Saturday, December 31, 2011

MapleLeafMommy: RT @mommakoala: Enter @MapleLeafMommy to win a Silver Lunar Lotus Year of the Dragon coin from @CanadianMint ($99 value, Canada only). h ...

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Enter @MapleLeafMommy to win a Silver Lunar Lotus Year of the Dragon coin from @CanadianMint ($99 value, Canada only). mapleleafmommy.com/2011/12/royal-? mommakoala

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Wade's winning shot lifts Heat over Bobcats 96-95 (AP)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ? Dwyane Wade hit a bank shot over Gerald Henderson with 2.9 seconds left to lift the Miami Heat to a 96-95 victory over the pesky Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday and remain unbeaten.

After Henderson hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to put the Bobcats up by one with 12 seconds left, the Heat called time and had Wade bring the ball up. He drove to the left side and banked the shot over Henderson, then turned to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton seated courtside and imitated Newton's Superman touchdown celebration by pretending to rip open his shirt.

D.J. Augustin's 3-point attempt off a side inbounds play didn't fall and D.J. White's putback at the buzzer rolled off the rim as time expired.

LeBron James scored 35 points and Chris Bosh chipped in with 25 as the Heat overcame a sluggish first half in front of 19,614, the largest crowd ever to see a Bobcats game at Time Warner Cable Arena.

James and Bosh combined to score 35 points in the second half. They had plenty of help from the Bobcats, who turned the ball over 12 times on 25 third-quarter possessions.

Henderson led the Bobcats with 21 points, while Augustin had 20. Boris Diaw had a terrific game as well with 16 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists.

The young Bobcats seemed to feed off the crowd early on and certainly weren't intimidated by the Eastern Conference champions.

The Bobcats jumped out to an 11-0 lead and led by as many as 16 points in the first half against a Heat team that hadn't trailed for more than 14 seconds in their first two games.

They got plenty of open looks, using a pick-and-pop to free up center Diaw for 3-pointers from the top of the key. Augustin was fearless in the first half, showing no signs of a sprained ankle from Monday night by hitting on 3 of 4 3-pointers in the first half for 16 points as the Bobcats took a 60-45 lead into the locker room.

And even without an established big man, the Bobcats outrebounded the Heat 25-14 in the first half.

The Heat looked out of sync and frustrated early on.

James got pickpocketed by Derrick Brown in the halfcourt set and later threw up an air ball on a turnaround jumper after posting up low against Corey Maggette. The other two-thirds of Miami's Big Three also struggled, with Bosh getting rejected in the paint by rookie Bismack Biyombo and Wade hitting just 2 of 8 from the field.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_on_sp_bk_ne/bkn_heat_bobcats

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Friday, December 30, 2011

Sexual assault reports rise at military academies. How is Pentagon responding? (The Christian Science Monitor)

Washington ? There has been a worrisome increase in the number of sexual assaults reported at America?s military academies, according to a congressionally mandated study released Tuesday by the Pentagon.

?One sexual assault is too many,? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a statement in the wake of the study ? which found a 65 percent increase in reported incidents of sexual harassment and violence between 2010 and 2011. ?We treat each other with dignity in this institution. I expect everyone in this department to live up to that high standard.?

The Defense Department said it was implementing some changes in policy in the wake of the study findings, including new policies that senior defense officials said were meant to improve the treatment of assault victims at the academies.

IN PICTURES: Military women of the world

However the most concrete policy change, which facilitates the speedy transfer of assault victims should they wish, also obliges them to surrender a degree of protective anonymity.

The study found that there had been 65 reports of sexual assaults at the academies between 2010 and 2011, compared to 41 the previous year. It did not specify whether the number of reported incidents was indicative of a wider unreported problem, as is often the case with sexual assaults.

Mr. Panetta called the increase in sexual assault reports ?a leadership issue, first and foremost, so I expect us to lead with integrity and with energy to eliminate sexual assault and harassment from our culture.?

To this end, Pentagon officials are asking the academies to develop methods and metrics to evaluate sexual assault initiatives.

Advocates of sexual assault victims question why such metrics have not been developed earlier.

Part of the problem, they say, is that the Pentagon itself does not conduct any military-wide surveys on the incidences of sexual assault. Instead, defense officials release the number of official sexual assault reports they have received. If those figures go up, defense officials often argue that it simply means victims are more comfortable seeking help than before.

The Air Force recently commissioned its own Gallup poll of sexual assault throughout the force, the first service to do this. It found one in five women had been the victim of sexual assault.

Many of these statistics mirror the experiences of the general US population, say defense officials. ?We know that the military academies are similar to college campuses around the country in that sexual harassment and assault are challenges that all faculty, staff, and students need to work to prevent,? adds Maj. Gen. Kay Hertog, director of the Pentagon?s Sexual Assault Prevention Office.

Yet assault within the service academies is particularly egregious, argues Greg Jacob, policy director for the Service Women?s Action Network. Though ?military service academies are similar to civilian universities and colleges in their student demographics, in other ways they are unique.?

That?s because the ?vast majority? of higher-echelon officers come from the academies and ?are in charge of developing implementing and enforcing sexual harassment and assault policies in today?s military,? Mr. Jacob notes. ?Ending the widespread issue of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military starts by ending it at the service academies.? 

In the meantime, a new Pentagon policy provides for the expedited transfer of those who have been the victim of sexual assault to be transferred, should they so wish.

The problem, some point out, is that in order to qualify for such a transfer, victims must file what the military calls an ?unrestricted report,? which requires a commander to launch a military criminal investigation, rather than a ?restricted report,? which allows the victim to remain anonymous.

The report found some positive developments at the academies. West Point named its superintendent to chair the Sexual Assault Review Board ?to ensure the highest-level awareness of the academy?s cases,? according to the Defense Department?s release. The Naval Academy established a therapist-led support group, and the Air Force Academy created an electronic reporting program to ?improve its 24/7 response capability.?

?We owe it to those who have been victimized, and to every cadet and midshipman," Maj. Gen. Hertog said, "to do everything possible to provide needed support and to hold those who commit sexual assault appropriately accountable.?

