Letter airs harassment claims against HP's ex-CEO (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd's efforts to impress an HP event hostess included showing her his checking-account balance holding over $1 million, according to a letter detailing the sexual harassment allegations that led to his ouster.

The letter was obtained late Thursday by The Associated Press after the Delaware Supreme Court ruled that disclosing it did not violate Delaware laws. In rejecting efforts by Hurd's lawyers to keep it confidential, the court concluded that the letter does not contain trade secrets, non-public financial information or third-party confidential information.

The ruling said information that is only "mildly embarrassing" is not protected from public disclosure. Some sentences concerning Hurd's family were ordered redacted from the letter, however.

Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred sent the letter last year on behalf of Jodie Fisher, who was hired as a contract employee to help with HP networking events and who later accused Hurd of sexual harassment.

Although an HP investigation did not find any evidence to support the harassment claim, it uncovered inaccurate expense reports for his outings with Fisher. Hurd was ultimately forced out in August 2010. He now works as co-president at rival Oracle Corp.

Allred alleged in the letter that, while Fisher was ostensibly hired an HP event hostess in late 2007, she was really brought on to accompany Hurd to HP events held out of town. Throughout 2008 and 2009, Hurd made it clear he expected to have a sexual relationship with Fisher, using his "status and authority as CEO of HP," Allred alleged.

Allred claimed that Hurd made several sexual advances toward Fisher, which Fisher rejected. In 2008, while walking with Fisher in Madrid, Hurd stopped at an ATM and showed her his checking-account balance "to impress her," according to the letter.

After Fisher rejected him a final time in October 2009, she was not hired for any future HP events, Allred alleged.

Allred also alleged that in March 2008, Hurd told Fisher that HP was likely to purchase technology services vendor EDS. HP announced the $13 billion acquisition in May of that year.

HP shareholder Ernesto Espinoza had sued to have the letter unsealed. Hurd's attorney, Amy Wintersheimer, said his lawyers had requested that the letter be kept confidential because "it is filled with inaccuracies."

"The truth is, there never was any sexual harassment, which HP's investigation confirmed, and there never was any sexual relationship, which Ms. Fisher has confirmed," Wintersheimer said in a statement.

Both Allred and Palo Alto-based Hewlett-Packard Co. had no comment on the letter's contents.

___

Ortutay reported from New York.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111230/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_mark_hurd_letter

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Southwark Storm, London, United Kingdom

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A Marine in Afghanistan Reflects on Her Country's Problems at Home (Time.com)

As a Marine serving a year-long deployment in Helmand province, Afghanistan, there are so many things that I miss about my home in Jacksonville, N.C.?But I am just one of many service members who will not be spending the holidays with loved ones back home.?For many Marines here, this is their third, fourth or fifth deployment ? others have deployed even more.?We chose to join the military to answer a calling to serve our fellow Americans or to make a difference in the world, despite the sacrifices required to do so.

Being so far from home this holiday season, I look to the United States, and I am saddened, not because times are difficult, but because our nation is too great to suffer so.?Americans have a strength born from overcoming adversity and creating opportunity where there was none before, and the challenges we face today are no different ? if we can come together to serve each other.

(MORE: What to Thank a Vet For: Compassion)

Many people are outraged at the economic condition of the nation, and groups are embroiled in the blame game that?s dividing America.?But rather than trying to find someone to blame ? whether it?s Wall Street, the government or the wealthy ? it?s time to focus on the more important issue of working our way out of the challenges we?re facing.

I?m sure we can all agree that the federal deficit of $15 trillion is far too great, and we should continue to hold our elected officials accountable to find solutions.?But, in the interim, there are serious problems impacting communities across the nation that we can address by working together.

The most troubling problem for me, as a mother, is the plight of child hunger in the United States.?It?s difficult to imagine that a nation as prosperous as America even has a hunger problem. The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s Economic Research Service has found that 14.5% (17.2 million) of U.S. households had a ?limited or uncertain ability? to acquire nutritionally adequate and safe food at some time during 2010.?The majority of these households met this challenge by eating less varied diets or turning to federal food programs or community food pantries where available.?But 6.4 million of these households in 2010 did not have enough money or other resources at times to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways ? that is, without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing or other coping strategies.

(PHOTOS: Marines? Tattoos in Marjah, Afghanistan)

Adequate food is a fundamental necessity, but it?s difficult to obtain without money, which points to another challenge afflicting America:?unemployment and poverty. In early December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics put the unemployment rate at 8.6%, more than 13 million people, of which 5.7 million have been unemployed 27 weeks or more.

Like many problems our nation faces, these may seem insurmountable, but we can each do something small to help our neighbors get back on track. First, I would encourage everyone to buy American products when possible to help American businesses prosper and to promote job growth.

I also encourage people to support local programs, either through donations or by volunteering their time.?For example, you could organize a winter coat drive to collect unwanted coats, like the ones your children have outgrown but are still in good condition. You could also find something you are passionate about, like improving education, and volunteer your support at a school that needs help.?If politics is your passion, run for local elected positions or look for appointed positions where your experience and expertise can benefit others.

