What Adam Curry is reading

Analysis - Facebook's ad warning sounds a note of caution for Twitter
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  Source: Reuters: Technology News
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 18:11
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VIDEO-NSA files decoded: Edward Snowden's surveillance revelations explained | World news | theguardian.com
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  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:44
  Two factors opened the way for the rapid expansion of surveillance over the past decade: the fear of terrorism created by the 9/11 attacks and the digital revolution that led to an explosion in cell phone and internet use.
  But along with these technologies came an extension in the NSA's reach few in the early 1990s could have imagined. Details that in the past might have remained private were suddenly there for the taking.
  Chris Soghoian
  Principal technologist, ACLU NSA is helped by the fact that much of the world's communications traffic passes through the US or its close ally the UK '' what the agencies refer to as ''home-field advantage''. The NSA has its own cable-intercept programs tapping traffic flowing into and across the US. These operate mainly under four codenames '-- BLARNEY, FAIRVIEW, OAKSTAR and STORMBREW '-- and are collectively known as Upstream collection.
  The Snowden documents show that the NSA runs these surveillance programs through ''partnerships'' with major US telecom and internet companies. Some of these relationships go back decades, others are more recent, in the wake of 9/11 and with the growth of the internet.
  The division inside the NSA that deals with collection programs that focus on private companies is Special Source Operations, described by Snowden as the ''crown jewels'' of the NSA.
  In one top document, published here for the first time, SSO spelled out the importance of these commercial relationships which come under the heading ''Corporate Partner Access''.
  In bald terms, it sets out its mission: ''Leverage unique key corporate partnerships to gain access to high-capacity international fiber-optic cables, switches and/or routes throughout the world.''
  Documents available in the desktop version of this interactive or at The NSA Files hub.Jeremy Scahill
  National security journalist As well as fiber-optic cables in the US, the NSA has access to data gathered by close intelligence partners such as Britain's GCHQ.
  The Snowden documents revealed the existence of Tempora, a program established in 2011 by GCHQ that gathers masses of phone and internet traffic by tapping into fiber-optic cables. GCHQ shares most of its information with the NSA.
  ConnectedNot connected___
  Fiber-optic cable.
  Fiber-optic landing pointDistance between ocean surface and floor not drawn to scale
  As well as its upstream collection programs, the NSA also has Prism, which, according to the Snowden documents, is the biggest single contributor to its intelligence reports. It is a ''downstream'' program '' which means the agency collects the data from internet Google, Facebook, Apple, Yahoo and other US internet giants. One slide claims the agency has ''direct access'' to their servers, but this has been hotly disputed by the companies, who say they only comply with lawful requests for user data.
  When the Guardian and the Washington Post revealed the existence of Prism the companies denied all knowledge of it and insisted that any co-operation with the intelligence agencies was compelled by law.
  Documents available in the desktop version of this interactive or at The NSA Files hub.The names of many of the NSA's ''corporate partners'' are so sensitive that they are classified as ''ECI'' '-- Exceptionally Controlled Information '-- a higher classification level than the Snowden documents cover.
  But some of the internet companies are named in the Special Source Operations briefing on Corporate Partner Access. A graphic comparing weekly reports involving the companies lists some of the Prism providers. Other companies on the list are protected by ECI covernames. Artifice, Lithium and Serenade are listed in other documents as covernames for SSO corporate partners, while Steelknight is described as an NSA partner facility.
  This is the first time that data giving a sample of the number of intelligence records being generated per company has been published. It shows that over the period shown, June to July 2010, data from Yahoo generated by far the most NSA intelligence reports, followed by Microsoft, and then Google. All three companies are fighting through the courts to be allowed to release more detailed figures for the numbers of data requests they handle from US intelligence agencies.
  Intelligence reports by companyDocuments available in the desktop version of this interactive or at The NSA Files hub.Amie Stepanovich
  Lawyer, Electronic Privacy Information Center Not all companies have complied. Ladar Levison, the founder of Lavabit '-- a small, secure email provider used by Snowden '-- suspended operations in August rather than comply with a warrant that would have allowed the US government access to the data of all Lavabit's 400,000 customers.
  In a statement defending its surveillance programs, the NSA said: ''What NSA does is collect the communications of targets of foreign intelligence value, irrespective of the provider that carries them. US service provider communications make use of the same information super highways as a variety of other commercial service providers. NSA must understand and take that into account in order to eliminate information that is not related to foreign intelligence.
  ''NSA works with a number of partners and allies in meeting its foreign-intelligence mission goals, and in every case those operations comply with US law and with the applicable laws under which those partners and allies operate.''
  But some members of Congress, such as Lofgren, who represents a Silicon Valley district, are unconvinced. She warns that the programs not only undermine individual privacy, but threaten the reputations of major American telecom and internet companies.
How Edward Snowden Escalated Cyber War - Newsweek
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  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:41
  For more than a decade, a relentless campaign by China to steal valuable, confidential information from United States corporations flourished with barely a peep from Washington. And now it might never be stopped.
  The secret online assault was well-understood by the last two administrations. The program's scope was confirmed in a 2009 classified inquiry that discovered Chinese hackers - many of them traced to facilities connected to the People's Liberation Army - had penetrated not only all of the corporate computer networks analyzed, but also every examined computer system used by state or federal agencies.
  Still, the State Department warned - as it had for years - that publicly confronting China over its online economic warfare would damage relations with Beijing, so American government statements about the hacking did not disclose the scope of China's efforts. It was not until October 2011 that the Obama administration pulled back the curtain a bit on a single page of a little-noticed public report by the Office of the National Intelligence Executive. But that muted warning bell did nothing to slow the hacking or to create greater concern on Capitol Hill, and Washington's demands that China rein in its hacking continued to be delivered quietly in diplomatic tªte- -tªtes.
  All that changed early this year. In January, The New York Times reported that Chinese hackers had infiltrated its computers after Beijing threatened "consequences" if the newspaper published an unflattering article about the country's prime minister. In February, Mandiant, a security firm, disclosed that hackers from the Chinese military unit 61398 had stolen data from scores of American companies and agencies. In March, Tom Donilon, then the national security advisor to President Obama, publicly urged China to curtail its cyber activities. Then, administration officials leaked classified details of a Pentagon report that Chinese hackers had obtained designs for scores of the nation's most sensitive advanced weapons systems, including some critical to missile defenses and combat aircraft.
  China's protests that it did not engage in hacking were waved aside by Washington, which pushed forward with a plan to publicly confront its leaders. In May, Donilon flew to Beijing to meet senior government officials there and set the framework for a summit between Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping; Donilon and other American officials made it clear they would demand that hacking be a prime topic of conversation. By finally taking the step of putting public - and, most likely, international - pressure on the Chinese to rein in their cyber tactics, the administration believed it was about to take a critical step in taming one of the biggest threats to America's economic security.
  But it didn't happen. The administration's attempt to curb China's assault on American business and government was crippled - perhaps forever, experts say - by a then-unknown National Security Agency contractor named Edward Snowden.
  Snowden's clandestine efforts to disclose thousands of classified documents about NSA surveillance emerged as the push against Chinese hacking intensified. He reached out to reporters after the public revelations about China's surveillance of the Times's computers and the years of hacking by Unit 61398 into networks used by American businesses and government agencies. On May 24, in an email from Hong Kong, Snowden informed a Washington Post reporter to whom he had given documents that the paper had 72 hours to publish them or he would take them elsewhere; had the Post complied, its story about American computer spying would have run on the day Donilon landed in Beijing to push for Chinese hacking to be on the agenda for the presidential summit.
  The first report based on Snowden's documents finally appeared in The Guardian on June 5, two days before the Obama-Xi meeting, revealing the existence of a top-secret NSA program that swept up untold amounts of data on phone calls and Internet activity. When Obama raised the topic of hacking, administration officials say, Xi again denied that China engaged in such actions, then cited The Guardian report as proof that America should not be lecturing Beijing about abusive surveillance.
  "Snowden couldn't have played better into China's strategy for protecting its cyber activities if he had been doing it on purpose,'' one American intelligence official says.
  Snowden's revelations quickly veered away from what he called the NSA's "domestic surveillance state" to overseas espionage by the United States. After fleeing to Hong Kong, he provided local reporters with NSA documents and told them the United States was hacking major Chinese telecommunications companies, a Beijing university and the corporate owner of the region's most extensive fiber-optic submarine cable network. That information, government officials and industry experts say, is now used by the Chinese to deflect criticisms of their hacking, both in meetings with the administration and at cyber security conferences.
  The activities of the two sides, however, are vastly different in scope and intent. The United States engages in widespread electronic espionage, but that classified information cannot legally be handed over to private industry. China is using its surveillance to steal trade secrets, harm international competitors and undermine American businesses.
  "Snowden changed the argument from one of 'The Chinese are doing this, it's intolerable' to 'Look, the U.S. government spies, so everybody spies,' '' says Richard Bejtlich, chief security officer at Mandiant, the firm that linked hacking intrusions in America to the Chinese military. "Of course the U.S. spies, but none of what the U.S. is doing is benefiting American business, and pretty much everything the Chinese are doing is benefiting Chinese businesses."
  China does not limit its computer espionage to America: All of western Europe, Australia, Japan, and other industrialized nations have been targeted, a fact the Obama administration had hoped to leverage into unified international pressure against Beijing. But subsequent Snowden disclosures about American surveillance of allied countries and world leaders (including German Chancellor Angela Merkel) have robbed the United States of the ability to persuade other countries to join it in condemning China.
  "I don't think that point is going to win the day with Angela Merkel anymore,'' says Jason Healey, director of the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at the Atlantic Council, a national security think tank in Washington. "Certainly no one cares anymore about our whining about Chinese espionage. The time we had for making the case on that is long gone. Internationally, I don't see how we recover.''
  Some security industry and former intelligence officials say they originally believed Snowden's apparent outrage at espionage by governments might lead him to expose activities by the Chinese, who use their hacking skills not only for economic competition but to track and damage dissidents overseas and monitor their citizens. There was good reason to believe Snowden had plenty of details about Beijing's activities - he has publicly stated that as an NSA contractor he targeted Chinese operations and taught a course on Chinese cyber counterintelligence. And while he says he turned over his computerized files of NSA documents to journalists in Hong Kong, he boasts that he is so familiar with Chinese hacking techniques that there is no chance the government there can gain access to his classified material.
  But outside of American intelligence operations conducted there, Snowden has revealed nothing about surveillance and hacking in China, nor about the techniques he asserts he knows so well.
  And there is plenty to disclose. The threat of Chinese espionage is so large that Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, who chaired the Intelligence Committee's Cyber Task Force, proclaimed it to be part of "the biggest transfer of wealth through theft and piracy in the history of mankind."
  Demonstrators hold up their signs during the "Stop Watching Us: A Rally Against Mass Surveillance" march near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 26, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
  The major impetus behind China's use of hacking as an economic and military strategy came in the wake of the Persian Gulf War in 1991. At the time, both Iraq and China had a similar strategy: They believed that having enough armor, weapons, and fighters could deter any military assault. But the United States and its allies swept aside the Iraqi military almost effortlessly. The strategy of relying on large masses of equipment wouldn't work against the technological sophistication of American weaponry, leaving China solely with nuclear weapons as a counter to any conventional confrontation - a position no rational military strategist would want to adopt.
  "Imagine being a [People's Liberation Army] planner watching that war unfold and realizing your strategy didn't match up with the adversary you wanted to match up against,'' says Stewart A. Baker, former assistant secretary for policy at the Department of Homeland Security and former general counsel to the NSA.
