Fund.me: Mobile Social Network Startup Just.me Raises $2.7 Million

Just.me, a stealth startup incubated by Palo Alto, California-based Archimedes Labs has raised $2.7 million in Series A funding according to an SEC filing. The company earlier secured $600,000 in seed financing from SV Angel, Google Ventures, True Ventures, Betaworks and a couple of other high-profile angel investors such as Don Dodge, Michael Parekh and TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington. I reached out to Keith Teare, CEO and sole founder of just.me (and also technically also a co-founder of TechCrunch), who declined to comment on the financing round.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/KJk9HWK-NOk/

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Editorial: Stick to the basics at community colleges

A budget crunch is an obvious time to return to essentials. That's true for a family, a business or a government.

So we're encouraged that belt-tightening is being taken seriously by the huge California Community Colleges system, with 112 campuses and more than 2.9 million students. In 2011, the state Legislature slashed the system's $5.9 billion budget by $502 million. More cuts could come with Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget for fiscal 2012-13, which begins July 1.

At the Jan. 9-10 meeting of the system's Board of Governors, action will be taken on recommendations from the Student Success Task Force to streamline the curriculum. The task force's main recommendation, released Dec. 1, was to "emphasize the core missions of transfer to a four-year college or university, the award of workforce-oriented certificates and degrees, and the basic-skills development that supports both of these pathways."

Other courses, such as for hobbies or enjoyment, would not be emphasized as much. As the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "Last spring, 203,500 students statewide took noncredit classes, and 1.5 million took classes for credit." While taking dancing and other lifestyle classes might be fun, there's no reason why the taxpayers should subsidize such pursuits, especially in a time of sharp budget cuts.

The task force noted some dismal numbers for the current system: "Only 52 percent of our degree-seeking students ever achieve a certificate, degree or transfer preparation. For African-American and Latino students, the rate is much lower (41 percent)." And: "Of our students who seek to transfer to a four-year institution, only 41 percent are successful. For African-Americans, only 34 percent succeed. For Latinos, the figure is 31 percent."

That's just not acceptable. A big problem, according to the Chronicle, is that the schools haven't been devoting enough resources to offering basic courses that are in high demand. The paper reported, "Last year, 137,000 students couldn't get into at least one class they needed, including first-year English and math."

"The problem with community colleges reflects the higher-education bubble," Lisa Snell told us; she's director of education policy at the Reason Foundation in Los Angeles. "California state funding, Pell Grants and federal funding all have risen in recent decades [prior to the current recession and series of budget cuts], but there's no accountability to go with that, such as graduation rates or job rates. They haven't been tied to performance."

"To contain costs, they need to return to essential services," Ms. Snell said.

The task force noted another problem: "More than 70 percent of community-college students enter the system underprepared to do college-level work." That reflects, of course, on the dismal state of K-12 education in California. About one-third of students entering the community college system ? who, by definition, are more advanced than most kids who graduate from high school ? actually are prepared to do so.

Tax increases only would add to the funding-bubble effect Ms. Snell mentioned. At all levels of education, waste and inefficiency need to be eliminated, the basics stressed.

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Source: http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/students-333361-system-percent.html

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Rose Parade 2012: Wave hello to one float and goodbye to another

Pasadena Rose Parade volunteers are working long hours this week to put finishing touches on their elaborate floats. Forty-five floats will make their way down Colorado Boulevard January 2. Many of the float sponsors have been with the parade for years, but there's a handful of newcomers in the rosebud-studded crowd and a few float sponsors that won't be returning in 2012.

This is the story of a new arrival to the parade and one that will be sitting out this year's Tournament of Roses because of the economy.

L.A. County?s Natural History Museum sponsored a float in the Tournament of Roses for the first time this year. The museum partnered with the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau to create the "Jurassic Spectacle."

The float features a parade of dinosaurs stalking away from a replica of the original 1913 Museum: a Triceratops, a T-Rex, and a Mamenchisaurus ? all standing a couple of stories high.

The float aims to call attention to the museum?s new Dinosaur Hall and its upcoming centennial anniversary.

The museum?s marketing director Julia Rivera says everything on the float is to scale.

"Our head of Paleontology, Dr. Luis Chiappe, he?s also the lead curator of the new dinosaur hall, he really had to put his blessing on all of this," Rivera said.

The Rose Palace in South Pasadena, where dinosaur float decoration is in full-effect, is a wild collage of people, industrial strength blenders, flower petals and dried legumes. Volunteers Phillip and Kathy Wood sat together in the shadow of the T-Rex cutting dried flower petals. Kathy Wood says she feels like she?s in Jurassic Park and when asked where the petals might go, she shrugs, and says ?well they?re kind of red, so we think they may be blood.?

