Having Trouble With Auto Insurance? Try These Tips ? Social ...

You should stay on top of the latest news concerning car insurance. By learning as much as possible about auto insurance, you are guaranteeing yourself the best possible policy you can get. Read on for some ways to go about doing this.

Many factors are considered when figuring insurance premiums. For example marriage, your gender and even your age are factors. Being familiar with these factors and how they might make a difference on the amount of premium you pay, can help you be a savvy shopper when comparing quotes from different insurance companies.

You might want to think about moving to another state or city to find a cheaper insurance plan. Insurance regulations and premiums vary from place to place. Therefore, you can reduce your insurance cost if you relocate to a region with lower premiums.

During the first sixty days of a contract, an insurance company has the ability to drop your coverage without an explanation. The insurer uses this time to look over your record, and make sure you're not too high risk for them to insure. Such a termination can raise your insurance costs in the future.

Before you switch over to a new insurance policy, make sure you send a written cancellation letter to your old carrier. If your insurance company does not process your cancellation properly and you ignore notices to pay the next bill, your insurance company could terminate your coverage due to the lack of payment. This will cause a negative effect on your credit score.

Removing an unnecessary driver from your policy can lower your monthly rates. Remove any people from your insurance policy that do not drive. Younger drivers tend to cost more in insurance. Removing them from your policy can mean a large savings in your monthly premium.

Reduce your premiums by going for the highest deductible you can afford. A higher deductible means you will have to cover the cost of minor accidents, but you will still be covered in the event of a total loss or if you cause an accident. Going with a high deductible is especially smart if you are driving a car with a very low value to begin with.

In a number of states, you're required to carry liability insurance if you are the driver of a car. Knowing what type of coverage is required by law in your state is the responsibility of you as a citizen. If your vehicle is not insured when you are in an accident, there will not only be serious financial consequences, but there will also be consequences from your local authorities.

Lower your mileage by using public transportation or joining a carpool. Impress your insurance companies by keeping your mileage down and they may reward you with lower rates. Letting your agent know that you carpool or ride the bus may help him or her find you a discount that will reduce your premium.

Try speaking to people from local body shops about the insurance policies that are best. People at body shops are used to dealing with insurance adjusters. They can most likely tell you what insurance companies are the easiest to work with.

Trade in your sports car for something more insurance friendly. Sports cars are going to cost you a lot more to insure. Try going for a low-profile model. That big engine under the hood could end up costing you more than just gas money when it comes to your insurance policy. Also, since sports cars are more often the target of theft, they are more expensive to insure.

To make sure that your car insurance is correctly covering you, sit down with your agent before making purchases of things that personalize your car. If your vehicle gets stolen you will want to make sure the expensive accessories you put on it will be covered.

In case you ever have to file a claim to your insurance company, know that insurance companies want a lot of detailed documentation. Use your cell phone to take pictures and record video of the damage caused by the accident and the location where it occurred. Keep your camera in your glove box if you do not have a camera on your phone.

Accidents in the daylight hours are most frequently caused by elderly drivers. This fact can affect insurance premiums, as well as a senior citizen's ability to obtain insurance at all.

By subscribing to a bundle package of the insurances you need, you will save money. You can insure your house and all vehicles with one insurer and save a good deal of money. It is in your interest to get the best coverage at the best price. However, separate policies may be in order dependent on your situation.

As you would probably agree, auto insurance is a bit more complex than some people think. Although it requires your close attention, your effort will pay off. The best policy will give you good coverage at a reasonable price and confidence that your personal safety needs are met and your car is protected. By utilizing the tips above, you will be better equipped to buy the best policy.

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Source: http://crew.valkry.com/blog/95154/having-trouble-with-auto-insurance-try-these-tips/

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Jeopardy! Hosts 'A Binder Full of Women' Category

I'll take "A Binder Full of Women" for $500, Alex.

That was the actual category on the Jeopardy! board on Monday evening as the game show resurrected one of the most memorable meme's of the 2012 election cycle: Republican Presidential nominee, Mitt Romney's comment made during the presidential debate against President Barack Obama at Hofstra University.

Romney's inadvertently funny description came in response to a question from the audience in the townhall style debate at Hofstra about pay equity for women.

The candidate was explaining that as the governor of Massachusetts searching for qualified women to fill cabinet posts, women's groups brought him "binders full of women" who were good candidates.

"And I said, 'Well, gosh, can't we - can't we find some - some women that are also qualified?" Romney said. "I went to a number of women's groups and said, 'Can you help us find folks,' and they brought us whole binders full of women."

The Internet went crazy for the term, which took on a life of it's own. Read more about that HERE.

This week Jeopardy displayed a graphic of a binder full of women as a topic choice.

Check Out Some Of The 'Binders Full of Women' Memes Here

When chosen, the category featured an image of a notable woman of whom the contestant would have to name. The Binder full of woman graphic included Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and 1976 Summer Olympics gold medalist, Nadia Comaneci among others.

"A Binder Full of Women" category was placed last on the board and prompted cheers from the audience when it was presented by the show's host, Alec Trebek.

Other categories on Monday's show included: "Hugo Awards For Science Fiction", "1990's Music", "World Place Names, "A Bunch of Stuff" and fittingly, "Funny Things People Say".

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jeopardy-hosts-binder-full-women-category-220406096--abc-news-politics.html

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The Suit Won't Save You: Four Ways Space Can Kill You Dead

Turns out, being blown out of an airlock and turning into a meat popsicle after succumbing to hypoxia isn't so bad. At least, not when compared to the multitude of other deadly maladies that await you in the depths of space. Here are just a few ways that interplanetary exploration is conspiring to kill us all. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ZOwe_JLCahI/the-suit-wont-save-you-four-ways-space-can-kill-you-dead

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Sex, power scandals to loom over Vatican pre-vote talks

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The sex and power scandals haunting the Catholic Church look set to play a big role in meetings before next month's papal election after two senior cardinals called on Tuesday for more internal debate about them.

A leading support group for victims of clerical sexual abuse also made what it called a "last-ditch plea" to Pope Benedict to use his authority before resigning on Thursday to discipline bishops who have protected predatory priests in their dioceses.

