African Union asks UN for immediate action on Mali

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) ? In an open letter Thursday to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the president of the African Union urged the U.N. to take immediate military action in northern Mali, which was seized by al-Qaida-linked rebels earlier this year.

Yayi Boni, the president of Benin who is also head of the African Union, said any reticence on the part of the U.N. will be interpreted as a sign of weakness by the terrorists now operating in Mali. The AU is waiting for the U.N. to sign off on a military plan to take back the occupied territory, and the Security Council is expected to discuss it in coming days.

In a report to the Security Council late Wednesday, Ban said the AU plan "needs to be developed further" because fundamental questions on how the force will be led, trained and equipped. Ban acknowledged that with each day, al-Qaida-linked fighters were becoming further entrenched in northern Mali, but he cautioned that a botched military operation could result in human rights abuses.

The sprawling African nation of Mali, once an example of a stable democracy, fell apart in March following a coup by junior officers. In the uncertainty that ensued, rebels including at least three groups with ties to al-Qaida, grabbed control of the nation's distant north. The Islamists now control an area the size of France or Texas, an enormous triangle of land that includes borders with Mauritania, Algeria and Niger.

Two weeks ago, the African Union asked the U.N. to endorse a military intervention to free northern Mali, calling for 3,300 African soldiers to be deployed for one year. A U.S.-based counterterrorism official who saw the military plan said it was "amateurish" and had "huge, gaping holes." The official insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

Boni, in his letter, said Africa was counting on the U.N. to take decisive action.

"I need to tell you with how much impatience the African continent is awaiting a strong message from the international community regarding the resolution of the crisis in Mali. ... What we need to avoid is the impression that we are lacking in resolve in the face of these determined terrorists," he said.

The most feared group in northern Mali is al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, al-Qaida's North African branch, which is holding at least seven French hostages, including a 61-year-old man kidnapped last week.

On Thursday, SITE Intelligence published a transcript of a recently released interview with AQIM leader, Abu Musab Abdul Wadud, in which he urges Malians to reject any foreign intervention in their country. He warned French President Francois Hollande that he was "digging the graves" of the French hostages by pushing for an intervention.

Also on Thursday, Islamists meted out the latest Shariah punishment in northern city of Timbuktu. Six young men and women were each given 100 lashes for having talked to each other on city streets, witnesses said.

___

Associated Press writer Virgile Ahissou in Cotonou, Benin and Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/african-union-asks-un-immediate-action-mali-172902123.html

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Mathematics helps mobiles and tablets match eyes' ability to switch from sunshine to shadow

ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2012) ? Researchers have pushed the boundaries of High Dynamic Range (HDR) video to match our own eyes' ability to cope with the real world's ever rapidly changing light intensity -- such as sun simply going behind clouds. Now researchers at WMG at the University of Warwick, have found a way to compress and stream HDR video directly to monitors and mobile devices, such as an iPad, bringing enormous benefits to industries including gaming and security.

Researchers at WMG at the University of Warwick, working in partnership with spinout company goHDR Ltd, have succeeded in achieving and patenting a method of real-time encoding and remote display of High Dynamic Range (HDR) video. Working with their Portuguese partner INESC Tec, they have also been able to demonstrate the technique in action on an iPad. This means that full HDR video content can now be encoded and streamed directly to remote displays, including mobile devices, or sent for storage back at home-base. Gaming will be transformed too, with HDR content being directly available for interactive online and cloud-based games.

HDR imagery delivers the wide range of light intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to details of dark shade. HDR video thus offers "True Brightness"; a significantly enhanced viewing experience. The amount of data required to capture all this extra detail, however, is huge, with high definition True Brightness footage generating the equivalent of a CD worth of data every second. goHDR has a patented algorithm that is capable of compressing HDR frames by at least 150:1 with minimal perceptual loss of quality. The partners have now developed a new method that enables uncompressed HDR frames to be encoded and streamed to a remote device in real-time. Encoding rates of over 60 frames per second (fps) have been achieved for 720p resolution on a modern 16-core computer.

Professor Alan Chalmers, Professor of Visualisation at WMG, University of Warwick and Founder and Innovation Director of goHDR, said: "This project has brought together worldwide expertise in HDR imaging from the University of Warwick and INESC Tec with the innovation and patented HDR video compression technology of goHDR. Together the partners have clearly demonstrated the technical feasibility of encoding and streaming HDR video content to mobile devices in real-time."

"Previously HDR video compression had to be done off-line. This meant the HDR video data from a camera had to be first stored on special high-speed disks, encoded and finally transmitted. This could take many minutes, precluding any live broadcasts. Real-time encoding now opens up many more opportunities for people to experience HDR content directly. For example:

• In games, it allows full HDR game content to be delivered, even to a player of interactive games, from the cloud. Most video games are generated in HDR but until now, a data transmission bottleneck has prevented this extra realism from being delivered to the user.
• In security, it enables surveillance cameras to deliver live HDR feeds, immediately providing all the details within a scene, even in extreme lighting conditions
• In leisure, it allows streaming HDR content from a consumer camera, for example when snowboarding down a mountain, to your friends watching on their tablets back at home.

Professor Chalmers added: "Our work opens up the real-time delivery of HDR video to a wide range of devices. We expect in the future it will even be possible, with real-time encoding, to capture and stream HDR video from mobile devices."

Dr Maximino Bessa, lead researcher of the project at INESC Tec said: "Mobile devices are rapidly becoming the main means for viewing content and playing games. Delivering HDR video to a tablet brings about a step change in viewing experience for mobile devices."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/computers_math/information_technology/~3/FekhxqsLNmw/121129093335.htm

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Hackers claim to have 'confidential' IAEA information

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

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/hackers-claim-have-confidential-iaea-information-1C7342311

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The WITCH Is Back: 61-Year-Old Computer Alive & Well

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In today?s world of mobile computing with devices that fit in your pocket, the notion that the first computers ever made occupied entire rooms and weighed several tonnes is hard to remember. It seems almost ridiculous too. Weren?t they just in the imagination of Hollywood producers of B-grade science fiction movies? Nope, they were real, and the WITCH is back.

The WITCH computer became the ?world?s oldest original working digital computer? recently when a museum in the UK refurbished the machine and fired it up. The scene must have been akin to a cheesy sci-fi film since unlike today?s computers, the WITCH was beeping, flashing and clunking like nobody?s business. And it read software off paper tape with holes punched into it. The only thing it was missing was those magnetic tape reels, but alas, they appeared in later, more ?advanced? models.

The WITCH isn?t particularly useful anymore outside of its attraction as a museum piece. It can store 90 numbers, so it?s effectively a room-sized calculator. It used flashing valves instead of binary code to store numbers, and it could take five to ten seconds to multiply two numbers together. It was used in atomic research up until 1957 and then as a teaching device until 1973 when it was renamed the Wolverhampton Instrument for Teaching Computation from Harwell (ie WITCH!). In its time, the WITCH was only one of about a dozen state of the art computers in the world.

