Caucuses looming, Paul to spend weekend in Texas (AP)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa ? Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is at or near the top of polls in Iowa, where he's drawing big crowds and has an enviable campaign organization. But with Iowa's caucuses on Tuesday, the Texas congressman plans to head home for the weekend, the latest evidence of an unconventional approach to winning the GOP nomination.

From his low-tech events and his relatively small entourage to his reluctance to glad-hand voters, the 76-year-old Paul has stubbornly adhered to his own campaign playbook with seemingly little regard for the calendar or the shifting dynamics of the GOP field.

The rest of the contenders braced for a grueling weekend of campaign events. Paul, however, planned to fly home late Friday night to spend the weekend with his wife, Carol. He was set to appear on several Sunday morning talk shows from Texas, and was scheduled to return to Iowa by Monday morning for a "whistle-stop" campaign tour with his son, Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican.

"He's a family man and he wants to spend time with his family," said Paul's Iowa campaign chairman, Drew Ivers.

Leaving Iowa just three days before the kickoff nominating contest of the 2012 election is one of many quirks that set Paul's campaign apart from the more traditional presidential hopefuls.

Paul's schedule is a model of efficiency. Events start on time, and he delivers the same remarks at each one, no matter the location or size of the crowd. He speaks favorably of Iowa's importance in the nominating process but never forcefully asks audience members for their vote.

His venues are typically stark ? no bunting, no music, no booming sound system. Voters sit quietly, as if listening to a university economics lecture.

Paul never strays from his message of limited government, free markets and the importance of the Constitution, even when the moment might call for a different approach ? like when a 10-year-old autistic boy asked Paul on Friday what he might do to help children like him.

"The most valuable resource for children, teenagers, college kids and adults is liberty. If we protect those liberties we will have the maximum amount of progress," Paul said. Later, he assured the boy he did not plan to slash health care for children or the elderly if elected.

Paul has refused to engage rivals like Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, even as they have stepped up their criticisms of his foreign policy views and his lack of legislative accomplishments in Congress. He also rarely criticizes President Barack Obama, insisting that both parties are responsible for excess spending and debt.

He saves his attacks for campaign commercials and interviews. He told Bloomberg News on Friday that he might not be able to support any of his rivals because they embraced the status quo in Washington.

"If ... they don't want to change anything on foreign policy, they don't want to cut anything, they don't want to audit the Fed and find out about monetary policy, they don't want to have actual change in government, that is a problem for me," he said.

Paul travels with a small band of trusted advisers including a son-in-law, Jesse Benton, who doubles as his campaign chairman. Two of Paul's adult granddaughters, Linda and Lisa Paul, have also joined him in Iowa.

Carol Paul has made only limited appearances with her husband, showing up at debates and other major events.

___(equals)

Follow Beth Fouhy on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/bfouhy

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111231/ap_on_el_pr/us_paul_heading_home

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Engadget Podcast 270 - 12.30.2011

Happy The Engadget Podcast New Year's, everybody! You know what to do. Don't forget to date your checks right.

Host: Brian Heater
Guests: Richard Lawler, Terrence O'Brien
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: We Found Love

04:47 - Verizon experiencing nationwide data outage? (update: Verizon confirms)
09:00 - Verizon confirms latest LTE outage restored, again claims 3G operated normally
12:28 - Toshiba Thrive 7" review
21:10 - Tech's biggest misfires of 2011


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Engadget Podcast 270 - 12.30.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Qn7PeO3bcck/

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Israel kills al Qaeda-linked militant in Gaza strike (Reuters)

GAZA (Reuters) ? Israel killed an al Qaeda-affiliated militant in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, accusing him of involvement in planning to launch attacks on the Jewish state from neighboring Egypt.

The missile, apparently from an aircraft, that killed Abdallah Telbani and wounded two other men in a motorized rickshaw was followed by a separate strike on a jeep elsewhere in Gaza City.

The second vehicle's three occupants were injured, Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses said.

Telbani was linked to a loose network of ultra-conservative Salafis who profess allegiance to al Qaeda, people who identified his body said.

The Salafis have been reinforced by volunteers who slip into Gaza from neighboring Egypt, and chafe at the rule of Hamas, which practices a more politically accommodating Islamism.

Both groups preach the destruction of the Israel, though Hamas has said it could consider a long-term truce.

Israel's military confirmed carrying out the two strikes, using its term for al Qaeda affiliates, "Global Jihad," to describe the men targeted.

Those in the jeep, the military said in a statement, had attempted to carry out an attack on Israel from the Egyptian Sinai. It further accused them of involvement in firing rockets from Gaza into Israel and planting bombs on the border fence.

An Israeli security source said Telbani was also involved in the alleged Sinai plot. Israel has been on high alert for such attacks since losing eight of its citizens to a guerrilla raid along the Egyptian frontier in August.

Palestinians fired two short-range rockets into Israel from Gaza on Sunday and Monday, causing no damage. No Gaza factions claimed responsibility for those attacks.

The Salafis are especially secretive about their operations, holding low-key funerals for fallen fighters. Telbani, as seen by a Reuters correspondent in the morgue, did not wear the heavy beard and Afghan-style smock favored by many Salafis.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111227/wl_nm/us_palestinians_israel_violence

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Around the Interwebs: 15 Pets Celebrating Chanukah - Lolcats 'n ...

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Source: http://icanhascheezburger.com/2011/12/27/funny-pictures-chanukah-pets/

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Adele sells most albums in a year since 2004 (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? That Adele's "21" will rank as the year's top-selling album is no surprise - the English singer-songwriter's hits "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" dominated playlists in 2011. What is surprising is that "21," released by independent British label XL Recordings, sold more than 5 million copies.

The last time an album topped the year-end chart with more than 5 million copies sold was in 2004, when Usher's "Confessions" moved 7.9 million, according to Nielsen Soundscan, which supplied all sales data for this story.

Indeed, music sales overall are expected to end 2011 up more than 3 percent from last year. Not coincidentally, the last time overall music sales rose by so much was in 2004 as well.

The resurgence in sales is welcome news for the music industry. A meager 1 percent increase in digital sales last year created widespread panic that the format had already plateaued.

Nielsen analyst David Bakula attributed the rebound to a strong release slate, plus retailers getting more aggressive with pricing and promotions.

For instance, Lady Gaga's album "Born This Way" was priced at 99 cents - less than one-tenth the price of most albums - in a special deal, helping drive sales beyond her core fans, he said. The promotion on Amazon.com angered other retailers who were selling the album at full price, however.

"In 2004, you had one massive album driving sales," said Bakula, senior vice president of entertainment analytics for Nielsen. "This year is similar in that you have one really great story that everyone is talking about."

Digital sales are expected to end 2011 close to 10 percent higher, prompting Bakula to proclaim the sales performance "a great resurgence."

Physical albums still outsell digital albums by a 2:1 margin. But total music sales, which would include digital singles, are now split 50-50 between physical and digital.