The abuse issue took on new urgency after Scotland's Cardinal Keith O'Brien, accused of improper behavior with young priests, quit as Edinburgh archbishop on Monday and pulled out of the Sistine Chapel conclave to elect a new pope.

A Scottish Catholic Media Office spokesman has said O'Brien was taking legal advice and contested the "anonymous and non specific" allegations against him.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, now the only British prelate due to attend pre-conclave talks among cardinals at the Vatican next week, said in London the sexual abuse of children was the most serious scandal in the Church.

"That will be one of the main things the cardinals will be discussing," said Murphy-O'Connor, who cannot vote because he is over 80 years old but can join the cardinal electors in their closed-door discussions about the challenges for the next pope.

French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran said in a newspaper interview that the cardinal electors, who number 115 after O'Brien stepped down, should also be informed about a secret report on Vatican corruption prepared for Pope Benedict.

The retiring pontiff has decided to reserve the report for his successor, but the three cardinals over 80 years old who drew it up will be allowed to inform the cardinal electors about some of its findings during next week's consultations.

ASKING TO NAME NAMES

"The cardinal electors cannot decide to choose this or that name to vote for if they don't know the contents of this dossier," Tauran told La Repubblica newspaper.

"If it's necessary, I don't see why they should not ask for names," said Tauran, a former Vatican foreign minister who now heads its department for interreligious dialogue.

Italian newspapers have been speculating for days about conspiracies and alleged sexual scandals inside the Vatican that may have influenced Benedict to become the first pope in some six centuries to step down rather than die in office.

The Vatican has accused these newspapers of spreading "false and damaging" rumors in an attempt to influence the cardinals who are starting to arrive in Rome for the pope's farewell meeting with them on Thursday.

Two directors of the United States-based abuse victims' network SNAP arrived in Rome on Tuesday to draw attention to their demands for tougher Church policies.

"We're here to make a last ditch plea to Pope Benedict to use the remaining hours of his papacy to take decisive action to protect kids," said David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

He acknowledged that Benedict had met some abuse victims and made some strong statements condemning the molestation of minors by priests, but said he only acted under public pressure.

"We long for the day when Church officials announce that this cardinal or this bishop is being demoted because Church officials have found proof of wrongdoing and Church officials want to clean things up," he told journalists.

SNAP saw no papal candidates ready to fire bishops for shielding wrongdoers, he said, but added: "It's hard to believe there aren't some cardinals who are grabbing their colleagues by the lapels and saying 'We simply have to do better'."

CATHOLICS CRITICAL OF ABUSE HANDLING

Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, one of the three who drew up the secret report for Benedict, echoed the Vatican attack on the media in an interview on Monday with the daily El Pais.

"This wanting to see snake pits, warring mafias, internal hatreds - all this is absolutely false," he said.

Because conclaves are such secretive events, it is hard to see what effect the heightened public pressure over the abuse issue might have on the cardinals who will elect the next leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics around the globe.

Italian newspapers, which dedicate several pages a day to the papal story, have begun mentioning Cardinal Sean O'Malley as a possible "clean hands" candidate because he was sent to Boston to deal with abuse scandals that erupted there in 2002.

But other factors could lead them to choose a man whose main strengths lie elsewhere, such as an aptitude to promote its "new evangelization" drive, aimed at rekindling the faith in Europe and boost it in other regions.

Recent polls in two important national churches, in the United States and Germany, show that Catholics give their leaders low marks for their handling of the abuse crisis.

A Pew Forum poll last week showed U.S. Catholics have become increasingly critical, with those saying Benedict has done a poor job rising from 40 percent in 2008 to 63 percent now.

A survey in January for the weekly Die Zeit showed that only 28 percent of German Catholics polled believed the Church really wanted to clean up the mess the scandals have caused.

(Reporting By Tom Heneghan; Editing by Will Waterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sex-power-scandals-loom-over-vatican-pre-vote-174102534.html

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Google Glass is all-knowing ? is your head ready?

Rosa Golijan , NBC News ? ? ? 23 hrs.

You may have recently spotted some goofy-looking headgear gracing the brows of the Google founders ? and a few supermodels, too. While it may seem like a cyberpunk fashion statement that just got too literal, Google's Project Glass, a wearable camera/display combo, may well be the future of human-machine interaction.

"One thing that we're really excited about and working hard on is transforming the way that people interact with Google," said Scott Huffman, Google's vice president of engineering for Search, showing off a video demonstrating the search engine giant's new sensation. "From the stilted one-keyword-at-a-time conversation, to more of a natural conversation ? like a human assistant."

Make no mistake, Huffman isn't talking about a virtual assistant along the lines of Apple's Siri, which responds to your questions. He's talking about a way to interact with a search engine ? and all its associated products ? that includes it gathering so much data about your life and habits, it will start anticipating your needs. Cool? Yes. Creepy? Maybe that, too.

"If you think about a good assistant," Huffman told me, pausing to correct himself, "a great assistant ? they don't interrupt you every few minutes." He described his own assistant, someone who doesn't interrupt him often, but certainly knows when she should give him a gentle reminder or a sharp kick.

"It's the opposite of the experience on your phone today," Huffman pointed out, referencing how disruptive our smartphones can be. Not only are they not capable of prioritizing our notifications, but they're mostly incapable of anticipating how the priorities themselves change depending on where we are ? or what time it is.

Though Google's improved experience will span all manner of devices ? "We're trying to think of it as ... your assistant is ubiquitously with you," said Huffman ? it's Google Glass that has everyone talking.

Under development in the Google X Lab ? that mysterious skunkworks where self-driving cars, neural networks, and other quirky yet ambitious projects are being dreamed up ? Glass is the most provocative way in which this assistant, your main touchpoint with Google, might interact with you.

A small display lives on a frame that resembles eyeglasses. It is connected to a camera, microphone, bone-conducting speaker, and more. Thanks to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support, the device communicates with other gadgets, such as your smartphone, as well as the good ol' Web.

"OK, Glass!" ? with a command like that, you can prompt the device to take pictures, record video, initiate video chats, provide directions, send messages, search, translate and more. Cards resembling those seen in Google Now ? Google's response to Apple's Siri ? may occasionally appear in the tiny display, meant to remind you of a dentist appointment, provide updates on an upcoming flight, and so on.

