Monday, December 31, 2012

Reid out as Eagles coach

Posted by Ali Stevens on Sunday, December 30, 2012 ??

USA is reporting that Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid will be fired tomorrow.? Hear more on WKOK today and tomorrow on Fox Sports Radio.

Source: http://wkok.info/news/news-news/reid-out-as-eagles-coach/

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Buy Tickets 12/30/2012 -- London, ENG -- Apollo Victoria Theatre -- 2:30 pm

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MTV's Best Songs Of 2012 Get An Acoustic Mash-Up By Megan & Liz!

YouTube stars compile medley of Taylor Swift, One Direction, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West and more.
By Cory Midgarden


Megan and Liz
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699505/megan-and-liz-best-songs-of-2012-mashup.jhtml

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Bears beat Lions 26-24 to stay in playoff race

Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (22) runs between Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril (92) and free safety Louis Delmas (26) during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (22) runs between Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril (92) and free safety Louis Delmas (26) during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) gains 18-yards on a pass reception under pressure from Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman (33) during the third quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

(AP) ? Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears held on late against turnover-prone Detroit.

Now, the waiting begins.

Cutler threw for 257 yards and a touchdown and helped seal the game with a late scramble, and Chicago kept its playoff hopes alive ? for now ? with a 26-24 win over the Lions on Sunday.

The Bears (10-6) still need a Minnesota loss to Green Bay to reach the postseason. The win by Chicago eliminated the defending champion New York Giants from the playoff picture.

The Lions (4-12) lost their last eight games and turned the ball over four times in the finale. Calvin Johnson fell short in his attempt to become the first player with 2,000 yards receiving in a season.

Detroit trailed 20-3 late in the first half but pulled within two and had the ball at its own 9-yard line before a three-and-out forced a punt.

The Bears ran out the last 3:40, with Cutler's 19-yard run on third down keeping the drive going.

Johnson, who broke Jerry Rice's record of 1,848 yards receiving the previous weekend, finished at 1,964 after catching five passes for 72 yards.

Detroit's Matthew Stafford went 24 of 42 for 272 with three touchdowns and an interception.

The Lions scored two straight touchdowns to make it 20-17 in the third quarter, but Chicago ? which came into the game with a league-high 40 takeaways ? forced another turnover.

Stafford's fumble gave the Bears the ball at the Detroit 13. It was the fourth time the Bears started a drive inside the Detroit 25, and they ended up kicking a field goal.

Olindo Mare added another field goal, a 20-yarder with 10:47 left in the fourth, to make it 26-17. Stafford's 9-yard touchdown pass to Brian Robiskie pulled Detroit closer, but it wasn't enough.

Cutler threw a 55-yard pass to Alshon Jeffery to the Detroit 27 on Chicago's first play from scrimmage, delighting the many Chicago fans in attendance at Ford Field. But that drive stalled, and the Bears actually had to punt after Cutler fumbled on third down and the ball was recovered back at midfield.

After the Lions kicked a field goal, Chicago struck back when Cutler swung a pass out to Earl Bennett, who made the catch behind the line of scrimmage, got a block and outran the defense for a surprisingly easy 60-yard touchdown.

Joique Bell fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, and the Bears kicked a field goal. In the second quarter, Stafford fumbled deep in his own territory. Julius Peppers recovered for Chicago, and his short return gave the Bears the ball at the 10.

After a third-down pass interference call on safety Don Carey, Matt Forte scored on a 1-yard run to make it 17-3.

The Lions weren't done giving the ball away. Tim Jennings picked off Stafford's overthrown pass, and his 31-yard return to the Detroit 23 set up another field goal.

Stafford's 25-yard scoring pass to Kris Durham with 12 seconds left in the half made it 20-10, and he threw a 10-yarder in the third to Will Heller.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-30-Bears-Lions/id-f09a4ddd490d420b8ed6e344ed1bd04c

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Simple Abundance Exercises Can Change Your Mindset | Self ...

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Source: http://www.medicalguide.pro/3868/simple-abundance-exercises-can-change-your-mindset-8.html

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Video: Florida State's Lonnie Pryor

Heather Dinich
Heather Dinich

Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.

Andrea Adelson
Andrea Adelson

Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/50588/video-florida-states-lonnie-pryor

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Clippers win 17th in row, finish December at 16-0

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, left, goes up for a shot as Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter, of Turkey, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, left, goes up for a shot as Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter, of Turkey, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ronny Turiaf puts up a shot as Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, right, gestures after a Clippers basket as guard Chris Paul approaches during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors, left, puts up a shot as Los Angeles Clippers center Ronny Turiaf defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, left, struggles for the ball with Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

(AP) ? Jamal Crawford scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Utah Jazz 107-96 on Sunday night for their 17th consecutive victory, becoming the third team in NBA history to record a perfect month.

The Clippers went 16-0 in December to join the 1995-96 San Antonio Spurs and 1971-72 Lakers as the only teams to go undefeated over a month. Their franchise-record winning streak is the longest since Boston won 19 in a row four years ago.

Caron Butler led the Clippers with 29 points, making all six of his 3-pointers. Chris Paul added 19 points and nine assists to help them maintain the league's best record at 25-6.

Al Jefferson scored 30 points ? one off his season high ? to lead Utah, which fell victim for the third time during the Clippers' streak. The Jazz lost 116-114 on Friday when the Clippers rallied from 19 points down, and they were beaten 105-104 on Dec. 3, both times at home.

Gordon Hayward added 16 points as the Jazz lost their third in a row and seventh in the last nine games.

Crawford keyed a 10-5 run to open the fourth, highlighted by a 3-pointer and a fast break pull-up jumper that helped the Clippers extend their lead to 89-81. Paul and Griffin didn't join the second unit until 5:55 remained and Utah had closed within four on a basket by Derrick Favors.

That was as close as the Jazz got. The Clippers made 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch and their defense held Utah to one field goal in the final 3:38.

Los Angeles stretched its lead to 71-59 in the third quarter, when Butler scored 10 of their first 17 points.

