Tuesday, January 31, 2012

School-bus-sized asteroid to buzz Earth Friday, nearer than moon

While the near-Earth asteroid won't hit Earth, it may offer seasoned amateur astronomers a great show ? if they are in the right viewing location and have good equipment. ?

A small asteroid will make an extremely close pass by Earth Friday (Jan. 27), coming much nearer than the moon, but the space rock poses no danger of impacting our planet, NASA scientists say.

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The newfound?asteroid 2012 BX34, which is about the size of a city bus, will pass within 36,750 miles (59,044 kilometers) of Earth at about 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT) Friday, astronomers with NASA's Asteroid Watch program announced via Twitter.

The space rock is about 36 feet (11 meters) wide, making it much too small to pose a threat to Earth.

"It wouldn't get through our atmosphere intact even if it dared to try," Asteroid Watch scientists tweeted today (Jan. 26). Asteroid Watch is based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

Asteroid 2012 BX34 will zip by at a distance about 0.17 times that separating Earth and the moon. The moon orbits Earth at an average distance of about 240,000 miles (386,000 km). [Video and image of asteroid 2012 BX34's orbit]

While the?near-Earth asteroid?won't hit Earth, it may offer seasoned amateur astronomers a great show ? if they are in the right viewing location and have good equipment.

"Advanced amateur astronomers might be able to observe the flyby as the asteroid brightens to 14th magnitude just before closest approach on Friday," the website?Spaceweather.com reported?today.

In astronomers' classification system, higher magnitudes correspond to dimmer objects. The full moon, for example, has a magnitude around -12.75. A magnitude of +14 would put 2012 BX34 roughly on par with the maximum brightness of the distant dwarf planet Pluto.

NASA scientists and other astronomer teams regularly monitor the skies in search of asteroids that could pose a danger to Earth. Experts estimate that asteroids measuring about 460 feet (140 m) across can cause widespread destruction near their impact sites, but they'd need to be even larger to cause devastation on a global scale.

Last September, NASA announced that it had catalogued about 90 percent of the largest asteroids whose orbits bring them near Earth ? a major goal set by Congress in 1998. Using NASA's recent WISE asteroid-mapping mission as a guide, scientists estimate that there are about 981 near-Earth asteroids the size of a mountain or larger. About 911 of those space rocks have been spotted, WISE mission scientists said.

Finding and mapping the orbits of such potentially hazardous space rocks is a task crucial to the long-term survival of our species, many scientists say.

Throughout history, asteroids big enough to cause major damage and disruption to the global economy and society (were they to strike a populated area today) have hit Earth, on average, every 200 or 300 years, according to former astronaut Rusty Schweickart.

Schweickart chairs the B612 Foundation, a group dedicated to predicting and preventing cataclysmic asteroid impacts on Earth. The group's chief message is that humanity's survival will someday depend on our ability to?deflect a killer asteroid?away from Earth.

The dinosaurs possessed no such technology, of course, and a catastrophic impact wiped them out ? along with many other plant and animal species ? 65 million years ago.

You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter:?@michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter?@Spacedotcom?and on?Facebook.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/_WKdDuF_hxM/School-bus-sized-asteroid-to-buzz-Earth-Friday-nearer-than-moon

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Webmail Giants Team Up To Stop Phishing Scams [Security]

Cooperation is a rare thing in the cut-throat world of technology, but some of the world's biggest email providers are teaming up to help cut the incidence of phishing scams. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-4XgT2gb-OY/webmail-giants-team-up-to-stop-phishing-scams

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Get Organized: A Place for Your Pets' Stuff - Houzz

4. Keep track of the necessities. Keep your pet's records in one safe place. Adoption and vet files, medical papers, and everything else should be stored with the rest of your important paperwork.

Keep animal medicines, flea treatments, and bathing materials in a spot away from pets and children. Even some standard pet shampoos can be toxic, so keep them out of reach.

Source: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1235759/list/Get-Organized--A-Place-for-Your-Pets--Stuff/

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Egypt says it has ended US lobbyists' contract (AP)

CAIRO ? Egypt's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it has ended a contract with three Washington lobbying firms to cut expenses, denying reports that the American companies were the ones to terminate the contract.

The rupture occurred as Cairo faces criticism from Washington for banning at least 10 Americans and Europeans from leaving the country as part of an investigation into foreign-funded civil society organizations. Among those barred was Sam LaHood of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute, who is the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The ban sparked anger in the United States, and Washington warned on Tuesday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt's transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt's battered economy needs badly after a year of political and social unrest.

The travel ban was part of an Egyptian criminal investigation into foreign-funded democracy organizations after soldiers raided the offices of 10 such groups last month, including the IRI and its sister organization, the National Democratic Institute, as well as several Egyptian organizations.

Both the IRI and the NDI, linked to the Republican and Democratic parties, monitored Egypt's recent parliamentary elections.

The Egyptian investigation is closely linked with the political turmoil that has engulfed the country since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly a year ago. The generals who took power after Mubarak's fall have accused "foreign hands" of being behind protests against their rule, and they frequently depict the protesters themselves as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.

The December raids have drew sharp U.S. criticism, and President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, to emphasize "the role that these organizations can play in civil society," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry's statement was issued two days after Politico reported that former Republican Rep. Bob Livingston, former Democratic Rep. Toby Moffett and longtime lobbyist Tony Podesta ended their contract with the Egyptian government.

Livingston confirmed to Politico in an email that the three lobbyist firms have ended their contract.

"We hope that Egyptians continue to enjoy the deepening of democracy in their country, and that Egypt remains a strong, stable and vital ally of the United States," the three lobbyists said in a joint statement released on Saturday.

Politico reported earlier that the firms came under criticism after circulating talking points justifying Egyptian security forces' raids on a number of NGOs including American groups.

The lobbying firms could not be reached immediately for comment.

Meanwhile, a delegation from Egypt's Defense Ministry has arrived in New York, Egypt's state news agency reported.

MENA quoted military attache Gen. Mohammed el-Kishki as saying that the visit was aimed at discussing "cooperation between the two countries in military affairs."

Egypt's army, which took power after the February 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak, receives 1.3 billion dollars a year in U.S. foreign assistance.

The country's aid package has come under pressure by members of Congress who want assurances that Egypt will abide by a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, and that the military rulers will respect democratic freedoms.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_us

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

HBT: Safeco Field retractable roof breaks down

The Mariners product on the field isn?t the only thing in need of repairs.

Seattle?s FanFest was dampened Saturday because two of the retractable roof?s panels remained stuck in place, the result of a broken wheel and axle.

The problem was discovered Thursday, but the Mariners went ahead with the FanFest anyway. While they were able to keep most of the field and activities covered, a light rain fell on the east side of the field.