IN PICTURES: Military women of the world

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20111228/ts_csm/442430

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Five lawsuits pending in University City crash

The legal battle for relatives of four people killed by a Marine Corps jet that crashed into their San Diego home ended Wednesday in a $17.8 million judgment against the federal government. The struggle for compensation continues, however, for several other families whose homes and possessions were damaged in the Dec. 8, 2008, accident.

The Navy has resolved 33 claims related to the crash in University City and paid about $1.7 million, said Jennifer Zeldis, a spokeswoman for the Navy Judge Advocate General?s office in Washington, D.C.

Those who were unable to come to terms with the Navy Department sued in federal court, where five lawsuits are pending.

The Marine Corps had concluded that a chain of errors caused the crash, but the government was unable to agree with several families about how much compensation was owed.

Owners of the two homes that were destroyed by the jet crash are among those whose claims were rejected by the Navy. Three other houses were significantly damaged.

One of the destroyed homes was the residence of John Wu, his wife, Sunny Zhuang-Wu, and their two daughters. No one was home at the time of the crash.

After two years in temporary housing, the family moved into the rebuilt home about a year ago. Their homeowners? insurance did not cover all costs of construction, temporary rental housing or the replacement of their personal possessions, Zhuang-Wu said.

To make matters worse, Zhuang-Wu, a scientist for a biotech firm, and her husband, an information technology specialist, were both laid off from their jobs after the crash.

To her surprise, the Navy paid them nothing for the damages, she said. ?I didn?t know the military would be so difficult.?

The Navy is unable to comment on the Wu case or other pending litigation, Zeldis said, referring questions to the Department of Justice.

The Wu girls were ages 13 and 9 at the time of the crash. Losing their home and their belongings, and the deaths of their neighbors, ?it is very, very hard for them,? said Zhuang-Wu. ?It affected their school, their achievability, all those things.

?They are still very scared. They still cannot sleep by themselves. Not when they see airplanes over the sky here all the time,? she said.

Her only consolation has been that everyone in their family was at work or school at the time of the crash. ?At least we are still here,? she said.

Don Yoon?s wife, Youngmi; daughters, 15-month-old Grace and 7-week-old Rachel; and mother-in-law, Seokim Lee perished in the crash.

?I feel so sad every time I think of them,? Zhuang-Wu said.

Source: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/dec/29/five-lawsuits-pending-university-city-crash/

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Katy Perry, Russell Brand Breakup Rumors Swirl Online

Both celebs were photographed without their wedding bands this week.
By Kara Warner


Katy Perry and Russell Brand in Los Angeles on December 3
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Katy Perry and Russell Brand have both been spotted in public sans wedding bands recently, and while there has been no official word regarding a separation of any sort, nothing sets the Internet rumor mill spinning like a high-profile married couple stepping out with naked ring fingers.

Perry was first spotted without her ring around Christmas, but she was splashing around in the ocean and could have chosen not to wear the ring for fear of losing it, not to make a statement about her relationship status.

A wedding-ring-free Brand was snapped by photographers walking around London on Thursday (December 29), further fueling rumors of marital trouble that have been swirling, which both Brand and Perry addressed recently.

"There are always rumors, aren't there? In the end, you have to just not engage with Internet technology, which is difficult because a lot of the nude women websites I quite enjoy," Brand joked to Ellen DeGeneres about breakup rumors during his visit to her talk show. "I've treated the whole Internet now like it's a wicked little liar. Yeah. I am really happily married," he added. "I'm married to Katy. Perpetually, until death do us part was the pledge."

Perry took to Twitter in November to brush off earlier rumblings. "First I'm pregnant & then I'm divorced. What am I 'All My Children'?! #ericakane #pshhh #ifihadadollarforeverytime ...," she tweeted. The pop princess and cheeky British comedian have been married since October 2010.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676624/katy-perry-russell-brand-wedding-rings.jhtml

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Argentina blocking iPhone sales in order to boost its ailing economy

Argentina has blocked the sale of iPhone and BlackBerry devices in a move that is intended to boost its ailing economy. The ban is part of a selective...


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/IE-BLH7mf2g/story01.htm

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

I'm Back?

It's extremely likely that none of you remember who I am, since I only had two posts on this account. My lost account had only one. However, I'm here to say that after months of contemplation, I'm back and I think I'm fully and creatively prepared to contribute to roleplays. I'm very pleased to be back, because I remember this community to be creative and friendly, especially after clicking around and looking through the forums. I don't know if I'll receive very many hits, but I think I'll begin crafting some applications soon.

Just a little background on me before I let myself get distracted by filling up my head with notions of being creative just yet. I'm attending school to be a graphic designer (hopefully, layout design- you could say it's a passion of mine). At the moment, I'm attending a trade school and will soon be entering college for such studies. I've been roleplaying all sorts of things since I was but a boy of 7: fantasy, sci-fi, romance, comedy- you name it. I enjoy reading about the occult and the history of witchcraft due to some personal ties with the subject. My favourite genres to roleplay in are comedy, action, horror and fantasy.

My hobbies include writing and performing music, drawing, writing, reading and, of course, playing video games. If you feel like you want to get to know me better or even just say hello, I'm always open to PM's.

Sorry all that was so long-winded, but it's just some info I wanted to get out before starting to participate a little more. I hate being a stranger.

PS: In roleplays, I give you back what you give me. For example, if you give me a one-liner, I'm not going to give you a paragraph.

Tl;dr: I love roleplay, so I'm coming back to where I know is friendly. :D

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/r6z-te80sic/viewtopic.php

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Tensions build as Iraqi leader accrues powers (AP)

BAGHDAD ? In the week since the last American troops left Iraq, Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered an arrest warrant for the country's highest-ranking Sunni official, threatened to exclude the rival sect's main political party from his government and warned that "rivers of blood" would flow if Sunnis seek an autonomous region.

The moves confirmed what many longtime observers of Iraqi politics have suspected since al-Maliki came to office more than five years ago ? that he has an authoritarian streak and beneath his tireless rhetoric about national unity is essentially a sectarian politician.

As a result, the veneer of sectarian unity that the United States tried to paint over Iraq's leadership throughout a 9-year presence is quickly being washed away after the departure of American forces.

