'The Hobbit' stays atop box office for third week

FILE - This publicity file photo released by Warner Bros., shows the character Gollum voiced by Andy Serkis in a scene from the fantasy adventure "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." (AP Photo/Warner Bros., File)

FILE - This publicity file photo released by Warner Bros., shows the character Gollum voiced by Andy Serkis in a scene from the fantasy adventure "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." (AP Photo/Warner Bros., File)

FILE - This undated publicity file photo released by Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media shows Billy Crystal, left, as Artie, holding on to his grandson, Kyle Harrison Breitkopf, as Barker, who doesn't like the idea of Marisa Tomei, center, as mother Alice and Tom Everett Scott as dad Phil leaving for a vacation in a scene from the film, "Parental Guidance." (AP Photo/Twentieth Century Fox/Walden Media, Phil Caruso, File)

FILE - This undated publicity file photo released by Twentieth Century Fox and Walden Media shows Billy Crystal as Artie and Bette Midler as Diane, who agree to babysit their three grandkids, from left, Joshua Rush as Turner, Bailee Madison as Harper and Kyle Harrison Breitkopf as Barker in a scene from the film, "Parental Guidance." (AP Photo/Twentieth Century Fox/Walden Media, Kerry Hayes, File)

FILE - In this undated publicity file photo released by The Weinstein Company, from left, Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio star in the film, "Django Unchained," directed by Quentin Tarantino. (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Andrew Coope, File)

FILE - This publicity film image released by Universal Pictures shows actress Anne Hathaway portraying Fantine, a struggling, sickly mother forced into prostitution in 1800s Paris, in a scene from the screen adaptation of "Les Miserables." (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Laurie Sparham, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" continues to rule them all at the box office, staying on top for a third-straight week and capping a record-setting $10.8 billion year in moviegoing.

The Warner Bros. fantasy epic from director Peter Jackson, based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel, made nearly $33 million this weekend, according to Sunday studio estimates, despite serious competition from some much-anticipated newcomers. It's now made a whopping $686.7 million worldwide and $222.7 million domestically alone.

Two big holiday movies ? and potential Academy Awards contenders ? also had strong openings. Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti Western-blaxploitation mash-up "Django Unchained" came in second place for the weekend with $30.7 million. The Weinstein Co. revenge comedy, starring Jamie Foxx as a slave in the Civil War South and Christoph Waltz as the bounty hunter who frees him and then makes him his partner, has earned $64 million since its Christmas Day opening.

And in third place with $28 million was the sweeping, all-singing "Les Miserables," based on the international musical sensation and the Victor Hugo novel of strife and uprising in 19th century France. The Universal Pictures film, with a cast of A-list actors singing live on camera led by Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe has made $67.5 million domestically and $116.2 worldwide since debuting on Christmas.

Additionally, the smash-hit James Bond adventure "Skyfall" has now made $1 billion internationally to become the most successful film yet in the 50-year franchise, Sony Pictures announced Sunday. The film stars Daniel Craig for the third time as the iconic British superspy.

"This is a great final weekend of the year," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "How perfect to end this year on such a strong note with the top five films performing incredibly well."

The week's other new wide release, the Billy Crystal-Bette Midler comedy "Parental Guidance" from 20th Century Fox, made $14.8 million over the weekend for fourth place and $29.6 million total since opening on Christmas.

Dergarabedian described the holding power of "The Hobbit" in its third week as "just amazing." Jackson shot the film, the first of three prequels to his massively successful "Lord of the Rings" series, in 48 frames per second ? double the normal frame rate ? for a crisper, more detailed image. It's also available in the usual 24 frames per second and both 2-D and 3-D projections.

"I think people are catching up with the movie. Maybe they're seeing it in multiple formats," he said. "I think it's just a big epic that feels like a great way to end the moviegoing year. There's momentum there with this movie."

"Django Unchained" is just as much of an epic in its own stylishly violent way that's quintessentially Tarantino. Erik Lomis, The Weinstein Co.'s president of theatrical distribution, said the opening exceeded the studio's expectations.

"We're thrilled with it, clearly. We knew it was extremely competitive at Christmas, particularly when you look at the start 'Les Miz' got. We were sort of resigned to being behind them. The fact that we were able to overtake them over the weekend was just great," Lomis said. "Taking nothing away from their number, it's a tribute to the playability of 'Django.'"

"Les Miserables" went into its opening weekend with nearly $40 million in North American grosses, including $18.2 on Christmas Day. That's the second-best opening ever on the holiday following "Sherlock Holmes," which made $24.9 million on Christmas 2009. Tom Hooper, in a follow-up to his Oscar-winner "The King's Speech," directs an enormous, ambitious take on the beloved musical which has earned a CinemaScore of "A'' from audiences and "A-plus" from women.

Nikki Rocco, Universal's head of distribution, said the debut for "Les Miserables" also beat the studio's expectations.

"That $18.2 million Christmas Day opening ? people were shocked ... This is a musical!" she said. "Once people see it, they talk about how fabulous it is."

It all adds up to a record-setting year at the movies, beating the previous annual record of $10.6 billion set in 2009. Dergarabedian pointed out that the hits came scattered throughout the year, not just during the summer blockbuster season or prestige-picture time at the end. "Contraband," ''Safe House" and "The Vow" all performed well early on, but then when the big movies came, they were huge. "The Avengers" had the biggest opening ever with $207.4 million in May. The raunchy comedy "Ted" and comic-book behemoth "The Dark Knight Rises" both found enormous audiences. And Paul Thomas Anderson's challenging drama "The Master" shattered records in September when it opened on five screens in New York and Los Angeles with $736,311, for a staggering per-screen average of $147,262.

"We were able to get this record without scratching and clawing to a record," he said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $32.9 million ($106.5 million international).

2. "Django Unchained," $30.7 million.

3. "Les Miserables," $28 million ($38.3 million international).

4. "Parental Guidance," $14.8 million ($7 million international).

5. "Jack Reacher," $14 million ($18.1 million).

