Liberty Newspost Dec-27-2011

Curated News Edition
- 27/12/11
http://www.LibertyNewspost.com
Al-Qaeda in Iraq says it was behind Baghdad blasts

(USATODAY.com News)
several years ago. The claim of responsibility made Submitted at 12/27/2011 6:43:42 AM no mention of the U.S. BAGHDAD (AP) An al-Qaeda withdrawal. Instead, it focused its front group in Iraq has claimed rage on the country's Shiiteresponsibility for the wave of dominated leadership, which attacks that ripped through Sunni insurgents have battled markets, cafes and government since it came to power as a result buildings in Baghdad on a single of the U.S.-led invasion that day last week, killing 69 people toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. and raising new worries about the "The series of special invasions country's path. (was) launched to support the By Karim Kadim, AP weak Sunnis in the prisons of the Iraqi security forces and residents apostates and to retaliate for the gather at the scene of a car bomb captives who were executed," said attack Thursday in Baghdad. the statement in the name of the The coordinated attacks struck a Islamic State of Iraq. dozen mostly Shiite According to the SITE neighborhoods on Thursday in the Intelligence Group, a U.S.-based first major bloodshed since U.S. organization that monitors jihadist t r o o p s c o m p l e t e d a f u l l Web traffic, the claim of withdrawal this month after nearly responsibility was posted late nine years of war. They also Monday on militant websites. coincided with a government The group said the attacks were crisis that has again strained ties proof that they "know where and between Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites w h e n t o s t r i k e a n d t h e to the breaking point, tearing at mujahedeen will never stand with the same fault line that nearly t h e i r h a n d s t i e d w h i l e t h e pushed Iraq into all-out civil war pernicious Iranian project shows
its ugly face." The remark was in reference to accusations by Sunni militants that Iraq's Shiite-dominated government has allied itself too closely with neighboring Shiite power Iran, a bitter enemy of Iraq under the regime of Saddam Hussein. The Baghdad military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Qassim alMoussawi, said al-Qaeda in Iraq no longer focused on fighting U.S. forces is hoping to take advantage of the current political tension to re-ignite sectarian warfare. "It has become a clear scheme to draw Iraq into a sectarian war again," al-Moussawi said. " AlQaeda in Iraq played a major role in 2005 and 2006 in pushing the county into a civil war and they succeeded." On Tuesday morning, a car bomb exploded near a police station in the town of Hawija, 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Baghdad, killing two civilians and
injuring another, said Kirkuk police commander Brig. Gen. Sarhad Qadir. U.S. and some Iraqi officials have warned of a resurgence of Sunni and Shiite militants and an increase in violence after the U.S. troop withdrawal. Along with the security challenge, Iraq is facing an increase in political tension as Iraq's Shiite prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, is engaged in a showdown with the top Sunni political leader in the country. Al-Maliki's government has issued an arrest warrant for Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi on charges that he ran hit squads against government officials. Al-Hashemi has denied the charges and said they are politically motivated. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For more information about reprints &
permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. USA TODAY is now using Facebook Comments on our stories and blog posts to provide an enhanced user experience. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then "Add" your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find out more, read the FAQ and Conversation Guidelines. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Headline/
Campaign 2012: A political version of 'American Idol'?

(USATODAY.com News)
has shaped the first caucuses and primaries. And a string of 13 nationally DES MOINES From cafe to t e l e v i s e d d e b a t e s h a s s e n t courthouse square, a half-dozen candidates soaring and crashing, presidential candidates are slated regardless of how often they've to start crisscrossing Iowa on visited Iowa. Tuesday in a final burst of the The debates, coupled with the retail campaigning traditional in way cable TV and the Internet the state that will host the opening have amplified the distribution of presidential caucuses next week. information, have scrambled the By Scott Olson, Getty Images race, fueled an unprecedented R e p u b l i c a n p r e s i d e n t i a l volatility and altered the attributes candidates, left to right, Rick on which candidates are judged. A Santorum, Rick Perry, Mitt political unknown with a catchy Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron slogan like former pizza executive Paul, Michele Bachmann and Jon Herman Cain can lead the field, Huntsman. while the prospects of the nation's senior governor, Rick Perry of By Scott Olson, Getty Images Texas, can be undone by an R e p u b l i c a n p r e s i d e n t i a l "oops!" moment on stage. candidates, left to right, Rick One veteran Republican activist Santorum, Rick Perry, Mitt calls it a political version of Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron American Idol. "I really believe Paul, Michele Bachmann and Jon this country has gotten very used Huntsman. to multiperson talent competitions But the past year leading up to that play out on a weekly basis on this moment has been anything television," says Tom Rath, a but traditional. former attorney general in New Instead of early contests in Iowa, Hampshire who is advising N e w H a m p s h i r e a n d S o u t h former Massachusetts governor Carolina shaping the national Mitt Romney. "It's not Idol, but conversation and enabling a it's not unlike Idol. Look at the little-known candidate such as debates: The sets are getting Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976 glitzier and glitzier. And look at or Republican Mike Huckabee in the ratings they've been getting: 2008 to quietly cultivate a state People are paying attention." and then burst on the scene this The Dec. 10 debate in Des time, the national conversation Moines, on ABC, drew 7.6
Submitted at 12/27/2011 5:59:25 AM
hasn't turned out to be the smart starting point for a campaign. Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, who spent much of his campaign time on the Iowa circuit, was the first major contender to drop his bid after he seemed to be getting nowhere. Cain and former House speaker million people, the most of any Newt Gingrich rushed to organize only after they had risen to the top this year. Investing time in Iowa of national and statewide surveys. including the long slog for The role of Iowa as a testing bragging rights that you've visited ground where candidates over an all 99 counties? Only former extended period of time make P e n n s y l v a n i a s e n a t o r R i c k their case in living rooms and at Santorum bothered to do so Rotary Club luncheons hasn't before the campaign's closing shaped the contest this time. days, and after 97 days and "We like to get up close and counting in the state, he's still personal and take a look at the struggling to rise from the bottom candidates not just one or two of the pack. Investing money times but half-a-dozen times," here, for TV ads and staff? Forces says Jeffrey Jorgensen, GOP supporting Perry have been c h a i r m a n o f P o t t a w a t t a m i e among the biggest spenders, and County in western Iowa. He had endorsed Cain, who has he trails the leaders. To be sure, person-to-person suspended his campaign, and is campaigning and precinct-by- n o w c o n s i d e r i n g w h o m t o precinct organizing still matters. support. "We want to speak to The Iowa networks that Texas them, and we want to ask them Rep. Ron Paul and Romney questions. We want to personally forged in their presidential interview them for the job, campaigns four years ago count as basically "but it hasn't quite major assets now. They could worked out this year." prove crucial in a contest that Oversized expectations The volatility in Iowa and requires voters to bundle up on a January evening and attend a nationwide seven candidates or meeting to support a candidate. potential candidates have led the This year, however, that strategy GOP field in the national Gallup
Poll this year reflects divisions within the Republican Party. "It's a year when no candidate is able to fulfill the expectations of the Republicans," says Steffen Schmidt, an Iowa State University political scientist who has watched politics in the state for four decades. "You can't be a faith -based Christian social conservative and at the same time also have a nuanced position on how to run for the general election as well as have good credentials to deal with jobs and the economy." The conservative, anti--biggovernment Tea Party movement now provides the most energy in the GOP, but in the latest nationwide USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, nearly four in 10 Republicans identified themselves as moderates or liberals. The Republican Party's libertarian strain has provided a solid core of support for Texas Rep. Ron Paul. In Iowa, social conservatives and evangelical Christians who focus on such issues as abortion and same-sex marriage are particularly influential. No wonder that several candidates have faded under scrutiny, Schmidt says. Expectations are oversized at a time many Republicans fear that CAMPAIGN page 3
Technology/ Policy/
CAMPAIGN
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failure to deny President Obama a second term would be catastrophic for the country. In the USA TODAY poll, taken Dec. 15-18, seven in 10 Republicans said they were "afraid" of what will happen if their presidential candidate doesn't win. Six in 10 called the stakes higher than in previous elections. "Most Americans think the country is going in the wrong direction and they think Obama has led the country in the wrong direction," Terry Branstad, Iowa's five-term governor, said in an interview. He decried federal bailouts, stimulus spending and the health care overhaul. "We don't want to go the way of Europe. People are looking for a new direction." Branstad says he has never seen a race like this one, with and most voters open to changing their minds even in the campaign's closing days. "People are looking for the perfect candidate," he says. "Somebody does well in the debate and they say, 'Oh, this is the one.' And whoever gets the lead has a barrage of negative advertising and attacks on them, and then they take another look." One factor contributing to the volatility has been the makeup of the field. Of the seven remaining
contenders, only Romney and Paul have run national campaigns before. Only three (Perry, Paul and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann) are in office now. Three (Bachmann, Paul and former House speaker Newt Gingrich) have never been elected to statewide office. "We don't have the kind of stable of tried and tested public figures like we had before," says Doug Gross, a veteran of Republican campaigns in Iowa who is unaffiliated this time. " Henry Clay is not in the race." (The 19th -century Kentuckian, who held an array of top governmental posts over four decades, sought the presidential nomination five times and won it thrice.) That has enabled fresh faces to capture voters' interest or lose it when they were introduced to a nationwide audience in the debates. Bachmann became an instant contender after her strong debut at the first New Hampshire debate, in June. At the same forum, Pawlenty's uncertainty in following through on an attack on Romney undermined his candidacy. No one has been more bedeviled by debates than Perry. He led the field soon after he announced his candidacy until he stumbled in his first debates. His standing slid,
although more confident performances in later debates have helped to begin rebuilding it. In contrast, Gingrich's prospects took off with a series of professorial elocutions on policy and history at the debates, including a willingness to go after the moderators for asking questions he deemed unworthy. Even after most of his top staff quit and his campaign fell into debt for a time, his candidacy seemed to consist mostly of traveling from debate to debate Gingrich managed to rise to the top of the field. Even so, the perils of a campaign based on momentum over organization were underscored when Gingrich failed Friday to meet the requirements to appear on the primary ballot in Virginia. A relentless assault from his rivals has narrowed his lead nationally over Romney, and he has fallen behind Romney and Paul in Iowa surveys. Voters acknowledge that the debates have shaped their views. Two-thirds of Republicans and independents who lean to the GOP surveyed by USA TODAY said the debates have had an impact in deciding how to vote in 2012. Nearly one in four said they have had a major impact. There is also broad agreement on the winners and losers. One-third
of Republicans said the candidate who had done the worst job in the debates was Perry. And the best? More than four in 10 said Gingrich had fared best. That was double the percentage who picked Romney. For many Republicans, performance in the debates has become a proxy for the most important question in 2012: Which candidate could best debate and defeat Obama? Republican voters are more focused on electability than Democrats. Thirty-five percent of Republicans said they would prefer their party nominate the candidate who has the best chance of winning, even if they disagree with him or her on issues; 24% of Democrats feel that way. Sixty-two percent of Republicans and 70% of Democrats said they'd prefer a nominee who agrees with them on almost all the issues they care about, even if he or she didn't have the best chance of winning. 'See-with-your-own-eyes' election "The debates have essentially replaced the traditional paid media campaign," says Phil Musser, a Republican consultant who was a senior adviser to Pawlenty. "It's made this the seewith-your-own-eyes election. With institutional mistrust at an all-time high, people are angry at the Congress, angry at the
government, angry at the economy, and frankly they're unwilling to trust anything that they don't actually see for themselves. The debates have filled that void." The televised performances on stage have empowered voters nationwide to rate the candidates at the expense of such traditional arbiters as the political parties and the activists in early states. Not everyone sees this as a positive development, especially if it sets a new model that persists in future campaigns. "The purpose of the small state lead-offs is to take an intense and focused look at these candidates and what they're made of, and not allow themselves to define themselves based on 30 seconds of TV at a time," says Gross, who led Romney's 2008 campaign in Iowa and is unaffiliated this time. "It's good if you're good for 30 seconds. It's better if you're good for four years." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Police: Babysitter beat, dismembered Indiana girl

(USATODAY.com News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:52:59 AM
Chinese Milk Producer Promises Tougher Measures Following Scare - Wall Street Journal
(china - Google News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:44:23 PM
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) A babysitter and trusted neighbor has confessed that he bludgeoned a 9-year-old Indiana girl to death with a brick then dismembered her, hiding her head, hands and feet at his home and dumping the rest of her remains nearby, police said Tuesday. AP A trusted neighbor who watched Aliahna Lemmon confessed to killing her, police said Tuesday. Allen County sheriff's investigators said in an affidavit that 39-year-old Michael Plumadore admits he killed Aliahna Lemmon on Dec. 22. According to the affidavit, Plumadore told police that after beating Aliahna to death, he stuffed her body into trash bags and hid her in the freezer at his trailer. He said he later chopped up her body and stuffed her remains into freezer bags. Police said Plumadore told them he had hidden Aliahna's head, feet and hands at his trailer and that he had discarded her other remains at a nearby business. Police obtained a warrant to search his trailer on Monday and found the body parts. A judge ordered Plumadore held [unable to retrieve full-text
without bail or bond at an initial hearing Tuesday, sheriff's department spokesman Cpl. Jeremy Tinkel said. He has yet to be formally charged in Aliahna's death. Mike Plumadore, confessed to killing Aliahna Lemmon, police said Tuesday. Aliahna and her two younger sisters were staying with Plumadore because their mother had been sick with the flu. Plumadore told The Journal Gazette on Sunday that Aliahna disappeared from his home Friday morning while he was sleeping after having gone to a gas station about a mile away to buy a cigar. Authorities have said the store's surveillance video shows him there about that time. More than 100 emergency workers searched for her Saturday around the rundown mobile home park where Aliahna and Plumadore lived and FBI agents were there Monday. A state website shows that 15 registered sex offenders live in the park that numbers about two dozen homes. Plumadore is not on Indiana's registered sex offenders list. He has a criminal record in Florida and North Carolina that includes convictions for trespassing and assault. content]
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. USA TODAY is now using Facebook Comments on our stories and blog posts to provide an enhanced user experience. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then "Add" your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find out more, read the FAQ and Conversation Guidelines. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
New York Daily News Chinese Milk Producer Promises Tougher Measures Following Scare Wall Street Journal By LAURIE BURKITT BEIJING China's largest dairy company by sales vowed on Tuesday to increase oversight of its suppliers after inspectors found elevated levels of a carcinogen in
a batch of its milk, a finding it blamed on spoiled cow feed.... Toxin found in Chinese milk; found high levels of aflatoxin, which is caused... New York Daily News China: Mildewed feed behind toxin in milk Boston.com China hit by ANOTHER toxic milk scandal as its largest dairy firm destroys... Daily Mail Zee News all 385 news articles
China Stocks: Baoshan Steel, Baotou Steel, CNR, CSR, Suntek - BusinessWeek
exchanges, fell 14.67 points,... China Shares End At Lowest Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:36:40 PM Level Since March 2009 Amid Financial Times Pre-Holiday Caution Wall Street China Stocks: Baoshan Steel, Journal Baotou Steel, CNR, CSR, Suntek China Stocks: China Vanke, BusinessWeek Pangang Steel, Shanghai 26 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of the F r i e n d s h i p B l o o m b e r g following companies had unusual China and Japan agree currency moves in China trading. Stock push Financial Times symbols are in parentheses as of Reuters- MarketWatchthe close. The Shanghai Economic Times Composite Index, which tracks all 154 news articles the bigger of China's stock
Top News/
Could Romney 'train' be derailed by Gingrich? Perry? Someone new? - Christian Science Monitor
Mark Trumbull (Top Stories Google News)
has had no major missteps, and his rivals have foibles or flaws in the eyes of Republican voters. So Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:46:13 PM it's entirely possible that the train The word 'inevitable' is getting called "Mitt for president in tossed around these days when it 2012," which essentially left the comes to Mitt Romney and the station after his 2008 candidacy GOP nomination. But Newt ended, will roll steadily to the Gingrich remains a real rival, and nomination. it's even still possible for a The dynamics couldnt be better newcomer to enter the contest. f o r u s , a s e n i o r R o m n e y Mitt Romney smiles from his car s t r a t e g i s t t o l d N e w Y o r k window as he departs from a rally Magazine. I dont see any held at Geno's Chowder & scenario where were not the Sandwich Shop in Portsmouth, nominee. New Hampshire, Tuesday. Will But in a campaign that has been a n y o n e d e r a i l t h e R o m n e y volatile for several months, 'train?'(Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters) calling the race over before voting By Mark Trumbull, Staff writer begins may be premature. posted December 27, 2011 at Another scenario, for example, 3:44 pm EST includes a protracted "Newt The scenario looks increasingly versus Mitt" battle that pits Mr. plausible: Republican voters will Romney against former House ultimately hand their party's Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is presidential nomination to Mitt now Romney's main rival in polls. Romney, even though many of Another is that one or more them aren't excited about doing candidates who are now further so. behind catch some momentum in But if the word "inevitable" is Iowa or New Hampshire, and getting used a fair amount by voters take a second look. That's political analysts these days, the what Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, nomination is hardly a sure thing and Michele Bachmann are for the former governor of hoping. If things get really Massachusetts. complicated, the result could be a His big assets are that his "brokered convention" in which campaign is well organized, he no candidates has amassed the
needed support before GOP delegates arrive to formally select the nominee. A third scenario, conceivable if Romney looks vulnerable coming out of Iowa and New Hampshire, is that a new candidate enters the race in time to compete in later primaries. Here again, the outcome could then be drawn-out suspense in the primaries and at the convention. Here's what one prominent poll shows now. According to Gallup, Mr. Gingrich is ahead of Romney among registered Republicans nationwide, but just barely.
Support for the former House speaker surged last month after the candidacy of businessman Herman Cain collapsed, but over the past three weeks has ebbed to 26 percent. Some 23 percent of GOP voters say they'd go with Romney, 12 percent with Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, 8 percent with Texas Governor Perry, 6 percent with Representative Bachmann of Minnesota, 3 percent with former Senator Santorum of Pennsylvania, and 1 percent with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. The idea of a late-entry candidate
is surely a wild card, but it's been getting some buzz lately. In a new issue of The Weekly Standard, conservative commentator William Kristol makes a direct appeal to potential candidates now on the sidelines. "It is a moment ... for others to reflect on whether they dont owe it to their country to step forward," Mr. Kristol writes. "Now is not a time for leaders to engage in clever calculations of the odds of success, or to succumb to concerns about how they will look if they enter the fray and fall short. Now is a time to come to the aid of our country." Who is he talking to? Some prominent Republicans who passed up the chance to run include Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie(but he has endorsed Romney). Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is also viewed by some analysts as a potential late-entry candidate, and he happens to have just published an opinion column in The Wall Street Journal singing the praises of free markets. The idea of a late-to-the-game COULD page 12
Top News/
Babysitter Confesses to Ind. Girl Murder TIME

AP / TOM LOBIANCO (Top Stories - Google News)
Monday and found the body parts. Authorities didn't say Tuesday why Plumadore killed the child, Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:01:35 PM but Sheriff Ken Fries said (FORT WAYNE, Ind.) A investigators suspected Plumadore babysitter and trusted neighbor was involved since soon after she has confessed that he bludgeoned was reported missing Friday a 9-year-old Indiana girl to death night. with a brick then dismembered Investigators questioned him her, hiding her head, hands and Friday and Saturday and he was feet at a home where he was arrested Monday after being staying and dumping the rest of interviewed by detectives for her remains nearby, police said several hours more. Tuesday. Fries said his long police career A l l e n C o u n t y s h e r i f f ' s told him that Plumadore's account investigators said in an affidavit of the girl's disappearance had too t h a t 3 9 - y e a r - o l d M i c h a e l many inconsistencies. "Things Plumadore admits he killed that were said in 29 years of doing Aliahna Lemmon on Thursday. this that just didn't make sense," According to the affidavit, Fries said during a Tuesday news Plumadore told police that after conference. "We needed to get beating Aliahna to death on the him to talk." front steps of the home in the Fries said Plumadore was early morning hours, he stuffed " f a c t u a l " i n t a l k i n g w i t h her body into trash bags and hid investigators, but he wouldn't her in the freezer at the home in a describe Plumadore's demeanor. rundown trailer park in Fort A judge ordered Plumadore held Wayne. He said he later chopped without bail or bond at an initial up her body with a hacksaw and h e a r i n g T u e s d a y , s h e r i f f ' s stuffed her remains into freezer department spokesman Cpl. bags. Jeremy Tinkel said. He has yet to Police said Plumadore told them be formally charged in Aliahna's he had hidden Aliahna's head, feet death. and hands at the trailer and Mike McAlexander, the Allen discarded her other remains at a County chief deputy prosecutor, nearby business. Police obtained a wouldn't say whether anyone else warrant to search the trailer on was suspected of being involved
and said "nothing has been ruled out." Paulette Hair, 45, a former manager at the trailer park who lives at a nearby trailer park, said she never would have guessed Plumadore would kill a child. "But you don't know a person, truly," she said. "How could you live?" asked Hair. "How could you sit in that trailer, knowing what you did, knowing what's in your household when everybody is out there in the cold and the rain praying to God that she comes home safely and you're sitting there?" Aliahna was a student at Holland Elementary School, said Fort Wayne school district spokeswoman Krista Stockman. She did not know what grade the girl was in. "Obviously, this is a horrendous tragedy. For the school, this is devastating. Our teachers knew her, our principal knew her, she had friends at the school. This is going to be a loss for everyone at the school," Stockman said. Schools are currently closed for holiday break. Stockman expected extra counselors will be made available when students return Jan. 5, and the school likely will plan some sort of memorial, she said.
Aliahna and her two younger sisters were staying with Plumadore for about one week because their mother, Tarah Souders, had been sick with the flu. Plumadore told The Journal Gazette on Sunday that Aliahna disappeared from the home Friday morning while he was sleeping after having gone to a gas station about a mile away to buy a cigar. Authorities have said the store's surveillance video shows him there about that time. Aliahna wasn't reported missing until Friday night. Plumadore said the younger girls told him their mother had picked her up and he didn't realize until hours later that this wasn't true. On Saturday, more than 100 emergency workers searched for Aliahna around the trailer park on the city's north side where Aliahna and Plumadore lived. FBI agents were there Monday. A state website shows that 15 registered sex offenders live in the park that numbers about two dozen homes. Plumadore is not on Indiana's registered sex offenders list. He has a criminal record in Florida and North Carolina that includes convictions for trespassing and assault. Aliahna's step-grandfather, David
Story, told The Associated Press that Plumadore had cared for Souders' ailing father until his death from emphysema early this month and was living in that man's mobile home. "He was a trusted family friend," Story said late Monday, saying he was surprised by the arrest. Richard Patee, 58, whose trailer is next to where Plumadore was living, said he didn't think it was odd that Aliahna's mother had him watching the girls for an extended period. "They had known each other for somewhere of three to four years, I know that, and he took care of their grandfather," Patee said. "I didn't see any reason to question it at all. I talked with Mike on and off for the past twoand-a-half years and he never had a cross word." Associated Press Writer Tom Coyne contributed to this story from Fort Wayne. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Top News/
India Court Rules On Social Network Comments, Apple TV For Q2 2012?, Google Tablet Coming In Six Months
Nidhi Subbaraman (Fast Company)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:08:48 PM
Breaking news from your editors at Fast Company, with updates all day. Christmas Is For Online Shopping Too. In a sign that online shopping is an exploding phenomenon far beyond Black Friday and Cyber Monday, IBM has a study showing online shopping in the U.S. shot up 16.4% on Christmas day 2011 versus 2010, and the dollar amount spent on mobile purchases rose 173%--Monday too saw more spending than in 2010. In a good sign for Apple, nearly 7% of all online buys were made via an iPad. --KE --Updated 11:50 a.m. EST Lieberman Asks Twitter To Block Taliban Tweets. U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman has requested that Twitter voluntarily block several accounts used by the Taliban that broadcast antiU.S. and anti-British propaganda. The Taliban's Twitter presence, which includes feeds such as@abalkhi and@alemarahweb, regularly celebrates the death of U.S., British, and Afghan troops. The Taliban is not considered a
terrorist organization by the State Department. The quasi-Al-Qaedaaffiliated Somali terror organization Al-Shabaab also has
a Twitter feed. --NU --Updated 11:00 a.m. EST Indian Court Orders 22 Social Networks To Remove Comments.
A Delhi judge has ordered websites that the court described companies including Yahoo, as "anti-social" or "anti-religious." Google, Microsoft, and Facebook INDIA page 12 to remove content on their
Top News/
Jim Rekoske From Honeywell On Developing Biofuels

Rachel Z. Arndt (Fast Company)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:48:43 PM
In this extended version of the talk from our latest issue, we speak with Jim Rekoske, VP for renewable energy and chemicals for Honeywell--which licenses its biofuel technology to refineries. Photo by Saverio Truglia "We've been in the industry for 97 years, and we're very good at knowing how to make the right fuels for the right specifications. We transform natural oils to look exactly like the petroleum-based fuels of today. Our fuel can come from camelina, which is grown in dry-land wheat rotation. Nature provides the energy to create the feedstock--we just have to nudge it in the right direction. With a single feedstock, we can make fuel for the military, commercial aviation, trucks, and cars. It's challenging to get the whole value chain--agriculture, chemistry, logistics--to work together. We're not going to change over from petroleum anytime soon, but there will be other solutions too." Fast Company: Is biofuel from Honeywell technology available commercially anywhere? Jim Rekoske: Not yet, but the technology is being installed right now at the Valero Energy Corporation's refinery in St.
Charles, Louisiana. They'll be making mostly diesel fuel in that facility, but they're also able to make jet fuel. It's a drop-in fuel, which means it doesn't need to be kept separate from the other diesel. That's a big selling point. We've got somewhere around $10 trillion of infrastructure and distribution in the world--we can't replace that, and we can't duplicate it. Drop-in fuels are a way for us to get more capital
efficient in terms of how we utilize renewable fuels. In our business model, we are actually like the architects of a new house, if you will. If someone is going to build a new process to develop a technology, you need an architect to build the house, and you need a general contractor. We're the architect: We design the facility with our proprietary technology. But we don't own the facility--we license technology and design
facilities that other people use to convert natural resources into fuels for people. What's the biggest challenge to bringing biofuels to the market? From an adoption standpoint, the biggest challenge is making this fuel available to people. The Valero plant will take about $250 million to $300 million of investments to complete it. When it's done, it'll produce 10,000 barrels a day. That's a lot of fuel,
but that's also a big investment. So someone has to be certain the technology is going to work. And you are certain, yes? The Air Force Thunderbirds and Blue Angles have used our fuels. If the most advanced flight demonstration teams in the world are using it, it's clearly an advanced fuel and one that meets all the standards, even in that JIM page 13
Top News/
Arab observers visit restive Syrian city of Homs - Los Angeles Times
(Top Stories - Google News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:34:13 PM
REPORTING FROM BEIRUT -For a few hours Tuesday, it looked like Syria might be starting to ease a violent crackdown on dissent that has turned parts of the countrys thirdlargest city into a virtual war zone. Some tanks started pulling out of residential neighborhoods and huge crowds took to the streets of Homs shouting their opposition to the government of President Bashar Assad, opposition activists said. But the activists charge that it was just a temporary ruse to mislead observers from the Arab League, who got their first look Tuesday at the city that has been at the center of a nine-month uprising. At least some of the tanks, they said, were moved into government and school compounds, where they would be temporarily out of sight. And before many of the marchers could reach the central square where they planned to stage a sitin, security forces fired tear gas and live bullets into the crowd massing there and in a nearby street, witnesses and activists said. Syrian security forces killed as many as 45 people Tuesday,
including 19 in the Homs region, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Local Coordination Committees, another opposition group, put the days toll at 35 with 14 killed in Homs. Nothing has changed with the arrival of observers, said an activist reached in Homs who asked not to be identified to avoid retaliation. The regime doesn't
care about the observers or public opinion. The tanks are still in the streets. Maybe the only thing that has changed is that they are in the side streets not main streets." Syria has barred most foreign journalists, and the opposition claims could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the government. Tuesday marked the official start of an Arab League mission to
determine whether the government is upholding a promise to end the crackdown, part of a league-negotiated plan to end months of bloodshed that Syrias neighbors fear could push the country into a civil war. More than 5,000 people have been killed since the start of major antigovernment protests in March, according to United Nations estimates.
Opposition activists say violence has only increased since the government endorsed the leagues peace plan early last month. Syrian officials blame the bloodshed on what they describe as armed terrorists, supported from abroad, who they allege are mixed in with demonstrators. They say most of the casualties ARAB page 14
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Top News/ Technology/
TSA Not Keen on Fox News?

(Christianpost.com > Politics)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:16:18 PM
(Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Alcorn) A TSA worker loads suitcases at the checked luggage security screening station at Los Angeles International Airport September 7, 2011, as part of new security enhancements in the ten years following the September 11 attacks. Starnes charges that a TSA worker removed his employers logo from his luggage thereby damaging his bag as he went through the screening process for his holiday travel. In a twitter post, the host posted a picture of the damaged bag with tape that reads inspected plastered across the top. Starnes said that after he inquired to the TSA about his destroyed luggage an agent told him, you gotta call the government to get yo money. TSA ripped off my Fox News logo and sliced up my luggage, Starnes said in another tweet. According to Starnes, the same agent told him it could take six months for the agency to investigate his claim that TSA
destroyed his bag. This is just the most recent allegation of TSA overstepping its boundaries. TSA caused quite the ruckus among airline passengers this past year. From groping a grandma to installing cancercausing screenings, its safe to say TSA has had a bad year when it comes to public relations. Like us on Facebook A look back at the most ridiculous, embarrassing, and horrifying TSA stories of 2011: Cupcake Controversy A teacher from Massachusetts was flying home last Wednesday for the holidays, accompanied by her husband, young son, and a cupcake. Rebecca Hains told ABC News that the cupcake was a gift from one of her students and she wanted to carry it on the plane because she thought her son may get hungry on the trip. The TSA agent saw the cupcake and called over her supervisor to investigate the suspicious treat. "We also had a small pile of hummus sandwiches with creamy fillings, which made it through, but the cupcake with its frosting was apparently a terrorist threat I just don't know what world he was living in," said Hains,
reported ABC News. "The TSA at Logan Airport said the cupcakes looked delicious and told us to have a great trip. But in Las Vegas, they were dangerous. They shouldn't be delicious in one part of the country and a security threat in the other." Caught Passing Notes In October, a TSA agent left a note for a passenger whose bags he had just inspected heading to Dublin, Ireland. The bag was inspected because a sex toy showed up on the monitor. The agent determined the toy did not pose a threat, but decided to personalize the official TSA document that agents are mandated to leave after a bag has been opened. The officer wrote, in large letters, Get Your Freak On, Girl. According to Forbes, the passenger and noted blogger Jill Filipovic tweeted the photo and was horrified by the intimate message. Another note incident involved Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs. Gibbs had marijuana in his checked luggage and TSA discovered it upon the screening. However, the agent failed to report the illegal substance. Instead, the agent left a note
saying Cmon son. The rapper took to twitter and posted about his TSA experience. Stripping Grandma This past June, a 95-year-old grandmother, Ms. Weber, was forced to strip down in front of TSA agents. Weber was going through security when one of the agents began patting her down and noticed that her private region did not feel right. Weber, who was wearing Depends, was made to strip off everything in order to undergo terror screening. Weber told ChristianWire.org that the agents took her into a bathroom and physically removed her adult diaper while she stood there humiliated and crying. Be the first of thousands of iPosters by sharing your news, views, and analysis. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
China to overhaul rules for foreign workers - Los Angeles Times

Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:25:02 PM
China Daily China to overhaul rules for foreign workers Los Angeles Times REPORTING FROM BEIJING - China is planning an overhaul of its regulations for foreign workers, easing the rules for professionals while closing the door to hundreds of thousands of low-wage farm, factory and domestic workers from poorer neighboring... China to introduce US style visa rules for foreigners Times of India Chinese legislators to consider exit and entry law Xinhua China May Require Fingerprinting of Foreign Visitors, Daily Says BusinessWeek China Daily all 37 news articles
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11
How To Make The Most Of The PostHoliday Lull

Kevin Purdy (Fast Company)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:53:34 PM
Nobody expects much from the week between Christmas and New Year's. That's why it's the perfect time to make some foundationlevel renovations to your schedule, and your career. Even when Christmas and New Years Day arrive on separate weekend days, the working week between them feels short--or at least, short on work. You talk to more voicemail prompts than people, your email notifier is so quiet you actually wish for openended inbox killers, and budgets and reports land in an alternate universe that rejoins our own in early January. Great time to open up Hulu in a side window, right? Actually, yes--by all means, get up to speed on Bones. But while youre running in a lower gear, spend some of your spare cycles on setting yourself up for fewer headaches, more control over your tools, and more output in the upcoming year. Theyre not resolutions--theyre just smart investments you can make when nobody is expecting you to show off. The stuff we already told you to do Sure, we feel the intra-holiday slowdown in the Work Smart section, too. And, yes, we have a few items we can link you to that
make for great, easy round-up material. But were going to link it all up right up front, so we can pass on some original advice, too. We do try to practice what we preach. So, if youre feeling prone to self -improvement this week, you might want to: Secure your gadgets by putting no-pain, lowhassle passwords and PIN codes on them. Upgrade your friends and coworkers, so that next year
sees a dramatic drop in time spent explaining, say, where to find attachments.Start getting your calendar together, and make inperson socializing a mandatory weekly item, and spread out your taxing decisions and meetings.Take the week to slowly work off the caffeine addiction you didnt realize you had and start using it strategically again. Make little ergonomic changes that will pay off in big ways
The angle at which you view your monitor, the centering of your keyboard on your desk, the number of breaks you take and how often you take them--they all seem so inconsequential, minute to minute. But feeling like your boss lifted you by your spine with a coat hanger, thats a feeling youll get many days, if you dont take the time to fix up where you work. Lifehackers Whitson Gordon offers a good first-time
primer. Your governments Occupational Safety & Health Administration has some deeper reading on sitting positions. And while a standing desk setup may sound like a killer project for 2012, maybe you can just take a small step forward by simply getting up and moving around every 20-30 minutes, as Cornell Universitys ergonomics team HOW page 15
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INDIA
COULD
This comes just a few weeks after the companies met with IT minister Kapil Sipbal to talk through similar issues, though those talks reportedly reached a stalemate. The companies have a month and a half to act according to the court order, the Hindustan Times reports. --NS Google Releasing iPad 3 Competitor In 6 Months? There's no sure sign of the iPad 3 yet, but it appears its Android competition is already waiting in the wings. Eric Schmidt told an Italian publication Corriere della Sera that the long-rumored Android answer to Apple's next-generation tablet expected in the next six months. --NS Apple TV Expected In Q2 2012? DigiTimes has the latest specs on the Apple television everyone's looking out for. It's rumored there'll be two versions of the television, in 32- and 37-inches, expected to launch in the second quarter of 2012. --NS --Updated 9:45 a.m. EST Public Release Of Intel's Thunderbolt In 2012. Intel's Thunderbold technology, which powers Apple products like the MacBook Pro, iMac, and MacBook Air, may be coming out in wider release in April 2012. The high cost of the chips made for a lukewarm reception (from
companies other than Apple) when Thunderbolt was first announced, but now companies like Sony, Asustek Computer, and Gigabyte Technology are expected to adopt it for their products, DigiTimes reports. --NS Foxconn Plans World's Biggest Smartphone Plant For iPhones. Apple's mammoth manufacturing parter, Foxconn, is planning to expand its Central China iPhone manufacturing plant. When finished, the $1.1 billion add-on will double the plant's current size, making it the largest smartphone-making facility in the world. --NS --Updated 7:15 a.m. EST NYC To Pilot Nissan Leaf Cabs In 2012. The city of New York and and Nissan will roll out six electric Nissan Leaf test taxi cabs in the city in early 2012. It'll be the start of a year-long pilot to assess the feasibility of using electric cabs in the city, the Verge explains. One of the hurdles the city will address before the full fleet (an estimated 17,000 vehicles) hits the roads is how many new electric car charging stations they'll need to build, and where they'll put them. --NS Sony Selling Flat-Screen TV Stake To Samsung. Streamlining is on in earnest at Sony, and in its latest move, the electronics maker
is selling off its share of the SLCD flat-screen TV manufacturing operation to its partner, Samsung. Sony's share, roughly 50%, is worth $935 million. Sony is anticipating a fourth year of losses, with television manufacturing accounting for billions of yen lost, the New York Timesreports.--NS Members Leaving GoDaddy Over SOPA Stance. Domain hosting service Go Daddy has landed in a spot of trouble with the Internet community. After the service expressed support for the SOPA bill, they reportedly lost 21,000 members over the course of last week. Go Daddy has since reversed their stance, but tuttutting comment threads on the web reading and ranking service Reddit have already given rise to a boycott Go Daddy website, and a worldwide boycott day set for December 29. --NS --Updated 6:00 a.m. EST [Image: Flickr user Tripp] Thursday's Fast Feed: Facebook Testing "Listen" Buttons?, LinkedIn's India Membership Rises To 13 Million, Yahoo May Cut Its Alibaba Stock, and more!
Ben Nelson Plans to Retire

