Sorry, Anne Hathaway -- the Oscars Made Us Like You Less

Sunday was the biggest night of Anne Hathaway's life, and she didn't let us forget it. For months, the actress gushed to any magazine or TV show that would listen about her Les Miserables performance: how she was inspired by her actress mother, how she starved herself and chopped off her hair to play the role, how she decided to sing "the truth" instead of "the pretty version" of "I Dreamed a Dream." It's a great story, and a great performance -- but as awards season has worn on, Hathaway's combination of gee-whiz enthusiasm and self-important actor-speak has gotten tiresome. With the Hathaway backlash in full force, the Academy Awards was her last chance to make a good impression.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/sorry-anne-hathaway-oscars-made-us-you-less/1-a-523602?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Asorry-anne-hathaway-oscars-made-us-you-less-523602

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Williams scores 46 to lead New Mexico past CSU

New Mexico guard Kendall Williams reacts after hiting a three-point basket against Colorado State in the second half of New Mexico's 91-82 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Williams scored 46 points to lead the Lobos to the come-from-behind win. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Mexico guard Kendall Williams reacts after hiting a three-point basket against Colorado State in the second half of New Mexico's 91-82 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Williams scored 46 points to lead the Lobos to the come-from-behind win. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Mexico guard Kendall Williams, right, takes a shot over Colorado State guard Dorian Green in the first half of New Mexico's 91-82 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Williams scored 46 points in the game, which set a new single-game point record for Moby Arena since it opened in 1966. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Mexico guard Kendall Williams, left, takes to the air to block a pass by Colorado State forward Greg Smith in the second half of New Mexico's 91-82 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Mexico guard Kendall Williams, bottom, scores a basket as Colorado State guard Dorian Green takes to the air to block the shot in the second half of New Mexico's 91-82 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Williams racked up 46 points to lead the Lobos to the win. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

New Mexico guard Kendall Williams, left, drives for a basket past Colorado State guad Wes Eikmeier in the second half of New Mexico's 91-82 victory in an NCAA basketball game in Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Williams scored 46 points in the game. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) ? With 9 minutes left, New Mexico guard Kendall Williams trudged to the bench with a career-high 28 points ? and four fouls.

While he caught his breath, No. 22 Colorado State built a six-point lead over the 16th-ranked Lobos.

Moby Arena was rocking and the Rams were rolling, about to extend the nation's third-longest home winning streak to 28 games.

Williams had other things in mind ? and 18 points left to score.

"Luckily, some shots went in," said the junior guard from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who finished with a career-best 46 points ? almost double his previous career high of 24 ? in leading New Mexico to a 91-82 win Saturday.

Williams set a Mountain West Conference record with 10 3-pointers and his 46 points were the most in the 47-year-old arena, topping the 44 scored by Portland State's Freeman Williams on Nov. 29, 1975.

"He should be hands-down player of the week, I would think," Lobos coach Steve Alford deadpanned.

Williams helped the Lobos overcome that 70-64 deficit at the 6-minute mark by hitting a trio of 3-pointers, a dunk and seven free throws down the stretch as New Mexico outscored the Rams 27-12.

"He got on a roll today," Alford said. "And it was a 40-minute roll."

Actually, it was a 33-minute roll. He spent seven minutes on the bench in foul trouble.

"That's what's really impressive," Alford said. "He sat about a four-minute stretch there in the second half and still scores and does what he does. It's pretty amazing. But he did a great job in that last six minutes not picking up that fifth" foul.

Center Alex Kirk added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Lobos (23-4, 10-2), who increased their lead in the conference race to two games over the Rams (21-5, 8-4).

Colton Iverson had 26 points and 15 boards for the Rams, who looked like they were going to move into a first-place tie atop the standings after taking a 70-64 lead at the 6-minute mark.

Williams' treys highlighted a 14-2 run that gave New Mexico a 78-72 lead before the Rams sent the Lobos to the line over the final two minutes.

"Well, that was a special night to watch," Alford said. "I told him that. I said I never had a 10-3 game, I never got to 46. Forty-two was the most I ever scored and eight 3s was the most I ever made in a game."

"There's not too many one-ups you can get on Coach Alford, especially in scoring," Williams said. "I might be on top of the world for the rest of the weekend."

Williams' previous career best was 24 points against Indiana State and New Mexico State earlier this season.

"The players kept feeding me the ball," said Williams, who had 15 family members, including his grandmother, in the stands. "It was really just a team effort, some of the shots I hit were tough. But if the teammates didn't put me in position and the coaches didn't put me in position, I wouldn't have had quite the night I had."

The Rams blamed themselves for Williams' big game.

"We had no answer for him," Rams coach Larry Eustachy said. "... He was completely unstoppable. I want to see film on how many of those shots were contested."

His bet is that not many were.

The Rams, who gave up 45 points to Air Force's Michael Lyons a week earlier, left Williams open early on while locking down Tony Snell, who scored 10 points Saturday after getting 23 in their first meeting last month.

"He hadn't been shooting well this year," Dorian Green said. "We gave him some uncontested looks, let him get hot. Guys are too good in our league to do that."

"We gave him open looks early," Wes Eikmeier added. "He got hot and then he was feeling it the rest of the night."

Green (20) and Eikmeier (22) gave the Rams three 20-point scorers in their losing effort. Eikmeier scored 11 straight to put the Rams ahead 55-50.

The Lobos quieted the crowd with a 12-6 run to regain the lead at 62-61, but Williams, less than a minute after returning to the lineup, was whistled for his fourth foul and took a seat at the nine-minute mark.

"I was real mad," Williams said. "My emotions were high, but (assistant coach Craig) Neal came over while Coach Alford was doing his thing and calmed me down and says, 'You're going to have to bring it home, kid. Don't foul and get the shots that you need.' And that's exactly what I did."

The Rams were coming off a two-point loss at UNLV on Wednesday night that snapped their six-game winning streak, which began after a 66-61 loss to the Lobos in Albuquerque last month.

They hadn't lost at home since Nov. 11, 2012, to Southern Miss., which was coached at the time by Eustachy, who took the Rams job last offseason.

Williams' 10th 3-pointer ? in 13 tries ? broke the conference mark of nine set by several players, most recently UNLV's Chace Stanback against Central Arkansas on Dec. 28, 2011. It was a difficult shot from the right corner.

"Why not? Just throw it up there, had hit a few already," Williams said. "With the hoop the size it was tonight and the rhythm I was feeling, it just felt like I had to throw that one up."

