Ryan Moore Out to Make Golf More Affordable

The Moores: Aim to level the playing course

When Ryan Moore isn?t playing golf on tour, he enjoys pondering business ventures ? he became a minority owner in Scratch Golf in late 2009 (but relinquished his equity interest a year later and then signed with Adams) and then invested in TRUE Linkswear, a shoe apparel company, in spring 2010.

His latest project aims not only to make good golf more available to the public, but also to help jump-start the struggling golf course industry in the Tacoma area, where he grew up and still calls home.

Moore, along with 13 partners consisting of primarily friends and family, created RMG Golf Course Management LLC, or RMG Club, according to The News Tribune?s Todd Milles.

Not only will RMG Club run the day-to-day operations at the Classic Country Club in Spanaway and McCormick Woods in Port Orchard, the company announced Thursday that it had acquired Oakbrook Golf and Country Club in Lakewood [Ed. note: Which is a solid and challenging track from my recollection].

With those three venues in the fold, RMG Club will launch a membership-driven business model Jan. 1 that is designed to attract all types of golfers.

The company will offer three levels of unlimited-golf memberships, ranging from its three-course, all-access $179-per-month package, to a one-course, $99-per-month rate, to a twilight-only $49-per-month package.?We want this to be a product that appeals to everyone ? and not just to people who are 45 and can afford a membership and go play golf any time they want,? Moore said. ?We want people to have great facilities that they can go play at a reasonable rate.?

I think that?s a polite way of saying they?d like people who aren?t middle-aged white male businessmen, earning at least a healthy six-figure salary to have access to golf courses besides the local cow pasture, without coughing up thousands to pay the club initiation fee. And $179-per-month all-access?! That?s an incredible deal. Greens fees at resort courses are usually more than $200 for 18 holes and most decent public courses cost at least $50 to play.

Basically, they?re trying to break through the elitist country club mold and reverse golf?s dwindling popularity in the tough economic climate.

The company?s aim is to offer a quality golf experience at minimal cost ? while rewarding customer loyalty.

A group of investors began forming. Shawn Cucciardi, a co-owner at McCormick Woods, began meeting with the Moore family, brainstorming on ideas.

Jason Moore and JD Rastovski ? Ryan Moore?s caddies on the PGA Tour ? came up with a membership rewards program idea that is part of all the membership packages.Each of the membership packages, which require a golfer to sign up for a minimum 12 months, offers the same perks ? discounted family-membership options, unlimited driving-range balls, access to the restaurant and locker rooms and advanced tee-time booking.

Good idea? I think so. Will the RMG Club help revive golf in the area? It can?t hurt.

(Photo via The News Tribune)

Source: http://www.weiunderpar.com/post/ryan-moore-out-to-make-golf-more-affordable

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Military Rec: Indoor soccer sign-ups under way

Jaclyn Shambaugh

Registration is open for Fort Bragg Morale, Welfare and Recreation's indoor soccer season.

The season begins Jan. 20 and ends March 4 with the conclusion of a double-elimination postseason tournament.

All games will be played at Ritz-Epps Fitness Center.

Games will be in a 7-on-7 format in 20-minute halves with a five-minute half time.

Roster numbers are unlimited, but the tournament is open to military and government ID cardholders only.

The cost per team is $50. The deadline to register is Jan. 16.

Registration is available online through fortbraggmwr.com. Teams can register in person at the Sports Office on Reilly Road.

For more information about the indoor soccer program, contact intramural sports coordinator Steve Johnson at 396-1217.

All American Trail

The All American Trail will remain closed through Jan. 3 for deer hunting season.

The trail has been closed since Oct. 1 as a safety precaution because hunters with firearms are sometimes in nearby areas.

The trail will reopen Jan. 4, but users should observe the signs posted along the trail to know if it's open or closed.

You can double-check the status of the trail by contacting the Fort Bragg Wildlife Branch at 432-5415 or 432-5427.

SKIES Unlimited

SKIES Unlimited is offering some youth programs starting in January.

Tumbling classes will be available for ages 1 to 3 with parents and ages 4 and 5 without parents.

Cheerleading-stunt classes will be offered in three age groups for 4- to 17-year-olds.

The price for the tumbling program varies by age, but each cheer/stunt session is $38 per participant.

For more information about the classes and schedule, contact the Tolson Youth Activities Center at 643-6039.

Staff writer Jaclyn Shambaugh can be reached at 609-0651 or shambaughj@fayobserver.com.

Source: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/12/25/1144949

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Automatic Updates Coming To Internet Explorer (NewsFactor)

Microsoft intends to begin delivering automatic updates of its Internet Explorer browser beginning next year to ensure that as many machines as possible running Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 are protected from the latest malware schemes of cyber criminals.

"Automatic updates are a very good idea based on every piece of security research I've seen," said White Hat Security CTO Jeremiah Grossman. "Keeping software up to date -- particularly Web browsers -- is critical for online security."

