The biggest iPhone, iPad, and Apple news stories of 2012

As 2012 comes to an end it seems fitting to reflect back on the events that molded and shaped it, and in iMore's case, that means the biggest iPhone, iPad, and Apple news stories of the year. So, we cracked open the analytics, sorted by popularity, and compiled a list of the your top 5 favorite stories.

Interestingly, and awesomely, they were all stories iMore broke or helped break. Not all of them panned out exactly as we heard they would, but it looks like the broad strokes were all there. From the dates of events and launches to the designs and looks of the devices themselves, we gave you exactly what you wanted to read and share, and wow did you read and share it.

So here they are, your favorite news stories of 2012!

5. iPad 3 announcement March 7, quad-core, possible 4G LTE

iMore nailed the date for Apple's iPad 3 event in March, though when we kept hearing quad-core we mistakenly reported it as the A6 chipset as a while, and not just the graphics processor that ended up being in the A5X.

According to sources who have been reliable in the past, Apple currently plans to hold their iPad 3 announcement on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Along with the 2048x1536 Retina display, the iPad 3 will feature a quad-core Apple A6 system-on-a-chip, and possibly 4G LTE networking.

• iPad 3 announcement March 7, quad-core, possible 4G LTE

4. Apple getting ready to ditch the traditional iPhone, iPad, and iPod dock connector

Way back in February, iMore brought you word that Apple would be replacing the traditional Dock connector. In September they did just that with the all-new Lightning connector.

iMore has learned that Apple is getting ready to ditch the dock connector as it's currently sized and implemented on iPods, iPhones, and iPads. The reason isn't anything political, like a desire to conform to the outdated micro USB standard, but typically Apple: to save space inside the iPhone 5 for what are now more important components.

• Apple getting ready to ditch the traditional iPhone, iPad, and iPod dock connector

3. iPad mini won't be much smaller, but will be a lot narrower, thinner, and lighter

In one of the funnest moments last year, Seth Weintraub from 9to5Mac, John Gruber of Daring Fireball, and iMore all posted about the radically thin and light new iPad mini form factor at around the same time.

Looking at it, the iPad mini may not seem radically smaller than the 9.7-inch iPad. And that's the point. It's not supposed to be a major compromise in screen size or usability. It is, however, thinner and lighter enough to make a substantial difference. Holding it with one hand will be easier, and holding it for prolonged periods of time will be much easier.

• iPad mini won't be much smaller, but will be a lot narrower, thinner, and lighter

2. Leaks accurate, this is what the new iPhone will look like

Never mind the iPad mini. When the next iPhone is also going to be a designed iPhone, already high levels of interest simply skyrocket.

iMore has learned that recent parts leaks and dummy phones are accurate representations of what the new iPhone (iPhone 5,1) will look like when Apple announces it on September 12, 2012. Almost identical in design to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the major visible differences will include a 4-inch display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, a metallic plate across most the back, a centered FaceTime camera on the front, and a miniaturized Dock connector and relocated 3.5mm headset jack along the bottom.

• Leaks accurate, this is what the new iPhone will look like

1. Apple iPhone 5 and iPad mini event planned for September 12, iPhone 5 release date for September 21

In our most popular story of the year, iMore nailed the day for Apple's iPhone 5 and 2012 iPod event, though we incorrectly reported that new iPads would be along for the ride (they came a month later).

iMore has learned that Apple is planning to debut the new iPhone at a special event on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, with the release date to follow 9 days later on Friday, September 21. This information comes from sources who have proven accurate in the past.

• Apple iPhone 5 and iPad mini event planned for September 12, iPhone 5 release date for September 21

Your favorite news story of 2012?

So those are them, the biggest iPhone, iPad, and Apple news stories of 2012 as voted on by your pageviews. But pageviews are only one metric. Did any other stories stand out to you as especially big and important? Apple's executive shuffle? Apple Maps fiasco? Retina coming to the Mac? 3 new iPad devices in one year? Apple updating almost their entire product lineup in the span of 3 months? What mattered the most to you?

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

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Texas judge OKs ban on Planned Parenthood funding

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? Texas can cut off funding to Planned Parenthood's family planning programs for poor women, a state judge ruled Monday.

Judge Gary Harger said that Texas may exclude otherwise qualified doctors and clinics from receiving state funding if they advocate for abortion rights, attorney general spokeswoman Lauren Bean said.

The state has long banned the use of state funds for abortion, but had continued to reimburse Planned Parenthood clinics for providing basic health care to poor women through the state's Women's Health Program. The program provides check-ups and birth control to 110,000 poor women a year, and Planned Parenthood clinics were treating 48,000 of them.

Planned Parenthood's lawsuit to stop the rule will still go forward, but the judge decided Monday that the ban may go into effect for now. In seeking a temporary restraining order, Planned Parenthood's patients could have continued to see their current doctors until a final decision was made.

"We are pleased the court rejected Planned Parenthood's latest attempt to skirt state law," Bean said. "The Texas Attorney General's office will continue to defend the Texas Legislature's decision to prohibit abortion providers and their affiliates from receiving taxpayer dollars through the Women's Health Program."

Ken Lambrecht, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, said he brought the lawsuit on behalf of poor women who depend on its clinics.

"It is shocking that once again Texas officials are letting politics jeopardize health care access for women," Lambrecht said. "Our doors remain open today and always to Texas women in need. We only wish Texas politicians shared this commitment to Texas women, their health, and their well-being."

Planned Parenthood has brought three lawsuits over Texas' so-called "affiliate rule," arguing it violates the constitutional rights of doctors and patients while also contradicting existing state law.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has spent the last nine months preparing to implement the affiliate rule. But federal officials warned it violated the Social Security Act and cut off federal funds for the Women's Health Program, prompting the commission to start a new program using only state money.

State officials have also scrambled to sign up new doctors and clinics to replace Planned Parenthood. Women who previously went to Planned Parenthood clinics will now have to use the agency's web site to find a new state-approved doctor.

On Friday, HHSC officials acknowledged they are unsure whether the thousands of new doctors can pick up Planned Parenthood's caseload in all parts of the state.

"I vehemently disagree with the state's efforts to blacklist a qualified provider and, thereby, interfere with a woman's right to choose her own provider," said state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. "I will be submitting a letter to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, requesting a list of approved providers to gauge the outreach of the new program, and ensure that all qualified women throughout the state have access to its services."

