Blake Lively would love to share the diet and fitness formula to her amazing figure, but she swears there isn't one.
manning peyton florida state meghan mccain wilson chandler bristol motor speedway puerto rico
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Taoiseach says Cabinet approved Personal Insolvency Bill which ...
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and T?naiste Eamon Gilmore today confirmed that the Cabinet has approved the publication of the Personal Insolvency Bill which it will publish on Friday. The Taoiseach said it was a radical measure that would allow those unable to pay their debts to be discharged from bankruptcy in 3 years rather than 12. It will, Enda Kenny said provide for non-judicial methods of dealing with debt settlement.
Kenny said banks would have to be more pro-active in dealing with economic problems which were partially of their own making. Jan O'Sullivan, housing minister, will give more details on Thursday of the planned mortgage-to-rent scheme whereby those in difficulties could remain in their house and rent it back from the financial institution.
The Taoiseach said: ?We need to help struggling families who find themselves under unsustainable levels of mortgage debt.? We have to give them some options whereby they can make a fresh start in their lives.
?Fundamental to our strategy is a radical overhaul of Ireland?s regime for personal debt insolvency.? It will provide clarity on the policy framework for bankruptcy and debt settlement.? The new regime will give a greater balance to the rights of the borrower and the lender and incentivise both parties to come to an agreed solution.?
?Later this evening, the Government Economic Management Council will meet with the main banks to brief them on our strategy and to discuss their approach to mortgage arrears.
?The Government is fulfilling its responsibilities to develop new options for people in debt distress.? The banks must show the country that they can help resolve the crisis that is partly of their creation.?
The T?naiste said: ?The issue of mortgage arrears is one of the most pressing economic, social and human problems facing our people. Behind the statistics are tens of thousands of human stories ? of people suffering in many different ways.? From those who are afraid that they may lose their homes, to those who are put to their pin of their collar every month to pay the mortgage.?
?The Government is determined to do everything we can to assist people in distress, and let them get on with their lives.?
?The personal insolvency bill is a mammoth, and ground-breaking piece of legislation, which is bringing about fundamental change in personal insolvency law.? It will reform the existing law on bankruptcy, and also bring in new forms of legal protection for people who are in debt, short of full bankruptcy.?
Check out our new subscription service, Finfacts Premium , at a low annual charge of ?25 - - if you are a regular user of Finfacts, 50 euro cent a week is hardly a huge ask to support the service.
It's a simple fact that in the prevailing economic climate, the provision of high quality content cannot be sustained through advertising alone.?
Business executives who put a premium on time and value high quality information, should use our service.
aisha khan alanis morissette vanessa bryant vanessa bryant adam lambert incendiary floyd mayweather
Facebook pulls new 'Find Friends Nearby' feature
11 hrs.
Over the weekend, Facebook added a?stalkerish feature called "Find Friends Nearby" to its mobile website; on Monday, it was gone.
"Find Friends Nearby" let users of iOS and Android devices locate BFFs ??and perhaps nBFFs (never BFFs) ? ?who were within geographic?range. A great feature for someone you like; for someone you don't, not so much.
The add-on was part of Facebook's efforts to bolster its mobile offerings, including bringing?in more revenue, something the social network is?trying to figure out how to?achieve.
But on Monday, the feature could not be accessed.
Msnbc.com contacted Facebook about the "Find Friends Nearby" pullback.
?A spokesperson for the social network said the program was not a "formal release."
"This was something that a few engineers were testing. With all tests, some get released as full products, others don't. Nothing more to say on this for now ? we'll communicate to everyone when there is something to say."
Facebook engineer Ryan Patterson told Tech Crunch over the weekend that he built "Find Friends Nearby" ? originally called "Friendshake" ??with another engineer as part of a?hackathon.
Patterson said he saw the "ideal use case" for the product as "one where when you?re out with a group of people whom you?ve recently met and want to stay in contact with," a kind of "really easy way to exchange contact information with multiple people with minimal friction."
Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on?Facebook,?and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.
dad shoots daughters laptop brandon jennings channing tatum the vow review luol deng culkin wooly mammoth
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Mai'k Mai'k Status
They corrupted a world they never knew existed and now they have to save it to save themselves. ((Need People!))
Owner:
Game Masters:
This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Metamorphoses?. Anything posted here will also show up there.Topic Tags:
Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.Hello AvengerSpirit, I've been adjusting my character for quite some time now. I'm not sure what u meant by fleshed out, but I added an extremely detailed backstory to Mai'k Mai'k. Then I changed his photo thinking that fleshed out meant make him look more human and not anime, maybe you thought the picture was not human (which it was) no harm none the less. I have no problem reaching your 200 word minimum and the only reason my minimum was so low before is because I had just started. Another thing is that I can't send private messages for some odd reason or reply to them, so this is the only way I can reach you. I'm not adding anything else to my character because I think I've done more than enough. Please look over his profile again and tell me what you think. I'm really looking to join this rp, but if not it's no big deal, so don't sweat it.
-CaesarTheSeventh
-
CaesarTheSeventh - Member for 0 years
Post a reply
-
RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.
If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.
