Barbra Streisand goes on a "Guilt Trip" with Seth Rogen

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Road-trip movies have been dominated by teenagers on wild adventures or "Hangover" style bro-mances, but Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen are driving the genre into new territories with mother-son comedy "The Guilt Trip" to usher in the holiday season.

"The Guilt Trip," which hits U.S. theaters this week, follows struggling novice inventor Andy (Seth Rogen), who is guilted in to bringing his mother on a work-related road-trip across the country.

Streisand, 70, who broke out as an actress in 1968's comedy "Funny Girl," returns to her comedic roots as Joyce, Andy's overbearing mother, who becomes closer to her son over the duration of their tense and comedic adventures on the road.

The actress told reporters at a recent press conference that it was her son Jason Gould who convinced her to do the project after reading the script with her, and Streisand found a deeper connection to the story.

"Mothers develop guilt trips," Streisand said. "(When my own son was young) I was working a lot and I felt guilty as a parent that I cannot pick (up) my son everyday from school, bake him cookies, that kind of thing. And so you try and compensate."

"I thought it was interesting to investigate this - trying to be his friend versus a mother...this movie, it hit on all those things that I thought I could explore."

Rogen, 30, also related closely to the mother-son storyline, saying that while he has a "good relationship" with his own mom, even she can drive him "crazy" sometimes.

"That dynamic where your mother is trying and the more she tries, the more it bugs you, the more it bugs you, the more she tries....All that is very, at times, real to my relationship with my mother," Rogen said.

STAYING OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT

Streisand, who is one of the few actresses to win a Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Oscar award over her six-decade career, last took a leading role in 1996's "The Mirror Has Two Faces," which she also directed and produced.

The actress initially had reservations about signing onto the movie and said she gave the movie studio numerous clauses "because I kept wanting an out some way."

Her requests included having a set "no more than 45 minutes away from my house" and later morning starts, as "my husband (James Brolin) and I stay up until two or three in the morning so we don't function...at six in the morning."

Streisand's requests were granted, and thus came about a road trip movie where the actors never actually went on the road. The film ended up largely being shot on a sound stage with Streisand and Rogen in a car against a green screen while backdrops of landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, were added in later.

With the exception of a supporting role as Ben Stiller's mother in 2004's "Meet The Fockers" and 2010's "Little Fockers," Streisand has stayed out of the spotlight in recent years, and attributes that as one of the keys to her long-standing success.

"I don't make many movies and I don't make that many appearances. Less is more. Maybe that keeps a little mystery," Streisand said, adding that she likes to "stay at home a lot."

While she hasn't signed onto another project just yet, she said what keeps her satisfied as an artist is engaging in work that is "private" as opposed to being on public display.

"I love recording and I love making films as a filmmaker," she said. "Because it uses every bit of what you have experienced or know, whether it's graphics, composition, decorating, psychology, storytelling, whatever it is. It's a wonderful thing."

(Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/barbra-streisand-goes-guilt-trip-seth-rogen-111651584.html

selena lamichael james lamichael james derrick rose acl earthquake los angeles unemployment

Volunteers track Santa's progress, answer calls

Volunteer Katherine Beaupre takes phone calls from children asking where Santa is and when he will deliver presents to their house, during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Monday Dec. 24, 2012. Over a thousand volunteers at NORAD handle more than 100,000 thousand phone calls from children around the world every Christmas Eve, with NORAD continually projecting Santa's supposed progress delivering presents. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Volunteer Katherine Beaupre takes phone calls from children asking where Santa is and when he will deliver presents to their house, during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Monday Dec. 24, 2012. Over a thousand volunteers at NORAD handle more than 100,000 thousand phone calls from children around the world every Christmas Eve, with NORAD continually projecting Santa's supposed progress delivering presents. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Volunteers take phone calls from children asking where Santa is and when he will deliver presents to their house, during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Monday Dec. 24, 2012. Over a thousand volunteers at NORAD handle more than 100,000 thousand phone calls from children around the world every Christmas Eve, with NORAD continually projecting Santa's supposed progress delivering presents. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Richard Scobie talks with a fellow volunteer while taking phone calls from children asking where Santa is and when he will deliver presents to their house, during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Monday Dec. 24, 2012. Over a thousand volunteers at NORAD handle more than 100,000 thousand phone calls from children around the world every Christmas Eve, with NORAD continually projecting Santa's supposed progress delivering presents. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Lizzie Solano, center, and her sister Sarah take phone calls from children asking where Santa is and when he will deliver presents to their house, during the fifth annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Monday Dec. 24, 2012. Over a thousand volunteers at NORAD handle more than 100,000 thousand phone calls from children around the world every Christmas Eve, when NORAD continually projects Santa Claus's supposed progress delivering presents. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

Volunteers take phone calls from children asking where Santa is and when he will deliver presents to their house, during the annual NORAD Tracks Santa Operation, at the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Monday Dec. 24, 2012. Over a thousand volunteers at NORAD handle more than 100,000 thousand phone calls from children around the world every Christmas Eve, with NORAD continually projecting Santa's supposed progress delivering presents. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) ? Most kids who call the annual Santa-tracking operation at a Colorado Air Force Base on Christmas Eve have happy, simple questions: "Where's Santa, and when will he get here?"

And the volunteers know just how to answer, using the North American Aerospace Command program's 11-page page playbook as a guide.

But after 57 years in operation, NORAD Tracks Santa still gets a few surprises ? like the little boy from Missouri who called Monday wanting to know when Santa would deliver toys to heaven.

His younger sister died this year, his mother explained to Jennifer Eckels, one of the program's hundreds of volunteers. "He kept saying 'in heaven,'" Eckels said. She told the boy, "I think Santa headed there first thing."

Volunteers at NORAD Tracks Santa answered more than 41,000 calls by Monday afternoon and were on pace to exceed last year's record of 107,000, program spokeswoman Marisa Novobilski said.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for protecting the skies over both nations, tracks Santa from its home at Peterson Air Force Base.

NORAD and its predecessor have been fielding Christmas Eve phone calls from children ? and a few adults ? since 1955. That's when a newspaper ad listed the wrong phone number for kids to call Santa. Callers ended up getting the Continental Air Defense Command, which later became NORAD. CONAD commanders played along, and the ritual has been repeated every year since.

NORAD usually can predict what kids will ask. Its playbook for volunteers includes a list of nearly 20 questions and answers, including how old is Santa (at least 16 centuries) and has Santa ever crashed into anything (no).

