Saturday, December 31, 2011

Do You Know a Small Business That Failed This Year? - NYTimes ...

About the Authors

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Jay Goltz
Thinking Entrepreneur

Jay Goltz, who employs more than 100 people at his five Chicago businesses, offers insights and perspective on running a small business.

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Jessica Bruder
Start

Jessica Bruder, a journalist, author and adjunct professor at Columbia University?s Graduate School of Journalism, writes about start-ups.

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Bruce Buschel
The Start-Up Chronicle

Bruce Buschel ? an author, magazine writer, co-creator of an Off Broadway musical, and director/producer of jazz films ? writes about his latest venture: building and starting a seafood restaurant.

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Paul Downs
Staying Alive

Paul Downs, who founded Paul Downs Cabinetmakers, writes about the struggles of a small business trying to survive in a tough economy.

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David H. Freedman
Tech Support

David H. Freedman, a veteran journalist and author, writes about how small-business owners use technology.

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Adriana Gardella
She Owns It

Adriana Gardella, a former lawyer who has covered small-business issues extensively as a journalist, writes about female entrepreneurs.

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Robb Mandelbaum
The Agenda

Robb Mandelbaum, a veteran reporter, writes about the political and policy issues of small business.

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Gene Marks
Dashboard

Gene Marks, who owns a 10-person customer-relationship-management consulting firm, files a weekly dispatch on what?s happening the world that small-business owners should know about.

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MP Mueller
Branded

MP Mueller, founder and president of Door Number 3, a boutique ad agency, writes about small businesses and marketing.

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Gabriel Shaoolian
Site Analysis

Gabriel Shaoolian, who founded Blue Fountain Media, writes about what makes Web sites work.

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Tom Szaky
Sustainable Profits

Tom Szaky, who is chief executive of TerraCycle, writes about the challenges of trying to make money while also changing the way the world thinks about waste.

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Barbara Taylor
Transaction

Barbara Taylor, a partner and co-founder of Synergy Business Services, writes about the issues related to buying, selling and valuing private businesses.

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Loren Feldman
Editor

Loren Feldman is the small-business editor of The New York Times.

About the Blog

You're the Boss offers an insider's perspective on small-business ownership. It gives business owners a place where they can compare notes, ask questions, get advice, and learn from one another's mistakes. Its contributors also interpret news events, track political and policy issues, and suggest investing tips.

Source: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/do-you-know-a-small-business-that-failed-this-year/

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Facebook to make 2012 the biggest IPO year since 1999

Welcome to your Personalized User Bar. Here, you can manage your account, sign up for newsletters, navigate to site sections, and share interesting content on social networks. You also can receive alerts on upcoming events, new products, or subscription/account activities.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_44/~3/c2ZGC5XJtiQ/facebook-to-make-2012-the-biggest-ipo.html

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Friday, December 30, 2011

Calgary Oil Transforms Canada to Energy Superpower of Immigrants

December 28, 2011, 3:35 AM EST By Jeremy van Loon Dec. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Alberta Premier Alison Redford says oil is opening Canada?s fastest-growing province to the world for the first time. The population of Canada?s main oil-producing region has soared by 37 percent to about 3.7 million in the past decade as companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. and Statoil ASA attracted workers from China, Venezuela and the Philippines to develop the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East. ?Most people...

Read the full article

Source: http://dailyme.com/story/2011122800000745

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Dear Escalator? Latest Kim Jong-il shrine is an escalator (video)

North Koreans are mourning the death of Kim Jong-il, but the oddest sign of the cult of personality is a shrine at a supermarket escalator.

The North Korean government propaganda machine is delivering a steady diet of images of North Koreans mourning the death of Kim Jong-il

Skip to next paragraph

We've seen North Koreans wailing, sobbing, and quietly weeping in public plazas, schools, and factories. And, of course, there are the predictable long lines of people waiting to pay their respects at the Dear Leader's see-through coffin on display in Pyongyang.

But perhaps the most unusual expression of the North Korean cult of personality is a "shrine" at a supermarket escalator.

Yes, really.

The North Korean government media released a still photo of what is believed to have been Kim Jong-il?s last public appearance before he died on Saturday. He's riding an escalator into a new supermarket in Pyongyang. The photo is undated, but the Korean Central News Agency reported separately that Kim had visited a supermarket on Dec. 15, 2011 ? two days before his reported death.

North Korean mourners are now gathering at the escalator to pay their respects (video below).

?I can?t imagine how happy it would make us and our fellow citizens if he could ride on this escalator again,? said one North Korean woman, amid a group of mourners, weeping around the moving staircase, according to Euronews story. ?I still feel that he is alive, with his bright smile. I can also hear his voice.?

Britian's Daily Mail was so amused by the photo that they had a photo caption contest for readers.Their own headline: "Kim Jong II clearly didn't enjoy grocery shopping ..."

But The Guardian of London took a more revealing look at who else is shown in the photo riding the escalator with Kim Jong-il. The image offers a sneak preview of the coming North Korean power players.

"Standing behind him, and in front of the officials, are his son [Kim Jong-un] and two people who could determine the course of the country's leadership in these delicate, early days of transition.

