Top-ranked Syracuse beats Seton Hall 75-49

Syracuse's Fab Melo, right, blocks the shot by Seton Hall's Fuquan Edwin as Syracuse's C.J. Fair, left, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

Syracuse's Fab Melo, right, blocks the shot by Seton Hall's Fuquan Edwin as Syracuse's C.J. Fair, left, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

Syracuse's Dion Waiters scores over Seton Hall's Patrik Auda, right, and Herb Pope during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

Syracuse's Fab Melo, right, blocks a shot by Seton Hall's Herb Pope during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) ? A year ago as a raw freshman with little stamina, Fab Melo watched most of Seton Hall's stunning triumph over then-No. 9 Syracuse from the bench.

On Wednesday night, that was a distant memory.

Melo had a career-high 12 points and school-record 10 blocks and top-ranked Syracuse stifled Seton Hall at every turn in a 75-49 victory in the Big East opener for both teams.

"I wasn't surprised," said the 7-foot Brazilian, who is 30 pounds lighter than when he arrived on campus and in the best shape of his life. "I've put a lot of work in. I'm still working hard to get better and I'm sure you'll see better things from me. You're going to be more surprised."

Melo, who had his first career double-double, pulled in seven rebounds. A year ago against the Pirates, he had two points, two rebounds and no blocks in 4 minutes of a 90-68 loss.

Syracuse (14-0, 1-0) gained control in this one with a staunch defensive performance in the opening half, limiting Seton Hall to 5-of-27 shooting (18.5 percent) in building a 34-15 lead.

The Orange finished with 17 steals and 15 blocks, forced 23 turnovers, and limited the Pirates to only one steal ? by Fuquan Edwin, the national leader entering the game with 3.3 per game.

"I thought our defense was as good as it's been all year," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "It was an incredible defensive effort."

Dion Waiters had 15 points and Brandon Triche added 11 for Syracuse, which won easily despite a subpar performance from leading scorer Kris Joseph, who missed all six of his shots and did not score.

"That's a great team right there, man," said Joseph, who had four steals and four assists. "If I can go scoreless and we still win by these many points, it's a great sign."

The victory was the 870th of Boeheim's career, putting him within six of fourth-place Adolph Rupp of Kentucky and nine of third-place North Carolina's Dean Smith on the Division I list.

Jordan Theodore had 14 points but only two assists for Seton Hall (11-2, 0-1), which had an eight-game winning streak snapped. Herb Pope, fourth in the nation in scoring at 20.3 points per game, had just four points and nine rebounds, and Edwin finished with three points ? all on free throws ? on 0-of-11 shooting.

Last January, Jeremy Hazell led a long-range Seton Hall barrage with 28 points as the Pirates hit seven 3s in building a 13-point halftime lead.

The tables were turned this time.

With Hazell gone, Pope is the focus of the Pirates' attack. He has eight double-doubles, tops in the nation, and had only failed to reach double figures in scoring once, in the Pirates' win at Longwood on Friday night when he finished with eight in 29 minutes.

The Syracuse defense clamped down on the big guy, who was 2 of 9 from the field and committed six turnovers.

"I contributed too many turnovers," Pope said. "I didn't execute the game plan as far as getting the big kid (Melo) off his feet, going into him. I helped him have a stellar game."

Etan Thomas held Syracuse's block record with nine. He did it three times, the last in 2000.

Syracuse leads the nation with 11.2 steals per game and a turnover margin of 8.6, and the Orange's penchant for creating mistakes was on full display in the first half. Seton Hall committed 15 turnovers and Pope led the way with five, scoring just two points on a driving dunk and missing the other five shots he attempted.

"We haven't had a home game in a while," Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard said with a pained smile. "Maybe we thought we were wearing white jerseys. We kept throwing it to them."

Melo, who played 25 minutes, closed the first half with a stunning block of Pope under the basket at the buzzer. It was his eighth block of the half and he did it to Pope again early in the second after scoring two straight baskets. Melo converted a miss by Triche and scored off a nice feed underneath from Joseph to boost the lead to 42-20 with 16:19 left.

"The staff deserves an unbelievable amount of credit and I think Fab deserves an unbelievable amount of credit for transforming his body," Willard said. "That kid is a pleasure to watch."

A 3-pointer by Scoop Jardine boosted the lead to 50-26 at 13:35.

The Pirates missed their first six shots and Syracuse gained a 6-1 lead when Triche followed his own miss and fed Melo for a dunk.

Consecutive baskets by Waiters, the second a steal and dunk, boosted the lead to 12-3 as the Orange began to steadily pull away. When Theodore hit a 3 from the left wing at 8:05, he had 10 of Seton Hall's 12 points.

Syracuse finished just five blocks shy of the school record set Jan. 11, 1992, against Miami, and Willard was more than happy to get out of the Carrier Dome.

"It's tough. You can't really prepare for this type of game, especially when they're at home," Willard said. "You can't sit there and say, 'What could we have done if we had made passes?' We could have made a lot of passes. We're still going to get our butt kicked tonight."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-28-BKC-T25-Seton-Hall-Syracuse/id-5a36f25ac5f84a23b0953cbd677e86b9

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Texas Christmas Day Massacre Alleged to be Islamic Honor Killing; Truth or Islamophobia?

The shocking murder-suicide rampage by a Santa-suited gunman, killing six of his relatives before shooting himself in Dallas, Texas, on Christmas morning has been alleged to be an Islamic honor killing.

The gunman has been identified as Aziz Yazdanpanah (56), who showed up at his estranged wife's apartment on Christmas morning and shot six persons to death.

According to local media, the victims are Yazdanpanah's ex-wife Nasrin Rahmaty (55), daughter Nona Yazdanpanah (19), son Ali Yazdanpanah (15), sister-in-law Zohreh Rahmaty (58), brother-in-law Hossein Zarei (59) and niece Sahra Zarei (22). However, Grapevine city police department or medical examiner's office has not officially released the names of the victims.

Yazdanpanah, who had been running a real estate business, filed for bankruptcy in 2010, following which he and his wife were separated in March. His brother-in-law, Zarei, was a well-known figure in Iranian-American community who owned a popular ranch in Dallas.

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Initial reports attributed the motive behind the killing to Yazdanpanah's financial troubles, home foreclosure and the emotional trauma of having been alienated from his wife and children.

However, Jihad Watch, a site ran by Robert Spencer, well-known author and columnist, has?alleged?that Yazdanpanah, a Muslim, couldn't digest the fact that his daughter was dating a non-Muslim and chose to kill the family to thwart the perceived dishonor.

The site quoted friends and classmates of Yazdanpanah's teenage daughter Nona. One of them named Lacie Reed was quoted as saying, "She (Nona) would come to school crying and telling us her dad was crazy. He wouldn't let her wear certain things. He was always taking her phone away, checking her call history and checking her text messages."