Blood, sweat, tears and cold hard cash go into making Rose Parade floats like the one for the Natural History Museum. The floats cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to construct and decorate. But the city of L.A?s Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Natural History Museum say their float was funded by private money ? not taxpayer dollars.

Another float sponsor that relies on donations was not so lucky this year. West Covina?s deputy city manager, Chris Freeland says donations have been down and the economy is to blame. They will have no float this year for the first time in more than a decade.

?Most of our donations were coming from businesses locally in West Covina,? Freeland said, ?whether it be auto dealers, whether it be the local candy store. To make a $10,000 or even a $1,000 donation toward a float is just really tough for them and we understand that and that?s why we had to make that tough choice.?

It was a ?tough choice? to not have a float this year because the municipality has been in the parade since the late '90s and because it was the main client for a small float builder called Charisma Floats. Charisma Floats went out of business, as a result. Three full-time employees lost their jobs as did nearly two dozen seasonal workers.

Former Charisma Float owner, Katie Rodriguez, says this year has been difficult. She started working on Rose Parade floats as a volunteer for Charisma in 1987, when she was in elementary school. After volunteering and then working for the company, she bought it with her husband, Matt, three years ago.

?Today, I was just talking to some friends and they?re like, what do you want to do for New Year's Eve and I?m like, ?Honestly, I have no idea.'" Rodriguez said. "I?ve never not done floats, it?s really hard to see the grand stands go up and the flags go down Colorado Boulevard, and the city get ready for the parade and feel like, wow, this year, I?m not part of it.?

Katie and Matt Rodriguez met building Rose Parade floats and they?re not giving up a trade they love. The couple is starting another float building company and hope to participate in the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade. Who knows, their first client could be an old one, the city of West Covina.

New Year, new possibilities.

Source: http://www.scpr.org/programs/madeleine-brand/2011/12/27/21907/rose-parade-2012-wave-hello-to-one-float-and-goodb/

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Cancer Patients Burdensome With Hiking Fuel Prices | TopNews ...

The continuous smash of inflation and recession has not only impacted entrepreneurs but has also affected the pockets of cancer patients. It has been reported that a large number of cancer patients are heavily relying over aids and donation of the Charity to get cancer treated.

It is a shocking revelation as many cancer charities are already facing financial hardship. It has been unveiled that Macmillan Cancer Support has paid ?2,548,563 to as many as 12,669 cancer patients in 2011.

Five years back, the same Charity used to provide about ?1.4 million to 7,369 patients. The figures clearly highlights that the portion of percentages of patients seeking Charity's aid has almost doubled in past five years.

Following the pressure of the Charity, it is now seeking aid from the government. The government is being urged to immediately deal with the rising cases of fuel poverty. The term fuel poverty is applied to describe those households which have to spend about 10% of their total household income on fuel so that their regular needs could be met with.

Macmillan's Campaign Manager Laura Keely was reported as saying, "To feel too scared to put the heating on because of soaring energy bills is an unacceptable reality for thousands of vulnerable cancer patients who feel the cold more and spend long periods of time at home".

It has been pointed out that after being diagnosed with cancer the ability of a person to earn diminishes almost by 45%. The Macmillan Cancer Support was established 100 years back. Since then it has been providing coal to cancer patients so that they could keep their homes warm.

But it is shocking to know that even after 100 years of advancement much has not been done by the government to support the cancer patients.

Source: http://topnews.us/content/245338-cancer-patients-burdensome-hiking-fuel-prices

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Some NFL players still willing to hide concussions (AP)

Ask Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew whether he would try to play through a concussion or yank himself from a game, and he'll provide a straightforward answer.

"Hide it," the NFL's leading rusher said.

"The bottom line is: You have to be able to put food on the table. No one's going to sign or want a guy who can't stay healthy. I know there will be a day when I'm going to have trouble walking. I realize that," Jones-Drew said. "But this is what I signed up for. Injuries are part of the game. If you don't want to get hit, then you shouldn't be playing."

Other players say they would do the same: Hide it.

In a series of interviews about head injuries with The Associated Press over the last two weeks, 23 of 44 NFL players ? slightly more than half ? said they would try to conceal a possible concussion rather than pull themselves out of a game. Some acknowledged they already have. Players also said they should be better protected from their own instincts: More than two-thirds of the group the AP talked to wants independent neurologists on sidelines during games.

The AP spoke to a cross-section of players ? at least one from each of the 32 NFL teams ? to gauge whether concussion safety and attitudes about head injuries have changed in the past two years of close attention devoted to the issue. The group included 33 starters and 11 reserves; 25 players on offense and 19 on defense; all have played at least three seasons in the NFL.

The players tended to indicate they are more aware of the possible long-term effects of jarring hits to their heads than they once were. In a sign of the sort of progress the league wants, five players said that while they would have tried to conceal a concussion during a game in 2009, now they would seek help.

