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Any mention of torture is classified, military judge rules

In a significant victory for government prosecutors, the military judge presiding over the trial of accused 911 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has granted a government request to treat as classified any testimony or discussion about the alleged torture of Mr. Mohammed and others during CIA interrogations.

The judge, US Army Col. James Pohl, issued a broad protective order barring the disclosure of any information deemed by the government to be classified. The ruling was handed down Dec. 6 and was made public on the court?s website on Wednesday.

Off limits at the military commission trial at the US Naval Base at Guant?namo Bay are any details surrounding the defendants? capture, detention, and alleged torture by the CIA. It includes ?the enhanced interrogation techniques that were applied to an accused ? including descriptions of the techniques as applied, the duration, frequency, sequencing, and limitations of those techniques.?

The 9/11 trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: A quiz

The judge added that ?without limitation, observations and experiences of an accused? would also be treated as classified information as they emerge from a defendant?s mouth.

Defense lawyers had challenged the government?s expansive assertion of authority to designate certain subjects as protected secrets in the case, saying it was improper for prosecutors to attempt to censor Mohammed and his four co-defendants from discussing their own personal observations of things they involuntarily endured during years of CIA detention and interrogations.

Defense lawyers and lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union argued that the government was exceeding its authority by declaring that anything Mohammed or his co-defendants might say would involve the disclosure of sensitive CIA sources and methods.

?We are profoundly disappointed by the military judge?s decision, which doesn?t even address the serious First Amendment issues at stake here,? said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU?s national security project.

?The government wanted to ensure that the American public would never hear the defendants? accounts of illegal CIA torture, rendition, and detention,? she said in a statement. ?The military judge has gone along with that shameful plan.?

Ms. Shamsi said the ACLU would attempt to appeal the ruling.

?For now, the most important terrorism trial of our time will be organized around judicially approved censorship of the defendants? own thoughts, experiences, and memories of CIA torture,? she said. ?The decision undermines the government?s claim that the military commission system is transparent.?

Although some details of their treatment have been made public, there has never been a full public accounting of what was done to certain terror suspects, including Mohammed, in the name of protecting US national security.

Officials have acknowledged that Mohammed was subjected to a particularly brutal interrogation technique known as waterboarding. Reports are that he was subjected to the technique 183 times.

Human rights advocates say waterboarding is torture. The US government says it did not and does not engage in torture.

The issue is important in Mohammed?s military commission trial because the jury that decides the case must be able to assess the credibility and veracity of the government?s evidence.

Some of the evidence may have been obtained during coercive interrogations. But if any mention of interrogations is barred, jurors may not be in a position to make a full assessment of certain pieces of evidence.

Judge Pohl defended his protective order, saying his ruling did not decide pending issues of relevance, materiality, or admissibility.

?The ? protective order neither expands the traditional rules of discovery nor addresses what use, if any, can be made of the disclosed information during the course of a trial,? he wrote.

?Rather, it provides the framework for defense counsel to obtain and assess classified information while at the same instance permitting the government to preserve information relevant to our national security.?

The judge also approved the continued use of a 40-second delay to the courtroom audio made available to members of the media and others viewing the trial behind thick, soundproof glass.

The 40-second delay gives government censors time to cut off any audio broadcast of the trial in the event that classified information is uttered or otherwise revealed in open court.

The order also gives censors the authority to cut off the audio when they suspect classified information is about to be revealed.

The protective order says in part: ?The broadcast may be suspended whenever it is reasonably believed that any person in the courtroom has made or is about to make a statement or offer testimony disclosing classified information.?

Judge Pohl acknowledged that members of the media and the ACLU object to the delayed audio as an unwarranted closing of the court.

He said he was ?acutely aware of [his] twin responsibilities of insuring the transparency of the proceeding while at the same instance preserving the interests of national security.?

Pohl said the ?brief delay is the least intrusive and least disruptive method of meeting both responsibilities.?

Shamsi disagrees.

?The problem is not so much the audio delay, but the basis for it,? she said. ?The delay is the tool through which the government unconstitutionally prevents the public from hearing testimony about torture.?

