Friday, December 30, 2011

Top 5 Investment Opportunities In Africa For 2012

Electricity Pole In Nigeria

Electricity Pole In Nigeria

African economies easily rank among the most resilient in the world. In the middle of the 2009 global economic recession, Africa was the only region apart from Asia that grew positively, at about 2%. The continent?s growth has been on an upward trajectory ever since then- 4.5% in 2010 and 5.0% in 2011.

And it will get even better in 2012. Africa is favorably positioned to become the 2nd fastest growing region in the world, and according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), economic growth across the 54 countries of the continent will hover around 6% in 2012.

Africa is becoming an increasingly attractive hub for foreign investors in light of various economic, political and social reforms that are sweeping through the continent, resulting in a much improved business environment conducive for foreign direct investment. Apart from that, there is widespread development of critical social and physical infrastructure, and there is an increasing pool of well-educated, English-speaking, enterprising workers in most countries across the continent.

There is also a significant boost in the spending power of Africans. According to the African Development Bank, Africa?s fast-emerging middle class is now comprised of over 300 million people, and analysts from the McKinsey Global Institute estimate that general consumer spending across the continent will hover past the $1 trillion mark next year.

If you?re a foreign investor who has yet to make a foray into Africa, now is the time to step in and capture a share of Africa?s $1 trillion opportunity in 2012. These are 5 lucrative sectors you should consider investing in:

Agriculture

Africa is ripe for a green revolution. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the continent is currently home to 60% of the world?s total uncultivated, arable land. There?s your opportunity.

As the world?s population increases rapidly (recently exceeding the 7 billion mark), global agricultural production must rise to feed these growing numbers. Much of that increased agricultural production will come from Africa. While the traditional obstacles to boosting agricultural output in Africa have been well documented (including a deficit of distribution infrastructure and trade barriers among others), several African governments are making substantial and successful efforts in surmounting these shortcomings. As these barriers are overcome and agricultural output is increased, there?ll be a business opportunity for the manufacture and marketing of products such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds as well as a demand for food processing services such as grain refining. ?Already, a growing number of private equity funds are springing up to finance agricultural production in Africa. Join the train.

Tourism

Several African countries like Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania have become some of the world?s favorite tourism destinations ? for obvious reasons. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourist arrivals into Africa in the year 2010 exceeded 49 million and are likely to pass the 50 million mark in 2012. Those are the kind of numbers you should be taking advantage of. Next year, billionaire Richard Branson will be opening his luxury safari lodge in Masai Mara, Kenya while Italian tycoon Flavio Briatore already owns Lion In The Sun, a luxury retreat on the coastal resort of Malindi, Kenya. But apart from luxury lodges and retreats, several other opportunities are available in Africa?s tourism sector. For example, Lake Victoria in Uganda has a substantial number of bodies of water that are still unexploited. A luxury boat cruise or tour operatorship could be a great idea. Balloon flights are also a relatively new experience for millions of Africans- which could be explored as a viable opportunity. There is also room for foreign investors to partner with governments on National Park Concessions.

Mining of Solid Minerals

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/12/28/top-5-investment-opportunities-in-africa-for-2012/?utm_source=allactivity&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=20111228

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Key Iowa Ally Turn His Back on Michele Bachmann to Support Ron Paul (The Atlantic Wire)

A state senator who was at one time the chairman of Michele Bachmann's Iowa campaign, switched his allegience to Ron Paul on Wednesday night, just hours after attending a rally for Bachmann. Republican Kent Sorenson showed up to a Paul rally?unannounced?to say that he was now backing the Texas Congressman, then jumped on stage to offer his public endorsement.

Related: GOP Debate: Newt Can't Hide It When He Thinks You're Stupid

The news came as a shock to both sides,?since Sorensen (who was one of Bachmann's?earliest?supporters in Iowa)?was at a Bachmann campaign rally earlier in the day, but said he couldn't give a speech because he had just come from the dentist and his mouth was numb. A few hours later,?he called Bachmann on the way to the Paul rally to tell her that he was jumping ship. After arriving at the Paul event at the Iowa fairgrounds, he called a Paul staffer from the parking lot and asked,??Do you guys want me on board??

Related: Don't Forget There Are Seven Other Presidential Candidates

In a statement, Bachmann accused Sorensen of being paid off by the Paul campaign, a charge that Paul's camp denied. Sorensen says he still "adores" Bachmann and his choice was "excruciatingly difficult,"?but that he sees Paul as the only?candidate?who can "take out" Mitt Romney.

Related: What If the GOP Field Was Made of Oscar Contenders?

It's a particularly galling blow to Bachmann's Iowa effort, which is now on its last legs with less than a week to go before the caucus. Even Rick Santorum has pulled ahead of her and the move signals that she's longer worth even a token vote. It will be curious to see if other members of the "anyone by Romney" camp will begin to rally around a single alternative candidate, or if even makes sense for Paul to be that guy. Paul may be the best bet to take Iowa, but it remains to be seen if he can extend his run to other states and actually make a dent in Mitt's inevitability machine.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/20111229/pl_atlantic/keyiowaallyturnhisbackmichelebachmannsupportronpaul46755

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

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Source: http://twitter.com/droidfeed/statuses/151637027501248512

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Economic Cycles and Investing | The Big Picture

Comments

Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data, ability to repeat discredited memes, and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Also, be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor even implied. Any irrelevancies you can mention will also be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.

3 Responses to ?Economic Cycles and Investing?

  1. KJMClark Says:

    Now you need one for long (demographic) waves. As in, Generation A grows up during a crash, saves strongly, creates conditions for growth. Generation B thinks their parents are foolish Scrooges, spends, increasing growth but building up debt. Generation C sees grows up during debt-fueled growth, enjoys the good times, but then has to deal with the crash. Repeat.

  2. B_Lev Says:

    A number of the cycle charts show ?rising inflation? as a characteristic of an economy slowing/ entering a recession. At the same time, the charts suggest stocks and commodity prices start falling. Is this contradiction apparent?

    Why are prices increasing during a recession when (presumably) velocity slows? Outside of the 70?s stagflation or Volcker ?ringing out? inflation by inducing a recession (contractionary monetary) in the early 80?s, why would we associate a recession with increasing prices? Text Book. Inflation is expansionary. Right?