From there, the Jazz closed on a 17-8 run to pull to 79-76 going into the fourth. Utah briefly took its first lead since early in the game when Jefferson scored over Lamar Odom, but the Jazz committed two costly turnovers in the final 49 seconds.

Paul got fouled and made both free throws, and then Matt Barnes stole the ball from Jamaal Tinsley and fed Paul on the break. He missed but Crawford was there to tip it in and restore the Clippers' lead.

The Clippers shot 62 percent en route to a 54-45 halftime lead, with Butler scoring 17 points in the first quarter. Utah led briefly to start the game when Jefferson scored eight of their first 13 points.

NOTES: Los Angeles improved to 11-3 at home. ... The Jazz fell to 6-13 on the road. ... Clippers F Ronny Turiaf says his right elbow is "messed up." He said he hurt it a couple games ago when he felt discomfort while boxing out. ... Odom's ankle is bothering him. ... The Clippers haven't lost since Nov. 26 at home against New Orleans.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-31-Jazz-Clippers/id-6c163998ef1e467c854e3849f61d1e0b

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Did This Elephant Actually Eat This Poor Tourist's iPhone?

Imagine you're out sight-seeing in Thailand. Whoa! Elephants! Better catch some video with your iPhone. Really hold it out there for a good shot when, haha, he's touching it with his trunk! Aaaand it's gone. Sure, it'd be equal parts hilarious and a bummer if it actually happened, and while that's what this video shows, it's probably (unfortunately) bogus. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/l78ldkytLkM/did-this-elephant-actually-eat-this-poor-tourists-iphone

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Web Hosting Made Easy Important For A Great Hosting Experience ...

Posted on December 30, 2012 by dufttuey508 in Internet

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Web hosting is highly for sale, but for non-technical minded folks web hosting might be a sea of confusion.

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Should the server crashes each and every web site or blog on that shared internet hosting server should be built inaccessible far too.

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Source: http://www.veritasindia.com/web-hosting-made-easy-important-for-a-great-hosting-experience

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Last-minute fiscal cliff talks in Senate

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington after meeting with Congressional leaders regarding the fiscal cliff, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. leaves the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, after a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to negotiate the framework for a deal on the fiscal cliff. The end game at hand, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders made a final stab at compromise Friday to prevent a toxic blend of middle-class tax increases and spending cuts from taking effect at the turn of the new year. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

President Barack Obama pauses during a statement on the fiscal cliff negotiations with congressional leaders in the briefing room of the White House on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 in Washington. The negotiations are a last ditch effort to avoid across-the-board first of the year tax increases and deep spending cuts. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. leaves the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, after a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to negotiate the framework for a deal on the fiscal cliff. The end game at hand, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders made a final stab at compromise Friday to prevent a toxic blend of middle-class tax increases and spending cuts from taking effect at the turn of the new year. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., right, accompanied by the committee's ranking Republican, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, to discuss changes in Senate procedural rules. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senate leaders groped for a last-minute compromise Saturday to avoid middle-class tax increases and possibly prevent deep spending cuts at the dawn of the new year as President Barack Obama warned that failure could mean a "self-inflicted wound to the economy."

Obama chastised lawmakers in his weekly radio and Internet address for waiting until the last minute to try and avoid a "fiscal cliff," yet said there was still time for an agreement. "We cannot let Washington politics get in the way of America's progress," he said as the hurry-up negotiations unfolded.

For all the recent expressions of urgency, bargaining took place by phone, email and paper in a Capitol nearly empty except for tourists. Alone among top lawmakers, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell spent the day in his office.

In the Republicans' weekly address, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri cited a readiness to compromise. "Divided government is a good time to solve hard problems ? and in the next few days, leaders in Washington have an important responsibility to work together and do just that," he said.

Even so, there was no guarantee of success, and a dispute over the federal tax on large estates emerged as yet another key sticking point alongside personal income tax rates.

In a blunt challenge to Republicans, Obama said that barring a bipartisan agreement, he expected both houses to vote on his own proposal to block tax increases on all but the wealthy and simultaneously preserve expiring unemployment benefits.

Political calculations mattered as much as deep-seated differences over the issues, as divided government struggled with its first big challenge since the November elections.

Speaker John Boehner remained at arms-length, juggling a desire to avoid the fiscal cliff with his goal of winning another term as speaker when a new Congress convenes next Thursday. Any compromise legislation is certain to include higher tax rates on the wealthy, and the House GOP rank and file rejected the idea when he presented it to them as part of a final attempt to strike a more sweeping agreement with Obama.

Lawmakers have until the new Congress convenes to pass any compromise, and even the calendar mattered. Democrats said they had been told House Republicans might reject a deal until after Jan. 1, to avoid a vote to raise taxes before they had technically gone up and then vote to cut taxes after they had risen.

Nor was any taxpayer likely to feel any adverse impact if legislation is signed and passed into law in the first two or three days of 2013 instead of the final hours of 2012.

Gone was the talk of a grand bargain of spending cuts and additional tax revenue in which the two parties would agree to slash deficits by trillions of dollars over a decade.

Now negotiators had a more cramped goal of preventing additional damage to the economy in the form of higher taxes across the board ? with some families facing increases measured in the thousands of dollars ? as well as cuts aimed at the Pentagon and hundreds of domestic programs.

Republicans said they were willing to bow to Obama's call for higher taxes on the wealthy as part of a deal to prevent them from rising on those less well-off.

Democrats said Obama was sticking to his campaign call for tax increases above $250,000 in annual income, even though he said in recent negotiations he said he could accept $400,000. There was no evidence of agreement even at the higher level.

There were indications from Republicans that estate taxes might hold more significance for them than the possibility of higher rates on income.

One senior Republican, Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, said late Friday he was "totally dead set" against Obama's estate tax proposal, and as if to reinforce the point, Blunt mentioned the issue before any other in his broadcast remarks. "Small businesses and farm families don't know how to deal with the unfair death tax_a tax that the president and congressional leaders have threatened to expand to include even more family farms and even more small businesses," he said.

Several officials said Republicans want to leave the tax at 35 percent after exempting the first $5 million in estate value. Officials said the White House wants a 45 percent tax after a $3.5 million exemption. Without any action by Congress, it would climb to a 55 percent tax after a $1 million exemption on Jan. 1.

