gentoo mobilizations: 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Giggs: Experience will help United in title push

By STEVE DOUGLAS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:42 a.m. ET Dec. 29, 2011

LONDON (AP) -With most of its title rivals toiling over the Premier League's traditionally busy holiday period, Manchester United has found an extra gear that seems likely to take the team to the top of the standings heading into 2012.

United has wiped out the five-point lead held by Manchester City at the start of December and is seeking a sixth straight win when it hosts bottom side Blackburn on Saturday - the day manager Alex Ferguson celebrates his 70th birthday.

That would leave City in the unusual position of being behind in this season's title race when Roberto Mancini's team visits Sunderland on New Year's Day.

Even a mountainous injury list - currently featuring 11 players - hasn't yet upset United, the reigning champions seeking a 20th English championship success.

"The experience that the manager, the players and the coaching staff have of what's required in the second half of the season, as well as the overall hunger and desire to win competitions, will help us," said veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs, who recently scored for the 20th straight season in the Premier League.

"Big players can't wait for big games. Toward the end of the season the games just get bigger and bigger. For me personally, you want that in the run-in - you want to be involved in big games and going for the title. That's why you become a footballer."

City goes into the latest round of fixtures over the festive period ahead of its fierce rival on goal difference but, without an English title since 1968, it doesn't have United's experience heading into the run-in.

The leaders have dropped five points in its last four matches.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool seem to be out of the title picture, leaving Tottenham, which has won eight of its last 10 matches, looking like the only side capable of breaking the Manchester duopoly at the top of the table.

Seven points behind the pair with a game in hand, Spurs visit Swansea on Saturday where in-form Wales winger Gareth Bale will return to his native country.

"It's great to be up there but we know ultimately that we have to keep concentrating," said Bale, who scored both of Tottenham's goals in the 2-0 win over Norwich on Tuesday.

"It's not even halfway through the season, there's still a lot of games to go and nothing's achieved at this stage of the season. Hopefully we can keep the form that we're in and keep pushing ourselves up the table."

Chelsea - four points adrift in fourth after a run of three straight draws - hosts Aston Villa and fifth-place Arsenal is at home to Queens Park Rangers.

The stand-out match sees Liverpool host Newcastle on Friday, when home striker Andy Carroll looks to start repaying the faith shown in him by manager Kenny Dalglish.

Luis Suarez's one-match suspension for sticking his middle finger up at Fulham fans in a recent league match should ensure Carroll starts at Anfield against the team that sold him for 35 million pounds ($56 million) in a stunning last-minute deal in January's transfer window.

The mighty price tag - which made him one of the world's costliest ever players - appears to be weighing heavily on the England international, who has only scored twice in the league this season and has often started on the bench behind Suarez.

Brushing aside regular stories in the British press about Carroll's off-field habits - he was urged by England manager Fabio Capello in September to drink less if he is to become a regular in the national squad - Dalglish insists the player can still thrive at Liverpool.

"He is adapting well to the change and we will keep working with him and, fortunately for Andy, we have much greater belief in him than a lot of people have who write about him," Dalglish said.

"He is not struggling to deal with anything - I don't think self-belief is a problem for Andy Carroll, I don't see why it should be."

Carroll - a boyhood Newcastle fan - could be set for an extended run in Liverpool's starting lineup after Suarez was handed an eight-match ban from the Football Association last week for racially insulting Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a match in October.

The Uruguay international is likely to appeal against the suspension but could face a lengthy spell out, giving regular opportunities to Carroll.

With Liverpool having drawn its last two games, against lowly sides Wigan and Blackburn, it needs to get back to winning ways to keep pace with its rivals for the Champions League places.

Liverpool is currently in sixth place, a point and a place above Newcastle but three off Chelsea.

"I think we deserve to be higher up the table than we are but you've got to earn that right and not talk about it," Dalglish said. "To be fair, they (the players) have done a lot of talking on the pitch for us.

"As long as we are in there somewhere, continue to do the right things and give ourselves a chance (come the end of the season) then we'll be happy with that."

More newsAnwar Amro / AFP - Getty Images

Lebanon rallying around team

Ali al-Saadi gave Lebanon a 1-0 lead against South Korea and the sectarian chants echoing across Cite Sportive stadium suddenly gave way to a more hopeful cheer.

Off-field woes

Football in 2011 was dominated by events off the field rather than on it.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44031201/ns/sports-soccer/

phoebe prince marlins marlins kourtney kardashian pregnant kourtney kardashian pregnant wormwood bcs bowl games

Friday, December 30, 2011

Baylor vs. Washington

Final Score: Baylor (67) - Washington (56)

And no, this was not a basketball game. This was the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. They were two points shy of tying the record for the most combined points in a bowl game.

Exciting for those who watched, but in the end it was totally sad at how pathetic the defenses were. These two teams have been giving out points like candy all season, but jeez. Did anyone else catch this game?

I would say that this has been the most fun-to-watch bowl game of the year, but that's not saying much as mostly all of this year's match ups seem a little dull. Also, Notre Dame lost today. Take that Lou Holtz!

Source: http://forums.wrestlezone.com/showthread.php?t=198790&goto=newpost

xfactor frankincense cloudy with a chance of meatballs the hobbit movie

Muslims to boycott NY mayor's interfaith breakfast

NEW YORK?? Activists upset at police efforts to spy on Muslims plan to skip Mayor Michael Bloomberg's annual year-end interfaith breakfast Friday, saying Bloomberg shouldn't be defending the tactics.

The 15 imams and activists, supported by religious leaders from a variety of faiths, said in a letter to Bloomberg that they're disturbed at his response to a series of stories by The Associated Press detailing New York Police Department intelligence-gathering programs that monitored Muslim groups, businesses and houses of worship. Bloomberg has defended the department, saying last week it doesn't take religion into account in its policing.

About a dozen people turned down invitations to Friday's breakfast but "a couple dozen" more said they plan to attend, Bloomberg spokesman Stu Loeser said.

The breakfast has long served as a way to showcase the city's diversity and tolerance during overlapping winter holidays.

"I couldn't be there while knowing that the mayor supports, if not established, this warrantless spying apparatus," said Hesham El-Meligy, founder of the Building Bridges Coalition of Staten Island and one of the letter's signers. "I could not just go there as if everything was OK, knowing that it's not."

The letter to Bloomberg contained the names of several dozen Muslim leaders and organizations and said they believe the police department's tactics "threaten the rights of all Americans, and deepen mistrust between our communities and law enforcement." About three dozen Jewish and Christian leaders also signed the letter, though it was unclear how many of them had been invited to the breakfast.

"Mayor Bloomberg, the extent of these civil rights violations is astonishing, yet instead of calling for accountability and the rule of law, you have thus far defended the NYPD's misconduct," the letter said.

Infiltration alleged
Activists accused Bloomberg of squandering goodwill built up last year when he fiercely defended a proposed Islamic prayer and cultural center not far from where the World Trade Center stood. The mosque is still in the planning stages.

