Monday, December 31, 2012

Nobel Scientist, Wash U Professor Dies In Rome

Posted on: 11:54 am, December 30, 2012, by Staff Writer, updated on: 11:43am, December 30, 2012

Rita Levi-Montalcini

ROME (AP) _ Rita Levi-Montalcini, a biologist who conducted underground research in defiance of Fascist persecution and went on to win a Nobel Prize for helping unlock the mysteries of the cell, died at her home in Rome on Sunday. She was 103 and had worked well into her final years.

Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno, who announced her death in a statement, called it a great loss ?for all of humanity.? He praised her as someone who represented ?civic conscience, culture and the spirit of research of our time.?

Italy?s so-called ?Lady of the Cells,? a Jew who lived through anti-Semitic discrimination and the Nazi invasion, became one of her country?s leading scientists and shared the Nobel medicine prize in 1986 with American biochemist Stanley Cohen for their groundbreaking research carried out in the United States. Her research increased the understanding of many conditions, including tumors, developmental malformations, and senile dementia.

Italy honored Levi-Montalcini in 2001 by making her a senator-for-life.

A petite woman with upswept white hair, she kept an intensive work schedule well into old age. ?At 100, I have a mind that is superior _ thanks to experience _ than when I was 20,? she said in 2009.

Levi-Montalcini was born April 22, 1909, to a Jewish family in the northern city of Turin. At age 20 she overcame her father?s objections that women should not study and obtained a degree in medicine and surgery from Turin University in 1936.

She studied under top anatomist Giuseppe Levi, whom she often credited for her own success and for that of two fellow students and close friends, Salvador Luria an Renato Dulbecco, who also became separate Nobel Prize winners. Levi and Levi-Montalcini were not related.

After graduating, Levi-Montalcini began working as a research assistant in neurobiology but lost her job in 1938 when Italy?s Fascist regime passed laws barring Jews from universities and major professions.

Her family decided to stay in Italy and, as World War II neared, Levi-Montalcini created a makeshift lab in her bedroom where she began studying the development of chicken embryos, which would later lead to her major discovery of mechanisms that regulate growth of cells and organs.

With eggs becoming a rarity due to the war, the young scientist biked around the countryside to buy them from farmers. She was soon joined in her secret research by Levi, her university mentor, who was also Jewish and who became her assistant.

The 1943 German invasion of Italy forced the Levi-Montalcini family to flee to Florence and live underground. After the Allies liberated the city, she worked as a doctor at a center for refugees.

In 1947 Levi-Montalcini was invited to the United States, where she remained for more than 20 years, which she called ?the happiest and most productive? of her life. She held dual Italian-U.S. citizenship.

During her research at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, she discovered nerve growth factor, or NGF, the first substance known to regulate the growth of cells. She showed that when tumors from mice were transplanted to chicken embryos they induced rapid growth of the embryonic nervous system. She concluded that the tumor released a nerve growth-promoting factor that affected certain types of cells.

The research increased the understanding of many conditions, including tumors, developmental malformations, and senile dementia. It also led to the discovery by Stanley Cohen of another substance, epidermal growth factor, which stimulates the proliferation of epithelial cells.

The two shared the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1986.

Levi-Montalcini returned to Italy to become the director of the laboratory of cell biology of the National Council of Scientific Research in Rome in 1969.

Source: http://fox2now.com/2012/12/30/nobel-scientist-wash-u-professor-dies-in-rome/

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Assad's forces push to retake Damascus suburb

AMMAN (Reuters) - Heavy fighting raged on the outskirts of Damascus on Monday as elite troops backed by tanks tried to recapture a strategic suburb from rebels in one of the largest military operations in that district in months, opposition activists said.

Five people, including one child, died from army rocket fire that hit Daraya, the activists said. Daraya is one of a series of interconnected Sunni Muslim suburbs that ring Syria's capital and have been at the forefront of the 21-month-old revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

"This is the biggest attack on Daraya in two months. An armored column is trying to advance but it being held (back) by the Free Syrian Army," said Abu Kinan, an opposition activist in the area, referring to a rebel group.

He said that tens of thousands of civilians had fled Daraya during weeks of government assault but that 5,000 remained, along with hundreds of rebels. Daraya is located near the main southern highway leading to the Jordanian border 85 kms (50 miles) to the south.

Activists said the military is trying to push back rebels who have been slowly advancing from the outskirts of Damascus to within striking distance of central districts inhabited by Assad's Alawite minority sect.

Assad's forces have mostly relied on aerial and artillery bombardment, rather than infantry. Rebels have been able take several outlying towns and have clashed with government troops near Damascus International Airport, halting flights by foreign airlines.

Another activist in Damascus with connection to rebels, who did not want to be named, said Daraya has been a firing position for rebels using mortars and homemade rockets. From it, they have been able to hit a huge presidential complex located at a hilltop overlooking Damascus and target pro-Assad shabbiha militia in an Alawite enclave nearby known as Mezze 86.

"So far they have missed the palace but they are getting better. I think the regime has realized that it no longer can afford to have such a threat so close by, but it has failed to overrun Daraya before," he said.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis; Editing by Oliver Holmes and Peter Graff)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/assads-forces-push-retake-damascus-suburb-115147854.html

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Texas rallies for 31-27 Alamo Bowl win over Oregon State

SAN ANTONIO -- David Ash threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, the last a 36-yard strike to Marquise Goodwin with 2:24 left, to give Texas a 31-27 comeback victory over No. 15 Oregon State in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday night. ?

The Longhorns (9-4) never led before Goodwin scored his second touchdown on a deep post pattern, just a down after Texas converted a fourth-and-1 play to keep its chances alive. ?

Storm Woods ran for 118 yards and scored two touchdowns for Oregon State (9-4). The Beavers left stunned after looking as though they would wrap up their first 10-win season since 2006. ?

Down 20-10 at halftime, Texas coach Mack Brown said he told his players they would win. ?

"I told them this it wasn't going to be easy, but I told them this game was ours and we would win it," Brown said. "This one is really special." ?

The victory was a dose of much-needed good news for Texas after coming into the game under a cloud of questions following the suspensions of backup quarterback Chase McCoy and injured linebacker Jordan Hicks. ?

Ash, whose been pulled at times for McCoy this season, was 21 of 33 for 241 yards. Ash sputtered until the fourth quarter, when he went 9 for 11 for 146 yards. Texas had no choice but to stick with the only backups two redshirt freshmen who haven't taken a snap all season.? ?

Brown announced the suspensions Friday but wouldn't reveal which players were sent home. A person with knowledge of the suspensions told The Associated Press the players were McCoy and Hicks, speaking on condition of anonymity because Texas wasn't releasing the names. ?

Brown addressed the suspensions during a previously schedule news conference and referred to a local TV report that police were investigating two unidentified Texas players in an alleged sexual assault at a San Antonio hotel. Police released a heavily redacted incident report that only identifies the suspects as two students, one 20 and the other 21. ?

Authorities are still investigating and no charges have been filed. ?

Brown said he would not address the suspensions further. ?

Oregon State quarterback Cody Vaz was 15 of 28 for 194 yards. The Beavers had negative 4 yards in the fourth quarter as they were muffled by the Longhorns defense that was led by Alex Okafor, who finished with 4 1/2 sacks. The Longhorns had 10 sacks in the game.

Although Goodwin's touchdown catch might have won the game, two spectacular Texas plays in an earlier 83-yard scoring drive handed the Longhorns momentum -- and a chance. ?

