Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Popgadget Personal Technology for Women: HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE ...

Crazy%20Lady.jpg

Holiday shopping making you crazy and putting you into a "holidaze?" Have no fear! Even though there are only a few shopping days left, we are here to help see you through with our latest holiday gift guide. Let us help you decide what to get for the techie... okay... geek... in your life. Click continue to read on...

Beats%20Exec.jpg

Beats Executive Headphones

Welcome to the grown-up version of the Beats by Dre headphones. Get the amazing audio that made Beats famous in a package that is befitting someone heading to the boardroom and not the classroom. Featuring active noise reduction and easy foldability, these are the perfect take-along for the business traveler that wants to enjoy their music without looking like they stole their teenager's headphones. $300 from Beats by Dre.

Violent%20Lips.jpg


Violent Lips

Here's a gift for the glamour girl on your list... Temporary lip tattoos. While you may want to reserve the Union Jack version pictured above for the giftee on your list that typically sports a fluorescent green mohawk, there are many available styles including quite a few that are much less ummmm... British. On sale for $10 or less at Violent Lips.

Bose.jpg

Bose Solo TV Sound System

Does your swanky new flat-screen TV provide you a great picture but give you lackluster sound? The Bose Solo will kick your TV's tinny sound up to put your audio on par with your video. Proprietary DSP auto adjusts to keeps you dialogue sharp and your volume on an even keel at all times, providing the depth and detail you have been missing. $400 from Bose.


Hue%20Bulb.jpg

Hue Bulbs

Wi-Fi light bulbs? iOS bulb app? Yup. Philips has created a truly smart bulb system that allows you to control your lighting environment right from your phone. And, we're not talking just on and off. Try the ability to adjust them to every color in the spectrum - even adjust the temperature of your basic white light from cool blue white to warm golden white. So, with a few taps, you can go from a cozy reading lamp to homemade disco. $200 for a set of three bulbs and base controller from Philips.


Moshi%20Keyboard.jpg

Moshi Luna Keyboard

The beauty of this keyboard is evident in its sleek design - not just its looks, but also in its quality engineering (i.e.: individual scissor-key mechanisms). However, where it really shines (pun intended) is at night thanks to its elegant backlighting. The fully illuminated keys are enhanced by a halo lighting effect that is created by the clear border / wrist rest. So uber-geeky! Works with either Mac or Windows, but includes Mac-specific keys unlike most dual-compatible keyboards. $100 from Moshi.


Oxygenics.jpg


Oxygenics BodySpa Skin Care Shower Head

So, a showerhead doesn't seem so hi-tech, right? Well, this one may be the exception. Designed to pressurize the water flow (which has its own water-saving, environmentally friendly benefits), this showerhead has the added benefit of increasing the oxygen content in the water 10 times. Sounding like something you would actually find in a spa, the oxygenation creates negatively charged ions that counter free radicals... all of which, promises the manufacturer, will give your giftee rejuvenated, younger looking skin. Available in fixed or hand-held model. $39 and up from Oxygenics.


Macarons.jpg

French Macarons

These ain't your grandma's coconut macaroons (notice the spelling difference, even if the pronunciation is the same). Not too long ago these were one of France's best-kept secrets, but they have been spreading like wildfire in the U.S. Macarons combine an almond meringue cookie shell that is both crispy and chewy with all sorts of amazing fruit and creme fillings. Only the French could bring us something this decadent. Your foodie friend will appreciate this gift for sure! Assortments from $14 and up at Macaron Cafe.

G%20Shock.jpg


G-Shock Bluetooth Watch

So, how do you make your super-popular G-Shock watch line even cooler? Add Bluetooth, of course. Connecting to your iOS or Android phone via a free app, the latest wristwear from Casio will do things like alert you to incoming calls and e-mails, help you track down your misplaced phone, and sync your watch time with your carrier's signal. Its advanced Bluetooth 4.0 technology means you only have to change the batter every 2 years! $180 from Casio.


MontBlanc%20Hitchcock.jpg

MontBlanc tribute to Alfred Hitchcock

The latest entry in the MontBlanc "Great Characters" limited edition series pays tribute to the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The subtle details of the pen's design will be appreciated by the Hitchcock aficionado on your list, like the spiral design on the barrel reminiscent of the pivotal scene in Vertigo or the pocket clip that replicates the knife from the infamous shower scene in Psycho. Definitely a special gift for a special geek! $3,300 and up at MontBlanc.

Source: http://www.popgadget.net/2012/12/holiday_gift_gu_28.php

file taxes online tupac shakur sledge hammer tax day freebies madison bumgarner wnba draft tax day

Arthritis Pain: Arthritis Exercise Program - Health Me Up

Arthritis pain can be quite defeating, but it can be overcome. When considering an arthritis exercise program, one has to understand your limitations and what level of exercise is likely to give you results. Exercise increases strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain, and helps combat fatigue in arthritis patients. But when you are fidgeting with stiff and painful joints, the thought of? walking or swimming a few laps might bog you down.

But one needs to understand that you dont need to run a marathon, or be a Micheal Phelps in the swimming pool! Even moderate exercise can ease your pain and help you maintain a healthy weight. When arthritis threatens to immobilize you, exercise keeps you moving.

?A person suffering from Knee Osteo Arthritis needs to keep fit and try and avoid aggravation of the Arthritis,? informs Healthmeup.com expert, Dr Dilip Nadkarni, Orthopedic surgeon, Mumbai . Osteoarthritis is basically wear and tear of the knee joint surface. The knee often becomes painful, stiff and the person can develop a limp. To cope with Osteoarthritis (OA), Dr Nadkarni gives us the 3 S formula.