The woman is Kim Kyong-hui, Kim Jong-il's younger sister and a regular companion in the last years of his life. Behind them is her husband Jang Song-thaek, the most powerful adviser in the new leadership, who is expected to guide the "young general" during his formative days in power."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/y2mcRDdnQpE/Dear-Escalator-Latest-Kim-Jong-il-shrine-is-an-escalator-video

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Italy raises $14 billion at much lower cost

(AP) ? Strong demand for short-term Italian government debt on Wednesday pushed the country's borrowing costs lower and suggested investors have become less jittery about an imminent default by the eurozone's third-largest economy.

Italy raised euro10.7 billion ($14 billion) in a pair of auctions at sharply lower rates than those it was forced to pay just a month ago when investor concerns over the ability of the country to service its massive debts became particularly acute and effectively prompted a change in government.

The sharp decline in Italy's borrowing costs could be a signal that commercial banks from the 17 countries that use the euro diverted some of the money they tapped from emergency loans from the European Central Bank last week to buy the bonds of heavily indebted governments. It may also suggest rising investor confidence in Italy's recent efforts to reduce its long-term debt through a variety of austerity measures.

The Bank of Italy said the average yield on its euro9 billion ($11.8 billion) six-month bill offering was 3.251 percent, half the 6.504 percent rate it had to pay at the equivalent auction last month. And an auction of two-year bonds, which raised euro1.7 billion ($2.2 billion), also saw the yield fall to 4.853 percent from 7.814 percent last month.

"This is an encouraging development, suggesting that the Italian sovereign debt market has pulled back from the dangerous situation in late November," said Raj Badiani, a senior economist at IHS Global Insight.

"The calmer environment reflects the passing of additional austerity measures and some welcome progress on the structural reform agenda, coupled with the ECB's decision to provide additional cheap financing to Italian banks," Badiani added.

After initially cheering the auction results, sentiment in markets deteriorated sharply in risk-averse trading following a weaker than anticipated opening on Wall Street.

While Italy's FTSE MIB fell in line with other stock markets, the euro slid below $1.30 for the first time since Dec. 20 and the yield on Italy's benchmark ten-year bonds pushed back towards the 7 percent mark that is widely considered to be unsustainable in the long-run. Further insights into the level of demand for Italy's ten-year bonds will emerge in an auction Thursday.

Italy is the eurozone's third-largest economy and is considered too big to save under the eurozone's current bailout funds. Markets have grown fearful over the past few months that Italy will find it difficult to pay off its massive debts, which stand at around euro1.9 trillion ($2.5 trillion). Next year alone, Italy has some euro330 billion ($431 billion) of debt to refinance.

Mario Monti, the country's new premier, got parliamentary approval last week for more spending cuts and tax increases intended to save the country from financial disaster. One of the most controversial aspects of the austerity package is reform of Italy's bloated pension system.

As well as possibly indicating increased confidence that Monti's efforts will keep the country's finances on a sustainable path, Wednesday's auctions could also have been supported as well by a large infusion of credit to eurozone banks last week from the European Central Bank. A week ago, 523 banks took the opportunity to swell their coffers by euro489 billion ($639 billion), the largest ECB loan operation in the 13-year history of the euro.

There has been speculation that the stronger banks might use the cheap, long-term loans ? on which the current interest rate is 1 percent ? to purchase government bonds that carry higher interest rates and profit from the difference.

That could support both government and bank finances. But it would run contrary to efforts by many banks to lower their exposure to bonds issued by heavily indebted governments.

While some banks may be using the money they got from the ECB to buy up government debt, many others appear to have opted for a much safer option ? depositing their new cash back with the central bank. Figures Wednesday showed eurozone banks parked a record euro452 ($591) billion overnight at the bank Tuesday, surpassing the previous record of euro411.80 set only Monday.

___

AP Business Writer David McHugh contributed from Frankfurt, Germany.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-28-EU-Italy-Financial-Crisis/id-29627d0fd6f34eb88e20e26739f319cb

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Russian communications satellite crashes to Earth after launch www ...

By
Anna Edwards

Last updated at 9:39 PM on 26th December 2011

A man and his wife narrowly escaped being crushed by a fragment of a Russian satellite that crashed into his Siberian home in Cosmonaut Street.

In the latest setback for Russia's space programme, a chunk of the Meridian satellite hit the house in the Novosibirsk region of central
Siberia and were found in the Ordynsk district.

The Meridian communications satellite failed to reach orbit Friday due to a failure with its Soyuz rocket, raising new concerns over the Russian space programme which has now lost over half a dozen satellites in the last year.

Russian communications satellite crashes to Earth after launch

Crashing back to earth: A small piece of the Meridian satellite plummeted through a man's house Cosmonaut Street

'A sphere was found, around 50 centimetres (20 inches) in diameter, which crashed into the roof of a house in the village of Vagaitsevo' in the Ordynsk district, an official in the local security services told the Interfax news agency, AFP reported.

In an extraordinary irony, the official said that the house was located on Cosmonaut Street, named after the heroic spacemen of the Soviet and Russian space programme.

The owner of the house Andrei Krivoruchenko, who was at home with his wife at the time, said that he heard a huge noise and a crash as the satellite hit his roof.