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  3. orvil tootenbacher Says:

    nice qualitative charts. do they stand up to actual market data? if so, let?s see it.

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Source: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/12/economic-cycles-and-investing/

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Africa's Cheetah Generation

George Ayittey, a Ghanaian economist, author and president of the Free Africa Foundation in Washington DC, wrote a book titled ?Africa Unchained: The Blueprint to Africa's Future? in 2006. In the book, the American University Professor sought to answer the question of why Africa is considered poor in spite of its vast natural resources. According to him, the answer is obvious: economic freedom was denied to them, first by foreign colonial powers and now by indigenous leaders with similarly oppressive practices, he opines. As war and conflict replaced peace, Africa's infrastructure crumbled.

However, in a bold attempt devoid of bemoaning the myriad of difficulties facing the continent, the celebrated economist, proposes a program of development?a way forward for Africa.

Africa Unchained probes how Africa can modernize, build, and improve its indigenous institutions, and argues forcefully that Africa should build and expand upon traditions of free markets and free trade rather than maintaining exploitative economic structures. This plan has been termed as controversial, and since the publishing of the book half a decade ago, has ruffled many feathers both on the African continent and abroad.

The book also highlighted two generations in Africa for which I will dwell on and discuss further. After a meeting with Professor Ayittey, I joined forces with young Ghanaian and African professionals termed as the cheetah generation, to highlight issues of socio-economic importance in Africa, mainly seeing challenges on the continent as opportunities to create wealth and jobs. Professor Ayittey talks about the Cheetah and Hippo generations in Africa at TED talk in 2007_Tanzania. He further adds that, since he coined the phrase ?cheetah generation in his 2006 book, it has been used several times without recourse to what it really means. Below is a description of the two generations in Africa?Hippo and Cheetah?and how the latter is poised in his own words to 'take Africa back one village at a time'

African elites may be classified into two groups: The Hippo and the Cheetah generations.

1. The Hippos are of old 1960s era and mentality -- stodgy, pudgy, and wedded to the old ?colonialism-imperialism? paradigm with an abiding faith in the potency of the state. They sit tight in their air-conditioned government offices, comfortable in their belief that the state can solve all of Africa's problems. All the state needs are more power and more foreign aid. Intellectually stigmatized, they are stuck in their muddy colonialist pedagogical patch.

And they would ferociously defend their territory since that is what provides them with their wealth. They care less if the whole country collapses around them, but are content as long as their pond is secure.

2. The Cheetahs are the new and angry generation of African graduates and professionals, who look at African issues and problems from a totally different perspective. They are dynamic, intellectually agile, and pragmatic. They may be called the ?restless generation? but are Africa's new hope. The Cheetahs are not so intellectually astigmatized. Whereas the Hippos constantly see problems, the Cheetahs see business opportunities. They do not wait for governments or foreign donors. The cheetah generation has no qualms about getting their hands ?dirty.? They recognize that solving the problems of the poor can make money, and there is nothing immoral about that. After all, that is how the wealthy in the Western countries made their money: By creating a product or service, that addresses the needs or problems of the people. Bill Gates, for example, made billions in fortune by creating Micro-soft computer software. He did not become rich by being the president of the U.S., as is the case in many African countries.

The Cheetah Generation is a new social/business network for this angry generation of African graduates and professionals. This generation believes that the solutions to Africa's myriad of problems are already there in Africa itself. The talents, the skills and the entrepreneurship are all there and can be found, not only in the bustling informal economy but in the traditional sector as well. Market women, traders, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, food vendors, kente/bark cloth weavers, cattle herdsmen, sculptors, and fishermen, to name a few, are all testament to the ancient traditions of entrepreneurship and vibrant trading activity. Timbucktu, for example, was known in historical annals as a great market town, as were Kano, Salaga, Mombasa and Sofala. This innovative social/business network promotes the belief that it is through entrepreneurship, free markets, and just leadership that Africa will regain its pre-colonial illustrious prosperity.

Cheetah Generation offers a unique opportunity for Africans and friends of Africa to build upon Africa's own market tradition by fostering entrepreneurship as the most viable solution to making Africa a land of freedom, opportunity, and prosperity.

In the mist of the challenges of conflict, bad leadership, and poverty, Africa's young and dynamic generation sees opportunities. Hence, the mission is to share ideas on Africa's economic development and network with investors and African entrepreneurs in restoring the continent's economic freedom.

Yaw Adu-Gyamfi?is a consultant on Governance and Sustainable Development and Director at Kumasi Center for Life-Long Learning, a center for skills training and entrepreneurship, research and advocacy based in Kumasi, Ghana.

Source: http://www.modernghana.com/news/369127/1/africas-cheetah-generation.html

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Sudan army kills leader of main Darfur rebel group (AP)

KHARTOUM, Sudan ? The Sudanese army said Sunday that it killed the leader of the main Darfur rebel group in fighting earlier this week, touting his death as a key victory against a powerful rebel force that once threatened Sudan's capital.

Khalil Ibrahim led the Darfur-based Justice and Equality Movement, or JEM, the most organized and effective military force in Darfur, the western region torn by conflict since 2003. The group did not join a peace deal signed last year in Doha, Qatar between other Darfur rebel groups and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's government in Khartoum.

The military said he was wounded Thursday during a military offensive in North Kordofan state, which borders Darfur. The government said he died of his wounds Saturday and that rebels quickly buried him. The government did not say how it confirmed his death.

JEM representatives could not immediately be reached for comment. If Ibrahim's death is confirmed by the group, it would be a serious blow to JEM, which has on several occasions threatened to bring down al-Bashir's regime in Khartoum by advancing toward the capital.

Sudanese Information Minister Abdullah Massar said Ibrahim's death sends a message to rebel groups "to listen to the voice of wisdom and join the peace process."

"Our doors are open and the Doha agreement is open," Massar said Sunday.

Darfur has been in turmoil since 2003, when ethnic African rebels accusing the Arab-dominated Sudanese government of discrimination took up arms against it. The Khartoum government is accused of retaliating by unleashing Arab militias on civilians ? a charge the government denies.

