Parks & Rec Weekly Report seeks Sports Legends nominations ...

Surrender of Clarksville observation will be held at Fort Defiance Interpretative Center.

Clarksville Parks& Recreation has released its weekly report for January 27. The report covers the 3rd Annual Sports Legend Awards, youth spring multiplay-ball leagues, indoor aquatic center activity and a Civil War Sesquicentennial event.

Nominate a Coach for Sports Legends Award: Nominations are now being accepted for the 3rd Annual Clarksville Sports Legends Awards. The City of Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department will once again honor both current and past coaches who are or have made a unique difference and solid contribution to sports and athletics in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area.

Winning coaches will be honored at the 2012 Legends Award Dinner which will be held February 28, 2013, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Wilma Rudolph Event Center. Coaches that are currently coaching or coached in 2012 are invited to attend this free event.

A ticket is required to attend and can be reserved at the City of Clarksville Parks & Recreation main office or online at www.cityofclarksville.com/legends. Because of space limitations, there are only 200 tickets available. Last day to pick up a ticket is February 22.

Nomination forms are available to pick up at the Parks & Recreation Main Office, downloaded or completed online at www.cityofclarksville.com/legends. All nomination forms must be received by 4:30 p.m., February 1.

Baseball, Blastball?, Softball & T-ball Youth Recreation Leagues: You can register your child at any of our community centers or at the Main office beginning February 6 through March 30 for our Youth Recreation Leagues. The baseball, softball, and t-ball league is open to youth ages 5 to 12.? Your child?s birth certificate is required at registration. All games are played at Heritage Park Baseball Fields. The cost to play in any of the youth recreation leagues is $40 per child and includes team shirt, hat and medal.

Once again, for the 3 to 4 year olds, we will be offering Blastball?. This fun alternative to traditional t-ball uses a ?honking? base to entertain younger players- adding excitement to the game. It concentrates on developing a child?s running, hitting, catching, fielding, and throwing skills.

Indoor Aquatic Center looking for toddlers: The Indoor Aquatic Center, located at 166 Cunningham Lane, is excited to host the first-ever Toddler Splash on February 6.? Kids, ages 1 to 5-years-old, can enjoy fun such as a water parade, penny hunt, water games, crafts and even a ?fishing pond.?

The event is open to children ages 1-5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.? Cost to attend is $3 per person, including adults.? A parent or adult guardian must accompany toddlers in the water.

Pre-registration is available at recpro.cityofclarksville.com and is strongly encouraged.

Surrender of Clarksville:?The Fort Defiance Interpretive Center, located at 120 Duncan Street, will host a living history weekend to commemorate the 151^st anniversary of the Surrender of Clarksville, Saturday, February 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, February 17 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Come see uniformed Civil War re-enactors from the 50^th Tennessee Reenactment Group who will provide living history and musket firing demonstrations. Musket firing demonstrations will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors can also tour the permanent exhibit which includes the 18-minute film, ?Crossroads of Change 1861-1865?.

This two-day event is free and open to the public. Visit www.fortdefianceclarksville.com for more information.

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Tags: Civil War Sesquicentennial, Clarksville Parks & Recreation, coach nominations, Ft. Defiance Interpretive Center, Indoor Aquatic Center, Sports Legends Awards, Surrender of Clarksvillel, Toddler Splash, weekly report, youth recreation sports leagues

Category: Clarksville, Community Enrichment, News, Sports, Tennessee

Source: http://businessclarksville.com/2013/01/25/parks-rec-weekly-report-seeks-sports-legends-nominations-49711/

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Senate changes its rules to ease gridlock

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-led U.S. Senate changed its rules on Thursday in a bid to ease partisan gridlock blamed for turning the chamber into a legislative graveyard.

Senators approved the changes on bipartisan votes of 78-16 and 86-9. The changes fell far short, however, of what many Democratic reformers wanted. They preserved the right of minority Republicans to block votes on legislation with procedural roadblocks known as filibusters.

But the revisions drew praise from President Barack Obama, who said in a statement, "Too often over the past four years, a single senator or a handful of senators has been able to unilaterally block or delay bipartisan legislation for the sole purpose of making a political point.

"At a time when we face critical decisions on a whole range of issues - from preventing further gun violence, to reforming our broken immigration system, to getting our fiscal house in order and creating good paying jobs - we cannot afford unnecessary obstruction," he said.

Sixty votes will still be needed in the 100-member chamber to end a filibuster - despite calls by some Democrats to reduce the figure to as few as 51.

In exchange, Republicans will no longer be able to stop senators from beginning consideration of a bill - provided both sides are given votes on at least two amendments.

Rule changes would also expedite consideration of low-level presidential nominations, reduce debate time before some votes and require filibustering senators to make objections known.

"Perhaps I'm too optimistic, but hopefully because of this we will be able to pass legislation," said Republican Senator John McCain.

That in turn, McCain said, might help raise the chamber's record low approval ratings in recent years, which now stand at about 15 percent.

Assistant Senate Democratic leader Dick Durbin voiced confidence the rule changes would make for a more productive chamber provided there was "good will" on both sides.

"There are always ways to find some exception, a little loophole here, a little loophole there," Durbin said.

"I hope there will be a more positive reaction to these rules changes and get the Senate back into the business of what it's supposed to be, the most deliberative body in the body politic of America," Durbin said.

WEEKS OF NEGOTIATION

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, drafted the rule changes after weeks of negotiations.

If there had been no compromise and Democrats tried to force changes without the approval of Republicans, there likely would have been partisan fights that turned the chamber into knots.

Since 2007, Reid has filed nearly 400 cloture motions to stop Republican-backed filibusters. He stopped less than half of them with the needed 60 votes.

In the other cases, Republicans blocked legislation, even though most senators backed it. Critics complained they were effectively violating a basic tenet of democracy - majority rule.

Filibuster proponents say procedural roadblocks are needed to protect the rights of the minority and force the majority to compromise.

A number of Senate Democrats defend the right to filibuster, reasoning they will be in the minority at some point and will want to use it.

Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley applauded the rule change, but preferred tougher curbs on filibusters that are ostensibly waged to give senators more time to debate.

"If 41 senators vote for more debate, then senators should have the courage of their convictions to stand on the floor and make their case," Merkley said. "Then the American people could decide if obstructing senators are heroes or bums."

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Fred Barbash and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-changes-rules-ease-gridlock-014611243.html

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GPS Guide: Brian Penny Shares More Wisdom

The stress and strain of constantly being connected can sometimes take your life -- and your well-being -- off course. GPS For The Soul can help you find your way back to balance.

GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony, or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to look at the GPS Guide below, visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.

In the GPS Guide below, Brian Penny shares more inspirational life tips (see his "Five Rules To Live By," here). Are there certain mantras and quotes that help to guide your life's journey? Let us know in the comments below.

• When times get really tough, it helps to remember I chose this life. I chose the battles I fight. I chose the path I walk. Remembering I?m in control of my situation gives me the confidence to take another step toward my destiny. I like to look at it as the destiny existed in the path. I just happened to be the guy who chose to walk it.

