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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/LzDwS6tTrXA/story01.htm
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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Seas0nPass jailbreak updated for Apple TV 4.4.4, now untethered
If you’ve been hanging onto older software on your Apple TV 2 for fear of losing your Jailbreak or simply not wanting a tethered solution, then the day...
Friday, December 30, 2011
North Korea's new leaders lash out at South Korea and allies (Reuters)
SEOUL (Reuters) ? North Korea sounded a bellicose note in its first communication with the outside world since the death of leader Kim Jong-il, saying its confrontational stance against South Korea would not change and labeling its opponents "foolish."
Since Kim Jong-il died on December 17, the outside world has been watching to see whether his son Kim Jong-un, aged in his 20s, would stick to its hardline "military first" policies that have seen the isolated nation move closer to nuclear weapons capacity.
"On this occasion, we solemnly declare with confidence that foolish politicians around the world, including the puppet forces in South Korea, should not expect any changes from us," a broadcaster on state television said on Friday.
She was reading a statement from the National Defense Commission, the top body in the militarized and impoverished state under Kim Jong-il.
In a break from the black mourning clothing worn since Kim Jong-il's death, the broadcaster wore dark red clothes and almost shouted her defiant message.
North Korea has a long history of using bellicose phrases against the South, especially since the conservative government of Lee Myung-bak took office in 2008 and ended a policy of engagement with the North.
It has threatened to turn the South's capital Seoul into a "sea of fire" on numerous occasions and repeated that rhetoric again on Friday.
"We will never engage with the Lee Myung-bak administration," said the announcer.
"The sea of bloody tears from our military and people will follow the puppet regime until the end. The tears will turn into a sea of revengeful fire that burns everything."
In 2010, the North launched an artillery barrage that killed South Korean civilians for the first time since the end of the Korean War in 1953. It was blamed for sinking a South Korean warship earlier that year, although it denies it did.
Little is known of Kim Jong-un, who had been groomed for government since 2009.
He has been dubbed "Supreme Commander" in North Korea and is expected to rule with the aid of key figures like his uncle Jang Song-thaek, at least in the early stages of the power transition.
"Expecting any change from the North on our part would be foolish," said Chung Young-tae, an analyst at the Korea Institute of National Unification in Seoul, a government think-tank.
South Korea's government did not formally respond to the comments from the North.
NUCLEAR CAPACITY
Under Kim Jong-il, who died earlier this month aged 69, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests and a top observer of its nuclear program said this week the country may only be a few years away from developing a nuclear tipped missile.
Few however expect the North to launch a full scale attack on South Korea. Pyongyang's main backer, China, has repeatedly urged a "peaceful" solution on the Korean peninsula.
Despite the freeze in official relations between North and South, the two sides held talks this year which North Korea leaked, embarrassing the government in Seoul.
North Korea needs food aid from the government in Seoul as up to a third of its population is malnourished, according to the United Nations.
"These forms of messages have led to conversation before," said Chung.
(Reporting by Seoul bureau; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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MIT scholar builds a self-balancing unicycle to roll fast and furious around campus (video)
MIT scholar builds a self-balancing unicycle to roll fast and furious around campus (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor ready to rebel at 50 after cancer battle
By Liz Thomas
Last updated at 2:33 AM on 27th December 2011
Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor is the first to admit she?s always been a bit of a goody two-shoes in real life.
But her very public battle with breast cancer has left the soap icon in a different frame of mind as she approaches 50.
In a frank interview, the actress says she?s fighting back to fitness and now it?s time to do something ?naughty?.
Age is just a number: Sally Dynevor dons a leather biker jacket for a photoshoot
?I feel as though I?m starting to enter a new time in my life,? she said. ?I?m really excited about the future.
?As I get older I want to break the? rules and be a bit rebellious. I?ve been? so good for such a long time I just want to do something naughty. I want to do as much as I can. I just want to fill every minute of every day.?
?
Mrs Dynevor, who plays Sally Webster, was diagnosed with cancer after a Coronation Street plotline ? in which her character developed the disease ? inspired her to check her own breasts.
In November last year she began a gruelling course of chemotherapy which led to her losing her hair.
Cancer fight: Sally had months of therapy
?I?ve learnt that whatever happens to us, it?s just life?s path,? she said. ?So many people go through breast cancer. I?m not the only one, there are thousands. But it gave me great comfort to talk to other women going through the same thing.?
The mother-of-three confessed that she now wanted to try a backpacking holiday or working in New York as a waitress.
