3/28/11 - Frigid Monday Stuff

[TSPking]

McKeon Introduces Earmark Rules for 2012 U.S. Defense Bill

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, has introduced guidelines for lawmakers to use when they amend the 2012 defense authorization bill.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6059176

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Start paying for war

Let's get one thing straight: Wars cost money. Even the small ones. Already, the United States has spent hundreds of millions of dollars firing Tomahawk missiles into Libya. Analysts say that the total price tag for the operation, if everything goes well and there's no escalation, could easily exceed $1 billion. That's peanuts compared with our $3.8 trillion budget. But it's not nothing.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... ltoafriend

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Small Wars, 'Disorder' Likely DoD Bills

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/03/23/small ... s-for-dod/

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Bases' construction delayed by budget standoff

Twenty-one bases across the U.S. are feeling the effects of the budget stalemate in Congress that has locked the
Air Force into last year's spending amounts and prevented the start of any new construction projects since Oct. 1.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/ ... f-032611w/

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Failed $3B helicopter program shows dangers of poor planning

GAO explains importance of advanced planning and justification for big-ticket programs
http://fcw.com/articles/2011/03/25/gao- ... opter.aspx

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Pentagon spends billions to fight roadside bombs, with little success

Technologies developed over the past several years have failed to significantly improve U.S. soldiers' ability to detect
unexploded roadside bombs and have never been able to find them at long distances. Indeed, the best detectors remain the
low-tech methods: trained dogs, local handlers and soldiers themselves.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/27/1 ... ight.html#

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Is a Lack of Secure Comms Keeping the F-22 Out of Libya Fight?

http://defensetech.org/2011/03/25/is-a- ... ght/?wh=wh

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All F-35s Cleared To Resume Flight Tests

Faulty maintenance procedures were found to have caused the March 9 in-flight failure of the engine
generators aboard an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, the program office said Friday night.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6063313

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DOD has $1.7B worth of errors in data on Recovery.gov, IG says

DOD did not conduct adequate internal reviews of data quality: IG report
http://fcw.com/articles/2011/03/25/defe ... rrors.aspx

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Off-track IT investments face do-or-die reviews

26 agencies are expected to hold TechStat meetings by March 31
http://fcw.com/articles/2011/03/25/agen ... sions.aspx

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Missile range supports testing using 1,200-mile fiber network

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. -- Travel to the edges of this 3,200-square mile Army installation and you
see nothing more than a vast tract of flat desert, punctuated by the stark peaks of the San Andres Mountains.
Bereft of any infrastructure, it is an ideal place to test rockets, its mission since Feb. 20, 1945.
http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20110 ... ne=NGtoday

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Ham radios find place in high-tech world

Ham radios once played a key role in the operations of the U.S. military before fading into the background
with the arrival of better and more accessible forms of communication like cell phones, the Internet and Skype.
http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/kor ... -1.139146#

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With new FISMA rules, security progress can be measured

Metrics on IT security performance establish a baseline for the future
http://gcn.com/articles/2011/03/25/cybe ... trics.aspx

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Cybersecurity Ecosystem: The Future?

The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday rolled out its much-anticipated white paper on
the ecosystem of cybersecurity. The document, according to DHS:
http://cybersecurityreport.nextgov.com/ ... future.php

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NSA testing smartphones, tablets on safe mobile architecture

The agency is securing the cloud and stealing a page from Amazon,
OnStar for data delivery systems.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?a ... dcn=e_gvet

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Iranian Involvement Suspected In SSL Hack Attempt

http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology ... k_attempt/

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Hill Should Not Rush on Rare Earths

Congress should not require the Pentagon to create a stockpile of rare earth minerals because companies will
adjust their behavior to the international marketplace, a group of experts said today. "The sky is not falling.
Contrary to what you are reading in some newspapers and articles we are not going to run out of anything any
time soon," said MIT professor Robert Jaffe.
http://www.dodbuzz.com/2011/03/23/hill- ... re-earths/

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Leadership memo cites San Antonio fatality