'I climbed up onto the roof and could not work out what had happened. Then I saw a huge hole in the roof and the metal object,' he told Russian state television.

Russian communications satellite crashes to Earth after launch

Blast off: The Russian Soyuz rocket booster lifting off this week to carry three astronauts to the International Space Station. However, the launch today was not successful

There were no reports of casualties while officials said that radiation was within normal limits.

The head of the Ordynsk district, Pavel Ivarovksy, told Interfax that the damage was being examined by specialists and the owner of the property would receive compensation.

The failure of the Soyuz-2.1B rocket to deliver the satellite is a particular worry as it comes from a member of the same family that Russia uses to send multinational manned crews to the International Space Station (ISS).

An unmanned Progress supply ship bound for the ISS crashed into Siberia in August after its launch by a Soyuz, forcing the temporary grounding of the rockets and as well as a complete overhaul of the station's staffing.

Russian space agency Roscosmos said the satellite came down due to third stage rocket failure just seven minutes after the launch.

'This again shows that the (Russian space) industry is in crisis,' admitted Vladimir Popovkin, the head of Roscosmos, in comments broadcast on state television. 'It is deeply unpleasant.'

Acknowledging that the jobs of the Roscosmos leadership were at risk, he added: 'I think it is possible that the organisational conclusions will be quite severe, right up to including myself.'

He blamed the crisis in the Russian space industry on the departure of specialists who quit in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

'The main problem is the loss of the personnel who should have come into the industry. People left but did not come in. We need to find a way out of this situation and we will concentrate on young people.'

The loss of the Meridian satellite, which can have both military and civilian use, caps a disastrous 12 months for Russia.

Three Glonass navigation system
satellites launched in December last year veered off course and crashed
into the Pacific Ocean, costing Moscow around $160million and setting
back the program to develop a rival to U.S. GPS.

It suffered a further blow when the Progress cargo craft taking supplies
to astronauts aboard the International Space Station broke up in the
atmosphere in August.

The most recent calamity in the Russian space programme was the loss of the $165-million Phobos-Grunt probe for Mars's largest moon, which was launched on November 9 but is stuck in orbit.

Russian officials have warned that Phobos-Grunt is expected to fall back to Earth in January.

Source: http://www.macsecure.com/russian-communications-satellite-crashes-to-earth-after-launch.html

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China, Japan unveil deals to tighten finance ties

(AP) ? Chinese and Japanese leaders have unveiled initiatives to tighten financial links between East Asia's economic giants and sometime rivals ? measures that could expand use of China's tightly controlled currency abroad.

During a visit to Beijing by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, the two governments said in a surprise announcement Sunday they will encourage use of their own currencies in bilateral trade, which now is conducted mostly in U.S. dollars.

They also agreed to support the sale of bonds denominated in China's yuan by Japanese companies in Tokyo and foreign markets and by the state-owned Japan Bank of International Cooperation in mainland China's markets, which are closed to most foreign investors.

The pledges were a striking step for China and Japan, which are the world's second- and third-largest economies and are bound by billions of dollars in trade but whose political relations often are strained over conflicting territorial claims and other disputes.

"To support the growing economic and financial ties between China and Japan, the leaders of China and Japan have agreed to enhance mutual cooperation in financial markets of both countries and encourage financial transactions between the two countries," the governments said in identically worded statements.

They said Japan's government also planned to purchase Chinese government bonds, and an application process for official approval of that was under way.

The governments gave no timetable for practical steps to put the pledges into action or the size of possible bond offerings. Commercial banks still have to create yuan-denominated letters of credit and other tools before traders in Japan can use the currency.

The moves might reduce the dominance of the U.S. dollar in East Asia, the world's fastest-growing region. The Kyodo News agency cited a Japanese official who told reporters some 60 percent of trade between Japan and China is now settled in dollars, which requires companies to convert money between yen, dollars and yuan, adding to their costs.

Beijing controls the yuan's exchange rate and the flow of money into and out of China's booming economy. But the government has begun allowing limited use of yuan for trade. It said this month that some companies that obtain Chinese currency abroad will be allowed to invest it in mainland financial markets.

Most trade in yuan is conducted through Hong Kong, where Beijing also has created a market for yuan-denominated bonds that McDonald's Corp. and some other foreign companies have used to raise money to invest in their mainland operations.

The easing of controls on bond sales could help to reduce costs for Japanese companies that need to raise money to invest in their China operations.

The communist government keeps China's bond and other financial markets sealed off from global financial flows. That helped the country avoid the turmoil of the 2008 global financial crisis but has slowed the development of markets that Chinese leaders want to support economic development.

The latest pledges also might help to promote moves to allow the yuan to trade more freely on currency markets.

The United States and other trading partners complain that Beijing's currency controls keep the yuan undervalued, giving China's exporters an unfair price advantage and hurting foreign competitors at a time when the global economy is struggling.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-25-AS-China-Japan-Finance-Deals/id-54b959ffa4c34ad69e738c81507652cd

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Christmas Church Attacks by Islam's Boko Haram in Nigeria (Time.com)

On the blood-splattered front walls of the blasted church, using wood burned into charcoal from the flames of the explosion, somebody scrawled two messages: "Revolution now" and "No more peace in the country." In the aftermath of the attack by Islamist militants against a Christian sanctuary in Abuja and four other churches in Nigeria, those are the symptoms of a sectarian backlash that Nigerian authorities are most alarmed about.