The new service will be available initially to those Windows customers who have activated the automatic update feature in Windows. The plan is to introduce automatic IE upgrades gradually -- with the first Windows users to see the new offering located overseas and then scaling up delivery over time.

"This is an important step in helping to move the Web forward," noted Ryan Gavin, the general manager of Internet Explorer business and marketing at Microsoft.

"We will start in January for customers in Australia and Brazil who have turned on automatic updating via Windows Update," he wrote in a blog Thursday.

Increased Protection

According to Microsoft's latest security intelligence report, the biggest online threat that Windows users face comes from socially engineered malware targeting outdated Web browsers and other aging software. Making the move to the most current products and services helps PC users increase their protection against the most prevalent online threats, the software giant said.

One of the popular features of Google's Chrome Web browser has long been its seamless, out-of-sight upgrades under the hood. Earlier this year, Mozilla likewise indicated that it would emulate Google's browser upgrade strategy by early 2012 and now Microsoft intends to follow suit.

On desktop PCs, notebooks and netbooks, IE currently holds a 52.6 percent share of the global browser market -- down from 58.8 percent in December of 2010, according to Net Applications. By adding automatic updates, however, Microsoft stands a better chance of hanging on to the IE users it already had locked in.

"I do think it will affect the rates at which people change browsers -- mainly because I think people consider switching when they are going through an upgrade cycle," said Net Applications Executive Vice President Vincent Vizzaccaro. "If the upgrade cycle happens in the background, that will take away that reminder to consider switching browsers."

An Enterprise Opt-Out

Large corporations, educational institutions and other organizations which need time to evaluate and fully integrate the latest browser upgrades will have the ability to opt out of the automatic upgrade program and develop customized browser upgrade schedules that best fit their respective business requirements.

"The Internet Explorer 8 and Internet Explorer 9 Automatic Update Blocker toolkits prevent automatic upgrades of IE for Windows customers who do not want them," Gavin wrote.

Individual consumers with automatic updating via Windows Update switched on will retain the same personal home page, search provider and default browser settings after receiving each new browser upgrade. Additionally, consumers who have previously declined invitations to install IE8 or IE9 on their PCs will not be forced to do so.

"Future versions of IE [also] will provide an option in the product for consumers to opt out of automatic upgrading," Gavin said.

Individual IE users also will be able to uninstall any IE browser update and continue receiving support for the specific version of IE that they prefer to run on their machines. Still, Gavin noted that "the Web overall is better -- and safer -- when more people run the most up-to-date browser."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/software/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20111216/tc_nf/81421

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Death of Florida A&M drum major ruled a homicide (AP)

ORLANDO, Fla. ? A Florida A&M University drum major was severely beaten in a hazing incident and died within an hour, the state medical examiner said Friday in declaring it a homicide.

Robert Champion, 26, had bruises to his chest, arms, shoulder and back and internal bleeding that caused him to go into shock, which killed him, the office said.

Champion's Nov. 19 death and the severe beating of another band member during a hazing ritual three weeks earlier have brought new scrutiny to a culture of hazing within the Tallahassee school's famed Marching 100.

State and local authorities are investigating Champion's death. Any death involving hazing is a third-degree felony in Florida, but so far no charges have been filed. Three male band members were arrested in a separate probe into the recent beating of a female member whose thigh bone was broken.

Witnesses told 911 that Champion was vomiting before he was found unresponsive aboard a band bus outside an Orlando hotel after the school's football team lost to rival Bethune-Cookman.

The report by Dr. Sara Irrgang described Champion as "previously healthy" showing "no evidence of natural disease" except for a slightly enlarged heart. Immediately after the hazing, Champion complained of thirst and fatigue, then loss of vision and signs of shock, the report said.

The toxicology report was negative for drugs and alcohol and there was no injury to the internal organs.

Champion's father, Robert Champion Sr., said he knew his son had been hazed.

"We just need to figure out what we need to do now to get the hazing under control," Champion told The Associated Press from his home in suburban Atlanta.

The family's attorney, Christopher Chestnut, said the autopsy confirmed the family's worst fears: "Justice needs to be swift and immediate."

"We're not calling for dismantling of the band," he said. "There needs to be high-level scrutiny. The students are adults, but they're young adults."

Champion's name was repeatedly invoked during FAMU's winter graduation ceremony Friday by Narayan Prasad, a faculty and board member. He called on graduates to be "Champion Rattlers" and to help ensure that hazing never happens again.

Larry Robinson, assistant secretary of commerce in the Obama administration, acknowledged Champion in his commencement speech. He said there were "dark clouds in our midst" but he predicted the university would overcome the scrutiny and survive.

"The world is watching. Let them see, let them hear the real FAMU. Let them know we have been here 124 years and we plan to be here another and yet another."

News of the autopsy came soon after Gov. Rick Scott met privately with FAMU President James Ammons to discuss whether he should step down.

Ammons was reprimanded by the school's Board of Trustees, but the governor says he thinks Ammons should be suspended until multiple investigations are complete.

