Libya?s former rebels seek jobs

Tripoli - Hundreds of former Libyan rebels who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi this year have started filling out applications for jobs with the new government.

Interior Minister Fawzy Abdul-Ali says it is the first step towards disarming the former rebels. They will be asked to turn in their weapons after training and working with the government.

He says former rebels will have until the end of January 2012 to apply for governments posts through local military councils distributing the applications.

On Wednesday, hundreds of former rebels in various cities began filling out the applications. They ask applicants what brigade they belong to, what their rank was during the uprising and the serial numbers of the weapons they possess.

Disarming former rebel forces is a major challenge facing Libya's new rulers. - Sapa-AP

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/libya-s-former-rebels-seek-jobs-1.1205418

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2012: Shadow of the Dark Rift

ScienceDaily (Dec. 28, 2011) ? One of the most bizarre theories about 2012 has built up with very little attention to facts. This idea holds that a cosmic alignment of the sun, Earth, the center of our galaxy -- or perhaps the galaxy's thick dust clouds -- on the winter solstice could for some unknown reason lead to destruction. Such alignments can occur but these are a regular occurrence and can cause no harm (and, indeed, will not even be at its closest alignment during the 2012 solstice.)

The details are as follows: Viewed far from city lights, a glowing path called the Milky Way can be seen arching across the starry sky. This path is formed from the light of millions of stars we cannot see individually. It coincides with the mid plane of our galaxy, which is why our galaxy is also named the Milky Way.

Thick dust clouds also populate the galaxy. And while infrared telescopes can see them clearly, our eyes detect these dark clouds only as irregular patches where they dim or block the Milky Way's faint glow. The most prominent dark lane stretches from the constellations Cygnus to Sagittarius and is often called the Great Rift, sometimes the Dark Rift.

Another impressive feature of our galaxy lies unseen in Sagittarius: the galactic center, about 28,000 light-years away, which hosts a black hole weighing some four million times the sun's mass.

The claim for 2012 links these two pieces of astronomical fact with a third -- the position of the sun near the galactic center on Dec. 21, the winter solstice for the Northern Hemisphere -- to produce something that makes no astronomical sense at all.

As Earth makes its way around the sun, the sun appears to move against the background stars, which is why the visible constellations slowly change with the seasons. On Dec. 21, 2012, the sun will pass about 6.6 degrees north of the galactic center -- that's a distance that looks to the eye to be about 13 times the full moon's apparent size -- and it's actually closer a couple of days earlier. There are different claims about why this bodes us ill, but they boil down to the coincidence of the solstice with the sun entering the Dark Rift somehow portending disaster or the mistaken notion that the sun and Earth becoming aligned with the black hole in the galactic center allows some kind of massive gravitational pull on Earth.

The first strike against this theory is that the solstice itself does not correlate to any movements of the stars or anything in the universe beyond Earth. It just happens to be the day that Earth's North Pole is tipped farthest from the sun.

Second, Earth is not within range of strong gravitational effects from the black hole at the center of the galaxy since gravitational effects decrease exponentially the farther away one gets. Earth is 93 million miles from the sun and 165 quadrillion miles from the Milky Way's black hole. The sun and the moon (a smaller mass, but much closer) are by far the most dominant gravitational forces on Earth. Throughout the course of the year, our distance from the Milky Way's black hole changes by about one part in 900 million -- not nearly enough to cause a real change in gravity's pull. Moreover, we're actually nearest to the galactic center in the summer, not at the winter solstice.

Third, the sun appears to enter the part of the sky occupied by the Dark Rift every year at the same time, and its arrival there in Dec. 2012 portends precisely nothing.

Enjoy the solstice, by all means, and don't let the Dark Rift, alignments, solar flares, magnetic field reversals, potential impacts or alleged Maya end-of-the-world predictions get in the way.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111228084059.htm

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60beat GamePad connects to iOS devices, requests 50 bucks for the privilege

iOS devices certainly aren't lacking for gaming accessories, but we're always willing to welcome a new contender. 60beat believes it's got the ideal solution in the shape of this familiar-looking controller. It connects to an iPhone, iPad or iPod through the headphone jack and offers up some familiar gaming options in the shape of dual-analog sticks and digital inputs. Unfortunately, the controller's been saddled with a $50 price tag and is only fully enabled with two games. More games are promised for next year, and here's hoping they'll include some big hitters. Anyone rolling in cash money can check out 60beat's hard sell -- and some unusual spa relaxation music -- in its promo vid right after the break.

Continue reading 60beat GamePad connects to iOS devices, requests 50 bucks for the privilege

60beat GamePad connects to iOS devices, requests 50 bucks for the privilege originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/29/60beat-gamepad-connects-to-ios-devices-requests-50-bucks-for-th/

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Eddie Jones charge of Japan

By Sportsmail Reporter

Last updated at 2:26 PM on 26th December 2011

Former Australia manager Eddie Jones will replace New Zealand's John Kirwan as Japan's coach.

Former All Blacks winger Kirwan will step down from his role when his contract expires at the end of this month.???

Jones, the coach of Japan's Top League rugby side Suntory Sungoliath since 2009, has a contract from April 2012 to the end of the 2015 World Cup in England.???

Welcome Eddie Jones (right) with his assistant Masahiro Kunda

'I'm very excited and honoured to have the job as head coach of Japan,' Jones said.

'The first thing we're going to have to do is to win. I want Japan to win and be in the top 10 in the world. We need to develop a solid play that suits Japanese players.'

Jones, 51, coached the Wallabies team beaten by England in the 2003 World Cup final but tasted success in 2007 as a consultant to the victorious South Africa team.???

Masahiro Kunda will be Jones' assistant with the pair taking up their roles after the Australian finishes the season with Sungoliath, who he led to the national championship last term.???

Under Kirwan, Japan's 'Brave Blossoms' returned home without a victory at this year's World Cup in New Zealand and have not won a match at the finals since beating Zimbabwe 52-8 in 1991.???

'We've got a very big challenge ahead us,' Jones said. 'The great thing about Japanese rugby is we have a very strong domestic company competition and strong university and high school competitions. We're going to quickly add in 30 or 40 players for the next World Cup.'?

?

?

