Chris Jericho And Seth Rollins Trade Shots On Twitter, Photo Of Wade Barrett With IC Title

- Chris Jericho and Seth Rollins exchanged shots on Twitter on Saturday:

Rollins: "#justicelives in our hearts. And we will not be held down another second. Believe in righteousness. Believe in hope. #believeintheshield"

Jericho: "@WWERollins What the hell are you talking about junior? #flashinthepan"

Rollins: "@IAmJericho Not just talking, but actualizing. Changing the game that left you in the dust, senior. #believeintheshield #justicelives"

Jericho: "@WWERollins Learn how to cut a decent promo first, then come back and see me Henry."

Jericho: "@WWERollins Wannabe rock star?debatable. Actual 6 time WORLD Champion?undeniable. Wannabe NWO?@TheShieldWWE"

- Here is a photo of Wade Barrett with his Intercontinental Title at last night's RAW tapings:

Got a news tip or correction? Send it to us by clicking here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wrestlinginc_wwe_news/~3/WR9qYShRRw8/

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NBA Pacers' Assignee Orlando Johnson Helps Energize The Mad Ants

With Fort Wayne just a 2-hour drive from Indianapolis, it only makes sense for the Pacers to send their rookies north for some playing time. Orlando Johnson made the most of his minutes and led the Mad Ants to their fourth win of the season.

Indiana Pacer rookie, Orlando Johnson, got a chance to run this weekend after being assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for the second time this season. In his previous stint with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the 6-foot-5 guard scored a combined 45 points and pulled down 15 rebounds over two games.

The former UC-Santa Barbara standout continued his D-League success by leading all scorers with 24 points in the recent Mad Ants win against the Texas Legends.

After being named the "Big West Player of the Year", Johnson was selected in the second round (36^th overall pick) of the 2012 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He was then traded to the Pacers for cash.

So far, the 23-year-old looks like a solid investment. Simply put, Johnson can score from anywhere on the floor. He plays offense with confidence and can hit buckets on the run, off-the-dribble, or in catch and shoot situations.

At times, it seems that the more difficult the shot, the more likely it is to fall for Johnson. He has nice perimeter moves that give him just enough room to get shots off. The guard's high release point allows him to hit with ease, even with a hand in his face.

With that said, the Legends could not find a way to stop Johnson on Friday night. Late in the game, they opted for the double team. However, when Johnson couldn't split the defense and score anyways, he switched gears and dished out six dimes, in addition to pouring in of the points.

His strong performance pulled the defense out to the perimeter and created scoring opportunities for his teammates. Johnson was fast in transition and even mixed it up on the boards against bigger opponents, pulling down five rebounds too.

It must be jarring to go from sitting on the bench to dominating an NBADL contest, but Johnson has handled it well. In three games with the Mad Ants, he's averaged 23 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in 38 minutes per contest, and surely will only look to build upon that success as he continues in both the NBA and D-League.

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

Source: http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2012/12/30/3815042/nba-pacers-orlando-johnson-energizes-the-mad-ants

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The Legend Retires...

Well without a doubt Sachin is the greatest ODI batsman and perhaps India's greatest sportsperson. Many people found it easy to criticize him after every Indian match loss and especially if he had scored a 100 and called him selfish. In coming years people would find out how wrong they were when they will see Indian batting struggling and then they would repent their comments. If you think Sehwag, Gambhir, Sharma and others would consistently perform and win matches they are wrong! And they will find out pretty soon enough. Its end of Indian cricket for one day cricket match suddenly huge number of people will lose interest from ODI now. I think our team will not be able to fill his space. He is equal to 3 players in India.

Little master Feared and respected by opponents, he changed the definition of Indian batting and is greeted as one of the best cricketers to have ever played the sport. Truly in our nation, cricket is a religion and Sachin is the god. It is very sad for cricket lovers for retiring of great Master blaster, if he is playing against Pakistan; they will definitely loss all matches. Not only he is the greatest cricketer of last two decades but also he is a very humble and nice person, qualities which are very rare in super cricketers.

He took risk for 2 decades, and proved his mettle. Pakistan has not set any benchmark in cricketing, and to compare his career just on a series against a team like Pakistan..the risk he took and what he proved is clearly shown by these figuresODI: with 18,426 runs from 463 matches at an average of 44.83 with 49 centuries. Test: 15,645 runs in 194 matches at an average of 54.32 with 51 centuries, and most of his centuries have come against top teams like Australia, England and others.

He played cricket for 23 long years, carrying the expectations of a billion plus people from this subcontinent & beyond, is not an easy task What I like the most in him is the sincere dedication towards the game. He proved that you can be an icon to 1/6th of the people on this planet and still have steady head on shoulders. His aptitude to take pressure was incredible. No sportsman on this planet can last that long with the kind of pressure little master had. Honestly, you could find Amitabh, or the khans or even Tom cruise at an event in Mumbai. But he was out of boundaries. He can create mass mania anywhere. To keep his head steady for over 2 decades as one of the world best sportsman, he deserves a Nobel Prize. He is not a lightning but a Haleys comet; have to wait for another thousand years before a person like Sachin is born.

I wish all the very best for his future ahead, may Lord bless good health to him and his family. We always miss you in the format of that game in which you have set the benchmarks. We love and salute you

About the Author:
I work at pSocial.in. I am good in writing, So I developed writing as my hobby and started writing on amazing things like Sachin Tendulkar and Current Affairs

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/The-Legend-Retires---/4355874

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Deal reached for stopping spike in milk prices

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The top leaders in both parties on the House and Senate Agriculture committees have agreed to a one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill that expired in October, a move that could head off a possible doubling of milk prices next month.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., indicated the House could vote on the bill soon, though House leaders have not yet agreed to put the bill on the floor. In addition to the one-year extension that has the backing of the committees, the House GOP is also considering two other extension bills: a one-month extension and an even smaller bill that would merely extend dairy policy that expires Jan. 1.

Expiration of those dairy programs could mean higher prices at the grocery store within a few weeks. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Americans face the prospect of paying $7 for a gallon of milk if the current dairy program lapsed and the government returned to a 1948 formula for calculating milk price supports.

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner said Sunday that Republican leaders had not decided how they would proceed on the farm extension, though a vote could come as soon as Monday. Boehner has pushed back on passage of a new five-year farm bill for months, saying there were not enough votes to bring it to the House floor after the House Agriculture Committee approved it in July. The Senate passed its version of a farm bill in June.

The prospect of higher milk prices has motivated some action. The bipartisan extension also includes disaster assistance to farmers affected by a lingering drought this year, along with extensions to other farm programs that expired in October.

