Defense nominee Hagel defends his record in Senate

Former Republican Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's choice for defense secretary, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Former Republican Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's choice for defense secretary, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's choice for defense secretary, waves as he arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, left, President Barack Obama's choice for defense secretary, greets former Georgia Sin. Max Cleland, center, after arriving on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's choice for defense secretary, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on his nomination. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Republican Chuck Hagel, a former two-term senator and President Obama's choice to lead the Pentagon, arrives at the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013. Former committee chairman, Democrat Sam Nunn, left, introduced Hagel. If confirmed, Hagel, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, would be the first enlisted man to serve as defense secretary. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama's nominee for defense secretary on Thursday defended his views of the military and global threats in a combative confirmation hearing, pushing back against criticism of his past statements on Israel, Iran, Iraq and nuclear weapons. Chuck Hagel told senators that America "must engage ? not retreat ? in the world," and insisted that his record is consistent on that point.

The former two-term Republican senator faced strong GOP resistance and was forced to explain past remarks and votes even as he appeared on a path to confirmation as Obama second-term defense secretary and the nation's 24th Pentagon chief.

His fiercest exchange came with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a fellow Vietnam veteran, onetime close friend and a potential vote that would carry considerable sway. Politics and Hagel's evolving opposition to the Iraq war caused a split between the two men that was on full display at the confirmation hearing.

McCain pressed Hagel on whether he was right or wrong about his opposition to the influx of 30,000 U.S. troops in Iraq in 2007. Hagel, who voted to authorize military force in Iraq, later opposed the conflict, comparing it to Vietnam and arguing that it shifted the focus from Afghanistan.

"Were you right? Were you correct in your assessment?" McCain asked.

"I would defer to the judgment of history to sort that out," Hagel said as the two men talked over each other.

"The committee deserves your judgment as to whether you were right or wrong about the surge," McCain insisted.

Unable to elicit a simple answer, McCain said the record should show that Hagel refused to answer.

McCain made it clear that he would have the final word ? with his vote, which he said would be influenced by Hagel's refusal to answer yes or no.

"I think history has already made a judgment about the surge, sir, and you're on the wrong side of it. And your refusal to answer whether you were right or wrong about it is going to have an impact on my judgment as to whether to vote for your confirmation or not," he said.

Hagel was the lone witness in a jam-packed hearing room at a session that could be crucial in determining whether he will win Senate confirmation and join Obama's second-term national security team. He spoke out forcefully for a strong military while trying to explain 12 years of Senate votes and numerous statements.

"No one individual vote, no one individual quote or no one individual statement defines me, my beliefs, or my record," Hagel told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "My overall worldview has never changed: that America has and must maintain the strongest military in the world; that we must lead the international community to confront threats and challenges together; and that we must use all tools of American power to protect our citizens and our interests."

Hagel, 66, a decorated Vietnam combat veteran, would be the lone Republican in Obama's cabinet and the first enlisted man to become defense secretary, a point that Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., highlighted.

"It would be a positive message for our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in harm's way around the world to know that one of their own holds the highest office in the Department of Defense and that he has their backs," Levin said.

Two former committee chairmen ? Democrat Sam Nunn and Republican John Warner ? introduced the nominee.

"War for Chuck Hagel is not an abstraction," Nunn said.

Hagel has the announced backing of about a dozen Democrats and the tacit support of dozens more who are unlikely to embarrass the president by defeating his Cabinet pick. One Republican ? Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi ? has said he will vote for his former colleague.

Seven Republicans, including four members of the Armed Services panel, have said they will oppose Hagel's nomination. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., announced his opposition on Thursday, saying Hagel's views "are too apart from what I believe to be the way forward for preserving America's proper role in the world."

Democrats hold a 55-45 advantage in the Senate.

Republicans repeatedly questioned Hagel about a May 2012 study that he co-authored by the advocacy group Global Zero that called for an 80 percent reduction of U.S. nuclear weapons and elimination of all nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The group argued that with the Cold War over, the United States needs no more than 900 total nuclear weapons. Currently, the U.S. and Russia have about 5,000 each, either deployed or in reserve. Both countries are on track to reduce the deployed strategic warheads to 1,550 by 2018, the number set in the New START treaty that the Senate ratified in December 2010.

Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., quoted from the report and expressed serious misgivings.

"Many of my colleagues are concerned you've changed your views. My concerns are that you haven't changed your views. You continue to hold extreme views, far to the left even of this administration," said Fischer.

In last year's Senate race, Hagel endorsed Fischer's Democratic rival, former Sen. Bob Kerrey, who also is a decorated Vietnam combat veteran.

Hagel insisted that the report was illustrative and said it wasn't realistic to consider unilateral reductions.

In an exchange with Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Hagel sought to explain that his wartime experience in which he was wounded twice informed his decisions and votes.

"It does condition you," he said. "I'm not shaped, framed, molded, consumed by that experience. Of course not. But it's part of me."

Once the hearing was under way, the Republican National Committee put out a news release titled, "Chuck Hagel is the Wrong Choice for Secretary of Defense," and contending that he would weaken the nation's military.

Responding specifically to attacks from outside GOP-leaning groups, Hagel repeated his regrets about using the term "Jewish lobby" to refer to pro-Israel groups. He said he should have used another term.

"I should have used another term and I'm sorry and I regret it," Hagel said. "On the use of intimidation, I should have used 'influence,' I think would have been more appropriate."

Hagel said he was committed to Obama's goal of ensuring that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon, and insisted that all options, including military force, are on the table.

"My policy is one of prevention, and not one of containment ? and the president has made clear that is the policy of our government," Hagel said.

Under questioning, Hagel said he always supported multilateral sanctions against Iran, but acknowledged that he cast votes against unilateral sanctions on a case-by-case basis. He argued that in some cases, such as votes in 2001-2002, he was taking into account the concerns of Republican President George W. Bush.

He also countered with votes and letters against Iran and Hezbollah.

"There's a more complete record than just one or two or three or four" votes, Hagel said, insisting that he has been on the record many times saying Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations and Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-31-US-Hagel/id-e7093279863849ba9db086ecec32502f

ford recalls robert kardashian chicago weather forecast narcolepsy narcolepsy weather st louis faceoff

Calendar Girl and Fat Poets: Dr. Deah Interviews Frannie Zellman ...

Trigger warning: Discussion of eating disorders.

Sometimes I get irritated with all of the special focus days/weeks/months that inundate my calendar. I?ve written about this before in posts about Love Your Body Day, International No Diet Day, and Fat Talk Free Week, etc. I think the source of my irritation comes from wishing there was no need to continue to wipe out eating disorders (EDs), fight for a cure for breast cancer, or acknowledge that people have the right to be whatever size they are without being bullied and stigmatized.? In a perfect world the celebrations on the calendar would not need to be reminders to fight the fight; but I understand the need to call attention to certain causes and if the increase of these days/weeks/and months is any indication of progress, then we are making a great deal of progress.

