Stacy Keibler, Michael Phelps Ring In The New Year Early With A Game Of Beer Pong (PHOTO)

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Orlando Bloom took his son Flynn out for a hike at Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles, Calif. on Dec. 30.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Channing Tatum and his pregnant wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum enjoyed a stroll on the beach in St. Barts on Dec. 28.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Anne Hathaway and husband Adam Shulman took their dog Esmeralda for a walk on a chilly morning in New York City on Dec. 28.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Jessica Simpson and her fiance Eric Johnson enjoyed a romantic, post Christmas day walk along the shore on Oahu, Hawaii on Dec. 26.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Claire Danes and husband Hugh Dancy took their new baby son Cyrus out for a Christmas Eve stroll in New York City.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Halle Berry and her fiance Olivier Martinez took a stroll through Paris, France on Dec. 23.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Kim Kardashian and her rapper boyfriend Kanye West left the gym after a morning workout on Dec. 22 in Studio City, Calif. Hello, see-through!

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Kimora Lee Simmons showed off her beach body in the warm waters of St Barts on Dec. 22.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell took a romantic stroll to check out the snowy streets of Aspen together on Dec. 21 in Colo.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Zac Efron wore a warm blue coat as he filmed scenes for "Are We Officially Dating?" in NYC. The dapper actor looked laid back as he spent time working on the set on Dec. 20.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Katie Holmes arrived for rehearsals for her Broadway play in NYC on Dec. 19, the day after celebrating her 34th birthday. The "Dead Accounts" star rang in her special day with daughter Suri.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Uma Thurman went for shades of gray in a suit and sweater, as she arrived at the 10th Annual Tibet House Charity Auction in New York City on Dec. 18.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

"Glee" co-stars and couple Lea Michele and Cory Monteith left the Arclight Theatre after watching "Argo" in Hollywood, Calif., on Dec.18.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

"Silver Linings Playbook" star Bradley Cooper and his mother Gloria arrived on a flight from Los Angeles at Heathrow Airport in London on Dec. 18.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Julianna Margulies, star of "The Good Wife", was seen out for a stroll in Soho, New York City on Dec. 18.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Tom Cruise greeted fans before appearing on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in NYC on Dec. 17.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

AnnaLynne McCord hit the beach wearing a bikini on the set of "90210" in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 17.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Jennifer Garner took her daughters Violet and Seraphina shopping for toys before heading to Whole Foods Grocery store in Brentwood, Calif., on Dec. 16. The Affleck girls are the happiest kids in Hollywood!

Celebrity News: December 2012

Jenna and her husband Channing Tatum are expecting their first baby together next year, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/jenna-dewan-tatum-pregnant-channing-tatum-first-child_n_2316443.html?1355766274">their reps confirmed</a>. Channing's next title? Sexiest daddy alive.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Brandy took a moment from the VH1 Divas festivities to sign a pair of Monster DNA headphones for the Save the Music charity on Dec. 16 in Los Angeles, Calif.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Miley Cyrus wore a risque outfit to the 2012 VH1 Divas event held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 16.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Katrina Bowden got into the holiday spirit with a Hpnotiq Harmonie Merry-tini at Delicatessen in NYC on Dec. 16.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Jessica Simpson played bridesmaid at CaCee Cobb's wedding to Donald Faison on Dec. 15 at Zach Braff's home in Los Angeles, Calif.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Charlize Theron flaunted her buzz cut while out catching a movie with her mom Gerda in Hollywood on Dec. 16.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Khloe Kardashian held birthday boy Mason Disick while leaving Serendipity's in Miami, Fla., on Dec. 14.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Justin Timberlake amused himself by playing basketball with director Brad Furman and co-star Ben Schwartz in between takes, while filming 'Runner, Runner' in Princeton, N.J. on Dec. 14.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Padma Lakshmi stopped by the Quirky.com Santa Quirk Shop in NYC on Dec. 14.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Sam Riley, Kirsten Dunst, Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart posed together at the 'On The Road' New York Premiere at SVA Theater on Dec. 13.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Reese Witherspoon strutted down the street in a red patterned dress after lunching at Tavern Restaurant in Brentwood, Calif., on Dec. 13.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Hugh Jackman was honored with a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Dec. 13 in Hollywood, Calif.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Blake Lively at the 12-12-12 Concert benefitting the victims of Hurricane Sandy at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 12.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Cate Blanchett attended the premiere of "The Hobbit" at Odeon Leicester Square in London on Dec. 12. She wowed in a white, backless dress.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Taye Diggs and Busy Philipps announced the nominations for the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Pacific Design Center on Dec. 12 in West Hollywood, Calif.

Celebrity News: December 2012

Drew Barrymore debuted her daughter Olive on the cover of People's magazine's latest issue.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Amanda Seyfried made an appearance on "The Late Show With David Letterman" in New York City on Dec. 11. Gorgeous!

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

A makeup-free Jessica Biel, aka Mrs. Timberlake, bundles up against the winter chill as she heads out and about in New York City

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Kate Walsh showed off her bikini body as she spent the day on the beach in Miami, Fla., on Dec. 11.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Jessica Alba picked up some coffee and cake on the way to her office in Santa Monica, Calif., on Dec. 11.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Anne Hathaway wore bondage boots at the New York premiere of "Les Miserables" at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on Dec. 10.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Jessica Chastain wowed at the premiere of "Zero Dark Thirty" at the Dolby Theatre on Dec. 10 in Los Angeles, Calif.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Tom Cruise walked the red carpet for the first time since his divorce from Katie Holmes at the world premiere of 'Jack Reacher' at The Odeon Leicester Square on Dec. 10 in London.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

A reportedly pregnant Jessica Simpson wore sky-high heels as she went shopping in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Dec. 10.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

"Diamonds" singer Rihanna looked ravishing in red as she left a recording studio on Dec. 10 in Paris, France.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Denise Richards stocked up on Jell-o Pudding for her Mayan End of the World Party at her local grocery store in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 10.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Russell Simmons and his model girlfriend Hana Nitsche enjoyed the warm weather as they get close during a day at the beach in Miami Fla., on Dec. 9.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Eva Longoria looked gorgeous while arriving to the Noble Gift Gala held at the ME Hotel in London on Dec. 8.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

"Jersey Shore" stars Paul" DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio and Vinny Guadagnino pose for a photo with MTV reporter Sway Calloway during Pauly D's DJ set at the Pool After Dark, Harrah's Atlantic City on Dec. 8.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Justin Bieber performed onstage during Z100's Jingle Ball 2012, presented by Aeropostale, at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 7 in NYC.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

A slimmed-down "True Blood" star Anna Paquin kept her baby twins covered up as she went for a walk on Dec. 7 in Venice, Calif.

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson hit the streets of Los Angeles, Calif., to look for a new place for their growing family on Dec. 6. Simpson is reportedly expecting her second child ... but we'll have to wait and see!

Celebrity Photos: December 2012

Owen Wilson casually made his way into his hotel after attending Art Basel in Miami, Fla., on Dec. 6.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/30/stacy-keibler-michael-phelps-ring-in-new-year-beer-pong-photo_n_2385190.html

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US shale oil boom is fueling a huge boom for railroads, with oil shipments by rail doubling in just two years (1040510)

According to the Association of American Railroads, shipments of oil by rail this year will top 540,000 carloads, which will be a 46% increase over last year?s count of about 370,000 carloads.? And the number of train cars carrying oil this year will be almost double the number of carloads in 2010.