TOPPING 5 MILLION

To put Adele's sales figures in context, the more than 3.5 million physical albums she sold this year would have been good enough to take the top spot in each of the last three years without even adding in digital sales. Album sales include LPs, compact discs and digital albums.

Figures for the year's best-selling album declined every year from 2004 to 2008. They hit an all-time low in 2008 when Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III" took the top spot with sales of just 2.9 million, the first time an album claimed the best-seller title with sales of less than 3 million.

Since 2008, however, sales of the top-selling album of the year have increased, though not by much. Taylor Swift took the top spot in 2009, selling 3.2 million copies of "Fearless." Eminem's "Recovery" finished 2010 as the year's best-seller with 3.4 million copies.

"Adele's performance this year shows the demand for great original music," Bakula said. "Here's an artist that had moderate success before, but nothing of this magnitude, and she's doing it all on two singles."

Amy Winehouse's death from alcohol poisoning in July also factored into Adele's sales performance. Bakula said the attention Winehouse's death received stoked interest among fans to sample other soulful, jazz-infused female British singer-songwriters, like Adele and Duffy. As a result, in addition to buying "21," consumers dipped into Adele's back catalog, making her prior release, "19," one of the year's top 25 best-sellers.

Still, Adele's sales total is less than half of the more than 11 million copies that "No Strings Attached" from N'Sync sold in 2000. That year marked the last time the top spot featured an album that sold in excess of 10 million, underscoring the dramatic impact that legitimate digital distribution channels like Apple's iTunes and illegal file-sharing sites such as Limewire have had on the music industry.

(Reporting By Peter Lauria; Editing by Gary Hill)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111227/music_nm/us_adele

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Texas Whooping Cranes

The Texas Coastal Bend has long been a region whooping cranes migrated to for the winter. However this year, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, a record number of cranes have touched down along the Texas coast.

Serious and casual birders alike have a couple of options when it comes to viewing these magnificent birds. According to USFWS, their winter range covers about 35 miles of the Texas coast. Within that area do-it-yourself birders will find both the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and Matagorda Island National WMA/State Park. Aransas NWR is the better of the two, but some cranes to make their way over to Matagorda Island WMA. However, Aransas NWR not only boasts a better population of the big birds, but is accessible by car. Matagorda Island WMA is accessible by boat only - either private or the state-operated ferry.

For those interested in going with a pro, the Rockport area has several private tour boat operations to fill the bill. But, whether you go on your own or with a tour group, remember that you are viewing an endangered species. Stay a respectable distance away and try not to do anything that will put the bird in distress or alter their habitat.

Source: http://gotexas.about.com/od/birding/a/WhoopingCranes.htm

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Storify: See #Christmas eve in Rome, Bethlehem, Vienna. A beautiful slideshow from around the world. http://t.co/PXe8WKuZ

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NORAD Santa Trackers Have Record Holiday

DENVER ? Santa Claus set records Christmas Eve he raced across the globe on his on his traditional holiday mission.

Santa tracking volunteers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado said they fielded about 102,000 telephone queries beginning early Saturday on his progress, breaking the previous mark of 80,000.

And his NORAD Facebook page recorded about 999,000 "likes," compared with 716,000 a year ago. Twitter followers increased from about 53,000 last year more than 89,000.

Officials said records set this year were likely generated by people passing the word as well as social media interest.

"I think what happens is that every year the ones the participated" tells others, Canadian Navy Lt. Al Blondin. "There's word of mouth."

Volunteers at NORAD Tracks Santa said kids started calling at 4 a.m. Saturday to find out where Santa was.

"The phones are ringing like crazy," Lt. Cmdr. Bill Lewis said Saturday.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command has been telling anxious children about Santa's whereabouts every year since 1955. That was the year a Colorado Springs newspaper ad invited kids to call Santa on a hotline, but the number had a typo, and dozens of kids wound up talking to the Continental Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor.

The officers on duty played along and began sharing reports on Santa's progress. It's now a deep-rooted tradition at NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada command that monitors the North American skies and seas from a control center at Peterson.

First lady Michelle Obama was among the volunteers for a second year in a row. She took about 10 calls from her family's holiday vacation in Hawaii. Lewis said Obama's voice didn't throw any of the phoning children.

"They all just asked run-of-the-mill stuff. They wanted to know about Santa," Lewis said.

After visiting many nations, Santa's first stop in the U.S. came at 9:02 p.m. MST in Atlanta. Blondin said.

The NORAD website said Santa then set a generally westward course, making numerous stops including Cleveland, Denver and San Francisco. He later passed through Hawaii and Alaska before setting his home course for the North Pole.

In addition to NORAD's Santa website and Facebook and Twitter pages, Santa this year has a new tracking app for smart phones. The app includes the Elf Toss, a game similar to Angry Birds. Blondin said there had been more than 700,000 downloads.

___

Online:

http://www.noradsanta.org

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/25/norad-santa-tracker_n_1169156.html

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Mead Johnson: No bacteria found in infant formula (AP)

COLUMBIA, Mo. ? Illinois-based Mead Johnson says another batch of tests done on its Enfamil Premium Newborn infant formula found no trace of the bacteria tied to the death of a Missouri baby.

Preliminary hospital tests indicated 10-day-old Avery Cornett died Dec. 18 of a rare infection caused by bacteria known as Cronobacter sakazakii. The source of the bacteria hasn't been determined, but it can be found in powdered formula.

Avery had consumed Enfamil Newborn formula.

National retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Walgreen Co., Kroger Co. and Safeway have since pulled a batch of the powdered infant formula from their shelves.

The Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and the Missouri Department of Health are investigating Avery's death.

Mead Johnson said Sunday it shared its test results with investigators.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_bi_ge/us_infant_formula_pulled

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Nothing changes in college football, but it needs to

This is my annual ?We need a playoff in college football? column. I know what you?re saying, ?Same song 15th verse.? Some things never change.

But I have never been more convinced that a playoff is needed.

Let?s take a look at the inept BCS system. It was designed to create a matchup of the two best teams in college football for the national championship game.

In most seasons, that is very difficult to determine. Just look at this year. I really don?t have a big problem with the LSU-Alabama rematch. The smash mouth contest between the two teams in the regular season brought back pleasant memories. I love physical football, and you don?t see a lot of that in today?s more finesse- type of a game.

Certainly LSU belongs. They are the best team in the country. Alabama has a good resume. However, I can make a strong case that OSU has every right to be in New Orleans on Jan. 9.

I heard the argument that the Cowboys loss at Iowa State is a worse loss than Alabama?s setback to LSU. Granted, but it the comparison shouldn?t end there. If you look at losses, don?t you have to look at the wins?

OSU defeated four teams that finished in the top 25 in the BCS including Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor and Kansas State. Alabama beat Arkansas and Auburn. That comparison favors OSU.

