Injured coral have less 'sex'

No one thinks damaging coral is sexy, but researchers from the University at Buffalo just made it official. Turns out, coral sex is dampened after injury from storms and human activity.

Their study shows that while coral adapts to injury events by initially growing back rapidly, reproduction rates are suppressed up to four years after initial injury. This is particularly alarming since size, rather than age, dictates coral's health and maturity, explained study leader Howard Lasker.

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Many coral have asexual and sexual reproduction, the latter usually a wild sex party of sorts, where corals release sperm and eggs into the water at a precise time. Those sex gametes hook up with each other, from different individuals, to produce free-floating larvae called planulae.

Lasker and his team studied coral colonies in the Bahamas that were being harvested for use in skin care products. They found that even years after harvest spermaries (coral sperm colonies) and polyps, where coral stores eggs, were underproducing.

"On the science side of it, this really raises the question, 'Well, what's going on?'" Lasker told LiveScience. "This is a healthy-looking colony, those wounds [from harvesting] are long, long healed, so what's different about it? And that's something we're still puzzling over."

Christopher Page, Lasker's co-author and now a staff biologist at Mote Marine Laboratory, believes that in the face of a changing environment coral's ability to reallocate resources after injury events shows promising adaptability.

[ Colorful Creations: Incredible Photos of Coral ]

"Coral are more adaptable than we may have thought in the beginning, but that doesn't mean they'll persist despite changes," Page told LiveScience.

When energy is given to one resource ? in this case, quick regrowth after injury ? it's taken from another, Page explains. This leaves more persistent effects than were previously suspected ? in this case, long-term, slowed reproduction.

The findings have implications for future coral health. While researchers had previously thought coral rebounded heartily after injury events, such as those incurred from hurricanes and other storms as well as human activity such as boating, this study reveals that populations cannot rebuild as quickly as hoped. But the most effective way to protect coral continues to be the cessation of injury events altogether.

"When there's damage, that damage has a longer-term effect than we may have initially envisioned, but the more significant factor is that initial damage," said Lasker. Coral is a particularly sensitive creature, affected by a host of climate change-related events from increased water temperature to more frequent and severe storms. And now, research reveals that it is difficult to predict how these marine animals will react to injury, since changing variables will determine their health and growth.

To conserve and protect coral, explained Page, we must both avoid their continued injury, and examine our restoration approaches to consider long-term effects of damage as well as the significant adaptability of these organisms. If a multifaceted and focused approach to management is taken, coral, threatened worldwide, may just be able to revamp its sex life.

Many corals are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners, meaning they release packets of sperm and eggs into the water.

Warming waters signal the coral that it's time to start producing sex cells, then a precise combination of daylight and moonlight trigger the sudden, simultaneous release of eggs and sperm.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50297763/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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New Laws Address Gays, Children, Immigration ? CBS Atlanta

(ATLANTA) ? Measures on gay rights and child safety are among the top state laws taking effect at the start of 2013, along with attempts to prevent identity theft and perennial efforts to restrict abortion and illegal immigration.

In many states, new laws take effect on Jan. 1, while in others they do so 90 days after a governor?s signature.

Voter-approved laws allowing same-sex couples to marry take effect in Maryland in January and in Maine on Saturday. California also approved a law exempting clergy members opposed to gay marriage from performing same-sex marriage ceremonies.

In California, a first-of-its-kind law bans a form of psychotherapy aimed at making gay teenagers straight but is on hold during a court challenge. The law would ban what is known as reparative or conversion therapy for minors; such therapies are widely discredited by medical professionals.

A number of laws seek to protect children from bullying and abuse. Pennsylvania school employees in contact with children, who already must report suspected abuse, must now be trained to recognize the warning signs, their legal obligations and what are considered appropriate relationships with children.

That law was being debated and voted on in June as a jury was finding former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky guilty of 45 counts for sexually abusing 10 boys over 15 years.

California coaches and administrators in K-12 schools, as well as higher education employees who have regular contact with children, will be required to report suspected child sexual abuse. Oregon will require school employees to report acts of bullying, harassment and online bullying. Oregon schools must also adopt a policy on teen dating violence.

In Florida, the Safe Harbor Act includes provisions that require police to turn over to the Department of Children and Families any children who are alleged to be sexually exploited or dependent for assessment and possible shelter.

States continue to wrestle with illegal immigration. Pennsylvania will include a requirement that contractors on public works projects make sure through the federal E-Verify system that their employees are legal U.S. residents, while a Montana ballot measure taking effect denies illegal immigrants of state services.

Supporters say the Montana law will prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining services and prevent them from taking jobs at a time of high unemployment. Opponents argued there is no proof illegal immigrants are using state services in Montana.

Also in Montana, voters overwhelmingly passed a measure requiring parental notification for minors? abortions, while in Georgia a new law will prohibit doctors from performing an abortion 20 weeks after an egg is fertilized unless a pregnancy is determined to be medically futile, meaning it would result in the birth of a child unlikely to survive because of a serious defect.Georgia became the seventh state in the country to approve the so-called fetal pain act.

?Today, we are reaffirming Georgia?s commitment to preserving the sanctity of all human life,? Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement released shortly after he signed the bill in May.

The measure passed over the objection of many female lawmakers, including Sen. Valencia Seay, who said the bill?s passage and signing was ?unconscionable, but not surprising? and typical of the male-dominated General Assembly.

New Hampshire enacts a ban on a type of late-term abortion procedure sometimes called ?partial birth abortion? after lawmakers overrode the veto of Gov. John Lynch, who said the measure was unnecessary because federal law already prohibits such procedures. Supporters of the ban say they don?t trust the government to prosecute the law.

In Maryland, parents will be able to freeze their child?s credit at any time if the child becomes a victim of identity theft. ?This just freezes the information to ensure that it?s not used for ill purposes,? said Delegate Craig Zucker, a Democrat who sponsored the bill in the Maryland House of Delegates.

In Delaware, state officials must request an annual credit report for every child in foster care.

Among other new laws:

? Alabama begins cracking down on the state?s 900,000 uninsured drivers with a new system that allows instant checks by police, license plate offices and the state Revenue Department.

