Saturday, December 31, 2011

How to Survive the Perils of New Year's Eve [Video]

How to Survive the Perils of New Year's EveNew Year's Eve might be the best party night of the year, but it can also be the most stressful, from losing your phone to the far more perilous drive home. Here are a few things you can do now to stay safe and sane this New Year's.

Install a "Find My Phone" App Just In Case

How to Survive the Perils of New Year's Eve Try as you might, the chaos of New Year's Eve is a breeding ground for lost and stolen phones. There's not much you can do about it on New Year's itself (short of gripping it tighter), but you can prepare for the inevitable by installing a "Find My Phone" app before you go out. That way, if you find yourself phoneless the next day, you can find it once you've shaken off the hangover. Check out our favorite phone recovery tools to see your options. We recommend Find My iPhone for iOS users and Prey on Android, which gives you tons of options for finding your phone, even if it was stolen. Of course, if you forget to do this, you can always try previously mentioned Plan B to get your Android phone back after you've lost it.

Hail a Cab or Find a Hotel, Wherever You Are

How to Survive the Perils of New Year's EveIf you threw back one too many drinks at this year's party, you obviously shouldn't be driving home. You have a few options, from calling a cab to finding a hotel, and we've mentioned apps for both. HotelPal for iOS and Android will find where you are on a map and point out the nearest hotels and their prices. You can even reserve a room right from the app.

If you'd rather spend the night in your own bed, Cab4me for iOS and Android will find the nearest cab companies, let you call them, and even copy their numbers to the clipboard, so you can send them in a text message to your similarly drunk friends.

Lastly, many local AAA clubs have started a program called "Tipsy Tow" in the western US, where from 6pm-6am you can get a free ride home, and even tow your car back with you. It isn't available nationwide, but local clubs everywhere are starting similar programs, so you might have to call your local AAA and see if they have anything like that. Keep in mind they won't drive far; most clubs are noting a 5 or10 mile limit, but if you're partying nearby, it can be helpful.

Get a Traffic-Aware Navigation App to Avoid Drunk Drivers

How to Survive the Perils of New Year's EveEven if you're sober, that doesn't mean the roads are safe. While we'd recommend staying off the roads entirely, if you absolutely must drive home, get a navigation app with live traffic updating so you can stay out of the busy areas. Android users already have Google Maps on their phone, which should do just fine, but both iOS and Android users should also check out Waze, our favorite navigation app. It'll keep you up to date on traffic, accidents, and police cars (not that you should have any reason to avoid them), so you can stay out of the more dangerous areas.

Get Rid of That Hangover on January 1st

Sadly, the pain of New Year's Eve doesn't end when the night is over. The best way to avoid a hangover is to not drink so much, but if you didn't prepare yourself ahead of time, we've gone over the best and worst hangover cures for your education. In short: drink water, eat breakfast, and try to stay away from coffee, more alcohol, and painkillers like you may have been taught.

Top image remixed from originals by Leremy.


New Year's Eve can be a hotbed of stress if you aren't careful, but with a bit of preparation beforehand, you should be able to keep yourself safe and worry-free all weekend long. If you've got any of your own New Year's tips, share them with us in the comments, and be sure to check out last year's roundup of the best New Year's party apps, too.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/5ZWN3IzxtpM/how-to-survive-the-perils-of-new-years-eve

lindsey lohan reed hastings cujo hpv vaccine hurricane tracking hurricane tracking flat tax

Apple grabs patents for Photo Booth, Fitness Center apps (Appolicious)

New patents awarded to Apple by the U.S. Patent Office suggest the iOS mobile platform creator may be creating a fitness app to add to its stable of iPhone and iPad apps.

Patently Apple has the story, which marks major patents Apple has won for a new app as well as an established one. The existing app is Apple?s Photo Booth, which rolled out with the release of the iPad 2. It?s the first patent Apple has won for the app, which allows users to alter photos in real time using their devices? front-facing cameras.

From the looks of the fitness center patent, Apple?s app may make a lot of other fitness apps in the iTunes App Store obsolete. The app covers things like showing users how to use gym equipment and providing in-gym and post-workout motivation. It also has social networking integration, which isn?t too surprising given how deeply Apple has worked Twitter into the latest iteration of its mobile platform, iOS 5.

As Patently Apple reported when the fitness center app patent first appeared back in April, it seems Apple is covering all of its bases. The app may include some kind of partnership with Nike, with one illustration in the filing using the terminology ?Nike Training Club Class.? It appears as though Apple wants the app to cover all aspects of a workout, gathering workout stats for its users and even helping find local workout buddies with its social networking capabilities. The app may also be able to work directly with actual fitness centers, integrating with their servers to schedule classes, provide maps to their locations and check the availability of workout equipment.

While Apple has won a patent for the fitness center app, that doesn?t necessarily mean it?ll ever get around to releasing one. Apple has lots of patents for lots of things that don?t exist, but the possibility is there. With so much success coming from Apple-made native apps for its mobile platform, however, it seems like the possibility we?ll be seeing an Apple fitness center app is a pretty strong one.

Back in the Photo Booth department, Apple has won a patent that covers the basic functionality of the app, which allows users to add filters in real time to video being shot by their devices. Those filters create a ?mosaic? of several different video feeds on the screen of an iPad, so you can see lots of different effects at once. Here?s an explanation of the patent from Patently Apple:

A computer-implemented method, comprising: providing for display a mosaic having a first cell and a second cell, the first cell displaying a video with a first visual effect, the second cell displaying the video with a second visual effect, the second visual effect being different from the first visual effect; receiving a selection of the first cell and the second cell, the selection including a drag and drop input that drags the first cell and drops the first cell onto the second cell; creating a third visual effect, the third visual effect including both the first visual effect and the second visual effect; and capturing at least one frame of the video; and applying the third visual effect to the captured frame of the video.

It doesn?t necessarily sound like that patent will have an effect on other apps that might be kind of like Photo Booth in the App Store, but Apple now has the legal ammunition to deal with any apps it thinks might be stealing from the Photo Booth playbook.

