Show us your best shot of traffic for a chance to win a new phone tripod!
We're getting back into the swing of things with weekly photo contests, and we hope that this will compel more of you to get out there and take some pictures. Practice makes perfect, so let's get to this week's topic.
This week, the subject is "Traffic". We had you show off your best travel photos a couple of weeks back, and now it's time to show off the best representation of the commute -- be it to work or to that vacation spot. Now we don't condone or encourage that you take pictures while driving, so maybe this will be best handled from the passenger's seat of a car or on the sidewalk if you happen to be making a walk past everyone sitting in gridlock.
Entering is easy. Just drop your entry in a post below. Tell us what Android you used to get the picture, and any back story you want to add to it. We'll pick a winner Tuesday (August 6) night at 11:59 PM ET, and announce them on the blog with next Wednesday's contest.
PARIS (AFP) ? Bernard Bourreau has taken over from Laurent Jalabert as coach of France?s national cycling team, the French Cycling Federation (FFC) said Wednesday.
The 44-year-old Jalabert, the world time trial champion in 1997, resigned in April following a road accident in which he suffered a broken leg and an injured shoulder.
Bourreau, 61, had been Jalabert?s assistant since 2009.
Jalabert, who retired in 2002, was last week named in a French government commission?s report into the fight against doping as having tested positive for EPO during the 1998 Tour de France after samples were retroactively tested in 2004.
Jalabert stepped down from his role as a television and radio pundit just before July?s Tour began after he was named in a French newspaper as being on the French Senate commission?s list.
He has since neither confirmed nor denied the doping allegations against him.
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Greg Bosh is general manager of www.fantasyknuckleheads.com, a blog used by fantasy players around the world to get their rosters right for the fantasy season. He has some very interesting insight and predictions for how guys like Joe Flacco and Ray Rice will perform in 2013:
While Ravens fans are still coming off their Super Bowl high in the big win over the 49ers last February, the team has made some noticeable offseason moves that will have an impact on the fantasy football value of a few players for the upcoming season.
Coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance, Joe Flacco became the newest $100 million man in the NFL ($120.6 to be exact). Unfortunately, his fantasy value isn?t translating quite as well as his NFL value would dictate. Flacco is currently ranked as the 16th quarterback taken off the board in leagues that have already drafted, going behind divisional rivals such as Ben Roethlisberger and Andy Dalton. So while Flacco might be the biggest asset to the Ravens, his fantasy value is as nothing more than a QB2. I also don?t see that number rising anytime soon.
Why?
The most obvious reason is his stats. He simply doesn?t put up the numbers you?d expect from a top-notch to mid-tier QB1. In 2012, Flacco averaged 238 passing yards a game and 22 touchdowns. That adds up to roughly 13-15 points per game, depending on league scoring. When you consider other quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Tom Brady are hovering around 20 fantasy points or more a game, Flacco just isn?t cutting it.
The team also did themselves no favors by trading Anquan Boldin to the 49ers. While Boldin?s numbers never topped what he put up in Arizona, he was still the most consistent weapon in the Ravens? passing game. Not to mention he was a favorite of Flacco?s, which was clearly noticeable throughout the team?s playoff run.
With Boldin gone, this leaves Torrey Smith as the team?s new No. 1 receiver. Smith has flashed big-play ability in the past, but we simply don?t know how he will look in his new role. This unknown does Flacco no favors. Although, it has helped Smith?s fantasy value climb over the past several months. Smith is currently ranked as the 24th overall fantasy receiver, listed between Pierre Garcon and Antonio Brown. Even though his value is climbing, I don?t see Smith ever being a WR1. While he does have that big play ability, he gets hot and cold from game to game. A good example of this was when he amassed 7 catches and 144 yards against the Chargers in Week 12 (2012), but cooled off with only 3 catches for 33 yards the next week against the Steelers. He?ll teeter on the brink of WR2/WR3 status, but he is too unreliable as anything more.
