Sunday, June 30, 2013

You Can Sell Your Commercial Property Quickly And Easily

Working with commercial real estate is a difficult chore, and this collection of tips will give you ideas on how to get started. Reading this article will help you become successful with your real estate dealings.

Once you have narrowed your choices down to two major contenders, you should expand your decision to include the big picture. Regardless of which way you choose, coming up with the capital is a common factor, so often times it will be be worth digging a little bit deeper to get the larger property in order to maximize your long-term profits. In effect, this is similar to an economy of scale, or also like purchasing more of an item to save money.

When choosing a broker, ask about their experience specifically in the commercial real estate market. For better results they should specialize in the specific area that you want to buy or sell in. Allow the broker to acknowledge your wish for an exclusive agreement between the two of you.

TIP! Make sure that the broker you decide to work with has experience in the commercial market. Look for brokers who specialize in the type of commercial property that you?re purchasing or selling.

You should always request the credentials of any and all inspectors working with your real estate transaction. This is true when working with pest or insect removal, since many people who are non-accredited work in these fields. By hiring an experienced professional, you?re less likely to run into problems after you buy the property.

If you plan on renting out your commercial properties, find simply and solidly constructed buildings. These are the most likely to quickly invite tenants into the space, because they know it is well-cared for. Tenants will also have to deal with maintenance issues less often, which means they have more time go about their business.

If you rent or lease the commercial properties you own, keep them occupied as much as possible. You are legally responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of unoccupied spaces. If you have multiple properties open, figure out why, and try to correct the issue that could be causing a loss of tenants.

TIP! If your property deal requires inspections (as it should), look at the inspector?s credentials. Many people in certain fields are not accredited, including pest and insect removal services.

When you are looking at a commercial property, be sure to look at the neighborhood, too. In general, it?s better to locate a business in a richer area because rich customers obviously have more discretionary income. If your business services will do better in a poor neighborhood, buy property there!

When you are negotiating to rent a commercial property, try to have the lease modified so there are few events that are considered to be defaulting on the lease. The tenant will then be less likely to violate these terms. You don?t want tenants defaulting on your leases.

Advertise the commercial property to both locals and non-locals. Many people think that investors who don?t live in their city will have no interest in their property, but this is untrue. Private investors will purchase properties outside of their area if the prices are low enough.

TIP! If you are planning to rent your commercial properties once you purchase them, opt for solidly constructed buildings that are simple in their design. Tenants will be attracted to these spots because they are maintained well.

Start drafting letters of intent by focusing on the more central issues. Once you have agreement on those, broaden the negotiations to include any smaller issues that remain. This will make negotiations less tense and make gaining agreement on the smaller issues easier to complete.

You will need to know what you are looking for in a commercial property prior to beginning your search. Features like square footage or restrooms should be predetermined to make the process easier.

TIP! When advertising your available commercial property, do so locally, but also regionally and even nationally. Most individuals make the error of thinking that only the people in their area are the ones interested in purchasing their property.

You may have to make some repairs or improvements to your property before you can move in. These changes could simply be cosmetic ones as simple as a new coat of paint or moving the furniture around. Other changes may be more significant, such as moving walls or installing new doors. If you?re leasing or renting, you can ask the landlord to make these changes at no cost to yourself.

Commercial real estate agents come in different types. You have a full service broker who works on behalf of both the tenant and landlord, then you have brokers who only work with tenants. If you intend to rent rather than buy, retaining the services of the latter type of broker may benefit you, as tenant-only brokers know what works when representing tenants.

Talk to a good tax adviser before buying anything. They?ll be able to estimate how much tax you?ll pay for the property you wish to buy, as well as how much income tax you?ll pay on your returns. Try to find a location that does not have high taxes, you can consult with an adviser for more information.

TIP! Go on a tour of all potential properties. It?s a good idea to hire a building contractor to come with you and do on-the-spot inspections of properties you are considering.

Hopefully this article has given you a more confident perspective on how you can better handle your commercial real estate endeavors. Remember to apply these tips and work on improving your skills linked to property hunting and negotiating.

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/you-can-sell-your-commercial-property-quickly-and-easily-2

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BID! Arsenal send in the troops for Rooney as United stand firm

The first shots of the Rooney battle have been fired by Arsenal, according to the Mirror?s Simon Mullock.

The bid is said to be ?20 million ($30.4 million), and Chelsea are expected to counter with a higher offer.

However, the Mirror cites ?senior United sources? who strongly maintain that Rooney is not on the market.

It?s been heavily reported in the last few days that Rooney is scheduled to meet with new boss David Moyes to discuss his role with the club, and that?s still the case.

(MORE: Wayne Rooney belongs at Old Trafford)

Rooney?s positional and tactical usage has shifted drastically over the course of his time at Old Trafford, as Sir Alex Ferguson moved the 27-year-old all over the pitch to accommodate other United arrivals and departures.

The Liverpool native?s current contract lasts for two more seasons and is worth a whopping ?250,000 ($380,000) per week.

Before Sir Alex retired, the legendary manager claimed that Rooney asked for a transfer away from Old Trafford as recently as this January.? Rooney refutes that claim, but apparently did voice his displeasure to management about being thrown around to different positions to accommodate Robin van Persie, Shinji Kagawa, and other new additions.

Arsenal are already deep into transfer negotiations with Gonzalo Higuain. With the Real Madrid striker hoping to be the guy at the Emirates after floundering at the Bernabeu, it will be interesting to see if this reported bid will affect those negotiations at all.

With one bid already apparently in and another supposed to be on its way, Rooney?s talks with Moyes could take an entirely new angle than they probably had anticipated.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/29/bid-arsenal-send-in-the-troops-for-rooney-as-united-stand-firm/

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Drool Over this Chart of All the Glorious Superpowers You'll Never Have

Drool Over this Chart of All the Glorious Superpowers You'll Never Have

I don't have any superpowers. Neither do you. But we can both salivate with envy at all the marvelous flavors of superpowers we could have, if they were real. And to aid us in that noble pursuit, Pop Chart has put out their Giant-Size Omnibus of Superpowers, a (fairly) comprehensive menu of powers and their associated owners.