She told Woman magazine: ?I was talking to some of the Corrie girls and we all said 50 is the new 40, isn?t it?
?Fifty-year-olds now aren?t dressing like my mother?s generation did. I still want to be wearing a leather jacket and skinny jeans. Being 50 is just a number and it?s about how you feel in your head. I?m sure there are exciting times to come.?
Mrs Dynevor, who was previously known as Sally Whittaker,?has said that the ITV soap could potentially have saved her life because it was only the storyline that caused her to check herself and find a lump.
The early diagnosis gave her a better chance at beating the disease.
?If I had not been researching this storyline, I may not have discovered the lump in my breast and had it looked at so quickly,? she said in a interview.
?I had never properly checked my breast before because I thought this wasn?t going to happen to me.?
Mrs Dynevor said she had ignored a? lump she had felt while on holiday? earlier last year, but was inspired by her scenes to have it checked by a nurse.
The nurse immediately booked her a hospital appointment and she was diagnosed with a 1.8cm grade one tumour. The tests also revealed that the diseased cells had spread to six of the lymph nodes under one arm.
The actress, who is married to scriptwriter Tim Dynevor with whom she has three children ? Sam, 14, and daughters Phoebe, 16, and Hattie, eight ? then underwent months of chemotherapy, losing much of her hair.
She? continued to play her character Sally, who was facing a similar? situation in the soap.
Mrs Dynevor, who has starred in Coronation Street for 25 years, insisted she was happy to keep working on the show.
?I?ve had so many good stories. If my storylines had dried up I would have left a long time ago,? she said. ?That?s not to say I might not venture off and do a bit of theatre when I get older.
?There are times when I see something and think, ?I?d really like to be doing that?, but the reality is I wouldn?t get home at night to put my kids to bed.? Corrie suits my life and that?s why I?ve stayed so long.?
Alongside her latest interview she posed in a daytime biker jacket and figure-hugging? trousers to illustrate how she? is beginning to get her life back? to normal.
?
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Literate Partner - Fantasy Romance-ish Roleplay!
Hi, everyone!
I don't normally do this but I'm going to propose something completely different to my usual preferences. A romance fantasy roleplay! Well, at least somewhat romance-ish; consider it as a subplot. Basically, the idea is very fragile and undefined at the moment because it formed suddenly.
I wish to play a female tiefling who would meet your character in one way or another and after that follow him for one reason or another - either out of necessity, curiosity or something else. If you're unfamiliar with tieflings, they are basically humans with some form of fiendish ancestry in their blood and are thus somewhat deformed, with horns, pointed teeth, a tail and so on. I know what you're thinking here again. Oh, no, demons again! Please, bear with me. Tieflings aren't demons, they simply have traits that make them society outcasts for the most part. If you're interested in reading more, feel free to follow this link. There aren't a lot of them about at all and are, because of their dubious ancestry, regarded as second-class citizens, distrusted, shunned and sometimes even taken advantage of or assaulted by vigilantes who think they're doing the right thing.
However, whether you are familiar with the D&D setting or not is irrelevant. Because I am a thieving little bugger, I'm willing to snatch the tiefling race and put it into an original fantasy world created by both of us. I'm leaning more towards a medieval fantasy world than not but we can work things out as we go.
What the actual plot will be, I'm not sure as of yet, but I would definitely wish a romance subplot to develop (can hardly believe I'm asking this!). However this romance develops, I would just like to add that I can't stand instant or artificial romances. It has to come naturally to the characters, although, of course, this sentence sort of negates the previous one. Argh! *head explodes*
A few more final thoughts.
- You will have to be literate and post healthy posts. I won't require lengths that I use for more serious plots but anything around 500+ words would do nicely.
- Be nice and use an instant messaging program.
- Play a male character. Sorry, only a straight romance will do.
- Be dedicated. Even though I might have made this thread sound like I'm only doing this as something to occupy my mind until something better pops in, I'm a dedicated player and won't leave just because I grew bored. If both of us pool our resources into the world and plot, it could become something a lot of fun.
*gulps, presses the submit button*
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/6CW8Wht8yx0/viewtopic.php
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wed, 12/28: Atlanta Hawks vs. Washington Wizards (Philips Arena)
NBA Basketball Game. To purchase tickets for this event online, please click here.
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All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
All event information presented is subject to change. Please contact the event organizer directly to verify dates and times.
