2012 NBA predictions: Bryant, Lakers in for two fights; Where is Dwight going?

Sporting News looks at five story lines to watch in the NBA in 2012:

1. The battle for L.A.

The trade that sent Chris Paul to the Clippers had a special place in the craw of Lakers fans. For one thing, before the veto of commissioner David Stern, Paul was very nearly a Laker. Additionally, he was part of the Lakers? plan for the future that also included acquiring Orlando center Dwight Howard. The addition of Paul?with Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler?to the Blake Griffin Show means that the Clippers now have at least as much, if not more, talent than the Lakers. The Staples Center co-tenants will battle not only for bragging rights in town, but for the Pacific Division crown.

PREDICTION: The Lakers figure to right themselves once they work Andrew Bynum back into the lineup, but once the Clippers develop chemistry, they have the more talented roster. Look for the Clips to nose out the Lakers in the Pacific Division.

CBA reality series

Part I: Drafting a star gets you seven years | Part II: 'Bird Rights' are a myth | Part III: The luxury tax could pull apart the Heat | Part IV: Superstar trades won't become the norm

2. What will Dwight do?

We have seen this scenario before: Star player in a small market playing for a good-but-not-great team, star player wants out, free agency is coming up and a long, drawn-out saga over the player?s future ensues. Last year, it took Denver until the week of the trade deadline to finally make a move on Carmelo Anthony, and this year, Orlando might do the same (the trade deadline is March 15) with Howard. The options are narrow, as Howard has indicated he prefers the Nets or the Lakers, and both teams have limited or flawed assets. The Magic, for their part, have said they are not seeking trades for Howard?at least not yet. In the backdrop is this uncomfortable fact: The Magic will be hosting the All-Star Game in February, and the entire weekend could be overshadowed by Howard?s status.

PREDICTION: The Magic will eventually have to read the writing on the wall and accept the fact that they can either get some assets for Howard or lose him for nothing. Orlando will take its time, but the bet here is that Howard winds up in New Jersey.

3. The Heat?s Big Three in Year 2

Miami did not come up with the championship that many expected after it brought in LeBron James and Chris Bosh to team with Dwyane Wade. But the Heat did earn a spot in The Finals, blowing away Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago in last year?s playoffs before running into the Dallas buzzsaw. It is motivation from that Finals loss?and the addition of veteran wing defender Shane Battier?that should have the Heat primed to take home this year?s title.

PREDICTION: That Finals loss is a pretty significant motivating factor for the Heat this year. Throw in the addition of veteran wing defender Shane Battier and the play of rookie point guard Norris Cole, and the Heat are primed to take home this year?s title.

4. The last stands

With Kobe Bryant playing through a wrist injury and Pau Gasol aging, the Lakers had hoped that the Paul trade would infuse the roster with a star player in his prime. Instead, the Lakers are looking to squeeze one more title run out of this group. They?re hardly alone. The aging defending-champion Mavericks pared their roster in order to prepare for rebuilding next year, the Spurs are trying to infuse some youth on the fly as Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili decline, and after showing their age in the postseason, the Celtics look especially old this year. These teams account for 11 of the last 13 championships, but there might not be much left in any of their tanks.

PREDICTION: Time to close the book on all four of these teams. If either the Mavs or Lakers can nab Howard, they?ll stay in the championship picture. But not this year.

5. The next steps

If there is a vacuum forming as the top teams in the league age, then that vacuum will be filled by two non-Miami teams: The Bulls and the Thunder. Not that both teams don?t have issues to work out. In order to compete for a title, the Bulls need to locate the Carlos Boozer they thought they were signing when they gave him a five-year, $80 million deal in the summer of 2010, and they need new shooting guard Richard Hamilton to play like it is 2006 (or at least, 2009). That will take pressure off point guard Derrick Rose, who needs to get better at figuring out when to use his teammates and when to be a scorer himself?he forced the action too much in the playoffs last year.

?SI.com: Always thinking of MJ, Rose is after one thing: championship trophy

The same can be said for Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, who likely holds the key to his team?s title hopes. We?ve already seen that Westbrook has some difficulty dealing with teammates, and he needs to be a better leader, on and off the floor.

PREDICTION: Bulls continue to improve, but not quite enough to get past Miami. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, punches its ticket to the Finals. And loses to Miami.

Source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2011-12-30/2012-nba-predictions-chris-paul-clippers-kobe-lakers-derrick-rose-dwight-howard

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Friend: Texas gunman upset his wife was doing well

LANCASTER, Texas -- Family friends say a Texas man accused of killing six relatives in a Christmas Day murder-suicide was struggling financially and didn't like that his estranged wife was doing well.

Authorities say 56-year-old Aziz Yazdanpanah (ah-ZEEZ' YAWZ'-dahn-pahn-aw) was dressed as Santa when he fatally shot his estranged wife, their two teenage children and three other relatives Sunday inside an apartment in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine.

After a private burial for the six victims Thursday, family friend Azar Shahbazi (AH'-zahr shah-BAH'-zee) said she believed Yazdanpanah was upset because his wife "was doing good on her own."

The wife's brother, Ali Rahmaty (AH'-lee rah-MAH'-tee), says he'd been financially supporting the family. He says Yazdanpanah had been unemployed for more than a decade, but says he never thought Yazdanpanah would become violent.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/30/2566521/friend-texas-gunman-upset-his.html

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Melting Glaciers Cutting Peru Water Supply

You misunderstand evolution. Well, at least your comprehension of it isn't as absolute as you seem to think. The scenario you put forth is one possible example of evolution, but not the only possible one. A more likely scenario is one in which the environmental change is fairly gradual and, during the transition, a variation occurs making some subset of organisms more able to survive in the conditions the environment is transitioning to. The case where the environment shifts overnight is almost certainly less common and, even when it does occur, it's still more likely that the mutated subset of organisms that take over the niche don't come from the affected region, but repopulate it from nearby areas unaffected by the environmental change.

In any case, the kind of changes that require rapid adaptation by a population generally aren't very pleasant for the population. They're usually mostly, or absolutely destructive to the local population. Humans, as a species, or in smaller groupings, can survive all kinds of things. That doesn't mean that big changes don't cause all kinds of suffering and death on the individual level, however. This is something that some people seem to misunderstand (or callously dismiss when it doesn't affect them directly) leading to statements like "Don't live in places without water, stupid".

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/8hCgmAdSOj0/melting-glaciers-cutting-peru-water-supply

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China jails six for selling chemical-tainted pork (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? A Chinese court has jailed six people for producing and selling chemical-tainted pork, state media said on Wednesday, the latest ruling in a food safety scandal.

The butchers in the east of the country were convicted of "harming public safety" for producing and selling pork tainted with clenbuterol, a toxic chemical used to produce lean meat, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing a court ruling.

The six were given terms of up to four years in prison by the court in Nanjing on December 13, it added.

"The six butchers, who worked at a Nanjing slaughter house, admitted they had bought live pigs from central Henan Province, slaughtered and sold the pork earlier this year, even though they knew the pork had been tainted by clenbuterol," Xinhua said.