This isn't Pop Chart's first attempt at that righteous goal, but it's definitely the most involved so far. The powers?gathered from decades upon decades of superhero fiction mainstream and indie alike?are broken down into seven distinct families: powers of the body, animal powers, force control, mastery, object manipulation, weapons-based, and powers of the mind. It's intense.

Drool Over this Chart of All the Glorious Superpowers You'll Never Have

The 24" x 36" poster boasts 200 superpowers belonging to 600 superheroes/villians, and can be yours for the modest price of $32. It's a far cry from being able to buy your favorite superpower, but hey, let's take what we can get. You can hop over to Pop Chart to see the whole thing up close and personal. [Pop Chart via Wired]

Drool Over this Chart of All the Glorious Superpowers You'll Never Have

Source: http://gizmodo.com/drool-at-this-chart-of-all-the-glorious-superpowers-you-620964276

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Higher genetic risk tied to lifetime asthma suffering

June 28, 2013 ? Children with more genetic risks for asthma are not only more likely to develop the condition at a young age, but they are also more likely to continue to suffer with asthma into adulthood. The finding reported by Duke University researchers is one of the latest to come from a 40-year longitudinal study of New Zealanders.

"We've been able to look at how newly discovered genetic risks relate to the life course of asthma at an unprecedented level of resolution," said Daniel Belsky, a postdoctoral fellow at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy and the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development.

Earlier studies had linked several genes to small increases in asthma risk. Belsky, along with Duke's Avshalom Caspi, Terrie Moffit and others, wanted to know whether those individual risks literally add up. They looked to the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, an effort to examine the behavior and health -- including lung function -- of 1,037 individuals who have been tracked since their birth in Dunedin, New Zealand during a 12-month period from 1972-1973.

Belsky and his colleagues calculated a genetic risk score for each of 880 individuals in the Dunedin cohort by summing the number of risk variants each of them carried. They then asked whether those scores were related to the development and course of asthma from early childhood through midlife.

Indeed, they were. Those at higher genetic risk developed asthma earlier in life than did those with lower risk. Among the Dunedin study participants who developed asthma in childhood, those with higher genetic risk scores were also more likely to suffer with persistent asthma into adulthood. They more often had allergic reactions associated with severe and persistent asthma and developed problems with lung function.

Their quality of life suffered too, as those with higher genetic risk missed work and school more often and were more often admitted to the hospital because of asthma.

Belsky said there is still a long way to go before genetic risk scores like this one can be used in routine medical practice. In the meantime, the study could lead to a better understanding of the biology of asthma and advance research to devise new treatment and prevention strategies.

In the United States, 26 million people suffer from asthma, including more than 7 million children, according to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control. Those numbers are growing every year at a cost of billions of dollars.

"It will be important to explore how these genetic risks play out in environments that differ in terms of air pollution or other important, modifiable factors," Belsky said.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/l44zyn7thWo/130628092151.htm

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UK inflation expectations hold steady in June - Citi/YouGov

LONDON (Reuters) - Britons' expectations for the level of inflation over the coming years were unchanged in June, a monthly survey by polling company YouGov showed on Friday.

Inflation expectations for the next 12 months held steady at May's level of 2.5 percent, and for the next five to 10 years were unchanged at 3.3 percent, the poll showed.

Both figures are slightly lower than earlier in the year.

"These results should reassure the (Bank of England), providing further evidence that the long period of above-target inflation has not destabilised inflation expectations," said Michael Saunders, an economist at Citi, which sponsors the survey.

(Reporting by David Milliken and Olesya Dmitracova)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-inflation-expectations-hold-steady-june-citi-yougov-154209672.html

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UK mosques focus on anti-abuse message

LONDON (AP) ? Some 500 UK mosques are planning sermons condemning the sexual abuse of children, following the sentencing of seven men of South Asian origin convicted of a series of crimes against underage girls.

The effort organized by the group Together Against Grooming means that the message was being delivered at Friday prayers at participating mosques.

Grooming is British term used for a process of luring vulnerable people into prostitution and other sexual activity by giving them attention, gifts, drugs and alcohol.

The anti-grooming group wants imams to stress that the Quran rules out all forms of sexual abuse and that Muslims have a responsibility to protect children and other vulnerable people.

Spokesman Ansar Ali says it is unprecedented for Islamic leaders throughout Britain to band together to deliver a collective message on the same day. A number of prominent Muslim groups in Britain have endorsed the new group.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-mosques-focus-anti-abuse-message-114712068.html

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Video Interview for White House Down: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, and more

White House Down puts our nation's most important house in peril, but thankfully, Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, and Maggie Gyllenhaal are there to save it and the people inside. They reveal what Roland Emmerich is like as a director, how their roles mirror their real lives, and then Grae Channings all over their Tatum.

Click here to watch more video interviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1927750/news/1927750/

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With Mandela, end-of-life care dilemmas magnified

CHICAGO (AP) ? The emotional pain and practical demands facing Nelson Mandela's family are universal: confronting the final days of an elderly loved one. There are no rules for how or when the end may arrive. Some choose to let go with little medical interference; others seek aggressive treatment. Mandela's status as a respected global figure only complicates the situation, doctors and end-of-life experts say.

Mandela "is not only revered he is loved and profoundly admired by people all over the world and the sense of letting go must be difficult for everyone involved," said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University.

In much of Africa, people are considered fortunate to live past age 60. For those who reach old age, death is still seen as sad, but friends and family typically celebrate with big parties to honor a life well-lived. Taking extraordinary measures to keep that person alive would be considered dishonorable, said Dr. Sola Olopade, the Nigerian-born clinical director for the University of Chicago's Center for Global Health.

If such measures are being used for Mandela, many could consider it "quite painful," Olopade said, "because those are not the last memories you want to have for someone with such an exemplary life."