A concept video released by Google about a year ago left some people under the misconception that Glass provides an augmented reality experience, where information is overlaid across a field of vision. Instead, as a new demo video confirms, Glass is significantly less disruptive. You actually have to glance up at the display.

Google's intent with Glass is to provide you with all the information you need, before you even think of a question, but without being a nag. Sound too crazy? Not for Google, says ... Google.

What people want ... and what they don't know they want
"Our role is to understand user needs in terms of our search products and make sure that we're developing a search experience that meets and exceeds expectations," Jon Wiley, Google's lead user experience designer for Search, told me in mid-December. To get a sense of how that was going, Wiley said, the company conducted a little human-nature study.

Wiley's team gathered up a group of folks "from all walks of life" and installed specialized software on their mobile devices. Throughout the day, this software prompted the study participants with a very open-ended question: "What was the last bit of information you needed?" The point of the study wasn't to trace the flow of data through the participants' handsets. Wiley's team just wanted to know what sort of information ? simple or complicated, mundane or exciting ? people were hunting for at any given moment.

The study not only allowed Wiley's team to better capture the sorts of queries that people don't ask a search engine ? "Why is my daughter being mean to me?" ? but also the context in which all these questions arose. Where were people when they needed to know these things? What time was it? What were they doing? By gathering these details, the team could attempt to understand the contexts of searches (even the helpless ones) in our day-to-day, human trudge.

One day, Google could perhaps provide all that information without prompting. After all, a diligent user of Google Now already gets flight information, traffic alerts, and other details automatically ? just based on itineraries, daily travel patterns, etc. But with Glass that information could always be front-and-center at the very moment it's needed. What if you're late for a flight? Checking for its gate information by reaching for a boarding pass, pulling your phone out of your pocket, or finding an airport information board wastes precious seconds. Glass could put the information right in front of you without delay.

The more information we share with Google, even just so that Google can better understand our data needs, the more privacy concerns will be raised. Google is already no stranger to privacy lawsuits and legislation, so how much more heated will things get when the company introduces eyeglasses that know as much ? or more ? about you than you know yourself?

Perhaps even more importantly, Google Glass is one of the first digital technologies capable of recording the world around you constantly: Will that cause discomfort for others? Will they start to avoid you once you're wearing a device that allows you to take photos or record video without even the slightest warning? And when will Google Glass data be brought into the courtroom for a divorce case, a robbery, or worse?

Despite its magical promises (and ominous portents), Google's creation may remain out of reach for a while ? until late 2013, at the very earliest. Google's currently only allowing select individuals to participate in the Google Glass Explorer program. This first publicly available Glass edition costs $1,500, and comes with an invite to a special pick-up event and more. In order to be part of the Glass Explorer program, you had to pre-order during Google I/O 2012 conference last June or make it through the recently announced #IfIHadGlass application process.

Nerd alert!
While the general public waits for the latest Google gadget to become available though, there's been plenty of criticism of Glass' appearance ? "these specs look like the freaky science fiction concept they are," Gizmodo's Mario Aguilar declared.

And the behoodied Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, not exactly a fashion icon himself, is among those concerned about how he'll look wearing Glass on his face, reports Ryan Mac. The Forbes' writer witnessed an exchange between Zuckerberg and Google co-founder Sergey Brin after an event at the University of California on Wednesday.

"How do you look out from this without looking awkward?" Zuckerberg reportedly asked. "You know, how are you supposed to use these this without breaking eye contact?" (Neither Facebook nor Google chose to confirm that this conversation occurred.)

Still, Google seems to be working hard to ditch the belief that only the nerdiest of nerds will don Glass. The New York Times' Claire Cain Miller reports that Google may be in negotiations with eyewear seller Warby Parker "to help it design more fashionable frames" for Glass.

The company also collaborated with designer Diane von Furstenberg during last year's New York Fashion Week and brought Glass onto the runway.

?I am so excited to introduce Glass to the fashion world and use this revolutionary technology to give everyone a unique perspective into fashion," von Furstenberg was quoted as remarking, while Google co-founder Sergey Brin added that "beauty, style and comfort are as important to Glass as the latest technology."

Until Glass is publicly available ? and until we discover whether this groundbreaking virtual personal assistant is worth bending a fashion rule or two ? the last words on the subject go to actor LeVar Burton. Speaking for Geordi La Forge, a character he played in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Burton tweets: "#ifihadglass It would be a downgrade."

Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/google-glass-all-knowing-virtual-assistant-your-head-ready-1C8479651

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Video: Is Smith just short-term answer for Chiefs?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/50975699#50975699

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Power Matters Alliance garners support from BlackBerry, NEC, TI and ZTE

Another Mobile World Congress, another round of highfalutin' talk surrounding the concept of wireless power. We already witnessed a consumer approach by PowerbyProxi, and now we're hearing that the Power Matters Alliance is getting a second wind as well. The self-proclaimed "leading ecosystem and standard for wireless power" took to Boston-area Starbucks locations last fall, and now it has notched support from BlackBerry, NEC, Texas Instruments, ZTE and dozens more. There's still no word on whether all of these factions are going to bite the bullet and come together in order to actually make some progress that consumers can appreciate, but hey -- we've got nothing but time, right?

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: Power Matters Alliance

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/v3nYyuOEdzQ/

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Greg Adamson - Norbert Wiener - Humanity+ @Melbourne 2012

SSIT - Society on Social Implications of Technology

Norbert Wiener (November 26, 1894?March 18, 1964) was an American mathematician. He was Professor of Mathematics at MIT.
A famous child prodigy, Wiener later became an early researcher in stochastic and noise processes, contributing work relevant to electronic engineering, electronic communication, and control systems.
Wiener is regarded as the originator of cybernetics, a formalization of the notion of feedback, with many implications for engineering, systems control, computer science, biology, philosophy, and the organization of society.

Wiener was an early studier of stochastic and noise processes, contributing work relevant to electronic engineering, electronic communication, and control systems.
Wiener is regarded as the originator of cybernetics, a formalization of the notion of feedback, with many implications for engineering, systems control, computer science, biology, philosophy, and the organization of society.
Wiener?s work with cybernetics influenced Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead, and through them, anthropology, sociology, and education.

