Asian nations giving enthusiastic welcome to 2013

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) ? Fiscal cliff? Recession? Not in Asia, where the first countries to see 2013 dawn will enthusiastically welcome the new year.

Increasingly democratic Myanmar will have a public countdown for the first time. Jakarta plans a huge street party befitting Indonesia's powering economy.

In Sydney, eager revelers camped over Sunday night on the shores of the harbor to get the best vantage points as 1.5 million are expected to see the fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

In Hong Kong, this year's 12.5 million Hong Kong dollar ($1.6 million) fireworks display was being billed by organizers as the biggest ever in the southern Chinese city. Police expect as many as 100,000 people to watch, local news reports said.

The buoyant economies of the Asia-Pacific are prepared to party with renewed optimism despite the so-called fiscal cliff threatening to reverberate globally from the United States and the tattered economy of Europe.

But in New Delhi, the festive mood was marred by the death Saturday of a young rape victim.

Several hotels, clubs and residents associations in Indian capital decided to cancel planned festivities and asked people to light candles to express their solidarity with the victim whose plight sparked public rallies for women's safety.

"Let there be no New Year celebrations across the country. It will be a major tribute to the departed soul," said Praveen Khandelwal, the secretary-general of the Confederation of All India Traders, an umbrella group of traders who run shops and businesses across the country.

In a field in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, workers early Monday were testing a giant digital countdown screen with the backdrop of the revered Shwedagon pagoda.

Arranged by local Forever Media group and Index Creative Village, a Thai major event organizer, the celebration will be the first public New Year countdown in Myanmar, a country ruled for almost five decades by military regimes that discouraged or banned big public gatherings.

"We are planning this public new year event because we want residents of Yangon to enjoy the public countdown like in other countries," said Win Thura Hlaing, managing director of Forever Blossom company, a subsidiary of Forever Media.

With live music performances by singers and celebrities, colorful light shows, food stalls, fireworks and other events at the venue, the countdown is expected to draw 50,000 people, Win Thura Hlaing said.

Jakarta's street party will center on a 7-kilometer (4-mile) main thoroughfare closed to all traffic from nightfall until after midnight. Workers were erecting 16 large stages along the normally car-clogged, 8-lane highway through the heart of the city. Indonesia's booming economy is a rare bright spot amid global gloom and bringing prosperity ? or the hope of it ? to Indonesians.

Spirits in the capital have been further raised by the election of a new, populist governor, who is pledging action in tackling the city's massive infrastructure problems.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said about 1.5 million spectators were expected to line the harbor to watch the 6.6 million Australian dollar ($6.9 million) fireworks display, while another 2 million Australians among a population of 22 million would watch it on television.

"This is really putting Australia on the map in terms of welcoming people to the new year," Moore told reporters at the harbor before the event.

Thousands lined the harbor shore in festive crowds under a blue summer sky by late afternoon, their number undiminished by Australian government warnings that the Washington deadlock on the U.S. debt crisis was partly to blame for a slowing Australian economy.

Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue is host for the event.

Despite the somber mood in the Philippines due to devastation from a recent typhoon, a key problem for authorities remained how to prevent revelers from setting off illegal huge firecrackers ? including some labeled "Goodbye Philippines" and "Bin Laden" ? that maim and injure hundreds of Filipinos each year, many of them children.

A government scare tactic, which involved doctors displaying brutal-looking surgical scalpels used for amputations of firecracker blast victims, has not fully worked in the past so health officials came up with a novel idea: Go Gangnam style.

A government health official, Eric Tayag, donned the splashy outfit of South Korean viral star PSY and danced to the tune of his Youtube-hit "Gangnam Style" video while preaching against the use of illegal firecrackers on TV, in schools and in public arenas.

"The campaign has become viral," Tayag said. "We've asked kids and adults to stay away from big firecrackers and just dance the Gangnam and they're doing it."

The number of firecracker injuries has gone down since the campaign was launched early this month.

___

Associated Press writers Aye Aye Win in Yangon, Chris Brummitt in Jakarta, Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong, Ashok Sharma in New Delhi and Jim Gomez in Manila contributed to this report

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-nations-giving-enthusiastic-welcome-2013-061809017.html

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Overweight Pets | Albuquerque Veterinarian | TLC Pet and Uptown ...

Nutrition experts like to portray weight control as a simple matter of ?calories in minus calories out.? But as anyone who?s ever been on a diet knows all too well, it isn?t quite that easy! There are many factors that affect weight, such as genetics, metabolic rate, weather, and even breed. Ultimately, the only ones we humans can control for our pets are diet and exercise?so let?s see why and how to manage our pets? weight.treat

In our busy lives, we may sometimes use treats or extra food as a substitute for quality time with our pets; or our pets get a little chunky because we just love to pamper them. But letting a pet become overweight is actually the opposite of love?we?re truly risking their health and lives for a few treats, a nibble from our dinner plates, or an extra spoonful of chow. The list of obesity-related diseases is a long one and includes arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, liver and kidney disease, urinary tract disease, skin and coat issues, and many more. It?s up to us to be the ?adults? in the family and call the shots on what our furry ?kids? are eating

Unfortunately, overweight has become the norm for our dogs and cats. In fact, many people would consider the ?ideal? body condition as too thin. Yet research has shown that dogs and cats?live longer?significantly longer?if they?re kept slightly underweight. A long-term study done by Purina looked at the difference in lifespan between Labrador Retrievers who were kept slimmer versus normal Labs (who were fed according to Purina?s own directions for that food!). The dogs who were fed less lived TWO years longer, and and the onset of degenerative diseases such as arthritis was significantly delayed. Remember, this comparison was between normal dogs and underweight dogs. Overweight pets? lives, health, and comfort are damaged even more.

Other research has shown that, in both cats and dogs, feeding a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet results in healthier weight loss and better muscle mass retention than high-fiber ?weight loss? diets. This makes perfect sense when we consider that our dogs? and cats? ancestors?and their current cousins?are designed to eat prey animals that are just that: high in protein, relatively high in fat, and very low in carbohydrates. Canned, raw, or properly balanced homemade diets are ideal for both dogs and cats; and are especially important for cats, who need the extra moisture and high protein for urinary health. Dry food is not recommended for cats, period.