The conflict has tapered off since 2009, but the U.N. estimates 300,000 people died and 2.7 million have been displaced. The International Criminal Court in the Hague has issued an international arrest warrant for al-Bashir for his alleged role in crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Sudan's Information Minister told reporters Sunday that 30 people were killed with Ibrahim in the clashes. An army statement carried by Sudan's official SUNA news agency said Ibrahim and several associates were killed in Wad Banda, about 440 miles (700 kilometers) west of Khartoum in the North Kordofan region, which borders Darfur.

"The army cut all paths for the group as it was retreating and trying to cross into South Sudan to reorganize it forces," said Sudanese army spokesman Col. Sawarmy Khaled. "Our gallant armed forces were able to kill rebel Khalil Ibrahim along with some of his associates."

South Sudan seceded from the north in July to become the world's newest nation.

Fighting in Wad Banda had flared up in the past few days. On Saturday, the Sudanese army said Darfur rebels attacked three locations in neighboring North Kordofan, killing an unspecified number of civilians.

JEM has not claimed responsibility for the attack. However, in a dramatic push in 2008, hundreds of JEM fighters drove through the remote western region and attacked Khartoum's western outskirts. More recently, JEM spread its armed presence from Darfur into North Kordofan.

A security officer with the United Nations Mission in Darfur told The Associated Press that JEM mostly operates out of North Kordofan state and no longer has an official presence in Darfur. He said UNAMID officials have not confirmed Ibrahim's death. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.

This year, UNAMID had nearly 26,000 troops and police stationed in Darfur, making it the largest UN peacekeeping operation.

Salma Turabi, daughter of longtime opposition leader Hassan Turabi, said she was at a gathering of mourners at Ibrahim's home in Khartoum when police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Sudan state television broadcast images of Khartoum residents outside military headquarters, waving Sudanese flags and celebrating the news of his death.

Ibrahim is believed to have recently returned to Sudan after years in exile in neighboring Libya, where he enjoyed the patronage of Moammar Gadhafi before the longtime Libyan dictator was ousted and killed in October. Sudanese officials said the JEM has been trying to regroup since losing Gadhafi's reported support for the rebel movement.

Ibrahim once served in al-Bashir's government before joining the rebellion. He refused to join a peace agreement signed in Qatar and backed by the African Union that was meant to provide a basis for a cease-fire, power sharing, equal distribution of wealth and compensation for displaced people.

"He completely refused to come to the negotiating table, he never joined the peace talks," Ismail el-Haj Musa, Sudanese deputy speaker of the council of states, told the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera TV on Sunday. "He committed acts against the state."

On Sunday, Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamad, Sudan's interior minister, described the death of Ibrahim "as a message to all rebels and those carrying arms, calling on them to the negotiating table to resolve issues and reach a peaceful resolution for the best interest of the country," according the semiofficial Sudan Media Center.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_sudan

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Our Strange Universe: Q&A With Nobel Prize Winner Brian Schmidt (SPACE.com)

This year, three astronomers were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for discovering a bizarre aspect of our universe that gave rise to the concept of dark energy.

In 1998, two teams independently discovered that the expansion of the universe was not slowing down or holding steady, as expected, but speeding up. One team was led by Brian Schmidt of the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia and Adam Riess of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md., and the other was led by Saul Perlmutter of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif.

To explain this perplexing finding, astronomers conceived an entity called dark energy that's essentially counteracting the force of gravity to pull the universe apart.

SPACE.com spoke to Schmidt after his Nobel win to find out more about the weirdness of our universe, and what it feels like to win the world's most famous science award.

How did you find out you'd won the Nobel Prize?

Well you get a call, in my case, 15 minutes before the announcement. So at 8:30 on Tuesday night here in Australia, I received a call from a woman with an impeccable Swedish accent.

I have graduate students who like to play jokes on me, so I was thinking, wow, they did a pretty good job on this one. But they told me it was a very important phone call and they wanted to make sure it really was Brian Schmidt they were talking to, and then members of the committee come on and read their announcement, and congratulate you.

In my case, I'm a wine-maker, and they asked me about my 2011 vintage of wine, and then they asked me whether or not I'd be willing to go live at their announcement in seven or eight minutes to tell the world what I'd done.

How did you feel?

Well, I kind of went weak in the knees. And I got a little queasy, 'cause it's just so intense, it's so amazing. You're excited, but you're kind of scared at the same time.

How do you think the Nobel Prize will change your work? Will it bring more opportunities?

It certainly does that.

From my perspective, if you're in a country like Australia or the United States, it brings a huge responsibility to ensure that people understand why science is important to society. And Nobel Prizes are just such an amazing opportunity to highlight everything that science brings to our civilization, and how it's taken us to a level of prosperity that I think we all take for granted.

When you began this project back in 90s, did you ever think it might lead to a Nobel prize?

No. We wanted to do a big project, we wanted to measure the ultimate fate of the universe. [Images: Peering Back to the Big Bang]

Although that as a big project, it wasn't one that was going to win a Nobel Prize, no matter what we measured. But it was an important thing to measure, at least from an astronomy point of view, the future of the universe. Was it going to expand forever, or was it going to eventually halt in its expansion?

So, a fundamental question about the universe, but I have to admit the idea of winning a Nobel Prize about it just wasn't on the radar.

When you saw the first indications that the expansion of the universe was accelerating, how long did it take for you to believe your results?

Adam Riess sent me a preliminary preview at the end of 1997, and when I saw it I just assumed we made a mistake and it would go away.

So you know, after six weeks of plotting around, it was pretty clear that the result was not going to go away, and it just sort of slowly sunk in over a period of a couple of months. At some point it kind of sinks in and you're like, 'Oh, geeze. What are we going to do now? No one's going to believe this!' [Twisted Physics: 7 Mind-Blowing Findings]

Was it gratifying that the other team led by Saul Perlmutter found the same thing?

I was surprised because one of the reasons I was so worried back in the end of 1997 was because preliminary results from the Supernova Cosmology Project were saying not that the universe was speeding up, but rather that the universe was slowing down and slowing down quickly.

And so it's one thing to have a crazy result, and it's another thing to completely disagree with the other team doing a very similar experiment. So yeah, it was a little reassuring to see that we were getting the same thing once we found out about each other's results.

Do you think dark energy is the explanation behind this acceleration?

It's definitely hard. We are guessing that the universe is filled with energy, that's our best guess.