  Recognizing that it could not compete on the battlefield against America's military, China turned to hacking. Late in 1991, Chinese leaders began to spend a massive amount of money to develop, acquire and field advanced cyber technology in the government, the military and the civilian sector. If the Americans had better technology, the Chinese would take it; if they attempted to attack, Beijing would fight back in ways the United States couldn't predict.
  "Twenty years after Iraq, China has stealth fighters stolen with hacker techniques, designs for its carriers, and can pick and choose from all the research the United States has paid for,'' Baker says. "If we find ourselves in a serious conflict with a nation with those capabilities, we could find ourselves threatening cruise missile strikes and discover that hackers shut off all the power in New York" as a warning of how much power they have to disrupt and inflict damage - potentially including the American weapons reliant on computers to operate.
  In its economic hacking, the Chinese go far beyond stealing information from American defense contractors. "If you have an information system connected to the Internet and you have information that is of great interest to China, they probably have it already,'' says Martin Libicki, a senior management scientist at the Rand Corporation who specializes in the impacts of information technology on domestic and national security.
  Plenty of American companies have learned that lesson. As a result, cyber security experts say, some companies are now contacting them for help rooting out hackers, not because they have experienced any problems but simply because they have Chinese corporate competitors. "That's different from what it was three years ago when people thought it was make-believe,'' says Tim Ryan, who ran the FBI's largest cyber squad and is now managing director of the cyber practice at Kroll, the international security giant. "Some organizations know they'll be in the crosshairs of Chinese hackers and want to start looking. And the number of times hackers are found is really high."
  In the last few years, dozens of companies - including some in high-tech, energy, and finance - have reported that their computer systems were hacked and their proprietary data stolen by the Chinese government. In 2010, for example, Google disclosed that it had been the target of an attack involving malicious software, dubbed Aurora. The attack was used to set up a virtual information "buffet" - the hackers examined Gmail for information on political dissidents and to see if U.S. law enforcement was monitoring the accounts of Chinese spies in America. The Chinese also loaded up their plates with intellectual property related to services and products, such as search engine technology, and passed that to Google's Chinese competitors. And the attack wasn't limited to Google - security industry executives say Aurora struck hundreds, if not thousands, of companies.
  People use the computer at an Internet cafe in Taiyuan, Shanxi province March 31, 2010. REUTERS/Stringer
  The bad news on top of all the bad news? Knowing that the espionage is taking place doesn't help much - there are no widely used technological fixes available to prevent a network infiltration. "There's a lack of good mitigation options in the United States in terms of stopping the attacks,'' says Kenneth Geers, senior global threat analyst with FireEye, a company that specializes in protecting clients against advanced cyber attacks. "Cyber defense is a new and immature discipline that has a long way to go."
  Despite the threat to corporate secrets, strategies, and intellectual property posed by Chinese hackers, experts say, plenty of businesses discount the threat, leaving them open to damage. "Many companies have not paid serious attention to securing their networks,'' says James A. Lewis, director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This means that it is very easy for Chinese hackers to extract intellectual property from companies in the U.S. and around the world."
  This is not simply a matter of which companies have the most sales, security industry officials say. If an American business invests hundreds of millions of dollars in developing an industrial product only to see the work stolen, if it creates a trading strategy only to have Chinese businesses take advantage of it, if it pays for customer research only to have it go to a competitor, it will eventually die.
  "I don't know what the tipping point is, but a parasite can always kill the host,'' says Jeffrey Caton, president of Kepler Strategies, a consulting firm on aerospace, cyberspace, and national security issues. "The long-term effects could be stagnation in research and development, or eventually companies going out of business in the U.S."
  Now, though, with the world raging about the NSA secrets exposed by Snowden, the threat to American companies by Chinese hacking is being ignored once again, opening up the possibility that the threat that for so many years raised so much concern behind closed doors in Washington could now grow more destructive than ever.
  "It certainly seems that China is in a position to act with far more impunity because the United States and other nations are distracted by the NSA spying scandal,'' Healey says. "The American private sector was already having it bad before. Now it is only going to get worse."
FACT SHEET: Executive Order on Climate Preparedness
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  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:14
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  November 01, 2013
  President Obama Establishes a Task Force on Climate
  ''We're going to need to get prepared. And that's why this plan will also protect critical sectors of our economy and prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change that we cannot avoid. States and cities across the country are already taking it upon themselves to get ready'... And we'll partner with communities seeking help to prepare for droughts and floods, reduce the risk of wildfires, protect the dunes and wetlands that pull double duty as green space and as natural storm barriers.'' '' President Barack Obama, June 25, 2013
  Today, President Obama established a Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience to advise the Administration on how the Federal Government can respond to the needs of communities nationwide that are dealing with the impacts of climate change. The Task Force members include state, local and tribal leaders from across the country who will use their first-hand experiences in building climate preparedness and resilience in their communities to inform their recommendations to the Administration.
  The President signed an Executive Order that directs Federal agencies to take a series of steps to make it easier for American communities to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather and prepare for other impacts of climate change.
  President Obama has said that we have a moral obligation to our children and future generations to leave them a planet that is not polluted or damaged. That is why in June, the President launched a Climate Action Plan to cut carbon pollution, prepare communities for the impacts of climate change, and lead international efforts to address this global challenge. The Climate Action Plan recognizes that even as we act to curb the carbon pollution that is driving climate change, we must also improve our ability to prepare for the climate impacts we are already seeing across the country. Across America, states, cities, and communities are taking steps to protect themselves from extreme weather and other climate impacts by updating building codes, adjusting the way they manage natural resources, investing in more resilient infrastructure, and planning for rapid recovery from damages that nonetheless occur.
  The Federal Government has an important role to play in supporting community-based preparedness and resilience efforts by establishing policies and prioritizing investments that promote preparedness, protecting critical infrastructure and public resources, supporting science and research needed to prepare for climate impacts, and ensuring that Federal operations and facilities continue to protect and serve citizens in a changing climate.
  State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience
  State, local and tribal leaders across the country are already contending with more frequent or severe heat waves, droughts, wildfires, storms and floods, and other impacts of climate change. The Task Force will provide recommendations to the President on removing barriers to resilient investments, modernizing Federal grant and loan programs to better support local efforts, and developing the information and tools they need to prepare.
  Task Force members comprise governors, mayors, county officials and tribal leaders, representing a diverse range of communities. The members of the Task Force include:
  State Officials:
  Governor Neil Abercrombie (HI)
  Governor Jerry Brown (CA)
  Governor Eddie Calvo (GU)
  Governor Jay Inslee (WA)
  Governor Jack Markell (DE)
  Governor Martin O'Malley (MD)
  Governor Pat Quinn (IL)
  Governor Peter Shumlin (VT)
  Local Officials:
  Mayor Ralph Becker (Salt Lake City, UT)
  Mayor James Brainard (Carmel, IN)
  Commissioner Paula Brooks (Franklin County, OH)
  Supervisor Salud Carbajal (Santa Barbara County, CA)
  Mayor Frank Cownie (Des Moines, IA)
  Mayor Bob Dixson (Greensburg, KS)
  Mayor Eric Garcetti (Los Angeles, CA)
  Mayor George Heartwell (Grand Rapids, MI)
  Mayor Kristin Jacobs (Broward County, FL)
  Mayor Kevin Johnson (Sacramento, CA)
  Mayor Michael Nutter (Philadelphia, PA)
  Mayor Annise Parker (Houston, TX)
  Mayor Patsy Parker (Perdido Beach, AL)
  Mayor Madeline Rogero (Knoxville, TN)
  Mayor Karen Weitkunat (Fort Collins, CO)
  Mayor Dawn Zimmer (Hoboken, NJ)
  Tribal Officials:
  Karen Diver, Chairwoman, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (MN)
  Reggie Joule, Mayor, Northwest Arctic Borough (AK)
  An Executive Order to Protect Our Communities
  The Obama Administration has taken significant steps to strengthen the climate resilience of America's communities and economy. More than 30 Federal agencies developed their first-ever Climate Change Adaptation Plans, outlining strategies to protect their operations, programs, and investments to better serve communities and safeguard our public resources in the face of climate change. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Administration has provided resources to rebuild the affected area to be more resilient than before, including support for more climate-resilient roads and infrastructure, and projects that protect drinking water and buffer communities from flooding. In addition, Federal agencies have partnered with states, cities, tribes, and the private sector to develop strategies to address the impacts of climate change on our freshwater resources, oceans and coasts, and wildlife. Agencies have also built new, data-driven tools to help decision makers and resource managers map and plan for future sea level rise. From Florida to Minnesota, and from Alaska to New York, Federal agencies have partnered with communities to provide funding and technical assistance to address local climate impacts such as sea level rise, flooding, and water scarcity.
  To build on this progress, the Executive Order (E.O.) ''Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change,'' signed today directs Federal agencies to:
  Modernize Federal programs to support climate-resilient investments: Agencies will examine their policies and programs and find ways to make it easier for cities and towns to build smarter and stronger. Agencies will identify and remove any barriers to resilience-focused actions and investments'' for example, policies that encourage communities to rebuild to past standards after disasters instead of to stronger standards '' including through agency grants, technical assistance, and other programs in sectors from transportation and water management to conservation and disaster relief.Manage lands and waters for climate preparedness and resilience: America's natural resources are critical to our Nation's economy, health and quality of life. The E.O. directs agencies to identify changes that must be made to land- and water-related policies, programs, and regulations to strengthen the climate resilience of our watersheds, natural resources, and ecosystems, and the communities and economies that depend on them. Federal agencies will also evaluate how to better promote natural storm barriers such as dunes and wetlands, as well as how to protect the carbon sequestration benefits of forests and lands to help reduce the carbon pollution that causes climate change. Provide information, data and tools for climate change preparedness and resilience: Scientific data and insights are essential to help communities and businesses better understand and manage the risks associated with extreme weather and other impacts of climate change. The E.O. instructs Federal agencies to work together and with information users to develop new climate preparedness tools and information that state, local, and private-sector leaders need to make smart decisions. In keeping with the President's Open Data initiative, agencies will also make extensive Federal climate data accessible to the public through an easy-to-use online portal.Plan for climate change related risk: Recognizing the threat that climate change poses to Federal facilities, operations and programs, the E.O. builds on the first-ever set of Federal agency adaptation plans released earlier this year and directs Federal agencies to develop and implement strategies to evaluate and address their most significant climate change related risks. To implement these actions, the E.O. establishes an interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, chaired by the White House and composed of more than 25 agencies. To assist in achieving the goals of the E.O., these agencies are directed to consider the recommendations of the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.
Read the Hugely Insulting Kanye West Lawsuit Against YouTube's Founder
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  Source: Valleywag
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:13
  As we mentioned earlier this week, Kanye and Kim are suing YouTube creator Chad Hurley for the allegedly unauthorized upload of their lavish, geek-studded proposal ceremony. Now we've got the full legal documents, and they go out of their way to call Hurley a loser.
  The suit, which accuses Hurley of "breach of contract, fraud, and unjust enrichment," and points out that he uploaded the video as a means of promoting MixBit, his newest, very unpopular startup. It's a point Kanye's attorney, Eric George, makes repeatedly:
  S
  Foundering! And he wasn't even invited! The YeDashians say Hurley "tagged along" with a friend who was invited, he was only permitted to stay after both signing a confidentiality agreement and posing with the signed copy'--a humiliating photo of which is attached.
