INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? The Indiana Department of Revenue says it has opened this year's income tax return filing season and has begun processing individual returns.
It took the steps Wednesday on the same day the Internal Revenue Service opened the federal season.
The agency says the General Assembly passed legislation providing for an Automatic Taxpayer Refund credit for the 2012 tax year. Taxpayers are eligible for the credit if they filed a full-year Indiana resident income tax return for tax year 2011 in a timely manner, including extensions, and if they do so for the 2012 tax year. They also must owe some tax to the state for 2012. The refundable credit is $111 per taxpayer or $222 for a married couple filing a joint return.
More information is available online at http://www.in.gov/dor/4761.htm .
JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? A South African billionaire says his family will give away half of its money to charity.
The South African Press Association reported that Patrice Motsepe said at a press conference Wednesday that it is important for the successful to help the less fortunate.
Forbes Magazine says Motsepe is the fourth-richest man in South Africa and the eighth richest on the continent. Forbes says Motsepe has a net worth of $2.65 billion, wealth made in the mining sector.
Motsepe said his family decided to join the Giving Pledge, which was initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates. The pledge encourages wealthy families across the world to give at least half of their money to charity.
Stress is a stretch that causes anxiety and it is ordinarily connected with worried tension and fatigue. The headquarters is one of the major contributors of stress pro all public. Despite the reasons that can cause stress, here are quick and straightforward ways to deal with stress by bring about and be converted into more productive. Vacancy stress can affect your qualified and confidential relationships, your livelihood, and your affect. The skilled news is that you?re not toothless. If you want to know more tips about dealing with work stress, you can read the article below.
First, to identify the factors causing you stress, try keeping a stress supply: For lone week enter down the situations, actions and public who cause you to have a unenthusiastic corporal, mental or emotional response. Give a concise class of the circumstances. Where were you? Who was involved? Also, explain your result. Did you feel frustrated, angry or worried? After a week, sit down and look by your stress supply. Choose lone circumstances to bring about on using problem-solving techniques.
Second, as we are stressed, we look with to lean forwards in order to focus our attention on what we sort made known. This makes the small muscles of the throat and back to bring in this area overtime. For a quick relief, thwart your fingers behind your narrow part and get behind your shoulders backwards so that they occur closer. Then leave your head to fall forwards and your chin to upset your sternum. Bring your elbows in front and join them. Push your hands down pro a hardly any seconds and at that time relax.
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Investing in real estate is a scary prospect for many people. Concerns include the legalities involved as well as the condition of the real estate market. One way to lay your fear to rest is more knowledge, and the following tips can provide valuable insight to get you started.
Before purchasing a home, you should take a thorough look into the neighborhood. You need to find a neighborhood that meet your needs so that you will be totally satisfied with your home for the long haul. If you know the character of the neighborhood before buying, you will avoid such problems.
TIP! Make sure you have an emergency fund set aside for extra costs that arise while purchasing property. Closing costs are generally calculated based on the down payment, interest rates the bank charges, and real estate taxes that have been pro-rated.
Before purchasing a home in an unfamiliar neighborhood, check out that neighborhood using your state?s sex offender database. Sex offender information is available to the public but it is not the responsibility of home sellers or realtors to provide that information to you. Do your own research!
Establish and prioritize a set of goals for the negotiation process. Identify the issues at hand, and lay out your expectations. Your priorities are dictated by how strong your expectations are for a given issue. Keep in mind that you cannot get all that you have asked for in the negotiation; some issues should remain flexible.
If your employment isn?t steady, you may want to reconsider a home purchase until it becomes so. Once your name is affixed on mortgage documents, the monthly payments will be due and payable for the life of the loan, regardless of your current situation. If your job is not secure, then you must have the means to make those payments until another income source can be found. If you can?t do this, now is not the time to purchase a home.
