New Year's Eve Celebrations in New York, London, Sydney

International New Year's Eve Celebrations

December 31 is New Year's Eve. Some of you have been planning the evening for ages. Some of you will end up at an overpriced and overcrowded club. Others will watch a DVD and go to bed at 10pm. Residents of New York City, London, and Sydney can go to some of the biggest New Year's eve celebrations in the world.

New York City: Times Square Madness

New York City's New Year's Eve celebration is all about the ball dropping in Times Square (Well, this is mainly true for tourists and those new to the city). If you're making your way up to 42nd Street and Broadway, brace for low temperatures and big, big crowds.

Don't carry a lot of stuff with you, since New Year's Eve is like Christmas Day for pickpockets and thieves.

Also expect some very serious security. Between the security and the crowds, it may actually be better to just watch the ball drop from home:

The will be approximately 16 checkpoints placed strategically around Times Square. Once clearing the proper checkpoints, individuals will be placed in "pens" according to DCPI. Individuals can leave the pens, but it is not encouraged. If an individual returns, however, they will most likely not be allowed back in the same pen.

Yeah, you lost us at the bit about holding pens.

If you're keen on checking out Times Square for New Year's, keep in mind that the area bordered by 7th Avenue and Broadway; and 41st and 59th Streets will be closed from 3pm December 31 to 3am January 1.

If you're not in on pens and crowds and balls, you can check sites like Citisearch for New Year's events in Manhattan, or just ring up some of your friends and go into the Boroughs.

London: Fireworks over the Thames

The London Eye will be the centerpiece of London's 2011-2012 New Year's Eve celebration, with over 12,000 fireworks. The weather is expected to be unseasonably warm, but there's a good chance that it will rain.

2012 is London's Olympic and Paralympic year, so the city is really going to try to bring it. Hopefully this year's fireworks go according to plan. Just don't mention the River of Fire.

Roads in central London will start closing at 4pm on December 31. Public transportation will be free from 11:45pm to 4:30am on January 1, so you have no excuse for drinking and driving.

Sydney: Fireworks over the Harbour

Sydney Harbour is the focal point for the city's New Year's Eve action. Boat-owners and -renters are already jockeying for position, and every bar and restaurant with a harbor view will be packed. (Who was forward-thinking enough to book those accommodations on Cockatoo Island?)

Expect clear skies and warm weather. Fireworks start at 9pm, followed by the Harbour of Light Parade. Bars and restaurants are not your only options for watching the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks: check out this vantage-point map for where to go for the ooohs and aaahs.

Be mindful, though, of the alcohol-free zones.

View Sydney NYE Vantage Points in a larger map

Source: http://www.nowpublic.com/style/new-years-eve-celebrations-new-york-london-sydney-2874754.html

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The Best Reviews of the Year [Best Of 2011]

A lot of gadgets come across our desks, but we try to review only the ones that matter the absolute most—good, bad, or buggy. Here's a rundown of some of the best reviews we wrote this year. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/2hpFNpT_fFQ/the-best-reviews-of-the-year

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List: 'Baby bump' dumped, 'amazing' phrases banned

DETROIT?? Before passing comment on someone's "baby bump," take a pregnant pause. Likewise, give up promoting "shared sacrifice." And if you're tempted to proclaim your desire to "win the future," you've lost it here in the present.

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Michigan's Lake Superior State University is featuring those phrases in its annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The 2012 list, released Friday, was compiled by the university from nominations submitted from across the globe.

What else do the syntactical Scrooges want to cast out with the good cheer in the new year? The list also includes "occupy," "ginormous," "man cave" and "the new normal."

In all, a dozen words or phrases made the 37th end-of-the year list. The list started as a publicity ploy by the school's public relations department on New Year's Day 1976, and has since generated tens of thousands of nominations.

"Amazing" received more than 1,500 nominations, the most of any on this year's list. Disdain for the superlative was apparently universal among English speakers, garnering disparaging dispatches from across the United States and even the United Kingdom and Israel.

While it lacked a single pop-culture culprit, such as the proliferating protest movement that occupied the word "occupy" or the collective ooh-ing and aah-ing that accompanied Beyonce's "baby bump," nominations to banish "amazing" cite its overuse on reality television and by daytime talk show hosts. Social media also spurred the call to surrender the word's conversational credentials, notably through a Facebook page called "Overuse of the Word Amazing."

"The word has been overused to describe things only slightly better than mundane," Alyce-Mae Alexander of Maitland, Fla., wrote in her nomination. "I blame Martha Stewart because to her, EVERYTHING is amazing!"

University spokesman John Shibley said he and his colleagues were surprised that "amazing" hadn't already graced the archive of about 900 banished words.

"The simple ones are always the ones that get through the cracks ? until this year," he said.

Other terms circulating for years that have finally raised enough ire to earn a spot on the list include "blowback," "man cave," "the new normal" and "thank you in advance." The last one particularly annoys Mike Cloran of Cincinnati, Ohio.

"This is a condescending and challenging way to say, 'Since I already thanked you, you have to do this,'" Cloran wrote in his submission.

Lake Superior State University, located in Sault St. Marie ? the last stop before Michigan's northernmost border-crossing with Canada ? has seen its list survive despite many banished words stubbornly clinging to the language. For evidence, look no further than last year's "fail," "viral" and "a-ha moment." And then there is, well, blowback from critics who can't take a little tongue-in-cheek critique.

