Sri Lanka beat Australia by eight wickets

ADELAIDE (Reuters) - Lahiru Thirimanne struck his first one-day century as Sri Lanka levelled the one-day series against Australia with a convincing eight-wicket win on Sunday.
Sri Lanka put the hosts in to bat after rain delayed the start at the Adelaide Oval and the bowlers capitalised on cloud cover and moisture in the pitch to restrict Australia to 170 all out from 46.5 overs.
The tourists' reply started poorly when Upal Thuranga was caught behind off Clint McKay without scoring but Thirimanne (102 not out) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (51) dug in to help Sri Lanka reach 172-2 with almost 10 overs remaining.
The series is level at 1-1 after two of the five matches, with the teams next meeting in Brisbane on Friday.
The outcome hinged largely on the toss, with Sri Lanka able to tie down the Australian batsmen with the swinging ball before batting conditions improved.
The tourists reduced Australia to 83-6 at one stage though Brad Haddin (50) and Ben Cutting (27) rallied for the hosts with 57 runs for the seventh wicket.
Paceman Lasith Malinga, the pick of Sri Lanka's bowlers with 3-32 from nine overs, halted the recovery by dismissing debutants Cutting and Kane Richardson with successive deliveries.
Earlier in the innings George Bailey (26) and David Hussey (29) were the only recognised batsmen to reach double figures and it was left to Haddin to make the score respectable with his 16th one-day half century.
But Haddin, playing impressively in place of the rested Matthew Wade, hurt his hamstring while batting and had to hand over the wicketkeeper's gloves to Phil Hughes after 20 overs.
Sri Lanka began the run chase conservatively after Thuranga's dismissal as Thirimanne and Dilshan inched their way to 66-1 from 20 overs.
From that point, they struck out with greater freedom to up the run rate and ease their side to victory under the floodlights.
Thirimanne surpassed his previous one-day best score of 77, set against India last August, with a four to the fine leg boundary.
He played with far greater fluency than Dilshan, who holed out off Cutting to Glenn Maxwell at point.
Kushal Perera had hit 14 from 12 deliveries before he resisted the temptation to hit the winning runs with Thirimanne on 98.
Perera faced four balls without attempting to score, giving Thirimanne the chance to reach his century and win the match with his 12th boundary as Sri Lanka avenged Friday's 107-run defeat in Melbourne.
Australia will look forward to the return of rested captain Michael Clarke and opener David Warner, with several issues to address ahead of Friday's third game in Brisbane.

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Cricket-New Zealand 64-2 v South Africa - tea, day three

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, Jan 13 (Reuters) - New Zealand were 64 for two wickets following on in their second innings, trailing South Africa by 340 runs, at tea on the third day of the second test at St. George's Park on Sunday.
Scores
South Africa 525-8 declared (Graeme Smith 54, Hashim Amla 110, AB de Villiers 51, Faf du Plessis 137, Dean Elgar 103 not out); New Zealand 121 all out (BJ Watling 63; Dale Steyn 5-17) and 64-2 (M. Guptill 40 not out) (Editing by Tom Pilcher; ; ; )

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All jokes aside, top-ranked Novak Djokovic hoping for a hat trick of Australian Open titles

MELBOURNE, Australia - Novak Djokovic shelved the conventional preparations for a while, warming up for a shot at a third consecutive Australian title with a bit of weekend hit-and-giggle and a Gangnam Style dance with Serena Williams.
That was for kids' day, when thousands of people flocked to Rod Laver Arena to see 2012 Australian champions Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka hitting in a just-for-fun match with players including past champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams, a cast of human-sized cartoon characters and a marching band that played the tune to Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Come Monday, the No. 1-ranked Djokovic will be back to work, hoping his opener against Paul-Henri Mathieu is the first of seven matches this month at the venue where he's had the most success in Grand Slam tennis. His five-set, 5-hour, 53-minute win over Rafael Nadal in the final last year has already been written into Australian Open folklore, and followed his titles at Melbourne Park in 2008 and 2011.
The fun matches, the joking around and the break from official tournaments in the off-season are crucial ingredients to Djokovic's success in Australia.
"You get time to recover, regroup, recharge your batteries mentally, physically, try to get ready for the new season," said the 25-year-old Djokovic, who had a final practice session early Sunday afternoon with fellow Serbian Viktor Troicki . "You come here fresh. You're motivated and inspired to play some good tennis.
"This is my most successful Grand Slam. But this Grand Slam is also known for a lot of surprises, players who have been reaching the final stages who are not expected to. We'll see. The Australian Open always brings something interesting."
No man has won three successive Australian titles in the Open era, which dates back to 1968 — Jack Crawford (1931-33) and Roy Emerson (1963-67) did it before then. Nine players have won back-to-back titles in the meantime, but were unable to complete the hat-trick.
Williams also has three on her mind, as in three majors in a row. The No. 3-ranked Williams is a hot favourite to win her sixth Australian Open title after a run of 35 wins in her last 36 matches since a shocking first-round defeat at the French Open. She finished off last year by winning at Wimbledon, the London Olympics, the U.S. Open and the season-ending championships.
She started this year by winning the title at the Brisbane International, where she was due to face Azarenka in the semifinals before the 23-year-old Belarusian withdrew due to treatment for a toe infection.
Williams, who puts her dominating streak down to a new "serene" and calm approach on and off the court since hiring Patrick Mouratoglou as a coaching consultant, will get a chance to watch older sister Venus Williams in the first match Monday at Hisense Arena against Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan. No. 2-ranked and 2012 finalist Maria Sharapova, who withdrew from the Brisbane International with an injured right collarbone, will get the program under way on Rod Laver Arena against fellow Russian Olga Puchkova.
Serena and top-ranked Azarenka, who are in the top half of the women's draw and could meet in the semifinals, get another day off before starting Tuesday.
There was no Williams-like domination on the men's side last year, with four players sharing the majors. After losing the Australian final to Djokovic, Nadal captured his seventh French Open title at Roland Garros. Federer broke a mini drought when he took the Wimbledon title, his 17th major, fending off Andy Murray in the final. Murray beat Federer for the Olympic gold medal before his career breakthrough at the U.S. Open, where he ended a 76-year drought for British men at the majors.
Djokovic is the only leading man in action Monday, with No. 2 Federer and third-seeded Murray on the opposite side of the draw and not due on court until Tuesday. Nadal is still yet to return to tennis, which has critics and fans speculating on who might capitalize among the other men.
Fourth-seeded David Ferrer, a semifinalist at the French and U.S. Opens last year, opens against Olivier Rochus in an evening match on Hisense Arena, and fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon finalist, faces American Michael Russell on Show Court 2. No. 6 Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, and big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic are in the same half as Murray and Federer.
Djokovic, who lost a singles match to Australia's Bernard Tomic in an exhibition tournament last week, was asked to pick the best of the potential challengers and politely named quite a few.
"It's probably expected that the three of us, and Nadal of course, would still be main candidates to win all the major titles. But, you know, I wouldn't underestimate Del Potro, (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga, Ferrer, Berdych, anybody who is in top 10," he said. "I don't think it's nice for me to predict that us three will be champions of all Grand Slams this year.
Federer will also get an extra break before starting his 53rd consecutive Grand Slam event, second only to retired South African Wayne Ferreira's mark of 57.
He didn't play a warm-up event, preferring instead to rest.
"I can practice as hard as I want, make it feel also like a match," said Federer, who has played every Australian Open since 2000 and has won the title four times. "I have a lot of experience. I feel like if I'm playing well in practice. Today, at this age, I know where my game's at.
"I'm ready to go and eager. That to me right now dominates. It's important to be fresh."
Another 31-year-old with a long history at the Australian Open is former No. 1-ranked Lleyton Hewitt. The former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion first qualified for his national championship at age 15 and is due to start his 17th consecutive Australian Open campaign on Monday night against eighth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia.
Hewitt's best result at Melbourne Park was a losing final against Marat Safin in 2005 and has he slid down the rankings to No. 81 due to age and injuries.
No Australian man has won the Australian Open since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

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Notre Dame's defense overmatched in title game