Who is online
Registered users: AceofSpade*, airedeiagrace*, Akantha, Akita, Alambil, Angel's Whisper*, Aniihya*, Arabella13, arcadegames&sodapop*, ArcticFox*, Arluar*, Arya_Hyacinth*, AugustArria, Auricambrflaym*, AvengerSpirit*, Beach-Born-Boy, Blackbird26*, Blackfridayrule, blacksky*, blade1311, bluepoptart, BOO!*, Brantley92, brighteyedbelle*, Brock10, brokenxfate*, BunnyandSheep, c.allen2.11, CaesarTheSeventh, Calvazara*, Calyx_Mason*, CausaMortis*, ceh12*, Censored69*, ChaosxChild13, Chari*, Chiharu*, Chloe De Luca*, Chrome Shiny, Cloasse*, col amrytile, Coloratura, Commisar_Gaunt, Crazy4Wolves99*, CriminalMinds*, Cypher*, Dante Angelico*, Dante1313*, DarkCookie97*, DarknessUndying, darkune*, dealing with it, demented-tiger*, DemiKara*, DemonataQueen, demoniclysayra, diabolicalxdamsel*, Digital_Muse*, DigitalInsanity, dimon lord*, DivineFantasy, Doodlepad, Doug*, dream cast soul*, Dumisa, Eisenhorn, Elrith Eldwind, Evita*, FalloutRomanae, Feral*, Forensic_Anthro, Forget~Me~Not*, Freimeier*, Froggiepril*, frustratedly, gabriellaluvscanada, Gamer_Templar*, Genesis Rhapsodos, Gii*, Gintoki Sakata, GoodJobDino, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Guardian Angel, H.Dot.S*, hanybanany, hellgirl**, Hinasil*, HitoriRaven*, Honey, Horseygirl*, hurricania*, Hypnosis*, ilikepurplezebras, Ironman11, jackrules158, Jadeling Hawkins*, JimmyTheRat*, JokerofSpades, jrobbins1993*, Kai*, Kansiov*, kathrin, keima8D, Keita*, Kohananinja*, Kokonoe*, Korrye, KrazyTigger, krumbla, KuruLesperance, Kuukakulily*, Lady Inali*, Lady_Blood92243*, LavenderMistress, Little Fox*, loowman141414, Lord Saladin*, LoveHateKindOfGirl*, Lufia*, Lupine, Mac the Impaler, Majestic-12 [Bot], MaliceInWonderland, Mat_z6*, Mela, Miho~No~Dorei*, Moonbow*, Moonstruck, Morgan, Mr_Doomed*, MSN [Bot], MSNbot Media, mummydove, Nekohina*, Nevan*, NewKidOnTheBlock*, nightwolf, NorthernSoul*, November_Rain_18, Noxize*, nxmi*, oetunianne*, Outlaw*, Palsied, Patcharoo, pieluver, pipzel*, PoppyMidnight, Princess Awinita*, PrincessBoy*, Psychroma, Puppette*, R.T.M.X.*, raindrops_autumn, RawrImaPanda, Raziel .*, Rem?us*, ROFLMAO FTW, Romaneck*, Rulke*, Sacred Wolf, Saint Crash, Saiyan Princess*, SakuraXx*, SarcasticIrony*, SasoriRinku, Saviarre*, ScarnyLuv, Shaodow*, shecterman15*, Shiva*, Shynx, silentawakening, SilverAngelWings, Skwidge*, SlightlyInsane*, Smokescreen, Sokka25*, Something?, Sora112112, Sorella*, Stella11, stormwolf321*, SuperNinjaRoo, Surfergirl, SweetVagabond, Tainted Twinkee, Tanman*, Tayloremond, TemplarWarden, The Angry Penguin*, The Cynic*, The Great Thundorz*, The Valkyrie, The:Cutest:Flip:Out, TheFinalOne, TheFlag, TheIMan, TheTragicHeroine*, Thorait*, throne*, Tiger-twig*, tigergirl4life*, Tiko*, Tom Ice*, tornadofan2, Trickster132*, Valkyrieknight*, Vestiline*, ViceRicePres, VitaminHeart*, ViviOrunitiaFF9, WadeJackel*, Wake*, waterbabe1, WhiteTiger08*, Wing06Twilight, winged1107, WittyWriter88, XavierDantius32*, Xiiver*, XxChristinaxX*, Yahoo [Bot], yamada*, yogitheambrangyl*, Zentose*, zody
current tv megamillions ncaa basketball tournament 2012 megamillions winning numbers lotto winner michael oher jerry lee lewis
Take A Tour Along The Country Side For Your Vacation
Life is short and it has to be enjoyed. Or else it becomes meaningless. We all strive hard to earn our living. The reason why we do is so is to enjoy a comfortable and fun filled life. The irony is that most people end up working 24x7 all through the year with barely anytime for even eating or sleeping to earn so much which enables them to lead a comfortable life filled with secure future. However, they do not have sufficient time to enjoy life in the process and thus the whole purpose of doing so becomes meaningless. You ought to take a vacation once in a while to rejuvenate yourself and at the same time devote quality time to your family members. Amidst the entire chaotic environment we survive every day, we all seek for peace. There is no other place better than the country side to help you attain that.
Think about where you are going for your vacation to achieve what is necessary to sustain life. Here is a suggestion for you. Come to San Francisco. San Francisco is one among the beautiful cities of the world. It has two counties on its borders namely Sonoma valley and Napa valley. The Napa wine tours are best known for their wine estuaries. In fact they are responsible for manufacturing some of the world renowned quality, exquisite wines. You can also get to taste them absolutely for free. The place is also quite different from the city atmosphere which gives you an extraordinary experience filled with silence and peace. It is sure that most people who take vacations these days expect a calm and quiet place to spend their vacation cut out from the chaotic busy city life.
The city also thrives upon the revenue generated by the tourism board and thus every year, its government does everything possible to promote tourism and thereby you have many tour packages priced at a much comprehensive rate which works out by all means for your vacation. People do have budget constraints and these packages are designed in such a way, you tend to experience most at a much cheaper rate. Also since these packages are quite structured, your agenda is fixed and youll never be lost when you get there. You are also provided a tour guide along with the package, to make your visit more informative and enjoyable. Sonoma valley and Napa valley is famously known as wine country tours.
Though the packages do not include lodging facilities, you have many motels and resorts located in the county. You can always enquire about those places and stay for another couple of days in the same locality if you wish to spend more time along the wineries. You also have other packages which combines city tours along with the wine country tours which is slightly expensive than normal thereby allowing you to experience the whole of San Francisco. In that course, never miss the opportunity to visit the famous Golden Gate Bridge when you go to San Francisco. All necessary details are available across many websites. Log onto, www.winecountrytourshuttle.com for further details.
About the Author:
Shijina is a SEO copywriter for Napa Tours. She has written various articles like Napa Valley Tours , California Wine Country Tours, and Napa Wine Tours, Napa wine Country Tours. For details visit Wine Country Tours.
war eagle war eagle pawn stars restrepo nba news nba news florida gators
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Personal Development: Tips And Tricks For A Better You
Measure your progress daily or even hourly. Whether you are cleaning up that junk room or studying for a final examination, use some method to keep track of how much you have progressed towards your goal. You might just check individual tasks off a list. You might take digital photos of your progress and regularly mail them to a friend!
