Election 101: How an Iowa GOP caucus works (The Christian Science Monitor)

Skip to navigation ? Skip to content ? By Linda Feldmann Linda Feldmann ? Fri?Dec?30, 11:59?am?ET Follow Yahoo! News on , become a fan on Facebook

' + spanPhoto_caption + ' More photos ?

'; Y.one("#yn-title").insert(slideshow_code,'after'); Y.one("div.photo-big").setStyle("display","none"); break; } } }); });

'; Y.all("div.yn-story-content p").item(snippets[videoId][i][1]).insert(video_code,'after'); break; } } } }); });

'; Y.all("div.yn-story-content p").item(embed_after_paragraph_number).insert(slideshow_code, 'after'); break; } } } }); });

' Y.one("#yn-featured").insert(facebookCode,'before'); } }); });

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20111230/ts_csm/442798

in god we trust damian mcginty tj houshmandzadeh tj houshmandzadeh san onofre the little couple bubba smith

My Personal Experience Of Buying A Car From Japan?s Auto Auctions

I have to work hard to earn whatever money I make and I try to be as thrifty as possible. Cars are costly affairs and I do not see much point in getting a brand new one, hence I decided go for a used car, one that fits my limited budget of $ 5000. I was searching for used Japanese cars online can chanced upon Japanese car auctions. Since I admire the quality and workmanship of Japanese cars, the idea of buying an used Japanese car, direct from Japan through Japanese car auctions was very appealing.

From what I read, I found out that private buyers are not allowed to participate directly in Japan car auctions. Buyers such as me, would have to go through intermediaries ? export houses ? to indirectly take part in these auctions. These export firms have websites where they list the available cars and you can bid on these after you register.

You can choose and bid on any car you like. Since you cannot directly inspect a car, you must check out auction inspector?s report. Every car on auction is inspected before being put up for auction. Come auction date, the exporter will represent you and bid up to the amount you have set. If you are the highest bidder, you win the auction and have to make full payment in a week.

Once the payment is made, the exporter will ship your car to your address. Since, I was a newbie to these type of auctions, I ran a few checks. I checked whether the exporter was legitimate, the business agreement, the paperwork associated with buying imported cars etc.

Now, you?re probably asking why get a car from Japanese car auctions? Well, there are many reason. The average used car in Japan is in a much better condition, there are significant cost savings if you know what to bid on and the quality of Japanese cars is very good. Their pre-owned cars are also in better condition because of the stringent servicing requirements in Japan and the unpopularity of keeping old cars among locals. And, possible one of the main reasons I bought my car from an auction is that they have many new models used a year or so, on auction and there is a huge selection on offer.

If you want a used Japanese car that is in a very good state, buy your car from Japanese car auction. Follow this link to learn more about how you can buy cars from japan car auction.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HowToInvestToday/~3/xgAJePxKk_c/

heisman cp3 lakers news rachel crow rachel crow steelers browns albert pujols

Clark celebrates 40 years rocking New Year's Eve (AP)

NEW YORK ? Forty years ago, Dick Clark's New Year's Eve special was created to give young people an alternative to a seasonal institution, bandleader Guy Lombardo.

Now Clark's annual show is the institution.

"New Year's Rockin' Eve," with Clark and Ryan Seacrest, pays tribute to its own history during a sprawling, nearly six-hour program Saturday night. The celebration takes up all of prime time on ABC, breaks for a half-hour of local news, then comes back on the air for two and a quarter hours that includes the ball dropping in New York City's Times Square to mark the beginning of 2012.

"I'm looking forward to it being 2:15 (a.m. on Sunday)," said Larry Klein, who has been producing the show since 1977.

Clark's special shows no sign of slippage, after collecting its biggest audience in five years last year. The 18.8 million people who were watching ABC during the last half-hour of 2010 and first half-hour of 2011 were more than NBC and Fox's audience combined, the Nielsen ratings company said.

The show isn't designed to be a recap of the year in music, but that's almost what it turns out to be, Klein said.

In all, 29 separate musical performances are planned.

This year's headliner is Lady Gaga, who gets the prime slot in Times Square in the moments before midnight. Justin Bieber, Pitbull, Hot Chelle Rae, Florence + The Machine, Gym Class Heroes, Nicki Minaj and Taio Cruz are among the other featured performers from New York and Los Angeles. Beyonce is scheduled to perform from London, where she's on tour.

It may not seem so from that lineup, but Klein said booking the show is a challenge because performers frequently are offered some of their most lucrative gigs of the year on New Year's Eve. What Clark has to offer is exposure to a large audience not often seen this side of "American Idol."

And it's unique. Klein remembers Jennifer Lopez's exhilaration a few years back after performing in Times Square despite wearing a skimpy outfit and being pelted by freezing rain.

"No matter how much I can try to explain to people what it's like to be in Times Square live, I can't do it justice," he said. "You have to experience it once in your life."

During the first two hours, ABC will show clips of performances from past New Year's Eve specials, which Klein describes as a fascinating trip through hair, clothing and musical styles. Stars of Clark's first "Rockin' Eve" included Al Green, Helen Reddy and Three Dog Night.

New Year's Eve also marks the annual appearance of Clark, once a ubiquitous presence on television. A stroke makes it difficult for Clark to communicate, but he doesn't want to miss this show, Klein said.

"Dick is still Dick Clark," he said. "His communication is a little bit more difficult, but he's still involved in contemporary music. He listens to a lot, he knows a lot, he's still involved in the production. This is very important to him. This is one of his children."

Among the other big broadcasters, NBC and Fox will both be in Times Square on New Year's Eve, too. CBS hands its late-night schedule to its local affiliates.

Highlights of other New Year's Eve offerings:

_Carson Daly is host of a two-hour NBC special, sandwiching local news. The show is heavy on NBC personalities, with a comedy performance from Jimmy Fallon, a review of the year in music from NBC News anchor Brian Williams and performances by Fallon's "Late Night" band, the Roots, and Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton of "The Voice."

_Comic Rodney Carrington and "Pawn Stars" Rick Harrison and Austin "Chumlee" Russell host "American Country New Year's Eve Live" on Fox. Country stars Toby Keith and Joe Nichols are among the performers in a 90-minute special that switches between New York and Las Vegas.

_MTV's Times Square studio is the site of that network's New Year's Eve party, with Demi Lovato and "Teen Wolf" actor Tyler Posey as hosts. Lovato, Selena Gomez, J Cole and Mac Miller are among the performers.

_After 12 hours of counting down the year's top music videos, BET presents its "106 & Party" special at 11 p.m.

