Obama Inaugural Address: The Unapologetic President

Mr. President

U.S. President Barack Obama waves as the presidential inaugural parade winds through the nation's capital January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Mr. Vice President

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden walk along Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade following Obama's second inauguration as the 44th U.S. president on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images)

The First Couple

President and Michelle Obama wave to onlookers as the presidential inaugural parade winds through the nation's capital January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Right In Our Backyard

U.S. President Barack Obama and First lady Michelle Obama walk past the reviewing stand as the presidential inaugural parade winds through the nation's capital January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Parade Pandemonium

U.S. President Barack Obama drives down Pennsylvania avenue in his vehicle during the Inauguration Parade on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Secret Service Security

A U.S. Secret Service vehicle escorts President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's motorcade during the inauguration parade on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Obama's Wheels

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: U.S. President Barack Obama drives down Pennsylvania avenue in his vehicle during the Inauguration Parade on January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. The President was sworn in for second term. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Awaiting Obama's Arrival

People watch as the presidential inaugural parade winds through the nation's capital January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Showtime

U.S. President Barack Obama exits his limousine to walk during a portion of the presidential inaugural parade in the nation's capital January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

A Walk Back In Time

Men in traditional colonial garb perform as U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk along Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade following Obama's second inauguration as the 44th US president on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C.(MLADEN ANTONOV/AFP/Getty Images)

A Hearty Thank You

President Barack Obama waves after taking the oath of office during the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Putting It In Writing

President Barack Obama (2L) signs a proclamation to commemorate the inauguration, entitled a National Day of Hope and Resolve, as (L-R) Vice President Joe Biden, House Speaker Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), and House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) look on directly after swearing-in ceremonies in the U.S Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)

It's Official

President Barack Obama is sworn by Chief Justice John Roberts at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

The National Anthem

President Barack Obama, surrounded by members of his family, listens to the National Anthem during the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

The Winning Ticket

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) talks with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on the reviewing stand as the presidential inaugural parade winds through the nation's capital January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Husband And Wife

President Barack Obama takes the oath of office during the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Father And Daughters

President Barack Obama is greeted by daughter Sasha as Malia looks on at the beginning of the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the US Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Sister, Sister

First daughters Sasha (L) and Malia arrive for the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

The Second Family

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden attend the Inaugural Luncheon in Statuary Hall on Inauguration day at the U.S. Capitol building January 21, 2013 in Washington D.C. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images)

Bill & Hillary

Former president Bill Clinton and the current U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrive for the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Let's Do Lunch

President Barack Obama shakes hands as he and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at the Inaugural Luncheon in Statuary Hall on Inauguration day at the U.S. Capitol building January 21, 2013 in Washington D.C. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images)

Fine Dining

The place card for U.S. President Barack Obama sits ready for the Inaugural Luncheon in Statuary Hall on inauguration day at the U.S. Capitol building January 21, 2013 in Washington D.C. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images)

Time To Eat

Caterers set up for the Inaugural Luncheon in Statuary Hall on Inauguration day at the U.S. Capitol building January 21, 2013 in Washington D.C. (Photo by Allison Shelley/Getty Images)

The Supreme Court

U.S. Supreme Court Justices (L-R) Anthony Kennedy, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor Elena Kegan, Samuel A. Alito, and Stephen G. Breyer attend the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Capitol Pomp And Circumstance

President Barack Obama gives his speech after taking the oath of office during the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

The National Mall

People crowd the National Mall to view U.S. President Barack Obama taking the oath of office during the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

The Presidential Motorcade

The presidential motorcade travels down Pennsylvania Ave. during the presidential inauguration January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Take Your Seats

Reserved seats for guests to view U.S. President Barack Obama taking the oath of office during the 57th Presidential Inauguration ceremonial swearing-in at the US Capitol on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

The Podium

Placemarks are set for the Obama and Biden families before the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Places, Please!

