layanau: writ trig: Bodybuilding Basics | Sports n Recreation Info ...

In this Nov. 9, 2011, photo manager Kathy Kelly-Long holds a jar of peanut butter which is in short supply at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church food pantry in Columbus, Ohio. Food banks around the country say rising peanut butter prices are making it harder for them to provide one of their most-requested items this [...]

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Not too long ago I had the pleasure of eating dinner at Fu Leen, the seafood restaurant in Manhattan?s Chinatown. Peter Liem organized a group of people to drink several special Sherries and to eat things like lightly steamed fresh shrimp, fried dungeness crab, steamed whole fish, and fried rice with salted fish. The wine [...]

Iran has significantly stepped up the pace at which it is enriching uranium, shortening the time it would take for it to reach a nuclear threshold, two Israeli newspapers reported on Monday. ?Iran has broken new records in terms of the pace at which it has been enriching uranium, and it has continued to race [...]

Source: http://beachromanticvacations.falyorumlari.com/1153/layanau-writ-trig-bodybuilding-basics-sports-n-recreation-info/

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Source: http://iigoko.posterous.com/layanau-writ-trig-bodybuilding-basics-sports

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Source: http://akcoyc.posterous.com/layanau-writ-trig-bodybuilding-basics-sports

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Tornado watch until 1 p.m. for much of New Orleans area; severe ...

A tornado watch has been issued for much of the New Orleans area until 1 p.m. on Christmas Day, according to the Slidell office of the National Weather Service. Severe weather, including the chance of strong tornadoes also is possible through the evening.

The tornado watch includes all parishes in the New Orleans area except St Bernard and Plaquemines, and extends north and west to the Baton Rouge area and Lafayette.

"A dangerous severe weather outbreak expected to impact the area today as a potent weather system moves through the lower Mississippi Valley," says a hazardous weather outlook message issued by forecasters. "The Storm Prediction Center is currently indicating a moderate risk of severe weather across areas that are generally along and north of a line from Donaldsonville to Pascagoula with a slight risk across the remainder of the area.

"The main threats from any severe thunderstorms will be damaging winds and tornadoes," the message said. "However, locally heavy rainfall and large hail will also be possible."

The severe weather, expected to occur in the afternoon and evening hours, could include strong tornadoes ranked at EF2 or greater on the Enhanced Fujita scale of tornado strength, or winds greater than 75 mph.

Forecasters said the launch of weather instruments from the Slidell office of the National Weather Service this morning confirmed "that the atmosphere is more than primed for severe weahter today and is only likely to become more favorable as we move into the afternoon hours, where a lull in convection could allow for additional surface heating and destabilization of the atmosphere."

The severe weather will continue to be a possibility until a cold front moves through the area late this evening or tonight.

Expect highs to reach the mid-70s on Tuesday, dropping to the mid-40s overnight. Wednesday will be much cooler, with highs only in the lower 50s as partly cloudy skies in the morning turn clear by the afternoon. Wednesday night sees temperatures dropping into the mid-30s in New Orleans and lower 30s on the Northshore.

Temperatures will slowly moderate until the weekend. Another cold front will bring showers and thunderstorms to the area on Saturday, but widespread severe weather is not expected then.?

?

Source: http://www.nola.com/weather/index.ssf/2012/12/tornado_watch_until_1_pm_for_m.html

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Happy Birthday, Ryan Seacrest! See The 'American Idol' Host's Rise To Success (PHOTOS)

www.celebuzz.com:

Does the busiest man in Hollywood even have time to celebrate his birthday?

Ryan Seacrest is turning 38 on Monday, and he's still filling his plate with project after project. Among his accomplishments, Seacreast is a radio personality, the host of American Idol, a wildly successful TV producer and the new Dick Clark.

Read the whole story at www.celebuzz.com

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/happy-birthday-ryan-seacrest-career-photos_n_2359662.html

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Internet Marketing Tips: Lesson #2 - Building Your Links The Right ...

It's time for your second lesson in the Understanding Backlinks crash course. I hope you found lesson one informative and that you now have a basic understanding of how obtaining backlinks can help grow your business.

In this lesson we will go over how to start your link popularity campaign and build your links the right way.

As we discussed in the last lesson, backlinks (otherwise referred to as "incoming links") are links that originate from another website and link to your website. Obtaining backlinks is one of the most important steps you need to take in order to raise your search engine ranking. It's also important to know that the quality (relevance and ranking) of the links that come to your will affect your score. Starting a link popularity campaign is a great way to attract more links to your website.

There are many ways to go about getting backlinks. One of them is by posting another website's link on your website. Make sure that you are posting something that is truly relevant to your website content and preferably links back to a site that is highly ranked by the search engines.

When you do this, the owner of the site you post will likely also place your site on his website. This is called "reciprocal linking" and, while it's better than no linking at all, you don't want to have only reciprocal links. First of all, they are not as effective as one-way links, and second of all, you are giving your website visitors the opportunity to click off of your site and on to something else.

In order to get one-way links, you can buy them from a link building service, ask for them from other webmasters, or create exceptional content that others will naturally want to link to in order to provide more value to their visitors. Exceptional content is the key to natural link building. However, you may need to use other methods to push your link popularity campaign alone a little bit.

It's also very important to regularly monitor your website's link popularity. This can be done quickly and easily with a number of free online tools. You always want to have an idea of where your website stands, what strategies are working for you and which one's aren't.

Finally, this may seem obvious but if you are committed to link building, you need to continuously put your website link in front of people. This doesn't mean that you need to be spammy or overly promotional. But you should find outlets where you can offer advice, provide solutions or bring up questions about the business that you are in. Make sure that you look for forums, blogs and sites that allow you to include your link whenever you participate. This will create interest and links if you are participating in the right way.

Remember, top quality content is the foundation to getting high quality links to your website. If you keep that in mind at all time you will have no trouble getting other site owners to link to your website.

That's it for today's lesson. In your next lesson we are going to talk about how to perform a backlink check on your site using Yahoo, so that you can keep track of your progress.

