history of technology timeline: December 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Triple Analysis: Pancreatic Cancer, Prostate Cancer and Apoptosis

This triple analysis focuses on cancer drug development strategies in both Pancreatic Cancer and Prostate Cancer and by the mechanism/target/effect of Apoptosis. Each of these three individual parts is evaluated according to standardized criteria in a five pillar pipeline drug assessment methodology to compare drug development strategies in oncology. This makes it easy to find and compare analysis not only within one single cancer focus area but also between different areas.

Below is a short synopsis of each part included in this report:

Part I: Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreatic cancer report part comprises defined and up to date development strategies for 213 pancreatic cancer drugs within the portfolio of 137 investigators, from Ceased to Marketed. This report part extensively analyses 171 identified targets of pancreatic cancer drugs, organized into 142 drug target profiles, and assesses them in pancreatic cancer.

This part is based on the following publication:

Portfolio Analytics in the Pancreatic Cancer Pipeline and Portfolio Planning - High Unmet Medical Need but Where to Target?

Part II: Prostate Cancer

The prostate cancer report part comprises defined and up to date development strategies for 346 prostate cancer drugs within the portfolio of 198 investigators, from Ceased to Marketed. This report part extensively analyses 202 identified targets of prostate cancer drugs, organized into 187 drug target strategies, and assesses them in prostate cancer.

This part is based on the following publication:

A Decision Support Tool for Optimizing the Prostate Cancer Pipeline: From Research and Development to Market

Part III: Apoptosis

The apoptotic cancer drug report part comprises defined and up to date development strategies for 234 drugs in oncology within the portfolio of 158 companies world-wide, from Ceased to Marketed. The report extensively analyses their 181 identified drug targets, organized into 157 drug target strategies, and assesses them in 69 cancer indications.

This part is based on the following publication:

Commercializing Apoptotic Drugs in Cancer: The Faster Route to Consider Your Options and Position of Others

The report is written for you to understand and assess the impact of competitor entry and corresponding changes to development strategies for your own portfolio products. It helps teams to maximize molecule value by selecting optimal development plans and manage risk and uncertainty. The report serves as an external commercial advocate for pharmaceutical companies? pipeline and portfolio planning (PPP) in cancer by:

Providing you with competitive input to the R&D organization to guide development of early product ideas and ensure efforts are aligned with business objectives
Assisting you to make informed decisions in selecting cancer indications that are known to be appropriate for your drug?s properties
Analyzing, correlating and integrating valuable data sources in order to provide accurate data for valuation of pipeline, in-licensing and new business opportunities
Providing you with commercial analytic support for due diligence on in-licensing and acquisition opportunities
Supporting development of integrative molecule, pathway and disease area strategies
Integrating knowledge for you to consider the therapeutic target for the highest therapeutic outcome and return on investment

This report provides systems, analytical and strategic support both internally to PPP and to stakeholders across your own organization. The report will also be an important part of creating and implementing a market development plan for cancer drugs to insure that the optimal market conditions exist by the time the products are commercialized.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5684239807&f=378

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The Biggest Poll of the Campaign Season (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/181411611?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Bugs may be resistant to genetically modified corn (AP)

One of the nation's most widely planted crops ? a genetically engineered corn plant that makes its own insecticide ? may be losing its effectiveness because a major pest appears to be developing resistance more quickly than scientists expected.

The U.S. food supply is not in any immediate danger because the problem remains isolated. But scientists fear potentially risky farming practices could be blunting the hybrid's sophisticated weaponry.

When it was introduced in 2003, so-called Bt corn seemed like the answer to farmers' dreams: It would allow growers to bring in bountiful harvests using fewer chemicals because the corn naturally produces a toxin that poisons western corn rootworms. The hybrid was such a swift success that it and similar varieties now account for 65 percent of all U.S. corn acres ? grain that ends up in thousands of everyday foods such as cereal, sweeteners and cooking oil.

But over the last few summers, rootworms have feasted on the roots of Bt corn in parts of four Midwestern states, suggesting that some of the insects are becoming resistant to the crop's pest-fighting powers.

Scientists say the problem could be partly the result of farmers who've planted Bt corn year after year in the same fields.

Most farmers rotate corn with other crops in a practice long used to curb the spread of pests, but some have abandoned rotation because they need extra grain for livestock or because they have grain contracts with ethanol producers. Other farmers have eschewed the practice to cash in on high corn prices, which hit a record in June.

"Right now, quite frankly, it's very profitable to grow corn," said Michael Gray, a University of Illinois crop sciences professor who's tracking Bt corn damage in that state.

A scientist recently sounded an alarm throughout the biotech industry when he published findings concluding that rootworms in a handful of Bt cornfields in Iowa had evolved an ability to survive the corn's formidable defenses.

Similar crop damage has been seen in parts of Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska, but researchers are still investigating whether rootworms capable of surviving the Bt toxin were the cause.

University of Minnesota entomologist Kenneth Ostlie said the severity of rootworm damage to Bt fields in Minnesota has eased since the problem surfaced in 2009. Yet reports of damage have become more widespread, and he fears resistance could be spreading undetected because the damage rootworms inflict often isn't apparent.

Without strong winds, wet soil or both, plants can be damaged at the roots but remain upright, concealing the problem. He said the damage he observed in Minnesota came to light only because storms in 2009 toppled corn plants with damaged roots.

