Small Businesses Hoping For Last Minute Shopping Flurry | NBC 4i

A strong start to holiday shopping season has kept a steady stream of business for small businesses.

In the Short North, owner of Rowe, Maren Roth, tells NBC4 she loves when people wait until the last minute, even though it gets pretty busy!

"When people come in and have no idea what to do, so between wrapping presents, helping people, finding out what people need, it can be a mad-house. You want to fall on the floor when it is done," said Roth.

Across town in Worthington, it has been a good shopping season for Worthington Jewelers.

"It has been even better than we could have expected. Our goldsmiths have been so busy they can't keep up," said owner Joe Davis.

While time is running out for shoppers, they can expect to see great deals if they choose to shop this weekend.

"You have a little more negotiating power now than any other time," said Davis.

Weather can impact shopping mood, but even on a snowy afternoon, like Friday, the snow didn't slow everyone down.

"I think when it is snowing and it is Christmas you want to go shopping. It inspired me," said shopper Johm Oberdick.

For additional information, stay with NBC4 and refresh nbc4i.com.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail stories@nbc4i.com.
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Source: http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2012/dec/21/small-businesses-hoping-last-minute-shopping-flurr-ar-1286042/

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AP source: NHL players closer to dissolving union

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, a nearly empty hockey stick rack in the locker room of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team is shown during the NHL labor lockout in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2012 file photo, a nearly empty hockey stick rack in the locker room of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team is shown during the NHL labor lockout in Buffalo, N.Y. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on Buffalo businesses. And it's no different in many of the NHL's 29 other markets. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, championship banners and retired numbers of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team hang from the rafters above the ice at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on small businesses in many of the NHL's markets. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

FILE - Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players Association, speaks to reporters about on going labor talks with the league outside the NHL headquarters in New York, in this July 31, 2012 file photo. Donald Fehr and the players' association are ready to get back to the bargaining table at any moment. They are now just waiting for the NHL to feel the same way. "(We aren't talking) because the owners have not indicated a desire to resume," the NHLPA's executive director said Wednesday night Dec. 19, 2012 before a charity hockey game. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

In this photo taken Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, a hockey goal sits on the ice at Joe Louis Arena home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey club in Detroit. The NHL lockout that's already wiped out the first three months of the season is taking its toll on small businesses in many of the NHL's markets. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? NHL players are a step closer to dissolving their union.

In a vote this week, union members overwhelmingly agreed to give the players' association's executive board the power to file a "disclaimer of interest" until Jan. 2.

A person familiar with the outcome of the vote told The Associated Press on Friday that the measure was approved by a vote of 706-22 (97 percent), easily reaching the two-thirds majority that was necessary. However, the executive board hasn't made plans yet to meet to discuss whether to file the disclaimer. If the Jan. 2 deadline passes, another authorization vote could be held to approve a later filing.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the results of the vote hadn't been announced.

If the executive board files the disclaimer, the union would dissolve and become a trade association. That would allow players to file antitrust lawsuits against the NHL.

Negotiations between the NHL and the union have been at a standstill since talks ended Dec. 6. No bargaining is scheduled, and time is running short to save the season. All games through Jan. 14 have been canceled, more than half the season. The New Year's Day Winter Classic and All-Star game already are victims of the lockout.

A new labor agreement would need to be in place by about that time to salvage a 48-game schedule, the minimum in Commissioner Gary Bettman's opinion for the season to proceed.

The NHL is already the only North American professional sports league to cancel a season because of a labor dispute, losing the 2004-05 campaign to a lockout.

The NHLPA now appears set to follow the lead set by NFL and NBA players. Both dissolved their unions during lockouts last year.

The legality of the lockout is already set to be tried in U.S. federal court after the NHL filed a class-action lawsuit last week against the NHLPA. The NHL also submitted an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board.

The NBA's labor dispute ended less than two weeks after the union was disbanded. Jeffrey Kessler, the lead negotiator for the National Basketball Players Association in that dispute, contends the NHLPA would be wise to go ahead with the "disclaimer of interest."

"I think this is much more likely to lead to a settlement sooner," Kessler told The Canadian Press last week. "The players have concluded that they are on the verge of possibly deciding that it is better not to be a union and using the antitrust laws to attack the lockout, which all fans should be happy with because it'll work."

The league's Board of Governors discussed the possibility of a "disclaimer of interest" on Dec. 5, and Bettman said the NHL didn't see it as a significant threat.

"We don't view it in the same way in terms of its impact as apparently the union may," Bettman said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-21-NHL%20Labor/id-ebb616e74778422682290fdff73c70f3

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Save the date: This week in celebrity wedding anniversaries | Love ...

Dec. 31, 2011 - Singer James Durbin and Heidi Lowe, in Santa Cruz, Calif. The couple wed in the Santa Cruz Mountains in front of 85 guests, including Durbin's fellow "American Idol" contestants Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone and Casey Abrams. Durbin and Lowe's two-year-old son, Hunter, was the ring bearer.

Dec. 31, 2010 - NASCAR driver Kyle Busch and Samantha Sarcinella, in Chicago. The wedding took place at Holy Name Cathedral in front of more than 300 guests. The bride wore an off-the-shoulder wedding dress with a feathered skirt by Michael Cinco. She carried a bouquet of Dolce Vita roses. Following the vows, a reception was held at the Chicago Cultural Center. The room was decorated with ostrich and peacock feathers that tied into a gold and plum color palette.

Dec. 31, 2008 - "American Idol" contestant Gina Glocksen and Joe Ruzicka, in Naperville, Ill. The afternoon ceremony took place at the Century Memorial Chapel, just outside of Chicago, in front of 300 guests. The bridal party arrived in a tour bus, rented for the occasion as a nod to Glocksen's days on the "American Idol Live Tour." Gina walked down the aisle in an ivory strapless Melissa Sweet gown, joined by both parents. She wore her hair down with strands of red streaks near the front. "Without or Without You" by U2 played as Gina made her way to the front of the church. The groom's uncle, William Byrne, was ordained for the event. As the couple lit a unity candle, the Neuqua Valley High School string quartet performed "Fix You" by Coldplay.

