Iran's president-elect: Nation voted for change

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's president-elect called his win in national elections this month a vote for change and vowed Saturday to remain committed to his campaign promises of moderation and constructive interaction with the outside world.

Hasan Rouhani's promises of outreach could lower the political temperature between Iran and the West and perhaps nudge the country's ruling Islamic establishment toward a more flexible approach in its standoff over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.

Rouhani has already promised greater openness on the nuclear issue while at the same time siding with the hard-liner establishment that refuses to halt uranium enrichment. He believes it's possible to strike a deal that would allow the Islamic Republic to keep enriching uranium while assuring the West it will not produce a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. and its allies fear Iran may ultimately be able to develop nuclear arms. Tehran has denied the charges, saying its program is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity and producing radioisotopes to treat cancer patients.

The reformist-backed Rouhani won a landslide majority in June 14 presidential election, defeating his conservative and hardline rivals. He will succeed hardline outgoing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad early August.

"People chose a new path ... People said in this election: We want change," Rouhani told a conference in Tehran Saturday. "The best language of the people is the ballot box. The people's vote is very obvious. There is no ambiguity."

Rouhani's election has revived hopes for a mutually acceptable deal over Iran's disputed nuclear program, as it was seen in part as a referendum on Iran's nuclear diplomacy. The country's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, a hard-liner who supported a policy of resistance, finished third in the vote, which was widely seen as rejection of his tough stance on the nuclear issue.

Rouhani said he will keep his promise of following a path of moderation in domestic and foreign policy.

"Moderation in foreign policy is neither surrender nor conflict, neither passivity nor confrontation. Moderation is effective and constructive interaction with the world," he said.

The final word on all state matters, particularly on the nuclear issue, lies with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but a strong president can influence decision-making.

Rouhani has vowed that he will seek to have the stinging economic sanctions against Iran lifted and work with international powers to settle the nuclear issue through active diplomacy and dialogue.

The president-elect also said that the ruling system needs to allow more freedom for Iran's relatively young population.

"Happiness is people's right," he said. "I thank police for increasing the threshold of their tolerance." He was referring to wild street celebrations after he was declared winner of the election.

Iran's anti-vice police sporadically detain youths on vague charges of not observing Islamic codes. During Ahmadinejad's presidency, many detainees claimed to be mistreated while in detention.

"We should talk to girls and boys in the same way we talk to our own children. People's dignity must be preserved. Humiliating people is not acceptable but giving (polite) notice (of a morality offense) is fine," Rouhani said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/irans-president-elect-nation-voted-change-083803196.html

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Social Sec will stay solvent for 20 years... *IF* we pay off 1/3 of the National Debt

Social Sec will stay solvent for 20 years... *IF* we pay off 1/3 of the National Debt

When Social Security was first implemented in the 1930s, the government assigned the "retirement age" to be 65. After that, you could start drawing benefits.

By some strange coincidence, the average age of death in the 1930s was..... 65.

Meaning, half the people who would pay in all their lives, would never draw out a dime, except for death benefits.

And the rest wouldn't draw out very much before they, too, kicked off.

Social Security was designed to be "self-supporting"... for that time. With no thought of what might change in the future... like medical science advancing enough to enable people to live a LOT longer.

BTW, all the money you've paid in, has already been spent. In the SS Trust Fund is nothing but IOUs from the government. Remember Obama's statements a year or so ago, that if the Debt Ceiling wasn't raised, Social Security checks couldn't be written to its benefits recipients?

The money has been "borrowed" by other government agencies, and spent. All the money being paid out as benefits to retirees, is coming from the money you and I are paying in now. None of it is being saved for us. This is the defining characteristic of a Ponzi scheme.

Which brings us to the other issue.

Remember the other predictions various govt officials have made, saying that SS will be "solvent" for the next 15 or 20 or 30 years (depending on which politician you listen to)? They mean that they will be able to pay retirees their scheduled benefits from that money supposedly in the Trust Fund, until then.

But all the Trust Fund money has been "borrowed", and is gone. This means that those agencies that "borrowed" it, have to pay back ALL the money by that deadline (15 or 20 or etc. years from now), so it can be paid out to retirees that need it. And of course, if they are going to be replenishing the Trust Funds this way, they can't borrow any more while they're paying it back.

So, how much money is owed to the SS Trust Fund and other such govt-held trust funds?

Answer: 30.1% of the entire National Debt is owed to these Trust Funds. That's $4.7 trillion. (See reference below.)

That's how much must be paid back into the SS Trust fund and other such funds, to keep them "solvent" for that long.

Has anyone heard of any plans to pay off 30% of the National Debt within the next 15 years? Or 20? Or.....?

Neither have I.

Next time someone tells you how solvent the Social Security Trust fund is, or any other government trust fund, show him the numbers and see what he says then.

Reference: See Current and Back Issues: Overview: Daily Treasury Statement: Publications & Guidance: Financial Management Service . Pick a recent date, and and look under "Intergovernmental Holdings".

__________________
The Constitution isn't perfect, but it's better than the system we're using now.

Source: http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/300809-social-sec-will-stay-solvent-for-20-years-if-we-pay-off-1-3-of-the-national-debt.html

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Paula Deen, Proposition 8, and the sometimes-nuance of bigotry (Americablog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/315912495?client_source=feed&format=rss

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WSJ: Google working on Android game console, smartwatch and more

This is kind of interesting. Hot on the heels of reports that iOS 7 contains proper third-party support for physical game controllers comes word that Google is hard at work building a full-fledged gaming console and smartwatch based on its Android operating system.

The story comes from The Wall Street Journal, who reported last night that the Mountain View-based company is looking to expand its mobile platform beyond smartphones and tablets, and is hoping to combat similar devices that?Apple?may release in the future?

The Journal?s Amir Efrati has the scoop:

?Google?Inc.?GOOG?+0.39%?is developing a videogame console and wristwatch powered by its Android operating system, according to people familiar with the matter, as the Internet company seeks to spread the software beyond smartphones and tablets?

?The people briefed on the matter said Google is reacting in part to expectations that rival Apple will launch a videogame console as part of its next Apple TV product release.?