At least 32 people were killed as they poured out of the packed Christmas-morning Mass in St. Theresa Catholic Church near Abuja, the capital, Interior Minister Abba Moro told TIME. Four other bombs elsewhere in the country took at least three lives. Boko Haram, a group whose aim is to impose a strict interpretation of Islamic Shari'a on Africa's most populous country, took credit for the attacks. One-third of Nigerian states already live under Shari'a. (See TIME's photo-essay "Bombing in Nigeria.")

Authorities are now battling to keep a lid on the bubbling threat of a sectarian civil conflict that would pitch one half of Nigeria's population of 155 million against the other. "The fact that Christian facilities were bombed was intended primarily to provoke Christians into attacking Muslims," Moro told TIME. "We have appealed to our Christian brothers for them not to do so." But two days after the bombing, the area around St. Theresa remained tense as angry young men loitered just beyond military cars patrolling the area. "If the government cannot protect us, we will take revenge by ourselves," said Josiah Agbo, 18, whose mother was killed in the blast. He left only after a priest from St. Theresa took to the streets urging Christians not to attack Muslims. In a country where religious leaders wield enormous power, Muslim counterparts in the powerful Sokoto and Kano caliphates -- the country's historic Islamic communities -- denounced the bombings.

"The people lying in hospitals after the Christmas bombs were ... Muslim and Christian," Moro said. "Boko Haram aren't aliens from another planet. People know who they are. We want to draw members of the public into sharing that information to prevent future attacks." He said two arrests in connection with the Christmas bombings were made because of just such collaboration.

But there have been almost 500 deaths in near daily bomb blasts and shoot-outs in the predominantly Muslim northeast in 2011 alone. And Boko Haram (a name that means "non-Islamic education is sacrilege" in the northern Hausa language) at times seems perilously close to plunging the country into chaos. "The Islamic militants want Nigeria to be an Islamic republic like Iran, but we may end up becoming a Sudan or Somalia if the violence continues at this pace and scale," says activist Shehu Sani, who heads the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria and led attempts to mediate a cease-fire with the group. "It all depends on the ability of the leadership to handle the crisis."

A diplomat who requested anonymity told TIME that Boko Haram has splintered into different factions that are prepared to use varying degrees of force. A December report by the U.S. Congress said Boko Haram has morphed from homegrown criminals into worldly terrorists with the capability of forging international links. Boko Haram spokespeople have claimed that its members have traveled as far east as Somalia, where al-Shabab militants have shared financing and techniques. In December, a serving Senator from Boko Haram's home of Borno State was charged with financing the organization. He denied the charges and has been released on bail. (See "Hell on Christmas Day: Nigeria's Deadly Bombings.")

Countries such as the U.S., France and the U.K. are stepping up assistance to Nigeria in areas like explosives forensics and intelligence gathering, a Nigerian military spokesperson says. "How does one keep one step ahead of not just one but all these groups? That is what we in Nigeria, just like in developed nations, need to work out," the spokesperson adds.

"Some people see Boko Haram as the right irritant to sting the government into action over poverty and corruption," says Sani, the activist. For some, however, the response from Nigeria's ruling elite has often seemed lackluster. "Still not a single [senior] government has visited," Agbo said at St. Theresa. "It's always the same. They are too busy with themselves to bother with us." Some of the Boko Haram mayhem can be traced back to the government. Its attempts to crush the group in 2009 led to the killing of Boko Haram's then leader and 900 other deaths in sectarian riots. The move may have further radicalized the organization, pushing its leadership underground and into neighboring countries. Meanwhile, the Muslim elite is grumbling over the ascendancy of President Goodluck Jonathan -- a southern Christian. His succession to the office violated an unwritten agreement that the highest office should rotate between north and south every two terms. A former university lecturer, Jonathan was dubbed the Accidental President by the local press after he succeeded Umaru Yar'Adua, a Muslim, who died in 2010 midway through his first term. The following year, Jonathan ran successfully for office.

See TIME's Pictures of the Week.

See TIME's 2011 Person of the Year: The Protester.

View this article on Time.com

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20111228/wl_time/08599210316300

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

hoyasaxa: @MadMrgrt Twitter for iPhone, eh?

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Mike Santore

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Broncos, Ravens, hold advantages

(AP) ? Win and you are in as a division champion.

That's the easy scenario for the Broncos, Cowboys and the Giants next weekend. And while Baltimore already owns at least a wild-card spot, a victory for the Ravens earns them the AFC North and a first-round bye.

Denver is tied atop the AFC North with Oakland at 8-7, with the Broncos hosting Kansas City and the Raiders at home for San Diego next Sunday. Denver has the tiebreaker, but if it loses and Oakland wins, the Broncos can't get a wild card.

The Raiders can if both they and Denver win, as long as Cincinnati and Tennessee lose, or Cincinnati loses and the New York Jets win.

In first place in the NFC East are Dallas and the Giants, who meet at the Meadowlands. A win or a tie gives New York (8-7) the title; neither team can be a wild card.