The Associated Press has a story today about how the U.S. oil boom has created a huge boom for U.S. railroads to transport the oil from oil fields in North Dakota and Montana to refineries around the country, here?s an excerpt:

Energy companies behind the oil boom on the Northern Plains are increasingly turning to an industrial-age workhorse ? the locomotive ? to move their crude to refineries across the U.S., as plans for new pipelines stall and existing lines can?t keep up with demand.

Union Pacific Railroad CEO Jack Koraleski said hauling oil out of places like North Dakota will be a long-term business for railroads because trains are faster than pipelines, reliable and offer a variety of destinations.

?The railroads are looking at this as a unique opportunity, a game-changing opportunity for their business,? said Jeffery Elliot, a rail expert with the New York-based consulting firm Oliver Wyman.

Delivering oil thousands of miles by rail from the heartland to refineries on the East, West and Gulf coasts costs more, but it can mean increased profits ? up to $10 or more a barrel ? because of higher oil prices on the coasts. That works out to roughly $700,000 per train.

?

HT: Don Geng

Tags: Bakken, Bakken boom, Bakken shale

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/aei-ideas/carpe-diem/~3/ZDJVgc33eRU/

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Japan finance minister Aso to travel to Myanmar, meet president Thein Sein

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Capital News ? Woman accused of NYC subway hate crime murder

Posted by AFP on December 30, 2012

A man walks past a subway stop in Manhattan on December 5, 2012/AFP

NEW YORK, Dec 30 ? A 31-year-old New York woman was scheduled to appear before a judge Sunday after being charged with murder as a hate crime for shoving a Hindu man to his death in front of an oncoming subway train.

Erika Menendez of the Bronx borough was motivated by hatred of Muslims and Hindus, according to the Queens District Attorney?s Office.

?I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims. Ever since 2001 when they put down the twin towers, I?ve been beating them up,? she told police.

Menendez, who is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court, faces from 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

The victim, 46-year-old Sunando Sen, was born in India and raised Hindu, a roommate told The New York Times.

The incident took place late Thursday at a station on the number 7 line in Queens.

Menendez ? who was speaking to herself as she paced along the platform, according to witnesses ? pushed the man as the train was pulling into the station. He apparently had his back to Menendez and did not see her.

Police released surveillance camera video footage via Twitter showing a woman running from the scene.

?The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway commuter?s worst nightmare ? being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train,? Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement.

?The victim was allegedly shoved from behind and had no chance to defend himself. Beyond that, the hateful remarks allegedly made by the defendant and which precipitated the defendant?s actions can never be tolerated by a civilized society.?

Sen?s death was eerily similar to that of a 58-year-old man killed on December 3 when he was pushed onto the tracks during a fight with a deranged man at a Manhattan subway station. The assailant, later identified as 30-year-old Naeem Davis, has been charged with murder. Davis is homeless.

A New York Post front page picture of the man on the tracks a split second before he was killed by the oncoming train provoked public fury as to why no one helped him ? and why the tabloid newspaper published the photo.

Several million people use the New York City subway system every day, but incidents of this kind are rare.

Before the December 3 death, the last time someone was pushed onto the rails and hit by a train was in 2010. The woman survived.

Thursday night?s incident appeared to have scared many New York subway riders as they kept closer to the walls as trains rolled into the station.

?It?s horrible,? said 46-year-old city resident Elena Rodriguez. ?We?re feeling so insecure now to be in the subway.?

Author: AFP
AFP has written 3651 posts
Agence France-Presse is a global news agency delivering fast, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from wars and conflicts to politics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology.

Source: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/12/woman-accused-of-nyc-subway-hate-crime-murder/

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Indian rape victim, whose attack sparked massive protest, dies (Americablog)

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Asus S46CA-XH51

Small business owners looking for an affordably priced ultrabook with some design oomph will find more than a few things to like about the Asus S46CA-XH51 ($779 list). It's a handsomely designed Windows 7-equipped ultrabook that comes equipped with a built-in DVD burner, USB 3.0 connectivity, and a full-size HDMI port. Unfortunately, its so-so performance ultimately dilutes its potency as a portable solution for small businesses.

Design and Features
The S46CA-XH51 is a fairly compact system whose chassis measures 1.2 by 13.7 by 9.6 inches (HWD). At 4.35 pounds, it's still easy to carry around even though it veers towards the heavier end of the ultrabook spectrum, outweighing both the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2.93 pounds) and the Toshiba Satellite U845-S406 (3.6 pounds).

At any rate, the S46CA-XH51 is unquestionably an attractively designed system. Its aluminum chassis sports a brushed two-tone finish, with an elegant grey palmrest that's complemented by the system's black lid. From a practical perspective, the aluminum construction makes for a durable system that can withstand its share of bumps and bruises when taken on the go.

The S46CA-XH51's raised tile keyboard is outfitted with black chiclet-style keys that create a nice visual contrast to the grey palmrest. The keyboard is surprisingly comfortable to type on since it manages to sidestep the shallow key travel that so often plagues systems with markedly thin profiles. With so much to like about the keyboard, then, its absence of a backlight comes as something of a disappointment since it's an easily avoidable shortcoming that mars an otherwise well-designed keyboard. Likewise, the S46CA-XH51's smooth and responsive touchpad provides a good amount of tactile feedback for two-finger scrolling and pinch-zooming, with left- and right- click buttons that don't exhibit any unappealing clackiness.

With a maximum resolution of 1,366 by 768, the S46CA-XH51's 14.1-inch LED display doesn't reach the soaring 1080P heights of the Lenovo X1 Carbon's display, but its glossy finish and bright colors nonetheless make it easy on the eyes. Bright colors and crisp text alike pop off the screen, and movies look great in 720P resolution. The latter point is especially relevant since the S46CA-XH51 manages to squeeze a DVD burner into its chassis despite its thin profile. This is a rarity in the ultrabook world ? none of the other systems in the S46CA-XH51's class sport such a feature - and even for users that have supposedly sworn off optical media, there's a certain sense of comfort one can derive from knowing that they'll never need to purchase an external drive (assuming, of course, they don't intend on using Blu-rays).

The S46CA-XH51's speakers are housed in a horizontal grille directly beneath the display, and Asus SonicMaster Lite software provides a software-driven boost to make the volume loud enough for a few folks in a small room. Testing these speakers out with "Silent Shout" by the Knife, I was pleased with how loud they belted out sound without sounding tinny, though the subdued levels of bass left something to be desired.

Typical of its ultrabook brethren, port selection on the S46CA-XH51 is a bit skimpy. Like the Toshiba U845-S406 and the Lenovo X1 Carbon, the S46CA-XH51 only features a single USB 3.0 port, which is located on the left side of the system beside an RJ45 port, a VGA port, and a full-size HDMI output. The latter is a good touch since it sidesteps the need to fuss with dongles and the like when connecting the S46CA-XH51 to a larger display. That said, though, the S46CA-XH51 doesn't feature Intel's Wireless Display technology, so be sure to have an HDMI cable ready. Meanwhile, the front side of the S46CA-XH51 features an SD card reader, and the right side houses the S46CA-XH51's tray-loading DVD burner, a pair of USB 2.0 ports, and a headphone/microphone combo jack.