First was wide receiver Jaxon Shipley rescuing a pass sailing behind him with a dazzling one-handed grab at midfield. Ash made up for that off-target throw six plays later, slithering out of safety Anthony Watkins' near-certain sack and flinging the ball to Jonathan Gray, who then zipped down the sideline for a 15-yard scoring play that got the Longhorns to 30-27. ?

The Longhorns played for a national championship in 2009. What's followed has been the shakiest of Brown's 15 years at Texas: a combined 22-16 record, an overhaul of assistant coaches and stubborn instability at quarterback following seven spoiled years with Heisman Trophy finalists Colt McCoy -- the suspended player's brother -- and Vince Young under center. ?

A surge of four consecutive victories late this season put this nine-win season in reach -- a benchmark that had been the ho-hum standard of the Brown era. It comes following an unexpected twist earlier this month, when school President Bill Powers went to his blog to write that Brown had his "full support" and would remain the head coach. ?

Powers cited an increase an "increase in media speculation" about Brown's future. It was published on his blog the same day Brown would not yet commit to Ash or Case McCoy as his starting quarterback for the Alamo Bowl. ?

--The Associated Press

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2012/12/texas_rallies_for_31-27_alamo.html

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Ice storm update from Mayor Mark Stodola

The City of Little Rock is providing the following information in response to the recent ice storm. City staff continues to work around the clock to address all of the issue caused by this storm and will continue to do so until the City returns to normal.

Entergy reports that several additional circuits were lost Thursday evening, causing the number of meters without power to increase. As of 12:00 PM on Friday (12/28), 58,834 meters were without power in the Little Rock area.

Entergy Staff reports that there are 258 people on the ground scouting areas to determine what needs to be done to restore power. Currently the assessment is 100% complete on the circuits and 50% complete on laterals; Entergy's goal is to increase that number to 75% by Friday evening.

On Saturday, December 29, 2012, at 10:00 AM, Entergy will open a Customer Information Center at 900 Louisiana Street. Entergy Staff will be on hand to visit with individuals that have been, and continue to be affected by power outages. The center will remain open until Monday (12/31) or Tuesday (1/1).

Individuals should call 1-800-9OUTAGE to report any downed power lines.

City Staff reports that the main streets are clear and staff is now focusing on clearing residential streets. Salt crews will continue to salt streets that have an accumulation of ice and snow and as the temperatures warms, crews will move to the day shift to assist with the removal of trees, limbs & brush. Staff is aware of at least 200 locations with limbs and trees in the right-of-way.

If residents have storm debris in their yard and can move it to the curb, Public Works will waive any requirements that the limbs be a certain length or width. City staff will pick up and remove all storm debris beginning on Saturday (12/29), and will continue to do so until all storm debris has been removed. This will take several weeks.

The City's Solid Waste Crews report that Tuesday & Wednesday routes were collected on Thursday (12/27); however, only about 20% of the individuals on those routes placed their carts at the curb. On Friday, (12/28), Thursday routes were collected and once they were completed, staff returned to re-run the Tuesday and Wednesday routes. On Saturday (12/29), the Friday routes will be collected, and once again upon completion, staff will re-run the Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday routes to ensure that all garbage has been collected Staff reports that there are several North-sloping streets with large amounts of shade that they have not been able to access and that any streets with wires in the road or
low-hanging limbs are skipped and placed on a list for pick-up when conditions improve. As of Friday (12/28), there were thirty-two (32) trucks in operation.

Today (12/28), Waste Management began collecting the Thursday recycling routes and if they complete the route, they will look at going back at picking up the Tuesday and Wednesday Routes.

The Little Rock Fire Department reports that the generator at Station Number 20 is now operational and staff has returned to the station.

The Little Rock Police Department reports that all shifts are fully operational and that the city is being served as it would under normal conditions.

The City's Planning Department will waive the cost of reconnection fees and inspection fees for any meters that were damaged due to the ice storm. Staff reports that a Master Electrician needs to obtain the permit on behalf of the individual needing the work completed.

The City has dedicated the Southwest Community Center, located at 6401 Baseline Road, as a warming center. It will be in operation today (12/27) from 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM and from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. The Center will operate through January 1, 2013, or until it has been determined that a majority of the City's power has been restored.

In addition, the City has dedicated the Dunbar Community Center, located at 1001 West 16th, as a warming center and overnight shelter. It will be equipped with cots, food and essentials. Individuals are encouraged to bring their own bedding, cell phone chargers, snacks, entertainment, etc. This Center will also operate through January 1, 2013, or until it has been determined that a majority of the City's power has been restored.

Upon individual assessment of need, the Little Rock Fire Department will provide transportation for the elderly and disabled to the shelter or other locations for shelter.

(Source: City of Little Rock)

Source: http://littlerock.todaysthv.com/news/news/111639-ice-storm-update-mayor-mark-stodola

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Hire a Home Improvement Contractor for Your Home ... - Audio Video

Whether you are managing the demands of a growing family, or are financially sound enough to invest in a home addition, you need to get in touch with a reputable home improvement contractor in Arlington Heights. That?s the first and most important step in a home renovation project. You might need to speak to a structural engineer also if you are planning on altering your home?s structure as well.?

You should talk to more than a few of them in order to ensure that you get the very best available home improvement contractor. But sometimes that will put you in a catch-22 scenario because you will be tempted to go for the lowest bidder. It?s even better if you can talk to every one of them individually to discover why their prices are the way they are. The lowest bidder will not always provide you with the best service; unless it is a newbie trying to secure an impressive portfolio.?

Stay away from the substandard companies and avoid the ones who show up at your door step promising you wonders. One of the very first things that you ought to check about the home remodeling contractor is his track record; demand references and be aware that they are liable to give you a few.?

Generally a firm hires out their contractors, so it is essential they?re both registered by the correct associations. All states have their own licensing firms that hand out Home Improvement Contractor Licenses. Check in the Licensing and Business Registration Information Section of your state to see if the company is included. Every thing you can do to your house will require a different type of contractor, for example a General Building Contractor. The firm and the contractor should be properly insured so you will be safe in case of property damage, worker?s compensation and personal liability.?

Keep these things in mind while selecting your home improvement contractor:

? ? ?Inquire about his experience

? ? ?Check for references

? ? ?Check if he is licensed and registered

? ? ?See if the firm is registered

? ? ?Make sure he has insurance coverage

?

For more interesting facts and tips about home improvement contractors,?click here.

Source: http://audiovideo.au.pn/2012/12/27/hire-a-home-improvement-contractor-for-your-home-improvement-project/

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

All eyes on them, Senate leaders seek fiscal deal

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senate leaders rushed to assemble a last-ditch agreement to avoid middle-class tax increases and possibly delay steep spending cuts in an urgent attempt to find common ground after weeks of postelection gridlock.

An impatient President Barack Obama pressed top lawmakers to cut a deal before the year-end deadline, even one that falls short of the ambitions he and congressional leaders may once have harbored for a bigger deficit reduction package.

"The hour for immediate action is here. It is now," Obama declared.

Following a White House meeting Friday among Obama and congressional leaders, aides to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., began racing against the clock for a bipartisan bargain.

The leaders could present legislation to senators as early as Sunday, with a vote possible on Sunday or Monday.

The guest list for the White House meeting included Reid, McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. But the key players were clearly Reid and McConnell, both of whom stayed behind briefly at the White House and huddled with their staffs and Obama's top legislative aide, Rob Nabors, in the West Wing Cabinet Room just outside the Oval Office.

Neither side expected compromise to be easy. However, McConnell and Reid voiced unexpected optimism that they could work toward a deal that could win support in both their camps.

Warned Reid: "Whatever we come up with is going to be imperfect."

