AP photo essay: Ex-Soviet immigrants change Israel

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) ? In parts of Israel, it's hard to find a single Hebrew sign in a sea of Cyrillic. Shopkeepers address customers in Russian, and groceries are amply stocked with non-kosher pork, red caviar and rows of vodka. Russian pop beats thump at bars, and in some homes, people will as likely be hunched over a chessboard as a computer keyboard.

The Soviet Union crumbled 20 years ago, and in the aftermath, more than 1 million of its citizens took advantage of Jewish roots to flee that vast territory for the sliver of land along the Mediterranean that is the Jewish state. By virtue of their sheer numbers in a country of 8 million people and their tenacity in clinging to elements of their old way of life, these immigrants have transformed Israel.

Israel has the world's third-largest Russian-speaking community outside the former Soviet Union, after the U.S. and Germany. Russian-speaking emigres may not conjure up the same recognition as the country's black-hatted Orthodox Jews or gun-toting soldiers, but they are just as ubiquitous ? maintaining habits more suited to the "old country" than their adopted Mideast homeland, like wild mushroom foraging or winter dips in the Mediterranean, the closest substitute to frigid Siberian waters.

Today, Russian-speaking emigres and their children occupy virtually every corner of Israeli society, from academia and technology to the military and politics. A political party formed by Israel's recently resigned foreign minister to cater to Russian-speaking immigrants like him has grown from a marginal force in politics to one of its major powers.

The Russian-speaking community also wields an outsized influence in other aspects of Israeli life. Every fourth employee in Israel's flourishing high-tech industry is a Russian-speaking immigrant, as is every other engineer. The world's second-ranked chess master, Belarus-born Boris Gelfand, lives in Israel, and about a quarter of Israel's Olympic coaches grew up in the former Soviet Union.

Not all newcomers found work in their professions. Many artists became janitors or teachers. One Moldovan trapeze artist now operates a crane.

"I love the circus very, very much, but my work is like the circus," said Irena Zagoruyko, speaking by cellphone atop a 56-meter (185-foot) crane.

While the wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union is widely regarded as successful, there were also frictions.

Religion is a sensitive subject. Many immigrants have tenuous Jewish lineage or none at all.

There is also a certain disdain on both sides, with some immigrants saying they brought talent to a cultural backwater, and some Israelis saying the Russian-speaking immigrants brought prostitution, corruption and crime.

To some degree, many Russian speakers have insulated themselves from the broader Israeli society with Russian bookshops, Russian restaurants, Russian television and Russian newspapers.

And they never forget the beloved Chekhov and Dostoyevsky of their motherland.

"That's why Soviet immigrants never connected to Israeli society all the way," says Roman Bronfman, a former Israeli lawmaker born in today's Ukraine. "They felt they were connected to one of the most glorious cultures in the world."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-30-Israel's%20Soviet%20Spirit/id-3af026cbe4474f26bb60cc3a0c5d6fa9

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Possible deal emerging in debt talks

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The contours of a deal to avert the 'fiscal cliff' emerged Monday, with Democrats and Republicans agreeing to raise tax rates on family income over $450,000 a year, increase the estate tax rate and extend unemployment benefits for one year, officials familiar with the negotiations said.

But with a midnight deadline rapidly approaching, both sides were at an impasse over whether to put off automatic, across-the-board spending cuts set to take effect on Jan. 1, and if so, how to pay for that.

One official said talks were focused on a two-month delay in the across-the-board cuts but negotiators had yet to agree on about $24 billion in savings from elsewhere in the budget.

Officials emphasized that negotiations were continuing and the emerging deal was not yet final. President Barack Obama was to speak about the status of the negotiations from the White House Monday afternoon.

The proposal in the works would raise the tax rates on family income over $450,000 from 35 percent to 39.6 percent, the same level as under former President Bill Clinton. Also, estates would be taxed at 40 percent after the first $5 million for an individual and $10 million for a couple, up from 35 percent to 40 percent.

Unemployment benefits would be extended for one year. Without the extension, 2 million people would lose benefits beginning in early January.

A Republican official familiar with the plans confirmed the details described to The Associated Press.

The officials requested anonymity in order to discuss the internal negotiations.

Unless an agreement is reached and approved by Congress by the start of New Year's Day, more than $500 billion in 2013 tax increases will begin to take effect and $109 billion will be carved from defense and domestic programs

Though the tax hikes and budget cuts would be felt gradually, economists warn that if allowed to fully take hold, their combined impact ? the so-called fiscal cliff ? would rekindle a recession.

Urgent talks were continuing Monday afternoon between the White House and congressional Republicans, with longtime negotiating partners Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell at the helm. Underscoring the flurry of activity, another GOP aide said the two men had conversations at 12:45 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Monday.

An agreement on the proposed deal would also shield Medicare doctors from a 27 percent cut in fees and extend tax credits for research and development, as well as renewable energy.

The deal would also extend for five years a series of tax credits meant to lessen the financial burden on poorer and middle-class families, including one credit that helps people pay for college.

The deal would achieve about $600 billion in new revenue, the officials said.

Despite the movement, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned that time was running out to finalize an agreement.

"Americans are still threatened with a tax hike in just a few hours," said Reid, D-Nev., as the Senate began an unusual New Year's Eve session.

Liberal Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, took to the Senate floor after Reid to warn Democratic bargainers against lowering levies on large inherited estates and raising the income threshold at which higher tax rates would kick in.

"No deal is better than a bad deal. And this look like a very bad deal the way this is shaping up," said Harkin.

Letting tax rates rise for couples with incomes of $450,000 a year is a concessions for Obama, who campaigned for re-election on a pledge to set the levels at $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. It also marked a significant concession by Republican leaders who pledged to continue the George W. Bush-era tax cuts for all income earners. .

The hope of the White House and lawmakers was to seal an agreement, enact it and send it to Obama for his signature before taxpayers felt the impact of higher income taxes or federal agencies began issuing furloughs or taking other steps required by spending cuts.

Regardless of the fate of the negotiations, it appeared all workers would experience a cut in their take-home pay with the expiration of a two-year cut in payroll taxes.

"This whole thing is a national embarrassment," Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said Monday on MSNBC, adding that any solution Congress would swallow at this late stage would be inconsequential. "We still haven't moved any closer to solving our nation's problems."