So in the interest of keeping you all up to date on upcoming dates I?d like to share the following thoughts with you.

Francie Berg: Healthy Weight Week

January 20-26 was the 20^th anniversary of?Healthy Weight Week. While there have been some issues by some folks about the name of the week because it sounds as if the focus is still weight-centric, when Healthy Weight Week was first established, it was a radical concept to reject dieting and accept the notion that people of different sizes and different weights could still be healthy. I had the pleasure of interviewing Francie Berg, the Chairwoman of Healthy Weight Week and author of Women Afraid to Eat. She shared some thoughts about what has evolved over the past 20 years.

If you would like to read that interview, click here.

February is Eating Disorders Awareness Month with February 24 through March 2 being National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. NEDAwareness Week now has its own website to make finding resources, activity guides, events and more, easier than ever! Visit to see how you can be a part of the largest outreach effort on EDs in the nation.

The increase of EDs among men is unfortunately increasing rapidly in our country. The National Association for Males with Eating Disorders (NAMED) is conducting a college campaign, in which fliers and brochures will be distributed to colleges to encourage male students with eating disorders to seek treatment, and promote NAMED as a resource. To sign up your college or make a donation toward this project, email Chris@NAMEDinc.org.??

Judy Freed, Food Fight

If you are fortunate enough to live in the Philadelphia area, you may want to get tickets to for? FOOD FIGHT: A Solo Performance About Eating Disorders written and performed by Judy Freed. As a psychotherapist and performance artist, Freed takes the audience on a deeply personal journey of recovery, followed by a post-performance discussion. A portion of every ticket sold will go directly to the American Anorexia and Bulimia Association (AABA) of Philadelphia the Moving Creations, Inc. project Girls on the Move at Germantown High School. The show is on February 2, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

There is an indisputable connection between fat stigma, size discrimination, and the development of EDs. Most people who have an eating disorder started off by engaging in some form of dieting in order to shape their bodies into a smaller version to conform to the belief that thinner is better, healthier, more beautiful.

Fierce Fat Girls

One way that I will be acknowledging Eating Disorders Awareness Month is on February 13, at Pegasus Bookstore in Berkeley, California. Please join me and other contributing authors at?7 p.m. at 2349 Shattuck Avenue as we read our pieces from?Virgie Tovar?s new anthology, Hot & Heavy:? Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love and Fashion. It seems perfectly congruent that the contributing authors will be reading about making peace with their bodies during NEDA month. To read more about the book click here.

And speaking of books, there is a new book coming out later this year called Fat Poets Speak II, edited by Frannie Zellman. I am honored to have one of my pieces included in this book and will share it at the end of this blog post. But more importantly, I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Zellman, who is also the author of FatLand, a novel published by Pearlsong Press, about the upcoming book.

Fat Poets Speak I

Dr. Deah:? How did you first become involved in the Fat Acceptance movement?

Frannie Z:? I was always heavy, and yet I could walk my slimmer friends into the ground. I was also the most athletic of them. Somehow it always seemed off-kilter and at least faintly wrong when the doctors would tell me that I had to lose weight. And yet I tried, in several attempts, which always ended the same way?? with my gaining everything back that I lost on diets, and then some.

From a social justice and humanitarian standpoint, it seemed bizarre that fat people were treated unjustly and unequally and not given the same opportunities and medical care as slimmer people. As the daughter and granddaughter of Socialists (with a capital ?S?), I came from a family in which social justice issues were discussed at the dinner table nightly. And from a feminist perspective, it seemed highly suspicious that fat people, but especially fat women, were being told to starve themselves in the hopes that we would appear smaller and daintier than men.

My questions and suspicions found some answers in?Fat Pride by Marvin Groswirth (1971), although the book was less than generous to women in several sections. Making Peace with Food by Susan Kano (1989) nudged me further in the direction of Fat Acceptance. But it wasn?t until I happened to view an issue of Radiance? magazinie online (1998) that my confidence and belief in Fat Acceptance began to soar. Upon reading the poems in the first issue I viewed, I said two things to myself: a) these women believe as I do and b) I want to write poems that speak to Fat Acceptance and then, liberation.

That of course was another issue. As a poet, I?d felt all my life that my poems were somehow vaguely off-center, that I wasn?t speaking or writing from the heart, from the core of myself. When I read the poems in Radiance, I knew that what I needed to do was to write about myself as what I was and am?? a fat and proud woman. And that, more than anything else, sealed my identification as a Fat Acceptance believer.

Dr. Deah: ? How did you become involved with the Fat Poets? Society and become the editor of the anthologies Fat Poets Speak I and II?

Frannie Z:? In 2006, upon seeing the call for workshops and workshop leaders in National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) online, I proposed a workshop in writing Fat Acceptance and liberation poetry with an emphasis on writing joyfully using images of ourselves as fat women. I think it was called ?Singing the Fat Self.? I was then duly asked if I wished to lead the workshop. I said that I would. After all, I thought, besides everything else, it would be a chance to use the skills garnered from my master?s in creative writing, and justify the hopes, such as they were, that my creative writing professors had once had in me.

At the 2006 convention, I met the poets in my workshop who would furnish the core of the Fat Poets? Society: Kathy Barron, Anne Kaplan, Corinna Makris, Lesleigh Owen (now Dr. Lesleigh Owen),? and Mary Worley, already a prominent figure in Fat Acceptance. We decided that we should start a Fat Poets? Society with the goal of producing a volume of poetry to be published. Although Mary had training in editing ? that?s what she does?? she felt that I would be more qualified, since my area was after all creative writing/poetry. So I edited, and contributed to, Fat Poets Speak: Voices of the Fat Poets? Society, the first volume of Fat Poets Speak. We met online through email. We then migrated to Facebook as we all established accounts there.

At the same time, I was writing what would turn out to be FatLand, my novel of a society and territory which has as its reason for existence the rights and equality of fat people. I first wrote it in installments in Marilyn Wann?s blog, just for fun. When I showed the results to a good friend of mine, who is also into Fat Acceptance, she said that she thought I should publish it. Pearlsong Press was the natural and inspiring choice for me and for the Fat Poets? Society, as well. CEO Peggy Elam is preeminent in publishing works that emphasize Fat Acceptance, and I knew that she would understand the objectives of the novel and of the Fat Poets anthology.

FatLand: A Novel and the first volume of Fat Poets Speak were both published in 2009.

Frannie Zellman, Editor Fat Poets Speak and Author FatLand

Dr. Deah:? What made you decide to publish a second volume of Fat Poets Speak at this point?

Frannie Z:? Although we published the first volume in 2009, the poets involved in the Fat Poets? Society didn?t stop writing. Eileen Rosensteel, who had not been able to attend the workshop I gave in 2006, did indeed manage to get to the NAAFA Convention in 2007, when I didn?t, and attend a poetry writing workshop then. When I read her work, I was thrilled.