In the digital age, you need not only keep your physical space free from clutter and mess, but you need to keep your digital one clean too. For many people, this means organizing your e-mail. If you are someone who gets thousands a day, keep them organized so that you can keep up with them. It?s impossible to handle that many in a single day, but by organizing them, you can get many more done.
Don?t be afraid to ask for help. This can be one of the most important things to know on your self help journey. Asking for help from those around you who are qualified is in fact a sign of strength. You get the benefit of someone who is objective and a bit more experienced than you are.
Give the tips that you have learned about self help at least thirty days to work for you. If you try a tip for only a day or two, you are likely to miss the many benefits to be reaped from them by sticking with it a bit longer.
Yoga doesn?t just have benefits for your physical health, it can help improve your mood, too. As a result, it becomes a valuable self-help tool. Practicing yoga helps to calm the mind, which leaves you less vulnerable to stress. Even simple techniques, such as controlled deep breathing, can help you to relax more effectively and reduce your anxiety each day.
Personal development is often most successful when you have a clear goal in mind. Simply striving for ?improvement? will take you far, but will make it much harder for you to reach your ultimate goals. Specific goals that you can clearly visualize will allow you to remain focused on why you?re striving for improvement.
Time management is key to living a well-balanced life. There are always more things to do in a day than there is time for those things. You have to be selective and you have to be confident in choosing what to do with your time. Have goals, make plans and when the unexpected happens, embrace it if its something that makes you happy. You must practice time management.
One great tip with regards to personal development is to make a plan and stick to it. Creating a plan to achieve a goal is great, but it is only half the battle. Understand that setting up goals and making plans is easy, executing them is the hard part.
Guessing how people percieve you or what they think about you might cost an opportunity for a great friendship. No one can read another person?s mind or heart, so try not to constantly worry about what other people think. Be yourself and be honest, and let time produce the truest of friends.
Personal development always starts from within. If you are trying to improve yourself for a friend or loved one you are almost certainly doomed to failure. Everything you are doing should be first and foremost for yourself. If you can remind yourself of this it will be much easier to stay motivated in the difficult times.
Improving yourself, once you?ve acknowledged there is a problem, is actually quite simple. All it takes is one little effort every day. Focus on one aspect of your life or character you?d like to improve, and make it your mantra. Focus every activity, every interaction that day around that principal, and stick to it. You?ll feel great about yourself!
If you are not especially comfortable with technology, make it a point to explore and learn about one tech device, gadget, or service every week. You may be surprised at the world of functional and accessible tools available. It could be a new software program, an unfamiliar internet browser, or a handy app that could help you to stay organized and focused.
Don?t be afraid to complement other people on the things that make them great, even if he or she is a perfect stranger. Receiving a heartfelt compliment from someone you love is uplifting. But think about how wonderful it feels when someone who you do not even know comes-up to you and gives you a killer compliment.
Achieving lasting change in those areas that we seek to improve can be difficult, and if you?re looking for guidance, you?ve come to the right place! The most difficult part is deciding to start. So, start now with the suggestions mentioned in this article with your quest for self improvement. We wish you success in your journey!
I hope this has been useful for information on how to entice a man , of course you will discover on video itself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzXUCGQ4eKo, why not visit now and check them out.
mike dantoni bulls heat goldman sachs brandon carr knicks coach encyclopedia britannica pi
Saturday, June 23, 2012
LeBron delivers on first of promised NBA titles as Heat cruise past Thunder
The Miami Heat got 20+ points from four players last night, including NBA Finals MVP LeBron James, to win their second NBA title by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 121-106.
The Miami Heat's LeBron James sits between the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy, left, and the most valuable player trophy after Game 5 of the NBA finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, early Friday, June 22, in Miami.
Lynne Sladky/AP
EnlargeThe Heat began Game 5 last night in a patient fashion. But after trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder with just under five minutes remaining in the first period, Miami began pulling away in what would eventually amount to a 121-106 rout to win its second NBA title since the 2005-2006 season, four games to one.
Skip to next paragraph' +
google_ads[0].line2 + '
' +
google_ads[0].line3 + '
It was also the first championship for the Heat?s ?Big Three? assemblage of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh since they joined forces in July of 2010. The Heat, leading the Thunder for most of the way, expanded a 59-49 halftime lead to 24 points by the end of the third (it was as many as 26 in one instance).
Asked following the game by ESPN?s Stewart Scott what the most hurtful comment made about him by the news media had been since his mediocre Finals appearance last season, James was thoughtful and then replied being called ?selfish.? In light of his 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds last night, it would appear that unfortunate characterization was a bit misplaced.
The Heat posted an overwhelmingly dominant offensive performance, and particularly from the three-point arc, where they went 14 of 26 for a mammoth 54% shooting percentage. By contrast, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, who scored a team-high 43 points in Game 4, could only hit 4 of 20 shots from the field (he wound up with 19 points on the night), though teammate James Harden rebounded from a miserable eight points in the last game to score 19 last night.
But even with Kevin Durant, Westbrook and Harden combining for 70 points, they just couldn?t keep pace with the Heat, who aside from their 3-point percentage, were hitting on all cylinders in hitting 52 percent of their field goals and 82% of their foul shots. In fact, Miami had already crossed the ?century mark? less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
purim acc tournament big ten tournament big east tournament 2012 solar storm solar flares spanx
Friday, June 22, 2012
Mexico captures suspected son of top gang boss
By NBC News and Reuters
MEXICO CITY - Jesus Alfredo Guzman, to be the son of Mexico?s most wanted drug gang boss ?El Chapo?, it believed to have been captured, officials in the country said Thursday.
A man suspected to be Jesus Alfredo was held in the western state of Jalisco on Thursday morning, the Navy said in a statement.
His father Joaquin Guzman - nicknamed ?Shorty?, or "El Chapo" in Spanish - escaped a Mexican jail in a laundry cart in 2001 and runs the Sinaloa cartel, arguably the country's most powerful gang.?
Drug violence in Mexico has exploded over the last decade, and there have been more than 55,000 drug-related killings since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006.?
One killed every half hour in Mexico drug-related violence
Thursday's arrest comes just over week before Mexico votes for a new president. The ruling National Action Party (PAN) has lost support due to the drug violence ravaging the country. The constitution bars Calderon from running for re-election.?
