David Saker rates James Anderson higher than Dale Steyn ? Cricket ...

David Saker rates James Anderson higher than Dale Steyn ? Cricket news

England?s bowling coach, David Saker, is all praise for James Anderson and believes that the English spearhead is the most skilful bowler of the world.

The 30-year-old swing bowler burst into the scene of international cricket in 2002 and immediately made his mark at the highest level of the sport with his ability to move the ball in the air at will.

Anderson failed to cement his place in the Test team in the initial years of his career due to a number of fitness issues. However, the right-arm pacer has been a permanent member of the Test side over the last five years and has played an influential role in making England one of the best sides of the longer format of the game.

The English bowling coach understands that South Africa?s Dale Steyn is widely regarded amongst the best pacers of the modern era but feels that Anderson is more talented and when in full form, the right-armer is a true delight to watch.

?To me, he is the most skilful fast bowler in the world,? Saker said. ?I know Dale Steyn is an outstanding bowler, but when you watch the way Jimmy goes about things, he has more skills in his locker. Steyn might be a little quicker but watch Anderson deliver those skills and it's just mind-blowing.?

In the recently concluded opening Test of the two-match series against New Zealand at the Lord?s, the cricketer from Lancashire picked up seven wickets in two innings to complete his 300 scalps at the ultimate stage of the game. Anderson now has more than 550 wickets in international cricket and he is set for a lot more, taking into account his current form and fitness.

Saker further added that Anderson has a greater hunger for success and improvement as compared to most other bowlers.

?Jimmy keeps getting better. I don't know whether his figures say that, but he's the one player I've coached that is never satisfied with what he's got. For him it would be easy to be satisfied but he keeps working on things in training,? the bowling coach added.

The last Test of the series against the Black Caps begins on Friday, with Anderson keen to improve on his tally of Test victims.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/David-Saker-rates-James-Anderson-higher-than-Dale-Steyn-Cricket-news-a215568

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HP's slumps deepens in 2Q as earnings fall 32 pct

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Hewlett-Packard's slump is deepening as the world's largest personal computer maker scrambles to meet the growing demand for more versatile and less expensive mobile devices.

The latest evidence of Hewlett-Packard Co.'s continuing downfall came in a quarterly earnings report released Wednesday. The results included the seventh consecutive decline in HP's quarterly revenue compared with the same period the previous year. HP's 10 percent decrease in revenue during the three months ending in April was the largest drop so far during the slump.

Most of the erosion has occurred under the leadership of Meg Whitman, a former CEO at eBay Inc. and defeated California gubernatorial candidate, who was hired to run HP in September 2011.

Whitman has repeatedly warned that HP's revenue might not start growing at an acceptable rate for another year or two as she cuts costs, overhauls the company's product line and pushes into more profitable niches in business software, data analysis and storage and technology consulting. In a Wednesday statement, she reiterated that the company remains in a "multi-year journey."

"I am encouraged by our performance in the second quarter, and I feel good about the rest of the year," Whitman said.

In a sign of optimism, HP predicted its earnings for the current quarter ending in July will be a slightly better than analysts have been anticipating. Excluding certain items, the Palo Alto, Calif. company forecast earnings ranging from 84 cents to 87 cents per share. Analysts, on average, had projected 83 cents per share, according to FactSet.

Investors seemed to interpret the guidance as a sign that HP's cost-cutting measures imposed by Whitman are starting to pay off, even as the company's sales droop.

HP's stock surged $2.70, or nearly 13 percent, to $23.93 in extended trading, after the release of the results.

HP earned $1.1 billion, or 55 cents per share, during its most recently completed quarter. That was down 32 percent from $1.6 billion, or 80 cents per share, last year.

If not for certain items unrelated to its ongoing business, the Palo Alto, Calif. company said it would have earned 87 cents per share in its fiscal second quarter. That figure topped the average estimate of 81 cents per share among analysts surveyed by FactSet.

HP's revenue totaled $27.6 billion ? about $400 million below analyst projections.

The troubles plaguing the company primarily stem from a lack of innovation and misguided acquisitions at a pivotal juncture in technology.

Since the release of Apple Inc.'s iPhone six years ago, consumers and corporate customers have been gravitating toward smartphones and tablet computers equipped with touch-screens and voice recognition technology. As these mobile devices add more features and grow increasingly powerful, their prices are falling, too, making them even more attractive compared with laptop and desktop computers.

Like many other PC makers, HP was slow to respond to the shift and then stumbled trying to catch up with Apple and other manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics that make devices running Google Inc.'s Android operating system.

HP's first foray into tablet computers and smartphones designed for the Palm operating system flopped two years ago. The company is now selling tablets running on Android and a recently introduced version of Windows, but it hasn't re-entered the smartphone market yet.

Meanwhile, PCs remain more difficult to sell, as HP discovered in its latest quarter. The company's revenue in the division that sells PCs fell 20 percent in the latest quarter. Cathie Lesjak, HP's chief financial officer, described the market conditions as "very tough" in an interview.

Printers are also falling out of vogue as mobile devices make it easier to quickly look up data, and services reduce the need for information on paper. HP fared better in the latest quarter than it has in recent periods as its printer revenue dipped by just 1 percent.

Whitman believes HP can bounce back by inventing new technologies and packing them into appealing products more quickly, recapturing the spirit the company established as a Silicon Valley pioneer nearly three-quarters of a century ago.

The effectiveness of Whitman's strategy is likely to be tested during the next few months as HP releases another wave of PCs that have touch-screen screens and tablets in different sizes. HP is lowering the prices on its upcoming touch-screen PCs in an effort to lure more consumers.

All the new devices are expected to be on the market in time for the back-to-school season.

Most of HP's devices are running on the latest version of Windows that Microsoft Corp. released seven months ago. The dramatic overhaul of the operating system, called Windows 8, is designed to be controlled both by touch and the traditional method of using a keyboard or mouse. Despite a massive marketing campaign by Microsoft, Windows 8 got off to a slow start, partly because some of its features frustrated and confused longtime users who preferred the old setup.