"The analogy I often use with growers is that we're looking at an iceberg and all we see is the tip of the problem," Ostlie said. "And it's a little bit like looking at an iceberg through fog because the only time we know we have a problem is when we get the right weather conditions."

Seed maker Monsanto Co. created the Bt strain by splicing a gene from a common soil organism called Bacillus thuringiensis into the plant. The natural insecticide it makes is considered harmless to people and livestock.

Scientists always expected rootworms to develop some resistance to the toxin produced by that gene. But the worrisome signs of possible resistance have emerged sooner than many expected.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently chided Monsanto, declaring in a Nov. 22 report that it wasn't doing enough to monitor suspected resistance among rootworm populations. The report urged a tougher approach, including expanding monitoring efforts to a total of seven states, including Colorado, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The agency also wanted to ensure farmers in areas of concern begin using insecticides and other methods to combat possible resistance.

Monsanto insists there's no conclusive proof that rootworms have become immune to the crop, but the company said it regards the situation seriously and has been taking steps that are "directly in line" with federal recommendations.

Some scientists fear it could already be too late to prevent the rise of resistance, in large part because of the way some farmers have been planting the crop.

They point to two factors: farmers who have abandoned crop rotation and others have neglected to plant non-Bt corn within Bt fields or in surrounding fields as a way to create a "refuge" for non-resistant rootworms in the hope they will mate with resistant rootworms and dilute their genes.

Experts worry that the actions of a few farmers could jeopardize an innovation that has significantly reduced pesticide use and saved growers billions of dollars in lost yields and chemical-control costs.

"This is a public good that should be protected for future generations and not squandered too quickly," said Gregory Jaffe, biotechnology director at the Center for Science and Public Policy.

Iowa State University entomologist Aaron Gassmann published research in July concluding that resistance had arisen among rootworms he collected in four Iowa fields. Those fields had been planted for three to six straight years with Bt corn ? a practice that ensured any resistant rootworms could lay their eggs in an area that would offer plenty of food for the next generation.

For now, the rootworm resistance in Iowa appears isolated, but Gassmann said that could change if farmers don't quickly take action. For one, the rootworm larvae grow into adult beetles that can fly, meaning resistant beetles could easily spread to new areas.

"I think this provides an important early warning," Gassmann said.

Besides rotating crops, farmers can also fight resistance by switching between Bt corn varieties, which produce different toxins, or planting newer varieties with multiple toxins. They can also treat damaged fields with insecticides to kill any resistant rootworms ? or employ a combination of all those approaches.

The EPA requires growers to devote 20 percent of their fields to non-Bt corn. After the crop was released in 2003, nine out of 10 farmers met that standard. Now it's only seven or eight, Jaffe said.

Seed companies are supposed to cut off farmers with a record of violating the planting rules, which are specified in seed-purchasing contracts. To improve compliance, companies are now introducing blends that have ordinary seed premixed with Bt seed.

Brian Schaumburg, who farms 1,400 acres near the north-central Illinois town of Chenoa, plants as much Bt corn as he can every spring.

But Schaumburg said he shifts his planting strategies every year ? varying which Bt corn hybrids he plants and using pesticides when needed ? to reduce the chances rootworm resistance might emerge in his fields.

Schaumburg said he always plants the required refuge fields and believes very few farmers defy the rule. Those who do put the valuable crop at risk, he said.

"If we don't do it right, we could lose these good tools," Schaumberg said.

If rootworms do become resistant to Bt corn, it "could become the most economically damaging example of insect resistance to a genetically modified crop in the U.S.," said Bruce Tabashnik, an entomologist at the University of Arizona. "It's a pest of great economic significance ? a billion-dollar pest."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_re_us/us_biotech_corn_at_risk

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Friday, December 30, 2011

No. 2 Ohio State beats Northwestern 87-54

Ohio State's Jared Sullinger (0) grabs a rebound during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Northwestern, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State won 87-54. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State's William Buford (44) shoots in front of Northwestern's John Shurna (24) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State won 87-54. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State's Aaron Craft (4) drives to the basket as Northwestern's Drew Crawford (1) and Dave Sobolewski (3) defend during the first half of an NCAA collage basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Ohio State's Jared Sullinger (0) shoots over Northwestern's Luka Mirkovic (12) during the first half of an NCAA collage basketball game, Wednesday, Dec 28, 2011, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? Northwestern coach Bill Carmody was in mid-thought when he suddenly said of Ohio State's William Buford, "I don't know if you'd call it his team but ... he's a senior, right?"

Told that Buford was, indeed, the second-ranked Buckeyes' only senior, Carmody muttered, "Thank God."

Buford had career-highs of 28 points and five 3-pointers as Ohio State showed off its perimeter shooting in an 87-54 victory over Northwestern on Wednesday night in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

"I was just shooting the ball," said Buford, who was 9 of 14 from the field including 5 of 7 on 3-pointers. "I was fortunate to knock them down because my teammates were setting great screens for me. They kept telling me to shoot."

Next-to-last in the conference in 3-pointers at 4.8 per game, the Buckeyes hit seven in the first half to build a big lead and finished 10 for 20 from long range.

"We were saving it," Ohio State coach Thad Matta cracked.

It wasn't just a bunch of guys firing up shots from a distance, either. Jared Sullinger added 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Buckeyes (13-1, 1-0), who dominated the boards 49-30.