Google has also been watching Ouya?s efforts with close interest. Ouya, a $99 gaming console built on Android, collected over $8.5 million in pledges as a Kickstarter project last year, and has been making a lot of noise in recent weeks as it finally begins shipping to its backers.

Apparently the search giant is working on a slew of new devices, separate from its Motorola Mobility hardware division, including a smartwatch and a second version of the Nexus Q?a media streaming box that was pulled after brief availability last year for various reasons.

?The company?s hardware efforts come as it wraps up development on the next version of Android, which is expected to be released in the fall. Among other things, the software will be better tailored to the lower-cost smartphones prevalent in developing countries with the aim of firming up Android?s market-share globally, said some of the people familiar with the matter.?

In addition to expanding its own hardware offerings, Efrati says that with the next version of Android?known internally as ?K release? or ?Key Lime Pie??Google will give manufacturers like Samsung more freedom to use the OS in devices other than smartphones and tablets.

Apple has long been rumored to be expanding its?presence?in the living room, with either a TV set or advanced set-top box, and more recently has been said to be working on a smartwatch. And with Google now said to be doing the same, it?s time that these rumors materialized.

It seems like things in the mobile world are about to get really exciting.

What do you think?

Source: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/06/28/google-working-on-console/

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"Airports see more sincere kisses than wedding halls. The walls of hospitals have heard more prayers..."

Airports see more sincere kisses than wedding halls. The walls of hospitals have heard more prayers than the walls of churches.
274,841 notes
Posted on Friday, 28 June
Reblogged from: dolll-face
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(Source: another-troubled-soul)

Source: http://lostin-mywonderland.tumblr.com/post/54151720838

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Zimmerman trial over teen's death enters 5th day

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) ? A video security expert has taken the witness stand in the George Zimmerman murder trial.

Greg McKinney is the first witness Friday as the trial enters a fifth day of testimony.

McKinney's company monitored the security cameras at the townhome complex where Zimmerman fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last year.

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming self-defense.

Jurors already have been exposed to some of the state's biggest pieces of evidence, including the 911 call featuring cries for help prosecutors believe came from Martin.

On Thursday, a friend of Martin who had been on the phone with him when he was shot testified about what she heard during his confrontation with Zimmerman.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zimmerman-trial-over-teens-death-enters-5th-day-094446052.html

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Unity game engine to support Xbox One, gets a boost on Windows 8 and Windows Phone

When the Unity game engine runs virtually everywhere -- well, almost -- it's no surprise that Unity Technologies has just announced that the engine will support the Xbox One. However, the firm is also revealing a partnership with Microsoft that promises a deeper level of integration on the One than we've seen on some other systems. Microsoft Studios partners will get to build Unity-based Xbox 360 and Xbox One games for free. They'll also receive tools that take full advantage of the One's tricks, including cloud computing, matchmaking, improved Kinect gestures and SmartGlass.

Developers who aren't console-inclined are covered as well: the partnership will give all Unity Pro 4 customers free access to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 development add-ons once they're available this summer. While there's no guarantee that game producers are more likely to target Microsoft's ecosystem than they have in the past, the Unity deal could lower some of the costs and technology barriers. And there may be more: Microsoft has dropped hints that it will provide further details on its support of indie console app development sometime in the near future.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Microsoft

Comments

Source: Xbox.com

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/27/unity-game-engine-coming-to-xbox-one/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Japan prices stop falling but BOJ inflation goal seen a tall order

By Tetsushi Kajimoto and Kaori Kaneko

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's consumer prices stopped falling in May and labor demand reached its strongest level in five years, but the Bank of Japan's time frame for achieving a 2 percent inflation target still appears unlikely.

Industrial output rose at its fastest pace since 2011, in a sign of strength in the corporate sector, but an unexpected fall in household spending may raise some concerns about activity.

On the whole, the data on Friday signaled steady economic growth, but it may take more time to achieve sustained rises in prices even as the government's expansionary policies are making some progress towards ending 15 years of deflation.

"The results are mostly due to energy prices. The output gap is shrinking, but the core-core CPI shows that final demand is still weak," said Norio Miyagawa, senior economist at Mizuho Securities Research & Consulting.

"It's possible for the BOJ to ease (policy) again later this year, when it becomes clear that there's not enough progress in reaching its price target."

Core consumer prices, which exclude fresh food but include energy, were unchanged in May from a year earlier, matching the median estimate from a Reuters poll.

It was the first time in seven months that prices did not fall. Prices fell an annual 0.4 percent in April.

Japan's core-core CPI, which excludes both food and energy, fell 0.4 percent in the year to May, following a 0.6 percent annual decline in April, the government data showed.

AMBITIOUS TARGET

The BOJ unleashed the world's most intense burst of stimulus on April 4, promising to inject $1.4 trillion into the economy by buying government debt and riskier assets to meet its pledge of achieving 2 percent inflation in roughly two years.

Many private sector economists say the two-year target is overly ambitious. Even one member of BOJ's policy board has publicly called on the bank to loosen this time frame.

A Reuters poll of 24 economists showed last week that core consumer prices are expected to rise 0.3 percent in the current fiscal year to next March.

They saw consumer inflation picking up only to 0.8 percent in the following year to March 2015, stripping out impacts from a planned sales tax hike next year.

By contrast, the BOJ projects a 0.7 percent rise for this fiscal year and 1.4 percent rise for the next, followed by a 1.9 percent increase in the year to March 2016.

The last time Japan's core consumer inflation topped 2 percent for the year was in the early 1990s when its asset-inflated bubble economy collapsed. Later in that decade deflation set in the Japanese economy.

Finance Minister Taro Aso played down the significance of the fact consumer prices stopped falling, saying that it wasn't a sign of an immediate end to deflation.

"It's true that the pace of decline in prices is slowing, but it's not that easy (to end deflation)," Aso told reporters.

BRIGHT SIGNS

Separate data on the labor market showed the jobs-to-applicants ratio rose to 0.90 in May from 0.89 in April, meaning jobs were available for 9 out of 10 job seekers. This marks the strongest demand for workers in five years.

The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent.

