Video: President Obama: "We have to move forward" (cbsnews)

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Panetta: Effects of misconduct threaten war effort

By Jeff Black, msnbc.com

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta on Friday said America is succeeding in Afghanistan, but warned that enemies are looking for new ways to inflict damage.

"In particular, they have sought to take advantage of a series of troubling incidents involving misconduct on the part of American troops," he said in a speech at Fort Benning, Georgia. "These days, it takes only seconds for one picture to suddenly become an international headline."

Panetta addressed about 1,300 soldiers from the 3rd Infrantry Division's 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

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Relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan have been strained by several recent incidents, specifically?the?burning of Muslim holy books at a U.S. base?and the?massacre of 17 civilians, including children, allegedly by Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, awaiting trial in the killings.?In addition,?American troops have been videotaped?urinating on the bodies of Afghan militants and shown in photographs posing with the body parts of dead insurgents.

"I know these incidents represent a very, very small percentage of the great work that our men and women do every day across the world," Panetta said, "but these incidents concern me ??and all of the Service Chiefs ??because they show a lack of judgment, a lack of professionalism, and a lack of leadership on the part of some of our men and women in uniform."

?While these are seemingly isolated events by a few bad apples,? Michael Smith, a professor of communications at La Salle University in Pennsylvania told msnbc.com, ?they may come to symbolize America to the Afghan population. If this becomes the case, our mission is doomed and the lives of our troops at greater risk.?

Earlier this week, President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, where he signed an agreement?that spells out a winding down of the war as well as a longtime commitment to staying there.

The Strategic Partnership Agreement, which was nearly two years in the making, was described by the President as a historic moment for Afghanistan and the U.S. NBC's Atia Abawi reports.

Though no specifics on the number of troops who will remain in an advisory capacity, perhaps for a decade, were announced, the agreement pledges support after 88,000 combat forces leave Afghanistan in 2014 after what will be 13 years of war.

Related: Troops returning home to strained veterans-affairs system

In the meantime, the United States has said it is committed to stabilizing the Afghan government in the face of a messy insurgency from the Taliban, which hours after Obama?s visit?launched a suicide car bomb attack that killed seven people?in an a compound housing hundreds of westerners.?

Related: Extreme war stresses to blame in Marine urination video?

According to Anthony H. Cordesman?of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and a former Defense Department intelligence assessment director, concerted communications campaigns to build up the images of American troops and the war effort started at the beginning of the Afghan conflict. The campaigns got a whole new emphasis in 2009 when a leaked report by U.S. and NATO commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal bluntly stated that without more forces and a new counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, failure was likely. The report also said the Afghan government was riddled with corruption.

?Similarly, there has been a consistent effort to provide sensitivity and cultural training to U.S. troops, trying to make them aware trying to make them aware how Afghans see the world and Afghan values,? Cordesman said.

In insurgency campaigns???in Afghanistan?s case the Taliban trying to wrest control from the NATO-backed Afghan government???how civilians perceive each side in a conflict is key to cooperation during the war as well as stability afterward, Cordesman pointed out.

Two Americans have been killed following days of protesting over the recent burning of the Quran at a NATO military base. NBC's Atia Abawi reports.

?The history, almost regardless of who does this," he said, "is that very often you get the cultural values wrong. You can?t communicate as well as a movement that is local.?

Speaking to the troops is useful, Cordesman said, but it is not a way of having a large impact on what the Afghans think about Americans in the short run. The Quran burning was a particularly egregious episode culturally ??it sparked weeks of violent protests???while urinating on bodies and posing with photographs could be viewed as an act of revenge, which Afghans understand, Cordesman said.

While such incidents are damaging, in the end it will be support for the Afghan government that will allow the United States to claim victory in Afghanistan, Cordesman said.

?It?s not support for us that counts,? he said. ?It?s support for them that makes transition to any kind of strategic victory possible.?

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Nintendo patent application lends a look at Wii U's core technology, add-ons too

Little did we know that, just two months after we were trying the Wii U for ourselves, Nintendo was busy patenting nearly everything its unique game console would have to offer. A pair of just-published US Patent Office applications filed last August get into the nuts and bolts of how the controller and the legacy Wii remote will play with the new device. It's clear that the patent work had started before Nintendo had redesigned the main system -- the box at the center of the patents looks like the existing Wii -- but it does show the nitty-gritty of things we only saw at last year's Nintendo E3 keynote, such as the gun attachment or playing golf with a combination of the Wii U controller and the traditional Wiimote. Nintendo also gave itself some wiggle room on the controller's screen size: although the LCD is officially 6.2 inches across, the patent allows that it might be "5 inches or larger." We're wondering how much of the overall look and technology will survive through to the finished Wii U design's unveiling at this year's E3. For now, though, you can explore the patents yourself at the links below.

Nintendo patent application lends a look at Wii U's core technology, add-ons too originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 00:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Francis Lawrence's 'Catching Fire' To-Do List

As a new helmer takes over 'The Hunger Games,' Hobnobbing examines the challenges (and opportunities) that lie ahead.
By Amy Wilkinson

Francis Lawrence
Photo: Ian Gavan/ Getty Images

The reaping has concluded, with Francis Lawrence officially named victor in the contest to direct "Catching Fire," according to a release from Lionsgate.