Whatever manages to pass in the Senate, with its Democratic majority, would then face a second test in the Republican-controlled House.

Boehner, a Republican speaker who has struggled recently with anti-tax rebels inside his own party, said through an aide that he would await the results of the talks between the Senate and White House. A House vote could come as late as Wednesday, the final full day before a new Congress takes office.

Officials said there was a general understanding that any agreement would block scheduled income tax increases for middle-class earners while letting rates rise at upper-income levels.

Obama was sticking to his campaign call for increases above $250,000 in annual income, even though in recent negotiations he said he could accept $400,000.

The two sides also confronted a divide over estate taxes. Obama favors a higher tax than is currently in effect, but one senior Republican, Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, said he's "totally dead set" against it. Speaking of fellow GOP lawmakers, he said they harbor more opposition to an increase in the estate tax than to letting taxes on income and investments rise at upper levels.

But the estate tax was more likely to be used as a possible bargaining chip that Democrats could give away in exchange for higher rates for top earners and other Obama priorities.

Obama and Democrats want to prevent the expiration of unemployment benefits for about 2 million long-term jobless men and women, and there is widespread sentiment in both parties to shelter doctors from a 27 percent cut in Medicare fees.

Also likely to be included in the negotiations are taxes on dividends and capital gains, both of which are scheduled to rise with the new year. Also the alternative minimum tax, which, if left unchanged, could hit an estimated 28 million households for the first time and mean an average increase of more than $3,000.

The White House has shown increased concern about a possible doubling of milk prices if a farm bill is not passed in the next few days, although it is not clear whether that issue too might be included in the talks.

One Republican who was briefed on the White House meeting said Boehner made it clear he would leave in place spending cuts scheduled to take effect unless alternative savings were included in any compromise to offset them. In previous White House proposals, Obama has suggested finding enough cuts in government spending to put off the steeper cuts for up to six months.

Obama, speaking to reporters following his meeting with the congressional leaders, faulted a system that left crucial decisions to the last minute, a way of governing that he said the public finds "mindboggling."

"Outside of Washington nobody understands how it is that this seems to be a repeat pattern, over and over again," he said.

Still, Obama himself is part of the negotiating process, and his meeting with all four top leaders Friday was the first since Nov. 16. A phone call he placed Wednesday night to McConnell was the first the Republican leader had received from a Democrat on the fiscal talks since Thanksgiving.

Looking to add pressure on negotiators, Obama said he expects Reid to put legislation on the floor to prevent tax increases on the middle class and extend unemployment benefits ? an implicit challenge to Republicans to dare to vote against what polls show is popular.

The start of negotiations in the Senate marked a new endgame for discussions that have moved in fits and starts since the November election.

Boehner refused for weeks to accept any rate increases, and simultaneously accused Obama of skimping on the spending cuts he would support as part of a balanced deal to reduce deficits, remove the threat of spending cuts and prevent the across-the-board tax cuts.

Last week, the Ohio Republican presented a Plan B measure that would have let rates rise on million-dollar earners. That was well above Obama's latest offer, which called for a $400,000 threshold, but more than the speaker's rank and file were willing to accept.

Facing defeat, Boehner scrapped plans for a vote, leaving the economy on track for the cliff that political leaders in both parties had said they could avoid. In the aftermath, Democrats said they doubted any compromise was possible until Boehner has been elected to a second term as speaker when the new Congress convenes Thursday.

___

Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Andrew Taylor contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eyes-them-senate-leaders-seek-fiscal-deal-082435547--politics.html

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RT @udayfoundation: Delhi's chilly winters: tales of despair, debt and hope on the streets http://t.co/rnxuGzbf We need more and more blankets ...

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Opinion: Republicans dismayed by current GOP

All sanity seems to have left the ranks of those in charge of the GOP. Increasingly, it is becoming clear that the party is against everything and for nothing. That?s not governing. That?s just lobbing hand grenades. And the GOP is shrinking daily before our eyes.

But those aren?t my words. That stinging assessment comes courtesy of Mark McKinnon, a Texas-based Republican consultant and adviser to George W. Bush.

At this point in the fiscal-cliff crisis, with House Republican ideologues seemingly so willing to plunge America over the precipice, there is indeed no need for me to state the obvious. I can just quote the sane Republicans, as they assail their unhinged brethren. For instance, here?s Congressman Steven LaTourette of Ohio, lamenting the tax-phobic conservatives who refuse to face fiscal reality:

?It weakens the entire Republican Party. ... It?s the continuing dumbing-down of the Republican Party, and we are going to be seen more and more as a bunch of extremists.?

And as a result, we now have a crisis of governance.

There?s no sane reason why President Obama and Congress can?t compromise on a year-end budget deal that raises taxes on top-bracket Americans (while preserving the Bush-era middle-class cuts), and slices into federal spending. Obama has already offered those terms ? a tax hike on people earning $400,000 or more (his original proposal was $250,000), plus an array of spending cuts deep enough to tick off the Democratic left. But the House GOP rank and file said no.

House Speaker John Boehner tried to woo his rank and file with ?Plan B,? proposing a tax hike on millionaires. But again his recalcitrant troops said no. Most Americans believe that a high-end tax hike is essential to any compromise ? every poll says so ? and Obama won re-election after campaigning on that premise. In fact, the Gallup poll released Wednesday reports that 54 percent of Americans endorse Obama?s handling of the fiscal-cliff crisis. The congressional GOP?s approval rating is 26 percent.

But House conservatives don?t care. They?re adamant that the rich should never be compelled to dip into their pockets for the betterment of all.

McKinnon, in his post the other day, ruefully wrote: ?It?s a very odd situation when the losing party is the party refusing to negotiate. It may be how you disrupt, but it is not how you govern.? Fellow Republican strategist John Weaver tweeted in disgust, after Plan B went down, that Boehner is stuck with the impossible task of ?herding cats on crack.?

It appears that the cats haven?t grasped the lesson of that Lincoln movie, which reminds us that compromise is the oil in the governing engine. In the absence of compromise, the engine breaks down. Without a year-end budget deal, two million Americans will immediately lose their federal jobless benefits, and middle-class taxes will rise (among other consequences). And all the polls agree that if we do a cliff dive, congressional Republicans will get the brunt of the blame.

So why are these House people behaving so self-destructively?

Many hail from safe districts where conservative voters dominate. Norman Ornstein, scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, calls these districts ?homogeneous echo chambers.? The incumbents are virtually guaranteed re-election ? as long as they toe the conservative line. If they were to compromise, they risk being challenged in primaries. As the purist group Club for Growth remarked last week, ?the only thing that motivates members of Congress is fear of losing their jobs.?

Actually, there is one other big motivator: slavish fealty to the one-percenters who bankroll the party ? and who are hostile to paying higher taxes.

So says Mike Lofgren, who spent 16 years as a Republican senior analyst on the House and Senate budget committees. He saw the party?s fealty to the rich up close. He quit last year because, in his words, ?my own party, the Republican Party, began to scare me.? From his new book:

?The GOP cares, over and above every other item on its political agenda, about the rich contributors who keep them in office. This is why tax increases on the wealthy have become an absolute Republican taboo.... The GOP?s mission is to protect and further enrich America?s plutocracy. The party?s caterwauling about deficits and debt is so much eyewash to blind the public.?

The crisis of governance might be alleviated if more Republicans spoke that way. Hopefully, some absolutists are still reachable. They should heed Mark McKinnon: ?We become a stronger Republican Party by acting like reasonable human beings who acknowledge reality.?

Copyright 2012 The Lawrence Journal-World. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. We strive to uphold our values for every story published.