Wage earners' household spending fell 1.6 percent in May from a year earlier, sharply below the median estimate for a 1.4 percent increase.

Consumer spending is likely to expand as some shoppers buy more luxury goods and next year's sales tax hike prompts a last-minute buying spree, but some economists warn that spending will eventually slow as wages have not increased.

Industrial output rose by a better-than-expected 2.0 percent in May from April and the outlook is for slight net growth in coming months, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed.

Manufacturers expect their output will fall 2.4 percent in June before increasing 3.3 percent in July, partly due to improving demand for cars from the United States.

In another bright sign, the Markit/JMMA Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index showed manufacturing activity expanded in June at the fastest pace in more than two years.

Japan's economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.1 percent in January-March, as private consumption and a rebound in exports led a recovery from a slump last year.

(Additional reporting by Stanley White and Leika Kihara; Editing by John Mair & Kim Coghill)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-prices-stop-falling-boj-inflation-goal-seen-030201997.html

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Report: Yanks GM angry at A-Rod for Twitter update

NEW YORK (AP) ? Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees are not seeing eye to eye on his hip injury.

The star third baseman tweeted Tuesday night that his hip surgeon has cleared him to play in rehabilitation games, a move that angered Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, according to ESPN.com.

"You know what, when the Yankees want to announce something, (we will)," Cashman told the website.

"Alex should just shut ... up," the GM said, punctuating his comment with a profanity.

Cashman added that he planned to get in touch with Rodriguez right away.

The general manager did not respond to calls from The Associated Press.

Rodriguez had left hip surgery on Jan. 16 and has been working out since May at the Yankees' complex in Tampa, Fla. The three-time AL MVP took swings in a simulated-game situation for the first time on Monday.

On Tuesday night, he posted a message on Twitter: "Visit from Dr. Kelly over the weekend, who gave me the best news - the green light to play games again!" Rodriguez also posted a photo of himself and Dr. Brian Kelly, who performed the operation in New York.

Cashman recently said Yankees doctors have not yet cleared A-Rod for minor league rehab games.

"I don't tweet, and I really don't follow Twitter. So I probably don't really know much of what is going on. As far as I know he has not been cleared," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday night after his team's 4-3 victory over Texas.

"There's always a chain of command with injuries. There has to be and that's the process. It goes through our training staff, our doctors and our GM and then it goes to me. I'm down on the totem pole."

Before the game ? and Rodriguez's tweet ? Girardi said Rodriguez "is making progress, which is good."

"He's in sim games until they decide he's ready to go out on a rehab. It's not yet," the manager said.

New to the social media site Twitter, Rodriguez sent his first tweet on May 31. He is expected to return to the Yankees around the All-Star break, shortly before he turns 38.

Benched by the team as he slumped through last year's playoffs, A-Rod has been in the news a lot lately even though he has spent almost no time with the Yankees this season. He is among the 20 or so players who may be disciplined by Major League Baseball for their links to the now-closed Miami anti-aging clinic, Biogenesis of America. MLB could possibly seek a 100-game suspension.

Rodriguez admitted in 2009 that he used performance-enhancing drugs while with the Rangers from 2001-03. As baseball's highest-paid player with a $28 million salary this year, he would lose $7.65 million during a 50-game ban.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-yanks-gm-angry-rod-twitter-064201905.html

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Reports: Retired general under investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information about a covert cyber attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, according to media reports.

Retired Marine Gen. James "Hoss" Cartwright has been told he is a target of the probe, NBC News and The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The Justice Department referred questions to the U.S. attorney's office in Baltimore, where a spokeswoman, Marcia Murphy, declined to comment.

In June 2012, the New York Times reported that Cartwright was a crucial player in the cyber operation called Olympic Games, started under President George W. Bush.

Bush reportedly advised President Barack Obama to preserve Olympic Games.

According to the Times, Obama ordered the cyberattacks sped up, and in 2010 an attack using a computer virus called Stuxnet temporarily disabled 1,000 centrifuges that the Iranians were using to enrich uranium.

Congressional leaders demanded a criminal probe into who leaked the information, and Obama said he had zero tolerance for such leaks. Republicans said senior administration officials had leaked the details to bolster the president's national security credentials during the 2012 campaign.

The Times said Cartwright was one of the crucial players who had to break the news to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden that Stuxnet at one point had escaped onto the Internet.

An element of the program accidentally became public in the summer of 2010 because of a programming error that allowed it to escape Iran's Natanz plant and sent it out on the Internet, the Times reported. After the worm escaped onto the Internet, top administration officials met to consider whether the program had been fatally compromised.

Obama asked if the program should continue, and after hearing the advice of top advisers, decided to proceed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reports-retired-general-under-investigation-014244635.html

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Carphone says Andrew Harrison to be CEO from July

LONDON (Reuters) - Carphone Warehouse , Europe's biggest independent mobile phone retailer, said Andrew Harrison would be promoted to chief executive next month as the firm met guidance for year earnings.

The group, which in April agreed to buy back Best Buy's stake in its European joint venture for 471 million pounds ($726 million), said on Wednesday Harrison would take on the CEO role at the annual shareholders' meeting on July 24.

Current CEO Roger Taylor will switch to deputy chairman on the same date, maintaining many of his existing responsibilities.

Taylor said the Best Buy deal meant Carphone's retail operation formed the core of the group's business.

"It is logical, therefore, that Andrew Harrison, who has run this business for several years, should step up to become chief executive officer for the group," he said.

Carphone said headline earnings per share (EPS) were 12.3 pence in the year to March 31.

Though that was in line with company guidance of 11.5 pence to 13.0 pence it was down from 12.6 pence made in the 2011-12 year.

For the 2013-14 year, it guided to headline EPS of 17 pence to 20 pence.

Carphone also announced the formalization of its relationships with Media Markt/Saturn and Metro Group in the Netherlands and Germany respectively.

The firm is paying a final dividend of 3.25 pence, taking the full-year payout to 5 pence.

