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Brown visits soldiers in Afghanistan amid defence row

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Gordon Brown: "I've planned this visit for some time" Gordon Brown has visited British troops in Afghanistan amid a growing row over his evidence to the Iraq war inquiry. Downing Street told the BBC Mr Brown had rejected criticism from two ex-Army chiefs that as chancellor, he spurned requests for more equipment in Iraq. No 10 also denied Conservative claims the PM was using the visit to divert attention away from the row. During his trip the PM promised 2,000 more metal detectors and announced plans for a new light patrol vehicle. 'Disingenuous' The new military fleet would replace the controversial Snatch Land Rovers, which are vulnerable to attacks using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Downing Street insisted the timing of Mr Brown's evidence to the Iraq inquiry and the trip to Helmand province were organised separately. A long-running row between ministers and senior ex-Army commanders re-emerged on Friday after Mr Brown told the Chilcot inquiry that the military had been given everything it asked for during and after the Iraq invasion. Lord Guthrie, ex-chief of the defence staff, said in the Daily Telegraph that armed forces had been denied a request for more helicopters. And his successor, Lord Boyce, told the Times Mr Brown had been "disingenuous". … [Read more...]

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Rove: Bush didn't 'lie us into war'

March 6, 2010 By 2 Comments
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By Ed Hornick, CNN March 6, 2010 1:50 a.m. EST In his memoir, Karl Rove says President George W. Bush didn't lie in order to invade Iraq in 1993. STORY HIGHLIGHTS * In new book, Karl Rove says U.S. would not have gone to war if WMDs wouldn't be found * Rove defends use of enhanced interrogation techniques, claims they prevented terror attacks * Rove opens up about Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, Dick Cheney RELATED TOPICS * Karl Rove * George W. Bush * Iraq War Washington (CNN) -- Karl Rove, often described as President George W. Bush's brain, defended the former president in a new book against claims that he lied to the American public in order to invade Iraq in 2003. "[D]id Bush lie us into war? Absolutely not," Rove wrote in his 516-page book, "Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight." The book highlights Rove's life and career and his time working for Bush. Rove, a long-time political advisor who joined Bush in the White House after the 2000 campaign, said the U.S. wouldn't have gone to war with Iraq if the administration knew that weapons of mass destruction wouldn't be found. "Would the Iraq War have occurred without WMD? I doubt it," he wrote. "Congress was very unlikely to have supported the use-of-force resolution without the threat of WMD. The Bush administration itself would probably have sought other ways to constrain Saddam, bring about regime change, and deal with Iraq's horrendous human rights violations." Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Rove argued, may have destroyed most of his WMD stockpiles or possibly moved them to other countries such as Syria before the war. "But I am under no illusions; the failure to find stockpiles of WMD did great damage to the administration's credibility," he wrote. "Our weak response in defense of the president and in setting the record straight, is, I believe, one of the biggest mistakes of the Bush years." He goes on to say, "So who was responsible for the failure to respond? I was. I should have stepped forward, rung the warning bell, and pressed for full-scale response. I didn't." Enhanced Interrogation Rove discusses the Bush administration's support for the controversial interrogation technique known as waterboarding, which Democrats and others have described as torture. He defends the use of enhanced interrogation techniques (EITs), arguing they were authorized by the Department of Justice in August 2002 and signed off by then-CIA director George Tenet. He also disputes claims that the administration failed to brief members of Congress on the use of these techniques. "When these techniques were first authorized, Democratic leaders had been briefed about them. Their silence made them complicit in their use," he wrote. "Nonetheless, when political winds shifted and memories of 9/11 faded, some Democratic leaders claimed that they had never been told about the techniques and that the Bush administration used EITs only in secret." He … [Read more...]