Source: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/dec/29/opinion-republicans-dismayed-current-gop/

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FCC streamlines rules for aircraft broadband, promotes widespread in-flight WiFi

Image

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Report and Order today that updated regulatory requirements needed to provide broadband services on aircraft. In short, the commission has designated Earth Stations Aboard Aircraft -- the broadband modules placed on the exterior of aircraft -- as a licensed application and established a set regulatory process for future providers. What this means is that airlines will be able to select FCC-approved systems, verify that systems don't interfere with aircraft instruments, and obtain FAA approval in about half the time it takes now. The new FCC guidelines should make it easier for smaller airlines to install WiFi on their jets, allowing them to catch up to legacy carriers with nearly fleetwide internet access. This news might also be a mixed blessing for frequent flyers, some of whom see flying as the last bastion of peace in an otherwise connected world.

Continue reading FCC streamlines rules for aircraft broadband, promotes widespread in-flight WiFi

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Source: Federal Communications Commission

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

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Three New Jersey police officers shot at station

(Reuters) - Three New Jersey police officers were shot early on Friday at their police station, and one was in surgery for his wounds, a hospital official said.

The suspected gunman, who had been brought to the Gloucester Township Police station for a domestic incident, was killed in the exchange of gunfire, local TV reported, citing police officials. Gloucester is in central New Jersey about 16 miles outside of Philadelphia.

"A violent struggle occurred while the suspect was being processed," Gloucester Deputy Police Chief David Harkins said, according to Philadelphia TV station NBC10. The man was able to grab a gun and then opened fire.

The gunman was killed by police during the confrontation, Gloucester Police Chief W. Harry Earle said, according to the NBC10 report.

Gloucester Township Police declined to comment on the incident or to confirm the NBC10 report. An officer answering the phone said a press statement would be issued later in the day and a press conference was scheduled for Friday afternoon.

The three wounded police officers, two men and a woman, were brought to Cooper University Hospital shortly after 6 a.m. EST (1100 GMT), hospital spokeswoman Lori Shaffer said.

Two of the officers suffered minor wounds, but one of the three, a male, required surgery, Shaffer said. She had no more information on the extent of the officer's wounds.

The incident follows several recent multiple shootings in the United States, and comes two weeks after a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

One week ago in western Pennsylvania, a man with a pistol fatally shot three people and then opened fire on police. Three officers were injured in that incident, one in a collision from a car chase with the gunman, another from bullet fragments to the face and a third who was struck with gunfire to the chest but survived because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

(Reporting by Dan Burns in New York; Editing by Dale Hudson and Claudia Parsons)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/three-jersey-police-officers-shot-134330961.html

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

UFC 155 picks from Kevin Iole, Maggie Hendricks and Cagereaders like you

UFC 155 is only a day away. It's time for picks from Yahoo! Sports' columnist Kevin Iole, Cagewriter editor Maggie Hendricks, and Cagereaders who posted their picks on Facebook.

Kevin Iole: Junior dos Santos W5 Cain Velasquez -- I can't believe I'm picking against Velasquez. To me, he is in many ways the perfect heavyweight, with great conditioning, great wrestling and tremendous power. But how do we ignore what dos Santos has done? Much was made of Velasquez's knee injury before their first fight, but what isn't as well known is that Junior had a bad leg, too, and couldn't do much. It's going to be a dogfight, but I think Junior finds a way to pull it out.

Maggie Hendricks: Cain Velasquez W5 Junior dos Santos -- Velasquez was injured in his last bout with JDS. With a healthy knee, he'll get to use his wrestling to control and beat on JDS for five rounds.

Cagereaders: Couldn't ask for a better way to end the year than this rematch. This will last longer than the first but not by much. I'm picking Cigano by KO R1. Cain has amazing wrestling and ground and pound. However, I think Junior is the guy that has his number and things won't go as planned for Cain. Velasquez will come out more aggressive than the first fight and that will spell the end. Junior will rock him with some brutal counters causing Cain to shoot in for the take down. Junior will stuff the attempt and finish the fight with an uppercut around 3 minutes into the first. -- Jackson Torres

__

Kevin Iole: Joe Lauzon W3 Jim Miller -- Definitely will be the Fight of the Night in my opinion (is there any other kind of fight for Lauzon?) I don't think Joe will be able to submit Jim, but he is so active and works so hard I think he'll pile up the points to win.

Maggie Hendricks: Joe Lauzon Sub2 Jim Miller -- Lauzon's submission game is tough to beat. He will need to avoid Miller's well-rounded game, but can do it.

Cagereaders: My two favorite 155 pound fighters. When I saw Miller step in for Maynard, my heart sank. I'm going to see one them lose, and it looks to be J-Lau. Miller matches up really well for Lauzon's style. He has power in his punches and solid wrestling, backed up with a serious ground game and outstanding cardio. Joe has a killer instinct and a more dangerous ground game. Still, I like Miller taking this fought by a UD. -- Tom Hogan

--

Kevin Iole: Tim Boetsch W3 Costas Philippou -- Boetsch will grind out a victory by controlling the distance and limiting Philippou's power

Maggie Hendricks: Tim Boetsch W3 Costa Phillippou -- Ditto on what Kevin said. Boetsch won't make it a thrilling fight, but it will be a convincing win.

Cagereaders: Boetsch over Phillipou by 3rd Round TKO -- I think this fight will be back to forth, I have counted out Tim Boetsch in many fights just to be shocked, from the poor decision in the Lombard fight, to the amazing knock out of Okami, I think Phillipou gets the better of him early in the fight, while Boetsch owns the latter part of the fight, this could easily be fight of the night and if it does go decision, it will be close, but I see Phillipou gassing late and Boetsch taking advantage. -- Daniel Ryan

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Kevin Iole: Alan Belcher TKO2 Yushin Okami -- This outcome would have been unthinkable a year ago, but Belcher improves tremendously each time out and is now one of the world's most complete fighters.

Maggie Hendricks: Alan Belcher W3 Yushin Okami -- With title shot hopes hanging over him, Belcher has good reason to fight a smart game and come out with a win over Okami.

Cagereaders: Yushin Okami will beat Alan Belcher by decision. Okami will go back to what made him successful before his fight with Anderson Silva. He will use his jab and height, keeping Belcher back, then take him down for ground and pound. This will continue for 3 full rounds and Okami will come out with the unanimous decision. -- Marcus Min

__

Kevin Iole: Chris Leben TKO3 Derek Brunson -- This is a big fight for Leben, and I think he knows it. I expect him to eventually catch Brunson with something big that will end it.

Maggie Hendricks: Derek Brunson W3 Chris Leben -- In his first fight after a long layoff, Leben will have a hard time dealing with a wrestler with power like Brunson.

Cagereaders: Derek Brunson should be able to defeat Chris Leben by decision because he has a great wrestling background and Chris Leben may not be in the best shape coming off a 13-month layoff. -- Edgar Diaz

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-155-picks-kevin-iole-maggie-hendricks-cagereaders-161442619--mma.html

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Nellie Cano: Cell Phone Spy App Reviews - Technology ...

Cell Phone Spy Software Reviews. If you want to spy on and track someones cell phone learn which spy and tracking programs for cell phone are the best quality at the lowest price.

To make sure you select a mobile spyware program that is going to meet your needs you have to consider what features each of the phone spy programs have, how much you're willing to spend, and how important is technical support. Fortunately there are two or three cell phone surveillance programs that score A+ in all areas including price, technical support, satisfaction guarantee, spying features, as well as ease of install and use.

