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Friday, 15 February 2013

'Prisoner X' case strains Israelis' longtime acceptance of censorship

In the days after Israel partially acknowledged a report that it secretly jailed an Australian-Israeli main who later died in prison, there is doubt about the censorship powers that enabled the government to stifle the Israeli media until yesterday.

The decades-old sense that the Jewish state is under a constant existential threat has created tolerance of formal limits on press freedoms, but the sense among many Israelis is that in this case authorities have gone too far, and that such a blackout is not practical, let alone possible, with the advent of online journalism.

An investigation by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation into the 2010 disappearance and death of 34-year-old Ben Zygier suggested the Australian joined the Mossad after immigrating to Israel, but that something must have gone wrong with his service. In the hours after the initial publication of the report, Israel?s Prime Minister's Office made the rare move of calling in the editors-in-chief of major domestic news outlets to encourage them to uphold a blackout on the Australian report.

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The prime minister?s office was backed by a sweeping gag order from a court in force since the original arrest, but the move backfired as Israelis shared details of foreign accounts of the fate of so-called ??Prisoner X?? on social networks -- or simply browsed foreign news sites. The dissonance highlighted the seemingly outmoded application of censorship powers in the new media era, and suggested that Israel?s government had overstepped by keeping the case under wraps for years.

"I truly thought that this kind of thing doesn?t happen here. Someone was arrested, interrogated, charged ? and then he killed himself, and then it was held secret with a gag order," said Michael Sfard, a prominent Israeli civil rights lawyer. "They tried to make Israel into Albania, a place where people shouldn?t know what is known to the international community.??

Israel?s history of military censorship is rooted in powers assumed by the British Mandatory authorities, which first declared a "state of emergency?? that has been kept in place, uninterrupted, since Israel?s establishment in 1948.

Israel is one of the only democracies to subject its press to a military censor office, but the practice had been relatively accepted as a necessity in its early years because of a sense the country was constantly under attack. That said, the military?s authority to strike out information was drastically scaled back by the Supreme Court in 1989. The ruling required the censor to show an objectively imminent and real threat to national security in disqualifying information for publication, rather than a vague reference to national security considerations.

Citing "foreign media sources" has been a common workaround for journalists when censorship is invoked or the government imposes an internal gag order on officials, and it has generally been tolerated by Israeli authorities. But when the government this week pressed Israeli websites to take down initial reports of the ABC television report and revived an antiquated practice of calling in editors to share state secrets in return for a blackout, their efforts only fanned the firestorm.

"[Mossad director Tamir] Pardo and his friend believe that if they only press harder, the door will remain closed," wrote Aluf Benn, editor-in-chief of the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz. "Meanwhile, on Facebook, on Instagram, and Twitter, everyone is sharing the information, forwarding links, expressing opinions, and cracking jokes.??

The government eased the gag order Wednesday morning to allow Israeli news organizations to use the material from the ABC investigation. Then, later that night, it released a six-paragraph statement from a deputy district attorney, confirming that an Israeli dual citizen who was incarcerated and died in jail was kept under a veil of secrecy for "state security considerations."

The government said that the investigation into the prisoner's death determined that the cause of death was suicide and that the possibility of negligence was being investigated, but it didn?t identify Mr. Zygier or his nationality. The gag rule, although narrowed, remains in effect.

Israeli media expert Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler said that in recent years, security authorities have been making increasingly routine court appeals for gag orders to prevent publication of sensitive cases. Several years ago, security authorities used such an order to blackout the arrest of a young journalist, Anat Kam, who had leaked military documents during her army service. But word of her arrest came out within weeks.

Limited gag orders are justified if they aid an ongoing investigation or protect an individual?s identity in a domestic abuse case but the open-ended gag order in Zygier's case went too far, Ms. Shwartz Altshuler, a fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, says.

"In the 21st century, in a normal democracy, values such as transparency should be cherished more," she said. "The gag order is a sophisticated way to bury information underground."

