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Eyrie Productions, Unlimited
Preliminary After-Action Report
To: Benjamin D. Hutchins, Chief of IP OperationsHeadquarters, New Avalon, Zeta Cygni
Flag Summary: Operation TRIDENTCOMO Utena R. Tenjou IPSFR cmdg.
Deep spaceFornax sector, United Federation of PlanetsMarch 7, 2410
I have the honor to acquaint you with the events of March 5-7 (inclusive), 2410, as regards the prosecution of Operation TRIDENT. Pursuant to instructions from Headquarters, and in accordance with the International Police Organization's mutual assistance pact with the Republic of Tau Ceti IV, I assembled my task force at the Initial Point near the Tau Ceti heliopause during the evening (Avalon Standard Time) of March 5. When fully constituted, Task Force TRIDENT consisted of the following vessels:
FlagIPS Valiant NCC-06041
Group TRIDENT REDIPS Challenger NCC-04462 (CPT L. Soong)LKV HoSghaj K-1832 (CPT K. vathKesek)HMS Illustrious BBS-72 (CPT Sir D. Soandso, Bart.)Gamilon Crown Starship Lorica (CMDR Jethan)Barsaivian trading vessel Kuratai no t'slas-Jas'Ishkarat (E. Shustal, master)Private starship F/V Gravy Train (R. Riddick, master)Private starship Daggerdisc (C. Ravenhair, master)
Group TRIDENT BLUEWDF Enterprise NCC-1701 (VADM J. Kirk)WDF Unicorn NCC-1744 (CPT A. Haddock)WDF Reliant NCC-1864 (CPT C. Terrell)WDF Scimitar NCC-940 (CMDR V. Leeds)WDF Henry Knox DDS-724 (CMDR C. Hughes)
Group TRIDENT GREYIPS Indefatigable NCC-1749 (CPT Sir E. Pellew)IPS Prometheus CVS-101 (CPT K. Sterling)IPS Assailant NCC-06067 (CMDR R. Hoshino)IPS Empire Builder NCC-07005 (CMDR W. Tarrant)IPS Demologos NCC-07012 (CMDR J. Fulton)
Following an intelligence and reconnaissance briefing given by CMDR Ivar Merkretsch RSN (HMS Unfathomable U-201), Task Force TRIDENT stood into the system to engage the enemy. H-hour for the operation was 0200 Avalon Standard Time, March 6, 2410.
Enemy assets identified by Unfathomable at the start of the operation were:
Earthforce NavyEAS Clytćmnestra, Nova-class battleshipEAS Ćneas, Nova-class battleshipEAS Peloponnesus, Hyperion-class cruiserEAS Vicksburg, Hyperion-class cruiserEAS Taliesin, Hyperion-class cruiserEAS Cosmonaut Vladimir M. Komarov, Salyut-class spacecraft carrierEscort squadron DESRON-14, 3x Patriot-class destroyer: - EAS Nathan Hale - EAS Caesar Rodney - EAS Elbridge GerryEAS Retiarius, Retiarius-class Perimeter Control Vessel
Earthforce Marine CorpsEMCS Suribachi, Iceberg-class surface assault shipEMCS Canaveral, Myrmidon-class monitorEMCS Agulhas, Myrmidon-class monitor
StarfleetUSS Bellerophon, Nebula-class cruiserUSS Northumberland, Nebula-class cruiser
Captain Merkretsch identified Suribachi as the headquarters ship for the Earthforce X Surface Assault Corps, MGEN Westford Drake EMC commanding.
At mission elapsed time 00:24, Force TRIDENT passed the orbit of Tau Ceti V and formed up for in-system assault. At 00:31, Valiant was hailed by EAS Clytćmnestra, which identified herself as the Earthforce fleet's flag. At this time it was learned that General Drake was the Earthforce flag officer in overall command of the invasion. He ordered Force TRIDENT to leave the system immediately or be subject to attack as pirates interfering with a lawful peacekeeping mission. I informed him that I was not born yesterday and hostilities commenced at MET 00:40.
