travel agency uk: December 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

It's a Snap! Best reader photos of 2011

Greg Park / UGC

Clingman's Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Our readers have submitted some stunning photos from around the world this year. We often get hundreds of submissions each week, and it's very hard to select just a few dozen to feature.

In order to showcase this year's best It's a Snap submissions, we rounded up 15 that won a gallery vote throughout the year. As you'll see below, these photos capture brilliant colors, amazing scenes and beautiful angles. There are majestic mountains, dramatic Western landscapes, impressive bodies of water and even a few animals. Scroll through this gorgeous set of images and vote for your favorite at the bottom.

Aaron Keigher

Horseshoe Bend in Page, Ariz.

Patricia DiLuiggio / UGC

Valley Of the Ten Peaks in Banff National Park, Canada

Andrea Ihlefeld / UGC

Jim Walker / UGC

Jeffrey Bower / UGC

Peter McIntosh / UGC

Chattahoochee National Forest, Ga.

Harry Pherson / UGC

Elakala Falls, Blackwater Falls State Park, W. Va.

Alex Sokolow / UGC

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada

Chris Carr / UGC

Kihei beach, Maui, Hawaii

Michael Toma / UGC

Prairie lightning in Wyoming

David Bullock / UGC

Deer at Seven Mile Hill, The Dalles, Ore.

Tod Carroll / UGC

Matthew Smith / UGC

Jennifer Blom / UGC

If you have photos you'd like to share, submit them for a chance to be featured in the weekly gallery by clicking here and scrolling down.

You can also join our It's A Snap Facebook community by clicking here, and share your photos with others.

Which photo is your favorite?

2. Horseshoe Bend in Page, Ariz.	? 13.3% (6 votes)
8. Elakala Falls, Blackwater Falls State Park, W. Va.	? 13.3% (6 votes)
10. Kihei beach, Maui, Hawaii	? 11.1% (5 votes)
12. Deer at Seven Mile Hill, The Dalles, Ore.	? 11.1% (5 votes)
13. Glacier Bay, Alaska	? 8.9% (4 votes)
1. Clingman's Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park	? 6.7% (3 votes)
7.Chattahoochee National Forest, Ga.	? 6.7% (3 votes)
4. Albuquerque, N.M.	? 6.7% (3 votes)
5. Iguasu Falls, Argentina	? 6.7% (3 votes)
14. Pelicans in Aruba	? 4.4% (2 votes)
9. Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Canada	? 4.4% (2 votes)
11. Prairie lightning in Wyoming	? 4.4% (2 votes)
3. Valley Of the Ten Peaks in Banff National Park, Canada	? 2.2% (1 vote)
15. Mount McKinley, Alaska	? 0% (0 votes)
6. Australian koala	? 0% (0 votes)

Source: http://todaytravel.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/28/9775438-its-a-snap-best-reader-photos-of-2011

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Sea Shepherd anti-whaling ship damaged while chasing Japanese vessel

Though the Sea Shepherd conservation group is down a ship, a rogue wave did succeed in putting a spotlight on Japan?s annual whaling season and the activist effort to put an end to it.

It?s that time of year again: whaling season. And for the past 25 years, whaling season has been accompanied by anti-whaling season.

Skip to next paragraph

The latest?? A boat ? part of the whaling fleet?s nemesis, the Sea Shepherd marine conservation group ? was chasing the Japanese whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean when a large wave hit the ?Brigitte Bardot,? disabling it.? Anti-whaling activists: 0, rogue wave: 1

The ship is being towed to safety today after being stranded off the coast of Australia. Though the conservation group is down a ship, the rogue wave did succeed in putting a spotlight on Japan?s annual whaling season and the activist effort to put an end to it.

There has been a ban on commercial whaling for 25 years, but each fall, Japan's whaling fleet sails south to the Antarctic and returns the following spring with whales killed on what it says is a scientific research program that catches and kills about 1,000 whales each year. The fleet left Japan earlier this month with plans to catch 900 whales, mostly the non-endangered minke whales.

Last year, Japan ended its annual whale hunt early and the official reason was because the actions of the Sea Shepherd put the Japanese crew?s safety at risk. Many analysts took it to be one of the strongest signs yet that direct action from groups like Sea Shepherd and weak consumption of whale meat in Japan are having an impact on whaling.

This year, Japanese whalers have asked a US federal court judge in Seattle to order the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to stop disrupting its whaling activities in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, according to the AP.

"The violence and attacks from the Sea Shepherd have increased year by year," said spokesman of The Tokyo-based Institute of Cetacean Research Gavin Carter in Washington.

The Japanese companies had hoped to resolve the issue of maritime safety diplomatically, he said, but decided to sue since its last whaling season was cut short by interference from activists.?