Given the WITCH was used for several decades without an upgrade, the mammoth computer marks a stark contrast with today?s computing devices which can be swapped out for an upgrade every 12 months (and in some cases even sooner). It would also be hard to see today?s devices working 60 years after their original build date. It can be easy to take our access to cheap computing technology for granted these days. It?s a great thing that a computer like the WITCH is still functioning since it?s a fascinating window into the beginnings of the computer age.

Via: [CNN] Image Credits: [The Verge] [CNN]

Author: Ben Warner

Ben is an independent filmmaker, writer, and online content developer. He currently co-hosts and produces the weekly vodcast ?FiST Chat,? dedicated to bringing insightful and entertaining discussions on all things film, science and technology. You can also see Ben as the co-host of the web series ?Food Discoveries,? exploring various culinary experiences from around the world. Ben is the founder of production companies Digicosm and Small Wave Films, and has produced and directed numerous short films, feature films and documentaries since the late 1990s. When he?s not working, Ben indulges his love of traveling, food, technology, cinema, and music.

Source: http://www.bitrebels.com/technology/witch-is-back-61-year-old-computer/

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Daniel Warwick: College? YES! effort is worthy endeavor

SPRINGFIELD - I recently sat immersed in work at my computer when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a large manila envelope that a member of my cabinet had left on my desk for me. A teacher had sent it inter-office mail to her. Affixed to the envelope was a note that simply said: "Thought you might enjoy these!"

Inside was a packet of drawings created by a kindergarten class at Beal School. Each drawing was a letter to the student's parents, asking their parents for help in making sure that they would get to go to college when they graduated high school.

Several of the kindergarteners promised to "be good" in college. Some asked their folks to "help them get money" to go to college. A few said they wanted to read big books in college or play college sports.

Others explained that they simply had to go to college because they wanted to be a doctor or lawyer. One child said he wanted to go to college so that he could become president of the United States.

Just two weeks before opening that envelope, I had stood on the front steps of City Hall flanked by hundreds of school children, college presidents, pastors, priests and rabbis, educators, legislators, business owners, community leaders, college mascots, reporters and news crews, community-based organizations, concerned citizens, parents and many other caring adults. We had gathered in support of a city-wide initiative called College?YES!, which was aimed at inspiring and supporting college goals for our students and their families.

The package of kindergarten letters that I unexpectedly received on my desk recently is further proof of what I already knew: that the College?YES! initiative was a worthwhile endeavor with unprecedented participation and success.

Those of us who work in the Springfield Public Schools are lucky enough to see the fruits of that initiative every day. But for many of the businesses and organizations that participated, the weekend-long event may seem to have been just that - just a weekend activity, which existed in a vacuum.

Let the letters that landed on my desk re-assure you of the substantial impact your efforts have made on so many of our students. As a city, we have collectively begun to root college aspirations in the minds of even our youngest students. The children who wrote these letters to their parents, for example, will enter first-grade, sixth-grade, ninth-grade, and become high-school seniors believing that college is a viable, reasonable next step post high school graduation.

Be assured that our schools have built a great deal of college aspiration momentum. Robust conversations continue. Special assemblies highlight career options. The college message is plastered throughout many hallways, classrooms and bulletin boards.
We continue to expand our capacities and we are racing to meet self-imposed improvement goals because we are committed to creating a district where all students graduate college and are career ready.

And we thank the Springfield community for sharing in that commitment.

Daniel J. Warwick is superintendent of the Springfield Public Schools; you can learn more about the Springfield Public Schools online at www.sps.springfield.ma.us

Source: http://www.masslive.com/living/index.ssf/2012/11/daniel_warwick_college_yes_effort_is_worthy_endeavor.html

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Mr. President: Pardon the Turkey, Not Industrial Animal Agriculture

This op-ed originally ran on Civil Eats.

In just a few days, Americans will prepare and serve about 45 million turkeys. This bounty is worthy of our thanks, but the conditions in which most of these birds were raised are not. Today, the overwhelming majority of turkeys we eat are produced in ways that endanger our environment and the public?s health ? and it does not have to be this way.

According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), 96 percent of turkeys were raised in facilities that produced at least 30,000 birds per year?(PDF).? These industrial operations are a far cry from the average farm of 50 years ago, which raised just 225 birds annually. Turkey production has increased almost seven-fold since then, but the birds now come from 150,000 fewer farms.

Across the United States, industrial farms generate manure ? and lots of it. Last year, 248 million turkeys (PDF) raised in the United States generated more than two million tons of waste. Animal agriculture overall generates about 1 billion tons (PDF) of manure each year.? Much of this is applied to crops as fertilizer, but often in quantities too high for the plants to absorb, so it simply runs off into nearby waterways.

The waste contains a range of pollutants, including excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These elements create ?dead zones? in downstream waters where a lack of oxygen destroys numerous species that are vital to healthy ecosystems that provide food and livelihoods for millions of people. In 2008, runoff from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) along the Mississippi River contributed to a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico larger than the state of Massachusetts.

Because the waste is untreated, it can also contain bacteria and viruses that are harmful to human health, as well as toxic metals and even antibiotics.

What are antibiotics doing in the waste? These medicines are most widely used on CAFOs not to treat sick animals but to make healthy animals grow faster and to help protect them from diseases that spread easily in crowded, unsanitary living conditions. In 2009, drug makers sold about seven million pounds of antibiotics to treat sick people, but they sold about four times that amount?? 29 million pounds ? to aid in the production of meat and poultry.

These practices create an ideal breeding ground for dangerous antibiotic-resistant superbugs that can infect people. Allan Sexton, a veterinarian and hog farmer from Illinois, traveled to Washington, D.C., last May with his wife Jeanne to advocate for common-sense antibiotic policies.? He put it this way: ?If you gave me the assignment to create a superbug, I would do exactly what they do in big feeding lots.?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the USDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have all testified before Congress that there is a definitive link between the routine use of antibiotics in food animal production and the crisis of resistant infections in humans. This position is supported by the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other leading scientists and medical experts who all warn that the injudicious use of these drugs in food animals presents a serious and growing threat to human health because the practice creates new strains of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Indeed, hundreds of studies conducted over the past four decades demonstrate how antibiotic use in food animal production contributes to the growing health crisis of antibiotic resistance. New research indicates how these practices are even contributing to diseases not traditionally associated with food, including drug-resistant urinary tract infections and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA.

The FDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are taking steps to address this problem. The EPA, for example, is considering new regulations to better manage CAFO food production and prevent pollution.

The FDA is working to require greater veterinary oversight of antibiotic use in meat and poultry production; today, many of the drugs available to people by prescription only are for sale over the counter at feed stores across the country. The agency also has issued guidance documents designed to eliminate the use of antibiotics for growth promotion purposes. This is important, but it leaves open a loophole that would allow industrial farms to continue using these drugs as a crutch to compensate for unsanitary conditions.

Congress can also act. Last month, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) proposed a bill to require drug makers to report in greater detail how their antibiotics are being used on industrial farms.

These are encouraging steps, but more must be done.