A video "mockumentary" that shows children as kidnappers, corrupt cops and drug traffickers sparked a fierce debate in violence-torn Mexico. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
The U.S. Treasury said last month Americans were banned from doing any business with two of Guzman's sons, who were identified as Ivan Guzman and Ovidio Guzman, under the terms of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.?
Cross-border methamphetamine trade booms amid Mexico's 'war on drugs'
Reuters contributed to this report
More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
?
Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.the weeknd echoes of silence gio gonzalez san francisco fire patti labelle the weeknd the weeknd payroll tax
Astronomers Catch Video of 'Near-Miss' Asteroid
Image: R. P. Binzel, M. Lockhart (MIT); B. Golisch, S. J. Bus, T. Denault, J. Rayner, A. Tokunaga (NASA IRTF); A. Gulbis (SALT)
From Nature magazine
A small asteroid called 2012 KT42 came within three Earth radii of striking the planet on 29 May, but slipped past. The event was the sixth-closest encounter of any recorded asteroid.
In a video posted online on 19 June by researchers using NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii, the bright asteroid appears fixed, while background stars zip past (in fact, the asteroid is speeding along at 17 kilometres per second). ?You get the view of riding along with it,? says Richard Binzel, a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, who led the observations. At its closest, the asteroid was around 19,000 kilometres from Earth ? a distance between the orbit of the International Space Station (about 1 Earth radius) and that of a geosynchronous satellite (about 6 Earth radii).
Hours after the object was discovered by a small telescope on Mount Lemmon near Tucson, Arizona, Binzel was able to obtain a few hours of time on the IRTF. The resulting in-depth study was innovative for such a small object.
By determining 2012 KT42's composition and reflectivity, Binzel was able to use the brightness of the asteroid to estimate its size: about 7 metres across. He says several objects this size cross Earth?s path every year.
?
2012 KT42 is now continuing on its 1.5-year elliptical orbit of the Sun. Even if it had struck Earth, Binzel says, it probably would have burned up in the atmosphere. Binzel wants to discover an object that is not big enough to present a hazard to Earth, but is large enough to be spotted in space and later found on the ground as a meteorite, as was the asteroid 2008 TC3, which came to Earth in Sudan in October 2008 (see the 'The rock that fell to Earth'). ?I want them to be just the right size to deliver some fresh samples,? he says.
This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on June 21, 2012.
navy jet crash virginia beach isiah thomas passover easter recipes live free or die hard carlos pena amanda bynes arrested
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Iran, world powers stuck in nuclear impasse: analysts
[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
bby zimmerman website miami marlins marlins marlins facebook buys instagram kevin systrom
Will Kanye Producer Hit-Boy Rap On Cruel Summer?
'I've laid verses down, but you never know,' the 'N---as in Paris' producer tells MTV News of G.O.O.D. Music compilation album.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Vanessa White Wolf
Hit-Boy
Photo:
Hit-Boy didn't wake up one day and decide that he wanted to start rapping. The multiplatinum producer was actually rhyming way before he started crafting tracks for the likes of Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Justin Bieber.
Now, since everyone seems to enjoy his bars, the California native figures he'll keep at it and, if he's lucky, maybe even land a vocal spot on Kanye and G.O.O.D. Music's upcoming Cruel Summer album.
"We'll see. I've laid verses down, but you never know," Hit-Boy told MTV News about the compilation album. "I'm just making music with them, so stuff will end up where it is supposed to."
To say Hit-Boy is just making music with Yeezy's crew of spitters is an understatement. Before he released his debut rap track "Jay-Z Interview," Hit was behind some pretty memorable records. Last year, he came up with the track for the Throne's "N---as in Paris" and Pusha T's "My God." More recently, he produced Kanye's "Cold." It's a safe bet he will land even more tracks on the label's compilation, even if he doesn't get any bars.
Hit-Boy's career trajectory follows the path of Kanye, whom he cites as his main inspiration. Yeezy, too, used his production as a Trojan horse when breaking into the industry. After cementing himself as a bona fide hitmaker, 'Ye broke through as a lyricist with his first single "Through the Wire" in 2003. "That was the first person I played my music for, the person that I've always looked up to: Kanye," Hit said. "He definitely gives me pointers, but he's a fan, he likes the music."
West isn't the only multiplatinum fan: Hit-Boy also got a blessing from Jay-Z, the man he named his latest single after. If he hadn't, things could have gotten awkward. "I had the opportunity to play the video for Jay-Z before it came out, and he loved it, so that was dope," he said.
Interestingly enough, Hit-Boy didn't produce "Jay-Z Interview." He told MTV News that he wasn't against rhyming over his own production, but when it came to his first single, veteran producer Bink had a beat that was more fitting for his mood. "It was crazy, because I had the title for 'Jay-Z Interview' long before I even wrote the song. I just couldn't get the right beat," Hit-Boy admitted.
Now that he has the right beat, Hit-Boy the rapper has finally arrived — and in a big way too. "It's always been love. For it to be out now, for the fans to actually get a chance to comment on it and let me know what they feel, it's a really dope thing," he said.
What do you think of Hit-Boy as an MC? Let us know in the comments!
Related Artistsjonbenet ramsey jason campbell doobie brothers jennie garth peter facinelli marques colston golden state warriors free agents nfl 2012
The best places to retire in 2012
It?s time for our annual list of the Best Places to Retire. This year, we expanded the roster from 16 cities to 25, located in 18 states.
Reflecting what retirees say they want, there's a slightly bigger bias toward warmer climates in states like Florida, New Mexico and Arizona. Only about a half-dozen Best Places are located in what could be called chilly parts of the country. This group includes Bloomington, Ind., Fargo, N.D., and Pittsburgh.
But the bigger bias is the importance we place on day-to-day economic issues: the average price of a home, the cost of living and the tax burden on retirees. So there are no entries here from states where it costs a lot to get by, such as California, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.
Forbes.com slideshow: See the 25 best places to retire in 2012
(The June 25 print issue of Forbes Magazine contains a two-page map pinpointing the places.)
We reviewed data for hundreds of cities in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. Besides the usual financial factors, we looked at weather, availability of doctors, serious crime rates and encouragement for an active retirement. To do this, we considered evaluations by Bicycling Magazine and volunteeringinamerica.org.