?Light? and ?weight control? diets tend to be lower in fat and protein, and higher in fiber and carbohydrates, than comparable regular foods. But this is taking the nutritional balance in the exact opposite direction from the natural high-protein, low-carb carnivore diet our pets were designed to eat. If the amount of ?light? food being fed is not restricted, most pets will gain weight on that food. Carb-based diets just aren?t satisfying to the canine and feline palate, so pets will eat more of the food to get more of what they want and need. Moreover, a recent study showed tremendous variation in the amount of calories in different brands of ?light? foods?some were higher in calories than other brands? regular foods!

If your pet is a treat junky, there are things you can do to moderate the number of treat calories your dog or cat is getting without making your pet (or you!) feel deprived. For larger treats, break them into smaller pieces. Your pet will quickly adjust to the new size and feel just as satisfied. Give a lower calorie treat; or try treats made from dehydrated chicken or other meat that add primarily protein and little or no carbs. Limit rawhide bones, marrow bones, and other ?chew? treats; many of them are very high in fat and will load a huge amount of calories to your pet?s daily intake.To your pet, it?s more about the attention and love from you that your companion associates with treats, than about the treat itself. Whatever treats or ?shared? food your pet gets,you need to deduct treat calories from meals to balance the day?s total. Yes, that means the meal needs to be smaller!

In addition to providing a wholesome, appropriate diet, there are supplements that will help your pet get the most from food, as well as strengthen the immune system, optimize overall health, and support longevity. These include: (1) Omega-3 fatty acids, (2) digestive enzymes, and (3) probiotics, and?the fourth, antioxidants, are needed for immune system support.)

Unfortunately, counting calories is the best way to understand what we?re feeding our cats and dogs. Happily for those of us who recoil at math, it?s much easier for our pets than for people, who need to know calorie counts in a huge variety of food. Most of the time, we?ll be dealing with just a few foods and treats.

Calories in Pet Food*

Here?s a simple chart to give you a ballpark estimate of different types of pet food:

Food Type	Cat	Dog
Dry Adult	200-600 kcal/cup	300-600 kcal/cup
Dry Diet	200-400 kcal/cup	200-400 kcal/cup
Canned Adult	80-200 kcal/5.5-6 oz. can	200-400 kcal/12.5-13.2 oz. can
Canned Diet	80-200 kcal/5.5-6 oz. can	200-400 kcal/12.5-13.2 oz. can
Raw	300-550 kcal/cup	300-550 kcal/cup
Treats	10-300 kcal/treat	10-300 kcal/treat

*What we commonly refer to as a ?calorie? is technically a kilocalorie, or kcal. There may be little or no difference between regular and ?diet? foods. Calorie information is not required to be on the label, although some makers provide it. Check the manufacturer?s website, or call for calorie info on each particular food or treat.

Calculate Your Pet?s Caloric Needs

Your pet?s current weight: ______lbs (______ kg) ?To calculate kg, divide lbs. by 2.2

Your pet is estimated at _______ on the Body Condition Score Chart (below). The ideal BCS for disease prevention and longevity is about 4.

Your pet?s ideal weight: _________ (in kg; this may be based on breed standards, or your veterinarian can give you a good estimate.)

Next, estimate your pet?s daily caloric needs using these formulas:

(1) Resting Energy Requirement (RER)

30(weight in kg) + 70 = ______ kcal

(2) Metabolic Energy Requirement (MER)

RER x Multiplier (see chart below) = ______ kcal

This will give you your:

Target daily caloric intake: __________

(This is an estimated average only. Actual caloric needs vary with age, activity level, weather, and other factors.)

With this in hand, along with calorie information for the food and treats you feed your pet, you can calculate how much food to feed.

Example:

Fluffy weighs 15 pounds (6.8 kg). His body condition score is around 6-1/2, and his ideal weight is 12 pounds.

Fluffy?s Resting Energy Requirement (RER)

30(6.8) + 70 = _274_ kcal

Fluffy?s Metabolic Energy Requirement (MER)

RER x Multiplier (0.8) = __219__ kcal

Fluffy?s target daily caloric intake: 219 kcal

In canned food terms, this is between 1 and 3 cans per day.

For dry food, this may be anywhere from 1 cup per day to only 1/3 cup per day!

This is why knowing the caloric content of the food is so important!

Many?s the obese cat I?ve seen whose guardians were feeding a whole cup of dry food per day. This way too much of most dry foods, which are highly concentrated calorie sources, full of fattening carbohydrates and not enough moisture. Cat or dog, high protein, low carb wet food (canned, homemade, raw, fresh, or reconstituted freeze-dried) is the key to healthy weight?which is, of course, the key to health and longevity!

FELINE LIFESTAGE	x RER	?	CANINE LIFESTAGE	x RER
Neutered Adult	1.2	?	Neutered Adult	1.6
Intact Adult	1.4	?	Intact Adult	1.8
Active Adult	1.6	?	Somewhat Active Adult	2
?	?	?	Moderately Active Adult	3
?	?	?	Highly Active Adult	4-8
Obese Prone	1.0	?	Obese Prone	1.4
Weight Loss	0.8	?	Weight Loss	1.0
Critical Care	1.0	?	Critical Care	1.0
Weight Gain	1.2 ? 1.4	?	Weight Gain	1.2 ? 1.4
Gestation	1.6 ? 2.0	?	Gestation (0-42 days)	1.8
Lactation	2-6	?	Lactation	4-8
Growth	1.2-1.4	?	Growth (0-4 months)	3
Post-neuter (4-12 mos old.)	< by 25%	?	Growth (4 months ? neuter)	2

This entry was posted on Monday, December 31st, 2012 at 3:49 pm and is filed under Cats, Dogs. You can subscribe to any comments to this entry via RSS 2.0. Comments are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://tlcpethospital.net/news/overweight-pets/

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Breaking: Hillary Clinton Hospitalized After Blood Clot Discovered (Little green footballs)

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ITC Judge recommends Samsung post 88 percent value bond, import bans in Apple patent case

