Can Samsung survive without Android?

Samsung (005930) is the world?s top Android smartphone vendor by a staggering margin. Aside from?LG (066570), which managed a small $20 million profit from its mobile division last quarter, no other global Android vendor can figure out how to make money selling Android phones. Meanwhile, Samsung posted a $6 billion profit on $47.6 billion in sales in the third quarter, thanks largely to record smartphone shipments and a massive marketing budget. Even as industry watchers turn sour on Apple, Samsung is seen steamrolling into 2013 and its stock is up nearly 50% on the year while?Apple?(AAPL)?shares continue to fall from a record high hit in September. As unstoppable as Samsung appears right now, one key question remains: Is Samsung driving Android?s success or is Android driving Samsung?s success? Starting in 2013, we may finally begin to find out.

[More from BGR: Unreleased ?BlackBerry X10? QWERTY phone appears again in new photos]

Earlier this year, BGR wrote about Samsung?s effort to look beyond Android. Even with its own UI and application suite ? and even with its own content services ? Samsung will always rely on Google (GOOG) if it continues to base its devices on Google?s latest Android builds.

[More from BGR: RIM teases BlackBerry 10 launch with image of first BB10 smartphone]

This isn?t necessarily a bad thing, but it means Samsung will never truly control the end-to-end experience on its products. It also means Samsung will never truly own its smartphones and tablets. Instead, Samsung?s devices will deliver an experience that is an amalgamation of Google?s vision and its own.

But there are alternative options. One example is the path Amazon (AMZN) has taken. Amazon let Google do the grunt work and then took its open-source Android OS and built its own software and service layer on top. Kindle Fire users don?t sit around waiting for Android updates ? many of them don?t even know they?re using an Android-powered tablet.

Samsung could do the same thing, but there is a great deal of prep work that would need to be done first. Amazon?s efforts were so successful (depending on your measure of success) because the company already had a massive ecosystem in place before it even launched its first device. Streaming movies and TV shows, eBooks, retail shopping and a stocked application store were all available on the Kindle Fire from day one.

Samsung doesn?t have this luxury. Yet.

Samsung could also take ownership of a new OS, and Tizen may or may not end up being that OS. Samsung is co-developing the new Linux-based mobile platform with Intel (INTC) and others, and a new rumor from?Japan?s The Daily Yomiuri suggests Samsung plans to launch its first Tizen phone in 2013. ?Samsung will probably begin selling the [Tizen] smartphones next year and they are likely to be released in Japan and other countries at around the same time,? the site?s sources claim.

This will be a slow process. If Samsung follows the same path it took with Bada, Samsung?s earlier Linux-based OS that was folded into the Tizen project, things will start out slow as Samsung launches regional devices that are restricted to a few Eastern markets. Testing the waters before dumping serious marketing dollars into the project isn?t a bad idea, especially considering the battle at the bottom of the smartphone OS food chain that will already be taking place in 2013.

But one thing is clear: Samsung is looking to broaden its strategy and move beyond a point where it relies entirely on another company for its smartphone software.

This article was originally published by BGR

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-survive-without-android-150043626.html

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Understand the Acoustic Reflex Hearing Test - romenagimer's

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

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

The Acoustic Reflex Testing

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

Why Is This Important?

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

What Happens Next?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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make someone happy - Networking Ahead for Business

On the last day of the year, I like to spend a few minutes reflecting upon my year: the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. I pulled out the carefully prepared 2012 New Year?s Resolutions and Personal Goals that typed and printed.? I had kept this list visible in my kitchen for most of the year, but it managed to get buried under the piles of family paperwork near the telephone. I just saw it again for the first time in a while.

Over-goal setting

I chuckled when I looked at the length of the goal list and the incredible detail behind my intentions. While other people may write down things like ?lose weight? or ?spend more time with friends,? I had carefully crafted a list of 14 goals, many with multiple goals within each goal.

Yes. I am an overachiever. That being said, I reached 5 of the 14 goals, including my major health goal and financial goal. I gave myself partial credit for Goal #12 which was to earn a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. I tested for that belt in November, which is likely to be awarded in 3-6 months or so (the final test of patience).

New Years Resolution for 2013

While walking the dog this morning with my husband, I asked him about his 2013 New Year?s Resolution. He said ?to spend more time making my wife happy.? I was so deeply touched that I stopped in my tracks. Wow! What an incredible focus ? on someone other than yourself!

I have been pondering his remarks the better part of the day. Part of me is in conflict with the idea that you can make someone else happy. After all, we are each in charge of our own happiness. No one can make you happy or mad without your permission. Certainly, external events trigger our emotional states, but each of us has the power to alter our state in an instant. That is what I believe to be true after my two year training in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). I am also not the kind of person who would delegate the responsibility of my own happiness to someone else. I would find that very dis-empowering.

So now I have a choice. How do I want to experience my 2013? What decisions, actions and attitudes do I want to carry forward into the brand new year?

• Do I dedicate my year to making other people happy? Or do I put more energy and focus on making myself happier (join my husband in investing in me, wonderful me!)
• Do I need another 14 measurable goals that will put me into that high achieving accomplishment mode? Will this make me successful and happy?
• Do I need to recite the Serenity Prayer and work on accepting the things that I cannot change? Perhaps I could theme 2013 The year of acceptance?
• God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
• The courage to change the things I can,
• And the wisdom to know the difference.
• Do I experiment with what radio host Mary Jones does with her monthly challenges, rather than new year?s resolutions? Model what she does so well for herself and her listeners? Who says you have to make it up all by yourself. Modeling excellence is in itself a form of excellence.
• Do I embrace the motivating words of Karen Lamb ? ?A year from now you may wish you had started today.? What should I start? Or perhaps the question is what should I finish?

People help make anything possible

As I prepare myself to enter into the year 2013, I will try to remember the importance of relationships in my life. People and connections have always been an incredible source of energy, encouragement, resource and motivation for me. No matter what struggles that I face, my network has been there for me. That network includes family, friends, business associates, neighbors, readers and even strangers (or friends that I haven?t yet met). That includes you. Thank you for being part of my network.

Your Networking Goal for the Week (first week of 2013)

Whatever theme, resolution or goal(s) you decide upon for 2013, make sure that you share it with the people in your network (personal and professional networks). Allow people to help you get where you want to go, even if it is the popular destination called happiness.

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Source: http://networkingahead.com/networking-how-to-make-someone-happy/

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Williamsburg, Classes, Activities, Recreational Sports, Art, Dance ...