But kids still manage to ask the unexpected, including, "Does Santa leave presents for dogs?"

A sampling of anecdotes from the program this year:

___

THE REAL DEAL: A young boy called to ask if Santa was real.

Air Force Maj. Jamie Humphries, who took the call, said, "I'm 37 years old, and I believe in Santa, and if you believe in him as well, then he must be real."

The boy turned from the phone and yelled to others in the room, "I told you guys he was real!"

___

HE KNOWS WHEN YOU'RE AWAKE: At NORAD's suggestion, volunteers often tell callers that Santa won't drop off the presents until all the kids in the home are asleep.

"Ohhhhhhh," said an 8-year-old from Illinois, as if trying to digest a brand-new fact.

"I'm going to be asleep by 4 o'clock," said a child from Virginia.

"Thank you so much for that information," said a grateful mom from Michigan.

___

DON'T WORRY, HE'LL FIND YOU: Glenn Barr took a call from a 10-year-old who wasn't sure if he would be sleeping at his mom's house or his dad's and was worried about whether Santa would find him.

"I told him Santa would know where he was and not to worry," Barr said.

Another child asked if he was on the nice list or the naughty list.

"That's a closely guarded secret, and only Santa knows," Barr replied.

___

HEY, MR. ELF: "Mr. Elf," said one caller, "This is Adam, and I've been really good this year."

___

BEST OF: Choice questions and comments wound up posted on a flip chart.

"Big sister wanted to add her 3-year-old brother to the naughty list," one read.

"Are there police elves?" said another.

"How much to adopt one of Santa's reindeer?"

___

CHRISTMAS EVE IN AFGHANISTAN: Five U.S. service personnel answered calls from Afghanistan for about 90 minutes through a conferencing hookup.

"They had a great time," said Novobilski, the program spokeswoman.

NORAD wanted to set up a call center in Afghanistan but that proved too complex, she said.

____

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR: NORAD got calls from 220 countries and territories last year, and non-English-speakers called this year as well.

Volunteers who speak other languages get green Santa hats and a placard listing their languages so organizers can find them quickly.

"Need a Spanish speaker!" one organizer called as he rushed out of one of three phone rooms.

___

FOR GEARHEADS: For people who want to know the specs of Santa's sleigh, NORAD offers a trove of tidbits, including:

Weight at takeoff: 75,000 GD (gumdrops).

Propulsion: 9 RP (reindeer power).

Fuel: Hay, oats and carrots (for reindeer).

Emissions: Classified.

___

Online:

Track Santa online at http://www.noradsanta.org/

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-12-24-NORAD%20Tracks%20Santa/id-7665c20ea48141af814f44fc2c5e266e

norco rand paul detained asexual jim carrey san francisco chronicle kourtney kardashian pregnant kourtney kardashian pregnant

Scenarios: Seven ways the "fiscal cliff" crisis could end (reuters)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/272703960?client_source=feed&format=rss

good morning america red meat bachelor ben jon hamm kim kardashian law school rankings jon hamm heather morris

Christmas is magical at a national park lodge

13 hrs.

A. Pawlowski , NBC News contributor

Built smack in the middle of some of the most gorgeous, pristine scenery in America; warmed by crackling fireplaces and full of rustic charm, there?s something special about spending Christmas at a grand National Park lodge.

Besieged by tourists in the summer, they?re calmer, quieter and decked out for the season in the wintertime.

The weather outside may be frightful, but these historic lodges ? with log-beamed ceilings, grand lobbies and scrumptious holiday feasts ? promise warm Christmas memories.

Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Yellowstone National Park
Carolers may sing about walking in?a winter wonderland, but visitors who come to Yellowstone when it is covered in snow get to experience the real thing.

?It?s gorgeous,? said park spokeswoman Amy Bartlett. ?It?s a whole different world here in the wintertime versus the summertime.?

The Old Faithful Snow Lodge is one of two inns catering to guests who want to stay inside Yellowstone when the weather gets cold, and its 100 rooms and 30 cabins usually fill to capacity during the week between Christmas and New Year?s, said Rick Hoeninghausen, a spokesman for Xanterra, which runs the park?s accommodations.

The lodge is in a festive mood for the holidays, with a big Christmas tree and live music in the evening for guests who want to sing Christmas standards. A special dinner will be served to mark the big day.

But the main attraction, as always, are the park?s geysers, steam vents and hot springs, made more dramatic by the freezing temperatures.

?In a geyser basin, it just becomes otherworldly because of the play of the steam and the cold,? Hoeninghausen said.

Many guests also enjoy the scenery at night, fascinated by the starry sky that can only be visible away from city lights.

?People think we have more stars here because you see them more. If you let your eyes adjust, you can actually see star shadows ? the shadow on the white snow just from star light,? Hoeninghausen said.

Wondering how to ring in Jan. 1 in Yellowstone? Visitors mark the occasion by watching the first eruption of Old Faithful in the New Year.

The Ahwahnee, Yosemite National Park
With spectacular views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point at Yosemite National Park, this grand lodge fills up quickly during the summer, but also lures visitors with its cozy atmosphere in the winter.

??It?s a really popular time of year at The Ahwanee,? said Lisa Cesaro, a spokeswoman for DNC Parks & Resorts, which manages lodging at Yosemite. ?It?s just really festive and wonderful.?

The heart of the hotel is the Great Lounge with its 24-foot-high ceilings and a massive stone fireplace. This is where guests tend to congregate, drinking hot cocoa, playing games and feeling as though they were in their own living room, Cesaro said.

But perhaps the best-known Ahwahnee Christmas tradition is the Bracebridge Dinner, which the hotel describes as ?a four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals and entertainment of the Middle Ages.?

First held in 1927 when the hotel opened, the event was meant to encourage people to come visit Yosemite in the winter, Cesaro said. Today, it?s so popular that there are eight Bracebridge Dinner performances. Guests are served a seven-course meal in the elegant Ahwahnee Dining Room during the production.

Don?t want to splurge on the dinner, which starts at $299 for adults? The Ahwahnee hosts concerts in the Great Lounge throughout the season, which are complimentary and open to the public.

For New Year?s, guests can dress up for the ?Black and White Ball? dinner dance celebration.

El Tovar, Grand Canyon National Park
A Grand Canyon vacation usually guarantees two things: hordes of tourists and sweltering heat. Visit the park during the holidays, however, and it?s a whole different experience.

?It?s a quiet getaway ? the park is not crowded. Often it has snow and that adds to the romance,? said Bruce Brossman, a spokesman for Xanterra, which runs the park?s accommodations.