_Two news networks are also marking the occasion with specials. Fox News Channel's Bill Hemmer and Megyn Kelly are live in Times Square, and the network will have performances from country artists Big & Rich and Trace Adkins. On CNN, Anderson Cooper and comic Kathy Griffin have developed their own strange kind of chemistry, and will be back. Promises the outspoken Griffin: "By the time I'm done with him, Anderson's hair is going to be even more gray."

___

ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co.

___

Online:

http://abc.go.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_en_ot/us_tv_new_year_s_eve

the duchess the duchess hope solo hope solo texas high school football fugazi fugazi

Anti-union group files case against Boeing Machinists through NLRB

An anti-labor group contends that right-to-work states lost an opportunity to land Boeing manufacturing due to a "backroom deal" between Boeing and Machinists District Local 751 that ended the NLRB case. Above, the first 787 to roll on its own wheels at Boeing's plant in North Charleston, S.C.

A Virginia anti-union organization has filed what it called a ?federal retaliation charge? against the Machinists District Lodge 751 through the National Labor Relations Board? ? National Labor Relations Board Latest from The Business Journals Cooper Tire to resume negotiations with locked-out workersNLRB delays employee rights notice ruleNLRB delays employee rights notice rule Follow this company .

In a Dec. 28 release, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation contended that Boeing? ? Boeing Latest from The Business Journals BEST OF 2011: Charleston's ChallengeThe Street's Jim Cramer: 'Boeing has become one of my favorite stocks'Financial analyst high on Boeing stock in 2012 Follow this company workers in Charleston who had opposed unionization there were ?denied participation in the hearing concluding the case.?

According to the release, union leaders ?abused the NLRB?s adjudicative process to bully Boeing in locating production of the company?s 737 Max and future airplane production in Washington State.?

NLRB Spokeswoman Nancy Cleeland, in Washington, D.C., hadn?t heard about the charge until contacted by Puget Sound Business Journal.

?I am sure we will investigate because we investigate all charges against us, and we?ll take it from there,? she said.

The foundation, according to its website, is a ?nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by abuses of compulsory unionism.?

The Machinists had originally charged that Boeing had violated federal law by deciding to build the North Charleston factory as ?retaliation? for earlier labor activities in Washington state.

The foundation filed its charges on behalf of three Charleston-area Boeing employees who had earlier opposed unionizing there, the foundation release said.

NLRB Acting General Counsel Laef Solomon National Labor Relations Board? ? National Labor Relations Board Latest from The Business Journals Cooper Tire to resume negotiations with locked-out workersNLRB delays employee rights notice ruleNLRB delays employee rights notice rule Follow this company .

In a Dec. 28 release, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation contended that Boeing? ? Boeing Latest from The Business Journals BEST OF 2011: Charleston's ChallengeThe Street's Jim Cramer: 'Boeing has become one of my favorite stocks'Financial analyst high on Boeing stock in 2012 Follow this company workers in Charleston who had opposed unionization there were ?denied participation in the hearing concluding the case.?

According to the release, union leaders ?abused the NLRB?s adjudicative process to bully Boeing in locating production of the company?s 737 Max and future airplane production in Washington State.?

NLRB Spokeswoman Nancy Cleeland, in Washington, D.C., hadn?t heard about the charge until contacted by Puget Sound Business Journal.

?I am sure we will investigate because we investigate all charges against us, and we?ll take it from there,? she said.

The foundation, according to its website, is a ?nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by abuses of compulsory unionism.?

The Machinists had originally charged that Boeing had violated federal law by deciding to build the North Charleston factory as ?retaliation? for earlier labor activities in Washington state.

The foundation filed its charges on behalf of three Charleston-area Boeing employees who had earlier opposed unionizing there, the foundation release said.

NLRB Acting General Counsel Laef Solomon dropped charges against Boeing Dec. 9, two days after the union approved a four-year contract extension with the company Dec. 7.

STEVE WILHELM covers manufacturing, aerospace and trade for the Puget Sound Business Journal. Phone: 206-876-5427 | Email: swilhelm@bizjournals.com | Twitter: stevewilhelm108 Click here to sign up for the PSBJ Daily Update.

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_seattle/~3/m1t6N4A8stM/anti-union-group-files-case-against.html

the haunting in connecticut ashram ashram merce cunningham saints tim hightower tim hightower

Groupon Acquires Stealth Silicon Valley Startup Campfire Labs

TechCrunch:

Groupon has continued its (talent) acquisition spree with the recent purchase of a hot Silicon Valley startup before they even launched -- and with extremely little fanfare.

Read the whole story: TechCrunch

'; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/groupon-campfire-labs_n_1173419.html

chris carpenter chris carpenter the brothers grimm the brothers grimm penn state football weather boston grimm fairy tales

Anastasia Vitkina: Hot and Heavy with Jim Carrey!

The mystery woman has been identified.

According to New York Post sources, the blonde on Jim Carrey's arm over the last few weeks is named Anastasia Vitkina. She's a Russian student in New York and insiders confirm she and the 49-year old actor are quite "hot and heavy" these days.

Vitkina is reportedly the ex-girlfriend of one of Carrey's pals and the two were spotted at a Guns N’ Roses gig in Los Angeles this month. She's the first woman Carrey has seriously dated since he and Jenny McCarthy ended their five-year relationship.

We're just glad he's over his creepy crush on Emma Stone.

[Photo: Pacific Coast News]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/anastasia-vitkina-hot-and-heavy-with-jim-carrey/

houston nutt houston nutt peter marshall peter marshall zombie boy zombie boy harvard yale

Rick Perry Campaign Challenges Virginia Ballot Requirements in Federal Court (ABC News)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/179844835?client_source=feed&format=rss

do a barrel roll. florida state football florida state football fsu football fsu football do a barrelroll bérénice marlohe

NKorea pointing to heir's uncle playing key role (AP)

PYONGYANG, North Korea ? North Korea on Sunday aired footage showing the uncle and key patron of anointed heir Kim Jong Un wearing a military uniform with a general's insignia ? a strong sign he'll play a crucial role in helping the young man take over power and uphold the "military-first" policy initiated by his late father, Kim Jong Il.

The footage on state television shows Jang Song Thaek in uniform as he pays respects before Kim Jong Il's body lying in state at Kumsusan Memorial Palace. Seoul's Unification Ministry says it's the first time Jang, usually seen in business suits, has been shown wearing a military uniform on state TV.

Little by little, North Korea is offering hints on the details of Kim Jong Un's rise and the future composition of his inner circle as millions continue to mourn for his father, who died just over a week ago. North Korea has also begun hailing Kim Jong Un as "supreme leader" of the 1.2-million strong military as it ramps up its campaign to install him as ruler.