Hopefully we?ll be seeing Apple?s take on fitness in the future, but only time will tell if its new patent actually ever goes anywhere. Knowing Apple, though, if the company can innovate on an existing idea and make it even better, it will. That?s good news for iOS users.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_appolicious_com_articles10616_apple_grabs_patents_for_photo_booth_fitness_center_apps/44027401/SIG=138ofh011/*http%3A//www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/10616-apple-grabs-patents-for-photo-booth-fitness-center-apps

the cabin in the woods trace adkins the darkest hour the darkest hour neverland shaun white phoebe prince

Muslims Upset By NYPD To Boycott Mayor's Breakfast

NEW YORK (AP) - The table is set for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's annual interfaith breakfast with some controversy added to the menu.

The breakfast set for this morning will be held without 15 Muslim leaders. They are boycotting the event to protest Bloomberg's support of the police department's surveillance of Muslim communities.

They told the mayor in a letter that they disagree with his position following a series of articles by the Associated Press exposing the police department's methods.

Rabbi Michael Weisser (WISE-er) says he'll attend the breakfast even though he signed the letter. He says Muslim community members told him they'd prefer he speak directly with the mayor.

Bloomberg's office says about two dozen Muslim community members will attend breakfast. Police spokesman Paul Browne says allegations that police spy on communities are false.

Source: http://www.newschannel6now.com/story/16417084/muslims-upset-by-nypd-to-boycott-mayors-breakfast

powerball winning numbers uc davis pepper spray uc davis pepper spray usc oregon breaking dawn part 2 breaking dawn part 2 big game

Friday, December 30, 2011

ZDNet: UK's prime minister to receive bespoke 'government' iPad app http://t.co/gFDW1Wj8

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
UK's prime minister to receive bespoke 'government' iPad app zd.net/u7Purf ZDNet

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/ZDNet/statuses/152343118249857025

all hallows eve all saints day all saints day bernard madoff ct news hemlock hemlock

Microsoft-Powered PCs Getting Thunderbolt Ports in 2012

When Apple first partnered with Intel to include Thunderbolt ports on the MacBook Pro,?it may or may not have known how much interest the technology would generate in the computer world. In 2012, Thunderbolt looks to make a bigger splash by making its way onto several different PC platforms. Names like Sony, Acer, Gigabyte and Asus came up in a report from tech blog DigiTimes. Intel announced to its partners they would be fully releasing Thunderbolt with more widespread PC adoption in the new year.

Gigabyte Technology is mentioned in the report, and they may have plans to make Thunderbolt-equipped motherboards available in the spring. Additionally, Sony could be planning to use the data port standard in its high-end laptops. The Sony Vaio Z ultraportable bundles Thunderbolt tech into a USB 3 port. That means Sony could easily include standard Thunderbolt ports in the near future.

Acer and Asus said?during the Intel Developers Forum in September?that?they would ship products with Thunderbolt ports starting next year. HP, the world's biggest PC maker, has so far decided to not use Thunderbolt ports, and the same goes for Dell, Lenovo and Toshiba, according to tech blog Ars Technica.

Like us on Facebook

Other than being used on computers, the Thunderbolt technology has been adopted by high-speed storage devices and video producers. Thunderbolt is unique because it is made to bring desktop level input/output to the mobile world. It's handy, as any Mac user will tell you, for connecting extra monitors, storage and audio and video devices.

Thunderbolt is now moving toward becoming a new standard that could replace FireWire and USB with connections capable of high bi-directional I/O. It's able to achieve 10Gbps bi-directional communication, and that make it 20 times faster than USB 2.0. That means a single port can communicate with multiple devices at the same time for a total throughput of 10Gbps. Tell us in the comments what devices you have connected to your Mac with the Thunderbolt port. ?

To contact the editor, e-mail:

Source: http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/273745/20111229/microsoft-powered-pcs-getting-thunderbolt-ports-2012.htm

brian williams patrice o neal patrice o neal paulina gretzky paulina gretzky wayne gretzky wayne gretzky

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Deal of the Day: Seidio SURFACE Case for Motorola Droid Bionic

Seidio SURFACE Case for Motorola Droid Bionic

The Dec. 27 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Seidio SURFACE Case for Motorola Droid Bionic. Available in four colors -- black, sapphire blue, burgundy and amethyst --  this case consists of interlocking top and bottom pieces that fit your Motorola Droid Bionic snugly, and Seidio's signature soft touch finish provides a great feel and better grip without attracting lint. And, best of all, it's available today only for just $16.95 -- that's 43 percent off! Get yours while supplies last!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/UDHY_nMOYz8/story01.htm

lindsey vonn josef stalin kourtney and kim take new york anne hathaway news channel 5 nathan hale kohls coupons

~ENJOY Los Angeles Lakers Vs Utah Jazz Live NBA Basketball Season 2011/12 game online

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f9/enjoy-los-angeles-lakers-vs-utah-jazz-live-nba-basketball-season-2011-12-game-online-83982-new/

millionaire matchmaker millionaire matchmaker shawshank redemption 3 10 to yuma west virginia football west virginia football black friday violence

This Guy Spent $16,000 On a Virtual Sword Before The Game Was Released [Wtf]

This man is holding an image of a sword that doesn't exist in real life. In fact, it doesn't even really exist on a virtual world—he paid $16,000 for a game sword that he can't play yet. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/V-t3PLm0-XU/this-guy-spent-16000-in-a-virtual-sword-before-the-game-is-released

lindsay lohan̢۪s playboy cover leaked online lindsay lohan̢۪s playboy cover leaked online kevin martin va tech shooting 2011 cj wilson coriolanus coriolanus

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Automatic backups coming to Windows Phone

Anyone that's suffered data loss will know how much of a lifesaver backups are. To the average user, backups can get tedious and intrusive, so modern day systems have been geared towards making the process as simple as possible.

Enter Windows Phone 7. Currently, the OS doesn't have an auto backup feature (unless you turn to the homebrew scene), but a recent job posting looks like that's all set to change. WMPU has uncovered a listing for a Software Engineer to join Redmond's?Windows Phone Backup, Migrate and Restore team.

The listing reads:

Come join the Windows Phone Backup, Migrate, and Restore team. Our goal is to ensure that no matter if someone loses their phone, drops their phone in a lake, buys a new windows phone, or just has their toddler wipe their phone by entering the wrong PIN over and over, a user can quickly and seamlessly get their phone back to a good state. The features we are producing will be new for the next version of Windows Phone and will help ensure Microsoft stays ahead of the competition when it comes to disaster recovery.

The keywords here are "quickly and seamlessly". With Apple's iCloud and Google's web offerings making most phone data recovery pretty straightforward, Microsoft has got a fair bit to live up to. If they can come up with something unobtrusive and simple, they may be onto another winning feature.

