Is an American Moon Base Really a Lunatic Idea? (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich came under fire -- mostly for economic reasons -- when he proposed at the CNN Republican Presidential Debate in Jacksonville that he would like to have a permanent moon base on Earth's lone satellite by the end of his second term as president. But even if his ideas have some logistical hurdles to cross, there is ample reason to believe that an American moon base could be operational in a decade or two. Besides, the space race never really went into hiatus; the major players merely took a slower track, giving others a chance to enter the race.

A Moon Base By 2020?

There are several reasons to develop a moon base: military and strategic, scientific, economic, or simply territorial. But Gingrich's moon base ideation may have been spurred by the growing interest of other nations in reaching the moon. With a sort of Kennedy-esque vision of national direction, Gingrich revived the dream of not only reaching the moon, but obtaining a bit of it for the American people. A 2020 date might be somewhat optimistic, but he said he'd like to set up shop before China, which has plans to put a man on the moon by 2024.

The Obama administration has decided to forego the moon, concentrating on research and development, cooperating in international space endeavors, planning a future mission to an asteroid, and getting to Mars by 2035. But no moon mission. In fact, President Obama told his audience, which included moonwalking astronaut Buzz Aldrin, when he laid out his Space Policy at the John F. Kennedy Space Flight Center in Florida in April 2010, "We've been there before. Buzz has been there."

A Renewed Space Race?

The United States is the only country to have ever placed moonwalkers on the lunar surface. Twelve, in fact. However, with the development of several space agencies around the planet, that could soon change to simply being the first.

As mentioned, China has designs on getting to the moon. A Hong Kong newspaper reported in 2006 (recounted by Reuters) that a top Chinese space program official stated that China planned its first moonwalk for 2024. A moon base, territory grab, and mineral extractions will then begin, according to Robert Bigelow, founder of the private space company Bigelow Aerospace, who told Discovery Newsthat the moon is the obvious next step in human exploration and development. And although there exists an international space treaty, the Declaration of Legal Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, that prohibits any one nation or organization from owning through claim, use, or other means any part or all of the moon, that will have little bearing on the situation at hand once a nation establishes an outpost of some kind on the lunar surface. History is littered with broken treaties.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) also revealed in 2006 in an AFP report its long-range plans for putting a man on the moon by 2030. Spokesman Satoki Kurokawa stated that Japan hoped to get a man on the moon by 2020.

India, which has sent unmanned orbiters to the moon, has also expressed an interest in a moon base.

What About Russia?

Gingrich's moon base could also see realization in renewed efforts by the Russians to reach the moon. A Cold War competitor as part of the Soviet Union, the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos announced Jan. 19 (per BDK) that they had enjoined talks with European and American space partners about a possible base or manned orbiter.

So was Gingrich's idea a lunatic's dream? Hardly. And with all the attention his moon base comments have received, they could very well spark renewed interest in America's manned space program, which ended with the touchdown of the shuttle Atlantis in July.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120128/pl_ac/10897499_is_an_american_moon_base_really_a_lunatic_idea

drew brees nfl games nfl schedule nfl scores nfl scores kuroda hiroki kuroda

Judge: BP contract shielded Transocean in spill (AP)

NEW ORLEANS ? The rig owner involved in drilling the ill-fated well that blew out in the Gulf of Mexico and spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil will not have to pay many of the pollution claims because it was shielded in a contract with well-owner BP, a federal judge ruled on Thursday.

The decision may have spared the driller from having to pay potentially billions of dollars. However, U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said that Transocean still is not exempt from paying punitive damages and civil penalties that arise from the April 20, 2010, blowout 100 miles off the Louisiana coast.

The ruling comes as BP, the states affected by the disaster and the federal government are discussing a settlement over the nation's largest offshore oil spill. The Justice Department is working with the states to create an outline for a settlement that would resolve their potentially multibillion dollar claims against BP and the other companies involved in the disaster, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange told The Associated Press.

Justice led a meeting last week in Washington among the states in an effort to formulate an agreement that would satisfy government and state claims, including penalties and fines, Strange said. He also indicated if there is a settlement that officials are discussing what to do with the $20 billion fund set up by BP to pay victims.

A first phase of the trial is set for Feb. 27 to determine liability for the spill.

Despite the setback, BP claimed victory and said Barbier's ruling "at a minimum" left Transocean facing "punitive damages, fines and penalties flowing from its own conduct."

Blaine LeCesne, an associate professor at Loyola University law school, however, said Barbier's ruling was a "major victory" for Transocean.

"If anything is going to compel the parties toward settlement, it's going to be this," he said. "I think BP is in a very bad position now, and they don't have a lot of leverage."

BP PLC, Transocean Ltd. and Halliburton Co. have been sparring over who was at fault for causing the blowout. The out-of-control well was capped in July, 2010. Federal investigators have said that BP bears ultimate responsibility for the spill, but has faulted all three companies to some degree.

Under a drilling contract, BP and Transocean agreed to indemnify each other in the case of an accident, with BP taking responsibility for pollution originating from the well and Transocean for any pollution or accidents aboard the rig.

However, in court BP argued that the contract did not shield Transocean if the drilling company acted in manner that was grossly negligent.

Barbier, though, largely sided with Transocean and said the contract was a "clear and unequivocal agreement" to provide "broad indemnity."

"As we have said from the beginning, Transocean cannot avoid its responsibility for this accident," BP said.

The British oil giant said it had "stepped up" and admitted its role in the spill and paid billions of dollars in claims.

___

Associated Press writer Michael Kunzelman contributed to this reported. Weber reported from Atlanta.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill_litigation

redskins oyster festival oyster festival hopkins hopkins the big year the big year

NY art dealer charged in $4M fraud

NEW YORK (AP) ? A New York art dealer has been charged in a $4 million fraud for selling works by Picasso, Matisse and others without informing the owner or giving him the proceeds.

The charges in a criminal complaint in Manhattan accuse Robert Scott Cook of selling 16 works of art without the owner/collector's knowledge. The artwork included watercolors, drawings, photographs, and other works by artists including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, among others.

Lawyers in court papers filed in a civil case against him say Cook is likely living abroad because he travels frequently around the world. A lawyer for the 62-year-old Cook did not immediately return a phone message for comment.

From 2005 to 2011, Cook owned Cook Fine Art, LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-26-Art%20Dealer%20Charged/id-8114c149ca6e4116b2da0c781858caa1

fox 4 fox 4 adam levine vs fashion show 2011 victoria secret fashion show beverly hills hotel beverly hills hotel

Gingrich vows to establish a colony on the moon (AP)

COCOA, Fla. ? Newt Gingrich is promising to establish a permanent base on the moon by 2020 if he's elected president.