We're getting the Nobel Prize, not for dark energy ? we're getting it for seeing the accelerated expansion of the universe. And so while I don?t think we're absolutely sure it's dark energy, I think that's the best explanation. But it could well be something even more exotic.

How do you think the universe will end?

The fate of the universe looks pretty bleak.

The universe is going to expand faster and faster over time and the reality that we see now will eventually fade away from view. It will be so far away that we won't be able to see its light anymore.

And so, while our own galaxy and a couple of other nearby galaxies will sort of merge together to form some super-galaxy, all the stars will eventually die because they run out of nuclear fuel, so we'll have a bunch of burned out embers surrounded by a sea of nothingness.

Do you find that depressing?

It's certainly sobering. It's certainly not the way I would have chosen for the universe to end. But, you know, the universe does what it wants, and I'm just here to figure out what it's doing. I can't judge it.

What inspired you to become an astronomer?

My father was a biologist. My parents had me when they were very young, so I remember my dad starting a PhD., and I remember my dad finishing a PhD. I remember having science around me from a very young age. I always wanted to be a scientist.

I became interested in astronomy when Comet West came by in 1975. That comet made me realize that the sky was interesting to look at. My dad bought me a very inexpensive telescope that I could look through.

You can follow SPACE.com assistant managing editor Clara Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz.?Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom?and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20111226/sc_space/ourstrangeuniverseqawithnobelprizewinnerbrianschmidt

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

How To Set Up Your Brand New iPad 2 [How To]

Well look at that. Someone truly loves you. Or they're trying to buy your love. Either way, a shiny new iPad 2 is currently siting in your lap. I think you just won [insert holiday of choice here]. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3P0v0DI3r58/how-to-set-up-your-brand-new-ipad-2

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Friday, December 23, 2011

Dad faces abuse charges over daughter's Facebook photos

Chicago:? A 21-year-old Chicago man faces abuse charges after he allegedly posted a photograph on Facebook that shows his daughter's hands, legs and mouth apparently bound with blue tape.

Police spokesman Officer Ron Gaines says Andre Curry is charged with aggravated domestic battery.

Police say Curry apparently posted the photograph on his Facebook page with the words, "This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back."

The photograph has since been removed but police didn't have any details about when it was removed.

Curry is to appear in domestic court Wednesday. It wasn't immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

Kendall Marlowe, spokesman for the Department of Children and Family Services, says the agency has never investigated Curry. He wouldn't say whether DCFS has interviewed the child or Curry.

For NDTV Updates, follow us on Twitter or join us on Facebook

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NdtvNews-TopStories/~3/HHxu-cYipmk/story01.htm

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Haley catches flak with Mitt support (Politico)

GREENVILLE, S.C. ? Nikki Haley?s attempt to boost Mitt Romney is threatening her own support here at home.

Romney?s campaign is using the South Carolina governor?s endorsement to build his acceptance among the tea party base that?s never been comfortable with his candidacy, especially in a state where Newt Gingrich has been running even stronger than elsewhere.

Continue Reading

But the people in that base who propelled Haley to the governor?s mansion last year see the endorsement of the more moderate Romney as abandoning them ? and giving them another reason to turn away from a governor whose approval rating has dropped to 34.6 percent.

Immediately after Haley announced her support Friday morning on ?Fox and Friends,? her Facebook page lit up with accusations that the first-term governor was selling out her principles. Rush Limbaugh followed with a blistering broadside against her on his radio show Friday, leading a charge of conservatives nationally, in addition to locally, who accused her of selling out.

Tea party leaders in the state suggested that Haley will pay for Friday?s move with a primary in 2014 ? provided she doesn?t win herself a spot on the ticket or another post in a Romney administration, as tea partiers and Republican operatives say must be the explanation for the decision.

?The overwhelming sense that I get from talking to people is deep betrayal,? said Karen Martin, the founder and organizer of the Spartanburg tea party, who has not endorsed a candidate. ?She?s not going to be able to come back from this with the tea party. If there?s anybody credible who will run against her, I believe the tea party will support them whole-heartedly.?

Martin predicted that Haley will face trouble even before then in trying to push through a governing agenda that?s already put her at odds with her former colleagues in the GOP-controlled legislature.

?She?s just lost her credibility,? she said. ?Anything that she tries to propose, most people in the past might not have looked too carefully at her, believing that she is a credible conservative. We?ve given her a pass on a few things, but that won?t happen any more.?

Limbaugh mocked the Haley endorsement, saying that it was more about her ambition than about conservative principles.

?Don?t misunderstand this,? Limbaugh said. ?Of course she has a choice, but she really doesn?t have a choice, given her aspirations. It just means that we?ve got a lot of work to do.?

Haley, though, insists she?s not worried.

Speaking to POLITICO after helping Romney draw more than the 425 people to a firehouse here on a rainy afternoon ? a rare event when the former Massachusetts governor has drawn an overflow crowd at a campaign stop ? Haley said she believed the tea partiers now upset would eventually see the wisdom of her decision.

?I have a great respect for the members of the tea party and what I know is all South Carolinians make the decision that?s best for them,? Haley said, between signing autographs at the event. ?And so that?s what I did today.?

There may be reason to be less concerned. Scott Huffmon, the director of the Winthrop Poll here, said Haley has already lost much of her tea party support, and that the percentage of South Carolina Republicans who identify themselves as tea partiers has shrunk since she surprised the state GOP establishment and won the 2010 primary for governor.

?It?s no longer a driving force, but it?s still a relevant force,? Huffmon said. ?She?s had a few things that have caused tea party support to not necessarily disappear, but not be as unified and excited to be behind her as it was in 2010. So her endorsement is by no means saying this is what the tea party has done.?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1211_70580_html/43932133/SIG=11mm9dmau/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70580.html

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

Obama welcomes home troops from Iraq

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the 71st General Assembly of the Union for Reform Judaism, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, in National Harbor, Md. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is welcoming home troops who served in Iraq, offering up their service as a lesson of the nation's character.

"There's a reason our military is the most respected institution in America," Obama said Saturday in his weekly radio and Internet address. "They don't see themselves or each other as Democrats first or Republicans first. They see themselves as Americans first.

"For all our differences and disagreements, they remind us that we are all a part of something bigger, that we are one nation and one people."