As a Marine in Helmand province, I have seen our Marines and sailors do amazing things to rid the area of insurgents and enable Afghan forces to assume responsibility of security, but we are successful because we work together as a team.?Likewise, American history is filled with examples of people coming together to overcome challenges and strengthen our nation.?So this holiday season, instead of pointing fingers and engaging in activities that divide America, perhaps we can begin anew to focus that energy to overcome our challenges through teamwork and dedication. Working together is not a seasonal activity, and neither are the challenges we face.

Franklin is a Gunnery Sergeant in the U.S. Marines stationed at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand province, Afghanistan. The views expressed are her own.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/time_rss/rss_time_us/httpideastimecom20111223whywemuststoptheblamegamexidrssnationyahoo/44017805/SIG=12os2ehuo/*http%3A//ideas.time.com/2011/12/23/why-we-must-stop-the-blame-game/?xid=rss-nation-yahoo

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Sioux Falls, SD 2005 Ford Taurus Used Sedan near Sioux City, IA Watertown, SD Vern Eide Mitsubishi for $6,946

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*The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, finance charges, documentation charges, and any other fees required by law. We attempt to update this inventory on a regular basis. However, there can be lag time between the sale of a vehicle and the update of the inventory.

EPA mileage estimates are for newly manufactured vehicles only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

Before purchasing this vehicle, it is your responsibility to address any and all differences between information on this website and the actual vehicle specifications and/or any warranties offered prior to the sale of this vehicle. Vehicle data on this website is compiled from publicly available sources believed by the publisher to be reliable. Vehicle data is subject to change without notice. The publisher assumes no responsibility for errors and/or omissions in this data the compilation of this data and makes no representations express or implied to any actual or prospective purchaser of the vehicle as to the condition of the vehicle, vehicle specifications, ownership, vehicle history, equipment/accessories, price or warranties.

Source: http://www.verneide.com/2005-Ford-Taurus-Sioux-Falls-SD/vd/8285878

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Preventive care: It's free, except when it's not

In this photo taken Dec. 2, 2011, Bill Dunphy poses for a photo in Phoenix. Dunphy, a 61-year-old small business owner, thought his colonoscopy would be free under the nation's year-old health care law. But when the doctor removed two non-cancerous polyps, turning a preventive screening into a diagnostic procedure, it allowed his insurance company to bill him $1,100. "That's bait and switch," Dunphy said. "If it isn't fraud, it's immoral." (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

In this photo taken Dec. 2, 2011, Bill Dunphy poses for a photo in Phoenix. Dunphy, a 61-year-old small business owner, thought his colonoscopy would be free under the nation's year-old health care law. But when the doctor removed two non-cancerous polyps, turning a preventive screening into a diagnostic procedure, it allowed his insurance company to bill him $1,100. "That's bait and switch," Dunphy said. "If it isn't fraud, it's immoral." (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

In this photo taken Dec. 2, 2011, Bill Dunphy poses for a photo in Phoenix. Dunphy, a 61-year-old small business owner, thought his colonoscopy would be free under the nation's year-old health care law. But when the doctor removed two non-cancerous polyps, turning a preventive screening into a diagnostic procedure, it allowed his insurance company to bill him $1,100. "That's bait and switch," Dunphy said. "If it isn't fraud, it's immoral." (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

In this photo taken Dec. 2, 2011, Bill Dunphy poses for a photo in Phoenix. Dunphy, a 61-year-old small business owner, thought his colonoscopy would be free under the nation's year-old health care law. But when the doctor removed two non-cancerous polyps, turning a preventive screening into a diagnostic procedure, it allowed his insurance company to bill him $1,100. "That's bait and switch," Dunphy said. "If it isn't fraud, it's immoral." (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

In this photo taken Dec. 2, 2011, Bill Dunphy poses for a photo in Phoenix. Dunphy, a 61-year-old small business owner, thought his colonoscopy would be free under the nation's year-old health care law. But when the doctor removed two non-cancerous polyps, turning a preventive screening into a diagnostic procedure, it allowed his insurance company to bill him $1,100. "That's bait and switch," Dunphy said. "If it isn't fraud, it's immoral." (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

CHICAGO (AP) ? Bill Dunphy thought his colonoscopy would be free.

His insurance company told him it would be covered 100 percent, with no copayment from him and no charge against his deductible. The nation's 1-year-old health law requires most insurance plans to cover all costs for preventive care including colon cancer screening. So Dunphy had the procedure in April.

Then the bill arrived: $1,100.

Dunphy, a 61-year-old Phoenix small business owner, angrily paid it out of his own pocket because of what some prevention advocates call a loophole. His doctor removed two noncancerous polyps during the colonoscopy. So while Dunphy was sedated, his preventive screening turned into a diagnostic procedure. That allowed his insurance company to bill him.