Shares in Carphone, up 59 percent over the last year, closed Tuesday at 230 pence, valuing the business at 1.2 billion pounds. ($1 = 0.6492 British pounds)

(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Paul Sandle)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/carphone-says-andrew-harrison-ceo-july-070359118.html

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Roland Emmerich, 'White House Down' Director, Explains Who And What We'll See In 'Independence Day 2' (Not Boomer)

Last week it was announced that Roland Emmerich's long-awaited sequel to "Independence Day" will finally become a reality: the film is set for release on July 3, 2015. So when Emmerich -- who is promoting his new action movie, "White House Down" -- dropped by The Huffington Post's New York City offices on Tuesday, well, yes, we had a lot of questions about the film, including who's coming back for the sequel.

First, though, Emmerich's got "White House Down" on his mind. The new film stars Channing Tatum as a police officer who inexplicably finds himself protecting the President of the United States (played by Jamie Foxx) after terrorists take over the White House. Emmerich is aware that this isn't the first "overthrow the White House" movie of the year ("Olympus Has Fallen" came out in March), and the director doesn't mince words about how he feels about this situation.

In our long conversation, the straight-shooting Emmerich explains in detail why Will Smith won't return for his "Independence Day" sequel (after he fought Fox for the right to cast him in the first movie, a detail not lost on Emmerich), reveals how the idea came about, and what other familiar faces we'll see in the new film. Emmerich also discusses Jim Carrey's recent decision to back out of of promoting "Kick-Ass 2" and reflects on one of his most critically panned films, "Godzilla," and how that movie has everything to do with "Deep Impact" and Armageddon."

I enjoyed the White House tour guide in this movie. He references "Independence Day."
Yeah, the White House tour guide, Nick Wright -- who actually got the job because he is a really good improviser. And he improvised in his first reading the line, "the famous building in the middle, which got blown up in 'Independence Day.'"

So that wasn't your line?
That was him.

Did you have any reservations about being self-referential?
No. When we shot it, he didn't do it. And then I said, "Do what you did in the audition." And he said, "Really?" And I said, "We always can cut it out since we have the other takes." And, naturally, it stayed in the movie because it's a laugh. Also, it shows you that the movie doesn't take itself too seriously.

Is that you poking fun at yourself?
Yes. Because I know I'm famous for blowing up the White House.

It doesn't blow up this time.
No. Everybody says, "Oh, you blew up the White House again."

You didn't. It's on fire.
It didn't even burn down.

I do like that these characters live in a universe where they can watch "Independence Day."
[Laughs] It's a parallel universe.

In the next "Independence Day," those characters should reference "White House Down."
I can't, because that's a true parallel universe.

Did you see "Olympus Has Fallen"?
No.

Why does that happen? Two "White House is captured" movies?
I always said that. When we had two volcano movies and two meteor movies, I thought, "Are they stupid?" But now I'm in the same situation. I had committed to this film, I had cast Channing Tatum ... all of a sudden, someone says to me, "Oh, this other movie just got a director finally." I said, "What other movie?" Everybody knew, besides me. I said, "Oh, this is a problem." And it was a problem. It seriously hurt our movie because a lot of people will say, "Why should I see two of those movies?" Even though I think they're probably very different from each other. On the other hand, then they watch the sixth and seventh part of "Fast and Furious" -- it's not so different, six from seven or five from four.

To be fair, seven isn't out yet.
Oh, I don't even know how many there are.

Seven is next summer.
See, that's how connected I am. I live in a parallel universe.

A lot of directors don't admit publicly when they think this kind of thing hurts their movie.
That's stupid. Sure it hurts us ... there's no doubt about it.

Before the "Independence Day 2" announcement, I thought you'd do "Singularity" next.
We are actually writing as we speak on that.

What about the Stonewall project?
While I'm here, I'm going to use my time in New York to meet with the writer tomorrow. We have a first script, it's very good but it's not good enough.

But the sequel to "Independence Day" comes next?
It's probably next, yeah. They set a date, which is always a good sign.

You make a lot of action movies. I am curious about your thoughts on Jim Carrey renouncing his involvement with "Kick-Ass 2," citing gun violence.
It's odd. That's just odd. I mean, as an actor, he has to know what kind of movie this is -- there's a script there. And then all of a sudden say, "No, I'm not doing this because it glorifies violence." I mean, that's a little bit weird. On the other hand, maybe it's a very clever marketing ploy to put this movie on the map. I believe if something is wrong with our society, we should all together figure out a way how -- first of all -- to have less guns out there. Then the video game industry should move away from these shoot 'em ups -- I mean, there's a lot of "boom, boom, boom" and people fall. All of these games -- and you score higher the more you shot. And, like, 8-year-old kids play that. That is desensitizing. In a movie, there's good, there's bad ... you know, there's a certain morality to it. There are emotions involved, there are characters involved, people mourn for people who are dead.

Where did this "Independence Day" sequel come from all of a sudden last week?
Nothing comes out of nowhere in a director's life. I've been talking about an "Independence Day" sequel since we made this movie. And I always said, "Nah, there's no sequel possible." At one point I wrote -- with Dean Devlin -- a script, which we got money for. And then when we read it ourselves, we said, "Let's give the money back." Then, when I did "2012," I realized all of a sudden, "Oh my God, what can you do now with computers?" You can create water and fire -- breaking apart buildings -- it's just a new world out there. All of a sudden, it popped in my mind.

Aside from the effects, was there a story that you liked?
That, too. Because of that, a great idea of expanding "Independence Day" to more like -- if you want to do a sequel, the studio doesn't only want to have another film. They want to have a franchise. If you want to create a franchise, which "Independence Day" could be, then you have to expand the mythology behind it. Why did the aliens come? What does their culture look like? What does that mean? And I had a couple of really, really good ideas with Dean together ... then, like it was in the first movie when we talked about that idea, after three days, the whole script was roughly together -- and the same thing happened again. And I realized now it's time to do it.

Will it start 19 years later?
Yes. It's totally a parallel universe. That's all that I'm saying.

You've already said that Will Smith won't be back. I'm assuming there was some contact with him?
It's a very simple thing. We gave him our very first script and he liked it very much. He said, "Look, I don't want to go there anymore because I was a different person than I am now. And I have so many other projects that I want to do." At that time he wanted to make two movies at the same time. Then, naturally, his demands were-- I would say, I have to go down with my demands, too, because I don't own this. The studio owns this. And he was just saying "No, I don't care, this is what I want," and that's it. Then I kind of thought, This will never happen. A lot of my friends said, "You don't need Will. I would go watch it without Will."