At the other end of the spectrum the absolute worst mobile phone spyware software is the least expensive at $15 (don't be too enticed by the price these two cell phone spy programs I am referring to have absolutely no money back guarantee and absolutely no technical support whatsoever) Case in point the two best spy phone programs, mobile spy and phone Sheriff, had a 60 day money back guarantee and a toll-free 800 number for customer help. The two worst cell mobile spy software apps have no technical support and offer no form of a money back guarantee whatsoever.

note: This posting on cell phone spyware reviews is a very shortened version of the full report which can be found at /mobiletelephonespyarticles/best-cell-phone-spy-software-review.htm

So here's a rundown of the different mobile spy programs that are best in several different categories.

Can you afford about .10 a day for a mobile spy? Both spy bubble($49 one time) and phone Sheriff($49 one year) cost this much.

If you have ever had bad experience with a phone spy app in the past then you'll be pleased to know Mobile Spy and Mobile Spy are two phone spy software programs that absolutely steal the award for the best and most comprehensive technical support including live chat as well as the ability to talk on the telephone with a live person should you need help. Cell spy programs with the most spying features include Mobistealth and CellControl.

Overall, in all categories, the absolute best cell spy programs are mobilespy, phonesheriff and spybubble. Ignore certain web sites claiming phone spy product x, y, or z, is a scam because this is biased information provided by shady affilates wanting to sway your decisions in favor of their making a commission on THEIR phone spy product affiliation.

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Source: http://nelliedcano618.blogspot.com/2012/12/cell-phone-spy-app-reviews-technology.html

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Samsung Galaxy Note II reportedly coming in black, triggers monolithic memories

Samsung Galaxy Note II reportedly coming in black, still won't be stealthy

Samsung gave Galaxy S III buyers a small rainbow of color choices in the summer, and there's signs that the Galaxy Note II might receive a similarly resplendent treatment. A supposed press image obtained by AndroidSlash shows the giant smartphone draped in a previously unavailable black that's potentially very striking -- and more than a little reminiscent of 2001's species-changing monoliths. There's no official word from Samsung on its authenticity, although we wouldn't be surprised knowing the company's history and the Note II's strong track record. When a theoretically niche device is selling like gangbusters, some added diversity could be in order. Just don't expect any Starchildren as a result.

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Via: SamMobile

Source: AndroidSlash (translated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/28/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-reportedly-coming-in-black/

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New Constitution divides Egypt as economy falters

The process of passing Egypt's Constitution has created more political distrust and anger. Meanwhile, a neglected economy is heading towards grim shoals.

By Dan Murphy,?Staff writer / December 28, 2012

Saddam Hassan, a protester injured during clashes with Muslim brotherhood supporters, stands outside his tent near the presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, Friday. The official approval of Egypt's disputed, Islamist-backed constitution held out little hope of stabilizing the country after two years of turmoil and Islamist President Mohammed Morsi may now face a more immediate crisis with the economy falling deeper into distress.

Amr Nabil/AP

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New constitutions are usually greeted with great fanfare. They're assumed to carry both the promise of a fresh start and signal that a chaotic transition has come to an end.

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But Egypt's new constitution is something else again. Signed into law on Dec. 26 by President Mohamed Morsi, the new charter has become a symbol of a sharply divided nation. Mr. Morsi's opponents charge the passage of the constitution is not the result of a national consensus, but?evidence that the Muslim Brotherhood that propelled Morsi to power intends to push its agenda over the heads of secular-leaning and liberal political opponents.

While Morsi extended an olive branch to opponents in a nationally televised speech on Dec. 26, the country is at its most sharply polarized point since longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February 2011. Egypt is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections in about two months, and the runup to that election is more likely to exacerbate Egypt's open political wounds rather than heal them.

What will that mean? More street protests, more chaotic governance, and no short-term fixes for an economy that was weak at the time Mr. Mubarak fell and has gone from bad to worse. The Egyptian pound fell to its lowest point against the dollar in eight years this week, and the currency may say more about what happens to Egypt in the coming years than the contents of the new Constitution. Roughly 30 million of Egypt's 80 million people get by on $2 or less a day, and are heavily reliant on government subsidies. The Egyptian government spent $3 billion on its subsidized bread program alone last year.

And with tourism in the dumps and a collapse in local and foreign investment, the government's ability to meet the most fundamental needs and demands of its citizens has been badly strained. Foreign reserves stood at about $36 billion at the start of 2011. Today, foreign reserves are at about $15 billion.

Finding a solution to Egypt's economic woes won't be easy. But for now, that issue is being pushed to the side, with a loose coalition of secular-leaning groups vowing to fight against the Muslim Brotherhood's agenda. The opposition argues that individual liberties are now threatened by the enshrining of aspects of Islamic law into the Constitution and giving Egypt's powerful military the right to detain and try civilians under some circumstances.

Morsi promised a national dialogue this week and said "mistakes" were made in the drafting of the Constitution, but those remarks fell completely flat as a conciliatory gesture. In the past few weeks he's gotten everything he wanted and critics of the Constitution received zero concessions. Now that he has the document in hand, offers of "dialogue" are being seen as an attempt to put a magnanimous gloss on what was a bare-knuckle, winner-take-all contest that Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood just won.

Leftists, so-called liberals, and Egyptians who want a secular approach to the state and Egyptian identity are furious and pondering their next moves. The Brotherhood, meanwhile, is sticking to the game plan that's made it the winner in all four elections held (two referendums, the last parliamentary election, and the presidential) since Mubarak was driven from power in February 2011: superior organization and on-the-ground mobilization.?

While opponents of the Constitution pointed to low turnout in the referendum as a sign of general public dissatisfaction with the document, the Brothers have won both elections with overwhelming turnout and ones with small turnout. With the constitution set, next up are fresh parliamentary elections that the movement is going to pull out all the stops to dominate, just like it did last time.

That annulled parliamentary election has much to do with why Morsi's political opponents trust neither him nor his movement. In 2011, the Brothers loudly proclaimed that they had no intention of dominating Egyptian politics and vowed to contest only about 30 percent of the seats in the next parliament. The movement and its newly minted Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) also promised not to run a candidate for president.

But as the contours of the new Egypt started to emerge, and the prospect of a counter-revolution by military officers looked less likely, the Brothers abandoned both promises. Obviously, Morsi won the presidency. And as for Parliament, the Brother's contested 100 percent of the seats, winning almost half of them.

Now on Morsi's agenda is victory in the parliamentary election. If the Brothers can steamroll the opposition again, they'll hold the presidency, the legislature, and a Constitution written with little input from the country's secular-leaning forces.

But the real challenge is Egypt's weak economy and the increased suffering of its poor. Absent economic improvement, and soon, the turmoil of Egypt's past two years could well end up being overshadowed.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/pcEL7BZF1L4/New-Constitution-divides-Egypt-as-economy-falters

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Workers Compensation Insurance For Colorado Roofing ...

Workers Compensation Insurance For Colorado Roofing Companies To Rise

The Colorado roofing industry will experience increased rates to their workers comp insurance due to industry wide claims and rising medical expenses. ? Pricing for roofing contractors is already at an all time high as rates hitting .2155? based on the annual payroll .? This means if you have roofing employees with $50,000 of payroll your annual premium could be over $10,000 per year.? ?

There are limited insurance carriers willing to provide insurance for roofing contractors.? This means roofers must be careful with who they hire, safety procedures, and implement best practices to avoid claims, which could impact your annual premium.

Need To Get Workers Compensation Insurance For Your Roofing Company?

Complete our online application for roofing contractors.?