Fortunately, consumers have some opportunities to take action. First, they can encourage responsible meat and poultry production by voting with their wallets, starting this Thanksgiving by buying a turkey that was raised without antibiotics. They can also encourage their local institutions that buy large quantities of meat and poultry?e.g., school districts, hospital systems?to start doing the same with the products they purchase and offer.

People can also get involved in fixing our policies. The Pew Charitable Trusts offers many educational materials and advocacy tools to help consumers become advocates for issues they care about.

The Obama administration has publicly committed to improving the way CAFOs produce meat and poultry. Now is the time to turn that commitment into action by establishing and enforcing policies that protect our environment and the public?s health.

The White House turkey deserves a presidential pardon. Industrial animal agriculture does not.

Read the article at Civil Eats

Source: http://www.pewhealth.org/news-room/opinions/mr-president-pardon-the-turkey-not-industrial-animal-agriculture-85899431639

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Africa For Norway: Don't they know it's Christmas?

Posted by guest blogger, Leslie

You can well imagine that since it was -24C here in my part of Canada today, I see a lot of value in donating to this worthy cause.?

Africa for Norway! Send those poor freezing Norwegians your radiators through Radi-Aid!

Africa for Norway raises this point: "Imagine if every person in Africa saw the ?Africa for Norway? video and this was the only information they ever got about Norway."

Relive the answer here.

With special thanks to the Acton Institute for alerting us to this thought provoking enterprise.

Until the radiators start landing in Canada, I'll give thanks for my toque, eh?

Source: http://www.brutallyhonest.org/brutally_honest/2012/11/africa-for-norway-dont-the-africans-know-its-christmas.html

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alcohol sergeant: makaskarler: World Racquetball News: no 1 ...

Donna Ryder from Newport, Co. Mayo, is a Sports Scholarship student at IT Sligo and is currently ranked the no 1 racquetball player in Europe. She was conferred with a Bachelor of Business in Recreation and Leisure at the 2012 IT Sligo Conferring.
Mayo graduates were among more than 1,800 graduates conferred at IT Sligo at its annual Conferring Ceremonies last week. President of IT Sligo, Professor Terri Scott, said encouraged the graduates to be entrepreneurial in their outlook.
She quoted the President of the USA Barak Obama who said that ?focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it?s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realise your true potential.?

Source: http://mauro-racquetball.blogspot.com/2012/11/no-1-racquetball-player-in-europe.html

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Source: http://makaskarler.blogspot.com/2012/11/world-racquetball-news-no-1-racquetball.html

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Source: http://alcohol-sergeant.blogspot.com/2012/11/makaskarler-world-racquetball-news-no-1.html

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Source: http://taylorlott32.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/alcohol-sergeant-makaskarler-world-racquetball-news-no-1.html

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Source: http://archiebennett9366.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/alcohol-sergeant-makaskarler-world-racquetball-news-no-1.html

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Samsung Galaxy 16MP Android Camera w/ Unlocked 4G, 4.8" LCD - $479.99

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Get PAID To Speak For Free! ? 12 Ways to Get Compensated For ...

In part 2 of this 3-part series, Bryan Caplovitz from SpeakerMatch, shares four more excellent tips for getting paid while speaking for free?

5. Use business cards to your advantage.

Almost everyone has a business card, so how can you use yours to help gain publicity? When accepting an engagement for free, tell the planner that you will do so under the condition that they place a business card on every seat in the room. That way, when people sit down and listen to you speak, and like you (I am assuming you are good at what you do?otherwise you wouldn?t be reading this), they can pick up your card and keep it with them for the future.

Next time these people need a speaker or know someone who needs a speaker, guess whose business card they have without ever meeting you one-on-one? That?s right ? they have all your contact information in their Rolodex, which will hopefully lead to more engagements and money for YOU in the future.

6. Use your audience as a source for leads.

When other people say you?re good, it means about 2000% more than you saying you?re great.

If you are looking to increase your speaking engagements, one of the most popular ways of doing so is through networking and word of mouth.

Asking friends or others if they know of anyone who requires an engagement speaker can be quite tedious and boring. So next time you are giving a speech for ?free,? use the audience to help give you referrals.

The first thing to do is to let the audience know that you are doing this pro-bono. When they hear this, they will wonder why you would be willing to do such a thing. Explain to the audience that you have an evaluation that you would appreciate them filling out. In the evaluation form (which could be placed on every seat, or handed out upon entrance/exit to the venue), ask them to rate you as a speaker.

Many people will be willing to give you constructive feedback on your presentation. Once you have people drawn into your survey, include a question regarding whether they know of anyone looking for speakers. It also helps if you can promise a reward for any referrals that lead to more business.

In addition to the referral section, include a section for people to sign up for your internet newsletter or online e-zine, in which you will keep them up-to-date with your speaking engagements and booking opportunities.

NOTE: When getting referrals, ask for names, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. DO NOT even bother asking for e-mail addresses or fax numbers The last thing you need is to be accused of sending spam or unsolicited faxes. These practices can really tarnish your reputation. Once you have an existing relationship, and obtain permission, e-mail and fax are great communications tools.

7. Don?t give out notes.

When you are speaking, do not print handouts or notes of any type for the engagements.? Let people know that they are more than welcome to take their own notes throughout the duration of the speech, but also make the notes available on your website, and encourage them to visit your site.

Hopefully people will go home, get on the internet, and start visiting your site.? This is a great way to keep yourself differentiated from other speakers and build a fan base.

To encourage visitors, DO offer a promotional item with your contact information to every attendee. Pens and pads are fine, and pretty standard; this is a great place to be really creative. Use your imagination to come up with something that people will want to keep on their desks. Even better, come up with something they?ll want to show to others.

One speaker I know gives out small mirrors with her contact information printed on the plastic frame. The frames are designed to attach easily to cubicle walls. Because she works with customer service professionals who spend their days in a cubicle, these are a big hit. Her message, that ?people can actually hear your smile over the phone? makes her gift especially purposeful as well.

8. Sell your products and services before, during, and after the speech.

This one probably doesn?t even need to be on the list, but some new speakers fail to understand that speaking is always about selling. Speak for free, sure, but let your audience know that you are more than a speaker.

You don?t need to do a hard sell. I don?t even think you need a soft sell. But you should clearly communicate that you are an expert, and make it clear that you earn money in ways other than speaking.

No matter what you speak on, you should have a consulting fee. If someone wants to get your professional advice, be prepared to offer it ? for a fee! I?m not saying that you shouldn?t answer questions for free, but there?s nothing wrong with working out a day of consulting.

If you do have resources that can be purchased at the back of the room, make sure to ask for permission from the venue coordinator before you make a sales pitch. Any kind of audio or data CD, resource kit, or even a DVD of previous speeches (that can be recorded for free? refer to tip #1) can be sold.

Some items cost pennies to reproduce and can often be sold for hundreds of dollars? that is almost pure profit!!!

