Asian stocks mostly down on Europe bank worries (AP)

BANGKOK ? Asian stock markets were mostly lower Thursday amid new signs of pressure on Europe's banking system and a downturn on Wall Street.

Benchmark oil lingered above $99 per barrel while the dollar rose against the euro but fell against the yen.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.7 percent to 8,367.73. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 0.9 percent lower at 18,349.90. Australia's S&P ASX 200 fell 0.6 percent to 4,064.20. Benchmarks in India and Indonesia were also lower.

But South Korea's Kospi reversed earlier losses and gained 0.1 percent to 1,827.17. Benchmarks in Singapore and Taiwan also rose after a lower opening. Shares in mainland China and Malaysia were also higher. Overall, stock markets were quieter than normal as many traders go on vacation the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Investor sentiment waned hours after the European Central Bank said banks had parked $590.72 billion with it overnight, surpassing the record set only Monday. That means European banks were less willing to take the risk of making short-term loans to each other, opting instead to earn low interest rates from the ECB ? with money lent by the central bank itself.

Francis Lun, managing director of Lyncean Holdings in Hong Kong, said the action on the part of the banks "defeated the purpose" of the ECB lending operation, which was to spur business activity.

"Investors are disappointed at the development," Lun said. "Europe still has not found an answer on how to solve its sovereign debt crisis. There's no solution, and they are trying cosmetic measures, which really do not address the problem."

The development also shook confidence in the euro, which on Wednesday dropped to $1.2910 ? its lowest level against the dollar in nearly a year ? before recovering slightly.

"As we have seen time and time again throughout 2011, when EUR/USD falls, so does equities, and so does gold, with traders buying into fixed income assets," Chris Weston of IG Markets in Melbourne wrote in a research note.

Even successful bond auctions in Italy failed to lift the euro against the dollar. Demand for Italian bonds was strong Wednesday, and the country was able to pay lower interest rates.

Meanwhile, the yen's rise to a 10-year high against the euro put stress on Japan's exporters. Kyodo News agency said the euro briefly fell to 100.35 yen in Tokyo, its lowest level against the Japanese currency since June 2001.

Honda Motor Corp. fell 1.4 percent. Sharp Corp. shed 3.6 percent. Yamaha Motor Corp. and Suzuki Motor Corp. both lost 1 percent.

Commodity shares in Australia came under pressure amid worries about the state of the global economy. Gold miner Newcrest Mining Ltd. lost 3.1 percent. Woodside Petroleum fell 1.1 percent. OZ Minerals fell 3.3 percent after the company said copper concentrate may have spilled from a derailed train.

In currency trading Thursday, the euro fell to $1.2929 from $1.2941 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar fell to 77.72 yen from 77.91 yen.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.1 percent to 12,151.41. The S&P 500 fell 1.3 percent to 1,249.64. The Nasdaq composite declined 1.3 percent to 2,589.98.

Benchmark crude for February delivery rose 6 cents to $99.42 a barrel at midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.98 to settle at $99.36 in New York on Wednesday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_on_re_as/world_markets

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Body scanners cause cancer? Well maybe | SmartPlanet

I was in Canada this week and on my way back to New York through the Ottawa airport I chose to be body scanned. Something had triggered the metal detector. Maybe the underwire in my bra they guessed. So security offered, ?Pat down or scan?? I chose scan because I was in a rush and pat downs take a lot of time. Up to 15 minutes sometimes. It?s easy to be scanned. But every time I?ve been scanned (three times) I feel uneasy.

ProPublica?s ongoing investigation of scanners in the U.S. provides some answers to common worries.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to install body scanners at every security check lane by 2014. And the TSA confirms that the scanners pose ?no health or safety risk for any passenger.? They?ve apparently been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and they?ve been used for years in airports around the world. (I went through my first in Canada in 2009.)

But there have been cancer concerns with the scanner that uses X-rays.