In an unusual high-level post-mortem, the head of Fleet Forces Command has sent a message to every fleet officer reminding
them of the responsibilities of command following the exoneration of an officer on charges of dereliction of duty in the
accidental death of one of his..
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/03/n ... y-032711w/

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Military offspring await health care extension

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/ ... on-032511/

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NASA For Hire

Hiring effort is to assist aerospace workers impacted by the end of the Space Shuttle program.
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0311/032281ww.htm

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Union demands concessions in the event of a government shutdown

AFGE deploys its members to fight for retroactive administrative leave,
continued health care benefits.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?a ... dcn=e_gvet

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Government revoking pay raises, top career officials claim

Some senior executives believe their performance-based pay increases are being
terminated because of the salary freeze.
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?a ... dcn=e_gvet

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If the Taxes Are Done, You Might Consider a Financial Tuneup

After you've sent off your return, think about taking a fiscal health day and knocking items off
your financial to-do list. Here are some suggestions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/your- ... l?emc=eta1

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Is lying protected speech? Military-medal case on track for Supreme Court (Isn't lying in court = Perjury?? Maybe SC will revoke that)

Why do we lie? Let Alex Kozinski, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
9th Circuit in San Francisco, count the ways.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... ltoafriend

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Supreme Court to Weigh Sociology Issue in Wal-Mart Discrimination Case

An argument being considered Tuesday on whether thousands of women can pursue a class-action
discrimination suit hinges on the validity of the conclusions of a sociologist.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/us/28 ... l?emc=eta1

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Obama, under pressure, to explain the military mission in Libya in speech to nation Monday

WASHINGTON - To a nation and a Congress seeking answers, President Barack Obama on Monday will offer his most expansive
explanation of the U.S. role in the Libyan war, delivering a speech that is expected to cover the path ahead and his
rationale about the appropriate use of force.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/obama-und ... ltoafriend

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Time short, tempers flare in budget showdown

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/U ... TE=DEFAULT

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Budget Impasse Increasing Risk of U.S. Shutdown

Congressional leaders are growing increasingly pessimistic about reaching a bipartisan deal that would avert
a government shutdown in early April.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/us/po ... l?emc=eta1

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As budget impasse drags on, government agencies operate in limbo

This is America, on the installment plan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... ltoafriend

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Odds of government shutdown rise as parties snipe over faltering budget talks

A breakdown late last week in closed-door negotiations between congressional leaders and the White House on funding
the federal government makes it increasingly possible that Congress will not agree on a long-term funding resolution
or another temporary measure by an April 8 deadline, aides from both parties said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... ltoafriend

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Hardly Settled in House, but Already in Hot Seat

Freshman members of Congress, like Representative Bobby Schilling of Illinois, are already under
pressure from all sides, Democrat and Republican.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/us/po ... l?emc=eta1

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GOP appears poised to take on entitlements

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/U ... TE=DEFAULT

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Losing Our Way

The U.S. can find the resources for endless warfare, but not for nation-building here at home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/opini ... l?emc=eta1

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Rising Medicare premiums threaten to wipe out Social Security COLA for third straight year

WASHINGTON - Millions of retired and disabled people in the United States had better brace for another year
with no increase in Social Security payments.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/rising-me ... ltoafriend

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Retiree expenses constrain colleges

Health benefits near $1 billion for Harvard
http://www.boston.com/news/education/hi ... _colleges/

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New Dispute in Wisconsin: Is Workers' Law in Effect?