FAMU's president does not report directly to the governor. But the governor is responsible for selecting some of those who serve on the FAMU board of trustees. The governor also appoints most of the people who sit on the board of governors that oversees the State University System.

A couple hundred FAMU students protested late Thursday night outside the Governor's Mansion to show their support for Ammons. Scott eventually came outside and talked to them, but he did not back off seeking a suspension.

Ammons said he and the governor had a "great discussion" and he was considering the request.

"We all have the best interests of Florida A&M University at heart, we are going to do what's best for university," Ammons said.

A new wrinkle comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which has warned that Scott's push to suspend Ammons could affect the school's accreditation because of "undue influence" on the board from outside.

Separately, a group of black Tallahassee ministers formed a task force charged with battling hazing at all historically black colleges and universities. Student leaders at FAMU have launched an initiative to encourage every student on campus to sign an anti-hazing agreement; clubs and organizations that don't sign risk being sanctioned by student government.

Hazing cases in marching bands have cropped up over the years, particularly at historically black colleges, where a spot in the marching band is coveted and the bands are revered almost as much as the sports teams. In 2008, two first-year French horn players in Southern University's marching band had to be hospitalized after a beating. A year later, 20 members of Jackson State University's band were suspended after being accused of hazing.

In 2001, FAMU band member Marcus Parker suffered kidney damage because of a beating with a paddle. Three years earlier, Ivery Luckey, a clarinet player from Ocala, Fla., said he was paddled around 300 times, sending him to the hospital and leaving him physically and emotionally scarred.

___

Fineout reported from Tallahassee, Fla. Associated Press Writer Leonard Pallats in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_re_us/us_famu_student_dead

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'Europe puts nose in Russia's internal business' ? RT

RIA Novosti / Ruslan Krivobok

Russia?s parliamentary parties have severely criticized the European Parliament?s resolution calling for new State Duma election, labeling it interference in the country?s domestic affairs. They have also demanded that it stop such ?escapades?.

?For me the European Parliament?s resolution, which gives the assessment of the results of our elections, is categorically unacceptable,? leader of the Fair Russia party, Sergey Mironov, told Interfax. ?I consider it interference into Russia?s internal affairs".

He stressed that Russia can assess the election and investigate alleged violations on its own.

?We are fully aware of what is going on, I have repeatedly made harsh statements on the issue,? he went on to say. ?But we are going to look into it ourselves,? Sergey Mironov added.

First deputy speaker of the Federation Council Aleksandr Torshin agrees.

?The European Parliament resolution? is a cynical offense of Russian voters, I was perplexed and outraged when learnt about it,?

he stated. He added that Europe itself is undergoing the most severe crisis since WWII and that they ?would be better off having a look at their own problems,? rather than making an ?enemy? out of Russia ?like in the times of the Cold War.?

The Lib Dems came up with even a tougher response to the resolution.

?We don?t need recommendations. The Liberal Democratic party insists that such escapades should be stopped,? they said in a statement. ?Russia is sovereign and independent and any pressure and attempts to interfere into the domestic affairs of the sovereign state is nothing more than another provocation in the hope of an Orange Revolution.?

Russia is not Africa or Asia, where the existence of a political regime is quite often ?an issue for trade? with Europe, the document notes. It also says that all attempts to impose standards of European democracy from outside will face ?a most tough counter-action,? especially bearing in mind that those are ?double standards.?

Examples are numerous, the statement continues, NATO bombings of former Yugoslavia, recognition of Kosovo and refusal to recognize independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as silence on the problems of the Russian-speaking populations in the Baltic states.

Source: http://rt.com/politics/european-parliament-parties-reaction-863/

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Cement plant near Mojave to pay EPA fine

A CalPortland cement plant near the high desert community of Mojave has agreed to pay a fine of $1.4 million and spend $1.3 million on equipment needed to reduce emissions of pollutants that cause asthma and generate smog, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday.

The penalties were part of a settlement that capped an investigation by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice into the CalPortland Co. facility, one of the largest emitters of nitrogen oxide pollution in California.

"This is one of the biggest fines against a cement facility," said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA's regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "It comes at a time when the EPA is focusing on cement production as a sector which can make significant improvements in air quality nationwide."

CalPortland Vice President Scott Isaacson said, "We've chosen to settle this matter and we are not going to quarrel with EPA. Our focus will be implementation and resolution of the settlement, a process that will unfold over the next few years."

The 58-year-old plant employs 130 people and is one of the largest businesses in the unincorporated community of about 4,000 people best known as home to the Mojave Air and Space Port, a campus of more than 60 companies engaged in aerospace development, manufacturing and flight testing.

The EPA probe revealed that CalPortland made significant modifications at the plant that increased emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide without first obtaining a pre-construction permit and installing pollution control equipment required by the Clean Air Act. The company also failed to submit accurate and complete permit applications, the EPA said.