Like many Americans, Dunphy has a high-deductible insurance plan. He hadn't spent his deductible yet. So, on top of his $400 monthly premium, he had to pay the bill.

"That's bait and switch," Dunphy said. "If it isn't fraud, it's immoral."

President Barack Obama's health overhaul encourages prevention by requiring most insurance plans to pay for preventive care. On the plus side, more than 22 million Medicare patients and many more Americans with private insurance have received one or more free covered preventive services this year. From cancer screenings to flu shots, many services no longer cost patients money.

But there are confusing exceptions. As Dunphy found out, colonoscopies can go from free to pricey while the patient is under anesthesia.

Breast cancer screenings can cause confusion too. In Florida, Tampa Bay-area small business owner Dawn Thomas, 50, went for a screening mammogram. But she was told by hospital staff that her mammogram would be a diagnostic test ? not preventive screening ? because a previous mammogram had found something suspicious. (It turned out to be nothing.)

Knowing that would cost her $700, and knowing her doctor had ordered a screening mammogram, Thomas stood her ground.

"Either I get a screening today or I'm putting my clothes back on and I'm leaving," she remembers telling the hospital staff. It worked. Her mammogram was counted as preventive and she got it for free.

"A lot of women ... are getting labeled with that diagnostic code and having to pay year after year for that," Thomas said. "It's a loophole so insurance companies don't have to pay for it."

For parents with several children, costs can pile up with unexpected copays for kids needing shots. Even when copays are inexpensive, they can blemish a patient-doctor relationship. Robin Brassner of Jersey City, N.J., expected her doctor visit to be free. All she wanted was a flu shot. But the doctor charged her a $20 copay.

"He said no one really comes in for just a flu shot. They inevitably mention another ailment, so he charges," Brassner said. As a new patient, she didn't want to start the relationship by complaining, but she left feeling irritated. "Next time, I'll be a little more assertive about it," she said.

How confused are doctors?

"Extremely," said Cheryl Gregg Fahrenholz, an Ohio consultant who works with physicians. It's common for doctors to deal with 200 different insurance plans. And some older plans are exempt.

Should insurance now pay for aspirin? Aspirin to prevent heart disease and stroke is one of the covered services for older patients. But it's unclear whether insurers are supposed to pay only for doctors to tell older patients about aspirin ? or whether they're supposed to pay for the aspirin itself, said Dr. Jason Spangler, chief medical officer for the nonpartisan Partnership for Prevention.

Stop-smoking interventions are also supposed to be free. "But what does that mean?" Spangler asked. "Does it mean counseling? Nicotine replacement therapy? What about drugs (that can help smokers quit) like Wellbutrin or Chantix? That hasn't been clearly laid out."

But the greatest source of confusion is colonoscopies, a test for the nation's second leading cancer killer. Doctors use a thin, flexible tube to scan the colon and they can remove precancerous growths called polyps at the same time. The test gets credit for lowering colorectal cancer rates. It's one of several colon cancer screening methods highly recommended for adults ages 50 to 75.

But when a doctor screens and treats at the same time, the patient could get a surprise bill.

"It erodes a trust relationship the patients may have had with their doctors," said Dr. Joel Brill of the American Gastroenterological Association. "We get blamed. And it's not our fault,"

Cindy Holtzman, an insurance agent in Marietta, Ga., is telling clients to check with their insurance plans before a colonoscopy so they know what to expect.

"You could wake up with a $2,000 bill because they find that little bitty polyp," Holtzman said.

Doctors and prevention advocates are asking Congress to revise the law to waive patient costs ? including Medicare copays, which can run up to $230 ? for a screening colonoscopy where polyps are removed. The American Gastroenterological Association and the American Cancer Society are pushing Congress fix the problem because of the confusion it's causing for patients and doctors.

At least one state is taking action. After complaints piled up in Oregon, insurance regulators now are working with doctors and insurers to make sure patients aren't getting surprise charges when polyps are removed.

Florida's consumer services office also reports complaints about colonoscopies and other preventive care. California insurance broker Bonnie Milani said she's lost count of the complaints she's had about bills clients have received for preventive services.

"'Confusion' is not the word I'd apply to the medical offices producing the bills," Milani said. "The word that comes to mind for me ain't nearly so nice."

When it's working as intended, the new health law encourages more patients to get preventive care. Dr. Yul Ejnes, a Rhode Island physician, said he's personally told patients with high deductible plans about the benefit. They weren't planning to schedule a colonoscopy until they heard it would be free, Ejnes said.

If too many patients get surprise bills, however, that advantage could be lost, said Stephen Finan of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. He said it will take federal or state legislation to fix the colonoscopy loophole.

Dunphy, the Phoenix businessman, recalled how he felt when he got his colonoscopy bill, like something "underhanded" was going on.

"It's the intent of the law is to cover this stuff," Dunphy said. "It really made me angry."