___

Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-23-BKC-T25-New-Mexico-Colorado-State/id-54294e61ca2e4a868b0607e2383f0862

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McCain, Obama to meet on immigration Tuesday (cbsnews)

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The Midwest Is One Big Snowy Wreck Right Now

It's snow season in America, and although the East Coast has been hogging all the weather-attention this year, the Midwest put Blizzard Nemo to shame on Thursday. It's not so much that the storm system moving through the central United States dumped more snow on the ground. This week's storm simply dumped snow on more ground, affecting 20 states over the course of an hour. CNN put the scope of the storm in startling terms, "About 60 million people -- 20% of the U.S. population -- were under winter weather warnings, watches and advisories in the 750,000 square miles affected." And yes, there was thundersnow. It even snowed in the middle of the Arizona desert.

RELATED: The Best Ways to Track the Big Blizzard

The real challenge of this week's Midwest wallop is that many of the states affected, like Missouri ?and Kansas, aren't accustomed to getting big snow storms. A month ago it was in the 70s in Kansas City. Nowhere was hit harder than the highways, where the snow accumulated so quickly that the cars couldn't get to safety quick enough. This left cars sliding into snow drifts and?trucks jackknifed and helpless on the highway. Kansas actually closed a 240-mile stretch of the Interstate and dispatched two dozen National Guard soldiers to search for travelers stranded in the mayhem. "If you don't have to travel, don't do it," said the state's governor, Sam Brownback. He reiterated, "If you don't have to get out, just really, please, don't do it." Nevertheless at least two deaths attributed to storm has been reported, both from car accidents.

RELATED: The Supermarket Apocalypse Is Upon Us

The good news is that snow is precipitation, which the plains states desperately need. The region's been struggling with droughts for what seems like years now ? global warming, ahem ? and several inches of snow melt amounts to some much appreciated respite. "We can get excited about it," one farmer told The New York Times. "But we're going to have to have more moisture, however it comes."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/midwest-one-big-snowy-wreck-now-035836176.html

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Field Poll shows overwhelming support for path to citizenship (San Jose Mercury News)

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Matthew Perry, Xtina Both Sell Houses Languishing Since 2011 ...

Wednesday, February 20, 2013, by Eve Bachrach

At least two celebrities unfortunate enough to find themselves on our list of famous types who couldn't manage to sell their homes throughout 2012 are having better luck this year. Singer Christina Aguilera's tacky pink palace in Beverly Hills, complete with gift-wrapping area and beauty salon, had languished on the market for two years. Curbed National has some thoughts on why that might have been (the eye-patch sporting naked mannequin, perhaps?), but the house is now pending sale. In all that time Xtina didn't pricechop once, and she seems to have gotten her asking price of $13.5 million (or close) at last. Lucky seller number two is former FriendMatthew Perry, who finally unloaded his modern Hollywood Hills house for $4.685 million, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Perry bought the glassy, three-bedroom, viewtastic house for $4.48 million in 2008 and has been trying to sell it since October 2011, when it was listed for about $1 million more than it eventually went for. More signs of a housing market turned the corner?
? Matthew Perry Sells L.A. Home For $4.7 Million [THR]
? 8 Celebrities Who Couldn't Sell Their Houses in 2012 [Curbed LA]

Source: http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/02/matthew_perry_xtina_both_sell_houses_languishing_since_2011.php

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Google Opens Up Their Google Glass Project To A Few Lucky ?Explorers?

Please, don?t forget to subscribe to our fantastic RSS Feed, join Design You Trust community on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr! If you enjoyed the our posts we humbly ask you to comment, and help us spread the word! Looking for advertisement or special promotion on Design You Trust? Click here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dyt/~3/caotZJUbp9s/

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Meet Your Doppelganger On Sodisco. A First Look At Ex-Payvment CEO Christian Taylor?s New Startup

Lonely? Wish you had someone to geek out with about the weird stuff you're into? Sodisco wants to find you a play date. It's the soon-to-launch startup from Christian Taylor, ex-CEO of Facebook e-commerce platform?Payvment?that just got bought by Intuit. Taylor called me up to reveal what Sodisco's all about: analyzing your interests and introducing you to your nearest clones.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ElVNTdi3iZ4/

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Britain Lost Hundreds of Military Drones in Iraq, Afghanistan

Drone manufacturers have often emphasized the low cost of production as an advantage over traditional aircraft. But where fighter jets and other warplanes are often used for years, it seems the drones get lost or abandoned in much shorter order.

At least if the British government is anything to go by. Defense Ministry officials confirmed that they have lost 450 drones over the past several years in Iraq and Afghanistan, with most of them caused by ?operator error.? The other common causes were technical failures and a decision to just abandon them because they?re too inconvenient to recover in certain areas.

Officials did not reveal the overall cost of these 450 drones, but confirmed that one cost over $20 million and nine others were $2 million each. The losses were a meaningful chunk of the British drone fleet, and officials say they are trying to improve training for the remote operators to prevent further losses since the fleet has less and less capacity to spare.

It also adds to questions from groups that have been fighting against schemes to use the drones domestically, especially since the smaller spy drones more likely to find use in law enforcement seem to be the ones most often careening out of the sky for no apparent reason.

Source

Source: http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=65363

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Celebrity polar bear Knut stuffed and put on display

BERLIN (AP) ? Adorable in life, still attracting admirers in death: Knut the polar bear's hide has been mounted on a polyurethane body and is going on display in a Berlin museum.

The Natural History Museum on Friday unveiled the statue prepared by taxidermists featuring the famous Berlin Zoo bear's fur and claws, with the synthetic body and glass eyes.

The display runs through March 15. Knut will then be added to the museum's scientific collections.

Knut was hand-raised after his mother rejected him. He rose to stardom in 2007 as a cuddly cub, appearing on magazine covers, in a film and on mountains of merchandise. He died in 2011 after suffering from encephalitis.

The museum dismissed criticism of the decision to display Knut, saying it gives everyone an opportunity to see him.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/knut-polar-bear-becomes-museum-display-152137637.html

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Google Search update brings Google Now widget to Android 4.1+

Google Search, the application that powers the Google Now feature in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, has updated, bringing with it a new Google Now widget.

The widget was previously leaked by Google itself via a support page, but now the update has rolled out, bringing the new feature to compatible devices, i.e., those with Android 4.1 or above.

We've updated a Nexus 4 and an HTC One X and found the widget to work just fine. In addition to the regular widget, you can also add a lockscreen widget, which contains the same information drawn from your cards in Google Now.

?

It's worth noting that if your device doesn't support locskscreen widgets, like the HTC One X, then you don't get that option.

The widget draws content from Google Now, and so far we've noticed that that means it's mostly going to be showing you the weather, which seems to be the ubiquitous card of choice.

As the content of Google Now changes, so does the content of the widget, so if you have your travel details or appointments pop-up, then conveniently they'll be displayed.

You'll also find a couple of other additions: there are movie passes from Fandango, ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, amongst other additions.