I do subscribe to the theory that LSU and Alabama are the best teams in the country. But I also believe that OSU should have the opportunity to prove me and many others around the country wrong.

The biggest losers are the fans. Despite the complaints about the BCS, most of them justified, the system has turned college football from a regional game to a national game. More people are talking about college football -- even if it's trashing the BCS -- than ever before.

The biggest question about the BCS is, ?Is two enough??

Well, it's not enough. The fans want more and they deserve more. The folks in SEC country are pretty happy about this outcome. They are convinced Alabama and LSU are the two best teams in college football. But it's time for the product of postseason college football to evolve. In the next BCS contract, which starts with the 2014 regular season, it's time to say goodbye to the two-team playoff and adopt a four-team playoff.

Just think about this: No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Stanford, No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Oklahoma State.

Now, just about everybody would like that, except No. 5 Oregon (10-2), which beat Stanford quite handily (53-30) and won the Pac-12 conference. No system will eliminate all of the disagreements.

The semifinals could be played around Jan. 1 with the national title game to follow.

That would not interfere with final examinations for the student/athletes.

There are those who are asking for an eight-team or a 16-team playoff, and they need to face the facts that it is simply not happening.

But I?m not convinced even a four playoffs is going to happen in my lifetime.

It?s all about money. College presidents and conference commissioners are in control of that money. They are afraid that any change would take that away from them.

I understand it takes a lot of money to operate an athletic program, and football is the biggest revenue producing sport.

I just don?t think that money should be the primary factor in running college sports. I know that?s not going to change, but that doesn?t change the fact that a change is needed.

The idea of 35 bowl games is crazy. Seventy teams, nearly 60 percent of Division I football teams play in the post season.

A bowl game should be a reward for a football team who had a successful season. A 6-7 UCLA team should not be in a bowl game.

The system also does not create the best matchups. I would like somebody to explain to me why 11th ranked Virginia Tech was chosen to play in the Sugar Bowl over a seventh ranked Boise State team or eighth ranked Kansas State.

Certainly the Sugar Bowl committee looked at the almighty dollar in picking the Hokies.

I find it comical that Virginia Tech is having problems selling all of their tickets to the game.

But I don?t want to pick on Virginia Tech who recently had another shooting tragedy. I know the of people of that school have been through a lot. I just don?t believe the Hokies belong in a BCS bowl.

There are some games that I am looking forward to seeing. The national title game, OSU-Stanford Kansas State and Arkansas just to name a few.

But there are several bowl games I have no interest in at all.

The New Orleans Bowl Louisianna Lafyette-San Diego State or the Marshall-Florida Internation matchup in the Beef ?O? Brady Bowl I have zero interest in. And there are many others.

There are just too many bowl games.

In the big picture, me being a small town sportswriter won?t carry any weight across the country.

But it was fun writing about it.

I do want to take the time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Here?s hoping each and everyone of you have the best one ever.

Source: http://altustimes.com/bookmark/16891588

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7 people shot dead in Texas home, motive unclear

Grapevine police investigate the scene where they found seven people dead outside Dallas in Grapevine, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Grapevine police investigate the scene where they found seven people dead outside Dallas in Grapevine, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Police tape hangs in front of an apartment complex where 7 people were found dead, Sunday Dec. 25, 2010, in Grapevine, Texas. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Police tape stretches through a Grapevine, Texas, apartment complex where police found seven people dead in an apartment on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 in Grapevine, Texas. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Police line tape lines the scene where police found seven people dead in an apartment on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 in Grapevine, Texas. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead. (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Scott Goldstein) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT; AP MEMBERS ONLY

Grapevine police investigate the scene where they found seven people dead outside Dallas in Grapevine, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead (AP Photo/The Dallas Morning News, Michael Ainsworth) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT;

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) ? Investigators believe that seven people who were found dead Christmas Day were cleaning up holiday wrapping paper when they were shot inside a suburban Fort Worth apartment, but a motive remains unclear.

All of the victims appeared to be related, and Grapevine police said they believe the shooter was among the dead. Investigators were meticulously searching the apartment, along with three vehicles parked outside, and didn't expect to finish until dawn on Monday.

"It appears they had just celebrated Christmas. They had opened their gifts," Grapevine Police Sgt. Robert Eberling said, adding that the apartment was decorated for the holiday, including a tree.

The four women and three men, aged 18 to 60, were found dead in an adjoining kitchen and living room area when police arrived midday Sunday, shortly after receiving a 911 call in which no one was on the other line, Eberling said. Two handguns were found near the bodies, he said.

None of the victims has been identified, but Eberling said it appears they all died of gunshot wounds. He said authorities still don't know what sparked the incident.

Grapevine Police Lt. Todd Dearing said investigators believe that the victims were related, though some were visiting and didn't live in the apartment. He said police are looking for other relatives to inform of the deaths.

"Seven people in one setting in Grapevine, that's never happened before. Ever," Dearing said.

Police and firefighters first rushed to the Lincoln Vineyards complex after receiving the open-ended 911 call at about 11:30 a.m., Eberling said.

"There was an open line. No one was saying anything," he explained.

So police went into the apartment, located in the middle-class neighborhood of Grapevine, not far from the upscale Fort Worth suburb of Colleyville. The apartment was at the back of the complex, overlooking the athletic fields of Colleyville Heritage High School.

But many of the nearby apartments are vacant, and police said no neighbors reported hearing anything on a quiet Christmas morning when many people were not around.

Jose Fernandez, a 35-year-old heavy equipment mechanic who moved to the complex with his family about six months ago, said he always felt safe in the area, but is now afraid to let his 10-year-old son play freely outside.

"This is really outrageous especially on Christmas," said Fernandez, who was visiting family for the holiday and returned to find several police cars parked outside his home.

"This has shocked everybody. It has scared everybody. I guess something like this can happen anywhere, but seven people dead. It's just very scary," he added.

Eberling agreed the area is fairly quiet, noting this would be the first homicide in Grapevine since 2010.

Christy Posch, a flight attendant who moved to the complex about six months ago so her son could attend the high school, said she lives a few buildings away and did not hear any gunshots.

"It's all families. That's why I moved here. No burglaries, no nothing," Posch said.

___

Associated Press writer Ramit Plushnick-Masti in Houston contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-26-US-Texas-Seven-Dead/id-5c148c6490ff435b9b9b32db1322ae45

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Foundation Announces Free College Tuition for Buffalo Students

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Christmas came early to kids in?Buffalo public?schools on Tuesday.

Starting with this year's junior class, any kid that graduates will have their tuition paid for to any SUNY school.

George Weiss is the philanthropist who founded the "Say Yes To Education" program.

Buffalo is the second city in the state to be chosen for the program, which?will provide $100 million in scholarships over the next 20 years.

Scott Brown:?"Do you know how many problems and how dysfunctional the educational system here is?"

George Weiss: "What makes it work is a city realizing what they've done hasn't worked and they are suddenly about change. This is the only way people put aside their political differences."