Democrats stressed their unwillingness to make concessions on both income taxes and the estate tax, and said they hoped Republicans would choose which mattered more to them.

Officials said any compromise was likely to ease the impact of the alternative minimum tax, originally designed to make sure that millionaires did not escape taxation. If left unchanged, it could hit an estimated 28 million households for the first time in 2013, with an average increase of more than $3,000.

Taxes on dividends and capital gains are also involved in the talks, as well as a series of breaks for businesses and others due to expire at the first of the year.

Obama and congressional Democrats are insisting on an extension of long-term unemployment benefits that are expiring for about 2 million jobless individuals.

Leaders in both parties also hope to prevent a 27 percent fee cut from taking effect on Jan. 1 for doctors who treat Medicare patients.

There was also discussion of a short-term extension of expiring farm programs, in part to prevent a spike in milk prices at the first of the year. It wasn't clear if that was a parallel effort to the cliff talks or had become wrapped into them.

Across-the-board spending cuts that comprise part of the cliff were a different matter.

Republicans say Boehner will insist that they will begin to take effect unless negotiators agreed to offset them with specified savings elsewhere.

That would set the stage for the next round of brinkmanship ? a struggle over Republican calls for savings from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal benefit programs.

The Treasury's ability to borrow is expected to expire in late winter or early spring, and without an increase in the $16.4 trillion limit, the government would face its first-ever default. Republicans have said they will use administration requests for an extension as leverage to win cuts in spending.

Ironically, it was just such a maneuver more than a year ago that set the stage for the current crisis talks over the fiscal cliff.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-29-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-372b028fe0ce45dab4e1980ccd066dcd

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Death Valley Dethrones Impostor As Hottest Place On Earth

Well, of course elevation has everything to do with temperature. Proximity to the seacoast is the other big determinant.

Quito, Ecuador is within 25 km of the equator, but is at an elevation of 2850 m. For each of the twelve months of the year, independently, the average high varies between 18 and 19 C, and the average low, 9 and 11.

Puerto Bolivar, Ecuador is at an elevation of only 27 m, and the corresponding highs are 27-32 and the lows are 20-22. It is right on the coast, which serves to moderate the temp

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/uGa4SQDEjVc/story01.htm

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Star treck: Newlywed Kate Winslet to celebrate wedding in space

Published: 29 December, 2012, 19:39

British actress Kate Winslet (L) and her boyfriend Ned Rocknroll. (Reuters / Siu Chiu)

The 'Titanic' star received the once-in-a-lifetime wedding gift from her husband's millionaire uncle. Kate Winslet is set to travel to space after Richard Branson presented the actress with a $200,000 ticket on his Virgin Galactic suborbital vehicle.

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Winslet wed Ned Rocknroll, the Virgin magnate?s nephew earlier this month, during a secret ceremony in New York, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Accrding to The Sun, Winslet was presented with this pricey gift after last year she helped save the tycoon?s mother from a blaze when his multi-million Carribean villa caught fire, trapping people inside.

That was the time when Kate met her future husband, Ned Rocknroll,who works part-time for Virgin Galactic.

"I'm not sure she wants to go on a one-way trip to Mars, but she wants to go into space," The Daily Telegraph quotes Richard Branson as saying.

Over 500 people, including actor Ashton Kutcher, have already purchased tickets for a space ride on the Virgin vehicle. Prominent British cosmologist Stephen Hawking also received a gift ticket to space from Branson.

The vehicle is now undergoing flight-testing at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California, The Sun says.

Source: http://rt.com/art-and-culture/news/winslet-wedding-gift-space-081/

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Murphy High band plans pep rally, JJP makes repairs as tornado cleanup continues

MOBILE, Alabama -- As Day Four wound down after the Christmas Night tornado, neighbors and business owners continued cleanup efforts, and several folks even had some good news to report.

Over at the Loop, Sahmi El-Farkh was working on his windows and roof at his hair salon, Amadeus Art of Hair and Beauty, which took a hard hit, as did Cantrell Photography next door. He was hoping for dry weather in the next few days so that he could complete more patches on the roof.

In Midtown, members of the Joe Jefferson Playhouse Board of Directors are hopeful that repairs can be finished in time to open their January show, "Wait Until Dark." The theater, at 11 S. Carlen St., built in 1961, lost its HVAC units in the storm, and its roof was damaged from the terra cotta tiles that were blown from buildings down the street at Murphy High School.

Right now, the theater is seeking generators so that the show will go on, according to Danette Richards, president of the board of directors. If all goes as planned, "Wait Until Dark" will run Jan. 11-27.?

Angie Gulledge with the Murphy High School Band Boosters reported a successful fundraiser on Saturday morning, raising $653 with sales of school T-shirts, car flags and MHS 75th anniversary Christmas ornaments. (The ornaments are sold out, but if you'd like to buy a T-shirt or flag, email her at agulledge@thebeehive.us.)

The Mighty Marching Panthers will perform a pep rally concert at 6:15 on Jan. 2 at Mobile Civic Center before the start of the Murphy High parent meeting, Gulledge said. The concert was the brainchild of her daughter, Lily Gulledge, 13, whose older brother, Tripp, plays in the band.

The Gulledges live near Murphy and headed over to the campus to see the damage right after the storm struck.?

"It was awful," said Lily, who's in eighth grade at Phillips Preparatory School and plays percussion in the band. "I'm going to be in the Murphy band next year," she said.?

Her original idea was to have the concert in Murphy's practice field, but the campus is now a construction site and closed to visitors.

The pep rally is not supposed to be a fundraiser, Lily said, but of course donations will be welcome. For details, visit the "Rebuild Murphy Pep Rally" Facebook page.

"Everyone should come," she said, promising that the concert will include the tunes dear to Panther hearts -- the Alma Mater and "I'm So Glad," along with "Amazing Grace."

