Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Islands Planet for Android 1.0.14

Islands Planet is an innovative 3D puzzler inspired by the Japanese logic game Nurikabe.

The objective is to create continents on a water-covered planet according to specific rules.

Islands Planet features 160 challenging puzzles and 4 difficulty levels.

Requirements:

? Android 2.3.3 or later

What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

? Added 40 new levels!

Source: http://handheld.softpedia.com/get/Games/Puzzle/Islands-Planet-for-Android-143195.shtml

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The $38000 Midsize SUV Challenge: Results - Automotive News ...

Midsize SUV Challenge

A quick look again at our judges:

  • Aaron Bragman, Detroit bureau chief for Cars.com
  • Joe Bruzek, editor and car reviewer for Cars.com
  • Mike Hanley, editor and car reviewer for Cars.com
  • James R. Healey, auto writer for USA Today
  • Ben Davis, producer for PBS' "MotorWeek"
  • Brian and Melissa Brown, our family judges for this Challenge

Here's how the score broke down: The experts' scores account for 75% of the total score; 15% from the family's scores; and 10% was based on fuel economy. To help you make your own comparisons of these SUVs, we've pulled together a list of what you get for $38,000.

2013 Toyota Venza

2013 Toyota Venza

Scorecard | Monroney Sticker | Research | Photo Gallery

What they liked: "Rides the lowest and feels the most carlike of the bunch," said Davis, and several others agreed. "That low ride also means easy access to the rear cargo area," he added. "The low step-in height makes it easy to get into and out of," Hanley said. Space was another favored attribute of the Venza. "Great backseat room," Healey said, "probably enough to minimize the 'are-we-there-yet' whining." More than a couple judges enjoyed the Venza's responsive engine. Bruzek liked the "sporty handling and acceleration," and Healey found it "fun to hammer. And it likes corners, and most SUVs can't say that." Davis also pointed out the "refreshingly simple-to-use climate and audio controls. The buttons and knobs are nice and high on the console."

What they didn't: The experts couldn't stop harping on the brakes. "You have to use lots of leg to get very little response," Healey said, "with a lot of sponginess in the bargain." He was not alone in his assessment. "The interior lacks the premium look and feel that the other models in this comparison have," Hanley said. Bragman said the "cheap, hard-plastic parts squeak and creak." And Davis knocked the "tired design, inside and out" of one of the oldest models in this segment. Bruzek noted the small display screen for the navigation system, and finally, several found the ride to be rough, in large part because of the large wheels.

The verdict: "It feels like there's less in this car for the same price as the others," Brian Brown said.

Key Features

  • IIHS Top Safety Pick and NHTSA five-star overall crash-test rating
  • All-wheel drive
  • The most bottleholders and cupholders (10 total)
  • Toyota's Entune multimedia system with app integration from your smartphone
  • Leather seating; front seats are heated
  • All windows are one-touch up and down
  • Power liftgate
  • Two years or 25,000 miles of complimentary maintenance
  • Cargo-area release levers for easy second-row seat folding

2013 Toyota Venza Payment Facts
Price as tested: $35,887
Monthly payment*: $738.18

Find a 2013 Toyota Venza near you.


2013 Nissan Murano

2013 Nissan Murano

Scorecard | Monroney Sticker | Research | Photo Gallery

What they liked: In many ways, this was a driver's choice. "Light and tossable, the Murano is fun to drive," Bragman said. It "invites you to fling it a bit," Healey said, "yet also rewards you with mechanical aplomb when you don't feel like playing boy racer." The continuously variable automatic transmission "seems much more dialed in than what I'm used to from other Nissans," Davis said. It wasn't all drivetrain, though. The Murano provides "extreme seating comfort," Bruzek said, "with minimal wind and road noise." Bragman agreed. "Those aren't seats, they're thrones: amazingly big and comfortable." And Hanley applauded the "comfy backseat, even for taller adults."

What they didn't: The Murano is one of the oldest and most expensive competitors here, and it showed. "The Murano was the only model with cloth seats in the comparison, and their fuzziness wasn't appealing," Hanley said. Davis found them "hard to look at." Bragman wasn't won over by its polarizing looks: "Ugly is right," he said. "The styling isn't just dated, it's downright odd. It has no chin!" Healey was bothered by a lack of space. It "seems a bit tight for its apparent size," he said. Brian wasn't impressed with the interior: "I just don't like the materials or colors in here."