In independent, peer-reviewed studies, radiation experts concluded that the X-ray scanner could cause six to 100 airline passengers each year to develop cancer. Outside the United States, few countries use X-ray imaging machines, also known as backscatters, in their airports. And the FDA has no authority to approve body scanners before they are sold because they are electronic products, not medical devices.

Just this past November the European Union decided to prohibit X-ray body scanners in all European airports. Now members of Congress are asking the TSA to do an independent safety review.

Right now the TSA uses two types of scanners, the millimeter-wave machine and the backscatter X-ray machine. ProPublica dissects the two here.

The millimeter wave machine, below, sends radio frequency waves over your body and the energy reflected back is analyzed for suspicious items.

To address the controversy of the ?virtual strip search? the TSA only uses a generic unisex image that looks like a cartoon outline of a human, see image at left below.

There are no known health risks with a millimeter wave machine. Currently, there are about 300 of them in U.S. airports, including major hubs like Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Francisco. The U.S. uses the L-3 Communications? ProVision scanner that runs about $170,000 to $180,000.

The backscatter machine (below) emits a low intensity X-ray beam over the body. Now these rays do not go through the body like your typical medical X-rays, but rather the rays are reflected back to detectors that then create a low resolution, whitish 2D image (also below.)

After being cleared the images are deleted. According to the TSA each scan gives off less than 10 microREM of radiation, equivalent to the radiation we are subjected to when we fly at 30,000 feet for three minutes. This appears to contradict the statement above regarding studies that found six to 100 people could develop cancer from these machines. I imagine there are a lot of variables (existing health of the passenger for one) that need to be accounted for in performing accurate studies. Just living in New York City, for instance, increases my chances of getting breast cancer. These machines need to be compared to other sources of radiation that we are all exposed to daily in cities.

But rightly so, people have asked why the TSA chooses to use the backscatter as opposed to just the millimeter wave machines. From ProPublica:

The TSA has said that keeping both technologies in play encourages the manufacturers to improve detection capability while lowering the cost for the taxpayer. The agency says the X-ray machine is safe because the radiation is equivalent to the amount passengers receive in two minutes of flying at altitude.
But ProPublica found some potential problems with the millimeter-wave scanner. Several other countries have reported a high rate of false alarms caused by innocuous things, such as folds in clothing, buttons and even sweat.

There are about 250 X-ray scanners (Rapiscan?s Secure 1000 scanner) in U.S. airports. It?s in hubs like Los Angeles, Chicago O?Hare and New York?s John F. Kennedy.? It costs about $170,000 to $180,000.

In terms of effectiveness, well that has yet to be seen. Apparently studies have suggested that scanners could miss plastic explosives similar to the one used by the ?Underwear Bomber? in 2009. The Department of Homeland Security is evaluating how accurately the TSA is monitoring the radiation of the backscatters and the Government Accountability Office is investigating the detection accuracy of both machines.

By the way, the security officers in the Ottawa airport never did confirm what set off the initial trigger that led me to be scanned.

[via ProPublica]

[Photo publik16]

Related on Smart Planet:

Source: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/thinking-tech/body-scanners-cause-cancer-well-maybe/9668

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Maldives closes hundreds of luxury resort spas

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) ? Maldives ordered hundreds of its luxury resorts to close their spas nearly a week after a protest led by opposition parties demanding a halt to "anti-Islamic" activities, the government said Friday.

A statement from the president's office said "the government has decided to close massage parlors and spas in the Maldives, following an opposition-led religious protest last week calling for their closure."

An official from the president's office said the tourism ministry notified the resorts Thursday but hasn't confirmed if the spas have been closed. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

The Indian Ocean archipelago with 1,192 tiny coral islands is known for its exquisite resorts.

Thousands at last week's protest called on the government to halt what they called "anti-Islamic" activities. Sunni Islam is the official religion in the Maldives and practicing any other faith is forbidden.