The rest of Baltimore?s receiving unit is too much of a question mark. Will Jacoby Jones be an eventual sleeper if he can work his body back into shape? Is there another receiver who will eventually see some sleeper value? Make sure to check out our fantasy football sleepers section for up-to-date options as they pop up during training camps.
In regards to the team?s fantasy value at running back, look no further than Ray Rice. There isn?t really a whole lot that can be said about Rice?s fantasy value that hasn?t already been touched upon before. He?s still an RB1 in both PPR leagues and non-PPR leagues, but could we be seeing a bit of a change in the Ravens backfield? Rice?s RB1 status stays afloat in non-PPR leagues because of his receiving yards, but his rushing yards from 2012 (1143) were the lowest since his rookie season (454). Plus his touchdown totals dropped to 10, which were 5 less than the previous year. There have been subtle rumors that the team wants to get backup Bernard Pierce more involved in the offense this season. We?ve seen players like this garner offseason hype before, but most don?t live up to it. However, that little trickle of "what if" keeps Rice?s value in a subtle state of limbo until we see what role he and Pierce will have during the regular season. Regardless of what Pierce does or doesn?t do this year, he is still a must-have handcuff to all Rice owners. The team used him enough last year to show me he can slide right in as a starter if Rice misses time with an injury.
Read more Fantasy Football Advice at Fantasy Knuckleheads, you can follow them on Google +.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's rand was softer against the dollar in early Monday trade, retreating a few cents after Reserve Bank data showed growth in credit extension to the private sector slowed again in June.
The data backs the case for the Reserve Bank to consider another interest rate cut - rates have been steady since the last reduction in 2012 - to boost consumer demand and spur economic growth.
By 0645 GMT the rand was at 9.8200 against the dollar, down 0.55 percent from its New York close at 9.7660 on Friday.
The rand could extend losses as importers make their usual end-of-month external payments.
"Today is the usual month-end corporate activity day and therefore we do expect a bit more from the demand side of the market, from a local perspective that is," Standard Bank trader Warrick Butler said.
The rand pulled back from 9.7950 just before a Reserve Bank report released at 0600 GMT showed that growth in credit demand from the private sector slowed to 8.91 percent year-on-year in June from 9.05 percent in May.
Government bonds were little changed from Friday levels, with the yields for the benchmark issue due in 2026 and the 2015 paper each edging up half a basis point to 8.175 percent and 6.2 percent respectively. (Reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa; editing by David Dolan)
Imagine, for a moment, that a safety just collided with a tight end stretching out for an overthrown ball. The tight end crumbles to the ground, causing a synchronized gasp to echo throughout the stadium, and yellow flags paint the field.
The officials quickly meet and conclude?well, speculate feels more appropriate?that the safety targeted the defenseless player who still remains down on the turf.?At that moment, the defender knows exactly what?s coming. His body language speaks volumes.
His arms fall limp to his sides; his head bows in disgust. The lead official approaches, reaching into his pocket as he maneuvers toward the guilty player, and he reveals a yellow card.?
He lifts it to the sky and boos rain down.
The 15-yard penalty is assessed as the tight end is helped to the sideline?returning a few plays later. The safety stays in the game knowing the room for error is now none.
?It?s a total hypothetical,??said Northwestern head coach?Pat Fitzgerald, when asked about a solution he brought up at Big Ten Media Days. ?I?d rather warn the player, telling him this is not the hit we want in football.?
Hypothetical or not, he?s onto something. And if yellow cards aren?t the answer, at least the possibility of a new, bold idea is being discussed.
The new targeting rule?in which players can be ejected immediately for hitting defenseless opponents above the shoulders?was the talk of the conference media day circuit. At some point, each coach in the country was asked to provide their input.
While most did little to offer up soundbites beyond ?whatever is in the best interest of the kids? or ?we?ll see,? a few took notable stances.
Stanford head coach David Shaw was one of the few to strongly defend it, according to NFL.com?s Dan Greenspan, saying, ?College football needs the rule, just like the NFL needs the rule.?