?The good news is it?s now, and not when we?re playing baseball,? vice president of ballpark operations Scott Jenkins said. ?If it happened during the season, it could be a problem. But we have time to deal with it.?

The roof is expected to be fixed next week.

According to MLB.com?s Greg Johns, the Safeco roof has failed just once during a game, that leading to a 54-minute rain delay in a contest versus the Rangers on July 23, 2000.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/28/safeco-field-roof-breaks-down/related/

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Baby on the Way for Simon Helberg

Simon Helberg, who plays Howard Wolowitz on the hit sitcom, and wife Jocelyn Towne are expecting their first child this spring, their rep confirms to PEOPLE.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/Kaw6jT_pvEw/

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Egyptians mark 1st anniversary of 'Friday of Rage'

An Egyptian woman wearing a mask depicting Emad Effat, a Muslim cleric killed during clashes with security forces, takes part in a rally to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage", in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

An Egyptian woman wearing a mask depicting Emad Effat, a Muslim cleric killed during clashes with security forces, takes part in a rally to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage", in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

An Egyptian protestor, center, reacts while listening to another woman, not pictured, telling a story about her son who is jailed in an Egyptian prison, during a rally to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage,", in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

Egyptian protestors attend Friday prayers during a rally to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

Egyptian protestors attend Friday prayers under a large banner depicting Gen. Hussein Tantawi, left, former President Hosni Mubarak, center, and former interior minister Habib al-Adly in nooses with Arabic writing that reads, "the people's rule," during a rally to mark the first anniversary of the "Friday of Rage," in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

Egyptian protestor Khalid Ali, 14, his face painted in the colors of his national flag, attends a rally to mark the first anniversary of the "Friday of Rage," in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Some 10,000 Egyptian protesters converged on Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of "Friday of Rage," a key day in the popular uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

(AP) ? Large marches of protesters chanting antimilitary slogans streamed from mosques around Cairo to join tens of thousands massed in central Tahrir Square in a new uprising anniversary rally Friday, with many demanding an early transfer of power by the ruling military and the trial of generals for the killing of protesters.

Tensions erupted when one march of hundreds of protesters headed toward the Defense Ministry building and was met by dozens of supporters of the military who chanted "the army and people are one hand." The pro-military group formed a human chain across an intersection, but the protesters pushed through them, shouting "down with military rule."

Outside barbed wire and armored vehicles guarding the ministry, the protesters chanted against the generals. Protester Ahmed Alish said the rally was to deliver a message to the military, "You must go." Later, several loud booms sent the crowd scattering. Alish said he saw a pro-military protester throw what looked like a homemade percussion grenade.

The protests, which included mass rallies in other Egyptian cities, commemorated the first anniversary of the "Friday of Rage," one of the bloodiest days of the 18-day wave of protests a year ago that ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

In last year's "Friday of Rage," Mubarak's security forces fired on protesters marching toward Tahrir from around the capital, killing and wounding hundreds. Protesters battled back for hours until Mubarak's widely hated police forces collapsed and withdrew from the streets.

A year later, protesters' focus is now on demands that the military, which has ruled since Mubarak's Feb. 11 ouster, leave power. But Islamists and liberal, secular-leaning "revolutionary" protesters are divided. The revolutionaries want the generals out immediately, while the Muslim Brotherhood, which is now the most powerful bloc in parliament, is willing to wait for the military's promises to step aside by the end of June.

The leftists and secular groups accuse the military of being as dictatorial as Mubarak and of seeking to preserve their power even after handing over their authority to civilians. Regardless of the timetable, there is widespread resentment that little has been done to dismantle Mubarak's regime and prosecute security officers for the deaths of hundreds of protesters during and after the anti-Mubarak uprising. They call for more protests, while the Brotherhood wants to focus power on parliament. At the same time, there is also significant weariness over the continuing turmoil among Egyptians who are struggling with a worsening economy.

The differing tone was visible in Tahrir. Brotherhood supporters treated the day as a celebration of the victory of the "revolution," while non-Islamists insist there can be no celebrations when so many demands are unmet.

Some in the square shouted against the Brotherhood, chanting at them, "Get off the stage." Brotherhood supporters on a stage they have set up in the square tried to drown them out, blaring the national anthem and religious songs from multiple loudspeakers.

Amid the crowds in Tahrir, a Muslim cleric delivered a boisterous Friday sermon, proclaiming that the protesters, not the military, have the right to determine the country's course.

"Our right is to dictate the decisions of the revolution," said the cleric, Muzhar Shahine, speaking from a stage set up by leftist and secular groups, as the crowd cheered and cried, "God is great."

He gave a litany of the unrealized changes sought by the revolution.

"A year later, has State Security really been dissolved," he said, referring to Mubarak's feared internal security force that was the backbone of his police state. "Has our land been freed?" He said state media, a key mouthpiece for Mubarak and now the military, must be purged, a constitution must be written that is "shared by all political parties and that gives rights for all of Egypt's children," and Christians must be given the same rights as Muslims.

Rallies of thousands of protesters moved from main mosques all around Cairo toward Tahrir, chanting "we want civilian, not military." Some young men had shaved the words "down with military rule" in their hair cuts. In one rally from Cairo's Shubra neighborhood, a young man representing a slain protester was carried on other men's shoulders as a long Egyptian flag was unfurled down the boulevard.

Some were critical of the Muslim Brotherhood, which many suspect will not push for real reforms now that it has won a dominant place in parliament and which they fear is willing to strike a deal with the military that would give the general's some continued power. The Brotherhood denies any deal.

"We can't celebrate when there's no justice for those killed," 30-year-old protester Amr Sayyed said. "The Muslim Brotherhood is talking about justice, but not how or when."

"This is a day of mourning, not celebration," said Abdel-Hady el-Ninny, the father of a slain protester, Alaa Abdel-Hady. He and his family carried large posters of his son around Tahrir.

Friday's protests come two days after hundreds of thousands packed into Tahrir to mark the Jan. 25 start of the uprising against Mubarak. That rally, too, was marked by similar divisions.

There were increasing calls among many protesters for presidential elections to be moved up to April to select a civilian for the military to give its powers as head of state. Under the military's timetable, presidential elections would be held by late June after a new constitution is written, and after the election it would step down.

A youth umbrella group of liberal political forces and activists named "Our Egypt" or "Masrana" said in a statement Thursday, "the demand is single and clear: a president first."

A large banner in Tahrir on Friday demanding the presidential vote before the constitution.

Moving up the vote would also move up the transfer of power from the military. Supporters of the idea also want the constitution written under the rule of a civilian president, fearing that if the military still holds the reins it can force provisions that give it a political say or prevent civilian oversight.