Daniel Halper (The Weekly Standard)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:42:00 PM
newcomer is technically possible, but it is also almost prohibitively daunting. He or she would miss key primaries for which deadlines for entry have already passed, except for the option of winning a few delegates through write-in votes. Still, more than half the delegates would still be up for grabs (in states with open caucuses or later primaries) for a candidate who entered by early February, writes Rhodes Cook, a political analyst at Sabato's Crystal Ball website. The challenge: Even a candidate with big name recognition would face the herculean task of building a campaign organization. And voters would be skeptical of candidates who show up so late and, perhaps, are reversing a prior "not running" stance. To some political analysts, it's hard to imagine a serious new candidacy arising absent some significant slip-ups by both Romney and his rivals. Romney is seeking to bolster his appeal with Republicans with a new ad titled "conservative agenda." Gingrich, trying to persuade voters that he's the more conservative alternative, has won some fans but also has struggled in part because he and Romney have a similar track record on health-care policy. Does all this leave room for one of the other candidates now in the
race? Many GOP voters view Mr. Huntsman as not conservative enough. Mr. Paul has a sizable following of enthusiastic supporters, but political experts say he would have trouble expanding his appeal, partly because of foreign policy views that differ sharply with the party mainstream. Perry, Bachmann, and Santorum are all striving mightily for a strong Iowa finish that could win them a second look from voters. Each has shown a trend of rising support in Iowa (as Gingrich has fallen) in recent polls averaged by RealClearPolitics.com. But after the Iowa caucuses, attention will shift quickly to New Hampshire, where those three names are far behind. Bottom line: It's too soon to call him "inevitable," but Romney retains a position of solid advantage. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Politico reports: a serious blow to Democratic Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of efforts to hold onto their majority Nebraska will announce today in the chamber next November. that he is retiring after two terms,
Top News/ Obituaries
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D.C. Cardinal Behind Gingrichs Baptism: Church Must Forgive Past Sin
JIM
rigorous of an environment. Why are plant oils good for fuel? Natural oils are very much like fuel. In fact, if you go back a millennium or so, these types of oils were actually used in lamps to provide light and heat for people. They burn and they're effective, but they don't look like the (Christianpost.com > Politics) with former Democratic House faith after Pope Benedict XVI's hydrocarbon fuels we use today. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and three visit to the U.S. in 2008. He was So we transform them to make Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:35:33 PM marriage s have affected his lead. confirmed on March 29, 2009. them look the same. Wuerl responded Sunday to the He has dropped from leading Cardinal Wuerl refused to speak Besides getting people to start press surrounding Gingrichs M i t t R o m n e y , h i s c l o s e s t about the specifics of Gingrichs using this fuel, what else do you behavior before he was baptized, contender, nationally by 13 conversion and said candidates have to keep in mind as you saying voters should respect the percent in early December to a faith should not be considered as c o n t i n u e t o d e v e l o p t h i s candidates faith and not subject it narrow 4 percent, according to part of their political resumes. technology? to the same political scrutiny as Real Clear Politics analysis. "When we're looking at what's the We need to balance our need to other parts of his record. When Like us on Facebook best leader for our country, there make food as well as fuel. The Fox News Sunday host Chris Gingrichs marital past of three shouldn't be some sort of litmus way things are today we probably Wallace asked, If anyone has w i v e s a n d t w o a f f a i r s h a s test: What religion do they belong don't have enough land and sinned in the past, how should we especially worried evangelical t o , w h a t i s t h e i r r e l i g i o u s renewable resources to convert all judge that? Wuerl responded voters who what to support a experience?" he said. "I think the petroleum over to biofuels. with the words taken from the socially conservative candidate. what we want to do is look at the But a substantial percentage-Lords Prayer. Iowa Family Leader President candidate and see, does that maybe 5 percent in the short term We are a church of forgiveness Bob Vander Plaats reportedly person share the values that I and 20 percent in the long term-because weve all been forgiven. supported Gingrich but endorsed think are important? Does that can be converted over. In fact we pray, Forgive us our outspoken pro-life, pro-traditional person present policies that I think You mentioned being challenged trespasses as we forgive those m a r r i a g e c a n d i d a t e R i c k advance the common good of our by the supply chain--can you talk who trespass against us, he S a n t o r u m . country?" more about that? answered. Gingrich has tried to address his Be the first of thousands of Doing the chemistry was actually He continued, "It's the only infidelities, noting that he sought iPosters by sharing your news, pretty easy; the hard part was petition in the Lord's Prayer that's forgiveness and since committed views, and analysis. getting industries that don't c o n d i t i o n e d . W e a s k f o r himself to his newfound faith. This entry passed through the necessarily work together on a everything and we just expect that Gingrichs third wife, Callista, is Full-Text RSS service if this is God's going to give it to us. But a devout Catholic, who sings in your content and you're reading it when we come to forgiveness the choir at D.C.s Basilica of the on someone else's site, please read Jesus said be forgiven as you National Shrine of the Immaculate the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentforgive." C o n c e p t i o n . G i n g r i c h t o l d only/faq.php#publishers. Five There has been increasing Catholic TV network EWTN went Filters recommends: Donate to (Yahoo! News: Obituaries) scrutiny of Gingrichs past since to weekly masses to watch his Wikileaks. Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:54:10 PM became a front-runner in mid- wife perform. November. Gingrichs past of The former House speaker then AP - Peggy Railey, the former ethical violations, a television ad decided to convert to the Catholic wife of a Dallas minister who was
regular basis to all come to the table and work together. We've had to orchestrate that to create a business segment. Without us in the marketplace trying to bring these people together, this segment wouldn't exist. You just don't see farmers in Montana working with energy corporations. So we've had to build bridges to make those connections. What else is Honeywell doing with biomass-based energy? We've got other technologies to generate energy--electric power and heat, for example--from renewable resources. Those are in the marketplace now. We're taking agricultural forest waste, wood waste, and instead of taking the material and directly burning it to create energy and steam, we generate an oil from it with a process called rapid thermal processing. That creates an oil that has more energy density, which means we can get more energy out of the overall biomass. Read more Fast Talk
Acquitted pastor's ex-wife dies years after attack (AP)

acquitted at a sensational trial of trying to kill her, has died nearly 25 years after the attack left her incapacitated.
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Top News/ Culture/
Bachmann Faces Gay Robot as New Opponent
ARAB
have been security force members. What began as a mostly peaceful uprising has turned more violent in recent months as army (Christianpost.com > Politics) eventually gave way to the can marry a woman if they're a defectors and some civilians take up arms against the government in persistence of the staff. man," said Bachmann, who has Submitted at 12/27/2011 9:40:19 AM parts of the country. Two deadly Michele Bachmann will fix the staunchly defended marriage from suicide car bombings targeting economy by laying off workers any redefinition being proposed intelligence agencies in the (Photo: REUTERS/Jeff Haynes) and cutting their pay, the by gay activists. capital, Damascus, last week U.S. Republican presidential protesters shouted. Polls have revealed the c a n d i d a t e a n d M i n n e s o t a M i c h e l e B a c h m a n n f i g h t s Minnesota congresswoman to be marked an ominous escalation in C o n g r e s s w o m a n M i c h e l e proudly for marriage unless the in fifth place in Iowa, trailing the conflict. Some opposition B a c h m a n n s p e a k s t o t h e couple happens to be gay, cried behind Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, groups accused the government itself of orchestrating the attacks e m p l o y e e s o f N a t i o n w i d e out protesters, who wish to Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Insurance Company during a redefine the original meaning of Eventually police were called to to influence the Arab League. campaign stop in Des Moines, marriage as something other than the event to keep the peace; no League officials provided few details about the first day of the Iowa December 9, 2011. between a man and a woman. arrests were made. Bachmann is mission. The head of the mission, Bachmann has stood strong on not the only politician to receive a B a c h m a n n , w h o h a s b e e n her views on same-sex marriage. visit from Roboprof, who also S u d a n e s e G e n . M o h a m m e d subjected to criticism from gay She has argued that gays have not showed up to one of Clintons Ahmed Dabi, said only that the monitors had a very good day activists in the past for not suffered any discrimination with speeches in 2007. supporting gay rights, was met by regards to marriage, as they Be the first of thousands of and all sides were responsive, two dozen Occupy Iowa activists, possess the same rights as iPosters by sharing your news, Reuters reported. ALSO: one being a robot, who chanted, heterosexual people in that they views, and analysis. You're not wanted here. So go, can choose marry in the same way This entry passed through the Prince Philip leaves hospital after heart surgery just go. as anyone else, and are not Full-Text RSS service if this is Demonstrators also played loud prohibited from marrying within your content and you're reading it Egyptian court halts virginity Christmas music, making it the meaning of marriage which on someone else's site, please read difficult for those in attendance to is the union of a man and a the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contenthear her speech. The robot, who woman. only/faq.php#publishers. Five refers to himself as Roboprof, Like us on Facebook Filters recommends: Donate to followed Bachmann into the "They can get married, but they Wikileaks. venue before being asked to leave a b i d e b y t h e s a m e l a w a s by campaign supporters. Although everyone else. They can marry a Roboprof declined at first, he man if they're a woman. Or they
tests on female protesters North, South Korea exchange recalls previous historic meeting -- Alexandra Zavis and Rima Marrouch Photo: Handout photo released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), shows Syrians waving their national flags and holding pictures depicting Syrian President Bashar Assad during a Dec. 27 rally condemning the two Dec. 23 terrorists blast of the 23 December, in Damascus, Syria on 27 December 2011. Credit: Syrian Arab News Agency This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Has social media's disruptive impact plateaued?

(Holy Kaw!)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:23:00 PM
Social networks' rate of growth is slowing down, companies are
having trouble showing return on investment and corporate investments in social media are on the decline, writes Ted Sapountzis of SAP. Companies that provide
social media services and businesses looking to put social tools to work will each need to increase their professionalism and narrow their focus if they want to
thrive in this increasingly competitive environment, Sapountzis writes. Full story at SmartBlog on Social Media by SmartBrief.
More SmartBrief stories. Permalink| Leave a comment
Business/ World News/
15
HOW
found to be the most important aspect of workplace health (besides that tested advice about running with sharp things). Upgrade your office attire Normally, its both trite and contradictory to recommend shopping online on your companys bandwidth and time. But this year is different. Because you and so many like you are actually going to work this week, many stores are concentrating their typically strong sales online, as DealNews finds in its analysis and review. The best of those sales are among the clothing retailers, who are looking to capitalize on sales made in addition to returns. So snap a picture of your closet, think of how long you can go on a single laundry cycle, and set aside some quality time with your browser
this week. Take time to hear whats really happening When all the things that bring people and their messages have gone quiet, you may find yourself with an unusual capacity to think. Not just about what needs to be done, or how soon you can get away, but what you actually do at your job, and how youd like to be doing it. Its what Rands (aka Michael Lopp) calls the Noise, and when its gone, you can find yourself making some smart notes for when you get back after New Years. Or maybe deciding its a good time to really make it a new kind of year. [Image by Flickr user renaissancechambra]
Here's Why The Toronto Raptors Have A 1,300-Pound Boulder Sitting In Their Locker Room
Ariel Sandler (Business Insider)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:06:00 PM
Hundreds exposed: Museum of Contemporary Art 'full of asbestos' - NEWS.com.au

(Nation - Google News)
Telegraph WORKERS who are renovating Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art have been NEWS.com.au exposed to... Hundreds exposed: Museum of Asbestos probe into Sydney C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t ' f u l l o f museum Sky News Australia asbestos' Company accused of asbestos NEWS.com.au cover-up Sydney Morning Herald An artist's vision of the renovated art museum builders 'exposed to Museum of Contemporary Art. A asbestos' The Australian union claims asbestos was found Herald Sun- ABC Online throughout the building. Picture: all 38 news articles Supplied Source: The Daily
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:04:24 PM
Jacob Riis, the Danish-American social reformer, stressing the importance of building" towards Chris Bosh has been the butt of your goal. many a joke in recent years. Casey remembered it this way in But for the Toronto Raptors to a c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h t h e replace their former All-Star with A s s o c i a t e d P r e s s : a rock thats just cold. I knew we were going to be a Okay, that isnt exactly true. work in progress, every time we This is: every time DeMar walked on the floor we were D e R o z a n a n d h i s R a p t o r s going to have to have something teammates enter their locker room to get us to think about how we at the Air Canada Centre, they have to get better, weve got to will come face-to-face with a work to get better. Its from a 1,300 pound, three-feet-tall story about a stonecutter. Every boulder. time a stonecutter hits a rock it Just sitting there, right inside the may not break. You may have to l o c k e r r o o m e n t r a n c e , f o r hit it 100 times but on that 101 st everyone to see. time you hit it, now you crack the Its all a part of head coach rock. Dwane Caseys plan: to Pound the Its a popular quote among sports Rock. teams, stressing the importance of C a s e y s n o t c r a z y . H e s patience and togetherness in calculated. pursuit of the ultimate destination. A Gregg Popovich disciple, hes Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay simply taken aspiration from the Buccaneers also used the motto San Antonio Spurs coach he throughout their 2002 Super Bowl worked under. In San Antonio, run. the perpetually consistent Spurs But who needs the figurative took inspiration from a quote by when you can have the literal?
Especially coming off a 22-win season. And, dont look now, but Casey and the Raptors may be on to something. They are 1-0 and sit atop the Eastern Conferences Atlantic Division. Hey, its never too early to think outside the box. The Raptors proved just that. Please follow Sports Page on Twitter and Facebook. Join the conversation about this story See Also: An NBA Player Almost Got Carjacked, But The Thief Recognized Him So They Went To McDonald's Together WATCH: Here Is The Amazing NBA Video That Is Making Everybody Forget About The Lockout Could A Shoe Contract Be Standing In The Way Of One Of The Greatest Basketball Tandems Ever?
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Business/ World News/
CAR OF THE WEEK: This These Striking Black and White Portraits Will Elegant Jaguar E-Type Can Give You Goosebumps Be Yours For $124,900
Daniel Goodman (Business Insider)
in one form or another. The images are my documents of the humanity I experience from my Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:08:00 PM Travis Okulski (Business with the E-Type, Jaguar made it Source: www.telegraph.co.uk subjects long before I ever ask Insider) cost about half as much as the It was also actively campaigned Lee Jeffries is an accountant in them for their portrait. I walk the Ferraris of the day while it was in some of the biggest endurance Manchester, UK. He is also an streets gazing long and hard into Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:12:00 PM also faster. races on the planet like Le Mans incredibly skilled photographer eyes of passers by....looking for The Jaguar E-Type is the The car featured here is a Series 1 and Sebring. However, unlike its with a keen eye for subjects. something I can't really describe, quintessential British sports car. R o a d s t e r , o n e o f t h e m o s t predecessors, the C and D-Types, During his travels around the and when I do find it, I do try to But beyond that, it is also one of desirable models. First generation the E-Type failed to find victory globe he has used reality to depict capture what I witness in camera. the most beautiful cars ever put cars have tiny bumpers and lane. his own vision of the world. The set is therefore all about the into production. elegant shrouded headlamps that See the rest of the story at We have 20 of his stunning subjects." This pristine example is now were absent from subsequent Business Insider portraits, and his full set is worth See the rest of the story at available for $124,900 (via versions. Please follow Getting There on checking out. Business Insider Hemmings). The E-Type just celebrated its Twitter and Facebook. Go straight to the photos > Please follow Business Insider on Introduced at the Geneva Motor 50th birthday and has never See Also: These pictures were captured in Twitter and Facebook. Show in 1961, the E-Type made a looked better. The E-Type's 6 All-Weather Supercars That L o s A n g e l e s , R o m e , P a r i s , See Also: splash immediately. The long profile is what made it an icon. You Don't Need To Store For The L o n d o n , L a s V e g a s , a n d Stunning Pictures Contrasting hood and short rear deck were The long hood and short rear deck Winter Manchester. Jeffries' portraits are North And South Korea distinguishing design features of were reminiscent of nothing else This Japanese Supercar Meet shot on location where ever he Jarring Yet Beautiful Photos Of this iconic Jaguar. on the road. This car has had a N e e d s T o B e S e e n T o B e encounters a subject he wants to Street Sleeping In New York City The E-Type was even referred to full restoration, so it looks even B e l i e v e d photograph. It requires vision, a Vacation Photos Of The as the "most beautiful car ever better than new. CAR OF THE WEEK: This skilled eye, and careful selection. Romanov Family, The Last made" by a man familiar with The tapered front end, long hood, Factory-Built Custom Camaro Jeffries' explained in an email: Imperial Dynasty Of Russia beautiful machinery, Enzo Ferrari a n d o v a l h e a d l i g h t s w e r e Will Set You Back $450,000 "I think the overriding theme of (via Garage Blog). hallmarks of the E-Type. The my black and whites is emotion. But to make Mr. Ferrari even Daily Telegraph even ranked it as Every image you see possesses it angrier that he didn't come up the best looking car of all time.
Soccer team in bus crash - The Australian

Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:02:57 PM
BigPond News Soccer team in bus crash
The Australian UP to a dozen men were injured when a minibus carrying Sudanese soccer players crashed and rolled over on a freeway north
of Sydney. A southbound lane of the F3 was closed following the minibus rollover near Wyong on the Central Coast early this... Minibus crashes on NSW central
coast Herald Sun Traffic delays as minibus rolls causing injuries to passengers on F3 on the... The Daily Telegraph Minibus crashes on NSW F3
freeway BigPond News Newcastle Herald- NSW Police Online (press release) all 19 news articles
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Sears to close more stores as holiday sales slump

(Reuters: Top News)
for so long," independent retail analyst Brian Sozzi said, noting that he expects many more Customers walk into a Sears store closings. "They are letting Kmart at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, and Sears die on the vine." Virginia, January 7, 2010. Sales at Sears Holdings have Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing fallen each year since 2005, when By Phil Wahba it was formed in a merger of Sears Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:45pm EST and Kmart. (Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp So far this holiday buying season, will close as many as 120 of its the drop has continued. Kmart and namesake big-box Same-store sales at Kmart were stores after sales during the peak down 4.4 percent in the eight holiday period fell sharply, and weeks that ended Christmas Day, the retailer also forecast that and down 6 percent at Sears' U.S. fourth quarter earnings would fall stores. Overall, they were down by more than half, sending its 5.2 percent. shares plunging some 25 percent. The closings follow its Adding to the share selloff, Sears announcement last quarter it also disclosed on Tuesday that it would shut 10 stores. Kmart and has tapped its credit facility to Sears have a combined 2,177 bigborrow cash. box locations. Once one of the leading retailers A list of stores affected will be with a national reach through its available at www.searsmedia.com popular catalog along with once the retailer decides on the hundreds of stores, Sears has been locations. pressured in recent years by The declines at Kmart were led competitors ranging from Wal- by drops in electronics and Mart Stores to Amazon.com. clothing sales as the low-price U n d e r t h e s t e w a r d s h i p o f chain faced stiff competition from Chairman Edward Lampert, the Wal-Mart, which resumed its c o m p a n y h a s l e t s t o r e s layaway program this holiday deteriorate, while analysts also season after five years. cite poor locations and ho-hum Sears blamed poor consumer merchandise for its ongoing electronics sales in a tough decline. economic environment "especially "They've neglected this business for big-ticket items" for more than
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:45:08 PM
half of the decline in its namesake chain's domestic same-store sales. Two weeks ago, Best Buy Co Inc said that offering bigger discounts to kick-start the holiday season ate into its profits. Sears' shares were down $11.46, or 25 percent, at $34.40 in early afternoon trading, and have fallen 63.1 percent since hitting a yearly high in February. At the current stock price, Sears Holdings -- home to brands including Craftsman tools and Kenmore appliances -- has a value of $3.7 billion, compared with the $11 billion Lampert agreed to pay for the company in 2004. As of September 30, his holding company owned 45.1 percent of Sears Holdings. The drop in shares is also a big blow for fund manager Bruce Berkowitz's Fairholme Capital, Sears' second-biggest shareholder with 15.2 percent of shares. Sears' travails also hit shares of Whirlpool Corp, which last year got 8 percent of sales through the retailer. Whirlpool shares fell 7.1 percent to $47.56. FALLING FURTHER BEHIND Normally, Sears would give "marginally performing" stores time to improve, but "we no longer believe that to be the appropriate action in this
environment." Sozzi, the analyst, went to a Sears in Bayshore, New York, on Monday, one of the busiest days of the retail season, and said it was "deserted." At the northern end of the state, in Plattsburgh, a Sears was similarly quiet. Wall Street analysts have long faulted Sears for letting its stores become stale, even as rivals ranging from Macy's Inc, J.C. Penney Co Inc to Target Corp and Wal-Mart remodel and refresh their stores, drawing in customers. Last fiscal year, Macy's spent $505 million to improve its namesake and Bloomingdale's stores, while Sears spent $441 million despite having more than three times as many stores. Sears is "effectively asking customers to pay for a poorer shopping environment" than other chains, Credit Suisse analyst Gary Balter said in a note to clients. Balter was also surprised that Sears would borrow money during the holidays, which are typically a peak cash flow period. Sears had $483 million of borrowings outstanding as of December 23, compared with zero a year earlier. As of October 29, Sears had cash and cash equivalents of $624 million, down from $790 million.
Sears Holdings said the lower sales and margin pressure would lead to adjusted fourth-quarter earnings before interest, debt and amortization of less than half of the year-ago quarter's $933 million figure. Last month, Sears reported a much wider-than-expected quarterly loss as higher markdowns and pricing pressures in appliances squeezed margins. The retailer expects to earn $140 million to $170 million by selling of inventory in affected stores and selling or subleasing store space. Sears also expects to record a non -cash charge of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion in the fourth quarter related to a valuation allowance on certain deferred tax assets. (Reporting by Phil Wahba in New York, additional reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Dave Zimmerman and Maureen Bavdek) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
18
News Wire/
Santorum Set to Surprise In Iowa Caucuses?

(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:34:04 PM
Reuters Dec. 26, 2011: Republican presidential candidate and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum takes a break from pheasant hunting in Adel, Iowa. With 45 percent of Iowa Republican voters undecided and a roller-coaster ride about to come to a screeching stop next Tuesday with the GOP caucuses, it may be Rick Santorum's turn to take the final ascent and surprise the political class by ... doing better than expected? Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, has been touted as the sleeper candidate by none other than 2008 Iowa caucuses winner Mike Huckabee. He has relentlessly campaigned in the state, hitting all 99 counties and moving his family out there. He has held 350 campaign events in the past year. He has received key endorsements from well-known social conservatives in the state, and has had solid performances at each of the debates. And he's running an old-school style campaign that Iowa voters expect in the retail-style politics of the Hawkeye State. The man whose at the back of the polling pack -- despite recent buzz giving him a late boost -- is taking nothing for granted but has
nothing to lose. "My feeling is when you're sitting last, if you can do better than that, that's good," he told Fox News. Santorum said he's got 1,000 caucus representatives in a contest with about 1,700 caucus locations. He acknowledges that means no official representative to make his case at each of the locations, but at "almost all of them, and no other campaign is going to have someone there who's going to get up and speak on our behalf." Santorum, who claims organization and message will make the difference, is also banking on a divide and conquer strategy. "There's really three primaries going on here," Santorum said. " Ron Paul has his own primary, the libertarian primary. And ( Newt) Gingrich and ( Mitt) Romney are sort of the establishment primary. And I think there are three who are vying for the conservative mantle to go up against the Gingrich-Romney duo. And I think that I'm going to be the one coming out Iowa with that mantle. "And if we can do that, then we're off to the races here, and conservatives around the country, just like they're doing here in Iowa, are going to start rallying around our campaign," he said. Santorum isn't the only one making a last-ditch effort around the state to appeal to social conservatives. Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann are likely
Santorum's most competitive among the social conservative crowd. And both are working vigorously to get supporters to show up at the caucuses next Tuesday night. Bachmann also won a coveted show of support from Phyllis Schlafly, founder of the conservative Eagle Forum, who on Tuesday said Bachmann "has the courage to be a leader among her peers." "She is a real champion in speaking up for values we care about. Michele is a woman of faith and the mother of a beautiful family. She has a 100 percent prolife record and is a strong supporter of traditional marriage," Schlafly said in a long statement to reporters. Bachmann is trying to follow in Santorum's footsteps, hitting all 99 counties in one week, an ambitious goal. Starting in Council Bluffs on the state's
foregoing an Iowa campaign. Each of the candidates is looking for supporters one at a time and hoping to become a roadblock for Romney, who is looking stronger than expected, and Paul, whose organization is notable for its strength and vastness. With the recent rise of Paul, closer scrutiny is being paid to his record, including a 1990s newsletter in his name that has caused him some trouble. Santorum, who's been one of Paul's most vocal critics during w e s t e r n e d g e o n T u e s d a y , the debates, alluded to those Bachmann will hit gas stations debates and other policy positions and diners. By nightfall, she was held by President Obama to make slated to have visited another 10 his case. counties. "(Radio host) Rush Limbaugh Out on the trail Tuesday, Perry said that the other day on his again argued that a vote for him is show that you'd never have to a vote for a Washington outsider. worry a night that, you know, I Taking a dig at Paul, he said wasn't trying to do the right thing voters don't have to pick a in the Oval Office. And that's candidate who would allow Iran what I hope the people of Iowa to wipe Israel off the earth. have now picked up," he said. "You don't have to stand for that," Related Video he said. "I have all the respect in Santorum a Surprise Candidate? the world for the frontrunners," he White House hopeful explains added, asking if voters replace a why he could win the Iowa D e m o c r a t i c i n s i d e r w i t h a Caucuses R e p u b l i c a n i n s i d e r , w i l l This entry passed through the Washington change. Full-Text RSS service if this is With the three conservative your content and you're reading it candidates making their late play on someone else's site, please read to win over Iowa's base voters, the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentthey are joined by Romney and only/faq.php#publishers. Five Gingrich on bus tours around the Filters recommends: Donate to state while Paul is also making his Wikileaks. final appeal. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman said early on he is
News Wire/
19
Shale Oil: Jobs Fix or Eco-Disaster?

(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:34:04 PM
After sitting idle for two decades, theres steam billowing from the top of the big old steel plant in Youngstown, Ohio. This does not represent a renewal of the steel production that once created the Rust Belt. Instead, this is a product of a new industry proponents say can be a game changer, not just for the depressed Youngstown Warren area, but for the U.S. economy and the bigger energy game. It is the exploitation of oil shale. The former steel plant now builds things like seamless piping for extracting the natural gas and oil deep underground. Theres enough natural gas down there, some experts claim, to end U.S. dependence on foreign oil and completely turn around the current financial state. It sounds fantastic, but opponents call it a fantasy. They claim big oil companies will ravage the land, contaminate groundwater, even create earthquakes, then pack up and leave once the profit has been exploited. Its a battle that has been raging for years. But a new and improved process for pulling massive deposits of fossil fuels from the ground in financially devastated areas of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, is bringing a lot of hope to communities where homelessness and poverty run rampant.
In northeastern Ohio, oil companies from across the U.S. are setting up shop, developing wells and putting people to work, trying to get the oil out of the sedimentary rock. The controversial process used to get the oil out is called fracking, which involves a highly pressurized fluid injected into the shale as a way to extract the fossil fuels caught between the rock. Years ago we couldnt figure out
how to get it out of there in an economical way, but somebody came up with a better mousetrap, said oil analyst Phil Flynn of PFGBest. Instead of only getting maybe 10 percent of that oil and gas out of the market, now we get 75 to 80 to 90 percent of that oil and gas out he said. The latest fracking process, which developers claim is less environmentally damaging, involves a seamless pipe drilled
thousands of feet into the ground, which then curves horizontally. Water and chemicals are pumped through to break up the shale. The water is then withdrawn, pulling with it oil and natural gas. Flynn, who is very enthusiastic when talking about the possibilities of natural gas, said this can change everything, including foreign policy. We're the Saudi Arabia of natural gas. This single-handedly can change
the US economy he said. The potential of 5.5 billion barrels of oil and 15-billion cubic feet of natural gas has companies like Exxon Mobile investing in impoverished eastern Ohio. People who have opportunities in many other places in the country or elsewhere in the world have elected to come to Ohio and seek opportunity here, that tells me that SHALE page 21
20
News Wire/
Consumer confidence perks up, house prices sag

(Reuters: Top News)
labor market," said Mark Vitner, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Signs advertising new homes Carolina. s t a r t i n g f r o m t h e p r i c e o f The Conference Board's index of $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 a r e d i s p l a y e d i n consumer confidence rose to 64.5 Chandler Heights, Arizona June 2, t h i s m o n t h f r o m 5 5 . 2 i n 2011. Consumers turned more November, beating economists' pessimistic in May, while home expectations for a reading of 58.3. prices fell back below crisis-era Other reports showed the uneven lows in March, pointing to an nature of the recovery. House e c o n o m y t h a t c o n t i n u e s t o prices in the year ended October struggle. have fallen by 3.4 percent in Credit: Reuters/Joshua Lott October in 20 major metropolitan By Lucia Mutikani areas, S&P/Case Shiller reported. WASHINGTON| Tue Dec 27, The Dallas Federal Reserve also 2011 12:49pm EST said manufacturing in its region ( R e u t e r s ) - U . S . c o n s u m e r weakened in December. confidence hit an eight month But consumers are increasingly high in December on improving upbeat. The Conference Board j o b p r o s p e c t s , l e n d i n g t h e said its present situation index economy further support, even jumped to a three year high, with though weak home prices could the expectations index the highest delay a recovery in the housing in seven months. market. The economy's improving tenor The sharp rise in sentiment was also highlighted by a separate reported by the Conference Board report showing factory activity in on Tuesday offered hope for a the central Atlantic region firmed pick-up in consumer spending this month after being flat in after an anemic performance in November, implying underlying November. strength in the manufacturing "It suggests there is some real sector. improvement in the economy. The Richmond Federal Reserve Consumer confidence really boils said new orders and shipments down to how people feel about the from factories in the region
Submitted at 12/27/2011 11:49:45 AM
increased, offsetting a modest decline in the employment measure. Last month's rise in consumer confidence largely reflects a better tone in the labor market. The unemployment rate dropped to a 2 -1/2 year low in November and applications for first-time jobless benefits are the lowest since April 2008. Despite the show of resilience, the debt crisis in Europe continues to cast a shadow over the U.S. economy. "This good news is likely to be tested in the new year by slowing global growth and ongoing risk from Europe," said Eric Green, chief economist at TD Securities in New York. "Still, the stronger momentum going into year end is for real and at face value puts the economy in better position to withstand what is sure to be stronger headwinds to growth in the first half of 2012." Stocks on Wall Street were little changed in light trading, while prices for U.S. Treasury debt pushed higher. The dollar was marginally weak against a basket of currencies. HOUSING STILL IN
DOLDRUMS Other data showed a steeper drop in single-family home prices than expected in October, underscoring the challenges still confronting the housing market. The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas dropped 1.2 percent on an unadjusted basis, worse than economists' expectations for a 0.5 percent fall. Prices dropped 0.6 percent in September. For the year, home prices were down 3.4 percent in October. Despite the persistent drop in prices, housing is becoming less of a drag on the economy. Home sales volumes have increased in recent months and builders have been breaking ground on new projects. Home building is expected to contribute significantly to growth next year for the first time since the second quarter of 2010. "While some other housing indicators have improved over the past few months, we have yet to see most house prices measures pick up," said Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan in New York. With the labor market improving, housing could get some support.
In the Conference Board survey, consumers' outlook of job market conditions brightened significantly. The share of consumers viewing jobs as "plentiful" rose to 6.7 percent this month from 5.6 percent in November. The proportion of those viewing jobs as "hard to get" slipped to 41.8 percent from 43 percent in November. The share of consumers anticipating more jobs in the months ahead rose to 13.3 percent from 12.4 percent, while those expecting fewer jobs declined to 20.2 percent from 23.8 percent. More consumers are expecting their incomes to increase, with that proportion rising to 17.1 percent from 14.1 percent in November. (Reporting By Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Padraic Cassidy) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
News Wire/
21
Obama to nominate Powell, Stein as Fed governors

(Reuters: Top News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:48:53 PM
SHALE
By Laura MacInnis HONOLULU| Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:48pm EST (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will nominate Harvard economist Jeremy Stein and Jerome Powell, an investment banker and former Treasury official, to the two empty seats on the Federal Reserve's policysetting board of governors. The White House's pick of candidates, who have Democratic and Republican credentials respectively, may help speed their nomination through Congress when the U.S. economy faces a period of frustratingly slow improvement that has failed to put a major dent in the unemployment rate, now at 8.6 percent. While neither have laid out detailed views on monetary policy, Stein wrote a paper earlier this year suggesting he would back the Fed's unconventional efforts to keep down long-term borrowing costs, which have been controversial in Washington. The Fed for over three years has
people who are making very rational decisions spending shareholder money are coming to the conclusion that this is worth chasing, said Tom Steward of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. The shale oil industry seems to have many heading toward Ohio with dollar signs in their eyes. On adopted an array of radical scholar at the Bipartisan Policy its website, the Ohio Department measures to keep interest rates Center in Washington, focused on of Natural Resources posted this low and spur recovery. federal and state fiscal issues. He statement: In the spring of 2010, Stein, who previously worked for was not immediately available for the Division started receiving a number of calls from landowners the Obama administration as an comment. adviser to the Treasury secretary Both Stein and Powell had who were being approached by and a National Economic Council already been flagged in various land persons seeking to lease the staff member, specializes in stock press reports as likely nominees. M a r c e l l u s S h a l e a n d p r i c e b e h a v i o r , c o r p o r a t e In response to a deep recession subsequently, the Utica Shale i n v e s t m e n t a n d f i n a n c i n g and financial crisis, the Fed beneath their property for oil and decisions, risk management and slashed interest rates to near zero natural gas exploration. We capital allocation inside firms. He and sharply expanded its balance expect the permitting and drilling d e c l i n e d c o m m e n t o n h i s sheet to some $2.8 trillion to keep to the Marcellus Shale and Utica nomination. t h e e c o n o m y a f l o a t . S o m e Shale to increase but at a gradual The choice of Powell, who analysts worry the Fed's asset pace. served at the Treasury during purchases could make it harder Its too soon to say business is President George H. W. Bush's for the central bank to tighten booming, but Tom Humphries, term in the late 1980s and early monetary policy when it decides from the Youngstown Warren regional chamber of commerce, 1 9 9 0 s , c o u l d b e a i m e d a t the time is right. mollifying Senate Republicans. (Additional reporting by Pedro da estimates more than 400,000 jobs They blocked Peter Diamond, a C o s t a ; E d i t i n g b y N e i l could be created in the area from the shale oil industry. Massachusetts Institute of S t e m p l e m a n ) Technology economist, saying the This entry passed through the But extensive exploration of land Nobel prize winner was not Full-Text RSS service if this is and growth in the natural gas qualified for the job and he was your content and you're reading it industry will need to involve the too sympathetic to government on someone else's site, please read federal government. Proponents intervention in the economy. the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content- accuse President Obama of Powell is a lawyer by training only/faq.php#publishers. Five focusing too much on renewables, and worked at Dillon, Read and Filters recommends: Donate to like wind farms and low return energy sources. Bankers Trust Co. after leaving Wikileaks. And environmentalists, like Tina the senior Bush administration Posterli from Riverkeepers, said and before joining Carlyle Group. the industrys falsely putting a Powell is currently a visiting positive spin on it. The gas and
oil industry greatly exaggerate the benefits of fracking she said. They have these hopes of jobs, when the reality is they come into communities, they contaminate the water with their process, they destroy the land and people's properties and then they leave." Posterli worries that concern over the economy and eagerness to make money from fossil fuels will lead to bigger, long term problems, like earthquakes and destruction of natural resources . Fracking is growing because there's this fallacy that we can hurry up get in there and solve all of our energy problems through this process and through getting there first." An EPA report said the risk to groundwater is minimal and that no earthquake has been definitively linked to fracking. Still, for now shale oil is tightly gripped in a tug of war with environmental concerns versus jobs and a domestic fuel source. People on both sides are eagerly watching to see what happens. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
22
News Wire/ World News/ Obituaries
Iran Seeks Death Penalty For Alleged CIA Spy

(FOXNews.com)
department three times. The report said Hekmati repeated a confession broadcast on state TEHRAN, Iran An American TV Dec. 18. man accused by Iran of working Under the Iranian law spying can for the CIA could face the death lead to death penalty only in penalty, the semiofficial Fars military cases . news agency reported Tuesday. The Fars report said Hekmati's In a closed court hearing, the lawyer, who was identified only prosecution applied for capital by his surname, Samadi, denied punishment, the report said, the charges. He said Iranian because the suspect, identified as intelligence blocked Hekmati Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, "admitted from infiltrating, and under the that he received training in the Iranian law, intention to infiltrate United States and planned to is not a crime. imply that Iran was involved in The lawyer said Hekmati was terrorist activities in foreign deceived by the CIA. No date for countries" after returning to the the next court hearing was U.S. released. The prosecutor said Hekmati Hekmati, 28, was born in e n t e r e d I r a n ' s i n t e l l i g e n c e Arizona. His family is of Iranian
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:34:04 PM
origin. His father, who lives in Michigan, said his son is not a CIA spy and was visiting his grandmothers in Iran when he was arrested. Iran charges that as a U.S. Marine, he received special training and served at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan before heading to Iran for his alleged intelligence mission. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Epoch Times | National, World, China, Sports, Entertainment News

(Epoch Times | National, World, China, Sports, Entertainment News)
Haram, which some analysts believe could pose a threat to the U.S. homeland. Chinas Ministry of Railways Top Stories will enforce a real-name One of Indonesias most active authentication system for train volcanoes erupted on Tuesday, tickets, starting on the first day of sending clouds of ash built up next year, according to an gases into the air, reportedly announcement last week. causing locals to panic. Mt. A survey that gauged Libyan Lokon in Tomohon city in North public opinion right before the Sulawesi province erupted three downfall of Moammar Gadhafis times, according to the Jakarta government. [...] This entry passed through the Just as protests were winding Full-Text RSS service if this is down in Wukan, energetic young your content and you're reading it people with a newfound sense of on someone else's site, please read their own rights played an the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentimportant role in protests in only/faq.php#publishers. Five Guangdong Provinces [...] Filters recommends: Donate to After deadly Christmas Day Wikileaks. bombings in Nigeria, focus is now on Islamist terror group Boko
Cyclone predicted to reform in Queenslands Gulf - ABC Online

Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:04:25 PM
Ex-`Saturday Night Live' writer Joe Bodolai dies (AP)

(Yahoo! News: Obituaries)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:22:37 PM
BBC News Cyclone predicted to reform in Queenslands Gulf ABC Online
By Kerrin Binnie The weather bureau predicts ex-Tropical Cyclone Grant may redevelop when it moves into Queensland's Gulf Country. It has already caused flooding across the Northern Territory. Forecaster
Gavin Holcombe says the system is moving east... Cyclone Grant weakens, spares Darwin The Australian Cyclone Grant in NT slowly intensifies Sydney Morning Herald
Isolated flooding from Cyclone Grant NEWS.com.au Courier Mail- Ninemsn- The Canberra Times all 509 news articles
AP - The Los Angeles coroner's office says former "Saturday Night Live" writer Joseph Bodolai has committed suicide in a Hollywood hotel room.
World News/
23
Family's Tribute To Student Killed In Salford - Sky News