The Google Search update is available now, so check Google Play!

Source: http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/49853/google-now-widget-jelly-bean

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Video: Rubio: Min. wage law doesn't work (cbsnews)

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Watch Fireside Hangout With President Obama; Live Stream of State of the Union Questions Being Answered

When you logged onto Google Wednesday, did you notice a memo at the bottom of your screen that said, ?President Obama answers your questions. RSVP to tomorrow?s Hangout.?

It may seem like a strange way to spend Valentine's Day, but on Thursday, the president will be participating in a series called "Fireside Hangouts.? The White House described the Google event as the 21st century version of ?President Franklin D. Roosevelt famous radio addresses, known as ?Fireside Chats.?

FDR began addressing citizens directly when he was still governor of New York in 1929 and continued the informal addresses as president.?March 12, 1933, a week after his inauguration, was the first time he addressed Americans informally as their president.

Even though the chats began 80 years ago, FDR didn?t actually ever talk to American citizens sitting by a fire.

The term ?Fireside Chat? stems from Harry C. Butcher of CBS. He referred to FDR's talks as such and once the public and media began to adopt the term, the president embraced it.?

Obama will be participating in a ?Fireside Chat? of his own, answering Americans? questions regarding his SOTU speech and the issues and policies he laid out in the address. Except he's twisted the term into "Fireside Hangout," same idea though.?

Questions for the president can be submitted on and vote on by Americans through the White House +YouTube Channel: http://at.wh.gov/hC22N.

Watch live stream footage of the ?Fireside Chat? on Thursday at 4:50 p.m. EST on the +The White House Google+ page and at http://youtube.com/whitehouse.

Right now, the presidents SOTU speech can be viewed on the same channel for those who missed it.

Currently, nearly 15,000 have responded to the president?s ?Fireside Hangout.? Talk about the upcoming event on Twitter with #firesidehangout? and ?#sotu .?

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/watch-fireside-hangout-president-obama-live-stream-state-union-questions-being-answered-1083932

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Jimmy Haslam an absentee owner? Fans need to rein in their pessimism: Bud Shaw's Sports Spin

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The promise of better cell phone service on gameday was always more real than Jimmy Haslam becoming Jerry Jones.

Haslam picked Valentine's week to announce he was returning to his "first love." In any other town, the timing would go unnoticed. Here, rejection was in the air.

The reaction of some to the news that Haslam would return to Pilot Flying J as CEO suggested the crying need for a box of Kleenex and a Whitman's sampler to get through the night.

Folks, I don't know how to tell you this. But Haslam took a few months off from his marriage to Pilot Flying J to spend precious organization building time with Joe Banner, not to move to Cleveland and become the Cowboys' Jones. And the fact he's stepping back into the board room in Knoxville now that he's hired people to run things here doesn't mean he's the next Randy Lerner either.

There are a bunch of NFL owners who fall somewhere near the middle of the Jones-Lerner Scale devised to measure commitment and involvement in their teams. Haslam is just another one of them.

Haslam wasn't all-in the way you might have thought, and now he isn't all-out as you might fear. He wasn't dictating decisions in the past five months. He's not suddenly going to hear about what happens in Berea third-hand.

("Joe B, this is JH3 returning your call from two days ago. You say Mike wants to sign Jamarcus Russell? Sure. Why not? Gotta run. Having trouble with the Slim Jims distributor in Nashville.")

That's not how it's going to go down.

Banner is the one who had Rob Chudzinski on his "up and comers" list. Banner is the one who wanted Mike Lombardi all along. He even used Lombardi's input in the coaching search, and then hired him. Haslam went along for both rides, admitting in a press conference the process taught him how much he didn't know.

Candidly, as the owner might say, he is a victim of his own enthusiasm and self-confidence. And we may find out his own naivete.

His first press conference acted as a drum roll for a clash of cymbals that never came and won't come until this team wins big.

If you were worried about the Berea setup before this week -- team president expanding his power base possibly into personnel, first-time head coach, quasi-GM out of the league for five years -- that's entirely understandable. But all that fell into place under the "full-time" watch of Haslam. There's nothing more to fear except a 4-12 record itself.

If you weren't concerned then, you're not now. The chances of success are no worse or better now than they were in Haslam's five months without the CEO title.

The Dolans' frugal ways won't be the gripe this season, which puts the onus on GM Chris Antonetti.

The Dolans spent $104 million securing Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. They hired Terry Francona. The Indians now represent this town's best chance to make the playoffs. (Sadly, they might have been the best ticket to the playoffs even before their off-season moves.)

Management has always pointed out in much quieter winters how teams that win the off-season are guaranteed nothing. That holds true now that they're the team winning the off-season in the AL Central. Now we'll see whether they at least win the benefit of the doubt at the box office.

My guess: Not immediately, not in April at least, and only if the lineup infused with Bourn and Swisher out-hits the team's starting pitching problems.

Detroit is still the favorite to win the AL Central, though the excitement generated by the off-season maneuvering isn't predicated on the Indians' returning to favorite status they so often enjoyed in the '90s. It's about seeing ownership taking the lead on repairing a fractured relationship.

The Dolans have made a legitimate attempt.

It's February. People are talking baseball. Lately that hasn't been the case even in August.

HE SAID IT

"It feels like we're a big-market club." -- Chris Perez after the signing of Bourn and other acquisitions.

Translation: Dolans, you're off the hook with your closer. Fans, if you don't show up you're gonna feel like you got the too-close-to-the-stage seat at a comedy club.

SPINOFFS

? Not sure whose idea it was to cancel the 3-point shooting challenge between Byron Scott and Kyrie Irving, but it was a good call.

After the Cavs "turned the corner" only to throw themselves under the wheels of the Minnesota Timberwolves' team bus, joking around at practice would've gone over like a death pool at a funeral.

? Arizona catcher Miguel Montero went into some detail with an Arizona radio station about how difficult new Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer was to deal with last season.Asked to comment, Bauer told the PD, "I'm glad to live in a country like the U.S. where we can all say what we want and have free speech. I appreciate all the guys who go overseas to fight for that freedom."

If Bauer wants to disprove the perception of him as a highly-intelligent oddball, not sure addressing a pitcher-catcher disagreement with a statement about the Bill of Rights and support for our troops is the best way to squelch that.

? Why do I get the impression that conversations with Bauer could easily go this way:

"Hey, Trevor, what time is it?"

"I have my own thoughts on that subject but if you want to go by the ancient Egyptians it's 9:15."

? The Jacksonville Jaguars say Blaine Gabbert would be the top-ranked quarterback in the 2013 draft. That's a small step up from saying he's better than Spergon Wynn.

? Ronnie Peoples, the former agent for Vince Young, testified that his client once threw himself a $300,000 birthday party and needed a high-interest loan to pay for it.