The S46CA-XH51 packs a moderately spacious 500GB 5,400RPM HDD and a 24GB SSD, a one-two punch that delivers storage capacity without compromising quickness since the latter works in the background to help speed up functions like booting, loading frequently used apps, and waking the system from sleep. The 500GB drive comes preloaded with Windows 7 Professional as well as a decent amount of additional software of varying utility. Some of it is useful, like Adobe Reader 10, Microsoft Office 2010 Starter, and a CyberLink burning suite. Additionally, there's also some trialware (McAfee Anti-Virus), a hefty portion of proprietary software (Asus Media Suite, Asus Power4Gear, Asus Vibe 2.0) and, of course, unnecessary bloatware (Bing Bar, Windows Live Essentials). The S46CA-XH51 is covered by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

Performance
The S46CA-XH51 packs a dual-core 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor, and coupled with 4GB RAM, it yielded average (and somewhat unremarkable) scores on our benchmark tests. Its PCMark 7 score of 2,628 points landed at the bottom of the pack, falling short of the Sony VAIO T13 (SVT13114GXS) (3,403 points) and coming nowhere near the Lenovo X1 Carbon (5,149 points) or the class-leading HP Envy Spectre XT 13-2050nr (5,425 points).

The S46CA-XH51 fared somewhat better on our multimedia tests, where it proved to be a system that, while better suited for multimedia consumption, nevertheless has the capacity for light media creation. It completed our Handbrake video-encoding test in 2 minutes 3 seconds, falling a mere two seconds behind the Sony VAIO T13 (2:01) and only six seconds short of both the Toshiba U845-S406 and the HP XT 13-2050nr (1:57 each). On the other hand, the S46CA-XH51's Cinebench R11.5 score of 2.36 points edged past the Lenovo X1 Carbon (2.25 points) and came within striking distance of both the Toshiba U845-S406 and HP XT 13-2050nr (2.41 points each). Although the 4 minutes 45 seconds it took the S46CA-XH51 to complete our Photoshop CS5 test was not nearly as brisk as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (4:18), it nonetheless nipped at the heels of the Sony VAIO T13 (4:35) and the HP XT 13-2050nr (4:34).

Similarly, the S46CA-XH51 landed toward the bottom of the pack when it came to 3D rendering. Its 3DMark 06 scores (4,508 points at medium-detail settings and 1,024-by-768 resolution; 2,446 points at native resolution with 4x anti-aliasing) fell short of the Lenovo X1 Carbon (4,560 points and 3,376 points, respectively) and, to a greater extent, both the Toshiba U845-S406 (5,792 points and 3,278 points, respectively) and HP XT 13-2050nr (5,908 points and 3,256 points, respectively).

The S46CA-XH51 sports an integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU, so it came as no surprise that it, too, failed to crack the 30 frames per second (fps) playability barrier in visually demanding 3D games. Its performance in our Crysis benchmark test (18 fps with medium-quality settings) was on equal footing with that of the Lenovo X1 Carbon and the Sony VAIO T13 (18fps, each) and only slightly behind that of the HP XT 13-2050nr (21fps). Similarly, while the S46CA-XH51's performance in our Lost Planet 2 tests (15fps in medium quality, 5fps in high quality) outgunned the Lenovo X1 Carbon (13fps and 5fps, respectively) and was nearly identical with both the Sony VAIO T13 (16fps and 7fps, respectively) and HP XT 13-2050nr (20fps and 10fps, respectively), the distinctions are meaningless since none were able to deliver frame rates that would be considered playable.

The S46CA-XH51's removable 44Whr battery lasted 5 hours 7 minutes on our MobileMark 2007 battery test, which is longer than the Satellite U845-S406 (5:02), although this isn't an entirely reliable point of comparison since the latter's battery life was tested with a video rundown test. At any rate, the S46CA-XH51's battery life was roughly three hours shorter than those of its competitors, with the Sony VAIO T13 (7:09), Lenovo X1 Carbon (7:19), and HP XT 13-2050nr (7:32) each managing to cross the seven-hour mark. If you're a road warrior whose career entails data-crunching on the road, this means that you won't be able to last through an entire workday on a single charge, so if finding an available power outlet strikes you as an unfeasible or unpalatable endeavor, then the S46CA-XH51 may not be your ideal road companion.

There's plenty to like about the Asus S46CA-XH51, including its handsome design, built-in optical drive, and reasonable price. Alas, however, its so-so performance dilutes its potency as a sure-fire portable solution for small businesses. That's why the Lenovo X1 Carbon's higher price tag and status as our Editors' Choice for business ultrabooks both remain justified. If design and affordability outweigh performance on your list, though, it's worth looking into.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Asus S46CA-XH51 with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
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?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/sKp-axpWDHQ/0,2817,2413603,00.asp

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MSF: More refugees to worsen state of Kenya camp

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ?

The health of thousands of Somali refugees will be threatened if they are moved from the country's urban areas into a camp near the Kenyan-Somali border, an international aid group has said.

Dadaab refugee camp is overstretched well beyond its original capacity of 90,000 people and to add more refugees will worsen the humanitarian conditions of the camp and increase the risk of disease epidemics, said Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, in a statement Friday.

Earlier this month the Kenyan government decided that all refugees and asylum seekers must return to refugee camps. The decision to move Somali refugees to Dadaab was made because of ongoing insecurity in the country. Kenya has endured more than a year of attacks by explosives and guns which have been blamed on sympathizers of Somali militants who are being fought by Kenyan troops in Somalia.

Dadaab Camp's squalid living conditions and insufficient assistance have been compounded by increasing insecurity over the last year, according to MSF.

"The assistance provided in Dadaab is already completely overstretched and cannot meet existing needs," said Dr. Elena Velilla, MSF's head of mission in Kenya. "In the event of an influx of new arrivals, MSF would not be able to increase its assistance or respond to a new emergency due to ongoing insecurity."

Since the beginning of December, heavy rains have flooded the camps, and the already fragile shelter and sanitation conditions have become even more deplorable, with dramatic consequences for the population's health, said Velilla.

The number of children hospitalized for severe acute malnutrition has doubled, with approximately 300 children hospitalized. Most of them are also suffering from acute watery diarrhoea or severe respiratory tract infections, attributable to the poor living conditions in the camps.

The government through the Department of Refugee Affairs said in a statement earlier this month that Kenya hosts refugees from nine countries. However, given the security environment in Kenya, it's clear the government is most concerned about the hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia. Hosting so many refugees, the statement said, brings many challenges, including "rampant insecurity" in refugee camps and urban areas.

"It is in this public domain that many people have been killed and several more injured with grenade attacks in our streets, churches, and buses and in business places," the statement said.

The government said that due to the "unbearable and uncontrollable threat to national security" it had decided that all refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia must return to the large refugee camp complex known as Dadaab, a seemingly endless expanse of refugee housing on the sands of Kenya close to the Somali border. More than 400,000 refugees live in Dadaab, making it the largest refugee camp in the world.

An explosion went off near a voter registration center in Dadaab , wounding one person on Dec 14. The camp has seen several small bomb attacks over the last year.

Kenya sent military forces into Somalia in late 2011. Since then, the country has seen a series of small-scale attacks on churches, bars and at public transportation stops. Most attacks are small, but they have occurred every several weeks for nearly a year. Five people were killed and more than a dozen wounded after an attacker threw a grenade outside a mosque in the Somali neighborhood of Nairobi this month.

Following that attack, security forces began targeting hundreds of refugees who live in that neighborhood, Eastleigh, which is sometimes referred to as "Little Mogadishu." Hundreds of people of Somali origin have been arrested, many because of their immigration status.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/msf-more-refugees-worsen-state-kenya-camp-144058421.html

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South Africa waiting on Philander&#39;s fitness ? Cricket News Update ...