• This quote always makes me smile. While I happen to share Hunter?s outlook on many of the finer pleasures in life, what?s most important is to remember that what works for you works for you, even if it?s not one of Oprah?s favorite things?

• I spend a lot of time alone in a room figuring things out. Part of getting in touch with yourself is discovering your own opinions. Sitting alone in your room is your time to sort through all your thoughts and experiences for the day. If something happens during the day that you don?t like, just jot it down on a post it or make a note on your phone to go through it during your alone time. Once it?s done, it?s done, and you can move on with taking care of yourself, getting a healthy amount of sleep, and wake up refreshed for the next day.

Brian Penny is a former business analyst at Bank of America turned whistleblower who spent the last 2 years helping regulators and attorneys uncover the largest bank and insurance fraud in history. He documents his experiences working with Anonymous and fighting the banks on his blog . He?s currently in the Tampa Bay area preparing to live in a van and training to be a yogi under Ally Ford .

For more GPS Guides, click here.

To see Penny's "Rules To Live By," click here.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/25/brian-penny-gps-guide_n_2546588.html

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HTML Pioneer Tim Berners-Lee Calls For More Online Innovation ...

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the hyperlinked World Wide Web, isn?t entirely happy with what he has helped create ? and has thrown down the gauntlet to web developers to come up with more disruptive forms of online communication that can break down cultural not just geographical barriers.

Talking about the web as it is today, rather than the ?collaborative tool? he originally designed, he said:??World peace has not miraculously occurred. People still mainly talk to their neighbours, people still mainly talk to the people who have the same religion, and the same culture, so for all its breaking down geographical boundaries in principle it hasn?t really broken down cultural boundaries.?Can we develop systems on the web which will actually help solve that sort of ?challenge??

Berners-Lee was speaking in an interview at the World Economic Forum today,?entitled ?what?s wrong with social networking?? but he joked the title had been cooked up merely to draw in the crowds.

?As a universal platform the web wasn?t supposed to dictate what you did with it,? he told his audience in Davos. ?The world wide web is a platform and humanity does what it can with it??There?s lots of people who think we could do more. What do we really want to get out of this web thing? What do we really want to get out of human communication??

While it began as a collaborative tool, the web subsequently took off as a publishing medium ? or it did to a ?certain extent?, said Berners-Lee, pointing to the fact that publishing online remains a relatively elite activity and therefore, again, does not live up to his original collaborative vision for a truly global web.

?We?ve got wikis, we?ve got blogs, but still most people? aren?t publishing on the web. And actually when you go to most places you?re not in a position where you can take place in the conversation very much. Sometimes you can comment but actually the comment tends to be at a second level,? he said.

Asked about the erosion of online openness threatened by walled garden social networks, Berners-Lee said the networks both help humanity by providing the data that enables computers to help people but also highlighted how there is ?a lot of frustration, from a lot of people? that they can?t connect up the personal data they have entered into different services in all the ways they might like to.

?Each of these social network systems is a silo so there is a frustration that I?ve told it all my data but I don?t have access to that,? he said.

Despite yearning for more openness and fewer shackles stifling the free flow of online data, Berners-Lee was careful to say he was not calling for an online data free-for-all. There do need to be ?reasonable boundaries?, he accepted ? whether it?s sensitive personal or government or military data. ?The web isn?t about just sharing everything, destroying privacy? [but] if I want to share something with you it shouldn?t be the technology that gets in the way.?

Turning to the economic argument, Berners-Lee conceded there is a problem with current online business models ? especially when it comes to finding ways to pay musicians. The web should be ?about spreading culture, music and getting payment back to musicians?, he said. ? We?ve got to find new ways of doing that.?

Specifically he called for new protocols to be developed to support online payments. ?We need to find a whole lot of new business models ? I think we should develop new payment protocols so that when you?re using a web browser it?s a lot easier to pay for things.?

He also argued for the economic value in opening up data that is unnecessarily locked away, pointing to a U.K. initiative to open up government data so that the citizens who have paid for the data to be created in the first place can have the benefit of using it ? and use it to create new businesses. ?You?re making a great common good, that?s making the world run more efficiently,? he argued.

Likewise, he argued that the benefit to humanity of opening up scientific data ? to ?scientists everywhere? ? would be ?huge?.??It?s a?question of unlocking this potential that we really already have ? it?s getting huge benefit for very little cost,? he said.

Berners-Lee was also asked about Internet activist?Aaron Swartz, who was arrested for downloading academic journals and subsequently committed suicide ? and argued that Swartz?s tragedy is an example of what can happen when ?legislation gets too strong?.

?He was an incredibly ethical person. He thought a huge amount about what was right and how the world should be? but because [the FBI] saw that what he was doing was accessing a computer system there seems to be a deep suspicion of that,? he said.

?He used his programming to try to make a point, in a way as a protest. But they ended up using a very unfair law which had been changed from its original form which said that if you break into a computer system in any way then you are guilty of a felony? ?People are thinking now about that law, and there already proposals to change it.?

?To be a hacker ? when I use the term ? is somebody who is creative and does wonderful things,? Berners-Lee added. ?We need more coders, we need more people who understand how to put data online.?

A graduate of Oxford University, England, in 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, an internet-based hypermedia initiative for global information sharing while at CERN, the European Particle Physics Laboratory. He wrote the first web client and server in 1990. His specifications of URIs, HTTP and HTML were refined as Web technology spread. He is the 3COM Founders Professor of Engineering in the School of Engineering with a joint appointment in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science...

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/25/tim-berners-lee-at-davos/

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How To Enhance Your Fx Trading Success Charge - Finance

Personal traders can find opportunities of all kinds with forex. The rewards can be substantial for those who heed sound advice, and put in the hours necessary to succeed. When learning the basics of forex trading, an investor must be able to draw on the experiences of other traders. This article contains tips on what to do when forex trading.

Learn what an expert market advisor is and how to use one. The main goal of an expert market advisor is to constantly monitor the Forex market on your behalf, especially when you are asleep or away. You can configure them to send you alerts and reminders if something happens that you should know about.

When you see a win on Forex, enjoy it! Ensure you send withdrawal orders at the right times to get your money out. When you earn money, you have the right to use it.

Make sure your Forex trading software has the ability to analyze market conditions. This feature helps you select the best currency pair for exchanges. If you are undecided, check out some trusted online reviews.

Always devise a plan for forex market trading. Do not look for short cuts in this market. Plan carefully before you invest. Understand the market and how you intend to act.

As a beginner trading Forex, it can be rather tempting to start investing in several different currencies. Start investing in only a single currency pair until after you have learned more about the forex market. Try not to venture in too deeply until you develop a better understanding of how things work. This will minimize your losses.

In order to prevent trading losses, implement stop loss orders. Do not fall into the trap that many traders fall into by staying in the market with a losing trade. It is dangerous to bet on the market changing in your favor when you are waiting it out and taking losses.