In a move that was sure to irritate Republicans, Reid was planning ? absent a deal ? to force a Senate vote Monday on Obama's campaign-season proposal to continue expiring tax cuts for all but those with income exceeding $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.

In one sign of movement on Sunday, Republicans dropped a demand to slow the growth of Social Security and other benefits by changing how those payments are increased each year to allow for inflation.

Obama had offered to include that change, despite opposition by many Democrats, as part of earlier, failed bargaining with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, over a larger deficit reduction agreement. But Democrats said they would never include the new inflation formula in the smaller deal now being sought to forestall wide-ranging tax boosts and budget cuts, and Republicans relented.

"It's just acknowledging the reality," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said of the GOP decision to drop the idea.

As the New Year's Eve deadline rapidly approached, Democrats and Republicans found themselves at odds over a host of issues, including taxing large inherited estates. Republicans wanted the tax left at its current 35 percent, with the first $5.1 million excluded, while Democrats wanted the rate increased to 45 percent with a smaller exclusion.

The two sides were also apart on how to keep the alternative minimum tax from raising the tax bills of nearly 30 million middle-income families and how to extend tax breaks for research by business and other activities.

Republicans were insisting that budget cuts be found to pay for some of the spending proposals Democrats were pushing.

These included proposals to erase scheduled defense and domestic cuts exceeding $200 billion over the next two years and to extend unemployment benefits. Republicans complained that in effect, Democrats would pay for that spending with the tax boosts on the wealthy.

"We can't use tax increases on anyone to pay for more spending," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.

_____

Eds: Associated Press writers David Espo, Andrew Taylor, Alan Fram and Josh Lederman contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-sources-fiscal-cliff-deal-emerging-172515776--finance.html

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Costa Phillippou gets big win as Tim Boetsch deals with rough night at UFC 155

Costa Philippou wasn't even supposed to be fighting at UFC 155. It was supposed to be Chris Weidman, Philippou's teammate, taking on Tim Boetsch. It was supposed to be a fight that decided a potential contender for Anderson Silva's bout. But in MMA, things don't always work out like they are supposed to, and Philippou walked away with a win at UFC 155.

Philippou stepped in to fight Boetsch after Weidman was injured in training camp. Boetsch took an early lead with clinch work and takedowns in the first round, but between rounds he talked about an injury that was bothering him. It got worse for Boetsch in the second round, as a large cut opened in his forehead and he was poked in the eye.

With his eye swelling and blood covering his face, Boetsch tried to deal with Philippou's striking. Boetsch attempted takedowns, but couldn't hold off Philippou, who finished the fight at 2:11 in the third round.

After the fight, Philippou sent this tweet that said it all.

They know me now.

? Costas Philippou (@Philippou185UFC) December 30, 2012

Though he's now 12-2 and has five straight wins in the UFC, Philippou has flown under the radar among middleweights. It will be hard to ignore him after he took advantage of this opportunity at UFC 155.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/costa-phillippou-gets-big-win-tim-boetsch-deals-045553011--mma.html

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Top 10 Sports Stories of 2012: #4 - State Volleyball

Top 10 Sports Stories of 2012: #4 - State Volleyball | KTVQ.com | Q2 | Billings, Montana

www.ktvq.com

BILLINGS - South Central Montana has been a hotbed of volleyball talent for years. At least one, usually more, state title trophies come home to this area every November. But when all four make their way back, it's hard to ignore.

Source: http://www.facebook.com/Q2News/posts/283317845123438

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Video: Senate quiet as leaders work on "cliff" deal (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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THG Celebrity of the Year Finalist #3: Taylor Swift!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/thg-celebrity-of-the-year-finalist-number-3-taylor-swift/

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Buy the Right Chariot for Your Growing Tribe: Tips for Finding a ...

If you enjoy this post, be sure to follow MomsGetReal on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+!

Guest Contributor Summer Healy

Here?s my confession: I have always enjoyed used compact cars. From my ?79 Volkswagon bug to the ?99 Hyundai Elantra four door I had held on to for 10 years. While other moms were using freight lifts to load and unload their monster SUVs, I was throwing caution to the wind, buckling in my 6-month-old into the backseat of my ?85 mini cooper. A strong advocate of eco-friendly consumerism, every vehicle I?ve purchased has always been used. Not too long ago, Scientific American published an article that explained why the act of purchasing used, instead of new cars, has helped in cutting down the levels of the atmosphere?s CO2 levels significantly.

When my husband announced that his mother was coming to stay with us for an undetermined amount of time, and I was expecting another little one in the same month, my family insisted, or rather demanded we get a larger vehicle. Outnumbered by my husband and two sons, it was decided; we were getting a family vehicle and it wasn?t going to be a cute compact hatchback or even a four-door sedan. My sons wanted a tank. My husband wanted something that would be fuel efficient. I, for one, had already caved, so my only caveat was that it had to be a used vehicle; I didn?t care if it was as big as a bus, it had to have miles on it and a previous owner. I wasn?t about to give up on the environment and we were in no position, financially, to be leasing a new car. I was already doing my research and looking for a fast bad credit car loan I could fill out online, since we were still catching up in paying back our student loans. While I was doing the financial research online through Consumer Reports and Edmunds.com, my husband went to a few used car lots and took pictures and notes on which family vehicles stood out from all of the rest. Here were a few we both liked:

2007 Ford Mondeo Hatchback

I know what you?re thinking, yes, a family hatchback. This Ford four-door is not an SUV, but it does seat up to 6 comfortably and it has seven standard airbags, which is taking safety to extreme levels and I like extreme safety. Performance-wise, it handles like a dream and it?s super comfy and spacious. These engines tend to be a little noisy, as is the case with most Fords, so consider that a forewarning.

2010 Chevrolet Suburban

Seating nine, sporting a V8 engine and carrying side/curtain airbags, the 2010 Chevrolet Suburban is big enough to carry all of us, while still not seeming to be too much like a monster SUV, which I like a lot. My husband of course likes that it has a V8, but be aware that this engine can drag when you?re hauling a full load and the third row seat does not fold into the floor, so that makes the installation and storage of the seats a little awkward and bulky.