"She couldn't date at all until she was a certain age, but when he was going to let her date she couldn't date anyone outside of their race or religion," Reed said.

The site also alleged that Yazdanpanah had installed cameras around the home to monitor his family's whereabouts.

The Grapevine police department remained silent even as wild theories have been circulating in local media regarding the killer's motive.

"Motive is not really the primary point right now," said Grapevine police Lt. Todd Dearing. "It's more along the lines of what happened, how it transpired and making sure that who we believe to be the shooter is the shooter. Motive is what comes afterward for us if we can get it," he added.

Given that the authorities remain silent, is it fair to allege religious motives behind the act only because the killer and his victims were Muslims? Is it the stupefying anti-Islamic bigotry that leads to allegations of this nature, showing the Islamic religion in a bad light?

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Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/273383/20111228/texas-christmas-day-massacre-alleged-islamic-honor.htm

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Sony Ericsson lanza juego de plataforma-puzzle gratis para el Xperia Play

Experiment 13 es unjuego que te pone en los zapatos de Roy Tate, un aprendiz de laboratorio que por accidente se transporta a otra dimensi?n llena de peligros, monstruos y rompecabezas a resolver para poder regresar a la tierra.

El modo de juego es de aventura-plataforma, donde el protagonista brinca y escala, as? como tambi?n controla la gravedad y puede rotar los escenarios para resolver los rompecabezas planteados.

El t?tulo lo desarrolla Southend Interactive y lo publica SonyEricsson, lo mejor es que es totalmente gratis, as? que si no recibiste el regalo de Navidad que esperabas ya puedes autoregalarte (gracias a SonyEricsson) Experiment 13, el cual ya est? disponible en el Android Market.

Link: Sony Ericsson self-publishes new Xperia Play physics-puzzler Experiment 13 (Pocket Gamer)

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Wayerless/~3/77Fgdjb5iP0/story01.htm

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China seeks Swedish cleantech expertise

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24 December 2011 | news Newsdesk

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The interest in Stockholm?s environmental expertise is increasing in China as its government and companies struggle to reduce their carbon footprint and cut energy costs.

In October, six Stockholm-based companies were selected to take part in an event in Hong Kong where Chinese investors, industry players and reporters met with Swedish cleantech entrepreneurs.

The companies came from a diverse range of industries including clean technology solutions in renewable energy, waste management and construction, as well as computer engineering.

The seminar, called the Stockholm Innovation Showcase, was organised in collaboration with Stockholm Business Region Development, Stockholm Innovation & Growth (STING) and Hong Kong Science Park.

P?r Hedberg, CEO of STING, said the event was a success and that talks with potential investors and partners are ongoing.

"Once again we saw evidence that the interest in Swedish environmental expertise is very high," he told The Swedish Wire. "Several individual meetings took place between representatives of our companies and potential partners. Some of the companies currently have continuing discussions with Chinese contacts that they made in Hong Kong."

One of the companies was Zebor Technology, which has developed the fastest, most cost-effective and scaleable platform for embedded systems based on the products ZDOS and ZBIOS.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to make contacts with industrial and financial partners in China, especially since our primary market focus is Hong Kong and Taiwan," said the CEO of Zebor, Lars ?sterberg.

The delegation represent some of the Swedish capital's most promising innovators, said the CEO of Stockholm Business Region Development, Anna Gissler.

"Through the coordinated efforts of the public sector and private enterprise, Stockholm has created a unique environment for innovative companies to flourish," she said in a statement.

Companies who made the journey included:

Cortus - process WoodRoll, which produces gas with high calorific value (clean syngas) from biomass. www.cortus.se

Midsummer - new method of producing solar cells with dramatically lower costs. www.midsummer.se

Predect ? Predect?s online water protection system uses a sophisticated laser sensor which is beamed through water passing by in the system. www.predect.se

Rehact - climate system for low-temperature heating, cooling, ventilation and hot water developed around Rehacts ventilation unit, RVU. www.rehact.se

Solarus - solar energy technology which combines thermal, photovoltaic and hybrid panels that provide both electricity and heat from the same panel. www.solarus.se

Zebor Technologies - the fastest, most cost-effective and most scaleable platform for embedded systems. www.zebor.com

This article was published in collaboration between Stockholm Business Region and The Swedish Wire -?www.swedishwire.com/

Source: http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?news_id=9985&coun_code=se

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Not just NKorea, political dynasties are all over (AP)

NEW DELHI ? If North Korea's new leader is looking for advice on how to carry on his family's dynasty, he could turn to Rahul Gandhi, who is on a quest to become the fourth generation of his family to rule India. Or to Joseph Kabila, who is celebrating his questionable re-election to the Congolese presidency he inherited from his father. Or to former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, daughter of the country's first president.

North Korea's preparations to transfer power to a third generation of the Kim family, following the recent death of Kim Jong Il, is by no means an anomaly: In both democracies and dictatorships, political dynasties abound across the world.

While former President George W. Bush ? the son of a president and the grandson of a senator ? was never dubbed "the Great Successor," and Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto ? who followed in her assassinated father's footsteps ? was never said to have been "born of heaven," just like Kim Jong Un they ended up in the family business of running a country.

While some dictators pass on power to their children as a veritable inheritance, dynasties exert a powerful pull in democracies as well. The identity of a party might be deeply linked to a family. A familiar name might give a political scion an edge on the ballot, further strengthened by the family's established political and fundraising machines. Sometimes the heir is a puppet, a brand name needed to rally the public, while backroom power brokers pull the levers. Or a nation in mourning over the death of its leader might turn to the grieving child for comfort and continuity.

Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution scholar and author of "America's Political Dynasties," sees nothing unusual about politics becoming a family business.

"Aren't bakers more likely to be bakers if their fathers were bakers?" he said in an email.

The most successful dynasty in the world is probably India's Nehru-Gandhi family, which held the prime minister's post for 37 of the country's 64 years of independence and is working on bringing another generation to power.

In the huge, multiethnic tapestry of India, the Gandhis are seen as among the few with a nationwide appeal that cuts across language, region and caste, said historian Ramachandra Guha.

Less than two years after the death of India's first Prime Minister Jawarhalal Nehru, leaders of his Congress party turned to his daughter, Indira Gandhi, to head the country, incorrectly judging her as a weak and pliant puppet.

After her assassination in 1984, the mourning nation looked to her son Rajiv to take her place. After his 1991 assassination, his widow Sonia eventually became the most powerful politician in the ruling party even as she groomed her son, Rahul, to eventually take over.

But Guha believes dynastic politics are waning in the country, with voters more focused on development and other issues.

"Rahul Gandhi has by no means shown anything like the popular appeal that his father or grandmother or great grandfather had," he said.