Another hearing is scheduled with a different judge for Jan. 11, where Planned Parenthood will again ask for an injunction to receive state funding.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/texas-judge-oks-ban-planned-parenthood-funding-183524040.html

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12.12.30 08:00 Just Say "NO" to Resolutions - Sunday December 30, 2012 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm @ Ocean Pines Community Center

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Soccer-Tunisia win first Nations Cup warm-up game

DUBAI (Reuters) - A small U.S. commercial plane has been stuck in Iran for nearly three weeks after making an emergency landing near the city of Ahvaz, the country's airports director said on Sunday. The plane was forced to land because of technical problems, Mahmoud Rasoulinejad said, quoted by the Mehr news agency. "After landing, the crew traveled on to countries around the Persian Gulf and the plane is currently being repaired," he said. Rasoulinejad did not specify who owned the aircraft, where it was headed or the nationality of the crew members. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/soccer-tunisia-win-first-nations-cup-warm-game-165938268--sow.html

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Venezuela VP: Chavez suffers 'new complications'

FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2012, file photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, holds up a copy of the Venezuelan national constitution as his Vice President Nicolas Maduro looks on during a televised speech at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez has suffered "new complications" following his cancer surgery in Cuba, Maduro said Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, describing the Venezuelan leader's condition as delicate. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, Marcelo Garcia, file)

FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2012, file photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, holds up a copy of the Venezuelan national constitution as his Vice President Nicolas Maduro looks on during a televised speech at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez has suffered "new complications" following his cancer surgery in Cuba, Maduro said Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, describing the Venezuelan leader's condition as delicate. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, Marcelo Garcia, file)

Iconic T-shirts styled with images of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez are displayed for sale next to a T-shirt of Venezuelan musician Ali Primera, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. The obsessive, circular conversations about Chavez's health dominate family dinners, plaza chit-chats and social media sites in this country on edge since its larger-than-life leader went to Cuba for emergency cancer surgery more than two weeks ago. The man whose booming voice once dominated the airwaves for hours at a time has not been seen or heard from since.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this photo provided by Cuba's state newspaper Granma, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez , left, talks with Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro, center, as Venezuelan Attorney General Cilia Flores watches at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Maduro arrived in Cuba to visit Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is recovering from a surgery_ his fourth operation related to his pelvic cancer since June 2011. (AP Photo/Granma, Juvenal Balan Neyra )

Portraits of Venezuela's independence hero Simon Bolivar, left, and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez are exhibited for sale on folding easels in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. The obsessive, circular conversations about Chavez's health dominate family dinners, plaza chit-chats and social media sites in this country on edge since its larger-than-life leader went to Cuba for emergency cancer surgery more than two weeks ago. The man whose booming voice once dominated the airwaves for hours at a time has not been seen or heard from since.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Hugo Chavez has suffered "new complications" following his cancer surgery in Cuba, his vice president said Sunday, describing the Venezuelan leader's condition as delicate.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro spoke with a solemn expression in a televised address from Havana, saying he had spoken with Chavez and that the president sent greetings to his homeland. Maduro did not give details about the complications, which he said came amid a respiratory infection.

"Several minutes ago we were with President Chavez. We greeted each other and he himself referred to these complications," Maduro said, reading from a prepared statement. Maduro was seated alongside Chavez's eldest daughter, Rosa, and son-in-law Jorge Arreaza, as well as Attorney General Cilia Flores.

The vice president's comments suggest an increasingly difficult fight for the ailing president. The Venezuelan leader has not been seen or heard from since undergoing his fourth cancer-related surgery Dec. 11, and government officials have said he might not return in time for his scheduled Jan. 10 inauguration for a new six-year term.

"The president gave us precise instructions so that, after finishing the visit, we would tell the (Venezuelan) people about his current health condition," Maduro said. "President Chavez's state of health continues to be delicate, with complications that are being attended to, in a process not without risks."

Maduro held up a copy of a newspaper confirming that his message was recorded on Sunday.

"Thanks to his physical and spiritual strength, Comandante Chavez is facing this difficult situation," Maduro said.

Maduro said he had met various times with Chavez's medical team and relatives. He said he would remain in Havana "for the coming hours" but didn't specify how long.

Maduro, who arrived in Havana on Saturday for a sudden and unexpected trip, is the highest ranking Venezuelan official to visit Chavez since the surgery.

Before Chavez left for Cuba, he acknowledged risks in the operation and designated Maduro as his successor, telling supporters they should vote for the vice president if a new presidential election was necessary.

Chavez said his cancer had come back despite previous surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He has been fighting an undisclosed type of pelvic cancer since June 2011.

Medical experts say that it's common for patients who have undergone major surgeries to suffer respiratory infections and that how a patient fares can vary widely from a quick recovery in a couple of days to a fight for life on a respirator.

Maduro's latest update differed markedly from last Monday, when he had said he received a phone call from the president and that Chavez was up and walking.

The vice president spoke on Sunday below a picture of 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar, the inspiration of Chavez's leftist Bolivarian Revolution movement.

Maduro expressed faith that Chavez's "immense will to live and the care of the best medical specialists will help our president successfully fight this new battle." He concluded his message saying: "Long live Chavez."

___

Ian James on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ianjamesap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-30-Venezuela-Chavez/id-cc32ed4e40714e28bbe039f47d23523d

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What Was the Best Gadget You Ever Got For Christmas?

With Christmas a few days past, you've probably gotten a good chance to get familiar with whatever gadgets you may have gotten as gifts. Maybe you got a new iPad Mini, or a Nexus 7. Maybe it was a new phone, or even a new laptop. But as awesome as any of them may be, do they hold a candle to what you've gotten in the past? What was the best gadget you've ever received as a Christmas gift. Dig deep. What are the classics that stick out in your mind? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/kqYOD-aqzg4/what-was-the-best-gadget-you-ever-got-for-christmas

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Ehud Barak formally approves West Bank university of Ariel

Israel's first settlement university was created this week after the defence secretary,?Ehud Barak, ordered the upgrade of a college in Ariel, a city 11 miles inside the West Bank, in a controversial move likely to lead to a renewed boycott drive by academic institutions in other countries.

Official papers granting formal approval to Ariel University were signed on Wednesday by the head of the Israeli military's central command, Major General Nitzan Alon.