___

AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/CarlaKJohnson

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2011-12-28-Preventive%20Care%20Confusion/id-5b1c9dfa34aa4cb5b8a89d41181f1d99

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The top gaming technologies of 2011 | VentureBeat

Each year brings a host of new technologies to the table that make the gaming landscape seem significantly different from what came before, and 2011 was no different. Here are some of the most important technological advancements the game industry saw in the past 12 months.

Nintendo 3DS

After Nintendo?s press conference just before E3 2010, it seemed all anybody in the game industry could talk about was the ?wow factor? of Nintendo?s newest portable system and how its stereoscopic 3D effect actually worked as advertised, without 3D glasses. Once the system came out, of course, many encountered frustration with the lowered frame rate and reduced brightness in 3D mode, as well as problems with limited viewing angles and headaches after long-term viewing. A healthy minority of players now use the system with the 3D effects turned off, and the lack of a real third dimension doesn?t hurt the gameplay experience as much as Nintendo said it might.

Still, despite all its problems, the 3DS earns a place on this list for being a proof of concept showing stereoscopic 3D doesn?t need bulky head-mounted hardware to work. If future hardware makers expand on the concept with technologies that provide a more robust 3D from multiple viewing angles, we could see a true revolution in gaming.

Sony PlayStation Vita

Though it hasn?t made it to North America or Europe yet, the Vita snuck into Japanese stores in December sporting a regular everything-and-the-kitchen sink approach to portable gaming systems. The influence of the smartphone gaming revolution is apparent in everything from the optional 3G data connection to the large touch-screen to front and rear facing cameras.

But the Vita?s most interesting bit of technology, from a gaming point of view, might be the rear multi-touch panel designed to allow players to control games without their fingers getting in the way of viewing the action. It?s still up in the air whether this innovative new control scheme will become a crucial addition or a forgotten fad, but it shows Sony?s willingness to try something radically different with its PSP follow up.

Apple?s A5 processor

Making its premiere on the iPad 2 in March, Apple?s newest mobile system-on-a-chip processor managed to provide a 400 to 700 percent increase in graphical performance over the year-old original iPad with no increase in retail price. Game developers were at first slow to take advantage of that extra power, but titles like Infinity Blade 2, Real Racing 2 and Dark Meadow have since shown how the additional power can be used to change the idea of what a mobile game can be.

With the chip?s inclusion on Apple?s new iPhone 4S, we can expect more game developers to start upping the graphical ante in their mobile titles. But the real revolution will come when Apple finally adds the A5 chip to its iPod Touch line, which Apple is actively selling for its gaming capabilities.

HTML5

While HTML5 wasn?t introduced in 2011, this was the year the open standard for building interactive web games and apps really came into its own. Look no further than Adobe, which announced in November it would stop supporting the mobile version of competing interactive standard Flash (which Apple steadfastly refused to support on its devices) in favor of HTML5.

It?s not just Adobe. Zynga released HTML5 versions of three of its biggest games this year in a bid for mobile web browsers, and Disney followed up its major acquisition of Playdom with the purchase of HTML5 game specialists Rocket Pack. Startups from Los Angeles? Gamzee to Korea?s Pangalore managed to attract startup funds for their HTML5 gaming efforts this year as well. While we have yet to see the first major gaming hit to premiere on HTML3, and there are some concerns about the standard?s value as a game development platform, the trend towards the open standard seems like it will only continue into 2012.

OnLive for Tablets

Since its launch last year, OnLive?s streaming game service ? which lets play games that are running on and transmitted from remote servers ? has struggled to find a significant market of users. But the recently launched tablet version of the service may just be the killer app it needs, allowing millions of tablet owners to get truly console-quality games on their relatively underpowered devices.

More than the previous?OnLive services, which relied on a PC, Mac or a proprietary streaming micro-console, the tablet version offers an easy portability that turns the devices into a sort of magic screen that can access a wide library of PC and console games easily wherever there?s a reliable internet connection. Support for external Bluetooth controllers means tablet owners no longer have to suffer through the tactile smoothness of a touchscreen, either: OnLive for tablets open the devices up to the traditional button-based games most players are used to.

Razer Blade Laptop

Razer?s first entry into the dedicated gaming computer market doesn?t include much that?s decidedly new (aside from its built-in LCD panel touchscreen next to the keyboard, perhaps). Still, the combination of internal hardware aimed at high-end gamers and a sleek form factor stakes out an important place in the gaming hardware market. The $2,800 price might limit the laptop?s appeal outside an incredibly hardcore niche, but the Blade stands out for imagining a PC gaming future that isn?t just dominated by free-to-play casual social games.

PlayStation 3D Display

It may look like just another 3D TV, but when combined with the PS3, Sony?s gaming-focused display gains one special feature to set it apart ? a multiplayer mode where each participant gets their own distinct, full screen view. The days of squinting at a stretched-out split-screen view for couch competitions is effectively over with this TV, though the 24? size may cause some squinting of its own for players used to a larger, widescreen living room setup.