Then there's the Philippines, where President Benigno Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino, took over last year from Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, daughter of former President Diosdado Macapagal.

Unlike in many countries, where voters might feel a loyalty to a political party, in the Philippines, they identify with a family that has traditionally looked out for their welfare, said political analyst Ramon Casiple. The dynastic system is so entrenched it survived and thrived during centuries of Spanish and American rule and even the transition to democracy, he said.

When party leaders die in the Philippines, their children nearly always replace them. If the party chooses someone else, the spurned heir often forms a new party, leaving the old one to wither, Casiple said.

"The party is not that strong. It doesn't have an independent life. They depend on the good will of the family on top of it," he said.

The passing of power is a delicate maneuver in authoritarian regimes. While Fidel Castro managed the transition to his brother, Raul, in Cuba, dynastic politics were strongly rejected in the Arab world this year.

Hosni Mubarak's efforts to pass on the Egyptian presidency to his son Gamal were among the main causes behind the wave of street protests that toppled his 29-year authoritarian regime. Before he was overthrown and killed, longtime Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi appeared to be grooming his son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi to take over.

And Syrian President Bashar Assad, who inherited his office upon his father's death in 2000, has been fighting off a rebellion with a crackdown that has killed more than 5,000 people this year, according to U.N. figures.

Perhaps Pakistan might be Kim Jong Un's best bet for finding out how to cope with the surreal experience of being thrust, with little political background, into a leadership role in a mourning nation.

Just three days after the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ? herself the daughter of slain Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ? her 19-year-old son Bilawal Zardari was declared the new chairman of her party.

Looking deeply uncomfortable in front of more than a dozen microphones on national television, he answered a single question, saying he would continue his studies at Oxford and talking of political leadership as something that can be willed from generation to generation. "When I return, I promise to lead the party as my mother wanted me to," he said.

Within days, Bilawal Zardari began calling himself Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and over the past four years has become increasingly known simply as Bilawal Bhutto.

But when his party won elections in 2008, there was no talk of handing authority over a nuclear nation rife with political intrigue and wracked by tensions with a powerful neighbor to someone whose only qualification was his bloodline.

Instead, his father was named president.

___

Ravi Nessman can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/ravinessman

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111224/ap_on_re_as/as_kim_jong_il_all_in_the_family

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Merry Monsanto ? Military Industrial Agriculture

You are here: Home / News / U.S. News / Merry Monsanto ? Military Industrial Agriculture

Owen Myles, Contributing Writer
Activist Post
December 24, 2011

Today I read an article on slashdot titled ?New Study Confirms Safety of GM Crops?. Before you navigate away from this article, please be assured they were not citing the National Enquirer.

The study was conducted in France, with assistance from the usual suspects (British universities, biotechnology corporations, etc).

Also involved in the study were rodents ? clearly a dietary staple of the French, and biologically (or psychologically?) identical to certain English academics.

The ?evidence? cited in the study shows that ? at least to monocled marsupials ? GM plants are ?nutritionally equivalent to their non-GM counterparts and can be safely used in food and feed.? Of course ?food and feed? are not exclusive aspects of GM agriculture ? or even agriculture ? but corporate-sponsored research has its own perspective . . . Never mind the trace minerals and everything else!

As usual, the slashdot comments were many, and the views varied; organic versus conventional, ridicule and support of both, with lots between ? all shedding light on people?s views of the subject. Admittedly, geeks may not be the best authority on such topics ? often compiled of pizza and soft-drinks ? but I fear they do provide an example of popular opinion regardless.

Many see GM as a noble science, helping to feed the world?s growing population. Some see ?organic? anthropocentrically, reducing it to a matter of pesticides, nutrition, and prices. Few seem to have a balanced perspective though.

Conventional versus organic agriculture ? or where to begin:

Crop rotation gets little attention, probably due to most consumers having no familiarity with processes behind the supermarkets. Most GM crops are mono-cultures, and are rarely if ever rotated.

Mono-cultures reduce biodiversity, having effects far beyond the farm, and unrotated crops stress and deplete the soil. While the terribly important subject of biodiversity is generally ignored in conventional agriculture, soil quality is maintained artificially through mined fertilizers and industrial chemicals.

There are quite a few implications for this; the dust-bowl of the US, and creeping deserts of China are but a few. Artificial fertilization requires strip mining, particularly for phosphates, and the effects are harsh. Pollution of watersheds, eutrophication, devastation, and even radiation are effects of phosphate mining.

In 2003, Piney Point phosphate mine threatened to leak a hundred-plus million gallons of contaminated water into Tampa Bay. Instead of allowing it to leak, Jeb Bush authorized it to be dumped into the Gulf of Mexico. I clearly remember suffering perennial red-tide for more than a year after the first incident. In June of 2011, Piney Point threatened to leak again.

Piney Point was officially an ?accident?; possibly one less expensive to pay the fines for, than to build a more secure infrastructure. But conventional agriculture is not an accident, and a look at the Mississippi Delta dead-zone is an example some of the consequences involved in run-off from fertilization.

We?ve all heard horror stories of cattle threatening to fart our beloved planet into a toxic stink-osphere. ?Sure, but what they leave out is that it is not just farts, but mismanagement of the manure which produces much of this dangerous surplus of methane.

Instead of properly redistributing the manure to be returned to the soil, it is often stuffed in squalid vats to putrefy without benefit ? emitting methane. Could such manure not substitute these mined phosphates to some extent?

The argument that to feed the growing population we must genetically modify our crops and practice industrial agriculture is worth some attention, as it is perhaps the most popular argument supporting the industry.

This argument confuses many, and irritates some like myself. One must at a minimum, consider the waste of conventional agriculture, where rather than composting and returning detritus to the soil, it is either burned, trashed, or used for other industrial purposes. Organic agriculture it is not entirely self-sufficient, but it is far more so than its contestant.

Between hydroponics and more ? but smaller ? farms, organic (and perhaps eco-farming) could indeed maintain pace with the demands of our growing population ? all while remaining far more symbiotic with ecosystems.

The French study also neglects aspects of what they claim to understand of feed. Bees are critical to agriculture, and certainly are not well hosted by conventional farms. Some studies have suggested that GM corn pollen may weaken the intestinal walls of bees, thus reducing resistance to parasites and other infections.

We know that feeding corn ? as opposed to grass ? to cattle increases putrefaction due to excessive starches (sugars), further leading farmers to grotesque measures; boring permanent holes into the stomachs of cows to monitor the bacterial cultures that arise from corn diets of GMO-powered starchiness, and the excessive antibiotics which become necessary as result of the intestinal imbalances caused by such diets.

In humans, GM soy has been proposed to threaten intestinal flora as well, by transferring corrupted DNA into beneficial flora.

