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In the sunshine state, we met the sofa survivor. In the worst hit part of southwest Florida, David Dean told us how he saw out Hurricane Ian. "I found myself around three or four in the afternoon, floating on a sofa with my head just above the ceiling fans, 18 inches below the ceiling. I was gasping for air." As the water rose inside David's 1970s single-storey park home, he planned for the worst - and an exit route. "From that point, it was going to be to try to get out the door and hold on to a palm...

As Vice President, Joe Biden’s performance in Iraq was worthy of his administration’s junior varsity mentality. We had found an ally that was willing to fight the terrorist of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) with us (the tribal leaders of the Anbar Awakening). Sadly, most of those freedom fighters are dead today because of the poor policy decisions and neglect of the Obama-Biden White House.

Recommendation? Need a Really Comfortable Travel Car, Think Sofa, With Wheels. Recent car history Mazda MPV 1998 back when it was a great vehicle Xterra Golf TDi Jeep Sahara Unlimited Now I need a travelin' car. I would keep the Jeep but it is too noisy. Stopped in at a Volvo dealership and tried a s60, too stiff a ride for long trips and not comfortable seats. Any recommendations for a really comfortable car? Just for me and perhaps one other passenger and our luggage? I am thinking of a 2015 or 2016. All wheel drive would be nice. A...

We may already have our strangest and most amusing story to come out of the Rio Olympic games. Paul Kelso, a journalist for Sky Sports in the UK, reported on Friday that an Olympic kayaker had capsized after hitting a submerged couch.

The sofa shark had never been found in Scottish waters before - Scottish Shark Tagging Programme ====================================================================================================================== A species of shark that looks like a massive blobfish has been discovered off the coast of Scotland for the first time. The false catfish (also known as a sofa shark) was found by scientists conducting a deep sea survey with Marine Scotland. Pseudotrakias microdon live at depths of between 500m and 1,400m. For this reason, they are rarely encountered but have been caught in locations around the world, including the western Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. They normally swim close to the...

No link now, they are just announcing it now.

Robot Couch Can Drive You to the Fridge and Back With a Raspberry Pi and USB gamepad controller letting you run riot on your sofa, this student project is couched in innovation. Sometimes, getting up off the couch to grab a drink is far too time consuming. What if you could drive the couch to the fridge instead? Well, your dreams of an automated couch have come true. Nine engineering students at the University of New South Wales in Australia have designed a robotic couch that can be controlled using a standard USB gamepad. Featuring a custom-built steel chassis with...

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary June 11, 2014 Statement by the Press Secretary on Iraq The United States strongly condemns the recent attacks in Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). We offer our condolences to the families of those killed and underscore our commitment to assist the Iraqi people as they confront the threat that ISIL poses to Iraq and the region. ISIL’s recent actions in Mosul and surrounding areas demonstrate once again that these extremists seek nothing but death and destruction. The United States will stand with Iraqi leaders across the...

The US Government hit out on Friday at a highly-critical report in a German newspaper claiming the country had become the “headquarters” for America’s “secret wars”. The Süddeutsche newspaper published an investigation in its Friday edition into America’s foreign policy and wars being conducted from German soil. It claimed: “The U.S. knows no limits. And Germany looks on—even asking where it can help.” But on Friday afternoon, the US Embassy’s press department in Berlin took the unusual step of sending out a statement attacking the “outrageous” claims. It described the story as “full of half-truths, speculation, and innuendo”. …

After a first debate in which he looked sluggish, and a second in which he appeared almost manic, President Obama seemed finally to find a happy medium in the third debate. Unfortunately, despite his improved tone, much of what the president had to say was, once again:

Earlier this week, Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund Inc., a group of former U.S. intelligence and Special Forces personnel, launched a campaign criticizing President Barack Obama for unfairly taking credit for killing Osama bin Laden and leaking national security information for political gain. This is the second high-profile attack on the president from ex-elite military operatives. Last month, Ryan Zinke, a Montana State Senator and former commander of Navy SEAL Team Six, started a super PAC, Special Operations for America, which is dedicated to supporting Mitt Romney and hitting President Obama on leaks and on politicizing Bin Laden’s death. According...

