Texas Repubs pass abortion bill, Dems vow fight

Opponents and supporters of abortion rights rally in the State Capitol rotunda in Austin, Texas on Friday, July 12, 2013. The Texas Senate convened Friday afternoon to debate and ultimately vote on some of the nation's toughest abortion restrictions, its actions being watched by fervent demonstrators on either side of the issue. (AP Photo/Tamir Kalifa)

Opponents and supporters of abortion rights rally in the State Capitol rotunda in Austin, Texas on Friday, July 12, 2013. The Texas Senate convened Friday afternoon to debate and ultimately vote on some of the nation's toughest abortion restrictions, its actions being watched by fervent demonstrators on either side of the issue. (AP Photo/Tamir Kalifa)

Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, left, throws up her hands as she leaves the Senate Chamber with Sen. Wendy Davis, D-FortWorth, right, after the Texas Senate passed an abortion bill, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Austin, Texas. The bill will require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, only allow abortions in surgical centers, dictate when abortion pills are taken and ban abortions after 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Sen. Wendy Davis, D-FortWorth, sits at her desk after the Texas Senate passes an abortion bill, Friday, July 12, 2013, in Austin, Texas. The bill will require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, only allow abortions in surgical centers, dictate when abortion pills are taken and ban abortions after 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A bloodied anti-abortion rights protester is surrounded by Texas state troopers outside the Senate Chamber after the Texas Senate passes an abortion bill, Saturday, July 13, 2013, in Austin, Texas. The bill will require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, only allow abortions in surgical centers, dictate when abortion pills are taken and ban abortions after 20 weeks. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Abortion rights advocates fill the rotunda of the State Capitol as the Senate nears the vote on Friday night, July 12, 2013. Texas senators were wrapping up debate on sweeping abortion restrictions Friday night and were poised to vote on a measure after weeks of protests. (AP Photo/Tamir Kalifa)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? Republicans in the Texas Legislature passed an omnibus abortion bill that is one of the most restrictive in the nation, but Democrats vowed Saturday to fight both in the courts and the ballot box as they used the measure to rally their supporters.

More than 2,000 demonstrators filled the Capitol building in Austin to oppose the bill, and state troopers drug six out of the Senate chamber for trying to disrupt the debate. The Republican majority ultimately passed the bill unchanged just before midnight, with all but one Democrat voting against it.

"Today the Texas Legislature took its final step in our historic effort to protect life," said Gov. Rick Perry who will sign the bill into law in the next few days. "This legislation builds on the strong and unwavering commitment we have made to defend life and protect women's health."

Democrats, though, promised a fight in the courts.

"There will be a lawsuit. I promise you," Dallas Sen. Royce West said on the Senate floor, raising his right hand as if taking an oath.

Democrats offered 20 amendments to the bill, which will ban abortions after 20 weeks, require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and require all abortions take place in surgical centers. They ranged from exceptions for rape and incest to allowing doctors more leeway in prescribing abortion-inducing drugs. But Republicans would have none of it.

The bill is just one of many across the nation championed by anti-abortion groups set on a constitutional challenge to Roe vs Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision guaranteeing a woman's right to decide on an abortion before the fetus is viable outside the womb.

Texas falls under the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has shown a willingness to accept more stringent limits on abortions. Passing the law also pleases Christian conservatives who make up the majority of Republican primary voters.

But the measure has also sparked protests in Texas not seen in least 20 years, with thousands of abortion rights supporters flooding the Capitol to draw out normally boring committee hearings and disrupting key votes. Protesters finished a filibuster started by Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth by jeering for the last 15 minutes of the first special session, effectively killing the bill.

That's when Perry called lawmakers back for round two. But opponents said the fight is far from over and used the popular anger to register and organize Democratic voters.

"Let's make sure that tonight is not an ending point, it's a beginning point for our future, our collective futures, as we work to take this state back." Davis told 2,000 adoring supporters after the bill passed.

The Texas Republican Party, meanwhile, celebrated what they considered a major victory that makes Texas "a nationwide leader in pro-life legislation."

"As Democrats continue to talk about their dreams of turning Texas blue, passage of HB2 is proof that Texans are conservative and organized and we look forward to working with our amazing Republican leadership in the Texas Legislature as they finish the special session strong," a party statement said.

Friday's debate took place between a packed gallery of demonstrators, with anti-abortion activists wearing blue and abortion-rights supporters wearing orange. Security was tight, and state troopers reported confiscating bottles of urine and feces as they worked to prevent another attempt to stop the Republican majority from passing the proposal.

Those arrested or removed from the chamber included four women who tried to chain themselves to a railing in the gallery while singing, "All we are saying is give choice a chance." One of the women was successful in chaining herself, prompting a 10-minute recess.