"The lawsuit is frivolous," Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd told the AP, pointing out that a US court didn't have jurisdiction over the matter. (Read Dan Murphy's Monitor piece on?the aggressive tactics of Sea Shepherd's Paul Watson here)

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/Fh82oG07RCo/Sea-Shepherd-anti-whaling-ship-damaged-while-chasing-Japanese-vessel

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Carter scores 31 as Rutgers stuns No. 10 Florida

Rutgers' Austin Johnson (21) tries to control the ball in front of Florida's Erving Walker (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Piscataway, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Florida's Bradley Beal (23) blocks a shot by Rutgers' Dane Miller (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Piscataway, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Florida's Mike Rosario, a former Rutgers player, looks to make a pass during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Florida's Patric Young (4) shoots over Rutgers' Derrick Randall and Myles Mack (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Piscataway, N.J., Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) ? Mike Rice has been waiting for his kids at Rutgers to grow up, buy into the system and start showing the talent he knew they had. They finally did against No. 10 Florida.

Freshman Eli Carter scored a season-high 31 points and hit the go-ahead basket in the second overtime as Rutgers stunned the Gators 85-83 on Thursday night after rallying from deficits in regulation and the first overtime.

"This is what happens when you believe," Rice said. "This is what happens when you don't think the impossible is impossible. This is what happens when you follow the formula, when you play for one another. (We) had the will and the determination."

Carter showed tremendous leadership and made the tough shots. He finished 12 of 24 from the field, and 2 of 5 on 3-pointers, hitting from long range to tie it with 18 seconds left in the first overtime.

"My teammates had confidence in me," Carter said. "I took the big shot and made it."

The Scarlet Knights (8-5) also came back from a seven-point deficit late in regulation in posting their biggest win since knocking off No. 9 Villanova at home last season.

"He reminds me of Bernard King," fellow freshman Jerome Seagears said of Carter. "He could have had 62 or 63 tonight if he was open."

Erving Walker had a chance to tie the game for the Gators (11-2) in the final seconds, but his off-balance attempt from the foul line hit off the rim.

Scarlet Knights fans stormed the court to celebrate in a game billed as the return of former Rutgers star and current Gator Mike Rosario to Piscataway.

Dane Miller added 16 points, Myles Mack had 14 and Seagears 13 for Rutgers, which won its fourth straight game and snapped the Gators' five-game winning streak.

"I thought the difference in the game, in my opinion, was I thought their guys played the right way," said Florida coach Billy Donovan, who felt his team got off to a good start and then showed only brief flashes after that.

Kenny Boynton matched his season high with 26 points for Florida. Bradley Beal added 15 and Erik Murphy had 14 points and eight rebounds for Florida, which was playing its first game at the loud and intimidating Rutgers Athletic Center.

"They wanted it more than us," Boynton said. "We made too many mistakes. It wasn't the underclassmen. It was the upperclassmen. That's disappointing. I take full responsibility."

Carter, whose previous high was 21 points, put the Scarlet Knights ahead for good at 80-78 with a shot in the lane. He was fouled on the play but missed the free throw.

After Beal missed a drive on the left side and Boynton missed a 3-point attempt, Carter scored inside again for an 82-78 edge.

Beal cut the Gators' deficit to a point on a 3-pointer with 1:18 to go, but Mack came right back with a 3-pointer with 55 seconds left for an 85-81 lead.

A floater by Walker with 44.8 seconds left cut the margin to a basket and Florida got a final shot when Rutgers was called for a shot clock violation with 8.7 seconds left.

Rutgers knocked the ball out of bounds in the backcourt with 4.3 seconds left and Walker could not connect after taking the inbound pass and driving to the foul line for his final shot.

Rutgers forced the first overtime by rallying from a seven-point deficit in the final 2:48 of regulation and the came from three points down in the first overtime with Carter tying the game at 76 with a 3-pointer with 18.2 seconds to play.

Florida turned the ball over in the waning seconds and Mack's 40-footer at the buzzer wasn't close.

The Scarlet Knights trailed 64-57 late in regulation before scoring the final seven points, aided by two Gators turnovers. Mack started the comeback with a 3-pointer, Carter scored in the lane and Miller tied the game with 45.7 seconds to go with a layup.

After Walker's drive down the lane with about 15 seconds left hit nothing, the Scarlet Knights blew a chance to win. Mack seemed to lose track of time and his off-balance shot never had a chance.

Florida had seemingly taken command when Boynton scored on a fast break after Murphy blocked a shot with Rutgers up 55-54. Then Boynton came back on the next possession to hit a 3-pointer for a 59-55 lead. The lead eventually grew to 64-57 on a three-point play by Boynton with 2:48 to play.

Rosario averaged 16.4 points in his first two seasons with the Scarlet Knights before transferring to Florida. He sat out last season and has been coming off the bench for the Gators. He scored five points in 14 minutes in his return and he was booed every time he touched the ball or cheered every time he missed a shot.

During warmups there were chants of "Rosario is a bum" and "Jersey hates you."

The only other cheers he got were when he missed a shot or when he was called along with Miller for a double technical foul with 54.7 second left in the half.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-29-T25-Florida-Rutgers/id-7ac5fec79a564d2e890cbb9adace9984

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Video: Do Republicans have a real chance of winning control of the Senate in 2012?