6. "This Is 40," $13.2 million.

7. "Lincoln," $7.5 million.

8. "The Guilt Trip," $6.7 million.

9. "Monsters, Inc. 3-D," $6.4 million.

10. "Rise of the Guardians," $4.9 million ($11.6 million).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $106.5 million.

2. "Life of Pi," $39.2 million.

3. "Les Miserables," $38.3 million.

4. "Wreck-It Ralph," $20.4 million.

5. "Jack Reacher," $18.1 million.

6. "Rise of the Guardians," $11.6 million.

7. "Parental Guidance," $7 million.

8. "The Tower," $6.6 million.

9. "Pitch Perfect," $6.2 million.

10. "De L'autre Cote Du Periph," $4 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-12-31-Box%20Office/id-ea76983f8392428eb27f0b1044e4d5c1

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China dominates 2012 cybersecurity talking points

Asia-Pacific has seen its fair share of IT and online security incidents, from intellectual property theft and cyberespionage to hacktivism, this year. But not all were bad news though, as regional governments took steps to clamp down on online crime by implementing new regulations and setting up cybercrime units.

China, however, hogs the limelight when it comes to security matters in this region, for both good and bad reasons.

The positives this year for the Asian giant is the government's concerted efforts to eradicate software piracy, at least in the public sector, as it spent more than 1 billion yuan (US$156.9 million) buying licensed software for its various agencies. The amount was reportedly spent on 158,823 operating system licenses, 506,693 copies of office software, as well as antivirus and other special-purpose software by end of June.

The Business Software Alliance (BSA) also reported in May the proportion of China's PCs with pirated software fell to 77 percent in 2011--a new record low and a decrease of 15 percentage points from 2003's high of 92 percent.

China versus the world
The negatives, however, continue to dominate headlines. Chinese hackers, for one, have been actively breaching the Web sites and IT systems of other countries. The Indian navy was one victim of such attacks, with its computer systems in and around the city of Visakhaptnam breached and had a bug planted in them which then sent sensitive data to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in China.

Iranian Offshore Oil Company, Iran's state-owned company, also pointed its finger at China and Israel for initiating a cyberattack on its drilling platforms' computer network. Mohammad Reza Golshani, IT head for the company, said the attempted attack created a one-way connection to the company's network but his team managed to fend off their advances.

International spats were also breeding ground for online dissent, as territorial disputes with Japan and the Philippines sparked off a spate of Web attacks.

The National Police Association of Japan confirmed that at least 19 of the country's Web sites, including a government ministry and hospital, were affected by cyberattacks originating from China. It also stated 300 Japanese organizations were listed as possible targets on the message of the Chinese hacker group Honker. Japan and China are currently disputing the ownership of certain islands in the East China Sea.

Hackers from China and Philippines also engaged in a cyberspace standoff in April. Chinese hackers reportedly defaced the Web site of the University of the Philippines by showing the map with Chinese script and highlighting the disputed islands in the South China Sea as the country's property.

Filipino hackers struck back the next day and defaced several Chinese Web sites and similarly proclaiming its sovereignty over the Huangyan and Nansha islands.

These inter-country hackings show how political disputes have spilled over to impact the cyberworld, Vincent Goh, Asia-Pacific vice president of RSA, the security arm of EMC, observed. "This unpredictability and vulnerability in our IT security landscape signifies that organizations in Asia-Pacific must learn to live in a state of compromise," he said.

Cyberespionage fears grow
This sense of wariness was compounded by more cyberespionage activities conducted globally, and epitomized by how Chinese telecom equipment makers Huawei Technology and ZTE have to constantly allay government concerns that their networking products are being used to help the Chinese government spy on others.

The U.S. government has been one of the more vocal critics of the two Chinese companies, going so much as to warn American companies not to do business with them. The European Union and Australia have also stated their concerns.

Beyond Huawei and ZTE, ESET security researchers also discovered a worm believed to have originated from China and targets and steals files running AutoCAD software. This led the security vendor to believe the malware was designed for cyberespionage purposes.

Samsung and LG were embroiled in a corporate espionage case too, with 11 Samsung employees arrested for stealing and leaking the company's organic light-emitting diode (OLED) patents to its rival.

Commenting on the region's espionage activities, Uri Rivner, head of new technologies at RSA, the security arm of EMC, said Asia-Pacific countries are increasingly moving industrial espionage activities online as more people in the region get on the Internet.

Governments fight back with cybercrime laws, agencies
Governments in Asia were not oblivious of the threat cyberattacks pose, though.

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, for one, warned that greater interconnectivity and access to technology will create a "new reality" in which the country will see more cyberattacks and social extremists.

Ministers in Thailand also said in November the government is ramping up efforts to improve its cybersecurity posture as the risk of being attacked is growing due to the wide use of social media and inadequate security systems.

Myla Pilao, director, of core technology at Trend Micro's TrendLabs, observed that Asia-Pacific countries do acknowledge the problem and have approved initiatives such as setting up of cybercrime units and revising their existing laws to reflect the changing security landscape.

Hong Kong was one that set up its cybersecurity center this year to prevent and detect computer crime by monitoring network traffic and assist critical infrastructure operators in the event of an online attack. The Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation also established a computer crime unit to aid investigators in determining attacks and to take action if citizens violate the country's Cybercrime Act.

The Interpol is also building its Interpol Global Complex in Singapore, which will be operational in 2014. The Complex will boost the city-state's efforts to curb high-tech crime, as well as serve the international community by investing in research and development to enhance areas such as forensics and data capabilities.

Laws need finetuning
Efforts to enact policies to curb cybercrime have not been as smooth-sailing for regional governments.

Philippines' Cybercrime Prevention Act, which was signed into effect by President Benigno Aquino III on Sep. 12, came under fire by many citizens due to its vague definition of online libel, violation of personal rights and tough legal penalties for online defamation. The country's Supreme Court has since suspended the Act for 120 days in October as it decides whether the law violates civil rights.