The institution, which used to be called the College of Judea and Samaria, declared itself a university in 2007, an upgrade that was opposed by most other universities in Israel.

The presidents of all bar one of Israel's existing universities filed a petition at the supreme court challenging the authorisation of Ariel University. They feared that its upgraded status could lead to budget cuts for their institutions.

"These are election days and any decision on this sensitive matter at this time can be interpreted as a political move. There is no logic in acting so urgently," their petition stated.

About 12,000 students are enrolled at Ariel University, including a few hundred Israeli-Arabs. Ariel, home to almost 20,000 Israeli Jews, is one of the biggest West Bank settlements.

The Israeli cabinet backed university status for the college in September. "Ariel is an inseparable part of Israel and it will remain [so] in any future [peace] agreement just like the other settlement blocs,"?Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, said at the time.

Last year 165 academics at other Israeli educational institutions declared a boycott of Ariel University Centre, as it was called from 2007 until this week. They said they would refuse to participate in activities at the college as it was based in a settlement classified as illegal under international law.

"Ariel is not part of the sovereign territory of Israel, and we therefore cannot be required to go there," said their petition.

Following this week's upgrade, Omar Barghouti, of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, said: "Many academics around the world had already joined the widespread silent academic boycott of Israel ? that is the unannounced, yet very effective, shunning of academic visits to and relations with Israeli academic institutions ? well before this latest upgrade of Ariel.

"After the upgrade, what started as a trickle may well develop into a South Africa-style deluge of academic boycott against Israel."

The upgrade order was the latest action by the Israeli government aimed at consolidating and expanding the Israeli presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since the UN general assembly voted a month ago to recognise the state of Palestine, Israel has authorised the construction of thousands of new homes in existing settlements, the development of a highly sensitive expanse of land east of Jerusalem, and the building of the first new settlement across the Green Line for 15 years.

The announcements precede the general election in Israel on 22 January.

Although Netanyahu's right-wing alliance is on course to emerge as the biggest party in the 120-seat parliament it is facing a significant challenge from the far-right, pro-settler Jewish Home party, led by Netanyahu's former chief of staff, Naftali Bennett.

Some analysts believe the string of settlement announcements is an attempt to stem the loss of votes from Netanyahu's alliance to Jewish Home.

A state-funded arts centre which opened in Ariel two years ago has also been the subject of a cultural boycott. About 60 Israeli actors refused to appear at the Ariel Centre for Performing Arts, saying they did not wish to "strengthen the settlement enterprise".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/26/ehud-barak-approves-ariel-university

Posted on 29-12-2012

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New York's MTA subway data hits Android in beta form

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority this week released its "Subway Time" app for iOS, which gives real-time updates for trains in and and around New York City. Need to know how soon a certain train will be at a certain station? That's the app to have. 

Only, we use Android around these here parts. And MTA's not making an app for us. But what it is doing is making the data freely available to anyone -- and we've already seen our first "unofficial" app released in beta. Subway Time for Android, released by The Holodeck, taps into that MTA data and brings a fairly functional app to Android. There are bugs. There are layout issues. But those can be fixed. That we're seeing the app ported over in just a matter of days is proof positive that we're on the right side here, folks. So break out those MTA cards and let's give this guy a go.

More: MTA Developer Resources; Thanks for the tip, @EladKatz!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/89OJ4O6C-SQ/story01.htm

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ATB: New Mexico Opens Eyes, UCLA Arrives and Diamond Head Classic Produces Dramatic Finish?

* Editor?s Note: Due to a light schedule over the past week, this edition of the ATB covers all games played from Monday through Friday.

Chris Johnson is an RTC Columnist. He can be reached @ChrisDJohnsonn.?

The Week?s Lede. Wrapping Up Holiday Week.? When college basketball thins out over the Christmas Holiday, so too does the ATB. This version will cover an entire week of games, meager and diffuse though they were. If you took a break from the sport this week, there?s not a whole lot you missed out on, outside a few appealing contests towards the end of the week, and a sneaky good tournament in Hawaii which featured one of the best game-saving plays all season and which, in essence, amounted to a total scheduling coup. (note to Feast Week event organizers: push your tournaments into December, if only to make this dry lull a little more palatable). That doesn?t sum up everything that went down. Just last night, we saw an undefeated top 10 team lose in its own building, and there?s plenty on tap for the weekend ahead. Consider this a refresher to prep you for the last weekend of significant non-conference action. Which reminds me: conference play is finally upon us! That means really, really good things. Now, let?s have our look back at this here week of Holiday Hoops.

Your Watercooler Moment. Diamond Head Classic Produces A Gem Of Non-Conference Action.

When 2012-13 is all said and done, the Diamond Head Classic will be mostly remembered for one thing: Arizona guard Nick Johnson?s acrobatic swat to deny San Diego State?s Chase Tapley in the final seconds and clinch the championship trophy. It was arguably the best individual defensive play we?ve seen all season, and if it wasn?t the best, then certainly the most important. In beating San Diego State, Arizona not only solidified its status as the best team on the West Coast, but it beat a deep, athletic, well-coached, disciplined SDSU team on a neutral floor, which is a notable feat on its own, but even more impressive when you stack it on top of the 19-point bludgeoning the Wildcats put on Miami in the semifinals. That was a humbling blow for the Hurricanes, a team that many were touting as the second best in the ACC after that nice 22-point road win at UCF. Worse was the two-point loss to Indiana State that followed; not to take anything away from Jake Odum and the Sycamores, but if you?re the second best team in the ACC, you don?t lose that game. And it should be noted: ISU had a very nice time out on the islands. Scraping out overtime wins against Ole Miss and Miami is the type of thing that spawns serious reevaluation of an already top-heavy MVC. All in all, the field didn?t disappoint, churned out a few surprising results and staged maybe the most thrilling, high-stakes, down-to-the-wire fixture of the season outside of Butler-Indiana and UCLA-Missouri.

Also Worth Chatting About. Lobos Bounce Back.