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Sunday, December 25, 2011
U.S. economy hopes give European stocks respite (Reuters)
LONDON (Reuters) ? Signs of renewed momentum in the giant U.S. economy boosted European stocks and supported the euro on Friday, but any gains in holiday-thinned markets are likely to prove short-lived with concerns about the euro zone debt crisis undiminished.
"There's no doubt that events in the euro area in the first quarter of next year... have the potential to have a profound impact across the globe," said Chris Scicluna, an economist at Daiwa Capital Markets.
The single currency edged up 0.1 percent to $1.3065, holding above a recent 11-month low of $1.2945, although it remains down around 2.1 percent on the year.
"The dollar is still seen as a funding currency when risk appetite improves and people will sell dollars on the back of that," said Chris Walker, currency strategist at UBS.
"But we still see uncertainties in the euro zone outweighing and look for a move towards $1.25 in the next few months," he added.
The United States reported the lowest level of weekly jobless claims since April 2008 on Thursday, as well as a rise in the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index.
"This improved set of data we've had through Q4 in the U.S. is at least something to be encouraged about," said Daiwa's Scicluna.
MSCI's world equity index gained around 0.3 percent since the data was published (.MIWD00000PUS), but remains on track for a fall of about 12 percent in 2011.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index gained around 0.5 percent.
ECB FUNDS SOOTHE
The European Central Bank's mid-week provision of 490 billion euros of cheap longer-term cash to over 500 of the region's banks - the largest ever amount of liquidity pumped into the financial system - is expected to support debt markets.
The loans are expected to ease the impact of a wave of capital outflows of U.S. money market funds from European banks that has gummed up the interbank market, and should also support bank shares.
Outgoing ECB executive board member Lorenzo Bini Smaghi also suggested in comments in the Financial Times on Friday that the ECB could give in and adopt "quantitative easing" to boost the euro zone economy if deflation risks emerge across the 17-country region.
His comments are the strongest indication yet that the central bank could expand its policy tools to prevent a possibly disastrous economic slump in continental Europe, although Bini Smaghi himself steps down at the end of December.
Meanwhile, fellow ECB Executive Board member Juergen Stark, who also steps down at the end of the month, was quoted as saying that Europe should not use the International Monetary Fund to get around the ban on central banks financing governments and that current plans might breach that principle.
"Practically, I don't see any countries other than euro zone states that want access to the money. It is an attempt to circumvent the ban on direct monetary financing in Europe," Stark told German daily Die Welt in an interview.
Yields on Italian 10-year bonds were 4 basis points higher at 6.97 percent, back within a whisker of the 7 percent mark seen as unsustainably high over the long-term, with the Spanish equivalent little changed at 5.42 percent.
Unsurprisingly, in 2011 Italian bonds (.QW4AP) have been one of the worst performers, posting losses of 5.65 percent overall with longer-dated paper losing almost 11 percent (.QW4U).
The rosier picture painted by the U.S. data is also supporting commodities, with copper, which is sensitive to expectations of industrial demand, rising 1.0 percent to $7,615 a tonne, on course for its first weekly gain in three weeks.
(Additional reporting by Neal Armstrong)
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Saturday, December 24, 2011
Best of 2011: Jennifer Lopez's Sizzling Comeback (omg!)
All hail J.Lo!
PHOTOS: So cute! How Max and Emme have grown up
After lying low for three years to raise her twins Emme and Max, 3, Lopez, 42, assumed the throne as an American Idol judge, then released Love?, her highest-charting album since 2005 (three singles hit No. 1 on the Dance Club Play charts and one, "On the Floor," went triple-platinum).
PHOTOS: How Jennifer's love life influenced her style
Other crowning achievements? A show-stealing performance at the American Music Awards (alongside her 24-year-old backup dancer beau Casper Smart), a Kohl's clothing line and a Fiat ad campaign. "I'm never tired!" Lopez tells Us Weekly.
PHOTOS: JLo and Marc and other huge splits of 2011
Indeed. The hot mom brought Smart along for a Thanksgiving vacation to Kauai, Hawaii -- where the two were spotted frolicking on the beach with her children.?
?
Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly
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US alarmed by violence in Egypt
An Egyptian woman holds a banner that reads in Arabic, "men, come protest, Tantawi disrespected your women," during a protest demanding the military step down in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Thousands of women marched through central Cairo demanding Egypt's ruling military step down in an unprecedented show of outrage over soldiers who dragged women by the hair and stomped on them, and stripped one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on activists the past week. (AP Photo/Hossam Ali)
An Egyptian woman holds a banner that reads in Arabic, "men, come protest, Tantawi disrespected your women," during a protest demanding the military step down in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Thousands of women marched through central Cairo demanding Egypt's ruling military step down in an unprecedented show of outrage over soldiers who dragged women by the hair and stomped on them, and stripped one half-naked in the street during a fierce crackdown on activists the past week. (AP Photo/Hossam Ali)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration pressed its concerns Wednesday with Egyptian officials over the ongoing violence and abuse of female demonstrators in Egypt.
The State Department said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had spoken by phone a day earlier to Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri to register deep U.S. unease about the situation, particularly well-documented attacks on women participating in anti-military protests by security forces. The conversation came after Clinton earlier this week bluntly called the treatment of the women a "disgrace" that dishonored this year's revolution that ended decades of repressive rule.
"It was a very productive call, all focused in the right direction," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of the exchange between Clinton and Ganzouri. "She, obviously, said that she had been greatly concerned, and particularly alarmed about the horrible images. And he was very clear that the Egyptian authorities want to see their security forces operate within the rule of law."
As the elections continue, Clinton told Ganzouri that the U.S. wanted to see a "genuine inclusive democratic process" that respects the rights of all Egyptians, including women and minorities.
The attacks on the women came in fierce clashes beginning last week as troops broke up protests by activists demanding the immediate end to the rule of the military, which took power after the Feb. 11 fall of Hosni Mubarak. The clashes saw military police chasing young men and women through Tahrir Square and nearby streets, beating them with clubs and sticks. The crackdown has killed 14 protesters, mostly from gunshots.
In a speech Monday, Clinton decried the abuse, saying: "This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonors the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform, and is not worthy of a great people," she said.
Her comments were denounced as interference by some Egyptian officials, but Nuland rejected the characterization.
"People around the world will hear the United States speak out in defense of our values and in defense of our interests," Nuland said. "The secretary of state is not shy on those subjects. We are going to speak out for the human rights of people around the world. We do not consider that interference."
On Tuesday, some 10,000 women marched in central Cairo, demanding the military step down and expressing their anger over the abuse of female protesters by troops during the crackdown.
The military issued a statement expressing its regret but did not apologize for the brutality, which included pulling women by their hair, beating them with truncheons and stomping on them as they lay on the ground. The image of one woman ? stripped half naked by the troops, kicked and stomped on ? has particularly enraged women and drawn a sharp rebuke from the United States and the United Nations.
Nuland said the U.S. was "gratified to see (the Egyptian military) recognize that these issues need to be addressed."
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Friday, December 23, 2011
World?s Largest Pro-Life Youth Rally Coming to Washington DC
by Kristan Hawkins | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 12/22/11 8:38 PM
Each year, hundreds of thousands of young pro-lifers march for preborn rights in Washington, D.C. on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which legalized abortion in all 9 months of pregnancy.
Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to speak to many of you about this generation?s involvement at the annual March for Life. Like last year, Students for Life of America is co-sponsoring a massive pro-life youth rally immediately following the annual pro-life March for Life.
On January 23rd, join Students for Life on the U.S. Capitol Lawn to make history at our annual National Pro-Life Youth Rally in Washington, D.C. It will be the largest pro-life youth rally in the world!
Pro-lifers of all ages are invited to join us for this FREE rally/concert. National leaders like David Bereit of 40 Days for Life and Erik Whittington of Rock for Life will join me on stage with Collin Raye, five time nominee as country music?s Male Vocalist of the Year, actress Jennifer Cadena, Jason Jones, co-executive Producer of Bella and more!
Pre-register now for the the Rally and SFLA will send you a FREE ?I Vote Pro-Life First? button which guarantee your admission to the event. Space is limited, so pre-register today! (Hurry, only the first 5,000 pre-registrants will receive a button!) In addition, all pre-registrants will receive Free Virtual Action Kits on 1/23 stuffed full with pro-life resources by national pro-life organizations!
For more information on the National Pro-Life Youth Rally or to register you or your group, visit us at: http://nationalprolifeyouthrally.com. We hope you can join us on this historic day!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LifeNewsHeadlines/~3/ASgqpCYX_7g/
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Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Obama defends American faith amid GOP critique (AP)
WASHINGTON ? Republican Mitt Romney accuses President Barack Obama of considering America "just another nation." To other GOP politicians running for the White House, Obama has apologized for the United States and is presiding over the nation's decline.