Source: http://blog.al.com/live/2012/12/murphy_high_band_plans_pep_ral.html

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Health and Fitness: Fun four-minute workout more effective than cardio

Sounds almost too good to be true, but according to fitness researchers it?s not. A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism tested traditional treadmill cardio against a fast-paced bodyweight workout.

Twenty two college-aged, active women split into three groups and did four workouts per week for a month?s duration.

Group A did 30 minutes of treadmill running at 85 percent maximum heart rate.

Group B did eight rounds of 20 seconds of a single exercise (burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or squat thrusts) with 10 seconds of rest between rounds.

Group C did nothing, they were the non-training control group.

The participants enjoyment and the likelihood of them continuing the workout plan were also examined prior to and after training.

Following training, both Groups A and B increased their aerobic fitness levels by the same amount, 7-8 percent. The much shorter bodyweight workout got the same aerobic results as the more traditional 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. However only Group B, the bodyweight workout group, saw an increase in muscle endurance in common exercises like leg extensions (plus 40 percent), chest presses (plus 207 percent), sit-ups (plus 64 percent), push-ups (plus 135 percent), and back extensions (plus 75 percent). Group B got much more bang for their buck, not only improving cardiovascular endurance, but also drastically improving muscle endurance as well.

The researchers concluded that, ?although improvements in cardiovascular fitness are induced by both, whole-body resistance training imparted an additional benefit in the form of improved muscle endurance.? Fast-paced bodyweight training can improve cardiovascular fitness just as well as running on a treadmill, and give better improvements in muscle endurance. All this in just 4 minutes. The best part was that the participants enjoyed the bodyweight workout more and intended to continue the training program more than the treadmill running.

Total body movements should be the foundation for any fitness programs, whether it is for fat loss, athletic improvement or gaining size and strength. Traditional cardiovascular exercise is great if you like to run although if you want to improve your aerobic fitness and look better at the same time, try adding some bodyweight exercises. You might actually like it.

?Kyler Crouse, BS, CSCS, FMS is a personal fitness coach that works out of Sierra Athletic Club and in the homes of clients in the greater Lake Tahoe area. For more information please visit www.KCstrength.com.

Article source: http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20121222/ARCHIVES01/121229952/1057&parentprofile=1057

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Source: http://fitnesstipsblog.tk/?p=2491

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jessicaalva66: johir.khan: Self-Improvement Affirmations with Self ...

Self-Improvement Affirmations with Self-Hypnosis Audios Deal! | Self ...

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Spike Lee Makes Awesome NBA Ads [THE BRIEF] - Business Insider

Good morning, AdLand. Here's what you need to know today:

Spike Lee?starred and directed a new NBA commercial called "The King of New York," about Knicks legend Bernard King's 60-point game against the Nets on Christmas in 1984. Public Enemy's "Get Up Stand Up" provides a soundtrack for this Goodby Silverstein & Partners spot.

Get ready for more targeted television commercial with?Gracenote's?ad replacement system. It will premiere at CES.?

George Foreman Grills?is taking a new marketing approach. It has launched a $3 million campaign that uses a weight loss contest as a way to advertise the appliance.

Ad Age?looks at?what advertisers did wrong this year.

Here are five common?Facebook?marketing mistakes via All Facebook.

Previously on Business Insider Advertising:

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The night sky's top sights for 2013

David Lillo / AFP - Getty Images

Comet McNaught shines above Chile in 2007. Will Comet ISON be as bright in 2013?

By Alan Boyle

Next year's most eagerly awaited shows in the skies above might not happen ? but that's exactly what makes them so eagerly awaited. There's nothing like uncertainty to build up the drama, and right now, Comet PANSTARRS and Comet ISON are surrounded by bright haloes of uncertainty.

The picture should be getting clearer in the weeks ahead for the comet formally known as C/2011 L4 PANSTARRS, which was discovered in 2011. It'll take a few more months to get a fix on C/2012 S1 ISON, which was first spotted this September. All we can say right now is, if the comets live up to their current high expectations, PANSTARRS could blaze as bright as Venus in March ? and?then, in November and December, ISON could outshine the moon to the?"Comet of the Century."


"If Comet ISON can survive perihelion passage ...?then we are almost surely in for a?striking display in the morning sky as Comet ISON recedes from the Sun next?December," veteran observer John Bortle said this month on the Comets Mailing List. "Its immense tail, partly the result of our extremely favorable?viewing?circumstances in this case and just as with the Great Comet of 1680,?could well result in a tail of amazing length and surface brightness, even if?tipped by only tiny, relatively insignificant head."

The best part is that these comets will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere, unlike the spectacles created by Comet McNaught in 2007 and by Comet Lovejoy a year ago. Why let the Southern Hemisphere have all the fun?

PANSTARRS and ISON are just two of the highlights coming up for skywatchers next year. Here's my top-10 list for 2013, plus some bonus picks from Space.com skywatching columnist Joe Rao:

Jan. 2-3 for Quadrantid meteors: If the weather's clear, the Quadrantid meteors should put on serviceable show this year. The Quadrantids are sparked by debris from asteroid 2003 EH1, and appear to emanate from an area of the sky known as Quadrans Muralis, around the northern tip of the constellation Bootes. The peak rate is expected to reach 80 meteors per hour, but the glare of a waning gibbous moon could interfere somewhat. "Unlike the more famous Perseid and Geminid meteor showers,?the Quadrantids only last a few hours, so it's the morning of Jan. 3 or nothing," NASA says. Check out NASA's Quadrantids website for a video feed on the nights of Jan. 2-4.

April 25 for partial lunar eclipse: Three eclipses of the moon are coming during 2013?? and although none of them will be spectacular, they're worth keeping an eye on if you're in the right place. The April 25 partial eclipse will be visible from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. The other two lunar eclipses are a nearly imperceptible hint of a penumbral eclipse on May 25, and a somewhat deeper penumbral eclipse on Oct. 18-19 (visible, at least in part, from the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia). Even if you miss seeing these eclipses with your own eyes, there'll be plenty of photo galleries showing the moon in its best light.