Obama marked the end of the Iraq war earlier in the week, meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in advance of the last American troops leaving Iraq by Dec. 31. The withdrawal caps a war in which nearly 4,500 Americans were killed, about 32,000 were wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars were spent.

"Our troops are now preparing to make their final march across the border and out of the country," Obama said. "Iraq's future will be in the hands of its own people."

The president met with troops at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Wednesday to discuss the end of the war and to honor the military's sacrifice. Obama opposed the war as a state lawmaker and then made ending the war in Iraq a key part of his 2008 presidential campaign.

Obama said the nation needs to enlist soldiers returning home in the rebuilding of the nation's economy, noting that his grandfather's generation returned home from World War II "to form the backbone of the largest middle class in history."

"This is a moment for us to build a country that lives up to the ideals that so many of our bravest Americans have fought and even died for," Obama said. "That is our highest obligation as citizens. That is the welcome home that our troops deserve."

Republicans said in their weekly address that soldiers returning home are most concerned about finding a good job and cited the 1,700-mile Keystone XL oil pipeline as an example of a project that could put people back to work.

Republicans have pushed for a swift decision on the pipeline proposed from Canada to Texas. Obama recently announced he was postponing a decision on the pipeline until after the 2012 elections to allow for more time to study the environmental ramifications of the proposal. An agreement reached by Senate leaders Friday night on a two-month extension of a Social Security payroll tax cut and jobless benefits would require Obama to decide within 60 days whether to grant a permit for the pipeline.

The pipeline would carry oil from western Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. The project is expected to create up to 20,000 jobs.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said the project would transport 700,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada and the "steady source of energy from our friend and ally here would make us less dependent on energy from the volatile Middle East ? and that is good for America."

Environmentalists have opposed the project but some unions have supported the plan, complicating Obama's decision.

___

Online:

Obama address: http://www.whitehouse.gov

GOP address: http://www.youtube.com/gopweeklyaddress

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-17-US-Obama/id-a2a3a2e042b5484987fb17c25d50959f

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

RIM: BlackBerry 10 smartphones won't arrive until end of 2012

Some unfortunate news was revealed for those BlackBerry addicts who've waited patiently for a QNX-based smartphone from RIM. The company's co-CEO, Mike Lazaridis, reports that, due to a critical chipset that's not expected to be available in production quantity until mid-next year, we're unlikely to see a BlackBerry 10 device emerge until late in 2012. We know, ouch. When asked during today's conference call about the delay, the company leaders defended the decision and reiterated that a suitable alternative wouldn't be available that delivers a sufficient balance of processing power and battery longevity. As RIM's fans cope with the latest news, the firm promises that it's continuing to work on delivering a high-quality user experience and industrial design for its upcoming lineup. With the farm riding on this release, we can only hope so.

RIM: BlackBerry 10 smartphones won't arrive until end of 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/15/rim-blackberry-10-smartphones-wont-arrive-until-end-of-2012/

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Wednesday, December 7, 2011

EU to probe China on climate intentions (AP)

DURBAN, South Africa ? The European Union, championing a deal to get all major countries to agree to binding pollution targets, says it will explore new signals coming from China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

A 192-party U.N. conference moves into its decisive second week Monday, seeking agreement on future pledges by industrial countries to cut emissions and to finalize arrangements for a $100 billion annual climate fund for poor countries.

EU Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said she will ask China about its signals in the last week that it is willing to begin negotiating on bringing major developing countries into a legally binding deal on their emissions controls.

Hedegaard said it is unclear how far China will commit to an international emissions accord.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111205/ap_on_re_af/af_climate_conference

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Randi Miller: Santa's Special Fireplace

It was difficult to explain to my 5-year-old nephew how Santa Claus accessed our house when we had a roaring fire burning in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. It was a legitimate question, and one we as adults had not considered. Then it hit us. We had a second fireplace that was seldom used, and so we decided to tell him that this was Santa's very own special fireplace.

This was great news for Justin, who then became so filled with hope and excitement that I thought we were going to have to sedate him if he was ever going to go to sleep. Telling him that Santa wouldn't come if he was awake didn't seem to have any impact at all, and he suddenly became very concerned about how we would know whether or not Santa had been there, and wouldn't his grandfather be upset if Santa got chimney soot on the nice carpet, etc. I had no idea kids could be so worried about logistics. We assured him that Santa always removed his boots and left them on the hearth while he placed the presents under the tree. This satisfied his concern, and the thought of Santa in his stocking feet tickled him a great deal. Eventually he drifted off... a Christmas miracle.

I decided it would be fun to create proof that Santa had indeed come that night, so I asked my dad for a pair of his snow boots and took them over to Santa's special fireplace. I noticed there was a very thin layer of dust on the hearth, so I took a wet towel and moistened the bottoms of the boots, pressed the boots onto the hearth just hard enough to leave an outline, and then used the towel to create nice complete prints. The effect was perfect!

Sure enough, bright and early Christmas morning, Justin tore down the stairs like he was shot from a cannon, and made a beeline to Santa's fireplace. Seeing the perfect boot prints on the hearth, he squealed with absolute joy as he exclaimed, "He was HERE! He was HERE!" over and over as he made his way into the family room to behold the Christmas tree. Happily, in spite of his remarkable attention to detail, he didn't sniff the carpet for traces of Santa's stinky socks. And I fully expected him to.

click to see a larger image

Justin is 30-years-old now, and I often wonder if he's ever used this technique on his own kids, or if by some Christmas miracle, he never knew it was a trick at all.

This is my fondest Christmas memory, for it demonstrates how something so ridiculously simple can make such an extraordinary difference. We all have the capacity to create a little Christmas magic, all we really have to do is use our imagination.

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Follow Randi Miller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Randi_Miller

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randi-miller/children-christmas-memories-_b_1127375.html

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Monday, December 5, 2011

NFL Draft: Saturday's prospect watch

December 3, 2011, 12:55 pm

If you're an Eagles fan looking toward the 2012 draft, here are a couple of players to watch on Saturday:

Georgia vs. LSU (4 p.m., CBS)

Cordy Glenn, OT/OG, Georgia, No. 71
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I know if Andy Reid (assuming he's still with us next season) drafts another guard the city will collectively scream, but Glenn is a special talent. A starter since his freshman year, Glenn (6-6/336) has played both inside and out for the Bulldogs. He's a polished run blocker who locks on to defenders and buries them. While he has good enough feet to compete at tackle in the NFL, his ideal position probably will be inside, where that agility would be put to good use in Howard Mudd's blocking scheme. Look for Glenn at left tackle today. With the Eagles currently possessing a Top 10 pick in the 2012 draft, I wouldn't expect them to reach for a guy like Glenn that early. But, if Glenn slides into the top of the second round, all bets are off.

