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EU: Microsoft agrees to unbundle Explorer from Windows
(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. will offer computer users a choice of rival Web browsers to ward off new European Union antitrust fines, EU regulators and Microsoft said Friday.
Microsoft said its proposal, if accepted by the European Commission, would "fully address" antitrust worries over its browser and "would mark a big step forward in addressing a decade of legal issues."
The EU has charged the company with monopoly abuse for tying the Internet Explorer browser to the Windows operating system installed on most of the world's desktop computers.
It welcomed Microsoft's suggestions and said it will evaluate the proposal and seek input from other browser makers and computer companies before making a decision. If approved, the proposal could be legally binding for five years.
On the browser case, Microsoft is suggesting that users of Windows XP, Vista or its latest release Windows 7 who have Internet Explorer set as the default browser would see a Web page prompting them to pick from five of the most popular browsers in Europe. Existing Windows users would get the ballot screen from a software update.
Microsoft said the list of browsers would be reviewed twice a year based on usage data for the previous six months. Microsoft's browser is the most widely used worldwide, but Mozilla Corp.'s Firefox is gaining in popularity.
Mozilla and Google Inc. - which recently released a browser, Chrome - are supporting the case against Microsoft.
Windows would still include Internet Explorer, but users would be able to disable it. Computer manufacturers could also choose to install other browsers, set them as default and disable Internet Explorer.
The company had said in June that it would remove its browser from Windows entirely to avoid antitrust problems. Instead, it planned to give Internet Explorer away as a download or on a disc. EU regulators slammed the idea, saying the 5 percent of people who buy Windows off the shelf wouldn't have a real choice of browsers. Most people buy the software pre-installed on a computer assembled by manufacturers such as Dell Inc. or Hewlett-Packard Co.
Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, said in a statement that until EU regulators rule on the company's proposal, it will continue to require PC makers to sell computers with the browserless Windows 7 "E" version in the region. Windows 7 will go on sale on Oct. 22.
The ballot screen that Microsoft is proposing is close to what regulators called for in January when they asked Microsoft to offer several browsers on Windows. Under that proposal, PC companies would have been responsible for building the browser-choosing technology. That could have conflicted with existing deals in which browser and Web search companies pay to have their products set as the default on new PCs.
Under Microsoft's plan, the software maker would handle the technology.
The original ballot-screen proposal was also backed by Norwegian mobile Internet browser maker Opera Software ASA, which triggered the EU antitrust case by complaining that Microsoft was unfairly using its power as the dominant supplier of operating system software to squeeze out rivals.
Opera lawyer Thomas Vinje welcomed Microsoft's announcement Friday but said "the devil is in the detail" on how far it would go to calm antitrust fears.
Offering the ballot screen to existing Windows users "will change the world," he said, because it would encourage developers to make cross-platform software based on Web standards instead of tailoring their work to Microsoft software.
Microsoft has said it fully complies with existing Web standards.
Regulators will also examine a new offer by Microsoft to guarantee that the technical information it shares with developers who make Windows-compatible programs is accurate and complete. The information-sharing and warranty proposal aims to settle a lengthy antitrust row that has racked up nearly euro1.7 million ($2.42 million) in EU fines for Microsoft.
Smith said this involves "significant change by Microsoft" and was based on long talks with EU regulators.
"We believe that if ultimately accepted, this proposal will fully address the European competition law issues relating to the inclusion of Internet Explorer in Windows and interoperability with our high-volume products," he said.
On The Net:
Microsoft proposal
©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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iTunes U is something I've discussed numerous times on the Windows Weekly podcast, but if you're not familiar, it's a wonderful educational resource, even if you're not into the Apple digital media ecosystem for some reason. Today, Apple announced that users have downloaded over 300 million iTunes U audio and video recordings, which is pretty amazing.
In just over three years, iTunes U downloads have topped 300 million and it has become one of the world's most popular online educational catalogs. Over 800 universities throughout the world have active iTunes U sites, and nearly half of these institutions distribute their content publicly on the iTunes Store. New content has just been added from universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico and Singapore, and iTunes users now have access to over 350,000 audio and video files from educational institutions around the globe.
"iTunes U makes it easy for people to discover and learn with content from many of the world's top institutions," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Internet Services. "With such a wide selection of educational material, we're providing iTunes users with an incredible way to learn on their computer, iPhone, iPod or iPad."
Created in collaboration with colleges and universities, iTunes U makes it easy to extend learning, explore interests or learn more about a school. A dedicated area within the iTunes Store, iTunes U offers users public access to content from world class institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, Oxford, University of Melbourne and Université de Montréal. iTunes U gives anyone the chance to experience university courses, lab demonstrations, sports highlights, campus tours and special lectures. All iTunes U content is free and can be enjoyed on a Mac or PC, or wirelessly downloaded directly onto an iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
More info: iTunes U - a powerful distribution system for everything from lectures to language lessons, films to labs, audiobooks to tours — is an innovative way to get educational content into the hands of students.


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I've got a question for you today, Pintestes. It's about the video posts. Help me out. And, if your option isn't listed here or if you'd like to expound, please comment below![poll id="4″]
I personally really like doing the videos, but they are labor-intensive for sure, and I don't want to keep doing them if, for some reason, you people don't like them as much as I do. I am a vain creature and could possibly be biased about how fun they are.
Thanks for your help!


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Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CHICAGO (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration halted all flights in and out of Chicago's O'Hare Airport for hours Friday night due to a sprawling winter storm, which forced the closure of schools, universities and government offices as it moved across large sections of the Midwest.
The FAA lifted the stop at 9:45 p.m., but by then hundreds of flights already were canceled Friday at at one of the nation's busiest airports.
Earlier Friday, a plane slid off an icy taxiway at Kansas City International Airport. The Delta Air Lines flight was taxiing to be de-iced before flying to Detroit when the nosegear slipped off the taxiway, said Delta spokeswoman Martha Witt. There were no reports of injuries aboard the Airbus A319, which was carrying 123 passengers and a crew of six. Witt said the airline was trying to put passengers from Delta flight 1114 on other planes.
The airport was closed and numerous flights were canceled in the morning but flights resumed about noon. Most Friday flights from Nashville, Tennessee, were canceled, likely disrupting travel plans for fans of the Tennessee Titans flying into Kansas City for Sunday's AFC championship game with the Chiefs, KCTV reported.
At 9 p.m., the Chicago Department of Aviation was reporting nearly 690 flights had been canceled at O'Hare, with 169 flights cancelled at Midway, the city's other international airport. A winter weather advisory was issued for the Chicago area through early Saturday, with 2 to 5 inches of snow expected.
"If there is travel you don't need to make, consider postponing it,'' said meteorologist Ricky Castro.
Lambert lnternational Airport in St. Louis reported more than 130 flights canceled as of noon Friday and American Airlines suspended all flights to Missouri's Columbia Regional Airport until noon Saturday.
The slippery conditions come after the National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories, saying the storm will create hazardous travel conditions from the Plains into the Northeast through the weekend. Snow is forecast over much of the Great Lakes, with a blizzard warning for parts of the Upper Midwest.
The winter weather advisory extended south into western Oklahoma and northern Arkansas, where freezing rain was expected Friday.
In South Dakota and Minnesota, dozens of schools canceled classes Friday ahead of snowfall expected during the day.
In Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly closed state offices in the Topeka area, urging people in a news release to "stay safe and warm, exercise caution and allow road crews to do their job."
A storm that hit during the morning commute Friday coated the roads of Salt Lake City with up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of snow. Advance warning allowed a delayed start for state government and some schools, which kept the number of crashes to a relatively low 75, police said.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Cindy Hale, an ecologist at the University of Minnesota, answers e-mails from a lot of distraught citizens of the Great Lakes region. The residents, it seems, have introduced certain earthworms into their gardens, she says, "and now they've got that 'nothing grows here syndrome.'"
Long considered a gardener's friend, earthworms can loosen and aerate the soil. But the story is different in the Great Lakes region. The last Ice Age wiped out native earthworms 10,000 years ago, and ever since the Northeast forest has evolved without the crawlers, Hale says. But now earthworms are back, a product of fishers who toss their worms into the forest, of off-road vehicles and lumber trucks that carry them in the treads of their tires, and of people who bring in mulch—and any worms that might be in it—from other areas.
As invasive creatures, the earthworms wreak the most havoc with hardwood forests, such as those consisting of maple, basswood, red oak, poplar or birch species. (Conifer-dominated forests seem to experience less dramatic impacts.) According to Peter Groffman, a microbial ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., northern hardwood forests have relied on thick layers of leaf litter that serve as a rooting medium. The earthworms, Groffman reports, "come into an area with a thick organic mat, and two to five years later that layer is gone."