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2078711/Eddie-Jones-charge-Japan.html?ITO=1490

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Giving Windows Phone A Chance

If you take a look at Techmeme right now, you'll notice that the top conversation in the tech blogosphere is about Windows Phone, and more specifically why it has failed to catch on compared to Android smartphones in particular (according to Charlie Kindel, former GM of the product division). I've read people's different views on this with great interest, but I feel like something's missing: the opinion of an actual Windows Phone owner and user with no real skin in this game. Enter, well, me. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to stop using my HTC Sensation (Android 2.3) and iPhone 3GS (iOS 5) in parallel and made the switch to Nokia's Lumia 800 (Windows Phone 7.5). As you can tell, I'm not exactly married to any company or product - it's just not in my nature. I switched to Windows Phone mainly to see if it can hold its ground when used intensively.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/Yk87TtHX6fw/

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Israel Sends a Missile Up the Ass of Islamic Jihad Terrorist In Gaza Who Has Been Firing Rockets Into Israel

Okay, we can remove Abdullah Telbani's name from those planning to attend the Haj next summer as he said hello to an Israeli missile today in payment for his work at sending rockets into southern Israel from Gaza. The Islamic Jihad terrorist had two buddies with him that apparently are now walking with permanent limps.

And someone said there was never any good news on a Tuesday! :)

The report comes from The Jerusalem Post.

Air Force kills Gazan terrorist in missile attack

The Israel Air Force, working with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), fired a missile at Gazan terrorists involved in recent attacks on Israel, killing one and injuring two others, Israeli media reported Tuesday.

Hamas identified the man as Abdullah Telbani, an operative of Islamic Jihad's Saraya Al-Quds wing in his 20s.

Two other Palestinians were also injured in the attack when the explosion ripped through their tuk tuk, a motorized rickshaw, according to medics in the Strip. They were taken to Amal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

The IDF Spokesman's Office said Hamas was responsible for all terrorist activity coming out of Gaza.

"The IDF will not tolerate attempts to harm Israeli citizens or IDF soldiers and will continue to operate strongly and decisively against anyone who uses terrorism against Israel," the spokesman said in a statement.

Army radio reported that the militant was in his vehicle when the missile hit, and that the defense establishment was preparing for rockets in response to the attack.

Palestinians fired two short-range rockets into Israel on Sunday and Monday, causing no damage. No Gaza factions claimed responsibility for those attacks.

Israel has also said it is on alert for attempts by Gazan gunmen to slip into neighboring Egypt and attack it from there.

Source: http://holgerawakens.blogspot.com/2011/12/israel-sends-missile-up-ass-of-islamic.html

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Washington State Major Parties Sue to Retain Elections for Party Committee Officers

On December 22, the Washington state Democratic and Republican Parties filed a lawsuit in state court, arguing that the state must provide elections in 2012 for Precinct Committee officers. The case will be heard on March 23, 2012, at 9 a.m., in Thurston County Superior Court in Olympia. The case is Washington State Democratic Central Committee v Washington Secretary of State.

Washington state election laws say these elections should be held for qualified parties. Only the Democratic and Republican Parties are ballot-qualified. The state had intended to hold these elections simultaneously with a March presidential primary, but then the state decided not to hold a presidential primary, and it canceled plans for elections for party office as well.

The state formerly held Precinct Committee Officer elections at the general election, but a U.S. District Court ruled last year that electing party officers in the general election violates freedom of association for those parties, because in effect the entire electorate, not just party members, were choosing party officers.

The other two states with top-two election systems, Louisiana and California, continue to hold elections for party officers. Louisiana and California use elections in which only party members can vote on party officers. It is easier for Louisiana and California to do this, than it is for Washington state, because Louisiana and California still hold presidential primaries simultaneously with the party officer elections.

Source: http://www.ballot-access.org/2011/12/26/washington-state-major-parties-sue-to-retain-elections-for-party-committee-officers/

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Ford Escort Serpintine Belt

Questions and Answers

Ford Escort Serpintine Belt Q. Trying to change the alternator on a 1998 Ford Escort SE. How do you get the tension off the belt. We've loosened the bolt.

A. Okay, here's what you need to do:

REMOVAL:

1. Relieve the drive belt tension.
   • Use a (A) ratchet or breaker bar inserted in the square hole in the drive belt tensioner flange.
   • Rotate the (B) drive belt tensioner in a clockwise motion to release belt tension.
2. Remove the drive belt from the accessory drive belt routing pulley and then the remaining accessory pulleys.

INSTALLATION:

1. Position the drive belt over the accessory pulleys. Raise and support the vehicle.
2. Rotate the drive belt tensioner in a clockwise motion.
3. Slip the drive belt under the belt idler pulley and release the tool. Remove the tool from the drive belt tensioner.

Additional Information provided courtesy of ALLDATA

Back to Index

Source: http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1d/bl762d.htm

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iOS 5.0.1 untethered jailbreak now available for original iPad, iPhone 4, older models

Thanks to pod2g and all his hard work, an untethered jailbreak is now available for the original iPad, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and older models. Both redsn0w and Corona have been updated to support the new, untethered jailbreak.

A few days ago, @pod2g gave the untether

...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/r4k4jtr_lqo/story01.htm

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Aide to top Mexican drug boss Guzman captured (Reuters)

MEXICO CITY, Dec 26 (Reuters) ? Mexico landed its third blow against the country's most wanted drug trafficker in as many months after capturing a suspected lieutenant of Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, boss of the powerful Sinaloa cartel.

On Monday, masked Mexican soldiers presented Felipe Cabrera, known as "el Inge," to the media following his capture in Culiacan, capital of Sinaloa, the northwestern Pacific state after which the drug cartel is named.

Cabrera, whose nickname is an abbreviation of the Spanish word for engineer, was the second suspected Guzman lieutenant to be seized there in the past two months.

"These are blows to the (Sinaloa) organization, but the structure for drug trafficking and money laundering is still intact," Alberto Islas, a security expert at consultancy Risk Evaluation, said after Cabrera's media parade in Mexico City.

In what may have been another bitter pill for Guzman, the government said later that the navy had seized 21 tonnes of monomethylamine - a compound used to make methamphetamines - in the Pacific port of Manzanillo, traditionally his turf.

The shipment may have been intended for Guzman given that several others belonging to him had been seized there, one official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Islas said the haul, which was intercepted on its way from Peru to Guatemala - where the Sinaloa cartel is also active - was probably worth at least $50 million in unprocessed form.

CRACKDOWN

President Felipe Calderon's conservative administration has been dominated by a military crackdown on drug cartels, which has claimed over 45,000 lives in the past five years, eroding support for his National Action Party, or PAN.