U.S. doctors said Mandela's lung infection is most likely pneumonia, a very common cause of illness and death in the elderly.

The infection is usually caused by bacteria and causes lungs to fill with fluid or pus, making breathing difficult and often causing fever and weakness. Treatment includes antibiotics and extra oxygen, often from a mechanical ventilator.

In the United States, an elderly person critically ill with pneumonia would typically be hospitalized in an intensive care unit and put on a mechanical ventilator, or breathing machine, said Dr. J.P. Kress. He is director of the University of Chicago's medical intensive care unit's section on lung and critical care. Ventilators often require a breathing tube down the throat, and patients need to be sedated because of the discomfort.

These patients typically are hooked up to feeding tubes, intravenous fluids and all kinds of monitoring machines to check heart rate, blood pressure and other functions. For long stays, lying prone in a hospital bed, they have to be periodically moved into different positions to prevent bed sores; their arms and legs have to be exercised to fight muscle wasting.

Mandela has been hospitalized several times since December for a recurring lung infection, and he has had tuberculosis.

In a hospitalization in March and April, doctors drained fluid from around his lungs, making it easier for him to breathe. He got care at home until he returned to the hospital on June 8.

For elderly patients hospitalized repeatedly with lung problems, the chances for recovery are often grim, Kress said.

"It's possible he's sitting in a chair asking, 'When am I going to get out of the hospital?' but that's very unlikely," he said.

Patients so critically ill may have ups and downs, and small changes like needing a little less help from a ventilator may be seen as a sign of improvement even when the outlook remains poor, Kress said.

Schaffner, the Vanderbilt doctor, said, "There are always little glimmers of hope. It's not a straight line down ... when you're so gravely ill."

Ada Levine faced end-of-life decisions with her mother, Maria Robles of Chicago. And it was difficult even though her mother had made her wishes known. Robles died two weeks ago at age 75 after 12 years of heart failure and other problems that had her in and out of the hospital.

"It was not going to get better," Levine said. "You're hopeful. You believe in miracles and 'maybe.' At some point you realize there is no miracle and you have to be strong and do the right thing."

Her mother did not want life support, but following that directive is easier said than done, Levine said.

"It's brutal, very difficult, hard, to watch this person decline and think now you're responsible for making their decisions."

Schaffner went through the same experience with his mother. She died 10 years ago at age 84 after several strokes and then pneumonia.

When she was still lucid, the family discussed end-of-life care. She did not want to be kept alive on a ventilator. So when she developed pneumonia and was hospitalized, she got comfort care ? fluids, antibiotics and sedatives to calm her anxiety over struggling to breathe ? but no intensive treatments with fancy machines.

After several days, when it became clear "there was zero chance she was going to turn around," the family brought her home, with hospice care, and she died less than two weeks after falling ill, Schaffner said.

Loretta Downs, former president of the Chicago End-of-Life Care Coalition, said decisions about life support should turn around the patient's wishes.

"Very often it's not the person who's dying's choice," but the family's, she said. "Now that we can prolong dying there's this whole question of are we prolonging dying versus prolonging living? It's not comfortable to be on life support."

___

AP Chief Medical Writer Marilynn Marchione contributed from Milwaukee and Andrew Meldrum contributed from Johannesburg.

___

Online:

End-of-life care: http://1.usa.gov/bPeFiT

__

AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mandela-end-life-care-dilemmas-magnified-184035743.html

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Reply to Cassidy (talking-points-memo)

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Engadget + gdgt NYC wrap-up

Image

Well, that's fun. We've wrapped up Engadget and gdgt's first-ever combined New York City event, and boy howdy did we have a heck of a night. A whole bunch of readers braved the heatwave to queue up hours in advance, forming a line that snaked around the block. When the doors opened, they were greeted with gear-packed event space, including lounges from Sony and Samsung and booths from companies like Toshiba, Qualcomm, Nokia and Sling, plus some smaller outfits like our first-ever Insert Coin winner, Ziphius.

The event also featured panels throughout the night, including conversations with Samsung Mobile VP Nick DiCarlo and Sony Electronics senior manager, Ray Hartjen, plus a roundtable discussion on the state of the industry featuring Jordan Crook from TechCrunch, Kevin Tofel from GigaOm and Harry McCracken from Time. IK Multimedia closed things out with performances by prog band Sound of Contact and Living Color leader Vernon Reid. All in all, not a bad night, if we do say so ourselves. We can't wait to do it again!

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/26/engadget-gdgt-wrap-up/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Supreme Court Set to Rule on Gay Marriage (WSJ)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/315337806?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Judge seals records in Lloyd murder investigation

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If the Hall of Fame busts really do talk to each other at night, it?ll be interesting when Warren Sapp?s and Michael Strahan?s are in there together.

Sapp, who previously said he was worried about not getting a spot in the Class of 2013 because he was competing with ?media darling? Strahan, has since launched an anti-Strahan campaign, arguing repeatedly that Strahan is less worthy than Sapp?s former teammate, Simeon Rice.

Sapp reiterated his position Tuesday on NFL Network.

?For all of the people who are not historians of the football as I am, Michael Strahan started his career at right defensive end in New York to replace Lawrence Taylor.? The great Lawrence Taylor.? In those three years, [Strahan] had 12 sacks, which averages out to four a year.? So they put ?B-U-S? and they said, ?Wait, before we call him a bust let?s move him to the left side.?? Hey, there you go.? Ten-and-a-half sacks a year, 128.? He?s a great left end.? Simeon Rice [had] 122 [sacks] at right end and ain?t never been moved.?

It?s the same argument Sapp made last week, down to the ?B-U-S? shtick.? While it?s generally accepted that the left tackle is better than the right tackle (for teams with right-handed quarterbacks), the right tackle typically isn?t the worst of the five linemen, contrary to what Sapp said last week.? Moreover, great pass rushers draw double teams and chips and all sorts of extra help, regardless of where they line up.

Case in point:? Reggie White spent most of his career at left defensive end.? That?s something most historians of the football know.