Interested in the job? You can read the full listing and apply directly to Microsoft here.

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/automatic-backups-coming-to-windows-phone

zook john elway john elway eric decker eric decker dallas cowboys cheerleaders leftover turkey recipes

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Aretha's Christmas: 'Silent Night' with Four Tops

(AP) ? Detroit's Queen of Soul knows how to throw a Christmas party, and she welcomed in the holiday with glitter, a jazzy musical backdrop and a finale of "Silent Night" with the Four Tops.

Aretha Franklin held her annual Christmas party on Friday at the Detroit Athletic Club, greeting guests in a teal blue gown accented with a silver sequined bodice.

The Detroit News reports (http://bit.ly/tPkXO9 ) that Franklin exchanged gifts with family and friends as Ursula Walker, Buddy Budson, Marian Hayden and Gayelynn McKinney played jazz in the background.

During a meal of filet mignon and salmon, guests were entertained by performances by Gwen & Charles Scales and Franklin's son Eddie Franklin, who sang "Some Enchanted Evening."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-26-US-People-Aretha-Franklin/id-fc388ae5062c476bb84e8e92da07ed8b

hobbit trailer greenhill nj plane crash plane crash new jersey beef o bradys bowl the hobbit sopa

sononick: I don't trust my Facebook friends enough for Aherk! to work. My photo album would be full of wiener pics in a week. http://t.co/JTaMk4pR

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
I don't trust my Facebook friends enough for Aherk! to work. My photo album would be full of wiener pics in a week. aherk.com sononick

Nick Campbell

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/sononick/statuses/150714219409584130

new years super bowl 2012 david lee roth dan marino passing record drew brees drew brees packages

Monday, December 26, 2011

In Christmas Message, Pope Urges Peace In Africa, Asia

In his traditional Christmas Day message, Pope Benedict XVI has urged the faithful to seek a "spiritual union" with the less fortunate around the world.

Appearing at noon from the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, the pope also pronounced Christmas blessings in 65 languages, including Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, Swahili, and his native German.

The "Urbi et Orbi" (to the people of Rome and to the world) blessing was broadcast on television and radio to more than 60 countries.

The spiritual leader of the world's more than 1.1 billion Roman Catholics mentioned several of the world's trouble spots, expressing the need to "speak out for those who have no voice."

Benedict asked God's help for the peoples of the Horn of Africa," who suffer from hunger and food shortages, aggravated at times by a persistent state of insecurity."

The pontiff also asked God to "encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians," and for an end to the violence in Syria.

Benedict prayed for a "full reconciliation and stability" in Iraq and Afghanistan and for dialogue and cooperation in Myanmar.

The Vatican has also denounced the deadly Christmas Day attacks on Nigerian churches as a sign of? "cruelty and absurd, blind hatred" that shows no respect for? human life.?

compiled from agency reports

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/pope_calls_for_peace_on_christmas/24432999.html

bcs rankings week 13 philadelphia marathon rhodes scholar cranberry sauce recipe mls cup amas 2011 black friday

aashkingstonn: RT @mondell_: aw I got a new house, a ferrari, two jeeps, an ipad, 4 laptops, a playstation, an xbox and a swimming pool for my new hous ...

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
aw I got a new house, a ferrari, two jeeps, an ipad, 4 laptops, a playstation, an xbox and a swimming pool for my new house, thanks santa! mondell_

mondell is the best

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/aashkingstonn/statuses/150880371590967297

paulina gretzky wayne gretzky wayne gretzky occupy los angeles occupy los angeles comedian patrice o neal occupy philadelphia

Sunday, December 25, 2011

[OOC]

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

Hey, is there a White Knight character? Just asking.

User avatar
Choclate~Pyrus
Member for 0 years



Return to Out of Character

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: *~Nya-Chan~*, Abaddon*, Abalyth, Abraxas*, Abyss of Dreams, ?SIR Society, Akita, Alasund De'astio*, Alexa [Bot], almostinsane*, amyreinreaper*, Andaho, Annalysa Jones, Ark Reahver, Ashes, AutomailJunkie*, AvidZombierReader*, azoicennead*, AzricanRepublic*, bellelaine, Beta Type Jakuri, BilgeWater*, birdguard, black-as-night_oni, Blackbird26, BlackButterfly, blackwolf*, Bootsie, Boxer, Caelus, Calyx_Mason, candykitten, Centraiu, chaoslord29, ChaosxChild13, Chardreau65, Chulance*, CiksKayVolts*, Cowboys_kitten, CrazyIrish, CrowboyToTheRescue, DarknessToDeath23, Dath, deathrisesagain, desire99600, dig17*, Drogyn*, dudedude889, Dusk Decorvis*, Eleera Cain*, Ellipse*, emotionless*, Ersatz Creed*, Essence, Everscale*, FalloutRomanae, flying monkey child, freemixer25, Gigabot [Bot], Gintoki Sakata, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Grimpunker96*, Guardian Angel, hawk10002002, hayleymaee, Higurashi, Hinasil, HoneyDoodle, Horseygirl*, iderray, Iggi*, Inswa, iowa90, ItchySweater, itsallinthedark, Izzyvamp*, I'm a Radical Dame!*, jackrules158*, jadenlove, JayZeroSnake, Kai, kelsiikhaos, Kiina, Killa, Kirinak*, kjrated*, Kology, kris0the0girl*, Kuril, lawlieter, lexileigh, Lifecharacter*, Lilaiy, lloytlloyd, lovehatebaby*, LRmember, LSunday, LuckyNumber24, Marcus*, Mat_z6, MaxStokes*, Midnight's Work, MilkHoney*, minibear*, MissAYuuki, Misuteri_Akurei*, Mr. Crow, Mr_Doomed, MSNbot Media, mummydove, Myviewing, Neon.lynxie*, Nevermore90, nibblesnbits*, Nightgem, NotAFlyingToy, nour06*, Nulix*, Oran Tarlin*, Ottoman*, Patcharoo*, peachyme123, Perilute, PirateofPie*, PocketEmm, Porecomesis, Princess Awinita*, projectdarkeden, Prose*, QueenShibby, Rarikou*, RavenQueenofShadows*, Regret*, Rem?us*, Renmiri, Romaneck, Ropeburn*, RydeDawg, safton*, Saken*, Samchey98, Saranghae*, SasoriRinku, Saxious, Scarlet Bullets, Sebito, Sench, Shattered233, shizukanori, SkullsandSlippers, Slendyman, Smileybird*, Smokescreen, Soki, Sorella*, Steppin' Razor*, Stilts, stormwolf321, Svetloviet, Sweet Angel Jocelyn, T?far?s, Taiyon*, The Angry Penguin*, The Painkiller, TheFlag*, TheJen., ThePsycoWarlock, TigerWing, Tiko*, TiredWombat, Trickster*, Tropicalpeacock, True Grave, TwiliXDragon, Uriel*, Verse, ViceVersus, victim130, ViviOrunitiaFF9, whaoowheex3, Wheatley, William Spike, Winds Of Fate, Wing06Twilight*, Winter the wolf, Winterwolf*, Wudgeous, Xephos*, xGoodxGirlxGonexBadx, xldExtract, xXChocobeanXx, xXSawsanXx*, XxXicelandXxX, Zodia195, Zombicide93*