  Echoing a Valleywag post from May, team Kanye points out that Hurley's post-YouTube ventures have all been duds, and that uploading a prized celeb engagement was a surefire means of promoting MixBit:
  S
  And it goes on, citing Hurley's "consecutive flops" and MixBit's "lackluster launch" as reasons why Hurley "sought to procure his own attendance in order to capitalize on the event and promote MixBit." You have to assume a legal bruiser employed by Kanye West and Kim Kardashian is going to be a ruthless asshole by nature, but really, he is correct: this was a Hail Mary play to get people interested in a website they'd have otherwise never come across in a thousand years. Hurley succeeded in getting eyeballs, but if he has to turn over his wallet for the Wests, it'll hardly have been worth it.
  Read the full court documents below, via The Hollywood Reporter
Shooting Prompts Evacuation Of Terminal 3 At LAX CBS Los Angeles
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  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:09
  (credit: Tory Belleci/Twitter)
  LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) '-- Los Angeles Airport Police Friday said a shooting took place in Terminal 3 at LAX.
  A gunman with a high-powered rifle was reportedly shot and secured by law enforcement personnel around 9:30 a.m., according to CBS2'²s Mike Case.
  A TSA employee was reportedly shot in the leg in addition to two others, however, CBS2/KCAL9 has not been able to confirm that report.
  Terminal 3 was evacuated and cordoned off and arrival and departure roads to the airport, in addition to Century Boulevard, were closed.
  Passenger Robert Perez told CBS2 that TSA agents came through the terminal and yelled that a man had a gun.
  ''I heard popping and everybody dropped to the ground,'' Perez said.
  Aerial shots from Sky2 showed buses were transporting passengers that had disembarked from planes onto the runway area.
  There is an incident underway at LAX. Law enforcement is on scene. More information to follow.'--LAX Airport (@LAX_Official) November 01, 2013
  Stay with CBSLA.com, CBS2, KCAL9 and KNX 1070 for updates.
Today, America's Foodstamps Program Gets A 6% Haircut: What Happens Next?
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  Archived Version
  Source: Zero Hedge
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:53
  Today, one of America's best-known welfare programs with 47.6 million participants or 15% of the total population, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program also known as "foodstamps" or EBT, is due for a substantial haircut: beginning Friday, there will be a phased in $5 billion reduction (6% of the program) for the 12 month period starting November 1st 2013. So what happens next?
  Nick Colas of Convergex explains.
  The U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (a.k.a. Food Stamps) is the largest means-tested social support program in the country, with $6.3 billion in direct monthly cash transfers to individuals for the purchase of food. Some 47.6 million people (15% of the total population) are in the SNAP program as of the most recent data (July 2013) and these individuals receive an average of $132 per month. This support is set for a cut on Friday, with a $5 billion reduction (6% of the program) for the 12 month period starting November 1st 2013. From a Wall Street perspective, these numbers may seem small at 0.0003% of GDP. From the perspective of Main Street, however, is means a cut of $36/month for a family of four receiving full SNAP benefits. Record levels for stocks, record level for SNAP participants'... An odd societal disconnect, to be sure.
  We've written about the U.S. Supplemental Assistance Program (SNAP, also known as food stamps) in these pages over the years even though the topic bears no direct relationship to corporate earnings, interest rates, the Federal Reserve, or any other recognized business topic. The reason for this focus is threefold:
  It is a very large visible government program with monthly data updates. There are, for example, 47,637,407 Americans in the SNAP program as of the most recent update (July 2013) from U.S. Department of Agriculture. A total of 23,074,914 households receive an average monthly benefit of $272.51. This amounts to $6.3 billion in monthly support. As a percent of the population, this is 15% of all Americans and +20% of all households in the program. It is a good measure of how deeply the economic recovery in the U.S. is reaching through the socioeconomic strata. Qualifying for SNAP means you make no more than 130% of the poverty line and generally have limited assets. Those 47.6 million people in the SNAP program are, for all intents and purposes, a record high for food stamp participation once you exclude months where the program includes disaster assistance. It generates a large amount of hate email direct to my inbox and voicemail from both ends of the political spectrum. From the right comes criticisms over certain parts of the US population using EBT cards (the debit cards used to distribute the program's payments) to buy beer and potato chips. This, yes, does occasionally happen. From the left, we get missives that feel a lot like that guy who told the world to ''Leave Britney alone!'' Food stamps, these folks argue, are part of living in a just society, which doesn't allow anyone to go hungry. Half of all the people enrolled in SNAP are children, so it is pretty easy to see their point of view as well.In the spirit of bringing our two warring readerships together, I would propose the following statement: ''Something has changed about America since the Financial Crisis, and the still widespread popularity of the SNAP program is emblematic of that shift.'' Or, in the words of Bill Parcells, ''You are what your record says you are.'' The American economic record, based on the Food Stamp data, is still pretty lousy:
  Before the Great Recession of 2009, enrollment in the SNAP program ebbed and flowed with the state of the U.S. economy. There are links to the data after this note, with the high water marks in 1976, 1981, 1992-4 and cyclical lows in the late 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. From 2004 to the present day, SNAP enrollment has doubled from 23 million people to more than 46 million. The cost of the program over that period has moved from $25 billion annually to $75 billion in 2012. The notional economic ''Recovery'' which has helped domestic equities more than double from their March 2009 lows is entirely absent from the U.S. food stamp data. As mentioned, enrollments are still essentially at record highs. Sometimes big numbers are hard to visualize, so here's a few ways to think about the size of the SNAP program. For example, if every SNAP participant lived in one state, it would be 20% more populous than California. If every person in the program linked hands, human chain style, they could circle the Earth (assuming a 3 foot reach per person). We'll sidestep the inevitable political discussion for a moment longer, and point out that things are about to change in the food stamp program. On November 1st, everyone in the SNAP program will see lower payments. Here's the hows and whys:
  Monthly payments increased because of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but these increases expire on Friday. The jumps were substantial '' the average benefit per person increased to $125 in 2010 from $102 in 2009 and topped out at $133/person in 2010 '' 2012. The change cuts $5 billion out of the program for the November 2013 '' 2014 period, on a base of $75 billion (based on the latest run rate of $6.3 billion/month). The USDA estimates that this will be a $36/month reduction in benefits for a family of four. The Center for Budget Policy Priorities, using USDA data, stated in a recent note that 80% of SNAP households live below the Federal poverty line ($19,500 for a family of three) and 40% live in households making less than half that amount. The SNAP program helps feed 25% of all US children and over 9 million seniors.Let's see if we can dodge the political bullet for one more paragraph, with a few more fact-based points:
  The SNAP program is explicitly NOT designed to provide the only income available to economically distressed Americans for the purpose of purchasing food. There's been a raft of celebrity and CEO 'Live on SNAP benefits' challenges, where these economically fortunate individuals chose to live on $133/month in food purchases. This ignores the fact that the program is intended to be ''Assistance'' rather than 100% support. There are further cuts in the program coming in 2014 '' 2016, to the tune of $11 billion over the period. It is an odd quirk of the SNAP program that its funding is part of the annual Farm Bill in Congress. That means these future cuts could be overturned as House and Senate consider this legislation. For right now, however, these proposed reductions would take the SNAP program down to $60 billion from the current $75 billion run rate. Truth be told, the pressure within Congress is to cut these payments further, rather than to increase them. If you are looking for a capital markets impact, retailers in southern and western states are one place to look. There are 13 states with over 1 million SNAP participants: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. The economic ''multiplier'' on food stamp purchases is about 2:1, so the $5 billion reduction in 2013-2014 looks more like $10 billion in the real economy. To sum up (apolitically, of course)'... The amount of money 15% of the U.S. population uses to purchase food is about to go down, and by enough so this group will notice its absence. It may not matter to the economic data on which Wall Street hangs its fedora, but it is certainly enough to spark a political response. How this plays out, I honestly have no idea. We are in uncharted waters here, as the historical record clearly shows.
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Intelligence Spending Dropped Sharply Last Year
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Secrecy News
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:52
  Categories: Intelligence
  Total U.S. intelligence spending last year declined by more than 10%.
  Intelligence spending has been on a downward slope for the last few years since its peak in 2010. But last year's drop, disclosed yesterday in newly declassified budget data for FY2013, was the steepest one-year decline in intelligence spending since at least the end of the Cold War, and maybe longer.
  The reduction in spending was accelerated by the budget sequester which deprived intelligence agencies of billions of dollars beyond the intent of congressional appropriators, who were already cutting intelligence spending anyway.
  The Director of National Intelligence said that the 2013 budget appropriation for the National Intelligence Program was $52.7 billion, but that it was reduced by sequester to $49.0 billion.
  The Department of Defense disclosed that the 2013 budget for the Military Intelligence Program was $19.2 billion, but that it was reduced by sequester to $18.6 billion.
  The aggregate appropriation for 2013 (NIP plus MIP) was $71.9 billion, reduced by sequester to $67.6 billion. This is a decline of more than 10% from the 2012 aggregate figure of $75.4 billion.
  According to ODNI intelligence budget documents obtained by the Washington Post, the FY2013 budget request of $52.6 billion for the National Intelligence Program was intended to be ''a decrease of $1.3 billion, or 2.4 percent, below the FY 2012 enacted level.'' But the actual NIP number for 2013, post-sequester, ended up being a decrease of $4.9 billion, or 9 percent, from the year before.
  Intelligence community officials said that the abruptness and severity of the cuts complicated their efforts to manage an orderly drawdown of intelligence programs.
  ''Unlike more directly observable sequestration impacts, like shorter hours at public parks or longer security lines at airports, the degradation to intelligence will be insidious,'' said Director of National Intelligence James Clapper at a hearing last April. ''It will be gradual, almost invisible, until, of course, we have an intelligence failure.''
  ''We recognize that in the current budgetary environment, the IC, along with the rest of the government, will have to endure some cuts,'' said Robert S. Litt, General Counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, at an American Bar Association conference yesterday. ''The problem with sequestration is that, rather than allowing us to make cuts in a sensible manner, based on mission needs, it requires us to cut everything across the board.''
  ''We were able to deal with sequestration in the past year by delaying or deferring some activities and reprogramming funds to cover critical gaps. But this fiscal year, sequestration will require another round of cuts, and we won't have the same flexibility to deal with them.''
  ''Instead of short-term delays or creative mitigation strategies, we will be forced to cut capabilities. Instead of determining what capabilities we need to keep the country safe, we will be forced to determine what capabilities we can afford to provide. The impact of sequestration will likely open new intelligence gaps and prevent us from mitigating existing ones,'' Mr. Litt said.
  For decades, intelligence officials insisted that public disclosure of intelligence budget totals would cause intolerable damage to national security and that the total budget figures must therefore be classified. Eventually it was recognized that this was not true, and that it probably had never been true. If anything, unclassified budget numbers now serve the interests of intelligence by enabling officials to publicly advocate in defense of their budgets.
'NAM moet alle huizen Groningen bevingsproof maken'
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: VK: Home
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:50
  Bewerkt door: redactie '' 01/11/13, 16:30 '' bron: ANP
  (C) anp. De commissie wil dat de NAM alle gebouwen in het gebied afzonderlijk gaat inspecteren.
  De Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij moet alle bijna 70.000 woningen en panden in Noord-Groningen aardbevingsbestendig maken. Dat is een van de adviezen van de commissie-Meijer, die in opdracht van de provincie Groningen onderzoek deed naar de toekomst van het gaswinningsgebied. Ook moet de NAM 895 miljoen op tafel leggen om het gebied veilig en aantrekkelijk te maken.