Patent-wars are another issue, and could alone make a strong case against GMOs. Whether through cross-pollination (contamination) or terminator seeds, the patent has been used to harm many farmers and sustain what would otherwise fail under fair and wholesome circumstances. Organic farming claims no ownership of nature; it seeks to work in relative harmony, and cares not to bully fellow farmers.

The notorious Monsanto has been a true tyrant in this regard, litigating farmers into bankruptcy, and playing dice with biology. It is no secret that the FDA and Monsanto are close, and that neither exhibit any sincere concern for the health of the masses.

They present GM science as the road to a thriving humanity, but their real motives are clearly profit ? without regard to humanity?s common interests.

We also need to bring agriculture closer to home, whereever possible. By this I imply less dependence on centralized farming, and more local cooperation.

The supermarket shelves can be emptied, but our yards are alive, and our greenhouses belong to us. We should be teaching ourselves the basics of growing what we can in our climates, and becoming less reliant on those who care neither about their own produce, animals, or us. Where this cannot be done, one may try to act supportively instead, whether in words or coins.

What seems objectively obvious to me is that GMOs are understudied, abused, resented by many, and will have to wait in a very long line for any truly conclusive research. Organic agriculture, however, is tried and proven ? and no one resents its products.

I know from experience the differences of that grown on the local farm here in Sarasota, compared to that bought in any grocery store ? and they are quite apparent; from the way I feel after enjoying them, to the politics ? or lack thereof ? that are involved.

I know of no organic farm sporting prison labor, but I can surely name a few conventional farms that do. I don?t want an institution supper, nor do I want corporate mutations in my mouth. The differences are clear, and it?s a shame that they even need be argued ? but ?tis our times and tyrants.

There is much, much more to cover on this subject, though I wanted to get this out in time to wish the Activist Post readership (and syndicates) a Merry Christmas for all those who celebrate it, and the kindness of the holiday spirit to everyone, which will hopefully some day no longer be once per year.

Owen Myles writes and edits the Eccentric Intelligence Agency: Helping the Ouroboros finish itself.

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Source: http://theintelhub.com/2011/12/24/merry-monsanto-military-industrial-agriculture/

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Gazette seeking community contributors for caucus night coverage

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Source: http://iowacaucus.com/2011/12/23/gazette-seeking-community-contributors-for-caucus-night-coverage/

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Obama meets deadline with 10,000 troops out of Afghanistan

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | Tbo.com
Published: December 22, 2011
Updated: December 22, 2011 - 1:17 PM

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama's order to withdraw 10,000 American troops from Afghanistan this year has been accomplished, a little more than a week before the year-end deadline, military officials said Thursday.

The drawdown is the first step in the plan to wind down the war, transition security to Afghan forces and end the combat role for international troops by the end of 2014.

It also gives the Obama administration a second war-related accomplishment to tout this month ? just a week after U.S. officials marked the end of the war in Iraq and the last convoy of American soldiers rumbled out of that country into Kuwait.

Officials say there are now 91,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan ? down from the peak of 101,000 in June.

In December 2009 Obama announced he was sending an additional 33,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan in a bid to beat back the escalating Taliban insurgency and change the course of the war. Six months ago, declaring that the "tide of war is receding," Obama said he would withdraw 10,000 troops by the end of this year, and another 23,000 by the end of next summer.

The decision was met with initial opposition from military leaders who thought the withdrawal was too much, too soon, particularly since it would pull troops out before the end of next year's fighting season, which can last well into October and even November.

Last week, however, during a trip to Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta repeatedly told troops that the U.S. had reached a turning point in the war. And at one point he went so far as to say, "I really think that for all the sacrifices that you're doing, the reality is that it is paying off and that we're moving in the right direction. ? We're winning this very tough conflict here in Afghanistan."

Contrasting that assessment is the ongoing violence in Afghanistan's east, along the Pakistan border, and the high-profile attacks and assassinations that continue to wreak havoc in and around Kabul. The violence is compounded by worries about government corruption, the fragile economy, and fears that Afghan forces won't be ready to take over security of the country as American and NATO troops leave.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tbo/nationworld/~3/CwvCdZkqT1I/

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Czechs bid farewell to Vaclav Havel (AP)

PRAGUE ? Czechs and world leaders paid emotional tribute to Vaclav Havel on Friday at a pomp-filled funeral ceremony, ending a week of public grief and nostalgia over the death of the dissident playwright who led the 1989 revolution that toppled four decades of communist rule.

Bells tolled from churches while a wailing siren brought the country to a standstill in a minute of silence for the nation's first democratically-elected president after the nonviolent "Velvet Revolution."

Havel's wife Dagmar, family members, friends and leaders from dozens of countries gathered Friday at the towering, gothic St. Vitus Cathedral which overlooks Prague. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron were among some 1,000 mourners who bowed their heads in front of the coffin draped in the Czech colors.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who was Havel's political archrival, and two friends ? Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright ? paid tribute to Havel at the cathedral, which dates to the 10th century and has not witnessed a state funeral since 1875.

"We will terribly miss him but we will never, ever forget him," said Albright, who is of Czech origin, in Czech.

In a message read at the funeral by the Vatican's former diplomatic representative in Prague, Pope Benedict XVI praised Havel. "Remembering how courageously Mr. Havel defended human rights at a time when these were systematically denied to the people of your country, and paying tribute to his visionary leadership in forging a new democratic polity after the fall of the previous regime, I give thanks to God for the freedom that the people of the Czech Republic now enjoy," he said.

At the end of the ceremony, 21 cannon salvos were fired when the Czech national anthem was played.

People were applauding when Havel's coffin was then carried by a military honor guard through the cathedral's Golden Gate to Prague's Strasnice crematorium for a private family funeral. The urn with Havel's ashes will be buried at his family's plot at the city's Vinohrady cemetery alongside his first wife, Olga, who died in 1996.

Havel, whose final term in office ended in 2003, died Sunday morning in his sleep at his weekend home in the country's north. The 75-year-old former chain-smoker had a history of chronic respiratory problems dating back to his time in prison.

Since his death, Czechs have gathered spontaneously to lay flowers and light candles at key historic sites such as the monument to the 1989 Velvet Revolution in downtown Prague, and at Wenceslas Square, where Havel once spoke before hundreds of thousands of people to express outrage at the repressive communist regime.

Similar scenes of remembrance played out across the country ? in a show of emotion not seen since the 1937 funeral of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, Czechoslovakia's first president after the nation was founded in 1918.

"Europe owes Vaclav Havel a profound debt," Cameron said before departing from London. "Havel led the Czech people out of tyranny ... and he helped bring freedom and democracy to our entire continent."

Czechs packed a nearby courtyard at Prague Castle and an adjacent square to watch the funeral ceremony on giant screens.