If you're keeping track of the multiple, and let's face it, tiresome Samsung / Apple patent debacle, a document that just turned up at the ITC might spell more trouble for the Korean manufacturer. It's a publicly redacted version of Judge Pender's recommendations, and pertains to the October ruling that deemed Samsung borrowed four of Cupertino's designs. The most iconic being design patent D618,678 (that which you see above). The others include multi-touch patent 7,479,949 (which was tentatively invalidated) along with two other patents (RE41,922 and 7,912,501) relating to graphic display elements and audio hardware detection. If the recommendations are adopted -- and FOSS Patents suggests this is entirely possible -- Samsung could face a US import ban after a 60 day presidential review, an order prohibiting "significant" sales of infringing products in America along with a posting a bond for 88 percent of the entered value of mobile phones (plus 32.5 percent for media players and 37.6 percent for tablets) that include the breaching design features. Pender has, however, reportedly cleared several Samsung "designarounds" which, if implemented to satisfaction, would mean the tech giant could continue trading. For now though, the recommendations are awaiting the Commission's review.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Apple, Samsung

Comments

Via: FOSS Patents

Source: ITC (Doc ID 500118)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/29/itc-document-recommends-samsung-post-88-percent-value-bond/

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Kim Kardashian Is Pregnant with Kanye's Baby!

Kanye West revealed that girlfriend Kim Kardashian is expecting! Plus, see more stars who are expecting

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/pregnant-celebrity-photos-look-whos-popping/1-b-18178?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Apregnant-celebrity-photos-look-whos-popping-18178

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Charlie Sheen Apologizes for Bar-Opening Homophobic Slur

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/charlie-sheen-apologizes-for-bar-opening-homophobic-slur/

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NHL makes new offer to players

FILE -In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, an empty locker room is shown during the NHL labor lockout at the First Niagara Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team, in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

FILE -In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, an empty locker room is shown during the NHL labor lockout at the First Niagara Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team, in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, a nearly empty hockey stick rack in the locker room of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team is shown during the NHL labor lockout in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The NHL says it has made a new contract offer to the players in an attempt to end the lockout and save the season.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly says in a statement Friday that a "comprehensive" proposal was made a day earlier, although he would not discuss details.

He adds that the league is "hopeful" that once the union and its negotiating committee review the proposal "they will share it with the players. We want to be back on the ice as soon as possible."

The lockout is in its 104th day. The NHL says it doesn't want a season of less than 48 games. To make that possible, a deal likely must be reached by mid-January. The sides haven't met face to face since talks with a federal mediator broke down Dec. 13.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-28-HKN-NHL-Labor/id-f533d1b31d414dc3817fee8c319f7674

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Budget battle sends mixed signals on health care

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Confused about the federal budget struggle? So are doctors, hospital administrators and other medical professionals who serve the 100 million Americans covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

Rarely has the government sent so many conflicting signals in so short a time about the bottom line for the health care industry.

Cuts are coming, says Washington, and some could be really big. Yet more government spending is also being promised as President Barack Obama's health care overhaul advances and millions of uninsured people move closer to getting government-subsidized coverage.

"Imagine a person being told they are going to get a raise, but their taxes are also going to go up and they are going to be paying more for gas," said Thornton Kirby, president of the South Carolina Hospital Association. "They don't know if they are going to be taking home more or less. That's the uncertainty when there are so many variables in play."

Real money is at stake for big hospitals and small medical practices alike. Government at all levels pays nearly half the nation's health care tab, with federal funds accounting for most of that.

It's widely assumed that a budget deal will mean cuts for Medicare service providers. But which ones? How much? And will Medicaid and subsidies to help people get coverage under the health care law also be cut?

As House Speaker John Boehner famously said: "God only knows." The Ohio Republican was referring to the overall chances of getting a budget deal, but the same can be said of how health care ? one-sixth of the economy ? will fare.

"There is no political consensus to do anything significant," said Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere Health, a market analysis firm. "There is a collective walking away from things that matter. All the stuff on the lists of options becomes impossible, because there is no give-and-take."

As if things weren't complicated enough, doctors keep facing their own recurring fiscal cliff, separate from the bigger budget battle but embroiled in it nonetheless.

Come Jan. 1, doctors and certain other medical professionals face a 26.5 percent cut in their Medicare payments, the consequence of a 1990s deficit-reduction law gone awry. Lawmakers failed to repeal or replace that law even after it became obvious that it wasn't working. Instead, Congress usually passes a "doc fix" each year to waive the cuts.

This year, the fix got hung up in larger budget politics. Although a reprieve is expected sooner or later, doctors don't like being told to sit in the congressional waiting room.

"It seems like there is a presumption that physicians and patients can basically tolerate this kind of uncertainty while the Congress goes through whatever political machinations they are going through," said Dr. Jeremy Lazarus, president of the American Medical Association. "Our concern is that physician uncertainty and anxiety about being able to pay the bills will have an impact on taking care of patients."

A recent government survey indicates that Medicare beneficiaries are having more problems when trying to find a new primary care doctor, and Lazarus said that will only get worse.

Adding to their unease, doctors also face an additional reduction if automatic spending cuts go through. Those would be triggered if Obama and congressional leaders are unable to bridge partisan differences and strike a deal. They are part of the combination of tax increases and spending cuts dubbed the "fiscal cliff."

Medicare service providers would get hit with a 2 percent across-the-board cut, but Medicaid and subsidies for the uninsured under Obama's health care overhaul would be spared. The Medicare cut adds up to about $120 billion over ten years, with 40 percent falling on hospitals, according to Avalare's analysis. Nursing homes, Medicare Advantage plans and home health agencies also get hit.

The American Hospital Association says that would lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of hospital jobs in a labor intensive industry that also generates employment for other businesses in local communities.

"It's very difficult to believe hospitals can absorb the kinds of numbers they are talking about without reducing service or workforce," said Kirby, the hospital association head. "You may decide that a service a hospital provides is not affordable ? for example, obstetrics in a rural community ? if you're making a little bit of money or losing a little bit of money by continuing to deliver babies in a rural community."

Independent analysts like Mendelson doubt that a 2 percent Medicare cut to hospitals would be catastrophic but say it will cost jobs somewhere.

Even if there is a budget deal, the squeeze will be on.