Post-Christmas, they got a Facebook update: son shot in 'race attack' - Indian Express
23-year-old was attacked as... Two teenagers arrested over Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:45:43 PM Salford shooting The Guardian Sky News Two teenagers arrested over Family's Tribute To Student s h o o t i n g o f I n d i a n s t u d e n t Killed In Salford Mirror.co.uk Sky News Second teen held after Anuj An Indian student shot dead in Bidve shot dead in Salford BBC Salford on Boxing Day has been News described by his family as a Telegraph.co.uk- The "loving son and a caring brother". I n d e p e n d e n t - D a i l y M a i l A second teenager was arrested all 784 news articles on Tuesday in connection with the fatal shooting of Anuj Bidve. The
with the detail that his son had been shot point... Killed for not giving time of day; Indian Express UK needs 3-4 weeks to send body Post-Christmas, they got a Hindustan Times Facebook update: son shot in 'race UK police arrest teens in student attack' shooting Sydney Morning Herald Indian Express Two UK teenagers arrested for The last thing Subhash Bidve had Indian student's murder NDTV expected to find out on Facebook BBC News- Sky News- The was news of his son's death. Yet, Hindu two days after sending the 23-year all 784 news articles -old a message on the site, that is exactly what he saw complete
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:13:45 PM
Lok Sabha says aye, lokpal bill faces rough ride in Rajya Sabha Hindustan Times
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:45:02 PM
Man found in Ullapool Russia should help resolve harbour named as Anthony Toland - BBC News Gita issue: Krishna Hindustan Times
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:22:50 PM

Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:08:36 PM
IBNLive.com Russia should help resolve Gita issue: Krishna Hindustan Times Ahead of the court hearing in Tomsk city on the issue of ban of Bhagwad Gita As It Is, a Russian translation of a commentary by Swami Prabhupada, external affairs minister SM Krishna met
Russian envoy Alexander Kadakin on Tuesday and apprised him about... Day before verdict, India asks Russia to prevent ban on Gita Chandigarh Tribune Move to ban Gita is the height of intolerance IBNLive.com Indian legal eagles to battle 'ban Gita' move in Russia NDTV Economic Times- Firstpost all 47 news articles
been raised late in the evening of Christmas Day.... Fisherman found in harbour BBC News named The Press Association Man found in Ullapool harbour Scottish News: Irish fisherman named as Anthony Toland found in Ullapool harbour named BBC News Scottish Daily Record The fisherman whose body was Body found was Donegal found in Ullapool harbour after he f i s h e r m a n U . T V went missing on Christmas Day Scotsman- stv.tv- Ross-Shire has been named. Anthony Toland, Journal who was 34, was from County all 134 news articles Donegal in Ireland. Concerns had
Hindustan Times Lok Sabha says aye, lokpal bill faces rough ride in Rajya Sabha Hindustan Times TV grab of Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee as he speaks during the discussion on lokpal bill in Lok Sabha in New Delhi. PTI The formation of anticorruption watchdog lokpal moved closer to reality after Lok Sabha passed the Lokpal and... Lokpal Bill passed in Lok Sabha, but no constitutional status NDTV Netas relieved as Anna fails to pull crowds Times of India Lokpal in danger in Rajya Sabha? Daily News & Analysis IBNLive.com- Economic TimesReuters India all 2,743 news articles
24
World News/ Technology/
Triple murderer Go Daddy gets name off freed from jail - SOPA supporters list Peterlee Mail
Don Reisinger (CNET News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:32:35 PM
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:10:35 PM
Peterlee Mail Triple murderer freed from jail Peterlee Mail Andrew Walker, who killed three fellow soldiers in a payroll robbery in Scotland in 1985, has been released early from his life sentence. Walker shot his army colleagues after getting a lift from
them as they were travelling to deliver wages to... Triple killer Andrew Walker released from jail BBC News Triple murderer freed following stroke Deadline News Murderer with just months to live freed from jail Edinburgh Evening News all 106 news articles
Polka Dotted Menswear - The Colt Maldonado by Alex Alvarez Portrait Series Features Modernized Suits (TrendHunter.com)
(TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:37:03 PM
( TrendHunter.com) The Colt Maldonado by Alex Alvarez portrait series showcases
traditionally tailored menswear silhouettes with a modern sensibility. Colt wears suited looks that are avant-garde in their shape. These high...
Unfortunately for Go Daddy, however, many of its customers feel that it has been on the wrong Go Daddy is trying really, really side of the debate. Since SOPA's hard to distance itself from the unveiling, the registrar spoke Stop Online Piracy Act. publicly and wrote blog posts The domain registrar today outlining its support for the bill. announced that its name is no In response, several notable longer on a U.S. Congressional c o m p a n i e s , i n c l u d i n g list of SOPA supporters. That's C h e e z b u r g e r I n c . o f right: Go Daddy is announcing icanhascheezburger.com fame, that its name has been removed and even Wikipedia have started from a list. But it's not just any list to pull away from Go Daddy due to Go Daddy. The company's off- to the registrar's stance. and-on love affair with SOPA is Seeing the writing on the wall, having a profound impact on its Go Daddy announced late last operation. And at this point, even week that it no longer supports saying that it's not on a list is SOPA, saying that Congress important for the company. could "clearly do better" at SOPA, which was introduced in fighting online piracy. (Yesterday, late October by Rep. Lamar Smith Go Daddy also said that it does (R-Texas), could pave the way for not support the related Protect IP the U.S. Justice Department to Act.) easily obtain an order that would But that wasn't the end of the help it virtually eliminate Web story. For one thing, the company sites alleged to contain pirated seemed decidedly unconvincing content from the Internet. in its statement on SOPA, Major technology companies i n d i c a t i n g t h a t i t c o u l d , including Comcast, Dell, and potentially, be swayed to support Sony support SOPA. Online it again if the wider Internet giants Google, Facebook, and community--which has decried Twitter are among the companies the bill--changes its mind. that stand in opposition to the bill. "It's very important that all But as a domain registrar, Go I n t e r n e t s t a k e h o l d e r s w o r k Daddy sits at the crossroads of the together on this," Go Daddy CEO debate over the legality of the act. W a r r e n A d e l m a n s a i d i n a
statement late last week on Internet piracy. "Getting it right is worth the wait. Go Daddy will support it when and if the Internet community supports it." The registrar has also been on radio silence in response to a question posed by CNET yesterday, asking whether it now actually, actively opposes SOPA. Saying it wants to do a better job of fighting online piracy and getting its name removed from a list, after all, are arguably rather passive. Regardless, the damage has been done. A massive protest thread has exploded on Reddit, the company lost over 21,000 domains in just one day last week, and its top competitors are circling. Whether a change in tune at this point will even matter is up for debate. GoDaddy has not immediately responded to CNET's request for comment on its stance on SOPA. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Technology/
25
SOPA copyright bill draws fire

CNET News staff (CNET News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:32:00 PM
registrar Go Daddy said that it's no longer supporting the bill. (Posted in Politics and Law by The Stop Online Piracy Act is Josh Lowensohn) intended to target "rogue" Web December 23, 2011 11:39 a.m. sites, but critics say it'll knock the PT Pro-copyright group takes stuffing out of legitimate sites as SOPA to task When defending well. How SOPA would affect intellectual property rights, the you: FAQ An in-depth look at the influential Heritage Foundation controversial Stop Online Piracy often sounds like it's channeling Act, backed by Hollywood and Hollywood lobbyists. But not opposed by the largest Web when it comes to the Stop Online companies and civil liberties Piracy Act. groups. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) McCullagh) December 21, 2011 9:41 p.m. PT December 21, 2011 GoDaddy How SOPA's 'circumvention' ban accused of interfering with anti- c o u l d p u t a t a r g e t o n T o r SOPA exodus A rival accuses it Hollywood-backed Stop Online of monkeywrenching would-be Piracy Act goes further than boycotters; the registrar denies earlier versions and targets wrongdoing. For some reason, software that can "bypass" or though, GoDaddy still doesn't "circumvent" anti-piracy blocks. formally oppose SOPA. The Tor Project worries it could Go Daddy gets name off SOPA be at risk. supporters list (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) McCullagh) December 21, 2011 12:24 p.m. December 26, 2011 4:46 p.m. PT PT New 'Firewall' song protests 21,000 domains transfer out of Go SOPA copyright bill Q&A The Daddy in 1 day It could be a songwriter behind the 2007 c o i n c i d e n c e o r i t c o u l d a Internet hit "I Got a Crush on collective cold shoulder for Go Obama" is now taking aim at Daddy for its SOPA support-- SOPA in a new music video titled though the company has reversed "Firewall." course. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan (Posted in Digital Media by McCullagh) Natalie Weinstein) December 20, 2011 5:12 p.m. PT December 24, 2011 3:25 p.m. PT SOPA vote: Well, there's always Go Daddy spanks SOPA, yanks next year What supporters of s u p p o r t F a c i n g i n c r e a s i n g SOPA had hoped would be pressure for its support of the Stop speedy committee approval took a Online Piracy Act, domain porn-and-Twitter detour through
dozens of amendments. The result: A reprieve for Internet companies. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 16, 2011 2:15 p.m. PT Vint Cerf: SOPA means 'unprecedented censorship' of the Web Vint Cerf, the legendary computer scientist known as one of the fathers of the Internet, warns Rep. Lamar Smith that his bill will be ineffective and dangerous. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 15, 2011 10:37 p.m. PT SOPA attracts plenty of supporters during House debate Controversial Hollywood-backed copyright bill is embraced by majority of a House of Representatives committee. A vote may happen tomorrow. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 15, 2011 10:05 p.m. PT SOPA votes derailed by politician's 'offensive' tweet Marathon debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act was derailed not by free speech concerns with the bill, but rather a Twitter post that accused Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of being boring. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 15, 2011 3:35 p.m. PT Brin says SOPA puts U.S. on par with oppressive nations The Google co-founder posts a note on Google+ blasting the controversial anti-piracy
legislation, saying it won't accomplish its goals and will limit free speech. (Posted in Digital Media by Jay Greene) December 15, 2011 10:26 AM PST Meet SOPA author Lamar Smith, Hollywood's favorite Republican When large content holders want to rewrite copyright law, or enact legislation like the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, they give House Judiciary chairman Lamar Smith a call. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 15, 2011 4:00 a.m. PT SOPA backers: It's needed to take down The Pirate Bay An alternative to the Stop Online Piracy Act called the OPEN Act wouldn't block overseas Web sites such as The Pirate Bay and would be ineffective in curbing piracy, SOPA's supporters are warning. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 14, 2011 12:49 p.m. PT Rep. Issa: SOPA won't be approved unless fixed GOP committee chairman says Stop Online Piracy Act hands the attorney general far too much power and will be too "controversial" for Republican leaders to send to the House floor for a vote. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 14, 2011 4:00 a.m. PT New version of SOPA copyright bill, old complaints Rep. Lamar Smith releases SOPA v2.0 before
a planned committee vote on Thursday. Still included is a controversial section allowing for the blocking of suspected pirate Web sites and deep packet inspection. SOPA foes marshal opposition before House panel vote Silicon Valley execs blast SOPA in open letter (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 12, 2011 11:10 p.m. PT Lawmakers unveil sensible alternative to SOPA commentary Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Darrell Issa's draft of the OPEN Act is a welcome relief to other pending legislation that would do dramatic harm to the digital economy. (Posted in Politics and Law by Larry Downes) December 8, 2011 3:55 p.m. PT Critics of SOPA copyright bill ready counterattack Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) are planning a lessDraconian alternative to the Stop Online Piracy Act on Thursday, CNET has learned. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) December 6, 2011 11:52 p.m. PT Surprise! Microsoft quietly opposes SOPA copyright bill Microsoft applauded a Senate bill that aimed to delete "rogue Web sites" from the Internet. But it's drawn the line at the broader Stop Online Piracy Act. Kaspersky dumps trade group SOPA page 29
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Issues for 2012 #2: Is Windows 8 Too Late?

Scott M. Fulton, III (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:00:00 PM
The memo has already gone out to the various book editors, news editors, and technology analysts: The proper phrase is not "tablet PC" any more. A tablet and a PC are perceived by both consumers and businesses as two separate classes of device. You probably saw the TV ads this season where Santa's elves kicked out the 4G smartphones and tablets, and dispensed with the old gifts nobody wants. "Bye, bye, computer," the elves sang to an old Johnny Mathis tune. Since its very inception, Microsoft's business model has been about leverage. It uses its established foundation in one popular platform to extend another. The advance of the tablet form factor had been announced further ahead of time than Margaret Thatcher announced the surge on the Falklands. It's not like Microsoft didn't see this coming. But in 20/ 20 hindsight, it's remarkable to see now how the company appears to have actively worked to thwart that advance, to slow it down, by introducing potential form factors that could deflect interest in tablets - for example, an embedded device that could reveal the weather forecast and present your e-mails, that could be sewn to one's luggage. Sponsor
"What Am I?" Round 4 For over a decade, electronics manufacturers looked to Microsoft and Intel for leadership in defining what a handheld, functional form factor would be, because its marketability would need to be fueled by a desirable platform. Their first attempt, called "Origami," was crude, ungainly, and powerless, even jumping the borderline into the territory of ridiculous; but then amazingly, their second and third attempts were no better. A tablet PC was not as desirable as a tablet. Consumers were clearly demonstrating a preference for a device that did not remind them of everyday work. Connecting to their PC would be nice, but being another PC was not necessary. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Apple answered that calling almost completely. Just as more smartphones today resemble iPhones than BlackBerrys, more tablets today resemble iPads than PCs. Only recently has there been a tablet form factor that any plurality of manufacturers would want to promote as a top-shelf product. Still, no single manufacturer - not even Apple - has sewn a common thread through every electronics form factor using a substance more solid than branding alone. While parts of the Windows Phone platform are indeed Windows, the two platforms are designed to run different software.
consumer, who has already divided "tablet" from "PC" in her mind, and so far is quite pleased with the result. And as long as the end customer demonstrates no desire, the carriers won't generate it either. 2. Creating a common class of software. There is frankly not much software that can, or even should, scale up to fit the PC and then scale down to smartphone size and retain most of its The holy grail for Microsoft functionality. There's a way to would be more than a common play "Angry Birds" on a PC, but thread, but a bond of technology folks seem to have more fun that seals the deal for both h o l d i n g i t i n t h e i r h a n d s . Windows Phone and Windows 8, Handheld games are fun because creating the need for one out of they are handheld. There's a way the need for the other. to create .DOCX and . XLSX files The challenges for Microsoft on a smartphone, but it's typically toward this end are these: a waste of time trying to create an 1. Making customers want this. entire database with a mail-merge The party that stands to benefit form on a plane. You can't just the most, and the soonest, from a scale software up or down and c o n v e r g e n c e o f " t h e t w o expect it to be as functional or as Windowses" is comprised of practical; anything that should wireless carriers. Their support scale must be redesigned for may be critical, because the s c a l a b i l i t y . Redesigning massive investment manufacturers everything to fit a hybridized r e q u i r e t o p r o d u c e h i g h - platform is actually harder, and b a n d w i d t h t o u c h s c r e e n potentially less successful, than connectivity devices won't be designing something completely subsidized by consumers alone. new from the ground up. Microsoft's tying one Windows to 3. Tying all devices to the same the other may be the only factor cloud. Conceivably, the most that sparks carriers' interest in important common bond between investing in Windows Phone- devices bearing a Windows logo capable devices, and in following could be a Microsoft cloudMicrosoft's more carefully plotted delivered service. At long last, hardware support strategy (letting Windows Live has a purpose that Microsoft define what the phone customers can easily embrace: should be). But that same value Syncing media between devices is proposition is not obvious to the
the most obvious and desirable cloud service. But if Microsoft transitions too much of its software into cloud-based services too soon, key components of Windows' original value proposition would be put in play. For example, many home offices run Windows because they need to run the same Microsoft Office (i.e., not the Mac OS version) that's in their workplaces. A fully capable Office suite in the cloud may (and most likely will) find itself challenged by other fully capable, cloud-based suites whose cross-platform nature will make Windows dependency seem like a handicap. And PC-centric applications deployed through Windows Azure are already finding themselves challenged by cross-platform apps deployed through Salesforce.com's Heroku, and probably by new cloud players as well. *Some assembly required. So it's amid these challenges that Microsoft is advancing Windows 8, whose first public beta may be expected in late February. Its value proposition is under construction, but it may be the best that Microsoft can do with what it has. There are asterisks all over its plan. Windows 8 will run a new class of software*, that takes a cue from how tablets make software unlike the PC by being itself being unlike a PC. This class may ISSUES page 31
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Holiday Gift Guide: Mac apps for students

Kelly Hodgkins (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 4:00:00 PM
Welcome to TUAW's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide! We're here to help you choose the best gifts this holiday season, and once you've received your gifts we'll tell you what apps and accessories we think are best for your new Apple gear. Stay tuned every weekday from now until the end of the year for our picks and helpful guides and check our Gift Guide hub to see our guides as they become available. For even more holiday fun, check out sister site Engadget's gift guide. It's the middle of the winter break and most students are enjoying a short respite from course work, classrooms and cramming for exams. Students should use some of this free time to clean up their old Mac or setup their new Mac before their hectic school schedule begins again. To help you get organized for the 2012 Spring semester, we've compiled some of the top Mac apps for students. Check out the list below and add your favorites in the comments (all prices are USD). Dropbox(Free) Dropbox is a popular, web-based file hosting service that lets you upload files to a cloud account and share them with other Dropbox users. It's an easy way to store files for yourself or others to view. Besides the Dropbox client which uploads files from your
Mac, there are many other apps that use Dropbox for file sharing or file backup. Dropbox gives you 2 GB of storage space for free, but you can purchase additional storage if needed (50 GB for US$9.99 monthly or $99.99 per year; 100 GB for $19.99/month or $199.00/year) Evernote(Free) Evernote is an excellent notetaking app that stores all your notes in the cloud, so you can
drive for music files and add them to the app. It also scans the library of other computers on your local network that have Garage Tunes installed. It's an easy way for roommates to share their music over a LAN. WiFi Radar($9.99) If you're the traveling type who likes to study in the library or at your local coffee shop, you'll need a decent WiFi tool like WiFi Radar to help you find available WiFi networks. WiFi Radar will list all the available wireless networks in your area and provide you information about the SSID, channel, signal strength and password state. Once you connect, the app will graph your network signal and let you monitor the reliability of the connection. Coffee Break($2.99) Coffee Break is a small utility that resides in the menu bar and reminds you that it's time for a break. You can setup alarms that'll dim the screen and tell you take a break for a set number of minutes. Conventional wisdom says you'll access them from your iPhone, when they are due. You can also stay more alert during those iPad or desktop. You can create log all your grades, so you know marathon studying sessions if you normal text notes, clip portions of how well you are doing in a class. take regular breaks. web pages and record audio notes. There's even a section for course Caffeine(Free) You can also search and modify information that lets you store the Unlike Coffee Break, Caffeine existing notes. It's available for course location, time and the will help keep your computer free and is a must-have for anyone professor's contact information. going during a marathon study taking notes. It's available on the Mac, and it is session. The app is a small utility iHomework($2.99) sold as a universal app for the that sits in the menu bar and gives iHomework is an app to help you iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. you quick access to some of the manage your course workload. Garage Tunes($4.99) options in Energy Saver. You can I t ' l l k e e p t r a c k o f y o u r Garage Tunes is a lightweight HOLIDAY page 30 assignments and set reminders for music player that'll scan your hard
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Foursquaring the Hajj

Sana Saeed (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:30:00 PM
disgust and pride aside, technological reform has been at the heart of the Islamic pilgrimage Recent images of a newly for some time, especially as a rebranded cosmopolitan Mecca means through which some of the show Islam's holiest site lit by b u r d e n s o f a c c o m m o d a t i n g skyscrapers towering over the millions of pilgrims could be Ka'aba, built by the Patriach lessened. Abraham and his son Ishmael. The Saudi government has made The Ka'aba is a modest but considerable changes within the o v e r p o w e r i n g , c u b e d b r i c k past years to the main ritual sites building, referred to as the House to accommodate the increasingly of God, towards which millions of large number of faithful who are Muslims turn to pray five times a attend the annual pilgrimage. day. It is also the focus of the From heat-resistant marble floors Hajj, or Muslim pilgrimage, one t o u n f a t h o m a b l y l a r g e a i r of the five pillars of Islam. It is conditioning units to escalators, obligatory for every Muslim (who t h e M i n i s t r y o f H a j j h a s can afford it and is physically undertaken many efforts to make able) to perform the journey, one the journey easier as the Hajj taken by millions of people over moves into the summer. This past almost 1500 years. But the year, in particular however, daunting new urban infrastructure technology and the spiritual proposed by Saudi Arabia has led journey have collided in an to expressions of both pride and unprecedented way and may help disgust. It has been both hailed as change the shape and direction of a needed reform and condemned how many pilgrims interact with as the "Las Vegasization" of the the Hajj. The booming popularity holy city of worship at the of social networks such as Twitter expense of Islamic heritage. and Facebook as well as the Does technology have a place in growth of multimedia and citizen a sacred space? It seems as though j o u r n a l i s m a s f o r c e s o f there might be little choice. information sharing made easy Sponsor (both in accessibility and use) Sana Saeed is a writer and h a v e m a d e t h e c o l l u s i o n freelance journalist based in i n e v i t a b l e . T h i s h a s b e e n Canada. She holds a Masters in bolstered by the organic and Islamic Studies from McGill created growing need to connect University and is the Editor-in- with others, both known and Chief of KABOBfest.com. You unknown, channeled through can follow her o n camera-phones with impressive Twitter@SanaSaeed. Ill-thought data plans. Electronic Pilgrimage out urban planning and cries of Facebook photo-sharing of
Holy Logistics Yet the intersection of Hajj and the internet has gone beyond just simply sharing images and sentiments of the experience. Such technology has also been used to fulfill the practical needs of pilgrims while other forms have been used to make the burdens of the journey easier. There was a concerted effort by the governor of Mecca to use new media as a means through which solemn or excited faces in front of would-be pilgrims could gain a backdrop of a thunderous crowd information about not only what of white garb with specs of color to expect on the pilgrimage and has been one of the oldest the sort of services provided for expressions of the relationship them, as well as learn about between the Hajj and social media proper religious legal conduct. technology. And it has grown In addition to this, other services considerably. On Twitter, many have been arisen to help pilgrims Hajjis will tweet brief reports of learn about what is done during their experiences. Bilal Aslam, a the Hajj, connect with other DC native, went so far as to pilgrims and find appropriate tour transcribe daily journal entries groups. This past Hajj, the Saudi from his pilgrimage onto an government sent out 3.25 million online forum. According to Aslam text messages per day to keep after "seeing so many interesting pilgrims on their ritualistic toes. and crazy events, I had to share Perhaps Saudi Arabia's most [them] with others." This past emphatic technological approach year, in particular however, to Hajj this past year was the livetechnology and the spiritual streaming of the entire pilgrimage journey have collided in an on YouTube, allowing millions unprecedented way and may help around the world to click open change the shape and direction of images of circumambulating how many pilgrims interact with pilgrims. Yet the intersection of the Hajj. CNN also dedicated a Hajj and the internet has gone section on its website to the Hajj beyond just simply sharing and, making use of citizen and images and sentiments of the multimedia journalism, followed experience. Such technology has several young and old Muslim also been used to fulfill the pilgrims as iReporters on the practical needs of pilgrims while journey as they recorded their other forms have been used to experiences.
make the burdens of the journey easier. Mobily, a Saudi Arabia based telecommunications company, launched the Hajj iPhone application in November of this past year, which also instructs pilgrims on rituals, "supplications and day-to-day information on each ritual site." Many governments of Muslimmajority countries, or countries with considerable Muslim populations, have also started creating web pages for pilgrims leaving from these countries. These websites give information regarding available packages as well legal information and ritualistic expectations. Among young Muslims, the Web has also become the preferred mode of finding information about traveling and booking for Hajj as well as connecting and communicating with service providers. FlyHajj.com, a recent start-up from Pakistan, helps address practical challenges faced by pilgrims, tour operators in multi-billion dollar Hajj marketplace. The online travel portal, which perhaps shows the greatest potential for the market it seeks to fill, caters to both potential pilgrims as well as tour operators who specialize in creating Hajj travel packages. Bringing together otherwise scattered information, tour groups, the website allows travelers to find affordable and FOURSQUARING page 33
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SOPA
over SOPA (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 22, 2011 9:23 p.m. PT SOPA's latest threat: IP blocking, privacy-busting packet inspection A little-noticed section of the Stop Online Piracy Act could require deep-packet inspection and blocking IP addresses of copyright-infringing Web sites, a significant change from earlier versions. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 18, 2011 3:56 p.m. PT Tumblr users fight SOPA with 87,834 calls to Congress The company says that the average call to representatives about the bill was 53 seconds long, but the longest lasted 31 minutes, according to data it compiled. (Posted in The Digital Home by Don Resinger) November 18, 2011 9:27 a.m. PT OpenDNS: SOPA will be 'extremely disruptive' to the Internet David Ulevitch, whose company claims over 30 million people using its domain name services, trekked to D.C. to oppose the Stop Online Piracy Act. He left disappointed. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 17, 2011 11:51 p.m. PT Sandia Labs: SOPA will
'negatively impact' U.S. cybersecurity The Stop Online Piracy Act is "unlikely to be effective," says official from Sandia National Laboratories, part of the U.S. Department of Energy. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 17, 2011 2:03 p.m. PT ZDNet: SOPA: Why the 'broken Web' should stay broken The Web may not be perfect, but SOPA is a reactionary bill to a broken copyright system. One thought alone: The "broken Web" is ironically what makes it work. (Posted in Between the Lines by Zack Whittaker) November 17, 2011, 3:43 a.m. PT New flap over SOPA copyright bill: Anti-Web security? Republican head of House cybersecurity panel warns that Stop Online Piracy Act could imperil efforts to make domain names more secure. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 16, 2011 1:25 p.m. PT ZDNet: SOPA, pols run into Internet buzz saw The Stop Online Piracy Act raises a ruckus as the Internet wakes up to realize that this nutty copyright bill could actually pass. (Posted in Between the Lines by Larry Dignan) November 16, 2011, 10:15 a.m.
PT SOPA bill won't make U.S. a 'repressive regime,' Democrat says A last-minute campaign against the Stop Online Piracy Act may be working. It certainly has the bill's backers on the defensive at today's hearing before a House committee. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 16, 2011 8:14 a.m. PT Hollywood's SOPA testimony links job loss to piracy MPAA executive who is testifying today in support of the copyright bill says that piracy kills jobs--not just for the super-rich Hollywood actors, but people who sell paint and do the dry cleaning for movie and TV productions. (Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval) November 16, 2011 7:34 a.m. PT Copyright Office will endorse SOPA antipiracy bill The U.S. Copyright Office plans to endorse the controversial Hollywoodbacked bill called the Stop Online Piracy Act. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 15, 2011 6:53 a.m. PT Google, Facebook, Zynga oppose new SOPA copyright bill In advance of the first House of Representatives hearing on the Stop Online Piracy Act, opponents of the measure gain
new allies in Google, Facebook, Twitter, Zynga, and other Web companies. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) November 15, 2011 9:44 a.m. PT Warner Bros. denies abusing DMCA in Hotfile case Hotfile's allegations that the film studio filed false takedown requests sound outrageous, but the problem is they don't hold up. (Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval) November 14, 2011 4:00 a.m. PT RIAA chief: Copyright bills won't kill the Internet guest column Cary Sherman argues that legislation targeting "rogue Web sites" would make the Web safer for content creators, without wide -ranging ripple effects or collateral damage. (Posted in Digital Media by Cary Sherman) November 8, 2011 6:13 SOPA: Hollywood's latest effort to turn back time commentary The bill introduced last week in the House is nothing short of a regulatory coup by Hollywood. It's the latest in a series of increasingly desperate efforts to put the Internet genie back in the bottle. (Posted in Politics and Law by Larry Downes) November 1, 2011 10:02 a.m. PT U.S. government also a villain in
piracy act story The MPAA has presented the U.S. House of Representatives with a customcrafted bill designed to put the Internet fully under the control of the industries it represents. And our government has aided and abetted along the way for years. Time for a revolution? (Posted in Molly Rants by Molly Wood) October 31, 2011 10:58 p.m. PT Rep. Lofgren: Copyright bill is the 'end of the Internet' Democratic congresswoman from Silicon Valley, who will likely lead congressional opposition to Stop Online Piracy Act, warns that the bill if passed would mean an end to the Internet as we know it. (Posted in Privacy Inc. by Declan McCullagh) October 27, 2011 11:25 a.m. PT This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Americans more upbeat about prospects despite global gloom

Szu Ping Chan (Finance News Business news from the UK and world)
US consumers are ending the year in a more upbeat mood despite signs that the world's
largest economy is yet to escape the global turmoil.
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HOLIDAY
click it once to stop your Mac from going to sleep, dimming the screen or starting screen savers. Click it again and everything is restored back to normal. It's perfect for those times when you're deep in thought and not actively interacting with your Mac. PDF Expert($19.99) PDF Expert will let you read, annotate, and search within PDF files on your Mac. The app has all the basic functions you need to highlight, underline or add other annotations to a PDF. You can also add notes and bookmarks. PDF Expert will even read the PDF back to you when you want to listen to the document instead of read it. If you don't need the search functions of PDF Expert and have Mac OS X Lion, you can use the built-in Preview app to annotate your PDF document and add bookmarks. A warning to prevent confusion- PDF Expert for the Mac is not associated with the popular PDF Expert for the iPad made by Readdle. iProcrastinate(Free) iProcrastinate is an easy-to-use task manager that'll help you get things done without delay. The app lets you organize tasks into subjects (basically, a category) and add sub-tasks to a task which is great for projects that require several steps. It'll sync between devices on a LAN and upload your file to Dropbox. If you have an iPhone, there's a companion version of the software that'll let
you take your tasks with you on the go. Spotify(Free, service has an optional subscription) Spotify is a music streaming service that debuted in Europe and recently made its way to the US. Spotify, like Rdio, lets you browse its music catalog and choose individual tracks to add to a playlist. It's much different from Pandora which plays random tracks based on an artist or genre that you choose. Spotify is available for free on the desktop and includes advertising to support the free model. You can pay $4.99 monthly for an Unlimited plan which gives you all-you-can-eat streaming without ads or sign up for a $9.99 monthly Premium plan which gives you ad -free unlimited streaming, offline caching and Spotify on your smartphone. iWork($60) iWork is Apple's suite of productivity apps that'll let you create documents, presentations and graphs. The suite includes a document editor (Pages '09), a spreadsheet application (Numbers '09) and a presentation application (Keynote '09). You can buy the apps individually for $20 each on the Mac App Store. Sparrow Mail($9.99) Sparrow mail is a lightweight email client for Gmail, MobileMe, Yahoo!, AOL and other IMAP providers. The app has a unified inbox and supports both labels and folders so you can keep your
email organized. A recent update added Dropbox functionality, which lets you send large attachments via email. There attachments are automatically pushed to Dropbox and recipients can download the file using a link within the email. If you find OS X's mail client to be clunky and slow, you should check Sparrow. Adium(Free) Staying in touch with friends is important and an easy way to chat while on your computer is through Instant Messaging. One of the best free desktop IM clients is Adium, an open source app available for Max OS X. It'll let you connect to AIM, MSN, Jabber, Yahoo, Facebook and more. The app uses tabs to separate your different conversations and supports Growl notifications so you never miss an incoming message. It also merges your contacts, so you won't have the same person listed three times. Advanced features include OTR encryption, file transfer and many, many customization options that'll let you change the look and feel of the app. iStudiez Pro($9.99) iStudiez Pro is an all-in-one app that'll help you schedule your courses, keep track of your assignments, and calculate your GPA. It's very similar to iHomework mentioned above, but has a different look that some might prefer. It also has a companion app for the iPhone if you want to take your schedule
with you wherever you go. Alfred(Free) Alfred is a productivity app that resides in the menu bar and is available via a quick keyboard shortcut. Alfred will let you launch apps, search the web, search your hard drive, perform calculations and more. It's faster and has more features than Spotlight and will become your favorite Mac assistant. Reference books (Variable pricing) Besides applications, there's a variety of reference material available for the Mac. You can download comprehensive guides like Muscle System Pro II, which details the muscular system of the human body. There's also iElement, which contains everything you need to know about the elements in the Periodic Table, and for Political Science majors, there's an app that'll let you study the US Constitution. Holiday Gift Guide: Mac apps for students originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Source| Permalink| Email this| Comments
In pictures: Kazakhstan's International Space School

Regina Peldszus
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:41:00 AM
This is where rocket jockeys get their education. The International Space School VN Chelomey is located in the Russianadministered city of Baikonur, in the southern province of Kyzylorda in Kazakhstan. Founded by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science in 1990, this state school caters to 750 students from the age of ten to 15. Baikonur is also home to Baikonur Cosmodrome, the world's largest spaceport, built by the Soviet Union in 1955 and operated today by the Russian Federal Space Agency. The Cosmodrome is also the only spaceport to send crewed missions to the International Space Station. Wired joins the rocket-science class... By: Regina Peldszus, Edited by: Dan Smith Continue reading...
Technology/
31
ISSUES
(let's not say "will" just yet, if only to be safe) be crossplatform*. You'll still be able to run the existing software (on your PC), but what will make the new software desirable will be 1) its newness; 2) its use of a new and secure* common reference model for software; 3) its connectivity to a cloud* that connects all Windows-branded devices with yet another class of software*. *The asterisks, of course, all mean, "To be determined (TBD)." It isn't that Microsoft has this Apple-style curtain over these facts which it will eventually reveal in some gala premiere special with Mariah Carey and Boyz 2 Men. The painfully obvious fact is that no one at all really knows how this convergence will work, and the beta process will literally be a live dress rehearsal for all these ideas. Microsoft is dictating terms with respect to specifications for Windows Phones, just the way it has done with specs for PCs that qualify to carry the Windows
logo. To put itself in a position to do so, and to make the bargain worthwhile for carriers, it alludes to the promise of a common leverage point with the established PC platform, in which customers have already made significant investments. Windows could be more than just synchronized; it could be coordinated, providing what the company calls "the end-to-end experience." But to make this promise, it has had to upend its entire development strategy for desktop computing, which is based around the .NET Framework upon which the Windows Azure cloud depends and it's that same cloud which must somehow tie together the common functions of Windows on PCs, tablet, smartphones, and conceivably HDTVs if they're still in the mix. Time warped All this may make you ask, why didn't I entitle this article, "Is Windows 8 too early?" The answer lies back with the failed unveiling of the Origami UMPC
in 2006. Of all the bad ideas and feature omissions (such as connectivity being a future option) which ended up dooming Intel's and Microsoft's joint prototype, the fatal bullet may have been the first one fired anyway: From a distance, you could still see that the UMPC was made to run Windows XP. Not Vista, XP. If these companies had serious intentions on advancing a mobile platform, their failure to even make the attempt to court the industry that already had a lock on mobility - the wireless carriers was no more clearly demonstrated than with XP on their mobile PC. Microsoft's entire business philosophy has been built around extending the PC. And when it ran up against a barrier beyond which the PC operating system and methodology could not be pushed, it pushed anyway. 2006 was Microsoft's opportunity to reinvent the wheel to fit a new and bolder mechanism. The time for Metro-style apps and accessible cloud services and the
minimalist design philosophy was six years ago. But instead of prototyping the Windows Phone that could bridge the two platforms back then when the world was ready for it, beating Apple to the punch, Microsoft spent all its resources and talent on building Zune - a singlefunction device whose only purpose was to take a bite out of the iPod. Today, the iPod (with an "o") isn't even on anyone's radar; it's a relic. Like a greenhorn hunter, Microsoft aimed at where it thought the market was at the time, not where it was going. Windows 8 should have been Windows 6. [Photo of Origami PC from CES 2006 by Wolfgang Gruener, TG Daily] Discuss
Graphing your opinion: Jawbone wants to datatrack points of view

Tom Cheshire
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:38:00 AM
Christian World Adoption

Christian World Adoption is one of the largest international adoption agencies in the United States. Since 1991, Christian World Adoption has placed
thousands of children from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. These children now enjoy the love and security of a forever family. Christian World Adoption currently offers adoption programs in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia China, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Ukraine. Explore our website
Alex Asseily thinks the social graph is a little basic: "We want to elevate it to a more cerebral level -- the opinion graph." The co-founder of Bluetooth headset manufacturer Jawbone is launching a new venture, State, which aims to connect people -not based on who they know but on what they think. "The idea is you get to state your opinion, in a simple way, but you get counted for it," he says. "So you can see what the world is thinking." Internet forums 2.0, then? to learn more about international "Forums are unsexy. It's a global adoption. Then, when youre opinion network," says 36-yearready, call our friendly adoption old Asseily. c o u n s e l o r , t o l l f r e e , a t By: Tom Cheshire, Edited by: Dan Smith Continue reading... 1.888.97ADOPT.
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Technology/
Microsoft Canada starts Developer Movement, shows USA how to do it