As a result, some northern hardwood forests that once had a lush understory now have but a single species of native herb and virtually no tree seedlings. Evidently, earthworms change the forest soils from a fungal to a bacterial-dominated system, which speeds up the conversion of leaf detritus to mineral compounds and thereby potentially robs plants of organic nutrients.
Not all foreign earthworms are destructive. Of the 5,000 species around the globe, only about 16 of the European and Asian varieties do the real damage. One of them is the night crawler (Lumbricus terrestris), a popular fish bait that can measure up to 15 to 20 centimeters (six to eight inches). Another is the Alabama jumper (Amynthas agrestis)—also known as the snake worm or crazy worm—an aggressive Asian worm that lives at high densities and can literally jump off the ground or out of a bait can, according to fishing lore. A voracious eater, it does the most harm to the soil.
The presence of the earthworms affects more than just the plants. John Maerz, a wildlife ecologist at the University of Georgia, says that adult salamanders that consume these earthworms are more successful at reproduction but that earthworms are too big for juvenile salamanders to eat, which leads to a net loss in salamander numbers. The amphibians themselves, Maerz notes, are an important prey species for "snakes, small mammals, turkeys and a host of forest creatures."
Once established, earthworms are impossible to remove from the environment, Hale says. Concerned about their impact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded Hale and her fellow biologists a three-year, $397,500 grant to study the ecology of the earthworm invasions in cold-temperate hardwood forests. The scientists also hope to answer questions about nutrient and carbon cycling—including whether the earthworm activity helps to sequester carbon in the soil or releases it back into the atmosphere. "The jury is still out on this issue," Hale explains.
Researchers agree that the best hope is to contain the worms, which spread only five to 10 meters a year on their own. That may mean new regulations governing off-road vehicles, bait disposal by anglers, or equipment hygiene and use in the logging industry. Hale would like to control community mulch piles as well: "I remember when I first heard about them, I thought, what a great idea, but think about it. You take leaves, weed seeds and earthworms from all over, bring them in, mix them up and then disperse them back out. That's a horrible idea."
Editor's Note: This story was originally printed with the title "Crawling to Oblivion"


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If you have even a hint of curiosity in your soul, you cannot help but wonder why there are AA, C and D batteries, but no "B". Well, it turns out that there were B Batteries, which were used for things like radios. Vintage radio enthusiasts can find instructions for making your own B Batteries here. An antique radio site explains what they were used for:
It will help to understand a little about the difference between the A and B power supplies.
The A supply provides low-voltage DC to heat the filaments inside the radio tubes. It can be as low as 1.5 volts.
The B supply provides higher-voltage DC for the "plate" circuits of the radio. The B supply can be 22.5, 45, 67.5, or 90 volts.
Why the difference in voltage between A and B? The answer has to do with the way that tubes work.
When you connect the A battery, the filament of the tube is heated to release negatively charged electrons. When the B battery is connected, it puts a positive charge on the plate of the tube. Electrons travel through the partial vacuum inside the tube, flowing from the filament to the positively charged plate. Many tubes also have small structures, known as grids, between the filament and the plate. The grid regulates the number of electrons that strike the plate.
Thus, every radio tube must be supplied with two different voltages (A and B), and most will need three (A, B, and C). The A voltage heats the filament to release electrons. The B voltage gives the plate a positive charge to attract electrons from the filament.
All early radios apparently used batteries, often getting recharged by the car. Then technology changed:
Early battery sets had several drawbacks. A dead battery could leave you radio-less in the middle of a crucial broadcast. Lead acid cells could leak acid, which might drip out of the radio cabinet onto your lovely Persian rug. Worst of all, if you accidentally reversed the A and B battery connectors, you could fry your radio's precious tubes.
Recognizing these problems, radio makers, many of which also made and sold tubes, sought to develop battery-less radio sets. Perhaps more radio tubes could do part of the job of expensive disposable batteries.
Radio tubes offer two important features. A tube can act as an amplifier, taking a tiny voltage, such as an incoming radio wave, and increasing it sufficiently to be heard through a headphone or speaker. A tube also can act as a diode, which changes alternating current (AC) into a series of half-cycle pulses that approximate the direct current (DC) that flows from a battery.
Alternating current became increasingly available in homes during the 1920s, and radio engineers soon developed new radio tubes, called rectifiers, which could convert AC to DC. Soon, the stores were filled with battery-less radio sets using rectifier tubes. Everyone loved these new radios, except the battery manufacturers.
Eventually, of course, the transistors entirely eliminated the need for the heavy voltage B batteries provided. The B battery seems to have fallen out of the ANSI standards, which started being formulated in the late 1920s, as did the A battery. So now you know why there's a letter gap on the drugstore shelf.
The act of creating standards is always going to create these sort of little artifacts; once people start using them widely, you can't revise away the gap when it turns out that no one is using that battery size any more. It's only been a century since we started seriously standardizing, and already our naming regimes have a lot of these "missing" items. Presumably, as the centuries march on, they will be littered with these hole-shaped relics of earlier technologies.


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"I get to meet the most interesting people at my job." My friends have gotten used to hearing this statement from me regularly by now. And sure, phone interviews may not quite count as "meeting people"--but there is something wonderful and inspiring about having a conversation with someone whose passion and energy practically leap out of the phone receiver.
This was certainly the case with Stephanie Murdock, whose efforts to build a skate park in the city of Baltimore reflect both her love of her sport and her commitment to the city's teens. The 28-year-old boarder with a master's degree in Political Management exudes confidence and conviction--and she has so much to say about her skate park plans that she barely stops for breath once she gets going.
As I listened to Stephanie talk about Skatepark of Baltimore, I admired her fundraising smarts and dedication. Hard not to. This woman just managed to win a $50,000 fellowship grant, which she is using to apply herself full-time to achieving her million-dollar fundraising goal. But there was something I liked even more about Murdock than her sheer competence--and that was her willingness to be a role model. Her desire to mentor teenagers in not just the ins and outs of half-pipes and concrete...but in leadership.
As a mother of four (two of whom are in college and two of whom are in their pre-adolescent years) I know how rare it is for a busy twenty-something to come alongside teenagers in a mentoring role. And even rarer to see them do it with skill and patience. And yet it is exactly that age group that most teens long to connect with.
And so, as Stephanie Murdock outlined her plans for me on the phone last January--and as she told her stories of street festival sales pitches and after-school design powwows--I realized I was talking with one of those rare people who has combined dedication to a cause with a teacher's mindset. Stephanie's going to get that skate park built, and she's going to impact a lot of kids' lives in the process.
As I said, I do get to meet the most interesting people....
Maureen Hannan is the Senior Editor for Parks & Recreation magazine.


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To try to come in like a lamb and go out like a lion, today Ana Marie Cox and I talk puppies, pedicures, Elvira, Bill Kristol, and the death of journalism. Do lions cry?
ANA MARIE: Good morning!
MEGAN: Hey there! How are you?
ANA MARIE: A little tie-tie and already tired of the fucking shoe story.
MEGAN: I am actually really impressed with Bush's reflexes. Like, for all those politicians that took cream pies to the faces, Bush was like, nuh-uh. In slow-mo, it's very Matrix-y.
ANA MARIE: I think this should put to rest the rumors that he's drinking again. You know what's really going to suck about this, right?
MEGAN: Other than everything?
ANA MARIE: Journalists no longer be allowed to wear shoes. We're living in a post 12/14 world. And in that world, shoes just aren't worth the risk.
MEGAN: Dude, no one is taking my shoes. I stop with the pedicures in, like, November. I can't afford otherwise.
ANA MARIE: I doubt if you're alone. Lynn Sweet does not seem like a regular pedicure girl.
MEGAN: Plus, not to be mean to the White House press corps, but I'm betting some of those dudes have some gnarly, smelly feet. I really think a room full of unshod reporters' stank feet is probably more of a risk to the President than a shoe.
ANA MARIE: (And I just want to note that I had to cycle through a few names before I got to a WH correspondent that might not get regular pedicures. But I suspect Jake Tapper does!) Yeah, see that is where we disagree! I think many WH correspondents take VERY good care of their tootsies. It's not like they're out there pounding the pavement. Very little reporting involved in covering the White House.
MEGAN: I don't know, it's not like Maureen Dowd is there and can go all Elvira, Mistress of the Dark on him. [Ed: For those with better taste in movies than me, Elvira dispatches the villain at the end with a stiletto to the forehead, killing him. ]
ANA MARIE: I had forgotten that Elvira had her own movie. Thanks. You will not be shocked to know that right now on Morning Joe Pat Buchanan is showing a rather... uhm... exhaustive knowledge of Nazi history. Seriously, though: Pat Buchanan showing up to out-Nazi-trivia Bryan Singer about his own Nazi movie.