Last week's protest was called by the opposition Adhaalat, or Justice, Party and several other groups that accuse President Mohammed Nasheed's government of compromising principles of Islam and want strict Islamic law.

The protesters also want authorities to stop the sale of alcohol in the islands, shut down brothels operating in the guise of massage parlors and demolish monuments gifted by other countries marking a South Asian summit last month because they see them as idols.

They also wanted to halt a plan to allow direct flights to Israel.

Though the country does not allow stoning or executions, it is under scrutiny for its absence of religious freedom and for punishments such as public flogging.

Debates on religious issues have emerged since a group vandalized a monument gifted by Pakistan marking a South Asian summit last month with the image of Buddha. Buddhism was part of the present Islamic republic's history.

An angry protest last month followed a call by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay for the Maldives to end floggings of women being punished for adultery.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-30-AS-Maldives-Spas-Closed/id-beac896777a94b1a880245e844e65c2d

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NBA Legend Michael Jordan Engaged (omg!)

Christmas was a big day for engagements, and now it appears yet another celebrity spent the holiday proposing - basketball legend Michael Jordan.

A spokesperson for the NBA icon confirmed to WCNC in Charlotte, NC, that he proposed on Christmas to his girlfriend -- model Yvette Prietto, 32.

PLAY IT NOW: Britney Spears Engaged!

Michael isn't the only celebrity who got engaged over Christmas.

Matthew McConaughey proposed to Camila Alves, while Wyonna Judd and her band mate, Cactus Moser, also became engaged on the same day.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Game On! Sexy Male Athletes!

This will be the second marriage for Michael, 48.

He was previously married to Juanita Jordan, before the pair divorced in 2006.

Other stars who recently became engaged include Britney Spears and Jason Trawick; John Legend and model Chrissy Teigen; and "American Idol" alum Danny Gokey and Leyicet Peralta.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood?s Smokin? Hot Couples

Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_nba_legend_michael_jordan_engaged004902022/44031778/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/nba-legend-michael-jordan-engaged-004902022.html

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Community Event - Anne-Marie and Dwight host Ontario Black History Society's 16th Annual Brunch

Join CBC News Toronto hosts Anne-Marie Mediwake and Dwight Drummond at the 16th Annual Ontario Black History Society Kick-Off Brunch marking the official recognition by the Province of Ontario designating the month of February as Black History Month.

The Ontario Black History Society is a non-profit registered Canadian charity, dedicated to the study, preservation and promotion of Black History and heritage. The OBHS successfully initiated the formal celebration of February as Black History Month in our city, the province and across the country in cooperation with The Honourable Jean Augustine.

What: Ontario Black History Society's annual brunch
When: Sunday, January 29, 2012, 12 - 4 pm
Where: Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex, Governor's Room
Admission: This is a ticketed event.

For more information, visit blackhistorysociety.ca

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/toronto/community/mt/2012/01/anne-marie-and-dwight-host-ontario-black-history-societys-16th-annual-brunch.html

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GOP hopefuls know where to find slice of Iowa life

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa ? Iowa is not, as many Republican presidential hopefuls are finding out, merely the land of mom-and-pop coffee shops, quaint town squares and golden farm fields. It's also the home of Pizza Ranch.

The Iowa-based chain, where the salad bar holds ham chunks and five kinds of mayonnaise-based salads, and covered wagons grace the napkins, has become the de facto stop for conservative candidates ? in part because Pizza Ranches are in virtually every town.

Michele Bachmann visited 14 Pizza Ranches in one recent week; the "fast casual" restaurant fits with her blink-and-you-miss-it campaign strategy that sometimes includes 11 events a day.

"If there's an event at the Pizza Ranch, nine times out of 10, it's a political event," said Craig Robinson, editor of the website Iowa Republican. "They all seem more than willing to host any candidate coming through town."