"All six butchers signed contracts with the slaughterhouse in March 2009, vowing they would not sell clenbuterol-tainted pork."

They were also fined up to 50,000 yuan ($7,900).

Several others, including government officials, are still being tried in Nanjing, Xinhua added.

Lean meat sells for a premium in China, the world's largest producer and consumer of pork, which spurs some farmers to resort to using clenbuterol.

If eaten excessively by humans, however, the chemical can lead to muscle tremors, dizziness, headaches and gastric irritations.

The pork case first came to light in March, and since then at least 113 people have been jailed.

China is no stranger to food safety scares, including one involving tainted milk, despite repeated government campaigns to crack down on the problem and tough punishments handed out to those involved.

In 2008, at least six children died and nearly 300,000 fell ill from drinking milk made from powder laced with melamine, an industrial compound added to milk and milk power to give misleadingly high results in protein tests.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/hl_nm/us_china_tainted_pork

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Youth baseball, softball leagues reach Roscoe deal

ROSCOE ? Boys and girls will be back in action on Roscoe?s baseball diamonds this spring under Stateline Youth Athletics. The Roscoe Village Board and SYA representatives have reached a tentative four-year deal that will allow the youth baseball and softball league to use the village?s Porter, Leland and Thunder parks.

The village had threatened to sever ties completely with SYA if the league didn?t sign a proposed contract by Thursday. Representatives from both sides met early last week to clarify some of the provisions in the contract, such as when the concession stands would close each night and the procedure for selling advertising and signage space in the parks.
The SYA board of directors approved the proposed contract with a few minor language changes. The Village Board will be asked to approve the contract Thursday.

?Basically, we just needed to clarify some little things,? Village President Dave Krienke said.
Roscoe and SYA have been at odds since the Village Board began requiring organizations to sign written agreements before they use village property.

SYA officials refused to sign the agreement this spring to use Porter and Leland parks, saying it imposed unreasonable demands.

As a result, the youth league was not allowed to play ball in those parks this summer.

After months of back and forth and a series of give-and-take negotiations between Krienke and Trustee Chad DuBree and SYA President Jeff Schreck and representative Brad Lindmark, both sides thought they had a deal in the fall.

The Village Board sent the negotiated contract to SYA to ratify Nov. 14, but it instead received a counterproposal several weeks later.

On Dec. 15, the Village Board unanimously approved a proposed contract and said it would cut ties with SYA if the league didn?t approve it within one week.

The newest proposal will strictly limit the league to hosting youth baseball and softball games, which includes high school and college teams.

The league will not be allowed to host adult tournaments or other events, such as kickball tournaments.

If the Village Board approves the contract Thursday, boys and girls will start practice and games the first week of May, Schreck said.

Staff writer Greg Stanley can be reached at gstanley@rrstar.com or 815-987-1369.

Source: http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1569724900/Youth-baseball-softball-leagues-to-keep-playing-in-Roscoe

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Doh! Top Science Journal Retractions of 2011

News | More Science

Each year hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific articles are retracted. Most involve no blatant malfeasance; the authors themselves often detect errors and retract the paper. Some retractions, however, entail plagiarism, false authorship or cooked data

By Christopher Wanjek and LiveScience Bad Science Columnist ?| December 27, 2011?|

Image: City of Yuma, Arizona

Bad science papers can have lasting effects. Consider the 1998 paper in the journal The Lancet that linked autism to the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. That paper was fully retracted in 2010 upon evidence that senior author Andrew Wakefield had manipulated data and breached several proper ethical codes of conduct.

Nevertheless the erroneous paper continues to undermine public confidence in vaccines. After the Lancet article, MMR vaccination rates dipped sharply and haven't fully rebounded. This decline in the MMR vaccine has been tied to a rise in measles cases resulting in permanent injury and death.

Each year hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific articles are retracted. Most involve no blatant malfeasance; the authors themselves often detect errors and retract the paper. Some retractions, however, as documented on the blog Retraction Watch, entail plagiarism, false authorship or cooked data.

No journal is safe from retractions, from the mighty "single-word-title" journals such as Nature, Science and Cell, to the myriad minor, esoteric ones.

Yet as astronomer Carl Sagan once said, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." Below are five science results retracted in 2011, pulled permanently off the books in part for falling far short of meeting the Sagan standard.

#5: Los Angeles marijuana dispensaries lead to drop in crime.

Keep smoking. The RAND Corporation retracted its own report in October after realizing its sloppy data collection.

Crime data compiled from neighborhoods with these highly contentious medical marijuana dispensaries supposedly revealed slightly lower crime rates. The authors attributed this decline not to marijuana itself but rather the presence of security cameras and guards in and around the dispensaries, having a positive effect on the neighborhood. [The History of 8 Hallucinogens]

The L.A. city attorney's office was incensed with the report, having argued the opposite ? that the dispensaries breed crime. The city's lawyers soon found critical flaws in RAND's data collection, largely stemming from RAND's reliance on data from CrimeReports.com, which did not include data from the L.A. Police Department. RAND blamed itself for the error, not CrimeReports.com, which had made no claims of having a complete set of data, and, in fact, didn't even know about the study.

#4 -- Butterfly meets worm, falls in love, and has caterpillars.

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published a fantastic claim in 2009 by zoologist Donald Williamson, which was delightfully reported in the science news media. Williamson claimed that ancestors of modern butterflies mistakenly fertilized their eggs with sperm from velvet worms. The result was the necessity for the caterpillar stage of the butterfly life cycle.

The PNAS paper got a few laughs among evolutionary scientists, but it hasn't yet been retracted. Williamson's follow-up 2011 paper in the journal Symbiosis, however, has been retracted.

Researchers Michael Hart and Richard Grosberg at the University of Texas, Austin, systematically refuted all of Williamson's claims in the pages of PNAS by the end of 2009. They based their arguments entirely on well-known concepts of both basic evolution and the genetics of modern worms and butterflies. When Symbiosis published its butterfly-meets-worm article in January 2011, Hart raised questions with the editor. As of November the paper is no longer available.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=0a7fd8c181e860c847be268ff2e60426

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Users Mixed on New Facebook Timeline Format

December 26, 2011 Updated Dec 26, 2011 at 1:31 PM PST

"I hope you have an amazing day."

With more than a thousand Facebook friends, Maria Volari has been answering birthday greetings all day. She is approaching the new changes with caution. "I always kind of watch that. I'm a teacher so I know that a lot of my students and other colleagues are on there. I always watch what I put up."

In addition to bigger pictures, the biggest change to your Facebook layout will be the timeline, a chronological organization of everything you've posted on Facebook.

Balasam Yussif has been testing the new layout for the past few months. "I think it's a positive experience because if you use it properly you can set it up to be kind of a visual calendar of your life."

Socialogic is a Chicago firm that helps companies manage their social media policies. They have been playing with the new layout too, and experts here say it will require you to do some work.

Jacqueline Zenn, a Social Media Strategist says, "When you set up your timeline it's important to go through and really kind of take a look at what you've got on there and think about do you want that to be indexed and searched and have everybody be able to find it, or do you want just your friends and family to be able to see it, do you maybe want to delete those college party pictures."