*Images courtesy: ? Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images

previous next '; $("#SiteLoginDiv").html(statusLoginStr); $("#SiteLoginDiv").show(); $("#CommonLoginDiv").hide(); //-To Show the Twitter Post Box T("#maincommentdivfortweeter").tweetBox({ height: 100, width: 600, defaultContent: "http://toi.in/67ohHZ", onTweet : function (data){ //--------------Function to Post data to the insert2dbfile var whihcflag = $("#whichcontype").val(); var first_name = $("#first_name").val(); var last_name = $("#second_name").val(); var screenName = $("#userscreenname").val(); var profile_url = $("#userprofilelink").val(); var profileImage = $("#userprofileimage").val(); var loginusertypeid = $("#loginusertypeid").val(); var comment_text = data.replace("http://toi.in/67ohHZ",""); var comment_parentid = $("#comment_parentid").val(); var content_id = $("#content_id").val(); $.post("http://healthmeup.com/2db/comment2db.php",{'login_type':'twitter','whihcflag':whihcflag,'first_name':first_name,'last_name':last_name,'screenName':screenName,'profile_url':profile_url,'profileImage':profileImage,'loginusertypeid':loginusertypeid,'comment_text':comment_text,"content_id":content_id,"comment_parentid":comment_parentid},function(data){ if(jQuery.trim(data)=='error'){ $("#showerrorComment").html('User and password did not match.'); document.getElementById('showerrorComment').style.display="block"; }else if(jQuery.trim(data)=='BadWord'){ $("#comment_text").focus(); $("#commentBoxRes").html('Whoa... STOP right there! Pls feed us love, not spam, links or abusive words :) Help us keep Healthmeup a happy place!'); document.getElementById('commentBoxRes').style.display="block"; }else{ $("#commentBoxRes").show(); $.post("http://healthmeup.com/tpl/tplGetcommentadded.php",{"content_id":content_id,"pageval":"1","whichflag":whihcflag},function(data){ $("#showcommentcontent").html(data); var nocomments = $('#nocomments_'+18059).val(); //console.debug(nocomments); if( nocomments > 0){ $('#comment_'+18059).html(''); $('#comment_'+18059).html(''+nocomments +' Comments ' ); } }); } }); } }); //$("#login-logout").append('Sign out of Twitter'); $("#signout").bind("click", function () { twttr.anywhere.signOut(); $("#first_name").val(''); $("#userscreenname").val(''); $("#userprofilelink").val(''); $("#userprofileimage").val(''); $("#loginusertypeid").val(''); window.location.reload(); }); $("#logindiv").hide(); }else{ T("#twitter-connect-placeholder").connectButton({ authComplete: function(user) { // triggered when auth completed successfully setQuestion(); window.location.reload(); } }); /*document.getElementById("twitter-connect-placeholder").onclick = function () { T.signIn();}; T.bind("authComplete", function (e, user) { // triggered when auth completed successfully window.location.reload(); });*/ //$("#logindiv").show(); $("#maincommentdiv").show(); //$("#facebooktwitteruserdetails").hide(); $("#maincommentdivfortweeter").hide(); }; }); });//------------Document Ready //-------------------FAcebook User Starts var badword=0; function postthecomment1(){ var comment_text = jQuery.trim($("#comment_text").val()); var comment_parentid = jQuery.trim($("#comment_parentid").val()); var content_id = jQuery.trim($("#content_id").val()); var whihcflag = $("#whichcontype").val(); $("#showerrorComment").hide(); $("#commentBoxRes").hide(); if(comment_text==""){ errmsg = "Please Enter Your Comment"; $("#comment_text").val('') $('#comment_text').focus(); flag=1; $("#showerrorComment").html(errmsg); document.getElementById('showerrorComment').style.display="block"; return false; } if($("#whichusertype").val()=='1'){ var first_name = $("#first_name").val(); var last_name = $("#second_name").val(); if($('#UsernameSelector').attr('checked') == true){ var screenName = 'Anonymous'; } else{ var screenName = $("#userscreenname").val(); } var profile_url = $("#userprofilelink").val(); var profileImage = $("#userprofileimage").val(); var loginusertypeid = $("#loginusertypeid").val(); $('#commentSubmit').attr('disabled','disabled'); $.post("http://healthmeup.com/2db/comment2db.php",{'login_type':'facebook','whihcflag':whihcflag,'first_name':first_name,'last_name':last_name,'username':screenName,'profile_url':profile_url,'profileImage':profileImage,'loginusertypeid':loginusertypeid,'comment_text':comment_text,"content_id":content_id,"comment_parentid":comment_parentid},function(data){ if(jQuery.trim(data)=='error'){ $("#showerrorComment").html('User and password did not match.'); document.getElementById('showerrorComment').style.display="block"; }else if(jQuery.trim(data)=='BadWord'){ badword=1; $("#comment_text").focus(); $("#commentBoxRes").show(); $("#commentBoxRes").html('Whoa... STOP right there! Pls feed us love, not spam, links or abusive words :) Help us keep luxpresso a happy place!'); document.getElementById('commentBoxRes').style.display="block"; }else{ $("#commentBoxRes").show(); $.post("http://healthmeup.com/tpl/tplGetcommentadded.php",{"content_id":content_id,"pageval":"1"},function(data){ //alert(data); $("#showcommentcontent").html(data); $("#commentBoxRes").show(); //$("#Username").val(''); //$("#Useremail").val(''); $("#comment_text").val(''); var nocomments = $('#nocomments_'+18059).val(); //console.debug(nocomments); if( nocomments > 0){ $('#comment_'+18059).html(''); $('#comment_'+18059).html(''+nocomments +' Comments ' ); } var message = comment_text; var article_title = "Arthritis Pain: Arthritis Exercise Program"; var article_page_link = "http://healthmeup.com//photogallery-healthy-living/arthritis-pain-arthritis-exercise-program/18059/1"; var story_section ="Photogallery"; var story_section_url ="http://healthmeup.com/archive/content/5/1"; var author_name = "Sobiya N. Moghul"; var author_name_url = "http://healthmeup.com/author/sobiya-n-moghul/1200"; var posteddate = "Dec 10th 2012 at 7:30AM" var article_image_path ="http://images.idiva.com/media/healthmeup/photogallery/2012/Dec/physicalchangeseniorg_120x90.jpg"; var attachment = {'name': article_title, 'href': article_page_link ,'properties' : { 'Filed under': {'text': story_section, 'href': story_section_url}, 'Author ' : {'text': author_name, 'href':author_name_url}, 'Posted On': posteddate} ,'media': [{ 'type': 'image', 'src': article_image_path, 'href': article_page_link }] }; var action_links = [{'text':'luxpresso', 'href':'http://luxpresso.com/'}]; // FB.Connect.streamPublish(message, attachment, action_links); streamPublish(attachment, 'Healthmeup', 'http://healthmeup.com/', 'Share healthmeup.com'); $('#commentSubmit').attr('disabled',''); }); } }); }else{ var username= jQuery.trim($("#Username").val()); var useremailid= jQuery.trim($("#Useremail").val()); var comment_parentid=jQuery.trim($("#comment_parentid").val()); var userpassword=jQuery.trim($("#Password").val()); var content_id=jQuery.trim($("#content_id").val()); var whihcflag =jQuery.trim($("#whichcontype").val()); var flag = 0; if($('#UsernameSelector').attr('checked') == true){ var username = 'Anonymous'; } else{ var username = $("#Username").val(); } if(comment_text==""){ errmsg = "Please Enter Your Comment"; $("#comment_text").val('') $('#comment_text').focus(); flag=1; }else if(username=="" || useremailid==""){ errmsg = "Please login to comment."; flag=1; }else if (userpassword == "" || userpassword == "Password"){ errmsg = "Please Enter Password"; $('#Password').focus(); flag=1; } if(flag==0){ //alert("asda"); $('#commentSubmit').attr('disabled','disabled'); $.post("http://healthmeup.com/2db/comment2db.php",{'login_type':'normaluser','EmailId':useremailid,'whihcflag':whihcflag,'Username':username,"userpassword":userpassword,"content_id":content_id,"comment_parentid":comment_parentid,'comment_text':comment_text,'screenName':screenName},function(data){ //alert(trim(data)); if(jQuery.trim(data)=='error'){ $("#showerrorComment").html('User and password did not match.'); $("#showerrorComment").show(); }else if(jQuery.trim(data)=='BadWord'){ //alert("dsf") $("#comment_text").focus(); $("#commentBoxRes").html('

Whoa... STOP right there! Pls feed us love, not spam, links or abusive words :) Help us keep luxpresso a happy place!

'); document.getElementById('commentBoxRes').style.display="block"; }else{ $("#commentBoxRes").show(); $.post("http://healthmeup.com/tpl/tplGetcommentadded.php",{"content_id":content_id,"pageval":"1"},function(data){ //alert(data); $("#showcommentcontent").html(data); $("#commentBoxRes").html('

Thanks for posting the comments.

'); document.getElementById('commentBoxRes').style.display="block"; // $("#Username").val(''); //$("#Useremail").val(''); $("#comment_text").val(''); var nocomments = $('#nocomments_'+18059).val(); //console.debug(nocomments); if( nocomments > 0){ $('#comment_'+18059).html(''); $('#comment_'+18059).html(''+nocomments +' Comments ' ); } }); } $('#commentSubmit').attr('disabled',''); del_cook('keepComment'); }); }else{ $("#showerrorComment").html(errmsg); document.getElementById('showerrorComment').style.display="block"; } } } function posttofacebook(comment_text){ var message = comment_text; var article_title = "Arthritis Pain: Arthritis Exercise Program"; var article_page_link = "http://healthmeup.com//photogallery-healthy-living/arthritis-pain-arthritis-exercise-program/18059/1"; var story_section ="Photogallery"; var story_section_url ="http://healthmeup.com/archive/content/5/1"; var author_name = "Sobiya N. Moghul"; var author_name_url = "http://healthmeup.com/author/sobiya-n-moghul/1200"; var posteddate = "Dec 10th 2012 at 7:30AM"; var article_image_path ="http://images.idiva.com/media/healthmeup/photogallery/2012/Dec/physicalchangeseniorg_120x90.jpg"; var attachment = {'name': article_title, 'href': article_page_link ,'properties' : { 'Filed under': {'text': story_section, 'href': story_section_url}, 'Author ' : {'text': author_name, 'href':author_name_url}, 'Posted On': posteddate } ,'media': [{ 'type': 'image', 'src': article_image_path, 'href': article_page_link }] }; var action_links = [{'text':'Healthmeup', 'href':'http://healthmeup.com/'}]; //FB.Connect.streamPublish(message, attachment, action_links); streamPublish(attachment, 'Healthmeup', 'http://healthmeup.com/', 'Share healthmeup.com'); } function clearText(field){ if (field.defaultValue == field.value) field.value = ''; else if (field.value == '') field.value = field.defaultValue; } function del_cook(name){ //alert('deleted'); var expdate = new Date(); expdate.setTime(expdate.getTime() - 1); document.cookie = name += "=; expires=" + expdate.toGMTString(); } window.setTimeout(function() { // This will execute 0.5s after the page loads // and it will execute only once if(readCookie('focus_comment')) { $(window).bind('load', function() { $('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: $('#landcomment').offset().top }, 'fast'); $("#comment_text").focus(); Set_Cookie("focus_comment",'1', "-1"); $("#login_thank_u").html('Thank you for logging in. Please go ahead and submit your comment'); $("#login_thank_u").show(); $("#login_thank_u").fadeOut(10000); }); } }, 500);