To Your Success,

Arthur M.
http://scrnch.me/socialbkmr

Source: http://6ways.blogspot.com/2012/12/lesson-2-building-your-links-right-way.html

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Subdued mood on the last holiday shopping weekend

In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 photo, people walk through the Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach, Calif. A confluence of factors has led to a muted approach to holiday shopping in 2012 - bad news for retailers, which can make up to 40 percent of annual sales during November and December and were counting on the last weekend before Christmas to make up for lost dollars earlier in the season. The Saturday before Christmas was expected to be the second biggest sales day behind the Friday after Thanksgiving. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 photo, people walk through the Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach, Calif. A confluence of factors has led to a muted approach to holiday shopping in 2012 - bad news for retailers, which can make up to 40 percent of annual sales during November and December and were counting on the last weekend before Christmas to make up for lost dollars earlier in the season. The Saturday before Christmas was expected to be the second biggest sales day behind the Friday after Thanksgiving. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012 photo, people walk through a mall in Orlando, Fla. A confluence of factors has led to a muted approach to holiday shopping in 2012 - bad news for retailers, which can make up to 40 percent of annual sales during November and December and were counting on the last weekend before Christmas to make up for lost dollars earlier in the season. The Saturday before Christmas was expected to be the second biggest sales day behind the Friday after Thanksgiving. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Last-minute Christmas shoppers crowd the Willowbrook Mall searching for gifts, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Wayne, N.J. This holiday season, Americans have a lot on their minds on top of the now familiar job worries. (AP Photo/The Record (Bergen County NJ), Chris Pedota) ONLINE OUT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT; NO ARCHIVING; MANDATORY CREDIT.

Last-minute Christmas shoppers crowd the Willowbrook Mall searching for gifts, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Wayne, N.J. This holiday season, Americans have a lot on their minds on top of the now familiar job worries. (AP Photo/The Record (Bergen County NJ), Chris Pedota) ONLINE OUT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT; NO ARCHIVING; MANDATORY CREDIT.

ATLANTA (AP) ? Christmas shoppers thronged malls and pounced on discounts but apparently spent less this year, their spirits dampened by concerns about the economy and the aftermath of shootings and storms.

Talk about more than just the usual job worries to cloud the mood: Confidence among U.S. consumers dipped to its lowest point in December since July amid rising economic worries, according to a monthly index released Friday.

Marshal Cohen, chief research analyst at NPD Inc., a market research firm with a network of analysts at shopping centers nationwide, estimates customer traffic over the weekend was in line with the same time a year ago, but that shoppers seem to be spending less.

"There was this absence of joy for the holiday," Cohen said. "There was no Christmas spirit. There have been just too many distractions."

Shoppers are increasingly worried about the "fiscal cliff" deadline ? the possibility that a stalemate between Congress and the White House over the U.S. budget could trigger a series of tax increases and spending cuts starting Jan. 1

The recent Newtown, Conn., school shooting also dampened shoppers' spirits atop the fall's retail woes after Superstorm Sandy's passage up the East Coast.

The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, which account for 24 percent of retail sales nationwide, were tripped up by Sandy when the enormous storm clobbered the region in late October, disrupting businesses and households for weeks.

All that spelled glum news for retailers, which can make up to 40 percent of annual sales during November and December. They were counting on the last weekend before Christmas to make up for lost dollars earlier in the season.

The Saturday before Christmas was expected to be the second biggest sales day behind the Friday after Thanksgiving.

After a strong Black Friday weekend, the four-day weekend that starts on Thanksgiving, when sales rose 2.7 percent, the lull that usually follows has been even more pronounced. Sales fell 4.3 percent for the week ended Dec. 15, according to the latest figures from ShopperTrak, which counts foot traffic and its own proprietary sales numbers from 40,000 retail outlets across the country. On Wednesday, ShopperTrak cut its forecast for holiday spending down to 2.5 percent growth to $257.7 billion, from prior expectations of a 3.3 percent rise.

Online, sales rose just 8.4 percent to $48 billion from Oct. 28 through Saturday, according to a measure by MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse. That is below the online sales growth of between 15 to 17 percent seen in the prior 18-month period, according to the data service, which tracks all spending across all forms of payment, including cash.

At the malls, overall promotions were up 2 to 3 percent from last year heading into the pre-Christmas weekend, after being down 5 percent earlier in the season, according to BMO Capital Markets sales rack index, which tracks the depth and breadth of discounts.

Attempting to drum up enthusiasm, retailers have expanded hours and stepped up discounts.

At The Garden State Plaza, teen retailer Aeropostale discounted all clothing and accessories by 60 percent. Charles David, Cachet and AnnTaylor had cut prices by 50 percent of all merchandise. At AnnTaylor, racks of discounted clothes had been marked down by an additional 25 percent. One dress, originally priced at $118, was marked down to $49 but with the additional 25 percent, it cost $21.30.

But the deals at the mall failed to impress Wendy McCloskey, 35, of Lebanon, Ind., who started her holiday shopping Sunday at the Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis. A snow storm that blustered through the Midwest this week delayed her shopping plans, and a busy schedule with her children also got in the way.

"I was so surprised. I figured they'd have better deals," she said.

And at The Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J., Linda Fitzgerald said she didn't feel like shopping this season, facing a sister's cancer diagnosis atop worries about the economy and the Connecticut shooting.

"It's so hard to put yourself in the mood," said Linda Fitzgerald, a 51-year-old nurse from Yonkers who went out weekend shopping with her 17-month-old granddaughter in tow.