But in the end, it will be up to users to judge whether the new Facebook is an improved Facebook.

"I think it's pretty cool. Yeah, it shows you like from the start. It tells a story."

"I think it's kind of annoying and doesn't really make sense to me. I think it was fine the way it was."

"Yeah I agree totally."

"It takes a little bit of effort to get used to it, so we'll see after a month if I like it or not, but right now it's kind of a pain."

And pain or not, users will have seven days to make the transition to the new Facebook.

Source: http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/Users-Mixed-on-New-Facebook-Timeline-Format-136233608.html

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2011 Ford F-150 - Sarasota Ford - Sarasota, FL

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Source: http://www.slideshare.net/SarasotaFord/2011-ford-f150-sarasota-ford-sarasota-fl-10687944

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Please help! I need to pick a wedding ring (pics of e-ring)

We're getting married in February, but our jewelry store is doing a 20% off sale only through the end of the year. I'd ordered a plain flat band. I went to pick it up and didn't love it with my ring. It looks... okay. I really don't care for the matching set (the engagement ring with the intended band that matches it exactly). I need ideas of what to do! My FI couldn't come to town before Christmas so he's no help. I am so worked up about this. I know that if I don't get something pricier while the sale is on then I definitely won't get it later. The price isn't the issue, and FI agrees.

I tried on my e-ring with the matching band and I didn't care for it. My center stone seemed to get lost in all that bling. For reference, my center is a 1.2 carat and my ring size is 4.5.

I tried a really wide plain band and I hated it. I knew I wanted a very narrow band, which the one I ordered is 2mm, but it's still too wide compared to how narrow the diamonds in my channel set are.

I was even thinking now that I could do 3 rings... engagement, wedding band, and another one. A friend has these in fashion rings with her diamond mounted on one. For sentimental reasons my FI would be heartbroken to change my engagement band in any way.

Here are pics of my ring:

Here is the band I ordered. It's flat and plain and 2mm wide:

Here is a picture similar to what the set would look like (I don't like how matchy matchy it is)

Any ideas of what to do?

Source: http://www.pricescope.com/forum/show-me-the-ring/please-help-i-need-to-pick-a-wedding-ring-pics-of-e-ring-t169837.html

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Knowing your Automotive Restoration Expenses once the Verify ...

It is a stressed routine has lots of owners have ? every time they commence their motors, they glance nervously to ascertain if that Verify Powerplant lighting is illuminated. When it is, they?ll have no tranquility until they placed their automobile to some auto technician to offer the issue checked out. automotive fuse blocks It could indicate just a Dollar1 machine or it might suggest something significant that may indicate Dollar500 valuation on automotive fix. Naturally, the tone of voice of purpose lets you know that you can feel special to the light. It gives you a way of getting on top of the problem before it will get unreasonably out of control ? a stitch with time and that. But it is hard to not fear that gentle.

It was once people an average of kept an automobile approximately 8 a long time. Right now, that number is perfectly up to 11 years. As men and women start to drive their autos for and more time, with improves at work getting difficult to find, maintaining entirely together with all one?s automotive restore and upkeep wants becomes essential. What are one of the most typical main reasons why a check mark Engine light should seriously in the vehicle? What kinds of automotive restore could be for the cards when that gentle sets out to flicker? Understanding the most common reasons why this certainly will happen must aid established your head while resting relatively.

A bad catalytic ripping tools might be a single reason. Given that just isn?t everything to collection your brain resting a whole new converter may cost Bucks1500. It?s the job in the catalytic ripping tools to clean the exhaust so you don?t pollute all the. Usually, enough maintenance in other places about the auto, such as with all the spark plugs, ensures that your catalytic converter continues balanced. For instance, for those who have of curiosity plugs firing in the incorrect occasions, your quality of ride can endure. Updating your of curiosity plugs yourself all cost you about Dollar60 obtaining a expert automotive repair shop to do it for you would amount to about Dollar300. But also in standard, that ripper tools is often a part which is significantly at risk on any automobile. They get compromised all the time for your platinum along with other precious metals which can be included.

However, not all sources of a cheque powerplant mild are these kinds of not so good news. Occasionally, it might just be the gas cover has dropped off of. When that takes place, fuel disappears in to the ambiance and waste items your money. You can change one of these simple for a few money. Detectors often go wrong in almost any modern-day vehicle. A damaged air indicator, for example, cost you Dollar150. Should you have trouble with your size air movement indicator, which could amount automotive fuse to double the. This revolutionary product should certainly evaluate how unhampered atmosphere runs to the engine.

Eco friendly are the priciest type of automobile to correct. As known as they seem to be, technicians been trained in their repair continue to be quite few.

This entry was posted in Automobile. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://www.capstoapply.com/knowing-your-automotive-restoration-expenses-once-the-verify-powerplant-lamp-continues-on.html

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Robert De Niro is a dad again at 68

LOS ANGELES?? Actor Robert De Niro and his wife Grace Hightower have become the proud parents of a baby girl born via a surrogate, the actor's spokesman confirmed on Friday.

The child is the second for De Niro, 68, and Hightower, 56. She is named Helen Grace Hightower De Niro, and weighed a healthy 7 lbs 2 oz at birth.

The "Meet the Parents" star married actress Hightower in 1997, and the couple have a son, Elliot, born in 1998.

De Niro also has a son and adopted daughter with ex-wife Diahnne Abbott and two twin sons with former girlfriend Toukie Smith.

The actor can currently be seen in the star-studded, feel-good film "New Year's Eve."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45780110/ns/today-entertainment/

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Bukowsky: Sending out my first tweet from my new iPad! Special #Christmas gift to me from my awesome wife!

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Sending out my first tweet from my new iPad! Special #Christmas gift to me from my awesome wife! Il y a environ 3 heures via Twitter for iPad

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Source: http://twitter.com/Bukowsky/statuses/150791505727074307

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Password Protect Your Notes with Memo for Mac [Mac Downloads]

OS X: The default sticky notes app for OS X is great, but you can't use it for any type of confidential information you might want to keep at the ready. Memo is a simple app that allows you to password protect and hide your notes.

You can set you memos to autolock after one minute or lock them manually. You're able to set the password for each individual note, so you don't have to protect every one you're using. Memo doesn't do anything else, but if you love using the sticky notes on your Mac but want to hide the occasional bad haiku or gift list, Memo does its job and ensures nobody else can see them. It's a free download in the Mac App Store.

Memo - Sticky Notes | Mac App Store via Addictive Tips

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/A1qa-vfO5_w/password-protect-your-notes-with-memo-for-mac

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Prosecutors not investigating Dutch TV cannibalism (AP)

AMSTERDAM ? Dutch prosecutors are not investigating a case of apparent cannibalism on a Dutch TV show in which presenters appeared to consume tiny pieces of each others' flesh that had been surgically removed.

Amsterdam prosecution spokeswoman Yvonne van der Leede said Thursday no investigation is under way. Thijs Verheij, spokesman for broadcaster BNN, said doctors and others involved in the stunt may have broken laws but police probably have more important things to do. BNN has insisted the case is not a hoax.

