Monday, December 31, 2012

Video: The 'Manufacturing Cliff'

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50332360/

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African Union head visits Central African Republic

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) ? The leader of the African Union, Benin's President Thomas Boni Yayi, has proposed a government of national unity to resolve the rebel conflict in Central African Republic.

Boni Yayi arrived here Sunday to try to find a negotiated resolution to the country's crisis. The president of the African Union met with President Francois Bozize and then made an appeal to the rebels.

"I beg my rebellious brothers, I ask them to cease hostilities, to make peace with President (Francois) Bozize and the Central African people," said Boni Yayi at a press conference in Bangui, the capital. "If you stop fighting, you are helping to consolidate peace in Africa. African people do not deserve all this suffering. The African continent needs peace and not war."

Boni Yayi said that Bozize had pledged to have an open dialogue with the rebels with the goal of establishing a government of national unity, which would include representation from the rebels and the Bozize government.

Bozize also addressed the conference and said, although he plans to stay in power until his term ends in 2016, he is not against having the rebels enter a coalition government with him.

"We'll probably be able to set up a national unity government. I apologize to the suffering Central African people," said Bozize. "It is a message of peace to my brothers of Central African Republic, "said Bozize.

The African Union's leader arrived in Bangui when many feared there would be a fight over the capital, Bangui, a city of 600,000.

According to several families in Bangui, members of the Presidential Guard have kidnapped people suspected of supporting the rebels who have seized 10 cities in the country's north over the past three weeks.

A rebel spokesman, Col. Juma Narkoyo, warned Bozize: "We warn the head of state and his family to stop abducting our parents. They have nothing to do with it. If he wants to solve its problems, he comes to meet us on the ground. We expect firm feet. " H0e said that a dozen people have already been arrested in Bangui.

On his arrival in Bangui, Yayi Boni had a private meeting for more than two hours with Bozize in the VIP lounge of Mpoko airport, which is secured by French troops.

So far Boni Yayi has no meetings scheduled with rebels or with the democratic opposition.

Boni Yayi's diplomatic effort comes as France has deployed an additional 180 troops to protect its interests.

The French reinforcements arrived Sunday from nearby Gabon, bringing the total French military force in the capital, Bangui, to nearly 600, Col. Thierry Burkhard told The Associated Press Sunday. The troops are to protect French residents in the capital, which many fear will be attacked by the rebels.

As fears mounted that the rebels would attack Bangui, Bozize imposed a curfew from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Bozize earlier appealed to France for help against the rebels, but French President Francois Hollande's government said it would only protect French interests and would not prop up the Bangui government.

As the rebels have made a rapid advance across the country's north, residents in the capital now fear the insurgents could attack at any time, despite assurances by rebel leaders that they are willing to engage in dialogue instead of attacking Bangui.

On Saturday the rebels seized the city of Sibut, 185 kilometers (114 miles) from Bangui.

Sibut, a key transportation hub, fell without a shot being fired because the Central African Republic army and forces from neighboring Chad had pulled back to Damara, 75 kilometers (46 miles) from Bangui on Friday, said Minister of Territorial Administration Josie Binoua.

Neighboring African countries have agreed to send more forces to support the Bozize government.

Representatives from the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States, or ECCAS, agreed at a meeting in Gabon Friday to send forces to CAR, but did not did not specify how many troops would be sent or how quickly the military assistance would arrive.

The ECCAS states, with more than 500 soldiers via their regional peacekeeping force in Central Africa, over the weekend warned the rebels to halt their advances.

"ECCAS forces are on high alert, and the city of Damara is the limit not to cross," said Antonio Di Garcia, the ECCAS representative in Bangui. He urged the government forces and the rebels to hold to their current positions and to begin dialogue.????????????

?The ongoing instability prompted the United States to evacuate about 40 people, including the U.S. ambassador, from Bangui on an U.S. Air Force plane bound for Kenya, said U.S. officials who insisted on anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the operation.

The United States has special forces troops in the country who are assisting in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the fugitive rebel leader of another rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army. The U.S. special forces remain in the country, the U.S. military's Africa Command said from its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

The evacuation of the U.S. diplomats came after criticism of how the U.S. handled diplomatic security before and during the attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11. The ambassador and three other Americans were killed in that attack.

French diplomats have remained in Bangui despite a violent demonstration outside its embassy last week. Dozens of protesters, angry at France's lack of help against rebel forces, threw rocks at the French Embassy in Bangui and stole a French flag.

This landlocked nation of 4.4 million people has suffered decades of army revolts, coups and rebellions since gaining independence in 1960 and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The current president himself came to power nearly a decade ago in the wake of a rebellion in this resource-rich yet deeply poor country.

Bozize's government earlier reached out to longtime ally Chad, which pledged to send 2,000 troops to bolster Central African Republic's own forces.

The rebels behind the most recent instability signed a 2007 peace accord allowing them to join the regular army, but insurgent leaders say the deal wasn't fully implemented.

The rebels say they are fighting because of their "thirst for justice, for peace, for security and for economic development of the people of Central African Republic." The rebels also are demanding that the government make payments to ex-combatants.

Despite Central African Republic's wealth of gold, diamonds, timber and uranium, the government remains perpetually cash-strapped.

The United Nations Security Council condemned the violence and reiterated its demand that the armed groups "immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from captured cities and cease any further advance towards the city of Bangui."

___

Associated Press Writer Greg Keller contributed to this piece from Paris.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/african-union-head-visits-central-african-republic-182411241.html

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

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Their lucrative deal will allow one of their most successful tracks ?fire? to be used in the title sequences of every match over the next three years. If this was only a deal for the UK, it would still be incredibly valuable but the league plans to use the song on every game it shows in the 200 countries it broadcasts..

You know how the word-association game goes: Someone says a word, and you blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. If a friend said ?fantasy sports,? you probably answer, ?football.? So, you might be surprised to learn that fantasy sports actually started with baseball back in the early 1980s.

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NHL, union spend day on conference calls - Sun, 30 Dec 2012 PST

December 30, 2012 in Sports

Ira Podell Associated Press

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NEW YORK ? Lots of questions, but still no answers in the NHL labor?fight.

The league and the players? association spent much of Saturday talking to each other via conference call. The conversations were strictly for the purpose of sharing information regarding the new contract offer the NHL made to the union late?Thursday.

The initial thought was that the sides would get together today in New York to hold official negotiations for the first time in weeks, but those weren?t scheduled before discussions ended?Saturday.

