7/7 The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com         Ed Martin: Where Is the Love for VH1's Single Ladies? July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   This sexy primetime soap about the personal and professional lives and loves of three upscale women in Atlanta may at times be lighter than air, but the same can be said of much summer escapist fare. Read More... More on The Real Housewives         U.S. Forests Threatened By Insects, Report Finds July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- A federal report says hungry insects are a leading threat to the nation's forests, a problem worsened by drought and a milder climate. In a report obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, the U.S. Forest Service says the amount of forestland with large-scale tree deaths caused by insects jumped to 37 million acres between 2003 and 2007. That's a three-fold jump from the previous five years, in which 12 million acres died from insect attacks. Millions more have perished since then. Read More... More on Nature         Obama: I'm Sure Boehner 'Will See The Light' On Infrastructure Bill July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   WASHINGTON -- Recent changes in rhetoric from Republicans on Capitol Hill have provided a sliver of hope about the prospects of getting an infrastructure bill through Congress. Several freshmen House Republicans have either publicly stated or privately pushed for enhanced federal spending in their home districts. The most recent revelation came when Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Ill.) told a town hall last week that the president's stimulus package -- which he had criticized on the road to election -- would have been better had it "taken a lot bigger chunk of that money and put it into infrastructure." It was a relatively rare acknowledgment from a GOP member that targeted spending on, say, roads and bridge repair, has a positive economic impact. But it's exactly the type of message that some Republican freshmen have been sending privately. Read More... More on Republicans         Eve Ensler: Dominique Strauss-Kahn: So Much For Us to Learn July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   [Note - The following commentary originally appeared in The Guardian on Friday, July 1st and has been republished in many publications around the world.] The Strauss-Kahn case is not about winning or losing, but opening a dialogue on rape, violence and gender Read More... More on Dominique Strauss-Kahn         Albanian Town Thanks George W. Bush With Statue July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   (Reuters - Leon Cika) - A tiny Albanian village that President George W. Bush visited in 2007 has unveiled a shirt-sleeved statue of him, in a square named for him. The 2.85 m- (9.3 ft-) tall statue of the former president, raising his left hand in greeting, was unveiled on Wednesday in the square festooned with Albanian and American flags for the occasion. Read More... More on George W Bush         Shawn Amos: PLAY > SKIP: This Week's New Music July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   You've shaken off the sulfur from your 4th of July hangover; now witness the fireworks by a group of musicians rallying around a common cause. Read More... More on Music         Jennifer Aniston On 'Inside The Actors' Studio': Talks 'Friends,' 'The Breakup,' More (VIDEO) July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   Having recently been named the next recipient of a Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, Jennifer Aniston is moving on to the next stop on the certified legendary actor train: a visit to "Inside The Actors' Studio." With nearly two decades of Hollywood dominance under her belt -- and a new career direction with her upcoming raunchfest of a film, "Horrible Bosses" -- Aniston took time to reflect on the role that truly launched her to superstardom. "It's one of the greatest jobs I ever had," Aniston said of her NBC sitcom, "Friends." "It gave me everything. It gave me this ridiculously blessed life and career and taught me so much, and it's the best time I ever had." Read More... More on Jennifer Aniston         David Kronke: Village Voice, Continuing Its Progressive Attacks On Celebrities Tackling Social Ills, Turns Its Sights On George Clooney and Darfur July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   Village Voice Media, fresh off its triumph putting Ashton Kutcher in his place for trying to bring awareness to the problem of human trafficking, has directed its crosshairs to an even bigger celebrity and a more vexing issue. Read More... More on George Clooney         David Wagner: Report from Tokyo: Outrage Is Growing July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   In the aftermath of the Fukushima meltdown, people living in Japan must now contend with a contracting economy, limited electricity, and politicians who spend too much of their time trying to oust the Prime Minister. Read More...         Larry Magid: Hands-On with Facebook's New Video Chat July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   After returning from Facebook headquarters to hear Mark Zuckerberg make his "awesome" announcement, I had a chance to try out the new Facebook video chat which is powered by Skype. Read More...         