South Africa waiting on Philander?s fitness ? Cricket News Update

South Africa cricket team management is hoping for the promising paceman Vernon Philander to recover in time for the first Test of the two-match home series against New Zealand, starting at Newlands in Cape Town, on January 2, 2013.

Philander, 27, injured his hamstring during a first class match between Cape Cobras and the Titans last week. The right-arm medium pacer bowled only five overs for the Cobras, claiming one wicket as well, before leaving the field for a treatment. Subsequent scans confirmed presence of a minor grade one hamstring strain. He is on the ninth day of a 10-14 day recovery programme, and will only be assessed next week for his availability for the New Year Test against the Black Caps.

Though the right-arm seamer is in training with the national team, he is not bowling to full capacity yet. South Africa?s team manager Mohammad Moosajee, who is also a medical doctor, told media reporters on Friday that Philander is expected to be up to 80 per cent fit by the weekend.

"He is still in the rehabilitation phase but is coming along nicely," Mohammed Moosajee told ESPNCricinfo yesterday. "We are definitely not ruling him out," insisted the Proteas? team manager.

It may be noted here that the 27-year-old South African seamer had also sat out the second Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval earlier this month due to a troublesome left hamstring and sore back.

Should Philander not pass the next week?s fitness test,?his Cape Cobras teammate Rory Kleinveldt?will replace him in the Playing XI for the first Test against the Kiwis. The 29-year-old Kleinveldt?made his Test debut against Australia at Brisbane last month, and has so far played two matches picking up four wickets.

Meanwhile, the Black Caps will be without middle-order batsman?Peter Fulton in the two-Test series, after he has been ruled out of the remainder of the itinerary due to a recurring knee injury. Colin Munro, who was part of the T20 squad that lost the recently concluded three-match series against the Proteas 2-1, has been called up to the Test side as cover for Fulton.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/South-Africa-waiting-on-Philanders-fitness-Cricket-News-Update-a211862

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Exclusive: Profits up, but Britain gets less tax from big firms

LONDON (Reuters) - Big companies in Britain now pay less tax than they did 12 years ago despite a big jump in profitability, a Reuters analysis of official data shows. Tax campaigners say the trend is the clearest signal yet that tax avoidance has blossomed under a more business-friendly strategy at the UK tax authority Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Large companies' payments of corporation tax - the UK equivalent of corporate income tax - totaled 21 billion pounds ($34 billion) in 2011/12, HMRC data shows. That was down five billion pounds or 21 percent since 2000/01 when the government, then controlled by the Labour Party, took the first steps towards a more collaborative approach to big business.

At the same time, the gross operating surplus for all companies in the UK - a widely watched measure of companies' profitability compiled by the Office of National Statistics - has risen 65 percent, to 329 billion pounds. The economy has grown by 55 percent over the same period, and receipts of both personal income tax and small companies' income tax are higher.

HMRC and the finance ministry denied the figures showed an increase in tax avoidance - legal tactics used by multinationals such as Google, Amazon and Starbucks. They cited recent economic weakness and lower corporation tax rates. The UK's official corporation tax rate was steady at 30 percent between 2000 and 2007 but has been gradually cut. In the last tax year it was 26 percent.

Reuters calculations show the lower tax rate and the weak economy account for about half the fall, leaving around 2.6 billion pounds of the difference in the amount of corporate tax paid between 2000/01 and 2011/12 unaccounted for.

John Christensen of Tax Justice Network, a tax campaigningoogleg group, said the figures show successive governments' attempts to create a more business-friendly administration - which includes a policy known as "enhanced relationship" based on mutual trust - have encouraged companies to use such tactics.

"These figures tell a more powerful story than any figures I have seen so far," he said, adding that senior HMRC staff had told him in recent years that they were "alarmed" at the drop in payments from large companies. HMRC defines these as firms with annual profit of more than 1.5 million pounds.

The finance ministry declined to comment on the calculations.

"PARADOXICAL"

Prem Sikka, a professor of accounting at Essex University who has written extensively about tax avoidance, said that even allowing for the tax cut, the figures were "paradoxical".

"How are they managing to reconcile higher profits with lower taxes?" he said. "It can't be done ... unless they are booking these profits somewhere else." Companies reporting for tax purposes are increasingly diverting UK profits to lower-tax jurisdictions, he said.

Google, for example, channels $4 billion of UK sales through Ireland each year, most of which ends up in Bermuda. Google said it complies with tax law in every country in which it operates but that it also has an obligation to its shareholders "to run our business efficiently".

When shown the calculations, an HMRC spokesman said the downward trend may also have been emphasized by a shift in the way taxes were paid from 1999 which led to "elements of double counting" in 2000/01 and 2001/02. That could make revenues in those years look artificially high. He declined to quantify the impact of this.

Sikka dismissed the impact of this change.

"That wouldn't make any difference to the total tax liability," he said.

HMRC's own data does not point to a spike in corporation tax payments over the period the changes were initiated.

Total corporation tax payments were just 2 billion pounds higher in 2001-2002 than in 1998-1999, a rise of 7 percent, while GDP rose 16 percent over the period.

The government's tax minister, David Gauke, who has described corporation tax as one of "the most economically damaging taxes", called the tax authority's current approach "very successful" in a September speech. He declined requests for an interview.

(Edited by Sara Ledwith and Simon Robinson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-profits-britain-gets-less-tax-big-firms-090947066--finance.html

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OUYA Ships 1,200 Development Consoles, Shows Off Its Pre ...

OUYA, the Android-based affordable gaming console that inspired a wide range of reaction from tech watchers and gamers alike when it debuted on Kickstarter back in July 2012, today reached an important milestone: shipping product. Admittedly, it?s just the developer-specific consoles for now, but 1,200 units are now winging their way to actual people, and the company put the pre-release gaming console on video to prove it.

This OUYA unboxing video gives us a glimpse at what the thing looks like in the flesh ? albeit in a transparent plastic casing for both controller and console that doesn?t reflect its anticipated shipping fit and finish. The design isn?t quite final either, as founder Jules Uhrman explains on the video alongside an Ouya designer that the d-pad will change, as will shoulder pad positioning and a number of other internal controller components. Also newly shown off in the video are a micro USB port on the console itself, and an internal fan in the device to keep it cool during intense gaming sessions.

The console looks an awful lot like early renders we?ve seen (minus the limited-edition transparent plastic finish) and Uhrman even goes so far as to actually plug in the console and power it up on video, although we don?t see anything beyond a boot screen as the device loads up with the ?OUYA? branding. At the very least though, we know it turns on, and that it?s shipping in some capacity, which in itself might be?enough?to quiet those who were?skeptical about OUYA?s ability to deliver any kind of working device at all.

Shipping development consoles today also means that OUYA has indeed kept its initial hardware ship date promise ? a rarity among any Kickstarter projects, and impressive given the?popularity?of this one in particular and the amount of scrutiny it received. On-time delivery of these units bodes well for OUYA?s anticipated March 2013 shipping date for consumer units. But there?s still plenty of work to be done on software, and refinements are needed on the hardware side, too, so nothing?s set in stone at this point. Still, it?s great to see OUYA even reach this point, and here?s hoping they make that March launch.

