Oscars expand social media outreach for 85th show

The Twitter Mirror that is going to be used during the Oscars is set up backstage at the 85th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. The Academy Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. As part of its push to attract younger viewers to the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is working to make the show a two-screen experience by offering new camera perspectives and interactive features on its website. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

The Twitter Mirror that is going to be used during the Oscars is set up backstage at the 85th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. The Academy Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. As part of its push to attract younger viewers to the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is working to make the show a two-screen experience by offering new camera perspectives and interactive features on its website. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

The Twitter Mirror that is going to be used during the Oscars is seen backstage at the 85th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. The Academy Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. As part of its push to attract younger viewers to the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is working to make the show a two-screen experience by offering new camera perspectives and interactive features on its website. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is encouraging celebrities to tweet during the Oscars.

The film organization has expanded its digital outreach for the 85th Academy Awards with a new feature that lets stars to snap photos of themselves backstage during Sunday's ceremony and instantly post them online.

What Twitter calls a "Magic Mirror" will take photo-booth-style pictures of participating stars in the green room and send them out on the academy's official Twitter account. Organizers expect multiple celebrity mash-ups.

The backstage green room is a private place for stars to hang out before taking the stage and is typically closed to press and photographers.

The Magic Mirror is "giving access to fans at home a part of the show they never got to experience before," Twitter spokeswoman Elaine Filadelfo said Friday.

A new video-on-demand/instant replay feature also being introduced Sunday will allow Oscar fans to view show highlights online moments after they happen and share them with friends on Twitter and Facebook. Dozens of clips from the red carpet and the awards telecast will be available on the official Oscar website beyond Sunday's ceremony.

Oscar.com also offers other behind-the-scenes interactive features, including various backstage camera perspectives and a new live blog that aggregates the show's presence across social media. It will track the traffic on whatever makes a splash, like Angelina Jolie's right leg did last year.

The academy wants to make its second-screen experience just as rich as its primary one.

"Social media is now mainstream," said Christina Kounelias, chief marketing officer for the academy.

"We're not doing social media to reach out to young kids," said the academy's digital media director, Josh Spector. "We're doing it to connect with all Oscar fans."

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen on Twitter: www.twitter.com/APSandy.

___

Online:

www.oscar.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-23-US-Oscar-Countdown-Social-Media/id-25371b548936454d935dd06367536a2b

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First look at Apple's new iWatch (Video)

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Staff Puget Sound Business Journal

Bloomberg takes a look at Apple's plans to develop an "iWatch," which would connect to a smartphone and display maps, "points of interest," even tweets.

Blogger Mikey Campbell, who writes for Appleinsider.com, describes the device based on Apple's patent filings, saying it isn't likely the full design could be made within six months or a year, but farther into the future.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TechFlash/~3/aCCENbjIldo/first-look-at-apples-new-iwatch.html

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Selena Gomez And Her "Spring Breakers" Gals Get Grown & Sexy For Rome (PHOTOS)

The cast of "Springbreakers" hit their premiere in Rome. || Photo Credit: Wenn

They're growing up so fast!

Selena Gomez,?Ashley Benson,?Vanessa Hudgens, and Rachel Korine?have been jet setting all over Europe this past week for the premieres of their upcoming movie "Spring Breakers", and they've taken their fabulous fashion with them.

PHOTOS:?Selena Gomez Admits Bieber Is A "Hopeless Romantic" In ELLE

The former child stars bring out their inner rebel in the movie, as well as their growth into adulthood, and their recent premiere outfits have definitely been showing that off.

Selena attended the premiere looking particulary glamorous in a black jumpsuit with some matching stilettos.

Wearing darker make up to bring out her fierce eyes, Justin Bieber's ex-girl looked stunning in the jumpsuit which included a sheer top that showed off some cleavage.

PHOTOS:?Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez Arrive In Mexico

It looks like these co-stars are all bringing out the grown and sexy in each other for their premiere run, and we love it!

Check out the gallery to see the cast at the Rome premiere!

Source: http://globalgrind.com/style/selena-gomez-vanessa-hudgens-ashley-benson-rachel-korine-cast-spring-breakers-rome-premiere-photos

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Chrome's App Launcher Runs Chrome Apps on Your Desktop, Available on Dev Channel Now

Google just added a new feature, currently available on Chrome's dev channel for Windows, that launches Chrome apps outside the browser, from the Windows taskbar. Here's how it works.

Similar to the app launcher on Chromebooks, Windows users can now launch Chrome apps right from the taskbar. Regular Chrome apps will open up in a Chrome tab, but the launcher is really designed for "Chrome-packaged apps," a special type of app that will open in its own window, work offline by default, and have access to other integration features not available to Chrome's regular application shortcuts. Right now, it doesn't look like there are a lot of Chrome-packaged apps out there?Gmail and Google Drive aren't even among the few)?and there's no way to search the Chrome Web Store for them yet.

To try out the launcher, grab a Chrome-packaged app like the Text Drive text editor from Chrome's web store. When you do, you'll be prompted to install the launcher to your taskbar, after which you can launch Text Drive in its own window. The launcher will also list your other Google Chrome apps like Gmail and Google Drive, but you'll only be able to open them as tabs in Chrome for now. Again, this feature is still in early stages, so hopefully we'll see more supported apps soon. Google also says a Mac and Linux version is on the way, so stay tuned. Hit the link to read more.

Chrome app launcher developer preview | The Chromium Blog

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Bs62AOI6ztg/chromes-app-launcher-runs-chrome-apps-on-your-desktop-available-on-dev-channel-now

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Dear Mark Emmert: Why won?t NCAA meet with sports editors, news organizations?

As if Mark Emmert and the NCAA didn?t have enough bad PR problems on its plate, here?s another one: Now the president and the association appear to be ducking the nation?s sports editors.