Staff-level calls were expected to resume today, which could include face-to-face talks at some point, but no actual bargaining meetings have been?set.

?Some more informational sessions in the morning,? NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press regarding today. ?Nothing planned beyond?that.?

The union pored over the latest NHL proposal aimed at ending the lockout that reached its 105th day Saturday and saving the delayed hockey season. The league would like to reach a deal no later than Jan. 11, which would allow training camps to start the following day, and a 48-game season to begin Jan.?19.

Saturday?s conference calls were scheduled Friday night so the union could ask league officials questions about the nearly 300-page proposal. Whether enough progress will be made to lead to face-to-face talks remains to be?seen.

The sides haven?t gotten together since Dec. 13 with federal mediators. Bargaining sessions with only the NHL and union involved haven?t been held since Dec. 6, when talks abruptly ended after the players? association made a counterproposal to the league?s previous offer. The league said that offer was contingent on the union accepting three elements unconditionally and without further?bargaining.

The NHL then pulled all existing offers off the table. Two days of sessions with mediators the following week ended without any progress?made.

The players? association?s executive board and negotiating committee went over the new proposal during an internal conference call?Friday.

A person familiar with key points of the offer told The Associated Press that the league proposed raising the limit of individual free-agent contracts to six years from five ? seven years if a team re-signs its own player; raising the salary variance from one year to another to 10 percent, up from 5 percent; and one compliance buyout for the 2013-14 season that wouldn?t count toward a team?s salary cap but would be included in the overall players? share of?income.

The latest proposal is for 10 years, running through the 2021-22 season, with both sides having the right to opt out after eight?years.

The lockout has reached a critical stage, threatening to shut down a season for the second time in eight?years.

All games through Jan. 14, plus the Winter Classic and the All-Star game already have been called off. The next round of cuts could claim the entire?schedule.

The NHL is the only North American professional sports league to cancel a season because of a labor dispute, losing the 2004-05 campaign to a lockout. A 48-game season was played in 1995 after a lockout stretched into?January.

It is still possible this dispute could eventually be settled in the courts if the sides can?t reach a deal on their?own.

The NHL filed a class-action suit this month in U.S. District Court in New York in an effort to show its lockout is legal. In a separate move, the league filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, contending bad-faith bargaining by the?union.

Those moves were made because the players? association took steps toward potentially filing a ?disclaimer of interest,? which would dissolve the union and make it a trade association. That would allow players to file antitrust lawsuits against the?NHL.

? Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/dec/30/nhl-union-spend-day-on-conference-calls/

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Eric Chua : Life, Business and Real Estate in Singapore ? Learn ...

There are many real estate experts, but they aren?t necessarily geniuses. Consider that many of these same people were present during the big real estate market crash. If you are planning on buying real estate, be sure to read this advice.

If you are buying a foreclosed home, you should assume that it will need repairs. If you decide to buy one of these bargains, be sure to get a thorough inspection done before purchasing it. If you are buying a foreclosed home, it will probably need new heating and air conditioning systems, as well as pest control services.

After selecting the property that you want to buy, you next need to employ the services of a professional real estate agent. The real estate agent you select also needs to be trustworthy. An experienced real estate agent who has a proven reputation will normally be a good choice. Meet with different agents until you find one that you know will act as your advocate.

TIP! If you can afford it, try to avoid buying a home that faces or backs a busy road. These houses can appear to be attractive due to the fact that they cost less than houses that are further away from busy roads; however, there is a good reason why they cost less.

If you want to buy a spot for a business, ensure that it is located in a good area with reasonable stability and opportunities for growth. If you choose to open your business in a crime-ridden or downtrodden part of town, you are not likely to secure an affluent customer base. Talk to real estate agents and find out what prime business locations are available.

Do not pay high premiums for your view lot. While a view might be important to you, if you ever want to resell, other buyers may not be willing to pay for it. As you can see, paying for a view is not wise if you end up paying too much.

Sellers will be more interested if you have an approval letter. The process of buying can be lengthened if you need to wait for approval, and this may wind up costing you extra.

TIP! If you are going to rent property, ensure that you know who is responsible for taking care of the yard before signing anything. There may be stipulations in the lease that require you to hire a professional to tend to the gardens, or you may be required to do it yourself.

Be pre-qualified for a mortgage loans before looking at houses. A giant reason is because you need to know if you will get the financing before you get your hopes up. Additionally, securing a mortgage is a lengthy process that can extend the home buying process.

Take time to consider a number of important things before coming up with an offering price for a new home. Taking into account information on the house?s condition, you can arrive at a final amount that seems fair to both you and the seller.

You should buy insurance before you start moving in everything and transforming your house into your new home. Without homeowner?s insurance, your home is not protected in the event of a fire, theft, or natural disaster.

TIP! When looking to purchase a new home, it is very important to avoid the trap of judging a house based on its decor. Smart sellers hide their house?s flaws with decorative items, so you need to learn how to look past the decor and analyze a home based on its architecture and structural condition.

Never buy real estate without getting the property inspected first. A home inspector will look over every part of the property to ensure that you are not buying a house with serious issues that are unseen. In addition to the expense of making renovations, you might be forced to vacate your home during the construction period.

Before buying a home, it is important for you to research the neighborhood thoroughly. This is a long-term investment, so make sure that you feel comfortable with the area. By being aware of the neighborhood, you will be know in advance exactly what you?re getting into.

If the home you are purchasing is just for yourself, it is wise to take along someone who has home buying experience. This person can be of valuable assistance simply because they may be able to point out flaws in the house that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. Tell them they should ask questions to the realtor.

TIP! Figure out the amount of money you can spend on a house by utilizing an online calculator. They will ask for information related to your income and expenses.

You should invest in a property right now. Property values are currently at an all time low because of the housing market crash. This is now a good time to get out of your apartment and into a house. In time, the market will increase again. This means you will have made a great investment purchase if you bought when prices were low.

Take your time to carefully measure a home you are highly interested in buying. You need to make sure public records for square footage match the listing. A number is considered valid if the difference is not more then about a hundred square feet. If it is more than this, then you might want to consider another property or do some research to figure out why the number as off.

Real Estate

TIP! Hire your own people to provide support services when you decide to purchase a residence. It could be very enticing to use the seller?s appraisers and inspectors, but choose not to do so.

Real estate agents would do well to reach out to former clients during the holiday season or the anniversary of a purchase date. This will remind people of how helpful you have been to them during their real estate experience. When you are concluding your greeting, remind them you would love to be referred to friends or family, because referrals are how you earn your living.