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Source: http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/adamson20130226

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DAC can give some improvement ! ?

Mine is a Technics SU-VX500 Stereo Integrated Amp of 60W per Channel @ 8 Ohms Connected with a pair of Paradigm Titan V2.0 Bookshelfs.The source is my laptop and a Technics SH-GE90 Digital Equalizer is coming between the lap and Amp. I used to listen Indian Clssical Semi Classical And Ghazal Music in the Evenings until Late Night (Mp3 files) at a moderate or minimum volume level.
Is there any Improvement expectable by adding a USB DAC to the current setup ?
or
What else need to be upgraded for getting better detailed listening

Budget 15 to 25K for DAC

Source: http://www.hifivision.com/computer-audio/39822-dac-can-give-some-improvement.html

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'Capt. Kirk' wins Pluto contest

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) ? "Star Trek" fans, rejoice.

An online vote to name Pluto's two newest, itty-bitty moons is over. And No. 1 is Vulcan, a name suggested by actor William Shatner, who played Capt. Kirk in the original "Star Trek" TV series.

Vulcan snared nearly 200,000 votes among the more than 450,000 cast during the two-week contest, which ended Monday. In second place with nearly 100,000 votes was Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of the underworld.

Vulcan was the Roman god of lava and smoke, and the nephew of Pluto. Vulcan was also the home planet of the pointy-eared humanoids in the "Star Trek" shows. Think Mr. Spock.

"174,062 votes and Vulcan came out on top of the voting for the naming of Pluto's moons. Thank you to all who voted!" Shatner said in a tweet once the tally was complete.

Don't assume Vulcan and Cerberus are shoo-ins, though, for the two tiny moons discovered over the past two years with the Hubble Space Telescope.

The contest was conducted by SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., the research base for the primary moon hunter. The 10 astronomers who made the discoveries will take the voting results into account, as they come up with what they consider to be the two best names.

The International Astronomical Union has the final say, and it could be another month or two before an edict is forthcoming. Now known as P4 and P5, the moons are 15 to 20 miles across.

The leader of the teams that discovered the mini-moons, Mark Showalter said Monday he is leaning toward the popular vote.

But Showalter pointed out that asteroids thought to orbit close to the sun are called vulcanoids, and there could be some confusion if a moon of Pluto were to be named Vulcan. Vulcan, in fact, was the name given in the 19th century to a possible planet believed to orbit even closer to the sun than Mercury; no such planet ever was found.

What's more, Showalter said in a phone interview, Vulcan is associated with lava and volcanoes, while distant Pluto is anything but hot.

As for Cerberus, an asteroid already bears that name, so maybe the Greek version, Kerberos, would suffice, said Showalter, a senior research scientist at SETI's Carl Sagan Center.

Styx landed in No. 3 position with nearly 88,000 votes. That's the river to the underworld.

Pluto's three bigger moons are Charon, Nix and Hydra.

To be considered, the potential names for the two mini-moons also had to come from Greek or Roman mythology, and deal with the underworld. Twenty-one choices were available at the website http://www.plutorocks.com when voting ended Monday. Of those, nine were write-in candidates suggested by the public, including Shatner's entry for Vulcan.

Shatner's second choice for a name, Romulus, did not make the cut. That's because an asteroid already has a moon by that name ? along with a moon named Remus.

And forget the Disney connection.

"We love Mickey, Minnie and Goofy, too," Showalter informed voters a few days into the voting. "However, these are not valid names for astronomical objects. Sorry."

Altogether, 30,000 write-in candidate names poured in.

Showalter said he will keep the list handy as more moons undoubtedly pop up around Pluto once NASA's New Horizons spacecraft arrives in 2015. It will be the first robotic flyby ever of the planetoid, or dwarf planet near the outer fringes of the solar system.

"I have learned not to underestimate Pluto," Showalter wrote on the website. With so many good names available, "Pluto needs more moons!"

___

Online:

Pluto-naming contest: http://www.plutorocks.com/

Johns Hopkins University: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/index.php

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/capt-kirks-vulcan-entry-wins-pluto-moons-contest-211014505.html

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Afghanistan: U.S. special forces must leave province

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghanistan's president on Sunday ordered all U.S. special forces to leave a strategically important eastern province within two weeks because of allegations that Afghans working with them are torturing and abusing other Afghans.

The decision seems to have caught the coalition and U.S. Forces Afghanistan, a separate command, by surprise. Americans have frequently drawn anger from the Afghan public over issues ranging from Qurans burned at a U.S. base to allegations of civilian killings.

"We take all allegations of misconduct seriously and go to great lengths to determine the facts surrounding them," the U.S. forces said in a statement.

Also Sunday, a series of attacks in eastern Afghanistan showed insurgents remain on the offensive even as U.S. and other international forces prepare to end their combat mission by the end of 2014.

Suicide bombers targeted Afghanistan's intelligence agency and other security forces in four coordinated attacks in the heart of Kabul and outlying areas in a bloody reminder of the insurgency's reach nearly 12 years into the war.

Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi said the decision to order the American special forces to leave Wardak province was taken during a meeting of the National Security Council because of the alleged actions of Afghans who are considered linked to the U.S. special forces.

He said all special forces operations were to cease immediately in the restive province next to Kabul, which is viewed as a gateway to the capital and has been the focus of counterinsurgency efforts in recent years.

The Taliban have staged numerous attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces in the province. In August 2011, insurgents shot down a Chinook helicopter, killing 30 American troops, mostly elite Navy SEALs, in Wardak. The crash was the single deadliest loss for U.S. forces in the war.

Afghan forces have taken the lead in many such special operations, especially so-called night raids.

"Those Afghans in these armed groups who are working with the U.S. special forces, the defense minister asked for an explanation of who they are," Faizi said. "Those individuals should be handed over to the Afghan side so that we can further investigate."

A statement the security council issued in English said the armed individuals have allegedly been "harassing, annoying, torturing and even murdering innocent people."

Ceasing all such operations could have a negative impact on the coalition's campaign to go after Taliban leaders and commanders, who are usually the target of such operations.

