NASA Space Shuttle Runway Gets New Life as Commercial Spaceport

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? The famous?seaside?space shuttle runway here at NASA's Kennedy Space Center may have a second life soon as a launch and landing spot for a whole new type of space mission: tourist flights.

The 15,000-foot-long (4,600 meters)?Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) has been unused for spaceflights since the 30-year space shuttle program retired in 2011. But now NASA is handing over operation of the facility to Space Florida, the aerospace economic development agency for the state of Florida, to put the runway to new uses.

"Space Florida will take over operation of SLF as a combined airport and spaceport," NASA administrator Charles Bolden said here at a press conference today (June 28). "This will continue to expand Kennedy's viability as a multiuser spaceport. We look forward to working with Space Florida over the coming months." [Photos: NASA's Last Shuttle Landing in History]

Space Florida hopes to recruit commercial space companies to perform launches and landings from the Shuttle Landing Facility. The organization has reached out to suborbital launch company XCOR Aerospace, as well as orbital spaceship builders Sierra Nevada Space Systems, Boeing and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), and has high hopes many of these companies will establish operations at Kennedy Space Center.

"It's our job to make it a commercial entity ?we're excited for the challenge," Jim Kuzma, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Space Florida, told SPACE.com.

NASA itself may prove to be a customer of the facility when it starts launching its new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System, and Orion spacecraft, in coming years. Under the new arrangement, NASA is no longer shouldering the everyday cost of running the Shuttle Landing Facility ? Florida is ? so if NASA uses the facility it will have to pay for it like any other customer.

"It's exciting for Florida," Kuzma said. "We think the work force is here, the understanding of the needs of the space industry is here."

Andrew Nelson, chief operating officer of XCOR Aerospace, which hopes to begin launching tourists to the edge of space on its Lynx vehicle soon, agreed.

"The workforce is incredible here," he said. "There's just something in the DNA here."

XCOR said it was attracted to the idea of launching flights out of Kennedy Space Center in part because the Space Coast lures so many tourists ? it's about an hour's drive from the tourist Mecca of Orlando.

"There are 30 million tourist visitors a year here," Nelson told SPACE.com. "A few are going to want to fly to space."

Follow Clara Moskowitz on Twitter?and Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on?SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-space-shuttle-runway-gets-life-commercial-spaceport-115756289.html

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NFL says no to promoting Obamacare (Washington Post)

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Funeral held for man in ex-Patriot's murder case

AAA??Jun. 29, 2013?11:17 AM ET
Funeral held for man in ex-Patriot's murder case
AP

This booking photo released via the website of the Broward County Sheriff's Office shows Ernest Wallace, arrested June 28, 2013 when he surrendered at a police station in Miramar, Fla. Authorities had been seeking Wallace on a charge of acting as an accessory after the murder of Ovid Lloyd on June 17 in North Attleborough, Mass. Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been charged with Lloyd's murder. (AP Photo/Broward County Sheriff's Office)

This booking photo released via the website of the Broward County Sheriff's Office shows Ernest Wallace, arrested June 28, 2013 when he surrendered at a police station in Miramar, Fla. Authorities had been seeking Wallace on a charge of acting as an accessory after the murder of Ovid Lloyd on June 17 in North Attleborough, Mass. Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been charged with Lloyd's murder. (AP Photo/Broward County Sheriff's Office)

Carlos Ortiz, left, stands in Attleboro District Court for his arraignment on weapons charges, Friday, June 28, 2013 in Attleboro, Mass. Ortiz was arrested Wednesday in Bristol, Conn., in connection with the murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez , now charged in the murder of Odin Lloyd. (AP Photo/The Boston Globe, George Rizer, Pool)

Carlos Ortiz is led into Attleboro District Court for his arraignment on weapons charges, Friday, June 28, 2013 in Attleboro, Mass. Ortiz was arrested Wednesday in Bristol, Conn., in connection with the murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez , now charged in the murder of Odin Lloyd. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MAGS OUT. MANDATORY CREDIT.

Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, left, stands as Assistant District Attorney Bomberg speaks during the arraignment of Carlos Ortiz, Friday, June 28, 2013 in Attleboro, Mass. Ortiz was arrested Wednesday in Bristol, Conn., in connection with the murder case against former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez , now charged in the murder of Odin Lloyd. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell, Pool)

BOSTON (AP) ? Dozens of relatives, friends and well-wishers have gathered at a church in Boston for the funeral of a semi-pro football player whose killing led to murder and weapons charges against former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez.

Odin Lloyd was found shot to death near Hernandez's home. Police arrested Hernandez on Wednesday at his home and charged him with orchestrating the execution-style shooting.

Mourners gathered at Church of the Holy Spirit in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood Saturday morning for Lloyd's funeral.

Prosecutors allege Hernandez arranged the killing because Lloyd talked to the wrong people at a nightclub.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Two other men are also in custody. Prosecutors allege the three suspects were in a car with Lloyd shortly before his death.

Associated PressNews Topics: General news, Sports, Funerals and memorial services, Shootings, Violent crime, Celebrity deaths, Crime, NFL football, Homicide, Celebrity, Entertainment, Arts and entertainment, Professional football, Football

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-29-Hernandez-Lloyd's%20Funeral/id-0bd2b7a3b89446878a54150b6a115775

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US Senate passes immigration reform bill ? RT USA - RT asks

Published time: June 27, 2013 20:22
Edited time: June 28, 2013 03:29

The United States Senate approved a landmark immigration bill Thursday afternoon after lawmakers in Washington voted 68-to-32 in favor of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.

The Senate put its collective support behind the bill, a bipartisan effort that has been at the center of discussion on both sides of the aisle since it was introduced in Washington in April of this year.

Should the bill clear both chambers of Congress, President Barack Obama will be asked to ink his name to a comprehensive immigration reform bill that will provide new opportunities for unlawful residents to stay in America legally, while at the same time pumping millions of dollars into the United States? border with Mexico in an attempt to limit the influx of illegal aliens.

"We're on the edge of passing one of the most significant pieces of legislation that this body has passed in a very long time," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) told Senate colleagues on Capitol Hill Wednesday. "The vast majority of members in this body realize that the immigration system is broken and needs fixing."

Early Thursday morning, every voting member of Schumer?s Democratic Party and 14 Republican senators gave the bill a final go-ahead after deciding to end debate on the act?s amendments.

"There is no reason after these votes today to delay this,? added Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada). "We're poised to pass a historic immigration bill. It's landmark legislation that will secure our borders and help 11 million people get right with the law,? he said

If the bill passed today by the Senate is signed into law by Pres. Obama, millions of presently illegal immigrants would be granted lawful status to stay in the United States. Currently around 11 million residents of the US reside there illegally, and new mechanisms would provide a pathway for citizenship in many cases, albeit not without hurdles. Illegal immigrants would be required to pay Uncle Sam back taxes before being presented with permanent legal status, a measure which is expected to bring in nearly one trillion dollars during the next 20 years. Additionally under the bill, 20,000 new Border Patrol jobs would be created and a 700 mile fence would be erected on the US/Mexico border. Businesses would also have to check on the legal statuses of prospective employees, and lower-skilled and farm workers would be admitted legally into the US under only a temporary program.

That morning decision set the stage for a 4 p.m. vote, which ended as predicted with the Democrat-controlled Senate signing off on the bill which will next be sent to the House of Representatives. Once that chamber and its Republican majority have its hands on the act, however, the bill is expected to stall and come short of ever being sent to the White House.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), an outspoken opponent of the act, said Thursday that ?Today?s vote is largely symbolic.?

Other Republicans who spoke up early Thursday include Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), who said he?d be casting a ballot against the bill ?with a great deal of regret.? Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) was not able to have his amendments involving agricultural workers tacked onto the bill and said Thursday he was left feeling ?terribly disappointed and frustrated.?

At the same time, however, GOP support on the act has so far surpassed what pundits had predicted. Both votes in the Senate on Thursday suggest that the Republican Party is willing with some degree to work towards immigration law reform, and the securing of more than a dozen GOP lawmakers could put the pressure on the rest of the party to act swiftly in adopting a bill that?ll suite the Senate version.