  Het draagvlak voor de gaswinning is aan het afbrokkelen
  Wim Meijer, voorzitter commissieDe commissie wil dat de NAM alle gebouwen in het gebied afzonderlijk gaat inspecteren en dan maatregelen neemt om ervoor te zorgen dat de panden bestand zijn tegen een aardbeving met een kracht van 5 op de schaal van Richter. Scholen, chemische fabrieken en huizen van mensen met psychische of fysieke klachten als gevolg van de aardbevingen, krijgen voorrang.
  Het adviesrapport van de commissie telt 12 maatregelen die ervoor moeten zorgen dat de inwoners en ondernemers zich weer veilig voelen en vertrouwen krijgen in de NAM en de rijksoverheid. De maatregelen moeten ook de zorgen van inwoners wegnemen over de waardedaling van hun woning na toekomstige bevingen.
  Daarnaast moeten alle adressen in het gebied een waardebon van 4000 euro krijgen om hun pand energiezuiniger te maken. De NAM zou volgens de commissie ook 330 miljoen euro moeten steken in het bevorderen van de overgang naar meer duurzame energie en het vergroenen van de chemiesector.
  'Inwoners voelen zich onveilig'De commissie was tijdens gesprekken met inwoners onder de indruk van de gevoelens van onveiligheid. 'Dat is echt een slag erger dan dat de rest van Nederland zich bewust is', zegt voorzitter Wim Meijer. 'Mensen voelen zich onveilig en weten niet wat ze van de toekomst moeten verwachten. Ze willen gehoord worden. Het draagvlak voor de gaswinning is aan het afbrokkelen.'
  De commissie wil dat de maatregelen worden uitgesmeerd over een periode van 20 jaar. De NAM moet dan elk jaar 45 miljoen euro in een fonds storten. Ook de provincie Groningen moet voor 100 miljoen bijdragen aan een aantal maatregelen. De commissie verwacht ook van het bedrijfsleven dat ze met geld over de brug komen.
  De Groningse Commissaris van de Koning, Max van den Berg, claimde eerder dit jaar al een compensatie van 1 miljard euro voor de schade als gevolg van de gaswinning.
Obama Issues New Wide-Ranging Executive Order To Implement His ''Climate Change'' Agenda'...
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Weasel Zippers
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:49
  The Imperial President strikes again.
  Via The Hill:
  President Obama on Friday demanded ''new strategies'' to boost the nation's resilience to powerful storms, drought, heat waves and other dangerous weather linked to climate change.
  Obama issued a wide-ranging executive order designed to support ''climate resilient'' infrastructure investment in states and communities.
  It also calls on federal agencies to change their policies and rules ''to make the Nation's watersheds, natural resources, and ecosystems, and the communities and economies that depend on them, more resilient in the face of a changing climate.''
  The executive order, echoing Obama's second-term climate agenda released in June, recognizes that climate change is inevitable even as the U.S. takes steps to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
  It sets up a new ''interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience,'' and, to inform federal efforts, a ''State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.''
Is Congress helping Wall Street loot your pension?
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: ccampeador
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:48
  By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
  Nov. 1, 2013, 5:40 a.m. EDT
  Commentary: Conflicts of interest could cost investors $1 billion a month
  WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) '-- Democrats and Republicans seem to be falling over each other trying to prove who can best help Wall Street loot the Treasury and the pensions of the American worker.
  This week, the House passed two bills with bipartisan support that would benefit the financial services industry and hurt almost everyone else. Both bills are pure giveaways worth billions of dollars.
  One of the bills would roll back some of the protections put in place by the Dodd-Frank Act to keep the banks from gambling with their insured deposits on very profitable but risky derivatives known as swaps.
  Once it's fully implemented, Dodd-Frank would force the banks to put most of their risky trades outside the bank into a separately capitalized subsidiary, where losses would not be guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Nor would these affiliates have access to cheap money from the Federal Reserve.
  Letting the banks use insured deposits to fund these swaps lowers the banks' costs now, and it puts the financial system at risk by giving the impression that the FDIC (and ultimately the Treasury) could protect creditors if the trades go sour, as they often do. Beneficiaries of the bill would include Citigroup C -0.04% , J.P. Morgan JPM +1.29% and Bank of America BAC +0.64% .
  The bill passed by the House on Wednesday would allow the banks to trade almost all complex derivatives without quarantining them in a separate affiliate. If you don't think that's potentially dangerous, remember what happened to Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch when their derivatives trades flopped.
  A similar bill passed the House last year with little notice. Everyone knew it was dead on arrival in the Senate. What's different this year is the revelation by the New York Times that key provisions of the bill were written by a lobbyist for Citigroup.
  The House swaps bill won't become law. The White House and the Senate won't go that far. But the fact that 70 Democrats in the House voted for the bill (as did 22 Democrats on the Financial Services Committee) shows that we can't rely on the Democrats to protect us from the banks' influence. The campaign cash they offer lawmakers is too intoxicating.
  As Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut told the New York Times of the cozy relationship between Wall Street money and lawmakers' need for campaign cash: ''It's appalling, it's disgusting, it's wasteful and it opens the possibility of conflicts of interest and corruption.'' Himes was a co-sponsor of Citigroup's swaps bill.
  The bank lobbyists and lawyers are working the Securities and Exchange Commission as well, delaying and blocking the new rules on derivatives. If they have their way, the rules will be watered down, and enforcement will be lax. And someday, a huge financial corporation will fail because Washington didn't draw the line, putting the global economy at risk again.
  The other bill passed by the House this week doesn't have quite that much potential for global mischief, but it would be much worse for individual investors.
  The bill would delay a rule the Department of Labor is preparing that would require mutual-fund companies and other companies that operate retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s to start working for investors and stop working for themselves.
  The rule would require that trustees of retirement accounts act as a fiduciary on behalf of the investors in the plan, rather than acting in their own self interest. The SEC is working on a parallel rule that would require that brokers also act as a fiduciary on behalf of the investors they advise.
  To be a fiduciary means to put the interests of your client first. You can see why Wall Street would fight that rule, because if you put your client first, then you can't help yourself his life savings.
  Current law cheats investors by allowing their plan trustees or financial advisers to steer their retirement savings into funds owned and operated by those very same advisers. One study found that one-third of $10 trillion retirement assets are invested in poorly performing funds that are financially connected to plan trustees.
  Christopher Carosa figured that these conflicts of interest cost individual investors about $1 billion per month in reduced earnings.
  That doesn't count the cost of taking conflicted advice from brokers about investments in non-retirement accounts.
  Thanks to the magic of compounding, poor performance and high fees can cost a typical retiree hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
  Most of us don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to squander on bad advice.
  Since the 1980s, we've increasingly told people that they are responsible for their own retirement savings. Defined-benefit pensions are gone, so retirement security depends on individuals' prowess at investing over the long haul.
  But most people are terrible at investing: they don't save enough, they don't know what to invest in, they don't pay attention to yields or to fees, they are easily tricked and cheated. They need professional help.
  It's not asking too much for those professionals to act in their clients' best interest.
  Unfortunately, the financial services industry and its employees make more money when they treat customers like sheep to be shorn. They make so much money, in fact, that they could afford to buy every politician in Washington if necessary.
  Rex Nutting is a columnist and MarketWatch's international commentary editor, based in Washington.
  Link'...
  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/is-congress-helping-wall-street-loot-your-pension-2013-11-01
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Queen Latifah: ''I Am Not A Lesbian''
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Jacky Jasper's Diary of a Hollywood Street King
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:45
  by Jacky Jasper
  ''I promise you '... La is just like a dude!''~Anonymous
  Not too sure who Latifah thinks she's fooling, but it ain't us! Not only has the 'Lady's First' lyricist long kept herself tightly locked-up in that closet ''she's now straight sayin' she's NOT a lesbian! Know why? Because West Hollywood's gay community outed her last night, crowning the 43-year-old feminist ''Queen of the Carnaval'' for WeHo's annual Halloween extravaganza.
  ''West Hollywood is excited that Queen Latifah is holding the 2013 title.''
  Here's what an insider exclusively tells HSK:
  ''Back in the day, La never missed a Sunday at Buddah Bar to holla at the chicks. Buddah Bar was the lesbian jump! All the industry dykes were there '... MC Lyte, Missy, Queen Pen, Brat, Pam [from Total] '... Monifah was always fucked up, dancing '... La would be posted up at the front door with her all-dyke crew checking out each chick as they walked in. She'd be like 'ya'll is some pretty mutha fuckas.'
  I promise you '... La is just like a dude! Lucky for her ain't no camera phones back then.''
  Did Queen Latifah used to ride her motorcycle '-- with her cycle dyke crew '-- and her a Puerto Rican femme piece on the back? Of course! Just ask Latifah's ex-boo Monifa.
Kenyan press, opposition criticize proposed harsh media law
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Reuters: World News
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:45
  click here to continue to articlecliquez ici pour lire l'articleweiter zum Artikelclicca qui per visualizzare l'articoloweiter zum Artikelir a la noticiaklik hier om door te gaan naar het artikelYazÄ±ya devam etmek i§in tÄ±klayÄ±n>>ÐŸÐµÑÐµÐ¹Ñ‚Ð¸ Ðº ÑÑ‚Ð°Ñ‚ÑŒÐµ>>ç>>§ç>>­é…è¯>>æ–‡ç ¼Œè¯·ç‚¹å‡>>èé‡ŒTovbb a cikkre
Friday Questions
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Patterico's Pontifications
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:43
  Friday Questions[guest post by JD]
  1) When Jay Carney sees his press briefings on TV, do you think he is ever embarrassed?
  2) How much would it have cost to simply buy basic health insurance policies for all of the uninsured?
  3) How many people have realized the $2500 in savings under ObamaCare that Teh One promised?
  Discuss
  '--JD
Snowden Offers to Testify in Germany on US Phone Tapping
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: RIA Novosti
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:42
  BERLIN, November 1 (RIA Novosti) '' Fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden says he is willing to meet with officials in Germany to discuss alleged US surveillance programs aimed at the country's leadership.
  The former US National Security Agency employee said in a letter handed to a German lawmaker in Moscow on Thursday that he was prepared to travel to Germany as soon as he knows he can arrive there without being detained or extradited to the United States.
  Hans-Christian Str¶bele, a representative of the German Green party in the Bundestag, the German parliament, told broadcaster ARD on Thursday that he and Snowden had discussed the allegations in detail, and Snowden clearly conveyed that ''he knew a lot.''
  Snowden, a computer specialist, was the focus of international attention over the summer after he leaked classified evidence of alleged US government surveillance programs to the media. He fled to Hong Kong and then to Moscow, where he was granted temporary asylum in Russia in late July despite repeated extradition demands from Washington. He is now living at an undisclosed location in Russia.
  A recent report in Germany's Der Spiegel magazine claimed that the NSA had tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone for more than 10 years. According to leaked US government files cited by the Der Spiegel report, a listening station based in the US Embassy in Berlin was responsible for monitoring Merkel's communications.
  Der Spiegel said Merkel had called US President Barack Obama to seek clarification as soon as she heard about the allegations. According to the report, the US leader apologized to Merkel but said he did not know about the spying.
  Snowden's letter contained a message to the German chancellor, parliament and prosecutors.
  Str¶bele said all parties in Germany's parliament were interested in the establishment of a parliamentary commission to investigate the spying reports.