The backlash prompted Microsoft to fine tune the system in a series of changes that will be rolled out later this year as Windows 8.1. Microsoft still hasn't publicly provided details about what kind of revisions are being made.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hps-slumps-deepens-2q-earnings-fall-32-pct-202450013.html

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'The Voice' reacts to Oklahoma tornado tragedy

TV

Brittany Frederick and Ree Hines TODAY

12 hours ago

NBC

Blake Shelton shares his thoughts on the devastation in Oklahoma on "The Voice."

Monday night was a particularly difficult performance show on "The Voice," and that had nothing to do with the typical top-ten stress. A much more important thing occupied the minds of the coaches and performers -- the devastation in Oklahoma following one the deadliest tornadoes in the nation's history.

Coach Blake Shelton, an Oklahoma native, described his feelings about going on with the show in the wake of the tragedy.

"They're going through hell there right now," he said of the folks back home during Monday's show. "When we went live here, I finally set my phone down. The bad news just keeps coming in -- a lot of fatalities, a lot of children. It makes it hard to actually sit here and do this tonight. But I've got a job to do, the team's counting on me, so here I am."

As for his family in particular, Shelton assured that, luckily, they're all safe.

When Team Blake act The Swon Brothers prepared for this week?s ?Voice? performance, they had no idea what their next song would mean to them. Yet after the tornado ravaged their home state, the country duo found themselves taking the stage with heavy hearts too.

?We just want to let everybody know at home (that) we're praying for you,? Colton Swon told the national audience after the pair performed Randy Houser?s ?How Country Feels.?

?Our hearts are definitely going out to you,? agreed Zach Swon.

Speaking after the show, a somber Colton told TODAY.com that the performance was ?just one of those things you've gotta (do). That's how we cope with things, is music. That's what we do. So that felt natural -- and then when you get in front of the crowd and just get that energy going, it's a great feeling. It was hard to enjoy, but at the same time we felt good about it.?

Backstage, Zach Swon reflected on what he loved about his home state. ?The music scene,? he said, naming several major country artists who are also from Oklahoma. ?(There?s) Garth (Brooks), Reba (McEntire), Blake, Vince Gill, Carrie Underwood, (and) Brooks and Dunn.?

Colton Swon was optimistic about the situation. ?Oklahoma's going to pull through this,? he said. ?They've been in these situations before, unfortunately, and it's a very strong state.?

"Voice" fans can see more from the Shelton and the Swons on Tuesday night's live episode at 9 p.m. on NBC. A recap episode, originally scheduled for 8 p.m. , will be preempted to make way for a one-hour special focused on the latest from Oklahoma.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/voice-reacts-oklahoma-tornado-tragedy-6C9996719

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The Real Housewives of Orange County Recap: Hot In Here

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'Star Trek' beams up $70.1M at box office

This undated publicity film image released by Paramount Pictures shows, Zachary Quinto, left, as Spock and Chris Pine as Kirk in a scene in the movie, "Star Trek Into Darkness," from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. Since premiering Wednesday, May 15, 2013 in huge-screen IMAX theaters and expanding Thursday to general cinemas, "Into Darkness" has pulled in $84.1 million, well below distributor Paramount's initial forecast of $100 million. (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Zade Rosenthal)

This undated publicity film image released by Paramount Pictures shows, Zachary Quinto, left, as Spock and Chris Pine as Kirk in a scene in the movie, "Star Trek Into Darkness," from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. Since premiering Wednesday, May 15, 2013 in huge-screen IMAX theaters and expanding Thursday to general cinemas, "Into Darkness" has pulled in $84.1 million, well below distributor Paramount's initial forecast of $100 million. (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Zade Rosenthal)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? "Star Trek: Into Darkness" didn't warp past its predecessor.

The sci-fi sequel directed by J.J. Abrams earned $70.1 million in its opening weekend. The original "Trek" reboot starring fresh faces as the crew of the Enterprise opened with $75.2 million in 2009.

The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com, are:

1. "Star Trek: Into Darkness," Paramount, $70,165,559, 3,868 locations, $18,140 average, $83,701,981, one week.

2. "Iron Man 3," Disney, $35,770,094, 4,237 locations, $8,442 average, $337,661,977, three weeks.

3. "The Great Gatsby," Warner Bros., $23,939,228, 3,550 locations, $6,743 average, $90,682,832, two weeks.

4. "Pain & Gain," Paramount, $3,237,689, 2,429 locations, $1,333 average, $46,712,183, four weeks.

5. "The Croods," Fox, $3,024,602, 2,373 locations, $1,275 average, $177,024,785, nine weeks.

6. "42," Warner Bros., $2,812,115, 2,380 locations, $1,182 average, $88,816,627, six weeks.

7. "Oblivion," Universal, $2,337,050, 2,077 locations, $1,125 average, $85,588,010, five weeks.

8. "Mud," Roadside Attractions, $2,229,546, 960 locations, $2,322 average, $11,656,971, four weeks.

9. "Peeples," Lionsgate, $2,159,980, 2,041 locations, $1,058 average, $7,867,757, two weeks.

10. "The Big Wedding," Lionsgate, $1,210,204, 1,443 locations, $839 average, $20,308,188, four weeks.

11. "Oz the Great and Powerful," Disney, $871,165, 535 locations, $1,628 average, $231,351,161, 11 weeks.

12. "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," Paramount, $580,176, 409 locations, $1,419 average, $120,522,043, eight weeks.

13. "The Iceman," Millenium Ent., $464,147, 165 locations, $2,813 average, $762,885, three weeks.

14. "Olympus Has Fallen," FilmDistrict, $429,867, 466 locations, $922 average, $97,332,548, nine weeks.

