Fujifilm launches alphabet soup of point-and-shoot, compact and bridge cameras

Where to start? Fujifilm has announced 9 new FinePix camera models by our counting, including six bridge models (the S6800 and S4800 series), the JX680 point-and-shoot, the F900EXR compact with WiFi and .05-second autofocus, and more basic F850EXR compact. The S6800, S6700 and S6600 are 16-megapixel bridge shooters with 30x, 28x and 26x zooms respectively, boasting OIS sensor stabilization, 12,800 max ISO, 1.0 second startup, 0.3 second autofocus, 10fps high-speed shooting at full resolution (max 10 frames) and 1080i 60fps HD video, with prices topping out at $250. The 16-megapixel FinePix S4800, S4700 and S4600 have the same 30x, 28x and 26x zoom levels and sensor shift image stabilisation along with auto scene recognition, a 1.3 second startup time, 0.3 second autofocus, 720P, 30 fps video with mini-HDMI output and a max price of $230.

For lovers of smaller form factors, the $100 JX680 point-and-shoot has a 16-megapixel CMOS, 5x Fujinon optical zoom, "creative" filters like soft focus, a 3.0-inch, 230k-dot LCD screen, max 3200 ISO and 720P video with editing. In compact land, the $300 FinePix F850EXR sports a 20x optical zoom, CMOS-shift image stabilisation, a 16-megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor, 3.0-inch 920k-dot LCD, 9 fps continuous shooting (max 5 frames), 1.1 second startup time, Eye-Fi card compatibility and 1080P 60fps video. Finally, the $400 FinePix F900EXR matches all those specs while adding WiFi image transfer capabilitiy, faster 11 fps continuous shooting (5 frames max) and claimed "world's fastest" 0.05 second autofocus speed. Got all that? All the new models will arrive in March 2013, so feel free to check the PR and video after the break if you want more. We're going to take a nap.

Gallery: Fujifilm Finepix S6800 Press Gallery

Gallery: Fujifilm Finepix S4800 press gallery

Gallery: Fujifilm Finepix EXR900 Press Gallery

Gallery: Fujifilm Finepix EXR850 PR Gallery

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FUJIFILM ANNOUNCES TWO NEW LONG ZOOM S-SERIES ALL-IN-ONE BRIDGE CAMERAS THAT GIVE CONSUMERS GREAT IMAGES AND PERFORMANCE

New S-Series cameras feature long zoom, fast autofocus speeds and high resolution imaging for advancing photography consumers

Valhalla, N.Y., January 30, 2013 - FUJIFILM North America Corporation announces its newest S-Series all-in-one bridge cameras, well-known for their precision FUJINON lenses and simple, compact designs. The new cameras feature improved sensors, advanced processing power and amazing lenses to give consumers a great choice of long zoom, yet easy to use digital cameras.

The two new S-Series models - the S6800 and S4800 each boast a powerful Optical Image Stabilization system for excellent blur reduction, and genuine FUJINON long zoom lenses with 30x optical zoom.

Powerful Optical Zoom and Optical Image Stabilization
The FinePix S-Series cameras both offer 30x zoom (24-720mm) with a wide range of focal lengths for maximum versatility. They also each use a superb FUJINON lens that consists of 17 elements in 12 groups, and combines aspherical and ED elements that help to reduce aberrations and promote a superior level of image quality. Each of the new bridge cameras are also capable of a Super Macro mode for users to get as close as 0.78" from a subject for great close-up shots.

"The new FinePix S-Series long zoom bridge cameras give consumers a powerful all-in-one compact design camera that is easy to use and delivers high resolution image quality that photography enthusiasts will enjoy" said David Troy, director of marketing, Digital Cameras, Electronic Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. "These full-featured cameras give users speedy performance, ease of use and the ability to capture beautiful images at amazing distances - perfect for capturing those exciting family images."

Fast Autofocus and Quick Response Times
The S6800 has an impressive 16MP 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS sensor that captures excellent quality, low noise shots at sensitivities as high as ISO 12800. With autofocus speeds of 0.3 seconds*1, start-up times of 1.0 seconds*1, a 0.5 seconds*1 interval between shots and a continuous shooting speed of 8fps (max 10 frames at full resolution)*1, users can feel confident about capturing fast-action shots. And with its ultra-high-speed shooting of up to 60fps (max 60 frames, image size 1280 × 960) *1 and up to 120fps (max 60 frames, image size 640 × 480)*1, the S6800 lets users capture the action in slow-motion for advanced photography.

The S4800 uses a 16MP 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor that captures sharp quality, low noise shots and has autofocus speeds of 0.3 seconds*3 and a start-up time of 1.3 seconds*3 for quick action shooting at a great value.

Easy to Use
Both S-Series cameras have an easy to use Mode Dial for shooting selection, a bright 3.0" LCD screen (460k-dot S6800 and 230K-dot S4800) for easy viewing and image framing and the S6800 adds a dual zoom control for speed and precision zooming..

Full HD movie 1080i/60fps with Stereo Sound
The FinePix S6800 makes movie recording as easy as taking pictures using the dedicated movie button to start recording instantly. The high resolution, 1080i movie capture at 60fps with stereo sound and slow-motion capture at 480fps*2 is superb when played back on HDTV screens, and users can even take still photos during video recording. The S6800 also adds a number of in-camera movie editing features including "movie trimming" and "movie join."

The FinePix S4800 also shoots in 720p at 30fps in 16:9 format to let users share memories with friends and family on the big screen using the mini HDMI connector*4. What's more, with the clever Video Scene Recognition feature and a dedicated Video Recording button, you can leave the camcorder at home, and capture some great spur-of-the-moment footage!

FinePix S6800 key features:
o. FUJINON Super zoom Lens (24mm wide-angle to 720mm telephoto lens, f/3.1 to 5.9)
o. 16MP 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor
o Autofocus speed of up to 0.3 seconds
o Continuous shooting; 8fps (10frames, full resolution), 60fps 60 frames, image size 1280×960) ,120 fps (60 frames, image size 640×480)
o Start-up time of 1.0 second
o Shooting interval time of 0.5 seconds
o. Optical Image Stabilization (Sensor Shift)
o. Full HD movie 1080i/60 fps with stereo sound and slow-motion capture at 480fps
o. Bright 3.0-inch LCD screen ( 460K-dot)
o. Manual exposure control(P/S/A/M modes)
o. Super Macro to 0.78"
o. Dual zoom control
o. Instant zoom and Zoom Bracketing
o. 4×AA alkaline batteries with an approximately 320 shot battery life
o. Available in black, white, and red

FinePix S4800 key features:
o. FUJINON Super zoom lens (24mm wide-angle to 720mm telephoto lens, f/3.1 to 5.9)
o. 16MP 1/2.3" CCD sensor
o. Optical Image Stabilization (Sensor Shift)
o. Scene Recognition Auto with 6 pre-set scenes
o. Autofocus in 0.3 seconds*1
o. HD Movie 720P/30fps with Video Scene Recognition
o. 3" LCD monitor (230k dots)
o. Manual exposure control (P/S/A/M modes)
o. Instant Zoom
o. Mini HDMI output
o. 4×AA alkaline batteries with an approx. 320 shot battery life
o. Available in Black

*1 FUJIFILM research based on CIPA guidelines and conducted in "High Performance" mode
*2 High Speed Movie can be recorded at the following speeds and sizes:
480fps (320 x 120 pixels), 240fps (320 x 240 pixels), 120fps (640 x 480 pixels)
*3 FUJIFILM research based on CIPA standards
*4 HDMI cable not included

Pricing and Availability
The FinePix S-Series will be available March 2013 at the price of $249.95 (S6800) and $229.95 (S4800). Both models will be available in black, and the S6800 will also be available in White and Red.