But they said they were disappointed by what he said after the AP reported on the police department's efforts to infiltrate Muslim neighborhoods and mosques with aggressive programs designed by a CIA officer who worked with the department after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The stories disclosed that a team of 16 police officers speaking at least five languages was assigned to use census information and government databases to map ethnic neighborhoods in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Documents reviewed by the AP revealed that undercover police officers known as rakers visited local businesses such as Islamic bookstores and cafes, chatting up store owners to determine their ethnicities and gauge their views. They also played cricket and eavesdropped in ethnic cafes and clubs.

Only on msnbc.com
1. NBC poll: Romney, Paul close in Iowa; Gingrich 5th
2. Updated 66 minutes ago 12/30/2011 1:35:18 PM +00:00 Iraq war hero to carry Olympic torch
3. $6 billion-a-year ethanol subsidy dies -- but wait ...
4. Tarnished silver living: Short sales rise
5. ?Just talk to me,? mom of missing Maine tot begs dad
6. Vote on the top story of 2011
7. Cast your vote for the year's weirdest science

The AP stories also revealed that one of the CIA's most experienced clandestine operatives began working inside the police department in July as the special assistant to the deputy commissioner of intelligence.

The CIA is prohibited from spying domestically. Its unusual partnership with the NYPD has troubled top lawmakers and prompted an internal investigation.

In October, Bloomberg defended the arrangement, saying it was necessary in a dangerous world.

"There are people trying to kill us," he said. "And if the CIA can help us I'm all for getting any information they have and then letting the police department use it as ? if it's appropriate to protect you and to protect me."

The letter noted that Muslims comprise at least 10 percent of the city's population. It said the Muslims leaders were seeking a meeting with the mayor to discuss the issues raised by the reports.

"We believe it is unequivocally wrong and fundamentally misguided to invest law enforcement resources in religious or racial profiling, rather than investigating suspicious activity," it said. "We seek your clear, unambiguous, public support for the rights and privacy of all New Yorkers, including Muslims; and a condemnation of all policies that profile and target communities and community groups solely based on their religion or the color of their skin."

It also said: "We are deeply disturbed that to date we have only heard your words of strong support for these troubling policies and violations of our rights. We are equally disturbed by (police Commissioner Raymond) Kelly's denials of what we know to be true as verified by the leaked documents."

The writers requested a meeting with the mayor "at the earliest possible date" to discuss the issues.

Police call allegations false
The Police Department?s chief spokesman, Paul J. Browne, said in an e-mail to The New York Times that "the N.Y.P.D. lawfully follows leads in terrorist-related investigations and does not engage in the kind of wholesale spying on communities that was falsely alleged."

Browne also told the Times that the Central Intelligence Agency's inspector general recently completed report about its role in the NYPD activities concluded that no laws were broken and that there was no evidence the C.I.A. had been engaged in domestic spying.

The New York Daily News and New York Post defended the police in editorials this week, with the Daily News calling the AP's reporting "overheated, overhyped."

Kelly, meanwhile, met Wednesday evening at a Bronx mosque with two imams who weren't listed on the letter and with young fans of a police department youth soccer league, whose winners were presented with a trophy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45814786/ns/us_news-life/

we bought a zoo ipad accessories derrick rose port charlotte florida clippers kit homes boxing day

Thursday, December 29, 2011

NKoreans line streets for Kim Jong Il's funeral

In this image made from KRT video, Kim Jong Un, foreground, Kim Jong Il's youngest son and successor, salutes as he walks next to his father's hearse during a funeral procession for the late North Korean leader in snowy Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. Walking behind Kim Jong Un is Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law and a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission. (AP Photo/KRT via APTN) TV OUT, NORTH KOREA OUT

In this image made from KRT video, Kim Jong Un, third from left, Kim Jong Il's youngest son and successor, walks with Jang Song Thaek, second from left, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law and a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, next to his father's hearse during a funeral procession for the late North Korean leader in snowy Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/KRT via APTN) TV OUT, NORTH KOREA OUT

In this image made from KRT video, a huge portrait of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is carried during his funeral procession in snowy Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/KRT via APTN) TV OUT, NORTH KOREA OUT

In this image made from KRT video, Kim Jong Un, Kim Jong Il's youngest son and successor, salutes as he walks next to his father's hearse during a funeral procession for the late North Korean leader in snowy Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. Walking behind Kim Jong Un is Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law and a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission. (AP Photo/KRT via APTN) TV OUT, NORTH KOREA OUT

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) ? Tens of thousands of North Koreans lined snow-covered streets on Wednesday, wailing and clutching their chests as a black hearse carried late leader Kim Jong Il's body through the capital for a final farewell that ended with a 21-gun salute.

The funeral procession on a gray, freezing day was accompanied by top military and party officials, but there was little doubt who the leader was. Son and successor Kim Jong Un served as head mourner, walking with one hand on the hearse, the other raised in salute, his head bowed against the wind.

State media ? which over the past week have called Kim Jong Un "great successor," ''supreme leader" and "sagacious leader" ? made it clear that the family's hold on power would extend to a third generation, declaring the country in the younger Kim's "warm care."

At the end of the procession, Kim Jong Un again walked along with the limousine with his hand cocked in a salute. He stood head-bowed with top officials as rifles fired 21 times, then saluted again as goose-stepping soldiers carrying flags and rifles marched by.

The funeral procession, which began and ended at Kumsusan Memorial Palace, where Kim's body had lain in state and where his father, North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, is preserved, passed by huge crowds of mourners, most of them standing in the snow with their heads bare, many screaming and flailing their arms as soldiers struggled to keep them from spilling onto the road.

"How can the sky not cry?" a weeping soldier standing in the snow said to state TV. "The people ... are all crying tears of blood."

The scenes of grief provide a clue at how effective North Korea has been in building a personality cult around Kim Jong Il even though people have suffered greatly from food shortages and the United Nations and others cite a lack of human rights. The North's neighbors and the United States are also pressing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Kim, who led the nation with an iron fist following his father Kim Il Sung's death in 1994, died of a heart attack Dec. 17 at age 69, according to state media.

Even as North Koreans mourned the loss of the second leader the nation has known, the transition of power to Kim Jong Un was under way. The young man, who is in late 20s, is already being hailed by state media as the "supreme leader" of the party, state and army.

Like his father's in 1994, Kim Jong Il's coffin was wrapped in a red flag. A limousine carrying a huge portrait of a smiling Kim led the procession, and soldiers followed the hearse and lined the streets. A national memorial service will take place at noon Thursday, state media said. Foreign diplomats in Pyongyang were told to prepare to attend the service.

Outside observers will be watching Wednesday's footage closely for clues on the makeup of Kim Jong Un's inner circle.

Walking behind him was Jang Song Thaek, Kim Jong Il's brother-in-law and a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission who is expected to play a crucial role in helping Kim Jong Un take power.

Also escorting the limousine were military chief Ri Yong Ho and People's Armed Forces Minster Kim Yong Chun. Their presence indicates they will be important players as the younger Kim consolidates his leadership. Top Workers' Party officials Choe Thae Bok and Kim Ki Nam and senior military officer Kim Jong Gak also were prominent positions, according to Seoul's Unification Ministry.