Stay away from using uncommon currency pairs to complete your trades. If you stick with the few currency pairs with the highest volume, you can make trades very quickly because there is always someone wanting to buy or sell those currencies. With rare currency pairs, however, when you want to trade in your position, you may struggle to source a buyer who will give you a fair price.

Set your stop loss point and don?t budge. Choose a stop point, and then leave it. Moving a stop point never has a rational motivation; instead, it?s a result of emotional turmoil or hunger for higher profits. You will only lose money if you do this.

Forex is a massive market. This is great for those who follow the global market and know the worth of foreign currency. For the average joe, guessing with currencies is risky.

Try out These Beneficial Recommendations For Investing In The Stock Market place, For Fantastic Advice On How To Invest, Test These Useful Tips!

Source: http://www.bestfinancialtrading.com/2013/01/19/how-to-enhance-your-fx-trading-success-charge/

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West African leaders gather for Mali summit

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) ? West African leaders headed to a special Mali summit in Ivory Coast on Saturday to discuss how to step up their role as the French-led military intervention to oust Islamic extremists from power entered its second week.

Neighboring countries are expected to contribute around 3,000 troops to the operation in Mali, aimed at preventing the militants who rule northern Mali from advancing further south toward the capital.

While some initial contributions from Togo and Nigeria have arrived to help the French, concerns about the mission have delayed other neighbors from sending their promised troops so far.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara said Saturday that Mali's neighbors must work together to eradicate terrorism in the region.

"No other nation in the world, no other region in the world will be spared" if large swaths of the Sahel are allowed to become a 'no man's land,'" he said.

At Saturday's meeting, the big issue will be sorting out a central command for the African force, a French official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the sensitive security matters.

Nigerian Gen. Shehu Usman Abdulkadir is expected to be named the force commander.

Speaking Saturday on French 3 television, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Drian said France now has 2,000 troops in Mali and has mobilized 2,900 in the overall operation in places like Senegal, Burkina Faso and Niger.

He said France "could go beyond" the 2,500 troops initially announced for Mali, and said that at full deployment, Operation Serval would involve some 4,000 troops in the region.

Meanwhile, Le Drian insisted "there has been no ground combat in Diabaly" involving French troops,

French forces have moved around Diabaly to cut off supplies to the Islamist extremists who took the town on Monday, said a French official who spoke on condition of anonymity to be able to discuss sensitive security matters.

Mali once enjoyed a reputation as one of West Africa's most stable democracies with the majority of its 15.8 million people practicing a moderate form of Islam.

That changed last March, following a coup in the capital which created the disarray that allowed Islamist extremists to take over the main cities in the distant north.

The U.N. refugee agency said Friday that the fighting in Mali could force as many as 700,000 people to flee their homes in the coming months.

___

Corey-Boulet reported from Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Associated Press writers Krista Larson in Bamako, Mali and Jamey Keaten in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/west-african-leaders-gather-mali-summit-140131254.html

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Making Scrapbooks and Memory Books for Graduations, Events and ...

One of the things WordPress tells us bloggers is the search string users used to find our blog post. And one of the most common questions has to do with making memory books or scrap books for dementia or other events.

I will write about this topic in two parts. First ? why make scrapbooks and memory books? And in a later post, I will write about how to make scrapbooks and memory books.

Scrapbooking is a tradition that goes back a hundred years or more. Young girls and women often kept a scrap book of ephemera to remember important events in their lives. My mother had scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, birth announcements, greeting cards, report cards and many other mementos of her life.

Following that tradition, I also kept scrapbooks from when I was a teenager and young mother right through my divorce and after. These scrapbooks were kept in traditional paper books and the mementos were attached with glue or tape.

In the early 1990?s companies started to come out with products to make scrapbooking more archival. One could buy acid free products such as papers, pens, photo corners, etc. in order to preserve our memories without destroying them with destructive products.

During this time period, I removed all of the photographs and paper clippings from the so-called ?magnetic albums? which did not preserve photos with magnetism at all. These albums contained an adhesive that destroyed the photos by permanently gluing them to the page. Acid ate at the photos as well and they began to deteriorate.

I moved all of my pictures and scraps to acid free archival sleeves to maintain them in albums while protecting them from the elements. My daughters and I all spent a lot of time making memory books and writing (journaling) about the events shown in the photographs.

In addition, we had developed the habit of obtaining copies of our photos in triplicate so we could both keep and share them. Not only was this expensive, but it took a lot of storage space to keep them all. I enjoyed making these books but soon realized they took a lot more space on my shelves than traditional photo books.

Around this time photographic web sites such as the Kodak Gallery (now defunct) and Shutterfly appeared. These companies made it easy for the user to create digital photo albums with journaling to describe the events. My whole family eventually gravitated over to the digital albums because they were easy to create and share.

Types of Scrapbooks and Memory Books

Often we make such scrapbooks prospectively. These scrap books, photo books, etc. were created to preserve photos and stories about current events as they occurred. My children created memory books about the past year or a special event and gave them as gifts to me and others.

I made some to commemorate specific occasions such as my parents? 50th Wedding Anniversary and my 60th Birthday celebration. I made some to document trips I took using digital technology to create books to keep and show my friends.

I made some scrapbooks retrospectively to preserve the memories of a specific time or place. I made scrapbooks of my children?s school years that were given to each of them when they graduated from high school.

I had saved their best papers, photographs and stories in a folder (one for each child) without much of a plan about what I would do with them. Then as the oldest prepared to graduate from high school, I decided to make a memory book of all her school years. This was among her favorite graduation gifts and all of my other children then expected me to make similar scrapbooks for them also.

It wasn?t until mom began having memory problems that I realized how scrapbooks and memory books could help mom remember the people and events of the past. Mom kept asking for pictures of my children and for me to remind her of my grandchildren?s names and how they fit into the family structure.

I made calendars with family pictures, photo plates to commemorate special wedding anniversaries, family reunions and other events. One Christmas I made mom a book of pictures of my children and grandchildren, grouped by family to help her remember names and faces.

After mom passed away, I made a book of pictures from mom?s life and a calendar of pictures of mom with her grandchildren. These were gifts to dad for his birthday and Christmas. He spent hours every day looking at the pictures of mom. It helped him with his grief to be able to look at these pictures.

I am a retired and the primary caregiver for my father. I have children and grandchildren. This blog is an attempt to connect with others who are also trying to care for a family member and share ideas and experiences. I hope you will let me know what worked for you if you had an experience similar to mine. The main issues I am going to talk about are elder care, death and dying, assisted living, family relationships and hoarders and hoarding. Other topics will come up as I address the issues around the care of my father and the relationship with other family members.

Source: http://letstalkaboutfamily.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/making-scrapbooks-and-memory-books-for-graduations-events-andor-alzheimers-and-dementia-i/

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The Saturdays Invite Sean Paul To Their Sold-Out NYC Show

U.K. girl group started a dance party at Highline Ballroom ahead of their reality-show debut this weekend.
By Jocelyn Vena

The Saturdays [file]
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700425/the-saturdays-nyc-show-sean-paul.jhtml

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North Torrance's Alice Jeong tops picks for South Bay 2012 All-Area Girls Golf Team

Throughout her high school golf career, North Torrance's Alice Jeong had established herself as a rising star.