If that's true -- Young's attorney denies it -- it's proof that sometimes you don't have to hire the clown for a birthday party -- because you're it.

? Francona says having three centerfielders in the outfield who can run and catch but don't hit for power gives the Indians an "unconventional look."

After 2012, the fact that somebody on the team hits right-handed in 2013 is enough convention to make up for any and all unusual wrinkles.

? The Philadelphia Eagles are the latest to claim a hybrid defense. New head coach Chip Kelly says Philly doesn't want to have a "ladies and gentlemen defense," meaning, I guess, an announced 3-4 or 4-3.

An attempt to confuse offenses starting in February, instead of September? How did Eric Mangini not come up with this?

? In its release announcing the 25 sports for the 2020 Olympics, the IOC says it frequently reviews the program to keep it "relevant for sports fans of all generations."

So they have dropped wrestling. Nothing says relevance like modern pentathlon, at least to that generation that likes its pistol shooting and fencing to go along with a good swim, some show jumping and a cross-country run.

What to say about the fact the son of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch is the director of the modern pentathlon association?

Now that's relevant.

YOU SAID IT

(The Expanded Mid-week Edition)

"Bud:

"With the Tribe threatening to compete, will Spin lack for material?" -- Tom Goldy

Yes. As usual.

"Bud:

"Maybe it is time Jim Nance limits his pompous, exaggerated reporting to state funerals and UN peace talks. It is just golf and the Pacific Ocean!" -- Bill Litzler

Sure. But somebody with some gravitas had to tell the story of how Mike Lombardi gave that ocean its name.

"Bud:

"Now that the Indians have announced the Albert Belle bobblehead promotion, will that include a corked bat swinging at a thermostat?" -- Tom Hoffner

That was the old Albert. This Albert bobblehead takes a swing at the Omar bobblehead.

"Bud:

"Before you return to your 'first love,' would you at least tell us what it is?" -- Vince G, Cincinnati

I thought it was obvious. P90X "before" model.

"Hey, Bud:

"Why?" -- Tim, Twinsburg

Not sure what you mean. But the safest answer these days is because Joe Banner says so.

"Bud:

"So what exactly is the record for unpublished 'You Said It' submissions?" -- Frank Bruno, Westlake

You broke it. Now you own it.

"Bud:

"Do you think Jimmy Haslam ended the Chip Kelly interview when Kelly said, 'Pat Shurmur will call the plays'?" -- Jim Schade, Cleveland Heights

First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

"Bud:

"Even owners don't want to come to Cleveland." -- Joe S

Repeat winners get told to take a flying leap.

"Bud:

"Is there a Rooney Rule when it comes to hiring a new Pope?" -- Al, Elyria

Some repeat winners get to blow off some smoke.

On Twitter: @budshaw

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/budshaw/index.ssf/2013/02/jimmy_haslam_an_absentee_owner.html

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Google Now For Android Integrates Rotten Tomatoes Reviews, Fandango Tickets And Zillow Real Estate Listings

Google just added a few more features to Google Now on Android 4.1+. Starting today, Android users will be able to see information from even more third-party services on Google Now, including movie ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, tickets you have purchased on Fandango and, if Google realizes you are looking for real estate, listings from Zillow.

Google has been expanding its list of Google Now features at a steady pace since the service launched last summer. This is the fourth major update to the service and, as Google notes, Now will ?continue to get better at delivering you more of the information you need, before you even ask.?

The Rotten Tomatoes listings will appear in the regular movie card that Now already displays, and the Fandango integration is similar to what Google is already doing with other reservations from its partners you may have for restaurants, flights hotels and events.

The new Zillow card will show you nearby real estate listings when Google sees that you regularly look for real estate sites. It?s not clear how smart this card is (does Google know how much house you can afford?), but it will surely drive new traffic to Zillow and could turn out to be useful for those looking for a new home.

Until now, all of this information only lived in the dedicated Google Now screen on Android, but the team also just launched a Google Now widget in connection with the Google Search app that brings this information front and center on your home screen.

September 7, 1998

NASDAQ:GOOG

Google provides search and advertising services, which together aim to organize and monetize the world?s information. In addition to its dominant search engine, it offers a plethora of online tools and platforms including: Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and Google+, the company?s extension into the social space. Most of its Web-based products are free, funded by Google?s highly integrated online advertising platforms AdWords and AdSense. Google promotes the idea that advertising should be highly targeted and relevant to users thus providing...

? Learn more

Google Now is a new feature made for the new Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Google Now has the ability to remind the user of meetings, suggest local restaurants, and keep the user up-to-date of upcoming games of their favorite teams.

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/13/google-now-for-android-integrates-rotten-tomatoes-reviews-fandango-tickets-and-zillow-real-estate-listings/

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7 Worst Battery Life-Guzzling Gadgets

There is a disturbing trend in the gadget world, and it?s that laptop, tablet and phone makers aren?t taking battery life seriously enough. Yes, having touch on a Windows 8 notebook is great, but not if the computer lasts an hour and a half less than one without that capability. And what good is a smartphone with an HD display and superfast processor if you have to plug it in around lunchtime? We run our homemade battery test, which involves continuous Web surfing at 40 percent brightness, on every device we review. And if the endurance isn?t good enough, regardless of the gadget?s other features, we simply won?t recommend it.

Here are seven of my worst battery life offenders and how much you?ll pay per hour of juice versus more efficient competitors.

1. Microsoft Surface Pro ($899)

Battery Life: 4:37
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $199 per hour

You know it's a bad sign when the top tech story in Google News is that you might be offering an external battery for your product. Despite its Core i5 power and the ability to run both desktop and Windows Store apps, we don't recommend the Surface Pro because its 4 hours and 37 minutes of battery life completely undermines its portability. The average ultraportable laptop lasts about an hour and a half longer. And while the iPad isn't as versatile, it lasted 12 hours and 22 minutes on our battery test. That's 2.5X the endurance. If you opted for the $799, 128GB iPad, that works out to $64 an hour of juice, compared to $199 per hour for the Surface Pro.

More: Microsoft Surface Pro Review

2. Acer C7 Chromebook ($199)

Battery Life: 4:24
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $45 per hour

Lets take a look at two Chromebooks with around the same price: the Samsung Series 3 Chromebook ($249) and Acer C7 ($199). Both devices sport 11-inch displays, but the ARM-powered Chromebook lasted 7:34, while the C7 lagged more than 3 hours behind at 4:24. Granted, the C7 isn't designed to be your primary PC, and maybe you will use it mostly around the house. But why would you pay $45 per hour of battery life for the Acer when, for just $50 more, you can get the much more efficient, $33-per-hour Samsung Chromebook? The Series 3 also happens to sport a sleeker design.