Deshaun Thomas had 16 points for Ohio State, which broke the game open with a 13-0 first-half run fueled by 3-pointers. Jordan Sibert added 12 points, all on 3s.

"Thad said at the end when we shook hands, 'This was about as good as we can play,'" Carmody said, adding "And we had a lot to do with that."

The conference's top two scorers, John Shurna and Drew Crawford, had miserable games. They were held to 11 and 13 points, respectively, on a combined 9-for-30 shooting.

The loss was the 31st straight for the Wildcats (10-3) in Columbus, dating to 1977.

Even when Northwestern pared what was a 19-point lead down to 12 in the second half, the Buckeyes pulled away again and Buford led the way.

He hit four free throws in a 10-3 run ? all the points coming at the line ? to push the lead to 59-39 with 11:55 left. By then, a refreshed Sullinger and point guard Aaron Craft, who sat out for several minutes due to foul trouble, were back on the court and the game was well in hand for Ohio State.

With Shurna and Crawford struggling ? shadowed wherever they went, taking bad shots when they did get a chance ? the Buckeyes took a 41-26 halftime lead.

The pace favored the Wildcats in the early going. They pulled to a tie at 13 on Davide Curletti's 3 at the 12:16 mark.

But the Buckeyes suddenly found the range behind the arc and the game teetered in their favor.

Sibert, just 8 for 31 on 3-pointers coming in, hit 3 of 4, as did Buford. Sibert's 3 ignited a 13-0 rally as the Buckeyes held the Wildcats scoreless for 4:36.

Craft had smacked Sibert's shooting hand in practice recently. Sibert said he had torn ligaments in it, but Sullinger joked that it was just "a little bruise."

The injury certainly didn't seem to bother him.

His four 3s and 12 points were career-highs.

"I had kind of gotten complacent in the spring and summer shooting and I didn't work as hard as I felt I needed to," he said. So he shot 400 or 500 extra shots per night with managers chasing down rebounds.

Matta joked that Sibert's shooting is so much better with the injured hand that even if it required surgery, Sibert would have to play through the pain.

"We're not going to fix it," Matta said, laughing. "We're going to leave it be."

Thomas continued the spurt by hitting a short jumper before Buford nailed a 3 and then made the play of the game. Shurna muscled past the smaller Craft and broke free for a short jumper but Buford went high to block it.

That seemed to set the tone for the rest of the surge. Sibert hit another 3 and Buford followed with a perimeter jumper that was first signaled a 3 but then discounted to a two-point basket after a video review.

The lead never dropped below 11 points again as Ohio State won its 34th straight home game and stayed perfect at home against Northwestern since 1977.

Buford, who came in averaging 8 points and 4 rebounds in five previous games against Northwestern, had 13 points and 7 rebounds at halftime.

Sullinger said Buford has grown into being a leader after remaining quiet for much of his first couple of years on campus.

"Will's doing a great job," he said. "He's more vocal. He's taking on a lot more of the leadership on himself this year."

Sibert said that with an Ohio State team that only has one senior and one junior (backup post Evan Ravenel), Buford has had a profound effect on the younger players.

"We look to Will," he said. "He finds a way to make sure our team stays in rhythm."

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-28-BKC-T25-Northwestern-Ohio-St/id-5aaa70de86754cabaf14725d19c98d35

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Video: Top IPO: GNC Stock Bulking Up

GNC is up 75% from their IPO price, so what is the company doing right? CNBC's Darren Rovell reports.

Sorenson: Paul "Never Offered a Nickel" (TIME)

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Prosecutors seek delay in mayor?s sex trial

Tuesday 27th December, 2011

Prosecutors seek delay in mayor's sex trial ??

?????Tuesday 27th December, 2011??Source: The Sun Herald ??

JACKSON -- Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to delay the trial of Grady Sims, who is the mayor of Walnut Grove and a former jail warden accused of sexually assaulting an inmate and trying to cover it up.
Sims, former warden of Walnut Grove Transition Center, was indicted in October.
The indictment says the eight-term mayor sexually assaulted ...

Breaking News
Tuesday 27th December, 2011

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Source: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?rid=202162569&cat=a97a4109a449ff84

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Go Daddy Becomes Example in SOPA Backlash (NewsFactor)

Go Daddy is backpedaling over its support of the "Stop Online Piracy Act," or SOPA, that's working its way through Congress. It may be too little, too late. But is Go Daddy being unfairly boycotted for its involvement in the bill just because it's perhaps the most visible and largest domain registrar?

SOPA, also known as HR 3261, essentially gives U.S. law enforcement and copyright holders more room to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods.

The original bill would pave the way for the Department of Justice and copyright holders to seek court orders against Web sites that infringe on copyrights. SOPA opponents say the bill amounts to Internet censorship and tramples First Amendment rights.

As part of the firestorm, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales tweeted that Go Daddy's position on SOPA was not acceptable. News reports indicate that more than 70,000 domain names moved away from Go Daddy last week in response to its support of SOPA. And with a Reddit user working to organize Dump Go Daddy Day on Dec. 29, the bleeding could grow worse.

Changing Tunes

Go Daddy issued a formal statement on Dec. 23 hoping to stem the tide of defectors. Go Daddy admits that it initially supported the bill. In fact, Go Daddy and its general counsel, Christine Jones, said they worked with federal lawmakers for months to help craft revisions to legislation first introduced some three years ago.

