Spectacular Christmas Comet Amazes Skywatchers in Chile

A stunning comet that survived a recent brush with the sun is amazing astronomers again, this time in dazzling new photos captured just before sunrise over Chile.

The comet Lovejoy may not be the famed Star of Bethlehem, but it still provided a jaw-dropping sight for astronomer Gabriel Brammer, photographed the comet rising ahead of the sun on Dec. 22 at Paranal Observatory in Chile's high Atacama Desert.  

Brammer is a support astronomer for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which runs the Paranal facility. His time-lapse photos of comet Lovejoy show it rising ahead of the sun as the Paranal astronomers fire a laser beam, which serves as a guide star, into the sky. Our Milky Way galaxy and the moon are also visible in the images.

"On the last morning of my shift I tried to try catching it on camera before sunrise," Brammer said in a statement. "The tail of the comet was easily visible with the naked eye, and the combination of the crescent moon, comet, Milky Way and the laser guide star was nearly as impressive to the naked eye as it appears in the long-exposure photos." 

Source: www.space.com

Anonymous claims hack on security think tank

The hacking group also used Twitter to post a link to a list of clients apparently belonging to think tank Stratfor Global Intelligence.

"Not so private and secret anymore?" read one of numerous tweets from AnonymousIRC, a Twitter account linked to Anonymous.

This morning Stratfor's site was down. A notice reads: "Site is currently undergoing maintenance."

Anonymous also tweeted that it has "enough targets lined up to extend the fun fun fun of LulzXmas throught the entire next week." Lulz is a reference to a related hacking group known as Lulz Security

Stratfor apparently said in an e-mail to members that it had suspended its servers and e-mail following a hack.

Article from: CNET

AT&T's bid for T-Mobile turns to lump of coal

week in review Bowing to the objections of federal regulators, AT&T withdrew its $39 billion bid to acquire T-Mobile.

In August, the U.S. Department of Justice sued to block the merger. And in November the Federal Communications Commission indicated it opposed the merger as well. In both cases, the Justice Department and the FCC said that the merger between the second largest and fourth largest wireless phone companies in the U.S would harm competition. The FCC went as far as to say in its report of the merger that the deal would result in massive layoffs and would not be in the public interest.

Source: CNET News

Unbelievable comet pictures from the space station

The International Space Station's commander has again seen the grandeur of comet Lovejoy in new pictures taken from the orbiting outpost, this time also capturing the Earth's horizon and background stars in exquisite detail.

These shots were snapped Thursday, two nights after NASA astronaut Dan Burbank serendipitously witnessed comet Lovejoy rising from behind the Earth as the station orbited 250 miles above the planet and the following night after producing this pictures.

Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers can download and save the stunning high-definition television video of the comet encounter. 

See Photo from: spaceflightnow.com

VW workers slam brakes on after-hours emails

The tyranny of the out-of-hours email from the boss has plagued workers the world over ever since the introduction of the BlackBerry.

Now, after years of subjugation, one group of workers has struck a blow for freedom: 1000 employees of the German car giant Volkswagen.

In a move designed to restore the sacred Teutonic concept of "feierabend" - strictly no work out of factory hours - the vehicle maker's works council, backed by its most powerful trade union, this year struck an agreement with the company that from now on email will be disabled for the selected BlackBerry-equipped staff when they are not in the office.

These employees now receive emails only from half an hour before the start of working hours and half an hour after they end. They can still receive and make phone calls.

Hans-Joachim Thust, a workers' spokesman, suggested that mobile phones and BlackBerry handsets could disrupt family life and lead to employee burn-out. "The new possibilities of communication also contain inherent dangers."

 See Also..

Five ways to get started with your new Android phone

Did you unwrap your gifts this Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus to find that you're the proud new owner of an Android? If so, welcome to the world of Google-powered smartphones.

Millions of others around the globe own phones running Google's Android operating system, across dozens of devices with varying screen sizes and specs. These phones might be from one of more than a dozen hardware makers, running on just about every wireless network out there.

Given the variation, Android can be a bit fragmented, but no matter what your Android looks like, here are a few basics that can help you get started if you're new to smartphone ownership.

1. Set up your Google Account: To use an Android phone you'll need to have a Google Account, which means you'll have to set up a Gmail.com email address if you don't already have one. Your Google Account is, of course, the login identity that follows you as you use all things Google -- Gmail, YouTube, Google Docs, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Blogger and anything else Google produces. This can add some convenience to your life by automatically syncing your contacts and calendars across your computer and your smartphone if you make use of Google's services for keeping track of all that information.

Article From: Los Angeles Times

NBA: Boston Celtics v New York Knicks – live!

Celtics 104 Knicks 104 (2:00 fourth quarter) Daniels misses at the line, but then ties it up after a fine pass from Rondo. Anthony fires a pass towards Douglas, who does well to keep it in bounds. Timeout. 58.9 remaining.

Celtics 102 Knicks 102 (2:00 fourth quarter) The lead is one, and Garnett finds the rim for Boston. Anthony dances through for New York and draws the foul, so will go to the line. Mike D'Antoni hitches up his trousers. Anthony misses his first, but makes the second. Games is tied at 102.