The first casualty could be the unity government that al-Maliki heads, uneasily combining his powerful Shiite alliance with a Sunni-backed bloc. It took nine months after Iraq's elections in March last year to put it together, under heavy American pressure to include the Sunnis, but al-Maliki never liked it and is increasingly saying he wants a government based on the majority in parliament, which would squeeze out Sunnis.

And al-Maliki has made clear he intends keep a strong grip heading that government.

"I have been working here for six years and I will be here for another six," al-Maliki told a news conference last week.

He has been accruing power since rising to his post in 2006 in a process that has accelerated since the new government was formed a year ago. He effectively runs the Defense and Interior Ministries and has created a separate security force that answers to him alone. He has bypassed parliament to install Shiite allies in key positions, and he has used his control over state funds and resources to gain leverage with the judiciary and oversight agencies like the anti-graft Integrity Commission.

The one risk al-Maliki runs is that he will disillusion Shiite parties making up the bulk of his government, some of which are longtime political rivals. On Monday, a lawmaker in the powerful party of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr floated the idea of holding new elections to resolve the political turmoil. Bahaa al-Aaraji quickly backed off the idea, saying it was just his personal opinion, but his comment underlined how Shiite rivals could turn on the prime minister.

Nevertheless, for the moment, Shiite parties are strongly backing al-Maliki, unified by their common fear that Sunnis want to take back power that their minority community lost with the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime.

Last week, the Shiite bloc issued a statement saying rulings of the judiciary must be adhered to, language that was seen as a show of support for al-Maliki's arrest warrant against Sunni Vice President and longtime critic Tariq al-Hashemi.

Al-Maliki accuses al-Hashemi of organizing assassinations, and the warrant has sparked a political crisis. Al-Hashemi denied the charges. The Iraqiya bloc to which he belongs is boycotting parliament, complaining that al-Maliki does not share power, and it is threatening to pull out of the unity government.

The prime minister also asked parliament to issue a vote of no-confidence in Iraqiya lawmaker Saleh al-Mutlaq in what could be a prelude to removing or prosecuting him. Al-Mutlaq, a deputy prime minister, branded al-Maliki a dictator in a TV interview while the Shiite leader was visiting Washington this month.

For Sunnis, the moves stoke fears that the majority Shiites want to exclude them from politics and completely dominate the country. They also worry that increasing Shiite power will translate into greater influence from neighboring, Shiite-led Iran. On Sunday, Iran's armed forces chief of staff Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said his country was ready to expand its military, defense and security relations with Iraq now that the Americans have left, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA.

Al-Maliki, meanwhile, has been able to exploit Shiite fears of a Sunni resurgence to keep his coalition's backing while he expands his personal role. Helping him is the lack of any credible Shiite rival, with former prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and former vice president Adil Abdel-Mahdi viewed as too weak to take his job. Also, parliament has been unable to exercise full oversight because it is fractured and deeply divided on sectarian and ethnic lines.

His holding of the defense and interior portfolios gives him direct power over the military and police, though he recently appointed a Sunni ally as acting defense minister.

He has sole control over security forces deployed in Baghdad, creating the Baghdad Operations Command, an elite outfit that is independent from the ministries. The force was created during the height of violence several years ago and was meant to be temporary, but he has kept it in place.

The command, according to aides familiar with the inner workings of al-Maliki's office, takes its orders exclusively from the prime minister and reports to him alone. The commander of the Baghdad-based forces, his deputy and chief of staff are all Shiites loyal to the prime minister, said the aides.

His control over funds for assigning security details for judges, for example, or offering them safe housing out of militants' reach and inside Baghdad's heavily protected Green Zone has meant that many senior judges became beholden to al-Maliki, said the aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

At the same time, he has worked to defend his Shiite allies against corruption allegations that he consistently dismisses as "media talk." This month, a senior Shiite official from the Baghdad provincial council, Saber al-Issawi, was summoned for questioning by parliament on corruption allegations, but the probe was soon halted and the entire case was shelved.

"Al-Maliki is willing to sacrifice government partners like the Sunnis and the Kurds, but not Shiite allies," said one aide.

The prime minister appears increasingly willing to dump the unity government by pushing out the Iraqiya bloc, threatening that ministers who decide to stay away from Cabinet meetings will be foregoing their jobs as a result.

His aides also speak of him running for a third term when his current 4-year stint ends in 2014, despite his earlier promises that he would not run again.

But the greater fear is that al-Maliki's offensive on the Sunni politicians could re-ignite the sectarian violence that tore the country apart in 2006 and 2007. Without the Americans acting as a buffer between Sunnis and Shiites, an explosion of violence now could be even worse.

"The man is becoming more authoritarian, because he believes the coalition government is uncomfortable for him," said political analyst Kadhum al-Muqdadi. "The prime minister should ideally be for all Iraqis, not just for his sect."

> ___

Hendawi reported from Cairo.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq_al_maliki_s_ambitions

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Level 3 Powers California Central Valley Broadband Project

Level 3 Powers California Central Valley Broadband Project??????????
Level 3 will provide IP capacity for the Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure project, a $66.6 million total cost project that is being partly funded with $46.6 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project will bring advanced communications to rural, underserved areas by creating a 1,300 mile, high-capacity fiber-based infrastructure throughout 18 counties in California's Central Valley. Level 3 is providing over 300 route miles of fiber for the project.
http://www.level3.com
http://www.cvin.com
19-Dec-11

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12/25/2011 - Community Christmas Day Dinner

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Anti-Putin protest draws tens of thousands

In this photo taken with a fisheye lens, demonstrators rally to protest against election fraud in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital Saturday in the largest protest so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

In this photo taken with a fisheye lens, demonstrators rally to protest against election fraud in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital Saturday in the largest protest so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Demonstrators hold Russian opposition flags during a rally protesting against election fraud in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital Saturday in the largest protest so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Demonstrators hold Russian opposition flags and protest slogans during a rally protesting against election fraud in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital Saturday in the largest protest so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Demonstrators hold Russian opposition flags during a rally protesting against election fraud in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital Saturday in the largest protest so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Demonstrators rally to protest against election fraud in Moscow, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in the Russian capital Saturday in the largest protest so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

MOSCOW (AP) ? Tens of thousands of demonstrators on Saturday cheered opposition leaders and jeered the Kremlin in the largest protest in the Russian capital so far against election fraud, signaling growing outrage over Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule.