Post comment as Anonymous

Source: http://healthmeup.com/photogallery-healthy-living/arthritis-pain-arthritis-exercise-program/18059

jennifer love hewitt secret service prostitution 4 20 george zimmerman sheree whitfield weather dallas pat summitt

Black women combat obesity with candid talk, prioritizing health and ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nicole Ari Parker was motivated by frustration. For Star Jones, it was a matter of life or death. Toni Carey wanted a fresh start after a bad breakup.

All three have launched individual campaigns that reflect an emerging priority for African-American women: finding creative ways to combat the obesity epidemic that threatens their longevity.

African-American women have the highest obesity rate of any group of Americans. Four out of five black women have a body mass index above 25 percent, the threshold for being overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By comparison, nearly two-thirds of Americans overall are in this category, the CDC said.

Many black women seem to be unaffected by being generally heavier than other Americans.

Calorie-rich, traditional soul food is a staple in the diets of many African-Americans, and curvy black women are embraced positively through slang praising them as "thick" with a "little meat on their bones," or through songs like the Commodore's "Brick House" or "Bootylicious" by Destiny's Child. A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The Washington Post earlier this year found that 66 percent of overweight black women had high self-esteem, while 41 percent of average-sized or thin white women had high self-esteem.

Still, that doesn't mean black women reject the need to become healthier.

Historically black, all-female Spelman College in Atlanta is disbanding its NCAA teams and devoting those resources to a campus-wide wellness program. In an open letter announcing Spelman's "wellness revolution," president Beverly Daniel Tatum cited a campus analysis that found many of Spelman's 2,100 students already have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or other chronic ailments.

"Spelman has an opportunity to change the health trajectory of our students and, through their influence, the communities from which they come," Tatum's letter said.

Jones, who underwent open heart surgery in 2010 at age 47 and now urges awareness about heart disease among black women, was met by an overflow crowd earlier this year when she convened a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation panel on black women and obesity.

"We have to get ourselves out of being conditioned to think that using soft words so we don't hurt peoples' feelings is doing them any favor," Jones said. "Curvy, big-boned, hefty, full-figured, fluffy, chubby. Those are all words designed to make people feel better about themselves. That wasn't helpful to me."

Jones once embraced being large and fabulous, at 5 feet 5 inches tall and 300 pounds. But under that exterior, she said, she was morbidly obese, suffering from extreme fatigue, nausea, lightheadedness, heart palpitations and blurred vision. Now, she advises women to make simple changes such as reducing salt intake, exercising 30 minutes a day, quitting smoking, controlling portion sizes and making nutritious dietary choices.

Nutritionist and author Rovenia M. Brock, known professionally as Dr. Ro, agrees with Jones. She said getting active is only about 20 percent of the fight against obesity. The rest revolves around how much people eat. "Our plates are killing us," she said.

Brock said "food deserts," or urban areas that lack quality supermarkets, are a real obstacle. She suggested getting around that by carpooling with neighbors to stores in areas with higher-quality grocery options or buying food in bulk. She also suggested growing herbs and vegetables in window-box gardens.

"Stop focusing on what's not there, or what you think is not there," Brock said. "We have to get out of this wimpy, `woe is me' mentality."

While first lady Michelle Obama has encouraged exercise through her "Let's Move" campaign targeting childhood obesity, the spark for this current interest among black women may have been comments last year by Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, who observed publicly that women must stop allowing concern about their hair to prevent them from exercising.

Some black women visit salons as often as every two weeks, investing several hours and anywhere from $50 to several hundreds of dollars each visit - activity that, according to the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association, helps fuel a $9 billion black hair care and cosmetics industry.

In an interview during a health conference in Washington last week, Benjamin said the damage sweat can inflict on costly hairstyles can affect women's willingness to work out, and she hopes to change that. She goes to beauty industry conferences to encourage stylists to create exercise-friendly hairdos.

"I wouldn't say we use it as an excuse, we use it as a barrier," Benjamin said. "And that's not one of the barriers anymore. We're always going to have problems with balancing our lives, but we could take that one out."

Parker, an actress, understands this dilemma well. Out of personal frustration over maintaining both her workout and her hair, she created "Save Your Do" Gymwrap - a headband that can be wrapped around the hair in a way that minimizes sweat and preserves hairstyles.

"Not just as a black woman, but as a woman, since the beginning of time, beauty has been our responsibility," Parker said in an interview. Because of that, she said, exercise has become linked with vanity instead of health.

"We've turned exercise into a weight-loss regimen," Parker said. "No. Exercise is about being grateful for the body you have and sustaining the life you have. ... Take all the hype out of the exercise and think of it as brushing your teeth."

With their mutual family histories of diabetes and high blood pressure in mind, Carey, 28, and her sorority sister Ashley Hicks, 29, co-founded the running club Black Girls Run. Carey also considered it a new beginning after a bad breakup and a move across country. Since 2009, Black Girls Run has amassed 52,000 members who serve as a support system for runners.

Black Girls Run has about 60 groups nationwide that coordinate local races in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C, Houston and Greensboro, N.C. Most groups run at least five times a week. Next month, the running club will take its first "Black Girls Run - Preserve the Sexy" tour to cities with high obesity rates. The tour includes health and fitness clinics with information on nutrition, hair maintenance and running gear.

"We found that when you want to get healthy and when you want to be active, it's intimidating," Carey said. "You don't know where to start. There's a little coaxing that has to go along with that."

Parker said once African-American women place value on their bodies and longevity, everything else will follow. It costs her nothing, she said, to walk around an outdoor track with her husband, actor Boris Kodjoe, or run up and down stairs with her headphones.

"One good step breeds another one," Parker said. "You're going to have one less margarita, one less scoop of Thanksgiving macaroni ... and yet you're not doing anything fanatical or dramatic."

Ap.

Source: http://yongtek.blogspot.com/2012/12/black-women-combat-obesity-with-candid.html

Electoral College map nyc marathon nyc marathon willie nelson khloe kardashian Wreck It Ralph Hunter Hayes

Saturday, December 8, 2012

PFT: Tebow will travel, questionable for Jags game

CalvinAP

Last Friday night, the reward for completing the injury report roundup was putting up the Florio family Christmas tree.? This week, it?s a night of Christmas shopping.

The chances of getting injured were significantly lower last week.

So as we go out looking for that elusive G.I. Joe with the kung-fu grip, here?s the summary of the guys who will have issues gripping or running or jumping or anything else football players do.

Cardinals at Seahawks

Quarterback Kevin Kolb (ribs) officially is questionable, but it?s not believed he?s ready to play.? Running back Beanie Wells (knee) also is questionable.? For the Seahawks, no major injuries are reported.