For complete specs, please go to: https://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/showcase/index.html

About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division sells consumer and commercial photographic products and services including film, one-time-use cameras, online photo services and fulfillment, digital printing equipment and service. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras. The Motion Picture Division provides motion picture archival film, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the printing industry. The Optical Devices Division provides binoculars, and optical lenses for closed circuit television, videography, cinematography, broadcast and industrial markets. FUJIFILM Canada Inc. markets a range of Fujifilm products and services. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmusa.com/northamerica, or go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter. To receive news and information direct from Fujifilm via RSS, subscribe at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.

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FUJIFILM DEBUTS NEW SLIM AND FEATURE-PACKED FINEPIX JX680 DIGITAL CAMERA

Valhalla, N.Y., January 30, 2013 - FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the introduction of the FinePix JX680, a slim digital camera with a FUJINON 5x optical zoom lens (26-130mm*1) that is thin enough to fit in your jeans or purse to take wherever you go. It has the perfect combination of advanced features and ease of use, offering Digital Image Stabilization to help eliminate blurry images, and an Advanced Filter function for added creative expression. Additionally, its 16MP CCD sensor ensures that the highest image quality is captured every time and can be easily viewed on its bright 3.0" LCD screen.

"The FinePix JX680 offers consumers a stylish combination of powerful features and creative options all in a slim and affordable compact digital camera that fits in your pocket," said David Troy, director of marketing, Digital Cameras, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Electronic Imaging Division. "Everyday photographers will enjoy this easy-to-use camera with its exciting feature set that includes Digital Image Stabilization, HD movie capture, and large 3.0" LCD screen."

Slim Camera with 5x FUJINON Lens and Digital Image Stabilization
Despite being ultra-compact (20mm*2), the FinePix JX680 camera offers a wide subject coverage with its 5x FUJINON optical zoom lens, from 26mm*1 (wide) to 130mm*1 (telephoto), resulting in an expanded range of shooting situations. To help with eliminating blurry images - especially at maximum zoom lengths - the JX680 camera employs Digital Image Stabilization to capture as crisp a photo as possible.

HD Capture with Fast Start Up
With a 16MP CCD sensor, the FinePix JX680 camera can produce high-quality, low-noise images, even at sensitivities of up to ISO 3200*3. Stunning movies can be recorded at 720p, and still images with aspect ratios of 16:9 can also be achieved simultaneously. Movie recording can be started in an instant, thanks to the dedicated "Movie Recording Button," and for the creative type of user, the camera also includes a number of advanced movie-editing features.

Easy on the Eyes
Viewing images on the FinePix JX680 is a pleasure with the smooth, easy-to-read vector fonts and the new high-resolution 3.0"/230K-dot LCD screen. Additionally, an Instant Zoom feature, which shows your composition area as well as the area outside your frame, and large buttons in a simple layout, help users concentrate on composing, without ever losing sight of the big picture. Another exciting change in this year's FinePix JX680 is that the battery now does not have to be removed for charging, as it can be connected via a USB cable to the power source.

Advanced Filters
The FinePix JX680 also features new Advanced Filter options that let users enjoy a variety of photographic expressions. Choose from 6 creative patterns, including:
o. Pop Color - great for boosting contrast and saturation
o. Toy Camera - adds vignetting for a 70's retro look
o. Miniature - blurred top and bottom sections for a tilt-and-shift effect
o. Partial Color - selects one color and takes the rest of the shot in black and white. (choose from red, purple, yellow, green, blue and orange)
o. Soft Focus - create a soft focus effect
o. Cross Screen - adds starbursts around bright objects

FinePix JX680 key features:
o. 5x FUJINON optical zoom (26-130mm*) with Digital Image Stabilization
o. 16MP CCD sensor
o. 26mm* wide-angle
o. 3.0" LCD screen
o. Creative Advanced Filters
o. Individual shutter 3D
o. Motion Panorama
o. Easy to use GUI with large buttons
o. 720p HD movie recording with dedicated "Movie Recording Button"
o. Advanced video editing features
o. Super slim and pocket-friendly (just 20mm*2)
o. Battery charging via USB cable

*1 35mm format equivalent
*2 At its thinnest point
*3 ISO 3200 is effective in S mode

The FinePix JX680 will be available March 2013 at the price of $99.95 and will be available in black, and red.

For complete specs, please go to: https://www.fujifilmusa.com/products/digital_cameras/showcase/index.html

About Fujifilm
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division sells consumer and commercial photographic products and services including film, one-time-use cameras, online photo services and fulfillment, digital printing equipment and service. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras. The Motion Picture Division provides motion picture archival film, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the printing industry. The Optical Devices Division provides binoculars, and optical lenses for closed circuit television, videography, cinematography, broadcast and industrial markets. FUJIFILM Canada Inc. markets a range of Fujifilm products and services. For more information, please visit www.fujifilmusa.com/northamerica, or go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter. To receive news and information direct from Fujifilm via RSS, subscribe at www.fujifilmusa.com/rss.

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FUJIFILM LAUNCHES PREMIUM COMPACT ULTRA ZOOM WITH WORLD'S FASTEST AUTOFOCUS SPEED AND WI-FI(R)

Blazing fast F900EXR has AF of 0.05 seconds and allows users to wirelessly transfer beautiful, sharp pictures and movies to their smartphone or tablet for easy online uploading

Valhalla, N.Y., January 30, 2013 - FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the premium, compact long-zoom FinePix F900EXR digital camera that features a new Intelligent Hybrid AF system that focuses as fast as 0.05 seconds*1 by using a new Phase Detection AF system in its advanced EXR-CMOS II sensor. The F900EXR automatically switches between Phase Detection AF and Contrast Detection AF depending on the subject and scene, guaranteeing superb ease-of-use and fast, accurate autofocus no matter what the setting or shooting conditions.

The FinePix F900EXR also has an improved Wireless Image Transfer function that allows users to quickly and easily upload high resolution images and movies to their Apple or Android smartphone or tablet. The F900EXR continues the tradition of superior image quality that the F-Series is known for with its speed, bright lens, intuitive use and advanced features.

"The F900EXR delivers the impressive AF speed that consumers have been demanding, and with speeds as fast as 0.05 seconds, photography enthusiasts won't be disappointed," said David Troy, director of marketing, Digital Cameras, Electronic Imaging Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. "And after you've captured those amazing images, the F900EXR now allows you to share the images quickly and easily with its new Wi-Fi(R)-certified Wireless Image Transfer function."