Teens

Red Cross Babysitting Course (ages 12+)

Saturday, Jan. 26, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

$75; $70 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Inclusion

Buddy Art (youth ages 7+ with special needs), Free!

Saturdays, Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 16 & 23, March 16 & 23, 3-4 p.m.

James City County Recreation Center

Co-sponsor: This Century Art Gallery.

Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 12, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. & Jan. 13, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

James City County Recreation Center

Open to those with physical challenges residing in the Hampton Roads area. VA Sun Wheelers helps participants to develop self esteem, experience competitive sports and to offer an environment of health and fitness at the highest level. Host: James City County. For more information, call 757-259-5354 or email president@sunwheelers.org.

Youth/Teens

Get Taken for a Ride (ages 7+)

Monday, Jan. 21, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 26, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Stonehouse Stables, 2116-A Forge Rd.

$65/session; $60 for JC/W residents

Aviation Winter Camp (ages 9-13)

Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 9, 9 a.m.-noon
$50

James City County Recreation Center

Want to learn about flying a plane? Get introduced to aerodynamics, airplane controls and design and explore the forces that act upon an airplane in flight. Field trips include a visit to a local airport to board the cockpit of a Cessna as well as take a trip to an aerospace museum. Fee includes all materials, a T-shirt and snacks. For more information or to register, email yaef@cox.net or call 757-369-5004.

Mixed Media Art Journaling (ages 14-18)

Wednesdays, Jan. 16 - March 20, 6-8 p.m.

$60; $55 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Adults

Bellydance Costume Workshop Series: Making and fitting bellydance belts and hip scarves (ages 13+)

Saturday, Jan. 19, 1-4 p.m.

$25; $20 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Join us as we learn how to make and decorate various pieces of the bellydance costume. Bring a measuring tape, scissors, notebook and pencil. No sewing experience needed. Three sessions, each class is independent of the others ? take one or all three!Making and fitting bellydance skirts and tops - Feb. 2 and Decorating and embellishing - Feb. 16. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Pottery (ages 16+)

Four sessions offered:

Mondays, Jan. 7-March 25, 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Mondays, Jan. 7-March 25, 6-8:30 p.m.

Tuesdays, Jan. 8-March 26, 9:30 a.m. - noon

Tuesdays, Jan. 8-March 26, 6-8:30 p.m.

$125/session; $120 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Learn to turn raw clay into finished forms. Both hand building and the potter?s wheel explored. Appropriate for students of any experience level. $20 due to instructor during first class for one bag of clay and glazes. Additional clay is $20/bag. Info:jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Open Studio Time (ages 16+)

Fridays, Jan. 11-March 29, 6-8 p.m.

Sundays, Jan. 13-March 31, 2-4 p.m.

Variety of classes offered from $10-$45/session

James City County Recreation Center

Practice can make the difference in how you progress in pottery. Uninstructed, this open studio time allows students to continue to work on pieces begun in class. Must be enrolled in current adult pottery class to register. No access to the kiln. Info:jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Oil Painting (ages 16+)

Three sessions offered:

Tuesdays, Jan. 8-March 26, 1-3 p.m.

Wednesdays, Jan. 9-March 27, 10 a.m.-noon

Wednesdays, Jan. 9-March 27, 6-8 p.m.

$125/session; $120 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Create your own masterpiece! For students with experience painting in oils. Provide own supplies, call 757-220-3755 for list. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Basic Drawing & Pastels (ages 16+)

Wednesdays, Jan. 9-March 27, 1-3 p.m.

$125; $120 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Learn the basics of drawing or brush up on those skills you haven?t used in years. Learn the basics of drawing the human figure and how to use pastels to create portraits and landscapes. Provide own supplies, for the list call 757-220-3755. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Beginning Oil Painting (ages 16+)

Thursdays, Jan. 10-March 28, 1-3 p.m.

$125; $120 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

If you?ve never picked up a brush or you want to brush up on the basics, this is the class for you. Provide own supplies, for the list call 757-220-3755. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Watercolor Painting (ages 16+), New!

Beginner Sessions:

Thursdays, Jan. 10-Feb. 7, 6-8:30 p.m.

Fridays, Jan. 11-Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Intermediate Sessions:

Fridays, Jan. 11-Feb. 8, 1-3:30 p.m.

$85/session; $80 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Learn composition, basic drawing skills, and watercolor techniques to create your painting. Work at your own pace aided by individual instruction. Provide own supplies, for list call 757-259-7332. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Expressive Soul Painting (ages 16+)

Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 16, 9:30 a.m.-noon

$95; $90 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Learn to create expressive and soulful paintings freely and uninhibited using a variety of mediums and surfaces. Provide own supplies, for list call 757-849-3294. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Learn to Crochet (ages 16+)

Thursdays, Jan. 24-Feb. 28, 6-7 p.m.

$30; $25 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Learn how to do a basic chain, double crochet and single crochet stitch while creating the project of choice. Bring your favorite color yarn and size G, H or I needle. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Getting Started with Watercolor (ages 16+), New!

Monday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.-noon

$25; $20 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Materials (paints, brushes and papers) and methods (tea washes to fine details) will be shared and demonstrated whether you wish to paint impressionistically or realistically. All materials provided. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Sports and Athletics

Tot Shots (ages 3-5)

Wednesdays, Jan. 9-30, 10-10:45 a.m.

$30; $25 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Tumble Tots (ages 3-5)

Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 2, 10-10:45 a.m.

$30; $25 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Half Pint & Full Pint Soccer (ages 3-9)

All sessions $45; $40 for JC/W residents

James River Community Center

Half Pint (ages 3-5): Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 16, 1:30-2:15 p.m.

Full Pint (ages 6-9): Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 16, 2:30-3:15 p.m.

Multi-Sport Minis (ages 3-9 years)

All sessions $45; $40 for JC/W residents

James River Community Center

Minis (ages 3-5): Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 16, 3:30-4:15 p.m.

Majors (ages 6-9): Saturdays, Jan. 12-Feb. 16, 4:30-5:15 p.m.

Learn the basics of soccer, T-ball and basketball taught through games, drills and relays in a fun and safe atmosphere. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Indoor Tennis (ages 5-8), New

Wednesdays, Jan. 9-30, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

$30; $25 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Stance, ball control, hitting and rules of the game are taught in this introductory class! Racquets provided, but please bring your own if you have one. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Dance

Bellydance FUNdamentals (ages 13+)

Mondays, Jan. 7-28, 7-8 p.m.