The verdict: "Ugly and a bit dated inside," Healey said, "but exceptional chassis tuning make driving rewarding."

Key Features

  • Only vehicle with a continuously variable automatic transmission
  • All-wheel drive
  • Only has four cupholders
  • Has RCA and USB inputs
  • Only vehicle with cloth seats; only vehicle without heated seats
  • Power liftgate
  • Cargo-area release levers for easy second-row seat folding

2013 Nissan Murano Payment Facts
Price as tested: $37,770 (highest in test)
Monthly payment*: $776.91

Find a 2013 Nissan Murano near you.

2013 Ford Edge

2013 Ford Edge

Scorecard | Monroney Sticker | Research | Photo Gallery

What they liked: The Edge stands out visually, both for its unique shape and the brilliant blue color that the tester arrived in. "The styling inside and out is attractive, if a little dated now," Bragman said. "Its bulldog stance is appealing," Healey agreed. Another area of agreement was the Edge's strong visibility. The large greenhouse for the crossover creates "great visibility, thanks to thin roof pillars," Hanley said. The Edge also seems to be a driver's car for a variety of reasons. "I like the sporty, driver-focused dash design," Davis said. "It creates a true cockpit feel." The Edge "feels planted and hunkered down at highway speeds," Bruzek said, and several experts raved about the Edge's ride quality and comfort.

What they didn't: That unique look rubbed some the wrong way. "The once-bold look no longer looks great," Davis said. "It's time for a refresh." Healey found fault with the Edge's handling. "It's very wallowing: The tighter the corner, the more you feel out of control," he said, "even at low speed." But the gorilla in the room for the Edge was Ford's MyFord Touch multimedia system. "The touch-sensitive center stack may look slick," Bragman said, "but it requires you to take your eyes off the road to use it, every time." For Hanley, the system "remains a frustratingly slow multimedia system with a poor interface." For the family, "technology is valuable, but it has to be technology I'm going to use," Missy Brown said. In the end, Healey said, what bothered him was the "price is too high for the features. It's more than $37,000, but there's no all-wheel drive or power liftgate, no push-button start."

The verdict: "The Edge is a solid servant with a nice list of features," Davis said. "The rise is sporty, quiet and comfortable. Unfortunately, its aging design looks even older when parked next to some of the others, and the pricing is a bit strong as well."

Key Features

  • Front wheel drive
  • IIHS Top Safety Pick
  • One of two vehicles with a blind spot warning system
  • No keyless access
  • Plenty of multimedia hookups: RCA, SD card, iPod and USB inputs
  • One of two without a power liftgate
  • Leather heated (front) seats, configurable gauge cluster and rear parking sensors
  • MyFord Touch multimedia system with app integration from your smartphone
  • Cargo-area release levers for easy second-row seat folding

2013 Ford Edge Payment Facts
Price as tested: $37,125
Monthly payment*: $763.64

Find a 2013 Ford Edge near you.

2014 Kia Sorento

2014 Kia Sorento

Scorecard | Monroney Sticker | Research | Photo Gallery

What they liked: Fun to drive, comfortable ride and a cool-looking interior. What's not to like? "The drivetrain goes fast and shifts great," Healey said, "and it doesn't default to Eco mode on restart." It has a "refined ride at all speeds," Bruzek said. Its "refined and powerful V-6 provides exceptional passing power," Hanley added. "Excellent design textures inside and out," Davis said. "Even the grille was impressive." Bragman also chimed in that the Sorento has a "commanding driving position from the high seats and the low dashboard." And he noted: "Lots of great content for the money," a Kia recipe that continues to work for the automaker.

What they didn't: While that dashboard looks cool and is out of the way, it's a "dim digital dashboard," Davis complained. Several experts also said that rear visibility was lacking, and Healey said the amount of room was "not much versus the others." Tight rear-seat knee space and small rear-door storage pockets also drew knocks. Experts were split over both the ride quality (which some applauded) and material quality, which some called cheap. "I like the style of the Kia, but the others felt higher quality," Missy said. In terms of driving, "the gas pedal is unusually stiff, requiring extra effort when accelerating," Hanley said. It also has "notable body roll," he added. And Healey thought its price was "a bit steep, even considering it has all-wheel drive. Seems wrong that value-oriented brand Kia would be among the priciest models."