The administration has proposed $400 billion in health care cuts so far in the budget talks, coming mainly from Medicare spending. That's only a starting point as far as Republicans are concerned. They also want to pare back Medicaid and Obama's health care law and have also sought an increase in the eligibility age for Medicare.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-29-Fiscal%20Cliff-Health%20Care/id-0f79321a536a48e089c9c44aed43ff3f

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Putin signs anti-U.S. adoptions bill

MOSCOW (AP) ? President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children, making the legislation official less than 24 hours after his office received it from Parliament.

The bill has angered Americans and Russians who argue it victimizes children to make a political point, cutting off a route out of frequently dismal orphanages for thousands of children. The Russian-language hashtag "PutinEatsKids" was trending on Twitter just minutes after Putin signed it.

UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia while about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt a child.

The law also blocks dozens of Russian children now in the process of being adopted by American families from leaving the country. The U.S. is the biggest destination for adopted Russian children ? more than 60,000 of them have been taken in by Americans over the past two decades.

The measure is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russian officials deemed human rights violators. The U.S. State Department has said it regrets Parliament's decision to pass the bill, arguing it would prevent many children from growing up in families.

Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov says that 46 children who were about to be adopted in the U.S. would remain in Russia if the bill comes into effect.

Putin has said that U.S. authorities routinely let Americans suspected of violence toward Russian adoptees go unpunished.

The passage of the bill followed weeks of a hysterical media campaign on Kremlin-controlled television that lambasts American adoptive parents and adoption agencies that allegedly bribe their way into getting Russian children.

A few lawmakers claimed that some Russian children were adopted by Americans only to be used for organ transplants and become sex toys or cannon fodder for the U.S. Army. A spokesman with Russia's dominant Orthodox Church said that the children adopted by foreigners and raised outside the church will not "enter God's kingdom."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/putin-signs-anti-us-adoptions-bill-100228125.html

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'Promised Land': The Reviews Are In!

Matt Damon and John Krasinski's collaboration doesn't really have critics universally impressed.
By Kara Warner

Matt Damon in "Promised Land"
Photo: Scott Green

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699486/promised-land-reviews.jhtml

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AP source: US out of Central African Republic

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The State Department is closing its embassy in the Central African Republic and ordering its diplomatic team to leave as rebels there continue to advance and violence escalates.

U.S. officials said the U.S. ambassador and about 40 others, including a number of Americans, were flown out of Bangui (bahn-GEE') on a U.S. Air Force C-40 headed to Kenya. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were unauthorized to discuss the evacuation publicly.

Rebels have seized at least 10 towns across the sparsely populated north of the impoverished country, and residents in the capital of 600,000 people fear insurgents could attack at any time.

On Sunday, the State Department issued a warning recommending against travel to the country and authorized non-emergency personnel in Bangui to leave.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-27-US-Central%20African%20Republic/id-5ff425e4f61c4c9bb75ee125fa57cef0

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HBT: Lions' Hanson undecided about return or retirement

AP

A decade ago, Cyrus Mehri and the late Johnnie Cochran demonstrated that the NFL was doing a poor job of giving African-American coaches fair opportunities to progress to the highest levels of the sport.? Mehri and Cochran made such a compelling case that the NFL installed the ?Rooney Rule,? which requires at least one minority candidate to be interviewed for every head-coaching vacancy.

Today, only a minority of head coaching jobs are filled by members of minority groups, with five African-American head coaches (Marvin Lewis, Mike Tomlin, Romeo Crennel, Lovie Smith, Leslie Frazier) and one Hispanic head coach (Ron Rivera).? That?s six, out of 32.

As Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports explains, only one of 32 teams has an offensive play-caller who also is African-American.? And as of a few weeks ago, the number was zero; Jim Caldwell inherited those duties in Baltimore once Cam Cameron was fired.

?We are very, very conscious of this issue, and it?s something that needs to be addressed,? John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, told Silver. ?We have alluded to it and spoken to it directly, and we feel our only course of action is to push more people up the pipeline.?

And that seems to be the biggest problem.? African-American coaches aren?t being positioned to naturally mature into the role of play-caller on offense.?Really, the reason why there aren?t a lot of guys calling plays is that you have to have people ascending to quarterbacks coach and jobs that lead to coordinator positions.? And that?s simply not happening,? Bengals coach Marvin Lewis told Silver.? ?There are a lot of good coaches who aren?t getting those opportunities.?

As Silver points out, only two NFL quarterbacks coaches are African-American:? Karl Dorrell of the Texans and Craig Johnson of the Vikings.? Curtis Modkins serves as offensive coordinator in Buffalo, but head coach Chan Gailey calls the plays.

?This is the biggest travesty that?s taking place in this league, and every black coach is well aware of it,? an anonymous African-American assistant for an AFC team told Silver.? ?They don?t promote you from running backs coach or receivers coach to offensive coordinator.? When guys do get coordinator titles, they have to be position coaches at the same time, and they don?t get paid as much as other coordinators, because they?re not the play-callers.? And in a lot of cases, guys believe they?re really there for locker-room reasons, to ?take care of? the minority players.?

Eventually, the absence of a pipeline of African-American offensive minds will make it hard to find viable African-American head coaches, since all current minority head coaches have defensive backgrounds.

?The whole thing we have to do in terms of building this pipeline is make teams more conscious of the fact that [position coaches] want to get involved,? Wooten said. ?I tell these running backs, receivers and quarterbacks coaches, ?Go to the head coach and general manager and tell them you want this as an opportunity to learn.?? You learn by being in game plan meetings, when plays are being installed.? You listen and learn.?

Real change may come only if the Rooney Rule, which since its adoption has been extended to G.M. positions, is also applied to coordinator jobs.? However, Wooten isn?t recommending that.

?I just feel that the head coach has to have the right to select his people,? Wooten said.? ?If they can?t see who?s the best out there for them, they?re gonna perish anyway.?

Wooten is right, but the Rooney Rule doesn?t require minority candidates to be hired.? It only requires them to be considered, an important reality given that head coaches immediately tap into their network of friends, cronies, and (sometimes) family members when filling out their staffs.? If nothing else, requiring coaches to interview at least one minority coordinator candidate will help position coaches become better prepared to interview for coordinator positions ? and eventually to get them.