"It shows they will be core powers in North Korea," said Yoo Ho-yeol, a professor at Korea University in South Korea. "Particularly, Jang Song Thaek and Ri Yong Ho will be key to Kim Jong Un's leadership."

The military presence at the funeral Wednesday also suggests Kim will uphold his father's trademark military-first policy, Yoo said.

After the funeral, the young Kim is expected to cement his power by formally assuming command of the 1.2 million-strong military, and becoming general secretary of the Workers' Party and chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, Yoo said.

Kim Jong Il's two other sons, Kim Jong Nam and Kim Jong Chol, have not been spotted.

Kim Jong Un made his public debut just last year with a promotion to four-star general and an appointment as vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party.

Earlier, state television also replayed images of missiles being fired and the April 2009 long-range rocket launch that earned North Korea strengthened U.N. sanctions. The U.S., South Korea and other nations called it a test for a missile designed to strike the United States; North Korea said the rocket sent a communications satellite into space.

North Korea's officials have pledged their loyalty to Kim Jong Il's son.

In an essay paying homage to Kim Jong Il on Wednesday, Workers' Party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun said North Korea under his leadership had been "dignified as a country that manufactured and launched artificial satellites and accessed nukes," referring to the country's nuclear program.

"Thanks to these legacies, we do not worry about the destiny of ourselves and posterity at this time of national mourning," the essay said, carried in English by the Korean Central News Agency.

"Supreme leader of our party and people Kim Jong Un takes warm care of the people left by Kim Jong Il. Every moment of Kim Jong Un's life is replete with loving care and solicitude for the people," the essay said.

Wednesday's procession had a stronger military presence than in 1994.

Kim Jong Il, who ushered in a "military first" era when he took power, celebrated major occasions with lavish, meticulously choreographed parades designed to show off the nation's military might, such as the October 2010 display when he introduced his son to the world.

___

Associated Press Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee and writers Hyung-jin Kim, Foster Klug, Scott McDonald and Sam Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. Follow AP's North Korea coverage at twitter.com/newsjean, twitter.com/APKlug and twitter.com/samkim_ap.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-28-AS-Kim-Jong-Il-The-Funeral/id-4e45c47b14b84de69660f743c67d7f5f

bonjovi bonjovi kim jong un antonio brown james harrison james harrison lil kim

Late firefighter's mom: Keep tossing balls to fans

By BETSY BLANEY

updated 5:57 p.m. ET Dec. 28, 2011

LUBBOCK, Texas - The mother of a Texas firefighter who died reaching to snag a baseball thrown by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton this past summer said Wednesday she wants the star player to keep tossing souvenirs into the stands.

SuZann Stone said that taking home a game ball is a special memory. Her plea to Hamilton was in a letter sent not long after 39-year-old Shannon Stone died when he tumbled over a railing and plunged 20 feet onto concrete July 7 during a game at Rangers Ballpark.

Shannon Stone was trying to catch the ball for his 6-year-old son, Cooper, who witnessed the incident.

The late firefighter's mother says it would be a shame for Hamilton to quit tossing balls to fans.

"I just didn't want him to stop," SuZann Stone said. "How sad that would be because that's what little boys and their daddies go for. This was just an accident."

The mother's letter to Hamilton was first reported in the New York Times Magazine.

Rangers spokesman John Blake said attempts were being made to reach Hamilton for comment.

Shannon Stone had been a firefighter in Brownwood for 18 years. He and Cooper had gone to the game with the intent of getting a souvenir ball. They even stopped on the way to the game to buy a new glove for Cooper.

SuZann Stone was watching the game on television that night, scanning the stands where Cooper had told her they would be sitting. She didn't see the fall and learned of her son's death from his brother.

SuZann Stone knows how special it is to get a ball at a Rangers game. When Shannon Stone was about 12 or 13, she and her husband took him to a Rangers game where he got to watch his favorite player ? third baseman Buddy Bell.

"That was Shannon's hero at the time," she said.

Bell hit a foul ball that looked like it wouldn't be anywhere close to where the family was sitting. But the wind caught it and it came down nearby where the Stones were sitting. Getting that souvenir meant the world to her son, SuZann Stone said, coming from his favorite player.

She said she hasn't heard back from Hamilton since writing to him.

"Really, I didn't expect that I would. I wanted him to let him know our heartfelt sorrow for him," she said. "No way did we feel he was responsible for the accident. He was doing a really nice thing and it just didn't turn out right."

Cooper is doing as well as can be expected, his grandmother said. He and his mother, Jenny Stone, continue to get "phenomenal" support from Brownwood residents and firefighters.

"We have good days and we have bad days but through the holidays it's been pretty hard," SuZann Stone said.

The family's faith helps lessen the pain of her son's death, she said.

"We will see him again," SuZann Stone said. "Until that time it just leaves a pretty big void in our lives."

More news

Giants, Lincecum far apart

HBT: San Francisco and Tim Lincecum are far apart in contract talks, with the Giants offering a four-year deal and the pitcher wanting one for eight years.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45809376/ns/sports-baseball/

natalie wood christina aguilera tony stewart amas

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Rookie Cole crucial as Miami beat Boston (Reuters)

MIAMI (Reuters) ? Rookie Norris Cole shined for the Miami Heat as they beat Boston 115-107 on Tuesday to maintain their impressive start to the National Basketball Association season and hand the Celtics their second consecutive loss.

The Heat, beaten by Dallas in last year's NBA finals, dominated for much of the game and led by 15 points at halftime, but the Celtics created some tension late in the fourth quarter and twice reduced the deficit to three inside the final three minutes.

Cole, a surprise draft pick out of Cleveland State, showed great confidence and steel to score 20 points, 14 of them in the fourth quarter and made four assists, proving instrumental in the nervy final moments.

For once, the 'Big Three' of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were overshadowed as fans left the arena chattering about the exciting potential of Cole.

"If it was football, he'd get the game ball," James said of his fellow Ohio native, who came up with a crucial three-pointer to restore a five-point lead just as Boston were sensing an unlikely comeback.

"This kid he's one of those diamonds in the rough, one of those kids who are very mature and we knew we had a gem in him," said Wade, who ended up with 24 points and eight assists.

"The biggest thing was to be able to take those shots and not be afraid of the moment, he's the kind of player who thinks that is what he should be doing.

"We see a guy who isn't afraid to put the work in and who from day one, has come in and been able to run the show and be able to tell guys like me and LeBron to get out of the way, you have to respect that.

"He didn't hesitate, he made the big plays down the stretch and I haven't been on a side with a young guy doing that, so many times, for a long time. Since me," he quipped.

Cole clearly has the ability to take challenges in his stride and he adroitly avoided a potential media pitfall when asked about whether there was now a 'Big Four' in Miami.

"Don't get carried away, I'm still learning. It was a big game for me but those guys have proven over and over again for years in this league that they are dominant players and I am still learning, I'm still getting better," Cole told reporters.

Miami are 2-0 on the new, reduced, season after also winning their opener at Dallas on December 25.

Boston sorely missed the presence of the injured Paul Pierce, who would have guarded James but benefited from their switch to zonal defense.