Shibley said some people have missed the point over the years and complained that the list is an effort to control the language. But most seem to receive it in good cheer, rather than with jeers.

"A lot of people can take this wrong. We don't mean any malice when we publish it," Shibley said. "If it makes you angry, it gets you thinking about language. If it gets you laughing, it gets you thinking about language. It's done its job ? to get you to think about how you express yourself."

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

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45822701/ns/us_news/

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Figures on government spending and debt

(AP)? WASHINGTON ? Figures on government spending and debt (last six digits are eliminated). The government's fiscal year runs Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.Total public debt subject to limit Dec. 2315,085,670Statutory debt limit15,194,000Total public debt outstanding Dec. 2315,128,573Operating balance Dec. 23100,895Interest fiscal year 2011 through November44,028Interest same period 201036,831Deficit fiscal year 2011 through November235,769Deficit same period 2010290,826Receipts fiscal year 2011 through November315,474Receipts same period 2010294,921Outlays fiscal year 2011 through November551,243Outlays same period 2010585,748Gold assets in December11,041

Source: http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~r/CBSNewsGamecore/~3/LyZHT44iJ1c/

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Iran inks oil products deal with Afghanistan

TEHRAN: Iran signed an agreement with Afghanistan on Monday to export one million tons per year of gasoil, gasoline and jet fuel to the neighbouring country starting next year, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The Islamic state, which was long dependent on imported gasoline for 30 to 40 percent of its consumption, said last year it had started exporting the fuel. The sales were confirmed to Reuters by trade sources, but they did not know at the time where the cargoes were being exported.

"Iran has exported gasoil to Afghanistan over the past years but the export of gasoline and jet fuel will begin next year," IRNA quoted Ali Reza Zeighami, managing director of the National Iranian Refining and Oil Products Distribution Company, as saying.

Zeighami said the price of the products will be determined based on International prices.

In April, trade sources said Iran had struck a deal to sell gasoline to Iraq but that the rare cargo did not mean the Islamic Republic had became a net exporter and free from its dependence on gasoline imports.

Shipping data obtained by Reuters in November showed Iran's October gasoline imports rose more than 21 percent to 63,279 barrels per day from 51,986 bpd in September.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday his country would become a major gasoline exporter by 2013, despite the West's toughest-ever sanctions on the Islamic state.

The sanctions have targeted a vulnerability caused by Iran's lack of refining capacity, and many foreign companies have been forced to withdraw from Iran's energy sector.

The United States, Britain and Canada announced new measures against Iran's energy and financial sectors last month and the European Union is considering a ban -- already in place in the United States -- on imports of Iranian oil.

The sanctions follow a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog in November linking Tehran to the development of a nuclear weapon. Iran denies this, insisting its nuclear programme is aimed at generating electricity.

Iran, the world's fifth-largest oil producer, has estimated its reserves at 150 billion barrels of oil and 33 trillion cubic meters of gas.

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/Middle-East/2011/Dec-26/157972-iran-inks-oil-products-deal-with-afghanistan.ashx

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World's first pop-up mall: London's Boxpark

Millions of us will head to the mall this week to return gifts or buy what we really wanted from the after-Christmas sales. Chain stores, fast food courts, and packed parking lots are what most of us associate with shopping malls, but a new retail concept in hip East London is looking to change that. Boxpark is the world's first pop-up mall, made out of 60+ shipping containers that house a mix of international labels like The North Face and Levi's, UK designers Luke and Boxfresh, plus cafes and eateries such as Pieminister. Boxpark will be open for five years, and stores may change after a year or two. Befitting the Shoreditch neighborhood, don't expect Claire's Accessories or the Gap, but rather street fashion, cool sneakers, and funky concept stores and art galleries Art Against Knives and Marimekko. Already a huge trend with restaurants, one-off shops, and hotels, the flexibility of the pop-up concept means an urban (or anywhere, since the containers can be moved!) location, up-and-coming designers, and more creative retail spaces.

Check out all the retailers at www.boxpark.co.uk plus info on sales and special offers.

Filed under: Europe, United Kingdom

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11 Totally Awesome Animal Tales of 2011

If ever a story validated the phrase ?punish the deed, not the breed,? it?s this one: an Atlanta pitbull won the ?Neigbor of the Year? award after saving its owner?s life this past summer. One morning last July, John Benton was leaving for work when his pitbull began acting out of character?running in circles, barking loudly, blocking the front door, and refusing to let him leave. Benton followed Titan to his wife, Gloria, who had suffered a brain aneurysm and fractured her skull after falling down the stairs. Doctors later told the Bensons that had it not been for Titan?s heroics, Gloria most likely would not have made it.

(Photo: CBS Atlanta)

Source: http://www.takepart.com/photos/11-most-uplifting-animal-tails-2011

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FBI shooting range is popular deer hangout (AP)

QUANTICO, Va. ? Call it a playground for Bambi and G-Men, where imaginary criminals are hunted and deer are the spectators.

The 547-acre FBI Academy, where some of the nation's best marksmen fire off more than 1 million bullets every month, happens to be one of the safest places for deer during hunting season.

The property on the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va., is home to some of the FBI's most elite forces and training programs as well as a de facto wildlife refuge where deer, fox, wild turkeys, groundhogs and vultures roam fearless and free.