It is important to remain patient and be realistic when seeking a property to purchase. It can take some time to find the perfect property that will help you meet your goals and work with your business strategy.

It is of utmost importance to have a good understanding of mortgage loan terms when buying a home. Knowing how your monthly mortgage payment is impacted by the length of your mortgage, and the effect on total cost over the entire loan period, will help clear up any confusion later on.

TIP! When you buy a home, think about what your life will be like in five or ten years. For instance, ask yourself if you want to have children.

Real Estate

It is wise to do your homework in the real estate market, rather than listening to self-proclaimed experts. After all, how smart could they be if the market collapsed? Stay away from people who ?know everything? Instead, read over the advice in this article on purchasing real estate.

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

'Django Unchained': Jonah Hill's Cameo Explained

Director Quentin Tarantino shifted the film's production dates to accommodate Hill's busy schedule.
By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz


Jonah Hill in "Django Unchained"
Photo: The Weinstein Company

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699456/django-unchained-johah-hill-cameo.jhtml

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Russian FM says Assad won't go

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi meet in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi meet in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi shake hands during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, welcomes U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi talk during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.N. envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi meet in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia's foreign minister said Saturday that Syrian President Bashar Assad has no intention of stepping down and it would be impossible to try to persuade him otherwise.

After a meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.'s envoy for the Syrian crisis, Lavrov also said that the Syrian opposition risks sacrificing many more lives if it continues to insist on Assad leaving office as a precondition for holding talks on Syria's future.

Assad "has repeatedly said publicly and privately, including in his meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi in Damascus not long ago, that he does not intend to leave for anywhere, that he will stay to the end in his post, that he will, as he expressed it, defend the Syrian people, Syrian sovereignty and so forth," Lavrov said. "There's no possibility to change this position."

Brahimi warned that the country's civil war could plunge the entire region into chaos by sending hundreds of thousands of refugees into neighboring nations, but his talks in Moscow produced no sign of progress toward settling the crisis.

Brahimi and Lavrov both said after their meeting that the 21-month-old Syrian conflict can only be settled through talks, while admitting that the parties in the conflict have shown no desire for compromise. Neither official hinted at a possible solution that would persuade the Syrian government and the opposition to agree to a ceasefire and sit down for talks about a political transition.

Brahimi, who arrived in Moscow on a one-day trip following his talks in Damascus with Assad this week, voiced concern about the escalation of the conflict, which he said is becoming "more and more sectarian."

The envoy warned that "if you have a panic in Damascus and if you have 1 million people leaving Damascus in a panic, they can go to only two places ? Lebanon and Jordan," and those countries may not be able to endure half a million refugees each.

Brahimi said that "if the only alternative is really hell or a political process, then we have got all of us to work ceaselessly for a political process."

Russia has been the main supporter of Assad's regime since the uprising began in March 2011, using its veto at the U.N. Security Council along with China to shield its last Mideast ally from international sanctions.

Lavrov said Russia would continue to oppose any U.N. resolution that would call for international sanctions against Assad and open the way for a foreign intervention in Syria. And while he again emphasized that Russia "isn't holding onto Bashar Assad," he added that Moscow continues to believe the opposition demand for his resignation as a precondition for peace talks is "counterproductive."

"The price for that precondition will be the loss of more Syrian lives," Lavrov said.

Both Brahimi and Lavrov insisted that efforts to end the civil war must be based on a peace plan that was approved at an international conference in Geneva in June.

The Geneva plan calls for an open-ended cease-fire, a transitional government to run the country until elections, and the drafting of a new constitution. But it was a non-starter with the opposition because of Russia's insistence that the plan leave the door open for Assad being part of the transition process and the fact that it didn't mention possible U.N. sanctions.

Brahimi said that while some "little adjustments" could be made to the original plan, "it's a valued basis for reasonable political process."

With the opposition offensive gaining momentum in Syria, there is little hope that the initiative would have any more chance of success than it had when it was approved.

Lavrov has said that Moscow is ready to talk to the main Syrian opposition group, even though it had earlier criticized the United States and other Western nations for recognizing the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

On Friday, coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib rejected the Russian invitation for talks and urged Moscow to support the opposition's call for Assad's ouster. Lavrov said Saturday that al-Khatib's statement was surprising after his earlier contacts with Russian diplomats in Egypt during which the opposition tentatively agreed on a meeting in a third country.

Lavrov said the coalition leader should "realize it would be in his own interests to hear our analysis directly from us."

Lavrov rejected the opposition claim that Russia's continuing weapons supplies to Assad's regime make it responsible for mass killings in Syria, saying that Moscow bears no responsibility for the Soviet-era weapons in Syrian arsenals. He said that defensive weapons such as anti-aircraft missiles that Russia has continued to supply to Damascus couldn't be used in the civil war.

"We aren't providing the Syrian regime with any offensive weapons or weapons that could be used in a civil war," Lavrov said. "And we have no leverage over what the regime has got since the Soviet times."

Georgy Mirsky, a leading Mideast expert with the Institute for World Economy and International Relations, a top foreign policy think tank, said President Vladimir Putin's stand on Syria is rooted in fear that joining international calls for Assad's resignation would make him look weak at home.

"It would look like an inadmissible concession to America, a virtual surrender. The Kremlin would lose its face, look like a loser," said Mirsky.

He wrote in his blog that Putin is resigned to Assad's eventual collapse and the loss of any Russian influence in a future Syria, but firmly opposes international sanctions. That stand allows Putin to tell his domestic audience that Russia has defended its ally until the end against overwhelming odds, said Mirsky.

__

Jim Heintz contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-29-Russia-Syria/id-f589ab2d0e81416fb27cc4d7b41c48b1

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The Swamplot Awards for Houston Real Estate, 2012: The Runners ...

Your votes have been tallied. Now here?s the moment you?ve almost been waiting for! That?s right: It?s time to announce the second-place winners of the 2012 Swamplot Awards for Houston Real Estate!

But first, a note of thanks ? to all of you who voted, commented, nominated, campaigned, and cajoled in support of your favorite candidates. You made this extended moment of reflection, recognition, and honor possible. The Swampies belong to you!

You know what they say about runners-up: Should the actual award winners (they?ll be announced in a later post) be unable to fulfill their duties for any reason, these second-place winners will be ready and willing to serve! Let?s have a big round of digital applause, please, for the 2012 runners-up in the Swamplot Awards for Houston Real Estate ? the Swampies!