Celtics 102 Knicks 100 (3:34 fourth quarter) Douglas from downtown for three! And the Knicks are within one! Garnett makes a two, but then Anthony levels things up with the Knicks' second successive three-pointer! This is wonderful stuff. Garnett re-establishes Boston's lead, and timeout is called. Spike Lee watch: not so glum any more.

Celtics 96 Knicks 92 (4:24 fourth quarter) Allen now has 20 points, 15 of which have come in the second half. Rondo is trying to take the pace out of the game, dictating from the point – and then makes a great two-pointer. "He's just been phenomenal in every aspect of the game tonight," says Steve Kerr. Stoudemire comes back with two.

Read More...

Hope and fear for Tunisians after a journey into the unknown

TUNIS // When Tunisians remember 2011, certain cries will rush to mind: "Leave!" "Revolution!" "Freedom!" - yells of defiance and victory. But right behind them will come darker words, such as "confusion", "anxiety" and "fear".

The year saw Tunisians throw off dictatorship and move toward democracy, blazing a trail for other countries - such as Egypt and Libya - swept up in the revolts now collectively known as the Arab Spring.

It has also meant more uncertainty than most Tunisians have ever known.

For decades, Tunisia was a land of tight surveillance and few surprises. For millions of ordinary Tunisians, 2011 marked the start of a journey into the unknown.

Take Montasser and Meriem Jomni, young parents in the capital, Tunis.

In the past two years they had their first child and bought their own business, a café on the city's main promenade, Avenue Habib Bourguiba.

Since January, the boulevard has served as Tunisia's prime venue for marches, protests and political theatre, giving the Jomnis a front-row seat as witnesses to history.

The new era began on December 17, 2010, when Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself in the southern town of Sidi Bouzid after years of harassment by city inspectors.

Article From: www.thenational.ae

Pope delivers message of peace on Christmas

(AP) 

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria and the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in his Christmas message Sunday, an appeal for peace that was challenged by deadly attacks on two Nigerian churches.

Benedict delivered his "Urbi et Orbi" speech (Latin for "to the city and to the world") from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica overlooking a sun-drenched piazza below, before thousands of jubilant tourists and pilgrims, and hundreds of colorful Swiss Guards and Italian military bands.

The 84-year-old pope, fresh off a late-night Christmas Eve Mass, said he prayed that the birth of Jesus, which Christmas celebrates, would send a message to all who need to be saved from hardships.

He cited refugees from the Horn of Africa and flood victims in Thailand, among others, and called for greater political dialogue in Myanmar, and stability in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa's Great Lakes region.

Article From: CBS NEWS

If These Moms Can’t Find It, They Invent It

EIGHT years ago, Tamara Monosoff came up with an invention that she was sure mothers like herself would appreciate: a device that prevents children from unspooling toilet paper from the roll. But she had no idea how to transform the concept into a marketable product

When she turned to the Internet, “There was nothing — no road maps, no anything,” recalls Ms. Monosoff, who lives near San Francisco and was education director for the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships for President Bill Clinton.

Fast-forward to today, and the term “mom inventors” yields about 290,000 results on Google. There is Ms. Monosoff’s own Web site, Mom Invented, which supports aspiring “mompreneurs” and licenses and sells products under the Mom Invented brand, a Good Housekeeping-like seal of approval. Other sites include the Mogul Mom, where mothers can satisfy their inner Edison by reading posts like “How Do I Get My Product in Stores?” and “Don’t Get Burned By Your Light Bulb Moment.” Not to mention the dozens and dozens of online stores, like the Busy Mom Boutique, that sell mom-made products. 

Article From: The New York Times

Five predictions for security in 2012

This was an exciting/anxious year in the Internet security community, with big tech firms like Sony and RSA getting hacked, putting consumer data and corporate networks at risk, and with reports of attacks on utilities.

Scary things that go bump in the night are actually happening to computer systems that matter and it's only going to get worse. Here's what I think will happen in 2012.

Malicious Android apps will increase
As a target for malicious software, Android is the Microsoft of the mobile platform. Android has more than 50 percent of the smartphone market, eclipsing all others, so it's the most attractive platform for scammers to target. While iPhone apps get vetted by Apple, Google's open apps store model, which lacks code signing and a review process, makes it easy to distribute malware in apps.

The numbers bear this out. In the last six months, the number of malicious Android apps has doubled to 1,000, a report from mobile security firm Lookout says. Granted the vast majority of the malware--often disguised as legitimate apps--is found on third-party sites. But some malicious apps have made it to the Android Market. Google yanked about two dozen apps containing malware in May and nearly 60 malicious apps in March. (That's not counting the nearly 30 apps pulled in December that appeared to be designed for fraud.) 

From CNET News

2012 Toyota Prius v: Bigger is better

If you put the standard Prius hatchback next to the new Prius v, this model expansion might seem like a pointless exercise, as the Prius v doesn't seem much bigger.

But it is a different story inside the car, as the larger cargo area, higher roof, and some design touches lead to an unexpected spaciousness. A standalone console between the front seats and dual moonroofs makes the car seem like a minivan.

The Prius v gets the same hybrid power train as the standard Prius, based around an electric motor and 1.8-liter gasoline engine, and the driving feel is very much the same. But there is a price to be paid for the extra weight and lessened aerodynamics, a substantial drop-off in fuel economy. But the Prius v still easily averages over 40 mpg, outstripping every other straight gasoline-engine car in the market.