"You look at some of the cases where you see some of the retired players and the issues that they're having now, even with some of the guys who've passed and had their brains examined ? you see what their brains look like now," said Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher, the NFL's leading tackler. "That does play a part in how I think now about it."

But his teammate, backup fullback Mike Sellers, said he's hidden concussions in the past and would "highly doubt" that any player would willingly take himself out of a game.

"You want to continue to play. You're a competitor. You're not going to tell on yourself. There have been times I've been dinged, and they've taken my helmet from me, and ... I'd snatch my helmet back and get back on the field," Sellers said. "A lot of guys wouldn't say anything because a lot of guys wouldn't think anything during the game, until afterward, when they have a headache or they can't remember certain things."

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith captured a popular sentiment: Players know of the potential problems, yet would risk further damage.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out if (you have) a concussion, you're probably damaging your brain a little bit. Just like if you sprain your wrist a bunch, you're going to have some wrist problems down the road. Yeah, I'd still play through it. It's part of it. It's part of the game," Smith said. "I think if you're noticeably messed up, yeah, they'll take you out. But if you've just got some blurry vision, I'd say that's the player's call. And most guys ? 99 percent of guys in the NFL ? are going to play through it."

Smith said he sustained one concussion in high school ("You don't know who you are," is how he described it) and another in college ("Walking around the whole time, but I don't remember anything until six hours later").

The NFL likes to say that views about concussions have shifted from simply accepting they're part of the sport to doing what's possible to lessen impacts. Commissioner Roger Goodell talks about "changing the culture," so players don't try to "walk it off" after taking hits to the head.

Yet the AP's conversations with players showed there is room for more adjustments, which did not surprise Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, co-chairman of the NFL's head, neck and spine committee.

"The culture change takes awhile," Ellenbogen said in a telephone interview. "Why would these guys want to go out? They love playing the game. They don't want to leave their team. They want to win. I understand all that. And that's why we have to be on our toes with coming up with exams that are hard to beat, so to speak."

New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Zach Strief put it this way: "We all grew up with, `Hey, get back in there. You (only) got your bell rung.' And while it's changing now, I think it's going to take time for the mindset to change."

A few players said they'd be particularly inclined to hide a concussion if it happened in a playoff game or the Super Bowl. Some said their decision would depend on the severity of a head injury ? but they'd hide it if they could.

Clearly, there is a stigma associated with leaving the field, no matter the reason. Indeed, one player who said he'd exit a game if he thought he might have a concussion didn't want to be quoted on the subject.

Other findings from the interviews:

_Asked whether the NFL should have independent neurologists at games to examine players and determine if they should be held out because of concussions, 31 players said "yes," and 10 said "no." Three didn't answer.

"They've got guys looking at your uniform to make sure you're wearing the right kind of socks," St. Louis Rams safety Quintin Mikell said. "Why not have somebody there to protect your head? I think we definitely should have that."

He said he's tried to clear his head and stay on the field "many times."

"I'll probably pay for it later in my life," Mikell said, "but at the same time, I'll probably pay for the alcohol that I drank or driving fast cars. It's one of those things that it just comes with the territory."

_Specifically regarding concussions, 28 of the 44 players think playing in the NFL is safer now than in 2009, while 13 think it's the same, and two think it's more dangerous. One wasn't sure. Those who think safety has improved gave credit to the rise in awareness; more fines for illegal hits; this season's changes to kickoff rules that have cut down on the number of returns; and the new labor contract's reduction in the amount of contact allowed in practice.

"When I first came into the league, it was like, `Whatever goes.' It was more of that old-school, just `beat-him-up' football. Not wanting to hurt anybody, but show how tough you were. Back in the day, it was like if you come out (of a game) with (a) slight concussion, then you weren't giving it all for your team," Buffalo Bills linebacker Andra Davis said. "But now, they're taking that option away from you."

Davis, a 10th-year veteran who turned 33 on Friday and said he's had a couple of concussions, is one of those whose view on seeking help for such injuries has changed.

"The younger me would definitely hide it," Davis said. "But the older me now ? with wife and kids and looking more at life after football ? I would say something about it."

_Asked whether more can be done to protect players from head injuries, 18 players said "yes," and 24 said "no." Two did not respond.

Not surprisingly, there were divisions according to position, and players on opposite sides of the ball generally drifted toward opposing views: Those on offense seemed more likely than those on defense to say more can ? and should ? be done to improve safety. Linemen, meanwhile, often complained that there is no way to improve their plight, with the helmet-to-helmet banging that takes place at the snap on play after play. One player described those collisions as "micro-episodes that build up over time."

Nearly three-quarters of the players who told the AP they think safety can improve ? 13 of 18 ? suggested equipment can be improved, too. Helmet technology, mouth guards and chin straps all were mentioned.