3. ASUS Taichi ($1,299)

Battery Life: 4:37
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $282 per hour

One of the most innovative Windows 8 hybrids of the year is also one of the most disappointing. Almost everyone who sees the ASUS Taichi, which has a second screen on the back of its lid, can?t help but say, ?Wow.? All you have to do to transform this 11.6-inch wonder from clamshell to tablet mode is shut the lid.

While we wish both displays offered touch capability (just the outside one does), my biggest complaint is the lack of staying power. In laptop mode, the device lasted 4 hours and 37 minutes, and with just the touchscreen active, we saw only 3:37. The average ultraportable laptop lasts 1.5 hours longer. While it?s bigger, the $1,199, twelve-inch Dell XPS Duo lasted 5:46, translating to a much better efficiency rating of $206 per hour.

More: ASUS Taichi 21 Review

4. Google Nexus 4 ($49 for T-Mobile, $299 Unlocked)

Battery Life: 4:36
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $10.70 per hour for T-Mobile, $65 Unlocked

If you want a pure Google experience, the unlocked Nexus 4 is the smartphone to buy. You get the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean software, a nifty Photo Sphere camera and absolutely no ugly skins. Too bad the 2100 mAh battery inside this handset lasted only 4 hours and 36 minutes on our battery test. Even when you consider the cheap, limited-time-offer price of $49, you?ll still have to deal with a device that lasts 1.5 hours less than the average Android phone. The $49 HTC One VX lasted 6:58 on our test, good for a $7 per hour efficiency rating.

5. HP Pavilion Chromebook ($329)

?

Battery Life (Rated): Up to 4:15
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $78 per hour

We give HP credit for being transparent about the battery life it expects out of its Pavilion Chromebook. The company says ?up to? 4 hours and 15 minutes via the 4-cell battery. Even if the system lives up to that not-so-lofty number, it will lag way behind the Samsung Chromebook?s score of 7:34. Granted, HP?s Chromebook has a much larger, 14-inch display, but it also costs $80 more for something you can?t use for very long away from an outlet.

Put another way, you?ll pay $78 per hour of endurance, versus $33 per hour for the Samsung. That?s nearly a 2.5X premium.

6. Techno Source Kurio Tablet ($149)

Battery Life: 3:37
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $39.50 per hour

You might have heard of the Kurio 7 tablet, because it's targeted directly to families. This $149, Android-powered device lets you create multiple child profiles with ease, as well as restrict screen time and Web surfing. Parents can also choose to whitelist only the apps they want Junior to use. But what good is a kids' tablet if it runs out of gas in just 3 hours and 37 minutes? That works out to $39.50 per hour. The $199 Amazon Kindle Fire HD lasted 7:34 (or $26 per hour), and it has a parent-friendly FreeTime mode. And the $199 Fuhu Nabi 2 didn't conk out until 8:05 ($24.50 per hour).

7. Lenovo ThinkPad Twist ($899)

Battery Life: 4:36
Cost Per Hour of Juice: $195 per hour

Here's a twist on the Windows 8 convertible you should probably avoid. The 12.5-inch ThinkPad Twist combines a swiveling touchscreen with one of the better keyboards you'll find. We especially like the stand mode for giving presentations. Just make sure you're near an outlet. On our battery test, the Twist died after 4 hours and 36 minutes. The average ultraportable notebook lasts 6:01. Although it has a slightly larger display, Lenovo's own IdeaPad Yoga lasted a much longer 6:18. In efficiency terms, the $899 Twist would cost you $195 per hour of juice, compared to $182 per hour for a $1,159 Yoga outfitted with a much faster 128GB SSD. That's an easy call in my book.

More: Lenovo ThinkPad Twist Review

This story was provided by Laptopmag.com, sister site to LiveScience.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/7-worst-battery-life-guzzling-gadgets-162947696.html

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China Denounces U.S. Sanctions

BEIJING (AP) -- China on Tuesday denounced U.S. sanctions against a leading state arms maker and other companies over alleged illicit dealings with North Korea, Syria and Iran.

The U.S. State Department on Monday said that Poly Technologies Inc. is among companies barred from dealing with the U.S. government or purchasing U.S. military hardware for two years. The company is part of a massive state-owned conglomerate.

China's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the actions "seriously violate the norms of international relations and undermine China's interests." The ministry said China strongly enforces non-proliferation laws and had lodged a formal complaint with Washington.

"The U.S. should work together with China under the principle of 'equality, mutual benefit and concerted efforts' to promote practical cooperation on non-proliferation, instead of threatening sanctions at will or undermining the interests of the other side," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

The official Xinhua News Agency cited a company official as denying having violated any U.N. Security Council arms embargoes and saying it strictly adheres to Chinese law and international statutes.

"We have never helped any countries or regions develop any banned weapons, nor have we exported or promised to export weapons or technologies to any countries or regions that are under United Nations Security Council Resolutions Sanctions. We hereby demand the U.S. side to respect the fact and immediately lift the sanctions," Xinhua quoted the unnamed spokesman as saying.

The State Department notice said Poly Technologies was in violation of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act that sanctions persons and companies that transfer or sell those nations goods, services or technology related to weapons of mass destruction or ballistic and cruise missiles. The law cites items banned under international agreements such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Source: http://www.manufacturing.net/news/2013/02/china-denounces-us-sanctions

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Nigeria blanks Burkina Faso, wins Africa title

A single moment of separated the teams on the scoreboard, but the gap in quality was greater. After the match?s initial settling in period, we knew Nigeria were better. Their superior quality on the ball gave them more promise in attack. As the first half unfolded, the favorites started enjoying large advantages in possession.

Those advantages eventually allowed midfielder Sunday Mba?? a 24-year-old midfielder who?s never played outside of native country ? to break through, scoring the 40th minute goal that downed Burkina Faso and gave the Super Eagles their third African title, 1-0.

Three Mba touches won the Cup for Nigeria. Trying to settle after poor first touch, Mba?(right) poked the ball into over an onrushing Mohamed Koffi?and into the penalty area with his right foot before getting a shot off with his left. The ball didn?t hit the ground. Volleying a shot toward the right post before Bakary Kon??closed him down, the Nigeria-based midfielder gave the Super Eagles the only goal they?d need. Mba put his name?in the history books as the man who reclaimed the title.

That title had been in others? hands for 19 years. For all the acclaim the Super Eagles have received as a result of being a near-perpetual World Cup qualifier, Nigeria had failed to live up to their reputation at home. With this win, the team turns back the clock, winning their first major title since Jay Jay Okocha and Sunday Oliseh were patrolling the midfield.