The 9/11 trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: A quiz

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/9-11-trial-mention-torture-classified-military-judge-003521708.html

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Pope Tweets: 'Dear Friends... '

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The pope has tweeted.

In perhaps the most drawn out Twitter launch ever, Pope Benedict XVI pushed the button on a tablet brought to him at the end of his general audience Wednesday. It read: "Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart."

Later in the day he was to respond to a few messages sent to him from around the world.

As the countdown to his first tweet from his Twitter handle (at)Pontifex neared, the pope had garnered nearly 1 million followers in the eight languages of his account.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-12-12-Vatican-Pope%20Tweets/id-b253ad4d696c4007bc26a6c507a4e08c

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Why latest failure of global warming talks may be a success

The weak outcome of the climate change talks in Doha only add to the momentum toward solutions at the local level, where values on the common good are more easily shared.

By the Monitor's Editorial Board / December 10, 2012

A parking structure at the University of California San Diego uses innovative solar trees to collect renewable energy from the Sun.

Mike Blake / Reuters

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Another worldwide conference on climate change ? the 18th one since 1992 ? ended last Saturday with little to show for it. The minimal result ? an extension of the largely ineffectual Kyoto Protocol ? has added to growing pessimism over the ability of nations to agree on a new treaty to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

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Yet this gloom has an upside. It is reinforcing attention on the ways that individuals are banding together to combat global warming. In fact, many activists now argue that local efforts ? in which people with similar values toward managing Earth?s resources join in collective action ? may be a strong viable solution.

?We desperately need to combine action by regions, municipalities, citizens with this global approach. That is becoming more and more evident,? said Denmark?s Energy Minister Martin Lidegaard after the meeting in Doha, Qatar.

Take, for example, the fact that the United States has no explicit mandate on individuals to reduce carbon emissions. Yet more than 1,000 mayors and 30 states have climate action plans. And tens of thousands of groups have sprung up to promote changes in behavior, from buying local food to using solar panels to biking to work.

The secret? The smaller the community, the more people are knitted socially to pool their moral inclinations toward ending human-caused warming. Or, to turn around a famous quote by Aristotle about human selfishness in taking from a common good: The most care will be bestowed on our common environment if the maximum care is bestowed on each person?s role in it.

To climate scientists, this grass-roots version of social engineering on energy use may not arrive fast enough. Global emissions of carbon dioxide hit a record high in 2011.

Yet no one really knows if enough local actions might create a strong feedback loop and soon tip a massive change in behavior, similar to the decline of littering in the 1960s or smoking in public in the 1990s. The 2011 Arab Spring also reinforced the notion that good ideas can quickly cascade into reality when enough individuals adopt them.

This bottom-up approach could help overcome many political divisions, such as the current one in climate-change negotiations that pits poor and rich nations against each other. In many poor countries, for example, private investments in solar and wind power make more sense than those in fossil fuels. In fact, investment in renewable energy worldwide has exceeded that in coal, gas, and oil over the past three years.

Individual, voluntary decisions in energy use can make a cumulative difference on climate change far greater than government mandates. They rely on people making moral choices, ones that see a greater good in not emitting gases that can harm others. Any rules about energy use need to be built on shared values embedded in a community.

The more that the United Nations-led climate talks fail, the more the need for this local action becomes evident.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/r0SCWx4bPvQ/Why-latest-failure-of-global-warming-talks-may-be-a-success

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Sprint reportedly wooing Dish with spectrum sharing and MVNO possibilities

Sprint reportedly wooing dish with an MVNO and spectrum sharing arrangement

Spectrum is a valuable and finite resource, but it seems that Sprint has an overabundance of the stuff. In addition to the capacity needed for its namesake operation, along with its Boost and Virgin Mobile properties, the Now Network is currently leasing its capacity to Ting, FreedomPop, Republic Wireless, Voyager Mobile, Elevate and pretty much any other company that's willing to ink a contract. Now, Bloomberg reports that Sprint's looking to bring a biggie on board. According to the outlet's anonymous sources, Sprint has approached Dish Network with an offer that would allow the satellite company to establish itself as a wireless provider by using the Now Network's airwaves. Curiously, a fee-based arrangement isn't the only topic of discussion, as it's also said that Sprint is exploring a spectrum sharing arrangement with Dish that would put the satellite company's unused spectrum licenses to use.