The demonstration in Moscow was even bigger than a similar protest two weeks ago, although rallies in other cities in the far east and Siberia earlier in the day drew smaller crowds than on Dec. 10. The demonstrations are the largest show of discontent the nation has seen since the 1991 Soviet collapse.

Rally participants densely packed a broad avenue, which has room for nearly 100,000 people, about 2.5 kilometers (some 1.5 miles) from the Kremlin, as the temperature dipped well below freezing. They chanted "Russia without Putin!"

A stage at the end of the 700-meter (0.43 mile) avenue featured placards reading "Russia will be free" and "This election Is a farce." Heavy police cordons encircled the participants, who stood within metal barriers, and a police helicopter hovered overhead.

Alexei Navalny, a corruption-fighting lawyer and popular blogger, electrified the crowd when he took the stage. A rousing speaker, he had protesters shouting "We are the power!"

Navalny spent 15 days in jail for leading a protest the day after the Dec. 4 parliamentary election that unexpectedly drew more than 5,000 people and set off the chain of demonstrations. Since his release, he has helped to further galvanize the opposition.

Putin's United Russia party lost 25 percent of its seats in the election, but hung onto a majority in parliament through what independent observers said was widespread fraud. United Russia, seen as representing a corrupt bureaucracy, has become known as the party of crooks and thieves, a phrase coined by Navalny.

"We have enough people here to take the Kremlin," he shouted to the crowd. "But we are peaceful people and we won't do that ? yet. But if these crooks and thieves keep cheating us, we will take what is ours."

The recent protests in Moscow and other cities have dented Putin's authority as he seeks to reclaim the presidency in a March vote. The Kremlin has responded by promising a set of political reforms that would allow more political competition in future elections.

But protest leaders say they will continue pushing for a rerun of the Dec. 4 parliamentary election and punishment for officials accused of vote fraud. They say maintaining momentum is key to forcing Putin's government to accept their demands.

"We don't trust him," opposition leader Boris Nemtsov told the rally, urging protesters to gather again next month to make sure that the proposed changes are put into law. Along with liberals, the rally also drew Communists, nationalists and other groups.

Nemtsov called on the demonstrators to go to the polls in March to unseat Putin. "A thief must not sit in the Kremlin," he said.

"We want to back those who are fighting for our rights," said 16-year-old Darya Andryukhina, who said she had also attended the previous rally.

"People have come here because they want respect," said Tamara Voronina, 54, who said she was proud of her three sons, who had also joined the protest.

The protests reflect a growing public frustration with Putin, who ruled Russia as president in 2000-2008 and has remained the No. 1 leader after moving into the prime minister's seat due to a constitutional term limit. Brazen fraud in the parliamentary vote unexpectedly energized the middle class, which for years had been politically apathetic.

"No one has done more to bring so many people here than Putin who managed to insult the whole country," said Viktor Shenderovich, a columnist and satirical writer.

Putin has accused the United States of fomenting the protests in order to weaken Russia and has said, sarcastically, that he thought the white ribbons many protesters wear as an emblem were condoms.

In a response to Putin's blustery rhetoric, one protester Saturday held a picture montage of Putin with his head wrapped in a condom like a grandmother's headscarf.

"We can't tolerate such a show of disrespect for the people, for the entire nation," journalist and music critic Artyomy Troitsky said in a speech at the rally. He wore a white gown that resembled a condom, mocking Putin's comment.

Although Putin has derided the demonstrators as Western stooges, he has also sought to soothe public anger by promising to relax his grip on the political scene.

He has promised to liberalize registration rules for opposition parties and restore the direct election of governors he abolished in 2004. Putin's stand-in as president, Dmitry Medvedev, spelled out those and other proposed changes in Thursday's state-of-the nation address, promising to restore direct elections to fill half of the seats in parliament and ease rules for the presidential election.

Some opposition leaders welcomed the proposals, but stressed the need for the protests to continue to force the Kremlin to quickly turn the promises into law.

"These measures are insufficient," said Arina Zhukova, 45, another participant in Saturday's rally. "They are intended to calm people down and prevent them from showing up at rallies."

The electoral changes, however, will only apply to a new election cycle years away, and the opposition has stressed the need to focus on preventing fraud in the March presidential election and mounting a consolidated challenge to Putin.

In another sign of the authorities' efforts to stem the tide of public anger, the presidential human rights commission early Saturday issued a statement condemning violations in the vote and backing protesters' calls for the ouster of Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov.

It said that allegations of widespread fraud have led to a "moral and political discrediting of the election system and the lower house of parliament, creating a real threat to the Russian state."

____

Vladimir Isachenkov and Lynn Berry contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-24-EU-Russia-Protests/id-c881e63a397942e5a286dbe5c719d578

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RedScareBot: Smurf Communism RT @Dharma115: @mimiplush or such a useless ASS of a socialist president?

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Baseball Roundup: Nationals Get Starter; Cardinals Land Beltran

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Source: www.nytimes.com --- Thursday, December 22, 2011
Gio Gonzalez, a left-handed starter for Oakland, was traded to Washington, and Carlos Beltran is headed to St. Louis. ...

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=80407e2f9d6caa80e47690136ef2bc1c

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Nobel Automotive Signs Joint Venture Agreement in China With ...

POISSY, France , Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ ? Nobel Automotive, a unconditionally owned auxiliary of Orhan Holding A.S ., announced currently that it has entered into a corner try agreement with Fuzhou Rocket Enterprises Co., Ltd. ?The new corner try association will develop, make and sell automotive liquid send systems in Asia , and will control business underneath a name Nobel Rocket Co., Ltd. The transaction is theme to final business permit approvals.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111220/DE25377LOGO )

?The Nobel Rocket corner try demonstrates a ongoing joining to a tellurian expansion strategy,? pronounced Murat Orhan , Chairman and CEO of Orhan Holding . ?We are gratified to continue to grow and variegate a prolongation and patron footprint by this initial Chinese investment.?