Another name on that 1994 team was defender Stephen Keshi, the man who coached Nigeria on Sunday. While Mba may have been the man of the moment in Johannesburg, Keshi was the story of the tournament. Much maligned at home for declining to call in veteran stars Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Peter Odemwingie, Obafemi Martins, and Taye Taiwo, Keshi?put his coaching livelihood on the line by wagering a house cleaning would restore some of the Nigerians? spirit ? a pride that had lacking during a 2010 World Cup disappointment and failure to qualify for the 2012 Cup of Nations.

Electing to play a younger, more balanced, and more cohesive team, Keshi saw his gamble vindicated when the Super Eagles ousted tournament favorites Cote d?Ivoire last Sunday. With their 4-1 win over Mali on Wednesday, Keshi?s team got their chance to make history. From the moment Mba?s shot crossed Burkina Faso?s goal line, there was little doubt the Nigerians would have their breakthrough.

Man of the Match: Sunday Mba?s?individual effort takes this award, but take that moment away and Burkina Fasi?s?Jonathan Pitroipa?(right) would have won the award, just deserts for a player who was clearly this tournament?s best. On Sunday, he was the Stallions? one bright spot in attack, his skill on the ball creating a number of near-opportunities for the underdogs.?Whether playing through the middle or back in his customary wide position, he was the only player that troubled the Nigerians.

From the tournament?s outset it was clear: It was time for Pitroipa to step up. To this point in his international career, the Rennes star had failed to replicate his club form for country. As one of the Stallions? few elite talents,?Burkina Faso was only going to go as far as Pitroipa took them.

With a breakthrough performance, the 26-year-old put that criticism behind him. Seeing his red card suspension overturned before the final, Pitroipa nearly completed the first-time finalists? Cinderella story. With a little more help from his teammates, he might have done it.

Threesome of knowledge: What we learned

Not all sacred cows shouldn?t be worshipped ? Nigeria?s diminishing results gave?Keshi reason to show his icons the door, but the Super Eagles had to hit rock bottom before somebody (and really, only a few people) saw the light. Other countries with iconic burdens should look to the 2011 Not-So-Super Eagles as a lesson. You should act before you?re forced to do so.

Here in the States, we?re having a debate about Carlos Bocanegra. Fairly or not, people are also starting to whisper about Tim Howard. Italy had to fall flat in 2010, while England?s just recently started moving on from their almost golden generation. These debates happen all over the world.

The lesson to draw from Nigeria: Sometimes moving on doesn?t necessarily mean moving down. Teams get scared that moving the Bocanegras, Cannavaros, and Gerrards of the world aside represents a one-step back, two-step forward scenario, but that?s not always the case. Sometimes the difference in talent doesn?t match the gap in reputation. And reputations are only earned by playing.

Sometimes, you have to take a chance.

Oh these cagey, cagey finals -?Burkina Faso wasn?t bad, but Nigeria was a much better team, just as Spain was a much better team than the Netherlands in South Africa. Both games ended 1-0 mostly because of the styles the teams employed. When the difference in reward between winning and losing is at its greatest, it?s no surprise teams become risk averse.

Mexico came out cagey and almost got burned in the last Gold Cup final. Japan beat Australia 1-0 in extra time of the last Asian confederation final. Only Uruguay (2011 Copa America) and Spain (Euro 2012) took recent finals by the horns, though Spain?s 2008 European title was also a 1-0.

There?ve only been three goals in the last five Cup of Nations finals, but that?s not all Africa. Games with these stakes usually produce cagey soccer.

Not every talent plays in Europe?- Of course, nobody thinks Europe has a monopoly on world soccer?s talent, but in an age of YouTube, internet streams, and blogs about everything, there is a sense that there are no undiscovered talents, only neglected ones.

Sunday?s final dispelled that notion. The Man of the Match is still playing in the Nigerian league. Godfrey Oboabona (right), one of Nigeria?s central defenders, also plays in his domestic league, while Burkina Faso?s impact substitute, Willy Sanou, is playing in the second division of Japanese soccer.

Those stories might not get people watching Morocco 2015, but it is a reminder that good soccer exists beyond our usual haunts. Tournaments like Copa America, Asian Cup, Cup of Nations and even our own Gold Cup are great showcases for it.

And if you?re lucky, some of that soccer will involve something distinct to that corner of the world. Like?vuvuzelas. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Packaged for takeaway

• Mba?s goal wouldn?t have happened if it wasn?t for Victor Moses. The Chelsea attacker?s skill during a 1-on-3 produced the shot that was blocked out to Mba.
• Burkina Faso played a 4-2-3-1 formation. Nigeria stayed with their 4-3-3, but electing not to press high during the early portion of the match, the defensive shape folded into a 4-1-4-1 through most of the first half. Rather than pressure Burkina Faso?s defense, Moses and Brown Ideye, the wingers at the onset, played very deep in Keshi?s initial base setup.
• Sanou came closest to a Burkina Faso goal. A blast along the ground from 18 yards to the right of goal forced goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to palm the ball wide of the far post.
• The referee mistakenly awarded Nigeria a goal kick on Sanou?s shot, meaning Burkina Faso finished their only Cup of Nations final without a shot on goal.
• The win qualifies Nigeria for this summer?s Confederations Cup. They?ll be grouped with Spain, Uruguay, and Tahiti.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/10/africa-cup-of-nations-final-nigeria-vs-burkina-faso/related/

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Nick Lachey: Not Taking Camden on Tour Would Be ?Tragic?

"Camden will be on tour for sure. I'm not going to spend 2? months away from my son. That would be tragic," Lachey says.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/Af9whpZkLrY/

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Kris Humphries Trade: Headed to Charlotte?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/kris-humphries-to-be-traded-to-charlotte/

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APNewsBreak: Flaws found in US missile shield

FILE - In this Friday, May 4, 2012 file photo, a Russian military officer is on duty in the main control center of a radar station at the missile defense facility in Sofrino, 50 km (31 miles) northeast of Moscow. Secret U.S. Defense Department studies have cast doubt on whether a multibillion dollar missile defense system planned for Europe will ever be able to protect the United States from Iranian missiles as intended, congressional investigators say. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, File)

FILE - In this Friday, May 4, 2012 file photo, a Russian military officer is on duty in the main control center of a radar station at the missile defense facility in Sofrino, 50 km (31 miles) northeast of Moscow. Secret U.S. Defense Department studies have cast doubt on whether a multibillion dollar missile defense system planned for Europe will ever be able to protect the United States from Iranian missiles as intended, congressional investigators say. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel, File)

Sailors man the rails aboard the guided -missile destroyer USS Barry as the ship depart the Norfolk Naval Station Thursday morning, Feb. 7, 2013 for a 6-month deployment. The USS Barry has deployed to Europe to protect U.S. allies from ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/TheVirginian-Pilot,Bill Tiernan) MAGS OUT

Sailors man the rails aboard the guided -missile destroyer USS Barry as the ship departs the Norfolk Naval Station Thursday morning, Feb. 7, 2013 for a 6-month deployment. The USS Barry has deployed to Europe to protect U.S. allies from ballistic missiles. (AP Photo/TheVirginian-Pilot,Bill Tiernan) MAGS OUT

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Secret Defense Department studies cast doubt on whether a multibillion-dollar missile defense system planned for Europe can ever protect the U.S. from Iranian missiles as intended, congressional investigators say.