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Manti Te'o stood perfectly still as he took a long look at one of the giant video screens in Sun Life Stadium, studying the replay of an Alabama touchdown.
It was a pose that Notre Dame repeated way, way too often in the BCS title game.
Te'o — the senior linebacker who was widely considered the nation's top defensive player this season — was a non-factor early in Monday's national championship, and that foreshadowed how the rest of the night went for the Fighting Irish. Overmatched from the opening possession, Notre Dame allowed season highs in points and yardage, simply unable to stop the Crimson Tide.
Final score: Alabama 42, Notre Dame 14.
And yes, it was that one-sided of a game, one that even had Irish coach Brian Kelly cracking a joke at his own expense in a televised halftime interview.
"All Alabama," Kelly said at the time. "I mean, we can't tackle them right now. And who knows why? They're big and physical — I guess I do know why."
Anyone who was watching knew why.
"Obviously we wish the night could have ended in a different way," Te'o said, "but the season, the year, my career here, I've been truly blessed to be at Notre Dame and I'll forever be proud to say that I'm a Notre Dame Fighting Irish, regardless of what happened tonight."
The lowlights were stacked high by the time this game was over. Te'o missed a couple of tackles early, something he hardly ever did this season. By halftime, when it was 28-0, the Irish had already given up more points than they had in any game this season, the previous high being 26 in a triple-overtime win over Pittsburgh. The most yards Notre Dame gave up this season was 379; Alabama cracked the 500 mark early in the fourth quarter.
Alabama finished with 529 yards, converted 8 of 13 third downs, got five touchdowns in five trips to the red zone and became the first team since Stanford in 2009 to score at least 42 points against the Irish.
"We just needed to execute better," safety Zeke Motta said. "It was just a matter of execution and playing the right way."
Maybe the play that will be most replayed of all was the one where Eddie Lacy essentially tackled Danny Spond.
The significance?
Well, Lacy was the Alabama ballcarrier at the time, holding the football with one arm and sending Spond — one of Notre Dame's top linebackers — sprawling with the other as he rumbled past for an extra yard or two.
"Pretty darn good football team, but not good enough," Kelly said, assessing his team as Alabama's crimson-and-white-confetti-filled victory celebration was wrapping up on the field. "So it's clear what we need to do in the offseason."
Bigger, stronger, faster. By night's end, it couldn't be argued that the Crimson Tide held all those titles.
It's why Alabama will fly home Tuesday with its third national title trophy from the last four seasons, no longer a budding dynasty — but an established one.
"It's a tough way to go out," tight end Tyler Eifert said. "We laid it all on the line, but at the end of the day, 'Bama was the better team."
Notre Dame arrived at the title game on the cusp of what would have been a fantasy scenario, that of being unranked at the start of the season and the undisputed champions at the end of the campaign.
After one play, it looked as if it might happen when Lacy was stopped after a 1-yard gain, wrapped up just over the line of scrimmage.
One play later, Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron connected with Kevin Norwood for 29 yards, placing a pass between two Notre Dame defenders.
Such was the theme the rest of the night. Even when Notre Dame had its moments, they didn't last long. Lacy ran in from 20 yards to cap that first Alabama drive, the Tide stretched the lead to 21-0 after one play of the second quarter, and the outcome was never in doubt.
Some of the lower-bowl seats at Sun Life were being resold for as much as $10,000 in the days before the game. The majority of those seats were empty long before the finish, those fans for whatever reason deciding they didn't need to see yet another Alabama coronation.
Notre Dame didn't have the luxury those early departees did. The Irish had to watch until the bitter end, and Te'o — even though his college days are done — wants his team to remember what happened.
"The best thing about this experience is it creates fire, it creates fuel, for both the guys staying here and the guys leaving," Te'o said. "Everybody here tonight will be better because of it.

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American Football-Alabama crush Notre Dame to win championship

 National Championship college football game …more
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 Article: Saban completes Crimson dynasty
Tue, Jan 8, 2013
MIAMI (Reuters) - Alabama's 'Crimson Tide' swept aside Notre Dame in the BCS Championship game on Monday, dominating the 'Fighting Irish' 42-14 to win their third college football title in four years.
Notre Dame, 12-0 in the regular season, had been looking for their first national title since 1988 but were all at sea against irresistible Alabama, who set the tone of the game with an utterly one-sided 28-0 first half.
Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron threw four touchdown passes and finished with 264 yards through the air, while running back Eddie Lacy and receiver Amari Cooper had two scores each as the Crimson Tide claimed back-to-back titles.
The victory confirmed Nick Saban as the most successful active coach in college football with four national titles, taking him within two of Alabama great Bear Bryant.
The one-sided nature of a game featuring the top ranked Notre Dame will inevitably lead to further criticism of the ranking system, though a new system is to be introduced in 2014 that will see four teams battle it out for the crown at the end of the regular season.
Regardless of the system, few would argue that Alabama, beaten only by Texas A&M in the regular season, are worthy national champions - a status acknowledged before the game by Las Vegas bookmakers if not the rankings.
The matchup had been described as a return to the pinnacle of college football for Notre Dame but it ended in embarrassment for the team in shiny golden helmets, who have won 11 ‘consensus' national titles but endured some lean years of late.
The chance of a first title since the introduction of the BCS championship game in 1998 drew a huge Notre Dame following to Miami where they made up the bulk of the record 80,120 crowd at the Dolphins' Sun Life stadium.
PULSATING ATMOSPHERE
After marching bands had whipped up the atmosphere, it was quickly apparent that the smaller but wildly enthusiastic Alabama support would be heading home happy.
Alabama's first drive ended in a 20 yard touchdown run from the powerful Lacy, ably assisted by an imposing offensive line that swiftly establish supremacy.
McCarron then found tight-end Michael Williams with a three yard pass as Alabama took a 14-0 first quarter lead.
The second quarter saw a one yard rushing score from T.J. Yeldon and then Lacy collected a pass from McCarron and ran into the end-zone for an 11 yard score.
Alabama's power in the running game was evident in the yards put up by their two main backs - Lacy rushed for 140 yards and Yeldon 108.
Receiver Amari Cooper was left wide-open to score on a 34 yard McCarron pass in the third before Notre Dame gave their fans something to cheer with quarterback Everett Golson running the ball in from two yards out.
McCarron and Cooper combined again for a fourth quarter score before Notre Dame's Golson found Theo Riddick with a six yard pass to make the final score 42-14.
With the game already won and three minutes left on the clock, Saban sent out back-up quarterback Blake Sims and other reserves to get a taste of the glory.

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Bama's Lacy romps over Notre Dame defense

ay, Jan. 7, 2013, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris O' …more
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Eddie Lacy romped through Notre Dame's defense with power and his favorite move.
No. 2 Alabama's latest star tailback rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown and scored with a spin move on a catch in Monday night's 42-14 rout over No. 1 Notre Dame in the BCS championship.
If the game ends up being the junior's finale at Alabama, it was a doozy. He was slowed early in the season with a nagging left ankle injury but finished with three straight 100-yard games, a 99-yarder and 10 touchdowns in the final four games.
"I think for one of the first times this season we were able to come out and play a complete game," Lacy said. "I mean, we had slow starts at times but we were able to come back and put a couple of drives together and score."
Named the game's outstanding player on offense, Lacy had 72 yards before the first quarter ended — against a defense that came in allowing a stingy 92 yards a game on the ground. He capped the opening drive with a 20-yard touchdown and had nine touches on the first two possessions, both ending with touchdowns.
It was impressive against a sturdy front seven led by All-America linebacker Manti Te'o.
"I was surprised, but the offensive line came out and opened up big holes," Lacy said.
"We did it the way coach always talks about. We come out and play for 60 we gave it all we've got and that was the outcome."
Lacy spun into the end zone at the end of an 11-yard catch with 31 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 28-0. It's a move that typically buys him extra yardage, and one that he jokes with teammates is trademarked and requires a fee when they try to duplicate it.
"Lacy made us miss," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said. "I thought his ability to shake us down was outstanding."
He said most of the Fighting Irish's tackling issues could be credited to "a really outstanding back in Lacy and the way he ran. I was very impressed with him tonight."
He's just the latest Bama tailback to shine in the big one, even if he came in with less acclaim than his predecessors. The 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and last season's finalist, Trent Richardson, both topped 100 yards against Texas and another stout run defense in Pasadena, Calif., three years ago.
Both went on to become first-round NFL draft picks. Lacy isn't projected quite that high, but he definitely didn't hurt his case if he decides to turn pro.
"He's incredible. He's an incredible player," center Barrett Jones said. "We're seeing what Eddie's capable of. He's been a little banged up at the beginning of the year but now he's fully healthy and he's an incredible player."
Lacy finished the year with 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,322 yards, while sharing headlines and carries with talented freshman T.J. Yeldon, who ran for 108 yards and a touchdown on the night also topped 1,000 yards for the season.
Lacy was at his best late in Alabama's title run.
He rushed for 131 yards against Auburn, 181 in the Southeastern Conference championship game versus Georgia and 99 yards against Western Kentucky before that streak. He scored 10 touchdowns during that four-game stretch.
Lacy mostly grinned and shrugged off questions about not being fully healthy or in game shape early in the season, but admitted a couple of weeks ago that "it can break you down as a competitor ... because you're thinking about what I used to be able to do."
Alabama had plenty of big offensive performances against the Fighting Irish, who had won five of the first six meetings.
AJ McCarron, last year's championship game MVP against LSU, completed 20 of 28 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Yeldon gained 108 yards on 21 carries and fellow freshman Amari Cooper caught six passes for 105 yards to break Julio Jones' freshman receiving records.
Lacy set the tone, though.
He converted a fourth-and-1 play and, later, ran for 5 yards up the middle — gaining a couple extra yards after pushing 248-pound linebacker Danny Spond away with one hand in the second quarter.
"We were able to establish and maintain the run with our backs and line doing a great job and then AJ and our receivers converted third downs and maintained drives," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "We were able to possess the ball, and it limited their opportunities."

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Facebook updates Messenger app to support voice messages

Facebook (FB) on Thursday released an update to its Messenger app on Android and iOS that will help the company further compete with services like Google Voice and Skype. The update allows users to send short voice messages, up to a minute in length, to one another using the application, similar to popular apps Voxer and HeyTell. Additionally, Facebook is allowing Canadian iOS users to make free calls using the application with a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection, The Verge reported. It is speculated that if testing goes well, the company may bring the feature to Europe and the United States.