Faizi said the issue had already been brought up with the coalition.

The U.S. statement said only that the announcement was "an important issue that we intend to fully discuss with our Afghan counterparts. But until we have had a chance to speak with senior Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials about this issue, we are not in a position to comment further."

The brazen assaults, which occurred within a three-hour timespan, were the latest to strike Afghan forces, who have suffered higher casualties this year as U.S. and other foreign troops gradually take a back seat and shift responsibility for security to the government.

The deadliest attack occurred just after sunrise ? a suicide car bombing at the gate of the National Directorate of Security compound in Jalalabad, 125 kilometers (78 miles) east of Kabul.

Guards shot and killed the driver but he managed to detonate the explosives-packed vehicle, killing two intelligence agents and wounding three others, according to a statement by the intelligence agency. Provincial government spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai confirmed the casualty toll and said the building was damaged in the attack.

A guard also shot and killed a man in an SUV filled with dynamite that was targeting an NDS building on a busy street in Kabul, not far from NATO headquarters. The explosives in the back of the vehicle were defused. Blood stained the driver's seat and the ground where security forces dragged out the would-be attacker.

Shortly before the Jalalabad attack, a suicide attacker detonated a minivan full of explosives at a police checkpoint in Pul-i-Alam on the main highway between Kabul and Logar province. One policeman was killed and two others were wounded, along with a bystander, according to the NDS.

Also in Logar province, which is due south of Kabul, a man wearing a suicide vest was stopped by police as he tried to force his way into the police headquarters for Baraki Barak district, said Din Mohammad Darwesh, the provincial government spokesman. The attacker detonated his vest while being searched, wounding one policeman, according to Darwesh and the NDS.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the Jalalabad attack and two others in the eastern province of Logar in an email to reporters. He did not address the attempted assault in Kabul.

____

Associated Press writers Heidi Vogt, Rahim Faiez and Kim Gamel contributed to this report from Kabul.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/afghanistan-us-special-forces-must-leave-province-161601103.html

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Daytona 500 runs on schedule, day after fans hurt

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) ? Fans feeling unsafe after the terrifying crash at Daytona International Speedway a day earlier were able to change seats for NASCAR's biggest race on Sunday.

Workers successfully repaired a section of fence ? 54 feet wide and 22 feet high ? that was shredded Saturday when Kyle Larson's car went airborne on the final lap of a second-tier race and crashed through the barrier that separates cars from fans. Large pieces of debris, including a tire, sprayed into the upper and lower section of the stands.

The crash the day before the Daytona 500 injured more than 30 people, raising more questions about fan safety at race tracks.

Halifax Health spokesman Byron Cogdell said seven people with crash-related injuries remained hospitalized in Daytona Beach in stable condition. The six people brought to a different Halifax hospital in Port Orange with crash-related injuries had all been discharged, Cogdell said.

A spokeswoman at Florida Memorial Medical Center would not release information on the patients brought to that hospital.

Track President Joie Chitwood, meanwhile, said if any fans are uncomfortable with their up-close seating for the Daytona 500, officials would work to move them.

"If fans are unhappy with their seating location or if they have any incidents, we would relocate them," Chitwood said. "So we'll treat that area like we do every other area of the grandstand. If a fan is not comfortable where they're sitting, we make every accommodation we can."

There were several wrecks during the Daytona 500, though nothing that put fans in danger. Jimmie Johnson won the race for the second time.

Larry Spencer of Nanticoke, Pa., said he wasn't sure if he wants to ever sit that low again after his 15-year-old brother, Derrick, needed three stitches in his cheek after being hit by metal debris flying from Saturday's crash. A day after sitting close to the fence, they returned with tickets dozens of rows farther away from the track.

"I thought it was just neat to see the cars going by that close," Spencer said. "After yesterday, though, I definitely will reconsider sitting lower ever again."

The tire that flew into the stands landed a couple of rows above where they had been standing. After the crash, looking around at the people seriously injured, Spencer said he decided to take his brother to a hospital himself so that speedway crews and paramedics could focus on the people who needed more help.

"The only way to describe it was like a bomb went off, and the car pretty much exploded," Spencer said.

Track workers finished repairs about 2 a.m. Sunday, having installed a new fence post, new metal meshing and part of the concrete wall.

Officials decided not to rebuild the collapsed cross-over gate, which allows fans to travel between the stands and the infield before races.

Daytona has a grandstand remodel planned. Chitwood said the injuries could prompt a redesign that might include sturdier fences or stands further away from the on-track action.

"It's tough to connect the two right now in terms of a potential redevelopment and what occurred," Chitwood said. "We were prepared yesterday, had emergency medical respond. As we learn from this, you bet: If there are things that we can incorporate into the future, whether it's the current property now or any other redevelopment, we will.

"The key is sitting down with NASCAR, finding out the things that happened and how we deal with them."

Daytona reexamined its fencing and ended up replacing the entire thing following Carl Edwards' scary crash at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama in 2009. Edwards' car sailed into the fence and spewed debris into the stands.

"We've made improvements since then," Chitwood said. "I think that's the key: that we learn from this and figure out what else we need to do."

NASCAR plans to take what remained of Larson's sheared car along with debris back to its research and development center in Charlotte, N.C., for testing.

"We'll bring in the best and brightest," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR's senior vice president for racing operations. "Anything we can learn will be put in place. ... Fans are our first priority. Obviously we want everybody to be safe at an event. We've talked to the speedway. We're confident in what's in place at today's event. Certainly still thinking about those affected, but we're confident to move forward for this race."

The 12-car crash began as the front-runners approached the checkered flag. Leader Regan Smith attempted to block Brad Keselowski for the win, triggering a pileup that could have been much worse.

Larson's burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence. Parts and pieces of his car sprayed into the stands, including a tire that cleared the top of the fence and landed midway up the spectator section closest to the track.

The 20-year-old Larson stood in shock a few feet from his car as fans in the stands waved frantically for help. Smoke from the burning engine briefly clouded the area, and emergency vehicles descended on the scene.

Ambulance sirens could be heard wailing behind the grandstands at a time the race winner would typically be doing celebratory burnouts.

