And I recounted my meetings on Saturday in Germany with President al-Khatib, as well as a long meeting I had with the U.N.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

Chinese officials have said their mission would last as long as is necessary and in accordance with U.N.

CNN: China warships set sail on anti-pirate mission

Austin has operations by Freescale Semiconductor, which has a long track record with General Motors and ActaCell, started as a spinoff from U-T, which is developing the next generation of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

FORBES: Why Austin, Texas Wants to Be An Autos City (Yes, Austin)

Now, the Lebanese government's making a fresh move to secure peace -an offer to dispatch 15, 000 army troops to South Lebanon, along with U.N. sponsored forces, so long as Israeli forces withdraw.

NPR: Lebanon Hosts U.S. Diplomat for Conflict Talks

These are genuine long-term issues, as the U.S. government will have to deal soon with fiscal problems that have been festering for decades.

FORBES: The Fiscal Cliff Diversion Has Nothing To Do With Tax Policy

Beyond the opponents, surprises always come up south of the border for the U.S. This day it was a field with grass as long as the first cut on a golf course, which made hitting crisp passes across the ground difficult.

WSJ: U.S. Soccer: Americans Hexed in Cup Qualifier

"We've found that in the U.S., gasoline demand is inveresly correlated with employment, so as long as unemployment remains high, we are going to be looking at China, India, Brazil as the key economies in terms of global demand, " says Morris.

FORBES: Magazine Article

By calling your U.S. Skype number they can reach you as with any other phone so long as you have an active Internet connection.

FORBES: Is The iPad Better Than A Cell Phone For Global Roaming?