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Why Some Facebook Users Constantly Update Status

Scientists have found what compels people to constantly update their Facebook status. College students who posted more status updates than they normally did felt less lonely over the course of a week, even if no one "Liked" or commented on their posts, researchers found.
"We got the idea to conduct this study during a coffee-break sharing random stories about what friends had posted on Facebook," psychology researcher Fenne große Deters, of the Universitat Berlin, told LiveScience in an email. "Wondering why posting status updates is so popular, we thought that it would be thrilling to study this new form of communication empirically."
Deters and her colleague recruited about 100 undergraduates (all Facebook users) at the University of Arizona. All participants filled out initial surveys to measure their levels of loneliness, happiness and depression, and they gave the researchers access to their Facebook profiles by friending a dummy user created for the experiment.
The students were sent an analysis of their average weekly status updates (online wall-memos) and some of the participants were then told to post more statuses than usual over the next seven days. During that week, all completed a short online questionnaire at the end of each day about their mood and level of social connection.
Compared with the group of students who didn't adjust their social media habits, those who went on a status-writing blitz felt less lonely over the week, the team found. Their happiness and depression levels went unchanged, "suggesting that the effect is specific to experienced loneliness," the researchers wrote. And a drop in loneliness was linked to an increase in feeling more socially connected, which the researchers believe is the cause behind the positive effects of status updating. [6 Personal Secrets Your Facebook Profile Isn't Keeping]
Interestingly, the team found that loneliness levels did not depend on whether the students' status updates garnered any comments or "Likes" from Facebook friends. One might assume that a lack of response could be considered a form of rejection, but the act of writing a status update itself might help people feel more connected, the researchers said. When crafting a clever status, Facebook users have a target audience in mind. Simply thinking about their friends (or at least their Facebook friends) can have a "social snacking" effect.
"Similar to a snack temporarily reducing hunger until the next meal, social snacking may help tolerate the lack of 'real' social interaction for a certain amount of time," the researchers wrote in a paper published last month in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Now with over a billion users, Facebook has become the focus of an increasing number of studies trying to uncover the real-life social side effects that can accompany using the social media site.
For example, research presented last year at the meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) showed how the site offers a dangerous medium for social comparison. People in that study with lots of Facebook friends had lower self-esteem, feeling worse about their place in life and their achievements if they'd just viewed their friends' status updates, compared with people who hadn't recently surfed the site. But for people with just a few Facebook friends, viewing status updates wasn't a problem.
Another study, detailed in the Sept. 13 issue of the journal Nature, found such Facebook friends can influence real-life actions of one another. In that study, one "get out the vote" message sent to 61 million Facebook users on Election Day 2010 led to 340,000 people casting ballots when they otherwise would not have.

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Kris Jenner Facebook Page Calling Kim Kardashian Critics 'Hoes' A Fake!

Kris Jenner made headlines this week after being quoted as calling critics of daughter Kim Kardashian's pregnancy (with boyfriend Kanye West) "hoes" on her Facebook page.
The problem is... it wasn't Kris' actual page!
PLAY IT NOW: Rob Kardashian Reacts To Sister Kim Kardashian’s Pregnancy
In an article published on Thursday, the UK's Daily Mail ran a story quoting Kris as posting, "Kim Kardashian is 32 & she's pregnant, but y'all hoes be 16 with 4 kids and no baby daddy.. & y'all calling her a slut? PLEASE, have a seat."
While the fake quotes were quickly picked up by media, the Facebook page cited by the British paper is merely a fan page (linking back to an unverified Twitter account, and having only 40,000 "likes").
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian & Kanye West: Reality & Rap Power Couple!
Even the bio on the fake Facebook page seems to be a dead giveaway that it's not the Kardashian matriarch's actual page.
"Keep your latest UPDATES about the Kardashian/Jenner family.We love Kris Jenner," the fan page's bio states. "LIKE IT please! If you're a Kris Jenner Fan!"
And in the page's description on the "About" page, it seems to be clear the page is not authored by Kris, stating, "This is for the most AWESOME Mommy in all the world! For the Lovely Kris Jenner I love her a LOT! We love you."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Reality TV’s Brunette Bombshell Kim Kardashian!
Meanwhile, Kris' official Facebook page boasts nearly half a million "likes," and the last official post on the famed momager's account was published on December 28.
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, on Sunday, Kim announced she and Kanye West are expecting a baby.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebrity Baby Bumps
"We feel so blessed and lucky and wish that in addition to both of our families, his mom and my dad could be here to celebrate this special time with us," the 32-year-old star wrote in a post on her personal website at the time. "Looking forward to great new beginnings in 2013 and to starting a family. Happy New Year!!! Xo.

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Spirax Sarco Releases Steam Trapping Overview Brochure

A large selection of steam trap to meet the requirements of plant facilities

Blythewood, SC (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
Spirax Sarco has introduced a comprehensive Steam Trapping Overview Brochure, which combines all of their steam trap products and solutions. The brochure is divided into each trap type with explanation of the trap operation, user benefits and shows a list of all models to assist the reader with selecting the right trap for their plant. A side by side comparison chart shows all the trap types with main features, typical applications, sizes, body rating and maximum operating pressure. Also included is trap testing equipment, trap accessories and distribution and condensate manifolds which all are part of the steam trapping family of products.
The publication is available in print or as a .pdf at http://www.spiraxsarco.com/us
About Spirax Sarco, Inc.

Spirax Sarco is the world leader in steam system management. The Company provides a broad range of fluid control products, engineered packages, systems expertise and site services for its diverse range of over 100,000 industrial and institutional customers. The Company helps its customers to optimize production capacity, reduce energy costs and emissions, improve product quality and enhance the safety of their operations. Spirax Sarco has strategically located manufacturing plants around the world and employs approximately 4,700 people, of whom around 1,300 are direct sales and service engineers. Further information can be found at http://www.spiraxsarco.com/us.

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Passion Flower Powder Now Helps Prevent Insomnia in Adults Reports iTrustNews.com

Passion flower powder is now helping to prevent insomnia in adults as reported by iTrustNews.com. The recent introduction to the U.S. market and several prominent showings on popular television programs has helped to introduce adults to this new sleep aid according to a new report now published.

Danbury, Connecticut (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
The iTrustNews.com website has published a new report about the popularity of passion flower powder to help prevent insomnia in adults. The healing benefits of this natural plant were recently introduced to U.S. television audiences on several popular medical programs. The new report published online details the many uses of this herbal medicine and exactly which retailers are now discounting online pricing due to the recent surge in requests for this new powder.
The passiflora, sometimes referred to as passionflower, has been used for centuries for its healing benefits in many cultures. The unprocessed powder that is created through grinding of the stems, leaves and flowers of this plant is used as additives in some foods. The healing benefits include digestive health, anxiety relief and blood pressure normalization. The iTrustNews.com report focuses on the sleep therapy that some have found when using this plant in powdered form.
Some health food stores and specialty retailers are now stocking the passion flower powder in order to meet the demand of consumers. The announcement of the healing benefits and ways this powder can be used has helped to create new interest both online and offline. One of the popular ways that men and women ingest this powder is in tea or other drinks. The majority of the supplies can be found online sold in one-pound packages. The pricing in the report was found to vary from retailer to retailer although discount information is included.
The all-natural base of the passion powder is one reason that consumers are now selecting this product. Instead of pharmaceutical created medicines, the natural ingredients provide a safe and effective sleep aid to adults suffering from insomnia. The new report online is scheduled to remain updated as new prices and stock information is obtained from retailers now selling this herbal aid.
About iTrustNews
The iTrustNews company syndicates its articles, new stories and product reviews through a network of hundreds of outlets on the Internet. News is gathered and reported by this company on a daily basis. A team of writers, editors and researches work together to locate some of the best discounts that can be found online to help consumers. The iTrustNews company launched its product reviews section of its website in 2012 and has continued with updates in the New Year. Through daily updates and special reports, this company provides a trusted resource for consumers researching products and services online.

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New Book Tells of a Veteran Whose Life is Changed When He Moves to Arizona

Author John C. Bird pens a fascinating fiction about a guy who gets more than he bargained for in retirement

(PRWEB) January 10, 2013
When Retired Army Officer Andy Frank moved to Arizona, it was so he could be near his other veteran buddies. He got more than he bargained for when he met Jenifer. Readers can witness the intriguing series of events that occur in author John C. Bird’s A Veteran Moves to Arizona.
When Andy is having breakfast with his three veteran friends, he finds himself attracted to a younger woman, Jenifer, who is their server. They go on one date that changes their lives forever. A Veteran Moves to Arizona follows their budding romance amidst a conflict with the Las Vegas mob, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other dilemmas that the couple must deal with. Adding complications to their already precarious relationship is Andy’s issue with their age difference—as he is twice Jenifer’s age—and Jenifer’s fear of men, which is brought about by her past experience with abuse. Will these two overcome all the challenges they face and find love and happiness?
An interesting story of a guy who just wants to be left alone in his retirement, who feels compelled to assist a young woman in need, A Veteran Moves to Arizona is also a take that explores the different feelings between two people who are cautiously navigating the unpredictable waters of love. It is a must-read for the Veteran, the romantic, and the Vet with PTSD and his significant other.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author

John C. Bird has eight articles in publication on management topics and is the author of A Marine – A Soldier.
A Veteran Moves To Arizona * by John C. Bird

Publication Date: 10/26/2012

Trade Paperback; $19.99; 196 pages; 978-1-4797-3113-8

Trade Hardback; $29.99; 196 pages; 978-1-4797-3114-5

eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4797-3115-2
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Criminal cases made Pa. AG hand over NCAA suit