The Fat Poets? Society kept meeting online. I gave a workshop in writing fat fiction at the NAAFA Convention in 2008, while Dr. Lesleigh Owen, a ?charter? member of the Fat Poets? Society and a prolific contributor to the first volume of Fat Poets Speak, gave the workshop in writing fat poetry. Although we did give a workshop in writing Fat Poetry in 2009 at the Convention in Washington, DC, what I can only describe as life circumstances came into play then, and I was not able to attend any NAAFA Conventions afterward.

The circumstances which caused me not to be able to attend NAAFA Conventions in the three years after?? 2010-2012?? also impacted my writing and facilitation of the Fat Poets? Society. They started to ease in 2012. As I finally finished writing the second volume of FatLand, entitled FatLand; The Early Days, it was natural for me to start writing and giving more attention to poetry again, as well. And I knew that the poets involved in the Fat Poets? Society were still writing and would welcome an outlet for their poems. That was when I proposed to Peggy Elam at Pearlsong Press that a second volume of poems be published.

Fat Poets Speak II?? we have yet to finalize the complete title?? is slated to be published late in 2013.

Dr. Deah:? What changes have you seen in the societal attitudes towards fat people/size diversity in the time that has passed since the first book was published?

Frannie Z:? It seems to me that society in the USA has polarized so much more around the question of fat/size diversity and acceptance since 2009. There are more people who now accept or actively support the idea of Fat Acceptance, but there are also more people who are against it. There have been many wonderful books and anthologies that have come out in that period of time, including the Fat Studies Reader (ed. Esther Rothblum), with the entire field of Fat Studies now accepted as a scholarly area and pursuit. Fat fiction has burgeoned (have to give a shout out to my own favorite fat mystery books, by Lynne Murray, including (yum!) The Falstaff Vampire Files). The more books and writings on being fat and Fat Acceptance that emerge, the more legitimacy fat studies and fat poetry and fiction acquire. The more we write about being fat, the more our voices are heard, and the more strength and legitimacy we acquire as a group.

That said, there continue to be people, both well-meaning and not, who still haven?t gotten the word, who still feel that fat people (both children and adults) must be slimmed down to be accepted in and by society. Witness, unfortunately, the new Biggest Loser, which features fat kids being yelled at and bullied by slim and completely clueless trainers.

And yet Disney?s anti-fat section was shut down by the work of Fat Activists, the amazing Ragen Chastain prominent among them. Your own blog, Deah, is yet another example of the growth of Fat Acceptance, and that we are now reading and contributing to our own fat-positive media online. Every Fat Acceptance blog fuels more writing, which in turn, fuels acceptance and pride. The big change from the time of publication of the first volume of Fat Poets Speak, in 2009, is that Fat Acceptance has become a media force, with more outreach and more power behind it.

Dr. Deah:? Anything else you would like people to know about Fat Poets Speak?

Frannie Z: I realized as I was writing the above that the explosion in e-books and readers has fueled Fat Acceptance fiction and poetry and non-fiction, as well. What used to take days to acquire now takes minutes. (Yes, Fat Poets Speak is available on Kindle.)

The oh-so-wrong complex of ideas that caused Big Medicine and Big Pharmacy to collude in promoting the idea of fat people as sick and not worthy of equality is also starting to crumble as more and more fudged results of studies come to light. There is no magic pill to combat fat. But there is nothing wrong with being fat. What both volumes of Fat Poets Speak celebrate is that in spite of having been ostracized by a society that felt fat was wrong, we have found and find ways to live gloriously, happily, sadly and defiantly as fat poets and as fat people.

Dr. Deah:? Thank you so much Frannie Zellman for these important, informative and insightful answers.? Best of luck on your books as well! And if you are still in the mood to keep reading, here is the piece I wrote for Fat Poets Speak II: The Cure, or Dr. Seuss Meets Size Acceptance.? I hope you enjoy it!

Til next time,
Dr. Deah

Source: http://fiercefatties.com/2013/01/30/calendar-girl-and-fat-poets-dr-deah-interviews-frannie-zellman/

the tree of life movie academy award nominees 2012 2012 oscar nominations kyle williams florida debate rand paul mark kirk

Marco Rubio Evolved on Immigration Reform

Arizona Sen. John McCain partnered with liberal Democrat Ted Kennedy in 2005 to offer illegal immigrants a pathway to citizenship, then allied with border security hardliners during a tough 2010 Republican primary. "Complete the danged fence," McCain cracked in a widely publicized television spot.

Loading feed...

Less well known is the equally dramatic pivot by Marco Rubio, from 2010 candidate who dismissed McCain?s proposal as ?amnesty,? to U.S. senator who on Monday championed reforms McCain said had ?very little difference? from his previous plan, which became the blueprint for failed legislation in 2006 and 2007.

During a March 28, 2010 Fox News debate against then-Gov. Charlie Crist, Rubio said: ?He would have voted for the McCain plan. I think that plan is wrong, and the reason I think it?s wrong is that if you grant amnesty, as the governor proposes that we do, in any form, whether it's back of the line or so forth, you will destroy any chance we will ever have of having a legal immigration system that works here in America.?

In a CNN debate on Oct 24, 2010, moderator Candy Crowley asked, ?So your plan is that you're going to close the borders, get the electronic system, fix the legal system, and then do what?" Rubio responded: ?And then you'll have a legal immigration system that works. And you'll have people in this country that are without documents that will be able to return to the -- will be able to leave this country, return to their homeland, and try to re-enter through our system that now functions, a system that makes sense?Earned path to citizenship is basically code for amnesty.?

The legislation Rubio backed Monday requires illegal immigrants to pass a criminal background check, hold down a job, pay fines and back taxes, learn English, and go to the back of the line ? just like previous proposals. ?It is not going to be an easy process, but it's certainly going to be a fair one and a humane one and one that speaks to our nation's legacy, both as a nation of laws, but also as a nation of immigrants,? Rubio said at the Capitol Hill press conference. As details of the new legislation are still emerging, it?s unclear what Rubio sees as the differences between it and past proposals.

What is apparent is that the turnaround by the potential presidential contender reflects a changing political calculus. Rubio went from longshot to rock star in the tea party-dominated 2010 campaign in part by running to the right of the moderate governor. Now, after two years of burnishing his conservative record in the Senate, immigration reform offers one of the nation?s most prominent Hispanic Republicans an opportunity to show leadership and substance as he positions himself for a possible White House bid.

?He took a right turn on immigration but he?s slowly coming back to where I think he?s naturally oriented,? said Marshall Fitz, direction of immigration policy at the liberal Center for American Progress. ?He understands he has to be a player on this issue.?

As Rubio's star power and skills at framing the immigration debate begin to lure conservatives to the table, the potential for a breakthrough in Washington is already overshadowing his previous policy shifts.