In light of the state attorney's disclosure yesterday that Israel?s Supreme Court defended the gag order against challenges by civil liberties groups, journalists and lawyers are now asking whether Israel?s justices are too deferential to top ranking security officers who cite threats to national security when requesting gag orders, or are not knowledgeable enough to push back.

"I wouldn?t say they are a rubber stamp. But I wouldn?t say they are open-minded toward the media and that they take all factors into consideration," said Israeli lawyer Bibi Mozer in an interview with Israel Radio. "Often we encounter an approach that says: the experts told us what they did and persuaded us."

When the government persuaded the news outlets to take reports of the ABC story off their websites, Israeli parliamentarians used their immunity from prosecution to ask questions about "Prisoner X" while Israel?s justice minister was addressing the legislature on Feb. 12. That on-camera grilling helped newspaper editors keep the story on the front pages, and bypass the court order.

But some experts suggested that Israel?s normally aggressive media did not do enough to challenge the gag order while it was in place. Many news chiefs were informed of the gag order and complied, says Shwartz Altshuler.

"For almost three years no one dared talk about this story,?? she says. ??How come the Israeli media sat here and waited for an Australian television station???

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Source: http://leucabiz.com/blog/take-a-look-at-these-great-network-marketing-tips/

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Thursday, 14 February 2013

Have any tips for overcoming a pinned browser tab addiction?

Have any tips for overcoming a pinned browser tab addiction? Great discussions are par for the course here on Lifehacker. Each day, we highlight a discussion that is particularly helpful or insightful, along with other great discussions and reader questions you may have missed. Check out these discussions and add your own thoughts to make them even more wonderful!

Discussion of the Day

Other Great Discussions

Get Involved

Great Discussions Any Time

To join or start great discussions on any topic, be sure to visit the Openthread forum. Today, one reader is asking for tips about managing a daily schedule.

If you've got a cool project, inspiration, or just something fun to share, be sure to let us know in our Tips forum.

Happy Lifehacking, everybody!

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/5X9BJQiOJFo/have-any-tips-for-overcoming-a-pinned-browser-tab-addiction

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U.S. Temperature Record Set For February 2012 To January 2013 Time Period

In this Dec. 28, 2012 photo, corn stalks stand in a snowy field near La Vista, Neb. Despite getting some big storms in December, much of the U.S. is still desperate for relief from the nation?s longest dry spell in decades. And experts say it will take an absurd amount of snow to ease the woes of farmers and ranchers. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

In this Dec. 28, 2012 photo, Bales of corn stalks are covered with a dusting of snow near La Vista, Neb. Despite getting some big storms in December, much of the U.S. is still desperate for relief from the nation?s longest dry spell in decades. And experts say it will take an absurd amount of snow to ease the woes of farmers and ranchers. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Severe Drought Threatens Midwest Corn Crops

PRINCETON, IN - JULY 17: Drought-damaged corn grows in a field on July 17, 2012 near Princeton, Indiana. The corn and soybean belt in the middle of the nation is experiencing one of the worst droughts in more than five decades. Indiana was the nation's fourth largest corn producer in 2011. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Severe Drought Threatens Midwest Corn Crops

FRITCHTON, IN - JULY 17: Corn plants dry in a drought-stricken farm field on July 17, 2012 near Fritchton, Indiana. The corn and soybean belt in the middle of the nation is experiencing one of the worst droughts in more than five decades. Indiana was the nation's fourth largest corn producer in 2011. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

In this July 26, 2012 photo, dead fish float in a drying pond near Rock Port, Mo., as a turkey vulture paces the shore. Multitudes of fish are dying in the Midwest as the sizzling summer dries up rivers and raises water temperatures in some spots to nearly 100 degrees. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Severe Midwest Drought Continues

WYATT, MO - JULY 18: A buoy used to help guide barges rests on the bank after the water level dropped on the Mississippi River July 18, 2012 near Wyatt, Missouri. Some barge operators have lightened their loads or stopped running altogether on the lower Mississippi because of low water levels. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Midwest Farmers Continue To Struggle Against Extended Drought