Military officials say they believe they can overcome the problems and are moving forward with plans. But proposed fixes could prove difficult. One possibility has been ruled out as technically unfeasible. A second, relocating missile interceptors planned for Poland and possibly Romania to ships on the North Sea, could be diplomatically troublesome.

The studies are the latest to highlight serious problems for a plan that has been criticized on several fronts.

Republicans claim it was developed hastily in an attempt to appease Russia, which had opposed an earlier system. But Russia is also critical of the plan, which it believes is really intended to counter its missiles. A series of governmental and scientific reports has raised questions about whether it would ever work as planned.

At a time that the military faces giant budget cuts, the studies could lead Congress to reconsider whether it is worthwhile to spend billions for a system that may not fulfill its original goals.

The classified studies were summarized in a briefing for lawmakers by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' nonpartisan investigative and auditing arm, which is preparing a report. The GAO briefing, which was not classified, was obtained by The Associated Press.

Military officials declined repeated requests to discuss the studies on the record, noting they were classified. Even speaking on condition of anonymity, officials declined to say whether the GAO accurately had reported its conclusions. But the briefing had been reviewed by several Defense Department officials and the revisions they requested were incorporated. There was no indication they had objected to how the studies had been described.

The officials who spoke to the AP emphasized that the interceptor intended to protect the United States is in the early stages of development and its capabilities are not known. They said that the U.S. is already protected by other missile defense systems. Even if European-based interceptors are unable to directly defend the United States, they say they would protect not only European allies and U.S. troops stationed on the continent, but also U.S. radars there that are necessary for all U.S. missile defense plans.

Missile defense has been a contentious issue since President George W. Bush sought to base long-range interceptors in Central Europe to stop missiles from Iran. Some Democrats criticized the plans, saying they were rushed and based on unproven technology. Russia believed the program was aimed at countering its missiles and undermining its nuclear deterrent.

It might seem logical for the U.S. to want to have a defense against Russian missiles, but it's not that simple.

A new missile defense system aimed at Russia could undermine the balance between the nuclear powers, leading Moscow to add to its arsenal and build up its own defenses. It would undermine prospects for further cuts in nuclear weapons, which are a priority for President Barack Obama, and could hurt U.S.-Russian cooperation on other issues of international importance.

Obama reworked the plans soon after taking office in 2009, saying the threat from long-range Iranian missiles was years off. His plans called for slower interceptors that could address Iran's medium-range missiles. The interceptors would be upgraded gradually over four phases, culminating early next decade with those intended to protect both Europe and the United States.

The plans have gained momentum in Europe with the signing of basing agreements in Poland, Romania and Turkey, as well as backing by NATO.

Russia initially welcomed the plan, but now strongly opposes it, especially the interceptors in the final stage. Russia fears those interceptors could catch its intercontinental missiles launched at the U.S.

It is that fourth stage that is now at issue.

The GAO investigators said that the classified reports by the Missile Defense Agency concluded that Romania was a poor location for an interceptor to protect the U.S. It said the Polish site would work only if the U.S. developed capabilities to launch interceptors while an Iranian missile was in its short initial phase of powered flight.

But the administration is not pursuing that capability because it does not believe it is feasible, according to one senior defense official.

The military has considered deploying interceptors on ships, but the Navy has safety concerns that have not yet been resolved. The suggestion of attempting intercepts from ships on the North Sea probably would aggravate tensions with Russia. That could put it right in the path that some Russian ICBMs would use, further reinforcing Russia's belief that it, not Iran, is the target of the system.

The GAO investigators also took the administration to task for not conducting studies earlier that could have revealed the problems. Reports by the GAO and scientific bodies advising the government have raised other concerns about the missile shield, citing production glitches, cost overruns, problems with radars and sensors that cannot distinguish between warheads and other objects.

One report by the National Academy of Sciences recommended canceling the fourth phase of the system and deploying the interceptors to the East Coast.

The GAO study was requested by Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, who until recently led a panel that oversees missile defense. He said he is concerned that the interceptor in development might be useless in protecting the United States.

"This report really confirms what I have said all along: that this was a hurried proposal by the president," he said.

___

Online:

Missile Defense Agency: http://www.mda.mil/system/system.html

___

Follow Desmond Butler on Twitter: http://twitter.com/desmondbutler

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-09-US-Europe-Missile%20Defense/id-d119471687de413bb8d85c44687b0f16

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Polish transsexual lawmaker loses shot at top post

WARSAW, Poland (AP) ? The before and after photos of Anna Grodzka show how much she ? and her country ? have transformed.

As a man, she once wore a thick beard. Now, Poland's first transsexual lawmaker favors big dangly earrings, her hair in a bob.

Grodzka attracted huge attention when she was elected in 2011, and earned even more recently when she became a candidate to be a deputy speaker for her leftwing party.

She lost that chance on Friday when lawmakers voted overwhelming to keep the incumbent in the job. Even so, the 58-year-old has already had a huge impact on the political scene, becoming perhaps the most prominent symbol of liberal change in a country that has traditionally been deeply conservative and overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.

"Certain taboos are being dismantled," said Jacek Kucharczyk, a political analyst and the president of the Institute of Public Affairs in Warsaw.

Serious news magazines have featured Grodzka on their front covers, with analytical pieces examining the role of gays and other sexual minorities in society. The tabloids zero in on more frivolous things, like the difficulty the nearly 6-foot-2 (nearly 1.9-meter) Grodzka faces finding pretty clothes. Or how she freezes in panty hose in the frigid Polish winters, but still refuses to wear pants.

Grodzka said she herself is still sometimes surprised that she garnered 20,000 votes in her conservative home city, Krakow, to win a seat in Parliament. People have attacked her office, throwing things at the windows or ripping her rainbow flags. But all in all, she feels a growing acceptance from society, she told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday.

She is aware she is a symbol of historic change in Poland, she said, and is trying to meet that challenge by doing the best work possible as a lawmaker.

"I am above all trying to be a normal politician, like any other person, but maybe even better. I am really trying so that people who observe me will know that transgender people are no worse in any way than any others," Grodzka said.