Sen. Glen Hegar of Katy, the bill's Republican author, argued that all abortions, including those induced with medications, should take place in an ambulatory surgical center in case of complications.

Democrats pointed out that childbirth is more dangerous than an abortion and there have been no serious problems with women taking abortion drugs at home.

Cecile Richards, the daughter of former Gov. Anne Richards and president of Planned Parenthood, said Texas Republicans and abortion opponents won this political round ? but it could cost them down the road.

"All they have done is built a committed group of people across this state who are outraged about the treatment of women and the lengths to which this Legislature will go to take women's health care away," she said.

The dedication of those activists will be tested during the 2014 elections. Democrats have not won a statewide seat in Texas since 1994, the longest such losing streak in the nation.

___

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/cltomlinson

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-07-13-Abortion%20Restrictions-Texas/id-38cee24c93374695af572748707c6bef

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APNewsBreak: Ex-Mont. governor rejects Senate bid

HELENA, Mont. (AP) ? Popular former Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Saturday morning that he will not run for Montana's open U.S. Senate seat in 2014, an announcement that complicates Democratic efforts to retain their majority in next year's elections.

Schweitzer told The Associated Press that he doesn't want to leave Montana and go to Washington, D.C.

He had been considered the Democrats best candidate for holding onto the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus next year. Schweitzer said he felt compelled to consider the race only because many in his party said they needed him to run.

"I love Montana. I want to be here. There are all kinds of people that think I ought to be in the United States Senate," Schweitzer said. "I never wanted to be in the United States Senate. I kicked the tires. I walked to the edge and looked over."

But ultimately, he said, "people need to know I am not running for the United States Senate."

The former governor was recently elected board chairman of Stillwater Mining Co., Montana's largest publicly trading company and said he is enjoying his life.

"I have responsibilities here in Montana, my family first. I have taken on a new life at the Stillwater mine. I owe it to the 1,670 people who work at the Stillwater mine that we continue to manage it and make it the best place to work in Montana," Schweitzer said. "This is my home, not Washington, D.C."

Schweitzer said recent criticism over politically active nonprofits connected to him had no bearing on the decision and said such criticism isn't new.

"This isn't my first rodeo," Schweitzer said.

Montana's open Senate seat is one of several being targeted by Republicans who hope to regain Senate control in the 2014 elections. Republicans need to pick up six seats to win back the majority and enjoy several advantages: the GOP is defending fewer incumbents than Democrats and could benefit from the fact that the party controlling the White House usually loses seats during the midterm election of a second-term president.

Democrats need to defend 21 seats, including seven in largely rural states that Republican Mitt Romney carried in 2012. Republicans hope to unseat four key incumbents: Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana.

The brash, jeans-wearing Schweitzer last year told the AP: "I am not goofy enough to be in the House, and I'm not senile enough to be in the Senate."

The 57-year-old Democrat left office in January after eight years in office with high approval ratings, but he wasn't able to run again because of term limits. The unconventional governor, who easily won re-election in 2008, always displayed a feel for tapping into Montana's conservative-leaning yet libertarian politics.

In Helena, his heavy-handed style proved adept at largely getting his way with the state budget despite fostering a confrontational and sour relationship with majority Republicans. He often touted the state's surpluses at a time when many others were floundering.

The outspoken governor never missed an opportunity to leave a larger-than-life impression. He once stormed New York's Times Square with a bullhorn handing out Montana-made promotional trinkets from a semi-truck.

But Schweitzer said he is enjoying pursuits other than politics, with a new lake house and a small ranch in the mountains.

"I don't want a job where I have to wear a suit, and my dog isn't welcome," he said.

Other Democrats who expressed an interest in running, including State Auditor Monica Lindeen and schools Superintendent Denise Juneau, had been waiting on Schweitzer's decision.

The announcement surprised a Democratic Party that was meeting Saturday in Lewistown for its annual convention, and attention quickly turned to other potential candidates.

"Democrats were ready to get behind him in a bid for U.S. Senate," said Juneau. "Since his announcement, I have been receiving encouragement to run, and I plan to give careful thought to that decision."

State Sen. Kendall Van Dyk of Billings, said he understood the decision to spurn a dysfunctional Congress. "He chose Montana trout over the rattlesnakes," Van Dyk said.

However, he added, Schweitzer "has done tremendous things for the state, and any Democrat will tell you he has done tremendous things for the party. Montana needs Brian Schweitzer. And I believe this isn't the last we have heard of him."

Republicans are hopeful that freshman U.S. Rep. Steve Daines will run for the open seat. Some Republicans are also advocating former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, who served from 1993 to 2001 and later chaired the Republican National Committee.

Daines said Saturday that he will continue to consider the race.