Now comes the counteroffensive.
The president of the United States is defending his faith in America, confronting GOP efforts to undercut his leadership and raise questions about his patriotism as he seeks re-election.
In the battle over "American exceptionalism," Obama used a recent trip to Asia to highlight America's role as the strongest and most influential nation on earth. In this election season, responding to the Republican critique is essential for Obama, the only incumbent ever compelled to show a birth certificate to defend his legitimacy.
"Sometimes the pundits and the newspapers and the TV commentators love to talk about how America is slipping and America is in decline," Obama said Wednesday at a New York fundraiser. "That's not what you feel when you're in Asia. They're looking to us for leadership. They know that America is great not just because we're powerful, but also because we have a set of values that the world admires."
"We don't just think about what's good for us, but we're also thinking about what's good for the world," he said. "That's what makes us special. That's what makes us exceptional."
Republicans have seized on "American exceptionalism," a belief among many in the nation that the U.S. is special among global powers, and tried to portray Obama as expressing ambivalence about the promise of his own country. The message resounds with party activists who still admire President Ronald Reagan, who memorialized America as that "Shining City on a Hill" during the 1980s.
"We have a president right now who thinks America's just another nation. America is an exceptional nation," Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, said during a GOP debate in Las Vegas last month. Even his campaign slogan ? "Believe in America" ? suggests that the current president doesn't.
Others have tried to use it to their advantage.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly last month, said Obama had "traveled around the country making excuses for America, apologizing for America, saying that America is not an exemplary country."
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized Obama after 16 Latin American and Caribbean nations filed "friend of the court" briefs in a Justice Department lawsuit against a tough new immigration law in South Carolina, home to an important GOP primary. "It makes you wonder what country does President Obama think he is president of," Gingrich said.
Obama has given detractors ample material for their attacks.
At a San Francisco fundraiser in October, the president talked about the importance of investing in education, new roads and bridges and other ways to build the economy.
"We used to have the best stuff. Anybody been to Beijing Airport lately?" Obama said, asking what has changed. "Well, we've lost our ambition, our imagination, and our willingness to do the things that built the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam." Republicans picked up on the comments, accusing Obama of calling Americans unambitious.
During a meeting with business executives in Honolulu last month, Obama was asked about impediments to investment in the U.S. He said many foreign investors see opportunity here, "but we've been a little bit lazy, I think over the last couple of decades." The "lazy" comments were quickly turned into an attack ad from Perry.
During a 2009 news conference, Obama was asked whether he subscribed to the concept of American exceptionalism. He said he believed in American exceptionalism, "just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."
The president said he was "enormously proud of my country" and highlighted the nation's "core set of values enshrined in our Constitution" that ensure democracy, free speech and equality. Words that voters are likely to hear more of during the next year.
A Gallup poll in December 2010 found that 80 percent of Americans thought the U.S. had a unique character that made it the greatest country in the world. The survey found that 91 percent of Republicans agreed with the statement.
In the same poll, 34 percent of Republicans said Obama believed the U.S. was the greatest country in the world, while 83 percent of Democrats said he did.
The American exceptionalism argument has traditionally signaled U.S. strength overseas and the promotion of American values such as freedom of speech and religion. But with Obama's rise, it has taken on a new meaning.
At a time of economic discord, it builds on the notion that America's weakened economy could hurt its standing across the globe. It offers a critique of Obama's foreign policy credentials, even as troops begin heading home from Iraq and the U.S. role in Afghanistan is transitioning.
It also represents a subtle way to question Obama's patriotism, the seeds of which reside in the "birther" movement that questioned the legitimacy of Obama's presidency. Suspicions over Obama's citizenship eventually prompted the White House to produce the president's long-form birth certificate showing he was born in Hawaii.
Yet Democrats don't see this as a debilitating issue for the president, but more a matter of fodder in the Republican primary. Obama, they say, can draw upon it to show optimism in the country.
"Obama is powerful proof of American exceptionalism, that this country has certain set of ideals," said Democratic consultant Bob Shrum. "His election and his presidency is a testament to the character of the country."
Obama has been assertive in recent weeks about America's unique role in the world as it shifts away from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. During his nine-day Asian trip last month, the president reiterated the U.S.'s growing role in the region and stressed that "American leadership is still welcome."