I should note here that the two Starfleet vessels did not participate in the ensuing fleet action. CPT Hunsacker of Northumberland notified us that his vessel and Bellerophon were present only to guarantee the neutrality of Tau Ceti III. When battle commenced between Force TRIDENT and the Earthforce group, the Starfleet ships stood off to a distance of 2.5 AU and observed.
In approximately 33 minutes of close action, Force TRIDENT's heavier starships occupied the attention of the Earthforce vessels while Gravy Train, Daggerdisc, and small craft from Challenger, Enterprise, Indefatigable, and Prometheus penetrated the orbital defenses of Tau Ceti IV and inserted a counter-assault force on the planet's surface. At the same time, Illustrious carried out an orbital infantry drop operation while under heavy fire from the destroyers of DESRON-14, for spacemanship during which operation I must particularly commend Captain Soandso.
All ships and crew performed admirably during the action against Earthforce in high orbit, but in addition to Illustrious above, I must take special note of:
- Commander Leeds and the crew of WDF Scimitar, who disabled the flight deck of EAS Komarov with a combination of daring maneuver and excellent gunnery;
- Captain vathKesek and the crew of HoSghaj, who, despite serious damage to their vessel, prevented the two Earthforce monitors from intercepting the surface assault force and knocked Agulhas out of the fight entirely; and
- Captain Pellew and the ship's company of Indefatigable, and LT John McCandless (VII GENOM White Legion) and his special action squad (along with Jedi Master Atin-Vae Springsteen), who crippled, boarded, and captured EAS Retiarius, the capture being concluded at about MET 01:23.
With Retiarius out of action, both in-system FTL navigation and the use of transporters became possible. Within a half-hour, Force TRIDENT was joined by several vessels which had not reached the Initial Point in time to be part of the initial assault:
Group TRIDENT WHITECFMF Charlemagne CFF-114 (CPT T'Pall, VADM A. Nakajima aboard)CFMF Whippet CFF-179 (CMDR D. Slattery)IGS Vengeance (CMDR G. Dessler)Private starship H/V Slave One (J. Fett, master)Private starship H/V Rusty Angel (A. Ironheart, master)
A small group of media starships arrived shortly thereafter, including NMS Swordbreaker (Network 23, J. Trussell, master) and the private broadcast vessel Big Time, but they did not take part in the main action, instead positioning themselves to provide galactic news coverage of the incidents unfolding on the planet's surface. At one point EAS Elbridge Gerry did engage Swordbreaker, attempting to drive the media ships off, but Swordbreaker's counterattack had crippled Gerry before any Force TRIDENT vessels could maneuver to intervene.
At MET 01:37, with the tactical advantage in orbit strongly on Force TRIDENT's side, I transferred operational command of the orbital elements to VADM Kirk, left Valiant in the capable hands of Colonel Grissom, and beamed to the surface in company with Tactical Division 131 SMF (Repo Men) to take charge of operations there.
The principal goals of Operation TRIDENT's surface actions were to wrest control of Tau City from Earthforce and restore President Charles Kallon to office. To this end, the TRIDENT surface forces were deployed with several incremental objectives:
1. To seize control of Tau City's main power generation facilities, the hydro-electric station at Tovora Dam north of the city and Lambert Salton Reactor Station downtown;
2. To determine the current status of the Tau City Constabulary and Republic of Tau Ceti Defense Force, gain control of their headquarters and barracks facilities, and (if necessary) restore both organizations to an operational condition;
3. To safeguard or re-establish legitimate government control of the Bell System hypercomm center near Government House;
4. To sweep the Earthforce Marine presence from Government House itself and its vicinity; and
5. To ascertain the whereabouts and condition of President Kallon and, if necessary, rescue him from Earthforce captivity.