? A pair of laws in Georgia and Pennsylvania address the shortfalls faced by some states from the cost of unemployment benefits by raising employers? contributions to unemployment compensation trust funds.

? In New Mexico, drivers registering their car or truck will be able to donate $1 or $5 to a state fund that supports programs and services to veterans, such as assistance in finding a job or treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. In Utah, U.S. military personnel will be exempted from having to pay a full year?s property taxes after their return from 200 days of active duty in any calendar year.

? In Florida, it will no longer be illegal to flash your headlights to warn oncoming drivers that police are lurking on the roadside ahead. The legislation was introduced after drivers were ticketed for warning other motorists that officers may be trying to catch speeders on the highway.

? A California law bans the use of dogs when hunting bobcats or bears, while Wisconsin?s expansion of its hunting seasons to a month in autumn and another in April was a scaled-back version of a proposal that would have allowed hunting across a seven-month period from mid-October to late May. Residents reacted to the longer proposal with thousands of angry letters and emails.

Most people who opposed the measure said they would stop bringing their families to state parks if there were a chance of being struck by a stray bullet or of a pet straying into an animal trap. Supporters countered that hunting has long been a Wisconsin tradition and that hunters were well-versed in practicing safe techniques.

(? Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Source: http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2012/12/27/new-laws-address-gays-children-immigration/

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China tightening controls on Internet after embarrassing postings ...

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BEIJING, China ? China?s new communist leaders are increasing already tight controls on Internet use and electronic publishing following a spate of embarrassing online reports about official abuses.

The measures suggest China?s new leader, Xi Jinping, and others who took power in November share their predecessors? anxiety about the Internet?s potential to spread opposition to one-party rule and their insistence on controlling information despite promises of more economic reforms.

?They are still very paranoid about the potentially destabilizing effect of the Internet,? said Willy Lam, a politics specialist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. ?They are on the point of losing a monopoly on information, but they still are very eager to control the dissemination of views.?

This week, China?s legislature took up a measure to require Internet users to register their real names, a move that would curtail the Web?s status as a freewheeling forum to complain, often anonymously, about corruption and official abuses. The legislature scheduled a news conference Friday to discuss the measure, suggesting it was expected to be approved.

That comes amid reports Beijing might be disrupting use of software that allows Web surfers to see sites abroad that are blocked by its extensive Internet filters. At the same time, regulators have proposed rules that would bar foreign companies from distributing books, news, music and other material online in China.

Beijing promotes Internet use for business and education but bans material deemed subversive or obscene and blocks access to foreign websites run by human rights and Tibet activists and some news outlets. Controls were tightened after social media played a role in protests that brought down governments in Egypt and Tunisia.

In a reminder of the Web?s role as a political forum, a group of 70 prominent Chinese scholars and lawyers circulated an online petition this week appealing for free speech, independent courts and for the ruling party to encourage private enterprise.

Xi and others on the party?s ruling seven-member Standing Committee have tried to promote an image of themselves as men of the people who care about China?s poor majority. They have promised to press ahead with market-oriented reforms and to support entrepreneurs but have given no sign of support for political reform.

Communist leaders who see the Internet as a source of economic growth and better-paid jobs were slow to enforce the same level of control they impose on movies, books and other media, apparently for fear of hurting fledgling entertainment, shopping and other online businesses.

Until recently, Web surfers could post comments online or on microblog services without leaving their names.

That gave ordinary Chinese a unique opportunity to express themselves to a public audience in a society where newspapers, television and other media are state-controlled. The most popular microblog services say they have more than 300 million users and some users have millions of followers reading their comments.

The Internet also has given the public an unusual opportunity to publicize accusations of official misconduct.

A local party official in China?s southwest was fired in November after scenes from a videotape of him having sex with a young woman spread quickly on the Internet. Screenshots were uploaded by a former journalist in Beijing, Zhu Ruifeng, to his Hong Kong website, an online clearing house for corruption allegations.

Some industry analysts suggest allowing Web surfers in a controlled setting to vent helps communist leaders stay abreast of public sentiment in their fast-changing society. Still, microblog services and online bulletin boards are required to employ censors to enforce content restrictions. Researchers say they delete millions of postings a day.

The government says the latest Internet regulation before the National People?s Congress is aimed at protecting Web surfers? personal information and cracking down on abuses such as junk email. It would require users to report their real names to Internet service and telecom providers.

The main ruling party newspaper, People?s Daily, has called in recent weeks for tighter Internet controls, saying rumours spread online have harmed the public. In one case, it said stories about a chemical plant explosion resulted in the deaths of four people in a car accident as they fled the area.

Proposed rules released this month by the General Administration of Press and Publications would bar Chinese-foreign joint ventures from publishing books, music, movies and other material online in China. Publishers would be required to locate their servers in China and have a Chinese citizen as their local legal representative.

That is in line with rules that already bar most foreign access to China?s media market, but the decision to group the restrictions together and publicize them might indicate official attitudes are hardening.

That comes after the party was rattled by foreign news reports about official wealth and misconduct.

In June, Bloomberg News reported that Xi?s extended family has amassed assets totalling $376 million, though it said none was traced to Xi. The government has blocked access to Bloomberg?s website since then.

In October, The New York Times reported that Premier Wen Jiabao?s relatives had amassed $2.7 billion since he rose to national office in 2002. Access to the Times? Chinese-language site has been blocked since then.

Previous efforts to tighten controls have struggled with technical challenges in a country with more than 500 million Internet users.

Microblog operators such as Sina Corp. and Tencent Ltd. were ordered in late 2011 to confirm users? names but have yet to finish the daunting task.

Web surfers can circumvent government filters by using virtual private networks ? software that encrypts Web traffic and is used by companies to transfer financial data and other sensitive information. But VPN users say disruptions that began in 2011 are increasing, suggesting Chinese regulators are trying to block encrypted traffic.

Curbs on access to foreign sites have prompted complaints by companies and Chinese scientists and other researchers.

In July, the American Chamber of Commerce in China said 74 per cent of companies that responded to a survey said unstable Internet access ?impedes their ability to do business.?

Chinese leaders ?realize there are detrimental impacts on business, especially foreign business, but they have counted the cost and think it is still worthwhile,? said Lam. ?There is no compromise about the political imperative of controlling the Internet.?