As a state lawmaker in 2003 and 2004, he co-sponsored bills to give college tuition breaks to illegal immigrants. As Florida House Speaker in 2008, half a dozen bills that aimed to crack down on illegal immigrants fizzled on his watch.

But during the 2010 campaign, Rubio towed the anti-amnesty line demanded by the conservative base of his party. He even argued the U.S. census should count ?only legal citizens? because including illegal immigrants would ?actually incentivize politicians to perpetuate our broken immigration system by rewarding states with large illegal immigrant populations with a louder voice in Washington.? The statement drew rebukes from fellow Republicans and led Rubio to clarify that only legal residents should be counted.

In Oct. 2011, when Texas Gov. Rick Perry?s advocacy for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in his own state had, in part, cost him the lead in the Republican primary, Rubio retreated from his previous support for such tuition breaks. ?As a general rule, people in the United States who are here without documentation should not benefit from programs like in-state tuition,?? Rubio said at the time.

Rubio?s approach changed again a few months later when he began touting legal status for illegal immigrants who attend college or join the military, and he criticized members of his own party for using ?harsh and intolerable? rhetoric. ?He put his neck out there,? said Jennifer Korn, executive director of the center-right Hispanic Leadership Network. ?In watching him and seeing how he operates, I think he does things because he believes in them, not because they are politically expedient.?

But at the same time he was promoting an alternative to the DREAM Act, Rubio filed a bill that would make it harder for undocumented workers to claim a child tax credit.

?Frankly it was perplexing,? Fitz said. ?I don?t know if it was an effort to inoculate him from attacks on the right, but it didn?t make any sense to take food off the table from U.S. citizen kids in the name of trying to make life harder for their undocumented parents.?

Rubio never produced DREAM Act legislation, and his level of engagement wasn?t completely clear until two weeks ago, when he outlined his principles in an interview with The Wall Street Journal: tighter border security, temporary work visas for low-skilled workers, more visas for high-skilled workers and an arduous way for illegal immigrants to earn citizenship. That?s roughly the same McCain plan Rubio once said he opposed. ?Yet immigration advocates who have criticized Rubio's policy shifts in the past are holding back as his presence gives new momentum to their longtime goals.

"Politicians do change their positions, for better or worse," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "It happened with John McCain, who moved to the right in an election and is now back in the mix, and it's happened with Rubio. People take their journey -- what I am more concerned about is their destination."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/marco-rubio-evolved-immigration-reform-060004784--politics.html

earthquake today earthquake today Romney Bosses Day 2012 Arlen Specter Winsor McCay Amanda Todd

Girl, 8, found locked in small, wooden cage

Police arrested a mother and her boyfriend after they found an 8-year-old girl with a brain disorder locked in a homemade cage at their New Mexico home. KTSM's Jessica Munoz reports.

By Zelie Pollon, Reuters

Police in New Mexico found an 8-year-old girl locked in a cage in a darkened mobile home, authorities said on Tuesday, adding that they charged the girl's adoptive mother, who had gone to the movies, with child abuse.

Cindy Patriarchias, 33, and her boyfriend, Edmond Gonzales, 37, were arrested after police found the caged girl on Friday evening, Las Cruces Police Department spokesman Dan Trujillo said.

He said police, acting on a tip from the woman's estranged husband, found the girl in the corner of a bedroom locked inside the cage, about 4 feet high, slightly more than 2 feet wide and about 5 feet long.

---

The homemade wooden structure had two latches and a baby crib mattress on the floor, Trujillio said.

He said Patriarchias had been charged with one count of negligent child abuse while Gonzales was charged with one count of negligently permitting child abuse. Patriarchias was released on bond on Tuesday but her boyfriend was still being held Wednesday, authorities said.

Las Cruces Police Department / AFP - Getty Images

Cindy Patriarchias, 33, and Edmond Gonzales, 37, are charged with leaving Patriarchias' 8-year-old adoptive daughter in a cage while they went out to see a movie.

The girl was seen by medical personnel but showed no visible signs of physical abuse. She apparently suffers from microcephaly, a condition in which the head or cranial capacity is abnormally small, Trujillo said.

He said detectives did not know why the girl was left locked in the cage. She and three of Patriarchias' other children had been placed in state custody, he said.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/30/16769952-nm-couple-arrested-after-8-year-old-girl-found-locked-in-cage?lite

jennifer garner jennifer garner romney michigan derrick williams railgun jk rowling new book between two ferns

Judge rejects damages appeal, Samsung didn't 'wilfully' infringe Apple patents

In a post-trial ruling, a U.S. judge has ruled that Apple's damage claim of $1.05 billion stands as Samsung did not "wilfully" infringe on the tech giant's patents.

It might have taken a while, but we're there. The post-trial ruling is complete, and in the high profile case of Apple V. Samsung, Californian judge Lucy Koh has foiled Apple's attempt to squeeze more than $1.05 billion out of the rival smartphone and tablet maker.

Awarded last year after a legal battle which spanned across country and courtroom worldwide, both sides took issue with the decision -- Apple clawed for more damages, and Samsung argued that the jury was unfair and some of the patents originally awarded to Cupertino were inappropriate in the first place.

All in all, Apple wanted an additional $500 million, whereas Samsung appealed in an attempt to take millions off the bill.

This week's ruling, which pulls the rug from under the feet of Apple's arguments for more than $1.05 billion, has overruled the jury's decision in August that Samsung happily copied Apple's designs and used their patents "wilfully." The original ruling gave the iPad and iPhone maker leverage to argue for more money, and could have resulted in a damage claim of over $3 billion, according to the 32-page filing.

Judge Lucy Koh writes that there was not "sufficiently strong" evidence that Samsung had caused Apple harm through anti-competitive behavior, and that the jury's calculation of damage costs was reasonable. If Apple wanted to claim more in financial restitution, the tech giant would have to prove "by clear and convincing evidence that the infringer acted despite an objectively high likelihood that its actions constituted infringement of a valid patent," rather than simply relying on singular case studies. Due to this, Koh accepted Samsung's defence that the patent infringement took place as the South Korean firm did not believe the patents were valid in the first place.

Despite the ruling that Samsung did not "wilfully" infringe on Apple patents, it is still maintained that the firm infringed on Apple's inventions. The Californian judge has also denied both parties a new trial.