The settlement ensures that the proper equipment will be installed to reduce annual pollution by at least 1,200 tons of nitrogen oxide and 360 tons of sulfur dioxide, said Ignacio S. Moreno, assistant attorney general for the environmental and natural resources division of the Department of Justice.

The plant, about 95 miles northeast of Los Angeles in Kern County, now emits about 3,200 tons of nitrogen oxides and 1,200 tons of sulfur dioxide per year, the EPA said.

CalPortland has one year to install and operate emission controls for nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, the EPA said.

Nitrogen oxides are linked to health problems, visual impairment and asthma. Sulfur dioxide, in high concentrations, can affect breathing and aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

louis.sahagun@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/v63X1QJmX4A/la-me-cement-fine-20111216,0,5364721.story

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Russian editor fired after Putin cursed in photo (Reuters)

MOSCOW (Reuters) ? The editor of a prominent Russian news magazine said he had been fired after the weekly printed a photograph featuring an obscene message addressed to Vladimir Putin as part of extensive reports on alleged fraud in a December 4 parliamentary election.

Maxim Kovalsky said on Tuesday he had been dismissed as editor of Kommersant-Vlast over the magazine's Monday edition, which included several articles examining alleged electoral violations favoring Prime Minister Putin's United Russia party.

The dismissal appeared to serve notice that Putin still holds vast influence over the Russian media, despite mass protests against him and a decline in his ruling party's support at the election.

"The reason is the issue about the election," Kovalsky told Reuters. He believed the Kremlin had put pressure on Kommersant Publishing House owner Alisher Usmanov, a billionaire metals tycoon, and that he had no regrets about the publication.

"I acted absolutely consciously and believe I did the right thing," he said.

A spokeswoman for Metalloinvest, a company owned by Usmanov, confirmed that Kovalsky and the head of the magazine's parent company Kommersant-Holding, Andrei Galiyev, had been fired.

Asked for comment, the spokeswoman sent a report on gazeta.ru, a news site also linked to Usmanov, that cited Usmanov as saying unspecified material that appeared in recent issues of Kommersant-Vlast had violated journalistic ethics.

"These materials border on petty hooliganism," the news site quoted Usmanov, a billionaire who is part-owner of the London soccer club Arsenal, as saying.

Kommersant Publishing House director Demyan Kudryavtsev told Reuters he had tendered his resignation to Usmanov over the photograph, which he said he had not been aware of before publication. He said he expects a decision later his month.

The shakeup at Kommersant, whose publications include a leading daily by the same name, followed protests by tens of thousands of Russians over alleged election fraud in the biggest opposition rallies of Putin's 12-year-old rule.

Tens of thousands of Russians protested on Saturday over the parliamentary election they said was rigged in favour of United Russia, calling for the annulment of the official results and a new election.

Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev have made clear that is out of the question.

Meeting with leaders of the four parties that won seats in the State Duma lower house, Medvedev said that all official complaints will be heard but that the Duma will hold its first session on December 22 -- two days before new protests are planned.

Voters sharply reduced the ruling party's parliamentary majority but opponents say the official results were inflated. Allegations of fraud have spread on the Internet and in some newspapers, while they are largely ignored by state media.

Monday's issue of Kommersant-Vlast had a large section on the election, including articles on alleged violations.

ALLEGED FRAUD

The cover featured a photograph of Putin and a headline with a play on United Russia's name that suggested ballot-stuffing, adding: "How the elections were falsified: eyewitness accounts."

A photograph on page 29 showed a ballot paper marked for the liberal Yabloko party and scrawled with the comment: "Putin, fuck off!."

The photo caption read: "A ballot filled out correctly, deemed invalid."

Kommersant-Vlast deputy editor Veronika Kutsyllo said the magazine published the photograph because it was a document that she believed suggested irregularities. She said she planned to resign.

Kutsyllo said the ballot was cast in London, where Russian citizens were able to vote, and that it was a valid ballot because it was marked for one party.

Putin, president from 2000-2008 and now prime minister, will run for a new six-year term as president in a March 4 vote.

Opinion polls show he remains Russia's most popular politician and is likely to win the presidency, but his ratings have fallen and he was booed at a martial arts event last month.

He alienated many Russians in September by announcing he planned to swap jobs with Medvedev after the March presidential election, leaving many worried he could now rule until 2024.

Putin has long kept a tight grip on the traditional media, although state television showed footage of tens of thousands of people protesting in Moscow on Saturday against the alleged electoral fraud, without showing calls for him to step down.

Two other presidential candidates took steps to formalize their bids on Tuesday, but both are dismissed by the protest leaders as figures who do not present a threat to Putin.

Flamboyant nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky was nominated at a congress of his LDPR party that was given prominent coverage on state television.

Sergei Mironov, leader of the Just Russia party, filed his candidacy papers. Mironov, 58, ran for president in 2004 but supported Putin. He has become more critical after being ousted as speaker of the upper house of parliament this year by United Russia.