March for Comet PANSTARRS: The comet is due to streak past Earth on March 5 and make its turn around the sun, known as perihelion, on March 9-10. The prime time for observers at mid-northern latitudes will come after perihelion, when PANSTARRS will be visible in the evening sky. On March 12, the comet is expected to share the sunset's afterglow with a beautiful crescent moon.

Issei Kato / Reuters file

Clouds cast a pall over an annular solar eclipse as seen from Hirai Daini Elementary School in Tokyo on May 21, 2012. An annular eclipse is due to occur on May 10, 2013, and in November there'll be a hybrid eclipse that morphs from annularity to totality.

May 9-10 for annular solar eclipse: A "Ring of Fire" eclipse will roll across Australia, Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific, with a partial solar eclipse visible from a wider swath of the Pacific. If past history is any guide, some of us in North America will be watching the event unfold on the evening of the 9th, via webcasts from the scene.?

May 24-28 for planetary party: Mercury, Venus and Jupiter mix it up in western skies over a series of nights in May, with Saturn and the moon adding their shine. The main event may well be the Venus-Jupiter conjunction on May 28 ??but it won't be as spectacular as the double-planet feature we saw in February, because this one will take place so soon after sunset.?

June 23 for Supermoon: The moon goes full just after this year's closest approach to Earth, meaning that it'll look 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than it does at maximum distance. Last May's Supermoon made such a splash that I suspect this could turn into an annual moon-watching event.?

Aug. 11-13 for Perseid meteors: Annual meteor showers have their ups and downs, and the advance word is that 2013 will be an "up" year for the Perseids. The moon will be a mere crescent in the morning sky, cutting down on the glare. The flux of shooting stars is expected to be normal, peaking at around 100 meteors per hour.

Oct. 12 for moon observation: International Observe the Moon Night provides an opportunity for veteran skywatchers to show you the moon at its best?? no, not during the full moon, but during the first-quarter phase. That's when you can get a good look at the moon's craters and shadowy mountains. Check in with the InOMN website for updates.

Nov. 3 for hybrid solar eclipse: This hybrid is a strange one, starting out as an annular "Ring of Fire" eclipse and turning into a total eclipse as the moon's shadow races across the planet. The track of annularity-totality runs across the Atlantic, goes through the middle of Africa and ends up in Somalia. If you can't afford a cruise or an expedition, keep a watch on the webcasts.

November-December for Comet ISON:?Will ISON shine "brighter even than the full moon" a year from now? That seems hard to believe right now, but by next autumn, astronomers should have a good idea just how much of a phenomenon the comet could turn into. NASA's Curiosity rover may be able to snap a picture when ISON passes by Mars in September, and it could become visible to the naked eye in October. It's due to come well within a million miles of the sun at perihelion on Nov. 28?? and that will be the most dramatic moment for skywatchers. Some comets, like last year's Comet Elenin, break up when they slingshot around the sun. Others, like Comet Lovejoy, survive the encounter spectacularly. If ISON lucks out, we could well be raving about the Great Christmas Comet of 2013 by this time next year. (Just don't believe anyone who tells you it's a doomsday comet.)

Bonus round: Over at Space.com, Joe Rao's "13 must-see stargazing events for 2013" also include a close conjunction of the moon and Jupiter on Jan. 21, great evening views of Mercury from Feb. 2 to 23, and a holiday show featuring Venus in December. And don't forget the northern lights: Although auroral displays are hard to predict, the height of the sun's 11-year activity cycle should bring some great light shows to Earth's higher latitudes in 2013.?

More about the coming comets:


Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Source: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/28/16217532-the-night-skys-top-sights-for-2013?lite

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China Real-Name Registration Is Now Law In Country

BEIJING (AP) ? China's government tightened Internet controls Friday with approval of a law that requires users to register their names after a flood of online complaints about official abuses rattled Communist Party leaders.

Authorities say the law will strengthen protections for personal information. But it also is likely to curtail the Internet's status as a forum to complain about the government or publicize corruption.

"Their intention is very clear: It is to take back that bit of space for public opinion, that freedom of speech hundreds of millions of Chinese Internet users have strived for," said Murong Xuecun, a prominent Chinese writer.

The rules approved by China's national legislature highlight the chronic tension between the ruling Communist Party's desire to reap technology's benefits and its insistence on controlling information.

Beijing encourages Web use for business and education but tries to block material deemed subversive or obscene. It has steadily stepped up censorship, especially after social media played a role in protests that brought down governments in Egypt and Tunisia.

The latest measure requires users to provide their real names and other identifying information when they register with access providers or post information publicly.

"This is needed for the healthy development of the Internet," said Li Fei, deputy director of the legislature's Legal Work Committee, at a news conference.

Li rejected complaints that the public will be deprived of a forum that has been used to expose misconduct.

"The country's constitution protects citizens' rights in supervising and criticizing the state and government officials' behavior," Li said.

The measure comes amid reports that Beijing might be disrupting use of software that allows Web surfers to see sites abroad that are blocked by its extensive filters.

At the same time, regulators have proposed rules that would bar foreign companies from distributing books, news, music and other material online in China.

The government has given no indication how it will deal with the technical challenge of registering the more than 500 million Chinese who use the Internet.

Microblog operators, two of which say they have more than 300 million users each, were ordered last year to confirm the identities of users but acknowledge they have yet to complete that task.

The main ruling party newspaper, People's Daily, has called weeks for tighter Internet controls, saying rumors spread online have harmed the public.

The secretive ruling party is uneasy about the public's eagerness to discuss politics and sensitive issues online despite threats of punishment.

In March, authorities scrambled to squelch online rumors about a possible coup amid a political crisis that led to the downfall of a prominent party figure, Bo Xilai, ahead of the party's fall leadership transition. A dozen websites were closed and six people detained.

This week, 70 prominent Chinese scholars and lawyers circulated an online petition this week appealing for free speech, independent courts and for the ruling party to encourage private enterprise.

Communist leaders who see the Internet as a promising source of economic growth were slow to enforce the same level of control they impose on movies, books and other media, apparently for fear of hurting e-commerce and other fledgling online businesses.

Until recently, Web surfers could post anonymous comments online or on microblogs.