The Ravens (11-4) swept the Steelers this year, so by winning at Cincinnati (9-6), they get the AFC North crown. Should Baltimore falter, Pittsburgh (11-4) gets the division title and the bye. Both teams already own at least a wild card.

Cincinnati grabs the other AFC wild card with a victory over Baltimore, or with a loss if either the Jets and Raiders both lose, or the Jets and Denver both lose.

AFC East champion New England (12-3) already has a bye, and with a win at home against Buffalo will earn home-field advantage in the conference playoffs. That advantage also would come to the Patriots if both Baltimore and Pittsburgh lose even if the Bills beat New England. However, the Ravens and Steelers both hold the edge over the Patriots for home-field advantage should they finish with the same record.

To get the wild card, the Jets (8-7) need to win at Miami while the Bengals, Titans and Raiders all lose, or the Bengals, Titans and Broncos all lose.

As for Tennessee (8-7), it needs to win at AFC South winner Houston and have one of the following three occur:

?losses by Cincinnati and Oakland, and a win by the Jets;

?losses by Cincinnati and Denver, and a win by the Jets;

?losses by Cincinnati and the Jets, and wins by Denver and Oakland.

In the NFC, New Orleans can clinch the South by beating Atlanta on Monday night, or with a victory on the final weekend over Carolina. The Falcons (9-5) are already assured of at least a wild card because of Chicago's 35-21 loss to Green Bay on Sunday night that eliminated the Bears from playoff contention.

Should the Falcons win out and the Saints lose out, Atlanta wins the division and New Orleans becomes a wild card.

New Orleans still has hopes for a first-round bye, but must win out for a shot. Detroit claimed the other NFC wild card on Saturday.

NFC North champ Green Bay (14-1) wrapped up conference home-field advantage with its win Sunday night. NFC West winner San Francisco (12-3) gets a bye by beating St. Louis in the finale.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-25-FBN-Playoff-Races/id-c1b6acfe72dc48d5930f084663d3d98e

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Monday, December 26, 2011

BlackoutINK: Inside the first ever U.S.-Japan-India trilateral meeting http://t.co/iODltwi1 #Diplomacy #Japan #US #India

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Sushubh: http://t.co/zsK4EWwf duh. it's wedding insurance not marriage insurance.

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

EBookUpdate: Google activating 700000 Android devices daily, nearing 250 million total http://t.co/m5p5WWkH

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

exophase: Hot Shots Golf is Best Selling Vita Title in Japan http://t.co/MmVA1XzG

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Judge: NYC taxi agency must help disabled riders (AP)

NEW YORK ? A federal judge on Friday barred the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission from issuing permits for taxicabs unless they're accessible to people who use wheelchairs, a decision that was praised by advocates for the disabled as a milestone that could have national implications.

U.S. District Judge George Daniels said in his written ruling that the commission can provide taxi medallions only for wheelchair-accessible vehicles until it produces a comprehensive plan to provide meaningful access to taxicab service for disabled passengers. He said such a plan must include targeted goals and standards and anticipated measurable results.

"Meaningful access for the disabled to public transportation services is not a utopian goal or political promise, it is a basic civil right," the judge wrote.

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit accusing the taxi commission of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act, a 1990 civil rights law that generally prohibits discrimination based on someone's physical or mental disability. The lawsuit was brought by disability rights groups.

Only 233 of the more than 13,000 taxis in the nation's biggest city are wheelchair accessible. That's fewer than 2 percent.

City attorneys said they were disappointed with the judge's ruling.

Disability Rights Advocates, a non-profit legal center that advocates for people with disabilities, called the ruling "the best Christmas gift our clients could ask for."

"The ruling means New Yorkers who use wheelchairs will be able to participate in city life in a way that wasn't possible before," Disability Rights Advocates managing attorney Mary-Lee Smith said. "Judge Daniels' decision is the first of its kind in the country, and our hope is that it will have national implications."

Smith said a taxi is wheelchair accessible when it provides a ramp that permits the person using the wheelchair to remain in the wheelchair while boarding the taxi.

Another lawyer, Julia Pinover, called the ruling a "landmark civil rights accomplishment for all people with disabilities."

"Tonight, tens of thousands of veterans, elderly and other disabled New Yorkers are absolutely thrilled," she said. "My clients will be able to own their own days and move about this city."

The city's lead attorney in the case, Robin Binder, said the city disagreed with the judge because the Americans with Disabilities Act exempts taxicabs from having to be wheelchair accessible. Binder said the city was considering what steps to take next in court.

Binder noted that the city worked closely with the governor's office and the state Legislature before agreeing with them earlier this week on a comprehensive plan for wheelchair accessibility, including the issuance of 2,000 new taxi medallions for wheelchair-accessible yellow taxicabs and the requirement that 20 percent of all livery hails be wheelchair accessible.

The judge, in his decision, wrote that actions by the governor and Legislature "may be steps towards providing meaningful access to the New York City taxicab system to disabled persons who require wheelchairs," but he added the law requires immediate and full compliance.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111224/ap_on_re_us/us_taxis_wheelchairs

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Friday, December 23, 2011

When politicians speak of Christ at Christmas

While Gingrich, Perry, and other GOP presidential hopefuls boldly cite their Christian faith ? especially in Iowa ? Britain's prime minister finds a more nuanced way to remind both countries of their Christian roots.