On the opposite end of the reaction spectrum, Nebraska?s Bo Pelini and Washington State?s Mike Leach stated their concerns. Each coach expressed his displeasure, especially when pressed on the possibility of Jadeveon Clowney?s hit on Vincent Smith suddenly being worthy of an ejection.
Leach, via Howie Stalwick of Scout.com, offered up his thoughts. Hey, at least he said "with all due respect" first.
"Clowney?s hit ? with all due respect to the officials, you?ve got old guys (officials) out there with bifocals on trying to identify in a split second who lowered their head first."
Controversy is brewing?despite the good intentions?well before the first questionable call is made and game-changing ejection takes place. Many are bracing for the absolute worst, while others see this as a necessary move.
Then there is Fitzgerald, a former All-American linebacker sporting a football pedigree matched by few, tossing around a soccer solution for one of his game?s biggest problems.?
?Our young men have an opportunity to play 48 games and maybe a few more if they?re lucky,? Fitzgerald said. ?Taking away one game can be significant.?
Put aside the soccer disdain if such contempt exists, and for many of you, it likely does.?
This is not an attempt to somehow transform football into futbol but rather to use its guidelines to discourage certain behavior. That?s the purpose of a yellow card. It serves as one free pass before the individual?and team?suffers the consequences, and it discourages repeating such actions.
?Say the hit wasn?t malicious and there wasn?t an intent to injure, but, by definition, it was a high hit,? Fitzgerald said on providing warnings for targeting. ?The next time you do it for the rest of the season, you?re going to lose a game.?
Fitzgerald didn?t go on to outline a full campaign for a yellow card movement, but the intent behind this idea is clear: Provide a small window of error for players (and officials) before minutes are taken away.
Let?s not stop there. Taking his brainstorm one step further, a yellow card could come with a 15-yard penalty and an automatic review following the game.
If the hit in question is deemed suspension-worthy after officials watch various replays?similar to the review process utilized a season ago?a conference has the power to suspend the player the following game.
Is the new targeting rule a permanent solution for college football?
Is the new targeting rule a permanent solution for college football?
Yes
No
If it is a questionable call, the player will be on notice for the rest of the season. Any yellow card received from that point on will be an immediate suspension for the player.
Teams can also be fined if a certain threshold of yellow cards is reached.?The fine, in itself, sends a message. Coaches must teach their players the appropriate way to tackle, or they?ll have an unpleasant sit-down with their superiors. This movement starts from the very top.
For the officials, the yellow cards could provide some valuable leeway. With so much gray area on what constitutes targeting, a warning?along with ample time to review postgame?could soften the pressure off those now tasked with making an impossible call in real-time.
This, of course, is all a hypothetical solution to an assumed problem.
It?s assumed that the new targeting rule will fail, that ejections will be rampant and rulings will be inconsistent. Perhaps this won?t be the case, although the rushed evaluation isn?t the appropriate way to tackle a complex issue.?
Adding yellow cards?or blue cards, or an orange towel or whatever would serve as a warning sign?is merely another solution to throw on the top of a growing pile. It would provide a philosophical change, but all out-of-the-box ideas are welcome.
The issue of player safety will only become more prominent, and ensuring that these safety guidelines are maintained will generate both controversy and discussions regarding ways to improve them.
Fitzgerald?s open brainstorm may not be the ultimate solution, but it is a simple (yet somehow radical) idea to mull over as the debut of the new targeting rule approaches.
If an immediate ejection isn?t the answer,?it's back to the drawing board.
?
*Adam Kramer is the lead college football writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.
Benedict Cumberbatch holds hands with a mystery woman while leaving Cirque du Soir nightclub on Saturday evening (July 27) in London, England.
The 37-year-old actor was reportedly having a belated birthday party. His actual birthday was last weekend!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict spent his birthday weekend in Spain serving as the officiant at a friend?s wedding. He even went shirtless in a photo while hanging by the pool with his pals!
10+ pictures inside of Benedict Cumberbatch holding hands with a mystery woman?