___

Anne D'Innocenzio reported from New York. Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-24-AP-US-Holiday-Shopping/id-c8581c31c7094f8780f55acffe32bd2e

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Video: Fiscal cliff comes down to the wire

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/50283715#50283715

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Chargers Beat Jets 27-17: Greg McElroy Sacked 11 Times In First NFL Start

Eric Decker, Joe Haden D'Quell Jackson

Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker (87) comes down with a pass against Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden (23) and middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (52) in the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)

Stevie Brown, Ray Rice

Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, left, rushes past New York Giants strong safety Stevie Brown for a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Robert Griffin III, Colt Anderson, Brandon Graham

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, left, passes under pressure from Philadelphia Eagles' Brandon Graham, center, and Colt Anderson in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Dez Bryant, John Phillips

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) goes in for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints as tight end John Phillips (89) follows during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

Cassius Vaughn, Jamar Newsome

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jamar Newsome, left, makes a reception next to Indianapolis Colts cornerback Cassius Vaughn, right, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Tony Romo, Tony Romo

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) passes the ball as New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith (91) moves in during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Andy Dalton

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) celebrates with Bengals fans as he walks of the field after the team's 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Rob Housler, Chris Conte

Arizona Cardinals tight end Rob Housler (84) tries to pull in a pass as Chicago Bears free safety Chris Conte (47) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

Santana Moss, Josh Morgan, Kurt Coleman

Washington Redskins' Josh Morgan, top left, and Santana Moss celebrate as Philadelphia Eagles' Kurt Coleman looks down after Moss' touchdown reception in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Matt Schaub, Fred Evans

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Fred Evans (90) celebrates after sacking Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub (8) during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider)

Jake Locker, Mike Neal

Green Bay Packers' Mike Neal sacks Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker (10) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Gerald Sensabaugh, Pierre Thomas, Jimmy Graham

New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas (23) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Jimmy Graham (80) as Dallas Cowboys free safety Gerald Sensabaugh (43) looks on during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

Rex Ryan

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Craig Stevens, Tramon Williams, Brad Jones

Green Bay Packers' Tramon Williams (38) and Brad Jones (59) break up a pass intended for Tennessee Titans' Craig Stevens (88) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Alex Albright, Pierre Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Gerald Sensabaugh

New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas (23) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Jimmy Graham (80) as Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Alex Albright (55) and free safety Gerald Sensabaugh (43) look on during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

A.J. Green, James Harrison, Cortez Allen

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) loses the ball as he is hit by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cortez Allen (28) and outside linebacker James Harrison (92) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec 23, 2012. The Steelers recovered the ball. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Santana Moss, Josh Morgan, Colt Anderson

Washington Redskins' Santana Moss, left, and Josh Morgan celebrate after Moss' touchdown against Philadelphia Eagles' Colt Anderson, right, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

Miles Burris, Mike Tolbert

Oakland Raiders' Miles Burris (56) runs after intercepting a pass as Carolina Panthers' Mike Tolbert (35) tries to tackle Burris during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

Eli Manning

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning gets up after being tackled by Baltimore Ravens defensive end Arthur Jones while throwing to a receiver in the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Reggie Bush, Alex Carrington

Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (22) gets away from Buffalo Bills defensive end Alex Carrington (92) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Matt Leinart, Frank Kearse

Oakland Raiders' Matt Leinart (7) looks to pass under pressure from Carolina Panthers' Frank Kearse (99) during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

Darren McFadden, Thomas Davis

Oakland Raiders' Darren McFadden (20) tries to break the tackle of Carolina Panthers' Thomas Davis (58) during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

Whitney Mercilus, Christian Ponder

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) throws a pass as he is pressured by Houston Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus (59) during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Marvin Jones, Keenan Lewis

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Marvin Jones makes a catch in front of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Keenan Lewis (23) in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

Franco Harris

Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris twirls a Terrible Towel during a ceremony commemorating the 40th anniversary of his "Immaculate Reception" catch in the 1972 playoff game against the Oakland Raiders, during the halftime of an NFL football game between the Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Marcus Sherels, James Casey

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Marcus Sherels (35) is tackled by Houston Texans' James Casey (86) during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider)

Arian Foster

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster walks to the locker room during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cameron Wake

Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) fumbles the ball as he is sacked by Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake (91) during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Miami. The Dolphins recovered the ball. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

Mike Williams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams (19) pulls in a 60-yard touchdown reception against the St. Louis Rams during the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Danario Alexander reacts after scoring on a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Joe Vitt

New Orleans Saints head coach Joe Vitt watches the action against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Jarius Wright, Kareem Jackson

Houston Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson (25) breaks up a pass intended for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jarius Wright (17) during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider)

Jamaal Charles, Antoine Bethea

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, left, runs from Indianapolis Colts free safety Antoine Bethea during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Nick Foles, Ryan Kerrigan

Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Foles is sacked by Washington Redskins' Ryan Kerrigan in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

DuJuan Harris

Green Bay Packers' DuJuan Harris celebrates his touchdown run with fans during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Rishard Mathews, Jarius Byrd

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Rishard Matthews (86) is knocked to the ground by Buffalo Bills free safety Jairus Byrd (31) after making a catch in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Antonio Brown, Adam Jones

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, rear, catches a pass in front of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones (24) and takes it in for a touchdown in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

New York Jets cheerleaders stand near a banner in memory of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., during the first half of an NFL football game between the New York Jets and the San Diego Chargers, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Steve Smith, Michael Huff

Carolina Panthers' Steve Smith (89) reaches in vain for a catch as Oakland Raiders' Michael Huff (24) defends during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

A fan dressed as Santa Claus reacts during the first half of an NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

Danny Woodhead

New England Patriots running back Danny Woodhead (39) runs for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars on a 14-yard touchdown pass play during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Nick Novak

San Diego Chargers kicker Nick Novak (9) reacts after booting a 51-yard field goal against the New York Jets during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Al Afalava, Jermichael Finley

Tennessee Titans' Al Afalava (38) breaks up a pass intended for Green Bay Packers' Jermichael Finley (88) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Steven Jackson

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) dives over the goal to score against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

Jeff Kahlow

Green Bay Packers fan Jeff Kahlow is seen in the stands during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

Marcus Sherels, James Casey

Minnesota Vikings cornerback Marcus Sherels (35) is tackled by Houston Texans' James Casey (86) during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider)

Reggie Bush

Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (22) spikes the ball after a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Cam Newton

Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton (1) celebrates his touchdown run against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

Steve Johnson, Jeff Lamberth

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson (13) argues a call with side judge Jeff Lamberth, right, after his touchdown was called back as an incomplete pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Ryan Tannehill, Bryan Scott

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, bottom, is tackled by Buffalo Bills linebacker Bryan Scott (43) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Dez Bryant

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant (88) scores a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/23/chargers-jets-greg-mcelroy-sacked-27-17_n_2356829.html

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patsyiskul: life in motherhood, ministry, and the arts: more :: home ...

i walk past these swords. ?they're happy. ?i smile.

there are fewer apples from carter mountain orchard in our bowl. ?enjoying them. savoring.

the sink ((happens)) to be clean today. ?

completely clean. ?woot!?

and this scene has changed, yet remains pretty close.?

the realities of life are all around us. ?truth. ?

i'm into truth-telling, valuing that higher than most.?

here you get glimpses of truth. glimpses into life.?