Of particular contention among GOP lawmakers is the balance between amnesty for currently illegal immigrants and what some have called the militarization of the US/Mexico border. More hawkish conservatives are calling for a bill that will focus more heavily on securing the Mexican border, whereas Democrats seem content with their current plan, which will indeed bring added fortification while also emphasizing a program that will allow illegal aliens to stay in the US.

On Thursday, House Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (R-Illinois) told reporters that the current bill is a ?pipe dream? and said, ?Our conference is all about trying to get a deal with a secure border.?

?Once there is a level of confidence on a secure border then you can deal with moving forward on these other elements,? Roskam said.

The last time Congress was asked to rewrite federal immigration laws came in 2006, but that attempt died in the Senate before ever being sent to the House. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), the speaker of the House, said his chamber will ignore the Senate approved-bill and will draft its own version that will more heavily emphasize border security.

"Apparently some haven't gotten the message: The House is not going to take up and vote on whatever the Senate passes. We're going to do our own bill -- through regular order -- and move the legislation that reflects the will of our majority and the will of the American people," Speaker Boehner said during a Thursday press briefing.

Source: http://rt.com/usa/border-immigration-senate-bill-350/

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'Django' Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx Rechained For WB Crime Movie

By Jeff Sneider

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Django Unchained" stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx are set to play bad-ass detectives in "Mean Business on North Ganson Street," an adaptation of S. Craig Zahler's upcoming crime novel that has just been acquired by Warner Bros.

Zahler ("The Brigands of Rattleborge") will write the script, and DiCaprio will produce with his Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran.

"Mean Business" marks the first major deal made by Greg Silverman since he was promoted to run the studio's worldwide feature film production arm in the wake of Jeff Robinov's departure.

Story follows a disgraced detective (DiCaprio) who is sent to Victory, Missouri, where violent crime is skyrocketing. He's partnered with another detective (Foxx) who was demoted for brutalizing a suspect. When police officers start showing up dead, they get to work on finding the person responsible for declaring open season on Victory's police department.

Foxx next stars opposite Channing Tatum in "White House Down," which opens on Friday, while DiCaprio will soon be seen in Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Zahler is prepping to direct "Bone Tomahawk," which stars Kurt Russell and Timothy Olyphant.

Deadline broke the news.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/django-stars-leonardo-dicaprio-jamie-foxx-rechained-wb-000935396.html

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Colorado massacre suspect James Holmes to be restrained during trial

Pool via Denver Post / AP

Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes in court in Centennial, Colo., on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.

By Dan Elliott, Associated Press

Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes will be restrained during his trial by wearing a harness under his clothes that will be anchored to the floor, the judge said Thursday.

Judge Carlos A. Samour Jr. also ruled the jury will not be sequestered during the trial, which is scheduled to start in February and is expected to take four months.

Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and injuring 70 others at a movie theater in the Denver suburb of Aurora in July.

He has worn heavy shackles on his wrists and ankles during pretrial hearings. His lawyers wanted him to be unshackled during the trial, saying the restraints would make him look guilty to the jury.

Samour said Holmes has to be restrained because he is charged with violent crimes. He said jurors won't see the harness, and the anchoring cable will blend in with computer cables at the defense table.

The judge ruled earlier that Holmes can wear civilian clothing at his trial.

Holmes pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to multiple charges of murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Defense lawyers wanted the jury sequestered and wanted the jurors barred from having phones, laptop computers or any other electronics devices during the trial.

The judge said sequestration for such a long time would be costly and impractical, and would create an undue burden on jurors. He implied it also could prompt some prospective jurors to try to avoid the case.

However, Samour said he would allow defense lawyers to renew the request later if they think they have grounds to do so.

Denying jurors access to smartphones, computers, television sets and radios ? along with email and the Internet ? would be drastic and unfair, the judge said.

But he did rule jurors will not be allowed to have the devices in court or during deliberations.

Samour said he might seat as many as 12 alternate jurors ? an unusually large number ? in the event any of the 12 regular jurors is dismissed for hearing outside information or other reasons.

"The court cannot keep the jurors in a bubble, completely sealed off from the outside world," the judge said.

Samour has said 5,000 potential jurors will get a summons and that he expects 3,200 to 3,500 to respond.