To succeed at your New Year's diet, keep mum

A slew of psychology studies, some dating as far back as the 1920s, suggest that if you want to stick to your New Year?s diet ? or whatever your big 2012 goal may be ? you might want to shut up about it, already.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45809312#45809312

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iotwatch: a new #iot startup in London and Zurich http://t.co/z0RjM1kk yay!

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a new #iot startup in London and Zurich evrythng.net/pages/about yay! Il y a environ 6 heures via TweetDeck

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Alexandra D-S

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Source: http://twitter.com/iotwatch/statuses/152168322979471360

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Just passed a church with knot of people smoking and drinking coffee out front. AA, presumably. Berkeley AA has a wholesome looking crowd. Il y a environ 3 heures via Twitter for BlackBerry?

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Nick Rizzo

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Source: http://twitter.com/nickrizzo/statuses/152117843859750912

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Fifty-four Chinese rail bosses to be 'punished' over Wenzhou train crash that killed 40 people

By Rick Dewsbury

Last updated at 3:46 PM on 28th December 2011

Tragedy: A derailed carriage plunges to the ground after the fatal crash in China in July

The Chinese government has warned 54 rail bosses that they will face punishment after a crash that killed 40 people was found to have been caused by lax safety standards.

The authorities have struggled to address public fury over the accident near the booming coastal city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, in July, when a high-speed train rammed into another one stranded on the track after being hit by lightning.?? ?

Premier Wen Jiabao vowed that the investigation would be thorough and transparent - though the cabinet's report was pushed back from mid-September for technical reasons and to give the team more time to pour over documents. ?? ?

An account of the conclusions of the investigation presented to Wen at a cabinet meeting said the accident was due to serious design flaws in control equipment and improper handling of the lightning strike, broadly in line with initial findings.?? ?

The Railways Ministry 'did not properly handle rescue efforts, did not issue information in a timely manner and did not correctly address public concerns, which created a bad influence in society', the central government said in a statement.?? ?

The accident prompted a huge public outcry on social networking services, with users expressing anger at the perceived poor official response and pulling apart accounts of the crash and the rescue efforts.?? ?

Seeking to assuage public anger, the government fired three mid-level railway officials a day after the crash.?? ?

The report detailed 54 officials who would receive administrative punishments, and said more serious penalties could follow for them.

It was not yet clear if those officials will be prosecuted or ultimately receive the death penalty, which is legal and used regularly in the Communist state, where more prisoners are killed every year than in the rest of the world combined.

In 2009, the former boss of Beijing airport was executed for corruption. Li Peiying, 60, was found guilty of bribery and embezzling ?11million since 1995.

Disaster: Rescue workers try to secure the wreckage of the trains after the crash. Lax safety and poor handling have been blamed in a report

Collision: The carriages hang perilously on the bridge in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. One expert said he thought human error may have been involved

Accident: Cranes lift the wreckage from the tracks after the tragedy in which 40 people were killed

A month earlier the former chairman of China's second-biggest oil company, Sinopec, was convicted of taking ?18million in bribes and given a suspended death sentence.

Thousands of people are believed to be executed in China every year.

'Legal authorities are currently conducting an independent investigation in accordance with the law into whether or not these relevant responsible officials committed crimes,' the report into the rail crash said.

It laid particular blame at the door of former railways minister Liu Zhijun, though he was dismissed months before the crash, in February, over corruption charges that have not yet been tried in court.??

Liu 'has the main leadership responsibility for the accident', it said.?? ?

Current minister Sheng Guangzu would have to present a 'thorough self-criticism' to the cabinet, it added, demanding the ministry and companies which made the faulty control systems drastically improve the way they operate.???

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says the investigation would be thorough and transparent

'Completely upgrade the safety management level of the railways, especially when it comes to building and operating high-speed railways,' the report added. ?? ?

Bloggers were quick to denounce the findings, suggesting the government still has a long way to go to restore public trust.?? ?

'This probe will become an international joke' wrote 'hjerryzhu' on the Twitter-like site Sina Weibo.?? ?

'The Communist Party has become a byword for hypocrisy, lies and violence,' said 'kaherd'.?? ?

The government has said it would suspend railway project approvals and launch safety checks on equipment to address anger after the Wenzhou crash on what was a new high-speed rail line.?? ?

The ministry plans to cut its annual railway investment by 15 percent in 2012 to 400 billion yuan, state media said last week. ?? ?

The ministry also faces soaring debt. In August, it said its total liabilities at the end of June were 2.1 trillion yuan ($330 million), up by nearly half from the end of 2009 and bringing its liability-to-asset ratio up to 59 percent. ?? ?

However, the government said it remained committed to building high-speed railways, which China plans eventually to run into Russia and down to Southeast Asia.?? ?

'High speed railways improve people's ability to travel and promote economic development. Building and developing high speed railways is the correct course,' it said in a separate statement. ?? ?