Singapore's Computer Misuse Act is also currently review after the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed amendments to give the government powers to order preemptive strikes against planned attacks against critical national infrastructure.

Questions have been raised, though, over who will foot the bill if companies have to spend more time and resources providing the information the government is asking for, and whether personal e-mail of senior military and government officials are fair game when investigating cyberattacks.

RSA's Goh warned it will not be easy for governments in Asia to craft the perfect cybercrime legislation since security monitoring and data privacy do not often see eye to eye. It gets even more complex when they have to factor in the different legislative landscape in other countries when a crime is conducted across different jurisdictions, he added.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/china-dominates-2012-cybersecurity-talking-points-7000009219/

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Taking Stock of the Supposed Deal (talking-points-memo)

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UFC 155 results: 18 post-event facts about ?Dos Santos vs Velasquez 2'

UFC 155: "Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2" took place Saturday night (Dec. 29, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Cain Velasquez defeating Junior dos Santos by unanimous decision in the main event to win back the UFC heavyweight championship. The under card saw only one submission finish as John Moraga and choked out Chris Cariaso, while Todd Duffee, Erik Perez and Constantinos Philippou ended their opponents' night via knockout. Those are facts. And we have more.

There were plenty of facts to come out of UFC 155: "Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2," which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 29, 2012.

Some are notable, others irrelevant and a few will expand your knowledge.

For instance, we know that Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez collided for a second time in the main event, with Velasquez earning a unanimous decision and, in the process, regaining the UFC heavyweight belt he lost to "Cigano" 13-months ago (watch it here).

That's not all we know, though.

Check out 18 post-fight facts about UFC 155: "Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2" below:

1. Velasquez has successfully completed 27 takedowns in his 10-fight UFC career -- the most in UFC heavyweight history.
2. Erik Perez is the first bantamweight in UFC history to finish three fights in a row.
3. UFC 155 drew an attendance of 12,423 for a gate of $3,286,000.
4. After winning five UFC fights in a row, Melvin Guillard has lost four of his last five UFC bouts.
5. Brad Pickett fought to a decision for the first time in his UFC career.
6. Chris Leben became the 10th fighter in UFC history to fight in the Octagon 20 times.
7. Jim Miller, Joe Lauzon, Todd Duffee and John Moraga earned $65,000 post-fight bonuses.
8. All eight of Todd Duffee's career victories are by way of (technical) knockout.
9. According to Fight Metric, Velasquez became the first fighter in UFC history to post triple digits in significant strikes landed and double digits in takedowns landed in a single fight. Velasquez landed 111 significant strikes and 11 takedowns against dos Santos. The previous closest record was 81 strikes and 11 takedowns by James Hettes at UFC 141.
10. Lauzon tied UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva for the most post-fight bonuses in UFC history at 12.
11. The UFC 155 "Prelims" card saw four fights end in a split decision.
12. Leben fought to a decision for the first time since Jan. 2010.
13. Alan Belcher suffered his first defeat since a split decision defeat to Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100 in July 2009.
14. Tim Boetsch lost his first fight since dropping to the middleweight division in May 2011.
15. Miller holds the record for most wins ever in the UFC lightweight division at 11.
16. Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos was the first UFC heavyweight championship fight to go to a decision since Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia at UFC 68 on March 3, 2007.
17. Leonard Garcia's split decision defeat to Max Holloway was the sixth time in Garcia's last 10 fights where the result has been a split decision.
18. Myles Jury's decision victory over Michael Johnson was the first time in Jury's 11-fight MMA career where he has gone past the first round.

That's a wrap for this set of UFC facts.

Did you learn anything new/interesting? Do any of the facts change your perspective on Saturday's fights?

Let us know below!

Be sure to also check out our complete UFC 155 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2" event right here. And for a detailed recap of the UFC 155 "Prelims" bouts on Facebook/FX click here.

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Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2012/12/30/3817024/ufc-155-post-fight-facts-dos-santos-velasquez-rematch-las-vegas-mma

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Fundamental similarities between rogue and warrior classes?

1) What are the fundamental similarities among rogues/warriors/rangers?

2) Are there actually any real similarities among rogues/warriors/rangers? Is non-magic and physical adeptness/traits/attributes the closest things? I wouldn't say physical damage since rogues could be pure thieves that don't go into combat at all.

3) Are there any rogue/warrior/ranger subclasses that don't necessarily have to be physically trained? If we extend this to other genres, would hackers count as a rogue subclass?

4) Would physics also be a common factor? I mean rogues/warriors/rangers generally obey the laws of physics while magic doesn't right? What would be the mage equivalent in a scifi genre?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/_dcNJ5T9gsU/viewtopic.php

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Best of 2012: My Favorite Things ? Creating Communication

With our remaining three days of 2012, Creating Communication will reflect on the year in review as it relates to public speaking and presentation. ?First, we will look at my favorite presentation-related things of 2012: book, webinar, Tweets, blog, TED Talk, speech, etc.

My favorite 2012 presentation book goes to the Harvard Business Review/Nancy Duarte partnership: HBR?Guide to Persuasive Presentations. ?My review of the text is forthcoming! ?It combines Duarte?s previous texts,?Slide:ology and?Resonate into a short, neat, HBR-approved book, and it?s a must-read for anyone who presents.

My favorite public speaking/presentation concept was Ethos3?s ?Presenter?s Manifesto.? ?I printed out a beautiful color copy of the inspiring, well-designed guide to the presentation revolution, and I urge you to read it and to join us in 2013. ?My favorite Tweets about public speaking and presentation also came from Ethos3. ?You must follow them here. ?Last, but not least, my favorite public speaking webinar this year was done by Ethos3?s CEO Scott Schwertly and was called ?How To Be An Online Presentation God.? ?Organized by Tony Yang, Director of Marketing at Knoodle, the one-hour webinar was the perfect compliment to everything Ethos3 has been doing this year. ?I love those guys so much, and they?ve really inspired me in 2012 in so many ways.

My favorite Slideshare presentation from 2012 was JesseDee?s updated ?You Suck At PowerPoint.? ?Though the original was great, this updated version took the design to the next level.