Toyota also fits the Prius v with its new generation of cabin tech, based around a new series of head units. CNET's review car was fitted with the top tier, meaning hard-drive-based navigation, external data coming in through satellite radio and Entune app integration, and a new JBL GreenEdge audio system, designed to use less energy but produce robust sound.

We might have been skeptical about Toyota's decision to expand the Prius brand, but judging from the Prius v, it should be a success.

Article from: CNET News

About to be taken off life support, man wakes

A young man in a coma was unwittingly poised to give the ultimate this holiday season--his life, and with it, his organs. Instead, his mother became the recipient of the ultimate gift: his sudden recovery.

"Nobody could ever give me a better Christmas present than this--ever, ever, ever," his mother, Susan Regan, told ABC News this week.

Sam Schmid, a junior at the University of Arizona, suffered severe brain damage and broken femurs in a five-car accident in October that killed his friend and roommate.

ABC reports that Schmid was airlifted to the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, where renowned surgeon Dr. Robert Spetzler (who trained the doctor who operated on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot in the head earlier this year) performed emergency surgery.

Read more from: CNET News

Apple picks up legal win, a chip company, and a Grammy

Welcome back to Apple Talk Weekly. We're back from hiatus with a weekly dose of the top Apple news and rumors.

Despite the holiday season being in full bore, it's been a busy week for Apple, starting with a win against HTC in its complaint to the International Trade Commission. That was followed shortly thereafter by the apparently successful purchase of an Israeli memory chipmaker, and another legal volley against Samsung in an Australian court.

There were, of course, other goings-on, like some changes to the iTunes store, talk of "prototype" Apple retail stores, and a posthumous Grammy win by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Read more about those stories, and the rest of this week's Apple happenings below.

Apple Talk Weekly rounds up of some of the top Apple-related news and rumors. It appears every Saturday morning and is curated by CNET's Apple reporter, Josh Lowensohn.

News

Apple sees victory against HTC in ITC patent case
The International Trade Commission this week ruled in favor of Apple in its complaint against HTC, alleging that the Taiwan-based company was infringing on 10 of its patents with its mobile devices. The ITC ruled that HTC was in fact, violating one of those patents, and gave the company until April of next year to comply with a software fix. Later in the week, HTC said it already a workaround for the issue ready to go. See also: HTC loses key patent battle: How does it affect you?

Read more From: CNET News

New York: 106.9 points allowed/100 possessions (21st)

Boston at New York
12:00 P.M. ET
Madison Square Garden
TNT

Offensive Efficiency (2010-11):
Boston: 104.0 points/100 possessions (17th)
New York: 108.3 points/100 possessions (5th)

Defensive Efficiency (2010-11):
Boston: 97.8 points allowed/100 possessions (2nd)
New York: 106.9 points allowed/100 possessions (21st)

Key Injuries: Paul Pierce (heel) is doubtful.

Probable NY Starters: Toney Douglas (PG), Landry Fields (SG), Carmelo Anthony (SF). Amar’e Stoudemire (PF), Tyson Chandler (C)

read more from: celticshub.com

D'Alessandro: With Chris Paul challenging Kobe Bryant, this NBA season could be full of the unexpected

After five months of calculated incompetence, the NBA wisely decided to ditch the comic opera and take on a task for which it has demonstrated unswerving ability in recent years: staging actual basketball games.

Hark! We have a season. It starts today, with five games, but it should be noted that each team will play 66 over the next 126 days.

So from the opening bell, assume that there will be a recurring theme over the next 18 weeks: spasmodic pain, followed by an unending chorus of players cursing the mere mention of Stern the Austere. 

Read More...

Agony of victory: Adrian Peterson goes down with knee injury in Vikings' win over Redskins

LANDOVER, Md. - The scene was almost surreal.

There was the Vikings' future, their $100 million investment and the game's best running back, writhing in pain inside FedEx Field after a helmet shot to the knee Saturday by Washington safety DeJon Gomes on the first offensive play of the second half.

It was the kind of play that trivializes the Vikings' lost chance to land surefire No. 1 pick Andrew Luck in April's draft as a result of their 33-26 win over the Redskins.

"Oh, Lord," Peterson remembered saying to himself after the injury, which could prove to be severe. "I just knew it was something bad. The pain was very severe."

Late Saturday, after Peterson had undergone a magnetic resonance imaging exam, the Vikings confirmed that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Even Redskins players were panicked when Peterson went down, immediately signaling for Vikings trainers. Peterson said he heard nothing but his own voice, surrounded by silence.

Meanwhile, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was calling for the Lord, too.

"I had to say a prayer," Shiancoe said.

Turns out this Vikings team could only take so much punishment this season.

Twelve losses were bad enough.

 Article From: msn.foxsports.com

21,000 domains transfer out of Go Daddy in 1 day

Domain registrar Go Daddy lost over 21,000 domains yesterday. It could be a coincidence--or it could be the result of the company's p.r. debacle over its support for the Stop Online Piracy Act.

Yesterday, Go Daddy actually reversed course and dropped its support for the controversial legislation. "Go Daddy will support it when and if the Internet community supports it," Go Daddy CEO Warren Adelman announced in a statement.