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2079408/Fifty-Chinese-rail-bosses-punished-Wenzhou-train-crash-killed-40-people.html?ITO=1490

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Venezuela to remove breast implants for free

EDITORS NOTE NUDITY - FILE - In this Jan. 22, 2007 file photo, a plastic surgeon performs breast implant surgery in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela is offering free surgeries for women to remove faulty French-made breast implants, the country's top health official said on Tuesday Dec. 27, 2011. France's health system has recommended that women with the PIP implants get them replaced, and has agreed to pay for surgeries. In Brazil and Argentina, however, health officials just recommend checkups. (AP Photo/Leslie Mazoch, File)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Venezuela is offering free surgeries for women to remove faulty French-made breast implants, the country's top health official said.

Health Minister Eugenia Sader said women with implants made by the now-defunct French company Poly Implant Prothese may go to hospitals that carry out plastic surgery to have the implants removed, the state-run Venezuelan News Agency reported.

Sader said Tuesday that the free procedure will simply be to remove the implants and will not include replacing them.

"Those patients are running a risk," Sader said. However, she said, women need not seek emergency care and instead may visit hospitals at their convenience.

France's health system has recommended that women with the PIP implants get them replaced, and has agreed to pay for surgeries. In Brazil and Argentina, however, health officials just recommend checkups.

The president of Brazil's Plastic Surgeons Association, Jose Horacio Aboudib, said "I'd remove them from any patient that wants to, but I don't see the need for everyone to go into surgery."

"In France, the government pays for the surgery. Here it is not considered a public health risk, and so the patient would have to pay for it," Aboudib said, noting that his association will create a breast implant registry in January, so that doctors can register information on surgeries and the implant material used in a database aimed at improving patient safety and care.

On Tuesday, a group of 50 women in Argentina threatened to sue their plastic surgeons if they don't get free replacements of the faulty French breast implants.

The group is led by attorney Virginia Luna, who herself has the "PIP" silicone gel packs implanted in her breasts. She said five of her clients have obtained out-of-court agreements to provide free replacements, and if the rest don't get them as well, her group will sue.

Argentine clinics say they'll replace leaky implants, but the symptoms aren't always detectable, and Luna says any woman with the faulty implants can suffer psychological damage.

It's unclear how many women have the PIP implants in Venezuela, where breast enlargement surgery is popular and doctors say the French implants used to be widely used.

An estimated 35,000 to 40,000 women in the country have breast enlargement surgery each year, said Dr. Marisol Graterol, president of the Venezuelan Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has criticized the widespread popularity of breast surgery, saying women shouldn't be sold on an image that big bosoms are attractive.

The plastic surgery society recommended last week that women with PIP breast implants see a doctor to have them checked. Graterol said doctors should decide depending on each patient's situation whether or not the implants need to be removed.

Sales of PIP implants were halted in Venezuela in April 2010, Graterol said.

Plastic surgeon Dr. Henry Saud said he removed ruptured PIP implants from more than 10 patients during the past year.

In some cases, his patients hadn't noticed anything wrong and the leaking implants were detected during imaging exams, Saud said. In other cases, "they felt discomfort and had swelling."

"It used to be one of the most-used brands," Saud said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2011-12-28-LT-Venezuela-Breast-Implants/id-60d408b6a171425caee5e4a6e1587ce3

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Friday, December 30, 2011

Lacey woman to ride organ donation float at Rose Parade

LACEY, Wash. -- Janice Langbehn considers herself an accidental activist. And this year, she is being honored greatly for her efforts.

Langbehn will be on the Donate Life float at the Rose Parade Monday morning. She will ride in honor of her partner, Lisa Pond, an organ donor who died nearly five years ago from a brain aneurysm while they were vacationing. Their story received national attention because Langbehn and their children were not allowed to visit Pond as she passed away in a hospital.

Following Pond's death, Langbehn worked tirelessly to change the laws. President Obama recently revised hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples at hospitals receiving federal Medicare or Medicaid funds. For her efforts, Langbehn received the prestigious Presidential Citizens Medal in October, an honor that was awarded to only 13 people this year.

Langbehn is now preparing to honor her partner by riding in the Rose Parade. The Donate Life float will feature dozens of organ donors by displaying giant pictures of the donors that are made of flowers -- known as floragraphs.

"I'm sure it'll be emotional," Langbehn said. "I still miss her. We were together 18 years."

Langbehn wanted Jerry Lawrence, the Florida man who received Pond's heart, to be in the grandstand during the parade. Lawrence was prepared to make the trip, but other health issues, not connected to his heart, kept him from flying.

So he will watch the parade on TV. And Langbehn knows her partner will be watching from above.

"I'm just honored they asked us," she said. "To continue Lisa's legacy."

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45813207/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/

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Mid-February trial date for Packers LB Erik Walden (AP)

GREEN BAY, Wis. ? A mid-February trial date has been set for Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden on a disorderly conduct-domestic abuse charge.

He pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor, which stems from a dispute with his girlfriend last month.

A judge Tuesday set a trial date of Feb. 16, which is 11 days after the Super Bowl.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email to The Associated Press that the league will review the matter after the court case is resolved.

Defense attorney Steve Richards says he hopes the case can be resolved at a Feb. 13 pre-trial conference. Brown County district attorney John Zakowski says Walden didn't get special treatment.