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's attorney general said she granted Gov. Tom Corbett the authority to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA because the litigation could present a conflict of interest as her office prosecutes three Penn State administrators.
Attorney General Linda Kelly told The Associated Press on Thursday that "an actual conflict of interest could, and likely would, arise if this office were involved in both cases."
Her office is prosecuting Graham Spanier, Gary Schultz and Tim Curley on charges of endangering the welfare of children, obstruction, conspiracy, failure to report suspected child abuse and perjury. Prosecutors claim they illegally covered up complaints and suspicions about Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator who was convicted last summer of 45 counts of child sexual abuse, including attacks inside campus facilities.
Corbett sued the NCAA in federal court on Wednesday, saying a set of penalties imposed against Penn State over its handling of the matter should be thrown out on antitrust grounds. The school agreed to a $60 million fine, a four-year ban on post-season play, a reduction in scholarships and the elimination of more than 100 wins under former coach Joe Paterno.
The size and scope of the criminal case made it "untenable" for the attorney general's office to sue the NCAA, Kelly said.
"Given the serious nature of both these cases, keeping these matters separate is the best course of action for the people of Pennsylvania," she said.
The NCAA has called Corbett's lawsuit meritless and an affront to the victims of Sandusky, who is now serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence for abuse of 10 boys over 15 years.
Spanier, forced out as president last year after Sandusky's arrest, remains a faculty member but is on paid leave. Curley is serving out the last year of his contract as athletic director, also on leave. Schultz, the school's vice president for business and finance, has retired.
All three have said they are innocent.
Under state law, the attorney general pursues and defends lawsuits involving most state agencies, but can delegate that power for reasons of efficiency or if it is otherwise deemed to be in the best interests of the state.
Kelly said her office received a request from Corbett's lawyer James D. Schultz on Friday, Dec. 14, for permission to sue the NCAA. Her office granted it three days later, she said. That authority, signed by the chief of her litigation section, can be terminated or amended by the attorney general's office, and it does not cover any appeals.
Kelly, a Republican, was nominated two years ago by Corbett, who left the office midterm after being elected governor.
Her decision drew criticism Thursday from a suburban Philadelphia politician who is considering a run against Corbett in the 2014 GOP primary. Bruce Castor, a Montgomery County commissioner and former district attorney, said the lawsuit appeared to be filed in a rush because Kelly's successor, Democrat Kathleen Kane, is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 15.
"I can't imagine any circumstances where I would have given up a case of this importance from my office," Castor said. "It would be exciting. It would be challenging. It would be headline-grabbing. It would have all of the elements that I used to think made a case worthwhile of handling, if not by myself, with my staff."
Kane did not respond to a message seeking comment left Thursday for Charlie Lyons, a top aide in her transition.
Walter Cohen, who spent nearly seven years in the attorney general's office, including a year as the attorney general, said he doubted Kane will want to take the case back.
"She's going to be handed a lot of stuff that happened under Linda Kelly, including the Curley and Schultz and Spanier prosecutions," Cohen said. "That itself is a lot to do

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Women's hockey team at Dalhousie University suspended over hazing ritual

HALIFAX - Officials at Dalhousie University in Halifax have suspended the women's hockey team for the rest of the season after an investigation revealed that a recent hazing ritual involved excessive drinking, intimidation and humiliation.
University spokesman Charles Crosby issued a brief statement Thursday saying many of the team's players were "put in harm's way" both physically and psychologically during a private house party in September.
Crosby says an investigation by the vice-president of student services started after a first-year athlete approached the team's coach with concerns about the treatment of new players.
Though no one was physically hurt, Crosby says the incident represents a serious breach of the university's expectations.
He confirmed that the team captains have been removed from their positions and all but the first-year players have been suspended for the remainder of the 2012-13 season, which has made it impossible for the team to continue playing.
As well, Crosby said the team will be educated about the university's hazing policy and counselling services will be offered to team members.

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Spond cherishing chance at BCS title

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Notre Dame linebacker Danny Spond values every chance he gets to be on the football field.
That might sound trivial. After all, doesn't every player feel that way?
Probably so, but then again, few players have seen what Spond has seen.
The native of Littleton, Colo., was a star quarterback at Columbine High, where a school shooting took the lives of 13 people in 1999. Now a linebacker, he wears jersey No. 13 to honor those victims and has been deeply affected by the school massacre in Newtown, Conn., last month.
In August, he feared he might lose his football career when a migraine headache struck him so severely that he was unable to move parts of his body.
Now he's about to take the field with a national championship at stake.
"This is the biggest stage that we'll ever play on," Spond said.
No. 1 Notre Dame (12-0) meets No. 2 Alabama (12-1) on Monday night at Sun Life Stadium, a matchup of storied programs that will collide and decide the BCS national champion. Spond is expected to start for the Irish, who enter the game with the nation's top-ranked scoring defense, just a smidge ahead of the Crimson Tide.
Alabama is favored, which to the Irish isn't exactly a relevant point.
"In our eyes, this is a step down from the Super Bowl," Spond said. "Underdog or if you're favored in these games, that doesn't really matter."
And if anyone on the field Monday night can speak on what really matters, it might be Spond.
He knows what the Columbine shootings meant to his community, both then and now. He grieved for the victims of the school massacre in Newtown that took the lives of 26 students and teachers at an elementary school.
"I can't express how horrible of an event that is," Spond said Thursday, when he was among a small group of Notre Dame players who met with reporters in advance of the title game. "Going through that ... unspeakable. It's hard to explain. It's hard to put into words. I don't know what to say about it, other than time will heal. It did our community and I know it will there."
Spond relies on faith and makes no secret of it, using his beliefs to get him through tough moments, on the field and off.
When he was hospitalized in August, football wasn't his concern. Walking was.
Parts of Spond's left side were numb when he was struck by the migraine, which doctors originally feared was a stroke. He walked with a limp after spending about half a week in the hospital, then needed rehabilitation just so he could feel close to normal again. Football was pushed aside.
That is, until he surprised the Irish by coming back so quickly.
"We were just wondering if he would ever be able to function regularly on a daily basis," Irish star linebacker Manti Te'o said. "And then for him to come out — what was it, a week and a half later? — and say 'I'm going to practice,' we were like, 'Oh, Danny, you can just chill, you know. This is life we're talking about, not just football. Just chill.' But he goes, 'I'm going to get ready.'"
So he got ready. He finished the regular season with 38 tackles in 10 games, which doesn't sound all that impressive.
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco begs to differ.
"Danny Spond is, to me, one of the players of the year," Diaco said.
"To watch him battle and fight and stay positive and become the player that he has become for his teammates in 2012, he is a stalwart out there to the field. It's very hard to get a play on him in the pass game or the run game. It's just really been inspirational for me to watch and be a part of. So I'm so thankful for Danny Spond specifically in my life."
Spond said the six-week wait for this has been easier than some might think, since it's allowed the Irish to prepare and heal.
In short, he knows his team will be ready for whatever Nick Saban and Alabama can throw Notre Dame's way on Monday night.
"They are a great team," Spond said. "They are obviously in this game for a reason and they have proved that in the past couple of years. Coach Saban has built a very strong program over there, so we're preparing for their best. They'll give us their best."

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Eco Wind Chimes Announces Shop by Sound Feature

Seattle (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Eco Wind Chimes is an online company that sells American-made wind chimes. Now, the company is launching its “shop by sound” feature. The feature allows online shoppers to make purchase decisions based on a sample sound. The sample sounds enables shoppers to listen to tones, such as “Earthsong”, “Island Melody” , “Majestic Morning” and more.
“Wind chimes provide soothing relief for the soul because of the music aspect. It only made sense that our online shoppers could hear the chimes before making a decision to purchase one,” said Stephen Betzen of Eco Wind Chimes. “Our renovated website allows people to shop by price and brand. But, it is the tone feature that really allows customers to connect with the wind chimes.”
The “Shop by Sound” feature can be accessed by clicking here: http://www.ecowindchimes.com/Shop-Wind-Chimes-By-Sound-s/3.htm “Online buying is at its strongest right now. I wanted to launch this feature so customers could really hear what we have to offer. Eco Wind Chimes has always stood out when stacked against our competitors because of our dedication to providing a superior quality product,” continued Betzen. Members of the media are invited to request a complimentary wind chime upon story request qualification.
About: All Eco Wind Chime products are made, and sourced, in the USA. The soothing products produced by Eco Wind Chimes match the company’s dedication to quality workmanship, affordability, and purposeful retail. Eco Wind Chimes is owned by husband and wife team, Rachel & Stephen Betzen.

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International Radio Just Got More User Friendly

RadioFlag gives call signs to stations outside North America, making it easier for listeners to search and find the stations they love.

Newport Beach, CA (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
RadioFlag is live Social Radio for a new generation of listeners, and now the company that just launched in mid - 2011 wants listeners in North America to easily discover International Radio. They look to accomplish this by displaying international radio stations in a format already familiar to its users in the U.S. RadioFlag is assigning call signs to radio stations broadcasting from around the world that do not have a tradition of using them.
RadioFlag originally featured stations from the U.S. and Canada. Both of these countries already use call signs, so listeners can better identify and remember radio stations. In fact this is common practice in most of North America. In the U.S., the FCC assigns 4 call letters, and in unique cases has even allowed 3 letters. However, many countries around the world do not issue call signs to their radio stations.
Starting with Europe, those who search for the stations they want to hear, on the web or on other apps who offer international radio, can only find their favorites if they can remember the name of the radio station. Considering radio is now available on mobile devices, screens allow very limited space to display full radio station names, not to mention the stations throughout Europe who go by similar names, make searching even more confusing.
RadioFlag prefers that international stations work with them in choosing a call sign that best fits the station’s personality and branding objectives. The company offers these stations 4 character call signs, using a combination of both letters and or numbers, and in some circumstances up to 5 characters. In addition, the station’s new call sign will be followed by a three letter ISO country code, such as - ZAF, which identifies stations broadcasting from South Africa. For example, ‘Yona Ke Yona Radio’, broadcasts from Johannesburg, and brands itself as ‘Giving local music a platform, for unknown South African artists’. The problem is remembering the station name once listeners discover it. So RadioFlag assigned the station call sign: YKY-ZAF
RadioFlag will also add an i to call signs for international internet stations. In this case, the i signifies that the station does not have a terrestrial signal, and instead only broadcasts online. For example Scratch Radio, a spirited student radio station broadcasting only over the internet from the campus of Birmingham City University, in Birmingham, United Kingdom, has been issued the call sign iSCRA-GBR. So now listeners can easily remember the station where they discovered new music genres and breaking bands on shows like DJ Ant Lee’s ‘Unsigned’.
California tech start up RadioFlag, has already used this innovative method to better brand and identify ‘Internet Only’ radio stations in the U.S., which also do not use call signs. Reserving call signs for these stations also serves to secure call letters for American College Radio stations, many of which are losing their terrestrial signal due to cuts in funding. Reserving call signs, ensures that should they be forced to make a full transition to broadcasting only online, the call signs will not be lost, and their station branding continues.
RadioFlag's BlackBerry release has proven to be very popular outside the U.S., with users from around the world not only tuning in and interacting with stations in their home countries, but also allowing them to discover some great radio in the U.S., and especially the talented DJs who broadcast from many of nation’s college campuses. The app is also available for the iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile.
RadioFlag’s founder and CEO, Anthony Roman says his team has one goal in mind, “live radio is the original electronic social network, so from the start our team believes no other entertainment medium is more naturally equipped to connect people all around the world, based on shared opinions, ideas, interests and tastes. Live Radio is dynamic, stimulating and interactive, so I think by making international radio easily accessible to a global audience, we can help empower these DJs to better inform, educate, enlighten and entertain."
RadioFlag focuses its efforts on promoting original, non -mainstream radio content, by spotlighting Indie, Community, Alternative, and College Radio, broadcasted over the Internet and AM-FM airwaves. Roman says, “RadioFlag is not a push button playlist service. We are a different option. If you want a computer algorithm to select your music, there are plenty of good services who can offer you that. RadioFlag connects listeners with real DJs behind the mic. We can’t wait to introduce listeners to international DJs and their local perspectives, which will surely open their ears to not only emerging artists and a fresh sound, but also new cultures entirely!”
The company is connecting and streaming more stations from more countries each week. Also look for more user friendly innovations this year from RadioFlag, along with a new look, and features centered around the DJ – Artist dynamic, when the company releases its redesign.