?i'm pretty tired from a full three months of half-time chaplaincy which is good and allows me to use so many gifts. ?i am thrilled after such an amazing holiday season, and i'm celebrating by taking a break from today until january 2nd with the etsy shop on vacation. ?i'm allowing myself time to rest and recover in the next week, hoping that there'll be just enough space for both.?

i'm spending time creating. ?yes. ?of course. ?you'll expect that. ?i'm not, however, going to over-do or try to out-do myself. ?that's silly and unncessary.?

i am determined to mail my christmas cards tomorrow. ?that. is. a. goal. ?

simple delights.?

truth.?

simplicity.?

love.?

be blessed.?

xo.

Source: http://reverendartistmother.blogspot.com/2012/12/more-home-and-family-love.html

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Source: http://patsyiskul.blogspot.com/2012/12/life-in-motherhood-ministry-and-arts.html

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AP source: NHL players closer to dissolving union

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, a nearly empty hockey stick rack in the locker room of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team is shown during the NHL labor lockout in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, a nearly empty hockey stick rack in the locker room of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team is shown during the NHL labor lockout in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, championship banners and retired numbers of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team hang from the rafters above the ice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on small businesses in many of the NHL's markets. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

FILE - Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players Association, speaks to reporters about on going labor talks with the league outside the NHL headquarters in New York, in this July 31, 2012 file photo. Donald Fehr and the players' association are ready to get back to the bargaining table at any moment. They are now just waiting for the NHL to feel the same way. "(We aren't talking) because the owners have not indicated a desire to resume," the NHLPA's executive director said Wednesday night Dec. 19, 2012 before a charity hockey game. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, a hockey goal sits on the ice at Joe Louis Arena home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey club in Detroit. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on small businesses in many of the NHL's markets. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? NHL players gave the executive board the right to take steps to dissolve the union, and they signed off on it in overwhelming fashion.

In a vote this week, union members decisively agreed to give the players' association's board the power to file a "disclaimer of interest" until Jan. 2. A person familiar with the outcome of the vote told The Associated Press on Friday that the measure was approved by a vote of 706-22 (97 percent), easily reaching the two-thirds majority required.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the results of the vote hadn't been announced.

The executive board hasn't made plans yet to meet to discuss whether to file the disclaimer, but if the Jan. 2 deadline passes, another authorization vote could be held to approve a later filing.

If the filing is made, the union would dissolve and become a trade association. That would allow players to file antitrust lawsuits against the NHL.

Negotiations between the NHL and the union have been at a standstill since talks ended Dec. 6. No bargaining is scheduled, and time is running short to save the season. All games through Jan. 14 have been canceled, more than half the season. The New Year's Day Winter Classic and All-Star game already are victims of the lockout, which reached 97 days on Friday.

It is believed that a new labor agreement would need to be in place by about mid-January to salvage a 48-game schedule, the minimum in Commissioner Gary Bettman's opinion for the season to proceed.

The NHL is already the only North American professional sports league to cancel a season because of a labor dispute, losing the 2004-05 campaign to a lockout.

The NHLPA now appears set to follow the lead set by NFL and NBA players. Both dissolved their unions during lockouts last year.

The legality of the lockout is already set to be tried in U.S. federal court after the NHL filed a class-action lawsuit last week against the NHLPA. The NHL also submitted an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.

The NBA's labor dispute ended less than two weeks after the union was disbanded. Jeffrey Kessler, the lead negotiator for the National Basketball Players Association in that dispute, contends the NHLPA would be wise to go ahead with the "disclaimer of interest."

"I think this is much more likely to lead to a settlement sooner," Kessler told The Canadian Press last week. "The players have concluded that they are on the verge of possibly deciding that it is better not to be a union and using the antitrust laws to attack the lockout, which all fans should be happy with because it'll work."

The league's Board of Governors discussed the possibility of a "disclaimer of interest" on Dec. 5, and Bettman said the NHL didn't see it as a significant threat.

"We don't view it in the same way in terms of its impact as apparently the union may," Bettman said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-22-NHL%20Labor/id-5e91481c03ef4e6ba435df1492691a11

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A Complete Guide to Replacement Windows ?? Unique Home ...

A Complete Guide to Replacement Windows

Indianapolis South and Indianapolis North LIVING WELL Magazines

Windows seem so simple; they let light into the house and they let you view the outside.

So, why is there so much confusion as to what makes a low or high quality window?

After all, isn?t a window just some panes of glass? And hasn?t glass been around forever?

Glass-making is over 5,000 years old. It was first learned by Egyptians who observed that desert sand was fused into solid glass by the heat of lightning. It was first used for decorative purposes and for vessels that held liquids.

Colored glass came first

Melted sand had many other chemicals in it, and was never clear in the way we know it. It wasn?t until the 1290s that glass makers in Venice perfected a way to make both colored and Crystallo glass, which was nearly clear. ?Stained? glass appeared in early Gothic cathedrals, but it would be centuries until windows were made of clear glass.

George Ravenscroft, an English glass-maker, added lead oxide to his formula to produce glass clear enough to make telescopes and other optical instruments from. This was ?leaded glass,? and had nothing to do with the use of melted lead to hold panes of glass together. It?s why fine crystal glasses? are so heavy.

Window glass in America

The first American glass making operations started in Jamestown, Virginia in 1608. That operation was mostly occupied with the production of ?cut? glass for fine bowls and platters. It wasn?t until the early 1820s that a fore-runner of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (now PPG Industries) mass produced window glass on an affordable basis. It involved spinning molten glass with air that produced clear glass, yet those very old windows had bubbles in them from trapped air.

Modern American Windows?

All early American windows were encased in sashes of wood, with a single pane of glass. Wealthy Americans had ?French Windows?, small panes with mitered wooden mill work around each pane.