They are:

* * *

1. Favorite Houston Design Clich?. Second-place winner: The Sago Palm.

The nomination: ?Ubiquitous, indestructible, smelly, and poisonous. They?re the ugly equalizer ? you find them in every neighborhood: old and new, Inner Loop and far-out suburb. Taste is subjective, of course, but please don?t eat one. Throw some Knock Out roses, crepe myrtles, and maybe a Bradford pear in there for good measure and you?ve got your basic palette of ?staple? Houston landscape plants ? even though none of them are even remotely native to our region.?

  • From anon: ?I have 2 in my front yard and I hate them.?
  • From rental me this: ?In not so loving memory of the enormous sago in the backyard of my childhood home. No one liked it except the wasps. RIP Stabby.?
  • From Old School: ?They are awful plants. They are poisonous to pets and will sting you with their needle tipped leaves if you get too close. They attract no wildlife. No hummingbirds or butterflies will come within 50 feet of these things.?
  • From Lost_in_Translation: ?Sagos are everywhere and practically unkillable (my house came with three). No more sagos please.?
  • From etherist: ?What a horrid, prickly eyesore. I can?t trim mine without the paralyzing fear that I?m going to have my eye gouged out. Gotta love those builders and remodelers that plant them right next to walkways, too!?

?

2. Best Demolition. Second-place winner: 3640 Willowick Rd., River Oaks.

The nomination: ?The prize $8.6 million River Oaks listing from 2011 became the notable $8.5 million River Oaks teardown in 2012. The 3-bedroom, 7,780-sq.-ft. showcase had been designed for its original owners in 1940 by Harvin C. Moore. The Italianate home with the purple kitchen featured formal gardens and an elaborate rear portico. Such poor judgment by the architect, though, to place it smack dab in the middle of a 1.6-acre lot backing up to the golf course at the River Oaks Country Club.?

  • From anon: ?It takes a lot of brass to tear down an $8+ million dollar house, just because it?s not big enough . . .?
  • From coconutbutter: ?Truly such a waste.?
  • From ShadyHeightster: ?In a city that?s been buying and scraping residential property for almost 3 decades, it still blows my mind that you could destroy a nice mansion that you paid multi-millions for.?

?

3. The Swamplot Award for Special Achievement in Traffic. Second-place winners: The West Alabama St. Reversible Center Lane and Feeder Road Construction Along I-10 between Washington and Taylor (tie).

The nomination for the West Alabama St. Reversible Center Lane: ?Sometimes it flows west. Sometimes it flows east. Sometimes it?s a turning lane. Make sure you know which way it?s headed at the moment, and that everyone around you does too.?

  • From em1998: ?It gets particularly sporty when you have to weave around the three-inch high manholes and other assorted tire busters. Oh, and you might want to tell your recently licensed children to avoid that stretch.?
  • From Benjy Compson: ?Back in March, some idiot going the wrong way in center lane hit my wife and then fled the scene.?
  • From anne bonny: ?This was supposedly installed as a temporary solution to a predicted rise in neighborhood traffic during the closure of Spur 527. The spur construction was finished a long time ago but this stupid counterflow lane remains. Before it went in, I attended community meetings (one I recall being at the Greek Orthodox School) where the city officials promised that removing the bike lanes from Alabama to install this lane was going to be temporary. Why is it still there? When will we ever get our bike lanes back??
  • From Sihaya: ? The thing is, though, that even with all the traffic snarls, people slowing down to turn from the flow lane *across* the turn lane, people stopping oncoming traffic in the contraflow lane when they try to use it as a turn lane, . . . Alabama still tends to get you west across that section of town nearly as quickly as taking 59 at rush hour.?

?

The nomination for Feeder Road Construction Along I-10 between Washington and Taylor: ?For years, this area managed to get around just fine without freeway frontage roads, and to avoid the car dealerships, furniture stores, topless bars, and fast food restaurants that clutter so many of our other freeways. But thanks to the stimulus, federal funds for highway reconstruction suddenly became available, and this project, which had been languishing on TxDOT?s back burner, met the definition of ?shovel ready.? After 3 years of construction, it still is not finished; the Shepherd and Durham bridges have been reduced from 4 to 2 lanes, the westbound Shepherd exit and on-ramp are still wacky, there?s an extra traffic signal on Yale, and trees that once lined that section of the freeway are gone. Exits and entrances are so close to each other that motorist conflict ? usually in the form of regular games of chicken ? is pretty much guaranteed. This was an ?improvement? in search of a problem.?

  • From chris: ?This construction has been going on forever. To make things worse, every couple of weeks, different on ramps open and close, new lanes become enter on-ramp only or don?t exist at all. There is always a bunch of broken headlights and bumpers lying around. I try to avoid the area if I can.?
  • From Angostura: ?Frontage lanes are a scourge. What parking regulations and minimum setbacks have done to ruin inner-loop development, frontage lanes have done to ruin development everywhere else. Is 59 from Shepherd to downtown next??
  • From ShadyHeightster: ?Eastbound frontage between TC Jester and Durham has had the inside lane closed for over 2 years and no construction has even been done. Why has it been blocked off??
  • From MindTheGap76: ?I live in the area between Washington and Taylor and really appreciate the new feeder roads. The construction is a bit of a headache, but really hasn?t been that bad all things considered. Don?t really understand the complaint.?

?

4. The ?It?s Alive!? Award. Second-place winner: Penguin Arms Apartments, 2902 Revere St., Upper Kirby.

The nomination: ?When it was put up for sale late last year, few figured Arthur Moss?s 1950 Googie icon would survive. Instead, the distinctive apartment building was snapped up by the owners of Kuhl-Linscomb, the home-goods store down the street. A full year later, they announced their plans: The building is to be renovated in all its Googie glory and connected to the growing home-shopping campus of Kuhl-Linscomb?s Upper Kirby empire. That?s a new life for a unique building ? and a lot of people are happy about it.?

  • From S: ?I drive by that building all the time. I can?t wait to see the inside. Thank you Kuhl Linscomb!?
  • From Al: ?An interesting building that deserves a new lease on life.?

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5. Most Overlooked Neighborhood. Second-place winner: Sharpstown.

The nomination: ?Pockets of well kept homes (and yards), longtime residents, and close to everything. Already starting to attract some attention, though.?