OUYA was created in 2012 by Julie Uhrman, a video game industry veteran who saw an opportunity to open up the last closed game platform ? the TV. Julie and an initial team of game developers and advisors brought the concept to life with the help of Yves Behar and the fuseproject, and took it to Kickstarter in July of 2012. It became one of the most successful Kickstarter projects ever, with tens of thousands of backers pledging to...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/28/ouya-ships-1200-development-consoles-shows-off-its-pre-release-android-gaming-hardware-on-video/

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&#39;Lil Bama&#39; Celebrates 8th Birthday Despite Brain Cancer | WHNT ...

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) -? This is a very special week for a boy in Athens who WHNT NEWS 19 has been following for months.

Today, Friday, December 28th is Ryan Kitchens? eighth birthday.

What makes this birthday so special is that Ryan wasn?t expected to live to see it.

Instead, Ryan has been extra busy over the last few weeks, buying and delivering toys for less fortunate children, making new friends, goofing off and just being a typical kid.

?How are you feeling?? WHNT NEWS 19?s Beth Jett asked Ryan when he visited the station.? ?Good,? he answered.

It?s remarkable, since his doctors didn?t think he?d live to see Christmas.

Ryan is in a fierce battle with two tumors on his brain.

He beat them months ago, but they came back and have grown in size, causing him excrutiating headaches.

?Oh, it?s been a hard hard year,? said Jasmine Davis, Ryan?s mother.? ?After thinking your child?s been cured and less than 10 to 12 weeks later, to have your child again have it worse than they had it the first time and then he?s on Hospice.? That was a huge wake-up call because that only means one thing.?

But Ryan fought back with faith, fun, and determination to live, supported by the power of prayer from thousands of people following his story.

?There?s gotta be a reason why he?s still here,? said Jasmine.

Ryan?s doctors warned her that her youngest child and only son would only grow weaker quickly and likely wouldn?t be around for his next birthday.

They were wrong.

December 28th brings another milestone: he?s now eight years old.

?He?s just.. feeling amazing and acting like his old self again,? said Jasmine.? ?Running, I can barely keep up with him.?

Ryan is better known as ?Lil Bama,? around Alabama and beyond.? He stays energized by his love for University of Alabama Crimson Tide football.

Earlier this year, expecting he didn?t have much time left, Ryan insisted on making his final arrangements, picking out a crimson casket.

But the casket will have to wait, because he?s having too much fun living.

Ryan?s next medical appointment is at the end of January.

You may have noticed his crimson shirt with white letters on it, spelling out ?RYAN?.

His mother teamed up with a company to sell them, putting the proceeds towards a foundation that will help other families deal with cancer.

If you?d like to purchase one, you can order one by calling Suzette Michelle Boutique in Moulton.? Their number is 256.445.2035.

The foundation will be Ryan?s legacy to help others long after he?s gone.

Source: http://whnt.com/2012/12/28/lil-bama-celebrates-8th-birthday-despite-brain-cancer/

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'Rescue Me' singer Fontella Bass dies

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 201 file photo taken in New York City Fontella Bass performs during the Pioneer Awards at New York's Apollo Theatre. The St. Louis-born soul singer who hit the top of the R&B charts with ?Rescue Me? in 1965, died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. The singer's daughter, Neuka Mitchell, says Bass died at a St. Louis hospice Wednesday night of complications from a heart attack suffered three weeks ago. She was 72. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 201 file photo taken in New York City Fontella Bass performs during the Pioneer Awards at New York's Apollo Theatre. The St. Louis-born soul singer who hit the top of the R&B charts with ?Rescue Me? in 1965, died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. The singer's daughter, Neuka Mitchell, says Bass died at a St. Louis hospice Wednesday night of complications from a heart attack suffered three weeks ago. She was 72. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano, File)

In this Sept. 2, 2001 file photo, Fontella Bass performs at the Big Muddy Blues Festival on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis. The St. Louis-born soul singer who hit the top of the R&B charts with ?Rescue Me? in 1965, died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, of complications from a heart attack suffered three weeks ago. She was 72. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jerry Naunheim, Jr.) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

In this Sept. 2, 1995 photo, Fontella Bass dances with Vernon Harris and Curtis Berry on the stage as she sings her 1965 hit "Resuce Me" at the St. Louis Blues Heritage Festival. The St. Louis-born soul singer who hit the top of the R&B charts with ?Rescue Me? in 1965, died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, of complications from a heart attack suffered three weeks ago. She was 72. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Odell Mitchell Jr.) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

ST. LOUIS (AP) ? Fontella Bass, a St. Louis-born soul singer who hit the top of the R&B charts with "Rescue Me" in 1965, has died. She was 72.

Bass died Wednesday night at a St. Louis hospice of complications from a heart attack suffered three weeks ago, her daughter, Neuka Mitchell, said. Bass had also suffered a series of strokes over the past seven years.

"She was an outgoing person," Mitchell said of her mother. "She had a very big personality. Any room she entered she just lit the room up, whether she was on stage or just going out to eat."

Bass was born into a family with deep musical roots. Her mother was gospel singer Martha Bass, one of the Clara Ward Singers. Her younger brother, David Peaston, had a string of R&B hits in the 1980s and 1990s. Peaston died in February at age 54.

Bass began performing at a young age, singing in her church's choir at age 6. She was surrounded by music, often traveling on national tours with her mother and her gospel group.

Her interest turned from gospel to R&B when she was a teenager and she began her professional career at the Showboat Club in north St. Louis at age 17. She eventually auditioned for Chess Records and landed a recording contract, first as a duet artist. Her duet with Bobby McClure, "Don't Mess Up a Good Thing," reached No. 5 on the R&B charts and No. 33 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1965.

She co-wrote and later that year recorded "Rescue Me," reaching No. 1 on the R&B charts and No. 4 on the Billboard pop singles chart. Bass's powerful voice bore a striking resemblance to that of Aretha Franklin, who is often misidentified as the singer of that chart-topping hit.

Bass had a few other modest hits but by her own accounts developed a reputation as a troublemaker because she demanded more artistic control, and more money for her songs. She haggled over royalty rights to "Rescue Me" for years before reaching a settlement in the late 1980s, Mitchell said. She sued American Express over the use of "Rescue Me" in a commercial, settling for an undisclosed amount in 1993.

"Rescue Me" has been covered by many top artists, including Linda Ronstadt, Cher, Melissa Manchester and Pat Benatar. Franklin eventually sang a form of it too ? as "Deliver Me" in a Pizza Hut TV ad in 1991.

Bass lived briefly in Europe before returning to St. Louis in the early 1970s, where she and husband Lester Bowie raised their family. She recorded occasionally, including a 1995 gospel album, "No Ways Tired," that earned a Grammy nomination.

Bass was inducted into the St. Louis Hall of Fame in 2000.

Funeral arrangements for Bass were incomplete. She is survived by four children. Bowie died in 1999.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-12-27-Obit-Fontella%20Bass/id-efb9293af5ff4d8c9507dcaa0316ed87

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Microsoft: Over 75,000 Windows Phone Apps Were Published In 2012, Average User Downloaded 54

There can be no doubt that 2012 was a very important year for Microsoft, though it probably wasn't the successful year the company had envisioned during the planning stages. With the launch of Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, Microsoft's biggest challenge beyond just getting people to buy them, was getting developers to write apps for them. According to Todd Brix, Microsoft's Senior Director for Windows Marketplace, there are now more apps available for Windows Phone users "than at any time since we first launched Windows Phone 7 two years ago" (it would, of course, be pretty embarrassing if that wasn't the case). Overall, Microsoft certified and published over 75,000 new apps and games in 2012, roughly doubling the number of available apps over the year. Developers also published over 300,000 updates.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6AuVI9BqKZU/

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Engadget UK Giveaway: win a Nexus 4 courtesy of MobileFun

Who cares whether you've been naughty or nice this year? Not UK phone and accessory retailer MobileFun.co.uk, that's for sure. Because the team there has been kind enough to pass along one shiny new Nexus 4 for us to give away (indiscriminately) to one lucky UK reader. MobileFun sells the latest in mobile tech all year round, but if Santa didn't give you everything you wanted, there's a good chance it's on sale over there, so do go check it out. Not until you've entered the competition by leaving a comment of course. Good luck!