More and more retirees are working, at least initially. So we also took into account both unemployment rates and rankings of job and economic growth compiled by the Milken Institute.
Nationwide, the average price of an existing single-family house is $163,500, according to the National Association of Realtors. Only four cities on our list have median prices above that, and none really by all that much. The priciest, at $198,000, is Asheville, N.C. At the other end, the average price of a home in Atlanta is only $91,000, followed by Cape Coral, Fla. at $116,000 and Boise, Idaho, at $118,000.
In some ways the tax issue is the trickiest to evaluate. A low tax burden might mean a lower level of services for retirees to tap. Nine states do not have a state income tax, which is generally the biggest levy of them all: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and Wyoming. But before you race to any of them, remember that such states tend to have other taxes that are higher. For example, in Seattle, the largest city in income-tax-free Washington State, the sales tax is a whopping 9.5 percent. That?s the highest among major U.S. cities (and tied with Chicago). Also in these jurisdictions property taxes often are on the high aside as a percent of fair market value. The bills of government have to be paid somehow.
However, many states afford tax breaks to retirees, such as light or no taxation on Social Security and pension benefits. In our view, the best states for retirees from a tax perspective are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia. The map in the June 25 issue of Forbes is color-coded for tax burden.
We haven?t tried to take into account intangible factors like scenic beauty (although there are a number of very agreeable settings on the list, including Salt Lake City, Asheville, N.C. and Lynchburg, Va.). And it?s impossible to factor in individual family issues. The appeal of staying near children, other relatives and friends easily could easily outweigh the many factors we used to pick our best places.
More on Forbes.com
? 2012 Forbes.com
vernal equinox mr rogers jamie lee curtis spring equinox audacious pollen count mexico city
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Iraqi Kurdish leader: End Turkey-Kurdish fight
[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
shannon de lima joe torre west virginia university michele bachmann jessica biel tim howard west virginia
DarwinTunes software 'evolves' music without composers
Composers, look to your laurels: A mere computer program can transform a racket of clangs, hums and beeps into a pleasing melody, and all humans have to do is offer feedback with the click of a mouse.
The program, by a British bioinformatics expert whose day job involves tackling biomedical problems, employs the same principles of natural selection that guide the evolution of living beings over many generations. The software ? dubbed DarwinTunes, of course ? creates 8-second collections of notes and puts them through the evolutionary wringer.
All the tunes have certain fixed traits: the same four-beats-per-measure tempo and tones from the Western 12-tone musical scale.
But other traits vary. Any note or instrument can be played at any given point at any volume and with any special effect. The result is a huge number of possible sound experiences, from the intolerable to the sublime.
Robert MacCallum of Imperial College London and his colleagues asked 120 undergraduates to listen to continuous loops of the computer-generated tunes and rate them on a 5-point scale that ranged from "I can't stand it" to "I love it." The tunes were also posted on the Web (at darwintunes.org/evolve-music), where anonymous critics added their feedback.
Each time tunes were rated, the half that came out on top were selected to contribute to the next generation of music. Each successful melody would mate with another successful melody, spawning similar-but-not-identical daughters before expiring from the collection.
Tunes that didn't make the cut were relegated to the evolutionary trash heap without leaving behind any musical legacy.
"All that matters is that some loops are better than others ? that some are slightly less of a racket," said MacCallum, who has a long-standing interest in both music and computers. "I'm pretty sure that the painful screechy loops were eliminated first."
The process is slow, "a bit like listening to paint dry," he added.
But as the undergraduate experiment went through its 400 generations and the online experiment 2,500 generations, pleasing melodies began to emerge, MacCallum's team reported Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. MacCallum noticed two main traits that the raters had apparently selected: more chords and more complex rhythms.
Past a certain point, though, the tunes in both experiments stopped evolving ? the daughter tunes are less well liked than their parents, leaving the music stranded on an evolutionary plateau, the scientists wrote.
The approach, known as evolutionary computation, has been used to tackle a broad array of problems in such fields as theoretical biology, engineering and medicine ? be it the compact design of a satellite antenna or development of a drug that will precisely lock onto its target.
In the realm of music, MacCallum said he didn't think human composers should feel threatened by DarwinTunes.
"It took 10 1/2 days of human time to create a four-bar Steve Reichian jingle," he said.
Still, the study offers interesting insights into how music has evolved through time, he said. Scientists know that there are rules for what constitutes a pleasing sound, some of which are culturally driven and some of which may be hard-wired in our brains. The results of this experiment suggest that listeners aren't just passive consumers but play a highly influential role in music's evolution.
This is not exactly a surprise, said composer David Cope, a professor emeritus of music at UC Santa Cruz who wasn't involved in MacCallum's study. Cope has created computer algorithms to analyze patterns of phrase and note choice in works by Bach, Beethoven and Chopin and used the rules to spawn "new" works by these long-dead masters. Others have written programs to compose jazz solos or predict hit tunes.
"Composers, like everyone else in the world, no matter how individualistic or unique they think they are, are influenced by everything around them," Cope said. "There's no way a composer can attend a premier of their work and not be affected by a standing ovation or very spotty applause."
Sometimes the influence can be negative, Cope added: Claude Debussy, for example, disliked Richard Wagner's music and produced "a radically new style" through a deliberate attempt to compose along different lines.
The study shows that people "can discern the little things they like about music even in the context of a lot of extraneous sounds," said MIT computational musicologist Michael Scott Cuthbert, who wasn't involved in the research. "But what they don't prove is why music today has changed from the popular music of the past. It doesn't show how changing tastes result in changing music and it doesn't give us a hint of what the future holds for music."
rosie.mestel@latimes.com
friends with kids pacific standard time northern mariana islands summer time coolio daylight savings time 2012 ricky rubio
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Israel, Policing Are Major Conflicts In NY1 Debate For Queens Congressional Seat
Updated?06/18/2012 11:54 PM
'); if(infobox=='True' && ShowInfoBox_l163325_1==false){ jQuery("#player_infobarl163325_1").trigger('click'); ShowInfoBox_l163325_1==true; } }; if (true) { $.setup_player(Play_Conf); } //info bar setup jQuery('#player_infobarl163325_1').click(function() { var $info =jQuery('#player_info_contentl163325_1'); if($info.text()!=''){ var $content = jQuery('div',$info); //min heigth var min = $content.css('min-height'); var max = $content.css('max-height'); $info.slideToggle(600); ShowInfoBox_l163325_1=!ShowInfoBox_l163325_1; } }); });
? To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
The four Democrats running for the 6th Congressional District may share a political party affiliation, but on key policy concerns, like what to do about the future of Social Security, there are clear differences.