Falcons at Panthers

Cornerback Asante Samuel (shoulder) is questionable, as is running back Michael Turner (elbow).? If Turner doesn?t play or is limited, Jacquizz Rodgers could get plenty of touches.? Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (ankle) is once again doubtful.? Receiver Brandon LaFell is questionable with a toe injury.

Ravens at Redskins

Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith (abdomen) likely will miss another game; he?s listed as doubtful.? Linebacker Terrell Suggs (biceps) is a game-time decision, but we?re told the decision most likely will be that he?s playing.? Redskins linebacker London Fletcher once again is questionable with an ankle injury, but he has been playing.? Cornerback DeAngelo Hall, on crutches earlier in the week, is questionable with ankle and knee injuries.

Bears at Vikings

Receiver Earl Bennett (concussions), cornerback Tim Jennings (shoulder), and linebacker Brian Urlacher (hamstring) are out.? Running back Michael Bush (ribs) is questionable.? The good news for the Bears is that receivers Alshon Jeffery (knee) and Devin Hester (concussion) are probable.? With Vikings receiver Percy Harvin (ankle) on IR, the home team has no other significant injuries.

Cowboys at Bengals

Dallas defensive lineman Jay Ratliff will miss another game with a groin injury.? Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is out with a head injury, and kicker Mike Nugent (calf) is doubtful.? Receiver A.J. Green (illness) and tight end Jermaine Gresham (hamstring) are both probable.

Chiefs at Browns

Several Chiefs are questionable, including tackle Branden Albert (back), safety Eric Berry (hand, illness), cornerback Brandon Flowers (hamstring), and safety Kendrick Lewis (shoulder).? The Browns have no players listed as less than probable.

Dolphins at 49ers

The Dolphins have no significant injuries.? 49ers receiver Mario Manningham (shoulder) is doubtful, which could mean more reps, targets, and touches for Randy Moss and/or rookie A.J. Jenkins.

Saints at Giants

Tackle Charles Brown (knee) and cornerback Corey White (knee) are out for the Saints.? Giants safety Kenny Phillips (knee) is doubtful, and receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee) is questionable.

Jets at Jaguars

New York receiver Clyde Gates (concussion) remains out.? Tight end Dustin Keller (ankle) is doubtful.? Receiver Stephen Hills (knee) is questionable.? Several Jaguars are out, including running back Rashad Jennings (concussion), running back Maurice Jones-Drew (foot), and receiver Cecil Shorts (concussion).

Eagles at Buccaneers

Running back LeSean McCoy and quarterback Mike Vick remain out with concussions.? Defensive tackle Mike Patterson is hospitalized with viral pneumonia.? Bucs cornerback LeQuan Lewis is out with a knee injury.? Receiver Vincent Jackson (calf) is probable.

Chargers at Steelers

For San Diego, linebacker Donald Butler (groin), tackle Jeromey Clary (knee) and receiver Eddie Royal (hamstring) are out.? Steelers tackle Mike Adams, cornerback Ike Taylor, and linebacker LaMarr Woodley are all out, with ankle injuries.

Rams at Bills

Receiver Danny Amendola (foot) is questionable, as are Bills receiver Stevie Johnson (hamstring) and cornerback Leodis McKelvin (back).

Titans at Colts

Tennessee linebacker Colin McCarthy (concussion) and receiver Damian Williams (hamstring) are out.? Colts tackle Winston Justice (concussion) is questionable.

Lions at Packers

Receiver Calvin Johnson is off the injury report, for the first time in a while.? Tackle Jeff Backus (hamstring) is questionable, along with five defensive players:? safety Louis Delmas (knee), defensive tackle Nick Fairley (quad), cornerback Chris Houston (ankle), cornerback Jacob Lacey (foot, Achilles), and defensive tackle Corey Williams (knee).? Five packers are out ? linebacker Clay Matthews (hamstring), receiver Jordy Nelson (hamstring), running back James Starks (knee), defensive end C.J. Wilson (knee), and safety Charles Woodson (collardone).? Guard T.J. Lang is questionable with an ankle injury.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/07/tebow-questionable-will-travel-to-jacksonville/related/

katy perry divorce brock lesnar retires new years wake forest wake forest old dominion insync

Trenton mayor, brother, associate face extortion, bribery, fraud charges

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.app.com/article/20121206/NJNEWS10/312060067/1007/NEWS03&source=rss

lupus iCarly banana republic gap Victoria Secret Bath And Body Works Dicks Sporting Good

Friday, December 7, 2012

As pot goes proper, a history of weed

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 1972, file photo, a teenager relights the remainder of a marijuana joint. In 1972 a commission appointed by President Richard Nixon to study marijuana said it should be decriminalized and regulated. Nixon rejected that, but a dozen states in the 1970s went on to eliminate jail time as a punishment for pot arrests. On the occasion of ?Legalization Day,? Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, when Washington?s new law takes effect, AP takes a look back at the cultural and legal status of the ?evil weed? in American history. (AP Photo/Jerry Mosey, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 24, 1972, file photo, a teenager relights the remainder of a marijuana joint. In 1972 a commission appointed by President Richard Nixon to study marijuana said it should be decriminalized and regulated. Nixon rejected that, but a dozen states in the 1970s went on to eliminate jail time as a punishment for pot arrests. On the occasion of ?Legalization Day,? Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, when Washington?s new law takes effect, AP takes a look back at the cultural and legal status of the ?evil weed? in American history. (AP Photo/Jerry Mosey, File)

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration shows a 1930s anti-marijuana movie poster as part of an exhibit at the DEA Museum and Visitors Center which opened May 10, 1999 in Arlington, Va. After the repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1933, Harry Anslinger, who headed the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, turned his attention to pot. He told of sensational crimes reportedly committed by marijuana addicts. "No one knows, when he places a marijuana cigarette to his lips, whether he will become a philosopher, a joyous reveler in a musical heaven, a mad insensate, a calm philosopher, or a murderer," he wrote in "Marijuana: Assassin of Youth," in 1937. On the occasion of ?Legalization Day,? Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, when Washington?s new law takes effect, AP takes a look back at the cultural and legal status of the ?evil weed? in American history. (AP Photo/DEA, File)

FILE - In this May 23, 1966, file photo, people roll joints at a marijuana party near the University of California at Berkeley campus in Berkeley, Calif. In 2012, Washington state and Colorado voted to legalize and regulate its recreational use. But before that, the plant, renowned since ancient times for its strong fibers, medical use and mind-altering properties, was a staple crop of the colonies, an "assassin of youth," a counterculture emblem and a widely accepted - if often abused - medicine. On the occasion of ?Legalization Day,? Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, when Washington?s new law takes effect, AP takes a look back at the cultural and legal status of the ?evil weed? in American history. (AP Photo/File)

FILE- This April 22, 2009, file photo, shows former President Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, in Charlottesville, Va. Jefferson and George Washington both grew hemp and puzzled over the best ways to process it for clothing and rope. Indeed, cannabis has been grown in America since soon after the British arrived. Jefferson went on to invent a device for processing hemp in 1815. On the occasion of ?Legalization Day,? Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, when Washington?s new law takes effect, AP takes a look back at the cultural and legal status of the ?evil weed? in American history. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

FILE- This file image made from a film produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture during World War II shows the title frame of the movie "Hemp for Victory." After Japanese troops cut off access to Asian fiber supplies during the war, it released the propaganda film urging farmers to grow hemp and extolling its use in parachutes and rope for the war effort. On the occasion of ?Legalization Day,? Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, when Washington?s new law takes effect, AP takes a look back at the cultural and legal status of the ?evil weed? in American history. (AP Photo/U.S. Department of Agriculture, File)

(AP) ? The grass is no greener. But, finally, it's legal ? at least somewhere in America. It's been a long, strange trip for marijuana.

Washington state and Colorado voted to legalize and regulate its recreational use last month. But before that, the plant, renowned since ancient times for its strong fibers, medical use and mind-altering properties, was a staple crop of the colonies, an "assassin of youth," a counterculture emblem and a widely accepted ? if often abused ? medicine.