Instead of just extending current dairy policy, the extension bill includes an overhaul of dairy programs that was included in both the Senate and House committee bills. The new dairy programs include a new, voluntary insurance program for dairy producers. Those who choose that new program also would have to participate in a market stabilization program that could dictate production cuts when oversupply drives down prices ? an idea that hasn't gone over well with Boehner.

In July, he called the current dairy program "Soviet-style" and said the new program would make it even worse. Large food companies that process and use dairy products have backed Boehner, saying the program could limit milk supplies and increase their costs.

Stabenow blamed Boehner for getting to the point where an extension is the only option. "The lack of action by the House Republican leadership has put us in a situation where we risk serious damage to our economy unless we pass a temporary extension," she said.

One of the reasons Boehner has balked at bringing up a farm bill is disagreement within his caucus over how much money should be cut from food stamps, which make up roughly 80 percent of the half-trillion-dollar bill's cost over five years. House Agriculture Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., has unsuccessfully pushed his leadership for months to move on the legislation despite the disagreement over food aid.

On Sunday, Lucas said he hoped the extension would pass both chambers quickly as GOP leadership mulled their options.

"It is not perfect ? no compromise ever is ? but it is my sincere hope that it will pass the House and Senate and be signed by the president by Jan. 1," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/deal-reached-stopping-spike-milk-prices-195347513.html

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Facebook timeline restrictions keep your page intimate

December 29, 2012 10:50:00 PM

An expert speaks out :

One of the tips I give is Facebook is powered by an algorithm. And so it weighs very heavily your relationship with other users. You can end up starting to see the same people over and over again. You sort of have to seek out people you want to interact with.

Scott Eggert

Vice president for Social Media Club Sacramento

Editor's Note: This is the second of two parts on how you can take back control of your Facebook page through the use of new privacy tools offered on Facebook accounts.

NEW YORK ? I hate it when people send me personal messages by broadcasting it on my profile page, or timeline, for everyone to see. I'd rather that person send me an email or a private Facebook message that I alone could see. But many people still insist on posting such messages on my timeline anyway.

To address that, I effectively turned off my timeline. Someone can still post on it, but I've adjusted the settings so that person and I are the only ones who can see that note. I can still publicly share things that I want seen broadly, like a post I wrote promoting my sister's new yoga business. To make these adjustments, choose "privacy settings"?under the wheel again. Then click on "timeline and tagging" on the left.

Facebook alerts me when somebody else has attached my name to a post or picture, and I need to approve it before others can see it. The settings for this are found under the same "timeline and tagging" page. Turn on reviews for posts you've been tagged in.

FRIENDS OR?'FRIENDS'?

My news feed ? the stream of friends' links, photos and life comments ? was too cluttered with information about people I didn't know anymore. De-friending people seems rude and aggressive to me (although it may be a good idea down the road as decades of friends pile up).

Without severely paring down your friend list, here's how to get Facebook to show you only what you want to see:

Determine who shows up more on your news feed. When you're on your timeline page, click on "friends" at the top, near your profile picture, to see a list of all of your friends. Each person has a "friends" button next to his or her picture. To see more of that person's posts, choose "close friends." To see less, click "acquaintances." Friends won't know that you've sorted them this way. You can also do this by hovering over the name of the person posting on your timeline. A box will pop up with the person's profile picture and the same "friends" button.

To tweak what kind of updates you get from each friend, click "settings" under the same "friends" button. You can choose to see only updates on major life events and pictures, for example, while ignoring updates about their comments and likes on other people's posts.

If specific posts in your news feed annoy you, you can hide them. Hover over the top right corner of the post, click on the box that pops up, and choose "hide..." That will remove the post from your news feed, although you will still get future updates from that person.

You can also cut off all updates from a friend. After hiding a specific post in your timeline by that person, click "change what updates you get from..." Under the drop-down menu that comes up, click "unsubscribe." You can also ignore a person's Facebook activity by unchecking "show in news feed," under the same menu that lets you sort friends into "close friends" and "acquaintances."

Curating your news feed in this manner is burdensome if you have hundreds of connections. But the result is less tabloid magazine, more personal messages and cute pictures from people who are actually your friends.

SMALLER CIRCLES

One of the great benefits of Facebook is that it helps you keep in touch with a handful of people who have a shared interest. Hundreds of Facebook friends don't need to see the intimate interactions I have with a few closer friends. So I created private spheres for smaller circles ? smaller than the lists Facebook automatically generates based on your school information, hometown and employer.

I created such a group with three friends ? one from England, one from France and one from Los Angeles ? I had spent several days with in a small town in Colombia while on vacation. The four of us use that to post silly photos of ourselves from the trip and write each other personal updates. That spares everyone else from having to hear about the next time we're going to see each other.

To set up a group, go to your news feed by clicking on "home" up top. Then click "create group," which is on the left of the page, in the "groups" section. I typed in the three friends to add and chose to make the group "secret," which means only members of the group can see that it even exists. I also get notifications from Facebook whenever anyone posts to the group. You can turn those on from the "notifications" page under the wheel icon.

Source: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/facebook-122212-page-new.html

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The Keys To Developing A Home-Based Business | Rexunnet

Life is notorious for delivering sucker punches that can really knock the wind out of you. After being steadily employed for many years, you can suddenly become unemployed, and you are unsure of what your next step should be. Has the idea of a home-based enterprise ever occurred to you? This article will help you by giving you advice on how to get started being your own boss.

Running a home based business requires some considerations, that other business must follow as well, in regards to safety. This may mean that you have to put some money into new equipment, and it may also mean you setting some rules and boundaries. Not only will this keep your family safe, but it can also help you avoid expensive accidents. Home businesses are also not immune to government inspections for safety regulations.

TIP! If you spend money entertaining your clients, it may be tax deductible. Taking clients or business associates out for meals can be a deduction on your taxes.

Save all your receipts if you are operating a home business enterprise. All your business-related purchases, including transportation, are tax-deductible. Keep every receipt, you will never know what you can use for tax deductions. Unless you save your receipts, you may end up paying unnecessarily high taxes in April.

If you are starting a new home-based business, then you need an effective website. This is a key opportunity for you to expand your target audience and maximize sales. You can speed up the process of establishing your website and make it less of a hassle by enlisting the help of a professional.

Many home business enterprise owners are coming together online. Check out and research internet communities such as forums or message boards, and include both ones dedicated to your particular niche or outside your area of expertise. Other business owners may give you hints on how to run your own business.

Have business cards made up. Business cards can be ordered very cheaply online. You should always include your vital contact information, like your name, the name of your business and your phone number. List your contact info- this is important! The more options you give your customers for contacting you, the better.

Find competitive rates of businesses in your local area when trying to start your own. Use the information you glean from your research to determine what you should charge. Don?t be afraid to charge an appropriate value for your services.

