How to Gain Financial Freedom!
How to Gain Financial Freedom! Would you like to earn more, save more and give more? Would you like to enjoy true financial freedom and debt-free living? Thi...
By: Larry W. Robinson
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Category Archives: Freedom
Carnival Freedom Cruise Vlog: Day 2 Freeport, Bahamas – Video
Carnival Freedom Cruise Vlog: Day 2 Freeport, Bahamas
Day 2 of my Caribbean Cruise on board Carnival Freedom - in Freeport, Bahamas To watch Day 1: On board the ship: http://youtu.be/ZruQ34PpoqQ Day 3: Day at Se...
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Carnival Freedom Cruise Vlog: Day 2 Freeport, Bahamas - Video
FREEDOM METAL FESTIVAL 05.03.2013 (promotion trailer) – Video
FREEDOM METAL FESTIVAL 05.03.2013 (promotion trailer)
28 #1072; #1087; #1088; #1077; #1083; #1103; 2013 #1075; #1086; #1076; #1072; #1089; #1086; #1089; #1090; #1086; #1080; #1090; #1089; #1103; #1087; #1088; #1077; #1084; #1100; #1077; #1088; #1072; DVD #1089; #1073; #1077; #1089; #1087; #1083; #1072; #1090; #1085; #1099; #1084; #1074; #1093; #1086; #1076; #1086; #1084; #1080; #1093; #1086; #1088; #1086; #1096; #1080; #1084; #1085; #1072; #1089; #1090; #1088; #1086; #1077; #1085; #1080; #1077; #1084;. #1042; #1089; #1077; #1074; #1101; #1083; #1082; #1072; #1084;! #1042; #1089; #1090; #1088; #1077; #1095; #1072; #1074; #1082; #1086; #1085; #1090; #1072; #1082; #1090; #1077; http://vk.com/stay_heavy_special http://v...
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FREEDOM METAL FESTIVAL 05.03.2013 (promotion trailer) - Video
Santobando – Freedom mind (live TV part 3) – Video
Santobando - Freedom mind (live TV part 3)
8 de Abril, 2013 Original SANTOBANDO music http://soundcloud.com/santobandoreggae Presentacin en vivo en el programa de TV "Sganme los buenos" con la condu...
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"Faith, Fear and Freedom": A Discussion on North Carolina’s Growing Muslim Population – Video
"Faith, Fear and Freedom": A Discussion on North Carolina #39;s Growing Muslim Population
Documentary Screening and Discussion, 7:30p-9p, April 18, 2013! Tweet hashtag #NCMuslims. WRAL-TV Emmy award winning anchor David Crabtree will moderate the ...
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"Faith, Fear and Freedom": A Discussion on North Carolina's Growing Muslim Population - Video
LCS Freedom arrives in Singapore
Freedom, the Navy's first littoral combat ship, arrived in Singapore on Thursday, just over six weeks after leaving San Diego, Calif., for the type's first major overseas deployment, the U.S. Navy announced.
Freedom has met every milestone of this deployment on time and with the professionalism you would expect of U.S. Navy Sailors, Cmdr. Timothy Wilke, commanding officer of the ship's Gold Crew, said in a news release. I'm proud of Freedom's accomplishments to date, but I'm also looking forward to putting the ship through its paces over the next several months while deployed more than 8,000 miles from homeport.
Navy officials said the ship arrived at Changi Naval Base about 11:00 a.m. Singapore time. The city-state is a long-standing U.S. ally that is providing assistance supporting Freedom's deployment.
Freedom's arrival in Singapore is a major milestone in the development of the LCS, a new type of warship the Navy is counting on to execute several key missions, including anti-mine and anti-submarine warfare. For the planned 10-month mission to the southwest Pacific, Freedom is equipped with a surface warfare module, including two 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boats, two 30mm remote-controlled gun mounts, and an MH-60R helicopter.
We plan on spending most of our time here in Southeast Asia. This will be Freedom's neighborhood for the next eight months, Wilke said. We are eager to get out and about, work with other regional navies and share best practices during exercises, port visits and maritime security operations.
In May, the ship will take part in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference in Singapore. Operating with 7th Fleet over the spring and summer, Freedom will take part in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, and Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training exercises with international partner navies. Both series of exercises have multiple phases.