2009 Hyundai Entourage

Stepping away, for a moment, from the domestic manufacturers, we decided to see what Hyundai could offer us with it?s 2009 Entourage. Seating seven, while still maintaining a sense of style and sleek design, the Entourage minivan can carry as much as an SUV, being in the shape of a tank (which I love). According to ConsumerSearch.com, the Entourage is a bit pricier than the Kia Sedona, but also finished with extremely high safety standards, which is a high priority. Still under factory warranty, we absolutely fell in love with this ?almost mini SUV.?

Of course, in the end you can?t buy a car solely based on what reviewers tell you, and that?s why you will need to test drive vehicles to see which one is the dream car for your family. Whether it?s a cute compact four-door, a hatchback or a monster, boat-sized tank safety is the main feature that will matter the most in the long run.

Summer loves to write about the latest tech and auto trends. She may be a woman, but she knows her cars and SUVs, and as a part-time used car salesperson, she knows how to sell you the car you want for the price she wants you to pay.

Source: http://momsgetreal.com/2012/12/buy-the-right-chariot-for-your-growing-tribe-tips-for-finding-a-used-family-vehicle/

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Video: ?Rescue Me? singer Fontella Bass dies at 72

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Stocks lower at midday ahead of DC 'cliff' summit

4 hrs.

JeeYeon Park , CNBC

Stocks held modest losses in volatile trading Friday as traders reacted to "fiscal cliff" headlines from Washington and ahead of a White House summit later this afternoon.?

Still, stocks pared session lows following a Bloomberg report that President Obama plans to offer a scaled-back plan to avoid some of the effects of tax and spending changes set to kick in early next year.?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average recovered back above the psychologically-important 13,000 level after being down more than 100 points earlier. Hewlett-Packard and Chevron led the blue-chip laggards.?

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq also cut some of their losses. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, gained above 20.

All three major averages are on track to posting declines of more than 1 percent across the board for the week.?

Among key S&P sectors, energy and materials held losses, while utilities turned higher.?

"Traders are so cautious and investors are also worried," said Stephen Guilfoyle of Meridian Equity Partners. "You're going to see some headlines [from the meeting at the White House] so the market will move again later today."?

President Barack Obama will meet congressional leaders from both parties at the White House later this afternoon, just days before the deadline to reach a deal or see the a series of automatic spending cuts and tax hikes come into force.?

House Speaker John Boehner, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to attend Friday's meeting. If a deal is not possible, Obama and the leaders would leave the resolution to the next Congress to address in January.

Stocks tumbled Thursday?but recovered most of their intraday losses after the House of Representatives said it would reconvene this Sunday to resume budget talks.?

On the economic front, pending home sales rose to the highest level in more than 2-1/2 years, climbing 1.7 percent in November, according to the National Association of Realtors.?

And the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said its index of Midwest business activity rose to 51.6 in December from 50.4 in November, edging past expectations for 51.0.

Hewlett-Packard confirmed that the Justice Department is looking into its allegations that Autonomy engaged in accounting fraud prior to its acquisition by HP last year.

Apple dipped after a Chinese court fined the iPhone maker $160,000 for hosting third-party applications on its App Store that were selling pirated electronic books, Xinhua news agency said. Apple shares have declined nearly 25 percent in the last three months. The stock hit an all-time high of $705 in mid-September.?

Barnes & Noble jumped after British publisher Pearson said it will buy a 5 percent stake in the bookstore chain's digital Nook and college bookstore businesses for $89.5 million. Separately, Barnes & Noble said it expects holiday sales to be below forecasts and that its Nook business will not meet prior full-year 2013 projections.?

Among airlines, Raymond James raised its price target on Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, U.S. Airways, Spirit Airlines and Alaska Air.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stocks-lower-midday-ahead-white-house-cliff-summit-1C7753894

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Chris Matthews Gets Boost From 2012 Election

NEW YORK ? To his boss, Chris Matthews has become a statesman. His critics probably have other words.

The veteran MSNBC host raised his profile as much as any member of the television commentariat during the presidential campaign. His 5 p.m. "Hardball" show has seen viewership jump by 24 percent this year from 2011, 17 percent for the rerun two hours later.

Matthews symbolized MSNBC's growing comfort in being a liberal alternative to Fox News Channel. He engaged in an uncomfortable on-air confrontation with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, seemed nearly apoplectic when President Barack Obama flubbed his first debate and had to apologize for appearing grateful that Hurricane Sandy might have helped Obama's re-election effort.

With Keith Olbermann out of sight, Matthews essentially replaced him as the commentator that most annoyed conservative viewers.

"During the run-up to the Iraq War, he just became really, really partisan and became even more so when MSNBC decided to become the anti-Fox," said Geoff Dickens, who used to watch Matthews as a fan and now monitors him regularly as part of his job with the conservative Media Research Center.

Matthews is not afraid to say what he thinks. He's a former newspaper columnist and one-time aide to a 1980s era Democrat, House Speaker Tip O'Neill. He seriously considered running for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania a few years back, where he probably would have been asked repeatedly to explain why he voted for George W. Bush in 2000.

He's a motor-mouth infused with a love of politics that borders on the pathological.

"He's as good as he's ever been," said Phil Griffin, MSNBC president. "He's at a place in his life where he's really comfortable in his own skin. He's a statesman. He has so much knowledge and I think he understands it better. He's always been great, but I really think he's been at the peak of his game."

Iraq turned Matthews against Bush. He said war and peace, and civil rights, are the issues that drive him most and explain his enthusiasm for Obama.

Matthews seemed personally offended by efforts in individual states to tighten voter registration and identification laws. Republicans called it an attempt to curb voter fraud; Matthews said it was to suppress voters friendly to Obama. He said Republicans would use welfare and other issues to subtly appeal to white voters still uncomfortable with a black president.

"The number of African-Americans who have come up to me in the last three to six months has been unbelievable," Matthews said in a recent interview. "They come up, six inches from my face, and say `thank you.' A lot of the times they say we can't do this like you do it. It's harder for them because it sounds like complaining." He's disappointed that more whites didn't express gratitude, too.

His repeated attention to the issue "irritates some people, because they can't stand being called bigoted. It drives them crazy. And I agree, it would drive me crazy."

The issue drove his confrontation with Prebius, which occurred on "Morning Joe" during the GOP convention. Matthews challenged Prebius about playing the "race card" during the campaign and for references to Obama's birth certificate. It devolved into a schoolyard insult match.