  The German lawmaker said he had told the ex-NSA employee of ways to come to Germany without risking being detained. However, it has not been ruled out that Snowden will testify in Moscow.
  Str¶bele told a press conference in Berlin on Friday that he does not know whether Snowden has sent similar letters to the governments of other countries that the US also allegedly spied on.
  A recent report in Le Monde cited Snowden's revelations as saying the NSA had a system in place that alerted it to certain French communications and allowed it to scoop up 70.3 million French phone records in a 30-day period.
  Snowden does his own shopping in Russia, Str¶bele said, adding, however, that he had promised not to ask other questions related to Snowden's accommodation and security.
  Meanwhile, Snowden's lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said Thursday his client had found a website maintenance job in Russia, adding that Snowden would start work November 1 maintaining one of Russia's largest websites.
A THIRD MYSTERY BARGE HAS BEEN LOCATED.
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Valleywag
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:41
  A THIRD MYSTERY BARGE HAS BEEN LOCATED. I REPEAT A THIRD GOOGLE BARGE FLOATS AMONG US. The Daily Mail spotted the third barge next to the Treasure Island one in the San Francisco Bay. By and Large, LLC has registered at least four barges with the U.S. Coast Guard. Quick, everyone check the nearest dock for robots.
Executive Order -- Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:39
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  November 01, 2013
  EXECUTIVE ORDER
  - - - - - - -
  PREPARING THE UNITED STATES FOR THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
  By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to prepare the Nation for the impacts of climate change by undertaking actions to enhance climate preparedness and resilience, it is hereby ordered as follows:
  Section 1. Policy. The impacts of climate change -- including an increase in prolonged periods of excessively high temperatures, more heavy downpours, an increase in wildfires, more severe droughts, permafrost thawing, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise -- are already affecting communities, natural resources, ecosystems, economies, and public health across the Nation. These impacts are often most significant for communities that already face economic or health-related challenges, and for species and habitats that are already facing other pressures. Managing these risks requires deliberate preparation, close cooperation, and coordinated planning by the Federal Government, as well as by stakeholders, to facilitate Federal, State, local, tribal, private-sector, and nonprofit-sector efforts to improve climate preparedness and resilience; help safeguard our economy, infrastructure, environment, and natural resources; and provide for the continuity of executive department and agency (agency) operations, services, and programs.
  A foundation for coordinated action on climate change preparedness and resilience across the Federal Government was established by Executive Order 13514 of October 5, 2009 (Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance), and the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force led by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In addition, through the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), established by section 103 of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2933), and agency programs and activities, the Federal Government will continue to support scientific research, observational capabilities, and assessments necessary to improve our understanding of and response to climate change and its impacts on the Nation.
  The Federal Government must build on recent progress and pursue new strategies to improve the Nation's preparedness and resilience. In doing so, agencies should promote: (1) engaged and strong partnerships and information sharing at all levels of government; (2) risk-informed decisionmaking and the tools tofacilitate it; (3) adaptive learning, in which experiences serve as opportunities to inform and adjust future actions; and (4) preparedness planning.
  Sec. 2. Modernizing Federal Programs to Support Climate Resilient Investment. (a) To support the efforts of regions, States, local communities, and tribes, all agencies, consistent with their missions and in coordination with the Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience (Council) established in section 6 of this order, shall:
  (i) identify and seek to remove or reform barriers that discourage investments or other actions to increase the Nation's resilience to climate change while ensuring continued protection of public health and the environment;
  (ii) reform policies and Federal funding programs that may, perhaps unintentionally, increase the vulnerability of natural or built systems, economic sectors, natural resources, or communities to climate change related risks;
  (iii) identify opportunities to support and encourage smarter, more climate-resilient investments by States, local communities, and tribes, including by providing incentives through agency guidance, grants, technical assistance, performance measures, safety considerations, and other programs, including in the context of infrastructure development as reflected in Executive Order 12893 of January 26, 1994 (Principles for Federal Infrastructure Investments), my memorandum of August 31, 2011 (Speeding Infrastructure Development through More Efficient and Effective Permitting and Environmental Review), Executive Order 13604 of March 22, 2012 (Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects), and my memorandum of May 17, 2013 (Modernizing Federal Infrastructure Review and Permitting Regulations, Policies, and Procedures); and
  (iv) report on their progress in achieving the requirements identified above, including accomplished and planned milestones, in the Agency Adaptation Plans developed pursuant to section 5 of this order.
  (b) In carrying out this section, agencies should also consider the recommendations of the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience (Task Force) established in section 7 of this order and the National Infrastructure Advisory Council established by Executive Order 13231 of October 16, 2001 (Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Information Age), and continued through Executive Order 13652 of September 30, 2013 (Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory Committees).
  (c) Interagency groups charged with coordinating and modernizing Federal processes related to the development and integration of both man-made and natural infrastructure,evaluating public health and social equity issues, safeguarding natural resources, and other issues impacted by climate change -- including the Steering Committee on Federal Infrastructure Permitting and Review Process Improvement established by Executive Order 13604, the Task Force on Ports established on July 19, 2012, the Interagency Working Group on Coordination of Domestic Energy Development and Permitting in Alaska established by Executive Order 13580 of July 12, 2011, and the Federal Interagency Working Group on Environmental Justice established by Executive Order 12898 of February 11, 1994 -- shall be responsible for ensuring that climate change related risks are accounted for in such processes and shall work with agencies in meeting the requirements set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of this section.
  Sec. 3. Managing Lands and Waters for Climate Preparedness and Resilience. Within 9 months of the date of this order and in coordination with the efforts described in section 2 of this order, the heads of the Departments of Defense, the Interior, and Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies as recommended by the Council established in section 6 of this order shall work with the Chair of CEQ and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to complete an inventory and assessment of proposed and completed changes to their land- and water-related policies, programs, and regulations necessary to make the Nation's watersheds, natural resources, and ecosystems, and the communities and economies that depend on them, more resilient in the face of a changing climate. Further, recognizing the many benefits the Nation's natural infrastructure provides, agencies shall, where possible, focus on program and policy adjustments that promote the dual goals of greater climate resilience and carbon sequestration, or other reductions to the sources of climate change. The assessment shall include a timeline and plan for making changes to policies, programs, and regulations. Agencies shall build on efforts already completed or underway as outlined in agencies' Adaptation Plans, as discussed in section 5 of this order, as well as recent interagency climate adaptation strategies such as the National Action Plan: Priorities for Managing Freshwater Resources in a Changing Climate, released October 28, 2011; the National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy, released March 26, 2013; and the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, released April 16, 2013.
  Sec. 4. Providing Information, Data, and Tools for Climate Change Preparedness and Resilience. (a) In support of Federal, regional, State, local, tribal, private-sector and nonprofit-sector efforts to prepare for the impacts of climate change, the Departments of Defense, the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and any other agencies as recommended by the Council established in section 6 of this order, shall, supported by USGCRP, work together to develop and provide authoritative, easily accessible, usable, and timely data, information, and decision-support tools on climate preparedness and resilience.
  (b) As part of the broader open data policy, CEQ and OSTP, in collaboration with OMB and consistent with Executive Order 13642 of May 9, 2013 (Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information), shall oversee the establishment of a web-based portal on "Data.gov" and work with agencies on identifying, developing, and integrating data and tools relevant to climate issues and decisionmaking. Agencies shall coordinate their work on these data and tools with relevant interagency councils and committees such as the National Science and Technology Council and those that support the implementation of Presidential Policy Directive-21 of February 12, 2013 (Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience).
  Sec. 5. Federal Agency Planning for Climate Change Related Risk. (a) Consistent with Executive Order 13514, agencies have developed Agency Adaptation Plans and provided them to CEQ and OMB. These plans evaluate the most significant climate change related risks to, and vulnerabilities in, agency operations and missions in both the short and long term, and outline actions that agencies will take to manage these risks and vulnerabilities. Building on these efforts, each agency shall develop or continue to develop, implement, and update comprehensive plans that integrate consideration of climate change into agency operations and overall mission objectives and submit those plans to CEQ and OMB for review. Each Agency Adaptation Plan shall include:
  (i) identification and assessment of climate change related impacts on and risks to the agency's ability to accomplish its missions, operations, and programs;
  (ii) a description of programs, policies, and plans the agency has already put in place, as well as additional actions the agency will take, to manage climate risks in the near term and build resilience in the short and long term;
  (iii) a description of how any climate change related risk identified pursuant to paragraph (i) of this subsection that is deemed so significant that it impairs an agency's statutory mission or operation will be addressed, including through the agency's existing reporting requirements;
  (iv) a description of how the agency will consider the need to improve climate adaptation and resilience, including the costs and benefits of such improvement, with respect to agency suppliers, supply chain, real property investments, and capital equipment purchases such as updating agency policies for leasing, building upgrades, relocation of existing facilities and equipment, and construction of new facilities; and
  (v) a description of how the agency will contribute to coordinated interagency efforts to support climate preparedness and resilience at all levels of government, including collaborative work across agencies' regional offices and hubs, and through coordinated development of information, data, and tools, consistent with section 4 of this order.
  (b) Agencies will report on progress made on their Adaptation Plans, as well as any updates made to the plans, through the annual Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan process. Agencies shall regularly update their Adaptation Plans, completing the first update within 120 days of the date of this order, with additional regular updates thereafter due not later than 1 year after the publication of each quadrennial National Climate Assessment report required by section 106 of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2936).
  Sec. 6. Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.
  (a) Establishment. There is established an interagency Council on Climate Preparedness and Resilience (Council).
  (b) Membership. The Council shall be co-chaired by the Chair of CEQ, the Director of OSTP, and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. In addition, the Council shall include senior officials (Deputy Secretary or equivalent officer) from:
  (i) the Department of State;
  (ii) the Department of the Treasury;
  (iii) the Department of Defense;
  (iv) the Department of Justice;
  (v) the Department of the Interior;
  (vi) the Department of Agriculture;
  (vii) the Department of Commerce;
  (viii) the Department of Labor;
  (ix) the Department of Health and Human Services;
  (x) the Department of Housing and Urban Development;
  (xi) the Department of Transportation;
  (xii) the Department of Energy;
  (xiii) the Department of Education;
  (xiv) the Department of Veterans Affairs;
  (xv) the Department of Homeland Security;
  (xvi) the United States Agency for International Development;
  (xvii) the Army Corps of Engineers;
  (xviii) the Environmental Protection Agency;
  (xix) the General Services Administration;
  (xx) the Millennium Challenge Corporation;
  (xxi) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
  (xxii) the U.S. Small Business Administration;
  (xxiii) the Corporation for National and Community Service;
  (xxiv) the Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
  (xxv) the Council of Economic Advisers;
  (xxvi) the National Economic Council;
  (xxvii) the Domestic Policy Council;
  (xxviii) the Office of Management and Budget;
  (xxix) the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs;
  (xxx) the United States Trade Representative; and
  (xxxi) such agencies or offices as the President or Co-Chairs shall designate.
  (c) Administration. CEQ shall provide administrative support and additional resources, as appropriate, for the Council to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. Agencies shall assist and provide information to the Council, consistent with applicable law, as may be necessary to carry out its functions. Each agency shall bear its own expenses for participating in the Council.
  (d) Council Structure. The Co-Chairs shall designate a subset of members of the Council to serve on a Steering Committee, which shall help determine priorities and strategic direction for the Council. The Co-Chairs and Steering Committee may establish working groups as needed, and may recharter working groups of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, as appropriate.