"I told the players that at some point it will get us back in the game because no one thinks we'll ever play zone, it put them on their heels," said Celtics' head coach Doc Rivers.

Miami, who beat Boston 4-1 in last season's Eastern Conference semi-finals, marched to a 69-54 lead at halftime with James, who finished with 26 points, in sharp form.

Ray Allen top scored for the Celtics with 28 points, including six three-pointers.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/sp_nm/us_nba_heat

hunger games trailer gabrielle giffords austin rivers austin rivers ows kindle fire review community

Church breaks ground for new facility / Sunday's Names in the News

Be sure to use the Albritton mug

Church breaks ground for new facility

On Nov. 20, the pastors, Administrative Board and members of the congregation of the Briary Run Church held a ground breaking service on their church property on Briary Run Road.

The congregation sold its property on West Road in December 2010 to the Jumping Run Church, and since has been holding services in the former Five Star building on Sussex Street, across from Walmart.

In May, the church agreed to purchase 33 acres on Briary Run Road to build its new facilities. Site work and construction, by Jarman Construction Company, will begin within the next few weeks.

The congregation will continue to meet at the Sussex Street building until the new facility is finished. The anticipated move-in date is this summer.

For more information, call The Rev. Chris Rooks, pastor, at 252-361-8062.

Farmer?s market to close for winter

The Lenoir County Farmer?s Market will be?open on Friday and Saturday with plenty of New Year?s collards and sweet potatoes.

After Saturday, the market will close for the winter, to re-open when the strawberries are ready, probably in mid-April. Watch The Free Press, your email and Facebook for re-opening information.

The staff appreciates everyone?s loyalty and support of local agriculture this year.

Bridge club names winners

The Fairfield Duplicate Bridge Club played a regular game Dec. 20.

The winners were: Tempie Pierce and Sarah Mullikin, first; Billie Jean Wooten/Nancy Barwick and Pearl Schechter/Joe Goldwasser, second-place tie; and Eva Balknight/Jenny Holt, Annie Bennings/Deloris Booker and Pinkey Harper/Geneva Hood, three-way tie for fourth.

A regular game will be played at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday at Fairfield Center. The club welcomes and encourages all bridge players.

For more club information, call 252-523-6791.

Beefeater misnamed in recent photo

In the Weekend section of Thursday?s Free Press, an article announced an annual event to which the community looks forward this time of year.

The Boar?s Head and Yule Log Festival at St. Mary?s Episcopal Church is full of pomp and pageantry, and the Beefeaters play their part in guarding the manor.

In the photo of the Beefeaters, which ran with the story, David Albritton was incorrectly identified as Richard Albritton.

Source: http://www.kinston.com/articles/church-78760-run-new.html

mayan calendar tcu xfactor frankincense cloudy with a chance of meatballs the hobbit movie orcl

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Obama to ask for extra $1.2 trillion in debt

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration says the federal government has nearly reached its borrowing limit ? again.

Treasury officials said Tuesday that the White House plans to request another $1.2 trillion in borrowing authority Friday. The increase is necessary, they say, because the government will be within $100 billion of its current limit by then.

In the past, such a request would be routine. But this one follows a summer of intense partisan debate over the nation's record debt, which has yet to end despite a last-minute deal reached in August that averted a potential default.

The increase would boost the debt limit to $16.4 trillion. Congress and the Obama administration agreed to raise it to that level in three steps as part of the August deal. Officials say that should be enough to allow the government to keep borrowing until the end of 2012, or just after the presidential election.

Congress can reject the request, although Obama can veto their objection. If Congress doesn't act by Jan. 14, the increase will take place automatically.

The debt limit is the amount the government can borrow to finance its operations. It has soared because the government has run record deficits over the past decade. The borrowed money has helped pay for two wars, stimulate the nation's economy after the worst recession since the Great Depression and finance broad tax cuts initiated during the Bush administration.

The enormity of the debt has also stoked a debate in Congress over spending and taxes. Polls show growing voter anger with the inability of both parties to reach solutions to the country's budget problems.

In August, Congress and the administration agreed to raise the borrowing limit by $2.1 trillion in three steps. The deal was reached hours before a potential default on the nation's debt and only after the parties also agreed to cut more than $2 trillion from the deficit over the next 10 years.

Three days after the agreement was signed into law, credit rating agency Standard & Poor's downgraded long-term U.S. debt. The difficulty Congress and the White House had in reaching agreement was a key reason for the downgrade, S&P said.

The parties remain at odds over how to reduce the deficit. In November, a bipartisan panel failed to meet a deadline to agree on $1.2 trillion of the cuts. That means automatic cuts of that amount will begin in January 2013 ? a condition included in last summer's deal.

Republicans want to modify the timetable for the automatic cuts, largely because it includes steep cuts to the nation's defense budget.

Congress agreed to raise the debt limit by $400 billion in August and by another $500 billion in September.

House Republicans voted against the second increase. But they failed to block it because the Senate approved it. The increases are scheduled to take effect unless both chambers vote against them.

Source: http://feeds.chron.com/~r/houstonchronicle/topheadlines/~3/jlwL7OEsR64/White-House-to-seek-increase-in-borrowing-limit-2426713.php

st.louis cardinals drag me to hell alot alot

rondaracha: @kenyanbyrd i wrote abt the wire for black voices for my column and what made the wire so good was the mayor, the police chief was blk so

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

@kenyanbyrd i wrote abt the wire for black voices for my column and what made the wire so good was the mayor, the police chief was blk so Il y a environ 10 heures via web en r?ponse ? kenyanbyrd

rondaracha

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/rondaracha/statuses/151183618650279936

lumpectomy robin williams blaine gabbert netflix stock home affordable refinance program harp harp

Monday, December 26, 2011

East Chicago Mayor Copeland Threatened

East Chicago, Ind. - East Chicago, Ind. Mayor Anthony Copeland was threatened by a gunman on his Thursday night walk.

The incident occurred at 10 p.m. next to Johnny?s Meat Market, 3940 Main St., near Copeland?s home.

?I usually go out for a nightly two-mile walk,? Copeland said. ?I used to do it during the day. I was coming back home, when about a block and half from my house, a guy came out of the alley and tried to rob me.?

Copeland said he didn?t break stride as he took cover behind a truck parked on the street. The gunman never broke the cover of the alley, Copeland said.

?I yelled at the top my lungs, ?Are you going to shoot me or what are you going to do?,? ? Copeland said.

The man never responded and instead fled back down the alley.

Copeland called police, and they searched for the man to no avail. The suspect was described as a black male in his 30s, wearing black jeans, a black jacket, a black hooded sweatshirt and a black knit hat. Copeland hurt his shoulder as he took cover behind the truck.

A background in self-defense may have helped Copeland avoid serious injury. Copeland taught self-defense classes for 15 years, and one of the techniques has stayed with him in the years since.

?When I walk and come to alley or any kind of entryway, I always instinctively veer away from it by about five or six feet, in case a car or dog comes out,? Copeland said. ?If I had stayed alongside the building, he would have pointed it at my head or body.?

Copeland said he doesn?t think the man knew who he was. ?It was just a thing of chance and opportunity,? Copeland said.