School Board President Lou Petrucci:?"We hope it improves attendance, we hope it improves grade point average, we hope it improves their graduation rate, we hope it improves everything."

Scott Brown:?"How much more incentive does this give you to do well in school?"

Terrel Harris, Performing Arts student: "It definitely gives us a lot to see that we have a purpose, that we can do stuff in the future and that college is there, it's a reachable goal."

The "Say Yes" program also insists that it have a major say in how the school system is run in terms of curriculum, tutoring, and summer school.

Syracuse was the first city in the state to get the program. It now has over 100 colleges - SUNY and private schools - taking part in the program.

Starting in January, members of the Bufffalo Say Yes program will begin to negotiate with local private colleges to say whether they'll take part in the program.

The program is funded through the Say Yes Foundation and local foundations and donors.

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The organization Say Yes to Education is partnering with the Buffalo Public Schools to invest $15 million into the school system and offer a scholarship for free tuition for students to attend state schools.

The scholarship is part of a "promise" fund for students in the Buffalo Public School system to cover up to 100% of their tuition at a SUNY school. The class of 2013 will be the first class eligible for the scholarships.

The tuition is offered to students who complete all four years of high school. Nearly 1,000 students have received scholarship in Syracuse where the program has been operating for four years.

Source: http://northbuffalo.wgrz.com/news/news/61805-foundation-announces-free-college-tuition-buffalo-students

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Pregnant Jessica Simpson Shows Off Giant Belly in Sweatpants (omg!)

Whoa momma!

Jessica Simpson's growing baby bump was hard to miss as the 31-year-old star headed to lunch with mom Tina and nephew Bronx in Calabasas, Calif. Friday.

The mom-to-be left her 4-inch heels at home, looking comfy in oversized sweats, a plaid jacket and UGGs.

PHOTOS: Jessica's chic maternity style

Last week Simpson was spotted visiting a Monique Lhuillier wedding boutique in L.A. Dresses in the store range from $3,000 to $20,000.

Simpson and Eric Johnson got engaged on Nov. 11, 2010. This Halloween, the duo announced via a visual "Mummy" pun that they were expecting their first child together.

PHOTOS: Pregnant stars in high heels!

But while Simpson might've been looking at bridal couture this weekend, she told Us Weekly last month she and her NFL beau were planning to get married after they've welcomed their little one.

"We were always going to wait [until] after the baby" she explained. "We flirted around with different dates before I found out I was pregnant, and thankfully we didn't lock anything down. I want to enjoy the day? I'm glad we didn't make a deposit."

PHOTOS: 2011's cutest babies

"I just didn't want to be stressed out," Simpson said. "Now when I get stressed out it's like 50 times worse. So I really want to enjoy that day and now I get to have my baby with me."

Another possible reason for Simpson's visit to the bridal boutique? Her BFF Cacee Cobb confirmed in August that she is engaged to Scrubs star Donald Faison.

?

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_pregnant_jessica_simpson_shows_off_giant_belly_sweatpants182611339/43999537/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/pregnant-jessica-simpson-shows-off-giant-belly-sweatpants-182611339.html

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Southern California Bracing for More Winds

Another round of powerful and possibly damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph are expected to hit?Southern California.

The National Weather Service says the north to northeast winds will kick up before dawn on Thursday and continue through early Friday as a high pressure system builds over the Great Basin.

Sustained winds will range from 25 to 40 mph, with gusts to 60 mph.

The weather service says the winds will make travel hazardous for big-rigs and high-profile vehicles, such as motor homes. The winds and low humidity will also increase the danger of wildfires.

Source: http://indianwells.kpsplocal2.com/news/news/90984-southern-california-bracing-more-winds

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Surprise ?gift pets? are not recommended | Nooga.com

Published Saturday, December 24, 2011 3:12 am EST

Animal care experts say giving the gift of a pet this holiday season should not be done without serious consideration beforehand.

"Whether it is something as small as a mouse or as big as a dog, you are essentially giving a responsibility to someone ... it is important to make sure you really know a person," Adam Goldfarb, director of pet care issues for the U.S. Humane Society, said. "I would not recommend giving pets as gifts in general."

Any potential pet owners must consider time, training, patience, safety and cost before deciding to take on the responsibility of an animal, Karen Walsh, executive director of the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center, said.

"Pets require you to get up and walk them, feed them, provide them with love and attention," Walsh said. "If you can not provide them with all of the requirements of a good pet owner then please do not get one ... In order to socialize your pet they have to have time with you as a member of the family."

Pets can make a good gift but only if the recipient is willing and able to accept the animal, she said. Rather than giving a pet as a present, a photo of an animal or a certificate to adopt an animal is a better alternative.

Lost pets Currently, the return to owner rate for lost pets in Chattanooga is about 2 percent, Walsh said. That number is an improved number after 165 more dogs returned to their owners this year than in 2009. Microchipping, which is available at almost every vets office, is a simple and inexpensive way to make sure if your pet is found then it will be returned to you.

"Most people also want to bond with their own animal," she said. "We recommend a gift certificate for the adoption so the recipient can choose their own pet. Many elderly people get blindsided by the gift of a puppy or kitten when well-meaning adult children decide to get mom or dad a companion. Surprise pets are usually not a good idea."

Because of McKamey's adoption counselors, the shelter does not have problems with animal returns after the holidays, Walsh said.

"Our adoption counselors have extensive conversations with potential adopters so they realize that this is a lifelong commitment, not a holiday treat," she said. "We may bring them home for the holidays but we love them for life."

Although McKamey doesn't see an increase in returned animals after the holidays, Walsh said there is an increase in animals who were "gift pets" who are later surrendered to the shelter.

"There is an issue with expectations," Goldfarb said. "It is easy to picture the puppy under the tree with the wrapping paper and it's super cute, but you have to think beyond that."

So far this year, Walsh said, 2,174 pets have been adopted from McKamey. She said she expects the numbers to increase as the year ends, because more people will have vacation time available and can choose to adopt a pet themselves when they have time to enjoy it.

Source: http://www.nooga.com/27062_surprise-gift-pets-are-not-recommended/

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Video: Lessons learned from international travel

Ventre: Penn St. ugliness dominated 2011 headlines

Ventre: 2011 was one big surprise party in sports. There were enough astounding developments ? both positive and negative ? to keep mouths agape, eyes agog and Twitter atwitter. Unfortunately, the one that stands out the most is the ugliest story possible.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45770237#45770237

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Kenya HIV families torn between health or food (AP)

NAIROBI, Kenya ? Rising food prices are taking a toll in East Africa on low-income people who have the virus that causes AIDS.

An expert on HIV/AIDS for the World Food Program says some HIV patients are refusing to take their medicine. Some fear that the nausea they would get from taking the drugs without adequate food will make them too weak to work, or even to look for work.