The rules:

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. Duplicate entries will be filtered out and discarded, so adding additional comments won't increase your likelihood of winning.
• This contest is open to all UK residents -- aged 18 years or over! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winners will be chosen randomly. One winner will receive one (1) new Nexus 4. Service does not come included with the prize.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Mobilefun.co.uk and Engadget / AOL UK are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service.
• The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
• Entries can be submitted until 30th of December, 2012 at 23:59 GMT.Good luck!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/WEgj7-P34ug/

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Less Common Ways of Saving on Auto Insurance Quotes | Business ...

When shopping for car insurance, there are many options open to you. It can be overwhelming and seem difficult to save any money. Here are some less conventional ways that you can save money on your auto insurance quotes.

Do you have a large or small car? The size of your car can impact your auto insurance quotes. A smaller car weighs less, and is therefore more likely to be involved n a serious accident. You are also more likely to drive a smaller car more often. On the flip side, if you own a truck, van, or SUV, you might end up paying more because of the costs of repairing these types of vehicles. In order to save the most money, look at the costs of maintaining your vehicle vs. the costs to insure a vehicle and make your car buying decision based on these figures.

Look into purchasing a hybrid vehicle. Most people skip on considering hybrid vehicles because they often cost more up front. However, they will most likely save you money in multiple ways. First, there are often tax credits or deductions available for people who purchase a hybrid. You can also sometimes get a discount directly from your insurance agency. Finally, and most obviously, you will save money on gasoline costs. Some insurance companies offer up to 10% off for a hybrid vehicle, so they are worth your consideration.

How much do you drive? You should figure out a rough estimate of how many miles you drive each year before beginning your insurance search. People who drive more miles will likely end up paying a higher premium. This is because the more often you are on the road, the more chances you have of getting into an accident, making you slightly more risky to insure. Some companies offer a monitoring device so they can know how often and at what times you drive, and offer you a discount based on the results.

Choose a reputable carrier. Before committing to a policy, research the company?s reputation. Find out whether or not they have had numerous legitimate complaints. Also check the financial rating. You can find this information through online reviews, employees of the company, or family and friends that have used it.

Are you going to be insuring young drivers? Teenaged drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident, likely due to their short amount of driving experience. This means they often pay more when it comes to auto insurance quotes. However, there are many insurance companies out there that offer discounts for teens if they are good students, complete driver education classes, or have monitoring devices installed in their vehicle. Find multiple quotes in order to find the best policy for your teen.

As you can see, there are many different ways to save money on auto insurance quotes. The best thing you can do is put the effort forth to research thoroughly and find as many quotes as you can. This way you can be sure you know what is out there and available to you.

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://www.paintballthetford.net/1291-less-common-ways-of-saving-on-auto-insurance-quotes.html

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Simple Abundance Exercises Can Change Your Mindset - binudsingh

Article title: Simple Abundance Exercises Can Change Your Mindset
Article Category: Self-Improvement

When you feel more prosperous, you will lead life of improved health, happiness and prosperity. However, when most of us think about our finances, most of the time we don?t have thoughts of prosperity.
Continue reading this article?

Source: http://www.medicalguide.pro/3210/simple-abundance-exercises-can-change-your-mindset-4.html

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Source: http://binudsingh.blogspot.com/2012/12/simple-abundance-exercises-can-change.html

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Pia Toscano, Jared Lee Wish You a "Merry Little Christmas"

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/pia-toscano-jared-lee-wish-you-a-merry-little-christmas/

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SCRAPBOOKING AND CHRISTMAS ? A MATCH MADE IN ...

By Administrator on Dec 24, 2012 in Home and Family

Handmade cards are always extra special ? so why not show off your scrapbooking skills this Christmas with some beautiful and unique creations for friends and family?

Giving a handmade card is a wonderful way of expressing your personal thoughts and demonstrating to people how much they mean to you.? Card making is rewarding in more ways than one?you can save money too.

And you don?t have to be a scrapbooking expert either when it comes to card making.? ??There are thousands and thousands of websites with a huge range of ideas and illustrations for paper crafts and Christmas ideas, from the craft supplies stores to scrapbooking blogs ? and many of these also have really easy-to-follow tutorials demonstrating how to make cards etc.

Many of the craft store websites and scrapbooking blogs will also have templates for card-making to get you started.

For those who already do scrapbooking, making Christmas cards is a wonderful way of using up all those bits and pieces that you?ve accumulated during the year.? Don?t just think about patterned paper?you can use just about anything for card making and crafting?.lace, ribbon, felt, magazine cuttings, cotton wool, ice cream sticks, fabric scraps, stencils, glitter, marker pens, aluminium foil?the only limit is your imagination.

But don?t forget to match your card to an envelope before you get creative!

Card making can also be a fun way of entertaining kids after all the hullabaloo of Christmas is over?they can make their own ?thank you? cards from your craft supply box in appreciation of their gifts

So, with Christmas around the corner, don?t cut corners when it comes to spreading festive cheer and goodwill?jump online to the craft supply websites and start making your own personalised cards for friends and family to treasure.

Source: http://www.mylife-coach.net/6625/scrapbooking-and-christmas-a-match-made-in-heaven/

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Source: http://fseneiuni.posterous.com/scrapbooking-and-christmas-a-match-made-in

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Special Education Law Blog: Winter Wonderland Warning Issued ...

Merry Christmas to our readers. I give you a wish, a thought and a song, as well as some fun facts:

WISH:? I wish you a great Christmas.

THOUGHT: This is a great time to think of those who are less fortunate.

SONG: sugar rum cherry - Duke Ellington's jazzed up version of a part of the Nutcracker. Very cool.

FUN FACTS:(courtesy of our friends at the United States Census Bureau):

Christmas Trees and Decorations

???????????????????????

$1.03 billion

The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and September 2012. China was the leading country of origin for such items. Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmas trees shipped to the United States ($139.9 million worth) during the same period.? Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/

Where the Toys are ... Made??

73???????????
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2010. California led the nation with 10 locations.? Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code 339931, http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/

525
The number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children?s vehicles in 2010; they employed 7,374 workers. California led the nation with 85 establishments.? Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS code 339932, <http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/

$9.6 billion

The value of U.S. toy imports, including stuffed toys (such as dolls), puzzles and electric trains from China, between January and September 2012. China was the leading country of origin for stuffed toys coming into this country, as well as for a number of other popular holiday gifts. These include sports footwear ($227.7 million), basketballs ($41.0 million) and roller skates ($31.8 million). China led Thailand as the leading supplier of ice skates ($10.7 million versus $9.5 million), with Canada ranked third ($3.6 million).? Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics

??

???????? Holiday Names??