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Open Relationships, Not Getting Turned On And More

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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learning to hold it in Hey Doc, I've read about the Kegel exercises and the PC muscles. I'm a bit confused as to how this exercise will help me control my ejaculate. Let's say my PC muscles are really strong. Will I feel the urge to ejaculate, but simply be able to hold it in until I'm ready to let it go? How will strong PC muscles help people, like me, with premature ejaculation? Thanks, DC from Chicago Since I’m the king of bad metaphors, here’s one. Envision your PC muscles like watering the lawn with a hose. You can slow or even stop the flow of water by using your hand to press on the hose like a clamp. Your PC muscles have the ability to help you control the “flow” and squeeze like a clamp. Some people have such strong PC muscles that they can actually feel ejaculation approaching, clamp their PC muscles, have an orgasm and hold their ejaculation back. Most of us aren’t in multiorgasmic territory, but it gives you an idea of the potential we have. When working with rapid ejaculation, Kegels and strong PC muscles are important pieces, but there’s more to the pie. It’s important for us to work on anxiety reduction to combat performance anxiety, and retraining our bodies through long masturbation sessions (using peaking exercises such as the start-stop method) which teach us ejaculatory control by managing sensation and sensitivity. So, give those PCs constant workouts and begin the quest toward lasting longer! not getting turned on Dear Doctor Chaves, This is my first time asking a question to a sexologist, I hope I can get some help from you. I am a 28-year-old male and I have been with my girlfriend for almost two years. Our sex life has been pretty good, but lately I have noticed a huge loss of libido. I just don’t feel as aroused toward her, and whenever we have sex I feel as if I am struggling to get a strong erection. As you know, this feels very frustrating for me, and I am sure she notices something is wrong. Do you have any ideas? I appreciate all your help. Thanks, S. Remember the old advice we used to hear back in high school -- think of sports or something completely nonsexual and you’ll last longer in bed. We’ve all tried it at some point, and for some of us, it helped us last longer even though it dulled the senses and sensations. Our mind can be pretty powerful, and what’s going on in our minds often shows in our erections and libido. You mentioned “lately” you’ve noticed a change, so what’s happening in your life that triggered that change? Whether it’s work, stress, relationship troubles, self-esteem issues, or feeling down in the dumps, it sounds like something’s bothering you. A lot of guys keep that inside and the mental pressure builds, often impacting our sex drive and erection. I’d suggest talking things out with your partner or someone you trust, and be honest about what’s on your mind. It might even be about you and her, which makes talking even scarier. Just know that releasing … [Read more...]

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Attract Her Silently

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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There’s more than one way to communicate, and experts will tell you the majority of human communication is expressed through our actions and expressions. If this is the case, wouldn’t it be reasonable to assume we could spark interest and attraction without the benefit of words? A picture is worth a thousand words, and so is a meaningful look or a significant gesture. While you will, of course, have to speak eventually, it isn’t essential that the launching pad consist of verbal interaction. Women are generally considered the more sensitive sex -- for better or for worse -- and therefore they’re more likely to notice the little things, things typical men might consider trivial or superfluous. Take advantage of this by making the silent approach a projection of your personality and desire with the absence of words. Your goal, of course, is to land an actual verbal flirting encounter. The well-rounded Player should be capable of such a task, especially when the human psyche often generates a first impression before the first words are uttered. You should know how crucial a first impression is, and you’re virtually ensuring a great one if you can nail the silent approach. She’ll remember the way you looked at her and the way you looked when she first saw you. If done smoothly, it should work wonders. Here are several tips to get you started, but remember: If this fails, a close, flirtatious encounter may be entirely out of the question. Show similar interests through your actions This will take some early observation coupled with a timely movement or gesture on your part. It’s easiest to explain through examples, so here’s one: Perhaps you’re in the supermarket and you’re both browsing through the produce. She’s selecting a cantaloupe and you “just happen” to reach for the same one at the same time (it’s not anywhere near as difficult as it sounds). Another example may take place at your home away from home: the bar or dance club. You’ve been keeping your eye on this hot little number three tables over and you notice she only orders one particular drink, giving you the perfect opportunity to purchase one and send it over. In turn, the door is opened to a “Hey, that’s your favorite drink, too?” sort of meeting. Birds of a feather! This could happen anywhere, at any time. Whether you’re out in the park jogging and you match her pace for a little while or you simply stop beside her to examine a store window on the sidewalk, relating to her without words can be a surprisingly straightforward process. Prompt verbal contact with your eyes/actions This goes well beyond a simple look; you’re seeking to grab her attention with a specific action. For instance, say you’re in a department store looking through a rack of shirts. You notice a particularly appealing target within the same vicinity so you get a bit closer, select a shirt and hold it up. Catch her eye and shoot her an inquisitive look as if to say, “How’s … [Read more...]