Walden spent the weekend after Thanksgiving in jail after his Nov. 25 arrest, and has continued to play.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_packers_walden

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Sooners? coach to meet alma mater in Insight Bowl

TEMPE, Ariz. ? As Oklahoma?s defensive captain and one of the most eloquent players on either side of the ball, Travis Lewis had become a go-to guy for reporters, someone who could provide a non-slanted assessment of the team.

So when the senior linebacker zipped up over the final six weeks of the season, it was a pretty good indication of just how disappointing the year had gone for the Sooners.

?Everybody knew the expectations going into this season ? the fans did, we did, the coaches did,? Lewis said after breaking his silence on Wednesday. ?The most disappointing thing is we felt like we had that team. We felt like we had all the pieces in place this year. And we didn?t meet expectations.?

When Oklahoma (9-3) faces Iowa in today?s Insig3ht Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium, it will be the Sooners? 13th straight bowl ? every year since coach Bob Stoops took over the program ? and give them a chance at a nation-leading 33rd season with at least 10 wins.

Nice accomplishments, just not what was expected coming out of Norman.

Armed with one of the nation?s best quarterbacks Landry Jones and receivers in Ryan Broyles, with talented players at pretty much every position and a No. 1 ranking, the Sooners had aspirations of earning their second national title under Stoops and eighth overall.

They got off to a solid start, bumping off Florida State and Texas while winning their first six games. A 41-38 home loss to Texas Tech on Oct. 22 hurt, but, if the rest of the season unfolded just right, Oklahoma could still be right in the thick of the national-championship chase.

Following a resounding win over No. 8 Kansas State the next week, the Sooners? season started to unravel.

Broyles, an All-American and the NCAA?s all-time leader in receptions, tore a knee ligament against Texas A&M the following week. Oklahoma won that game, but followed with a loss to Baylor and ended the regular season two weeks later with a deflating 44-10 rout to Bedlam rival Oklahoma State.

A year after rolling over Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl, the Sooners are back in the desert trying to put a strong finish on what?s been a frustrating season.

?Every year you are not going to be in the national championship game, but you still have to try and win each and every game you play,? Stoops said. ?That?s what we are trying to do.?

Iowa (7-5) doesn?t figure to be a walkover for the Sooners.

The Hawkeyes barely won half their games, but played a brutal schedule that included seven ranked teams. Iowa also has a bit of confidence in bowls, having won a school-record three straight, including 27-24 over Missouri in last year?s Insight Bowl.

The Hawkeyes entered last year?s game as underdogs and had to switch gears when their top running back was suspended. They enter this year?s game with almost identical circumstances: Oklahoma is favored by 14 and Iowa will be without running back Marcus Coker, who was suspended for violating the university?s student-athlete code of conduct.

?It is almost scary how similar the circumstances are,? Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.

The Insight Bowl will be the culmination of a long difficult year at Iowa.

During the offseason, the Hawkeyes had 13 players hospitalized for a muscle disorder called rhabdomyolysis that was caused by a team workout, leading to criticism of Ferentz and the program.

Iowa had some rough stretches during the regular season, losing two of its final three games, had defensive line coach Rick Kaczenski leave the program to pursue another coaching job and will be playing its final game with defensive coordinator Norm Parker, who?s retiring.

On top of that, they?ll try to replace Coker?s 1,384 yards and 15 touchdowns with a group of unproven running backs ? none of whom have more than 18 carries.

?We better be motivated and to have a chance in this game, we will have to play our absolute best in all three phases,? Ferentz said. ?We can?t open the door anywhere and expect to win.?

Especially with Oklahoma and Lewis looking to emphatically close the door on its season.

?I thought, maybe if I just quit the talking, my team would focus on playing and start winning ballgames,? Lewis said. ?I didn?t want to make excuses for our wins, for our losses. I wanted to just practice and play and let everything take care of itself.?

Source: http://muskogeephoenix.com/opinion/x1477836315/Sooners-coach-to-meet-alma-mater-in-Insight-Bowl

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Source: http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f190/jion-new-orleans-saints-vs-atlanta-falcons-live-stream-football-free-nfl-2011-wee-83822-new/

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Duane Ludwig gets Christmas present from UFC: Fastest KO record

UFC lightweight Duane Ludwig got the present he has been hoping for: an update in the UFC records to reflect that he has the fastest knockout in the promotion's history. Dana White tweeted over the Christmas weekend that Ludwig did have the fastest knockout, and that the UFC's record books will be changed to reflect that.

In 2006, Ludwig knocked out Jonathan Goulet off the bell, but the timekeeper from the Nevada Athletic Commission didn't stop the clock in time. Though replays of the fight showed that Ludwig had a four-second knockout, it was recorded at 11 seconds. That put him behind Todd Duffee, and more recently, Chan Sung Jung, who both have seven-second knockouts in the UFC.

Ludwig has lobbied the NAC to update their records, but it has not been changed. Now, whether they decide to change it or not, the UFC records will put Goulet squarely on top. He has a chance to better that record in January at UFC on FX against Josh Neer.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Duane-Ludwig-gets-Christmas-present-from-UFC-Fa?urn=mma-wp11163

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2 French Foreign legionnaires die in Afghanistan (AP)

PARIS ? France says 2 members of the French Foreign Legion have been killed in Afghanistan.