Dec. 31, 2000 - Actress Kate Hudson and singer Chris Robinson, in Aspen, Colo. Robinson and Hudson met in May 2000 at a party in New York City. They quickly fell in love and were living together four days after they met. The evening wedding of Hudson and Robinson was held at her parents' home in Aspen, with about 70 guests. Hudson wore a 19th-century themed dress that was designed by Vera Wang. Robinson wore a hand-tailored charcoal gray sharkskin Brioni designed suit. Their wedding reception was held at the Elk Mountain Lodge. Guests included members of the Crowes band, Sally Field, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The couple had one son together before divorcing in 2007.

Dec. 31, 1997 - Actor/singer Will Smith and actress Jada Pinkett Smith, in Lutherville, Md. The Smiths were married at the Cloisters Mansion. One hundred guests were in attendance. A fleet of 35 limos transported guests from their hotels to the castle. There were no wedding invitations and the wedding was kept a secret. On the morning of the wedding, guests were given sealed envelopes with directions to give to their limo drivers. At the Cloisters, Smith and Pinkett Smith entered and walked down the aisle together. The bride, who was pregnant at the time, wore a high-neck, champagne-colored, hand-dyed, silk and velvet Badgley Mischka gown. Smith wore a matching Badgley Mischka suit and ascot. During the ceremony, the couple read love letters to each other. Gold floodlights, twinkling lights and burgundy ribbons filled the reception room, and each window in the castle was covered with sheer curtains. They have two children together.

Jan. 1, 2011 - Singer Shania Twain and Swiss executive Frederic Thiebaud, in Rincon, Puerto Rico. The couple married at sunset on the beach in front of 40 of their closest family and friends on New Year's Day. Shania wore a white gown purchased in Frederic's home country of Switzerland and was joined by her son, Eja, as she walked down the aisle.

Jan. 1, 2011 - Actress Valerie Bertinelli and financial planner Tom Vitale, in Malibu, Calif. The couple married in an intimate sunset ceremony at their Malibu home. The wedding took place on the patio overlooking the ocean. They exchanged vows in front of about 100 guests, including Bertinelli's "Hot In Cleveland" co-stars Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick, as well as Michelle Phillips and Bertinelli's son Wolfgang, 20, from her marriage to rocker Eddie Van Halen, who also attended. She wore a custom dress by David Meister.

Jan. 1, 2003 - Actors Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany, in Scotland. Connelly married English actor Bettany in a private ceremony surrounded by family and friends. The couple met on the set of "A Beautiful Mind." Connelly has a son from a previous marriage, and the couple also has a son and daughter together.

Jan. 2, 2010 - Actor Vince Vaughn and real estate agent Kyla Weber, in Lake Forest, Ill. Vaughn and Weber, married at the Great Hall of the historic Armour House at Lake Forest Academy in Vaughn's hometown. The couple exchanged vows before 65 friends and family members. Two days before the wedding, the couple kicked things off with a New Year's Eve party at Vince's Chicago penthouse. The couple has one daughter.

For wedding-planning advice, tools, photos, and more, visit WeddingChannel.com

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@2012, WeddingChannel.com

See more at WeddingChannel.com

Source: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/12/20/4370341/save-the-date-this-week-in-celebrity.html

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Pakistani polio workers get police protection

Pakistani villagers look at the body of health worker Hilal Khan, who was killed by gunmen, in Wahidgari, on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Another victim from attacks on U.N.-backed anti-polio teams in Pakistan died on Thursday, bringing the three-day death toll in the wave of assaults on volunteers vaccinating children across the country to nine, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistani villagers look at the body of health worker Hilal Khan, who was killed by gunmen, in Wahidgari, on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Another victim from attacks on U.N.-backed anti-polio teams in Pakistan died on Thursday, bringing the three-day death toll in the wave of assaults on volunteers vaccinating children across the country to nine, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

Pakistani villagers attend a funeral of health worker Hilal Khan, who was killed by gunmen, in Wahidgari, outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Another victim from attacks on U.N.-backed anti-polio teams in Pakistan died on Thursday, bringing the three-day death toll in the wave of assaults on volunteers vaccinating children across the country to nine, officials said. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

A Pakistani health worker administers polio vaccine drops to a child in Lahore, Pakistan on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012. Gunmen shot dead a woman working on U.N.-backed polio vaccination efforts and her driver in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, officials said, raising the number of people killed in the last 48 hours who were part of the immunization drive. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistani activists rally in Karachi Pakistan to condemn killings of health workers, on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. Thousands of polio workers escorted by police guards pressed on with a vital immunization program in Pakistan?s second largest city Thursday despite the deaths of nine people gunned down by suspected militants while working on the campaign elsewhere in the country. Placard on top reads "save Pakistani children." (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) ? Under police guard, thousands of health workers pressed on with a polio immunization program Thursday after nine were killed elsewhere in Pakistan by suspected militants who oppose the vaccination campaign.

Immunizations were halted in some parts of Pakistan and the U.N. suspended its field participation everywhere until better security was arranged for its workers. The violence risks reversing recent progress fighting polio in Pakistan, one of three countries in the world where the disease is endemic.

The Taliban have denied responsibility for the shootings. Militants have accused health workers of acting as spies for the U.S., alleging the vaccine is intended to make Muslim children sterile.

Taliban commanders in Pakistan's troubled northwest tribal region also said earlier this year that vaccinations can't go forward until the U.S. stops drone strikes in the country.

Insurgent opposition to the campaign grew last year after it was revealed that a Pakistani doctor ran a fake vaccination program to help the CIA track down and kill al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden, who was hiding in the town of Abbottabad in the country's northwest.

There were a few attacks on polio workers in July, but the current level of violence is unprecedented. A polio worker died Thursday after being shot in the head in the northwestern city of Peshawar a day earlier, said health official Janbaz Afridi.

His death raised to nine the number of Pakistanis working on the campaign who have been killed this week. Six of the workers gunned down were women, three of whom were teenagers. Two other workers were critically wounded. All the attacks occurred in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the southern city of Karachi.

Despite the threat, local officials in the eastern city of Lahore continued the vaccination drive Thursday under police escort, said one of the top government officials in the city, Noorul Amin Mengal. About 6,000 Pakistani health workers were escorted by 3,000 police as they fanned out across the city, he said.

"It would have been an easy thing for us to do to stop the campaign," he said. "That would have been devastating."

Saddaf Malik, one of the polio workers in Lahore, said the killings sent a shudder of fear through him and his colleagues.