In recent years, a black bear was spotted running across a parking lot, and a groundhog cornered an FBI agent coming out of the cafeteria, hoping to score some human food, FBI spokesman Kurt Crawford said. Turkey vultures are often seen perched atop the 500,000-square-foot national crime lab where the FBI analyzes evidence, including the remains of the former al-Qaida leader in Iraq.

The wild animals are as much a fixture at the academy as the hostage rescue team and criminal profilers.

The most common furry friends on the sprawling campus some 30 miles outside Washington are the deer, a regular at the shooting ranges, driving courses and physical training trails.

On a December afternoon, deer grazed above one of the academy's 16 practice shooting ranges. They stood just 15 feet away from the paper targets. Nearby, shots popped loudly from a Colt M4 Carbine rifle, and the white-tailed deer did not flinch.

"They're pretty immune to the sound," said Sean Boyle, supervisory special agent bomb technician and principal firearms instructor for the Critical Incident Response Group based at the academy. The deer typically graze on top of the berm, about 15 feet away from the targets and rarely go directly in the line of fire. Boyle said he doesn't recall an instance where a deer was shot accidentally.

"It's like they think, `We've pushed the limit for this far, and all our generations have pushed the limit for this far,'" Boyle said. "They're just so docile around here. They don't know what a gun is."

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries does not keep direct tabs on the deer population at the FBI academy, but a spokeswoman said statewide the deer population has remained about the same over the past decade, partly because of regulated hunting. Licensed deer hunters are allowed on parts of the Marine Corps base but not at the academy where the FBI does not hunt its animals.

At the FBI Academy, the deer have even become part of the training in some of the driving courses, said Tim Moles, the supervisory special agent who oversees the Tactical and Emergency Vehicle Operations Center, where recruits learn to avoid crashing their cars and conduct surveillance without being spotted. The deer are convenient when recruits learn to avoid collisions, Moles said. "There's times when it seems like they're playing chicken with us," Moles said. "We respect them because they can do damage. We'd rather avoid all deer stories in this end of the academy."

For the most part, the deer have stayed out of trouble. Twice, however, deer have eaten freshly-planted pansies at the academy's 9/11 memorial courtyard, Crawford said. Eventually a fence was built to keep the flowers off limits.

Deer have been known to interrupt physical training, too.

"We've had the deer walk across the middle of the track during the 300-meter sprint," said Susann Dreiling, unit chief of the academy's physical training unit.

To become an agent, recruits must pass a physical fitness test. They are scored on how fast they can run and how many push-ups and sit-ups they perform. Sometimes, training will involve running a quarter-mile path along the lake area of the academy, stopping for push-ups, running some more and breaking to box, Dreiling said.

During these exercises, a mother and her fawns are often close by.

"They just stand there and watch as if they're evaluating them," Dreiling said, "just like the instructors are."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111226/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_fbi_academy_deer

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NBA Rumors: New York Knicks Shouldn't Wait for Kenyon Martin

The New York Knicks still have a $2.5 million exception to use, and one name that's been bantered about is long-time Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin. Carmelo Anthony's former teammate can't sign until March, however, which means the Knicks should avoid making any promises.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that Anthony is pushing for Martin to get New York's final bargaining chip:

The source said Martin considers the Knicks his top choice, partly because of his friendship with Anthony. They became tight during their nearly seven seasons together in Denver. Martin could fill the role of another gritty big man off the bench with athleticism.

Martin signed a contract with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers during the NBA's lockout, but it didn't include an out clause to allow him an immediate return. So, he's barred from signing a new deal until his Chinese team's season is over.

Even though Martin wouldn't be a bad signing by the Knicks, he's not so valuable that they need to commit to him right now. A lot can change between now and March, especially considering the league's condensed schedule, and the front office doesn't want its hands tied.

The former first overall pick averaged just nine points and six rebounds in a career-low 26 minutes per game for the Nuggets last season. His play in China was also less than inspiring, but that may be due to his heart never being fully committed to his new gig. That said, the extra time off should ensure he's 100 percent for the stretch run and would provide some valuable depth up front.

The Knicks have been searching for another forward for quite some time despite guard seemingly being a bigger area of need.

Since the exception is the only thing the Knicks have to lure potential free agents to Madison Square Garden, they need to keep their options open should a more intriguing option become available. If March rolls around and they still haven't found anybody else worth pursuing, then it will be time to strongly consider Martin. If they were to make a verbal commitment now and a veteran shooting guard became available, it would put the team in an awkward position.

Should the Knicks commit their exception to Martin?

Should the Knicks commit their exception to Martin?

• Yes, he'll be worth the wait.

• No, keep their options open.

Total votes: 206

Should the Knicks assert themselves as contenders, and yesterday's win over the Boston Celtics was a good start, veterans will be literally lining up to join the team. That $2.5 million deal could turn into gold by March.

All told, Martin is a name to keep in mind, but the Knicks can survive without him should another target become interested in New York.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5665270300

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Washington Wizards Preview: Eight Storylines

WASHINGTON (WUSA/The Wiz Kid) -- Our insider Kevin "Wiz Kid" Jones previews eight burning questions about the Wizards 2011-2012 season.

Is this the season John Wall makes a Russell Westbrook/Derrick Rose like jump into becoming an elite scorer?

My view is that Wall will continually give us a glimpse of jaw-dropping ability?that he could one day become an MVP candidate like Rose, but I don't think this is the year he averages 20 points per game. Look around at the roster. There are too many guys who like firing up shots as soon as they get the ball (Blatche, Young, McGee, Lewis and Crawford). Wall won't reach his true potential surrounded by a bunch of me-first type of guys.