___
Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas
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Congo's Kabila leads election in early results
Election volunteers sit on bags containing ballots as they wait for tally sheets to be computed at the Fikin compilation center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. With voting finally wrapping up Thursday, the election is now moving into the next phase. Like the process of voting, the process of counting the ballots that were cast is plagued by massive logistical challenges. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Election volunteers sit on bags containing ballots as they wait for tally sheets to be computed at the Fikin compilation center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. With voting finally wrapping up Thursday, the election is now moving into the next phase. Like the process of voting, the process of counting the ballots that were cast is plagued by massive logistical challenges. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Election volunteers sit on bags containing ballots as they wait for tally sheets to be computed at the Fikin compilation center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. With voting finally wrapping up Thursday, the election is now moving into the next phase. Like the process of voting, the process of counting the ballots that were cast is plagued by massive logistical challenges. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
A supporter of President Joseph Kabila stands at his party's headquarters in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. President Joseph Kabila is seeking a second term and his popularity has taken a nosedive in the capital, which is located in the Lingala-speaking region of the country, a language he has never learned. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
An election official sits on a bags containing ballots as she waits for tally sheets to be computed at the Fikin compilation center in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. With voting finally wrapping up Thursday, the election is now moving into the next phase. Like the process of voting, the process of counting the ballots that were cast is plagued by massive logistical challenges. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
Congolese voters line up to vote after presidential ballots arrived in opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi's stronghold district of Masina in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Wednesday Nov. 30, 2011, two days after the country went to the polls for presidential and parliamentary elections. The vote is only the second since the end of Congo's last war, and the first to be organized by the government instead of the international community. The election was supposed to mark another step toward peace, but if the results are not accepted by the population, especially the country's fractured opposition, analysts fear it could drag Congo back into conflict. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) ? Congo's president, seeking a second term in a nation reeling from poverty and pummeled by war, was leading Saturday in early results, but his opponents insisted he step aside and accused him of trying to engineer "carnage."
President Joseph Kabila had 50.3 percent of the vote in early results from an election marred by technical problems and accusations of favoritism. Analysts had predicted he would likely win because the opposition candidates are splitting the vote.
In a show of unity, the 10 opposition parties held a press conference and accused Kabila of attempting to engineer a situation like Kenya, Zimbabwe or the Ivory Coast, all countries where rulers used the army to try to silence dissent and cling to power after losing at the polls.
"I think that Joseph Kabila could go down in history ... if he were to say, 'I'm a good sport and I lost,'" said opposition candidate Vital Kamerhe, a former speaker of Parliament. "He is preparing a carnage."
International observers noted irregularities including possible instances of fraud, but most said the shortcomings seemed to be due to technical glitches rather than a systematic attempt to rig the vote.
Due to bad weather, planes carrying ballots did not take off in time to reach the remote interior of this gigantic nation, which stretches over a territory as large as Western Europe.
Monday's vote had to be extended for three days in order to give porters carrying ballots on their heads, on bicycles, in canoes and in wheelbarrows to reach the distant corners of Congo.
Election commission chief Daniel Ngoy Mulunda released province by province tallies Saturday he said amounted to 33 percent of all voting bureaus, showing that Kabila was ahead with 3.27 million of the 6.48 million votes counted so far. Opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi was trailing with 2.23 million votes, or 34.4 percent.
The gap between them is sure to close when results from Kinshasa are released, where poll workers in the four warehouses processing votes were visibly overwhelmed.
Sacks of ballots were being brought in on the backs of poll workers; there were so many they were being piled in the parking lot outside. Some had split open, and ballots had fallen into the mud or the cement floor of the warehouse, where they were being trampled by election workers.
As of Friday, less than 5 percent of the ballots in one of the four warehouses had been processed, said a poll worker who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the press. The election official complained they were not being brought food or even water, and several of the poll workers were asleep, splayed out across tables with bags of ballots piled up around them.
The results released from Kinshasa represent only 3.33 percent of the capital's precincts, said Mulunda. In the small sample that was released, Tshisekedi had so far received roughly twice as many votes as Kabila, nearly 43,000 compared to the 23,000 cast for the incumbent. Over 3 million voters are registered in Kinshasa, so it's possible that Tshisekedi will be able to catch up once the capital's tallies are in.
Still, the opposition has clearly been hurt by its inability to unite behind a single candidate. In the results released so far, nearly a million votes had been cast for the nine opposition candidates besides the 78-year-old Tshisekedi. That's roughly equal to the gap now separating Tshisekedi from Kabila.
The opposition leaders said they are seeking a group of "African sages," to act as mediators in order to tell Kabila to step aside.