Iowa Rep. Steve King Plays It Coy On 2012 Endorsement July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) may be staff-sharing, Obamacare-repealing BFF's in the House of Representatives, but does that ensure that Bachmann will receive King's endorsement in the run-up to next year's Iowa caucuses? Conventional wisdom suggests that it's a done deal. Just last month, the Sioux City Journal's Christopher Rants called the pair "foxhole buddies" and opined, "I can't imagine him not putting his organization to work for her." But what does King have to say when he's put on the spot? Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson reports: “You can take the best raw material, the person that’s got the best talented gifts to be president of the United States and pluck them out of whatever walk in life it might be and put them in the Oval Office and they would not be near the president for us that they will be once they go through this crucible of the nominating and the election process,” King says. Read More... More on Steve King         Robbie Gennet: There Is No Free Market July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   In order for a market to truly be "free," it can't be manipulated or augmented via subsidies and tax breaks. The term "free" means "not physically restrained, obstructed or fixed; unimpeded" and is unambiguous by nature. Without a qualifier like "partially," the term "free" infers total and unequivocal lack of restraint or manipulation. So how can Republicans in Congress espouse the "free market" while fighting to keep massive subsidies, loopholes and corporate tax breaks in place? Doesn't this dichotomy strike anyone as hypocritical? Or has the term "free market" lost all meaning and relativity amidst the New Corporatism usurping our government? I could list all the various tax breaks and subsidies given to various industries and corporations, but suffice to say it would take far too many pages to do so. The info is easy to Google, and the overall picture is just as instructive in making the point. Just take a look at a few industries that do not operate in a "free" market: agriculture, banking, pharmaceuticals and oil. These industries operate in a highly manipulated environment. U.S. taxpayers dole out roughly 12 billion dollars a year in subsidies to oil companies, and yet the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate of oil giant Exxon Mobil in 2009 was effectively zero. How much would Exxon's record profits be without any subsidies and tax breaks? And would the price of oil or gas be any higher than it is today? While gas prices have gone up, so have oil company profits: Exxon Mobil's profit in the last quarter of 2010 was $9.25 billion, compared with $6.05 billion in the same period a year before. In 2010, Exxon Mobil made a $30.46 billion profit in 2010 compared with $19.28 billion in 2009. Revenue for 2010 rose from $310 billion in 2009 to $383 billion in 2010. Read More... More on Gas & Oil         Michael Beasley Cited For Marijuana Possession: Timberwolves Player Also Cited For Speeding July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   Minnesota Timberwolves GM David Kahn said last year that he believes Michael Beasley is maturing and getting rid of his bad habits after "smoking too much marijuana" as a member of the Miami Heat. Turns out that Kahn was wrong. According to KARE 11, the Timberwolves forward was cited for possession of marijuana and speeding in Minnesota last week. Read More... More on Sports Crime         Wage Theft: Business Interests Try To Scuttle New Worker Laws July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   Late last year, advocates for low-wage workers in Florida's Palm Beach County made what they thought was a modest request of their county commissioners: pass a wage-theft ordinance that would make it easier for working people to reclaim unpaid wages from employers who stiff them. But that seemingly simple request is now in limbo, as Florida's business interests have begun campaigning strongly against such ordinances. Some local clergy in Palm Beach are wondering what's so controversial about making sure working people are paid what's owed them. "I had a much higher opinion of our business community," said Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church Deacon Peter Mazzella, who's part of a coalition of religious leaders advocating for the law. "Being paid for one's efforts -- the salary that’s agreed upon for one's work -- is something very foundational to our whole economic system." Read More... More on Florida         Rep. Sandy Levin: The "Make it in America" initiative: The 'Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act' July 6, 2011 at 4:58 PM   There are few issues more vital to our state of Michigan, as well as our nation, than advanced manufacturing and trade. The "Make it in America" agenda is a plan to rebuild the American manufacturing sector through various pieces of legislation introduced by members in the Democratic caucus. Several of these have already become law, while some are currently pending. Continuing from last week, as part of this agenda, we are trying to force the House Republican leadership to bring to a floor vote the 'Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act', which would help American businesses compete on a more level playing field in the global economic market. This legislation, which passed in a House vote last year by a margin of 348 to 79, would allow the Commerce Department to consider currency manipulation and undervaluation as a subsidy, which could then be countered with a tariff, leveling the playing field for domestic manufacturers. Economists estimate that China's undervalued currency costs the U.S. between 500,000and 1.5 million jobs. Read More...         