"He should have kept it together in terms of tone," Griffin said. "But in what was said, going back and forth, it was a legitimate point."

Prebius later called Matthews "the biggest jerk in the room." Matthews doesn't seem to have any regrets.

"I'd been talking like that for awhile," he said. "He didn't like it. I didn't expect he would. I felt that I had in my presence the guy who represented the party and it was an opportunity I shouldn't let pass. It's one of those moments in the campaign that's going to have endurance."

The one quote Republican critics repeatedly throw back at Matthews is when he reacted to an Obama speech in 2008 by saying "I felt this thrill going up my leg."

Matthews points out that he said something similar in 2004, after Obama addressed the Democratic national convention. Its frequent citation annoys Matthews, who knows it will never leave him, but probably also because he thinks people miss the point. He was speaking more about what Obama represented ? a black man seeking the highest office in a land with a troubled racial history ? than Obama himself.

It hasn't exempted himself from some high-level teasing, like when Obama appeared at the campaign's Al Smith dinner after the president's disastrous first debate.

"I particularly want to apologize to Chris Matthews," Obama said. "Four years ago I gave him a thrill up his leg. This time around, I gave him a stroke."

Matthews said "Hardball" has gotten a sharper focus. The editorial opinion has moved to the front of the show. Saying what he thinks isn't hard; Matthews' flirtation with running for the Senate ended in part because the need to adhere to party orthodoxy wouldn't mix with a man comfortable with voicing a dozen opinions per minute.

"I never want to do what everybody else is doing," he said. "I don't want to be part of the chorus."

Like most in his trade, Matthews seems a little lost with the end of a long campaign. He's done a few speculative 2016 stories, not recognizing the subject is enough to send most people screaming from the room.

Every day is one day closer to another election, though.

"He is sort of the model figure for who we are," Griffin said. "He doesn't stick out loving politics and being passionate about politics. It comes across in everything we do ... And that's Chris."

___

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? David Bauder can be reached at dbauder(at)ap.org and on Twitter (at)dbauder.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/27/chris-matthews-election-msnbc_n_2370722.html

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Husband charged in killing of Wisconsin officer

MILWAUKEE (AP) ? An Iraq War veteran told detectives that he stalked his wife for several days while she was patrolling the streets of the Milwaukee suburb where she was a police officer, then ambushed her in the early hours of Christmas Eve and killed her, according to prosecutors.

Ben Gabriel Sebena, 30, was charged Thursday with first-degree intentional homicide in the death of his wife, Jennifer Sebena, who was found dead in front of Wauwatosa's fire station by her fellow officers before dawn on Monday. She had been shot five times in the head.

Ben Sebena made an initial court appearance Thursday, and a court commissioner ordered the decorated Marine Corps veteran held on $1 million cash bond. Sebena wasn't required to enter a plea, and his attorney, Michael Steinle, didn't immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.

Authorities say officers went to check on Jennifer Sebena when she didn't respond to radio calls. She joined the police force two years ago and had been patrolling alone on the night she was killed.

"She was everything I could hope for in a young police officer: intelligent, energetic, willing to be of service and wanting to be a great police officer," Wauwatosa police Chief Barry Weber said at a news conference.

Investigators said they found a number of details tying Ben Sebena to the killing. Surveillance video showed a vehicle that matches his in the area around the time of the shooting, and detectives who searched the couple's home found a gun in the attic that fires ammunition matching the bullet casings found at the scene. They also found Jennifer Sebena's service weapon hidden in the attic.

The investigation began when Ben Sebena called police Monday about 6:30 a.m. asking them to check on his wife's well-being. A police sergeant called him back five minutes later telling him to come to the station because his wife had been involved in an incident.

Ben Sebena didn't ask what happened, the complaint said. Later, when he was told at the station that his wife had been killed, he still didn't ask what happened to her.

During the interview, Ben Sebena "stated that he had been jealous of other men with regards to his wife," the complaint said.

Less than three weeks before she died, Jennifer Sebena told a colleague that her husband had acted violently toward her and put a gun to her head, prosecutors said.

The police chief said he wasn't aware of issues that would have been a cause for concern for Jennifer Sebena's safety.

The state Justice Department is assisting in the investigation. Dave Spakowicz, the director of the department's criminal-investigation operations, said authorities are not speculating on a motive.

While at the police station, officers used video equipment to monitor Ben Sebena as he sat in an empty room. A detective heard him talking to himself, saying something to the effect that his wife had been helping him, adding, "How could I do that to her."

Ben Sebena told investigators he had been stalking his wife for a few days. He said he waited a few hours near the fire department where officers often take breaks, and when he saw her squad car he opened fire. He said she reached for her weapon and he took it from her holster, and then shot her repeatedly in the face.

"Benjamin Sebena stated that he wanted to make sure she was dead so she wouldn't suffer," the complaint said.

Ben Sebena served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged in 2005 after suffering severe arm and leg injuries in a mortar attack that year. Among the 10 medals or commendations he was awarded were a Purple Heart, a Good Conduct medal and a rifle expert badge.

In a 10-minute video for his church made in 2010, Ben Sebena describes his transformation into a decorated war veteran rediscovered a love of God.

"Before I went in I was pretty much a hippie. I was very laid back but the anger was there ? it was just very hidden," he said.

He said he joined the military because he felt unloved and unimportant, and that the Marines helped him centralize the anger, but that the rage persisted even when he returned to the U.S. He said he would ignore red lights and tear down the freeway on his motorcycle at 150 mph.

He also discussed his blossoming relationship with Jennifer, whom he knew from high school and with whom he exchanged emails during his recovery.

"Our love flourished. We became actually infatuated with each other," he said in the video for Elmbrook Church in nearby Brookfield. The church's pastor, Scott Arbeiter, confirmed to The Associated Press that it was Ben Sebena in the video.

Jennifer Sebena's funeral is scheduled for Saturday.

___

Associated Press writer Carrie Antlfinger contributed to this report.

___

Dinesh Ramde can be reached at dramde(at)ap.org.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/husband-charged-killing-wisconsin-officer-193721633.html

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The Year in Development: Hope and Intrigue at Kingsbridge Armory ...