The FinePix F900EXR features a 1/2" 16MP EXR-CMOS II sensor that delivers superior image quality and performance - especially in low light situations. The F900EXR also uses the bright and fast FUJINON 20x wide-angle long-zoom lens (25-500mm) that produces exceptional images, along with an Intelligent Digital Zoom feature that effectively doubles zoom capability and an ultra-clear 3.0" high contrast 920K-dot resolution LCD.

The FinePix F900EXR includes a new EXR Processor II that more than doubles the performance of the first-generation EXR Processor. With a super-fast startup time of 1.1seconds*2, an interval between shots of 0.5 seconds *2, and burst-mode rates of 11 frames/second *2 (max. 5 frames), the F950EXR offers fantastic response times that make it a joy to use and ensure you should never have to worry about missing that special shot again.

Improved Wireless Image Transfer Function
The F900EXR's new wireless feature lets you transfer photos and movies*3 from the camera to smartphones, tablets and computers and then upload high-quality images to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter in seconds.

To connect the F900EXR to a smartphone or tablet, users can download the free dedicated "FUJIFILM Camera Application" to their iPhone[TM] / iPad[TM] or Android[TM] smartphone or tablet device to transfer up to 30 pictures at a time from the F900EXR. The app also lets you download movies*3, expanding the range of options available for enjoying pictures taken with the camera.

With its Wi-Fi capability, the F900EXR allows users to back up photos on their home computer. Users simply install the free "FUJIFILM PC AutoSave" software onto their computer and select which folder they want the photos to back up to, and then by linking a Wi-Fi Router and the F900EXR, the camera will backup photos to the home computer.

Pictures stored on the F900EXR can be viewed and selected for download on large smartphone or tablet screens for a smooth viewing experience. No wireless LAN access point or complicated ID or password entry is required, and once pictures have been downloaded to the smartphone, it is simple to upload them to social networking sites.

Sharp, Clear 20x Lens
The FinePix F900EXR camera uses the FUJINON 20x Super wide-angle optical zoom lens to produces crisp high resolution results throughout the focal range, from 25mm wide-angle to 500mm telephoto, along with a Macro Mode that allow sharp focusing down to 1.9" delivering the most brilliant detail possible.

Clear, Beautiful Display and Easy Controls for Enhanced Shooting Control
The FinePix F900EXR has a bright, premium 3.0", 920K-dot LCD monitor with a Monitor Sunlight mode for enhanced viewing in bright sunlight and at wider viewing angels. The F900EXR also lets users assign frequently-used options to the new "E-fn" or extended function button for enhanced ease of use.

Full HD Video with Impressive Speed
The F900EXR uses its EXR-CMOS II sensor to shoot video full HD at a smooth 60 frames per second with improved Phase Detection AF with superior color reproduction. Movie recording can be started with a single press of the dedicated "Movie Recording Button" and records high-quality sound using the built-in stereo microphone.

The Intelligent Hybrid AF system is active during movie recording for fast, precise focus. The camera also offers a Scene Recognition for movie recording feature that automatically adjusts camera settings for landscapes, close-ups, night landscapes, portraits, backlit portraits, and night portraits for high-quality, hassle-free results with a variety of subjects.

Fantastic Built-in Photographic Filters
With its built-in photographic filters, users can now get even more creative with their photography. The F900EXR Advanced Filters include:

o. Pop Color - emphasizes contrast and color saturation
o. Toy Camera - create shaded borders as if you were taking a photo on a toy camera
o. Miniature - adds top and bottom blur for a diorama or miniature effect
o. Dynamic Tone - create a fantasy effect by dynamically-modulated tonal reproduction
o. Partial Color - retain one selected original color and change the rest of the photo to black and white
o. High Key - enhance brightness and reduce contrast to lighten tonal reproduction
o. Low Key - create uniformly dark tones with few areas of emphasized highlights
o. Soft Focus - blur the focus of the image edges to create a softer effect

Within the FinePix F-Series, Fujifilm is also introducing the new FinePix F850EXR. The F850EXR features a 16MP ½-inch EXR CMOS Sensor and 20X manual zoom to offer tremendous versatility at a great value.

FinePix F900EXR key features list:
o. 16MP ½-inch EXR-CMOS II sensor with Phase Detection and EXR Processor II
o. 20x optical zoom (25-500mm*4) with CMOS-shift Image stabilization
o. 3.0" LCD screen with wide viewing angle
o. EXR-Auto (with auto optimization for 108 different scene permutations)
o. Full manual controls
o. Intelligent Hybrid AF (World's Fastest AF of 0.05 seconds*1)
o. Start-up time of 1.1 seconds*2
o. Interval between shots of 0.5 seconds*2
o. RAW shooting (RAW, JPEG, RAW+JPEG image capture modes)
o. Wireless Image Transfer to PC, tablets and smartphones
o. 11 frames/second*2 (max 5 frames) continuous shooting (at full resolution)
o. Advanced Filters
o. Motion Panorama 360
o. Full HD 1080p Video (60fps)
o. Available in black, and indigo blue
o. 260 shots*4 per battery charge

FinePix F850EXR key features list:
o. 16MP ½-inch EXR-CMOS sensor with EXR Processor II
o. 20x optical zoom (25-500mm*4) with CMOS-shift Image stabilization
o. 3" LCD screen
o. EXR-Auto mode (with auto optimisation for 108 different scene permutations)
o. Full manual controls
o. Fast AF of up to 0.21 seconds*2
o. Start-up time of 1.1 seconds*2
o. Interval between shots of 0.5 seconds*2
o. 9.0 frames/second*2 (max 5 frames) continuous shooting (at full resolution)
o. Advanced Filters
o. Motion Panorama 360
o. Full HD 1080p Video (60fps)
o. Eye-Fi Card Compatibility
o. Available in black
o. 250 shots*2 per battery charge

The FinePix F900EXR and F850EXR will be available in March 2013 for $399.95 and $299.95 respectively.
For complete camera specifications, please go to: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/.

*1 FUJIFILM research as of November 2012. Compared with other digital cameras, based on CIPA standards, and conducted in High Performance mode at the maximum wide-angle position with AF-area mode set to center position
*2 FUJIFILM research based on CIPA standards
*3 FUJIFILM Camera Application for iOS can save movie files up to 1280 x 720
*4 35mm format equivalent
*5 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo is a certification mark of the Wi-Fi Alliance

Filed under: Cameras

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/1qGmaE2KK7s/

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In Vietnam, rage growing over loss of land rights

Vietnamese women protest the seizure of their land by the government Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Forced evictions are one of the main drivers of public anger against Vietnam's Communist leadership. Land disputes break out elsewhere in Asia, notably next door in China, but they have particular resonance in Vietnam, where wars and revolutions were fought in the name of the peasant class to secure collective ownership of the land. A banner reads: "People from provinces of An Giang, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ninh Thuan who are filing their petitions, now spend all their money. We would like you to show your love to help us. We are waiting for the prime minister to solve." (AP Photo/Chris Brummitt)