Two players suggested more education about concussions is needed.

Dr. Robert Cantu, a senior adviser to Ellenbogen's NFL committee who said he is consulted regularly by the league, insisted that while there has been progress, there is still work to be done.

"Has there been a culture change overall? I think the answer is, unquestionably, `yes.' Could there be more done? Yes. Do all the players get it? No. Do they want to get it? No," said Cantu, a clinical professor of neurosurgery and co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University School of Medicine.

CTE is a degenerative disease increasingly found in football players and other athletes who have absorbed repeated blows to the head. It has been linked to memory loss, disorientation, poor decision-making, and depression that can lead to drug use and, as in the case of former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson, even suicide.

The league distributed informational posters in 2010 to warn about the dangers of head injuries, but Cantu said: "Just because the posters are in every locker room, it's not mandatory reading. Or people can say they read it but not really have read it."

"More stress needs to be placed ? and I believe this is the players association's responsibility as much as it is the NFL's ? on the dangers of playing symptomatic with a concussion and more knowledge needs to be imparted on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which obviously does exist in the NFL. ... All of those sub-concussive blows count, and you need to minimize the amount of brain trauma that you take," Cantu said.

Union spokesman George Atallah declined a request for comment about concussions.

Little-discussed until reporting by The New York Times led to an October 2009 congressional hearing on concussions in the NFL, head injuries are now part of the daily conversation about professional football. On Saturday alone, two starting quarterbacks, Cleveland's Colt McCoy and Arizona's Kevin Kolb, sat out because of head injuries, while a third, Minnesota's Christian Ponder, left his team's game with what his coach called "concussionlike symptoms."

According to data from STATS LLC, from 2000-09, an average of 3.1 NFL players ? and never more than nine in an entire season ? went on injured reserve because of a concussion or head injury. That number rose to 18 last season, and stood at 17 through Week 15 this season.

Similarly, STATS LLC said, over that same 10-year span at the start of the century, an average of 26 NFL players each season were listed on the weekly injury report and missed games because of a concussion or head injury. That number rose to 89 in 2010, and stood at 75 this season through Saturday's games.

At least eight lawsuits have been filed against the NFL in recent months ? including three within the last week ? by dozens of former players who say they have medical problems related to brain injuries from their time in professional football. The NFL's stance, in part, is that players knew there were risks of injury, and there was no misconduct or liability on the league's part.

"It's a physical sport. Guys are going to get hit in the head. When we're young, when we start playing this sport, we know what we're getting into," Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek said. "It's not like, `Oh, I'm going to play this because my head's going to be fine when I'm done playing.' It's a risk you take playing this game, but I think the league is doing everything in their power to make it as safe as possible."

The NFL certainly has found itself adjusting on the fly.

One example: After San Diego Chargers offensive lineman Kris Dielman got a concussion but stayed in the lineup in October, then had a seizure on a team flight, the NFL said it would give game officials "concussion awareness training" so they could keep an eye out for players.

A few players interviewed by the AP mentioned the recent case of Cleveland's McCoy, who has missed two consecutive games after a shot to the helmet from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison. McCoy was not checked for a concussion during the game against Pittsburgh and went back in; Harrison was suspended for a game; starting with this week's games, the league put certified athletic trainers in booths above the field to watch for injuries. The trainers aren't there to diagnose or prescribe treatment, the NFL said, but are supposed to call down to team medical staffs to alert them there could be a problem.

Some think the league could go further.

"I don't think it's sufficient. I think it's a great first step," BU's Cantu said, mentioning a study that showed concussions were noticed more in junior hockey when there was an observer at the rink.

While Cantu, like players interviewed by the AP, is in favor of having independent neurosurgeons at games rather than only team-employed doctors ? something raised as a possibility in 2009 but never done ? NFL committee co-chairman Ellenbogen said the more pressing issue was "the ability to see all the players on the field."

"Team doctors are pretty concerned about concussions, and I don't think they're people that are going to be bought and sold. ... If the real problem is the doctors are being influenced by the coaches, then we've got to fix that," said Ellenbogen, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine. "If the (players' union) says, `We want independent neurologists,' we'll discuss that. ... To be honest with you, we ain't done. When our committee meets with the team physicians after the Super Bowl, everything's on the table. You think this is the last rendition of what we do? Heck, no. We're not done."

As it is, while the players the AP spoke to tend to feel better about the way concussions are handled now than in 2009, they won't deny that dangers lurk.

"You're never going to be totally safe from concussions in this game," Oakland Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt said. "This is the only place where you can actually legally assault people."