Source: http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/12/27/china-tightening-controls-on-internet-after-embarrassing-postings-about-official-abuse/

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Four planets in 'habitable zones' spotted within spitting distance of Earth

Astronomers say they used a new statistical technique to find four possible super-Earths orbiting in the habitable zone of two stars within 22 light-years of Earth, Gliese 667C and tau Ceti.

By Pete Spotts,?Staff writer / December 19, 2012

This diagram shows an artist's rendering comparing our own solar system to Kepler-22, a star system containing the first 'habitable zone' planet discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. The 'habitable zone' is a region where under the right conditions, liquid water can form stable pools on the surface.

NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech

Enlarge

Astronomers say they have uncovered evidence for what could be four super-Earth planets orbiting within the habitable zones of two stars within 22 light-years of Earth.

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Three of those candidate planets are among a tightly packed clutch of five that orbit Gliese 667C, part of a triple-star system 22 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. The other possible planet is one of five orbiting tau Ceti, a sun-like star 12 light-years away in the constellation Cetus.

Taken together, the detections not only add to accumulating evidence that planets look to be more common than stars ? and that planets in habitable zones could be more common than previously thought, some of researchers reporting the finds say.

The finds also illustrate the power of improved statistical tools to boldly uncover candidate planets where no planet had been found before.

The evidence for these candidate planets requires independent confirmation, the researchers caution.?Still, the tools represent "a real breakthrough," says Steven Vogt, an astronomer at the University of California at Santa Cruz and a member of the team reporting the results for tau Ceti. The approach the team took leaves only about one chance in 3 million that the detections could herald something other than a planet.

Since the mid-1990s, astronomers have bagged more than 850 extra-solar planets. The ultimate goal is to find rocky planets with Earth-like masses orbiting within their stars' habitable zones ? a region where under the right conditions, liquid water can form stable pools on the surface. Liquid water is considered an essential ingredient for organic life.

Different groups of astronomers had aimed three telescopes for various lengths of time at tau Ceti and found nothing. Led by Mikko Tuomi at the University of Hertfordshire in Britain, the team reporting this latest analysis applied relatively new statistical tools to the combined data from these telescopes.

The result: "Five planets came out: boom, boom, boom, boom, boom ... as clear as a bell," Dr. Vogt says.

Tau Ceti has about 78 percent of our own sun's mass, but its composition is quite similar, Dr. Tuomi's team reports. Its candidate planets range from 2 to 6.6 times Earth's mass.

The innermost object orbits the star once every 14 days, while the outermost takes 642 days to make its circuit. The fourth planet from the star, with a 168-day orbit, travels well within a zone where liquid water could remain stable on the planet's surface, the team estimates. However, the results don't speak directly to what the planets are made of.?

A similar story has played out for Philip Gregory, an astronomer at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Previous researchers had found two planets orbiting Gliese 667C, a red dwarf with 31 percent of the sun's mass. Using a broadly similar statistical approach, he reports detecting the initial two, plus three more planets. Three of the five fall within the star's habitable zone, he estimates.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/bMFbBrXA1o4/Four-planets-in-habitable-zones-spotted-within-spitting-distance-of-Earth

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Internet Hosting Checklist | The Floor Geek

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Web Hosting Reviews Provide Useful Feedback From Customers can present you with most information for What Is Sql Web Hosting.Be sure to check out the written article for more details!

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Source: http://www.thefloorgeek.com/2012/12/internet-hosting-checklist/

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Body found at home of gunman who ambushed N.Y. firefighters

Police say they recovered a rambling typewritten note from 62-year-old William Spengler, who lured New York firefighters into a deadly ambush. NBC's Ron Mott reports.

By Andrew Mach and Jason White, NBC News

Police investigating the ambush Monday in upstate New York in which two firefighters were killed said Tuesday that they had found what appeared to be human remains at the gunman's home. Authorities said they believed the remains were those of the gunman's 67-year-old sister, who lived with him.

William Spengler, 62, opened fire on the volunteer firefighters as they responded to a blaze in Webster just before 6 a.m. ET Monday in a small cluster of homes near Lake Ontario, police said. The firefighters ? Michael Chiapperini, 43, a lieutenant with the Webster police, and Tomasz Kaczowka, 19 ? were shot dead, and Spengler killed himself as seven houses burned around him.

Earlier, police said Spengler had left a three-page typewritten note saying he wanted to burn down the neighborhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people."

At a second briefing Tuesday, Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering said police believed the probable human remains were those of Cheryl Spengler, 67, who had been missing since the ambush.

Officials provide the latest details on the ambush that killed two firefighters while responding to a blaze in Webster, N.Y.

Pickering said two other firefighters shot during the ambush, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, were recovering at a hospital in Rochester. A spokeswoman at Strong Memorial Hospital said the two were in guarded condition and were alert and oriented, but she didn't expect them to be released for a few more days.

An off-duty police officer also was hit by gunfire as he drove past the scene Monday morning. No information on his condition was immediately available Tuesday.

Pickering said Spengler armed himself with three weapons and set his house afire to lure first responders into a death trap.

Spengler's note didn't appear to offer a motive, Pickering said, but "he was equipped to go to war and kill innocent people."

"I'm not sure we'll never really know what was going through his mind," the chief said.

Despite being shot, one of the injured firefighters was able to flee from the scene under his own power. But the others remained pinned down on the narrow strip of land near Lake Ontario until a SWAT team arrived.

As police closed in, Spengler took his own life with a gunshot wound to the head, Pickering said.

Monroe County Sheriff's Office

William Spengler, 62, in an undated booking photo.

Spengler had lived in the house with his sister and mother, Arline, who died in October at 91. Arline Spengler's obituary asked that memorial donations be made to the West Webster Fireman's Association.

A former neighbor told The Associated Press that Spengler "loved his mama to death" and that he "couldn't stand" his sister. The neighbor said he thought Spengler "went crazy" after his mother died.

Spengler was convicted of manslaughter in 1981 after the death of his grandmother, Rose Spengler, 92, and was paroled in 1998. He remained under parole supervision until 2006, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported. Before Monday's shooting, Webster police hadn't had any run-ins with Spengler since he was paroled, they said.