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Premium Astrology Sparks 2013 Off with More Social Media Interaction for Norah Guide Users

Premium Astrology has expanded social media services for Norah Guide users to interact with Norah – World Famous Clair-Astrologist of The Stars.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
It’s 2013 and more people are discovering the secret about World Famous Clair-Astrologer – Norah. Using her wonderful clair-tool, “Norah Guide” is now available globally thanks for new social media platforms adapted by Premium Astrology.
Norah Guide, world-famous Clair-Astrologist – had improved her reporting techniques by using Progression for each period of her readings. Norah Guide is now available on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, About.Me., and Tumblr,
There are numerous types of (IPI) integrate Progression:

    Minor progression
    Tertiary progression
    Converse progression
    Ascendant Arc progression
    Symbolic Arc progression
Norah takes the guesswork out with extremely accurate Transit Guide Reports, and extended length reports for all reading services offered on Premium Astrology websites.
Read what other Norah Guide users have to say about Norah:
“I was surprised by the accuracy of the Financial part of the reading.“ - Diane
“You have released me from all my doubts an fears and given me hope. the reading was spot on. Thank you.” – Rita
“90% of the Mini Report is true, and in the Transitional plan I found interesting data that are very close to what in these last few months I tried to focus. I'm not amazed at what I received: it is as if I expected.” - Giovanna
Be amazed for with a reading providing by Norah at no charge, or previous purchase necessary. Get clarity on those questions that keep one up at night. Good sleep comes when answers are clear and easy to see, because then resolve can be implemented at the perfect time.
Premium Astrology is proud to help men and women all over the world enhance the quality of their lives through spiritual enlightenment. Premium Astrology provides fast, reliable astrological reports, and a variety of other services using the experience of Astro-Clairvoyant Norah Guide. The individual success of each of their clients is their highest priority, and Premium Astrology is available to provide live support 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

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C. African Republic leader faces rebel threat

DAMARA, Central African Republic (AP) — More than 30 truckloads of troops from Chad line the two-lane highway just outside of Damara, supporting Central African Republic government forces who want to block a new rebel coalition from reaching the capital.
In a display of force, the turbaned fighters hold their rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons they threaten to use if the rebels seeking to oust President Francois Bozize push this far south.
Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads the regional force known as FOMAC, says a push on Damara, just 75 kilometers (45 miles) north of the capital, would be "a declaration of war" on the 10 Central African states.
"For us, Damara is the red line that the rebels cannot cross," Akaga said Wednesday. "If they attack Damara, we will attack."
The United Nations called for talks between the government and rebels and the Security Council scheduled closed consultations on the Central African Republic on Thursday afternoon.
The multinational force brought journalists up to Damara, where they touted the strength of the Chadian troops, who along with forces from Republic of Congo and Gabon are helping to stabilize the area.
The rebels, though, appear to be holding their positions after taking a string of towns including Sibut, which is 70 miles (112 kilometers) further north from Damara.
Back in 2003, troops under Bozize seized the capital amid volleys of machine-gun and mortar fire, and he then dissolved the constitution and parliament. Now a decade later it is Bozize who himself could be ousted from power.
On Wednesday, he announced through a decree read on state radio that he was dismissing his son, Francis, as defense minister. Chief of Staff Guillaume Lapo also was being replaced.
The president already has promised to form a coalition government with rebels and to negotiate without conditions. It's a sign of how seriously Bozize is threatened by the rebel groups who call themselves Seleka, which means alliance in the Sango language.
Bozize says there's one point not up for negotiation: he does not intend to leave office before his term ends in 2016.
"We can't destroy the country. I don't think that a transition is a good solution for the rebels, for Central African Republic or for the international community," said Cyriaque Gonda, a spokesman for the political coalition behind Bozize.
But mediators for the government and others note the rebels — an alphabet soup of acronyms in French, UFDR, CPJP, FDPC and CPSK — want Bozize gone. And that's the only issue the disparate group seems unified on. Seleka is a shaky alliance that lumps together former enemies.
In September 2011, fighting between the CPJP and the UFDR left at least 50 people dead in the town of Bria and more than 700 homes destroyed.
"Even if they show unity in the military action, we know that they are politically very disunited, the only thing that holds them together is the opposition to the current president," said Roland Marchal, a Paris-based expert on Central African Republic. "If they take control of the capital I think that divisions would appear quickly."
Gonda, who has negotiated on behalf of the government with the rebels, says some of them couldn't even accept sitting together as recently as 2008.
Meanwhile, in some parts of the capital, Bangui, a city of 700,000, life continued as normal, while in others the military buildup was evident.
Trucks full of soldiers bounced on rutted roads dotted with shacks where people can charge mobile phones. Police officers stopped vehicles at intersections. Troops from neighboring nations have arrived including about 120 soldiers each from Republic of Congo and Gabon to help stabilize the area between rebel and the government forces.
In the Bimbo neighborhood, traders went about their business, selling everything from leafy greens to meat at roadside stands.
"We don't support what the rebels are doing," said banana farmer Narcisse Ngo, as a young boy played nearby with a monkey corpse for sale along with other meat. "They should be at the table negotiating without weapons. We are all Central Africans."
Bozize, who seized power while the democratically elected president was traveling outside the country, managed to win elections in 2005 but in the years since he has faced multiple low-level rebellions that have shattered security across the northern part of this large but desperately poor country.
He won the 2011 election with more than 64 percent of the vote, though the United States said the voting was "widely viewed as severely flawed." The U.S. evacuated its diplomats from Bangui last week.
The most prominent among the rebel groups in Seleka is the UFDR, or Union of Democratic Forces for Unity.
Human Rights Watch, which has documented abuses by both government forces and rebel groups operating in the country's north, says the UFDR rebellion "has its roots in the deep marginalization of northeastern CAR, which is virtually cut off from the rest of the country and is almost completely undeveloped."
The rebels, though, also have included some of Bozize's former fighters who helped bring him to power in 2003 but later accused him of failing to properly pay them, among other grievances, Human Rights Watch says.
For the people now caught in the middle, they want life to return to normal.
"Everyone is suffering here — we have nothing to eat," said Daniel Ngakou, 55, as he watched the Chadian troops patrol his hometown of Damara. "The women are searching in the bush all day for food. We just don't know what will happen."
The United Nations called on the government and the rebels Wednesday to focus on dialogue that can avert violence and lead to a peaceful resolution of the conflict and respect for the 2008 Libreville Comprehensive Peace Agreement. That deal was signed by the government and three major rebel groups.
U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky reiterated the U.N. Security Council's call last week for all parties to refrain from any acts of violence against civilians, respect human rights and seek a peaceful solution.
"We welcome regional efforts to seek a political solution and reinforce security," Nesirky told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York.
While the United Nations has temporarily withdrawn its staff from Central African Republic, Nesirky said the world body remains engaged in efforts to resolve the crisis.
He said U.N. special representative Margaret Vogt "has remained in close dialogue with the key parties in the Central African Republic and the region and has offered support to political negotiations," he said.

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Presidents of Sudan, South Sudan to meet Friday

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan, two countries which were at the brink of all-out war last year, are to meet Friday in Ethiopia's capital.
Spokesman Dina Mufti said Thursday that Ethiopia is optimistic the meeting will advance stalled peace deals.
Sudan President Omar al-Bashir and South Sudan President Salva Kiir signed deals in September to restart the south's oil industry. South Sudan's oil flows through Sudan's pipelines, bringing in revenue for both countries. The south shut down its oil industry last year after accusing Sudan of stealing its oil. Disagreements on the implementation of the September deal persist.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn and African Union mediators are expected to push the two leaders for a rapid implementation of the September deals.

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Ethiopian police says Qaida terror cell arrested

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia's spy agency says that security forces have arrested 15 people alleged to be members of a terror cell linked with al-Qaida.
The spy agency says military training manuals, videos and weapons were seized from the suspects. The agency announced the arrests late Wednesday.
Authorities said the suspects were trained by al-Shabab militants in neighboring Somalia and Kenya. They alleged the group was planning to launch attacks based in Ethiopia's Somali and Harara regions.
On Tuesday the country's federal high court convicted 10 people on similar terror charges.