While there?s nothing wrong with Sapp propping up a former teammate, he shouldn?t be knocking Strahan, especially when it?s clear that there?s some sort of rivalry or jealousy between the two men.? While Sapp is paid for his opinions, this opinion is tainted by whatever is going on between him and Strahan.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/25/judge-seals-records-in-odin-lloyd-murder-investigation/related/

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Ouya looks to make a dent in game console market

Julie Uhrman, chief executive of Android game console maker Ouya, is interviewed in New York, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Ouya, that went on sale Tuesday for $99, aims to challenge the dominance of the Xboxes, Nintendos and PlayStations of the world. The launch follows a successful funding campaign through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter, but it's unclear whether the console will enjoy broader success. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Julie Uhrman, chief executive of Android game console maker Ouya, is interviewed in New York, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Ouya, that went on sale Tuesday for $99, aims to challenge the dominance of the Xboxes, Nintendos and PlayStations of the world. The launch follows a successful funding campaign through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter, but it's unclear whether the console will enjoy broader success. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Julie Uhrman, chief executive of Android game console maker Ouya, describes the controller of the new console, during an an interview in New York, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Ouya, that went on sale Tuesday for $99, aims to challenge the dominance of the Xboxes, Nintendos and PlayStations of the world. The launch follows a successful funding campaign through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter, but it's unclear whether the console will enjoy broader success. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Julie Uhrman, chief executive of Android game console maker Ouya, is interviewed in New York, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Ouya, that went on sale Tuesday for $99, aims to challenge the dominance of the Xboxes, Nintendos and PlayStations of the world. The launch follows a successful funding campaign through the group-fundraising site Kickstarter, but it's unclear whether the console will enjoy broader success. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Ouya, maker of a bite-sized game console that runs Google's Android operating system, wants to take a bite out the video game triumvirate of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.

The console, which went on sale Tuesday for $100, lets players try games for free before buying them, a selling point Ouya (pronounced oo-yah) CEO Julie Uhrman often makes to underscore that gamers who use consoles made by "the big three" can't test games before they spend as much as $60 to purchase them.

"We are definitely disrupting the console market," Uhrman says. "I mean, there's been no startup that has had a meaningful impact on the market in decades, and we're the first. We offer something different."

So far, Ouya's pitch seems to be working. The underdog console had sold out on Amazon.com and on Target's website by Tuesday afternoon. It is available at other outlets, including Best Buy and GameStop.

The Ouya game cube measures about 3 inches on each side and hooks up to a TV set. The console comes with a single controller. Additional controllers cost $50.

There are nearly 180 games available for Ouya, ranging from the likes of "Crazy Cat Lady" to the more established "Final Fantasy III" from Square Enix. The company says more games are on the way. There are also some non-gaming apps, such as online music service TuneIn Radio.

The games are sold through Ouya's storefront, not Google Play, the app store where people buy games for Android tablets and mobile devices. Pricing is left up to individual game developers; many games are in the single digits. "Final Fantasy" is an exception at $16. Ouya takes a 30 percent cut from the game developers.

While you won't find "Grand Theft Auto IV" or the latest "Call of Duty" among the available titles, there are plenty of others from independent developers whose games may never make it onto the dominant consoles, Microsoft's Xbox, Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Wii.

"I don't think it's ever really going to challenge the big three, but it offers a lot to the more casual gamer," says Anthony Yacullo, a self-described "gadget geek" from Lawrenceville, N.J. Like thousands of other gamers and game developers, Yacullo already has an Ouya. He contributed at least $95 to the company through crowdfunding website, Kickstarter.

"When I'm out on the road for work and come home, I don't want to play 'Call of Duty," he says. Rather, Yacullo says he looks for games more like the ones on his phone ? except he doesn't want to be staring at his phone.

That's where Ouya comes in. Still, the new console is unlikely to present a serious challenge to high-end consoles coming out from Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. later this year. Ouya lacks recent blockbuster games with high-end graphics. But at a fraction of the price (the Xbox One will cost $500 and the PlayStation 4, $400), it appeals to budget-conscious gamers, gadget geeks and those looking for an alternative to gaming power-trio.

Gartner analyst Brian Blau says the measure of Ouya's success will not be the number of consoles it sells but the amount of money game developers make ?and whether there is a steady stream of new games for the device. What's missing now, he adds, is the big-name video game brands such as Activision and Electronic Arts supporting Ouya.

That could come later.

The project to build the Ouya console launched on Kickstarter last July. On Aug. 9, 2012, Ouya's funding period ended with $8.6 million pledged, more than nine times the original $950,000 goal its creators had set. More than 63,000 people donated, with 12 pledging $10,000 or more.

"We brought it to Kickstarter because we wanted to know if anybody really wanted this," Uhrman says. "We had talked with developers and industry veterans like (video game designer) Brian Fargo and Ed Fries, who is one of the founders, basically, of Xbox, and there was a general feeling that there was a void in the market place for soemthing. But we wanted to validate it."

This May, Santa Monica, Calif.-based Ouya received another $15 million in venture capital funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, other VC firms, and chip maker Nvidia.

Ouya is not the first independent game console to attempt a challenge to the big three console makers. Four years ago, a startup called OnLive launched, offering games streamed over an Internet connection, similar to the way Netflix offers streamed movies and TV shows. OnLive's small game consoles went on sale for $99 in 2010, but they never gained broad appeal or even made a dent in the traditional console market.

Another early backer, Pedro Amador-Gates, thinks Ouya should "not even go after the consoles," but rather appeal to hobbyists and do-it-yourself folks.

"This is like a baby system compared to an about-to-be upgraded gaming system," he says, referring to the Xbox one and the PS4. But, much like it was with the early cell phone games, "it will only get better."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-06-25-Games-Ouya%20Console%201st%20Ld-Writethru/id-3ba7cff625b948e29b8023f95ff8d794

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Putin: Snowden a 'free man' in Moscow airport (CNN)

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Six Hacks For Social Media Professionals - Business Insider

Social Media Insights?is a daily newsletter from?Business Insider?that collects and delivers the top social media news first thing every morning. You can?sign up?to receive?Social Media Insights?here?or at the bottom of this post.