$30; $25 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

In each session we?ll learn a new set of techniques and concepts that work together to create this unique style of dance! No dance experience needed. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Beyond Beginners Bellydance! (ages 13+)

Thursdays, Jan. 3-Feb. 7, 7-8 p.m.

$40; $35 for JC/W residents

James City County Recreation Center

Time to put those bellydance steps you?ve learned to good use! We?ll work our way through a new choreography in each session! Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4200.

Health/Wellness/Fitness

Pilates Workshop, Free!

Saturday, Jan. 12, 2-3:30 p.m.

James City County Recreation Center

Learn about the the history and methodology of the original work of Joseph H. Pilates. Through exercises, modifications, body alignment and breathing techniques we?ll improve your overall health through Pilates. Please pre-register at jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Evening Fitness Classes

James City County Recreation Center

Evening classes include Kickboxing, Zumba, Power Yoga, Cardio Tap dancing and Strength Training. Included in wristband purchase; facility pass not required. Child care is available on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreationor 757-259-4200.

SilverSneakers^? CardioFit (ages 55+)

Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 9, 11:30 a.m.

James City County Recreation Center

Get Up and Go with an aerobic class for you - safe, heart healthy and gentle on the joints. Easy to follow, low-impact movement and upper body strength, abdominal conditioning, stretching and relaxation exercises designed to energize your active lifestyle. Included in wristband purchase; facility pass not required. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation or call 757-259-4200.

Evening Kettlebell Classes (ages 13+)

Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Get a full body, functional workout in just 60 minutes! Qualified, safe instruction from Gail Peck. Included in wristband purchase; facility pass not required. Info: jamescitycountyva.gov/recreationor call 757-259-4200.

Aquatics

Learn To Swim ProgramsOpen registration held Jan. 2-11. After you have successfully passed a class, you can register for the next level during this two-week open registration period. If you?re unsure of your or your child?s swimming needs or level, attend one of the FREE swim evaluations on Tuesday, Jan. 8 or Wednesday, Jan. 9, 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the James City County Recreation Center. For the complete list of aquatic programs and classes, visit jamescitycountyva.gov/recreation?or call 757-259-4185.

Source: http://williamsburgfamiliessports.blogspot.com/2012/12/jcc-parks-and-recreation-january.html

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China Wary as Japan's New PM Hails Security Alliance With U.S.

Japan?s new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives as his official residence in Tokyo on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

(CNSNews.com) ? Closely watched by a wary China, Shinzo Abe?s return to the Japanese premiership gives him a second chance to pursue changes to Japan?s defense policies aimed at making it a more effective ally of the United States in a crucial region.

During Abe?s truncated earlier term as prime minister, his key security policy initiatives included making constitutional revisions to enable Japan to exercise its right to collective self-defense, and establishing a national security council.

Neither survived his September 2007 resignation, but Abe told his first press conference after taking the helm this week they were both back on the agenda.

He also described Japan?s alliance with the U.S. as ?the cornerstone of Japanese diplomacy,? saying that strengthening bilateral ties was ?the first step in turning Japan?s foreign and security policy around.?

Abe, who claims the alliance suffered during three years under the center-left Democratic Party of Japan, says he hopes to visit Washington as early as next month.

?More than anything else, it is imperative that we rebuild the relationship of trust we enjoy under the Japan-U.S. alliance.?

Abe also announced the creation of a new cabinet portfolio ? a minister in charge of reinforcing national security ? while an envisaged national security council would serve as a ?control tower.?

Under current interpretations of the war-renouncing constitution, drafted by U.S. military lawyers after Imperial Japan?s defeat in 1945, Japan cannot exercise its right to come to the defense of an ally under attack.

Although the two countries signed a Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security in 1960, Japan?s ability to respond to an armed attack against the U.S. in the region is constrained by its constitution.

(Article five of the treaty states: ?Each Party recognizes that an armed attack against either Party in the territories under the administration of Japan would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common danger in accordance with its constitutional provisions and processes.?)

The U.S. deploys some 50,000 troops in Japan.

In a neighborhood where crises could potentially erupt on the Korean peninsula or in the Taiwan Strait, or be sparked by various territorial disputes between an increasingly-assertive China and other countries in the region including their own, many Japanese conservatives have wanted to remove the constitutional restrictions, regarding them as a curb on the ability of the world?s third-largest economy to play a bigger role on the regional and international stage.

During his earlier term Abe set up an expert panel to investigate collective self-defense options. Now the prime minister ? only the second Japanese politician to make such a comeback since World War II ? has a rare opportunity to pick up on the issue.

?Aggravating tensions?

The return of a conservative government in Japan comes at a time when the Obama administration has been pursuing a ?pivot? to Asia. Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the region will be the ?the world?s strategic and economic center of gravity? this century and has worked to strengthen relationships across the region.

Beijing regards the ?pivot? as an attempt by the U.S. to counterbalance its rise, and Abe?s declared emphasis on the alliance with Washington will fuel that view.

?China hopes Japan takes a peaceful development path and plays a constructive role in regional peace,? Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press briefing Wednesday.

Less diplomatic was an editorial Thursday in the Communist Party-affiliated Global Times, which said it was unrealistic to expect relations with Japan to improve.

?Tension has existed in the Sino-Japanese relationship for more than a decade,? it said. ?Given that the situation in the Asia-Pacific hasn?t improved, the relationship of the two countries cannot really become warmer.?

The paper said there was a possibility that Japan could ?become an anti-China country even more radical than the U.S.,? but said ultimately the main concern for China was the U.S., rather than Japan.

In its editorial take on the new Japanese government, the state-run China Daily said that if Abe follows the policies he outlined while campaigning he will ?only aggravate the tension? already existing over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

It noted that Abe had told President Obama shortly before the election that the security environment in East Asia was ?severe? because of China?s growing ?assertiveness,? but said he had failed to mention that Japan?s actions were responsible for the bilateral tensions.

?Japan must be reminded that its intention to use its alliance with the US as pressure to deter China or stabilize the bilateral relations will not work,? China Daily said.

Meanwhile there is no sign that the simmering dispute over the islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, will be resolved soon.

A spokesman for China?s State Oceanic Administration on Thursday accused Japan of escalating the dispute by deploying military aircraft to ?disturb? a Chinese marine surveillance plane patrolling airspace near the islands.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a press briefing the military was being ?highly vigilant? about the Japanese activity and would ?safeguard China?s maritime law enforcement activities and protect the country?s territorial integrity and maritime rights.?

At his press conference Wednesday Abe said he was resolved to ?defend fully people?s lives, our territory and our beautiful ocean.?

