PM pumps up caucus with appeal to Canada's past

Prime Minister Stephen Harper greets his National Caucus before speaking at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Jan. 30, 2013. Andre Forget/QMI Agency

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OTTAWA ? Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomed his Conservative caucus back to Ottawa Wednesday morning with a speech that outlined his government's plans to celebrate some important but potentially controversial milestones in the country's history.

With his five freshly appointed senators sitting in the front row in the Conservative caucus meeting room in Parliament's Centre Block, Harper vowed to keep a steady hand on the economy and to continue work on public safety issues. But he also said that Canada will soon "proudly remember" the centennial of the First World War beginning next year, the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Sir John A. Macdonald in 2015, and the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

"These milestones remind us of a proud national story rooted in the great deeds of our ancestors and in a centuries-old constitutional legacy of freedom," Harper said.

Though most historians would agree the First World War was an important event in Canada's development as a country, it was also one that saw the first major English-French split after Confederation.

Few officers in the Canadian army of the period spoke French and French Canada strongly resisted conscription in 1917, believing it to be imposed on them by an English Canada that was still, at the time, very much connected to an imperial Britain.

Modern-day Quebecers seemed to have little enthusiasm for last year's commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 - a war that was, technically speaking, between Great Britain and the United States, and a commemoration of the First World War may be used an excuse by some in Quebec to remind French Canada of the linguistic divide that exists today.

Notably, while Harper spoke in both French and English to his caucus when he spoke about his government's focus on the economy and on public safety, his remarks about commemorating the First World War and Macdonald's birthday were in English only.

Source: http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/01/30/pm-pumps-up-caucus-with-appeal-to-canadas-past

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Burger King in talks to revive India plans

The author has posted comments on this articleSamidha Sharma & Boby Kurian, TNN | Jan 31, 2013, 05.27AM ISTMUMBAI: Fast food giant Burger King Holdings has held fresh discussions with Everstone Capital to revive its India entry plans, said people directly briefed on the matter, as global restaurant biggies relook at the domestic market. The world's second-largest burger chain behind McDonald's could firm up its India strategy later this year as it makes a big push into three Asian markets, including China and Indonesia, they added.

Everstone Capital, among the biggest India-focused private equity houses, has held talks with Burger King, but the latter has not taken a final call on its India plans yet. The NYSE-listed burger chain is exploring a franchisee model in sync with its operations globally. "In the course of normal business, we continuously review our worldwide restaurant portfolio and make strategic decisions based on many factors including development opportunities, market conditions and restaurant profitability in various countries, including India. However, we do not have any further information to provide at this time regarding the Indian market," said Burger King spokesperson Miguel Piedra. Everstone Capital declined to comment on speculation.

Burger King had held discussions with DLF and Kishore Biyani's Future Group to enter the market some years ago. Everstone Capital, founded by two Goldman Sachs bankers Sameer Sain and Atul Kapur, controls Blue Foods, which claims to be India's largest restaurant company with brands like Copper Chimney, Noodle Bar, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in its portfolio.

Burger King, now controlled by private equity group 3G Partners, is not alone in renewing interest in India's food and beverage (F&B) potential. Rival burger chain Wendy's, UK's noodle chain Wagamama, another London dim sum eatery Ping Pong, European pizza and pasta bar Vapiano and Jamba Juice are among those courting Indian partners. The entry of Seattle-based coffee chain Starbucks, after years of studying the market, has revived the global interest of other brands.

Burger King, operating more than 22,000 outlets across the world, wants a fairly big entry into the market with the potential partner having to commit up to $100 million, said a second source who did not wish to be named. "There is a huge opportunity for brands like Wendy's and Burger King, considering nobody has dominance of the burger market here. It's still a lucrative market if you find the right partner and localize your business," said Arvind Singhal, chairman of Technopak Advisors, a retail consultancy firm.