"It was freaky. When I looked to my right, the accident happened," Rick Harpster of Orange Park said. "I looked over and I saw a tire fly straight over the fence into the stands, but after that I didn't see anything else. That was the worst thing I have seen, seeing that tire fly into the stands. I knew it was going to be severe."

In 1987, Bobby Allison's car lifted off the track at Talladega while running over 200 mph, careening into the steel-cable fence and scattering debris into the crowd. That crash led to the use of horsepower-sapping restrictor plates at Talladega and its sister track in Daytona, NASCAR's fastest layouts.

As a result, the cars all run nearly the same speed, and the field is typically bunched tightly together ? which plenty of drivers have warned is actually a more dangerous scenario than higher speeds.

"That's one of the things that really does scare you," Allison said. "But it's always a possibility because of the speeds, where they are."

___

Associated Press writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/daytona-500-runs-schedule-day-fans-hurt-232301862--spt.html

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Must See HDTV (February 25th - March 3rd)

Among the usual returning shows we have a few all new entries, including two new Comedy Central series as well as ABC's Red Widow conspiracy drama. For something we truly have not seen on TV before, Syfy is tossing in Robot Combat League, while ESPN does its part with a couple of 3D broadcasts planned.Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Robot Combat League
If you were an avid Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots player or a huge fan of the movie Real Steel, Syfy's latest reality / game show is probably made for you. Robot Combat League is hosted by wrestler Chris Jericho and features competitors strapped into suits that translate their movements to eight-foot-tall robot avatars that actually do the fighting. Not sold? Take a peek now with not only a trailer embedded after the break, but also the first two episodes in their entirety (also viewable on the site in a larger window here). It's different to say the least and there's $100,000 on the line to make things interesting.
(February 26th, Syfy, 10PM)

Psych
One of our favorite shows returns for its seventh season as Shawn and Gus continue to operate their fake psychic detective agency. As always, we expect a number of nostalgic 80s and 90s throwbacks, complete with guest stars from the era. The show has manage to operate in a basic cable niche in a way network shows like Community don't get the chance to, although if you're not into its particular comedic flavor, it's unlikely to change gears at this point. Check out a trailer after the break.
(February 27th, USA, 10PM)

MLS
A new season of MLS kicks off this weekend and for US soccer fans all 20 matches will be aired ESPN channels, with 18 of them on Sundays for a more consistent -- and potentially subbing in for that other football -- schedule. Notable this season is that this is the first time the soccer league will be in 3D, with plans for seven live broadcasts plus an eighth that will be tape delayed. There are also plans for international matches, the All-Star game and the playoffs, dates and times TBD. the Portland Timbers vs. New York Red Bulls game this weekend will be the first in 3D, check the schedule for the rest.
(March 3rd, ESPN 2 / ESPN 3D, 7:30PM)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/7G-WwUA15xg/

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Video: Rumors of scandal swirl around pope?s final days

>>> but we're following breaking news coming out of the vatican this morning, include iing some rules from pope benedict that change how they pick his replacement.

>> the pope has given the cardinals permission to move up the start date of the conclave which will choose his successor. a cardinal that has been in the headlines for the past 24 hours for all the wrong reasons decides to resign and says he's not coming to the conclave. all this is happening while the faithful celebrate the end of benedict's papacy. even in his final days as pope, scandal continues to dog benedict's papacy and the church. headline rumors of blackmail and conspiracy that the vatican vehemental vehemently denies. because of his role protecting abusive priests, decide to stay home. and cardinal o'brian.

>> someone has erred in some way or another, it doesn't salt their judgment.

>> reporter: today he resigned. ugly headline that is one vatican watcher says will shape the deliberations of the conclave.

>> some of this is politics but other parts of it are the long-delayed reckoning with problems that require face iing and correcting in the church.

>> reporter: the scandals have left many of the faithful weary.

>> i'm a true believer and i hope that catholics will get a better name these days.

>> reporter: despite the controversy, st. peter's square still felt like a well-behaved mosh pit . 100,000 people came to say thank you to the 85-year-old pontiff, speaking from his window for the last time. he says he is not abandoning the church but following god's call to more prayer and meditation. now also this morning, the pope met with the three cardinals who prepared the secret dossier that's been talked about so much here, regarding the vati-leaks incident. the pope says only he has read that report and he will share it with the next pope. savannah?

>> anne thompson at the vatican for us this morning. i will be live at the vatican wednesday and thursday for the pope's final public audience and last day as the leader of the church. matt?

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50939214/

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S.Africa's Budget needs to raise revenue to support spending

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's chronic joblessness is eroding the tax base and swelling the number of dependants on state funds, goading the government to increase revenues and economic growth to cut a budget gap.

In his 3-year budget plan on Wednesday, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will try to reassure bond investors worried about increased issuance, and also appease key ratings agencies who have downgraded South Africa's credit rating.

Economists say Gordhan is unlikely to announce a much wider deficit than October's 4.5 percent projection for 2012/13. The consensus among 14 economists polled by Reuters is for a slight upward revision to 4.7 percent of GDP.

In his State of the Nation address two weeks ago, President Jacob Zuma said government would focus on creating jobs, and reducing poverty and inequality this year.

Violent labour strife in the mining and farming sectors in the last six months, coupled with public protests against a lack of basic services like water and housing, point to rising tensions as social divides persist nearly 20 years after white minority rule ended.

Gordhan could tweak tax policies to increase revenue, while markets will want to see evidence of a clear plan to induce higher economic growth.

TAXES SHRINK ON JOB LOSSES

The Treasury has seen its tax base shrink as the economy loses jobs while the government's social welfare programme, which gives out grants to 16 million people, has been a drag on state coffers.

"The balancing act is becoming harder to maintain with each budget. We have too few taxpayers supporting too many grant recipients. This is simply unsustainable," Ettiene Retief of accounting group SAIPA said.

With the government struggling to make headway in its job creation targets, Zuma said earlier this month Gordhan would be reviewing tax policies to support public spending.

Mining royalties are likely to be the main focus of the review, and Gordhan may increase personal income taxes and value added tax (VAT), which has been capped at 14 percent for two decades.

But likely resistance from powerful labour union and government ally COSATU, could see Gordhan holding off on raising personal taxes until after national elections due in 2014.