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Tennis-Young Australians handed Melbourne Park wildcards

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Reigning boys champion Luke Saville has been handed a wildcard into the men's singles draw for the Australian Open later this month, organisers said on Thursday.
The 18-year-old Australian will be making his debut in the main draw at Melbourne Park and it comes after an impressive 2012 campaign in which he improved his ranking by more than 800 places and was also runner-up at the Wimbledon boys event.
"I feel as if this is a reward for the great year I have had and all the hard work I have put into my tennis," Saville, the world number 349, said.
Saville had fallen in the first round of the qualifiers for the first grand slam of the season in the last three years.

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Down Under Endeavours’ Australia Travel Agents Working with Australian Open Official Tour Operator

Tennis fans throughout the U.S. are eager to get their hands on Australian Open tennis tickets thanks to Down Under Endeavours and the exclusive ticket handler, Springboard Vacations. Working together, the two destination specialists are creating a once in a lifetime experience for tennis enthusiasts and the like.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 03, 2013
The Australian travel agents at Down Under Endeavours now have access to a limited number of Australian Open tennis tickets thanks to theAustralian Open Official Tour Operator, Springboard Vacations. Working together, Down Under Endeavours and Springboard Vacations are creating a once in a lifetime experience for everyone whether they’re families who want a fun day out in Melbourne, or die-hard tennis fans who want to witness the intensity of one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world.
“We’re extremely proud and honored to have this opportunity to work with Springboard Vacations who has been granted rights to these highly sought after Australian Open tickets,” says Corinne Goodman of Down Under Endeavours. “Our specialty is offering traditional travel packages focused on a special event that caters to the interests and imaginations of travelers from all walks of life.”
The Australian Open is a major tennis tournament held annually on the hard courts at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year. It features men’s and women’s singles; men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles and junior’s championships; as well as wheelchair, legends and exhibition events. Second to the U.S. Open’s high attendance record, tennis enthusiasts from all over the world flock to these games to take part in the long tennis rivalry between Australia and the U.S.
“Tennis is a great spectator sport, and there has been a huge untapped market for the event for years,” says president of Springboard Vacations, Ruth Grau. “When the matches are combined with the Aussie’s love of a good party, the event becomes a great travel opportunity for anyone and everyone.”
In the past, Australian Open tickets have only been available through four U.S. sports companies that only specialized in selling tours to sports event around the globe. With Tennis Australia’s addition of Springboard Vacations as their newest premiere destination specialist, new and exciting opportunities are now open to travelers of many interests.
Specializing in Australian travel, Down Under Endeavours is working closely with Springboard Vacations for travelers who are interested in getting their hands on Australian Open tickets before they become available to the rest of the public. The expert Australia destination specialists create custom luxury vacation packages designed around a traveler’s wants, needs, timeframe and budget.
For more information speak to one of the trusted Australian travel agents at Down Under Endeavours by calling 312-951-8517 or visiting http://www.downunderendeavours.com/.
About Down Under Endeavours

Down Under Endeavours is a travel industry wholesaler dedicated to booking travelers once-in-a-lifetime experiences. With special contracts between luxury properties, airlines and local tour groups in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti and Africa, the destination specialists at Down Under Endeavours create custom vacation packages tailored to traveler’s interests and imaginations. Exceeding expectations is what they specialize in and they go above and beyond adding extras to make a vacation truly special for those who wish to travel half way around the world to find the unexpected. Travelers can rest assured they know what they’re getting into as every destination, airline and tour is tested personally by the employees first at Down Under Endeavours.

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Tennis-Family and practice leave Federer ready for another slam

SINGAPORE, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Weeks of practice and family time have left Swiss maestro Roger Federer fit and refreshed ahead of what the 17-times major winner believes could be an unpredictable Australian Open in the absence of old foe Rafa Nadal.
Federer, 31, opted to skip his usual Australian Open warm-up tournaments in the Middle East this year and instead spent it working on his game and parenting, all part of a shorter 2013 schedule that he hopes will extend his career but has left him hungry for matches.
"I am very happy that the year is starting. It's a bit of a different preparation for the Australian Open this year but I'm confident I am mentally refreshed, which I am, and physically I am fine and that I will play a good Australian Open," Federer told reporters in Singapore on Friday.
"I have been practising really hard the last few weeks and didn't play a leading up tournament this year just because I thought practice is very important for me coming up in the next year, year-and-a-half."
The world number two's last match on Tour was back in November when he was defeated in the final of the ATP Tour Finals in London by Serbia's Novak Djokovic.
With only some exhibition matches in South America since, some questioned the move to go straight to the Australian Open but Federer, who won the last of his four Australian Open titles in 2010, said rest was required.
"It is key to always have a healthy schedule, it is difficult to do as they (the tournaments) are spread out basically from January to October-November," he said.
"It is hard to say I'm going to take one or two months off and practice hard while there are 10 to 15 new tournament winners on the Tour and you are sitting at home."
HIGHLY MOTIVATED
Federer said he had never been scared to take such decisions.
"For me, in the long run, I want to stay healthy and enjoy what I am doing, I want to have fun, I want to be excited and motivated coming back to the Tour," he explained.
"For that I really need to get away from it all, which I have done for the last two or three weeks now after an incredible busy South American trip and an incredible busy year so it is important for me to have the family time."
While the Swiss seemingly manages his career like clockwork, avoiding injury and ensuring he is always suitably refreshed to add to his record grand slam haul, the same cannot be said of Spaniard Nadal.
The 11-times grand slam champion has not played since losing in the early rounds at Wimbledon last year as his troublesome knees continue to require rest, forcing a late withdrawal from the Jan 14-27 Australian Open.
Federer said the continued absence of Nadal was an opportunity for one of the other players in the men's draw to break the Federer-Djokovic-Nadal domination, like Briton's Andy Murray did at the U.S. Open in September.
"I think it is an exciting one, we have had four different grand slam champions in the last year and everybody seems in great shape," he said, acknowledging that defending champion and world number one Djokovic was the favourite.
"Obviously with Rafa not around it is unfortunate, we would love to see him back so we were all hoping he was going to come back, but it creates opportunities for many other players with one less guy who normally runs through 90 percent of the guys so it is an interesting Australian Open.

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December jobs report: 155,000 new jobs, unemployment stays at 7.8 percent

The employment picture continues to improve, but Congress' budget battles remain a source of concern
The Labor Department reported on Friday morning that the economy added a solid 155,000 jobs in December, and that the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.8 percent — tied for its lowest level in four years. The report is the latest evidence that the labor market — after years of periodic setbacks — is now on a steady, if slow, climb out of the deep hole caused by the Great Recession.
In further good news, the Labor Department said that the economy created 161,000  jobs in November, up from its initial projection of 146,000.
In December, the private sector added 168,000 jobs, while the government — at the federal, state, and local levels — shed 13,000 workers. Construction companies added 30,000 jobs, the most since September 2011, which was partially attributed to efforts to rebuild areas in the Northeast ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.
It appears that the caustic fiscal cliff debate in Congress had a negligible impact on hiring, despite assertions that the cloud of uncertainty spewing from Washington, D.C., was causing businesses to think twice about making new labor investments. Businesses were reportedly immensely relieved that Congress found a way to extend the Bush tax cuts for all but the wealthiest Americans, as well as unemployment benefits, which act as a stimulus for economic growth.
However, concern lingers that looming budget battles in Congress could undermine the labor market's progress. In the next two months, the country faces the prospect of crippling spending cuts, a U.S. default on its debt, and a government shutdown — if Congress fails to act. "We may be seeing the calm before the storm right now," Ian Shepherdson, the head economist at Pantheon Macroeconomic Advisors, told The New York Times. "Small businesses are wringing their hands in horror at what's going on in Washington.

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Why this year's Oscars will be the least snooty ever