"Fighting online piracy is of the utmost importance, which is why Go Daddy has been working to help craft revisions to this legislation -- but we can clearly do better," said Warren Adelman, Go Daddy's newly appointed CEO. "It's very important that all Internet stakeholders work together on this. Getting it right is worth the wait. Go Daddy will support it when and if the Internet community supports it."

Go Daddy said Jones has fought to express the concerns of the entire Internet community and to improve the bill by proposing changes to key defined terms, limitations on DNS filtering to ensure the integrity of the Internet, more significant consequences for frivolous claims and specific provisions to protect free speech.

Stuck in the Middle

Now Go Daddy competitors are getting in on the battle, perhaps sensing an opportunity to capture some of the momentum from the bad PR. Namecheap is accusing Go Daddy of blocking name transfers to its servers.

"Go Daddy appears to be returning incomplete WHOIS information to Namecheap, delaying the transfer process. This practice is against ICANN rules," the company wrote on its blog. "We at Namecheap believe that this action speaks volumes about the impact that informed customers are having on Go Daddy's business.

"It's a shame that Go Daddy feels they have to block their (former) customers from voting with their dollars. We can only guess that at Go Daddy, desperate times call for desperate measures."

Zeus Kerravala, principal analyst at ZK Research, sees this as a sign of how competitive the name registrar landscape has grown. Go Daddy, because of its advertising, is the most visible domain name registrar and is now being targeted, in part, because of its popularity.

"It's very easy to transfer a domain name to a new supplier," Kerravala said. "So far as SOPA, the DOJ needs to figure out what they want to enforce and what they don't. Technically it is a violation of First Amendment rights, but they can't go unmonitored completely."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20111227/tc_nf/81545

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AppAdvice: Good morning Twitter - Grab the latest iWake here - http://t.co/MefRmtrb - you can subscribe in iTunes here - http://t.co/WyBukHTI

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Google's Rumored Tablet Could Adversely Impact Partners' Sales of Tablets

Not long ago, Andy Rubin let slip that Google way be working on a "pure Google" branded Android tablet, although he left enough wiggle room that it is still just a rumor at this point. That's probably a good thing too, because some industry analysts are predicting that a Google Android tablet might negatively impact sales of Google's own OEM partners. Some are suggesting that Google will likely lead off with some newer update to Ice Cream Sandwich, like an Android 4.1, which could leave some of the other brands, like Asus, Samsung and Lenovo playing catchup. The DigiTimes analyst also suggested that Google might partner up with Motorola to build the device, since it is in the process off acquiring the company for its patents. This too could leave the other Android tablet manufacturers feeling "jilted."

At this point, it's really just speculation, yet it is food for thought. Perhaps, Google should find a creative way of offering all the manufacturers that a way to create their own "Nexus-style" Android tablet...

Source: BGR

Source: http://www.android.net/forum/android-news/77006-googles-rumored-tablet-could-adversely-impact-partners-sales-tablets.html

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Archos Budget Android Tablet Coming Soon

Liam Martin Yesterday

smartbuy

Once our credit cards have cooled down, the shelves have been stripped bare and the January sale signs are gone, the first month of the year is time best spent saving. Most of us wouldn't dream of buying anything as flashy as a tablet computer, except for maybe the new Archos budget Android tab, of course.?

Sporting the not-too-shabby Android 3.2 Honeycomb operating system, the Archos 70b tablet goes on sale in January at a very reasonable ?180, which is extraordinary value for money, especially considering what's under the bonnet. Archos claims that it's the cheapest tablet on the market to run Honeycomb, and we can't say that we're in?a position to object.

The Archos 70b also features a 1.2 GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. We're also keen to see what the 7" multi-touch display looks like when running our favourite movie, games and video apps.

Almost identical to its predecessor - the Archos 70 internet tablet (pictured) - the 70b isn't anywhere near as attractive as rivals such as the?iPad, but that's to be expected considering the price. The only other drawback we've spotted is that it confusingly shares its name with the Archos 70b e-Reader?- how many people do you think will order one of those?

About Liam Martin I love gadgets, gizmos and games and look forward to a future where humans and robots can co-exist peacefully. My most wanted includes a Wii U, a Pac-Man heat changing mug and the impressively compact Yamaha YHT-S400 home cinema system.

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Source: http://vouchercodes.co.uk//most-wanted/archos-budget-android-tablet-coming-soon-9954.html

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China, Japan Unveil Financial Agreements