It's been a fraught few weeks for fans following director Gary Ross' announcement that he would not helm the series' second installment. Numerous directors were reportedly in contention for the coveted position, including Alfonso Cuarón, David Cronenberg, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Bennett Miller. Lionsgate and producer Nina Jacobson ultimately singled out Lawrence, who most recently shepherded "Water for Elephants" from the page to the screen.

"From the very beginning of this brilliant trilogy's journey from page to screen, our first priority has been to stay true to the heart and soul of Suzanne Collins' powerful stories. From my first conversation with Francis, I knew he would make a great partner for both me and Suzanne," producer Nina Jacobson said in a statement. "His passion for 'Catching Fire' and inspired ideas for a faithful adaptation make him the perfect director for this movie. I know this will be a wonderful collaboration and I cannot wait to get started."

With a November 23, 2013, release date looming, Lawrence has a lot to accomplish within the next 18 months. From currying favor among Panem's faithful to casting a cabal of characters, let's examine the opportunities and challenges that await the director:

Fan Following
Say what you will about Ross' vision for and execution of the first installment of Suzanne Collins' series, but the director won over fickle fans before a single frame ever rolled by, positioning himself as an acolyte first and director second. Lawrence is already off to a winning start, posting a special message for fans on Facebook:

Hello fellow Hunger Games fans! I just want you all to know how unbelievably excited and honored I am to be a part of Catching Fire. At the end of the day, all of the work that I put in to my movies is for you -- the fans. Make sure to post and let me know what you're most excited to see in this adaptation as we aim to make something truly faithful and spectacular!

Lawrence can continue building consensus by giving fans further insight into his vision. How about sharing a sneak peek of concept art? Or, as filming progresses, taking a page out of "Breaking Dawn" director Bill Condon's playbook and sharing on-set images early? Involving fans during the film's infancy will keep fans eager and engaged.

Study Sequels
There are few more feared curses than the sophomore slump. Propelling an established narrative forward in an engaging and meaningful manner can sometimes be tricky, but it's an art that directors like Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight") have mastered. Better yet, Lawrence would be wise to look at franchises helmed by multiple directors (hello, "Harry Potter") to strategize a smooth transition.

Find Finnick (and Johanna and ... )
Lawrence's first high-profile decision as director will likely be casting the new players introduced during the Quarter Quell. Tributes Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason are of special interest to fans, with casting speculation running rampant. (Unsurprisingly, we have a few suggestions for the hunk and the hottie too.) The caliber of actors Lawrence lines up will say plenty about the sort of sequel he plans to direct. In other words: Make it good, Francis!

Stronger CGI
If there was a chief complaint among fans regarding Ross' work on "The Hunger Games," it was that the Girl on Fire effects were largely lackluster. Lawrence has the opportunity to improve here, and with a brand-new, intricately designed arena, the helmer can create his own vision of the Games that's not reliant upon the precedent set by Ross.

Phone Famous Friends
T. Bone Burnett is one of the best scorers in the biz, and his sensibility helped set the dire tone of the dystopian drama, so we hope he'll sign back up for the sequel. But, as is often the case, director shakeups can lead to staffing shakeups, so if Burnett is no longer game, Lawrence should take advantage of his musically inclined mates from his days as a video director. Aren't you at least a tiny bit curious what a Lady Gaga-produced "Catching Fire" score would sound like?

What do you think should be on Francis Lawrence's to-do list? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!

Earlier 'Hunger Games' columns
+ 'Fifty Shades Of Grey': What's In It For 'Hunger Games' Fans?
+ 'Catching Fire': Five Reasons To Be Stoked
+ 'Catching Fire' Director: Who Could Carry The Torch?
+ 'Hunger Games' Postmortem: Five Lessons For 'Catching Fire'

Check out everything we've got on "Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Siri six months later: Community report card

Siri, the iPhone 4S' flagship feature has been on the market now for 6 months. On one hand, Siri is absolutely amazing -- the first real virtual personal assistant with a personality right out of Pixar. On the other hand, Siri is obviously still in beta and often fails or works just enough to frustrate more than any outright failure. That makes it an odd choice for a flagship feature, but given the lack of a physical redesign and the obvious potential for awesome demos, rightly or wrongly, Siri was what Apple had to work with. But does it work for us?

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Live from the 2012 BlackBerry World keynote with Thorsten Heins!

It's the moment many of the BlackBerry faithful (and plenty of other curious tech enthusiasts, for that matter) have been waiting for: the BlackBerry World 2012 general session, with fresh CEO Thorsten Heins taking charge. Will we finally hear more about this QNX-based BlackBerry 10 we've been so anxious to see? Is he going to whip out a mysterious new device out of his front pocket? We're here at the Marriott World Center to bring the news to you as it happens, so keep your eyes peeled down below!

May 1, 2012 9:00 AM EDT

Live from the 2012 BlackBerry World keynote with Thorsten Heins! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 08:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wolfram Alpha Launches Its First Desktop App

Wolfram Alpha, the "computational knowledge engine," just launched a desktop app for Windows 7 PCs through Intel's AppUp store. After launching numerous iOS and Android apps (including for the B&N Nook and Amazon's Kindle Fire), this is the first time Wolfram Alpha is introducing a dedicated desktop app for its service. The application costs $2.99 and is only available through Intel's store.

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