The Associated Press Sports Editors, joined by other news organizations, wrote a letter last week to Emmert expressing profound frustration over recent NCAA decisions regarding the media. Specifically, they cite the NCAA moving 30 percent of its media seating for the Final Four ?away from the court and into locations which make our
coverage of these games more difficult and ultimately less informative to the public.?

There also are issues regarding social media, credentials and access for coverage of football and basketball at various schools and conferences.

The letter says that the APSE and other news organizations have been trying to meet with NCAA officials since last October. Much to their frustration, a meeting has yet to take place.

From the letter:

Unfortunately, our attempts to schedule a meeting ? for which representatives of all the undersigned groups are willing to travel to your offices in Indianapolis ? have been met with vague promises to schedule something in the future. In fact, we have pursued this meeting on many fronts. Gerry Ahern, the Director of News Content for the USA Today Sports Media Group and president of the Associated Sports Editors, spoke or corresponded with your office on at least three occasions during the same time frame without success.

The letter notes that ?our members? frustrations are rising.? And with good reason. It shouldn?t be that hard to schedule a meeting, especially when the editors and other association leaders are willing to go to the NCAA?s headquarters in Indianapolis to make it happen.

Ahern posted the letter on the APSE website this week. He told his fellow editors: ?It?s important that we as APSE members remain diligent in protecting our access and ensuring our ability to provide our audiences with authoritative coverage.?

I followed up with Ahern to see if he had further comment. He preferred to let the letter speak for itself.

I am in the process of contacting the NCAA. However, I can?t imagine a reason other than ?We?ve been busy.?

Obviously, that reason isn?t flying with the people who signed the letter.

Here it is:

***********

February 13, 2013

Dr. Mark A. Emmert
President
National Collegiate Athletic Association
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, IN 46206

Dear Dr. Emmert,

The undersigned organizations are writing to express our profound disappointment with
the NCAA?s recent actions affecting journalists? ability to cover your member
institutions? activities. We hope to prevent further diminishment of our ability to report
collegiate sports news in cities and towns across the United States. The public?s interest
deserves that we work together to ensure that such coverage is thorough, timely and
benefits schools, students, student-athletes, fans, citizens and news organizations
representing the public.

Recognizing that our mutual interests are best served when we act cooperatively, the
nation?s largest media organizations have repeatedly attempted to explore common
ground on a variety of coverage issues. Our requests over the past three months for a
meeting with you and senior communications officials have been met with delay. During
that time, the NCAA has made significant changes to coverage of the upcoming NCAA
men?s basketball tournament without seeking our input. Additionally, our members are
reporting unduly restrictive credentialing conditions on their use of social media that
inhibit their publishing rights and detrimentally affect the public?s interest in access to
timely information.

In short, our concerns and frustrations are mounting, with a long period of unproductive
interaction leading to this follow up letter. After several relatively minor issues were
resolved on temporary basis, there is a distinct need for a larger discussion.
Tim Franklin, managing editor at Bloomberg News in Washington, who serves as the
American Society of News Editors? Freedom of Information Co-Chairman, contacted
your office in October on behalf of 10 media groups in order to foster a frank and
positive discussion. We sincerely wanted to create an understanding of each side?s needs
and concerns to avoid further conflict and ensure we are both serving the public interest.
We were excited when your office responded with what appeared to be a similar desire.
Unfortunately, our attempts to schedule a meeting ? for which representatives of all the
undersigned groups are willing to travel to your offices in Indianapolis ? have been met
with vague promises to schedule something in the future. In fact, we have pursued this
meeting on many fronts. Gerry Ahern, the Director of News Content for the USA Today
Sports Media Group and president of the Associated Sports Editors, spoke or
corresponded with your office on at least three occasions during the same time frame
without success.

We hope you share our interest in working together, and that you?ll set a firm time to do
so in the next few weeks, not months. We recognize the demands on your time are
considerable. But, this is an urgent priority for publishers, editors and journalists, and we
believe that it should be for you, too.

We recently learned that the media seating arrangements for the upcoming NCAA
Tournament have been revised, with as many as 30 percent of the seats previously
available to our members moved away from the court and into locations which make our
coverage of these games more difficult and ultimately less informative to the public.
In addition, conflicts that arose during football season regarding access, credentialing,
and social media are recurring in the basketball season. Rather than providing a
substantive response to these issues, the NCAA has attempted to shift responsibility to
individual schools; while the individual universities, in turn, cite NCAA guidelines as the
rationale for their actions. The result: There is no accountability for policies that infringe
on our work and our publication rights.

While we remain hopeful that these issues can be resolved, our patience is not without
limits, and our members? frustrations are rising.

We respectfully request that you contact Susan Goldberg or Gerry Ahern
to schedule a meeting.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Susan Goldberg: President, American Society of News Editors

Gerry Ahern: President, Associated Press Sports Editors

Tiffany Shackelford: Executive Director, Association of Alternative Newsmedia

Brad Dennison: President, Associated Press Media Editors

Mike Borland: President, National Press Photographers Association

Caroline Little: President/CEO, Newspaper Association of America

James Brady:?President,?Online News Association

Bruce Brown: Executive Director, Committee for Freedom of the Press

Sonny Albarado: President, Society of Professional Journalists

Frank LoMonte: Executive Director, Student Press Law Center

Cc:
John Swofford: Commissioner, Atlantic Coast Conference
Bob Bowlsby: Commissioner, Big 12 Conference
Mike Aresco: Commissioner, Big East Conference
James E. Delany: Commissioner, Big Ten Conference
Larry Scott: Commissioner, Pac-12 Conference
Mike Slive: Commissioner, Southeastern Conference

Source: http://www.shermanreport.com/dear-mark-emmert-why-wont-ncaa-meet-with-sports-editors-news-organizations/

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Valentine?s Day Rumors

Valentine’s Day Rumors

Jennifer Lopez Spotted at TopShop Opening?[The Frisky] Britney Spears Goes Gangsta Remix Video?[HollyWire] Mila Kunis Talks On Screen Nudity?[Right Celebrity] Miley Cyrus Reveals Wedding Dress Designer??[The Celebrity Cafe] Kesha Chugs Her Own Urine?[The Blemish] Kate Upton is Single this Valentine’s Day?[The Huffington Post] Kim Kardashian Hides Baby Bump?[Girls Talkin Smack] Justin Bieber Releases Unfinished Song?[Tonic ...