MNC brands have taken a strong hold over India's robust eating out economy, riding on the broader middle-class consumption story. "Most successful Indian restaurateurs, barring Anjan Chatterjee of Specialty Restaurants, have banked on foreign tie-ups. This shows that Indian consumers now have the pocket and desire to experience 'new food'," said Siddharth Bafna, partner at Lodha & Co, an active advisor on F&B deals.

Jubilant FoodWorks (Domino's Pizza), Hardcastle Restaurants and Connaught Plaza Restaurants (McDonald's), Devyani International (Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee) and JSM Corp (Hard Rock, California Pizza Kitchen and Trader Vic's) are among the leading domestic restaurant groups that have partnered global brands to build market valuations. Yum Restaurants is possibly the only international chain to tap the Indian market directly, building a strong network of KFC and Pizza Hut outlets, again through sub-franchisees.

Source: http://timesofindia.feedsportal.com/fy/8at2Etb0jUp35408/story01.htm

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Branco Cartoon ? Right to Bear Arms - Legal Insurrection

Posted by A.F. Branco ?? Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 7:04pm

Note: You may reprint this cartoon provided you?link back to this source. To see more Legal Insurrection Branco cartoons,?click here. ?Branco?s ?page is?Cartoonist A.F.Branco

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/01/branco-cartoon-right-to-bear-arms/

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Facebook settlement email legit

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - If you received an email stating you are part of a class action lawsuit against Facebook, it is not a scam.

Forbes reported millions of Facebook users are eligible for a small share of a class action settlement against the company.

The lawsuit stems from Facebook's placing of users in sponsored story ads based on things users "liked" that were often taken out of context.

Facebook settled the case for $20 million.

Due to the number of users affected the highest payout is $10.

Copyright 2013 WAVE News. All rights reserved.

Source: http://breckinridge-graysoncounty.wave3.com/news/news/114000-facebook-settlement-email-legit

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Tornado Watch Possible Soon

Posted on: 9:57 pm, January 29, 2013, by Jason Simpson, updated on: 11:00pm, January 29, 2013

11 PM Update:

A Tornado Watch is in effect for Lawrence, Wayne, and Hardin Counties in Southern Middle Tennessee until 4 AM. This watch will likely be extended east as the storms get closer after 2-3 AM:

The Storm Prediction Center may issue a Tornado Watch for Northeast Mississippi, West and Middle Tennessee and The Shoals area in Northwest Alabama soon:

 MESOSCALE DISCUSSION 0084
    NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
    0949 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2013
 
    AREAS AFFECTED...WRN/MIDDLE TN...NRN/CNTRL/WRN MS...ERN AR...NERN LA
 
    CONCERNING...TORNADO WATCH 10...
 
    VALID 300349Z - 300545Z
 
    THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FOR TORNADO WATCH 10 CONTINUES.
 
    SUMMARY...COMPOSITE OUTFLOW/COLD FRONT WILL EVENTUALLY OVERTAKE WARM
    SECTOR BAND OF TSTMS ALONG THE MS RIVER. NRN PORTION OF THIS QLCS
    SHOULD ACCELERATE EWD IN TN OVERNIGHT WITH EMBEDDED BOWING
    STRUCTURES CAPABLE OF DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES.
 
    DISCUSSION...CONVECTIVE CHARACTER HAS BEGUN TRANSITIONING TO AN
    ACCELERATING QLCS...PRIMARILY N OF WW 10...REF MCD 0083. THIS QLCS
    SHOULD CONTINUE TO MERGE WITH A PERSISTENT PRE-FRONTAL BAND OF
    SEMI-DISCRETE CONVECTION S/SWWD INTO NERN LA. WHILE...UPSTREAM
    COMPOSITE OUTFLOW/COLD FRONT SHOULD EVENTUALLY OVERTAKE THE SRN
    PORTION OF PRE-FRONTAL CONVECTION IN LA. WITH THESE PROCESSES
    OCCURRING WITHIN AN IMMENSELY SHEARED ENVIRONMENT...THIS SHOULD
    ULTIMATELY YIELD AN EXTENSIVE NNE/SSW-ORIENTED QLCS.
 