TIP! If you are out of stock in a particular item, be sure to let your clients know about it. It?s extremely upsetting for customers when they learn that delivery on their order is going to be delayed for an extended time.

Be sure to set aside a specific work area in your home. Pick a roomy area of you home that has enough space to keep things well organized. A designated area for your business will keep things organized, one of the keys to ensuring success.

While reading this article, hopefully you were inspired to take your life into your own hands. You were given a lot of tips about starting a home business enterprise, and now is the time to grab the bull by the horns and go for it! You can keep this article for reference to read anytime you are not sure what the next step you should be taking is.

Source: http://rexunnet.com/home-business/the-keys-to-developing-a-home-based-business

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Roberto Clemente Death: Baseball Legend Remembered On 40th Anniversary

Posted: December 29, 2012

The 40th anniversary of Roberto Clemente?s death is coming on December 31, and with it are memories of the legacy he for baseball, as well as Nicaragua.

Clemente, born in Puerto Rico, visited Nicaragua?many times when he played on Puerto Rico?s baseball team. He quickly built lasting relationships with the country?s people.

The Huffington Post reports that, when the country experienced an earthquake in 1972, Clemente didn?t hesitate to send supplies and aid to the country, along with his solidarity.

When the last provisions were set to be shipped by private plane. Clemente decided to travel with the crew to deliver them so he could see they were taken to the right recipients.

It is believed that the plane was overloaded beyond its carrying capacity. The jet crashed into the ocean just minutes after take off, killing everyone aboard. Nicaraguans to this day try and honor Clemente?s memory. The government is currently working to build the Roberto Clemente baseball stadium for kids.

The stadium will have a capacity for 1,200 people and will allow more children to play while visitors enjoy a safe environment to watch.?Fidel Moreno, General Secretary of the Mayor?s Office, stated of the project:

?We will be inaugurating this stadium, precisely, in honor of the 40th anniversary of [Roberto Clemente?s] death, but above all, recognizing the great and extraordinary man, the extraordinary humanist, outstanding athlete and the example for Latin American youth that was Roberto Clemente.?

Yahoo! Sports notes that MLB Network is running a video to help people understand and remember what Roberto Clemente meant to the world of baseball.

Clemente?s death has been likened to the ?Day the Music Died? for baseball fans. The Hall of Fame waved its five-year waiting period, allowing Clemente to be inducted the summer following his death. While Nicaragua and the world of baseball remember Clemente on the 40th anniversary of his death, Neil Walker, the Pirates? former second baseman, thanks his friend and close friend for saving his life.

Walker had every intention of flying with Clemente to Nicaragua on December 31, 1972, but Roberto waved him off, saying, ?No, you need to go back and enjoy the evening.? If it weren?t for Clemente, Walker would have died in the tragic plane crash that night.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InquisitrSport/~3/-5qMUS3SLFE/

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NRA, Gun Rights Advocates, Left Out Of Talks To Reduce Gun Violence, Group's President Says

By David Ingram
WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (Reuters) - An effort led by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to find ways to reduce gun violence after the Connecticut school massacre so far has not included talking to the National Rifle Association, the president of the gun rights group said on Friday.
NRA President David Keene said neither Biden nor his staff has contacted the organization since President Barack Obama unveiled the effort on Dec. 19.
Keene said he was not surprised, given Biden's past support for new gun control laws. "He's not even a friendly antagonist," Keene told Reuters in an interview.
The lack of communication between the White House and the largest U.S. lobbying group for gun owners is a sign that the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, has so far failed to change long-held stances on gun politics. In that tragedy, a young man shot his mother with her own gun before killing 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Biden and up to four Cabinet officers are holding a series of meetings with outside groups to discuss possible gun legislation. The first was with law enforcement officials, another with mayors.
The White House has said other meetings will take place with gun safety groups and gun owners, among others, but it has not said whether the NRA will be invited. The White House had no comment on Friday.
Asked about the organization's influence, Obama struck an optimistic note on Dec 19. "The NRA is an organization that has members who are mothers and fathers," he said. "I would expect that they've been impacted by this as well, and hopefully, they'll do some self-reflection."
Two days later, NRA executive Wayne LaPierre said at a press conference that new gun laws were not the answer, calling instead for some form of armed guards in every school.
Keene told Reuters: "I'm willing to talk to anybody. I'm willing to sit down with anybody up there." He added, though, that he would not agree to "gut" gun rights.
"I'm going to want to have a conversation about how we protect our children," he said. "That's a serious conversation. Offering sort of feel-good bills doesn't strike me as serious."
Biden's group is due to offer its recommendations in January.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Thursday found that support remains high for preserving specific gun ownership privileges, such as concealed-weapon permits, as well as for some restrictions, such as background checks for every purchase.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/29/nra-gun-rights_n_2377972.html

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Media advisory/REMINDER: Canada's Economic Action Plan

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 30, 2012) - Dr. Kellie Leitch, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development and the Minister of Labour, will make an important announcement related to victims of crime.

Dr. Leitch will be available for a photo op and to answer questions from the media following the announcement.

Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.

DATE:	Sunday, December 30, 2012
TIME:	11:00 a.m.
PLACE:	Victims of Violence
	Canadian Centre For Missing Children
	340-117 Centrepointe Drive
	Ottawa, Ontario

Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=1741471&sourceType=3

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End of the world on 12/21/12? Not just yet, says the Vatican's top astronomer. (+video)

The director of the Vatican Observatory dismissed talk of a Mayan doomsday on Dec. 21, 2012, saying that the end of the Earth, if it happens, is billions of years away.

By Nick Squires,?Correspondent / December 20, 2012

A Mayan dancer performs at the Xcaret Eco Theme Park on the outskirts of Playa del Carmen, Mexico, on Wednesday. Although some say the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012, the Vatican's top astronomer is rather dubious.

Israel Leal/AP

Enlarge

A Mayan prophecy that the world will end this week may have the more credulous stocking up on supplies and fleeing to "sacred" mountains in the hope of miraculous last-minute salvation by aliens.

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Why NASA agrees with The Vatican: There is no 12-21-12 Mayan doomsday

But while the idea that Earth could be shattered into a billion pieces by some sort of interplanetary cataclysm has worried millions of people around the world, the Holy See's chief astronomer suggests that life as we know it is unlikely to come to an end quite so soon.

In an editorial in the Vatican's official daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano ? in an issue whose front-page article was entitled??The end is not nigh ? at least for now? ? Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the?director of the Vatican Observatory, criticized "pseudo-prophecies" about the end of the Universe.??

?In the media and on the internet there is a great deal of talk of the end of the world, which the Mayan calendar supposedly?predicted for Dec 21. If you do a search on Google, you get 40 million results on the topic,? wrote Father Funes, a Jesuit priest from Argentina.