It seemed to all lead to her remarkable senior season.

Jeong sparked North to a share of its first Ocean League team title, then began a sparkling individual CIF postseason run that culminated with a sixth-place state medal.

The Cal-bound Jeong earned the 2012 Daily Breeze Girls Golfer of the Year.

"I'm still so grateful for how our season went," Jeong said. "It couldn't have been any better. We won our first ever league championship. And the fact that our team improved so much. Our coach must have been so proud to watch this team grow."

Jeong was a charismatic leader who embraced the team aspect.

It began with a pair of Ocean League victories over traditional powerhouse Torrance in early September. Jeong shot solid rounds of 35 and 37.

Jeong recorded a strong 34.469 league scoring average overall, but saved one of her top performances rising power Palos Verdes.

Jeong shot a 1-under-par 35 at the rugged Links at Victoria, helping North stun PV for a 190-193 victory. But Jeong led the celebrations when No. 7 golfer Yzie Tabirara sealed the win and walked off the hero.

"The whole thing was more than we could ask for," Jeong said. "That was such a relief It took perfect timing to win that match."

Jeong captured the Palm Desert Invitational. She was one stroke away from winning the Knabe Cup, and she took third at the West Covina Invitational.

Then Jeong began her postseason odyssey, taking third at the Ocean League finals with a 70. She added a 3-under-par 69 at the CIF Southern Section Individual Regionals in Oxnard, a 4-over-par 76 at the CIF Individual finals in Rancho Cucamonga and a 2-under-par 70 at the CIF-WSCGA Regionals to earn the South Bay's only berth to the CIF state finals.

Her 4-over-par 78 tied her for sixth at the CIF state finals, allowing her to finish her high school career on the podium.

Coach of the Year: STEVE SCHMITZ, North Torrance

He guided underdog North to a share of the Ocean League crown, sweeping Torrance before topping Palos Verdes 190-193 at the Links of Victoria.

Star Alice Jeong praised Schmitz's motivational style: "There wouldn't be a North High team like this if not for Coach Schmitz."

FIRST TEAM

ANNE CHENG, Torrance, Sr.: The 2011 Daily Breeze Golfer of the Year enjoyed another stellar campaign. She recorded a 34.438 league scoring average, won the Ocean League finals for the third straight year and advanced to the CIF-WSCGA Regionals. She also won the Ayala Tournament.

ERIN CHOI, WEST TORRANCE, Jr.: The Bay League's Player of the Year recorded a 35.607 league scoring average. She also shot a 67 at the CIF Southern Section Northern Individual Regional to advance to the CIF Finals. She shot a 32 at Los Verdes in a match against South Torrance on Oct. 9.

ELIZABETH DOTY, PALOS VERDES, Sr.: The Wake Forest recruit captured the Ocean League's Player of the Year award with a 33.875 league scoring average. She set the San Clemente Golf Course record at 7-under-par 66 to win the San Clemente Invitational. She also advanced to the CIF-WSCGA Regionals.

ANDREA LEE, MIRA COSTA, Fr.: Bursting onto the scene, Lee established herself as a viable threat for years to come. She had the second-best league scoring average at 35.708 and sparked Mira Costa to the Bay League crown. She shot a 68 at the CIF Southern Section Central Division finals.

CINDY OH, NORTH TORRANCE, Soph.: She helped spark a breakthrough season for North, which won a share of its first Ocean League crown. Oh recorded a league scoring average of 36.025 and was runner-up at the Ocean League finals with a 2-under-par 70. She made the CIF-WSCGA Regionals.

ROBYNN REE, REDONDO, Soph.: Like her older brothers, Robynn continued to excel on the golf course. She shot a 7-under-par 67 to capture the Knabe Cup and showed her consistency in the Bay League with a 36.675 league scoring average. She also qualified for the CIF-WSCGA Regionals.

SECOND TEAM

PAIGE FUJIHARA, PENINSULA, Sr.: The first-team All-Bay League pick posted a 38.525 league scoring average and qualified for the CIF Southern Section Individual finals. She shot a 73 at the Northern Division Individual Regional.

KARI GORDON, MIRA COSTA, Sr.: The first-team All-Bay League selection was instrumental in helping Mira Costa claim the Bay League team title. She boasted a 38.050 league scoring average and shot a 77 at the Bay League Finals.

DIANA KIM, TORRANCE, Jr.: The first-team All-Ocean League selection posted a league scoring average of 36.857. She shot a 72 at the Ocean League Finals to qualify for the CIF Individuals for a second straight season.

MEGAN KIM, MIRA COSTA, Jr.: The first-team All-Bay Leaguer had a league scoring average of 37.275 for the Bay League champions. She shot a 73 at the Bay League finals to secure second place and advanced to the CIF-WSCGA Regionals.

NATALIE MU, PALOS VERDES, Sr.: The first-team All-Ocean Leaguer propelled PV to a co-Ocean League title. She overcame a midseason injury for a 36.679 league scoring average and advanced to the CIF Individual Finals.

MACKENZIE PEREZ, Palos Verdes, Soph.: She was a steady performer who helped PV claim a share of the Ocean League title with North Torrance. The second-team all-league pick had a 37.743 league scoring average.

MICHELLE YOM, South Torrance, Jr.: She was a steady force for South. The first-team All-Bay League selection posted a league scoring average of 36.9. She also advanced to the CIF-WSCGA Regionals with a strong postseason push.

Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/ci_22397983/north-torrances-alice-jeong-tops-picks-south-bay?source=rss

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Developing Minds Wants to Know: Q&A with Dana Morgan of The Melody Book

Dana Morgan is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Melody Book, a company that develops musical and educational applications, including A Jazzy Day and Jazzy ABC, for iOS. Their wonderful apps have been showcased in Apple?s ?New and Noteworthy? section, plus they have received a Children?s Technology Review award and a Parents Choice award.

In this interview, Dana discusses what it takes to create a successful application that is embraced by educators and parents, developers that inspire her, innovation, and the current technical restraints for developing iOS apps.

---

Key Company Facts

Name and Title: Dana Morgan, CEO and Co-Founder

Company: The Melody Book

Location: New York

Primary Apps/Platforms: A Jazzy Day, Jazzy ABC, Jazzy 123 (iPhone/iPad)

---

APPOLICIOUS: What inspired you to become an app creator?

Dana Morgan: My background is in software development and I've been programming web-based applications for the past 10 years. When iOS came out, I was excited to see all the possibilities that this platform presented. As the iTunes App Store continued to expand, I was drawn to the possibilities the app market had to offer.

APPO: How long have you been developing apps, and what is the most significant difference between now and when you began?

DM: I've been developing apps for three years now. Back then, there weren?t many apps on the iTunes App Store and today, there?s a remarkable difference in the quantity and quality of the apps. I believe that there still remains much ?potential to innovate and create great apps, even in a more crowded market.