6 Hacks For Social Media Professionals (Mashable)?

  1. Chrome Profiles:?Create as many Google Chrome profiles as you need in order to toggle through multiple social media accounts at once. No more logging in and logging out to switch accounts. With each Chrome profile, your account information is saved.?
  2. Foundapp?searches all basic file types in your folders, from Dropbox to Evernote to Google Drive.?
  3. IFTTT?(If This Then That) is an app that lets you automate tasks such as publishing Instagram photos to Twitter and saving tagged Facebook photos to Google Drive.?
  4. Action Method?is a digital notebook for keeping track of dates, action items, projects, and ideas.?
  5. Create a secondary password-protected blog?using the custom theme code from your brand's actual blog, so you can see how new posts will appear, but in a QA environment.?
  6. Skitch?is a screenshot tool that allows you to tag, categorize, share, edit, and annotate screenshots.?Read >

Is Twitter The New Cable For Live Events Like The Grand Canyon Tightrope Walk??(Deadline)
People from 224 countries tuned in live Sunday night to watch Nik Wallenda's historic tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon. However, Twitter was the hub of conversations. More than 40,000 tweets were generated per minute during the live broadcast.?Read >

Facebook Is Hard At Work On A Mobile News Reader App (Business Insider)
Facebook wants to be the hub of the media and news you consume on mobile. The Wall Street Journal first reported the story.?Read > ?

Twitter Is Testing A Feature That Will Use Your Location So Retailers Can Tweet Promotions?(Business Insider)?
Geotargeted tweets are not new for Twitter, but the company will be using more finely grained location-based data, such as zip codes, in an effort to provide brick-and-mortar shops with a platform to drive footfall. Read >

Facebook Insights Gets A New Look (Ignite)?
Facebook Insights, an analytics dashboard for Pages, has undergone its first major makeover since launching in October 2011. What has changed?BII post details

Ignite

  1. PTAT Metric. People Talking About This is an important metric for Facebook marketers. However, on the old dashboard it only showed weekly numbers. Now PTAT also reveals more specific information about what users are doing with your content.
  2. Virality Is Now Engagement Rate. Viral this, viral that. Marketers love the buzzword "viral." Facebook has changed its definition of the term though, by renaming "Virality" on its dashboard to "Engagement Rate," and incorporating clicks as the new unit of measurement.?
  3. Clearer Metrics. Previously, Facebook displayed post analytics as a raw number in a table. Now, analytics appear next to a snapshot of the post, providing essential context as to why a post performed well. Read >

++ Browse Job Openings For Social Media Professionals (Business Insider Job Board)

How Have Ads Performed On Tumblr One Year In? (Union Metrics)?
It's been one year since Tumblr opened to advertisers. Let's take a look at how ads have performed on Yahoo's newly-acquired social media platform.?

BII tumblr_mop0lwAQHv1srgsf0o1_1280

Union Metrics


Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-replacing-live-cable-2013-6

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Video: Kremlin Won't Intervene in Snowden Case

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/52294000/

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BlackBerry releases Secure Work Space for iOS and Android (video)

Blackberry releases Secure Work Space for iOS and Android

Paranoid corporate types living in fear of bring-your-own-device employees can soon relax: BlackBerry has just launched its Secure Work Space app, right on schedule. It'll allow organizations to manage and secure Google and Apple devices through BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) 10, which forms the mobile backbone of many a company's internal network. By using it, personnel without BlackBerry devices like the Z10 or Q10 will gain a way to check their company's calendars, email and organizers without fear of snooping. At the same time, IT types will be able to securely see, manage and update all Android and Apple devices network-wide. For its part, the Waterloo outfit should gain another source of revenue through the software (which consists of a suite of apps and BES 10.1 update), even with companies that haven't invested in its devices. For more info about the software or to grab a trial, check the source.

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Via: Reuters

Source: Blackberry

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/25/blackberry-launches-secure-work-space-for-ios-and-android/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Nadal stunned at Wimbledon in 1st round by Darcis

LONDON (AP) ? Just like that, in a span of 15 days, Rafael Nadal went from French Open champion for a record eighth time to first-round Grand Slam loser for the only time in his career.

Limping occasionally and slower than usual, but unwilling afterward to blame an old left knee injury, the two-time Wimbledon winner exited 7-6 (4), 7-6 (8), 6-4 Monday against 135th-ranked Steve Darcis of Belgium ? one of the most stunning results ever at the All England Club.

"Nobody remembers the losses. People remember the victories," Nadal said, shaking his head as he leaned back in a black leather chair. "And I don't want to remember that loss."

Everyone else definitely will.

It certainly belongs in the same category as his loss a year ago at Wimbledon, in the second round to Lukas Rosol, a player ranked 100th at the time. After that setback, Nadal missed about seven months because of his bad left knee. Since returning, he had gone 43-2 and reached the finals at all nine tournaments he entered, winning seven.

Most recently, in Paris, he collected his 12th Grand Slam trophy, tied for third-most in history, while extending his winning streak to 22 matches.

"Two weeks ago, I was in a fantastic situation, winning a fantastic tournament," Nadal said. "Two weeks later, I lost here in the first round. That's the positive and the negative thing about this sport."

His early defeat rendered moot all the debate in the preceding days about whether Nadal's No. 5 seeding was appropriate or whether Wimbledon officials should have bumped him higher because of past success at the grass-court tournament.

In five appearances at Wimbledon from 2006-11 (he missed the 2009 edition because of knee trouble), Nadal reached the final five times. He won the 2008 and 2010 championships, and was the runner-up to Roger Federer in 2006-07, then to Novak Djokovic in 2011.

Because of Nadal's low-for-him seeding this time ? his ranking slid during his time off ? he wound up in the same half of the draw as seven-time champion Federer and second-seeded Andy Murray. A possible Nadal-Federer quarterfinal loomed, as did a potential Nadal-Murray semifinal.