There are other proposals, including handing power to the parliament speaker. Pro-reform leader Mohammed ElBaradei proposed that parliament elects a temporary president until the constitution is written, then presidential elections could be held. "After a year of stumbling, it is time to agree on correcting the path."

The Muslim Brotherhood has remained neutral in terms of what comes first since it plans not to field a candidate of its members in presidential elections and it doesn't want to anger the military generals for fear of sabotaging its parliament victory.

The Brotherhood holds just under half the seats in the new parliament, giving it considerable influence over the writing of the constitution. Parliament is supposed to appoint a 100-member panel to draft the document.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-27-ML-Egypt/id-7f638cfcbcb34bf8bcf3f71ddb076f9a

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Which Are Best Mutual Funds For Those New To Investing | Mutual ...

best mutual fundsThe first thing to consider when asking the question in the title is, ?How do you find the best mutual funds?? In what terms is investing in mutual funds the best course of action for you? To answer those questions means you having to define, even in the broadest sense, what your goals in investing are.

As a rule, the younger you are the more risk you can take because you have more time to weather the swings in prices associated with higher risk investments. Investing in mutual funds focused on small cap growth stocks or emerging foreign markets is one way to implement that strategy. Another strategy would be to look at an annual sector breakdown of the economy and find the best mutual funds in terms of performance and cost in that sector. Precious metals, for example, have been returning more than 10% per year since 2000 and if you believe that those returns will continue then investing in the funds that gave the highest return over that period would be a good plan.

It is never too early to begin investing in mutual funds for your future as the law of compounding numbers works to your advantage the longer it is allowed to operate. The best mutual funds in the best performing sectors of the economy will provide you will excellent returns as long as you are willing to reassess their performance annually. Markets change with time and while your investment strategy may be set for a decade, your tactics of how to implement that strategy should adapt to changes in the market, ie. Just because gold was a good investment last year does not mean it will be this year.

As one gets older the prevailing wisdom is to reduce risk and seek longer, more stable, if lower yields. The math works to your advantage there as you have a larger pool of funds to draw from at relatively fixed lifestyle costs if you have been prudent, are debt-free and have adequate medical coverage, assuming low and stable inflation. Shifting from stock funds to bond funds is one example of moving from higher risk to lower risk with more stable yield.

For the novice investor having even a cursory understanding of how and why capital flows is necessary to making the best investment choices. If you do not believe your time is well spent doing that and have the means, then seeking the advice of the professional financial planner to guide your investments is not only a choice but is recommended.

No related posts.

About Pete Southern

Pete is an active investor with knowledge of all sectors but his first love are IPO's. A failed day trader who now understands research. A love of economics and writing seen Pete begin to publish content for various finance blogs. Our main editor and collator of contributions, he is your point of contact via editorial at stockpricetoday.com

Source: http://www.stockpricetoday.com/mutual-funds/which-are-best-mutual-funds-for-those-new-to-investing/

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Miley Cyrus Having Oral Sex With A Penis Cake

Miley Cyrus has come under fire from conservative campaigners in America after she was photographed posing suggestively with a phallic birthday cake. The former child star hit headlines this week after pictures from her boyfriend Liam Hemsworth’s 22nd birthday party emerged online. The snaps showed Cyrus simulating oral sex with Hemsworth’s penis-shaped chocolate cake, and [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/miley-cyrus-having-oral-sex-with-a-penis-cake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=miley-cyrus-having-oral-sex-with-a-penis-cake

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Navy SEAL raid in Somalia shows campaign ahead (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Navy SEAL operation that freed two Western hostages in Somalia is representative of the Obama administration's pledge to build a smaller, more agile military force that can carry out surgical counterterrorist strikes to cripple an enemy.

That's a strategy much preferred to the land invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan that have cost so much American blood and treasure over the past decade. The contrast to a full-bore invasion is stark: A small, daring team storms a pirate encampment on a near-moonless night, kills nine kidnappers and whisks the hostages to safety.

Special operations forces, trained for such clandestine missions, have become a more prominent tool in the military's kit since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that led to the ongoing war in Afghanistan. The administration is expected to announce Thursday that it will invest even more heavily in that capability in coming years.

The SEAL Team 6 raid in Somalia, which followed last May's operation that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, has political dimensions in an election year.

It gave an added punch to the five-state tour President Barack Obama began the day after he delivered his State of the Union speech. Obama did not mention the raid that was unfolding during his Tuesday night address, but he dropped a hint upon arriving in the House chamber by telling Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, "Good job tonight."

The SEAL mission also helps soften the blow of defense cuts the White House is seeking in spite of a chorus of criticism by hawkish lawmakers. Not to be discounted is the feel-good moment such missions give the American public, a counterbalance to the continued casualties in Afghanistan.

After planning and rehearsal, the Somalia rescue was carried out by SEAL Team 6, officially known as the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a secret mission. It was not clear whether any team members participated in both the raid in Somalia and the bin Laden mission in Pakistan.

The SEALs parachuted from U.S. Air Force special operations aircraft before moving on foot, apparently undetected, to the outdoor encampment, two officials said. They found American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Hagen Thisted, a 60-year-old Dane, who had been kidnapped in Somalia last fall.

The SEALs encountered little resistance from the kidnappers during the operation, which lasted about an hour to an hour and a half, two U.S. officials said. Only one of the attackers fired back and was quickly subdued, one official said. The rest were believed killed, though officials did not rule out the possibility of an escape, as aerial surveillance of the scene was hampered on the cloudy, dark night.

Army special operations MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters then swooped in to the subdued encampment near the town of Adado to carry away the SEALs and hostages.

The captors were heavily armed and had explosives nearby when the rescuers arrived on the scene, Pentagon press secretary George Little said, but he was not more specific. Little declined to say whether there was an exchange of gunfire and would not provide further details about the rescue beyond saying that all of the captors were killed by the Americans.

The American raiders caught the kidnappers as they were sleeping after having chewed the narcotic leaf qat for much of the evening, a pirate who gave his name as Bile Hussein told The Associated Press by phone. Hussein said he was not present at the site but had spoken with other pirates who were. They told him that nine pirates had been killed in the raid and three were taken away, he said. However, two U.S. officials said no Somalis were captured.

Little said the decision to go ahead with the rescue was prompted in part by rising concern about the medical condition of Buchanan. He said he could not be specific without violating her privacy but did say U.S. officials had reason to believe her condition could be life-threatening.

Mary Ann Olsen, an official with the Danish Refugee Council, which employed Buchanan and Thisted in de-mining efforts in Somalia, said Buchanan was "not that ill" but needed medicine.

In the last week or so U.S. officials had collected enough information to "connect the dots" that led Obama to authorize the mission on Monday, Little said.