The cowboy-themed restaurants, which serve pizza, fried chicken and greens from a "mile-long" salad bar, are popular political destinations because they don't charge for events and are located in the small and midsize towns candidates need to visit on their whistle-stop tours through the state.

Conservatives like Pizza Ranch because it's a Christian-oriented restaurant whose mission is "to glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in" and whose charity blog, PizzaRanchServes, often discusses Bible passages.

"We call it Christian Pizza because it is a chain that's also a ministry, which does good works in a faith-centered way," said Steffen Schmidt, an Iowa State University professor.

Bob Vander Plaats, head of the Family Leader, a conservative group, said Pizza Ranch restaurants became more popular for politicians after Mike Huckabee based many of his campaign events at them in 2008 and pulled off a surprise caucus win.

Vander Plaats, who attended high school with Pizza Ranch founder Adrie Groeneweg, stopped at 69 of the restaurants during a 99-county bus tour this year to unite conservative voters.

But Huckabee wasn't the first candidate to stump at the restaurants: Previous campaigners include Dan Quayle and even a couple of Democrats, Howard Dean and John Edwards.

"I wish I could take credit for what's become known as the Pizza Ranch strategy," said Eric Woolson, who managed Huckabee's campaign in 2008. "But the truth is, necessity is the mother of invention; when you're under the gun trying to schedule a location and find someplace quick and convenient, it works out."

Many Pizza Ranches appeal to upstart candidates because the rooms are small enough that they don't look too empty if only a dozen people show up. Candidates also know what they're getting into at a Pizza Ranch: chairs with horseshoes on the back, bathrooms marked "Cowboys" and "Cowgirls," crayons for the kids and murals of cowboys leading covered wagons past golden mountains.

In a rocky economy, candidates can win points by appearing at low-cost restaurants to show they understand what voters are going through, said Hilary Allen, a planner at Barkley, a Missouri ad agency. "It's an opportunity to a politician to fit in with the average American, especially in the current economy," she said.

As Americans increasingly demand food on the go, even the smallest towns in Iowa and across the heartland have attracted franchises and fast-food restaurants.

For example, Hawarden, population about 2,400, has a Pizza Ranch and a Subway, another popular campaign stop. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad visited many Subway franchises during his re-election campaign, and he says he lost 15 pounds.

Branstad is a Republican, and Republicans tend to be the more frequent visitors to Pizza Ranch.

"Even food has become politicized," said Schmidt, the Iowa State professor.

Asked whether a Democratic candidate had been at any of his three Pizza Ranch franchises, John Mohr wrinkled his forehead and looked at his manager, Natalie.

"No, I don't think we've ever had a Democrat here," he said as voters crammed into a room with stars and belt buckles on the walls to prepare for a Bachmann visit.

She soon strode past the salad bar, the Christmas tree topped with a red cowboy hat and the line of stockings tacked to the wall.

"I'm going to repeal Obamacare, repeal Dodd-Frank and get rid of the tax code," she told a few dozen voters, as a twangy country song played in the background.

Fifteen minutes after Bachmann entered, she was gone, followed by aides and the media. Five minutes later, the restaurant was empty again, except for a pile of blue Bachmann signs, three employees in red shirts and Don Hughes, who looked perplexed.

Hughes, holding two pizza boxes, wasn't sure what all the commotion was about.

"I just came to get pizza," he said.

Source: http://feeds.seattletimes.com/click.phdo?i=c0cc11d60fca772e23cc086e4902f0dc

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How fast?! China tests 300-mph train

BEIJING?? China launched a super-rapid test train over the weekend which is capable of travelling 310-miles per hour (500 kilometers per hour), state media said on Monday, as the country moves ahead with its railway ambitions despite serious problems on its high-speed network.

The train, made by a subsidiary of CSR Corp Ltd , China's largest train maker, is designed to resemble an ancient Chinese sword, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

It "will provide useful reference for current high-speed railway operations", it quoted train expert Shen Zhiyun as saying.