Although Spengler couldn't legally own firearms as a convicted felon, police said he was armed with a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver, a 12-gauge pump shotgun and a Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle.

At least 33 people were displaced by the fire, which engulfed at least seven homes and a motor vehicle.

"These firemen are part of our family. You go into a fire with these guys. To see them go down with something like this is totally unexpected. We are in shock," Billy Gross, fire commissioner for West Webster, told the Democrat and Chronicle.

Dozens of area residents were evacuated, with police searching them as they left, the newspaper reported.

"Miserable thing to happen this time of year," Mark Johns, a state assemblyman who represents the area, told local NBC station WHEC. Johns said he knew some of the firefighters who were shot.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a statement offering his "deepest condolences."

"All of our thoughts and prayers go to the families and friends of those who were killed in this senseless act of violence," Cuomo said. "New York's first responders are true heroes as they time and again selflessly rush toward danger in order to keep our families and communities safe."

Tom Winter, Ranjani Chakraborty and Rosanna Arlia of NBC News contributed to this report.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/25/16125861-human-remains-found-at-home-of-gunman-who-ambushed-firefighters?lite

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Whither the birthplace of Jesus?

Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem @ UNESCO

For centuries, Christians have been making the pilgrimage to Bethlehem to pay their respects to Jesus ? except they may have been making a wrong turn.

According to NPR and the London Times, the son of Mary wasn't born in the little town of Bethlehem in Palestine's West Bank area. Instead, archaeologists think it's the little village called Bethlehem of the Galilee, about 100 miles north.

As if shifting a well-traveled holy route wouldn't be awkward enough, the United Nations just designated Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in November ? the first for Palestine. This year, AFP reported that an estimated 15,000 are visiting Bethlehem. People even pay homage online: Searches on Yahoo! have rise for "bethlehem" (+109%), "o little town of bethelem lyrics" (+50%), and "bethlehem israel" (off the charts) in the past day.

The hypothesis isn't a new one among scholars, and the Israeli Antiques Authority (IAA) has been talking about evidence unearthed in an excavation that may point to where the real manger lies. "It makes much more sense that Mary rode on a donkey, while she was at the end of the pregnancy, from Nazareth to Bethlehem of Galilee which is only 7 kilometers rather then the other Bethlehem which is 150 kilometers," IAA senior archaeologist Aviram Oshri explained to NPR, adding that West Bank's Bethlehem (also called Judea) didn't even have residents back in the first century.

Religious scholars have noted how the Bible refers to Jesus as "Jesus of Nazareth." In 2008, the National Geographic points to a passage (John: 7:41-43) noting how his origins from Galilee counted against him.

Oshri wrote about how the evidence changed his mind for Archaeology magazine in 2005:

I had never before questioned the assumption that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea. But in the early 1990s, as an archaeologist working for the IAA, I was contracted to perform some salvage excavations around building and infrastructure projects in a small rural community in the Galilee. When I started work, some of the people who lived around the site told me how Jesus was really born there, not in the south. Intrigued, I researched the archaeological evidence for Bethlehem in Judea at the time of Jesus and found nothing. This was very surprising, as Herodian remains should be the first thing one should find. What was even more surprising is what archaeologists had already uncovered and what I was to discover over the next 11 years of excavation at the small rural site--Bethlehem of Galilee.

The IAA stopped the excavations in 2006, citing a lack of funding; right now nobody's investing in any more digs at the Bethlehem of the Galilee. Oshri doesn't think any new evidence would change anything anyhow. "I don?t think it will make a difference to people,? Oshri told the London Times. ?Christianity is leaning on the Old Testament, and in the Old Testament the Messiah should come from the house of David and Bethlehem near Jerusalem."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/whither-birthplace-jesus-o-little-town-bethlehem-vs-184009556.html

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Let?s not forget knife control (Powerlineblog)

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Afghan policewoman shoots dead US military adviser ? RT

Published: 24 December, 2012, 10:32
Edited: 24 December, 2012, 13:39

Afghan policemen stand guard at the site where a female police officer shot dead a foreign civilian adviser at police headquarters in Kabul on December 24, 2012 (AFP Photo / Shah Marai)

In Afghanistan?s first green-on-blue attack since September, a female Afghan officer has shot and killed a US military adviser outside Kabul?s police headquarters, a senior police official said. NATO soures have confirmed the Kabul shooting death.

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An investigation into the shooting is underway, Interior Ministry spokesperson Sediq Seidiqqi said in an interview with AFP. The shooter was detained by her fellow officers after the incident, Sidiqqi added. Afghan and ISAF officials are reportedly working to confirm that the woman is a police officer.

The dead adviser was a contractor whose name and nationality are being withheld, NATO command spokesperson US Air Force Lt. Col. Lester T. Carroll told AP.

It is currently unclear if the contractor?s death was intentional or accidental, deputy Police Chief Mohammad Daoud Amin said.

The shooting came just hours after an Afghan police officer opened fire on five colleagues at a checkpoint in the country's north. The attacker then stole their weapons, and fled to join the Taliban, the local deputy provincial governor said.

In mid-September, three similar attacks took place in Afghanistan over a single weekend, killing eight NATO troops.

More than 60 coalition troops were killed in Afghanistan in 2012, a dramatic increase from the 35 killed last year. The violence comes ahead of the coalition?s planned pullout in 2014.

Source: http://rt.com/news/policewoman-us-adviser-kabul-705/

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Stocks dip with budget deal in doubt at year's end

FILE - In this New York Stock Exchange Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, photo, Trader Warren Meyers uses his handheld device as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks are down Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, amid concern that lawmakers will fail to reach a deal to stop the U.S. going over the so-called fiscal cliff. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

FILE - In this New York Stock Exchange Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, photo, Trader Warren Meyers uses his handheld device as he works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stocks are down Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, amid concern that lawmakers will fail to reach a deal to stop the U.S. going over the so-called fiscal cliff. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Stocks fell in light trading Monday during a shortened holiday trading session with lawmakers running out of time to reach a budget deal that would prevent the U.S. from going over the so-called fiscal cliff.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 52 points to 13,139.08. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 3 points to 1,426.66 The Nasdaq composite slipped 8.4 points to 3,012.60.

In more than a dozen interviews with The Associated Press, conservative activists said they would rather see the country fall off the cliff than agree to any tax increases for any Americans, no matter how wealthy.