In Nairobi, Rosalia Adhiambo won't take free anti-HIV drugs because she can't afford to both feed her grandniece and herself. So she feeds 5-year-old Emily and doesn't take the medicine.

The U.N. says 2011 prices for staple foods are almost twice as high as they were in 2009, forcing the poor to make hard choices between food, medicine and shelter.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_he_me/af_kenya_hiv_no_food

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Grab it While You Can: iMAME Emulator App for iOS

Do you like playing old arcade games? Do you wish there was a way to play those classic games of old on your iPhone or iPad, perhaps using a proper MAME emulator? Then point your browser here, without further ado, and pick up the free iMAME from the App Store, before Apple takes it down.
Apple [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/78E85tYvwpg/

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Americans losing addiction to "CrackBerrys" (Reuters)

SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) ? To understand what ails BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd in the U.S. market, just ask eBay Inc Chief Executive John Donahoe.

The world's biggest online auction site had about a hundred engineers developing new iterations of eBay's shopping app for Apple Inc's iPhone a few months ago, and another hundred engineers working on Google Inc's Android mobile platform.

EBay even had 50 people developing apps for Microsoft's Windows phones, but the e-commerce giant only had "one or two" working on RIM's BlackBerry, according to Donahoe.

"I still use the BlackBerry, but it's not the most developer-friendly platform," he told a group of chief technology officers at an event at Stanford University in June, when the subject of RIM came up.

By early November, it seemed Donahoe wasn't even using his BlackBerry much any more. When he met with reporters to talk about plans for the holiday shopping season, the CEO whipped out his iPhone to show how eBay's apps ran on the device. When Reuters asked Donahue about his BlackBerry, he said he still had it but didn't bother to bring it into the room.

Such stories are commonly found among RIM's once-loyal corporate and consumer customers, who are deserting the Canadian company after it has struggled to keep up with competitors' innovations.

RIM on Thursday posted a sharply lower quarterly profit, offered a dismal forecast for BlackBerry shipments this holiday season, and delayed the arrival of new phones using a make-or-break operating system in development, QNX.

"It's frustrating because I haven't heard anything good from them in a long time," said long-time BlackBerry user Kevin Nichols, the head of KLN Consulting Group, who was looking at Android and Windows phones at a Sprint Nextel Corp store in downtown San Francisco on Friday.

"They need to come out with new products soon, otherwise it looks like RIM may become the next Palm," he said, in reference to the collapse of the smartphone pioneer Palm Inc. Nichols ignored the latest BlackBerry Torch in a display case nearby, saying the device wasn't "new enough" for him to upgrade.

Even on Wall Street, where users once joked about their addiction to their "crackberries," loyalty is waning.

"The QNX delay is a concern," said Rob Romero, head of hedge fund firm Connective Capital. "Consumers like new products and vendors want something new to sell in their stores."

The chief technology officer of a Connecticut-based hedge fund said that when a top hedge fund manager wants to use an iPhone instead of a BlackBerry they can now switch, even though he prefers RIM security. "When they say I want an iPhone or an iPad configured, they get it," said the CTO, who declined to be identified.

RIM shares fell 11 percent on Nasdaq on Friday and hit their lowest level in nearly eight years.

SECURITY FEATURES

Research firm Strategy Analytics forecast RIM's share of the U.S. smartphone market to fall to 12 percent this year, a sharp drop from 2007, when RIM had a 44 percent share. By comparison, Apple, which just started selling smartphones in 2007, is expected to grab a 24 percent U.S. market share this year.

To be sure, BlackBerry still has its defenders. Robert Laikin, CEO of cellphone distributor Brightpoint, said that RIM represents between 5 percent to 10 percent of the 110 million phones his company handles globally every year.

"I still have a BlackBerry. When I talk to my friends who are business professionals, most of them still have a BlackBerry. Some of them have bought an additional device too," he told Reuters.

"All manufacturers I've worked with in the last 25 years have product delays. What RIM is going through isn't different," he said. "I believe RIM will survive because their product is very sticky."

There are still many companies who prefer their employees use BlackBerrys because they feel that RIM offers the best security features to protect corporate data. But these enterprise customers are shrinking, analysts said.

Gary Curtis, chief technology strategist at global technology consulting giant Accenture, pointed to improvements in security from Apple and Google mobile software in recent years.

"Choice and leveling of the playing field is the fundamental enabling factor for companies being able to say to employees, use the device you like," he said. "It's not a headlong rush ... but they're opening the door to more devices and people make their own choices."

Interviews with other consumers at phone stores on Friday illustrated why the former bastion of corporate smart phones faces tough competition.

"I'm a BlackBerry user but my company makes me use it," said a shopper called John who was playing with a BlackBerry Torch at an AT&T store in San Francisco. He declined to give his last name.

"Anyone who is anyone at my company has an iPhone, but they make us use BlackBerry still," he added. "I think I might break mine and buy an iPhone. The touch screen on this Torch works pretty well, but the iPhone is just easier to use."

A Sprint store manager said BlackBerry phones would sell better if they had more apps. But some app developers aren't interested in the BlackBerry platform, partly because the technology is difficult to work with.

"Of the companies that pitch to us, I can't think of any that are starting out by developing an app for the BlackBerry," said Theresia Gouw Ranzetta of venture capital firm Accel Partners, which invests in mobile app developers.

Hotel Tonight, a start-up backed by Accel's Ranzetta, has developed apps for the iPhone, Android phones and an HTML5 version for its last-minute hotel booking service.

"Will they make a dedicated BlackBerry app? Not on the roadmap," she said.

(Reporting by Alistair Barr in San Francisco and Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Tiffany Wu, Gary Hill)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111217/tc_nm/us_rim_customers

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Islamists protest in support of Pakistan army (Reuters)

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) ? About 30,000 Islamists staged a protest on Sunday to condemn the United States and show support for Pakistan's military, which has reasserted itself after a cross-border NATO attack and a controversial memo that has weakened the civilian government.

Speakers included Hafiz Saeed, a fiercely anti-American cleric suspected of links to the group blamed for the 2008 militant rampage in the Indian city of Mumbai that killed 166 people.

Also at the podium was Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, known as the father of the Afghan Taliban, who are fighting U.S.-led NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan.

Pakistan's military was humiliated by the unilateral U.S. special forces raid that killed Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani town in May, facing unprecedented public criticism.

But many Pakistanis rallied behind it after a November 26 cross-border NATO air raid killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, and plunged already troubled ties with Washington to a low point.

The Islamists' show of support for the military will bring more pressure on Pakistan's civilian leaders, especially deeply unpopular President Asif Ali Zardari, who could be damaged by a memo, allegedly crafted by the former U.S. ambassador to the United States, accusing the military of plotting a coup.

"All Islamist organizations stand with the Pakistan army. We will stand together and defeat any conspiracies against Pakistan and the Pakistan army," said cleric Tahir Ashrafi, in an apparent reference to what has become known as "memogate."