(Part 3? coming next week!)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BRYAN CAPLOVITZ is the founder and creator of SpeakerMatch. SpeakerMatch makes it easy to find free and low-fee speaking engagements. It is the only online source of current, available speaking opportunities for emerging professional speakers. Our proprietary software will match your unique skills with the needs of meeting planners and notify you instantly. We provide HOT leads, from organizations who are actively seeking speakers now.

For more information, visit http://www.speakermatch.com/speaker, or call us at 1-866-372-8768.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bryan_Caplovitz

Related posts:

1. Get PAID To Speak For Free! ? 12 Ways to Get Compensated For Speaking (Other Than Cash) ~ Part 1
2. Get PAID To Speak For Free! ? 12 Ways to Get Compensated For Speaking (Other Than Cash)
3. From Free to Fee: 5.5 Tips on Getting Paid to Speak

Source: http://997waystobeagreatspeaker.com/2012/11/get-paid-to-speak-for-free-12-ways-to-get-compensated-for-speaking-other-than-cash-part-2/

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Patriot Coal bankruptcy moved to court in Missouri

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Patriot Coal on Tuesday lost a bid to keep its bankruptcy case in New York, after the United Mine Workers of America argued that the proceedings should be transferred to a venue closer to the company's operations.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman in Manhattan moved the case to St. Louis, Missouri, where the company is based. As part of the bankruptcy, Patriot is expected to seek significant cuts in retiree pension and health benefits.

Patriot, the judge said in her ruling, incorporated two units in New York in the weeks leading up to its bankruptcy, essentially for the purpose of establishing venue there - a move that, while technically legal, was "simply not fair."

Patriot filed for bankruptcy in July, five years after being spun off by Peabody Energy and Arch Coal.

The union had wanted the case transferred to West Virginia, the hub of most of the company's operations but said it was satisfied with St. Louis.

"Nobody has ever mined one ounce of coal in Manhattan," the union said in a statement on Tuesday. "This decision brings the case to the heart of the Illinois coal basin, home to many of our active and retired members and their families."

Patriot had sought to keep the case in New York, a major site for corporate bankruptcies and the home of most of Patriot's lawyers and bankers. The company said it respected Chapman's decision.

"We remain focused on using the reorganization process to ensure the company's future viability as a competitor and employer in a challenging market environment," it said in a statement.

Chapman also criticized the union in her 62-page ruling, which she said aimed to define "the meaning of justice."

The union wanted to move the case to a West Virginia court where it felt judges would be more sympathetic to its cause, Chapman said.

"It is not in the interest of justice merely to swap one party's perceived home field advantage for another," the judge said, citing court hearings in which union lawyers expressed a desire for judges who "understand" and "worship" coal miners.

In court papers, Patriot has said its current labor obligations are "unsustainable" without cutting some benefits as it restructures.

The Mine Workers union has more than 10,000 retiree members whose pension and health obligations are administered by Patriot, though many never worked for Patriot and retired before the Peabody spin-off.

The union has vowed to protect its benefits through the bankruptcy, and has also sued Peabody Energy, saying it should cover benefits if Patriot cannot.

Chapman chose St. Louis, she said, because Patriot and many of its officers are based there. She added that she was influenced by hundreds of "compelling" letters from retirees, widows and families who wish to participate in the case.

"While St. Louis may not be as convenient as Charleston for some employees and retirees, it is by no means remote from coal country," the judge said.

The case is In Re Patriot Coal Corp et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, No. 12-12900.

(Reporting By Nick Brown; Additional reporting by Billy Cheung; Editing by Bernard Orr and Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/patriot-coal-bankruptcy-moved-court-missouri-221529322--finance.html

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PREPARING FOR A LESS WASTEFUL, LESS STRESSFUL ...

WASTE (of money, time, resources) & STRESS during the holidays.

This has been heavy on my mind for the last several Christmases. So many years of buying junk just to have something to give someone, or to pad the amount of gifts per child to increase the Christmas morning ?MAGIC FACTOR?. It has always caused me to pause and regret. More and more as each Christmas morning passes, as I survey the damage and pick up the trash?and realize how fast it goes and how little it means.

I don?t want gifts given out of obligation, and I don?t want a throwaway gift. I don?t want to be just another name on someone?s shopping list either, adding to their stress and taking money out of their bank account. I also know that it isn?t possible or even practical to expect a meaningful, thoughtful gift EVERY YEAR. That?s okay, I?m content without getting anything. All the more incredible when a gift is placed on my lap. Knowing it meant something to the person giving it.

Watch this video that Patagonia sent out today and think about how you think about gifts and giving. Think about what really matters for your family. Think about what the IDEA of gifts really means, and see if you can find a way to recreate that in other ways throughout the holiday.

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Common Threads Initiative from Patagonia on Vimeo.

SOME EXPERIMENTS THAT MIGHT HELP:

Talk to your family about this subject, ask for support.

Gently set a present limit for extended family members who are buying for your children. This takes pressure off!

?We will be citizens and ambassadors, each with a destiny of our own, but with a common pledge to honor life, and nature.?

Name swap with big groups. Each person gets one gift per person, thus creating more time and energy to purchase thoughtfully.

Plan a family talent show for Christmas morning after the gifts are opened.

Dim the lights, light the candles, and crank the Christmas music. Put on socks and slide around the kitchen (or wood) floor, sharing your best dance moves as you make breakfast after the presents are opened.

White elephant parties. This can include gag gifts of real gifts. Especially fun when alcohol and obnoxious people are involved.

Shop for gifts second hand. A special trinket or vintage treasure from the heart.

?This is something we can do. This is something we are called to do. And if we are quiet we will surely hear it.?

Host a ?favorites party?. Each person brings multiple amounts of ONE of their favorite things, under a certain dollar amount. Everyone at the party shares, you go home with some meaningful swag.

Time spent together throughout the month in what I call ?spontaneous delight?. Usually means you are doing something new or something old with a fresh twist. Can be something as simple as a new board game, just take it off the table and onto a picnic blanket outside (or inside in front of the fire). Ask the kids to prepare ?fancy snacks?.

Take more care to find things with meaning through the year, and not just in a mad rush at the big red store at the last minute.

Ask your spouse to write you a letter and place it in your stocking Christmas Eve. Do the same for him or her.

?Living is not buying. To be a citizen of the earth is to put one?s brief life to the use of one?s dearest gifts.?

If you know someone who has a need for a big ticket item, organize a donation fund and gift the person with cash to go towards their purchase. Put the cash in a fun container, and give it in a fun way. (Put a bunch of $1 bills in a huge jar, send them on a treasure hunt.)

For people in your life with children, give them the gift of your TIME, and set up a day (or weekend) to babysit for them. (Trust me, this is better than ANY gift certificate to ANY store.)

In creative friends/family circles, host an entirely handmade holiday. (My friend Emily is involved in a handmade holiday online workshop with tutorials for holiday decorations, ornaments, and other goodies)

Make lucky bags.

Take your family on a secret mission like this or this from Andrea at Hula Seventy. It will show them what it feels like to give non material items to others.

