Los Angeles teacher charged with molesting 23 kids

Students are escorted to a waiting bus as they leave Miramonte Elementary school after classes Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 in Los Angeles. Veteran Miramontes Elementary school teacher Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested Monday, Jan. 30, on charges of lewd conduct with 23 children after a film processor gave police photos showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces. Berndt remained jailed Tuesday on $2.3 million bail. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Students are escorted to a waiting bus as they leave Miramonte Elementary school after classes Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 in Los Angeles. Veteran Miramontes Elementary school teacher Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested Monday, Jan. 30, on charges of lewd conduct with 23 children after a film processor gave police photos showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces. Berndt remained jailed Tuesday on $2.3 million bail. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Police are seen at the The Miramonte Elementary school in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. A school teacher, Mark Berndt, bound and gagged nearly two dozen children, put cockroaches on some of their faces and posed in photos with them in a classroom, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday. Berndt, 61, was arrested Monday and remained jailed on $2.3 million bail.(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A student enters into Miramontes Elementary School in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. Veteran Miramontes Elementary school teacher Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested Monday, Jan. 30, on charges of lewd conduct with 23 children after a film processor gave police photos showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces. Berndt remained jailed Tuesday on $2.3 million bail. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The Miramonte Elementary school's principal, Martin Sandoval spesaks to the media outside his school in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. Veteran Miramontes Elementary school teacher Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested on charges of lewd conduct with 23 children after a film processor gave police photos showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces. Berndt, 61, not seen, was arrested Jan. 30, and remained jailed Tuesday on $2.3 million bail. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A reporter walks to Mark Berndt's apartment in Torrance, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. Berndt, a veteran elementary school teacher was arrested on horrifying child molestation charges after a film processor gave police photos showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces, authorities said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A veteran elementary school teacher was arrested on horrifying child molestation charges after a film processor gave police photos showing blindfolded children with their mouths taped and cockroaches on their faces, authorities said Tuesday.

Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested Monday at his Torrance home and remained jailed on $2.3 million bail, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department statement.

The charges involve 23 boys and girls ages 6 to 10 between 2008 and 2010.

The investigation started when the film processor gave authorities some 40 photographs depicting blindfolded children in a classroom with their mouths taped shut.

Berndt worked for more than 30 years at Miramonte Elementary School in an unincorporated area of South Los Angeles before being fired as a result of the investigation. Miramonte serves a poor, mainly Hispanic neighborhood. More than half of its approximately 1,400 students are still learning English, according to the school's website.

Some of the photos showed Berndt with his arm around children or with his hand over their mouth.

Other pictures depicted girls with what appears to be a spoon up to their mouths as if they were going to ingest a clear-white liquid.

Sheriff's Lt. Carlos Marquez of the Special Victims Bureau said it was determined the children were given semen on a spoon or on a cookie. A blue plastic spoon and container found in trash in Berndt's classroom tested positive for semen, the sheriff's statement said.

None of the photos showed the students actually eating the semen, but Marquez said the children reported they didn't like the taste.

Authorities are recommending the children be tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

Some of the children's mouths and faces had large, live Madagascar-type cockroaches on them, according to the statement.

The incidents occurred during school hours but not all the children were students of Berndt, Marquez said.

None of the alleged victims told anyone about the incidents and photos, Marquez said.

"They didn't know they were being violated in that manner. They just thought it was a game," Marquez said.

The lieutenant said Berndt was placed under surveillance and it's believed he had no contact with children during the investigation.

Berndt is unmarried, has no children and there's no indication of a previous arrest record, authorities said.

"I am sickened and horrified by the behavior of Mark Berndt," Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy said in a statement.

The teacher was immediately removed when the Sheriff's Department informed the district, and he was fired, Deasy said.

More than 80 current and former students and school employees were interviewed for the investigation.

Searches of the classroom and Berndt's home turned up about 390 photographs depicting children, and at least 10 youngsters in them have not yet been identified, Marquez said.

In addition, A DVD depicting adult sexual bondage activity "which mirrored the bondage-type photos of the children" was also found during the search, the department said, noting that the adults in that video were not identified and those images are not a crime.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-31-US-Teacher-Classroom-Bondage/id-d6bd58dbf20a4355a693d85f23b2597f

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Video: Gingrich vows to continue his fight

Many parents skip booster seats for carpools

You set out with a crew from the birthday party, but find you?re a booster short. Do you make sure your own child gets one? Or do you let all the kids use belts only? A new survey found half the parents of 4- to 8-year-olds questioned sometimes let passengers go booster free.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46195629#46195629

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Personal vs Business Social Media Accounts

Small businesses naturally tend to focus on daily actions that generate results, such as engaging prospects with their sales process, and then efficiently converting that interest into profits.

Advertising is a form of media that fits well with the small business mindset. It creates awareness, a sense of urgency, and a desire to take action now.

Unlike traditional advertising campaigns, social media takes time to do its job.

This is one reason why many small businesses are challenged with using it well. They view it as another form of advertising.

This also leads to the temptation to set up business pages on every social network to drive traffic to your websites.

This is not a good idea ? especially when so many others are doing the same thing.

If you really want to drive traffic to your website ? get personal.?Learn how to use social media to humanize your business. It?s a simple process, one that admittedly takes time ? but it works.

If you learn how to do this right, you will indeed differentiate your business ? and in ways that are much more sustainable than traditional marketing practices.

Personal is More Trustworthy

Traditional marketing makes claims, often with competitive comparisons that may or may not be true. Some of these claims include being the best, the most awarded, and so on.

As a result, consumers have learned not to trust advertising.?They have learned from experience that if something seems too good to be true ? it probably isn?t.

Now every claim is challenged.?This is why more consumers rely on the Internet to validate what they have learned from other sources ? including word of mouth recommendations from friends.

What are they looking for? ?Not more marketing ? that?s for sure.

Consumers are searching the web for reliable information ? not necessarily from companies, but from real people who offer perspectives that are backed up by direct experience.