New Mexico?s Win at Cincy, Led by Alex Kirk, Was an Important One

Beyond the outward toughness and hard-nosed defense and equalized intensity across its roster, it was hard to draw too much from New Mexico?s early-season track record. Home wins over Dayton, USC and Valparaiso; neutral court wins over George Mason and UConn; the timeless strain of a road trip to rival New Mexico State ? that is a nice selection of good but not great teams. It is not the work of a top-10-caliber club. The Lobos traveled to No. 8 Cincinnati Thursday night with perception-altering intentions on their minds. And boy, did they alter some perceptions. New Mexico took the physical brand of basketball Cincinnati hangs its hat on and threw it right back at Mick Cronin?s team. Kendall Williams and Tony Snell went right at Jaquon Parker, Cashmere Wright and Sean Kilpatrick in the backcourt (while providing stingy defense for much of the night), and Lobos seven-footer Alex Kirk played his best game of the season, to the extreme chagrin of Cincinnati?s undercooked frontcourt. In the end, this game ? like so many others ? came down to shot-making: The Bearcats converted just 31.3 percent from the field, and didn?t really make up for it at the free throw line (3-of-4). It was a wakeup call for the Bearcats in that their patented formula ? crash the glass, grind opponents with physical defense and an intimidating backcourt ? is not totally unassailable. In fact, no game plan functions quite right when you shoot as poorly as Cincinnati did Thursday night.

Your Quick Hits?

• UCLA Comes Together.?In the preseason when UCLA was being thrown around as a legitimate national championship contender, beating Missouri would not have seemed nearly as important as it does now. But because the Bruins have had so much trouble living up to those massive expectations, and because Ben Howland?s No. 1 recruiting class is still sorting things out on both ends of the floor, and because this team has overcome the lowest of lows ? losing to Cal Poly, along with the departures of two players ? there is no understating what a win like this can do for UCLA?s on and off-court chemistry and confidence as it turns to the Pac-12 portion of its schedule. Depending on your source, the Bruins were a 3.5-point favorite against Missouri. That is not an accurate snapshot of the overall perceptions of these teams. UCLA had taken its lumps in every non-conference game of note, weathered internal and external obstacles (fan apathy, for one), embarrassed itself against San Diego State at a John Wooden-themed event in Anaheim in a putative battle for the state of California, all the while shoving off rumors of Ben Howland?s endangered job status. Missouri, meanwhile, has looked like the best team in the SEC. Don?t let Vegas fool you; this was an upset ? an important one.
• Gonzaga Is Good. Now We Have Proof. It would be easy for me to ramble on about how Gonzaga needed a big win over an upper-level high-major opponent to anchor its non-conference docket, or how the Zags triggered all kinds of uncertainty and doubts after losing at home to Illinois. I?m not going to do either of those things, because Gonzaga is posting top 25 figures in both offensive and defensive efficiency and has backed up its gaudy statistical profile on the court all season long. This is a very good basketball team. All Friday night?s 94-87 win over Baylor did was cement that self-evident truth in everyone?s mind. It also showed that when Kevin Pangos goes 7-of-10 from downtown, and Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris get in on the act with a combined 38 points and 11 rebounds, you?re going to have a tough time keeping up with Mark Few?s team. Up next for Gonzaga: a trip to Oklahoma State for an excellent New Year?s Eve treat.
• Mitchell Returns For St. Louis. Any early-season assessment of St. Louis? place among a pack of quality outfits in the A-10 almost always ended the same way: let?s reserve judgment until Kwamain Mitchell returns from injury. The senior guard made his 2012-13 debut Friday night, and not a moment too soon. The Billikens didn?t need Mitchell to take care of SIU-Edwardsville at home. What they will need him for is an upcoming visit from road-tough New Mexico, who will travel to Chaifetz Arena on New Year?s Eve hoping to pick up another road win in a foreign environment against a hard-nosed defensive team. Mitchell will help the Billikens try to avoid Cincinnati?s unfortunate Thursday night fate.
• Indiana Sharp Before Big Ten Play. You can?t fault Indiana fans for having nerves about a New Year?s date at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa is playing some really efficient per-possession defense, gobbles up its own misses at a top 25 rate, boasts enough interior length to harass Cody Zeller and Christian Watford, and can be a massive challenge in its home gym. The good news is that the Hoosiers looks as locked-in as they have all season. In thrashing Jacksonville at home Friday night, Indiana pushed its baseline margin of victory over the last three games to 34 points. The counterpoint to that string of dominance is that Big Ten competition inevitably will force the Hoosiers to play close games, the likes of which Iowa is capable of forcing as early as Monday night. The counter to the counter is that Indiana has already played (and lost) a close game, and thus should be ready for the demands of pressure situations. And now we?re just running into all sorts of rhetorical pretzels and logical conundrums. Indiana is ready for conference play; let?s leave it there.

And Miss?

• New Additions Not Jelling In Providence. The mid-December entry of Kris Dunn and Sidiki Johnson into the Friars? rotation was supposed to give Ed Cooley a closer version of his team at full strength. Ricky Ledo?s partial qualifier status meant Providence wouldn?t unleash the full depths of its newfound talent this season, but Dunn and Johnson, playing alongside junior forward Kadeem Batts, sophomore swingman LaDontae Henton and a now-healthy Vincent Council (junior guard Bryce Cotton was unavailable due to a knee injury), made for an offensively potent dynamic. The Friars have now dropped consecutive games against Boston College and Brown. The first loss isn?t all that bad ? the Eagles, even in their current morass, have a solid low-post presence in 6?8?? forward Ryan Anderson. Getting tripped up at Brown, with a match-up against No. 4 Louisville looming after the New Year? Now that?s going to raise some eyebrows.

Homecourt Clinic Of The Week. Most kids welcome Christmas break as a time to go home, enjoy the comfort of their own beds, spend quality time with family members, and eat unseen amounts of sugary holiday delicacies. Michigan freshman Nik Stauskas is not most kids. The sharp-shooting guard took it upon himself to show everyone just how lethal his 55.7 percent long-range stroke can be in a 50-shot sample, with no defenders in sight, and in what looks like an awesome home court setup (with a special nod to whatever landscaper was put to the task of bordering the area). Shame on him for missing one-tenth of his shots.

The Week?s All-Americans.? ? ? ??

• Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga (NPOY) ? For Baylor to realistically have designs on knocking off Gonzaga at the Kennel, Pierre Jackson needed to outduel Pangos in a crucial point guard match-up. Seven three-pointers and 31 points later, and I think we know who came out on top here (to his credit, Jackson did play a very nice game, highlighted by 26 points).
• Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA?? Finally, he has arrived: the Shabazz Muhammad we?ve all been waiting for, the surefire lottery pick with the power to lead UCLA back to familiar Final Four territory on sheer talent alone, the one player who could end the Bruins? early-season rut. Muhammad had 27 points in a huge win over Missouri Friday night.
• Brandon Davies, BYU ? The Cougars are not challenging Gonzaga (or Saint Mary?s, for that matter) in the WCC. Don?t let that shroud the tremendous low post work of Davies, who finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Northern Arizona.
• Phil Pressey, Missouri?? So. So. Close. Pressey needed just one more point and one more assist to lock up an almost unheard-of 20/20 point-assist stat line. Even in a losing effort, Pressey deserves a mention here.
• Jordan Hulls, Indiana ? Shoot 6-for-9 from behind the three-point line (and finish with 20 points in the process), and I don?t care if you?re name is Jordan Hulls and your long-range marksmanship is a basic tenet of college hoops life in 2012-13. This week?s All-American you are.

Tweet Of The Week. The final result wasn?t ideal, but San Diego State left the Diamond Head Classic with new levels of national respect ? that?s what tends to happen when most of the college hoops viewing public is focused on one game and one game only. The Aztecs are longer and deeper than ever before, and with Chase Tapley and Jamaal Franklin anchoring the offense, they have more than enough star power to win the MW and roll deep into March.

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This entry was posted on Friday, December 28th, 2012 at 11:32 pm by CJohnson and is filed under after the buzzer, Regular Features. Tagged: arizona, cincinnati, diamond head classic, feature, miami, missouri, new mexico, san diego state, ucla. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://rushthecourt.net/2012/12/28/atb-new-mexico-opens-eyes-ucla-arrives-and-diamond-head-classic-produces-dramatic-finish/

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Trolley Company Leaves Wedding Business Rather Than Let Gay ...

Trying to reconcile your personal, religious beliefs that may conflict with running your business can be a difficult thing to juggle, which is apparently why the owner of popular trolley company has decided to walk away from the wedding business altogether rather than be hired by gay couples. The man says he didn?t want to compromise his Christian convictions by accepting same-sex couples who might hire a trolley for their wedding fun.

The owner of the Annapolis tour company says he?s going to ditch out on taking any couples and their wedding parties for rides because he?d have to take gay couples as well as the straight ones, and his religious beliefs conflict with that, reports the?Baltimore Sun.

To that end, he told the Annapolis Patch:??We?re a Christian-owned company, and we just can?t support gay marriages. We?re not trying to make a statement. We?re not trying to make a point. We?re just trying to be faithful Christians.?

He also wants his clients to side with him and lobby state lawmakers to institute an exemption for wedding vendors that would allow them to abstain from taking business due to religious beliefs. Same-sex marriage will become legal in Maryland ?in less than a week, so he?s cutting out while he can.

By walking away from the marriage business altogether, the owner is potentially avoiding discrimination lawsuits that might be brought against the company for refusing to cater to gay weddings.

?If they?re providing services to the public, they can?t discriminate who they provide their services to,? said the general counsel for the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights, according to the Baltimore Sun. That organization is the one which enforces the laws that don?t allow businesses to discriminate on the basis of ?things like race, sexual orientation, religion and more.

It?s his business, and therefore he can do what he wants, as long as he doesn?t allow anyone to use his service whatsoever. The owner said he will post a full explanation on his company website by Jan.

He did admit to Eye on Annapolis to sending an email to a potential straight client that read:??we used to do weddings until recently. But we?re a Christian-owned business, and we are not able to lend support to gay marriages. And as a public accommodation, we cannot discriminate between gay or straight couples, so we had to stop doing all wedding transportation.?

The man who?d wanted to hire the company for his heterosexual wedding replied in an email, via the Annapolis Patch:??It is your right to run your business any way you see fit, but let?s be honest here, you drive a trolley up and down a street. Not exactly God?s work.?

He?s not the only business to step away from thousands of dollars in potential wedding revenue. According to the?Maryland Wedding Professionals Association, the trolley company is the second vendor to get skittish over the same-sex marriage law.

We?ve seen discrimination accusations against other businesses elsewhere, including B&B owners in Canada who reportedly refused to rent a room to a gay couple?and were subsequently ordered to pay $4,500 to the couple to make up for it.

Previously:?Should Wedding-Related Businesses Be Allowed To Refuse Service To Same-Sex Couples??

Religious Wedding Vendor Seeks Exemption for Gay Marriages [Annapolis Patch]
Annapolis Tour Company Turns Away Business Because Of Gay Marriage [Eye On Annapolis]
Opposed to same-sex marriage, company ends wedding business [Baltimore Sun]

Source: http://consumerist.com/2012/12/28/trolley-company-would-rather-go-out-of-wedding-business-than-let-gay-couples-take-a-spin/

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RolePlayGateway?

I don't know why you're here. To hear a story? To weep? To rejoice? To question? To judge? I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. Just sit down, sit down already! This story is not meant for the fainthearted, and it is not meant for the emotional. It is for the strong. It is for those who can look into the face of all that is wrong with society and say, "I can fix this." This is for the ones who have been touched by darkness, and have come out alive. None of you are leaving yet, huh? Alright, then, let me begin with the Sun and the Moon. Ah, strange beginning, yes? Yes, it is. But not as surprising as you might think. Come now, you must admit that the Sun and Moon control the universe. They control our entire lives! They decide what happens, and they are the only things our kind has not even come close to manipulating through technology, through our ideas, through our petty little emotions. No, they are unaffected, they are constant, and they have been around since the beginning.

The universe began with their marriage. It was their union that started Earth, you see. It was their love and affection for each other that created the most damned of all worlds. It was their strong emotions that instilled in us what we call 'humanity.' This irrationality that all of us - deny it if you want, some of you, but you will see in time how all are the same - cannot escape is the result of the Sun and Moon. The galaxy was held in place, for centuries. The human world remained unpredictable and at times shakier than the Sun and Moon wanted, but it always righted itself in the end; the Sun and Moon made sure of that. Eventually, they decided to have children. Children?! How do they have children?! Shut up, let me explain. The galaxy did begin with marriage, but it also began with a little bit of magic. Or, well, more of an unseen force that only the Sun and Moon could control. They directed it to where it ought to go when the time called for it, and you can bet that for the sake of Earth they did use that bag to bring the world back to balance, but for the most part, it stayed in a bag. A small little bag that the Sun and Moon carried everywhere. I don't want to get into the details of it now, for the sake of your youthful innocence, but they, achem, made love with this magic, and the Stars were born. Beautiful Stars, all devoted to their mother and loyal to their father. They stayed with their mother, though, for they aged so slowly, and demanded even more motherly love than even you did, young man. Or are you a lady fella? I can't see very well, I'm old. How else do you think I know this stuff? I've been around the whole time.