15. "Scary Movie 5," Weinstein Co., $420,253, 508 locations, $827 average, $31,206,376, six weeks.

16. "Jurassic Park," Universal, $340,260, 428 locations, $795 average, $45,299,680, seven weeks.

17. "The Place Beyond the Pines," Focus, $306,969, 317 locations, $968 average, $20,627,976, eight weeks.

18. "Escape From Planet Earth," Weinstein Co., $244,552, 693 locations, $353 average, $55,612,398, 14 weeks.

19. "Jack the Giant Slayer," Warner Bros., $231,339, 250 locations, $925 average, $64,789,196, 12 weeks.

20. "The Company You Keep," Sony Pictures Classics, $225,469, 223 locations, $1,011 average, $4,510,500, seven weeks.

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-05-20-Box%20Office/id-6fa2d983ccbd4eb396bc78f4176ccd43

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PFT: Chad Johnson arrested for violation? |? Florio

AP

The Seahawks might lead the league in PED suspensions, but it?s apparently not for a lack of trying.

Seahawks General Manager John Schneider called Bruce Irvin?s suspension for violating the league?s policy on performance enhancing substances ?very disappointing,? and said the team has ?gone above and beyond what the league has done,? in terms of educating players.

Schneider?s remarks came on SiriusXM NFL Radio with Bruce Murray and Rich Gannon, and made it clear the team?s trying to curb a trend.

?This is something we take very seriously here,? Schenider said. ?The league has done a great job of educating guys and we?ve actually gone above and beyond what the league has done. We have a guy in place here that helps our player development people. You do what you can. It?s very disappointing.?Pete [Carroll] and I sat down with Bruce. Pete addressed it with the team.?Bruce addressed the team.

?And, you know, really good organizations are the organizations that can take body blows. We look at this as a learning opportunity and one that obviously needs to be addressed, but this is also an opportunity for others to step forward.?

The Seahawks prepared for the suspension by signing free agents Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, but they?ll be required to change even more while they wait on Irvin to be reinstated and Chris Clemons to return from a knee injury.

?And we have to treat it really, quite honestly, like he sustained a high ankle sprain or something,? Schneider said. ?And you make those adjustments whether it be in the game or during the offseason.?

Schneider said after doing research on players in college, he?s not surprised at the numbers of suspensions.

But given the concentration in his own building, he should be treating it like a different kind of outbreak, rather than just a four-week injury which will inconvenience his coaches.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/05/20/chad-johnson-arrested-for-probation-violation/related/

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Army of Underwater Vehicles to Unravel Ocean Mysteries

SAN MATEO, Calif. ? Mr. Spock may think space is the final frontier, but Earth's deep oceans are just as mysterious and unknown. Now, one scientist says thousands of people could explore the oceans using cheap, remotely controlled robots.

"The deep has even more cool stuff than space," said Eric Stackpole, a researcher at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif.

For instance, there's a possibility that alien life exists on distant exoplanets, but scientists know for sure that hundreds or thousands of undiscovered species lurk beneath the waves, Stackpole said Sunday (May 19) here at the 2013 Maker Faire Bay Area, a two-day celebration of DIY science, technology and engineering. [Maker Faire Bay Area 2013 (Photos)]

And it?s not just scientists who can do the discovering: Interested amateurs could launch an army of these DIY submarines to reveal the mysteries of the deep.

Stackpole is the co-founder of OpenROV, an organization that has created an open-source, underwater vehicle that can explore up to 328 feet (100 meters) beneath the ocean's surface.

The submarine is the size of a shoebox and is made with off-the-shelf, $10 electronics, such as thrusters and motors, and laser-cut acrylic. It wirelessly connects to a remote controller, and can descend at 3.28 feet (1 meter) per second.

So far, these rovers have plumbed the depths of the flooded Hall City Cave in northern California, which is rumored to harbor gold, and spent time at the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory off Key Largo, Fla., where aquanauts spend 10 days underwater. An open remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has even dived beneath the ice in the Ross Sea in Antarctica, where penguins also got cozy with the underwater vehicle.

Citizen science

The proliferation of underwater robots could change how scientists explore the deep. The expense of building underwater robots has typically meant that researchers get grant money to answer existing questions about the ocean. But so much of the deep is unexplored that citizens could reveal many different insights simply by chance, Stackpole said.

"I don't think you have to ask questions to get answers," Stackpole told LiveScience. "I think the kind of things that we've discovered just by chance ? the transistor, penicillin ? were because people were just [looking] around and saw something interesting."

ROVs could also help researchers answer much bigger scientific questions than they previously could.

For instance, a marine biologist who wants to know what a specific species of sea creature looks like around the world could rally citizen scientists to deploy their ROVs to answer the question.

"We're in 50 countries, and we've been on every continent," Stackpole said. "Let?s start exploring."

Follow Tia Ghose on Twitter and Google+.?Follow?LiveScience @livescience, Facebook?& Google+. Original article on?LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/army-underwater-vehicles-unravel-ocean-mysteries-205400338.html

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: Sky City One, sub-zero cafe and the world's longest Lego train track

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

Eyes in the design world turned to New York City this week as New York Design Week officially launched. We hit the floors of International Contemporary Furniture Fair today to bring you the best new green designs from one of the largest contemporary design shows in the US -- including Blackbody's gorgeous OLED light trees and Tat Chao's ethereal LED lamps made from recycled wine glasses. We also checked out the locally focused BKLYN Designs show, where design duo Bower unveiled an awesome magnetic LED lamp, made from discarded pieces of scrap wood. Lighting designer Adam Frank unveiled three inspiring new designs at BKLYN Designs: the LED Lumen lamp, which casts tree-shaped shadows from a little candle holder; the incredible Reveal Projector, which projects an image of outdoor foliage and sky through a window on a blank wall (good for tiny NYC apartment dwellers); and the 3D Hologram-ish LUCID Mirror, which displays a 3D image of illuminated clouds over your head!