The show "Guinea Pigs" aired Wednesday and showed footage of what appeared to be the removal of tissue from a buttock of one presenter and the waist of another. In front of a studio audience, the pair described cooked fatty tissue as rubbery and disgusting, and muscle as indistinguishable from other meat.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_fe_st/eu_netherlands_cannibalism

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Satellite Images Create Real Snow Globe (SPACE.com)

Snow globes, those favorite vacation souvenirs, let even those who live in warm climates see snow fall. From their vantage point in space, NASA satellites get to see a real snow globe, as they observe the seasonal falls that cover portions of the planet with the white stuff.

A set of observations collected between February 2000 and November 2011 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite has been stitched together to create an animation of Earth's snow cover over the past decade.

Areas in medium blue have a snow cover of more than zero percent and white areas are covered 100 percent, with other colors ranging in between. Land that appears gray either had no snow cover or was an area not covered by MODIS data. Because MODIS relies on visible light to assess snow cover, the sensor cannot collect data over the highest latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere during winter when no sunlight reaches those regions.

Snow and ice cover most of the Earth's polar regions throughout the year, but the coverage at lower latitudes depends on season and elevation. High-altitude landscapes such as the Tibetan Plateau and the Andes and Rocky Mountains maintain some amount of snow cover almost year round.

Land area is larger and snow cover is more variable in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.

This article was provided by OurAmazingPlanet, a sister site of SPACE.com.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20111222/sc_space/satelliteimagescreaterealsnowglobe

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Villain or no villain? Greg Jackson says Jon Jones has little control of what the fans think

Greg Jackson tried to teach Jon Jones a lesson at UFC 140 following his win over Lyoto Machida. He told Jones to tend to the fallen Machida and "go get some fans." Clearly, Jackson misspoke and the intended lesson was lost on most.

"You get to this post adrenaline dump after the fight. Jon did that too," Jackson said of Jones' decision to stoically walk away from the sleeping Machida. "As a coach, I wanted to bring him out of that and make sure that he followed ring decorum. I think it's really important to be a role model for the fans."

Jones' ultimate image is still unknown. A very good guy away from the cage, Jones heard more than a few boos in Toronto. Jackson told ESPN1100/98.9 FM that he doesn't know why Jones was getting it from the boo birds.

"It's for the fans' entertainment. If they want to boo him ... it's like WWE. Then they're going to love him again ... then they're going to hate him again. As long as everybody's having a good time. It is what it is," said Jackson. "For me, I just want him to stay positive, make sure that he can the best role model he can be and then the fans will decide what they want to decide."

Here's the rest of the Jackson conversation. The MMA trainer also spoke about his role in shaping the movie "Warrior." Cagewriter is currently running a "Warrior" DVD giveaway on its Facebook page. The contest ends tomorrow.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Villain-or-no-villain-Greg-Jackson-says-Jon-Jon?urn=mma-wp10980

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Astronomers, Iowa State's Kawaler discover planets that survived their star's expansion

Public release date: 21-Dec-2011
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Contact: Steve Kawaler
sdk@iastate.edu
515-294-9728
Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa Astronomers have discovered two Earth-sized planets that survived getting caught in the red-giant expansion of their host star.

Steve Kawaler, an Iowa State University professor of physics and astronomy and a leader of the Kepler Asteroseismic Investigation, helped the research team study data from the Kepler space telescope to confirm that tiny variations of light from a star were actually caused by two planets of that star.

The findings are published in the Letters section of the Dec. 22 edition of the journal Nature. Stphane Charpinet of the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Plantologie in Toulouse, France, is the lead author and leader of the research team.

"This is a snapshot of what our solar system might look like after several billion more years of evolution," Kawaler said. "This can help us learn about the future of planetary systems and of our own sun."

Kawaler said the researchers have studied pulsations of the planets' host star (KIC 05807616, an old star just past its red-giant state and with an exposed core) for about two years. While analyzing the data, Charpinet noticed two tiny variations repeated in 5.76 and 8.23 hour intervals.

He asked other astronomers including Kawaler to analyze the original Kepler data and a subsequent set of data to see if they could also see the variations.

"We saw them in the same place and the same periodicity," Kawaler said. "So we knew they were real."

That led to the next question: "So what are they?"

Kawaler, working 26 years ago with the late Carl Hansen of the University of Colorado, had studied the fastest, and slowest, rates that stars could pulsate. Using that result, the team could conclude the variations seen by Kepler were too slow to be caused by the star itself. And so the astronomers started testing the idea that the variations were from two planets orbiting the star.

Astronomers believe the variations from the two planets KOI 55.01 and KOI 55.02 are caused by reflection of the star's light on the planets and by differences in thermal emissions from the hot day-sides and cooler night-sides of the planets.

The astronomers also report the two planets are 76 percent and 87 percent the size of Earth. That makes them among the smallest planets detected around a star other than our sun.

They further report the planets are very close to their host star, only .6 percent and .76 percent the distance between the sun and Earth. That means conditions on the planets are very harsh with temperatures up to 16,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

That's so close the host star's expansion as a red giant would have engulfed the planets, possibly stripping gaseous giants similar to Jupiter down to their dense cores. The planets also could have contributed to the host star's unusual loss of mass.

The research team said the discovery of the two planets raises many questions about their ability to survive such harsh conditions. It also raises questions about how planets can affect the evolution of their host stars.

Kawaler said NASA's Kepler Mission, launched in March 2009, is a tremendous tool for studying stars and planets. So much so, astronomers are working to extend the Kepler Mission another four years, from 2012 into 2016.

Kepler's primary job is to detect tiny variations in the brightness of the stars within its view to find Earth-like planets that might be able to support life.

###

The Kepler Asteroseismic Investigation is also using Kepler data to study different kinds of stars. The investigation is led by a four-member steering committee: Kawaler, Chair Ron Gilliland of the Space Telescope Science Institute based in Baltimore, Jorgen Christensen-Dalsgaard and Hans Kjeldsen, both of Aarhus University in Denmark.

---

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Public release date: 21-Dec-2011
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Contact: Steve Kawaler
sdk@iastate.edu
515-294-9728
Iowa State University

AMES, Iowa Astronomers have discovered two Earth-sized planets that survived getting caught in the red-giant expansion of their host star.

Steve Kawaler, an Iowa State University professor of physics and astronomy and a leader of the Kepler Asteroseismic Investigation, helped the research team study data from the Kepler space telescope to confirm that tiny variations of light from a star were actually caused by two planets of that star.

The findings are published in the Letters section of the Dec. 22 edition of the journal Nature. Stphane Charpinet of the Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Plantologie in Toulouse, France, is the lead author and leader of the research team.

"This is a snapshot of what our solar system might look like after several billion more years of evolution," Kawaler said. "This can help us learn about the future of planetary systems and of our own sun."

Kawaler said the researchers have studied pulsations of the planets' host star (KIC 05807616, an old star just past its red-giant state and with an exposed core) for about two years. While analyzing the data, Charpinet noticed two tiny variations repeated in 5.76 and 8.23 hour intervals.

He asked other astronomers including Kawaler to analyze the original Kepler data and a subsequent set of data to see if they could also see the variations.