The market also wants clarity from Gordhan on a 3-year old plan in which the government would subsidise wages for new entrants to the job market. COSATU has rejected the plan, saying employers could use it to push out long-serving employees while exploiting new workers.

Given South Africa's history of under spending on infrastructure, investors also want to see concrete spending plans for 845 billion randworth of funds put aside last year.

At the same time, Gordhan will want to assure investors that he is committed to prudent spending, following downgrades from Standard & Poor's and Fitch which have left South Africa's sovereign rating just one level above the speculative grade. Moody's rating is two levels above.

While South Africa's debt-to-GDP ratio remains manageable at nearly 40 percent, ratings agencies are looking for the Treasury to reverse the trend of rising public debt.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/africas-budget-needs-raise-revenue-support-spending-153805578--business.html

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Monday?s Political Ledes (TIME)

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City Watching State-Level Income Tax Proposals - Stow, OH Patch

Stow officials are watching a conversation in Columbus closely about proposals to change the way communities in Ohio collect income tax.

Stow Mayor Sara Drew and Stow Finance Director John Baranek also are providing input about Ohio House Bill 5. The proposed legislation would change the way communities collect income tax and also effects business owners.

"What we?re trying to do is we?re trying to enlighten some of the legislators through the Ohio Municipal League and meetings with our local representatives, Rep. Roegner and State Sen. LaRose," Baranek said. "They propose this as being a revenue neutral legislation for the municipalities. And it really isn?t, depending on how your local income tax ordinances are set up."

Ohio legislators are in the midst of hearings on the proposed legislation.

Some changes the legislation, if adopted, would make include changing the occasional entry rule ? the time period when municipalities start collecting income tax for temporary workers ? from 12 days to 20 days.

That change alone could cost Stow thousands each year, Baranek said.

"Right now there?s a 12-day period that if they come in and they?re in Stow working for eight days (the state) considers that a casual time period, so (workers) don?t have to pay Stow local tax for those eight days," Baranek said. "But if we have a construction company that comes in ? and they work 12 days, maybe 15 days, then we?re allowed to tax those 12 or 15 days of wages for city tax purposes and they have to pay us for those days that they?re in here."

The proposed legislation also would mandate that Stow sends notices to taxpayers regarding liability via certified mail.

"Where before we could send things out ? by regular mail," Baranek said. "So we?d have a lot of postage costs involved in sending a lot of letters out."

Another proposed change would be to create a uniform net operating loss carry-forward period of five years.

"Many communities in the state of Ohio don?t recognize the state has a five-year carry forward," Baranek said. "So if I have a loss this year I can carry it forward and use it up over the next five years against that income I have. Many municipalities have a shorter term.

"That one alone will effect a lot of communities," he said. "If they have to extend that out, they?ll lose tax revenue over that."

That proposal is one change that wouldn't hinder Stow, as it already adheres to the state's five-year period.

The first hearing in Columbus on the proposed legislation was held Feb. 13. Stow officials may travel to the state capital to testify on the proposed legislation.

Drew said their hope is that whatever final version of the legislation is adopted includes no mandates that increase income tax collection costs for cities.

"We're really working hard to make sure it's a revenue-neutral program," she said.

Source: http://stow.patch.com/articles/city-watching-state-level-income-tax-proposals

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HP launches Slate 7 Android tablet with Beats Audio for $169

Mark Spoonauer , Laptop ? ? ? 14 hrs.

The HP Slate 7 is beyond fashionably late to the Android tablet party, but it tries to make up for its tardiness with a very low price. When the device arrives in April, HP?s first Google-powered tablet just announced at this year?s Mobile World Congress will cost just $169. That?s $30 less than the the Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD. So how does this value-priced device stand out? HP is playing up the Slate 7?s Beats Audio sound and wireless printing capabilities.

The Slate 7 certainly doesn?t look like a $169 tablet, thanks to its stainless steel frame and soft-touch back that?s available in gray or red. The device measures .42 inches thick (about the same as the Kindle Fire HD?s .41 inches) and weighs 13.05 ounces, making this tablet lighter than the Fire (13.9 ounces) but heavier than the Nexus 7 (12 ounces). The Slate 7 has a microSD card slot and microUSB port.

To differentiate its tablet, the Slate 7 is the first with Beats Audio built in, which is designed to deliver richer and more robust sound. According to Alberto Torres, HP?s senior vice president of its Mobility Global Business Unit, Beats really kicks in when you?re using headphones. However, the Slate 7 does sport stereo speakers. As you might expect from HP, the Slate 7 has wireless printing capabilities via ePrint. The app lets you print from most applications.

MORE: Top 10 Tablets Right Now

To differentiate its tablet, the Slate 7 is the first with Beats Audio built in, which is designed to deliver richer and more robust sound. According to Alberto Torres, HP?s senior vice president of its Mobility Global Business Unit, Beats really kicks in when you?re using headphones. However, the Slate 7 does sport stereo speakers. As you might expect from HP, the Slate 7 has wireless printing capabilities via ePrint. The app lets you print from most applications.

MORE: Top 10 tablets right now

The Slate 7 does skimp on some specs for its low price. For starters, the 1024 x 600-pixel display has a lower resolution than the Kindle Fire HD and Nexus 7 (both 1280 x 800). On the other hand, HP says its High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) technology gives its panel wide viewing angles, whether you?re viewing documents or playing Angry Birds Space.

Powering this Android 4.1 Jelly Bean tablet is a 1.6-GHz ARM A9 dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, and you?ll find 8GB of storage on board. The Slate 7 features a VGA camera up front and a fairly low-res 3-MP camera on the back. By comparison, the Nexus 7 boasts a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, though HP claims that its device offers swift performance.

When we asked HP?s Torres whether shoppers will just opt for the faster Nexus 7 or more family friendly Kindle Fire HD for $30 more, he told us that ?we are going to have a very strong value proposition with Beats Audio and that the design is far superior than those other tablets that you mention.? Torres also reminded us that HP ?wants to be the leader in tablets so to expect other price points.? In other words, don?t be surprised to see a larger, more premium Android Slates in HP?s lineup in the not too distant future.