  • From RJ: ?I bought an amazing mid century modern here on a lot with gorgeous oak trees for a steal. Great neighbors, 10-15 min commute to Montrose, and its the quietest neighborhood I have ever lived in Houston. Love my sharpietown!?
  • From Dale Davidson: ?I?ve always felt it was a slumbering jewel . . . there is a lot of investment into the area coming along. Come look at the neighborhood in about 4 years and you will see significant changes in the infrastructure, school buildings, local businesses, home remodels and esplanade maintenance. . . . Areas for improvement: apartments surrounding; school reputations (they really are great schools despite what people think); MALL NEEDS NEW OWNER AND CONCEPT!!!; more plain non-ethnic grocery store access; an identity as a community. I live here and love my neighbors. I drive elsewhere for grocery shopping. That hopefully will change in the near future.?
  • From robert: ?My dad lives on Mobud and 8 homes have been completely renovated the past 2 years just on his street.?

?

6. Neighborhood of the Year. Second-place winner: The Greater Heights.

The nomination: ?No other neighborhood is as loved ? or hated ? as the greater Heights. Articles about the Heights, new construction in the Heights, teardowns in the Heights, WalMart, whatever are guaranteed ?hit? generators on this site. Post something positive about the Heights, and here come the negatrons to hate and troll on the crappy old houses and decrepit sidewalks. Post something negative about Heights, and here come the defenders to wax philosophical about the quiet simplicity of living small and walking in the street.?

  • From Guusje: ?It has a little bit of everything anyone needs to make a good life. Despite all the new places, it still has some of the best thrift stores in town.?
  • From Old School: ?This is really the year that the Heights came into its own. The Heights added Sonoma, Sale Sucre, Belissimo, Little Woodrows, Boomtown Coffee, Public House Heights, Crisp and Premium Draught to its quickly growing roster of food and drink options. Next year should see the opening of Coltivare, Torchy?s Tacos, a fried chicken and donuts drive through by the Liberty Kitchen guys, a Killen casual stakehouse, Ruggles Green (the real one), Union Kitchen, and Town in the City Brewery. There are even rumors of a family interested in opening an Indian restaurant in the Heights. Two new doctors? offices and one dentist office opened in the Heights. St. Luke?s opened an emergency room at the hospital on 19th st. On the housing front, Sullivan Brothers have almost completed filling up a giant lot (made vacant by the demolition of Cooley Elementary) with 30+ units of new single family construction. Block-long empty lots in Sunset Heights west of Yale along 25th and east of yale where the old elementary school was demolished are prime for future development. The new drainage detention pond near Rutland and the bike path could potentially be a new park if the stars align just right. White Oak St. is seeing some good growth in retail with the addition of One Green Street, La Camella, and Heights Vinyl. The Sparrow and the Nest is a great Houston-only craft artist shop across the street from crafty Hello Lucky on Studewood and next to the Funny Potter to create a mini-craft district. New galleries went in where King Biscuit was and at an old grocery store in Sunset Heights. Lights in the Heights and White Linen Nights are emerging from growing pains to become great annual events in addition to the monthly First Saturday and dozens of smaller festivals (including my favorite, Sausagefest at the Odd Fellows lodge). The fever-pitched battles over historic districts and Walmarts have died down, but residents are ready with their pitchforks and torches if a developer tries to go all Ashby on the neighborhood. No other neighborhood in Houston is on such a dynamic trajectory as the Heights.?
  • From HTX REZ: ?Heights does it like nobody else. I raced a motorized bicycle guy down durham street yesterday ? damn thing kept up with me at 35 mph ? but the driver?s dreadlocks never moved an inch. God bless our neighborhood. Fun people, used car lots as far as the eye can see, big government attitudes on housing, mature fruit trees, civic pride of ownership, random industrial facilities down the street, gigantic fruit-bearing trees . . . nobody touches my hood.?

?

7. Greatest Moment in Houston Real Estate. Second-place winner: Houston?s Real Estate Market Marks Its Comeback, September 21st.

The nomination: ?It?s not exactly a shocking turn of events to find a monthly report put together from MLS data showing the inventory of single-family homes on the market has dipped below a 5 months? supply ? even though that?s the lowest level it?s been at in more than 10 years. But the data showing lower supply numbers is more evidence that Houston has become a solid sellers? market. The latest figures show it down to just over 4 months; meanwhile, both sales and prices are up. Average and median residential home prices are increasing steadily too. Houston?s real estate market wasn?t especially hard hit by the downturn, but it?s clearly bounced back from whatever setbacks it did hit, leading the way for much of the rest of the country.?

  • From Cody: ?I?m blown away at the pace of building in Houston (at least inside the loop). I can drive a 2 mile radius from my house and see 10 new large projects. And as others have pointed out, SFHs (in the right locations) are snapped up in days.?
  • From shadyheightster: ?On my block the last 2 houses to sell had firm offers within 8 hours of listing. And developers are getting loans and putting up detached homes, townhomes, and ?luxury? apartments at the fastest clip I?ve seen in years around here.?
  • From coconutbutter: ? I bought my first home this year, and I can?t even believe how unbelievably cutthroat it was on SFHs inside the loop (that?s where I was looking). Properties that were listed on the weekend had multiple offers and a contract come Monday. I never would have expected so many people clobbering each other over the sale of a property. . . . My mom?s property that she purchased over a year ago was appraised at 40% higher than what she paid. Watching Houston turn into a seller?s market these past few months has been mind-blowing.?

?

Congratulations to all! Coming up next: The Swamplot Award . . . winners!

Photos: HAR (Sago palms at 5435 Cherie Crest Ct., 3640 Willowick Rd., Penguin Arms, 7151 Roos Rd. in Sharpstown, 1407 Herkimer St. in Houston Heights, chart); Candace Garcia (West Alabama reverse lane, I-10 exit)

Source: http://swamplot.com/the-swamplot-awards-for-houston-real-estate-2012-the-runners-up/2012-12-27/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

'Extinct' whale found: Odd-looking pygmy whale traced back 2 million years

Extinct whale found? Well, sort of. Scientists have traced the lineage of the pygmy right whale back to an ancient family of whales called cetotheres, who were thought to be extinct.

By Tia Ghose,?LiveScience.com / December 19, 2012

The pygmy whale, a cetacean that looks radically different from all living whales, is actually the last living member of a group thought to have gone extinct 2 million years ago Credit:

Darryl Wilson, University of Otago/LiveScience.com

Enlarge

The pygmy right whale, a mysterious and elusive creature that rarely comes to shore, is the last living relative of an ancient group of whales long believed to be extinct, a new study suggests.

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The findings, published Tuesday, Dec. 18, in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, may help to explain why the enigmatic marine mammals look so different from any other living whale.