Sony and Panasonic have officially announced that they are working on the next-generation optical disc for long-term digital data storage. Both companies are planning to develop an optical disc with storage capabilities of at least 300 GB by the end of 2015.
The specifics of the optical disc, like protection against dust, water, temperature and humidity are the main reasons for Sony and Panasonic to still be investing in the format.
Sony and Panasonic are currently targeting the video production industry along with motion picture houses and broadcasters as its potential customers. However, cloud-based data centers too are expected to make use of the upcoming high-capacity disc to store large amount of data.
Today?s Blu-ray discs can store up to 25 GB of data on a single layer, while the dual-layer has the capacity to store 50 GB of data. So, if you are planning to store large amount of data in a compact optical disc, then the new standard discs is what you should be looking forward to.
The easy ones have been eliminated ... only the tough choices remain as we determine the greatest BYU football game ever.
It's all up to you.
This matchup features the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the Home Games region, a stunner of epic proportions and a victory that started a record-setting 14-win year.
(Click here to see the entire bracket)
Which one will move on and which one will be eliminated? Be sure to cast your vote in the poll on the right side of the screen to decide which of these was the greater moment for BYU football.
Here is a look at today's matchup:
No. 1 seed
BYU 28, Miami 21 (1990)
Records and AP ranking (entering the game): BYU 1-0 (No. 16), Miami 0-0 (No. 1)
What happened: The Cougars welcomed the top-ranked Hurricanes, who were also the defending national champions, to Provo. BYU started moving the ball up and down the field on the vaunted Miami defense on its way to nearly 500 yards of offense, but five turnovers made it a see-saw battle. With the fans in LaVell Edwards Stadium urging their team on, the Cougars took the lead on a TD pass from Ty Detmer to Mike Salido late in the third quarter. A pair of huge pass breakups near the goal line preserved a signature win for BYU.
Signature play: In on the touchdown pass to Salido, Detmer dropped back, slipped out from between two Miami defenders who crashed into each other, rolled to his right, waited for the Hurricanes to converge and then passed to Salido. Salido had originally stayed in to block but slipped out of the backfield to make the TD catch.
What it meant: The victory marked the only time the Cougars have ever defeated the top-ranked team in the country and set Detmer on a course the would result in him winning the 1990 Heisman Trophy. Miami ended up ranked No. 3 at the end of the year.
No. 2 seed
BYU 41, Texas A&M 37 (1996)
Records and AP ranking (entering the game):?BYU 0-0 (NR), Texas A&M 0-0 (No. 13)
What happened:?The Aggies came to Provo for the Pigskin Classic with quite a bit of hype, while the Cougars were barely a blip on the national radar. Texas A&M came out strong as it took at 20-6 lead midway through the second quarter, but BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian tossed two touchdown passes to tie the game at the half. The two teams went back and forth in the second half with the Aggies edging out to a late lead on a 52-yard field goal. The Cougars went back in front on another Sarkisian TD pass, then a fumbled snap allowed BYU to secure the win.
Signature play:?With just over a minute to play, Sarkisian dropped back and fired deep to K.O. Kealaluhi down the left sideline. Kealaluhi hauled it in behind the Texas A&M defense and took it in for the 45-yard touchdown. After crossing the goal line, he slid to the ground with the ball held above him in celebration as his teammates mobbed him.
What it meant:?The win over the Aggies propelled the Cougars into the Top 25 and on their way to another phenomenal season, one in which they would win a school-record 14 games and end up as the No. 5-ranked team in the country.
Jared Lloyd's Take
Some Cougar fans believe the 1996 BYU squad was the best ever (even with its one loss). Those supporters might choose the win over Texas A&M ... but I suspect everyone else will join me in helping the Miami victory continue to steamroll into the semifinals.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? A bus carrying teenagers home from a youth camp in northern Michigan was just minutes from its destination when it came speeding off an Indianapolis interstate, struck a retaining wall and flipped on its side.
Three people were killed and dozens were injured Saturday afternoon. Now, investigators are working to determine what caused the accident on Interstate 465 after a 365-mile journey ? just a mile from the Colonial Hills Baptist Church, where the bus was headed.