"He was our star, he gave us democracy," said Iva Buckova, 51, who had traveled from the western city of Plzen. "He led us through revolution. We came to see him for the last time."

Prague Archbishop Dominik Duka, who spent time in jail with Havel under Communism, was leading the funeral mass. He was joined by Vatican envoy Giovanni Coppa and bishop Vaclav Maly, Havel's friend and fellow dissident. Poland's former President Lech Walesa ? who led the anti-communist Solidarity movement ? also attended.

The Czech Philharmonic Orchestra performed parts of Requiem by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak throughout the ceremony.

Braving the freezing cold, thousands of mourners have waited in long lines every day since Monday to file past Havel's coffin.

Several thousand people joined Havel's widow, relatives and friends in a somber procession through the capital Wednesday as Havel's body was transported to the Prague Castle.

In his final years, Havel made only occasional public appearances, and would often say that he had insufficient time to resume his literary work.

The director of the theater where he began as a stagehand in 1958 before becoming a playwright ? and where he said he spent the best 8 years of his life ? told AP he'd started work on one last play this year. It was to be called "Sanatorium."

"He may be able to finish it in heaven," said the director of Na Zabradli, Doubravka Svobodova.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111223/ap_on_re_eu/eu_czech_havel_funeral

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Chorus Gives Voice to Those With Alzheimer's (HealthDay)

THURSDAY, Dec. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Late December wouldn't be the same without the uplifting sound of holiday choirs, but there's a unique chorus in New York City, called "The Unforgettables," that's bringing new harmony to singers and audiences alike.

That's because the chorus' 22 members include 11 men and women diagnosed with early to middle-stage dementia, including dementia linked to Alzheimer's disease, paired up with 11 of their caregivers -- a spouse, child or friend.

Each practice and recital is an act of togetherness and renewed strength in the face of illness, one of the chorus' founders said.

"The pleasure this process has given participants was clear from the start," said researcher Mary S. Mittelman, who spearheaded the choir's inauguration back in June, along with colleagues from the NYU Langone Medical Center's Center of Excellence on Brain Aging. "The chorus has proven to be a wonderful place to be, where no one feels stigmatized."

Organizers say this is the first choir of its kind in the United States. Patients and caretakers were initially recruited through outreach that involved a number of local organizations, including the New York City chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and Langone. The chorus currently includes people diagnosed with either Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia called Lewy body disease.

Chorus members meet once a week to practice and are joined by musicians who serve as conductor-directors. They're taught standard techniques to enhance breathing, vocalization and performance, just like any other choir, Mittelman said.

To date, two public performances have been staged: The first, in September, featured 18 songs ranging from classical to folk to pop; the second, which took place just last week, was filled with holiday favorites.

"There's a certain camaraderie," noted Howard Smith, a choral member who cares for his wife, Lois, diagnosed with Alzheimer's about two years ago. "Lois is there with people with the same problems. And it's comforting for her and the other patients, and even for the caregivers. Because it means we're not alone."

That sense of inclusiveness is key, Mittelman agreed. Too often, she said, the typical caregiver is "afraid to go to a normal event with a person with dementia. And so he ends up being discounted, or discounts himself, as people exclude him from social events and he has less and less activities to participate in and becomes more and more isolated."

That means that a group such as The Unforgettables becomes "very important," said Smith, a painter and CUNY professor who commutes from the Hudson River Valley to join rehearsals with his wife each week. "Here you get a group like this together and it's not threatening."

Could the choir experience have therapeutic value, too? Mittelman says that's not been proven, but she hopes music may be an "unexplored opportunity" for improving cognitive function.

"Who's to say that singing in this chorus isn't having a really positive effective on mental function?" she asked, pointing to prior research that's indicated that exposure to music may elicit profound motor responses in every region of a patient's brain, stimulating the release of neurotransmitters and endorphins while triggering musical and emotional memory.

Delving further, Mittelman said she's now incorporated The Unforgettables into, "a research project with structured assessments before, in the middle and after the concert, as well as focus groups, to assess the benefits of participating."

One outside expert believes it may be worth studying. This kind of choral project, "may very well have a profound impact on the quality of life of both patient and family," said Dr. Robert Friedland, chair of neurology at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, in Kentucky.

"I actually believe it has a wonderful potential to be an Alzheimer's therapy," he said. "First, it involves physical activity, which is good for the brain and the heart. You have to get up and go. You can't participate in the activity if you stay home. And then singing involves emotional and social relationships, which are stimulating. And it provides purpose, so it's a meaningful activity and a very vigorous one. And it also would be a valuable approach to dealing with depression, which often accompanies dementia."

"That's not to say," Friedland cautioned, "that it's proven that singing in itself is effective as a therapy. But there's every reason to believe that it may very well be."

For his part, Smith says he doesn't need a study to know that the chorus is improving the quality of life for members, allowing them to regain their dignity.

"For example, there's a guy in the group, Chester, who is rather advanced in terms of his situation," Smith said. "Now this is a man who worked for IBM. He was very, very bright and educated. But when he was asked to [join the chorus], even clapping was very difficult for him. And yet now he is performing a solo in the concert from 'Fiddler on the Roof.'"

"I think there is a realization that the participants with dementia still have some behavioral skills working," he explained. "One watches loved ones or friends unable to accomplish tasks, having difficulty processing or retaining thoughts, or just experiencing confusion. And all of a sudden [in the chorus] they are functioning in a group setting and succeeding in singing words and melody."

More information

There's more on how music impacts dementia care at the Alzheimer's Association.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/seniors/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111223/hl_hsn/chorusgivesvoicetothosewithalzheimers

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Sony Tablet S to get Ice Cream Sandwich update, timeframe coming 'soon'

Some may love the shape of the Sony Tablet S, some may hate it, but one thing everyone can agree on is that it will be better with Ice Cream Sandwich.  According to staff at the Sony Tablet discussion forums, the Android 4 update for the Sony Tablet S is getting updated, and the timeframe for said update is "coming soon."  The Tegra 2 tablet with the unique look and feel wasn't a huge hit for Sony, but it's nice to see them continuing support and keeping behind this one.  We'll keep our ears open and let you know when "soon" turns into an actual date.

Source: Sony UK; Thanks, Philip, for the tip!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/5EUTxUQ2lw8/story01.htm

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Daily Deal: Incipio EDGE PRO Hard Shell Slider Case for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 only $18.95

For today only, the TiPb Store has the Incipio EDGE PRO Hard Shell Slider Case for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 on sale for only $18.95!. Get them before they’re gone! Get the Incipio EDGE PRO Hard Shell Slider Case for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 now!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/u44odPD1nYs/story01.htm

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Facts About Aggressive Breast Cancer ? CBS Philly

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

Source: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/12/21/facts-about-aggressive-breast-cancer/

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Just Show Me: How to enable automatic system updates in Windows 7 (Yahoo! News)

Welcome to?Just Show Me on?Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the?gadgets in your life. In today's episode we'll show you how to enable automatic system updates in?Windows 7.