Filed under: Misc, Science

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/syEvTaC7DYY/

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United to restart 787 flights on Monday

United Airlines is getting its 787s back in the air.

The planes are returning after being grounded for four months by the federal government because of smoldering batteries on 787s owned by other airlines. The incidents included an emergency landing of one plane, and a fire on another.

The incidents never caused any serious injuries. But the January grounding embarrassed Boeing, which makes the 787, and disrupted schedules at the eight airlines that were flying the planes. The company had delivered 50 of the planes worldwide.

The grounding forced United to delay planned international flights and hurt its first-quarter earnings by $11 million. Others, including Japan Airlines and South America's LATAM Airlines Group, also said profits were reduced. LATAM said it still had to make payments on the plane and pay for crews and maintenance. It expects to resume flying soon.

United's first 787 flight was scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday from Houston to Chicago.

Passengers didn't appear to be too worried. "We saw strong demand for the flight from the first weekend it opened for sale," said United spokeswoman Christen David.

United is planning to use 787s on shorter domestic flights before resuming international flights on June 10 with new Denver-to-Tokyo service as well as temporary Houston-to-London flights. It's adding flights to Tokyo, Shanghai, and Lagos, Nigeria, in August.

Those long international flights are the main reason the 787 exists. Its medium size and fuel efficiency are a good fit for long routes. Starting with shorter domestic flights "will give us a period to ramp up full 787 operations," David said.

United Continental Holdings Inc. was the first U.S. airline to get the 787 and now has six. United has said it expects to have four fixed by Monday, with the other two getting their batteries modified in coming days.

The 787 uses more electricity than any other jet. And it makes more use of lithium-ion batteries than any other jet, because it needs to be able to provide power for things like flight controls and a backup generator when its engines are shut down. Each 787 has two of the batteries.

Boeing Co. never did figure out the root cause of the battery incidents. Instead, it redesigned the battery and its charger. The idea was to eliminate all of the possible causes, 787 chief engineer Mike Sinnett said in an online chat on Thursday where he and a Boeing test pilot took questions about the plane.

The changes include more heat insulation between each cell and charging the battery to a lower maximum voltage.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/united-restart-787-flights-monday-054145733.html

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What You Should Know About Dealing With A Personal Injury ...

Personal injury law is a difficult field to eliminate a case in. So, your attorney needs to be experienced in this industry. Discover somebody with a lot of wins in this industry, and you will discover that he has great techniques of his trade which can help you gain in your case. Go!!
Hiring a lawyer doesn?t suggest you will get cash in the following week approximately. This will commonly take a while, so attempt to be as patient as possible. Really, it can even drag on for years if you reside in a big city. Remember this and you will have a much easier time keeping your disappointment and stress and anxiety in check.
There are many details you must consider prior to you employ a personal injury attorney. First, you?ll wish to determine if you ?d like to pay based upon a per hour rate, or establish a contingency basis. Per hour rates differ by the lawyer, so see to it all details are in the contract.
Do not throw anything away that associates with your personal injury. Keep medication information and physician?s bills, for instance. Without a paper trail, you won?t be compensated.
There are times when the source of your pain is evident. If you did even more than you ?d do on a regular day, it can be uncomfortable for you later on. There is no should fret unless your discomfort is extremely extreme and/or does not subside within a few days.
Before receiving treatment, thoroughly paper all your injuries with photographs. Select papers that demonstrate how bad your injuries were and utilize them to reinforce your case. This can also make a distinction in the amount of any pain and suffering damages you receive.
You will get a good negotiation if you work doggedly on your case. If someone is to criticize for your personal injury, you can take lawsuit against them. The pointers in the article above will help you get the compensation you are entitled to. Ohio personal injury attorney
There are a lot of events that can be categorized as personal injury accidents, not the least of which are ?slip and falls? and traffic crashes. Anything that results in physical or psychological damage may be deemed a personal injury.

Source: http://www.articlessquad.com/what-you-should-know-about-dealing-with-a-personal-injury/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-you-should-know-about-dealing-with-a-personal-injury

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David Beckham Cries At Last Home Game (VIDEO)

David Beckham got emotional after playing his final home game for Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.

The legendary footballer announced his retirement earlier this week.

As the PSG captain departed the field, the stadium erupted in applause. When he embraced his teammates, he began to cry.

Later, he admitted that the game had been difficult one for him.

"To end my career in front of a crowd like that, with players like that, it's very special," he said. "It started about 20 minutes before that, to be honest. I started thinking and then, you know, I couldn't concentrate by then, and it was difficult. You know, you try to hold the emotion back because it is what it is, but it's difficult."

Watch his emotional farewell below:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/19/david-beckham-last-game_n_3302191.html

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US lawmakers raise Google Glass privacy concerns - Science News

A group of US lawmakers has asked Google to answer questions on the privacy implications and possible "misuse of information" of its Google Glass project.

Eight lawmakers in the Congressional Privacy Caucus sent a letter Thursday saying they are "curious whether this new technology could infringe on the privacy of the average American."

The lawmakers asked Google to provide information about how it would collect and use data from the Internet-linked eyewear, which has been tested by a small group of users and is expected to hit the market later this year.

Caucus chair Joe Barton said in a statement the lawmakers "are concerned about possible misuse of information gathered by Google Glass."

"When using Google Glass, is it true that this product would be able to use facial recognition technology to unveil personal information about whomever and even some inanimate objects that the user is viewing?" the letter asked.

"Would a user be able to request such information? Can a non-user or human subject opt out of this collection of personal data? If so, how? If not, why not?"

The lawmakers also asked whether Google Glass has the capacity to store any data, if it will have user authentication and whether any privacy protections for non-users would be in place.

Google has faced privacy investigations on both sides of the Atlantic. European officials are pressing the Internet giant on data protection and privacy.

In the US, Google has been fined for collecting people's personal data without authorization as it combed neighborhoods for its Street View service.