CUBA, IL - AUGUST 03: Grass, dried from heat and drought, struggles to survive in a cattle pasture August 3, 2012 near Cuba, Illinois. Cattle being raised in the pasture used to be self-sustaining. This summer's drought has forced the farmer to truck in water, after the pond dried up, and extra feed, to supplement the dry grass, from another farm nearly 20 miles away. Farmers in the Midwest and elsewhere continue to struggle after than half the counties in the United States have been designated disaster areas, mostly due to drought conditions throughout the Midwest. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Midwest Farmers Continue To Struggle Against Extended Drought

NEW HARMONY, IN - AUGUST 03: Corn dead from drought sits in a field August 4, 2012 near New Harmony, Indiana. More than half of the counties in the United States have been designated disaster areas, mostly due to drought conditions throughout the Midwest. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The last remaining water in a drought-stricken rural pond reflects the sky and clouds near Calumet, Okla., Friday, July 20, 2012. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cattle graze in a dry field near Calumet, Okla., Friday, July 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Rows of corn stalks stand under a cloudless sky south of Blair, Neb., Monday, July 23, 2012. The drought-damaged field was cut down for silage. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Central Illinois cattle stand in a pasture struggling from lack of rain and a heat wave covering most of the country, Friday, July 20, 2012, in Farmingdale, Ill. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought, and most of the rest is abnormally dry. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

In this July 19, 2012 photo, a herd of cattle belonging to Kendal Grecian drink from a water tank at his ranch in Palco, Kan. Grecian spent years meticulously breeding his cows to improve the genetics in each generation, but with Kansas in one of the worst droughts seen in decades, he's struggling to find enough grazing to feed 300 cows, plus their calves. He hopes to get by with selling only a quarter of his herd, but there are no guarantees with the drought expected to linger through October. (AP Photo/John L. Mone)

A field of corn withers under triple-degree heat north of Wichita, Kan., in Sedgwick County Monday, July 16, 2012. The drought gripping the United States is the widest since 1956, according to new data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Fifty-five percent of the continental U.S. was in a moderate to extreme drought by the end of June, NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., said in its monthly State of the Climate drought report. That's the largest percentage since December 1956, when 58 percent of the country was covered by drought. (AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Mike Hutmacher)

Boats sit on the bottom in a dry cove at Morse Reservoir in Noblesville, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. The reservoir is down nearly 6 feet from normal levels and being lowered 1 foot every five days to provide water for Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

A Great White Egret looks for food on a lake drying up from lack of rain Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Chandlerville, Ill. Wildlife as well as livestock, and crops are struggling from the dry weather and a heat wave covering most of the country. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought, and most of the rest is abnormally dry. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Boats sit on the dry, cracked bottom in a dry cove at Morse Reservoir in Noblesville, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. The reservoir is down nearly 6 feet from normal levels and being lowered 1 foot every five days to provide water for Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

A cow looks for something to eat as it grazes in a dry pasture southwest of Hays, Kan., in a July 6, 2012 photo. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought, and most of the rest is abnormally dry. (AP Photo/The Hays Daily News, Steven Hausler)

Corn stalks struggling from lack of rain and a heat wave covering most of the country lie flat on the ground Monday, July 16, 2012, in Farmingdale, Ill. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought, and most of the rest is abnormally dry. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

The gate is closed on a boat ramp leading to a dry cove at Morse Reservoir in Noblesville, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. The reservoir is down nearly 6 feet from normal levels and being lowered 1 foot every five days to provide water for Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Farmer Joe Fischer holds ears of corn showing the variety of kernal development Thursday, July 12, 2012, at Fischer Farms Inc. in Owensboro, Ky. Normally the silks would already be brown, Fischer said. "There is no pollen left because the silks were delayed. . . because it has been too hot and dry," Fischer said. All five Owensboro-area counties have been designated primary disaster areas because of drought. (AP Photo/The Messenger-Inquirer, John Dunham)