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Making The First Move & More

March 6, 2010 By 2 Comments
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Yes, it's that time once again: The day we feature your dating and relationship questions. Although we would like to answer each one personally and with as much detail as possible, the overwhelming amount of inquiries forces us to highlight those that are most interesting to AskMen.com readers. This week's Q&A focuses on why making the first move is so important and how a picture of you and dolphins seems to have a profound affect on women. David DeAngelo, author of Double Your Dating: What Every Man Should Know About How To Be Successful With Women, has your answers. reader's comment Hey David, Before I ask you my question, I am aware of the "let's take it slow" reply women lay down on us when we go for the kiss when they flat out don't feel it. As much as my situation may reflect that, it was a bit different, to me that is. On our second date, it was going real well with light contact (holding hands), I was making her laugh, she was telling me what she liked about me -- good body language from both of us, etc., etc. Just plain good news! At the end of the night, we were walking side-by-side and she said something about her never breaking any rules when she was younger. I said: "How about we break the first rule right now?" She said: "What is that?" I grabbed her and softly spun her to face me and slowly go 90% of the way and hold her while one hand was cupping her neck. Her reaction seemed positive and surprised, and she didn't go for the kiss. I asked her: "What's wrong?" She said: "I'm just very surprised, you caught me off guard." The kiss never really properly happened. She said: "We should take it slow." And I said: "You know what? You're right." She said: "Really? You're not joking?" Me: "Ya, totally, let's grab a cab and go watch a movie." This is where things confused me. She came home with me and we slept together with arms around each other etc. No sex. I didn't pull any moves -- I just didn't feel it was the right thing. What do you think? Keep in mind, David, she was one week away from going to Hong Kong for a month and a half, so that is my reasoning behind the whole "take it slow thing," but I might be wrong. You tell me if I Wussed out at the end. Thanks man. Hope to hear from you. Joe, Montreal david d. responds Let's see. You didn't "pull any moves" because you didn't feel it was the "right thing." So -- what's the problem? I'm not in the position to decide for you what is "right" or "wrong." Sounds to me like you have some regret that you didn't try to take things to a physical level. It may be less about right or wrong, and more about you being frustrated because you gave in to fear and didn't take action. Also, I think you're reading too much into the situation. So, she's leaving for a long trip -- is that a reason not to enjoy yourselves now? Nice job doing what you thought was the stand-up thing to do -- just don't beat yourself up for it afterward when things don't go where you really wanted them to. I … [Read more...]

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ACLU Brief Supports Free Speech's 2257 Fight