"We will carry on with our job with determination, but we want the government to adopt measures to ensure the security of polio vaccinators," he said.

This week's killings occurred as the government and the U.N. began a vaccination drive Monday targeting high-risk areas in the country's four provinces and the semiautonomous tribal region, part of an effort to immunize 34 million children under age 5. The campaign was scheduled to end Wednesday in most parts of the country, except for Lahore, where it ran a day longer.

Government officials ended the drive early in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in Sindh province, where Karachi is the capital, said Elias Durry, the U.N. World Health Organization's senior coordinator for polio in Pakistan. The campaign ran its full course in the provinces of Baluchistan and Punjab, where Lahore is the capital, as well as in the tribal region, he said.

The government has approximately 250,000 people working on the campaign, said Durry. Most of them have other jobs, such as teaching or working as government clerks, and sign on to the vaccination drive to earn a little more money, about $2.50 per day, officials said.

The WHO and UNICEF have about 2,000 people between them who provide technical assistance to the polio teams across the country and educate locals about the program, said Durry and Michael Coleman, a UNICEF spokesman in Pakistan. The U.N. staff were pulled out of the field and asked to work from home Wednesday.

The goal for this week's drive was to immunize 18.3 million children, but workers were only able reach about 9 million during the first two days of the campaign, said Durry.

Polio usually infects children living in unsanitary conditions, attacks the nerves and can kill or paralyze. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria remain the last battlegrounds for the fight against the disease.

There is no history of attacks on polio workers in Afghanistan, even though the country also faces a domestic Taliban insurgency. Muslim leaders in Nigeria have spoken out against polio vaccination in the country in the past, also claiming it makes children sterile. Many now support the campaign, but some Nigerians remain suspicious.

Prevention efforts have managed to reduce the number of cases in Pakistan to 56 this year, compared with 190 in 2011, a drop of about 70 percent. Most of the news cases in Pakistan are in the northwest, where the presence of militants makes it difficult to reach children. Clerics and tribal elders have been recruited to support polio vaccinations to try to open up areas previously inaccessible to health workers.

Israrullah Khan, a villager who attended the funeral of the polio worker who died Thursday, said most of the clerics and Islamic political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were in favor of the campaign.

"We don't understand why these attacks have suddenly started," Khan said. "It's very sad because they were trying to save our children's future for very low wages."

____

Associated Press writers Jamal Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, Zaheer Babar in Lahore, Pakistan, Adil Jawad in Karachi, Pakistan, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-20-Pakistan/id-3cf7fc8ee4a745e2b766f3e47ad52008

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Study reports iron oxide nanoparticles effective for labeling human endothelial cells

Public release date: 20-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Robert Miranda
cogcomm@aol.com
Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Loading cells too heavily with INOPS can cause cell death

Putnam Valley, NY. (Dec. 20, 2012) A team of researchers from three medical institutions in Guangzhou, China, have found that iron oxide nanoparticles (INOPS) are a useful contrast agent for in vivo magnetic resonance tracking of transplanted human endothelial cells. However, the impact of INOPS on the cells varies with a number of factors including the INOPS load. They found that the percentage of iron-labeled cells was significantly lower after 48 hours post-transplantation than at 24 hours post-transplantation. They also found that high INOPS concentration can affect cell activity. High INOPS concentration can induce cell death (apoptosis).

Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:9), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.

"A good MRI contrast agent must possess a number of features," said study co-author Dr. Wen-Li Chen, at South China Normal University's MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science. "Those features are: low toxicity and good stabilization, high sensitivity, good solubility and the ability to remain in the target cell for a long time. In our study, we found that INOPS are sensitive and can perturb the static magnetic field and provide a string change in MR signals."

The researchers found that the INOPS could be taken up by the cell rather than adhering to the exterior of the cell membrane. However, they also found that a proportional relationship might exist between the number of labeled cells and signal intensity.

"For the first time, we identified that autophagy death could take place at high INOPS loading concentrations," said the researchers.

They also discovered that an increased incubation time, from 24 to 48 hours, did not increase cellular uptake of INOPS and that the percentage of labeled cells declined after 24 hours to be significantly lower by 48 hours.

"It is possible that when the intracellular iron becomes saturated, the particles may start to be expelled out of cells," they concluded. "Thus, the determination of optimal loading concentration is an important step in maintaining the quality of cell labeling and cell activity."

###

Contact: Dr. Wen-Li Chen, MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
Tel. +86-20-85224007
Email: chenwl@scnu.ch
Citation: Yang, F-Y.; Yu, M-X.; Zhou, Q.; Chen, W-L.; Gao, P.; Huang, Z. Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Labeling on Human Endothelial Cells. Cell Transplant. 21(9):1805-1820; 2012.

The Coeditors-in-chief for CELL TRANSPLANTATION are at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, TaiChung, Taiwan. Contact, Camillo Ricordi, MD at ricordi@miami.edu or Shinn-Zong Lin, MD, PhD at shinnzong@yahoo.com.tw or David Eve, PhD at celltransplantation@gmail.com

News release by Florida Science Communications www.sciencescribe.net

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 20-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Robert Miranda
cogcomm@aol.com
Cell Transplantation Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair

Loading cells too heavily with INOPS can cause cell death

Putnam Valley, NY. (Dec. 20, 2012) A team of researchers from three medical institutions in Guangzhou, China, have found that iron oxide nanoparticles (INOPS) are a useful contrast agent for in vivo magnetic resonance tracking of transplanted human endothelial cells. However, the impact of INOPS on the cells varies with a number of factors including the INOPS load. They found that the percentage of iron-labeled cells was significantly lower after 48 hours post-transplantation than at 24 hours post-transplantation. They also found that high INOPS concentration can affect cell activity. High INOPS concentration can induce cell death (apoptosis).

Their study is published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (21:9), now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/.

"A good MRI contrast agent must possess a number of features," said study co-author Dr. Wen-Li Chen, at South China Normal University's MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science. "Those features are: low toxicity and good stabilization, high sensitivity, good solubility and the ability to remain in the target cell for a long time. In our study, we found that INOPS are sensitive and can perturb the static magnetic field and provide a string change in MR signals."

The researchers found that the INOPS could be taken up by the cell rather than adhering to the exterior of the cell membrane. However, they also found that a proportional relationship might exist between the number of labeled cells and signal intensity.