The verdict: "The Kia Sorento's ride is like no other Sorento before: refined, smooth and quiet over the roughest suburban roads," Bruzek said. "Its second row is roomy and filled with family-friendly features like side-window sunshades, a 110-volt household outlet and a flat floor for extra room."

Key Features

  • Redesigned for 2014
  • All-wheel drive
  • IIHS Top Safety Pick
  • Blind spot warning system
  • Kia's new UVO multimedia uses your smartphone via Bluetooth
  • Leather seating, front seats are both heated and ventilated
  • Rear parking sensors and a large panoramic sunroof
  • 40/20/40-split folding backseat
  • Power liftgate
  • Three driver-selectable modes: Sport, Comfort and Normal

2014 Kia Sorento Payment Facts
Price as tested: $37,650
Monthly payment*: $774.44

Find a 2014 Kia Sorento near you.

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

Scorecard | Monroney Sticker | Research | Photo Gallery

What they liked: The Santa Fe Sport was the crowd favorite, for many reasons. "It feels premium and has thoughtful features," Healey said, "such as large, color displays of numbers and letters in the driver information panel that are easily read with a peek." Its "premium interior finishes and cabin design might surprise some car shoppers," Hanley added, and Bragman called the Santa Fe Sport "the surprise athlete of the group. It feels light on its feet and is fun to drive quickly." Davis was wowed by the "out-of-this-world sunroof" and said that the below-load floor "hidden storage made me feel like Han Solo." Bruzek pointed out it was the only competitor "tested with a sliding rear seat," which is always helpful in a vehicle of this type. It wasn't just interior features, though. "The turbo four-cylinder's great low-end power makes passing and merging easy," Hanley said, and Bruzek said it was the "most nimble-handling of the bunch." Finally, the Santa Fe Sport was also the least expensive of the group.

What they didn't: That sunroof came at a cost, though: "It eats up headroom in the backseat," Bragman said. "Anyone taller than 5 feet 11 [inches] will not be comfortable." Several experts thought the four-cylinder engine was noisy and found its ride "bumpy," as Bruzek called it. That low price also meant that some key features, including a power liftgate or all-wheel drive, were missing. The SUV lacked space, Healey said: "Not exactly the [Chevrolet] Suburban of the bunch." And Healey and Hanley both faulted the handling. "It has a disappointing steering feel that's both numb and artificially weighted," Hanley said. Finally, several noted that visibility out the back was less than optimal.

The verdict: "The Santa Fe Sport's acceleration and features list are both impressive," Hanley said, "but Hyundai hasn't cracked the code as far as driving dynamics are concerned."

Key Features

  • New model for 2013
  • Only vehicle tested with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine
  • Front-wheel drive
  • IIHS Top Safety Pick and NHTSA five-star overall crash-test rating
  • No memory settings for power adjustable driver's seat and no smartphone app integration
  • Leather seats, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel
  • One of two without a power liftgate
  • Three driver-selectable modes: Sport, Comfort and Normal
  • Has a large panoramic sunroof
  • Has a 40/20/40-split folding backseat
  • Hyundai's Blue Link teleconnect service (three years of free service come standard)

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Payment Facts
Price as tested: $34,205 (lowest in test)
Monthly payment*: $703.58

Find a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport near you.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Scorecard | Monroney Sticker | Research | Photo Gallery

What they like: Like isn't a strong enough word for how everyone felt about the Grand Cherokee's interior. "A luxury liner compared to the challengers," Healey raved. "It looks, feels, even smells like a luxury car in there," Bragman said. "Beautiful," "premium," "elegant" and "best in test" were also thrown around. But it's more than just a pretty face. "When the Eco mode is deactivated," Hanley said, "the V-6 engine and eight-speed transmission are a well-matched pair." It provides a "commanding view of the road," Bruzek noted. "It has nice rear visibility helped out by generous side mirrors," Davis said. Several noted the Chrysler Uconnect system's ease of use. "It's the best multimedia system of the bunch," Bragman said. And in the biggest affirmation possible, "it does as you ask" Healey said. "This feels nicer than the other cars," Missy said, "and for the same price? It's hard to believe something this nice costs the same as the others!"