The 3D display has already seen heavily reduced prices at some retailers, perhaps showing a lack of market interest in yet another 3D capable monitor. Still, the fact that Sony released a gaming-focused 3D TV in the first place shows the company?s continuing commitment to stereoscopic gaming as a way to set its console apart from those offered by Microsoft and Nintendo.

Nyko Kinect Zoom

One of the coolest bits of video game technology to come to gaming in 2011 doesn?t even require electricity to operate. The Nyko Zoom is nothing more than a set of small lenses that snaps on top of Microsoft?s Kinect depth-sensing camera, effectively shortening and widening the useful range for the device, removing one of the key barriers to using it in a cramped space. Suddenly, even the smallest of studio apartments can serve as a controller-free environment.

How important is this reduced range to the usefulness of the Kinect? Well, when Microsoft announced it would be releasing a new Kinect aimed specifically at PC users, it made sure to include technology that would let the unit work from as close as 40 centimeters away. In other words, Nyko was able to see the market for a closer range Kinect before Microsoft did.

Next Story: Watch out Qualcomm, DoCoMo taps Samsung, Fujitsu, others for LTE chip?venture
Previous Story: Orbitz, Kayak think Google is abusing its power with travel?search

Tags: 3DS, A5, A5 processor, HTML5, Nyko Kinect Zoom, PlayStation 3D Display

Companies: Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, Nintendo, Nyko, Sony

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2011/12/27/the-top-gaming-technologies-of-2011/

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Love Hulten shows off R-Kaid-6 game console, resurrects Octorok from 'Zelda'

In a perfect world, you could have a cool, original retro gaming peripheral and impress the sort-of-snooty steampunk nerds at the same time. That day has arrived to do just that, as Love Hultén has created a new wooden video game console called the R-Kaid-6. Inspired by various retro game consoles, the R-Kaid-6 features a custom version of the Maximus Arcade front-end for emulators and runs on PC innards from 2001. The unit also sports customized cables and two arcade joysticks that can be stored in the top of the base unit when not in use. So far, there's no set price for the R-Kaid-6, though the website states that the creator can be contacted if you're interested in purchasing the works displayed. Take a look, and remember that even the most annoying Modern Warfare 3 opponent screaming epithets at you over Xbox Live has to respect retro gaming goodness in its purest form.

Love Hulten shows off R-Kaid-6 game console, resurrects Octorok from 'Zelda' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/love-hulten-shows-off-r-kaid-6-game-console-resurrects-octorok/

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Something's fishy _ Marlins become big players

FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2011 file photo, Heath Bell of the San Diego Padres baseball team is shown. A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that All-Star closer Bell has agreed to a $27 million, three-year contract with the Miami Marlins _ their first free-agent deal since beginning courtships last month with several top players. The person spoke Friday, Dec. 2, 2011 on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2011 file photo, Heath Bell of the San Diego Padres baseball team is shown. A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that All-Star closer Bell has agreed to a $27 million, three-year contract with the Miami Marlins _ their first free-agent deal since beginning courtships last month with several top players. The person spoke Friday, Dec. 2, 2011 on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not yet been announced. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2010, file photo, New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes reacts after hitting a double during the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field in New York. A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that Reyes and the Miami Marlins have agreed to a $106 million, six-year contract. The deal includes a club option for a seventh season that, if exercised, would make it worth $120 million. The person spoke Sunday Dec. 4, 2011 on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

FILE - This Sept. 7, 2011 file photo shows construction underway at the Miami Marlins' new downtown stadium in Miami. The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the financing of the stadium. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

DALLAS (AP) ? Jeffrey Loria watched the news conference from the second row, beaming like a proud parent as Heath Bell talked about his new love for the Miami Marlins and reuniting with Jose Reyes.

Trying to make a quick getaway, the owner was surrounded by reporters in the corridor who wanted to know who else would be migrating to South Florida: Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle?

Instead of trading away their stars, the Marlins have become the biggest player in the offseason market, the riches from their new ballpark a free-agent attraction.

"I want our team to be important," Loria said Monday as the winter meetings opened. "It's an energy city, and I think that's one of the things that brings the players there. They see the energy."

Bell's $27 million, three-year contract was finalized, giving the renamed Marlins an All-Star closer. Reyes' $106 million, six-year deal is a satisfactory physical from conclusion.

Pujols, who already has toured the new ballpark, would join Hanley Ramirez, Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison in the batting order ? if the three-time NL MVP is willing to leave the St. Louis Cardinals, the only major league team he's played for.

"One big hitter?" Loria said out loud, his 2003 World Series ring flashing from his hand. "Well, I don't know about that, but there's a possibility of another player or two we're looking at."

Morrison, among others, was wondering.

"Just out of surgery. Everything went well," he wrote on Twitter after a minor knee operation, adding: "Have we signed Pujols yet??"

On the mound, Wilson or Buehrle could be added to a rotation that includes Josh Johnson (if healthy), Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez and Chris Volstad. While the Marlins are being aggressive, traditional big spenders such as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are moving cautiously, both with free agents and in the trade market.