Read more from China in Behind the Wall

But future Chinese trains will not necessarily run at such high speeds, CSR chairman Zhao Xiaogang told the Beijing Morning News.

"We aims to ensure the safety of trains operation," he said.

China's railway industry has had a tough year, highlighted by a collision between two high-speed trains in July which killed at least 40 people. Construction of new high-speed trains in China has since been a near halt.

In February, the railways minister, Liu Zhijun, a key figure behind the boom in the sector, was dismissed over corruption charges that have not yet been tried in court.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45789448/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

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5 Japanese Tech Companies (And Samsung) Set Up LTE Mobile Chip Venture

Big news from Asia's mobile market today: Japan's biggest mobile carrier NTT Docomo (55 million customers, over US$50 billion in sales per year) is teaming up with five other tech powerhouses to develop chips for next-generation mobile devices. Docomo's partners are NEC, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd., Panasonic, and Samsung. The goal is to use synergies in the six companies' expertise in developing small and eco-efficient chips to supply to mobile device manufacturers in Japan, Korea, and other places. Docomo says the main focus will be on "products for LTE and LTE-Advanced mobile communication standards".

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/EfFWnUG0H9A/

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California Creates Justice Unit for E-Crimes

TOOLS ? About Us ? Ash Center ? Webinars ? Innovation Awards ? Innovators Insights Newsletter ? Multimedia ? Calendar ? Groups ? TOPICS ? All Topics ? Criminal Justice and Public Safety ? Economic and Community Development ? Education and Training ? Environment & Natural Resources ? Finance ? Governance and Politics ? Civic Engagement & Social Capital ? Civil Liberties ? Democratization ? E-Government ? Electoral Politics ? Leadership ? Privatization ? Health and Social Services ? Organizational Management ? Public Infrastructure ? Technology ? GLOBAL THEMES ? All Themes ? *Access to Services & Social Justice ? *Accountability ? *Collaboration ? *Education ? *Environment ? *Government Performance & Management ? *Government, Civil Society, & Private Sector Partnerships ? *Health ? *Justice & Security ? *Participation ? *Pluralism, Diversity, Gender, & Inequality ? *Social Services ? *Sustainable Development ? *Technology ? California Creates Justice Unit for E-Crimes Government Technology December 15, 2011 ? ?

?

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Source: http://www.innovations.harvard.edu/news/2065724.html

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"This time of year I start to wonder if Big Oil execs are intentionally being sadistically selfish,..."

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-Here, here. *clink*

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Golf tournament on frozen bay to benefit Presque Isle State Park

The date has been set and registrations are now being taken for the second annual Joe Root's Frostbite Open.

The golf tournament is scheduled for Feb. 19 on frozen Presque Isle Bay.

Named for a hermit who once lived on the peninsula, the event is organized by the Presque Isle Partnership as a fundraiser for Presque Isle State Park.

The first Frostbite Open, in February, drew 144 golfers and raised about $3,400. Organizers said 60 foursomes will be welcomed this year.

See Sunday's Erie Times-News and GoErie.com for more coverage.

Source: http://www.goerie.com/article/20111224/NEWS02/312249931/Golf-tournament-on-frozen-bay-to-benefit-Presque-Isle-State-Park&template=presqueisle

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Yemen leader calls for truce after troops kill anti-Saleh protesters

Yemen?s acting leader on Sunday urged foes and loyalists of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to call a truce, after Mr. Saleh?s forces killed nine people demanding he be tried for the deaths of demonstrators over nearly a year of protests against him.

Troops from what witnesses identified as loyalist units opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters approaching Mr. Saleh?s compound in the capital on Saturday after a days-long march from the city of Taiz by protesters chanting ?No to immunity!?

More related to this story

They referred to a pledge to spare Mr. Saleh prosecution in exchange for giving his powers to his deputy, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and letting a government including opposition parties lead Yemen to a February election to replace Mr. Saleh after 33 years.