Glass connects to the Internet using Wi-Fi hot spots or, more typically, by being wirelessly tethered to mobile phones. Pictures or video are shared through the Google Plus social network.

Google co-founder and chief Larry Page depicted Glass this week as part of an ongoing effort to get computers "out of the way" so people can focus on lives enriched by what the Internet has to offer.

The letter was signed by Barton and Representatives John Barrow, Steve Chabot, Henry Johnson, Walter Jones, Richard Nugent, Bobby Rush and Loretta Sanchez.

Explore further: Facebook and Twitter jump on Google glasses (Update)

? 2013 AFP

Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-05-lawmakers-google-glass-privacy.html

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ACLU Pushes for Gay Wedding on Modern Family

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/aclu-pushes-for-gay-wedding-on-modern-family/

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Obama calls on Congress to help him avoid another Benghazi (Washington Bureau)

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How To Make Sure Your SEO Works | Business Solo Professionals ...

SEO Singapore Firm Gets Organic Results Once you have done all the difficult functions in getting your site up and running you are faced with the task of letting the everybody know that it is there. This means you require your site to rank noticeably on search engine results. The possibility of scoring high on results without undertaking SEO or search engine optimization are pretty bad. Being successful at SEO means learning and realizing how to use internet marketing tactics. This is a complex field and most small businesses will have neither the time nor the money to do this. Outsourcing SEO to a specialist service is the way. Making search engines judge your site as an important website is what SEO is concerned with. Search engines evaluate sites on a complete range of criteria. The most basic criterion is on how properly the site is constructed technically. This means professional SEO starts by appraising the website itself. Websites are written in code, and search engines will validate that the code is well written. They also take into account the amount of time it needs for pages to show, and whether or not pages referred to on the site really exist. Other technical areas examined by search engines include things like having text descriptions for images. The primary step in ranking well in the search engine results is to sort out any of these technical difficulties, and consequently, the best SEO businesses will deal with these first. If any such issues have been identified and dealt with, the SEO team can concentrate on marketing the website to better its ranking. SEO is a science that takes skill and experience if it is to be successful. The best search engine optimization services concentrate on getting a site to do well in organic placement, as distinct from paid placement, which may be prohibitively expensive. SEO Singapore can deliver exactly this kind of organic placement. It is not difficult to fritter away significant amounts of money on SEO that fails to provide long lasting results. Make positive your SEO company has a good track record and is able to deliver on its promises. For related articles on SEO or click here to learn more.

Source: http://velgrimes.4ove.com/how-to-make-sure-your-seo-works/

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Obama picks budget official to run troubled IRS

President Barack Obama speaks on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday May 15, 2013. Obama announced the resignation of Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, the top official at the IRS. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama speaks on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday May 15, 2013. Obama announced the resignation of Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, the top official at the IRS. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama speaks on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra tax scrutiny in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday May 15, 2013. Obama announced the resignation of Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, the top official at the IRS. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama picked a senior White House budget official to become the acting head of the Internal Revenue Service on Thursday, the same day another top official announced plans to leave the agency amid the controversy over agents targeting tea party groups.

Obama named longtime civil servant Daniel Werfel as the acting IRS commissioner. Werfel, 42, currently serves as controller of the Office of Management and Budget, making him a key player in implementing recent automatic spending cuts known as the sequester.

"Throughout his career working in both Democratic and Republican administrations, Danny has proven an effective leader who serves with professionalism, integrity and skill," Obama said in a statement. "The American people deserve to have the utmost confidence and trust in their government, and as we work to get to the bottom of what happened and restore confidence in the IRS, Danny has the experience and management ability necessary to lead the agency at this important time."

Werfel replaces Steven Miller as acting IRS commissioner. Miller was forced to resign Wednesday amid the growing scandal, though he is still scheduled to testify Friday at a congressional hearing.

Also Thursday, Joseph Grant, one of Miller's top deputies, announced plans to retire June 3, according to an internal IRS memo. Grant is commissioner of the agency's tax exempt and government entities division, which includes the agents that targeted tea party groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status.

Grant joined the IRS in 2005 and took over as acting commissioner of the tax exempt and government entities division in December 2010. He was just named the permanent commissioner May 8.

When asked whether Grant was pressured to leave, IRS spokeswoman Michelle Eldridge said Grant had more than 31 years of federal service and it was his personal decision to leave.

Before he joined the IRS, Grant was a top official at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

Grant's predecessor at the IRS was Sarah Hall Ingram, who is now director of the agency's Affordable Care Act Office. Ingram was in charge of the tax exempt division when IRS agents first started targeting conservative groups.

The IRS said Ingram was assigned to help the agency implement the health care law in December 2010, about six months before an inspector general's report said her subordinate, the director of exempt organizations, learned about the targeting.

Still, the fact that she was in charge of the division when the targeting first started is sure to give Republicans fodder in their fight against Obama's health care law. The Republican-led House voted 229-195 Thursday to repeal the health care law.

Werfel agreed to head the IRS through the end of September, the White House said. Presumably, Obama will nominate a new commissioner by then.

IRS commissioners serve five-year terms and must be confirmed by the Senate. Werfel won't need Senate approval because he is a temporary appointment. The Senate, however, confirmed Werfel for his current position without opposition in 2009.

Werfel has had several jobs at the Office of Management and Budget and worked there during President George W. Bush's administration. He has also been a trial attorney in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

"He is an immensely talented and dedicated public servant who has ably served presidents of both parties," Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a statement. "Danny has a strong record of raising his hand for ? and excelling at ? tough management assignments."

Former Bush chief of staff Joshua Bolten said Werfel was highly regarded by the Bush White House and that departing Bush budget officials recommended Werfel for controller to the incoming Obama camp after the 2008 election.

"He was consummately professional, well organized and effective," said Bolten, who also served as Bush's budget director from 2003 to 2006.