For all the potential that such an agreement could provide, talks between the companies are currently said to be in a holding pattern while the FCC completes its review of Dish's spectrum holdings. As proof that duo aren't completely cozy, Sprint is currently lobbying the regulatory agency to impose rules that Dish insists would reduce the viability of its spectrum. Oh, the irony.

[Cell tower photo credit: Paul O'Keefe / Flickr]

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Source: Bloomberg

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/07/sprint-and-dish-reportedly-discussing-spectrum-sharing/

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Prosecutor: Stephen Baldwin Failed to File Income Tax | FOX8.com ...

Prosecutor: Actor Stephen Baldwin charged with failing to file NY income tax

NEW YORK (CNN) ? Actor Stephen Baldwin was arrested Thursday on a charge of failing to file New York state personal income tax returns for three years, according to a statement released by the Rockland County district attorney?s office.

According to the statement, Baldwin?s alleged tax liability for failure to file in 2008, 2009 and 2010 is more than $350,000, including penalties and interest. The arrest was a result of an investigation conducted by the Rockland County Special Investigations Unit and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, the statement said.

Baldwin pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Thursday in Nyack, New York, and was released on his own recognizance.

?Mr. Baldwin did not commit any crimes,? his lawyer, Russel M. Yankwitt. said. ?He is working diligently with the district attorney?s office and the New York state commissioner of taxation and finance to resolve any remaining disputes,? Yankwitt said.

Baldwin?s lawyer said his client had cooperated in the year-long investigation that led to the charge and arrest. He said Baldwin did owe money to the government, but that no crime had been committed, as Baldwin did not have the intent to deceive.

Baldwin had trusted paid professionals to handle his affairs, especially during the time he was on an island shooting the reality TV show ?Survivor,? Yankwitt said.

Baldwin produced a check for $100,000 Thursday as a ?good faith? down payment on the money he owed, Yankwitt said.

Baldwin rode in his lawyer?s car to the police station and was not handcuffed. The government agreed on a date convenient for both Baldwin and his attorney for the arraignment about a month ago, Yankwitt said.

Baldwin is due back in court on February 5, but hopes his continued work with the state will lead to an agreement on an amount owed, Yankwitt said. They hope to settle somewhere between $100,000 Baldwin paid Thursday and the $350,000 the state is claiming, Yankwitt said.

District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe said Baldwin?s failure to file returns and pay taxes had contributed to sweeping cutbacks and closures in local government agencies and schools.

?At a time when Rockland County and New York State face severe fiscal shortfalls, we cannot afford to allow wealthy residents to break the law by cheating on their taxes,? Zugibe said. Baldwin faces up to four years in state prison if convicted on the state felony charge.

And New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Thomas H. Mattox said, ?It is rare and unfortunate for a personal income tax case to require such strong enforcement measures in order to ensure compliance with our tax laws ? particularly in light of the fact that the vast majority of New Yorkers fulfill their filing requirements voluntarily.?

The youngest of the four show-business Baldwin brothers, Stephen Baldwin is known for his 1994 role in the film ?The Usual Suspects? and a 1989 appearance in the TV series ?The Young Riders.? He also has become a conservative political activist, launching a conservative talk radio show in 2008, and speaking at political events around the country.

Source: http://fox8.com/2012/12/06/prosecutor-stephen-baldwin-failed-to-file-income-tax/

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WTH? ?Teen Mom 2? Star Jenelle Evans Marries Boyfriend Of Three Months!

WTH? “Teen Mom 2″ Star Jenelle Evans Marries Boyfriend Of Three Months!