Check out this video for A Jazzy Day:

APPO: What apps (outside of those that you develop) inspire you the most and why?

DM: There are so many apps that are inspiring. Aside from inventive apps, such as Dropbox, Waze and Pulse, I really appreciate the apps that have a great user experience such as Paper by FiftyThree, Flipboard, StumbleUpon!, Hootsuite and Camera+. This is something that I pay attention to, and I really believe that a great user experience makes a good app a best seller.

APPO: Where do you see the most innovation in the app sector?

DM: There is much innovation happening in education at the moment on the App Store. From educational apps that help special need students, to electronic books which have the potential to replace traditional school text books. Apple has really revolutionized the classroom by creating a new experience with the iPad. Now, it?s a proven and amazing educational tool for kids and is embraced by an increasing number of parents.

APPO: How do you harness that innovation in your own titles?

DM: We create music-related apps, and in the past year, we've been focusing on early childhood education. I can say that this field has really been booming and we've been seeing some innovative new apps. iPad and iPhones are amazing devices that keep kids engaged and force developers to focus on core functionality and keep things simple and concise. We are finally able to create products for kids that display hi-res animation, sound and interactivity that help their development from an early stage.

APPO: In such a crowded space, explain how you generate awareness and drive downloads to your applications.

DM: The App Store has indeed become more crowded and we are always looking for new ways to increase sales and brand recognition. Apple has featured our apps ?A Jazzy Day?, ?Jazzy ABC? and ?Jazzy 123? in ?New and Noteworthy? and on ?What?s Hot? and ?Recommended apps for Parents? lists, which was helpful in gaining awareness. We?ve also won a Children?s Technology Review award and a Parents? Choice award. I guess the best way to find out what works and what doesn't is to experiment with different marketing strategies and to keep refining your apps, based on consumer feedback.

APPO: What are the biggest technical constraints that exist today in the app sector?

DM: The biggest technical constraint would be the device constraint, such as memory allocation, Wi-Fi and 4G connection speed. In order to create more complex apps, we will need stronger and more capable devices that can perform multiple tasks seamlessly and keep up with the increasing demand for HD video and audio.

APPO: How do you (or will you) make money from your application?

DM: We sell most of our apps for a fixed price per download, and our next release will include in-app purchases.

APPO: What advice do you have to those working on their first applications?

DM: My advice would be to try and bring something fresh to App Store consumers. There are so many apps at this point that simply having a good app is not enough. Users have become very demanding and picky with purchases, so you should work on developing a good reputation for delivering great apps, which takes time and ingenuity.

APPO: Where do you see the app sector one year from now? Five years from now?

DM: Five years from now, technology advancements will bring a substantial increase in the complexity of apps. The majority of people will have smartphones. This means we?ll be seeing many more users, innovation and development. With this, we can expect a noticeable growth of competition on the market.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/13145-developing-minds-wants-to-know-q-a-with-dana-morgan-of-the-melody-book

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Looking to rebound, GOP eyes new election laws in states Obama won (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/277924649?client_source=feed&format=rss

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5 Non-Sexual Ways To Touch Your Partner And Improve ... - xoJane

It is a well-documented fact that I am a bit physically awkward.

I don't need help -- as Tyler Perry would say, I Can Do Physically Awkward All By Myself. If there were a camera in my apartment, those fortunate (and creepy as balls) enough to be watching the live-feed would be displeased with what they found.

Because, while some naughty self-touching does occur, for the most part I spend my time at home doing things like somehow falling off my slippers (I know, right?), hitting my head and hip on every possible sharp corner, and pouring assorted sauces upon myself which I later remove with the warm and stale Doritos which take refuge in my vast underboob region.

If that?s what I?m like alone, you can only imagine what I?m like when other people are involved. Frankly, the fact that there have been no serious injuries is verging on miraculous.

There are no exceptions to this rule. I am challenged when it comes to interacting with others physically, no matter how close we are. When my dad and I try to say goodbye at the train station after a visit, a passing stranger would not be at fault were they to mistake us for two drunken, brawling brown bears who are also on roller-skates for the first time. I communicate my deep love for my best friend from college by invoking John Travolta in "Face/Off" and roughly dragging my fingers down her face while quietly saying, ?Face/Off, dude.??

The closest I get to touching myself on the internet.

For the most part, I can chalk it up as part of my charm. This usually involves shrugging while sitting in a pile of horse feces and tossing my beret up in the air girlishly.

This is less feasible when it involves wooing. Because, let?s face it, being physical with the person you are dating, hope to be dating, or wish to continue dating and/or being married to is a big part of your life together. Just because I?m bad at being touchy doesn?t mean I don?t like it or recognize its importance. According to psychology professor Sonya Lyubomirsky, introducing more nonsexual touching and affection on a daily basis can keep your relationship functioning.

I think even the most touch-me-not folks among us will agree that when you?re feeling disconnected from a partner, something as simple as a hand on the small of your back can remind you of the charge you both have for each other.

The most successful relationships I?ve been in are the ones where we physically checked in with each other. And there?s a reason for that -- touching sustains our relationships. But, just like alcoholics acclimate to alcohol, and need more and more of it feel an effect, so it is with our love affairs -- we need more and more physical contact to sustain that feeling of ?Damn I wish I Was Your Lover? style-romance.

The good news? This doesn?t necessarily mean you need to have things shoved inside your holes at all times -- non-sexual touching totally counts.

Here are five non-sexual ways of touching the person whose potential absence? makes you feel the most like falling to your knees and demanding answers from a god you heretofore did not believe in.

1.) Hand Holding.

Is your relationship running the very real risk of ending forever? Are you not OK with that? Why should you be?! CHANGE IS THE WORST. To prevent your partner from ever leaving you, show them you care by keeping their hand perpetually locked in your own vice-like grip. Cold weather making it a challenge to keep your entwined digits toasty? There?s a mitten for that.

2.) Head Slapping

My dad and one of my brothers have a hard time being all ?I love you? to each other. So my dad, a fan of "NCIS," has taken to walking up behind him and whapping him upside the head while bellowing, ?Gibbs!? If it worked for them -- it might work for you!

3.) Conga Dancing

You?re reading a book, he or she is walking past you to go to the bathroom, you know, more of the same on a Tuesday night. So let?s get weird up in here! Take this opportunity to grab their hips, and swing what Carmen Miranda gave you. What is more non-sexual than a Conga line for two, right?

4.) Putting Your Chin Directly Between Their Shoulder Blades

You know what is slightly more irritating than someone coming up to you when you are grumpy and wrapping their arms around you while asking in a sing-song voice, ?Whatcha doing?? Doing all of this while also grinding their chin into the space in between your shoulder blades. If they?ve been thinking about leaving you, this will quickly change their thought process from, ?What?s wrong with this relationship?? to, ?Oh, my god, what is wrong with this person I let sleep in my bed?!?