With many in Washington away for the holidays, that scenario appears increasingly likely.

"There is starting to become a little bit of an acceptance that we fall off the fiscal cliff," said JJ Kinahan, chief derivatives strategist for TD Ameritrade. "People are starting to think about how they may plan their portfolio if that does happen."

Stocks fell sharply Friday, with the Dow logging its biggest drop in more than a month, after House Republicans called off a vote on tax rates. That left federal budget talks in disarray just days before sweeping tax increases and government spending cuts are scheduled to take effect.

Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday that "it's the first time that I feel it's more likely we'll go over the cliff than not," following the collapse late Thursday of House Speaker John Boehner's plan to allow tax rates to rise on million-dollar-plus incomes. Wyoming Sen. Jon Barrasso, a member of the Republican leadership, predicted the new year would come without an agreement.

Failure to agree on a budget plan before year-end would lead to simultaneous spending cuts and tax hikes that many fear may push the economy back into recession.

President Barack Obama and Congress are on a short holiday break. Congress is expected to be back at work Thursday and Obama will be back in the White House after a few days in Hawaii.

J.C. Penney Co.'s stock jumped after Oppenheimer analysts reiterated a "Buy" rating on the company Monday, saying that traffic in stores in the final weekend before Christmas was strong. The analysts said that this made them more optimistic that the company's new approach to promotion will help it through the holidays and into 2013.

The stock gained 28 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $19.87.

Other retailers may struggle though this holiday season, as Christmas shoppers rein in their spending, their spirits dampened by concerns about the economy and the aftermath of shootings and storms. Marshal Cohen, chief research analyst at NPD Inc., a market research firm with a network of analysts at shopping centers nationwide, estimates customer traffic over the weekend was in line with the same time a year ago, but that shoppers are spending less.

Shoppers are increasingly worried about the fiscal cliff deadline, adding to the fall's retail woes after Superstorm Sandy's passage up the East Coast.

Consumer spending drives about 70 percent of economic growth, so how confident people are about parting with money is crucial for any economic recovery.

Falling stocks outnumbered gainers by a ratio of five to one in the 30-member Dow, with technology companies leading the decliners. Hewlett-Packard fell 33 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $14.01 and Microsoft Corp. dropped 39 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $27.06.

Stocks may also come under pressure in coming days as investors who have seen their holdings gain this year, decide to sell and book the capital gains tax in 2012 so as to avoid any potential increase in that tax rate next year, according to Kinahan, of TD Ameritrade.

"People who have had a nice year in a particular stock may say 'why not take the hit this year,' " said Kinahan.

Barring a dramatic sell-off in the year's final days of trading, stocks will end the year higher on signs that the U.S. housing market is recovering and the U.S. economy is adding jobs. The Federal Reserve also announced a third-round of its so-called quantitative easing program in September. The program, intended to lower the cost of borrowing and spur lending, helped underpin demand for stocks.

The S&P 500 is 13 percent higher for the year, the Dow is almost 8 percent up and the Nasdaq is nearly 16 percent higher.

Trading volumes were lower than average today before the Christmas holiday Tuesday. The stock market will close at 1 p.m. Monday and will reopen Wednesday.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose 1 basis point to 1.78 percent.

Among other stocks making big moves:

?Herbalife Ltd., the nutritional supplements company, fell $1.21, or 4.4 percent, to $26.06. The stock has tumbled 43 percent this month after William Ackman, the founder and CEO of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management L.P., claimed that the nutritional supplements company is a pyramid scheme.

The company said Monday that it would hold an analyst and investor meeting Jan. 10 to discuss the company's business in detail.

___

AP Writer Steve Peoples contributed to this report from Boston.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-24-Wall%20Street/id-39de844207154d50809b68c62ab6fde6

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sensation revkah: What Are the Symptoms of Uterine Cancer ...

December 21, 2012 Cervical dysplasia researcher Cervical Cancer

Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases in the world. The body cells start functioning in an abnormal way in the person suffering from cancer and the tumors are formed in the affected area of the body. Breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancers are those types of cancers that target only the women as these are related to the female body organs.

If we talk about the uterine cancer, it is in fact related to the very important organ of the female reproductive system called the uterus and usually occurs in the women between the ages of 50 to 70 years. This cancer has different types including uterine sarcomas, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer. Each type affects different parts and tissues of the female uterus e.g. endometrial cancer (also called endometrial carcinoma) is related to the uterus lining or endometrium. The uterine sarcoma (also called leiomyosarcomas) affects the muscular layer of the uterus and cervical cancer is related to the lower portion of the uterus.

Among these types, the endometrial cancer is one that is generally referred to as the uterine cancer. The endometrial cancer is so deadly that it is believed to be the third most common gynecologic cancer (after ovarian and cervical cancers) that causes death to the women.

This cancer usually affects the women after the occurrence of the menopause (the phase in a woman?s life when menstrual cycle gets stopped). There are some common symptoms of this cancer though these may differ to some extent from person to person.

The most general symptom of this cancer in a woman is the abnormal vaginal bleeding even after her menopause. However the excessive menstrual bleeding in a woman in her premenopausal period shouldn?t be ignored too. The other symptoms include the unusual non-bloody vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, abnormal weight loss, difficult and painful urination and an extreme pain during intercourse.

Every woman is needed to know about the basic symptoms of the uterine cancer so that if she finds any of them in herself, she may urgently contact her physician. The importance of seeking the timely medical advice after finding some of these symptoms is very high as it may help to diagnose the uterine cancer at some early stage and you must know that this cancer can be treated effectively at the early stages. Besides, if the endometrial cancer is diagnosed after the full medical check up of a woman, the proper measure can be taken at the right time in order to avoid further complications.

Learn more about health information, please visit the useful site of Shields Comptois: http://www.megaarticle.com/category/health/

Cancer, Symptoms, Uterine

Source: http://cervicaldysplasia.healthrisks.biz/what-are-the-symptoms-of-uterine-cancer-2/

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Source: http://idivyputa.posterous.com/what-are-the-symptoms-of-uterine-cancer-cervi

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Source: http://sensation-revkah.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-are-symptoms-of-uterine-cancer.html

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Step aboard the country?s largest floating holiday light display (VIDEO)

There is no shortage of Christmas light display stories each holiday season. But how often do you see a massive display of holiday exuberance on the ocean waters?