Vietnamese women protest the seizure of their land by the government Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Forced evictions are one of the main drivers of public anger against Vietnam's Communist leadership. Land disputes break out elsewhere in Asia, notably next door in China, but they have particular resonance in Vietnam, where wars and revolutions were fought in the name of the peasant class to secure collective ownership of the land. A banner reads: "People from provinces of An Giang, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Ninh Thuan who are filing their petitions, now spend all their money. We would like you to show your love to help us. We are waiting for the prime minister to solve." (AP Photo/Chris Brummitt)

In this Jan. 18, 2013 photo, workers haul cement into a warehouse on disputed land in Kim Son village, Vietnam. Forced evictions are one of the main drivers of public anger against Vietnam's Communist leadership. Land disputes break out elsewhere in Asia, notably next door in China, but they have particular resonance in Vietnam, where wars and revolutions were fought in the name of the peasant class to secure collective ownership of the land. (AP Photo/Chris Brummitt)

In this Jan. 18, 2013 photo, workers haul cement into a warehouse on disputed land in Kim Son village, Vietnam. Forced evictions are one of the main drivers of public anger against Vietnam's Communist leadership. Land disputes break out elsewhere in Asia, notably next door in China, but they have particular resonance in Vietnam, where wars and revolutions were fought in the name of the peasant class to secure collective ownership of the land. (AP Photo/Chris Brummitt)

KIM SON, Vietnam (AP) ? Faced with a group of farmers refusing to give up their land for a housing project, the Communist Party officials negotiating the deal devised a solution: They went to a bank, opened accounts in the names of the holdouts and deposited what they decided was fair compensation. Then they took the land.

The farmers, angry at the sum and now forced to compete for jobs in a stuttering economy, blocked the main road connecting the capital to the north of the country for hours in December. In a macabre gesture, some clambered into coffins. Police who came to break up the demonstration were pelted with rocks. Several people were arrested.

"This is an injustice," said Nguyen Duc Hung, a rice farmer forced to give up 2,000 square meters (215,000 square feet) of land he had worked for more than 15 years. "The compensation money will help us to survive for several years, but after that, how can we make our living?"

Forced confiscations of land are a major and growing source of public anger against Vietnam's authoritarian one-party government. They often go hand-in-hand with corruption; local Communist Party elites have a monopoly on land deals, and many are alleged to have used it to make themselves rich.

These issues unite rural and urban Vietnamese in a way that discontent over political oppression tends not to.

Land disputes break out elsewhere in Asia, notably next door in China, but they have particular resonance in Vietnam, where wars and revolutions were fought in the name of the peasant class to secure collective ownership of the land.

The farmers who blocked the road quoted the country's revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh, in the banners they posted at their camp. "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom," said one. "We would rather die than lose our land," said another.

The government recognizes that the anger coursing through the countryside threatens its legitimacy, and has pledged to revise land laws this year to make them more equitable.

But establishing clear property rights and enforcing laws to protect them comes with ideological complications in a country still publicly committed to state ownership of the land even as it embraces free-market capitalism.

Vietnam abandoned Soviet-style collective farming in the 1980s and began its embrace of capitalism. In 1993, it passed a revised land law that gave citizens the right to use land for 20 years, but stopped short of allowing private ownership. Local Communist party officials can forcibly acquire land, not just for public interest projects such as bridges and roads but also on behalf of private investors building housing estates and industrial and recreational facilities.

Complaints about corruption when rezoning agricultural land to accommodate expensive industrial plots are widespread. So are allegations that the government pays farmers one-tenth the market value of their land, or less.

"Compensation rates are very low and those who take the land profit greatly," said economist and former adviser to the prime minister Pham Chi Lan. "The land laws have many loopholes which have created fertile ground for those who, with the support of local governments, take the land from people for their personal benefit."

Small groups of farmers, many of them women, routinely demonstrate in Hanoi outside government buildings about forced confiscation of land. They welcome people taking photos of them or trying to talk, but security forces immediately shoo visitors away from the scene.

Disputes have been commonplace for years, but are increasing in frequency as farmers become more aware of their rights and economic development increases demand for industrial land. Many 20-year leases granted in 1993 are expiring this year, bringing fresh opportunities for rezoning of the land ? and more opportunity for conflict.

Government figures reported to parliament in November showed public complaints had risen to 4,200 in 2011, more than twice the total number of complaints received from 2005 to 2009. National assembly deputy Ho Thi Thuy acknowledged that corruption among local party officials was a problem.

"Some people have abused the state policies to profit illegally," she said, according to state-run media reports at the time.

The government has sought the assistance of the World Bank in revising the land law to reduce conflict. The World Bank and other outside institutions have called on the government to allow forced evictions only for works that benefit the public, not commercial projects, and to make the process more transparent and equitable.

Communist Party officials in Quang Ninh province, some 90 kilometers (56 miles) east of Hanoi, allowed an Associated Press team to visit Kim Son village. The journalists were escorted by party officials in the village. They spoke to opponents in phone interviews

Officials insisted they had followed the rules when acquiring the land for the housing project, which they said is aimed at upgrading the small village to a township.

"We are working together to build a more prosperous Kim Son," said Vu Van Hoc, chairman of the local people's committee.

He said the project used land that had been owned by 852 families, and that less than 10 percent of them disagreed with the government's compensation rate of around $6 per square meter. He said just seven families were continuing to refuse the deal.

Villagers now allege the land has been resold for $310 per square meter. Hoc denied that, saying the land had yet to be sold.

He said he hoped that by depositing the money into bank accounts in the villagers' names, "the issue could be resolved." He dismissed the protest in late December as the work of "village extremists who had managed to persuade others" to join.

Video of the protest was recorded by people on their cellphones and posted on the Internet by dissident groups, which seek to capitalize on the public anger generated by the conflicts.

For two minutes, police cowered behind riot shields as young men hurled rocks and bits of concrete at them, but officers eventually regained control.

State media reported that 12 people were arrested. The police chief refused to identify them, or to say whether they were still in detention weeks later.

The local communist party bused in five villagers who had no complaints about the compensation package to speak to the visiting reporters and briefly showed them the land, on which a local company is already constructing roads and drainage. Unlike those protesting the compensation, the villagers appeared to have significant holdings elsewhere, or younger families with jobs.

Mac Thi Thuc, a 50-year-old who attended the protest, and whose family is among the seven holdouts, said authorities cut off irrigation to her land in 2010, making it impossible to farm. She said the investors in housing scheme should have negotiated with her directly, not the government.

"Over the past two months, my husband and I have had no work," she said. "We have been trying to look for jobs, but no one hired us because we are old. We have no money and we are going hungry and we don't know how we can survive in the months ahead."

There is one potential source of funds: the money local officials deposited as compensation. Thuc says her family isn't touching it.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-31-Vietnam-Land%20Wars/id-198583d4cde94cbf8f02fbe570740976

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Tusler makes Iowa State University Dean's List

January 29, 2013 ? Updated 11:50 AM?

Courtney Tusler of Redmond has been named to the fall semester Dean's List at Iowa State University.

Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Tusler is studying kinesiology and health.

?