My favorite TED Talk of 2012 was definitely LZ Granderson?s ?The Myth of the Gay Agenda.? ?My favorite speech of 2012 was Bill Clinton?s Democratic National Convention address. ?You especially have to check out this article alongside the video of Clinton?s DNC speech.

My favorite website with comprehensive information about public speaking and presentation in 2012 was Andrew Dlugan?s Six Minutes. ?I was lucky enough to write for Six Minutes twice in 2012, and you can check out my articles here. ?While this series is my favorite of all time on Six Minutes, this article was my favorite of 2012 because I love examining charisma and what it means to be a charismatic speaker.

I can?t talk about the best of 2012 without honoring the two best overall public speaking/presentation brands: Nancy Duarte and Garr Reynolds. ?Both blog, Tweet, speak, and write amazing things on 21st century presenting.

Who or what would you add to this list of 2012 favorites? ?Did I miss anything important?

Like this:

Be the first to like this.

Source: http://alexrister1.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/best-of-2012-my-favorite-things/

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US pending home sales rise to highest in 2? years

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A measure of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes increased last month to its highest level in two and a half years, the latest sign of improvement in the once-battered housing market.

The National Association of Realtors said Friday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 1.7 percent in November from October to 106.4. That's the highest since April 2010, when a homebuyer tax credit caused a spike in sales. And after excluding those months when the tax credit was available, it's the best reading since February 2007.

The increase followed a 5 percent gain in October and suggests higher sales of previously occupied homes in the coming months. There's generally a one- to two-month lag between a signed contract and a completed sale.

In November, signed contracts to buy homes rose in the Northeast and West, and ticked up slightly in the Midwest. They were unchanged in the South.

Home sales are on track to rise 10 percent this year to their highest level in five years, buoyed by ultra-low mortgage rates and steady job gains. The Realtors' group forecasts that sales may rise in 2013 to about 5.1 million. That's still below the more than 5.5 million that is considered consistent with a healthy market.

The housing recovery that began earlier this year is looking sustainable for a number of reasons. The supply of previously occupied homes for sale has finally thinned out and is at an 11-year low. At the same time, more people are looking to buy or rent a home after living with relatives or friends during and in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

The combination of stronger demand and limited supply is pushing up home prices. That could encourage more sellers to put their homes on the market because they can expect a better price.

Builders are also more optimistic that the recovery will endure and are stepping up construction. The pace of home construction was nearly 22 percent higher in November compared with a year earlier. Builders are on track this year to start work on the most homes in four years.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-28-Pending%20Home%20Sales/id-b0a6096c945045a0b4a9ece8af46d44b

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Fashion Fail! The 25 Worst Celeb Style Moments of 2012

From Nicki Minaj to Anne Hathaway, see the fashion faux pas the stars made this year. What were they thinking?!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/worst-celebrity-fashion-2012/1-b-511231?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aworst-celebrity-fashion-2012-511231

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A solution to this scourge in our society - Guyana Times International ...

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Source: http://www.guyanatimesinternational.com/?p=22738

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Create a Budget for Hobbies Based on Accomplishing Other Goals

Reader Molly has an interesting approach to budgeting: instead of just setting aside money for recreation, she only allows herself that money after she accomplishes other goals and chores?not unlike the allowance you got when you were a kid.

Molly explains how it works for her:

I have some expensive hobbies (photography, bicycles, etc.) with essentially no limit on what one could spend. Before I figured this out, I'd agonize over when exactly it was okay to pull the trigger on that new lens/bike/camera bag. And probably spend too much overall.

So I set a budget for what's reasonable: for me it's around $60 a week that I think is reasonable to spend on hobbies.

But I don't just save $60 a week. I use it to incentivize other things I should be doing. If I work out, I can put $10 in the jar. Completing a Rosetta Stone Spanish lesson is $1 (max 2 per day). If I meditate every day all week, I can have $10 at the end of the week (trying to encourage consistency). If I were a smoker, I'd totally contribute the price of every usual pack of cigarettes I didn't buy.

There are bonuses possible, too: If I sell old crap, half goes to the hobby fund and half to savings. Unless I sold a hobby item (say, a lens), in which case 100% goes back into the fund to discourage hoarding.

This has lots of benefits. it sets a cap on my spending, makes me absolutely anxious to do things that are good for me (so I can put more cash in the jar), and allows me to relax when there is something new I'm coveting...it just goes on the list and I can wait for it. Or I head to the basement to see what else I can sell to speed up the process.

It seems complicated at first, but you can start simply, adding in other incentives or tweaks to fit your own goals and budgetary needs. If you've been having trouble getting things done?or trouble spending too much money?this is a pretty interesting approach.

Photo by 401(K) 2012.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/XcopbRcM00g/create-a-budget-for-hobbies-based-on-accomplishing-other-goals

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How To Buy Or Sell Commercial Real Estate | Overseas Property

Although industrial and commercial properties are constantly appearing on the market, they don?t get preferential market listings the same way regular homes do. You need to know how to search to find commercial properties, and this article can provide you with the best way to do this.

To ensure that you receive quality service when searching for commercial property, find a company which cares for their customers. If you don?t, you might wind up suffering over the long haul for an otherwise preventable error.

Social media is an important tool for keeping brokers and investors appraised of your services. After completion of a transaction, you should work to cultivate an online presence.

Look for the biggest buildings within your price range when you?re considering commercial investments. Managing five units might seem far less complicated than fifty, but the work that you put into financing and setting up lease agreements will be the same no matter how many units you manage. Both require commercial financing, and a larger building will cost less to finance per unit.

Commercial loans require the borrower to order the appraisal. Banks do not allow the appraisal to be used at a later time. Therefore, to protect yourself and keep your commercial loan on track, order the appraisal yourself.

Before you purchase a property, talk to a tax advisor. Such an expert can inform you of what a building will cost you, and the tax impact of your income from a property. Utilize the advice given to you by your tax adviser in order to locate a property in an area where your investment will incur the least taxes.