By the time I arrived on the surface, much had already been done:
- The crew of the Gravy Train and several Valkyrie operatives had taken control of Tovora Dam, though a mishap during the fight had deprived much of the city's northern half of power;
- A group of TacDiv operators from Prometheus, led by SA1 agent Nikola Tesla, were on the verge of overtaking Salton Reactor entirely despite heavy resistance from Earthforce armored jump troopers and at least one Expert-level Black Omega esper agent (see attached dossier);
- Elements of the 66th Einherjar Legion and members of Valiant's volunteer crew had seized Tau City Constabulary Headquarters and were in the process of liberating the Constabulary's officers from the city prison, where Earthforce had incarcerated them; and
- Illustrious's ODSTs, led by MAJ Jaleen Orman and MCPO Sir John Spartan, had secured TCDF Headquarters and were in the process of mobilizing the Defense Force for objective 4 above.
Again, all personnel performed excellently. I must take special note of Prof. Tesla, whose heroism in the capture and preservation of Salton Reactor was conspicuous, and of one of our volunteers in Valiant, the Hon. Peregrine Took (58th Baroness Tuckborough), who was personally responsible for neutralizing the Black Omega esper agent in command of the city prison's occupation force.
When I reached the surface, my first order of business was to take control of the hypercomm facility. With 131 SMF's help, this was accomplished in relatively short order and without casualties. At that point I set about establishing a central command and coordination position. Up to that point the surface elements were proceeding independently, and all the threads of the operation had to be drawn together before we could proceed to objectives 4 and 5. Tuncer and I left most of 131 SMF to hold the hypercomm station until they could be relieved by local officers and relocated to TCDF Headquarters, which we judged to be the most thoroughly defensible of the available positions within the city.
At MET 03:21, I received word from Admiral Kirk that the two Starfleet vessels, which had held station and never offered to participate in the orbital action, had left the system abruptly and without making any kind of transmission. Shortly thereafter, the Earthforce Navy vessels that had not been captured or disabled earlier, and which had seemed to be regrouping near the orbit of Tau Ceti V, suddenly abandoned their efforts and quit the system, leaving Suribachi and Canaveral behind. Admiral Kirk and I redeployed Task Force TRIDENT for quick reaction to a possible reinforced Earthforce counterattack, but none appeared to be forthcoming. Our starships remained at high alert. Knowing they would report immediately if the situation changed, I returned my full attention to the ground operation.
At MET 03:45 (0445 hours local time, shortly before dawn), we completed preparations to launch phase 4 of the ground operation. In addition to the forces we brought with us and reinforcements beamed down from orbit, our force for the counterinvasion of Government Plaza included significant elements from both the Tau City Constabulary and Tau Ceti Defense Force. Their command and control structures were somewhat disorganized, owing to the battering both forces took in the initial invasion, but most local personnel were ready and eager to participate in the retaking of their capital.
I should note here that, with so many disparate elements involved in the ground assault, even with Lensmen scattered through the various groups, there would have been almost no hope of properly organizing or commanding the force as a whole without Cortana. Her communications capabilities are well beyond those of any humanoid, but her extensive tactical experience and her excellent situational awareness were of equal, if not greater, importance to the overall success of this operation.
Where the space battle was roughly even (allowing for the wide range of spacecraft types involved) at the outset, our ground force was badly outnumbered. Furthermore, the Earthforce Marines occupying Government Plaza were clearly aware that they had been abandoned by the Navy, and that their base ship was in no position to come to their aid. Under strict orders to hold until relief could arrive, they fought tenaciously. However, General Drake had remained aboard Suribachi, and with Retiarius in our hands he was completely unable to communicate with the planet.
The primary assault on Government Plaza took the form of a pincer, with one flank assaulted by Illustrious's ODSTs under Major Orman while Praefecta Flavia Satori's 66th Einherjar hit the other. At the same time, 131 SMF and a mixed group of volunteers and Special Assignment agents (including myself), broken up into several independent groups, entered the plaza and Government House itself through various secondary routes. By MET 05:23, the Salusian and Einherjar forces, supported by aerospacecraft from Prometheus and Charlemagne, had effective control of the outer plaza and the Earthforce command elements had withdrawn to the planetary emergency bunker in the subbasement of Government House.