Placemarks are set for the Obama and Biden families before the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

A Special Sunrise

American flags are waved as people gather near the U.S. Capitol building on the National Mall for the Inauguration ceremony on January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Gingrich Family

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and wife Callista Gingrich arrive during the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

You Go, Joe

President Barack Obama, center and Beau Biden, Attorney of Deleware, right, watch as his father Joe Biden is sworn in at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Any Minute Now

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden look behind them on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, before their ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

A Room With A View

Vice President Joe Biden, left and President Barack Obama wait for their ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

I'm Here

Caption contest, Anyone? Vice President Joe Biden, followed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., arrives on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, for the Presidential Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

All Smiles

Flanked by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden arrive at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

The Team

President Barack Obama greets Vice President Joe Biden at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Hillary Greets President Obama

President Barack Obama is greeted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton for his ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

The President Arrives

President Barack Obama arrives for his ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Bill 'Photo Bombs' Joe

Vice President Joe Biden arrives at the ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013. Right is former President Bill Clinton.

Thumbs Up

President Barack Obama flashes a thumbs up at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

President Obama Salutes

This handout photo provided by NASA shows President Barack Obama saluting as he and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, depart the White House for Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, and Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Hillary & Bill Arrive On The West Front

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, for the Presidential Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Even McCain Is Fired Up

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. arrives on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, for the Presidential Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Leon Panetta Arrives

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood arrive on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, for the Presidential Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Jimmy Carter Arrives

Former President Jimmy Carter arrives with his wife Rosalynn at the ceremonial swearing-in for President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Beyonce & Jay-Z Arrive

Jay-Z and Beyonce arrive at the ceremonial swearing-in for President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Eva Longoria Arrives

Eva Longoria arrives at the ceremonial swearing-in for President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Paul Ryan Arrives

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., arrives at the ceremonial swearing-in for President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.

Can't Miss A Thing

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Md., left, gets help with his cellphone camera from House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of Calif., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Jan. 21, 2013, prior to the start of President Barack Obama's ceremonial swearing-in ceremony during the during the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/obama-inaugural-address_n_2521206.html

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Influenza RX Sorbet: Cure your flu with dessert? | MNN - Mother ...

It may not actually cure the flu, but?Influenza RX Sorbet from small-batch ice cream maker Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams might certainly cure the flu-related blues.

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Made with honey, ginger, orange and lemon juices, bourbon and cayenne pepper, the sorbet flavor was inspired by owner Jeni Britton Bauer?s grandmother who made the drink, whiskey included, to soothe the young Jeni. Jeni notes that along with the other wellness-boosting ingredients, the sorbet with a kick also contains pectin, which helps coat and lubricate the throat. The whole sorbet shebang is ?proven to clear nasal passages, ease a sore throat, and soothe the body,? says the website.

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?My mother and grandmother made something very similar to that as a drink when I was a kid, even with the whiskey,? Bauer said. ?Whiskey, honey and lemon juice and that was our cough medicine and they would thin it out and make it into a hot drink.?

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?It is really delicious,? she said. ?The cayenne doesn?t have flavor, it just has the kick, the physical property of the heat, and then all of the other ingredients are just so perfect together. You can just imagine it as a cocktail. A whiskey sour plus ginger.?

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It sounds almost worth getting the flu.

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Related flu stories on MNN:

Source: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/influenza-rx-sorbet-cure-your-flu-with-dessert

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Brother P-touch PT-H100

Completely self-contained label printers like the Brother P-touch PT-H100 ($34.99 direct), generally come in one of two form factors. Some, like the Editors' Choice Brother P-touch PT-D200 offer a more or less rectangular shape, and are wider than you can easily wrap your hand around. Others, like the PT-H100, are designed precisely to hold in one hand, with curved sides designed for a comfortable grip. For those who prefer the fully handheld design, the PT-H100 offers an inexpensive, easy-to-use option for printing labels without a computer.

Like the PT-D200, the PT-H100 prints the sort of laminated labels suitable for indoor or outdoor use. In fact, it prints on the same tapes as the PT-D200, at widths of 0.14 to 0.47 inches and a variety of tape types including standard laminated labels; flexible labels; labels with extra strength adhesive for uneven surfaces or harsh environments; non-laminated iron-on fabric labels; and acid-free labels, which actually means labels with acid-free adhesive so you can use then safely on, say, a photo without damaging the photo.

Despite the fact that they use the same labels and are relatively close in price, the two printers offer different sets of features beyond their shapes and keyboards. In particular, the PT-H100 has only one font, rather than eight; can store only 9 labels in memory rather than 30; and runs strictly off batteries, with no power adapter option. Rather than being essentially the same printer with a different form factor, in short, it's a significantly different printer.