"The living pygmy right whale is, if you like, a remnant, almost like a living fossil," said Felix Marx, a paleontologist at the University of Otago in New Zealand. "It's the last survivor of quite an ancient lineage that until now no one thought was around."

Living fossil

The relatively diminutive pygmy right whale, which grows to just 21 feet (6.5 meters) long, lives out in the open ocean. The elusive marine mammals inhabit the Southern Hemisphere and have only been spotted at sea a few dozen times. As a result, scientists know almost nothing about the species' habits or social structure.

The strange creature's arched, frownlike snout makes it look oddly different from other living whales. DNA analysis suggested pygmy right whales diverged from modern baleen whales such as the blue whale and the humpback whale between 17 million and 25 million years ago. However, the pygmy whales' snouts suggested they were more closely related to the family of whales that includes the bowhead whale. Yet there were no studies of fossils showing how the pygmy whale had evolved, Marx said. [In Photos: Tracking Humpback Whales]

To understand how the pygmy whale fit into the lineage of whales, Marx and his colleagues carefully analyzed the skull bones and other fossil fragments from pygmy right whales and several other ancient cetaceans.

The pygmy whale's skull most closely resembled that of an ancient family of whales called cetotheres that were thought to have gone extinct around 2 million years ago, the researchers found. Cetotheres emerged about 15 million years ago and once occupied oceans across the globe.

The findings help explain how pygmy whales evolved and may also help shed light on how these ancient "lost" whales lived. The new information is also a first step in reconstructing the ancient lineage all the way back to the point when all members of this group first diverged, he said.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.?

Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/Rb2Gcti6wv4/Extinct-whale-found-Odd-looking-pygmy-whale-traced-back-2-million-years

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Passels55A: Christmas Craft Supplies 8pcs Mini Sisal Tree: Home

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Source: http://apostrophized-briney.blogspot.com/2012/12/passels55a-christmas-craft-supplies.html

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Pakistan's 'dynastic politics': Bhutto's son launches career

Reuters

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of assassinated former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, makes a speech to launch his political career during the fifth anniversary of his mother's death on Thursday.

By Munir Ahmed and Sebastian Abbot, The Associated Press

?

The 24-year-old son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto launched his political career Thursday with a fiery speech before thousands of cheering supporters observing the fifth anniversary of his mother's assassination.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's speech comes several months before national elections are expected to be held. He is too young to participate in the elections himself ? the minimum age is 25 ? but is likely to be a key asset for the ruling Pakistan People's Party. The party's popularity has plummeted since it took power nearly five years ago as the country has struggled with a weak economy and bloody Taliban insurgency.


Before dawn on the same day, dozens of militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons attacked two tribal police posts in Pakistan's northwest, killing two policemen, officials said. Twenty-one other policemen are missing and presumed kidnapped.

?

Zardari was made chairman of the Pakistan People's Party after his mother's death but has mainly played a background role until now while he completed his studies at Oxford University in Britain.

"I want to tell you that thanks to God he has completed his studies, but now is the time of his training," his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, told the crowd of supporters Thursday in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh village in southern Sindh province, site of the Bhutto family mausoleum. "He has to study Pakistan, he has to learn from you and he has to work according to your thinking."

AFP-Getty images

Pakistani supporters gather outside the Bhutto family mausoleum in Garhi Dera Bakhsh on Thursday. More than 200,000 people gathered for the occasion, the fifth anniversary of the assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto.

The Bhutto family has played a prominent role in Pakistani politics for much of the country's 65-year history. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, founded the Pakistan People's Party and served as both the country's president and prime minister in the 1970s. He was eventually hanged in 1979 after Gen. Zia ul-Haq seized power in a military coup.

Benazir Bhutto twice served as prime minister in the 1980s and 1990s but never completed a full term. Her governments were dismissed both times under the cloud of corruption allegations by presidents who were close to the country's powerful army. She was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack on Dec. 27, 2007, shortly after returning from self-imposed exile to participate in national elections.

After her death, the Pakistan People's Party rode a wave of public sympathy to garner the most seats in the 2008 elections, and Asif Ali Zardari was elected president. But the popularity of both the party and the president has fallen significantly since then as the government has failed to address pressing problems, such as Pakistan's shortage of electricity and stuttering economy. The government has also struggled in its fight against the Pakistani Taliban, who have killed thousands of people in attacks throughout the country.

From the archives: A suicide bombing at a political rally kills Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. NBC's Matt Lauer reports.

Rasul Bakhsh Rais, a political science professor at Lahore University of Management Sciences, said it was not a surprise that the Pakistan People's Party unveiled Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in an attempt to boost its fortunes in the upcoming elections, which are expected by June at the latest.

Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter

"This is Pakistan and dynastic politics is the norm," said Rais. "Bilawal is perhaps the only card left in the chest of the Pakistan People's Party."

Archival video, Dec. 27, 2007: Benazir Bhutto was born to lead the fight for democracy in a hard-line Muslim nation. NBC's Chris Clackum looks back at her life.

Both Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father sought to whip up the emotions of the crowd Thursday by shouting "Long live Bhutto" and "Bhutto is alive." Many of the supporters waved the red, black and green flag of the Pakistan People's Party and held pictures of Benazir Bhutto and her father.

"If you kill one Bhutto, one thousand more Bhuttos will emerge," said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

He took a swipe at the judiciary, which has clashed with the current government, by asking why people arrested for suspected involvement in his mother's murder have yet to be convicted.

But some critics have questioned why Zardari has not done more to push forward the investigation during more than four years as president.

The president at the time of her death, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, blamed the Pakistani Taliban for the attack, and five suspected militants are facing trial for alleged involvement in the killing. The Pakistani Taliban have denied targeting Bhutto.

AFP-Getty images

A Pakistani supporter carries a portrait of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto outside the Bhutto family mausoleum in Garhi Dera Bakhsh on Thursday.

PhotoBlog: Bhutto's son launches political career on anniversary of mother's assassination

A Pakistani court issued an arrest warrant for Musharraf last year over allegations he played a role in the attack, which he has denied. Arrest warrants were also issued for two senior police officials accused of negligence in the assassination. Prosecutors accused one of the officials of failing to provide proper security for Bhutto and the other of cleaning the crime scene before evidence could be collected.

A U.N. investigation into the assassination said it could have been prevented and blamed all levels of government for failing to provide adequate security. It also accused intelligence agencies and other officials of severely hampering the investigation into those behind her murder.

Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com

The attack on the tribal police posts before dawn Thursday took place in the town of Darra Adam Khel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, government officials said. The town is located near Pakistan's tribal region, the main sanctuary for Taliban militants in the country.

Security forces have launched an operation to try to recover the 21 missing policemen, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion will likely fall on the Pakistani Taliban.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

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? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16191403-pakistans-dynastic-politics-bhuttos-son-launches-career?lite

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Prius Tops Consumer Reports List of Best New-Car Values ...

Consumer Reports released on Thursday its annual list of Best and Worst New-Car Values.

The magazine finds the Toyota Prius to be the best overall value for the automotive dollar. Specifically, it?s the Prius Four trim level at $26,750. If you buy a lower trim level, the magazine suggests, it will be an even better value. Go higher and you?ve lost the advantage.

The Prius just squeaked by the Honda Fit ($16,915 base), which has been the best new-car value winner for the last four years. To show how close they were, the Prius had a score of 2.21 and the Fit?s score was 2.15.

The reason the Prius came out on top this year, even though the Fit costs less and has a lower estimated cost of ownership, is that the predicted-reliability rating of the Prius is slightly higher than the Fit?s.

To come up with the value analysis, Consumer Reports considers the five-year cost of ownership for each vehicle and works in its road-test scores and its predicted reliability. Then it calculates a value score for 200 different vehicles.

The average value score is 1.0, which means that the Prius and the Fit are both twice as good a value as average.

Generally the best values are cars that perform well in Consumer Reports road tests, have good reliability ratings and are low cost to operate.

Small cars tend to have the highest value, on average. The value of large cars, luxury cars and S.U.V.s is about 25 percent below the average vehicle. And the value of family sedans is 50 percent above the average vehicle?s, according to this analysis.

Toyota models and models from the company?s Lexus luxury division were the best values in 6 of the 10 Consumer Reports categories, and three of those were hybrids (the Prius, Prius V and Camry).

However, last week the Prius V and Camry were the only two out of 18 midsize family cars to get the lowest rating of Poor in a new, more severe front crash test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The insurance institute said that the rating from the Prius V could not be applied to the Prius because of the difference in their size, but the Camry?s rating can be applied to the Camry Hybrid.

These are some of the Consumer Reports best and worst values in the most popular categories:

Best Value Small Hatchbacks: Toyota Prius Four
Worst Value Small Hatchbacks: Ford Focus SE

Best Value Family Sedan: Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE
Worst Value Family Sedan: Chrysler 200 Limited (V6)

Best Value Large/Luxury S.U.V.: Lexus RX 350
Worst Value Large/Luxury S.U.V.: Nissan Armada Platinum

Best Value Minivan/Wagon: Toyota Prius V Three
Worst Value Minivan/Wagon: Chrysler Town & Country Touring-L

Best Value Small S.U.V.: Honda CR-V EX
Worst Value Small S.U.V.: Mini Cooper Countryman S

More information is available to Consumer Reports subscribers online at www.ConsumerReports.org or in the February issue of Consumer Reports Magazine, which is available now on newsstands.

Source: http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/prius-tops-consumer-reports-list-of-best-new-car-values/

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O Christmas Tree | Rowan Family Tree

While we were in Costa Rica, my blog ran out of storage space (after 5 years!) so I will have to post the remaining pictures of our trip after the holiday. For now, enjoy the pictures of our Christmas tree hunt.

We were in appropriately dressed ? no mitts and bad footwear, but we spontaeously stopped at a tree farm just a 10 minute drive from our house (now that?s a local tree!) We?re lucky to have several Chistmas tree farms in Kelowna ? this one was just up KLO, then Spiers Road, for all you locals.

We picked out a lovely coastal tree (if anybody knows what it is ? please post!)?The nice?owner?s son?cut it down for us, since none of us had snowpants on.

The girls were all wet and complaining? until they got to stop for a hot chocolate by the fire. Then happiness ensued.

My favourite ornaments are the two of the first picture we have of the girls ? our pictures were all we had the first Christmas we knew about them.

And I cherish the clay ornaments I bought in Ethiopia ? so lovely.

Merry Christmas to everybody!

Source: http://rowanfamilytree.com/2012/12/26/o-christmas-tree/

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Video: Journal News Posts Gun Database

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50300758/

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Streaming Audio and Video has always been available towards the large corporate sites and techies. Now you can utilize inexpensive software to generate your own streaming audio or video the same as the professionals without the need of knowledge of programming required. Lets face it when a person concerns your website what would they rather [...]

Thousands of Syrians have already taken refuge in Turkey, while others are waiting before making the decision to cross Hundreds of Syrians have been massing on the northern border with Turkey, preparing to cross over if the army advances further into the area after seizing the city of Jisr al-Shughour. Syrian military sources have told [...]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ? A sun-powered robotic explorer named Juno rocketed away Friday on a five-year journey to Jupiter, the solar system?s most massive and ancient planet. Hundreds of scientists and their families and friends watched from just a few miles away, cheering and yelling, ?Go Juno!? as the NASA spacecraft soared into a clear [...]

Greg Stokes and David Chaney have both left their jobs in the wake of the Colombia prostitution scandal. NBC News? Kristen Welker reports. By NBC News and msnbc.com staff Updated at 6:53 p.m. ET: A 12th Secret Service agent is under investigation in the Colombian prostitution scandal, the agency said Friday. Meanwhile, three more agents [...]

Source: http://beachromanticvacations.falyorumlari.com/1153/layanau-writ-trig-bodybuilding-basics-sports-n-recreation-info/

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Video-streaming Xmas cheer restored for Netflix users as AWS outage gets fixed for affected devices

Christmas cheer restored at Netflix,

Did this Christmas' Netflix outage have you and yours "bah humbuging" whilst picking through that collection of physical discs for solace? Fret no more, as the apparent Amazon Web Services outage behind the problem (which brought the service down on many-a-device) is now a officially a mark in Christmas Past. Within the last hour, Netflix announced via its Twitter accounts that its Instant Watch offerings are now "back to normal streaming levels." While it's not exactly a Christmas miracle, we're sure many are delighted to finally be viewing Hollywood's holiday cheer on their newly unwrapped gizmos.