Bear in mind that, with any newly written lease, rent considerations and strategies will be essential to the future of your investment. Have an exact rental amount in mind before you discuss your property with a potential tenant. This can help you keep targets and set a benchmark for your investment.

Look for the motivated sellers. Find sellers, particularly those that want to get rid of a property below the market?s value. Until you find a deal in real estate by a very motivated seller, nothing in real estate can happen.

Your new space may need improvements before you can occupy it. The changes don?t have to be extensive. You may just want to repaint or rearrange furniture. The renovation project can get larger and could consist of knocking down, moving or building walls to make the floor plan usable. Negotiate payment for these improvements ahead of time, and attempt to have the landlord pay at least part of the costs.

You should try to understand the NOI metric. To maximize your success, keep your numbers in the positive values.

Check out the state of the environment around your property. You are ultimately responsible for disposing of environmental waste from your building. Are you considering buying a property within a flood zone, which can effect your insurance, storm water drainage and possibly impede future growth potential? Think twice. Call some agencies that assess the enviornment and find out what is up with the area your property is in.

Know what your goals are when you are purchasing commercial property. One important thing to have clear up front is whether you are thinking of using it for your personal business or if you, instead, want to lease out the property. As you prepare to seek out a new commercial property, you should first set very specific goals and requirements.

When considering properties for your investment portfolio, abide by the principles of feng shui. A space that is open and not cluttered is one of the principles id feng shui that buyers like.

Before choosing a real estate broker, you need to know how they negotiate. Inquire into their specific credentials and training; do not be afraid to ask for references. You should also make sure that they use ethical methods and know how to get the best deals. It is also completely appropriate to seek examples of their past efforts to strike real estate deals for other clients.

Be sure you position yourself well when it comes to negotiating any lease for commercial real estate, you want to do things like decrease what could be considered as a default event. Decreasing these will prevent tenants from performing a default on the lease after your negotiations. A default is frustrating and costly.

Buying a larger property is great for a variety of reasons. Having more units in the same property gives you more profit potential without much more work. Properties with fewer than ten units are often harder to sell, since many investors believe that more units mean more money.

You should put an ad out for your commercial real estate when it is on sale, do it locally and out of town. Do not assume that only local investors will be interested. There are many private investors who buy property outside of their area if the price is affordable.

There are differences between brokers in the commercial real estate field. A full service broker works with both the tenants and the landlord. Some agents represent only the tenants. If you intend to rent rather than buy, retaining the services of the latter type of broker may benefit you, as tenant-only brokers know what works when representing tenants.

Visit the commercial real estate properties that you are interested in. It?s a good idea to hire a building contractor to come with you and do on-the-spot inspections of properties you are considering. Start the negotiations, and make the necessary preliminary proposals. Carefully look over any counteroffers you receive before you make your final choice, whatever that may be.

If there is more then one property you are considering, acquire the house survey checklist for each one during your site tour. Accept responses to the initial proposals, but don?t go further than that unless you inform the property owners. Don?t hesitate to let it be known that you are entertaining other options. This may ensure that you get a much more viable deal.

Know what your specific needs are prior to starting your commercial real estate hunt. You should write down the features you are looking for, such as size or settings.

Be sure to negotiate on the fact of what you are, the seller or buyer. Make it clear that you wish to be heard and refuse to accept an unfair price.

When buying rental properties, avoid the difficulties involved with smaller properties. Experienced investors advise buying complexes with over 10 units. No situation is the same as another, and proper reseal should help you reach a knowledgeable decision regarding any purchase.

When you are pursuing an investment in commercial real estate, finding the right type is only the start of the process. Dealing with commercial property takes knowledge and action; therefore, it is very important to learn all you can prior to seeking out your property.

Weigh all of the information available in regards to Property Overseas for Sale. Understand the many facets of Property Overseas for Sale by slowly building up your knowledge of the subject. After you have all the pertinent information, you will be able proceed with any plans you might have.

Source: http://www.davidstanleyredfern.com/general-news/how-to-buy-or-sell-commercial-real-estate-3

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My blog is movin' on up?Be sure to follow! ? Savor Fitness and ...

Howdy All of My Devoted Blog Readers!

First, I hope you?ve all had a great holiday season and I wish everyone a healthy and happy start to 2013!

The Savor Fitness & Nutrition blog & JM Wellness newsletter have been growing steadily for over a year now during which time I?ve been working on writing my first book, Death of the Diet. ?With the anticipated launch in March 2013 (woo hoo!), I?ve redesigned my websites, including my blog; check them out and let me know what you think: www.DeathoftheDiet.com and www.JasonMachowsky.com.

All future content will be posted to DeathoftheDiet.com, so be sure to follow that blog for the latest content. I will be setting up a permanent redirect as of January 1st, 2013, thanks!

Also, if you weren?t aware, I also have a super-fantastic newsletter, which is getting an upgrade as well.? Here?s what you can expect as a newsletter member starting in 2013 (you can sign up at either one of my websites on the right sidebar, or contact me):

• Exclusive discounts on the book, one-on-one coaching with me and services from like-minded health and wellness partners. ?One of my goals in 2013 is to partner with other healthcare and wellness practitioners who care about long-term results like myself.

• Access to future giveaways and contests (hint, hint).

• One stop reading: Monthly digest of JM wellness content updates, including my writing for other websites (Food Network, Nutrition411.com, etc.) and new article formats such as Research Roundups (clarifying the latest health and fitness research findings) and Ask Jason (think Dear Abby on a fitness kick). Only newsletter members can ask questions, so if you have a friend with a question, tell them to hop on board.

• Access to the ?Seven Questions You Must Ask to Achieve Long-Term Health & Fitness Results.?? One question per day, for seven days.

Please forward this post to two people who you think can benefit from receiving the Seven Questions this New Years? season, or any of the other exclusive content mentioned. A healthier life starts now, and never ends.