By Joe McDonald

BEIJING -- Chinese and Japanese leaders have unveiled initiatives to tighten financial links between East Asia's economic giants and sometime rivals -- measures that could expand use of China's tightly controlled currency abroad. During a visit to Beijing by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, the two governments said in a surprise announcement Sunday they will encourage use of their own currencies in bilateral trade, which now is conducted mostly in U.S. dollars. They also agreed to support the sale of bonds denominated in China's yuan by Japanese companies in Tokyo and foreign markets and by the state-owned Japan Bank of International Cooperation in mainland China's markets, which are closed to most foreign investors. The pledges were a striking step for China and Japan, which are the world's second- and third-largest economies and are bound by billions of dollars in trade but whose political relations often are strained over conflicting territorial claims and other disputes. > > Bull or Bear? Vote in Our Poll "To support the growing economic and financial ties between China and Japan, the leaders of China and Japan have agreed to enhance mutual cooperation in financial markets of both countries and encourage financial transactions between the two countries," the governments said in identically worded statements. They said Japan's government also planned to purchase Chinese government bonds, and an application process for official approval of that was under way. The governments gave no timetable for practical steps to put the pledges into action or the size of possible bond offerings. Commercial banks still have to create yuan-denominated letters of credit and other tools before traders in Japan can use the currency. The moves might reduce the dominance of the dollar in East Asia, the world's fastest-growing region. The Kyodo News agency cited a Japanese official who told reporters some 60% of trade between Japan and China is now settled in dollars, which requires companies to convert money between yen, dollars and yuan, adding to their costs. Beijing controls the yuan's exchange rate and the flow of money into and out of China's booming economy. But the government has begun allowing limited use of yuan for trade. It said this month that some companies that obtain Chinese currency abroad will be allowed to invest it in mainland financial markets.

Source: http://www.thestreet.com/story/11356795/1/china-japan-unveil-financial-agreements.html?puc=_breitbart&cm_ven=BREITBART&cm_cat=Free&cm_pla=Feed&cm_ite=Feed&puc=breitbart&

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Blowout win over Mavericks backs up NBA commissioner's description of Heat

Five garbage-time minutes remained in Sunday's holiday spanking when Mark Cuban finally got LeBron James' attention.

Play was in. The clock was running.

The Heat had the ball and a 20-point lead on their way to a 105-94 victory on a shockingly easy Christmas afternoon.

But that didn't stop the Mavericks owner, arms folded tightly across his gray T-shirt as he slumped in his usual baseline seat, from launching a quick salvo.

Judging from the wry smile on Cuban's face and the way he shook his head in mock resignation, he wasn't heckling LeBron.

Far from it.

More like crying "uncle."

The way the rest of the NBA could soon be if this sort of thing continues.

"Cuban's a good guy, man," LeBron said after his 37-point showing. "I'm not going to tell you what he said."

Not even a hint?

"Ask him what he said," LeBron said, laughing aloud at the thought. "It's all good."

Last year's championship banner was raised to the rafters before Sunday's tipoff. It was a 10-minute ceremony the Heat wisely chose to skip before coming out and putting the rest of the basketball world on notice.

You thought the Heat were dominant at times last season in coming within two wins of the NBA title?

You thought they looked overwhelming during the first three playoff rounds, when they dropped just one game apiece to the Sixers, Celtics and Bulls?

That was nothing compared to how they played for much of this season opener at American Airlines Center.

Dwyane Wade (26 points) was the only other Heat player in double figures. Chris Bosh missed seven of nine shots from the field.

Yet that hardly mattered with LeBron tossing in turnaround bank shots with his left hand.

Not to mention the sort of team defense and rebounding the Heat put on display.

Those factors led to 31 fastbreak points and a 35-point bulge after the break that felt twice that large.

They held the Mavericks to 29-percent shooting in the first half, more than doubled them up on the boards and turned what was supposed to be a victory lap into a public flogging.

Watching it all from courtside was David Stern, kind enough not to void this Christmas clunker and declare a do-over.

Earlier, the NBA commissioner had used three prime adjectives to describe this Heat team.

"Interesting" was the first.

"Fun" was the second.

Later, he tossed in "formidable" for good measure.

Gee, ya think?

"Those are great words," Wade said. "Coming from the commissioner, those are great words for us as a team. We appreciate the kind words."

No more finger-wagging between those two.

Basketball is back, and with it the Heat's pursuit of an NBA crown that nearly became theirs six months ago, probably a year ahead of schedule.

Now along comes Superfriends: Version 2.0, and even Stern seems to be coming around.

"Those are accurate descriptions of who we are," James Jones said. "Whenever you have three big stars, you're formidable, and we're a unique, interesting team because of the personalties we have. Our guys are tremendous athletes but they're also charismatic, soft-spoken and electric."

Who needs a Thesaurus with this guy around?

Newcomer Shane Battier also endorsed Stern's word choices.

"I would agree with all of those," Battier said. "Pretty apropos. This is a dynamic team in more ways than one. The key word is 'team.' "

Then there was LeBron, who hasn't always felt like one of Stern's favorites.

"He said that about us?" LeBron said, a bit stunned for a moment. "What does that last word mean? I didn't go to college."

Formidable? Uh, that means "inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense or capable."

All of which applied Sunday.

"OK," LeBron said, nodding. "I appreciate the words of kindness from the commissioner."

A trophy six months hence would be even better.

Source: http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/12/25/1907306/blowout-win-over-mavericks-backs.html

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

TiPb Asks: So? what iPhone and iPad gifts did you get this year?!

So, what awesome iOS devices — iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, Apple TVs — did you get this year for Christmas, Hanukkah, or just because? What awesome accessories were in your stockings? What amazing apps were gifted your way? Naughty or nice, TiPb Nation, we know you’re ripping the wrapping...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/vd5mY0ucHzc/story01.htm

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Christmas blast kills 19 at Nigeria church (Reuters)

ABUJA (Reuters) ? A powerful blast hit a Catholic church on the outskirts of the Nigerian capital Abuja during a Christmas service on Sunday killing many people, residents said, and one counted 19 bodies from the explosion.