Valentine’s Day Rumors Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/02/valentines-day-rumors/

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$1 Million Reward Offered for Christopher Dormer

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/1-dollars-million-reward-offered-for-christopher-dormer/

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Former Fla. GOP chief pleads guilty before trial

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) ? The criminal trial of former Republican Party of Florida chair Jim Greer had promised to be embarrassing for party leaders, rising Republican star Marco Rubio and former Gov. Charlie Crist, who is contemplating a new political future as a Democrat.

But Greer's guilty pleas on Monday to four counts of theft and a single count of money laundering ended the trial before it even started and ensured that some state GOP secrets will remain confidential, at least for the time-being.

"There were a number of people who did not want this trial to go forward and the trial isn't going forward," Damon Chase, Greer's attorney, said after the former chair entered his pleas in court. "Once again, Jim Greer is falling on his sword for a lot of other folks."

Greer, 50, could face a prison sentence of 3 ? to 35 years when he is sentenced March 27. Assistant statewide prosecutor Michael Williams wouldn't say how many years prosecutors would seek.

The trial had threatened to expose the underbelly of Florida's dominant political party and its formerly high-spending ways. Party officials took heat three years ago from revelations of excessive spending at restaurants and luxury hotels on party-issued American Express cards by Republican leaders, including Rubio. Testimony about those expenditures had been expected at the trial.

Topics also covered in pretrial depositions included allegations of prostitutes at a state GOP fundraiser in the Bahamas, the drinking habits of Crist and intraparty strife. Some of Florida's most powerful politicians were scheduled as witnesses, including Crist, former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and several state House and state Senate leaders.

Greer's acknowledgment of guilt was what the party wanted all along, party attorney Stephen Dobson said, and they weren't worried about potentially embarrassing testimony at trial.

"There was absolutely no concern. In fact, a lot of people were looking forward to clearing a lot of these allegations that had been made up," Dobson said outside the courtroom. "Today the truth came out."

Greer was vice mayor of the small central Florida town of Oviedo when Crist surprisingly picked him to be the state party chairman after he led local efforts to help Crist get elected governor in 2006. He previously was the president and CEO of a company that provides training to the hospitality industry on how to comply with alcohol laws.

The Republican Party of Florida said in a statement that Greer had tried to damage the party's reputation since his arrest in 2010.

"But the truth is now known that Jim Greer broke the law, stole from the RPOF and our donors, and then said and did everything he could to cover up and distract attention from his crimes," the statement said.

The plea arrangement was reached at the last minute. Jury selection was set to begin early Monday, but neither Greer nor prosecutors had appeared in the courtroom an hour after the trial was supposed to start.

Until he entered his guilty pleas, Greer had contended that party leaders, including Crist, knew about the financial arrangement that gave Greer's company a cut of party money in exchange for fundraising efforts. Greer had said he was targeted because of his support for Crist, who later defected from the GOP to run as an independent for U.S. Senate but lost to Rubio.

Crist denied ever knowing about the arrangement. In a brief phone interview Monday, Crist said he hadn't been worried about testifying.

"It didn't bother me one way or the other," Crist said. "I'm always happy to tell the truth."

About $200,000 was funneled into the company, Victory Strategies, which was formed by Greer with his former right-hand man, Delmar Johnson. Johnson had been scheduled to be prosecutors' star witness and was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.

"It's Finally Over!!!" Johnson posted on Facebook after the guilty pleas were announced in court.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/former-fla-gop-chief-pleads-guilty-trial-155333495--politics.html

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Iran rejects Western pressure on revolution anniversary

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday Tehran would not negotiate about its disputed nuclear program under pressure, but would talk to its adversaries if they stopped "pointing the gun".

In a speech to mark the 34th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, Ahmadinejad struck a more conciliatory tone than Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who on February 7 rebuffed a U.S. call for direct negotiations on disputes between the two countries.

Ahmadinejad does not have the authority to authorize negotiations over the nuclear program, which lies with Khamenei.

The U.S. and some of its allies suspect Iran may be trying to develop atomic weapons capability under the cover of a civilian nuclear energy program, a charge Iran has denied.

"You cannot point a gun at the Iranian nation and then expect them to have negotiations with you," Ahmadinejad said, speaking to a crowd gathered in Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square.

His speech, which partly dealt with Iran's policy towards its 'enemies', was carried live on Iranian state television.

"Talks should not be used as a lever to impose one's opinions."

He added: "If you stop pointing the gun at the Iranian nation, I will negotiate (with you) myself."

Khamenei on Thursday slapped down an offer of direct negotiations with the United States, saying negotiations and pressure were incompatible.

(Reporting By Yeganeh Torbati, Editing by William Maclean and Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-rejects-western-pressure-revolution-anniversary-102736863.html

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The Gods: New Genesis

In ancient days, the primordial gods withdrew from the world to allow humanity to decide their own fate. However, in the modern age, humanity finally manages to destroy itself. Now, new civilizations rise under their gods and the guidance of their Avatars

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?The Gods: New Genesis?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

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Oh~ I remember this from a while back. I'll probably have to tweak my characters slightly (or completely rework them if I'm feel daring) to fit the new plot and such but I'm definitely eager to give them another go.