At the church, parents were waiting to pick up their children after a weeklong camp filled with prayer, zip lines and basketball when a bus carrying younger campers pulled in, its passengers screaming.
Jeff Leffew, 44, of Fishers, had sent four daughters to Camp CoBeAc, near Prudenville, Mich. Only one daughter was on the bus that pulled into the parking lot, and he raced to the crash site in northern Indianapolis. What he found was a surreal scene, with clothing and other items strewn about and windows missing from the bus.
"You're just praying that it's not as bad as it looks," said Leffew, a deacon at the church.
His daughters escaped with just bumps and bruises, but others weren't as fortunate. Indianapolis fire officials said a husband and wife were dead at the scene, along with a third person whose age they didn't describe. Twenty-six people were taken to area hospitals, and one teenager remained in critical condition on Sunday.
Indianapolis Public Safety Director Troy Riggs called the crash a "great tragedy."
"They were not that far from home. ... That only adds to the tragedy," Riggs said at the crash scene. He said there was no indication that the driver had a medical emergency.
WTHR-TV reported the bus driver told witnesses his brakes failed. Indianapolis Fire Department Lt. Ato McTush said investigators had not determined whether the church-owned bus had mechanical issues.
Witnesses described a horrifying scene.
Duane Lloyd told WTHR that he heard a loud noise behind him as he was traveling near the intersection and saw the crash around 4:15 p.m. ? about the time youth pastor Chad Phelps had tweeted that the group would arrive at the church.
"I heard a skid. I looked back. I see this bus in the air and people falling out of the bus," Lloyd said. "I could have gone my whole life without seeing that."
He said people approached and tried to help.
"People were literally trying to lift the bus," Lloyd said. "You just try to do what you can do."
Sasha Sample, 28, told The Indianapolis Star some victims were lying in the road, while others were able to limp to the side.
"Everybody had boils and scrapes on them," she said. "People were trying to climb from under the bus."
Sample, a nurse, said she borrowed a belt to make a tourniquet for the bus driver's arm but wasn't able to help the man next to him, who was already dead.
"I couldn't do anything for him," Sample said. "So you triage. You help those you can."
Fire officials said 37 people were on the bus, and the injured included children and adults. Three teenagers were still at IU Health Methodist Hospital, spokeswoman Sally Winter said Sunday, including one in critical condition. Five teenagers remained at the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health; a toddler had been treated and released.
Many of the patients had head, arm and leg injuries, fire officials said.
Families of the bus passengers gathered at the church Saturday evening to comfort each other and pray.
Mayor Greg Ballard described many as "remarkably positive" despite their sorrow, but said there will be difficult days ahead.
"Some of the teenagers are hurting pretty bad and you can see that in their faces," he said.
Bob Taylor, who retired as the church's pastor four years ago, said members of the congregation would come together Sunday and take comfort in their faith.
"Our church family will meet tomorrow and pray together and sing songs together and just trust the Lord to give his grace," he said.
___
Associated Press reporter Tom Murphy contributed to this story.
It was the first time I?d seen Paul Taylor Dance Company live. It?s simply never worked with my schedule to be there. (Last year when they were performing at ADF I was watching the world?s greatest tap dancers in Chicago.) I?ve heard the company recommended as a great introduction to modern dance, especially for those who already have an appreciation for ballet. Since ballet is my first love, I circled the date for Paul Taylor Dance Company at the American Dance Festival on my calendar this year.
I could see almost as soon as the first piece started ? it was Perpetual Dawn ? that the things I?d heard about them were true. The dancers moved lifted and lengthened, like in ballet; they swept across the stage landing lightly, toes first, like in ballet; they did small and fast footwork and partnered with lifts and leaps, like in ballet. The production quality in terms of lighting and dancers? preparation and expectation also seemed on par with a major world class ballet company. I understand that Paul Taylor Dance Company is a major world class dance company in its own right, but I want to distinguish them from other modern dance companies, most of which have none of these characteristics.