It wasn't his movie before. It was an ensemble.
It was an ensemble piece.

He wasn't a big star before "Independence Day."
No. We had to fight for him. Fox was not so happy that we took him in this part.

They didn't want him?
No, no. They would have cast other actors. But it always happens like that. It's interesting, because it became a much bigger movie since we know Will is not in there.

Is that why it's supposed to be two more movies?
No. We are just going to do the next one and see what happens. We could theoretically go on and on and on -- because there's a bigger mythology to it. There's a bigger theme to it and that for me is more exciting than one character. And I will cast a couple of actors who I really like, you know what I mean? I'm always a fan of certain people.

Who are you a fan of?
No, I cannot.

You like someone like Channing Tatum.
Well, yeah, Channing. I always like people who are not usually doing these kind of movies. Like a Maggie Gyllenhaal in "White House Down."

Like Jeff Goldblum in "Independence Day."
Exactly.

Or Judd Hirsch.
Yes.

Is Judd Hirsch coming back?
Yes. I think so.

And I saw that Goldblum and Bill Pullman are coming back.
Yes.

I assume it's too late for Boomer.
The dog would be dead. [Laughs] Yeah, that would be interesting.

It's frustrating that Will Smith turned you down and turned down a movie like "Django Unchained."
He turned "Django Unchained" down. I couldn't believe it.

Did that surprise you?
Totally. Who doesn't want to work with Tarantino?

Of your movies, the one I'm not a huge fan of is "Godzilla." And I'm not alone. Why did that movie not work?
I'm always testing movies a lot -- and we had no time to test. It was also, probably, a situation that I was a little bit talked into it. At that time I had an idea about a movie about a meteor striking Earth. And I had a whole idea how to do it. One of my all-time favorite movies is -- oh, what is it called? I had a little too much to drink yesterday. The one about the astronauts ...

"The Right Stuff"?
"The Right Stuff"! I wanted to do something like "The Right Stuff," combined with a meteor strikes Earth. So, you have to go up there on a mission. I had this whole thing planned out and a lot of people said, "You can do this after 'Godzilla.'" And that was a really big lesson for me because there were two movies after that.

"Deep Impact" and "Armageddon."
And I would have beaten them both.

Is it fair to say that your heart wasn't in "Godzilla" as much as your other movies?
I don't know. Also, I'm not really a fanboy. So, I was changing Godzilla. The original, how Godzilla looked, didn't make sense to me.

And now they're rebooting that.
It will be very interesting to see how they make him look. It was inspired by some Ray Harryhausen movies -- stop-motion animation movies. They were a big hit in Japan and the Japanese just wanted to do their own version. They couldn't do stop-motion animation, so they just built a big suit and put a stuntman in -- and that's why it's so bottom heavy. That's why it looks a little bit silly. [Laughs] The most embarrassing moment of my life, I was in Japan to show Toho -- who owns the copyright for Godzilla -- my new Godzilla. Before I did the presentation, they brought me to the Toho studios and there was Godzilla standing there with a sign around his neck that said, "Mr. Emmerich, I'm ready for your shooting call."

Wow.
That's what I said. Wow.

He never got his shooting call.
No, he didn't.

Mike Ryan is senior writer for Huffington Post Entertainment. You can contact him directly on Twitter.

• Channing Tatum Jamie Foxx

  FILE - In this undated publicity photo provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Channing Tatum, left, and Jamie Foxx, center, star in Columbia Pictures' "White House Down," directed by Roland Emmerich. (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Entertainment, Reiner Bajo)

• Jamie Foxx

  FILE - In this undated publicity photo provided by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Jamie Foxx stars in Columbia Pictures' "White House Down," directed by Roland Emmerich. (AP Photo/Sony Pictures Entertainment, Reiner Bajo)

• This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows, from left, Nic Wright, Joey King and Channing Tatum in a scene from "White House Down." (AP Photo/Sony Columbia Pictures, Reiner Bajo)

• This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows Maggie Gyllenhaal in a scene from "White House Down." (AP Photo/Sony Columbia Pictures, Reiner Bajo)

• This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows Channing Tatum in a scene from "White House Down." (AP Photo/Sony Columbia Pictures, Reiner Bajo)

• This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows Jamie Foxx, left, and Channing Tatum in a scene from "White House Down." (AP Photo/Sony Columbia Pictures, Reiner Bajo)

• This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows Channing Tatum in a scene from "White House Down." (AP Photo/Sony Columbia Pictures, Reiner Bajo)

• This film publicity image released by Columbia Pictures shows Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum, left, in a scene from "White House Down." (AP Photo/Sony Columbia Pictures, Reiner Bajo)

• Roland Emmerich To Go W/ Derrik Lang Story

  In this Tuesday, June 18, 2013 photo, Roland Emmerich. director of the film "White House Down," poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. The action-packed film starring Jamie Foxx as the President of the United States of America and Channing Tatum as his impromptu bodyguard releases Friday, June 28, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

• Roland Emmerich

  In this Tuesday, June 18, 2013 photo, Roland Emmerich. director of the film "White House Down," poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. The action-packed film starring Jamie Foxx as the President of the United States of America and Channing Tatum as his impromptu bodyguard releases Friday, June 28, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

• Roland Emmerich

  In this Tuesday, June 18, 2013 photo, Roland Emmerich. director of the film "White House Down," poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, Calif. The action-packed film starring Jamie Foxx as the President of the United States of America and Channing Tatum as his impromptu bodyguard releases Friday, June 28, 2013. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Channing Tatum attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Channing Tatum attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Channing Tatum attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Maggie Gyllenhaal attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: The cast and producers of 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Maggie Gyllenhaal attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Brad Fischer, (L), Jamie Vanderbilt and Harald Kloser (R) attend 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Jamie Foxx attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Channing Tatum attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Channing Tatum, (L), Jamie Foxx, (C) and Roland Emmerich, (R) attend 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Maggie Gyllenhaal attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

• "White House Down" Washington DC Premiere

  WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 21: Maggie Gyllenhaal attends 'White House Down' Washington DC Premiere at AMC Georgetown on June 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/roland-emmerich-white-house-down_n_3500037.html

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Albanian PM Berisha concedes election defeat

By Benet Koleka

TIRANA (Reuters) - Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha conceded defeat on Wednesday after losing a parliamentary election at the weekend, ending three days of public silence and soothing fears of a messy handover of power in the volatile NATO country.