Southern California does a lot of things in its own unique style and the holiday season is no exception. For the past 104 years, the residents of Newport Beach have held a Christmas Boat Parade that has become the largest in the U.S. and one of the biggest in the world, drawing in an estimated million visitors each year.

As part of our Sideshow video series, we traveled down to Newport Beach to take in the opening night ceremonies of this year's boat parade. What we found was a sight for the senses and a series of characters that help make this holiday light display one for the ages.

Nearly 100 boats turned out for the opening run -- with some boats showcasing displays of more than 50,000 lights. And while most participants do so simply for fun, there is a spirited rivalry amongst some of the contestants to see who can pull off the most impressive lighted boat display each year. We sat down with the reigning champions to find out what drives them to keep coming back each year in pursuit of the competition's grand prize:

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/step-aboard-country-largest-floating-holiday-light-display-232306665.html

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NRA's 'Four Millions Moms And Dads' Speech - Business Insider

On Tuesday, the National Rifle Association released its first official response following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. The statement was brief, and began by highlighting the ?four million moms and dads? which comprise the group?s individual membership.

What was noteworthy about the response, along with what ultimately was a bizarre, one-way ?press conference? the following Friday, was not the group?s expression of sorrow for the event -- which is of course what everyone feels -- but rather the insinuation that the NRA speaks only on behalf of individual gun owners and enthusiasts.

The NRA?s Executive VP Wayne LaPierre appears to be going to great lengths to avoid acknowledgment of his group?s critical financial ties with the firearm and ammunition manufacturers that now comprise a good half of their much lauded sponsorship base; those that, along with some of America?s largest retail chains, have benefitted immensely from the group?s lobbying efforts on behalf of gun and assault weapons sales.

As far as the NRA has succeeded beyond any expectations in driving forward a pro-gun ownership agenda in the U.S. via its lobbying arm, they are also the first group to draw the public's ire and blame after horrific acts of gun violence. The NRA entity that we know today, which began as a benign grassroots operation promoting rifle sports after the Civil War, now raises well over $200 million a year in funding, about half of which comes from membership dues. And yet, though the NRA has for decades been derided as the mouthpiece of gun manufacturers, the organization did not truly head into that territory until fairly recently.

As an organization that attracts individual members from sports enthusiasts and its purported defense of the constitutional right to bear arms, it is also subject to the ebb and flow of perceived threats to that right -- ironically, its membership was subjected to a drop following the election of the Texan-forged, gun-friendly George W. Bush.

It was during this time when the NRA began to transform itself into a true lobbying entity by seeking corporate funding, often directly from gun manufacturers, such as Remington Arms Co., Smith & Wesson Holding Corp., and Sturm, Ruger & Co. The latter had announced a goal in May of 2011 to sell 1 million firearms by the end of March, donating $1 for each to the NRA. Likewise, the NRA now regularly awards recognition to large donors, lavishing companies like Winchester Ammunition with ascension within the ?Ring of Freedom? corporate program.?

While these efforts weren't exactly hidden at great (any?) length, the NRA's leadership has not been eager to see the group's public image as a "grassroots" organization diminished by wealthy donors.

And, to be fair, it seems pretty unlikely that many (if not most) of the NRA's traditional members -- those to which it refers as the "four million moms and dads, sons and daughters" in its message of condolence to the victims of the Newtown shooting -- would be fazed by the NRA's pivot to "corporate partners," and a growing reliance on tiered sponsorship deals and heavy merchandising.

Supporting the NRA is, after all, supporting the view that gun ownership should be a prevalent, unfettered right in America, so why would it matter where their funding is sourced?

Since the shooting, several piercing pieces have been written on gun manufacturers and retailers, many of them concentrating on the ease of access to heavy assault weapons. One particular piece published this week by The Nation delves into how one of the weapons in question, the now infamous Bushmaster AR-15 assault rifle, is now on sale at about 1,700 Walmart stores nationwide, and easily acquired throughout the country at any number of large retail chains.

According to The Nation's investigation, in April of 2011 Walmart expanded gun sales to 1,750 locations nationwide following a general slump in sales -- Walmart's executive vice president Duncan Mac Naughton told shareholders in October of this year that gun sales had become key to its rising profits. The retail giant's gun sales are now up by 76%, and ammunition by 30%, making Walmart the biggest firearms and ammunition in America.

Earlier this year, following the shooting and death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, Senator Feinstein successfully placed a hold on the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012, legislation that would have forced states to accept concealed firearm permits by those states which issued them (legislation originally introduced by Democratic Senators Mark Begich and Joe Manchin). The move was a rare defeat for the gun rights lobby, and by any account was only possible because it came on the heels of such a high profile shooting. Similarly, immediately after the Newtown tragedy, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder suddenly opted to veto a concealed firearms reform that would have opened up formerly gun-free zones like churches and school buildings.

After the carnage of the Sandy Hook shootings, the impetus for gun regulation laws seems to have, at least for the moment, been reignited. With probable appointment to the Judiciary Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein is poised to introduce a renewed assault weapons ban to congress, and by all indications the White House is prepared to support the legislation.? Yet, after spending well over a decade promoting gun ownership, and expanding its donor base directly to gun manufacturers, how will the NRA react? With its funding now inexorably tied to both the manufacture and sale of guns in the U.S., will the gun lobby simply accept a decline in access to purchase and carry?

On Friday, the NRA held a "major news announcement" regarding the?Newtown shootings that did nothing but regurgitate its common talking?points. In the coming months, the debate over whether to re-establish?the assault weapons ban and increase gun regulation will percolate?through congress, and the murmurings of K Street power lunches. Since?2011, the NRA has spent some $24 million in lobbying for favorable?legislative action, a sum 66 times greater than that of the Brady?Campaign (that's 4,143 times more on campaign contributions). It seems?fair to assume that NRA lobbyists will be making a lot of phone calls?in the near future.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/nras-four-millions-moms-and-dads-speech-2012-12

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Rick Pitino Gun Control Speech: Louisville Coach Agrees With Jim Boeheim, Rips NRA (VIDEO)

-- Count Rick Pitino among basketball coaches supporting gun control.