Lifecharacter

Member for 2 years

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Ordeal in the snow: Drivers stranded for hours

Kathy Kmonicek / AP

With tears in her eyes, Pirscilla Arena, 41, from Mount Sinai, N.Y., reads letters she wrote to her two children as she spent the night in her car on North Ocean Avenue in Farmingville after the car got stuck in the snow while she was traveling home after work during the snow storm. Arena was at the Brookhaven Town Hall on Saturday after being rescued by a New York state trooper.

By Frank Eltman, The Associated Press

FARMINGVILLE, N.Y. -- Stranded for hours on a snow-covered road, Priscilla Arena prayed, took out a sheet of loose-leaf paper and wrote what she thought might be her last words to her husband and children.

She told her 9 1/2-year-old daughter, Sophia, she was "picture-perfect beautiful." And she advised her 5 ?-year-old son, John: "Remember all the things that mommy taught you. Never say you hate someone you love. Take pride in the things you do, especially your family. ... Don't get angry at the small things; it's a waste of precious time and energy. Realize that all people are different, but most people are good. "

"My love will never die ? remember, always," she added.

Full coverage from The Weather Channel

Arena, who was rescued in an Army canvas truck after about 12 hours, was one of hundreds of drivers who spent a fearful, chilly night stuck on highways in a blizzard that plastered New York's Long Island with more than 30 inches of snow, its ferocity taking many by surprise despite warnings to stay off the roads.

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Even plows were mired in the snow or blocked by stuck cars, so emergency workers had to resort to snowmobiles to try to reach motorists. Four-wheel-drive vehicles, tractor-trailers and a couple of ambulances could be seen stranded along the roadway and ramps of the Long Island Expressway. Stuck drivers peeked out from time to time, running their cars intermittently to warm up as they waited for help.

With many still stranded hours after the snow stopped, Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged other communities to send plows to help dig out in eastern Long Island, which took the state's hardest hit by far in the massive Northeast storm.

In Connecticut, where the storm dumped more than 3 feet of snow in some places, the National Guard rescued about 90 stranded motorists, taking a few to hospitals with hypothermia.

The scenes came almost exactly two years after a blizzard marooned at least 1,500 cars and buses on Chicago's iconic Lake Shore Drive, leaving hundreds of people shivering in their vehicles for as long as 12 hours and questioning why the city didn't close the crucial thoroughfare earlier.

Cuomo and other officials were similarly asked why they didn't act to shut down major highways in Long Island in advance of the storm, especially given the sprawling area's reputation for gridlock. The expressway is often called "the world's longest parking lot."

"The snow just swallowed them up. It came down so hard and so fast," explained Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone.

"That's not an easy call," added Cuomo, who noted that people wanted to get home and that officials had warned them to take precautions because the worst of the snow could start by the evening rush hour. Flashing highway signs underscored the message ahead of time: "Heavy Snow Expected. Avoid PM Travel!"

"People need to act responsibly in these situations," Cuomo said.

But many workers didn't have the option of taking off early Friday, Arena noted. The 41-year-old sales account manager headed home from an optical supply business in Ronkonkoma around 4 p.m. She soon found her SUV stuck along a road in nearby Farmingville.

"Even though we would dig ourselves out and push forward, the snow kept piling, and therefore we all got stuck, all of us," she recalled later at Brookhaven Town Hall, where several dozen stranded motorists were taken after being rescued. Many others opted to stay with their cars.

Related story: Boy killed by carbon monoxide as dad shovels out car

Richard Ebbrecht left his Brooklyn chiropractic office around 3 p.m. for his home in Middle Island, about 60 miles away, calculating that he could make the drive home before the worst of the blizzard set in. He was wrong.

As the snow came rushing down faster than he'd foreseen, he got stuck six or seven times on the expressway and on other roads. Drivers began helping each other shovel and push, he said, but to no avail. He finally gave up and spent the night in his car on a local thoroughfare, only about two miles from his home.

"I could run my car and keep the heat on and listen to the radio a little bit," he said.

He walked home around at 8 a.m., leaving his car.

Late-shifters including Wayne Jingo had little choice but to risk it if they wanted to get home. By early afternoon, he'd been stuck in his pickup truck alongside the Long Island Expressway for nearly 12 hours.

He'd left his job around midnight as a postal worker at Kennedy Airport and headed home to Medford, about 50 miles east. He was at an exit in Ronkonkoma ? almost home ? around 1:45 a.m. when another driver came barreling at him westbound, the wrong way, he said. Jingo swerved to avoid the oncoming car, missed the exit and ended up stuck on the highway's grass shoulder.

He rocked the truck back and forth to try to free it, but it only sank down deeper into the snow and shredded one of his tires. He called 911. A police officer came by at 9:30 a.m. and said he would send a tow truck.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, Jingo was still waiting.

"I would have been fine if I didn't have to swerve," he said.

In Middle Island, a Wal-Mart remained unofficially open long past midnight to accommodate more than two dozen motorists who were stranded on nearby roads.

"We're here to mind the store, but we can't let people freeze out there," manager Jerry Greek told Newsday.

Officials weren't aware of any deaths among the stranded drivers, Cuomo said. Suffolk County police said no serious injuries had been reported among stuck motorists, but officers were still systematically checking stranded vehicles late Saturday afternoon.

While the expressway eventually opened Saturday, about 30 miles of the highway was to be closed again Sunday for snow removal.

Susan Cassara left her job at a Middle Island day care center around 6:30 p.m., after driving some of the children home because their parents couldn't get there to pick them up.