"It's hey, take my older, expensive, over-the-hill guy for your young, better-performing guy," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "Let me think about that and get back to you, buddy."

Not that he's acting any differently with opening day four months away.

"I'm sure my ideas are as distasteful as the ones that I've received," he said.

As the four-day swap session began, the first piece of formal business was the annual meeting of the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee, which elected late Chicago Cubs third baseman Ron Santo. He'll be inducted in Cooperstown on July 22, along with any players elected by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America on Jan. 9.

Pujols and Prince Fielder are the big bats on the market, and it remains unclear whether Pujols is willing to leave the World Series champions, where he's joined Stan Musial as a franchise icon.

"I always use the word hopeful," Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. "I think it's presumptive to say that I'm optimistic because we obviously have continuing discussions and have a good dialogue going."

No longer watching players like Josh Beckett and Miguel Cabrera getting hooked by other teams, the Marlins now have the bait to attract baseball's best. They drew a major league-low 1.52 million fans to Sun Life Stadium, also home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins, last season. But Loria expects his team will draw 2.5 million to 3 million at the new ballpark.

"When you have a ballpark that seats 78,000, there's no great demand ? and in the middle of nowhere in a football-configured stadium," he said. "But with a ballpark half the size of that and a baseball-only ballpark, you create a different kind of experience and we've seen it in our sales already."

The rest of baseball has taken notice of a team that hopes to overtake Philadelphia and Atlanta in the NL East.

"Good for the Marlins. I'm happy for them, and it's something, of course, I'd like to see happen for us. But in the meantime, you can't cry about it," said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, whose team along with Oakland are the last two trying to get new ballparks.

Calling Reyes an "exciting young man" and Wilson a "very intelligent and very interesting guy," Loria said he thinks the Marlins can become a consistent winner in their retractable-roof ballpark, not far from downtown Miami.

"With the roster that we have and the things we hope we can do, the outlook is very good," he said. "I'm not going to make any predictions. But we certainly want to be in position to compete seriously."

While the Marlins are poaching, other teams want to retain their stars. Texas may want Wilson back after he helped it come within one strike of the team's first World Series title.

"We basically felt they were going to test the market and we'd circle back to each other," general manager Jon Daniels said.

The Mets, plunging to losing records in all three seasons at Citi Field and plagued by losses from the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme, are cutting payroll from the $140 million range in 2008 and 2009 to about $100 million next year. General manager Sandy Alderson said the team lost $70 million but wouldn't say whether it was all this year.

"When I took the job, my understanding was the payroll was not at a sustainable level, that it would have to come down somewhat," he said. "Perhaps it's had to come down a little more than I would have expected."

Reyes returns to Citi Field when the Marlins visit April 24. He'll be in their new uniforms with garish colors.

"Well, I was a little surprised they had that much money to burn," Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a $6 million, two-year contract with utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. and neared an agreement with pitcher Aaron Harang.

Minnesota agreed to a $4.75 million, one-year deal to keep closer Matt Capps, a person familiar with that deal said on condition of anonymity because it had not yet been announced.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-05-Winter%20Meetings/id-b8c6b415f0464600ba2f0e0a7f5c3db0

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Newt leads Iowa; Bachmann, Perry fall (Politico)

Newt Gingrich has taken the lead in Iowa, despite a minimal organization in the state, according to a new Des Moines Register poll out Saturday.

Gingrich is at 25 percent, with Ron Paul at 18 percent and Mitt Romney dropping to 16 percent.

Continue Reading

And showing the growth potential for the former House speaker, 43 percent of those polled said Gingrich was their second choice.

The 8 percent who backed Herman Cain ? who suspended his campaign Saturday ? in the poll are up for grabs. And there?s also 11 percent undecided, with just a month to go before the caucus as the former House speaker?s late surge continues.

Meanwhile, the candidates who have focused their campaigns on Iowa ? and will need strong showings there ? are languishing: Michele Bachmann is at 8 percent, with Rick Perry and Rick Santorum both at 6 percent.

Gingrich has had a rapid rise in popularity and received just 7 percent in the Register?s late October poll. That?s a contrast to Romney, who was leading in Iowa despite not focusing his campaign there until recently. The former Massachusetts governor has been bulking up his organization in the state in recent weeks and said Saturday morning that he may travel to the state again next week.

The steepest drop, though, may be that of Bachmann. After winning the Ames Straw Poll in August and once seeming like she could take the caucuses, the Iowa native has sunk. She?s just barely ahead of Perry, who was expected to be her main competition in the state when he first jumped into the race in August. Their efforts continue: Bachmann was in the state last week, and the Texas governor has been buying television ads on the local stations.

And in a measure of how little retail politicking seems to be registering this year, Santorum?s tied for last with Perry, despite visiting all 99 counties in Iowa ? a feat no other candidate has matched.

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who?s not competing in Iowa, was at 2 percent.