Marie Griffith: The New Evangelical Feminism of Bachman and Palin July 6, 2011 at 4:42 PM   These women embody that combination of conventional beauty, earnestness, piety and steely certitude of their own godliness that comprises the highest ideal of white conservative evangelical womanhood today. Read More... More on Christianity         Sheila Simon: Time for a More Open and Honest Government July 6, 2011 at 4:42 PM   Hot dogs, hamburgers and reform. That's what I'm looking forward to this summer holiday season. The conviction of our former governor should cause us to fire up our demand for better government. Read More... More on Rod Blagojevich         Rep. Tim Scott Floats Impeachment If Obama Invokes 14th Amendment On Debt Limit (VIDEO) July 6, 2011 at 4:42 PM   WASHINGTON -- While some have asserted that the debt limit might be unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment, and therefore President Obama does not need congressional approval to raise it, Republicans have been quick to express skepticism over the idea. On Tuesday, a Republican congressman went a step further, saying that if Obama were to use that argument to bypass Congress on the issue, it would be an impeachable offense. "This president is looking to usurp congressional oversight to find a way to get it done without us. My position is that is an impeachable act from my perspective," said Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) at a meeting sponsored by the Tea Party group LowCountry 9.12 Project on Tuesday, first reported by Lindsay Street on West Ashley Patch. His comments were met with enthusiastic applause. Read More... More on 112th Congress         Mary Quigley: Mom's Warehouse July 6, 2011 at 4:42 PM   Every spring, I embark on a cleaning binge. While the storage space holds a few boxes of my own discards, most of the "stuff" belongs to my three adult children. My home has become "the warehouse of mum and dad." Read More...         Bishop Gene Robinson: Employees Should Be Judged on Performance, Not Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity July 6, 2011 at 4:42 PM   In the wake of celebrating our national independence, it is time to make the American Dream true for more Americans. Congress should pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, which would provide important and needed protections against workplace discrimination based on a person's real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. This Congress claims to be focused on jobs, and this legislation would protect those who have jobs or are applying for jobs against unfair, unreasonable, and irrational discrimination in the workplace. These legal protections only exist in 13 states and the District of Columbia (an additional eight states have policies that include sexual orientation, but not gender identity). That means millions of people are judged not on the quality of their work but on characteristics irrelevant to their job performance. Far too many Americans live in fear of losing their current employment, being harassed on the job, or being bypassed for promotions simply because they are gay or transgender. Indeed, we know that people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, face widespread discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Studies show that anywhere from 15 percent to 43 percent of LGB people experience some form of discrimination and harassment on the job. Further, 8 percent to 17 percent of LGB workers report being passed over for a job or fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Ten percent to 28 percent received a negative performance evaluation or were passed over for a promotion because they were LGB. And 7 percent to 41 percent of LGB workers encountered harassment, abuse, or anti-LGB vandalism on the job. Read More... More on lgbt         The 10 Most Expensive Public Business Schools For In-State Students July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   According to an article in U.S. News Education, the average tuition and fees package offered to in-state students at the top 10 most expensive public business schools was $34,698 for the 2010-11 school year. Though all ten business schools are good (all ten made it into the top 40 best business schools rankings and seven made it into the top 25), the prices are still astronomically high (and figures don’t even include room and board, books, and other miscellaneous costs). The survey noted that four of the ten schools charged state resident more than $40,000 for the school year. How much would you pay for an MBA? Read More...         