"For the first time, we identified that autophagy death could take place at high INOPS loading concentrations," said the researchers.

They also discovered that an increased incubation time, from 24 to 48 hours, did not increase cellular uptake of INOPS and that the percentage of labeled cells declined after 24 hours to be significantly lower by 48 hours.

"It is possible that when the intracellular iron becomes saturated, the particles may start to be expelled out of cells," they concluded. "Thus, the determination of optimal loading concentration is an important step in maintaining the quality of cell labeling and cell activity."

###

Contact: Dr. Wen-Li Chen, MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
Tel. +86-20-85224007
Email: chenwl@scnu.ch
Citation: Yang, F-Y.; Yu, M-X.; Zhou, Q.; Chen, W-L.; Gao, P.; Huang, Z. Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Labeling on Human Endothelial Cells. Cell Transplant. 21(9):1805-1820; 2012.

The Coeditors-in-chief for CELL TRANSPLANTATION are at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, TaiChung, Taiwan. Contact, Camillo Ricordi, MD at ricordi@miami.edu or Shinn-Zong Lin, MD, PhD at shinnzong@yahoo.com.tw or David Eve, PhD at celltransplantation@gmail.com

News release by Florida Science Communications www.sciencescribe.net

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/ctco-sri122012.php

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kudzu antiques sandy springs ga | Southern Hospitality

For you local girls, I just visited a new? antiques store called Kudzu and they are in the old Red Baron?s site in Sandy Springs.? There?s also one in Decatur, from what I hear.? I met up with my friend Lori and we made a little outing of it and it was fun checking out this shop full of eye candy.

In the front is some new stuff, like furniture, pillows and accessories.? And the vintage stuff is in the back in booths.

Still in the front, cute wood tree.

Lots of pretty furniture and pillows.

Loved this reclaimed wood side table.

You can find lots of styles at Kudzu and reclaimed and industrial are well represented.? This is definitely a trend right now.

Loved this adorable little faux tree.? Looks so real!

Chandeliers and lots of fun things to see.

All the booths are different, just like most antique shops.

Of course, these pretty colorful ornaments caught my eye.

And more reclaimed wood things.

Repurposed beadboard made into shelving.

Loved this space too and I do believe I saw them at Scott Antiques in November when I was there.

Pretty dishes and a sweet little lamb.

Acorn Hill space

Nest space, cute!

More vintage ornaments.? These are highly collectible now.

Cute little table.

Unique burlap light fixtures.

More Shiny Brites

Lovely green side chairs and a black and white cowhide.

As you can see, Kudzu Antiques has lots to see and enjoy, so check them out when you are in Sandy Springs.? If you know where Red Baron?s used to be, you?ll find them!

Also, just to let you all know, I?m having my annual Top Projects of 2012 party next Thursday on December 27th.? That should give you all enough time to get a post together and join me!? I know I did a ton of projects this year, so can?t wait to recap and share them.? Moving in this house was ONE BIG project, that?s for sure!

If you feel like getting inspired, you can check out the link party from 2011, there were over 400 links added from all over blogland.?

Source: http://southernhospitalityblog.com/kudzu-antiques-in-sandy-springs/

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Britain to pull nearly 4,000 troops from Afghanistan

AFP - Britain will slash its military force in Afghanistan next year, withdrawing nearly 4,000 troops as local security forces become increasingly capable, Prime Minister David Cameron said Wednesday.

Cameron told parliament that the current force of 9,000 British troops would be reduced to 5,200 by the end of 2013 and that most of the rest would leave the following year.

Britain, the United States and other NATO nations in Afghanistan are due to withdraw all combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 when they will hand over responsibility for security to Afghan forces.

But the government has faced pressure at home to speed up the withdrawal from Afghanistan following a series of "insider attacks", in which Afghans in army uniform have attacked British and other foreign soldiers.

Cameron said the withdrawal was possible "because of the success of our forces and the Afghan National Security Forces", and the mentoring arrangements between them.

"We'll be able to see troops come home in two relatively even steps in 2013, 2014, leaving probably around 5,200 troops after the end of 2013 compared with the 9,000 that we have now," Cameron told parliament.

Cameron said there was no final decision on how many British troops would stay in Afghanistan after 2014 but added that Britain would honour its commitment to help set up an officer training academy for the Afghans.

Cameron discussed the plans with US President Barack Obama in an hour-long video call on Tuesday night during which they agreed the handover plan was "on track", Downing Street said in a statement.

"This would present further opportunities for ISAF countries to bring troops home next year and they agreed to stay in close touch as detailed plans develop," it said, referring to NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

"They also agreed on joint work to strengthen the political process, particularly supporting Afghanistan and her neighbours to work together for stability, building on the trilateral discussions with Pakistan led by the United Kingdom."

The final decision on the latest withdrawal was taken at a meeting of Britain's National Security Council on Tuesday, the Ministry of Defence said.

The government is reportedly considering leaving several hundred British troops in Kabul for training and support roles when NATO ends its combat role in 2014.

Britain has lost 438 troops in Afghanistan since operations began in October 2001. Of these, at least 395 were killed as a result of hostile action.

The US military currently has about 66,000 troops on the ground as part of a NATO-led force of roughly 100,000.

The British announcement comes as Kabul laid out a five-step plan that could bring hardline Taliban Islamists into government as efforts to broker peace accelerate ahead of the withdrawal of Western troops.

The Taliban regime was ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001 and there are concerns that their return to any sort of power could see an erosion of gains in democracy and human rights, particularly the rights of women.

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20121219-britain-pull-nearly-4000-troops-afghanistan

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10 airports you won't want to leave

21 hrs.

Erin Gifford

It?s nice to get where you?re going, but sometimes, it?s even better to be delayed. Whether offering movie theaters, nature trails, golf courses or world-class art museums, today?s airports are making it, dare I say, desirable, to be stuck at the airport.

?I have been stuck on many long layovers, especially heading to East and Southeast Asia,? said Annie Wang, a strategy analyst for TravelNerd. ?Now I specifically look for certain airports to layover?since some airports have gone above and beyond to offer special amenities to their passengers.?