The poll, conducted for more than 50 years, is considered on the leading indicators of voter preference leading up to the Iowa caucus. It was conducted Nov. 27-30, and has 4.9 percent margin of error.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories1211_69715_html/43797163/SIG=11m6deadb/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/69715.html

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US report: Arctic much worse since 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. officials say the Arctic region has changed dramatically for the worse in the past five years.

It is melting at a near record pace, and it is darkening and absorbing too much of the sun's heat.

A new report card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rates the polar region with blazing red stop lights on three of five categories and yellow cautions for the other two. Overall, these are not good grades, but it doesn't mean the Arctic is doomed and it still will freeze in the winter, said report co-editor Jackie Richter-Menge.

The Arctic acts as Earth's refrigerator, cooling the planet. What's happening, scientists said, is like someone pushing the fridge's thermostat much too high.

"It's not cooling as well as it used to," Richter-Menge said.

The dramatic changes are from both man-made global warming and recent localized weather shifts, which were on top of the longer term warming trend, scientists said.

The report, written by 121 scientists from around the world, said statistics point to a shift in the Arctic health in 2006. That was right before 2007, when a mix of weather conditions and changing climate led to a record loss of sea ice, from which the region has never recovered. This summer's sea ice melt was the second worst on record, a tad behind 2007.

"We've got a new normal," said co-author Don Perovich, a geophysicist at the Army Corps of Engineers Cold Research and Engineering Lab. "Whether it's a tipping point and we'll never recover, who's to say?"

The report highlighted statistics to show an Arctic undergoing change:

?A NASA satellite found that 430 billion metric tons of ice melted in Greenland from 2010 to 2011, and the melting is accelerating. Since 2000, Greenland's 39 widest glaciers shrunk by nearly 530 square miles (1,375 sq. kilometers), about the equivalent of 22 Manhattans.

?The past five years have had the five lowest summer sea ice levels on record. For two straight years, all three major passages through the Arctic have been open in the summer, which is unusual.

?Seven of 19 polar bear sub-populations are shrinking.

?This year's temperature is roughly 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.4 C) higher than what had been normal since 1980.

What's even more troubling to scientists is that there's been a record darkening of the normally white Arctic land and sea. White snow and ice reflects solar energy, but a melting darker Arctic in the summer absorbs that heat.

Marco Tedesco of the City College of New York, a co-author, said the darkening is like a speeding train going downhill, adding to the acceleration of warming.

Richter-Menge said the darkening of the Arctic from melting ice and snow "causes more heating, which causes more melting, and on the cycle goes."

But there are some winners in the warming. The phytoplankton in the Arctic Ocean, at the base of the marine food chain, has increased 20 percent compared with the past decade, and some plants are doing better, scientists said.

___

Online

Government's Arctic report card: www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2011-12-01-Arctic%20Melt/id-4837cf51a8034788b832eaf83aa0c4da

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Maine breast cancer license plate in works for motorcycles ? Maine ...

PORTLAND, Maine ? State Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess led the successful push for breast cancer specialty license plates for cars and trucks in Maine.

Now she?s hoping to do the same thing for motorcycles.

The proposal for pink ribbon motorcycle license plates calls for proceeds to be split between the Maine Cancer Foundation?s Women?s Cancer Fund, Maine Breast Cancer Coalition?s Support Service Fund, and the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program?s mammogram fund.

More than $400,000 for breast cancer research and support has been raised through the sale of more than 15,000 specialty plates for cars and trucks since 2008.

Burgess hopes to have the motorcycle plate process completed by this spring, assuming at least 500 riders pay $25 to reserve one of the plates.

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/12/04/news/state/maine-breast-cancer-license-plate-in-works-for-motorcycles/

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AT&T Fires Back at the FCC Over T-Mobile Merger Bashing (Updated) [At&t]

AT&T has issued an official response to the FCC's report on their attempted merger with T-Mobile. And boy do they get feisty! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/J120LxC_Vjw/att-fires-back-at-the-fcc-and-their-merger-report

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S.Africa: Funds raised to fight rhino poaching (AP)

JOHANNESBURG ? A fundraising campaign aimed at putting rhino poachers in jail was welcomed Friday by a South African conservationist.

Michael Knight, head of park planning and development for South Africa's national parks department, said money raised by the Florida-based International Rhino Federation would be used to support such efforts as teaching park employees how to safeguard evidence at crime scenes.

More South African rhinos were poached ? 341 ? in the first 10 months of 2011 than in all of 2010, which was a record poaching year with 333 animals lost. The International Rhino Federation project is for parks in South Africa and neighboring Zimbabwe, which also has seen increased poaching.

An Asian economic boom in recent years is believed to be behind the spike in poaching, with a growing middle class in countries like China and Vietnam able to afford exotic purported remedies like powdered rhino horn.

"We're losing animals like crazy," Knight, who also chairs the rhino specialist group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said in an interview. "But the prosecutions are falling way behind."

Knight said police in isolated areas of South Africa are not always experienced in investigating environmental crime. He said rangers and others would be trained to support police and prosecutors.