The 378-foot-long, 3,300-ton Freedom is considerably smaller than the Navy's next-larger surface combatants, 9,500-ton destroyers of the Arleigh Burke class. The U.S. has been looking forward to having the LCS operate with comparably sized ships of other nations, which are far more typical of many navies in the western Pacific.
Midway through the deployment, the ship will conduct a crew swap, and the Blue Crew commanded by Cmdr. Patrick Thien will take over.
Commissioned in November 2008, the LCS has spent the past four years training, being modified and refitted. She left San Diego on March 1 and called at Guam and Manila, Philippines, before reaching Singapore.
After Freedom returns to San Diego early in 2014, the U.S. expects to base four more LCSs in Singapore.
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Freedom House closure worries area non-profits
RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) For the last three decades, men women and children who are down on their luck have had a place to get help in Richmond.
However, money problems are forcing the Freedom House to close its doors. And with that closure, homeless men and women in Richmond will soon have one less place to turn to for help.
The news of Freedom Houses closure has other Central Virginia non-profits worried.
For this to go under is a huge message for all non-profits, including ours, Commonwealth Catholic CharitiesGraham Sellorssaid. It was a huge shock.
Catholic Charities runs the homeless point of entry at Freedom Houses Conrad Center in the city. Sellors said after April 30 they might need to find a new home themselves.
We will offer our service no matter what wherever we have to be it will be in a central location, Sellors said.
Freedom House announced recently it was shutting down after 30 years of helping people with emergency shelter and food because it was running out of money.
Its tough. Times are tough, said Karen Stanley with Caritas,an umbrella organization working with 75 organizations. We have more need because of the economy.
Stanley, executive director of the non-profit, helps roughly 3000 people every year. Stanley said the demise of Freedom House does not mean all help is drying up.
Were all standing as a coordinated system standing by to help to make sure nobody goes homeless, Stanley said. The public should not worry. The people that Freedom House have been taking care of will not be out on the streets and homeless.
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Happy 'Tax Freedom Day;' from here on it's your money
A bit of good news for Pennsylvanians: Our Tax Freedom Day actually arrived yesterday.
Tax day might have been Monday. But "Tax Freedom Day" arrives today, the 108th day of 2013, according to the Tax Foundations annual calculation. Up until today, Americans have been working for the government.
The group says Americans will have worked well over three and a half months of the year before they have earned enough money to pay this years tax obligations at the federal, state, and local levels. Both higher federal taxes and rebounding incomes contribute to this years date, which is five days later than in 2012.
A bit of good news for Pennsylvanians: Our Tax Freedom Day actually arrived yesterday. Todays date is an average for all of America.
Residents of Connecticut wont begin earning for themselves until May 13. In New York, its May 6, and for New Jersey, tax freedom arrives May 4.
Meanwhile, residents of Mississippi and Louisiana, who bear the lowest average tax burden in 2013, ushered in their tax freedom way back on March 29. Tennessee popped the tax-free champagne corks on April 2.
In the new Tax Foundation study, Tax Freedom Day 2013, economists William McBride, Elizabeth Malm, and Kyle Pomerleau also calculated how long Americans would have to work in order to close the federal budget deficit. In order to pay for all spending in the current year, the government would need to raise an additional $833 billion in taxes, pushing Tax Freedom Day to May 9 this year. Meanwhile, increased federal taxes, which took effect earlier this year, already pushed back the tax freedom date.
This year, Americans will work five days later than in 2012 to pay all of their taxes. The total tax bill at all levels comes to approximately $4.2 trillion, or 29.4 percent of their total income, said McBride. That means Americans will pay more in taxes in 2013 than they will spend on food, clothing, and housing combined.
Historically, the date for Tax Freedom Day has fluctuated significantly. The latest-ever nationwide Tax Freedom Day was May 1, 2000 meaning that Americans paid 33 percent of their total income in taxes. A century earlier, in 1900, Americans paid only 5.9 percent of their income in taxes, meaning Tax Freedom Day came on January 22th, according to the foundation.
Five major categories of taxes dominate the tax burden: Individual income taxes including federal, state and local require 40 days of work, the foundation noted. Payroll taxes take another 24 days of work. Sales and excise taxes, mostly state and local, take 15 days to pay off. Property taxes take 12 days, and corporate income taxes take another 9. The dates are averaged for the entire country.