The Basics
Physically, the PT-H100 is similar to the much more expensive DYMO LabelManager 420P, but smaller. It weighs roughly 1.1 pounds complete with batteries and measures 2.3 by 4.3 by 8.2 inches (HWD). However, it's much smaller than you would expect from the measurements, because the maximum width and height applies only at the top right corner, where the manual cutter sticks out. The body of the unit is only about 7.75 inches long, and only about 2.75 inches wide for about half of that length, so it's easy to hold. It widens out to about 3.75 inches on one end to make room for the 12-character LCD.

Setting up the printer consists of snapping in the tape cartridge and six AAA batteries. Brother doesn't supply batteries, however; you'll have to get them elsewhere. For my tests, I used both rechargeable NiMH batteries and alkaline batteries, just to make sure both work.

Creating and Printing Labels
Creating and printing labels is straightforward enough so you can learn everything you need to know without ever looking at the User Guide. The vast majority of the choices on the control panel menu and special purpose buttons are self-explanatory. The only feature that wasn't obvious was how to save a label to memory, and even that took me only a few false starts to get right.

To print a label, you punch in the text on the keyboard, hit the Print button, set the number of copies, hit Print again, wait for printing to finish, and then press the manual cutter. You can set text size to Large, Medium, or Small; set the text to Normal, Bold, Outline, Shadow, and Italic; add an underline or a frame with various decorations on the left and right sides; and add any of 178 symbols, including options like a palm tree, four-leaf clover, and a standard warning icon.

One minor issue is that the LCD isn't backlit. But since you're most likely to be holding the printer in one hand, while creating the label with the other, you should usually be able to find a good angle to make it readable. On the plus side, the batteries will last longer than they would with backlighting. Also helping the batteries last is that if you forget to turn the unit off, it will turn off automatically, waiting just five minutes after the most recent press of a button.

Speed and Other Issues
Print speed for label printers varies primarily with the length of the label, with the printers often rated in inches or millimeters per second. Brother rates the PT-H100 at 20mm per second, or 0.79 inches per second (ips). In my tests, it came out a touch slower, printing a 3.8-inch label with the text PCMag: Printer Test in 5.1 seconds and a 3.5-inch label with the text PCMag Print Test in 4.7 seconds, or about 0.74 ips in both cases. That's actually surprisingly fast for the price. The much more expensive 420P, for example, took 6.5 seconds for a 3.5-inch label.

Finally, note that Brother offers about 30 tape cartridges for the PT-H100. In addition to the variety of types and sizes I've already mentioned, they also come in a variety of color combinations, including black on clear, white on clear, red on white, black on white, navy blue on white, and black on yellow. Almost all of the tapes are either 26.2 feet or 16.4 feet long, with the fabric tape a bit shorter, at 9.8 feet. Prices range from $14.99 to $26.49 (list) per tape cartridge, depending on the type of tape.

If you insist on a QWERTY keyboard instead of one that's alphabetical, the Brother P-touch PT-H100 is obviously the wrong choice for you, and you should be looking at the PT-D200 instead. Similarly, if you want a printer that can either print from a computer or work as a self-contained labeling system, you'll want to look at the DYMO LabelManager 420P. But if you want the handheld form factor and don't need to print from a computer, the Brother P-touch PT-H100 can serve nicely as an inexpensive choice for easy label printing.

More printer reviews:
??? Brother P-touch PT-H100
??? Canon imageClass D530 Multifunction Copier
??? Epson WorkForce WF-3540
??? Canon Pixma MG6320 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer
??? Dell C1760nw Color Printer
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/acsFZShd2f4/0,2817,2414527,00.asp

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5 Most Dangerous Water Sports in the World

Having fun in the water is undoubtedly one of the most adventurous activities both kids and adults always appreciate. And for good reason, as Water Sporting offers plenty of ways to have fun, along with developing strength, coordination and fitness. From scuba diving and snorkeling, to windsurfing and aqua-fitness, to kayaking and river rafting, you need to simply have the enthusiasm to plunge into waters and have a wonderful experience of a lifetime. However, among the many types of water sports, there are some that stand aside for being extremely dangerous and risky, which have found their descriptions in our today?s post.