In the end, it?s a simple analysis.? If the NFL believes the Rooney Rule remains viable ten years later when the number of minority head coaches has expanded to six, the NFL should take a hard look at whether the Rooney Rule should be applied one level lower, given that the number of minority play-callers is one and, as of the first of the current month, it was zero.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/27/jason-hanson-unsure-whether-hell-return-to-the-lions-or-retire/related/

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NOPD books man on child molestation, sexual battery charges ...

NOPD Child Abuse detectives arrested a man Monday accused of molesting a young girl who was left in his care, according to an arrest warrant. Damon Thomas, 25, was booked into the Orleans Parish jail on charges of sexual battery and molestation of a juvenile, records show.

The victim, a young girl, was left in Thomas' care at a house in the 2200 block of Piety Street about 11 a.m. on Monday. Thomas was the only adult in the house, according to the warrant.

The victim said she was watching TV in a bedroom with Thomas when he began to rub her arms, hands and "private parts," according to the warrant. The victim told police Thomas was "massaging her private part like a person massage a back," the warrant states.

Thomas was arrested in 2009 for molestation of a juvenile and carnal knowledge of a juvenile. He pled guilty to the latter charge, records show.

Thomas was being held Thursday in lieu of $52,500 bond, records show.

Source: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/12/nopd_books_man_on_child_molest.html

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Current & Future Homeowners: Understanding Credit ? Downtown ...

All participants in the Live Downtown Tacoma program are invited to attend a FREE Credit Seminar on Understanding Credit offered by HomeStreet Bank and co-taught by American Financial Solutions.

Credit is the one thing that everyone feels shy about, but your credit history is becoming the main reference for everything from car insurance to home loans, it?s more important than ever that you start talking about yours and make sure you understand it.? This free seminar taught by noncommissioned HomeStreet Bank loan officer, will discuss how credit affects your ability to qualify for a home (purchases or refinances).? It will also discuss how to ?clean-up? your credit report and fix errors.

Saturday January 26^th
12pm-1pm
UW Tacoma Campus

Registration is required.? To register online please visit www.homestreet.com/hometown & choose your employer or contact the HomeStreet Bank Affinity Lending Department by calling 877-602-3050.? Registration information collected will only be used for communication about this seminar.

American Financial Solutions is a nonprofit financial literacy group.? They offer free budget and credit counseling.? For more information, visit www.myfinancialgoals.org

Source: http://www.downtownonthego.com/about/news-events/current-future-homeowners-understanding-credit

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Eric Chua : Life, Business and Real Estate in Singapore ... - First

Both novice and veteran investors in commercial real estate can find the market complex and stressful. The article below discusses information and ideas to reduce the stress and headaches of purchasing commercial real estate.

You may wish to focus your efforts on only one property type at a time. Focus on a single type, should it be apartments, offices, retail, land, etc. Learn more about all the different types of investment to make good decisions. Developing your expertise in one arena is far more profitable then knowing just a bit about many.

Have an online presence prior to getting into the market. Design yourself a website, Facebook page or LinkedIn profile. You should also utilize search engine optimization techniques to boost the search rank of your website. Ideally, people who want to learn more about you on the Internet should be able to quickly find you by doing a simple search using one of the search engines.

TIP! Learn to set realistic prices by observing the market. There are a number of variables that can affect the realistic value of your property.

Whether you are buying or selling, don?t shy away from negotiation. Be certain your needs are met, your concerns are heard, and you champion a fair, honest price for the real estate.

Tax Adviser

Talk to a good tax adviser before buying anything. A good tax adviser can let you know what percentage of the income will be taxable, and exactly how much the building will cost you. Work with your adviser to find an area where taxes will not be as high.

TIP! Educate yourself on the meaning of net operating income (NOI), a term associated with commercial real estate used for investment purposes. In order to succeed, you should focus on keeping your figures in the positive.

Before you invest heavily in a piece of property, investigate the economics of the neighborhood such as unemployment rates, income levels and local businesses. If the building is near certain specific buildings, including hospitals, universities, or large companies, you might be able to sell it faster and for more money.

If there is more then one property you are considering, acquire the house survey checklist for each one during your site tour. Do not proceed past initial proposal responses, unless you inform the property owners. Make sure that the owners are aware that you have other options available. This could help you score a better deal.

Certain facets of commercial loans separate them from their residential counterparts, like how much greater a percentage of the overall asking price must be covered in a down payment. Trying to find the best lenders and asking around for possible investments is the best way to qualify for one.

TIP! A borrower must be the one who orders an appraisal in a commercial real estate loan. The bank won?t let you use one not ordered by you.

Lower the risk of default by eliminating as many things that can be labeled ?event of default? as you can prior to negotiating a commercial property lease. This will decrease the probability of the tenant defaulting on the lease. A default is frustrating and costly.

Do your best to have your properties occupied at all times. If no one is paying you rent, you?ll be the one footing the bills. If occupancy is low, you may want to see if something is wrong with your property, and if there is, fix it.

Real Estate Market

TIP! Locate the right financing first. Financing for a commercial loan in real estate investment differs from the rules that apply to home loans.

Always remain calm and patient when dealing with the commercial real estate market. Don?t enter into any investment opportunity without doing the proper amount of research. A poorly thought out investment might soon give you many regrets. It may take more than a year to get the right investment in the real estate market.

The search for appropriate commercial properties can stress you out regardless of how much experience you?ve had in the commercial real estate market. This is why articles like these are written, as they are there to teach you the skills necessary to give you a more pleasant and stress-free experience when searching for commercial property.

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/commercial-property-tricks-of-the-trade

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What should my father do with his 401K now that ... - Roth IRA News

It is $30,000 and sitting in some low-risk funds. He is 66 years old, lives in a rent-controlled apartment and doesn?t need the money for another 5 years or so.
Should he A) leave it in the 401K,
B) roll it over into an IRA
C) cash it out and put it into a long-term CD
or D) do somthing else with it?
Any advice will be helpful.