"We know who lost. We know who won," said Kamerhe. "We are asking the sages of Africa ... to go tell their counterpart, change is not the end of the world. You can come back in 10 years, 15 years. But leave the nation of Congo in peace. Because it's not worth burning Congo for one person," he said.
Tshisekedi's supporters on Saturday attacked the car of a team of foreign correspondents, accusing the international community of propping up Kabila in order to help him win re-election. Hotels were emptying out on Saturday as expatriates left the country ahead of what is expected to be a violent week.
(This version CORRECTS Deletes repetition of word 'giant.' Corrects age of Tshisekedi to 78 instead of 79. His birthday is next week.)
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Monday, December 5, 2011
Jessica Simpson: I Think I?m Having a Girl!
"I think it's a girl," Simpson, 31, told PEOPLE at the New York launch of a clothing line that she and sister Ashlee Simpson created. "But I don't know yet."
Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/eY815qdN5eg/
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Beyonce Slams Fake Baby Bump Rumors (omg!)
In October, rumors began swirling that Beyonce was padding her stomach and may have hired a surrogate to carry her child after an appearance on the Australian talk show Sunday Night HD.
PHOTOS: Beyonce's bump style
Even though her rep immediately deemed the speculations "stupid, ridiculous and false," the songstress seemed lighthearted about the skeptics in her 20/20 interview, which aired on ABC Friday.
"You know, there are certain things that are so far, it doesn't even effect me," she told Katie Couric with a smile. "I'm cool. It doesn't bother me."
PHOTOS: Most-talked about bodies of the year
But it looks like her mom Tina Knowles and sister Solange are a little more defensive for the first-time mom-to-be.
"My mom is like, 'Nobody's talking about my grandbaby! My grandbaby's not even here yet!" the 30-year-old star added. "I was like 'Calm down, mom! It's okay!' My mom and sister are so protective."
PHOTOS: Most talked-about bods of the year
The songstress also put her "gross pregnancy cravings" rumors to bed.
"I read that I like ketchup on everything...not true," she quipped, laughing. "I was on a plane and the flight attendant came and was like, 'I have your hot sauce and pickles and bananas.' I'm like, 'That is disgusting! What are you doing?' And he's like, 'I read it on the internet!'"
PHOTOS: Celeb moms reveal their pregnancy cravings
The superstar publicly announced at the MTV VMAs in August that she and her husband of three years, Jay-Z, were expecting their first child.
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Saturday, December 3, 2011
Barnes & Noble Nook business jumps 85% to $220 million
Barnes & Noble on Thursday reported its results for the second fiscal quarter of 2012, in which it revealed its Nook business has seen stellar growth over the last year. The company said that its Nook business, which includes sales of tablets, eReaders and eBooks, pulled in $220 million in the second quarter, up 85% from the same quarter last year. Barnes & Noble did not reveal how many Nook devices it sold during the quarter but said that it expects to sell ?millions of devices? during the third fiscal quarter. B&N.com sales increased 17% year-over-year from $177 million to $206 million, but Barnes & Noble?s overall sales fell 0.6% from $190 billion in the second quarter last year to $189 billion this past quarter. Retail sales also dropped 1% from $931 million to $918 million. Barnes & Noble?s full press release follows after the break.
Barnes & Noble Reports Fiscal 2012 Second Quarter Financial Results
EBITDA Increases 21% over the Prior Year
Comparable Store Sales Increase 10.9% over the Three Day Holiday Weekend
NOOK Tablet? Becomes Fastest Selling NOOK? Product
NEW YORK?(BUSINESS WIRE)?Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS) today reported sales and earnings for its second quarter ended October 29, 2011.
SECOND QUARTER SALES
Total sales decreased 0.6% as compared to the prior year, from $1.90 billion to $1.89 billion. Barnes & Noble store (?Retail?) sales decreased 1% from $931 million to $918 million, with comparable sales decreasing 0.6%. Physical book sales declined, offset by increases in NOOK products and were positively affected by the liquidation of the remaining Borders stores. Comparable store sales improved each month throughout the quarter.
Barnes & Noble College (?College?) sales declined 4% from $797 million to $768 million, due to a shift from selling new and used textbooks to lower priced, higher margin textbook rentals. Comparable store sales increased 0.4%. College comparable store sales reflect the retail selling price of a new or used textbook when rented, rather than solely the rental fee received and amortized over the rental period.