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State (8 p.m., FOX)

Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin, No. 7

Maybe I'm being premature here, but the Eagles have appear to have swung and missed on Nate Allen. No one was a bigger fan of his before the 2010 draft than me, but the knee injury, questionable reads and a lack of physical play have soured me on him. Henry is a team captain and the heart of the Badgers? defense. Not an overly big guy (6-0/208) or particularly physical presence, Henry seems to be wherever the ball is. The red-shirt senior is mature and plays hard. Henry isn't an elite talent, and probably isn't as gifted coming out of school as Allen was, but he just a pure baller ? and the Eagles need more of those. He could go anywhere from the late third round on.

Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State (8 p.m., ABC)

Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma, No. 56

The linebacker play Thursday night was a nightmare (again) and there has been little hint that it will improve in 2012 with this same cast of characters. Unfortunately for Eagles fans we might not get to see Ronnell Lewis play today because of a sprained knee he incurred in the Sooners' loss to Baylor two weeks ago. Lewis (6-2/244), a junior and in his first season as a full-time starter, is a powerful player who plays a hybrid DE/OLB. He is strong, agile and, most importantly, he tackles. Lewis hits hard and knows how to wrap up ? something sorely needed in this town. Check out this link? to see what Oklahoma may be missing in today's Bedlam Game. If he decides to come out I fully expect Lewis to be a mid to late first-round pick.

Source: http://www.csnphilly.com/blog/eagles-talk/post/NFL-Draft-Saturdays-prospect-watch?blockID=605004&feedID=704

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Gail Vida Hamburg: From Chicago, Music in the Key of Life

In 2007, Chicagoan, Nicole Sotelo, a Harvard-trained theologian and author, read a searing account of Congolese rape victims. The women, young girls and grandmothers among them, had suffered extreme sexual violence at the hands of the Inerahanwe and Hutu men responsible for the genocide in neighboring Rwanda, the Congolese army, armed civilians, and occassionally, U.N peacekeepers.

Sotelo remembers weeping when she read the experience of one woman identified only as "Nadine," talking to Eve Ensler, writing for Glamour. "She was fleeing her village after her family had been slaughtered and she had been raped, when she saw an infant girl lying on the ground next to her slain parents," Sotelo said. Ensler had written: "Nadine rescued the girl; now having a child to care for gives her reason to keep going. "I can't go back to my village. It's too dangerous. But if I had a place to live I could go to school. I lost my children but I'm raising this child as my own. This girl is my future."

Sotelo, now of indie folk rock band, Clara May, wrote her song, the haunting Lullaby, with Nadine, and the baby Nadine claimed as her own, very much on her mind. "They were both alone in the world. Nadine could only outlive her own sorrow by loving this child and willing her to life," Sotelo said.

My daughter, You keep me on this earth, My daughter, This ground gave you birth, You put breath in my lungs, Help me to stay strong, I get up for you and pray ... Unlike other lullabies which coax babies to sleep, this one urges the baby to stay awake: Stay awake, Stay with me, For the nightfall is approaching, And you are all that I see, And the rebels' call is encroaching, And I'm dying, To be free...

Lullaby is in a larger sense an aria for the brave women of Congo, Rwanda and elsewhere who have experienced unimaginable sexual violence at the hands of their perpetrators, and who have risen out of the ashes like phoenix.

Clara May is a studio band that rarely performs live, which made their appearance at the Dark Room last week a special treat. The founding members of the group and its singer songwriters are Sotelo and Tom Silva, a Malaysian-born corporate executive, filmmaker and University of Chicago humanities student. Given their diverse professional backgrounds, the quality of their music is remarkable. "One could hardly hope for two more unique and distinct voices than those wielded by the duo. Silva's rich baritone marries Nick Cave's sneer to the mournfulness of a young Scott Walker, while Sotelo's recalls Dar Williams at her most pristine," wrote one reviewer.

For Hush, their debut album (which I heard live last week), they assembled a group of talented session musicians including Chicago producer, Phillip Amerson, who in his other life is lead guitarist and vocalist of the hard rock band, Bitterson, and a service member of the U.S. armed forces about to begin officer training. The band is rounded out by bassist, Michael Sinclair of the grunge band, Tribal Opera; classical guitarist and former philharmonic musician, Barmey Ung; Nate Pusateri on drums and percussion; Marcus Smith, a church organist from the South Side; and Alex Gowland, a 20-year veteran of the Unites States Navy Band on lead guitar. The ensemble is 21st century America up close -- multicultural, transglobal, worldly, idealistic, pragmatic.

Clara May's songs resonate with the soul that tilts and pitches towards terra firma, through a singular fusion of 60s folk and anthem rock laced with world music beats and grunge guitar licks. The songs in Hush address themes I've not heard in mainstream indie music before -- ethnic conflicts, identity, racism, genocide, the Iraq War, and yes, human folly, love and loss.

Location of Culture, an intriguing tone poem named after the seminal postcolonial text by Harvard professor, Homi Bhabha, is a meditation on the presence of an imperial figure in a fractured former colony peopled by solitary, split figures who oscillate between repulsion and attraction to their former overlords. The lyric images evoked are of a stark, fragmentary space -- the kinds of places that Graham Greene and Albert Camus wrote about.

The enchanting Hyderabad, a technically flawless composition written in a Muslim city during the height of the Iraq War, expresses a need to break away from the rhetorical strategies of the Bush Administration, which at that point had taken to justifying the invasion of Iraq on the basis that Iraqis were from the "same part of the world as the 9-11 terrorists". The song is part apology and part canticle for a new kind of ecumenical world view.