SOPA, introduced in Congress this fall, would make it easier for the Justice Department to shut down sites allegedly dedicated to piracy.

An anti-Go Daddy thread on social site Reddit led to the creation of Godaddyboycott.org, a site set up to let people amass their disapproval with the company's support of SOPA.

While 21,054 domains transferred out Friday of Domaincontrol.com--which is managed by Go Daddy--it is only fair to note that 20,034 transferred in the same day, according to domain tracker Dailychanges.com

According to techie site TheNextWeb.com, though, the transfers-out have been building over the course of the week, with 8,800 reported on Monday and 14,500 on Wednesday. 

From: news.cnet

Meryl Streep walks in Margaret Thatcher’s shoes – Chicago Tribune

Reporting from New York ——
Meryl Streep shuffles down a London street wearing a kerchief, a drab beige overcoat and enough prosthetic wrinkles to pass as an octogenarian in the opening scene of her new movie about former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, “The Iron Lady.” For Streep, shooting the sequence provided a jarring taste of a specific kind of invisibility.
“There is no more dismissible figure on the street than an old woman,” Streep said over a mid-December lunch with her “Iron Lady” director, Phyllida Lloyd, in a cavernous suite at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. “I would search for people’s eyes, and I would look people full in the face, and they would assiduously avert their gaze. It was really interesting. You represent everything that is terrifying.”
At 62, Streep is as visible as she’s ever been in her more than 30-year movie career — “The Iron Lady,” which opens in Los Angeles on Friday, looks likely to earn her a record 17th Oscar nomination for acting; President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Clint Eastwood just feted the actress at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; she even appears, wind-swept and rosy-cheeked, on the front of January’s issue of Vogue, the oldest cover subject in the fashion magazine’s history.
Read more

Pope calls for an end to violence in Syria in his Christmas Day message

Pope Benedict XVI has called for an end to bloodshed in Syria and renewed dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians in his Christmas Day address from St Peter's in Rome, as well as asking God's help for a long list of countries hit by natural disasters and instability in 2011.

"May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood," said Benedict in his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" speech, Latin for "to the city and the world", delivered from the main loggia of St Peter's to crowds in a sunlit St Peter's Square.

"May the prince of peace grant peace and stability to that land where he chose to come into the world, and encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians," said the 84-year-old pontiff.

"May he bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed. May he foster full reconciliation and stability in Iraq and Afghanistan. May he grant renewed vigour to all elements of society in the countries of north Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the common good."

From: www.guardian.co.uk

First freely elected Tunisian government sworn in, vows to tackle unemployment

TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s first freely elected government has been sworn in following a popular uprising earlier this year.
The new government led by moderate Islamist party Ennahda received a vote of confidence in parliament Friday and was sworn in Saturday.
Tunisia threw off decades of authoritarian rule in January and held widely praised elections, but Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali warned the country faces many challenges: high unemployment, pockets of unrest and a stagnating economy.
Tunisia’s democratic transition is being closely watched since its revolt led to a rash of similar uprisings across the Arab world.
Its new government is still only temporary, running the country until a new constitution is written and another round of elections held.
Source...

Angelina Jolie Discusses Her New Movie

National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Lynn Neary.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

And I'm Robert Siegel.

"In The Land of Blood and Honey" is the name of Angelina Jolie's new movie about the war in Bosnia in the 1990s. That war was marked by terrible sectarian violence against civilians, massacres, mass rape. The movie focuses on a Bosnian Serb militia unit and its brutal campaign against the Muslims with whom they've lived side by side for centuries and it's the tale of a relationship linking a Serb officer, Danijel, and a Muslim woman named Ajla.

Angelina Jolie does not act in this movie. She wrote it and directed it. Here's the moment when Danijel warns his father, a Serb general, that the cruelties they're committing will not go unnoticed.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY")

GORAN KOSTIC: (as Danijel) You reckon that after the war you'll live normally? I don't. The UN has already sent these people to Croatia. They will not turn their backs.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (as Character) Of course, they see, but they will do nothing. Serbs are the only serious army this part of Europe. They know we are the partners to make deals with. They need us. They will not fight us.

SIEGEL: Viewers who saw "In the Land of Blood and Honey" at very early screenings really heard those lines. But when it opens in U.S. movie theaters, we will hear this instead.
Source: www.zimgossip.com

Samsung Galaxy S II And HTC Sensation Will Receive Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich Upgrade

This winter just got slightly more delicious for HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S II owners. Both of these models are going to receive Android 4.0 — the latest and greatest so far iteration of Google’s Android OS, named Ice Cream Sandwich. Samsung Galaxy Note will also benefit from this upgrade along with Motorola Droid Razr and multiple other models made by LG, HTC, Motorola and Samsung.

Samsung recently confirmed it officially that Its Galaxy S II, Galaxy S II LTE (Long Term Evolution 4G network) and Galaxy Note smartphones will be upgraded to Android 4. The Galaxy Tab 8.9, 7.7 and 10.1 would also get the same as next year progresses.