That gave ordinary Chinese a unique opportunity to express themselves to a public audience in a society where newspapers, television and other media all are state-controlled. Some of the most popular microbloggers have millions of readers.

It also made the Internet a clearinghouse for accusations of official misconduct.

A local party official in China's southwest was fired in November after scenes from a videotape of him having sex with a young woman spread quickly on websites.

Web surfers can circumvent filters by using virtual private networks ? encryption software that is used by companies for financial data and other sensitive information. But VPN users say disruptions began in 2011 and are increasing, suggesting regulators are trying to block encrypted traffic.

___

AP researcher Flora Ji contributed.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/china-real-name-registration_n_2373808.html

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Friday, December 28, 2012

San Jose State tops Bowling Green in Military Bowl

San Jose State interim head coach Kent Baer celebrates with his team after the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against Bowling Green at RFK Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, in Washington. San Jose State won 29-20. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

San Jose State interim head coach Kent Baer celebrates with his team after the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against Bowling Green at RFK Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, in Washington. San Jose State won 29-20. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

San Jose State wide receiver Kyle Nunn (19) is picked up by offensive tackle Jon Meyer (79), tight end Peter Tuitupou (15) and tight end Keenan Brown (85) after his touchdown catch during the first half of the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against Bowling Green at RFK Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Bowling Green quarterback Matt Schilz looks to pass during the first half of the Military Bowl NCAA college football game against San Jose State at RFK Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Campaign ribbons blow onto members of the Honor Guard before they take the field with the Colors for events before the Military Bowl NCAA college football game between San Jose State and Bowling Green at RFK Stadium, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(AP) ? The best season in San Jose State history? There's a good case for it, yet it's one nobody could make if the person with the awkward role of interim, on-the-way-out coach hadn't finished the job.

The Spartans are done for the year with an 11-2 record. Ten wins go to Mike MacIntyre, who rebuilt a program that was 1-12 just two years ago before leaving this month for a better payday at Colorado.

Win No. 11 goes to defensive coordinator Kent Baer, who was put in charge and got to speak in a victorious locker room after Thursday's 29-20 win over Bowling Green in the Military Bowl.

"I didn't cry, but I wanted to," Baer said. "I stood tall, took a couple of deep breaths. It's been a little emotional the last few days."

Baer wanted to stay at San Jose State, but he was passed over for the full-time job in favor of San Diego's Ron Caragher and plans to follow MacIntyre to the Buffalos. With all those distractions going on, the No. 24 Spartans could be forgiven for being a little rattled ahead of their first bowl game since 2006.

Instead, San Jose State, in the national rankings for the first time since 1975, capped the year with a seven-game winning streak for its first 11-win season since 1940, recovering quickly from the shock of MacIntyre's departure with the help of Baer.

"We were kind of, 'What's going to happen next year?'" defensive end Travis Johnson said. "We started thinking too much, and we started trying to figure out what coaches are going to be here, what players are going to be here, and then coach Baer came in the next day and he basically told us that it doesn't matter ? and what we set out to do, we're going to accomplish.

"It stopped all the thought of coach Mac being gone. We still thought about him, but it was, 'OK, he's somewhere else. We're going to go and get the win and we're going to do it with what we have.'"

What they do have is a stellar quarterback, David Fales, who led the nation in completion percentage in the regular season. The dart-throwing transfer started strong and finished stronger in the wind and cold at RFK Stadium, completing 33 of 43 passes for 395 yards and two touchdowns.

Fales led the drive that set up Austin Lopez's 27-yard field goal with 4:43 remaining, and De'Leon Eskridge's 1-yard run with 2:34 left provided the insurance. Fales was an unknown when he arrived on campus in the spring, but he quickly became the offensive leader the Spartans needed.

"He was like that puzzle piece that was able to make everything come together," Johnson said.

Bowling Green (8-5) had a similar turnaround, improving from 2-10 in 2010 under coach Dave Clawson. A defense that allowed only 15.8 points per game in the regular season ? ninth best among FBS schools ? did a decent job against a San Jose State team that was averaging 35.3 points.

But give Fales enough chances and he'll find a way to put points on the board. He went over the 4,000-yard passing mark for the season, hitting Kyle Nunn for a 33-yard score to give the Spartans a first-quarter lead and finding the stutter-stepping Chandler Jones for an 18-yard reception that put San Jose State back in front, 19-13, in the third quarter.

Bowling Green retook the lead in the fourth quarter with a 68-yard drive, finished off by John Pettigrew's 1-yard run with 10:26 remaining.

But Fales went 7 for 10 on a 68-yard march that got well within range for Lopez, who had a perfect season ? making all 17 of his field goal attempts. The Spartans then forced a turnover that led to Eskridge's clinching touchdown.

Lopez was less fortunate as an emergency punter after Harrison Waid was injured on San Jose State's first punt of the game. Lopez's first punt was blocked, setting up a Bowling Green field goal.

It was the first of two blocked punts in the game. San Jose State's Bene Benwikere got his hand on one in the second half. The ball went out of the end zone for a safety that cut Bowling Green's lead to 13-12.

Soon, Fales had the Spartans back in front.

"Two years ago, we were 2-10," Clawson said. "We were awful. A year ago we made a nice step that we went from being awful to average. I felt this was a team that could make that next step, and we won three more games. ... We found a way to get from five to eight. Now we have to find a way to get from eight to 11."

The Military Bowl was supposed to pit Army against an ACC team, but Army isn't bowl-eligible and the ACC didn't have enough bowl-eligible schools to fulfill its bowl tie-ins. As a result, there was little excitement for the game in the nation's capital. The upper deck of RFK Stadium was virtually empty during the second half of the MAC-WAC matchup, and the attendance was announced as 17,835.

___

Follow Joseph White on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-27-FBC-Military-Bowl/id-3ee866c924564b73842409d7d7facecd

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Americans from Central African Republic capital evacuated

Reuters

Hundreds protest in front of the French Embassy in the Bangui, Central African Republic, on Wednesday, expressing anger over the lack of response by the former colonial power to rebels advancing on the capital.

?