Stay tuned for Laptop's hands-on impressions of the Slate 7 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/hp-launches-slate-7-android-tablet-beats-audio-169-1C8516739

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Burn That Baby Weight | Creative Bioscience

by Cyndi on February 23, 2013

After delivering a baby, many moms are excited to start whittling off the baby weight. However, they may delay starting an exercise program due to questions about when they should start and which exercises are safe. The easiest way to answer these questions is to listen to your body.

Many times moms feel up to exercise within a few days of delivery. Other times; especially in the case of a C-section, a mom can be out of commission for quite a while. If you did have a C- section I would recommend only light walking and daily activities until you have been cleared by your doctor. If you did not deliver this way, you may resume activity much faster. ?I would start out with low impact aerobic exercises such as walking or the elliptical trainer. Once you are able to do this comfortably for at least 30 min, you can start experimenting with other activities you like.

For weight training, the upper body should not be too much of an issue. I would be a little more cautious with the lower body though. I would start with body weight exercises such as squats and walking toe touches. I would then add shallow lunges and increase the depth gradually based on comfort levels. Once these are comfortable, I would move to weight bearing movements and machines. Keep in mind that due to the pregnancy your joints are more loose and relaxed. Pay very close attention to form and avoid jarring activities.

Stomach exercises should be added in with caution. Although I would expect a small amount of discomfort at times, I would not want to see any sharp or lasting pains. I personally started doing crunches 10 days post delivery but only to the point of a light burn. You can start with light abdominal exercises such as pelvic tilts and crunches. As the exercises become easier over time, add intensity and duration.

If you exercised during your pregnancy you will probably be able to resume normal exercise much faster. However, if you did not exercise while pregnant or are new to exercise, you must start and progress slowly. Taking your time will help you build quality muscle strength and lasting weight loss. Going too fast can cause burn out, injury, and overtraining. Most important of all ? enjoy the experience and make it fun!

?

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Mother of 3, personal trainer, 3 different degrees in health & fitness she knows how to stay busy and still rise above it to lead a balanced, healthy life style. Cyndi?s favorite product is Raspberry Ketone 1234

Source: https://creativebioscience.com/blog/burn-that-baby-weight/

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Ikea's Swedish meatballs latest victim of horsemeat scandal

STOCKHOLM (AP) ? Swedish furniture giant Ikea was drawn into Europe's widening food labeling scandal Monday as authorities said they had detected horse meat in frozen meatballs labeled as beef and pork and sold in 13 countries across the continent.

The Czech State Veterinary Administration said that horse meat was found in one-kilogram packs of frozen meatballs made in Sweden and shipped to the Czech Republic for sale in Ikea stores there. A total of 760 kilograms (1,675 pounds) of the meatballs were stopped from reaching the shelves.

Ikea spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson said meatballs from the same batch had gone out to Slovakia, Hungary, France, Britain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Ireland. Magnusson said meatballs from that batch were taken off the shelves in Ikea stores in all those countries. Other shipments of meatballs were not affected, she added.

However, the company's Swedish branch announced on its Facebook page that it won't sell or serve any meatballs at its stores in Sweden out of concern for "potential worries among our customers."

Magnusson said Ikea saw no reason to extend that guidance globally. She said Ikea was conducting its own tests of the affected batch. She also said that two weeks ago Ikea tested a range of frozen food products, including meatballs, and found no traces of horse meat.

Ikea's stores feature restaurants and also sell typical Swedish food, including the so-called Kottbullar meatballs.

European Union officials were meeting Monday to discuss tougher food labeling rules after the discovery of horse meat in a range of frozen supermarket meals such as burgers and lasagna that were supposed to contain beef or pork.

The Czech authority also announced Monday that it found horse meat in beef burgers imported from Poland during random tests of food products.

Spanish authorities, meanwhile, announced that traces of horse meat were found in a beef cannelloni product by one of the brands of Nestle, a Switzerland-based food giant. The Agriculture Ministry said it was a case of fraudulent labeling but represented no health threat.

In a statement on its website, Nestle Spain said that after carrying out tests on meat supplied to its factories in Spain it was withdrawing six "La Cocinera" products and one "Buitoni" product from store shelves.

It said it was taking the action after the traces of horse meat were found in beef bought from a supplier in central Spain. Nestle said it was taking legal action against the company, adding that the products would be replaced by ones with 100 percent beef.

Some EU member states are pressing for tougher labeling rules to regain consumer confidence.

The 27-nation bloc must agree on binding origin disclosures for food product ingredients, starting with a better labeling of meat products, German agriculture minister Ilse Aigner said.

"Consumers have every right to the greatest-possible transparency," she insisted.

Austria backs the German initiative; but others like Ireland say existing rules are sufficient although Europe-wide controls must be strengthened to address the problem of fraudulent labeling.

The scandal has created a split between nations like Britain who see further rules as a protectionist hindrance of free trade under the bloc's single market, and those calling for tougher regulation.

Processed food products ? a business segment with traditionally low margins that often leads producers to hunt for the cheapest suppliers ? often contain ingredients from multiple suppliers in different countries, who themselves at time subcontract production to others, making it hard to monitor every link in the production chain.

Standardized DNA checks with meat suppliers and more stringent labeling rules will add costs that producers will most likely hand down to consumers, making food more expensive.

The scandal began in Ireland in mid-January when the country's announced the results of its first-ever DNA tests on beef products. It tested frozen beef burgers taken from store shelves and found that more than a third of brands at five supermarkets contained at least a trace of horse. The sample of one brand sold by British supermarket kingpin Tesco was more than a quarter horse.

Such discoveries have spread like wildfire across Europe as governments, supermarkets, meat traders and processors began their own DNA testing of products labeled beef and have been forced to withdraw tens of millions of products from store shelves.

More than a dozen nations have detected horse flesh in processed products such as factory-made burger patties, lasagnas, meat pies and meat-filled pastas. The investigations have been complicated by elaborate supply chains involving multiple cross-border middlemen.

___

Associated Press writers Juergen Baetz in Brussels, Karel Janicek in Prague and Ciaran Giles in Madrid contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/horse-meat-found-ikeas-swedish-meatballs-112154426--finance.html

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