So much for that.

"Pretty irrelevant right now," said Murray, who won in three sets Monday, as did Federer. "It's obviously surprising. But, you know, the consistency that Rafa, Roger, Novak have shown in the Slams over the last five, six years, it's going to be almost impossible to keep that up forever."

Two days before Wimbledon started, Nadal spoke about having more trouble on grass than other surfaces lately because its low skids force him to bend his knees so much to reach shots. Nadal decided to skip a grass-court tuneup tournament between the French Open and Wimbledon, opting to rest instead, and arrived in England on Tuesday to begin preparing in earnest.

On Monday, he said, "I didn't move the way I need to if I'm going to win on this surface."

Nadal avoids discussing health issues in the immediate aftermath of a defeat ? he didn't reveal the left knee injury last year until weeks after the Rosol match ? and Monday was no different. Still, anyone who watched Nadal play Darcis could tell something wasn't right.

Nadal deflected three questions in English about his left knee, saying it's "not the day to talk about these kind of things" and that it would sound like "an excuse." When a reporter asked in Spanish about the knee, Nadal replied: "You're assuming I'm injured." He later did repeat what he mentioned at Roland Garros, which is that the knee is painful at times.

"Maybe he was not in the best shape ever. Maybe he didn't play his best match," Darcis said, noting that he wants to get his hands on of a DVD of the most significant victory of his career. "But I have to be proud."

That's for sure.

Darcis came in 7-18 in Grand Slam matches, a .280 winning percentage, including 12 first-round losses. So when asked his reaction upon hearing last week that he would be facing Nadal, Darcis smiled broadly and gave a one-word answer unfit for publication.

Then he added: "When you see the draw, of course you say, 'Ah, it's bad luck.'"

While Nadal was struggling, Federer and Murray looked the way title contenders are supposed to in the first round. Federer, the defending champion, needed all of 68 minutes to beat 48th-ranked Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 on Centre Court, as former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice looked on from the Royal Box.

"I'm happy to get out of there early and quickly," Federer said. "Perfect day."

In the most noteworthy women's result, fifth-seeded Sara Errani, the 2012 French Open runner-up, lost 6-3, 6-2 to Puerto Rican teenager Monica Puig. Maria Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon champion, won in straight sets. So did second-seeded Victoria Azarenka, but not without a scare.

Azarenka twisted her right knee early in the second set, leaving her tumbling to the grass and sobbing. After about a 10-minute break while a trainer wrapped Azarenka's knee, the two-time Australian Open champion finished off a 6-1, 6-2 victory over 106th-ranked Maria Joao Koehler of Portugal.

"I was in such shock," Azarenka said. "You know, for two minutes I had such a consistent pain that it just completely freaked me out."

Reigning U.S. Open champion Murray, trying to become the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years, eliminated 92nd-ranked Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Murray lost to Federer in last year's final, then returned to the same spot four weeks later and beat Federer for a gold medal at the London Olympics.

"As a fan of tennis, it's probably disappointing that he's out, because he's a fun guy to watch," Murray said about Nadal. "He's one of the best players that's ever played, so it's a shame in that respect."

Nadal gave the 29-year-old Darcis kudos for playing well. Taking big swings and connecting time and again, Darcis finished with 53 winners to Nadal's 32, while making the same number of unforced errors. Nadal would slump his shoulders or hang his head after misses, and there was a noticeable hitch in his step on some points.

"Nobody was expecting me to win. So I had to play a good match, relax and enjoy. ... That's what I did," Darcis said. "I really wanted to do something today."

He did something no one ever had: In 34 previous major tournaments, Nadal was 34-0 in the first round. Overall, he came in 164-22 at majors, an .882 winning percentage. In the first 178 Grand Slam matches of his career, Nadal never lost in any round to a player ranked lower than 70th. But in his last nine major matches, he's been beaten by a pair of guys in the hundreds.

Asked what he did well Monday, Nadal said: "Not a lot of things."

There were two moments when the 27-year-old Spaniard had a real chance to get close. He broke Darcis to go up 6-5 in the second set, but dropped serve right away with a flubbed backhand, a shot that gave Nadal problems repeatedly.

Then, after saving Darcis' first four set points in the ensuing tiebreaker, Nadal held one set point himself. With a chance to even the match, however, he dumped a backhand into the net. Two points later, Nadal sailed an errant forehand long, and Darcis held his right fist aloft, celebrating a two-set lead.

Darcis then broke to open the third, and the spectators roared, not so much because they dislike Nadal, but perhaps so they could forever boast, "I was there."

Despite feeling tired as the match approached three hours, Darcis played brilliantly in the final game. He hit a forehand winner. He delivered another winner on the run and, as his momentum carried him near the stands, Darcis dropped to a knee and pumped his right arm. After one last Nadal miscue set up match point, Darcis capped his victory with a 109 mph ace.

"I'm not going to get wasted just because I beat Nadal. ... I might have a beer; the 'recovery beer' we call it," Darcis said. "I need to keep my focus. It would be a shame to beat Nadal, then stop there."

In 2012, Rosol did stop there, losing his next match at Wimbledon. And in a bit of symmetry, Rosol's 2013 first-round match ? a five-set loss ? was wrapping up on tiny Court 19 just as Nadal and Darcis were starting on adjacent Court 1.

While he was sidelined from June to February, Nadal missed the London Olympics, U.S. Open and Australian Open. Pressed about his upcoming schedule, and the notion that his grinding, hustling style might put too much pounding on his body, Nadal at first said Monday that no one can ever be sure about the future.

But he did say: "I don't have any intention of missing the U.S. Open," the year's last Grand Slam tournament, which begins in late August.

A reporter wanted to know what Nadal's goals are at this point.

"My only dream now is to go home and think ... (and) analyze my situation," he said.

Between words, Nadal took a sip of water, then plopped his player badge on the table in front of him. For the first time in his Grand Slam career, he won't be needing it after Day 1.