MEGAN: Yeah, completely NOT surprised. At least I can blame my Hitler trivia knowledge on the fact that I was a German history minor.
ANA MARIE: FWIW, I sense that Pat, like the heroes of Valkyrie, thinks that Hitler totally ruined Nazism.
MEGAN: Is is strange that I'm surprised that Bryan Singer is kind of hot?
ANA MARIE: I'm a little surprised at how young he seems, but not that he's hot. Usual Suspects was, fuck, over a decade ago?
MEGAN: Directors are so rarely attractive, though.
ANA MARIE: I have not made enough of a study of that. But speaking of studying: Trying to make sense of this Kristol op-ed. Have you read?
MEGAN: I find it hard to read while his grinning pumpkin head stares at me. It's already hard enough to decipher.
ANA MARIE: He and Jim Webb should hire themselves out for Halloween.
MEGAN: Is there enough orange paint in the world for that?
ANA MARIE: I think he wants a bail out? Or he's knocking the GOP for something?
MEGAN: Actually, I am a little horrified that I'm agreeing with some of the things he's saying about Republicans. He's still a reflexive idiot about liberals.
ANA MARIE: He has been kind of an idiot about Republicans!
But despite the fact that the government is partly responsible for the Big Three's problems, the right hasn't really been stirred to enthusiastically promote a deregulatory agenda to help the auto companies. What excites it is mobilizing to oppose bailouts for unionized workers.
Last week, Senate Republicans picked a fight with the U.A.W. on union pay scales — despite the fact that it's the legacy benefits for retirees, not pay for current workers, that's really hurting Detroit, and despite the additional fact that, in any case, labor amounts to only about 10 percent of the cost of a car. But the Republicans were fighting Big Labor! They were standing firm against bailouts!
ANA MARIE: I'm not convinced he's always writing this column himself. Not that he's farming it out, but just engaging in automatic writing or something. Letting the spirits speak through him. And this spirit happens to be different than the "I HEART SARAH" one.
MEGAN: It's definitely written through his "all liberals are hypocritical" filter, though.
ANA MARIE: I think he's saying that they should do MORE to deregulate unions besides take on labor. Like, the problems of regulation go beyond unions. By saying that GOP shouldn't have gone after labor, he's NOT saying unions are good. And even though he likes the idea of the "car czar," isn't the car czar idea inherently anti-anti-regulation? My head hurts now. Let's move on
MEGAN: Well, I think he main point actually comes through at the end.
The bill would have allowed President Bush to name a car czar, who could have begun to force concessions from all sides. It also would have averted for now a collapse of the auto industry, and shifted difficult decisions to the Obama administration.
It's all about trying to make his Republican compatriots understand their role is to make Obama look bad.
ANA MARIE: AH! Ain't unity grand?
MEGAN: But let's talk cute: an Obama daughter-Chris Rock daughter playdate. That's a unity of cuteness.
ANA MARIE: But not BIDEN PUPPY CUTE!
MEGAN: Okay, the puppy is very cute, but: he used a breeder. Pound puppies, people, the nation is crying out for change.
ANA MARIE: And, seriously, who DOESN'T want a play date with Sasha and Malia. I mean, I want a playdate with them. I know, I would feel better about a rescue pup. BUT LOOK AT HIS EYES. The puppy's, not Biden's. Though I think that the national had a similar reaction when Obama picked Biden: "We would have preferred HRC BUT LOOK AT HIS EYES."
MEGAN: It is an extremely cute puppy, and the Biden granddaughters will, naturally, get to name him.
Originally, Brown said she was to bring two puppies to Biden, but Biden called and said he wanted to see all the dogs.
"He was very gracious," Brown said. "He hugged and kissed all of the shepherds."
There are also totally women in the world today wishing they were puppies.
ANA MARIE: I LOVE that detail.
MEGAN: Well, how do you not let puppies lick your face?
ANA MARIE: "He hugged and kissed all of the shepherds." Of course he did. That's the only part of the Vice President's job that Biden's not planning on eliminating.
MEGAN: I'm sure that's in the Constitution.
ANA MARIE: I am so glad I'm not in Chicago, btw. You can hear the chattering of teeth in the voices of reporters covering Blago/PEBO (PEBO = "President-Elect Barack Obama" I learned that very recently! Like, journo slang.)
MEGAN: I sort of love how more and more people are like, dude was craaaazzeee when he's obviously just sort of always been an asshole.
ANA MARIE: But you can't "plead asshole" in court.
MEGAN: Actually, I think that should be a legitimate defense. "But, Your Honor, I'm an asshole." I want to hear defendants say that, give 'em 30 days off their sentence or something.
ANA MARIE: I think that was Scooter Libby's first try.
MEGAN: Scooter left out the "stupid" part. Everyone already knows lawyers are assholes. That's the real meaning of "Esquire." Speaking of, I found Shep Smith's interview in Esquire kind of endearing but difficult to read in the absence of questions. Even writing that made me feel like I'd bought into something very bougie about writing.
ANA MARIE: Well it was like hearing one side of a phone conversation. A fascinating conversation! But still, a little disjointed. Maybe they're saving money by not printing the reporter's questions! Something that maybe places like the Tribune Co. and Newsweek should look into!
MEGAN: Less ink, less layoffs? Maybe they should look into this Internet thingie, where there's no ink and no layo... Oh, wait, never mind.
ANA MARIE: I was thinking more, like, how they don't have to pay extras in movies if they don't have lines. If you don't print the reporters' questions, you don't have to pay them.
MEGAN: Maybe we could just let all the people in the news write in the first person about what they're doing and just call it a day. The press is just like this unnecessary middleman in this day and age.
ANA MARIE: EXCEPT THEY'RE NOT, right? I was a conference last week and this guy from Google was all, "we hate it that the MSM is going under, because without them we're not going have quality information to index for people to search." So I was like, "You'll need to start hiring journalists then."
MEGAN: Oh, God, stop. I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. Or crying so hard I'm laughing, I can't really tell.


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JOPLIN, MO – The recent unveiling of Obama's mutant half brother has guaranteed him the mutant vote.
Since then, Obatma has been on a road tour with Bat Boy rallying support for the Democratic candidate. The two are making appearances in key swing states, happily handing out stickers and posing for pictures.
As a result, voter registration centers around the country have been flooded with new-voter requests checking the ethnicity box as "Other: Mutant."
A large group of mutants wearing Obama pins assembled outside of the Today show in Rockefeller center this week. The crowd was dispersed by security before taping began, however, due to an incident involving several easily startled tourists and a girl who was half-spider.
Obatma and Bat Boy are expected to continue their road trip through to the election, driving across the country in a convertible which allows them to catch mosquitoes in their mouths.
Senator McCain, desperate to reduce Obama's lead, has retaliated by campaigning heavily to the alien population, playing up his military service with the Intergalactic Alliance.


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Berkman passes physical for Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Lance Berkman chose the Texas Rangers this time, and is returning to his home state to be their designated hitter in likely the last stop of his career.
The Rangers completed a $10 million, one-year deal with Berkman on Monday after the slugger passed a physical.
"I spent the first part of the offseason really feeling like I was going to retire," said Berkman, who turns 37 next month and had still been working out as if he would play. "The Rangers made a very strong offer, which got my attention. ... The more I thought about it, the more excited I got about it, and that's when I knew I had to come back and play."
There is a $12 million club option for 2014 that becomes a guaranteed $13 million deal if he has 550 plate appearances this season. There is also a $1 million buyout for the second year.
Berkman provides the potential big bat for the middle of the lineup the Rangers were seeking after losing slugger Josh Hamilton in free agency and trading Michael Young to Philadelphia. Mike Napoli remains a free agent, but isn't expected to return to Texas.
The switch-hitting Berkman also adds some versatility to a lineup filled with right-handers. He has a .307 average left-handed and .260 right-handed.
The six-time All-Star is coming off an injury-plagued season in St. Louis, where he dealt with a strained left calf and had two operations on his right knee. He was limited to 32 games.
"I like where I am right now. The structural condition of the knee, I don't think I'm going to have any issues there," Berkman said. "I think it's about as good as could be expected after the trauma that I experienced last year."
Berkman expects to be ready for the season and to be primarily the designated hitter, especially early. He is willing to play first base and even the outfield when physically able. He feels he could play first now.
Texas also was interested in Berkman when he was a free agent two years ago, after the Rangers made their first World Series appearance.
"I joked with Lance it's probably two years too late in the making," general manager Jon Daniels said. "It would have been great two years ago and is still great now. We're excited to have him in our lineup and our organization."