Give the gift of your own must haves. Think of the things in your life that you use every day. Is there anything you just couldn?t live without? This could be ANYTHING: a super plush towel, the perfect wallet, or an AMAZING ice cream scoop. If you love it, it will be something that ANYONE on your list would love to have. You can give everyone (or small groups of people) the same thing! This does two things ? eliminates stress and offers them something on your ?best of? list. Label the tag and let them know why it is one of your must haves.

?Gives nature a chance to rest, and time to heal.?

Host a stocking stuffer swap with other creative friends. (organize a group of friends, tally the number of children, set the dollar amount, every adult chooses a single item to make for that number of children. Share and you receive an eclectic mix of things to fill up the stockings Christmas morning.

Plan advent activities, like our Bernard The Christmas Elf.

If you are in a service industry (photography, landscaping, sewing, carpentry, cooking, massage, graphic design?), gift that service to someone on your list on a smaller scale than your average job. Or, go for the gusto and remodel their entire kitchen. ;)

And, from the Patagonia video: reduce what you buy, repair what you can, reuse what you no longer need, recycle what?s worn out.

?PURSUE NOT WHAT WE VAGUELY WANT, BUT WHAT WE DEEPLY NEED.?

Most of all, deep breaths, we can do this again, and I wish you ALL a sweet and simple holiday.

-Tara

PS : I would love to keep the ideas coming in the comment section. If you have anything to add, please share!

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Source: http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/2012/11/preparing-for-a-less-wasteful-less-stressful-holiday/

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Oh, So This Is Where You Use The Microsoft Surface

The Microsoft Surface is a great kitchen computer, and sadly, that's about it. You can tell a lot about a new product by how well you integrate it into your life, and for the Surface, the product has been largely sitting on my kitchen countertop for the past couple of weeks, except for that one time my daughter's iPad was charging and she wanted to watch Netflix. Or that other time when I carried it to Startup Weekend, then ended up using it as a hard surface to press down on while writing with pen and paper. Oh, Surface. You just don't fit in. At least not for me.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/b0rTbx4N7uQ/

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Donate Money the Smart Way | Avid Investor Group

For charitable organizations, the end of the year is no holiday. Charities need people to donate money, and now is their busiest season, as they ramp up their fundraising efforts to get generous donors to make year-end gifts.

When it comes to making those gifts, though, simple isn?t always best. Although it?s easy just to write a check to get your charitable giving marked off your to-do list, somewhat more complicated giving methods can get you even more bang for your buck. That can help you do more good while also boosting your own finances.

But how can you be smarter about donating money? Here are some ideas you may not have thought about before:

1. Give stock, not cash.
The advantage of pulling out your checkbook or donating money online or on your mobile device is that it?s easy to get done quickly. But one technique that many rich people use is to give away shares of stock rather than cash. Although giving stock is a bit more of a hassle, the benefit is that you can deduct the full market value of shares you?ve held for more than a year without having to pay tax on capital gains on those shares.

For instance, among the members of the Giving Pledge are many corporate founders who own stock worth billions of dollars. With Facebook?s (NASDAQ: FB??) Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA??) CEO Elon Musk, and Reed Hastings of Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX??) among dozens of influential business leaders who?ve pledged to give the majority of their vast wealth to charity. With most of them having substantial portions of the wealth in company shares and options, giving away stock is the best way to help charity while also avoiding a big tax bill.

But you don?t have to be rich to benefit from donating stock instead of cash. On any stock that you have a long-term gain, using it for a donation saves you on taxes. Talk to your charity about whether they have arrangements to accept gifts of stock.

2. Become a long-term philanthropist.
Private foundations have become a major force in the charitable giving arena, with wealthy families financing philanthropic arms of their family fortunes to target their donations. But even those of more modest means can set up longer-term giving strategies by using donor-advised funds.

Many financial companies, including Fidelity, T. Rowe Price (NASDAQ: TROW??) , and Vanguard, allow customers to set up donor-advised funds. To set up a fund, you make a relatively large charitable gift ? minimums at those three institutions range from $5,000 to $25,000. But rather than having it all go straight to charity right away, the institution holds it on your behalf in a special fund, waiting for you to designate how much and when gifts will be made to the charities you choose.

The benefit of donor-advised funds is that you get a tax deduction when you donate to the fund, even if you wait years to use up the entire gift. That can be especially useful if you have a windfall year with a lot of income and want to maximize deductions to offset that income right away. To get more information, take a look at the T. Rowe Price, Vanguard, or Fidelity websites.

3. Double-up on Dec. 31 (or Jan. 1).
Charities are willing to bend over backward to help you get the most tax benefits from your gift. Although most charities expect to get single gifts toward the end of the year, you may get more benefit by doubling up all at once.

How it works is simple: by making your 2012 and 2013 donations at the same time, you can time your gift to choose which tax year they?ll go into. If you donate before Dec. 31, you?ll be able to claim both gifts as deductions on your 2012 return. Alternatively, giving both gifts will help you take advantage of expected higher rates in 2013. Moreover, both strategies get cash into charities? hands faster ? which is important given how much they need money right now.

Be a smarter giver
Donating money to charity is extremely important, and these tips are just a few of the strategies you can use to make the most of your charitable donations. With charities depending on your generosity, you owe it to yourself to make your money go as far as it can.

Mark Zuckerberg may be rich enough to be a philanthropist, but his shareholders aren?t all that pleased with him. After a terrible IPO, though, shares have finally hit bottom, and Facebook could be a buy right now. Find out more in our newest premium research report. There?s a lot more to Facebook than meets the eye, so read up on whether there is anything to ?like? about it today, and we?ll tell you whether we think Facebook deserves a place in your portfolio. Access your report by clicking here.

Tune in every Monday and Wednesday for Dan?s columns on retirement, investing, and personal finance. You can follow him on Twitter:?@DanCaplinger.

Source: http://avidinvestorgroup.com/2012/11/donate-money-the-smart-way/

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First-time buyers shut out of housing recovery

6 hrs.

Diana Olick , CNBC.com

Current homeowners are finally moving up, and distressed sales are making up less of the overall market?all signs of much-needed improvement in housing.

Current homeowners accounted for 54 percent of October?s non-distressed market, up from 50 percent in June, according to a new survey by Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance.

This as the share of non-distressed sales surged to 64.7 percent, up from 55.7 percent as recently as February.

Unfortunately, first-time home buyers are seeing just the opposite, largely left out of this surge in sales and prices. Their share of the market, usually up in the 40 percent range historically, fell to 34.7 percent in October, the lowest in the Campbell/IMF survey?s three-year history.

The National Association of Realtors put their share even lower, at 31 percent.