(Additional reporting by Timothy Heritage; Writing by Steve Gutterman, Editing by Douglas Busvine)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personaltech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111213/wl_nm/us_russia

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Perry phoned top donors ahead of presidential bid (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Time and again, Texas Gov. Rick Perry picked up his office phone in the months before he would announce his bid for the presidency. He dialed wealthy friends who were his big fundraisers and state officials who owed him for their jobs.

Perry also met with a Texas executive who would later co-found an independent political committee that has promised to raise millions to support Perry but is prohibited from coordinating its activities with the governor.

An Associated Press review of Perry's phone records and daily public schedules reveals a chronology ? at times, minute by minute ? of the governor's meetings before his campaign launch. Texas state ethics rules prohibit use of state phones for campaign purposes. Perry officials said the talks were for official business.

The governor's files also show connections between Perry and many of his early supporters. Those whom Perry called have raised millions for his state campaigns, and he appointed some of them to Texas state jobs. Some were quick to return the favor by donating to his White House campaign.

They included Brint Ryan, a Dallas businessman and University of North Texas regent whom Perry talked with in-person and on Ryan's cell phone in April, just as buzz swirled of Perry's presidential ambitions. Ryan would go on to back Make Us Great Again, a "super" political action committee that legally is not permitted to coordinate with Perry or his campaign.

Fred Wertheimer, the head of campaign watchdog group Democracy 21, said the roles of elected officials who are running for office can blur. "But the elected official has to take appropriate steps that ensure that government resources aren't being used for campaign purposes," Wertheimer said. The conversations in the spring between Ryan and Perry, he said, "raise the question of whether this so-called candidate-specific super PAC is really independent from the governor."

It's unclear what Perry and all of his supporters discussed in their conversations, and Perry didn't appear to contact Ryan since his Aug. 13 campaign announcement. State logs do not record incoming calls or those made by aides, and most of Perry's daily schedules produced since then say only that Perry was "tending to state business" with no further details.

"Gov. Perry only conducts state business on his state office phone," Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said, adding that members of his executive staff have access to his line. A Make Us Great Again representative said Ryan and Perry discussed higher education and economic issues in the governor's office April 29, but wasn't aware of the phone call.

Perry's conversations with Ryan aren't unique. The governor has reached out to local political allies and national power players alike:

_Hank Greenberg, the former chief of American International Group, received a seven-minute call from Perry last summer. Castle said the call was to thank Greenberg for hosting a meeting the day before. Greenberg also hosted a New York fundraising event for Perry in September.

_Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim, a Texas poultry magnate, contributed to Perry campaigns and the Republican Governors Association, which Perry ran until recently. Pilgrim was not only in contact with Perry by phone in recent years; he also provided air travel in 2008 so that the governor could travel to Washington and argue against rules that require more ethanol in fuel, which Pilgrim opposed over concerns they would increase feed grain prices.

_Since his August announcement, Perry phoned the office of Andy Card, President George W. Bush's chief of staff, and Frederick McClure, a former Texas A&M University regent who worked on the Bush presidential transition committee.

Old friends also made the list: Perry called the home and business lines of Phil Adams, another Texas A&M regent, more than a dozen times between 2006 and 2008. Adams, meanwhile, has given Perry more than $250,000 in contributions.

Perry's connections with the founders of the super PAC supporting him are hardly unique. Aides to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney founded Restore Our Future in 2010, and a former spokesman for President Barack Obama formed super PAC Priorities USA Action to help the incumbent's re-election efforts. Indeed, all politicians reach out to potential donors and fundraisers as they gear up their campaigns.

The AP obtained Perry's records through public-records requests and cross-matched thousands of phone numbers to identify those Perry called. Texas rules frown on government employees using state phones for personal use; they also prohibit calls that cost the state extra money, although documents show that the costs of Perry's long-distance calls were inexpensive.

The AP's review was incomplete. When Perry's administration turned over the records AP had requested, it censored dozens of calls for privacy reasons, and his schedules in recent years contain only partial information. Perry has said publicly that government institutions should be more transparent and accountable to voters.

____

Follow Jack Gillum at http://twitter.com/jackgillum

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111206/ap_on_el_pr/us_perry_s_phone_calls

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257 bears killed on first day of NJ hunt

By NBCNewYork.com

New Jersey wildlife officials say a total of 257 black bears were killed on the first day of the state's annual hunt.

The number is nearly identical to the first day of last year's hunt.

State officials said the first bear killed was a 166-pound female shot in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area by an Arizona man. The second was a 205-pound male shot in Warren County by two teenagers from Wayne, N.J.

---

"I called it out, I just said, 'Are you on him?' Said '3, 2, 1' then we shot on 'go' at the exact same time," said K.C. Abel, one of the teen hunters.

In 2010, 592 bears were killed during the hunt. State officials predict a similar count this year. On the first day in 2010, there were about 260 killed.

Environmental Protection Department officials are still tallying up the number of participating hunters.

State officials say the hunt is needed to reduce the state's bruin population, now estimated at about 3,400.