Here are 10?airports where you won?t mind having to wait to board your next flight:

Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore?s Changi Airport is the hands-down favorite among stranded travelers, even travelers who just want to spend a few hours exploring the world?s first in-airport butterfly garden or navigating the nature trails. Take a free two-hour guided tour of Singapore, enjoy the 4D Cinema, play video games, explore the aviation gallery or slide down a four-story slide while you wait for your flight.

?Singapore is a fun place to be delayed or stranded,? says Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for Lonely Planet. ?The terminal is fun on its own: free movie theater, a hotel, tons of sitting areas with comfortable seats, showers. Every hub airport should have showers available for people coming off overnighters and bound for connections.?

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport?
It?s easy to see why passengers love Amsterdam?s Schiphol Airport, particularly art lovers. The Rijksmuseum, an annex of the famed in-town museum of the same name, is open daily and is home to a permanent exhibition of 10?works from Dutch masters. Just crossed the Atlantic on an overnight flight? Visit Back to Life for a massage and an oxygen treatment to recharge. Or book a shower cabin at Yotel.

Munich Airport
Visiting?Munich Airport? Stop by?Airbr?u, a Bavarian-style tavern with an indoor beer garden and an on-site brewery -- the only in-airport brewery in Europe. Have an extra 30 minutes? Let the brew master show you first-hand how the beers are brewed. For children, ?kinderterminals? provide an interactive look at how the airport works. At Air Berlin Kinderland, kids can make arts and crafts, watch movies and play with building blocks. And, don?t forget the miniature golf course.

London Heathrow Airport
London?s Heathrow Airport offers a luxury experience ideal for traveling fashionistas with shops like Burberry, Cartier, Gucci and an 11,000-square-foot Harrods. Families should look out for three soft play areas in Terminals 4 and 5 to exercise and entertain young children, then head to any information desk for free coloring books and crayons. For shut-eye between flights, book a personal cabin with free Wi-Fi and hot drinks at Yotel for a quick four-hour stay.

San Francisco International Airport
Enjoy the flavors of the city even if you?re only spending a few hours at San Francisco International Airport. Nearly all of the airport eateries are outposts of popular in-town restaurants, including Ebisu and Lark Creek Grill. After a quick bite, relax and de-stress in the yoga room. For families, hit the SFO Kids? Spot, an interactive exploration area featuring weather-related exhibits.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, live music greets visitors at six venues across the concourses that showcase the best from the live music capital of the world. Nearly 20 concerts take place each week, offering Latin Jazz to Western Swing. Hungry? Stop at Salt Lick BBQ. Texas barbecue doesn?t get much better than this.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
If you?re connecting through Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, then the Phoenix Airport Museum is a must. One of the largest airport museums in the nation, more than 600 items are on display, including over 20 hand-crafted animal sculptures that pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Phoenix Zoo.

Vancouver International Airport
At Vancouver International Airport passengers are treated to a 30,000-gallon aquarium that houses5,000 sea creatures. Upstairs, a smaller cylindrical tank holds 100 moon jellyfish. Look for comfy lounge chairs and padded benches throughout the airport that let weary travelers stretch out and relax. No wonder YVR was voted the best place to catch a nap while waiting for a flight.

Hong Kong International Airport
Long layover in Hong Kong? Catch a movie in the IMAX theatre or visit the Aviation Discovery Center for aviation-themed exhibits, including a cockpit simulator. I-Sports offers a variety of sports simulators or go for a real hole-in-one on the SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course. Exhibitions on tea through the ages, Chinese medicine and Cantonese opera also dot the airport.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
For little ones, head to the Aquafina Junior Flyer?s Club or McDonald?s Play Areas at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport for kid-friendly playscapes, like soft-foam cars. In Terminal D you?ll find media chairs and 10 screens featuring three different video feeds: CNN, TBS and Turner Classic Movies. You?ll also find a yoga studio and a walking path to release all your flight delay-induced tensions.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/10-airports-you-wont-want-leave-1C7429540

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Microsoft Allegedly Forces Korean Internet Caf?s to Buy Windows 8

With Windows 8 yet to take off, Microsoft is still struggling to make sure that its new operating system won?t become the new Vista. Including forcing Korean Internet caf? owners to deploy Windows 8, local businesses have claimed.

An association of Korean Internet caf? owners has criticized Microsoft Korea in a press conference on December 17, claiming that Microsoft?s local branch is forcing them to buy and install the company?s newest operating system.

What?s more, the association called Microsoft?s efforts in Korea a ?reign of tyranny,? explaining that the Redmond-based company is often sending lawyers to convince them that it?s better to make the move to Windows 8.

?Microsoft Korea has threatened us that it is illegal not to purchase Windows 8 for our internet cafes. They say Windows XP is now illegal? they say it is illegal now for consumers to purchase. They get their lawyers together and send us these things, what business can do that?? Lim Sun-hui, an official of the association was quoted as saying by Asian Correspondent.

?Microsoft Korea wields their monopoly as a weapon to at least double their prices for internet cafes in the last two years and they have the nerve to say they could increase them further still.?

Microsoft Korea, on the other hand, claims that it?s all because of the company?s fight against piracy.

Officials have hinted that some Internet caf&eacutes have actually been found using counterfeited Windows copies, so the local businesses are only trying to fight back.

?As long as they are genuine products, we don?t mind if they continue to use Windows 7 or Windows XP. When an official message comes out promoting the use of genuine products, you know, just throw it away,? a company official said according to the same source.

Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Allegedly-Forces-Korean-Internet-Cafes-to-Buy-Windows-8-315607.shtml

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Prepping for Home Holiday Entertainment - The Posh Mom Life

Prepping for Home Holiday Entertainment

Tuesday, December 18, 2012 6:00 AM

Who needs a Dyson?

Prepping your home for holiday entertaining can seem like a daunting task - in fact given the mess our kids seem to perpetually make - it is! But there are a few nifty devices that can make it exceedingly easier (even if you don?t have the extra dollars to spend on a Dyson).

Swiffer WetJet Extra Power Pad is designed with the scrubbing power of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to power through up to two times more dried-on dirt and grime with less effort than a mop and bucket? meaning less time cleaning and more time enjoying the company of family and friends this holiday season. Though brace yourself because you might get heart palpitations when you see just how much ?black junk? is laying inconspicuously on your floors. On that note?. Another fantastic drugstore buy is Swiffer 360? Dusters, which allow you to easily clean a variety of items around the house including tables and electronics. The dusters are made with fluffy dust-locking? fibers to trap dust - which is awesome because we just sent our carpets out to be cleansed and we now have more dust than ever?.