The bunker was designed to provide a refuge for the colony's governor and other officials when Government House was first built, and its systems had been periodically updated, but it was intended to keep out rioting colonists, not determined professionals. MCPO Spartan breached it within minutes of Major Orman's ODSTs and the 66th securing the building.
At MET 05:33, I requested the surrender of Colonel Michael Plummer, General Drake's adjutant; when his only response was to attempt a (completely futile, given the tactical situation at that point) personal attack, MCPO Spartan was obliged to subdue him.
At MET 05:34, I accepted the surrender of Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Kopala, General Drake's deputy adjutant, and hostilities ceased.
At MET 05:37, President Charles Kallon was retrieved unharmed from a makeshift detention cell at the back of the bunker, where Colonel Plummer had placed him during the Earthforce troops' final withdrawal. Along with MCPO Spartan, 131 SMF, and several volunteers, I personally escorted him to his office, where he immediately began the process of reasserting legitimate government authority and restoring order to Tau Ceti IV.
At MET 05:40, Admiral Kirk notified Suribachi of the surrender of all Earthforce Marine Corps troops on the planet and requested General Drake's surrender as well. Rather than surrender, Suribachi opened a metaspace jump point and she and her remaining escort left the system. At this point, Admiral Kirk and I agreed to log Operation TRIDENT's primary mission as accomplished.
Total mission time: five hours, forty-one minutes from H-hour at the Initial Point.
Casualties: Six starship crew killed and 38 wounded in the space battle; one member of WDF Indefatigable's crew killed and two White Legion troopers wounded in the taking of EAS Retiarius; seven assorted members of the ground forces wounded in the initial phases of the surface operation; five ODSTs killed and 12 wounded in the main assault on Government Plaza, as well as 18 wounded members of the 66th Einherjar. In addition, two Tau City constables and 10 members of the Defense Force were killed and a total of 24 officers from both services were wounded, and one volunteer was injured in a non-combat-related accident during the preparations for the final assault. All our wounded are expected to recover.
Earthforce casualties are still being counted at this hour, but appear proportionally much higher (though a far greater proportion are wounded than are dead).
Equipment losses:
Starships moderately damaged:IPS ValiantIPS PrometheusIPS Empire BuilderWDF EnterpriseWDF Unicorn
Starships heavily damaged:LKV HoSghajIPS IndefatigableWDF Henry Knox
All other starships lightly damaged. None crippled; none captured.
On the ground, 131 SMF lost their tank (again), but Frank is OK.
Earthforce starships destroyed:EAS Vicksburg
Earthforce starships crippled/surrendered:EAS ĆneasEAS TaliesinEAS Elbridge GerryEMCS Agulhas
Earthforce starships boarded/captured:EAS RetiariusEAS Caesar Rodney
All other Earthforce starships were damaged, though it was difficult to ascertain how badly in most cases. All not listed above withdrew.
The two Starfleet vessels did not participate in any of the combat and left the system unharmed.
Following the completion of the primary mission, IPO-aligned space and ground forces remained on alert for much of that day, against the possibility of an Earthforce attempt to retake the planet.
At 1933 hrs local time, the Federation starship USS Charles B. Momsen NCC-23295 entered the system and hailed both Task Force TRIDENT and Government House. Captain Olivia Naquin informed us of the destruction of USS Danzig and the death of Federation President Santiago. As you will be aware by now (though we didn't know it at the time), general recalls following the Danzig disaster were the reason why first the Starfleet and then the Earthforce Navy vessels left the Tau Ceti system during the surface operations.
The events that unfolded that evening were almost entirely political and most occurred on Earth, so they're somewhat outside the scope of my report; we (and President Kallon) watched them on television just like everyone else.