5.) Find a Proxy

If you?ve made it to five, you?ve tried all of these tactics to no avail. If anything, your partner now makes sure to keep their back to the wall in your presence, inching from one room to the inch along the room?s perimeter making sure they know where you are at all times. Don?t despair! You can use a proxy. While rubbing the dog?s ears, or fondling a table lamp, smile at them and say, ?I?m pretending this is your boob.? Because, guys, that?s romance. That?s communication.

What ways of non-sexily checking in with your partner do you have? Do you like "NCIS"? Does anyone when you know? You guys, when is it even on?

Source: http://www.xojane.com/relationships/nonsexual-touching

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CashMoneyPlay Just Can't Get Enough of Great China Mania Holdings, Inc. f.k.a. Great East Bottles & Drinks Hldgs (OTC:GMEC)

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again". This seems to be the credo CashMoneyPlay (CMP) live by. You might remember that they tried to tout Great China Mania Holdings, Inc. f.k.a. Great East Bottles & Drinks Hldgs (OTC:GMEC, GMEC message board) in the past and the outcome was not that great. Instead of being embarrassed about the failure, they must have thought: "That was fun, we should totally do it again!". Investors weren't laughing, though.

Since there are so many of them, we are going to put GMEC's pumps into a chronological order so that you can get a better understanding of what we are on about. Damn Good Penny Picks were the first to try and hype the stock back in October and they managed to do it... briefly. They saw what sort of mess they did and decided to call it quits. Then, it was the turn of CMP. December was quite busy for them with numerous emails advertising GMEC flooding the inboxes. On December 31 they started yet another promotion which significantly increased the price... once again, briefly. Since that pump stopped, GMEC have fallen down by a staggering 70%. CMP are not finished yet, though.

Yesterday, we received the last in a long line of emails dedicated to GMEC and it's pretty much the same story - "extremely undervalued", "low float", "millions in revenue". Words that are almost enough to make you think that GMEC is a company with guaranteed success. Things don't quite stack up, though.

For a start, we find it rather hard to pin point exactly what GMEC do. According to the descriptions available on the Internet, they are an electronic content provider. The content is supposedly dedicated to lifestyle and leisure, but what is it exactly, and where can we find it? Your guess is as good as ours. Their official website is not much of a source of information, if we have to be honest. The Board of Directors link leads you to the company profile at Bloomberg Businessweek, the Investor Relations link lets you send an email, and the About Us section, which should be among the most important ones leads you to the quote page on the OTCMarkerts website. The rest of the website is full of videos that look like commercials of some sort (unfortunately, we're not fluent in Chinese).

That being said, GMEC is indeed an operating company as is evident from the financial reports that they file with SEC. And, in that respect, CashMoneyPlay are just about right: during Q3 of 2012 GMEC generated a total of $1 million in revenue. Put in the operating and selling costs, however, and you will see that the they have ended the three months with a net loss of $305 thousand. What's more, compared to previous years, the revenues are continually getting smaller and smaller while losses are mounting.

In addition to the financials, GMEC have also filed an 8-K report recently, according to which they have secured an investment from a company called Kodiak Capital Group, LLC. Kodiak is supposed to invest $2 million in GMEC, and for that, they will get some shares, which, of course would cause some massive dilution. We just couldn't resist ourselves doing a short research on Kodiak and we found that they have invested in other companies in the past. The problem is that things didn't go quite according to plan, as is evident from this post on Investors Hub.

To wrap it all up, we would like to return to CashMoneyPlay. GMEC is not the only copany advertised by CMP. There are plenty of them, in fact. As you would probably guess, they didn't live up to CMP's expectations. You can check out Toron, Inc. (PINK:TRON)'s chart and you will see exactly what we mean.

Source: http://www.hotstocked.com/article/43452/cashmoneyplay-just-can-t-get-enough-of-great.html

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Global Communications Director ? MSC

Introduction

With one of the most successful ecolabels in use today, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has established itself on the world stage, and in little more than 10 years has achieved a truly global presence, affecting positive, ecological change in oceans providing certified sustainable seafood in more than 80 countries, across all five continents.

The MSC has experienced remarkable growth, employing more than 100 staff across 15 offices around the world. We are now seeking an experienced Global Communications Director to lead and set the strategic direction for all aspects of the organisation?s communications activities, with the aim of promoting, representing, enhancing, and protecting the organisation?s reputation internationally.

The Global Communications Director at the MSC is responsible for worldwide strategies and activities which promote the MSC program and its benefits directly to target audiences, as well as leveraged marketing relationships with our commercial, fishery, NGO and other partners. The Director will coordinate a virtual global communications team, and directly lead the Corporate Communications team in the London office. The successful candidate will have extensive experience of working in a similarly complex international environment, developing and delivering high-quality, innovative communications across the full range of channels.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the post holder will be responsible for ensuring the MSC?s capacity to respond to communications challenges and opportunities, and proactively building engagement with, and support for, the MSC amongst relevant global stakeholders.

With a track record of achievement at executive level within the private or public sector, the successful candidate must be an excellent leader; they will combine vision, creativity and innovation with exceptional communication and negotiation skills and abilities, energy and a strong spirit of teamwork. They must also have the ability to represent the MSC in an international arena at the highest levels. An interest in protecting the world?s oceans for current and future generations will be essential. This exciting and demanding role offers a tremendous opportunity for the right individual to make an enormous contribution towards the delivery of MSC's mission

Skills Required

The Global Communications Director will combine vision, creativity and innovation with exceptional communication and negotiation skills and abilities, energy and a strong spirit of teamwork.

• Significant proven and relevant experience at a senior level in communications in an international organisation with diverse issues, interests and audiences.
• Significant relevant experience within one or more of the following areas at a senior level: consumer product marketing, brand development, ecolabelling, and/or related marketing.
• Demonstrated strategic planning and project management, and delivery and evaluation at an organisation-wide level.
• Demonstrated excellence in written communication and editing in the English language.
• Demonstrated excellence in spoken communication skills with a diverse range of people and evidence of an ability to represent the MSC as an ambassador and negotiator in an international arena at the highest levels of media, business and the not for profit world.

Download the job description Global Communications Director (PDF 165 KB)

Application process

Please email the following material to recruitment@msc.org:

• A cover letter outlining how your skills, experience and knowledge directly address the roles, responsibilities, and requirements detailed in the respective job specification (see web link above), which constitute the position selection criteria.

• A copy of your current CV.

Please include in your cover letter your current salary and the media (website, advertisement, newsletter etc.) in which you first became aware of this vacancy. The subject of your email should read: Global Communications Director

While email is the preferred application route, alternatively you may send or FAX a hard copy of your application to MSC's London office, to:

Mona Chergui (GCD recruitment)
Marine Stewardship Council
Marine House
1 Snow Hill
London EC1A 2DH
United Kingdom
Office: + 44 (0) 20 7246 8900?
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7246 8901

NOTE:? Applications must be received by the closing date/time of 4 February 2013 at 17.00 GMT.

Final interviews are due to take place in late February/early March.

If you would like to discuss the role, please contact Alene Wilton, Director of Resources, on 0207 246 8954.

Please also note:?
??Only successful candidates will be contacted.