"Long live the Pakistan army," chanted the Islamists in the central city of Lahore.

Businessman Mansoor Ijaz, writing in a column in the Financial Times on October 10, said a senior Pakistani diplomat had asked that a memo be delivered to the Pentagon with a plea for U.S. help to stave off a military coup in the days after the bin Laden raid.

Ijaz later identified the diplomat as Husain Haqqani, the then Pakistani ambassador to Washington who denied involvement in the memo but resigned over the controversy.

No evidence has emerged that the military was plotting a coup and the Pentagon at the time dismissed the memo as not credible.

"HOLY DUTY"

Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani has called for an investigation into the memo. On Monday, Pakistan's Supreme Court is due to start hearings into a petition demanding an inquiry into who was behind it.

Tension between Pakistan's civilian government and military have bedeviled the nuclear-armed South Asian country for almost its entire existence, with the military ruling the country for more than half of its 64-year history after a series of coups.

Haqqani's resignation was seen by many analysts as further weakening the civilian government, which is already beset by allegations of corruption and incompetence.

The military, which determines security and foreign policy, dismisses any suggestion that it might stage a coup but analysts say military intervention could not be ruled out in the event of chaos.

Zardari is in Dubai, resting at his residence after medical treatment which raised speculation that he would resign. The prime minister has said Zardari's condition is improving and he will return to Pakistan.

At the protest, Islamists from dozens of groups and parties waved flags and chanted "the defense of Pakistan is our holy duty."

It was the type of scene that would concern U.S. officials who have called for a harder line against Pakistan to force it to crack down on militancy.

Those demands seem more unrealistic than ever given hostilities after the NATO attack and a new wave of anti-Americanism sweeping Pakistan, a nuclear-armed U.S. ally.

The Lahore rally was hosted by Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the humanitarian wing of militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is banned in Pakistan and blacklisted by the United Nations.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba was accused of being behind the Mumbai attacks. The JuD denies any role in that bloodshed.

(Writing by Qasim Nauman and Michael Georgy; Editing by Robert Birsel)

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

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AP-GfK Poll: Obama re-election odds roughly 50-50 (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Entering 2012, President Barack Obama's re-election prospects are essentially a 50-50 proposition, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. It found that most Americans say the president deserves to be voted out of office even though they have concerns about the Republican alternatives.

Obama's overall standing in the poll suggests he could be in jeopardy of losing re-election even as the survey showed that public's outlook on the economy appears to be improving. For the first time since spring, more people said the economy got better in the past month than said it got worse. The president's approval rating on unemployment shifted upward ? from 40 percent in October to 45 percent in the latest poll ? as the jobless rate fell to 8.6 percent last month, its lowest level since March 2009.

But Obama's approval rating on his handling of the economy overall remains stagnant: Thirty-nine percent approve and 60 percent disapprove.

Heading into his re-election campaign, the president faces a conflicted public. It does not support his steering of the economy, the most dominant issue for Americans, or his overhaul of health care, one of his signature accomplishments, but it also is grappling with whether to replace him with Republican contenders Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich.

The poll found Americans were evenly divided over whether they expect Obama to be re-elected next year.

For the first time, the poll found that a majority of adults, 52 percent, said Obama should be voted out of office while 43 percent said he deserves another term. The numbers mark a reversal since last May, when 53 percent said Obama should be re-elected while 43 percent said he didn't deserve four more years.

Obama's overall job approval stands at a new low, with 44 percent approving and 54 percent disapproving. The president's standing among independents is worse: Thirty-eight percent approve while 59 percent disapprove. Among Democrats, the president holds steady with an approval rating of 78 percent while only 12 percent of Republicans approve of the job he's doing.

"I think he's doing the best he can. The problem is the Congress won't help at all," said Rosario Navarro, a Democrat and a 44-year-old truck driver from Fresno, Calif., who voted for Obama in 2008 and intends to support him again.

Robin Dein, a 54-year-old homemaker from Villanova, Pa., who is an independent, said she supported Republican John McCain in 2008 and has not been impressed with Obama's economic policies. She intends to support Romney if he wins the GOP nomination.

Obama, she said, "spent the first part of his presidency blaming Bush for everything, not that he was innocent, and now his way of solving anything is by spending more money."

Despite the soft level of support, many are uncertain whether a Republican president would be a better choice. Asked whom they would support next November, 47 percent of adults favored Obama and 46 percent Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. Against Gingrich, the president holds a solid advantage, receiving 51 percent compared with 42 percent for the former House speaker.

The potential matchups paint a better picture for the president among independents. Obama receives 45 percent of nonaligned adults compared with 41 percent for Romney. Against Gingrich, Obama holds a wide lead among independents, with 54 percent supporting the president and 31 percent backing the former Georgia congressman.

Another piece of good news for Obama: People generally like him personally. Obama's personal favorability rating held steady at 53 percent, with 46 percent viewing him unfavorably. About three-quarters called him likable.

The economy remains a source of pessimism, though the poll suggests the first positive movement in public opinion on the economy in months. One in five said the economy improved in the last month, double the share saying so in October. Still most expect it to stay the same or get worse.

"I suppose you could make some sort of argument that it's getting better, but I'm not sure I even see that," said independent voter John Bailey, a 61-year-old education consultant from East Jordan, Mich. "I think it's bad and it's gotten worse under (Obama's) policies. At best, it's going to stay bad."

Despite the high rate of joblessness, the poll found some optimism on the economy. Although 80 percent described the economy as "poor," respondents describing it "very poor" fell from 43 percent in October to 34 percent in the latest poll, the lowest since May. Twenty percent said the economy got better in the past month while 37 percent said they expected the economy to improve next year.

Yet plenty of warning signs remain for Obama. Only 26 percent said the United States is headed in the right direction while 70 percent said the country was moving in the wrong direction.

The president won a substantial number of female voters in 2008 yet there does not appear to be a significant tilt toward Obama among women now. The poll found 44 percent of women say Obama deserves a second term, down from 51 percent in October, while 43 percent of men say the president should be re-elected.

About two-thirds of white voters without college degrees say Obama should be a one-term president, while 33 percent of those voters say he should get another four years. Among white voters with a college degree, 57 percent said Obama should be voted out of office.

The poll found unpopularity for last year's health care overhaul. About half of the respondents oppose the health care law and support for it dipped to 29 percent from 36 percent in June. Just 15 percent said the federal government should have the power to require all Americans to buy health insurance.

Even among Democrats, the health care law has tepid support. Fifty percent of Democrats supported the health care law, compared with 59 percent of Democrats last June. Only about a quarter of independents back the law.

The president has taken a more populist tone in his handling of the economy, arguing that the wealthy should pay more in taxes to help pay for the extension of a payroll tax cut that would provide about $1,000 in tax cuts to a family earning about $50,000 a year. Among those with annual household incomes of $50,000 or less, Obama's approval rating on unemployment climbed to 53 percent from 43 percent in October.