Task Force TRIDENT remained in place until 0733 hours (local time) on the morning of March 7, when a larger Starfleet force arrived to relieve us. At that time, per your operational order, Operation TRIDENT was officially logged as complete and the task force disbanded. Valiant is en route to Zeta Cygni for repairs, in company with HoSghaj, Gravy Train, Daggerdisc, the former Group TRIDENT BLUE, and the more seriously damaged vessels from TRIDENT GREY. TRIDENT WHITE and the rest of TRIDENT RED have dispersed back to their regular stations.
Our current estimated time of arrival at the IP Yards, Zeta Cygni II, is 0920 hours Avalon Standard Time tomorrow (March 8). At that time I will report to you personally at IPO Headquarters for debriefing.
Until then, I remainYour most humble and obedient servant,Captain Utena R. Tenjou IPSFRCommodore, Operation TRIDENT
version 3.3 © 2001
Eyrie Productions,
D. Hutchins
E P U (Colour)


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Welcome from the Chair
I am excited to share our plans for a NEW Distance M.S. Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology!
The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology has launched a new Distance Master's Program that features the same high-quality lectures and courses offered in the Ph.D. program. The new program allows the industrial scientist or student at a collaborating institution to remain at his/her respective institution and earn the M.S. degree in a collaborative academic environment.
The program provides advanced scientific knowledge in pharmacology and toxicology and is designed for individuals who are seeking additional academic qualifications that will facilitate their advancement at their place of employment, or will increase their competitiveness for admission to other advanced degree programs.
The rigorous coursework and thesis research prepares students to become independent scientists with a solid understanding of state of the art pharmacology and toxicology practices. We recommend that students from industry take one course per semester, while students in collaborating academic institutions could take several courses.
We expect a high quality and impactful Master's thesis project. Once you have prepared a research proposal that is approved by on-site and University of Kansas faculty advisors, you will conduct thesis research during the regular semesters and/or during the summer period. Your research will be conducted in a laboratory to which you have access (e.g. your workplace), under the supervision of your off-site advisor in collaboration with, and guidance from a willing KU research advisor selected from the Pharmacology and Toxicology faculty.
Students who complete the program will receive a Master's degree from the University of Kansas and, more importantly, develop those skills needed to become an independent research scientist possessing a solid scientific thought process and the confidence to handle any problems encountered throughout an independent research career.
Admission and program requirements can be found here.
Keep an eye on this space and like us on Facebook to stay informed about our new Distance Learning MS program! If you are interested in applying for the program, contact us at email@example.com.
The Ph.D. Program
The program in Pharmacology/Toxicology at the University of Kansas appeals to students who want to teach and/or do research in a University or do research in a pharmaceutical/biotechnology company or government laboratory. New students can look forward to personal development in an atmosphere that fosters strong collaborative activities as well as independent scholarship. Our program emphasizes the development of scientific communications skills necessary for success in all career paths.
The Department's research programs and faculty place it at the leading edge of research in the pharmacological/toxicological sciences. In addition to receiving strong training in modern pharmacology and toxicology, students are encouraged to use the expertise and courses available in the Departments of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology; Medicinal Chemistry; and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. The University has strong programs in neurobiology, molecular genetics, and medicinal and bioanalytical chemistry. Some of our students participate in collaborative interdisciplinary research in these fields of biomedical science.
Nancy Muma - Professor & Chair, KU Pharmacology & Toxicology

subset: commoncrawl


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The Vintage Colors collection is a grouping of our softly faded-looking colors suitable for use in appliqué or quilting. This collection of hand dyed wool consists of ten different colors and textures ready to use in your stitching project.
Our wool kits* for our appliqué designs are created especially for each design and are carefully prepared with ample wool to complete your project. The wools in the kit will generally not be the same wools used to stitch the original and are intended to give a look similar to, but not the same as, the original. Keep in mind that the photograph accompanying the pattern is meant as a guide only; your piece will be uniquely your own.
* Please note: Unless noted otherwise in the product description, our kits do not include threads, non-wool fabrics called for in the design, buttons, or other non-wool items.