This is the power of content marketing?- bringing truthfulness to the marketing equation.

Personalization is your strongest differentiator, and that is best accomplished via your personal social media accounts ? and those of your team members.

Who you are is unique ? and that is a business differentiator. It?s subtle, but it is nonetheless true.

The Company is Incidental

Anyone who manages a business presence on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ knows that it can be difficult to engage others. Why?

People have conversations with people ? not companies.

You are more likely to engage your audience with a personal account ? one where they can get to know and trust you.

Look at this from the perspective of a customer. When you receive outstanding service, you are more likely to recommend not just the company ? but the person within it that was responsible for your favorable experience.

The company is incidental. What matters is who personally made a difference for you.

People Take Care of People

It has been said the best way to build a business is not to focus on the consumer, but those who serve them.

Have you ever been unsatisfied and ready to discontinue your relationship with a business ? only to change your mind due to just one interaction with an especially caring representative?

That?s the power of personalization. When someone cares about you, its memorable.

This is also why personal social media accounts that are linked to a business can accomplish more than a business account.

Businesses often wonder if they can trust their staff to represent the company well online.

This is pretty simple. If you do not trust your staff to represent your company online, then you have the wrong people. If they are now successful offline, then they can do it online too.

As long as they respect the company, its vision and mission, and most importantly, its values ? then let them be who they are.

Your staff will use social networking differently than you. ?That?s OK. Let them be themselves ? because that personalization is the magic that makes it work.

Successful business is people taking care of people.

There just is no other way.

How exactly is this done?

This related article on Personal vs Professional Social Media Accounts will give you some ideas for further personalizing your online presence.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

And please share this with your community and encourage them to join the conversation.

Until next time, Jeff

Photo Credit: krishnan

Source: http://www.jeffkorhan.com/2012/01/personal-business-social.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=personal-business-social

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Britain sticks to 2014 Afghan troop pullout goal (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? British Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday he was sticking to an end-2014 deadline for withdrawing British combat troops from Afghanistan despite French proposals to speed up NATO's handover of security to Afghan forces.

President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday French troops would leave Afghanistan at the end of 2013 and Paris would propose to NATO that all foreign combat operations in Afghanistan should be handed over next year, a year earlier than the alliance plans.

Cameron cautioned other NATO members that the rate of withdrawal of foreign troops must depend on Afghan security forces being ready to take charge of security.

"We ... want to have a long-term relationship with Afghanistan, long after our combat troops come home, and that will happen at the end of 2014," Cameron said during talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the prime minister's country residence Chequers outside London.

Paris has 3,600 troops in Afghanistan as part of the 130,000-strong NATO-led force, while Britain has some 9,500.

"Obviously, between now and 2014 there will be opportunities for different countries to reduce their troop numbers. Britain has reduced our troop numbers over the last year," Cameron said.

He said he did not want to see troops numbers falling off a "cliff edge" in 2014 with all remaining troops leaving at once.

"But clearly, between now and 2014, the rate at which we can reduce our troops will depend on the transition to Afghan control in the different parts of Afghanistan and that should be the same for all of the members of NATO who are all contributing and helping to a strong, stable and peaceful Afghanistan, which is in all our interests," Cameron said.

His words appeared to reflect concern expressed by some commentators that there could be a "rush for the exits" by Western forces from Afghanistan as their voters grow disillusioned at the cost in lives and money of the decade-long Afghan campaign.

Karzai and Cameron signed a partnership agreement setting out how their countries will work together after British combat troops leave Afghanistan.

Karzai had been due to visit Britain last month, immediately after the Bonn conference on the future of Afghanistan, but cancelled the trip to return home after scores of people were killed in a wave of sectarian bomb attacks.

On the eve of Karzai's visit, Britain's Ministry of Defense announced that a British soldier had been shot dead while on foot patrol in Helmand province Friday, bringing to 397 the number of Britons killed in Afghanistan since October 2001.

Cameron, who visited British troops in Afghanistan last month, plans to leave some British troops behind to train their Afghan counterparts after they end combat operations.

Cameron has committed Britain to pulling out 500 soldiers this year but has not yet set out a timetable for further withdrawals.

(Additional reporting by Tim Castle; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_britain

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Hazanavicius wins top honor from Directors Guild (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Michel Hazanavicius has won the top film honor at the Directors Guild of America Awards for his silent movie "The Artist," giving him the inside track for the best-director prize at the Academy Awards.

French filmmaker Hazanavicius, whose credits include the "OSS 117" spy spoofs, had been a virtual unknown in Hollywood until "The Artist," his black-and-white throwback to early cinema that has been a favorite at earlier film honors.

The Directors Guild honors are one of the most-accurate forecasts for who might go on to take home an Oscar. Only six times in the 63-year history of the guild awards has the winner failed to win the Oscar for best director. And more often than not, whichever film earns the directing Oscar also wins best picture.

___

Online:

http://www.dga.org

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_hazanavicius_wins_top_honor_directors_guild062715318/44342885/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/hazanavicius-wins-top-honor-directors-guild-062715318.html

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China's economy may surpass US before 2020

China's economy is now nearly half as big as the U.S. economy. Its economic growth figures suggest that China could become bigger sooner than previously thought.

According to preliminary estimates, China's GDP in 2011 was 47.156 trillion yuan, which at the current exchange rate of 6.3138 translates into roughly $7.47 trillion.

Skip to next paragraph Stefan Karlsson

Stefan is an economist currently working in Sweden.

Recent posts

By comparison, tomorrow's GDP report for the United States will likely show that 2011 GDP was roughly, or slightly over $15 trillion. That means that China's economy is now nearly half as big as the U.S. economy.

This in turn means that China's economy could become bigger even sooner than previously thought. If the economic growth gap is 6% per year(lower than the average rate the last decade) and real appreciation is 2.5% per year (again, a lot lower than the average rate the last decade) than that would be sufficient for China's economy to become bigger by 2020. If the growth gap and/or real appreciation is closer to the average rate for the last decade, it could happen even sooner.