Devin Davis of Paul Tree Farms uses a special water canon to water 30,000 trees on the 60 acre farm Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Pleasant Plains, Ill. The trees as well as livestock, wildlife and crops are struggling from lack of rain and a heat wave covering most of the country. The nation's widest drought in decades is spreading. More than half of the continental U.S. is now in some stage of drought, and most of the rest is abnormally dry. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

A pontoon is anchored on a mud flat as the owner could not reach their dock at Morse Reservoir in Noblesville, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. The reservoir is down nearly 6 feet from normal levels and being lowered 1 foot every five days to provide water for Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

This Thursday, July 5, 2012 photo shows dry soil in a corn field in western Kentucky. Persisting drought conditions have endangered corn fields in western Kentucky. (AP Photo/The Paducah Sun, Allie Douglass)

Illinois Farms Hurt By Continued Midwest Drought

OLMSTED, IL - JULY 26: A corn plant grows in a field parched by drought on July 26, 2012 near Olmsted, Illinois. The field, farmed by Kevin Ulrich, was one of several in the drought stricken region of Southern Illinois that were visited by officials from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services (FFAS) department and Farm Service Agency (FSA). Seventy percent of Illinois, the nation's number two corn producing state, is classified as experiencing some level of drought.(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Burnt stalks lie on the ground among rows of corn damaged by drought in a parched field in Louisville, Ill. on Monday, July 16, 2012. Over ten days of triple digit temperatures with little rain in the past two months is forcing many farmers to call 2012 a total loss. Rows of corn sit under high temperatures, burning and crisping until the stalks eventually fall, burning into the dry soil. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

Four rows of corn left for insurance adjusters to examine are all that remain of a 40-acre cornfield in Geff, Ill. that was mowed down Monday, July 16, 2012. Over ten days of triple digit temperatures with little rain in the past two months is forcing many farmers to call 2012 a total loss. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

Jack Maloney checks on corn on his farm in Brownsburg, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. With no significant rainfall since May 3 and the bleak outlook for rain, Maloney expects a total loss on his corn and soybean crop. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

A dry field of corn is seen near Fremont, Neb., Monday, July 16, 2012. The drought gripping the United States is the widest since 1956, according to new data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Jack Maloney displays a drought-damaged ear of corn on his farm in Brownsburg, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. With no significant rainfall since May 3 and the bleak outlook for rain, Maloney expects a total loss on his corn and soybean crop. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

An empty dock sits on the bottom of a dry cove at Morse Reservoir in Noblesville, Ind., Monday, July 16, 2012. The reservoir is down nearly 6 feet from normal levels and being lowered 1 foot every five days to provide water for Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Leaves become dry and brittle on stalks of corn in a parched field outside Effingham, Ill., Monday, July 16, 2012. The drought gripping the United States is the widest since 1956, according to new data released Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This summer, 80 percent of the U.S. is abnormally dry, and the report said the drought expanded in the West, Great Plains and Midwest last month with the 14th warmest and 10th driest June on record. (AP Photo/Robert Ray)

The sun rises Sunday, July 15, 2012, in Pleasant Plains, Ill. Corn stalks are struggling in the heat and continuing drought that has overcome most of the country. All of Illinois is officially in a drought, and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn plans a trip to southern Illinois to discuss the state's plans for responding to dry conditions. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Joe Fischer checks on his corn field Thursday, July 12, 2012, at Fischer Farms Inc. in the 3700 block of Fisher Road in Owensboro, Ky. "We've been in a drought for the last three weeks," he said. Fischer farms the property with his brother Tony Fischer. They planted 900 acres of corn with 30,000 plants per acre. "We have no idea what our yield will be," Joe Fischer said. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has designated 26 Kentucky counties among more than 900 counties in 29 states as disaster areas. (AP Photo/Messenger-Inquirer, John Dunham)

In this photo taken June 27, 2012, farm worker Juan Carlos walks to an irrigated soybean field near England, Ark. The U.S. Agriculture Department has granted a disaster declaration for 69 of Arkansas' 75 counties due to the drought. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Midwest Farmers Continue To Struggle Against Extended Drought