Citing the Senkaku islands, he said ?the security of Japan is not someone else?s problem; it is a crisis that exists right there and now.?

Situated about halfway between the Chinese mainland and Japan?s southernmost island of Okinawa, the islands have been under disputed Japanese control since the late 19th century. The latest tensions erupted after the Japanese government earlier this year signed an agreement to buy three of the uninhabited islands from their owner, a businessman.

China declared the move illegal, complained to the United Nations and surveillance ships to waters around the islands, where Japanese coastguard vessels are also deployed.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned last September that a ?misjudgment? by either side could trigger a clash that could escalate into war.

Any such conflict would directly impact the United States: While saying it does not back either country?s claim to the islands, the U.S. has since 2004 made clear that it regards the islands as falling within the scope of article five of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

Source: http://patriotpost.us/headlines/15712

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Sweaters knit by Myanmar's Suu Kyi sell for $123K

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? Myanmar's cash-strapped opposition party is tapping into the prestige of its leader: Two sweaters hand-knit by Aung San Suu Kyi have been auctioned for $123,000.

A green-and-white sweater with a floral design sold at a Friday night auction to an anonymous bidder for 63 million kyat, or $74,120.

On Thursday, a Myanmar-based radio station won a bidding war for a multicolored V-neck that fetched $49,000.

Suu Kyi has not publicly reacted to the success of her party's two-day fundraiser, but aides said she was pleased with the results.

"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is satisfied with the auction and the donations received," close aide Ko Ni said Saturday. "She needs a lot of cash to carry out projects for the welfare of the people." Daw is a term of respect in Myanmar.

The auction was part of a fundraising event organized by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party to raise money for education of poor children and health projects in Myanmar, an impoverished Southeast Asian nation also known as Burma.

Both sweaters were knitted by Suu Kyi at least 25 years ago when she was living in England and raising her two children, Ko Ni told The Associated Press.

"She made them when she was busy working, studying and taking care of her children," Ko Ni said. "She wants to send the message that people should not stay idle but be diligent."

Suu Kyi, a 67-year-old former political prisoner and winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has become Myanmar's biggest celebrity as the country transitions from a half-century of military rule. She is generally guarded about the family she left behind in England ? but the auction indicates a new willingness to share her family history with an adoring public.

Ahead of the auction, Suu Kyi asked her brother-in-law in England to ship some of her personal belongings, which arrived in nine boxes on Wednesday just in time for the auction, Ko Ni said.

The Oxford graduate was raising two young sons with her late British husband when she returned to Myanmar in 1988 to nurse her dying mother. As daughter of the country's independence hero, Gen. Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947 when she was 2, Suu Kyi found herself thrust into the forefront of pro-democracy protests against the military regime.

Over the next two decades, she became the world's most famous political prisoner and won the adoration of her people, who call her "Amay Suu" ? or "Mother Suu," partly because she chose to stay with them over her own children. She declined opportunities to leave Myanmar, fearing she would not be allowed to re-enter.

Since her release from house arrest in 2010, Suu Kyi has reunited with her sons and completed a stunning trajectory from housewife to political prisoner to opposition leader in Parliament.

The proud new owner of the $49,000 red, green and blue V-neck sold Thursday said it was worth the money.

"It is priceless because the sweater was made my 'Amay' herself," said Daw Nan Mauk Lao Sai, chairwoman of Shwe FM radio station.

"I bought the sweater because I value the warmth and security it will give," she said, adding that she plans to hang it up in the station's office for the whole staff to see.

___

Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sweaters-knit-myanmars-suu-kyi-sell-123k-041957023.html

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Wind energy: Boom sputters as industry tax credit is set to expire

Congress has so far not extended the tax credit for wind energy, resulting in the layoffs of thousands of workers. Communities that a few years ago were elated to attract a promising new industry are left wondering what will the future bring.

By Richard Mertens,?Correspondent / December 28, 2012

The sun rises behind windmills at a wind farm in Palm Springs, California in 2011.

Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Enlarge

Alex Derr had a new house and a son on the way when he landed a coveted job building massive fiberglass wind-turbine blades at a new factory in Fort Madison, Iowa. With well-paid work in a growing industry, he seemed to have it made.

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?Having a new family, I thought it was great,? says Mr. Derr, who is in his 20s. ?I thought I was getting hired for a career.?

But his career in the wind industry came to an abrupt and premature end in October, when the plant where he worked, owned by Siemens Energy, a German company, let go most of its more than 700 workers. Similar layoffs have affected thousands of workers in communities across the United States. The reason: the impending expiration of a federal tax credit for wind energy.

Despite pleas from wind-industry advocates and politicians in important wind-energy states, Congress has so far not extended the tax credit beyond the end of the year. So on the eve of its demise, workers who thought they had snagged a dream job now find themselves once again looking for employment. Communities that a few years ago were elated to attract a promising new industry are left wondering what will the future bring.

?It was a big gut check for us,? says Fort Madison?s mayor, Brad Randolph. ?It was like, two steps forward, one step back.?

The federal tax credit has helped to buoy American wind energy since 1992 and, more recently, to spawn a small but growing manufacturing sector. Uncertainty over its future now threatens 37,000 jobs, according to the American Wind Energy Association, a trade group. Some of these are held by the 30,000 workers employed in more than 500 manufacturing facilities, from big plants that assemble large wind-turbine components to smaller suppliers providing gearboxes, bolts, and other parts.

The cuts in the wind industry have concluded a strange year of both glut and dearth for the industry and its workers. With the tax credit scheduled to expire, wind-energy developers have been racing to complete new projects. By the end of this month, in fact, they are set to have installed more than twice the new capacity that had been expected at the start of the year, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Half this new capacity is expected to come on line this month.

For workers, this has meant going from too much work to too little. At the Siemens factory in Fort Madison, employees worked seven days a week for much of the spring and summer, rushing to complete orders. ?We worked ridiculous hours,? says Derr, who was working overtime until a week before his job disappeared.

In Colorado, Martha Wyrsch, president of Vestas-American Wind Technology Inc. until recently, described 2012 as the firm?s ?busiest year ever,? supplying turbines to more than 20 new wind farms. Still, the parent company, Vestas Wind Systems in Denmark, let go hundreds of workers at four manufacturing plants in Colorado that build and assemble wind turbines.

These layoffs, plus the relocation of some workers, reduced the Vestas workforce from more than 1,700 to about 1,100. Earlier this month, the company also announced it would cut the hours of its remaining workers from 40 to 32 hours a week, beginning next month.