A 5,125-year cycle known in the Mayan calendar as the Long Count comes to an end on Friday and has been widely interpreted by cultists, New Age disciples, and believers in the esoteric as heralding the destruction of the planet.

But in a lengthy discourse on astronomy and Christian belief, he said it was ?not even worth discussing the scientific basis of these claims."

He acknowledged that the universe was slowly expanding, but that the destruction of the Earth ? if it ever happens ? will not occur for billions of years.

In any case, he said, Christians subscribe to the ?fundamental conviction that death is not the last word.?

Four hundred years after the Roman Catholic Church put Galileo on trial for heresy based on his belief that the Earth revolved around the Sun and not the other way round, the Vatican is rather more forgiving of the science of astronomy.

Its observatory is at Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the pope, which lies in the hills outside Rome. One of the oldest astronomical research institutes in the world, it also has a research facility hosted by the Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Funes, who has a master?s degree in astronomy from the National University of Cordoba in Argentina as well as degrees in philosophy and theology, was made director of the observatory in 2006.

He has not been reluctant to take modern science into account when considering religious tenets. In an interview in 2008, he said it was possible that intelligent forms of life could exist on other planets in the solar system.

Aliens would still be God?s creatures, he said, in an article in L?Osservatore Romano headlined?"The extraterrestrial is my brother." The notion did not necessarily contradict the teachings of the Catholic Church, he said, arguing that to dismiss the possibility of alien life would be to underestimate God?s creative powers.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/u6rab7BSeuM/End-of-the-world-on-12-21-12-Not-just-yet-says-the-Vatican-s-top-astronomer.-video

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Indian rape victim dies in hospital

SINGAPORE (AP) ? A young Indian woman who was gang-raped and severely beaten on a bus died Saturday at a Singapore hospital, after her horrific ordeal galvanized Indians to demand greater protection for women from sexual violence that impacts thousands of them every day.

She "passed away peacefully" with her family and officials of the Indian embassy by her side," said Dr. Kevin Loh, the chief executive of Mount Elizabeth hospital where she had been treated since Thursday. "The Mount Elizabeth Hospital team of doctors, nurses and staff join her family in mourning her loss," he said in a statement.

He said the woman had remained in an extremely critical condition since Thursday when she was flown to Singapore from India. "Despite all efforts by a team of eight specialists in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to keep her stable, her condition continued to deteriorate over these two days. She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome."

The woman and a male friend, who have not been identified, were traveling in a public bus in the Indian capital, New Delhi, after watching a film on the evening of Dec. 16 when they were attacked by six men who raped her. They also beat the couple and inserted an iron rod into her body resulting in severe organ damage. Both of them were then stripped and thrown off the bus, according to police.

Indian police have arrested six people in connection with the attack, which left the victim with severe internal injuries, a lung infection and brain damage. She also suffered from a heart attack while in hospital in India.

Indian High Commissioner, or ambassador, T.C.A. Raghanvan told reporters that the scale of the injuries she suffered was "very grave" and in the end it "proved too much.

He said arrangements are being made to take her body back to India.

The frightening nature of the crime shocked Indians, who have come out in their thousands for almost daily demonstrations, demanding stronger protection for women and death penalty for rape, which is now punishable by a maximum life imprisonment. Women face daily harassment across India, ranging from catcalls on the streets, groping and touching in public transport to rape.

But the tragedy has forced India to confront the reality that sexually assaulted women are often blamed for the crime, which forces them to keep quiet and not report it to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule. Also, police often refuse to accept complaints from those who are courageous enough to report the rapes and the rare prosecutions that reach courts drag on for years.

After 10 days at a New Delhi hospital, the victim was brought to the Mount Elizabeth hospital, which specializes in multi-organ transplant. But by late Friday, the young woman's condition had "taken a turn for the worse" and her vital signs had deteriorated. It was clear then that she would not survive long.

Indian attitudes toward rape are so entrenched that even politicians and opinion makers have often suggested that women should not go out at night or wear clothes that might be seen provocative.

Other politicians have come under fire for comments insulting the protesters and diminishing the crime.

On Friday, Abhijit Mukherjee, a national lawmaker and the son of India's president, apologized for calling the protesters "highly dented and painted" women, who go from discos to demonstrations.

"I tender my unconditional apology to all the people whose sentiments got hurt," he told NDTV news.

Separately, authorities in Punjab took action Thursday when an 18-year-old woman killed herself by drinking poison a month after she told police she was gang-raped.

State authorities suspended one police officer and fired two others on accusations they delayed investigating and taking action in the case. The three accused in the rape were only arrested Thursday night, a month after the crime was reported.

"This is a very sensitive crime, I have taken it very seriously," said Paramjit Singh Gill, a top police officer in the city of Patiala.

The Press Trust of India reported that the woman was raped Nov. 13 and reported the attack to police Nov. 27. But police harassed the girl, asked her embarrassing questions and took no action against the accused, PTI reported, citing police sources.

Authorities in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh also suspended a police officer on accusations he refused to register a rape complaint from a woman who said she had been attacked by a driver.

--------

Associated Press writer Faris Mokhtar and Ravi Nessman in New Delhi contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indian-rape-victim-dies-hospital-215914078.html

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A Vancouver Stager's Top 10 Staging Tips for a Staged Bathroom

A Vancouver Stager?s Top 10 Staging Tips for a Great Staged Bathroom

As a Vancouver, B.C. Home Stager, I like to follow these simple guidelines when staging a bathroom for sale:

1.???? ?Edit Personal Items

In this Powder Room/very small bathroom, the bathroom counters were full of personal items.? Home buyers don?t want to see messy toothpaste tubes and used toothbrushes.? These items are too personal.? Purchase plastic baskets from the dollar store, fill them with all your personal toiletries and store them away in the bathroom cupboards.

Before Home Staging

After Home Staging

2.???? ?Create a hotel boutique chic atmosphere

I love staying in European hotels and enjoying the lovely, white, fresh linens, soaps and amenities.?? Nothing says hotel boutique bathroom like a white waffle curtain and simple curtain rings.? When staging your bathroom, remove colourful, frilly, too personal shower curtains with a clean, simple, white shower curtain for maximum impact.

3.???? Remove the germy ?ick? factor

Remove or hide away the toilet brush.? Just think about it.? No one wants to see or think about what germs linger on this apparatus, never mind be reminded of where it?s been.? Out of sight is out of mind.? That goes for garbage cans too. ?If at all possible, slip garbage cans inside bathroom cupboards.?

Master Bath Before Home Staging

Master Bath After Home Staging

4.???? Create a dreamy, spa-like atmosphere

A Master Bathroom is a luxury.? It?s a room where you can light candles, pour a nice warm bubble bath and enjoy a good book or a glass of wine.? You want to be pampered in a Master Bath, so set the stage.? Add candles, natural sponges, brand new loofahs anything to remind one of a spa.