The Louisville coach was asked Friday about his reaction to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim's comments Monday assailing the nation's gun culture following last week's school shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn. Pitino agreed with Boeheim, and said he couldn't understand why people wouldn't support gun control.

On consecutive days, Boeheim and Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey used postgame news conferences to express sympathy for victims' families and stress the need for reforms to avoid another tragedy.

Pitino followed by adding that society doesn't need guns.

He says, "The fact that every single person does not want it would be a mystery. This is not the beginning of American civilization where we need guns like it's the wild, wild West."

Pitino said he was unaware of Boeheim's comments following the Syracuse coach's milestone 900th career victory Monday night. Told what his colleague said, Pitino said Boeheim was right and similarly expressed empathy for victims' families.

The Louisville coach seemed saddened over the grieving process the town is going through, believing it might never end. He said he still grieves for brother-in-law Billy Minardi, who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

Pitino created an annual game in Minardi's honor ? beating his son, Richard, and Florida International on Wednesday night ? but said he thinks about his good friend every day. And he figures the families, friends and neighbors in Newtown will be hurting for a long time as well.

"I don't know how anybody can ever close their eyes in those families," Pitino said. "There can be no good that comes out of that except immediate gun control."

Pitino went more political, believing that members of Congress on both sides have been around too long to effect change. If they were doing what's right for the country, he said, the nation "would demand" gun control.

He had little to say about the National Rifle Association, which held a news conference Friday in Washington saying that schools should have armed officers for protection.

"I don't care about those people. They have their own agenda," he said. "I don't respect people who have their own agendas."

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/21/rick-pitino-gun-control-speech-lousiville_n_2349217.html

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i want to be a boxer

imano? Threads: 10
Posts: 39
Joined: Feb 19, 12 ???
i have had dreams of being a boxer since i was like 12. but i'm not sure if i can succeed in Poland. is this a big sport in here?

it can start as amateur, cause now i study but who knows, maybe it'll be the most successful thing for me.

i like fighting (not like violence and being a jerk) for sport and boxing has been my dream, but i don't know how to start this in Poland...Wroclaw ;)

if this helps. i'm 187cm and weigh 86kg :D. good features i guess. but i have no fighting experience, i just have this feeling i can beat anybody,
ever those drug-induced-muscular guys i see in town. haha..joking. but all i'm trying to say is i love this sport and i'm not afraid ;)

any ideas?

This silly african is gonna get himself battered lol.

I wish I was in Poland for a few hours.

imano? Threads: 10
Posts: 39
Joined: Feb 19, 12 ??? Edited by: imano ?Today, 18:01 ? ? #
thanks a lot @gumishu ;)
Maybe? Threads: 7
Posts: 351
Joined: Dec 16, 08 ???

imano:

i just have this feeling i can beat anybody
Ah..youth....

imano:

thanks a lot @gumishu ;)

You have the intelligence of a coconut.

imano? Threads: 10
Posts: 39
Joined: Feb 19, 12 ???
it's called "confidence" which some people lack ;). hehe...i'm not afraid ;)...get it?

imano:

but i have no fighting experience

imano:

i just have this feeling i can beat anybody,

imano:

it's called "confidence

Its called stupidity. You are from Ghana, where the average iq is 68.

Figures.

zetigrek? Threads: 65
Posts: 2,945
Joined: May 20, 10 ??? Edited by: zetigrek ?Today, 19:35 ? ? #
I heard that one of Klitchko brothers was training in Poland in the 80s I believe.

Edit.
Yup, Witalij, for a year, in 1988 to be exact. But he was training kick boxing back then.

imano? Threads: 10
Posts: 39
Joined: Feb 19, 12 ???
i heard much about that Klitchko guy...he must be really good. a legend, just like we have Azumah in Africa from Ghana. Ali and all the others. they inspire me so much!
zetigrek? Threads: 65
Posts: 2,945
Joined: May 20, 10 ???

imano:

i heard much about that Klitchko guy

Actually there is two of them.

Edited by: The Ratmeister ?Today, 19:51 ? ? #

imano:

hehe...i'm not afraid
then youre gonna get knocked out.

are you going to learn Polish in a month too?

imano? Threads: 10
Posts: 39
Joined: Feb 19, 12 ???
well if i get knocked-out, the most important thing for me is getting back up the day after to continue :))

i know basic polish. general speaking polish is not a problem for me ;)

Random: Wisniewski(a) in Lipinki

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Detailed Beauty: A Critique on Architecture & Society - Visual News

In his exquisitely detailed exploration of world architecture British artist Mark Lascelles Thornton has created something to both admire and to stir up conversation about the state of society. Titled, not a little bit sarcastically, ?The Happiness Machine?, his yet to be completed masterpiece is a collection of world skyscrapers from London, Chicago, New York, Shanghai, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and more.

See Also Illustrations Travel Back to New Yorks Gilded Age

The massive piece ? created with technical pens, a ruler and a lot of patient commitment ? covers eight, 8 by 5 ft. panels; the top four of which are currently complete. When finished the lower panels will include a busy city of people working in The Happiness Machine. In this, Thornton?s work seeks to raise questions about the forms our cities take and the powers behind those forms. Do we simply build these places because they are cool? Is it because we love competition? What do we gain or hope to gain from such lofty striving?

?The demystifying of the machine proceeds,? says Thornton. ?Machine vs nature, civilized vs primitive, the ruler vs the ruled, truth vs untruth, male vs female and black vs white. This deadly reductionist trap should not discourage architectural critics from pursuing more refined investigations into how economic and political power help shape how buildings are made ? and not simply how they came to be.?

You can see more of the ongoing work, scheduled for completion in March 2013, at marklascellesthornton.blogspot.co.uk. Be sure to catch the stunning time-lapse video of Thornton creating a portion of this large work below.

Via: enpundit

Known in some circles as the most amazing man in the universe, he once saved an entire family of muskrats from a sinking, fire engulfed steamboat while recovering from two broken arms relating to a botched no-chute wingsuit landing in North Korea. When not impressing people with his humbling humility, he can be found freelance writing, finding shiny objects on the internet, enjoying the company of much-appreciated friends and living out his nomadic nature. He is Managing Editor of Visual News. Follow his movements on Twitter:

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Source: http://www.visualnews.com/2012/12/22/fantastic-detailed-drawings-of-world-cities/

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Top tech flops of 2012 tainted a good year for gadgets

1 hr.

