Actor James Gandolfini dead at age 51

(CNN) -- James Gandolfini, best known for his role as an anxiety-ridden mob boss on HBO's "The Sopranos," died in Italy, possibly of a heart attack, an HBO spokeswoman and the actor's managers said Wednesday. He was 51.

Actor James Gandolfini dead at age 51

FBI Director Says Agency Is Using Drones Over The U.S.

"FBI hostage negotiators used surveillance drones during a standoff earlier this year with an Alabama man who had taken a boy hostage inside a makeshift underground bunker.

"Asked by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) about what privacy protections are used in deploying drones and storing the images they collect, Mr. Mueller said their use was narrowly focused on specific incidents.

" 'It's very seldom used and generally used in a particular incident when you need the capability,' said Mr. Mueller, who said he wasn't sure what becomes of the images recorded by such drones. 'It is very narrowly focused on particularized cases and particularized needs.' "

Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 incinerates the competition

Confirmed: The FBI is Spying on the US with Drones

Supreme Court Rules That Pre-Miranda Silence Can Be Used In Court

NYTimes: New Leak Indicates U.S. and Britain Eavesdropped at ’09 World Conferences

NSA admits listening to U.S. phone calls without warrants

National Security Agency discloses in secret Capitol Hill briefing that thousands of analysts can listen to domestic phone calls. That authorization appears to extend to e-mail and text messages too.

NSA admits listening to U.S. phone calls without warrants

Report: Syrian rebels executed a 14-year-old boy for insulting Islam

When a 14-year-old boy from the Syrian city of Aleppo named Mohammad Qatta was asked to bring one of his customers some coffee, he reportedly refused, saying, “Even if [Prophet] Mohammed comes back to life, I won’t.”

According to a story reported by two grassroots Syrian opposition groups, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Aleppo Media Center, Qatta’s words got him killed. A group of Islamist rebels, driving by in a black car, reportedly heard the exchange. They stopped the car, grabbed the boy and took him away.

Qatta, in refusing to serve a customer coffee – it’s not clear why – had used a phrase that the Islamist rebels took as an insult toward the Prophet Mohammed, the most important figure in Islam. That offhand comment, made by a boy, was apparently enough for these rebels to warrant a grisly execution and public warning.

Report: Syrian rebels executed a 14-year-old boy for insulting Islam

NYTimes: Obama Backs Bill to Overhaul Immigration as Debate Is Set

Chinese Cyber-Hacking Discussed At Obama-Xi Summit

A two-day summit between President Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, is being described as a "unique, positive and constructive" meeting that reportedly produced broad agreement on handling North Korea and put the thorny issue of cybersecurity at the forefront.

Newspaper Reveals Source For NSA Surveillance Stories

The Guardian newspaper has identified the source for a series of reports it's published in recent days on secret U.S. surveillance activity as a former technical assistant for the CIA who now works for a private-sector defense and technology consulting firm.

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CYBER WARS: U.S. IN DEEP

Jitu Weusi With Ancestors.  He was the founder of "The East" cultural center and the African Street Carnival in Brooklyn, New York.

The East hosted shows during the early seventies with top names in jazz.  I saw Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Pharaoh Sanders and Leon Thomas Doug and Jean Darn and numerous other jazz luminaries there.

NYTimes: Myanmar Opposition Leader Says She Wants to Be President