BN.com sales increased 17% over the prior year, from $177 million to $206 million. Comparable sales increased 38%, on top of a 59% increase a year ago. This increase was driven by continued growth of digital content sales and purchases of award winning NOOK? devices. BN.com comparable sales reflect the actual selling price for eBooks sold under the agency model rather than solely the commission received.
SECOND QUARTER EARNINGS
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) grew 21% over the prior year, from $46 million to $56 million.
Retail EBITDA grew from $1.3 million to $21.0 million, benefiting from higher product margins this year. In addition, the prior year included $10 million of litigation and proxy contest costs. College EBITDA declined slightly from $95.3 million to $93.9 million. BN.com EBITDA losses increased from $50.2 million to $58.9 million, driven by planned product markdowns on the recently announced NOOK price adjustments, as well as higher advertising production costs.
Total company net loss was $6.6 million for the quarter, or $0.17 per share, as compared to a net loss of $12.6 million last year, or $0.22 per share. Included in the current quarter is a $0.06 loss per share related to the company?s preferred stock dividend, in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings per Share. The dividend is deducted from earnings available to common shareholders in the earnings per share calculation and does not impact the company?s results of operations.
BARNES & NOBLE LAUNCHES NOOK Tablet?
On November 7, 2011, Barnes & Noble launched NOOK Tablet, the company?s fastest and lightest tablet with the best in entertainment. msnbc.com cited the product as a ?terrific tablet,? The Associated Press called it ?really impressive? and Forrester Research Inc. called it a ?wow product?. In the first few weeks of launch, NOOK Tablet has become the fastest selling NOOK product in the company?s history.
Concurrent with the launch of NOOK Tablet, the company also announced enhancements and new low prices for NOOK Color? and NOOK Simple Touch?, retailing at $199 and $99, respectively.
The newly updated NOOK Simple Touch continues to earn high praise from leading tech review outlets. CNET, PCMag and Laptop Magazine rank it among their top-rated touch eReaders with all three naming it ?Editor?s Choice? and this week, PC World rated NOOK Simple Touch the #1 eReader (11/29/11).
The consolidated NOOK business across all of the company?s segments, including sales of digital content, device hardware and related accessories, increased 85% in the second quarter to $220 million, on a comparable sales basis.
?The launch of NOOK Tablet, combined with the product enhancements to NOOK Color and $99 NOOK Simple Touch, represents the highest-quality portfolio of digital reading products on the market at incredible values,? said William Lynch, chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble, Inc. ?We expect to sell millions of devices during our third quarter, adding to the millions of current NOOK customers. This growing base of customers buying digital content from Barnes & Noble will continue to position us as one of the fastest growing companies in this exploding digital content market, and we project this will generate significant returns on our investments for years to come.?
HOLIDAY RESULTS TO DATE
Over the three-day holiday weekend, comparable store sales increased 10.9% at Barnes & Noble stores, on top of 17% comparable store growth last year. ?Based on early sales and traffic results in stores we are encouraged by our prospects for this upcoming holiday,? added William Lynch.
FULL YEAR GUIDANCE
The company expects full year EBITDA to be at the lower end of the previously issued range of $210 million to $250 million. Although the company has seen and continues to expect increases in retail earnings from plan, it plans to invest more heavily in customer acquisition activities to fuel NOOK digital growth. These investments primarily include promotional activity and advertising for NOOK products, as well as technology costs related to developing other opportunities.
CONFERENCE CALL
A conference call with Barnes & Noble, Inc.?s senior management will be webcast beginning at 10:00 A.M. ET on Thursday, December 1, 2011, and is accessible at www.barnesandnobleinc.com/webcasts.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. will report holiday sales on or about January 5, 2012.
Source: http://www.bgr.com/2011/12/01/barnes-noble-nook-business-jumps-85-to-220-million/
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Hungary issues Steve Jobs postal sheet, card (AP)
BUDAPEST, Hungary ? Hungary's postal service says it has issued a numbered commemorative sheet and card in memory of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc. who died in October.
Magyar Posta said Wednesday that 5,000 copies of the memorial set have been issued, selling for 1,000 forints ($4.40, euro3.30) each.
The sheet includes a perforated portrait of Jobs, while the card shows silhouettes of some of the inventor's characteristic poses and a quote about Jobs by Erno Rubik, the Hungarian architect who created Rubik's Cube and other mechanical puzzles.
A Budapest software company is planning to unveil a Jobs statue in December.
Jobs died at age 56 on Oct. 5 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
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