Emergency services said 10 bodies had been recovered from the scene so far, and earlier said there were not enough ambulances available to evacuate all the dead and the wounded.

Witnesses said St Theresa's Church in Madala, an Abuja satellite town about 40 km from the city centre, was packed out and that there were many dead from the blast, which also blew out windows of neighboring houses.

"In these three vehicles, there are 15 bodies," a Federal Road Safety official in a reflective jacket told Reuters on the scene outside a police cordon, gesturing at three ambulances.

Hours later, another blast went off at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church in the central, ethnically and religiously mixed town of Jos, witnesses and police said.

A Reuters cameraman on the scene said he saw one lightly wounded policeman from that explosion, but there were no reports of other casualties.

"I heard the blast. My house shook," resident Tony Akpan said of the Madala Catholic church bomb.

"I came out to the front of the church to see what was happening. I counted 19 bodies myself, many of them mutilated, and five destroyed vehicles."

Another witness, Timothy Onyekwere, said: "We were in the church with my family when we heard the explosion. I just ran out. Now I don't even know where my children or my wife are. I don't know how many were killed but there were many dead."

Some said the blast was inside and others thought it came from just outside the church.

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman Yushau Shuaibu, who had earlier confirmed there had been a bombing at a church, later put out a statement saying the blast had been on the highway nearby, not at the church itself.

It was not known who exploded the bomb but Nigerian security forces are battling the militant Islamist Boko Haram group, which wants to impose Islamic sharia law across the country split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.

"We are presently there, evacuating the dead and the injured, but unfortunately we don't have enough ambulances, the NEMA spokesman said by telephone. "Most of our ambulances have gone to operate on the major highways of the country," he added.

A Reuters reporter at the scene said the whole area around the church was cordoned off by police. The reporter saw thousands of angry youths set up burning road blocks on the main highway from Abuja leading to Nigeria's largely Muslim north.

Police and the military tried to disperse them by firing live rounds into the air along with tear gas amid chaotic scenes.

BOKO HARAM LINK?

There was no claim of responsibility, but Islamist sect Boko Haram has been blamed for dozens of bombings and shootings in the north, and has claimed responsibility for two bombings in Abuja this year, including Nigeria's first suicide bombing on the U.N. headquarters in August that killed at least 23 people.

Last Christmas Eve, a series of bomb blasts around Jos killed 32 people, and others people died in attacks on two churches in the northeast of Africa's most populous nation.

Gun battles between the security forces and Boko Haram killed at least 68 people in two days of fighting in northern Nigeria, authorities and hospital sources said on Saturday.

Boko Haram has been blamed for scores of shootings and bombings in Nigeria's remote, semi-arid northeast, including a spate of attacks in the past few weeks.

Boko Haram -- which in the Hausa language spoken in northern Nigeria means "Western education is sinful" -- is loosely modeled on the Taliban movement in Afghanistan.

Rights groups say more than 250 people have been killed by Boko Haram since July 2010.

On August 26, a suicide bomber struck the U.N. building in Abuja. At least 23 people were killed and 76 wounded by the bombing which gutted the ground floor and smashed almost all the windows. Boko Haram claimed responsibility on August 29, demanding the release of prisoners and an end to a security crackdown aimed at preventing more bombings.

The blast was the first known suicide bombing in Nigeria. It marked an escalation in the group's tactics and revealed an increase in the sophistication of explosives it uses.

(Reporting by Felix Onuah and Tife Owolabi in Jos.; Writing by Tim Cocks and Peter Millership)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111225/wl_nm/us_nigeria_blast

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Japanese judo champ charged with rape (AP)

TOKYO ? Japanese prosecutors have filed rape charges against a two-time Olympic judo gold medalist.

Tokyo prosecutors said Masato Uchishiba, 33, was formally charged Tuesday. He is accused of raping a teenager at a hotel in September after intoxicating her with an alcoholic drink and taking advantage of her inability to resist. Her identity is withheld because she is a minor.

Police arrested Uchishiba in early December. He has denied the accusation, saying the sex was consensual.

He was fired as a judo coach in September by a university over sexual harassment allegations.

Uchishiba won gold in the 66-kilogram class at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. He has since retired from competition.

If convicted, he could face more than 3 years in prison.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_olympian_charged

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Monday, December 26, 2011

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Merry Christmas wishes from the celebs as they send Twitter messages to fans

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Sunday 25th December, 2011 (Source: Daily Mirror)

Lily Allen and Sam Cooper (Pic: Rex Features) Lily Allen could hardly wait to get stuck into her presents this morning as she celebrated her first Christmas as a wife and mum. ...

Read the full story at Daily Mirror

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Merry Christmas Links (Theagitator)

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

Thousands pack Bethlehem for Christmas

BETHLEHEM, West Bank?? Tens of thousands of tourists and Christian pilgrims packed the West Bank town of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations Saturday, bringing warm holiday cheer to the traditional birthplace of Jesus on a raw, breezy and rainy night.

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With turnout at its highest in more than a decade, proud Palestinian officials said they were praying the celebrations would bring them closer to their dream of independence.

Meanwhile, Christmas celebrations began to take place around the globe, with Pope Benedict XVI celebrating Christmas Eve Mass two hours before midnight at Vatican City and urging the faithful to look beyond the commercialization of the holiday and discover its true meaning.

"Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light," Benedict told congregants in a packed St. Peter's Basilica.