Looking forward to a rockin? 2013,
Jason

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Source: http://jasonmachowsky.wordpress.com/2012/12/26/my-blog-is-movin-on-up-be-sure-to-follow/

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New Samsung Galaxy Note 2 ad targets business

Samsung has just put out a fresh ad for the Galaxy Note 2 targeting enterprise users. In the span of a minute, it does a great job of showing how the Note 2 can be used to take notes, watch video, multitask, and transfer files over NFC. Despite being about work, it still has the same sense of humor as Samsung's previous TV spots, and I'm tempted to agree with the top-voted YouTube commenter for the ad: "Apple is going to have to get more creative with their marketing. Samsung is killing it."

Hit the jump for a playlist of Samsung's more holiday-themed ads. 

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/WSL_uDE4yPg/story01.htm

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Finance:Credit-Counseling Articles from EzineArticles.com ...

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Feast for the senses: Cook up a master dish

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The Fine Line Between Self-Confidence & Cockiness - Psych Central

We all know people who sing their own praises at every work or social opportunity. You may sometimes wonder if they know something about self-confidence that you don?t. Perhaps their annoying habit is a sign that they?ve discovered some secret to waking up every day feeling ready to conquer the world. Truly, the line between self-confidence and arrogance can seem finer than it really is.

Cocky or Confident?

Cocky people do have confidence, but it comes from a different place than true self-assurance. Arrogance is one result of building self-esteem from outward sources such as financial privilege or constant praise. However, yank the external support system away, and the person?s sense of self-worth goes with it.

You build true self-confidence from within and project it to the world. Confident people have a realistic picture of their own traits and abilities and trust themselves enough to respond to life authentically. They learn from failure rather than letting it define them, and they forge ahead a bit wiser.

A hallmark of the genuinely self-assured person is the ability to admit to a mistake without excessive apologizing or rationalization. A cocky colleague, on the other hand, is more likely to pass the buck.

Four Ways to Tell the Difference

1. Style vs. Bling Addiction.?

True style is personal and has little to do with trends. Confident people enjoy what they have without defining themselves by their possessions. These are the folks who survive disasters with a strong and giving spirit. Their sense of self remains constant even if they must physically rebuild.

Arrogant people are more often emotionally devastated by material losses and may struggle harder to define their core values in the face of adversity. Not everyone who flaunts ?stuff? is cocky, but ostentation suggests a distorted self-image.

2. Active Listening vs. the Monologue.

That person who insists on holding court in any gathering is probably a frightened jester rather than a monarch.

Arrogant people need to validate their belief of being better than others and are constantly looking for opportunities to sell themselves.

If you like yourself as you are, you free up energy to be genuinely interested in other people. You engage in active listening and ask sincere questions. In turn, people will respond positively to your attentiveness.

3. Ambition vs. Ruthlessness.?

Ambition is not a crime. Confident people relish achievement and contributing their talents to the world. They don?t feel threatened by others? successes and instead try to learn from them.

Cocky people need to believe that they are on top even if reality says otherwise. This can lead to unnecessarily manipulative or callous behavior as they focus on defending a power base at all costs.

4. The Human vs. the Greek God.?

As a self-confident person, you accept that you are just a human being. You are intrinsically no better or worse than anyone else. In addition to your successes, you have flaws, failures and really bad hair days or even years. You treat yourself with compassion while taking responsibility for your choices, and you learn from misfortune and mistakes.

Arrogant people can?t risk the fragile persona crumbling in the face of defeat and run from criticism. They tend to go to extremes of either deflecting blame onto others or condemning themselves for being only human.If you wonder about your own cocky moments, you are probably in the ballpark of self-confidence.

Truly secure people evaluate their own behavior and face their doubts. By letting go of fear, you set yourself up for success.

?

Confident guy photo available from Shutterstock

Derek Whitney is an active blogger for the website Aligned Signs, an astrology matching website, he blogs regularly about modern psychology, astrology, and self-awareness.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by Derek Whitney (or subscribe to their feed).

????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 26 Dec 2012
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Whitney, D. (2012). The Fine Line Between Self-Confidence & Cockiness. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 27, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/26/the-fine-line-between-self-confidence-cockiness/

?

Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/26/the-fine-line-between-self-confidence-cockiness/

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Holy Murderer?s Row, Batman! ?Climate Deniers!? (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273282174?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Free Web Hosting Servers | The Floor Geek

If you are searching to get a trustworthy webhosting specialist that will offer you top quality internet hosting solutions that fits to you personally then I?m able to say you will be in the precise position. You will find ton of web hosting service providers on net. You have got to try and do research on internet to obtain competitively priced and trustworthy webhosting support supplier for ones internet site. There?s many variations of internet hosting products available by webhosting enterprises, you may need to pick out from them according on your requires.

one. Domain Identify Registration

At the time you decide on a suitable domain identify to your Internet site, webhosting provider provider will require treatment of all registration formalities. All you possess to complete is to always get hold of a website name considering the extension of one?s alternative. To illustrate, if you ever decide for the domain which has a .com extension, your domain name are . Select it in the present day for a new gateway with the Internet society.

2. Sub-Domain or Domain Pointing Companies

For those who have various other domains that you just have to redirect or stage in your main/primary Online site, internet hosting provider provider can invariably alias these for your needs. Regardless of what domain your buyers form in, they are going to be directed with your primary website. Moreover, these extra domains improve raise your Website?s internet search engine rating.

three. Maintained Dedicated Web hosting Solutions

Throughout Managed and Committed internet hosting services one can get solid, scalable and cost effective webhosting services that allow small- and medium-size organisations to productively grow their establishments.

four. Little Firm Shared Internet hosting

Little manufacturers usually opt for shared web hosting on account of no server repair price, if you pick out shared hosting for your personal site would not pay out expense for server preservation that might expense small.

5. Business Hosting

Company Internet hosting is a good approach to get started by using any webhosting provider provider?s wiki and issue-tracker with no an upfront financial commitment or devoted IT sources. Your only problem should be focusing on your internet marketing business, not system and application administration.