Our wool bundles for appliqué are grouped into either 5-piece or 10- piece collections and come in three sizes:
Single Bundle...Each piece is about 7" X 8"
Double Bundle...Each piece is about 8" X 14"
Extra-Large Bundle... Each piece is about 14" X 16"
The extra large bundle size is also suitable for rug hooking. If we are out of stock in a particular size then you will not be able to add that size to your shopping cart.
Please note that we can not split or make substitutions in our wool bundles for appliqué.
In The Merry Hooker Woolens dye studio, we honor the slow and labor-intensive process necessary to obtain richly dyed woolens with good colorfastness, colors that permeate into the core of the fabrics and create a soft hand that make them a pleasure to work with. We don't rush the wool and we don't subscribe to the "hurry up" method of dyeing.
We use the same wonderful 100% woolens you'll find in our rug hooking offerings and, with one significant variation,our process for dyeing wool for appliqué and quilting uses the same thorough dye methods. This single variation is to put the fabrics through an extra wash to create a slightly denser fabric that is better suited to the appliqué and quilting processes. Our appliqué wools are fulled, not felted.
Our pre-washed wool is soaked in a bath of water and a wetting agent for at least 24 hours to make certain that the fibers are completely saturated. To ensure colorfastness, each dye bath is brought to the proper temperature and simmered with the appropriate mordant for at least one hour. After dyeing, we add our lanolin-based fine wool soak to the dye bath and allow it to cool completely, usually overnight. Once it's completely cooled, the wool is removed from the dye bath, dried and fulled in the dryer.
Our hand dyed woolens come to you ready to use in your chosen craft with no additional processing necessary.


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Disney Infinity Teases Marvel & Confirms Version 2.0
Today, Disney Infinity teased fans around the world with information about its future. While many have been making predictions for several months now, no official word has ever been given by the franchise regarding what is the next step. That has all changed…and the possibilities are definitely endless!


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|Statement by Ambassador Liu Zhenmin, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, at the 63rd UNGA Session on Agenda Item 19: "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba"
New York, 29 October 2008
Mr. President,
The Chinese delegation supports the statement made by the representative of Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
For more than ten years, the Cuban delegates have denounced, each and every year on the podium of the UN General Assembly, the sustained economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba which has caused serious consequences on its social, economic and environmental development. The embargo has exerted extensive impact on Cuba. In particular, it compromises the right to survival and development of the vulnerable groups such as women and children, which has gained broad sympathy and attention.
For 16 consecutive years, the General Assembly has each year adopted a resolution by an overwhelming majority, urging all countries, in compliance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, to repeal or invalidate all laws and measures with extraterritorial effect that compromise the sovereignty of other States, undermine the legitimate rights and interests of entities and individuals under the jurisdiction of those States, and affect the freedom of trade and navigation. Regrettably, however, the long-term economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba imposed by its rich neighbor is still in place.
In today's world, although international relations are not yet democratized, dialogue, communication and harmonious coexistence have emerged as the mainstream of international relations. Mutual respect and equality among countries is becoming an important international consensus. In the age of economic globalization, exchanges and cooperation on an equal footing among countries represent the trend of our times. Dialogue on an equal footing and friendly consultation are the best way to resolve any differences and disputes. The international community has the right to raise serious concerns over the embargo and sanctions suffered by Cuba over the years and request the country concerned to end such embargo and sanctions.
The embargo and sanctions against Cuba not only harm the interests of Cuba and many other countries, but also go against the principles of democracy, freedom, the rule of law and human rights. First, the practice of attempting to force another country, through embargo and sanctions, to give up its right to independently choose its path of development, even to overthrow its government, constitutes a serious violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the basic norms governing the contemporary international relations. Such practice has nothing to do with promoting democracy and freedom. Second, the embargo and sanctions imposed against Cuba are extra-territorial in nature, and are therefore a violation of the international law and can by no means promote democracy and freedom in any country. They are opposed by all countries and run counter to the principle of trade liberalization. Third, the embargo and sanctions have seriously obstructed and constrained the efforts of the Cuban people to eradicate poverty, improve their living standard, pursue economic and social development, and achieve the MDGs. They undermine the right to subsistence and development of the Cuban people. The international community is now faced with the serious challenge of global food crisis, and the ensuing worsening problems of hunger and malnutrition, which makes the embargo and sanctions more unreasonable than ever.