The year?s swings reflect earlier ups and downs in an industry. Over the past two decades, wind energy has grown substantially, thanks in part to technological advances. Total US capacity has risen from less than 1.5 gigawatts in 1992 to 47 gigawatts at the end of 2011. But this rise has been vulnerable to uncertainty over the federal tax credit, which now stands at 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour produced.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/WbGie6tnbew/Wind-energy-Boom-sputters-as-industry-tax-credit-is-set-to-expire

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Texas Vs. Oregon State Preview, Where To Watch Live Online, Betting Odds, Prediction For The Valero Alamo Bowl

The Texas Longhorns will enter Saturday?s Alamo Bowl without their starting quarterback against the No. 15 Oregon State Beavers in San Antonio.

Texas head coach Mack Brown sent reserve quarterback Case McCoy and linebacker Jordan Hicks back home for violating team rules, breaking their curfew, according to the AP.

Other reports suggest the players may have been involved in an alleged sexual assault that took place in the San Antonio area early Friday morning. However those reports have not been completely confirmed.

The 8-4 Longhorns enter Saturday?s? matchup after two straight losses to end their regular season. On Dec. 1, Texas fell to Big-12 champion Kansas State 42-24, with McCoy tossing two touchdowns along with two picks.

Texas held a 10-7 halftime lead after McCoy hit receiver Jaxon Shipley for a 14-yard score midway through the second quarter, but Kansas State responded with a blistering 35 points in the second half and the victory.

Like many teams that faced the Wildcats, the Longhorns couldn?t contain Heisman second-runner up Collin Klein, who rushed for a game-high 103 yards and two touchdowns.

The 9-3 Beavers had a far different regular season finale, annihilating Nicholls State 77-3 with 683 total offensive yards. It was a school-record in points scored in a single game, with quarterbacks Sean Mannion and Cody Vaz combining for five touchdowns and 421 yards.

Vaz entered the game after the Beavers were up 35-0, and is scheduled to start against the Longhorns.

Receiver Markus Wheaton had 12 catches for 123 yards and a score, and added a 10-yard rushing score, and Oregon State completed a six-game improvement from last season?s dismal 3-9 mark.

All that offense is complemented by a defense that lets up just under 20 points per game, ranked No. 22 in the country.

Texas will hand the ball back to sophomore quarterback David Ash, who started every game this season until McCoy took over in the second half against TCU on Nov. 22. Ash has totaled 2,458 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions, completing 67.7 percent of his passes.?

Coverage for the game will start at 6:45 p.m. EDT on ESPN, or you can watch their line online stream at Watch ESPN here.

Betting Odds:? Oregon State is favored by 4 points.

Over/Under: 58 points

Prediction:?Texas may struggle to keep the off-the-field distractions out of the game, even if they aren't very far from home. The Beavers are much improved, but still want to prove their season isnt' a fluke by beating one of college football's most storied programs. Look for Oregon State's Vaz and Wheaton to put up more big numbers in a rout.

Predicted Score: Oregon State 35 , Texas 17

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/texas-vs-oregon-state-preview-where-watch-live-online-betting-odds-prediction-valero-alamo-bowl

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cartier foxtrot: Automotive Service Technician Education For A New ...

If you are looking for a Profession in auto repair, you will soon discover that automotive service technician Instruction is provided in trade schools, vocational schools and community colleges across the nation. Automotive service technician Instruction is ideal for these who appreciate utilizing their minds to resolve issues, and do not mind obtaining their hands dirty.

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To reach the level of certified automotive service technician can take up to a year of study and practical knowledge. Some automotive service technician schools offer you an advanced two-year associate degree system, which would be quite useful Once in search of employment immediately after graduation. The moment you are a certified automotive repair technician, you will be topic to standard critique and recertification. You must be able to depend on your school update their curriculum to keep existing with emerging technologies, and to periodically provide refresher courses for operating technicians.

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Putin's Adoption Ban Hits Senator Rubio Close to Home | The Shark ...

By Javier Manjarres

Russian President Vladimir Putin has struck a personal nerve with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio after announcing ?that he will sign a ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian orphans.?

Rubio, who is understandably upset, has asked President Obama to ?forcefully condemn this action? and cited that over the past decade, ?tens of thousands of loving American couples have adopted Russian orphans.?

?Senator Rubio speaks from the heart on this issue because several years ago, his own sister Veronica was able to adopt twin daughters from Russia.

??I?m deeply concerned by President Putin?s announcement that he will sign the ban on U.S. adoptions of Russian orphans, and urge the Obama Administration to forcefully condemn this action. Over the last decade, tens of thousands of loving American couples have adopted Russian orphans, providing unconditional love, support and a quality of life otherwise unimaginable in Russia?s crowded orphanages.

?In addition to helping thousands of families, these international adoptions have brought our two nations? people closer together and served as a symbol of our growing friendship. Now, President Putin?s adoption ban will not just deprive thousands of Russian orphans of a better life, but will cast further doubt on his commitment to human rights. The Obama Administration should make clear that we will not tolerate orphaned children being treated as political pawns.?-Senator Marco Rubio

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Tensions hit French Embassy in C. African Republic

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) ? Angry protesters carrying clubs threw rocks at the French Embassy in Central African Republic on Wednesday, criticizing the former colonial power for failing to do more to stem a rapid rebel advance as fears grew that the insurgents aim to seize the capital.

The demonstrations began earlier in the day outside the U.S. Embassy before about 100 protesters then took to the French Embassy, carrying pieces of cardboard with messages that read: "No to war! No to France!"

"It's France who colonized us ? they should support us until the end. Unfortunately, they have done nothing. In this case, we are merely asking purely and simply that they leave our country," shouted one young demonstrator in front of the French mission in Bangui.

The protesters then began stopping cars to verify whether any foreign nationals were inside.

"These people have taken down the French flag from its pole and removed it," said Serge Mucetti, the French ambassador to Central African Republic. "They have carried out stone-throwing in the area of the embassy and have broken windows. This kind of behavior is unacceptable."

Air France confirmed Wednesday that its once-a-week flight to Bangui turned back because of protests at the French Embassy. The decision was made independently by Air France, and the French government did not make the request, said an airline spokeswoman, who spoke on condition of anonymity because company policy did not authorize her to speak on the record.

The French foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the armed attacks, saying they "gravely undermine the peace agreements in place and the efforts of the international community to consolidate peace" in the country, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

The U.N. chief appealed to all parties to refrain from any acts of violence against civilian and to respect human rights, he said.