Source: http://feeds.soundpublishing.com/~r/redmondall/~3/prNJoAytfes/188884171.html

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How To Size Up A Real Estate Agent Online | Bankrate.com

Online tools to pick an agent

Some homebuyers and home sellers find and size up their real estate agent online. With 90 percent of Realtors reporting that they use social media in their businesses, online tools are destined to become the norm for selecting agents.

"All of my clients, especially the younger ones, are very plugged in," says Herman Chan, a second-generation real estate professional in San Francisco. "That's just how the business works today. It's not like when my mom was an agent, and all you really had was advertising and word of mouth."

Most clients still find Chan through referrals. But what's different from the days when his mom sold homes is that prospective clients have already researched him online.

Google can go a long way

At a minimum, most real estate agents expect prospective clients to search Google for them.

"Doing an Internet search on the agent's name is just a good idea because it pulls together all the relevant information," Chan says. "Google is just where everyone starts, even if the agent was referred by a friend."

Usually, you can find an agent's social media profiles and possibly performance reviews. If the agent maintains a blog, that should come up, too. If you have trouble finding anything, it might be smart to move on to the next name on your list.

"If they don't have a strong online presence, they're dinosaurs," Chan says.

Looking at LinkedIn

LinkedIn is "one of the most under-utilized tools available for assessing an agent," says Melinda Enfinger, a former real estate agent who helps current agents market online via her company, Define Your Diva.

"As a business-networking platform, LinkedIn differs from other social networks because you can see more of a resume-style view of their background, experience and specialties," Enfinger says. "You can also see reviews from past clients and see if they are actively participating in groups by answering questions and delivering value."

Perusing other social media sites

Using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to find and size up an agent is different from using a professional site such as LinkedIn, Chan says.

For one thing, not all agents use those sites for business. And as Chan points out, even though he posts real estate-related items on Facebook and Twitter, "Not every post is about business because nobody wants to read that all the time."

So what are those sites good for?

"Facebook and Twitter give you a sense of someone's personality," Chan says. "I don't think my clients pick me because of what they see on Facebook or Twitter, but I do think they use those sites to figure out if I'm someone they want to spend a lot of time with."

Read reviews skeptically

If you look into an agent's reviews on sites such as Yelp, there are few things to consider. Sites that offer free reviews can be gamed, says Anton Stetner, founder of Real Estate Solutions Group in Marysville, Wash. "It could be anyone posting, even a competitor."

For some agents, free review sites can also be suspect because they make their money by selling ads to the businesses on the site.

"The truth is, we get contacted by these websites all the time trying to sell us the top position," says Isabel Fontaneau, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Miami.

See agents' work in action

If you're looking only at the homes on listing sites, you're missing out, according to Liz and William Spear, a wife-and-husband real estate team in Mason, Ohio.

"The ability to actually see the agent's online work in representing their sellers is key," the Spears say via email. "Do they post bad photos of their listings? Next! (Do they) write poor marketing copy or have spelling and grammar errors? Basically, reviewing their work is like an online interview."

Sites such as Realtor.com let you search by an agent's name, so you can see the agent in action. If a site doesn't let you search by agent, you can scan listings in your area, and then start contacting the agents who posted listings that are of a good quality.

Are referrals the best way?

There's still a school of thought that says you shouldn't select a professional based on information from the Internet.

"A personal referral is the only way to go," says Janice B. Leis, an associate broker with Prudential Fox & Roach in Philadelphia. "Would you choose a financial adviser online or an attorney online?"

On the other hand, there's no rule that says you may use only online tools to find and size up a real estate agent.

"Online tools are a great way of learning more about who they are, but nothing can replace real conversation," says Enfinger. "So whether you are Facebook friends, a Twitter follower, a LinkedIn connection or something else altogether, take the time to pick up the phone, and get to know your agent before you jump in."

Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/size-up-real-estate-agent-online.aspx

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Justin Timberlake tries to reinvent Myspace

Matt Sayles / AP

The revamped Myspace, backed by Justin Timberlake and featuring Justin Timberlake, launched last week.

By Martha C. White

Comeback kids or ?Come back, kids!?? The new Myspace, prominently backed by singer Justin Timberlake, wants to win over Gen Y music fans with a slick new interface and put its has-been reputation behind it.

It?s an ambitious vision: Give the music industry its own version of LinkedIn, lure fans with the promise of up-close-and-personal access that Twitter offers, add streaming music in the vein of Pandora or Spotify, and let users search for people who like the same music as they do ? just?like the old MySpace used to do before it got cluttered with ads and obnoxious blinking backgrounds. Oh, and deliver it all in a pretty, Pinterest-esque layout. The new Myspace (the ?s? is small now) has potential, but the absence of a mobile app and Timberlake?s omnipresence could quickly become dealbreakers.

Myspace liberally borrows features from other social networks, but experts caution that could be a double-edged sword. Users obviously aren?t looking for redundancy, but a remix has the chance to deliver a better experience, said?Sinan Aral, an assistant professor and Microsoft faculty fellow at the New York University Stern School of Business.

However, tech bloggers were, by and large, derisive when the new site had its big reveal last week. The layout and the horizontal, scrolling navigation aren?t intuitive, and the featured music is heavy on offerings by Timberlake, along with Jay Z (featured on Timberlake?s new single) and his wife, Beyonce.

?It?s dangerous to use a platform like that to push individual songs or artists that are in the wheelhouse of the owner,? Aral said.

Timberlake?s new single seems to have factored into the timeline of the rollout, as well. ?With where we were in our development, and given that Justin was releasing his first single after many years and naturally wanted to put it on MySpace, we decided that the timing was perfect for us to lift the invite-gate and enter an open beta stage,??spokesperson Neda Azarfar told the?Washington Post.?

?Perfect? might be a questionable characterization. Users filled up the site?s help boards to complain about login issues and a lack of integration between the old version (which the company calls Myspace Classic) and the new one.

However, Sam Hamadeh, CEO of PrivCo, a firm that researches private companies, said that Myspace's return?to its music-centric roots was smart. (Myspace?s parent, Specific Media, bought it from News Corp. for a reported $35 million in 2011.) ?As a social network for musicians, artists and their fans, it does seem like that narrow focus has started to grow revenue and staunch the losses,? he said.

?As Pinterest has shown, there is still more room in social for competition than some might think,? Glen Gilmore, a social media strategist who teaches digital marketing at Rutgers University, said via email. ?It's about finding your niche and doing it well. It seems that Myspace has finally gotten to a point where it's ready to say what we've all already known: It's a network about music.?

A much bigger issue is that the revamped site launched without a companion mobile app or even a mobile-optimized website.

?We're working hard to bring you a new mobile experience. After we have an app we?re happy with for the iPhone we will move on to other mobile devices,? a ?community manager? named Christina posted on the site?s help section at the beginning of the week. Myspace didn?t respond to a request for comment about when its app would be available.

?That?s a killer,? said Alan Webber, principal analyst and partner at Altimeter Group, LLC. ?I don?t know what they?re thinking... I would not have launched without an app. So much of our time online is actually spent on a mobile device.?