MTV’s “Teen Mom 2″ star Jenelle Evans has gone from one scumbag to another, but has now married her boyfriend of three months, Courtland Rogers. Evans tied the knot in what was called a “shotgun wedding” on Tuesday at a courthouse in North Carolina. But even more disturbing are reports Jenelle is shooting up heroin! ...

WTH? “Teen Mom 2″ Star Jenelle Evans Marries Boyfriend Of Three Months! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/12/wth-teen-mom-2-star-jenelle-evans-marries-boyfriend-of-three-months/

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Inside California Olive Ranch during Harvest : Bay Area Bites

California Olive Ranch
Inside the Olive Orchards

Extra virgin olive oil. There is nothing quite like it. It has been called liquid gold, or green gold, a title that is well deserved. Historically, it has been used for everything from lighting lamps to moisturizing skin, but the best use of all in my opinion, is in the kitchen! It can transform the simplest of ingredients into something sublime. The taste of EVOO can range from fruity and grassy, to straight up peppery, and a myriad of nuanced flavor profiles in between.

As I?ve learned though, not all olive oil is made equal. In fact, not all olive oil is even real olive oil sometimes, thanks to some shady business dealings and misleading consumer marketing.

About 60 miles north of Sacramento though, in the small towns of Oroville, Artois, and Corning, you?ll find some good people making the real McCoy. California Olive Ranch produces 60% of the olive oil that is grown in California, and not only are they producing the genuine (delicious) article, they are doing it with integrity and efficiency.

Harvest time at California Olive Ranch
Harvest time at California Olive Ranch

When I was asked by the ranch if I?d be interested in visiting their 6,000 acres of beautiful olive orchards during the most exciting time of year?harvest time!?first, I checked to see if they were on Tom?s list (phew, yes, of course they were), and then I clapped my hands and jumped up and down.

Arbosana EVOO
Arbosana EVOO

The trip started with a special dinner at Ella, featuring a menu centered around EVOO, naturally. It was really interesting to see how different varietals were used in all the dishes, ranging from salmon poached in a mellow, floral EVOO, to chocolate cake made with a fruitier EVOO.

Salmon poached in EVOO
Lentil Soup with Arbosana EVOOElla Waldorf Salad Arbosana EVOO Roasted Chicken Arbequina EVOO Chocolate Cake

The next morning, we headed to the ranch to begin our education, blessed with an unbelievably gorgeous, sunny day, with picture-perfect clouds that just wouldn?t quit.

California Olive Ranch
Blue Skies and Emerald Orchards

We met Adam Englehardt, VP of Orchard Operations at California Olive Ranch. Adam is a fifth generation farmer. His family actually has a small olive ranch of their own in the Livermore Valley. His favorite oil is the Arbequina, and he has spearheaded the ranch?s winning strategy of combining old techniques with new technologies.

Adam Englehardt
Adam Englehardt, VP of Orchard Operations at California Olive Ranch

Northern California is located at 39?N latitude, which is the same as that of northern Spain and northern Tuscany, so it shares many of the same harvesting conditions. But, unlike traditional growers, California ranchers have tweaked their methodology to grow a tree that would allow them to harvest it more efficiently, thereby producing a higher quality oil.

?Like almonds, pistachios, and grapes?we have a history of taking a Mediterranean product and applying some Yankee ingenuity.?
? Adam Englehardt, VP of Orchard Operations at California Olive Ranch

This is coming from a guy who gets constant reports on nutrient and water levels from solar-powered irrigation probes, and can irrigate on demand via iPhone.

The mechanical harvester
The mechanical harvester

Let?s start from the beginning though. Way before iPhone farm management, back in 1996, a mechanical harvester was developed, allowing farmers to harvest their olive trees quickly. The harvester is much like the one used for wine grapes. The machine straddles the row of trees and as it moves down the line, it brushes off all the olives and captures it into a holding bin. The catch is, the trees have to be kept small enough so that the machine can sit above them. In order to make use of this new machine, farmers matched the tree to the technology and started to grow them in hedgerows (like wine grapes).