Read full story on NBCNewYork.com

Critics claim the hunt is cruel and the state's bear management policy is flawed.

After going to court Monday, the protesters were allowed the right to demonstrate at certain bear checkpoints during the hunt.

A ruling in state superior court said up to 25 people can demonstrate at the Franklin bear check station in Sussex County between noon and 4 p.m. each day.

A greater number will be allowed to demonstrate at two other weigh stations.

Critics of the hunt had been pushing for the Franklin station permit as it is a high-visibility site.

DEP officials felt it was too a dangerous a spot for a large gathering.

Read more content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/06/9247445-257-bears-killed-on-first-day-of-nj-hunt

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S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g electrical conductance to the limit

ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2011) ? Individual molecules have been used to create electrical components like resistors, transistors and diodes that mimic the properties of familiar semiconductors. But according to Nongjian (NJ) Tao, a researcher at the Biodesign Institute at ASU, unique properties inherent in single molecules also may allow clever designers to produce novel devices whose behavior falls outside the performance observed in conventional electronics.

In research appearing in a recent issue of Nature Nanotechnology, Tao describes a method for mechanically controlling the geometry of a single molecule, situated in a junction between a pair of gold electrodes that form a simple circuit. The manipulations produced over tenfold increase in conductivity.

The unusual, often non-intuitive characteristics of single molecules may eventually be introduced into a broad range of microelectronics, suitable for applications including biological and chemical sensing electronic and mechanical devices.

Delicate molecular manipulations requiring patience and finesse are routine for Tao, whose research at Biodesign's Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors has included work on molecular diodes, graphene behavior and molecular imaging techniques. Nevertheless, he was surprised at the outcome described in the current paper: "If you have a molecule attached to electrodes, it can stretch like a rubber band," he says. "If it gets longer, most people tend to think that the conductivity will decrease. A longer wire is less conductive than a shorter wire."

Indeed, diminishing conductivity through a molecule is commonly observed when the distance between the electrodes attached to its surface is increased and the molecule becomes elongated. But according to Tao, if you stretch the molecule enough, something unexpected happens: the conductance goes up -- by a huge amount. "We see at least 10 times greater conductivity, simply by pulling the molecule."

As Tao explains, the intriguing result is a byproduct of the laws of quantum mechanics, which dictate the behavior of matter at the tiniest scales: "The conductivity of a single molecule is not simply inversely proportional to length. It depends on the energy level alignment."

In the metal leads of the electrodes, electrons can move about freely but when they come to an interface -- in this case, a molecule that sits in the junction between electrodes -- they have to overcome an energy barrier. The height of this energy barrier is critical to how readily electrons can pass through the molecule. By applying a mechanical force to the molecule, the barrier is lowered, improving conductance.

"Theoretically, people have thought of this as a possibility, but this is a demonstration that it really happens," Tao says. "If you stretch the molecule and geometrically increase the length, it energetically lowers the barrier so electrons can easily go through. If you think in optical terms, it becomes more transparent to electrons."

The reason for this has to do with a property known as force-induced resonant tunneling. This occurs when the molecular energy moves closer to the Fermi level of the electrodes -- that is, toward the region of optimal conductance. Thus, as the molecule is stretched, it causes a decrease in the tunneling energy barrier.

For the experiments, Tao's group used 1,4'-Benzenedithiol, the most widely studied entity for molecular electronics. Further experiments demonstrated that the transport of electrons through the molecule underwent a corresponding decrease as the distance between the electrodes was reduced, causing the molecule's geometry to shift from a stretched condition to a relaxed or squeezed state. "We have to do this thousands of times to be sure the effect is robust and reproducible."

In addition to the discovery's practical importance, the new data show close agreement with theoretical models of molecular conductance, which had often been at variance with experimental values, by orders of magnitude.

Tao stresses that single molecules are compelling candidates for a new types of electronic devices, precisely because they can exhibit very different properties from those observed in conventional semiconductors.

Microelectromechanical systems or MEMS are just one domain where the versatile properties of single molecules are likely to make their mark. These diminutive creations represent a $40 billion a year industry and include such innovations as optical switches, gyroscopes for cars, lab-on-chip biomedical applications and microelectronics for mobile devices.

"In the future, when people design devices using molecules, they will have a new toolbox they can use."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Arizona State University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Christopher Bruot, Joshua Hihath, Nongjian Tao. Mechanically controlled molecular orbital alignment in single molecule junctions. Nature Nanotechnology, 2011; DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2011.212

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205102708.htm

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Android Game Review: Apparatus

YouTube link for mobile viewing

Sometimes I come across a game that makes me feel really dumb really challenges the ol' noggin of mine, and I know I just have to share it with you all, the Android faithful (because Android users are inherintly smart). Apparatus is one such game, and by the time you're done with it, you'll deserve either a pat on the back or a tasty cold one (or both).

If the name didn't completely give it away, Apparatus is about just that: building apparatuses. To do what, you may ask? To make sure a dark blue ball makes it's way safely into a sky blue box. That's it.