She got stuck on one road until about 2:30 a.m. Then a plow helped her get out ? but she got stuck again, she said. Finally, an Army National Guardsman got to her on a snowmobile after 4 a.m.

"It was so cool. Strapped on, held on and came all the way here" to the makeshift shelter at the Brookhaven Town Hall, she said. "Something for my bucket list."

Related stories:

?

? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/09/16914320-ordeal-in-the-snow-northeast-drivers-stranded-for-hours-in-blizzard?lite

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Boston Top 5 winter storms ever: Blizzard of 2013 could top the list

A 2003 winter storm dumped a record 27.5 inches of snow in Boston. No. 5 on the list is a 2005 storm that dropped 22.5 inches. The Blizzard of 2013 looks likely to top that, at least.?

By Pete Spotts,?Staff writer / February 8, 2013

Pedestrians walk through the Public Garden as snow begins to accumulate in Boston Friday.

Brian Snyder/Reuters

Enlarge

The meteorological dilettantes among us will periodically prod snowbanks with yardsticks as the Blizzard of 2013 deposits its snow on eastern Massachusetts and beyond this weekend. But when it comes to storm records for Boston, all eyes will be on Logan Airport's snow gauge ? the ultimate arbiter.

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The Blizzard of 2013, which the Weather Channel as dubbed a somewhat unintimidating winter storm Nemo, is expected to dump at least 24 inches of snow on Boston. Anything over 22.8 inches will guarantee the storm makes the list of the five snowiest storms since 1892, according to records kept at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Taunton, Mass., which covers southern New England.

For Many Bostonians, the frame of reference for winter storms for now remains the Blizzard of 1978, which struck 35 years ago this week. It dumped 27.1 inches of snow on a city already coping with the leftovers from a storm three weeks earlier. That earlier storm brought 21 inches of snow.

The '78 storm remains the snowiest on record for Providence, R.I., although it ranks No. 10 for Worcester, Mass.. In Hartford, Conn., the '78 storm is tied for eighth place with a storm that hit in December 1947 and dumped 16.9 inches of snow on the city.

For Boston, the record for snow in a single storm belongs to the Blizzard of 2003, which struck on Presidents Day that year. The storm affected a long swath of the East Coast from Washington, D.C., through Boston. It brought record snow to Baltimore as well, which groaned under 28.2 inches of snow.

That storm's genesis bears a striking resemblance to the blizzard heading into the Northeast today. A storm system that formed over the southern Rockies on Feb. 14, 2003, headed east. As it approached, it triggered the formation of a coastal storm off the Carolinas.

That storm began to move up the coast, following a typical path for nor'easters. Meanwhile, a large pool of cold air linked to a high pressure system over eastern Canada provided the chill needed to make sure the usual line between rain and snow fell much farther south than it typically does. With the coastal storm drawing plenty of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, the stage was set for the deep snows that blanketed the region in the storm's aftermath.

Five snowiest storms on record for Boston (since 1892)

• Feb. 17-18, 2003 - 27.5 inches (Presidents Day storm)
• Feb. 6-7, 1978 - 27.1 inches
• Feb. 24-27, 1969 - 26.3 inches
• March 31-April 1, 1997 - 25.4 inches (April Fools' storm)
• Jan. 22-23, 2005 - 22.5 inches

Source: National Weather Service

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ZR3X4RuxFdc/Boston-Top-5-winter-storms-ever-Blizzard-of-2013-could-top-the-list

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Local Learns Politics: When It Leaks, It Pours ? NYU Local

Poli-tricks, poli-ticks, politics. The intricacies of government and society are supposed to make your head hurt?simply because none of them actually make a shred of sense. Game theory never helped anyone either. But that?s what defines politics: a bunch of nonsense packaged into a somewhat sustainable rule of law. We know the topic can be yawn-inducing, confusing and nauseating but, hey, it?s in the news so we might as well take a shot at disassembling and digesting this mess for the greater good. And that?s what ?Local Learns Politics? is all about.

By this point, you should know about drone warfare. Even if you don?t enjoy politics, you should still know that the U.S. government has this fondness for human-activated flying war robots that spray missiles at warranted targets from afar. Call it the ?future of war,? a ?new age of combat? or ?Ishmael.? Yeah, it?s kinda fucked up. And, yeah, our government likes to use them a lot.

So the leaked memo from the Justice Department that NBC News found this week wasn?t too surprising. It was basically the legal equivalent of the leaked torture memos left over from the Bush administration; both had the same underlying suggestions: ?Here?s what we?re doing. And here?s just how we?re actually getting away with it.?

But the story here is not the subject of drone warfare. Or the fact that the U.S. government can kinda/sorta/totally kill American citizens if they are put on a drone list (how Orwellian does that sound?). We?ll talk about that another time. As mentioned before, we get it. No, what we?re learning right about now is a simple truth from that strange, twisted intersection of transparency and government: all you need is one leak for the expected levees to break.

Here?s how a leak works.

The term ?leak? comes from a pipe of information leaking out into the wrong hands? Not sure. But, in the hyperspeed year of 2013, there are pretty much only two ways leaks can happen.

The first (and most recent) form is the hacker leak. Think: Anonymous, LulzSec, 4Chan community, etc. With hacker leaks, the Internet is used as a battleground, where Geek Squad revolutionaries take to the Web to access ?confidential? digital data and then publish said information for the entire world to see. Anonymous just did this recently with the Westboro Baptist Church?the group everyone loves to/probably should hate?and managed to leak names and addresses of members online. The hacker leak is forceful action for information; someone is purposefully cyber-stalking an authority figure or group to find out what?s going on. It?s like The Matrix meets Catfish.