"Let's become comrades of ... great comrade Kim Jong Un, the sun of the 21st century!" the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary carried Sunday by the official Korean Central News Agency.

The new title, a public show of support from top military leadership and the symbolic appearance of Jang in uniform send a strong signal that the nation will maintain Kim Jong Il's "military first" policy for the time being.

South Korean intelligence has reportedly predicted Kim Jong Un's aunt Kim Kyong Hui, a key Workers' Party official, and her husband Jang, who is a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, will play larger roles supporting the heir.

Jang and his wife have risen to the top of North Korea's political and military elite since the succession campaign began two years ago. Both 65, they also have the weight of seniority so important in a society that places a premium on age and alliances.

Kim Jong Un made a third visit Saturday to the palace where his father's body is lying in state ? this time as "supreme leader of the revolutionary armed forces" and accompanied by North Korea's top military brass, according to KCNA.

Earlier, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper urged Kim Jong Un to accept the top military post: "Comrade Kim Jong Un, please assume the supreme commandership, as wished by the people."

Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and was unveiled in September 2010 as his father's choice as successor, will be the third-generation Kim to rule the nation of 24 million. His father and grandfather led the country under different titles, and it remains unclear which other titles will be bestowed on the grandson.

Kim Il Sung, who founded North Korea in 1948, retains the title of "eternal president" even after his death in 1994.

His son, Kim Jong Il, ruled the country in his capacity as chairman of the National Defense Commission while concurrently serving as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and general secretary of the Workers' Party.

Kim Jong Un was promoted to four-star general and appointed a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party. He had been expected to assume a number of other key posts while being groomed to succeed his father.

His father's death comes at a sensitive time for North Korea, which was in the middle of discussions with the U.S. on food aid and restarting talks to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program. Chronically short of food and suffering from a shortfall in basic staples after several harsh seasons, officials had been asking for help feeding its people even as North Koreans prepared for 2012 celebrations marking Kim Il Sung's 100th birthday.

North Korea has emphasized the Kim family legacy during the sped-up succession movement for Kim Jong Un. State media invoked Kim Il Sung in declaring the people's support for the next leader, comparing the occasion to Kim Jong Il's ascension to "supreme commander" exactly 20 years ago Saturday.

At the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Kim Jong Un and senior commanders paid silent tribute to Kim Jong Il, "praying for his immortality," KCNA said. The military also pledged its loyalty to Kim Jong Un, the report said.

"Let the whole army remain true to the leadership of Kim Jong Un over the army," KCNA reported ? a pledge reminiscent of those made when Kim Jong Il was named supreme commander.

The call to rally behind Kim Jong Un, dubbed the "Great Successor" in the wake of his father's death on Dec. 17 from a heart attack, comes amid displays of grief across North Korea. The official mourning period lasts until after Kim's funeral Wednesday and a memorial Thursday.

In Pyongyang, workers at beverage kiosks handed steaming cups of water to shivering mourners, including children bundled up in colorful, thick parkas. State media said Sunday the drinks were arranged at the instruction of Kim Jong Un, who ordered officials to take special measures to protect the health of mourners.

A throng of North Koreans climbed steps and placed flowers and wreaths in a neat row below a portrait of Kim Jong Il as solemn music filled the air and young uniformed soldiers, their heads shaved, bowed before his picture.

A sobbing Jong Myong Hui, a Pyongyang citizen taking a break from shoveling snow, told AP Television News that she came out voluntarily to "clear the way for Kim Jong Il's last journey."

Despite the grief, there are signs that the country is beginning to move on, with people going to work and "not giving way simply to sorrow," KCNA said. "They are getting over the demise of their leader, promoted by a strong will to closely rally around respected Comrade Kim Jong Un."

The Korean peninsula has remained in a technical state of war since the Koreas' 1950-53 conflict, but two groups from South Korea have permission from the South Korean government to visit the North to pay their respects, Unification Ministry spokesman Choi Boh-seon said Saturday in Seoul.

One group will be led by the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung, who held a landmark summit with Kim Jong Il in 2000, and the other by the wife of a late businessman with ties to the North.

On Sunday, North Korea accused South Korea of blocking many other groups from visiting Pyongyang to pay respects, warning the action would trigger "unpredictable catastrophic consequences" in relations between the countries. An unidentified spokesman at the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification said North Korea will test how sincere South Korea is in its calls for improved ties with North Korea.

The spokesman's statement was carried by KCNA.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said it will allow only the two groups to visit the North.

___

Associated Press writers Foster Klug and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee contributed to this report. Follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/newsjean and twitter.com/APKlug.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_as/as_kim_jong_il

jason trawick jerry lewis tampa bay bucs cowboys cowboys slim dunkin slim dunkin

Jayhawks in the NBA December 26, 2011 12:38 a.m.

Here is how former Jayhawks fared in NBA action Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011.

Cole Aldrich, Oklahoma City Thunder

Did not play (coach's decision)

Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat

3 pts, 4 ast, 4 stl, 1 reb

Nick Collison, Oklahoma City Thunder

4 pts, 2 reb, 1 stl

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

Did not play (heel injury)

Brandon Rush, Golden State Warriors

12 pts, 3 reb, 2 blk, 1 stl

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5664220030

day light savings day light savings us geological survey us geological survey oklahoma fall back time change

Brad Balfour: New Thrillers and James Bond to Watch This Holiday Season

Exotic locations, fast cars, beautiful women, and crazy gadgets are the excitements in today's cinematic thrillers -- whether they be spy-oriented, crime adventure, or a suspense mystery.

And with such films as Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows, Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, The Adventures of Tin Tin, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, and Tinker Tailor, Soldier Spy (all which opened this weekend or very recently), there's a good chance of catching one variation or another of the genre.

Of this bunch, all pretty much satisfy the basic strictures of these spy/cop/crime dramas -- good guys, skillful associates (at least one of them has to be an attractive, sexy woman -- or, in Tin Tin's case, a cute dog) nasty villains, wealthy magnates, fancy moves and incredible weaponry. Only Tinker Tailor is more of an arthouse production with more talk and little action.

Among these four, the Brad Bird-directed Mission Impossible best hits the genre's high points with the most balanced results. Between its smart use of humor (with the comic Simon Pegg as one of the IMF's skilled team), Tom Cruise's gymnastic moves and Paula Patton's sultry turns, the film's story pulses forward.