Gingrich, the former House speaker, told an overflow crowd gathered on Florida's space coast Wednesday that he wants to develop a robust commercial space industry in line with the airline boom of the 1930s. He also wants to expand exploration of Mars.

The pronouncements appeared to thrill the crowd of roughly 700 people. Florida's space coast is still suffering from a recent round of federal cuts to the space program.

But how would Gingrich pay for it?

The Republican presidential contender says he wants to offer prizes to help stimulate investment by the private sector.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_el_pr/us_gingrich_moon

bad lip reading gilad shalit gilad shalit john edward psychic john edward psychic brandon marshall headless horseman

Queen's study shows the rights of people with disabilities are not being promoted

Public release date: 25-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anne Craig
anne.craig@queensu.ca
613-533-2877
Queen's University

Historic legal rulings did not protect the rights of persons with disabilities

Historic legal rulings did not protect the rights of persons with disabilities, while legal rulings concerned with race or gender provided much more protection of individual rights and freedoms according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Queen's University PhD student Christopher A. Riddle has determined in a recent study.

"The motivation for this examination came from the very simple observation that the rights of persons with disabilities were not being promoted through the very mechanisms designed to ensure justice for everyone," says the study's author.

Section 15 of the Charter states "that every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination." Mr. Riddle came to his conclusion of unequal treatment after examining a number of historic legal cases between 1986 and 2004 that showed prejudice against people with disabilities.

More specifically, the ideal of equality was found to have been interpreted in numerous different manners, across the various cases.

The next step will be to develop a clearer understanding of what it is about equality that excludes people with disabilities, so that researchers can begin to address and incorporate people with disabilities into the existing struggles for social justice.

Mr. Riddle is currently a lecturer at Concordia University. The paper was published recently in Disability Studies Quarterly.

###

---

[ | E-mail | 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.

Public release date: 25-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anne Craig
anne.craig@queensu.ca
613-533-2877
Queen's University

Historic legal rulings did not protect the rights of persons with disabilities

Historic legal rulings did not protect the rights of persons with disabilities, while legal rulings concerned with race or gender provided much more protection of individual rights and freedoms according to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Queen's University PhD student Christopher A. Riddle has determined in a recent study.

"The motivation for this examination came from the very simple observation that the rights of persons with disabilities were not being promoted through the very mechanisms designed to ensure justice for everyone," says the study's author.

Section 15 of the Charter states "that every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination." Mr. Riddle came to his conclusion of unequal treatment after examining a number of historic legal cases between 1986 and 2004 that showed prejudice against people with disabilities.

More specifically, the ideal of equality was found to have been interpreted in numerous different manners, across the various cases.

The next step will be to develop a clearer understanding of what it is about equality that excludes people with disabilities, so that researchers can begin to address and incorporate people with disabilities into the existing struggles for social justice.

Mr. Riddle is currently a lecturer at Concordia University. The paper was published recently in Disability Studies Quarterly.

###

---

[ | E-mail | 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/2012-01/qu-qss012512.php

jarhead the duchess the duchess spice katy perry mike starr ufc 141 fight card

Google to unify privacy policy across products (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Google Inc plans to unify its privacy policy and terms of service across its online offerings, including its flagship search, Gmail and Google+ products, to make them easier to use, but the move could attract greater scrutiny from anti-trust regulators.

In an online blog post, Google said it expects to roll out the revised guidelines in over a month's time, consolidating more than 60 separate privacy policies it uses for its online products.

Google currently has more than 70 privacy policies covering all of its products.

Right now, users of Google products have to agree to a new set of privacy policy and terms of services almost every time they sign up for a new service.

This leaves them with an option to opt out of certain services like Google+ or Picasa.

After the new policy comes into effect, user information from most Google products will be treated as a single trove of data, which the company could use for its targeted advertising dollars, raising potential red flags for anti-trust regulators.

"If you're signed in, we may combine information you've provided from one service with information from other services," Google's director of privacy, product and engineering, Alma Whitten wrote in blog post.

"In short, we'll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience."

The announcement comes days after Google's decision to personalize its search feature drew criticism over privacy and anti-trust issues.

Online privacy has come under scrutiny from anti-trust regulators as a handful of web giants have been accused of compromising user privacy to attract advertisers.

Late last year, Facebook settled with the U.S. FTC agreeing to be regulated for a period of 20 years whenever it decided to change its privacy policy.

In 2010, the FTC settled charges with Twitter, after the agency alleged that the social networking service had failed to safeguard users' personal information.

U.S. regulators are reportedly looking into whether Google manipulates its search results to favor its own products and have expanded the probe to include Google+.

"Regulators globally have been calling for shorter, simpler privacy policies - and having one policy covering many different products is now fairly standard across the Web," Whitten said in the post.

The revised policy will take effect on March 1, the blog post said.

(Reporting by Himank Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier, Viraj Nair)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/wr_nm/us_google

arian foster miss america pageant 2012 joe philbin lana del rey shipwreck jose aldo vs chad mendes john 3 16

Afghanistan's humongous holy book

The world's largest Quran weighs 1,100 pounds and took more than five years to create.

? A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.

Skip to next paragraph

Amid Afghanistan?s seemingly endless war, one local calligrapher has endeavored to prove that his nation still has a rich, vibrant culture by creating the world?s largest Quran.

Measuring in at 7-1/2-by-5-feet, the recently unveiled holy book took more than five years to create. Its 218 pages are adorned with script and ornamentation that use real gold, and the book?s cover is fashioned from 21 goatskins.

The record-breaking Quran, which weighs 1,100 pounds, is now on display in a specially designed viewing area made of imported Italian and Turkish stones at Kabul?s Hakim Nasir Khusraw Balkhi Cultural Center.

While the giant Quran is a point of pride for many in the devout Muslim nation, some Afghans are raising eyebrows at the price tag of the record-breaking book and its specially designed display area, a combined cost of more than $1 million.

?This is just a heavy book in a case and no one can even use it,? says Hassan, a cellphone vender who, like many Afghans, has only one name. ?It?s the holy book, but they should use the money in a good way.?

Aside from the nation?s ongoing security problems, Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in the world. Less than a third of the population has access to electricity, and Kabul is the only capital city without a sewage system.

Syed Mansoor Naderi, a prominent member of Afghanistan?s Shia Ismaili community, funded the project.

Get daily or weekly updates from CSMonitor.com delivered to your inbox.?Sign up today.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/WyZaOyKI2Ls/Afghanistan-s-humongous-holy-book

baked alaska baked alaska battlefield 3 release battlefield 3 release battle field 3 battle field 3 dana wilkey

Astronomers Are Hunting for Exomoons with Kepler's Help (Time.com)

The universe seems almost infinitely reductive: our galaxy rotates around a central hub, planets orbit their planet stars, moons orbit their parent planets, and the odd moonlet may even orbit a moon.