Finally, the Academy seems to realize that box-office success isn't a disqualifying factor
It happens every winter: A beautiful starlet wakes up at the crack of dawn to read a list of movies that will vie for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and millions of people around the country groan. "Never heard of them," America says.
But this year — for the first time in many, many years — not only will a majority of the public have heard of most of the films likely to be nominated, they may have actually seen them, too. Yes, the annual tradition of griping over the disconnect between the Academy's affinity for little-seen arthouse fare and the public's taste for mass-appeal blockbusters may finally be interrupted — at least if precursor award organizations' rewarding of bona fide box-office hits like Argo, Lincoln, and Les Miserables continues. (And it will.)
SEE ALSO: Is Tom Cruise the right actor to play Jack Reacher?
Years of discontent over the snubbing of well-made, populist films finally came to a head in 2008, when The Dark Knight, one of the best-reviewed and most audience-cheered movies of the year, was excluded from the Best Picture race. Not only did Christopher Nolan's second Batman flick score over $500 million at the domestic box office, but its 94 percent approval rating on review-aggregator Rotten Tomatoes trounced eventual nominees The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (72 percent) and The Reader (61 percent), bested Frost/Nixon (92 percent), and tied Milk and Slumdog Millionaire — all while being exponentially more popular with movie audiences. Backlash to The Dark Knight's omission was so vitriolic that it seems to have spurred the Academy to expand the Best Picture category to 10 nominees the very next year. The idea, presumably, was to make room for Dark Knight-like movies released each year that are habitually dismissed by Oscar voters for lack of space.
This was only a moderate success. While films like Avatar, The Blind Side, and The Help have made it in since the change was enacted in 2009, those extra slots have typically been taken by quiet indies: A Serious Man, Winter's Bone, The Kids Are Alright, The Tree of Life. But this year, that's about to change.
SEE ALSO: Diagnosing the Home Alone burglars' injuries: A professional weighs in
Earlier this week, the Producers Guild Association, considered one of the more accurate Oscar predictors, nominated the operatic (and cash-guzzling) new Bond flick Skyfall for its Best Picture award, marking the first time that any of the 23 Bond films have been (seriously) in the Oscar conversation. Skyfall has been a mammoth commercial success, raking in $290 million in the U.S. alone. Oscar gurus currently have it ranked number 10 among likely nominees. If it does manage to scrape a Best Picture nod, it would join Argo, Les Miserables, Django Unchained, Lincoln, and probably Zero Dark Thirty as films that, by the time the Oscar ceremony takes place, will have crossed the $100 million threshold at the box office. In addition, likely nominee Life of Pi has already made more than $85 million, and will build on that total in the weeks to come.
That means that six likely Best Picture nominees (seven if you count Skyfall) will have made more than $85 million at the box office. Annoyingly complex new rules make it so that as few as five and as many as 10 films are nominated. But the upshot is that it's possible that those six (or seven) commercially successful films will actually be the only nominees. Compare that to last year, when only one nominee made that much at the box office (The Help). And really, for most of the last decade, the Best Picture race has been dominated by teeny-tiny indies. (Remember those box-office juggernauts Capote, Letters From Iwo Jima, and In the Bedroom?)
SEE ALSO: 7 awful Christmas movies that flopped
Water cooler conversations this winter are zeroing in on Anne Hathaway's stunning turn as Fantine in Les Miz, Daniel Day-Lewis' seamless portrayal of Abraham Lincoln, and Ben Affleck's second life as a first-rate Hollywood director — a rare occasion in which buzzy awards films are also just buzzy films in general, irrespective of their Oscar chances. Tuning into the Oscars this February 24 will finally become an active experience, with audience members actually being able to root for and judge nominees instead of shrugging the standard "haven't seen it" when contenders are introduced.
There could be several explanations for this shift. Perhaps after suffering years of blockbuster dreck — Transformers, Twilight, the latter Pirates of the Caribbean films — moviegoers are becoming more discerning with their box-office dollars. Or it could be that after producing years of blockbuster dreck, studios are wising up and making mass-market films that are actually good — The Dark Knight Rises, The Hunger Games, Ted, 21 Jump Street, and The Avengers are among 2012's rapturously reviewed commercial smashes. Or maybe Oscar voters are finally catching on to the growing frustration with out-of-touch awards picks each year.
SEE ALSO: 24 movies to see in 2013: Part two
Whatever the reason, it's a win-win situation. Oscar viewers want to be entertained and engaged by the telecast. Just look at how hosts' performances are mercilessly picked apart each year. Often, these performances are the only one Oscar audiences are familiar with. But when viewers have actually seen the nominees, they're far more likely to enjoy the broadcast.
As for the Academy: Its mission is rewarding art, yes, but it's also producing a television show. Thusly, it wants as many people as possible to watch its television show. Historically, viewership spikes when hugely popular movies up for major awards — the years of Titanic, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, and Avatar saw upticks in viewership — and falls when most of the nominees are little-seen movies — the year of No Country for Old Men is the lowest-rated ever.
SEE ALSO: The 13 biggest pop culture moments of 2012
Certainly, no one's arguing that the Oscars should turn into the People's Choice Awards. No one wants The Expendables 2 and Madagascar 3 to get Best Picture nods just because they were popular at the box office. But a year in film in which the general public and the exclusive Academy seem to be seeing eye to eye is something to celebrate.

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Why repeating your message isn't the same as staying on message

Somewhere along the line, political consultants must have told politicians and their spokespeople to repeat their answers over and over again. The logic behind their recommendation: News organizations often have space for only a single quote per person, so if you utter the same sentence over and over again, they'll be forced to use it.
That may have worked many years ago, but it doesn't work anymore. Today's reporters shame repetitive pols by releasing the video of their full, evasive, interview. And it's not just broadcast reporters who shame obfuscating politicians — print reporters often post the video to their newspaper websites as well.
SEE ALSO: Guns need food. Starve them
Ed Miliband, Leader of the British Labour Party, offered a classic example of why the "repeat your message" strategy doesn't work anymore. In this video — which received hundreds of thousands of views and temporarily made Miliband a laughingstock — he repeats his exact same message five times.
SEE ALSO: Welcome to Tough Love with Starshine Roshell
And see if you can spot the message in this 2008 press conference delivered by Cullen Sheehan, then the spokesperson for Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.).
SEE ALSO: What's next for gay marriage?
Brad Phillips writes in his new book, The Media Training Bible, that such overt repetition tends to infuriate the audience. Instead, he recommends that politicians repeat the themes of their messages in every answer by using a combination of stories, statistics, and sound bites. By using variety, spokespeople can ensure that they stay "on message" without ever being overly redundant.
It's a good lesson for anyone who wants to be an effective communicator.

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Is gridlock inevitable in the 113th Congress?

The 112th Congress closed up shop to widespread jeers. Will its newly sworn in successor be any less ineffective?
Among the nicer things said lately about the extraordinarily ineffective, widely insulted 112th Congress: At least it was more popular than gonorrhea and North Korea. And now, with the 113th Congress having been sworn in Thursday, some analysts are speculating hopefully that, with 20 percent of Congress' members fresh-faced newcomers, the House and Senate just gaveled into session could not possibly be worse than their predecessors. Others, however, argue that the new Congress will remain plagued by the same deep divisions that stymied the 112th. The Senate will still be controlled by Democrats, whose majority was strengthened in the November elections, while the House is run by a Republican Party more determined than ever to insist on severe spending cuts after being forced to swallow tax hikes on the wealthy as part of the last-minute deal to avoid the worst effects of the fiscal cliff. With major fights looming over raising the debt ceiling and dealing with postponed fiscal-cliff spending cuts, will the new Congress be stuck in the same, old gridlock?
The 113th is doomed to the same crippling division: "There is no honeymoon ahead," say Sean Sullivan and Aaron Blake at The Washington Post. Republicans forced to cave on taxes will be out for payback in the coming debt-ceiling debate. Judging by John Boehner's narrow re-election as House speaker, plenty of Republicans remain "willing to adopt a stern posture and make a statement." And "more spats over cabinet confirmations will only fuel partisan divisions."
"5 reasons gridlock will seize Congress again"
SEE ALSO: 23 bizarre things ceremonially dropped on New Year's Eve
But lawmakers know voters won't tolerate more gridlock: The rancor that hobbled the 112th Congress is still rampant on Capitol Hill, economist Alice Rivlin tells The Jacksonville (Fla.) Times-Union. Still, "I am encouraged by the show of bipartisan cooperation" that it took to avert the fiscal cliff. Angry voters and business leaders have finally made politicians see that America wants lawmakers to work together to get things done.
"Angry voters will end all this gridlock, economist says"
This Congress will get a little more accomplished than the last one: There has been no sea change, say Halimah Abdullah and Ben Brumfield at CNN, so anyone expecting this Congress to "dissolve partisan gridlock" is dreaming. Still, "the incoming freshman class took notes on failures of the previous Congress in hopes of avoiding a repeat performance." It might manage to muster enough cooperation "to exceed the abysmal approval rating of the previous Congress.

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Is Promised Land unfair to the energy industry?

The new Matt Damon film, which tackles the controversy over hydraulic fracturing, has fracking fans crying foul
Promised Land, a Matt Damon-starring drama that hits movie theaters today, tells the story of a small town debating whether to allow a corporation to use its hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") process to extract energy from their land. (Watch a trailer for Promised Land below.) Of course, over the past few years, fracking has become a hugely contentious issue pitting environmentalists — who argue that the process can have a devastating impact on the Earth — against industrialists, who argue that the process is a fair and relatively non-threatening way to draw oil and natural gas from land. Unsurprisingly, some in the energy industry have expressed concern that Promised Land will mark a permanent shift in the public opinion war over fracking. Does Promised Land offer genuine insight into the fracking debate, or is it unfairly stilted?
Promised Land is pretty fair to both sides — until the end: "It's easy enough to label Promised Land as the "anti-fracking movie" because, ultimately, that's what it becomes," says James Berardinelli at ReelViews. But for the majority of its runtime, the film actually attempts to offer "an evenhanded look at the issues associated with fracking," with Matt Damon's pro-industry character making a compelling case that the economic benefits for the townspeople override any possible environmental concern. But the film's abrupt shift into a preachy, cartoonish finale throws out any semblance of nuance in favor of a blatant anti-fracking message.
Even Promised Land's anti-fracking argument isn't very convincing: Promised Land may feature a strong cast, but "the star power is deceiving, and the energy companies might be smarter to ignore the film than fan the controversy by attacking it," says Liam Lacey at The Globe and Mail. "This film’s depth of insight into the practice of fracking is, literally, presented at a primary-school level," as one of the film's environmental activists tells a first grade class that chemicals can hurt water and animals. Fracking is a complicated issue that deserves an honest debate, and "it's a shame Promise Land doesn't put up a better fight."
And it isn't likely to encourage a serious debate: Promised Land illustrates "the potential pitfalls of narrative political cinema," says Jason Bailey at Flavorwire. If filmmakers want to make politically themed movies, "it must be done with more subtlety and tact than in Promised Land," which preaches to the choir by delivering its final moral "unambiguously and without much in the way of complexity." A serious narrative film that tackles fracking could (and should) still be made, but it would need to have the courage to present all the facts and let viewers come to their own conclusions.

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Flippa.com Announces Inaugural Flippie Awards

Flippie Award recognizes the best websites sales of 2012.