Now if you're wondering what makes Apparatus so difficult, it's because the game uses physics and all, so if any of your parts aren't stable and attached to something, they'll fall away into the nothingness pit that makes up the bottom of the screen.

Fortunately there's no penalty for completely botching the job (sometimes it's the only way to learn what's going on), and a simple tap of the pause button will get all of your objects reset on the screen.

For the first couple of levels there are hints that'll show you the ropes on apparatus-building (like how batteries work, how to tell which way your plank of wood will spin, and how to attach pieces of material together), so you're not totally out in the cold, but once you've been taught the basics, it's up to your own ingenuity to get the job done.

Perhaps even more amazing than the levels the game has you work through are the community-designed levels and the sandbox. From within the sandbox, you can build either an apparatus or a building challenge. When you're done designing your masterpiece, you can upload it to the community levels to people can try and beat it or just watch it unfold.

It's absolutely amazing to see someone construct a rudimentary gun using only these simple tools, or an impressive fireworks show with the only trigger being a wheel rolling over them, and more than makes this app worth its price.

Apparatus feel like one of those "must have" games on Android. It's cheap, forces you to be creative, and is filled with levels. Even if you never touch the main game, the sandbox and community sections can easily take hours out of your otherwise productive day, as you build and see what others have built. In a word, it's stellar.

Apparatus is $2.45 in the Android Market. We've got download links after the break.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/kro8_teYzdg/story01.htm

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Video: Bono observes World AIDS Day

>>> when he hasn't been on the road with u2, he's been on the road with his various charitable efforts aimed at eradicating aids. today in washington bono, with the help of three u.s. presidents and a fleet of other dignitaries, marked the 30th anniversary of the discovery of aids on this world aids day with a mostly positive assessment.

>> you could imagine we would be talking about the real possibility of an aids-free generation. but that's what we're talking about. that's why we're here.

>> bono has been kind enough to join us from washington . it occurs to me if we were talking about 30 million dead over 30 years in warfare, we'd be angry. we'd be fatigued and trying to end it. but what was the announcement, the good news that you delivered there in washington today?

>> well, we are trying to end it. and the good news today on this 30th year anniversary of the discovery of this disease, hiv/aids is that the end is in sight. you can't defeat it until the number of infections are the lower of the people you're treating. that's obvious. well, for the first time that's possible now through getting people these drugs early in the process. it stops them reinfecting other people. male circumcision , and getting women, pregnant women the drugs means their children aren't affected.

>> while americans, really starting with president bush on forward, have made great achievements in their charity and giving overseas, domestically we have a problem here?

>> america has been the turning point in the war, if you'd like. it would be shocking if vigilance was not applied to the domestic area and to certain communities which are still experiencing this disease. that's a very good point.

>> bono, thanks. congratulations on the effort so far. and we'll cover the campaign as it goes forward. thank you for being with us from washington today.

>> thank you.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45516736/

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Celebrity Clown Bigfoots the GOP Primary Car (Balloon Juice)

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Hospitalized George Michael "improving" (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? British singer George Michael's health is improving, doctors treating him in Vienna for pneumonia said in a statement Wednesday.

The 48-year-old former Wham! frontman was Hospitalized in the Austrian capital and diagnosed with severe pneumonia, forcing him to cancel the remainder of his European tour.

"The latest development in Mr. Michael's case -- which has evolved from a severe pneumococcal infection -- necessitated intensive care due to its severity and extension," said professors Gottfried Locker and Christoph Zielinski.

"We are happy to announce that Mr. Michael is improving steadily with an impressive regression of pneumonic symptoms and follows a steady rate of improvement as hoped.

"As we said previously, complete rest and peace and quiet are mandatory."

The doctors also appeared to address speculation in the British tabloid press that Michael was suffering further, potentially serious health complications and that he was receiving state-of-the-art treatment during his stay at the Vienna General Hospital.

"There are no other health issues with regards to the patient other than the underlying pneumonic disorder, and no further measures had to be taken," they said.

"Michael is receiving precisely the same treatment as any ordinary patient in Austria would receive at the hospital for this disease."

The Grammy award-winning singer found fame in the 1980s with Wham! before going on to pursue a successful solo career. He has sold an estimated 100 million records and has a personal fortune estimated at 90 million pounds ($140 million).

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111130/people_nm/us_georgemichael_health

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Obama on AIDS: 'We can beat this disease'

President Barack Obama makes remarks on World AIDS Day , Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama makes remarks on World AIDS Day , Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Alicia Keys, center, and Muhtar Kent, the chairman of the Board and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, left, applaud as President Barack Obama spoke during a World AIDS Day event, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Musicians Bono, right, and Alicia Keys talk during a panel discussion on World AIDS Day, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Musicians Bono, right, and Alicia Keys take part in a panel discussion on World AIDS Day, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, at George Washington University in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama set an ambitious goal Thursday for significantly increasing access to life-saving AIDS drugs for people in the U.S. and around the world, as he announced a renewed American commitment to ending a pandemic that has killed 30 million people.