Almost from the moment astronomers began finding planets around distant stars, they thus began talking about the moons that might orbit those alien worlds. It wasn't that they had any hope of discovering something as tiny as a moon: the smallest things they could find at the time were giant planets like Jupiter. But if a Jupiter happened to orbit in its star's Goldilocks Zone, where temperatures were relatively balmy, and if that Jupiter happened to have a moon about the size of Earth -- not impossible, surely -- then that hypothetical moon might have a chance of harboring life. That's a lot of ifs, which made talk of so-called exomoons seem like more of a marketing gimmick designed to gin up public interest in exoplanet science than a serious area of research. (See 2011's best photos from space.)

Not any more, though. Thanks to the exquisite precision of the orbiting Kepler space telescope, the prospect of finding exomoons has finally come within reach and the search is now officially on. Speaking at this week's American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin, Harvard astrophysicist David Kipping announced a new project called the Hunt for Exomoons with Kepler, or HEK. "We actually have no idea how common moons are in other planetary systems," says Kipping -- but we could be on the verge of finding out.

Kipping had started thinking about exomoons even before Kepler was launched in 2009. "It was my entire Ph.D., more or less, at University College, London," he says. He was originally thinking about transits -- the passage of a planet in front of its star, which is just what Kepler was designed to look for as a sign that the planet exists at all. In particular, Kipping was wondering about what might make a transit last longer or shorter than you might expect. "It dawned on me," he recalls, "that if a planet had a moon, that could cause a speedup or a slowdown." (See photos of the universe, to scale.)

The reason: if a moon happens to be leading the planet as it passes by, it will pull the planet across the face of the star a little faster than average. If it happens to be following, it will hold the planet back. Not only that; whether the moon is leading or trailing, the silhouette of the planet and moon will be wider than that of a planet alone -- the planet-moon system will block more of the star's light. If the moon is directly in between the planet and the gaze of Kepler, on the other hand, or if it's between the planet and the star, more starlight will reach Kepler's sensors -- and the moon itself will not be visible.

For these reasons, astronomers need to see the planet pass around the star several times so that the changes in speed caused by a moon can be compared with an average speed, and so that moons that are completely hidden on one pass can have a chance to show themselves on the next. That takes time, which is why Kepler scientists need patience, but it's worth the wait. (See photos of a new planetary nebula that dazzles astronomers.)

"By combining all this," says Kipping, "you can infer a lot. You can directly measure the mass of the star, planet and moon." That's crucial, because while Kepler can gauge the size of a planet (or a planet-size moon) by how much light it blocks, the space telescope can't judge the object's mass -- which, in turn, makes it possible to calculate its density. Without that information, you can't figure out what it's made of -- and that's critical. Planets or moons made mostly of gas will not have the same likelihood of supporting life as those made mostly of water or rock or a mix of all three. The gravitational pull or drag of a moon on its parent planet adds a critical clue to gravity -- which in turn adds further clues to mass and composition.

While the HEK project has just been formally announced, it's actually been going on for some time. "We've already got some two dozen candidate signals," says Kipping. These were all culled from from Kepler's public database -- many of them by amateur sleuths who frequent a website called planethunters.org. "These guys have incredible patience, incredible skill," says Kipping. "They've become experts at finding signals amidst the noise -- some of the best in the world."

One of the very best, says Kipping, is Allan Schmitt, a retired software engineer formally credited as a co-author on the scientific paper announcing HEK, and listed as "Citizen Science/Planet Hunter." Of the four most promising signals the team is looking into says Kipping, Schmidt found three. "He's a fantastic contributor." (Read "Space Discovery: 36 Light-Years Away, the Most Earthlike World Yet?")

Kipping had been hoping to present an actual discovery at this week's astronomy conference, but, he says, "we've hit a wall. We can't really confirm any discoveries, but there are some we can't rule out." As it happens, though, the Kepler mission released a flood of new observations just as the conference was getting under way. Armed with that extra data, the HEK team should be able to say something definitive, maybe within months.

"It's a really fun time for me," says Kipping, "because I've been working on the theory of moon detection for such a long time. The last few months have been the most exhilarating time of my career." The next few should be even better.

Read "Can a Planet Survive the Death of Its Sun? Scientists Find Two That Did."

See photos of the asteroid Vesta.

View this article on Time.com

Most Popular on Time.com:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20120117/hl_time/08599210437600

indiana jones and the last crusade hope solo hope solo texas high school football fugazi fugazi nba lockout

Russian space probe to crash to Earth within hours (AP)

MOSCOW ? A failed Russian probe designed to travel to a moon of Mars but stuck in Earth orbit will come crashing down within hours, likely in a shower of fragments that survive the fiery re-entry.

The unmanned Phobos Ground is one of the heaviest and most toxic space derelicts ever to crash to Earth, but space officials and experts say the risks are minimal as its orbit is mostly over water and most of the probe's structure will burn up in the atmosphere anyway.

Russia's space agency Roscosmos said the Phobos-Ground will crash between 1730 and 1912 GMT (13:30 a.m. and 3:12 p.m. EST). It said the probe could come down anywhere along its orbit that would place it over South America, Australia, southeast Asia, China, Central Asia and southern Europe. The rest of the world, including the U.S. and Canada, are outside the risk zone.

"The resulting risk isn't significant," said Prof. Heiner Klinkrad, Head of The European Space Agency's Space Debris Office that is monitoring the probe's descent.

He wouldn't say where exactly the probe may enter the atmosphere, but said that "most of Europe is excluded from an impact risk."

Roscosmos predicts that only between 20 and 30 fragments of the Phobos probe with a total weight of up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds) will survive the re-entry and plummet to Earth.

Klinkrad agreed with that assessment, adding that about 100 metric tons of space junk fall on Earth every year. "This is 200 kilograms out of these 100 tons," he said.

Thousands of pieces of derelict space vehicles orbit Earth, occasionally posing danger to astronauts and satellites in orbit, but as far as is known, no one has ever been hurt by falling space debris.

The Phobos-Ground weighs 13.5 metric tons (14.9 tons), and that includes a load of 11 metric tons (12 tons) of highly toxic rocket fuel intended for the long journey to the Martian moon of Phobos. It has been left unused as the probe got stuck in orbit around Earth shortly after its Nov. 9 launch.

Roscosmos says all of the fuel will burn up on re-entry, a forecast Klinkrad said was supported by calculations done by NASA and the ESA. He said the craft's tanks are made of aluminum alloy that has a very low melting temperature, and they will burst at an altitude of more than 100 kilometers.

"These tanks are expected to release the fuel above 100 kilometers, and then the fuel is going to burn in the atmosphere and later the tanks are going to burn themselves as well," Klinkrad said in a telephone interview from his office in Berlin.