With a prime location on the Canyon rim, the El Tovar Hotel is even more stunning for the holidays, with a 15-foot Christmas tree in the main lobby and poinsettias adding a bright touch to the wood d?cor.

It?s been snowing steadily at the Grand Canyon, so visitors will experience a white Christmas, a time of year that?s so popular at the lodge that the hotel usually sells out, Brossman said, adding that shouldn't stop people from dropping by.

?You don?t have to sleep at El Tovar to enjoy El Tovar. We can?t accommodate all the people who actually want to stay there, but the lobby and the lounge and the dining room and the porches are all public spaces,? he said.

The hotel hosts special dinners on Christmas and New Year?s, though there are no official parties scheduled.

"It?s just a very peaceful, quiet place to spend the holidays,"?Brossman said.?"And, of course, when it does snow, walking along the rim is just spectacular."

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/christmas-magical-national-park-lodge-1C7661428

NBCOlympics Danell Leyva Ye Shiwen OJ Murdock Olympics Live Mens Gymnastics Allison Schmitt

Top tech flops of 2012 tainted a good year for gadgets

16 hrs.

Molly Klinefelter , Laptop

A lot of good things happened in tech this year.?The iPhone 5 premiered with 4G and a feather-light design. Google released its Nexus 7 tablet to go head-to-head with the Amazon Kindle Fire, and equipped it with Jelly Bean.?Samsung delivered a powerful one-two punch with the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II. And we saw a fair number of Ultrabooks that gave the MacBook Air?a run for its money.

But where there?s good, there?s bad. And there were plenty of major tech?fails this year. These awards go to the eight biggest.

Wrong-Way Award: Apple Maps
With all the anticipation surrounding iOS 6, many didn?t think twice about giving up Google Maps for Apple?s new Maps app. But once users switched over, the complaints and outcries that the iOS app was far inferior to Google Maps mushroomed. The app was riddled with errors ? including wrong addresses and warped-looking landmarks in the Flyover view ? while it lacked integrated mass-transit directions.

Apple eventually apologized for the Maps gaffe, and even recommended alternatives. CEO?Tim Cook probably put it best, saying, "We screwed up."

More:?7 Things Apple Must Do in 2013

False Start Award: Windows 8
After Microsoft?released a preview of the highly anticipated Windows 8, users were dismayed to find that, although the new system's classic "desktop" was practically identical to the Windows 7 interface, it lacked a Start menu. Microsoft had substituted the menu with a shortcut to the Start screen, which meant users are forced to leave the desktop just to launch an app that takes them right back to the desktop.

Talk about frustrating. The good news is that a number of third parties have stepped up to the plate with alternatives, including Stardock's Start8 and Samsung's S Launcher utility.

More:?8 Windows 8 Annoyances and How to Fix Them

Worst Sales Pitch: Dell?s ?Daily Deals?
During Laptop's annual Tech Support Showdown, we made three calls to Dell's?tech support line and got more than we bargained for. During the calls, Dell pushed premium warranties on us, saying we had won a daily drawing that would allow us to buy a $500 four-year extended warranty for just $317. Lucky us ? we were chosen to spend even more money on something we didn?t need! When we resisted, the representative rushed us through the call, barely attempting to answer our question, but routinely haranguing us to buy the warranty, because otherwise the next caller would get our "prize."

According to Dell, using "drawings" as a sales tactic is against company policy. However, aggressively pushing extended warranties and hardware purchases is not, as we experienced on two other calls where support reps seemed more interested in making a commission than solving our problems.

More:?Tech Support Showdown 2012

IP-(Uh)-O Award: Facebook
Although Facebook?s IPO initially set a record for technology companies by raising more than $16 billion, it quickly became the decade?s worst initial public offering. When the social networking giant went public in May, its initial offering price was set at $38, while the company was valued at $104 billion. However, a little more than two weeks later, Facebook shares had dropped dramatically to $26.90 per share.

As it turns out, Facebook?s inability to monetize mobile traffic has caused a lot of concern among investors.?Although the stock has rebounded from a recent slide, the share is still way off the debut price.

More:?26 Ultimate Facebook Tips

Biggest Rip-Off Award: Shared Data Plans
In June, Verizon unveiled its new Share Everything plans, which allow customers to pay a flat fee for each device, plus a single charge for shared monthly data, which ranges from 1GB to 10GB. The plan includes unlimited voice minutes and text messages and makes you pay for them, whether you need them or not. As a result, a 2GB data plan costs $100 on the new plan while 2GB with a limited number of minutes and texts cost $70 on the old plan.

AT&T followed suit with similar Mobile Share plans. However, neither of these shared-plan options lets you opt for limited voice minutes or data. Plus, you still need to pay an additional monthly fee as you add devices, whether it?s a tablet?($15 for AT&T, $10 on Verizon Wireless) or mobile hotspot ($50 for AT&T, $20 for Verizon Wireless). At least AT&T kept its individual plans for those who don?t want to go the shared route.

More:?Top 10 Smartphones

Broken Promises Award: BlackBerry?10
BlackBerry 10 has become somewhat of a punchline in the tech industry, with the release of Research?In?Motion?s new mobile?OS continually delayed at a time when the straggling smartphone-maker should be trying anything to keep up with its Android and iPhone?competitors. After a brief demonstration of BlackBerry 10 at BlackBerry World in May, RIM pushed back the operating system?s release until Q1 of 2013, and soon after slashed 5,000 jobs.

Although there are some features in BB10 that look promising, many BlackBerry loyalists have already jumped ship. We'll find out in January if RIM has a shot at a better 2013.

More:?BlackBerry 10 Video Preview

Bait-and-Switch Award: Microsoft Surface
When commercials for the Microsoft?Surface started airing, viewers were enthralled by the device's Touch Cover. It came in fun, eye-catching colors and magnetically snapped onto the device for an easy typing experience.

One would assume that if Microsoft was putting the Touch Cover into its Surface commercials, it would come with the Surface, right? Wrong. Turns out the Touch Cover is a separate purchase, and shoppers would have to invest an additional $119 for the accessory ($100 if you buy it with the black one).

More:?Top 10 Windows 8 Tablet-Laptop Hybrids

Bad Idea Award: Google Nexus Q
Nexus Q could have easily made our list of most overpriced gadgets of all-time ... if it had actually come out. First shown and given to attendees at Google I/O 2012, the Nexus Q is a set-top box in the shape of an orb that streams music and movies to your home theater from Google Play ??and Google Play only.

