Union General George Thomas is born in Virginia

On this day, Union General George H. Thomas, who deserves a share of the credit for the Union success in the west, is born in Southhampton County, Virginia. Thomas exemplified the difficulties that individuals who chose to break with their native states over the issue of secession faced.

After graduating from West Point, Thomas served in the Seminole and Mexican-American Wars. During the 1850s, he served in Texas with the 2nd Cavalry alongside many prominent future Confederates such as Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, Albert S. Johnston, and John Bell Hood. When Virginia seceded from the Union in April 1861, Thomas chose to remain loyal to his country. For this decision, Thomas paid dearly. His family disowned him, and he found advancement in the Union army difficult. He often served under Northern-born men of lesser ability.

Thomas was given command of Union forces in eastern Kentucky, and he distinguished himself with a key victory over the Confederates at Logan's Cross Roads in January 1862. After the Battle of Shiloh two months later, Thomas was given command of the Army of the Tennessee when Ulysses S. Grant became the second-in-command in the west to Henry Halleck. This command was given back to Grant during reorganization in 1862.

Thomas commanded a corps at Stones River and became a Northern hero for his actions at Chickamauga in September 1863. When a gap appeared in the Union line at a crucial moment and Confederate troops began to pour through it, Thomas led a rally that saved the Federals from a serious defeat. He held the Union line together while the rest of the army, commanded by William Rosecrans, slipped back into Chattanooga.

In 1864, Thomas commanded the Army of the Cumberland during William T. Sherman's Atlanta campaign. After the capture of Atlanta, Thomas's army was sent to pursue the remnants of Confederate General John Bell Hood's army back into Tennessee while Sherman marched across Georgia. Thomas scored two huge victories at Franklin and Nashville as Hood desperately flung his army at the Yankees, resulting in the near disintegration of the once great Rebel force.

After the war, Thomas remained in the army. He was transferred to the Military Division of the Pacific, and he died of a stroke in 1870.

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Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-h-thomas-is-born-in-virginia

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/electronics/~3/w8aQPeXcKS0/130731133210.htm

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South Africa makes only $300K off African Cup of Nations, way off World Cup success

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JOHANNESBURG ? South African organizers made a slim profit of $366,000 from the African Cup of Nations in January and February, way behind the huge commercial success of the country's historic 2010 World Cup.

Delivering the final report and financial results for the African Cup, the local organizing committee said late Monday that it also had exceeded its own expectations on the three-week tournament by about $305,000 having initially expected to make just $60,000.

The report "clearly depicts a positive financial position for the tournament," LOC chairman Mwelo Nonkonyana said.

More than anything, it underlined the massive gap between Africa's top tournament and the money-spinning World Cup, and showed how far the Cup of Nations lags behind in commercializing its product.

The African Cup was never expected to rival the success of the World Cup, but the large gap between the two was significant.

South African football was left with about $80 million from FIFA to develop its grassroots game following the hosting of the 2010 World Cup. That figure also did not include the money local organizers made off ticket sales. FIFA generated revenue of $3.655 billion from the 2010 World Cup and made a profit of nearly $2.5 billion, the world body said in its financial report for that year.

The Confederation of African Football hasn't made public its earnings from its biennial showpiece, but it projected in January revenue of just $10 million from the latest African Cup.

African football tournaments struggle with the continent's economic factors, where fans are generally poorer and with far less disposable income. Some of Africa's lesser-known teams also have little appeal for global audiences.

The LOC said the total attendance for the 32-game tournament was just over 750,000 with an average attendance of about 23,000 per game, less than half the average attendance of the World Cup. However, it was an improvement on the last African Cup.

South Africa also conceded that it had a very small budget to promote its African Cup.

"With AFCON (the African Cup of Nations) ... nobody knew what was happening until the last moment," South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula said.

Nigeria won the African Cup in South Africa for its third title, beating little-known Burkina Faso in the final at Johannesburg's Soccer City.

South Africa also will host the African Nations Championship, a tournament for Africa-based players, next year.

Source: http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/496273d5bb204919bb650be0cddec0d7/SOC--African-Cup-Slim-Profit/

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Fuel Fix ? Direct Energy is buying Hess unit for $731 million

Posted on July 30, 2013 at 8:43 am by Laura Goldberg in Electricity, General, Natural gas

Direct Energy Resources, a North American subsidiary of ?Centrica that is based in Houston, will buy the marketing business of Hess Corp. for $731 million in cash.

The energy marketing business, which is based in New Jersey, is one of the largest business-to-business energy suppliers in the Eastern U.S. and operates in 18 states. The business has an extensive portfolio of of natural gas and power contracts.?In 2012, the Hess energy marketing business supplied 378 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas and 28 terawatt hours (TWh) of power to over 23,000 customers.

Badar Khan, President and CEO of Direct Energy, said in statement: ?This transaction will transform our B2B operations in North America, giving us leading positions in business gas and power supply and creating a unique dual fuel business in the US.? It marks a significant step towards delivering on our strategy ? substantially increasing the scale of our North American downstream business and integrating along the gas value chain ? with the aim of doubling the profitability of our North American downstream business over the next 3-5 years.?