The PAN has been trailing its main rival for months as Mexico gears up for a presidential election in July 2012.

The government has captured or killed dozens of top smugglers, but Guzman, the most notorious, is still at large.

Defense ministry spokesman Ricardo Trevilla hailed the arrest of Cabrera as a setback for the operational and leadership capabilities of the Sinaloa cartel, regarded as the main trafficker of drugs into the United States.

The ministry said Cabrera was in charge of the cartel's operations in Durango, a state bordering Sinaloa and a Guzman bastion where the kingpin has been rumored to live.

Guzman runs an empire of methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine smuggling that has earned him a spot on Forbes magazine's list of billionaires.

The ministry added that Cabrera also had responsibility for the southern part of the border state of Chihuahua, through which many drugs are smuggled into the United States.

Cabrera, who allegedly headed Guzman's personal security in the Durango area, is suspected of involvement in a host of violent crimes ranging from arson to kidnapping and extortion.

He was captured on Friday as part of an operation which led to the arrest of 23 suspected operators in the Sinaloa cartel and their bitter rivals, Los Zetas.

(Editing by Eric Beech and Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111226/wl_nm/us_mexico_drugs

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First female UNH president, dies in car accident http://bit.ly/s2sSry

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Source: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150493473834356&id=95788634355

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Traditions from around the world: Other holidays celebrated in Redmond community

With endless sales, countless songs and numerous TV specials about the holiday, the month of December could easily be renamed the month of Christmas. But this time of year also plays host to a number of other holiday traditions.

From a celebration of miracles to a solemn observance of a new year, here are a few holidays that are also observed this time of year.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

The Jewish holiday of Chanukah, also known as Hanukkah, is an eight-day celebration commemorating the Maccabees' resistance against and victory over the Syrian Greeks who occupied Israel and tried to influence Jews to adopt the Greek way of life in the second century, B.C.

Sholom Elishevitz, a junior rabbi at the Eastside Torah Center (ETC), said Jewish practices were outlawed during this time but the Maccabees, a small group of untrained Jews, successfully took their land back and rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Part of this rededication included lighting the temple's menorah, which was required to burn throughout the night every night, but there was only enough olive oil for one night. However, Elishevitz said the oil miraculously continued to burn for eight days.

This miracle is commemorated by lighting a candle on a nine-branched menorah on each successive night of Chanukah. The ninth candle, called the shamash, is used for extra light as well as to light the other candles.

"The menorah symbolizes religious freedom," Elishevitz said.

During Chanukah, he said food plays a significant role as they eat foods that use a lot of oil such as donuts and fried potato pancakes called latkes.

"The idea is to remember the miracle of the oil," he explained.

Another Chanukah tradition is gelt ? where children receive small gifts or money on each of the eight days. Elishevitz said this is important because a big part of the religion is educating the next generation and receiving money on each day of the holiday will get them excited about Chanukah.

In addition to educating children, Chanukah helps educate others about Judaism, Elishevitz said. The menorah is meant to be displayed in an area where it can be seen by others, such as a windowsill or next to a door. Elishevitz said this is to let onlookers see and learn about the holiday's miracle.

One way ETC ? which serves Jews all over the Eastside, including Redmond ? did this was by holding a public menorah lighting at Redmond Town Center Wednesday evening, the first official night of Chanukah. However, Elishevitz said the Jewish calendar begins at sunset, so they also lit a candle on Tuesday night to begin the eight-day holiday, which ends Dec. 28.

A HOLI HOLIDAY

For the month of December, students at the Goddard School at 4200 228th Ave. N.E. in Redmond studied different holidays around the world and in learning about Hinduism they celebrated Holi, the religion's Festival of Colors.

Abby Yokers, the school's education director, said the holiday is celebrated with people wearing white and throwing colored powder and colored water at each other.

Holi is filled with joy and excitement and actually celebrated in the spring, but Yokers said they chose to hold their celebration this month to go with their curriculum.

The school's interpretation was to cover an entire classroom in white paper and drop cloths, fill bowls with paint and allow students to paint the room as they saw fit.

"It was absolutely fantastic to watch," Yokers said. "It was a lot of fun ? very messy, but totally worth it."

Goddard serves about 80 families and because students are 6 weeks to about 5 years old, she said the potential for disaster was high and she expected chaos. However, the kids were very well behaved considering they were in a zone with no rules except for no running (for safety purposes), Yokers said.

Each class had the opportunity to paint and as a result, the room was filled with flowers, train tracks, footprints as well as paint smears created by the students. Yokers said she even witnessed some students mixing colors.

"It was amazing to see what they would create on their own," she said.

Goddard owner Jeff Barison said the activity took the majority of the day and was an opportunity for students to get creative and use their imaginations.

He said they studied other holidays this month such as Kwanza, Diwali and St. Lucia Day. One of the reasons they have included this in the curriculum is just as reflection of their student population.

"Our school is very diverse and with that, that's why we do holidays around the world," Barison said.

He added that parents saw their children's creations at the end of the day at pickup time. One of the fathers is from east India and Barison said he appreciated what they did and the school's homage to the tradition.

"It meant a lot to him," Barison said.

HISTORICAL NEW YEAR

While most holidays in the Western calendar fall on the same day each year, the Islamic month of Muharram changes annually.

Muharram marks the first month in the Islamic calendar, which is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. As a result the Islamic new year is pushed back by 11 days every year and this year, Muharram began on Nov. 26 and ends Dec. 26.

Hamzah Maqbul, who occasionally serves as an imam, or religion leader, for the Islamic Center of Redmond, said Muharram is one of four sacred months in Islam. During this month, wars and disputes end and fighting is forbidden. Additionally, the 10th day of Muharram, the Day of Ashura, is particularly sacred.

"It's a day that's highly recommended for Muslims to fast," Maqbul said.

Maqbul said Ashura holds historical significance for Sunni Muslims. On this day, Moses and his people were victorious over the Egyptian Pharaoh and as a result, Jews would also fast on Ashura, which was Dec. 5 this year.

The sacred 10th day for Shia Muslims is also part of the Mourning of Muharram or Remembrance of Muharram, which marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala and death of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad who refused to pay allegiance to a tyrannical leader.

"This is the time where the Shia Muslims around the world remember Imam Hussain," said Jawad Khaki, a former president for the Ithna-asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest (IMAN) Center of Kirkland.