The Daily Meal: 25 Wines to Drink This Summer July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   Though it may have felt like summer for some time already, the season's arrival has only just become official. That deserves a toast now, don't you think? The better question, of course, is: What should you be toasting with? Cocktails and refreshing lagers aside, there's the whole spectrum of summer wines to consider. And it's a vast one at that. Which is why we turned to the experts -- sommeliers, wine writers, and the like -- to offer a little advice. What wines are they excited to drink this summer? Read More... More on Wine         KFC Wine Pairing Ideas For National Fried Chicken Day July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   I'm back at the dinner table on National Fried Chicken Day, checking off another one of your favorite fast food joints and this time it's finger lickin' good. Read More... More on Wine         Joshua Paul Amoroso, Ex-Youth Pastor At Gateway Church, Charged With Sexual Assault Of 14-Year-Old Girl July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   Joshua Paul Amoroso, 22, was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual assault on a 14-year-old child by a person in a position of trust. Amoroso, a Colorado Springs youth pastor at Gateway Church, faces up to 90 days in jail and at least 10 years of probation under his plea agreement with prosecutors, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. The plea arrangement means prosecutors will dismiss the 17 additional counts related to Amoroso’s relationship with the 14-year-old girl. Amoroso met the teenaged girl while counciling children at the Colorado Springs Gateway Church in 2010. 7News reports that their relationship lasted three-months and the youth pastor exchanged more than 16,000 text messages and phone calls with the girl he allegedly had sexual contact with. Read More... More on Denver News         Adam Chandler: Gilad Shalit and the Five-Year Drought July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   I registered surprise by how quietly the five-year anniversary of Gilad Shalit's abduction passed. It seems that those outraged -- and rightly so -- at the state of affairs in the Jewish State no longer have space for the causes that first seduced them into loving such a complicated country. Read More... More on Israel         Corporations Tell Smoking Employees To Pay More For Health Insurance July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   If you smoke, you'll pay more. That's the message and policy coming out of some of the country's largest corporations. As of July 1, employees at Macy's who admit to using tobacco will be charged an extra $420 a year for health coverage, reports Bloomberg Businessweek. Macy's is joining the ranks of companies like PepsiCo, which requires its smoking employees pay an extra $600 year, and publisher Gannett, which charges an additional $720. Some companies like Humana, Union Pacific and Scotts Miracle-Gro flat out refuse to hire smokers. Read More... More on Smoking         Kristi Toliver Elbows Ketia Swanier During WNBA Game (VIDEO) July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   Tuesday night's WNBA game between the Phoenix Mercury and LA Sparks got a little chippy in the third quarter while Phoenix was clinging to a two-point lead. Los Angeles' Kristi Toliver was dribbling at the top of the key and tried to make a move on Ketia Swanier. With her back to Swanier, Toliver threw an elbow and nailed Swanier in the face. The Mercury guard fell down, started bleeding and and was helped off the court. Toliver was given a flagrant foul and Phoenix went on to win 101-82. WATCH: Read More... More on Basketball         Richard Kirsch: What's Wrong with the Obama Administration's Cuts to Medicaid July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   It's true that Medicaid costs are increasing, but that's not because Medicaid has done a poor job of controlling health care costs. Read More... More on Health Care         Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Casey Anthony Is Not OJ in White Female Face July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   In the decade since O.J. Simpson's acquittal, the media has force-fed the public a bloated diet of Simpson-style sensationalism. The Casey Anthony case was only the latest in the sordid train of tabloid made-for-the-public court cases. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         City Council Approves Later Night Patio Dining Downtown July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   Chicago's outdoor patios and rooftop gardens would be free to stay open until midnight, under a seasonal test advanced by the City Council Wednesday to accommodate international travelers who love to stay out late. At the behest of downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd), aldermen agreed to push back the mandatory closing time for the city's 70 outdoor patios and rooftop gardens. Those establishments currently stop serving at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at midnight on Friday and Saturday. Read More... More on Chicago Around Town         Joan Brunwasser: Youth Inspires Family Vacation for Tornado Disaster Relief July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   My guest today is India Mussell-McKay, who has a little something different planned for her upcoming family vacation. Read More... More on Tornadoes         'Twilight' Author Stephenie Meyer Producing Jane Austen Inspired 'Austenland' Movie July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   Keri Russell, JJ Feild and Bret McKenzie will star in Austenland, an indie romantic comedy that is serving as the directorial debut of Jerusha Hess, who co-wrote Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre with her husband, helmer Jared Hess. In a twist, the movie is also serving as the producing debut of Stephenie Meyer, author of the best-selling vampire books The Twilight Saga. Read More...         