The concession speech to supporters in downtown Tirana clears the way for the capital's former mayor and leader of the opposition Socialist Party, Edi Rama, to take power after a landslide victory on Sunday.

Berisha waited until almost the very last ballot paper was counted to appear in public, raising concern in the West that he might dispute the result.

His concession will be taken as a sign of growing democratic maturity in the Adriatic nation, which has been rocked by repeated bouts of political unrest since the fall of communist rule in 1991. A smooth handover would help revive Albania's stalled bid to join the European Union.

"Accepting the result of the elections, I wish the opponent good luck," Berisha said at his party headquarters.

"We lost this election and all responsibility for the loss falls only on one person, me," he said, to cries of "No, no!" from supporters.

With votes counted from 99 percent of polling stations, the Socialist-led opposition alliance was poised to take 84 of parliament's 140 seats, well ahead of Berisha's Democrats on 56.

Albania's dominant political figure since the end of more than four decades of Stalinist rule in 1991, Berisha was credited with taking Albania into NATO in 2009 and onto the first rung of EU membership. But his opponents accuse him of undermining democracy and allowing graft and organized crime to flourish.

The country's EU membership bid has been on ice since it applied to become an official candidate four years ago, due to concern in the 27-nation bloc over democratic maturity, crime and corruption.

Rama, who won international acclaim during a decade as Tirana mayor for revitalizing the drab capital, says he will reboot the EU bid and transplant his success in the city to the rest of the rundown country of 2.8 million people.

Berisha announced his resignation from the Democratic Party but said he would remain a lawmaker.

(Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/albanian-pm-berisha-concedes-election-defeat-182153888.html

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This is the Modem World: Internet radio is inhuman

Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology.

I gripped the handset, twirling the coiled wire around my wrist, listening for a ring tone. Instead, a busy signal triggered an autonomous twitch reaction in my teenage hand: hang up, wait for dial tone, hit redial, listen for ring tone. Again. Again.

Filed under: Internet

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/oZoCg4hg7K4/

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Armed resistance reemerging in Kashmir

India's prime minister toured the disputed region a day after one of the deadliest attacks on Indian forces in years. India is talking up development, but political dialogue is lacking.

By Zahid Rafiq,?Correspondent / June 25, 2013

India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, center with blue turban, is greeted by Chief Postmaster General John Samuel, right presenting a bouquet, during the release of a postal stamp of Kashmiri poet Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor, in Srinagar, India, June 25. Shops, businesses ,and schools were closed in Indian-controlled Kashmir after separatist groups called for a strike Tuesday to protest a visit by the Indian prime minister to the disputed Himalayan region.

Dar Yasin/AP

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Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh went on with a planned visit to the deserted and barricaded city of Srinagar in Indian-held Kashmir a day after two militants attacked an Indian Army convoy here.

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Eight soldiers were killed and 14 were injured in the attack, making it one of the deadliest in the resurgent Kashmiri insurgency that is slowly and deftly reemerging on Kashmir?s landscape.?

After a substantial phase of people?s disenchantment with violence and a gradual movement away from an armed struggle toward nonviolent protests and social media campaigns, the gun seems to be returning to the center stage of Kashmir?s fight against Indian rule. New Delhi missed an opportunity to engage with a changed environment where the focus was on nonviolence and instead started terming the absence of violence as peace and silence of guns as Kashmir?s acceptance of the Indian rule.?

The attack yesterday came a day after the killing of two policemen who were shot dead from close range by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar?s busy business hub. This year so far has already seen the death of more than 25 armed forces personnel in the territory, and a much more sophisticated militancy appears to be active in the Kashmir Valley. According to the police and Army, many of these new militants are local Kashmiri youth and they are carrying out a lot of the operations now.?

?Before the Arab Spring, in 2008 and 2010, half a million Kashmiri people marched peacefully on the streets of Kashmir, seeking a solution to the Kashmir dispute and asking freedom from Indian rule. Not a single armed forces personnel was killed in these protests, but the Indian state responded with imposing curfews, stopping the Internet service, and killing more than 170 young unarmed boys, and wounding thousands,? says Asif Ahmad, a young computer science graduate, who was part of these protests and had felt that some solution was finally on its way.

?But nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. Other than thousands of young boys being send to prison for protesting and even for what they posted on facebook,? he says. ?

India has pursued a counterinsurgency strategy that merges police surveillance and crackdowns with local elections, jobs programs, and some development. Mr. Singh visited Kashmir today to inaugurate a rail line that will eventually link the Kashmir Valley with India ? part of New Delhi's hopes of more fully integrating the disputed region with India. The relative peace of the last few years has also paid nongovernmental dividends in the form of skyrocketing tourism from India.

Yet India has made few movements toward a political process to address the long-standing Kashmir dispute.?

The Himalayan region is claimed fully by both India and Pakistan, and is de facto divided by the two countries along a military Line of Control. Many Kashmiris, particularly Muslims in the Kashmir Valley, want the right to self-determination to join with India or Pakistan or to be independent. A bloody mass armed uprising, supported by militants from Pakistan, raged from 1989 into the past decade against India, which responded by maintaining more than half a million forces in the region with immunity from the law. The conflict has left some 70,000 people dead, mostly civilian.

In recent years, India has carried on a slow dialogue with Pakistan that has included some initiatives aimed at boosting trade and travel links between the two countries. But India's public outreach to Kashmiris themselves was limited to a listening tour of the region by three "interlocutors" whose recommendations for a dialogue with separatists, among other steps, went nowhere.?

Without any political process to look to, there is an immense sense of siege in Kashmir and the hopelessness among the youth has increased even more after they witnessed the same violent response from the Indian state for throwing stones and chanting slogans as for picking up arms.?