Users have already started porting hacked versions of the Android 4.0 in to devices like the Galaxy Tab 8.9 and HTC Sensation — unwilling to wait till the companies get to do it officially. Results are varied of course and the smoothness of the 4.0 OS is somewhat marred due to the lack of official support. However, if you are willing risk bricking your set completely unless you know what you are doing, there are already guides out there and discussion topics on forums about how to port the 4.0 to current devices.
From: solar-panel-reviews

Box office update: 'Mission: Impossible' cruises to Friday win with $9.7 million

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol led the Friday box office with a strong $9.7 million, which should lead the action blockbuster to a $27 million weekend and roughly $60 million total earnings by Sunday night. Expect grosses to be very soft tonight (Christmas Eve is always weak at the box office) and then get a big boost on Christmas Day, which has become a big one for moviegoing over the last decade.

In second place, Warner Brothers’ Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows earned $6.8 million, lifting the mystery sequel’s total to $65.5 million. Sherlock may find $19 million over the three-day weekend.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked turned up in third place with $5.4 million, which may lead the CG rodents to a $14 million frame and about $51 million by Sunday. Both Alvin and Sherlock are running far behind the previous films in their respective franchises.

A trio of new releases posting moderate-to-poor results fill up the next three slots. In fourth, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo did just fine with $4.6 million. The David Fincher film may take in $12.5 million this weekend, leading to $21 million by Sunday, which seems underwhelming given high expectations.

Article From:  insidemovies

NORAD Santa tracker goes high-tech to help kids follow Santa Claus

You better watch out, Santa!

NORAD is on track to receive a record number of phone calls from children eager for updates on his present-dropping journey around the world, and they’re even using smartphone apps for the first time to keep tabs on Old St. Nick.

On Saturday, volunteers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, where NORAD is based, told the AP that calls about Santa Claus were on pace to break a record – with more than 4,000 calls an hour coming in – starting at early as 4 a.m.

Though the tracking tradition dates to 1955, NORAD has becoming increasingly high tech to help instantly answer inquiries about Santa’s whereabouts, cookie preferences and more.

 “Hello facebook followers. NORAD uses advanced radar and satellite technology to track Santa. However, he won't deliver to your house, and you can't see him in his sleigh, unless you're asleep!” the Santa-tracking agency wrote on its Facebook page, which has more than 876,000 fans.

The @NoradSanta Twitter account has more than 85,000 followers and even boasts a Google Plus page.

NORAD uses its social media outlets to remind curious children that they have to be asleep for Santa to come, advise them what kind of cookies to put out (on Oreos: “oh yeah, double stuff”) and tell kids not to fret over a run-in between overeager pets and Santa.

“Tell her not to worry, I will be extra careful, I love puppies!” the tracker tweeted to one concerned kid.

NORAD’s Santa Tracker app includes not only up-to-date information on Santa’s path, but games like Elf Toss, which is similar to Angry Birds, according to the Associated Press.

NORAD, which normally tracks activity in American skies and seas for defense purposes, got into the Santa-tracking business quite by accident.

A  Colorado Springs store’s advertisement in 1955 encouraged kids to call a special hotline – but accidentally printed the number of the Director of Operations at Continental Air Defense Command, according to the NORAD website. The Director of Operations at the time, Col. Harry Shoup, then instructed his staff to check the radar for updates on his location – a tradition which has continued since.

“Based on historical data and more than 50 years of NORAD tracking information, we believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of children throughout the world,” the website added.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/santa-norad-santa-tracker-article-1.996466#ixzz1hUMIduJ0

Anti-Putin protests draw tens of thousands

MOSCOW (AP) — Tens of thousands of Russians jammed a Moscow avenue Saturday to demand free elections and an end to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule, in the largest show of public outrage since the protests 20 years ago that brought down the Soviet Union. Gone was the political apathy of recent years as many shouted "We are the Power!"
The demonstration, bigger and better organized than a similar one two weeks ago, and smaller rallies across the country encouraged opposition leaders hoping to sustain a broad protest movement ignited by a fraud-tainted parliamentary election on Dec. 4.
The enthusiasm also cheered Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader who closed down the Soviet Union on Dec. 25, 1991.
"I'm happy that I have lived to see the people waking up. This raises big hopes," the 80-year-old Gorbachev said on Ekho Moskvy radio.
He urged Putin to follow his example and give up power peacefully. If Putin stepped down now, he would be remembered for the positive things he did, Gorbachev said. The former Soviet leader, who has grown increasingly critical of Putin, has little influence in Russia today.
But the protesters have no central leader and no candidate capable of posing a serious challenge to Putin, who intends to return to the presidency in a March vote. In a fair election, the veteran Communist Party leader would pose the strongest threat, and he has joined the Kremlin in disparaging the protests.
Even at Saturday's rally, some of the speakers were jeered by the crowd. The various liberal, nationalist and leftist groups that took part appear united only by their desire to see "Russia without Putin," a popular chant.
 SOURCE...

How to choose the best natural gas contract: Minding Your Money

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Choosing a natural gas supplier this winter is easy, as long as you keep in mind that the wholesale price of gas is low -- and is going to stay low for quite a while.

This month's wholesale commodity price is the lowest December price since 2001, making the regulated price of gas bought through local utilities just as much a bargain.

The near-term future is just as consumer-friendly.

The average commodity price over the next 12 months is surprisingly low, about $3.41 per 1,000 cubic feet, or 35 cents per 100 cubic feet.

Consumers in Ohio have two choices for natural gas. They can choose an unregulated independent supplier or they can buy gas through the utility that delivers it to their homes: Dominion East Ohio or Columbia Gas of Ohio.