Despite a court order blocking limits to collective bargaining rights, some lawmakers say that publication
of the law means that it will take effect on Saturday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/us/26 ... l?emc=eta1

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Honda says lack of parts from Japan likely to cause interruptions at North American plants

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Production will likely be interrupted at Honda Motor Co.'s six North America plants after April 1 due to a
lack of critical parts as Japanese suppliers work to recover from earthquake and tsunami damage, the automaker said Friday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... ltoafriend

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GM to restart idled pickup plant in La. after blaming shutdown on Japan parts shortage

NEW ORLEANS - General Motors will resume regular production at its pickup plant in Shreveport, La., on
Monday, a week after the company shut it down and blamed a shortage of parts from Japan.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gm-to-res ... ltoafriend

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Judge Upholds $7,000 Fine in Trampling at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart, which is said to have spent more than $2 million fighting the fine,
said it would probably appeal the decision.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/busin ... l?emc=eta1

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Borders asks bankruptcy court to approve $8.3 million in bonuses

DETROIT - Borders Group has asked bankruptcy court permission to pay $8.3 million to retain key employees,
who it says are leaving at a rate of five a week since its Chapter 11 filing last month.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... ltoafriend

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Florida law firm to pay $2 million to settle foreclosure fraud charges

A Florida law firm agreed Friday to pay the state $2 million in penalties for allegedly mishandling
foreclosures - the first deal of its kind since the uproar over the issue began last fall.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... ltoafriend

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Is It a New Tech Bubble? Let's See if It Pops

Some investors are wondering whether a huge influx of Wall Street money spells
trouble for the industry again.
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/ ... /?emc=eta1

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It's Tracking Your Every Move and You May Not Even Know

A German politician was surprised to learn he was being tracked by his cellphone carrier.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/busin ... l?emc=eta1

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Oil-mist system may burn less cash

Entrepreneur's idea is simple: Get the soot out
http://www.boston.com/business/technolo ... oil_bills/

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For a Mass. company, filtering the world's water is a growth business

http://www.boston.com/business/technolo ... _business/

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'Brain waste' thwarts immigrants' career dreams

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/U ... TE=DEFAULT

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Southern Lawmakers Focus on Illegal Immigrants

Georgia would take a cue from Arizona and broaden local law enforcement's power to question immigration
status. In Alabama, it would become illegal to rent to illegal immigrants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/us/26 ... l?emc=eta1

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Bragg soldiers accused of taking $1.3 million in Afghanistan

Two Fort Bragg soldiers, working along with an Afghan interpreter, embezzled nearly $1.3 million while deployed in 2009,
according to court documents. Edwin Vando and Juan Lamboy Rivera each were charged in a criminal information filed in U.S.
District Court.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/03/27/ ... -13m.html#

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Taliban bomb-planters walk free due to lack of evidence in Afghanistan

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-storie ... -23017692/

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In Afghanistan, spring could prove test of anti-Taliban effort

A U.S.-led operation last year drove the Taliban from bases in Zhari district. As the expected spring offensive
nears, U.S. officials insist that the insurgents will find it difficult to regain a foothold in the area.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 8135.story

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Israel to Deploy 'Iron Dome' Anti-Rocket System

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6060108

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In Tunisia, act of one fruit vendor unleashes wave of revolution through Arab world

SIDI BOUZID, TUNISIA - On the evening before Mohammed Bouazizi lit a fire that would burn across the Arab world, the young
fruit vendor told his mother that the oranges, dates and apples he had to sell were the best he'd ever seen. "With this fruit,"
he said, "I can buy some gifts for you. Tomorrow will be a good day."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in- ... ltoafriend

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Unrest in Syria and Jordan Poses New Test for U.S. Policy

Instability has spread to nations that the United States considers vital to its
interests and to chances for peace in the Middle East.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Protesters Shot as Syria Erupts in Violence

Violence erupted around Syria on Friday as troops opened fire on protesters in several cities and pro- and anti-government
crowds clashed on the tense streets of the capital in the most widespread unrest in years, witnesses said
http://www.military.com/news/article/pr ... lence.html

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Syrian Troops Open Fire on Protesters in Several Cities

The most serious challenge in two decades to 40 years of repressive rule by the Assad family erupted in violence
when soldiers opened fire on peaceful demonstrators.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Protesters shot as demonstrations expand across Syria

CAIRO - Syrian security forces fired live ammunition and tear gas rounds at protesters Friday, killing an undetermined
number of people, as unrest that had been mostly contained in a small southwestern city erupted across the country,
including the capital, Damascus.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/pro ... ltoafriend