Apple and Samsung are not only fighting each other in courtrooms across the globe, but are going toe-to-toe in order to try and rake in more market share in an expanding mobile device industry. Recently, Samsung became the world's largest spender on semiconductors -- including processors and memory -- used in mobile devices including smartphones and tablets, and is estimated to have spent almost $24 billion on chips in 2012. Together, Apple and Samsung have spent $45.3 billion.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/judge-rejects-damages-appeal-samsung-didnt-wilfully-infringe-apple-patents-7000010538/

UFC 150 Caster Semenya Medal Count 2012 Olympics victoria beckham London 2012 rhythmic gymnastics Meteor Shower August 2012 jessie j

Man detained by Taye Diggs charged with burglary

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013 file photo, American actor Taye Diggs poses for a portrait, in New York. Los Angeles prosecutors charged a 20-year-old man with felony residential burglary on Tuesday Jan. 29, 2013, two days after Diggs detained Hassan Omar Juma after returning from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and finding the man in his garage. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, file)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013 file photo, American actor Taye Diggs poses for a portrait, in New York. Los Angeles prosecutors charged a 20-year-old man with felony residential burglary on Tuesday Jan. 29, 2013, two days after Diggs detained Hassan Omar Juma after returning from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and finding the man in his garage. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, file)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013 file photo, American actor Taye Diggs poses for a portrait, in New York. Los Angeles prosecutors charged a 20-year-old man with felony residential burglary on Tuesday Jan. 29, 2013, two days after Diggs detained Hassan Omar Juma after returning from the Screen Actors Guild Awards and finding the man in his garage. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Prosecutors say a man who was detained by Taye Diggs after the actor found him at his home has been charged with felony burglary.

Hassan Omar Juma faces up to six years in prison if he is convicted and is scheduled to be arraigned in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday afternoon.

Diggs detained the 20-year-old after he and his wife found him in their garage on Sunday night. The "Private Practice" star was returning from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where he was a presenter.

Juma was charged Wednesday with first-degree felony residential burglary. He's jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Police say Diggs caught Juma after chasing him and neither man was hurt in the incident.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-29-People-Taye%20Diggs/id-b0527f760a844073a550c24790186fe5

the walking dead Walking Dead Season 3 vampire diaries derek jeter Red Bull Stratos Redbull Stratos steve mcnair

UK seeing 10,000 complaints on mis-sold insurance per week

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's financial ombudsman service is receiving up to 10,000 new complaints about mis-sold loan insurance each week, pointing to a further rise in the compensation bill for banks.

Banks have already set aside 12 billion pounds to compensate customers wrongly sold policies meant to protect borrowers who lost jobs or became ill, and industry sources have told Reuters they expect the number to double.

The ombudsman service, which steps in when banks and their customers cannot reach an agreement, said it received more complaints between October and December alone than it had in any 12 month period between 2000 and 2010.

The latest data show an acceleration from the 5,000 complaints the service was receiving each week about mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) between April and September last year. The ombudsman said earlier in January it was taking on 1,000 new staff to cope with the increase.

If the current rate of complaints continues, the ombudsman said it will have received over 350,000 PPI complaints in the year ending March 2013, over double its original forecast of 165,000. It is currently upholding 62 percent of complaints in the customers favour, compared with 7 out of 10 previously.

PPI is the most complained about financial product ever in Britain, with the ombudsman receiving its 500,000 case last October. The second highest is mortgage endowments, about which 350,000 complaints have reached the ombudsman.

Britain's banks recently asked the FSA to consider setting a deadline for customers to claim compensation for mis-sold loan insurance amid fears about the uncertainty that the rising bill is creating for investors.

The British Bankers Association, a lobby group, approached the FSA about setting a deadline of April 2014 for customers to make claims. The FSA is currently considering the idea.

(Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-seeing-10-000-complaints-mis-sold-insurance-015440246--sector.html

giuliana rancic elie wiesel temptations work hard play hard tim ferriss wmt human nature

Scouts considering retreat from no-gays policy

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell, right, arrives for a meeting at the Boys Scouts of America national offices in Irving, Texas, with her son Jude Burns, 5, second from right, partner Alicia Burns, and son Cruz Burns, 7, left. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell, right, arrives for a meeting at the Boys Scouts of America national offices in Irving, Texas, with her son Jude Burns, 5, second from right, partner Alicia Burns, and son Cruz Burns, 7, left. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell hugs her son Cruz Burns, 7, outside Boy Scouts national offices in Irving, Texas, after a meeting with representatives of the 102-year-old organization. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The Boy Scouts of America may soon give sponsors of troops the authority to decide whether to accept gays as scouts and leaders - a potentially dramatic retreat from a nationwide no-gays policy that has provoked relentless protests.

Under the change now being discussed, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue ? either maintaining an exclusion of gays, as is now required of all units, or opening up their membership.

Gay-rights activists were elated at the prospect of change, sensing another milestone to go along with recent advances for same-sex marriage and the end of the ban on gays serving openly in the military.

However, Southern Baptist leaders ? who consider homosexuality a sin ? were furious about the possible change and said its approval might encourage Southern Baptist churches to support other boys' organizations instead of the BSA.

Monday's announcement of the possible change comes after years of protests over the no-gays policy ? including petition campaigns that have prompted some corporations to suspend donations to the Boy Scouts.

Under the proposed change, said BSA spokesman Deron Smith, "the Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members, or parents."

Smith said the change could be announced as early as next week, after BSA's national board concludes a regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 6. The meeting will be closed to the public.

The BSA, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, has long excluded both gays and atheists. Smith said a change in the policy toward atheists was not being considered, and that the BSA continued to view "Duty to God" as one of its basic principles.

Protests over the no-gays policy gained momentum in 2000, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the BSA's right to exclude gays. Scout units lost sponsorships by public schools and other entities that adhered to nondiscrimination policies, and several local Scout councils made public their displeasure with the policy.

More recently, pressure surfaced on the Scouts' own national executive board. Two high-powered members ? Ernst & Young CEO James Turley and AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson ? indicated they would try to work from within to change the membership policy, which stood in contrast to their own companies' non-discrimination policies.

Amid petition campaigns, shipping giant UPS Inc. and drug-manufacturer Merck announced that they were halting donations from their charitable foundations to the Boy Scouts as long as the no-gays policy was in force.

Also, local Scout officials drew widespread criticism in recent months for ousting Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mom, as a den leader of her son's Cub Scout pack in Ohio and for refusing to approve an Eagle Scout application by Ryan Andresen, a California teen who came out as gay last fall.

Tyrrell said she's thrilled for parents and their children who've been excluded from scouting and "for those who are in Scouts and hiding who they are."

"For me it's not just about the Boy Scouts of America, it's about equality," she told The Associated Press. "This is a step toward equality in all aspects."

Many of the protest campaigns, including one seeking Tyrrell's reinstatement, had been waged with help from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

"The Boy Scouts of America have heard from scouts, corporations and millions of Americans that discriminating against gay scouts and scout leaders is wrong," said Herndon Graddick, GLAAD's president. "Scouting is a valuable institution, and this change will only strengthen its core principles of fairness and respect."

Among those urging the Boy Scouts to keep the no-gays policy was Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council.

"The Boy Scouts of America board would be making a serious mistake to bow to the strong-arm tactics of LGBT activists and open the organization to homosexuality," Perkins said. "The Boy Scouts should stand firm in their timeless values and respect the right of parents to discuss these sexual topics with their children."