  (e) Mission and Function of the Council. The Council shall work across agencies and offices, and in partnership with State, local, and tribal governments (as well as the Task Force established in section 7 of this order), academic and research institutions, and the private and nonprofit sectors to:
  (i) develop, recommend, coordinate interagency efforts on, and track implementation of priority Federal Government actions related to climate preparedness and resilience;
  (ii) support regional, State, local, and tribal action to assess climate change related vulnerabilities and cost-effectively increase climate preparedness and resilience of communities, critical economic sectors, natural and built infrastructure, and natural resources, including through the activities as outlined in sections 2 and 3 of this order;
  (iii) facilitate the integration of climate science in policies and planning of government agencies and the private sector, including by promoting the development of innovative, actionable, and accessible Federal climate change related information, data, and tools at appropriate scales for decisionmakers and deployment of this information through a Government-wide web-based portal, as described in section 4 of this order; and
  (iv) such other functions as may be decided by the Co-Chairs, including implementing, as appropriate, the recommendations of the Task Force established in section 7 of this order.
  (f) Termination of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force. The Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force (Adaptation Task Force), established in 2009, created the framework for coordinated Federal action on climate preparedness and resilience, driving agency-level planning and action. The Adaptation Task Force shall terminate no later than 30 days after the first meeting of the Council, which shall continue and build upon the Adaptation Task Force's work.
  Sec. 7. State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience.
  (a) Establishment. To inform Federal efforts to support climate preparedness and resilience, there is established a State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience (Task Force).
  (b) Membership. The Task Force shall be co-chaired by the Chair of CEQ and the Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. In addition, its members shall be such elected State, local, and tribal officials as may be invited by the Co-Chairs to participate. Members of the Task Force, acting in their official capacity, may designate employees with authority to act on their behalf.
  (c) Mission and Function. Within 1 year of the date of this order, the Task Force shall provide, through its Co-Chairs, recommendations to the President and the Council for how the Federal Government can:
  (i) remove barriers, create incentives, and otherwise modernize Federal programs to encourage investments, practices, and partnerships that facilitate increased resilience to climate impacts, including those associated with extreme weather;
  (ii) provide useful climate preparedness tools and actionable information for States, local communities, and tribes, including through interagency collaboration as described in section 6 of this order; and
  (iii) otherwise support State, local, and tribal preparedness for and resilience to climate change.
  (d) Sunset. The Task Force shall terminate no later than 6 months after providing its recommendations.
  Sec. 8. Definitions. As used in this order:
  (a) "preparedness" means actions taken to plan, organize, equip, train, and exercise to build, apply, and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, ameliorate the effects of, respond to, and recover from climate change related damages to life, health, property, livelihoods, ecosystems, and national security;
  (b) "adaptation" means adjustment in natural or human systems in anticipation of or response to a changing environment in a way that effectively uses beneficial opportunities or reduces negative effects; and
  (c) "resilience" means the ability to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to changing conditions and withstand, respond to, and recover rapidly from disruptions.
  Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
  (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
  (ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
  (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with U.S. obligations under international agreements and applicable U.S. law, and be subject to the availability of appropriations.
  (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation -- National Entrepreneurship Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:39
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  The entrepreneurial spirit has always been at the heart of our Nation's story. With inventions that changed American life and startups that lifted our economy as they grew, entrepreneurs helped make our country what it is today. During National Entrepreneurship Month, we celebrate America's innovators, support small businesses, and empower entrepreneurs to turn their visions into reality.
  America is home to a long and storied line of immigrants who sought opportunity on our shores -- from entrepreneurs of the industrial revolution to startup founders of the digital age. This June, the Senate passed a commonsense immigration reform bill that would provide startup visas for immigrant entrepreneurs; eliminate backlogs for employment-based visas; and remove visa caps for those with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. These principles are consistent with ensuring our country remains a land of opportunity while fostering economic growth and innovation.
  For the benefit of our Nation, we must remove undue barriers that would prevent entrepreneurs from venturing out on their own. The Affordable Care Act provides opportunities for those who lack employer-based insurance to obtain quality affordable care. This gives aspiring small business owners and self-employed entrepreneurs the freedom to pursue their ideas and keep their families covered. This year, I signed an Executive Order making Government-held data more accessible to the public and to entrepreneurs as fuel for innovation and economic growth. Hundreds of companies and nonprofits are using this data to develop new products and services. They are creating jobs of the future in national priority industries such as health, energy, and education. We have also worked to support social entrepreneurship at home and around the world, and in January, my Administration organized the first-ever White House Tech Inclusion Summit -- where experts launched initiatives to give more Americans the opportunity to learn vital technology skills.
  We continue to build on programs that help entrepreneurs get ahead. Since taking office, I have signed 18 small business tax cuts into law, and, as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act, I extended several tax incentives to help small businesses prosper. Under last year's Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, the American people will soon be able to use regulated crowdfunding websites to invest in promising startups, social enterprises, and small businesses. The White House Startup America initiative remains dedicated to cutting red tape and accelerating innovation from the lab to the marketplace. Entrepreneurs across the country are receiving vital information about Federal Government services at www.Business.USA.gov and are competing to solve important national problems at www.Challenge.gov.
  To promote entrepreneurship throughout the world, I have called on the international community to increase transparency and accountability while rooting out corruption, and in 2010, my Administration organized the first annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit. During this year's summit, the State Department announced its partnership to help double the impact of UP Global -- an organization dedicated to providing entrepreneurs at home and abroad with the resources, skills, and connections to thrive. Finally, we will soon announce the inaugural members of the President's Committee on Global Entrepreneurship, a group of some of America's most successful entrepreneurs who will commit to mentoring the next generation.
  Our Nation is strongest when we broaden entrepreneurial opportunity, when more of us can test our ideas in the global marketplace, and when the best innovations can rise to the top. We all have a role to play -- from colleges and universities that cultivate hubs of innovation, to large companies that collaborate with small businesses, to foundations that support both social enterprises and high-impact startups seeking to solve the grand challenges of our time. As we observe this month and celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week, let us come together and help aspiring entrepreneurs take a chance on themselves and their visions for a brighter future.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Entrepreneurship Month. I call upon all Americans to commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities, and to celebrate November 22, 2013, as National Entrepreneurs' Day.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation -- Military Family Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:39
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  MILITARY FAMILY MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  Throughout our Nation's history, an unbroken chain of patriots has strengthened us in times of peace and defended us in times of war. Yet the courageous men and women of the United States military do not serve alone. Standing alongside them are husbands and wives, parents and children, sisters and brothers. During Military Family Month, we celebrate the families who make daily sacrifices to keep our Nation whole, and we remember a most sacred obligation -- to serve them as well as they serve us.
  Military families exemplify the courage and resolve that define our national character. For their country and their loved ones, they rise to the challenges of multiple deployments and frequent moves -- spouses who care and provide for children in their partners' absence, kids who make new friends and leave known comforts behind. They are the force behind the force, patriots who support their family members in uniform while enriching the communities they call home.
  While our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen are defending the country they love, their country must provide for the families they love. Through First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's Joining Forces initiative, my Administration has worked tirelessly to engage American citizens and businesses in this cause. Joining Forces encourages the private sector to hire veterans and military spouses, helps schools become more responsive to military children's needs, and expands access to wellness and education programs for military families. Since the initiative began in 2011, businesses have hired and trained more than 290,000 veterans and military spouses. My Administration is also taking action to improve mental health care and education for veterans, service members, and their families. Last year, I signed an Executive Order directing the Federal Government to increase access to these vital services. And this year, as a result of the Supreme Court decision striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, the Department of Defense moved swiftly to extend benefits to legally married same-sex couples.
  Time and again, our service members and their families have sacrificed to protect the promise that defines our Nation -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As we work to repay this enormous debt of gratitude, I encourage every
  American to do their part. Together, let us support our military children as they learn, grow, and live their dreams. And let us keep our military families strong and secure.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as Military Family Month. I call on all Americans to honor military families through private actions and public service for the tremendous contributions they make in the support of our service members and our Nation.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation -- National Native American Heritage Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:39
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  From Alaskan mountain peaks to the Argentinian pampas to the rocky shores of Newfoundland, Native Americans were the first to carve out cities, domesticate crops, and establish great civilizations. When the Framers gathered to write the United States Constitution, they drew inspiration from the Iroquois Confederacy, and in the centuries since, American Indians and Alaska Natives from hundreds of tribes have shaped our national life. During Native American Heritage Month, we honor their vibrant cultures and strengthen the government-to-government relationship between the United States and each tribal nation.
  As we observe this month, we must not ignore the painful history Native Americans have endured -- a history of violence, marginalization, broken promises, and upended justice. There was a time when native languages and religions were banned as part of a forced assimilation policy that attacked the political, social, and cultural identities of Native Americans in the United States. Through generations of struggle, American Indians and Alaska Natives held fast to their traditions, and eventually the United States Government repudiated its destructive policies and began to turn the page on a troubled past.
  My Administration remains committed to self-determination, the right of tribal governments to build and strengthen their own communities. Each year I host the White House Tribal Nations Conference, and our work together has translated into action. We have resolved longstanding legal disputes, prioritized placing land into trust on behalf of tribes, stepped up support for Tribal Colleges and Universities, made tribal health care more accessible, and streamlined leasing regulations to put more power in tribal hands. Earlier this year, an amendment to the Stafford Act gave tribes the option to directly request Federal emergency assistance when natural disasters strike their homelands. In March, I signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which recognizes tribal courts' power to convict and sentence certain perpetrators of domestic violence, regardless of whether they are Indian or non-Indian. And this June, I moved to strengthen our nation-to-nation relationships by establishing the White House Tribal Council on Native American Affairs. The Council is responsible for promoting and sustaining prosperous and resilient Native American communities.
  As we observe Native American Heritage Month, we must build on this work. Let us shape a future worthy of a bright new generation, and together, let us ensure this country's promise is fully realized for every Native American.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Native American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to commemorate this month with appropriate programs and activities, and to celebrate November 29, 2013, as Native American Heritage Day.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation -- National Adoption Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:39
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  Every young person deserves the chance to learn and grow under the care of a loving family. Across our Nation, adoptive families give that chance to over a million children and teenagers. During National Adoption Month, we celebrate these families and stand alongside every child still looking for the warmth and stability of a permanent home.
  Today, nearly 400,000 American children are in foster care, and each year, thousands age out of care without the security that comes from a permanent family or a place to call home. On November 23, National Adoption Day will offer a sense of hope to children waiting for adoptive parents. As we observe this day, courts across our country will open their doors to finalize adoptions that move young people out of foster care.
  My Administration has worked to simplify adoption laws; reduce the amount of time young children go without parents; and ensure adoption rights for all qualified couples and individuals. We are calling for an end to discriminatory barriers that keep children from loving and stable homes. And we are working across all levels of government to eliminate roadblocks to adoption and encourage cooperation between adoption advocates, private organizations, and community and faith-based groups. This January, I was proud to sign legislation to permanently extend the Adoption Tax Credit. And to protect the young people of every nation, I signed the Intercountry Adoption Universal Accreditation Act. This law will promote safe and lawful adoptions by setting Federal standards for all adoption service providers, and it will provide greater safeguards to both parents and children.
  This month, we celebrate adopted children, teenagers, and their diverse families. We work to give more young people permanent families and promising futures. And we encourage our friends and neighbors to open their hearts and their homes to children in need.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Adoption Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month by answering the call to find a permanent and caring family for every child in need, and by supporting the families who care for them.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
NSA's Activities: Valid Foreign Intelligence Targets Are...