Khaki said Muharram and Ashura is a time for Muslims to gather together, revive their spirits and reflect on "the reasons why people stood for freedom and justice."

Both Khaki and Maqbul said Muharram is a solemn month and focused more on observing and remembering significant historical events in Islam's history.

Qasim Hatem, the resident scholar for the Mihraab Foundation ? which promotes a traditional understanding of Islam in a Western context in the greater Seattle area ? added that Muharram encourages people to be charitable and generous to others.

Contact Redmond Reporter Reporter Samantha Pak at spak@redmond-reporter.com or 425-867-0353, ext. 5052.

Source: http://feeds.soundpublishing.com/~r/redmondnews/~3/AWD4od-PdzM/136110668.html

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12 Best Hip-Hop Christmas Songs Of All Time

From a Run-D.M.C. classic to raps with not-so-merry sentiments, here's MTV News' nontraditional playlist.
By Rob Markman

Kanye West
Photo: Ben Hider/Getty Images

Sure, Michael Bublé and Justin Bieber are the current Christmas crown holders, but what if your yuletide tastes require a harder edge? While rappers aren't exactly known for spreading holiday cheer, hip-hop has given fans plenty of rap carols. Run-D.M.C.'s 1987 classic "Christmas in Hollis" may be the most-popular, but new-schoolers like Ludacris and Kanye West have kept rap's Xmas tradition alive.

If you've grown tired of listening to Nat King Cole's 1946 "The Christmas Song" or even Mariah Carey's more recent 1994 hit "All I Want for Christmas Is You," MTV News has compiled a 12-song playlist of rap's best Christmas-themed hits.

"Christmas in Hollis," Run-D.M.C.
No doubt the greatest rap carol ever recorded, this 1987 classic found Run and partner-in-rhyme D.M.C. rapping about Christmas in their Hollis, Queens, New York, neighborhood. Who could forget Run spitting about finding Santa's wallet with $1 million in it? Or D.M.C.'s verse that toasted his mother's collard-greens-and-mac-and-cheese Christmas dinner?

"Christmas Rappin'," Kurtis Blow
Run-D.M.C. may have done it best, but Kurtis Blow did it first when he recorded "Christmas Rappin' " in 1979. It's not hard to figure out how Kurtis Blow became rap's first bankable solo star — he represented something fresh and original. Putting a new twist on the Christmas carol, Blow rapped, "Don't you give me all that jive about things you wrote before I was alive/ 'Cause this ain't 1823 or even 1970." Take that Santa!

"Christmas in Harlem," Kanye West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T, et al
Leave it to Kanye West to present the grandest rap carol with "Christmas in Harlem." Not only did the song feature the Louis Vuitton Don and his G.O.O.D. Music team, 'Ye also grabbed Dipset MCs Cam'ron, Jim Jones and Vado in addition to Musiq Soulchild, Cyhi da Prynce and Teyana Taylor to join in on the festivities. Produced by Hit-Boy, the six-minute, 32-second track found each of the rappers giving a different take on the holidays. Yeezy, who plays Bad Santa, recounts a December 25 sexual escapade, while Jim Jones goes on a shopping spree. Sounds like a hodgepodge, but in the end it all came together quite nicely.

"Christmas Rap," the Treacherous 3
Every hip-hop fan should watch the 1984 cult classic "Beat Street" at least once in life. Kudos to those old enough to remember the Treacherous Three's hilarious "Christmas Rap," on which the Bronx, New York, MCs collaborated with Doug E. Fresh and dissed Santa for putting bootleg gifts under the tree.

"Ludacrismas," Ludacris
If Ludacris was cast in the 2007 holiday film "Fred Claus," why wouldn't he add to the movie's soundtrack? On "Ludacrismas," the ATL MC gets busy by rapping lyrics like, "I tell 'em all I want for Christmas is two gold front teeth." If not for the beat's persistent sleigh bells, this one could bang all year round.

"Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto," Snoop Dogg
Who says gangstas can't roast chestnuts on an open fire? In the 1990s, Death Row Records made their bones making murderous music, but even the label's menacing Suge Knight got into the holiday spirit. In 1996 he dropped the amazingly titled Christmas on Death Row. While the album's cover featured Santa in an electric chair, the actual disc had some more appropriate holiday tunes. Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound and the late Nate Dogg collaborated on the funky "Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto." Looks like murder wasn't always the case.

"Deck da Club," the Ying Yang Twins
Leave it to the Ying Yang Twins to transform "Deck the Halls" into a crunk club anthem. The highlight is when Kaine and brother D-Roc take the melody from "Jingle Bells" and apply it to the gentlemen's club, singing, "We gonna keep on spendin' that dough, just to see her do her thang/ Makin' her booty roll, but just don't spill my drank." Strippers celebrate Christmas too.

"Bad Santa Intro," Jim Jones featuring Sen and Shoota
No rapper has consistently represented more for St. Nick than Dipset's Jim Jones. In 2008, Jimmy dropped A Tribute to Bad Santa the second holiday album in his catalog. It was totally street though and included the standout "Bad Santa Intro," where Capo rhymed about sending commissary to his friends locked in prison and the rising price of snow and poverty in the 'hood.

"Jingle Bellz," Juelz Santana and Starr
Jim Jones isn't the only Dipset MC who gets into the holiday spirit. Juelz Santana got cozy with R7B singer Starr on a remixed version of "Jingle Bells" — with a z at the end, of course. I mean, who wouldn't want to go dashing through the snow in a four-door white Bentley?

"Cold Chillin' Christmas," the Juice Crew
In the 1980s, Marley Marl's Juice Crew was a lyrical juggernaut. Comprised of MC Shan, Roxanne Shanté, Big Daddy Kane, Masta Ace, Craig G and Kool G. Rap, the Juice Crew released some of the rawest raps in their day. They also showed diversity in 1988 by releasing "Cold Chillin' Christmas." Definitely worth a listen.

"The Christmas Song," David Banner
Mississippi MC David Banner has never been one to bite his tongue, and on "The Christmas Song," he stays true to form. On December 23, 2003, Banner released his second solo album, MTA2: Baptized in Dirty Water, and on it was the grim-sounding "Christmas Song." Don't let the song title fool you: DB did not spread any holiday cheer. Instead, on the song's hook, he sings, "It's wintertime and we still cannot find a job/ We fill out applications but you treat us like we're slobs/ So we rob and we steal 'cause we're tryna get a meal." Santa better watch his back.