A Western official said the rescuers and the freed hostages flew by helicopter to Camp Lemonnier in the nearby Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been released publicly.

The hostages were expected to leave Djibouti fairly soon, one U.S. official said, and will travel to another location for medical screenings and other evaluations before heading home.

A key U.S. ally in the region, Djibouti hosts the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, a U.S.-led group organized under U.S. Africa Command.

The mission was directed by Army Gen. Carter Ham, head of Africa Command, from his headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. Panetta and other members of Obama's national security team monitored the mission from the White House before traveling to the Capitol to attend Obama's speech.

Minutes after Obama completed his State of the Union address he was on the phone with Buchanan's father to tell him that his daughter was safe.

Several hostages were still being held in Somalia, including a British tourist, two Spanish doctors seized from neighboring Kenya and an American journalist kidnapped on Saturday.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita Baldor and Julie Pace in Washington, Jason Straziuso and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi, and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Kimberly Dozier at http://twitter.com/kimberlydozier, Katharine Houreld at http://twitter.com/khoureld and Robert Burns at http://twitter.com/robertburnsAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_somalia_raid

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UK Greenlights first marine-energy park in the heart of Brunel-country

The West Country is home to some of the finest engineering anywhere in the UK, thanks to the region's historical patronage of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. That reputation will continue thanks to the Department of Energy and Climate Change naming it as the home of the nation's first marine energy park. Running from Bristol, past Cornwall and out to the Isles of Scilly, the tidal-power plant is expected to generate 27 Gigawatts of power, the equivalent of eight coal-fired power stations. Of course, harnessing the energy of the seas isn't something we'll be seeing soon as the project's earmarked to be ready for 2050, around the same time we're likely to get LTE.

Continue reading UK Greenlights first marine-energy park in the heart of Brunel-country

UK Greenlights first marine-energy park in the heart of Brunel-country originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/uk-greenlights-first-marine-energy-park-in-the-heart-of-brunel-c/

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tears, joy as woman sets Antarctic crossing record

FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2011 file photo provided by the Kaspersky ONE Trans-antarctic Expedition, Felicity Aston takes a picture of herself at Union Glacier days before she traveled to her starting point on the Ross Ice Shelf for a solo trek across Antarctica. Aston, 34, crossed Antarctica in 59 days, pulling two sledges for more than 1,084 miles (1,744 kilometers) from the Leverett Glacier to the Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf. On Monday morning, Jan. 23, 2012, she tweeted that she has completed her journey. (AP Photo/Kaspersky ONE Trans-antarctic Expedition/Kaspersky Lab, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2011 file photo provided by the Kaspersky ONE Trans-antarctic Expedition, Felicity Aston takes a picture of herself at Union Glacier days before she traveled to her starting point on the Ross Ice Shelf for a solo trek across Antarctica. Aston, 34, crossed Antarctica in 59 days, pulling two sledges for more than 1,084 miles (1,744 kilometers) from the Leverett Glacier to the Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf. On Monday morning, Jan. 23, 2012, she tweeted that she has completed her journey. (AP Photo/Kaspersky ONE Trans-antarctic Expedition/Kaspersky Lab, File)

(AP) ? British adventurer Felicity Aston became the first woman to ski alone across Antarctica on Monday, hauling two sledges around crevasses and over mountains into endless headwinds, pushing onward and onward for 59 days in near-total solitude.

She made it to her destination ahead of schedule, using nothing but her own strength to cover 1,084 miles (1,744 kilometers) from her starting point on the Leverett Glacier on Nov. 25 to Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice Shelf.

The most surprising thing about her journey, she said, was how emotional it proved to be, from the moment she was dropped off alone, through every victory and defeat along the way.

"I'm not a particularly weepy person, and yet anyone who has been following my tweets can see me bursting into tears," she said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday while waiting for a plane to pick her up.

"When I saw the coastal mountains that marked my end point for the first time, I literally just stopped in my tracks and bawled my eyes out," she added. "All these days I thought there was no chance I was going to make it in time to make that last flight off Antarctica, and yet here I am with three days to spare."

Aston also set another record: the first human to ski solo, across Antarctica, using only her own muscles. A male-female team earlier skied across Antarctica without kites or machines, but Aston is the first to do this alone.

Aston, 34, grew up in Kent, England, and studied physics and meteorology. A veteran of expeditions in subzero environments, she worked for the British weather service at a base in Antarctica and has led teams on ski trips in the Antarctic, the Arctic and Greenland.

But this was the first time she traveled so far, so alone, and she said the solitude posed her biggest challenge. In such an extreme environment, the smallest mistakes can prove treacherous. Alone with one's thoughts, the mind can play tricks. Polar adventurers usually take care to watch their teammates for signs of hypothermia, which is easier to diagnose in others than yourself, she said.

She thought she was done for when her two butane lighters failed high in the Transantarctic Mountains, where it got "really very cold."

"Suddenly I realized that without a lighter working, I can't light my stove, I can't melt snow to make water, and I won't have any water to drink, and that becomes a very serious problem," she said. "It's quite stressful. It was just a matter of every single day, looking at my kit, and thinking what could go wrong here and what can I do to prevent it?"

She did have a small box of safety matches, and counted and re-counted every one until the lighters started working again at lower altitude, she said.

This Antarctic summer has seen the centennial of Roald Amundsen's conquest of the South Pole, where Britons still lament that R.F. Scott's team arrived for England days later, demoralized to see Norway's flag. Scott and his entire team then died on their way out, and some of their bodies weren't found for eight months.

Aston had modern technology in her favor: She kept family and supporters updated and received their responses via Twitter and Facebook, and broadcast daily phone reports online. She carried two satellite phones to communicate with a support team, and a GPS device that reported her location throughout. She also had two supply drops ? one at the pole and one partway to her finish line ? so that she could travel with a lighter load. Otherwise, her feat was unassisted.

While others have traveled farther using kites, sails, machinery or dogs (now banned for fear of infecting wildlife with canine diseases), she did it on her own strength.

She had to fight near-constant headwinds across the vast central plateau to the South Pole. Then she turned toward Hercules Inlet, pushing through thick, fresh snow, until she reached her goal, a spot within a small plane's reach of a base camp on Union Glacier where the Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions company provides logistical support to each summer's expeditions.

With skies clearing Monday, Aston tweeted that she's been promised red wine and a hot shower after she gets picked up. "A very long, very hot shower," she emphasized. "It's something I haven't had in quite a long time now!"

From there, she'll join dozens of other Antarctic adventurers on the last flight out, a huge Russian cargo plane that will take her to Chile. Then she will fly home next week to Kent, in southeast England.