Berkman instead went to St. Louis, saying then he thought Texas was going to be an average team. The Cardinals made it to the World Series in 2011 and won the title in seven games against the Rangers.
In the series-turning Game 6, when Texas was twice with in a strike of clinching the title, Berkman had a two-run homer in the first inning and a tying RBI single in the 10th.
As for the Rangers now, Berkman said likes the way the lineup is configured in that "it's less dependent on one or two guys, and the onus of production is going to be spread out up and down the lineup."
He also likes the pitching staff, which includes Yu Darvish and left-handers Matt Harrison and Derek Holland.
"It's not the same situation as it was a couple of years ago," Berkman said.
While Berkman will play some first base, Daniels said the Rangers have decided to leave Ian Kinsler at second. They will go to spring training with the intention of letting Mitch Moreland have a chance to be the regular first baseman.
Texas designated left-hander Tommy Hottovy for assignment to clear a spot on its 40-man roster for Berkman.
Born in Waco and raised in Austin, Berkman went to college at Rice and began his major league career in 1999 with the Houston Astros, who this year are joining the Rangers in the AL West.
"This to me is a natural fit, it does not feel weird at all," Berkman said of the Rangers.
After 11 seasons with the Astros and being part of their only World Series team in 2005, Berkman was traded to the Yankees on July 31, 2010. He finished that season with New York, which lost to Texas in the AL championship series, before going to the Cardinals.
Berkman is a .296 career hitter with 360 home runs and 1,200 RBIs in 1,806 regular-season games, all but 214 of those with the Astros. In 34 career games at Rangers Ballpark, Berkman is hitting .289 with seven homers and 21 RBIs in 121 at-bats.
The Rangers open the regular season at Houston on March 31 in MLB's first game this season, a Sunday prime-time matchup featuring the new AL West rivalry.
Berkman was an All-Star in 2011 with the Cardinals when he hit .301 with 31 homers and 94 RBIs in 145 games. His injuries last season limited him to 81 at-bats, and he hit .259 with two homers and seven RBIs.
"If he's on the field, if he's healthy, he's going to produce, he's going to perform. I'm very confident," Daniels said. "He's a really good fit, and so I think from that standpoint, we were willing to take a little bit of the risks on the health side."


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KAWAGOE, Japan – With a round of golf, a custom cap and a hamburger of American beef, President Donald Trump's first trip to Asia began with a taste of home.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed Trump to Japan Sunday with an effusive display of friendship that, in the days ahead, will give way to high-stakes diplomacy. The two leaders, who have struck up an unlikely but easy rapport, shared a casual lunch and played nine holes at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, joined by professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama.
The low-key agenda was a prelude to the formal talks, a press conference and state dinner planned in Tokyo Monday. Abe will be looking for a united front against North Korea and reassurances that the U.S. will stand by its treaty obligations to defend Japan if attacked.
Eager to forge a bond with Tokyo's crucial ally, Abe was one of the first world leaders to court to President-elect Trump. He was the first to call Trump after the election, and rushed to New York days later to meet the president-elect and present him with a pricey, gold Honma golf driver. The two men also met on the sidelines of an international summit in Italy this spring and White House officials said Trump has spoken with Abe by phone more than any world leader, aside from British Prime Minister Theresa May.
That bond was clear on Sunday, as Trump and Abe exchanged glowing tweets about their game. Trump dubbed Abe and Matsuyama "wonderful people," while Abe called it a "round of golf with a marvelous friend."
From the time Marine One landed on the Kasumigaseki Country Club's driving range, Abe rolled out little touches to make Trump feel welcome. He presented a hat that had a version of Trump's campaign theme, this time reading "Donald and Shinzo: Make Alliance Even Greater." The two passed up the region's famed Kobe beef in favor of the American version, which is favored by Trump, a famed picky eater.
When Trump hosted Abe in Palm Beach earlier this year, they played at one of Trump's Florida golf courses. For that outing, Trump brought along pro golfer Ernie Els, so this time Abe matched him by bringing along Matsuyama, whom Trump described on the plane ride to Asia as "probably the greatest player in the history of Japan." Abe was behind the wheel of a golf cart as the two men were spotted moving from hole to hole, Trump in the passenger seat smiling and waving at those they passed.
"From the point of view of Abe administration, the personal chemistry that exists between the two leaders is seen as an asset," said Mireya Sollis, chair in Japan Studies for the Brookings Center for East Asia Policy Studies. She said that the Japanese believe it is already "seeing it pay off," including when Trump agreed to meet with the families of Japanese citizens kidnapped by the North Korean regime, an important issue for Tokyo.
Ever since Saudi Arabia delivered a lavish welcome on Trump's first international trip, leaders have tried to outdo themselves to impress the president, who has proven susceptible to flattery.
Before the game, Trump delivered a speech in which he hailed Japan as a "crucial ally" and warned adversaries not to test America's resolve.
"Japan is a treasured partner and crucial ally of the United States and today we thank them for welcoming us and for decades of wonderful friendship between our two nations," Trump told American service members at Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Though Trump did not mention North Korea by name during the speech, the spectre of its weapons program will loom large throughout Trump's five-nation Asia trip. The president warned of the consequences of crossing what he called the "most fearsome fighting force in the history of our world."
"Together with our allies, America's warriors are prepared to defend our nation using the full range of our unmatched capabilities. No one — no dictator, no regime and no nation — should underestimate, ever, American resolve," he told the troops.
And while there is worry in the region about Trump's unpredictable response to the threat posed by Kim Jong Un, Trump made clear he did not intend to tone down his bellicose rhetoric — which included dubbing Kim Jong Un as "Little Rocket Man" — even while in an Asian capital within reach of the North Korea dictator's missiles.
"There's been 25 years of total weakness, so we are taking a very much different approach" in dealing with the renegade regime in Pyongyang, he said, speaking to reporters on Air Force One.
Trump also said it is "expected" that he'll meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of an upcoming summit in Vietnam.
The easy rapport with Japan could be strained if Trump takes an aggressive approach on trade or the two men disagree on the need for a diplomatic approach to the threat looming in Pyongyang. During his campaign, Trump suggested Japan should acquire its own nuclear weapons to defend itself, hinted the U.S. might not come to the nation's defense, and accused Japan of "killing us" on trade. He has dropped that antagonist language almost entirely since the election, but tensions remain.
Japan was a chief proponent of the Trans Pacific Partnership, a trade deal Trump pulled out of.
Scott Seaman, a director for Asia of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultant organization, noted: "everything is fine with Trump until you tell him no. So far, Abe hasn't told him no."
Colvin reported from Tokyo. Associated Press writers Ken Moritsugu, James Armstrong and Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.
Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire and Colvin at http://twitter.com/@colvinj


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By: Isidore Singer, Max Cohen
German playwright and humorist; born at Breslau Feb. 23, 1820; died at Berlin Aug. 21, 1872. His infancy and early childhood were spent in a home of comfort and culture; but when he was only seven years old his father died, leaving the family without any means of support, and Kalisch was compelled to add to the family resources by entering the employment of a dealer in small wares, who later on entrusted him with the management of a branch establishment in Ratibor. In 1843 he returned to Breslau, and in Oct., 1844, went to Paris, where he gradually became on terms of intimacy with a group of poets and socialists that included Heine, Herwegh, Karl Grün, Proudhon, Karl Marx, and Albert Wolff. He made at Leipsic his first attempts as a farce writer with his "Die Proletarier" and "Auf der Eisenbahn."
Kalisch was still bound to a mercantile career, however, as neither literature nor the stage had yet made a place for him; and so in 1846 he found his way to Berlin and took another position as salesman. He found time to continue his literary efforts by writing a number of the peculiar verses which, under the name of "Couplets," were first employed by him, and which he afterward utilized with great success in his stage pieces. He also tried his hand at adaptation from the French, the little farce "Ein Billet von Jenny Lind" being produced at the sum mer theater at Schönberg, near Berlin; the principal result of this was that it secured for him an invitation to write for the Königsstädter Theater, where his "Herr Karoline" was produced, and later (Dec. 23, 1847) his "Einmal Hunderttausend Thaler," which at once achieved a veritable triumph. There followed in quick succession. "Berlin bei Nacht," "Junger Zunder, Alter Plunder," "Aurora im Oel," "Münchhausen," "Peschke," "Ein Gebildeter Hausknecht," "Der Aktienbudiker," "Berlin, Wie es Weint und Lacht," "Einer von Unsere Leut," "Berlin Wird Weltstadt," "Die Berliner in Wien," "Der Goldonkel," and "Musikalische Unterhaltung."