?The militancy had almost come to an end, and even I had thought that it was a phase that is now over. But Kashmir is a political problem, and violent and nonviolent means are only an expression of the political resentment and aspiration among the Kashmiris,? says Noor Ahmad Baba, a political science professor at Kashmir University.

Professor Baba was himself a young man during the 1990s when militancy was at its peak in Kashmir, and he feels that this is an altogether new kind of militancy that is coming up. ?That time it was a mass movement and everyone picked up gun in anger and passion without knowing what it meant and what it entailed. Now it is much more sophisticated and professional, this one is going to be different,? says Baba.

Hizbul Mujahideen, a militant outfit based in Pakistan-held-Kashmir and one of the oldest organizations fighting in the region, claimed the attack on the convoy. ?The attack was carried out by special squad of the outfit and our militants reached their hideouts safely,? HM?s operational spokesperson Baleeg-u-Din told a local Kashmiri news agency last night.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/6NkkL7ErjYs/Armed-resistance-reemerging-in-Kashmir

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AP sources: Obama to limit carbon at power plants

The Capitol Dome is seen behind the Capitol Power Plant in Washington, Monday, June 24, 2013. The plant provides power to buildings in the Capitol Complex. President Barack Obama is running out of time to make good on his lofty vow to confront climate change head-on, and Congress is in no mood to help. The executive actions and regulations Obama announces Tuesday will take years to implement. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The Capitol Dome is seen behind the Capitol Power Plant in Washington, Monday, June 24, 2013. The plant provides power to buildings in the Capitol Complex. President Barack Obama is running out of time to make good on his lofty vow to confront climate change head-on, and Congress is in no mood to help. The executive actions and regulations Obama announces Tuesday will take years to implement. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The Capitol Dome is seen behind the Capitol Power Plant in Washington, Monday, June 24, 2013. The plant provides power to buildings in the Capitol Complex. President Barack Obama is running out of time to make good on his lofty vow to confront climate change head-on, and Congress is in no mood to help. The executive actions and regulations Obama announces Tuesday will take years to implement. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama's national plan to combat climate change will include the first-ever regulations to limit carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, as well as increased production of renewable energy on public lands and federally assisted housing, environmental groups briefed on the plan said Monday.

In a major speech Tuesday at Georgetown University, Obama will announce that he's directing his administration to allow enough renewables on public lands to power 6 million homes by 2020, effectively doubling the capacity from solar, wind and geothermal projects on federal property. He'll also say the U.S. will significantly expand production of renewable energy on low-income housing sites, according to five individuals briefed on the plan, who were not authorized to discuss it publicly ahead of Obama's announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The far-reaching plan marks Obama's most prominent effort yet to deliver on a major priority he laid out in his first presidential campaign and recommitted to at the start of his second term: to fight climate change in the U.S. and abroad and prepare American communities for its effects. Environmental activists have been irked that Obama's high-minded goals never materialized into a comprehensive plan.

In taking action on his own ? none of the steps Obama will announce Tuesday require congressional approval ? Obama is also signaling he will no longer wait for lawmakers to act on climate change, and instead will seek ways to work around them.

The lynchpin of Obama's plan, and the step activists say will have the most dramatic impact, involves limits on carbon emissions for new and existing power plants. The Obama administration has already proposed controls on new plants, but those controls have been delayed and not yet finalized. Tuesday's announcement will be the first public confirmation that Obama plans to extend carbon controls to coal-fired power plants that are currently pumping heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

"This is the holy grail," said Melinda Pierce of Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group. "That is the single biggest step he can take to help tackle carbon pollution."

Forty percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, and one-third of greenhouse gases overall, come from electric power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Energy Department's statistical agency.

Obama is expected to lay out a broad vision Tuesday, without detailed emission targets or specifics about how they will be put in place. Instead, the president will launch a process in which the Environmental Protection Agency will work with states to develop specific plans to rein in carbon emissions, with flexibility for each state's circumstances. Under one scenario envisioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, states could draw on measures such as clean energy sources, carbon-trapping technology and energy efficiency to reduce the total emissions released into the air.

Obama also will announce more aggressive steps to increase efficiency for appliances such as refrigerators and lamps, according to people briefed on the plan. Another component of Obama's proposal will involve ramping up hydropower production from existing dams.

Heather Zichal, Obama's senior energy and climate adviser, told environmental groups Monday that Obama is working with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan on a target for renewable energy to be produced at federally assisted housing projects.

She framed the Obama's efforts in the U.S. as part of a broader, global movement to combat climate change, trumpeting the role the U.S. can play in leading other nations to stem the warming of the planet.

Paul Bledsoe, who worked on climate issues in the Clinton White House, said Zichal renewed a pledge Obama made in in his first year in office, during global climate talks in Copenhagen, to cut U.S. carbon emissions by about 17 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels.

"This is a policy fulfillment of what the president has been talking about and trying to accomplish for five years or more," said Bledsoe, now a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

One key issue Obama is not expected to address Tuesday is Keystone XL, a pipeline that would carry oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast. A concerted campaign by environmental activists to persuade Obama to nix the pipeline as a "carbon bomb" appears to have gained little traction. The oil industry has been urging the president to approve the pipeline, citing jobs and economic benefits.

Obama raised climate change as a key second-term issue in his inaugural address in January, but has offered few details since. In his February State of the Union, he issued an ultimatum to lawmakers: "If Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will."

The poor prospects for getting any major climate legislation through a Republican-controlled House were on display last week when Speaker John Boehner responded to the prospect that Obama would put forth controls on existing power plants by deeming the idea "absolutely crazy."

"Why would you want to increase the cost of energy and kill more American jobs?" said Boehner, R-Ohio, echoing the warnings of some industry groups.

Sidestepping Congress by using executive action doesn't guarantee Obama smooth sailing. Lawmakers could introduce legislation to thwart Obama's efforts. And the rules for existing power plants will almost certainly face legal challenges in court. The Supreme Court has upheld the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, but how the EPA goes about that effort remains largely uncharted waters.