Werfel takes over an agency in crisis and under investigation. The IRS apologized last week for improperly targeting conservative political groups for additional, sometimes burdensome scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. The practice went on more than 18 months, diminishing the ability of these groups to raise money during election cycles in 2010 and 2012, said an inspector general's report released this week.

The report did not indicate that Washington initiated the targeting of conservative groups. But it did blame ineffective management in Washington for allowing it to happen.

On Thursday, Obama dismissed the idea of a special prosecutor, saying probes by Congress and the Justice Department should be able to figure out who was responsible.

"Between those investigations I think we're going to be able to figure out exactly what happened, who was involved, what went wrong, and we're going to be able to implement steps to fix it," Obama said at a Rose Garden press conference.

Obama promised to work with Congress in its investigations, and he reiterated that he did not know that conservative groups were targeted until it became public last Friday.

"I promise you this, that the minute I found out about it, then my main focus was making sure that we get the thing fixed," Obama said.

Don't look for the controversy to subside.

Three congressional committees are investigating, and the FBI has launched a criminal probe.

On Friday, Miller is scheduled to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee. Also testifying is J. Russell George, the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

Ways and Means Committee members are expected to grill Miller over why he failed to tell lawmakers that conservative groups were targeted, even after the agency said he was briefed in May 2012.

"The IRS has demonstrated a culture of cover up and has failed time and time again to be completely open and honest with the American people," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. "The committee and the American people deserve honest answers from Mr. Miller at our hearing this Friday."

Miller, a 25-year career civil servant at the IRS, took over the agency in November, when the five-year term of Commissioner Douglas Shulman ended. Shulman was appointed by President George W. Bush.

At the time when tea party groups were targeted, Miller was a deputy commissioner and Grant's supervisor.

The Senate Finance Committee said it will hold a hearing on the matter Tuesday. The House Oversight Committee is to hold a hearing Wednesday.

On Thursday, Senate Republicans called for yet another investigation into whether agents in the same Cincinnati office that targeted conservative groups released confidential taxpayer information from some of those groups.

The Journalism website ProPublica reported this week that the IRS had released nine pending confidential applications of conservative groups to ProPublica late last year.

The IRS said in a statement that the inspector general already had investigated the matter, and "found these instances to be inadvertent and unintentional disclosures by the employees involved."

___

Associated Press writer Jim Kuhnhenn contributed to this report.

___

Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-05-16-IRS-Political%20Groups/id-614b4668f9af4291a68b5a193fa15cac

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Over 20 S.African boys die in circumcision rituals: police

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - More than 20 South African boys have died over the past week during coming of age rituals, police said on Thursday, and they blamed botched circumcisions as the likely cause of death.

Northern Mpumalanga province's police department has opened 22 murder cases but no arrests have been made so far, spokesman Colonel Leonard Hlathi said.

Every year in South Africa, boys aged 10 to 15 years from several of the country's tribal groups are circumcised in traditional "initiation rituals". The ceremonies usually take place over a number of weeks in remote rural areas.

Deaths are often caused by blood loss or infection when circumcisions are poorly performed by traditional practitioners.

Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane this week called the recent deaths "regrettable".

"This has happened to young people who were still at their prime, looking forward to a brighter future where they could still reach their potential," he said in a statement.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/over-20-african-boys-die-circumcision-rituals-police-062851092.html

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Indonesia extends forest-clearing ban for 2 years

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) ? Indonesia has approved a two-year extension to a landmark ban on clearing primary rainforests and peatlands, officials said Thursday. Environmentalists praised the move but said the government must do more to curb the nation's burgeoning production of greenhouse gases.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed the decree on Monday to continue the 2011 moratorium, which barred new logging and palm oil plantation permits under a $1 billion deal with Norway, said his environment adviser, Pungki Agus Purnomo.

He said the ban will preserve 64 million hectares (158 million acres) until 2015. It will not affect areas where concessions were granted before the moratorium.

Environmentalists hailed the extension while also urging leaders to better enforce the law. They say some protected areas continue to be exploited because of corruption and illegal fires and logging.

Indonesia's largest environmental group, Walhi, said the government must also work to stop logging permits from being issued at the local level.

"It is just like a presidential instruction to his subordinates ... it has no power to sanction against violators," said Walhi environmentalist Berry Nahdian Furqan, who added that the ban should be made permanent.

Indonesia is one of the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters, largely because many of the palm oil plantations on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra are planted on carbon-rich peatland that must be drained first, releasing vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

Rapid deforestation has occurred in recent years in Indonesia as it feeds the world's hunger for palm oil, pulp and paper. The destruction has caused damage ranging from deadly flash floods and landslides to a loss of habitat for endangered species such as orangutans, elephants, tigers and rhinos.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indonesia-extends-forest-clearing-ban-2-years-053655137.html

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Google+ Games to go dark after June 30th

Sure, Mountain View may be bolstering its gaming efforts on mobile platforms and the web, but it's seen fit to give Google+ Games the pink slip. After June 30th, the game section on the titan's social network will go dark, but Page & Co. note that some titles will still be playable on other sites. Depending on developer support, folks who've turned hard-earned cash into in-game credits may still be able to spend unused coin during a grace period or when playing the same games through other websites. It's not entirely clear why Google is sunsetting the portal, but it could certainly be part of its grand plan to focus on fewer things.

Filed under: Gaming, Internet, Google

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/16/google-plus-games-shutting-down-after-june-30th/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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12 things we want to see when '24' returns

TV

Ree Hines TODAY contributor

26 minutes ago

Reuters

Actor Kiefer Sutherland will reprise his role as Jack Bauer for the return of "24."

Jack is back! Or at least he will be. Fox has confirmed that "24," the all-in-a-day's-work drama centered on counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), is set to return to prime time.

That's good news for fans who've waited three long years to see what became of their small-screen hero, last seen on the lam at the end of season eight. But there's bad news too: Those fans still have to wait one more year.