A statement from the office of French President Nicolas Sarkozy says a solider in the Afghan National Army opened fire on the troops Thursday.

The shooting is the latest in a series of attacks by members of the Afghan security forces against their coalition partners. Such attacks have raised fears of increased Taliban infiltration of the Afghan police and army as NATO speeds up the training of the security forces.

This year has been the most deadly for French forces in Afghanistan since an international operation began there in 2001.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A man in an Afghan army uniform turned his weapon on NATO troops and shot dead two service members on Thursday, the alliance said in what was the latest apparent attack by members of Afghan security forces against their coalition partners.

NATO said it was investigating the incident. It released no further details nor did it disclose the nationalities of the killed service members. It also did not say if the man in the Afghan uniform was killed or captured.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb killed 10 police officers and wounded another in a restive district of southwestern Helmand province, which NATO had recently turned over, with much fanfare, to Afghan security control.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed responsibility for the Helmand attack in a call to The Associated Press.

The explosion destroyed a police pickup truck as it drove through Zarghun Kalay village in Helmand's Nad Ali district, according to a spokesman for the provincial governor, Daud Ahmadi, and police chief Haji Abdul Marjan.

Both officials said the officers had left a training center and were headed home when their vehicle was blow up by insurgents. Marjan said they drove along the same road every day, while Ahmadi said eight of those killed were new recruits.

Nad Ali, which had been run by British troops, was one of the districts in Helmand that last month transitioned from NATO to Afghan security control.

The handover was the second step in a transition that President Hamid Karzai hopes will leave Afghan forces in control of the entire country by the end of 2014, when the U.S.-led coalition's combat mission is scheduled to end.

However, shootings such as the one in the east ? where the attackers are either Afghan soldiers who turn on NATO troops, or reported insurgents dressed in Afghan uniforms ? have raised fears of increased Taliban infiltration of the Afghan police and army as NATO speeds up the training of the security forces.

Last week, an Afghan soldier opened fire on coalition troops inside an outpost in western Herat province, wounding a number of alliance troops. The attacker was killed in the incident.

NATO's training mission hopes have about 350,000 troops trained and ready by the end of 2014.

Eastern Afghanistan has become the focus of coalition efforts against insurgents, who infiltrate into Afghanistan across the rugged frontier from safe havens in neighboring Pakistan. The U.S. and its allies have asked Pakistan to crack down on the safe haves in that country's lawless tribal areas, but relations between the two militaries have reached rock bottom following a NATO cross-border attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last month.

The two NATO deaths bring December's toll of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan to 25, for a total of 541 so far this year.

On Tuesday, three NATO troops were killed by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan. An alliance statement provided no further details, but the Taliban claimed the victims were U.S. soldiers who were riding in a military convoy when a roadside bomb exploded next to their vehicle. There was no independent confirmation of the claim.

The yearly total is considerably lower than for 2010, when more than 700 troops died. The number of wounded has remained high, dipping only slightly from last year's total of more than 5,000 service members.

___

Associated Press Writer Mirwais Khan contributed to this story from Kandahar, Afghanistan.

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

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

LG Prada 3.0 sashays over to South Korea because Android phones are so hot right now

Do you take your Android phones with an extra dose of designer? Then LG's Prada 3.0 is probably already on your radar, ready to mix and match with your walk-in closet of wardrobe options. This respectably specced, luxe update is right on target to hit South Koreans' manicured mitts tomorrow, with first dibs going to SK Telecom and a release on KT to follow on January 5th. The usual two-year contract pricing applies for both operators, but contract-averse users can also snag the stylish handset for 899,900 won (about $778) outright. That's the high price you pay for fashion (and a minimalist UI overlay), but at least this forward-looking device is set to fatten its figure with Ice Cream Sandwich in Q2 of next year. Of course, by then, it'll already be terribly gauche to own one anyway.

Continue reading LG Prada 3.0 sashays over to South Korea because Android phones are so hot right now

LG Prada 3.0 sashays over to South Korea because Android phones are so hot right now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China: Rotten Feed Behind Toxin in Milk

China: Rotten Feed Behind Toxin In Milk

OfficialWire - 102 Minutes ago

Chinese safety regulators say rotten feed fed to cows caused the high levels of a cancer-causing toxin found in milk at two dairy companies, including the country's biggest. It is the troubled dairy industry's latest scandal. A statement posted late Monday on the quarantine and safety administration

Mildew-affected feed behind toxin in milk

South China Morning Post - 4 Hours ago

Feed affected by mildew caused the high levels of a cancer-causing toxin in milk produced by the mainland???s biggest dairy company, according to a government safety agency.

Rotten feed behind toxin in milk

North Korea Times - 5 Hours ago

Source: The Miami Herald BEIJING -- Chinese safety regulators say rotten feed fed to cows caused the high levels of a cancer-causing toxin found in milk at two dairy companies, including the country's biggest. It is the troubled dairy industry's latest scandal.A statement posted late Monday on the q

China: Mildewed feed behind toxin in...