That government will separate Mr. Saleh?s forces from rebel army units and tribal militias they have fought in Sanaa, a key to a power transfer deal brokered by neighbouring Gulf states to avert a civil war they fear will affect them.

The state news agency on Sunday quoted Mr. Hadi as saying during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein that all sides ?must commit ? to a truce and respect its rules forbidding escalation? that would threaten the transition deal.

Washington long backed Mr. Saleh as a cornerstone of its ?counter-terrorism? policy in Yemen, which includes the use of drones to kill alleged al-Qaeda members. A CIA drone strike killed Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen linked to al-Qaeda?s regional wing, earlier this year.

Hours after the killings, Mr. Saleh said he would leave for the United States and give way to the new government and the vote to pick his successor. But he gave no timetable for leaving and vowed to return in opposition to the government.

?An unstable Yemen means an unstable region. So, protect the security, unity and stability of Yemen, neighbour states,? he told reporters. ?Its security is yours.?

A defence ministry website on Sunday cited an unidentified official as denying the military ? key units of which are led by Mr. Saleh?s son and nephew ? played any role in the killing of the protesters in Sanaa.

It pinned the blame on the interior ministry ? now led by an opposition figure ? calling witness and news accounts of pro-Saleh troops shooting protesters ?baseless, mendacious claims that are part of a vicious media campaign ? against the defence establishment.?

The interim government, led by a former foreign minister who joined the opposition against Mr. Saleh, late on Saturday called for an investigation of the killings.

The youth-led protesters who have taken to the streets against Mr. Saleh have condemned the opposition parties ? some of which once took part in Mr. Saleh?s governments ? for agreeing to grant him immunity. They demand that he and his inner circle be tried and banned from power.

Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch, called on governments to ignore the immunity pledge and freeze Mr. Saleh?s assets abroad, saying: ?Promises of immunity encourage rather than deter illegal attacks.?

Any post-Saleh government would face overlapping regional conflicts that have displaced nearly half a million people. Attacks on infrastructure hamper the modest oil exports that fund imports of staple foods.

Fighting with Islamists who have seized chunks of territory in a southern province, Abyan, has sent tens of thousands of its residents to flight, compounding Yemen?s humanitarian crisis.

Militants killed a security officer on Sunday night as he got out of his car in the southern port city of Aden, a security source said. The source could not verify the identities of the militants.

Separatist sentiment is also surging in the south.

With files from Mohammed Mukhashaf, Joseph Logan and Nour Merza.

Reuters

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/yemen-leader-calls-for-truce-after-troops-kill-anti-saleh-protesters/article2283369/?utm_medium=Feeds:%20RSS/Atom&utm_source=World&utm_content=2283369

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Any Military Members that are Anime Fans here?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://forums.spacebattles.com/showthread.php?t=211174&goto=newpost

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Ten Tips for Better Christmas Photos, Like Not Posing [Photography]

Whether you're getting a new fancy camera for Christmas or if you've already got a decent one, chances are your family is going to be together for the holidays and you're going to want to take some photos to remember the occasion. How-To Geek has ten tips you should keep in mind to make your pics as good as possible.

Among the tips are obvious ones like taking multiple photos so you can pick and choose later, and thinking about lighting when you adjust your settings manually, plus not-so-obvious ones like trying photos with and without the flash. My favorite is?despite being the most obvious?not making people pose for the camera. It's weird how many people still think this is the only way to take photos, holiday or not, when it comes off as artificial instead of natural, or in the moment. The best photos you see are ones that capture a specific thing happening, and nothing is actually happening when you're posing for the camera. That's not to say that you shouldn't have a few posed ones, but don't make that your only photo type.

Head on over to see the other nine.