We?re also loving Tide?s new Pods, which we?re seeing all over the place. They help us keep everything fresh and clean without the risk of having a child-induced detergent spill.

We always say we want more time with our families, now we can?it?s the small things!!!

Happy Holidays!

Dish with us: How do you prep your home for entertaining?

Source: http://www.poshmom.com/blog/2012/12/18/prepping-for-home-holiday-entertainment/

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China's new home prices up as curbs cut supply

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Sandy Hook Solutions Should Not Include This Dumb Idea Megan McArdle Had

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama arrives at the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama greets Gov. Dannel Malloy during his arrival at the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/The Hartford Courant, Stephen Dunn, Pool)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama pauses during a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama walks off after delivering a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama speaks during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama greets State Senate Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, on his arrival, before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting inside the Newtown High School auditorium in Newtown, Conn., Sunday night, Dec. 16, 2012. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/The Hartford Courant, Stephen Dunn, Pool)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama pauses as he delivers a speech during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama speaks during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/The Hartford Courant, Stephen Dunn, Pool)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama pauses as he delivers a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Residents pray during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama pauses as he delivers a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama pauses as he delivers a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

US-SCHOOL-SHOOTING-MEMORIAL

US President Barack Obama makes his way off the stage after speaking at a memorial service for the victims and relatives of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 16, 2012 at the Newtown High SChool in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty-six people were killed when a gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary and began a shooting spree. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama walks off stage after delivering a speech at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama pauses as he delivers a speech during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school on Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US-SCHOOL-SHOOTING-MEMORIAL

US President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks during a memorial service for the victims and relatives of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 16, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty-six people were killed when a gunman entered Sandy Hook Elementary and began a shooting spree. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama returns to the White House in Washington after attending an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School on Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Air Force One carrying President Barack Obama is seen leaving Bradley Air National Guard Base in East Granby, Conn., Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. The president was in Connecticut to attend a memorial for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting where 26 people, including 20 children, were killed Friday. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Julie LaPak, right, and Scott Emslie, of Newton, Conn., watch President Obama delver his speech at the Iron Bridge restaurant, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 in Newtown, Conn. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

A mourner looks on during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Surendra Khera, left, Manjaree Daw, center and Indira Khera, of Simsbury, Conn., watch President Obama deliver his speech at the Iron Bridge restaurant, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 in Newtown, Conn. The president spoke during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Barack Obama

Residents look on as President Barack Obama delivers remarks at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

A mourner weeps while listening to President Barack Obama speak on a loudspeaker while sitting outside a memorial at Newtown High School for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

C.J. Singh, center, and other members of the Sikh community hold a candlelight vigil outside Newtown High School before an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Residents hold a candlelight vigil outside Newtown High School after President Barack Obama delivered remarks at an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

A young boy places a candle with others at the base of a flagpole outside Newtown High School before an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Eknoor Kaur, 3, stands with her father Guramril Singh during a candlelight vigil outside Newtown High School before an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Members of the Sikh community hold a candlelight vigil outside Newtown High School before an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., top right, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., left, Sen-elect Chris Murphy, center, and Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, right, wait for the arrival of President Barack Obama before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting inside the Newtown High School auditorium in Newtown, Conn., Sunday night, Dec. 16, 2012. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/The Hartford Courant, Stephen Dunn, Pool)

Residents look on during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. President Barack Obama is schedule to speak during the vigil. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak during the vigil. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. President Barack Obama is to scheduled to speak at the event. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Residents look on during an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak during the vigil. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

People wait in line to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

People arrive at Newtown High School to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Residents greet each other before the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Kayla Hopson and her daughter Lilliana, 9, left, and Janine Caswell and her daughter Genesis, 8, stand wrapped in Red Cross blankets to protect themselves from the cold, rainy weather as they wait in line to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Residents wait for the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Eight-year old Shayne Frate, a third grade student at Sandy Hook Elementary School, hangs from her mother Valerie's back, wrapped in a Red Cross blanket to protect her from the cold, rainy weather, as she waits in line to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

People wait in line to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Residents wait for the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Red Cross volunteer Michael Cianciolo distributes blankets to protect people from the cold, rainy weather as they wait in line to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Red Cross personnel provide blankets, water, snacks and even stuffed toys to keep people comfortable as they wait in line to attend an interfaith vigil with President Barack Obama, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Residents wait for the start of an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Barack Obama

Residents greet each other before an interfaith vigil for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, at Newtown High School in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into the elementary school Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

A U.S. flag flies at half staff outside the Newtown High School before President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a memorial for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

People wait in line to enter Newtown High School for a memorial vigil attended by President Barack Obama for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, in Newtown, Conn. A gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Friday and opened fire, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/sandy-hook-solutions-megan-mcardle_n_2324045.html

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BlackBerry maker RIM booted from NASDAQ-100 index

In the aftermath of Friday's Newtown school shooting, we've heard tales mostly horrifying and occasionally heroic, from surviving witnesses and mourning citizens alike, but this one lies somewhere in between, all the more unshakeable. One six-year-old Sandy Hook student played dead in her first-grade classroom, her family pastor said late Sunday, with the kind of quick thinking that ended up saving her life but now leaves her with the unshakeable memories of watching all her classmates being shot and killed. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-maker-rim-booted-nasdaq-100-index-135055732.html

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Soap Dish: Y&R?s Michael Graziadei Thank You To Fans

It is Soap Dish time again and this week I dishing all abut The Young & The Restless hottie Michael Graziadei, who had a very heartfelt thank you for his fans the other day. The actor’s last day on the hit CBS soap is in January but he had some nice words for those who have supported him through the years. Graziadei began playing the role of Daniel on Y&R back in 2004. His last air date is slated to be January 2nd but before he was off screen he wanted to say thanks to the fans.? He told Soap Opera Digest the below statement for his fans. “I would really love to thank everyone, honestly and truly, from the bottom of my heart, for being there for me, and watching the show and supporting me and following me for all these years. Their love for the character and their love for the show was what provided me with a job for the past eight-and-a-half years, and I can easily and honestly say I?ve never met a fan that I didn?t like. Everybody has been so wonderful to me.” I personally think it was a beautiful sentiment from the actor [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/3PLzifLjVZI/

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How deadly would chemical weapons in Syria be?