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Happy Tax Freedom Day
Every year, the Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation calculates what it calls Tax Freedom Day.
That's the day, according to the tax research group, that Americans have finally earned enough money to pay their annual tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels.
April 18 is this year's Tax Freedom Day, five days later than in 2012.
There are several reasons, say Tax Foundation number crunchers, for the extra time needed to cover federal tax obligations.
Higher federal tax rates are now in place as part of the "fiscal cliff" legislation enacted in January's American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.
New taxes kick in this year as part of the continued rollout of health care reform.
And the economy is continuing to improve, meaning more workers are getting jobs and paying taxes on that income.
"The total tax bill at all levels comes to approximately $4.2 trillion, or 29.4 percent of their total income," said William McBride, a Tax Foundation economist, in announcing the date. "That means Americans will pay more in taxes in 2013 than they will spend on food, clothing and housing combined."
Since 1990, the group also has calculated each state's individual Tax Freedom Day.
Differing state tax policies mean that states with higher income rates celebrate Tax Freedom Day later.
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Cerberus’s Feinberg Said to Weigh Bid for Freedom Group
Cerberus Capital Management LPs founder Stephen Feinberg and his partners may try to acquire gunmaker Freedom Group Inc. from the private-equity funds managed by his firm, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Cerberus put Freedom Group, the maker of the rifle used in a Connecticut school shooting last year, up for sale in December after coming under pressure from public pension fund investors. Feinberg and other partners at New York-based Cerberus have approached wealthy individuals about joining in a stalking horse bid to spark competition for Freedom Group and ensure it fetches a fair price, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.
Freedom Group makes the Bushmaster rifle used in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Dec. 14, which left 26 people dead. The shooting ignited a national debate over gun violence and led to efforts by Congressional Democrats and some Republicans to set new restrictions on gun sales.
As a way to safeguard against Feinberg or another bidder paying too little, Cerberus has explored the possibility of asking investors in its funds to form a special committee that would sign off on any deal, the people said.
There is no break-up fee if another bidder tops Feinbergs offer, the people said. If another buyer offers 10 percent or more above the stalking horse bid, Feinberg would be compelled to withdraw from the auction, one of the people said.
Feinberg has not yet decided if he will proceed with an offer, they said. News of his possible bid was reported earlier by Reuters. John Dillard, a spokesman for Cerberus at Weber Shandwick, declined to comment.
Feinbergs father is a resident of Liberty at Newtown, a community for people 55 and older about 6 miles from the elementary school where the shooting took place, Bloomberg News reported in December. He said in an interview at the time that the shooting was devastating.
Cerberus said it would put Freedom Group up for sale four days after the massacre. California State Teachers Retirement System, or CalSTRS, one of its largest backers, disclosed it was reviewing its investment in the firm in the aftermath of the shooting. California attorney general Bill Lockyer has proposed that the states pension funds divest holdings in firearms manufacturers.
The private-equity firm hired Lazard Ltd. (LAZ) to manage the sale after other banks it approached turned it down, Bloomberg News reported in January.
Cerberus acquired Bushmaster Firearms Inc. in 2006 and later merged it with a second gun maker, Remington Arms Co. Inc., to create Freedom Group. The company generated $887.7 million in sales and $143.4 million of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization in the 12 months ended September 30, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News.
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Freedom Food pork for McDonald's
McDonald's is to source all the pork for its UK menu from British farms that meet strict animal welfare criteria, it has announced.
All sausage and bacon served in meals from McMuffins to premium salads will be 100% Freedom Food pork from farms meeting standards set down by animal welfare charity the RSPCA for how pigs are reared and treated.
The company said the move will make it the UK's second biggest buyer of pork from the Freedom Food scheme, which goes beyond industry standards and legislation to demand higher animal welfare.
From the end of April, all pig farmers that supply McDonald's will be required to provide bright, airy environments, bedded pens and plenty of space for pigs to move around in, the company said.
Almost a third of British pig farmers meet the RSPCA Freedom Food standards and McDonald's said it hoped its support for the scheme would encourage more producers to adopt the criteria on their farms.
A poll of 2,000 people for McDonald's found nearly three-quarters (73%) prefer to buy food produced from farms with high welfare standards in place. People rank price, animal welfare and traceability of products as the top factors influencing buying decisions, the survey revealed.