There, after two months of little but freeze-dried food, she can look forward to chicken pie, her mother said.

"I think there will be lots of cuddles, lots of hugs, it will be quite emotional," said Jackie Aston, 61.

Felicity Aston, pondering her last hours of solitude Monday, told the AP she felt both joy and overwhelming sadness at finishing.

"I'm still reeling from the shock of it that I've made it this far. I honestly didn't think I'd be getting here," she said.

What remains, she hopes, will be a message about perseverance.

"If you can just find a way to keep going, either metaphorically or literally, whether you're running a marathon or facing financial problems or have bad news to deliver or it's tough at work or whatever, if you can just find a way to keep going, then you will discover that you have potential within yourself that you never never realized," she said.

"Keeping going is the important thing, persevering, no matter how messy that gets. I mean, for me, sometimes I'll be sitting in my tent in the morning bawling my eyes out, having tantrums. It's not been pretty. But I've kept going, and that is the important thing because at some point in the future you'll look back and just be amazed at how far you've come."

___

Associated Press writers Ed Donahue in Washington, D.C., and Meera Selva in London contributed to this report.

___

Online:

Aston's expedition site: www.kasperskyonetransantarcticexpedition.com

Aston on Twitter: www.twitter.com/felicity(underscore)aston

Aston on ipadio: http://www.ipadio.com/broadcasts/TransantarcticExpedition/2012/1/22/Transantarctic-Expedition--63rd-phonecast

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-23-AA-Antarctica-Solo-Crossing/id-48a42c246fed4ff2a3d28f9ebb3d4103

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Television section

For the week of Jan. 9-15

1. AFC Divisional Playoff: Denver at New England, CBS, 34.2 million

2. Fox NFC Playoff: NY Giants at Green Bay, 23.8 million

3. "NCIS," CBS, 21 million

4. Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 16.8 million

5. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 16.6 million

6. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 16.1 million

7. "Person of Interest," CBS, 14.9 million

8. "The Mentalist," CBS, 13.6 million

9. "Rob," CBS, 13.5 million

10. "Modern Family," ABC, 12.12

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032450/ns/today-entertainment/

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Pressure remains for higher education: Moody's (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? The financial conditions of many U.S. colleges and universities will likely not improve much this year, as states continue cutting funding for public schools, students become more price sensitive, and areas for other revenue remain stretched, a lead rating agency said on Monday.

"During the past year, public and political scrutiny of colleges and universities, both not-for-profit and for-profit, has escalated and we expect that the sector will remain under the microscope in 2012 and beyond," said Moody's Investors Services in a report outlining why it is maintaining a "mixed outlook for U.S. not-for-profit private and public colleges and universities, mirroring our 2011 outlook."

While undergraduates continue to enroll, "demand for some graduate programs and professional schools ... is softening," Moody's said, noting that "evolving demand trends for undergraduate and graduate programs highlight flight to quality and affordability."

Worries about affordability and unmanageable student debt levels are currently sweeping the country, as public schools push up tuition charges to compensate for fewer dollars coming from states.

"While state funding has been declining as a share of public university revenue for three decades, the declines of the last few years have been the sharpest ever," Moody's said, noting that 35 states expect to cut appropriations for four-year public universities this year.

Private and public colleges and universities are also under pressure from fewer donations and smaller research grants and contracts, especially from the federal government, Moody's found.

Many institutions are expecting their endowments to grow mildly this year, as well.

"For private colleges and universities that have weaker market positions and are less selective, we are observing clear signs of deterioration of net tuition revenue and growth of tuition discounting," Moody's said.

(Reporting By Lisa Lambert; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/education/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/lf_nm_life/us_usa_education_colleges_moodys

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Patriots in Super Bowl, beat Ravens 23-20 (AP)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. ? Tom Brady got all the help he needed to get the New England Patriots into the Super Bowl.

Thank you, Billy Cundiff.

The Baltimore Ravens kicker shanked a 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds left and the Patriots escaped with a 23-20 victory in the AFC championship game on Sunday.

Usually, vintage Brady doesn't need much assistance in championship settings, but the Patriots much-maligned defense came through, and Brady's 1-yard touchdown dive with 11:29 left proved to be the winning points.

"Well, I sucked pretty bad today, but our defense saved us," Brady said after throwing for 239 yards, with two interceptions and, for the first time in 36 games, no TD passes. "I'm going to try to go out and do a better job in a couple of weeks, but I'm proud of this team, my teammates."

Brady waited out the final tense minutes on the sideline, and then celebrated with the rest of his team when Cundiff's attempt went wide left. The Ravens looked on in stunned horror.

Cundiff had no excuse.

"It's a kick I've kicked probably a thousand times in my career," Cundiff said. "I went out there and didn't convert. That's the way things go."

Next up as the Patriots chase their fourth Super Bowl trophy in Brady and coach Bill Belichick's tenure in New England is the New York Giants, who beat the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime Sunday night.

The Patriots were installed as 3-point favorites for the Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis.

In their last trip to the big game, the Patriots had an 18-0 record when they were stunned by the Giants four years ago. They won the NFL championship for the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons. This time, they head to the Super Bowl with a 10-game winning streak.

Before Cundiff missed, the Ravens had a chance to go ahead two plays earlier, but wide receiver Lee Evans was stripped of the ball in the end zone by backup cornerback Sterling Moore, who earlier was victimized for a touchdown that gave Baltimore (13-5) the lead 17-16.

On his touchdown, Brady took a huge hit from Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis, then emphatically spiked the ball as he walked away. Earlier, Brady showed his fire by barking at Lewis following a hard tackle on a 4-yard run.

"It's a pretty mentally tough team," said Brady, whose fifth trip to the Super Bowl will equal John Elway's achievement with Denver. "There's really some resiliency. We've shown that all season. Even in the games we've lost, the three games we lost, we fought until the end. We're always going to fight to the end. It's great to be a part of a team like this."

Baltimore had the touted defense in this matchup, but New England's unit, ranked 31st overall, was just as powerful.

"We stepped up," Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. "We all stepped up big time. Being in this situation is a great moment. You have to cherish this moment."

The Patriots shut down Ray Rice, the league's total yardage leader, who was limited to 78 yards. Brandon Spikes made a fourth-quarter interception of Joe Flacco, who played well before that and threw for two touchdowns. And when the Ravens were threatening to score a late touchdown to win their first conference title in 11 years, New England clamped down.

"It's two great football teams, two gladiators, I guess, just kind of going at each other at the end, and I'm proud of our guys," Harbaugh said. "You know, we've got 53 guys, mighty men, as we like to call them ? and they fought, and we came up a little bit short, as 53. You know, 53 win and 53 lose."