Holmes' lawyers had also asked the judge to scale back the heavy security that has been present during 11 months of pretrial hearings, saying it would be "extraordinary and unnecessary" during the trial and would prejudice the jury against Holmes.

They also objected to deputies standing so close to Holmes in the courtroom that they could hear his conversations with his attorneys.

Eight Arapahoe County sheriff's deputies usually stand guard in the courtroom during hearings. Others watch from the rooftops of the two courthouse buildings and in the parking lot.

Samour said four of the deputies in the courtroom will wear uniforms during the trial, and any others will wear street clothes. He also said they will keep a reasonable distance from the defense table.

The judge overruled the defense objection to having deputies on the rooftops and in the parking lot, saying they're necessary to protect Holmes and the public.

Samour said Sheriff Grayson Robinson had agreed to the hidden harness and tether for Holmes and the plainclothes deputies in the courtroom. Samour added he trusts Robinson's expertise and will heed his advice.

Related:

? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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World News Brief, Thursday June 27 | Pundit

Kevin Rudd takes back leadership of Australia; riots in China kill 27; Syria death toll reaches 100,000; Obama pushes for action on global warming; and more

Top of the Agenda: Australia's Kevin Rudd Ousts Julia Gillard as Party Leader

Kevin Rudd won back (SMH) the leadership of Australia's Labor Party on Wednesday from Prime Minister Julia Gillard in a snap leadership election she had called in a bid to end bitter infighting that divided the ruling party. The power shift comes just three months before a national election (BBC) in which Labor is expected to suffer significant losses. Gillard, whose popularity has plunged in recent months, pledged to resign from politics following her loss. Observers say that Rudd, who was prime minister from 2007 to 2010, remains popular with voters (FT) and is viewed by many members of parliament as a lifeline for the party as it heads into mid-September elections.

Analysis

"But assuming Mr. Rudd can form a government?which is by no means certain?the man with arguably most to lose is opposition leader Tony Abbott, who had been strolling to a possible landslide in September's poll almost without having to try," writes Neil Hume for the Financial Times.

"For the woman who carried the hopes of so many when she made history, three years ago on Monday, and who gave her all to the job, this is a difficult pill to digest. Barring an unlikely olive branch from Rudd, her career is over at 51," writes Michael Gordon for the Sydney Morning Herald.

"Rudd, who resigned tearfully when he was deposed before the 2010 election, will see the result as sweet vindication. But his real vindication will only come if he can lead Labor to a narrow loss, or even defy all predictions and emerge victorious," writes Lenore Taylor for the Guardian.

?

PACIFIC RIM

Riots in China?s Xinjiang Province Leave 27 Dead

Riots in China's ethnically diverse Xinjiang region killed twenty-seven people, marking the latest outburst of violence (AFP) in the restive western region that is home to roughly ten million Muslim Uighurs. State media said police opened fire on "knife-wielding mobs."

?

ELSEWHERE:

Syria death toll reaches 100,000

Obama pushes for action on global warming

??This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org.

Source: http://www.pundit.co.nz/content/world-news-brief-thursday-june-27

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Mormon church-owned Utah NBC affiliate to air SNL

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) ? A Mormon church-owned NBC television station in Utah plans to begin showing first-run "Saturday Night Live" episodes this fall after years of refusing to air the sketch comedy show.

The decision is part of the station's plan to make the lineup stronger and improve its relationship with NBC, said Tami Ostmark, KSL-TV's vice president of marketing, research and promotion.

KSL is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has not aired certain shows over the years due to content it deems inappropriate. But Ostmark says content was never the issue with "SNL." She says the station didn't want to bump a popular sports show that aired at the same time.

New episodes of "SNL" will air at 10:30 p.m. Saturdays on KSL starting Sept. 28, Ostmark said. The station has been airing re-runs for the past year at an earlier time slot Saturday evenings.

NBC said in a statement that it's pleased KSL will air the 39th season of "SNL," adding that it values its partnership with the Utah affiliate.

First-run episodes of SNL have previously aired on Utah's CW network affiliate, KUCW. KUCW executive Richard Jones said he was taking the loss in stride.