Though the digitally animated Tin Tin reigns as the latest advance in performance-capture, it also serves as a successor to director Steven Spielberg's love affair with adventure films seen through such series as the Indiana Jones tales -- and terrier Snowy makes for a much smarter, cuter sidekick than Shia LeBouf. In Tin Tin's case, this series has lots more gas in its narrative engine than the now-tired Indie Jones saga.

Both Sherlock Holmes and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo deal with bloodthirsty villains -- one who kills for perverse greed, the other for sadistic passions -- and present convoluted stories that come to uncertain conclusions. While they each offer slick, visually stimulating sequences of death and destruction, one seems a sleekly-made yet unnecessary remake (Dragon) and the other an almost too-peculiar re-imagining (Holmes).

Drawing on author John Le Carre's cerebral novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy investigates the secret agent landscape as an intellectual exercise. In director Tomas Alfredson's version, this story of spymaster George Smiley ferreting out a mole in the British espionage bureaucracy tries to recreate the novel's complex machinations, but it spurs more confusion than insight.

And all of these films have roots in a raft of source material, but the granddaddy of it all is the James Bond series, longest running franchise in film history.

Some of the series' cinematic excursions ranged far afield from Ian Fleming's original novels where the world's most suave, savvy spy was actually a lot grittier and more of a cold, ruthless operator.

While the filmic Bond increasingly relied on fancy gadgets to enhance the drama -- especially after the character became far more of coy caricature during the Roger Moore years -- it still influenced a crop of sometimes superior imitators. And now the character has returned to a harder edge through actor Daniel Craig's recent re-invention.

Normally the Bond films can only be viewed on various DVD and Blu-ray sets but they have been viewable all this month on Epix -- the premium entertainment service available on television, video-on-demand, online and on consumer electronic devices.

And they dovetail into today's marathon of Bond movies. So if you still hunger for the original thrills set in play through James, the following are viewable: Goldfinger (3:45 pm ET), Thunderball (5:45 pm ET), Live and Let Die (8 pm ET), and You Only Live Twice (10 pm).

For more info go to: www.EpixHD.com

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brad-balfour/new-thrillers-and-james-b_b_1169584.html

vt cleveland browns fred thompson fred thompson los angeles angels los angeles angels lindsay lohan’s playboy cover leaked online

Biz Brain: saving for your grandchildren's college tuition

Q. I have been saving for college for my three grandchildren. The oldest is now a high school senior in Virginia. She is an honor student, and lives with her mother ? a single parent with no help. The mother lost her job two years ago and is unable to find a decent job. I have about $20,000 for this child. Should I withdraw it and send to her future college?
? Grandma

A. It?s great that you want to help out with education costs for your grandchildren.

Before deciding exactly what you should do with the $20,000, you need to get some additional information.

First, understand the annual projected costs for the school she will attend, from tuition to grocery money and everything in between, said Jim Marchesi, a certified financial planner with Mill Ridge Wealth Management in Chester. Next, determine what financial aid, loans and grants would be available to your granddaughter.

?You want to make sure you assist in such a way that doesn?t diminish her ability to get financial aid from other sources,? Marchesi said. ?While you?re right in thinking to pay the college directly to avoid potential gifting issues if the money went to your granddaughter, you would need to know if such a contribution would affect your grandchild?s eligibility for other college financial aid.?
Marchesi said while $20,000 is a large sum of money, today?s college costs could eat that up in a hurry. A game plan to meet the entire cost of the education experience needs to be developed, and from there, the best use of your generosity can be determined.

When you have that information, Marchesi said you might want to put the money in a 529 Savings Plan for flexibility. You?d maintain control of the funds and contributions would grow tax-free.

?There are no federal income taxes on the earnings if the money is used to pay for education expenses,? he said. ?If the grandchild does not attend college, the account?s beneficiary can be easily changed.?

From a financial aid standpoint, Marchesi said a 529 account owned by a grandparent would most likely not be included when determining a student?s financial aid eligibility unless the grandparent claims the child as a dependent on their tax return.

Another option is a pre-paid 529 Plan, said Alan Meckler, a certified financial planner with Cornerstone Financial Group in Succasunna. These state-sponsored programs allow you to pay today?s prices for future tuition.

?Although some plans require students to attend a state university, most states let you use the money at any accredited higher-ed institution,? Meckler said. ?You generally have to live in a state to join its pre-paid plan.?

To learn more about how these plans work, and what the rules are for the Virginia plan, check savingforcollege.com.

?Karin Price Mueller

E-mail your questions to askbiz@starledger.com.

Source: http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/biz_brain_saving_for_your_gran.html

lauren alaina lowes best buy black friday frys ad a very gaga thanksgiving black friday walmart 2011 sams club

ZeeNews: Oz leave out Christian, Starc for 1st Test against India http://t.co/sOwVHV1Q

• Passer la navigation
• Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
• Passer cette ?tape
• Connexion

• Connexion
• Rejoignez Twitter !

Oz leave out Christian, Starc for 1st Test against India mgc.li/dbn Il y a environ 7 heures via Magic Link

ZeeNews

Zee News

Pied de page

• ? 2011 Twitter
• ? propos de nous
• Contact
• Blog
• Statut
• Ressources
• API
• Entreprises
• Aide
• Offres d'emploi
• Conditions
• Confidentialit?

Source: http://twitter.com/ZeeNews/statuses/150641263136346113

jeff garcia big east jesse james pearl harbor day discovery channel jersey shore season 5 lea michele

smosa: #Youtube y #Google inician el invierno con dos peculiaridades. En un video pulsa el copo de nieve y busca en Google Let is Snow.

• Help
• About
• FAQ
• TOS
• Privacy
• Source
• Version
• Contact

Identi.ca is a microblogging service brought to you by Status.net. It runs the StatusNet microblogging software, version 1.0.1, available under the GNU Affero General Public License.

All Identi.ca content and data are available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.

Switch to mobile site layout.

Source: http://identi.ca/notice/87396295

amazon promotional code artificial christmas trees bean bag chairs android tablet arthur christmas asus transformer nebraska football

Banks gorge on ECB loans (Reuters)

FRANKFURT (Reuters) ? Banks gobbled up nearly 490 billion euros in three-year cut-price loans from the European Central Bank on Wednesday, easing immediate fears of a credit crunch but leaving unresolved how much will flow to needy euro zone economies.

Following a string of failed attempts by euro zone leaders to thwart market attacks on the bloc's weaker members, hopes of crisis relief before the year-end had been pinned on a massive uptake of the ECB's ultra-long and ultra-cheap loans.