?Expanding a Asian prolongation participation for a liquid doing business serve enhances a ability to support an expanding patron bottom and yield higher value to tellurian and domestic platforms,? pronounced Larry Denton , boss of Nobel Automotive. ?The Nobel Rocket corner try opens poignant expansion opportunities in China ?s fast-growing liquid doing systems market.?

China ?s domestic automotive marketplace is projected to grow by some-more than 44%, augmenting annual new car prolongation rates to 26 million vehicles by 2015, according to heading analysts.

?This try connects Nobel?s world-class record in liquid doing systems with Fuzhou Rockets? prolongation peculiarity and patron support to automakers via Asia ,? pronounced W.T. Peng , authority and arch executive officer of Fuzhou Rocket. ?Combining a strengths will position us as a elite retailer of liquid doing solutions in a region.?

The new try is infancy owned and tranquil by Nobel Automotive, and a house of directors will be comprised of Nobel and Fuzhou Rocket executives.? Larry Denton will regulate as Chairman of a Board. The primogenitor companies will any minister assets, egghead skill and technical resources.

About Fuzhou Rocket Enterprises

Fuzhou Rocket Enterprises is a heading retailer of tubular and liquid doing products to a domestic China automotive market. The association was determined in 2000 and operates comforts in Chongqing , Fuzhou , Haikou and Liuzhou, China . Fuzhou Rocket business embody Changan Ford Mazda, Jiangling Motor (Ford), Soueast Motor, Haima Motor, Dongfeng Motor, Zotye Auto, GAC Changfeng Motor, Dongfeng Yulon Motor, SAIC Motor, SAIC GM Wuling Automobile , Zhuzhou YAMAHA, Shanghai TRW and Suzhou Nexteer.? The association is owned by primogenitor association Jichyuan Enterprises Co., Ltd.

About Nobel Automotive

Nobel Automotive is a heading pattern and prolongation association specializing in liquid send products. The association has partnered with vital automakers for some-more than 30 years and has imagination in mixing plastic, steel and rubber technologies to emanate high value solutions. Nobel operates 13 comforts located in China , England , France , India , Korea, Mexico , Romania , Russia , Slovakia , Spain , Turkey and a United States.? Engineering of a products is supposing in informal technical centers in China , France , India , Turkey , a United Kingdom and a United States.? Nobel Automotive is unconditionally owned by Orhan Holding , A.S. formed in Bursa, Turkey .

For some-more information, revisit www.nobelautomotive.com.

?

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Newt and His Surprising Liberal Allies

As a result, legitimate policy differences, which ought to be resolved by the people, are instead resolved by judges. These unelected officials make policy on abortion, affirmative action, gun control, health care, campaign finance regulations, immigration, and countless other areas of life. Rather than resist the judicial takeover of policy, elected officials have worked harder to appoint judges who will advance their political views, which has further diminished the space for democratic politics.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=509f459c6d07f23576322ffae1deb888

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Spain PM to outline tough reforms (Reuters)

MADRID (Reuters) ? Spain's incoming centre-right Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will outline his first economic reforms and cost-cutting measures on Monday as he prepares to take the helm of a country battered by austerity, mass unemployment and the threat of recession.

But while the rhetoric will be tough, details are expected to be scarce as Rajoy delivers the first speech to parliament of his four-year term.

"The new government is starting in the middle of a very serious situation and the message will be that while it requires blood, sweat and tears, we shouldn't despair," said Angel Laborda, economist at Madrid-based think tank Funcas.

"I think he'll announce the general strategy rather than concrete measures, which I don't think they have still."

A self-proclaimed 'Mr. Normal' and a cautious moderate, Rajoy has made few public appearances since his People's Party (PP) trounced the Socialists in November's election. He has filled his rare speeches with warnings of hard times ahead.

On Monday, he will address the new parliament in which his People's Party (PP) now commands an absolute majority, the largest in Spain in 30 years.

On Wednesday he will be officially signed in as prime minister and name his cabinet, a closely guarded secret which PP sources say only Rajoy knows for sure. It will meet for the first time on Friday.

Spain, with an economy more than twice the combined size of Greece, Portugal and Ireland, the three countries so far bailed out by the European Union and International Monetary Fund, has been under market pressure since the sovereign debt crisis began.

Austerity and reforms by the Socialists have so far kept the wolves from the door. Even so, the premium investors demand to hold Spanish over German debt hangs near euro-era highs, despite some shift in investor concern towards Italy, and the new government will have to work hard to convince markets it is up to the job.

Peaceful protests against the effects of wide-ranging belt tightening take place around the country regularly, but many Spaniards are resigned to deeper cuts and expect years more of economic hardship.

Some 49 percent of Spaniards understand more sacrifices must be made to emerge from the crisis, according to a survey published in El Pais newspaper on Sunday, while 94 percent think a solution to the crisis is a long way off.

UNPOPULAR MEASURES

Rajoy has already given the basic outline of the reforms he believes are necessary, focusing on the labour market, the banking sector and public accounts. He said last week the Spanish people understood some measures would be unwelcome.

Balancing the budget and extending a constitutional reform passed in September, which enshrines fiscal discipline in law, will be Rajoy's priority, and he is expected to talk about how the government can meet 2012's budget deficit goal of 4.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product.

Spain has cut the budget shortfall from 11.2 percent of GDP in 2009 to an expected around 6.5 percent this year, but must save nearly 30 billion euros ($39.14 billion) extra next year to keep on track, double the savings implemented in 2011.

The conservative party has argued hard against tax hikes which it fears would further stunt already stagnant growth, so Rajoy will, at first at least, focus on slashing spending to bring public accounts back in line.

"In terms of consolidation, most of it will be via spending, and I think we'll see some drastic measures in terms of social security, unemployment benefit, certainly education and health care in particular," said David Bach, political analyst at IE business school in Madrid.

The exact public deficit will not be calculated until the spring once the regions turn in their end-of-year accounts, so Rajoy will avoid announcing where the axe must fall, and how hard, until then.

Spain has the highest unemployment rate in the EU, at 21.5 percent. Its two-tier contract system grants job security to permanent contract holders, with some of the highest lay-off costs in the developed world, and almost no worker rights to everyone else.