?Place names associated with the holiday season consist of a dozen places named Holly including Mount Holly, N.C. (population 13,719) and Holly Springs, Miss. (7,638). There is Snowflake, Ariz. (5,587), Santa Claus, Ind. (2,484), North Pole, Alaska (2,154), Noel, Mo. (1,822) and ? if you know about reindeer ?Dasher, Ga. (934) and the village of Rudolph, Wis. (440). There is also Santa Claus, Ga. (166).? Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates
http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/SUB-EST2011-3.html
??????????????????? ?????????????????
58%
Proportion of the nation?s spuds produced in Idaho and Washington during the fall of?2011. Potato latkes are always a crowd pleaser during Hanukkah.??? Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service, Crop Production, Page 14? http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProd/CropProd-12-11-2012.pdf

$1.38 billion

The value of product shipments of candles in 2011 by the nation?s manufacturers. Many of these candles are lit during Hanukkah (Dec. 8 to 16) and Kwanzaa (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1) celebrations. ?

Source: http://specialeducationlawblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/winter-wonderland-warning-issued-merry.html

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Original Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX receiving Jelly Bean OTA update

 

It's a Christmas Eve miracle! Seemingly out of nowhere, the original Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX are pulling down an OTA update to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Several different users in our forums are reporting that their handsets are (often slowly) downloading a very large update, and being greeted with Jelly Bean goodness when they reboot. We don't have any official support documentation from Verizon yet, but it doesn't get much more official than updates currently being downloaded.

So are any of you seeing the update hit the notification bar of your RAZR or RAZR MAXX? Head to the forums and let us know.

Source: Droid RAZR Forums; Droid RAZR MAXX Forums; Thanks, Sean!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/iuD0n3Tf0xw/story01.htm

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PFT: Falcons No. 1, but can they win in playoffs?

AP

Every week we?ll bring you all the inactives from the early games in one post, constantly updated with the latest information. So check back often to see the full list as it becomes available.

Raiders at Panthers

Raiders: DT Richard Seymour,?RB Jeremy Stewart, LB Rolando McClain, WR Juron Criner, T Willie Smith, OL Lucas Nix, DE Dave Tollefson

Panthers:?QB Jimmy Clausen, WR David Gettis, RB Jonathan Stewart, LB James Anderson, C/G Geoff Hangartner, G Hayworth Hicks, DT Sione Fua

Saints at Cowboys

Saints: FB Jed Collins, RB Chris?Ivory, LB Scott Shanle, G Ricky Henry, DT Tyrunn Walker, DE Turk McBride, WR Saalim Hakim

Cowboys: DT Jay Ratliff, LB Kyle?Wilber, C Kevin Kowalski, OL David Arkin, DT Rob Callaway, T Darrion Weems, G Ron Leary

Titans at Packers

Titans: C Kevin Matthews,?QB Rusty Smith, WR Kendall Wright, CB Ryan Mouton, LB Colin McCarthy, T Michael Otto, DE Scott Solomon

Packers: WR Jordy Nelson, S Charles Woodson, RB Alex Green, RB James Starks, TE Tom Crabtree, DE C.J. Wilson, DE Jerel Worthy

Vikings at Texans

Vikings:?QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, WR Stephen Burton, CB Brandon Burton, LB Audie Cole, OL Troy Kropog, DE Brian Robison, DE D?Aundre Reed

Texans:?CB Alan Ball, OL Antoine Caldwell, OL Andrew Gardner, OL Cody White, NT Terrell McClain, S Quintin Demps, CB Stanford Routt

Patriots at Jaguars

Patriots: TE Rob Gronkowski, CB Alfonzo Dennard, LB Brandon Spikes,?FB James Develin, DE Jake Bequette, DL Ron Brace, OL Markus Zusevics

Jaguars: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, RB Rashad Jennings, CB?Antwaun Molden, LB Brandon Marshall, OL Eben Britton, DE Austen Lane, RB Jonathan Grimes

Colts at Chiefs

Colts: LB Kavell Conner, C Samson Satele, RB Delone Carter, S Tom Zbikowski, WR Nathan Palmer, T Winston Justice, DT Antonio Johnson

Chiefs: TE Tony Moeaki, WR Steve Breaston, QB Ricky Stanzi, DT Anthony Toribio, DB Abram Elam, G Russ Hochstein, FB Nate Eachus

Bills at Dolphins

Bills: WR Marcus Easley, DE Mark Anderson, LB Chris White,?QB Tarvaris Jackson, OL Keith Williams, DL Jay Ross, OL Chris Scott

Dolphins: WR Davone Bess, LB Koa Misi, QB Pat Devlin, CB Nolan Carroll, OT Patrick Brown, TE Kyle Miller, DT Keeston Randall

Chargers at Jets

Chargers: RB Edwin Baker, LB Jonas Mouton, LB Demorrio Williams, T Stephen Schilling, WR Mike Willie, DT Aubrayo Franklin, TE Ladarius Green

Jets:?WR Mardy Gilyard, CB Aaron Berry, CB Donnie Fletcher, LB Ricky Sapp, DL Damon Harrison, G Caleb Schlauderaff, TE Dustin Keller

Redskins at Eagles

Redskins:?QB Rex Grossman, WR Brandon Banks, WR Dezmon Briscoe, LB Roddrick Muckelroy, LB Vic So?oto, G Adam Gettis, T Tyler Polumbus

Eagles: RB Stanley Havili, QB Michael Vick, RB Chris?Polk, DE Darryl Tapp, G Danny Watkins, OL Matt Kopa, WR Greg Salas

Bengals at Steelers

Bengals: CB Dre Kirkpatrick, K Mike Nugent, RB Daniel Herron, TE Richard Quinn, S George Iloka, DT Brandon Thompson, DT Devon Still

Steelers: CB Ike Taylor,?QB Byron Leftwich, CB Justin King, LB Adrian Robinson, DE Al Woods, OT Mike Adams, WR Plaxico Burress.

Rams at Buccaneers

Rams:??QB Austin Davis, RB Terrance Ganaway, DT Matt Conrath, T Joe Barksdale, WR Steve Smith, TE Cory Harkey, LB Sammy Brown

Buccaneers:?CB LeQuan Lewis, RB Michael Smith, G Roger Allen, WR Chris Owusu, WR David Douglas, DT Corvey Irvin, DT Matthew Masifilo

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/23/with-top-seed-locked-up-playoffs-loom-for-falcons/related/

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Analysis: Egypt's Islamists tighten grip on power

An Egyptian man reads a newspaper at a coffee shop in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. Egypt's opposition called Sunday for an investigation into allegations of vote fraud in the referendum on a deeply divisive Islamist-backed constitution after the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group backing the charter, claimed it passed with a 64 percent "yes" vote. Official results have not been released yet and are expected on Monday. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

An Egyptian man reads a newspaper at a coffee shop in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. Egypt's opposition called Sunday for an investigation into allegations of vote fraud in the referendum on a deeply divisive Islamist-backed constitution after the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group backing the charter, claimed it passed with a 64 percent "yes" vote. Official results have not been released yet and are expected on Monday. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian journalists tape their mouths and raise their pens during a demonstration against the draft constitution in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. Egypt's opposition called Sunday for an investigation into allegations of vote fraud in the referendum on a deeply divisive Islamist-backed constitution after the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group backing the charter, claimed it passed with a 64 percent "yes" vote. Official results have not been released yet and are expected on Monday. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian election workers count ballots at the end of the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of president Mohammed Morsi at a polling station in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution headed toward likely approval in a final round of voting on Saturday, but the deep divisions it has opened up threaten to fuel continued turmoil. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Egyptian election workers count ballots at the end of the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of president Mohammed Morsi at a polling station in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution headed toward likely approval in a final round of voting on Saturday, but the deep divisions it has opened up threaten to fuel continued turmoil. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

Egyptian election workers empty a ballot box for counting at the end of the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of president Mohammed Morsi at a polling station in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution headed toward likely approval in a final round of voting on Saturday, but the deep divisions it has opened up threaten to fuel continued turmoil. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)

CAIRO (AP) ? With the passage of a divisive constitution, Egypt's Islamist leadership has secured its tightest grip on power since Hosni Mubarak's ouster nearly two years ago and laid the foundation for legislation to create a more religious state.