The secretary-general welcomed the conclusions of the heads of state summit of the Economic Community of the Central African States in Ndjamena, Chad, on Dec. 21 and urged all parties to abide by the decisions "which provide a basis for a peaceful resolution of the dispute," Nesirky said.

But many fear that Bangui, a city of about 600,000 people, could be the scene of a battle between government forces and the rebels. The fighters already have seized at least 10 towns, meeting little resistance from soldiers.

Rebel Col. Djouma Narkoyo said Wednesday that his forces have continued taking towns in recent days because government forces are attacking their positions. But, he insisted via phone: "Our intention is not to take Bangui. We still remain open to dialogue."

Bangui residents were skeptical of the insurgents' intentions.

"We are afraid by what we see happening in our country right now," said Leon Modomale, a civil servant in the capital. "It's as if the rebels are going to arrive in Bangui any moment now because there are too many contradictions in their language."

The rebel advance began earlier this month, with a push by the Union for the Democratic Forces for Unity, known by its French acronym of UFDR. The group signed an April 13, 2007, peace accord, which paved the way for the fighters to join the regular army, but the group's leaders say the deal was never properly implemented.

Central African Republic is a desperately poor, landlocked country that has suffered numerous rebellions since independence from France. Despite the nation's wealth of gold, diamonds, timber and uranium, the government remains perpetually cash-strapped.

U.S. special forces troops have deployed to Central African Republic among other countries in the region in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the fugitive rebel leader of the notorious Lord's Resistance Army.

___

Associated Press Writer Lori Hinnant contributed to this report from Paris.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tensions-hit-french-embassy-c-african-republic-225148800.html

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Three Afghans dead in new blast at U.S. base in Afghan east

KHOST, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed three people in an attack on a U.S. base in Afghanistan on Wednesday, the same base where a suicide bomb attack killed seven CIA employees three years ago.

The Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in the eastern town of Khost, saying they had sent a suicide bomber driving a van packed with explosives to the base.

"The target was those who serve Americans at that base," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Afghanistan's NATO-led force said the bomber did not get into the base nor breach its perimeter. Police said the three dead were Afghans who were outside the base, which is beside a military airport.

The al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, widely regarded as the most dangerous U.S. foe in Afghanistan, is active in Khost province, which is on the Pakistani border.

After more than a decade of war, Taliban insurgents are still able to strike strategic military targets, and launch high-profile attacks in the capital, Kabul, and elsewhere.

Three years ago, an al Qaeda-linked Jordanian double-agent killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian intelligence officer in a suicide bombing at the same base in Khost, known as Forward Operating Base Chapman.

It was the second deadliest attack in CIA history.

Afghan police official General Abdul Qasim Baqizoy, the Khost police chief, said no CIA agents were hurt on Wednesday.

Afghan authorities are scrambling to improve security across the country before the U.S. combat mission ends in 2014.

Besides pressure from the Taliban, U.S.-led NATO forces also face a rising number of so-called insider attacks, in which Afghan forces turn their weapons on Western troops they are supposed to be working with.

On Monday, an Afghan policewoman killed a U.S. police adviser at the Kabul police headquarters, raising troubling questions about the direction of the war.

It appeared to be the first time that a woman member of Afghanistan's security forces carried out such an attack.

On Tuesday, Afghan officials said the woman has an Iranian passport and moved to Afghanistan 10 years ago. There was no suggestion that Iran was involved in the attack on the American.

Officials suspect she may have been recruited by al Qaeda or the Taliban, and had intended to also kill Afghan police officials.

(Reporting by Elyas Wahdat; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/three-afghans-dead-blast-u-afghan-east-025409441.html

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Gunmen kill six in northeast Nigeria church attack

KADUNA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Gunmen killed six people at a church in northeast Nigeria early on Tuesday, the third year running that Christmas services have come under deadly attack in the country, the military said.

The strike took place after a Christmas Eve midnight service outside the town of Potiskum in northeastern Yobe state, where Islamist sect Boko Haram has carried out several attacks this year.

"Unknown gunmen attempted to attack Potiskum but were repelled by the troops. While they were fleeing, they attacked a church in a village known as Jiri," said military spokesman Eli Lazarus, who confirmed that six people were killed.

Members of Boko Haram have killed hundreds in a campaign to impose sharia law in northern Nigeria.

The group killed dozens in a series of bombings across northern Nigeria on churches on Christmas Day last year, mirroring similar attacks in 2010 which killed more than 40.

This year the police and army pledged to protect churches, boosting security in major northern towns and cities and restricting people's movement.

At least 2,800 people have died in fighting in the largely Muslim north since Boko Haram launched an uprising against the government in 2009, watchdog Human Rights Watch says.

Potiskum, which lies in Boko Haram's northeastern stronghold, has been one of the areas worst affected by the insurgency.

Security experts believe Boko Haram is targeting worshippers to spark a religious conflict in a country of 160 million people split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.

Many churches in Nigeria's biggest northern city, Kano, and elsewhere in the north were almost empty for Christmas Day services on Tuesday, local residents said.

Two people were killed in separate attacks on Tuesday in Kano, a police source said. He said gunmen riding motorcycles killed the driver of a government worker and another civilian.

Pope Benedict used part of his Christmas message to the world on Tuesday to highlight the need for reconciliation in Nigeria, saying "savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians".

(Reporting by Isaac Abrak; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Tom Pfeiffer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gunmen-kill-six-northeast-nigeria-church-attack-171041255.html

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Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale: Merry XXXMas!

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Poll: London Olympics cheered up gloomy Brits

Thousands of people line the streets to applaud British athletes who brought home 185 medals at this year's Games. ITV's Geraint Vincent reports.

By Ian Johnston, NBC News

More than three-quarters of British people thought the London Olympics did ?a valuable job in cheering up a country in hard times,? according to a new survey.

The Guardian/ICM poll, published Wednesday, found that 78 percent of people agreed the 2012 Games were a good idea, but 20 percent thought the event was ?a costly and dangerous distraction.?

The survey found similar levels of support across different age groups, social class and every region ? apart from Scotland.

But even there 69 percent of people were in favor of the Games, with 31 percent against.

Brits revel in gloom ahead of London Olympics, but don't believe the gripe

The Guardian newspaper said that a poll last year had reported that 60 percent of people in the U.K. expected Britain to become a more miserable place overall in 2012.

But the new survey found that 49 percent of people thought the U.K. had become a better place to live during the year, with 41 percent believing it had got worse.

The Guardian said the figures suggested ?a positive public take on the Olympics is colouring wider perceptions of the year.?

London 2012: Who were the real winners, losers?