The space era has seen far larger spacecraft to crash. NASA's Skylab space station that went down in 1979 weighed 77 metric tons (85 tons) and Russia's Mir space station that de-orbited in 2001 weighed about 130 metric tons (143 tons). Their descent fueled fears around the world, but the wreckage of both fell far away from populated areas.

The $170-million Phobos-Ground was Russia's most expensive and the most ambitious space mission since Soviet times. The spacecraft was intended to land on the crater-dented, potato-shaped Martian moon, collect soil samples and fly them back to Earth, giving scientists precious materials that could shed more light on the genesis of the solar system.

Russia's space chief has acknowledged the Phobos-Ground mission was ill-prepared, but said that Roscosmos had to give it the go-ahead so as not to miss the limited Earth-to-Mars launch window.

Its predecessor, Mars-96, which was built by the same Moscow-based NPO Lavochkin company, also suffered an engine failure and crashed shortly after its launch in 1996. Its crash drew strong international fears because of some 200 grams of plutonium onboard. The craft eventually showered its fragments over the Chile-Bolivia border in the Andes Mountains, and the pieces were never recovered.

The worst ever radiation spill from a derelict space vehicle came in January 1978 when the nuclear-powered Cosmos 954 satellite crashed over northwestern Canada. The Soviets claimed the craft completely burned up on re-entry, but a massive recovery effort by Canadian authorities recovered a dozen fragments, most of which were radioactive.

The Phobos-Ground also contains a tiny quantity of the radioactive metal Cobalt-57 in one of its instruments, but Roscosmos said it poses no threat of radioactive contamination.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120115/ap_on_sc/eu_russia_falling_spacecraft

jason witten ucla vs usc rich rodriguez rich rodriguez the muppet movie the muppet movie mars rover

GoBandit WiFi helmet cam hands-on

Extreme sports junkies are no strangers to the vast selection of helmet cams just waiting for them to record their wicked shenanigans, so we were expecting to see nothing drastically new when we stopped by the GoBandit booth at CES 2012. There was one thing, however, that stuck out to us as we played with the company's top-tier model, the GoBandit Live: WiFi. And let's be very careful with words here, because these full HD cams don't find WiFi hotspots -- they are WiFi hotspots. This means that not only can you upload your vids to another device, you can broadcast them live. Here's how it works: download the companion iOS app (the company's working to have Android compatibility soon), activate the cam's WiFi and either load your vids or view them live. The model GoBandit had on hand was still a prototype model, so unfortunately we weren't able to put it to the full test yet, though we at least were able to snap a few pics for the gallery below. Available in March, it comes in two flavors: the Live, which offers GPS and WiFi, and the Race, which doesn't. The pair will go for $419 and $319, respectively.

Gallery: GoBandit hands-on

Joseph Volpe contributed to this post.

GoBandit WiFi helmet cam hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/gobandit-wifi-helmet-cam-hands-on/

martin luther king jr. homeland homeland golden globes 2012 red carpet nfc championship game octavia spencer golden globe winners 2012

Myanmar frees many prominent political prisoners (AP)

YANGON, Myanmar ? Myanmar freed some of its most famous political prisoners Friday, sparking jubilation among their supporters and signaling the government's readiness to meet Western demands for lifting economic sanctions.

Among the 651 detainees released were political activists, leaders of brutally repressed democratic uprisings, a former prime minister, heads of ethnic minority groups, journalists and relatives of former dictator Ne Win. State media described the presidential pardon as allowing them to take part in "nation-building."

It was the latest in a flurry of accelerating changes in Myanmar sought by the West, including the start of a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, legalizing labor unions and the signing of a cease-fire in a long-running campaign against Karen insurgents.

Myanmar's leaders likely now feel the next move is up to the West to lift the onerous economic measures.

President Barack Obama praised the release as "a substantial step forward for democratic reform," and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said ambassadors would be exchanged between the countries in response to the releases.

The U.S. has not had an ambassador in Myanmar ? formerly known as Burma ? since downgrading its representation after a 1988 pro-democracy uprising was harshly put down by the army.

But the United States and allies may take a wait-and-see approach on sanctions, to ensure that government truces with various ethnic rebel groups stay in effect, that discussions with Suu Kyi move forward, and that elections in April are free and fair.

There has been a parade of top Western diplomats through Myanmar lately ? Clinton in December and British Foreign Secretary William Hague last week. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe is scheduled to arrive Saturday.

The message conveyed by Western countries has been clear: They are encouraged by the reform process under President Thein Sein, but economic and political sanctions could not be lifted unless the prisoners were freed. The various sanctions generally ban doing business with Myanmar, block financial transfers, especially by military-backed leaders and their cronies, and also deny visas to the same VIPs.

"I think we are close to the removal of Western sanctions," said Monique Skidmore, a Myanmar expert at the University of Canberra, adding that the U.S. and others might first wait to see Suu Kyi take a seat in parliament. "There's a sense that there's still more to go before the sanctions will be removed."

Thein Sein's government, Suu Kyi and the West ? with Washington its key representative ? are involved in a complicated three-way give and take. Thein Sein seeks to normalize relations with the West, which generally defers to Suu Kyi in judging the government's goodwill and progress toward democracy.

Suu Kyi's party, marginalized for more than two decades of military rule, seeks a more active role in politics if the government will allow a more level playing field. The re-entry of her National League for Democracy party into mainstream politics is the kind of endorsement the government needs to win Western approbation. What needs to be determined is the price each side is willing to pay.

Until this week, even some of Suu Kyi's supporters feared she had sold herself short. Myanmar's most prominent political prisoners had remained behind bars with hardly a sour note struck by Suu Kyi in public. Cease-fire talks had been held between the government and guerrilla groups of various ethnic minorities, which have been fighting for autonomy for decades.

On Thursday the government announced a cease-fire deal with the main ethnic Karen group ? the most durable rebel movement ? and the prisoner release followed.

The latest moves come just ahead of visits by some U.S. senators influential in foreign affairs, including Mitch McConnell and John McCain.

Human Rights Watch called Friday's release "a crucial development" in promoting human rights in Myanmar but stressed that an unknown number of political prisoners still are detained. The group called for their release and urged the government to allow international monitors to enter prisons to verify the numbers and whereabouts of those still jailed.

Until Friday, some counts put the number of political prisoners to be as high as 1,500, and the exact tally of those released will likely take several days. Suu Kyi's party said it was expecting the release of many of the 600 dissidents it tracks.

"The release of such a large number of political prisoners demonstrates the government's will to solve political problems through political means," said Win Tin, a senior member of Suu Kyi's party who had spent 19 years in prison but was released in a 2008 amnesty. "This amnesty will ease political tension before the upcoming April by-election. The other major problem the government has to seriously tackle now is the issue of ethnic fighting, especially in Kachin state."