Around a quarter of the economy relies on the badly hit construction sector, tourism and agriculture, leaving millions of low-skilled laborers exposed to a seasonally volatile jobs market and employers in need of a flexible workforce.

But with new measures currently under debate by the unions and employers' representatives, who have until January 6 to reach an accord, Rajoy will wait until the new year before making proposals.

Banks will also face a new phase of restructuring, and the PP has said it wants to detail the true value of property assets on their books. A senior party source has said a decision will be made in the first few months of the year, and that one option is to create a 'bad bank' to take on all the troubled assets of otherwise healthy groups.

On Friday, credit rating agency Fitch put six euro zone countries, including Spain, on watch for potential downgrades in the near future.

The clock may be ticking for the euro zone, but Rajoy is unlikely to be cajoled into rushing reforms into law before examining the details. A drop in debt yields at an auction last week suggested that, for now, he may have some room to move.

"The markets have let him get away with not making bold announcements up until now, so I expect his speech to be about principle, tougher reforms and a sort of pep talk," Bach said. ($1 = 0.7665 euros)

(Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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

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Design a Vinyl Sleeve to Benefit Teenage Cancer Trust - You The ...

Talenthouse has an exciting Creative Invite right now, so much that we wanted to share it with you all here too! It?s a wonderful contest that not only gives winning designers that big break to get their art out there, but also benefits a great cause. Check out the details below:

Let us know in the comments if you have any questions, and we?ll add them to this post as necessary. We?re wishing the best to everyone who decides to participate!

Source: http://www.youthedesigner.com/2011/12/16/design-a-vinyl-sleeve-to-benefit-teenage-cancer-trust/

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Whitecaps acquire Nguyen in MLS weighted lottery

Associated Press Sports

updated 4:37 p.m. ET Dec. 15, 2011

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The Vancouver Whitecaps have acquired attacking midfielder Lee Nguyen through Major League Soccer's weighted lottery.

The 25-year-old from McKinney, Texas, signed a multi-year contract with MLS on Dec. 6. Nguyen was entered into the weighted lottery after he had turned down a MLS contract when he was drafted in college. He played a season of college soccer at Indiana before joining the Netherlands' PSV Eindhoven for the 2005-06 season.

The Whitecaps were one of six MLS clubs to participate in Thursday's draw for Nguyen. Vancouver was selected ahead of FC Dallas, the Houston Dynamo, the Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC. Each team's record dictates its probability of winning the draw.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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LONDON (AP) -Manchester United could briefly forget about injury problems, Champions League elimination and its resurgent neighbor on Sunday.

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Medvedev: Russia pledges to help euro

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev addresses the media at the European Council building in Brussels for the twice-yearly EU-Russia meeting, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Russia, hoping to keep its largest export market from collapsing, will give at least $10 billion to the International Monetary Fund to help support the struggling euro currency, an aide to President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev addresses the media at the European Council building in Brussels for the twice-yearly EU-Russia meeting, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Russia, hoping to keep its largest export market from collapsing, will give at least $10 billion to the International Monetary Fund to help support the struggling euro currency, an aide to President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso addresses the media at the European Council building in Brussels for the twice-yearly EU-Russia meeting, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Russia, hoping to keep its largest export market from collapsing, will give at least $10 billion to the International Monetary Fund to help support the struggling euro currency, an aide to President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy addresses the media at the European Council building in Brussels for the twice-yearly EU-Russia meeting, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, right, looks at Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev as they address the media at the European Council building in Brussels for the twice-yearly EU-Russia meeting, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. Russia, hoping to keep its largest export market from collapsing, will give at least $10 billion to the International Monetary Fund to help support the struggling euro currency, an aide to President Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

(AP) ? Russian officials indicated Thursday that their country may offer more than the $10 billion it already has promised the International Monetary Fund to help support the struggling euro currency.

Speaking at a news conference with EU President Herman van Rompuy and European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: "We are ready to invest the necessary financial means to back the EU and the eurozone. We are ready to consider other measures of support."

He didn't elaborate, but Russian officials have said their country would offer up to $10 billion to the IMF to help support the euro. And Arkady Dvorkovich, a Medvedev economic adviser, indicated Thursday the total may be greater because Russia has a big economic stake in the EU, where a debt crisis is dragging down economies and the 17-nation eurozone.

"We are ready to contribute our part via the IMF. We are committed to do it. Ten billion dollars is the minimum commitment," Dvorkovich told journalists reporting from the 28th EU-Russia summit in Brussels, where other major issues included visa liberalization and alleged fraud during Russia's parliamentary election last week.

Last week, EU governments said they would give the IMF euro200 million ($264 billion), which in turn could help out the eurozone. The fund also expects other nations to participate in the rescue fund.

Medvedev said it is in Russia's interest to assist its largest trade partner overcome the economic crisis.

Russia exports more to the EU than to any other market, and Russia is the EU's third-largest trading partner. Total trade amounts to euro245 billion ($318 billion). Russia also is the EU's most important source of energy imports, accounting for nearly a quarter of its natural gas consumption and 30 percent of its oil.

Medvedev said that 41 percent of his country's foreign currency reserves are denominated in euros.

"Russia is interested in the EU's preservation as a powerful economic and political force," Medvedev said. "We have advantageous ties, and for us united Europe is very important."

Van Rompuy, meanwhile, acknowledged that Russia and the EU "are strongly interdependent." Van Rompuy was hosting Medvedev for the twice-yearly meeting.

The summit came as the World Trade Organization was set to approve Russia's long-delayed membership on Friday. Russia ? the largest economy still outside the WTO ? has been trying to join for 18 years. A Swiss-brokered deal with Georgia last month cleared the last major hurdle for Russia.

Medvedev thanked the EU for its support of Russia's candidacy, saying: "It will give a strong impulse to our cooperation."

Van Rompuy said: "Russian WTO accession is a major achievement (which) opens a myriad of possibilities for trade and growth."

Medvedev dismissed complaints about the conduct of Russia's Dec. 4 legislative elections. On Wednesday, European Parliament speaker Jerzy Buzek called for new free-and-fair elections and a probe into reports of fraud and intimidation at Russian polling stations.

"It means nothing to me," Medvedev said.