Those plans carry variable rates that change monthly. Independent suppliers offer variable and fixed rates.

Here are some basic tools to help you decide whether to stick with the utility's monthly variable rate or look for a fair price from an independent supplier. 

Read More From:  www.cleveland.com

Last-minute buyers top off stronger shopping season

Among them was Len Boswell. He started his shopping at 6 a.m. at Starbucks and later in the morning was at a CVS drugstore in Decatur, Ga., picking up candy and a neck pillow for his wife.

"I should have done this a couple of weeks ago," acknowledges Boswell, 68, a director of book publishing at a nonprofit.

Taubman Centers, which operates malls across the country including The Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey and Beverly Center in Los Angeles, reported almost-full parking lots at some malls by 10 a.m., earlier than last year. Apparel, electronics, perfume and jewelry were among the biggest sellers. Many stores in Taubman malls reported that Friday seemed to be the busiest day of the year, Taubman spokeswoman Karen MacDonald said.

Macy's in New York's Herald Square — which has been open around the clock since Wednesday and is closing at 6 p.m. Saturday — was packed with shoppers at late morning.

Stores are expected to ring up $469.1 billion during the holiday season, which begins Nov. 1st and runs through Dec. 31st. The final week before Christmas can account for up to 20% of those sales. Retailers tempered their expectations heading into the season because they worried that Americans weren't ready to spend in the weak economy. But sales have been so brisk during the two-month period that the National Retail Federation, the industry's big trade group, upgraded its overall sales growth forecast a full percentage point to 3.8%.

Source...

Jets miff Giants with curtains over Super Bowl logos

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Yapping at the New York Giants during the week seemingly wasn't enough for the Jets.

Rex Ryan's team stepped up the annoying tactics hours before their New York City metropolitan area showdown at MetLife Stadium by putting black curtains in front of the Giants' four Super Bowl logos outside their locker room.

Giants placekicker Lawrence Tynes and running back Brandon Jacobs both removed the curtains, only to have a Jets official move them back in front of the logo. A security guard was put in front of the curtains to prevent further tampering.

Because it's a Jets' home game, they control the displays seen in the stadium, which is co-owned by both teams. Both end zones had the Jets' logo and the MetLife logo was lit in green.

"They just decided to cover the logos," Giants co-owner John Mara said.

When asked if the Jets might have taken the higher road, Mara smiled.

"No comment," he said.

The Jets said it was simply their standard practice as those logos are covered for every one of the team's home games, regardless of opponent, because it is the players' entrance.

Source...

NBA Season Finally Set to Tip off on Christmas

Finally, the conversation changes.

It's time for the NBA to ditch the dollars and nonsense of the lockout for the alleys and oops in Lob City, the new nickname for the suddenly exciting Los Angeles Clippers.

For months, all the talk was about lockouts, salary caps and mediation. Now there are games that count as a new season begins Christmas Day.

For all practical purposes, Clippers fans have been locked out of competitive basketball for the better part of three decades. Now they get entertainment of the highest order — watching Blake Griffin throw down lob passes from Chris Paul.

The 2011-12 season, shortened to 66 games, debuts Sunday when five marquee games will be played from morning deep into the night. This marks a first step for the league as it looks to bury a damaging offseason marred by a five-month labor dispute and several stars trying to force their way out of town.

Read More...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS GOOGLE DOODLE: ‘Jingle Bells’ logo rings in among the Best of 2011 [UPDATED]

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, Google, you’ve spoiled us.

Here, under one URL, you’ve gifted us with personalized Christmas cartoon video cards and calls.

And there, as delivered by you and cousin NORAD, is a Santa flight-tracker.

Why, for the holidays, you even managed to make it snow.

So what can we say now, as you top it off with all the jingling bells-and-whistles?

This holiday weekend, the California company unwrapped its latest logo (among differing versions around the globe): a musical animation that asks you to click on the box beneath each letter, which has a corresponding icon of the season, from a snowflake to a snowman to a flickering candle. Click them all and the Doodle — like a window display or lighted front-yard menagerie — tootles “Jingle Bells.”

Which means we can’t help but gift Google with the Comic Riffs Gold Ribbon as one of our favorites of the year.

Here are the rest of your best, Google — happy holidays!

Source: YOUTUBE

Why Running A Mobile OS By Committee Can Be Very Hard

Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

It’s not that Android is poised to lose ground among consumers this year: people clearly seem to want an alternative to the iPhone and none of the other competitors—Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 or Research in Motion’s BlackBerry—are in any position to make significant gains at Android’s expense in the short term. And it’s not clear how many average consumers get caught up in these update debates the way more passionate mobile advocates do.

SEE ALSO: Google I/O: New Android Supergroup Hopes To Streamline Update Process

But Android partners are thinking long and hard about their investment in the software heading into 2012, sick of patent taxes and worried about Google’s potential purchase of Motorola: It’s hard to find that many people in the mobile industry who believe that Google will always run Motorola (NYSE: MMI) at arm’s length, as it has insisted it plans to do should U.S. and European regulators approve the $12.5 billion deal.

Even if Google does live up to that promise, it has a recurring problem whenever it tries to enforce standards on Android partners. Many companies signed up for the program with the understanding that they would be able to run their phones as they saw fit rather than having to operate under the yoke of a single company like the way Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) held sway over the PC industry for decades.