Warren Anderson, vice president, supply chain at McDonald's UK, said: "Not only will our move to Freedom Food pork make it easier for people to make affordable, ethical choices on the high street, we hope that more of Britain's pig producers will have the confidence to invest in the future and adopt the RSPCA's higher-welfare standards on their farms."
David Squair, chief executive of the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme, said: "The Freedom Food market has been growing for a number of years but having one of the UK's biggest restaurant chains serving only Freedom Food logo-ed pork on its menu marks a major milestone for animal welfare.
"McDonald's has shown it is possible to bring higher welfare food to consumers on the high street, and we hope that other restaurants will follow McDonald's lead and more farmers will be inspired to adopt world-class animal welfare standards."
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USS Freedom arrives in Singapore
17 April 2013 Last updated at 23:29 ET By Mariko Oi BBC News, Singapore
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USS Freedom's arrival in Singapore coincides with escalating tensions in the region
A US Navy ship has arrived in Singapore as part of US plans to increase its military presence in the region.
The USS Freedom will be stationed in South East Asia for 10 months.
It joins the US 7th Fleet, which is responsible for more than 48 million sq miles (124 million sq km) in the Pacific.
By 2020, 60% of the US Navy's assets will be deployed to the Asia-Pacific as its forces leave Iraq and Afghanistan. China views the move with concern.
"It is the much talked about 'pivot' or rebalancing of the US policy towards Asia," said Nicholas Fang, executive director of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.
"The US wants to maintain a stable open sea trade lane which is important for global trade and the US economy but it also shows that it is committed to the stability of the region."
According to the US Navy, the US 7th Fleet's area of responsibility covers 35 maritime countries including those involved in the current crisis on the Korean peninsula such as China, and North and South Korea. The fleet's home port is in Yokosuka, Japan.
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Douglas Foy Joins Fuel Freedom Foundation as Senior Legal Advisor
IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 18, 2013) - Doug Foy, president of Serrafix and former Secretary of the Massachusetts Office for Commonwealth Development under Mitt Romney will be joining the policy team at Fuel Freedom Foundation as Senior Legal Advisor.
Fuel Freedom is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking America's oil addiction by opening the fuel market to allow replacement fuels like ethanol, methanol, natural gas and electric vehicles to fairly compete with gasoline at the pump. Doug Foy's experience in advocacy and regulatory reform will be instrumental as Fuel Freedom works to create an open market in the transportation industry.
"The addition of Doug Foy to the policy team at Fuel Freedom will bring us even closer to ending big oil's monopoly on transportation," said Joe Cannon, CEO and president of Fuel Freedom Foundation. "His leadership and commitment to sustainability will strengthen the foundation's mission to end America's oil addiction. We are fortunate Doug has joined us."
Foy brings extensive experience in many aspects of energy and climate policy. In his various roles, he has been influential in producing a 20-year strategic transportation plan that committed $31 billion to improved transportation services with an emphasis on transit in the state of Massachusetts; a comprehensive climate protection plan for the Commonwealth; limits on emissions on the oldest of the state's power plants; and the creation of new incentives and requirements for energy efficiency in cars, homes, appliances, buildings and schools.
"There are very few vehicles on U.S. roads that can run on flex fuels and there are hundreds of regulations that make it too expensive for consumers to convert their vehicles to run on these replacement fuels," said Foy. "We need to remove barriers that block innovation and competition in the vehicle and fuels market."
A recipient of the President's Environmental and Conservation Challenge award from George H.W. Bush in 1992 and the Woodrow Wilson award from Princeton University in 2006, Douglas Foy is a proven leader. In 2009, Queen Elizabeth II of England bestowed on Foy the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Foy's experience with the Conservation Law Foundation, New England's premier environmental advocacy organization, will make him a significant asset to Fuel Freedom. Foy is well known in New England for initiating the lawsuit that led to the cleanup of Boston Harbor.
Please visit http://www.fuelfreedom.org to learn more about how you can join Fuel Freedom to get involved and help end America's addiction to oil.