"Obviously, we would have liked to have kept it," he said, but added, "Maintaining a good relationship with NBC is more important than complaining about this."

The CW affiliate has been airing NBC's "Hannibal" since May after KSL dropped it due to graphic and gory content. The station has also been showing "The New Normal," a sitcom about a gay couple who invites a surrogate mother into their home, since the fall of 2012.

KSL executives said the program was inappropriate to air during family viewing time, saying the show's dialogue was excessively crude and that scenes were too explicit.

KSL announced the decision Wednesday on its Facebook page. The reaction on Facebook was mixed. Some applauded the station for finally airing "SNL" while others decried the station's decision to air a show with foul humor. Some predicted the show would be pulled as soon as "SNL" airs a crude skit that offends the audience.

In a statement sent by email, KSL said it's excited about its fall lineup that will now include "Saturday Night Live" and the 2014 Winter Olympics.

___

Follow Brady McCombs at https://twitter.com/BradyMcCombs

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mormon-church-owned-utah-nbc-affiliate-air-snl-172936339.html

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Xbox Music For Windows 8.1 Now Has Free, Ad-Supported Radio

No word yet on whether or not Xbox Music is breaking out of its Windows 8 prison and turning into a web-app, but it now has a free, ad-supported radio feature where you can start a station based on a specific artist. You know, like Pandora.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/2earlq2r2So/no-word-yet-on-whether-or-not-xbox-music-is-breaking-ou-586653025

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Obama hit by Snowden setbacks with China, Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) ? For President Barack Obama, National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden's globe-trotting evasion of U.S. authorities has dealt a startling setback to efforts to strengthen ties with China and raised the prospect of worsening tensions with Russia.

Relations with both China and Russia have been at the forefront of Obama's foreign policy agenda this month, underscoring the intertwined interests among these uneasy partners. Obama met just last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Group of Eight summit in Northern Ireland and held an unusual two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California earlier this month.

Obama has made no known phone calls to Xi since Snowden surfaced in Hong Kong earlier this month, nor has he talked to Putin since Snowden arrived in Russia.

Former Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., said it wasn't clear that Obama's "charm offensive" with Xi and Putin would matter much on this issue. The U.S. has "very little leverage," she said, given the broad array of issues on which the Obama administration needs Chinese and Russian cooperation.

"This isn't happening in a vacuum, and obviously China and Russia know that," said Harman, who now runs the Woodrow Wilson International Center.

Both the U.S. and China had hailed the Obama-Xi summit as a fresh start to a complex relationship, with the leaders building personal bonds during an hour-long walk through the grounds of the Sunnylands estate. But any easing of tensions appeared to vanish Monday following China's apparent flouting of U.S. demands that Snowden be returned from semi-autonomous Hong Kong to face espionage charges.

White House spokesman Jay Carney, in unusually harsh language, said China had "unquestionably" damaged its relationship with Washington.

"The Chinese have emphasized the importance of building mutual trust," Carney said. "We think that they have dealt that effort a serious setback. If we cannot count on them to honor their legal extradition obligations, then there is a problem."

A similar problem may be looming with Russia, where Snowden arrived Sunday. He had been expected to leave Moscow for a third country, but the White House said Monday it believed the former government contractor was still in Russia.

While the U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, the White House publicly prodded the Kremlin to send Snowden back to the U.S., while officials privately negotiated with their Russian counterparts.

"We are expecting the Russians to examine the options available to them to expel Mr. Snowden for his return to the United States," Carney said.

The U.S. has deep economic ties with China and needs the Asian power's help in persuading North Korea to end its nuclear provocations. The Obama administration also needs Russia's cooperation in ending the bloodshed in Syria and reducing nuclear stockpiles held by the former Cold War foes.

Members of Congress so far have focused their anger on China and Russia, not on Obama's inability to get either country to abide by U.S. demands. However, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said in an interview with CNN on Monday that he was starting to wonder why the president hasn't been "more forceful in dealing with foreign leaders."

Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton echoed the White House's frustration with China. "That kind of action is not only detrimental to the U.S.-China relationship but it sets a bad precedent that could unravel the intricate international agreements about how countries respect the laws ? and particularly the extradition treaties," the possible 2016 presidential contender told an audience in Los Angeles.

