime had used chemical weapons on a small scale. The White House said in a letter to two senators that the "chain of custody" was unclear and that the determination was based on physiological samples.
The information had been known to the administration and some members of Congress for weeks despite public pronouncements from the White House. The revelation on Thursday strengthened proponents of aggressive military action, who challenged the administration to act and warned that going wobbly would embolden Assad.
Yet it also underscored the difficulties of any step for war-weary lawmakers horrified by a conflict that has killed an estimated 70,000 but guarded about U.S. involvement in a Mideast war.
"There's no easy choice here," said Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., a member of the Armed Services Committee. "All the alternatives are flawed. It's just finding the least flawed among them that will get Assad out."
The next move on Syria was high on the agenda for Obama's meeting Friday with King Abdullah II of Jordan, as the U.S. ally has struggled with the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees escaping the Syrian violence. Vice President Joe Biden and Abdullah discussed the best path to "a peaceful, democratic post-Assad Syria where moderates are empowered" on Thursday.
"I think it's important for the administration to look for ways to up the military pressure on Assad," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
One of the most powerful of the rebel groups in Syria is Jabhat al-Nusra, which recently declared its affiliation with al-Qaida. Last December, the State Department designated the group a terrorist organization, and the administration's opposition to directly arming the Syrian opposition stems from concerns about the weapons ending up in the hands of Islamic extremists.
Arming the rebels, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is a "lot harder that it was before."
"We've gotten to the point now where the opposition has been affected by the radicals," Graham said in an interview. "Right weapons in right hands is the goal. The second war is coming. I think we can arm the right people with the right weapons. There's a risk there, but the risk of letting this go and chemical weapons falling into radical Islamists' hands is the greatest risk."
Several lawmakers, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., have called for the U.S. to create a narrow, safe zone inside Syria, along its border with Turkey.
Either a safe zone or a no-fly zone would require neutralizing Syria's air defenses. According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War, Syria's largely Soviet-era air defense system includes as many as 300 mobile surface-to-air missile systems and defense systems, and more than 600 static missile launchers and sites.
"You can establish it (safe zone) by taking out their aircraft on the ground with cruise missiles and using the Patriot (missile) also. No American manned aircraft in danger," McCain said.
The U.S. has taken only minimal military steps so far, limiting U.S. assistance to nonlethal aid, including military-style equipment such as body armor and night vision goggles.
The U.S. has deployed about 200 troops to Jordan to assist that country's military, and participated in NATO's placement of Patriot missile batteries in Turkey near the border to protect against an attack from Syria.
It's unclear, however, what arming the rebels or patrolling a no-fly zone over Syria would accomplish.
"The options are all bad," says Aram Nerguizian, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic & International Studies. "Arming the opposition doesn't do anything regarding chemical weapons or solving proliferation concerns in Syria."
Targeting a facility, he added, might send a message to the Assad regime. But it does little to address the larger direction of the civil war, which is tilting back toward government forces again after a counteroffensive.
"Here's one thing you can do," argues Andrew Tabler at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in a similar vein. "If they load this stuff into bombs or mix the stuff, we can hit it," he said, but agreed that wouldn't eliminate the larger stockpiles or address the larger context of a conflict that is destroying Syria.
In testimony to Congress last week, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked whether he was confident that U.S. forces could secure the chemical weapons caches within Syria.
"Not as I sit here today, simply because they've been moving it and the number of sites is quite numerous," Dempsey said.
Tabler pointed to the Israeli attack earlier this year on a Syrian weapons convoy going to Hezbollah as an example of a possibly targeted U.S. intervention. He said the question of arming the rebels should be looked at beyond chemical weapons use, considering the 200 Scud missiles that have been launched by Assad's regime in the last five months and the government's ongoing escalation "all over the place."
Even if U.S. interests aren't immediately affected, they could be over time.
"Syria isn't Vegas," Tabler said. "What happens in Syria doesn't stay in Syria. Where do these chemical weapons all go?"
___
Associated Press Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.
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