While a $49 Roku box, a $99 Apple TV or a $99 Google TV box offers a variety of content services, even apps, the $299 Nexus Q didn't even have Netflix. Once you got over its unique design, the Nexus Q's main feature was allowing multiple users to add to the same playlist, something that was sure to create plenty of arguments among family members with different tastes. To Google's credit, the company quickly realized it had a dud on its hands, stopped accepting new orders and gave free units to anyone who had preordered.

More:?The 15 Most Overpriced Gadgets of All Time

More from Laptop:?

Tags:

• Gadgets ,
• failure ,
• tech ,
• laptop-magazine ,
• apple-iphone ,
• windows-8 ,
• dell ,
• facebook-changes ,
• data-plans ,
• blackberry ,
• google-hangout ,
• Google

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/top-tech-flops-2012-tainted-good-year-gadgets-1C7657745

new ipad release pregnant jessica simpson international womens day joe the plumber lra lra eric johnson

Aligning Your Business With A Charity Helps Everyone | Name.com ...

ALIGNING YOUR BUSINESS WITH A CHARITY HELPS EVERYONE

Businesses need to find new ways to stay competitive, especially in a bad economy. But companies have to think of others as well. Companies are a part of a community and their customers are a part of that community. Fortunately, there are a few ways a company can align itself with a local community project or non-profit that helps everyone ? the business, the customers and the community at large.

What a Company Can Do?

Non-profits and charities cater to children, the homeless, veterans, animals or other worthwhile causes. These organizations all need people to help whether it is in time, goods or donations. By having your company choose one worthwhile project that staff members are enthusiastic about, you can play a role in improving people?s lives and your bottom line. Although it will be difficult to find one charity that everyone will feel strongly about, it is possible to find one that many employees are interested in. If not, the owner of the company can choose his favorite charity.

Once your company has a charity in mind, it is then a good idea to find out the best ways to help this charity. Does the charity have an event you can help sponsor? This is an excellent way to help out the charity and the company. Although it costs money to sponsor an event, consider it an investment. Your company will get free press when your participation is announced in press releases and articles. Also, the event program will list your company prominently. Some fundraising events allow company banners, giving you more visibility

Additional Ways to Help a Charity

Another way to help the charity is to give a percentage of all sales to the charity for a specific period of time. By issuing a press release, placing flyers in the store on banners on the website, you alert customers that part of every sale goes to help those in need. This may even encourage people to buy a little more.

Other options include asking employees to do volunteer work at the charity or volunteering once for special events such as fundraisings. Your company can also donate products or services for a raffle or silent auction the charity is doing. Even asking customers to donate 10 or 20 cents at checkout is also beneficial to the charity. Of course, with any work your company does on behalf on the charity, it is important to let people know about it in press releases, ads, commercials, and on the website.

All of these methods of helping out a local charity or national charity increases good will while also giving you free publicity. By associating with well-known or even new charities, you set your business apart. Your company is seen and remembered as the one that cares about helping people. This will improve your company image, and increase exposure, customer loyalty, and sales while at the same time assisting a charity to help even more people. Everyone wins.

Categories: startmybiz | Permalink

Source: http://www.name.com/blog/startmybiz/2012/12/aligning-your-business-with-a-charity-helps-everyone/

nene dark shadows trailer nate mcmillan clooney arrested southern miss rod blagojevich rod blagojevich

FBI question Benghazi consulate attack suspect

TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) ? After months of asking, agents from the FBI questioned the only known suspect in the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four diplomats, the suspect's Tunisian lawyer told The Associated Press Saturday.

Ali Harzi, a Tunisian, was detained in Turkey and extradited to Tunisia in October where authorities have said he is "strongly suspected" of being involved in the attack.

His lawyer, Anwar Oued-Ali, added that Harzi was also questioned about an attack on the U.S. embassy in Tunisia, a few days later, suggesting the American authorities are looking into if there is a connection between the two attacks.

The Sept. 11 assault by armed men in the Libyan city of Benghazi killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stephens and three other American diplomats. Members of an Islamist militia, Ansar al-Sharia are suspected in the strike, but there has been little progress in the Libya-based investigation into the attack.

A few days later, a mob attacked the U.S. embassy in Tunis, destroying property and an American school in the area, resulting in four deaths. The attack was believed to be instigated by a local group also called Ansar al-Sharia, but it is unclear if it is connected to the Libyan organization.

In early November, Republican senators Lindsey Graham and Saxby Chambliss announced that Tunisia had agreed to allow the FBI to interview Harzi, but it took another month and a half to organize the interview due to legal questions over any infringements on Tunisian sovereignty.

In the end, three FBI investigators using a Moroccan translator posed questions to Harzi for three hours through the Tunisian judge presiding over the case.

Harzi's defense team was not allowed to attend the questioning on the grounds that he was being interviewed as a "witness" rather than a defendant.

Harzi is being charged by the Tunisians for "membership in a terrorist organization." Harzi denies the charges.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-benghazi-consulate-attack-suspect-154510084.html

ncaa final four 2012 texas chainsaw massacre uk vs louisville university of kansas buckeye west side story final four 2012

IMF extends zero interest loans to poor nations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Poor countries with loans from the IMF can continue to pay no interest until the end of 2014, the Fund's board said on Friday, as their economies are still recovering from the global economic crisis.

The IMF's zero-interest loan program for low-income countries had been set to expire at the end of this year.

"The executive board decision to keep interest rates at zero ... is testament to the Fund's continued support for low-income countries since the global economic crisis hit in 2009," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in a statement.

The IMF decided in 2009 to allow countries eligible for its anti-poverty loan program to pay zero interest on loans in light of the financial crisis.

The Fund also set a target to raise $17 billion to lend to the poorest countries, which are threatened by the risk of euro-zone contagion and by a drop-off in foreign aid after the global recession.

IMF's Lagarde has pushed to meet that goal, seeking to ease concerns that the IMF and donor nations may turn a blind eye to the world's poor as they focus on containing the euro zone crisis.

In September, the IMF said it would distribute a $3.8 billion windfall from gold sales to its 188 member countries if they agreed to commit most of the money to the anti-poverty loan program.

(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Peter Galloway)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imf-extends-zero-interest-loans-poor-nations-182211624--business.html

whitney houston found dead i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards powerball results pebble beach golf beverly hilton roland martin

The Laptops In The Mobile Computing World

Mobile computing is pretty much becoming a huge part of everybody?s lifestyle today. It is becoming a greater instrument that the fast-paced world of today requires in order for everyone to get connected automatically and wirelessly. The laptops are one of the portable computer devices that make it possible for everyone to get connected. In fact, they are considered one of the truly efficient and best gadget-companions of the users.