Well, moving on. The Moon wanted more children, eventually, but not just stars. She told her husband that she wanted children who weren't so demanding of her. They had enough Stars, she insisted. Can't we have something else? The Sun thought and pondered and fretted, searching for the right answer, for he loved his wife very dearly and wanted to please her. Ah, but of course! Two decades had passed since she had first asked, and to her credit, she never asked or complained after that, but he never forgot, and he finally had the answer: human children! This would take a little more than a little bit of magic, but alas, it happened. Beautiful children, six girls and six boys. six of them of the Sun, six of them of the Moon. But they couldn't live with the Sun and the Moon; they didn't have enough magic for that. So sadly, the Sun and Moon sent them down to Earth, to live with us. They were sent down in golden raindrops, invisible to the human eye. They traveled through space and time, each of them arriving at a different pace to Earth. They were born with a little bit of magic inside of them, creating an uncontrollable power inside of them that would not reveal itself until one of their parents so desired. They lived apart, some of them adopted, some of them living on the streets, etc. All was well, and as much as the Sun and Moon missed and wanted to interact with their children, they knew better. They instead raised them in a more subtle manner, guiding them from the background, watching over them, disciplining them, even comforting them, through their own small ways.

But the Moon was a very insistent woman, a very willful mother. She became angry at being so far from her children, and eventually went to her husband and stamped her foot. "I'm tired of watching them from afar!" she said, eyes ablaze with her fierce temper. "I want to be with them. I want to go down and be a mother, a real one. This is what I want, and I demand that you comply with my desires. I only want to be a mother."

"I forbid it," the Sun calmly replied, turning her down with the gentle manner he often used with the Moon. Never before had he been forced to deny her, and it was difficult, but he persisted. Soon, he became angry with the Moon's persistent efforts to abandon her post. She begged him to give her another daughter for the sole purpose of training her to take her place in a few years. He spoke harshly to her, knowing that no being but themselves could handle their responsibilities, and shortly after the Moon refused to take her post after the Sun's time was up. The sun now blazed endlessly; with each passing day, the Sun's self-restraint grew weaker and weaker, and the Earth was soon suffering from extreme heat. If something wasn't done quickly, the Earth would collapse, even without the Sun's stepping down from his post. One day, he turned to demand that his wife 'suck it up,' only to find that she was gone. Completely gone. His face dropped when he realized there was only one place he could have gone: Earth. Thus, he left his post. The world was plunged into darkness, and most of the human population died. The only survivors were the twelve children, and the humans a few of them had chosen to protect at all costs.

The Moon had found each of them. In a matter of months, she had congregated them in the middle of nowhere, a place to be found in a picture book depicting the country. There was nothing but flat ground, so that all of them were in sight of each other. The Moon and her children lived in harmony for awhile, residing in a castle the Moon had made with her magic, and dubbed the land 'Celest.' For two weeks, everyone was happy. The children came to terms with the truth quickly, as they had always known there was something different about them. They were getting to know each other, which I'm sure you can imagine; a family has been separated for their entire lives until now, and to add to that, everyone else is dead except for them. Of course they're special. They always have been. Even more so, now that the Moon had arrived and therefore brought their powers to life. They were special together now, happy and untouched by whatever could have hurt them if it was alive. Everything was perfect. Until, of course, it wasn't. The Sun had finally found his Moon, and he dragged her home. She followed him with pride and dignity, as the children watched, confused, clueless even about the identity of their own father.

When the Moon got home, she endured a long lecture from her husband, and when she got her chance, grabbed the bag of magic. She released all of it, and placed a curse on Earth. The children will fight a war, she prophesied. Civilization will not find peace, and will not renew itself, until the battle is over. And thus, the Moon's War began. The children were immediately placed on the side of their 'main' parent, as they began to call it, and began to hate each other fiercely. The battle, you see, was not one of blood or weapons. The battleground was built on lies, on secrets, on betrayal, and lies, and spies, and mind games. They were going to slowly force the other side on their knees, when they least expected it. Both sides were determined to lash out physically when they were positive of their victory; after all, they couldn't afford any deaths. But I must admit that I wouldn't be surprised if any of them killed themselves to get away from that kind of mental and emotional torture. Like I said, humans are emotional. They can't help it.

Eventually, they'll find that they can't help but fall in love, either. It's a mess out there, you guys. What's that song called? Love is a battlefield? Yes, yes it is. You know what they say - all is fair in love. And war.

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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New Year, New Love: Resolutions for Relationships in 2013 ...

December 28, 2012 ? 7:09 pm

by Sabrina Cohen

New Year?s Eve symbolizes many things?new beginnings, new goals, and my personal favorite?making out with a complete stranger at midnight. As you reflect on all the dating you?ve done this year, consider the following MeetMoi resolutions to get you one step closer to love in 2013.

1- Let go ? Some of us try to swim the sea of love tugging the weight of a heavy heart behind us. The stories we create about ourselves and others are enough to keep us anchored in solitude for all eternity. Break the chain by consciously wiping the slate clean before each and every date.

2- Open up ? If you?re lucky enough to find even a hint of love, be open. It can be scary, but not as scary as letting it pass you by. No one?s ever experienced the wonder of love without being vulnerable. It?s a risk worth taking.

3- Date with integrity ? Even without the universe keeping karmic tabs, it?s in your best interest to treat each interaction with respect, honesty, compassion, and completion. If you?ve made a mess with anyone in your dating past, clean it up.

4- Try something new ? Date against type. Try activities and approaches you?ve never considered before. Stretching your comfort zone is a great way to explore new territory out in the dating world and within yourself. What you find may surprise you.

5- Keep the faith ? Above all else, believe. Believe it?s possible. Believe you deserve it. Believe you?ll find it. And until you do, repeat resolutions 1-4 and have fun!

How will you resolve to date differently in 2013? Share your thoughts below!

Sabrina Cohen is a blogger, copywriter, and creative consultant for MarketSmiths.com.