Photo by en.wikipedia.org

Cliff Jumping

Cliff Jumping or the so-called Tombstoning is definitely not a fun vacation day activity, but a real, competitive and extremely dangerous sport, which sounds like something that you could never do, but for others it?s highly appealing. At the same time we should note that recently, cliff jumping has been in the news unfortunately for all the wrong reasons, as every year many youngsters die or severely injure themselves when diving off rocks and cliffs and most often they do it unaware of water depths.

Photo by mcintyre-interiors.com

Said to have been originated in Hawaii in 1770, when the last King of Maui, King Kajekili commanded his men to leap the island of Lanai?s high cliffs and enter the water feet first without splashing so that they could prove not only their courage but skill, cliff jumping is today a thrilling sport for adventure lovers.

Photo by minafotos.wordpress.com

There are hundreds of amazing spots all over the world that are blessed with unusual geological formations and breathtaking scenery, but the most famous cliff jumping spots are in Hawaii, Jamaica, Australia and Switzerland. And it?s highly recommended cliff divers to exercise caution and always check water depth to avoid fatalities.

Whitewater Rafting

Dazzling people of all ages and physical abilities, commercial rafting lead by trained guides has been popular for decades. However, though fun and exciting, whitewater rafting, originating to limelight since 1970s, is considered an extreme and dangerous water sport. This proves the fact that serious injuries and even deaths have occurred while rafting (four tourists died on guided trips of the Arkansas River this year).

Photo by whitewater.net

Moreover, there are also several other dangers that this or that way associate with rafting. Drowning is perhaps the first danger people think of, so if you are not an experienced swimmer, do not take this sport. Hypothermia ? a point when the body?s internal temperature is below 35?C is another one, which can occur in a matter of moments and cause heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure to increase. Other dangers include equipment failure, dangerous water conditions and sunburns among others. The best way to try this adrenaline-pumping sport is to be safety-conscious and be in good health.

Surfing

Tall, powerful waves that start breaking cleanly over amazing coral reefs when they reach water that?s about 1.3 times their height are what make water sport enthusiasts adore surfing, another popular water sport, which though has the lowest rate of reported injuries is still full of dangers. Like in case of whitewater rafting, drowning while surfing is a possible danger. Another danger of surfing is anything your body can impact other than water, like a reef, sandbar, or rocks. Rip currents also account for many surfing accidents; a rip current is a swift of water which flows from shore out to sea and mostly happens when large quantities of water accumulate near shore due to natural wave action. And least but not last of surfing dangers can cause crowds.

Photo by stuffpoint.com

I would also like to note an interesting fact about this extreme sport. Most often, when people ask about the dangers of surfing, their first question is usually ?What about the sharks?? Of course, not a bad question if you plan your surfing holidays in ?The Red Triangle,? which goes from Bodega Bay to Monterey Bay to Farallon Islands and is home to many sharks. These dangers similarly refer to kite surfing, windsurfing and other types of surfing.

Scuba Diving

Spectacularly beautiful coral reefs teeming with unique and colorful marine life, crystal clear warm waters and a wealth of shipwrecks and underwater gardens combine to make scuba diving a popular recreational sport among many sports fans around the world. But, let?s not forget that scuba diving is again a dangerous and extreme sport with its own peculiar injuries and potentially life-threatening hazards. It?s logical that most scuba diving dangers stem from the effects of the increased water pressure of the sea environment, but sometimes dangers posed by sea inhabitants and faulty equipment also occur. Dysbarism of ascent (Decompression) and decent (Compression), known as barotraumas, are commonly happened to divers with effects that can range from discomfort and vomiting to paralysis and even death.

Photo by divetime.com

Kayaking

Kayaking is indeed a fun sport, but surely not one without several associated risks. So, when taking up this water activity, sports lovers should first learn about its dangers and how to handle them appropriately. While the risk of capsizing may seem like an obvious danger, there are some less obvious dangers that are associated with this water sport. Remember that kayaking requires continuous paddling, so if you are not physically fit, you can exhaust yourself very soon. Make sure to also inspect all your equipments before commencing on a kayaking trip to avoid future dangers. Kayaking on flat water or 3- rapids is truly safe and the real dangers can occur when you start paddling grade 4+ water. The most likely fatal accident is due to hypothermia, following a capsize and subsequent failure to execute a rescue. Studies have shown that most often the victim is paddling alone and carrying no distress signals, or else the whole group of kayakers is in trouble making it impossible for the paddlers to take care of each other.