San Francisco, CA and Melbourne, AUS (PRWEB) January 02, 2013
Flippa.com, the #1 marketplace for buying and selling websites, has launched its first annual Flippie Awards, kicking off 2013 by honoring some of the best sites sold in 2012.
Nominated websites were chosen from over 29,000 websites and domains that were sold on Flippa.com in 2012. The Flippie Committee chose sites based on the level of interest they attracted from website buyers, as well as quality factors such as monetization, content and uniqueness.
With 5 separate categories, sites and domains in various industries will be honored with a Flippie. All of the sites nominated were sold on Flippa where more than $22 million in websites were sold 2012.
The categories for the Flippie Awards are:

Best Ecommerce Site

Best Site Content Idea

Best Blog

Best Site Monetization

Best Web/Mobile App

Best Domain Listing
Each category has 5 nominated sites competing for the award. The site that garners the most votes in all categories combined will also win the Flippie for Best Overall Site.
“Our sellers are the key to our thriving marketplace, and we wanted to acknowledge that by showing off some of the best websites and domain names we've sold in 2012,” stated Dave Slutzkin, CEO of Flippa. “It was a tough job! Our dedicated team diligently sorted through the tens of thousands of sites and domains sold on Flippa in the past year, representing over $20 million in sales. They've come up with some really fantastic sites for our first annual Flippie Awards.”
Voting begins on January 2nd and ends at midnight EST on January 30th. The winners will be announced February 4th, 2013. To see all the nominated sites, prizes, and fineprint; please visit blog.flippa.com/flippies.
About us:
Launched in 2009, Flippa is the #1 marketplace for buying and selling websites. Each month, over $2 million in websites and domains are traded on Flippa. Over 29,000 sites, valued at more than $22 million, were sold on Flippa in 2012 alone. The most notable of these included Mark Zuckerberg’s Facemash.com as well as iPhone application Taptivate.com, news site Inquisitr.com, and Pinterest analytics site PinReach.com.

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AES International welcomes James McLeod as General Counsel

AES International is delighted to announce the arrival of James McLeod, who joins the Board as General Counsel. As AES continues to grow and expand, James will play a pivotal role in ensuring the company maintains its commitment to export UK best practice to the international marketplace.

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 2 January 2013
As General Counsel, James McLeod is responsible for the Corporate Governance and Risk Management at AES International. This involves the oversight of all regulatory, administrative and legal matters within the many jurisdictions in which AES operates to make sure that the highest standards are upheld, regardless of jurisdiction.
AES International CEO Sam Instone commented, 'As independent specialists licensed to provide investment and insurance advice in 34 jurisdictions, AES International has a truly global perspective and we are always looking for people of the highest calibre to join us in our mission to positively change international financial services. James has that quality, and as an Investors in People Gold firm we are thrilled to welcome him into a supportive and progressive environment in which he can build on the great work we are already doing.'
A Classics graduate from Oriel College, Oxford, James was commissioned in 1985 into the Scots Guards, serving in multiple overseas theatres. Following his military service, James worked in the Ministry of Defence, and then qualified as a solicitor in 2003. Working initially as an Associate in the Employment and Pensions Department at S J Berwin LLP, he later moved to specialist positions at both Herbert Smith LLP and Squire Sanders (UK) LLP.
Having such a wide breadth of experience and expertise, James is passionate about ensuring AES delivers the very highest possible standards to both its advisers and clients in accordance with the AES cultural values of integrity, respect, teamwork, knowledge and professionalism. He is committed to enabling a transparent, trusted and well-governed organisation to positively change the international marketplace.
Outside the office, James practices seiko karate, is a keen traveller and has extensive charitable interests including fundraising through organising and participating in long-distance cycle rides. James is a member of the Association of Pension Lawyers and the Law Society and is a solicitor registered in England and Wales.
About AES International
AES is the fastest-growing UK financial services business for both 2011 and 2012, as recognised by the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100.
AES International is the trading style of a multi-award winning financial services group that is licensed for investment and insurance business in over 34 jurisdictions worldwide and is owned by AES International Global PLC.
The company’s approach is strongly differentiated from its peers. As multi-award winning independent specialists with a global perspective, AES seeks to export UK best practice into the international marketplace, focusing on quality; both in terms of the advisers they recruit and the service they provide. Their values-driven approach is reflected in their unique Partnership Charter, which brings peace of mind and security to partners and clients alike.
AES International seeks to bring positive change to international financial services and specialises in multi-jurisdictional, cross border, inpatriate, expatriate, and non-domiciled insurance and investment services. This means they deliver professional services to international private client advisers, wealth managers, and other financial services firms who serve internationally mobile professionals, offshore clients/trusts and the expatriate sector.
The firm delivers three market leading value propositions to those intermediaries and businesses with whom they partner. These enable their partners and agents to help their respective clients understand, build and protect their assets.
Specialities:
International Wealth Management, Protecting your Family and International Insurance, Investment Services, Emigration and Immigration Services, International Pension and Retirement Planning, International Financial Planning.

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Brian Su to Discuss Potential Impact of Chinese Visa Retrogression at Dallas EB-5 Seminar

Brian Su, CEO of Artisan Business Group, Inc., is to discuss potential impact of Chinese visa retrogression at Dallas EB-5 Finance Seminar January 16, 2013.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 02, 2013
Brian Su, CEO of Artisan Business Group, Inc., is to discuss potential impact of Chinese visa retrogression at Dallas EB-5 Seminar January 16, 2013. The proposed visa "cap" to Chinese investors will have a major impact on EB-5 marketplace.
Marked by past success, the EB-5 program has been extended and Artisan Business Group is pleased to be offering the 2013 EB-5 Finance Seminar Tour. This Tour, unlike past events, will provide an excellent experience that will allow for the expansion of knowledge and exposure to the expertise necessary to develop and successfully execute business and investment projects with the EB-5 immigrant investor program.
The US real estate developers and businesses realizes the difficulty that can be associated with successfully executing a business project without sufficient capital and funding. Funding becomes a major issue in the US financial market last three years. The EB-5 finance workshop will advise US project developers on utilizing EB-5 alternative finance. Individuals interested in the EB-5 immigrant investor program are encouraged to attend, including, but not limited to: investors, project developers, attorneys, economist, consulting firms, real estate developers, regional center executives, and governmental officials.
Greenberg Traurig's Business Immigration and Compliance Group is a full-service business immigration practice representing businesses, organizations, and individuals from around the world on a wide range of EB-5 related matters. The firm’s practice has achieved international recognition for legal advocacy, results-oriented service, and responsiveness to its clients. The Greenberg Traurig Business Immigration and Compliance Group works hand-in-hand with its partners in the Securities, Corporate, and Tax practices to develop customized solutions for EB-5 clients. The Greenberg Traurig EB-5 Team has worked with numerous developers and business owners to assist them in raising EB-5 capital for investment projects. Services provided include applications to designate new regional centers; applications for pre-approval of projects within regional centers; having projects adopted by existing regional centers; and purchasing USCIS-designated regional centers. Greenberg Traurig, LLP, is an international, full-service law firm with approximately 1750 attorneys serving clients from 35 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Artisan Business Group, Inc., is a leading US China cross border investment and business advisory firm headquartered in Springfield, IL, with clients throughout the country. For more information about the upcoming tour, log on: http://www.EB5NewsBlog.org

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Microsoft lashes out at Google’s decision to spurn Windows Phone

Dave Heiner, vice president and deputy general counsel for Microsoft (MSFT), took aim at Google (GOOG) and the company’s unwillingness to develop for Windows Phone 8 in a blog post on Wednesday. Heiner claims that, “Google continues to prevent Microsoft from offering consumers a fully featured YouTube app [among other] for the Windows Phone.” Microsoft has been apparently been trying to get a full-feature YouTube app for its Windows Phone operating system for more than two years, however it has been unsuccessful.
[More from BGR: ‘iPhone 5S’ to reportedly launch by June with multiple color options and two different display sizes]
Despite the fact that the Windows Phone Marketplace has doubled in the past year, Google has not yet produced any quality apps for the platform. The company previously said that it will not be launching a native Gmail or Google Drive app for Windows 8 or Windows Phone until people start using the operating systems.

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NewsWatch Features ProCamera HD on it's National Television Show as Part of AppWatch

NewsWatch, a nationwide television show, recently aired a news segment about “ProCamera HD”, a new camera app. The segment aired as part of “AppWatch”, a weekly review of the top apps in the marketplace.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 03, 2013
NewsWatch, a nationwide television show, recently aired a news segment about “ProCamera HD”, a new camera app. The segment aired as part of AppWatch, a weekly review of the top apps in the marketplace.
ProCamera is a full-featured 5-in-1 app that has still camera and video, photo editing tools, social networking support, and camera related utilities. ProCamera sets the standard as the most professional camera app with its high-end features and has gotten numerous awards. ProCamera HD for iPad was released recently as the first full-featured iPad camera replacement app and has been a big success worldwide.
Included in the new app, users have access to: ProCamera Lightbox to save, export and delete photos within the app; QuickFlick for going immediately to albums and settings; 100% stability and blazing fast performance; adjustable capture format, including 16:9, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1,; and Anti-Shake Image Stabilizer for photo and video.
ProCamera HD also comes with professional editing capabilities. Using the Pro Lab Studio users can make real-time tonal curve correction; as well as adjust brightness, contrast, gamma, saturation, color temperature, and shadows.
For more information or to download the “ProCamera HD” app, head to their iTunes Page.
About Cocologics

Cocologics is a professional startup and has become the technological leader for mobile photography software on iOS. Committed to sustainability, Cocologics develops cutting-edge software solutions, which meet the highest demands in quality, aesthetics and simplicity.
NewsWatch is a weekly 30-minute consumer oriented television show that airs on the ION Network Thursday mornings at 5:30am across the nation. NewsWatch regularly features top travel destinations, health tips, technology products, medical breakthroughs and entertainment news on the show. A recent addition to NewsWatch, AppWatch is a weekly segment that provides viewers app reviews and game reviews of the latest and hottest apps and games out on the market for iOS and Android devices. The show airs in 180 markets nationwide as well as all of the top 20 broadcast markets in the country, and is the preferred choice for Satellite Media Tour and Video News Release Distribution.

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