CUBA, IL - AUGUST 03: Cattle try to keep cool in the remains of a farm pond in a pasture heavily damaged by drought August 3, 2012 near Cuba, Illinois. Farmers in the Midwest and elsewhere continue to struggle after than half the counties in the United States have been designated disaster areas, mostly due to drought conditions throughout the Midwest. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Midwest Farmers Continue To Struggle Against Extended Drought

CUBA, IL - AUGUST 03: Cattle nibble the remains of grass in a pasture heavily damaged by drought August 3, 2012 near Cuba, Illinois. Farmers in the Midwest and elsewhere continue to struggle after than half the counties in the United States have been designated disaster areas, mostly due to drought conditions throughout the Midwest. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Steve Niedbalski chops down his drought and heat stricken corn for feed Wednesday, July 11, 2012 in Nashville Ill. Farmers in parts of the Midwest are dealing with the worst drought in nearly 25 years. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, second left, peels away the husk of a drought-ravaged ear of corn, only to find it had no kernels, as Illinois Farm Bureau President Philip Nelson, right, looks on during visit to the Laird Family Farm in Waltonville, Ill. on Monday, July 16, 2012. Quinn says the state will offer an array of debt restructuring and loan programs to farmers and ranchers affected by the drought. Drought is affecting much of the Midwest, where almost a third of the nation's corn crop has been damaged by heat and drought so severe that some farmers have cut down crops midway through the growing season. (AP Photo/Jim Suhr)

Also On The Huffington Post...

A devastating drought in southwestern China's Yunnan province is entering its third year.

Severe Midwest Drought Continues

WYATT, MO - JULY 18: Corn plants struggle to survive in a drought-stricken farm field on July 18, 2012 near Wyatt, Missouri. The corn and soybean belt in the middle of the nation is experiencing one of the worst droughts in more than five decades. All 114 of Missouri's counties have received disaster designations because of drought. Last year this area, which sits across the Mississippi River from Illinois, was ravaged by flooding after the Army Corps of Engineers blasted a hole in a levee to save the town of Cairo, Illinois from the rising Mississippi. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Severe Midwest Drought Continues

VINCENNES, IN - JULY 18: Corn plants struggle to survive in a drought-stricken farm field on July 18, 2012 near Vincennes, Indiana. The corn and soybean belt in the middle of the nation is experiencing one of the worst droughts in more than five decades. Indiana was the nation's fourth largest corn producer in 2011. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

In this July 26, 2012 photo, dead fish decompose in a drying pond near Rock Port, Mo. Multitudes of fish are dying in the Midwest as the sizzling summer dries up rivers and raises water temperatures in some spots to nearly 100 degrees. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

This photo from July 31, 2012 shows a beached air boat as bathers walk in the nearly dry Platte River near Yutan, Neb., Tuesday, July 31, 2012. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor survey shows an increase in extreme drought conditions in four Plains states but a slight decrease in the overall area of the lower 48 states experiencing some form of drought. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/us-temperature-record_n_2689703.html

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RolePlayGateway?

-- This idea is based on the show Merlin, and this fanfiction I happened to stumble upon, about it. So I can not take the credit for the idea. --

For someone with so many secrets, Merlin doesn't think he's very good at lying. So agreeing to discuss his friendship with the Prince of Wales at University as part of a televised documentary is probably not a good idea. Juggling magic, Royal protocol, suave (and persistent) Dukes, a Princess with attitude, and a serious amount of coursework was only the start. Oh and then there was Arthur himself. Yeah, probably shouldn't mention much about that...

I wish I could request that you read the story before anything, but considering it is a fairly long read... well it's a bit impossible. Though I did happen to finish the first part of the series in less than a week, I was a tad bit obsessed, I s'pose.