It is true that per capita income in China would still be a lot lower since China's population is more than 4 times as big. And in per capita terms, China might never surpass America. However, the fact that average income is so low is reason to believe thatv the "catch up" effect will continue to fuel growth in China. And so note that per capita income of one fourth of the U.S. level means that it would still be a lot lower than in the other majority Chinese countries (Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Singapore).

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here. This post originally ran on stefanmikarlsson.blogspot.com.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/fm3qJMgm8L4/China-s-economy-may-surpass-US-before-2020

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Grammy-winning composer Clare Fischer dead at 83

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Clare Fischer, a Grammy-winning composer who wrote scores for television and movies and worked with legendary musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, has died. He was 83.

Fischer died Thursday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank after suffering a heart attack two weeks ago, family spokeswoman Claris Sayadian-Dodge said.

An uncommonly versatile musician, Fischer worked as a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist for more than 60 years.

He is best known for his arrangements for Prince, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Branford Marsalis, Raphael Saadiq, Usher and Brandy.

Nominated for a Grammy 11 times in the Best Instrumental Arrangement category, Fischer won in 1986 for his album "Free Fall" and in 1981 for "Salsa Picante plus 2+2."

Born in Durand, Mich., Fischer got his start playing piano and writing jazz-inspired arrangements for the group The Hi-Lo's, an a capella quartet popular in the 1950s.

He worked as the arranger on Gillespie's "Jazz Portrait of Duke Ellington."

Fischer recorded 51 albums over his lifetime with his son Brent Fischer. The music ranges in style from jazz to salsa to symphonies.

"Clare Fischer was a major influence on my harmonic concept," Herbie Hancock is quoted as saying on Fischer's website.

"(Fischer) and Bill Evans, and Ravel and Gil Evans, finally. You know, that's where it really came from. Almost all of the harmony that I play can be traced to one of those four people and whoever their influences were," Hancock said.

Clare Fischer is survived by his wife, Donna; sons Lee and Brent; daughter Tahlia; and three grandchildren.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-27-Obit-Fischer/id-ea56c6da274f4b59ad304461d7696cbf

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Analysis: Italy - a buy for the brave (Reuters)

DAVOS (Reuters) ? Italy could turn out to be the investment bet of the decade if European Union leaders manage to contain the euro zone crisis.

But buying Italian debt at this time is only for the brave - and those who believe the worst of the danger for the euro zone's third biggest economy has passed, according to interviews with more than a dozen investors and bankers.

George Soros called returns above 6 percent on 10-year Italian debt a "dangerous" but "attractive" speculation.

"That's a fantastic yield, which is not going to stay up there the moment things settle down," said Soros, once the world's best-known hedge fund manager. "At 6 or 7 percent, Italian bonds are a speculation. At 5 percent or 4 percent I think they would be a very, very good long-term investment."

Ten-year Italian bonds have been one of world's best performing assets since the start of 2012, beating a 6.4 percent annual return offered by traditional safe-havens such as gold.

The prospect that new prime minister Mario Monti, an internationally respected economist, will put Italy's house in order after decades of lax fiscal policy is lifting some of the gloom. But with uncertainty still hanging over the future of the euro zone, the difference in returns offered by 10-year Italian bonds compared with equivalent German bonds, currently just above 4 percent, would have to fall by at least 1 percentage point to attract substantial inflows.

In order to engage in this type of bet, one has to be convinced that the euro zone will survive a looming Greek debt restructuring and projections of prolonged slow growth.

Several non-European investors interviewed by Reuters were uninterested in buying the bonds of Italy, Spain and other weak European states because they were not convinced politicians will achieve a lasting solution to Europe's woes. But there is a play to be made if one has faith in Europe's leaders.

"We are sitting on a bomb now. If the bomb explodes we are all dead. But if it doesn't, Italy is a better place to be than Germany," said a hedge fund manager, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity to his business.

Germany is one of only four euro zone countries still rated AAA by Standard & Poor's and is the only one with a stable outlook. That contrasts with the BBB+ S&P slapped on Italy in a mass downgrade of the euro zone on January 13.

ECB FUNDING GAME CHANGER

Some investors and bankers say the chances that the 17-nation single currency bloc will find a way out of its crisis have improved since the ECB decided in December to start offering unlimited 3-year funding to European banks.

The cheap money flow, known as Long Term Refinancing Operation, is throwing a lifeline to European banks that risked being shut out of the funding market back in October and November, preventing a Lehman-type bank failure that could have destroyed the single currency only three months ago.

"The issue of liquidity as far as the banks are concerned seems to have abated, yet there are other issues. It is a policy that provides breathing space for other policy measures to take place. By and large it's a very good measure," said Jacob Frenkel, Chairman of JP Morgan Chase.

The ECB funding, offered at 1 percent in exchange for collateral such as government bonds, has led to more demand for Italian sovereign debt because banks can use the cheap funds to make potentially lucrative bets. This carry trade is causing yields on short-term bonds to drop. Two-year Italian government bond yields have more than halved from the high of 7.5 percent seen at the end of November.

"Many hedge funds who were betting on Italian government bonds selling off have either changed views and taken profits or have been stopped out of their positions as the market has gone against them," said M&G Investments.

Bank executives and analysts say Italian short-dated sovereign debt has been attracting more interest among foreign investors since the start of the year. But it is Italian buyers who are snapping up the lion's share of it at auctions. The real test for Italy will be whether it can attract interest on its benchmark 10-year bond. Italy is due to sell five and 10-year BTP bonds on January 30 at an auction that will settle on February 1 when nearly 26 billion euros of BTPs and about 10 billion euros in coupons mature.

"What we see now is the cautious and selective return of non-domestic buyers," said Giovanni Bossi, CEO of small Italian lender Banca IFIS, who says his bank nearly doubled the amount of Italian bonds it held to 3.7 billion euros between Christmas and New Year. "Italy's MTS bond market was completely shut in November. The new ECB funding facility has unblocked it."