If you're looking to see improvements from John Wall, then?it hopefully will come in the midrange shooting variety. Opposing defenses can have success against the 6-foot-4 guard when sagging off on him and forcing jump shots. As soon as his midrange game becomes potent, Wall will have all the tools of a franchise cornerstone.

Who is more valuable to this team: JaVale McGee or Nick Young?

Both are free agents following the season. Both will want around $10 million a season. Also, if both were kept on long term contracts it might be time for Wizards fans to burn all of their merchandise.

I'm torn on this one because I'm not sold on either, but give me McGee. He's just 23-years-old and at times can be a defensive stalwart. One of JaVale McGee's problems is that he has the touch of an axe murderer from five-eight feet from the basket. It would be enormous to see his rebound numbers get into the double digits this year.

Nick Young could be replaceable through the draft, although we saw how bad the Washington offense was without him against the 76ers in the preseason opener. He's solely a scorer, which means people completely overrate him when looking at the numbers. ??

Will we notice anything different about Andray Blatche?

I think so. Blatche has taken on the more serious role as a team spokesman in the locker room to the press. In doing so, I think he will hold his basketball game more accountable. According to HoopData.com, last season Blatche averaged 4.1 shot attempts per game from 16-23 feet away. I think you'll see that number lower and some increased defensive intensity from Andray Blatche.

Is there a possibility Flip Saunders resigns?

There is absolutely a chance. If you haven't heard the Saunders presser from last Friday, please go ahead and listen to his cynical tone after just one preseason game. Flip just seems drained from the lack of team work and defensive effort put out from the Wiz. It reflects poorly on him as a coach. The team is a depressing 49-115 during this regime.

As much as I like Saunders as a coach, maybe a change would spark the Wizards. Washington assistant coach and longtime NBA point guard Sam Cassel would be my first choice to replace Saunders if some kind of change is deemed to be made. Cassel is a three-time NBA champion (most recently in 2008 with the Celtics) and is known for his feistiness.

Which rookie will make the biggest impact?

Chris Singleton. After just one preseason game I'm almost ready to anoint the Florida State alum as the Wizards' best wing defender. Singleton's great because he also forces turnovers on either blocks or deflected passes because of his 7-foot-1 wingspan. Also watch out for his baseline shooting. I think by February Singleton will be ready to replace Rashard Lewis in the starting lineup.

Will the additions of Roger Mason Jr. and Ronny Turiaf matter?

Yes and no. Mason is willing to give free advice to guys like Wall, Young and Shelvin Mack. The question is will they listen? I'm a huge Ronny Turiaf guy, but I'm also huge on letting younger pieces get experience during a rebuilding mode. Turiaf's addition will limit Kevin Seraphin and especially Trevor Booker from becoming potential impact players.

What/who will be the biggest surprise in 2011-2012

I have this little feeling that Nick Young could play with a vengeance this season after getting spurned by the Wiz and the NBA without a big contract reward. Even if he is a ball-hog (and lord knows the NBA is full of ball-hogs), the 26-year-old excelled in his first real chance of playing time. I say Nick Young averages 20 points per game, flashing his pure scoring ability night-in and night-out. Will that be enough for the Wizards to re-sign him? Hopefully not.

What percent chance do the Wizards have of making the playoffs?

15 percent. The only bottom barrel teams in the eastern conference that are worse than Washington are Charlotte, Cleveland, Toronto and maybe Detroit. I'd argue Indiana and Philadelphia are locks for the playoffs, meaning the Wizards are competing with Milwaukee and New Jersey for the final eighth seed. If Wall makes a tremendous leap, don't rule out anything. ?

Source: http://capitolhill.wusa9.com/news/news/86081-washington-wizards-preview-eight-storylines

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OutOfYourRut: Not Enough Retirement Savings? Try Paying Off Debt http://t.co/efoHBAx5

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Jamie Dupree's Washington Insider: Only Romney & Paul on Virginia Ballot

By Jamie Dupree

Officials in the Commonwealth of Virginia have announced that only Mitt Romney and Ron Paul qualified for the Super Tuesday ballot, dealing a setback to the campaigns of both Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich.

Backers of both Perry and Gringrich submitted more than the 10,000 signatures needed, but not all were judged to be valid by Virginia elections officials.

?Only a failed system excludes four out of the six major candidates seeking access to the ballot," said Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond, referring to the fact that Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum also won't be on the Virginia ballot. ?

"Voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender, especially leading candidates," Hammond said in a Saturday morning statement.

While Hammond vowed to wage a write-in campaign, this news was clearly a victory for Mitt Romney's campaign, at least for now.

But what if Romney stumbles early? Then the Old Dominion could truly be up for grabs in early March.

About Jamie Dupree

Jamie Dupree is the Radio News Director of the Washington Bureau of the Cox Media Group and writes the Washington Insider blog.

Connect with Jamie Dupree on:TwitterFacebook

Send Jamie Dupree an email.

Source: http://www.newstalkradiowhio.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2011/dec/24/only-romney-paul-virginia-ballot/

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The General Secretary, Consortium of Indian Farmers Association, Shri P. Chengal Reddy meeting the Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Textiles, Shri Anand Sharma, in New Delhi on December 22, 2011.

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Nepal's top brass flocks to Japan National Day meet

Added At: ?2011-12-23 6:01 PM??