This is music that makes you brood, ruminate and remember personal and planetary hurts, monstrous acts in faraway places, and women like Nadine who have lost everything and still found reasons to live. "Sooner or later, one must choose a side if one is to remain human," a Vietnamese character tells the indifferent, uninvolved, Thomas Fowler, Graham Greene's protagonist in my favorite novel, The Quiet American. Nadine did, and so did Nicole. Listen to Hush. Hear the ripples. We are all involved.

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Follow Gail Vida Hamburg on Twitter: www.twitter.com/gailvidahamburg

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gail-hamburg/clara-may-band_b_1127227.html

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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Genes May Make Quitting Tougher for Smokers (HealthDay)

THURSDAY, Dec. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Despite decades of public health efforts aimed at snuffing out cigarette smoking, 20 percent of Americans still light up. New research suggests it might be because of their genes.

While anti-smoking campaigns are credited with slicing cigarette use drastically over the past 40 years -- from 42 percent of all Americans in 1965 to just under 20 percent in 2010 -- the number of people who haven't been able to nix their nicotine habit has flatlined in recent years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Two out of three adults who smoke want to quit, a CDC report out earlier this month said, and more than half (52 percent) had attempted to quit in the past year.

The authors of the new study, released online in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of Demography, say new tactics may be needed to help the remaining smokers.

"Federal and social policies may be somewhat less effective now because maybe the composition of those at risk [those who smoke] has changed," said study co-author Fred Pampel, a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a research associate at the Institute of Behavioral Science there. Those who can quit easily have probably done so, the authors said.

Study lead author Jason Boardman, an associate professor of sociology, said anti-smoking messages, higher taxes and restrictions on smoking have made a difference. "But for hard-core smokers, there may be something else going on," he said. That "something else" is likely genetics, he added.

The researchers drew this conclusion after analyzing the smoking habits between 1960 and 1980 of nearly 600 pairs of twins who answered an extensive health questionnaire -- 363 were identical sets of twins and 233 were fraternal twins. Identical twins come from the same fertilized egg before it splits into two embryos and they share the same genes or DNA, while fraternal twins come from two separately fertilized egg cells and only share some genetic similarities.

In the identical twin group, 65 percent of both individuals quit within a two-year period of each other, while only 55 percent of the fraternal twins quit within that same stretch of time.

"The logic here is that the identical twins share genes, so if they act alike it probably reflects a genetic component," said Pampel.

The new research adds to a growing body of literature suggesting there is probably a substantial genetic influence when it comes to nicotine addiction, said Dr. Aditi Satti, an assistant professor of medicine and director of the smoking cessation program at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. But scientists are still trying to pinpoint the gene or genes involved, she said.

"There has not been one specific gene linked to nicotine addiction," said Satti.

She noted that while numbers of smokers have decreased over the years, smoking is up among women and black Americans, possibly another clue as to who is genetically at risk. Inner city, low socioeconomic and less-educated populations are more likely to be smokers, too, Satti added.

"I think the combo of finding better medications and educating people, even if doctors just spend five minutes talking with your patient about smoking, will lead to higher quit rates," Satti said.

Boardman said a policy shift might be in line. Instead of government anti-smoking campaigns focusing on high taxes and splashy advertisements, he said current smokers may discover more success using medication aimed at nicotine addiction, as well as counseling.

"I'd argue that nicotine replacement therapies may be far more effective with existing smokers still trying to quit than the posters showing images of smokers that are not cool. Behavior-changing efforts -- I don't think that's going to help the two-pack a day smokers," said Boardman, who is also a research associate at the Institute of Behavioral Science.

Smoking-related diseases lead to approximately 443,000 deaths a year in the United States, including babies born prematurely to women who smoke while pregnant and those harmed by secondhand smoke, according to the American Lung Association.

Satti is concerned that cigarette addiction isn't taken seriously enough by some.

"Maybe we don't see smoking as being as important as alcohol and drug addiction, but I'm a pulmonologist and I see chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema and lung cancer every day," she said. "And we know tobacco smoke is linked to cardiovascular disease and stroke. It's one of the most preventable things you can do. If you quit smoking, you'll see a huge impact on health."

More information

The American Cancer Society can help you determine if you need help to quit smoking.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/biotech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111202/hl_hsn/genesmaymakequittingtougherforsmokers

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Saturday, December 3, 2011

US trade panel to probe solar dispute with China (AP)

WASHINGTON ? A federal trade panel voted Friday to investigate whether Chinese companies are harming the U.S. solar panel industry by dumping low-price products on global markets.

U.S. companies' complaints about their Chinese rivals have been amplified by the controversy surrounding Solyndra Inc. ? a California-based solar panel maker that went bankrupt after winning a half-billion-dollar federal loan from the Obama administration.

American companies have asked the government to impose steep tariffs on Chinese solar imports, and the unanimous vote by the International Trade Commission means the case will continue.

The solar panel manufacturers have been struggling against stiff competition from China as well as weakening demand in Europe and other key markets, just as President Barack Obama is working to promote renewable energy.

The failure of Solyndra embarrassed the administration and prompted a lengthy review by congressional Republicans who are critical of Obama's green energy policies. Solyndra, which isn't involved in the ITC case, cited Chinese competition as a key reason for its failure.

The commission's vote does not impose any penalties but says there is reason to believe that Chinese imports harm or threaten to harm the U.S. solar panel industry. The companies that filed the complaint said the ruling affirmed their claims that massive subsidies by the Chinese government are enabling Chinese producers to drive out U.S. competition.

U.S. energy officials say China spent more than $30 billion last year to subsidize its solar industry. Obama said last month that China has "questionable competitive practices" on clean energy and that his administration has fought "these kinds of dumping activities." The administration will act to enforce trade laws where appropriate, Obama said.

SolarWorld Industries America Inc., the largest U.S. maker of silicon solar cells and panels and a subsidiary of Germany-based SolarWorld, is leading the U.S. complaint.

Ben Santarris, a spokesman for the Oregon-based company, called the decision to continue the case "a positive step toward restoring sustained international competition."

But the trade dispute has caused a split in the solar industry. Some U.S. companies argue that low-priced Chinese imports have helped consumers and promote rapid growth of the industry.

To counter the trade petition, a group of solar companies have formed the Coalition for Affordable Solar Energy. Members include California-based SunEdison, Recurrent Energy, SolarCity and Westinghouse Solar, as well as China-based Suntech Power Holdings Co.