"Merry Muthaf---in' Xmas," Eazy-E
Now you know Eazy-E couldn't just do a traditional Christmas carol. The West Coast legend did make a classic, however, when he recorded "Merry Muthaf---in' Xmas," a pornographic yet hilarious interpolation of "Jingle Bells." Trust us, it's not for the squeamish.

Which is your favorite Christmas hip-hop song? Tell us in the comments!

Related Videos

• MTV News' Christmas Playlist

Related Artists

• Kanye West
• Run-D.M.C.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676451/best-hip-hop-christmas-songs.jhtml

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4. Finland 'finds Patriot missiles' on China-bound ship

(The Finnish authorities have impounded an Isle of Man-flagged ship bound for China with undeclared missiles and explosives, officials say.?? Awww..... Shit.?? They must have picked these up at K-Mart.? Blue light special on Patriot missiles.)

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The Thor Liberty is docked in Kotka

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December 21, 2011

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The Finnish authorities have impounded an Isle of Man-flagged ship bound for China with undeclared missiles and explosives, officials say.

Police are questioning the crew of the MS Thor Liberty after what were described as 69 Patriot anti-missile missiles were found aboard.

Interior Minister Paivi Rasanen said the missiles were marked "fireworks".

The MS Thor Liberty had docked in the Finnish port of Kotka after leaving Germany last week.

Dock workers became suspicious after finding explosives poorly stored on open pallets, and the missiles were then found in containers marked "fireworks".

The managing director of the ship's owner, Thorco Shipping, expressed surprise. Thomas Mikkelsen told AFP news agency from Denmark that he was unaware of the matter.

Another company official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the ship had been detained in Finland and said the missiles could have been loaded on to the vessel by mistake, AFP adds.

Police did not confirm Finnish media reports that the ship had also been scheduled to stop in South Korea, Reuters news agency reports.

'Quite unusual'

The MS Thor Liberty left port in Emden, northern Germany, on 13 December and docked two days later in Kotka, southern Finland, to pick up a cargo of anchor chains, said Finnish Customs spokesman Petri Lounatmaa.

It was bound for the Chinese port of Shanghai but there was no indication for whom the military cargo was destined.

Routine checks by Finland's traffic safety authority revealed a load of up to 160 tonnes of improperly packed nitroguanidine, a low-sensitivity explosive with a high detonation speed.

"Actually in our investigation at the moment, we have got the information that we found 69 Patriot missiles on the ship and around 160 tonnes of explosives," said Detective Superintendent Timo Virtanen from the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation.

Interior Minister Rasanen said she had not heard of a similar case.

"Of course, there are legal transports of weapons or defence material [through Finland] but in this case the cargo was marked as containing fireworks," she told Finnish media. "That is quite unusual."

Mr Lounatmaa said customs officials and police had launched a joint investigation into a possible breach of Finnish export and weapons trading laws.

He said that the crew of about 32 were being questioned.

Patriot missiles, designed by the US company Raytheon, are supplied to "US and allied forces", according to the company's website. South Korea is among states which deploy them.

Source: http://12160.info/xn/detail/2649739%3ABlogPost%3A732647

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6 die in latest school bus accident in China (AP)

BEIJING ? At least six people have been killed in the latest crash involving students in China when their overloaded van plunged off a mountain road, state media said Sunday.

The official Xinhua News Agency said an overloaded van taking 12 students home crashed into a 195-foot (60-meter) deep valley in southwest China on Saturday. It said the eight-seat van was carrying 14 people and the other eight, including six students, were all hurt.

The report did not give the ages of the students or the cause of the accident. Xinhua said the crash happened on a mountainous road in Yunnan province. A local government official confirmed the accident but would not give any details. A local news portal in Yunnan showed a picture of the van, with all its sides and roof crushed in.

Badly maintained school transport has been the focus of public anger in recent weeks after a series of accidents in which children were killed on their way to and from school, leading China's safety regulator to demand immediate action to improve safety aboard frequently overloaded and badly maintained school buses.

Earlier this month, a school bus taking primary students home slipped off a country road into an irrigation ditch in the eastern province of Jiangsu, killing 15 children. Officials later acknowledged the bus was overloaded.

In the worst recent accident, 19 children and two adults were killed last month when a nine-seat private kindergarten van packed with 62 students crashed head-on with a truck in northwest Gansu province.

The crashes came amid a national debate over the poor condition of Chinese school buses and chronic underfunding of public schools, particularly in rural areas, which have lagged far behind cities over the past three decades of rapid economic development.

Road safety is also a serious problem in China, with many accidents caused by poorly maintained roads and bad driving habits.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_as/as_china_school_bus_accident

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Naughty or Nice Celebs: Who Made Santa's List This Year?

See who deserves a pile of presents and who should get nothing but coal on Christmas morning!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/naughty-or-nice-celebrities-2011/1-b-412675?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Anaughty-or-nice-celebrities-2011-412675

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US appears to soften ban on online betting (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration appears to have softened a U.S. ban on Internet gambling.

In a legal opinion posted Friday, the Justice Department said online betting unrelated to sporting events falls outside the reach of federal law.

The U.S. government has long considered such gambling illegal when it crosses state lines.

The gambling industry is worth billions worldwide but many operators are based overseas. Washington has cracked down on some of them, and a 2006 law forbade financial institutions from processing funds for most online wagering.

Because of the difficulty in enforcing age and other requirements, the issue has divided lawmakers and the industry. But several states have been studying plans for web betting within states.

The opinion letter was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111224/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_online_gambling

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Could 'visions of angels' just be lucid dreams?

Sleep researchers say they have established that many of the visions of angels and other religious encounters described in the Bible were likely "the products of spontaneous lucid dreams."

In a sleep study by the Out-Of-Body Experience Research Center in Los Angeles, 30 volunteers were instructed to perform a series of mental steps upon waking up or becoming lucid during the night that might lead them to have out-of-body experiences culminating in perceived encounters with an angel. Half of them succeeded, the researchers said.