On the occasion of Thursday's "Legalization Day," when Washington's new law takes effect, here's a look back at the cultural and legal status of the "evil weed" in American history.

___

CANNABIS IN THE COLONIES

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp and puzzled over the best ways to process it for clothing and rope.

Indeed, cannabis has been grown in America since soon after the British arrived. In 1619 the Crown ordered the colonists at Jamestown to grow hemp to satisfy England's incessant demand for maritime ropes, Wayne State University professor Ernest Abel wrote in "Marihuana: The First Twelve Thousand Years."

Hemp became more important to the colonies as New England's own shipping industry developed, and homespun hemp helped clothe American soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Some colonies offered farmers "bounties" for growing it.

"We have manufactured within our families the most necessary articles of cloathing," Jefferson said in "Notes on the State of Virginia." ''Those of wool, flax and hemp are very coarse, unsightly, and unpleasant."

Jefferson went on to invent a device for processing hemp in 1815.

___

TASTE THE HASHISH

Books such as "The Arabian Nights" and Alexandre Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo," with its voluptuous descriptions of hashish highs in the exotic Orient, helped spark a cannabis fad among intellectuals in the mid-19th century.

"But what changes occur!" one of Dumas' characters tells an uninitiated acquaintance. "When you return to this mundane sphere from your visionary world, you would seem to leave a Neapolitan spring for a Lapland winter -- to quit paradise for earth -- heaven for hell! Taste the hashish, guest of mine -- taste the hashish."

After the Civil War, with hospitals often overprescribing opiates for pain, many soldiers returned home hooked on harder drugs. Those addictions eventually became a public health concern. In 1906, Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act, requiring labeling of ingredients, and states began regulating opiates and other medicines ? including cannabis.

___

MEXICAN FOLKLORE AND JAZZ CLUBS

By the turn of the 20th century, cannabis smoking remained little known in the United States ? but that was changing, thanks largely to The Associated Press, says Isaac Campos, a Latin American history professor at the University of Cincinnati.

In the 1890s, the first English-language newspaper opened in Mexico and, through the wire service, tales of marijuana-induced violence that were common in Mexican papers began to appear north of the border ? helping to shape public perceptions that would later form the basis of pot prohibition, Campos says.

By 1910, when the Mexican Revolution pushed immigrants north, articles in the New York Sun, Boston Daily Globe and other papers decried the "evils of ganjah smoking" and suggested that some use it "to key themselves up to the point of killing."

Pot-smoking spread through the 1920s and became especially popular with jazz musicians. Louis Armstrong, a lifelong fan and defender of the drug he called "gage," was arrested in California in 1930 and given a six-month suspended sentence for pot possession.

"It relaxes you, makes you forget all the bad things that happen to a Negro," he once said. In the 1950s, he urged legalization in a letter to President Dwight Eisenhower.

___

REEFER MADNESS, HEMP FOR VICTORY

After the repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1933, Harry Anslinger, who headed the federal Bureau of Narcotics, turned his attention to pot. He told of sensational crimes reportedly committed by marijuana addicts. "No one knows, when he places a marijuana cigarette to his lips, whether he will become a philosopher, a joyous reveler in a musical heaven, a mad insensate, a calm philosopher, or a murderer," he wrote in a 1937 magazine article called "Marijuana: Assassin of Youth."

The hysteria was captured in the propaganda films of the time ? most famously, "Reefer Madness," which depicted young adults descending into violence and insanity after smoking marijuana. The movie found little audience upon its release in 1936 but was rediscovered by pot fans in the 1970s.

Congress banned marijuana with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Anslinger continued his campaign into the '40s and '50s, sometimes trying ? without luck ? to get jazz musicians to inform on each other. "Zoot suited hep cats, with their jive lingo and passion for swift, hot music, provide a fertile field for growth of the marijuana habit, narcotics agents have found here," began a 1943 Washington Post story about increasing pot use in the nation's capital.

The Department of Agriculture promoted a different message. After Japanese troops cut off access to Asian fiber supplies during World War II, it released "Hemp For Victory," a propaganda film urging farmers to grow hemp and extolling its use in parachutes and rope for the war effort.

___

COUNTERCULTURE

As the conformity of the postwar era took hold, getting high on marijuana and other drugs emerged as a symbol of the counterculture, with Jack Kerouac and the rest of the Beat Generation singing pot's praises. It also continued to be popular with actors and musicians. When actor Robert Mitchum was arrested on a marijuana charge in 1948, People magazine recounted, "The press nationwide branded him a dope fiend. Preachers railed against him from pulpits. Mothers warned their daughters to shun his films."

Congress responded to increasing drug use ? especially heroin ? with stiffer penalties in the '50s. Anslinger began to hype what we now call the "gateway drug" theory: that marijuana had to be controlled because it would eventually lead its users to heroin.

Then came Vietnam. The widespread, open use of marijuana by hippies and war protesters from San Francisco to Woodstock finally exposed the falsity of the claims so many had made about marijuana leading to violence, says University of Virginia professor Richard Bonnie, a scholar of pot's cultural status.

In 1972, Bonnie was the associate director of a commission appointed by President Richard Nixon to study marijuana. The commission said marijuana should be decriminalized and regulated. Nixon rejected that, but a dozen states in the '70s went on to eliminate jail time as a punishment for pot arrests.

___

"JUST SAY NO"

The push to liberalize drug laws hit a wall by the late 1970s. Parents groups became concerned about data showing that more children were using drugs, and at a younger age. The religious right was emerging as a force in national politics. And the first "Cheech and Chong" movie, in 1978, didn't do much to burnish pot's image.

When she became first lady, Nancy Reagan quickly promoted the anti-drug cause. During a visit with schoolchildren in Oakland, Calif., as Reagan later recalled, "A little girl raised her hand and said, 'Mrs. Reagan, what do you do if somebody offers you drugs?' And I said, 'Well, you just say no.' And there it was born."

By 1988, more than 12,000 "Just Say No" clubs and school programs had been formed, according to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library. Between 1978 and 1987, the percentage of high school seniors reporting daily use of marijuana fell from 10 percent to 3 percent.

And marijuana use was so politically toxic that when Bill Clinton ran for president in 1992, he said he "didn't inhale."

___

MEDS OF A DIFFERENT SORT

Marijuana has been used as medicine since ancient times, as described in Chinese, Indian and Roman texts, but U.S. drug laws in the latter part of the 20th century made no room for it. In the 1970s, many states passed symbolic laws calling for studies of marijuana's efficacy as medicine, although virtually no studies ever took place because of the federal prohibition.

Nevertheless, doctors noted its ability to ease nausea and stimulate appetites of cancer and AIDS patients. And in 1996, California became the first state to allow the medical use of marijuana. Since then, 17 other states and the District of Columbia have followed.

In recent years, medical marijuana dispensaries ? readily identifiable by the green crosses on their storefronts ? have proliferated in many states, including Washington, Colorado and California. That's prompted a backlash from some who suggest they are fronts for illicit drug dealing and that most of the people they serve aren't really sick. The Justice Department has shut down some it deems the worst offenders.

___

LEGAL WEED AT LAST

On Nov. 6, Washington and Colorado pleased aging hippies everywhere ? and shocked straights of all ages ? by voting to become the first states to legalize the fun use of marijuana. Voters handily approved measures to decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce by adults over 21. Colorado's measure also permits home-growing of up to six plants.

Both states are working to set up a regulatory scheme with licensed growers, processors and retail stores. Eventually, activists say, grown-ups will be able to walk into a store, buy some marijuana, and walk out with ganja in hand ? but not before paying the taxman. The states expect to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for schools and other government functions.

But it's not so simple. The regulatory schemes conflict with the federal government's longstanding pot prohibition, according to many legal scholars. The Justice Department could sue to block those schemes from taking effect ? but hasn't said whether it will do so.

The bizarre journey of cannabis in America continues.