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nadal-stunned-wimbledon-1st-round-darcis-224702290.html

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House investigators: Disability judges too lax

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Monday, June 24, 2013

Gary David Goldberg Dies; Emmy-Winning Producer was 68

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/gary-david-goldberg-dies-emmy-winning-producer-was-68/

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Kane is the man of the (late) hour for Blackhawks

BOSTON (AP) ? Patrick Kane already has one Stanley Cup-winning goal from 2010 along with the one that put the Chicago Blackhawks back into the finals this year.

Can he imagine a second NHL title-clincher?

"I think the stars would have to be aligned right for it to happen like that again," Kane said Sunday, a day before the Blackhawks will take the ice in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final with a chance to win their second championship in four seasons.

"I think the biggest thing is trying to help contribute any way I can, help this team get a win, especially the situation we're in," said Kane, who scored the winner in Game 6 against Philadelphia in the '10 finals, and the one that eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in this year's Western Conference finals. "I'll do whatever I can to help the team win, and it would be a great feeling."

The Blackhawks will take a 3-2 lead into Game 6 against the Boston Bruins on Monday night, and Kane is a big reason why. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft had two goals in Chicago's 3-1 victory in Game 5, giving him seven goals in his last seven games, including two winners.

"That's the type of player he is," Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. "When it comes down to the wire and tight games, big games, that's when he wants the puck. That's when he wants to score the goals, the big goals.

"It's huge to have those kind of players in your team when you go far in the playoffs. And now when it's really coming down to the wire here, (it) gives the whole group confidence that you have players like that. It's not a coincidence that he has a lot of big goals so far in his career."

Actually, Kane has a lot of small goals, too.

In addition to the nine times he's scored in 22 playoff games this postseason, Kane led the Blackhawks in scoring in the lockout-shortened regular season with 55 points in 48 games ? including 23 goals that tied for the team lead.

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville split Kane and Jonathan Toews at the start of the finals so that Bruins counterpart Claude Julien wouldn't be able to match defenseman Zdeno Chara with both of the Blackhawks' top forwards. But they responded with no goals in the first three games, and Quenneville put them back together for Game 4.

Since then, they have combined for four goals and seven points. Kane's 19 points in the playoffs lead Chicago and are second in the NHL; he also led the Blackhawks with eight points in the six-game victory over Philadelphia in the 2010 finals.

"It's like we always say: I don't care who scores for us; I don't care who's on the ice for them," Quenneville said. "We expect somebody has got to score for us, and we're not choosy in that department."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kane-man-hour-blackhawks-231017730.html

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Supermoon rising: How to photograph this weekend's full moon

Courtesy of J. Mrachina via Flickr

This photo of the moon over Des Moines, Iowa, was captured using a Canon Rebel XS camera.

By Denise Chow, Live Science

The largest full moon of the year will rise this weekend, and for any shutterbugs hoping to snap photos of the so-called "supermoon," following some easy guidelines can help people make the most of their moon shots.

On Sunday (June 23), the moon will reach the closest point to Earth in its asymmetrical orbit, and will appear roughly 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than the full moon at its farthest point from the planet, according to SPACE.com. Photographing the supermoon does not require much special equipment, but the trick to capturing more than just a bright, white blob is to think like a camera, said Jason Mrachina, a professional photographer based in Des Moines, Iowa.

"To your camera, the moon is extremely bright, especially compared to a black background," Mrachina told LiveScience. "It's kind of akin to taking a picture of a bare light bulb in a black room, and wondering why you can't see the filament. When you're shooting at night, the relative difference between light and dark is extremely high, so you have to take that into consideration." [ Full Moon Rising: Glitzy Photos of a Supermoon ]

Tripods are key
To start, photographers should use a tripod to avoid taking blurry images. The best results come from holding the camera very still, and one of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to hold the camera steady by hand, Mrachina said.

He also recommends using a long lens ? generally 200 millimeters or longer ? to capture the dazzling lunar display.

"If you take the photo with a camera phone, or a wide-angle point-and-shoot without an optical zoom, you're going to be unhappy because the moon is going to look tiny in the image," Mrachina said. "With too wide of an angle, you don't get much of the moon to fill the frame."

Another key way to manage the sharp contrast between light and dark in moon photos is to adjust the camera's settings. This involves manually setting the shutter speed and aperture, which acts as the iris of the camera and regulates how much light will be allowed into the lens, and changing the ISO, which refers to the sensitivity of the photo cell in the camera.

"As soon as you tell people not to shoot in automatic mode, you lose a lot of people who are too scared to try it," Mrachina said. "But, it's actually not hard, and with the manual settings, you will instantly get better results than if you had shot automatic."

Recommended camera settings
Since the moon is bright and moves quickly, photographers need to use a fast shutter speed. "The moon traverses the sky very quickly, so you have to have a shutter speed that can capture the frame and stop the motion of the moon, while also keeping the image properly exposed," he explained.

Mrachina recommends the following settings for handheld cameras, and ones mounted on tripods:

Tripod

  • ISO 100 - 200
  • Aperture F11 - F14
  • Shutter? 1/125 - 1/250

Handheld

  • ISO 800-1000
  • Aperture f8 - 9
  • Shutter 1/1000?- 1/1500

For even more up-close-and-personal lunar views, photographers can mount their cameras on telescopes or certain spotting scopes, which are normally attached to rifles for target shooting, Mrachina said.

"If people already own that equipment, those are inexpensive options rather than buying a new camera," he added.

Rewarding shots
Photographers can snap moon photos from anywhere, so long as conditions are clear, but the most spectacular shots tend to come from locations with less pollution and humidity. [ Supermoon Secrets: 7 Surprising Big Moon Facts ]

"That includes light pollution," Mrachina said. "If you're standing in the middle of Times Square, you're not going to get as good results as if you're in a desert or on a beach."

For more artistic shots, Mrachina recommends finding something to create a silhouette in front of the moon. A nice tree, building or a fence line are all options of objects that can add to a picture. To create a dramatic effect, stand away from the object creating the silhouette, Mrachina said.