    THIS SHOULD TRANSITION A MIXED TORNADO/DAMAGING WIND THREAT TO
    PREDOMINANTLY DAMAGING WINDS AS SEMI-DISCRETE STRUCTURES EVOLVE INTO
    EMBEDDED BOWING SEGMENTS. 850-700 MB FLOW WILL BE STRONGER FROM THE
    TN/MS BORDER LATITUDE NWD...SUGGESTIVE OF MORE WIDESPREAD DAMAGING
    WIND POTENTIAL ACROSS TN. GREATEST RELATIVE TORNADO RISK SHOULD
    PERSIST ALONG THE SRN PORTION /MS/ AS INDIVIDUAL CELLS HAVE
    RELATIVELY LONGER OPPORTUNITY FOR MAINTAINING INGEST OF RICH
    BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE.
 
    ..GRAMS.. 01/30/2013

-Jason
Connect with me!
Google+: Jason Simpson
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Source: http://valleywx.com/2013/01/29/tornado-watch-possible-soon-2/

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French Troops Enter Last Mali Rebel Stronghold

French forces have entered Kidal, the last major stronghold of Islamist militants who seized control of northern Mali last year.

The French military said Wednesday that troops took control of the Kidal airport and deployed in the town overnight, continuing a week-long push to retake the north's population centers.

Haminy Maiga, head of the Kidal regional assembly, said the French troops encountered no resistance.

The secular Tuareg rebel group MNLA said earlier this week that its fighters had taken control of Kidal. ?

The MNLA joined with Islamists to seize northern Mali after a coup last March.? The groups later split in a dispute about Sharia law and the Islamists asserted control of the region.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of ancient manuscripts in the Malian city of Timbuktu are reported to be safe.

The city's mayor reported that Islamists set fire to a major manuscript library as they fled the town.

But Shamil Jeppie, an expert on the manuscripts at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, said Wednesday that his sources say most of the books and papers were hidden by local residents during the Islamists' 10-month rule.

French and Malian troops searched houses in Timbuktu and Gao on Tuesday, recovering weapons and explosives left by fleeing Islamists.? At least five people suspected of collaborating with the militants were detained in Gao.

In Timbuktu, residents looted stores owned by Arabs and Tuaregs suspected of working with the militants, who left earlier this week.

French troops entered Mali two weeks ago when the Islamists began moving towards the capital, Bamako.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Tuesday that France will stay in Mali as long as necessary.? But, there are already plans for an African-led force to take over peacekeeping duties.

International donors pledged $455 million Tuesday for a peacekeeping mission expected to cost as much as $1 billion.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault says France wants international monitors sent to Mali as quickly as possible, to ensure that human rights are respected.

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  This photo released by the French Army Communications Audiovisual office shows a French soldier guarding Timbuktu airport, Mali, January 28, 2013.

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  This photo released by the French Army Communications Audiovisual office shows a crowd cheering the arrival of French soldiers in Timbuktu, Mali, January 28, 2013.

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  A Malian family's taxi is searched at a checkpoint on the Gao road outside Sevare, 620 kilometers north of Mali's capital Bamako, January 27, 2013.

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  A man rides past the well where U.N. director of Human Rights Watch Philippe Bolopion says the bodies of suspected Islamist rebels were dumped, Sevare, Mali, January 28, 2013.

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  A mosque damaged in fighting between French-backed Malian troops and al-Qaida-linked militants is seen in the recently liberated town of Konna, Mali, January 27, 2013.

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  Storage lockers at a fish market used as a military base by al-Qaida-linked militants are seen in Konna, Mali, January 27, 2013.

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  Malian soldier Ousmane Cisse stands guard on an open road outside Sevare, Mali, January 27, 2013.

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  Malian soldiers ride in an army pickup truck in Diabaly, January 26, 2013.

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Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

Source: http://www.voanews.com/content/french-troops-enter-last-mali-rebel-stronghold/1593534.html

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