This is particularly true for young adults. In a survey of 1,800 18- to 30-year-olds, the 2012 Cisco Connected World Technology Report found that smartphones were twice as popular as desktop computers, and 70 percent of respondents said mobile apps were an important part of their daily lives.

Millennials definitely have the potential to be a great target market, said Rich Tullo, director of research at financial firm Albert Fried & Co. They like to try new things, and if one person does something, his or her friends will usually follow suit. The wider circle of friends many now have, thanks to Facebook and Twitter, means that new products or ideas catch on quickly. ?They exhibit a lot of flocking behavior because they?re on social networks,? he said.

But Myspace needs an app to get those users to flock to it, Tullo said. ?Millennials are connected on such an intimate basis, if you?re not talking to them through an app... I don?t see how you?d ever get your business off the ground.?

The clock is ticking for Myspace to get its app out into the marketplace and on users? phones. Millennials aren?t a demographic known for their patience. ?Maybe 60 days, maybe as much as three months,? Webber said. ?But they don?t have that long.?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/01/21/16587377-justin-timberlake-tries-to-reinvent-myspace-but-theres-no-app-for-that?lite

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Latinos take on bigger role in Obama inauguration

Presidential Inaugural Committee Co-Chair Eva Longoria gestures as she participates in the opening ceremony for the National Day of Service as part of the 57th Presidential Inaugural festivities, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Presidential Inaugural Committee Co-Chair Eva Longoria gestures as she participates in the opening ceremony for the National Day of Service as part of the 57th Presidential Inaugural festivities, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Actress Rita Moreno waves on the red carpet of the Latino Inaugural 2013 ball at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Brett Zongker)

Vice President Joe Biden, with his wife Jill Biden, center, holding the Biden Family Bible, shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor after taking the oath of office during an official ceremony at the Naval Observatory, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Latinos are taking a more prominent role in President Barack Obama's second inauguration, from the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice swearing in the vice president to a star-studded concert celebrating Latino culture.

Eva Longoria, a co-chairwoman for Obama's campaign, hosted "Latino Inaugural 2013: In Performance at the Kennedy Center" as a salute to the president Sunday evening ahead of his public swearing-in Monday. Jose Feliciano, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno and Latin pop star Prince Royce all performed. The lineup also included Mario Lopez and Wilmer Valderrama.

Vice President Joe Biden and his family appeared onstage, drawing big cheers, to help open the show. He said he wanted to thank Latinos for their support in last year's election.

Biden said something profound happened with the enormous Latino support for Obama, and he said the Latino community underestimates its power.

"One thing that happened in this election, you spoke. You spoke in a way that the world, and I mean the world, as well as the United States, could not fail to hear," Biden said, calling the Latino vote decisive. "This is your moment. America owes you."

Feliciano opened the show by singing the national anthem.

Marc Anthony later drew big cheers when he applauded Latinos' growing political influence.

"Our united voice got us all here tonight and got the best man for the job in the White House," Anthony said.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who gave the keynote speech at last year's Democratic National Convention, recalled the admiration Latinos held for another president more than 50 years ago. Portraits of President John F. Kennedy still hang in many homes, he said.

"As we said 'Viva Kennedy' 50 years ago, today we say 'Viva Obama,'" Castro said.

A children's choir from San Juan, Puerto Rico, closed out the show, singing "This Land is Your Land." They were joined by a larger Latino choir, including Hispanic members of the U.S. military, in singing "America the Beautiful."

Earlier Sunday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an Obama appointee who is the first Hispanic justice on the highest court, administered the oath of office to Biden. And Richard Blanco, a son of Cuban exiles, is Obama's inauguration poet.

Latinos have a distinct presence at this inauguration after raising funds and turning out the vote for Obama in the 2012 election. Hispanics voted 7 to 1 for Obama over his challenger, Republican Mitt Romney, whose Hispanic support was less than any other presidential candidate in 16 years. Analysts said Romney's hardline stance on immigration was a factor.

San Antonio philanthropist and business leader Henry Munoz III, who coordinated the Latino inauguration event with Longoria and other Obama supporters, said this is a special moment when the Latino community is positioned to take an expanded role in shaping the country's future.

"Without question, the presidential election of 2012 proves that Latinos are perhaps the most important influence from this point forward in the election of the president of the United States," Munoz said. "It's important that the leadership in Washington view us not as a narrow interest group but as a vibrant political force" that carries not just votes, but influence and financial resources.

Organizers planned a series of symposiums, dinners and events ahead of the inauguration to keep people talking about issues that matter to Latinos, from immigration reform to building a Latino history museum on the National Mall. Munoz led a presidential commission that called on Congress in 2011 to authorize such a museum within the Smithsonian Institution, but Congress has not yet passed such a bill.

Munoz said it's important to keep Latinos engaged through the inauguration and beyond.

"Our work is not done. It doesn't end," he said. "We have a tendency to look at this phenomenon as ending on Election Day, when the reality is now it's time to get to work."

Longoria said this is her first inauguration. She has taken on a new role as political advocate since her days on "Desperate Housewives," pushing for a Latino history museum in Washington and raising funds for Obama's re-election.

Even though this is Obama's second inauguration, Longoria said there is still much to celebrate, including Sotomayor's role swearing in the vice president.

"There's something special about seeing a president recommit himself to the people of this great nation," she said before the show.

Longoria said she hopes to help influence policies, including immigration reform, and hopes Obama will make that his top priority as an economic issue. She called the Latino fundraising effort for the president a historic turning point.

"I think we have a permanent seat at the table, and now we're going to be able to have influence on what affects our communities," Longoria said. "I take civic responsibility very seriously, and I want to do what I can to help my country."

___

Follow Brett Zongker at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-21-Inauguration-Latinos/id-76c59b7bd07543c8b6bbe58b7725d8a7

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Report: NM teen had homicidal, suicidal thoughts

A Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department crime lab is stationed outside a home south in Albuquerque, N.M., on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, where two adults and three children were found shot to death. Authorities say a teenager has been arrested and booked on murder and other charges in connection with the shootings. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

A Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department crime lab is stationed outside a home south in Albuquerque, N.M., on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, where two adults and three children were found shot to death. Authorities say a teenager has been arrested and booked on murder and other charges in connection with the shootings. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

A Bernalillo County sheriff's deputy blocks the dirt road that leads to a home where detectives on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, were investigating the deaths of five people who were shot to death south of Albuquerque, N.M. Authorities say a teenager has been arrested and booked on murder and other charges in connection with the shootings. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston holds a news conference on the five person homicide on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. Authorities said a teenage boy fatally shot two adults and three children at a home near Albuquerque. (AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Pat Vasquez-Cunningham)

BCSO Deputies and crime scene personnel work the scene of a five person homicide in Albuquerque, NM, Sunday Jan. 20, 2013. Authorities said a teenage boy fatally shot two adults and three children at a home near Albuquerque. (AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Pat Vasquez-Cunningham)

Bernalillo County authorities are stationed outside a home south of Albuquerque, N.M., on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, where two adults and three children were found shot to death. Authorities say a teenager has been arrested and booked on murder and other charges in connection with the shootings. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) ? The New Mexico teenager accused of fatally shooting his parents and three younger siblings told authorities he was annoyed with his mother and had been having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, according to a probable cause statement.