Yet, there was a single pane of glass between them and the outside.

After World War II, the ?storm window? appeared. This was an aluminum frame that held a single pane of glass and allowed for window screens. Their purpose was to keep rain and snow from the wood frames. They could not insulate at all, because plain glass cannot insulate.

In the 1980s, the same company that mass produced windows found a new technology to coat glass to make it reflect heat energy back to where it came from.

The ?bounce? effect of nano-coating

A New Breakthrough

Heat wants to travel from high to low. A college professor might talk about the First Law of Thermodynamics. If you want to sound New Age, talk about balance in nature. Either way, if it?s cold outside, the heat in your home wants out. If it?s hot, and you have AC, the heat wants in. The newest coated glass has an outside coating to bounce the heat away, and an inside coating to bounce the heat back in.

Advanced-technology glass also has filters that protect against ultraviolet rays from the sun. If you have a treasured family picture framed, the framer will recommend the same kind of glass. ?Bargain? windows have none of this.

Why multiple panes?

Bob Dillon, owner of Unique Home Solutions of Indianapolis explains, ?If you have three panes of glass, that means you have two spaces between panes that can be filled with harmless insulating gas like Argon, between them.? Without these inert gasses,? you just have air between the panes with barely noticeable insulation.

Can the gas escape?

?Sure it can,? says Dillon. ?That?s why we have spacers between the glass that flex as the glass does with temperature. If the spacers between the glass can?t flex with the glass, the seal will break. If you notice a fog between your multiple-pane windows, you have broken seals. That?s why we buy only from American manufacturers. Yes, we?re patriotic, but it doesn?t hurt our business to give our customers the finest materials.??

Why different frames?

There are four types of frames and sashes on the market now:

1) Wood

There are still wood-frame windows, yet the cheap ones are never solid hardwood. They can be attractive, but even with very high quality paint, they are subject to wet rot. Frost or fog on the inside of your windows in winter is moisture condensation, and the wood will absorb it. Wood that is basically compressed sawdust will ?de-laminate? with moisture. At that point, they begin falling apart.

2) Aluminum

Popular in the 1950s, aluminum looked great when new, but radiates heat very quickly. A sheet of aluminum foil out of a hot oven can safely be touched within a minute. These window frames radiate the heat quickly to the outside.

3) Vinyl

Most vinyl window frames and sashes are hollow plastic. They flex with raising and lowering the window, resulting in warping and energy-wasting gaps. They will be difficult to raise and lower after just a few years.

4) Re-enforced composite

These are advanced co-polymers that are stiffened by internal composites for rigidness. They are also filled with additional insulating materials to prevent energy loss. They retain their shape and add insulation.

Notice the warranty

No matter where you buy replacement windows, ask about the warranty. If the warranty is for five years, it will be rare for you to get seven years of the performance promised. Also ask about ?pro-rating.? As Dillon of Unique Home Solutions points-out, ?A pro-rated warranty means that if you try to redeem your fifty-year warranty after 40 years, they will deduct for the 40 years you have had the product. Our warranties are never pro-rated.?

Also ask about the labor coverage on the warranty. Many warranties only cover the product, and not the labor involved in replacement. Ask where the product was made. If the answer is ?China,? then you have no enforceable warranty at all.

The retailer will tell you to contact the manufacturer; the manufacturer will tell you to contact the retailer. The installer will tell you to contact both. Importers of Asian-made windows (including well-known brands), have reduced their costs by eliminating inspection and quality control operations. The consumer becomes the quality control operation, leaving you on your own to obtain satisfaction. Unless the windows in your home are literally rotting away, and you are considering cheap Asian-made windows, you are likely better-off just keeping the windows you have now.

?You work too hard for your money to waste it on things that won?t last,? says Dillon.

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Source: http://www.livingwellmag.com/complete-guide-replacement-windows-unique-home-improvement/

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ESPN ScoreCenter for iPhone updated with iPad UI in time for bowl season

?

It's been a long time coming, but ESPN ScoreCenter for iPhone has finally been updated with a refreshed interface that mirrors that of its larger iPad-fitted version - just in time for college football bowl season, the NFL playoffs, and more not-hockey. The new interface ditches the swiping five-panel layout of the old ScoreCenter, opting instead for a simplified layout with navigation accomplish by merely tapping (how quaint) one of four large buttons at the bottom of the screen.

The ScoreCenter update also makes looking beyond your favorite teams (you can now log in with an ESPN account to sync your favorites from the website and/or the iPad app) and the latest scores in everything - "Top Events" - by tapping the three-bar menu button on the top left to drill down into other sports, leagues, teams. The app maintains the old two-wide grid system for displaying scores en masse, but opts for a larger font that's easier to read at a glance.

New in the update is a button labeled Video present in the nav bar on most screens, offering relevant video segments on whatever scores/news/team you're looking at. The video clips are pulled from both ESPN's television coverage and dedicated web content.

Overall, the update to version 3.0.0 has been good for ScoreCenter, bringing the featureset and performance up to ESPN standards and wrapping the app in a new skin that matche's ESPN's edgy corporate look. Everything you liked about ScoreCenter is still there, while a lot of what you disliked has been excised or improved. And it's still free - can't beat that.

• Free - Download now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/6XMbBNuu6rA/story01.htm

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IFTTT Raises $7M From Andreessen, NEA And Lerer To Connect Web Services, Apps And The Internet Of Things

IFTT has received $7 million in funding to build out its capability for customers to move data between different services in a way that gives the user the ability to control information and how it flows.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/o7oEy-CwixA/

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Under pressure from Abe, Bank of Japan boosts stimulus again

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan delivered its third shot of monetary stimulus in four months on Thursday, in a prelude to more aggressive action next year as it faces intensifying pressure from the country's next leader for bolder action to beat deflation.

It also signaled setting a higher inflation target at its next meeting in January, when a new government will be in place.

Shinzo Abe, whose opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won Sunday's election by a landslide, has put the central bank's independence on the line by repeatedly calling for a binding 2 percent inflation target, double its current price goal.

Feeling the heat, the central bank expanded its asset-buying and lending program by 10 trillion yen ($119 billion) to 101 trillion yen, a widely expected move that barely moved markets.