Specifically, the volunteers were told to try to re-create the story of Elijah, a prophet who is referenced in the Talmud, the Bible and the Quran. In one of the stories in the Bible's Book of Kings, Elijah flees to the wilderness and falls asleep under a juniper tree, exhausted and prepared to die. Suddenly an angel shakes him awake and tells him to eat. He looks around and, to his surprise, sees a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. Elijah eats the meal and goes back to sleep. Lead researcher Michael Raduga said this event was chosen from among a multitude of biblical passages involving religious visions during the night, because, "in terms of verifiable results, angels were the ideal choice, as Western culture provides a relatively well-established image for them (wings, white robes, halos, etc.)."

The research, which has not been reviewed by peers for scientific publication, does garner support from some dream researchers who were not involved in Raduga's study. They said the findings support further inquiry into the basis of such religious visions. One dream expert, however, pointed out that many religious tales of angelic encounters occurred in daytime, which suggests they could not have been dreams.

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Dreaming of Elijah
During the four weekends devoted to the study, 24 of the volunteers indicated they had experienced at least one lucid dream. They had been instructed to try to "separate from their bodies" every time they became half-awake or lucid during the night. If they were able to dream that they had separated from their sleeping bodies, they were then supposed to look for angels in their homes. If they were unable to have an out-of-body dream experience, they were told to go back to sleep and try again later in the night.

Fifteen of the 24 "lucid" participants said they were able to re-create the story of Elijah during their dreamlike experiences, either in part or in full. Nine of them dreamed of experiences involving both an angel and food, while the other six encountered only an angel.

Raduga, whose organization is partly funded by sales of his "practical guide" books on lucid dreaming, designed the experiment to test his theory that many reports of miraculous encounters are actually instances of people experiencing this vibrant, lifelike dream state. If he could coach people to dream a realistic religious encounter, he said, that could prove that many historical accounts of such encounters ? such as Elijah's vision in the Bible ? are really just products of people's imaginations.

Angelic encounters
The volunteers who succeeded in envisioning angels described their encounters for the researchers.

One participant, identified as Anton M., recalled making a successful attempt to separate from his body: "I left my body and then summoned my 'guide,' and he came in the form of an angel. I asked him for some cookies and water. He gave them to me readily. I ate everything up, experiencing every taste sensation and the feeling of satiation. I returned to my body and fell right back asleep."

Though Raduga and his colleagues' work has not been peer-reviewed or published, other dream researchers called the findings interesting and suggestive. "I am sure these guys are on to something," said Allan Hobson, a professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of several books on the neuroscience of dreaming, including "Dream Life" (MIT Press, 2011).

Hobson said the idea that religious encounters were actually vivid dreams isn't new. "William James, the great and very tolerant philosopher-psychologist, wrote a book in 1912 entitled 'Varieties of Religious Experience' in which he stated that many visions were probably dreamlike apparitions," he told Life's Little Mysteries in an email.

And then there is "the story of Emmanuel Swedenborg, the Swedish scholar, who ? sleep-deprived himself, and it wasn't long before the angels appeared and told him to found the Church of the New Jerusalem," Hobson said.

Ursula Voss, a sleep and dreaming psychologist at the University of Bonn in Germany, agrees that some religious encounters could be products of the human mind. "But other scenarios are also possible," Voss said. If the visions are imagined, she argues that these encounters would not happen during lucid dreaming, but instead could be examples of "hypnagogic hallucinations," which happen just before people fall asleep, when the brain is highly susceptible to the power of suggestion.

Brigitte Holzinger, a psychologist at the Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research who was not involved in Raduga's study, said that many biblical tales are recorded as having happened during the day; as such, they were probably not dreams.

"What we can learn from this is that we need a better definition of lucid dreaming, and based on that definition we need to distinguish lucid dreams from other forms of trances, visions and maybe even hallucinations," Holzinger wrote in an email.

She added that "a project trying to determine these states would be very interesting."

Follow Natalie Wolchover on Twitter @ nattyover. Follow Life's Little Mysteries on Twitter @ llmysteries, then join us on Facebook.

? 2011 LifesLittleMysteries.com. All rights reserved. More from LifesLittleMysteries.com.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45758159/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Judge rejects 2nd exam for WH shootings suspect (AP)

WASHINGTON ? A federal judge on Friday denied a government request for a more thorough and extensive psychiatric evaluation of a man charged with firing shots at the White House in what prosecutors say was an attempt to assassinate President Barack Obama.

The mental state of Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, who prosecutors say harbored conspiracy theories and fantasies of killing the president, has been a critical issue since his arrest last month. Obama and his family were out of town and traveling at the time.

A preliminary psychiatric screening already found the suspect competent to stand trial, but prosecutors sought additional testing to conclusively resolve any concerns about his mental well-being before trial. They said the initial 50-minute screening, conducted in a cellblock of the courthouse, was incomplete because it did not take into account some of Ortega's more bizarre or outlandish behavior and statements. Prosecutors sought an additional in-patient evaluation of up to 30 days.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola, in rejecting the request for a thorough evaluation, said there currently was no evidence that Ortega was incompetent to stand trial. But he said prosecutors can renew their request for another evaluation if they believe Ortega's mental health is worsening as the case moves forward. He stressed the difference between a defendant's overall mental state and competence to stand trial, which is a narrower question.

"A delusional system does not in and of itself compel the conclusion of a defendant's incompetence," he said.

Ortega, who was 21 at the time of his arrest, sat silently and expressionless next to his lawyer during Friday's hearing.

Federal prosecutors say Ortega purchased a gun, scope kit and more than 1,200 rounds of ammunition and, after months of shooting practice, drove east from Idaho in mid-October with the goal of killing the president. On the night of Nov. 11, prosecutors say, Ortega pulled up along Constitution Avenue across the Ellipse from the White House and fired several rounds from a semi-automatic assault rifle out of the passenger-side window of his car. Authorities say he drove away, crashed his car and then fled on foot before being arrested five days later at a Pennsylvania hotel.

Days after the shooting, authorities located at least five bullet impact points on the south side of the White House or above the second story, court papers say. Two bullets were recovered from the White House ? including one from a window frame on the Truman Balcony.

Prosecutors have focused on a series of statements that Ortega made in a video he submitted to the Oprah Winfrey Network, including one calling marijuana the answer to world. His friends and acquaintances have said Ortega called himself the "modern-day Jesus Christ," considered Obama to be the antichrist, claimed to hear a voice from God and believed that the government was planning on tracking citizens by implanting global positioning system chips inside their bodies.