The Italian Treasury does not disclose data on buyers of its bonds at auctions nor does it give a breakdown of types of investors holding its debt. Analysts estimate that at the end of 2011 foreigners held about 45 percent of the country's debt With the rest in the hands of domestic banks and retail investors.

DEBT MOUNTAIN

Italy has a 1.9 trillion euro public debt, too large for anyone to absorb should things turn ugly in the euro zone. At around 120 percent, the country's debt to GDP ratio is the third highest in the world behind Japan and Greece. But thanks to an average maturity of 7 years, at par with France and longer than AAA-rated Germany, new debt issued at current yields has only a marginal and gradual impact on overall debt-servicing costs.

The country is running a primary surplus, projected at 3.4 percent in 2012, and can continue to service its debt if yields do not blow out for a prolonged period of time. According to Bank of Italy data, even with zero economic growth for the next three years and yields of 8 percent, Italy's debt-to-output ratio would remain stable.

Prime Minister Mario Monti is also stepping up efforts to reach a balanced budget in 2012. He plans to liberalize the economy and step up pension and labor market reform in order to revive growth.

"We are positive about the measures proposed by Mr. Monti's government. According to our calculations Italian debt to GDP will decline in coming years if all the announced measures are implemented," said Angelien Kemna, Chief Investment Officer at APG, which advises Dutch pension funds with assets worth 205 billion euros. "Our simulations show that that implementation has a much bigger impact on the debt/GDP ratio in 2016 than a higher yield level or a somewhat weaker growth rate."

As Italy moves to reduce its debt, the amount it has to pay in interest to bond holders can be expected to fall. Yet the International Monetary Fund is expecting Italy to enter a recession this year and suffer a 2.2 percent decline in output, limiting its ability to reduce debt.

SCEPTICISM ABOUNDS

The Italian government is working hard to woo foreign investors. Monti has skipped Davos this year, sensitive to the gathering's excesses at a time of austerity at home. Instead he was in London last week to try to overcome widespread euro-skepticism in Europe's financial capital.

Deputy Economy Minister Vittorio Grilli, who was also meeting potential bond-buyers in London on Wednesday, said London-based investors showed "impressed surprise" at the progress made by Italy in fixing its public finances and reforming the economy.

Betting on Italian bonds may be an attractive trade for sophisticated investors like hedge funds, but for the super wealthy who want to preserve their capital with minimal risk it is still a no-go area. That is why private bankers are not advising wealthy clients to dip into Italian and other peripheral bonds.

"We are advising clients to stay out of the periphery of the euro zone. You do not want to take a large amount of risk. The main concern right now is capital preservation," said Jane Fraser, head of Citi Private.

Large non-EU pension funds, some of whom have restrictions on investing in foreign government debt, are staying away from Italy or have reduced their exposure. Norway's mammoth sovereign wealth fund, for instance, reduced its holdings of Italian government debt in the third quarter of 2011 as the euro crisis approached its most acute phase.

Nervousness about the ultimate outcome of the crisis is also scaring off some Asian and U.S. funds that find the complexity of the euro zone architecture daunting.

"We will not invest in European sovereign debt. It's not our area of expertise, and the little we invest won't make a difference anyway. Such investments are best left to governments or state-backed companies, because only they have the resources to help improve things," said John Zhao, CEO of PE fund Hony Capital with almost $7 billion under management.

(Additional reporting by Valentina Za and Silvia Aloisi in Milan, Sinead Cruise in London, Kelvin Koh and Alex Smith in Davos; editing by Janet McBride)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/bs_nm/us_davos_italy_investment

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IT?S TIME FOR THE BIG ARRIVAL! JOIN TORI AND DEAN AS THEY WELCOME BABY HATTIE TO THE FAMILY IN THE SEASON FINALE OF OXYGEN?S ?TORI & DEAN: HOME SWEET HOLLYWOOD? ON 1/31 @ 10PM

In the season finale of ?Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,? the Spelling-McDermotts come together to welcome another member of their family to the world. Follow the show @ToriandDean_HSH on Twitter and tweet live with fans during the show using #ToriandDean. ?Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood?- Tuesday, January 31 at 10pm ET/PT (Season Finale) [...]

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SEC charges trader with hacking into accounts (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Federal regulators have filed civil charges against a trader in Latvia whom they accuse of hacking into U.S. customers' online brokerage accounts and driving prices of more than 100 stocks up or down by making unauthorized trades.

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges Thursday against Igors Nagaicevs, a 34-year old Latvian citizen. The SEC also accused four online trading firms and eight executives of the firms of enabling Nagaicevs' scheme by allowing him anonymous access to the markets. Nagaicevs couldn't be located for comment.

The SEC said the scheme, allegedly conducted from June 2009 to August 2010, caused customer losses of more than $2 million, which were reimbursed by the firms. It netted Nagaicevs about $850,000 in illegal profits, the agency said. It is seeking unspecified fines and restitution.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/us_sec_online_hacking_charges

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Giant asteroid Vesta likely cold and dark enough for ice

ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2012) ? Though generally thought to be quite dry, roughly half of the giant asteroid Vesta is expected to be so cold and to receive so little sunlight that water ice could have survived there for billions of years, according to the first published models of Vesta's average global temperatures and illumination by the sun.

"Near the north and south poles, the conditions appear to be favorable for water ice to exist beneath the surface," says Timothy Stubbs of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Stubbs and Yongli Wang of the Goddard Planetary Heliophysics Institute at the University of Maryland published the models in the January 2012 issue of the journal Icarus. The models are based on information from telescopes including NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

Vesta, the second-most massive object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, probably does not have any significant permanently shadowed craters where water ice could stay frozen on the surface all the time, not even in the roughly 300-mile-diameter (480-kilometer-diameter) crater near the south pole, the authors note. The asteroid isn't a good candidate for permanent shadowing because it is tilted on its axis at about 27 degrees, which is even greater than Earth's tilt of roughly 23 degrees. In contrast, the moon, which does have permanently shadowed craters, is tilted at only about 1.5 degrees. As a result of its large tilt, Vesta has seasons, and every part of the surface is expected to see the sun at some point during Vesta's year.