Chris Burns (SlashGear)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:40:50 PM
Though as a graphic designer by training, Im not exactly keen on promoting contests to produce results in workers, it does seem like a pretty awesome idea here as Microsoft tries to push developers to make awesome apps for their platforms (including but not limited to Xbox360 and Windows Phone) up in Canada. What youve got here is a Join the Developer Movement contest in which Microsoft judges your developed apps as quality, and depending on how many youve got made until May 20th, you get rewards galore! Not only that, the first 200 people who register for the Developer Movement have the chance to get their AppHub account waived entirely! Though its not entirely clear what constitutes a quality application in Microsofts mind, the contest is clear enough: depending on if you create 1, 2, or 3 of these so-called quality apps, you get sweet prizes. Youve got between when youve signed up and May 20th, 2011, to get your business in order, and a sweet apps you shall make. Have a peek at the full prize list right here: Publish 1 Quality app:
- Select a reward below: - A Kinect Sensor for Xbox 360 - 10,000 Microsoft Points - Monster Beats Headphones - A 1TB External HD Publish 2 Quality apps: - Select a reward below: - A Windows Phone 7 - A $500 Gift Voucher - 35,000 Microsoft Points - An Xbox 360 with - Kinect Bundle Publish 3 Quality apps: - Your apps will be considered by our judges for publicity across:
- The Xbox Newsletter - The Xbox Live Dashboard - MSDN Website - MSDN Flash Newsletter - Canadian Developer Blog Youve got to head on over to h t t p : / / www.developermovement.com/ to get all the details, and know this: if youve never developed an application before, nows the time to start. They provide you will a full toolkit and one whole big batch of inspirational materials to get you started and who knows? You might hit gold with that
perfect combination no-one else had the time to think of! Relevant Entries on SlashGear.com Microsoft Kinect sells a million units in 10 days TiVo service enters Canada Microsoft Surface SDK promised for PDC this month Nokia Sabre plus Samsung Yukon & Wembley WP7 phones leaked Windows 8 Developer Preview available for download tonight [UPDATE: Available now!] Microsofts Windows Phone 7
Dev Tools Going Gold September 16th Microsoft Windows 8 quadcore tablet to be giveaway at Build? Project iKinect adds iPhone to Kinect gaming for boosted control [Video] Microsoft Canada starts Developer Movement, shows USA how to do it is written by Chris Burns& originally posted on SlashGear. 2005 - 2011, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Technology/ TV/
33
Samsung Android 4.0 ICS update for Galaxy S and Tab now under review
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:00:20 PM
FOURSQUARING
Earlier this month the software teams at Samsung sent out word that they would not be updating their Samsung Galaxy S and Samsung Galaxy Tab devices to the newest version of Googles mobile operating system Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich this week they realized that this was the wrong thing to say to the millions of users out there wanting the opposite news. What weve got this week is news via AJNews that Samsung is reconsidering their position that their own user interface TouchWiz is too difficult to parse to update to the newer system, saying that MAYBE theyll do the work anyway. What does this mean to you, the Galaxy S user? It means youll perhaps have an update by the end of next year, if youre lucky. While the Galaxy S, the original Galaxy S that is, and the original Galaxy Tab have in common is that by todays standards, they arent the most fantastic. Their specifications put them positively in the mid to low range of mobile
handhelds and theyre not exactly the most wanted devices on the market by any standards. That said, Ice Cream Sandwich was and is made to work with no additional hardware requirements over Android 2.3 Gingerbread, so aside from TouchWiz, there really shouldnt be an issue with these devices running the newest tasty treat.
still fully functional devices to the fullest, youre in for a big treat if Ice Cream Sandwich ever drops for you! [ via Venture Beat] Relevant Entries on SlashGear.com Samsung confirms Galaxy S II will get ICS update Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets second Android 3.2 update Italian Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 users can get Android 2.3.3 update now Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab will not be getting Android 4.0 Samsung drops Froyo on Galaxy S users in the UK Vodafone leads Galaxy S Android 2.3 Gingerbread push in UK Samsung upbeat on Those of you rolling with a Gingerbread & Honeycomb Galaxy S or Galaxy Tab today: updates for Galaxy Tab are you still on the software you AT&T Samsung Captivate GPS got out of the box, or have you fix going out OTA hacked? If youve hacked, youve got the opportunity to update to Samsung Android 4.0 ICS update Ice Cream Sandwich much sooner for Galaxy S and Tab now under than the surely late next year review is written by Chris Burns& timeline that Samsung will originally posted on SlashGear. undoubtedly be announcing later 2005 - 2011, SlashGear. All this week. Meanwhile enjoy your right reserved.
appropriate packages, which include accommodation and shopping alongside travel arrangements. Pilgrims can post reviews of their experiences and connect with other pilgrims. While many lament the new techsavvy feel of Mecca and experience of the Hajj, they miss that technology, at least the less visually-intrusive part of it, has been, and is increasingly becoming, an integral part of the pilgrimage, both to aid the journey as well as make it more easily accessible to both pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike. Kaaba photo by Tab59 Discuss
Zach Braff, Donald Faison Have A 'Scrubs' Reunion in Hawaii

www.popsugar.com (TV on HuffingtonPost.com)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:58:10 PM
Zach Braff and his girlfriend, Taylor Bagley, joined Donald Faison and fiance CaCee Cobb for a walk on the beach in Hawaii on Sunday.
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Technology/
LCD makers on hook for $553 million in pricefixing settlement

Josh Lowensohn (CNET News)
Namecheap Pokes Go Daddy over SOPA with $1 EFF Donations

Jon Mitchell (ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:15:00 PM
and control pricing of LCD panels. This particular settlement Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:49:29 PM is to "indirect" purchasers who S e v e n L C D m a n u f a c t u r e r bought products with those including Samsung and Sharp this panels, along with eight U.S. month agreed to pay $553 million states where they were sold. to settle lawsuits that claimed the Samsung is paying out the most companies were colluding with of the companies involved, with a one another to fix the prices of $ 2 4 0 m i l l i o n s h a r e o f t h e their panels for use in consumer settlement. It's followed by Sharp electronics. at $115.5 million, Chimei Legal documents filed last week, InnoLux at $110.3 million, and picked up by Reuters, show Hitachi Displays at $39 million, that the collected fines total $553 Hannstar Display at $25.7 million, million between the companies Chunghwa Picture Tubes at $5.3 involved, and that said companies million and Epson Imaging will be setting up antitrust Devices at $2.9 million. Not compliance programs as part of included on the settlement list is the deal. Of that sum, around AU Optronics Corp., Toshiba, or $501 million is going towards a LG Display, Reuters notes. refund program for consumers, The settlement follows one from and about $37 million being doled earlier this month aimed at soout to governments and others called "direct" buyers who were involved in the form of legal the victims of price fixing on damages. products like TVs and PCs with The original complaints alleged LCD panels between 2001 and that the companies were working 2006. That particular suit resulted together with one another to in a settlement of$388 million, create an international cartel to set s p l i t b e t w e e n t h e v a r i o u s
companies involved. This new settlement is one of the largest yet among similar cases. A little more than a year ago, many of the same manufacturers were targeted by the European Union and fined $856 million. Like the direct buyer settlement, that investigation took aim at LCD panels made between October 2001 and February 2006. Samsung's share in the LCD market is expected to expand in 2012 and beyond with its buying up of the other half of S-LCD, the joint venture it had with Sony. That deal, which was announced yesterday, is valued at about $940 million and will go into effect next month. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Domain registrar Go Daddy's expressed support for the Stop Online Piracy Act(SOPA) was the last straw for many of its already disgruntled customers. After a Reddit-powered boycott sparked a mass exodus from Go Daddy, the registrar tried to backpedal. Go Daddy has been removed from the official list of SOPA supporters, but the damage was done. Thousands of domains have since been moved to other registrars. Namecheap, one of Go Daddy's shrewd competitors, has taken advantage of the situation by announcing Move Your Domain Day on December 29. The announcement doesn't call out Go Daddy by name, noting only that "some of our competitors support SOPA." Namecheap unequivocally does not. On December 29, using the coupon code SOPASucks, Namecheap will allow transfers at $6.99 each. For every transfer on that day, Namecheap will donate $1 to the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Sponsor SOPA(full text) is a bill backed by major media companies and opposed by tech giants. It will force ISPs, search providers, payment processors and
advertisers to bend to the will of copyright holders by pretending infringing sites don't exist on the Internet. It's not even the only bill in Congress right now trying to give the entertainment industry the right to reshape the Internet to protect its business interests. Our Dan Rowinski wrote a comprehensive guide to what you need to know about SOPA. We also have an infographic and video about the effects of the bill. Since SOPA first arrived on the scene, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has been fighting it. By donating to the EFF, Namecheap shows that its opposition to SOPA is about more than snatching Go Daddy's customers. Will you move your domains off of Go Daddy on December 29? Discuss
Technology/ Finance/
35
Daily iPhone App: SkySafari

Kelly Hodgkins (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:00:00 PM
SkySafari from Southern Stars is an app for the astronomy enthusiast with an iPhone. It's the perfect companion for a new telescope owner, who can use the app to help locate celestial bodies in the sky, or the casual observer who wants to know the name of that bright star cluster overhead. It's also useful for the seasoned astronomer who wants a pocket reference that's chock full of information. The basic app(US$2.99) displays over 120,000 stars and has images of all the major planets and their moons. It also includes information on well-known asteroids and comets. SkySafari lets you look up details on each heavenly object including its catalog number and its coordinates in the sky. The app also explains the history and mythology behind each celestial object, so you can learn about the object as well as find it in the sky. If you have an iOS device with a compass or gyroscope, you can point the app at the sky and use an augmented reality view to locate stars and planets. It even includes a night mode which preserves your dark-adjusted vision when
Top 10 celebrities NOT to Google if you don't want a computer virus

Charlie Burton
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:56:00 AM
you're out stargazing at night. One of the best features is "Tonight's Best," which lists the best celestial objects to observe that night. The app generates this list based on your location and the local date and time. The app also has SkyWeek, a list of notable astronomical events pulled from Sky and Telescope Magazine's popular weekly column. Both Tonight's Best and SkyWeek are fantastic places to start if you're new to astronomy and don't want to miss an important event. SkySafari is also available in a
Plus($14.99) and Pro($59.99) version which includes information on millions of stars, deep sky objects and every comet or asteroid ever observed. If you have a motorized GoTo mount, the Plus and Pro versions also let you control your telescope using the iPhone app. SkySafari is similar to Star Walk, another iPad and iPhone-based astronomy app. Both apps give you an augmented reality view of the sky and have information on the objects that you see. SkySafari, though, has additional
Sure, a fixation with supermodels could compromise your relationship -- but spare a thought for your computer's wellbeing. features like SkyWeek that'll Criminals use famous names to appeal more to the serious attract unsuspecting users to sites hobbyist than the casual observer. laced with malware. The depth of the information Cyber-security company McAfee available and the option to control has mined its data for an A-list of your telescope make SkySafari celebrities that you don't want to one of the leading astronomical Google. No, really. apps available for iOS. By: Charlie Burton, Edited by: Daily iPhone App: SkySafari Dan Smith Continue reading... originally appeared on TUAW The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Source| Permalink| Email this| Comments
Smartphone and social media users: beware a new type of fraudster

Rosie Murray-West (Finance News - Business news from the
New technology such as iPhones means there are new ways of
swindling you.
36
Technology/
The Pill iPod Nano 6G dock medicates your media needs

Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:06:43 PM
Theres a way to turn any device into the masterpiece you always though it should be, and in no greater environment is this true than with the iOS suite of devices quite evident here with The Pill for the 6th generation of iPod Nano. Youve got your little display-toting machine plugged in to the middle of this pill, the pill itself being a stark red and white on either side, the speakers for the sound youll be blasting eschewing forth from either side with skill. This look like the key for the beat junkie in you? The Pill measures in at 147 x 48 mm, this making it still able to fit
into your pocket and your friends will be happy to see YOU when you waddle forth with heavy music jamming out of your pocket thusly. The creator of this device Gavio currently has it up on his webpage, but isnt offering up pre-orders as of yet. Similarly, you arent able to purchase this device at the moment and no release details have been set in stone. On the other hand, the fact that youll be dropping an unbelievably inexpensive 10 SGD (singapore dollar) for it is made plain. Current conversion rates make this device less than $8 USD, though with shipping and the possibility that you might not be able to get it shipped at all may
Rumor New video-capable iPod nano on the way A Towel the size of a pill Scosche passPORT Home Dock adds iPhone 3G Compatibility to Your iPod Dock Apples iPod Hi-Fi Micro Boom Dock for iPod adds speakers 80s style Intempo IDS-01b iPod Dock and Speaker Station The Pill iPod Nano 6G dock medicates your media needs is written by Chris Burns& originally posted on SlashGear. 2005 - 2011, SlashGear. All right reserved.
put a damper on your plans to import. If this device were at the Apple store in your neighborhood for $30 USD, would you pick one up? You can bet your biffy I would, thats for sure!
[ via ChipChick] Relevant Entries on SlashGear.com Sony Digital Media Port for iPod TDM-IP1 Dont swallow this pill
GoDaddy Officially Removed From The Houses List Of SOPA Supporters

Greg Kumparak (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:05:19 PM
When GoDaddy publicly recanted their support of SOPA last week, many were quick to point out that such an act didnt really mean much. As far as the Judiciary Committee overseeing
SOPA was concerned, GoDaddy was still a supporter. Thats been changed, it seems. In the latest version of the US House Of Representatives SOPA Supporters list(heads up: its a PDF), GoDaddys name is nowhere to be found. Does this mean that everyone
should immediately resume throwing money at GoDaddy? Of course not; if youre genuinely interested in only handing your greenbacks over to companies that are either neutral towards or against SOPA, its important to keep an eye on the companys actions in the coming weeks (once
the scalding hot and blindingly bright spotlight has moved on.) Plus, its not as if there arent plenty of alternatives just begging for your business. Whats more important, however, are the the names still on the list. ESPN? Scholastic, Inc.? Visa? Even if you cant find a way to
stop supporting most of the SOPA -friendly companies with your wallet (GoDaddy was quite easy in this sense, which is presumably a big part of why the Internets rallying against them moved so quickly), its important information to keep in the back of your mind.
Technology/ Culture/
37
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me nix the window shadows in Lion

Erica Sadun (TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:00:00 PM
YouTube Slam: Googles Hot Or Not For Videos

Sarah Perez (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:19:35 PM
Dear Aunt TUAW, I recently added a second external monitor to my 13" MacBook Pro. My problem comes with the OS X Lion features that give windows a 3D depth-look, specifically, the shadow effect. As a window on the external monitor approaches the virtual border of the built-in LCD of the MBP, the shadow extends between monitors, creating a shadow/shade over the windows on the LCD (that is to say, if you park a window to close to the edge, the shadow extends the other display). Anyway to turn off the shadowed window effect? Your loving nephew,
Seth Dear Seth, Auntie turned to TUAW's braintrust, who quickly pointed her to Unsanity's Shadowkiller haxie. Released in 2006 and "Not compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 Leopard," Auntie can confirm that
the haxie works just fine with Lion. Download the dmg, copy the app to your Applications folder and then launch to kill the window shadows. Launch again to bring them back. Hugs and a big thanks to everyone who helped find Seth the answer, Auntie T. Particular thanks to @shabooty, @basraayman, @oboewan, @jtregunna, and @capii Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me nix the window shadows in Lion originally appeared on TUAW The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Source| Permalink| Email this| Comments
Click on the category of videos you want to watch. View them both and vote for your favorites. Bored? Yeah, me too. Which is Wow, that was hard. why I just killed nearly 30 The top-rated videos are then minutes doing mindless web f e a t u r e d o n t h e s l a m surfing on Facebook, Reddit and leaderboard, which is great, but A m a z o n . B u t i t l o o k s l i k e nothing like getting onto the YouTube would like a little of my YouTube homepage, of course. holiday downtime clicks and The site was cooked up by yours, too. The company just YouTube with folks from Google blogged about YouTube Slam, a Research, and has actually been game that involves pairing up two around since this fall, when videos and voting for your Google Research used it as the favorites. output destination of a machine I guess you could call YouTube ranking project. The project Slam a Hot or Not for videos. analyzed singing at home Except in this case, youre not videos and attempted to surface picking the hottest/sexiest face, those that belonged to truly youre picking the funniest clip talented musicians. The results (Comedy Slam), the best dancer were then spit out to YouTube (Dance Slam), the cutest kitten Slam to help crowdsource the (Cute Slam), best music (Music discovery of the hidden gems. Slam) or weirdest video (Bizarre So there you go: mindless web Slam). surfing. For science! Slam away. Heres how it works:
Top 10: Resolutions That Improve Your Appearance

Farah Averill (AskMen Latest Articles)
nows a good time to start thinking about any changes you want to make to your appearance over the upcoming year. To help With 2012 just around the corner, you figure out where to focus
your efforts, weve put together a
list of 10 grooming and lifestyle resolutions that, when adhered to, will make you even more irresistible than ever before. Continue Reading
38
Technology/ Economy/
The iPhone 4S Is Finally Cleared For Launch In Mainland China

Jordan Crook (TechCrunch)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:58:43 PM
December 6, so all signs point to iPhone. Considering the timeline, that Here in the States weve been means the iPhone 4S will likely chatting it up with Siri on the launch in China before the iPhone 4S for months, but the Chinese New Year on January 23, folks over in mainland China which is the equivalent of our the biggest mobile market in the Black Friday. world, mind you have yet to Seeing that the iPhone is hear that 42 is the meaning of life. basically a smash hit in China The 4S launched in Hong Kong over 10 million iPhones are in use just last month, and since then on China Mobiles network(even weve heard that it would show up though it isnt an official iPhone on the mainland in December. carrier) Apple will likely be Peoples Daily is now reporting breaking even more records with that a phone with the model t h e i P h o n e 4 S c o m e 2 0 1 2 . number A1431 has passed the Especially if the alleged talks final hurdle in its Chinese between China Mobile, the certification. Thats the same worlds largest mobile carrier, and model number that Apple used to Apple lead to something a bit get a network entry permit for the more official. 4S from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on
Alter Ego Menswear - The Fashionisto Exclusive by Brent Chua Features a Neutral Palette (TrendHunter.com)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:57:03 PM
100 Pretty Pearl Innovations - From Pearl Noose Photography to Hollow Pearl Necklaces (TrendHunter.com)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:47:02 PM
Rosenberg, Ryding, Zandi, Arbess, Zuckermann And Rickards All Chime In On The Future Of The Eurozone
Tyler Durden
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:49:16 PM
( TrendHunter.com) The latest Fashionisto exclusive by Brent Chua stars male model duo Janos Molnar and Lennart Richter. The stunning portrait series features a monochromatic wardrobe with a neutral palette highlighting...
( TrendHunter.com) The old adage "diamonds are a girl's best friend" may be widely accepted, but as demonstrated in this gallery of stunning pearl innovations, gorgeous white pearls are a close second. Whether pearls are...
CHART OF THE DAY: Home Prices Are Still Falling

Sam Ro (Money Game)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:31:00 PM
The October Case-Shiller 20-city home price index missed economists' expectations, falling 3.6% year-over-year. Only two cities saw prices increase: Detroit
and Washington. Month-over-month, the 20-city index fell 0.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis. This too was worse than the 0.4% decline forecasted by economists. So, although home prices seem like they're forming a bottom,
they're still not in the clear. Please follow Money Game on Twitter and Facebook. Join the conversation about this story See Also: Case-Shiller Home Price Index Falls 3.4%, Slightly Worse Than
Expected New Home Sales Come In Line At 315k Annualized CHART OF THE DAY: Why The Recovery Was So Awful This Year
When six out of five economists (thanks to the magic of Keynesianism... and self promotion from general counsel to general expert) all agree on the same topic, and the very definition of groupthink is that the Eurozone will survive, the glaringly obvious call is precisely the opposite. If there was ever an argument to say that 2012 is the year the Eurozone finally dies, the below video is it. Average: Your rating: None Average: 5( 1 vote) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Policy/
39
Next Year's Wars - By Louise Arbour

LOUISE ARBOUR (Foreign Policy)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 9:14:05 AM
Ten conflicts to watch in 2012. BY LOUISE ARBOUR| DECEMBER 27, 2011 What conflict situations are most at risk of deteriorating further in 2012? When Foreign Policy asked the International Crisis Group to evaluate which manmade disasters could explode in the coming year, we put our heads together and came up with 10 crisis areas that warrant particular concern. Admittedly, there is always a certain arbitrariness to lists. This one is no different. But, in part, that serves a purpose: It will, hopefully, get people talking. Why no room for Sudan -- surely a crisis of terrifying proportions? Or for Europe's forgotten conflicts -- in the North Caucasus, for example, or in NagornoKarabakh? You'll see also that we have not included some that are deeply troubling yet strangely under-reported, like Mexico or northern Nigeria. No room, too, for the hardy perennial standoff on the Korean Peninsula, despite the uncertainty surrounding the death of Kim Jong Il. No reader should interpret their omission as meaning those situations are improving. They are not. But we did feel it is useful to highlight a few places that, to our mind, deserve no less attention. What follows is our top 10. At the
end -- and just to remind ourselves that progress is possible -- we've included two countries for which we, cautiously, feel 2012 could augur well. SYRIA Many in Syria and abroad are
now banking on the regime's imminent collapse and assuming everything will get better from that point on. The reality could turn out to be quite different. As dynamics in both Syria and the broader international arena turn
squarely against the regime, many hope that the bloody stalemate finally might end. But however much it now seems inevitable that President Bashar al-Assad will leave the stage after his regime's terrifying brutality over recent
months, the initial post-Assad stages carry enormous risks. On the one hand, the emotionally charged communal polarization, particularly around the Alawite NEXT page 40
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community, has made regime supporters dig in their heels, believing it is "kill or be killed," and their fears of large-scale retribution when Assad falls are very real. On the other, the rising strategic stakes have heightened the regional and wider international competition among all players, who now view the crisis as an historic opportunity to decisively tilt the regional balance of power. In that explosive mix, the first cross-border concern is surely Lebanon: The more Assad's ouster appears imminent, the more Hezbollah -- and its backers in Tehran -- will view the Syrian crisis as an existential struggle designed to deal them a decisive blow, and the greater the risk that they would choose to go for broke and draw to launch attacks against Israel in an attempt to radically alter the focus of attention. "Powder keg" doesn't begin to describe it. The danger is real that any one of these issues could derail or even foreclose the possibility of a successful transition. IRAN/ISRAEL Even if Iran and Israel somehow manage to sail safely past the rocks of the Syrian crisis, the enmity between them over the nuclear issue could blow them very dangerously off course. Though sanctions against Iran and saber-rattling all around intensified at the end of 2011, some may see this as merely the continuation of a long-term trend in the epically poor relations between Iran and Israel.
Two factors make 2012 a possible turning point for the worse, however. First, the most recent International Atomic Energy Agency report is particularly unambiguous: It may not have turned up significantly new evidence of Teheran's intention to build a nuclear weapon, but it did highlight more clearly than ever before Iran's obfuscation and unwillingness to cooperate with the international body. Second, the U.S. elections will force support for Israel onto the U.S. domestic agenda even more than usual, and generally create a favorable environment for Israel to act, with any number of unexpected, unintended -- and potentially disastrous -consequences. AFGHANISTAN A decade of major security, development, and humanitarian assistance from the international community has failed to create a stable Afghanistan, a fact highlighted by deteriorating security and a growing insurgent presence in previously stable provinces over the past year. In 2011, the capital alone saw a barrage of suicide bombings, including the deadliest attack in the city since 2001; multiple strikes on foreign missions in Kabul, the British Council, and U.S. Embassy; and the assassination of former president and chief peace negotiator Burhanuddin Rabbani. The prospects for next year are no brighter, with many key provinces scheduled for transfer to the ill-
equipped Afghan security forces by early 2012. The litany of obstacles to peace, or at least stability, in Afghanistan is by now familiar. President Hamid Karzai rules by fiat, employing a combination of patronage and executive abuse of power. State institutions and services are weak or nonexistent in much of the country, or else so riddled with corruption that Afghans want nothing to do with them. Dari-speaking ethnic minorities remain skeptical about the prospects for reconciliation with the predominately Pashtun Taliban insurgency, which enjoys the backing of Pakistan's military and intelligence services. The Taliban leadership in Quetta seem to reason that victory is within reach and that they have simply to bide their time until the planned U.S. withdrawal in 2014. PAKISTAN Throughout 2011, Pakistan's relations with the United States were sliding from bad to worse, and NATO's deadly yet apparently accidental bombing of Pakistani soldiers in November turned a miserable relationship into an all but openly hostile one. Partially as a result, but also due to the Pakistani military's support of militants operating in Afghanistan, ties between Islamabad and Kabul are fraying. The elected government has made some progress in its rapprochement with India, moving to normalize trade relations. Yet the process remains hostage to the military's continued
support for militant groups such as the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the renamed Lashkar-Tayyeba, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Another terror attack could result in all-out war between the two nuclear-armed adversaries. The biggest dangers for Pakistan, however, come not from external sources but rather from within. The transition from dictatorship to democracy is not at all consolidated, and the military still control crucial areas of foreign and security policy. Radical Islamism is destabilizing and even dominating the country at times, with violent attacks on leading liberal political figures shaking what little confidence anyone may have had that Pakistan can escape disaster. Yet there is still some hope, because radical Islamists lack popular support, and the two political parties that are likely to win the next general election in 2013 (provided the democratic transition is not disrupted by the military) -- the ruling PPP and the opposition PML-N -- have the capacity and the political will to take the country back to its moderate moorings. YEMEN Yemen stands between violent collapse and a thin hope of a peaceful transfer of power. Under increasing pressure from international and regional actors, President Ali Abdullah Saleh finally signed a transition agreement on Nov. 23. Under the agreement, he immediately transferred significant authorities
to his vice president and is scheduled to officially leave office after early elections that are scheduled for Feb. 21. This was an important first step, but one that fell far short of solving Yemen's problems. Many challenges remain, including holding signatories responsible for implementing the transitional agreement, adequately addressing unresolved issues of political inclusion and justice, and improving dire economic and humanitarian conditions. Moreover, tensions between Yemen's competing armed power centers, particularly Saleh's family on one hand versus defected general Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar and the (unrelated) powerful al-Ahmar clan on the other, remain unresolved and are a potential flashpoint for further violence. One of the most challenging tasks during the first phase of the transition will be securing a durable ceasefire, removing all military and armed tribesmen from urban centers, and beginning meaningful reform of the military and security forces. It's a tall order, and international actors have a part to play. Threats of targeted sanctions against Saleh and his family from members of the U.N. Security Council played a part in bringing some regime hard-liners to the negotiating table. Now, with an agreement signed, implementation requires that pressure must be applied to all sides: Saleh and his supporters NEXT page 41
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on one hand and the opposition parties and their affiliates on the other. For now, support has coalesced around Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who, according to the agreement, will be the consensus candidate in the February elections. As a relatively neutral figure, Hadi may encourage some measure of compromise and security. Adding to the uncertainty over Yemen's future are southern activists whose demands may yet range from immediate independence to a federation of North and South Yemen, and Houthi rebels in northern Yemen who seek greater rights for their community and a degree of local autonomy. And, while politicians negotiate in Sanaa, government forces and local tribesmen are in an ongoing fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Abyan governorate. The one certainty is that the struggle for Yemen will last long into 2012. CENTRAL ASIA Several states in the region are surviving on luck: their infrastructure near collapse, their political systems eaten away by corruption, their public services almost nonexistent. On top of all this, Tajikistan, for example, now faces a growing security threat from both local and external insurgencies, something it has almost zero capacity to contain. Adding to the country's woes, relations with neighboring Uzbekistan are at an all-time low, with their long-running water dispute no closer to resolution and
occasionally deadly border incidents threatening to spark deeper violence. As for Uzbekistan itself, Washington increasingly relies on Tashkent for logistics in Afghanistan, but the brutal nature of the regime means it is not only an embarrassing partner but also, ultimately, a very unreliable one. Already there has been at least one attack on the rail line transiting U.S. material through the country. Given how U.S.Pakistan relations seem to hit a new low every week, Washington may feel it has little choice, but it certainly seems to be "out of the fire and into the frying pan" at best. Then there is volatile Kyrgyzstan. Without prompt, genuine and exhaustive measures to address the damage done by the 2010 ethnic pogroms in the south, the country risks another round of mass violence. The ultranationalist mayor of Osh, Melis Myrzakmatov, who has in the past claimed that Bishkek's writ does not extend to the southern city and now muses out loud about creating a municipal police force independent of the Ministry of Interior, will no doubt continue to fire shots across the bows of the central government in 2012. BURUNDI Reassuring declarations from the government in Bujumbura sound hollow, as the end of the Arusha consensus, which concluded the civil war in 2000, combined with the deteriorating political climate
that followed the boycott of the 2010 elections, have contributed directly to an escalation of violence and insecurity. The elements of the peace deal are being dismantled one by one. The not-so-hidden struggle between the opposition and the ruling party, combined with the government's intensifying repression, is leaving ever more victims since the 2010 polls. Independent media are harassed by the authorities, who are allegedly commissioning targeted assassinations. At the same time, state corruption is on the rise, governance indicators are in the red, and social tension is mounting as living conditions deteriorate due to rising prices of basic commodities. Unless the government takes measures to reverse these trends, Burundi could edge toward renewed civil war in 2012. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Joseph Kabila has been re-elected president and officially sworn in, but that's unlikely to satisfy his political opponents, particularly supporters of opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi. The vote was badly flawed, with reports of premarked ballots, voter intimidation, localized violence, widespread mismanagement and fiddled results. The election commission and Supreme Court were also stuffed with Kabila loyalists, rendering their arbitration worthless in the eyes of an angry opposition that may be marginalized for the next five
years if legislative election results are also mishandled. The election standoff is a symptom of larger trends. In his five years in power, Kabila has stacked many national institutions in his favor, leaving his opponents with few avenues to pursue grievances peacefully. International players have also quietly disengaged from Congolese affairs. Despite the sizable U.N. presence in Congo, and the involvement of donor countries like the United States and Britain, together with the European Union, little has been done to check Kabila's consolidation of power. As calls for international arbitration fall on deaf ears in Kinshasa and most Western capitals, Congo's electoral authorities appear unable to salvage any sense of credibility from results. Kabila's illegitimate mandate threatens not only Congo's peace and stability. The muffled international response to the flawed polls, and the silent acquiescence of regional leaders, bode ill for democracy across the continent. If only the African Union reacted to stolen elections with the outrage it reserves for coups -- both are, after all, equally unconstitutional changes of government -- politicians might at least think twice before rigging. KENYA/SOMALIA It is too soon to tell whether Kenya's recently launched military campaign in southern Somalia will succeed in defeating al-Shabaab -- the militant Islamist
group that formed during the fragmentation of the Islamic Courts Union, which controlled most of southern Somalia for part of the last decade -- or end up a protracted and messy conflict. Now that Kenya will become part of the African Union's mission in Somalia, however, it looks like it is there for the duration. Its prolonged presence in southern Somalia could be very unpopular, and the risks for Kenya's internal stability are very real. Following the launch of the campaign in mid -October, al-Shabaab immediately threatened retaliatory attacks. The possibility of an al-Shabaab terror campaign has to be taken very seriously and there is a palpable sense of unease in Nairobi. In late October, the organization carried out two grenade attacks in the capital on Kenyan, not Western, targets. A Kenyan al-Shabaab member was jailed for the attacks. Since then there have been a number of incidents near the border with Somalia. Kenya has a sizable ethnic Somali and wider Muslim population, most of whom are critical of the government's military campaign in Somalia, the more so for its associations with the Western-led counterterrorism struggle. There is significant risk that the military campaign exacerbates already worrisome radicalization in Kenya, particularly if it goes badly and civilian deaths mount. In response to the threat of alNEXT page 44
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Policy/
The World's Worst Human Rights Observer - By David Kenner

DAVID KENNER (Foreign Policy)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:10:18 PM
As Arab League monitors work to expose President Bashar alAssad's crackdown, the head of the mission is a Sudanese general accused of creating the fearsome "janjaweed," which was responsible for the worst atrocities during the Darfur genocide. BY DAVID KENNER| DECEMBER 27, 2011 For the first time in Syria's ninemonth-old uprising, there are witnesses to President Bashar alAssad's crackdown, which according to the United Nations has claimed more than 5,000 lives. Arab League observers arrived in the country on Dec. 26, and traveled to the city of Homs -the epicenter of the revolt, where the daily death toll regularly runs into the dozens, according to activist groups -- on Dec. 27. Thousands of people took to the streets to protest against Assad upon the observers' arrival, while activists said Syrian tanks withdrew from the streets only hours before the Arab League team entered the city. "I am going to Homs," insisted Sudanese Gen. Mohammad Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, the head of the Arab League observer mission, telling reporters that so
far the Assad regime had been "very cooperative." But Dabi may be the unlikeliest leader of a humanitarian mission the world has ever seen. He is a
staunch loyalist of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for genocide and crimes against humanity for his
government's policies in Darfur. m i l i t i a s k n o w n a s t h e And Dabi's own record in the "janjaweed," is enough to make restive Sudanese region, where he any human rights activist blanch. stands accused of presiding over WORLD'S page 43 the creation of the feared Arab
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Dabi's involvement in Darfur began in 1999, four years before the region would explode in the violence that Secretary of State Colin Powell labeled as "genocide." Darfur was descending into war between the Arab and Masalit communities -the same fault line that would widen into a bloodier interethnic war in a few years' time. As the situation escalated out of control, Bashir sent Dabi to Darfur to restore order. According to Julie Flint and Alex De Waal's Darfur: A New History of a Long War, Dabi arrived in Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, on Feb. 9, 1999, with two helicopter gunships and 120 soldiers. He would stay until the end of June. During this time, he would make an enemy of the Masalit governor of West Sudan. Flint and De Waal write: Governor Ibrahim Yahya describes the period as the beginning of the organization of the Janjawiid', with [Arab] militia leaders like Hamid Dawai and Shineibat receiving money from the government for the first time. The army would search and disarm villages, and two days later the Janjawiid would go in. They would attack and loot from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., only ten minutes away from the army. By this process all of Dar Masalit was burned.'
Yahya's account was supported five years later by a commander of the Sudan Liberation Army, a rebel organization movement in the region. "[T]hings changed in 1999," he told Flint and De Waal. "The PDF [Popular Defense Forces, a government militia] ended and the Janjawiid came; the Janjawiid occupied all PDF places." Dabi provided a different perspective on his time in Darfur, but it's not clear that he disagrees on the particulars of how he quelled the violence. He told Flint and De Waal that he provided resources to resolve the tribes' grievances, and employed a firm hand to force the leaders to reconcile -- "threatening them with live ammunition when they dragged their feet," in the authors' words. "I was very proud of the time I spent in Geneina," Dabi said. De Waal told FP that Yahya, who would become a senior commander for the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), had "an axe to grind" against the Sudanese military -- but his charge that Dabi spurred the creation of the janjaweed wasn't far off base. "[T]he army command finds the militia useful and fearsome in equal measure," De Waal said. "So al-Dabi's regularization of the Arab militia served both to rein
them in, but also to legitimize their activities and retain them as a future strike force." Dabi's role in Darfur is only one episode in a decades-long career that has been spent protecting the interests of Bashir's regime. He has regularly been trusted with authority over the regime's most sensitive portfolios: The day Bashir took power in a coup in 1989, he was promoted to head of military intelligence. In August 1995, after protesters at Khartoum University rattled the regime, Dabi became head of Sudan's foreign intelligence agency -pushing aside a loyalist of Hassan al-Turabi, the hard-line Islamist cleric who helped Bashir rise to power but would be pushed aside several years later. And as civil war ravaged south Sudan, Dabi was tasked from 1996 to 1999 as chief of Sudan's military operations. It is likely, however, Dabi's more recent career that led to his selection as head of the Arab League observer mission in Syria. He served as Sudan's ambassador to Qatar from 1999 to 2004, and would return to Doha after his term ended in a Darfur-related position -- making him a wellknown quantity to the Qatari government, which has taken the lead among Arab states in pressuring Assad's regime. In 2006, Dabi was appointed
head of the Darfur Security Arrangements Implementation Commission (DSAIC) -according to the peace agreement, De Waal said, a representative of the former rebels was supposed to get the position, but Bashir "simply ignored" that provision to tap Dabi. In this new position, he played a major role in the peace talks, sponsored by Qatar, which resulted in the government and one rebel group signing the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur in July 2011. While much of Dabi's activities in recent years have been behind closed doors, his limited media statements show that he remains a Bashir loyalist par excellence. In 2006, he slammed U.N. Special Representative Jan Pronk's statement that Sudan had suffered defeats in Darfur as "false and misleading," according to the Sudanese press, urging Pronk to "steer clear" of military issues and "concentrate on his duties instead." That same year, his aide suggested there would be a time limit to the African Union troops in Darfur, saying the peacekeepers could "stay until the crisis is over, but not indefinitely." Dabi's checkered past is only one of the criticisms of the observer mission, which human rights activists have criticized for falling far short of its promise to monitor
the implementation of an Arab League initiative meant to end Assad's crackdown. Wissam Tarif, the Arab world coordinator for the human rights group Avaaz, slammed the mission for being far too small -- at roughly 50 people - to monitor the situation across Syria, for failing to provide any biographical information about the observers to human rights organizations, and for relying on Assad's forces to shepherd them around the country. "I helped set up a meeting with activists in Homs, and [the observers] arrived with 10 security officers along with them," Tarif noted -obviously a huge risk to the protest organizers' safety. As monitors arrive in Homs, Syrians will no doubt cheer their arrival at the center of the uprising. But given the stumbles of the Arab League observer mission, it's clear that Syrians are still very much alone. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Culture/
NEXT
Shabaab attacks on Kenyan soil, the Kenyan government has launched a massive sweep in ethnic-Somali majority areas, aiming to flush out the group's supporters. Although the police and security services have mostly shown restraint, local leaders in the northeastern border region have already accused the military of excessive force. The real test will come if al-Shabaab carries out a major attack in Kenya. There are fears this would trigger a draconian crackdown on ethnic Somalis in Kenya, with grave consequences for intercommunal relations and societal cohesion and harmony, especially ahead of general elections this year, the first since the 2007 polls sparked widespread ethnic violence. VENEZUELA Venezuela's homicide rates are among the highest in the hemisphere -- twice those of Colombia and three times those of Mexico -- despite largely escaping the world's attention. Rates were rising even before Hugo Chvez assumed power. But under his 12 years they have skyrocketed, from 4,550 in 1998 to 17,600 last year. The victims are predominantly poor young men -- killed for as little as a mobile phone, caught in gunfire between gangs, or even subject to extrajudicial killings by security forces. Criminal violence has not yet permeated the country's politics. But signs ahead of presidential elections next year are ominous. The regime itself has armed local
civilian militias to, in its own words, "defend the revolution." Thus far it has failed to tackle corruption within the security forces, or their complicity in crime. Arms are easily available -reportedly more than 12 million weapons circulate in a country with a population of only 29 million. Impunity is a major driver of violence, with judicial independence eroded through sustained attacks by the government. According to some estimates, fewer than one in 10 police investigations ever leads to arrest. It's not yet clear who will face off against Chvez for the presidency, nor do we know the extent of political space in which candidates will be able to contest for office. But with the president's ailing health adding considerable uncertainty, bitter enmity between him and some opposition leaders, and Venezuelan society polarized, militarized and lacking credible institutional conflict-resolution mechanisms, next year could prove testing indeed. Now for the good news. Here are two countries whose 2012 is looking relatively bright. TUNISIA The victory by the moderate Islamist An-Nahda Party in October's elections is a victory for democracy. Of course, no one would underestimate the major challenges the nation still confronts. There is a continuing threat of violence, whether from agents provocateurs bent on
discrediting An-Nahda, the more radical Salafists marginalized by the An-Nahda victory, or working class towns and cities in the country's interior, which have been largely sidelined since the fall of president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and where the economic, social, and security situation continues to worsen. Small vestiges of the old regime in ministries and the Constituent Assembly, while weak, could still play a spoiler role. New business elites, meanwhile, appear only too quick to adopt the poor practices of their predecessors. The new government will have to move quickly away from wrangling over transitional details -- prime ministerial powers, constitutional reform and new elections -- and concentrate on reversing the country's economic decline and tackling corruption and unemployment. Still, having held the first free, competitive election to follow the onset of the Arab Spring -- in a relatively transparent manner and in an atmosphere of enthusiasm -it is clear that Tunisians already have much to be proud of. If the country's relative stability and evident progress could be a beacon to the rest of the wider region, that would be no bad thing. MYANMAR The government's pledges on reform are being fulfilled: The military has moved out of frontline politics; top opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi was released,
is engaging with the government at top levels, and is set to run in elections; many other political prisoners were also released; there are livelier debates in parliament that are even broadcast on TV; and some previously banned websites are now unblocked. There is a major opportunity for this long-suffering country to continue in a positive direction in 2012. The outside world, particularly the West, needs to respond by engaging further and dropping counterproductive sanctions that have harmed civilians without loosening the junta's grip on power. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Myanmar in early December was the right move at the right time, but it is not enough. Key next steps to watch for from the regime include releasing all remaining political prisoners, passing a new media law that would curtail censorship, and signing ceasefires with armed ethnic groups that would be a key step towards ending abuses by the military in these border conflicts. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Adventure Videos: Descending Into the Cave