___

Johnson can be reached at https://twitter.com/GeneAPseattle

Associated Press researcher Julie Reed Bell contributed to this report from Charlotte, N.C.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-06-Pot%20Through%20the%20Years/id-73f60a2b95704623b4c2a53ceb122a75

arsenic and old lace leslie varez ward solar storms uganda the parent trap invisible children kony 2012

NYC police make arrest in fatal subway push

NEW YORK (AP) ? A man was arrested Wednesday in the death of a subway rider who was pushed onto the tracks and photographed just before a train struck him.

Naeem Davis, 30, was taken into custody for questioning Tuesday after security video showed a man fitting the suspect's description working with street vendors near Rockefeller Center. Police said Davis made statements implicating himself in Ki-Suck Han's death.

Davis was arrested on a second-degree murder charge. He was in custody, and it wasn't immediately clear if he had a lawyer. It wasn't clear when he'd appear in court.

Witnesses told investigators they saw a man talking to himself Monday afternoon before he approached the 58-year-old Han of Queens at the Times Square station, got into an altercation with him and pushed him into the train's path.

The New York Post published a photo on its front page Tuesday of Han with his head turned toward the train, his arms reaching up but unable to climb off the tracks in time. It was shot by freelance photographer R. Umar Abbasi, who was waiting to catch a train.

Abbasi told NBC's "Today" show Wednesday that he was trying to alert the motorman to what was going on by flashing his camera.

He said he was shocked that people nearer to the victim didn't try to help in the 22 seconds before the train struck.

"It took me a second to figure out what was happening ... I saw the lights in the distance. My mind was to alert the train," Abbasi said.

"The people who were standing close to him ... they could have moved and grabbed him and pulled him up. No one made an effort," he added.

Trains generally arrive at the stations going 25 mph, but it's not clear how fast the train was going when it struck Han. The waiting area is a narrower than other subway stations, but the platform is still about a dozen feet wide.

In a written account Abbasi gave the Post, he said a crowd took videos and snapped photos on their cellphones after Han was pulled, limp, onto the platform. He said he shoved them back as a doctor and another man tried to resuscitate the victim, but it was no use. The man died in front of Abbasi's eyes.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that it appeared the suspect in Han's death had "a psychiatric problem."

The mayor said Han, "if I understand it, tried to break up a fight or something and paid for it with his life."

Subway pushes are feared but fairly unusual. Among the more high-profile cases was the January 1999 death of Kendra Webdale, who was shoved to her death by a former mental patient.

Straphangers on Wednesday said that they were shocked by Han's death but that it's always a silent fear for many of the more than 5.2 million commuters who ride the subway on an average weekday.

"Stuff like that you don't really think about every day. You know it could happen. So when it does happen it's scary but then what it all comes down to is you have to protect yourself," said Aliyah Syphrett, 23, who sat on a bench as she waited at Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan.

Diana Henry, 79, a Long Island resident, was waiting for a train at 34th Street. She stood as far from the platform as possible ? about a dozen feet back, leaning against the wall.

"I'm always careful, but I'm even more careful after what happened," she said. "I stand back because there are so many crazies in this city that you never know."

Many said they didn't know what they would do in the same situation ? if they'd try to help or if they'd be able to act fast enough.

In 2007, Wesley Autrey jumped onto the tracks when a train was approaching, saving the life of a man who fell unconscious off the platform. Autrey laid on top of the man as the train rolled over them barely above their heads. Autrey was hailed as a hero.

___

Associated Press writers Verena Dobnik, Karen Matthews and Tom Hays contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nyc-police-arrest-fatal-subway-push-180303540.html

obama sings al green heidi klum and seal ohare airport etta james songs east west shrine game haywire underworld awakening

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Killer Instinct return halted by trademark refusal | Den of Geek

Although the likes of Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, King of Fighters and Guilty Gear reside upon the top of the one-on-one beat ?em up pile, there?s one classic fighter that?s been left, much to fans? dismay, rotting in the junk yard or obsolete titles. That game is Rare?s combo-fest, Killer Instinct.

An arcade classic that spawned some decent, if limited, home conversions, the game was a great example of a fighter that rewarded dedication, as hardcore fans could demolish foes with unstoppable combos if they put in the effort to master their chosen warrior.

Said fans have, understandably, been crying out for the license to be revived on current-gen systems, but despite rumours and hearsay, nothing has ever materialised, and sadly, it probably never will, at least as we know it.

Microsoft, which now owns Rare, has officially been unsuccessful in reviving the Killer Instinct name as it?s hit a legal roadblock. According to reports, the name Killer Instinct isn?t just the moniker for the Rare-made fighter, but also the name of a Fox TV crime drama. Upon trying the register the Killer Instinct name with the patent office, Microsoft was informed that it couldn?t do so as it would cause confusion and clash with the TV show.

This is no doubt a major blow to fans and Microsoft alike, but it?s not all doom and gloom. Basically, the name is the problem, and there?s no reason Microsoft and Rare couldn?t resurrect the title in all but name. As long as the game itself is a true revival of the series? formula, does it really matter that it carries the same name? It could even have the same characters and setting.

Microsoft hasn?t made its next move clear at the time of wriitng, but if the studio has expressed interest in bringing back the game, don?t expect this to be the end of it.

Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here. And be our Facebook chum here.

Source: http://www.denofgeek.com/games/23713/killer-instinct-return-halted-by-trademark-refusal

Olympic Medal Count 2012 Olympics 2012 Olympic Schedule 2012 NBC Olympics NBC Olympics schedule 2012 Olympics Chad Everett

UN experts: Rwanda led rebels in capture of Goma

UNITED NATIONS (AP) ? U.N. experts accused the Rwandan military of commanding Congolese rebel forces in their recent capture of the strategic city of Goma, saying a top Rwandan commander traveled to Congo to oversee the offensive and hundreds of Rwandan troops fought alongside the M23 rebel fighters.

In a letter to a U.N. Security Council committee, the experts provided a day-by-day outline and photos backing their conclusion. The M23 rebels held Goma, a provincial capital of 1 million, for two weeks before Congolese soldiers took back control Monday.

The letter, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, is a follow-up to a report preceding the capture of Goma that made similar accusations against Rwandan forces.

A call to Rwanda's U.N. Mission seeking comment on the letter was not immediately returned. Rwanda has repeatedly denied assisting the rebels.

M23 is made up of hundreds of officers who deserted the Congolese army in April. Since then the rebels have occupied vast swaths of territory in mineral-rich eastern Congo. The rebels accuse Congo's President Joseph Kabila of failing to honor the terms of a 2009 peace deal that incorporated them into the national army, although most analysts believe that the origin of the rebellion is a fight over the country's vast mineral wealth.

The expert group said it has repeatedly concluded that the government of Rwanda and allies in the Ugandan government have "created, equipped, trained, advised, reinforced and directly commanded the M23 rebellion."

"The information initially gathered by the group regarding the recent offensive and seizure of the North Kivu provincial town of Goma strongly upholds this conclusion," said the letter to a committee that monitors sanctions against armed groups in Congo.

After deserting the army, M23 fighters seized a series of small towns and villages in the North Kivu province, where a good chunk of Congo's mineral wealth is found, culminating with the Nov. 20 capture of Goma. The Congolese army fled in disarray and U.N. peacekeepers, whose mandate is to protect civilians, held fire.

The experts quoted several senior Congolese commanders and former Rwandan officers as saying the Goma offensive was under the overall command of the Rwandan army's western division commander, Gen. Emmanuel Ruvusha, who personally went to Congo to oversee the operation.

The same sources were quoted as telling the experts that Col. Sultani Makenga, an M23 rebel leader, joined Ruvusha in leading the offensive. Gen. Bosco Ntaganda, who is believed to be the leader of M23 and is wanted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, led rebel troops operating near the Rwandan border at Kibumba and in the vicinity of Goma airport, the sources were quoted as saying.