KRLA 870 - 6 Hours ago

Mildewed feed given to cows caused the high levels of a cancer-causing toxin found in milk from China's biggest dairy company and a smaller one, according to a government safety agency investigating the troubled dairy industry's latest scandal. An expert review identified the mildewed feed as the ca

Source: http://www.congoo.com/news/addstorycomment.aspx?st=174885889&Channel_ID=1&Category_ID=-1

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Second rice shipment to Japan leaves central Taiwan

A shipment of Taiwanese rice bound for Tokyo departed central Taiwan yesterday, the second in a series of three deliveries of the biggest rice order received from Japan in eight years.

A ceremony was held in Changhua County?s Pitou Township (??), where the rice supplier, Union Rice Co, is based, to mark the shipment and the success of Changhua rice in entering Japan?s market.

The rice is being delivered to major Japanese rice importer Kitoku Shinryo Co, which ordered 360 tonnes earlier this year, the largest purchase of rice since exports to Japan were resumed in October 2004.

The rice will be distributed directly to Japanese retailers, the first time Taiwanese rice will be sold to Japanese consumers. In the past, it was mostly sold to wholesalers supplying restaurants or food processors.

Agriculture and Food Agency Director Li Tsang-lang (???) said rice exports have long been constrained by high costs of production, which make Taiwanese rice more expensive than that grown in the US, Thailand and Australia.

Kitoku Shinryo decided to place an order due to the high quality of Taiwan?s rice, he said.

?After the rice passed all tests, they placed an order with us. The success represents positive recognition of the quality of Taiwanese rice and the technology used to process it,? Li said.

The Council of Agriculture said rice exported to Japan must pass 591 pesticide residue tests before being given the green light.

Makoto Hirayama, president of Kitoku Shinryo Co, visited Taiwan last month to inspect paddy fields, barns and processing plants and tasted the rice himself before placing the order.

The order has been partly motivated by the food shortages faced in Japan recently. Radiation contamination of farms from the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant and flooding in Niigata, a famous rice production district, have combined to limit Japan?s food output, the council said.

The council was confident that Japanese importers would continue to order rice from Taiwan even after the shortages pass because of the high quality of Taiwanese rice.

Yesterday?s shipment, like the first one, weighed 108 tonnes, with the rice packed in 30kg bags. Upon arrival in Tokyo it was to be repacked before being distributed.

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535599/s/1b4ec0b0/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Ctaiwan0Carchives0C20A110C120C280C20A0A3521825/story01.htm

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Oscar voters: Your ballots are in the mail (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Academy Awards season is officially on. Nominations ballots for the 84th Oscar show have just gone in the mail.

Oscar organizers mailed ballots Tuesday to 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Ballots are due back Jan. 13, and Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 24.

The Oscar ceremony is set for Feb. 26, with Billy Crystal returning as host for the first time in eight years.

Among this season's best-picture prospects are the black-and-white silent film "The Artist," the Deep South drama "The Help," George Clooney's family tale "The Descendants" and Steven Spielberg's World War I epic "War Horse."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_en_mo/us_oscar_ballots

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Etta James Remains Hospitalized

R&B legend Etta James has been hospitalised in Riverside, California after suffering breathing problems. The terminally ill singer, who is battling leukemia, spent Christmas in hospital and her longtime manager Lupe De Leon admits the 73 year old is “in pretty bad shape”. Members of her family were hoping doctors could revive her from her [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/etta-james-remains-hospitalized/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=etta-james-remains-hospitalized

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iVoices Give Back

iVoices from across the country share stories of the charities and organizations near and dear to them all year-round

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/ivoices-give-back/1-h-413925?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aivoices-give-back-413925

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Twin probes to circle moon to study gravity field (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? The moon has come a long way since Galileo first peered at it through a telescope. Unmanned probes have circled around it and landed on its surface. Twelve American astronauts have walked on it. And lunar rocks and soil have been hauled back from it.

Despite being well studied, Earth's closest neighbor remains an enigma.

Over the New Year's weekend, a pair of spacecraft the size of washing machines are set to enter orbit around it in the latest lunar mission. Their job is to measure the uneven gravity field and determine what lies beneath ? straight down to the core.

Since rocketing from the Florida coast in September, the near-identical Grail spacecraft have been independently traveling to their destination and will arrive 24 hours apart. Their paths are right on target that engineers recently decided not to tweak their positions.

"Both spacecraft have performed essentially flawlessly since launch, but one can never take anything for granted in this business," said mission chief scientist Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The nail-biting part is yet to come. On New Year's Eve, one of the Grail probes ? short for Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory ? will fire its engine to slow down so that it could be captured into orbit. This move will be repeated by the other the following day.

Engineers said the chances of the probes overshooting are slim since their trajectories have been precise. Getting struck by a cosmic ray may prevent the completion of the engine burn and they won't get boosted into the right orbit.