The situation did leave Copeland a bit shaken, but he?s determined not to change his routine.

?What am I going to be ? a hermit inside my home?? Copeland said. ?It alters you. Will I think twice about taking the route again? Yes. Will I be paralyzed in fear? No.

?Only a foolish person would think it couldn?t happen to them. Any person, any time, any place ? that person could take your life from you. I know that I?m overwhelmed with blessings.?

Source: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/east-chicago-mayor-copeland-threatened-by-gunman-while-on-walk-20111224

judy garland duggars kyle orton kyle orton j r martinez j r martinez long island serial killer

Ford F350, 2003 King Ranch, 4 door dually, diesel

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://people.bakersfield.com/home/Classified/2652917

flat tax divine bettie page harry caray

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Bengals beat Cardinals 23-16, stay in chase (AP)

CINCINNATI ? Andy Dalton threw a pair of touchdown passes, and Cincinnati withstood yet another fourth-quarter comeback by Arizona, holding on for a 23-16 victory Saturday that kept the Bengals in playoff contention.

Another small crowd at Paul Brown Stadium saw the Bengals (9-6) secure only their third winning record in the last 21 years and stay in the running for the final AFC wild card.

Dalton threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Gresham and a 19-yarder to Jerome Simpson, who did a somersault over a defender and landed on both feet in the end zone. Dalton joined Peyton Manning (26), Charlie Conerly (22) and Dan Marino (20) as the only NFL rookies to throw 20 touchdowns.

Arizona (7-8) rallied from a 23-0 deficit and had a chance to tie. Receiver Early Doucet was uncovered at the goal line but tripped as he ran, letting a fourth-down pass fall incomplete with 1:11 left.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111224/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_cardinals_bengals

google music willis mcgahee willis mcgahee 2013 ford escape stop online piracy act protect ip act spear of destiny

Tottenham keen to sell Giovani dos Santos

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 12:31 AM on 24th December 2011

Spurs have held talks with Giovani dos Santos and his representatives as they try to sell the Mexican next month.

The 22-year-old midfielder was wanted by Sevilla and Udinese but his ?9million price tag was too high.

Out of favour: Giovani dos Santos

Tottenham want the cash to help strengthen the squad.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2078178/Tottenham-keen-sell-Giovani-dos-Santos.html?ITO=1490

rally squirrel scumbag steve scumbag steve day of the dead rocksmith blackbeard widespread panic

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Hoop dreams bring Israelis, Palestinians together

Paul Goldman / NBC News

Children shoot hoops in Jerusalem as part of the PeacePlayers International program.

By Paul Goldman, NBC News

JERUSALEM -- "Shlomi, throw me the ball."

"Assi, it's your turn, pass and dribble."

"Mahmud, great pass. What a basket."

This might sound like a normal basketball game but?it's not. The unique?endeavor?can be best described as an "oasis of coexistence" in Israel?where Jews, Muslims and Christians play not only on the same court but in mixed teams.

In 2001, American brothers Sean and Brendan Tuohey founded PeacePlayers International with the premise that children who play together can learn to live together.

It seemed quite obvious during my visit to practice that the Tuohey brothers were succeeding. Here on the court?at the "Hand in Hand" bilingual school in Jerusalem, Israelis and Palestinians were laughing together, hugging each other and, most importantly, shooting the ball together.

"At first the kids and their parents were hesitant with some kids even crying," says Karen Doubilet, who is the PeacePlayers International's?Middle East managing director. "But the transition is very fast, now they jump in joy and hug each other when they meet on and off the court."

'They are like me'
After?experiencing so much?hatred between Israelis and Palestinians, it was refreshing and exciting to see how naturally these kids reacted and played with each other.

Malak Ayub, 12,?is a Muslim girl from the East Jerusalem village of Shoafat.

"Before I came to this program I thought Israelis only wanted to do bad things to us but now I see that they are like me, they want to play together," she said.

One of Malak's best friends is Hadas Prawer, a 14-year-old Israeli from the neighborhood of Mevaseret, which is located west of Jerusalem. I asked Hadas what?she tells?her friends when they hear she plays with Palestinians.

"I don't care what people think or say, I'm having fun and that's it," she said, before turning around and giving Malak a?huge hug.

The traditional Hanukkah 'Sufganiyot' -- the Jewish ball-shaped doughnuts -- were waiting on the sidelines as a reward for the kids' hard work.?All the?children were wearing T-shirts with the US AID logo on the back, indicating the backing by the US.

"Basketball is huge, especially with the girls," Doubilet added. "Most of these kids don?t have a constructive framework and we give them this activity almost for free. The relationships here will no doubt shape the way Israelis and Palestinians think of each other in the future".

About?550?young people aged from six?to 18 enrolled in this program in the past year, bridging communities in Israel like Jaffa, Tamra and Jerusalem where Jews and Muslims live next to each other.?

Haled Sabah is a 20-year-old Palestinian from Shoafat. He joined the program seven years ago and is now one of its coaches.

"I see some racism on both sides but when kids play on the same team they just see each other simply as people," he said.?

Source: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/23/9659997-hoop-dreams-bring-young-israelis-palestinians-together?chromedomain=worldnews

gabby gabby marcel the shell with shoes on ecu

Sports briefs

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Source: savannahnow.com --- Friday, December 23, 2011
LOCAL Armstrong baseball team No. 27 in preseason poll The Armstrong Atlantic State University baseball squad checked in at No. 27 in the Collegiate Baseball Lineup?s Division II Top 30 preseason poll, released this week by collegiatebaseballlieup.com. The Pirates finished 35-17 overall last season and return their top four hitters, including two-time All-Peach Belt Conference catcher John Roberts, as well as two of their top starting pitchers. Armstrong advanced to the semifinals of the 2011 PBC Tournament. read more ...

Source: http://savannahnow.com/sports/2011-12-23/sports-briefs

jenna lyons san francisco earthquake san francisco earthquake nextdoor premier fitness dan uggla kryptos

Friday, December 23, 2011

China urges others to help keep North Korea stable (Reuters)

SEOUL (Reuters) ? China, which may have received advanced notice of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, has moved swiftly to call on the United States and other countries to help maintain stability in the reclusive state, officials and news reports said.

North Korea is in mourning since it announced Kim's demise on Monday, two days after the 69-year-old iron ruler died of a heart attack, plunging the region into uncertainty over its stability and who had control over its nuclear weapons program.

The official KCNA news agency said at least five million people -- one-fifth of the population of the impoverished state -- had paid condolences at statues and portraits of the leader and his father, North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung.

"These places turned into a veritable sea of mourners who bitterly wept, looking up to portraits of smiling Kim Jong-il," it said.

His son Kim Jong-un, thought to be in his 20s, has been anointed the successor but it is likely power rests with a coterie of senior officials, including his aunt and uncle.

The younger Kim, along with top army and government officials, paid respects on Tuesday to his father, whose body was placed in a glass topped bier surrounded by the red "Kimjongilia" flowers named after him, television footage showed.

A leading South Korean newspaper reported on Wednesday that China, isolated North Korea's only major ally, learned of Kim's death soon after it occurred on Saturday.