What they didn't: That Eco mode drove a few judges crazy. "To leave it on is an offense against God and man," Healey said, "given how it hobbles the drivetrain and erases the Jeep's fun-to-drive factor." "That big power comes with a big thirst," Bragman pointed out, "and rear-wheel drive may not go over well in some climates." "I wish the pricing was a little lower so I could more easily afford one," Davis said. Both Davis and Bragman noted how busy the steering wheel is with buttons, both on the front and back of the wheel. Seriously. Interestingly, both Hanley and Davis found fault with the shifter. "The electronic gear selector has a cheap feel and makes it harder to select the gear you want," Hanley said.

The verdict: "This is the one to have if you are looking for a true SUV and not merely a carlike tall wagon," Bragman said.

Key Features

  • Refreshed for 2014
  • Rear-wheel drive (only one)
  • IIHS Top Safety Pick
  • Chrysler's Uconnect multimedia system with app integration from your smartphone
  • Only vehicle with a complimentary 12-month satellite radio subscription
  • USB inputs throughout the cabin to charge or play mobile devices
  • Leather seats, heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel
  • Rear parking sensors and a configurable gauge cluster
  • Power liftgate
  • Fits three child-safety seats in the second row (only vehicle to do so)

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Payment Facts
Price as tested: $37,585
Monthly payment*: $773.11

Find a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee near you.

*Monthly payment assumes good credit, no money down, 60-month loan, 5% interest and 9% sales tax.


Index | Overview | Family | Results | Mileage | Cargo


Source: http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2013/07/the-38000-midsize-suv-challenge-results.html

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Afghanistan arrests former US translator

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan authorities have arrested a man who served as a translator for U.S. Special Forces and was wanted on allegations he tortured and killed civilians, the country's intelligence service said Monday.

Zakaria Kandahari was picked up "recently" in the southern city of Kandahar for "various crimes," in a special operation conducted by the Afghan National Directorate for Security, the intelligence agency said in a statement.

It did not elaborate, but the Defense Ministry has said Kandahari was wanted on charges of murder and torture in connection with the disappearances of nine boys and men who turned up dead.

The U.S.-led coalition has denied any involvement in the disappearances, but the case has further strained Washington's relations with President Hamid Karzai, and could complicate plans to leave special operations forces in Afghanistan after combat troops complete their withdrawal next year. American officials have suggested keeping a special operations presence in Afghanistan in a counter-terrorism role against al-Qaida even after all other combat troops leave at the end of 2014.

When the allegations about Kandahari surfaced, Karzai ordered U.S. special forces out of the Narkh district of Wardak province, where the disappearances occurred. Karzai had originally ordered them out of the whole province but Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said such a move would threaten the security of Kabul, 45 kilometers (less than 30 miles) south.

When he was arrested, Kandahari had three pistols, two fake Afghan National ID cards and seven other false IDs on him, the intelligence service said.

It added that it would release further details about the case later, and that its investigation of Kandahari is ongoing.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/afghanistan-arrests-former-us-translator-112813859.html

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Escape from Roswell with Google's Intergalactic Point-and-Click Doodle

Escape from Roswell with Google's Intergalactic Point-and-Click Doodle

Today is the 66th anniversary of Roswell, whatever Roswell really was. But according to a festive Google Doodle, it was definitely an alien crash-landing. And also a point-and-click adventure. If you can spare a few minutes?you can spare a few minutes?it's worth investigating, with or without a crew of federal agents. [Google]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/escape-from-roswell-with-googles-intergalactic-point-a-701384937

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12 Golden Ezine Publishing Tips - Hpc Training Forum

12 Golden Ezine Publishing Tips?1. Post testimonials for your ezine on your site.

You?ll be able to increase your ezine?s credibility by sharing how your ezine has benefited your readers.

2. Include a few testimonials for your business in

each issue.

?

In addition, to using testimonials for your ezine, use testimonials for your products within your ezine that share your customers? favorable feedback.

Your articles can help you to share your expertise with your readers and add your voice to your ezine.

They can also help you to increase your subscriptions by building up more targeted traffic to your site.

4. Swap ads.

You?ll create a win-win situation as both you and the other ezine publisher will get valuable free promotion of each other?s ezines.