The social transformation has been visible in other areas too, including growing support for the state to fund in vitro fertilization, despite conservative Catholic opposition. But it is particularly notable for the new attention given to the rights of sexual minorities, an issue suppressed in communist times and after the fall of communism in 1989, as many Poles looked to the powerful Catholic church for guidance through the economic and social turmoil.

The church's role was long bolstered by its reputation for standing up to the communists and because of the authority of the late Polish Pope John Paul II. But its influence has waned since John Paul's death in 2005 and as Poland joined the EU in 2004 and became more closely integrated with the West.

A key turning point came when a new progressive party ? Palikot's Movement ? swept into power in 2011 as Parliament's third-largest force, one fighting for gay rights and against the church's traditional influence over public life. Its representatives include Grodzka and Poland's first openly gay lawmaker, Robert Biedron.

It can be an uphill battle. Last month lawmakers tackled the issue of civil partnerships, but rejected legislation that would have given unmarried couples ? gay or straight ? any legal rights.

The rise of the liberals "doesn't mean that we have suddenly become a very progressive country or that we are already on the level of West European countries in recognizing the rights of sexual minorities," Kucharczyk said. "There is still a long, long way to go and we see ... a backlash against Grodzka" getting a leadership role in Parliament, he said. "But what has changed is that we are discussing this openly and people have become visible."

Grodzka had sex change surgery in 2010 in Thailand after a lifetime of feeling she was born the wrong sex. Before the change her name was Krzysztof Begowski, and she had a wife and a son. Grodzka's son has been supportive of her through her change but the wife could not accept it and the two are now estranged.

The ruling party ? currently Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform ? automatically gets the position of speaker of Oarliament, with other parties each allotted one deputy speaker post each. Grodzka appeared to have a shot at it after the lawmaker currently holding the post for her party, Wanda Nowicka, drew the ire of its founder and leader, Janusz Palikot, for accepting a bonus of 40,000 zlotys ($13,000), along with the other deputy speakers. The bonuses have been controversial because they come as Poland's economy faces a slowdown and the government is raising taxes and forcing other austerity measures on the public.

Lawmakers, however, voted overwhelmingly Friday against a proposition put forward by Palikot to dismiss Nowicka, a prominent activist who has worked for women's causes for many years.

Nowicka then addressed the assembly, saying she was encouraged by their support and that she would not resign. Nowicka said there was no merit to the case against her and that she still had work to do for women and her constituents.

Grodzka, who has expressed admiration for Nowicka's work, was among those who voted to keep Nowicka in place. After the vote, she said she was not upset by the outcome.

"I don't regret it ? believe me," she said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/polish-transsexual-lawmaker-loses-shot-top-post-093120122.html

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Blizzard wallops Northeast, closes roads

BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A blizzard slammed into the northeastern United States on Friday, snarling traffic, disrupting thousands of flights and prompting five governors to declare states of emergency in the face of a fearsome snowstorm.

Forecasters warned that about 2 feet of snow would blanket most of the Boston area with some spots getting as much as 30 inches. New York was due to get about a foot in some areas, while heavy snowfall was also expected in Connecticut and Maine.

Winds were blowing at 35 to 40 miles per hour (56 to 64 km per hour) by Friday afternoon and forecasters expected gusts up to 60 mph as the evening wore on.

Driving conditions were treacherous. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick took the rare step of announcing a ban on most car travel starting Friday afternoon, while Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy closed the state's highways to all but emergency vehicles.

As the evening wore on and the snow piled up, mass transit was also affected.

In New York City, transit officials said "suspensions in service remain a strong possibility," and Metro-North Railroad suspended some of its commuter rail service at 10 p.m.

The Long Island Rail Road partially suspended service on its Montauk branch.

The blizzard left about 10,000 customers along the East Coast without power, and some 3,500 flights were canceled.

"We're seeing heavier snow overspread the region from south to north," said Lance Franck, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton, Massachusetts, outside Boston. "As the snow picks up in intensity, we're expecting it to fall at a rate of upwards of two to three inches per hour."

Early Friday evening, officials warned that the storm was just ramping up to full strength, and that heavy snow and high winds would continue through midday on Saturday. The governors of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Maine declared states of emergency and urged people to stay indoors.

In many cases, authorities ordered non-essential government workers to stay home, urged private employers to do the same, told people to prepare for power outages and encouraged them to check on elderly or disabled neighbors.

People appeared to take the warnings seriously. Traffic on streets and ridership on public transportation was significantly lighter than usual on Friday.

"This is a very large and powerful storm, however we are encouraged by the numbers of people who stayed home today," Boston Mayor Thomas Menino told reporters.

In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg suggested the storm created an opportunity to relax and catch up on sleep.

Even so, the storm caused a few accidents, including a 19-vehicle pile-up outside Portland, Maine, that sent one person to the hospital.

LOOKING FOR SASQUATCH

The storm wasn't bad news for everyone.

When told an estimated 8 to 10 inches of snow was predicted overnight at Elk Mountain in Uniondale, Pennsylvania, pint-sized skier Sophia Chesner's eyes grew wide.

"Whoa!" said the 8-year-old from Moorestown, New Jersey, who was on a ski vacation with her family. Her sister, Giuliana, 4, said no matter how good the skiing was, she had other priorities once the snow piled up.

"First thing I'm going to do is build a snowman and look for a Sasquatch footprint," Guiliana Chesner said.

Life was not as rosy for those who planned to fly. In addition to Friday's cancellations, more than 1,200 flights scheduled for Saturday were scratched, according to the website FlightAware.com.

The storm also posed a risk of flooding at high tide to areas still recovering from Superstorm Sandy last October.

"Many of the same communities that were inundated by Hurricane Sandy's tidal surge just about 100 days ago are likely to see some moderate coastal flooding this evening," said Bloomberg.

Brick Township in New Jersey had crews out building up sand dunes and berms ahead of a forecast storm surge, said Mayor Stephen Acropolis.

Travel became more difficult as the day progressed.

Amtrak suspended railroad service between New York, Boston and points north on Friday afternoon.

Organizers of the country's championship sledding race, which had been scheduled to get underway in Camden, Maine, on Saturday, postponed the event by one day. Some 400 teams were registered for the race, which features costumed sledders on a 400-foot (121-meter) chute.

"As soon as the weather clears on Saturday and it is safe, the toboggan committee will be out at Tobogganville cleaning up the chute as quickly as they can," said Holly Edwards, chairwoman of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships.

"It needs to be shoveled out by hand."

(Reporting by Edith Honan in New York and Scott Malone in Boston; Additional reporting by Barbara Goldberg in Uniondale, Pennsylvania; Daniel Lovering in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Jason McLure in Littleton, New Hampshire; David Sheppard, Robert Gibbons and Scott DiSavino in New York; and Dave Warner in Philadelphia; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blizzard-wallops-northeast-closes-roads-015639797--spt.html

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