Photo by seafreedomkayak.co.uk

Source: http://www.travelvivi.com/5-most-dangerous-water-sports-in-the-world/

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Officials: US may leave no troops in Afghanistan

Feet are seen passing through the tarp covered walkway, for security, to the Blair House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, as the Afghan delegation headed by the Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrives. President Barack Obama will host Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his delegation at the White House for bilateral meetings on Friday, Jan. 11. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Feet are seen passing through the tarp covered walkway, for security, to the Blair House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, as the Afghan delegation headed by the Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrives. President Barack Obama will host Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his delegation at the White House for bilateral meetings on Friday, Jan. 11. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration gave the first explicit signal Tuesday that it might leave no troops in Afghanistan after December 2014, an option that defies the Pentagon's view that thousands of troops may be needed to keep a lid on al-Qaida and to strengthen Afghan forces.

"The U.S. does not have an inherent objective of 'X' number of troops in Afghanistan," said Ben Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser. "We have an objective of making sure there is no safe haven for al-Qaida in Afghanistan and making sure that the Afghan government has a security force that is sufficient to ensure the stability of the Afghan government."

The U.S. now has 66,000 troops in Afghanistan, down from a peak of about 100,000 as recently as 2010. The U.S. and its NATO allies agreed in November 2010 that they would withdraw all their combat troops by the end of 2014, but they have yet to decide what future missions will be necessary and how many troops they would require.

At stake is the risk of Afghanistan's collapse and a return to the chaos of the 1990s that enabled the Taliban to seize power and provide a haven for Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network. Fewer than 100 al-Qaida fighters are believed to remain in Afghanistan, although a larger number are just across the border in Pakistani sanctuaries.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said he foresees a need for a U.S. counterterrorism force in Afghanistan beyond 2014, plus a contingent to train Afghan forces. He is believed to favor an option that would keep about 9,000 troops in the country.

Administration officials in recent days have said they are considering a range of options for a residual U.S. troop presence of as few as 3,000 and as many as 15,000, with the number linked to a specific set of military-related missions like hunting down terrorists.

Asked in a conference call with reporters whether zero was now an option, Rhodes said, "That would be an option we would consider."

His statement could be interpreted as part of an administration negotiating strategy. On Friday Afghan President Hamid Karzai is scheduled to meet President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss ways of framing an enduring partnership beyond 2014.

The two are at odds on numerous issues, including a U.S. demand that any American troops who would remain in Afghanistan after the combat mission ends be granted immunity from prosecution under Afghan law. Karzai has resisted, while emphasizing his need for large-scale U.S. support to maintain an effective security force after 2014.

In announcing last month in Kabul that he had accepted Obama's invitation to visit this week, Karzai made plain his objectives.

"Give us a good army, a good air force and a capability to project Afghan interests in the region," Karzai said, and he would gladly reciprocate by easing the path to legal immunity for U.S. troops.

Karzai is scheduled to meet Thursday with Panetta at the Pentagon and with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the State Department.

Without explicitly mentioning immunity for U.S. troops, Obama's top White House military adviser on Afghanistan, Doug Lute, told reporters Tuesday that the Afghans will have to give the U.S. certain "authorities" if it wants U.S. troops to remain.

"As we know from our Iraq experience, if there are no authorities granted by the sovereign state, then there's not room for a follow-on U.S. military mission," Lute said. He was referring to 2011 negotiations with Iraq that ended with no agreement to grant legal immunity to U.S. troops who would have stayed to help train Iraqi forces. As a result, no U.S. troops remain in Iraq.

David Barno, a former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan and now a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, wrote earlier this week that vigorous debate has been under way inside the administration on a "minimalist approach" for post-2014 Afghanistan.

In an opinion piece for ForeignPolicy.com on Monday, Barno said the "zero option" was less than optimal but "not necessarily an untenable one." Without what he called the stabilizing influence of U.S. troops, Barno cautioned that Afghanistan could "slip back into chaos."

Rhodes said Obama is focused on two main outcomes in Afghanistan: ensuring that the country does not revert to being the al-Qaida haven it was prior to Sept. 11, 2001, and getting the government to the point where it can defend itself.