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Protesters burn gov. buildings in 2 Syrian towns

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/M ... 6-12-28-59

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Syria's Assad moves to allay fury after security forces fire on protesters

CAIRO - In an apparent effort to quell anger a day after a deadly crackdown on protesters, President Bashar al-Assad
released hundreds of political prisoners Saturday and pulled back security forces from the southwestern city where
Syria's burgeoning unrest began last week.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syr ... ltoafriend

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Syrian government says 12 killed in weekend unrest in northern port city

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syria's government said Sunday that unknown gunmen firing from rooftops and prowling the
streets of the Mediterranean city of Latakia are to blame for two days of violence that killed 12 people.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/syr ... ltoafriend

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Tension and Grief in Syria After Protests and Deadly Reprisals

Protesters set fire to a ruling party office, and President Bashar al-Assad tried to promote
calm by ordering the release of as many as 200 political prisoners.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Syria Tries to Ease Deep Political Crisis

Syria tried to ease a grave political crisis by blaming gangs for killing 12 people and promising
to soon lift a draconian emergency law.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Qatar Seizes Two Iranian Boats With Arms: Report

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6072206

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President of Yemen Vows to Stay

In his latest pivot in negotiations over a transfer of power, President Ali Abdullah Saleh disputed
news reports that he was ready to leave.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Yemeni militants seize control of weapons factory

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/M ... 7-08-12-06

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Libyan Rebels Say They Have Retaken Ajdabiya After Night of Airstrikes

Following another night of allied air strikes against forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, rebels succeeded
in retaking the strategic eastern city on Saturday, witnesses said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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U.S., allies ponder arming Libyan rebels

The United States and its allies are considering whether to supply weapons to the Libyan opposition as coalition
airstrikes fail to dislodge government forces from around key contested towns, according to U.S. and European officials.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us- ... ltoafriend

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US Pulls Punches with Libya ROE

U.S. and coalition aircraft attempting to force the Libyan army to lay down arms are pulling their punches by not attacking
in the contested cities, according to a senior Defense Department official. Vice Adm. Bill Gortney, director of the Joint
Staff, said the coalition has adopted restrictive rules of engagement to avoid killing the civilians.
http://www.military.com/news/article/us ... a-roe.html

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Airstrikes help Libya rebels advance

TRIPOLI, Libya - Days of coalition airstrikes appeared Saturday to have pushed open the door to western Libya for
anti-government rebel forces, which retook the strategic city of Ajdabiya as a weakened military loyal to leader
Moammar Gaddafi fell back.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... ltoafriend

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Airstrikes Clear Way for Libyan Rebels' First Major Advance

As night fell, rebel forces had recaptured Ajdabiya, a crucial eastern hub, and had also driven almost uncontested
to the town of Brega, erasing weeks of losses as airstrikes opened the way.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Libyan Woman Struggles to Tell Media of Her Rape

A woman burst into the hotel housing the foreign press in Tripoli and fought off security forces as she
told journalists that she had been raped and beaten by Qaddafi militia members.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Russia's Top General Says Libyan Air Strikes 'Failed'

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6067902

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U.S., NATO Consider Arming Libyan Opposition: Report

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i= ... =MID&s=AIR

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Libyan Rebels March Toward Qaddafi Stronghold

There were unconfirmed reports early Monday that rebel forces had routed pro-government defenders
in Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi's tribal homeland of Surt.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Libyan rebels capture key oil towns

TRIPOLI, Libya - Rebels surged westward along Libya's coast Sunday, seizing at least three more
key towns and capitalizing on their new momentum after more than a week of airstrikes by an
international coalition.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/lib ... ltoafriend

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Libyan reformer now face of rebellion

US-educated professor gains confidence of Western leaders
http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa ... rebellion/

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Gates and Clinton Unite to Defend Libya Intervention, and Say It May Last Awhile (It's not a NO FLY ZONE if you are doing CAS)