The second form is the ?Look what I found!? leak. Think: WikiLeaks, the Pentagon Papers, this aforementioned NBC News story, etc. Basically, in these cases, someone from inside?the bureaucracy jumps ship and opens his or her mouth to a media organization (usually for good reason, though). WikiLeaks had Bradley Manning; the Pentagon Papers had Daniel Ellsburg; and NBC News probably had some pissed-off intern at the Justice Department. This type of leak is much more hands-on: the organization gets a physical copy of said information from someone else and hits the ?Publish? button. No hacking needed here.

Regardless of access type, the aftermath of an intergovernmental leak?breadth of controversy aside?follows a standard plot line in Washington. The leak happens. The government is naturally frustrated about it, leading to lots of half-assed denials and lots of shrugs. Then, Congress gets involved, holding some sort of committee meeting where some old white guy slams his finger on a piece of paper and asks, ?IS THIS TRUE??, to the involved agency?s representative. They say yes (because they have to) and swear that nothing they did was really wrong. Afterwards, the agency willingly releases the information Congress demands so everyone will stop talking about it and go back to watching reruns of?The Golden Girls. End leak.

We can take this plot line and apply it to what?s happened in the past five days or so. First, NBC News gets its hands on the 16-page memo from 2010. Second, the Obama administration officials act all upset about the ?breach of privacy? but, in the end, say, ?Yeah, your guys have known about the drones.? Third, a Senate panel holds a noisy, protestor-filled confirmation hearing yesterday for John O. Brennan?Obama?s pick to replace Petraeus as CIA Director (oh God, remember that bullshit?)?and, coincidentally, Brennan is the architect of the entire program. Two birds, one drone.

As per leak usual, Brennan accepted the charges but argued that the drone attacks are?really?about self-defense. And, just the night before, the White House announced that Congress can see all the memos about the program if it wanted to. They should?ve just asked. We?re all about transparency here anyway.

Unless you?re Nixon and take the?New York Times?to the Supreme Court for publishing ?state secrets,? a?leak is the first domino in a horribly custom pattern that always ends in a surplus of known truths for the public. The breach is cornering and leaves little room for the higher figure to escape. So releasing more information is the Next Best Thing: every critic puts down their pitchforks, gasps and says, ?Thank you.? And we move on.

When it leaks, it pours. About that ?it?s okay to kill Americans? thing, though?

[Image via]

Source: http://nyulocal.com/national/2013/02/08/local-learns-politics-when-it-leaks-it-pours/

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UConn's Napier not napping on leadership

Courtesy: Stephen Slade/UConn

Coaches want to see three key things from their team?s anointed ?leader?:

- Define being a student-athlete.

- Further the positive culture of the program.

- And, makes plays!

With UConn trailing by just one game in the loss column to league leaders, Syracuse and?Marquette -?and a legitimate chance to capture the Big East regular season title is in the balance -?the Huskies? 6-foot-1, sophomore guard Shabazz Napier (Last week?s Big East Player of the Week) is evolving into quite the leader.

?

A closer look?

Define being a student-athlete:

Despite UConn being ineligible for the post season, as a result of low Academic Progress Rate scores, Napier was recognized before last Sunday?s game against the University of South Florida for marking a GPA of 3.0 during the fall semester.

Teammates R.J. Evans, Niels Giffey and Leon Tolksdorf were also cited for earning academic honors during the first semester.

Further the positive culture of the program.

?He?s [Napier] getting better as a leader. He?s improving each and every day. We always say you?re not born a leader and you make the choice to be a leader?he?s making a constant effort to try and lead, and it?s not even in the game, it?s in practice. It?s tremendous.? Coach Kevin Ollie proclaims.

Pretty much sums that up; however, in addition to his self-Improvement, Napier continues to aid his teammates? abilities to execute.

In the Huskies last three victories, Napier is averaging 4.3 assists-per-game.

Makes plays.

Teams that have a realistic chance to compete for a championship, whether it?s the regular season, conference, or NCAA tournament title usually possess at least one player who exudes an ability to not only monitor the intangible barometer of the squad but also make big plays/shots when necessary.

?He makes winning plays. That?s why I love the kid.? Ollie said, following a convincing 66-54 win over Rutgers on Jan 27th.

Last Sunday, in a 69-64 overtime win against the University of South Florida, Napier opened the extra session by knocking down three consecutive three-pointers on his way to posting 11 points in overtime alone.

Napier finished 7-for-14 from the floor for the game; the rest of the UConn roster, 10-for-43.

On Jan 31st, during the final 30 seconds of overtime, Napier nailed three of four shots from the charity stripe to solidify an 82-79 win over Providence before a crowd of 10,180 at the Dunkin? Donuts Center in Rhode Island.

* * *

Napier gets another great opportunity to show his ability to lead?tonight, when the Huskies?travel to Madison Square Garden, New York to battle St. John?s at 7 pm.

?

?

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Written by Drew Dawson

With nearly a decade of college coaching experience, Dawson joins College Chalktalk as a contributing writer. In 2004, he was the first of Fran O?Hanlon?s former players to join him on the sideline at Lafayette College. Having spent the last eight seasons as a D1 assistant at Lafayette College and the University of Hartford, respectively, Drew brings a wealth of in-depth knowledge of the college basketball landscape, and puts an emphasis on covering mid-majors. He resides in West Hartford, CT.

Source: http://collegechalktalk.com/?p=5702&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=uconns-napier-not-napping-on-leadership

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evasi0n jailbreak for iOS 6 and 6.1 now live, and untethered

Whether you've got a new iPhone 5 and have been waiting patiently to get your jailbreak on or you've been waiting to update your older iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for a working iOS 6 jailbreak, the wait is now over. The evasi0n jailbreak for iOS 6 and iOS 6.1 is now live and ready.