"That's what guides us, and that's what causes us to look for different potential troop numbers ? or not having potential troops in the country," Rhodes said.

He predicted that Obama and Karzai would come to no concrete conclusions on international military missions in Afghanistan beyond 2014, and he said it likely would be months before Obama decides how many U.S. troops ? if any ? he wants to keep there.

Rhodes said Obama remains committed to further reducing the U.S. military presence this year, although the pace of that withdrawal will not be decided for a few months. Last year the U.S. military pulled 23,000 troops out of Afghanistan on Obama's orders.

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AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.

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Robert Burns can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/robertburnsAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-08-US-Afghanistan/id-4f921b5572cb490bb7973792cda63983

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'Super predator' terrorized Jurassic Europe

Paleontologists have identified one of the world's oldest known "super predators," meaning carnivores that can feed on prey that's as large, or larger, than themselves.

The toothy beast, described in the latest issue of the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, was a marine crocodile that looked part shark and part sinister dolphin. Its scientific name is Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos, or "Tyrant Swimmer."

PHOTOS: Oldest Dinosaur Nursery Found

"Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikosis the oldest known metriorhynchid macrophage ? an animal that was adapted to feeding on large-bodied prey," lead author Mark Young of the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences told Discovery News.

He explained that the term "metriorhynchid" refers to a group of marine crocodiles that were superficially similar to living dolphins.

"They lacked bony armor, had flipper-like forelimbs and had a tail fluke," he said.

This animal evolved from related species "that were opportunistic predators of small, fast moving prey." These marine hunters had narrow snouts and multiple teeth, but the teeth weren't serrated like those of Tyrant Swimmer, which also could open its mouth very wide.

Young and his colleagues studied the remains of Tyrant Swimmer, found in the Oxford Clay Formation. This is a Jurassic marine sedimentary rock formation underlying much of southeast England. The remains have been in storage for some time at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow.

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The super predator made the rounds outside of what is now the U.K. too.

"Tyrannoneustes is known from shallow marine deposits across Europe (England, France and Poland)," Young, who also works at the University of Southhampton's National Oceanography Center, explained. "During the Middle Callovian 165 million years ago, much of Europe was covered by a shallow sea, creating a chain of large to small islands. Tyrannoneustes lived in this shallow sea, along with numerous other marine reptiles."

These reptiles included pliosaurs, plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs. Giant pliosaurs were even larger than the Tyrant Swimmer, so they might have feasted on the formidable species. As its name suggests, however, Tyrant Swimmer would have been swift in the water, so it likely could have out-swam possible predators and used the swimming prowess to capture its own prey.

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As of now, no stomach contents for the Tyrant Swimmer have been located, so what it precisely ate remains a mystery.

The Middle Jurassic gave rise to other huge predators in both the sea and on land. One of the most bloodthirsty dinosaurs of the time was Allosaurus, known for its massive toothy skull on a short neck. Some dinosaurs of this genus could grow up to 28 feet long.

As for ecosystems today, the presence of such big hunters usually indicates a healthy food chain, with many animals down the line for predators to prey upon. When keystone species begin to decline, usually the entire ecosystem is in trouble.

"It is great to see old collections (specimens collected in the 1800s) being re-examined, and it demonstrates the scientific value of museum collections," Lorna Steel, a curator in the Department of Paleontology at the Natural History Museum in London, told Discovery News.

In terms of what happened to Tyrant Swimmer, Young indicated it evolved into an even more stealthy group of marine predators with very large and numerous teeth and mouths that could open extremely wide.

? 2012 Discovery Channel

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50400004/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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WATCH: 'SNL' Pays Tribute to School Shooting Victims

Saturday Night Live opened its Christmas special without any laughs -- and for good reason. In reaction to the horrific Connecticut school shooting that has dominated the news cycle, the folks at SNL offered viewers a moment of quiet reprieve, inviting the Manhattan Children's Chorus to sing two verses of "Silent Night" in lieu of the usual opening sketch. No other words were spoken (except "Live, from New York, it's Saturday night!"), but the meaning was clear. Watch the moving performance below: 

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/watch-snl-pays-tribute-school-shooting-victims/1-a-509078?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Awatch-snl-pays-tribute-school-shooting-victims-509078

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