Very soon he practically dominated the German farce stage of his time. At the old Wallner Theater in Berlin and in the great comedy houses throughout Germany there were years when none but his pieces were produced, some of them having runs of hundreds of performances. Nor was it in Germany alone that his plays became famous, for by adaptation and translation they were produced throughout the world. A collection of his celebrated "Couplets" was produced under the title "Berliner Leierkasten" (3 vols., Berlin, 1857; 5th ed., 1862; new series, 1863 and 1866), while a number of his farces were issued as "Berliner Volksbühne" (4 vols., ib. 1864) and "Lustige Werke" (3 parts, ib. 1870).
Just as Kalisch was entering upon the successful phase of his dramatic career he made another fortunate bid for fame by establishing (1848) the celebrated humorous sheet, "Kladderadatsch," the publication of which was suggested during his work on the little paper issued by and for the members of the "Rütli," a club composed of humorists. The wellknown "Müller und Schulze" couple, which have become proverbial among Germans throughout the world, and "Karlchen Miessnick" are among the best of his contributions to the "Kladderadatsch." In its early history he had many strange experiences, as its editor. He was prosecuted; the paper was prohibited; several times he had to fly to Leipsic, Dessau, or Neustadt, and yet it survived. Later he shared the editorial work with Ernest Dohm. In 1852 he embraced Christianity in order that he might marry a lady of that faith.
- Max Ring, David Kalisch, Berlin, 1873;
- Meyers Konversations-Lexikon;
- Kürschner, David Kalisch, in Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xv. 23-24.


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Movie Photos
ANNA KARENINA Featurette and 18 Hi-Res Photos
The third collaboration of Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley with acclaimed director Joe Wright, following the award-winning boxoffice successes "Pride & Prejudice" and "Atonement," is a bold, theatrical new vision of the epic story of love, adapted from Leo Tolstoy's timeless novel by Academy Award winner Tom Stoppard ("Shakespeare in Love"). The story powerfully explores the capacity for love that surges through the human heart. As Anna (Ms. Knightley) questions her happiness and marriage, change comes to all around her.Anna Karenina, also starring Kelly Macdonald, Matthew Macfadyen, Michelle Dockery, Emily Watson, and Olivia Williams, comes to theaters November 16th, 2012.


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Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release June 2, 2009
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon, everyone. Take us away, Mr. Feller.
Q Thanks, Robert. Starting with the Mideast trip, specifically the Cairo speech, the President obviously has talked about the importance of improving relations with the Muslim world. I'm wondering, for starters, how much does the President think he can accomplish with one speech?
MR. GIBBS: Look, Ben, I think it is important to understand that this is -- the President has always looked at this as a process, not as a single point in time. And I think if you look at the efforts that the administration has undertaken thus far in terms of outreach -- whether it's in interviews, whether it's speeches, the speech in Turkey -- this is about resetting our relationship with the Muslim world. It's not about, as I said and I think you'll hear the President say, we don't expect that everything will change after one speech. I think it will take a sustained effort and that's what the President is in for.
Q And how do you -- how does the White House measure success in something as important but broad as that, this process you're describing? How do you know that you're seeing improved relations in the way that affects the lives of everyday Americans?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think you can see -- I mean, you certainly -- we see public polling that measures the perception of the country throughout the world, and particularly in the Muslim world. Look, I think there will be a great effort on our part to distribute this through different means, social networking sites, in order to get this in front of as many eyes throughout the world as we can.
Q I'm sorry, one other quick topic. With Judge Sotomayor on the Hill today, I'm wondering what your early read is on the types of comments you're seeing, particularly from Republican senators? Is the White House confident that she's going to get a fair shake?
MR. GIBBS: I think if you look at -- I don't know what in particular, in terms of comments, you want me to respond to --
Q There's been both a range about, obviously, the senators wanted to take a rigorous look at her record. And also particularly Republican senators feeling that they want to do so on their own time table and not be rushed.
MR. GIBBS: Well, let's take a couple of points. I think first of all, obviously we believe that she will get a fair shake and a fair set of hearings. I think the meetings that she's had thus far have been productive. She'll see others throughout the day, including Senator McConnell I think a little bit after lunch here.
So I do think that that almost universally the comments have been, I think, productive. I think it's obvious that Republicans understand and take their duties as it relates to the Supreme Court extremely seriously, as one would expect.
I would say a couple of things in terms of timing. First of all, we anticipate that her Senate questionnaire will go up at some point this week. And I don't want to belabor this, but if you look at the time frame of number of days between the announcement of a Supreme Court pick and the hearings, for the last nine confirmed justices it's been 51 days between the announcement and the beginning of the hearing. For the last four justices -- that includes Justice Ginsburg, Justice Breyer, Justice Roberts, and Justice Alito -- that has been 54 days. That would put her hearing sometime in mid-July, which would I think provide a timetable by which the due diligence of senators on both sides of the aisle can be accomplished.
I think what's important about the timing, Ben, is that we get a Supreme Court justice not simply ready to hear cases at the beginning of the Court's work in October, but obviously so that that person can take part in the very important discussions in September as the new court decides which cases it's going to hear. I think obviously to be part of that process is extremely important. And given the historical norms of hearings I think that can easily be accomplished, while giving everyone the time they need to examine the record.
Yes, sir.
Q I have a question about the speech that President Obama is going to give to the Muslim world. I was wondering, where there will be an economic component to that speech? Will he talk at all about U.S. interest in increasing trade with countries -- countries like Egypt, Pakistan, that face relatively high tariffs on their exports to the United States?
MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously, I think some economic component of this you'll hear from the President. I don't want to get into specifics at this point, but we'll have a little bit longer time to discuss exactly what's in there as we get a little closer.
Yes, sir.
Q Give us some guideposts, some signposts other than public polling as to how when you leave Cairo you know that it's been a successful speech. The President has given the Turkey speech; he's had several meetings here with other Middle Eastern leaders.
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, again, I think our perception in the world is a big measurement by which to look at this. I think the willingness and to be able to work with countries on our common interests are important. But I mean I guess I -- let me just in some ways caution or hesitate that this is -- as I said earlier, the President sees this as a series of events, not something that may or may not be easily quantifiable at any given -- or after the end of one speech.
Let's just say this, I think if the President thought one speech would cure that relationship I doubt we'd be giving that in June.
Q Have you seen signs already that the relationship has changed with the speech in Turkey and what he's done here in the past couple weeks, the meetings here?
MR. GIBBS: I think the President feels like -- again, as it relates to many of the problems that we've talked about, particularly in this room, we didn't get where we are overnight and it's not going to get solved overnight. I think the President believes using his time and resources on an issue as important as this will pay dividends.
Yes, ma'am.
Q Does the President have any sense that he feels any responsibility to bring up any issues of human rights in Cairo during his speech?
MR. GIBBS: Again, I don't want to get ahead of this. But I think the President will talk about a series of things that are important throughout the Muslim world.
Yes, ma'am.
Q I've got two questions. What's in the questionnaire to the judge?**(see end)
MR. GIBBS: I think it's a basic series of -- not having been a Supreme Court nominee, Helen, they haven't given me the questionnaire to fill out.
Q What does it cover?
MR. GIBBS: Let me see if we have a copy of -- I'm sure there's a series of financial stuff as well as writings and things like that, that typical nominees have to send up.
Q My second question is, is this against any international law to annex occupied land? Is the United States going to stick by its guns in terms of new settlements?
MR. GIBBS: Helen, I think the President has been clear with everyone where we stand on settlements. I think the Secretary of State has been clear on settlements. And I think that message is -- the President said no new construction and that's what we mean.
Q A General Motors question. There's a report that a Chinese company is looking to buy, basically, the Hummer division. What's your understanding of what that means or what that will mean for jobs in the U.S.?
MR. GIBBS: I have not seen that report. I would have you talk to somebody in communications at GM. I haven't seen that report, so I don't want to comment on it.
Q A second question. On the announcement today about the Army Secretary nominee -- can you just talk a little bit about the timing of that? Was there a thought of maybe waiting, perhaps, until Secretary Gates was back in town or -- I know he's traveling.
MR. GIBBS: He is traveling. Obviously he's involved in some important stuff. The President believed with all that we need to do to protect and to take care of our troops that it was important to get the process of that nomination started as quickly as possible -- so nothing out of the ordinary.
Yes, sir.
Q Health care. Up until now the White House, the President has been relatively low key, sort of allowing the Senate in particular to develop something organically through the legislative process. But today you're having Democrats up here, so I'd like to see if I could get you on the record on a couple of things. Will the President insist on a so-called public option version to health care?