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Source: http://blog.meetmoi.com/2012/12/28/new-year-new-love-resolutions-for-relationships-in-2013/

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robertjump: kudals: jokomsharma: Vocational Education Training by ...

by: Iris0326

Economies all over the world are transforming into knowledge based economies. With the fundamentals of the world changing fast with the modifications in technology, it is important for a person to have specialization in a particular field in order to find a lucrative job.

Such type of specialization is imparted by vocational education training institutes. In the fields of health, technology, art and business administration, vocational education is generally imparted. The classification of these themes is further done into other specific courses.

Vocational educational training has earned increased renaissance of enthusiasm in today?s world of high demand for skilled workers for businesses. Vocational education in details is an exceptionally various and featured topic which involves analysis from a wide range of references and sources to several specified topics on training, occupational programs and career paths. You will find numerous sources online that may help in offering detailed data about such educational training. Due to the desperate need rising on a large scale amongst company houses for skilled workers, nowadays, all over the world people believe that trading schools are rebuilding their stable foundation.

The faculty of these Vocational education training institutes is highly experienced. They impart practical knowledge to their students. As a result the students are able to have a real life and practical industry experience. The students are also provided with internships.

There are various vocational education training located the world over. In fact every state has vocational institutes where the residents of the place can earn the degrees and become part of a specialized workforce. The majority of these training institutes work as per the rules and regulations of state education department. It is the education department of state or the central government that grants recognition to a training institute.

AVLC is a learning centre, which provides different kinds of training courses, such as vocational training, business training, corporate training, English IELTS and so on.
I am a Chinese girl. I like dogs very much.

http://www.avlc.org.au

This entry was posted in Management Training by . Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://www.businessservicessupport.com/blog/2012/12/20/vocational-education-training-by-iris0326/

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Video: Stocks Fall as Fiscal Drama Continues

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50314169/

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Police: Cowboys' Brent had 0.189 BAC after crash

DALLAS (AP) ? Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent was driving with a suspended license and had a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit at the time of the car crash that killed teammate and friend Jerry Brown, according to documents released by police Thursday.

The 24-year-old Brent was tested after the crash in the early hours of Dec. 8 at 0.189 percent, well above the Texas limit of 0.08. One police report said Brent was intoxicated, driving over the speed limit and swerving out of one lane when he struck a curb in Irving, a suburb of Dallas, causing the car to flip over.

The crash report also says Brent was driving with an expired and suspended driver's license obtained in Illinois, where he pleaded guilty three years ago to driving under the influence, a misdemeanor.

Brown was pronounced dead at a Dallas hospital. Brent was arrested and indicted Wednesday on one count of intoxication manslaughter. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, though he could also receive probation. Brent is free on $100,000 bond and required to wear an alcohol monitor. His attorney, George Milner, did not return a phone message left Thursday morning.

Authorities say they also found an unopened bottle of Cognac liquor in searching Brent's Mercedes sedan, along with "multiple receipts" and his iPad and cellphone. Brent and Brown reportedly spent at least part of Friday night at the club Privae Dallas. The iPad and cellphone found in the Mercedes have information "from the events prior to and during the crash that will aid this investigation," other warrants said.

The 25-year-old Brown was on the Cowboys practice squad and played with Brent at the University of Illinois. The two men have been described as close friends. Brent has been placed on the NFL reserve/non-football illness list and won't play again this season.

No court dates in his case have been scheduled.

Heath Harris, the first assistant Dallas County district attorney, said prosecutors hoped to turn over evidence to Milner as soon as possible. He said he wanted to have the case tried "as quickly as possible."

"It has the potential to send a strong message about how we feel about our intoxication laws," Harris said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-cowboys-brent-had-0-189-bac-crash-175039020--nfl.html

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Sudan's Bashir dances at first rally since surgery

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir danced, waved his walking stick and delivered a defiant speech on Thursday at his first rally since undergoing surgery in Saudi Arabia and withstanding what officials called an attempted coup.

Diplomats and Sudanese bloggers have speculated about the 68-year-old veteran leader's health after he appeared less frequently in public in recent months.

He did not attend an economic conference in Khartoum on November 27, the kind of event he has used in the past to attack a U.S. trade embargo on the country.

On Thursday, Bashir opened a new oilfield in western Sudan which the government hopes will mitigate the loss of crucial oil reserves since South Sudan seceded last year.

"To the enemies of Sudan who said that Sudan would collapse after the loss of oil to the South, we say our livelihood does not come from America or Israel or Europe but from God," he told thousands of cheering people gathered at the Hadida oilfield in the Darfur region.

Over his 23 years in power, Bashir has weathered armed rebellions, soaring inflation, years of U.S. trade sanctions, an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court and student protests as well as the secession of the south last year.

He has faced popular discontent over an economic crisis and divisions within his ruling circle. The government arrested former spy chief Salah Gosh and twelve others last month, accusing them of trying to stage a coup.

He had an operation on his vocal cords in Qatar in August and went to Saudi Arabia in November for what officials described as minor surgery.

The televised speech on Thursday lasted less than ten minutes, shorter than previous ones, but Bashir also performed his trademark celebratory dance for the first time in several months.

He did not refer directly to the alleged coup attempt.

"Let's leave the conflicts and problems because conflicts only make our enemies stronger... Let's sit down together and solve all problems," said Bashir.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sudans-bashir-dances-first-rally-since-surgery-130330598.html

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Charities Got Fewer but Bigger Online Gifts Last Week - Prospecting ...

The number of gifts people are making online slowed last week for the second time in a row, compared with this time a year ago, but because donors are giving much larger average gifts, charities are barely feeling a decline in donations.

The number of gifts fell 12 percent last week, following a decline of 6 percent in the second week of December.

Still, the total dollar value of online gifts dropped by less than 1 percent last week because the average online gift rose to $149.21, up from $131.92 in the same week of 2011.

Those figures, based on donations to 8,700 charities that accept donations through the nonprofit group Network for Good, come after a promising start?to the giving season last month and in initial days of December. The increases were triggered in part by the number of appeals for Superstorm Sandy and #GivingTuesday, an effort to increase charitable giving after Thanksgiving.

The lackluster fundraising returns in online giving this month seem to mirror the sluggish pace of holiday sales, which retailers say may be the worst since 2008.

But fundraising experts caution not to take too much from online-giving patterns because those gifts are a small percentage of what many charities raise.

What?s more, not all donations are suffering. Many donors are making large contributions this year because of fears that Congress won?t come to a deal on the fiscal cliff, allowing taxes to rise, and concerns that legislators could limit write-offs for charitable deductions next year.