(HowStuffWorks Daily Feed)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 8:00:56 AM
Playlist | Featured Adventure Videos There are 25 videos tagged "Featured Adventure"' + ''; $('#googleAdRightRail').html(rt); } function getValidChannel() { var getChannel = function(subDomain) { return subDomain; } var validChannels = new Array("adventure", "auto","computer","electronics"," entertainment","food","health","h ome","mobiltravelguide","money" ,"people","recipes","science","trav el","www","reference","maps","vi deos","history","geography","ani m a l s " ) ; v a r subDomain=document.domain.spl it(".")[0]; if (subDomain) { var x; for (var x = 0; x This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Economy/
45
Guest Post: A Run On The Global Banking System - How Close Are We?
Tyler Durden
was the way the bankruptcy was handled. Now there are several extremely [unable to retrieve full-text serious aspects to the MF Global content] case: Specifically, how their Guest Post via Gonzalo Lira customers were shut out of their Nine weeks after its bankruptcy, brokerage accounts for over a the general public still hasnt week following the bankruptcy, quite realized the implications of which made it impossible for the MF Global scandal. those customers to sell out of their My own sense is, this is the first positions, and thus caused them to tremor of the earthquake thats lose serious money; and of course coming to the global financial how MF Global was more adept system. And how the central than Mandrake the Magician at banks and financial regulators making money disappearabout t r e a t e d t h e S y s t e m i c a l l y $1 billion, in fact, which still Important Financial Institutions hasnt turned up. These are quite that had exposure to MF serious issues which merit Globalto the detriment of the p r o l o n g e d d i s c u s s i o n , ordinary, blameless customer who investigation, prosecution, and got royally ripped off in its ultimately jailtime. bankruptcyis both the template But for now, I want to discuss of how the next financial crisis one narrow aspect of the MF will be handled, and an Global bankruptcy: How accelerator that will make the next authorities (mis)handled the crisis happen that much sooner. bankruptcyeither willfully or So first off, what happened with out of incompetencewhich MF Global? allowed customers money to be Simple: It w e n t stolen so as to make JPMorgan bankruptbecause it made bad whole. bets on European sovereign debt, From this one issue, it seems by way of leveraging positions clear to me that we can infer what 100-to-1. Yeah, I know: Stupid. will happen when the next Anyway, they w e n t financial crisis hits in the bankruptwhich in and of itself n e a r t e r m f u t u r e . is no big deal. Its not as if its the Brokerage firms hold clients first time in history that a money in what are known as brokerage firm has gone bust. But segregated accounts. This is the to me, the big deal in this case money that brokerage firms hold
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:45:32 PM
for when a customer makes a trade. If a brokerage firm goes bankrupt, these monies are never touchedbecause they never belonged to the firm, and thus are not part of its assets. Think of segregated accounts as if they were the content in a safety deposit box: The bank owns the vaultbut it doesnt own the content of the safety deposit boxes inside the vault. If the bank goes broke, the customers who stored their jewelry and pornographic diaries in the safe deposit boxes dont lose a thing. The bank is just a steward of those assetsjust as a brokerage firm is the steward of those customers segregated accounts. But when MF Global went bankrupt, these segregated accountsthat is, the content of those safe deposit boxeswere taken away from their rightful ownersthat is, MF Globals customersand then used to pay off other creditors: That is, JPMorgan. (The mechanics of how this was done are interesting, but insanely complicated, and ultimately not relevant to this discussion. To grossly simplify, MF Global pledged customer assets to JPMorgan, in a process known as rehypothecationcustomer assets which MF Global did not have a right to. Needless to say,
JPMorgan covered its ass legally. Ethically? Morally? Black as night.) This was seriously wrongand this is the source of the scandal: Rather than being treated as a bankruptcy of a commodities brokerage firm under subchapter IV of the Chapter 7 bankruptcy law, MF Global was treated as an equities firm (subchapter III) for the purposes of its bankruptcy. Why does this difference of a single subchapter matter? Because in a brokerage firm bankruptcy, the customers get their money firstbecause after all, its theirswhile in an equities firm bankruptcy, the customers are at the end of the line. In the case of MF Global, what should have happened was for all the customers to get their money first. Then everyone e l s e i n c l u d i n g JPMorganwould have picked over the remaining scraps. And the monies MF Global had already pledged to JPMorgan? They call it clawback for a reason. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which handled the bankruptcy, should have done thisbut instead, the Merc was more concerned with making JPMorgan whole than with protecting the money that rightfully belonged to MF Globals 40,000 customers.
Thus these 40,000 MF Global customers had their money stolentheres no polite way to characterize what happened. And this theft was not carried out by MF Globalit was carried out by the authorities who were charged with handling the firms bankruptcy. These 40,000 customers were not Big Money typesthey were farmers who had accounts to hedge their crops, individuals owning gold (like Gerald Celente heres his account of what happened to him) in short, ordinary investors. Ordinary peopleand they got screwed by the regulators, for the sake of protecting JPMorgan and other big fry who had exposure to MF Global. That, in a nutshell, is what happened. Now, what does this mean? It means that nobodys money is safe. It means that regulators care more about protecting the socalled Systemically Important Financial Institutions than about protecting Ordinary Joe investors. It means that, when crunchtime comes, central banks and government regulators will allow SIFIs to get better, and let the Ordinary Joes get fucked. So far, so evilbut here comes GUEST page 47
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Economy/
Here's What Modern Monetary Theory And Austrian Economics Have In Common
John Carney (Money Game)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:54:15 PM
spend without limit. Governments can overspend in the MMT paradigm and this overspending When I began blogging about leads to inflation. Government Modern Monetary Theory, I knew financial assets may be unlimited I risked alienating or at least but real assets available for annoying some of my Austrian purchasethat is, goods and Economics friends. The Austrians services the economy is capable are a combative lot, used to of producingare limited. The f i g h t i n g o n t h e f r i n g e s o f government can overspend by (a) economic thought for what they taking too many goods and see as their overlooked and services out of the private sector, important insights into the depriving the private sector of workings of the economy. what it needs to satisfy the people, Which is one of the things that grow the economy and increase makes them a lot like the MMT productivity or (b) increasing the crowd. supply of money in the economy There are many other things that so large that it drives up the prices Austrian Econ and MMT share. A of goods and services. recent post by Bob Wenzel at As Wenzel points out, Murray Economic Policy Journal, which Rothbardone of the most is presented as a critique of my important Austrian Economists praise of some aspects of MMT, t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s h a s actually makes this point very producedtakes exactly the same well. position. He says that The MMTers believe that the governments take control of the m o d e r n m o n e t a r y money supply when they find systemsovereign fiat money, that taxation doesnt produce unlinked to any commodity and e n o u g h r e v e n u e t o c o v e r u n p e g g e d t o a n y o t h e r expenditures. In other words, fiat currencythat exists in the money is how governments United States, Canada, Japan, the escape revenue constraint. UK and Australia allows Rothbard considers this governments to operate without counterfeiting, which is a moral revenue constraints. They can judgment that depends on the never run out of money because prior conclusion that fiat money they create the money they spend. isnt the moral equivalent of real This is not to say that MMTers money. Rothbard is entitled to this believe that governments can viewI probably even share
itbut that doesnt change the fact that in our economy today, this counterfeiting is the operational truth of our monetary system. We can decry itbut we might as well also try to understand what it means for us. Rothbard worries that government control of the money supply will lead to runaway inflation. The MMTers tend to be more sanguine about the danger of inflation than Rothbardalthough I do not believe they are entitled to this attitude. As I explained in my pieceMonetary Theory, Crony Capitalism and the Tea Party, the MMTers tend to underestimate the influence of special interestsincluding government actors and central bankers themselveson monetary policy. They have monetary policy prescriptions that would avoid runaway inflation but, it seems to me, there is little reason to expect these would ever be followed in the countries that are sovereign currency issuers. I think that on this point, many MMTers confuse analysis of the world as it is with the world as they would like it to be. In short, the MMTers agree with Rothbard on the purpose and effect of government control of money: it means the government is no longer revenue constrained.
They differ about the likelihood of runaway inflation, which is not a difference of principle but a divergence of political prediction. This point of agreement sets both Austrians and MMTers outside of mainstream economics in precisely the same way. They appreciate that the modern monetary system is very, very different from older, commodity based monetary systemsin a way that many mainstream economists do not. In MM, CC & TP, I briefly mentioned a few other positions on the economy MMTers tend to share. Wenzel writes that there is nothing right about these views. I dont think Wenzel actually agrees with himself here. Lets run through these one by one. 1. The MMTers think the financial system tends toward crisis. Wenzel writes that the financial system doesnt tend toward crisis. But a moment later he admits that the actual financial system we have does tend toward crisis. All Austrians believe this, as far as I can tell. What has happened here is that Wenzel is now the one confusing the world as it is with the world as he wishes it would be. Perhaps under some version of the Austrian-optimum financial systemno central bank, gold coin as money, free banking or no
fractional reserve bankingwe wouldnt tend toward crisis. But that is not the system we have. The MMTers arent engaged with arguing about the Austrianoptimum financial system. They are engaged in describing the actual financial system we havewhich tends toward crisis. They even agree that the tendency toward crisis is largely caused by the same thing, credit expansions leading to irresponsible lending. 2. The MMTers say that capitalist economies are not selfregulating. Again, Wenzel dissents. But if we read capitalist economies as modern economies with central banking and interventionist governments then the point of disagreement vanishes. Are we entitled to read capitalist economies in this way? I think we are. The MMTers are not, for the most part, attempting to argue with non-existent theoretical economies or describe the epicera Icelandic political economy. They are dealing with the economy we have, which is usually called capitalist. Austrians can argue that this isnt really capitalismbut this is a terminological quibble. When it comes down to the problem of HERE'S page 49
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the really troubling part: It is an open secret that there are more paper-assets than there are actual assets. The markets are essentially playing musical chairsand praying that the music never stops. Because if it ever doesthat is, if there is ever a panic, where everyone decides that they want their actual asset instead of just a slip of paperthe system would crash. And unlike with fiat currency, where a central bank can print all the liquidity it wants, you cant print up gold bullion. You cant print up a silo of grain. You cant print up a tankerful of oil. Now, question: When is there ever a panic? When is there ever a run on a financial system? Answer: When enough participants no longer trust the system. It is the classic definition of a tipping point. Its not that all of the participants lose faith in the system or institution. Its not even when most of the participants lose faith: Rather, its when a mere some of the participants decide they no longer trust the system that a run is triggered. And though this is completely subjective on my partbacked by no statistics except scattered anecdotal evidencebut it seems to me that MF Global has shoved us a lot closer to this theoretical run on the system. As I write this, a lot of investors whom I know personallywho are sophisticated, wealthy, and not
at all the paranoid typeare quietly pulling their money out of all brokerage firms, all banks, all equity firms. They are quietly trading out of their paper assets and going into the actual, physical asset. Note that theyre not trading into the assettheyre simply exchanging their paper-asset for the real thing. Why? MF Global. The MF Global scandal has made it clear that the integrity of the system has disappeared, said a good friend of mine, Tuur Demeester, who runs Macrotrends, a Dutch-language newsletter out of Brugge. The banks are insolvent, the governments are insolvent, and all thats left is for the people to realize whats going onand that will start a panic. He hit it on the head: Some of the more sophisticated peoplelike Tuur, like some of my acquaintances, (like myself, frankly)have realized that the MF Global scandal means that there is no safety for any paper investment: The integrity of the systems has been completely shattered. If in the face of one medium-sized brokerage firm going under, the regulators will openly allow ordinary people to be ripped off for the sake of protecting the so-called Systemically Important Financial Institutionsin this case JPMorganwhat will happen if
there is a system-wide run? What if two or three MF Globals happen simultaneously? Will they protect the citizens money? Or will they protect the Systemically Important Financial Institutions? I think we know the answer. And I think we all know the answer to the question of whether there will be crisis flashpoint in the near-term future: After all, as Demeester pointed out, all the banks and all the governments are broke. Thus its only a matter of time before they come for your money. At SPG, weve been putting together Scenarios for other black swan events which are becoming increasingly likely: What to do if the eurozone breaks up, what to do if you have to leave America, what to do if there is an IsraeliIranian war, what to do if there is forced dollar devaluation, and so on. Now, because of this open kleptocracy and cronyism being shown by the financial authorities in the wake of the MF Global bankruptcy, weve been obliged to put together a new Scenario, devoted exclusively to preparing for a run on the markets: What to do in order to protect your assets from regulatory malfeasance, if there is a system-wide MF Global -type breakdown and a subsequent run on the entire financial system. And there will be such a run on the system: Its only a matter of
time. In fact, the handling of the MF Global affair has sped up the timeframe for this run on the system, because the forward-edge playerssuch as Demeester, myself, and my other acquaintances who understand the implications of the bankruptcyrealize that the regulators will side with the banksters, and not the ordinary investors: So we are preparing accordingly. Once there is a full-on panic, anyone with money in the system will lose at least a big chunk of it, in one of two ways, or a combination thereof: One, the firmscommodities brokerage firms, equity firms, investment banks and commercial bankswill not allow people to withdraw the totality of their money, and/or they will put a withdrawal cap of some sort, enforced by the central banks and other regulatory bodies. (Like they did in Argentina.) Two, the central banks will provide liquiditythat is, print moneywhile simultaneously declaring a banking holiday to, quote, calm the markets. During that bank holiday, the currency will be devalued by double digitswhich will mean that your cash holdings will essentially be taxed to save the bankstersagain. (Like they did in Argentina.) Thus apart from proving that the United States really is Argentina
with nukes, the MF Global bankruptcy has proven something crucial: The central banks and government regulators have completely fallen into the trap of confusing the welfare of the Systemically Important Financial Institutions with the welfare of the system itself. They dont seem to realize that the SIFIs are actors within the systemnot the system itself. We critics of the current, corrupt state of affairs also sometimes confuse the SIFIs with the system itself, whenever we say, The whole system is corrupt! But the system is not corruptits the regulators and SIFIs who are corrupt. If nothing else, the handling of the MF Global bankruptcy has proven that, once and for all. Thats why were pulling out our money nowwhile we still can. Because once the general public catches on to what we already know . . . oh boy. If youre interested, check out the SPG preview page. The various Scenarios I discussed above (When the Euro Breaks, Exit America, An Israeli-Iranian War, etc.) are currently available. The Scenario discussing how to protect assets from a system-wide run will appear on January 20.
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Italians Cut Spending in Worst Christmas in 10 Years; Debt in Spanish City of Gandia 50% Higher than Previously Reported; Harsh Times Ahead for All Europe
noreply@blogger.com (Mike Mish Shedlock) (Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:54:00 PM
Spanish City of Gandia is Insolvent Courtesy of Google Translate El Economista reports The debt of the City of Gandia exceeds 300 million euros The Deputy Mayor for Economic and Financial Officer of the City of Gandia, William Barber, has appeared before the media to explain and detail the results of the audit report conducted by Deloitte, commissioned by the new municipal government. The result is 300,066,000 euros, although the municipal government of the PP, initially estimated that out of about 200 million. In this report, it appeared that the City was in a situation of "negative equity", which obliged the government to take drastic and quick, and to develop an economic and financial plan, presented the mayor this week in Conselleria, to try to address this situation. Despite the situation, Barber wanted to reassure the public. "While the situation is difficult, we are working to balance
budgets, checking all items, although I can announce them or Social Welfare and basic services will be hurt. Our commitment is also paying suppliers not to complicate the situation further not to raise taxes. " Not an Isolated problem Every official in Spain repeats the line they will not raise taxes. In the case of Gandia which is in a situation of "negative equity" (bankrupt), how the heck does the city propose paying suppliers? Gandia is not an isolated problem. Please consider Spanish Implosion Coming Up; Deficit Up, Receipts Down, a Need to Cut 40 Billion in Expenses from 90 Billion; Spain's "Hidden Deficit" for another take on "hidden deficits" coming to light. Italians Cut Spending in Worst Christmas in 10 Years Bloomerg reports Italians Cut Spending in Worst Christmas in 10 Years Italian retailers had the worst Christmas in 10 years, consumer group Codacons said, as austerity measures to combat the sovereign debt crisis prompted households to cut spending. Italians spent 48 euros ($62.75) less per person this holiday season than the average of the past five
years, Rome-based Codacons said in a statement on its website. The shoe and clothing sector was hit the most, with sales dropping 30 percent from previous years, it said, adding retailers wont recover the decline during seasonal promotions that start in January. The discount period will be a flop, with sales declining as much as 40 percent compared with 2010, Carlo Rienzi, the head of Codacons, said in the statement. Prime Minister Mario Monti secured final passage last week for 30 billion euros of austerity and growth measures as he seeks to cut the euro regions secondbiggest debt. The measures, including a tax on luxury goods, a levy on primary residences and higher gasoline prices, may further sap consumer spending and push the euro areas thirdbiggest economy deeper into recession. The austerity plan will cost every Italian family 1,129 euros, according to consumer group Federconsumatori. Italians spent 4.4 billion euros in the holiday season, 400 million euros less than Federconsumatoris forecast, the group said. I am trying to get a
handle on the percentage decline and the magnitude of the decline. The consumer group estimates "as much as 40 percent" but believe that appears to be by sector, not overall spending. Courtesy of Google Translate, here is another link from El Economista: The Italian Christmas spent 400 million euros less than in 2010 The Italians spent this Christmas 400 million less than last year, according to a report by the Consumer Federation of ONF, met with another federation Coldiretti farmers who notes that Christmas dinner and lunch on day 25 spent 18% less than in 2010. According to the ONF, in this Christmas period the Italians spent four billion euros, compared to the 4,400 million provided for the consumer organization, which means that the average expenditure per household was 116 euros, below the amount projected which were already down. Austerity Kicks In, Harsh Times Ahead for Europe Translation is not entirely clear. As measured by a 400 million decline from 4,400 million, spending is down 9%, not the 18% Coldiretti farmers reference.
Regardless, various austerity measures will take a direct bite out of Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and Greece via reduced wages, rising unemployment rate and extremely harsh times. With the rest of Europe pulling back, and with China cutting back, the export machine of Germany is headed for major problems. Thus, austerity will take an indirect bite out of Germany and the trade surplus countries as well. Mike "Mish" Shedlock h t t p : / / globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot. com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http:// www.sitkapacific.com/ account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.
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self-regulation of our so-called capitalist system, the Austrians and MMTers are in agreement. 3. Next up is the MMT view (borrowed from an earlier economic school called Functional Finance) that fiscal policy should be judged by its economic effects. Wenzel asks if this means that this supercedes private property that as long as something is good for the economy, it can be taxed away from the individual? Here is a genuine difference b e t w e e n t h e Austriansespecially those of the Rothbardian stripeand the MMTers. The MMTers do indeed envision the government using taxes to accomplish what is good for the economywhich, for the most part, means combating inflation. They think that the government may need to use taxation to snuff out inflation at times. Alternatively, the government can also reduce its own spending to extinguish inflation. Note that weve come across a gap between MMTers and Rothbardians that is far smaller than the chasm between either of them and mainstream economics, where taxation of private property and income is regularly seen as justified by the need to fund government operations. MMTers and Austrians both agree that under the current circumstances people in most developed countries are overtaxed.
4. Wenzel actually overlooks the larger gap between Austrians and MMTers, which has to do with the efficacy of government spending. Many MMTers believe that most governments in socalled capitalist economies are not spending enough. Mostif not allAustrians think that these same government are spending too much. The Austrian view is based on the idea that government spending tends to distort the economy, in part becauseas the MMTers would agreegovernment spending in our age typically involves monetary expansion. The MMTers, I would argue, have a lot to learn from the Austrians on this point. I think that an MMT effort to more fully engage the Austrians on the topic of the structure of production would be well worth the effort. 5. Wenzels challenge to the idea of functional finance is untenableand not particularly Austrian. He argues that the subjectivity of value means it is impossible for us to tell whether something is good for the economy. Humbug. We know that an economy that more fully reflects the aspirations and choices of the individuals it encompasses is better than one that does not. We know that high unemployment is worse than low unemployment. All other things being equal, a more productive economy is superior to a less productive economy, a wealthier
economy is better than a more impoverished one. Wenzels position amounts to nihilism. I think he is confusing the theory of subjective value with a deeper relativism. Subjectivism is merely the notion that the value of an economic goodthat is, an object or a serviceis not inherent to the thing but arises from within the individuals needs and wants. This does not mean that we cannot say that some economic outcome is better or worse or that certain policy prescription are good for the economy and certain are worse. It would be odd for any Austrian to adopt the nihilism of Wenzel. Its pretty rare to ever encounter an Austrian who lacks normative views of the economy. These normative views depend on the view that some things are good for economy and some things are bad. I doubt that Wenzel himself really subscribes to the kind of nihilism he seems to advocate in his post. Wenzels final critique of me is that I over-emphasize cronyism and underplay the deeper problems of centralized power. My reply is three-fold. First, cronyism is a more concrete political problem than centralization; tactically, it makes sense to fight cronyism. Second, cronyism is endemic to centralized government decisions, as the public choice economists have shown. They call it special
interest rent-seeking, but thats egg-head talk from cronyism. Third, I totally agree: centralization is a real problem because the rationalization involved necessarily downplays the kinds of unarticulated knowledge that are important to everyday life, prosperity and happiness. At the level of theory, Austrians and MMTers have a lot in common. Tactically, an alliance makes sense. Intellectually, bringing together the descriptive view of modern monetary systems with Austrian views about the structure of production and limitations of economic planning (as well Rothbardian respect for individual property rights) should be a fruitful project. So, as I said last time, lets make it happen. Please follow Money Game on Twitter and Facebook. Join the conversation about this story See Also: Actually, We Might Have Turned A Corner On Job Growth Why Is Windows Phone Failing? The SEC Has Figured Out What All Crooked Hedge Funds Have In Common
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson Stay Attached For Starbucks

Molly Goodson (PopSugar)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:57:00 PM
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson strolled hand in hand for a Starbucks run in Malibu on Sunday. The two split the holidays with family this year, spending Thanksgiving in Boston with the Johnsons and Christmas at home in LA with the Simpson crew. Jessica took care of the Christmas dinner shopping and was also all smiles as she stepped out for some last-minute errands with Bronx on Friday. 2012 is going to be exciting for Jessica and Eric as they both become first -time parents. Jessica's first red carpet showing off her pregnancy made our best celebrity pictures of 2011 slideshow, and we can already predict their little one will be one of the most exciting new arrivals of next year. View Slideshow
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Economy/
Ron Paul Did Not "Walk Out" of CNN Interview; Blatantly Biased Headline by Time Magazine; Six Reasons to Vote for Paul
noreply@blogger.com (Mike Mish Shedlock) (Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis)
world: they were produced by a community of writers led by Paul aides Lew Rockwell and Murray Rothbard, who wrote a newsletter Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:19:00 PM In response to Attack Dogs of their own at the same time that Unleashed on Ron Paul; No Need expressed similar ideas in similar to Rethink Endorsement; Plus language. The racism of the Side of Attack Dogs I received newsletters -- and the elaborate many emails informing me that lying subsequently deployed to Ron Paul did not walk out of an evade responsibility for the interview with CNN with Gloria newsletters -- say much about the Borger. ethics of Paul himself and the The Daily Paul, posted the entire circle around him. Fair to Say?! CNN interview that shows a much It's certainly not fair to make that different picture than portrayed by claim. Can I see a poll please? Time and CNN. Moreover, Libertarians do not Blatantly Biased Headline by hold the racial beliefs stated by Time Magazine David Frum. Play the video and you will see If someone wants to talk about the interview was effectively ethics, it's just as easy for me to over. Time Magazine posted a claim " It's fair to say the vast very slanted headline Paul Walks majority of those following the Away. Paul story understand that CNN Piling on the Nonsense writers like Gloria Borger, David David Frum, CNN Contributor, Frum, and Wolf Blitzer do not piles on the nonsense Codger, care about the news, they only crank or more? care about generating sensational It's fair to say that almost no one headlines, any way they can. who has followed the controversy Moreover, CNN openly support believes that Paul is telling the wars, regardless of the ethics of truth about any of this. The war, because war is good for authorship of the newsletters is an ratings." open secret in the libertarian I do believe that's "fair to say",
although like David Frum I do not have a poll to prove it. While on the theme of "fair to say" I would like to point out this comment made by "EasyRhino" to Frum on the CNN blog: " Keep in mind Frum is a 5 star chicken hawk who defended the invasion of Iraq and advocates regime change in Iran and Syria, everything Paul is against." Contact CNN I might also point out that it's "fair to say" the CNN writers must be cowards because they do not have a direct way to contact them via email. You can however, Send a General Email to CNN and let them know what you think of their reporting. Attempts to Turn Non-News into News This biased reporting of "walking away" is a case of news agencies attempting to "make news" where there is no news. Moreover, a couple of questions by Gloria Borger, including the question of returning money, were economically inane. There is no one to return money to, as Paul pointed out.
Still when pressured by Borger, Paul should have been more direct with something like " Sorry Gloria, things I did not say over 20 years ago and have explained to CNN a number of times are not meaningful and are not news, no matter how much you try to spin it so. What is relevant today is my position on the economy, on troops in Afghanistan, and on reducing the deficit, not things I never said, and more importantly never acted on in all my years in Congress." Six Reasons to Vote for Paul Paul is the only one for a balanced budget and a plan to get there the only one who would bring US troops home immediately the only one who would end the Fed the only one who believes in the free market the only one who believes gold should be money the only one who would dismantle entire government departments As I have pointed out before,
President Obama and Mitt Romney are Nearly One and the Same! This is not a case of the lesser of two candidates, this is a case where one electable candidate and one electable candidate alone has a platform that makes sense. Mike "Mish" Shedlock h t t p : / / globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot. com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http:// www.sitkapacific.com/ account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific.
Economy/
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STOCKS GO NOWHERE ON NO VOLUME: Here's What You Need To Know (SPY, DIA, QQQ, SHLD, WHR, MGN, IGT)
Sam Ro (Money Game)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:00:00 PM
Low trading volume was the story again. Everyone's still on vacation. First, the scoreboard: Dow: 12,302.0, +8.4,+0.1% S&P 500: 1,266.3,+1.0, +0.1% NASDAQ: 2,626.6, +7.2, +0.3% And now, the top stories: Europe made some noise this morning when the yield on the Italian 10-year note went north of 7.12% this morning, before coming down to 6.99%. This is ahead of a big bond sale on Thursday. European markets closed mixed with the Italy's FTSE-MIB closing down 1% and the London's FTSE 100 closing up 1% German, French, and Spanish stocks basically closed flat. Here Are The 11 Best Performing Stock Markets Of The Year > The Case-Shiller 20-city home price index fell 3.4% year-overyear, which was worse than the 3.2% decline economists had expected. Only two cities posted gains during that period: Detroit and Washington. Month-overmonth, the 20-city index fell 0.7% on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Consumer confidence jumped to 64.5, up from 55.2 a month
ago. Economists were expecting an increase to 58.9. This is an eight-month high for the Conference Board's sentiment measure. Those surveyed also mentioned that the outlook for jobs seemed to be improving. Crude oil prices went north of $100 as Iran warned that it would block the Strait of Hormuz if sanctions against its own oil exports were enforced. Here Are 10 Quotes From The Always Charming Commodities Guru Jim Rogers > Sears Holdings announced it was closing 100 to 120 of its Sears and Kmart stores, which amounts to around 3% of its store count. The stock plummeted. Comparable store sales performance has been weak all year. Management expects to recognize non-cash charges of $1.6 to $2.4 billion in the fourth quarter. Whirlpool, a major vendor to Sears, also saw its shares tank. Over the weekend, Mead Johnson Nutrition said it tested its Enfamil newborn formula and found no bacteria. The stock rallied today. Last week, major retailers pulled the product from its shelves after a 10-day old's death was attributed to the formula.
The Department of Justice issued a new opinion on the Wire Act, a law meant to prohibit gambling via telecommunications across state lines. The new opinion says this only applies to sports betting, which may open the door for the legalization of other forms of online gambling. International Game Technology jumped on the news, making it one of the strongest performers in the S&P 500. Don't Mis s: 16 Of Wall Street's Sharpest Minds Predict Where Stocks Are Headed In 2012 >
The Chickens Have Finally Come Home To Roost At Sears

Reggie Middleton
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:29:39 PM
the holiday."The closings are the latest and most visible in a long series of moves to try to fix a In January of 2009 (nearly three retailer that has struggled with years ago, which is ironic), I went falling sales and shabby stores. bearish on Sears due to a variety Sears Holdings Corp. said it has of reasons, the least of which was yet to determine which stores will less than competent management close but said it will post on the (hedge fund managers don't list online when it's compiled. n e c e s s a r i l y m a k e g o o d Sears would not discuss how department store managers), many, if any, jobs would be cut. macro conditions and The news sent shares of fundamentals sloped towards hell. Sears [SHLD 36.50-9.35 (Although this was initially a very 20.39%)] to their lowest point in Please follow Money Game on profitable trade, the rip roaring more than three years, and it was Twitter and Facebook. b e a r m a r k e t r a l l y o f 2 0 0 9 posting the biggest percentage Join the conversation about this shredded the short profits - decline in the S&P 500 Index. story turning them into losses if As does Bloomberg: Sears See Also: uncovered, and simutaneously Plunges on Plans to Close as S T O C K S M A K E B I G disguised the many issues that we Many as 120 Stores COMEBACK ON DAY OF BIG brought up in our initiail short Sears Holdings Corp., the retailer ECB ACTION: Here's What You analysis. Well, you can run but controlled by hedge-fund manager Need To Know you can't hide, and the truth will Edward Lampert, tumbled the STOCKS RALLY AGAIN, ultimately rear its head. On that most in... Sears fell (SHLD) 18 SANTA CLAUS RALLY IS note... percent to $37.65 at 9: 42 a.m. in ALIVE: Here's What You Need CNBC Reports In the Wake of New York,... To Know Poor Sales, Sears to Close Stores Average: STOCKS RALLY AFTER Sears Holdings plans to close Your rating: None Average: 5( 1 MORE GOOD NEWS: Here's between 100 and 120 Sears and vote) What You Need To Know Kmart stores after poor sales This entry passed through the during the holidays, the most Full-Text RSS service if this is crucial time of year for retailers. your content and you're reading it In an internal memo Tuesday to on someone else's site, please read employees, CEO and President the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentLou D'Ambrosio said that the only/faq.php#publishers. Five retailer had not "generated the Filters recommends: Donate to results we were seeking during Wikileaks.
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Gladwell vs. Shirky: A Year Later, Scoring the Debate Over Social-Media Revolutions
Bill Wasik (Wired Top Stories)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:00:00 PM
Egyptian protesters shout antimilitary ruling council slogans at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2011. Egypt's military-appointed prime minister called for national dialogue to resolve the country's political crisis and pleaded for a twomonth calm to restore security after weeks of protests and bloodshed. Amr Nabil/AP Photo Now that 2011 is coming to a close, its worth looking back at an intellectual argument that played out just as the year was beginning back before we saw the spread of the Arab Spring, the UK riots, the Occupy movement, and so much else. In one corner was the New Yorkers Malcolm Gladwell, who argued in an October 2010 piece that the media had oversold Twitter and Facebook as tools for political action. Citing research by Doug McAdam, a Stanford sociologist who studied the biographical patterns in 1960s civil-rights activism, Gladwell emphasized the distinction between strongtie social connections close, personal relationships of the sort that drew committed activists to protests in the Jim Crow South, despite the risk to their lives c o n n e c t i o n s y o u h a v e w i t h and weak-tie ones, the kind of acquaintances who might merit your friendship on Facebook, or a
follow on Twitter, but not (say) Gladwell argued, were inherently the opportunity to borrow your weak-tie affairs, and therefore illcar. Online social networks, suited to get people out into the
streets. GLADWELL page 53
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In the other corner was NYU professor Clay Shirky, whose book Here Comes Everybody had been called out by Gladwell as the bible of the social-media movement. Gladwell had pointed to a prominent story in the book about Evan Guttman, a New York banker who helped get his friends Sidekick back by shaming the girl who refused to give it up. A networked, weaktie world is good at things like helping Wall Streeters get phones back from teen-age girls, Gladwell had written. Viva la revolucin. A couple of months later, Shirky fired back in Foreign Affairs with a long essay[reg. req.] making the case that electronic media had, in fact, played a crucial role in a number of overseas uprisings: the 2001 impeachment of the Philippine president, South Korean protests against U.S. beef in 2008, the 2009 defeat of the Communist government in Moldova. He granted Gladwells point that much of what passes for activism online is superficial, like campaigns to like various causes on Facebook. But, Shirky argued, the fact that barely committed actors cannot click their way to a better world does not mean that committed actors cannot use social media effectively. In the following issue of Foreign Affairs, the two men had a brief exchange of letters that probably serves as the simplest introduction to their warring points of view. Gladwell:
[J]ust because innovations in communications technology happen does not mean that they matter; or, to put it another way, in order for an innovation to make a real difference, it has to solve a problem that was actually a problem in the rst place. [F]or [Shirky's] argument to be anything close to persuasive, he has to convince readers that in the absence of social media, those uprisings would not have been possible. Shirky: I would break Gladwells question of whether social media solved a problem that actually needed solving into two parts: Do social media allow insurgents to adopt new strategies? And have those strategies ever been crucial? Here, the historical record of the last decade is unambiguous: yes, and yes. So Who Won? So: A year later, whose argument looks better? Certainly, lots of people will be inclined to see the events of 2011 as an outright refutation of the Gladwell camp. As I spell out in my cover story for the January issue of Wired, the year has seen crowd unrest around the globe, with social media playing an organizing role in just about all of it. But its important to take Gladwell seriously on his most important line of questioning: At the end of the day, does the tech really matter? As he somewhat peevishly put it, in a blog post directed at his critics during the height of the Egyptian uprising in February, surely the least
interesting fact about [the Egyptian uprising] is that some of the protesters may (or may not) have at one point or another employed some of the tools of the new media to communicate with one another. Please. And I actually think hes right. Acts of communication, by themselves, arent especially interesting. Weve always had protests, riots, and revolutions, and the people who carried them out have always found ways to spread the word. If the medium for those communications shifts from word of mouth, to printed flier, to telephone, then to texts and Twitter, what does it really matter? Technology becomes an important part of the story only if its changing the nature of the events and the nature of the social groups that are carrying them out. Fundamentally, Gladwell was correct in his argument that activism requires a lot more than good communication. As he points out, this was the essential finding in Doug McAdams study of the civil-rights movement[PDF], which showed that the most important factor in peoples involvement was the strength of their social relationships with other activists. McAdam based his paper on a set of applications that northern college students (most white) submitted to take part in the 1964Freedom Summer campaign. Of the nearly 1,000 applications that were accepted, roughly a quarter of the students
dropped out of the program or failed to show up. What, McAdam wondered, was the best predictor of who would stay? The answer, it turned out, was the number and closeness of their interrelationships with one another: the strength of their ties. But its worth being specific about how those strong ties manifested themselves. What McAdam zeroed in on was a seemingly innocuous question in the application, one that asked each applicants to list at least 10 persons whom they wished kept informed of their summer activities. McAdam suspects that this question was designed to serve as a PR engine, creating a list of influential adults (parents, other family members, family friends) who would become more sympathetic to civil rights through hearing about the activism of a young person they knew so well. And most of the names fell into this category. But the young activists who were most likely to persevere in the cause were ones who broke that pattern to list other young activists like themselves instead (or in addition). That is: the strong ties that McAdam found so predictive werent about pre-given connections in peoples lives, such as family ties, or a shared hometown, church, or high school. They were about activists regarding the activist community as their primary community, a set of ties that trumped even their family connections. These
activists saw other activists as tantamount to being their next of kin. Close Connections, Not So Close It seems to me that 2011 ought to make us believe that the Internet is, in fact, creating and sustaining real strong-tie networks, in just the way that Gladwell seems to think is impossible. Mattathias Schwartz (whose work Ive had the pleasure to edit at Wired and elsewhere) published a long history of the Occupy movement in the New Yorker, and it neatly shows both sides of the technology question, at least as it pertains to pure communication. On the one hand, Occupy has been a classic viral phenomenon, beginning with an email blast from the editors of Adbusters, and then spreading through Twitter hashtags (and a brilliantly conceived Tumblr). On the other hand, Schwartzs piece is full of instances where these activists slag on technology or downplay its importance. White, for example, is not on Facebook, which he calls the commercialization of friendship and says he uses e-mail and Twitter only because he feels compelled to. In the moment when Zuccotti Park is chosen, out of seven possible targets, the advance teams stuck to low-tech communication methods if theyd used SMS or Twitter, one (anonymous) organizer told Schwartz, it would have been easy for the police to track down GLADWELL page 55
54
Culture/
Radio Zeta: How Mexico's Drug Cartels Stay Networked