With Rice a nonfactor, Baltimore had to rely on Flacco, and he delivered one of his best performances. Flacco has led the Ravens into the playoffs in all four of his pro seasons, but not to the Super Bowl. He was 22 for 36 for 306 yards and touchdowns of 6 yards to Dennis Pitta and 29 to rookie Torrey Smith.

The loss hardly could be blamed on Flacco.

"I don't know if I ever will prove anything," he said. "I just play the same way. We lost; someone has to. But we laid it all out on the field."

Operating against a porous secondary missing its top cornerback, Kyle Arrington, who left in the second quarter with an eye injury, Flacco gave Baltimore its first lead. His short pass on third down to explosive receiver Smith turned into a 29-yard scamper down the right sideline after Moore completely whiffed on the tackle.

Danny Woodhead's fumble on the ensuing kickoff set up Baltimore at the Patriots 28, but a third-down sack forced Cundiff to kick a 39-yard field goal, making it 20-16.

New England didn't flinch.

Brady took the Patriots 63 yards in 11 plays, and seemed to score on a 1-yard run. The call was overruled by replay, though, and on fourth-down, he dived just high enough over the line for the winning points.

"Every inch counts in this game and every foot counts in this game," said 12-year veteran guard Brian Waters, who joined the Patriots this year and is headed to his first Super Bowl.

Defense was particularly dominant early on. The Patriots held Baltimore to minus-4 yards on its first three first-down runs and forced the Ravens to go three-and-out each time. Meanwhile, the Patriots put together a methodical 13-play, 50-yard drive helped greatly by an illegal contact penalty on Lardarius Webb that negated a tipped interception by Bernard Pollard.

But Brady was sacked for the first time by Paul Kruger and Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Late in the first quarter, the Ravens changed tactics after Webb picked off a pass intended for Julian Edelman at the Baltimore 30. Flacco rolled right on first down and threw deep down the sideline to a wide-open Smith. Had the pass not been short, Smith likely would have sprinted into the end zone. Instead, it was a 42-yard gain, not bad at all given Baltimore's previous ineptitude with the ball.

Cundiff's 20-yard field goal momentarily tied it.

Brady, perhaps peeved by his poor throw that Webb picked off, hit two passes for 29 yards on a 75-yard drive to make it 10-3. BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for 36 yards on that series, and also drew a personal foul against Webb, who ripped off the running back's helmet on a short rush. Green-Ellis surged into the end zone from the 7, then pointed to the patch on his jersey honoring Myra Kraft, the late wife of Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

In the locker room afterward, Kraft was asked about the motivation the team got from dedicating the season to his wife of 48 years. Kraft tapped an MHK pin on his left lapel and kissed his fingers before pointing upward.

"They're an amazing team, they're a great brotherhood, they're a family," Kraft said.

Going back to the pass, the Ravens tied it on a 6-yard throw to Pitta ? yes, Baltimore has some dangerous tight ends, too ? that concluded an 80-yard march. Flacco opened the drive with a 20-yard completion to Evans and then Anquan Boldin escaped Arrington's attempted tackle to gain 37 more yards on a reception. Flacco was finding holes in New England's coverage, particularly when he moved out of the pocket.

New England's All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski made an error at the end of a 63-yard drive, failing to keep two feet in bounds on a catch. Gostkowski's 35-yard field goal made it 13-10.

Gronkowski left for a while with a left leg problem, but soon returned.

"It doesn't even feel right, especially playing with the veterans here," Gronkowski said. "I watched them go to the Super Bowl as I was growing up and now I'm part of it? It is an unreal moment."

Notes: Brady won his 16th career postseason game to tie Joe Montana for most in NFL history. ... New England's seventh Super Bowl appearance puts it one behind Pittsburgh and Dallas. ... The Patriots are 7-1 in AFC title games, 4-0 at home. ... Brady and Belichick are the first QB-coach combination to win five conference championships in the Super Bowl era. ... Baltimore was 7-0 against playoff teams this season before Sunday's loss. ... The Ravens finished 4-5 on the road. ... In three career games against the Patriots, Rice averaged 145.7 yards, nearly double what he managed Sunday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_afc_championship

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Conservative wins Finland election, runoff needed

Sauli Niinist?, the National Coalition Party candidate for the Finnish presidential elections, campaigns at Kontula, in eastern Helsinki during the last campaigning day ahead of Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/ LEHTIKUVA / Markku Ulander) FINLAND OUT. NO THIRD PARTY SALES

Sauli Niinist?, the National Coalition Party candidate for the Finnish presidential elections, campaigns at Kontula, in eastern Helsinki during the last campaigning day ahead of Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/ LEHTIKUVA / Markku Ulander) FINLAND OUT. NO THIRD PARTY SALES

Pekka Haavisto, the Green League's candidate for the Finnish presidential elections, at the opening ceremonies of Vuokkoset Arena, a dog sports center in Vantaa during the last campaigning day ahead of Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/LEHTIKUVA / Pekka Sakki ) FINLAND OUT. NO THIRD PARTY SALES

Paavo V?yrynen, the Centre Party's presidential candidate for the Finnish presidential elections arrives at a party for his campaign at Finlandia Hall during the last day of campaigning in Helsinki, Saturday Jan 21 2012. (AP Photo/ LEHTIKUVA / Mikko Stig) FINLAND OUT. NO THIRD PARTY SALES

Eva Biaudet the Swedish People's Party's candidate for the Finnish Presidential Elections campaining on Helsinki's high street on the last day of campaigning, Saturday Jan. 21 2012, ahead of Sunday's elections. (AP Photo/LEHTIKUVA / Mikko Stig) FINLAND OUT. NO THIRD PARTY SALES

(AP) ? The conservative favorite easily won the first round of Finland's presidential election Sunday, setting up a runoff against an environmentalist leader who is the first openly gay candidate to run for head of state in the Nordic country.

Sauli Niinisto, a former finance minister, won 37 percent of the vote, well ahead of the other candidates but short of the majority needed to avoid a second round, official preliminary results showed.

With all votes counted, Pekka Haavisto, of the Greens party, was second with 18.8 percent, securing his place in the Feb. 5 runoff.

The result means Finns will have two pro-European candidates to choose from in the second round, contrasting with the surge in euroskeptic sentiment in last year's parliamentary election.

"Pro-Europe policies and supporting the euro have received strong support from the people," Niinisto said.

The president has a largely ceremonial role and is not involved in daily politics, but is considered an important shaper of public opinion in the small Nordic country.

Former foreign minister Paavo Vayrynen was neck and neck with Haavisto as the results trickled in, but ended up third, with 17.5 percent.

Vayrynen, a centrist, and fourth-placed populist leader Timo Soini oppose Finland's membership in the debt-ridden eurozone.