Cam Cardow / Ottawa Citizen, Politicalcartoon

Click here to view this cartoon slideshow.

However the poll also found that 61 percent thought British power in the world had been reduced, with 27 percent saying it had increased. And 51% expected the U.K. would still be struggling with economic problems in 2013.

The paper said ICM Research had interviewed a random sample of 1,002 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 19-23 December 2012.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

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South Africa: World watches Mandela's struggle

JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? A chipped street mural in South Africa's Soweto township depicts stations in the life of Nelson Mandela, each matched by a portrait of the global icon as he advanced from robust youth to old age. Now this infirm giant of history faces a struggle with mortality, its duration unknown but its outcome certain.

There may be no living figure so revered around the world as a symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation, his legacy forged in the fight against apartheid, the system of white minority rule that imprisoned him for 27 years.

As an idea, Mandela is monumental. As a 94-year-old man, he is frail and vulnerable, in hospital since Dec. 8, shielded from outside scrutiny by protective relatives and the South African government and military.

"He's sick. What can we do? He's sick," said Beauty Sedunedi, a Soweto resident who described Mandela as a hero. "People are crying, 'Oh, he mustn't die, he mustn't...' If God says 'come,' he'll come."

The former president would probably agree with that down-to-earth sentiment, as a man who is said to have been uncomfortable with his iconic status. The narrative of what he endured and what he contributed in the name of all South Africans tends to eclipse any personal failings, or shortcomings as a president when he took office for a five-year term after the country's first democratic elections in 1994. The country today struggles with poverty and inequality, but Mandela is widely credited with helping to avert race-driven chaos as South Africa emerged from apartheid.

He was diagnosed with a lung infection and had a procedure to remove gallstones after being admitted to a Pretoria hospital, and the South African presidency said Monday that Mandela would spend Christmas Day there. The physical decline of Mandela, who boxed in his youth and exercised regularly in prison, could be anyone's story; an ordinary man would make this wistful journey alone, or within the cocoon of family intimacy.

In the case of a man-turned-myth, however, the media, the government and the nation are passengers on what has become an awkward ride, defined by tension between the right to medical privacy and the public's interest.

"They were very secretive about his health," Sebastian Moloi, another resident of the Johannesburg township of Soweto, said of the government's initial, sometimes contradictory pronouncements about Mandela's condition. "They shouldn't keep it away from the public."

Moloi spoke outside Regina Mundi, a Catholic church that was a center of protests and funeral services for activists during the apartheid years. He said Mandela was the "godfather" of South Africa, but objected to extreme discretion about Mandela's hospital stay, saying: "He gets enough privacy in his home."

Officials have reported that Mandela has steadily improved, but warn the situation is inherently uncertain because of his age. The media has urged the government to provide regular updates or briefings with doctors. Dire rumors have swirled on social media, angering Mac Maharaj, the presidency's spokesman.

"Why are there no voices raised in our society against the human depravity manifested in such rumors?" Eyewitness News, a South African media outlet, quoted Maharaj as saying. "It has become a matter of concern. Is it not time for all of us to look at ourselves in the mirror?"

In fact, Mandela's public image has been closely managed for a long time. He has not been seen on a major stage since South Africa hosted the World Cup football tournament in 2010, and his meetings have become increasingly rare.

In August, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Mandela at his home in the village of Qunu in Eastern Cape province. An Associated Press photographer who accompanied Clinton said the former leader appeared "fragile although also happy," and seemed pleased to see his visitor.

"After some deliberation, at the last moment, I was allowed inside to photograph them together. While I was in the room I never heard him say a word or hardly even move," photographer Jacquelyn Martin wrote in an email. She described how aides encouraged Mandela to smile for the camera and remarked fondly to him on what a beautiful smile he had. They called him "Madiba," which is Mandela's clan name, a term of affection.

"He scarcely moved and was a whisper of the legend," Martin wrote. She said Mandela was seated in a corner with a blanket over his legs and a newspaper in his lap. His wife, Graca Machel, was also there.

In 2009, British journalist David James Smith met the Nobel laureate while working on "Young Mandela," a book that sought, in part, to humanize the man by examining reports about his often conflicted family life.

In an email, Smith said he was required to sign a document promising he would not ask "direct questions," take photos or ask Mandela to endorse any products.

"He was sitting in his huge office behind a massive desk and seemed slightly shrivelled and sparrow-like in comparison with the sharp-suited giant of the 1950s I had come to know so well from my research," Smith wrote.

"He apologized for not getting up to greet me. 'My knees will not allow it.' I struggled to get a conversation going for a few minutes until I told him I had been to Qunu and met his 'brother' Sitsheketshe, who had been brought up with Mandela as his brother after his own parents had died."

Smith recounted: "'Ah, Sitsheketshe!' he boomed. 'Do you know the story of how he came to live with my family?' I did but said I didn't and off he went ... He seemed mortal and ordinary and that I think is one of the reasons why, though not a saint, he is a very great human being."

Sitsheketshe Morris Mandela, Nelson's cousin, died this year at the age of 80.

History offers rough parallels for Mandela and the movement to safeguard his legacy as he approaches the end of his life. Men of his stature ? American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and Indian independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi ? were assassinated while actively engaged in their callings. Tragedy elevated their reputations.

The Soweto mural marks Mandela's birth in 1918; the Rivonia trial that led to his conviction for sabotage in 1964; the 1990 release from prison; the 1993 awarding of the Nobel peace prize to Mandela and the last white ruler, F.W. de Klerk; Mandela's 1994 election as South Africa's first black president; and his 90th birthday in 2008.

Truly, a momentous life. Yet Mandela, whose image adorns South African banknotes and statues and whose name was bestowed on buildings and squares, found ambiguity in it. In a passage described as part of an unpublished sequel to his autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom," he wrote:

"One issue that deeply worried me in prison was the false image that I unwittingly projected to the outside world; of being regarded as a saint. I never was one, even on the basis of an earthly definition of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying."

Reflecting on his 2009 meeting, Smith said in an interview that Mandela still retained his spark of charisma, "the glint of mischief that he had that people were so charmed by, presidents and paupers."

But he added: "You can imagine that must be almost gone now."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-africa-world-watches-mandelas-struggle-160632980.html

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Gas prices hold steady in RI at $3.51 per gallon

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Gas prices are holding steady in Rhode Island at $3.51 for a gallon of regular.

AAA Southern New England says Monday that its weekly survey finds the price of gas is averaging the same as last week.

Prices have increased 19 cents per gallon from a year ago at this time, or 6 percent.