Source: http://www.gpbusinessinsurance.com/workers-compensation-insurance-for-colorado-roofing-companies-to-rise/

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Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Vaucrains 2006 by Chevillon

Robert Chevillon remains the go to address for modern , powerful Nuits-Saint-Georges. The wines are true to their appellations and good agers, as a 2001 Pruliers popped recently demonstrated .

Regular readers will know I prize Mugnier Nuits above all, but I?m cheap, I?ll drink anything good. Places to go in Nuits are Chevillon,, Gouges, Mugnier, Alain Michelot, Jean Chavenet, de Montille, Cathiard, l?Arlot and, on one occasion, Dujac. But this promises to be a quality interpretation of the 2006 Nuits Premier Cru experience.

Chevillon Vaucrains 2006 with child

The Editor got me this to demonstrate my place in the relationship.

Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Vaucrains 2006, Robert Chevillon

Despite the heady, Porty fruit this remained a construction of dark berries and leafy earthiness ? very Nuits. That Port-y fruit is a bit of a shocker, to me anyway, I haven?t found many such voluptuous Nuits in 2006. It?s engaging in it?s sense of place and richly earth on the nose. Sadly not pulsing with dimension, the lesser quality of the vintage hampering its potential complexity. The palate had a silky smooth entry and then the powerful Vaucrains rigour asserts itself. It?s a manly wine but not terribly sophisticated. Still it?s fruit and tannin vivacity levels make me think you should drink this soon.

Drink with stock and Port stewed shin of Jersey beef:

?Shin of Jersey beef stew


Source: http://elitistreview.com/2012/12/28/chevillon-vaucrains-2006/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

NCKU's i-Transport robot wheelchair helps riders reach full height

NCKU's iTransport robot wheelchair helps riders reach loftier heights

Those who have to use a wheelchair are often bound to the elevation of the seat if they want to reach something, which isn't fair when some parts of our world are still built for standing height. Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University is redressing that imbalance with the i-Transport. Its robotic vehicle can raise the driver to an upright level and shift them into a better position to grab objects that wouldn't otherwise be at arm's length. The added independence doesn't stop with the assistance, either, as the i-Transport carries its own blood pressure and breathing monitors to keep checkups to a minimum. NCKU hasn't said how likely it is that we'll see the robot enter mass production, but we hope it forges ahead -- the potential freedom would be worth the effort.

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Source: NCKU

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/27/nckus-i-transport-robot-wheelchair-lifts-riders-to-full-height/

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Russia's Putin: I'll sign law banning US adoptions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced he intends to sign into law a ban on Americans adopting children from Russia.?Many Americans, and many Russians, see the proposed ban as a political manuever that comes at the expense of children. Channel Four's Jane Deith reports.

By NBC News staff and wire reports

Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled on Thursday that he would sign a controversial bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children, a defiant move against the United States that has angered some who argue that it victimizes children to make a political point.

The law could block dozens of Russian children expected to be adopted by American families from leaving the country and cut off one of the main international routes for Russian children to leave orphanages that are often dismal. Russia is the single biggest source of adopted children in the United States, with more than 60,000 Russian children being taken in by Americans over the past two decades.


The bill is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators and part of an increasingly confrontational stance by the Kremlin against the West.

Related: Americans may lose right to adopt Russian children

Putin said U.S. authorities routinely let Americans suspected of violence toward Russian adoptees go unpunished ? a clear reference to Dima Yakovlev, a Russian toddler for whom the bill is named. The child was adopted by Americans and then died in 2008 after his father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours. The father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Putin indicated that he would endorse the measure.

"I still don't see any reasons why I should not sign it," he told a televised meeting, The Associated Press reported. He went on to say that he "intends" to sign it.

Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov on Wednesday said that 46 children who were about to be adopted in the United States would remain in Russia in case the bill comes into effect. On Thursday, he petitioned the president to extend the ban to other countries.

Courtesy Thomas family

John and Renee Thomas with their son, Jack, 7, who was adopted from Russia at the age of 3. Jack is hoping for his brother, Nikoly, now in a Russian orphanage, to join him in the United States.

Would-be adoptive parents in the United States are left hanging by Putin's position on the bill, which was passed by Russian lawmakers last week.

Among them are John and Renee Thomas of Minnetonka, Minn., Kari Huus of NBC News reported.?The Thomases have already adopted Jack, 7, from Russia. When they found out he had a little brother, they began the process to try to adopt him, too. The wait has stretched to four years, and now the adoption may be in danger.?

"When Jack is asked about his family, he talks about his brother," John Thomas said. "He always asks, 'When is he coming home?' We just tell him we?re waiting for the call."

More: Adoption of little brother caught in US-Russia spat

UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children without parental custody in Russia, while only 18,000 Russians are now waiting to adopt a child.

Russian President Vladamir Putin has said he'll sign a proposed law that would halt adoptions of Russian children to Americans. NBC's Duncan Golestani reports.

The U.S. State Department again registered its opposition to the Russian legislation.

"The welfare of children is simply too important to tie to the political aspects of our relationship," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Thursday. "Additionally, we are deeply troubled by the provisions in the bill that would restrict the ability of Russian civil society organizations to work with American partners." ?

Critics of the bill have left dozens of stuffed toys and candles outside the parliament's lower and upper houses to express solidarity with Russian orphans.?

An on-line petition urging the Kremlin to scrap the bill had garnered more than 100,000 Russian signatures by Tuesday.?

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16188750-russias-putin-ill-sign-law-banning-american-adoptions?lite

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Pakistan to play full series in West Indies in July 2013 ? Cricket ...

Pakistan to play full series in West Indies in July 2013 ? Cricket News Update

With the Pakistan Cricket Board hoping to host India in the return leg of the bilateral series in August next year, the PCB has convinced its West Indies counterparts to play a full series in July rather than splitting the national team?s scheduled trip to the Caribbean.

The Pakistan cricket team was initially scheduled to tour West Indies in June and July next year. But the itinerary had ran into trouble when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) requested its Pakistan counterparts to postpone the series by few weeks, as they wanted to host India and Sri Lanka in a short triangular one-day series, also in July.

Last week, it was reported that the PCB and WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) were contemplating over dividing the scheduled itinerary into two legs in a bid to allow the former to create a window for a home series against the archrivals India in August.

However, the sources from inside the Pakistan Cricket Board, on Wednesday confirmed that the Men in Green will now be travelling to the West Indies in July 2013 as planned to play a full-fledged series, comprising two Tests, five One Day Internationals and a one-off T20 International fixture.

"The problem is now sorted out and our team will be touring (West Indies) in July as planned earlier," a source told media reporters yesterday.

"Pakistan is very hopeful and keen that India can be convinced to come to Pakistan because India have made it clear it does not have a policy of playing any bilateral series in a third country," the source added further.

The sub-continental cricketing giants have recently resumed bilateral cricketing ties after a gap of more than five years, with the Pakistan players touring India for a short-limited overs series, and the Pakistan Cricket Board is hoping to invite the India cricketers for a return leg of the bilateral series in late 2013.

"Since bilateral ties have resumed after five years (as India and Pakistan are playing each other currently in India) and presently there is lot of positivity in relations between the two boards, there is a good chance that India might listen to the suggestion of playing in August," another source said.

It may be noted here that Pakistan have not hosted an international cricket game since March 2009, when the on-tour Sri Lankan cricket team?s bus was attacked by militants in Lahore.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Pakistan-to-play-full-series-in-West-Indies-in-July-2013-Cricket-News-Update-a211327

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Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. commander in Gulf War, dies at 78

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., the hard-charging U.S. Army general whose forces smashed the Iraqi army in the 1991 Gulf War, has died at the age of 78, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

The highly decorated four-star general died at 2:22 p.m. EST (1922 GMT) at his home in Tampa, Florida, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Schwarzkopf, a burly Vietnam War veteran known as Stormin' Norman, commanded more than 540,000 U.S. troops and 200,000 allied forces in a six-week war that routed Hussein's army from Kuwait in 1991, capping his 34-year military career.