Article From: paidcontent.org

Sony PlayStation Vita review: Sony announces PS Vita titles for U.S.

PlayStation Vita, Sony’s fresh handheld gaming device, is to hit U.S. stores on 22, February, 2012. The much awaited gaming console will be up for a price starting from $249.99 in the country. Ahead of the release, the Japanese gaming giant has announced the U.S. titles for the gaming device. The titles will be available for purchase from the day one.

As per reports, the new PlayStation gaming device will make big impact in the gaming industry in the country. Up with many cutting edge features like two analog sticks, a 5-inch OLED multitouch capacitive touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and optional 3G, PlayStation Vita will change the way we have been familiar with the handheld gaming devices. We bring to you a complete rundown to the features and capabilities of PS Vita after the break for the PSV titles for the U.S., which Sony recently announced.

PS Vita titles for the U.S.
Sony’s published titles for the handheld gaming device include ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Army Corps of Hell, wipEout 2048, Escape Plan, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational and Little Deviants. Third party titles include Michael Jackson: The Experience, Plants vs. Zombies, Touch My Katamari, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, FIFA Soccer and Lumines Electronic Symphony.

Article from: nvo news

ATandT, Deutsche Telekom Could Still Salvage T-Mobile Deal

NEWS ANALYSIS: A merger between Deutsche Telekom and AT&T would save T-Mobile so it could get the spectrum it needs, as well as focus on prepay and reseller partnerships.

With the AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile now dead, the future of T-Mobile is uncertain. The wireless carrier doesn’t have enough wireless spectrum to compete in the 4G market, and the company lacks what every other major carrier now has–the iPhone. 

T-Mobile also doesn’t have anywhere near the large number of subscribers as Sprint, Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility. The company looks like a small country bride who was left at the alter by the big, rich kid.

However, there’s one scenario left that could both save T-Mobile and allow AT&T to become a truly international telecommunications company. This scenario would have AT&T do a “reverse merger” with Deutsche Telekom with the combined companies called AT&T. It would be a reverse merger since Deutsche Telekom merges with AT&T but then become AT&T. That combined company would then own T-Mobile. 

Source: www.eweek.com

 

Best Buy Stores Offer BoGo Deal on 32GB iPhone 4

Hurry up if you want to take advantage of this offer, which is only valid in stores today, Dec. 24. If you can make it to Best Buy today, you’ll get a second 32GB iPhone 4 free when you purchase one at full price.

Regardless if you are grabbing one for Verizon or AT&T with its proper two-year contract, when you get an iPhone 4 with 32GB capacity, Best Buy throws in another one for free. If the new A5 chip, improved camera and Siri are not on your Apple-phone must-have list, you may want to take advantage of this deal. Read More...

Two new Earths and the search for life

This chart compares the first Earth-size planets found around a sun-like star to planets in our own solar system

Editor's note: Meg Urry is the Israel Munson professor of physics and astronomy and chairwoman of the department of physics at Yale University, where she is the director of the Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics. This article was written in association with The Op-Ed Project, an organization seeking to expand the range of opinion voices to include more women.

New Haven, Connecticut (CNN) -- Americans were enthralled by fake reports of an alien invasion in the Orson Welles "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast on Halloween Eve in 1938. Hundreds of science fiction movies from the 1902 silent epic "A Trip to the Moon" (featured in the current film "Hugo") to "Star Wars" to this year's "Cowboys and Aliens" have fed a deep curiosity about intelligent beings elsewhere in the universe.

Hang on to your hats, because reality is starting to catch up.

Read More... (CNN)

Rare Galaxy from 'Dawn of Time' Photographed

This image from the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes shows one of the most distant galaxies known, called GN-108036, dating back to 750 million years after the Big Bang that created our universe. The galaxy's light took 12.9 billion years to reach us.

An ancient galaxy that formed just after the birth of the universe has been photographed by telescopes on Earth and in space, and is the brightest galaxy ever seen at such remote distances, astronomers say.

The blob-shaped galaxy, called GN-108036, is about 12.9 billion light-years away and appears as it existed just 750 million years after the universe began. The universe, for comparison, is about 13.7 billion years old.

But the sheer distance to the galaxy isn't the only thing to intrigue scientists. The galaxy is also creating stars at a furious pace, making it a rare cosmic find. NASA officials described the galaxy as shining from the "dawn of time," with star formation inside it occurring at a "shockingly high rate."

A photo of the rare galaxy released by NASA shows the object as a red blob surrounded by other bright galaxies.

From: www.foxnews.com

Russian satellite debris lands in Cosmonaut Street

Fragments of a Russian satellite that failed to launch properly have landed in a street named after cosmonauts in a remote Siberian village, reports say.

The Meridian communications satellite failed to reach orbit on Friday.

Parts crashed into the Novosibirsk region of central Siberia and were found in the Ordynsk district around 100km (60 miles) south of the regional capital, Novosibirsk.

Residents of Vagaitsevo village said a piece had landed on a house there.

The owner of the house, Andrei Krivoruchenko, said that he heard a huge noise and a crash as the satellite hit the roof.