The Scouts had reaffirmed the no-gays policy as recently as last year, and appeared to have strong backing from conservative religious denominations ? notably the Mormons, Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists ? which sponsor large numbers of Scout units. Under the proposed change, they could continue excluding gays.

Prior to Monday's announcement, the BSA conferred with some leaders of these religious groups, including the Rev. Frank Page, who leads the Southern Baptist Executive Committee.

According Roger S. Oldham, a spokesman for the executive committee, Page then wrote to the Scouts "expressing his tremendous dismay at the decision."

"They had been working for months on this proposal and just days before they informed us," Oldham said in a telephone interview. "We would anticipate that there would be a very significant backlash to this as churches reevaluate whether scouting comports with."

If the Scouts proceed with the change, Oldham said, SBC leaders were likely to issue a statement "expressing disappointed and encouraging our churches to support alternative boys organizations."

Neither the Catholic Church nor the Mormons' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued official statements as to how they would respond.

Said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The bishops hope the Boy Scouts will continue to work under the Judeo-Christians principles upon which they were founded and under which they have served youth well."

Were the change adopted, said Deron Smith, "there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation, and the chartered organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting would accept membership and select leaders consistent with each organization's mission, principles, or religious beliefs.

"BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit that best meets the needs of their families," he said. "Under this proposed policy, the BSA would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization's mission, principles, or religious beliefs."

The announcement came shortly after new data showed that membership in the Cub Scouts ? the BSA's biggest division ? dropped sharply last year, and was down nearly 30 percent over the past 14 years.

According to figures provided by the organization, Cub Scout ranks dwindled by 3.4 percent, from 1,583,166 in 2011 to 1,528,673 in 2012. That's down from 2.17 million in 1998.

The Boy Scouts attribute the decline largely to broad social changes, including the allure of video games and the proliferation of youth sports leagues and other options for after-school activities.

However, critics of the Scouts suggest that its recruitment efforts have been hampered by high-profile controversies ? notably the court-ordered release of files dealing with sex abuse allegations and persistent protests over the no-gays policy.

The BSA's overall "traditional youth membership" ? Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers ? totaled 2,658,794 in 2012, compared to more than 4 million in peak years of the past. There were 910,668 Boy Scouts last year, a tiny increase from 2011, while the ranks of Venturers ? a program for youths 14 and older? declined by 5.5 percent.

In addition to flak over the no-gays policy, the Scouts have been buffeted by multiple court cases related to past allegations of sexual abuse by Scout leaders, including those chronicled in long-confidential records that are widely known as the "perversion files."

Through various cases, the Scouts have been forced to reveal files dating from the 1960s to 1991. They detailed numerous cases where abuse claims were made and Boy Scout officials never alerted authorities and sometimes actively sought to protect the accused.

The Scouts are now under a California court order, affirmed this month by the state Supreme Court, to turn over sex-abuse files from 1991 through 2011 to the lawyers for a former Scout who claims a leader molested him in 2007, when he was 13. It's not clear how soon the files might become public.

The BSA has apologized for past lapses and cover-ups, and has stressed the steps taken to improve youth protection policy. Since 2010, for example, it has mandated that any suspected abuse be reported to police.

___

Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this report.

___

Boy Scouts: http://www.scouting.org/

___

David Crary can be reached at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-28-Boy%20Scouts-Gays/id-b906a1f5c739428ebddba668356e3bf3

nhl all star draft seal team 6 touch nitrous oxide rihanna thug life tattoo arizona governor patrick witt

Samsung SCH-i337 appears in UAProf, teases bad pun, 1080p display

Mum's still the word on the arrival of Samsung's next Galaxy S device, but that hasn't stopped fans from speculating. The latest? A user agent profile for a SCH-i337, a Samsung manufactured handset boasting a 1080p display. The UAProf reveals little else about the device, but its lame 1337 naming convention playfully suggests something impressive is coming our way. The Galaxy S IV, perhaps? We're not quite ready to make that call -- but Sammy has to do something with that new Exynos chip, doesn't it? Read on for a peek at the user data yourself, or take a gander at the whole thing at the rightmost source link.

Filed under: Mobile

Comments

Via: Android Community

Source: Samsung Mobile

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/cuzl2hTiKW4/

hope solo hope solo tesla model s tesla model s act Black Ops 2 Secede

Apple Is Coming Out With A New iPad - Business Insider

Summary

The iPad is Apple's tablet computer, unveiled in January, 2010, and launched in April, 2010. The second generation of the iPad -- the iPad 2 -- was unveiled on March 2, 2011. It will be available for sale in the U.S. on March... More ?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-coming-out-with-a-new-ipad-2013-1

rampart jimmy fallon jimmy fallon nick collins dave matthews ambien wwdc

UFC on Fox 6 results: Demetrious Johnson retains title, ?Rampage? loses in Octagon finale

CHICAGO -- The UFC's stop in the Windy City had two great knockouts, a champion holding onto his belt, and the last fight of a one-time champ.

Despite a strong start by John Dodson, Demetrious Johnson held onto his championship belt with a unanimous decision. The judges saw it 48-47, 49-46, 48-47 for Johnson.

Unsurprisingly, Johnson and Dodson fought a fast-paced first two rounds. Johnson tried to slow things down in the first round with a takedown. While he did get Dodson to to the ground, the challenger popped back to his feet quickly.

Dodson dropped Johnson twice in the second round, and shook off Johnson's take down attempts with a great sprawl. Johnson seemed to have a hard time even getting close to Dodson to land a punch.

[Related: T.J. Grant and Ryan Bader shine at UFC on Fox 6]

A Johnson knee in the fourth round caused a small fight stoppage. Dodson's hand was on the ground as Johnson threw a knee to Dodson's head, which is an illegal strike. The bout was stopped as doctors checked Dodson's eye and Johnson was warned. The fight went on, but not without plenty of boos from the crowd in Chicago.

When the fight restarted, it was all Johnson. He controlled Dodson against the cage, and threw knees that busted up Dodson's face. Johnson was able to get a takedown at the beginning of the fifth round, too. Though boos rained down, Johnson kept the fight against the cage.

Later, the crowd got behind him as Johnson elevated, tightened his legs around Dodson's torso and threw elbows. It was a creative move that likely could only happen in the flyweight division. Johnson finished the round with Dodson against the cage, and knee after knee after knee to the body and face.

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson vs. Glover Teixeira

If this really was Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's last fight in the UFC, it wasn't one to remember. He was outstruck and outwrestled by Glover Teixeira throughout their bout. Teixeira took the fight 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 on the judges' cards.

Teixeira's first round was his best, as he was able to take Jackson down early and mount him and take his back. Late in the round, Teixeira knocked Jackson down with a punch and looked close to finishing, but wasn't able to end the fight.