Christmas is usually a time to bring goodwill to all. But a few political leaders are turning this year?s celebration of Christ into a time to debate the? role of Christianity in public life.

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Not all of them do it well.

One case comes from a few Republican contenders on the campaign trail in Iowa for the Jan. 3 caucus. This earliest of presidential contests is heavily influenced by the state?s conservative Christians seeking a candidate who reflects their interests. That has compelled many GOP contenders to tout their credentials as Christians, promise a restoration of Christian values, or even to campaign in churches.

Newt Gingrich, for example, denounces ?a secular, atheist system of thought? in colleges and media while saying he wouldn?t be comfortable with an atheist in the White House. Rick Perry decries that public-schoolchildren ?can?t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.? He challenges the Christians to take their values into the public arena.

The more notable case of a politician speaking of Christian values at this time of year is a major speech by Prime Minister David Cameron. In it, he declared Britain to be a ?Christian country.?

That phrase is just what many Christians in America want a US president to say about their nation. But he couches it in ways that may not be so offensive to non-Christians.

Mr. Cameron was speaking on the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. But he used the occasion last week to frame recent events ? urban riots in England, terrorist threats, and a banking crisis caused by greed ? as examples of a need for moral principles rooted in Britain?s Christian tradition.

The Bible, he said plainly, has made ?Britain what it is today.?

His talk is far more nuanced than the Republican rhetoric on the campaign trail. For starters, the prime minister admits doubts about his own faith and his grappling with difficult theological questions. Such humility helps in a discussion of faith in the public square.

His talk also honored Britain?s many other religions and those people with no faith ties. And he warned against any politician claiming ?a direct line to God.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/843VrDvfhV0/When-politicians-speak-of-Christ-at-Christmas

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Negative ads mix with holiday cheer in Iowa (tbo)

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Must See HDTV (December 19th - 25th)

While many programs take a holiday vacay, we've still found a few things to watch including the return of the NBA. Check below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listings of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

NBA
After a delay due to the lockout, the NBA is ready to get underway Sunday by putting its best and brightest under the lights. Lebron, Dwyane, Kevin, Kobe, Dirk and all the rest will be playing so if you're a hoops fan you'll want to have the gifts unwrapped early so you can secure a spot in front of the TV.
(Sunday, ABC/ESPN)

Who's Still Standing
With so much TV programming on winter break, NBC is sliding in this game show all week. It's yet another trivia show, however the twist in this one is that a wrong answer causes contestants to not only be eliminated, but also dropped out of sight below the floor. In a bit of of good or bad news, depending on your perspective, this probably puts us all one step scloser to seeing The Running Man as a real show.
(Monday-Thursday, NBC, 8PM)

The League
If you listen to the podcast, you know how fantasy football obsessed we are. Even if you're not, this show brings a lot more to the table as a group of friends antagonize each other both in their virtual league and in real life. While we don't know who will be league champion, we'd bet on at least one more appearance by El Cunado Rafi during the season finale this week.
(Thursday, FX, 10PM)

Continue reading Must See HDTV (December 19th - 25th)

Must See HDTV (December 19th - 25th) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eric Church's First Christmas With Son Boone

Eric Church's First Christmas With Son Boone

Eric Church and wife Katherine welcomed son Boone McCoy this past October, and the country singer says this holiday is filled with many special 'firsts.'

"There's not a lot of firsts in your life ? first child and first Christmas with him is certainly not something I'm going to miss," the 'Guys Like Me' singer says. "We're gonna be in North Carolina with my family. I just look forward to relaxing and enjoying our first Christmas at home and can't wait."

But Eric says he's already making tour plans for 2012 ? that include Boone's first experience as a tour groupie. "[At the] same time, I can't wait to dial it back up next year. We're gonna take him on the road, so it'll be his first tour," he says. "So, it's gonna be a lot of firsts over the next year, and we're just soaking it in and enjoying every one."

The new dad seems to be soaking up every minute of his role as a family man. "Everybody always tells you what an awesome and unique experience being a parent is. But words can never do the feeling justice," Eric gushes. "The way our life changed in that 24-hour period alone after he was born ? just by putting a little boy in the house ? was awesome."

Photos: Google

Source: http://www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2011/12/21/eric-churchs-first-christmas-with-son-boone

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Report slams Dutch Catholic Church over sex abuse (AP)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands ? As many as 20,000 children endured sexual abuse at Dutch Catholic institutions over the past 65 years, and church officials failed to adequately address it or help the victims, according to a long-awaited investigative report released Friday.

The findings detailed some of the most widespread abuse yet linked to the Roman Catholic Church, which has been under fire for years over abuse allegations in Europe, the United States and elsewhere.

Based on a survey of 34,000 people, the report estimated that 1 in 10 Dutch children suffered some form of sexual abuse ? a figure that rose to 1 in 5 among children who spent part of their youth in an institution such as a boarding school or children's home, whether Catholic or not.

"Sexual abuse of minors," it said bluntly, "occurs widely in Dutch society."