The opposition's response ? a vow to keep fighting the charter and the program of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi ? ensured that the turmoil of the past two years will not end as many, especially the tens of millions of poor craving stability, had fervently hoped.

"The referendum is not the end game. It is only a battle in this long struggle for the future of Egypt," the opposition National Salvation Front said in a strongly worded statement on Sunday.

"We will not allow a change to the identity of Egypt or the return of the age of tyranny," added the front, which claims the new constitution seeks to enshrine Islamic rule in Egypt and accuses the Islamists of trying to monopolize power.

Critics say the new constitution does not sufficiently protect the rights of women and minority groups and empowers Muslim clerics by giving them a say over legislation. Some articles were also seen as tailored to get rid of Islamists' enemies and undermine the freedom of labor unions.

Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most powerful political organization in the post-Mubarak era, claimed early Sunday that the charter it had backed was approved in the two-stage vote with a 64 percent "yes" vote overall. Though official results will not be announced until Monday, there is little doubt they will confirm the passage.

Once the official result is out, Morsi is expected to call for a new election of parliament's lawmaking lower house within two months.

And if all of the elections since Mubarak's February 2011 ouster are any predictor, Islamists will again emerge dominant. In the last parliamentary vote in late 2011, the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies the Salafis ? ultraconservative Islamists ? won about 70 percent of seats.

If Islamists win the overwhelming majority again, there is nothing to stop their lawmakers from legislating in support of their longtime goal of turning Egypt into an Islamic state. The Salafis will likely seek to enlist the support of the less radical Brotherhood for legislation that would nudge Egypt closer to a religious state.

Khalil el-Anani, a British-based expert on Islamic groups, said the Salafis are likely to insist that every piece of legislation conforms with Islamic Shariah law, especially with regard to questions of morality, culture, personal freedoms and the nation's identity.

"The Salafis will want the Brotherhood to reward them for their campaigning for the 'yes' vote," said el-Anani. "The Brotherhood, meanwhile, will want to rebuild their image as a credible democratic group after a period in which it seemed in complete alignment with the Salafis."

The Islamists could also move early to pass laws restricting vibrant and outspoken privately owned media organizations that have flourished since the uprising and reported critically on Morsi and the Brotherhood.

Egypt analyst Michael W. Hanna said, however, that enduring political tensions will make it difficult for the Islamists to push ahead with any major or sensitive legislation.

"There will be a huge domestic backlash to any unpopular legislation, especially when it comes to the economy or the media," said Hanna of New York's Century Foundation.

Until the lower house is elected and seated, parliament's upper chamber, the Shura Council, will temporarily assume legislative powers and may give priority to more pressing issues.

After the opposition brought hundreds of thousands of protesters to the streets in the past four weeks, including tens of thousands outside Morsi's presidential palace in Cairo, the Shura Council is expected to hurriedly debate and vote on a legislation that would place tight restrictions on the right to demonstrate.

More serious challenges to Morsi's leadership may lie ahead. The millions who voted "yes" for the constitution are hoping for stability, jobs and business opportunities that may be slow in coming.

The president will soon have to introduce painful economic reforms to salvage a deal with the International Monetary Fund for a $4.8 billion loan that was delayed at Egypt's request because of the political turmoil of the past month.

A glimpse of what may be in store on that front emerged Sunday after Prime Minister Hesham Knadil met with the Cabinet's economic team.

"The current financial and economic situation is in grave danger," said Cabinet spokesman Alaa el-Hadidy. "Leaving things the way they are is not something we can afford to do," he said, hinting at the necessity of structural reforms. These will include price and tax hikes as well as lifting subsidies on fuel.

Morsi recently rescinded a package of price and tax hikes hours after he decreed them, saying he did not want to burden poor Egyptians with a higher cost of living. But economists say it is only a question of time before the package is re-introduced.

With foreign currency reserves around half of what they were two years ago and tourism revenues hard hit by resurgent political turmoil, the economy has been in a free-fall for months. Deepening the nation's economic plight is the seemingly endless series of strikes and demands for salary increases and better benefits.

Price hikes, warn many analysts, could prove to be the last straw for the nearly half of Egypt's 85 million people who live around the poverty line of surviving on $2 a day.

Many Egyptians want to see Morsi's government moving aggressively to tackle the nation's pressing problems such as security and reviving the vital tourism sector.

"We want factories to work again so we can find jobs here instead of traveling abroad to find work," said Mohammed Sweilam, a metal worker who spent seven years working in oil-rich Saudi Arabia. "When stability prevails, I will consider coming home to stay. Let us give the Brotherhood a chance. We owe them this," he said as he waited in line on Saturday to cast his vote in the town of El-Saf in Cairo's neighboring Giza province.

Another pressing issue for the new legislators may be the anti-Islamist editorial policy of the independent media, particularly privately owned TV networks whose political talk shows are watched nightly by millions and shape public perceptions.

Already, Morsi's allies have been filing numerous complaints against media celebrities who criticize or mock the president and the Brotherhood, including hosts of satirical shows and newspaper columnists. Several of them are on trial or being investigated on charges of "insulting" the president or undermining national security.

Since Morsi took office nearly six months ago, Brotherhood members or sympathizers have been named editors of most of the roughly 50 state-owned publications. The powerful information minister is a prominent Brotherhood leader.

A recent court ruling also shut down a TV network whose owner is a harsh critic of Morsi. Salafis who support Morsi have been staging a sit-in outside a media complex in Cairo for weeks to protest against what they say is the anti-Islamist policies of private TV networks housed there.

The constitutional crisis has re-energized and united the once-fractured opposition, turning it into a force to be reckoned with in the fight over Egypt's future. In a sign of its newly found strength, the National Salvation Front, the main opposition group, on Sunday scornfully rejected a Brotherhood invitation for dialogue.

The opposition has dismissed the constitution as the fruition of an illegitimate process.

The low turnout for the referendum ? 32 percent of the more than 51 million eligible voters, or 20 percent of Egypt's 85 million people, according to unofficial results ? has shown the limitations Islamists face in marketing an Islamic state in a nation still largely loyal to secular traditions.

Morsi could be tainted by allegations of voting violations instigated by Islamists and reported by rights groups. The charges could cast doubt on the democratic credentials of the Islamists and lead to damaging analogies between Morsi's administration and Mubarak's authoritarian regime, which oversaw massive electoral fraud for years.

The opposition is demanding an investigation of alleged wrongdoing in the vote.

The Brotherhood insisted violations were limited and should not affect the referendum's integrity.

But prominent lawyer and rights activist Negad Borai described the violations as systematic.

"What happened in the referendum could lead to violence and bloodshed if repeated in a parliamentary election when the stakes are higher," he warned.

___

Hendawi is the Associated Press chief of bureau in Cairo.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-23-Egypt-What's%20Next-Analysis/id-f964cf36c7ba4849b6561af131491148

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