The Associated Press-GfK Poll was conducted Dec. 8-12 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

___

Associated Press writer Stacy A. Anderson and News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_el_pr/us_ap_poll_obama

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Survey: 1 in 4 women attacked by intimate partner (AP)

ATLANTA ? It's a startling number: 1 in 4 women surveyed by the government say they were violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends.

Experts in domestic violence don't find it too surprising, although some aspects of the survey may have led to higher numbers than are sometimes reported.

Even so, a government official who oversaw the research called the results "astounding."

"It's the first time we've had this kind of estimate" on the prevalence of intimate partner violence, said Linda Degutis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The survey, released by the CDC Wednesday, marks the beginning of a new annual project to look at how many women say they've been abused.

One expert called the new report's estimate on rape and attempted rape "extremely high" ? with 1 in 5 women saying they were victims. About half of those cases involved intimate partners. No documentation was sought to verify the women's claims, which were made anonymously.

But advocates say the new rape numbers are plausible.

"It's a major problem that often is underestimated and overlooked," said Linda James, director of health for Futures Without Violence, a San Francisco-based organization that advocates against domestic abuse.

The CDC report is based on a randomized telephone survey of about 9,000 women and 7,400 men.

Among the findings:

? As many as 29 million women say they have suffered severe and frightening physical violence from a boyfriend, spouse or other intimate partner. That includes being choked, beaten, stabbed, shot, punched, slammed against something or hurt by hair-pulling.

? That number grows to 36 million if slapping, pushing and shoving are counted.

? Almost half of the women who reported rape or attempted rape said it happened when they were 17 or younger.

_As many as 1 in 3 women have experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetimes, compared to about 1 in 10 men.

_Both men and women who had been menaced or attacked in these ways reported more health problems. Female victims, in particular, had significantly higher rates of irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, frequent headaches and difficulty sleeping.

_Certain states seemed to have higher reports of sexual violence than others. Alaska, Oregon and Nevada were among the highest in rapes and attempted rapes of women, and Virginia and Tennessee were among the lowest.

Several of the CDC numbers are higher than those of other sources. For example, the CDC study suggests that 1.3 million women have suffered rape, attempted rape or had sex forced on them in the previous year. That statistic is more than seven times greater than what was reported by a Department of Justice household survey conducted last year.

The CDC rape numbers seem "extremely high," but there may be several reasons for the differences, including how the surveys were done, who chose to participate and how "rape" and other types of assault were defined or interpreted, said Shannan Catalano, a statistician with the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

"It is an evolving field, and everyone is striving to get a handle on what's the best estimate," Catalano said.

The CDC's numbers don't seem surprising to people who work with abused women.

"I think that the awareness is growing," said Kim Frndak, community educator for the Women's Rescue Center to End Domestic Violence, which operates a shelter on the outskirts of Atlanta.

"More and more people are really saying, `Oh, this is something that we need to pay attention to as well,' because it's your sister, it's your mother, it's your daughter, it's your son, it's your brother. Someone in your own circle is being affected by domestic violence, and the effects can be devastating," she said.

____

Associated Press Writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed to this report.

___

Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111214/ap_on_he_me/bc_us_med_women_violence

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Crystal Bell: 'Glee' Season 3, Episode 9 Recap: Chewbacca, Lightsabers And An 'Extraordinary Merry Christmas'

After last season's wacky "A Very Glee Christmas," I've learned not to expect much from a "Glee" Christmas episode, aside from the usual fluffy sing-a-long songs and Yuletide cheer. Basically, there's no continuity to the overall plot, so it's kind of like a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for Ryan Murphy.

Imagine flipping through the channels and you turn on Fox expecting a group of somewhat obnoxious teens covering pop songs, but instead you get a black-and-white homage to Judy Garland's 1963 Christmas special -- complete with a laugh track, Luke Skywalker lookalike (lightsaber included), and an Irish holiday elf!

Yeah, this year's Christmas episode was just as weird as it sounds, but to be completely honest, I'm not mad. Nope, not even a little bit annoyed -- because it's Christmas, and if it takes an episode of "Glee" to spread holiday cheer and inspire the gift of giving, then so be it. However, I will say that Blaine Warbler, and his Christmas tree bow tie, made me long for the days of Dick Van Dyke in black-and-white nostalgia.

Like I said, I can't really compare "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" to the rest of season 3 (because it really had nothing to do with it), but I'll work with what I have.

Similar to last year, "Glee" opened with New Directions putting up the tree, wrapping presents and Mercedes belting out Mariah Carey's 1994 classic, "All I Want for Christmas is You." It felt a little like deja vu. Only this year, instead of acting like a bunch of harmless Whos, the glee club is producing, directing and starring in their very own Christmas special!

Unfortunately, that means they won't be able to help Sue feed the homeless this year. As if Rachel Berry would give up her 15 minutes of fame for the needy.

After making his directorial debut in McKinley's "West Side Story," Artie gets asked to direct the New Directions' Lima PBS special. Thankfully, he didn't want the entire glee club to lose their virginities. If the PTC had a problem with "First Time," could you imagine the thought of a "Glee" orgy?

So Artie needs to put together a Christmas special, so naturally, he needs Chewbacca. After Chewie shows up in a dream, Artie is inspired to make the ultimate Christmas special mash-up: 1978's epic "The Star Wars Holiday Special" and Judy Garland's 1963 Christmas show.

It's everything that you would expect -- except not. "Glee" ditched its standard technicolor craziness for more of a black-and-white setting, complete with plastic smiles and canned laughter.

It's definitely a bold move for "Glee" star Matthew Morrison, who directed this episode. It may have been risky, but it was also laughable. Blaine and Kurt started off strong, singing "Let It Snow" as two bachelors sharing a fancy apartment of their own. Then things took a turn for the worse with a rendition of "My Favorite Things," featuring Rachel and Mercedes. Is that even a Christmas song?

Then Finn comes in dressed like Luke Skywalker, and Rory goes rogue as Santa's holiday elf Itchy. You see, Rory's tired of the glee club's selfish ways, and one Christmas origins story later, they head over to the homeless shelter -- back in technicolor! -- to meet up with Sam and Quinn at the local homeless shelter. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" begins to play, and suddenly, I'm back to feeling the holiday spirit.

But the big plot twist? This year, Sue isn't the grinch! Well, maybe Coach Bieste thinks of her a little differently, but this Christmas, Sue is all about helping the homeless. You see, it's her first Christmas without her sister, so I guess that means she now has to fill her good deed void with the only other people that will listen to her nonsense -- the homeless.

Okay, so she was actually being sweet, but honestly, how does Ryan Murphy expect us to like a character that continually changes. In the beginning I wanted to love Sue Sylvester, but now she seems played out, and every time I think she's headed in a new direction, she heads back to her same glee club-hating ways.

So what is it? Nice Sue or nonsensical, infuriating Sue?