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: IC ON THE RECORD
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:36
  NSA's Activities:
  Valid Foreign Intelligence Targets Are the Focus
  October 31, 2013
  Recent press articles on NSA's collection operations conducted under Executive Order 12333 have misstated facts, mischaracterized NSA's activities, and drawn erroneous inferences about those operations. NSA conducts all of its activities in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies '' and assertions to the contrary do a grave disservice to the nation, its allies and partners, and the men and women who make up the National Security Agency.
  All NSA intelligence activities start with a validated foreign intelligence requirement, initiated by one or more Executive Branch intelligence consumers, and are run through a process managed by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. When those requirements are received by NSA, analysts look at the Information Need and determine the best way to satisfy it. That process involves identifying the foreign entities that have the information, researching how they communicate, and determining how best to access those communications in order to get the foreign intelligence information. The analysts identify selectors '' e-mail addresses and phone numbers are examples '' that help isolate the communications of the foreign entity and task those to collection systems. In those cases where there are not specific selectors available, the analysts will use metadata, similar to the address on the outside of an envelope, to attempt to develop selectors for their targets. Once they have them, they task the selectors to the collection systems in order to get access to the content, similar to the letter inside the envelope.
  The collection systems target communications links that contain the selectors, or are to and from areas likely to contain the selectors, of foreign intelligence interest. Seventy years ago, the communications links were shortwave radio transmissions between two points on the globe. Today's communications flow over technologies like satellite links, microwave towers, and fiber optic cables. Terrorists, weapons proliferators, and other valid foreign intelligence targets make use of commercial infrastructure and services. When a validated foreign intelligence target uses one of those means to send or receive their communications, we work to find, collect, and report on the communication. Our focus is on targeting the communications of those targets, not on collecting and exploiting a class of communications or services that would sweep up communications that are not of bona fide foreign intelligence interest to us.
  What NSA does is collect the communications of targets of foreign intelligence value, irrespective of the provider that carries them. U.S. service provider communications make use of the same information super highways as a variety of other commercial service providers. NSA must understand and take that into account in order to eliminate information that is not related to foreign intelligence.
  NSA works with a number of partners and allies in meeting its foreign-intelligence mission goals, and in every case those operations comply with U.S. law and with the applicable laws under which those partners and allies operate. A key part of the protections that are provided to both U.S. persons and citizens of other countries is the requirement that information be in support of a valid foreign intelligence requirement, and the Attorney General-approved minimization procedures. These limitations protect the privacy of all people and, in particular, to any incidentally acquired communications of U.S. persons. The protections are applied when selectors are tasked to the collection system; when the collection itself occurs; when the collected data are being processed, evaluated, analyzed, and put into a database; and when any reporting of the foreign intelligence is being done. In addition, NSA is very motivated and actively works to remove as much extraneous data as early in the process as possible '' to include data of innocent foreign citizens.
  NSA Public Affairs Office
Presidential Proclamation -- National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:35
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  NATIONAL ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible and progressive brain disease that slowly erodes precious memories, thinking skills, and the ability to perform simple tasks. It affects millions of Americans, including senior citizens as well as younger Americans with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. This month, we stand with everyone confronting the painful reality of an Alzheimer's diagnosis; lend our support to the families who care for them; and renew our commitment to delaying, preventing, and ultimately curing this disease.
  In research labs across our country and around the world, scientists are working to unlock the answers to Alzheimer's disease. My Administration proudly supports this promising research. Earlier this year, I proposed the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, which aims to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. By mapping the brain, we hope to better comprehend the causes of disorders like Alzheimer's disease and enhance our work on improving treatment. In September, the National Institutes of Health announced support for innovative new studies to help find effective interventions for this devastating degenerative brain disease. And my Administration also remains committed to implementing the first-ever National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease, which lays out a roadmap to preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer's disease by 2025.
  Working together with scientists, patient advocates, and those living with this disease, we can give a sense of hope to millions of families, patients, and caregivers. For resources and information on living with or caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease, please visit www.Alzheimers.gov.
  As we offer our support to Americans with Alzheimer's disease, we also recognize those who care and provide for them, sharing their loved ones' emotional, physical, and financial strains. This month, we honor their compassion, remember those we have lost, and press toward the next great scientific breakthrough.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to learn more about Alzheimer's disease and support the individuals living with this disease and their caregivers.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation -- National Family Caregivers Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:35
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  Across our country, more than 60 million Americans take up the selfless and unheralded work of delivering care to seniors or people with disabilities or illnesses. The role they play in our healthcare system is one we must recognize and support. During National Family Caregivers Month, we thank these tireless heroes for the long, challenging work they perform behind closed doors and without fanfare every day, and we recommit to ensuring the well-being of their loved ones and of the caregivers themselves.
  Under the Affordable Care Act, patients and caregivers can benefit from a new Medicare pilot program that helps beneficiaries negotiate the transition from hospital to home. And through new Medicaid options, States can expand access to home and community-based services. With caregivers already balancing their own needs with those of their loved ones, and in many cases caring for both young children and aging parents, our Nation's caregivers need and deserve our support. With this in mind, local agencies work to connect individuals with options including adult day care, respite care, training programs, and caregiver support groups -- all shaped with the understanding that the generous women and men who take the health of their loved ones into their hands should not suffer from the toll caregiving can take.
  There is no one to whom America owes more than our ill and injured service members and veterans, and while many offer kindness and assistance, it is the caregivers who truly sustain our wounded warriors as they work toward rehabilitation or recovery. In 2010, I was proud to sign the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, which provides the caregivers of our seriously injured post-9/11 veterans with training, counseling, supportive services, and living stipends. Under this law, injured veterans' family caregivers also receive access to health care.
  Just as our loved ones celebrate with us in our moments of triumph, American families strengthen the fabric of our Nation by lifting each other up in the face of life's greatest challenges. And as Americans put their loved ones before themselves, we must offer our appreciation and flexibility, in our healthcare system, our workplaces, and our communities. This month, as we reflect on the generosity, grace, and strength of family caregivers, we renew our commitment to matching their dedication to the health and wellness of families across our country.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Family Caregivers Month. I encourage all Americans to pay tribute to those who provide for the health and well-being of their family members, friends, and neighbors.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Presidential Proclamation -- Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:33
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AND RESILIENCE MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  Over the last few decades, our Nation has grown increasingly dependent on critical infrastructure, the backbone of our national and economic security. America's critical infrastructure is complex and diverse, combining systems in both cyberspace and the physical world -- from power plants, bridges, and interstates to Federal buildings and the massive electrical grids that power our Nation. During Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month, we resolve to remain vigilant against foreign and domestic threats, and work together to further secure our vital assets, systems, and networks.
  As President, I have made protecting critical infrastructure a top priority. Earlier this year, I signed a Presidential Policy Directive to shore up our defenses against physical and cyber incidents. In tandem with my Executive Order on cybersecurity, this directive strengthens information sharing within my Administration and between the Federal Government and its many critical infrastructure partners, while also ensuring strong privacy protections. Because of the interconnected nature of our critical infrastructure, my Administration will continue to work with businesses and industry leaders and build on all the great work done to date. With these partners, and in cooperation with all levels of government, we will further enhance the security and resilience of our critical infrastructure.
  We must continue to strengthen our resilience to threats from all hazards including terrorism and natural disasters, as well as cyber attacks. We must ensure that the Federal Government works with all critical infrastructure partners, including owners and operators, to share information effectively while jointly collaborating before, during, and after an incident. This includes working with infrastructure sectors to harden their assets against extreme weather and other impacts of climate change.
  Emerging and evolving threats require the engagement of our entire Nation -- from all levels of government to the private sector and the American people. This month, as we recognize that safeguarding our critical infrastructure is an economic and security imperative, let each of us do our part to build a more resilient Nation.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month. I call upon the people of the United States to recognize the importance of protecting our Nation's resources and to observe this month with appropriate events and training to enhance our national security and resilience.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Facebook Has a Maturity Problem
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: Master Feed : The Atlantic
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:32
  "We did see a decrease in daily users, specifically among younger teens," Facebook acknowledged. Here's why that matters.
  ReutersThe good news for Facebook is that its business model is maturing.
  The bad news for Facebook is that its audience is maturing, too.
  Remember when Facebook was just something that kids used to procrastinate'-- a digital time-suck for kids and not a digital business? Well, now that's switched. Facebook is definitely a digital business now, with last quarter's revenue up 60 percent since last year and half of that coming from mobile, an astonishing achievement for a company that barely had a mobile business a year ago.
  But where are the kids going? After months of denials, Facebook acknowledged yesterday that teens are losing interest in the site. "Our best analysis on youth engagement in the U.S. reveals that usage of Facebook among US teens overall was stable from Q2 to Q3, but we did see a decrease in daily users, specifically among younger teens," CFO David Ebersman said.
  In fact, this is a long time coming. Twitter finally eclipsed Facebook as the most popular social network for teens, according to a recent Piper Jaffray study. Among young people, Zuckerberg's site is now tied with Instagram (his $1 billion purchase) for second place, having crashed from a huge lead last year.
  Mary Meeker's big fat State of the Internet slideshow showed a similar trend, writ larger. Facebook is still dominant, but its dominance, as a time-suck, is slipping, just as its mobile business is growing.
  Facebook is still a monster, claiming more than 500 million mobile daily active users.That's more than the combined populations of the United States, Russia, France, and the UK visiting Facebook (and likely seeing ads on their phone) every day. It's an astonishing thing ...
  ... but falling engagement and enthusiasm among teens is a real problem, and perhaps not for the reason you think.
  It doesn't merely suggest that Facebook is getting grayer. Look at that "other line" in the graph above. Programs like Snapchat and other social sites are taking off, and the way these things usually work is that whatever technology teenagers are using today, young adults, and then older adults, will be using tomorrow. Tumblr, Pinterest, Snapchat: All billion-dollar valuations today, and all got their start among the high school and college crowd. Young people's Internet behavior predicts everybody's Internet behavior. The fact that they're getting bored could mean that Facebook is becoming boring'--a dangerous idea for a company that relies on the idle time of average people.
  Or it could just mean that Facebook has grown up right in line with its audience.
Avoid Being Despised And Hated
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: a.nolen
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:30
  There's nothing more terrifying than walking down the street.
  I like audiobooks. A few years ago I got a free copy of Machiavelli's The Prince, and I began to listen to it at night. I would fall asleep listening to it. The first couple of nights were a slog, and frankly, if the reader's voice hadn't been so attractive I probably wouldn't have stuck with it.
  Then something strange began to happen. I'd catch myself thinking like Machiavelli. Sometimes I was unaware that I had been influenced by the text until the next evening, when I re-listened to the chapter from the night before and found that the part I'd slept through matched my thinking during the day. I'd express myself in unfamiliar terms too, like ''concerning X, '....'' or ''that one should'...''. I had to stop listening because Machiavelli (or at least his translator) was undoing my efforts to write clearly.
  All that was a while ago, but Chapter XIX, That One Should Avoid Being Despised and Hated, still sticks with me. Why? There's something very common-sense about it. When I first heard Chapter XIX , I didn't fall asleep. I jumped out of bed to write down this fragment from the fourth paragraph:
  '... a prince ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers.
  This fragment came back to me a few days ago, when Dianne Feinstein made an abrupt about-face on the whole spying issue. Feinstein feels spying on heads of state is a problem, but spying on her own constituency isn't.