Concerns that the Syrian regime would use chemical weapons are putting the spotlight on these weapons of mass destruction.

By Tom A. Peter,?Correspondent / December 6, 2012

A view of damages on an empty street in the Aleppo district of Salaheddine, Syria, Dec. 5. Serious concerns have been raised about the Syrian regime using chemical weapons.

Aref Hretani/Reuters

Enlarge

Serious concerns have been raised about chemical weapons in Syria as unnamed US officials on Wednesday told NBC News that Syrian forces have loaded sarin, a deadly nerve gas, into bombs that can be dropped by planes.

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The officials said the bombs had not been loaded onto planes and there was not yet a decision from Syria's leader to use them.

President Obama has said the use of chemical weapons in Syria is a ?red line? that would draw the US into the war. Embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied that he?s planning to use them, unless international forces intervene. And Syrian officials have called recent accusations a ?pretext for intervention.?

The international community is now debating if and how to respond to this latest development.

As the situation unfolds, for many unfamiliar with sarin gas there may be some question as to what it is and just how deadly it can be. Though it?s classified as a weapon of mass destruction and is extremely lethal, it is not in the same league as nuclear weapons.

?Chemical weapons are not nuclear weapons. In order to produce a lot of damage they have to be distributed very efficiently. The problem with them is that they can be very deadly and efficient if used in population centers and their effects are indiscriminate,? says Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.

?The explosion of a single chemical shell would not necessarily be a catastrophe if it went off accidentally at one of these storage sites, but the deliberate use of one chemical shell in a population center could be very deadly,? adds Mr. Kimball.

Sarin is a colorless and odorless nerve agent that can be attached to missiles and artillery rounds and is primarily lethal when inhaled but can also penetrate skin and clothing.

It evaporates quickly, though under the right conditions it can linger for up to five days. As a result, a sarin attack requires little clean up and areas affected by sarin can be quickly reoccupied, making it a desirable weapon for military units looking to advance without destroying infrastructure and equipment.

It was first developed in Germany in 1938, but there was no known use of it as a weapon, until 1988 when Iraq used it against the Kurdish town of Halabja. The Iraqi military is also believed to have used sarin against Iran during the war between the two countries that spanned from 1980 to 1988.

Most recently, it was used by the Japanese group Aum Shinrikyo which manufactured their own form of impure sarin gas and released it on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The attack killed 12 and injured at least 5,500 people.

It?s unclear exactly how much damage would be caused were Syrian jets to drop bombs filled with sarin gas on an apartment block or populated area, but experts say the attack would likely be lethal and devastating, creating a major impact.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/ou5UFQmwEXQ/How-deadly-would-chemical-weapons-in-Syria-be

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Video: Newtown mourns kids, staff killed in massacre

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50214792/

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Motherhood: It's All Smoke And Mirrors, Baby

BabyCenter:

Today was Oscar?s preschool Christmas party. Back in August, I signed up to bring snacks in December because I needed that cushion of knowing I wouldn?t have to think about it for a while. Of course life happened and before I knew it, we were all wearing holiday jammies and stuffing Christmas cards. And then last night I found myself in the grocery store at 10pm desperately searching for ingredients to make these cute little treats I?d seen on Pinterest. Because of course, my snack was the Christmas party snack. I knew myself well enough to not commit to baking anything, but I could at least assemble something cute, right?

Read the whole story at BabyCenter

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Kacsmar: Save the roll for January, not December

Getting hot in the final 4 regular-season games doesn't necessarily mean playoff success

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos have won eight straight games.

ANALYSIS

By Scott Kacsmar

updated 4:16 p.m. ET Dec. 13, 2012

?You want to be playing your best football in December.?

Every NFL fan has heard this clich?. A simple Google search finds it from Atlanta Falcons? center Todd McClure after his team?s latest loss in Carolina. Apparently coach Mike Smith has told his team this before.

Maybe that's why the Falcons are 0-3 in the playoffs under Smith. They expect their best a month too soon.

The New York Giants are poster boys for the getting-hot-late strategy with their two championships (2007 and 2011). Exactly how hot they got late in the season can be revisionist history, as there was a bad home loss to the Washington Redskins in December both times.

There is something to be said for peaking too soon. Fourteen of the last 15 NFL teams with the best regular-season record have failed to win the Super Bowl. Only the 2003 New England Patriots did. This is a problem we are also seeing in the NHL, NBA and MLB with "regular season champions."

But focusing on football, we have seen the hot team do well in recent years, and not just the Giants. The 2010 Green Bay Packers didn't clinch a playoff berth until the last day of the regular season before making their run, while a team like the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers created the formula for going on a Super Bowl run as the No. 6 seed.

Consider this fact: out of 46 Super Bowl champions, only two of them ended the regular season with a losing streak. The 1967 Green Bay Packers lost their last two games, and the 2009 New Orleans Saints went 0-3 after starting the year 13-0.

Both came out in their first playoff game and won by at least 21 points. So much for not having that precious momentum.

Once again it is that time of year where teams are starting to talk playoffs and playing their best. Let?s see if we can quantify just how important it is to be playing well late in the season, especially in terms of equating to playoff success.?

Results of the study say ?
While it's nice for 3-9 teams to win their last four games, they don't make the playoffs. So, we will only look at the teams who made the playoffs from 2002 to 2011, the era in which we have had eight division winners and the current playoff format.

Since there's nothing magical about December versus a game played on Jan. 1, let?s break the season down into the final quarter (games 13-16).

Here's how the 120 playoff teams since 2002 have done in the last four games of the regular season, and how it has translated into their postseason success.

Playoff teams' record last 4 regular-season games (2002-2011) Games 13-16 Teams Playoffs Super Bowls won One and done 4-0 23 22-21 (.512) 2 (8.7%) 9 (39.1%) 3-1 53 47-49 (.490) 4 (7.6%) 26 (49.1%) 2-2 31 31-28 (.525) 3 (9.7%) 15 (48.4%) 1-3 13 10-12 (.455) 1 (7.7%) 5 (38.4%)

No one finished 0-4, but teams finishing 4-0 on their way to the playoffs have won 51.2 percent of their playoff games. That is not quite as good as teams finishing 2-2, as they have won 52.5 percent of their playoff games, including three Super Bowls. That 2-2 finish has produced the highest rate of championship teams (9.7 percent).