"I take it as that the BOJ is carrying out what we sought during the election step-by-step," Abe told a party meeting.

The incoming prime minister caused a brief stir when he said that BOJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa had telephoned to inform him of the decision in the morning - when the policy meeting was still taking place. The LDP later said the remark was a slip of the tongue and Shirakawa told a news conference he made the call in the afternoon, after the meeting was over.

With the latest move, the BOJ has expanded asset purchases five times this year, the most frequent activity during a single year in a decade. The last time it eased so many times was in 2001, when Japan was battling a domestic banking crisis.

"The next step is inflation targeting. The BOJ will come up with something that's just enough to avoid criticism from Abe but probably not enough to avoid some sense of disappointment," said Masamichi Adachi, senior economist at JPMorgan Securities in Tokyo.

"Abe is not even prime minister yet. If you look at how the BOJ is behaving, you could argue this is a loss of independence."

LONG-TERM TARGET

The BOJ now has a 1 percent inflation target in place, and defines a range of zero to 2 percent consumer inflation as a desirable level of long-term price growth.

The central bank said it would review that guideline next month. It will probably clarify that, after 1 percent inflation is in sight, it will aim to achieve 2 percent inflation.

Shirakawa admitted that Abe's request for setting a 2 percent inflation target was partly behind the central bank's decision to review its long-term price goal.

But he warned that in doing so, the BOJ would ensure that its policy flexibility was protected and take into account the fact that Japan has long suffered from deflation even as other advanced economies experienced inflation.

"We must bear in mind the fact that inflation has been low in Japan for a long time," Shirakawa told a news conference.

Shirakawa has consistently argued that setting a 2 percent inflation target would be counter-productive in a country that has not seen consumer inflation exceed 1 percent for most of the past two decades.

But Abe made a rare, direct push for a higher inflation target when Shirakawa visited the LDP's headquarters on Tuesday, saying that the central bank must pay heed to the fact that he won an election campaigning for bolder monetary stimulus.

Abe also said that once he takes over as primes minister on December 26 he would instruct his new cabinet ministers to begin working with the BOJ on setting a shared inflation target.

GOVERNMENT ACTION ALSO NEEDED

The yen has fallen almost 9 percent against the dollar since September, as Abe's emergence as the likely next prime minister raised expectations of more expansionary policy and spending.

The dollar briefly edged up to around 84.39 yen after the BOJ's decision, but quickly slid back down as markets saw its action as lacking any surprises.

While Abe's prescription has had the desired market effect so far, pushing down the yen and driving the benchmark Nikkei stock average above 10,000 for the first time in more than eight months, analysts say pumping cash into the economy will only give it a temporary boost unless followed by efforts to lift Japan's growth potential and contain runaway debt.

Some in the BOJ, particularly officials close to the conservative Shirakawa, had wanted to delay any action until January, when there is more clarity on the new government's policies and when the central bank conducts a quarterly review of its long-term growth projections.

But that was too costly with business sentiment already slumping and companies delaying capital spending plans on weak global demand, adding to evidence that any rebound from recession early next year will be minor.

"Japan's economy is weakening further and is expected to remain weak for the time being," the central bank said, offering a gloomy assessment of the world's third-largest economy currently enduring its fourth recession since 2000.

The LDP and its coalition partner, the New Komeito, together won a two-thirds majority in the powerful lower house that would allow them to overrule parliament's upper house in most matters, including on any bill to revise the law guaranteeing the central bank's independence from government interference.

Abe, who plans to compile a big stimulus package to revive the economy, may use that threat to nudge the central bank into buying bonds more aggressively to finance the costs.

Shirakawa pushed back, warning that the BOJ would never buy bonds for the purpose of monetizing public debt. He also said government efforts, such as deregulation, must accompany easy monetary policy for Japan to exit deflation.

But the governor, whose five-year term ends in April next year, suffered revolt even from within the BOJ board.

Board member Koji Ishida, a former commercial banker, proposed - albeit unsuccessfully - scrapping a 0.1 percent interest paid to excess reserves financial institutions park with the BOJ, something Shirakawa has resisted doing so for fear of distorting proper market functions.

($1 = 84.2600 Japanese yen)

(Additional reporting by Stanley White, Tetsushi Kajimoto and Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Alex Richardson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boj-boosts-stimulus-again-incoming-pm-turns-heat-043225280--business.html

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Year in Science: Higgs boson takes the prize

From July 4, 2012: A group of scientists claim they've discovered a subatomic particle that closely matches the description of the fabled Higgs boson. NBC's Mara Schiavocampo reports.

By Alan Boyle

As 2012 draws to a close, physicists are celebrating ? and being celebrated for?? the end of a four-decade scientific quest to find a subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson. The discovery, made at the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider and reported in July, won honors this week as Science magazine's Breakthrough of the Year as well as a piece of the spotlight in Time magazine's Person of the Year package.

But the story of what some have nicknamed "the God particle" isn't over yet. (Physicists hate that nickname, by the way.)

"This particle has the potential to be a portal to a new landscape of physical phenomena that is still hidden from us," the scientific team behind the LHC's Compact Muon Solenoid detector writes in a Science paper that lays out the details behind the discovery.

---

That sentiment comes through as well in another paper from the LHC's ATLAS collaboration, which found results consistent with those from the CMS detector. The ATLAS scientists say finding the particle appears to provide the "last missing piece" in the Standard Model, the scientific theory that explains the subatomic realm ??but also sets the stage for further studies "to explore the physics that must lie beyond" the Standard Model.

Both teams said they detected a particle that matched the quarry they sought, with a mass in the range of 125 billion electron volts. But they haven't yet quite confirmed that its characteristics fully conform with the theoretical particle that was proposed in the 1960s to fill in the Standard Model's remaining gaps.

CERN / ATLAS Experiment

This schematic shows the pattern of subatomic particle tracks associated with a candidate event for the detection of the Higgs boson.

That particle would help explain why some fundamental particles, such as the W and Z bosons, possess mass?? while others, such as photons, don't. Physicists can see that such a mechanism must exist; otherwise, the cosmos just wouldn't work. The problem is figuring out how the mechanism is structured. The Higgs boson, and its associated Higgs field, fills the bill.