System updates are important to keeping your computer free of the latest security threats and bugs. One of the easiest ways you can ensure you're always up to date is by enabling automatic system updates; we walk you through the process in our video. And if you need help on manually checking for updates,?we've got you covered there, too!

If you're looking for more information on staying safe on the internet, check out our?guide to online security.

For more episodes of Just Show Me,?subscribe to Tecca TV's YouTube channel and?check out all our Just Show Me episodes. If you have any topics you'd like to see us cover, just drop us a line in the comments.

This article originally appeared on Tecca

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20111215/tc_yblog_technews/just-show-me-how-to-enable-automatic-system-updates-in-windows-7

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Dana White gives female fighting another shot

As shocking as it was to hear a fired up Dana White talk about the long-range future of Strikeforce on Showtime, it was nothing compared to his attitude shift on women's MMA.

The women's divisions will remain in tact in the new Strikeforce/Showtime deal announced yesterday. In the middle of 2011, it appeared female fighting was going to take step back when Strikeforce was dissolved. By popular demand, women's fighting will still be showcased at close to the highest level of the sport. .

"Every weekend you guys are asking me about the women's division ... and women and women and women, and the fans are always terrorizing me on twitter about the women's division. The women's division is very popular. We're gonna keep it," White said during a teleconference (7:45 mark).

Stars like Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, Miesha Tate, Sarah Kaufman and Ronda Rousey still have a home where they can get major exposure. White is sticking to guns about the issues he has with women's MMA. It needs work, but he's willing to give it a chance saying both the 135 and 145 pound divisions will stay.

"Again you guys hear me talk about this all the time. The depth in some of these divisions. 'Cyborg's' division has that problem. She's a huge star. She's a champion. We're gonna keep that division. People are excited to her fight. We're gonna keep it," said White (9:40 mark).

Zuffa management may lean toward some crossover fights between the divisions while the depth issues is being worked on.

"If you look at Cyborg's division, it's not a very deep division with a lot of talent. You can stack the other division deep with talent because that's what you have to do," said White comparing it to the early days of UFC when there were no lightweight, bantamweight and featherweight divisions in the promotion (20:15 mark). "In order to run a show and establish champions with great contenders you gotta go deep in every one of those weight divisions."

So as big as the news was for the elite male fighters at 205, 185, 170 and 155, yesterday's announcement benefited female fighting more than anything. With the might and money of Zuffa/UFC plus the ability to talent evaluate, the talent pool in female fighting at the highest levels should explode. Then the question is, will fans want to pay to see it and will it bring eyes to the TV sets? That's a debate for another day. At least right now, women get the opportunity.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Dana-White-gives-female-fighting-another-shot?urn=mma-wp10812

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RIM: Next-generation phones not out till late 2012 (AP)

TORONTO ? BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. said Thursday that new phones deemed critical to the company's future will be delayed until late 2012.

Mike Lazaridis, one of the company's co-CEOs, said the BlackBerry 10 phones will need a highly integrated chipset that will not be available until mid-2012, so the company can now expect them to ship late in the year. He disclosed the delay on a conference call with analysts.

Analysts say RIM's future depends on the new software platform. RIM needs to come up with a compelling BlackBerry as U.S. users have moved on to flashier touch-screen phones such as Apple's iPhone and various competing models that run Google's Android software.

Earlier Thursday, RIM said BlackBerry sales will fall sharply in the holiday quarter, providing further evidence that it is struggling to compete. It also has been having a hard time finding a niche in the tablet-computer market, which is dominated by Apple's iPad.

RIM continues to enjoy success overseas, but market researcher NPD Group says RIM's market share of smartphones in the U.S. has declined from 44 percent in 2009 to 10 percent this year.

The company's stock fell 7 percent in extended trading Thursday.

The delay in BlackBerry 10 phones is the latest in a series of setbacks for the once-iconic Canadian company. Its PlayBook tablet computer hasn't been selling well, forcing the company to sell them at a deep discount. A widespread outage frustrated tens of millions of BlackBerry users in October. RIM fired two executives after their drunken rowdiness forced the diversion of an Air Canada flight. The head of its operations in Indonesia faces charges related to a stampede at a recent promotional sale where dozens of consumers were injured.

RIM said its net income sank 71 percent as revenue fell and the company took a large accounting charge on the PlayBook, which uses the same operating software that RIM's new phones will use.

"We ask for your patience and confidence," Lazaridis said.

RIM earned $265 million, or 51 cents per share, for its fiscal third quarter that ended Nov. 26. That compares with $911 million, or $1.74 per share, a year ago. The company said revenue fell 6 percent to $5.2 billion. The PlayBook charge was $485 million before taxes.

The company shipped 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones during the third quarter and 150,000 PlayBook tablets, but its fourth-quarter guidance was what investors focused on because it had warned about the third-quarter results earlier.

Although RIM has said it would sell fewer BlackBerrys in the current quarter, the forecast given Thursday appeared worse than expected.

RIM said it would only ship between 11 million and 12 million BlackBerrys in the fourth quarter compared to 14.8 million in the previous fourth quarter.

RIM also said its fourth-quarter earnings would be in the range of 80 to 95 cents per share on revenue in the range of $4.6 billion to $4.9 billion. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.15 a share on revenue of $5.04 billion, according to FactSet.

Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies & Co. in New York, said earlier that if RIM reveals that it will ship no more than 12 million BlackBerrys in the current quarter, then the company needs to get its new phones out fast. Otherwise, RIM could lose money in future quarters as it continues to struggle to sell the current, stopgap models.

Misek said late Thursday the BlackBerry 10 phones will now be released three to nine months later than people believed.

BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said the guidance was terrible and wondered if it was the start of a collapse.

"If consumers abandon this platform it can happen pretty quickly," Gillis said. "Don't think this is the bottom."

Jim Balsillie, the other co-CEO, said the last few quarters have been among the most challenging times in the company's most recent history. He said executives are working to turn it around, but said it may take time.

"We are not satisfied with the performance of the business in the United States," Balsillie said.

Balsillie said he and Lazaridis have reduced their cash salary to $1 per year, though they will continue to earn stock options and other compensation.

RIM's stock fell $1.15 to a new seven-year low of $13.98 in extended trading Thursday after the results were released.

The stock has lost about 75 percent of its value this year. A company that was worth more than $70 billion a few years ago now has a market value of around $8 billion.