Perpetual Dawn had a rustic charm with smoky pastels against earth tones and a celebratory joyousness that reminded me of the first act of Giselle or any other peasant scene in a ballet. The music from the Dresden Concerti by Johann David Heinichen, a grand harpsichord Baroque piece, contributed to the ?wind comes sweeping down the plain? peasant life feeling.
The second piece, Eventide, turns out to have been much the same, with music Suite for Viola and Orchestra and Hymn-Tune Prelude by Vaughan Williams, strings still sweeping, but with less wind. Most of the visual patterns were created using pairs of dancers, as in the first, and this one had a loose story of love and memories. The dancers were as beautiful and composed as ever, and the colors on stage were striking and vibrantly highlighted the dancers, but I began to yawn half-way through.
The final piece of the evening, Arden Court, with music from several symphonies of William Boyce, was the most energetic and modern of the program. The clean lines and flawless technique continued with the addition of more acrobatic feats and humor.
I could see why the Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the most highly respected and sought-after ensembles in the world. Everything was flawless, from the picturesque costumes and lighting, to the exacting choreography, to the dancers? technical ability to execute the demanding selections. Still, I left feeling very even and nearly unaffected. Any of the three selections would have been great as part of a more diverse program, but together, they were degrees of the same thing. I grew weary of seeing dancers in pairs, and in spite of the leaping and acrobatics, I felt a monotony I shouldn?t expect from such an energetic performance. After Perpetual Dawn I was gradually deflated by an undynamic program. I walked out impressed by remarkable production quality but not feeling particularly anxious to return.
Here are a few pictures from Arden Court. See more at Arts View NC
Paul Taylor Dance Company in Arden Court
Paul Taylor Dance Company in Arden Court
Review and pictures by Denise Cerniglia
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Tagged as: ADF. American Dance Festival, DPAC, modern dance, PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY
I?m proud to support the community here because I see on a daily basis examples of the community supporting each other.
Read More: Christopher Murphy, Digital Empire Graphic Design, rvapride
#RVA Pride is what keeps us in Richmond. #RVAPride is what we love and do in the city. #RVAPride is businesses, people, place, and things that support the LGBT community here in Richmond. #RVAPride is a campaign to help bring LGBT people to Richmond. Get in on the fun, use #RVAPride on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and help grow this city into the space we want it to be.
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Christopher Murphy is the owner and graphic artist behind Digital Empire Graphic Design. He?s the brains and hands behind a number of the graphics, visual presentations, and event posters you?ll see around town and online that help support the RVA LGBT community. Murphy spoke with GayRVA about why he has #RVAPride.
Murphy Helped design the logo for Richmond Remembers World Aids day
?
Why are you participating in this campaign?
I actually have a long history with the LGBT community here in Richmond. Both personally and professionally. I served on a couple of LGBT boards and I?ve done a lot of graphic design work for LGBT and LGBT friendly organizations and when I heard about this I was very excited to get involved.
If you were to bring an LGBT friend/family member to Richmond, why would you take them to your establishment?
I like to support LGBT businesses, so I would be happy to offer my services. That?s one reason I would take them to my establishment. And because of the history that I have with the community here. I?m very in touch with a lot of the businesses and the people here. As far as other places I would take them, I would take them to experience what I would call the best of gay Richmond. Godfreys, for example. Cary Town, I just love Cary Town so I would take them there for an afternoon. We have some really great performing arts venues here as well.
Some of the flyer work Murphy has done locally
Why are you proud to be a part of or support the LGBT community here in Richmond?
I?m proud to support the community here because I see on a daily basis examples of the community supporting each other. I want to continue to be a part of that. I see it with my friends, I see it with businesses working together. Pride over Richmond is a great example of that. I believe that you have to lead by example.
MUQDADIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide bomber blew himself up at a mourning ceremony inside a Shi'ite mosque in Iraq late on Monday, killing at least 22 people, police said.
The explosion brought down the ceiling of the mosque in the town of Muqdadiya, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of the capital Baghdad, crushing Shi'ites who were marking the death of a police officer killed in a recent roadside bombing.