Either way, they are the only group of buyers that have not seen their share of non-distressed home purchases rise over the past five months. The mortgage of choice for these buyers, FHA-insured loans, are increasingly tough to obtain. (Read More: Yes, Housing Starts Surge, but Rentals Are the Drivers)

?Financing of first-time homebuyers with low down payments threatens to become a significant problem in the U.S. housing market,? wrote Thomas Popik, research director for Campbell Surveys. ?Fifty percent of first-time homebuyers use FHA financing, but FHA insurance premiums are increasing and underwriting is becoming more strict. Private mortgage insurance has started to fill the gap, but the long-term status of private mortgage insurance is in question pending the publication of the Qualified Residential Mortgage regulation resulting from Dodd-Frank.? (Read More: Builders Bump Up Thanks to Drop in Existing Home Supply)

Real estate agents answering this latest survey also noted that the recent hike in FHA mortgage insurance premiums is hitting first-time buyers harder because some sellers are refusing to accept offers that include FHA financing. Adding insult to injury, the FHA, after reporting a major shortfall in its insurance reserve funds, announced it would raise premiums yet again, another 10 basis points early next year. (Read More: To Stem Losses, FHA Mortgages Get More Expensive)

Lower priced, distressed properties, like foreclosures and short sales, would seem like the best answer for first time buyers, but hungry, all-cash investors are proving to be too much competition. Investors purchased one fifth of all homes that sold in October, up from 18 percent the previous month, and all-cash buyers (largely investors) made up 29 percent of all sales, according to the Realtors. (Read More: How 'Fiscal Cliff' Could Affect Mortgage Interest Deduction)

This is why, despite increasing household formation, rental occupancies continue to fall and rents to rise. Would-be first time home buyers are either choosing or are forced to rent.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/housing-recovery-leaving-behind-first-time-buyers-1C7266178

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BBK's Vivo X1 is a phone for audiophiles, packs high-end DAC and Beyerdynamic earphones

We've never paid much attention to BBK's phones in the past, but today, this Chinese company -- who's actually the creator of the Oppo brand for the Western market -- announced a rather interesting Android 4.1 device. The idea of this Vivo X1 is that BBK wants to take audio very seriously on its new flagship phone, which is why it's been given a Cirrus Logic CS4398 digital-analog converter plus a CS8422 sample-rate converter -- a combo that's seemingly popular amongst Hi-Fi connoisseurs and manufacturers. And to match that audio performance, BBK's also throwing in a pair of Beyerdynamic MMX 71 iE earphones (20Hz-22kHz, 12Ω, 104dB) as part of the ¥2,498 ($400) package; though you can also choose the AKG K420 or the Sennheiser CX215 instead when buying from BBK's official online store.

The rest of the Vivo X1, however, is more bog-standard in comparison: MediaTek MT6577T processor (1.2GHz, dual core, Cortex-A9), 4.7-inch 960 x 540 IPS display, 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, eight-megapixel main camera, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and WCDMA 2100 3G radio. The only real highlight here is perhaps the 2,000mAh battery, which is non-removable but still rather impressive considering it's in a 6.55mm-thin body. Even the Oppo Finder has a 6.65mm thickness and yet lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, whereas BBK's thinner phone has one. What's missing here is microSD expansion, but there's 15GB of Baidu cloud storage should users wish to take advantage of that.

The Vivo X1 may just be available for pre-order now, but the folks at BBK couldn't help but tease the highlights of its next-generation device already: bezel-free design, 1080p display, big battery and 13-megapixel camera. We look forward to that.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Via: Engadget China

Source: Vivo

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/20/bbk-vivo-x1-cirrus-logic-Beyerdynamic/

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'Mount Doom' likely to blow soon

Mount Ruapehu, a New Zealand volcano that stood in for Mount Doom in the "Lord of the Rings" movies, seems to be heading for an eruption.

New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) has warned hikers to keep off the summit, saying that recent temperature readings of the volcano indicate an increased likelihood of an eruption in the coming weeks.

The crater of Mount Ruapehu is usually filled with a snow-melt lake, and a peculiar temperature difference between the lake and the ground beneath it has led scientists to issue the warning.

"We think that the temperature a few hundred meters beneath Crater Lake is about 800 Celsius [1,472 degrees Fahrenheit], but the lake itself is only about 20 C [68 F]," said volcanologist Steven Sherburn, in an alert bulletin released by GNS Science, a New Zealand geologic hazard monitoring organization. "This suggests the vent is partly blocked, which may be leading to a pressure buildup beneath Crater Lake." [10 Biggest Volcano Eruptions in History]

The pressure could give way in the form of an eruption, minor or major.

"Sooner or later that situation will be rectified, either in a small, relatively passive way, or with a significant eruption," DOC volcanic risk manager Harry Keys told Radio New Zealand.

Ruapehu, New Zealand's largest active volcano, last erupted in 2007, propelling a large rock onto the leg of a nearby climber who recovered after having his leg amputated. Historically, it has had major eruptions every 20 to 50 years, according to DOC, with the last big ones coming in 1995 and 1996.

The volcano shared the role of Mount Doom in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy, but Ruapehu might be thought of as more of a stunt double than a featured player. Long shots of Mount Doom in the films showed nearby Mount Ngauruhoe, while scenes that supposedly took place on the slopes of Mount Doom were filmed on Ruapehu.

Mount Ngauruhoe, also an active volcano, last erupted in 1975. Mount Doom last erupted at the end of the Third Age of Middle Earth.

Follow Life's Little?Mysteries on Twitter @llmysteries. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mount-doom-likely-blow-soon-201446255.html

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High Vitamin D levels in pregnancy may protect mother more than baby against multiple sclerosis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 19, 2012) ? Pregnant women who have higher levels of vitamin D in their blood may have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) than women with lower levels, while their babies may not see the same protective effect, according to a study published in the November 20, 2012, online issue of Neurology?, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"In our study, pregnant women and women in general had a lower risk for MS with higher levels of the vitamin, as expected. However, a mother's levels of vitamin D during early pregnancy did not have an effect on MS risk for her baby," said study author Jonatan Salzer, MD, with Ume? University Hospital in Sweden.

For the study, scientists reviewed information about 291,500 blood samples from 164,000 people collected since 1975 in the northern half of Sweden. Of those, 192 people developed MS an average of nine years after their blood sample was drawn, and there were 37 blood samples drawn during pregnancy from mothers whose children went on to develop MS later in life.

The research found that women who had high levels of vitamin D in their blood had a 61 percent lower risk of developing MS, compared to those who had low levels of vitamin D in their blood. Overall, few people had high levels of vitamin D. Only seven of the 192 people who developed MS, or four percent, had high vitamin D levels, compared to 30 of 384 controls without the disease, or eight percent.

No association was found between the mother's vitamin D level and whether her child would later develop MS.