The party decided to rejoin electoral politics after the military-backed but elected government took office in March 2011, replacing army rule and tentatively easing years of repression.

Some critics characterized the NLD's decision to rejoin electoral politics as a capitulation after years of resistance to military rule. The party won a 1990 general election but was denied power after the military refused to allow parliament to be seated.

In 2010, the military held another general election, but the NLD found the rules unfair and declined to participate, leading to its being purged from the list of legal political parties.

Critics fear the NLD's participation helps the government maintain a veneer of legitimacy for what is actually continued domination of politics by the army.

"I think this year we shall find out whether we are making progress toward democracy," Suu Kyi said in an interview with The Associated Press last week, adding that benchmarks to consider are "the release of all political prisoners, ... how the by-elections are conducted,... how much more freedom of information is allowed and whether strong steps are taken to establish the rule of law."

Among those released Friday was Min Ko Naing, a prominent student leader from the failed 1988 pro-democracy uprising.

Cheers and applause erupted outside the Thayet prison, 545 kilometers (345 miles) north of Yangon, where a huge crowd gathered to see the charismatic activist, who was serving a 65-year sentence.

Min Ko Naing's most recent arrest came in 2007 along with 14 other student leaders while protesting fuel price increases that preceded the monk-led Saffron Revolution, which was violently suppressed.

Activists arrested in that uprising ? named for the color of the robes worn by the country's Buddhist monks ? were also freed. Among them was Shin Gambira, 32, a militant monk who helped lead the protests.

Also freed was ethnic leader Khun Tun Oo, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, who was serving a 93-year sentence. He had been arrested with several other Shan leaders in 2005 and charged with treason.

Traditional Shan music blasted from speakers outside Khun Tun Oo's family home in Yangon, where a crowd danced as they awaited his return.

He said the accusations against him were baseless, and he was imprisoned only because the Shan refused to take part in a military-directed constitution drafting process.

"I am free and I am back home, but there's nothing in my heart because from the very first day of my arrest I was the person who shouldn't be arrested," he said. "We Shans never did anything wrong and the so-called rebellion against the state ? secession ? didn't happen."

The government recently signed a preliminary cease-fire agreement with Shan rebels. The Shan Herald Agency for News, an online site close to the rebels, said five or six Shan political prisoners were freed.

Jailed former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt also was released. He was ousted in 2004 after falling out of favor with the junta and convicted a year later of insubordination and corruption, and sentenced to 44 years of house arrest.

"The democratic process is on the right track," the 73-year-old Khin Nyunt told reporters, saying he did not plan to return to politics. Dozens of his colleagues from the Military Intelligence service who were purged with him were also reportedly pardoned.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120113/ap_on_re_as/as_myanmar

cain accuser aesop rock take care track list michael jackson trial carlos the jackal namibia namibia

Marines inch toward charges over desecration video (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The Marine Corps took a first, formal step on Friday toward possible charges against four troops who, in a video widely circulated on television and the Internet, appear to be urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters.

The Corps named a lead investigating officer whose job would include deciding what charges, if any, would be brought against the four men - all of whom have been identified, a Corps official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

None of the suspects have been detained, the official said. At least two are still part of the same unit involved in the video - the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, based out of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, a second official told Reuters.

That unit served in Afghanistan's Helmand province from March until September of 2011, the second official said.

Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos said in a statement on Friday he would not "rest until the allegations and the events surrounding them have been resolved."

The video, posted on YouTube and other websites, shows four men in camouflage Marine combat uniforms urinating on three corpses. One of them jokes: "Have a nice day, buddy." Another makes a lewd joke.

Reuters has been unable to verify that the dead men were indeed Taliban fighters, but the Marines said the video appeared to depict "several dead Taliban."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the video, describing the men's actions as "inhuman" and calling for an investigation.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta telephoned Karzai to denounce the actions in the video as "deplorable," and General Martin Dempsey, the top U.S. military officer, said actions depicted in the video were illegal.

EXPANDING INVESTIGATION

It is likely that other people beyond the four will be brought into the investigation, including the individual who filmed the desecration of the dead and whoever else may have been watching off-camera.

The Marine Corps said the lead investigating officer, known in military-speak as the "Consolidated Disposition Authority," was Lieutenant General Waldhause, the commander of Marine Corps Forces Central Command.

The video is likely to stir up already strong anti-U.S. sentiment in Afghanistan after a decade of a war that has seen past cases of abuse. That could complicate efforts to promote reconciliation as foreign troops gradually withdraw, although a Taliban spokesman on Thursday said it would not harm nascent efforts to broker peace talks.

The Pentagon has moved quickly to respond to the video, a move that Panetta says he hopes will limit fallout.

"The danger obviously is this kind of video could be misused in many ways not only to undermine what we are trying to do in Afghanistan but undermine the potential for reconciliation. There is a danger there," Panetta told reporters on a trip to Texas on Thursday.

"But I think if we move quickly - if we conduct this investigation and hold these people accountable - we send a clear signal to the world that the U.S. is not going to tolerate that kind of behavior and it doesn't represent the United States as a whole."

Officials tell Reuters that the Marine Corps is confident the video is authentic but the Pentagon has so far stopped short of formally confirming it is an accurate depiction of what happened.

News of the footage had yet to really spread in Afghanistan - a country where a minority has access to electricity and the Internet is limited to a tiny urban elite.

Anti-American feeling has boiled over, or been whipped up, into violence several times in Afghanistan in recent years. Protests over reports of the desecration of the Muslim holy book have twice sparked deadly riots.

(Editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120113/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_usa_urination

carrie underwood eric church sara evans lionel richie cma awards cma awards christmas tree tax

Google's Android Design Guide Will Make Your Apps Sooooo Fierce [Android]

Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) has made great strides in bringing the look of Android into a more consistent, cohesive form. Google's apps all look and behave very similarly, but now third-party app developers need to adapt. Luckily, Google is providing a map. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ci0trb01S6o/googles-android-design-guide-will-make-your-apps-sooooo-fierce

there will be blood extreme makeover home edition friday the 13th jimmy fallon jimmy fallon michael pineda coachella 2012

Tobii's Gaze interface lets you use your eyes to move a cursor, perform gestures in Windows 8 (video)

We've seen gesture control, but how about an input device that lets you stare your PC into submission? That's the basic gist of Tobii's Gaze UI, an early version of which is on display here at CES, and which will eventually help doctors and other professionals skim through data just by looking at it. When this becomes available, likely in a year or so, customers will need some requisite hardware (read: that conspicuous eye tracking strip you see up there) and, of course, software that can take advantage of it. Got it? Good. Here's the elevator pitch: using your eyes, you can move the cursor around the screen, select objects, scroll and pinch to zoom. But if you imagined looking at your Firefox shortcut and blinking twice to open it, you'd be sorely disappointed: though you can use your eyes to drag the cursor, you'll still need to keep a finger on your touchpad. For instance, once you direct your eyes to a certain part of a webpage, you'll need to use two fingers to zoom in, as you normally would. Really, then, this is saving you from having to bear down on your clickpad, so for now, at least, your fingers can keep their day job.