The presence or absence of water ice on Vesta tells scientists something about the tiny world's formation and evolution, its history of bombardment by comets and other objects, and its interaction with the space environment. Because similar processes are common to many other planetary bodies, including the moon, Mercury and other asteroids, learning more about these processes has fundamental implications for our understanding of the solar system as a whole. This kind of water ice is also potentially valuable as a resource for further exploration of the solar system.

Though temperatures on Vesta fluctuate during the year, the model predicts that the average annual temperature near Vesta's north and south poles is less than roughly minus 200 degrees Fahrenheit (145 kelvins). That is the critical average temperature below which water ice is thought to be able to survive in the top 10 feet or so (few meters) of the soil, which is called regolith.

Near Vesta's equator, however, the average yearly temperature is roughly minus 190 degrees Fahrenheit (150 kelvins), according to the new results. Based on previous modeling, that is expected to be high enough to prevent water from remaining within a few meters of the surface. This band of relatively warm temperatures extends from the equator to about 27 degrees north and south in latitude.

"On average, it's colder at Vesta's poles than near its equator, so in that sense, they are good places to sustain water ice," says Stubbs. "But they also see sunlight for long periods of time during the summer seasons, which isn't so good for sustaining ice. So if water ice exists in those regions, it may be buried beneath a relatively deep layer of dry regolith."

The modeling also indicates that relatively small surface features, such as craters measuring around 6 miles (10 kilometers) in diameter, could significantly affect the survival of water ice. "The bottoms of some craters could be cold enough on average -- about 100 kelvins -- for water to be able to survive on the surface for much of the Vestan year [about 3.6 years on Earth]," Stubbs explains. "Although, at some point during the summer, enough sunlight would shine in to make the water leave the surface and either be lost or perhaps redeposit somewhere else."

So far, Earth-based observations suggest that the surface of Vesta is quite dry. However, the Dawn spacecraft is getting a much closer view. Dawn is investigating the role of water in the evolution of planets by studying Vesta and Ceres, two bodies in the asteroid belt that are considered remnant protoplanets -- baby planets whose growth was interrupted when Jupiter formed.

Dawn is looking for water using the gamma ray and neutron detector (GRaND) spectrometer, which can identify hydrogen-rich deposits that could be associated with water ice. The spacecraft recently entered a low orbit that is well suited to collecting gamma ray and neutron data.

"Our perceptions of Vesta have been transformed in a few months as the Dawn spacecraft has entered orbit and spiraled closer to its surface," says Lucy McFadden, a planetary scientist at NASA Goddard and a Dawn mission co-investigator. "More importantly, our new views of Vesta tell us about the early processes of solar system formation. If we can detect evidence for water beneath the surface, the next question will be is it very old or very young, and that would be exciting to ponder."

The modeling done by Stubbs and Wang, for example, relies on information about Vesta's shape. Before Dawn, the best source of that information was a set of images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in 1994 and 1996. But now, Dawn and its camera are getting a much closer view of Vesta.

"The Dawn mission gives researchers a rare opportunity to observe Vesta for an extended period of time, the equivalent of about one season on Vesta," says Stubbs. "Hopefully, we'll know in the next few months whether the GRaND spectrometer sees evidence for water ice in Vesta's regolith. This is an important and exciting time in planetary exploration."

Dawn's mission to Vesta and Ceres is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Dawn is a project of the directorate's Discovery Program, managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. UCLA is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. Orbital Sciences Corp. in Dulles, Va., designed and built the spacecraft. The German Aerospace Center, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, the Italian Space Agency and the Italian National Astrophysical Institute are international partners on the mission team. The asteroid modeling by Stubbs and Wang is an extension of analysis originally applied to the moon and partially funded by the NASA Lunar Science Institute.

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Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125160531.htm

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Alaska Airlines retiring meal tray prayer cards (AP)

SEATTLE ? Alaska Airlines is ending decades of giving passengers prayer cards with their meals, saying Wednesday the decision was made out of respect for all passengers.

Airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said the airline heard from customers who preferred not to mix religion with transportation. The decision reflects respect for the diverse religious beliefs and cultural attitudes of Alaska Airlines' customers and employees, the company said in announcing the change.

"Some customers were comforted by the cards and some didn't feel religion was appropriate on the plane and preferred not to receive one," she said.

The cards began as a marketing ploy 30 years ago to differentiate the regional airline from its competitors. The company admits the idea was borrowed from another airline.

The cards offer a short except of a psalm from the Old Testament printed on a beautiful photograph. One current example includes this excerpt printed over a beach scene: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever."

A card with a mountain scene says, "I will be glad to rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name O most high."

Since 2006, when the airline stopped offering meals to customers in the main cabin, the cards have only appeared on meal trays in first class.

For a long time, Alaska Airlines got more positive comments than negatives ones. But lately, opinion has shifted.

Egan said the decision was made out of respect for all of their customers.

"After carefully considering all sides, it was agreed that eliminating the cards was the right thing to do," Egan said.

The airline sent an email to its frequent flyers on Wednesday explaining the change that will take effect Feb. 1.

"Religious beliefs are deeply personal and sharing them with others is an individual choice," said the email signed by both airline CEO Bill Ayer and President Brad Tilden.

The email said some of its customers enjoyed the cards but others were offended by them.

"It is important that everyone know that this decision does not change our core values nor our care for our customers," the email said.

___

Associated Press writer Donna Blankinship can be reached at _http://twitter.com/dgblankinship

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_us/us_airline_prayer_cards

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Creating This Laser Cut Paper Eiffel Tower By Hand Would Probably Kill You [Video]

Even the most patient crafter would lose their mind cutting out this intricate 12-inch model of the Eiffel Tower by hand. So thank goodness we've harnessed the powers of lasers which make short work of this complicated task. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GQrFQlJp4m4/creating-this-laser-cut-paper-eiffel-tower-by-hand-would-probably-kill-you

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Corey Feldman skates in River Phoenix tribute

John M. Heller / Getty Images

Corey Feldman skated in honor of the late River Phoenix.