There's still some question whether the new particle reported this year is the Higgs boson, as described in the traditional Standard Model, or part of a more complex Higgs mechanism that may include other particles. Last week, there was a brief kerfuffle over whether the data from ATLAS hinted at two Higgs particles???but as of now, the leading view is that those hints are just statistical fluctuations that will eventually disappear. The definitive word is expected to come at a conference in March.

By that time, the LHC will be shut down for a major upgrade. The particle collider, housed in a 17-mile-round (27-kilometer-round) underground tunnel beneath the French-Swiss border near Geneva, has been running at energies of up to 8 trillion electron volts ? but the upgrade will allow it to operate at 13 to 14 TeV starting in 2015. That's when the really way-out discoveries, relating to mysteries such as supersymmetry or the nature of dark matter, could come to light.

Why should we care about the Higgs boson? It may not bring us a better iPhone next year ? but a better understanding of fundamental physics typically leads to better applications down the line. Just ask the inventors of medical scanners, microwave ovens or laser devices. For more on the practical implications of research at the LHC, check out our interactive interview with physicist Michio Kaku.

The same disclaimer goes for Science's runner-up breakthroughs of the year. You may not see how some of these discoveries can relate to everyday life?? but someday, you or your children will:

Unraveling the Denisovan genome: In late 2010, anthropologists used genetic tools to discover a new type of human ancestor that lived in Siberia tens of thousands of years ago, dubbed the Denisovans. This year, they used a new technique to compare the Denisovan genome with those of modern-day populations ??and confirmed that some parts of the Denisovan genetic heritage were passed on. That's right, kids: Our ancestors did it with Denisovans. The new technique is expected to yield a high-quality version of the Neanderthal genome in 2013.

Making eggs from stem cells: Japanese researchers coaxed mouse stem cells into becoming viable eggs that produce healthy offspring. There are a few caveats: The eggs still have to be hosted by an actual mouse during one stage of their maturation, and the technique doesn't yet work with human cells. But the project represents another significant step in the fight against infertility.

Curiosity's landing system: Perhaps the most amazing thing about the Curiosity rover's landing on Mars in August was that a system designed to lower the rover from a rocket-powered, hovering platform actually worked. NASA engineers acknowledged that the idea seemed crazy but insisted it was the "least crazy" way to get the 1-ton payload safely to the surface. The "sky crane" concept worked so well that NASA plans to do it again in 2020. For more about the Curiosity mission, check out our "Year in Space" roundup.

X-ray laser reveals protein structure: Scientists used intense, ultra-short X-ray pulses from a free-electron laser to collect data on the 3-D structure of proteins?? and single-shot images of an intact virus. "The grand goal is to push X-ray diffraction to its ultimate limit and use an X-ray laser to decipher a protein structure by zapping individual molecules," Science's editors write.

Precision engineering of genomes: If you haven't heard about TALENs and CRISPR yet, you will?? at least if genetic engineering is your thing. These are new tools for "editing" the genomes of creatures ranging from zebrafish to rats and crickets. Even human cells are being tweaked for research purposes. "Some researchers now think TALENs [transcription activator-like effector nucleases] will become standard procedure for all molecular biology labs," the editors say.

Majorana fermions detected, sort of: Seventy-five years ago, Italian physicist Ettore Majorana theorized that a weird type of subatomic particle existed that could act as its own antiparticle. This year, Dutch physicists reported tentative signs that the particles have at last been detected. If their existence is confirmed, Majorana fermions would have properties that make them perfectly suited for quantum computing.

ENCODE zooms in on human genome: After a decade of research, a $288 million project to trace all the threads that make up the human genome issued a blizzard of scientific papers. The studies?suggested that only a small percentage of our DNA is wrapped up in our genes. At the time, much was made of the fact that what was once called "junk DNA" plays an important role in our genetic makeup. But we knew that already, right? The important thing is that Project ENCODE ("Encyclopedia of DNA Elements") has made a grand start toward reading, and understanding, our book of life.

Better brain-machine interfaces: Is the "Star Trek" nightmare vision of the Borg coming to pass? Not yet: We are not being assimilated into machinery. But in the future, it should become easier for us to assimilate machinery when the need arises. Researchers are perfecting techniques for controlling artificial limbs, computers or other devices with our thoughts alone. Someday even physicist Stephen Hawking might benefit from mind-reading systems. ?

A new door in neutrino physics:?Researchers caught a rare type of exotic particle known as an electron antineutrino in the act of disappearing, at an experimental facility in China?? and that vanishing trick provided yet another long-sought puzzle piece in subatomic physics. The researchers said they measured the last parameter describing how different types of neutrinos morph into each other. For what it's worth, that parameter, the mixing angle known as theta13, equals 8.8 degrees, plus or minus 0.8 degrees. The fact that the value isn't zero could help explain why there's so much matter and so little antimatter in our universe.

Frontiers for 2013: In addition to 2012's breakthroughs, Science's editors highlighted six scientific areas to watch in 2013: single-cell DNA sequencing, the Planck probe's study of the cosmic microwave background, the Human Connectome Project, ultra-deep ice drilling at Antarctica's Lake Vostok, cancer immunotherapy research and basic plant research.

More about the Higgs quest:

---

Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Source: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/20/16045777-the-year-in-science-higgs-boson-leads-2012s-list-of-breakthroughs?lite

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Winthrop coach pleas for action after shooting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? Moments after his team lost a basketball game, Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey spoke of a bigger loss.

The first-year coach of the Eagles gave an impassioned plea for government and private leaders to act soon to prevent further massacres such as the one at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., last week that left 20 children and six adults dead at the school.

"The last thing I want to say is I'm really, really lucky, because I'm going to get on an eight-hour bus ride, and I'm going to arrive in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and I'm going to walk into my house, and I'm going to walk upstairs, and I'm going to walk into two pink rooms with a 5-year-old and a 4-year-old laying in that pink room, with a bunch of teddy bears laying in that room," he said, concluding his remarks in the wake of a 65-55 loss at No. 7 Ohio State.