"My focus is fixed on serving the people of Montana and doing the job they sent me to do," he said in a statement. "I will continue to give this decision the consideration it deserves, and am still taking time to talk with my family and the people of Montana about how I can best be of service to our state."

As Schweitzer was mulling his options, the Montana Republican Party circulated a 2010 Internal Revenue Service form that showed a politically active nonprofit group called The Council for a Sustainable America used the same Helena post office box used for Schweitzer's 2008 re-election campaign and was signed by David Gallik, the state commissioner of political practices appointed by Schweitzer at the time.

The Council for a Sustainable America spent about $60,000 on politics in 2010, but it did not say in which races.

Schweitzer adviser Franklin Hall said at the time the nonprofit was never used for Montana politics or to aid Schweitzer.

Baucus, 71, announced in April that he was retiring. He was elected to the Senate in 1978 after serving two terms in the House. Baucus, who still controls a healthy campaign war chest, promised Democrats on Saturday he will continue helping them with 2014 elections.

"Brian was a great governor and there's no question he would have made an excellent candidate," Baucus said in a statement. "But we still have a wide field of qualified Montana Democrats who can run and win this seat."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-ex-mont-governor-rejects-senate-bid-151201253.html

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Netflix will seek to compete with original products in Mexico

After the success of its original content such as ?Hemlock Grove? and ?House of Cards?, Netflix seeks to create exclusive products for Mexico. It also seeks to ensure broadcasting rights for popular programs and movies in that country, where a strong competiton boomed with Veo from Televisa and Clarovideo from Am?rica M?vil.

The director of global corporate communications, Joris Evers, assured that ?we want people to say ?we want to watch that program?, but they only have it on Netflix?. Evers added that ?we are very happy with the original content we have created and our members have been very receptive to it. Due to that fact we have become more enthusiastic about making more, and that opens up possibilities?. Out of the seven million memberships that the OTT has outside of the United States more than a million of them are concentrated in Latin America especially in Mexico and Brazil, its two biggest markets of the region.

Furthermore, Netflix seeks to consolidate alliances with Microsoft and Sony to introduce voice control to the market in the Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The product innovations director of Netflix, Chris Jaffe, said that ?the traditional controls will still be used, but although these are ideal for videogames, they are not for the consumption of VOD content?. And he added that ?the world in general becomes more exciting when you can use your voice to control all kinds of experiences. We see a big future in the use of voice, even outside of the area of consoles?.

Source: http://nextvlatam.com/index.php/6-content/netflix-will-seek-to-compete-with-original-products-in-mexico/

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Tablets for government: Surface Pro from Microsoft

Tablets for government: Surface Pro from Microsoft

• By Greg Crowe
• Jul 15, 2013

The tablet has become an integral part of the mobile plans of many agencies, complementing and, in? some cases, even replacing laptop and desktop PCs. Different models of tablets have different strength and weaknesses, and which one is right for your agencies depends on your own needs. This week, we take a close look at five popular tablets and what they offer agencies.

The Surface Pro from Microsoft could be a popular choice among government IT administrators, given its large, clear display and processing power. But the larger size and weight of this device might make it less popular among some end users. Its price starts at $899 for 64G versions, $999 for 128G and a just-released 256G version for $1,200.

What works for government agencies

The Surface Pro?s 10.6-inch ClearType HD wide-screen 10-point multi-touch display is nice and bright, though there are some visibility problems in indirect sunlight or brighter environments. The keyboard cover that came with the model we tested snaps into place, and when combined with the built-in ?kickstand,? it provides a pretty close approximation to a notebook or desktop experience.

The Intel Core i5 processor with Intel HD Graphics 4000 and 4G of memory is a powerful combination, making the Surface faster than tablets that rely on the lower power Atom Z2760. We were able to open and run multiple apps without any noticeable sign of lagging, allowing an agency user to multitask effectively.
The Surface Pro had a decent number of accessory ports, including a full-size USB 3.0 port, a Micro-SDXC card reader and a MiniDisplay port. The power adapter also has a full-sized USB port, which lets users charge another device at the same time.

What might not work for government agencies

The Surface Pro does come with some security features. For instance Windows 8 Pro?s built-in BitLocker feature can encrypt the Surface Pro?s hard drive. However, there are no hardware-based security features, as some agencies may require.

And as might be expected of a device with a powerful processor and the ability to run multiple apps, battery life can suffer with heavy use.

Like the keyboard cover port, the power adapter port is magnetic, which can be a safety bonus in some situations. However, that port is also where the pen device is stored. So users can?t charge the tablet while storing the pen. Those who need to be able to recharge while on the go might end up losing the pen.