Soini's True Finns party won 19 percent of last year's parliamentary vote with demands that relatively well-off Finland ? among the few European nations to maintain top credit ratings ? stop supporting bailouts for cash-strapped eurozone members including Greece and Portugal.

However, he wasn't able to set the agenda for the presidential election, winning only 9.4 percent.

Niinisto, 63, of the conservative National Coalition Party, was narrowly defeated in the previous election in 2006 by outgoing President Tarja Halonen. This time, he had topped surveys for months in the field of eight candidates.

A smooth-talking political veteran, Niinisto is viewed by many Finns as the most statesmanlike of the candidates.

But Haavisto also has strong resume. The 53-year-old former environment minister has held several positions in EU and U.N. operations helping to solve crises in Sudan, Darfur and the Middle East.

"He's extremely cultured and civilized. We need a member of a new, educated generation who hasn't been corrupted by politics," said Laila Halme, a retired graphic artist, as she walked her dog through thick snow to vote in a Helsinki suburb.

Haavisto was overjoyed at making the second round, saying "the enthusiasm has been overwhelming and that will give us a good boost."

Political analyst Olavi Borg says Haavisto has little chance to beat Niinisto in a runoff. Large segments of Finnish voters will find it difficult to back a gay candidate, Borg said. Haavisto has been living in a registered partnership with another man for 10 years.

"Niinisto's popularity will be even clearer in the second round. Middle-aged and older people especially will not vote for Haavisto," Borg said.

An opinion poll published by YLE on Thursday showed that in a runoff, 64 percent of voters would support Niinisto against 22 percent for Haavisto. Fourteen percent were undecided.

Pollster Taloustutkimus interviewed 1,457 people between Jan. 10 and 18 for the survey. It had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Finland's 12th president since independence from Russia in 1917 will replace Halonen, the country's hugely popular first female head of state who has served two six-year terms.

____

Jari Tanner contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-22-EU-Finland-Presidential-Election/id-1f67af6beb5a4fa2b26ba8d4a85c2b1b

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A Month-by-Month Guide to Grocery Sales [Saving Money]

A Month-by-Month Guide to Grocery SalesGrocery items go on sale in predictable cycles, thanks to seasonality and weird holidays like National Oatmeal Month (January). This means you can save tons on your food budget with careful planning?and this guide to grocery sales.

Compiled by the Living Richly on a Budget blog, this yearly list of deals you can get at the supermarket ranges from the fairly obvious seasonal items (in January, clearance items include Christmas decorations and wrapping paper) or seasonal produce, which may or may not be in season for you depending on where you live (so best to consult one of the previously mentioned fresh food resources instead), but also includes some less obvious suggestions.

Each month, for example, the list includes when specific food categories tend to go on sale (baking goods, paper products, baby items, and so on) and holiday-related sales, such as condiments and grilling meats around Memorial Day. Better yet, though, you can capitalize on the more obscure food holidays like National Canned Food Month (February) or Frozen Food Month (March).

A print-friendly version is available so you can keep an eye out and stock up when things go on sale. Coupled with our guides to the best time to buy anything this year and the best days of the week to buy almost anything, hopefully we can all make our money go a lot farther this year.

Photo remixed from an original by FuzzBones / Shutterstock

Grocery Sale Cycles ? When Do Things Go on Sale? | Living Richly on a Budget

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/AZXELM1Zj84/a-month+by+month-guide-for-when-to-buy-certain-grocery-brands-and-foods

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

WrestleMania XXVIII Axxess tickets available Saturday, Jan. 28

The ultimate interactive WWE fan experience ? WrestleMania Axxess ? is coming to Miami from March 29 - April 1 at the Miami Beach Convention Center (Hall D). This is one event WWE fans of all ages will want to be part of! (WATCH)

TICKETS
Available Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10:00 a.m. ET at:
?- Ticketmaster
?- Ticketmaster.com
?- Charge by phone: 800-745-3000

ATTRACTIONS
?- Live matches
?- Superstar Q&A's
?- Superstar signings
?- Photo stations
?- WWE Shop
?- Undertaker's Graveyard
?- WWE Championship Titles
?- Memorabilia Display
????? And much more! ?

LIMITED VIP TICKETS - $95*

VIP MEET & GREET WITH AUTOGRAPH SIGNING AND MORE!
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Saturday, March 31 - Meet WWE Superstar Randy Orton
Saturday, March 31 - Meet 2011 WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels
Saturday, March 31 - Meet WWE Superstar Chris Jericho
Saturday, March 31 - Meet WWE Legend Mick Foley
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GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS - $40*

SESSION SCHEDULE & TIMES
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6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

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? Session 1: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
? Session 2: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
? Session 3: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

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? Session 1: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
? Session 2: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Children 3 years and under - FREE

*Prices are PER SESSION and do not include applicable fees or sales tax.

WrestleMania XXVII Axxess photos
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/28/axxess-tickets

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Storm blankets Northeast with a few inches of snow

People shovel snow off a sidewalk in The Heights section of Jersey City, N.J., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. An overnight storm blanketed Jersey City with snow for the first time this winter. The previous snow accumulation happened during the rare snowfall on Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

People shovel snow off a sidewalk in The Heights section of Jersey City, N.J., Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. An overnight storm blanketed Jersey City with snow for the first time this winter. The previous snow accumulation happened during the rare snowfall on Oct. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A JetBlue plane is deiced, as seen through the window of the plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, in New York. A weekend snowstorm is blanketing the Northeast, creating treacherous travel conditions and some delays at airports. (AP Photo/Aaron Jackson)

(AP) ? A weekend storm blanketed the Northeast with a few inches of snow Saturday, creating slippery conditions and some delays at airports, though the storm was expected to move out to sea overnight.

The National Weather Service predicted 4 to 6 inches in New York City before the snow stops in the afternoon. Early Saturday morning flurries and freezing rain showers were expected for the Washington area. Philadelphia is under a winter weather advisory and could receive up to 4 inches of snow.

Up to 7 inches was predicted for southeastern Massachusetts, not much by the standards of a New England winter but noteworthy in a season marked by a lack of snow.

The storm was just the second significant snowfall of the season for some Northeasterners, including in New York City and Philadelphia. A rare October snowstorm knocked out power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses in the region.

Road conditions were fair Saturday morning, officials said. Crews in Pennsylvania and New Jersey began salting roads around midnight and plowing soon after. By midmorning, the snow had turned to sleet in Philadelphia north through central New Jersey.

Few accidents were reported on the roads, helped by the weekend's lack of rush hour traffic, but New Jersey transportation spokesman Joe Dee cautioned drivers to build in more time for trips. Though temperatures will warm up this afternoon he said, forecasters expect the wet ground to freeze again overnight.