About Fuel FreedomThe Fuel Freedom Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking our oil addiction by enabling the transportation fuels market to open so our cars and trucks can run on cheaper, cleaner, healthier American replacement fuels. Consumers could easily convert their cars to run on replacement fuels, but outdated regulations and entrenched commercial interests stand in the way. The Fuel Freedom campaign aims to remove barriers to competition so that natural gas, methanol, ethanol and electricity can compete on equal footing with gasoline at the pump and at the dealership. Achieving Fuel Freedom will lower fuel prices, create jobs, spur economic growth, reduce pollution, and improve national and global security. For more information visit us at http://www.fuelfreedom.org.
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Douglas Foy Joins Fuel Freedom Foundation as Senior Legal Advisor
Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus – 00 Raiser vs Strike Freedom and Destiny – Video
Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus - 00 Raiser vs Strike Freedom and Destiny
By no means do I consider myself good. 😛 If you want me to make a custom fight, comment.
By: Poxidizer
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Gundam vs Gundam Next Plus - 00 Raiser vs Strike Freedom and Destiny - Video
Nissan Leaf at an eVgo CHAdeMO Freedom Station – Video
Nissan Leaf at an eVgo CHAdeMO Freedom Station
Plugging a CHAdeMO into a Nissan Leaf.
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12.04.2013-Spirit of truth and freedom by the knowledge of the truth – Video
12.04.2013-Spirit of truth and freedom by the knowledge of the truth
By: perthfellowship
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12.04.2013-Spirit of truth and freedom by the knowledge of the truth - Video
Freedom Shrine on display in St. Charles
ST. CHARLES Each day, about a thousand people walk through the main hallway of the Kane County Court branch at 540 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Now, visitors will be able to get a glimpse of the newly installed Freedom Shrine, dedicated by the Tri-Cities Exchange Club.
The Freedom Shrine is a permanently mounted collection of 30 of the most important and historic American documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address.
We hope people will take the time to stop and study the words of our forefathers, often written in their own hands, and gain a renewed appreciation for our amazing historical heritage, said Mark Cecchi, ExchangeClub member and co-chair of the project.
Cecchi, of St. Charles, served 13 years as a U.S. Air Force officer and pilot with duty on seven continents, including four in hostile fire zones.
As part of the Exchange Clubs Americanism mission, Cecchi and fellow co-chair Charlie Brown, approached county officials about installing a Freedom Shrine at the court building. They logged many hours of planning and effort to complete the presentation.Attending last week's dedication ceremony were Chris Lauzen, Kane County Board chairman; Judge Judy Brawka, chief judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit; and Scot Warren, representing the National Exchange Club organization, along with about 20 other Exchange members and friends.
The Freedom Shrine originated from the Freedom Train that toured the nation in 1947, carrying an exhibit of historical documents. Thousands of shrines have been dedicated around the country in universities, libraries, schools, state capitals and city halls.
As Brawka noted, the court building is an ideal place for the Freedom Shrine, as it is these very documents from which the judicial system derives its authority to oversee the laws that guarantee freedom for all Americans.
Committed to making the community a better place, Tri-Cities Exchange Club is a volunteer service organization with a focus on patriotism and the prevention of child abuse. Local social service organizations supported by the groups fundraising efforts include: The Salvation Army, TriCity FamilyServices, Riverwoods Christian Center, Kane County CASA and Lazarus House.
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South Africa: SA to Celebrate 20 Years of Freedom
South Africa's historic 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy next year promises to be nothing short of spectacular, with government expected to pull out all the stops, says Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile.
Speaking to SAnews on Tuesday, Mashatile said government was planning a spectacular line-up of events in the build-up to the 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy in 2014.
The planning will start after President Jacob Zuma's address on Freedom Day later this month.
Freedom Day is an annual celebration of South Africa's first non-racial democratic elections of 1994 and since the dawn of democracy, the country has been commemorating Freedom Day on 27 April every year.
This year, President Zuma will give the keynote address at the Freedom Day celebration to be held at the Union Buildings under the theme: "Mobilising society towards our democracy and freedom," Mashatile said.
"Of significance is that we will use this year's Freedom Day celebrations to launch a year-long build-up programme leading up to the historic 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy.
"As we celebrate our 20th anniversary of liberation, we hope to be joined by the people of the world, many of whom have made it possible for us to achieve our freedom and to sustain it for two decades.