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/x9KNwa1WW1E/viewtopic.php

heritage foundation dancing with the stars results 2011 ali fedotowsky ali fedotowsky krill oil krill oil black friday 2011

AMD Radeon HD 7970


The perpetual war for supremacy between AMD and Nvidia constantly leaves enthusiasts dodging shrapnel: When you want the best video card you can afford, why buy one now instead of waiting for the better one the competing chipset designer will undoubtedly release in a few months? This leaves reviewers in a tough spot, too, as we're constantly proclaiming that nearly every new card is the fastest ever. But because you can only live in the world you live in, we're obliged to go there. So, here goes once again: The just-released AMD Radeon HD 7970 ($549 list) is the latest fastest and most feature-rich single-GPU card ever, surpassing our previous Editors' Choice winner, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 580.

Though we have little doubt that Nvidia will yank back that title with its next generation of cards, the 7970 is an impressive achievement for the moment.? (It's?rumored to become widely available by early January of?2012.)? The inaugural member of the Southern Islands family, it utilizes a fresh architecture AMD refers to as "Graphics Core Next." Based on a new 28nm process technology and utilizing more than 4.3 billion transistors, Graphics Core Next uses a revised instruction set architecture, gives each compute unit the ability to simultaneously execute instructions from multiple kernels, and delivers an increased number of instructions per clock cycle per square millimeter of GPU space. The result, so AMD claims, is "designed for high utilization, high throughput, and multitasking."

We'll examine how well the 7970 achieves those goals in due time, but first we should look more deeply at what the card offers on a component level. The maxed-out new Southern Islands GPU (the 7900 series, code-named "Tahiti") can contain up to 32 compute units (CUs) supported by two geometry engines and rasterizers (one of each for every collection of 16 CUs), one L2 cache up to 768KB, four render back-ends (offering 32 color ROPs per clock and 128 Z/stencil ROPs per clock), and a 384-bit GDDR5 memory interface with bandwidth up to 264GBps. Cards in the 7900 series can also make full use of the newest and speediest PCI Express (PCIe) 3.0 x16 bus interface.

AMD didn't stop with just internal developments. The company promises that the Southern Islands cards will offer improved cooling and acoustics, by way of a new sixth-generation vapor chamber and a wider fan with new blades that are capable of wicking away more heat than before. Power issues have received plenty of attention as well, with PowerTune technology for intelligent monitoring of energy usage on an application-by-application basis when the proper electrical and thermal headroom are available.

Also new is ZeroCore Power Technology, which shuts down the GPU and turns off the fan during long idle states, for a reduction in idle power usage of up to 95 percent. According to AMD, this delivers additional benefits in CrossFireX configurations: Secondary GPUs are always in the ZeroCore Power state when they're not in use, with the primary GPU joining them during long idle periods, thus saving even more power in systems that traditionally suck it up with party-animal abandon.

Like all of the company's video cards, those in the 7900 series support?DirectX 11 (and it's posed for?DX11.1 when Windows 8?comes around)?the full range of AMD's proprietary technologies. Eyefinity is back, but with a twist: Though it still makes for an easy way to run multiple monitors, the 7970 is the first card capable of driving three stereoscopic 3D displays by itself using new monitors that support DisplayPort 3D; the 7900 series isn't even limited to a single audio stream, but can out multiple independent streams at once. Other new Eyefinity features introduced with the Catalyst 11.10 driver update include new monitor configurations (5-by-1 landscape and portrait), full support for setups using multiple 1,920-by-1,200 and 2,560-by-1,600 monitors, and flexible bezel compensation.

If the 7970 sounds beefy from a spec standpoint, it is indeed. The card's 250-watt TDP hasn't changed from the 6970, but almost everything else has been dialed up. The card is driven by an astonishing 2,048 stream processors and has a 925MHz engine clock; AMD estimates the card delivers 3.79 teraflops of compute performance. Thirty-two ROPs and 128 Z/stencils max out the GPU's capability. Memory has been packed on, too, with the 7970 housing a remarkable 3GB of GDDR5, twice what the GTX 580 carries; the bandwidth is the aforementioned 264GBps, the memory clock runs at 1,375MHz, and the overall data rate is 5.5Gbps. (The last two specs are not increases over those of AMD's last-generation top single-GPU card, the Radeon HD 6970, for what it's worth.)

Video outputs are a strong collection as well, with two Mini DisplayPort jacks (supporting the DisplayPort 1.2 standard), one HDMI 1.4a port, and one dual-link DVI port. The last is beginning to look mighty legacy, as both the Mini DisplayPort and HDMI ports are now capable of driving the 4K displays that are almost certainly coming in the next generation or so. (AMD touts its cards as being the first on the market to support this new hardware.) And there is again a switch that lets you return to the factory settings any time you want, so you can overclock to your heart's content safe in the knowledge it will be tough to do any permanent damage.

Positive as all this is, the typical downsides to such a powerful card are here as well.? You will need to run two additional cables from your power supply (one eight-pin, one six-pin), and the card's oversize fan?heat sink unit means it blocks an adjacent expansion slot. But because the card is of a reasonable length (11 inches), these are minor annoyances well in keeping with video cards this high up in the enthusiast spectrum.