The near half a trillion euro take-up of ECB funds exceeded almost all forecasts. A total of 523 banks borrowed with demand way above the 310 billion euros expected by traders polled by Reuters, making it the most the bank has ever pumped into the financial system.

"The take-up was massive ... much higher than the expected 300 billion euros. Liquidity on the banking system has now increased considerably," said Annalisa Piazza at Newedge Strategy.

The funding should bolster banks' finances, ease the threat of a credit crunch and maybe tempt them to buy Italian and Spanish bonds, thereby easing the currency area's sovereign debt crisis.

But analysts said there was little prospect of the cash being hurled at the debt of euro zone weaklings and, while an interbank lending freeze may have been averted, the lack of trust between banks to lend to each other remains unresolved.

Optimism that the lunge for funding would ease Europe's two-year old debt crisis quickly faded, sending the euro and stocks lower after an initial jump.

Banks have struggled to attract funding mainly because of worries about the underlying health of euro zone countries and their exposure to it, so becoming more reliant on the ECB and pledging more assets against those loans may add to the problem.

"It's helpful. It's more than a sticking plaster, although it's by no means the solution longer term," said Chris Wheeler, bank analyst at Mediobanca in London.

HELP FOR ITALY AND SPAIN?

The debt problems of Greece, Portugal, Ireland and now Italy and Spain have taken the euro zone's troubles to new heights in recent months and raised serious questions about whether the euro, the currency shared by the 17 euro zone countries, can survive in its current form.

While a lending crunch may have been avoided thanks to the ECB's latest move, it is much less certain that banks will use the money to buy Italian and Spanish government debt, as French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged, given the competing pressures on them to cut risk, rebuild capital and lend to business.

"While this might help to address recent signs of renewed tensions in credit markets and support bank lending, we remain skeptical of the idea that the operation will ease the sovereign debt crisis too," said Jonathan Loynes, Chief European Economist at Capital Economics.

Banks will not increase their exposure to sovereign debt because European Bank Authority (EBA) rules discourage it, Italy's banking association (ABI) said.

"The EBA rules are a deterrent for buying sovereign bonds, so not even the ECB's important liquidity injection ... can be used to support sovereign debt," ABI director general Giovanni Sabatini told reporters.

Given those doubts, most market experts say only more aggressive and direct buying of government bonds by the ECB will help ameliorate the crisis, something it is reluctant to do.

Italy alone faces about 150 billion euros of debt refinancing between April and March and data on Wednesday showed its economy - the euro zone's third largest - shrank in the third quarter, while the ABI forecast a recession next year.

"The crisis is far from over. What I am particularly concerned about is the first quarter of 2012, because of financing needs which are very high," one senior euro zone policymaker told Reuters.

"The fact that the ECB has now made available the 3 year credit lines plus made the collateral more flexible will help banks a lot."

More than a dozen Italian banks, including top lenders UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo, tapped at least 49 billion euros ($64.2 billion) of new three-year loans, according to data and banking sources.

One source from a Spanish bank said nearly all Spanish banks had participated in the 3-year ECB auction.

FUNDING JUGGLE

One of the key factors certain to have boosted demand is that banks are now more reliant than ever on central bank funds. The ECB on Monday said, in its semi-annual Financial Stability Review, that this dependency could be difficult to cure.

French banks have almost quadrupled their intake of ECB money since June to 150 billion euros, while banks in Italy and Spain are each taking more than 100 billion euros.

ECB President Mario Draghi had been pressing banks to take the money since announcing the plans earlier this month. He warned of a chance of a credit crunch on Monday and said that euro zone bond market pressure could rise to unprecedented levels early next year.

The 3-year funds were offered at an interest rate which will be the average of ECB's main interest rate over the next three years. That benchmark rate is, after a rate cut earlier this month, at a record low of 1.0 percent.

For some banks the new money could be more than 3 percentage points cheaper than they can get on the open market. As part of the deal, they were able to convert one-year loans they took from the ECB in October into the new three-year loans and also will be able to pay it back after just a year if they so wish.

The ECB was already lending banks 515 billion euros before Wednesday but the new loans will not simply stack on top.

Banks switched 45.7 billion euros out of the one-year loans they took in October. They also scaled down their three-month borrowing from the ECB to 30 billion euros from 140 billion and almost halved their intake of one-week loans this week.

Analysts at Royal Bank of Scotland said the actual amount of new money going in to the system as a result of that juggling reduced the headline number to around 200 billion euros.

"The key question now is whether this net new liquidity addition of close to 200 billion euros will be used to purchase sovereign bonds, lend to the economy or pay maturing bonds," said RBS economist Nick Matthews.

(Reporting by Marc Jones, additional reporting Luca Trogni, Gabriella Bruschi, Steve Slater, Jesus Aguado and Jan Strupczewski, editing by Mike Peacock)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111221/bs_nm/us_ecb3yr_loans

hobbit trailer greenhill nj plane crash plane crash new jersey beef o bradys bowl the hobbit sopa

ifpri: Turkey supports LDCs with T?KA #agricultural #development program for #Africa http://t.co/MmuS1D5U

• Passer la navigation
• Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
• Passer cette ?tape
• Connexion

• Connexion
• Rejoignez Twitter !

Turkey supports LDCs with T?KA #agricultural #development program for #Africa bit.ly/vma1fk Il y a environ 9 heures via web

ifpri

Pied de page

• ? 2011 Twitter
• ? propos de nous
• Contact
• Blog
• Statut
• Ressources
• API
• Entreprises
• Aide
• Offres d'emploi
• Conditions
• Confidentialit?

Source: http://twitter.com/ifpri/statuses/149595069270335488

al franken al franken mary did you know seattle seahawks grammy nominations philadelphia eagles vince young

Understanding Congress' payroll tax cut fight (AP)

WASHINGTON ? If President Barack Obama, the House and the Senate all want to extend a Social Security payroll tax cut and jobless benefits through next year, why are they fighting so bitterly over doing it?

Obama, House Democrats and lopsided majorities of both parties in the Senate want to immediately renew the tax cut and jobless benefits for the next two months, and find a way later to extend them through 2012. House Republicans want to do it for a full year right away.

That doesn't sound like an unbridgeable gap. Yet the fight has evolved into a year-end partisan grudge match with no clear resolution in sight and with huge political and economic stakes.

Without action, the payroll tax paid by 160 million workers will rise by 2 percentage points to 6.2 percent on Jan. 1. That would mean $1,000 a year less in the pockets of people making $50,000, or about $19 weekly. In addition, 3 million people currently receiving long-term jobless benefits will begin to lose weekly payments that average under $300 ? for many, their only support.

Following is a guided tour, in question and answer form, through the dispute.