After Home Staging

5.???? Use soft, natural colours

Use colours in a bathroom that are calming and spa-like.? Soft blues, aquas, natural taupe, warm grays, soft greens are all great choices for a bathroom.

6.???? Add artwork

When adding artwork to your home for sale, don?t forget the bathroom.? So many times I see no art in the bathroom.? Not only should you add artwork, but don?t be shy.? Stage the bathroom with? larger pieces, not just teeny tiny pictures. This adds more impact and drama.?

Before Home Staging

After Home Staging

7.???? Clean, clean, clean

This probably should be point number one, but no one wants to walk into a hotel bathroom and find the previous guest?s hair in the sink or bathtub.? Well, the same goes for a home that?s for sale.? Clean, polish, wash, shine, dust and then do it all over again!? Make sure that the bathroom looks and smells clean.?

8.???? The Bathroom is a no-carpet, rug or toilet lid cover zone!

Remove any used bath mats, furry toilet seat covers, and crocheted toilet roll covers.? Not only do these items retain nasty odors; they are also dated.? Also, remove any wall to wall carpet from the bathroom floor.? A carpeted bathroom is a huge turn-off for buyers and you will spend money wisely by replacing carpet with a tile, ceramic floor.

9.???? Think about a bathroom theme.

Don?t go too kitchy or crazy, but the Master Bathroom in this example was located in a home near the ocean.? For this reason, I added a glass starfish, some shells, and a painting with water and sea shells in it.?

After Home Staging

10.You can?t go wrong with white.

I know it?s tempting to put the guest towels with the gold tassels and brocade out in the bathroom, but try to resist.? Again, when you enter a hotel bathroom, all the towels are white.? White, fresh, new, fluffy towels send a message that this bathroom is clean and crisp.??

Don't forget - kitchens and bathrooms sell houses.? Follow these 10 simple staging tips for your bathroom and you will have a better chance of attracting more home buyers.

?

Source: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3565993/a-vancouver-stager-s-top-10-staging-tips-for-a-staged-bathroom-

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Facebook Shares Fall Briefly Amid Report of Instagram Quitters

Quotable Quotes

The patient had remained in an extremely critical condition since admission to Mount Elizabeth Hospital. She had suffered from severe organ failure following serious injuries to her body and brain. She was courageous in fighting for her life for so long against the odds but the trauma to her body was too severe for her to overcome.

Kelvin Loh

The Mount Elizabeth Hospital CEO was speaking after the death of a student gang-raped on a bus in India's capital Delhi.

Source: http://www.europesun.com/index.php/sid/211654945/scat/d805653303cbbba8

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Asus VG278HE

• Pros

  Solid color performance. Great motion handling. Ergonomic stand.

• Cons Narrow viewing angles. No USB ports. Weak grayscale performance.
• Bottom Line

  The Asus VG278HE is a versatile 27-inch monitor featuring a 144Hz refresh rate and a speedy pixel response. It?s a bit pricey and loses some pop when viewed from an angle but it handles gaming and video with aplomb.

By John R. Delaney When we reviewed the Asus VG278H earlier this year we awarded it an Editors' Choice for its overall performance and the fact that it was one of the first 120Hz monitors to support Nvidia's 3D Vision 2 with LightBoost technology. However, we weren't thrilled with its lofty price, lack of USB ports, and narrow viewing angles. The new Asus VG278HE ($499.99 list) also supports 3D Vision 2 with LightBoost, but it doesn't come with a 3D Vision kit like the earlier model does. Unfortunately, it also suffers from narrow viewing angles and weak grayscale reproduction. On the plus side, it boasts a faster 144Hz refresh rate and delivers a sharp, detailed picture, especially when it comes to gaming. It's still more expensive than most similarly sized TN (twisted nematic) monitors, though.

Design and Features
The VG278HE uses a 27-inch TN panel with a maximum resolution of 1,920-by-1,080 and a matte anti-glare coating. The screen is framed by thin 0.75-inch black bezels with a silver Asus logo attached to the bottom edge. The 16-pound cabinet is 2.75 inches thick and is supported by a mounting arm and base assembly that provides height, tilt, and swivel maneuverability. The round base sports a 3D emblem and a glossy black finish.

There are seven clearly labeled buttons located beneath the bottom bezel, off to the right. In addition to acting as menu navigation buttons they are also hot keys for selecting an Asus Splendid (picture preset) mode, adjusting volume and brightness, and selecting an input source. The Menu button launches the OSD (on screen display) where you can also select one of the Splendid presets (standard, scenery, theater, game, night view, sRGB), and adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, skin tone, and color temperature levels. There's also a Smart View setting that is supposed to improve picture quality when viewed from an angle but colors appear washed out with this setting enabled.

The rear of the cabinet holds DVI, HDMI, and VGA video inputs as well as headphone and audio input jacks, all of which are downward facing. While the headphone jack is a nice touch it would be more convenient if it was mounted on the side of the cabinet. There are no USB ports on this model nor is there a built-in 3D transmitter such as the one embedded in the VG278H's upper bezel. As mentioned earlier the Nvidia 3D Vision 2 kit is not part of the package and must be purchased separately for around $150 if you want 3D capabilities. The 3-watt speakers are appropriately loud and crisp sounding but are no substitute for a good 2.1 channel desktop speaker setup.

The VG278HE comes with a three-year warranty covering parts, labor, and backlighting. Included in the box are a dual link DVI cable, a VGA cable, and an audio cable. An HDMI cable is not included. You also get a CD containing a user guide and drivers.

Performance
The VG278HE turned in mixed performance results. Color gradation was even throughout the DisplayMate color Scales test and the panel delivered bold, well saturated colors in my test photos but it had trouble reproducing dark shades of gray. The three darkest shades of the 64-Step Grayscale test appeared black when they should have been progressing to a dark gray. Light grayscale performance was only slightly better.

The panel's 144Hz refresh rate coupled with a 2-millisecond (gray-to-gray) pixel response provided excellent motion handling, a plus for the gaming crowd. The action was fast and smooth while playing Far Cry 2 on the PC, and there was no discernible judder or ghosting. With the monitor connected to a PS3 console it performed flawlessly while I played Burnout Paradise, an action packed street racing game. As with the PC game there was no noticeable judder, smearing, or ghosting while displaying fast moving images.

The VG278HE used 29 watts of power during testing with ECO mode disabled. Enabling Eco mode brings that number down to 25-watts without making the picture too dim. That's much better than the earlier VG278H, which used 41-watts of power. Still, the VG278HE can't match the energy efficiency of the Samsung S27B750V, which used just 19-watts of power.