March 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Brief notes that individual privacy is impacted as much as commercial speech WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Civil Liberties Union, long an ally of the adult industry as far as First Amendment issues are concerned, has filed an amicus ("friend of the court") brief in Free Speech Coalition's bid to overturn 18 U.S.C. §§2257 and 2257A, the federal recordkeeping and labeling laws. "The purpose of this brief," writes the ACLU's Mary Catherine Roper, with prominent Philadelphia area attorneys Fred T. Magaziner and Kristina C. Evans, "is to expose how the Statute affects the lives of the millions of adult Americans who create or enjoy sexual images as part of intimacy, in communicating with others, to celebrate beauty, or for a host of other reasons. The burdens that the Statute places on these expressions are not narrowly tailored to prevent child pornography." ADVERTISEMENT The ACLU brief focuses mainly on the impermissible overbreadth of the statutes and the regulations developed to implement them. "The Statute directly burdens adult sexual expression that is indisputably lawful," the brief's authors argue. "The Statute burdens both commercial expression and, of particular importance to the ACLU, non-commercial expression. The Statute infringes the rights of both those who wish to take pictures or make videos of actual or simulated adult sexual conduct and those who wish to look at such pictures and videos. The Statute unlawfully burdens expressions that are created or viewed for sexual enjoyment as well as expressions created for purposes of art, education or therapy. The Statute not only burdens lawful expression but also inhibits the right of adults to engage in the intimate conduct itself," which point the authors clarify in a footnote: "For instance, to the extent that the act of photographing or videotaping intimate conduct is a part of the sexual conduct itself, the Statute actively chills such intimate acts."[Emphasis in original] Webcam women and POV shooters, take note! The brief then lists a number of lawful situations—e.g., distributing religious tracts anonymously, displaying "Fuck the draft" on clothing, holding unsurveilled private conversations—where citizens have the right "to be left alone by the government," even though, as the authors recognize, "[t]he Attorney General and a majority of Congress (and for that matter, many Courts) may be offended by visual depictions of genitals, or of adults engaging in actual or simulated sex." Personal privacy, free from government oversight, is a paramount point in the ACLU's argument. "Even though Congress might disapprove of those who take pictures of their partners' genitalia," the authors observe, "Congress cannot require them to keep photo IDs on file for government inspection, any more than Congress can require those who demonstrate for disfavored causes to register with the government." The subtext of that argument is enticing, since it links the creation of sexually explicit … [Read more...]

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Alpha Red CEO Arrested After Skipping Chapter 7 Proceedings

March 6, 2010 By 1 Comment
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HOUSTON — The former CEO of the defunct web hosting provider Alpha Red was ordered by a federal judge today to post his home and life insurance as collateral after he was picked up by federal marshals. James McCreary was arrested by the U.S. Marshal's Service last week after he failed to appear at his company's Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings in January and later was found in contempt. With the order signed today, McCreary also must report to marshals twice a month and not leave the state of Texas. He also has been ordered to surrender his passport and work with the Chapter 7 trustee, who will regularly report to the court whether McCreary has been upfront and compliant over bankruptcy matters. Alpha Red, which hosted many adult sites on its servers, filed Chapter 11 with about $10 million in debt to pay off, including $826,000 to the IRS. Later, the bankruptcy was switched to Chapter 7. Many of Alpha Red's former clients were left in the dark after the filing was initiated, bitter that the company was still seeking business right up to the filing. "I'm relieved that he finally was caught," said a source with a medium-sized ISP that lost nearly $50,000 to Alpha Red. "Maybe now some who lost money with Alpha Red can get some of their money back." The source told XBIZ that because of Alpha Red's actions, numerous companies lost in excess of tens of millions of dollars. Alpha Red has had a troubled past beyond leaving vendors without paid-for services. Just two months before it filed bankruptcy, CWIE Holding Company Inc., the owner of CCBill, announced that it was planning to purchase all of Alpha Red's assets. The CWIE purchase would have included the acquisition of Alpha Red's two privately owned datacenters in Houston, Texas; 300 Gbps of Internet connectivity; and its connections in 16 carrier-neutral facilities throughout the U.S. But the deal was dead in the water after CCBill's parent learned about trouble in Washington state. In 2008, Washington state Attorney General Robert McKenna accused McCreary of selling "scareware" that made Windows XP users falsely believe that their registry had become damaged and corrupted. The Washington state suit against Alpha Red went on to accuse the company of scaring customers into buying unnecessary cleaning software for $39.95 a pop. … [Read more...]

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