Probably the biggest issue users might have with Microsoft Surface Pro is the weight. Two pounds might not seem like a lot, but after holding it for more than five minutes, users will feel it, and they probably won?t like it. This might eliminate the Surface Pro from consideration from certain types of jobs, such as certain medical environments, but it should work well in places such as the classroom.

MORE: 5 tablets for government

About the Author

Greg Crowe is a former GCN staff writer who covered mobile technology.

Source: http://gcn.com/articles/2013/07/15/microsoft-surface-pro-government.aspx

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Breaking: Napolitano to leave Obama Cabinet (CNN)

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Joseph Kosinski Talks Tron 3 and The Black Hole

There?s no denying that Joseph Kosinski is a filmmaker who perceives the science-fiction genre as a useful means for exploring ideas about the human condition, be it the relationship between creator and creation that was examined in TRON: Legacy, the nature of romantic attraction (as dissected in Oblivion), and related concepts that have been touched upon in his directorial efforts to date.

Kosinki is currently involved in development on two sci-fi projects, each of which revolves around similarly thought-provoking ideas and themes. The first is a sequel to Legacy ? we?ve been calling it TRON 3 since it would be the third installment in the TRON franchise ? while the other is The Black Hole, which is a new take on the cult sci-fi title released by Disney back in 1979.

Previously, Kosinski expressed his desire for?TRON 3?to take the TRON?property to the next level of creative expression ? when he said that he wants it to be ?our ?Empire Strikes Back?? ? and additionally mentioned that the film is going to pick up in real-time after the conclusion to Legacy. That might?ve seemed like a red flag to some people, as having TR3N take place some five to six years after Legacy could allow the film to skimp on addressing the questions and ideas raised by the previous film?s conclusion ? and there are definitely some major implications to the ending of Legacy?(which ought to be explored in the new TRON installment).

Garrett Hedlund as Sam and Olivia Wilde as Quorra in ?TRON: Legacy?

Fear not, though, as Kosinski has revealed ? in a recent interview with ET ? that TRON 3 will tackle head-on the lingering questions and unresolved issues from the ending to Legacy:

?[TRON 3] ? the TRON [Legacy] sequel ? kind of takes where we left off in ?Legacy?, that idea in the last few minutes of the film, and really expands on it in an exciting way.?

TRON 3?should, in particular, focus on Olivia Wilde as Quorra, for reasons that go beyond the fact that the character is (spoiler?) the last surviving member of the ?Isomorphic Algorithms? or ISOs (i.e. the species naturally-generated by ?The Grid? rather than produced by the world?s inventor Kevin Flynn). Indeed, the whole ISO concept would benefit from additional clarification,?even before you take the final minutes from Legacy into consideration.

Garrett Hedlund is the only Legacy cast member to be (semi-)officially confirmed to return for TRON 3, but Wilde is expected to come back too and ? when asked in past interviews ? has agreed that the film should be more Quorra-centric. The current script draft is being developed by Jesse Wigutow (one of the screenwriters to have worked on The Crow reboot), but it?s not yet apparent whether the original plan for TRON 3 ? have?Edward Dillinger Jr. (Cillian Murphy) serve as the main antagonist?- is still in play.

Anthony Perkins as Dr. Alex Durant from ?The Black Hole? (1979)

Similarly, Jon Spaihts ? best known for penning the original Prometheus script draft ? is actively putting together a new script for Kosinski?s Black Hole project. However, it remains unclear just how much material Spaihts will be carrying over from either the previous draft written by Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim) or the original 1979 film.

Kosinski did shed some light on the similarities to the 1970s version, when ET asked him if he considers Black Hole to be a remake or reboot:

?I guess I would call it a reboot because the fundamental concept is there, but we are taking it in our own direction.?

A few years back, Kosinski revealed that he had plans to approach Black Hole from a contemporary ?hard science way,? by incorporating the many advances in astrophysics and gains in understanding of how gravitational forces work made by the scientific community over the past three decades of research. Many of the sci-fi ideas featured in Spaihts? Alien: Engineers draft are modern, yet also quite allegorical in nature (similar to the concepts in Legacy), so?there?s a good chance that he and Kosinski will use a similar hard science (fiction) angle to update?The Black Hole?s themes.

Let us know how you feel about how?TRON 3?is shaping up?and whether you are more, less, or equally intrigued to see a modern-day hard science approach to The Black Hole?premise (in the comments section, that is).

_____

Oblivion will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 6th, 2013.

Screen Rant will keep you up-to-date on progress for TRON 3 and The Black Hole.

Source: ET

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Hawks "love" 2014 DT out of Florida

2014 defensive tackle Chris Nelson does a little bit of everything for Victory Christian.

A 2014 defensive tackle out of Florida has emerged as a top target for the Hawkeyes. Click inside for more.

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