Continue reading Tobii's Gaze interface lets you use your eyes to move a cursor, perform gestures in Windows 8 (video)

Tobii's Gaze interface lets you use your eyes to move a cursor, perform gestures in Windows 8 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/togiis-gaze-interface-lets-you-use-your-eyes-to-move-a-cursor/

herman cain harry potter and the half blood prince city of ember city of ember virgin diaries kevin smith kevin smith

Union threatens oil production shutdown in Nigeria

An man protest with a placard saying ' President Jonathan should go or die like Gadafi' on the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. A union representing 20,000 oil and gas workers in Nigeria threatened Thursday it would shut down all production starting Sunday to take part in the crippling nationwide strike over spiraling fuel prices. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

An man protest with a placard saying ' President Jonathan should go or die like Gadafi' on the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. A union representing 20,000 oil and gas workers in Nigeria threatened Thursday it would shut down all production starting Sunday to take part in the crippling nationwide strike over spiraling fuel prices. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A police officer stands guard as people protest following the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government, in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. A union representing 20,000 oil and gas workers in Nigeria threatened Thursday it would shut down all production starting Sunday to take part in the crippling nationwide strike over spiraling fuel prices. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Angry youths protest on the streets following the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government, in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. A union representing 20,000 oil and gas workers in Nigeria threatened Thursday it would shut down all production starting Sunday to take part in the crippling nationwide strike over spiraling fuel prices. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Angry youths pickup a fight on the fourth day of the nationwide strike following the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. A union representing 20,000 oil and gas workers in Nigeria threatened Thursday it would shut down all production starting Sunday to take part in the crippling nationwide strike over spiraling fuel prices. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A Police officer walk with protesters on fourth day of the nationwide strike following the removal of a fuel subsidy by the government in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. A union representing 20,000 oil and gas workers in Nigeria threatened Thursday it would shut down all production starting Sunday to take part in the crippling nationwide strike over spiraling fuel prices. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) ? A major union threatened Thursday to stop the beating heart of Nigeria's economy ? crude oil production ? as part of a nationwide strike and protests gripping Africa's most populous nation.

World oil prices climbed on the news. Nigeria is the fifth-largest oil exporter to the U.S., and a shutdown would force American refineries to replace 630,000 barrels per day of crude.

The union's ability to enforce a shutdown, beginning Sunday, across the swamps of Nigeria's southern delta to its massive offshore oil fields, remains in question. But the threat of a strike caused jitters on global oil markets as traders worldwide worried about supply.

Nigeria has been paralyzed by a strike that began Monday after President Goodluck Jonathan's government abandoned subsidies that kept gasoline prices low. Overnight, prices at the pump more than doubled, from $1.70 per gallon (45 cents per liter) to at least $3.50 per gallon (94 cents per liter). The costs of food and transportation also doubled in a nation where most people live on less than $2 a day.

Anger over losing one of the few benefits average Nigerians see from being an oil-rich country, as well as disgust over government corruption, have led to demonstrations across this nation of 160 million people and violence that has killed at least 10 people.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, which represents about 20,000 workers, said it would be forced to "apply the bitter option" of closing down all oil and gas production if the government refused to reinstate the gasoline subsidies.

Union president Babatunde Ogun said if fields are shut down, it could take six months to a year to restart them.

"We ... believe that if everything comes to a standstill, the government will budge," Ogun told reporters in Lagos. Petrol dollars dominate Nigeria's economy and represent the majority of its government revenues.

Ogun also said a natural gas shutdown would turn off the nation's power grid, which is already in shambles.

Negotiations between labor and the government ended Thursday night without any announcement. Officials said they would resume Saturday.

So far, Nigeria's oil industry hasn't felt the effects of the national strike. Many of its operations are automated, both for efficiency and to avoid having staff work in the Niger Delta's maze of creeks, where criminal gangs and militants target workers for high-dollar kidnappings.

Foreign companies also run large offshore fields, far from the chaos of growing demonstrations across the country. Shipments from offshore platforms move immediately to market.

But if something breaks, if the pressure in the wells fluctuate, or if countless other problems occur that cause an automatic system shutdown, there wouldn't be anyone there to get production running again.

When pressed about how the threatened shutdown could affect the automated parts of the industry, Ogun did not offer an answer.

Most oil firms, including the dominant Royal Dutch Shell PLC, say they are monitoring the situation.

Kenneth Arnold, an independent petroleum consultant and former Shell engineer, said it "would be very easy to shut down" Nigeria's oil fields. Bringing in replacement workers to run the fields raises dangers, he said.

"It may not be safe to stay there," Arnold said. "In Nigeria, people get killed in the oil fields. There are local bad guys who want a share of the action."

Other companies with subsidiaries in Nigeria include Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp., Italy's Eni SpA and French firm Total SA, which operate in tandem with the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp.

Levi Ajuonoma, a spokesman for the state-run oil firm, said it had not adjusted its production and shipping forecasts over the strike. It will take time for Nigeria's government coffers to feel the impact of the lost revenue, as oil and natural gas cargoes go out months ahead. That means, at least in the short term, supply to the U.S. would not be affected.

However, a shutdown could impact futures oil prices on global stock markets ? potentially raising the cost of gasoline for U.S. consumers. Global oil prices rose when militants began several years of attacks on oil companies and crude oil pipelines in 2006.

Oil prices were up much of the day Thursday over concerns about the impact of a Nigerian shutdown on global supplies, with benchmark crude rising by as much as $1.38 to $102.25 per barrel in New York. Prices retreated later in the day on rumors that Europe would delay an embargo of Iranian oil, to end the day down at $99.10.

"As long as Nigeria's government is selling crude ... the impact to them will not be that significant," University of Ibadan economics professor Adeola Adenikinju said. "The fiscal nerve center of the economy has not really been touched."

The growing protests and attacks from a radical Islamist sect have also put additional pressure on a government already facing popular dissent following the removal of the fuel subsidies. Analysts warn that could raise political risks in a nation with a young democracy and a history of military rulers.

"The subsidy issue provokes such strong emotions because it is viewed as one of the few benefits that Nigerians receive from living in an oil-producing nation," Barclays Capital said. "If the protests continue or gain momentum, they will pose a major challenge to the Jonathan government and potentially exhaust the capacity of an administration already facing a sustained security threat."