"The further away you stand from the object, the larger the moon will appear in relation to that object," he explained. "If you're too close and you're shooting with a wide-angle lens, you won't get that effect."

For amateur photographers, full moons offer a good chance to exercise creativity in choosing the shots, and the results can be quite rewarding. "Those pictures tend to be different and more memorable than if you just went out and photographed the moon from your backyard," Mrachina said.

To incorporate some natural color into the photos, try photographing the moon as it rises, rather than while it sets, Mrachina said.

"There tends to be more color in the sky in the evening, just because there tends to be more dust," he said. "If you want an orange or pink moon, the evening atmosphere can give you that."

But, even if conditions are not clear for the supermoon this weekend, or if other plans get in the way of photography, skywatchers should not give up.

"I would encourage people to go out and shoot the moon in all its phases," Mrachina said. "A crescent moon is really beautiful, too. Sometimes you can get interesting pictures with the shadows of half moons or quarter moons, so if you miss the supermoon, you shouldn't be discouraged."

You can watch a?live webcast of the supermoon on SPACE.com?on Sunday?beginning?at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 June 24 GMT), courtesy of the Slooh Space Camera, an online skywatching website (http://www.slooh.com).

Editor's note: If you snap an amazing photo of the Sunday Supermoon and you'd like to share it for a possible story or image gallery on LiveScience.com or SPACE.com, please send images and comments, including equipment used, to managing editor Tariq Malik at?spacephotos@space.com.

Follow Denise Chow on Twitter@denisechow. Follow LiveScience@livescience,Facebook?&Google+. Original article on? LiveScience.com.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2da703cb/l/0Lscience0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A60C220C190A919170Esupermoon0Erising0Ehow0Eto0Ephotograph0Ethis0Eweekends0Efull0Emoon0Dlite/story01.htm

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U.S. charges Snowden with espionage (CNN)

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James Gandolfini Autopsy Results Confirm Death From Natural Causes

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/james-gandolfini-autopsy-results-confirm-death-from-natural-caus/

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Suicide bombers, gunmen kill 23 in Iraq attacks

BAGHDAD (AP) ? A suicide bombing inside a Shiite mosque during evening prayers and other attacks north of Baghdad killed 23 people in Iraq on Saturday, as officials announced preliminary results for local elections in two provinces that showed the bloc of the country's speaker of parliament in the lead.

The attacks are the latest in a wave of killing that has claimed more than 2,000 lives since the start of April. It is the bloodiest and most sustained spate of violence to hit Iraq since 2008.

The deadliest attack happened after sunset when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a Shiite mosque in the village of Sabaa al-Bour, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Baghdad. It killed 14 and wounded 32, police said.

The community used to be a religiously mixed area that was home to both Sunni and Shiite Muslims, but the Sunnis were displaced by members of the Mehdi Army Shiite militia during the post-invasion wave of sectarian killing that peaked in 2006 and 2007, according to police.

Many large religious sites in Iraqi cities are surrounded by concrete blast walls and armed checkpoints, but police said the village mosque had no protective barriers.

At least five of the victims died in ambulances as they made their way from the remote village to the nearest hospital in Baghdad, police said.

Earlier, a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police patrol in al-Athba village near the restive northern city of Mosul, a police officer said. Three civilian bystanders and one policeman were killed, and six other people were wounded.

Al-Qaida in Iraq and other militant groups have been gathering strength in and around Mosul, some 360 kilometers (220 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

In the city of Tuz Khormato, 210 kilometers (130 miles) north of Baghdad, gunmen on motorcycles riddled a civilian vehicle carrying four off-duty policemen with bullets, killing three and wounding another, a police officer said.

Another group of gunmen attacked a police checkpoint in the city of Samarra, killing two policemen and wounding four, another police officer said. Samarra is 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad.

Police also said two civilians were killed and nine wounded when a bomb ripped through a small market late Friday in Baghdad.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but al-Qaida's Iraq arm and other Sunni extremists frequently target Shiites and security forces in an effort to undermine public confidence in the Shiite-led government.

Meanwhile, election officials said a partial count of ballots for provincial-level elections held Thursday in Sunni-dominated Anbar and Ninevah provinces showed Sunni parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi's United bloc leading with the largest number of votes in both provinces. That bloc is backed by Iraqi Finance Minister Rafia al-Issawi and prominent Sunni sheik Ahmed Abu Risha.

A coalition of Kurdish parties was in second place in Ninevah, which has a sizable Kurdish minority. A bloc headed by Anbar's existing governor, Qassim al-Fahdawi, was in second place in that province.

Iraqis voted in 12 of Iraq's 18 provinces two months ago. Officials had delayed elections in Anbar and Ninevah because of what they said were security concerns, though some Iraqis questioned that rationale and dismissed it as a political ploy related to the unrest in the provinces. The provinces have been the scene of months of anti-government protests.

Final election results are expected to be released in the coming days.

Also on Saturday, the United Nations said another 27 residents of a camp housing members of an Iranian exile group have been relocated to Albania. The move follows a deadly rocket attack on the facility last week.

A total of 71 residents of Camp Liberty have now relocated to the southeast European country, which has agreed to accept 210 of them. Germany has also offered to take 100 residents. The U.N. is urging other member states to accept some of the more than 3,000 living in Iraq.

The dissident group, the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, is the militant wing of a Paris-based Iranian opposition movement that opposes Iran's clerical regime and has carried out assassinations and bombings there. It fought alongside Saddam Hussein's forces in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, and several thousand of its members were given sanctuary in Iraq. It renounced violence in 2001, and was removed from the U.S. terrorism list last year.

Iraq's government wants the MEK members to leave, and the U.N. has been working to resettle them abroad.

Two residents of Camp Liberty were killed in a June 15 rocket attack on the facility. A Shiite militant group claimed responsibility, saying it wants the group out of Iraq.

______

Associated Press writers Sinan Salaheddin and Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suicide-bombers-gunmen-kill-23-iraq-attacks-183709554.html

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