The EU has avoided overt criticism of the elections, which have sparked massive anti-government protests in Moscow and other Russian cities.

After years of negotiations, the two sides also launched a set of joint steps that will lead to visa-free travel for Russian citizens ? a long-standing goal in relations. The measures include the introduction of biometric passports, as well as improved border management to combat transnational crime, terrorism and corruption.

Officials said Syria and Iran were also discussed. Russia has blocked a bid by the United States and EU nations to impose sanctions against Syria, where a government crackdown on dissidents has killed thousands of people. Russia opposes any further moves against Iran, whose nuclear program worries the West.

___

Slobodan Lekic can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/slekich

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-15-EU-EU-Russia-Summit/id-cdcc008c544943bcb6a7d38f84b6e648

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APNewsBreak: Satellite gets pic of Chinese carrier (AP)

DENVER ? A commercial U.S. satellite company said it has captured a photo of China's first aircraft carrier in the Yellow Sea off the Chinese coast.

DigitalGlobe Inc. said Wednesday one of its satellites photographed the carrier Dec. 8. A DigitalGlobe analyst found the image Tuesday while searching through photos.

Stephen Wood, director of DigitalGlobe's analysis center, said he's confident the ship is the Chinese carrier because of the location and date of the photo. The carrier was on a sea trial at the time.

DigitalGlobe, based in Longmont, Colo., sells satellite imagery and analysis to clients that include the U.S. military, emergency response agencies and private companies. DigitalGlobe has three orbiting satellites and a fourth is under construction.

The aircraft carrier has generated intense international interest because of what it might portend about China's intentions as a military power.

The former Soviet Union started building the carrier, which it called the Varyag, but never finished it. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it ended up in the hands of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.

China bought the ship from Ukraine in 1998 and spent years refurbishing it. It had no engines, weaponry or navigation systems when China acquired it.

China has said the carrier is intended for research and training, which has led to speculation that it plans to build future copies.

China initially said little about its plans for the carrier but has been more open in recent years, said Bonnie S. Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It wasn't until the Chinese actually announced they were sending it out on a trial run they admitted, `Yes, we are actually launching a carrier,'" she said.

China publicly announced two sea trials for the carrier that occurred this year, she said.

The carrier's progress is in line with the U.S. military's expectations, said Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Defense Department spokeswoman.

A Defense Department report to Congress this year said the carrier could become operationally available to the Chinese navy by the end of next year but without aircraft.

"From that point, it will take several additional years before the carrier has an operationally viable air group," Hull-Ryde said in an email.

She declined to comment on the DigitalGlobe photo, saying it was an intelligence matter.

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP

___

Online:

http://www.digitalglobe.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111214/ap_on_re_us/us_chinese_carrier_photo

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Friday, December 16, 2011

Delhi's air as dirty as ever despite some reforms (AP)

NEW DELHI ? A decade ago, plans for a metro and clean-fuel buses were hailed as New Delhi's answer to pollution. But air in the Indian capital is as dirty as ever ? partly because breakneck development has brought skyrocketing use of cars.

Citywide pollution sensors routinely register levels of small airborne particles at two or sometimes three times its own sanctioned level for residential areas, putting New Delhi up with Beijing, Cairo and Mexico City at the top of indexes listing the world's most-polluted capitals.

Sunrises in India's capital filter through near-opaque haze, scenic panoramas feature ribbons of brown air and everywhere, it seems, someone is coughing.

"My family is very worried. Earlier, the smoke and dust stayed outside, but now it comes into the house," said 61-year-old shopkeeper Hans Raj Wadhawan, a one-time smoker now being treated for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the Delhi Heart and Lung Institute.

"I can see the air is bad again, and I can feel it in my chest."

New Delhi could lay some of the blame on its own success. Its recently minted middle class adds 1,200 cars a day to the 6 million on roads already snarled with incessantly honking traffic. Generous diesel subsidies promote the use of diesel-powered SUVs that belch some of the highest levels of carcinogenic particles, thanks to their reliance on one of the dirtiest-burning fuels and low Indian emissions standards.

"The city has lost nearly all of the gains it made in 2004 and 2005," said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research at the Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment.

New Delhi has undergone head-spinning expansion as Indian economic reforms in the 1990s ushered in two decades of record growth. Once a manageable capital of 9.4 million where cows, bicycles and bullock carts ruled the road, New Delhi today is a gridlocked metropolis and migrant mecca now home to 16 million. Authorities have scrambled to deal with everything from rocketing real estate prices to overflowing garbage dumps.

Efforts to clean the air, it seems, have only just begun.

The capital saw some success after a 1998-2003 program removing power plants from the city center and adopting compressed natural gas, CNG, for running buses and rickshaws. The buses had run on diesel, and the rickshaws on gasoline and highly polluting kerosene. Of all possible fuels, CNG releases the smallest amounts of particulate matter.

But just a few years later pollution levels are back up, with levels of airborne particles smaller than 10 micrometers ? called PM10s ? often near 300 per cubic meter, three times the city's legal limit of 100 ? and well above the World Health Organization's recommended limit of 20.

The tiny particulate matter, sometimes called black carbon or soot, is small enough to lodge in people's lungs and fester over time. WHO says the stuff kills some 1.34 million people globally each year.

Studies on the Indian capital put the number of such deaths in the thousands.

It worsens in the dry winters, as winds die down and pollution pools over the Delhi plains. Vehicular smog mixes with smoke from festival-season fireworks as well as countless illegal pyres of garbage burned by homeless migrants to stay warm as temperatures near freezing. And the booming construction scene, free for a few months from monsoons, sends up clouds of dust.

"Our biggest challenge is the vehicles, but building roads is not the answer," Roychowdhury said. "We badly need second-generation action to restrain this increasing auto dependence."

But so far India's diesel subsidies, billed as aid for poor rural farmers who need the fuel for generators and tractors, have only boosted its market for vehicles, and the worst-polluting kind.

Diesel cars, which in 2000 accounted for 4 percent of India's market, now make up 40 of new car sales, and are soon expected to hit 50 percent.