If you are planning to get a new laptop to be able to be connected wherever you are, now is the best time to do it. The laptops of today are technologically advanced and improved that a huge selection provides solutions to every buying niche of the market. Different laptops are differently featured, but the newer models speak volumes of how advanced they are designed so that they provide answers to nearly every demand of various groups of consumers.

It is not certain whether it is because of the worldwide economic difficulties, but the prices of laptops are also getting lower and lower. Perhaps, it is also the competition arising these days, when different manufacturers are releasing and boasting their cool gadgets to the market. There are just so many choices of different models and types that everyone can choose from in response to their preferences and needs.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Mobile Computing. But don?t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

Nowadays, you are not only limited to the brand new laptops. These days, both brand new and used devices are likeably popular among the many buyers. Used ones are getting popular because many buyers continue to replace their old possessions to buy brand new released ones offered into the market. Because of the increasing functionality of the mobile computing technology, many consumers don?t mind owning the used devices.

Naturally, used laptops are considerably cheaper than when you will buy a brand new one. If you are not so particular with some hang-ups that used laptop can possibly provide it can be ideal for you. Of course, you can always select brand new laptop if it is an issue to you, and choose from the many payment promos available. Yes, laptops can be easily acquired nowadays through the various payment schemes that allow most of the individuals to get them without hassles.

When choosing laptop, you can determine by analyzing your mobile computing needs. There are two general categories: the basic ones and the advanced ones. The basic ones basically involve data storage, word processing, and web browsing. While the advanced ones not only involve these things but computer gaming and video editing as well. So depending on your needs, you will need to choose carefully before you pick the type of laptop you need.

With the increasing demands for mobile computing needs, laptops have also evolved in the way they provide technological advancement to the daily lifestyle of the people. They have significantly simplified the way we tackle the daily routine of our lives and placed the world?s information right at the tip of our hand because these portable and handy devices make everyone on the go and practically connected to the rest of the world.

Now you can understand why there?s a growing interest in Mobile Computing. When people start looking for more information about Mobile Computing, you?ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, now offering the host then profit baby plan for only $1 over at Host Then Profit

Source: http://www.qtsites.com/mobile-computing/the-laptops-in-the-mobile-computing-world.htm

ben and jerrys free cone day tornado in dallas texas the island president the maldives harper lee mega millions numbers the fray

NEWS RELEASE: Nine Boston Public Schools Win Funding for ...

As part of Mayor Thomas M. Menino?s Boston Moves for Health program, nine Boston Public Schools have won a total of $4,500 for new physical education equipment after boosting their daily physical activity. The awards were made possible with support from Partners HealthCare. See pictures of some of the winners here!

In October, the Boston Public Health Commission joined Partners HealthCare and Shaw?s and Star Market to announce three new and innovative ways that city schools would incorporate more physical activity into their students? daily routines. As a part of this initiative, schools participated in a Physical Education Challenge from October 15 to November 9, competing for the most steps taken by students during physical education class. Read news release of original announcement.

?Finding ways to work more physical activity into your daily routine is important for all age groups, so I?m proud of these students for their progress,? said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, executive director, Boston Public Health Commission. ?This partnership between Boston Moves for Health, Partners HealthCare, and Boston Public Schools is helping students to learn good habits about physical activity early in life.?

Forty-six schools participated in the Physical Education Challenge. They were broken into three categories based on age, and moved a total of 9,628 miles.

First Place ? $750 each

Samuel Adams Elementary School, East Boston

Harbor Middle School, Dorchester

Burke High School, Dorchester

Second Place ? $500 each

Michael J. Perkins Elementary School, South Boston

Eliot K-8 School, Boston

Excel High School, South Boston

Third Place ? $250 each

Condon Elementary School, South Boston

Richard J. Murphy K-8 School, Dorchester

The English High School, Jamaica Plain

?Congratulations to all the students and teachers who participated in this healthy competition,? said Matt Fishman, vice president, Partners Community Health. ?Finding ways to increase your physical activity can help lead to academic success, and we hope that our participation in Boston Moves for Health and support of the Wellness Champions will help you to be healthy in your schools and in your neighborhoods.?

Next month the Physical Activity Challenge, from January 15 to February 15, 2013, will engage students in a challenge for the most minutes of physical activity during the school day.

Like this:

Be the first to like this.

Source: http://healthybostonblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/news-release-nine-boston-public-schools-win-funding-for-fitness-equipment-by-increasing-students-physical-activity/

joplin tornado extreme makeover home edition constitution day constitution day coachella 2012 dolly parton stephen colbert running for president

Android Central Podcast - Live!

Show starts at 9 p.m. EST (or thereabouts) The Android Central Podcast is recorded live in front of a live studio audience, so you can catch us in the act. Watch us live from your phone with the UStream app. (Search for Mobile Nations.) Miss a show? You can listen to every episode of the Android Central Podcast online. Web | RSS | iTunes | Stitcher

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/sAxPpg-fVQM/story01.htm

metta world peace suspension apple earnings report john l smith apple earnings the glass castle jennifer hudson trial north korea threat

U.S. economy shows some muscle, but outlook downbeat

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy grew faster than previously thought in the third quarter, helped by exports and government spending, but a sluggish world economy and belt-tightening by Washington looks set to put on the brakes again.

Other data on Thursday showed factory activity in the mid-Atlantic region picked up this month, while home resales in November were the best in three years, indicating the economy retained some vigor early in the fourth quarter.

However, a rise in first-time applications for unemployment aid last week suggested job growth remains modest.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 3.1 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said. It was the fastest pace since late 2011 and more than double the second quarter's 1.3 percent rate.

A month ago, the department said GDP grew at 2.7 percent pace during the July-September period.

Millan Mulraine, a senior economist at TD Securities in New York, said the factors that boosted growth in the third quarter would not carry through the reminder of the year.

"The fact that we had an upward revision means that it's a higher hurdle in the fourth quarter to get above the current best case of 1 percent (growth)," he said.

Economists say businesses have hunkered down in the current quarter out of worry that currently stalled budget talks in Washington will fail to steer clear of a $600 billion "fiscal cliff" that could tip the economy back into recession.

Even if a deal is reached to avoid the brunt of the blow, a tighter fiscal policy and cooling global economy are still likely to weigh on U.S. growth in coming quarters.