Mr. President,
The Chinese Government always maintains that countries should develop their relations in compliance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and work to promote democracy and the rule of law in international relations. We believe that the right of each country to choose its own social system and the path of development should be respected. Differences between states should be solved through dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
In view of the above, the Chinese Government requests the ending of the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the country concerned against Cuba at an early date. It is our hope that there will be dialogue rather than confrontation, and engagement and exchanges rather than embargo and sanctions. We hope the country concerned will implement the relevant resolution of the UN General Assembly without delay. China therefore will support the draft resolution submitted by Cuba under the current agenda item.
Thank you, Mr. President.


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President-elect Barack Obama confirmed to CNBC Wednesday that he plans to lay out a roughly $775 billion economic stimulus plan but indicated that the amount could grow once it gets taken up by Congress.
"We've seen ranges from $800 (billion) to $1.3 trillion," he said in an exclusive interview with CNBC's chief Washington correspondent John Harwood. "And our attitude was that given the legislative process, if we start towards the low end of that, we'll see how it develops."
In the interview, Obama also:
- said he's concerned that the stimulus money "is spent wisely, that there's oversight and that there's transparency."
- hopes the U.S. economy will be growing again in the second half of 2009, though "I don't have a crystal ball."
- indicated that he may not seek a quick repeal of President George W. Bush's tax cuts for people making over $250,000 and will let them expire in 2010.
Obama also said he wants to avoid living in a "bubble" and will pay close attention to how financial markets react to his policies.
"Given the sensitivities of the market, I've got to pay some attention to market psychology," he said. "Because part of what we have right now is such a loss of trust both in the marketplace and in government. Restoring that trust — restoring that confidence — is going to be very important."
'I'm probably not going to be watching the crawl at the bottom of an interview," he added. "What I will be doing is making sure I'm communicating with key market participants on a regular basis, again to explain to them exactly what our plans are—and to solicit from them good ideas."
In a news conference earlier Wednesday Obama said that he was still talking to congressional leaders about his economic stimulus package and that the final price tag would likely be at the high end of estimates.
"We expect that it will be on the high end of our estimates but will not be as high as some economists have recommended because of the constraints and concerns we have about the existing deficit," Obama told a news conference.
Obama plans to propose $310 billion in tax cuts for the middle class and businesses as part of the $775 billion stimulus plan. Some U.S. governors and economists are pushing for a larger package—around $1 trillion. Many Republicans want a more modest bill, possibly in the range of $500 billion.
Noting that the Congressional Budget Office had just estimated he would inherit a $1.2 trillion federal deficit for fiscal 2009, Obama promised to cut unnecessary spending.
"We expect that discussion around entitlements will be a part, a central part of those plans," Obama said at a news conference. "And I would expect that by February in line with the announcement of at least a rough budget outline we will have more to say about how we're going to approach entitlement spending."
Reuters contributed to this report.


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Of all America's exits from the World Cup, this one will go down as the greatest opportunity missed.
Flawed though the USA was – fatally, as it turned out – there lingers the sense that the team left its own story at this World Cup unfinished. For the first time, perhaps, the USA is going home when it not only expected more, but seemed capable of delivering it.
There is no shame in losing to Ghana, 2-1, in extra time. The 18 places between the No. 14 USA and No. 32 Ghana in the FIFA world rankings suggest a greater gap than there is, perhaps.
IN PICTURES: Top 12 Goals of the Second Week
IN PICTURES: Top 10 Goals of the First Week
Yet there is no doubting that Ghana is a team that the USA could – and maybe should – beat with some regularity. And in that fact lies the USA's disappointment.
Never in four World Cup 2010 matches could the USA summon for 90 minutes the defensive team effort that it summoned in last year's 2-0 win over then-world No. 1 Spain.