The Asus VG278HE will appeal to gamers who want trace-free performance while blasting their way through today's graphics-laden action games, but it may not be the best choice for users who rely on accurate grayscale reproduction to edit photos. Its fast refresh and pixel response notwithstanding, it can't measure up to the Asus VG278H's performance and 3D features. As such, the Asus VG278H remains our Editors' Choice for big-screen gaming monitors.

More monitor reviews:
??? Asus VG278HE
??? Samsung S27B750V
??? Dell S2740L
??? Viewsonic VX2770Smh-LED
??? AOC i2757fh
?? more

By John R. Delaney Contributing Editor, Monitors and HDTVs

As a Contributing Editor for PC Magazine, John Delaney has been testing and reviewing business displays, PCs, servers, and other assorted hardware and peripherals for the past 8 years. A 13-year veteran of PC Magazine's...

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/34ULZR50kA0/0,2817,2413639,00.asp

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Ouya developer console gets an official unboxing, flaunts - Engadget

It's a little early for an Ouya teardown, but Kickstarters who chipped in $699 won't have to wait long to see what the little console is made of -- Ouya's developer hardware is transparent. The console's team decided to cut the inevitable march of unboxing videos off at the neck, offering fans a quick preview of the package it's shipping out to devs. The standard accouterments are there -- the tiny console itself, two prototype controllers with batteries, HDMI and power adapters, plus a micro USB cord and a letter to developers thanking them for their investment and warning them of the early build's bugs. The note also cautions deep-pocketed gamers that the device is built specifically for developer use, and has no games to placate eager couch potatoes. The video shows the console booting up, and even demonstrates how easy it is to open the hardware. Skip on past the break to get a glimpse at what early adopters and developers are getting their hands on.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/28/ouya-unboxing/

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Experts: Trained police needed for school security

The National Rifle Association wants armed volunteers in all US schools. But school safety experts and school board members say there's a huge difference between a trained law enforcement officer who becomes part of the school family ? and a guard with a gun.

By Larry Margasak,?Associated Press / December 29, 2012

Cori Sorensen, a fourth grade teacher from Highland Elementary School in Highland, Utah, receives firearms training with a .357 magnum from personal defense instructor Jim McCarthy during concealed weapons training for 200 Utah teachers in West Valley City, Utah.

Rick Bowmer/AP

Enlarge

The student's attack began with a shotgun blast through the windows of a California high school. Rich Agundez, the El Cajon policeman assigned to the school, felt his mind shift into overdrive.

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People yelled at him amid the chaos but he didn't hear. He experienced "a tunnel vision of concentration."

While two?teachers?and three students were injured when the glass shattered in the 2001 attack on Granite Hills High School, Agundez confronted the assailant and wounded him before he could get inside the school and use his second weapon, a handgun.

Recommended:?Second Amendment Quiz

The National Rifle Association's response to a Connecticut school massacre envisions, in part, having trained, armed volunteers in every school in America. But Agundez, school safety experts and school board members say there's a huge difference between a trained law enforcement officer who becomes part of the school family ? and a guard with a gun.

The NRA's proposal has sparked a debate across the country as gun control rises once again as a national issue. President Barack Obama promised to present a plan in January to confront gun violence in the aftermath of the killing of 20 Sandy Hook Elementary School students and six?teachers?in Newtown, Conn.

Agundez said what happened before the shooting in the San Diego County school should frame the debate over the NRA's proposal.

With a shooting at another county school just weeks before, Agundez had trained the staff in how to lock down the school, assigned evacuation points, instructed?teachers?to lock doors, close curtains and turn off the lights. He even told them computers should be used where possible to communicate, to lessen the chaos.

And his training? A former SWAT team member, Agundez' preparation placed him in simulated stressful situations and taught him to evade a shooter's bullets. And the kids in the school knew to follow his advice because they knew him. He spoke in their classrooms and counseled them when they came to him with problems.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre, school boards, administrators,?teachers?and parents are reviewing their security measures.

School security officers can range from the best-trained police officers to unarmed private guards. Some big-city districts with gang problems and crime formed their own police agencies years ago. Others, after the murder of 13 people at Columbine High School in 1999, started joint agreements with local police departments to have officers assigned to schools ? even though that was no guarantee of preventing violence. A trained police officer at Columbine confronted one of two shooters but couldn't prevent the death of 13 people.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/HvpWj2hJBfA/Experts-Trained-police-needed-for-school-security

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Top 10 Legal Productivity Posts of 2012

iPads, Evernote, Treadmill Desks, Checklists, and M&Ms ? yes, the candy: 2012 was another banner year for the Legal Productivity Blog.

Thank YOU for coming back to read our posts, for sharing it on the social networks, and for your comments, suggestions, and engagement.

Here are our top posts for the year:

1. 9 IPad Productivity Tips ? Tips include how to: streamline Spotlight search functionality, lock in Portrait or Landscape mode, and restrict access to certain content.

2. Time Management, To-Do Lists And The 3 + 2 Rule ? First, identify only 3 big things and 2 small things to do in a day. Write down the 3 main activities you need to accomplish, each taking 2 to 3 hours, and 2 minor ones that take around 20 minutes each.

3. In Memory Of Finis Price ? Larry?s poignant tribute to a dear friend and giant in the legal profession.

4. 8 Great Sites For Mac Loving Lawyers ? Top sites that provide news, analysis, reviews, tips, tools and community for Mac loving lawyers and legal professionals.

5. 7 Purchases Under $15 That Boost Productivity For Attorneys ? When it comes to milking every last ounce of productivity out of your day, you don?t need to shell out for fancy executive coaches, sophisticated day planners, and related tools.

6. 5 Great Everyday Uses For Evernote ? A great daily-use application to store blog post ideas, to-do lists, meeting notes, and so much more.

7. Attorneys Take New Steps In Productivity With Treadmill Desks ? Between desk jobs, driving and television, attorneys are spending more time on their butts than ever. But some are taking this problem to court.
They?re walking and working at the same time, using treadmill desks.

8. How To Not Make Mistakes Using A Surprisingly Simple Tool: The Checklist ? So how can, as Mr. Gawande puts it, ?a stupid little checklist? be so powerful, especially when the people using them are very smart, educated, and come loaded with experience (i.e. doctors and lawyers)? The short answer is they reduce complexity.

9. 4 Twitter Productivity Tips ? Tips for a more productive daily Twitter experience.

10. Van Halen?s No Brown M&Ms: The Greatest Checklist Of All Time? ? Van Halen had a ?no brown M&Ms? rule along with other requirements at venues where they performed. They were management experts all along. Who knew?

We?re excited about 2013 and have lots more new, original content planned for you so keep checking back, or subscribe to our RSS feed so you don?t miss a post.