A number of capabilities of Business Hosting:

a. Focused (non-shared) instance of JIRA or Confluence

b. Power to construct customized themes in Confluence

c. Integration together with your present apps by way of LDAP, API accessibility, and so forth.

d. Allow anonymous entry

c. Regulate your own private plugins

6. E-commerce Internet hosting

In order for you to have a bit more online business web you must host your internet site by having an ecommerce hosting corporation. Just about everything you require for your personal Internet business blog in a single All-Inclusive E-commerce web hosting offer with outstanding benefits, speedily and protected servers, an array of extras, and superior excellent shopper company.

7. Company E-mail Systems

Web hosting company supplier features corporate e-mail Option for all your personnel, sellers, distributors, brokers, advisors, consultants below a single familiar world-wide-web based mostly e-mail control strategy.

eight. Anti-spam & Anti-virus Systems

Hosting services supplier gives you state-of-the-art Anti-Spam software to protect your mail box from worthless junk mail. Act suitable now and deal with SPAM to save time and money.

9. Customized Web-Mail Panel

Use our Web-mail facility from an internet hosting company supplier and stay connected with internet business associates and colleagues, family and friends ? even when you might be on a small business trip or just holidaying. You will definitely never miss that important e-mail again. A customized Web-mail version with the organization logo and colours can also be set up at your request.

10. SSL Certificate

Internet hosting service supplier can install and maintain a personal SSL certificate for the Web-site that would ensure a trusted warranty level and complete purchaser satisfaction.

11. Payment Gateway

Hosting assistance provider can integrate any merchant account supplier of your respective choice such as WorldPay, SEC fork out, Authorize.net etc. for online processing of credit cards.

So, in case you have an online site and you are searching for a reliable web hosting firm which could present focused web hosting products for ones internet site then don?t be hesitated to contact us.

Web Hosting Feedback can present you with utmost information for Environment Friendly Internet Hosting Spine Of Your Online Enterprise Technique.Please be sure to check-out the published article for more details!

Related posts:

1. How One Can Discover An Affordable And Reliable Web Hosting Supplier
2. Free Web Hosting Plans Vs Affordable Web Hosting
3. Web Hosting Choices For E Commerce Companies
4. Vps Internet Hosting Overview
5. Free Internet Hosting What?S The Catch

Source: http://www.thefloorgeek.com/2012/12/free-web-hosting-servers/

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NY surfer who survived Sandy drowns in Puerto Rico

NEW YORK (AP) ? The Belle Harbor section of the Rockaways in New York where so many heroes emerged during Superstorm Sandy has lost one of them to a tragic surfing death in Puerto Rico.

Friends of 23-year-old Dylan Smith and his family expressed sorrow Monday that someone who saved so many lives during the October storm could lose his own on vacation. A local funeral parlor said funeral arrangements were being made.

The New York City lifeguard was widely praised after the storm for using his surfboard to move several Queens neighbors endangered by high water and a fire to safety.

Smith's body was found floating Sunday morning near his surfboard in waters off Maria's Beach in the western Puerto Rican community of Rincon. The town's beaches attract surfers from across the world.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-24-Puerto%20Rico-Tourist%20Death/id-716de9aacc1047cb810ed4221f383295

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Gloomy predictions as Washington approaches the 'fiscal cliff'

It's still possible that the 'fiscal cliff' with its automatic?tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts can be avoided. But the clock is ticking toward Jan.1, and most lawmakers are pessimistic.

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / December 23, 2012

President Barack Obama speaks about the fiscal cliff in the briefing room of the White House Friday before leaving for Hawaii to spend Christmas with his family.

Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS

Enlarge

The New Year may be more than a week off, but realistically Congress and the White House have less than that as the clock ticks toward the ?fiscal cliff? with its automatic tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts that could throw an already-weakened economy into a tailspin.

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On the Sunday before Christmas, lawmakers worried and postured, with a few ? very few ? expressing just a bit of optimism that anything would be done in time.

"We can do better and we should do better," Senate Budget Committee chairman Kent Conrad said on ?Fox News Sunday.? "I would hope that we would have one last attempt here to do what everyone knows needs to be done: which is a larger plan that really does stabilize the debt and gets us moving in the right direction.?

For now, says Sen. Conrad (who?s retiring), Speaker John Boehner and the White House should ?split the difference? on the most recent offers from both sides, resulting in $1.45 trillion in spending cuts and $1.15 in revenue for a combination of $2.6 trillion.

?You couple that with the $1.1 trillion that?s already been done [in the Budget Control Act] and you?re at $3.7 trillion,? he said.

Recommended:?'Fiscal cliff' 101: 5 basic questions answered

That leaves a lot of heavy lifting, Conrad concedes: ?Is it perfect? No. Is it everything we?d hoped for? No. Does it match what Bowles-Simpson did? No.?

The general mood Sunday was well expressed by another senator about to retire, Joseph Lieberman.

"It's the first time that I feel it's more likely we'll go over the cliff than not,"?Sen. Lieberman said on CNN?s ?State of the Union.? "If we allow that to happen it will be the most colossal consequential act of congressional irresponsibility in a long time, maybe ever in American history because of the impact it'll have on almost every American.?

Joining Conrad on Fox News, Sen. Jon Barrasso, (R) of Wyoming, said tumbling off the fiscal cliff is inevitable.

?I believe the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes,? he said. ?He senses a victory at the bottom of the cliff.?

Obama already has scaled back his ambitions for a sweeping budget bargain. Before leaving the capital on Friday, he called for a limited measure that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for most people and stave off federal spending cuts. The president also urged Congress to extend jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed that would otherwise be cut off for 2 million people at the end of the year.

But reverting to higher tax rates for even the wealthiest Americans remains a show-stopper for many tea party Republicans in the House of Representatives.

Judging by the latest twists in the drama ? including House Speaker John Boehner?s inability to get his own party behind his ?Plan B? ? plus public opinion polls showing Obama with a much better job rating than Boehner and the GOP seen as mostly to blame, Obama in fact may be more inclined to hang tough.