Photography With HTG: 10 Tips for Better Christmas Photos | How-To Geek

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/7JZJjfuy9gw/ten-tips-for-better-christmas-photos-like-not-posing

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EXOvault Belt Buckle and iPhone 4/4S Holster

Here’s a case for those who can’t carry their iPhone 4 or 4S close enough to their…? umm, let’s go with heart…? The EXO7 Belt Buckle and Holster for iPhone 4/4S can either clip onto your belt (or in a pocket) or can replace your standard belt buckle.? The case is machined of either solid [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/12/23/exovault-belt-buckle-and-iphone-44s-holster/

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Video: Christmas crunch time

It?s down to the wire for millions of last-minute shoppers scrambling to beat the clock and cash in on bargains before stores close. NBC?s Ron Mott reports.

Related Links:

http://www.facebook.com/nbcnightlynews

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45785247/

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Nets' Lopez out 6-8 weeks after foot surgery

New Jersey Nets' Brook Lopez (11) tries to pass around New York Knicks' Josh Harrellson (55) during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, in New York. The Knicks won 88-82. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

New Jersey Nets' Brook Lopez (11) tries to pass around New York Knicks' Josh Harrellson (55) during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, in New York. The Knicks won 88-82. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

New York Knicks' Iman Shumpert (21) goes for a layup around New Jersey Nets' Brook Lopez (11) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) ? With the prospect of a trade for Dwight Howard fading and the season opener less than a week away, New Jersey Nets coach Avery Johnson was getting a feel for his team.

That all changed Thursday when center Brook Lopez broke his right foot, an injury that left Johnson shaking his head and considering his options.

Lopez, the Nets' leading scorer, had surgery Friday for a nondisplaced fracture. He was hurt in a preseason game against the Knicks on Wednesday and will be sidelined at least six weeks and probably more.

In the meantime, general manager Billy King acquired former All-Star center Mehmet Okur from Utah for a second-round draft pick, signed free agent guard DeShawn Stevenson and waived forward Ime Udoka.

With the additions of Okur and Stevenson, the Nets have hit the salary cap, so their revamped team is set.

It has one star, point guard Deron Williams, and a lot of new faces ? Okur, Stevenson, free agent forwards Shawne Williams and Sheldon Williams, rookies Marshon Brooks and forward Jordan Williams and holdovers Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Damion James and Kris Humphries.

"Every day is a new day I tell our players," Johnson said Friday. "When you get up in the morning you think about being a difference maker. You think about positive energy. Everybody is undefeated now."

The Nets (24-58) probably aren't going to stay that way long. They open on Monday at Washington and play 10 of their first 14 games on the road. The home opener is Tuesday against Atlanta.

"There is no surrender in how we react as coaches, how we approach practice," Johnson said. "It's not necessarily the situation we diagrammed going in, so we adjust. So if plan A doesn't work, you have to go to plan B and C and that's what we are doing."

The big question is Okur, who is to practice with the team Saturday.

"We needed another guy to fill in, but he's just not filling in," Johnson said. "He's a veteran player. He's had a solid career so far. He knows how to play and how to pass. He's still shooting the ball pretty good."

Okur played in 13 games last season while recovering from Achilles and back injuries. The 32-year-old Turk has averaged 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in 617 career games with Detroit and Utah.

Deron Williams played with Okur in Utah, and the two spoke Thursday.

"He was shocked a little bit at first, probably my reaction, but he's warming up to it and excited coming over, excited to play with me again," Deron Williams said. "I'll try to make the transition as easy as possible."

Deron Williams said the Nets would not have to revamp their offense because Lopez played more on the outside than in the paint.

"It's our team," Deron Williams said. "Whether I am comfortable or not, it's our team. We've got good guys, guys who know how to play basketball and make plays. That's all we need as long as our defense is locked in. Guys can hit shots, hit big shots, and I think we do. I like we added DeShawne. He can hit shots but he also brings that toughness and can guard people."

Johnson also is comfortable with his team, for now.

"I know they will play hard," Johnson said. "When you have a team with Deron Williams as the point guard he will do a good job of quarterbacking the team."