A Reuters poll of economists earlier this month showed a median forecast for GDP growth in the fourth quarter of just a 1.2 percent annual pace. Economists expect GDP to expand just 1.9 percent next year.

In a second report, the National Association of Realtors said sales of previously owned homes surged 5.9 percent in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million units. It was the fastest sales pace since November 2009 and confirmed a housing recovery was strengthening.

KB Home, the nation's fifth-largest homebuilder, reported a 20 percent rise in quarterly revenue in the latest quarter as selling prices rose, although higher costs still squeezed its margins.

Separately, a factory gauge from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank showed activity in the mid-Atlantic region turned up this month after slipping in November, a finding that should ease fears of a hard landing for U.S. manufacturing.

"The sky is not falling on manufacturing," said Robert Dye, chief economist at Comerica in Dallas. "The contribution from housing-related manufacturing is making a difference."

MODEST JOB GROWTH

In a fourth report, the Labor Department said initial claims for jobless benefits increased 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 361,000 last week, in the low end of the range they held before Superstorm Sandy struck in late October.

The data covered the survey period for the government's report on December nonfarm payrolls and suggested another month of modest employment growth. Job gains so far this year have averaged 151,000 per month, not enough to significantly lower unemployment.

U.S. financial markets ignored the data as investors focused on the lack of progress in budget talks in Washington, which kept stock markets flat.

In the third quarter, the economy was also buoyed by a big inventory build up, which added 0.73 percentage point to GDP growth. Economists expect inventories to weigh in the fourth quarter.

"It could be that businesses will want to continue to accumulate inventories but that seems unlikely," said David Berson, chief economist at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio. "It's the same with federal government spending, it's very unlikely to continue."

While growth in consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, was raised by 0.2 percentage point to a 1.6 percent rate, it was little changed from the second quarter's pace.

Exports grew at a healthy 1.9 percent rate, rather than the 1.1 percent reported a month ago, while imports fell for the first time in more than three years in a sign of sluggish domestic demand.

Government spending was revised to a 3.9 percent growth rate from 3.5 percent, with spending by state and local government growing for the first time in three years.

Taking out the boost from inventories and government, demand in the economy remained weak, rising at just a 1.5 percent rate -- the slowest since the end of 2009 -- and a step down from the 1.9 percent pace logged in the second quarter.

"It suggests that growth this quarter could be somewhere between 1.2 and 1.5 percent, if we don't have outsized contributions from government and inventories. That's very suboptimal growth," said Berson.

(Additional reporting by Jason Lange in Washington and Richard Leong in New York; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Tim Ahmann)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jobless-claims-lower-end-pre-storm-range-133249932--business.html

lost in space elizabeth banks battle royale key largo arnold palmer invitational ryan madson louisiana primary

Scribblenauts Unlimited (PC)

Scribblenauts Unlimited , 5th Cell's latest word-adventure title, lets creative gamers use a magic notebook to summon a wild array of items?from the mundane to the extravagant?as they attempt to reverse a spell that's turning their in-game sister, Lily, into stone. It's a very basic plot that kickstarts the action, but Scribblenauts Unlimited excels at sparking imagination as you attempt to solve puzzles. It's one the wordsmiths and imaginauts will love. I reviewed the PC version, but Scribblenauts is also available on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U platforms.

Book of Spells
Protagonist Maxwell's misuse of his magic notebook to prank a townsperson leads to Lily's curse. The only way for him to save her from becoming a block of stone?and redeem himself in the process?is to use the book as a force for good. I have issue with an innocent being cursed for the guilty party's sins, but I quickly let that slide as I began the hunt for Starite, a magic material that's showered upon you when you do good deeds for townspeople. With enough Starite, you can reverse the curse.

Note: Although you create dinosaurs, robots, time machines, and nearly any item you can think of to solve the light puzzles there are some limitations. You can't type vulgarities, proper nouns, or copyrighted materials.

Early in the game, for example, you encounter a girl who wants you to retrieve her cat that's stuck in a tree. My first instinct was to summon a ladder by clicking the pencil icon in the upper-right corner and keying the word "ladder" into the text box. That sounds perfectly logical, right? I, however, decided to experiment by creating a gun and firing it. The cat jumped out of the tree to its owner?although I am unsure if I simply scared it down or shot it down. Regardless, I laughed heartily and began my slow descent into Scribblenauts Unlimited madness as I collected Starite.

That scenario also demonstrates one of Scribblenaut's quirks?there's no true penalty for wreaking havoc, which is in direct opposition to the game's narrative. I've summoned tidal waves to extinguish small fires. Tidal waves. Rarely did any of my over the top actions prove detrimental; in the rare instance when a character ran away or died?eliminating my chance to earn Starite from them?I simply reset the level, keeping all Starite I earned until that point. A karmic system that earns Starite would've been an interesting gameplay mechanic that tied into the story's theme.

Discovery, Limitations, and Object Editing
I refuse to ruin the incredible sense of discovery that comes with typing in seemingly random words and producing in-game results, but I will say this: let your imagination run free. Unfortunately, some words that are pretty innocuous are omitted. For example, you can birth ministers and bishops, but popes are off-limits.

Not only can you create items out of the blue, but you can edit any on screen object that gives you the option. You can change objects colors, patterns, limb sizes, and even behavior to come up with some truly creative new characters and items. There's a lot to do here if you have time and creative flair.

Puzzles, unfortunately, aren't quite as pleasing. They're far too simple to solve, and as such, don't encourage users to get wacky with their thinking. Many puzzles require just one item to solve, and as such they don't truly challenge. If 5th Cell does a Scribblenauts Unlimited follow up, I'd love to see the company up the difficulty with multi-tier puzzles in the style of old school adventure games?without treading into Gabriel Knight III territory.

The End
Scribblenauts Unlimited offers a sense of imagination and whimsy seen in very few other titles?an interactive fairy tale where you have direct influence over the characters and settings. The puzzles aren't very challenging, but Scribblenauts excels as a 2D sandbox title where reality becomes your plaything.

More Video Game Reviews:
??? Scribblenauts Unlimited (PC)
??? Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Xbox 360)
??? Hitman: Absolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
??? FarCry 3 (Xbox 360)
??? Call of Duty: Black Ops II
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/NLwLqESIiMU/0,2817,2413369,00.asp

bachelor ben jon hamm kim kardashian law school rankings jon hamm heather morris ncaa bracket predictions jeff foxworthy

FBI: Escaped inmates took cab near Chicago jail

CHICAGO (AP) ? Two convicted bank robbers who pulled off a daring overnight escape from a high-rise Chicago jail had changed from their prison garb by the time they hopped into a cab near the lock-up, investigators said Wednesday as they expanded their manhunt for the men.