Source: http://rothira.solve-up.com/roth-ira/what-should-my-father-do-with-his-401k-now-that-he-has-retired/

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Darwin The Ikea Monkey Owner Wants Her Pet Back

TORONTO, Dec 11 (Reuters) - The owner of a monkey that became a media sensation after running around a Toronto department store parking lot in a stylish coat and a diaper wants her pet back, or at least assurances he is being well cared for.

Yasmin Nakhuda, who was fined for breaking Toronto's prohibited animal bylaw, told CBC News that she was talking to a lawyer on whether she could regain custody of Darwin.

But she said she would drop her fight if she knew he was receiving good care.

"If the sanctuary is able to convince me ... that they are doing a better job, then for sure," Nakhuda told CBC on Tuesday. "Because everything has to be what's best for him."

Police were called to an Ikea store on Sunday afternoon in Canada's most populous city after the monkey broke loose from a crate and its owner's parked car.

Crowds gathered to see the monkey as it scurried around the store's parking lot. The well-clad monkey soon became a hit on social media sites, including Twitter.

The monkey has been sent to a local primate sanctuary and is in good condition, according to authorities.

Nakhuda, who said she had grown close to Darwin, said she had owned the monkey for five months. She said she was lent the animal by an acquaintance who later said he did not want it back.

"There was no harm, it was all love," she said.

(Reporting by Russ Blinch; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/11/darwin-ikea-monkey_n_2281069.html

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7 Hot Trends for Small Business in 2013 - OPEN Forum :: American ...

The year ahead will test all small-business owners. The country is at the edge of the fiscal cliff. Taxes are expected to go up for the wealthy. The lower capital gains tax and home mortage deductions may be a thing of the past. Who really knows what Obamacare will mean to their business?

?Here are the hot opportunities and risks all small-business leaders face in 2013:

1. Micro startups are everywhere. With unemployment still high, many people are forced into business for themselves. These ?solopreneurs? collaborate with others on a per project basis. The opportunity: It?s now less costly for small-business owners to find the exact resource they need when they need it. There?s no longer a requirement to hire employees with skills that are only utilized sparingly. This reduces the company?s fixed costs.

2. The remote workforce goes mainstream. One of the biggest issues for companies was locating the exact skills they needed in their geographic area. Now through Internet collaborations, companies can hire people almost anywhere in the world to get the exact skill required. The risk: How can a small-business owner form a company culture for a remote workforce when people never see each other? Collaboration tools such as Jam, Tracky and Wiggio can help build a cohesive culture. And while it takes discipline, video conferencing becomes a critical tool.

3. Alternate financing increases. There has been very little increase in bank financing of small business in the past year. The opportunity: Companies are forced to run cash flow positive business and keep closer track of their finances. It also forces collaborative vendor and customer financing. Crowdfunding with the Start Up America Act should vastly increase for companies looking to raise capital online.

4. The role of the distributor is shrinking. The Internet is a place where almost every product can be found without help from any type of intermediary. This has drastically changed the supply chain for many businesses. In addition, every consumer products distributor is now forced to compete directly with Amazon. The risk: This presents a danger for any company that buys a product from a vendor and marks it up in its original form to sell it to a customer. Small-business owners need to find new ways to add ?value? in every supply chain.

5. Mobile payments are accepted by every employee. For retailers, long lines in front of the cash register are gone. The mobile payment model?that Apple uses in its stores?where each employee greets the customer, assists with product selection, processes the transaction on an iPhone and e-mails a receipt?is the future. The opportunity: The salesperson on the retail floor can greet customers and stay with them through the entire sale, increasing prospect to customer conversion rates.

6. Earned media is what counts. Expensive paid advertising no longer attracts the most customers. Earned media like online reviews and referrals are the key part of the customer?s buying process. The opportunity: Forget one-off advertisement placements and instead invest in a long-term strategy of building a community of supporters who talk about the company?s products online.?

7. Every employee and consumer has his or her own device. Companies no longer have to supply employees with their phones and computers. Most employees bring them with them (commonly called BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device). Customers also want to access their information at a company from a variety of devices. The risk: The company has to make sure all these devices talk to their business applications. In addition, each unlocked device presents a separate security risk that needs to be managed.

?What do you see as the hot trends for 2013?

Photo: Getty Images?

?

Source: http://www.openforum.com/articles/7-hot-trends-for-small-business-in-2013/

Lena Dunham

The Winter of Conservative Discontent

As the white flag rises above Republican redoubts, offering a surrender on taxes, the mind goes back to what seemed a worse time for conservatives: December 1964.

Barry Goldwater had suffered a defeat not seen since Alf Landon. Republicans held less than one-third of the House and Senate and only 17 governorships. The Warren Court was remaking America.

In the arts, academic and entertainment communities, and national press corps, conservatives were rarely seen or heard. It was Liberalism's Hour, with America awash in misty memories of Camelot and great expectations of the Great Society to come in 1965.

That year, however, saw escalation in Vietnam, campus protests, and civil disobedience against the war. That August, there exploded the worst race riot in memory in the Watts section of Los Angeles, with arson, looting, the beating of whites, and sniper attacks on cops and firemen.

A year after LBJ's triumph, black militants and white radicals were savaging the Liberal Establishment from the left, while Gov. George Wallace had come north in 1964 to win a third of the vote in the major Democratic primaries with an assault from the populist right.

Below the surface, the Democratic Party was disintegrating on ethnic, cultural and political lines. Law and order and Vietnam were the issues. Richard Nixon would see the opening and seize the opportunity to dismantle FDR's coalition and cobble together his New Majority.

Today, the GOP strength in the House, Senate and governorships is far greater than anything Republicans had in the 1960s. The difference is that, then, we could visualize a new majority of centrist Republicans, Goldwater conservatives, Northern Catholic ethnics and Southern Protestant Democrats.

And we could see the issues that might bring them into the tent: a new Supreme Court, law and order, peace with honor in Vietnam.

When the Liberal Establishment collapsed during the 1960s, unable to end the war in Vietnam or the war in the streets, national leadership passed to the party of Nixon and Ronald Reagan. From 1968 to 1988, the GOP won five of six presidential elections, two of them in 49-state landslides.

The crisis of the GOP today is demographic, cultural and political.

Demographically, people of color are nearing 40 percent of the U.S. population and 30 percent of the electorate. These folks ? 85 to 90 percent of all immigrants, legal and illegal ? are growing in number. And in 2012, people of color voted for Obama 4 to 1.