Nehemiah Griego, 15, remained in custody Monday on charges of murder and child abuse resulting in death. He was arrested following the shootings Saturday at a home in a rural area southwest of Albuquerque where he lived with his family.

A Bernalillo County sheriff's detective questioned the teen Saturday night and the details of their conversation were spelled out in the statement.

The teen allegedly told the detective that he took a .22 caliber rifle from his parents' closet around midnight Saturday and shot his mother in the head while his younger brother slept next to her.

Griego told the detective that his brother did not believe him that their mother was dead so he showed his mother's bloody face to his brother and then shot him, according to the statement.

He's accused of then shooting his two young sisters in their room. He retrieved an AR-15 rifle from his parents' closet and waited in a downstairs bathroom for his father to come home. The statement said he shot his father multiple times after he passed the bathroom doorway.

The teen said he reloaded the guns so "he could drive to a populated area to murder more people," according to the statement.

His plan, the statement said, was to "shoot people at random and eventually be killed while exchanging gunfire with law enforcement."

Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Aaron Williamson said Monday he couldn't immediately comment on the document.

Detectives have spent two days collecting evidence and trying to piece together what led to the violence.

"There's no other way to say it, except that we have a horrific crime scene down there that we are working on," Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston said Sunday.

The detectives had finished their work at the home by Monday afternoon. The metal gate at the home's entrance was shut, a small bouquet of purple flowers was on the top of the gate and at each side there were religious signs, including one that read "Jesus is the reason for the season."

The sheriff's office identified the victims as Greg Griego, 51, his wife Sarah Griego, 40, and three of their children: a 9-year-old boy, Zephania Griego, and daughters Jael Griego, 5, and Angelina Griego, 2. All appeared to have gunshot wounds to the head.

Greg Griego was a pastor who had once served at Calvary, one of Albuquerque's largest Christian churches. He was also well-known throughout the law enforcement community for his work as a voluntary chaplain.

Neighbor Terry Wootan described Griego as a man with a big heart. The two sometimes chatted at the mailbox and would wave to each other when passing by. Wootan said Griego told him about his time in California when he was involved in gangs and how he turned his life around and found God.

"What he wanted to do was help people, and he would never quit," Wootan said.

The pastor's death has shocked the community, including the Albuquerque Fire Department and the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he volunteered his spiritual guidance.

A records check by the Children, Youth and Families Department indicated no trouble with the Griego family and that Nehemiah Griego had never been in trouble with the law.

"This youth had no history with the juvenile justice system," agency spokesman Bob Tafoya said Monday.

Williamson confirmed there was no history of any emergency calls to the home in the recent past.

Neighbors said they saw the first police cars and ambulances arrive at the home Saturday night. The road was blocked and word of the shootings began to make its way through the neighborhood.

According to the probable cause statement, Nehemiah Griego first told a staff member at Calvary that his family was dead and that he placed the two rifles in the family van as protection before driving to the church. He later changed his story, according to the detective's statement.

Asked if he had told anyone else about murdering his family, Griego allegedly told the detective that he had taken a picture of his dead mother and sent it to his girlfriend.

Sheriff Dan Houston plans to hold a news conference Tuesday morning, and the teen could make his first court appearance in the next day or two.

___

Associated Press writer Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-21-New%20Mexico%20Shooting/id-56992352c4dc4492b1e3e1bfa0eefa6a

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Internet abuzz after first lady seemingly rolls her eyes at Boehner

Monday?s post-inaugural luncheon was a case study in body language--and nearly all of the physical evidence centered on House Speaker John Boehner. One interaction in particular already became an Internet meme: Michelle Obama rolling her eyes after listening to a comment from the Ohio Republican congressman.

Tumblr blogger ?Mattyrab? was the first to capture the eye roll in action, sharing video of the exchange in a display described as a ?historical moment in shade throwing.? The video has already been shared thousands of times across social media sites with viewers speculating on what sparked the First Lady?s facial expression.

We don?t have audio of their exchange so, for now, it?s impossible to know exactly what Boehner had said. In fact, it?s entirely possible that Michelle Obama's eye roll was simply a reaction to an innocuous joke from Boehner.

That moment was only one of several interactions involving the House speaker. For example, after Boehner?s brief and gracious remarks during the luncheon, he shook hands with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Anyone watching the two exchanges closely would notice a distinct difference: While Boehner and Obama look friendly enough in the actual handshake, at no point do they appear to make eye contact; in contrast, Biden and Boehner appear to share a warmer greeting, smiling at each other and pulling in close.

Of course, any analysis is inevitably colored by one?s own estimation of these three men. But it certainly appears to correlate with the understanding that Biden has far more amicable relations with Congress than Obama.

Interestingly, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor even appeared to have a warmer exchange with Obama after his remarks than the president had with Boehner, as the two men looked each other in the eyes and traded what appeared to be firm, but friendly, greetings. If that indeed is the case, it?s noteworthy since Cantor is viewed as being even more ideologically opposed then the House speaker to Obama?s political agenda.

What do you think? Are political audiences overreacting to Michelle Obama?s facial expression? Or was it a candid moment captured on film showing that even during the most benign of political events, personality conflicts and personal feelings rise to the surface?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/michelle-obama-rolls-eyes-john-boehner-sets-internet-222930624--politics.html

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Algeria terror leader once preferred money to death

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) ? Moktar Belmoktar is known abroad as the man who orchestrated the abduction of scores of foreigners last week at a BP-operated plant in the remote, eastern corner of Algeria, in a raid that led to many of their deaths.

In the Sahara at least up until this week he was, ironically, known as the more pragmatic and less brutal of the commanders of an increasingly successful offshoot of al-Qaida. The question now is has he evolved into an international terrorist every bit as violent as his rivals, or did the Algeria operation go very differently than he intended?

Belmoktar, a 41-year-old Algerian known in Pentagon circles as "MBM," just split off from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, to start his own franchise.

Over the past decade, AQIM has kidnapped dozens of foreigners, including diplomats, aid workers, field doctors and tourists. Although Belmoktar's hostages are forced to endure months of privation and live with the constant threat of execution, those who have dealt directly with him say his cell has never executed a captive, according to hostage negotiators, a courier sent to collect proof-of-life videos, senior diplomats and security experts interviewed for this article.

The notable exception was the 2011 kidnapping of two French nationals from a bar in the capital of Niger, both of whom were killed when the French military tried to rescue them. It's unclear if the two died from friendly fire, or were executed by their captors in a situation that closely mirrors the chain of events in Algeria, where combat helicopters strafed the compound in an effort to liberate the hostages, killing both kidnappers and victims.

Belmoktar prefers to trade his hostages for money, experts have said, and global intelligence unit Stratfor says he can get an estimated $3 million per European captive. The money allowed him to build one of the best-financed arms of AQIM. It may explain how he was able to strike out on his own six weeks ago to create "The Masked Brigade," whose inaugural attack was launched inside Algeria.