What does all this mean in terms of gaming performance? A lot. In our testing (on a system set up using an Asus P9X79 Deluxe motherboard running the Intel Core i7-3960X CPU) we saw some significant jumps over both AMD's own 6970 and Nvidia's GTX 580. The 7970's overall 3DMark 11 score was 2,734, an 861-point increase over what we saw from the 6970 (1,873) and 619 points higher than what the GTX 580 earned (2,115). The 7970 triumphed in almost all of our gaming benchmarks, often by large degrees, at least at 1,920 by 1,200. When we tested Aliens vs. Predator at that resolution, for example, the 7970's result of 55.1 frames per second (fps) was well ahead of the 6970's 47.2fps and the GTX 580's 43.6fps. The 7970 barely eked out a playable 31fps against the GTX 580's 27.2fps in Total War: Shogun 2 at 1,920 by 1,200, though the GTX 580 couldn't even run the game's benchmark with all the details cranked.

The 7970, it should be noted, didn't ace every test. The GTX 580 did marginally better in DiRT 3 (69.5fps versus 66.9fps) and HAWX 2 (140 versus 130), both at 1,920 by 1200. And a lot of the 7970's impressive leads dropped at 2,560 by 1,600, with only about 7fps separating the cards at Aliens vs. Predator (34.7fps versus 27.5fps), 1fps at DiRT 3 (47.7fps versus 46.7fps, the 7970 winning the competition here it couldn't quite at 1,920 by 1,200), and 12fps in Just Cause 2 (40.6fps versus 28.6fps, as compared with the wider gap between 60fps and 36.8fps for that game we saw at 1,920 by 1,200). And looked at beside either AMD's or Nvidia's more expensive?dual-GPU gaming cards, the Radeon HD 6990 and the GeForce GTX 590 respectively, the 7970 looks like small performance potatoes. (Though, for the record, the GTX 590 couldn't run Total War: Shogun 2 at 2,560 by 1,600.)

Where the 7970 really distinguished itself was in terms of power usage. AMD's efforts in this regard really paid off, as our test bed was able to idle at an impressive minimum of 99.8 watts; that's less than we saw with either the 6970 (107.8) or the GTX 580 (117.3). But when running under full graphics load the 7970's full-system power draw rose to only 245.9 watts?again, this is below the results we got from both the 6970 (249.8 watts) and the GTX 580 (264.6 watts), and the 7970 gives you the most polygon-pushing power.

So, folks, it's that time again to declare a new Editors' Choice and a new "sensibly priced" (as opposed to the dual-GPU models, anyway) enthusiast video card. No matter what game you want to play or, within reason, what resolution you want to play it at, this is the one-GPU card that will excel most at the job best. Its price may still be steep, and you may be able to find GTX 580 cards on the market for less (around $500), but if full-tilt gaming without compromises?is what you crave, you won't be able?to do better than the AMD Radeon HD 7970. At least for a while.

More Graphics Card reviews:
??? AMD Radeon HD 7970
??? Nvidia Quadro 4000
??? Nvidia Quadro 5000
??? Nvidia Quadro 2000
??? AMD Radeon HD 6450
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/4msdGyzXZk8/0,2817,2397914,00.asp

dia frampton zook john elway john elway eric decker eric decker dallas cowboys cheerleaders

Italy seeking women with French breast implants (AP)

ROME ? Italy's health ministry is asking hospitals to track down women who received silicone breast implants made by a suspect French company due to concerns the implants may be unsafe.

The ministry's health council also suggested that women with Poly Implant Prothese, or PIP, implants contact their surgeons because there's a "greater probability of rupture and inflammatory reaction." The council met Thursday in an emergency session to discuss the potential threat of the silicone implants.

French health authorities on Friday will decide whether to recommend mass surgery for women who received PIP implants. Investigators say they were made with cheap industrial silicone, not medical grade silicone, and that more than 1,000 women have had one or two implants burst.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_re_eu/eu_italy_france_implants

barkley beltran space ball jim mora arian foster patsy cline the weeknd echoes of silence

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Margarine Still Missing After Stolen Truck Found

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Authorities say a thief who slipped away with $50,000 worth of margarine remains at large even though the truck that carried the payload has been recovered.

The trailer was parked awaiting delivery to a Target warehouse in Cedar Falls when it was stolen Dec. 10 from a parking lot near Waterloo. It was found Dec. 15 in a parking lot more than 500 miles away in Fowler, Mich.

But the thief and the margarine are nowhere to be found.

Waterloo police Capt. Rick Abben says the theft was the latest in a series of semitrailer thefts in the area during the past 18 months.

He says the others included a trailer filled with beef jerky, one loaded with dog food and one carrying dental hygiene products.

'; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/22/margarine-still-missing-a_0_n_1164471.html

do a barrelroll bérénice marlohe bérénice marlohe google offers tim gunn tim gunn death clock

Oil above $99 amid signs US crude demand improving (AP)

SINGAPORE ? Oil prices rose above $99 a barrel Thursday in Asia as signs of improving U.S. crude demand were offset by ongoing concerns about Europe's debt crisis.

Benchmark crude for February delivery was up 47 cents to $99.14 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.43 to settle at $98.67 on Wednesday.

In London, Brent crude was up 7 cents at $107.78 on the ICE futures exchange.

Oil jumped Wednesday amid evidence U.S. crude demand could be growing. The Energy Information Administration said Wednesday that crude inventories fell last week by 10.6 million barrels, the biggest drop ever for that time period and a much larger drop that the decrease of 2.3 million barrels forecast in an analyst survey by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill.

Crude has zigzagged near $100 for the last five weeks, with prices capped by investor fears that austerity measures to lower debt levels could trigger a recession in Europe next year.

Traders are also eyeing potential disruptions to global crude supplies. Tensions between Western nations and Iran, the world's fourth biggest crude producer, have been rising over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Political instability in Kazakhstan, which exports about 1.3 million barrels of oil per day or about 1.5 percent of world demand, could also threaten its supplies.

Trading volume normally falls during the next two weeks as many traders take vacations around the Christmas and New Year's Day holidays.

In other energy trading on the Nymex, natural gas rose 2.2 cents to $3.18 per 1,000 cubic feet. Heating oil fell 0.2 cent to $2.92 a gallon and gasoline futures were up 0.1 cent to $2.62 a gallon.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices

enews mona simpson mona simpson grady sizemore grady sizemore samhain great pumpkin charlie brown

Friday, December 23, 2011

Yahoo May Be Poised to Exit Asia with Alibaba Disposition (NewsFactor)

Even as Yahoo looks for a successor to fired CEO Carol Bartz, the ailing search prince may be looking to shed more corporate assets: Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan.