"This year during the Freedom Month, the President will [give us] an indication on how we are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of freedom and that will be the beginning of planning for the major celebration next year, he said.
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Parkland rolls to 21-6 win over Freedom in LVC boys lacrosse
Dylan Klusaritz scored five goals and contributed six assists to Parkland's lopsided 21-6 victory over Freedom on Tuesday in a Lehigh Valley Conference boys lacrosse contest. The performance individual and team appeared quite impressive.
The Trojans attacker was pleased with his and the team's effort. He, however, was hardly thrilled.
"We definitely need to tighten some things up on defense. That's usually our strong suit but today we weren't at our best," Klusaritz said flatly. "I played OK. But it wasn't my best game, not even close."
Reminded that his Trojans won with ease, invoking the mercy rule (a 13-goal lead) in the third quarter, Klusaritz smiled slightly.
"Yeah, that's a good thing," he admitted. "But the games are going to get harder and we need to be ready."
Parkland improved to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference. Coach Brad Schifko's Trojans remained tied for first place in the LVC with five-time defending champion Emmaus.
Freedom, in its second season as a varsity program, fell to 6-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
This one was all Parkland from the opening faceoff until midway through the fourth quarter. The Trojans led 3-0 in the first three minutes, with Klusaritz and Josh Pope both registering a goal and an assist in the early going. The score was 7-2 after the first period and 13-3 at intermission.
Klusaritz was Parkland's scoring star, but he had plenty of help on offense.
Sophomore Steven Chenworth enjoyed his finest game in a Trojans uniform, scoring four goals and adding an assist. Pope, Jake Billera and Alex DiPasquale all netted three goals. Brett Kudlak had six assists.
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Parkland rolls to 21-6 win over Freedom in LVC boys lacrosse
Waxman Urges Dems to Support Global Internet Freedom Bill
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/17/2013 9:57:27 AM The House Energy & Commerce Committee Wednesday unanimously approved a bill establishing a multistakeholder model of global Internet governance as the official policy of the U.S.
That came after a phrase was dropped from the bill that had stood in the way of Democrat support.
In opening statements on the mark-up Wednesday on H.R. 1580, the bill "to affirm the policy of the United States regarding Internet governance," Rep. Henry Waxman ((D-Calif.), ranking member of the committee, said that there remained some issues he hoped would be worked through in the process, but that the deletion of the "freedom from government control language" from Sec. 2, which is the actual legal statement of U.S. policy, was a major step, and he urged his colleagues to vote the bill out of full committee. It did.
Waxman had said last week when the Republican-backed bill was voted out of subcommittee that he could not support it, but did not object to that voice vote after he and ranking subcommittee member Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) secured assurances that their concerns would be discussed in meetings before the full-committee mark-up. Waxman had been concerned that the language could provide a back-door route to excising network neutrality rules.
The bill now says: "It is the policy of the United States to preserve and advance the successful multistakeholder model that governs the Internet."
Committee chairman Fred Upton, who did not have the same problem with that language, said in his opening statement that he had worked hard to address Waxman's and others' concerns and cited the "minor language changes" that he said still achieved "their shared objective," which is preserving that multistakeholder model. He also said the bill was still essentially the same as the bipartisan resolution both House and Senate approved unanimously.
That resolution, which did not have the force of law, passed in both House and Senate in the run-up to the WCIT telecom treaty conference in Dubai, which the U.S. ultimately declined to sign after language was inserted relating to the Internet that the U.S. saw as opening the door to possible top-down Internet governance pushed by countries including China, Russia and some Arab states.
Waxman and other Democrats had been concerned that making "freedom from government control" part of the policy definition could jeopardize both the FCC's ability to enforce its network neutrality rules and oversee the transition to IP delivery of video, voice and data.
Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) chair of the Communications subcommittee, said both last week and at Wednesday's hearing that he did not think the language created any statutorily mandated responsibilities and would have affected network neutrality rules or any others. But he said in a spirit of bipartisanship, the language had been dropped. But he added that he still opposed Internet neutrality rules, which he said regulated the Internet domestically.
"We appreciate the committee's effort to clarify that this legislation is directed at international concerns such as current attempts by Internet restricting countries to impose inter-governmental control over the content on the Internet," said the Computer and Communications Industry Association. "The legislation as now evolved should minimize any misuse of this policy statement here at home."
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