Spencer Ackerman (Wired Top Stories)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:41:00 PM
Arranging drug sales on a cellphone, cryptic email or even a pager? Thats strictly for the small time dealer. If youre a Mexican drug cartel, you have your own radio network. Since 2006, the cartels have maintained an encrypted DIY radio network that stretches across nearly all 31 Mexican states, even down south into Guatamala. The communications infrastructure of the narco-gangs that have turned Mexico into a gangsters paradise consists of professional-grade radio antennas, signal relays and simple handheld radios that cost millions of dollars and which the Mexican authorities havent been able to shut down. If it sounds like a military-grade communications apparatus, it should. The notorious Zetas, formerly the enforcers for the Gulf Cartel and now its chief rival, were born out of Mexican Special Forces. But the Zetas arent stupid enough to make big deals over a radio frequency, even an
encrypted one. According to a picture of what you might call Radio Zeta thats emerged after three raids by the Mexican authorities, the bosses only communicate through the Internet. The radio network is for lookouts and lower-level players. Heres how it works, according to a fascinating Associated Press piece. The cartels divide up territory into plazas. The plaza boss has the responsibility for
establishing nodes on the network getting the antennas in place, concealing them as necessary, making sure the signal-boosting repeaters extend the networks reach, equipping cartel personnel with handheld radios, and replacing what the security forces destroy. The cartels have even gone green, with solar panels powering the radio towers. The network is primarily an early warning reconnaissance system.
Halcons, or hawks, holler on the handhelds when the federal police or soldiers roll through cartel territory. But its also an occasional offensive tool to intimidate the security forces. The cartels have been known to hijack military radio networks to broadcast threats. Thats keeping in line with the Zetas alarming tactic of slaughtering people for allegedly talking openly about cartel
activity over the Internet. Since September, three large raids conducted by Mexicos beleaguered security forces have attempted to disrupt the radio network by snatching up its hardware. But much of the infrastructure the towers, the receivers is cheap enough to be easily replaced. The network is low-cost, highly extendable and maintainable, a security consultant told the AP. But theres an alternative for taking down the cartel broadcasts. Since the U.S. already provides intelligence and security assistance to Mexicos drug war, maybe its time to think about providing some military-grade jammers as well. Mexico doesnt seem to have a better idea for taking Radio Zeta off the air. Photo: Flickr/ Galeria de Bee This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Culture/ Finance/
55
10 Most Destructive Storms

Submitted at 12/27/2011 8:00:56 AM
GLADWELL
as huge systems like middlelatitude(or midlatitude) cyclones. " Hurricane" and " typhoon" are With the incredible forces they two names for the same thing -- a wield, storms are capable of strong tropical cyclone. They take changing thousands of lives in on different names according to minutes. How can we compare the where they occur. The term destructiveness of such awe- "hurricane" refers to a tropical inspiring engines of nature? Do cyclone north of the equator in the we tally the lives they claim? Western Hemisphere; tropical Weigh their lasting impacts on the cyclones north of the equator in cities and towns they raze? Assess the Eastern Hemisphere are called their financial toll? All are valid typhoons. In the Indian Ocean or c r i t e r i a , b u t n o n e a l o n e i s the South Pacific, you would call sufficient to encompass the scale such storms cyclones. and severity of truly titanic Since we're interested in the typhoons; that requires a holistic intensity and destructive power of approach, one that takes into storms, we also need to know how account the wide array of tangible scientists classify them. and intangible harms wrought by The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale their havoc. measures tornado intensity on a 0Before we delve into the big 10, 5 scale by estimating wind speeds let's familiarize ourselves with a based on damage. Interestingly, few naming conventions. this means very powerful All circling weather patterns with tornadoes can receive low EF low-pressure centers, whether ratings if they fail to run across t h e y r o t a t e c l o c k w i s e o r anything significantly strong to counterclockwise, are technically destroy. cyclones, a group that includes The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane hurricanes and tornadoes, as well Wind Scale places hurricanes into
one of five categories according to their sustained wind speeds at a given time. It also offers estimates of the damage typically associated with such storms. In general, each increase in Saffir-Simpson category translates into a fourfold jump in destructive capacity. In both scales, the higher the number, the worse the storm. In this article, we'll look at 10 storms that topped the charts in destruction and death toll. Just to keep this from becoming a cyclones-only club, we'll also look at record-setting examples of other kinds of storms along the way. Continue to the next page to begin your journey into the heart of the storm. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
who was doing this. But whats most fascinating about the story is the whole range of close connections, many of them nontraditional, that conspired to make that movement come together. Begin with Kalle Lasn and Micah White, the two Adbusters editors who came up with the original idea: theyre clearly the closest of collaborators, but they live nearly a thousand miles apart (Lasn in Vancouver, White in Berkeley) and have not seen each other in person for more than four years. Then theres the countless assortment of preexisting protest groups, all around the country, that decided to lend their support to the project, in some cases traveling thousands of miles to arrive in Zuccotti Park. From the beginning, the core of the Occupy movement has been the same distributed network of small protest groups that have together for a decade now to disrupt global summits and party conventions. Whether or not they see technology as their primary means of organizing, technology is utterly crucial in the way their whole model works keeping connected without the benefit (or detriment, as the case may be) of a central authority. As Shirky puts it, digital
networks do not allow otherwise uncommitted groups to take effective political action. They do, however, allow committed groups to play by new rules. To this assessment, Id add something else: They create new rules for how committed people get and stay connected with one another, and how those connections get classified, even in their own minds. After all, its not hard to imagine that, when faced with a questionnaire asking to list their closest friends or associates, these activists would list one another, rather than their family or the people they drink with in their own hometowns. Activists may need strong ties to risk their lives in the streets, but its clear those ties can stretch across continents, and can consist entirely of bits right up until the moment when they come together. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Pawnbroker Albemarle & Bond to create 300 jobs

Telegraph Staff (Finance News - Business news from the UK and world)
Albemarle & Bond hailed "the age of the pawnbroker" on Tuesday as it unveiled plans to
create 300 jobs by opening 25 new stores in 2012.
56
Culture/
How To: Shop At The Last Minute

Sal Ciolfi (AskMen Latest Articles)
Considering we're usually too busy or averse to shopping (especially for others), holiday shopping will always be man's biggest gift-giving obstacle. Most of us, however, can handle it, depending on how much time we have left. That said, here are some suggestions for how to make that last-minute shopping experience easier, quicker and headache-free. 24 hours left If you have an entire day left to shop, you are the envy of most last-minute movers and shakers, as you can cover a lot of ground with this much time. Here are some ideas to keep in mind. Shop anywhere If you have a day at your disposal, maximize your time. Make a list of all gift recipients and write down what sort of gift would be appropriate for each one. Generate a few gift ideas for each person, and opt for whichever turns out to be most convenient for you. This way,
you'll have backup gift ideas, in case you can't find your first choices. Next, devise a plan for the day with possible stores lined up for each gift idea. Once you know where every item can be purchased, shop in order of priority. What to buy: Anything from jewelry and tools to booze and home electronics. The beauty of having 24 hours at your disposal is that you can purchase any of the gifts mentioned below (and on the next page), and have time to comparison shop. Two to
mall map to plan the quickest route. What to buy: Jewelry for women, tools for dad, tablets for friends, you get the idea. One hour left Head to department & chain stores Your goal is to complete all your shopping in a single store. If you're man enough, aim to hit big stores like Wal-Mart or Target. Hey, if everyone you know likes the sauce, then you can just head to a liquor store and call it a night. What to buy: A bottle of liquor is always a great idea, as are Six hours left Head to the drinking-related accessories like shopping mall Your best bet here specialty glasses, shakers and is to hit the nearest mall. Sure, drink recipe books. Cigars are there are many inconveniences to a n o t h e r c l a s s i c o p t i o n . A t shopping malls, with long lineups, department stores you can buy crowds and potential difficulties anything from clothes, massagers finding the items you want, but and electronics to jewelry, video come crunch time you know that games, DVDs, and books. You the mall offers a multitude of gift have 30 minutes to go and nary a options. Once again, a plan is the gift has been bought. More tips on only way to maximize your time how to shop at the last minute, in the mall. Get a general idea of next... what you want to buy and from Continue Reading which stores. Once you know this, all it takes is a quick look at the
See How Many People Replied to Your Emails This Year [Email]
Jason Chen (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:00:00 PM
ToutApp's got an interesting year -end tool that scans your Gmail account and gives you a year-end inventory of stuff that's happened in your account. Among the useful things they provide are total emails sent/received, what percentage of your emails got replied to and what percentage do you reply to emails. More
The Ultimate Hidden Passageway Quiz

Submitted at 12/27/2011 8:00:56 AM
Eccentric wealthy people have the means to pay for whatever they want, including the building
of secret passageways in their homes. If you want to be shocked, learn about these hidden passageways and the legends that go with them. Take this quiz to see how much you know about hidden passageways.
Earn a point for every right answer! Save your score at the end of the quiz. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it
on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Culture/ Obituaries
57
DJ Earworm Crams 2011's 10 standout nerds Pop Hits Into Five-Minute of 2011 Jam
(Holy Kaw!)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:15:00 PM
Angela Watercutter (Wired Top Stories)
He has been making mixmeat out of each years best pop since 2007. The DJ also (literally) wrote Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:40:00 PM the book on mashup construction Everybodys recapping the years ( 2 0 0 6 s A u d i o M a s h u p best music and movies, but Construction Kit: ExtremeTech). r e a d i n g t h e r o u n d u p s c a n Check out the video for his latest sometimes feel like dancing about creation above, then head to DJ a r c h i t e c t u r e . T h a n k s t o D J Earworms site to download an Earworm, we can enjoy most of MP3 of the track. See the full list the years best pop confections in of songs used in the mashup one handy song. below. Behold United State of Pop Adele Rolling in the Deep 2011 (World Go Boom) five Adele Someone Like You minutes of 25 of the biggest hits Black Eyed Peas Just Cant of the last year. Get Enough From Adele to OneRepublic, DJ Bruno Mars Grenade Earworm taps into the years best Bruno Mars The Lazy music to make a remarkably Song cohesive mashup, despite the fact Britney Spears Till The that the artists being mashed run World Ends the gamut from rock to rap to Cee Lo Green F*ck You Rihanna. Then again, Earworm is Enrique Iglesias Tonight a master of combining genres, (Im Lovin You) having won over this writers Foster the People Pumped heart with the genius collabo of Up Kicks Kanye Wests Love Lockdown Jennifer Lopez On the with Radioheads Reckoner. Floor This isnt Earworms first rodeo: Jeremih featuring 50 Cent
Down on Me Katy Perry Firework Katy Perry E.T. Katy Perry Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) Lady Gaga Born This Way LMFAO Party Rock Anthem LMFAO Sexy and I Know It Lupe Fiasco The Show Goes On Maroon 5 Moves Like Jagger Nicki Minaj Super Bass OneRepublic Good Life Pink Raise Your Glass Pitbull Give Me Everything Rihanna S&M Rihanna We Found Love This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
synesthesia at the perceptual, neurobiological, and genetic levels, with an aim to understand In 2011, nerds ruled -- totally. In differences in conscious sensory fact, even the world's celebrities experience across the population," seem to have realized that the is blithely tap-dancing out on a nerd's characteristic disregard for ledge where mere non-nerdy fashion dos and don'ts is, well, a intellects fear to tread. pretty cool fashion in itself. Many Arun Mathews and Francis of today's young male heartthrobs Kong: In 2008, the outfit, which a r e s k i n n y , b e s p e c t a c l e d , they dubbed Nerdcore Learning, awkward -- in a word "nerdy." debuted its first product, and in So, without further ado, in no 2010, they unveiled The Healing particular order, here are nerds we Blade, a table-top card battle held dear in 2011: game that takes place in a sword David Saltzberg: Producers of a n d - s o r c e r y f a n t a s y w o r l d the hit CBS comedy "The Big peopled two rival clans who are Bang Theory,"have enlisted the stand-ins for actual diseaseguidance of an actual credentialed causing bacteria. physics nerd, University of California Los Angeles professor Full list at HowStuffWorks.com. David Saltzberg. Total aggregation of David Eagleman: Anyone who H o w S t u f f W o r k s . c o m . w i n s a 2 0 1 1 G u g g e n h e i m Photo credit: Fotolia fellowship to research the topic of Permalink| Leave a comment "neurobiology and genetics of
Abstract painter Helen Frankenthaler dies at 83 (AP)

(Yahoo! News: Obituaries)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:31:33 PM
AP - Helen Frankenthaler, an abstract painter known for her bold, lyrical use of color who led
a postwar art movement that would later be termed Color Field painting, died Tuesday at her
home in Connecticut, her nephew said. She was 83.
58
Culture/
William and Kate Plan to Celebrate New Year's Eve in Scotland

Katie Henry (PopSugar)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:20:39 PM
Kindle Fire Update

Victor Krull (AskMen Latest Articles)
Yesterday, Amazon released its over-the-air update for the Kindle Fire, and, as predicted, it didnt fix enough to stop complaints about the sluggish interface and browser. Its hard to ship a faster processor wirelessly -- who knew?Most of the fixes affect the glaring usabilty problems like the Fires carousel, which would scroll too fast when swiped, and improvements to typing should make the device less frustrating to use in general. But the Silk browser is still a dog. Despite Amazons bragging about it being the cloud-accelerated browser, Silk is still much slower than even
the original iPad when loading simple or complex pages. Its going to take some serious reengineering to get that to change, so users shouldnt expect a quick fix for the Fires pokey browsing.Some of the bugs that still linger -- like the Fires missing taps and outright swipes - should be fixed in future software updates, but, considering Christmas is only three days away, its safe to say that the Kindle Fire is going to be getting a not-so-warm reception by those getting it as a gift. Those giving it should start complaining about the speed of your home Wi-Fi so it will all make sense on Christmas morn. Youre welcome. Continue Reading
Find out about Kate and William's New Year's Eve plansUs Weekly Heavy D died of a pulmonary embolism- People New photos of Blake and Ryan's holiday together- Lainey Gossip See the most shocking celebrity transformations of 2011- TooFab One of Will Smith's Fresh Prince costars is calling him an "egomaniac"- Huffington Post Lindsay Lohan is trying to get rid of her party girl image- DListed Baz Luhrmann injured on The Great Gatsby set- JustJared Rumored track list of Madonnas new album reportedly leaks- Pink Is the New Blog Teen Mom stars like wearing
The 50 Best Celebrity Pictures of the Year!

Lauren Turner (PopSugar)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:58:00 PM
bikinis- The Superficial Bar Refaeli spends her holidays in a bikini- Hollywood Tuna Find out what movies are Elizabeth Olsen's favorite Winter films- The Daily Beast Fast Five, Hangover 2, and Thor top most pirated moviesHollywood Reporter Florence Welch opens Harrods Winter sale in London- I'm Not Obsessed
The year is coming to a close and we've loved looking back at our favorite families, adorable new babies, hot couples, and more in our Best of 2011 coverage - check out all your Best of 2011 poll winners! We've rounded up our top picks including Gwyneth Paltrow on vacation with her family, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Launter at their handprint ceremony, baby Flynn Bloom's debut, and of course Prince William and Kate's epic balcony kiss. Did you have a favorite celebrity picture of the year? Click through to see them all and don't forget to check out all of our Best of 2011 coverage before the new year hits! View Slideshow
Culture/ Featured/ Gaming/
59
ReadNow Provides a Native Mac Desktop Interface for Instapaper and ReadItLater [Mac Downloads]
Adam Dachis (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:19:00 PM
If you love saving articles to Instapaper or ReadItLater but don't like using the web site to view them, ReadNow solves that problem by offering a native desktop experience on your Mac. It provides a familiar news readeresque interface for browsing your saved articles and read them offline in a variety of styles. Additionally, ReadNow allows you to edit and tag anything
you've saved, share it (with multiple services, such as email and Evernote), and check it off. You can alter display options as well, such as increasing or decreasing the font size for optimal reading. More
The Always Upto-Date Guide to Jailbreaking Your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad [iOS 5.0.1] [Video]
Adam Dachis (Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:00:00 PM
2009 class-action lawsuit over Final Fantasy XI fees dismissed

JC Fletcher (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:00:00 PM
Newt Note: 'We Agree Entirely with Governor Romney and Massachusetts Legislators' on Health Care
Submitted at 12/27/2011 9:32:00 AM
Jailbreaking is a process that changes little by little with each iOS upgrade. Rather than always publishing new guides, we're simply going to keep this one up to date. If you want to jailbreak your iOS device, you've come to the right page. More
In 2006, Newt Gingrich's Center for Health Transformation published a "Newt Note" on Mitt Romney's Massachusetts health care plan. "The most exciting development of the past few weeks is what has been happening up in Massachusetts," the note began. "The health bill that Governor Romney signed into law
How to ask for a raise [infographic]

(Holy Kaw!)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:00:00 PM
this month has tremendous potential to effect major change in the American health system."
(Click on the infographic below to learn more.) Via Column Five for Mindflash Like infographics? So do we. Permalink| Leave a comment
A 2009 lawsuit brought against Square Enix over alleged concealment of fees for Final Fantasy XI has been dismissed. Plaintiff Esther Leong filed a class-action suit against the company, claiming that monthly fees, late payment penalties, and other charges weren't sufficiently disclosed at retail. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit on December 20, meaning Leong and the unspecified "class" she represented are not entitled to the $5 million in damages sought. Here's something else to think about, as you ponder the nuances of this case: right now, someone in the world is still playing Final Fantasy XI. 2009 class-action lawsuit over Final Fantasy XI fees dismissed originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| Email this| Comments
60
Politics-Left/
Israelis rally against gender segregation

(AL JAZEERA ENGLISH (AJE))
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:33:12 PM
A shy eight-year-old schoolgirl has unwittingly found herself on the front line of Israel's latest religious war. Naama Margolese is a ponytailed, bespectacled secondgrader afraid of walking to her religious Jewish girls' school for fear of ultra-Orthodox men who have spat on her and called her a "whore" for dressing "immodestly". After significant media attention to the young girl's plight, thousands came out to protest on Tuesday evening against gender segregation and violence against women at a rally in Beit Shemesh, 30km to the west of Jerusalem. Mickey Rosenfeld, a police spokesperson, told Al Jazeera a large number of security forces would be deployed for the march, following attacks on media and police on Sunday and Monday by members of the ultra-Orthodox community. Protesters held signs at Tuesday's protest saying, "Free Israel from religious coercion" and "Stop Israel from becoming Iran", but members of the ultraOrthodox community were nowhere in sight during the rally. Ahead of the gathering, President Shimon Peres had urged the public to attend. "The demonstration today is a test for the people and not just the police," Peres told a gathering of
Israeli ambassadors. "All of us ... must defend the image of the state of Israel from a minority that is destroying national solidarity and expressing itself in an infuriating way." Al Jazeera's Cal Perry said that protesters are demonstrating against "unfair treatment toward the Haredi population in Israel, which gets away with things that other members of the population cannot. People are saying things like 'Israel needs to wake up'." Our correspondent said: "There are about 5,000 people [gathered in Beit Shemesh]. This is not a big city so it's certainly a big turnout." He also said Israeli leaders had encouraged high turnout on Tuesday after comments by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "saying that treatment of this eight-year-old girl is completely degrading to Israel's democracy". Religious coercion Naama's persecution has drawn new attention to the simmering issue of religious coercion in Israel, and the increasing brazenness by vigilantes from the insular ultra-Orthodox community. "When I walk to school in the morning I used to get a tummy ache because I was so scared ... that they were going to stand and start yelling and spitting," she said in an interview with the Associated Press news agency on Monday. "They were scary. They don't
want us to go to the school." The new girls' school that Naama attends in the city of Beit Shemesh is on the border between an ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood and a community of modern Orthodox Jewish residents, many of them American immigrants. The ultra-Orthodox consider the school an encroachment on their territory. Dozens of black-hatted men jeer and physically accost the girls almost daily, the students say. Televised images of Naama sobbing en route to school have shocked many Israelis, elicited statements of outrage from the country's leadership and sparked a Facebook page with nearly 10,000 followers dedicated to "protecting little Naama". "Who's afraid of an 8-year-old student?" Sunday's main headline in the leading Yediot Ahronot daily said. Modesty patrols Beit Shemesh's growing ultraOrthodox population has erected street signs calling for the separation of sexes on the sidewalks, dispatched "modesty patrols" to enforce a chaste female appearance and hurled stones at offenders. Walls of the neighbourhood are plastered with signs exhorting women to dress modestly in closed-necked, long-sleeved blouses and long skirts. Naama's case has been especially shocking because of her young age and because she attends a
religious school and dresses with long sleeves and a skirt. Some Haredi Jews, however, consider even that outfit, standard in mainstream religious schools, to be immodest. This week Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, spoke out against the violence. "The Israel police are taking, and will take, action to arrest and stop those who spit, harass or raise a hand. This has no place in a free and democratic state," he told his cabinet. The abuse and segregation of women in Israel in ultra-Orthodox areas is nothing new, and critics accuse the government of turning a blind eye. The ultra-Orthodox are perennial king-makers in Israeli coalition politics - two such parties serve as key members of Netanyahu's coalition. They receive generous government subsidies, and police have traditionally been reluctant to enter their communities. Rising influence Ultra-Orthodox Jews make up more than 10 per cent of Israel's population and are its fastest growing sector because of a high birth rate. In the past, they have generally confined their strict lifestyle to their own neighbourhoods. But they have become increasingly aggressive in trying to impose their ways on others, as their population has grown and spread to new areas. "It is clear that Israeli society is
faced with a challenge that I am not sure it can handle," Menachem Friedman, a professor emeritus of Bar Ilan University and expert on the ultra-Orthodox, said. "A challenge that is no less and no more than an existential challenge," Most of Israel's secular majority, in cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa, is not directly affected, but in a few places like Beit Shemesh - a city of 100,000 people that includes ultra-Orthodox, modern Orthodox and secular Jews tensions have erupted into the open. The abuse of the girls is an example. The girls' parents take turns escorting their daughters onto school property to protect them. The parents, too, have been cursed and spat upon. For Hadassa Margolese, Naama's 30-year-old Chicago-born mother, the recent clashes - and the price of exposing her young daughter boil down to a fight over her very home. "They want to push us out of Beit Shemesh. They want to take over the city," Margolese said. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Politics-Left/
61
Mass protests in Homs as Arab monitors visit

Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:11:50 PM
Damascus, Hama and Idlib. Mass protests Activists, meanwhile, reported Tens of thousands of Syrians that some 70,000 protesters have have reportedly taken to the tried to march to the centre of streets of Homs, as Arab League Homs, and that security forces monitors finished their first day of have been firing tear gas in an observation in the city that has attempt to break up the protests. been the centre of the antiThe Syrian Observatory for government protest movement. Human Rights earlier said a group Arab League peace monitors are was gathering in Khalidiya, one of on a mission to assess whether the four parts of Homs where Syria has halted its nine-month there has been heavy bloodshed as crackdown on protests against armed rebels fight security forces President Bashar al-Assad. using tanks. The delegation met the governor Footage posted online showed a n d t o u r e d H o m s o n big crowds of anti-government Tuesday. They will continue protesters in the neighbourhoods touring the area on Wednesday, of Bab Sbaa and Khaldiyeh and a the Syrian television channel funeral march in Ghouta area. Pro Dunia said. -Assad rallies were also reported "I am returning to Damascus for in two other neighbourhoods. m e e t i n g s a n d I w i l l r e t u r n Witnesses said the army pulled tomorrow to Homs," Sudanese back tanks from Bab Amr, a General Mustafa Dabi, head of the flashpoint neighbourhood in the mission, told the Reuters news city, ahead of the observers' agency. "The team is staying in arrival on Tuesday. However, Homs. Today was very good and some activists said tanks had just all sides were responsive". been repositioned in other areas of This came as activist groups said the city. 31 people had been killed across Also in Homs province on the country on Tuesday. Activists Tuesday, the SANA state news earlier said dozens of people were agency reported that saboteurs killed in Homs on Monday. blew up a gas pipeline in the area. The 50 observers, who arrived in The latest explosion, blamed on Syria on Monday, are split into "terrorists", is the fifth reported five teams of 10, according to attack on energy infrastructure Reuters. since the outbreak of Syria's T e a m s a r e a l s o v i s i t i n g unprecedented pro-reform protest
Dabi. Delegates insist the mission will nevertheless be able to go wherever it chooses with no notice. "Our Syrian brothers are cooperating very well and without any restrictions so far," al-Dabi told the Reuters news agency. Other delegates said they movement in mid-March. protesters want the Arab League expected to be able to "move Arab monitors t o s e e , t h a t t h e y a r e n o t freely between hospital, prisons Activists uploaded video footage responsible for the violence but and detention centres all over o n t o t h e i n t e r n e t , w h i c h that they have been victims of the Syria". reportedly shows residents of Bab violence," Khodr said. "The element of surprise will be Amr trying to speak to the Arab Bab Amr has seen some of the present," Mohamed Salem almonitors, although Al Jazeera h e a v i e s t f i g h t i n g i n r e c e n t Kaaby, a monitor from the United cannot independently verify this. months. A resident also told Al Arab Emirates, said. "It shows a group of people from Jazeera on Tuesday that people "We will inform the Syrian side the Bab Amr neighbourhood there were being prevented from the areas we will visit on the same having a conversation with what m e e t i n g w i t h A r a b L e a g u e day so that there will be no room we believe are members of the o b s e r v e r s . to direct monitors or change Arab League observer mission," "More than 10,000 people here in realities on the ground by either said Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr, Bab Amr have gone out to side." reporting from the Turkish town demonstrate so they [security The observers' mission is part of of Antakya, near the border with forces] are shooting randomly to a plan seeking to put an end to the Syria. p r e v e n t t h e m f r o m s e e i n g government's crackdown, which "They seem very desperate, and a n y o n e , " t h e r e s i d e n t s a i d . the United Nations estimates to they seem as if the Arab League "There is a lot of tanks here in have killed more than 5,000 observers are really their last Bab Amr, but they are trying to people since March. hope. You hear the man telling hide them... We can't see them This entry passed through the them 'Come to m y [Arab League observers], we can't Full-Text RSS service if this is neighbourhood, come to my speak with them, they are walking your content and you're reading it street, people here are dying, there with the securoity forces. We can't on someone else's site, please read are snipers on rooftops, we are not reach them and contact them." the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentable to walk in the street'." 'Element of surprise' only/faq.php#publishers. Five Khodr continued: "He repeatedly D u r i n g t h e i r m i s s i o n , t h e Filters recommends: Donate to stresses the fact that 'We are o b s e r v e r t e a m s w i l l u s e Wikileaks. u n a r m e d , w e a r e u n a r m e d government transport, according civilians.'. Now this is what the to their top official, General al-
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Politics-Left/ TV/ Featured/
North Korea prepares for Brat Pack 'Just Kim's funeral An Annoying Label'
Submitted at 12/27/2011 11:22:12 AM
"The regime used the 1994 funeral to strengthen public allegiance and loyalty to new Preparations are under way for leader Kim Jong-il. His own the funeral of the late North funeral this week will be staged in Korean leader Kim Jong-il, with a similar way." h u n d r e d s o f t h o u s a n d s o f 'Great successor' mourners expected to be The communist state has mobilised to attend the event. proclaimed Kim's youngest son, State media has so far given no K i m J o n g - u n , t h e " g r e a t details of Wednesday's funeral, successor" since his father died on and foreign guests are barred. December 17 aged 69. But analysts expect largely a re- But while Kim Jong-il had 20 run of the 1994 obsequies for years to prepare for his takeover, K i m ' s f a t h e r a n d f o u n d i n g Kim Jong-un has had barely three. president Kim Il-sung - a Analysts are watching c e r e m o n y d e s i g n e d t o p a y developments closely for clues to homage to the late leader and who will gain power and who build loyalty to his successor. may have fallen out of favour in "The outpouring of grief in 1994 the next era of leadership. w a s p r e v a l e n t t h r o u g h o u t Mourning will officially end on Pyongyang, with almost all Thursday with a nationwide citizens out to bid farewell to their memorial service including a leader," Yang Moo-jin of Seoul's three-minute silence at noon. University of North Korean "Mourning shots will be fired in Studies told the AFP news Pyongyang and all provincial agency. units across the country, and three "The grief for Kim Il-sung was m i n u t e s o f s i l e n c e w i l l b e genuine, with many people observed by people across the expressing real sorrow. The mood country," the North's official news this time appears to be slightly agency said. different. On Monday, Kim Jong-un met
the heads of two South Korean delegations visiting Pyongyang to pay respects to his father. Lee Hee-ho, widow of late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, and Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jung-eun paid respects to the late leader at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace and expressed condolences to Jong-un. "I hope that our visit to the North will help improve South-North relations," Lee said before she crossed the border. Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il held the first-ever inter-Korea summit in 2000 and Hyundai pioneered cross-border business projects. The delegates returned home on Tuesday. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Alex Moaba (TV on HuffingtonPost.com)
just became the cover story slogan, and it has nothing to do with anything," he said. Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:45:13 PM The article, " Hollywood's Brat Being a member of the so-called Pack," written by David Blum, is "Brat Pack" is something Anthony still available online in the Michael Hall has had to live with magazine's archives, and is for nearly twenty-five years, and fascinating to re-read given the after watching his interview on " cultural phenomenon it gave birth T h e M o r t i f i e d S e s s i o n s " to. The piece focused on Judd ( M o n d a y s , 8 P M E S T o n Nelson, Emilio Estevez and Rob Sundance) it's pretty clear that Lowe, and described them as "a he's grown tired of the moniker. roving band of famous young Hall, who was a fixture in John stars on the prowl for parties, Hughes' iconic '80s films "The women, and a good time." Despite Breakfast Club," "16 Candles" not being mentioned in the article, and "Weird Science" talked to Hall's roles in Hughes' zeitgeistDave Nadelberg about the origin capturing movies made him an of the nickname and called it honorary member in the public nothing more than "an annoying consciousness anyway. label." TV Replay scours the vast "It was a New York Magazine television landscape to find the article, and they sat a bunch of most interesting, amusing, and, on actors down at dinner and they got a good day, amazing moments, them drunk and they got them and delivers them right to your talking about themselves. I wasn't browser. even included in the article, and it
Hamas Head: 'We Will Lead Intifada After Intifada Until We Liberate Palestine'
With all this talk about how Israel needs to get to the "damn
table," one could be forgiven for forgetting about the nature of the
other side.
TV/ Products/
63
'Cake Boss' Chainsaw Massacre

Alex Moaba (TV on HuffingtonPost.com)
Check your house for these unsafe home heating products

Consumer Reports News (Consumer Reports)
Carnival Cake split in half and then smashed into pieces. Valastro, on the other hand, was Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:15:56 PM elated. "That's a losing cake!" he Buddy Valastro came up with a yelled in glee. Next up for particularly destructive way to execution was Ryan, Megan and dispatch with the losing cakes in Heather G.'s DJ Cake, which got this week's"Cake Boss: Next decapitated by the chainsaw after Great Baker"(Monday, 9PM EST Valastro gave it a thumbs down. on TLC) challenge. He called out The team was devastated. his co-workers Joey and Franky, Only one team's cake was spared who emerged from backstage with from the carnage when Valastro a chainsaw and sledgehammer, announced the winners. "Chad, ready to destroy the cakes Nadine, Melo, congratulations, contestants had just spent hours you guys won." baking. TV Replay scours the vast The contestants looked on in television landscape to find the anguish as the chainsaw neared most interesting, amusing, and, on their creations. "It's sad because it a good day, amazing moments, goes right through the carousel and delivers them right to your that I just spent so much time on browser. trying to make it spin," Marissa said, after watching her team's
and Fan Heater Thermostats It's not just space heaters that consumers have to worry about. Submitted at 12/27/2011 6:59:59 AM In July, about 77,000 Honeywell Check your house for these thermostats were recalled for the unsafe home heating products risk of overheating. The winter season officially GE Zoneline Air Conditioners started last Thursday for the and Heaters Northern Hemisphere. But as you More than 90,000 were recalled prepare to crank up your home's December after Walmart received for fire risks also. thermostat or break out the space dozen of reports of overheating, For more safety tips, see How to h e a t e r , t h e U . S . C o n s u m e r smoking, burning and melting make space heaters less risky. Product Safety Commission says units. Injuries were reported in And if you're looking for little make sure the device isn't on the four incidents, three of which extra help in warming a particular agency's naughty list. required medical attention for spot in your home this winter, The CPSC reminds consumers m i n o r b u r n s a n d s m o k e check out Consumer Reports that the following home heating inhalation. The CPSC said last Buying guide to space heaters. products were recently recalled by year there were nearly a dozen Our Ratings of space heaters and their makers and the safety incidents where the "property list of Recommended models to regulators: damage [extended] beyond the help you find the right model for Meijer Touch Point Oscillating heater." your needs. Ceramic Heaters Check Your Home for These Lasko Portable Electric Heaters 13,000 were recalled in July, In February, 107,500 Lasko Winter Weather-Related Recalled which followed a November 2010 heaters were recalled for fire Products[CPSC] Subscribe now! recall of 6,700 heaters that can hazards. Consumer Reports noted S u b s c r i b e t o short out electrically. The CPSC that just a week prior to the Lasko ConsumerReports.org for expert received at least two reports of recall, EdenPure space heaters Ratings, buying advice and fires caused by the faulty Meijer were recalled as well. And the r e l i a b i l i t y o n h u n d r e d s o f heaters. week after the Lasko heater recall, products. Update your feed Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze 92,000 TrueLiving heater fans preferences & Comfort Essentials Heaters and quartz radiant heaters were More than 2 million of these recalled for overheating issues. space heaters were recalled last Honeywell Electric Baseboard
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Products/
2011 in review: The Top 10 most-searched product recalls

The news: The Japanese sedan could catch firewhich would be reason enough for an official Submitted at 12/27/2011 8:59:59 AM recall of more than 52,000 Mazda 2011 in review: The Top 10 most 6 cars back in March. But news of -searched product recalls the root problemspiders Bacteria-tainted food, flawed i n f e s t i n g t h e c a r s ' f u e l v e h i c l e s , s m e l l y b o t t l e s o f ventsundoubtedly kept the medicines... 2011 could be search for Mazda's recall news considered the year of really alive for months. awful consumer product news, 8. Ford F-150. judging by the amount of safety Ford's popular pickup trucks recalls made by regulatory wasn't literally buggy. It was agencies. But which product plagued with problems. In late recall of 2011 really lit the fire for January, 280,000 F-150s were online searches in the U.S.? recalled for door handles that can Google analyzed the billions of open during crashes. In late queries its search engine received February, 144,000 F-150 were in 2011 to develop its Zeigeist recalled for air bag issueswhich 2011, which outlines the m,ost- expanded to a recall of more than searched for topics among the 1.2 million Ford pickups by April. global online realm. Among Web In May, 2.7 million Ford F-150s users in the U.S., here are the 10 were being investigated for fuel fastest rising product recalls: tank problems. In late July, more 10. Harley Davidson. than one million Ford In October, over 250,000 Harley- t r u c k s i n c l u d i n g t h e F Davidson motorcycles were 150were recalled for faulty fuel recalled in the U.S. for faulty tank straps. switches which caused the bike's 7. Sony TVs. brake lightsor even the brakes Searches for Sony Bravia LCD themselvesto fail. Worldwide, TVs spiked in October because the problem affected more than the Japanese had literally hot flat300,000 Harley "hogs." panel TV models. More than 1.6 9. Mazda 6. million Sony TVs were recalled
Reports Buying guide to baby monitors for more safety tips.) 4. Topamax. In April, more than 57,000 bottles of the anti-seizure medicine were recalled because consumers complained of a foul, moldy odor emanating from the drug's bottles. As with recalls of worldwide after reports of some Tylenol in 2010, a chemical called sets caught on fire in homes. (No 2,4,6 tribromoanisole, or TBAs, is fires were reported among the believed to be responsible for the 400,000 TVs recalled in the U.S., stench. 3. Stihl. though.) The company had to recall of 2.3 6. Mendela. In January, Mendela recalled a m i l l i o n l a w n a n d y a r d "limited number" of breast pumps toolsstring trimmers, leaf for power and suction issues. blowers and other gearin May. Nursing mothers also turned to News of the massive recall, which the Web in April for news about involved tools that could leak safety issues regarding the power gasoline (because of fuel additives adapters included with its breast such as ethanol) and possibly burn pumps. (Consumer Reports offers users, drove Google searches. 2. B.O.B Stroller. breast-pump safety tips online.) The baby strollers suffered two 5. Baby monitors. In February, 1.7 million corded hits. More than 330,000 strollers baby monitors were recalled after were recalled in February for two incidents of strangulation. loose canopy drawstrings that Consumer Reports safety experts could possible choke riders. In have warned about crib and October, nearly half a million playpen dangersincluding risks B.O.B strollers were recalled for of sleeping children entangling the same issue. themselves in the power cord of 1. Turkey. baby monitors. (See Consumer It was a very bad year for fowl
meat. In April, 27 tons of turkey burgers were recalled because of possible Salmonella contamination. But in late July, a whopping 36 million pounds18,000 tonsof ground turkey meat were recalled nationwide for the same health concerns. And in September, U.S. officials recalled an additional 185,000 pounds of tainted turkey meat, which is believed ties to at least one death and nearly 80 cases of food-borne illnesses. Microbe-tainted food that brings illness, baby strollers that strangle, lawn and yard tools that catch fire, medicine bottles with foul odors... Which product recall was the most significant to your personal safety in 2011? Fastest Rising Recalls of 2011[Google Zeitgeist 2011] Subscribe now! S u b s c r i b e t o ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
Products/ News Photos
65
Steps To Take Before You Start Running