BBC News

CDC Again Tracking Swine Flu Virus

Health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are again concerned about the possibility of an outbreak of swine flu-so concerned, in fact, that they're asking state public health labs across the country to notify them immediately if they susect someone is infected with the virus.

Since August, 12 people have been infected with the virus, called H3N2, in Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Swine flu swept the globe beginning in 2009, when the H1N1 subtype of the virus was first detected. An estimated 43 million to 89 million Americans caught swine flue during the pandemic. According to the CDC, between 8,870 and 18,300 deaths were linked to the virus. The World Health Organization officially declared an end to the H1N1 pandemic in August 2010.

This year's flu vaccine includes the H3N2 virus, along with the H1N1 virus.

Source...

Troops attack protesters in Yemen capital

SANAA, Yemen — More than 100,000 protesters who entered Yemen's capital Saturday after a 4-day march from another city were attacked by elite troops loyal to outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who opened fire with guns, water cannons and tear gas. Medical officials said at least three protesters were killed, including a woman.

The crowd of protesters had marched from Taiz, a city that has been a major opposition center 170 miles to the south. The first of its kind protest, called the March of Life, aimed to put pressure on the country's new government not to grant Saleh immunity from prosecution.

The violence underlined the continuing turmoil in Yemen even after Saleh signed a U.S.- and Saudi-backed deal last month by which he handed his powers to his vice president and committed to step down completely in return for immunity.

Protesters who rallied by the thousands for the past 10 months rejected the deal, demanding Saleh be tried for his bloody crackdown on their movement.

At the same time, Saleh has seemed to continue to exercise influence through his relatives and loyalists still in their positions, even after Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi formed a unity government between the opposition and ruling party. Forces loyal to Saleh have defied orders to withdrew from the streets of Sanaa after a deadline was reached Saturday to do so.

Read Next (cbs news)

Official: France’s health insurance agency to file complaint in breast implant scandal

PARIS — France’s national health insurance agency will file a criminal complaint in a breast implant scandal, an official said Saturday, after authorities recommended that women with potentially faulty implants have them removed and agreed to pay for the procedure.
The agency will file the complaint for deception and fraud in the coming days, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing policy. It will most likely not name specific people or the company behind the implants, though specific targets could be added later.
“It now appears pretty clear that these breast implants did not meet the specifications imposed for these products,” the insurance agency’s director, Frederic Van Roekeghem, told France Info radio. “That will surely have damaging consequences for the patients ... and there will be a significant cost for social security also and so in this context it’s normal and natural for us to file a complaint.”
He added that a civil suit would also likely follow.
Read Next (washington post)

Tens of Thousands Gather in Moscow to Protest

The first such demonstration, two weeks ago, was unprecedented for Mr. Putin’s rule, and there were reasons Saturday’s turnout could have been lower — among them, winter holidays and the onset of bitter cold.

Instead, people poured all afternoon into a canyon created by vast government office buildings, and the police put the crowd at 29,000, more than they reported on Dec. 10. Organizers said it was closer to 120,000. Hours later, as the protesters dispersed, they chanted, slowly and rhythmically: “We will come again! We will come again!”

If the movement sustains its intensity, it could alter the course of presidential elections in March, when Mr. Putin plans to extend his stretch as the country’s dominant figure to an eventual 18 years. Opposition voters were furious over the conduct of this month’s parliamentary elections, and will be roused again by Mr. Putin’s campaigning. Still, maintaining momentum will prove a huge challenge, and the initial giddy mood has already hardened into something more serious. 

NEXT (The New York Times)

Republican Gingrich out of Virginia primary election

Gingrich had been leading in a poll of Virginia voters and a spokesman for the former speaker of the House of Representatives defiantly pledged to run a write-in campaign for the March 6 vote. However, Virginia does not permit write-ins in primary elections, according to the state code.

The Virginia Republican Party also said Texas Governor Rick Perry's petitions also had failed to qualify him for the ballot. Only former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul qualified.

Three other members of the Republican field trying to unseat Democratic President Barack Obama - former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum - did not meet the Thursday deadline for submitting petitions.

Despite Gingrich's last-minute scramble to submit his petitions by the deadline, the state party said on its website on Saturday that a review process showed he did not have the required 10,000 verifiable signatures.

The Virginia state board of elections earlier had said Gingrich, among the top three Republican candidates nationally, had made the ballot with 11,050 signatures.

"Only a failed system excludes four out of the six major candidates seeking access to the ballot," Gingrich campaign director Michael Krull said. "Voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender, especially leading candidates.

"We will work with the Republican Party of Virginia to pursue an aggressive write-in campaign to make sure that all the voters of Virginia are able to vote for the candidate of their choice," Krull said.

But Virginia Code Section 24.2-644(C) rules out write-ins in its first sentence, saying: "At all elections except primary elections it shall be lawful for any voter to vote for any person other than the listed candidates for the office by writing or hand printing the person's name on the official ballot."

A December 22 Quinnipiac poll for Virginia had Gingrich ahead with 30 percent of the vote, compared with 25 percent for Romney and 9 percent for Paul. Virginia is one of 11 states holding a primary or caucus on March 6.

After Gingrich staged two campaign events in the state last week, his campaign had been confident that he had made the ballot even as his last-minute scramble raised concerns about Gingrich's abilities to run a national campaign.
Reuters