The rest of the fight featured a worn out Jackson trying to avoid Teixeira's takedown attempts unsuccessfully. Jackson threw some big punches, and even jawed at Teixeira during the bout, but he wasn't able to score any big offense.

While this fight will be remembered for being Jackson's last UFC bout, Teixeira scored his third straight UFC win on Saturday night. He looked impressive against the former champ.

Anthony Pettis vs. Donald Cerrone

Anthony Pettis won his much anticipated bout with Donald Cerrone by landing big, memorable strikes. Pettis was getting the better of their striking exchanges early, which set him up for a big finish. Pettis threw a kick that landed hard on Cerrone's body, then finished with a punch. Cerrone fell to the ground in a heap, and the fight was stopped at 2:35 in the first round.

Pettis lost his first fight in the UFC after coming from the WEC as the champ, but he's been winning ever since. He has wins over Joe Lauzon, Jeremy Stephens and now Cerrone. After the fight, he made a pitch to UFC president Dana White.

"I want my title shot. I should have had it years ago. People say I can?t wrestle because of the Guida fight, but I had a serious shoulder injury. Now I am 100 percent. No one can do in the Octagon what I can do."

While lightweight champion Benson Henderson has a fight set up with Gilbert Melendez, a shot for Pettis isn't unwarranted. It would be a rematch of their WEC title fight, which Pettis won in the promotion's final fight.

Ricardo Lamas vs. Erik Koch

Lamas won the first round by constantly pressuring Koch against the cage. It wasn't exactly the most thrilling round to have start a card on network television, but it led to a thrilling second round. Lamas took advantage of Koch's slip, and then finished the fight with nasty, nasty ground and pound. Lamas started with elbows, then started with strikes that cut open Koch's face. Koch had no answer for Lamas' relentless strikes, and the bout was stopped at 2:32 in the second round.

Lamas thought his performance warranted a title shot.

"I?ve beat Cub Swanson, I?ve beat Hioki and now I?ve beat Koch. All those guys were supposed to be fighting for the title at one point. I beat them all. We?re all here to be world champ and I am no different. I want the winner of Aldo vs Edgar next week. I don?t care who wins, I want the winner."

Related UFC video from Yahoo! Sports:

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Saints? bounty scandal mastermind closes in on another NFL job
? Ray Allen braces for return to Boston
? Bob Costas eulogizes Stan Musial (video)
? N.C. State ends 13-game slide vs. UNC

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fox-6-results-demetrious-johnson-retains-title-032827859--mma.html

kim kardashian flour bomb hunger games box office xavier joan crawford joan crawford john goodman kendall marshall

CanDoItMOM aka Mouse Fan Diane: Disney Cruise Line INfo ~ Port ...

Port Adventures ??

by Disney Cruise Line?

Port Adventures?shore excursions that have been specially selected by Disney Cruise Line?provide you and your family with the very best recreation, leisure and sightseeing each destination has to offer.

By adding a Port Adventure to your cruise, you'll receive an unforgettable experience ashore along with the peace of mind that comes with having Disney do all the planning. Whether sailing into the horizon, exploring an under the sea world, pillaging with pirates or splashing through the waves on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Port Adventures set the course for a whole new way to add even more magic to your Disney Cruise Line vacation.

Reserve a Port Adventure with Disney Cruise Line?instead of booking an independent tour at the Port?and you can be sure to enjoy a hassle-free excursion with all of the service, quality and fun that you would expect from Disney.

Convenient and Hassle Free

• Reserve online and have your tickets waiting in your stateroom when you arrive.
• Avoid getting lost in an unfamiliar port, negotiating fares and dealing with currency exchange.
• Tour times coincide with the ship's schedule and with other excursions, enabling you to take multiple tours. If the ship arrives late into port, we'll adjust our schedules.
• If an excursion runs late, the ship will remain in port or we'll arrange transportation to the next port of call at no expense to you. Independently booked tours require you to rejoin the ship at the next port of call?and pay all flight and hotel costs.
• All excursions are fully refundable for missed ports of call if an itinerary changes.

Service, Quality and Value

• Adventures include a wide range of activities for all age groups.
• Expert advice is available onboard with our experienced Port Adventures staff.
• Enjoy quality experiences at competitive prices plus added value with packages and extras not available elsewhere.
• The Signature Adventure Collection tours let you customize your time ashore with private vehicles or special experiences unique to Disney Cruise Line.

Port Adventures are operated by independent contractors that are neither agents of, nor supervised or controlled by, Disney Cruise Line. Disney Cruise Line does not maintain their facilities or modes of transportation and is not responsible for any injury or property damage/loss that Guests may incur in connection with a Port Adventure. All Port Adventures are subject to the Disney Cruise Line Cruise Contract. All Port Adventures are subject to availability and/or cancellation based on weather, itinerary changes, and attendance. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult on Port Adventures except for specific "teen only" Port Adventures. All prices are subject to change without notice. Cancellations can be made up to 3 days prior to the cruise departure date. After that time all reservations are final and non-refundable.

Ranked No. 1 for Families in the World's Best Awards

CELEBRATION, Florida (October 17, 2012) ? Disney Cruise Line was recognized as No. 1 in the Large-Ship Cruise Lines for Families category in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2012, making it the 4th consecutive year to be ranked in the top spot. In addition to taking top honors for its family cruise experience, this is the 8th consecutive year Disney Cruise Line has been ranked among the top 5 Large-Ship Cruise Lines overall in the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards readers' survey.

The annual "World's Best" list recognizes the best in travel for hotels, cities, islands, cruise lines, airlines, car-rental agencies, spas, and tour operators and safari outfitters. Winners were selected by readers who participated in a survey and rated cruise lines on criteria including cabins, food, service, itineraries and destinations, activities and value.?

?The fleet has grown to 4 ships, enabling Guests to sail to more destinations with Disney than ever before and making it easier than ever for Guests to sail from a port close to their own backyard.?

?
It was one of the best times I have ever had sailing on the Disney Magic. It was a great cruise and the ports of call were beautiful. They included St. Maartin and Castaway Cay ~Disney's private island.? The activities were very special ( the beach, swimming, snorkeling and so much more)? lots of fun for the whole family. Everyone can choose different things on the boat too and that's what made it so relaxing, no arguing.?

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your Magical Day !!!!

Pin It

Source: http://www.candoitmom.com/2013/01/disney-cruise-line-info-port-adventures.html

dancing with the stars season 14 david garrard michael bay ninja turtles san antonio weather mike daisey nicollette sheridan apple dividend

Knowing Precisely why Creditors Prefer To Provide Unsecured ...

Whenever a person is looking for a bank loan they are going to discover there are 2 standard forms of lending options: attached along with credit card. From the tastes situations they?re going to in addition observe that secured loans are generally certainly much more available next short term loans. There is a good reason for this and that is the reason why a lot of people find yourself getting a secured mortgage.