Snowden fled to Hong Kong after seizing highly classified documents disclosing U.S. surveillance programs that collect vast amounts of U.S. phone and Internet records. He shared the information with The Guardian and Washington Post newspapers. He also told the South China Morning Post that "the NSA does all kinds of things like hack Chinese cellphone companies to steal all of your SMS data." SMS, or short messaging service, generally means text messaging.

Snowden still has perhaps more than 200 sensitive documents, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said over the weekend.

Hong Kong, a former British colony with a degree of autonomy from mainland China, has an extradition treaty with the U.S. Officials in Hong Kong said a formal U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with its laws, a claim the Justice Department disputes.

The White House made clear it believes the final decision to let Snowden leave for Russia was made by Chinese officials in Beijing.

Russia's ultimate response to U.S. pressure remains unclear. Putin could still agree to return Snowden to the U.S. But he may also let him stay in Russia or head elsewhere, perhaps to Ecuador or Venezuela ? both options certain to earn the ire of the White House.

Fiona Hill, a Russia expert at the Washington-based Brookings Institution, said she expected Putin to take advantage of a "golden opportunity" to publicly defy the White House.

"This is one of those opportunities to score points against the United States that I would be surprised if Russia passed up," Hill said.

___

Follow Julie Pace on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-hit-snowden-setbacks-china-russia-070516653.html

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Devo drummer Alan Myers dies of cancer

Music

Eric R. Danton Rolling Stone

9 hours ago

Michael Ochs Archives

Alan Myers of the band Devo performs onstage in Los Angeles around 1979.

Alan Myers, Devo's drummer during their period of greatest success, died Monday of brain cancer. He was 58. Myers' death was first reported on Facebook by his friend Ralph Carney, a jazz musician who knew Myers in Devo's hometown of Akron, Ohio, (and the uncle of Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney).

Myers became Devo's third drummer when he joined the band in 1976. Known for his precision on the kit, his playing featured on Devo's first seven albums, including 1978's "Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!" and 1980's "Freedom of Choice," which included the single "Whip It." He left the band in 1986 over a lack of creative fulfillment as the group increasingly used electronic drums, according to the 2003 book "We Are Devo!"

100 Best Debuts of All Time: Devo, 'Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

After leaving Devo, Myers worked as an electrical contractor in Los Angeles, and since 2005 had played improvisational music with his wife, Christine Myers, in the group Skyline Electric. He had also performed with his daughter, Laena Geronimo, in the experimental ensemble Swahili Blonde.

Myers' former bandmate Gerald Casale praised the drummer on Twitter as news of his death spread. The Devo founder called Myers "the most incredible drummer I had the privilege to play with for 10 years. Losing him was like losing an arm."

In subsequent tweets, Casale wrote, "I begged him not to quit Devo. He could not tolerate being replaced by the Fairlight and autocratic machine music. I agreed ... Alan, you were the best -- a human metronome and then some."

Drummer Josh Freese, who joined Devo for their 2010 reunion, has cited Myers as one of his major influences. "An underrated/brilliant drummer," Freese tweeted. "Such an honor playing his parts w/Devo. Godspeed Human Metronome."

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/devo-drummer-alan-myers-dies-cancer-6C10454468

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Video: In his own shadow

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/52307291#52307291

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Downey Jr. signs on for 2 more 'Avengers' films

NEW YORK (AP) ? Robert Downey Jr. has signed up for two more "Avengers" films.

Marvel announced Thursday that the actor will reprise his role as Iron Man/Tony Stark for "The Avengers 2" and "The Avengers 3." Downey Jr. has played the character in a trilogy of "Iron Man" movies, as well as the first superhero ensemble "Avengers" film, which made $2.7 billion worldwide.

Joss Whedon is to return as director of the next "Avengers" film. He is writing the screenplay now. Production is to begin in March, with a theatrical release in May 2015.

The 48-year-old actor had previously suggested "Iron Man 3" might be his last spin in a stand-alone "Iron Man" film. Marvel's announcement made no mention of an "Iron Man 4" release.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/downey-jr-signs-2-more-avengers-films-182547639.html

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