"Since we found no protective effect on the baby for women with higher levels of vitamin D in early pregnancy, our study suggests the protective effect may start in later pregnancy and beyond," said Salzer. "Another interesting finding in our study was that the vitamin D levels became gradually lower with time from 1975 and onward. It is possible that this decline in vitamin D status is linked to the increasing numbers of MS cases seen worldwide."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Academy of Neurology.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. J. Salzer, G. Hallmans, M. Nystrom, H. Stenlund, G. Wadell, P. Sundstrom. Vitamin D as a protective factor in multiple sclerosis. Neurology, 2012; 79 (21): 2140 DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182752ea8

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/child_development/~3/B0d4a9DkKH4/121119163331.htm

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Australia vs South Africa 2nd Test at Adelaide Oval

Cricket Live Score of Australia vs South Africa 2nd Test - Adelaide Oval on 2012. Get Cric Live Score of South Africa vs Australia, 2nd Test of South Africa tour of Australia 2012-13. South Africa vs Australia 2nd Test begins at 22 Nov 2012 onwards at Adelaide Oval. Get Full Scorecard of Australia vs South Africa, 2nd Test South Africa tour of Australia 2012-13 online free. Get batting and bowling figures of 2nd Test match starting at 2012, 22 Nov 2012. Online Live Match of Australia vs South Africa 2nd Test - South Africa tour of Australia 2012-13 live from Adelaide Oval.

Current Time: 11/19/2012 08:37:28 GMT

Time Left:

Australia vs South Africa, 2nd Test

Toss: NA

: /()

Result: Match scheduled to begin at 10:30 local time (00:00 GMT)

Man of the Match

To be Decided

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Australia team: MJ Clarke, MEK Hussey, RT Ponting, SR Watson, PM Siddle, BJ Hilfenhaus, DA Warner, MS Wade, JL Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Ed Cowan

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South Africa team: GC Smith, AB de Villiers, JH Kallis, M Morkel, DW Steyn, HM Amla, JP Duminy, RJ Peterson, VD Philander, RK Kleinveldt, JA Rudolph, TL Tsolekile, AN Petersen, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir

Source: http://www.cricwaves.com/1655/australia-vs-south-africa-22-nov-2012/Scorecard.html

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4 Creative Divas crafts, hobbies, hairstyles, and more.: Memories ...

All morning I have been thinking of my sweet little grandmas. ?Both of my grandmas passed on quite a while ago. They were both strikingly different, one lived in town and the other lived on a farm. ?I would like to share some stories about them, in a blog series called "Memories",? that are so inspiring and demonstrate how amazing they were. ?Today, I would like to tell you about my "Town Grandma". ? I remember this grandma was an "old grandma", she was born on August ?24, 1879, ?so when I was almost 6 ( just before she passed on) she was in her 70's.? Even though she died just before my 6th birthday it is amazing how much I remember about her. ?Maybe it was?because?she was truly my best friend.?

?This is a picture of my grandma and her 5 sisters. ?My grandma is on the top row on the right.

I want to share a story about her from the early 1900's

The year was 1913, Katie Nye Hodgkinson was a young mother of ?two little boys. ?She and her husband was a happy family living in a small little cabin just off the main road of 500 East in Vernal Utah. ? One day her?husband?Albert?receives a letter from the LDS church headquarters which ask if he would serve a ?two year full-time mission in the eastern states of?Kentucky?and Tennessee. ??Back in those days they served their missions without purse or script. This?meant?that they went without money and very little?previsions,??mainly the cloths on their back. ?While my Grandfather was gone serving his mission. My Grandma lived with her two little boy in her cabin alone. ?She was a very resourceful woman. During that time, she would take in laundry and?ironing?to provide for her little family. ?One evening she was in her cabin getting the boys ready for bed. ?She heard a noise coming from outside, a?screeching? howling sound. She goes to the front door, opens it, in the darkness she could see an object with a long tail running down the road. ?She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but she was very frightened and protective of her two little boys. ? The next morning she heard from her?neighbor, Mr. Sessions, that when he came home the night before he had seen a mountain lion around his house.? This one small story is an example of?strength??and courage to me, ?my grandma (whom I called Gram) had the ability to endure hardship, served others with faith and love, and?endured?to the end with dignity.

Because our heritage is so important to us, we like to display them throughout our home, This is a memory box that my daughter made for a 4-H project. ? She took a preshaped box that you get from the craft store. ?She tore up small pieces of scrapbook paper and Modge-Podged them to the box. ?She also Modge-Podged the picture. ?(It was a picture I?scanned?on to my computer and printed ) Then she ?embellished it with lace. ?She got a purple ribbon at our local county fair and a blue ribbon from the state fair. Do any of you have amazing stories of your ancestors? Leave a comment and tell us about them. We would love to read them.

Source: http://4creativedivas.blogspot.com/2012/11/memories.html

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Source: http://hottelldinah.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/4-creative-divas-crafts-hobbies-hairstyles-and-more-memories.html

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Source: http://dylan36.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/4-creative-divas-crafts-hobbies-hairstyles-and-more-memories.html

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Source: http://rockyrichardson.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/4-creative-divas-crafts-hobbies-hairstyles-and-more-memories.html

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Google Getting Ready To Submit Maps App For iOS To Apple

Google Maps has been on Apple?s iOS ever since the first iPhone was launched back in 2007, Google Maps was removed from iOS this year with the launch of iOS 6, it was replaced with Apple?s own mapping application. Apple Maps on iOS has comer under quite a bit of criticism, and many people have been waiting for Google to release a stand alone Google Maps app for iOS

Source: http://www.cargizmoglam.com/?p=177986

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The #1 Myth About Marriage, Debunked | World of Psychology

This guest article from YourTango was written by Barbara Becker Holstein.?

Janet and Mike were headed for divorce. So were Sally and Jim. Janet slept in the guest bedroom. She hardly spoke to Mike, unless it was a necessity.

Both had hired lawyers. Sally and Jim also had their divorce lawyers lined up. They hadn?t enjoyed each other?s company in years. Talking led to screaming and both were sick of the fights.

How many infidelities had taken place between these two couples? Surprisingly, the answer was none ? no one had acted out in an extramarital affair. Yet all four people ? two very different marriages, with different styles and personalities ? all were miserable enough to get divorced.

But how come?

Let?s look first at Janet and Mike. They met on a summer cruise and had a whirlwind love affair. Back home, living 300 miles apart, they were determined to marry and be together as soon as possible. Janet left her small town and her blossoming career as an event planner to move to Mike?s city. Since he already owned a home next door to his parent?s home, they decided to keep his home.

Romantic feelings and great sex soon gave way to problems resulting from being so close to in-laws. Everyone felt free to visit at any time. Privacy was rare. Janet craved company, as she was lonely and unable to relocate professionally? but not the company of her mother-in-law.

Mike felt disappointed that Janet wasn?t much of a homemaker, discounting all of her grievances that he had already decorated his house, planted his garden-his way, and she had no way to make the place her own.

Long story short: the marriage simply wasn?t working. After a failed effort to have a baby, the gulf was even wider. Divorce seemed to be only way out. Mike wanted peace again in his own home. Janet wanted to move back to her town and regain pride in herself.

Now let?s look at Sally and Jim. They were high school sweethearts and married young. Two children occupied their twenties and thirties. By the time they were 40, the kids were out of the house, one married, the other in college.

The empty nest didn?t feel good to either of them. Jim, very much a sports dad, really missed all the athletics he did with his sons. Sally was a devoted parent also and missed cooking for the boys and their friends, a full house of laughing kids, and the natural friendships that happened through the PTA, soccer teams, etc. Somewhat shy, now that the kids were gone, she found it hard to continue their social life.