State Assemblyman Rory Lancman wants to lift the cap on Social Security taxes for those who earn more than $110,000 per year.
"It is an urgent problem that requires our immediate attention," said Lancman.
Two of Lancman's opponents, City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley and State Assemblywoman Grace Meng, are against the idea."Rory's plan is to raise taxes on working and middle class families," said Crowley.
"I do not believe that now is the right time to tax them," said Meng.
Israel and Middle East politics has also figured prominently in the campaign. Lancman sent out a mailer attacking Crowley for saying she thinks Israel is a "distraction."
Crowley said the quote is taken out of context and that Lancman is spending too much time focusing on the security of Israel.
"Is it the most important issue? Is it the most important issue?" Crowley asked.
"It's an extremely important issue," Lancman answered.
Meng did her best to stay out of the fray. But when candidates had the opportunity to challenge each other directly, she took aim at Lancman for sending out this mailer that reads, "It's A Dangerous World."
The assemblywoman described it as "fear mongering."
"A piece of literature that literally scared my children," Meng said.
Meng and Lancman did see eye to eye on one issue. Both support having U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder investigate the New York City Police Department over its stop-and-frisk practices.
Robert Mittman, a doctor from Bayside, Queens, and Crowley do not.
"Ray Kelly has done a phenomenal job," said Mittman.
Meng, though, was alone in her support for cutting funding for the NYPD if its surveillance of Muslims was found to be unconstitutional.
"It's of most crucial importance to work with communities instead of blindly targeting them," said Meng.
"You can never even think of defunding the NYPD," responded Crowley.
The Democratic primary is on Tuesday, June 26.
ener1 national chocolate cake day epstein joshua komisarjevsky barney frank
Fed meets as many await possible help for economy
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Federal Reserve is meeting this week at a time of high alert ? over the slumping U.S. economy, the aftermath of the Greek elections and the shaky financial markets.
Whether that means it will announce any new action when its two-day meeting ends Wednesday isn't certain. But many analysts think the struggles of the U.S. economy and the threats from Europe will compel the Fed to say or unveil something to try to boost confidence.
A major issue is Europe's debt crisis. Do Fed officials think the Greek election results will help steady Europe's economy because Greece now seems likely to remain in the euro currency union? Or do they worry that Europe's crisis remains unresolved and could tip the global economy into recession?
Those concerns have flared just as U.S. employers have reduced hiring. U.S. retail sales and manufacturing output have weakened. The housing market is still far from healthy. Investors are edgy.
Many economists say that if the Fed announces any new step this week, the most likely would be to extend a program called Operation Twist, which is set to expire in two weeks.
Under Operation Twist, the Fed sells shorter-term securities and buys longer-term bonds. The goal is to further reduce long-term interest rates to encourage borrowing and spending.
Some analysts think the Fed's policymakers might want to further assess the economic landscape before intervening. But even if the Fed decides against unveiling any new steps this week, it's expected to at least make clear it's willing to do more.
"I think Fed officials will send a pretty decisive signal that they are prepared to provide more support to boost economic growth and lower unemployment," said Brian Bethune, economics professor at Gordon College in Massachusetts.
If the Fed does unveil new action Wednesday, it might take a bolder step than Operation Twist. It might decide to expand its portfolio of securities through a third round of long-term bond purchases. If it did so, some analysts think the Fed would decide to buy mortgage securities as well as Treasury bonds to try to lower record-low mortgage rates even further to help revive the housing market.
Bethune thinks the Fed will wait until its next meeting at the end of July and that it will announce a third round of bond buying then. Delaying action would give Chairman Ben Bernanke more time to build support within the Fed.
A less dramatic step would be for the Fed to extend the target date when it expects to begin raising short-term rates beyond its timetable of late-2014.
Yet it's unclear whether any Fed action would help the economy much. Long-term U.S. interest rates have already touched record lows. Businesses and consumers who aren't borrowing now might not be moved to do so if rates slipped a bit more.
And Republican opponents of President Barack Obama would be critical of a Fed move less than five months before U.S. elections because it could be perceived as helping Obama win re-election.
Any new action would be announced in a statement the Fed will issue after its meeting. Later Wednesday afternoon, it will publish updated economic forecasts, and Bernanke will hold his quarterly news conference.
One reason many analysts think the Fed may announce new action this week is that inflation is low. A gauge of U.S. consumer prices fell in May by the most in nearly four years. When price increases slow, Fed officials generally become less concerned that super-low interest rates might ignite inflation.
Others caution that a step such as Operation Twist might offer little benefit, and not only because rates are already at historic lows. The Fed is running out of short-term Treasurys to swap for longer-term bonds.
Still, some analysts, like Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial, expect the Fed to announce an extension of Operation Twist for several more months. The program has been in place since September.
Extending Operation Twist could represent a compromise between Fed officials who favor expanding the Fed's portfolio through a third round of bond buying and those who say it's done enough and that further action could feed high inflation later.
Four members of the policy committee ? Vice Chairman Janet Yellen, Atlanta regional bank president Dennis Lockhart, San Francisco regional bank president John Williams and Chicago regional bank president Charles Evans ? signaled earlier this month that they'd consider backing further Fed action.
Other committee members ? such as Dallas regional bank president Richard Fisher and Jeffrey Lacker, head of the Richmond Fed ? have raised concerns about inflation. Complicating matters, the Fed will have two new members joining the debate at this week's meeting. Their views on interest-rate policies aren't known.
The two ? Jeremy Stein, a Harvard economics professor, and Jerome Powell, a former private equity executive ? won Senate confirmation in May. Their arrival brings the seven-member board to full strength for the first time in six years.
Many investors favor another round of bond buying because they think it might lift the stock market as more investors shift money out of low-yielding bonds into stocks. They were disappointed by a recent congressional appearance by Bernanke, who sent no clear signal of the Fed's next move.