Last Updated At: 2011-12-23 6:01 PM

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KATHMANDU: Japanese ambassador to Nepal Kunio Takahashi hosted a reception to mark the 78th birth anniversary of Japanese Emperor Akihito and National Day of Japan at his official residence, Tahachal on Friday.

According to a press statement released today, various VIP guests and personalities including Vice President Parmananda Jha, Constituent Assembly chairman Subash Chandra Nembang, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Chhatra Man Singh Gurung, Ministers, Ambassadors and heads of international organisations in Nepal, members of the Constituent Assembly and high ranking government officials attended the reception.

The Emperor is honoured as the symbolic head of the nation and national unity in Japan. The anniversary of Emperor Akihito is also celebrated as the National Day of Japan.

Source: http://thehimalayantimes.com/rssReference.php?id=MzEzNzMx

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Best Buy Is Ruining Christmas [Bad Buy]

Best Buy is completely dropping the ball this holiday season. We're hearing reports that customers who bought items on BestBuy.com on Black Friday (yes, nearly a month ago) will not be receiving their orders this year, with some of them even being cancelled right before Christmas. Congratulations Best Buy! You are the Grinch. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/NIoNCIBLYM0/best-buy-is-ruining-christmas

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Recipes of dead celebrities featured in new book (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Comedian Frank DeCaro is best known for his stint on "The Daily Show with John Stewart" but the comedian and talk radio host is now dishing out recipes.

In his third book, "The Dead Celebrity Cookbook: A Resurrection of Recipes From More Than 145 Stars of Stage and Screen," DeCaro provides the ingredients for actress Mae West's fruit compote and comedian John Ritter's favorite fudge along with other recipes from deceased stars.

The 49-year-old performer spoke to Reuters about his inspiration for the book, how he found the recipes and which are his favorites.

Q: Where did the idea for the book come from?

A: "When I was at Northwestern University in the early 1980s, my friends threw a 'dead celebrity' party. All the guests came dressed as stars who had gone to the great studio commissary in the sky. Everyone from Adam and Eve to Sid and Nancy were at that party. Our host was dressed as Judy Garland and carried a pill bottle that read "Take until dead." It was one of the best parties I've ever been to. We didn't have any 'dead celebrity' food at that party, though, and that sort of planted the seed for the 'Dead Celebrity Cookbook.'"

Q: There are over 145 recipes. How did you get them?

A: "Ever since that party, I've been collecting out-of- print cookbooks, supermarket flyers, spiral-bound manuals that came in microwave ovens in 1975, old magazines -- anything that has a celebrity recipe in it. I curated the recipes from those sources, borrowing the lists of ingredients and rewriting the instructions so they made sense for modern home cooks."

Q: Do you know if any of these celebrities actually cooked the dishes?

A: "I certainly think they enjoyed them, even if someone else did the cooking. (Michael) Jackson was said to love sweet potato pie. Who doesn't? Gary Coleman's recipe (chicken vegetable soup) had a note attached that suggested it was one he grew up eating. As for Miss Crawford, I'd very much like to believe Joan poached her own salmon, if you'll pardon the expression."

Q: How did you decide to organize and categorize them all?

A: "In a way that made sense to me as a lover of pop culture, and in a way in which readers could best appreciate the celebrities themselves and the amazing work they did while they were alive."

Q: Have you baked any of the recipes yourself?

A: "I taste-tested about a third of them, some of are really delicious; some, not so much."

Q: Do you have a personal favorite?

A: "Liberace's sticky buns! I made 24 of them and ate nine before they were cool enough to handle. They're so good!"

Q: Who is this book for? Movie and TV buffs, food-lovers, pop culture aficionados, those who collect Hollywood memorabilia or your gay best friends?

A: "I did this book for home cooks with a sense of humor. Pop culture junkies will love the chance to reminisce about stars. But really, I wrote it for people who don't know who these celebrities are: younger readers, for instance. I hope they discover these stars and their work through this book."

Q: Any plans for follow-up cookbooks?

A: "This is only the first in what I hope will be a series of 'Dead Celebrity Cookbooks.' It may have an irreverent title, but the book is a love letter to the stars. It's important to me that audiences don't forget these incredibly talented people. They may be gone, but their work -- and their recipes -- lives on."

Frank Sinatra's Barbecued Lamb (serves 6)

1 (7 lbs.) leg of lamb, boned and butterflied

1 cup olive oil

8 tablespoons wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup prepared mustard

Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, and salt to make a marinade. Place lamb skin side up in a shallow pan and pour the marinade over it. Slather mustard on skin side. Cover and let marinate overnight. Place lamb mustard-side down on a very hot grill, five inches from flame. When brown on one side, turn. Cook about one hour total, checking for doneness at 45 minutes. Slice thinly to serve.

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Patricia Reaney)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111220/stage_nm/us_food_deadcelebrities

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Senecas to nearly double hotel rooms at Salamanca casino (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

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More impact rookies than Newton, Miller (AP)

One of the fears at the end of the 4 1/2-month lockout was how much all the missed practice and meeting time would affect rookies.

Three weeks from the end of the season, those concerns appear ill-founded.

Sure, there have been some first-year flops, from Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert to Giants defensive back Prince Amukamara to Chiefs receiver Jonathan Baldwin ? the latter two slowed by injuries, but mediocre when they have gotten onto the field. And yes, some or all of them might turn out to be All-Pros down the line.