"We saw them in the same place and the same periodicity," Kawaler said. "So we knew they were real."

That led to the next question: "So what are they?"

Kawaler, working 26 years ago with the late Carl Hansen of the University of Colorado, had studied the fastest, and slowest, rates that stars could pulsate. Using that result, the team could conclude the variations seen by Kepler were too slow to be caused by the star itself. And so the astronomers started testing the idea that the variations were from two planets orbiting the star.

Astronomers believe the variations from the two planets KOI 55.01 and KOI 55.02 are caused by reflection of the star's light on the planets and by differences in thermal emissions from the hot day-sides and cooler night-sides of the planets.

The astronomers also report the two planets are 76 percent and 87 percent the size of Earth. That makes them among the smallest planets detected around a star other than our sun.

They further report the planets are very close to their host star, only .6 percent and .76 percent the distance between the sun and Earth. That means conditions on the planets are very harsh with temperatures up to 16,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

That's so close the host star's expansion as a red giant would have engulfed the planets, possibly stripping gaseous giants similar to Jupiter down to their dense cores. The planets also could have contributed to the host star's unusual loss of mass.

The research team said the discovery of the two planets raises many questions about their ability to survive such harsh conditions. It also raises questions about how planets can affect the evolution of their host stars.

Kawaler said NASA's Kepler Mission, launched in March 2009, is a tremendous tool for studying stars and planets. So much so, astronomers are working to extend the Kepler Mission another four years, from 2012 into 2016.

Kepler's primary job is to detect tiny variations in the brightness of the stars within its view to find Earth-like planets that might be able to support life.

###

The Kepler Asteroseismic Investigation is also using Kepler data to study different kinds of stars. The investigation is led by a four-member steering committee: Kawaler, Chair Ron Gilliland of the Space Telescope Science Institute based in Baltimore, Jorgen Christensen-Dalsgaard and Hans Kjeldsen, both of Aarhus University in Denmark.

---

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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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/isu-ais122111.php

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NFL makes 2 changes in concussion protocols

NEW YORK (AP) ? The NFL is changing how it handles concussion examinations after Browns quarterback Colt McCoy went back into a Dec. 8 game without being tested for one.

A certified athletic trainer, paid by the league, will be at each game to monitor play and provide medical staffs with "any relevant information that may assist them in determining the most appropriate evaluation and treatment," the NFL said in a statement Wednesday. The trainers will not diagnose nor prescribe treatment and can't order that players be removed from a game.

Their presence is intended to assist team medical staffs in addressing a variety of injuries.

The trainer's "role will be to provide information to team medical staffs that might have been missed due to a lack of a clear view of the play or because they were attending to other players or duties," the statement said.

The trainer will be in a booth upstairs with access to video replay and direct communication to the medical staffs of both teams.

"In most cases, the athletic trainer will be affiliated with a major college program in the area or will have previously been affiliated with an NFL club," the league said.

The league and each team are in the process of selecting the trainers.

Also, team medical staffs will be permitted to use cell phones during games to gather information relating to the care of an injured player. This is not limited to concussions.

McCoy was hurt on a helmet-to-helmet hit by Steelers linebacker James Harrison late in Pittsburgh's win. He returned to the game after missing just two plays without being examined for a concussion.

The quarterback wasn't tested until after the game, when he was diagnosed with a concussion. McCoy is still experiencing symptoms and hasn't played since.

The Browns said McCoy wasn't showing symptoms of a concussion during the game, so they didn't test him. Team doctors were treating other players and didn't see the impact from Harrison's vicious hit. Harrison later was suspended for one game for being a repeat offender and returned to practice Wednesday after missing a loss at San Francisco.

The NFL said the Browns would not be disciplined for their handling of the situation.

"Clubs also were reminded of the importance of team coaching and medical staffs continuing to work together to ensure that full information is available at all times to medical staffs," the NFL's statement said, "that players do not take steps to avoid evaluations, and that concussions continue to be managed in a conservative and medically appropriate way."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-21-FBN-Concussions/id-6553a383889f4422b69b3796c418fd3f

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Man United to face Ajax in Europa League

/

By GRAHAM DUNBAR

updated 7:53 a.m. ET Dec. 16, 2011

NYON, Switzerland - Former European champions Manchester United and Ajax will meet in the last 32 of the Europa League.

The two were drawn to face each other Friday.

Defending champion FC Porto will take on Manchester City, while 2010 Europa League champion Atletico Madrid will face Lazio.

In other matches, it's: Stoke vs. Valencia; Udinese vs. PAOK; and Locomotiv Moscow vs. Athletic Bilbao.

The first legs will be played Feb. 16, with the return matches scheduled for Feb. 23.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Chelsea slips, Dempsey scores

Euro roundup: Chelsea missed a chance to put pressure on the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, yielding a goal with two minutes left in a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Wigan.

Mike Stobe / Getty Images

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45695539/ns/sports-soccer/

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Salesforce.com enters HR software business (Reuters)

BOSTON (Reuters) ? Salesforce.com Inc is entering the business of selling human resources software in a move that raises the stakes in its battle to woo customers away from bigger rivals SAP AG and Oracle Corp..

The provider of web-based software for managing sales, customer service and marketing said on Thursday that it has agreed to buy Rypple, a closely held company with 350 customers including social networking giant Facebook.

Salesforce said it expects the deal to close in the quarter ending April 30, 2012, and that it won't have a material impact on revenue in the coming fiscal year.

The company described the acquisition as the first step in an effort to build out a line of web-based human resources software for corporations.

Companies use Rypple to manage goal-setting, manager feedback, recognition and coaching using an interface that has the feel of modern social networking sites like Facebook.

Salesforce.com is internally developing additional human resources software to help companies in areas including recruitment, adding new workers and training them, said Executive Vice President John Wookey, who will run the new HR business unit.

Salesforce.com Chief Executive Marc Benioff credited Facebook for introducing him to Rypple, saying that the social networking site's chief information officer, Tim Campos, first told him about the three-year-old company.

Benioff told Reuters that human resources is the last major category of business management software he plans to introduce. "This is enough," he said. "We're in the major categories."

He said it would be several years before the human resources products account for a material share of revenue because his existing products are already relatively big sellers.

Analysts expected the company's revenue to climb 30 percent to $2.9 billion in the coming fiscal year, which ends in January 2013, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. That's more than triple the comparable forecasts for SAP and Oracle.

The company is currently the biggest seller of web-based business management software, but is a far smaller company than either SAP or Oracle, which provide broad lines of software that is installed inside corporate data centers.

Oracle and SAP have invested heavily over the last few years to catch up with Salesforce in the business of selling web-based programs.

SAP announced earlier this month that it planned to spend $3.4 billion to buy SuccessFactors Inc, one of the biggest providers of web-based human-resources software.

Officials from SAP and Oracle declined comment on Salesforce.com's plans.

(Reporting by Jim Finkle. Editing by Gunna Dickson and Carol Bishopric

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/software/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111216/tc_nm/us_salesforce_rypple

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A trip down memory lane with Facebook's Timeline

NEW YORK (AP) ? Facebook's 800 million users can now access the site's Timeline feature, which turns their profile pages into a virtual scrapbook full of big photos, memorable posts and life events.