Q: Why do Obama and the Senate want to extend the tax cut and jobless benefits by only two months?

A: Actually, they don't. When the Senate voted overwhelmingly last weekend for a two-month bill backed by Obama, it was a fallback position after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., disagreed over ways to pay for a yearlong extension. Both sides agreed they would not let the bill increase long-term deficits.

The Senate's two-month version continues the payroll tax and jobless benefits at this year's levels and costs $33 billion. The bargainers agreed to pay for that by raising fees people pay for new mortgages or refinancing insured by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-backed mortgage companies. For a $200,000 mortgage, the fee increase would raise a borrower's cost about $17 a month.

A full-year extension would cost around $200 billion, and the two sides couldn't agree on how to pay for that. So they agreed on a bill extending the tax cuts and jobless benefits through February, and then they would return early next year to resolve their differences over a yearlong measure.

Q: The government spends over $3.5 trillion every year. How hard can it be to find another $170 billion or so in savings?

A: It's been tough because of the math and the ways each side would do it.

The two parties seemed to agree that additional savings could come from a federal sale of parts of the broadcast spectrum, and by requiring government workers to contribute more to their pensions. Beyond that are vast differences, substantive and political.

A yearlong extension that the GOP-run House passed this month would make higher-income seniors pay more for Medicare coverage and cut spending for parts of Obama's health care overhaul law enacted last year. Democrats oppose both those provisions.

Democrats have proposed paying for a one-year extension of the payroll tax and federal unemployment benefits by imposing a 1.9 percent surtax on income above $1 million a year, a non-starter with Republicans. During talks between top Senate Democrats and Republicans, Democrats also proposed other ways of boosting levies on the wealthy, but those were rejected.

Q: Are there any other differences?

A: They're also fighting over the jobless benefits taxpayers should provide as the economy slowly improves.

Democrats want to keep the current structure. Most states provide 26 weeks of unemployment coverage, and federal programs enacted since the recession boost the eligibility up to 99 weeks in some states.

The House-passed bill would pare that total coverage to a maximum 79 weeks. That probably would fall even further in some states as employment improves. The House bill also requires benefit recipients without high school diplomas to pursue education alternatives and lets states test recipients for drug use.

Q: While they work through these differences, why the fuss over whether Congress first approves a two-month or a one-year plan?

A: For one thing, many freshman and conservative House Republicans are tired of compromising with the Senate and want their leaders to take a stand. They also say a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut would create uncertainty for taxpayers and businesses and problems for employers' payroll systems.

Many House Republicans hate the idea of keeping the issue alive until March 1, when the two-month bill would expire. Democrats have damaged Republicans politically with proposals to pay for the payroll tax cut by boosting levies on the rich. GOP lawmakers solidly oppose that approach, saying it would discourage job creation, and Democrats have used that to argue that Republicans are defending the wealthy at the expense of the middle class.

That's not an argument Republicans want to spend the 2012 election year having. As a result, many want to avoid additional votes on the matter next year, and they don't want to let Obama spend next month's State of the Union address discussing it. They would rather spend 2012 voting on issues they feel are on their terrain, like blocking Obama administration regulations, reducing the size of government and cutting its spending.

Q: What about Democrats?

A: They say the tax cut and unemployment coverage must be renewed to protect the millions who would be hurt Jan. 1. They also have no desire to surrender leverage by abandoning the two-month deal negotiated by the Senate's Reid and McConnell.

But they, too, have political motivations.

Democrats cite economists who say the payroll tax would pump enough money into the economy to help it grow slightly next year. Knowing that the 2012 presidential and congressional races are likely to hinge on the economy's performance, they want to take no chances with anything that might tip the economy in the wrong direction. To them, that means the payroll tax cut and extra jobless coverage must be extended.

Q: Wouldn't these bills also prevent a scheduled cut in reimbursements to doctors who treat Medicare patients?

A: Yes, a 27 percent reduction takes effect next month unless Congress acts. Doctors say that cut would discourage physicians from treating the elderly people served by Medicare. Neither party wants to anger older voters by limiting their access to doctors.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_go_co/us_congress_payroll_tax_q_a

wvu football meteor shower tonight district 9 district 9 pandaria pandaria artie lange

Judy Shapiro: How One 'Little' Book Became a Movement That Saved a Gay Teen's Life

Kids' books have been long cherished as a way for kids to learn about their world. In fact, the more complex their lives become, the more stories take on a new significance.

This is perhaps why it's not hard to spot a book that seems to be a "little" book but is, in fact, a portal to something much more important. This is the story of a remarkable book, a powerful movement, and one very scared, young middle-school student.

The book, Cassandra's Angel, is a beautifully illustrated, modern-day fairy tale about Cassandra and her angel, who teaches her to understand that the stories she is told from the people in her life can get in the way of her becoming who she came here to be. It strives to instill in kids the ideas of self-reliance, self-worth, tolerance and self-acceptance early in life.

But the book is just the window into something much bigger. The author, Gina Otto, a veteran of film and TV, found that this message of self-worth is not told enough. "In your life," she says, "everyone is going to have an opinion of you, but no one's opinion is more true than the truth within your own heart. And when you find that truth, you light up the whole world."

So she created Cassandra's Angel, to combat the damage mainstream media was having on the hearts, minds, and self-perception of girls. "One day, I was working on a diet cola commercial, and I had a sudden awareness: this is an industry that uses anorexic models to sell diet cola to teenage girls. So I quit a 12-year career and woke up the next day a girls advocate," said Otto.

Then, courageously and in true Hollywood style, the book she created became the cornerstone of her multi-media Change My World Now Movement, complete with a bus tour featuring the musical interpretation of the book, and a socially conscious, content-driven, companion website for social networking.

Now with that backdrop, let's see how this "little" book happened to come into the life of this particular boy on this particular day.

The Change My World Now bus tour was doing a performance at a school during New Jersey's "Week of Respect" project, a program that's part of the state's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act designed to educate kids about harassment and bullying. It is heartbreaking to know that
roughly 28 percent of kids all kids have experienced bullying.

After this particular performance, a student approached Ms. Otto. "Thank you," he said. "I liked the performance." Then he added, almost casually, "You pretty much saved my life today." Concerned by the comment, Otto pulled him aside, began a conversation and learned that he was a gay teen, new to the school that year and had been bullied relentlessly. He had been seriously considering taking his life earlier that week because he "just couldn't take it anymore."

The teen explained, "Watching the performance today and seeing how Cassandra did not cave in to the pressure from the other kids gave me hope to know that I could do that, too. It just made me feel good to know that people get through things like this."