MR. GIBBS: I don't -- again, I don't want to get ahead of where he's going to be in the meeting. They're going to have I think a robust discussion about health care. And I think you'll hear the President reiterate once again how important it is to get something done, that businesses -- small businesses and families and the government, quite frankly, are being crushed by health care costs; that it is something that I know people have said whether or not we have the luxury to deal with, but many families are each and every day struggling with those costs, our budget is weighed down by a lot of those costs and we have to take steps to address it -- that's part of laying the foundation for our long-term economic growth.
I don't know how detailed he'll get today. I know the President -- obviously the President outlined a plan that he thought could accomplish a lot of his goals during the campaign.
Q The OMB director is quoted in an article today as getting some distance between Max Baucus and himself on the question of taxation of employer-provided health care benefits. What is the White House position on that issue?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think we've covered this any number of times in here. I think we've been pretty clear on where we are on that throughout the campaign.
Q Okay. Finally, 145 social conservatives have written to the Senate Republican leadership asking them to please use at the least what they term a traditional filibuster to make sure there's a full and fair debate and so forth, and that the base can be catalyzed, to use their terms. What do you say to Republican senators who might be inclined to heed that advice?
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think it's important, building on the earlier question that Ben asked, I think the White House, from quite honestly both sides of the aisle, sees a strong desire to have a fair series of hearings. We believe those hearings can be done in a time frame that allows senators to do the duty of due diligence and understanding and being able to question the nominee, but doing so that can get the nominee seated in time not just to hear cases, but to take part in the choosing of which cases the court will hear.
So I don't want to get in the middle of that argument, except to say that I think we believe that we're making progress toward all those ends.
Yes, sir.
Q Robert, did Judge Sotomayor consent to the statements by the President and you that she would now use different words in that Latina white male statement that has been out there?
MR. GIBBS: Again, I think the basis for what I said and the basis for what the President said were the result of conversations that had been had with the Justice -- with the Judge, excuse me -- and members of the team working on the confirmation.
Q Is there a possibility she would issue a statement to that effect?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I assume that she'll likely get this today, maybe in her meetings, and I think she'll have a chance to talk to senators about that. And I have no doubt that the working press will get good readouts from their senators.
Q On the Reagan Commission today, when was an invitation issued to former First Lady Nancy Reagan?
MR. GIBBS: I don't know when it was formally issued. I know that she's in town and the President thought it would be a good opportunity to have her take part in that. I'll try to find out if we can figure out exactly when it was.
Q Were you surprised to learn she felt snubbed that she wasn't invited to the stem cell announcement some weeks back?
MR. GIBBS: I think the President lauded her active involvement in this issue, Mark. I think it is safe to say that without her courageous and eloquent voice that the changes that have gone through Congress and that have been proposed by the President would have been much, much more difficult to get. I think she speaks in real, personal terms about the issue. I think, like I said, her candor and her courage have been heartening. We certainly meant no slight whatsoever.
Q Thanks.
Q Just to clarify on the Baucus issue. I know that the administration has said that it's not part of their plan, but have you said whether President Obama would sign a bill?
MR. GIBBS: If you can show me the bill that we're about to sign I'll be happy to thumb through it and give you a sense of what we like and what we might not.
Q And a related follow up. Later this week you'll -- a health campaign is kicking off. Will there be anything similar for cap and trade?
MR. GIBBS: Well, cap and trade seems ahead of health care at the moment. (Laughter.) I think that you've heard the President not just throughout his few months here at the White House, but throughout the campaign talk passionately about both issues. And I think we continue to be heartened by progress that's being made in Congress to address how to make ourselves more energy independent and protect our planet, and how do we drive down the costs for families and small businesses struggling with the rising cost of health care.
So I think we're -- obviously there will be -- a lot of the President's time will be involved over the next many months following up on these and other priorities, including financial regulation.
Yes, sir
Q One on North Korea and a couple on Guantanamo. There are reports in North Korea that there has been some effort to secure the secession of the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il. And a U.S. official is quoted on background in a Reuter's story saying "It's my guess that the North Koreans are likely to come back to the bargaining table, especially now that it appears that the secession has been secured." Does the White House have any overall comment on what appears to be happening in North Korea? And is that quote I just read to you reflective of what the White House thinks may be happening in North Korea?
MR. GIBBS: I can check. Let me see what NSC has on that. I don't have anything in particular on the quote relating to secession.
I think, Major, what's tremendously important is that the administration, and I think all our allies involved in the talks, believe that it's important for North Korea to take the necessary steps to live up to the responsibilities and the agreements that it entered into; that coming back to the table to have productive talks are important because the actions that they're undertaking, as we've said countless times in the past many weeks, are simply steps that further isolate them from the world.
Q Does the White House have an opinion as to whether or not these activities that you just referred to at least partly have been motivated or promoted by any battle over secession or internal dynamics within North Korea as part of the understanding it has --
MR. GIBBS: I don't think it would be productive for me to speculate on that.
Q The administration through the solicitor general filed a brief on Friday about the Uighurs. I'm wondering if you could explain or put forth publicly the White House position on why they cannot be settled here in the United States.
MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously -- let me just go a little broader on this. Obviously we continue to work with allies and nations throughout the world about the steps that will be needed to close Guantanamo Bay as the President promised to do at the very beginning of his administration. Obviously there are nations that have taken detainees that have been ruled by judges and courts that they need to be transferred from Guantanamo Bay. But we continue that progress and continue to try to make progress on that issue, but I don't have anything specific on that.
Q Well, the brief appears to link part of the reason they can't come here to existing U.S. immigration law. And one of the things I want to ask you about is the President, when he was a senator, voted for the Real ID Act, and there's a provision in the Real ID Act that says if you were involved or implicated in terrorist activities you can't be settled in the United States under any circumstances. And I'm wondering if the White House, in taking a look at this entire issue, has confronted the Real ID Act as a genuine impediment legally to bringing anyone from Guantanamo to the United States and, if so, would it need to take redressive action in Congress to appeal that section?
MR. GIBBS: That's a good question that I will check on with the Department of Justice and NSC. I don't know if that's part of what they've grappled with.
Q Will you confirm the reports from the Australian foreign minister over the weekend that the administration has asked the Australians to accept six Uighurs?
MR. GIBBS: I shouldn't get ahead of anything that may or may not be official.
Yes, sir.
Q Robert, is there any particular holdup with the completion of the questionnaire and the delivery to the committee, which was expected at some point maybe late last week, then Monday, and now it's apparently going to be after today. I mean, is there anything that's holding it up and why is it taking so long to -- I mean, you guys knew that this was coming.
MR. GIBBS: Oh, sure. I don't know -- well, I haven't filled out one of these for the Supreme Court. I know just filling out some of these questionnaires simply to get the ID that I possess is not something that you can do overnight. They're fairly specific --
Q -- having trouble finding --
MR. GIBBS: April has pointed out most of them and we've catalogued them and -- (laughter.)
Q Thanks.
Q Robert, just a quick procedural question. You said that you guys are going to distribute the Cairo speech on social networks. Are you guys going to be Twittering it?
MR. GIBBS: No -- that'd be awkward, wouldn't it? We can't even get that on the computers here. No, I think what I mean by that -- and we'll have some more in-depth on this, but obviously our goal is to ensure that the greatest number of people with an interest to see this -- not just through newspapers and television, but can see this through Websites, I think it will be broadcast -- I'm pretty sure it will be broadcast on our Website and the Internet team here is working with a host of others to get this information to as many platforms as humanly possible so that people will get a chance all over the world to see what the President has to say.
Q I want to try to ask a better question about the inherent conflicts of owning 60 percent of GM than I did yesterday. (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: Take two. (Laughter.)
Q If it turns out that GM could make more profits for the taxpayer investors that you represent by outsourcing some of its production to China, even at the cost of maybe losing some U.S. jobs, is that something that you as the 60 percent owner would push them to do?
MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think we're -- there are core governance issues that, again, as I talked about yesterday, that the government will take part in as a holder of almost 60 percent or 60 percent of common equity. I think the major thrust will be basically being involved in a majority of a new board of -- a newly constituted board of directors.
But, look, business decisions are going to be made by General Motors. I don't want to get involved in making those business decisions for them.
Q So if they did out-source that would be a decision for them --
MR. GIBBS: Yes.
Q I mean, there are public policy goals that the government has and then there's the goal of making the highest return for the taxpayers as you can.
MR. GIBBS: And understand this -- I spent a little time thinking about this yesterday. About half the questions yesterday were, you know, good golly, you can't possibly do that. And the other half of the questions were, good golly, why aren't you doing that.
Q Well, that's the whole point -- (inaudible) conflicting pressures, yes.
MR. GIBBS: And the goal of the restructuring plan is to get a company that -- and again, I think when we got a look at some of the details yesterday of the filings, we've got a company that was -- these are rough, remembering these figures -- I think $85 billion in assets and $172 billion in debt. One gets a pretty good grasp on why a company is where it is based on those numbers.