Authorities were raiding houses and combing through records looking for anybody with ties to the inmates who climbed out a jail window and descended 20 stories using a makeshift rope.

The FBI said surveillance footage from a camera near the Metropolitan Correctional Center shows Kenneth Conley and Joseph Banks getting into a cab around 2:45 a.m. Tuesday ? about four hours before workers spotted the rope dangling from the federal jail. The pair had changed from their orange jail-issued jumpsuits into light-colored pants and shirts, the FBI said.

"We don't know if they fashioned their own clothes, or what," said Special Agent Frank Bochte.

The FBI was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the apprehension of Conley and Banks, with the manhunt focused mainly on Chicago and its suburbs.

Law enforcement officials said at least three homes in the suburbs south of Chicago where one of the inmates once lived were searched Tuesday, and a suburban strip club where Conley once worked confirmed that investigators had visited.

Investigators believe the men had been at a home in Tinley Park, 25 miles southwest of Chicago, just hours before police SWAT teams stormed it. A law enforcement official said the home was that of Conley's mother and that after the woman refused to let the escapees in, the men used a rock to break a window.

The person, who was not authorized to discuss the investigation so would speak only on condition of anonymity, said authorities also searched the home of a former girlfriend of Conley in nearby New Lenox, where the escapees had eaten breakfast.

In Orland Park, which borders Tinley Park, police Chief Timothy McCarthy said records revealed Conley had been arrested several years ago on a robbery charge.

"We looked at our own files and came up with a former colleague, a past associate," he said.

Orland Park officers helped search a house where the associate lives or once lived, he said, but there was no evidence the escaped inmates had been there.

But the chain of events illustrates just the kind of thing investigators are doing: looking through records, arrest reports and even traffic tickets in the hopes of finding where the men went.

Authorities have not said exactly how many people are involved with the search. But the entire 35-member staff of the U.S. Marshals Service's Chicago office was involved, a show of force that spokeswoman Belkis Cantor said "was rare."

Many questions remained about how the two managed to pull off such an escape from the federal prison in the heart of downtown Chicago. At the top of the list is how they could have smashed a gaping hole into the wall at the bottom of a 6-inch wide window being heard or seen by correctional officers.

Another question is why, in the federal facility that houses some 700 inmates, the correctional officers didn't notice the men were missing between a 10 p.m. headcount and one at 5 a.m.

A guidebook for jail inmates indicates there would have been headcounts at midnight and 3 a.m. But inmates aren't required to stand for those headcounts, only for ones at 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. It's unclear if guards may have been fooled by items the FBI said the men stuffed under their beds to make it appear they were there.

It's also unclear what happened between when authorities have said guards first realized the men were missing and when the rope was spotted at 7 a.m.

Authorities also have not said how the two men managed to collect 200 feet of bed sheet or how the broke through the wall.

The escape bore a striking resemblance to one at the same jail in 1985. In that case, convicted murderer Bernard Welch and an accomplice, Hugh Colomb, smashed through a window with a bar from a weight set and used bed sheets and an electrical cord attached to a floor buffer to descend six stories to the ground.

William Rollins, a Washington, D.C., police detective at the time who was brought in by the U.S. Marshals Service to investigate, said the noise of breaking the wall would have been deafening. But he thinks other inmates would have gladly made a lot of noise to drown out the sound.

"They will lure a guard into the laundry room and have all the dryers going," said Rollins, now retired, whose investigation is included in a book about Welch by Jack Burch and James B. King called "Ghost Burglar."

Not only that, but he said his investigation revealed that inmates had hidden hacksaw blades in ceiling tiles and drill bits in bed frames.

"And they used a vacuum cleaner motor to power the drill bit," he said. "These guys are really creative."

Rollins said it's likely Conley and Banks are still in the area. The vast majority of escapees don't stray too far, he said.

"They stay where they feel comfortable in that environment," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-escaped-inmates-took-cab-near-chicago-jail-234723229.html

apple stock pilar sanders andrew young real life barbie zipper armenian genocide asteroid mining

Communications Charrette: Speak Dublin On Your Street | Institute ...

Home > Dublin > Communications Charrette: Speak Dublin On Your Street

For one week, IwB students explored and proposed new urban communication practices, examining both external communication practices (how does DCC communicate to residents & visitors?) and internal communication practices (how do people within the DCC communicate to each other?). Working in 2 teams, each group selected an area of focus based on this criteria. These concepts take a fresh approach to the challenges of urban communication, moving beyond some of the concepts already proposed during the previous modules, charrette and major project.

THEMES
Connecting communities.
Empowering residents to have a voice in the city.
Promoting city initiatives & making it easier to use the city.

The Results are 2 different but complementary concepts: Speak Dublin & On Your Street. Click links below to view these results!

Source: http://worldhouse.ca/communications-charrette-speak-dublin-on-your-street/

nike new nfl uniforms nfl uniforms andrew bailey the village dallas fort worth tornado dallas tornadoes dallas weather

Washington unemployment rate drops below 8 percent - Wed, 19 Dec 2012 PST

'); $("#content-tool-box-"+tool_name).jqm({trigger:this,overlay:20}); } }); });

?

OLYMPIA ? Washington state?s unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent last month, the first time it?s been below 8 percent in nearly four years.

The state?s Employment Security Department said today that the fall from October?s 8.2 percent rate was the largest one-month decline in more than three decades.

?This is good news for Washington state workers and families,? Gov. Chris Gregoire said in a written statement. ?We are clearly heading in the right direction as we slowly emerge from the Great Recession but we cannot rest until every Washingtonian who wants a job has one.?

The state saw a net gain of 1,600 jobs in November. Industries that had the most job gains included retail trade, construction, leisure and hospitality, and transportation. Losses were seen in professional and business services, financial activities, wholesale trade and government.

Within the government sector, state agencies were down 900 jobs and public higher education saw a decline of 1,000 jobs. But 600 jobs were added in public K-12 schools and local and federal government agencies also saw a combined increase of 500 jobs.

?Job growth appeared to slow in November, but the trend of the last three months is very positive,? Joe Elling, chief labor economist for Employment Security, said in a written statement.

An estimated 270,000 people in Washington were unemployed and looking for work last month, including nearly 136,000 who claimed unemployment benefits in November.