That's the power of Cassandra's Angel. It is part book, part entertainment platform, all designed to work together within the Change My World Now community, where kids can replace their real-world isolation with a safe, digital social community space that values diverse voices.

It is so heartening to see how collectively, there is an awakening to the fact that it is our diversity as human beings that brings out the full beauty of life. More and more, we are seeing needed attention on the issue from celebrities, like Lady Gaga, who are lending their fame to help kids cope. Just recently, Lady Gaga announced the Born this Way Foundation, whose goal is to "empower youth -- inspire bravery." Most wonderfully, she even created this video on the topic, where she urges that bullying be deemed a hate crime (and I totally agree).

Like Lady Gaga, Gina Otto understands the challenges kids face in finding their own voice in the midst of today's heavy-handed, digitized media world. "You can't really 'teach' self-respect -- it is something that kids have to find within themselves," Ms. Otto observes. "Cassandra's Angel and the Change My World Now movement help kids find true self-esteem by giving them a community in which they belong, and a place where they can become a person of consequence" (as seen in this video).

It indeed takes a digital village to be a counterweight to the complex media world our children are exposed to. Thank goodness there are angels here among us -- we just have to look.

For more information:
Change My World Now Movement: changemyworldnow.com
Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation: bornthiswayfoundation.org

?

Follow Judy Shapiro on Twitter: www.twitter.com/judyshapiro

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judy-shapiro/cassandras-angel-change-my-world-now_b_1141330.html

molokai molokai ashton kutcher twitter sandusky barbados raiders chargers latin grammys

Sony eyes Vita push, feels Fitch heat (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Sony Corp, set to report a $1 billion loss this year, is banking on a big slate of new software to drive sales of its new PlayStation Vita handheld games device, even as Fitch downgraded the Japanese electronics giant to a notch above junk.

Welshman Andrew House, who took the top job at Sony Computer Entertainment in September, must plot a much-needed success story for the Vita, negotiating a minefield of consumer gloom and competition from smartphones and tablet PCs such as Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad.

Sony, which has forecast a fourth straight annual loss this year, launches the Vita in Japan this weekend.

It hopes a package of 24 software titles at launch will help the gadget avoid the fate of rival Nintendo's 3DS, which flopped shortly after launch, forcing a hefty price cut.

"It's unprecedented for us to achieve that degree of publisher and development support ... we adopted a different approach to the lead-up to the platform in terms of our relationships with publishers and developers," House told reporters at Sony's Tokyo head office on Thursday.

He said he hoped the Vita would outsell its predecessor, the PlayStation Portable (PSP), which has shipped 73 million units since launching in late-2004.

The videogames unit made a first profit in 5 years in the year to March, as it squeezed production costs for the Playstation 3, boosting profits for the whole company. The unit's sales accounted for more than a tenth of Sony's 7 trillion yen in total revenue.

But costs involved in driving Vita sales may push the unit back into the red this year, adding to Sony's struggle with huge losses in televisions.

Sony needs the Vita to be a hit to ease the pain from its TV business, which is set for an annual loss of $2.2 billion, an eighth straight year of losses. Sony is looking to halve that loss next year, but has given few details on how it plans to get the business back into profit.

FITCH MOVE

The Fitch ratings agency turned up the heat by downgrading Sony to BBB- - a notch above non-investment, or junk, grade - from BBB, citing the group's weakened financial performance and the challenges it faces in recapturing its former strong position in key markets.

"A likely overall FY12 EBIT loss, excluding financial services, and an increase in debt driven by acquisitions will significantly weaken Sony's credit profile," said Nitin Soni, Associate Director in Fitch's Asia-Pacific Telecommunications, Media and Technology team.

Sony said in October it was taking over its mobile phone joint venture with Ericsson for $1.5 billion, and is also leading a group to buy EMI's music publishing operations in a deal valued at $2.2 billion.

"Of course, if the rating is downgraded it makes it more expensive for them to raise money, so it's not good," said Keita Wakabayashi, an analyst at Mito Securities.

"(Sony has) slashed its profit outlook for the current year and even if the North American market has improved slightly, European and Japanese markets and emerging markets are in a severe state. So downgrades are something we'll have to keep in mind."

VITA

The Vita, featuring a 5-inch OLED display and 3G connectivity, sold out in advance bookings in Japan, where buyers have rushed to upgrade from the PSP. Sony has not provided a unit sales target for the Vita.

The United States and Europe may pose a tougher challenge as a February 22 launch date for the Vita comes well after the crucial year-end holiday sales season.

"We've been told the PS Vita sold out on pre-bookings. How it sells next year depends on the software. If they can come up with something like Monster Hunter they will be able to sell a lot, but if they don't, prospects don't look so bright," said Mito's Wakabayashi, referring to a game title that drove sales of the PSP in Japan.

The challenge from smartphones and tablets comes on top of competition from long-standing domestic rival Nintendo, which aims to sell 16 million of its cheaper 3DS handheld games devices by March. Sony on Thursday said it was keeping to its target of selling 15 million PS3 game machines in the year through March.

Another rival, Microsoft, doesn't offer a portable device.

After a slump in sales, Nintendo slashed the price of its handheld gadget in August by about 40 percent to $170, compared with $249 for the PS Vita, or $299 for the 3G version.

The games industry has shrugged off the broader economic gloom and is forecast to top $81 billion by 2016, according to research firm DFC Intelligence, up 23 percent from this year and more than three times the size of the recorded music industry.

Much of that growth is likely to be in online, social and casual games, rather than the traditional hardware model that has been Sony's staple.

Japan's software houses are pouring resources into mobile social gaming, and industry executives have expressed some concern over the future for dedicated handheld gaming devices.

Sony was criticized in June, when it announced the pricing of the Vita, for making the gadget too expensive, and has teamed up with U.S. telecoms firm AT&T as Vita's exclusive carrier. Many U.S. iPhone users have complained that AT&T provided poor connectivity.

Sony shares closed down 1.5 percent on Thursday, their lowest in two weeks.

(Reporting by Isabel Reynolds, Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111215/tc_nm/us_sony_vita

la auto show powerball winning numbers powerball winning numbers uc davis pepper spray uc davis pepper spray usc oregon breaking dawn part 2

A nation of willing guinea pigs?

FOR decades, the UK's National Health Service has provided medical care to the country's citizens. The records of that care ? given to some 62 million British citizens, at last count, constitute a cache of medical data of incomparable scale and depth. This week, Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to open up large parts of that database to anyone who wants it.