Flights arriving at Philadelphia Airport were delayed up to two hours because of snow and ice accumulation, but most departing flights were leaving on time, a spokeswoman said.

New York City had 1,500 snow plows at the ready, each equipped with global positioning systems that will allow supervisors to see their approximate location on command maps updated every 30 seconds, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a morning news conference.

The equipment was installed last year following a disaster of a storm that struck the day after Christmas of 2010, when even the city's plows were stuck and stranded in drifts, and streets remained impassable for days. Bloomberg said the GPS system has already led to "vastly improved communication" between supervisors and plow operators.

As always, some welcomed the snow.

Enough accumulated through the week for snowmobiling and ice fishing in New Hampshire, where cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing were open at Bretton Woods and other trails.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-21-Winter%20Weather/id-f471762c6f1c41beadea000c21c87da7

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Israeli club paying price for racist fans

By ARON HELLER

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 1:51 a.m. ET Jan. 20, 2012

JERUSALEM (AP) -Throughout its history, the Beitar Jerusalem football club has won 13 trophies, counted prime ministers among its fans and played in numerous European competitions. One thing the club has yet to do: Include an Arab player on its roster.

As the only major Israeli team never to integrate, Beitar Jerusalem is now under heavy pressure - particularly after a series of run-ins with local football authorities over racist behavior by its fans.

That may not be easy. Club management says its hands are tied by a hardcore base of fans who wield significant clout over personnel decisions. It has even called on police to rein in the worst offenders - an infamous group known as "La Familia."

"We are against racism and against violence and we pay a price for our fans," said Assaf Shaked, a team spokesman. "But we aren't going to bring an Arab player just to annoy the fans."

Beitar - which has won six league championships and seven cup titles in its 76-year history - has historically been strongly aligned with Israel's nationalist right wing. Its name, Beitar, comes from the Zionist youth movement that is linked to the ruling Likud Party. For decades, the team, like the Beitar movement, viewed itself as a perennial outsider while the establishment was controlled by the dovish Labor party and its offshoot in the sports world - the various Hapoel, or "workers," teams.

In 1976, Beitar finally won its first cup championship, and the following year Likud rose to power for the first time, ushering in a sea change in Israeli politics and sports. The team and its fans have since been a steady source of support for Likud politics.

A string of politicians have served as team chairman. Prime ministers with Likud roots - from Ariel Sharon to Ehud Olmert to Benjamin Netanyahu - have called themselves fans and made pilgrimages to the club's Teddy Stadium.

Beitar's fans are notoriously - and proudly - abusive toward opposing players, and routinely taunt them with racist and anti-Arab chants.

The Israeli Football Association says it has had enough. It recently ordered Beitar to play before an empty stadium and docked it two points in the standings after fans made monkey noises toward Hapoel Tel Aviv's Nigerian-born striker Toto Tamuz, a former Beitar player and fan favorite.

"Give Toto a banana!" they shouted.

League spokesman Amir Ephrat said the Beitar fans have pushed things too far, and the team has to take a tougher stand.

"This kind of extremism has to be dealt with before it expands," he said. "It has to be quashed when it is still small, because when it gets bigger it becomes a lot harder to stop."

Beitar's history of shunning Arab players has become especially noticeable in recent seasons. Arabs, who make up about 20 percent of Israel's population, now star on the Israeli national team and on every first division team besides Beitar. This year, the league's top two goal scorers are Arabs.

The league's battle with Beitar - and the team's own struggle with its rogue fans - comes as world football is cracking down on racism.

Earlier this month, a British parliamentary committee announced it would investigate racism in sports following a number of high-profile cases. Racism cases involving players and fans are being dealt with in France, Bulgaria and Spain as well.

As the Likud party has become more mainstream after years in government, the Beitar team's die-hard fans have gone the other direction.

In 2005, the "La Familia" organization was created, and it quickly became the team's loudest and most visible supporters. The fans routinely wave huge flags of the outlawed racist Kach party, whoop like monkeys when opposing black players touch the ball and chant "death to Arabs" and other racist slogans toward Arab players.

The club has been penalized numerous times for the behavior of its fans, which has included booing during a moment of silence for slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, singing songs deriding the Prophet Muhammad and physically assaulting Arab maintenance workers in stadiums.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police were responsible for security outside the stadiums and for enforcing general public order - not fan behavior.

For years, the club's Russian-Israeli owner Arkady Gaydamak refrained from intervening. In fact, he backed the group financially and glowed in their adoration. After a failed attempt to run for Jerusalem mayor, Gaydamak fled the country in 2008 amid financial scandals in Israel and Europe.

Since then, Gaydamak has drastically cut funding to the team and tried to sell it.

First it was Brazilian-American millionaire Guma Aguiar who stepped in with a $4 million investment - before he checked himself into a psychiatric hospital because of increasingly erratic behavior that included plans to rebuild the biblical Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

Last year, a pair of American businessmen agreed to buy the club - only to back out at the last moment. The team finished the season in 11th place in the 16-team league, narrowly avoiding relegation to the second division. This year, Beitar Jerusalem has fallen even further and is currently in danger of relegation.

In this environment, the fans' anger has grown. It is now no longer aimed solely toward Arabs - but against team management as well.

Most of the ire is directed toward general manager Itzik Kornfein, a former Beitar goalkeeping great who has spoken out against racism. Fans often curse at him outside team practices. Some have even attempted to attack him physically.

Shlomi Barzel, the sports editor of Haaretz and a lifelong Beitar fan, said the radicalization of the fans reflects the weakness of team management.

"'La Familia' is a small, extreme group that numbers no more than a few hundred. The real problem is what happened to the quiet majority? There is no one countering them and the team is too weak to do anything about it," he said.

Barzel said that at the height of Gaydamak's popularity the owner tried to sign an Arab player, only to be overwhelmed by the fans' opposition.

"If he couldn't do it, no one can," he said.

The Beitar policy of shunning Arab players resurfaced last month when Maccabi Haifa striker Mohammed Ghadir said he would be willing to transfer to Beitar. Even before Beitar fans had their say, Ghadir withdrew the suggestion after Arab fans accused him of being a traitor.

"We would love to bring an Arab player on board but the conditions are not yet ripe - not as far as a player is concerned and not as far as the fans are concerned," said Shaked, the team spokesman.

He said fans need to go through "a learning process" before an Arab player could be added. He appears to be correct.

"Beitar is a team of Jews. Just like the army won't bring in a Chinese soldier, Beitar won't bring in an Arab player, because when there is a war and you have to give your all, they will run," said Shahar Darly, an-18-year-old fan. "We represent Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, the state of the Jews, not the Arabs ... if they try to bring an Arab player, we won't let them."

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


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