Yet, nearly each of the 32 teams has had an impact rookie this year. Some, such as quarterbacks Cam Newton in Carolina and Andy Dalton in Cincinnati on offense, Denver linebacker Von Miller and Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson on defense, have made headlines and highlight reels weekly. Others have flown a bit lower while contributing quite a bit.

Take Detroit's Titus Young, a second-round draft choice from Boise State who has a habit of making long gains ? not a bad trait for a wide receiver. He's overshadowed by veterans Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson, but has made enough splashy plays, including four catches longer than 40 yards, to help Detroit stay in the wild-card chase.

"Yeah, he's gaining experience each week and he's making more plays each week and it's obviously something we need when we see teams that trick up Calvin and want to game plan to take Calvin away," coach Jim Schwartz said. "The arrow has been going up for Titus the whole season. He's had ups and downs like any rookie does, but overall, he's been trending up, and you're seeing some of the explosive plays that we know we can get from him."

Opponents are seeing the explosiveness of two young defenders: Houston linebacker Brooks Reed and end J.J. Watt.

Second-round pick Reed has set a Texans rookie record for sacks with six, has 11 quarterback hits and a fumble recovery. Pretty good for a guy who made the starting lineup when Texans star Mario Williams was lost for the season in Week 5 and Houston had to move Connor Barwin into Williams' spot.

First-rounder Watt has started from the outset, has 4 1/2 sacks and shares the team lead in tackles for loss (10). He's also recovered two fumbles.

Houston ? and perhaps the league's ? most surprisingly effective rookie has been quarterback T.J. Yates. A third-stringer (and fifth-round selection from North Carolina), Yates stepped in when both Matts, Schaub and Leinart, went down with season-ending injuries. All he's done is guide the Texans to a huge comeback victory at Cincinnati to clinch the first playoff berth in their 10-season existence.

"That's an impressive thing," said Panthers linebacker Dan Connor, whose team faces Houston this week. "A lot was on the line for them and he helped them win. That says a lot about him as a quarterback to be able to do that, especially when he's a rookie."

Yates wasn't given the reins, nor even considered for them, when the season kicked off. Newton and Dalton, of course, were behind center from the beginning, a trend that developed in the last decade and has led to Ben Roethlisberger, Vince Young, Matt Ryan and Sam Bradford winning top offensive rookie honors. It never happened before Roethlisberger arrived in Pittsburgh in 2004.

Newton and Dalton might be the front-runners for the award this season, especially with Cowboys sensation RB DeMarco Murray gone with a broken right ankle. But nobody should ignore Washington RB Roy Helu; WRs A.J. Green of Cincinnati, Doug Baldwin of Seattle, and Julio Jones of Atlanta; Philadelphia center Jason Kelce; Oakland guard Stefan Wisniewski; Miami center Mike Pouncey; and tackles Orlando Franklin of Denver, Marcus Gilbert of Pittsburgh and Nate Solder of New England.

Arizona's Peterson has taken his spectacular efforts to special teams, where he has tied a league mark with four punt returns for TDs, one from 99 yards and another from 80.

"There's no secret there, he's an outstanding player for the reasons that he's had success this year," Browns coach Pat Shurmur said as he prepared to face Arizona this weekend. "When you have a guy that's scored four touchdowns, two of which won games at the end ? I know for a fact it was the Rams, he beat them twice on punt returns ? I'm going to remember that Sunday."

Other defensive players to remember along with Miller, who quickly has become the dynamic leader in Denver, and Peterson, include linebackers Ryan Kerrigan of Washington, KJ Wright of Seattle, Justin Houston of Kansas City, Jacquian Williams of the Giants, and two from Tennessee: Akeem Ayers and Colin McCarthy; linemen Aldon Smith of San Francisco, Adrian Clayborn of Tampa Bay, Marcell Dareus of Buffalo, Robert Quinn of St. Louis, Jabaal Sheard of Cleveland, Muhammad Wilkerson of the Jets, and two more from Tennessee: Jurrell Casey and Karl Klug; and backs Jimmy Wilson of Miami and Jimmy Smith of Baltimore.

One thing is certain: Any rookies who have played regularly for their teams in 2011 no longer can be considered untested. Indeed, Yates might go through the rest of his career without ever being challenged the way he is being now.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_on_football_impact_rookies

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Esophageal Cancer: Facts and Figures (ContributorNetwork)

British journalist and author Christopher Hitchens died Thursday at 62 from complications of esophageal cancer. The well-known contributing editor of Vanity Fair magazine had been diagnosed in June 2010. Here are some key facts and figures about esophageal cancer.

* Men develop esophageal cancer four times more frequently than women and also have a higher mortality than women.

* Esophageal cancer ranks seventh as the cause of cancer deaths among men.

* This year in the United States, approximately 17,000 adults will receive a new diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

* Approximately 15,000 deaths will be attributed to esophageal cancer this year.

* The lifetime risk of esophageal cancer in the United States is estimated to be 1 in 125 for men and 1 in 400 for women.

* Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, choking while eating, indigestion, vomiting, persistent hiccups and hoarseness. Symptoms frequently do not appear in the early stages of esophageal cancer.

* The most common age for esophageal cancer to occur is between 45 and 70.

* Risk factors include drinking alcohol, chewing tobacco, obesity, drinking extremely hot liquids, bile reflux, GERD, smoking, Barrett's esophagus, radiation to the upper abdomen or chest, eating foods preserved in lye and eating too few fruits and vegetables.