"We can beat this disease," Obama declared during a World AIDS Day event in Washington. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton also participated via satellite.

Obama pledged U.S. support to help 6 million people in countries hardest hit by the virus get access to antiretroviral drugs by the end of 2013, increasing the original U.S. goal by 2 million. And he announced plans to boost spending on HIV treatment in the U.S. by $50 million.

"The rate of new infections may be going down elsewhere, but it's not going down here in America," he said. "There are communities in this country being devastated still by this disease. When new infections among young, black, gay men increase by nearly 50 percent in three years, we need to do more to show them that their lives matter."

As part of Obama's new overseas initiatives, the U.S. will also aim to get antiretroviral drugs to 1.5 million HIV-positive pregnant women to prevent them from passing the virus to their children; distribute more than 1 billion condoms in the developing world in the next two years; and fund 4.7 million voluntary medical male circumcisions in eastern and southern Africa over the next two years. Research shows circumcisions reduce the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission by more than 60 percent.

The new global goals build on the work of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which focuses on prevention, treatment and support programs in 15 countries hit hardest by the AIDS pandemic, 12 of them in Africa. Bush launched the $15 billion plan in 2003, and in 2008, Congress tripled the budget to $48 billion over five years.

Obama praised Bush for his leadership on AIDS relief, saying the program will be one of the former president's greatest legacies.

"That program ? more ambitious than even leading advocates thought was possible at the time ? has saved thousands and thousands and thousands of lives, spurred international action, and laid the foundation for a comprehensive global plan that will impact the lives of millions," Obama said. "And we are proud that we have the opportunity to carry that work forward."

Despite Obama's more ambitious goals, the relief program's budget is not expected to increase. Instead officials said the expanded targets would be funded through savings achieved by making the program more efficient and cutting the costs of treatment.

The president urged other wealthy nations to fulfill their financial pledges to a global fund to fight HIV and AIDS, and jabbed those who have not contributed money.

"Countries that haven't made a pledge need to do so," he said. "That includes China and other major economies that are now able to step up as major donors."

Obama also announced new initiatives to combat HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in the U.S. The White House said there are 1.2 million Americans living with HIV, and 50,000 new infections each year. Officials said he would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to increase funding for domestic treatment by $50 million

The bulk of the new funding ? $35 million ? will go to state programs that help people living with HIV and AIDS get access to medicine. There are currently more than 6,500 Americans living with the virus on waiting lists for medication, according to the White House.

The rest of the domestic funds will go to HIV medical clinics across the country, with an emphasis on areas where infections have increased and care and treatment are not readily available. Officials said the additional clinic funding would give 7,500 more patients access to treatment.

The $50 million is already part of the HHS budget, and officials said Obama does not need congressional approval to reallocate the funds.

The HIV virus has infected an estimated 60 million people worldwide since the deadly pandemic began 30 years ago. More than 33 million people are currently living with the virus.

While the failure to find an effective HIV vaccine continues to frustrate the medical community, experts say scientific research in recent years has led to substantial progress in preventing and treating the virus.

Obama ordered his staff to reevaluate both their international and domestic approaches to HIV and AIDS this summer after being briefed on the scientific advancements.

Members of both parties praised the new initiatives and commended Democratic and Republican leaders for coming together.

"Here's what we can do when we work together. We've got leaders of both political parties standing behind something that works," said Gayle Smith, Obama's senior director for development and democracy at the National Security Council.

Tony Fratto, a former Bush spokesman, urged both parties to avoid making the fight against AIDS a political issue.

"The only way to undermine this historic undertaking is if it becomes a partisan issue," he said. "The reasons a Barack Obama and a George W. Bush can support America's leading role in addressing this disease may be very different, but what's important is they've sought the same goal."

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2011-12-01-US-Obama-AIDS/id-b9b14c0491454a7a845e3bfe7344090f

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Six killed in a blast west of Baghdad: sources (Reuters)

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) ? Six people were killed and eight wounded when a roadside bomb exploded and hit a small truck carrying workers in the western outskirts of Baghdad on Saturday, police and medical sources said.

"It was a roadside bomb that went off near a pick-up carrying construction workers in Zobaa village west of Abu Ghraib," said a police source who asked not to be named.

A medical source at the nearby hospital in Falluja said they had received six dead bodies and eight wounded.

Abu Ghraib was once one of the most volatile areas in Iraq and was used by al-Qaeda fighters as a safe haven during the peak of sectarian fighting in Iraq in 2006-2007.

Nearly nine years after the U.S. led-invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, violence has declined sharply in Iraq, but bombings and other attacks still occur daily as the last American troops prepare to leave at the end of the year.

(Reporting by Fadhel al-Badrani in Falluja; writing by Waleed Ibrahim: Editing by Patrick Markey and Elizabeth Piper)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111126/wl_nm/us_iraq_violence

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Texas Democrat Gonzalez won't run again for House (reuters)

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