A lot of the numbers are close, which supports the conclusion that it really is not overly important to have a strong finish in the regular season.

What about winning big or resting starters?
But records can be deceiving, especially over a small sample size such as a few games.

For the 1-3 teams that went 10-12 in the playoffs, a better field-goal placehold (Tony Romo in Seattle) and a last-second field goal (Doug Brien for the Jets in Pittsburgh in a 2004 AFC divisional game), and those teams are instead 12-10 (.545). Surprisingly those teams have only gone one and done 38.4 percent of the time, which is the lowest percentage.

To make matters worse, some teams like to rest their starters in the final week or two, practically playing it like a preseason game and compromising the stats. The Colts were notorious for this under Tony Dungy and Bill Polian, often resting Peyton Manning and key starters. The irony is some of their best runs, including their Super Bowl XLI win, came in years where they had to fight down to the wire in the fourth quarter of Week 17.

This rest strategy also goes against the clich?s of ?momentum? and playing your best heading into the playoffs.

But instead of focusing on the records, how about looking at how dominant a team is on the scoreboard? Let?s look at the scoring differential over the last four weeks.

Scoring differential last 4 regular season games (2002-2011) Games 13-16 Teams Playoffs Super Bowls won One and done +50-95 PTS 26 32-24 (.571) 2 (7.7%) 7 (26.9%) +28-49 PTS 28 25-26 (.490) 2 (7.1%) 11 (39.3%) +0-27 PTS 33 28-29 (.491) 4 (12.1%) 20 (60.6%) Negative 33 25-31 (.446) 2 (6.1%) 17 (51.5%)

Now we see more separation at the top with the teams who had an average scoring margin of more than 12.5 points pre game (+50 scoring differential) winning 57.1 percent of their playoff games, and only going one and done 26.9 percent of the time.

What?s surprising is the third row (+0-27 PTS) going one game under .500 in the playoffs just like the teams who averaged more than a touchdown per game in scoring margin, and the fact that they went one and done 60.6 percent of the time.

As you might have expected, the teams with a negative scoring differential only won 44.6 percent of their playoff games. But we did see the 2006 Colts and 2009 Saints win the Super Bowl, though the Saints were another product of playoff rest. After starting 13-0, they actually finished 0-3, which no other Super Bowl winner has ever done.

Here are the top 10 scoring differential finishes by a playoff team since 2002.

Top 10 scoring differential by playoff team, 2002-11 (games 13-16) Team Year Record Points for Points against Points diff. Result New England 2010 4-0 139 44 95 Lost AFC-D Green Bay 2003 4-0 144 52 92 Lost NFC-D New Orleans 2011 4-0 154 70 84 Lost NFC-D Pittsburgh 2005 4-0 115 33 82 Won Super Bowl San Diego 2007 4-0 127 51 76 Lost AFC-C San Diego 2008 4-0 149 73 76 Lost AFC-D Baltimore 2009 3-1 120 46 74 Lost AFC-D Indianapolis 2008 4-0 120 48 72 Lost AFC-WC NY Jets 2009 3-1 99 28 71 Lost AFC-C Green Bay 2009 3-1 138 68 70 Lost NFC-WC

No playoff team was hotter than the 2010 Patriots, outscoring their opponents 139-44 (+95) to finish what was actually an eight-game winning streak to end the regular season. But that team did greatly disappoint in the playoffs, going one and done with a stunning loss to the Jets, just a little over a month after destroying New York 45-3.

Still, the numbers would suggest you may want to keep an eye on the scoring differential more than the record down the stretch to forecast a team?s playoff results.

Finally, here is a list of the Super Bowl winners since 2002 and how they performed in the last quarter of the regular season in terms of scoring differential, total yards margin, and turnover differential.

Super Bowl winners (games 13-16) Team Year Record Point Diff. Yards Margin Turnover Diff. Tampa Bay 2002 3-1 32 328 4 New England 2003 4-0 62 51 10 New England 2004 3-1 36 144 2 Pittsburgh 2005 4-0 82 479 2 Indianapolis 2006 2-2 -7 18 -1 NY Giants 2007 2-2 5 75 -3 Pittsburgh 2008 3-1 25 353 0 New Orleans 2009 1-3 -20 -284 -4 Green Bay 2010 2-2 27 278 2 NY Giants 2011 3-1 22 228 3 Average 27-13 26.4 167.0 1.50

What does it mean this year?
Sometimes we get too caught up with games late in the season being overly important. Some team is going to lose one of these crucial matchups, and that is going to knock them out of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, that team likely blew a game in September that had they won that day, then it never would have come down to that Week 16 game on the road. The season is not long enough at 16 games to blow off the start of it. Those games are very important too.

Should the New England Patriots get a first-round bye and hold home-field advantage over the Denver Broncos, then you can look at that head-to-head win Oct. 7 in Week 5 as the deciding factor.

That?s part of the beauty of a NFL season. So many little, seemingly insignificant events throughout the season change the entire course of the playoffs and future of the league. It is the butterfly effect at work.

While the playoff races this year may not be high on parity, it does not appear teams will be able to rest much down the stretch as they battle for first-round byes. That?s always good, as we get to see better games in Week 17, rather than stat-deflating scrimmages that can let a team sneak into the playoffs, or keep another out.

Be careful in going with the hot team. This year?s Patriots may end up posting similar numbers to their 2010 finish, but look what that got them in the postseason: a home loss to a team with Mark Sanchez at quarterback.

While it may feel nice to take a winning streak into the postseason, all that matters is how you execute that day. With the one-and-done format, literally anything can happen, and that is why the playoffs are so exciting.

December football? It?s just not that much different from September.

Scott Kacsmar (@CaptainComeback) writes for Cold, Hard Football Facts, Bleacher Report, Colts Authority, and contributes data to Pro-Football-Reference.com and NFL Network.

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More newsJessica Rinaldi / Reuters

Patriots will dominate 49ers

PFT's picks: In a monstrous Week 15, also look for the Packers to win in Chicago, the Broncos to win in Baltimore and the Giants to win in Atlanta.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50187214/ns/sports-nfl/

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