By NBC News and wire services

U.S. diplomats and other American citizens have been evacuated from the Central African Republic and U.S. embassy operations have been suspended in the capital, Bangui, the State Department said Thursday. The move came as?rebel forces?advanced on the city.

"This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations with the (Central African Republic)," said State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell.

Insurgents on motorbikes and in pickup trucks have driven to within 45 miles of Bangui after weeks of fighting, threatening to end President Francois Bozize's nearly 10-year rule over the turbulent, resource-rich country.

Bozize appealed to the United States and France to help push back the rebels.


Some U.S. Special Forces are operating in the country, trying to track down the Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group responsible for killing thousands of civilians across four African nations.?There was no indication that these forces would be used to aid Bozize against the advancing insurgents.

Earlier a senior defense official told NBC News that there were "several hundred" civilians, including Americans and citizens of close U.S. allies who may be evacuated, but comments by the State Department's Ventrell suggested fewer had left:?

"Ambassador (Laurence) Wohlers and his diplomatic team left Bangui today along with several private U.S. citizens," according to Ventrell.

The non-combatant evacuation operation transported "U.S. citizens and designated foreign nationals to safe havens in the region," according to a statement from?Defense Department spokesman Todd Breasseale. The flight out of Bangui was "wheels up" at about 7:15 p.m. ET.?

Paris said its troops would protect French nationals, but not be involved in repelling the rebels.?

Some 1,200 French nationals live in the CAR, mostly in the capital, according to the French Foreign Ministry, where they typically work for mining firms or aid groups.

French nuclear energy group Areva mines the Bakouma uranium deposit in the CAR's south ? France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony.?

Bozize on Thursday appealed for French and U.S. military support to stop the SELEKA rebel coalition, which has promised to overthrow him unless he implements a previous peace deal in full.

France: 'Those days are over'
He told a crowd of anti-rebel protesters in the riverside capital that he had asked Paris and Washington to help move the rebels away from the capital to clear the way for peace talks which regional leaders say could be held soon in Libreville, Gabon.

"We are asking our cousins the French and the United States, which are major powers, to help us push back the rebels to their initial positions in a way that will permit talks in Libreville to resolve this crisis," Bozize said.

Georges Gobet / AFP - Getty Images file

Central African Republic President Francois Bozize in 2008.

France has 250 soldiers in its landlocked former colony as part of a peacekeeping mission and Paris in the past has ousted or propped up governments ? including by using air strikes to defend Bozize against rebels in 2006.

But French President Francois Hollande poured cold water on the latest request for help.

"If we have a presence, it's not to protect a regime, it's to protect our nationals and our interests and in no way to intervene in the internal business of a country, in this case the Central African Republic," Hollande said on the sidelines of a visit to a wholesale food market outside Paris.

"Those days are over," he said.

France is increasingly reluctant to directly intervene in conflicts in its former colonies. Since coming to power in May, Hollande has promised to put ties with its former colonies on a healthier footing.

The rebel advance has highlighted the instability of a country that has remained poor since independence from Paris in 1960 despite rich deposits of uranium, gold and diamonds. Average income is barely over $2 a day.

Regional African leaders, meantime, tried to broker a ceasefire deal and rebels said they had temporarily halted their advance on Bangui to allow talks to take place.

Officials from around central Africa were to meet in Bangui later on Thursday to open initial talks with the government and rebels.

A rebel spokesman said fighters had temporarily halted their advance to allow dialogue.

"We will not enter Bangui," Col. Djouma Narkoyo, the rebel spokesman, told Reuters by telephone.

Previous rebel promises to stop advancing have been broken, and a diplomatic source said rebels had taken up positions around Bangui on Thursday, effectively surrounding it.

The atmosphere remained tense in Bangui the day after anti-rebel protests broke out, and residents were stocking up on food and water.

Government soldiers deployed at strategic sites and French troops reinforced security at the French embassy after protesters threw rocks at the building on Wednesday.

Bozize came to power in a 2003 rebellion that overthrew President Ange-Felix Patasse.

The government holds little sway outside the capital, and in some parts of the country, the consequences of conflicts in troubled neighbors Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have spilled over.

This report includes reporting by Reuters and NBC News' Courtney Kube.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16193391-us-evacuates-americans-from-central-african-republic-capital-as-rebels-close-in?lite

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New Year's Resolutions (JOKES)

When I thought about the evils of drinking in the New Year, I gave up thinking.
----

You know it's time for a New Year's resolution to lose weight when you step on a talking scale and it says, "One at a time, please!"
----

A man asks his friend for a cigarette. His friend says, "I think you made a New Year resolution to quit smoking." The man says, " I am in the process of quitting. Right now, I am in the middle of phase one." "What's phase one?" "I've quit buying."

See More Laughs


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US jobless aid applications fall to 5-year low

This Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, photo, shows a construction worker at a new site for a future Fresh & Easy supermarket in Los Angeles. The Labor Department said Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 29,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 343,000, the lowest in two months. It is the second-lowest total this year. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

This Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, photo, shows a construction worker at a new site for a future Fresh & Easy supermarket in Los Angeles. The Labor Department said Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, that weekly applications for unemployment benefits fell 29,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 343,000, the lowest in two months. It is the second-lowest total this year. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

(AP) ? The average number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits over the past month fell to the lowest level since March 2008, a sign that the job market is healing.

The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications dropped 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 350,000 in the week ended Dec. 22. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell to a nearly five-year low of 356,750.

Still, the Christmas holiday may have distorted the figures. A department spokesman said many state unemployment offices were closed Monday and Tuesday and could not provide exact data. That forced the government to rely on estimates. Normally, the government might estimate application data for one or two states. Last week, it had to use estimates for 19.

The estimates are usually fairly accurate, the spokesman said. Even so, the government will likely revise the figures by more than normal next week.

Weekly applications are a proxy for layoffs. They have mostly fluctuated this year between 360,000 and 390,000. At the same time, employers have added an average of 151,000 jobs a month in the first 11 months of 2012. That's just enough to slowly reduce the unemployment rate.

Economists were mildly encouraged by the decline in applications. But they emphasized that the figures are volatile around the holidays. They were also distorted until recent weeks by Superstorm Sandy.