The findings prompted the archbishop of Utrecht, Wim Eijk, to apologize to victims on behalf of the Dutch church, saying the report "fills us with shame and sorrow."

The abuse ranged from "unwanted sexual advances" to rape, and abusers numbered in the hundreds and included priests, brothers and lay people who worked in religious orders and congregations. The number of victims who suffered abuse in church institutions likely lies somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000, according to the probe, which went back as far as 1945.

The commission behind the investigation was set up last year by the Catholic Church under the leadership of a former government minister, Wim Deetman, a Protestant, who said there could be no doubt church leaders knew of the problem. "The idea that people did not know there was a risk ... is untenable," he told a news conference.

Deetman said abuse continued in part because bishops and religious orders sometimes worked autonomously to deal with the abuse and "did not hang out their dirty laundry." However, he said the commission concluded that "it is wrong to talk of a culture of silence" by the church as a whole.

Colm O'Gorman, executive director of Amnesty International in Ireland and a victim of clergy abuse, criticized the Dutch inquiry because it was established by the church itself.

"It is the Dutch government that should be putting in place a meaningful investigation," O'Gorman said.

Even so, he said the report "highlights widespread abuse on a scale I think would be shocking to most Dutch people."

But O'Gorman added that "the scale of the abuse is in and of itself not the significant issue. It is whether it was covered up and, significantly, this report suggests it was."

Nearly a third of the Netherlands' 16 million people identify themselves as Catholic, making it the largest religion in the country, according to the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics for 2008.

The Dutch probe followed allegations of repeated incidents of abuse at one cloister that spread to claims from Catholic institutions across the country.

The investigating commission received some 1,800 complaints of abuse at Catholic schools, seminaries and orphanages. It then conducted the broader survey of 34,000 people for a more comprehensive analysis of the scale and nature of sexual abuse of minors in the church and elsewhere.

In one order, the Salesians of Don Bosco, the commission found evidence that "sexually inappropriate behavior" among members "may perhaps have been part of the internal monastic culture."

Bert Smeets, an abuse victim, said the report did not go far enough in investigating and outlining in precise detail exactly what happened.

"What was happening was sexual abuse, violence, spiritual terror, and that should have been investigated," Smeets told The Associated Press. "It remains vague. All sorts of things happened, but nobody knows exactly what or by whom. This way they avoid responsibility."

The commission said about 800 priests, brothers, pastors or lay people working for the church were identified in the complaints. About 105 of them are still alive, although it is not known if they remain in church positions. Their names were not released.

Prosecutors said in a statement that Deetman's inquiry had referred 11 cases to them ? without naming the alleged perpetrators. Prosecutors opened only one investigation, saying the other 10 did not have sufficient details and happened too long ago to prosecute.

The latest findings add to the growing evidence of widespread clergy abuse of children documented in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Belgium and other countries, forcing Pope Benedict XVI to apologize to victims whose trauma was often hidden by church cover-ups.

In September, abuse victims and human rights lawyers, upset that no high-ranking church officials have yet to be prosecuted, filed a complaint in the United States urging the International Criminal Court to investigate the pope and top Vatican officials for possible crimes against humanity. The Vatican called the move a "ludicrous publicity stunt."

An American advocacy group involved in that case, the Center for Constitutional Rights, called the Dutch findings "yet another example of the widespread and systematic nature of the problem of child sex crimes in the Catholic Church."

"If similar commissions were held in every country, we would undoubtedly be equally appalled by the rates of abuse," it said.

Archbishop Eijk said the victims in the Netherlands would be compensated by a commission the Dutch church set up last month and which has a scale starting at $6,500 (euro5,000), rising to a maximum of $130,000 (euro100,000) depending on the nature of the abuse.

O'Gorman criticized the church-established compensation scheme.

"It is simply not appropriate for the church to be the decider" of compensation, he said. "It is important the Dutch government recognizes its responsibility to ensure access to justice ... to all victims."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_re_eu/eu_netherlands_church_abuse

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Northwestern scientist gets mentoring award at White House

Northwestern scientist gets mentoring award at White House [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 16-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Marla Paul
marla-Paul@northwestern.edu
312-503-8928
Northwestern University

President Obama honors mentoring program for minority girls in science and health

CHICAGO --- Teresa Woodruff, the Thomas J. Watkins Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at the White House from President Barack Obama Monday, Dec. 12.

The award was for a Northwestern Medicine program called the Women's Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond. The program mentors urban minority high-school girls for college and careers in science and health.

"Meeting President Obama in the Oval Office was a true honor and humbling event," said Woodruff, also director of the Institute for Women's Health Research. "In his remarks, the president affirmed his deep commitment to science and engineering and the role that basic science plays in the health of our nation. He made time to congratulate us on our efforts and comment on the critical role that science mentorship plays in the development of the next generation of innovators on whom we count to solve our world's most pressing needs."

"This award is for the hundreds of faculty, staff and students throughout Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital who donate their time to mentorship," Woodruff added. "Our program focuses on the next generation of female leaders. Our goal is to ensure that the future is filled with a diverse group of problem solvers ready to meet the world's challenges."

The Women's Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond (WHSP), a four-year-old program, targets primarily African American and Latina girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in Chicago. The young women can study at four different Northwestern academies: cardiology, physical science, infectious disease and oncofertility. The science program is part of the Institute for Women's Health Research at the Feinberg School.