December 26, 2012 at 6:49 AM

By Alex Kratz

Members of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance rally for responsible redevelopment this past summer. (Photo by Adi Talwar)

Hope for the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, the largest armory in the world and one of the northwest Bronx?s most fascinating and potential-filled pieces of undeveloped property, was resurrected in 2012.

In his annual State of the City address, held in the Bronx last January, Mayor Bloomberg announced that the city would release another request for proposals (RFP) for the Armory.

The announcement marked a sharp turnaround from two years prior when the City Council, backed by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and the community-led Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, voted down a proposal to turn the Armory into a shopping mall. After the vote, the mayor said he couldn?t see the Armory being developed in the ?foreseeable future.?

But momentum was building for a new Armory project. Diaz had formed a star-studded Armory Task Force to explore development options, which yielded lots of ideas, but little in terms of solid financing.

Then along came Kevin Parker, a former Deutsche Bank executive and Long Island hockey enthusiast, who put together a group of investors who wanted to turn the Armory into the world?s largest ice sports complex. They enlisted big name ice sports stars in New York Rangers hockey legend Mark Messier and Olympic figure skater Sarah Hughes to back their project and installed a youth component modeled after a successful inner-city program in Philadelphia. And perhaps more importantly, they said they would finance the project without taxpayer assistance.

The potential of Parker?s project, now known as the Kingsbridge Armory National Ice Center, allowed the city, and its Economic Development Corporation, to issue the RFP just days after Bloomberg?s January announcement.

Though the ice project was widely considered the front-runner, an alternative emerged out of the RFP process. It came from Young Woo & Associates, the cutting edge design firm that created the successful Chelsea Market. The proposal envisioned the Armory as a futuristic town square type of market that would include recreational, entertainment, retail and business incubator components.

The project evolved over the spring and summer months to include the promise of a youth basketball program run by the Bronx-based New York Gauchos and the inclusion of the nation?s first Hip Hop Museum with backing from the Afrika Bambaataa, the Zulu Nation and other Bronx hip hop pioneers. Young Woo has also said it would finance the project on its own.

Both groups have said they would create at least 175 living wage jobs ($10 an hour plus benefits or $11.50 an hour without benefits), with Young Woo saying it would create a total of 900 permanent jobs. Both would offer an exciting alternative to another shopping mall.

In late August, Diaz and a handful of other Bronx politicians, including State Senator Gustavo Rivera (who lives two blocks from the Armory) and Councilman Oliver Koppell (who wanted the Armory to be an ice center 15 years ago), voiced their strong support for the ice complex, which would include nine Olympic-sized rinks and a 5,000-seat arena. Councilman Fernando Cabrera, who represents the area surrounding the Armory, decided not to take a position on which project he preferred.

The rumor was that the EDC would be making its decision between the two competing groups in a matter of weeks or by the end of September. But as of Dec. 18, the city still had not chosen a winner for the Armory project and it was not on the agenda for the EDC?s final executive committee meeting of the year, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 19.

The EDC is reportedly in negotiations with both developers, which could be the cause of the holdup. In the meantime, another ice center proposal is making headway just a few miles upstate in Rye Brook, which could eat into the Armory ice center?s earning potential.

The clock is ticking. Once a project is chosen, it must pass through the city?s exhaustive land use review process (ULURP), which could take a year or more. By then, we could have a new mayor and a new Council Speaker and all bets would be off.

Editor?s note: This article was originally published in the Dec. 27, 2012-Jan. 9 2013 print edition of the Norwood News. It?s one of several article recapping the top stories of 2012.

Comments

Source: http://www.norwoodnews.org/id=9999&story=the-year-in%E2%80%88development-hope-and-intrigue-at-kingsbridge-armory/

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Marcum LLP Launches Commercial Construction Index ...

Marcum LLP, a top national ?accounting and advisory firm, today unveiled a new quarterly index tracking the performance of the U.S. commercial construction industry. The debut Marcum Commercial Construction Index finds that total nonresidential structures investment in the third quarter of 2012 declined 4.4%, despite 2% annualized growth in the national economy during the period. Year-over-year nonresidential construction spending in the third quarter rose a modest 2.6%, well below the more than 19% growth in residential construction.? The index can be viewed in its entirety at www.marcumllp.com/constructionindex.

?Despite 13 consecutive quarters of economic growth, nonresidential construction has not been among the sectors experiencing meaningful recovery. The agonizingly slow recovery in nonresidential construction spending is attributable to many factors, including fiscal cliff fears, tight credit, cautious developers and stubbornly high vacancy rates in many market segments,? said Marcum Chief Construction Economist Anirban Basu, who is also Chief Economist for the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) organization. ?On the brighter side, the latter half of 2013 could be surprisingly good if Washington is able to successfully navigate the nation past the fiscal cliff, given the large volume of construction projects that were put on hold over the course of 2012.?

Other highlights in the third quarter include the following:

Three sectors of nonresidential construction spending demonstrated rapid recovery?year-over-year:

Lodging (25.0%) ? although investment was down slightly (2.7%) from the second quarter of this year.

Power (19.2%) and Transportation (11.0%) - Many of the nation?s largest ongoing construction project fall with these categories, including Chicago O?Hare International Airport?s modernization program ($8.8 billion); the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Extension Project in Washington DC ($6.2 billion); the Alaskan Way Viaduct project ($3.1 billion); and Shepherd?s Flat Wind Farm in Oregon ($2.0 billion).

Public nonresidential spendingdeclined 0.8%.Sectors primarily associated with state and local government capital funding experienced the greatest decreases, including water supply (12.7%), conservation and development (6.5%), education (3.2%), and highway and street (2.2%).

Regionally, the western United States was among the best performers in terms of rising construction volumes, including Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas. This was offset by dissipating momentum in the southern U.S., due to a slowdown in industrial production, particularly in Alabama and Mississippi.

?The Marcum Commercial Construction Index provides another strategic tool our clients can use to help guide their business decisions, particularly with regards to planning for a possible reversal of the downward trend next year. It is important to ensure that our construction clients are properly positioned to capitalize on increased business and have the appropriate bonding and bank lines in place to support the new business,? said Marcum Construction Industry Group Leader Joseph Natarelli, Partner-in-Charge of the Firm?s New Haven Office and 2012-2014 Chair of the AICPA National Construction Industry Conference.