The evasi0n jailbreak supports all iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models running iOS 6 through iOS 6.1. Yep, you heard that right. That means if you've got an iPhone 5 or iPad mini, you too can jailbreak.

evasi0n supports an untethered jailbreak which means you won't have to plug in your device each and every time you need to reboot. To download the evasi0n jailbreak program, hit the source link below.

Whether you have questions about whether or not you should jailbreak or run into issues during the process, our jailbreak and unlock forums are a great place to start. Also make sure you check out the helpful links to guides and resources below, especially if you're new to jailbreak.

If you've run the process, let us know what your results were either in our forums or in the comments below!

Source: evasi0n.com

Additional resources:

• How to jailbreak your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on iOS 6.0 or 6.1 with evasi0n
• Jailbreak basis: Everything you need to know
• Top 5 must have jailbreak apps
• Jailbreak terms A - Z
• Best jailbreak apps for iPhone
• Even more jailbreak tips and tricks

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/6e8VlG5jEiQ/story01.htm

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Cambodia mourns as 'King-Father' Sihanouk cremated

The crematorium site for Cambodia's former King Norodom Sihanouk is seen at dusk in Phnom Penh Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Cambodia's capital Monday for the cremation of Sihanouk, the revered "King-Father," who survived wars and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to hold center stage in the Southeast Asian nation for more than half a century. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

The crematorium site for Cambodia's former King Norodom Sihanouk is seen at dusk in Phnom Penh Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Cambodia's capital Monday for the cremation of Sihanouk, the revered "King-Father," who survived wars and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to hold center stage in the Southeast Asian nation for more than half a century. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Fireworks explode over the Tonle Sap River for the cremation of Cambodia's former King Norodom Sihanouk in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Cambodia's capital Monday for the cremation of Sihanouk, the revered "King-Father," who survived wars and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to hold center stage in the Southeast Asian nation for more than half a century. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Fireworks explode at the site of cremation for Cambodia's former King Norodom Sihanouk in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Cambodia's capital Monday for the cremation of Sihanouk, the revered "King-Father," who survived wars and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to hold center stage in the Southeast Asian nation for more than half a century. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, center right, son of the late King Norodom Sihanouk, and his mother, Queen Norodom Monineath, center left, with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, covering his mouth, leave the crematorium where the body of the late former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk rests in Phnom Penh, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Cambodia's capital Monday for the cremation of former King Norodom Sihanouk, the revered "King-Father," who survived wars and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to hold center stage in the Southeast Asian nation for more than half a century. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Two girls offer prayers to Cambodia's former King Norodom Sihanouk in Phnom Penh, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Sihanouk's body had been lying in state at the Royal Palace after being flown from Beijing where he died Oct. 15 of a heart attack at the age of 89. The cremation, the climax of seven days of mourning, will take place Monday. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) ? Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Cambodia's capital Monday for the cremation of former King Norodom Sihanouk, the revered "King-Father," who survived wars and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to hold center stage in the Southeast Asian nation for more than half a century.

Cambodians from across the country flocked to Phnom Penh to pay their last respects as Sihanouk was given elaborate funeral rites ? mingling Hindu, Buddhist and animist traditions ? last seen 53 years ago with the death of Sihanouk's father, King Norodom Suramarit. And they may never be seen again in a rapidly modernizing country where the monarchy has lost much of its power and glamor.

After sunset, Sihanouk's son King Norodom Sihamoni and widow, Queen Mother Norodom Monineath, both weeping, ignited the funeral pyre inside a temple-like, 15-story-high crematorium. Howitzers fired salvos as fireworks lit up the sky.

"I would exchange my life for his if he could live because he was a great leader who brought peace, prosperity for the whole nation," said Pal Hor, an ailing, 64-year-old man who had come from the distant province of Battambang. He said he shaved his head out of reverence for the deceased monarch.

After the cremation, Sihamoni handed out gifts to some 400 prisoners he had earlier pardoned as part of the mourning for his father, who he said was "in heaven, near the Lord Buddha, forever."

"May the much revered king support and protect the entire Kingdom of Cambodia and Cambodians forever," he said.

The cremation took place within a walled compound where 90 Buddhist monks ? one for each year of Sihanouk's life as counted by Cambodians ? chanted around the flower-decked, gilt coffin. Only the country's elite and foreign dignitaries were allowed inside the cremation ground, along with courtiers dressed in pantaloons and soldiers in 19th century-style uniforms with spiked helmets and swords.

The $1.2 million crematorium, built just for this funeral, will be dismantled in keeping with Cambodian tradition.

Sihanouk's body had been lying in state since he died of a heart attack in Beijing on Oct. 15 at the age of 89.

The cremation was the climax of seven days of official mourning for Sihanouk, who was placed on the throne by the French as a teenager. Instead of proving the puppet the colonials had hoped for, Sihanouk went on to win independence, then rule the country both as monarch and head of state until ousted in a 1970 coup. Internationally, he was a leading member of the non-aligned movement and heightened his small country's profile in the world.

A charismatic figure regarded as a "God-King" by many of his subjects, a prideful Sihanouk sided with the Khmer Rouge against the U.S.-backed government, but after the victory of the ultra-communists in 1975, he and his wife were held prisoners in the palace. Five of his children died during the reign of terror.

A consummate survivor, Sihanouk emerged as a leader of an insurgency fighting a Phnom Penh government installed by the Vietnamese and went on to broker a peace accord that enabled his return to the throne in 1993. He abdicated 11 years later in favor of Sihamoni, a 59-year-old former ballet dancer who had spent most of his life in European artistic circles and has proven a low-keyed constitutional monarch overshadowed by strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Sihanouk's dark side, particularly his cooperation with the Khmer Rouge and his often brutal suppression of dissent, has been publicly ignored as loudspeakers broadcast eulogies and television stations show old clips of Sihanouk's triumphs and ebullient personality.