___

AP Energy Writer Chris Kahn in New York contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-12-AF-Nigeria-Fuel-Subsidy-Oil/id-49b165592a1d49578a58d3f83832cfa6

pau gasol va tech duggar miscarriage dan gilbert david stern david stern julian beever

Ivory Coast names squad, Ghana sweats over Gyan

By GERALD IMRAY

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 9:37 a.m. ET Jan. 11, 2012

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -Ivory Cost included Didier Drogba, Kolo Toure and Yaya Toure in its final squad for the African Cup of Nations on Wednesday after coach Francois Zahoui sprang no surprises. Ghana, however, is still waiting on the fitness of star striker Asamoah Gyan.

Zahoui named his 23-man selection in United Arab Emirates, where the Ivorians are in camp, to meet the Wednesday deadline set by the Confederation of African Football.

Also included as expected were Arsenal forward Gervinho, midfielders Cheick Tiote of Newcastle and Hannover's Didier Ya Konan and Drogba's Chelsea teammate, Salomon Kalou.

Goalkeeper Kone Ibrahim of French club Boulogne and Russia-based midfielder Marco Ne were the two players from Ivory Coast's initial training squad which traveled to the UAE who didn't make the cut.

As Africa's top-ranked team, Ivory Coast is the favorite to claim its first continental title in 20 years. The Elephants are in Group B with Angola, Burkina Faso and Sudan at the tournament co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Gyan, meanwhile, has joined Ghana at its training camp in South Africa but the 26-year-old forward, the country's star at the 2010 World Cup, is in doubt for the tournament with a hamstring injury.

The Ghana Football Association said Gyan "has made progress in his recovery," but his fitness is still doubtful enough for Black Stars coach Goran Stevanovic to wait until the last possible moment to announce his final squad.

Ghana has until midnight GMT to send its final squad selection to CAF ahead of the tournament kickoff on Jan. 21. Ghana begins its African Cup campaign against debutant Botswana on Jan. 24.

Defender Herve Zengue was left out of Burkina Faso's final squad hours after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favor of the Cameroon-born player's eligibility to play for his adopted country.

Sport's highest court said on Tuesday that Burkina Faso could play in the African Cup and dismissed an appeal by qualifying rival Namibia over Zengue's eligibility.

However, Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte left Zengue and Ivory Coast-born defender Stephane Agbre off his final list.

Burkina Faso is likely to pin much of its hopes on midfielders Alain Traore of Auxerre and Jonathan Pitroipa of Rennes.

---

Ivory Coast squad:

Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Lokeren), Gerard Gnanhouan (Avranches), Daniel Yeboah (Dijon).

Defenders: Benjamin Angoua (Valenciennes), Souleymane Bamba (Leicester), Arthur Boka (Stuttgart), Emmanuel Eboue (Galatasaray), Igor Lolo (Kuban Krasnodar), Siaka Tiene (Paris Saint-Germain), Kolo Toure (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Kafoumba Coulibaly (Nice), Jean-Jacques Gosso Gosso (Orduspor), Max Gradel (Saint-Etienne), Didier Ya Konan (Hannover), Cheick Tiote (Newcastle), Yaya Toure (Manchester City), Didier Zokora (Tabzonspor).

Forwards: Wilfried Bony (Vitesse Arnhem), Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Gervinho (Arsenal), Salomon Kalou (Chelsea), Kader Keita (Al Sadd).

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement

Glyn Kirk / AFP - Getty Images

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45954937/ns/sports-soccer/

tebowing tebowing washington wizards rudy zynga free shipping free shipping

Cristina Fernandez Doesn?t Actually Have Cancer, But False Alarms Like Hers Are Rare

Just after Christmas, the world learned that beloved Argentine President?Cristina Fernandez?had been diagnosed with early-stage?papillary carcinoma. She underwent surgery for the cancer this week?only to find out, her spokesperson has state, that it wasn?t cancer at all. But that doesn?t mean that a diagnosis like her?s should be doubted. False alarms like this one are really rare?and early detection is still the most important tool in the fight against cancer.

When it was initially reported that the mass in the style icon and gifted orator?s thyroid was believed to be cancerous, her prognosis was very good, because the lump had been detected early, and because she was able to schedule an appointment to remove the gland early enough to avoid the spread. However, after the successful removal of the thyroid, it was determined that the lump was not, in fact, cancerous. But it wasn?t that the doctors who diagnosed her were clueless?it?s that the tests for thyroid cancer are, like all tests, slightly fallible.

The turnaround from ?cancer? to ?not cancer? may make Fernandez?s original diagnosis seem questionable, but here?s the rub: reversals like this one are definitely not the standard when it comes to thyroid cancer. Because while some test results which may indicate the presence of cancerous cells, like an inconclusive Pap smear, happen fairly frequently?you probably know someone who?s gone through that unpleasant scenario?that?s just not the case with the tests used for thyroid cancer. Those tests are correct?around 94% of the time?and the other 6% is made up mostly of false negatives, which are much more dangerous.?In cases where the cancer was detected early, those tests could save a life.

Translation? Fernandez is in a very fortunate percentage of people, and this situation is not typical. But she?s still going to face a tough battle for her health.

Unfortunately,?while a false positive sounds like great news (hooray, cancer-free!), with papillary carcinoma, the only way to find out conclusively if it?s cancer or not is to remove the thyroid, which is what Fernandez has just undergone. Thyroid removal can wreak havoc on the body, throwing off hormone production and generally sending various functions into a tailspin.But if the alternative is cancer (which, again, most of the time it is), it may seem worth it to get it out early.

This reversal is great news for Fernandez?s fans, friends, and family?but it?s important to remember that it?s also a rarity. Early detection, and, in the case of thyroid cancer, removal of the glad, is still the best defense against cancer.

Image: Ecuador Times

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/b5media/blisstree/~3/Y7PRoYcXOQw/

jorge posada jay z houston texans houston texans arian foster calvin johnson calvin johnson

The Opening of 04th Golf Course in Sri Lanka

The 04th Golf Course in Sri Lanka ?Eagles? Golf Links? declared open today (07th January 2012) by Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa at Sri Lanka Air Force Academy Chinabay.

The Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Gunethileke , Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama, Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke, and other distinguished guest were present at the Occasion.

Golf has an interesting history attached to it. As a matter of fact the known and confirmed history dates back to a few centuries having its roots in Scotland. However, the far more ancient roots are lost in the sands of time and is being debated between England, Persia, Rome, and even Ancient China. Nevertheless, this game where gentlemanly ethics, standards, professionalism, and class has made a lasting footprint on the global scene of sport.

Adding to the growing list of golf courses around the world is our very own special Eagles? Golf Links Golf course. Owned and maintained by the Sri Lanka Air Force, the Eagles golf course unfolds its lush green fairways in the distant corner of China Bay, a few kilometers off Trincomalee.