JoongAng Ilbo quoted an unidentified source in Beijing as saying the Chinese ambassador to North Korea had obtained intelligence of Kim's death and reported it to the capital on December 17, the day Kim died of an apparent heart attack while on a train.

"North Korea informed China of Kim's death through diplomatic channels on the following day," the source was quoted as saying.

Top South Korean intelligence and military officials have come under criticism for failing to learn of Kim's death before the official announcement by Pyongyang.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak left on a state visit for Japan some hours after Kim's death, indicating that neither Seoul nor Tokyo -- nor Washington -- had any inkling of his death.

China has given no official comment or even hints suggesting it was told of Kim's death before the public announcement. But in the past, Beijing has had advance notice from North Korea of major events, diplomats say. In 2006, North Korea told China 20 minutes or more beforehand that it would test its first nuclear device, they said.

EXHORTS ALLIES

Beijing has moved swiftly to exhort the United States, Japan and South Korea to help keep North Korea stable.

"Preserving the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula is in the common interests of all sides," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told Japan's Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba late on Tuesday, according to a report from China's Xinhua news agency.

"China is willing to work with Japan to continue making efforts to together protect the peace and stability of the peninsula and the region," said Yang.

The Chinese foreign minister has already made similar pleas in phone calls to South Korea's Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

It underscores China's desire to avoid ructions over North Korea after the death of Kim, whose successor-son is untested and largely unknown.

With its own leadership transition approaching, Beijing would be loath to allow any form of instability on its borders and the prospect of hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding across the Yalu River.

"China's foremost priority will therefore be to ensure that North Korea's new leader, whoever that may be, will be able to rally and unify the country together," said Sarah McDowall, an analyst at IHS Jane's.

In the Chinese city of Dandong, on the bank of the Yalu River border between the two nations, mourners who appeared to be North Koreans filed through a makeshift mourning centre.

Women in their 20s and 30s wept, wailed and prostrated themselves in front of wreaths of white and yellow chrysanthemums. Some men clasped their hands in front of them and bowed deeply.

In Washington, officials said the United States has signaled to North Korea's new leaders it hopes for progress on resuming talks on curbing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and has pushed ahead with discussions on resuming food aid despite the death of Kim.

"Given the mourning period, frankly we don't think we'll be able to have much more clarity and resolve these issues before the new year. But obviously we stand ready to keep working on this," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.

Nuland said the contact occurred on Monday through what is known as "the New York channel" -- North Korea's mission to the United Nations -- but she was unable to say whether it involved any political discussion of the ramifications of Kim's death.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Quinn in WASHINGTON,Seoul and Beijing bureaus; Editing by Jonathan Thatcher)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/nkorea/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111221/wl_nm/us_korea_north

velasquez vs dos santos velasquez vs dos santos manny pacquiao vs. juan manuel marquez manny pacquiao vs. juan manuel marquez cain velasquez vs dos santos cain velasquez vs dos santos oregon stanford

GOP Congressman: Maybe Mooch shouldn?t hector us about our weight seeing she has an ass the size of Wisconsin

I hadn?t noticed. But now that he mentions it. . .

(Fishbowl DC) ? Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), known for his cantankerous ways and for not speaking to media unless it?s his idea, was overheard at the Delta Crown lounge at Reagan National Airport today talking on his cellphone about an incident he said occurred three weeks ago while at an Episcopal church auction. Please note, a church auction.

Our source, a Democratic operative who heard the whole thing, said he was ?very loud?. Sensenbrenner was overheard saying that after buying all their ?crap? (his word) a woman approached him and praised first lady Michelle Obama. He told the woman that Michelle should practice what she preaches ? ?she lectures us on eating right while she has a large posterior herself.?

Keep reading. . .

Via Drudge

Posted by WM on Wednesday, December 21, 2011, at 3:57 pm | Tweet

Source: http://weaselzippers.us/2011/12/21/gop-congressman-maybe-mooch-shouldnt-hector-us-about-our-weight-seeing-she-has-an-ass-the-size-of-wisconsin/

kourtney and kim take new york anne hathaway news channel 5 nathan hale

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Finally, some bipartisanship _ oops, nevermind

House Speaker John Boehner heads from a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, Dec. 19, 2011, to speak to the media. Partisan to the core, Congress careened toward a holiday-season standoff Monday on legislation to prevent a Social Security payroll tax increase for 160 million workers on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sen. Mitch McConnell does not high-five easily or often. But a deal to keep American workers' taxes from rising on Jan. 1 was reason enough for the coolest negotiator in the Senate to lift a hand on camera and slap ? or pat ? some skin.

His celebration was premature.

Furious House Republicans said McConnell's deal for a two-month extension of payroll tax cuts is 10 months too few. They are prepared to let everyone's Social Security taxes rise an average $20 a week for a while if that's what it takes to extend the cut for a year. And they are intent on dragging the vacationing Senate back to Washington to do it their way.

"I don't care about the political implications," Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., said Monday.

Senate Republicans do, especially those up for re-election at a time when Americans are more apt to trust car salesmen than Congress.

"The House Republicans' plan to scuttle the deal to help middle-class families is irresponsible and wrong," said one, Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass.

It was at least the third time in a year dominated by partisan standoffs that House conservatives, led by a nearly 90-member freshman class, brought GOP leaders up short on their plans to compromise. The first was last spring when they forced GOP leaders to rewrite spending bills to deepen federal spending cuts. Then there were objections in the summer over raising the nation's debt limit, which brought the government to the brink of a first-ever default.

Now, the question of compromise is keeping a tax cut ? the stuff of Republican dogma ? hanging on the eve of the presidential and congressional election year.

At stake are Social Security payroll taxes paid by 160 million workers. President Barack Obama and the last Congress agreed to cut them by 2 percentage points a year ago, but only for a year. On Jan. 1, they go back up to 6.2 percent if Congress doesn't act. Also, people without jobs for more than six months start losing benefits and doctors' Medicare fees get cut by 27 percent.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, derided what he said was yet another instance of the Senate "kicking the can down the road" with only a two-month renewal of the status quo. Doing it for an entire year would mean more certainty "for job creators and others," he said.

House Republicans huddled late into the night and planned to instead call Tuesday for formal negotiations with the Senate, rejecting the two-month version.

The dustup marked an unusual disconnect between Boehner and McConnell. Even before the 2010 elections made Boehner speaker, he and McConnell coordinated closely on tactics. This year, they've stayed in close contact, either by phone or by shuttling quietly between their office suites at the Capitol, their aides say.

Kentucky's McConnell is no shrinking violet when it comes to partisan brinksmanship.

He's vowed, for example, to use his perch as the Senate's top Republican to deny Obama a second term. He considers cartoons mocking his hardcore negotiating style badges of honor, and posts them on his office wall. But even McConnell spoke up Saturday in favor of compromise on the payroll tax, lest another standoff drop Congress' approval ratings the few points they have left to fall.

"In order to achieve something around here, we have to compromise," he intoned just before the Senate's vote Saturday on the two-month tax cut extension. "That is, in fact, what we have done. We have crafted a bill not designed to fail but designed to pass."