Filed under: , ,

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Source: Netflix (Twitter), Adrian Cockcroft

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/25/netflix-christmas-outage-fixed/

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Eleven children killed in latest Chinese bus crash

DEAR ABBY: While searching for two of my husband's childhood friends, with his knowledge, I believe I may have found a child he doesn't know is his. I'm not positive that the child is his, but the time frame and location indicate that he could be, and there's a strong resemblance to my husband's brother. (I have seen photos on the Internet.) I am curious whether my hunch is correct, but I'm afraid of asking the questions, not knowing how they would be received. My husband is a kind and caring person, a great husband and father. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eleven-children-killed-latest-chinese-bus-crash-112543296.html

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Many share Newtown's mourning during holidays

FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 file photo, Christmas stockings with the names of shooting victims hang from railing near a makeshift memorial near the town Christmas tree in the Sandy Hook village of Newtown, Conn. In the wake of the shooting, the grieving town is trying to find meaning in Christmas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 file photo, Christmas stockings with the names of shooting victims hang from railing near a makeshift memorial near the town Christmas tree in the Sandy Hook village of Newtown, Conn. In the wake of the shooting, the grieving town is trying to find meaning in Christmas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

CHASE KOWALSKI, 7: Chase was always outside, playing in the backyard, riding his bicycle. A week earlier, he was visiting neighbor Kevin Grimes, telling him about completing ? and winning ? his first mini-triathlon. "You couldn't think of a better child," Grimes said. ---- Names of Connecticut school shooting victims, including Chase, are displayed on a makeshift memorial as people walk by on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012 file photo, Addison Strychalsky, 2, of Newtown, Conn., pets Libby, a golden retriever therapy dog, during a visit from the dogs and their handlers to a memorial for the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims in Newtown. As the shock of Newtown's horrific school shooting starts to wear off, as the headlines fade and the therapists leave, residents are seeking a way forward through faith, community and a determination to seize their future. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 file photo, a woman with flowers walks past a Christmas tree which has become a memorial to the Newtown shooting victims in Newtown, Conn. In the wake of the shooting, the grieving town is trying to find meaning in Christmas. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Connecticut's Bria Hartley leaves a news conference holding two teddy bears given to her by children from the Newtown Youth Basketball Association after an NCAA women's college basketball game against Hartford at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Conn., Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

(AP) ? As residents prepared to observe Christmas less than two weeks after a gunman killed 20 children and six educators at an elementary school, people sharing in the town's mourning brought offerings of cards, handmade snowflakes and sympathy.

Tiny empty Christmas stockings with the victims' names on them hung from trees in the neighborhood where the children were shot. On Christmas Eve, residents said they would light luminaries outside their homes in memory of the victims.

"We know that they'll feel loved. They'll feel that somebody actually cares," said Treyvon Smalls, a 15-year-old from a few towns away who arrived at town hall with hundreds of cards and paper snowflakes collected from around the state.

At the Trinity Episcopal Church, less than 2 miles from the school, an overflow crowd of several hundred people attended Christmas Eve services. They were greeted by the sounds of a children's choir echoing throughout a sanctuary hall that had its walls decorated with green wreaths adorned with red bows.

The church program said flowers were donated in honor of Sandy Hook shooting victims, identified by name or as the "school angels" and "Sandy Hook families."

The service, which generally took on a celebratory tone, made only a few vague references to the shooting. Pastor Kathie Adams-Shepherd led the congregation in praying "that the joy and consolation of the wonderful counselor might enliven all who are touched by illness, danger, or grief, especially all those families affected by the shootings in Sandy Hook."

Police say the gunman, Adam Lanza, killed his mother in her bed before his Dec. 14 rampage and committed suicide as he heard officers arriving. Authorities have yet to give a theory about his motive.

While the grief is still fresh, some residents are urging political activism in the wake of the tragedy. A grassroots group called Newtown United has been meeting at the library to talk about issues ranging from gun control, to increasing mental health services to the types of memorials that could be erected for the victims. Some clergy members have said they also intend to push for change.

"We seek not to be the town of tragedy," said Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel. "But, we seek to be the town where all the great changes started."

Since the shooting, messages similar to the ones delivered Monday have arrived from around the world. People have donated toys, books, money and more. A United Way fund, one of many, has collected $3 million. People have given nearly $500,000 to a memorial scholarship fund at the University of Connecticut. On Christmas Day, police from other towns have agreed to work so Newtown officers can have the time off.

At Washington's National Cathedral, the 20 children who were killed also were remembered. Angels made of paper doilies were used to adorn the altar in the children's chapel. They'll be displayed there through Jan. 6.

In the center of Newtown's Sandy Hook section Monday, a steady stream of residents and out-of-towners snapped pictures, lit candles and dropped off children's gifts at an expansive memorial filled with stuffed animals, poems, flowers, posters and cards.

"All the families who lost those little kids, Christmas will never be the same," said Philippe Poncet, a Newtown resident originally from France. "Everybody across the world is trying to share the tragedy with our community here."

Richard Scinto, a deacon at St. Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, which was attended by eight children killed in the massacre, said the church's pastor, Rev. Robert Weiss, used several eulogies this week to tell his congregation to get angry and take action against what some consider is a culture of gun violence in the country.

Praver and Scinto said they are not opposed to hunting or to having police in schools, but both said something must be done to change what has become a culture of violence in the United States.

"These were his mother's guns," Scinto said. "Why would anyone want an assault rifle as part of a private citizen collection?"

A mediator who worked with Lanza's parents during their divorce has said Lanza, 20, was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, an autism-like disorder that is not associated with violence. It is not known whether he had other mental health issues. The guns used in the shooting had been purchased legally by his mother, Nancy Lanza, a gun enthusiast.

Gun control and mental health have also been topics at Newtown United meetings, along with what types of memorials would be most appropriate and any other action residents can take to feel like they are doing something.

"We don't want Newtown to go on the list with Columbine, Tucson and Virginia Tech and only have it associated with horrible acts," said Lee Shull, who moderated a Newton United meeting just days after the shootings. "We want to turn this into something positive. What can we do?"

A handful of people showed up to the group's first meeting at the town library two days after the Dec. 14 shooting. The next night, 35 attended, most scrawling ideas and notes on white paper covering the tables. A few days later there was barely room to maneuver around the meeting room when two guests showed up: Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen.-elect Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrats who told the group they planned to push for gun control legislation and needed their constituents to help them press the issue in Washington.

The group sees itself as a way to spark a local and national dialogue and action in the aftermath of a tragedy. It's also a way to do something, anything, to cope with the sadness that has settled over Newtown.

Said resident John Neuhall: "Our hearts are broken wide open and we're here out of grief and out of love for those families."

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Associated Press Writers Pat Eaton-Robb and John Christoffersen contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-25-Connecticut%20School%20Shooting/id-173c2bcc6d6244d388defe5ebc1ce2b5

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