___

AP Sports Writers Bob Baum, Tim Booth, Tom Canavan, Chris Duncan, Josh Dubow, R.B. Fallstrom, Dave Ginsburg, Fred Goodall, Pat Graham, Will Graves, Stephen Hawkins, George Henry, Chris Jenkins, Joe Kay, Jon Krawczynski, Larry Lage, Mark Long, Rob Maaddi, Michael Marot, Brett Martel, Janie McCauley, Steve Reed, Andrew Seligman, Dave Skretta, Howard Ulman, Teresa M. Walker, Dennis Waszak Jr., John Wawrow, Bernie Wilson, Steven Wine, and Tom Withers contributed to this report.

___

Howard Fendrich is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_nfl_concussions_two_years_later

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Many Americans brace for loss of payroll tax cut (San Jose Mercury News)

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Madonna Fan Arrested For 'Gimme All Your Luvin' Leak

Recordings of the new song, featuring Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., found in 31-year-old's belongings after leak was traced to Spain, police say.
By Andrea Duncan-Mao

Madonna
Photo: Getty

Just over a month after a demo of Madonna's "Gimme All Your Luvin" was leaked online, police have arrested a 31-year-old fan. After the icon's lawyers traced the leak to Spain, the man, whose full name has not been released, was arrested in the northern city of Zaragoza. Police, who have only confirmed the suspect's initials as J.M.R., describe the man as "a big Madonna fan" and say they found recordings of the song in his belongings.

The track, which features Nicki Minaj and M.I.A., was leaked without M.I.A.'s vocals. When it surfaced in early November, Madonna's longtime manager Guy Oseary voiced his displeasure via Twitter, writing, "The plan was for new music to come out in the new year. I'm very happy with the positive reaction to the demo, but we are very upset with whoever leaked the song! We are asking that the fans please help us police any more leaks. We have a lot in store for you. But please respect the process." An unhappy Madge also weighed in, via Oseary, saying, "My true fans wouldn't do this. Whoever is responsible for this leak, we ask that you please stop!"

Earlier this month, both Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. tweeted saucy details from the set of the video shoot for the song. Minaj gushed about kissing Madonna, while M.I.A. teased that they had a "3sum."

No word on when the video will be released, but Madonna's upcoming as-yet-untitled new album is expected to drop in the spring of 2012. It will feature production from Ray of Light producer William Orbit. Madonna is also slated to perform at the Super Bowl in February, which coincides with the release of her film "W.E."

Do you agree with Madonna that "true fans" wouldn't leak the song? Share your thoughts below!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676410/madonna-gimme-all-your-luvin-arrest.jhtml

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Ethics panel says Rep. Don Young of Alaska did not violate rules in defense fund contributions (Star Tribune)

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Q-Knot Reusable Rubber Cable Ties

Everyone love zip-ties. And I mean everyone. For kidnappers and serial killers through cops and soldiers to cowboy repairmen like me, the humble zip-tie (or cable tie) can restrain or fix pretty much anything. Couple it with duct tape and a hammer and you’re pretty much ready for whatever the world will throw at you.
Unfortunately, [...]

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Dell delivers official Gingerbread ROM to the discontinued Streak 5

Although we wouldn't go as far as saying the Streak 5 is coming out of its grave, we can tell you that Dell is making an effort to help it regain consciousness -- which is great news for those of you who own the device. Don't mind that ICS is here, or that it's been 12 months since we first met Android 2.3, what's important is that the smartphone / tablet is ready to get its first (official) taste of some Gingerbread goodness. Needless to say, we know you're thrilled to make the OS transition, but before you do so, hit up the source link for all the nitty-gritty from the XDA folks to help guide you in your quest.

Dell delivers official Gingerbread ROM to the discontinued Streak 5 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/dell-delivers-official-gingerbread-rom-to-the-discontinued-strea/

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Fate of Obama's ambassador to El Salvador in doubt (AP)

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama's ambassador to El Salvador may be heading home at year's end, her diplomatic future undone by old, unfounded rumors that her boyfriend was a Cuban spy and new conservative outrage over a summertime op-ed on gay rights.

Mari Carmen Aponte, a Washington lawyer and Hispanic activist, has served as ambassador in San Salvador since September 2010 after Obama, in response to Republican opposition to her nomination, made her a recess appointee. But her temporary tenure is about to run out and GOP lawmakers are resisting a determined administration effort to secure Senate confirmation.

The opposition stems from questions about Aponte's relationship decades ago with a Cuban-American that scuttled her nomination during the Clinton administration to be ambassador to the Dominican Republic, and a more recent essay she wrote in June to mark Obama's proclamation of gay pride month.

Though the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved her nomination on a 10-9 party-line vote last week, her fate in the full Senate is uncertain with just days left in the legislative session.

"It appears unlikely that all of these Republicans are going to change their mind as far as allowing it to come to a floor vote without a change in attitude about the information," said Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who is pressing for more details about Aponte. "All of us think we should have an ambassador in El Salvador, but all of us are concerned that we get people who we know are the right people."

The chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. John Kerry, insists Aponte has done a "solid job in her capacity as ambassador now," including helping secure the deployment of Salvadoran troops to Afghanistan to aid in the fight against al-Qaida. "I have not heard of or seen any substantive rationale for her not continuing in this post," Kerry, D-Mass., said at last week's committee meeting.

Ratcheting up the pressure, several members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus planned a news conference Tuesday afternoon to plead with the Senate to confirm Aponte, a Puerto Rican who served on the board at the National Council of La Raza. The caucus has called her "an asset to the Foreign Service and a highly effective advocate for the United States in Central America."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is likely to push for a vote despite GOP efforts to run out the clock on her selection, according to lawmakers and congressional aides.

Conservative anger toward Aponte is based, in part, on an op-ed she wrote June 28 in La Prensa Grafica, a daily newspaper in El Salvador, The essay was in response to a State Department cable to ambassadors worldwide urging them to recognize gay pride month.

In a Spanish-language piece titled, "For the Elimination of Prejudices Wherever They Exist," Aponte wrote: "No one should be subjected to aggression because of who he is or who he loves. Homophobia and brutal hostility are often based on lack of understanding about what it truly means to be gay or transgender. To avoid negative perceptions, we must work together with education and support for those facing those who promote hatred."

In the op-ed, Aponte noted that the United States and El Salvador were among more than 80 nations that had signed a U.N. declaration for the elimination of violence against gays and lesbians. She also pointed out that El Salvador President Mauricio Funes had signed a decree in May 2010 prohibiting discrimination by the government based on sexual orientation.

But 57 percent of El Salvador's population is Roman Catholic, and several Salvadoran family and religious groups wrote to U.S. lawmakers criticizing Aponte for "abusing her diplomatic status, showing a clear disdain concerning our values and cultural identity." They urged lawmakers to oppose her confirmation and suggested she be removed from the post.

DeMint, writing last month in Human Events, assailed Aponte for the op-ed and revived the old speculation about her personal life.

"Our relationship with the Salvadoran people has been one of trust and friendship for decades," DeMint said. "We should not risk that by appointing an ambassador who shows such a blatant disregard for their culture and refuses to clear unsettled doubts about her previous relationships. It's time to bring Ms. Aponte home."

In Aponte's defense, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., another member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said it was unfair to single her out for an op-ed that was prompted by a State Department missive.

"I really believe what's at stake here is politics more than a real concern about her background," Menendez said in an interview.

Thirteen years ago, when President Bill Clinton nominated Aponte, reports surfaced that a former live-in boyfriend, Roberto Tamayo, had ties to Cuban intelligence in Fidel Castro's regime and that Cuban intelligence agents had tried to recruit her. The head of the Foreign Relations Committee at the time, former Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., signaled he would question Aponte about the allegations at her confirmation hearing; she withdrew her nomination.

In the end, the FBI cleared her. On two occasions, Aponte has received top-secret security clearances.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the allegations were "simply false and unfounded," and Aponte has the full backing of Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Menendez, a Cuban-American, said his opposition to the Castro regime is second to none in the House or Senate and if there were any truth to the rumors about Aponte, he would have opposed her nomination.

___

Associated Press writer Bradley Klapper contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111206/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_congress_el_salvador

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Hoop Dreams: Riots cast shadow over Games

LONDON (AP) ? Four days of rioting last August has cast a shadow over the neighborhoods where some of the world's top athletes will compete next summer at the 2012 London Games. Some Olympic events will occur only a few miles away from where Britain's worst riots in a generation shook the country.

Both London and the Olympics were irrevocably altered.

And so were the lives of those who live here. Sam Kato, 12, practices with the Newham All Star Sports Academy, an oasis in east London from the crime, gangs and drugs that helped fuel last summer's riots. The program helps keep kids out of trouble and teaches them the value of teamwork.

"It's like a family to me," the 6-foot-1 Kato said as the gym reverberated with basketballs rhythmically hitting the wooden floor. "If there were more programs like this, I doubt there would be riots."

Newham hosts the Olympic Park, center of the 2012 games.

Complex security plans for the Olympics have been altered after the riots, which shocked Britain and damaged London's image abroad. Those plans were also updated after student demonstrations in London that included a spontaneous attack on Prince Charles and wife Camilla and the "Occupy London" encampment near the city's financial district.

The riots exposed the limits of what police could handle in terms of dramatic and unforeseen events. After a weak initial response, thousands of police officers were brought in to help swamp London's streets in a show of force, discouraging further trouble.

The Olympics will already keep 12,000 officers occupied on the busiest days, so any riot repeat will push resources further still.