The Fed chief spoke after the government issued a dismal jobs report for May. Bernanke said Fed officials need to see whether the economy can expand enough in coming months to accelerate hiring. In light of his comments, some economists say that unless the Fed thinks that turbulence in Europe compels it to act now, it may announce no action this week.
"I think the Fed will be in a wait-and-watch posture," said David Jones, chief economist at DMJ Advisors. "I think the odds still favor a third round of bond buying, but the June meeting will be too soon for the Fed to make that decision."
That reasoning relates, in part, to the sharp drop in gas prices this spring. Retail gasoline is averaging $3.51 a gallon nationally ? 43 cents below the year's peak in early April. Those lower prices give consumers more money to spend and could help revive growth in the second half of the year.
And while Europe's turmoil carries risks for the U.S. economy, it's also helped reduce the cost of U.S. mortgages and other loans. That's because investors seeking safety have poured money into U.S. Treasurys, driving down their rates, which filter through the economy.
etch a sketch romney tim tebow ny jets ny jets sean payton saints bounty program toulouse france
Sandusky jurors may get abuse case by week's end
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 18, 2012. The defense is to begin presenting it's case in Sandusky's trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years on Monday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 18, 2012. The defense is to begin presenting it's case in Sandusky's trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years on Monday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 18, 2012. The defense is to begin presenting it's case in Sandusky's trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years Monday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 18, 2012. The defense is to begin presenting it's case in Sandusky's trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years on Monday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 18, 2012. The defense is to begin presenting it's case in Sandusky's trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years on Monday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Attorneys for former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, Joe Amendola, left, and Karl Rominger, unload case files after arriving at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 18, 2012. The defense is to begin presenting it's case in Sandusky's trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years on Monday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) ? The child molestation trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky could be in jurors' hands before the end of the week, with witness testimony on his behalf expected to wrap up in less than three days.
Judge John Cleland announced the schedule on Monday after the first six defense witnesses testified about Sandusky's reputation in the community and the demanding hours and travel required of Penn State coaches.
There was no indication as to whether Sandusky might testify, and Sandusky looked an Associated Press reporter in the eye and said nothing when asked if he planned to testify. Cleland said defense witnesses should be finished by mid-day Wednesday, and closing statements are now expected Thursday morning.
The defense portion of the case ? which followed 21 prosecution witnesses, including eight young men who claimed Sandusky sexually abused them as children ? included a former Penn State coach who said he knew Sandusky brought boys into showers but never saw him do anything wrong.
The six witnesses, one who called Sandusky a "local hero," did little to directly counter the accusers' testimony.
Possible defense witnesses to come include Sandusky's wife, Dottie, and an expert who could discuss whether Sandusky has "histrionic personality disorder," which experts have called a personality disorder characterized by inappropriate sexual behavior and erratic emotions.
The list of potential witnesses also includes a physician who spoke with key prosecution witness Mike McQueary the night he said he saw Sandusky attack a child in a football team shower in 2001, and members of former football coach Joe Paterno's family, although it was unclear how they might fit into the defense case or whether they will be called.
Sandusky's arrest led the university trustees to fire Paterno as coach in November, saying his response to the 2001 report from McQueary showed a lack of leadership. Paterno died of cancer in January.
Dick Anderson, a longtime Penn State assistant and Sandusky friend who retired in January, testified that he and other members of the football staff were present when Sandusky brought young boys into the team's showers.
He said he never witnessed anything inappropriate.
"If Jerry would bring someone in with The Second Mile, they had been working out, for whatever reason they came in, it was not uncommon ... with the other coaches in the shower as well," Anderson said, referring to the charity for at-risk children Sandusky founded in 1977.
Anderson, who coached at Penn State from 1970 to 1983 and again from 1990 through the 2011 season, said adults and children often shower together at gyms. He noted, for example, that it's not unusual for him to be in the showers with boys at the YMCA.
Anderson also spoke in detail about the long hours of coaching and the recruiting trips required for the job, which could lay the groundwork for a defense argument that accuser testimony about regular contact with Sandusky may be inaccurate or exaggerated.
Anderson said he did not know Sandusky had been barred by university administrators from taking children onto campus after the 2001 incident was reported by McQueary, although that was disclosed in court documents and has been widely and repeatedly reported since Sandusky's arrest.
When lead prosecutor Joe McGettigan asked him if that fact would surprise him, Anderson said yes.
Prosecutors claim Sandusky targeted his victims at The Second Mile, groomed them for abuse, then moved from touching and kissing to more severe forms of sexual abuse, including in some cases oral or anal sex. Sandusky has denied all the allegations against him.
Earlier in the day, prosecutors told Cleland they were dropping one of the 52 counts, that of felony unlawful contact with the accuser known as Victim 7. Prosecutor Frank Fina said the statute he was charged under did not cover the time frame when the alleged act occurred.
Cleland ruled against defense motions Monday that charges were too vague or nonspecific to defend, and that there isn't solid evidence of the ages of two alleged victims.
Prosecutors rested their case after calling their 21st witness, the mother of so-called Victim 9, a recent high school graduate who testified last week that Sandusky raped him in the basement of the coach's suburban home.
The woman said her son told her that Sandusky called him late one night after the first round of charges were filed in November, asking if he would be a character witness.
"He said that Jerry asked him to make an affidavit or some kind of statement on what kind of character or person he was," she said. "Why would he call my kid after he's being accused of things like this?"
In December, prosecutors brought more charges against Sandusky, alleging he'd had forced anal sex with the boy.
Victim 9's mother said the boy's laundry would often be short of underwear and he would claim he had thrown it away because he had an accident. Last week, the teen said Sandusky forced him to have anal sex that made him bleed.
In tearful testimony, she described gifts Sandusky gave her son, then added: "I wish he would just give him underwear to replace the underwear I could never find in my laundry."
The defense's case focused largely on Sandusky's reputation. Anderson said he was "well thought of in every regard," former Penn State assistant coach Booker Brooks called his reputation "exemplary, top-notch," and local political consultant Brent Pasquinelli, who raised money for The Second Mile, called him "a local hero."