Time together became empty for both of them. They blamed each other for all sorts of things: from having nothing to look forward to, to disappointing sex, boring weekends and problems at work. Both exploded easily, and anger and rage led to constant arguing. For the sake of their health and peace of mind, they agreed that divorce seemed to be the only solution.

So, here are two examples where the couples simply could no longer get along. And no one had the energy for a lover, which is often the case in failed marriages. The marriage no longer works, but both spouses are still invested in the dynamics that are not working. They repeat the battles over and over again, even throughout the divorce.

It is possible that with marriage counseling, both couples could have saved their marriages. But not everyone has the time, energy, interest or finances to go for the help that might have worked. Sometimes divorce is the solution.

Don?t think there is an affair behind every divorce. The real story may be much less of a romance-novel-gone-astray and more a lot of screaming, yelling and sleeping in separate bedrooms.

?

More marriage advice from YourTango:

Contributed by YourTango.com, an online magazine dedicated to love, life and relationships. From dating to marriage, parenting to empty-nest, relationship challenges to relationship success, YourTango is at the center of the conversations that are closest to our over 3 million readers' hearts. With daily contributions from our Experts, we have a little something for everyone looking to create healthier lives. We're excited to offer our contributions to the PsychCentral community, and invite you to visit us on YourTango.com.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by YourTango Experts (or subscribe to their feed).

????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 17 Nov 2012
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Experts, Y. (2012). Divorce Doesn?t Always Come From an Affair. Psych Central. Retrieved on November 19, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/17/divorce-doesnt-always-come-from-an-affair/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/17/divorce-doesnt-always-come-from-an-affair/

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Pressure builds on Obama over oil pipeline: Jobs vs. climate change (Star Tribune)

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TX Gov Rick Perry Orders Troops to Formula 1

Infowars.com
November 17, 2012

Yesterday, Infowars reporter Jakari Jackson headed out to the Formula One race event held outside of Austin, Texas where he found, not only that posse comitatus is little more than a distant memory, but that National Guard troops were assisting the event by order of Texas Governor Rick Perry, according to one member.

At least one National Guard member interviewed by Jakari said governor Rick Perry gave the order to have troops assist local law enforcement during the much-hyped, first ever Formula One race event predicted to bring hordes of people into the central Texas region.

?We?re out here in support of the local civilian authorities. Any large public event like this, there?s always a public safety concern and we?re out here, much like the local law enforcement is just to make sure everybody has a good, safe time and just to help out our friends in the local civilian sector,? one troop said.

What?s even more disturbing it that some interviewees had never even heard of the posse comitatus Act.

Normally called upon in times of emergency, it?s unusual to see troops stationed outside of a sporting event. Hurricane Sandy also gave a chance to flex National Guard police state muscle.
Photos from the afflicted northeastern portion of the U.S. recently ravaged by Hurricane Sandy depict National Guard troops conducting checkpoints.

An Infowars reader with We Are Change New Jersey sent us a few photos from Bayhead of the devastation Sandy left in its wake and the National Guard?s response.

The Rest?HERE

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This entry was posted on Saturday, November 17th, 2012 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Government Evil, Martial Law. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Source: http://revolutionradio.org/?p=40530

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Social conservatives did their part, but GOP coalition was toxic

The Catholic Church ? a politically and ethnically sprawling institution ? has no natural home on the American ideological spectrum. Neither major party combines moral conservatism with a passion for social justice. So Catholic leaders have often challenged Democrats to be more pro-life and Republicans to be more concerned about immigrants and the poor.

But President Obama's first term was a period of unexpected aggression against the rights of religious institutions. His Justice Department, in the Hosanna-Tabor case, argued against the existence of any ?ministerial exception? to employment rules. Obama tried to mandate that Catholic schools, hospitals and charities offer insurance coverage for contraceptives and abortifacients. His revised policy still asserts a federal power to declare some religious institutions secular in purpose, reducing them to second-rate status under the First Amendment.

On top of this, Obama ran a stridently pro-abortion re-election campaign, seeking culture-war advantage on an issue he seldom mentioned four years ago.

The Catholic hierarchy and more traditional Catholic laymen reacted as you'd expect. Bishops issued pastoral letters in defense of religious liberty. Conservative and pro-life groups organized in battleground states.

The result? According to the first cut of exit poll analysis by the Pew Research Center, Obama's support among white Catholics fell to 40 percent ? seven points lower than four years ago. It was one of the largest swings of any portion of the electorate. John Green of the University of Akron argues that the religious liberty issue came to ?encapsulate other concerns such as abortion and marriage? among many regular mass attendees.

In a close election, this reaction might have made all the difference. But the election wasn't particularly close. And the trend among white Catholics was partially offset by Latino Catholics moving in the opposite direction for reasons unrelated to abortion or religious freedom. (Obama gained three points among Hispanic Catholics and took three-quarters of their votes.) In the end, Obama won the total Catholic vote by a small margin.

This result reveals a tension at the heart of the Republican coalition. The portion of that coalition which is pushing away Latino Catholics is making the political work of conservative Catholics far more difficult.

Catholics have a historical advantage in understanding the imperative of inclusion in modern politics. They belong, after all, to an institution that has been multicultural since Peter first set foot in Rome. But white evangelicals are now getting their own education in coalition politics. They gave Mitt Romney a remarkable 79 percent of their vote ? the same share that George W. Bush received in 2004 ? while comprising a larger percentage of the electorate than they did in 2004. But their energy and loyalty were rendered irrelevant ? washed away ? by GOP failures among other groups.

?Rather than a repudiation of cultural conservatism,? concludes Green, ?this was an election in which cultural conservatives did everything they could, but the party fell short.?

In the long run, social conservatives will have serious trouble exerting influence unless they are allied with rising ethnic populations, which tend toward conservative social views. But social conservatives are now in a toxic alliance with political forces ? the wall-builders and advocates of self-deportation ? that are actively alienating rising ethnic populations.

Evangelicals and conservative Catholics ? some of the most loyal members of the Republican coalition ? have a direct political interest in making that coalition more inclusive. Hispanic outreach alone is not sufficient. Romney's largest problem ? picking from the smorgasbord is a challenge ? was probably his underperformance among white working-class voters. But given America's demographic direction, the overwhelming loss of Hispanic votes will gradually complicate the Republican political task to the point of impossibility. Unless this problem is solved, the GOP will remain on a long, downward slope toward irrelevance.

Outreach is not done in a single awkward lunge. It will involve more than endorsing comprehensive immigration legislation, though that is necessary. Hispanic voters have a series of concerns typical of a poorer but economically mobile community: working schools, college access, health care, a working safety net. Republicans will need to offer policy alternatives on these issues ? defining an active, market-oriented role for government.

Perhaps the greatest Republican need is to embrace and demonstrate some other sound Catholic teachings: a commitment to the common good and a particular concern for the poor and vulnerable. This might appeal to Hispanics ? and others.

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michaelgerson@washpost.com

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Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Social-conservatives-did-their-part-but-GOP-4044915.php

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