Police said the death toll could rise because people remained trapped beneath the rubble.
The violence is part of a sustained campaign of militant attacks since the start of the year that has prompted warnings of wider conflict in a country where ethnic Kurds, Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims have yet to find a stable power-sharing compromise.
A separate suicide bombing in a coffee shop in a Shi'ite district of the city of Baquba, about 50 km northeast of Baghdad, brought Monday's death toll to 27.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but suicide bombings are the trademark of al Qaeda's local affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq, which security experts say has regained strength in recent months.
Insurgents have been recruiting from Iraq's Sunni minority, which resents Shi'ite domination since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Sectarian tensions have been inflamed by the civil war in neighboring Syria, which is fast spreading into a region-wide proxy war, drawing in Shi'ite and Sunni fighters from Iraq and beyond to fight on opposite sides of the conflict.
Highlighting the risks of spillover, security forces on Monday destroyed an insurgent camp near the Iraqi town of Baaj, around 30 km from the Syrian border, killing 10 gunmen who were not of Iraqi origin, police said.
Three members of the security forces also died in the clashes.
The number of people killed in militant attacks across Iraq reached 761 in June, the United Nations said on Monday, still well below the height of bloodletting in 2006-07 when monthly death tolls sometimes topped 3,000.
Iraqi military forces are now better equipped and trained, but lack the comprehensive intelligence resources and air cover capability to track insurgents that they enjoyed before U.S. troops withdrew in December 2011.
(Reporting by a Reuters reporter in Diyala and Zaid al-Sinjary in Mosul and Raheem Salman in Baghdad; Writing by Isabel Coles; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Congress has been debating how to tax managers of private equity firms for a decade. But what if they aren't being taxed the right way in the first place?
By Howard Gleckman,?Guest blogger / June 30, 2013
President Obama gestures during a speech at a food security expo on Friday, June 28, 2013, in Dakar, Senegal. Mr. Obama and other Democrats have pushed for private equity returns to be taxed at regular income rates for years, but a new paper argues that private equity managers should already tax their returns at traditional income tax rates.
Evan Vucci/AP
Enlarge
For a decade, Congress has been debating how to tax managers of private equity firms. The argument is pretty familiar to tax wonks: Should these partners treat this compensation (commonly called carried interest) as capital gains, as they do today? Or should they be taxed at the higher ordinary income rate as President Obama and others have urged?
Skip to next paragraph Howard Gleckman
Howard Gleckman is a resident fellow at The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, the author of Caring for Our Parents, and former senior correspondent in the Washington bureau of Business Week. (http://taxvox.taxpolicycenter.org)
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
But what if the predicate of the debate is wrong? What if the returns to private equity firms themselves, as well as their managers, are already ordinary income under current law? What if the IRS has been getting it wrong all these years to the great benefit of private equity funds and similar investment firms?
That?s the provocative argument my Tax Policy Center colleague Steve Rosenthal made in a paper earlier this year. Last month, Steve, who has had a long career as a tax lawyer, debated his theory with Andrew Needham, a partner at Cravath, Swain & Moore and a well-known expert in the tax treatment of these firms.
An edited version of their debate, before the American Bar Assn.?national tax section, was reprinted by our friends at Tax Notes who have kindly made it publicly available. The legal arguments get pretty technical but they come down to this:
Steve argues these firms earn their profits in the course of a trade or business (which is roughly buying underperforming or start-up companies, improving their management, and reselling them at a profit). Thus, as with any firm that develops property as part of its trade or business, their returns should be taxed as ordinary income. Sure, they invest a large amount of capital, but they should be treated just as any other firm that puts labor and capital into its business in an effort to earn a return.
By contrast, Mr. Needham argues that these firms and their managers are merely passive investors, and not operators of the companies they buy. Thus, their profits should enjoy the low-rate tax treatment of capital gains.
It is a fascinating debate with important consequences for investment firms as well as the fisc. You don?t need to be a lawyer to enjoy it.
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