It sounds like a plot out of an espionage thriller: An elite group of special-forces soldiers goes rogue, vowing to stop a politically ambitious president. In reality, a group of former special-operations warriors in fact has precisely that goal in mind. And to accomplish their aim, they have created their own super PAC. Ryan Zinke, a former Navy SEAL Commander and Republican state senator from Montana, has announced the formation of a new Special Operations for America PAC. He told Newsmax in an exclusive interview that the PAC is dedicated to supporting a strong military, and hopes to give the...

GOP New Hampshire primary debate tonight on ABC at 9pm ET By Nate, on January 7th, 2012 Tonight will mark the first of two debates this weekend focused on the New Hampshire Republican primary. This evening's debate will take place at Saint Anselm College and is sponsored by ABC News, Yahoo! and WMUR. Sunday morning will feature a GOP debate broadcast on NBC at 9am ET (yes, am) but look for more details on that later today. Air Time: Saturday, January 7th at 9pm ET / 6pm PT on ABC Live Stream: WMUR and Yahoo! News Participants: Santorum, Romney, Paul,...

As the U.S. military continues its slow withdrawal from Iraq, the Iraqi people face a decision that might force those efforts into overdrive. A referendum scheduled for July 30 would give Iraqis the chance to vote for or against the Iraqi-U.S. security agreement that calls for all American troops to leave Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011. If the referendum goes ahead as scheduled and Iraqi voters reject the agreement — a likely outcome, observers say — the United States would be obliged to pull out troops one year after the vote, or nearly 1½ years before the deadline set by...

BAGHDAD — The governor of Baghdad, the provincial chairman, and U.S. military and civilian leaders signed an Infrastructure and Services Projects Memorandum of Understanding here, Jan. 14. The MOU establishes and outlines project development, execution and turn over procedures for U.S.-funded projects in and around Baghdad. The memorandum was signed by Mueen Al-Kadhimi, Baghdad provincial chairman who presided over the ceremony; Hussein Al-Tahan, governor of Baghdad; Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, commanding general of Multi-National Division – Baghdad and the 4th Infantry Division; Maj. Gen. Michael Eyre, commander of Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Rear Adm. Kathleen Dussault,...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2008 – The new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers Nov. 27 was ratified by Iraq’s Presidency Council today, senior U.S. officials said. The two-part security pact consists of a strategic framework agreement that establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral relationship between the United States and Iraq, as well as a status-of-forces agreement that stipulates how U.S. forces are affected by Iraqi laws. Both agreements will take effect Jan. 1, following the exchange of diplomatic notes. The agreements replace a United Nations mandate authorizing the U.S. military presence in Iraq that’s slated...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2008 – Iraqis in Karbala and Babil provinces welcomed the Nov. 27 passing of the U.S.-Iraq status-of-forces agreement, recognizing the important role the United States plays in Iraqi security and governance, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said today. “[The Iraqis] are generally optimistic. … [The agreement] is a big deal, a historic event,” Army Col. Tom James, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, said from Iraq during a video news conference with Pentagon reporters. James said he and his unit have been anticipating the agreement for months, slowly reducing...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2008 – President George W. Bush and other senior U.S. officials hailed the new U.S.-Iraq security pact that was approved by Iraqi lawmakers in Baghdad yesterday. The two-part security pact consists of a strategic framework agreement that establishes the foundation of a long-term bilateral relationship between the United States and Iraq, as well as a status-of-forces agreement that stipulates how U.S. forces are affected by Iraqi laws. A majority vote of Iraqi legislators in attendance approved the new security agreement. The passage of the pact "affirms the growth of Iraq's democracy" as well as its "increasing ability to...

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - President George W. Bush on Thursday hailed the Iraqi Parliament's approval of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). The agreement, which is expected to be ratified by Iraq's presidential council, will require U.S. combat troops to leave in 2009 and all American troops by the end of 2011. "Today's vote affirms the growth of Iraq's democracy and increasing ability to secure itself. We look forward to a swift approval by Iraq's Presidency Council," Bush said in a statement. "Two years ago, this day seemed unlikely - but the success of the surge and the courage of...