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Source: http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/07/30/direct-energy-is-buying-hess-unit-for-731-million/

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Israeli-Palestinian aim: A peace deal in 9 months

From left, Secretary of State John Kerry, Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat leave the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2013, after a meeting with President Obama. President Barack Obama on Tuesday delicately waded into the first round of Middle East peace talks in years, meeting privately at the White House with lead negotiators for the Israeli and Palestinian delegations. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

From left, Secretary of State John Kerry, Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat leave the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2013, after a meeting with President Obama. President Barack Obama on Tuesday delicately waded into the first round of Middle East peace talks in years, meeting privately at the White House with lead negotiators for the Israeli and Palestinian delegations. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Secretary of State John Kerry stands between Israel's Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni, right, and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, as they shake hands after the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Israel's Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni, left, looks towards Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat during statements to reporters after their meeting together with Secretary of State John Kerry on the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Secretary of State John Kerry stands with Israel's Justice Minister and chief negotiator Tzipi Livni, right, and Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, after the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

A Palestinian woman holds a poster of Ahmed Saadat, a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, imprisoned by Israeli during a protest in the town of Nablus in the West Bank on Tuesday, July 30, 2013. PFLP supporters protested against the resumption of of the peace talks with Israel. Arabic on the poster reads, "wherever I am, we will always continue to be against Zionism, prisoner and friend Ahmed Saadat."(AP Photo/Nasser Ishtayeh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Pressing ahead in a new U.S.-backed push for Middle East peace, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators agreed Tuesday to meet again within two weeks to start substantive talks in hopes of reaching a long-elusive settlement within nine months.

Speaking after the two sides wrapped up an initial two days of talks at the State Department and visited President Barack Obama at the White House, Secretary of State John Kerry said Israel and the Palestinians were committed to sustained and serious negotiations on the "core issues" that divide them. The next round will take place in either Israel or the Palestinian territories before mid-August, he said.

Kerry said he was aware of the deep doubts surrounding the new peace effort and acknowledged that the road would be difficult. Yet, he said, "While I understand the skepticism, I don't share it. And I don't think we have time for it."

All issues, including contentious disputes over the status of the territories and Jerusalem, are "on the table for negotiation, and they are on the table with one simple goal: a view to ending the conflict," Kerry said.

The U.S. had already said the negotiations would continue for at least nine months ? roughly until the end of April 2014 ? but that had not been set as a timeframe for reaching a deal. Kerry and both sides agreed that neither would walk away from the talks or take actions that could disrupt them for that period, two senior U.S. officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss diplomatic talks.

However, the officials also said they expect that the Israelis, over U.S. objections, will continue constructing housing for Jewish settlers on land claimed by the Palestinians over the course of the negotiations, an indication the Palestinians are serious about dropping their longstanding demand for a settlement freeze before returning to talks. The officials said the U.S. believes the Palestinians also will not attempt to win further international recognition as a state until a peace deal is completed, an effort that one official likened to a potential "train wreck."

Kerry said that Israel, which agreed on Sunday to release more than 100 Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture, would also take unspecified steps in the coming days to ease harsh living conditions in the West Bank and Gaza. The two senior officials said those measures complement a $4 billion private sector economic program that Kerry is trying put in place to assist the Palestinians.

After Tuesday's conclusion of preliminary talks, Kerry said, "I firmly believe the leaders, the negotiators and citizens invested in this effort can make peace for one simple reason: because they must." He said, "A viable two-state solution is the only way this conflict can end. And there is not much time to achieve it."

Kerry said the negotiations, to be mediated on a day-to-day basis by his new Mideast peace envoy, Martin Indyk, would be cloaked in secrecy and that the parties had agreed that he would be the only person to comment on them. He quickly added that he would not comment on them now, leaving unclear the framework for the talks that he struggled for six months to get back on track.

Despite the secrecy, the broad outlines of an agreement are well known: The Palestinians want a state based on the borders, with agreed land swaps, that existed before the 1967 war in which Israel seized east Jerusalem and occupied the West Bank and Gaza. Israel wants security assurances and a recognition that it is and will remain a Jewish state.

Obama laid out those parameters as U.S. policy for any negotiations in a May 2011 speech, but neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians have publicly signed off on them. The two senior U.S. officials would not say if either side had even tacitly agreed to proceed on that basis.

The main issues on the table for negotiation include security, borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees and water, all of which have been responsible for cratering multiple U.S.-brokered peace efforts over the past two decades.

Earlier Tuesday, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden met with the lead negotiators ? Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat ? for about 30 minutes. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Obama called the meeting to "directly express his personal support for final status negotiations." Obama pledged full U.S. support to the process, Carney said.

At the State Department ceremony later, Kerry was flanked by Livni and Erekat ? who each spoke briefly about the need to resolve the longstanding conflict.

"It's time for the Palestinian people to have an independent sovereign state of their own," said Erekat. "It's time for the Palestinians to live in peace, freedom and dignity within their own independent, sovereign state."

Livni allowed that she and Erekat had been involved in failed negotiations before, notably the Annapolis Process that President George W. Bush initiated in 2008, but she said this time could be different.

"You know, Saeb," she said to Erekat, "we all spent some time in the negotiations room ... but we didn't complete our mission. And this is something that we need to do now, in these negotiations that we will launch today. And the opportunity has been created for us, for all of us, and we cannot afford to waste it."

"I believe that history is not made by cynics; it is made by realists who are not afraid to dream," Livni added. "Let us be these people."

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AP White House Correspondent Julie Pace contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-07-30-US-US-Mideast-Talks/id-be41e944258a428694fadc0ffba83259

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