"(Planners) are learning the lessons from the riots," said Margaret Gilmore, an expert at the Royal United Services Institute, a respected think tank. "Some demonstrations and protests are almost inevitable and they are likely to take a tougher line and use more officers in dealing with riots."

Fears over street unrest come alongside the biggest Olympic worry: terrorism. Security has been an intricate part of the games since a terror attack at the 1972 Olympics in Munich killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches. London has not been immune from terror attacks ? four suicide bombers targeted the city's transit network in 2005, killing 52 commuters.

But the advent of riots was a late addition to the planning mix, which has been under way for years. Even now plans are still being refined.

"What you have to remember is that in the last Olympics people were worried about al-Qaida threats," said Ellis Cashmore, a professor of culture, media and sport at Staffordshire University. "What the riots have done is alert people to the fact that London may not be such a safe city after all."

Tough economic times in Britain mean underlying tensions aren't getting better any time soon. Unemployment this year passed the 1 million mark for young people for the first time since the mid-1980s.

Austerity measures meant to put the country back in the black have cut support for many programs geared at helping young people, and Britain's youth unemployment rate has risen to about 20 percent. Youth workers say the desperation and hopelessness felt by many British teens and young adults is likely to be even worse next summer than this year.

Olympic officials have declared themselves unconcerned about any legacy from the riots. Denis Oswald, head of the International Olympic Committee's coordination commission for London, told reporters recently that he was in London during the unrest and believed the situation was "quite quickly under control."

Oswald looked at the bright side, noting that many people showed up for impromptu work crews to help hard-hit merchants clean up after the looting.

"I don't think this has put any negative image on London or on the games," he said.

The riots were triggered by the fatal police shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan in the working-class London district of Tottenham. Duggan's death, under disputed circumstances, touched off anger, quickly followed by thrown bricks, burning cars and looting. An interim report on the unrest concluded this week that the slow police response to the looting led people to believe they wouldn't get caught.

Between 13,000 and 15,000 people took part in the riots and the report said more than three-quarters were 24 or younger.

But there were 460 notable exceptions ? the members of Newham basketball club. Director Natasha Hart and her coaches quickly organized a training camp to give them somewhere to go for several days.

"No one was involved," she said. "I don't think that's a coincidence."

Newham is one of the poorest areas in Britain, with 25 percent of its households below the poverty line. A primary stopping point for new immigrants, dozens of languages are spoken in its schools. Many immigrants are also transient, fraying any sense of community cohesion.

Kids here worry about gangs, for gang territory is strictly defined. A block or two in any direction can become a no-go zone.

But on the basketball court, everyone is welcome.

Hart, a Russian emigre, is the daughter of an Olympic basketball player and a professional boxer who simply wanted to share her love of basketball with her two sons. The single mother started by organizing pick up games and practices at a local park.

Seven years later, she listens to the hooting and hollering in the sparkling gym at Rokeby school and shakes her head. There are little kids running around, big little kids like Kato refining their moves, teenage girls who dream of playing at American powerhouses like the University of Tennessee, and young men without jobs who just want to play.

The abbreviation of the club's name ? NASSA ? evokes the U.S. space program and its reach for the heavens, something the kids joke about.

"These children, they want to belong to something," Hart said. "I think we deserve it. Don't you?"

__

http://www.nassa2012.org.uk/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-02-OLY-London-2012-Riot-Legacy/id-c20c29d07ff242a8a87b6810cc593649

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What you need to know from this week on ?The Ultimate Fighter?

This is the last regular episode of the season, but also the last regular episode that will air on Spike and the last recap before the show drastically changes format when it jumps to the Fox family of networks. Read Kevin Iole's look back at the best of the Spike era, and leave your favorite TUF memory on Cagewriter's Facebook page. We'll share your memories right here on Cagewriter. For one last recap with spoilers, read on.

The awkwardness of teammates fighting each other is being lived out at Team Miller's practice. Miller is stepping back and not coaching either fighter, and allowing the fighters to choose their own cornermen. Johnny Bedford and John Dodson are squaring off, with Bedford fighting with a chip on his shoulder. He wants to get Dodson back for serving as a mole for Team Bisping, but also wants to make it to the finals of the show.

Bantamweight semifinal: Johnny Bedford (Team Miller) vs. John Dodson (Team Miller)

Round 1: The two chose to stay on their feet for the majority of the first round. Dodson did a good job of avoiding Bedford's strikes until about two minutes in, when Bedford briefly pulled inside for a clinch. Bedford got a takedown at 1:40, but Dodson sprung right back to his feet. In the final seconds of the round, Dodson caught a kick, and used it to knock Bedford down.

Curiously, both corner referred to their fighters as John throughout the bout. With two fighters from the same team with the same name, wouldn't last names make it easier? Miller, on the sidelines, yelled, "Fight to win, guys!" in between rounds.