* Endoscopy and barium swallow are usually done to make a diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

* Since symptoms do not usually occur until the later stages, treatment options carry a poor survival rate.

* Treatment may involve surgery and almost always involves chemotherapy and radiation combined.

* In the U.S., the five-year survival rate is 17 percent, excluding patients who die from other causes. For anyone with early stage esophageal cancer, the survival rates are higher.

* Esophageal cancer is much more prevalent in countries other than the U.S. For example in places such as northern China, India, Iran and southern Africa the rates are 10 to 100 times higher,

* Two types of esophageal cancer are the most common and are named after the cells at their point of origin. These include adenocarcinoma, which begins in the lower part of the esophagus and is the most common in western societies, and is caused most often by reflux and Barrett's esophagus. The second type is squamous cell carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the middle and upper esophagus. This type is most often caused by smoking and alcohol use and is the most common worldwide.

* Squamous cell carcinoma occurs three times more often in blacks than whites, while adenocarcinoma is most prevalent in white males.

Margie Miklas is a critical-care nurse with more than 30 years' experience. She currently works in South Florida in a cardiovascular ICU with a specialty certification in cardiac surgery.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20111216/hl_ac/10692349_esophageal_cancer_facts_and_figures

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Obama welcomes home troops from Iraq

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is welcoming home troops who served in Iraq, saying that their service offers a lesson about the nation's character.

"There's a reason our military is the most respected institution in America," Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address. "They don't see themselves or each other as Democrats first or Republicans first. They see themselves as Americans first.

"For all our differences and disagreements, they remind us that we are all a part of something bigger, that we are one nation and one people."

Obama marked the end of the Iraq war earlier in the week, meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in advance of the last American troops leaving Iraq by Dec. 31. The withdrawal caps a war in which nearly 4,500 Americans were killed, about 32,000 were wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars were spent.

"Our troops are now preparing to make their final march across the border and out of the country," Obama said. "Iraq's future will be in the hands of its own people."

The president met with troops at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Wednesday to discuss the end of the war and to honor the military's sacrifice. Obama opposed the war as a state lawmaker and then made ending the war in Iraq a key part of his 2008 presidential campaign.

Obama said the nation needs to enlist soldiers returning home in the rebuilding of the nation's economy, noting that his grandfather's generation returned home from World War II "to form the backbone of the largest middle class in history."

"This is a moment for us to build a country that lives up to the ideals that so many of our bravest Americans have fought and even died for," Obama said. "That is our highest obligation as citizens. That is the welcome home that our troops deserve."

Republicans said in their weekly address that soldiers returning home are most concerned about finding a good job and cited the 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline as an example of a project that could put people back to work.

Republicans have pushed for a swift decision on the pipeline proposed from Canada to Texas. Obama recently announced he was postponing a decision on the pipeline until after the 2012 elections to allow for more time to study the environmental ramifications of the proposal. An agreement reached by Senate leaders Friday night on a two-month extension of a Social Security payroll tax cut and jobless benefits would require Obama to decide within 60 days whether to grant a permit for the pipeline.

The pipeline would carry oil from western Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. The project is expected to create up to 20,000 jobs.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said the project would transport 700,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada and the "steady source of energy from our friend and ally here would make us less dependent on energy from the volatile Middle East ? and that is good for America."

Environmentalists have opposed the project but some unions have supported the plan, complicating Obama's decision.

___

Online:

Obama address: http://www.whitehouse.gov

GOP address: http://www.youtube.com/gopweeklyaddress

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-17-US-Obama/id-72e9f766fd494717be8d004681e156bf

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Ex-Taliban deny reports of Qatar-office (AP)

KABUL, Afghanistan ? An ex-Taliban envoy said on Thursday that he had no knowledge of plans by the Afghan insurgents to set up a political office in Qatar, even though media reports billed him as a potential chief of a possible Taliban mission in the tiny Gulf state.

By opening an office, the Taliban would indicate a willingness to talk peace after 10 years of war in Afghanistan and signal their intention to try and find a political solution to an insurgency that has cost the lives of thousands.

Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban's former ambassador to Pakistan, said he was unaware of such an office being planned. A top member of the Afghanistan peace council, ex-Taliban official Arsala Rahmani, said he was also unaware that such an office was about to open.

Their remarks follow reports in an Indian newspaper, The Hindu, quoting unnamed Indian diplomatic sources, that said work was being finalized on a Taliban office in Qatar that Zaeef may run.

Zaeef told The Associated Press that he had not heard that plans were being finalized for the office in Qatar or that he was being considered to staff it. "I'm not aware of that," Zaeef said.

Afghanistan recalled its ambassador to Qatar on Wednesday, the same day the newspaper published the story, but it is unclear if it is related to the report.

The ministry did not give a reason for recalling Khalid Ahmad Zakaria from the Qatari capital of Doha, but said Kabul values ties with Qatar and that diplomatic communications would continue.

The ministry could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday about whether recalling the ambassador was linked to The Hindu report.

Meanwhile, Rahmani said the peace council, a group of about 70 influential Afghans and former Taliban appointed by President Hamid Karzai to try and reconcile with the insurgents, was busy trying to find a new leader.

"These days we are involved in appointing a new head of the peace council," said Rahmani, who once served as deputy minister of higher education in the Taliban regime.