Carole LaBonne, an associate professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern and faculty member in the mentoring program, emphasized the importance of increasing the representation of women and minorities in the STEM disciplines.

"The program developed by Dr. Woodruff has had amazing impact and is truly transformative," said LaBonne, a member of Northwestern's diversity committee. "It should be used as a model for how universities across the country can address the pipeline problem by helping to educate and excite students from underrepresented groups about science from an early age."

Of the 90 students who have participated in the Women's Health Science Program from the Young Women's Leadership Charter School in Chicago, 18 are seniors in high school, 70 are attending college and two have received undergraduate degrees. Of those attending college, 51 percent are pursuing science majors.

WSHP has grown beyond Chicago through Woodruff's efforts. Similar informal education programs based on the Chicago model have been running in San Diego, Oregon and Philadelphia. Plans also are underway to expand the program to other Chicago high schools.

Woodruff, a reproductive endocrinologist, researches female reproductive health and infertility and is chief of the division of fertility preservation at the Feinberg School. She also leads the Oncofertility Consortium, a national a team of oncologists, fertility specialists, social scientists, educators and policymakers to translate her research to the clinical care of women who will lose their fertility due to cancer treatment. In addition, she has been an advocate for sex and gender inclusivity and study in basic science, translational studies and clinical trials.

President Obama honored nine individuals and eight organizations as recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

"Through their commitment to education and innovation, these individuals and organizations are playing a crucial role in the development of our 21st century workforce," President Obama said when the award was first announced. "Our nation owes them a debt of gratitude for helping ensure that America remains the global leader in science and engineering for years to come."

The White House award recognizes the crucial role mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science and engineering -- particularly those who belong to groups underrepresented in these fields. By offering their expertise and encouragement, mentors help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers, while ensuring that tomorrow's innovators reflect and benefit from the diverse talent of the United States.

###



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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Northwestern scientist gets mentoring award at White House [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 16-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Marla Paul
marla-Paul@northwestern.edu
312-503-8928
Northwestern University

President Obama honors mentoring program for minority girls in science and health

CHICAGO --- Teresa Woodruff, the Thomas J. Watkins Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at the White House from President Barack Obama Monday, Dec. 12.

The award was for a Northwestern Medicine program called the Women's Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond. The program mentors urban minority high-school girls for college and careers in science and health.

"Meeting President Obama in the Oval Office was a true honor and humbling event," said Woodruff, also director of the Institute for Women's Health Research. "In his remarks, the president affirmed his deep commitment to science and engineering and the role that basic science plays in the health of our nation. He made time to congratulate us on our efforts and comment on the critical role that science mentorship plays in the development of the next generation of innovators on whom we count to solve our world's most pressing needs."

"This award is for the hundreds of faculty, staff and students throughout Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital who donate their time to mentorship," Woodruff added. "Our program focuses on the next generation of female leaders. Our goal is to ensure that the future is filled with a diverse group of problem solvers ready to meet the world's challenges."

The Women's Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond (WHSP), a four-year-old program, targets primarily African American and Latina girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in Chicago. The young women can study at four different Northwestern academies: cardiology, physical science, infectious disease and oncofertility. The science program is part of the Institute for Women's Health Research at the Feinberg School.

Carole LaBonne, an associate professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern and faculty member in the mentoring program, emphasized the importance of increasing the representation of women and minorities in the STEM disciplines.

"The program developed by Dr. Woodruff has had amazing impact and is truly transformative," said LaBonne, a member of Northwestern's diversity committee. "It should be used as a model for how universities across the country can address the pipeline problem by helping to educate and excite students from underrepresented groups about science from an early age."

Of the 90 students who have participated in the Women's Health Science Program from the Young Women's Leadership Charter School in Chicago, 18 are seniors in high school, 70 are attending college and two have received undergraduate degrees. Of those attending college, 51 percent are pursuing science majors.

WSHP has grown beyond Chicago through Woodruff's efforts. Similar informal education programs based on the Chicago model have been running in San Diego, Oregon and Philadelphia. Plans also are underway to expand the program to other Chicago high schools.

Woodruff, a reproductive endocrinologist, researches female reproductive health and infertility and is chief of the division of fertility preservation at the Feinberg School. She also leads the Oncofertility Consortium, a national a team of oncologists, fertility specialists, social scientists, educators and policymakers to translate her research to the clinical care of women who will lose their fertility due to cancer treatment. In addition, she has been an advocate for sex and gender inclusivity and study in basic science, translational studies and clinical trials.

President Obama honored nine individuals and eight organizations as recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.

"Through their commitment to education and innovation, these individuals and organizations are playing a crucial role in the development of our 21st century workforce," President Obama said when the award was first announced. "Our nation owes them a debt of gratitude for helping ensure that America remains the global leader in science and engineering for years to come."

The White House award recognizes the crucial role mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students studying science and engineering -- particularly those who belong to groups underrepresented in these fields. By offering their expertise and encouragement, mentors help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers, while ensuring that tomorrow's innovators reflect and benefit from the diverse talent of the United States.

###



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/nu-nsg121611.php

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