It passed overwhelmingly, 89-10, and senators immediately bolted for a month-long recess, a year of sniping and ugliness finished at last ? or so they thought.

House Republicans immediately balked and insisted on their one-year version, six times more expensive and paid for in part by raising Medicare premiums for people whose incomes exceed $80,000 a year. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid made clear he had no intention of calling the Senate back into session to vote on that or any other bill.

Fine, the House freshmen said. A two-month deal, they suggested, was not worth having because it did not afford business owners and others enough time to plan. They were outraged at the Senate ? including 39 of its 47 Republicans ? for voting for a two-month extension.

"The Senate just needs to do its job," said Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-N.Y. "What they sent us over was an insult to the American people."

"That vote (in the Senate) had a lot more to do with getting out of Washington and going back home and spending time with our loved ones," said Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark.

So it's all or nothing? House Republicans are prepared to let taxes rise on Jan. 1?

"We didn't say it's all or nothing," Womack said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-20-Congress-Dysfunction%20Junction/id-2361e71bae714d4aa379a91f922f9e6a

jack del rio fired made in america made in america icam patrice o neal. joran van der sloot osteopathy

Monday, December 19, 2011

Russian rig sinks, more than 50 feared dead (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? A drilling rig with 67 crew on board capsized and sank off Russia's far eastern island of Sakhalin on Sunday while being towed through a storm, leaving more than 50 dead or missing in the icy Sea of Okhotsk.

Emergency officials said the crew of an icebreaker and tugboat rescued 14 workers alive from the jack-up rig, the 'Kolskaya', which was operated by a Russian offshore exploration firm. They recovered four bodies from the water.

Four of the survivors, suffering from hypothermia, were airlifted by helicopter to land and taken to hospital after the disaster struck at 12:45 p.m. (0145 GMT).

The rest of the crew were missing, 200 km (125 miles) off the coast of remote Sakhalin island. The water temperature was one degree Celsius (33.8 Fahrenheit), giving survivors around 30 minutes before death from freezing, according to maritime and rescue websites.

"The Kolskaya keeled to its side ... and sank within 20 minutes. The depth of the water at the site is 1,042 metres (0.65 miles)," Russia's federal water transport agency said in a statement on its website.

Several rescue crafts and helicopters had been sent to the site to scour the waters for survivors from the rig owned by Arktikmorneftegazrazvedka (AMNGR), a unit of state-owned Zarubezhneft.

"There is no ecological danger. The vessel was carrying the minimum amount of fuel as it was being tugged by two craft," said a spokesman for AMNGR.

But the incident will deal a blow to efforts by Russia, the world's largest energy producer, to step up offshore oil and gas exploration to stave off a long-term decline in onshore production.

The jack-up rig, which has three support legs that can be extended to the ocean floor while its hull floats on the surface, was heading from Kamchatka to Sakhalin when it overturned in stormy winter conditions with a swell of up to 6 metres (19.7 feet).

"(President) Dmitry Medvedev has ordered all necessary assistance be provided to the victims of the drilling platform accident and has ordered a probe into the circumstances of the loss of the platform," the Kremlin said. The Emergencies Ministry said it would work through Sunday night.

"The violation of safety rules during the towing of the drilling rig, as well as towing without consideration of the weather conditions ... are believed to be the cause of the (disaster)," investigators said in a statement on their website.

The 'Neftegaz-55' tugboat, also owned by AMNGR, had been towing the Kolskaya and took part in the search effort, but pulled out after suffering hull damage from the high waves.

The tug, carrying most of the crew rescued from the rig, was taking on water and trying to limp to port. An icebreaker, the 'Magadan', was still at the scene.

RIG WAS WORKING FOR GAZPROM

The rig, built in Finland in 1985, had been doing work on a minor gas production project in the Sea of Okhotsk for a unit of state-controlled gas export monopoly Gazprom, the company said.

Russia's prize offshore gas and oil fields lie to the northeast of Sakhalin. Two major offshore projects are already producing oil and gas off the island - Sakhalin-1, operated by Exxonmobil and Sakhalin-2, in which Gazprom has a controlling stake.

The disaster is unlikely to seriously affect oil or gas production. AMNGR said the vessel was no longer under contract when it sank.

OFFSHORE DRILLING

Operating conditions in the region, explored by Soviet geologists in the 1960s and 1970s, are among the harshest for Russian energy companies.

Winter often lasts 220-240 days in the waters off Sakhalin, where the main companies operating are ExxonMobil, Gazprom, and Royal Dutch Shell. They produce oil and gas, sometimes in icebound conditions, for export largely to Asian markets.

Sakhalin-2, in which Shell and Mitsui also have stakes, produces 10 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas at Russia's only LNG plant in the port of Prigorodnoye for export to Asia, much of it to Japan.

Each tanker of crude oil produced by at the 160,000 barrels-per-day Sakhalin-1 project, operated by ExxonMobil, is escorted by two icebreakers when ice thickness reaches 60 cm (2 feet).

State-controlled Rosneft this year reached a major deal with Exxon to explore for oil and gas in the Kara Sea, to the north of the Russian mainland, a largely unexplored region estimated to hold over 100 billion barrels of oil.

A combination of poor infrastructure and chronic corner-cutting has dealt the country its share of sea disasters, notably the 2000 sinking of the nuclear submarine Kursk in the Barents Sea in August 2000, killing all 118 aboard and prompting criticism of the sluggish response.

(Additional reporting by Douglas Busvine; editing by Mark Trevelyan)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111218/wl_nm/us_russia_platform_capsize

penn state football weather boston grimm fairy tales grimm fairy tales gold rush gold rush chili recipe

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Do a Few Chores to Warm Yourself Up Without Touching the Thermostat [Winter]

Do a Few Chores to Warm Yourself Up Without Touching the Thermostat Home-centric blog Re-Nest shares a quick tip for staying warm as winter approaches: instead of turning up the thermostat, get up and move a little bit with the vacuum to keep yourself comfortable.

It isn't the most mind-blowing tip in the world, but if putting on a sweatshirt doesn't really help the temperature of your apartment, try getting up and doing a few chores. Not only will the movement warm you up, but you'll get something done in the meantime:

Last night I found myself cold in my house and needing to tidy up before my mom arrived for a short visit. Rather than bury myself under blankets on the couch, I vacuumed. Within a few minutes, I was warm from lugging my Bissell around and happy to be getting the job done. Similarly, I find that I don't mind handwashing dishes so much in the winter because I enjoy the warm water.

If you really hate doing chores, of course, you could just head to your computer room and play video games?I find sitting at my computer is consistently much warmer than my TV room.

Photo by Douglas Cootey.

How To Warm Up Without Turning Up the Heat: Do Chores | Re-Nest

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/eTH3bm-aTGA/do-a-few-chores-to-warm-yourself-up-without-touching-the-thermostat

mark ingram between two ferns joe the plumber weather colorado springs weather colorado springs chaz bono tonight show

Towns Fighting to Stand Ground Against Gas Drillers

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The fight over the shale gas boom, which pits towns and cities against energy companies and states eager for growth, has raised a fundamental question about the role of local government.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=e4c990d0df72a05045bf0ad75c6d29cc

roddy white roddy white howard stern howard stern free shipping day free shipping day golden globe nominations 2012

Saturday, December 17, 2011

ICC dismisses charges against Rwandan suspect (AP)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands ? International Criminal Court judges dismissed charges Friday against a Rwandan rebel accused of involvement in the murder, rape and torture of Congolese villagers by a Hutu militia in 2009.