The comments by President Obama's two top national security officials offered a striking illustration of
the complex calculus involved in imposing a no-fly zone over Libya.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Gates: Intel shows Qaddafi planting bodies at attack sites

On "Face the Nation" airing Sunday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates stresses coalition forces
"have really done an extraordinary job" at avoiding civilian casualties
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/ ... ontentBody

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THE GAUNTLET - SecState Clinton threw it down Sunday on "Face the Nation:" (Interesting read)

"There are no perfect options," she said. "We are choosing among competing imperfect options. I mean, if we were
sitting here and Benghazi had been taken and tens of thousands of people had been slaughtered and hundreds of thousands
had fled - some of them over the border to Egypt, destabilizing Egypt during its particularly delicate transition.
We'd be sitting here and people in the Congress and elsewhere would be saying, 'why didn't we do something?'"
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/FTN_0 ... rPromoArea

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Enterprise, Leyte Disrupt Pirate Attack

Two Norfolk based ship -- the aircraft carrier Enterprise and the cruiser Leyte Gulf -- stopped a
pirate attack in the Arabian Sea on Thursday, the Navy said Friday afternoon.
http://www.military.com/news/article/en ... ttack.html

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Hundreds of Thousands Flee Ivory Coast Crisis, U.N. Says

The exodus has been fueled by the nation's political crisis, which has lead to increasing violence
and a collapsing economy, the United Nations said Friday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Hundreds of Africans reach Italy in boats

http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/E ... 7-08-58-05

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Japan Encourages a Wider Evacuation From Reactor Area

Officials suggest that people living from 12 to 19 miles outside the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant should
leave, as new signs emerged that it will be hard to bring the plant under control.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/world ... l?emc=eta1

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Global Supply Lines at Risk as Shipping Lines Shun Japan

Japan's busiest ports in Tokyo and Yokohama are being avoided by global shipping lines
fearful of radiation contamination.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/26/busin ... l?emc=eta1

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Officials: Measurement of huge spike in radiation at Japanese nuclear plant was a mistake

TOKYO - Emergency workers struggling to pump contaminated water from Japan's stricken nuclear complex fled from
one of the troubled reactors Sunday after reporting a huge increase in radioactivity - a spike that officials
later apologetically said was inaccurate.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ ... ltoafriend

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Radiation in seawater may be spreading in Japan

Highly radioactive iodine seeping from Japan's damaged nuclear complex may be making its way into seawater
farther north of the plant than previously thought, officials said Monday, adding to radiation concerns as
the crisis stretches into a third week.
http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/A ... 6-14-03-23

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Japanese Rules for Nuclear Plants Relied on Old Science

For decades, Japanese officialdom and even parts of its engineering establishment clung to older
scientific precepts for protecting nuclear plants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/world ... l?emc=eta1

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As Japan shutdowns drag on, auto crisis worsens

The auto industry disruptions triggered by Japan's earthquake and tsunami are about to get worse. In the weeks ahead,
car buyers will have difficulty finding the model they want in certain colors, thousands of auto plant workers will
likely be told to stay home, and companies such as Toyota, Honda and others will lose billions of dollars in revenue.
More than two weeks since the natural disaster, inventories of crucial car supplies - from computer chips to paint
pigments - are dwindling fast as Japanese factories that make them struggle to restart.
http://ap.stripes.com/dynamic/stories/J ... 7-13-40-03

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Fear of Shortages Drives Panic Buying of Japanese Goods

The disaster in Japan has left businesses in a number of industries unable to count
on reliable access to critical supplies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/busin ... l?emc=eta1

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Magnitude 6.5 earthquake rattles eastern Japan again; tsunami alert issued

NEW YORK - A magnitude-6.5 earthquake shook eastern Japan off the quake-ravaged coast on Monday morning,
the U.S. Geological Survey reported, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/mag ... ltoafriend

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[lotusgarde]

Holy links batman!!

[crondanet5]

Rumor has it the Presidential Transition Team will consider its job done when George W. Obama speaks with a Texas drawl. He's spending like George isn't he?