The GOP trump card ? we are the party of Reagan, who led us to victory in the Cold War ? ceased to work 20 years ago. Then, George H.W. Bush, a war hero who had presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall and dissolution of the Soviet Empire, the victor of Desert Storm, won 38 percent of the vote against a draft-evader named Bill Clinton.

Culturally, the causes of the 1960s' revolutions ? no-fault divorce, legalized drugs, "reproductive rights," teenage access to birth control, gay rights and gay marriage ? have either been embraced or become acceptable to most of America's young.

As a result of the sexual revolution promoted by the counterculture of the 1960s, the dominant culture today, 40 percent of all births in the United States are now to single moms.

With no husband, these women look to government to help feed, house, educate, medicate and provide income support for themselves and their children. For sustenance and the survival of their families, they depend on that same Big Government that Republicans denounce at their rallies.

As to the GOP's strongest appeal ? we are the party that will cut taxes ? half the country does not pay income taxes, and the GOP is about to surrender to Obama even on the tax front.

Republicans stand for bringing entitlements under control. But the primary beneficiaries of the big entitlements, Social Security and Medicare, are seniors, the party's most reliable voting bloc.

On foreign policy, the most visible Republican spokesmen are Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Both were unhappy with the withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan. Both want to intervene in Syria and Iran.

What does America want? To come home and do our nation-building here in the United States.

The bedrock values of Reagan ? work, family, faith ? still hold an appeal for tens of millions. But the faith of our fathers is dying, the family is crumbling, and work is less desirable when the social welfare state offers a cushioned existence for life.

Conservatives need to rediscover what they wish to conserve and how, in a climate every bit as hostile as 1964 ? then await the moment when the country turns again to an alternative.

As it will. For our economic course is unsustainable. And our regnant elite are more arrogant than the establishment of the 1960s, though less able to satisfy the clamors of their bawling constituencies for more and more from a country that is approaching an end of its tolerance and an inevitable crash.

Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" To find out more about Patrick Buchanan and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/winter-conservative-discontent-080000390.html

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World's Large Spot Saddle Black/white Geld Husband Safe

	?	?Cross Junction, Virginia 22625
	?	$8,350 Rambo Color: Tobiano Breed: Spotted Saddle Sex: Gelding Birth Date: Apr 14, 2001 Height: 17.2 hh Weight: 1600.0 lbs Registry: National Spotted Saddle Horse Reg. #: N/A Markings: Black and White Temperament: More Information at: walking-after-midnight.com
Ad #664302 Additional Comments: Rambo is a gentle, LOVING spotted saddle horse gelding BROKE for anyone that can get up there. Being re-homed due to personal reasons, this world class Black and White Spotted Saddle horse, (he's also known as a Black and White Walking Horse, or Walker for Sale, aka "Gaited trail horse"), is the horse to put anyone on for a fun trail ride every ride. He is the most people oriented horse I've ever known, not a mean bone in his body, and CARMING. He's the horse you can't forget. He IS the horse of a lifetime. When he was started under saddle, his owner spent an enormous amount of time with him training him (we've known Rambo all his life), so he has a way better than average foundation under saddle. This means he can sit for a long time without being ridden and when you do ride him he isn't looking to give you a hard time. He wants to be with you and I am looking for someone that wants this. He is a FUN horse to be around. His natural 4 beat saddle gait is easy to get into a smooth running walk and keep there. Amazing is the word for Rambo. He is the worlds Largest Spotted Saddle Horse (a son of our Stallion, The Right Hand Man), and until his half sister and brother get older, Rambo will stay the world's largest Spotted Saddle Horse - I think. Call Melissa (540)303-0569 to learn more about Rambo and the many other Tennessee Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses we have available for sale. Most of those horses are 14.3h - 16h. Rambo is truly an exception, and a conversation piece for sure. We specialize in horses with accountability. You are welcome to speak to anyone I've gotten a horse from. We give you riding lessons on trails and in a ring with your sale, an invitation to stay with us a few days and work all day in the barn and on the trails with my horse savvy staff while you select your new horse(s). We offer package prices with the sale of more than one horse, trial period at your farm (can't refund money but will make sure you get a horse you can ride and I am looking to put any horse I sell into a home for life). Melissa will email a collage of the current horses for sale - we sell a horse a week so the list changes frequently. Looking on youtube Blackwidowfarm will show you the current horses under saddle too. We have some really fabulous horses so please call Melissa (540)303-0569 and thank you for looking at our horses for sale. Watch Youtube video Shipping Notes: None Company / Facility: Bailey's Walking-after-midnight Farm - Welcome to Bailey?s Walking-After-Midnight Farm (formerly Bailey's Black Widow Farm). Farm is located at the top of the state of Virginia, in the heart of Virginia?s horse county. (540)303-0569 Melissa I insist that my horses go to a home for life, so I give each sale a 2 week trial to make sure you bought what you thought you bought. This means you won?t get stuck with a bad decision. We pride ourselves on providing trustworthy trail horses that are "Grandma Safe". We have a superior selection of smooth, gentle, experienced Tennessee Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses. We have about 15 horses here - that ARE proven trail horses we've brought out of Tennessee. None come from sale barns. They are family pets. My horses don't have much of a show ring background either so they are not nervous or wired up. Several have been a family pet and shown by that family, but predominantly a trail riding horse, so if you'd also like to trail ride and compete in a show ring, it will be nice to know you are buying naturaly talented gaited horse that doesn't need soring or special devices to win in a show ring. These trail savvy gaited horses are THE ideal trail pleasure ride. Ride a horse that gives you permission to ride! We specialize in natural moving and smooth gaited trail horses with LOTS of experience on trails. Our Tennessee Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle horses double as horses we use here for our custom trail rides, birthday parties and riding lessons. Why not give them a job to do till they find their "forever home". Besides the trot not thing, our horses are GORGEOUS - we specialize in quality gaited horses of unique color, with loving personalities. We have every color under the rainbow. You'll look great on the trail riding a well behaved Palomino, Buckskin, Blue Roan, or Tobiano (Spotted) beauty. Occasionally we carry Missouri Fox Trotters and Rocky Mountain horses for sale too. If I don't have what you want, I can find it. We lived in Tennessee for 8 years and I find a sound sane smooth gaited horse better than most folks can.