King expects Lopez to play in a game in six to eight weeks.

Dr. Martin O'Malley, a foot specialist, and team orthopedist Dr. Riley Williams III inserted a screw into the fifth metatarsal of Lopez's foot at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan. O'Malley said rehabilitation will start in two weeks.

Lopez averaged 20.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 82 games last season.

"We go to him a lot late in games and stuff," Humphries said. "We won't have that. We'll probably have to play at a little different pace and be sharper with the shooting and be more up and down and precise in executing on the break. Depending on who plays his minutes, we'll be more of an up-tempo team."

Stevenson averaged 5.3 points and 1.2 assists in helping the Mavericks win their first title last season. He was used mostly in a defensive role and can score more if needed.

"It probably will be tough coming from the team where I came from, but at the same time it's a challenge," Stevenson said after his first practice with the Nets. "We were challenged to win a championship and this is a different type of challenge."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-23-Nets%20Lopez/id-2145d6f360d7400aa935ae4d8480aa4e

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Investment group to acquire Chicago Sun-Times

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2009 file photo, pedestrians pass a Chicago Sun-Times newspaper box in downtown Chicago. A new investment group led by a Chicago entrepreneur and a former Newsday media executive has agreed to buy Sun-Times Media Holdings, the company that owns the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, group officials said late Wednesday Dec. 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh,file)

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2009 file photo, pedestrians pass a Chicago Sun-Times newspaper box in downtown Chicago. A new investment group led by a Chicago entrepreneur and a former Newsday media executive has agreed to buy Sun-Times Media Holdings, the company that owns the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, group officials said late Wednesday Dec. 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh,file)

FILE - This Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 file photo shows The Chicago Sun-Times building in Chicago. A new investment group led by a Chicago entrepreneur and a former Newsday media executive has agreed to buy Sun-Times Media Holdings, the company that owns the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, group officials said late Wednesday Dec. 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

CHICAGO (AP) ? A new investment group led by a Chicago entrepreneur and a former Newsday media executive has agreed to buy Sun-Times Media Holdings, the company that owns the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, group officials said late Wednesday.

Wrapports LLC released a statement saying the transaction should close by year's end, though terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Sun-Times Media also owns several newspapers in suburban Chicago and Indiana.

The investment group is led by Michael Ferro Jr., CEO of private equity firm Merrick Ventures, which deals with technology companies, and Timothy Knight, the former publisher of Newsday. They said the investment company's name refers to a mix of old media, the "wrapping" of a newspaper, with the "rapport" planned by new technology.

"We look forward to introducing cutting-edge technologies, new content portals and other tools that will expand and drive richer and more satisfying content to readers, while providing more targeted and measurable promotion options for our advertising partners," Knight said in a statement.

"At a time when the public's appetite for news stories, photographs, videos and blogs has reached an unprecedented level, Sun-Times Media is poised to meet that demand by developing creative ways to deliver a true multi-media experience for our users ? how they want it, where they want it, when they want it."

The Chicago Sun-Times won a Pulitzer Prize earlier this year for its local reporting on crime in city neighborhoods.

Sun-Times Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2009, after drastically cutting costs for months. Later that year, Mesirow Financial president and CEO James C. Tyree led an investment group that took the paper out of bankruptcy. Tyree died earlier this year.

Earlier this month, Sun-Times Media rolled out a system to begin charging heavy users of its websites.

Jeremy L. Halbreich, chairman and CEO of Sun-Times Media, said the sale announced Wednesday will move the organization into a new era in delivering content to readers.

"It is truly remarkable when you look at the journey that this organization has made. As a result of tough decisions and the ability to adapt to a changing industry, we have been able to maintain our role as a central figure in this city. I am proud of what we have done, and I am even prouder of where this organization is headed," Halbreich said in a statement.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-22-Sun-Times%20Media-Sale/id-f0706e3220f74a89aa217ce79d8fdeda

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