  Now, of course, Sen. Feinstein is the spokesperson for a group of people in a democracy, so there are very few parallels between her and the princes Machiavelli wrote about.
  But it occurs to me that Sen. Feinstein values spying on her constituents more than spying on her counterparts in other countries. She's happy to make concessions to Angela Merkel, but not to John Doe. The greasy hag knows which way her bread is buttered.
  I believe most people are used to thinking of foreign powers as adversaries, but it comes as a rude awakening to realize that their own leaders view them as the enemy.
  It shouldn't surprise people, though. Feinstein is a rich woman, fattened by a dying kleptocracy. Of course she fears the people she's mislead and stolen from'' that fear is quite natural. Why wouldn't she use every tool at her disposal to watch political opponents, journalists'... anyone who could lead a charge that might strip her of her goodies. Whereas Merkel and Feinstein probably have something in common; they can more easily come to a mutually beneficial understanding.
  Since the American leadership are 'ethically challenged', and have not figured out how to avoid being despised and hated, they have to spend a lot of time and energy out-conspiring those who might plot against them.
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Presidential Proclamation -- National Diabetes Month, 2013
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:29
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  NATIONAL DIABETES MONTH, 2013
  - - - - - - -
  BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  A PROCLAMATION
  With more than 25 million Americans living with a diabetes diagnosis, and many more going undiagnosed, diabetes affects people across our country and remains a pressing national health concern. During National Diabetes Month, we renew our dedication to combating this chronic, life-threatening illness by standing with those living with diabetes, honoring the professionals and advocates engaged in fighting diabetes, and working to raise awareness about prevention and treatment.
  Diabetes can lead to serious complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and blindness. Type 1 diabetes, often diagnosed in children, limits insulin production and its causes are not well defined. Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for more than 90 percent of diabetes cases, has been linked to older age and family history, although it is increasingly being diagnosed in younger Americans and is associated with obesity and inactivity. The risk is particularly high among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. I encourage all Americans to talk to their health care provider about steps they can take to prevent or manage this disease.
  With diabetes ranking among the leading causes of death in the United States, my Administration is committed to supporting Americans living with diabetes, investing in promising scientific research, advancing work toward improved treatment and care, and bolstering prevention efforts. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, beginning in 2014, no American with diabetes can be denied health insurance based on their diagnosis, and in most plans, Americans at increased risk can access diabetes screenings at no cost to them. The National Diabetes Prevention Program engages private and public partners to help people with prediabetes adopt lifestyles that can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes, and the National Diabetes Education Program focuses on delaying and preventing disease onset while also working to improve outcomes for those living with the disease.
  With our next generation in mind, First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative has taken on the staggering rise in childhood obesity our Nation has seen over the past three decades, and Let's Move! is empowering families and communities to put children on a path to healthier futures. Obese children face an increased risk of adult obesity and all the health risks that come with it, including Type 2 diabetes. By connecting children with healthy, affordable food options and the opportunity to be active in their communities, Let's Move! is helping our sons and daughters reach a healthier, more promising tomorrow.
  This month, as we remember those we have lost to diabetes and support those living with the illness, let us look to a day with fewer cases of diabetes, a firmer understanding of the disease, and better outcomes for all those affected. By continuing the important research, outreach, and care delivery we have already begun, we know we can get there.
  NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 2013 as National Diabetes Month. I call upon all Americans, school systems, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, health care providers, research institutions, and other interested groups to join in activities that raise diabetes awareness and help prevent, treat, and manage the disease.
  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
  BARACK OBAMA
Civil Society!! Open Government Progress
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Blog Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:27
  Posted by Gayle Smith, Nick Sinai on October 31, 2013 at 06:00 AM EDT
  Today in London, more than 1,000 delegates from across the globe are gathering for the Open Government Partnership Annual Summit to celebrate an unprecedented international collaboration between government and civil society to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, harness new technologies, and transform the way governments serve and engage with their citizens.
  Launched in September 2011 by President Obama and seven other country leaders, the Open Government Partnership was founded on the principle that the strength and vibrancy of nations depend on an active civil society and robust engagement between governments and their citizens to advance shared goals of peace, prosperity, and the well-being of all people. In just over two years the OGP has made incredible progress '' expanding to more than 60 countries that have made more than 1000 commitments to make governments around the globe more open, accountable, and transparent to their citizens.
  Building on these efforts to create more efficient, effective, and accountable governments, the Obama Administration today issued a new report, outlining ambitious new open-government commitments, including modernizing and improving the administration of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which provides the public with access to government information, and expanding the President's open data initiatives across the Federal Government to fuel entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth. These commitments, and many others, will be part of a second U.S. Open Government National Action Plan to be released later this year.
  As we work with stakeholders to complete our second National Action Plan, we will continue to take steps to further support a vibrant civil society '' both in the United States and around the world. Over the next year, the Administration will continue to intensify and broaden engagement with civil society, as well as work together with the international community to roll back and prevent new restrictions on those who seek to have a voice in their societies, and identify and share best practices and innovative approaches to help civil society succeed.
  For more information on the second U.S. Open Government National Action Plan, see a fact sheet on the report.
  Gayle Smith is Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Development and Democracy. Nick Sinai is United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer
President Obama to Announce First-Ever Federal Effort to Attract Job-Creating Foreign Investment to the United States
  Link to Article
  Archived Version
  Source: White House.gov Press Office Feed
  Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:25
  The White House
  Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release
  October 31, 2013
  Expanding and Enhancing SelectUSA
  Today, President Obama is announcing the first-ever comprehensive, all hands on deck effort led by the federal government to bring jobs and investment from around the world to the U.S. through aggressive expansion and enhancement of SelectUSA.
  U.S. is becoming an increasingly more competitive location for investment: The U.S. is the top destination for foreign direct investment and is becoming increasingly more competitive in attracting investment due to rising productivity, abundant low-cost energy, and rising costs elsewhere '' as analysis from the Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, AT Kearney and others have underscored.
  To date, however, the U.S. has never before coordinated efforts to attract job-creating foreign investment: Unlike export promotion, the U.S. has historically left states and cities to compete directly with foreign countries. A coordinated federal effort would help our governors and mayors compete for job-creating foreign investment on a level playing field.
  Today, the President is announcing the first-ever coordinated effort to actively recruit businesses to bring investment and jobs to the U.S.: To seize on America's growing competitiveness, the Administration is creating the first-ever coordinated federal effort, hosted by the Department of Commerce, to attract foreign investment through enhancement and expansion of SelectUSA outlined below, while continuing to call on Congress to provide all necessary resources.
  Making job-creating foreign investment a core priority: For the first time, domestic and overseas teams at Commerce and State will make recruiting business investment one of their core priorities, alongside their traditional focus on export promotion and commercial advocacy.
  First-ever coordinated, global teams led by Ambassadors to actively work to bring jobs to U.S.: For the first time, the U.S. will organize dedicated investment teams led by Ambassadors to actively encourage and track job-creating investment into the U.S. This will begin in 32 priority markets which represent over 90 percent of foreign direct investment into the U.S.
  First coordinated advocacy process to include senior-most Administration officials, including all the way up to the President: Historically, on an ad hoc basis, senior government officials have been involved in advocacy for business investment in the U.S. But going forward, the Administration is creating the first-ever coordinated advocacy process to link international teams with senior government officials all the way up to the President to recruit businesses to bring jobs to the U.S.
  For the first time, there will be a single point of contact for ready investors looking to bring jobs and production to the U.S.: For the first time, SelectUSA will create single points of contact for businesses looking to bring jobs and production to the U.S. This will include greater coordination between SelectUSA headquarters in Washington D.C., in-country resources at the Embassy, and state-based economic development organizations.
  First ever effort to coordinate support for states and localities to attract investment: For the first time, we will help regional, state, and local economic development organizations attract investment, improving coordination to increase their success rate and connecting them with overseas markets and investors through our Missions.
  Expanding and Enhancing SelectUSA
  On Thursday, October 31st President Obama will host and deliver remarks at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C., where he will announce aggressive expansion and enhancement of SelectUSA. Building on the progress-to-date with SelectUSA, which was launched in June 2011, the Commerce Department, State Department and White House, along with other federal agencies, are launching the first-ever fully coordinated effort at home and around the world to actively recruit businesses to bring investment to the U.S. This announcement takes major strides forward, but the President will also continue to call on Congress to provide the necessary resources required to build the full suite of capabilities required to realize our shared ambition for SelectUSA. Specific actions of the new and expanded initiative include:
  SelectUSA will for the first time deeply support states and cities to attract and compete for job-creating investment into the U.S.: SelectUSA will help regional, state, and local economic development organizations attract investment, improving coordination to increase their success rate and connecting them with overseas markets and investors through our Missions. Leveraging the federal government's domestic networks, SelectUSA will provide new services to our domestic partners, including counseling on implementing best practice investment attraction strategies, data and analysis of investment trends to help better allocate resources in attracting job-creating investment.SelectUSA will encourage job-creating foreign investment as a core priority in a coordinated, all hands on deck manner for the first time: Historically, the federal government has not organized to encourage job-creating investment from around the world akin to how we have coordinated global efforts to promote U.S. exports. Now, our domestic and overseas commercial teams at Commerce and State will make actively recruiting jobs and investment a top priority, ensuring that the entire team is consistently working to bring jobs to the U.S. and promote the U.S. as the premiere destination for global investment, while actively generating interested investors and working in partnership with U.S. economic development organizations (EDOs) at the state, regional, and local levels.
  SelectUSA will develop the first-ever coordinated, global team to actively work to bring jobs back to the U.S. led directly by our Ambassadors: In 32 initial economies with substantial potential investments into the U.S., investment teams will develop country-specific strategies that make investment promotion a key priority, coordinated with efforts to promote U.S. exports and support U.S. businesses. Investment teams will be created as part of a phased implementation to prioritize locations with the largest potential for U.S. investment. Among other activities, Missions will expand outreach to prospective investors to consider investment to the U.S., host or participate in in-country or regional events to encourage investment, and leverage local business connections to promote U.S. investment. The expanded effort will rely on leveraging existing resources and refocusing priorities, drawing on increased support from SelectUSA headquarters. Investment metrics will be tracked globally with regular reporting to track progress and share best practices.
  SelectUSA will for the first time include a seamless process to enlist top Administration officials all the way up to the President to actively advocate for high-priority investments into the U.S.: For the first time, the U.S. federal government will actively advocate with business leaders to locate production and investment in the U.S., a tactic often employed by competitor nations looking to attract investment. Previously, a state like Pennsylvania would be left to compete head-to-head with othre major industrialized nations. Now, our states, regions, and cities will have the full support of top federal officials, including the President, in advocating with businesses from around the world to select the U.S. as the location for new jobs and investment. Advocacy will be both 'generic', encouraging the U.S. generally, and 'specific', advocating on behalf of a U.S. location when a decision is down to that specific location and non-U.S. options.
  SelectUSA will create for the first time single points of contact for investors looking to locate in the U.S.: SelectUSA headquarters, located at the Department of Commerce, will assign a single point-of-contact for ready investors looking to locate and create jobs in the U.S. In partnership with state and local economic development officials, SelectUSA will help investors gather the information needed to choose the U.S. as a location, navigate through federal agency processes, and provide general investment counseling support. SelectUSA headquarters will increase support for the SelectUSA Investment Teams around the world, providing them with the information, analysis, services, and process coordination needed to engage with investors and promote the U.S.