Had Algeria's Rafik Djebbour kept his early shot six inches lower, the USA would have gone behind within the first 15 minutes of that game, too.
But never was this so evidently the coach's fault as in the loss to Ghana.
The sports maxim says that "players must come ready to play." Saturday, however, was a lesson that players are often only as good as the system in which they are placed.
This is particularly true of the USA, which has no Lionel Messi or David Villa to overcome the limitations of poor coaching strategy through individual brilliance.
And in the first half against Ghana, it must be said, USA coach Bob Bradley got it totally, catastrophically wrong.
He as good as admitted this in taking off Ricardo Clark after only 30 minutes – an extraordinary decision – and replacing him with the player who had excelled in the two previous matches, Maurice Edu.
Yet it was even more evident at the beginning of the second half, when, for the third consecutive match, midfielder Benny Feilhaber replaced an ineffective forward, in this instance, Robbie Findley.
Feilhaber's range of passing and ability to retain possession were crucial.
Yet, perhaps more important was how his introduction changed the shape of the USA on the field.
More than anything else, it allowed the USA players to take control of the game.
In short, Feilhaber gave the USA a platform from which it could be more flexible and inventive, making it harder for Slovenia and then Algeria and then Ghana to know where key USA players would be, while at the same time providing more defensive rigidity.
In soccer parlance, the change appears minimal. With the introduction of Feilhaber, the USA switched from a 4-4-2 to a 4-4-1-1. Gone were two central forwards, playing far up the pitch. In their place was the one remaining central forward, Jozy Altidore, paired with Clint Dempsey, who took up a roving role in "the hole" – that undefined area between forward and midfield.
Why would such a small change have such a profound effect?
World Cup defenses are generally very comfortable playing against two center forwards. Center forwards are always playing near the opposing goal, so they are always near the defense – in other words, defenders can stay in their hip pocket with a minimum of effort.
When the USA switched to a free-roaming Dempsey, however, he caused problems. Should the defense pick him up far from goal and make itself vulnerable to other USA players running behind it? Or does the midfield add him to their already significant list of duties?
Most World Cup coaches have already abandoned the two-striker system, realizing that it makes their teams more static and actually less dangerous going forward. Bradley appeared only to realize this in the second half of every game.
What appeared to be a first-half commitment to attacking soccer – playing with two forwards – was, in fact precisely the opposite, robbing the USA of the ability to keep control of the ball and confuse opposing defenses.
Much has been made of the USA's startling tendency to allow early goals. It was, in the end, their undoing. Why couldn't USA players come "ready to play"?
It is easy to say that the USA had to be "punched in the mouth" in order to be roused to a response. But it is noteworthy that the USA was comprehensively outplayed not merely in the first few minutes of the Slovenia and Ghana matches, but for the entire first half.
It was not until Bradley sacrificed his second forward that USA players came to grips with the games and indeed dominated the second halves of each.
In many ways, Ghana's second, decisive goal can be forgiven. It was a classic Ghanaian goal: A ball hoofed from midfield. Ghana's rugged lone forward, Asamoah Gyan, absorbing the sort of foul from USA defender Carlos Bocanegra that would have sent almost any other player sprawling to the turf. Then Gyan dispatching a brilliant shot over Howard's hands.
Well done, Ghana.
No, it was the first – the so aptly described "comedy of errors" – that shattered American hopes. And it was the sight of Clark – who probably shouldn't have been on the field in the first place – trying vainly to dribble singlehandedly through the Ghana midfield that is most instructive.
In the second half, the USA was a pinwheel of passes, spinning the Ghana midfield and defense dizzy. USA players were coming from every direction and Dempsey and Landon Donovan were pulling the strings with deft deflections and one-touch passes that left Ghana creaking like a ship in a storm.
Where was that movement, that dynamism, that one-touch passing when Clark tried to dribble upfield alone?
It was with Feilhaber on the bench.
IN PICTURES: Top 2010 World Cup controversies
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