When possible, swap for multiple issues as repetition will increase your ad?s response.

5. Swap a recommendation within your ezine.

Simply plug another publisher?s ezine in your ezine (i.e., in your editor?s or publisher?s note) in exchange for that publisher doing the same for you.

6. Swap ?thank you? page ads or recommendations.

You?ll be able to get valuable ongoing promotion of your ezine as everyone that fills out your swapper?s subscription form or box will see your ezine?s ad or recommendation.

7. Offer a bonus.

For example, you could offer ebooks, an email course, or access to your ?subscriber only? membership site as a bonus for joining you. 8. Run subscriber only deals on your products and on advertising in your ezine.

You?ll get more first time buyers and also repeat business.

You?ll also be able to show your readers that you value them by providing them with sales and promotions that are just for them.

9. Write product reviews.

You?ll be able to benefit your readers by giving them the lowdown on products you use or have tried.

You?ll also be able to increase your commissions by publishing your positive reviews with your affiliate links.

10. Recommend affiliate programs.

After you?ve gained your readers? trust, a powerful way to increase your commissions is to endorse products in your ezine that you?ve found to be valuable and you believe will help your readers.

11. Promote your ezine in your sig file.

Use your signature file that promotes your ezine in your day to day emails and also, when appropriate, in your posts to forums that you?ve joined and participate in.

12. Have your readers forward your issues.

Get valuable word of mouth promotion for your ezine by asking your readers to forward your issues in their entirety to their friends and colleagues that might be interested in it

Posts related to 12 Golden Ezine Publishing Tips

Source: http://hpctrainingforum.com/12-golden-ezine-publishing-tips.html

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Friday, June 21, 2013

U.S. justices strike down AIDS funding restriction

By Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a George W. Bush-era law requiring non-profit organizations to adopt an anti-prostitution policy in order to obtain federal funding for HIV/AIDS programs abroad.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his majority opinion that the 2003 law violated the First Amendment free speech rights of non-governmental organizations that work on HIV/AIDS prevention.

The court vote was 6-2 with Justice Elena Kagan recused, most likely due to her previous role as solicitor general in the Obama administration, when she may have been involved in the litigation.

The law barred funding for organizations that operate programs overseas but do not have a blanket policy opposing prostitution and sex trafficking.

The organizations challenging the provision did not want to take a stand on prostitution. They said the law interfered with their work providing advice and counseling to prostitutes about the risks of HIV infection.

The non-profit world was divided, with 46 groups, many of which focus on women's rights, supporting the law.

The Alliance for Open Society International and Pathfinder International - non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive funding for overseas HIV/AIDS prevention - sued in 2005, citing the guarantee of free speech in the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment.

The groups obtained an injunction in 2006 that has prevented the policy from being enforced. Now it never will be.

Thursday's ruling upheld the appeals court's injunction.

"Condemnation and alienation are not public health strategies," said Marine Buissonniere, director of the Open Society Public Health Program, one of the groups that challenged the policy. "The pledge ignores years of evidence that sex workers are critical partners in the fight against AIDS," she added.

FIRST AMENDMENT AT ISSUE

In his opinion, Roberts noted that under Supreme Court precedent, the government can set conditions on funding that relate to the specific way the money is spent but cannot "seek to leverage funding to regulate speech" that falls outside the limits of the program.

"The case is not about the government's ability to enlist the assistance of those with whom it already agrees," Roberts said. "It is about compelling a grant recipient to adopt a particular belief as a condition of funding."

In this instance, the condition constituted "the affirmation of a belief that by its nature cannot be confined within the scope of the government program," meaning it violates the First Amendment, he wrote.

Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented.

Scalia wrote in his dissenting opinion that the policy requirement was "nothing more than a means of selecting suitable agents to perform the government's chosen strategy."

Under the First Amendment, the government is not required to be "viewpoint neutral," he added. "Moreover, the government may enlist the assistance of those who believe in its ideas to carry them to fruition," Scalia said.

Representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which overseas foreign aid, were not immediately available for comment.

The case prompted an unusual coalition of groups, some conservative and some liberal, to back the NGOs.

Eugene Volokh, a First Amendment expert at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, said if the court had endorsed the government's position, it could have led to all kinds of conditions being imposed on government funding and even other forms of government benefits, such as tax exemptions.