Tags
Beginner, Finished, Flashy, Gaited, Husband Safe, Lesson, Mounted Patrol, Natural Horsemanship Training, Parade, Playday, Ranch Work, Trail, Trail Riding, Trained, Western Riding, Black and White Spotted Saddle Horse for Sale, Big Walker for Sale in Va, Big Spotted Saddle Horse for Sale in Va, Tennessee Walker for Sale, Spotted Saddle Horse for Sale in Va, Husband Safe Trail Horse in va, Spotted Saddle, Tobiano

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Source: http://www.equinenow.com/horse-ad-664302

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Samsung ATIV Smart PC review (AT&T LTE)

More Info

• Samsung announces Series 5 and Series 7 Windows 8 tablets with S Pen apps, optional keyboards
• AT&T gets its hands on ASUS VivoTab RT and Samsung ATIV Smart PC
• Samsung ATIV Smart PC and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 hit AT&T on November 9th for $800 and $500

Though we've spent a lot of time writing about laptop / tablet hybrids running Windows 8, we've so far spent precious little time actually playing with them. In part, that's because we've been so preoccupied reviewing convertible Ultrabooks, but it's also because many of the biggest-name hybrids have only just begun to go on sale. That means, then, that we haven't gotten to test any new Samsung devices: both of the company's new Windows 8 offerings take on the hybrid form factor, with one packing an Atom processor and the other, an Ultrabook-grade CPU.

We'll save that last one for some other time, but for now, let's take a look at the ATIV Smart PC (formerly known as the Series 5 Slate), which has an 11.6-inch display, a dual-core, 1.8GHz Clover Trail chip and a 4,080 mAh battery promising up to seven hours of runtime. In particular, we tested out an LTE-capable model available on AT&T for $700 on contract, with the keyboard sold separately. (The tablet costs $800 off contract -- again, with no dock included. A WiFi-only model retails for about $750 with the keyboard.)

The problem is, even if you can do without that LTE radio, that's some lofty pricing: competing WiFi-only tablets cost between $500 and $600 with no dock. Even if you'd rather have the whole package, it's possible to find a similar model for $850, keyboard included. So is there any reason to pay a premium for this particular model, let alone sign on AT&T's dotted line? Let's find out.

Note: We haven't had the chance to test the ATIV Smart PC with the optional keyboard dock. In fact, AT&T isn't even offering it right now. Since AT&T is already selling the Smart PC as a standalone tablet, we decided to review the tablet itself, and to update the review if and when we can get a hold of the dock.

Continue reading Samsung ATIV Smart PC review (AT&T LTE)

Filed under: Laptops, Tablets, Samsung, AT&T

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/rMsUrs5Ld44/

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Clooney: Village burnings in Sudan a war crime

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ? George Clooney is trying to highlight satellite evidence from a U.S.-based anti-genocide group that 26 villages in Sudan were intentionally set on fire last month.

The American actor and activist said Thursday that destroying a village is a war crime and that the international community must counter and create consequences for such crimes.

The Satellite Sentinel Project, which Clooney helped found, said satellite imagery shows that 26 villages, food crops and grasslands were burned in a 54-square-mile (140-square-kilometer) area in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan in November.

Sudanese troops are fighting rebels who were once aligned with South Sudan. When South Sudan peacefully broke away from Sudan last year, the rebels were placed in the Sudan half of the partition.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-12-06-Sudan-Villages%20Burned/id-7a62ecf1b8ab4378b22bcd1641b2b125

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Parents of girl taken from hospital: We took her to save her life

Norma Bracamontes, 35, unleashed a firestorm and was sought by police after she took her sick 11-year-old daughter with leukemia out of Phoenix Children?s Hospital. Authorities said the girl could die if she didn?t return to the hospital, because of her medical condition.

But in an exclusive interview with Telemundo, the parents say they were simply protecting their daughter from what they allege is bad medical treatment that was endangering her life.

?It was the only way because they had her threatened and intimidated,? Norma told Telemundo.

In an exclusive interview with Telemundo, Luis Bracamontes, claims they were just protecting their daughter by taking her from an Arizona hospital where she was being treated for Leukemia. (Telemundo)

The father, Luis Bracamontes, 46, and the mother say one of the most painful things they?ve had to deal with is that the hospital told them their daughter already came to the hospital with a serious arm infection, which became so dangerous that her arm was partially amputated after multiple surgeries. Yet, the parents allege she must have contracted the infection at the hospital.

?They told my wife that she already had it,? Luis said. ??That?s not true. Her arm was healthy.?

Authorities say the girl, Emily, had been receiving chemotherapy at Phoenix Children?s Hospital for about a month, according to the Associated Press. The arm infection forced doctors to?insert a catheter in her heart. The device was set to be taken out before her mother, Norma, removed an IV from the girl, changed her clothes, and walked her out of the hospital Wednesday night.

Doctors were worried that if the catheter was left in too long, it could lead to a deadly infection. Police told Telemundo charges were still possible for negligence, abuse or putting her daughter in danger but that Emily?s health was the number one concern.

Luis is a Mexican citizen with a U.S. resident alien identification card, while Emily and her mother are U.S. citizens, police said.

Phoenix Children?s Hospital released a statement Monday night saying they are profoundly worried about Emily?s safety and well-being and continue to cooperate with authorities. The hospital says that if her family has any questions they are willing to talk and discuss their options.

Meanwhile, Norma insists that she had no choice because her husband?s insurance was running out and she feared she would not be allowed to take her daughter to Mexico.

During the interview, where Norma spoke through a cell phone call, Emily also spoke to her father, Luis.

?Hi daddy,? she said in English.

?Hi Emily, how are you?? he responded.

?Good,? she said.

Luis says that his daughter?s leukemia is in remission, but he remains heartbroken over his baby girl, who lost her arm.

Authorities tell Telemundo they will continue looking for her.

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Source: http://nbclatino.com/2012/12/04/parents-of-sick-girl-taken-from-phoenix-hospital-say-they-took-her-to-mexico-to-save-her-life/

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