The former head of the peace council, Burhanuddin Rabbani, was assassinated on Sept. 20. Rabbani, a former president of Afghanistan, was killed by a suicide bomber posing as a peace emissary from the Taliban.

After his death, Karzai said informal peace efforts would not resume until the Taliban established an official address.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan

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Justin Bieber stages concert at Las Vegas school

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber is performing a private concert for a Las Vegas elementary school that's gained publicity for services it provides for low-income families.

Bieber's concert is set for Friday morning at Whitney Elementary School and comes after the singer pledged to donate $100,000 to the school.

The 17-year-old pop star announced the gift in October during a taping of "The Ellen Degeneres Show" that aired on Nov. 1.

School officials told the Las Vegas Sun newspaper some of the students burst into tears of joy when they heard Bieber would stage a show for them.

Whitney Elementary was first featured on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" in September. The episode highlighted how the school provides a food pantry, clothes closet, free haircuts and literacy training for students' families.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-16-People-Justin%20Bieber/id-88463c77f0be426dad05fa6e2c26b110

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Iran's keeping the US drone. But can they figure it out? (VIDEO)

Many commentators argue that the RQ-170 'Beast of Kandahar' drone is too advanced for Iran to reverse-engineer.

Iran appears to have declined the White House's formal request to return the surveillance drone it recently captured. But even if Iran retains the high-tech drone, experts are dubious about how much Iran can learn from it.

Skip to next paragraph

The semi-official Iran Students' News Agency reported today that Iran considers the RQ-170 "Beast of Kandahar" drone "Iran's property," according to Iranian Foreign Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi. "The US spy drone is the Islamic Republic of Iran's possession and our country will decide what to do in this regard," he said.

Vahidi also criticized the US for the "bullying way" that it "called for return of the drone instead of offering apology to the Iranian and Afghan nations for misusing their lands."

President Obama confirmed yesterday that the White House had requested that Iran return the spy drone, reports the Associated Press. "We have asked for it back," he said during a Monday news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki. "We?ll see how the Iranians respond."

But even with Iran apparently intent on holding onto the drone, experts say that while there are reasons for concern, it is dubious that Iran will be able to glean the drone's secrets.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/0eBy3sZbjaE/Iran-s-keeping-the-US-drone.-But-can-they-figure-it-out-VIDEO

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Top beefs against credit card issuers listed

By Bob Sullivan

Given a chance to complain, credit card consumers jumped at the opportunity.?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau opened for business earlier this year, and its first actions were to solicit consumer complaints about credit cards and set up a system for resolving disputes.? In three months ending Oct. 21, cardholders filed more than 5,000 complaints and requests for?help.

An interim report issued this week offers insight into the bank practices that most bug consumers:? Billing disputes, collection practices, and debt protection sales pitches. Surprisingly, late fees did not crack the top 10.??

Mysterious fine print is a common thread through many of the complaints.

"The biggest thing we see is consumer confusion," said bureau spokeswoman Jennifer Howard.? "Customers and credit card issuers aren't always on same page when it comes to understanding the terms of the deal."

---

According to the report, account holders struggle to understand both terms of their contracts and details of additional offers like debt protection.? There's a "mismatch between consumer expectations and the way the product functions," the report says.

A big part of the bureau's mandate is to act as an express route for resolution of consumer issues. Of the 5,000-odd complaints submitted, 4,254 were forwarded to the bank involved; banks said they'd resolved 3,151 of those. Consumers disagreed about that satisfaction rate, with only 2,238 agreeing that their dispute had been solved. Another 500 said their complaints were pending.

The text of the complaints is not public, but the bureau is working on a method for providing "public reports" that will include "certain aspects of credit card complaint data."

Meanwhile, the bureau will soon begin accepting complaints about other financial products, such as mortgages and home equity loans.

?When consumers contact us, we get a snapshot of how the consumer finance markets are working,? said Raj Date, a special adviser to the secretary of the Treasury for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "We will continue to work with consumers, credit card companies, government agencies, and others to improve consumer education and ensure CFPB?s regulation, supervision, and enforcement efforts are effective.?

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VP Biden says Iraq ready to survive on its own (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday "we're not claiming victory" in Iraq, but he believes the emerging government in Baghdad is capable of defending itself.

Interviewed on NBC's "Today" show from Iraq, Biden was asked about the impact of the U.S. combat troop withdrawal, likely to be complete within weeks. He replied, "This is no rush."

Biden added that in the three years of the Obama administration, "We've done this in a way that nobody thought could be done."

The vice president said there is no validity now to "the idea that there is sufficient capacity to bring down this government, to fundamentally alter this democratic process that is under way."

"We're not claiming victory," he said. "What we're claiming here is we've done our job the administration said it would do. To end a war we did not start, to end it in a responsible way ... and to leave in place the prospect of a trained military, a trained security force under democratic institutions where the disparate parties for the first time are actually working together."

He acknowledged security concerns ? dramatized by two separate attacks that officials say killed 17 people Thursday in a northeastern Iraqi province ? but said that "violence is at an all-time low" since 2002.

Biden said in a meeting with Iraqi leaders Wednesday that Washington and Baghdad will continue to work closely together in many joint civilian endeavors.

___

On the net:

http://on.today.com/s2W0wZ

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_iraq_biden

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Detainee policy, sanctions on Iran loom large as Senate looks to wrap up work on defense bill (Star Tribune)

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