More than 5,300 unemployed workers ran out of unemployment benefits last month. A total of 121,273 people have exhausted their benefits since extended benefits were activated in July 2008.

Washington?s jobless rate is still higher than the national rate, which was 7.7 percent last?month.

? Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/dec/19/washington-unemployment-rate-drops-below-8-percent/

irs

Chaos, not cover-up, led to BBC scandal

LONDON (AP) ? Institutional chaos and confusion ? but not a cover-up ? were to blame for the BBC's disastrous handling of pedophilia allegations involving one of its best-known children's television personalities, an internal review found Wednesday.

The review carried out by former Sky News boss Nick Pollard absolved BBC executives of trying to bury a potentially embarrassing story, saying that weak management and poor leadership were to blame for the fact that a planned expose about the late TV star, Jimmy Savile, never aired on the flagship "Newsnight" program.

When the rival ITV network broadcast a similar expose in October about Savile, who died in 2011 at age 84, the BBC came under fire for both harboring an alleged serial sex abuser for decades and for killing its own story about him.

"The 'Newsnight' investigators got the story right," Pollard said. "They had found clear and compelling evidence that Jimmy Savile was a pedophile."

He said the decision by news executives to scrap the item "was clearly flawed, and the way it was taken was wrong, though I believe it was taken in good faith."

The review said the BBC was thrown into disarray when allegations that Savile was a serial sex predator were made public, taking more than a month to get a handle on the situation.

The scandal has since metastasized, tainting the reputation of the BBC ? the British broadcaster known worldwide for its news and entertainment divisions. It also forced the resignation of the BBC's brand new director-general, George Entwistle, and raised questions about its former leader, Mark Thompson, who has since become chief executive at The New York Times.

The scandal took on greater dimensions when it emerged that the BBC had cancelled an initial investigation in December 2011 into Savile over the objections of its reporters, raising questions about whether senior executives tried to bury the story to protect the corporation's reputation.

The report published Wednesday absolves the executives of that ? the most serious ? charge.

In the review, which executives said cost the BBC 2 million pounds ($3.3 million), Pollard asked: "Did any inappropriate managerial pressure or consideration influence the decision ... not to run the Savile story?"

"The answer is no," he wrote, noting that while there had been conversations between Mark Rippon, who led the BBC's initial investigation into Savile, and two senior executives, "I do not believe either of them exerted undue pressure on him."

The BBC announced that its deputy director of news, Steve Mitchell ? who was among those criticized ? had resigned in the wake of the report. Other members of staff still faced a variety of disciplinary actions or were moving to new jobs, the corporation said.

The report does not appear to challenge Thompson's account of his role in the scandal ? and Chris Patten, head of the BBC Trust, said after the review was published that he has "no reason at all for disbelieving" the former director general.

Since the ITV documentary, scores of women have come forward, alleging that they were abused by Savile when they were underage, sometimes in BBC dressing rooms. Police say Savile is a suspect in 199 crimes recorded so far, including dozens of cases of rape.

A broader police investigation into sex abuse spurred by the claims against Savile has so far led to the detention of eight suspects for questioning. The latest arrest was announced Wednesday, with police saying a man in his 70s had been detained in connection with the investigation.

Other suspects arrested include former pop star Gary Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, and well-known publicist Max Clifford.

A separate report found the BBC had committed a "grave breach" of its editorial guidelines when it aired a "Newsnight" broadcast last month wrongly linking a politician to child sex abuse allegations.

The BBC has already apologized for linking Alistair McAlpine, a member of the House of Lords, to child sex abuse that happened decades ago in Wales. It has also paid damages to McAlpine over the report, which did not directly name him but led to Internet chatter about his purported role.

A report by the BBC's governing trust found those who produced the program had failed to make "basic journalistic checks."

"This was a high-risk report which required rigorous supervision and did not receive it," the report said.

The mistaken report caused turmoil within BBC management and helped lead to Entwistle's resignation after just 54 days in the job.

___

Online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/2012/pollard_review.html

------------

Associated Press writers Jill Lawless and Cassandra Vinograd contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-blames-chaos-not-cover-bbc-scandal-120528867.html

James Eagan Holmes jeremy lin Sage Stallone Mermaid Body Found Celeste Holm Stephen Covey klimt

Zooey Deschanel finalizes divorce

Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel in happier times.

By Bruna Nessif, E! Online

Zooey Deschanel is officially single, but that doesn't mean she's on the market. The Los Angeles Superior Court granted the New Girl star's divorce from her former Death Cab for Cutie hubby Ben Gibbard last Wednesday, slightly over a month after announcing their separation in November.

But don't get your hopes up just yet -- Zooey's been seen out with another fella.

View the court documents

In August, the blue-eyed actress was spotted in Los Angeles engaging in some PDA with screenwriter Jamie Linden.

You know what other couple shows off love in NYC? Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

And the duo are still going strong. Just last month, Zooey and Jamie were snapped walking together hand-in-hand in New York City.

More in TODAY Entertainment:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/12/18/15990699-zooey-deschanel-finalizes-divorce-from-ben-gibbard?lite

chris christie Hurricane Sandy update weather channel mta ellen degeneres tomb of the unknown soldier tomb of the unknown soldier

Concord High football player slain in SF

A Concord High School senior with a 3.6 grade point average and a starting position on the school's football team was shot to death in San Francisco's Bayview district, authorities said Monday.

Montreal Blakely, 17, was shot and killed about 10 p.m. Saturday while standing with friends on Osceola Lane. A friend took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No one has been arrested. A police spokesman said the case remains "an active and ongoing investigation."

In Concord, school officials described Blakely as a friendly, upbeat student who transferred to Concord High last year from another nearby school and established himself in both athletics and academics.

"Montreal came in here and really worked hard," said football coach Brian Hamilton. Not only was Blakely a starting defensive back for the team, he also excelled at courses including calculus - no easy feat considering that each day started with a 7 a.m. weight training workout and ended after football practice at 6 p.m.

Concord High Principal Gary McAdam, who knew Blakely as a student at middle school, recalled him with fondness: "He always had a smile on his face when I saw him this year. His mother told me how excited he had been at coming to school, and that he had a good relationship with all his teachers."

Blakely's mother visited with members of the varsity football team Monday morning, Hamilton said. Blakely also had family and friends in the Bayview district and often visited on the weekends, acquaintances said.

Source: http://feeds.sfgate.com/click.phdo?i=a2905d5d51208a34a6dc8fc228d763a3

metro north taco bell taco bell Breezy Point Seaside Heights nj transit PSEG