The letter, dated Nov. 26, said preparations for the Goma offensive took place over a two-month period and included significant logistics supplies for the rebels from Uganda. The experts said they personally witnessed a delivery of hundreds of rain boots for the rebels to the Ugandan town of Bunagana, on the border with Congo. They included a photo of the Oct. 14 delivery.

At the end of October, they said, Rwanda and Uganda deployed additional troops to Congo to support M23. The letter details specific units and the towns where they were sent.

As the Goma offensive began, the rebels benefited from direct Rwandan military support on the front lines at the village of Kibumba, a center for refugees from a 2009 rebellion 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Goma, the experts said, citing former Rwandan officers, Congolese army officers and local leaders.

On Nov. 15, while Makenga's M23 fighters were advancing, four companies from Rwanda's 305th brigade crossed the border to conduct operations against Congolese army positions at Kibumba, the experts said.

The Congolese army repelled the initial attack and killed over 40 rebels and Rwandan soldiers, many of whom wore Rwandan military uniforms and carried weapons used by Rwandan forces, they said. The letter includes photos of soldiers in both M23 and Rwandan uniforms.

Two days later, M23 fighters attacking Kibumba were reinforced by the four companies from Rwanda's 305th brigade as well as three companies from other Rwandan brigades and a Rwandan special forces unit led by Col. Vincent Gatama.

The experts cited former Rwandan officers and senior Congolese army officers, who estimated that, in total, well over 1,000 Rwandan troops went Congo to assist in the Kibumba operations.

The M23 and Rwandan military used night vision goggles, usually used by Rwandan special forces, during the nighttime advance on Kibumba, as well as heavy weaponry including 120mm mortars, which the experts said Makenga obtained from support networks in Rwanda and Uganda before he deserted from the Congolese army in May. The letter included a photo of 120mm mortars said to come from Makenga's private stock.

"The group learned through diplomatic sources in the region that the government of Rwanda had sought assistance to destroy 120mm mortars still within its arsenal in August 2012 in anticipation of eventual accusations of Rwandan weapons supplies to the rebels," the letter said.

When M23 progressed toward Goma on Nov. 19, Rwandan units operated alongside the rebels in combat at the airport and close to a post in Goma on the Rwandan border, the experts said.

On Nov. 20, they said, M23 defeated the Congolese army at the Goma airport and a mixture of rebel and Rwandan troops clandestinely entered into Goma from the Rwandan town of Giseny, just across the border.

They took control of the city, marching through downtown dressed in a combination of Rwandan and new M23 uniforms, the experts said.

The experts said that former Rwandan officers, Congolese government officials and Congolese officers estimated that roughly 500 soldiers from Rwanda's 73rd and 75th battalions based in Gisenyi supported the M23 during the seizure of Goma.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-04-UN-Congo-Rwanda/id-98433dd52a45447dacd142fedc7597e4

marist south carolina primary results betty white ed reed football schedule jo paterno dead south carolina

Monday, December 3, 2012

Anti-Fur Activists Target Pamela Skaist-Levy Of Skaist Taylor At Her Beverly Hills Home (PHOTOS)

This story comes courtesy of Dog Park Media.

By Leighton Woodhouse

Juicy Couture, the brand that built a fashion empire out of rhinestone-studded velour track suits with ?Juicy? emblazoned across the ass, became a darling of animal lovers in 2008 when it pledged to go fur-free.

But on Saturday, Juicy Couture co-founder Pamela Skaist-Levy found the street outside her Beverly Hills home the site of a demonstration by dozens of animal rights protesters shaming her and her business partner Gela Nash-Taylor for trading in the pelts of foxes, raccoons and other animals that were raised in confinement and brutally killed for fashion industry profits.

Juicy Couture is still listed on the Humane Society?s website as a fur-free designer. But now Skaist-Levy and Nash-Taylor, who left the company two years ago, have a new fashion line out called Skaist Taylor which embraces fur with the same ostentatious aplomb with which Juicy showcases costume jewelry and the color pink.

The fur trade has been the object of protests and boycotts for decades for its horrific treatment of animals.

?Animals including fox, rabbits, mink, cheetah, and even dogs and cats are gassed, beaten, have their necks broken, are caught in steel-jaw leg hold traps and vaginally and anally electrocuted for their fur,? said animal rights attorney Shannon Keith, who produced a documentary on the fur industry called "Skin Trade" and was one of the campaigners behind West Hollywood?s ban on fur retail a year ago. ?If someone were caught anally electrocuting a dog, they would be arrested and sent to prison for felony animal cruelty; however, because the fur industry is completely unregulated, those who control it get away with it.?

The demonstration today was organized by two longtime anti-fur activists, Ellen Lavinthal and Jessica Schlueter. Lavinthal was one of the primary organizers behind the West Hollywood fur ban, and Schlueter helped launch a boycott of a major fur retailer.

At one time, Lavinthal, who lives in the neighborhood, was friends with Skaist-Levy. That relationship had already grown distant, but ultimately soured over Skaist-Levy?s decision to use fur as a centerpiece in her new Skaist Taylor line.

Story continues below.

  • Jessica Schlueter and Ellen Lavinthal


?I approached Pamela when she appeared on the front page of the L.A. Times wearing fur to promote her new line,? said Lavinthal. ?The next day, my daughter and I reached out to her and dropped off a letter from my daughter asking her to stop using fur, as well as a copy of "Skin Trade" and some literature about the fur industry. I told her that I and the rest of the animal rights community would be glad to help promote her new line if she changed her mind about fur. A few weeks later, we gave her a petition with 33,000 names on it. When she didn?t do anything about it, we were left with no choice but to protest.?

Skaist Taylor?s press agent did not respond to repeated attempts to contact the company for comment.

Schlueter also had a falling out ? not with the designer herself, but with the Juicy Couture brand. Like countless other young women around the world in high school and college, Schlueter spent ?hundreds, if not thousands of dollars? on Juicy clothes. The company?s image appealed to her: the story of two women with practically no resources starting a global brand out of their small L.A. apartment was irresistible. Juicy Couture?s pledge to go fur-free sealed her brand loyalty.

Now, Schlueter feels disappointed and betrayed, dismayed that all the money she spent on Juicy Couture clothes over the years had only helped further the careers of two fashion industry giants who then went on to become part of the multibillion dollar fur industry.

?I don?t think they are horrible people, I think they have spent years in a community that glamorizes fur and that mocks people who stand up against its inherent cruelty,? Schlueter explained.

Skaist Taylor has no physical stores, so the activists chose Skaist-Levy?s home residence as the site for their demonstration. Especially given its residential setting, the protest was conceived from the start as a calm, peaceful, educational action -- no screaming in people?s faces or mixing it up with the cops.

But demonstrations in front of private homes are an inherently risky tactic for animal rights activists. Federal prosecutors have shown a willingness to classify ?home demos? as acts of terrorism under the 2006 Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, a law that the fur trade and other animal-based industries lobbied for and which was written explicitly to criminalize certain protest tactics in animal rights campaigns that are Constitutionally protected in every other context. In 2009, the government indicted four Santa Cruz animal rights activists on terrorism charges for engaging in First Amendment activities, including protests in front of the homes of UC Santa Cruz vivisectors, claiming a connection between those actions and two 2008 firebombings of the car and the home of two UCSC scientists, crimes which remain unsolved. A federal judge threw out the indictments the following year for lack of specificity.

With about one bike cop for every three protesters, however, no tension was visible between law enforcement and activists at the demonstration today. Protesters restrained their passion with civility, aiming to reach the public instead of alienating it. A few Star Tours vans passing by slowed down for tourists to take pictures.

The organizers were pleased. ?I?m beyond thrilled that this was one of the largest home demos ever in the United States,? said Leventhal. ?The fact that so many people would give up their Saturdays and choose to be there really made a statement of how strongly they feel about the use of fur in fashion.?

Leighton Woodhouse is a founding partner, film producer and graphic designer at Dog Park Media. To read more Dog Park Media stories, click here.