Obviously now this is a company that we hope in a short period of time -- 60 to 90 days -- that emerges restructured, competitive, and without the massive debt that it previously had. And that they'll be free to make a series of decisions as a new car company in a new auto world. And I think our goal and I think their goal, too, as a business is to produce profit for its shareholders. And I can assure you the President's goal is to get out of the equity business in auto companies as quickly as possible.
Q So all of these topics are for them to wrestle with and resolve, not for you.
MR. GIBBS: Yes. Yes, sir.
Q You're asking for expeditious consideration of Sotomayor, but is there any conflict between --
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the statistics that I read don't -- I think the average I wouldn't necessarily believe is "expeditious." I think it is within the norm of what you've seen both the last four and, extending back even further, the last nine have gone from announcements to hearing.
Q Is there any inconsistency between that and both President Obama and the Vice President having voted to filibuster the nomination of Alito?
MR. GIBBS: No, I -- look, I think there is timing for when a hearing starts and then decisions that will be made after those hearings about each judge -- I'm sorry, about how each senator wishes to vote on each judge.
Q Why would they -- I mean, it's a delaying tactic. So you're saying that they were still -- that he would still believe he was justified in supporting what amounts to a delaying tactic on a previous Supreme Court nomination, while trying to move this forward by the end of the summer --
MR. GIBBS: Again, we're talking about -- I'm sure we'll get a chance to traverse these issues at the conclusion of a hearing based on after senators have heard the testimony of the nominee and will render a decision, as they have twice before on this nominee about whether she should be elevated to the Supreme Court. The statistics that I read I think denote that we believe that from announcement to the beginning of hearings can be done well within the norm, put her hearing probably sometime in mid-July. And we see the likelihood that Judge Sotomayor can take part in the important pre-term work that the Supreme Court is involved with.
Q Two unrelated question. But first, on George Tiller, anything else for the President to say about that, or any actions that he or the White House is contemplating in the wake of that murder?
MR. GIBBS: No, I mean, I think I would simply reiterate and point you to what the President said on Sunday. Obviously it's a shocking crime and it is, regardless of whatever your viewpoint is, no way -- no way at all to settle differences, even on something that there's obviously great disagreement on throughout this country.
Q And then secondly, when he meets the King of Saudi Arabia, are there any specific human rights issues he's going to raise? In particular there are some Saudi critics here who point to the case of two U.S. citizens, two brothers, who were arrested, I believe, in March at some silent vigil, who face punishment there who are, I'm told, U.S. citizens. Is that on his radar screen?
MR. GIBBS: I don't know if that case is something specifically the President will discuss. We will certainly look into that and have a fairly fulsome readout for you at the conclusion of the meeting.
Q Robert, back to the speech in Cairo, at the end of the four years, moving forward, what is the hope of this administration from this succession of outreach speeches from the President to the Muslim world? What's your hope?
MR. GIBBS: Well, again, it's hard to -- it may be hard to, in many ways or in some ways, quantify in one term or one figure.
I think what is important is that we demonstrate that the United States wants to pursue a different relationship and ensure that Muslims around the world understand the message of the United States: that we share common hopes and dreams, and that we can work together to fulfill those hopes and dreams, understanding that there are -- separating that from that the extremism and extremists that wish to do us harm. But I think the great -- as the President has often said, we have more in common than we have disagreement about, and I think that's what he wants to ensure that the vast majority of the Muslim world hears.
Q And a follow-up to that, is it mostly about hopes and dreams, or more about concrete situations: economics, trade, things of that nature? Could you talk about that, too?
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think in many ways it's both. I think unless you have -- unless we improve economies, it's hard to have hopes and dreams. If we have -- I think if we don't have security, it's hard to have hopes and dreams. So I think in many ways they're intertwined in a way that I think you'll hear the President continue to spell out in his speech.
Q Robert, the Employee Free Choice Act, you've got a full plate, but that seems to have gotten pushed aside. There are some labor leaders who feel that there has not been enough vocal support from the administration on the Employee Free Choice Act. So two questions: Is this something the President supports, and is it a priority for this year?
MR. GIBBS: I don't have anything new on it from what we've -- I don't know when the last time we were asked. I think you heard the President talk about his support for it throughout the campaign, and it's obviously one of many things that we will work on throughout our time here.
Q High priority for this year?
MR. GIBBS: Let me check. I believe it is -- I believe it is, again, something the President campaigned on and we'd like to see happen.
Yes, sir.
Q Robert, I have a quick question on Cuba. How did the White House characterize the decision of Cuba to restart negotiations on immigration? Is this kind of gesture that the President is expecting for Havana to take for the new face of relations --
MR. GIBBS: For the migration talks?
Q Yes.
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think we are -- we're pleased that the government has accepted the invitation to resume migration talks and to engage in discussions about direct mail service. Obviously they're in the interest of -- we think in the interest of both governments. I think obviously direct mail service would increase the ability for the President's initiative to be able to reach out directly to the American -- I'm sorry, to the Cuban people and make communication greater and easier. So I think it's -- the President is pleased.
Q I've got two unrelated questions. First, do you want to preview any of the wisdom the Churchill graduates are going to -- (laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: No, I think it is important that I not get ahead of the Press Secretary's speech -- (laughter) -- later today to -- (laughter.) Why do you want to -- you shouldn't up the pressure on me like that. I've got enough pressure with my cousin in the graduating class.
Q Oh, okay, I knew there was some reason they invited you. (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: Fair enough. (Laughter.) I will point out -- George, I will point out that Montgomery County public high schools apparently have not just inexplicably the current Press Secretary speaking, but Scott McClellan and Mike McCurry are also speaking, and so maybe things just happen in threes and well, they needed a third. (Laughter.)
Q The second question --
MR. GIBBS: I'm going to want to see the transcript. (Laughter.)
Go ahead.
Q The President's message to the senators on health care -- on the Hill they're saying that the White House is saying, we want the markups in June, whether you have CBO scoring or not, want public option and want a bill by October 1st. Is that the message --
MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, this is?
Q On health care.
MR. GIBBS: Right, but tell me who's speaking here.
Q On the Hill, some of the senators --
MR. GIBBS: The senators are saying that's what they want?
Q No, that's what they're hearing from the White House.
MR. GIBBS: Oh, well --
Q Is that the message of the President?
MR. GIBBS: Look, I think, without getting into a lot of specifics, obviously this is -- we know we have a sense of what the legislative calendar is. I think moving as quickly as possible to get something done, as you've heard the President say, it's important to get that done this year. We can deal with a high cost of health care in a way that helps families and small businesses and creates jobs. So without getting into the specifics on a time table, I think the President is hopeful that it happens as quickly as we can.
Q On the nomination of Representative McHugh, last year during the "don't ask, don't tell" period, he expressed a deep desire to move forward with a review of the policy, and he said, "I would hope and encourage both the Department of Defense and the various services to reconsider the reluctance they have displayed to this point." Was a review of the policy something that the President took into consideration with this nomination? And will Congressman McHugh be encouraged to move forward with talks inside the Department?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think it is -- I think from -- it's obvious from those statements and other statements that Congressman McHugh has made that he and the President are in agreement on changing a policy they both don't think is working for this country right now. And it's a priority of the President's, and I think for any number of reasons we have a nominee that we hope will be confirmed quickly and will have -- based on his background and experience, will help to improve the lives of the Army.
Q Vice President Biden is in New York right now. Last night at a fundraiser he, in talking about Governor Paterson called him a "once and future governor." It's being viewed very much as either an endorsement or certainly a prediction about his reelection chances. Is that something that's held -- a view held by the White House or was Biden freelancing on that?
MR. GIBBS: I have not seen the remarks, but let me go see if I can find that, and see what the context is.
Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am, you.
Q Thank you, Robert. This is first time I got a chance. (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: Long-time listener -- (laughter) -- first-time caller, right. (Laughter.)
Q On North Korea, do you have an update on two U.S. journalists in North Korea? Did you hear anything from them?
MR. GIBBS: The only update I have that I know is that the Swedish ambassador has met with each of the two detained American citizen journalists. But I don't have anything beyond that.
Q (Inaudible.)
MR. GIBBS: I think that's been there for a couple of days, but I don't have anything beyond that. I can certainly check with NSC.
Yes, sir.
(Cell phone rings.)
MR. GIBBS: Do you think I should confiscate cell phones at Churchill's -- at the graduation today? (Laughter.)
Yes, sir.