Tell us what you?re seeing in the total value of donations your charity is raising in the last crucial days of the fundraising season.

See our interactive graphic to track year-end online giving by day.

Source: http://philanthropy.com/blogs/prospecting/charities-got-fewer-but-bigger-online-gifts-last-week/37431

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Putin signs law banning American adoptions

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a ban on Americans adopting children from Russia. Many Americans, and many Russians, see the ban as a political maneuver that comes at the expense of children. Channel Four's Jane Deith reports.

By NBC News staff and wire reports

President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Friday that bans Americans from adopting Russian children and imposes other measures in retaliation for new U.S. legislation meant to punish Russian human rights abusers.

The law, which has ignited outrage among Russian liberals and children's rights advocates, enters into force on Jan. 1 and is likely to strain U.S.-Russia relations.

As well as banning U.S. adoptions, it will also outlaw some non-governmental organizations that receive U.S. funding and impose a visa ban and asset freeze on Americans accused of violating the rights of Russians abroad.

The law could block dozens of Russian children expected to be adopted by American families from leaving the country and cut off one of the main international routes for Russian children to leave orphanages that are often dismal. Russia is the single biggest source of adopted children in the United States, with more than 60,000 Russian children being taken in by Americans over the past two decades.

The bill is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators and part of an increasingly confrontational stance by the Kremlin against the West.

Related: Americans may lose right to adopt Russian children

Putin said U.S. authorities routinely let Americans suspected of violence toward Russian adoptees go unpunished ? a clear reference to Dima Yakovlev, a Russian toddler for whom the bill is named. The child was adopted by Americans and then died in 2008 after his father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours. The father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov on Wednesday said that 46 children who were about to be adopted in the United States would remain in Russia if the bill came into effect. On Thursday, he petitioned the president to extend the ban to other countries.

Courtesy Thomas family

John and Renee Thomas with their son, Jack, 7, who was adopted from Russia at the age of 3. Jack is hoping for his brother, Nikoly, now in a Russian orphanage, to join him in the United States.

Would-be adoptive parents in the United States are left hanging by Putin's signing of the bill, which was passed by Russian lawmakers last week.

Among them are John and Renee Thomas of Minnetonka, Minn., Kari Huus of NBC News reported.?The Thomases have already adopted Jack, 7, from Russia. When they found out he had a little brother, they began the process to try to adopt him, too. The wait has stretched to four years, and now the adoption may be in danger.?

"When Jack is asked about his family, he talks about his brother," John Thomas said. "He always asks, 'When is he coming home?' We just tell him we?re waiting for the call."

More: Adoption of little brother caught in US-Russia spat

UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children without parental custody in Russia, while only 18,000 Russians are now waiting to adopt a child.

Russian President Vladamir Putin has said he'll sign a proposed law that would halt adoptions of Russian children to Americans. NBC's Duncan Golestani reports.

The U.S. State Department on Thursday repeated its opposition to the Russian measure.

"The welfare of children is simply too important to tie to the political aspects of our relationship," State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said. "Additionally, we are deeply troubled by the provisions in the bill that would restrict the ability of Russian civil society organizations to work with American partners." ?

Critics of the bill left dozens of stuffed toys and candles outside the parliament's lower and upper houses to express solidarity with Russian orphans.?

An online petition urging the Kremlin to scrap the bill garnered more than 100,000 Russian signatures.?

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16188750-russias-putin-ill-sign-law-banning-american-adoptions?lite

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OPM issues ?administrative furlough? guidance to agencies ...

Friday, December 28th, 2012

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued furlough policy guidance for federal workers in advance of possible severe funding reductions that would be caused by sequestration.?

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) officials have said that furloughs could be implemented if sequestration goes into effect.? Testifying before Congress in September, DoD Comptroller Bob Hale said sequestration could make it necessary for DoD to ?impose a hiring freeze, consider unpaid furloughs, and take other actions.?

The new guidance describes ?administrative furloughs? that are ?designed to absorb reductions necessitated by downsizing, reduced funding, lack of work, or any other budget situation other than a lapse in appropriations.?? This type of furlough could be applied if employee furloughs are necessary because an agreement is not reached to avert automatic across-the-board cuts set to go into effect on January 2, 2013.? OPM considers this guidance a precautionary measure.

Under the OPM guidance, which is described in a series of questions and answers, agencies are required to identify those employees who are affected by administrative furloughs and set up a process for notifying them.

If during furlough periods a furloughed employee?s salary is not sufficient to pay health insurance (FEHB) premiums, health insurance will remain in force.? The furloughed employee?s share ?will accumulate and be withheld from pay upon the employee?s pay becoming sufficient to cover premiums.

The guidance covers numerous other pay and employment-related situations and issues for employees on administrative furlough including: payment of unemployment compensation; leave and time off; injuries while on furlough; and federal employees serving military duty.

Source: http://www.asmconline.org/2012/12/opm-issues-administrative-furlough-guidance-to-agencies/

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Satire law? whats it called? where would one find info - Straight ...

One thing I've learned by following the rise of a lot of internet celebrities (mostly comedic reviewers) is that corporations have a lot of power due to money and paranoia. Youtube is a very poor place to put a lot of videos despite its size because Youtube will take a lot of things down if a corporation reports it as infringement, with little to no chance of the decision being reversed, because Youtube/Google really, really don't want a DMCA lawsuit for failing to take down for a legitimate complaint.

Channel Awesome had a few incidents where a corporation threatened to sue if they didn't take their review or parody down, and they pretty much had to shrug and take it down until they could convince the corporations not to sue, even though legally they were in the clear (usually the argument "this gives you exposure and free advertising" was involved).

Again, good lawyers cost money. Satire is protected, but a lot of corporations are very zealous, either because they have to be to maintain their trademarks or because they want to suppress negative comments on their product. As a small fry without a lot of money, you're really at their whim if they seriously threaten to sue because even if victory is near assured, the legal fees may outweigh the benefit gained from winning (or put your business under before you win at all).

ETA: And yeah, the T-shirt is murky territory. You have to be very careful about Trademarks since I think they have somewhat complex rules, talking to a lawyer isn't cheap, but it may be worth it depending on how big of a behemoth the owner of the concert is.

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Last edited by Jragon; Today at 08:28 AM.

Source: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=676871

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