Meanwhile, you know how Rachel became a little less self-absorbed two weeks ago by telling Principal Figgins that she was the one to stuff the Class President ballot box in Kurt's favor? Well, forget that ever happened because it's the holidays and princess Rachel -- looking even more Babs than ever -- wants at least five presents from her list this year, which includes the essentials like a spray tan and teeth whitening.

Wait, didn't Rachel have that storyline last year when she wanted a nose job? Now here we are, an entire TLC/"West Side Story" mash-up later, and we're back to square one. Rachel still doesn't think she's pretty enough to make it in showbiz. To be honest, she could very well take up a career in black and white Christmas specials and then a spray tan won't even matter.

So Sue misses her sister, Rory misses his "mommy" and I'm starting to miss crazy Quinn. At least she was interesting when she was going through her "Single White Female" phase. Okay, maybe that was a little extreme. It may have taken a Christmas special to teach Quinn that she should stop thinking about all of the things she doesn't have, but hey, at least she learned her lesson!

But the real crime of this episode was Rory. It looks like the writers don't know how to use their newest gleek, Damian McGinty. He's basically a silly characterture at this point, and for "Glee Project" fans like myself, it's a little disappointing. His big brother/little bother relationship with Finn had promise, but now that's fizzled.

Also, Rory goes from acting like a magic leprechaun to playing a holiday elf named Itchy. What's next? Brittany tells him that he's a unicorn too? Well at least he found a new friend in Sam because let's face it: Finn was kind of neglecting his little Irish buddy. Now what he really needs is a wingman like Sam to help him find a nice American girl to snog. Maybe we'll finally see Rory -- and McGinty -- losen up.

In other news, I have to admit: Blaine and Rachel sound great together. Do they have a name yet? AnderBerry? ... BerryWarbler?

Oh, and Finn attempts to please his greedy girlfriend with an African pig. After she sees the error of her selfish ways, Rachel names her African pig Barbra. Naturally, she's the most fabulous pig in Africa.

Is it time for that winter hiatus yet?

Most "Glee"-ful Lines of the Episode:

Finn, reacting to Rachel's pricey demands: "Holy crap. I'm dating Kim Kardashian."

Sue, addressing Artie, Kurt and Blaine: "Wheels, Porcelain, other gay ..."

Santana, to Rory, after he sings a woeful rendition of "Blue Christmas": "God, that song was so depressing. I might actually be dead."

Artie: "I swore I would never sell-out and do television. I'm going to have to think about this one Mr. Schue."

Rachel, after Artie called her "River" cover depressing: "I'm sorry, Joni Mitchell is not depressing, she's emotional."

Rachel, on the homeless: "We're just going to distract them from their plight and the smell of urine, and make them happy with our Christmas cheer."

Kurt, being PC in the 1960's: "And this is my ... best friend and holiday roommate, Blaine Anderson!"

Blaine, being Blaine: "Wow! They're candy cane striped capri pants, and the best part is that I don't already own a pair."

Sad little Rory: "My brother Seamus gets lost all of the time, so we put a bell around his neck to help find him."

---

"Glee" returns to Fox on Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. EST.

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Follow Crystal Bell on Twitter: www.twitter.com/newyorkbell

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/crystal-bell/glee-extraordinary-merry-christmas-recap_b_1147282.html

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Greek debt swap talks make progress, no deal yet (Reuters)

ATHENS (Reuters) ? A deal to restructure Greek bonds could see banks rank on an equal footing with official euro zone lenders to the country under a plan being discussed, one of the lead negotiators said on Tuesday.

That was the key part of talks between Greece and private bondholders on a debt swap on Tuesday, which made progress but ended without agreement.

It could see private sector creditors rank "pari passu" with the claims of the EFSF euro zone bailout fund and sovereign creditors, with coupons on the new bonds paid to banks and other investors at the same time as interest payment on loans.

"We've made progress, but there are a number of remaining unresolved issues that will require much further effort by all parties if we're to find common ground," Charles Dallara, head of the Institute of International Finance (IIF), told Reuters by telephone.

Talks were likely to restart in Paris on Thursday or Friday, he said.

The two sides are still haggling over the coupon rate and sweeteners to seal a deal, bankers involved in the discussions said.

The bond swap, dubbed private sector involvement (PSI+), is a key part of the debt-choked country's 130 billion euro ($170 billion) bailout, and Athens is keen to clinch a deal by the end of January to secure crucial budget relief before elections due on February 19.

As the private sector and government try to bridge a gulf between the two sides, bankers involved in the talks said they found some common ground with the co-financing structure, which would improve the quality of the new Greek bonds issued to banks.

"Banks moved towards the sovereigns' proposal on the condition that the new bonds have about the same credit status as official sector loans," a banker involved told Reuters.

URGENCY

Dallara said the private sector and Greek authorities "had a sense of urgency" after previous talks had stalled.

"It's very clear that it's vital for Greece and Europe that we find common ground on a voluntary deal, so that's why all parties need to show some willingness to compromise," he said.

At a summit on October 27, euro zone leaders reached a deal with private banks and insurers to accept a 50 percent loss on the notional value of outstanding Greek bonds they hold in exchange for new instruments.

The writedown is designed to help cut Greece's debt ratio to 120 percent of GDP by 2020 from 160 percent this year. It will also save the state 5.1 billion euros in interest payments next year.

But negotiations on the details of the voluntary restructuring of 206 billion euros of outstanding Greek government paper in private sector hands face sticking points.

They include the coupon rate on the bonds and the assumed discount rate, which determine the loss banks will incur in terms of net present value (NPV). NPV is a measure of the current worth of the bonds' future cash flows.

A successfully concluded debt swap is key to meeting Greece's target to cut its budget gap to 5.4 percent of GDP next year from a target of 9 percent this year and attain a primary surplus.

The International Monetary Fund's mission chief for Greece Poul Thomsen said on Tuesday he was optimistic that a deal with private-sector bondholders would be reached early next year, but he declined to discuss specifics.

"I think the PSI is key to securing debt sustainability, and of course to ensure adequate financing for the program for the next 12 months," he told reporters in a conference call.

"I am confident that we will get this PSI, reducing debt to 120 percent of GDP" by 2020, he added.

Failure to reach an agreement on a voluntary writedown of the bonds would have huge ramifications for Greece and the insurance policies written on its debt, known as credit default swaps.

Sources have previously told Reuters that Greece is offering bondholders 15 euros in cash and new bonds with a face value of 35 euros, paying a coupon of around 4.5 percent for every 100 euros of outstanding bonds.

But private creditors want the new bonds to pay a higher coupon of 8 percent, with principal backed by AAA-rated assets.

Athens is being advised by law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton on implementing the debt swap, with Lazard Freres acting as its financial adviser. ($1 = 0.7641 euros)

(Additional reporting by Steve Slater in London and David Lawder in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111213/bs_nm/us_greece_bonds

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