"I know I'm going to be nervous. I'm definitely a worrywart," said project manager David Lehman of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which manages the $496 million, three-month mission.

Once in orbit, the spacecraft will spend the next two months flying in formation and chasing one another around the moon until they are about 35 miles above the surface with an average separation of 124 miles. Data collection won't begin until March.

Previous missions have attempted to measure lunar gravity with mixed success. Grail is the first mission dedicated to this goal.

As the probes circle the moon, regional changes in the lunar gravity field will cause them to speed up or slow down. This in turn will change the distance between them. Radio signals transmitted by the spacecraft will measure the slight distance gaps, allowing researchers to map the underlying gravity field.

Using the gravity information, scientists can deduce what's below or at the lunar surface such as mountains and craters and may help explain why the far side of the moon is more rugged than the side that faces Earth.

The probes are officially known as Grail-A and Grail-B. Several months ago, NASA hosted a contest inviting schools and students to submit new names. The probes will be christened with the winning names after the second orbit insertion, Zuber said.

Besides the one instrument on board, each spacecraft also carries a camera for educational purposes. Run by a company founded by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, middle school students from participating schools can choose their own lunar targets to image during the mission.

A trip to the moon is typically relatively quick. It took Apollo astronauts three days to get there. Since Grail was launched from a relatively small rocket to save on costs, the journey took 3 1/2 months.

Scientists expect the mission to yield a bounty of new information about the moon, but don't count on the U.S. sending astronauts back anytime soon. The Constellation program was canceled last year by President Barack Obama, who favors landing on an asteroid as a stepping stone to Mars.

___

Online:

Mission details: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/grail/news/index.html

___

Follow Alicia Chang's coverage at http://www.twitter.com/SciWriAlicia

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111226/ap_on_sc/us_sci_nasa_moonshot

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FSCalltothePen: Ryan Madson Rumors: Red Sox, Angels Interested in Madson: After Jonathan Papelbon and Heath Bell sign... http://t.co/89ZJohAX #Baseball

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Shay Maria ? A California Christmas

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Source: http://www.kineda.com/shay-maria-a-california-christmas/

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Monday, December 26, 2011

Illinois RB Jason Ford ineligible for bowl

Posted by?Jerry Hinnen

Coachless 6-7?UCLA and coachless 6-6?Illinois's matchup in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl has been panned as one of the least intriguing of the bowl season from the day it was announced, and the Bruins haven't seemed particularly interested in the game themselves, skipping out on practice and having four players miss the game through academic and team rules issues. But just to prove they can match their opponent step-for-step in indifference as well as lack of regular season wins, the Illini have now also announced a major absence from the game.

The player in question is leading rusher Jason Ford, who the Illini have confirmed will be?academically ineligible for the bowl and will not make the trip to San Francisco. The announcement ends the career of Ford, a senior with 1,962 rushing yards.

Reserve wide receiver Jake Kumerow?will also miss the game through academics.?

Ford appeared in at least 12 games all four years of his Illini career but had to wait to wait until the 2011 season for a chance as the featured back thanks to Mikel LeShoure. While Ford's total of 600 yards and 7 touchdowns led the Illini in both categories this year, an expected breakout season failed to materialize as Ford reached the 100-yard mark just one time (vs. Penn State) and averaged just 3.9 yards per-carry. His 26 career rushing touchdowns do place him second on the Illinois all-time list in that category.

Ford will likely be replaced by fellow senior Troy Pollard, who totaled 462 yards this season but on only 62 carries, a 7.5 yard average.

Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=9874ca3ddc528ddd2343a9a0e1a84b20

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China to Slash Railway Spending

BY JAMES T. AREDDY

SHANGHAI?Chinese authorities are cutting spending on railway construction for 2012, the latest signal the world's No. 2 economy is de-emphasizing one of its most expensive programs after a year of problems highlighted by a deadly high-speed collision.

Under the new plan, spending for 2012 construction will drop 42%, from more than 700 billion yuan ($110 billion) earmarked in 2010?an investment level that initially had been expected to be maintained for a number of years, until the death of 40 people in the July crash prompted a reassessment.

China's railways minister, Sheng Guangzu, on Friday said 400 billion yuan will be ...

BY JAMES T. AREDDY

China's railways minister, Sheng Guangzu, on Friday said 400 billion yuan will be ...

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204464404577115792765484020.html?mod=rss_about_china

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Wedding: Jamie Lademan & Brian Moore

Jamie Lynn Lademan and Brian James Moore were united in marriage on June 11th at the Basilica of Saint Adalbert in Grand Rapids.

Jamie is the daughter of Steven and Beverly Lademan of Okemos. Brian is the son of James and Carol Moore of Six Lakes.

Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a Matthew Christopher gown with a formal square chapel-length train. Matron of honor was Julie VanderEnde, sister of the bride. Best man was Scott Moore, cousin of the groom.

A reception was held at the Cascade Hills Country Club where family and friends enjoyed dinner and dancing.

The couple honeymooned in Jamaica and resides in DeWitt.

Source: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20111225/ANNOUNCEWAVE/112250305/-1/RSS06

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