?The truth of the matter is, if we do fall off the cliff after the president is inaugurated, he?ll come back, propose just what he proposed ? and we?ll end up adopting it,? said Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R) of Georgia on Fox News. ?Why not go ahead and act now??

Why not, indeed said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, also speaking on Fox News.

"It is time to get back to the table," said the Minnesota Democrat. "And I hope if anyone sees these representatives from the House in line shopping or getting their Christmas turkey, they wish them a merry Christmas, they're civil, and then say go back to the table, not your own table, the table in Washington."

This report includes material from the Associated Press.

Recommended:?'Fiscal cliff' 101: 5 basic questions answered

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/2mgEdnI6z1o/Gloomy-predictions-as-Washington-approaches-the-fiscal-cliff

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Warm weather wipes out white Christmas wishes - The Local

Most of Germany is in the midst of a warm, damp Christmas Eve, with temperatures of up to 18 Celsius in places having replaced the heavy snowfall which hit the country a couple of weeks ago.

The German Weather Service (DWD) said on Monday that some people in the southern regions of the country could be celebrating Christmas in shorts and T-shirts, as temperatures would well into the double digits.

But the north-east was expected to remain cool, with just six degrees in areas like the Uckermark, but even this was too much for winter sports in the central Harz mountains where the tourist board said only a few ski runs remained open.

The 60 centimetres of snow that was seen on Sonnenberg for example in the middle of the month, has shrunk to around 25 centimetres, while the area was expected to be as warm as eight Celsius with rain on Monday and the coming few days.

Rain and snowmelt had the River Rhine threatening to flood in some areas, with the Cologne High Water Protection Centre registering a level of more than eight metres on Monday. It was rising by around three centimetres an hour. Ships are banned from travelling there as soon as it reaches 8.30 metres.

Click here for The Local's weather forecast
Cologne's old town centre was not yet affected in the middle of the morning, and does not generally flood until the Rhine reaches at least nine metres. But flood protection measures, such as mobile walls were being set up on Monday in case the river were to continue rising.

The last flooding of Cologne was in 2003, when the river level reached 9.71 metres, while during the 1995 'Flood of the Century', it reached as high as 10.69 metres.

Although the warm weather this week feels unseasonable, the DWD said it was not so unusual at this time of year.

Thomas Ruppert from the DWD said even the top expected temperatures of around 18 degrees this week were, "not something to knock you off your stool."

"A Christmas thaw is a common phenomenon," he said, pointing to the end of the 1970s and early 1980s when such conditions repeatedly stymied hopes of a white Christmas.

Tuesday is expected to be rainy for many areas, with temperatures between eight and 13 Celsius, and snow only in upper Alpine areas.

Wednesday will be cloudy with showers and although temperatures are expected to fall a little, they will still remain between five and ten degrees.

DPA/DAPD/The Local/hc

Source: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20121224-46957.html

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Ex-Florida governor candidate McBride dies at 67

MIAMI (AP) ? Bill McBride, the Florida Democrat who defeated Janet Reno for the party's gubernatorial nomination in 2002 but lost to Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, has died at the age of 67.

His wife Alex Sink said Sunday that McBride suffered a fatal heart attack Saturday while visiting with family in Mount Airy, N.C. Sink was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2010, losing to now-Gov. Rick Scott. The couple lived outside of Tampa.

Sink said McBride, an attorney, had long suffered from heart problems.

McBride defeated Reno, who was U.S. attorney general under President Bill Clinton, in the Democratic primary to run against Bush. Before entering politics, he was managing partner at the prestigious Holland & Knight law firm.

Sink said McBride's true legacy was as a longtime civil rights champion.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-florida-governor-candidate-mcbride-dies-67-004608530.html

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Duck boat sunk in World War II found in Italian lake

The amphibious vehicle sank in Lake Garda, killing 23 US soldiers just days before the end of the fighting in Europe. But the boat, and the remains of the soldiers, were lost until this week.

By Nick Squires,?Correspondent / December 13, 2012

More than 70 years after it sank in a lake in northern Italy causing the loss of 24 American soldiers? lives, a US amphibious vehicle has been found lying on the lake bed.

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Amateur historians had been searching for months for the relic ? a six-wheel, two-ton amphibious DUKW vehicle that sank during a storm on Lake Garda on the night of April 30, 1945 ? but were only able to confirm their find on Monday.

The DUKW, pronounced ?duck,? was carrying supplies and ammunition to an American military camp near the town of Torbole, at the northern tip of the lake, but sank as a result of gale force winds that were battering the area that night.

The truck was carrying 24 US soldiers aged between 18 and 25 from the 10th Mountain Division, only one of whom survived the accident. The men who died were from the division's 605th Field Artillery Battalion, as well as a driver from the Quartermaster Corps.

Days before armistice

The sinking happened just days before the end of fighting in Europe and the armistice with the Germans, on May 8, 1945.

?It was the biggest disaster to happen in modern times on Lake Garda,? said Mauro Fusato, the leader of the team that found the DUKW.?

The wreck of the vehicle was found with sonar lying at a depth of 905 feet ? one reason why it had not been located before.

?On Sunday, the sonar gave us an initial image, but it wasn?t clear enough to be able to say for sure that it was the DUKW,? Mr. Fusato told Ansa, an Italian news agency.

?On Monday, though, we used a remote-controlled camera and we saw it. It is intact and sitting upright.?

The next step is to try to identify any human remains that may still be lying around the wreck, as well as military equipment, insignia, and personal possessions. ?There are lots of objects around it, which could be the skeletons or remains of the soldiers who drowned,? said Fusato.

Any operation to recover them would be highly complex and technically challenging, however. The wreck lies too deep for divers, and there are old fishing nets and other debris on the lake bed that could snag underwater subs. Ultimately it will be up to the US government to decide whether to proceed with a recovery, the researchers said, adding that they had informed American diplomats of the discovery.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/rQsrhMDJNcs/Duck-boat-sunk-in-World-War-II-found-in-Italian-lake

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