But Elizabeth Teegarden, a clinical psychologist who at the court's request interviewed Ortega for 50 minutes after his arrest, said Ortega denied being delusional or having hallucinations. She said there was no indication that he intended to harm himself or others, and no evidence of phobias or "bizarre thought content." When she asked him about statements from friends and acquaintances that he had intended to harm Obama, he either denied having made the statements or refused to talk about them altogether.

Ortega's public defender, David Bos, said Ortega not only is able to help in his defense but also "understands highly technical principles."

The next court hearing is Monday, when prosecutors will argue that he should be ordered held without bond before his trial. They say he has no ties to the area and has previous convictions in Idaho for theft, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

Ortega faces two separate bench warrants for failing to appear in court in Idaho and Utah. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of the current charges, prosecutors say.

"The violation charged in the complaint ? an attempted assassination of the President of the United States ? represents one of the most serious offenses in the federal criminal code," prosecutors wrote in court papers seeking his detention. "The tragedy that would have befallen the nation if Ortega-Hernandez had been successful is unspeakable."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_shots_fired_white_house

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Fox Business boots atheist for 'denigrating' Christ | The Raw Story

By David Edwards
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

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Fox Business host Eric Bolling invited an atheist to express his views on Christmas Monday ? and then promptly kicked him off the show for doing so.

Last week, the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) asked the Texas town of Athens to remove a nativity scene, claiming that the display violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from favoring one religion over another.

?Even though the town is not a Christian town, many residents think it is indeed a Christian town, and that non-Christians are not welcome,? FFRF?s Dan Barker explained to Bolling Monday. ?We think the nativity scene belongs on private property. ? Why would the city want to exclude residents? Why would they want to put up a discriminatory and insulting image? To a lot of Americans, the nativity scene basically is an insult to human nature, that we are all doomed and damned and deserving of eternal torment??

?I have to take exception to the way you described the nativity scene,? Bolling interrupted. ?It?s not an insult, certainly not an insult to me. I?m a Christian. It?s not an insult.?

?If the town is right, that that?s just free speech as opposed to government speech, then they should not disallow us [from] putting up an anti-Christian message,? Barker replied. ?By the way, why was Jesus born? To save us from our sins. What an insult that we are degraded, depraved human beings, that Jesus created a hell, a place of torture.?

?I have to stop you,? Bolling interrupted again. ?This is my show. See, the name of this show is Follow the Money with Eric Bolling. I can?t allow you to talk like that on my show. You?re absolutely wrong.?

?You, sir, are denigrating the name of Jesus Christ,? he added. ?I?m not going to let it happen. I?m going to say goodbye to you right now. ? Bye, bye.?

With that, Bolling brought out Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R) to defend the nativity scene.

?It is a sign of love,? Gohmert declared. ?That God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.?

Watch this video from Fox Business?s Follow the Money, broadcast Dec. 12, 2011.

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(H/T: Mediaite)

David Edwards

David Edwards has served as an editor at Raw Story since 2006. His work can also be found at Crooks & Liars, and he's also been published at The BRAD BLOG. He came to Raw Story after working as a network manager for the state of North Carolina and as as engineer developing enterprise resource planning software. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidEdwards.

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Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/13/fox-business-boots-atheist-for-denigrating-christ/

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Trump: Romney 'doesn't get the traction' in race (tbo)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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End of era as Bollywood's "evergreen" Dev Anand dies (Reuters)

MUMBAI (Reuters) ? Movie actor and director Dev Anand, known for his joie de vivre as Bollywood's "evergreen hero," has died aged 88, an aide said, bringing the end to an era of Indian cinema.

Anand, whose last film, "Chargesheet," was released in September, was in London with his son, Suneil, when he died on Saturday from a heart attack, aide Mohan Churiwala told Reuters.

"He was never sick. Even when I spoke to him last evening, he sounded fine -- hale and hearty," Churiwala said.

Anand is also survived by his wife, Kalpana Karthik.

Born in Lahore, Anand travelled to Mumbai to work as a clerk in a government office in 1944 and got his first break two years later in the film "Hum Ek Hain." He turned director soon afterwards and went on to deliver a string of hits.

"CID," "Guide," "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" and "Jewel Thief" are movies considered part of Bollywood's essential viewing catalogue, and Anand's unique acting style is widely celebrated.

He is said to have been inspired by Hollywood's Gregory Peck, but his own casual style and the signature nod of his head while delivering lines were often imitated by fans.

Anand refused to retire from Bollywood, often telling interviewers he would work till his last breath. He was working on a new film at the time of his death.

"An era has come to an end," Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan wrote on Twitter. "Dev Anand leaves a void never perhaps to be filled again... his never-give-up belief, his joy of life."

(Editing by Henry Foy and Nick Macfie)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111204/en_nm/us_india_bollywood

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Cain suspends campaign shifting GOP race

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, right, bows and his wife Gloria applauds as Cain arrives on stage for a scheduled announcement Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. "I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distractions and the continued hurt caused on me and my family," Cain told several hundred supporters gathered at what was to have been the opening of his national campaign headquarters. (AP Photo/David Tulis)

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, right, bows and his wife Gloria applauds as Cain arrives on stage for a scheduled announcement Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. "I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distractions and the continued hurt caused on me and my family," Cain told several hundred supporters gathered at what was to have been the opening of his national campaign headquarters. (AP Photo/David Tulis)

Supporters from left, Marianne Sanderson, Lisa Shiflett, and Michelle McDonald, react to the announcement by Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain that he is suspending his campaign at an event Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain announces he is suspending his campaign as his wife Gloria, left, looks on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. "I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distractions and the continued hurt caused on me and my family," Cain told several hundred supporters gathered at what was to have been the opening of his national campaign headquarters. (AP Photo/David Tulis)

ATLANTA (AP) ? A defiant Herman Cain suspended his faltering bid for the Republican presidential nomination Saturday amid a drumbeat of sexual misconduct allegations against him, throwing his staunchly conservative supporters up for grabs with just one month to go before the lead-off caucuses in Iowa.

Cain condemned the accusations as "false and unproven" but said they had been hurtful to his family, particularly his wife, Gloria, and were drowning out his ability to deliver his message. His wife stood behind him on the stage, smiling and waving as the crowd chanted her name.

"So as of today, with a lot of prayer and soul-searching, I am suspending my presidential campaign because of the continued distractions and the continued hurt caused on me and my family," a tired-looking Cain told about 400 supporters.