According to several news reports, Yahoo's board of directors is considering selling off most of the company's holdings in the Alibaba Group of China and its Japanese affiliate. Yahoo would sell the assets back to their majority owners. Softbank is the controlling owner of Yahoo Japan. Yahoo's board is reportedly reviewing the transaction.

According to Forbes, the deal is a complicated transaction with high stakes: Yahoo could reap $17 billion from the sale of the Asia assets. Yahoo paid $1 billion to buy into Alibaba in 2005. On the news, Yahoo's stock price reached $15.99 on a 5.82 percent rise.

Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence, noted that the so-called Asian assets are the most valuable ones that Yahoo has at the moment, according to the market. "Yahoo has had a troubled relationship with Jack Ma [the founder and chairman of Alibaba] and Alibaba so I wouldn't be surprised to see it go," Sterling said. "Ma also either wants out of Yahoo entirely or wants to control the entire company."

Alibaba Breaks Through

If Yahoo sheds its Asia assets, it would help focus the company and make shareholders happy. Many of Yahoo's stakeholders have cried for the sale of Alibaba, in which Yahoo owns a 40 percent stake. Yahoo owns a 35 percent stake in Yahoo Japan, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal.

But where Yahoo has struggled, Alibaba.com has performed. Alibaba's revenue was up 11 percent year-over-year in the third quarter of 2011 despite a depressed global economy and the decline in manufacturing. Revenue from Alibaba.com's international marketplace also increased by 11.8 percent. And revenue from its China marketplace increased 13.9 percent.

"We remain committed to our world's largest B2B customer base and will continue to evolve our business to better serve them with a number of initiatives designed to improve supplier quality and the buyer experience," said Jonathan Lu, CEO of Alibaba.com in the earnings report. During the third quarter, Alibaba.com attracted nearly 4 million new users, for a total of 72.8 million registered users, and now hosts more than 360,000 new storefronts, for a total of 9.6 million.

Yahoo Gets More Social

Meanwhile, Yahoo is forging ahead in the U.S. On Wednesday, Yahoo extended the Facebook integration launched at the f8 developers conference in September. The news activity feature is now available on another 26 Yahoo sites, including omg!, Yahoo TV, Yahoo Movies, and Yahoo Games.

A new social feature, Notifications, has also launched in the U.S., alerting people to social conversations and activity across Yahoo. Yahoo is hoping to bring a deeply personalized, social news experience to its visitors, and reports more than 12 million people have opted in since launch.

"In just three months, we've seen traffic from Facebook to Yahoo! News in the U.S. increase by 300 percent," said Blake Irving, chief product officer, Yahoo, "so we're excited to extend this social activation to more of our worldwide content sites."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20111222/tc_nf/81491

pumpkin seeds mark herzlich malawi malawi angela davis angela davis zombie apocalypse

Iraq extends deadline for Iranian exiles to leave

In this Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 photo provided by the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, Iraqi police stand guard outside the opposition group's camp northeast of Baghdad, Iraq. The Iraqi government has announced an April deadline for the first time for all 3,400 Iranian exiles in Camp Ashraf to leave the country. By that date, a plan must be in place for the exiles, and they have to approve it _ something that could cause further delays. (AP Photo/People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran)EDITORIAL USE ONLY EDS NOTE: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS NO WAY OF INDEPENDENTLY VERIFYING THE CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE.

In this Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 photo provided by the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, Iraqi police stand guard outside the opposition group's camp northeast of Baghdad, Iraq. The Iraqi government has announced an April deadline for the first time for all 3,400 Iranian exiles in Camp Ashraf to leave the country. By that date, a plan must be in place for the exiles, and they have to approve it _ something that could cause further delays. (AP Photo/People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran)EDITORIAL USE ONLY EDS NOTE: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS NO WAY OF INDEPENDENTLY VERIFYING THE CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE.

(AP) ? Under international pressure, the Iraqi government on Wednesday backed off its threat to close a refugee camp holding 3,400 Iranian exiles by the end of the month.

Instead, Iraq said it will shut Camp Ashraf sometime in January and insisted that all its residents must leave the country by April. It promised not to deport anyone to Iran.

A spokeswoman for the exiles responded positively to elements of the plan and insisted that the U.S. and U.N. guarantee their safety. The extension of the deadline raises the likelihood of a peaceful resolution to the standoff, heading off a possible bloodbath that many international observers have feared.

The future of Camp Ashraf, home to exiles dedicated to the overthrow of the Iranian regime, has been a sticking point for Iraq's Shiite-led government, which counts Iran as an ally.

The armed People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran first moved to the camp during the regime of Saddam Hussein, who saw the group as a convenient ally against Tehran. U.S. soldiers disarmed them during the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been determined to close down the camp, located in barren terrain northeast of Baghdad about 50 miles from the Iranian border. His government considers the camp, which the exiles vigorously defend with a sophisticated public relations operation in the West, as an affront to Iraq's sovereignty.

"We don't want to hand them over to Iran. We don't want to kill them. We don't want to oppress them and we don't want to starve them. But their presence in Iraq is illegal and illegitimate," al-Maliki said during a press conference Wednesday, three days after the last U.S. soldiers left the country.

The Iraqi government had vowed to shut the camp completely by the end of December and move the residents to another location. That raised concerns that forcibly removing them would result in violence, and the United Nations has been trying to broker a deal.

The U.N. has said that at least 34 people were killed in a raid on the camp by Iraqi security forces last April.

On Wednesday, Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the government had worked out a plan to move up to 800 of the residents to a new facility in Baghdad by the end of December. That facility is a former American military base called Camp Liberty.

Al-Dabbagh said the rest of the residents would be relocated as soon as possible in January. Once they have all moved, Camp Ashraf would be closed. He said all the camp's residents would then be relocated outside of Iraq by no later than April.

In a statement Wednesday, the head of the People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, Maryam Rajavi, welcomed a peaceful solution for Camp Ashraf. She said she has asked the Ashraf residents to relocate to Camp Liberty provided certain conditions are observed including U.S. and U.N. monitoring.

Al-Dabbagh said the plan calls for camp residents who are citizens of non-Iranian countries to move there eventually. But most of the residents have only Iranian citizenship, so homes in other countries would have to be found for them as well. He said no one will be forcibly sent back to Iran and that they would be treated well at Camp Liberty.