Besides Anderson, Brooks and Pasquinelli, three other witnesses testified for the defense Monday: a woman who ran a golf-related charity to which one accuser was recommended by Sandusky, a young man who knew Sandusky through The Second Mile and vouched for his reputation, and a schoolteacher who said Sandusky seemed genuinely interested in helping one of the alleged victims in the case. None was on the stand for more than 10 minutes.
Tom Kline, a Philadelphia lawyer who represents one of the accusers, said he was served a defense subpoena on Monday, ordering him to produce a copy of the fee agreement he has made with Victim 5, along with copies of his interactions with reporters.
Associated Pressosu football oklahoma state santonio holmes raheem morris winter classic mt rainier caucus
Monday, June 18, 2012
Analysis: Crisis-weary Hungarians lose faith in government
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The deepening economic crisis is taking its toll on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government -- two years after a landslide election victory his party's support is crumbling and three-quarters of voters believe the country is on the wrong track.
Growing disillusionment can be felt across the central European nation, whose economy is sliding into recession again after a sharp downturn in 2009, with the rising living standards that Orban promised when his party won power failing to materialize.
While still paying off a 2008 bailout from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, the government is seeking a new financing backstop to shield the indebted economy from the neighboring euro zone's mounting debt crisis.
Negotiations with the IMF will be difficult, however, as Orban will be reluctant to give up or tweak his Fidesz party's main policies, including a flat income tax and family tax breaks aimed to support the middle class, the party's core voter base.
Orban has been at loggerheads with Brussels over several laws that critics say served to cement his party's strong powers beyond the end of his term, while huge windfall taxes imposed on banks and selected business sectors eroded investors' trust.
"Orban is in a corner regarding his popularity: If he sticks to the status quo, the economy and living standards will be impacted. But if he does a U-turn, this will also be seen as implicit acknowledgement that his strategy was wrong," said Mujtaba Rahman, analyst at think tank Eurasia Group.
The big game changer would be an escalation of the euro zone crisis, which could sharply weaken the forint currency and send Hungary's markets plunging.
That, say analysts, would quickly drive the government to embrace IMF support despite Orban's earlier rebuff of the Fund in the name of sovereignty over finances and economic policy.
When Hungarians gave Orban's conservative Fidesz party a two-thirds parliamentary majority two years ago, they were hoping for a recovery, stability, and new jobs after years of successive Socialist governments.
Instead, most ordinary Hungarians, who have benefited little from the income tax cuts, feel life has turned into a grinding struggle as prices and taxes are rising.
"Things may have improved for the rich, but those who are poor will remain poor," said Erzsebet Pupos, 46, who is selling vegetables and mushrooms at one of Budapest's main markets.
"Nothing will change here, everything is just getting more expensive ... The biggest problem is that there are no jobs."
Discontent is palpable in the bustling market hall, with most people complaining about a surge in fuel and food prices. Inflation was running at 5.3 percent in May.
The forint is trading near 300 to the euro, sharply weaker from levels of 265 when Fidesz took power, even though it has firmed from record lows of 324 hit in early January when Hungary's debt rating was cut to "junk".
WIDE-SPREAD APATHY
According to a survey by pollster Median, Fidesz' support dropped to its lowest in a decade at 22 percent last month, even though it still has a lead over the opposition Socialists, who stand at 16 percent. Far-right Jobbik hovers around 11 percent.
The survey showed 76 percent of the people are pessimistic about the country's outlook while another recent poll by Ipsos showed this rate even higher, at 81 percent.
Half of Hungary's 8 million electorate is undecided or would not vote if parliamentary elections were held now, although the next election is not due until 2014.
"I have become so skeptical that I would not (vote) for anybody," said Maria Gubicsak who sells pickled vegetables and complains her customers are spending less and less.
"Unfortunately, people are getting poorer, the pensioners who used to buy a pound (of pickles) before, now ask for half a pound or less ... Those young people who work for a bank, have two degrees and speak 3-4 languages, and those in information technology (are fine). But the rest are also suffering."
Fidesz is still strong among its core voters and the opposition is fragmented. Orban's strong anti-Brussels rhetoric, push for national sovereignty and combative style, which has turned him into a bugbear of Europe in the eyes of many, appeals to part of the population.
But the rapid erosion of Fidesz' support will put pressure on Orban to act, while his hands are tied on the fiscal front and markets are pushing him to secure a deal with the IMF after months of delays.
"With the IMF or without the IMF, the government will be forced to keep the politically painful road of fiscal discipline, after six years of belt tightening, while the Hungarian public has developed a strong austerity fatigue," said Peter Kreko, analyst at Political Capital.
FAIRY TALE?
Hungary's economy shrank by 1.2 percent in the first quarter, posting the biggest quarterly drop in the whole of the 27-member EU. Analysts project only modest, 1.1 percent growth for next year according to a recent Reuters poll.
The government is more upbeat and says growth could pick up to 1.6 percent by 2013 on the back of two big automotive investments by Daimler and Audi.
A government spokesman said most of this growth would come from net exports, while a public works programme would employ at least 200,000 people this year and structural measures affecting the labor market would boost growth in the medium term.
"The present government governs by taking the steps which Hungarian society and economy needs in the medium term," spokesman Andras Giro-Szasz said.
"The Hungarian fairy tale or the Hungarian example will be a successful one in a year's time," Economy Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy told CNN in a recent interview.
Few share his optimism.
The budget deficit will be below the EU's 3 percent ceiling this year and next year, which is a significant achievement after a series of budget overshoots.
But unemployment remains high at about 11 percent, and investments are falling after unconventional measures in the past two years, including Europe's biggest bank tax and a nationalization of private pension funds.
While cutting state spending, the government also hiked the main value-added tax rate to 27 percent from 25 in January and announced new taxes on telecoms services and financial transactions.
"I have three children and my income has increased significantly. We can say that I have benefited from the new tax policy," said Attila Garai, who came for a snack lunch.
"I'm skeptical but hard working. I'm disappointed over what has been done, it seems rather hopeless but I don't give up," added Rita Giovannoli, who came for her daily shop. She says the worst is an increased uncertainty over the future.
(Reporting by Krisztina Than)
brown recluse brown recluse front door alyssa bustamante protandim weightless ellen degeneres jcpenney
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)