Cain's announcement came five days after an Atlanta-area woman, Ginger White, claimed she and Cain had an affair for more than a decade, a claim that followed several allegations of sexual harassment against the Georgia businessman.

"Now, I have made many mistakes in life. Everybody has. I've made mistakes professionally, personally, as a candidate, in terms of how I run my campaign. And I take responsibility for the mistakes I've made, and I have been the very first to own up to any mistakes I've made," he said.

But Cain intoned: "I am at peace with my God. I am at peace with my wife. And she is at peace with me."

White's attorney said in a statement after the announcement that Cain had disparaged his client and should apologize. Cain had called her a "troubled Atlanta businesswoman" whom he had tried to help.

"We continue to encourage Mr. Cain to retract these statements and apologize for the way he has characterized these women in the media," Edward Buckley said. Cain's campaign had no immediate response.

Cain's announcement provides a new twist in what has already been a volatile Republican race. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has, so far, been the biggest beneficiary of Cain's precipitous slide. Polls show Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney atop the field in what is shaping up as a two-man race heading into early voting states.

But others, such as Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, will likely make a strong play for Cain's anti-establishment tea party backing as they look to rise as a viable alternative to Romney, whose conservative credentials are suspect in some GOP circles.

Cain said he would offer an endorsement, and his former rivals were quick to issue statements on Saturday praising his conservative ideals and grassroots appeal.

At a tea party rally in Staten Island, Gingrich praised Cain for bringing optimism and big ideas to the race.

"He had the courage to launch the 9-9-9 plan, which, whether you liked it or disliked it, was a big idea and started to elevate the debate toward big solutions and not the usual nitpicking, consultant-driven negativity," Gingrich said. He was referring to Cain's catchy but controversial plan to scrap the current tax code for a 9 percent tax on personal and corporate income as well as a new 9 percent national sales tax.

Some disappointed Cain supporters were clearly in search of a candidate on Saturday following his withdrawal.

"I don't know where I will go now," Janet Edwards, 52, said following Cain's announcement. "I guess I have to start looking at the rest of them."

Cain told supporters he planned to continue his efforts to influence Washington and announced "Plan B" ? what he called a grassroots effort to return government to the people.

"I am not going to be silenced, and I am not going away. And therefore, as of today, Plan B," he said.

Plan B includes formation of TheCainSolutions.com, which he described as a grassroots effort to bring government back to the people. It would also continue to push his signature 9-9-9 plan.

Cain's announcement was a remarkable turnabout for a man that just weeks ago vaulted out of nowhere to the top of the GOP field, propelled by a populist, outsider appeal and his tax overhaul plan.

Saturday's event was a bizarre piece of political theater even for a campaign that has seemed to thrive on defying convention.

Cain marked the end of his bid at what was supposed to be the grand opening of his new campaign headquarters in Atlanta. Minutes before he took the stage to pull the plug, aides and supporters took to the podium to urge attendees to vote for Cain and travel to early voting states to rev up support for his bid.

"Join the Cain train," David McCleary, Cain's Georgia director, urged the audience.

Volunteers had been up through the night preparing the former flooring warehouse to open as the new hub of Cain's early-state outreach.

He marveled at rising from a childhood in Atlanta marked by segregated water fountains and poverty to what he called "the final four" of the presidential contest.

The former Godfather's Pizza chief executive, who has never held elective office, rose just weeks ago to lead the Republican race. But he fumbled policy questions, leaving some to wonder whether he was ready for the presidency. Then it was revealed at the end of October that the National Restaurant Association had paid settlements to two women who claimed Cain sexually harassed them while he was president of the organization.

A third woman told The Associated Press that Cain made inappropriate sexual advances but that she didn't file a complaint. A fourth woman also stepped forward to accuse Cain of groping her in a car in 1997.

Cain has denied wrongdoing in all cases and continued to do so Saturday.

Polls suggest his popularity had suffered. A Des Moines Register poll released Friday showed Cain's support plunging, with backing from 8 percent of Republican caucus goers in Iowa, compared with 23 percent a month ago.

___

Follow Shannon McCaffrey: http://www.twitter.com/smccaffrey13

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-12-03-Cain/id-698d959c68da4d4ba3bc31315acfa078

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Randi Miller: Santa's Special Fireplace

It was difficult to explain to my 5-year-old nephew how Santa Claus accessed our house when we had a roaring fire burning in the fireplace on Christmas Eve. It was a legitimate question, and one we as adults had not considered. Then it hit us. We had a second fireplace that was seldom used, and so we decided to tell him that this was Santa's very own special fireplace.

This was great news for Justin, who then became so filled with hope and excitement that I thought we were going to have to sedate him if he was ever going to go to sleep. Telling him that Santa wouldn't come if he was awake didn't seem to have any impact at all, and he suddenly became very concerned about how we would know whether or not Santa had been there, and wouldn't his grandfather be upset if Santa got chimney soot on the nice carpet, etc. I had no idea kids could be so worried about logistics. We assured him that Santa always removed his boots and left them on the hearth while he placed the presents under the tree. This satisfied his concern, and the thought of Santa in his stocking feet tickled him a great deal. Eventually he drifted off... a Christmas miracle.

I decided it would be fun to create proof that Santa had indeed come that night, so I asked my dad for a pair of his snow boots and took them over to Santa's special fireplace. I noticed there was a very thin layer of dust on the hearth, so I took a wet towel and moistened the bottoms of the boots, pressed the boots onto the hearth just hard enough to leave an outline, and then used the towel to create nice complete prints. The effect was perfect!

Sure enough, bright and early Christmas morning, Justin tore down the stairs like he was shot from a cannon, and made a beeline to Santa's fireplace. Seeing the perfect boot prints on the hearth, he squealed with absolute joy as he exclaimed, "He was HERE! He was HERE!" over and over as he made his way into the family room to behold the Christmas tree. Happily, in spite of his remarkable attention to detail, he didn't sniff the carpet for traces of Santa's stinky socks. And I fully expected him to.

Justin is 30-years-old now, and I often wonder if he's ever used this technique on his own kids, or if by some Christmas miracle, he never knew it was a trick at all.

This is my fondest Christmas memory, for it demonstrates how something so ridiculously simple can make such an extraordinary difference. We all have the capacity to create a little Christmas magic, all we really have to do is use our imagination.

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Follow Randi Miller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Randi_Miller

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randi-miller/children-christmas-memories-_b_1127375.html

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