Source: http://www.msc.org/about-us/jobs/global-communications-director

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Barnacles Mate via 'Spermcasting'

Oversized penises are not always enough to let these immobile crustaceans mate if the animals live in solitude, so they release sperm into the sea which allows other barnacles to capture it and thus fertilize eggs

By Daniel Cressey and Nature magazine

The penis in this barnacle (appendage at top) is barely the length of its tentacles ? unlike the extra-long ones in some other species. The mollusk however disperses its sperm directly into seawater. Image: D. W. & Palmer

It can be hard to find a sexual partner when you are glued to a rock.

Barnacles famously get around this problem by having penises longer than their bodies, so that they can seek out relatively distant mates. But now it seems that some adopt another strategy, entrusting their precious bodily fluids to the currents.

Some of these crustaceans live alone, with no neighbors near enough to have sex with. In the case of the gooseneck-barnacle species Pollicipes polymerus, this presented a mystery: although some barnacles are thought to self-fertilize, scientists have never been able to witness reproduction of solitary P. polymerus, so these animals were thought to have to mate.

But Richard Palmer, a marine biologist at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and his team have now shown that the barnacles are capable of capturing sperm released into the sea, which gives them another route to procreation.

?Barnacles are a highly studied animal,? says Palmer. ?It?s exciting to us to find something so totally new in a group that is so extensively studied.?

Palmer and his team describe in Proceedings of the Royal Society B how they collected barnacles that were ?well outside penis range? of any other individuals, but bore fertilized egg masses. By analyzing the genetic make-up of these animals and their eggs, the researchers found that all the isolated barnacles' eggs contained DNA that could only have come from another animal. This indicated that they must have collected sperm from the water in a process sometimes called spermcast mating. Further genetic analysis showed that even barnacles located within mating distance of a fellow P. polymerus still collected sperm from the water.

Cast upon the waters
John Bishop, a marine ecologist at the Marine Biological Association of the UK in Plymouth and one of the scientists who coined the term spermcast mating, points out that this mechanism of fertilization is quite different from broadcast spawning, in which some aquatic animals release both eggs as well as sperm into the water.

Spermcasting seems to be linked to animals that are fixed in place ? or ?sessile?, he says.

In the past, people often assumed that isolated sessile species ?must sit there and self-[fertilize]? he notes, but now barnacles can be added to the list of spermcasters, which also includes sponges, corals and some mollusks. They are the first crustaceans known to employ this strategy.

?Most of the sessile groups have had the box ticked in spermcast mating,? says Bishop. ?It goes with a sessile existence and more particularly with filter feeding.? (As filter-feeding animals, barnacles already posess the equipment to capture small particles in the water: see video below.)

And Pollicipes polymerus may not be the only species of barnacle that does it. Palmer and his student Marjan Barazandeh, the lead author of the latest paper, are now exploring whether two further species also trust their sperm to the waves.

?

This article is reproduced with permission from the magazine Nature. The article was first published on January 16, 2013.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=85ca13274822c437a7617c5cbb6cde12

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Fremont appointed Governor of California

A leader in the successful fight to wrest California away from Mexico, the explorer and mapmaker John C. Fremont briefly becomes governor of the newly won American territory.

Still only in his early mid-30s at the time, Fremont had already won national acclaim for his leadership of two important explorations of the West with the military's Corps of Topographical Engineers. Shortly after the government published Fremont's meticulously accurate maps of the Far West, they became indispensable guides for the growing numbers of overland emigrants heading for California and Oregon. In 1845, though, the lines between military exploration and military conquest began to blur when President James Polk sent Captain Fremont and his men on a third "scientific" mission to explore the Rockies and Sierra Nevada?with 60 armed men accompanying them. Polk's ambition to take California from Mexico was no secret, and Fremont's expedition was clearly designed to place a military force near the region in case of war.

When Mexico and the U.S. declared war in May 1846, Fremont and his men were in Oregon. Upon hearing the news, Fremont immediately headed south, calling his return "the first step in the conquest of California." When the Anglo-American population of California learned of Fremont's arrival, many of them began to rebel against their Mexican leaders. In June, a small band of American settlers seized Sonoma and raised a flag with a bear facing a five-pointed star?with this act, the revolutionaries declared the independent Republic of California.

The Bear Flag Republic was short-lived. In August, Fremont and General Robert Stockton occupied Los Angeles. By January 1847, they had put down the small number of Californians determined to maintain a nation independent of the United States. With California now clearly in the U.S. hands, Stockton agreed to appoint Fremont as the territorial governor. However, a dispute broke out within the army over the legitimacy of Fremont's appointment, and the young captain's detractors accused him of mutiny, disobedience, and conduct prejudicial to military discipline. Recalled to Washington for a court martial, Fremont was found guilty of all three charges, and his appointment to take the position of governor was revoked. Though President Polk pardoned him and ordered him back to active duty in the army, Fremont was deeply embittered, and he resigned from the military and returned to California a private citizen.

Although he never regained the governorship of California, the turmoil of Fremont's early political career did not harm his future prospects. In 1851, citizens of California elected him a senator, and became the territorial governor of Arizona in 1878. Today, however, Fremont's youthful accomplishments as an explorer and mapmaker are more celebrated than his subsequent political career.

Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/fremont-appointed-governor-of-california

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US envoy says Taliban peace process stuck

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? The United States wants serious peace negotiations with the Taliban to begin, but it has not been possible to get the process under way, the American ambassador to Afghanistan said Thursday.

James Cunningham said it was important for the Afghan government to get the talks started and to get the best results possible, yet he acknowledged that the peace process has not "even really begun."

The Afghan peace process, which has made little headway since it began several years ago, is hobbled by distrust among the major players, including the United States. While talks with the Taliban remained stalled, there are signs of increasing efforts to get them back on track. U.S.-backed talks broke down last March in a dispute over the release of five Taliban detainees held in U.S. custody at a military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

With Afghan presidential elections and the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops looming in 2014, Afghanistan and its international allies are trying to push a peace process with the Taliban to bring an end to the conflict.

"Our goal, or rather what we would like to see and I think the Afghans would like to see, is the beginning if not conclusion of a negotiation ? at least the beginning of a serious process on peace and reconciliation ? as soon as possible," Cunningham told reporters. "But so far it hasn't proven possible to bring those pieces together to get that going."

Cunningham made the remarks following President Hamid Karzai's meeting in Washington last week with President Barack Obama. Peace talks were part of that discussion.

"We think it's important if we can do it, to help the Afghans get this process under way and then we will try to help them steer it to the best result possible," he said.

There are hopes that Pakistan's decision to release more than two dozen members of the Taliban will help get the peace process going. But it remains unclear if those Taliban figures will help the peace process or rejoin the insurgency.

The last release came on Dec. 31, when Pakistan freed eight men, including the Taliban's justice minister when the hardline regime ruled Afghanistan before being ousted in 2001, and a one-time guard of Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Cunningham said that although their release was a positive step, there was no indication of where the former detainees had gone "or where they are going."