People can add pre-Facebook memories, too. The Timeline goes back as far as the user's birth date. The Timeline is blank for now, but Facebook hopes people will fill it up by scanning old photos and adding dates and places of life events. It's even possible to add a status update from 1984 ? two decades before Facebook's 2004 debut.

For many users, turning on Timeline will likely serve as a trip down memory lane as they rediscover photos and updates they shared weeks, months and even years ago. It may also prove to be a helpful reminder about just what they've posted on Facebook over the years. Youthful indiscretions, unfortunate photos and hasty status updates can be hidden from Timeline or deleted forever.

Facebook has rolled out Timeline to small groups of users over the past few months. It's available to everyone else starting Thursday. To find it, search for "timeline" on Facebook. Click on "Introducing Timeline." There, you will find a link to get it.

Once you do this, though, you'll have only a week to move stuff around, hide photos or feature them more prominently on your page. After that, Timeline will replace your old profile page, though you can change things on it at any time.

The privacy settings for Timeline are no different from your existing privacy settings. But it's very likely that the posts you shared with friends three years ago are now shared with a much larger group of people, as you've added new friends, co-workers and acquaintances.

And what of the sad memories? Facebook's introductory video of Timeline is full of smiling faces and happy babies. But as users curate their life events, there may be moments they won't want to immortalize on Facebook.

Death, illness, divorce ? will these be missing from your Timeline?

___

Follow Barbara Ortutay on Twitter at twitter.com/BarbaraOrtutay

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-12-15-Facebook-Timeline/id-8c5f3901d9d44f259880c1066f0de906

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Fisher says more Fed easing is "wrong path" (Reuters)

AUSTIN (Reuters) ? More monetary stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve would be the "wrong path," despite the threat the simmering European debt crisis is posing for the U.S. economy, a top Fed official known for his hawkish views on inflation said on Friday.

It is up to Congress and the President -- not the U.S. central bank -- to clean up the "yucky mess" that is the country's debt and fiscal problems, Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher said, reprising what is for him a frequent theme in public speeches.

"The Federal Reserve has done everything it can, and more, to reduce unemployment without forsaking our sacred commitment to maintaining price stability, or crossing over the monetary river Styx into full-blown debt monetization," Fisher told the Austin Chamber of Commerce. "From my standpoint, resorting to further monetary accommodation to clean out the sink, clogged by the flotsam and jetsam of a jolly, drunken fiscal and financial party that has gone on far too long, is the wrong path to follow."

The U.S. central bank stood pat on policy at its meeting Tuesday, leaving interest rates near zero, and continuing to signal that it will keep them there through at least mid-2013. One policymaker, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, dissented, calling for further easing.

Speaking in Florence, Italy on Friday, Evans reiterated his call for the Fed to keep rates low until unemployment, now at 8.6 percent, falls below 7 percent, as long as inflation does not threaten to top 3 percent.

He also said that while the United States needs better fiscal discipline in the medium and long term, some "smart stimulus" would help a lot in the short term.

DISSENTERS

Fisher and fellow hawks Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota and Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser were the dissenters earlier this year as the Fed eased policy to jumpstart a slowing recovery.

Fisher on Friday said his votes were driven not by a fear that easing would stoke inflation but on concern it would not help on employment.

Inflation, he said, is headed back down toward the Fed's 2 percent target, and recent economic indicators suggest domestic demand is strengthening.

Still, souring conditions in Europe and slowing growth in emerging economies like China and Brazil threaten to knock the U.S. recovery off course again, Fisher said.

Financial markets remain on edge about Europe's ability to put a floor under a bond market selloff that is pushing borrowing costs for countries such as Italy and Spain toward unsustainable levels.

But there is little U.S. policymakers can do but "pray that fiscal and monetary authorities abroad get it right," Fisher said. To reporters after the speech, Fisher said he does not envision the need for a monetary policy response to Europe's crisis, unless there were to be a panic of some sort.

In testimony at the U.S. House of Representatives Friday, the New York Fed's powerful chief, William Dudley, made a similar point.

"I don't anticipate, even if the crisis in Europe were to worsen, further steps on the part of the Federal Reserve at this time," Dudley told the panel of lawmakers.

Speaking in the Texas capital about 1,000 miles away, Fisher warned against the Fed opening the spigots of liquidity further to get the economy moving again, when the biggest culprit in his view was uncertainty over tax policy, given the huge national debt.

"It may provide immediate relief but risks destroying the plumbing of the entire house," said Fisher, who often uses colorful metaphors and literary references to enliven his speeches. "Better that the Congress and the president -- the makers of fiscal policy and regulation -- roll up their sleeves and get on with the yucky task of cleaning out the clogged drain."

Fisher and his fellow hawkish dissenters rotate off the Fed's policy-setting panel next year, and only one policy hawk -- Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker -- will rotate in.

The change in voting line-up means the panel will lean more dovish than it did last year, suggesting Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke may have more support for further easing in the New Year.

(With reporting by Valentina Za in Florence, Italy and Pedro Nicolaci da Costa in Washington, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama; Diane Craft)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111217/bs_nm/us_usa_fed

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Reader recommendation: The Night Circus

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Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/mfCvmW0wvIM/Reader-recommendation-The-Night-Circus

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Yoho Bike Hotel: a hotel for the two-tired

The world's biggest bike manufacturer runs a hotel with bike-friendly hallways and elevators, and staff who do repairs and tune-ups.

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

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Giant, the world?s biggest bike manufacturer, has built a one-of-a-kind beach resort for cyclists.

Taiwan-based Giant operates the 68-room Yoho Bike Hotel, which opened in February 2009, to promote leisure cycling. For at least $166 a night, Yoho guests can pedal through the corridors and ride their wheels into extra-wide elevators and guest rooms with elevated storage racks. Hotel staff members do repairs and cleanups. Travel industry authorities say they know of no other hotel in the world with such extensive services just for bike-riding guests.

Taiwan?s bike industry grew 20 percent last year to $1.5 billion. Cycling increased in Taiwan on pace with the 2008 global oil price surge.

Giant hopes the resort will help keep its sales at current levels of about 5.5 million units a year.

?This is mainly to promote bike riding in Taiwan,? says Chen Jung-chiang, a division chief in the firm?s head sales office.

Guests without bikes can rent them starting at $6 per hour. Two-lane back roads outside the resort lure cyclists.

?There are quite a few roads, and they?re challenging because of the strong winds,? recalls Huang Wei-lun, a Taipei insurance worker who spent three nights at Yoho last year for a bike race. ?If you need any service, the [hotel] will help you fix the bike or wash it up.?

Think you know Asia? Take our geography quiz.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/4SAE2zr1gTI/Yoho-Bike-Hotel-a-hotel-for-the-two-tired

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Uzbekistan: Human Rights Crisis Deepens, Group Says

ALMATY, Kazakhstan ? Uzbekistan has failed to provide its citizens with basic legal rights despite some reforms in recent years, an international human rights group said Tuesday.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report that torture remains pervasive in the former Soviet Central Asian nation and that independent legal professionals and rights activists have been hindered in their work.