The judges ordered the release of Callixte Mbarushimana, saying there is not enough evidence to support the charges against him.

Prosecutors said they would send the case to appeals judges and quickly filed a request to halt Mbarushimana's release pending the outcome of the appeal. If judges reject the request, the court has to find a country willing to accept Mbarushimana before he can be released and it is not clear how long that could take.

Prosecutors had accused Mbarushimana of being a senior member of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, known by its French acronym the FDLR. The group is accused of unleashing savage attacks on civilians in the North and South Kivu provinces of Congo as a "bargaining tool" to win power.

If he is freed, Mbarushimana would be the first suspect released from ICC custody since the court's inception in 2002.

In February 2010, judges refused to confirm charges against a Darfur rebel accused of attacking African Union peacekeepers, but unlike Mbarushimana the rebel, Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, was never taken into custody.

In an unusual case at the court, prosecutors accused Mbarushimana of contributing to crimes from a Paris apartment "by orchestrating an international campaign of propaganda and extortion" to force Rwanda to accept the return of the rebels who had fled the country after its 1994 genocide.

In a majority decision, a three judge panel said evidence presented at a preliminary hearing in September was not strong enough to merit sending the case to trial.

The evidence was "not sufficient to establish substantial grounds to believe that the Suspect encouraged the troops' morale through his press releases and radio messages, and, therefore, he could have not provided ... a significant contribution to the commission of crimes," two judges wrote in their decision. The presiding judge at the September hearing, disagreed, saying Mbarushimana should have been sent to trial.

Nick Kaufman, the lawyer who represented Mbarushimana at the preliminary hearing, praised the decision.

"We welcome this brave decision which is a moment of truth and vindication for Callixte Mbarushimana," Kaufman told The Associated Press in an email.

Mbarushimana was arrested in Paris in October, 2010, and transferred to the court in The Hague.

He faced 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity but always maintained his innocence.

The FDLR was established by former guerrillas accused of genocide in Rwanda's 1994 ethnic slaughter. After moving to Congo, the FDLR launched attacks on Rwanda aimed at ousting the government in Kigali.

Knowing they could not win a conventional military campaign, the rebels retreated to the dense forests of eastern Congo and from there went on a yearlong killing spree that left hundreds dead and forced thousands from their homes.

FDLR fighters "killed, raped and tortured civilians in this region. They carried out pillaging and burned down entire villages," deputy prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told judges in September. Women were raped, often repeatedly and by several attackers in turn, she added.

After the Rwanda genocide, Mbarushimana went to work as a software programmer for the United Nations in Angola and then Kosovo.

He was arrested in Kosovo at the request of Rwanda but released in 2001 because Rwanda failed to properly prepare his indictment. He was later indicted by the Rwanda war crimes tribunal, set up by the U.N. in Tanzania. But his case was dropped.

Gregory Alex, a senior U.N. official who has worked in Rwanda and Congo and has long wanted to see Mbarushimana face trial, told the AP he was disappointed by the decision.

"He should be arrested and tried for his crimes. There should be loud criticism of this," he said.

Alex said the order to release Mbarushimana comes at a time when authorities have been making headway in efforts to dismantle the FDLR.

"We've been making good progress," he said, adding that 169 FDLR fighters surrendered in November.

____

Associated Press writer Rukmini Callimachi contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_re_eu/eu_international_court_congo

damian mcginty tj houshmandzadeh tj houshmandzadeh san onofre the little couple bubba smith bubba smith

Is Arizona's Sheriff Joe a racist? (The Week)

New York ? The Justice Department is accusing tough-guy Sheriff Joe Arpaio of taking his hardline crusade against Latino immigrants too far

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., was handed an ultimatum on Thursday: Clean up his department's rampant and illegal racial discrimination or the federal government will see him in court. After a three-year investigation, the U.S. Justice Department accused the controversial immigrant-hunting sheriff of illegally jailing scores of Hispanic residents, often after trumped-up traffic stops; abusing Spanish-speaking inmates and denying them basic rights; and retaliating against critics. Arpaio shot back that the Obama administration was just using him as a "whipping boy," and supporter Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas) darkly warned, "I would suggest to you that these people are out after Sheriff Joe." Do Arpaio's fans have a case, or is self-proclaimed "America's Toughest Sheriff" really just "America's Most Racist Sheriff"?

Racism is just the tip of the iceberg: The DOJ's damning report confirms what we already suspected, says Lucy Steigerwald in Reason: Sheriff Joe is an "awful person" whose brutal tactics indiscriminately target Latinos, including U.S citizens. And while he excels at violating Latinos' "civil rights and the Constitution," Arpaio is "really awful at following up on serious criminal complaints," like 400 sex-abuse reports, mostly involving Latino victims. "Schadenfreude should reign throughout the land" at this racist jerk getting busted.
"The Department of Justice is very unhappy with Joe Arpaio"

Obama is out for Arpaio's head: There are some "serious" concerns raised in the report, and those "should be looked into," says 24Ahead.com. But even after a "politically motivated quasi-witchhunt," Team Obama unearthed "no smoking gun in the entire report against Arpaio himself." The feds are going after Sheriff Joe because he is "interfering with attempts by crooked businesses to make money [off illegal immigrants] and with corrupt politicians' attempts to obtain race-based power."
"DOJ investigation claims Sheriff Joe Arpaio engaged in 'unconstitutional policing'"

Racist or not, he'll be sheriff for awhile: Arpaio's sheriff's office, as detailed by the DOJ, really is "appalling. It's disgusting. It's infuriating," says E.J. Motini in The Arizona Republic. But this is hardly the first time "we've heard tough talk about Arpaio from federal officials." Nothing ever comes of it, and it's unlikely the Obama administration will bring much change to Sheriff Joe's bailiwick, either. After all, for 20 years "he's gotten re-elected for doing pretty much what Justice officials say he shouldn't be doing."
"Despite all the tough talk, Joe Arpaio is still sheriff"

View this article on TheWeek.com
Get 4 Free Issues of The Week

Friday, December 16, 2011

Google Translate app update adds handwriting recognition, breaks barriers

The Google Translate app for Android received a pretty significant update yesterday, bringing handwriting recognition to its bullpen of functionalities. The app, which added voice recognition back in October, can now recognize handwriting in seven different languages, including English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. It's probably most important, however, for Chinese- and Japanese-speaking contingents, who can now use their handsets to translate characters that aren't typically featured on English keypads. The update to version 2.3 is available now, at the source link below.

Google Translate app update adds handwriting recognition, breaks barriers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Android Police | source

Android Market | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/google-translate-app-update-adds-handwriting-recognition-breaks/

whitney duncan bradley cooper elisabeth hasselbeck roger craig roger craig cadillac xts rambus