By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper

Former child actor Corey Feldman dedicated?a recent?skating performance to "Stand By Me" to his late co-star in that film, River Phoenix.

Feldman, 40, is appearing on the British TV competition show "Dancing on Ice," paired with American skater Brooke Castile. This week was movie week, and Feldman was assigned the Ben E. King song.

Feldman?told show personnel?he immediately thought of Phoenix, who died of drug-induced heart failure in 1993, and resolved to dedicate the performance to him.

In an interview before his skate, he?told the audience that his past friendship with the King of Pop might help him. "'I think as a dancer, I'm one of the best there is," he said.?"I was friends with Michael Jackson and we used to dance together."

Feldman donned a purple sequined shirt for the skate and started off with three other men, representing his "Stand By Me" co-stars. As he skated, an?image of the railroad bridge from the movie was superimposed on the ice.?

Retired skater Robin Cousins didn't think the Jackson?influence showed, telling Feldman, "'The Jackson moves were cool, but it feels like you're walking on the ice, not gliding."

Unfortunately,?Feldman scored just 8 out of a possible 30 points, landing in last place. But he was saved from having to perform in a skate-off. Former "Dallas" star Charlene Tilton performed against British TV personality Mark Rhodes, and Rhodes was sent home.

Feldman later tweeted, "I don't think I can keep doing this I'm in a lot of pain right now.... I obviously am not a good enough skater!"

What did you think of Feldman's performance? Should the U.S. bring back a skating with the stars type show? And would Riber Phoenix still be a star if he were alive today? Tell us on Facebook.

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Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10217676-corey-feldman-skates-in-river-phoenix-tribute

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Recent attacks by radical Islamist sect in Nigeria (AP)

A look at recent major attacks in Nigeria attributed to the radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram:

? Jan. 20: Boko Haram claims responsibility for a series of coordinated bombings and gun battles around the city of Kano that kill at least 143 people.

? Dec. 25, 2011: Boko Haram claims responsibility for an attack on a Catholic church in Madalla near Nigeria's capital and assaults elsewhere in the country that kill at least 42 people.

? Dec. 22-24, 2011: Sect members fight with police and military forces around the city of Damaturu, leaving at least 61 people dead.

? Nov. 4, 2011: Sect members bomb government buildings and shoot their way through the city of Damaturu, killing more than 100 people, while bombs and a suicide attack in Maiduguri leave 4 dead.

? Aug. 26, 2011: A sect member detonates a car loaded with explosives at the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria's capital Abuja, killing 25 people and wounding more than 100 others.

? June 16, 2011: A car loaded with explosives detonates at the federal police headquarters in Abuja, killing at least two people. Police first call the attack a suicide bombing, but later deny it.

? April 9, 2011: Gunmen from the sect set fire to the Maiduguri International Hotel and kill a politician ahead of local elections.

? April 8, 2011: A bomb allegedly planted by the sect explodes at an election office in Suleja in Niger state, killing 16 people.

? Jan. 28, 2011: Gunmen with the sect shoot and kill the leading candidate for governor in Borno state along with six others in his entourage.

? Dec. 31, 2010: A bomb allegedly planted by the sect explodes at a crowded and popular outdoor beer garden at a military barracks in Abuja, killing at least four people.

? Dec. 24, 2010: A series of bombs allegedly planted by the group explode in the central Nigerian city of Jos, killing as many as 80 people.

? Sept. 7, 2010: Gunmen with the sect free about 700 inmates from a Bauchi federal prison.

? July 2009: About 700 people die after sect members riot and a security crackdown hits Maiduguri, the sect's spiritual home.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_af/af_nigeria_violence_glance

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95% Pina

All Critics (62) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (3) | DVD (1)

What the filmmaker has created is an inspired simulacrum - a jewel-box that contains more of Bausch's kinetic soul than film has any right to.

Crane and steadycam allow Wenders to get so close to the action that in the minimalist Caf? M?ller, one's illusion of being on stage is uncanny.

"Pina"is the best possible tribute to Bausch, and to adventurous image-making.

I watched the film in a sort of reverie.

Whether you're familiar with Pina Bausch's work or not, the new film "Pina" is a knockout.

So this is what 3-D is capable of when used for art rather than the commerce of hiking ticket prices and repurposing cartoons!

You won't hear the names Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor or Bob Fosse breathed herein.

An exhilarating experience, both in its celebration of Bausch's groundbreaking work and in the thrilling way that Wenders captures it on camera.

It's not an overview of Bausch's career or a statement on her art, but a celebration of her work and the dancers who bring it to life.

This is a stunning film, a glorious homage to modern dance and one of its premier authors and the best justification of 3D technology to date.

With a breakout use of 3D for artistic rather than solely commercial blockbuster purposes, German director Wim Wenders gives extraordinary life to the work of choreographer Pina Bausch.

From the hauntingly beautiful to the scary, Pina Bausch's post-modern dance sparkles in 3D.

It's an enchanting film, one that makes you feel you are missing something dear if you don't dance or appreciate it as an art form.

An often exhilarating, lively, magical and breathtaking experience of Pina Bausch's art.

A welcome departure from the by-the-numbers fossilization in today's documentary deluge.

Thanks to 3D technology it's dance film quite unlike any other, which was filmmaker Wim Wenders' intention, and it's a transporting experience for the uninitiated and the cognoscenti alike.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pina_3d/

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Mark Wahlberg apologizes for 9/11 comments (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Actor Mark Wahlberg apologized on Wednesday for saying events may have turned out differently had he been on one of the planes that crashed on 9/11, after incurring the wrath of critics and one victim's widow.

"If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry,'" the actor said in an interview with Men's Journal magazine that was released one day earlier.