This idea is as simple as the italic text above suggests. Merlin and Arthur reincarnated in a more modern society, specifically 2011. Though, in the fanfiction I mentioned, the first book is mostly flashbacks that Merlin experiences while being interviewed by none other than Morgause. But in this RolePlay I would like to cut out the idea of the interview, and just have it turned to the flashbacks.

One thing that will be majorly different from most Merlin and Arthur shows you will find is this; love. Of course, we all know that Merlin is all forever-alone and Arthur runs off to marry Guinevere. Well, prepare to have your socks knocked off because in this modern-world reincarnation of the two, there is love. Between Arthur and his lovely friend Merlin.

Both men attend the same college, Albion University, or more well known as AU. Though Arthur barely spares Merlin a glance, after all he is the Prince of Wales. Merlin shares a campus dorm with Gwen and Lance, whom have been dating ever since Lance got tired of hearing Gwen swoon over Arthur and finally kissed her. Arthur travels around to his various apartments[if you can call a ten room house an apartment], houses, and palaces.

So, yes. Since I can't make you read the book, I'm going to give a short run through of what happens. Ready? Go!

Chapter One
Nothing important!

Chapter Two
Merlin and Arthur embark on a school ski trip. Obviously Arthur has no care for Merlin being there; he doesn't even know the other student! And Merlin only knows Arthur is present because of the never-ending cheering of girls. Unfortunately, Merlin manages to run down a hill and slip... throwing himself right into Arthur. Which causes the body-guards to manhandle Merlin to his feet until Arthur finally decides to let him go.

Chapter Three and Four
Merlin ski's down the hill, or at least as much down the hill as he can get before pulling to a chairlift and getting on. Though just as it's about to take off an irresponsible prat decides to jump on with him. Guess who it is?, Arthur, obviously. His bodyguard Leon is on the chair behind him. Arthur and Merlin have a small fight before Merlin somehow slows time. This is when he realizes someone has an interest on Arthur's life, specifically on ending it. Time returns to normal and Merlin throws himself on top of Arthur, causing him to get shot instead of the Prince. This is when Arthur's "maternal" side kicks in and he starts screaming for someone to help him get Merlin down.

Chapter Five
Merlin awakes in the hospital, Arthur is beside him. Uther comes in a few moments later, almost demanding that Merlin attends the King's yearly Christmas party. Which consists of being there two days before Christmas, and then having to stay a few days after Christmas. Uther and Arthur depart, leaving a drugged and shot Merlin with Gwen and Lance.

Chapter Eight
Arthur goes to check on Merlin, who is in the room across from his. It's a guest room, typically, though it is never really used because it is so close to the Royal family. Apparently they made an exception for Merlin, since he'd just saved the Prince's life. Though Arthur finds Merlin struggling to clothe himself, and also finds that his suit isn't "good enough". Arthur fetches Merlin a better suit, and then even helps him get dressed since... well he'd gotten shot in the arm.

Chapter Nine
After spending a few hours alone, Merlin finds himself in a bit of a... predicament. Meaning he has to figure out how to tie a tie. Attempting to use magic to do it, he instead finds himself being choked by the tie. Arthur comes in in time and "saves" Merlin from his "idiot"ness.

Chapter Ten/Eleven/Twelve
Arthur, Merlin, and Gwain find themselves in a rather awkward situation during the Christmas party. As in Gwain is flirting unmercifully with Merlin, Arthur is getting very jealous[though he would never admit it], and Merlin finds himself in the middle of a "peaceful" war between the two. Obviously Arthur threatens Gwain when Merlin leaves to get drinks, saying that if he ever tries to touch the boy again that Arthur will kill him.

Alright, lucky for you guys this is a thirty-seven chapter book, I can't do this. Basically Arthur is a prattish prince and Merlin is his secretly-in-love-with-him-and-also-secretly-is-a-warlock best friend. Of course Arthur will probably end up doing something foolish and kiss Merlin, then say please forget about it, even though he secretly knows that he likes Merlin too. But yes, everything is up for changing and all that good stuff. Except for the FC's, the FC's have been picked out already. I was aiming for a onexone, though I suppose more characters could be included. GwenxLance could be included, and if we made a relationship up between MorganaxGwain we could include them too. :3 Though... yeah. It's all up for making up!

o//o now I'm nervous though, because I don't know if anyone will like this... I hope they do... I really want to do this... though playing Merlin may break my heart... I mean... just reading the story shattered my heart... but playing him? Terrible...