The price of gas in Rhode Island is 26 cents above the national average of $3.25 per gallon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gas-prices-hold-steady-ri-165037675.html

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Your First $1000 ? How to Start an Online Business that Actually ...

Happy Holidays!

My *gift* to y?all is yet another free Kindle eBook.

This one is titled:

Your First $1000 ? How to Start an Online Business that Actually Makes Money

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Starting today (Christmas Eve, December 24th) to the end of Wednesday (December 26th); you can grab a free copy directly from Amazon.

Here?s more information about this freebie?

How to Earn Your First Dollars Online

While *most* of my readers already have established Internet businesses, I know some are struggling with getting started.? ?Your First $1000? is written for anyone who wants to start a small niche website which can ultimately be turned into an authority business.

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Once again, I?m offering free copies (per Amazon?s KDP system) till midnight Pacific time on the 26th. So grab your copy while it?s still available.

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Don?t Own a Kindle Reader?

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Here is the download link to my free book ==> http://www.stevescottsite.com/your-first-1000

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Please take a few minutes to leave a review and/or share this post on your favorite social media site.

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To Your "Internet Lifestyle",

Tagged as: Amazon Kindle, Make Money on the Internet

Source: http://www.stevescottsite.com/first1000

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Winter Dining Round the Family Dining Table is back | ArticleBro ...

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

Source: http://harealap.blogspot.com/2012/12/winter-dining-round-family-dining-table.html

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Genetically engineered salmon moves closer to FDA approval

After more than a decade in regulatory limbo, genetically engineered Atlantic salmon that grow faster than their naturally born counterparts moved closer to American plates, with the publication Friday of a government report that found the fish wouldn't hurt the environment and would be safe to eat.

The draft report, released by the Food and Drug Administration after months of unexplained delay, was greeted with cheers by members of the biotech community and anger by opponents of genetically modified foods, who commonly refer to the AquAdvantage salmon as a "Frankenfish."

Two years ago, the FDA tentatively ruled that the salmon could safely be consumed by humans and that the fish would not harm wild species. The current report advances the process.

A 60-day period of public comment on the 158-page environmental assessment and its conclusions now follows before the FDA will decide whether to give the salmon its blessing or take some other action. There is no timeline on when that next step may happen, said FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess.

"I have a smile on my face ? it certainly looks good for the fish moving forward," said David Edwards, director of animal biotechnology for the Biotechnology Industry Organization in Washington. "It shows that the administration is willing to move forward on these technologies and allow the U.S. to be the leader that we should be."

AquAdvantage salmon grows twice as fast as conventional salmon because a growth hormone gene derived from the chinook variety has been spliced into its DNA. If approved, it would be the first genetically modified animal intended for food use to pass that milestone in the United States. Edwards and others said it would invigorate the field of animal biotechnology, which is currently so moribund in the U.S. that industry investment is near-nonexistent; scientists have stopped training students in the craft, and researchers have shut down their projects or moved them overseas.

But the FDA's actions ? and the timing of its announcement, on the eve of a long holiday weekend ? drew outrage from consumer advocacy groups who are not convinced that the fish is environmentally benign nor that it's safe to eat. More than 400,000 public comments urging regulators not to approve the fish have been submitted to the FDA since the agency opened discussion of the issue in 2010, according to George Kimbrell, senior attorney for the Washington-based Center for Food Safety.

Kimbrell noted that the FDA's documents are dated May 4, 2012, and said that releasing them on Dec. 21 was "cynical" and "political." There have been rumblings for months that the White House was dragging its feet on the controversial issue because it didn't want to make an unpopular decision during an election year.

"It's 'the day the world was supposed to end' but in fact the day we are all on vacation," Kimbrell said, in a reference to the so-called Maya doomsday. "I think the agency is aware of the controversial and irresponsible nature of its decision and wanted it to go out on the quietest day of the year."

Kimbrell and statements from other advocacy groups opposed to genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, said that safety tests on the fish were inadequate and that the faster-growing AquAdvantage salmon could potentially out-compete wild Atlantic salmon if they escaped captivity and threatened wild fish stocks.

AquaBounty Technologies Inc., the Maynard, Mass.-based company that developed the fish, says that contention is unsupported by science.

The FDA's environmental review and safety conclusions focus narrowly on specific plans that AquaBounty put in place for raising and processing the modified salmon. Unlike conventionally farmed salmon, the AquAdvantage fish would not be raised in ocean pens and would not be brought live into the United States.

Instead, the fish would be farmed on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Eggs that they produced would be transported to Panama, where they would hatch and be raised in inland freshwater tanks. The farmed fish ? sterile and female ? would be processed overseas and the flesh transported to the United States for market.

AquaBounty President and Chief Executive Ronald Stotish said that the Panama facility would permit production of tons of fish and that more tanks could be added. Ultimately, he said, additional facilities could be built at other sites, including places within the United States that are near urban centers.

The company would have to receive FDA approval for each expansion of its facilities, however.

"The attributes of our product and a land-based system are exactly what environmental groups are asking for," Stotish said. "We hope that when they read the environmental assessment they will understand the science and the benefits of our product and stop opposing us just because we're different."

Gregory Jaffe, director of the biotechnology project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, said he saw no evidence to suggest that the salmon would be unhealthful to eat nor that AquaBounty's Panama facility would pose an environmental risk. But he added that the small volume of fish the company could produce there amounts to "a lot of effort for not a lot of fish" ? and thus the plan amounts to no more than a proof of concept.

For the AquAdvantage salmon to make a dent in the market, many more tanks would have to be built ? and the environmental impact of all of them together can't be assessed by approving them one at a time, Jaffe said: "Each one individually may have safeguards to prevent environmental impact, but if you look cumulatively, errors happen."

Movement from the FDA may come in the nick of time for AquaBounty, which is also developing fast-growing trout and tilapia but is close to running out of money.

"If they go to production and people actually buy this fish in spite of what's being said, then I think other investors will see other opportunities for transgenic animals," said James Murray, an animal geneticist at UC Davis who has developed genetically engineered goats to fight diarrheal diseases in children. "Even if it's not successful, just the fact that an animal product can be approved will mean to investors that the potential for a good idea can be carried through to market."

The FDA's actions Friday say nothing about whether the fish, should it ultimately come to market, would need to be labeled. California voters recently considered a ballot initiative to require labels on certain foods with genetically modified ingredients, but the measure failed.

rosie.mestel@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/q6OUzP0qihA/la-sci-genetically-engineered-salmon-fda-20121222,0,4089637.story

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