Source: http://www.constructiondigital.com/innovations/marcum-llp-launches-commercial-construction-index

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Charles Durning, Renowned Character Actor, Dies On Christmas Eve

(CNN) ? You may not know his name, but anyone who watches movies and television knows the squat, tough-faced character actor Charles Durning, who died on Christmas Eve, according to his family.

The 89-year-old decorated World War II veteran had an award-winning career that spanned 20th Century entertainment, from the burlesque stage and theater to television and film, playing roles as diverse as society itself.

Durning was the gruff father smitten by Dustin Hoffman?s female impersonation of ?Tootsie,? the Southern politician dancing on stage with George Clooney?s Soggy Bottom Boys in ?O Brother, Where Art Thou?? and the corrupt cop caught up in the ?big con? by Paul Newman and Robert Redford in ?The Sting.?

He won Tony and Golden Globe awards and was nominated for Academy Awards two times as a supporting actor. He also received nine Emmy nominations and was honored in 2007 with a lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild.

Born in Highland Falls, New York, on February 28, 1923, Durning became an actor relatively late.

According to his TV Guide biography, Durning left home at age 16 and later enlisted in the Army. Durning landed on Normandy beach on D-Day and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, receiving the Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.

He worked odd jobs that ranged from professional boxing to teaching ballroom dancing to ushering in a burlesque house, where he got his start on stage by once filling in for a comic who failed to show up, the actor often recalled.

He also attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he trained with Jason Robards, Colleen Dewhurst and others.

Some of Durning?s other best-known roles included his Tony-winning performance as Big Daddy in ?Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?, the governor in ?Best Little Whorehouse in Texas?, a beleaguered police officer in ?Dog Day Afternoon? and as Doc Hopper, the owner of a frog leg restaurant in ?The Muppet Movie.?

Durning?s family, in a statement issued Tuesday, said, ?Not only was Charlie a World War II hero but he was also a hero to his family. Charlie loved Christmas and if he could have chosen a time to pass, he would have chosen this day.?

By Tom Cohen, CNN

? & ? 2012 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

Source: http://fox2now.com/2012/12/26/charles-durning-renowned-character-actor-dies-on-christmas-eve/

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Improving Time Management Skills | Palin Defender

The intention to improve time management skills is desired by many people. There are many techniques available through which one can improve their time management skills. You can attend workshops and webinars available on the Internet. But the main problem is that people are still facing difficulties regarding time management.

If you also want to manage time then you must understand the concept of time management. Remember that you can?t control time because it is already a constant. There is no precise definition of time management but it?s all about managing self-actions. If you want to acquire time management skills then you have to make a list of your daily activities in which official and household tasks are included. It doesn?t matter which method you use to manage time but the important thing is that how you manage your actions efficiently. Try to figure out those actions that distract you. When you eliminate your distraction from your daily schedule then it might be easy for you to stay organized.

If we start to develop improvement in time management by looking at it through a different dimension, then we can now begin to actually comprehend some positive changes in our behaviors. Wearing a wristwatch is considered as the best way to keep up with time. There are many types of luxury watches (such as Swiss, Rolex milgauss , Royal Audemars Piguet and some others) as well as sports wrist watches available in the market for you.

Source: http://www.palindefender.com/2012/12/improving-time-management-skills.html

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Ticket rush: Film fans hand Hollywood record cash

FILE - In this publicity film image released by Disney, Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor, left, and and Chris Evans portrays Captain America, in a scene from "The Avengers," expected to be released on May 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Disney, Zade Rosenthal, File)

FILE - In this publicity film image released by Disney, Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor, left, and and Chris Evans portrays Captain America, in a scene from "The Avengers," expected to be released on May 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Disney, Zade Rosenthal, File)

In this publicity photo provided by Warner Bros. Pictures, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake, is shown in a scene in Warner Bros. Pictures? and Legendary Pictures? action thriller ?The Dark Knight Rises," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. TM & ? DC Comics. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips)

FILE - In this file photo of a publicity film image released by Disney, Iron Man, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., left, and Captain America, portrayed by Chris Evans, are shown in a scene from "The Avengers." (AP Photo/Disney, File)

In this publicity photo provided by Warner Bros. Pictures, Tom Hardy, center, as Bane, is shown in a scene in Warner Bros. Pictures? and Legendary Pictures? action thriller ?The Dark Knight Rises," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. TM & ? DC Comics. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The big deal for Hollywood is not the record $10.8 billion that studios took in domestically in 2012. It's the fact that the number of tickets sold went up for the first time in three years.

Thanks to inflation, revenue generally rises in Hollywood as admission prices climb each year. The real story is told in tickets, whose sales have been on a general decline for a decade, bottoming out in 2011 at 1.29 billion, their lowest level since 1995.

The industry rebounded this year, with ticket sales projected to rise 5.6 percent to 1.36 billion by Dec. 31, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. That's still well below the modern peak of 1.6 billion tickets sold in 2002, but in an age of cozy home theater setups and endless entertainment gadgets, studio executives consider it a triumph that they were able to put more butts in cinema seats this year than last.

"It is a victory, ultimately," said Don Harris, head of distribution at Paramount Pictures. "If we deliver the product as an industry that people want, they will want to get out there. Even though you can sit at home and watch something on your large screen in high-def, people want to get out."

Domestic revenue should finish up nearly 6 percent from 2011's $10.2 billion and top Hollywood's previous high of $10.6 billion set in 2009.

The year was led by a pair of superhero sagas, Disney's "The Avengers" with $623 million domestically and $1.5 billion worldwide and the Warner Bros. Batman finale "The Dark Knight Rises" with $448 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide. Sony's James Bond adventure "Skyfall" is closing in on the $1 billion mark globally, and the list of action and family-film blockbusters includes "The Hunger Games," ''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn ? Part Two," ''Ice Age: Continental Drift," ''Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," ''The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Brave."

Before television, movies were the biggest thing going, with ticket sales estimated as high as 4 billion a year domestically in the 1930s and '40s.

Movie-going eroded steadily through the 1970s as people stayed home with their small screens. The rise of videotape in the 1980s further cut into business, followed by DVDs in the '90s and big, cheap flat-screen TVs in recent years. Today's video games, mobile phones and other portable devices also offer easy options to tramping out to a movie theater.