In it?s relatively new form, the Eagles golf course is truly complete. The fairways extend down from par 3 to par 5. The challenges are spiced up with water hazards, sand bunkers, roughs and of course doglegs left and right. The view from the teeing grounds is outstanding and breathtaking. A walk along the fairways will take one over rising and sinking carpets of green, traditionally designed arch bridges and under cozy shades of garden hedges grown over.

China Bay is actually a treasure trove of history. This land, which has been blessed with military presence since the time of the British, is home to one of Sri Lanka?s largest airfields which was needed to cover the world?s second deepest natural harbour. During the Second World War, Trincomalee was one of two targets attacked by Admiral Nagumo?s fleet and was deftly defended by the Royal Air Force. The tense military situation warranted a significant presence in Trincomalee. The evidence of their presence can be seen in and around the general area having receded into being relics of a long lost legacy. The Eagles golf link blends in with history in a novel way to link the days of yesteryear to a hopeful future.

Standing at the beginning of the first tee, is the club house. Aesthetically designed to appease the golfer who seeks relaxation the club house offers a unique sense of natural beauty. The lounge and open lawns which recede into the bay can simply mesmerize any body, whether a golfer or not, into a hypnotic spell which can be quite difficult to shake off. Alongside the club house, the Eagles golf course offers the services of luxury cabins which can be aptly termed as star class. This offers the golfer the chance to truly relax, away from the hustles of a busy life. And is it only ?Golf? that this course can offer? Well, that is a question where many may get it wrong. Angling is a side hobby which a golfer might want to try out during his stay. The calm and somber waters, that presents itself to the club house and the cabins offer a unique and novel opportunity.

Access to the golf course is quite easy, if one was to discount the journey to China Bay itself. But turning off at the 4th mile post along the A6 highway and proceeding towards China Bay, the journey would wander past the picturesque view of the China Bay airfield. Travel up a few hundred metres beyond the Air Force Academy, and the welcoming sign of the golf course would be hard to miss alongside the road.

The Eagles? Golf Links Golf Course offers this growing Community of golfers in Sri Lanka a unique opportunity to experience the country and its Beauty-truly in style.

Courtesy : Air Force Media

Source: http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20120107_04

road house who do you think you are frank mccourt ricin in god we trust damian mcginty tj houshmandzadeh

2011 Ford Mustang GT: Maybe Pigs Don't...

...but this horse certainly does fly. It'd been a while since I'd been in the saddle and I'd almost forgotten how damn quick the 5.0 is.

My personal car is a '98 Mustang Cobra, which is fairly quick (5.5 to 60 and 13.9 in the quarter, according to road tests of the day). But it almost feels slow in comparison to the new GT. Well duh, there's a lot more power here, not to mention six gears to work with versus five. But it's the GT's hefty low-end torque that kicks you in the seat of the pants when you crack the whip -- there's serious grunt here under 2,000 rpm. Prod the throttle at lower rpm and the GT hustles and continues to pull strong to redline, whereas my old Cobra comes alive when the tach's needle sweeps past three grand. Amazing what a few decades of development can do.?

I said it once (okay, more than once) and I'll say it again: I'd buy this car in a heartbeat (sorry, Chevy) were I in the market for a performance car in the $30-35k range.

John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 19,808 miles

Categories: 2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0

Source: http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2012/01/2011-ford-mustang-gt-maybe-pigs-dont.html

bobolink bobolink breeders cup hamilton park brian wilson freedom writers lemony snicket

What donors? Super PACs buy time to keep secrets (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Independent political groups backing top Republican candidates are taking advantage of federal rules that will effectively let them shield the identities of their donors until after key primary elections this month.

These political action committees, known as super PACs, notified federal election regulators in recent weeks that they intend to file their financial reports every month. Those requests, once approved, effectively will allow the groups to hold off disclosing the names of their contributors until after primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Without the change, those groups would have had to file reports before the GOP primaries.

Just this week, a new political committee supporting former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum ? the Red, White and Blue Fund ? made a similar request to the Federal Election Commission, which would delay its next deadline to file to Jan. 31. That's the date of the Florida primary, after which candidates with little money will find it hard to continue the race.

Groups backing GOP candidates Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman have also said they would begin filing monthly reports, which they said eases administrative burdens. Before then, the super PACs filed reports quarterly to the FEC, a practice they said required submitting tedious reports before each state's primary. Democratic-leaning super PACs have not yet asked for similar extensions.

The subtle administrative change is significant since such groups are expected to play a crucial role in this year's election. In one case, Romney-leaning Restore Our Future ran a series of attack ads against Gingrich that have been widely cited as a reason for the former House speaker's plummeting support. Gingrich placed fourth in the Iowa caucuses behind Romney, Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul.

"It is secret money ? you won't know until after the primaries have occurred who helped fund them," said Trevor Potter, a former Republican FEC commissioner and president of the watchdog group Campaign Legal Center. "Whether they're doing this for the right or wrong reasons, it's the opposite of what the disclosure system was designed to do."

Robert Kelner, a campaign-finance expert and partner with the Washington law firm Covington & Burling, noted that once the FEC approves the requests, the groups eventually will file disclosure reports more frequently. "It's sort of in the eye of the beholder if that's improving or undermining disclosure," he said.

The FEC has already approved requests from Restore Our Future and Huntsman-leaning Our Destiny PAC.

The new super PACs sprung from a series of federal court rulings, including the Supreme Court's Citizens United case in 2010 that stripped away restrictions on corporate and union spending in elections. The groups can't coordinate directly with campaigns but many of them active in this election are staffed by longtime supporters of the candidates.

As a result, campaign-finance watchdogs have assailed the rulings as a dangerous return to the pre-Watergate era. The filing changes also have the effect, they say, of shielding donors until dates when many candidates might likely drop out.

The super PACs, for their part, said they are doing nothing illegal, following established law and exercising their free-speech rights.

Restore Our Future treasurer Charles Spies said his political committee complies with FEC rules and has been above board disclosing the identities of its donors. His group was the first to ask the FEC ? in a two-sentence request ? for the fling change in December.

Democratic-leaning Priorities USA Action hasn't asked for a change in its filing frequency, nor has its GOP counterpart, American Crossroads, a group backed by former President George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove. Both have nonprofit arms that are regulated by the IRS and don't have to disclose their donors.

Super PACs have already spent millions on television ads and mailings to boost their favored candidates in Iowa. And the Red, White and Blue Fund and Our Destiny have already begun planning for ads in South Carolina.

____

Follow Jack Gillum at http://twitter.com/jackgillum

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120107/ap_on_el_pr/us_secret_political_donors

sweet caroline lottery winning numbers pro bowl roster quirky chrissy teigen chia seeds embers