A U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, said Wednesday that the process of moving the residents to a new location and eventually resettling them would take time.

"We're gratified to see that the Iraqi government is going to give it a little bit more time and that they're particularly cooperating well with the U.N. process," she said.

For all the discussion over Camp Ashraf, little is known about the inside of the camp or its residents' day-to-day lives. The Iraqi government generally does not allow journalists to visit.

The road to Camp Ashraf is heavily guarded with signs warning people against taking photographs. The Iraqi Army keeps people from getting too close, and all that's visible of the camp are towers from which troops monitor the inhabitants.

The residents complain that they don't get proper medical treatment or enough fuel in the winter. And they accuse the Iraqi government of harassing them through hundreds of loudspeakers stationed around the camp, blaring insults and threats around the clock.

Iraqi guards outside Camp Ashraf say it's the residents, not the security officials, who hurl insults with loudspeakers. They also contend that the residents regularly attack the soldiers with stones. The guards say the residents have regular access to medical care, and that the only items withheld are possible poisons and explosives.

The guards did not want to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The U.S. State Department has said it does not know of any limits on food or water but that there were concerns over making sure the residents had enough fuel.

__

Juhi reported from Sheik Shnaif Village near the camp. Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-21-ML-Iraq-Camp-Ashraf/id-e0afc8646daa44f8b4dad59f9d58bdc5

the three stooges top model all stars americas next top model mark buehrle mark buehrle rick perry ad rick perry ad

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Man who died in Washington fire faced rape charge (AP)

VANCOUVER, Wash. ? A man suspected of killing his wife and her sister and shooting at firefighters before he died in their burning home on Dec. 7 had been scheduled to surrender the next day to face a child rape charge, authorities said.

Authorities didn't know before the incident that suspect Steven D. Stanbary of Washougal had a history of being heavily armed, schizophrenic, anti-government and violent, Clark County senior deputy prosecutor Dustin Richardson told The Columbian ( http://is.gd/BEbd6X) in a story Thursday.

"Had that been clear, the whole process of having an attorney turn him in ... might have been different," Richardson said.

Before the fire, Richardson had just a basic criminal history that showed Stanbary had only misdemeanor convictions because more serious charges had been reduced by plea bargains or other circumstances.

It was later learned that police in Idaho had discovered six AK-47s and a grenade launcher in Stanbary's possession during a 1994 arrest. But that case was dropped to a minor assault in a plea deal.

In addition, information emerged that Stanbary had stopped receiving treatment for delusional schizophrenia in 1988 when he refused to take medications. At that time, his then-wife, Debra Hughes, told Idaho police she believed he was dangerous.

Richardson said he might have changed his plans for letting Stanbary turn himself in through his attorney if the records had shown a pattern involving weapons. However, police generally don't seek more information on criminal histories of suspects unless the cases show a specific pattern of criminal behavior or dishonesty, he said.

The prosecutors credited the media for bringing those additional details to light after Stanbary's violent death.

Reports released Wednesday show Washougal police suspect Stanbary molested a girl over a number of years beginning when she was 9 and ending several years before she reported it in December 2010.

Richardson had concerns about several aspects of the case and said he didn't believe he had strong enough evidence to charge Stanbury until late November. Stanbary was supposed to turn himself in with an attorney on Dec. 8.

"He obviously had different plans," Richardson said.

On Dec. 7, gunfire and exploding ammunition kept firefighters away from his burning home. The three bodies were later found inside.

Stanbary's wife, Leona, told police she suspected the girl may have made up the abuse story so she could move out and live with her boyfriend.

"I'll kill him if it happened," Leona Stanbary told the detective, referring to Steven Stanbary, the police report said.

The girl and her boyfriend said in separate interviews with police that Steven Stanbary was a binge drinker who became nasty when inebriated.

___

Information from: The Columbian, http://www.columbian.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_re_us/us_house_fire_gunshots_rape

telenav wade phillips wade phillips new orleans hornets chris paul time person of the year ndaa

Saturday, December 17, 2011

MTV names Katy Perry its 1st artist of the year

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2011 file photo, singer Katy Perry arrives at the 39th Annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Perry is MTV's first artist of the year. MTV said Thursday that Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson with five No. 1 singles from the same album made her omnipresent in pop culture. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2011 file photo, singer Katy Perry arrives at the 39th Annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles. Perry is MTV's first artist of the year. MTV said Thursday that Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson with five No. 1 singles from the same album made her omnipresent in pop culture. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Katy Perry's run of No. 1 singles has earned her the distinction of becoming MTV's first artist of the year.

Perry topped Adele after a spirited discussion among MTV's internal panel of experts, the network said Thursday. Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was chosen top song of 2011, said Amy Doyle, the network's chief of music programming.

MTV also declared Skrillex its electronic dance music artist of the year over David Guetta.

Different parts of MTV would make "best of" lists in the past, but the network wanted to establish a franchise that brought all its online and TV arms together and emphasized MTV's music roots, Doyle said. The network, established in 1981, hopes it becomes an annual thing.

Seven panelists made the final choice, and their deliberations were featured in MTV programming this week.

"Rolling in the Deep" was an obvious selection as top song, Doyle said. Runners-up were Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Rihanna's "We Found Love."

"I loved the song the moment I wrote it," Adele said. "The melody and the beat added some conviction to it. I think that's why people connected with it."

Perry's achievement of tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" as the only albums to yield five No. 1 singles was particularly impressive, Doyle said. Along with the title cut, "California Gurls," ''E.T.," ''Firework" and "Last Friday Night" (T.G.I.F.) all topped the charts. She's trying to beat the record with the current single "The One That Got Away."

"You just really felt her presence in pop culture throughout the year," Doyle said.

Skrillex, whose real name is Sonny Moore, describes his music as a combination of "dubstep, electro and glitch." MTV included the category of best electronic dance music artist to pay tribute to the way the style is taking off with its young viewers, she said.

MTV also asked its viewers to vote on their choice of the best live performances shown on MTV all year. Their choice was "Hurricane" by Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-15-MTV-Artist%20of%20Year/id-7e9d2924d7c24a22a5a6613c3d465f47

mitchel musso bad lip reading gilad shalit gilad shalit santonio holmes john edward psychic john edward psychic

Military hearing resumes in Manning leak case (AP)

FORT MEADE, Md. ? The military court case against the young soldier blamed for the largest leak of classified material in American history resumed Saturday after an Army appeals court rejected a defense effort to remove the presiding officer.