"The Fighter" star, 44, was scheduled to be on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and made the comments in that context, but after media outlets reported that a widow of one 9/11 victim called his comments "disrespectful," the actor issued a formal apology.

"To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention," Wahlberg said in a statement.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who started his career in music as rapper Marky Mark, transitioned into film and is currently promoting "Contraband," a high-octane action movie in which he plays a former smuggler forced to protect his brother-in-law.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

(This version corrects date in paragraph 3 to 2001 from 2011)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120121/en_nm/us_markwahlberg

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'The Big Bang Theory' 100th Episode: Penny And Leonard 2.0 Software Defined (VIDEO)

In a bold moment that probably surprised him more than the girls, Leonard abruptly walked over to Penny's open apartment door and asked her out on a date. It was the 100th episode of "The Big Bang Theory" (Thu., 8 p.m. EST on CBS), and that apparently meant it was time to re-explore the idea of putting the male and female lead together romantically.

Unfortunately, too much history took the date from awkward to downright unpleasant. Which made the subsequent phone call from Penny in the middle of the night even more unusual. Leonard was accused of thinking too much, so Penny advised him to not overthink this as she led him to their bedroom.

Since they weren't sure what all of this mean, a plan was hatched to explore a sort of new relationship, but in a beta format that only the two of them would know about it. Leonard dubbed it "Penny and Leonard 2.0," and said that to their friends they would just say they'd decided to stay as friends after that bad date.

But Leonard took the pretending too far, and upset Penny again. It's hard to pretend one thing and try to live something else. But then, because this is a show about big brains, viewers got a twist to keep them on their mental toes. It was a risky change of format for the traditional sitcom, but one the cast and creators thought worthy of tackling.

Everything they'd just seen was Leonard overthinking what would happen if he walked over to Penny's open apartment door and asked her out on a date.

He did it anyway, even though it seemed to go badly in every scenario he ran, and events started to play out in a very similar fashion, with a few key changes. Was this now reality, or was this just the beginning of Penny overthinking what would happen if she said yes to Leonoard asking her out on a date -- after a very severe overthink that saw her pregnant at their wedding.

"The Big Bang Theory" gets started on its next 100 episodes every Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

Related on HuffPost:

MONDAY, JANUARY 16: "Alcatraz"

1? of ?20

"Alcatraz" (8 p.m. EST, Fox) two-hour series premiere Produced by J.J. Abrams, this moody mystery series combines procedural elements with a hint of supernatural suspense. Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz historian Doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) team up with a secret agency that is dedicated to finding and catching inmates from the infamous prison who went missing 50 years ago and have begun reappearing today. "Alcatraz" (8 p.m. EST, Fox) two-hour series premiere

Produced by J.J. Abrams, this moody mystery series combines procedural elements with a hint of supernatural suspense. Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz historian Doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) team up with a secret agency that is dedicated to finding and catching inmates from the infamous prison who went missing 50 years ago and have begun reappearing today.

MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT?> ??|?? <?PREV

MONDAY, JANUARY 16: "Alcatraz"

"Alcatraz" (8 p.m. EST, Fox) two-hour series premiere Produced by J.J. Abrams, this moody mystery series combines procedural elements with a hint of supernatural suspense. Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Alcatraz historian Doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) team up with a secret agency that is dedicated to finding and catching inmates from the infamous prison who went missing 50 years ago and have begun reappearing today. "; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/the-big-bang-theory-100th-episode-penny-leonard-video_n_1218129.html

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6 killed in Afghanistan were Hawaii-based Marines (AP)

HONOLULU ? All six Marines killed in the crash of a U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan were based in Hawaii, a Hawaii congresswoman said Friday.

The CH-53D helicopter crashed Thursday in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Friday she's saddened to hear of the deaths. Her spokeswoman, Ashley Nagaoka Boylan, said the congresswoman was notified Thursday evening that all six Marines were Hawaii-based.

"All who have called Hawaii home are part of our island ohana, and every loss like this touches us deeply," Hanabusa said in a statement, using the Hawaiian word for family.

A senior U.S. defense official confirmed all six were Marines on condition of anonymity because the U.S. command in Afghanistan had not yet publicly released details.

The Vietnam War-era helicopter is the same model as one that crashed and killed a Marine in a bay off Hawaii on March 29. An investigation later revealed mechanical failure caused that accident.

The defense official said there is no indication that the helicopter in Afghanistan was hit by enemy fire.

Thursday's crash was the deadliest in Afghanistan since August, when 30 American troops died after a Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down in Wardak province in the center of the country.

The cause of the latest crash is still being investigated, but a statement issued by the NATO international military coalition said there was no enemy activity in the area when it happened.

German Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson, a spokesman for the NATO coalition in Kabul, said officials were looking at a "technical fault" as the possible culprit.

"The helicopter is one of the safest forms of transport," Jacobson said. He said not only does it protect troops the danger of roadside bombs on the ground, but it is well-tested, well-proven way to travel.

CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters were first used in the 1960s, and the Marine Corps used them in the Vietnam War.

All Sea Stallions still used operationally are stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay. The military plans to replace them with the MV-22 Osprey.

"The loss of the six U.S. Marines in yesterday's helicopter crash in Afghanistan comes as tragic news for our island community and our nation," U.S. Rep. Mazie K. Hirono, of Hawaii, said in a statement. "We owe them and all of our brave servicemen and women a debt of gratitude for their dedication to our country."

In 2005, the same base lost 27 Marines when a CH-53E Super Stallion deployed to Iraq crashed during a desert sandstorm. Altogether, 30 Marines and a Navy medic were killed in that crash.

___

AP National Security Writer Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_us/us_us_afghanistan_helicopter_crash

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UK prince's tour of duty to reignite Falklands dispute?

Prince William, a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, will be deployed 8,000 miles away from home, at a base in the Falkland Islands, a British colony off the coast of Argentina. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.

By Jack Rees, NBC News

LONDON -- As?Prince William prepares to head 8,000 miles from home to serve as a helicopter pilot in the remote Falkland Islands,?the traditional "Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves!" refrain seems rather far-fetched.