Cameron's idea, part of a package designed to stimulate the faltering British pharmaceuticals industry, is that researchers will mine this treasure trove to investigate genetic and lifestyle clues to the causes of diseases, including cancer and dementia, and to identify patients who might benefit from new drugs.

This is not the first time a government has made such a proposal. During the 1990s, Iceland's government wanted to compile a database of medical records, DNA samples and genealogical records for the country's entire population. But the plan foundered in the face of fears that it would compromise patient confidentiality ? and that may yet stymie this latest proposal. While the data will be anonymised and patients will be able to opt out, critics argue that few will exercise that right, and confidentiality can be hard to guarantee when such specific details are at issue.

Are they right to be worried? The reality is that academics, companies and charities have been mining the reams of patient data accumulated by the NHS for decades. The UK Association of Cancer Registries, for example, has been extracting and analysing cancer data for 40 years without a single recorded breach of confidentiality.

Nor is public opposition necessarily entrenched. Many Icelanders subsequently handed over intimate medical information to a company called deCODE Genetics while the UK Biobank has enrolled more than half a million volunteers.

It remains to be seen whether such efforts will offer truly valuable insights, but massive data-gathering initiatives represent one of the best options we have for tackling complex diseases. While Cameron's job is to ensure the UK benefits scientifically and commercially from any such databank, any advances will ultimately be of value right around the world. The idea deserves support.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

Have your say

Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.

Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article

Subscribe now to comment.

All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.

If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1ab41741/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Carticle0Cdn212440Ea0Enation0Eof0Ewilling0Eguinea0Epigs0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

tuscaloosa tuscaloosa earthquake california earthquake california crimson tide crimson tide wake forest

Xbox Companion app for WP7 will launch alongside the new dashboard December 6th

The fall 2011 dashboard update for Microsoft's Xbox 360 is just a day or so away from arriving and while certain video partners may not be ready to ring the bell day one, its slick Xbox Companion app for Windows Phone 7 (caught on video here and here) will be there. The app lets users search the Xbox catalog of games, movies, and more directly from their phone, get second screen information on what ever the console is currently playing, see friend activity, or act as a remote control. It's free for all WP7 users and will be available Tuesday, check the gallery below for a few more screen shots and Major Nelson's blog for specific details.

Gallery: Xbox Companion App for WP7

Xbox Companion app for WP7 will launch alongside the new dashboard December 6th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Major Nelson  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/xbox-companion-app-for-wp7-will-launch-alongside-the-new-dashboa/

devin hester devin hester shayne lamas cain velasquez gop debate dos santos snl

Mexico's ex-ruling party leader quits amid scandal (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? The president of Mexico's former ruling party resigned Friday amid a financial scandal that had begun to weigh on the party's hopes to regain the presidency in 2012.

Humberto Moreira, who headed the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, said he is leaving the post because he doesn't want to hurt the party.

"I've resigned because I'm not going to allow a media war that is trying to harm our party to continue," Moreira said told party members. "I also do it because I believe in a man who is the hope for Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto."

Pena Nieto, the PRI's presidential candidate, has recently begun publicly distancing himself from the party leader.

Moreira fought to remain in office despite a growing scandal over the revelation he left a 34 billion peso ($2.8 billion) debt in the state of Coahuila when he resigned as governor to take over the PRI.

A close former aide to Moreira also is under investigation for amassing unexplained wealth, buying property in the U.S. and becoming CEO of two firms and a shareholder in Mexican radio stations on a modest state salary.

Moreira, 45, has called the claims a smear campaign against the PRI as it is poised to regain the presidency it lost in 2000 after 71 years of rule.

But Pena Nieto and other party leaders have tried to show the party is now more democratic and transparent, most notably in its open process of choosing candidates, who in the past were simply appointed before by their predecessors.

Cristina Sanchez, who was the PRI's general secretary, replaced Moreira.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_political_scandal

statue of liberty gold rush alaska gold rush alaska the addams family blue bloods temple grandin texas rangers

Republican Presidential Candidates on the War in Afghanistan and Nation-Building (ContributorNetwork)

During the GOP debate on foreign policy and national security, Wolf Blitzer claimed that the United States spends as much as $2 billion per week in Afghanistan and over $100 billion per year. Given this considerable investment and the even more devastating losses inherent to any war, many in Washington and across the nation are wondering whether the costs of Operation Enduring Freedom now outweigh the benefits.

Thus, the candidates seeking the Republican presidential nomination were asked about their plans for the War in Afghanistan and their views of nation-building.

Here is what they said, according to the debate transcript provided by CNN:

* Jon Huntsman: "I think we need to square with the American people about what we've achieved. We need an honest conversation in this country about the sacrifices that have been made over nearly 10 years. We have -- we have dismantled the Taliban. We've run them out of Kabul. We've had free elections in 2004. We've killed Osama bin Laden. We've upended, dismantled al Qaeda. We have achieved some very important goals for the United States of America.

Now, the fact that we have 100,000 troops nation-building in Afghanistan when this nation so desperately needs to be built, when, on the ground, we do need intelligence gathering, no doubt about that. We need a strong Special Forces presence. We need a drone presence. And we need some ongoing training of the Afghan National Army. But we haven't done a very good job defining and articulating what the end point is in Afghanistan. And I think the American people are getting very tired about where we find ourselves today."

* Mitt Romney: "We spent about $450 billion so far, 1,700 or so service men and women have lost their lives there, and many tens of thousands have been wounded. Our effort there is to keep Afghanistan from becoming a launching point for terror against the United States. We can't just write off a major part of the world ? And that means we should have a gradual transition of handing off to the Afghan security forces the responsibility for their own country."

* Newt Gingrich: "You want to keep American troops in Afghanistan, you accept hot pursuit, you say no sanctuaries, you change the rules of engagement, you put the military in charge of the military side, you overhaul the State Department and AID so they get the job done, and you do it for real and you do it intensely, and you tell the Pakistanis, help us or get out of the way, but don't complain if we kill people you're not willing to go after on your territory where you have been protecting them."

* Ron Paul: "What I'm, sort of, tired of is all the money spent and lives lost worrying about the borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan and forgetting about our borders between the United States and Mexico. We should think more about, you know, what we do at home."

* Herman Cain: "If we pull out of Afghanistan too soon, Iran is going to help to fulfill that power vacuum in Afghanistan. And so it is in our best interests, the United States of America, to prevent them from being able to help fill that power vacuum in Afghanistan."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111202/pl_ac/10584883_republican_presidential_candidates_on_the_war_in_afghanistan_and_nationbuilding

crimson tide crimson tide wake forest wake forest day light savings time curmudgeon daylight savings time 2011