"MBM is more along the lines of, how do I negotiate and put extra money in my pocket?" says Rudolph Atallah, the former head of counterterrorism for Africa at the Pentagon, who has spent years tracking the terror network in this Sahelian country. "The others are purists."

Belmoktar is a contrast to his more ruthless colleague, Abou Zeid, who beheaded a British national and executed a 78-year-old Frenchman in 2010 in retaliation for a raid attempting to save him that killed six militants.

Up until December of last year, both men were emirs of their own "katiba," or brigade, in AQIM. Though they are both from southern Algeria, they have chosen to embed themselves in northern Mali, in the immense, ungoverned desert which ranges from feather-soft dunes to flat, rocky plains. And both have made tens of millions of dollars by kidnapping French, Canadian, Spanish, Swiss, German, English and Italian nationals.

The contrast between the two is captured in the recently published memoir of Robert Fowler, a Canadian diplomat who was kidnapped by Belmoktar in 2008 in Niger, where he had been sent as a United Nations special envoy. Fowler was tied up and shoved into a pickup truck and the blows he suffered as his body was banged against the metal during the multi-day journey to Mali caused a compression fracture in a vertebra.

Fowler's ordeal could have been much worse. He describes how on April 21, 2008, he was driven to a rendezvous point. The same day, Abou Zeid's troops arrived with two women, one of them on the point of death.

Belmoktar went to inspect the women, and returned to where Fowler was sitting with a "thunderous look on his face," he wrote. Belmoktar asked to be passed dysentery pills from the medical kit, and ran back to give them to 77-year-old Marianne Petzold, a retired German teacher, and Swiss national Gabriella Burco Greiner.

When Fowler saw the two "the shock was physical. I recoiled with horror at the sight of those small, troubled white faces, twisted with pain."

One had been bitten by a scorpion, and her arm had ballooned and turned black. She would later spend six weeks in the hospital getting skin grafts to replace the necrotized flesh, he writes in "A Season in Hell." They both suffered from dysentery, and Abou Zeid had refused to give them the medicine that their governments had sent during their negotiation. At the moment that they were supposed to be released, Abou Zeid decided that he was not ready to free them, and an argument ensued between him and Belmoktar.

The same man who masterminded the recent horror in Algeria last week was visibly disturbed, wrote Fowler. He said it was Belmoktar who intervened, overruling Abou Zeid to free the two, ordering the drivers to take off across the trackless desert.

"If you are kidnapped by Belmoktar you would most likely live ? and you could not say the same thing for Abou Zeid: All the hostages killed between 2006 and 2012 were killed by Abou Zeid. You don't want to be in a position of describing him as the 'noble savage.' But I do think his thought process is less distorted by ideology," says Geoff Porter, founder of North Africa Risk Consulting, a political risk firm specializing in the Sahara region, who has tracked Belmoktar for years. "

However, long before this week's attack in Algeria, Belmoktar had also shown brutality. His men attacked a military base in Mauritania in 2005, killing over a dozen soldiers, said Dakar, Senegal-based analyst Andrew Lebovitch. And he's twice been sentenced to death in absentia in Algeria for the killing of customs officials and border guards, according to Abdel Bari Atwan's upcoming book "After Bin Laden."

His trajectory up until last week was nearly identical to that of Abou Zeid. Like Abou Zeid, he joined the Armed Islamic Group, or GIA, an Algerian extremist organization which arose in the aftermath of the 1991 election, which was voided by the secular government after an Islamic party won. He then joined the GIA's offshoot, the GSPC, a group that carried out suicide bombings against Algerian government targets. In 2006, when the group became part of al-Qaida, changing its name to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, both Abou Zeid and Belmoktar became the head of individual brigades.

Belmoktar claims he trained in Afghanistan in the 1990s, including in one of Osama Bin Laden's camps. It was there that he reportedly lost an eye, earning him the nickname "Laaouar," Arabic for 'One-eyed.' Research by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation claims Belmoktar became the conduit between the core al-Qaida and AQIM.

But early on, there were signs that Belmoktar was not in step with the gratuitous violence that characterized both the GIA and the GSPC, as well as AQIM. A diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Algiers quotes Algerian sources who say that at different times, Belmoktar denounced both GIA and AQIM tactics because they caused many civilian casualties.

Last December, after rumors of a growing rift with Abou Zeid, Belmoktar announced that he was leaving AQIM and creating his own group, "The Masked Brigade." His close associate, Oumar Ould Hamaha, told the AP that Belmoktar wanted to create a pan-Saharan movement, and the North African chapter was too narrowly focused on countries in the Maghreb, or North Africa.

It came as the United Nations was getting ready to authorize a military intervention to take back Mali's north from Islamic extremists, including Belmoktar's group. When France began airstrikes on Jan. 11, destroying a training camp, several weapons depots and a base known to be used by Belmoktar's men in the northern Malian town of Gao, Hamaha raged that now their jihad would go "global."

It was only a few days later in the tiny town of Ain Amenas in far eastern Algeria that turbaned men claiming allegiance to Belmoktar descended on a natural gas complex, operated in partnership with BP and took hundreds of hostages in the most ambitious terrorist operation the North Africa had ever seen. They forced the hostages to wear explosives. Belmoktar issued a statement saying the dozens of captives would be killed if France didn't halt its military incursion in Mali.

No one will ever know what would have happened if Algeria or other governments agreed to negotiate. Instead, the Algerians sent in helicopters, pounding the compound, and in the bloodbath that ensued, at least 32 militants and 23 captives were killed, according to the Algerian government. It's unclear how many were killed by friendly fire, and how many were executed by Belmoktar's men.

One of the people that knows him best says these events in Algeria signal that Belmoktar has chosen to walk down the path of Abou Zeid.

Moustapha Chaffi has been the main hostage negotiator on many of the kidnappings carried out by both Belmoktar and Abou Zeid. It was he who was waiting to receive Fowler and the two women on April 21, 2008. He confirmed that Belmoktar ran to give them the dysentry pills, and later insisted they be released.

"Before he led this operation in Algeria, that was the sentiment I had, that Belmoktar was less brutal," Chaffi said by telephone on Friday. "Now I find myself thinking that they are all terrorists. That they all take hostages. That they are all fanatics. So to draw a difference between them is really, really relative. There's in fact no difference anymore."

__

Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Dakar, Senegal and Cassandra Vinograd in London contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/algeria-terror-leader-preferred-money-death-143534450.html

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Alpine PT Achieves 100% National Association Membership ...

We?re proud to announce that?Alpine Physical Therapy?has once again attained 100% membership among its 13 physical therapists in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Our national association will recognize Alpine for this accomplishment in APTA publications and on their website,?www.APTA.org. In addition they will post Alpine?s name on the Facility Challenge Wall of Fame at the annual APTA conference this year in Salt Lake City, Utah!

We fully support our association?s efforts to advance the physical therapy profession. For more information about our commitment to our community and our profession, please visit our website by?clicking here.

Go Team Alpine!

Source: http://healthandfitness101.com/?p=3509

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Video: French troops push toward Jihadists

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50513245/

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Rihanna: Kissing Chris Brown on New Single Cover?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/rihanna-kissing-chris-brown-on-new-single-cover/

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