It's an odd automotive trend for today's world. In the United States, where markets set fuel prices, the popularity of diesel is nearly naught. China taxes diesel and petrol fuels at the same rate, while neighboring Sri Lanka sets high duties on diesel cars.

Indian car owners now spend more on diesel than the agricultural sector and benefit from 100 billion rupees, or about $1.86 billion, in direct diesel subsidy, according to the Center for Science and Environment.

Environmentalists call the diesel policy an incentive to pollute. And with the capital's 16 million residents now living on some of the world's most lung-challenging air, city authorities seem to agree and say more action is needed to clean up the air.

The city recently proposed a raft of reforms to bring down PM10 levels by boosting public transportation and discouraging drivers from taking out their cars. Ideas floated include taxing diesel vehicles, increasing parking rates that are now lower than bus fares, and introducing a London-like congestion charge for driving in the city center.

Delhi also is expanding its metro, and wants to auction off its 17 bus routes to replace a chaotic system that has dozens of single owner-operators working independently ? and inefficiently.

But whether the changes are made, and how effective they would be in persuading people to give up their cars, remains to be seen.

In the meantime, at least 3,000 Delhi residents will die each year from pollution-related causes, out of the city's 100,000 annual deaths, according to a recent study by The Energy Resources Institute in New Delhi and the U.S.-based health Effects Institute. Other studies have put the number of pollution-related deaths at 10,000 a year or higher.

Thousands more will develop asthma, chronic bronchitis or other respiratory ailments.

Unsurprisingly, most patients and victims live near the city's biggest roads.

"The number of respiratory diseases is definitely on the rise. Even in children we are finding more respiratory problems," said Dr. Vinod Khetarpal, president of the Delhi Medical Association. "With the introduction of CNG, it had come down quite drastically. But now it's back up again. Cars seem to be our new vice."

___

Follow Katy Daigle on Twitter at http://twitter.com/katydaigle

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_re_as/as_india_brown_air

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RIM: Next-generation phones not out till late 2012

FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2011 file photo, Mike Lazaridis, co-CEO of Research in Motion gestures at the end of his keynote address to the BlackBerry DevCon Americas conference in San Francisco. Research In Motion Ltd. reports quarterly financial results Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, after the market close (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2011 file photo, Mike Lazaridis, co-CEO of Research in Motion gestures at the end of his keynote address to the BlackBerry DevCon Americas conference in San Francisco. Research In Motion Ltd. reports quarterly financial results Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, after the market close (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

TORONTO (AP) ? BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. said Thursday that new phones deemed critical to the company's future will be delayed until late 2012.

Mike Lazaridis, one of the company's co-CEOs, said the BlackBerry 10 phones will need a highly integrated chipset that will not be available until mid-2012, so the company can now expect them to ship late in the year. He disclosed the delay on a conference call with analysts.

Analysts say RIM's future depends on the new software platform. RIM needs to come up with a compelling BlackBerry as U.S. users have moved on to flashier touch-screen phones such as Apple's iPhone and various competing models that run Google's Android software.

Earlier Thursday, RIM said BlackBerry sales will fall sharply in the holiday quarter, providing further evidence that it is struggling to compete. It also has been having a hard time finding a niche in the tablet-computer market, which is dominated by Apple's iPad.

RIM continues to enjoy success overseas, but market researcher NPD Group says RIM's market share of smartphones in the U.S. has declined from 44 percent in 2009 to 10 percent this year.

The company's stock fell 7 percent in extended trading Thursday.

The delay in BlackBerry 10 phones is the latest in a series of setbacks for the once-iconic Canadian company. Its PlayBook tablet computer hasn't been selling well, forcing the company to sell them at a deep discount. A widespread outage frustrated tens of millions of BlackBerry users in October. RIM fired two executives after their drunken rowdiness forced the diversion of an Air Canada flight. The head of its operations in Indonesia faces charges related to a stampede at a recent promotional sale where dozens of consumers were injured.

RIM said its net income sank 71 percent as revenue fell and the company took a large accounting charge on the PlayBook, which uses the same operating software that RIM's new phones will use.

"We ask for your patience and confidence," Lazaridis said.

RIM earned $265 million, or 51 cents per share, for its fiscal third quarter that ended Nov. 26. That compares with $911 million, or $1.74 per share, a year ago. The company said revenue fell 6 percent to $5.2 billion. The PlayBook charge was $485 million before taxes.

The company shipped 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones during the third quarter and 150,000 PlayBook tablets, but its fourth-quarter guidance was what investors focused on because it had warned about the third-quarter results earlier.

Although RIM has said it would sell fewer BlackBerrys in the current quarter, the forecast given Thursday appeared worse than expected.

RIM said it would only ship between 11 million and 12 million BlackBerrys in the fourth quarter compared to 14.8 million in the previous fourth quarter.

RIM also said its fourth-quarter earnings would be in the range of 80 to 95 cents per share on revenue in the range of $4.6 billion to $4.9 billion. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.15 a share on revenue of $5.04 billion, according to FactSet.

Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies & Co. in New York, said earlier that if RIM reveals that it will ship no more than 12 million BlackBerrys in the current quarter, then the company needs to get its new phones out fast. Otherwise, RIM could lose money in future quarters as it continues to struggle to sell the current, stopgap models.

Misek said late Thursday the BlackBerry 10 phones will now be released three to nine months later than people believed.

BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said the guidance was terrible and wondered if it was the start of a collapse.

"If consumers abandon this platform it can happen pretty quickly," Gillis said. "Don't think this is the bottom."

Jim Balsillie, the other co-CEO, said the last few quarters have been among the most challenging times in the company's most recent history. He said executives are working to turn it around, but said it may take time.

"We are not satisfied with the performance of the business in the United States," Balsillie said.

Balsillie said he and Lazaridis have reduced their cash salary to $1 per year, though they will continue to earn stock options and other compensation.

RIM's stock fell $1.15 to a new seven-year low of $13.98 in extended trading Thursday after the results were released.

The stock has lost about 75 percent of its value this year. A company that was worth more than $70 billion a few years ago now has a market value of around $8 billion.

"We recognize our shareholders may feel we've fallen short," Balsillie said

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-12-15-Earns-Research%20In%20Motion/id-17b8050b4b9f4ce1afcc76f4307ffde4

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