Related on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/01/anti-fur-pamela-skaist-levy_n_2225395.html

rory mcilroy Fatboy Slim Rio de Janeiro Shark Week London 2012 closing ceremony Shark Week 2012 evelyn lozada

Emails suggest SEC's Schapiro delayed JOBS Act rule amid concerns about legacy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro delayed immediately implementing a rule to lift a ban on broader-based advertising for private placements in part because she feared it would tarnish her legacy as a pro-investor leader of the agency, internal SEC emails obtained by a U.S. House of Representatives oversight panel show.

The emails were highlighted in a letter critical of Schapiro sent to her on Friday by congressman Patrick McHenry, the Republican chairman of a prominent House subcommittee that oversees financial services, who called on Schapiro to hurry up and finalize the rule.

Schapiro, who is stepping down as chairman in two weeks, decided to take more time seeking public comments about the rule after Barbara Roper, a well-known investor advocate with the Consumer Federation of America, wrote a letter to Schapiro's chief of staff voicing "strong objections" to lifting the ban without vetting the rule first.

Schapiro's decision went against the recommendations of the SEC's staff, including Corporation Finance Director Meredith Cross, the emails suggest.

It also angered Republican SEC Commissioner Daniel Gallagher, who told Schapiro he was "furious" and accused her of failing to negotiate with other commissioners in good faith, according to an email included in McHenry's letter.

After changing her mind on the direction of the rule-making, she only informed Commissioner Elisse Walter - her close friend who is taking over the chairmanship this month - and no other member of the SEC until the following week, the letter says.

"I don't want to be tagged with an anti-investor legacy," Schapiro wrote in an e-mail to Cross with the subject line "Please don't forward."

"In light of all that's been accomplished, that wouldn't be fair, but it is what will be said ..."

McHenry said Schapiro's concerns about her legacy shouldn't delay implementation of the rule.

"The continued second-guessing, and the accompanying delays in the process, is simply unacceptable," McHenry wrote.

The SEC issued a statement in response to reporters seeking a comment about the McHenry letter.

"Chairman Schapiro strongly believes that protecting investors should be the desired legacy of all SEC Chairmen," the SEC said. "It is part of our mission and should inform our decisions at all times. She (Schapiro) also believes that the agency should not consider investors ? or the groups that represent them ? to be special interests."

INVESTOR PROTECTIONS

The SEC's proposal would greatly loosen strict advertising rules to make it easier for hedge funds, private equity funds and other firms to reach potential investors in the private marketplace.

The proposal pertains to several kinds of offerings, including those made under what is known as "Rule 506" of Regulation D, which allows companies to raise an unlimited dollar amount from accredited investors who meet certain income or asset thresholds.

Proponents say it will help spur more capital-raising and makes a lot of sense - especially in a social media world.

The SEC was required by Congress to lift the advertising ban under the 2012 Jumpstart our Business Startups, or JOBS, Act.

The JOBS Act aims to reduce the regulatory burden for small business start-ups by relaxing various securities regulations.

The law passed with bipartisan support, though shortly before it was enacted Schapiro wrote a lengthy letter raising concerns it could erode many important investor protections.

Consumer advocates and state regulators are afraid it will leave the door open to fraud by people who will be able to peddle products to unsuspecting investors.

The SEC was supposed to finalize the rule by July 4, but missed its deadline. Originally, staff had wanted to bypass the lengthier public comment process by adopting it as an "interim final rule" instead of a "proposed" rule. That would have let the SEC lift the ban right away, and then potentially tweak the rule down the road.

Roper and other investor advocates, however, strongly opposed that approach, saying important protections need to be added to the rule. Schapiro later dropped the plan for an interim final rule and took the longer route of seeking public comments first.

The SEC said late Saturday that it sought public comments first because there was a "high level of investor interest and numerous requests to be able to comment on a specific proposal." The SEC added that there could have been a "very real threat of a legal challenge" if the agency did not go through a more rigorous rule-making process.

Investor advocates are still upset with the draft of the proposed rule because they say none of their suggestions for improving the rule were even contemplated, such as amending the definition of "accredited investor" to make sure unsophisticated people are not sold or marketed unsuitable products, and tweaking the filing rules so the commission can collect data on solicitation practices to help it police the marketplace.

Democratic SEC Commissioner Luis Aguilar has called for re-proposing it, and incoming SEC Chairman Walter has also raised concerns about a lack of investor protections.

Republicans in the U.S. House and at the SEC, however, want to see the rule go into effect right away.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/emails-suggest-secs-schapiro-delayed-jobs-act-rule-030349269--sector.html

national championship game bcs game lsu vs alabama college football college football ncaa football brian van gorder

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Women's Basketball: Washington State vs UC Riverside , 11/28/12 7:00 PM PT

2012-13 SCHEDULE

Overall
2-3

Conf.
0-0

Home
2-1

Away
0-1

Neutral
0-1

?

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result
10/30/12 vs. Simon Fraser (Exhibition) Pullman W, 67-52
11/03/12 vs. Western Oregon (Exhibition) Pullman W, 93-30
Best Buy Classic (Hosted by Minnesota)
11/10/12 at Minnesota Minneapolis L, 87-83 (2OT)
11/11/12 vs. South Dakota State Minneapolis L, 65-56 (OT)
11/16/12 vs. Monmouth Pullman W, 79-69
11/18/12 vs. Wisconsin Pullman L, 52-44
11/24/12 vs. BYU Pullman W, 67-52
11/28/12 at UC Riverside Riverside, Calif. 7:00 p.m. PT
11/30/12 at Fresno State Fresno, Calif. 7:00 p.m. PT
12/15/12 vs. Ohio State Pullman 12:00 p.m. PT
12/18/12 at Louisville Louisville 4:00 p.m. PT
12/21/12 at Syracuse Syracuse, N.Y. 4:00 p.m. PT
12/29/12 at Gonzaga Spokane, Wash. 2:00 p.m. PT
01/04/13 vs. Arizona * Pullman 7:00 p.m. PT
01/06/13 vs. Arizona State * Pullman 1:00 p.m. PT
01/11/13 at UCLA * TV Los Angeles 8:00 p.m. PT
01/13/13 at USC * Los Angeles 2:00 p.m. PT
01/15/13 at Washington * TV Seattle 6:00 p.m. PT
01/20/13 vs. Washington * TV Pullman 2:00 p.m. PT
01/25/13 vs. Oregon * Pullman 7:00 p.m. PT
01/27/13 vs. Oregon State * Pullman 1:00 p.m. PT
02/01/13 at Arizona State * Tempe, Ariz. 6:00 p.m. PT
02/03/13 at Arizona * Tucson, Ariz. 1:00 p.m. PT
02/08/13 vs. USC * Pullman 6:00 p.m. PT
02/10/13 vs. UCLA * Pullman 12:00 p.m. PT
02/15/13 at Oregon State * Corvallis, Ore. 7:00 p.m. PT
02/17/13 at Oregon * TV Eugene, Ore. 4:00 p.m. PT
02/22/13 at Colorado * Boulder, Colo. 6:00 p.m. PT
02/24/13 at Utah * Salt Lake City 2:00 p.m. PT
02/28/13 vs. California * Pullman 6:00 p.m. PT
03/02/13 vs. Stanford * TV Pullman 12:00 p.m. PT
Pac-12 Conference Tournament (Seattle)
03/07/13 Opening Round TV KeyArena TBA
03/08/13 Quarterfinal Round TV KeyArena TBA
03/09/13 Semifinal Round TV KeyArena TBA
03/10/13 Championship TV KeyArena TBA

There Are No Upcoming Events

?

?

Schedule Key

?

?

Home Event

?

Away Event

*

Conference Event

Official Website of Washington State University Athletics | Bohler Athletic Complex | PO Box 641602 Pullman, WA 99164-1602 | 1.800.GO.COUGS

Source: http://www.wsucougars.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/wast-w-baskbl-sched.html

minnesota twins bobby abreu 2012 draft colt mccoy arbor day mike adams janoris jenkins