Some experts hailed Schwarzkopf's plan to trick and outflank Hussein's forces with a sweeping armored movement as one of the great accomplishments in military history. The maneuver ended the ground war in only 100 hours.

Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, who built the international coalition against Iraq, said he and his wife "mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation," according to a statement released by Bush's spokesman.

Bush has been hospitalized in Houston since late November.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta praised Schwarzkopf as "one of the great military giants of the 20th century." General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he "embodied the warrior spirit," and called the victory over Hussein's forces the hallmark of his career.

PHYSICAL PRESENCE

Schwarzkopf was a familiar sight on international television during the war, clad in camouflage fatigues and a cap. He conducted fast-paced briefings and toured the lines with a purposeful stride and a physical presence of the sort that clears barrooms.

Little known before Iraqi forces invaded neighboring Kuwait, Schwarzkopf made a splash with quotable comments. At one briefing he addressed Saddam's military reputation.

"As far as Saddam Hussein being a great military strategist," he said, "he is neither a strategist, nor is he schooled in the operational arts, nor is he a tactician, nor is he a general, nor is he a soldier. Other than that, he's a great military man, I want you to know that."

Schwarzkopf returned from the war as a hero and there was talk of him running for public office. Instead he wrote an autobiography titled "It Doesn't Take a Hero" and served as a military analyst.

He also acted as a spokesman for the fight against prostate cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 1993.

Schwarzkopf was born August 22, 1934, in Trenton, New Jersey, the son of Colonel H. Norman Schwarzkopf Sr., the head of the New Jersey State Police. At the time, the older Schwarzkopf was leading the investigation of the kidnapping and murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh's infant son, one of the most infamous crimes of the 20th century.

The younger Schwarzkopf graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1956. He also earned a masters degree in guided-missile engineering from the University of Southern California and later taught engineering at West Point.

CHESTFUL OF MEDALS

Schwarzkopf saw combat twice - in Vietnam and Grenada - in a career that included command of units from platoon to theater size, training as a paratrooper and stints at Army staff colleges.

He led his men in firefights in two Vietnam tours and commanded all U.S. ground forces in the 1983 Grenada invasion. His chestful of medals included three Silver and three Bronze Stars for valor and two Purple Hearts for Vietnam wounds.

In Vietnam, he won a reputation as an officer who would put his life on the line to protect his troops. In one particularly deadly fight on the Batangan Peninsula, Schwarzkopf led his men through a minefield, in part by having the mines marked by shaving cream.

In 1988, Schwarzkopf was put in charge of the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, with responsibility for the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. In that role, he prepared a plan to protect the Gulf's oil fields from a hypothetical invasion by Iraq. Within months, the plan was in use.

A soldier's soldier in an era of polished, politically conscious military technocrats, Schwarzkopf's mouth sometimes got him in trouble. In one interview, he said he had recommended to Bush that allied forces destroy Iraq's military instead of stopping the war after a clear victory.

Schwarzkopf later apologized after both Bush and Defense Secretary Dick Cheney fired back that there was no contradiction among military leaders to Bush's decision to leave some of Saddam's military intact.

After retirement, Schwarzkopf spoke his mind on military matters. In 2003, when the United States was on the verge of invading Iraq under President George W. Bush, Schwarzkopf said he was unsure if there was sufficient evidence that Iraq had nuclear weapons.

He also criticized Donald Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense at the time, telling the Washington Post that during war-time television appearances "he almost sometimes seems to be enjoying it."

(Reporting by David Alexander and Ian Simpson; Writing by Bill Trott; Editing by Stacey Joyce and Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/famed-gulf-war-u-general-schwarzkopf-dies-former-012253521.html

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Mod Mobile 11 Under 40 ? Class of 2012 | Mod Mobilian

On his recent visit to Mobile, urban planner Andres Duany made it clear (see Robbie McClendon?s article) that for Downtown Mobile to prosper it needs to attract the Creative Class ? artists and musicians. ?These ?colonists? begin the development that eventually leads to professionals ? ?dentists from New Jersey? ? patronizing and investing in the neighborhood.

Economist Richard Florida?of the University of Toronto described the Creative Class as ?people in design, education, arts, music and entertainment, whose economic function is to create new ideas, new technology and/or creative content.? ?The Creative Class is critical for the prosperity of post-industrial cities. ?The class not only creates new ideas and content that directly contribute to the economy, but their efforts create arts and entertainment that are essential for attracting professionals and entrepreneurs to a ?real city.?

Florida stresses that to succeed a city?must possess ?the three ?T?s?: Talent (educated/skilled population), Tolerance (for diversity), and Technology (infrastructure and knowledge). Leaders in this regard are Chapel Hill, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Austin, Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto, Portland, Lexington and Milwaukee. ?Think Apple CEO Tim Cook (who is from Robertsdale) and hundreds of other young, educated Mobilians who have fled to these cities. ?Within Alabama, Huntsville (and to a lesser degree Birmingham) have been successful in developing these as well.

?Florida and others have found a strong correlation between those cities and states that provide a more tolerant atmosphere toward culturally unconventional people, such as gays, artists, and musicians (exemplified by Florida?s ?Gay Index? and ?Bohemian Index? developed in?The Rise of the Creative Class), and the numbers of Creative Class workers that live and move there (2002).?

Most of Mobile ? both the citizens and ?leadership? ? have practically no concept of the importance of the Creative Class in the modern?knowledge-based economy. ?Airbus is a blessing for Mobile, but if we don?t build a solid,?cosmopolitan?downtown around it we could easily slip into decline again. ?Unless the populace and leadership?change their mindset?Mobile will waste this opportunity. ?We need to use Airbus to attract intelligent and educated people to build businesses based in Mobile.?Without a diversified economy ? a ?Plan B? ? Mobile will suffer from the ?Dutch disease? and will be at risk for local depressions at the whims of commodity prices and the decisions of the Boards of major employers (remember Brookley?). ? With a reliance on incentives, cheap labor and resource exploitation (i.e. a Third World economy) it is not a coincidence that Mobile has per-capita income significantly below the national average.

Mobile?s ?young leaders? too often engage in unproductive or even counter-productive behavior. ?Watching college football, hunting and fishing are the accepted pastimes of most young Mobilians and?are enjoyable for sure (we enjoy them ourselves occasionally), but the fact is when those pursuits occupy all our free time they do nothing to advance the community vis-a-vis the cities mentioned above. ? Even worse, we have encountered racism and other forms of intolerance and bigotry in some of our ?young leaders.? (Mobile?s??Country Club Rednecks? are killing us in this respect as they are most likely to express these views in front of visiting and newly arrived executives, entrepreneurs and professionals.) ?If we are dependent upon ?leaders? of this type Mobile is sure to remain mired in poverty and ignorance.

So we feel it is critical to recognize the young, creative people who are putting their efforts into actively bettering Mobile with their talents. ?You will find them spending their weekends building businesses Downtown and creating works of art. ? If Mobile is ever to catch up with Birmingham or Huntsville or New Orleans or Atlanta or Chapel Hill or even Austin, to any degree, we are dependent on these young men and women. ?We hope to see their role appreciated by all Mobilians.

Unfortunately these people are still far and few between in Mobile ? diamonds in the rough.