That's right, "24: Live Another Day" isn't expected to kick off until May 2014.

To help bide the time, here's a list of the 12 things we want to see when Jack's back in action.

Back to the beginning

While "24" always made for edge-of-your-seat viewing, it lost a little of the magic as the years went on. There was just something special about those first two seasons that the show was never able to top. Maybe it was the newness (sure to be recaptured with a fresh return), or maybe it was just sense of innocence -- before nearly everyone betrayed everyone else (unlikely to ever be recaptured). But maybe the winning formula was really just about straightforward storytelling, which wavered as the plots grew more convoluted over the years. Either way, getting Jack Bauer back to basics is a must.

We love L.A., but?

The West Coast is easy on the eyes -- and no doubt easy on the budget for a Tinseltown production -- but let's face it, it's not really a natural fit for a counter-terrorism agent (or former counter-terrorist agent still fighting the good fight) often tasked with saving targets in D.C., New York and beyond. This would be a great time for Jack to finally make the move to the East Coast.

No more time travel

No matter where Jack is based, the minute-by-minute action should be at least somewhat plausible. After all, traversing the greater L.A. area or even just the parking lots at LAX takes more than five minutes. But back in "24's" heyday, Jack rarely spent more than a few moments to get to any destination.

FOX

Get real, Jack!

Of course, Jack's itinerary wasn't the only thing that lacked a little needed realism before the show bowed out the last time around. Jack Bauer himself had become a bit unbelievable. Not only was he burned, shocked, sliced, shot and infected with a brutal bioweapon, Jack actually died -- more than once. Briefly. Heck, he even found time for a heroin addiction in the midst of it all -- not that it slowed him down much. And that's the problem: Jack's a hero, but he's also a human. There has to be some limits to what he can survive.

Cut Kim loose

Sure, she's his flesh and blood, but Kim Bauer has got to go. When she's not being abducted (and frankly, when is she not being abducted?), Kim just can't decide what she thinks of her dear old dad. Jack doesn't need the distraction.

Get selective

Not every minute of the day is interesting, that always posed a problem for "24," which allowed the plot to progress in real time -- no matter what. But this is one problem that shouldn't be a problem next summer. The new "limited series" approach Fox has planned means viewers will only see 12 hours of the day -- the good ones.

Jack talk

Some action heroes deliver little more than cheesy one-liners, but Jack Bauer has a way with words. That was clear from his very first "I'm Federal Agent Jack Bauer, and today is the longest day of my life" voiceover. So, whether he's threatening to break some bad guy's whatzit or just delivering a steady stream of damn-its, Jack needs to ditch the strong and silent routine when he comes back.

CTWho?

He's in. He's out. If CTU can decide whether they want a one-man solution to the terrorist-menace-du-jour, then to heck with them. They aren't the only government agency in town.

Going rogue

Then again, Jack is a free agent now. If the feds don't want him, that's fine too. He doesn't really need anyone telling him what to do in order to save the day.

Bring the baddies back

What it does need is an adversary, but not necessarily a new one. There's a long line of dead bodies behind Jack, but a few of the evil masterminds -- or at least their equally evil flunkies -- survived along the way. Why not have the leading man face off with a former foe (Mandy) or two (Tony).

Forget some familiar faces

Just don't get carried away. This reboot doesn't need to be a greatest hits of everyone from Jack's past.

Chloe

But there is one blast from the past that has to be there -- there's no negotiating on this one. Chloe O'Brian, the snarky analyst with who stuck by Jack's side no matter what, is a definite deal breaker.

What do you want to see when the show returns? Tellus in the comments.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/12-things-we-want-see-when-24-comes-back-1C9921538

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Rwanda building collapse kills 3, injures 21

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) ? Police in Rwanda say a four-story building that was under construction collapsed, killing at least three workers and injuring 21 more people.

Rwandan police said in a statement late Tuesday that the building in the eastern district of Nyagatare collapsed Tuesday afternoon. The statement described the incident as an "unfolding tragedy."

It said police are working with the Rwandan military to find survivors. It was yet clear what caused the collapse or even how many people are feared buried under the rubble.

In recent years, building collapses have become frequent in East and Central African countries as some property developers bypass regulations to cut costs. In March, a building collapsed in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam, killing at least 30 people.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rwanda-building-collapse-kills-3-injures-21-070150918.html

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Nigeria oil production slides amid unrest

Nigeria relies almost exclusively on its energy sector for export earnings and 75 percent of federal government revenue, Graeber writes, but?a long record of corruption, militancy and banditry has clouded Nigeria's oil prospects.

By Daniel J. Graeber,?Guest blogger / May 13, 2013

A man arranges drums at an oil station and depot in Nigeria's capital Abuja. Crude oil production in Nigeria has suffered in recent years because of militant campaigns and sabotage in the Niger Delta region.

Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters/File

Enlarge

The wealthiest man in Africa said he's secured billions of dollars in loans to help kick start the refinery business in Nigeria. OPEC-member Nigeria is forced to import most of its petroleum products because of aging infrastructure. Crude oil production in Nigeria has suffered in recent years because of militant campaigns and sabotage in the Niger Delta region. Last month, the rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said it was launching a campaign to save Christianity in Nigeria. With militant group Boko Haram seeking to establish an Islamic state in a country divided along religious lines, poorly maintained refineries may be the least of Nigeria's concerns.