The companies argue that the U.S. complaint could spark a trade war with China and raise prices for the entire industry.

"Every day that this trade dispute continues, more American jobs are threatened," said Jigar Shah, founder of SunEdison and a leader of the group opposing the trade complaint. The vast majority of the 100,000 jobs in the solar industry are in sales, marketing, design, installation and maintenance, Shah said, with only small percentage in manufacturing.

"These jobs depend on affordably priced solar panels, and companies would have to lay off workers if panel prices rose as a result of this petition," he said. "This trade dispute has already raised uncertainty and instability throughout the solar industry. We urge SolarWorld to withdraw its complaint and cease its protectionist trade practices."

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy declined to comment Friday.

China announced its own probe last month, saying it will investigate whether U.S. support for renewable energy companies improperly hurts foreign suppliers.

The announcement by China's Commerce Ministry comes after the Commerce Department said Nov. 9 it will investigate whether Beijing is inappropriately subsidizing Chinese solar panels.

Trade tensions with China are especially sensitive at a time when the United States and other Western economies want to boost technology exports to revive economic growth and cut high unemployment.

The United States and China are two of the world's biggest markets for solar, wind and other renewable energy technology. Both governments are promoting their own suppliers in hopes of generating higher-paid technology jobs.

In a related development, the U.S. Senate approved an amendment intended to ensure that "Buy American" requirements apply to all solar devices that power Defense Department property or facilities. The provision, attached to a defense bill, closes a loophole that allows some contractors to use foreign-made solar panels.

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Follow Matthew Daly's energy coverage at http://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_go_ot/us_us_china_solar_dispute

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Haptic shoes could help the blind navigate cane-free (Yahoo! News)


Is Syria in a civil war?

On Thursday, Navi Pillay, the UN's high commissioner for human rights, said that the nation's political unrest has indeed approached the level of a civil war. Pillay said her assessment stems in part from recognition that elements of the opposition to the Bashar al-Assad regime are increasingly calling for armed resistance. She added that UN estimates of the conflict's death toll--4,000 killed in the past nine months--are likely understated.

"I have said that as soon as there were more and more defectors threatening to take up arms--I said this in August before the Security Council --there was going to be a civil war," Pillay told a news conference in Geneva Thursday, according to a Reuters report. "At the moment, that's how I am characterizing this."

However, it appears that Pillay's is not yet the official UN line. Shortly after she delivered her remarks, her spokesman walked back the characterization, asserting that Syria is, rather, on the "cusp" of civil war, and "heading" in that direction.

"It is definitely heading that way, with more and more reports of armed resistance to the government forces," Pillay's spokesman Rupert Colville told Reuters. "It is on the cusp, but in these circumstances it is hard to say definitively at what point it becomes civil war."

So what prompted the walk-back? And what determines whether the Syrian bloodshed constitutes a civil war?

State Department urges Syria opposition to remain peaceful

The State Department has likewise shied away from Pillay's characterization, noting that the United States has called on both the Syrian regime and the pro-democracy protesters alike to refrain from violence.

"Obviously, we have been very clear in saying that we believe that . . . the opposition needs to remain peaceful," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told journalists at the press conference Thursday.Read More ?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20111202/tc_yblog_technews/haptic-shoes-could-help-the-blind-navigate-cane-free

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Friday, December 2, 2011

U.S. News - 'Click here to help,' beseeches former Klansman David ...

Burt Steel / AP file

Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke speaks to supporters at a reception in 2004, in Kenner, La. Duke was fresh out of prison after serving 15 months for tax fraud.

By Kari Huus, msnbc.com senior reporter

Former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke is making an online appeal for financial support after his arrest in Germany?prevented him from speaking at a nationalist gathering.

The?ex-Louisiana state legislator, 61, who was dubbed an ?undesirable foreigner? and detained in Cologne before he could address a group called Outside the Network on Friday, said he needs the money to stay in German and wage a battle ?for my rights and the rights of the people of Europe to hear me.?


?As much as I would like to, I can?t just go back to Louisiana right now as I have to fight this improper action against me and our brothers and sisters,?? Duke, who is?now free but reportedly?facing deportation,?declared on his official website.??The truth is that I and all who stand up for the heritage and freedom of the European and American people? and the right to preserve their identity and unique human rights.?

While most of you will be getting ready for the warmth and love and friendship and family of Christmas, I will be far from home fighting the good fight? Please remember me and this sacred struggle for our people at this beautiful time of year that is such an expression of our exquisite culture and values...?I believe you will come through with great generosity, even sacrifice at this time, even with all your personal needs during the Christmas season."

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit that tracks hate groups and fights discrimination cases, describes Duke as the ?most recognizable figure of the American radical right, a neo-Nazi, longtime Klan leader and now international spokesman for Holocaust denial.?

Supporters see Duke as a political dissident.

?Because the person being persecuted was a pro-White advocate ? his arrest has so far been ignored by the mainstream media, and the U.S. government remains quiet about this too,? wrote?James Buchanan, who describes himself as an advocate for white civil?rights,?on the site Whitelaw Towers.

Grounds for Duke's arrest are unclear. The German embassy in Washington, D.C. directed enquiries about Duke?to the U.S. embassy in Germany.

In Germany and several other European countries, laws prohibit hate speech that may incite violence against any racial or religious group and speech that denies or minimizes the Holocaust perpetrated under the Nazis. He was arrested in Prague in 2009 on?suspicion of denying the Holocaust and promoting?the?neo-Nazi movement, and expelled from the country hours later. Duke denied the charges, saying he was there to lecture about Israeli control of U.S. foreign policy.

Duke served as?grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. He gave the organization a make-over ? shedding the white robes for business suits and arguing that the organization was ?not anti-black? but ?pro-white? and pro-Christian.? Duke was elected to the Louisiana Legislature, where he served from 1990-1992 before making?an unsuccessful run for U.S. president in 1992.

In 2002, he?served?15 months in?prison term and paid a fine of $10,000 after being convicted of federal tax fraud.

He now travels regularly to Europe touting his books espousing white separatism and opposition to what he views as Jewish control of media, government and financial institutions.

Click here to follow Kari Huus on Facebook.

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/29/9098320-click-here-to-help-beseeches-former-klansman-david-duke

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