Molly Klinefelter , Laptop

A lot of good things happened in tech this year.?The iPhone 5 premiered with 4G and a feather-light design. Google released its Nexus 7 tablet to go head-to-head with the Amazon Kindle Fire, and equipped it with Jelly Bean.?Samsung delivered a powerful one-two punch with the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II. And we saw a fair number of Ultrabooks that gave the MacBook Air?a run for its money.

But where there?s good, there?s bad. And there were plenty of major tech?fails this year. These awards go to the eight biggest.

Wrong-Way Award: Apple Maps
With all the anticipation surrounding iOS 6, many didn?t think twice about giving up Google Maps for Apple?s new Maps app. But once users switched over, the complaints and outcries that the iOS app was far inferior to Google Maps mushroomed. The app was riddled with errors ? including wrong addresses and warped-looking landmarks in the Flyover view ? while it lacked integrated mass-transit directions.

Apple eventually apologized for the Maps gaffe, and even recommended alternatives. CEO?Tim Cook probably put it best, saying, "We screwed up."

More:?7 Things Apple Must Do in 2013

False Start Award: Windows 8
After Microsoft?released a preview of the highly anticipated Windows 8, users were dismayed to find that, although the new system's classic "desktop" was practically identical to the Windows 7 interface, it lacked a Start menu. Microsoft had substituted the menu with a shortcut to the Start screen, which meant users are forced to leave the desktop just to launch an app that takes them right back to the desktop.

Talk about frustrating. The good news is that a number of third parties have stepped up to the plate with alternatives, including Stardock's Start8 and Samsung's S Launcher utility.

More:?8 Windows 8 Annoyances and How to Fix Them

Worst Sales Pitch: Dell?s ?Daily Deals?
During Laptop's annual Tech Support Showdown, we made three calls to Dell's?tech support line and got more than we bargained for. During the calls, Dell pushed premium warranties on us, saying we had won a daily drawing that would allow us to buy a $500 four-year extended warranty for just $317. Lucky us ? we were chosen to spend even more money on something we didn?t need! When we resisted, the representative rushed us through the call, barely attempting to answer our question, but routinely haranguing us to buy the warranty, because otherwise the next caller would get our "prize."

According to Dell, using "drawings" as a sales tactic is against company policy. However, aggressively pushing extended warranties and hardware purchases is not, as we experienced on two other calls where support reps seemed more interested in making a commission than solving our problems.

More:?Tech Support Showdown 2012

IP-(Uh)-O Award: Facebook
Although Facebook?s IPO initially set a record for technology companies by raising more than $16 billion, it quickly became the decade?s worst initial public offering. When the social networking giant went public in May, its initial offering price was set at $38, while the company was valued at $104 billion. However, a little more than two weeks later, Facebook shares had dropped dramatically to $26.90 per share.

As it turns out, Facebook?s inability to monetize mobile traffic has caused a lot of concern among investors.?Although the stock has rebounded from a recent slide, the share is still way off the debut price.

More:?26 Ultimate Facebook Tips

Biggest Rip-Off Award: Shared Data Plans
In June, Verizon unveiled its new Share Everything plans, which allow customers to pay a flat fee for each device, plus a single charge for shared monthly data, which ranges from 1GB to 10GB. The plan includes unlimited voice minutes and text messages and makes you pay for them, whether you need them or not. As a result, a 2GB data plan costs $100 on the new plan while 2GB with a limited number of minutes and texts cost $70 on the old plan.

AT&T followed suit with similar Mobile Share plans. However, neither of these shared-plan options lets you opt for limited voice minutes or data. Plus, you still need to pay an additional monthly fee as you add devices, whether it?s a tablet?($15 for AT&T, $10 on Verizon Wireless) or mobile hotspot ($50 for AT&T, $20 for Verizon Wireless). At least AT&T kept its individual plans for those who don?t want to go the shared route.

More:?Top 10 Smartphones

Broken Promises Award: BlackBerry?10
BlackBerry 10 has become somewhat of a punchline in the tech industry, with the release of Research?In?Motion?s new mobile?OS continually delayed at a time when the straggling smartphone-maker should be trying anything to keep up with its Android and iPhone?competitors. After a brief demonstration of BlackBerry 10 at BlackBerry World in May, RIM pushed back the operating system?s release until Q1 of 2013, and soon after slashed 5,000 jobs.

Although there are some features in BB10 that look promising, many BlackBerry loyalists have already jumped ship. We'll find out in January if RIM has a shot at a better 2013.

More:?BlackBerry 10 Video Preview

Bait-and-Switch Award: Microsoft Surface
When commercials for the Microsoft?Surface started airing, viewers were enthralled by the device's Touch Cover. It came in fun, eye-catching colors and magnetically snapped onto the device for an easy typing experience.

One would assume that if Microsoft was putting the Touch Cover into its Surface commercials, it would come with the Surface, right? Wrong. Turns out the Touch Cover is a separate purchase, and shoppers would have to invest an additional $119 for the accessory ($100 if you buy it with the black one).

More:?Top 10 Windows 8 Tablet-Laptop Hybrids

Bad Idea Award: Google Nexus Q
Nexus Q could have easily made our list of most overpriced gadgets of all-time ... if it had actually come out. First shown and given to attendees at Google I/O 2012, the Nexus Q is a set-top box in the shape of an orb that streams music and movies to your home theater from Google Play ??and Google Play only.

While a $49 Roku box, a $99 Apple TV or a $99 Google TV box offers a variety of content services, even apps, the $299 Nexus Q didn't even have Netflix. Once you got over its unique design, the Nexus Q's main feature was allowing multiple users to add to the same playlist, something that was sure to create plenty of arguments among family members with different tastes. To Google's credit, the company quickly realized it had a dud on its hands, stopped accepting new orders and gave free units to anyone who had preordered.

More:?The 15 Most Overpriced Gadgets of All Time

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/top-tech-flops-2012-tainted-good-year-gadgets-1C7657745

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