Secured finance can be a mortgage that is guaranteed by collateral. Collateral is one area that this consumer sets way up for that mortgage loan. One example is in the case of a mortgage. Whenever a individual is investing in a house the house becomes your guarantee.

What this means is that if the debtor won?t pay out their finance the bank next will become who owns the house. They could market the home to find the bad debts for many years. The actual collateral a new debtor applies lower have to be one thing beneficial that may be marketed to produce inside the tariff of the money.

Banks along with other creditors want a secured loan over easy since with any guaranteed mortgage loan they?ve got a number of ensure to getting their cash rear. Each time a financial institution adds income these are basing their particular decision on numerous components. Many of them will look at the borrowers credit ranking to acquire an idea of the individuals potential as well as probability of paying it well.

They also look into a new individuals financial situation. This kind of informs them when the customer have enough money the credit. Lenders understand, even though, which even if an individual may pay for a loan and possesses the perfect credit history won?t assure any debtor will not likely go delinquent over a loan.

A financial institution looks at unsecured loans as a smaller danger after that short term loans. Using a guaranteed loan they may be obtaining a thing so they could earn the borrowed funds they understand they?ll be capable to offer, if you need to, as well as make back a few of the money owed in their mind.

Secured loans remain a danger to the financial institution. Although a new consumer applies up collateral, the likelihood of the actual collateral actually equalling how much the money is not likely.

This runs specifically true of automotive loans in which the auto getting bought is employed while collateral. If the loan provider need to have to offer the car to recoup their they?ll not probable have the entire chwilowki pozabankowe amount owed in their mind.

For this reason secured finance are nevertheless not really easy to acquire. Any guaranteed mortgage loan still demands the chwilowki bez bik borrower to demonstrate they will settle the credit. Loan companies are still wanting to make just as much off the mortgage as you possibly can, in order that they need to become repaid, not have to acquire through chwilowki pozabankowe security.

Secured personal loans tend to be offered next quick unsecured loans since they are reduced threat. Creditors enjoy that included safety involving security. They enjoy the thought that the actual customer will for you to out and about them selves at risk as well.

Having a guaranteed mortgage loan both loan company and customer are usually if risk so it will be a much more also arena next by having an unguaranteed bank loan. That is why debtors will quickly realize secured loans to become much more accessible after that unsecured loans.

Source: http://mhaledunature.net/?p=452

brian mcknight sbux nfldraft asante samuel salton sea arizona immigration law aubrey huff

A look at notable deadly nightclub fires

Firefighters work to douse a fire at the Kiss Club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Firefighters say that the death toll from a fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil has risen to 180. Officials say the fire broke out at the club while a band was performing. At least 200 people were also injured. (AP Photo/Agencia RBS)

Firefighters work to douse a fire at the Kiss Club in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Firefighters say that the death toll from a fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil has risen to 180. Officials say the fire broke out at the club while a band was performing. At least 200 people were also injured. (AP Photo/Agencia RBS)

A fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday and killed 232 people appears to be the deadliest in more a decade. Here is a look at some of the biggest nightclub fires in the past century:

? A blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, broke out in December 2009, when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152.

? A December 2004 fire killed 194 people at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after a flare ignited ceiling foam.

? A nightclub fire in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

?In China's worst nightclub disaster in recent years, a fire blamed on a welding accident tore through a disco in the central city of Luoyang in December 2000, killing 309 people.

?A fire at the Ozone Disco Pub in 1996 in Quezon City, Philippines, killed 162 people, many of them students celebrating the end of the school year.

?In 1977, 165 people perished and more than 200 were injured when the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, which touted itself as the Showplace of the Nation, burned to the ground.

?A fire killed 492 people at Boston's Cocoanut Grove club in 1942, the deadliest nightclub blaze in U.S. history. The fire led to the enactment of requirements for sprinkler systems and accessible exits with emergency lights not linked to the regular lighting system.

?In 1940, a fire ignited the decorative Spanish moss draping the ceiling of the Rhythm Night Club in Natchez, Mississippi, killing 209 people. Hundreds of patrons ran to the only exit. The windows had been boarded shut to keep unwanted guests from sneaking in.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-27-Nightclub-Fires-Glance/id-83a351ebc2de40fcab6ba05ac036e4cb

Google News Newton virginia tech shooting Bbc News China abc glock

Davis-White post career-best score in short dance

Meryl Davis, right, and Charlie White compete in the senior pairs short dance program at the U.S. figure skating championships in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Meryl Davis, right, and Charlie White compete in the senior pairs short dance program at the U.S. figure skating championships in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Meryl Davis and Charlie White smile after winning the senior pairs short dance program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Meryl Davis and Charlie White compete in the senior pairs short dance program at the U.S. figure skating championships in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Meryl Davis and Charlie White compete in the senior pairs short dance program at the U.S. figure skating championships in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? Meryl Davis and Charlie White topped the only competition they have in the United States.

Themselves.

The Olympic silver medalists and 2011 world champions scored a career-high 79.02 points in the short dance Friday in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, topping the 76.17 they scored at the 2011 Grand Prix final as well as their 76.89 from last year's U.S. meet. The International Skating Union only recognizes scores from its events as official records.

With more than an eight-point lead over Madison Chock and Evan Bates (70.8), Davis and White are all but assured of winning a record-tying fifth U.S. dance title Saturday as long as they show up. Four other couples also have won five titles, most recently Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.

"There are a lot of reasons to stay motivated," Davis said. "We feel we're making huge strides in what we're putting out on the ice. What better place than your national championships to show that?"

The only couple close to Davis and White is Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and their rivalry is the best thing going in dance these days. Virtue and Moir won the Olympic title as well as the world crowns in 2010 and 2012 while the Americans won worlds in 2011 and beat the Canadians last month in the Grand Prix final.

Oh, they train together in suburban Detroit, too.

Here in the States, though, no one comes close to Davis and White's exquisite performances. The short dance can be a mind-numbing event, with all of the skaters required to perform the same dances ? this year it's the Yankee polka and the waltz ? during their 2:50 routine. Watch one or two teams, and it all becomes a blur.

But Davis and White not only make it fresh, they make it entertaining.

The speed and ease with which they skated was breathtaking, as if their blades were talking to the ice. Their twizzles ? traveling spins ? were done in perfect unison. Doing one would be impressive enough ? think rubbing your stomach while patting your head, and you get the idea ? but they did five and then another four, never losing their stride, connection to the music or their connection to each other. And when they began their polka with a series of hops, you half-expected an oompah band to stroll out of the Zamboni garage.

They were so good, the audience was on its feet, the first standing ovation of the competition.

"We were really pleased," Davis said. "We've really been evolving our overall comfort on the ice, our speed and energy, and it really paid off in our performance today."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-25-FIG-US-Championships/id-5ef0ade2cd264c71902f49169006e52d

Linda McMahon Voting Results 2012 pbs ron paul Cnn Electoral Map roseanne barr guy fawkes