Britain's naval fleet was once?twice the combined size of its two closest rivals.?But austerity cuts have seen?billions of pounds vanish?from military budgets. Even the Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier hasn't been spared -- HMS Ark Royal was?sent to the scrapyard last year.

---

Tensions have been increasing between Argentina and the U.K. as the 30th anniversary of their 10-week war over the Falklands approaches.?Argentina claims sovereignty over the British-ruled?islands, which are about 300 miles off its coast in the South Atlantic.

'Provocative act'
Britain's oil prospecting on the seabed?near the islands has added fuel to the fire.?Buenos Aires has?condemned such exploration as illegal. There has also been a war of words over territorial fishing rights and President Cristina Fernandez?has pledged an "eternal fight" to reclaim the islands.

Britain has ruled the Falklands for more than 180 years.

When Prince William's posting was announced by the Royal Air Force, one Argentine official described the move as a "provocative act."

Reuters reported that Britain's National Security Council discussed the islands' defenses on Tuesday.

Prime Minister David Cameron?subsequently accused Argentina of "colonialism" in its claim to the Falklands, saying Britain was committed to protecting the islands and?insisting that people there should be allowed to decide their own nationality.

"These people want to remain British and the Argentinians want them to do something else," Cameron told lawmakers.

Florencio Randazzo, Argentina's interior minister, later described Cameron's comments as?"totally offensive," Reuters reported.

Olympic protest?
Even this summer's?Olympics in London appear in danger of becoming entangled in? the spat. Some Argentine athletes have discussed plans to wear a logo on their uniforms stating: "The Falklands are Argentine."

According to The Associated Press, Britain maintains about 1,000 troops in the territory, which is home to about 3,000 people.

Lasting 74 days, the 1982?conflict ended with 258?British lives lost and?six ships sunk. The cost to Argentina was even greater: 649 killed with 11,313 others captured. Its navy lost a submarine, a cruiser and 75 fixed-wing aircraft.

Some now wonder if the Royal Navy would be able to respond to a similar overseas crisis today.

When?asked if Britain would be sending an aircraft?carrier to the Falklands during Prince William's military service, a spokesman for?the Ministry of Defense told NBC News: "No, we don't have one." HMS Ark Royal was decommissioned in March.

The aircraft carrier Invincible, Britain's flagship vessel in the Falklands war, has been put up for sale to raise money in the face of impending military budget cuts. NBC's Brian Williams reports.

The?Ministry of Defense spokesman pointed out the Falklands boast a "well-defended airfield with Typhoon aircraft."

But Admiral Sandy Woodward, who commanded the task force that liberated the Falklands' British population from Argentine occupation in 1982, believes the?islands "are now perilously close to being indefensible."

Major General Julian Thompson, the brigadier who led the initial British assault 30 years ago, told NBC News he believed?that if Argentina invaded the islands now, the U.K.'s military could not get them back without an aircraft carrier.

He dismissed reinforcement by air instead of sea as "sheer nonsense."

"We certainly won't get over-flying rights or basing facilities within range of the Falklands ? assuming the Argentines have taken the airfield and destroyed the Typhoons there," Thompson added.

So how powerful is today's Royal Navy? Critics highlight that when Russian ships were?spotted off the Scottish coast last year, all Britain could send was the aging frigate HMS York to make an 800-mile journey from a base in England.

Two under-construction aircraft carriers are behind schedule and won't be ready for about another decade.

Bearing that in mind, might Argentina be prepared to move beyond rhetoric when Prince William's presence draws the world's attention to the Falklands beginning next month?

One thing appears likely. Before his six-week tour of duty, William will have surely discussed the Falklands war with his uncle. Prince Andrew was?a helicopter pilot during the conflict.

Source: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/19/10189569-will-prince-williams-tour-of-duty-reignite-simmering-falklands-dispute

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Facebook launches Timeline Apps platform, socialites rejoice

Facebook, along with its launch partners, has finally let loose its Timeline Apps platform, setting Open Graph apps free to roam the web. Announced at the company's f8 conference in September, Timeline Apps allow third-parties to build Facebook applications that facilitate information sharing amongst users and their social network. While FB initially focused on the music and movie genre, Zuckerberg & Co. seem to have keyed-in on a variety of markets for today's launch, from travel (TripAdvisor) to cuisine (Foodspotting), and even ticketing companies like ScoreBig, Eventbrite, StubHub, TicketFly and Ticketmaster. So now everyone will know immediately when you scored those backstage passes to Ricky Martin because you're living la vida loca with Timeline. Get the full story from Facebook at the source and PR from ScoreBig awaits after the break.

Continue reading Facebook launches Timeline Apps platform, socialites rejoice

Facebook launches Timeline Apps platform, socialites rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/18/facebook-launches-timeline-apps-platform/

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Dish Color Affects Serving Size

60-Second Health | Health

When dishes were the same color as the food served, people took bigger portions. Katherine Harmon reports.

January 19, 2012

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One reason Americans have such a huge weight problem? Our dishware. When faced with a bigger plate, people are inclined to heap on?and consume?more food. And plate sizes, like waistlines, have expanded.??

But what about color? If plate area can change serving size, could we also trick ourselves into eating less by changing the color of those dishes?

Cornell eating behavior expert Brian Wansink enlisted 60 unsuspecting adults to find out. Half of those attending a buffet lunch were assigned to a line with only white Alfredo sauce-coated pasta and the other half were ushered to the line with only red marinara-sauce pasta. Folks in each line were randomly given a red or white plate.

Those with plates that matched the color of their food helped themselves to much more than those who had plates of another color. The findings are in the Journal of Consumer Research. [Koert van Ittersum and Brian Wansink, Plate Size and Color Suggestibility: The Delboeuf Illusion's Bias on Serving and Eating Behavior]

So next time you're buying dishes, remember that it's not just size that matters.

?Katherine Harmon

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]???

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=b6eda665db4289c47be546874fd0c754

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