Adam Englehardt and Patricia Unterman tasting olives
Adam Englehardt and Patricia Unterman tasting olives

The 3 varieties of olives grown by California Olive Ranch are:

  1. Koroneiki (spicy)
  2. Arbequina (fruity)
  3. Arbosana (nutty)

All of the varietals were adapted to make the tree?s growth naturally more compact. They were planted closer and were given little to no water or fertilizer. Apparently olive trees do well under stress. They?ve been evolved to operate under harsh conditions in the desert, being eaten by goats, burned by day and frosted by night.

It may have taken a few years to figure out, but from the looks of it, the ranch has their system nailed down now. Growing the trees in hedgerows using a system of ?super high-density planting? allows for mechanical harvesting, which allows for the olives to be picked at perfection, quickly and efficiently, within the tight time frame of harvest.

Oh yes, did I mention the timing? Every year, the ranchers have only a 45-day window to harvest all of their fruit for the year. They need to beat the frost, pick early, pick quickly, and then press as soon as possible because once the olive is picked it starts to oxidize. Talk about stress.

California Olive Ranch
California Olive Ranch

From harvester, to the holding gondola, into the mill, the olives never touch the ground so bruising and oxidation is kept to a minimum. And, because the olives only travel about 35 minutes to the mill, they are pressed into fresh extra virgin olive oil within a couple of hours of being plucked from the tree.

The grand sum of all these moving parts? Seriously tasty extra virgin olive oil. Liquid gold.

[ Click on any photo to view full-sized images and activate the slideshow ]

California Olive Ranch
Looking into the harvester The mechanical harvester California Olive Ranch Harvest Olive Branch Mustache
California Olive Ranch Olives Ripe for the Picking Horses at California Olive Ranch Testing new varietals: Arbosana + Koroneiki

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Tags: California Olive Ranch, EVOO, extra virgin olive oil, featured, olive harvest, olive oil, olives

Category: farmers and farms, food and drink

Source: http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2012/12/05/inside-california-olive-ranch-during-harvest/

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Ding Hero to show rivals the way home in Coral Essex Vase - Heat 6 ...

Ding Hero to show rivals the way home in Coral Essex Vase - Heat 6 at Romford

Wins are not coming to Ding Hero?s way frequently, but he will be very tough to pass if leading by third bend in fifth heat of the Coral Essex Vase, being hosted by Romford on Friday night.

The white and black dog recently showed a couple of fascinating acts at Wimbledon. On November 3rd, he was quite impressive. In a 687 metres contest, the dashing hound led very soon after the start.

Railing in an excellent fashion, the son of Crash stayed ahead right through the contest. With the help of an outstanding effort, K. Hutton?s charge seized the first place comfortably by one and a half lengths.

The 3-year-old continued his fine work, and demonstrated a superb show on November 10th. Luck was not on his side though, as he missed the top place only by a neck?s distance. The latest ride was an unlucky one. Although he railed well, getting bumped hurt his cause badly. As a result, he ended up fourth on the chart.

One should not judge him on the latest loss. It was just an unlucky defeat, and the maverick hound is likely to show significant improvement today. Among his opponents are: Romeo Patriot, Bubbly Ebony, Adageo Brae, Carden Twilight and Bonamassa Buddy.

The 575 metres affair is going to get started at 21:25 GMT. The ultimate champion will get not only a place in the next round, but also a handsome prize of 175 pounds.

Carden Twilight cannot afford to give these opponents too much rope. Despite having the draw in favour, the black dog has no room for error. Adageo Brae?s poor wins-to-runs ratio hardly sets the pulse racing.

Home soil has not proved a happy hunting ground for Bubbly Ebony. The black dog was awful here last time. He got bumped twice, and could only finish fourth on the chart.

Bonamassa Buddy will have to step up on his recent efforts. Romeo Patriot, the Produce Stakes finalist, has some stamina issues. Even an inside crowding will not help him. We wish the best of luck to all the hounds.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect Bettor.com?s editorial policy.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Ding-Hero-to-show-rivals-the-way-home-in-Coral-Essex-Vase-Heat-6-at-Romford-a204943

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