Round 2: Bedford was more aggressive in the second round, landing more strikes early on. Dodson landed an uppercut that knocked Bedford out cold. He followed him to the ground with hammer fists, but they were unnecessary. Dodson won a spot in the finals with a nasty KO.

"Dodson was so fast that the ref couldn't even get there in time to stop it," Dana White said. The doctors asked Bedford where he was, and he answered, "I'm in Ohio." Yikes.

Next, the focus goes to Diego Brandao and Bryan Caraway. During prep for Caraway's bout, he told Team Miller that he vomits before most of his fights. To make Caraway feel better, Miller confesses that whenever he prepares for a fight, he can always hear a voice saying, "Just quit this and work at McDonald's."

During weigh-ins, Bisping proposed a side bet on his fighter, which Miller accepts. Afterwards, the house erupts into a game of beer pong and fighters riding bikes into the pool, but it winds up fairly tame in comparison to other TUF parties.

Featherweight semifinal: Diego Brandao (Team Bisping) vs. Bryan Caraway (Team Miller)

Round 1: Caraway starts with a clinch and knees, but Brandao breaks away and shows good takedown defense. Caraway returns to the clinch and drives Brandao into the fence, but Brandao gets out. With two minutes left in the round, Brandao rocked Caraway with a hook and then threw a knee that sent him the ground. Caraway recovered and got back to his feet, only to be hit again and thrown down to the ground. Brandao chased him around the cage with strikes, but somehow, Caraway survived. Finally, he fell to the ground, rolled on his back, and Brandao finished the bout with a final punch.

After the bout, Dana White said that Brandao and his finishing power will transition easily to the UFC.

Saturday's finals are T.J. Dillashaw vs. John Dodson and Diego Brandao vs. Denis Bermudez. White says that out of all the seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter," that these are the most talented fighters in the finals.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/What-you-need-to-know-from-this-week-on-The-Ult?urn=mma-wp10043

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House Republicans step up anti-regulation effort (AP)

WASHINGTON ? House Republicans have launched their most ambitious, pro-business effort yet to rein in Obama administration regulators, triggering a furious debate over the value of new rules for clean air, workplace safety, children's toys and many other categories.

The House was set to vote Friday on the second of two anti-regulation bills, legislation that would impose potentially stifling procedures on federal regulators. Republicans argue that avoiding expensive new regulations would aid businesses in hiring workers, while Democrats counter that Americans' health and safety would be jeopardized.

The White House budget office didn't wait for the vote to announce that if the bill passed Congress, senior administration advisers would recommend a veto.

At this point, the Republican effort is mainly a 2012 campaign issue because the Democratic-run Senate has not passed any of the anti-regulation bills the House has approved this year.

Until now, Republicans have focused on derailing specific proposed rules, many of them from the Environmental Protection Agency. The latest effort, however, would curtail regulators ? and their proposed rules ? across the entire federal government.

The bill considered Friday, the Regulatory Accountability Act, would require numerous steps before new rules could be issued. Regulators would have to consider the legal authority for the rule, the nature and significance of the problem, any reasonable alternatives, and potential costs and benefits of the alternatives.

Federal courts would have an expanded role and the government would have a tougher legal standard to meet for a proposed rule to be affirmed.

OMB Watch, an advocacy organization that tracks federal regulations, said if the bill already had been law, the government would not have been able to issue a finding that greenhouse gases endangered public health. The group said it would have been more difficult to withstand court challenges to findings that a popular weed killer was dangerous. It would have been tougher to defend statements about the health impact of too much salt. And the government would have had to weaken a strong rule on lead in gasoline.

Still to come, probably next week, is a bill that would make it far easier for Congress to kill regulations.

The House on Thursday passed the first of the three bills in this latest anti-regulation effort. It would give more weight to the impact of federal regulations on small businesses, whose owners can be a powerful political force and are being courted by both parties.

The bill went to the Senate on a 263-159 vote.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_go_co/us_republicans_regulations

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Air Fail

American Airlines? parent company, AMR Corporation, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, surprising exactly no one. A major corporate bankruptcy is normally a bit of a shock, but there?s nothing shocking about bankruptcy in the American passenger air business, where filings are way more common than crashes. Frontier Airlines filed in 2008, Delta and Northwest both filed in 2005 (and later merged), and United and U.S. Airways filed in 2002 and then again in 2004. TWA went down in 2001 as part of an acquisition by the now-bankrupt American Airlines. Pan Am, of course, went out of business entirely 10 years before that, only to re-emerge as a short-lived television show about the glories of air travel in the era before constant bankruptcy. And those are only the big ones. All told there have been 189 airline bankruptcy filings in America since 1990. Why?

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=2599ff02e2a472edd53c3a8ee1de9f31

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