It's all been a continual drain on cinema business, and cynics repeatedly predict the eventual demise of movie theaters. Yet Hollywood fights back with new technology of its own, from digital 3-D to booming surround-sound to the clarity of images projected at high-frame rates, which is being tested now with "The Lord of the Rings" prelude "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," shown in select theaters at 48 frames a second, double the standard speed.

For all of the annoyances of theaters ? parking, pricy concessions, sitting next to strangers texting on their iPhones ? cinemas still offer the biggest and best way to see a movie.

"Every home has a kitchen, but you can't get into a good restaurant on Saturday night," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. "People want to escape. That's the nature of society. The adult population just is not going to sit home seven days a week, even though they have technology in their home that's certainly an improvement over what it was 10 years ago. People want to get out of the house, and no matter what they throw in the face of theatrical exhibition, it continues to perform at a strong level."

Even real-life violence at the movie theater didn't turn audiences away. Some moviegoers thought twice about heading to the cinema after a gunman killed 12 people and injured 58 at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Colorado last summer, but if there was any lull in attendance, it was slight and temporary. Ticket sales went on a tear for most of the fall.

While domestic revenues inch upward most years largely because of inflation, the real growth areas have been overseas, where more and more fans are eager for the next Hollywood blockbuster.

International business generally used to account for less than half of a studio film's overall receipts. Films now often do two or even three times as much business overseas as they do domestically. Some movies that were duds with U.S. audiences, such as "Battleship" and "John Carter," can wind up being $200 million hits with overseas crowds.

Whether finishing a good year or a bad one, Hollywood executives always look ahead to better days, insisting that the next crop of blockbusters will be bigger than ever. The same goes this time as studio bosses hype their 2013 lineup, which includes the latest "Iron Man," ''Star Trek," ''Hunger Games" and "Thor" installments, the Superman tale "Man of Steel" and the second chapter in "The Hobbit" trilogy.

Twelve months from now, they hope to be talking about another revenue record topping this year's $10.8 billion.

"I've been saying we're going to hit that $11 billion level for about three years now," said Paul Dergarabedian, a box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "Next year I think is the year we actually do it."

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-26-Film-Hollywood's%20Year/id-df6a82e44d8d4e57bc551c529ad706c1

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Different Auto Insurance Policies | Celeste Bright

The number of drivers on the road increases every year. This could lead to an increased likelihood of a car accident for you and your family. If you get in a car crash, the auto insurance you own can make a large difference in what happens next. How can you determine what insurance you need and how you can purchase it? Required coverage varies by state/province but typically includes the following: Liability: Bodily injury and property damage that you are responsible for will be paid for under liability insurance. Bodily injury damages include medical fees, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Property damage includes damaged property and loss of use of property. If you are in legal trouble, it also pays your legal fees. State laws typically require standard amounts, but higher amounts can be purchased and are extremely helpful. Personal Injury Protection: This is required in some states and is optional in others. It pays you or your passengers for medical treatment resulting from a crash, regardless of who may have been at fault, and is often called no-fault coverage. It may also pay for lost wages, replacement of services and funeral costs. State government typically sets minimum amounts. Medical Payments: Medical payment coverage is available in non-no-fault states; it pays regardless of who may be responsible. All reasonable medical or funeral expenses will be covered under this type of coverage. Collision: Damages that occur from a car accident will be covered under this kind of insurance. Comprehensive: Applies if your vehicle is stolen or damaged by causes other than a collision, including fire, wind, hail, flood or vandalism. Uninsured Motorist: Pays for damages when an insured person is injured in an accident caused by another person who does not have liability insurance or by a person who cannot be identified (typically a hit-and-run driver). Under-Insured Motorist: Pays for damages when an insured person is injured in an accident caused by another person who does not have the right amount of insurance to pay for the total cost of the damages. Emergency road service, car rental, and other types of car insurance can also be purchased. Insurance Etowah TN

Insurance Brokers

Source: http://celestebright.com/different-auto-insurance-policies-2/

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A partial list of taxes and fees to finance Obama health care overhaul law (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/272979950?client_source=feed&format=rss

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MacBreak Weekly 331:

Join Leo, Andy, Alex, and your truly for a look back on some of the biggest stories in the Mac universe for 2012.

Subscribe or download: TWiT.tv

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/ssOPKXdcW18/story01.htm

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Kris Humphries: Benched by the Nets!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/kris-humphries-benched-by-the-nets/

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johir.khan: Self-Improvement Affirmations with Self-Hypnosis Audios ...

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Source: http://williamsjohn273.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/johirkhan-self-improvement-affirmations-with-self-hypnosis-audios.html

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Memorial service for Inouye to be held in Hawaii

Pallbearers carry the casket of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye into the courtyard of the Hawaii state Capitol during a visitation ceremony in Honolulu on, Saturday Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Oskar Garcia)

Pallbearers carry the casket of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye into the courtyard of the Hawaii state Capitol during a visitation ceremony in Honolulu on, Saturday Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Oskar Garcia)

Members of the public wait for the casket to arrive at a visitation service for U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye at the Hawaii state Capitol in Honolulu on, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Oskar Garcia)

Family members, state lawmakers and members of the public attend a visitation service for U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye at the Hawaii state Capitol in Honolulu on Saturday Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Oskar Garcia)

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada stand as the casket is brought in at the funeral service for the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, at the Washington National Cathedral, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama speaks at the funeral service for the late Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, at the Washington National Cathedral, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

HONOLULU (AP) ? Hawaii residents will bid a final goodbye to the late Sen. Daniel Inouye on Sunday.

Services are scheduled at Honolulu's National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, a strikingly beautiful site located in an extinct volcano and serving as the final resting place to thousands of World War II veterans, including more than 400 members of the storied Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, of which Inouye was a part. Inouye's first wife, Margaret, is also laid to rest at the site.

Inouye died last Monday of respiratory complications at the age of 88. He was the first Japanese-American elected to both houses of Congress and the second-longest serving senator in U.S. history, at 50 years. He was revered in Hawaii for his ability to bring federal aid and resources home, to help build up this still-young state.

The past week has been marked by tributes and honors for Inouye, with Senate colleagues from both parties, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton among those offering warm remembrances. Services for Inouye were held both in Washington and in Hawaii. He lay in state at both the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Thursday and the Hawaii state Capitol on Saturday.

A public memorial is planned for Friday on Kauai.