Bethlehem, like the rest of the West Bank, fell onto hard times after the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation broke out in late 2000. As the fighting has subsided in recent years, the tourists have returned in large numbers and all of the city's hotels were fully booked.

By late night, the Israeli military, which controls movement in and out of town, said some 100,000 visitors, including foreigners and Arab Christians from Israel, had reached Bethlehem, up from 70,000 the previous year.

Story: Pope laments Christmas consumerism

Thousands of Palestinians from inside West Bank also converged on the town.

"It's wonderful to be where Jesus was born," said Irma Goldsmith, 68, of Suffolk, Virginia. "I watch Christmas in Bethlehem each year on TV, but to be here in person is different. To be in the spot where our savior was born is amazing."

After nightfall, a packed Manger Square, along with a 50-foot-tall (15-meter-tall) Christmas tree, was awash in Christmas lights, and the town took on a festival-like atmosphere.

Vendors hawked balloons and corn on the cob, and bands played Christmas songs and tourists packed cafes that are sleepy the rest of the year. As rain began falling in the early evening, many people cleared out of the square and raced to nearby restaurants.

Festivities culminated with Midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where tradition says Jesus was born.

Slideshow: Christmas Eve (on this page)

Among the visitors were a surprisingly large number of veiled Muslim women with their families, out to enjoy an evening out in what is normally a quiet town.

"We love to share this holiday with our Christian brothers," said Amal Ayash, 46, who came to Manger Square with her three daughters, all of them covered in veils. "It is a Palestinian holiday and we love to come here and watch."

Israel turned Bethlehem over to Palestinian civil control a few days before Christmas in 1995, and since then, residents have been celebrating the holiday regardless of their religion.

Pilgrims from around the world also wandered the streets, singing Christmas carols and visiting churches.

"It's a real treat to come here," said John Houston, 58, a restaurant owner from Long Beach, California. "It makes me feel really good to see what I have been learning from the time I was a kid in Sunday school until today."

Houston said he was surprised by Bethlehem's appearance, which is a far cry from the pastoral village of biblical times. Today, it is a sprawling town of cement apartment blocs and narrow streets that combined with several surrounding communities has a population of some 50,000 people.

Located on the southeastern outskirts of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is surrounded on three sides by a barrier Israel built to stop Palestinian militants from attacking last decade.

Palestinians say the barrier has damaged their economy by constricting movement in and out of town. Twenty-two percent of Bethlehem residents are unemployed, the Palestinian Authority says. Israeli settlements surrounding Bethlehem have added to the sense of confinement.

The Christmas season is essential for Bethlehem's economy, which depends heavily on tourism.

Most visitors entering Bethlehem, including the top Roman Catholic official in the Holy Land, had to cross through an Israeli-controlled checkpoint to reach town.

"We ask the child of Bethlehem to give us the peace we are in desperate need for, peace in the Middle East, peace in the Holy Land, peace in the heart and in our families," Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal said as he crossed through a massive metal gate in the barrier in a traditional midday procession from Jerusalem. Later, he went to the Church of the Nativity to celebrate Midnight Mass.

Israel allowed about 550 Christians from Gaza to cross Israel and enter Bethlehem. Israel rarely allows Gazans to enter.

The Palestinians have subtly tried to draw attention to their plight with this year's Christmas slogan, "Palestine celebrating hope," a veiled reference to their bid to win U.N. recognition. With peace talks at a standstill, the Palestinians are seeking membership as a state in the United Nations and recently gained admission to UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency.

"We are celebrating this Christmas hoping that in the near future we'll get our right to self-determination, our right to establish our own democratic, secular Palestinian state on the Palestinian land. That is why this Christmas is unique," said Mayor Victor Batarseh, who is Christian.

Late Saturday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told a meeting of Christian leaders that he is committed to reaching peace with Israel, despite a three-year standstill in negotiations.

"I hope they will come back to their senses and understand that we are seekers of peace, not seekers of war or terrorism," said Abbas, a Muslim. "The mosque, church and synagogue stand side by side in this Holy Land."

Today, only about one-third of Bethlehem's residents are Christian, reflecting a broader exodus of Christians from the Middle East in recent decades. Overall, just 60,000 Christians live in the Palestinian territories, making up less than 2 percent of the population, according to Palestinian officials.

As Christians throughout the world prepared to celebrate, Pope Benedict XVI was beginning a busy two weeks of celebrations at the Vatican with an evening Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Midnight Mass was moved up to 10 p.m. a few years ago to spare the 84-year-old pontiff such a late night.

After the Mass, Benedict will have a few hours rest before delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" speech ? Latin for "to the city and the world," where the pope usually reflects on the hardships facing the world, and ends with Christmas greetings delivered in dozens of languages.
President Barack Obama was spending the holiday with his family in Hawaii. In his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama wished all Americans a merry Christmas and happy holidays, with a special message of thanks to U.S. troops, especially those serving in Afghanistan.

"Let's take a moment to give thanks for their service; for their families' service; for our veterans' service," the president said Saturday. Obama noted that with the Iraq war over, the last troops from that conflict are home for the holidays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45783259/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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NYT: Shoppers win 'game of chicken' with stores

Half off at the entire store at Ann Taylor. Sixty percent at Gap. Forty percent off almost everything at Abercrombie & Fitch.