"The court wasn't willing to allow the government that kind of power," he said. Volokh filed a brief in the case in support of the challengers.

The American Civil Liberties Union took a similar position.

The government's ability to impose conditions on groups that receive funding does not allow it "to dictate what they believe or what they say with private funds," said attorney Steven Shapiro.

The case is Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 12-19.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Howard Goller and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-justices-strike-down-aids-funding-law-142305269.html

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Friday, May 17, 2013

After tough week, Obama tries to change the subject to jobs

By Roberta Rampton and Mark Felsenthal

BALTIMORE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday sought to turn the spotlight from controversies threatening to swamp his agenda back to his top priority - the economy - and announced he will try to cut in half the time it takes to get federal approval for large job-creating projects.

Obama traveled to Baltimore, a short helicopter ride from the White House, to talk about steps he is taking to streamline permits for infrastructure, early childhood education, and positive signs in the economy.

He did not mention the trio of storms that have beset his administration in the past week and that some believe could overrun his second-term agenda.

Speaking in front of heavy equipment at Ellicott Dredges, a company that helped dredge the Panama Canal over 100 years ago, Obama took a swipe at the distractions of Washington politics.

"I know it can seem frustrating sometimes when it seems like Washington's priorities aren't the same as your priorities," Obama said in his upbeat speech.

"Others may get distracted by chasing every fleeting issue that passes by. But the middle class will always be my number-one focus, period," he said.

Obama's Baltimore trip is a good idea and a productive change of scene for him, said Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist who specialized in damage control for the Clinton White House.

"It gets you out of the bunker," Lehane said.

Meanwhile, Washington was fixated on Friday on a Republican-led House of Representatives hearing where the now-fired head of the Internal Revenue Service was grilled about how agents targeted conservative groups for special scrutiny.

The IRS scandal was one of three that forced Obama on the defensive in the past week.

The White House was also doing damage control on what it said in the wake of last year's attack in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, and the Justice Department's seizure of phone logs of journalists at the Associated Press as it looked for leaks of classified information.

In his speech, Obama recalled advice he received as a young senator from longtime former Maryland Senator Paul Sarbanes.

"I asked him, 'What's your advice?' He says, 'Just keep in mind the people who sent you.' Because here in Washington, sometimes people get distracted," Obama said.

CONTROVERSY NOT FAR AWAY

Obama was warmly received in Baltimore, first visiting an elementary school where he saw 4- and 5-year-olds learning how to spell and describe their favorite zoo animals in a pre-kindergarten class - the type of program he has said should be available to all American children so they get a good start.

Later, he talked about how to get through the rocky times in life at a roundtable with a group of people at the Center for Urban Families, a non-profit that helps people find jobs and training.

He walked through the century-old factory floor of Ellicott Dredges, where men in steel-toed boots were working on a giant corkscrew excavation tool destined for a Bangladesh shipyard.

But even on this friendly tour, political controversy was near at hand.

His tour guide was Peter Bowe, the company's chief executive, who on Thursday told a House of Representatives hearing that his company has been hurt by the protracted federal approval process for the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline from the oil sands fields in Canada.

"For us, it's all about jobs," Bowe said on Thursday, urging speedy approval of TransCanada's pipeline. The company first applied for project approval in 2008.

Obama delayed the project last year, saying it needed further review. A decision is unlikely until late this year or even early 2014.

The pipeline has been championed by Republicans, who blame Obama for the delay, and pilloried by environmental groups who argue Obama's credibility on his vow to address climate change hinges on rejecting the project.

Obama did not mention pipelines in his speech about delays for infrastructure projects.

But he said he had drawn inspiration from someone he met at the plant - Myrna LaBarre, who had worked for the company for 50 years and who described her secret for success.

"She said, 'Be honest, be helpful, accept your mistakes and improve upon them, be good to people, keep a good sense of humor, have the best work ethic possible, and handle the good times and get over the bad,'" Obama said.

"If we keep that in mind, if we just all keep Myrna's advice in mind, keep plugging away, keep fighting, we'll build an even better America than we've got right now," he said.

(Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Jackie Frank and Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-shifts-focus-jobs-eases-building-permit-process-101033758.html

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