DADT Repeal: Court Orders Immediate Halt To Gay Military Ban July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court has barred further enforcement of the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Wednesday the "don't ask, don't tell" policy must be immediately lifted now that the Obama administration says it's unconstitutional to treat gay Americans differently under the law. Read More... More on Don't Ask Don't Tell         Joel Reynolds: Pebble Mine -- Self Destruction (VIDEO) July 6, 2011 at 4:26 PM   Born and still living in the town of Dillingham on the shores of Bristol Bay, Holly's life revolves around the wild salmon fishery and she depends on its protection -- literally. Holly's view of the Pebble Mine? "Self-destruction." Read More... More on Nature         Aparna Pande: India-Bangladesh: Sins of Omission & Commission July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   On June 29, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an off-the-record meeting with various editors stated that "at least a quarter" of Bangladesh's population "swear by the Jamiat-e-Islami" and "are very anti-Indian" and "are in the clutches, many times, of the ISI." In a faux pas, these remarks were posted on the Prime Ministers' Office (PMO) website for almost 30 hours before they were edited out. A massive damage control exercise was launched soon after with both Prime Minister Singh and Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna speaking with their counterparts to lower the tensions. Mr Krishna is scheduled to visit Bangladesh next week and Ms Sonia Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, in end-July. It is said that you can choose your friends but not your relatives. In the same way, a country can choose its allies but it cannot choose its neighbors. And like in the former example it is not the ties of blood that make or break the relationship, it is the sins of omission and commission that do so. An analysis of Indo-Bangla ties in the light of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent remarks is critical. Read More... More on Asia         James Napoli: The Spelling of Michele Bachmann's Name Is Un-American July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   No less an authority than Wikipedia defines un-American as "applied to people or institutions in the United States seen as deviating from U.S. norms." Well, citizens, it doesn't get much more deviant than spelling Michelle with one freaking l. Read More... More on Barack Obama         What Is The Fancy Food Show And Why Should We Care? July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   Imagine a large room filled with endless samples of 180,000 different products: cheese, chocolate, olive oil and more. For three days every summer, the Fancy Food Show comes to New York (except it will be in Washington, DC for the next two years) and brings with it an impressive roster of products from truffle oil to haggis. Organized by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), the Fancy Food Show collects about 25,000 vendors, buyers, trade representatives, distributors, store owners, retailers, gift basket assemblers and media. They are sharingâ€"or trying to findâ€"the next best thing in the world of fancy food. The 57th annual Summer Fancy Food Show (July 10-12, 2011) has grown significantly from its early years. The first show had 40 vendors and 90 percent of them were from Europe. Today, 60 percent of the products are from the United States. Read More...         Margot Wallström: Unique Chance for South Sudan to Herald Women's Rights July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   Conflict-related sexual violence is one of history's greatest silences. In South Sudan as elsewhere, it brings stigmatization and rejection, and damages the entire social fabric. Read More... More on Africa         Ernan Roman: Our Daily Emails: Guidelines for Improving Quality and Relevance July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   We have all endured countless emails which waste our time because they are not relevant -- emails that recount inane workplace behavior or circulate urban legends. I ran across some valuable email guidelines. Read More...         John Tarnoff: Peace Is the New War: Keys to 21st Century Citizenship July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   While I have tremendous respect for those who serve in the military, 21st century citizenship needs to reframe the meaning of nationalism and civic pride as a commemoration of Peace, not War. Read More... More on Sustainability         DADT Repeal: Court Orders Immediate Halt To Gay Military Ban July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal appeals court has barred further enforcement of the U.S. military's ban on openly gay service members. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Wednesday the "don't ask, don't tell" policy must be immediately lifted now that the Obama administration says it's unconstitutional to treat gay Americans differently under the law. Read More... More on Don't Ask Don't Tell         Eason Jordan: U2, Blind Fan Team Up for Electrifying Performance July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   One of the world's greatest rock bands had just finished a rousing concert performance Saturday night and was exiting the stage when U2′s frontman made what seemed like an inexplicable U-turn. Read More...         Dan Straus, San Jose State University Professor, Gets $750,000 After A Fire Destroyed His Einstein Papers July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   SAN JOSE, Calif. — A Northern California family must pay $750,000 for a massive 2007 wildfire that destroyed papers written by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein, a jury decided. The Santa Clara County jury came to its verdict last week against Margaret Pavese, her husband, Lawrence, and her father-in-law, Ernest, in a negligence lawsuit filed by San Jose State University chemistry professor Dan Straus, the San Jose Mercury News reported Tuesday. Read More... More on The West         New Zealand Earthquake 2011: Tsunami Warning Issued Following 7.8 Magnitude Quake July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a 7.8 magnitude earthquake off the coast of New Zealand, in the Kermadec Islands region. Though the quake has apparently occurred at a depth of 29.8 miles. A tsunami warning has been issued for New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands and Tonga. Read More... More on New Zealand Earthquake         Food & Wine: America's Wacky Fair Foods July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   Cotton candy, corn dogs and candy apples once ruled the midway at the local fair, but visitors now want food that's exotic—as long as it's on a stick, or more importantly, fried. From health-defying anomalies like fried dough injected with Pepsi to squirm-inducing chocolate-dipped scorpions, the new sideshow is food. Here, Food & Wine presents 25 of America's Wacky Fair Foods. Related Slideshows: Read More... More on Weird Photos and Videos         Marshall Auerback: Fiscal Policy for the People? Why Obama Should Invoke the 14th Amendment July 6, 2011 at 4:09 PM   In response to the debt ceiling drama, many want President Obama to use the 14th Amendment to declare the debt limit unconstitutional. That's a welcome development in a debate too often characterized by wrong-headed economics and outright demagoguery. Read More... More on Barack Obama         The Northern Lights Explained (VIDEO) July 6, 2011 at 3:46 PM   The northern lights are spectacular for more than just their beauty. They're also one of the most mysterious phenomena on Earth. Or at least, were at one point. The video below gives a stunning look at just how these seemingly mystical waves come to be. Did you know that the northern lights are actually created after the sun ejects energy from its core? Read More... More on Nature         Belarus Protests Disrupted As Police Punch, Kick, Arrest Protesters July 6, 2011 at 3:46 PM   MINSK, Belarus — Police in Belarus attacked peaceful protesters Wednesday, beating and detaining hundreds in the latest series of rallies calling for the ouster of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, witnesses and a human rights group said. The demonstrators assembled in eight different parts of the capital, Minsk, and 10 other towns and cities in the former Soviet nation, clapping in unison as a show of solidarity against Lukashenko, who they accuse of exacerbating the financial crisis and ostracizing Belarus from the civilized world. Read More...         Facebook Charging Rumor Goes Viral As Video Chat Announced July 6, 2011 at 3:46 PM   Facebook made its "awesome" announcement today: it's partnering with Skype to offer video chat, just days after the launch of Google+. The Skype-Facebook partnership had been rumored for some time, and the video chat feature has already gone live (you can try it here). But the partnership seems to have resurfaced fears about Facebook charging for that or other services. In the past, some have questioned how a Skype-Facebook partnership would make money. Read More... More on Facebook         Always Runs First Feminine Hygiene Ad To Show Blood July 6, 2011 at 3:46 PM   If marketing campaigns have taught us anything about periods, it is that menstruating women love to dance, are drawn to white spandex and, oh yeah, bleed a Kool-Aid like blue liquid … which they store in beakers. It is now the faint of heart might want to click away, because maxi-pad company Always has broken the taboo and revealed that sanitary napkins are actually produced for the absorption of blood. Read More... More on Women's Empowerment             This email was sent to venturepoliticalcapital@gmail.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox PO Box 682532 Franklin, TN 37068 Account Login Unsubscribe Here