A larger-than-life character, Sihanouk directed films, composed music and led his own jazz band and palace soccer team. His appetite extended to fast cars, food and women, marrying at least five times, some say six, and fathering 14 children.

In the coming days, some of Sihanouk's ashes will be scattered near the confluence of the four rivers in Phnom Penh, while others will be put in an urn which, according to his wishes, will be placed on the grounds of the Royal Palace near those of his favorite daughter, Kunthea Buppha, who died at the age of 3.

The funeral is being attended by French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Prince Akishino of Japan, leaders of neighboring countries and China's Jia Qinglin, a senior government adviser and former high-ranking Politburo member.

Representing the United States is Ambassador William E. Todd. The U.S. Embassy did not directly respond to explain such a relatively low-level representation given the long U.S. involvement in Cambodia.

Many Cambodians were upset when President Barack Obama was one of the only leaders attending a regional summit here in November not to pay his respects before Sihanouk's body. The president had a reportedly tense meeting with Hun Sen at the time, with Obama pressing him on Cambodia's worsening human rights record.

___

Associated Press reporter Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh contributed to his report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-04-Cambodia-Sihanouk%20Funeral/id-fc64bf9bcfb0483290f5c13d98dd37a9

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RI gas prices climb by 12 cents

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Gas prices have jumped 12 cents in Rhode Island in the past week.

AAA Southern New England reported Monday that the average price of regular gasoline in the state is $3.66 per gallon. The price is 13 cents higher than a month ago and 14 cents higher than this week's national average.

AAA says the price increase was prompted by a recent bump in the cost of crude oil.

Rhode Islanders were paying an average of $3.58 for a gallon of regular gasoline a year ago.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ri-gas-prices-climb-12-165500908.html

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Syrian opposition talks with Russia and Iran

MUNICH (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition leader met the foreign ministers of Russia and Iran on Saturday, opening a window to a possible breakthrough in efforts to broker an end to Syria's civil war.

Russia and Iran have been the staunchest allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad throughout an armed uprising, and any understandings they might reach with Assad's foes could help overcome the two sides' refusal to negotiate.

At an annual international security conference in Munich, Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz Alkhatib had talks with Russia's Sergei Lavrov that may have been made possible by Alkhatib signaling readiness to talk to Damascus.

"Russia has a certain vision but we welcome negotiations to alleviate the crisis and there are lots of details that need to be discussed," Alkhatib said after the meeting.

After a 45-minute meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Alkhatib told Reuters: "We agreed we have to find a solution to end the suffering of the Syrian people."

He also met separately with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and U.N. special envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

Alkhatib's purpose in his meetings was "to discuss finding a way to remove the regime with the least possible bloodshed and loss of life," he said.

Russia has blocked three U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at pushing out Assad out or pressuring him to end the civil war, in which more than 60,000 people have died. But Moscow has also tried to distance itself from Assad by saying it is not trying to prop him up and will not offer him asylum.

"The talks about Syria are intensifying and the Iranians have been drawn in. Let's see how it all ends," one diplomatic source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"BIG SIGNAL"

Alkhatib put his authority within the opposition movement at risk earlier this week when he broke ranks to say he would be willing to meet Syrian officials to discuss a transition if political prisoners arrested during the uprising were freed.

The opposition coalition's 12-member politburo then told Alkhatib not to respond to any proposals made in Munich without consulting with them first, with one opposition source citing concern that Alkhatib's move would damage the revolt's morale.

Outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Alkhatib's apparent readiness to meet Assad envoys outside Syria, calling him "not only courageous but smart".

She also voiced concern that Iran had recently increased military support for Assad.

While some headway was apparently being made in Munich, Iranian media said that Saeed Jalili of Iran's Supreme National Security Council had traveled to Damascus to meet officials and help Assad "stand against plots hatched by global arrogance" - an allusion to the United States and other Western powers.

A comment by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev this week that Assad's chances of staying in power were getting "smaller and smaller" was regarded in some quarters as a sign of a shift in the Kremlin's Syria policy.

At the same time, Syrian opposition figure Hassan Bali, in Munich as an independent observer, called Alkhatib's meeting with Biden "a big signal from the Americans" that they were upgrading support for rebels fighting to topple Assad.

Biden said he had urged Alkhatib "to isolate extremist elements within the broader opposition and to reach out to, and be inclusive of, a broad range of communities inside Syria, including Alawites, Christians and Kurds".

LACK OF LEADERSHIP

There was little evidence at the Munich conference that the U.S. and Russian positions on Assad were getting any closer.

"The persistence of those who say that priority number one is the removal of Assad is the single biggest reason for the continuing tragedy in Syria," Lavrov told the conference.

Biden on the other hand said the White House was "convinced that President Assad, a tyrant hell-bent on clinging to power, is no longer fit to lead Syrian people and he must go".

Russia is Assad's main arms supplier and, with Iran, has been among his strongest supporters during the 22-month-old conflict, which began with peaceful protests and evolved into civil war after Assad tried to crush unrest by military force.

U.S. Republican Senator John McCain, a long-time critic of the Obama administration's reluctance to intervene in Syria, said in Munich that the United States and its allies had "stood by and watched the massacre of 60,000 innocent people".

McCain told reporters Obama should have explained to the American people the need to intervene - but that "requires leadership", he said. "And so far there is no American presidential leadership."

(Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny in Beirut, Myra MacDonald and Alexandra Hudson in Munich, Yeganeh Torbati in Dubai and Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow; Writing by Stephen Brown; Editing by Jason Webb and Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-opposition-chief-meet-u-russia-u-n-105218521.html

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