Have a happy, successful, and, of course, productive new year!

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Source: http://www.legalproductivity.com/get-productive/top-legal-productivity-posts-of-2012/

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Understand the Acoustic Reflex Hearing Test - romenagimer's ...

Posted by Andrea Avery on 12/26/12 ? Categorized as Health and Fitness

A hearing test can provide a great deal of information to your doctor about the overall condition of your ear. Though many people don?t realize it, the ears are prone to damage over time. Even if you?ve never worked in a noisy environment or been exposed to loud sounds on a regular basis, it is quite common to develop some limitations of the ability to hear just from aging. Yet, there is help available. It is a good idea for individuals to have a thorough screening of their ability to hear by the time they are 60 years old, and often before that. It provides important information to you about the overall condition of your inner ear.

The Acoustic Reflex Testing

One of the types of screenings your doctor will recommend is an acoustic reflex hearing test. This type of screening is an important step in determining what type of loss you may have. Generally, this method is able to pinpoint the area of the problem. Every person?s reflex to acoustic sounds is different, but everyone has one. When the tiny muscle that is located in the area of the middle ear contracts, or flexes, it is an indication that the ear is picking up a loud sound. Your doctor needs to know what loudness level is necessary for your acoustic reflex to occur.

Why Is This Important?

There are many reasons to conduct such a test. However, it is often done as a way to simply understand what you can hear and what you cannot. For example, in a healthy ear, the flex of this muscle will happen at a much sooner timeframe than it will for someone who has significant damage to the eardrum. As a result, you may not react to some types of loud sounds until the sound is much louder than what is considered a healthy level. That pinpoints the damage in the eardrum for the doctor.

What Happens Next?

After having this hearing test, your doctor will be able to tell you if it is possible to see improvement in your ability to hear by using an assisted hearing device. Many people will benefit from these devices that fit inside the ear canal. The device works to make sounds louder for you so that you can hear them better.

Take into consideration what symptoms you have today. If you think that you may have any type of loss in the ability to hear, discuss the condition with your doctor. Have a hearing test like this one to pinpoint any circumstances in which you could be at risk for developing a complication.

Know what to expect when you go in for a Santa Barbara, CA, hearing test? The acoustic reflex test is just one of the types of screening you will receive when you visit your doctor. Find out more by visiting: http://www.miracle-ear-santabarbara.com.

Source: http://www.articlesrx.com/understand-the-acoustic-reflex-hearing-test/10058

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Source: http://romenagimer.posterous.com/understand-the-acoustic-reflex-hearing-test

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maggiewillis0: interment saran: charlesmurra8: Speed reading apps

23 Dec

I installed some speed reading apps and tested them. I?ve so far notices a few ?categories? or groups of equals:

• One kind exists mostly from showing a text word by word in the middle of the screen. Showing each word a very short time and so you can read at a high wpm because you never need to move your eyes.
• Another kind is merely a speed reading article disguised as app.
• Another kind is no speed reading app but just a reading app with a fancy name.
• Yet another kind is training in the form of news/actually.
• And the last kind is a training app, not for your own stuff but purely for training.

I only tested them quickly and unions talked the non-interesting. But they aren?t quite what I?m looking for. Maybe I should write one myself for training and guided reading.

This entry was posted in Other and tagged Android, Self Improvement, Speed Reading. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://www.tjenwellens.eu/other/speed-reading-apps-for-android/

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Nicholas Kristof and the Ups and Downs of Charitable Giving

Nicholas Kristof and the Ups and Downs of Charitable Giving

If you miss a Nicholas Kristof column you never feel deprived. True, Kristof?s fulminations occasionally target outrageous practices, but he rarely gets beyond his overwrought emotions. Kristof is not a thinker. His strong suit is reporting. If he ever found himself in the marketplace of ideas he would be lost. Today, Kristof is not crusading against something horrific. He has offered a paean to philanthropic billionaires, like Ted Turner, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. To keep it balanced he includes a couple of gratuitous swipes at a billionaire named Trump whose eleemosynary instincts are, to Kristof, underdeveloped. Kristof thrills to the fact that billionaires have made charitable giving cool. He is ecstatic that they are funding leftist causes?like the United Nations. The prospect of seeing all of those capitalists billions funneled into the hands of leftist do-gooders excites Nicholas Kristof. Just think of how much trouble they can cause for big business. Just think of how much social justice they can engineer. Kristof notes happily that Ted Turner?s billion dollar gift to the United Nations has restored the prestige of the United Nations. But, ask yourself this: what has the UN done lately? Kristof does not raise the issue because he is gaga over the UN, but this same organization, its prestige raised by Ted Turner?s gift, has recently recognized the legitimacy of Palestine. Lest we forget, the UN seems often to be in the business of bashing Israel. Were it not for the fact that New York City profits greatly from having the UN in town, few would notice if it disappeared tomorrow. If Kristof had practiced the intellectual virtue of consistency, he would have recalled one of his best columnar efforts,one in which he, in a rare moment of lucidity, explained that the people of Haiti need more factories and less charity. Obviously, all of those charitable donations are not being and have not been invested in Haitian industry. I don?t need to tell you how that?s working out for the people of Haiti. Today, Kristof devotes his column to the lame idea that Ted Turner has made charitable giving cool again. Forgetting the great philanthropists of the past, Kristof opines: Tycoons used to compete for their place on the Forbes and Fortune lists of wealthiest people. If they did give back, it was often late in life and involved museums or the arts. Tycoons used to compete for their place on the Forbes and Fortune lists of wealthiest people. If they did give back, it was often late in life and involved museums or the arts. They spent far more philanthropic dollars on oil paintings of women than on improving the lives of real women. Turner?s gift helped change that culture, reviving the tradition of great philanthropists like Rockefeller and Carnegie. Turner publicly began needling other billionaires ? including Bill Gates and Warren Buffett ? to be more generous. That was a breach of etiquette, but it worked. Only someone as dense as Kristof would write a sentence like: ?They spent far more philanthropic dollars on oil paintings of women than on improving the lives of real women.? Does Kristof really believe that billionaires collect ?oil paintings of women? instead of helping real women? Does he believe that philanthropists who support the arts are to be condemned for not giving their money to boondoggles like the United Nations? Does he not understand that buying art is an investment? Does he want to explain to all of the female artists whose careers are support by charitable donations that they are not real women? Does he really believe that the United Nations does yeoman work supporting real women around the world? Will he explain how much it is helping the women who are oppressed by Islamist cultures? Is it so distracted by its hatred for Israel that it does not have the time or energy to help those women? Does Kristof really believe that the best way to improve the lives of real women is to give them handouts? Obviously, Kristof did not think about what he was writing. In his columns, it?s a reversion to the mean. ? If you ask why these billionaires like to give money to leftist causes, the reason might lie in the fact that they can count on useful columnists like Kristof to shower them with good press. These people did not make fortunes by being stupid. They are happy to enhance their reputation and shield themselves from the peasants with pitchforks by buttering up the zealots of the mainstream media. My misgivings notwithstanding, Kristof is a star columnist in a newspaper that has seen better days. If you want to know why the New York Times is in something of a death spiral, you should compare and contrast Kristof?s praise of charitable billionaires with a recent article in a reputable newspaper-- the Financial Times. Admittedly, Kristof writes an opinion column. The FT article was reporting news. But, even opinion writers should know the facts and should know better than to allow their fantasies to replace reality. The FT reports the state of charitable giving. It may be cool to give money to charity, but the truth is, charitable giving has fallen off of the cliff. The woes of the global?charity industry?are deepening as donations ? both smaller individual gifts and philanthropy ? continue to contract as demand for the services of non-profit organisations keeps mounting. Charity officials and experts harbour little hope for a meaningful recovery in 2013. Individual donations ? the single biggest source of revenue for most charities ? have shrunk sharply in many western countries. Bigger gifts from philanthropists and endowments have also slumped after the financial crisis took its toll on their assets. Also, the FT reports that: ??philanthropic giving in the US has contracted for five straight years, from a total of $43bn in 2007 to $11bn this year ? the lowest since the list began in 2000.? It may be ?cool? to give money to charity, but, in reality, a drop from $43,000,000,000 to $11,000,000,000 is huge. If it happened to your portfolio you would fire your broker. As for the United Nations, one of its least controversial arms, UNICEF has been receiving less money: ?Unicef, the UN children?s agency, estimates that its income declined 7 per cent to $3.4bn in 2012.? The moral of the story: when you write for today?s New York Times you do not have to bother with the facts.