Q Two questions. A fairly general question on the GM issue, with the government actually taking control of 60 percent of a company and putting $30 billion in it, could you explain why specifically the government should be able to do that without direct congressional authorization?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the money is based on Trouble Asset Relief and is related to money that was approved in the prior administration through that program to deal with, as they had in the past administration, we were dealing with loans to cover -- basically to bridge the operating costs.
Obviously, you know the history of this, the companies sought additional money and the President believed that their restructuring plans weren't sufficient enough to meet the requirements of viability. And he's asked them to go back. We've seen one company emerge from bankruptcy with a buyer and another company there now.
Q And if I could follow up on that. I mean, could such a large-scale, actually taking control of 60 percent of the company, could that be viewed as beyond anything anybody imagined and Congress, when they --
MR. GIBBS: I can't speak to what people in Congress believed in terms of their motivations back in September or October when this was being debated.
But, look, I can assure you the President shares any trepidation and reluctance to do this. As I said yesterday, if the President wanted to run an auto company he could have saved himself two years running for President.
Q And just one more. A couple weeks ago John Boehner added his name to, like, 20 or so prominent Catholics asking that the President remove Harry Knox from the faith-based council for comments that he made about the Pope and the Catholic Church; he referred to the Pope as a discredited leader. Does the President disagree with those comments and is he planning any action on that?
MR. GIBBS: I haven't seen that letter, but I think the President is comfortable with the makeup of his faith advisory council.
Thanks, guys.


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Are you ready for a road trip? People in the United States will take millions of trips this year — many of them traveling by car. The most popular treks are trips to the beach, visits to friends and family, and scenic drives. A scenic drive means there's something to see while you're driving, like an ocean, mountains, or a beautiful valley.
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I was at a wedding, having a beer with an Army officer who had served multiple combat tours overseas, when I told him I would be deploying to Kuwait.
"That's great, man," he said. "Just go over there and hit the gym, get a tan, and earn a paycheck." I wanted to tell him that's not why I volunteered for a second tour, but he'd already walked off.
I'd served one tour in Afghanistan in 2007 before leaving the service in 2010. A year later, when my company was slotted to return there, I reenlisted. I wanted to help the new guys through a difficult and trying experience, to do the right thing, to go back to the winding-down war to bring the rest of the guys back home. A few months after I rejoined, we were told we'd be going to Kuwait instead. The small nation whose invasion by Iraq in 1991 triggered the first Gulf War has been a key regional staging point and hub for American forces moving to and from Afghanistan and Iraq. As our troops withdraw from those battlefields, the U.S. and Kuwaiti governments are reportedly negotiating terms for maintaining an American military presence there capable of response if new conflicts arise, perhaps with Iran. Still, for the moment, it's a way station, a back office for wars elsewhere.
To prepare for Kuwait, I mobilized with my Army National Guard unit. As infantry soldiers, we spent countless days on live-fire ranges. One range, fallen into disrepair after years of hard use by mobilizing units, had many targets that did not register hits, would go down by themselves, or would not come up at all. Every military unit in every war has managed with inadequate equipment; when the end of the war approaches, that deficiency becomes much more pronounced.
When my unit ran that range, I volunteered for firefighter duty. Whenever a tracer round zinged off into the distance and caught fire in the dry grass or brush, I would hop into a Humvee with one or two others and ride downrange to the scene. We would hop out of the vehicle with large plastic flappers, sounding off against the trees and swamp with our best war cries, and charge the growing flames like they were Taliban positions.
It will probably be the most action we see all deployment.
Often the training is geared toward Afghanistan, where fresh troops are still being sent even as the surge dies down and civilian and military officials plan for and negotiate the war's end. We continually have to remind our trainers that is not our final destination.
When I did deploy to Afghanistan in 2007, our trainers often thought we were going to Iraq. Back then, it seemed like the wars were indefinite and even the training cadre could expect to deploy again. But now, many of the NCOs providing our training speak of the wars in the past tense. Many describe their experiences over multiple deployments. I'm thankful to have trainers who have so much experience, but they often sound tired.
From the new soldiers, we veterans hear a continual refrain: "At least you got to go." Many of them are happy to deploy, even if it is not to combat—but some of them have taken the news of our quiet mission harder than others. Many who joined counted on a deployment for life experience, for their careers, or for financial reasons.
During our mobilization training, representatives from the Pentagon came to speak with members of our brigade. They asked about our experiences with employers and with the services available to veterans and Reserve-component soldiers.
"Sir, I can name several soldiers across the rank spectrum, from specialist to sergeant major, who have lost work and been unable to find recourse through the established channels," I said. "The system hasn't worked."
"Oh, but it has worked, it has been very successful," he replied, without elaborating.
We might not have to deal with IEDs and firefights this deployment, but with veteran unemployment in double digits—at 17 percent, according to an Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America member survey released in March—getting a job will undoubtedly remain a primary concern among returning veterans of all services.
Our company leadership has openly stated that we NCOs are to help the lower enlisted soldiers develop their résumés, take college courses online, and work on their interview skills over the course of the deployment. Many of the NCOs and officers would probably benefit from this, too. It is a surreal intent—welcome, but not what I was signing up for.
On our way home for leave, a group of us gathered together at an airport restaurant. We griped and laughed and swore and made fun of one another and ourselves. Another soldier, wearing the distinctive, darker uniform unique to those serving in Afghanistan, made his way up to the bar. A lieutenant with too-soon gray hair, he wore a familiar, tired look on his face and a Ranger Regiment combat scroll. He slumped down at the bar and quietly ordered a drink, his shoulders low, his eyes fixed on a television screen. Someone may have wanted to buy him a beer, but no one approached him. We piped down and stared at our feet. When a civilian offered to buy us drinks, he asked where we were going. There was silence and a few glances to the Ranger drinking alone.
"Kuwait," someone finally said, quietly. We wanted to say "Afghanistan," but we couldn't. We are denied that privilege. We are free of that burden.
"That's what they're telling us this week," I added, trying to make a joke of it. No one laughed.
When I got home, I played up in my stories the more absurd or amusing parts of my experience—the broken ranges, the mandates to wear bright yellow reflective belts across our uniforms, or the week and a half a bunch of us spent in isolation recovering from walking pneumonia and mono, passing the time watching shows about kittens on Animal Planet.
I enjoyed my time with my girlfriend, drinking beers with friends, dining out with my parents. I know that while I will miss them and that a deployment—no matter where—presents hardship, I will not be returning to the trials of war. For this I am thankful.
But seeing on television, in photographs, and in person the gaunt, weary faces of those coming home or serving in a war in its slow burn to an uncertain but inevitable resolution, I cannot help but feel an obligation still unfulfilled and a guilt that lingers.


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It's always fun for me when I run across an heraldic mystery (e.g., who's arms are those?), and then get to solve said mystery. It's even more fun when I can do this on the road, away from many of my heraldry books. (Though in this age of technological wonders, I can actually take much of my heraldic library - especially the general armorials and ordinaries - on the road with me, downloaded off such sites as Google books and the Internet Text Archive and saved as .pdf documents onto my 250 gigabyte external drive that literally will fit into my shirt pocket!) And it gets even better when, as this time, a bit of serendipity occurs, and I happen to run across a relevant entry in a book which I just happened to be reading at the time.
I'll discuss the heraldic mystery in this entry, and cover the solution in my next post.
We were in Virginia for a week earlier this month, where I was scheduled to give a presentation to the Virginia Beach Genealogy Society. We'd decided to use the one night presentation as an excuse for a full-blown history and research vacation. We were visiting the battlefield site at Yorktown, where the British forces under Lord Cornwallis surrendered to the combined American and French forces during the American Revolutionary War.
3 months ago


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July 19, 2012 -- The political world is on high alert as speculation continues that Mitt Romney could announce his pick for vice president as early as this week. ABC News has ranked the contenders, and in the top tier are Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Yesterday we brought you a list of nine things you may not know about Portman. Today, we take a look at the other contender who many believe to be in the top tier: Tim Pawlenty.
1.) He originally wanted to be a dentist, and he enrolled in pre-dentistry at the University of Minnesota, which he discusses in his book, "Courage to Stand."
2.) He's the youngest of five children, and is the only member of his family to have graduated from college.
3.) His mother died from cancer when he was 16 years old.
4.) Pawlenty was raised in the Roman Catholic faith, but later converted to an Evangelical denomination.
5.) He served as vice president of a software company called Wizmo.
6.) He began his political career at age 28, when he was elected to the Eagen City Council
7.) Growing, he says, he was the lone Republican in a liberal family.
8.) He's not overly wealthy -- he has between $470,000 and $1.6 million in assets, according to Open Secrets.
9.) In 2001, while serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives, he pulled a prank and yanked down the pants of then-House speaker Steve Sviggum during a statehouse baseball game.