He said the Afghan government was trying to ensure they did not return to the insurgency.

"We obviously don't want dangerous individuals released to become a threat again to Afghan civilians, Afghan forces or our forces," Cunningham said. "So we have been working with the Afghans to make sure that doesn't happen ? through a variety of reintegration and other mechanisms."

He added that the Pakistanis so far have taken a "hands-off kind of approach to the people that they have released."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-envoy-says-taliban-peace-process-stuck-125416981.html

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featured: Ford Previews Future Pickup Truck

?

Ford?s presentation at the 2013 North American International Auto Show concentrated on work vehicles. As a surprise, a new concept full-size pickup truck concept was unveiled. Called the Atlas Concept, the truck shows where Ford might be headed in terms of styling for the next generation F-150. The Atlas adopts a more chiseled, angular shape language over the sweeping arcs found in many of their other vehicles including the Fiesta, Focus and even Transit van.

Ford

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Source: http://www.psfk.com/2013/01/ford-previews-future-pickup-truck.html

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Satanists planning rally for Florida Gov. Rick Scott

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has some unexpected, and likely unwanted, new support (Logo from Satanic Temple website/Scott??

Florida Gov. Rick Scott may have earned himself a new constituency, but the devil is in the details.

Local news site WPBF.com reported that a group of Satanists plans to hold a rally outside Scott's office on Jan. 25 to support the governor?s signing of a bill that allows students to pray at school events.

"We've gotten such a response, it's just impossible for me to know what that translates into," Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves told WPBF, regarding how many will show up to the rally.

?You don?t build up your membership unless people know about you,? Greaves said in a separate interview with the Palm Beach Post. ?So this allows us to get our message out in public. We?re hoping it will reduce the stigmatism.?

The Satanic Temple was launched in 2012 with what Greaves described as being ?more or less an online community.?

The group?s website describes itself as being different from other, better-known Satanic organizations. Greaves said the rally is part of a larger, ongoing effort at making the group?s beliefs more commonplace in mainstream discussions of religion and belief. From the website:

?Though we have far to go before public education leads to a mainstream embrace of our Satanic religion, we feel that our own public ?coming out? will go a long way toward raising the consciousness of the populace ? and the social environment has never yet been better prepared for the welcoming of a new Satanic era.?

The group?s founder, Neil Bricke, is scheduled to speak at the rally.

"We feel it's time for Satanists to come out and say exactly who we are," Greaves said.

So, what does Scott think of the newly organized support?

"This is a great country. Everyone has a voice," Gov. Scott's press secretary wrote in an email to ABCNews.com.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/satanists-planning-rally-florida-gov-rick-scott-231148312.html

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Wal-Mart plans $50 billion "buy American" push

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc will buy an additional $50 billion in U.S.-made goods over the next decade in areas like sporting goods and high-end appliances in what the world's largest retailer called a bid to help boost the U.S. economy.

Wal-Mart, the largest private employer in the United States, also said on Tuesday it plans to hire 100,000 newly discharged veterans over the next five years, at a time when the U.S. unemployment rate is at 7.8 percent.

The moves are likely to receive a cool reception from critics, who claim Wal-Mart does not pay its workers enough and slam the retailer for selling too many goods made in lower-cost countries like China. The company is also under pressure over its sourcing practices, particularly after a deadly fire at a Bangladesh factory that made Wal-Mart clothes.

But Walmart's U.S. unit says about two-thirds of the goods it buys to sell in its stores are made, sourced from or grown in the United States, citing data from its suppliers.

Last year, 55 percent of Walmart U.S. sales came from groceries like food and drinks as well as health and beauty products, household goods such as paper towels, and pet supplies. Many of the items are typically sourced locally.

Only 7 percent of Walmart U.S. sales were of apparel, jewelry and accessories, which retailers typically get from lower-cost countries.

To the extent Wal-Mart buys more U.S.-made goods the company would have otherwise imported, it would reflect the recent shift in the United States' commercial relationship with the rest of the world.

Both economic output and net imports declined sharply during the 2007-09 recession. While gross domestic product has rebounded, net imports have not, a sign the United States is meeting more demand for goods and services domestically.

The company said its Walmart U.S. and Sam's Club warehouse chain will increase what they already buy in the United States in categories like sporting goods, basic apparel, storage containers, games and paper products.

Last week, Walmart U.S. told its employees that Michelle Gloeckler, senior vice president in the home business, will lead the new focus on U.S. sourcing and manufacturing. Greg Hall, a vice president of Walmart.com, is set to become a vice president reporting to Gloeckler. No replacement was announced for Hall's e-commerce role.

Walmart U.S. Chief Executive Bill Simon laid out the spending and hiring plan at the National Retail Federation's (NRF) annual conference in New York.

JOBS FOR VETERANS

Wal-Mart is not a member of the NRF, a major industry trade association that has promoted the importance of retail jobs in the United States. The NRF asserts that 25 percent of American jobs are supported by the retail industry.

Along that line, the company said starting on Memorial Day in May, it plans to hire 100,000 U.S. veterans over five years, a move supported by First Lady Michelle Obama.

"We've developed a national paralysis that's driven by all of us waiting for someone else to do something," Simon said in prepared remarks for the NRF. "But if we're waiting on government, we're waiting on a process that can't act with the same speed as business."

Veterans' issues are of personal interest to Simon, who served 25 years in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve. The company said it will offer a job to any honorably discharged veteran in the first year after active duty.

Depending on the time of year, there are anywhere from 15,000 to 50,000 job postings at Walmart. The company said it promotes about 170,000 people each year to jobs with more responsibility and higher pay.

About 75 percent of its store management started as hourly associates, and now earn an average of $50,000 to $170,000 a year. The highest earning store manager last year made more than $250,000. Wal-Mart has repeatedly claimed its pay and benefits are in the top half of the retail industry.

Starting wages for Walmart U.S. store employees vary by market. Simon noted that in his first job as a dishwasher in a restaurant, he made $2.10 an hour.

Walmart U.S. also said it would give part-time workers the first shot at full-time positions. It also plans to make scheduling more transparent, giving part-time workers the ability to choose more of their own hours.

Simon had barely finished speaking at the NRF event before critics responded to the new spending and hiring plan.

"Retailers like Walmart could provide the nation with a much needed economic boost by paying higher wages and providing stable scheduling - while still remaining profitable and continuing to offer low prices," Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, said in a statement. "By part-timing their workforce, they're hurting both workers and our economy by fueling underemployment."

Sales for Walmart U.S. rose 1.5 percent to $264.19 billion in fiscal 2012, which ended in February 2012, and accounted for 59.5 percent of the company's total sales.

The unit is still by far Wal-Mart's largest business, but its percentage as a part of the company's overall sales has fallen from 62.1 percent in 2011 and 64.2 percent in 2010 as Walmart International and Sam's Club have grown their sales at a faster pace.

Walmart shares were unchanged at $68.30 in mid-morning trading, while the S&P retail index rose 0.3 percent.

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wal-mart-says-buy-more-u-goods-add-141415846--sector.html

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