Even if legal and political obstacles are overcome, it will take years for the new measures to be put in place, likely running up against the end of Obama's presidency or even beyond it. White House aides say that's one reason Obama is ensuring the process starts now, while there are still more than three years left in his final term.

Under the process outlined in the Clean Air Act, the EPA cannot act unilaterally, but must work with states to develop the standards, said Jonas Monast, an attorney who directs the climate and energy program at Duke University. An initial proposal will be followed by a months-long public comment period before the EPA can issue final guidance to states. Then the states must create actual plans for plants within their borders, a process likely to take the better part of a year.

Then the EPA has another four months to decide whether to approve each state's plan before the implementation period can start.

Associated Press Writer Matthew Daly contributed to this story.

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-06-24-US-Obama-Climate-Change/id-c219d529562746f680f9661e0a71e1b5

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Wildfire: Colo. town sees long evacuation

The sun sets through wildfire smoke Sunday, June 23, 2013, near Monte Vista, Colo. A large wildfire near a popular summer retreat in southern Colorado continues to be driven by winds and fueled by dead trees in a drought-stricken area, authorities said. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

The sun sets through wildfire smoke Sunday, June 23, 2013, near Monte Vista, Colo. A large wildfire near a popular summer retreat in southern Colorado continues to be driven by winds and fueled by dead trees in a drought-stricken area, authorities said. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Colorado State Patrol officer Jessie Bartunek talks to a motorist at a checkpoint near South Fork, Colo., Sunday, June 23, 2013. A large wildfire near a popular summer retreat in southern Colorado continues to be driven by winds and fueled by dead trees in a drought-stricken area, authorities said Sunday. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Wildfire smoke blankets a ridge Sunday, June 23, 2013, near Alpine, Colo. A large wildfire near a popular summer retreat in southern Colorado continues to be driven by winds and fueled by dead trees in a drought-stricken area, authorities said Sunday. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Colorado State Patrol officer Jessie Bartunek talks to a motorist as he stands at a checkpoint near South Fork, Colo., Sunday, June 23, 2013. A large wildfire near a popular summer retreat in southern Colorado continues to be driven by winds and fueled by dead trees in a drought-stricken area, authorities said Sunday. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

A horse grazes as smoke rises from a wildfire on Sunday, June 23, 2013, near Alpine, Colo. A large wildfire near a popular summer retreat in southern Colorado continues to be driven by winds and fueled by dead trees in a drought-stricken area, authorities said Sunday. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

DEL NORTE, Colo. (AP) ? Tourists and business owners forced to flee a popular summer retreat in the southwestern Colorado mountains resigned themselves to a long wait as fire officials declined to speculate when they might be able to reign in an unprecedented and erratic blaze raging through the Rio Grande National Forest.

The fire more than doubled in size over the weekend, growing to an estimated 114 miles by Sunday night, authorities said.

And heavy winds fanning drought-stricken, beetle-killed forest showed no signs of relenting before Tuesday, fire officials said.

"They just said they had no idea how long it would be before we could back in South Fork," said Mike Duffy, who owns the South Fork Lodge.

Duffy said he and his wife, Mary, were able to get their personal possessions before fleeing fast-advancing flames that officials on Friday feared would overtake the town. But with the fire still within three miles of South Fork, they are worried about the long-term impact of a prolong evacuation and news reports about the massive blaze threatening the tourism-dependent town.

Summer visitors include many retirees from Texas and Oklahoma who come to the mountains to flee the heat.

"Here we are the 23rd of June. We had to tell people not to come because we are not there," Duffy said. "I just don't how much more of an affect it will have. Everyone's bottom line is going to get tagged by this. ... You still have to pay your property taxes whether you make money or not."

The town has 400 permanent residents, but South Fork Mayor Kenneth Brooke estimates that between 1,000 to 1,500 people were in town when the evacuation was ordered . More than 600 firefighters were battling the blaze, and more are coming every day.

As of Sunday night, officials said they knew of no structures lost and their efforts remained focused on protecting South Fork, the Wolf Creek ski area and homes along Highway 149 as the newest arm of the fire crept through beetle kill toward the historic mining town of Creede.

Creede, near the headwaters of the Rio Grande River, was the last silver boom town in Colorado before the industry went bust in the late 1800s. It has since dwindled in population, making way for a thriving tourist industry that relies on the town's colorful past. The town also is known for such characters as Robert Ford, who ran a tent saloon there and was best known for shooting and killing outlaw Jesse James in Missouri in 1882.

Pete Blume, a commander with the Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Command Team, said the wildfire is the worst ever known to hit the Rio Grande National Forest.

"It's not typical to have these kinds of fires here," said Blume. But he said the 30 to 40 mile-an-hour winds, beetle-killed trees and drought are "also not the norm."

Tim Foley, a fire behavior expert with the same incident command as Blume, said beetles have killed most of the forest's hundreds of thousands of acres of mature spruce.

Elsewhere in Colorado, about a dozen fires also continued to burn. Firefighters were making progress on a 19-square-mile wildfire near Walsenburg in southern Colorado. The fire was 10 percent contained.

And a wildfire in foothills about 30 miles southwest of Denver was expected to be fully contained Sunday evening. That fire burned 511 acres and forced 100 people to leave their homes.

In the Rio Grande forest, firefighters are hoping for a break in the high winds as well as the anticipated July monsoons to help them fight back the flames. They also want to reduce the number of new spot fires being sparked by wind-whipped ashes.

Until then, Blume said, "with that much beetle kill and drought we could have every resource in the country here and still not put in a containment line."

Pressed during a media briefing for an estimate on when evacuees might be able to return to South Fork, he said "we are probably looking at five days to a week."

Still, he said, portions of the blaze will likely burn all summer, with full extinguishment probably not coming until "late in the year."

Evacuees, meantime, tried to make the best of it.

Leilani and Ralph Harden, a retired couple from Victoria, Texas, were waiting it out with their RV in a parking lot adjacent to the roadblock, which allowed only firefighters and others with official business through.

"We are just sitting here watching the show," said Leilani Harden said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-24-Colorado%20Wildfires/id-22b29560a2b04ceeb195721f1f39728f

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