Army Pfc. Bradley Manning was back in a military courtroom Saturday, his 24th birthday, to hear prosecutors begin presenting their case against him as the source for the WikiLeaks website's collection of U.S. military and diplomatic secrets.

The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to bring Manning to trial. Manning's lawyers tried to oust Lt. Col. Paul Almanza as the presiding officer because of alleged bias, but an Army appeals court rejected their request late Friday.

Separately, lawyers for WikiLeaks and founder Julian Assange are asking the Army Court of Criminal Appeals to guarantee them two seats in the courtroom at Fort Meade.

Manning, a one-time intelligence analyst stationed in Baghdad, is accused of leaking hundreds of thousands of sensitive items including Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, State Department cables and a classified military video of a 2007 American helicopter attack in Iraq that killed 11 men, including a Reuters news photographer and his driver.

The Obama administration says the released information has threatened valuable military and diplomatic sources and strained America's relations with other governments.

Friday was Manning's first appearance in public after 19 months in detention. He appeared slight but serious in his Army camouflage fatigues and dark-rimmed glasses, taking notes during the proceedings and answering straightforwardly when called upon by Almanza.

Manning, a native of Crescent, Okla., is relying on a defense that will argue much of the classified information posed no risk.

In addition to claims of partiality, his lawyer, David Coombs, argued that Almanza wrongly denied the defense's request to call as witnesses the officials who marked as secret the material WikiLeaks later published. Instead, the officer accepted unsworn statements from those people, Coombs said.

Friday's tangling, however, centered primarily on Almanza's Justice Department job. "I don't believe I'm biased," Almanza said, explaining that his government work concerns child exploitation and obscenity. He said he hasn't talked about WikiLeaks or Manning with anyone in the department or FBI.

The Justice Department has a separate criminal investigation into Assange. A U.S. grand jury is weighing whether to indict Assange on espionage charges, even as he is in Britain fighting a Swedish request that he be extradited because of rape allegations.

Manning's hearing at this Army post outside Washington is open to the public, with limited seating. Assange's lawyer filed a request Friday with the Army appeals court seeking two guaranteed seats in the Fort Meade courtroom, one for the attorney representing the Wikileaks organization and the other for Assange's non-U.S. attorney.

Inside the courtroom, no civilian recording equipment is allowed. Instead of a judge, a presiding officer delivers a recommendation as to whether prosecutors have enough evidence to bring a suspect to trial. A military commander then makes the final decision.

The case has spawned an international support network of people who believe the U.S. government has gone too far in seeking to punish Manning, and a few dozen showed up outside Fort Meade on Friday to rally on his behalf.

"I plan to march all night tonight and bring as much attention as I can to put the entire country on notice that we have a hero who's standing trial for nothing more than telling the truth," said Dan Choi, a gay West Point graduate discharged from the military for revealing his sexual orientation. He wore a bright orange "Bradley Manning Support Network" sticker on the lapel of his uniform jacket.

Others were less supportive.

"That man did something very wrong," said Mandie Stanley, a 19-year-old who lives on the Army post with her husband, a member of the Air Force. She spotted the protesters and decided to come out with a sign that said: "Don't leak classified information, stupid!"

___

Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield and Mark Sherman contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_manning_wikileaks

bob knight bob knight lavar arrington hope solo dancing with the stars hope solo dancing with the stars jack wagner matt jones

Michelle Obama donates gifts to Toys for Tots (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Michelle Obama is urging people to give to charities for the holiday season as she brought more than 800 gifts Friday from White House staff to donate to the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.

The first lady also got a surprise invitation from a soldier to be his date at next year's Marine Corps Ball.

Lance Cpl. Aaron Leeks, 20, of Frederick, Md., said he asked Obama to accompany him because he's a fan and admires her work to support the military.

When Obama was sorting toys at the charity event and came close to Leeks, he leaned over a toy bin and got her attention to pop the question. The first lady smiled and called over a staff member as she chatted with Leeks.

"She said she'd love to go," Leeks said. "Actually, she said I'd need to speak to her husband, too, but she said she'd love to."

Leeks said he plans to follow up on his invitation. In January, he will be deployed for the first time to Afghanistan but plans to attend the ball when he's home next year.

Later at the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked whether the president would consider such an offer. Carney said that may be the first the president was hearing about this.

"The first lady's commitment to military families is very strong, indeed," he said. "So I'm sure she was flattered by the invitation."

Obama has supported the Toys for Tots campaign for each of the last three years and urges White House staff to buy gifts to donate. She said they had a 27 percent increase in donations this year.

"It's not too late to donate," she said. "It's still important to nudge our neighbors to give, give, give. We need people to bring in toys like never before."

Millions of families rely on such gifts to make the holidays special for their children, she said.

She hauled in a big red bag of toys, slung over her shoulder to the Washington military base Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. She wished volunteers a "Merry Christmas" and helped sort toys into bins marked for boy and girls by age group. Obama noted more toys are needed for older children, including books and games.

For people who are doing well this year, "it's up to us to dig deep and to make sure we take care of our neighbors out there who may be struggling," she said.

Organizers said the toys will be distributed to needy children in the Washington area.

Obama said her daughter Malia was impressed to learn that Toys for Tots was started by the Marines.

"You all have given so much to our country, as Malia has recognized, and you just keep giving more," Obama said.

Retired Marine Gen. Pete Osman, president and CEO of Quantico, Va.-based Toys for Tots, said Obama is their "No. 1 volunteer," and he called her commitment to military families "incredible."

"It sends a big signal to the military," he said of Obama's support. "When you've got someone like the first lady behind you, how can you go wrong?"

The charity's challenge this year, though, is rising demand as people are still suffering because of the economy, he said. The group has increased the number of toy drives nationwide this year to 730.

The event was Michelle Obama's last holiday stop in Washington. Later Friday, she and daughters Malia and Sasha were scheduled to depart for their annual holiday trip to see family in Hawaii. She said she didn't know when the president would be able to join them. Congress is still grappling with budget issues to close out the year.

___

Online:

Toys for Tots: http://toysfortots.org

___

Brett Zongker can be reached at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_re_us/us_michelle_obama_holiday_gifts

turducken power rangers jungle fury power rangers jungle fury ufc 139 fight card cloudy with a chance of meatballs houston nutt houston nutt