Up to 1,000 people were expected at Sunday's service, including Obama and members of Congress, with speeches by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Daniel Akaka planned. Akaka served alongside Inouye as a member of Hawaii's congressional delegation for 36 years, 22 of those in the Senate.

A military jet fly-over and a 19-gun cannon salute are also planned.

Nadine Siak, a public affairs specialist at the cemetery, said Sunday's service will be a memorial with plans for a private burial by the family later.

On Saturday night, Inouye was praised as a humble leader who embodied honor, dignity and duty during a public visitation at Hawaii's state Capitol.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie told hundreds of people that Inouye went from being considered undesirable as a Japanese-American at the start of World War II to gaining the respect of the country's leaders in Washington.

"Rest easy, you are at home with us in paradise," Abercrombie said. His remarks toward the end of an hourlong ceremony marked the start of seven hours of public visitation.

Inouye's closed casket, covered with an American flag, was escorted in by seven pallbearers along a red carpet to the center of the Capitol courtyard.

After the ceremony, it was placed in a large tent with the U.S. and Hawaii flags behind it, as people lined up outside to pay their respect, starting with Inouye's wife, Irene Hirano Inouye.

Inouye is just one of several Hawaii icons to lie in state at the Capitol in Honolulu. Sen. Hiram Fong was honored the same way in 2004, as was U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink in 2002 and singer Israel Kamakawiwoole in 1997.

Inouye was a high school senior in Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941, when he watched dozens of Japanese planes fly toward Pearl Harbor and other Oahu military bases to begin a bombing that changed the course of world events.

He volunteered for a special U.S. Army unit of Japanese-Americans ? including several who attended the Saturday night ceremony. Inouye lost his right arm in a battle with Germans in Italy. That scratched his dream of becoming a surgeon. He went to law school and into politics instead.

He became known as an economic power in his home state as part of the Senate Appropriations Committee, where he steered federal money toward Hawaii to build roads, schools and housing.

Colleagues and aides lined the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to bid aloha to Inouye during a rare ceremony to demonstrate the respect he earned over decades.

He was eulogized by Obama, who arrived early Saturday in Honolulu for his annual Christmas family vacation. The president said during a service at Washington's National Cathedral on Friday that Inouye's presence during the Watergate hearings helped show him what could be possible in his own life.

Visitors began signing condolence books at the governor's office on Friday, with additional books available at the Saturday service.

___

Connect with Becky Bohrer at https://twitter.com/beckybohrerap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-23-Inouye-Services/id-ef09b33d1f034b2f864225bb5f73116f

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candida carnation: Biology Syllabus ? So What Does The Subject

If you?re encountered with biology syllabus assessment in that case he/she really needs to fully grasp the exact objectives to make sure that he/she are able to comprehend the objective. There are 3 well-known objectives concerning learning the field of biology which generally are to have practical knowledge with understanding, ability to actually deal with important information and resolve issues in conjunction with learning experimental skillsets as well as inspections.

The actual Biology Syllabus entails of scientific phenomena specifics hence these particular 3 important objectives are crucial for the main assessment procedure. A few other reasons for assessment are to be capable of making predictions, address issues, manipulate data and locate ideal sources to get knowledge acquisition.

19 December 2012 | Reference and Education

Source: http://www.apodimosstudents.com/reference-and-education/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-the-subject-focused-on/

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Source: http://otvtekod.posterous.com/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-the-subject-foc

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Source: http://candida-carnation.blogspot.com/2012/12/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-subject.html

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Source: http://veil-backscratching.blogspot.com/2012/12/candida-carnation-biology-syllabus-so.html

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How to Enjoy a Safe, Worry-Free Trip Overseas

In order to enjoy a relaxed, stress-free trip abroad, the key is preparation. You need to have everything you need for your convenience at your disposal and be prepared for the unforeseen. This means, you need to arrange your travel routes, destination sequences and essential items of use such as sports gear, gadgets, medicines and clothes. You may also want to have your vehicle shipped to your intended destination for your comfort and immediate use. Arranging travel insurance for your trip abroad is of utmost importance to cope with any unpredictable events.

Though many people understand the need to avail the services of a reputed auto shipping company when traveling long distances, they underestimate the importance of having travel insurance. Your vehicle can always be insured by your chosen auto shipping company in case of any damage but you also need to insure yourself, your baggage and your pre-paid trip. Not only does this put your mind at ease and facilitate payment in case of trouble, it also allows refund of your otherwise non-refundable money.

There are several types of insurances you can choose, like:

• health, repatriation and evacuation insurance
• ?trip delay insurance
• cancellation insurance
• interruption insurance
• baggage insurance

The type of travel insurance you will need on your trip abroad depends on the purpose, length and the nature of your trip as well as your intended destination. Let us consider some scenarios to help you evaluate your need for the right kind of travel insurance.

If your trip includes adventure sports, such as skiing, sky-diving, bungee jumping, snowboarding, surfing or mountaineering you should definitely consider having travel health insurance. The standard U.S health insurance policy does not cover for health expenses abroad.

If you are traveling to a developing country, make sure you choose a medical insurance plan that will transport you to your preferred medical facility in case of an emergency, not one chosen by your travel insurance company itself.

Alternatively, if you are a business person who carries around gadgets and expensive suits on business trips, it?s recommended you get baggage coverage to protect from loss or theft of your suitcases. This is necessary because airlines usually refuse to offer recompense for lost luggage and even when they do, they offer only a small part of the actual value of the items. Most items are not even included in the refund. You also need to have interruption insurance, in case your business back in your home country requires your urgent attention.

If you have paid for an expensive trip abroad, you might want to consider getting cancellation insurance in case of any unforeseen illness or injury, natural disasters, foul weather conditions, lost travel documents or cessation of operations of your travel supplier.

In case you are planning to set out on a round-the-world trip, you will definitely need to have trip delay insurance to help cover for missed flights or connections as well as cancellation insurance, health insurance and baggage coverage.

Given that you carry out all the above-mentioned steps to ensure a safe journey, you should end up having a great trip.

?

About the Author

Parnel is a freelance writer who specializes in writing well-versed guest posts related to travel and the auto shipping process. His particular realm of expertise involves informing people on how to ensure hassle free traveling and car shipping experiences.

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Source: http://www.informationgateway.org/enjoy-safe-worryfree-trip-overseas/

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