"We recognize our shareholders may feel we've fallen short," Balsillie said

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_hi_te/cn_earns_research_in_motion

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Katy Perry Interview with Barbara Walters: Reflections on a Fascinating Year

No matter what you think of Katy Perry or her music, she had a year to remember, and she has the #1 singles to prove it. A lot of them. Five and counting, to be exact.

Unlike Pippa Middleton, who made Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011 list for almost no reason, Perry reached rarefied music air in the last 12 months.

Katy's latest hit from her album Teenage Dream, "The One That Got Away," hits at #4 on the Billboard charts. The record's previous five singles all reached the #1 slot.

That and she's cute, quirky and fun. Put it all together and you've got someone worthy of sitting down for an interview at least. Here's Katy Perry's sit-down with Barbara:

Katy Perry Most Fascinating People Interview

Only she and Michael Jackson have achieved that many #1s from a single album, and only she, Janet Jackson and George Michael have six top five hits from one record.

Not a bad feat for a complete unknown just a few years back.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/katy-perry-interview-with-barbara-walters-reflections-on-a-fasci/

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The winner of 'Biggest Loser' season 12 is ...

Just last week, special education teacher and football coach John Rhode warned his fellow "Biggest Loser" finalists that he wouldn't be "happy until (he was) pulling confetti out of (his) hair" at the finale. As it turned out, he had plenty to be happy about on Tuesday night.

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The 41-year-old player felt the confetti rain down after he bested former NFL player Antone Davis and tattoo artist Ramon Medeiros on the scales and claimed the $250, 000 grand prize.

John started the competition weighing in at 445 pounds, but after his time on the ranch and continued efforts at home, he dropped a total of 220 pounds and almost 50 percent of his body weight. That success came as no surprise to Bob Harper, who served as John's first trainer on the ranch and dubbed the contestant "the biggest competitor" in the Battle of the Ages game.

Slideshow: 'Biggest Loser 12' before and after (on this page)

Only he didn't exactly mean that in the best way.

Weeks ago, after John switched teams to train with Dolvett Quince, Bob warned that losing weight just to win wouldn't help in the long run.

"Mark my words, he will gain everything back ? every bit of it,? Bob said.

That remains to be seen, but the veteran "Loser" trainer made no further predictions of weight-related gloom and doom on finale night. He, along with Dolvett and departing trainer Anna Kournikova, applauded John's results. And as for the winner himself, he thinks someone else deserves the cheers.

"I made the most of every moment on the ranch because I knew (my wife) was at home struggling like a single parent, and with our two boys ? and our youngest is autistic," an emotional John revealed. "Baby, I didn't waste a single minute on the ranch. The sacrifices I made on the ranch will never compare to what you did for me, making it so I could be there. I will owe you a debt of gratitude forever, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Video: ?Biggest Loser?: Keeping weight off will be true test (on this page)

John's wife might have been the secret to his success, but of course, he wasn't the only player to succeed Tuesday night.

While John took the top honors, Antone made it to a respectable second-place finish by dropping 202 pounds, or 45.19 percent, and regaining his impressive, athletic shape.

"I can go play right now," he said of his gridiron-ready condition.

And as for Ramon, his third-place effort, 154-pound loss and new, smoking hot look (seriously, rowr!) were just part of his win.

In the midst of life on the ranch, complete with tough challenges and grueling workouts, Ramon met "the love of (his) life" in former fellow teammate Jessica Limpert. Given all of the hints he dropped during the season, it seemed a safe bet that he'd get down on one knee during the finale. And as host Alison Sweeney pointed out, " 'The Biggest Loser' has brought together more successful marriages than, you know, say, 'The Bachelor.' "

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But not this time, or more accurately, not yet. As Ramon's lucky lady explained, they plan to take it sensibly slow.

"Everything is wonderful with Ramon," she told Alison. "Not to disappoint, (but) there will not be an engagement or marriage just yet, OK? ? You know, we just got ready to start our real lives, and we're going to start them together. You'll see it in the future."

But Jessica wasn't the only eliminated player to take the stage. Each of the other 11 contestants who missed out on a place in the finals returned for a shot at the $100,000 at-home prize.

Top contenders included Vinny Hickerson ? or as Alison now calls him, Skinny Vinny ? who went from a starting weight of 426 to just 242 in the end, and Patrick Ferrari, who managed to shed 151 pounds for a show-ending weight of 236. But it was week-six eliminee Jennifer Rumple who proved to be the biggest jaw dropper of the bunch.

Story: Anna Kournikova won't return to 'Biggest Loser'

The 39-year-old kicked off the contest at 330. Now, 145 pounds lighter, Jennifer earned the at-home bragging rights and the cash.

Jennifer's success and John's victory served as more than just evidence of their personal winning ways. Each of them represented the middle-aged group in "The Battle of the Ages" and helped dash the notion that weight loss comes easier to the young ? a point not lost on the 20-somethings they beat out.

Another group of contestants will soon have a chance to prove their own points. "The Biggest Loser" returns to NBC for an all-new season on Jan. 3.

Are you surprised by who took the title and at-home prize? What did you think of the season overall? Share your thoughts on the Facebook page for our TV blog, The Clicker!

Ree Hines was rooting for Antone and Ramon in the finals, but like Bob, she wasn't surprised by John's win. At least in "The Biggest Loser," almost everyone is a winner where it counts ? the battle for better health.

? 2011 MSNBC Interactive.? Reprints

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45662118/ns/today-entertainment/

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Snoopy Christmas display saved from foreclosure (AP)

COSTA MESA, Calif. ? Jim Jordan created a heart-warming Christmas display of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" characters more than 40 years ago at his Southern California home, and it became a holiday tradition as tens of thousands of people showed up each year to see the sparkling extravaganza.

Families trekked to the Orange County suburb of Costa Mesa to sip hot apple cider and share the wonder as seen through their children's eyes amid twinkling Christmas lights, artificial snow and a Santa Claus that whisked through the air and down a chimney for spectators. It became so popular that busloads of visitors and school groups visited Jordan's childhood home each year.

When he lost the house to foreclosure, it looked like the death of a tradition ? until the city stepped in to save Christmas.

A week ago, Costa Mesa officials offered to host the display on the lawn outside City Hall. The lights will be turned on at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Santa will make nightly appearances starting Sunday.

The move saved a Christmas display that Jordan says draws 80,000 people each year to see Santa and the nearly 200-foot stretch of characters, colorful cottages and other creations.

"I feel I am in the middle of a Frank Capra movie ? the Christmas miracle movie ? I really do," Jordan said, recalling the classic 1946 drama "It's a Wonderful Life."

In some Orange County homes, the tradition has been passed on through generations as those who grew up visiting the so-called "Snoopy House" now take their own children there.

Jordan, 59, said he started the project as a teenager in the yellow, single-story house where he was raised. Little by little, he expanded the display until it reached mammoth proportions, featuring an ice staking Charlie Brown and dancing Snoopy.