Aggressive last-minute deals in the days before Christmas are good for procrastinators, but they could be an alarm bell for the retail industry.

While scattered markdowns are standard every year, discounts across entire stores ? which analysts say are more widespread than last year ? suggest merchants are stuck with too much merchandise.

?It?s really a game of chicken,? said David Bassuk, managing director and head of the retail practice at the consultant firm AlixPartners.

Many retailers entered the season ?with pretty optimistic plans? that shoppers would rush into stores and pay full price, Mr. Bassuk said. But that did not pan out, and the final days before Christmas have retailers being ?much more aggressive in terms of promotions being offered,? he said.

Shoppers are filling their holiday lists against the backdrop of an uncertain year, with stubbornly high unemployment, increased food prices, volatile gas prices and unpredictability for stocks and Europe?s debt crisis. The government on Thursday said that third-quarter economic growth had not been as brisk as it previously estimated, because of a drop in consumer spending on services like health care.

Story: Consumer spending tepid in November

Toys ?R? Us announced on Thursday new deals on dozens of items for Friday and Saturday, including ?buy one, get one half off? on popular toys like Legos. A sampling of other promotions: Up to 70 percent off toys at Amazon; up to 50 percent off gifts at Restoration Hardware; 40 percent off almost everything at American Eagle Outfitters, Talbots, Limited and Wet Seal; and 30 percent off everything at J. Crew.

?There?s been kind of a waiting game with retailers,? Gerald L. Storch, the chief executive of Toys ?R? Us, told CNBC last week. ?And it looks like the consumer wins.?

Paul Lejuez, an analyst at Nomura Equity Research, surveyed mall deals over the weekend and said he was concerned. ?It looks like 40 percent is the new level you have to be at, 40 percent off, to drive traffic. Those that weren?t at that level weren?t getting their fair share,? he said.

Going into the holiday season, inventories had grown more than three times as fast as sales at several retailers, including American Eagle Outfitters, A?ropostale, Gap Inc., Urban Outfitters, Chico?s and Talbots. ?If inventory is growing ahead of sales growth, there is a need to be more promotional to move the goods,? Mr. Lejuez said.

Although sales over Thanksgiving weekend were surprisingly strong, Mr. Lejuez said they seemed to have cut into shopping that more typically would occur in December. Sales were sluggish the first two weeks after Thanksgiving, though they improved in the third week, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

In e-mail inboxes, the promotional cadence is rapid. Retailers sent about 5.6 e-mails each last week on average, according to the e-mail marketer Responsys. That was a 26 percent increase over the same week last year, and matched the record high hit during the week of Cyber Monday this year.

Stores including Macy?s and Toys ?R? Us are offering 24-hour shopping in the days before Christmas, and many stores moved ?Super Saturday,? a promotion that falls on the final Saturday before Christmas, back a week hoping to spur sales.

The deals are a boon for people who have put off shopping.

?Last-minute Christmas shopping,? posted a Twitter user named Samra Tekeste. ?Literally everything is on sale, LOL. Knew my procrastination would come in handy some day.? Another Twitter user with the handle BossNugget suggested that the King of Prussia mall near Philadelphia hang up a sign saying ?It?s Almost Christmas, and Everything Is on Sale.?

The big discounts mean that retailers are willing to sacrifice profits for revenue.

?More and more each year, sales become less of the issue, and it?s more about what retailers have to do to get those,? Mr. Lejuez said. ?There?s a little more pressure on that out-the-door price than we would have thought, and, I think, what the market would have anticipated.?

And, after Christmas, the value of most merchandise slides.

?The inventory is worth so much less in two weeks,? said the chief executive of a retailer, who asked not to be named because he did not want to reveal his store?s strategy. ?With that kind of inventory, you?ve got to get rid of it. Whatever the margin is today, it?s that much lower next week and the week after when traffic stops.?

This story originally appeared in the New York Times on Dec. 23 under the headline "Retailers Are Slashing Prices Ahead of Holiday."

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45775717/ns/business-us_business/

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Catholic Group Blasts Cardinal's Comment Comparing Gay Rights Parade to KKK

December 22, 2011
12:37PM

Catholic Group Blasts Cardinal's Comment Comparing Gay Rights Parade to KKK

Post by Sarah Posner

Equally Blessed, an umbrella group of four pro-LGBT rights Catholic organizations, today condemned comments made by Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, past president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, objecting to Chicago's gay rights parade. On Fox News Chicago, George said,?"You don't want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism."

Equally Blessed charges in a statement that George "has demeaned and demonized LGBT people in a manner unworthy of his office.?In suggesting that the Catholic hierarchy has reason to fear LGBT people in the same way that blacks, Jews, Catholics and other minorities had reason to fear the murderous nightriders of the Ku Klux Klan, he has insulted the memory of the victims of the Klan?s violence and brutality."

The statement goes on to emphasize that they have "no fight with the Catholic Church," noting that public opinion surveys show Catholics are more supportive of LGBT rights than other Christian denominations. Equality Blessed objects to "the positions of the Catholic hierarchy and the way it uses its influence to force its narrow theological understanding on the wider society. Cardinal George?s offensive comments are further evidence of just how insensitive and out of touch the hierarchy is, and why opposition to its views is necessary."

Source: http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/5532/catholic_group_blasts_cardinal's_comment_comparing_gay_rights_parade_to_kkk/

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