Phil Villarreal (The Consumerist)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:30:00 AM
'Dark Knight Rises' Photos: Bane Lurks, Batman Aims - MTV.com (blog)
(news photos - Google News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:06:23 PM
So you've plumped up over the holidays and have decided you're going to jog off the flab. Bear in mind that there's more to starting your new career as a runner than just lacing up your cross trainers and scampering in circles around the neighborhood. Rush into the hobby the same way you did that pecan pie on Sunday and you could burn yourself out. A Yoga.Eat.Run post tips wannabe runners should keep in mind before they start:
* Buddy up. The great secret of running, especially at long distances, is that the activity is incredibly boring. Finding someone to slog through the miles with you will provide motivation you will subtly compete and hold each other accountable and keep things interesting. * Take it slow. Keep the distances short and the pace slow in the beginning. If you make your first runs hellish experiences, odds are you won't want to come back for more. When you get tired or start to cramp up, slow down or take a break. * Don't turn into an icicle. The
pity of inspiration for a New Year's running resolution is that it hits in winter. It's cold out there, and failing to layer on enough clothing will turn your run into more of a frigid waddle. Don't forget to cover your ears with a beanie or hood. Running 101 For Beginners[Yoga.Eat.Run] This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
clutching his arms and looking downward, like he's about to bomb a football field or file a MTV.com (blog) really firm complaint with the 'Dark Knight Rises' Photos: Bane DMV.... Lurks, Batman Aims New 'The Dark Knight Rises' MTV.com (blog) official photos and iTunes record There's one photo of Bane, Examiner.com looking a little grimmer (and all 19 news articles infinitely more jacked) than the other images we've seen,
Feds probes 2004 Ford Freestar for third-row seat anchor issues
Submitted at 12/27/2011 7:59:59 AM
Feds probes 2004 Ford Freestar for third-row seat anchor issues The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an official investigation into 2004 Ford Freestyle and Mercury Monterey vans. The agency has received several reports of the
seat anchors failing to secure the third row of seating to the vehicle. According to the NHTSA's Office of Defect Investigations, the agency has received seven consumer reports complaining of the rear seat anchors, which are attached the sides of the seats to the van's rear wheel wells. In one complaint report received by the completely. ODI, a seat anchor allegedly The issue may tied to corrosion separated from the wheel well of the rear wheel wells and affect
only Ford Freestyle and Mercury Monterey vans driven in so-called "salt-belt" statesareas where harsh de-icing chemicals are used on roadways during the winter season. The NHSTA's investigation into the seat anchor issue will determine if a product defect exists and if an official recall is necessary. Defect Investigation: 2004 Ford
Freestar / Mercury Monterey Seat Anchors Action Number : PE11039[NHTSA] Subscribe now! S u b s c r i b e t o ConsumerReports.org for expert Ratings, buying advice and reliability on hundreds of products. Update your feed preferences
66
Products/ Gaming/ News Photos
Cooking Ingredients Coffee Grounds To Substitute When Can Double As You're Missing Stuff
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:30:00 PM
If you're cooking and missing an ingredient, you don't necessarily need to run off to the store to get it. You might have enough stuff laying around to concoct a suitable replacement, saving you the hassle of having to stop or scrap your meal. My Thirty Spot offers suggestions for replacing cooking ingredients on the fly. Here are a few of them: * Butter. Vegetable shortening may suffice if you're baking. If you need melted butter, try oil instead. * Baking powder. To replace a teaspoon, try 1/3 teaspoon of
baking soda and 1/2 tsp. of cream of tartar. * Corn syrup. A cup of granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of water can stand in for a cup of corn syrup. Granulated sugar can also fill in for honey. * Sour cream. Plain yogurt is a suitable replacement. Emergency Ingredient Substitution List[Shopping Detox via My Thirty Spot via ] This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
An Exfoliator
photo of the day: Majestic tree in a California vineyard msnbc.com

Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:03:58 PM
from your eyes. Step 3: Rinse it off with warm water. Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:30:00 PM Advantages include a fresh, Those coffee beans you grind p o s s i b l y c a f f e i n a t e d f a c e . each morning can apparently perk Disadvantages include smelling up your skin as well as your eyes. like coffee and a mess in your You can use coffee grounds to bathroom. make an exfoliator that could save Making Use of The Old... Coffee you from having to buy expensive Grounds As An Exfoliator[And beauty products that do the same Then She Saved via Shopping thing. Detox] Writing at And Then She Saved, This entry passed through the a blogger takes the tip, which she Full-Text RSS service if this is got from Glamour magazine, and your content and you're reading it put it into practice, providing a on someone else's site, please read how-to guide. the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentStep 1: Drain the liquid out of the only/faq.php#publishers. Five grounds and scoop it into a bowl. Filters recommends: Donate to Step 2: Rub it on your face with Wikileaks. gentle movements, but stay away
photo of the day: Majestic tree in a California vineyard msnbc.com Jana Ireijo, an oil painter based in Westport, Conn., took this photo in summer 2011 while visiting California's Santa Ynez Valley. The area is located 35 miles north of Santa Barbara and is home to many vineyards. Ireijo told TODAY.com that she took... and more
Forza 4's Jalopnik pack coming in January

Richard Mitchell (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:15:00 PM
In addition to this week's host of deals, Major Nelson has revealed that Forza 4's Jalopnik DLC pack
is heading to the track starting January 3. The Jalopnik DLC is chosen by the editors of Jalopnik.com, and has become something of a tradition in Forza games. The pack includes ten new
cars (including your dad's 1970
Alfa Romeo Montreal) for a cool 560 Microsoft Points ($7.00), or free for season pass holders. Check out screens of the DLC over at (where else?) Jalopnik. Forza 4's Jalopnik pack coming
in January originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| Email this| Comments
Sports/
67
Brady's Patriots have been better, but maybe not tougher - NFL
Albert Breer (- Bing News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:23:23 PM
rode on the shoulders of his father's friend nearby. "To lose Matt (Light) an hour-and-a-half Each Tuesday, NFL Network before the game? And then lose reporter Albert Breer shares his Logan (Mankins) on the first thoughts on topics around the series?" league as teams transition from Brady then paused. And he really the previous Sunday's game to the didn't have to say anything else, next encounter on the schedule. but I offered, "Says a lot about the Today, he begins with a reflective guys, huh?" Tom Brady. "Yeah," he responded. "It really Tom Brady huddled at an empty does." stall a screen pass away from his When that confrontation with normal spot, getting dressed there O'Brien happened in Landover, as teammate and locker-room Md., with the Patriots chafing to n e i g h b o r D e i o n B r a n c h get by a Redskins team that had entertained a large media scrum, fewer than half the wins they did, blocking where the quarterback it was theorized in New England would usually get fixed up to take that Brady was getting frustrated off from the stadium. with the team becoming overly And the symbolism there wasn't reliant on his ability to carry it. lost. And there's very little question A quarterback who'd taken it on here that this isn't close to the the chin all afternoon for his most talented team he has played teammates, and come out the on. You could certainly argue last other side with a furious second- year's team was better, as were half comeback, wasn't going to most of the 2003-07 Patriots get in the way now. Brady isn't clubs. exactly the type to pull rank But one place where there's no anyway -- despite a pretty public gray area: The quarterback sideline blowup with offensive believes in the fight of this team. coordinator Bill O'Brien two Take the past three weeks as an weeks prior -- and he sure as you- example. Brady was 1-5 in his know-what wasn't going to do that career against Mike Shanahan, after what his team had just whom he faced in Washington. fought through. He was 1-6 against Denver, who "You know, I've never been part the Patriots had last week. And of a game like that," Brady told NFL media's crack research man, me, as his 4-year-old son Jack Matt Pomeroy, unearthed this
gem Saturday: New England has lost just three December games since 2003, and all of them were to Miami, the team he faced Saturday. The game against Washington wasn't exactly a Picasso. Had Santana Moss been a little more subtle with his fourth-quarter hand-fighting, that one would likely have been tied in the waning moments. The Denver game started out similarly ugly, before the Patriots kicked things into high gear. Then, there was Saturday. No Matt Light. No Logan Mankins for all but one series. No Sebastian Vollmer. Yet, somehow, after getting its teeth punched down its throats for two quarters, New England adjusted. Part of that is No. 12. Brady caught fire in the second half, particularly after the Patriots started spreading out the Dolphins, neutralizing their rush, and Vontae Davis went down. Indirectly, Brady also put pressure on the Miami offense, which fell apart in the third quarter and gathered itself too late in the fourth. And don't forget, either, how Brady smartly scrambled for five invaluable yards on the first play of the game's last possession, then found Wes Welker for another five to put it away. All of that, in fact, remains the
flaw that has bitten the Patriots the past two Januarys: If Brady is anything short of heroic, this team stands a better than good chance of being exposed. But the flip side of it is just what Brady was referencing in that quiet moment in front of someone else's locker, with the celebrity quarterback making way for another veteran to handle interviews as if he was some guy clinging to a spot on the practice squad. That is to say, for what the Patriots are lacking in a championship formula, the quarterback really has faith in his team's toughness and resilience. And those just happen to be two qualities that have gone a long way in the past for title-winning teams Brady has been a part of. Rams at No. 1 could be 'ridiculous' What a fascinating finish we'll have Sunday to the end of the race for the No. 1 draft pick. As it stands, the Colts and Rams are in the running for the first pick. St. Louis gets the Niners, who can lock up the second seed - vital when you consider it would give them a bye, a home game, and allow them to sidestep having to face Drew Brees at the Superdome -- with a win. The Colts, winners of two straight, get the Jags, who have won once in six games since beating Indy on
Nov. 13. Colts lose or Rams win, and Indy's picking first, with all indications that Peyton Manning's successor will be chosen in the form of Andrew Luck, if the Stanford QB follows through on his intention to declare for the draft. Things get considerably more interesting if the Rams wind up with the first pick, having franchise cornerstone Sam Bradford in their back pocket. The question then becomes whether they deal the pick or Bradford, and there's really no answer to that until we know whether or not Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo survive next week. Whoever's running the show would have a tough decision to make, but one with enviable benefits either way. Deal Bradford, you get a more highlythought-of quarterback at a far lesser price, plus the draft picks that would come in that trade. Keep Bradford, and you have a vet going into his third year with a team that could turn it around quickly, and a huge haul of picks. La Canfora: No. 1 pick will net haul How high would the price rise for that first pick? I had one executive tell me the BRADY'S page 68
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BRADY'S
freight would be a "Herschel Walker-type" haul, referencing what the Cowboys got for the running back in 1989, which was enough picks to lay the foundation for a dynasty. Another exec simply said, "It'd be ridiculous." One thing's for sure -- there would be no lack of suitors. If St. Louis were to get the first pick and put it on the block, Miami, Cleveland and Washington would certainly be in the mix, as teams with top-10 picks, to use as ammo to front a package for the Rams. Again, if the Colts win, all of this might just become elementary. But if the Rams somehow get their hands on that selection, you'll have a 24-year-old Bradford and possibly a 22-year-old Luck in play, a circumstance that simply doesn't come around much with such talented young quarterbacks. Patience pays in Detroit The Lions aren't exactly the NFL's gold standard franchise, even if their impressive three-year turnaround from 0-16 to the playoffs was just completed. But if there's one thing that should be studied in their methods, it's the patience of owner William Clay Ford and his crew. It's something team president Tom Lewand pointed out to me back in October, and with the firing season upon us, it's worth circling back on now. Without question, Ford was too patient with Matt Millen. He probably was with Wayne Fontes in the 1990s, too.
But it's hard to question that it's working now, the Lions having methodically built a roster through the draft without making knee-jerk, panic moves. That goes back to what the owner told Lewand, GM Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz as they went about implementing their plan to overhaul the club. "He told us to put together a plan, stick with it, and be disciplined with it," Lewand told me back then. "A hallmark of Mr. Ford's approach is consistency, and it's subjected him to criticism. But it was truly important here in our ability to be successful." Here's why: Just 11 players remain from the 2008 team. Six of them start, eight if you count kicker Jason Hanson and long snapper Don Muhlbach. Some, like Calvin Johnson, Jeff Backus, Dominic Raiola and Cliff Avril, play pivotal roles. But outside of those guys, who proved to be adaptable, this was more than a culture change. It was like Schwartz, Mayhew and Lewand were gentrifying a rundown neighborhood -- gutting buildings, cleaning streets and trying to project a new atmosphere in a place struggling to shake an old reputation. As any urban planner can tell you, those things take time. In football parlance, the lumps came in the form of losses, 24 of them, to be exact, in Schwartz's first 28 games on the Detroit sidelines. But as Ford directed them, the new regime stayed the course, used losses of the old regime and
their own to get guys like Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh in the draft, and trusted it would eventually pay off. One of the survivors, Avril, texted on Monday with three words that encapsulate the whole thing -- "Crazy, crazy ride." The calculated growth felt through that 4-24 start for Schwartz has led to a 14-5 flourish since last Dec. 14. Safe to say that the idea, at least with this Lions group, certainly has paid dividends. This game's meaningful for many The AFC North's best rivalry is Steelers-Ravens. It's most historic rivalry is Steelers-Browns. And the division's weirdest rivalry is Ravens-Bengals. Since Marvin Lewis took over in Cincinnati, the Ravens are 86-57 and the Bengals are 69-73-1. Baltimore has made the playoffs five times, and Cincinnati has made it twice. Yet, when these two butt heads, it doesn't go as expected -- the Ravens' home win on Nov. 20 was just the seventh for Baltimore in 17 games against Lewis' Bengals. Lewis' 18th game against the Ravens -- the team with which he made his coaching name, having been the coordinator of Baltimore's all-time great defense of 2000 -- will be meaningful enough to dictate playoff positioning through the conference. If the Ravens win, they'll be locked in as the second seed in the AFC. If they lose, they risk
dropping to five, and open the door for the Steelers to snatch the top seed from New England if the Patriots slip up against Buffalo, since Pittsburgh holds that head-to -head tiebreaker. Meanwhile, if the Bengals win, they grab the sixth seed in the conference. If they lose, the door cracks open for the Titans, Jets and Raiders. Giants-Cowboys is the headliner for this week. But BengalsRavens isn't far behind. The backup plan It'll be interesting to monitor how teams stock their depth charts at quarterback, in the wake of the 2011 bloodbath at the position. No fewer than nine clubs lost their starters for significant swaths of the season. This isn't to say that, suddenly, you're going to see Montana/ Young or Favre/Rodgers combinations all over the league at the position. It's unrealistic for any team to think it wouldn't have to recalibrate its expectations if QB1 is lost for the season. What's not unrealistic? For a team to have a passable solution at the position beyond its starter, enough so that, if an offense has to go 4-6 weeks without its first option, it can tread water in the meantime. The prime example, of course, is the Bears. They lose Jay Cutler, drop four straight with Caleb Hanie, and their season ends with long-shot street free agent Josh McCown trying to keep up with Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night in Green Bay.
Similarly, the Chiefs lost three crucial games, in part because Tyler Palko was starting, before the club finally got Kyle Orton acclimated and ready to take the reins. And then there's the Eagles, who looked inept in losses to the Patriots and Seahawks under Vince Young, and the Rams, who've had problems managing Bradford's health all year long. Three of the four teams I mentioned there were in the playoffs a year ago. All sit under .500 now, and eliminated from the playoff picture. Two of those teams (Chicago, Philadelphia) could've had their starters back and healthy for playoff runs, had they treaded water more adeptly when those guys went down. We'll see if there's a lesson clubs learn on that one. Five one-liners 1) Here's why Aaron Rodgers is unequivocally my MVP: His astounding 45-6 TD-INT ratio, which paints a good picture of just how few and far between the hiccups were in his 2011 season. 2) For some of the reasons I shared above on their quarterback situation and positioning in the draft, there's a ton of interest in St. Louis right now from prospective GM and head coach types. 3) Speaking of the Rams, the clock is now ticking and, with the Vikings presumably off the board (per SI's Peter King), the possibility of a return to Los Angeles will grow closer as we get to 2015, when the team has an out in its lease if the stadium BRADY'S page 69
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Running back issues in a passing league? So Bears - Chicago Tribune

(- Bing News)
BRADY'S
question, your honor. In Smiths happy-think world, anything Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:38:44 AM above stink is impressive. One way that I heard the question Yeah, Bell ran hard, hit the holes was, Did Kahlil Bell run Matt and broke tackles. He also showed Forte out of a franchise tag with solid technique in blitz pickup. his performance against Green But those fumbles ought to scare Bay on Sunday night? smart football people. Those T h e q u e s t i o n c o m p l e t e l y fumbles ought to scare Smiths bypassed the idea of Fortes Bears, who treasure takeaways -getting a long-term deal and was live off them, even. already debating the value of even Thing is, thats only one of the the one-year commitment that issues involving Bell and Forte goes with the franchise tag. Thats and the Bears and Jerry Angelo. what happens when the Bears Forte is hurt, dealing with the stink. Even mediocrity looks same kind of ligament problem good. Silly talk to follow. that Tommie Harris suffered. All things considered, Bell was Dont minimize that for several mediocre. Yeah, he ran for 121 reasons, and heres why: yards on 23 carries for a sparkling Running backs usually dont stay average of 5.3 yards per carry. healthy enough to earn their longBut look, he fumbled twice, once term contracts like Forte wants on the goal line. He cant do that. from the Bears, and heres Forte The Bears cant trust him. with a knee injury when he didnt It doesnt matter that offensive have blinding speed to start with. lineman Edwin Williams took one Smart people wouldnt give Forte of the fumbles into the end zone another thought as a long-term for a touchdown. What matters is i n v e s t m e n t a n d p r o b a b l y that he fumbled at the goal line. shouldnt even think about paying And Bears coach Lovie Smith him the franchise salary ranking thought Bell was impressive? among the top five at his position. Scratch that. Withdraw the Running back have the worst life
span among NFL skill players. Four years is about what you can expect. Thats about what the Bears got out of Forte, who commented earlier in this season of publicly wanting money that he was getting ground to bits. Yes. Right. Exactly. Thats the job and thats the greatest vagary of it. Running backs are disposable. Injured running backs are even more so. Any kind of injured player is a quick discard for a smart executive. But heres the other problem for the Bears: Angelo isnt particularly smart when it comes to injured players. He seems to prefer that his draftees come preinjured and he seems to reward those kind of veterans, as well. which brings us back to Harris. The former defensive tackle was a force until he got hurt. He wasnt going to have his same quickness that made him almost unblockable. But no matter. Angelo still gave him a four-year deal for $40 million or so. Even if most NFL contracts are phony numbers because teams can cut their losses,
the point is that Angelo makes bad investments in players who come pre-injured. If I were the Bears, I wouldnt give Forte the expensive transition tag for next season. If I were the Bears, I wouldnt trust Bell or injured, braincramping, $1.9 million Marion Barber. If I were the Bears, I would start all over in looking for a starting tailback and I wouldnt let Angelo near those decisions. But of course, the Bears being the Bears, Angelo will retain his authority and promptly give Forte a four-year deal instead of finding two quality receivers in a passing league. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
situation in Missouri isn't improved. 4) Just imagine if the Panthers are able to build a championshipcaliber defense to complement Cam Newton and his growing group on the other side of the ball. 5) Said it before and I'll say it again in the wake of Adrian Peterson's devastating injury -- I'll almost never have a problem with a tailback holding out for a big payday. Follow Albert Breer on Twitter@albertbreer. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Sports/ News Photos Gaming/
Heat welcome Celtics to town FOX News

(- Bing News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:02:57 AM
Great expectations were only fueled Christmas Day when a studded Miami team redeemed itself a bit by running reigning NBA champion Dallas off its own home floor. Now the Heat return to South Beach to open up the home portion of their schedule by hosting another heavyweight, the Boston Celtics. The celebration didn't last long on Sunday. The Mavericks unfurled their 2010-11 championship banner in a pregame ceremony and were then utterly dismantled, 105-94, by a motivated Miami club. For the Heat, the whooping was a measure of revenge after June's six-game NBA Finals defeat at the hands of the Mavs. LeBron James, largely maligned for his underwhelming Finals performance, dominated on Sunday, pouring in a Miami
opening-day record 37 points and going 15-of-19 from the foul line. Dwyane Wade added 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists, as the Heat led by as many as 35. "I'm encouraged," Wade said. "It's different from last year and we're little more together and more comfortable. This is step one and we did a good job today." Just six months removed from their first-ever NBA title, the Mavericks appeared to be suffering from a hangover of sorts. The abbreviated two-game preseason -- a product of the league's lengthy lockout -- also appeared to diminish a Dallas team which underwent a noticeable offseason overhaul. The Heat, meanwhile, did little offseason tweaking, returning with their core of James, Wade and Chris Bosh intact. Their main offseason acquisition was that of heady vet Shane Battier. The result was a cohesive and focused team. The Celtics, meanwhile, also
opened up their campaign on Christmas Day in New York, losing a heartbreaker to the Knicks, 106-104. The Knicks blew an early 17point lead and trailed 87-79 entering the fourth. But Carmelo Anthony scored his team's first seven points of the quarter, and hit a game-tying trey with three minutes remaining, triggering a back-and- forth finish. Key offseason acquisition Tyson Chandler had seven points and six blocks for New York, which halted an eight-game slide against the Celtics, including a four-game sweep in the opening round of last year's playoffs. The Celtics, without Paul Pierce, were carried by Rajon Rondo's 31 points and 13 assists. Brandon Bass, acquired from the Magic during the offseason, added 20 points and 11 boards. Ray Allen also scored 20 and Kevin Garnett chipped in 15. "It was a classic Knicks-Celtics game," Garnett said. "We fought
for 48 minutes, but came up short." Pierce, listed as doubtful for tonight with a bone bruise in his heel, left the four-time defending Atlantic Division champs thin at the small forward spot. They were also without Jeff Green, who is set to miss the entire season due to an aortic aneurysm. Rondo did his best to compensate. He went 11-of-19 from the field and consistently penetrated the Knicks' sometimes porous defense. The Heat snapped a eight-game skid to Boston with a 100-77 rout in Miami back in April. Overall, the C's have taken 14 of 16 over the Heat. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Synchronized Skyrim light show knows the reason for the season
Griffin McElroy (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:45:00 PM
We're rarely brought to tears by displays of holiday-themed lighting strewn across the face of a residential building. Then again, most holiday lights aren't synchronized to the totally radical theme to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Fortunately, some are -like the one seen in the video above. Synchronized Skyrim light show knows the reason for the season originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:45:00 EST. SYNCHRONIZED page 71
Photos of the Day: Dec. 27 - Wall Street Journal (blog)

Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:04:50 PM
Photos of the Day: Dec. 27 Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt NH, Tuesday. He and the other Wall Street Journal (blog) Romney greeted a voter at a Republican presidential hopefuls By WSJ Staff ON THE TRAIL: campaign stop in Portsmouth, are gearing up for the Iowa
caucuses, to be held Jan.... and more
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SYNCHRONIZED
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While we have GoDaddy's attention Cajun Turkey Pot Pie

(Dave Winer's "Scripting News" weblog)
Hopefully you make enough money. If not, you should just charge more, not do these horrible Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:57:56 PM ripoffs. I've transferred 35 domains out of Even worse, the page they told GoDaddy in the last few weeks. I me to go to, to get rid of the started the process long before the feature, didn't have the command SOPA thing blew up. What finally they told me to look for. I used got me to move was a $4.99 the search command in Firefox. charge for a service I never The text wasn't there. I tried wanted. I must have ordered it looking for text like it on the accidentally when reserving a page. Nope. I tried viewing the domain. Something GoDaddy source code of the page. Nope. I goes out of its way to make think they were actually lying difficult and error-prone. We all about this. Unbelievable. All for know this. It could be a lot $4.99. simpler. We all know that, I'm Finally, I said I was going to send sure they do too. them a certified letter asking for It wasn't so much that I had the the service to be removed from charge, but that it was almost my account. When that wasn't impossible to get them to remove enough, I decided to let them have it. I got in contact with their the money and I'd just move off support people and they said I had their service. And of course write to do it myself, they couldn't do it up the experience here as a "for" me. On what planet is a warning to any would-be future customer, expressing a very clear customer. wish, asking you to do something Of course there are a huge for them. That's what you get paid number of blog posts like that. for. To do things on my behalf. GoDaddy didn't care. Fresh
hamsters keep rolling up to the front door, ready to go through the same process they put me through. And all their other dissatisfied customers. They like to say they have great support, and in some ways they do. But there is no way to have a line within a company that a customer respects. On one side of the line are the "nice" people, and over there are the assholes. If you, as a structural part of your business, defraud customers (and I believe what they do is fraud) then you don't have a "nice" part of your business. The whole thing is scum and deserves to die. So, GoDaddy is backing off support of SOPA. But if they want to recover from this the way Johnson & Johnson handled the Tylenol poisoning scare, a textbook example of how a company should deal with a crisis, they must do more than back off SOPA. They must reconstitute the way they do business. Clean that site up. Streamline the domain
registration and renewal process so you don't get page after page of boxes you have to check the right way to avoid getting ripped off. They must change their company so that their support of SOPA could not have happened. Any company that takes sides against their customer's interest is a dead company. Every decision the company makes must be judged on how it effects their relationship with customers. Supporting SOPA was a bone-headed move. But this is a company that fights with customers over $4.99 charges for services they clearly say they do not want and have never used. I can make them this offer because I still have 45 domains there. I am, as of right now, still a customer. I'm not talking about "progress" -- I want them to redesign their customer interface from top to bottom, and get the bullshit out of there. And teach your people that without customers you have no business, so their needs come first.
(Simply Recipes)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 5:07:33 PM
Winter took its sweet time coming to Northern California this year, but it did finally arrive, and here we are with long, chilly nights and frost-kissed mornings. Perfect weather for a warming bowl of pot pie. There is the classic chicken pot pie of course. But with the holidays we thought we might try our hand at a turkey pot pie made with cooked turkey, a perfect dish for holiday leftovers. This turkey pot pie has a Cajun twist, starting with the trinity of onions, celery and green bell peppers, and spiced up a bit with Cajun seasoning. It's topped with a flaky, buttery crust, which is in my opinion, the best reason of all to make a pot pie. Continue reading "Cajun Turkey Pot Pie"
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Featured/ Social Media/
Listening is hard, and important

(Dave Winer's "Scripting News" weblog)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 8:15:17 AM
Dan Marino Sends Congratulatory Tweet to Passing Record Breaker Drew Brees [VIDEO]
Brian Anthony Hernandez (Mashable!)
If you have five minutes, read this item at FastCompany. FastCompany: Using Empathic Listening to Collaborate. I've had the same experience, on both sides. I grew up in a family where everyone was struggling to be heard. So you held the floor for a moment, before someone used something you said to go right into what they wanted to be heard about. There was probably almost no actual listening going on. As a result we all had a very poor idea of who the other people were, what motivated them, what they were trying to be heard on. There's so much to say about this -- but hearing other people is all part of hearing yourself. And healing yourself. When I was in my forties I made a concerted effort, with help, to go through as much of this as I could. And I was lucky that my parents were still alive so I could make a point of listening to them, to really understand -- whatever it is they wanted me to understand. Real listening is a secret technique for being friends with children. No one listens to them, even though they are complete emotional people after age four or
so, with aspirations, ideas, interests, and a thirst for knowledge and desire for understanding. Showing a child that you respect her or him is a way to help that new person feel respect for themselves. In a very important way you are making the world a better place. In a humansized way. If you want, try an exercise. With a close friend or family member, or a complete stranger (probably the same thing), sit at a table, or on the floor, facing each other. In a quiet place. Then take turns talking, five minutes at a time. When the other person is talking,
don't say anything. Don't nod your head. Don't smile or give them a hug. Look straight ahead. Don't look up or down, to the side, behind you. Don't cry, show sympathy or fear. You may have all these feelings, but you may not demonstrate them. You are here for one purpose only -- to listen to the other person. You'll find it's very hard to do, on both sides. To really hold the floor talking about yourself for five minutes, knowing the other person is hearing every word you're saying, and really absorbing it. For some people just this experience can be transformative. Listen to the actual words the other person is saying, and struggle to take them at face value, to really understand what they're saying. That's why when I say "Thanks for listening" I"m giving you my deepest form of gratitude. Because life, in a sense, is all about being heard. Once you've been heard, it's then time to find new meaning for your existence. This week might be the best time of year to do it. It's dark, the weather is probably not that great, what else do you have to do. And we're spending time with people we're close to. All the buttons are being pressed. Try getting through it by doing a little listening.
Monday in a 45-16 win against the Atlanta Falcons. The Saints, New Orleans Saints quarterback which won the Super Bowl in Drew Brees broke the NFLs 27- 2009, are 12-3 this season with year-old single-season passing one game left to play. record Monday night, and the feat SEE ALSO: How the NFL Plans immediately attracted a flurry of to Go High Tech| How Social congratulatory tweets, including Media is Changing the NFL one from previous record holder Heres what Brees tweeted after Dan Marino and another from rap b r e a k i n g t h e s i n g l e - s e a s o n passing record. star Lil Wayne. Congrats to @ drewbrees. Great Celebrating with my teammates. Such a special night. Thanks to so job by such a special player. Dan Marino (@DanMarino) many for making this possible. Who Dat NationI love you December 27, 2011 Kongrats to Drew Brees but Drew Brees (@drewbrees) Aaron Rodgers is the NFL MVP December 27, 2011 h a n d s d o w n . G r e e n & Thanks to @ DanMarino for his class and support during this run. Yellow!!!!!!!!!!! L i l W a y n e W E E Z Y F It is an honor to attempt to follow (@LilTunechi) December 27, the example he set for us all Drew Brees (@drewbrees) 2011 Twitter reaction wasnt all December 27, 2011 positive after Brees ended the More About: celebrities, football, game with 5,087 passing yards on mashable video, Newsy, nfl, the season ahead of Marinos sports, Twitter 5,084 yards in 1984 when he For more Social Media coverage: played for the Miami Dolphins. Follow Mashable Social Media Sports writers continue to argue on Twitter the significance of the new record, Become a Fan on Facebook with some saying defenses now Subscribe to the Social Media arent as good as in the 80s. The channel video above highlights those Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad arguments. Brees threw for 307 yards
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:13:33 PM
Health/
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The Year's Worst Food Trends (& How to Melt Fat in 2012!)
David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding (Eat This, Not That)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 11:05:56 AM
Many years from now, historians will look back at 2011 and label it The Stupidest Year Ever. From Tweeting Weiners, to the Congress that Couldnt, to anything involving tigers (Tiger Moms, Tiger Blood, Tiger Woods), the whole year was an exercise in bad judgment and questionable choices. (And yes, its okay to ask Kim Kardashian to return your wedding gift.) With all the nutsiness going on, the really dumb things the food industry did this year might have slipped off your radar. Too bad, because unless you know whats really happening to your food, you wont know whats really happening to your body. And it isnt pretty. If you want to make 2012 your leanest year yet (and I know you do!), you should do two things: First, fill your fridge and pantry with healthy options (the all-new Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide can help you with thousands of smart food swaps); and second, read on to discover the food trends that will make you fator help you get skinnynext year and beyond. 4 Trends That Will Make You Fat!
FAT TREND #1: Food Companies Labeling Everything "Natural" A 2011 Rodale study found that 28 percent of Americans purchased more natural foods this year. No wonder producers are slapping the natural claim on everything they can. Frito Lay, for instance, slapped all natural on half its snacks this year. The problem? There are no regulations on the natural claim. Case in point: A 2011 Cornucopia Institute study found pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in a variety of natural cereals. Another downside of natural products: They can lead consumers to ignore nutrition labels. Butter, salt, and lard are natural. So are poison ivy, arsenic, and flash floods. Just because its natural doesnt mean its good for you. FAT TREND #2: Restaurants Sneaking Extra Fat into Their Food The next time you see stuffed on a menu, think gobs of molten cheese poised to inflate my waistline. Consider these debuts: Dominos Stuffed Cheesy Bread (150 calories per piece), Dunkin' Donuts' Stuffed Breadsticks (200 calories per piece), and Burger Kings limited-release Jalapeno & Cheese Stuffed Steakhouse burger (930 calories with a small order of
it a snack, but your dietician would call it dinner. This year Dunkin Donuts debuted a menu of snacks that includes a 400calorie, cheese-flavored Bagel Twist, and McDonalds added the Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon Snack Wrap. Thats a snack with nearly half-day's saturated fat. But snacking done right can be healthy: A recent Nutrition Journal study found that nutritious snacks promote weight loss. The key word here is nutritious. Fruit and nuts are snacks, but a BBQ cheeseburger wrapped up like a fries). And that's in addition to the burrito? Not so much. Pick 1,510-calorie Provolone-Stuffed anything from our Eat This, Not Meatballs with Fettuccine that That! 2012 list of The 50 Best Applebee's released last year! If Snack Foods in America these things continue to sell, FAT TREND #4: Chains Serving expect to see more imitators in Up Salt-Soaked Health Foods 2012. As a general rule, if you see Last January, the USDA released new dietary guidelines, calling for stuffed, stay away. DID YOU KNOW?: A glass of a maximum daily sodium intake skim milk is actually more of 2,300 mg for some and 1,500 hydrating than a bottle of mg for others. Apparently, Gatorade. For instant secrets that restaurants missed the memo, will keep you healthy and fit in because they continue to salt-load 2012, follow me right here on their menuseven those special Twitter and sign up for our FREE menus advertised as healthy. Half E a t T h i s , N o t T h a t ! d a i l y of Ruby Tuesdays Fit & Trim items contain more than 1,000 newsletter. FAT TREND #3: Menus Calling mg, as do IHOPs Simple & Fit pancake combos. The items on Meals Snacks Since 2007, food items with Chilis Guiltless Grill menu snack, snackable, or snacker in a v e r a g e 2 , 1 7 5 m g , a n d their names have increased by 170 A p p l e b e e s n e w W e i g h t percent. Your restaurant may call Watchers Chipotle Lime Chicken
packs a staggering 4,990 mg. Healthy? Hardly. DISASTROUS DRINKS: The beverage aisle is just as likely as any to sabotage your waistline. Click through The Worst Drinks in America to see which are safe to sipand which you should skip. 4 Trends That Will Keep You Lean! SKINNY TREND #1: Restaurants Rethinking Kids' Meals According to a study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, fried chicken and burgers are the most common foods on kids menus. Fries are the most common side, and soda is the most common drink. No wonder 20 percent of our children are obese. But this year, under pressure from the First Lady, chains like Olive Garden and Red Lobster began slashing calories from their kids menus. Whats more, McDonalds offset its Happy Meal fries with apple slices, and Arbys began offering apples with yogurt dip. We still have a long way to go to curb childhood obesity, but every bit of progress helps. Eat This in 2012! McDonalds Chicken Nugget Happy Meal with 1% Low-Fat Milk Jug (425 YEAR'S page 75
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Health/
For Hospitals, There's No App For Adopting Tablet Computers

(Shots - Health Blog)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 11:27:00 AM
iStockphoto.com Tablets are easy to find at the local coffee shop but are still scarce at hospitals. Hospitals are often eager to embrace the latest medical technology, but the road to deploying tablet computers has been a little bumpy. iPads have been available since April 2010, but less than 1 percent of hospitals have fully functional tablet systems, according to Jonathan Mack. He's director of clinical research and development at the West Wireless Health Institute, a San Diego-based nonprofit focused on lowering the cost of health care through new technology. "We're really lagging behind in the U.S. in using electronic medical records on mobile devices like iPads," Mack says. The federal government is giving hospitals financial incentives to implement electronic medical records, but the most popular systems don't yet make apps that allow doctors to use the records on a tablet the way they would on a desktop or laptop. To use a mobile device effectively requires a complete redesign of the way information is presented, Mack says.
And that would require hospitals to "cough up a lot more money," he says. "When you look at a health system that has bought into an EMR, they're not ready to turn the boat around and start over." But some clinicians at UC San Diego Health System have been using the iPad since it first came out. Kate Franko, a physician assistant who is part of the hospital's transplant team, has been one of the pioneers.
doing from the first time I got here," Reyna says. But there are also several important downsides that so far have kept UC San Diego from deploying more of the devices. Right now, their electronic record system has a read-only app for the iPad, meaning it can't be used for entering all new information. To get around the problem, clinicians log on through another program called Citrix. But because the product is built on a Windows platform and meant for a desktop, it can be clunky on an iPad and difficult to navigate. There are concerns about patient privacy, and spotty wireless coverage at the hospital also means doctors are logged off frequently as they move around. In addition, the iPad doesn't fit in the pocket of a standard white lab coat. Franko bought a messenger bag that she uses to carry the On a brisk day in December, ray displayed on the iPad showed device, but it's not all that Franko stood by the bedside of a build-up of fluid in his lungs. convenient. patient Jose Reyna, a 24-year-old "You can see it's a little white in Franko also worries the extra student who had received a new these corners. It's what we call technology causes clinicians to be distracted. "It's hard when you kidney just days earlier after three patchy," she told him. years of dialysis. For Reyna, who is a tech guy have an iPad in your hands, Franko scrolled through Reyna's with a smartphone sitting by his sometimes there are moments medical records on her iPad 2, bedside, the in-hospital iPad was a when you want to check your checking his vitals and medical very cool experience. He says the email and possibly update your notes. She also pulled up a graph hospital in Desert Hot Springs, Facebook, and it does take of his blood test results over the where he's from, still uses pen and willpower to not be distracted," past week to help him see how his paper. FOR page 75 new kidney was doing. A chest X- The iPad "lets me know how I'm
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calories; 19.5 g fat; 555 mg sodium) SKINNY TREND #2: Desserts Being Zapped by the Shrink Ray Looking forward to an end-ofday treat can help keep you on track the rest of the day, but the 1,000-calorie monstrosities being served at most restaurants completely annul any smart decisions youve made leading up to them. Thankfully, desserts are starting to downsize. Chains like Chilis and Applebees have been serving shootersshot glasssized dessertsfor a few years now, and 2011 brought a new batch of mini sweets, like Baskin Robbins Cake Bites and Jack in the Boxs Mini Cookies (both of which contain about 300 calories). This is a food trend Im definitely sweet on. Eat This in 2012! Starbucks Mini Peanut Butter Cupcake (180 Calories; 10 g fat; 16 g sugar) SKINNY TREND #3: Food Producers Passing On the Salt While some restaurants pump more sodium into seemingly healthy foods (see the Chipotle
Lime Chicken above), other food retailers are making efforts to meet the rising demand for lower sodium. This year, Subway reduced sodium across its regular menu by 15 percent, and its Fresh Fit menu saw an impressive 28 percent reduction. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart pledged to reduce sodium in its processed foods by 25 percent before 2015. The salt-slashing trend bodes well for both your blood pressure and your waistline. Salt itself wont make you fat, but it does make you retain water weight, and most salty foodschips, Chinese takeout, fast food burgersare anything but light. Eat This in 2012! 6-inch Subway Turkey Breast Sub (280 calories; 3.5 g fat; 810 mg sodium) SKINNY TREND #4: Good-forYou Fast-Food Breakfasts The most important meal of the day has been the most abused for too long (check out fat-loaded, carb-heavy, sugar-packed foods on our list of 18 Worst Breakfasts in America). But lately, breakfast has been the recipient of a much-
needed nutritional upgrade. Building on the lean line of breakfast sandwiches Subway unveiled last year, this year saw new oatmeal options from McDonalds and Chick-fil-A, and Dennys unveiled a line of Fit Fare breakfast options. A healthy breakfast sets the tone for a healthy day, so this breakfast bump is definitely worth cheering. (We also recommend Cook This, Not That! Easy & Awesome 350Calorie Meals for quick and delicious breakfasts you can whip up in minutes.) Eat This in 2012! Chick-fil-A Multigrain Oatmeal with toppings (280 calories; 11 g fat; 21 g sugar) THE YEAR IN FOOD: Want to start the New Year on the right nutritional foot? Make sure to steer clear of the calorie culprits on our list of 2012s Worst Foods In America! -----------LOSE YOUR HOLIDAY WEIGHT: Discover dozens of simple ways to melt your belly bulgebut still eat the foods you love.
FOR
she explains. It's still unclear whether tablets actually make medical care more efficient. In the meantime, even pioneers like Franko are hedging their bets. In addition to her iPad and two iPhones, she also carries a good old-fashioned pager, just in case. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is
your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
GET BACK IN SHAPE! Check out these cutting-edge guides to fast and easy weight loss: Mens Health Big Book of Exercises and Womens Health Big Book of Exercises. IMPROVE YOUR LIFEWITH YOUR IPAD! Check out the allnew interactive iPad edition of Men's Health!, now available by subscription. Get more nutrition, health, and fitness secrets from Men's Health: Subscribe today with this special offer and save 50% off the cover price. (Shots - Health Blog) This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is Submitted at 12/27/2011 8:35:00 AM your content and you're reading it iStockphoto.com on someone else's site, please read Looks clean up here, but down the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentbelow it could be a mess. only/faq.php#publishers. Five What gunk lurks in the bathroom Filters recommends: Donate to sink drain? A fungus that can Wikileaks. cause infections in humans, for one thing. The fungus in question (genus Fusarium) can cause sinus infections and funky toenails. On rare occasions it kills people with weak immune systems. More recently, it has caused serious eye infections in people who wear INFECTIOUS continued from page 75 contact lenses. The types of Fusarium that and found that two-thirds of sink Now, let's be clear. The results drains harbored at least one don't prove that sink drains are the caused the outbreaks of eye Fusarium strain. source of eye infections, or any infections in 2005 and 2006 are The six strains that were most other health problems. And the sometimes found in household common in drains are also the latest research doesn't explain plumbing, so researchers at Penn o n e s m o s t l i k e l y t o c a u s e how the fungus could get out of State University set out to see just how common they are. They infections in humans, including the drain and infect humans. the ones that cause eye infections. Still, the findings offer a potential swabbed 471 bathroom drains in The results were published clue about why the mold in the the Eastern U.S. and California, recently in the current Journal of INFECTIOUS page 76 INFECTIOUS page 75 Clinical Microbiology.
Infectious Fungus Common In Household Drains
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INFECTIOUS
2005 and 2006 outbreaks was never found in the contact lens solution, Bausch & Lomb's ReNu with MoustureLoc. One theory is that the people who got eye infections weren't replacing the lens solution in the case, so it lost its ability to disinfect. Fusarium has been found in hospital plumbing, and the authors of this new study speculate that plumbing could be a "hidden source of infection in hospitals and the community." It's been a month for pathogens in plumbing. Last week, tap water was implicated in the deaths of two people in Louisiana, both of whom used neti pots to rinse their sinuses. They died of encephalitis caused by amoebas common in
tap water. That prompted a caution from Louisiana chief epidemiologist Raoult Ratard: Do not put tap water up your nose, unless it's boiled first. (Here's our Shots post with the full scoop.) But don't freak out about mold in your pipes, says James Sublett, an allergist in Louisville, Kentucky, who is chair of the indoor environment committee for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. "Just because you find mold there, it doesn't mean there's a health effect," Sublett says. "You're not going to stick your head down your drain." Fusarium causes allergic sinusitis, Sublett says, and very rarely, fungal sinus infections. But it and other molds are everywhere
in the environment, Sublett notes, and rarely make us sick. He tells his patients to use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens to reduce humidity, and to avoid using humidifiers. The Environmental Protection Agency also recommends keeping humidity low. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Marriage: Looking Back, Moving Forward