The United States, which relies on Uzbekistan as a major supply route for its troops in neighboring Afghanistan, has applied some pressure over rights issues, but activists say little has been done.

"Driven by a short-term interest in Uzbekistan's strategic importance ... the U.S. and the (European Union) have failed to respond to Uzbekistan's deepening human rights crisis," HRW said in its report.

Uzbekistan has sought to respond to Western concerns about its rights record as it attempts to end the isolation that followed its brutal suppression of an uprising in the city of Andijan in 2005. The Uzbek authorities said 187 people were killed and had blamed Islamists for stoking the violence. But witnesses and rights groups said government troops killed hundreds.

Some of the legal reforms put in place by Uzbekistan included the introduction of the right of judicial review of pretrial detention and the broadening of defendant's access to legal counsel.

The report said the government has failed to put those reforms into action and has used them to claim that it was gradually liberalizing its criminal justice system.

"In several important respects, the situation has deteriorated," the rights group said. "The government has moved to dismantle the independent legal profession and has closed off the country to independent monitoring and human rights work."

A particularly damaging move cited by HRW was the adoption of a law in 2009 abolishing independent bar associations that in effect led to disqualification of many independent lawyers.

"The law has seriously weakened the criminal defense bar, silencing outspoken advocates who had taken on politically sensitive cases and were willing to raise allegations of torture in court," the report said.

The Uzbek Foreign Ministry's press service said it was unable to make any immediate comment on the report.

Domestic and international rights organizations routinely report on the arbitrary detention of activists and the torture of detainees in custody.

"Methods commonly used include beatings with rubber truncheons, plastic bottles filled with water, and electric shock, hanging by wrists and ankles, rape and sexual humiliation, asphyxiation with plastic bags and gas masks, threats of physical harm to relatives, and denial of food or water," HRW said.

HRW called on the United States to withhold military assistance from Uzbekistan until it could demonstrate that it has taken step to address human rights abuses.

Such punitive measures are unlikely, however, as NATO has come to rely increasingly on Uzbekistan in the transportation of cargo to Afghanistan while relations between United States and Pakistan remain frosty.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/uzbekistan-human-rights-crisis_n_1145190.html

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Chinese, US defense officials meet in Beijing (AP)

BEIJING ? Chinese and U.S. defense officials met in Beijing on Wednesday for their highest-level contacts since recent frictions over arms sales to Taiwan and plans to strengthen the American military presence in the Pacific.

The 12th round of U.S.-China Defense Consultative Talks are a barometer of relations between China's 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army and the U.S. military that is repositioning itself in the Pacific following the winding down of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While the Chinese military has lashed out at the recent U.S. moves, Beijing's decision to proceed with the talks appears to show it is placing a new importance on regular talks between the sides, even as their rivalry sharpens.

Lead Chinese delegate Gen. Ma Xiaotian said going ahead with the meeting shows both sides are committed to improving relations.

"We attach great to this platform to enhance communication, to expand common ground, to promote mutual understanding, to manage and control risks and to avoid miscalculation, this maintaining the stability of our military-to-military relationship," Ma, the People's Liberation Army's deputy chief of staff, said in opening remarks at the hulking Defense Ministry in downtown Beijing.

Representing the U.S., Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy said next year would be a "very significant" year for relations and "it's very important to cooperate on a number of issues that impact both of our countries," apparently referring to a looming political leadership transition in China and the U.S. presidential election.

Neither official referred to the Taiwan arms sale. Beijing says the self-ruled island is Chinese territory to be recovered by military force if necessary.

China summoned the U.S. ambassador and warned of damage to relations following an announcement in September of a decision to offer Taiwan the $5.85 billion package to upgrade the island's F-16 fleet.

In the weeks that followed, it postponed a visit by the U.S. Army Band and Adm. Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, along with joint anti-piracy exercises and a military medical exchange, scholars Bonnie Glaser and Brittany Billingsley said in an analysis for the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

China's decision to proceed with the talks, however, appears to show that Beijing has "accepted that suspending overall bilateral military ties does not serve U.S. and Chinese interests," Glaser and Billingsley said, warning also that it wasn't clear yet whether the Chinese side is willing to restore the full range of military-to-military contacts.

Besides the U.S. military sales to Taiwan, China is also expected to complain about U.S. military surveillance missions within China's Exclusive Economic Zone.

Ma is likely to raise U.S. plans announced in late November to rotate Marines to Australia for training with Australian forces from an Australian army base in Darwin, beginning in 2012, Chinese officers quoted in state media said.

Up to 2,500 Marines, infantry units as well as aviation squadrons and combat logistic battalions, will go there from Okinawa or other Marine stations in Japan and elsewhere in the Pacific for a few months at a time.

Chinese hard-liners have called the move, along with strengthened military ties with allies Japan and the Philippines as well as former enemy Vietnam, a new U.S. containment policy that must be resisted through more active diplomacy.

"The U.S. has always asked China to be transparent about its strategy. It is the U.S. who should make its intentions clear," Maj. Gen. Luo Yuan, of the PLA's Academy of Military Sciences, was quoted as saying in the China Daily newspaper.

Flournoy is expected to raise U.S. concerns about territorial disputes in the South China Sea, North Korea, Iran, maritime security, cyber security, nuclear weapons policy, and outer space, Glaser and Billingsley said. She will also seek to reschedule postponed exchanges.

China's recent start of sea trials on its first aircraft carrier have emphasized its growing capabilities, particularly in the naval field, raising concerns it apply those to make good on its claim to the South China Sea and its island groups.

President Hu Jintao told navy officers Tuesday to extend the modernization of the force and "expand the deepening of preparations for military struggle."

Results of Wednesday's discussions will provide an indication of the overall health of military-to-military ties, including whether or not they set an agenda for exchanges next year and how extensive the list is, Glaser and Billingsley said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111207/ap_on_re_as/as_china_us

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Show Your Coworkers You Care with These Awesome Under-$20 Gifts [Gift Guide 2011]

Part of celebrating the holidays is the dreaded coworker Secret Santa. Depending on the name you draw, you may get someone you know very well, or you may turn up a colleague you don't know very well, and just because you spend at least 8 hours a day at the office doesn't mean you know everyone there well enough to buy them a gift. Here are a few Lifehacker suggestions for your office Secret Santa so you give a gift that's useful, saves them time and energy, and most importantly doesn't suck.

As with most office Secret Santas and gift exchanges, there's a cap on how much you should spend on the items you plan to give your coworkers. For our purposes, nothing in our roundup will exceed $20.

Whitey Notes ($0.99/$3.99/$9.99/$19.99)
We mentioned the Whitey Notes a while ago as a great way to jot down notes on notepads or sticky notes that can be easily erased and rewritten over and over again with a simple whiteboard marker. The Whitey Notes make a great gift for a colleague who needs some space to make notes, and while the simple post-it notes are less than a dollar, the larger notepads will set you back about $3.99. If your coworker has some wall space in their cubicle or office, you can pick up a 1 ft x 1.5ft adhesive Whitey Board for $9.99, and a larger 2 ft x 3 ft version for $19.99, more than enough space to give them room to jot down their upcoming tasks or organize their thoughts and ideas. If you really like your coworker and the two of you have long brainstorming sessions (or just play Pictionary at the office) then pick up their whiteboard paint, which lets you turn a whole wall into a writing and drawing space.