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Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote?said?he's secured $4.25 billion in loans from domestic and offshore banks to breathe new life into the refinery business in Africa's largest crude oil producer. Nigeria exports about four times as much crude oil as it can handle with its existing refineries. Aging infrastructure and poor maintenance?means?Nigeria has to rely on imports to meet domestic oil requirements and Dangote said such a significant investment makes good business sense.?(Related article:?SOUTH SUDAN: More Good News for Oil Production)

The U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration?said?Nigerian oil production peaked at 2.6 million barrels per day in 2005. Since then, militancy and corruption have contributed to relative declines in production. Last week, Timipre Sylva, former governor of southern oil-rich Bayelsa state was?arrested?for fraud, adding to a steady stream of corruption charges filed against officials in the Niger Delta. Later this week, lawmakers?said?they will look into allegations that Nigerian Oil Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke is loosely connected to some shady deals involving Niger Delta oil blocks.? President Goodluck Jonathan, himself a former Bayelsa governor, said he would crack down on corruption, though recent developments show his efforts so far have lacked teeth.?

The Foreign Policy Critique of President Obama That Cannot Succeed (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Top IRS official didn't reveal tea party targeting

President Barack Obama gestures during a joint news conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Monday, May 13, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, where they talked about subjects ranging from Syria's civil war to preparations for a coming summit in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Barack Obama gestures during a joint news conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Monday, May 13, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, where they talked about subjects ranging from Syria's civil war to preparations for a coming summit in Northern Ireland. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Barack Obama speaks during a joint news conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Monday, May 13, 2013, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, where they talked about various topics including Syria's civil war and the IRS. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Congress was not told tea party groups were being inappropriately targeted by the Internal Revenue Service, even after acting agency Chief Steven Miller had been briefed on the matter.

Miller was first informed on May, 3, 2012, that applications for tax-exempt status by tea party groups were inappropriately singled out for extra scrutiny, the IRS said Monday.

At least twice after the briefing, Miller wrote letters to members of Congress to explain the process of reviewing applications for tax-exempt status without disclosing that tea party groups had been targeted. On July 25, 2012, Miller testified before the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee, but again did not mention the additional scrutiny ? despite being asked about it.

At the hearing, Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Texas, told Miller that some politically active tax-exempt groups in his district had complained about being harassed. Marchant did not explicitly ask if tea party groups were being targeted. But he did ask how applications were handled.

Miller responded, "We did group those organizations together to ensure consistency, to ensure quality. We continue to work those cases," according to a transcript on the committee's website.

Earlier, Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., had raised concerns with the IRS about complaints that tea party groups were being harassed. Boustany specifically mentioned tea party groups in his inquiry.

But in a June 15, 2012, letter to Boustany, Miller said that when the IRS saw an increase in applications from groups that were involved in political activity, the agency "took steps to coordinate the handling of the case to ensure consistency."

He added that agents worked with tax law experts "to develop approaches and materials that could be helpful to the agents working the cases."

Miller did not mention that in 2011, those materials included a list of words to watch for, such as "tea party" and "patriot." He also didn't disclose that in January 2012, the criteria for additional screening was updated to include references to the Constitution or the Bill of Rights.

The House Ways and Means Committee, chaired by GOP Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, is holding a hearing on the issue Friday and Miller is scheduled to testify.

The Senate Finance Committee announced Monday that it will join a growing list of congressional committees investigating the matter.

The IRS apologized Friday for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see whether they were violating their tax-exempt status. In some cases, the IRS acknowledged, agents inappropriately asked for lists of donors.

The agency blamed low-level employees in a Cincinnati office, saying no high-level officials were aware.

When members of Congress repeatedly raised concerns with the IRS about complaints that tea party groups were being harassed last year, a deputy IRS commissioner took the lead in assuring lawmakers that the additional scrutiny was a legitimate part of the screening process.

That deputy commissioner was Miller, who is now the acting head of the agency.

Camp and other members of the Ways and Means Committee sent at least four inquiries to the IRS, starting in June 2011. Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, sent three inquiries. And Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House oversight committee, sent at least one.

None of the responses they received from the IRS acknowledged that conservative groups had ever been targeted, including a response to Hatch dated Sept. 11, 2012 ? four months after Miller had been briefed.

In several letters to members of Congress, Miller went into painstaking detail about how applications for tax-exempt status were screened. But he never mentioned that conservative groups were being targeted, even though people working under him knew as early as June 2011 that tea party groups were being targeted, according to an upcoming report by the agency's inspector general.

The IRS issued a statement Monday saying that Miller had been briefed on May 3, 2012 "that some specific applications were improperly identified by name and sent to the (exempt organizations) centralized processing unit for further review." That was the unit in Cincinnati that handled the tea party applications.

Miller became acting commissioner in November, after Commissioner Douglas Shulman completed his five-year term. Shulman had been appointed by President George W. Bush.

On June 29, 2011, Lois G. Lerner, who heads the IRS division that oversees tax-exempt organizations, learned at a meeting that groups were being targeted, according to a draft of the report by the Treasury inspector general for tax administration.

At the meeting, Lerner was told that groups with "Tea Party," ''Patriot" or "9/12 Project" in their names were being flagged for additional and often burdensome scrutiny, the report says. Lerner instructed agents to change the criteria for flagging groups "immediately."

However, when Lerner responded to inquiries from the House oversight committee, she didn't mention the fact that tea party groups had ever been targeted. Her responses included 45-page letters in May 2012 to Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who chairs the committee, and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who chairs a subcommittee.

Lerner also met twice with staff from the House Ways and Means oversight subcommittee to discuss the issue, in March and in May 2012, according to a timeline constructed by committee staff. She didn't mention at either meeting that conservative groups had been targeted, according to the timeline.

On Monday, President Barack Obama said he first learned about the issue from news reports on Friday. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the White House counsel's office was alerted the week of April 22 that the inspector general was finishing a report concerning the IRS office in Cincinnati. But, he said, the counsel's office did not get the report and the president did not learn the focus until Friday.

"If, in fact, IRS personnel engaged in the kind of practices that had been reported on and were intentionally targeting conservative groups, then that's outrageous and there's no place for it," Obama said Monday at a press conference.

__

Associated Press writers Jim Abrams and Henry C. Jackson contributed to this report.

___

Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephenatap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-05-14-IRS-Political%20Groups/id-50e209688cd94d68b6bf7aae84a7f723

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