Rachel Sheffield (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:00:35 PM
How does marriage fare as the nation heads into the new year? Unfortunately, the most recent government data indicate that U.S. marriage rates are at an alltime low. Today, a little more than half of all Americans are currently married, compared to more than 70 percent five decades
ago. Additionally, the age at first marriage among both men and women is at historic highs. Related to these trends, the unwed birthrate is also at a historic high (more than 40 percent). On the bright side, however, the research indicates that marriages in the United States are lasting longer. And while the rate of unwed childbearing is steadily MARRIAGE: page 78
So You Got an iPhone 4S? Heres How to Accessorize

Amy-Mae Elliott (Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:46:30 PM
bag making it ideal for iPhotographers or for quick-draw call answering. 1. The iPhone Carabiner Clip Cost:$30 The iPhone Carabiner Clip" Click here to view this gallery. src="http://8.mshcdn.com/wp- So, the Christmas elves made you c o n t e n t / g a l l e r y / i p h o n e - 4 s - an iPhone 4S? Lucky you. Whats christmas/clip.jpg" /> particularly useful about owning This kind of useful tool is worth a n A p p l e p h o n e i s t h a t its weight in gold. With a leather manufacturers around the world strap, the carabineer clip gives are churning out tailor-made you quick access to your iPhone. iPhone accessories. The variety You can hang it from a strap or can make choosing the right ones
a little difficult. To help those with obsessions for all things iPhone, weve created a list of awesome accessories.
SEE ALSO: Got an iPhone 4S for Christmas? Have Some Fun With Siri [PICS] Take a look through the image
gallery. Let us know in the comments which ones youd consider and what else is top of your must-have list now that you have an iPhone 4S. Image courtesy of Flickr, nino63004 More About: accessories, apple, features, iphone, iPhone 4S, iphone accessories
Politics-Right/
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Saving Millions of Lives: Time to Prepare for an EMP Now

Michaela Bendikova (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 11:00:21 AM
Bermans piece is a welcome contribution to the debate about the U.S. vulnerability to EMP. This ongoing debate has recently received increased attention following the presidential GOP debate hosted by The Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute in November. The United States remains unprotected from an EMP effect, a high-intensity burst of electromagnetic energy caused by the rapid acceleration of charged particles. An EMP would disable all electric devices within its line of sight, including electric grids, computers, cell phones, and means of transportation. The congressionally mandated EMP Commission Report stated that EMP has the capability to produce significant damage to critical infrastructures and thus to the very fabric of US society, as
missile defense programs. An EMP, however, can be created by non-nuclear weapons (radio-frequency weapons) or geomagnetic storms (often called space weather). To protect the nations infrastructure against these threats, the public and private sectors can and should harden vital infrastructure to make it more resilient and resistant to EMP. The U.S. should also develop a national plan to respond to EMP emergencies. This would involve educating federal, state, and local officials along with the public about the risks and response options. well as to the ability of the United C h i n a , N o r t h K o r e a , a n d Aegis ballistic missile capable Such steps could save millions of States and Western nations to Iranhave already acquired or ships; Aegis Ashore, the land- lives. There is no time to spare. project influence and military are trying to acquire weapons that based ballistic missile component; This entry passed through the power. would cause an EMP. and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Full-Text RSS service if this is An EMP could be created by Short- and long-range ballistic capabilities. These would offer a your content and you're reading it detonating a nuclear weapon at a missiles are the best means of degree of protection against such on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contenthigh altitude and would send the delivery for this kind of attack. an attack. United States back to the 19th That is why the United States Unfortunately, the Obama only/faq.php#publishers. Five century. A number of U.S. must continue to build up its Administration has curtailed U.S. Filters recommends: Donate to a d v e r s a r i e s o r p o t e n t i a l missile defenses. The system missile defense development and Wikileaks. adversariesincluding Russia, would ideally be composed of killed some of the most promising
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increasingwith many negative consequences not only for children but society as a wholea positive note is the decline in the rate of sexual activity among young adults. According to a 2011 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 percent of females and 27 percent of males between the ages of 15 and 24 report never being sexually active, compared to 22 percent of both men and women in 2002. And while the Obama Administration has fought hard against abstinence education programsfor example, explicitly prohibiting Healthy Marriage and Relationships grant money from going toward abstinence education funding for abstinence education was restored. Besides fighting against abstinence education, the Administration also made a fullfledged attack on traditional marriage, explicitly stating in the early part of the year that it would not defend the federal Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA). Not only was this a blow to marriage, but it represented an unprecedented refusal by the executive branch to defend federal statute. Furthermore, in November the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass legislation that would repeal DOMA. Another significant setback for traditional marriage was the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York. However, other states took action to defend marriage. For example, North Carolina and Minnesota voted to place initiatives on their 2012 ballots that would amend the state constitutions to define marriage as between a man and a woman. Earlier this year, the Maryland legislature narrowly voted against a law that would have made same-sex marriage legal in the state. Additionally, states like Kansas have introduced a healthy marriage initiative with such efforts as public relations campaigns to educate people on
the benefits of the institution. Marriage is central to the wellbeing of the United States. While marriage is beleaguered at this moment in our nations history, the evidence remains strong that marriage is still the best place for children as well as the No. 1 weapon against childhood poverty. Yet it isnt just the children who benefit. Both men and women reap many advantages. The momentum to support marriage looks promising as the U.S. heads into 2012. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
App-y Christmas: 242 Million Downloads Sets New Record [STUDY]

Todd Wasserman (Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:19:48 PM
Apparently, a lot of people spent Christmas Day turning on their new smartphones and downloading apps. Assessing the data from the busiest day of the year for activations and app downloads, Flurry Analytics found consumers shattered records for both this year. Activations topped 6.8 million, a 140% jump over Christmas Day 2010s 2.8 million, according to Flurry. Consumers downloaded 242 million apps that day, an increase of 125% over last year. The day caps off a strong year for both iOS and Android. Apples App Store, which exceeded 10 billion downloads overall in January, is on track to post 10 billion downloads for 2011 alone. The Android Market, meanwhile, surpassed 10 billion downloads overall this month. Unfortunately, Flurry doesnt break down Android downloads vs. iOS. Frankly, theyre neck and neck, says Peter Farago, vp of marketing for Flurry, who adds that the company chooses not to share that data with the public. Androids share of the smartphone market was 43.7% vs.
27.3% for iOS in August, according to comScore. Flurry also tracked app downloads for all of Christmas Day and found a big increase around 9 a.m. and then another jump around 11 a.m. The amount stayed at that level until about midnight. (Time zones were normallized in the research, so 9 a.m. in London, New York and San Francisco were all considered 9 a.m.) The appy Christmas is expected to continue. Flurry is predicting that between Christmas and New Years Day, consumers will download 1 billion apps. What do you think? Did you spend your Christmas Day at the App Store or at Android Market? Tell us your story. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, sjlocke More About: android, android marketplace, app store, apps, flurry, iOS, Mobile, smartphone
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Infographic: Our Militarys Dangerous Course

Mike Brownfield (The Foundry: Conservative Policy News Blog from The Heritage Foundation)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:00:23 PM
The U.S. military is on a dangerous course. Under the projected defense spending caps brought on by the Budget Control Act of 2011, funding for modernizing the military will be squeezed to a dangerous degree. That includes reduced spending on the procurement of new weapons and equipment and research and development on new defense technologies as the infographic below shows.(Article continued below.) In a new paper, Heritages Baker Spring, the F. M. Kirby Research Fellow in National Security Policy, explains the impact the reduced funding will have on Americas defenses: The result will be a military that lacks the modern weapons and equipment it needs, loses its
technological edge over future enemies, and finds itself dependent on a seriously eroded defense industrial base. As a result of the twin pressures of the estimated spending caps on the core defense program derived from the Budget Control Act . . . and the rising cost of military compensation, the level of
funding for military modernization will necessarily fall to unacceptably low levels. Under this scenario, funding for defense modernization within the core defense program . . . could fall to roughly $145 billion in current dollars in FY 2016. How does that compare to where the military would have otherwise
been? Spring says that under President Obamas original budget request for FY 2012, $188.4 billion was to be allocated to these accounts meaning that modernization funding will decline by $43 billion, or 23 percent, over the four-year period. If you control for inflation, thats a 29 percent
decline. Spring says thats an unacceptable course and he recommends that Congress 1) Prevent application of the national security and discretionary spending caps under the Budget Control Act to the DOD budget; and 2) Restructure the military health care and retirement systems to free money inside the DOD budget for application to the modernization account. Read more about this issue in An Unacceptable Squeeze on Defense Modernization at Heritage.org. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Daily World/ Technology/
Heart scare Duke back with family

(Evening Standard - News)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 10:26:29 AM
27 Dec 2011 The Duke of Edinburgh is beginning a belated Christmas with his family after being discharged from hospital. The 90-year-old royal is thought to have arrived at Sandringham by car shortly before midday after spending four nights in hospital following a procedure to clear a blocked artery. He missed the royals' traditional Christmas Day trip to church, this year attended for the first time by the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Boxing Day shoot, which he normally leads. It is believed to be the first time he has missed Christmas at Sandringham since the early 1990s. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said no decision had been made on when he will resume public engagements or whether he will attend Church on New Year's
Day. But on Tuesday he was able to rejoin his family at the Queen's private Norfolk estate where he is said to have been advised by doctors to rest. He left Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire, at 9.25am. Travelling in the front seat of a dark Range Rover, he appeared in good spirits as he smiled and waved at waiting reporters. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "On departure, Prince Philip thanked the staff at Papworth for the excellent care he has received during his stay. He is very much looking forward to rejoining his family." Scores of police officers began combing the hospital's grounds in the early hours of Tuesday morning in preparation for the Duke's departure. The Duke was taken to Papworth near Cambridge on Friday night after he complained of chest pains. Following tests, doctors discovered a blocked artery and
he underwent a "minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting", which was declared a success. The Duke was visited in hospital by his grandchildren the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry on Christmas Day. The brothers drove separate cars to Papworth after enjoying lunch at Sandringham, taking the Duke of York's daughters Beatrice and Eugenie and the Princess Royal's children Zara and Peter with them for a 45-minute visit. His next formal engagement is due to be a dinner at the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge on January 17. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Samsung, Sharp, Hitachi and others settle LCD panel price fixing consumer class action for $539 million
Michael Gorman (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:34:00 PM
million, $115 million and $110 million, respectively, with the other companies kicking in 'Tis the season for settling between $2.8 and $39 million for antitrust lawsuits, folks. Earlier their (allegedly) anti-competitive this month, Sharp, Samsung, ways. Of course, the settlement Hitachi and other LCD panel isn't final until it receives the producers settled out their price court's blessing, but you can see f i x i n g l a w s u i t w i t h d i r e c t what the judge will likely be p u r c h a s e r s ( r e a d : T V a n d rubber-stamping at the source computer monitor manufacturers) below. for $388 million. So the story Samsung, Sharp, Hitachi and goes, the companies colluded to others settle LCD panel price assure higher prices on LCDs sold fixing consumer class action for between 1999 and 2006. Now, $539 million originally appeared those same seven companies have on Engadget on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 settled up with indirect LCD 15:34:00 EDT. Please see our purchasers -- aka the folks buying terms for use of feeds. Permalink TVs and PCs -- to the tune of Reuters| Motion for Settlement $539 million. Samsung, Sharp and (PDF)| Email this| Comments Chimei are dishing out the lion's share of settlement dollars at $240
Politics/
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Iowa Has Hogged First Place in Our Political Line Too Long
Steve Buttry (Politics : The Atlantic)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:05:55 PM
The Hawkeye State is unrepresentative of the nation, caucuses are bizarre, and the system doesn't work. It's time to let someone else start the nominating process. Let's bid farewell to the Iowa caucuses. They've had a long run, but it's time for someone else to launch the presidential campaign process. This state with far more hogs than people has hogged its place at the front of the political line far too long. It is past time for the Hawkeye State to practice the manners that Iowa parents and teachers have been teaching Iowa children for generations: Take turns. Someone will need to wrench the spotlight away from Iowa, but I hope someone does. Iowans will not relinquish without a fight what they unreasonably regard as an entitlement. (I use that word because the Iowa Republicans who would never give up their spot at the front of the line hate entitlements, except the ones they receive.) I voiced this view privately during the 2008 caucus season, though I never wrote it. I wasn't using Twitter regularly yet. My
only communication outlet at the time was a blog about journalism training, and the caucuses didn't fit my niche, so I didn't express my views publicly. (It's not a perfect fit now, but I blog more broadly about media, and let's face it, the Iowa caucuses are a creation of media hype.) When I became editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette later in 2008, I wondered whether I would have the courage to voice this
heresy from such a prominent Iowa forum during the 2012 caucus season. Other opportunities drew me away from Iowa, so I offer my opinion now, one week before the 2012 caucuses, from the safety of Virginia. While I am no longer living in the state, I offer this view with a lot of love for Iowa and a ton of caucus experience. I am an Air Force brat with
wanderlust and no hometown, but I am deeply and fondly tied to Iowa, more than any other state. I graduated from high school and started my journalism career in Shenandoah, Iowa. Depending on how you count time going to college in Fort Worth, Texas, but coming home to Iowa for summers and vacations and time I spent commuting between two states, I lived in Iowa for 13 to 19 years. And that doesn't count 10
years at the Omaha World-Herald, covering Iowa stories frequently and visiting family in Iowa often. My wife Mimi is an Iowa farm girl (who disagrees with me on this topic). Our three deceased parents are buried in Iowa and we both still have siblings living in Iowa. Two of our sons were born there (the third was born in Omaha when we lived in Iowa). IOWA page 82
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I spent a decade at the Des Moines Register, most of that time when it was a statewide newspaper that set the agenda for the state and dominated caucus coverage. Few journalists have covered as many Iowa caucus campaigns as I have, in as many different ways (I'll detail my caucus experience in a separate blog post on caucus day). I enjoyed 15 minutes of fame in 1983-84 as the creator of the Iowa Caucus Game (a board game that was never updated as video game or app, alas). I don't share any of the bizarre (and mostly false or exaggerated) notions of Iowa that Stephen Bloom voiced in his Atlantic essay that has been widely criticized and mocked (more on that in a footnote). My problem is not at all with Iowa itself, but with the notion that any state should claim the first spot in line in perpetuity and with the exaggerated self-importance that Iowans use to justify their claim to that spot. Iowans are a patriotic lot, so I plead with them to relinquish their death-grip on the first spot for the good of the nation. Here are eight reasons why we need to let someone else be the first to express presidential preferences: Iowa's caucus promoters peddle their cherished notion that Iowa has a unique flavor of"retail politics" that lets an appealing candidate rise from obscurity without a ton of money. That
notion is outdated, if it ever was true. We haven't had a candidate launched from obscurity to the White House by an Iowa win since Jimmy Carter in 1976. If that hasn't happened in 36 years, can't we just admit it was a fluke, or that things have changed enough that it will never happen again? "Retail" has long since been replaced by big-money campaigning and an endless parade of charade "debates" that are really a contest to deliver the best sound bite for people who didn't watch the debate or to avoid an embarrassing gaffe. That may be a change in politics that would follow to any state that's first, but we sure need a different dynamic in the nomination process from what we now have in Iowa. Iowa does a mediocre job of choosing candidates the rest of the nation will like. Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were elected without even winning Iowa (Bush won the year he lost to Reagan, but finished third in Iowa in 1988, when he won the election). Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, are you really going to argue that the overall nomination/campaign/election system is working well? Are you pleased with the choices you're getting on your ballot every four years? I'm not saying that changing Iowa's role is the only reform our political system needs. It's one of many. But let's start
with the start of the nomination process. Iowa is not nearly as diverse as the nation's population. It is older, whiter and more rural. To give so much power every election to a state so unrepresentative is wrong, even if the state did give a boost to our first African-American president. Certainly no state is representative in every respect, which is exactly why this spot should rotate. We're ready for some other state's clichs in political campaigns, rather than candidates pretending they don't look out of place on Iowa's farms and pedaling on RAGBRAI as though they really are cyclists. The caucus system exaggerates the influence of small pockets of highly motivated extremists, such as the Iowa Republicans who gave Pat Robertson legitimacy in 1992, when he edged the elder Bush for second behind Bob Dole. Our nation is not well-served by a process that encourages extremists. Iowans weave an illusion of democracy around the caucuses. But caucuses really are an undemocratic process. Far fewer people turn out for caucuses than for primaries. Iowans serving out of state in the military can't caucus. Homebound elderly and disabled people who could vote by absentee ballot in primaries can't participate in caucuses. Primary polls are open long enough for any working Iowans to
vote, but if you have to work the evening of the caucuses, your vote doesn't count. Arcane rules, adhoc alliances and outright dealmaking exaggerate candidates' advantages and weaknesses in a process that doesn't use the secret ballot. Iowa-caucus advocates claim some kind of virtue to the commitment required to go out on a cold January night to spend a couple hours arguing politics. But the fact is that participation is low and bizarre.
knowledge of the state, please understand that it was riddled with factual errors, clichs and exaggerations. From hunting dogs to mud rooms to Jell-o, Bloom painted a distorted picture of Iowa. If you believed it, you know less about Iowa now than before you read it. I won't try to address all his nonsense here, because others have done it better. But if you read that and thought it might be true, please also read the responses by Ken Fuson, Lynda Waddington and James Lileks and If you're not an Iowan, you can f o l l o w t h e p a r o d y T w i t t e r probably add a few more reasons: account@StephenBloomIA. They ethanol subsidies, farm subsidies understand Iowa much better than in general, too much attention to Bloom does. the Iowa State Fair and the butter Image: Chip Somodevilla / Getty cow. Images I don't know (or care) what it A version of this post originally takes to undo the caucus system: appeared at The Buttry Diary. federal legislation, national party This article available online at: rules, whatever. It simply is http://www.theatlantic.com/ wrong for one state to hog that politics/archive/2011/12/iowa-has much power in the process for - h o g g e d - f i r s t - p l a c e - i n - o u r decades. political-line-too-long/250542/ Footnote #1: Everything I've said This entry passed through the about Iowa probably applies to Full-Text RSS service if this is New Hampshire, too, but I don't your content and you're reading it have the same experience with the on someone else's site, please read New Hampshire primary or with the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentthe state as I do with Iowa and the only/faq.php#publishers. Five caucuses, so I will let someone Filters recommends: Donate to else make that case. Wikileaks. Footnote #2: Like everyone who had a passing knowledge of Iowa, I was appalled (but, frankly, more amused) by the Stephen Bloom effort to misinform Atlantic readers about Iowa and Iowans. If you read it without much
Politics/
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Santorum: If I finish dead last in Iowa, Ill drop out

Tina Korbe (Hot Air Top Picks)
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has averaged about 4 percent but doesnt plan to compete in the Submitted at 12/27/2011 1:40:56 PM first-in-the-nation caucuses. posted at 2:40 pm on December Perhaps even more significantly, 27, 2011 by Tina Korbe he has tried but hasnt been able In a sign that he actually feels to bag the endorsement of Iowa quite confident that hell finish Rep. Steve King, who has said he well in Iowa (remember, he still w a n t s a f u l l - s p e c t r u m intends to win the state), former c o n s e r v a t i v e a s p r e s i d e n t . Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum Santorum certainly fits that bill said hell drop out of the GOP but King has expressed doubt and presidential race if he finishes r e s e r v a t i o n a b o u t w h e t h e r dead last in the Hawkeye State. Santorum (or Michele Bachmann, If I finish dead last in the mix Ill w h o K i n g a l s o c o n s i d e r s go home but I dont think thats adequately conservative) would going to happen, he said Tuesday be able to acquire enough support on the Des Moines radio station after Iowa to actually secure the WHO. nomination. Perhaps Kings The former senator has been endorsement is a tad overrated focusing his resources in Iowa this late in the game, it might not and won endorsements from a affect the race much but his n u m b e r o f t h e s t a t e s t o p unwillingness to endorse even the conservatives, including its candidates who most closely align Secretary of State Matt Schultz with his views has nevertheless (R) and Bob Vander Plaats, the been a striking feature of the race head of the social conservative in Iowa. Then again, Kings group The Family Leader. indecision might say less about Unfortunately for Santorum, not Santorums ability to capture a even those endorsements have larger share of support than he has upped his standing significantly in in polls than it says about the t h e p o l l s . A c c o r d i n g t o indecision of Iowans, in general. R e a l C l e a r P o l i t i c s , h e h a s Undecided voters could go to averaged just 7.7 percent support Santorum no less than to others. in the state, ahead only of former For what its worth, The
Washington Posts lefty blogger Greg Sargent thinks Santorum has a slim chance not only to do well in Iowa but to actually win the nomination: [S]uppose that Santorum manages to rally to third place in Iowa, something that isnt impossible to imagine. What then? Its possible that conservatives who arent excited about Romney might look to him. And if he surged, then his main drawback that theres solid evidence that voters dont like him very much would suddenly look a lot less important. Put it another way: Weve seen what happens when the rest of the field surges (or, in some cases, simply shows up in the race). Large numbers of party actors have turned on Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich, and have opposed Michele Bachmann and Jon Huntsman. Their problems, whether policy (in the cases of Paul and Huntsman) or trust (Gingrich and Bachmann), cannot be resolved by popularity among the rank and file. But Santorums, to some extent, perhaps can. So while I think the candidate most likely to benefit from an unexpected strong finish in Iowa remains Perry the only
candidate who actually showed some strength among party actors during his surge Im fairly convinced that Santorum is the next most likely to benefit if he should get the Iowa bump. Basically, if Romney has to match up against Paul, Gingrich, Bachmann or Huntsman one on one after the early states, I think Romney is as close to a lock as you can get in politics. Against Perry? I have no idea. I guess Id say that Romney would be the favorite against Santorum, but Im not at all sure that hed be an overwhelming favorite. Or, to put it one more way: If theres a 5 percent chance that someone other than Romney or Perry gets the nomination, Im increasingly inclined to think that most of that 5 percent belongs to Santorum. That doesnt seem wholly implausible to me. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Top Hot Air posts in 2011: 31-40

Ed Morrissey (Hot Air Top Picks)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:30:22 PM
posted at 3:30 pm on December 27, 2011 by Ed Morrissey In the second installment of our top 50 posts this year, determined by unique page views, we have positions 31-40, which include a fun think piece of mine that I didnt dream would get that much attention, an amazing video post, and two of the bigger stories of 2011. Lets take a walk down Memory Lane: 40: Video: The ugly protest at Wisconsins Messmer Catholic School over Walker visit This was part of the angry reaction to public-employee union reform in our neighboring state, and it didnt get much uglier than this. If one ever wanted to see an ironic contrast, watch how the wellbehaved students of Messmer Prep get treated by the representatives of the teachers union. 39: Obama adviser tells Congress she has more important things to do The Obama administrations officials have acted arrogantly enough in regard to Congress this year, but Elizabeth Warren took the cake. The White House ended up TOP page 85
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Politics/
Breaking: Nelson to retire

Ed Morrissey (Hot Air Top Picks)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 12:53:33 PM
posted at 1:53 pm on December 27, 2011 by Ed Morrissey Add another to the list of Democratic victims of ObamaCare: Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska will announce today that he is retiring after two terms, a serious blow to Democratic efforts to hold onto their majority in the chamber next November. Nelson is scheduled to hold a press conference back home in Nebraska as early as today to make his decision official, said several Democratic insiders close to the leadership. The White House and top Senate Democrats, including Majority Leader Harry Reid(Nev.) and Sen. Chuck Schumer(N.Y.), had quietly mounted a pressure campaign to keep Nelson from retiring. Nelson has more than $3 million in his campaign war chest, and his approval rating solidified after falling over the last several years. But with Nelson stepping down, the Democrats hold on the Senate
is in serious doubt, although Democratic leaders believe they can still do so. Republicans are expected to pick up control of the Cornhusker State seat, although popular former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) has been talking to top Democrats about possibly running again. How big of a deal is this? On one hand, its easy to underestimate the power of incumbency. On the other, the man couldnt even eat a pizza in peace after casting a decisive vote for ObamaCare and tossing his pro-life credentials into the wastebasket by doing so. Nelson wasnt going to get re-elected, and would likely have lost by a wide margin in a very red state, especially in a presidential election cycle. Democrats could try to get Kerrey to return to Nebraska, but getting him elected will be a tall order. He was a popular Democrat, but hes spent most of his time out of Congress in New York as president of the progressive New School. He retired from that position at the end of last year, but had previously toyed with returning to
politics as mayor of New York City. That doesnt seem to be a good resume for a Senate campaign in Nebraska, even if Kerrey defied the New School faculty and endorsed the invasion of Iraq in 2003. I dont think Nelsons retirement really changes the calculus in Nebraska. In a presidential cycle, a credible Republican candidate will be almost certain to replace Nelson, even if Nelson is no longer running. Update: The Omaha WorldHerald confirms Nelsons decision to retire, and points out the political layout in Nebraska: Democrats have no candidate waiting in the wings. They will have to scramble for a candidate who can quickly organize a statewide campaign and raise millions in less than a year, while competing against Republicans who have been in campaign mode for more than a year. Its not impossible, but the odds are long. Some Democrats whose names have been bandied about as possible contenders include State Sen. Steve Lathrop and former Lt. Gov. Kim Robak. For Republicans, the dream of
holding all five of Nebraskas congressional seats and all five statewide offices is now within reach. Nelson was the lone Democrat to hold a high statewide or federal office in Nebraska. The next highest-ranking Democrat in the state is Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle. Theres a reason for that shutout in federal offices; Nebraska went for John McCain in 2008 by 15 points and nearly 140,000 votes in a race that Obama won by seven points nationally. After ObamaCare and the betrayal of Nebraskans by supposedly conservative Democrat Ben Nelson, its very likely that it will take a long time for Nebraskans to trust a Democrat to be conservative and pro-life in Washington again. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Newt Gingrich, Cocktail Conversation King

Edward Tenner (Politics : The Atlantic)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 11:33:00 AM
Whether you admire or detest him, it's important not to underestimate his intelligence or to discount his ability to connect as a lecturer. Karen Tumulty in the Washington Post considers the paradox of the non-veteran Newt Gingrich as the self-styled "longest-serving teacher in the senior military, 23 years teaching one- and two-star generals and admirals the art of war." This sounds like arrant puffery, especially from someone who never went through basic training and who was deferred from Vietnam-era service. Armchair psychologists might see an Oedipal angle flowing from the scorn of his career-officer stepfather for the unathletic lad with "two of the flattest feet that ever was." (The Army has since changed its mind about flat feet, NEWT page 85
85
TOP
NEWT
withdrawing her nomination after she told the House Oversight Committee that she had other commitments that day and couldnt stick around to testify longer and the other commitment turned out to be an interview for Vanity Fair. 38: Video: The skin gun An amazing medical advance for burn victims, the video is a must see as long as youre not eating at the same time. 37: Intel analyst to CNN host: Youre just carrying water for Mr. Obama Did CNN hosts back the idea of Islamic democracy when George Bush launched the war in Iraq? No, and Michael Scheuer draws blood in his riposte to Kiran Chetrys defense of Obamas Libyan adventure. Scheuer didnt back the Iraq War either, but as I wrote at the time, there was a lot more reason to hope for a democratic outcome in Iraq than in Libya. 36: Prosser edging Kloppenburg in votes, recount all but assured Not the first Prosser/Kloppenburg post in our top 50, and it wont be the last. This was one of the most intriguing stories of the year, and Hot Air readers certainly agreed. Its twists and turns kept readers and bloggers fascinated.
35: Weiner to address media at 4 p.m. ET Another, er, big story this year was Congressman Anthony Weiners disgrace and eventual resignation. In this presser, Weiner admitted to sending photos of his genitalia via Twitter but refused (temporarily) to resign, but Andrew Breitbart ended up stealing the show, demanding and receiving vindication from those who had accused him of setting Weiner up. 34: What if Obama quit? Im actually very surprised to see this post in the Top 50. I posted it on a Sunday, for one thing, and it was simply a speculative musing about the risks to the GOP if Obama bowed out of the 2012 election. The only conclusion I can reach for the posts popularity is that a lot of people would like to see Obama quit the re-election campaign. 33: Former alarmist scientist says Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) based in false science A great post from my friend Bruce McQuain out of our Green Room, this post deserves another look. Its really a treatise on how government funding can corrupt science by incentivizing findings that require more government intervention.
32: Breaking: Olbermann announces the end of Countdown I was the Best of Persons, I was the Worst of Persons, and finally Keith Olbermann went to a far, far better place for his ranting than ever he had gone before. 31: Kirsten Powers Fesses Up; The Hill and Politico Silent on Truth about Bush Veto Override Another good Green Room post from our friend Susan Anne Hiller, this is one case where the follow-up got more attention than the initial post. Kudos to our friend Kirsten Powers for setting the record straight. Be sure to check out positions 41 -50 in yesterdays post! This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
incidentally.) But whether you admire or detest Gingrich, it's important not to underestimate him or to discount his evident popularity as a lecturer. His success owes a lot to the eclipse of military (and indeed of much political) history in American academia. Victor Davis Hanson, one of the best-known professors of the subject, discusses here the challenges of the field and how he almost backed into it as classical history Ph.D. candidate. As Tumulty notes, Gingrich recognized well before September 11 the lack of a coordinated antiterrorist strategy. As the investment ads say, "past performance is no guarantee of future results," but Gingrich is not just an opportunist who has moved into a vacuum, or what Paul Krugman, paraphrasing Ezra Klein on Dick Armey, called "a stupid person's idea of what a smart person is like." While he is not a real military historian, Gingrich has a skill widely underestimated in elite academia: a fluency in grasping and expounding new ideas and moving them on to others. I've attended military and nationalsecurity conferences and have found officers more curious about ideas outside their specialties than many academics are. Ten years ago I saw Newt Gingrich in action at a National Science Foundation-sponsored conference on social implications of nanotechnology. His remarks are here. Gingrich is obviously
not a scientist, but his keynote made a strong positive impression on the participants I spoke with, some of whom had been highly skeptical about his intelligence. Of course he couldn't miss by calling for expanded support of scientific education and research, but he was skilled in presenting a scenario of the transformative potential of nanotechnology, about which there is still extensive debate. The most interesting person to talk to at a party is not necessarily the one best suited to run anything. Openness to new ideas can also lead to the embrace of bad but intriguing ones. When it comes to the Republican candidates, Fran Lebowitz's comment on communism and fascism might be paraphrased: Romney is too dull, and Gingrich is too exciting. Image: Reuters This article available online at: http://www.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2011/12/newtgingrich-cocktail-conversationking/250540/ This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
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Politics/
What Ben Nelson's Retirement Means for the Senate Sweepstakes

Matthew Cooper (Politics : The Atlantic)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 2:00:26 PM
With few strong Democratic contenders in sight, the centrist Nebraskan's exit means Republicans are more likely to capture the upper chamber. Now that Sen. Ben Nelson, DNeb., has announced that he won't run next year, Democrats will have to work that much harder to preserve their 53-47 Senate majority. Nelson, arguably the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, was a difficult vote to wrangle but his mere presence helped party stay in charge. Now, Nebraska--a state that has voted Republican since 1964 and where the highest ranking Democrat, after Nelson, is the mayor of Omaha--is poised to send a Republican to the Senate. Nelson had a good chance of hanging on
even though he'd been excoriated back home by Republicans for supporting Obama's health care plan. Still as a popular former governor, he was as well positioned as anyone to win the seat. MORE FROM NATIONAL JOURNAL Gingrich's Consulting Empire
Represents Everything Conservatives Hate Pink Slips and Drug Tests: Where Congress Left Off Grading No Child Left Behind The problem for Democrats is that seven members of the party's in the Senate have said that they won't seek reelection next year
and many come from states where it'll be hard to hold the seat, such as Virginia and New Mexico and others like North Dakota where it may be close to impossible. Nelson's decision was no great shock. He'd been talking about it for sometime even as he continued to raise money for a reelection bid. But now that he's
out Democrats will have to redouble their efforts to preserve their majority. They'll especially have to focus on keeping the seats of members elected in the Democratic sweep in 2006. Some like Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DMinn., seem entirely same but Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Sen. John Tester, D-Mont. will have particularly tough fights. Now they face even more pressure to win. Image: Reuters / Jonathan Ernst This article available online at: http://www.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2011/12/what-ben -nelsons-retirement-means-for-the -senate-sweepstakes/250557/ This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/contentonly/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends: Donate to Wikileaks.
Technology/
87
Transformers Blu-ray 3D comes home January 31st in Ultimate and Collector's editions
Richard Lawler (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 3:11:00 PM
After a quickie Blu-ray dropped in the fall sans-extras, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is getting a full fledged release January 31st complete with 3D and four hours of bonus features. There's actually two versions coming, first up is the $39.99 four disc Ultimate Edition with a 2D copy on one disc, a Blu-ray full of extras, a Blu-ray 3D copy, and a DVD with the film in standard def plus iTunes / Windows Media Player compatible digital copies. Even though it's coming with that old school digital copy disc, this flick will also be Ultraviolet ready, so if you're packing the correct assortment of logins and software it can be downloaded or streamed on other devices. The other release is a $99 seven-disc Limited Collector's Edition Bluray Trilogy set that dedicates two discs each to the first two movies, and three for DotM as well as a signed plaque from the director. We may have to wait to see
Martin Scorsese's Hugo to see a Blu-ray 3D release to watch a good movie on the format, but the extensive work done in creating Transformer's visual effects should definitely hold over AV junkies until Avatar gets a wide release. Check out the press release with a full list of extras and a picture of the LCE after the break. Continue reading Transformers Blu-ray 3D comes home January
31st in Ultimate and Collector's editions Transformers Blu-ray 3D comes home January 31st in Ultimate and Collector's editions originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink| | Email this| Comments
Intel's 32nm Medfield SoC specs and benchmarks leak

Terrence O'Brien (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/27/2011 4:04:00 PM
Intel's Medfield may still be a ways from breaking into the smartphone and tablet market, but we're finally starting to get some concrete details on its specs and capabilities. VR-Zone got the bitty gritty on Chipzilla's first true SoC and it looks almost ready to run with the big dogs. A reference tablet, running at 1.6GHz with 1GB of RAM (which also packs Bluetooth, WiFi and FM radio) was put through some Android benchmarks and held it's own against a Tegra 2 and a
Snapdragon MSM8260 -- which pulled a 7,500 and 8,000 in Caffeinemark 3, respectively. The admittedly higher clocked Atom scored an impressive 10,500, though, power consumption on the pre-production chips was a bit higher than anticipated. At idle the fledgling Medfield was sucking down 2.6W and spiking to 3.6W under load. Ultimately Intel hopes to cut those numbers to 2W at idle and 2.6W while pushing out HD video -- not far off from current-gen ARM SoC. Lets not forget though, INTEL'S page 88
88
INTEL'S
benchmarks only tell part of the story -- we'll be waiting to see working hardware before declaring a victor. Intel's 32nm Medfield SoC specs and benchmarks leak originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27
Dec 2011 16:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink Netbook News| VRZone| Email this| Comments

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