In court, he said, "You need to have the most up-to-date information, you need to have the most convincing arguments."

The federation launched its fundraising this week. Donations will fund training in collecting evidence and information. The federation also plans to distribute basic crime scene kits containing cameras, fingerprinting materials and evidence bags.

In an interview, federation director Susie Ellis said that an anonymous donor kicked off the fund with $25,000. She said she spoke with South African security officials in March about how best to use the money.

"It's a small project that we hope will have a big impact," she said, adding tthat he first training session is set for early February in South Africa.

____

Online:

http://www.rhinos-irf.org

____

Donna Bryson can be reached on http://twitter.com/dbrysonAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_re_af/af_south_africa_rhino_poaching

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Palin Mum On GOP Endorsement (ABC News)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/168523248?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Android version numbers as of Dec. 1 are out, Gingerbread sees a big boost

It's the beginning of the month, so that means that the new numbers for just how many phones are running each version of Android have come out.  Following the past trends, Gingerbread has seen even more growth, running over 50 percent of all Android devices that visit the Android Market.  The legacy versions keep dropping as well, with Cupcake and Donut (Android 1.5 and 1.6 respectively) dropping to 2.1 percent of the total.  We still don't see a very big uptick in Honeycomb, which has historically been a slower grower.  With Ice Cream Sandwich now among us, this chart will be interesting to watch as we see which carriers and OEM's send out those timely updates.

Source: Android Developers

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/-KoNNI17AvM/story01.htm

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UN calls for restraint on eve of Congo vote (Reuters)

KINSHASA (Reuters) ? International organizations appealed for calm on the eve of Democratic Republic of Congo's presidential election, after a run-up tainted by violent street clashes and delayed poll preparations.

Concerns have been mounting about the central African country's readiness for its second post-war presidential contest, and what impact a troubled vote might have on efforts to stabilize the giant minerals-producing nation.

The European Union, the African Union and the United Nations called for restraint after several people were killed in clashes Saturday, the last day of campaigning.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday Congo's election was "crucial for the country's progress," and called on "all political leaders and the people ... to exercise restraint throughout the process to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful and secure environment."

The EU observer mission accused police of denying President Joseph Kabila's main rival, Etienne Tshisekedi, his right to campaign in the capital after he was blocked by security forces at the airport Saturday.

Police had earlier banned rallies after violence erupted in the sprawling capital Kinshasa. The confirmed death toll for Saturday's violence has risen to three, according to U.N. sources, though Human Rights Watch said eight had been killed and about 70 wounded.

Tshisekedi Sunday accused international actors, including the head of the United Nations mission in Congo, of being against him, and said that, as his rally was blocked on Saturday, he would hold one later Sunday.

"The international community has (in Congo) supported Africa's worst dictatorships for 51 years," he said, adding he wanted UN mission chief Roger Meece, a former U.S. ambassador to Congo during the last election, to step down.

U.N. spokesman Mounoubai Madnodje dismissed the accusations.

The streets of Kinshasa were mostly quiet Sunday after the clashes the day before. Churches held regular Sunday services, street kiosks did brisk trade and residents sat drinking in the city's street bars.

By mid-afternoon, there was no sign of Tshisekedi's rally call being heeded though riot police were deployed at Kinshasa's main stadium where the rally was to be held, and there was a heavy police presence near Tshisekedi's residence.

SHOWDOWN

Enjoying the powers of incumbency, Kabila is seen as the favorite in the vote. But Tshisekedi, a veteran opposition leader who appeals to many poor Congolese that have not see any progress despite eight years of relative peace, has drawn large crowds as his campaign gathered momentum.

Tshisekedi said he would accept results if he lost in a free election but would call on people to "take their responsibility" if the poll was flawed, a reference to likely further street protests.

Human Rights Watch said Congo's Republican Guard had wounded dozens of people after opening fire on them Saturday, and at least eight people were killed. "We're still confirming, and the number of dead might be higher," Human Rights Watch researcher Ida Sawyer said.

Sawyer added that security forces had taken four bodies from the UDPS opposition headquarters where they had been brought following clashes. An eyewitness told Reuters police arrived at the UDPS offices in the early hours of Sunday morning, threatening supporters and taking away bodies.

Police officials were not available to comment.

Election workers were scrambling Sunday to get remaining ballots to polling stations after delays at all stages of the process. But the head of the electoral body said he expected the election to go ahead as planned.

"We would like to assure you 99 percent of things are working perfectly, that's our commitment to you," electoral commission chief Daniel Ngoy Mulunda said.

Congo's last war, in which millions died mainly of famine and disease, ended eight years ago. But the peace is fragile, with pockets of clashes across much of its east while ordinary Congolese complain of rampant corruption and slow development.

Resource firms like Freeport McMoRan and ENRC operate in Congo, a big copper and cobalt producer with ambitions of developing an oil industry, but the country is seen as one of the world's riskiest in which to do business.

(Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/democrats/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111127/ts_nm/us_congo_democratic_election

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