We hope to name 10 or so people (plus or minus ? we counted one couple together)?to the Mod Mobile under 40 for the first four years until we have ?40 under 40? and then we hope to build to a rolling 40 members after that. ?They will receive recognition during Arts Alive/SouthSounds weekend (April 12-14).

?

We are proud to announce the following people as members of the 2012 class of Mod Mobile 10 Under 40:

Dan Anderson: ?Photographer and videographer for Lagniappe and Mod Mobilian

?

Courtney Dreher Matthews: Artist; makeup artist; owner of Lunatix & Co.

?

Elizabet Elliot: Artist; founder of the Rumor Union.

?

April Hopkins: ?Artist; co-proprietor of PortAl Studio.
Zach Depolo: Artist; co-proprietor of PortAl Studio. ?Founder of the Downtown Creative and Wellness Foundation.

?

Carson Kennedy: Filmmaker and Program Director for the South Alabama Film Festival.

?

Brent ?Pluto? Parker: ?Musician/rapper and entrepreneur (owner of Club Infinity)

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Thomas Smith:?Director for Mobile?s Fighting Owl Films.
Erin Lilley: Actress for Mobile?s Fighting Owl Films.
?

?

Heath Underwood: Singer and songwriter for El Cantador; contributor to Tributaries 2012 anthology.

Jesmyn Ward: Author, winner of the National Book Award for Salvage the Bones;?Assistant Professor of English at the?University?of?South Alabama.

Source: http://modmobilian.com/2012/12/mod-mobile-40-under-40-class-of-2012/

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How to Tell Your Boss When You Need Something Out of the Ordinary

Murshed Chowdhury

How to Tell Your Boss When You Need Something Out of the OrdinaryI've been in the recruiting industry for more than a decade now. And as the CEO of a company I co-founded, I have the freedom to excuse myself from 1:15-2:15 p.m. every Friday to attend Jumu'ah?a weekly congregational prayer service for the Muslim community. However, it wasn't always so simple.

When I was hired at my first job in the industry years ago, I explained to my manager that I would need to be excused for a non-traditional lunch hour on Fridays. Of course, after running it up the ladder, I was granted permission to attend Jumu'ah so as not to create any religious discrimination issues. Nonetheless, my manager took me aside afterwards and plainly stated that he would not have hired me had he known about my unique situation in advance.

Reflecting on this experience, there are countless other scenarios in which qualified candidates experience roadblocks or at least anxiety in their job search because of unique situations that might cause them to complete their duties outside the realm of a hiring manager's expectation.

I am speaking about the kinds of job applicants whose faith might dictate fashion choices (headscarves, saris) that don't fit into an established uniform, or who need to leave early on Fridays to observe the Sabbath, or who have physical handicaps that require special attention during the workday?all factors that likely have nothing to do with a candidate's ability to do a job effectively but that still might cause alarm bells to go off in the mind of a prospective employer.

And while these issues are of little consequence to the average job seeker, they can be extremely stressful for candidates that can't compromise certain lifestyle choices or restrictions for a new gig, eliciting a series of difficult issues that candidates grapple with before meeting a hiring authority.

For example, do these candidates tell the person interviewing them that they can't shake hands with someone of the opposite sex? Do they mention that a headscarf is part of their everyday attire? That they must leave before sunset every Friday? That they can't undertake certain physical tasks? And if there is an appropriate time to address these issues, when?

The bottom line is that if any of the above-mentioned lifestyle choices/restrictions apply to you (and, of course, there are countless others that I did not reference), it is important to know how to navigate these waters to maximize the likelihood of a placement. Here are a few tips.

How to Tell Your Boss When You Need Something Out of the Ordinary

Don't explain why you'd make a tough hire

The most important advice I can give to others in these circumstances is simply to treat job interviews exactly as anyone else would treat them. In other words, there is no reason to focus on or even bring up any limitations one might have. Obviously, if they arise in conversation then it would be unwise to lie, but focus on your virtues and make no indication that any of your characteristics would stand in the way of your success in the role in question.

Naturally, it's important to research the job spec and make sure that's actually the case. For example, if one can never work weekends, then even the most capable candidates probably wouldn't thrive in a role that regularly schedules employees for Friday and Saturday.

However, in those gray-area cases in which candidates need only slightly bend established rules to make the job work for them (such as delaying lunch for an hour in my example, which had no effect on my ability to be an effective account manager), there is no reason to sell oneself short by telling your prospective employer all the reasons you'd make a tough hire.

At the end of the day, if you don't make any unique lifestyle choices or limitations a big deal, it will make it easier for the interviewer to judge you on your skills and merits alone. Then, once you've been determined to be a good technical and cultural fit for a role, hiring managers will likely have more reason to look past those issues (after all, highly sought after skills trump all else) instead of potentially clouding their judgment from the get go that you have special circumstances that may be burdensome to the company.

Stay optimistic

Always be positive, even if others try to make you feel otherwise. Truly positive people are the ones who remain optimistic in the face of adversity, and those who buy into the negative assumption that their unique circumstances will hold them back often end up becoming the ones who don't even try. After all, had I allowed myself to believe that attending Jumu'ah?a service I've always held dear?would prevent me from achieving my career goals, I wouldn't be writing here today. So get inspired, be yourself, and never let your personal choices or physical characteristics prevent you from pursuing your professional dreams.

Of course, once a candidate who is subject to unique circumstances accepts an offer, there is a series of other issues to navigate. For example?

When do you tell your employer about any special needs you may have?

While it may not be the best idea for candidates to bring up any of their unique needs during the early stages of the interview process, once they start in a new position it will be necessary to explain these situations to a manager so they can be accommodated. And when considering when to do this, new hires will want to explain their special circumstances quickly lest they come up and catch management by surprise (you don't want to be the man or woman who leaves early on Friday for the Sabbath without anyone understanding why).

As such, the orientation period that generally occurs in a new hire's first week is a great time to explain to a manager that a modest amount of flexibility will be necessary to accommodate certain physical limitations or religious practices. But, when having this conversation, it is always wise to have creative alternatives in mind. For example, if it is necessary that a new hire must leave early or for a period of time during the work day, express willingness to late or come in on a Sunday. This will hopefully convey to the manager in question that the hire doesn't expect special treatment and is willing to go the extra mile to accommodate those unique needs.

How to Tell Your Boss When You Need Something Out of the Ordinary

What if your manager or co-worker doesn't take kindly to your unique circumstance?

The point I'm trying to convey here is that with open and honest communication coupled with creative solutions, there should be no reason why open-minded colleagues would take issue with a new hire who needs a bit more flexibility in his/her job. However, in the case that any co-workers don't take kindly to these needs, it is important to know one's rights.

For example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits "denying a requested reasonable accommodation of an applicant's or employee's sincerely held religious beliefs or practices?or lack thereof?if an accommodation will not impose more than a de minimis cost or burden on business operations." By the same token, disability laws require employers to "provide reasonable accommodation to an employee or job applicant with a disability, unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense for the employer."

So with that in mind, talk to the company's HR rep, know your rights, arm yourself with creative solutions, and there should be no reason whatsoever that any unique lifestyle choices or physical limitations should hold qualified candidates back in the job force.


Murshed Chowdhury is the CEO of specialized IT staffing firm Infusive Solutions-? an NYC-based member of the Microsoft Partner Network that focuses on the placement of Windows systems engingeers, developers, desktop support, and SharePoint professionals.

Image remixed from v.s.anandhakrishna and Viorel Sima (Shutterstock).

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/9vNuFJ-uBEY/how-to-tell-your-boss-when-you-need-something-out-of-the-ordinary

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