Many expect next week's jobs report to show that employers added about 150,000 jobs in December.

The decline in unemployment benefit applications suggests companies are not yet slashing jobs because of concerns over the "fiscal cliff." That's the name for sharp tax increases and spending cuts that are scheduled to take effect next week unless the Obama administration and Congress can reach a deal before then.

Still, unemployment remains high and companies are reluctant to ramp up hiring. The unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent in November from 7.9 percent in October mostly because many of the unemployed stopped looking for jobs. The government counts people as unemployed only if they are actively searching for work.

Negotiations between President Barack Obama and House Republican leaders on a package to avoid the fiscal cliff stalemated last week. Obama and congressional lawmakers return to Washington Thursday with just days to go before the deadline.

The total number of people receiving benefits rose 73,000 to 5.48 million in the week ended Dec. 8, the latest data available.

That includes about 2.1 million people who have been out of work for at least six months and are receiving extended benefits paid for by the federal government. The program is ending at the end of the year. That means those recipients will receive their final checks next week, unless an extension is granted.

Obama wants an extension included in the budget deal. Republicans have yet to agree to that.

There are signs the economy is improving. The once-battered housing market is recovering, which should lead to more construction jobs in the coming months. Companies ordered more long-lasting manufactured goods in November, a sign they are investing more in equipment and software. And Americans spent more in November. Consumer spending drives nearly 70 percent of economic growth.

While a short fall over the cliff won't push the economy into recession, most economists expect some tax increases to take effect next year. That could slow growth.

Consumers are starting to worry about higher taxes. A measure of consumer confidence fell to a five-month low this month, a survey released Friday found. And reports show the holiday shopping season was the weakest since 2008, when the country was in a deep recession.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-27-Unemployment%20Benefits/id-debd0f4fbd114929a2385b3ffa19846f

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Maine wind power inches toward generation goals

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) -- Wind power generated in Maine is now producing nearly 500 megawatts, enough to supply the average needs of 175,000 households. However, it's still well short of the state's goal for wind generation by 2015.

But new projects that are in conceptual stages, under regulatory review or approved but facing challenges could catapult the state to half of its wind-power goal of 2,000 megawatts by 2015. The Legislature has set that goal for installed wind power capacity, along with 3,000 megawatts by 2020.

Maine's operating wind power plants have a capacity to produce 468 megawatts online now, according to figures from the state Department of Environmental Protection, which regulates grid-scale projects in Maine's Unorganized Territory.

The year's end brings the possibility of big change to the industry. The federal Production Tax Credit, used to encourage development of renewable energy projects, is due to expire at the end of 2012.

That's caused "very legitimate" concerns among wind power developers, said Jeremy Payne, executive director of the Maine Renewable Energy Association. "It's a very important piece of development" in wind projects, he said.

A national industry group, the American Wind Energy Association, says that with the looming expiration of the credit, wind project developers are not making plans in the United States and American manufacturers are not receiving orders, costing jobs.

Developers' interest does not appear to have waned in Maine, which is by far New England's largest wind producer but accounts for only a small fraction of total U.S. output. According to the American Wind Energy Association, the U.S. wind industry totaled 51,630 megawatts of cumulative wind capacity through the end of September.

Maine has 11 operational wind farms producing anywhere from 4.5 to 132 megawatts, five of which are owned by Massachusetts-based First Wind. They include First Wind's Mars Hill in Aroostook County, Rollins in Penobscot County, Stetson I and II in Washington County, and its newest, Bull Hill in Hancock County.

TransCanada Maine LLC completed the state's largest operating wind farm, with 44 turbines, in Kibby Township in Franklin County in 2010 and expanded it by 11 at a second site. In Oxford County, Independence Wind's Record Hill and Patriot Renewables' Spruce Mountain projects are producing power.

The two smallest sites, with three turbines each, are Fox Island Wind LLC's site on Vinalhaven island in Knox County and Beaver Ridge LLC's project in Freedom, Waldo County.

But several more projects are in process at the Department of Environmental Protection or are expected to be in the year ahead. Their approval and development would bring the state closer to meeting its goals, which is intended to increase the reliability of the region's electricity supply through indigenous renewable power that will not produce greenhouse gas emissions or other air pollution.

First Wind is expected to submit an application by the end of January for a 60- to 65-turbine project that would be built in Kingsbury Plantation in Piscataquis County, the DEP said. It is known as the Bingham Wind Project.

Also expected by the end of January is an application for an expansion at Bull Hill.

Conceptual plans for projects in Moscow in Somerset County and Alder Stream in Franklin County have emerged. The latter has already gotten a boost from the federal government.

In early 2012, the Energy Department awarded $1 million to the Penobscot Indian Nation to help it move closer to developing the 227-megawatt Alder Stream project. The grant is to help with engineering designs, meet permit requirements and identify power purchasers.

"We don't expect an application before 2014," said Mark Bergeron, director of DEP's Division of Land Resources Regulation.

Meanwhile, the DEP is reviewing First Wind's revised application to build a wind farm on Bowers Mountain straddling Penobscot and Washington counties in eastern Maine. The new plan envisions 16 instead of 27 turbines as originally proposed, and placing them in less visible locations.

Permits have been approved for First Wind's Oakfield project in Aroostook County and Patriot Renewables' Saddleback Ridge in Oxford County, but those approvals are being challenged by citizen opposition groups. Patriot's Canton Mountain project, also in Oxford County, is under DEP review. The Pisgah Mountain Windpower in Penobscot County is also being challenged.

Independence Wind's Highland proposal for a 39-turbine, 117-megawatt project in Somerset County has been withdrawn, and Noble Environmental Power LLC's Passadumkeag Wind Park proposal in Penobscot County has been denied.

Wind power produced in Maine is fed into the regional grid, but some stays in the state, Payne said. A 2011 power purchase agreement keeps Mars Hill power in northern Maine, and part of the Rollins wind deal was to keep power in Maine.

"Developers stand ready to sign more of these contracts" to keep Maine-generated wind power in the state, Payne said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/maine-wind-power-inches-toward-151029929.html

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