---

IngenuiTEA Teapot ($19)
We've discussed what caffeine actually does to you, and how to even wake up without it, but if your favorite colleague is trying to kick the habit but can't seem to manage it, maybe a shift from coffee to tea is in order. The IngenuiTEA Teapot is the perfect gift for tea lovers and for anyone interested in drinking a cup of tea that didn't start life a s a tea bag. You'll need to pick up some loose leaf tea to brew in the IngenuiTEA, but using it is simple: add the loose leaf tea to the pot, add hot water, let the tea steep, and them place the IngenuiTEA on top of your mug. Gravity does the rest, and the tea drains from the bottom into your mug, giving you a perfectly brewed cup every time.

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Your Magnet ($7)
Cable management is a problem we all struggle with, especially if you have a laptop with a half-dozen cords and cables sprouting from the side of your laptop. The Your Magnet on the other hand, is a simple cable management solution that attaches to the back of your laptop or desk with suction cups and routes the cables through one place. We've highlighted it before, and it's available in five different colors to match your coworker's style. At it's price, one or two in a gift bag to a coworker gives them the gift of an organized, tidy workspace and gives you the gift of a cleaner desk to look at when you stop by their desk.

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Bonsai Tree ($20)
One of the best ways to brighten up an otherwise dull office or cubicle is to add a few plants, and thankfully there are some plants that will survive virtually any environment, whether your office is bright, dimly lit, close or far away from the window. Thankfully, a bonsai tree, or a slightly more expensive Jade bonsai, will survive most office environments as long as you keep it well watered. This particular bonsai is just over $20 on Amazon, but you can find them in multiple price ranges depending on your office gift exchange's budget. Alternatively, you can pick up a much more common Lucky Bamboo for a bit less money, around $14. A little greenery to brighten up an otherwise dreary office desk will make any workday a little better.

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TiltPod ($15)
The previously mentioned Tiltpod is a fantastic way to set up your point-and-shoot camera or miniature camcorder to record a shot on any surface. The Tiltpod itself is incredibly small, and can be carried in a spare pocket in your backpack or camera bag. When you're ready to use it, just screw the magnetic screw into the base of the camera, and set it where you want your shot. If you have a coworker that's a photo fan, it's a great gift that lets them get out from behind the camera every once in a while.

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Tapehoooks ($13)
If you work in a cubicle, even the kind with the short walls, the best way to organize is to make use of your vertical space as well as your desk area. Instead of watching your colleagues hang their keys, access cards, or other personal effects on their cubicle walls with push-pins or thumbtacks, why not offer them something a bit more decorative and interesting this holiday season? We've mentioned the tapehooks before, but they're still great, wall-safe options for home and office that stick strong and are sturdy enough to carry pens, pencils, keys, and other light jewelry like access cards and badges on lanyards, but come off easily if you want to remove or reposition them. Plus, they come in a variety of colors to match your coworker's style.

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ResQMe ($10)
The ResQMe, available at Amazon for less than 10 bucks, is one of our favorite gifts for people with loved ones who are of driving age, or for colleagues you know have long commutes every day to and from the office. Give the gift of safety. The ResQMe is a combination windshield hammer and seat belt cutter that can attach to your keychain so you never forget it or leave it behind at home when you head out for the office. Best of all, it's an affordable gift you can give to anyone in your office that will mean a lot to them and their families.

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Whiskey Stones ($20)
If your colleague likes a fine whiskey now and again, or if you're even lucky enough to share a finger or two at work now and again, a set of Whiskey Stones may be a great gift to your colleagues. We've mentioned them before and how great they are for chilling your whiskey a bit without diluting it with ice. Just pop them in your freezer for a while and then add them to your glass before pouring a drink. Plus, at their price point, they make an excellent gift.

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Apple Cores ($1.99/$2.99/$4.99)
If you're considering giving your colleague the gift of cable management and organization, Apple Cores can coil up any slack cable attached to your headphones, your mouse or keyboard, your phone's charging cable, or any other cable you may have a little too much slack on. They're available in small, medium, and large, and they're affordable enough that you can mix and match depending on the amount of clutter your colleague has on their desk, or how many peripherals they own.

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Stoppy Door Stop ($8)
The Stoppy door stop is made by the same folks who are behind the Hang and Level picture hanging tool, and while you might not think of a door stop as a gift, this little comma-shaped door stop works to hold open doors of all shapes, sizes, and thicknesses. You can nestle the Stoppy under the bottom of the door where a traditional door stop would go, but you can also park it in between the door body and the frame to keep it open. When I last spoke to the inventor of the Stoppy, she noted that some people even use it as a stress ball, since it's squishable rubber outer shape is reinforced with molded steel to make sure it keeps its shape.

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Hang and Level ($14)
We mentioned the Hang and Level not too long ago, but if you have a colleague that's recently moved house or is a fan of home decorating, this is the gift for them, and it doesn't cost very much to give. Alternatively, if you have a colleague that's just moved into a new office, the Hang and Level can help them decorate their new office.

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Tipping Teacup ($20)
If you prefer to have your tea in individual servings as opposed to mugs full at a time, the Tipping Teacup is a $20 gift that's perfect for people who are beginners to the world of tea but aren't ready for an addition to their kitchen that's designed for loose tea brewing. The Tipping Teacup fits neatly anywhere, standing by for anytime you'd like to try a cup of freshly brewed tea, and it makes for a perfect gift for anyone interested in getting into tea.

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AGloves ($18)
Almost everyone has a smartphone these days, but with the holidays here and the cold weather upon us, it's difficult to use those smartphones when you're outdoors waiting for a train, walking home from the office, or just out enjoying the winter weather. Give your colleague a pair of AGloves: they're well within most office gift exchange budgets, and we've mentioned them before as a great way to get some use out of your smartphone without freezing your fingers off in the process.

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KOR Delta BPA-Free Water Bottle ($13)
We've discussed several times how important it is to stay hydrated, but why not give your colleagues a good looking way to do it at the office. This 750 ml water bottle comes in an array of colors (some of which go over our $20 price cap, so be careful), is affordable enough to give as a gift, and looks good on your colleagues desk. Plus, it's easy to pop the top and refill or clean. If you know someone at work who's trying to make a healthy change in their lives, help them get started with one of these.

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Airzooka Air Gun ($13):
If your ofifce is the fun and informal type, the type with a flair for a little office warfare and fun, the Airzooka Air Gun is a perfect gift for a colleague that you know is up for a good time and a little destressing in between projects and long bouts of work. Just make sure you also get one for yourself, in case they come after you first.

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These are just a few options that will make your colleague's day when they open them, and keep you well within the budget for your office's gift exchange. Do you have any of the items above? Planning on adding them to your own wishlist? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/V8wqtCsHCkw/show-your-coworkers-you-care-with-these-awesome-under+20-gifts

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