Source: http://stuartschneiderman.blogspot.com/2012/12/nicholas-kristof-and-ups-and-downs-of.html

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No deal in sight as deadline for fiscal deal nears

President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One to return to Washington, at Honolulu Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, after spending Christmas with his family in Hawaii, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One to return to Washington, at Honolulu Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, after spending Christmas with his family in Hawaii, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive to visit with members of the military and their families in Anderson Hall at Marine Corp Base Hawaii, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The first family is in Hawaii for a family holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama waves from the window of his motorcade vehicle as he returns from golf and a walk on the beach with his family at Marine Corp Base Hawaii, in Kailua, Hawaii, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. The president and the first family are in Hawaii for a family holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

President Barack Obama waves to base peronnel before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington, at Honolulu Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, after spending Christmas with his family in Hawaii, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

President Barack Obama greets base visitors and personnel before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington, at Honolulu Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, after spending Christmas with his family in Hawaii, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Lawmakers are engaged in a playground game of "who goes first," daring each political party to let the year end without resolving a Jan. 1 confluence of higher taxes and deep spending cuts that could rattle a recovering, but-still-fragile economy.

President Barack Obama returns from Hawaii Thursday to this increasingly familiar deadline showdown in the nation's capital, with even a stopgap solution now in doubt.

Adding to the mix of developments pushing toward a "fiscal cliff," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner informed Congress on Wednesday that the government was on track to hit its borrowing limit on Monday and that he would take "extraordinary measures as authorized by law" to postpone a government default.

Still, he added, uncertainty over the outcome of negotiations over taxes and spending made it difficult to determine how much time those measures would buy.

In recent days, Obama's aides have been consulting with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid's office, but Republicans have not been part of the discussions, suggesting much still needs to be done if a deal, even a small one, were to be struck and passed through Congress by Monday.

At stake are current tax rates that expire on Dec. 31 and revert to the higher rates in place during the administration of President Bill Clinton. All in all, that means $536 billion in tax increases that would touching nearly all Americans. Moreover, the military and other federal departments would have to cut $110 billion in spending.

But while economists have warned about the economic impact of tax hikes and spending cuts of that magnitude, both sides appear to be proceeding as if they have more than just four days left. Indeed, Congress could still act in January in time to retroactively counter the effect on most taxpayers and government agencies, but chances for a large deficit reduction package would likely be put off.

House Republican leaders on Wednesday said they remain ready to negotiate, but urged the Senate to consider or amend a House-passed bill that extends all existing tax rates. In a statement, the leaders said the House would consider whatever the Senate passed. "But the Senate first must act," they said.

Aides said any decision to bring House members back to Washington would be driven by what the Senate does.

Reid's office responded shortly after, insisting that the House act on Senate legislation passed in July that would raise tax rates only on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.

Meanwhile, Obama has been pushing for a variant of that Senate bill that would include an extension of jobless aid and some surgical spending reductions to prevent the steeper and broader spending cuts from kicking in.

For the Senate to act, it would require a commitment from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell not to demand a 60-vote margin to consider the legislation on the Senate floor. McConnell's office says it's too early to make such an assessment because Obama's plan is unclear on whether extended benefits for the unemployed would be paid for with cuts in other programs or on how it would deal with an expiring estate tax, among other issues.

What's more, House Speaker John Boehner would have to let the bill get to the House floor for a vote. Given the calendar, chances of accomplishing that by Dec. 31 were becoming a long shot.

Amid the standoff, Geithner advised Congress on Wednesday that the administration will begin taking action to prevent the government from hitting its borrowing limit. In a letter to congressional leaders, Geithner said accounting measures could save approximately $200 billion.

That could keep the government from reaching the debt limit for about two months. But if Congress and the White House don't agree on how to avoid the "fiscal cliff," he said, the amount of time before the government hits its borrowing limit is more uncertain.

"If left unresolved, the expiring tax provisions and automatic spending cuts, as well as the attendant delays in filing of tax returns, would have the effect of adding some additional time to the duration of the extraordinary measures," he wrote.

Whenever the debt ceiling hits, however, it is likely to set up yet another deadline for one more budget fight between the White House and congressional Republicans.

Initially, clearing the way for a higher debt ceiling was supposed to be part of a large deal aimed at reducing deficits by more than $2 trillion over 10 years with a mix of tax increases and spending cuts, including reductions in health programs like Medicare. But chances for that bargain fizzled last week when conservatives sank Boehner's legislation to only let tax increases affect taxpayers with earnings of $1 million or more.

Obama and his aides have said they would refuse to let Republicans leverage spending cuts in return for raising the debt ceiling. But Republicans say the threat of voting against an increase in the limit is one of the best ways to win deficit reduction measures.

Another potential showdown is pending. A renewed clash over spending could come in late March; spending authority for much of the government expires on March 27.

___

Follow Jim Kuhnhenn on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jkuhnhenn

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-27-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-c01bc8ee9ea449a7b0a5222396e26564

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