"My wife says I am a frustrated Walt Disney," he said, chuckling.

Several years ago, Jordan's business as a remodeling contractor slumped along with the economy. He sought a loan modification but said he was denied because he was still keeping up with his payments.

Following what he now knows is poor legal advice, Jordan said he stopped paying the mortgage, hoping to qualify for relief.

Instead he lost his family's home, which was foreclosed in November 2010. A tenant who rented from Jordan was allowed to stay until her lease ran out but the house will soon be sold, said Jason Menke, a spokesman for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

"We worked with Mr. Jordan for some time to try to find an alternative to foreclosure but we were unable to do so," Menke said.

Though he no longer lived in the house, Jordan was crushed to think about the families that counted on him at Christmas. When neighbors learned the display was in jeopardy, they called news reporters, posted signs and collected donations to try to help Jordan fight to recover the house, Jordan said.

The city of 110,000 has received more than $1,000 in donations, which will help defray the cost of the spectacle's $1,800 electric bill, said Bill Lobdell, a city spokesman.

While Jordan said he has filed legal papers to try to get his house back, Costa Mesa hopes to bring the display back year after year to the site temporarily dubbed "Snoopy Hall."

Tara Talbott heaved a sigh of relief when she learned the Christmas tradition would carry on, albeit at a new location.

The Costa Mesa resident remembers taking her now-grown children to the house. Her son helped out as an elf, taking children's requests as they waited in line to see Santa and relaying them via a headset so St. Nick knew what they wanted when their turn came to meet him.

"It's so special to us," Talbott said. "It's so special to the whole neighborhood."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111213/ap_on_re_us/us_snoopy_house_saved

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Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Rumors continue to heat up that Apple will enter the television market next year, stepping up its Apple TV "hobby" into a greater revenue-generating vocation. The company would clearly like to repeat the kind of rousing success it has seen in smartphones. There, it entered a market at least as crowded and competitive as that for televisions whereas most of its Windows rivals have barely been able to eke out a few models with nominal share.

Indeed, the challenge is not as much about competition as commoditization. At first glance, this would be a curious time for Apple to enter the TV space. The HD and flat-panel transitions on which premium manufacturer brands and retailers once feasted has long passed. "Flat-panel TV" and "HDTV" are now just "TV." And prices for smaller sets are settling into a range familiar to those who remember what they cost back in the heyday of CRTs.

What's different, though, is that the state of the smart TV market looks strikingly like the smartphone market did before Apple's entrance. The market essentially has "feature TVs" that present a few popular canned services (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, etc.) and "smart TVs" that are a fractured mixture of homegrown offerings (from companies such as Panasonic, Samsung, LG and Toshiba) and an experience-challenged licensed OS (Android from Sony and Vizio).

The company has clung to the idea of TV as a passive experience.

Continue reading Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV

Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Romney targets Gingrich

Test mix-up delayed her cancer diagnosis a year

Medical tests can reveal critical information, but sometimes the? test is lost and the doctor and patient never get the results, potentially delaying essential care. That was the case for one Maryland woman whose cancer went untreated for a year.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45515927#45515927

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Factories growing despite global slowdown (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? U.S. factories shrugged off weakness in the global economy in November as manufacturing activity rose to its highest level in five months, a fresh sign the domestic economy was accelerating.

Recent data on consumer spending and private-sector job creation has also boosted optimism on the path of growth.

"The economy seems finally to be developing real momentum," said Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics in Valhalla, New York.

The Institute for Supply Management said on Thursday its index of national factory activity rose to 52.7 from 50.8 the month before, beating analysts' expectations and showing the sector continues to expand.

The added momentum, which also showed through in the details of the report, reduces the chances the U.S. economy will slip into a new recession, even with an expected contraction in the euro zone.

Compared to a dismal first half of the year, the pace of U.S. growth more than doubled in the third quarter to a 2 percent annual rate. While that remains subpar, economists believe activity will prove even stronger in the final three months of the year.

The ISM measure of new orders rose to its highest level since April, and the export index also improved, albeit modestly.

"That should keep some momentum going," said Sean Incremona an economist at 4Cast in New York. "It is good to see things are not getting worse now."

Much of the rest of the world, however, is getting worse, especially in Europe where policymakers are fighting a raging sovereign debt crisis.

GLOBAL CONTRAST

The Global Manufacturing PMI, an index produced by JPMorgan based on surveys of purchasing managers, pointed to contraction in global factory activity for the third straight month in November. The index was dragged down by weakness in European and Asian factories.

But in the United States, even the country's moribund labor market is perking up. A gauge of private-sector employment on Wednesday that showed strong hiring in November has boosted expectations that a more comprehensive count from the government on Friday will also show improvement.

However, a report from the Labor Department on Thursday showed new claims for unemployment insurance rose last week, a reminder the healing process will be slow.

"(Claims) are not in a danger zone, but the trend is not becoming healthier," Pierre Ellis, an economist at Decision Economics in New York, said of the claims data.

U.S. stocks fell modestly, with the positive ISM data not enough to deter investors from pulling back a day after the Dow Jones industrial average logged its best daily performance since March 2009. U.S. treasury debt prices also fell.

BLACK FRIDAY HELP

U.S. consumers appeared to be doing their part to help growth at the start of the holiday shopping, although economists warn that weak incomes could lead them to dial back on spending.

Total retailer sales over the last weekend reached $52.4 billion, up from $45 billion last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Results from retailers on Thursday showed sales at stores open at least a year rose about as much as was expected for the month of November as a whole.

Separately, the Commerce Department said construction spending rose 0.8 percent in October, beating expectations.

Also pointing to growth, small businesses borrowing posted its 15th monthly double-digit increase in October, the Thomson Reuters/PayNet Small Business Lending Index showed.

However, economists still see a risk of a U.S. recession next year, especially if lawmakers allow extended unemployment benefits and a payroll tax cut to expire at the end of 2011.

The euro zone sovereign debt crisis also could derail the country's recovery from the deep 2007-2009 recession, which has left the unemployment rate stuck around 9 percent.

European policymakers are trying to contain the debt troubles, and the European Central Bank signaled on Thursday it could take stronger action if political leaders agree next week on much tighter budget controls in the 17-nation euro zone.

In the U.S. report on unemployment benefits, the four-week moving average of new claims, a closely followed measure of labor market trends, increased 500 to 395,750.

"If claims start to rise from here it would not be a good sign for the economy," said Gary Thayer, a macro strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors in St. Louis.

(Writing and additional reporting by Jason Lange in Washington; further reporting by Ellen Freilich and Chris Reese in New York, and Lucia Mutikani in Washington; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Neil Stempleman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111201/bs_nm/us_usa_economy

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