"And I'm going to give them the biggest hug and the biggest kiss I've ever given them. And there's 20 families in Newtown, Conn., that are walking into a pink room with a bunch of teddy bears with nobody laying in those beds. And it's tragic."

Kelsey said he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, as a small, mid-major college coach, to reach a large audience with his emotional words.

"I know this microphone's powerful right now, because we're playing the (seventh)-best team in the country," he said. "I'm not going to have a microphone like this the rest of the year, maybe the rest of my life."

He said he didn't have a solution. But that didn't mean others shouldn't pursue one ? and quickly.

"I don't know what needs to be done. I'm not smart enough to know what needs to be done, OK?" he said. "I know this country's got issues. Is it a gun issue? Is it a mental illness issue? Or is it a society that has lost the fact, the understanding, that decent human values are important?"

Kelsey called on political leaders to get past petty differences and accomplish something.

"I didn't vote for President Obama. But you know what? He's my president now. He's my leader. I need him to step up," he said. "Mr. (John) Boehner, the Speaker of the House ... OK, he needs to step up."

He also called for others to get involved and prevent a reoccurrence of the tragedy.

"Parents, teachers, rabbis, priests, coaches ? everybody needs to step up. This has to be a time for change," he said. "And I'm going to be an agent of change with the 13 young men I get to coach every day and the two little girls that I get to raise. But hopefully things start changing, because it's really, really disappointing."

His voice rising, and with his eyes welling, he finished by saying, "I'm proud to grow up American. I'm proud to say I'm part of the greatest country ever. And that's got to stay that way. And it'll stay that way if we change.

"But we've got to change."

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/winthrop-coach-pleas-action-shooting-162546347--spt.html

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Apple, Google, Adobe, Facebook, Shutterfly among group paying $525M for Kodak patents

Kodak will sell its digital image patents for about $525 million to a group of 12 companies.

Lisa Ward

Web contributor- Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

A group of twelve companies and Intellectual Ventures will buy Eastman Kodak Co.'s digital image patents for $525 million.

The group of companies includes Apple Inc., Research In Motion, Google Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Adobe Systems Inc., HTC Corp., Facebook Inc., Fujifilm Corp., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Amazon Fulfillment Services Inc., Shutterfly Inc. and Microsoft Corp., according to TechCrunch.

Bloomberg reports that the deal is for a group of digital image patents that was at one time estimated at a value of $2.6 billion.

Intellectual Ventures will make part of the payment and the rest will come from the group of twelve companies organized by RPX Corp., according to the report. Kodak needed to sell the patents for at least $500 million in order to get permission to exit Ch. 11 bankruptcy in 2013, Bloomberg reported.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bizj_sanjose/~3/ZdfcBbMiTFc/apple-google-adobe-facebook-among.html

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Celebrate the season with top wines for $10 or less

Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Washington state and starts at $9.

By Kara Reinhardt, Cheapism.com

From awkward office parties to convivial Christmas dinners, wine permeates the holiday season. Guests arrive bearing gift bags specifically sized to hold wine bottles and hosts agonize over which varietals to serve. Some oenophiles might suggest that all cheap bottles resemble the contents of a spittoon, but if holiday shopping has left you with a limited budget, there?s no need to splurge on expensive wine. Cheapism has updated its wine buying guides with top picks under $10, and you won?t find a Franzia or ?Two-Buck Chuck? in the bunch.

First, the reds:

• Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon (starting at $8) comes from Washington and radiates with berry aromas. The 2009 vintage earned a score of 90 from Wine & Spirits magazine, which ranks it as exceptional.
• Meleni Chianti Borghi d'Elsa (starting at $8) is a Tuscan blend with a bold, fruity flavor. Reviewers have favored vintages including the 2008 and 2010.
• Dancing Bull Zinfandel (starting at $8) pairs well with a winter meal, according to one connoisseur. It?s a full-bodied California wine that combines flavors of sweet fruit and spice.
• Mirassou Pinot Noir (starting at $8) is a lighter California red -- a value-priced version of a crowd-pleasing varietal. The 2010 vintage seems to come in for the most praise.

Moving on to the whites:

• Dr. Loosen Red Slate Riesling (starting at $10) is a medium-bodied German wine with a pleasing acidity. This is a dry Riesling, not a sweet one. Tasters detect notes of pear and peach.
• Bodini Chardonnay (starting at $9), which hails from Argentina, is a crisp wine with a depth of flavor that belies its budget price. Wine Advocate and International Wine Cellar both award the 2011 vintage high marks.
• Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc (starting at $8) is a light Washington wine with apple and citrus-fruit flavors and a bit of acidity. The 2011 has won accolades from Wine Spectator.

A cheap, mass-produced wine may not have the unique character and quality of a meticulously crafted vintage with a high-end pedigree. However, many of the wines above are notable for their consistency -- an important consideration when you?re stocking up for a party, rather than taking a chance on a single bottle.

If you feel uncomfortable serving inexpensive wine, consider that blind taste tests suggest most people have trouble telling when they?re drinking a cheap bottle. According to one study, wine drinkers without professional training actually rate inexpensive bottles slightly higher on average than pricey ones. Expectation appears to play a key role in our enjoyment of wine: Tasters are primed to admire a wine when told it?s expensive and turn up their noses when it?s labeled cheap. Try serving an affordable red from a decanter or a chilled white with a cloth napkin wrapped around the label. Odds are no one will be the wiser.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/12/19/15908857-celebrate-the-season-with-top-wines-for-10-or-less?lite

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DARPA shows off latest advances to four-legged LS3 robot: voice control, improved autonomy and maneuverability

It's just been a few months since DARPA was touting the last round of improvements to its four-legged LS3 robot, but it's already back to show off some more. These latest follow two weeks of real world testing in the woods of central Virginia, where the LS3 (also known as AlphaDog) demonstrated a number of improvements to its autonomy and maneuverability, including the ability to recover from a pretty substantial roll. What's more, DARPA's also shown off how the robot can respond to voice commands, as well what it calls "Leader Follow" decision making, with the robot itself determining how best to follow its human counterpart. All that and some sounds to keep you up at night can be found in the video after the break.

Continue reading DARPA shows off latest advances to four-legged LS3 robot: voice control, improved autonomy and maneuverability

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