You can message me, or post here! Messaging is definitely preferred.. but I'll be stalking this too!

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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OUYA games apps will be free-to-try - Industry - News - HEXUS.net

OUYA CEO Julia Uhrman has again been voicing some disruptive ideas for how the Android based console company will operate within the games industry. Last week we heard that the OUYA console will be updated every year with newer, faster cutting-edge components, yet stay within a certain price bracket, much like how the smartphone industry currently operates. Now the CEO has confirmed that OUYA will impose a free-to-try policy on all its store apps.

Cutting out the copycats

Ms Uhrman said, in an interview with GamesIndustry International that having free-to-try demo version of all the OUYA games will ensure good quality games are developed and cut out a lot of duplicate games from the store. She said the policy ?cleans up the app store? and furthermore ?It removes the confusion between a paid app store and a free app store. We also think it cuts down on the copycat games, where you have games that look like each other and one is paid but the other is free and you don't know what to do?. That sounds good to me.

Will releasing a demo of your game help it sell?

In related news, earlier in the week the CEO of the Puzzle Clubhouse gaming site, Jesse Schell, suggested that releasing a demo of your game will usually result in dramatically lower sales. Speaking at DICE 2013 Schell said ?You mean we spent all this money making a demo and getting it out there, and it cut our sales in half?? He answered his own question; ?Yes, that?s exactly what happened to you.? He went further to explain ?The thing is with no demo, you?ve gotta buy it if you want to try it.? To sell well he suggests making games with no demo available but with a good trailer to show it in the best light.

Nvidia are working closely with OUYA

A report today on the Polygon games news site quotes Nvidia?s senior VP of content and technology Tony Tamasi. He said that Nvidia has a team helping optimise processor performance in the new Android based console. ?We have a dedicated team working with OUYA to ensure that Tegra 3's performance is being maximized. They've been amazing to work with,? said Tamasi. It sounds like the green team are taking this successful Kickstarter project very seriously.

OUYA is taking online pre-orders now for its $99 games console, expected to be available in June. Major retail partners such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target and GameStop in the US will be stocking the console.

Source: http://hexus.net/gaming/news/industry/51765-ouya-games-apps-will-free-to-try/

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State Of The Union Minimum Wage: Payroll Tax Hike Stands To Discount Wage Boost

The payroll tax increase that went into effect at the beginning of the year stands to offset significantly the President's proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour.

In his State of the Union address, Barack Obama called on lawmakers to increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25. For an employee working a 40 hour work week, the bump would translate to a 24 percent raise to $18,720 a year.

However, because of the payroll tax hike that went into effect on January 1, 10 percent of that raise, or $374, would be lost due to the payroll tax hike, according to a calculator provided by the Wall Street Journal.

The payroll tax increased on January 1, after Congress declined to extend it during fiscal cliff negotiations.

In a state like Connecticut where the minimum wage is currently $8.25, an increase in the minimum wage to $9 an hour would mean an annual raise of $1,560. Roughly 24 percent of that pay increase would be erased by the expiration of the payroll tax cut.

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is currently in place in 31 states and this is not the first time that Obama has proposed increasing the wage floor nationally. In 2008, the president pledged an increase in the federal minimum wage to $9.50 in order "to make sure that full-time workers can earn a living wage," according to his website. The federal wage floor has not increased since 2009.

Congress's decision to let the payroll tax cut expire in January will do more than decrease your annual income. Chief Economist at Moody's Analytics Mark Zandi has predicted that a higher payroll tax will decrease economic growth by more than half a percentage point this year.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/state-of-the-union-minimum-wage-payroll-tax-cut-stands_n_2674029.html

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