You should be able to locate information and resources that pertain to purchasing real estate, both online and off. You should also understand what steps are involved in the process as well as the legalities. So read over these tips and use them well. It important to be knowledgeable before making the leap into real estate. Learn everything you possibly can and you just might be one the many success stories.
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Near Death Experience/ Reincarnation- 2,500 plus children have a similar?story
A young boy is pushed into a freezing cold fish pond by his older sister. She runs to get help. He drowns, his lifeless body floats in his Navy blue, one piece snow suit. ?I remember rising from my body, I was so free, I was hovering above the scene. I could see my sister running into Mrs Bond?s house, the babysitter. Yet, I was not concerned with that, I saw the light and was being gently pulled towards something beautiful. I saw my relatives in the light. I didn?t see their bodies, just felt their voice and energy. ?I didn?t want to come back. It was so beautiful there. I was given a choice by an energy and I chose to return to my body. My mom was there, crying for me to return, so I did return. I new there was a reason to come back.?
The Boy Who Lived Before Cameron tell?s of his former family. ?I fell through a hole and am now with you mom and dad. With his family Cameron goes on a journey to find his former life, family and where he claimed he lived. He described life as a boy in Barra, an outer Island of Scotland, ?I lived in a white house, by the Sea with my three brothers and sisters.? His mother Norma Macauly tell ?s that from the age of two Cameron has told of his former life, and the older he got the more detailed his account has become. As it is over 200 miles to Berra, and Cameron has not been to Berra, she finds it impossible that he has any knowledge of Barra. Barra lies of the western coast of Scotland, 120 miles from Glasgow and can only be reached by a lengthy boat ride or an hour long flyte. It?s home to 1,000 people and was an out post of Scotland. ?My Barra dad?s name is Shane Robertson was knocked over by a car.? Norma takes Cameron to Barra and is amazed that he can name every part of the Island. Cameron takes her to his former house, tell?s of how the house used to be, takes her to his favorite beach, he show?s where the planes landed and he can recount so many details that Norma is convinced that Cameron lived there before he became her son.
Jim B Tucker MD Life Before Life- A Scientific Investigation of Children?s Memories of Past Lives ?I trained at University of Children?s Psychiatry, I was not fullfilled by it. My wife was into meditation and psychic?s. With her interest I became curious. Now I know that there are over 2,500 cases of children who report memories of past lives. I look for common birthmark?s, or a common dream of the previous mother asking the child to come back to her. And a third feature is the child predicts where it will come back. That we register the case. Prenema is a young girl in Schrelonka, started talking about having a previous life and a family kaladea temple, was on TV and she started talking about being an incencene seller and hit by a truck and died, and it was varified. Her parents took a trip to the temple, she said she lived by the temple, she continues to talk about it and the went there, her brother in law went to where she lived and verified that every detail that Prenema had mentioned was accurate. Key to note, the brother in law did not believe in reincarnation.
Dr Raymond Moody recurrent discusssion @ the Medical College of Georgia, one of his professors recounted the death of her mother, seeing her spirit rise, ?The Shared Death Expereince has been told to me by medical professionals, Doctors and Nurses, and family members told me of their experience as a loved one passed on, and I found that the Shared Death expereince was idential to the Near Death Experience.?
Dr Moody noted the similarities of Similar and Near Death -Family members, Doctors and nurses tell of seeing the spirit leaving the body, there was a transparent replica of the person?s body leaving the body, others tell of a golden or grey light leaving the body, rises and leaves through the ceiling. -Bystanders, tell of their own spirit leaving their own body and accompaning the dying spirit part way -The geometry of the room changed from a cubical to a different shape when the spirit passed -That light fills the room, atherial music fills the room, a portal opens up and another dimension of reality appears momentarily -Most remarkable, the bystander see?s the life review of the dying person
James Leineger Picked his new parents because they were kind ?I?m stuck in my plane and I can?t get out. I flew from the USS Natoma and was shot down by the Japanese. My name is the same, James.? His father Bruce was stunned by his son?s words, he tracked down USS Natoma Leo Pike in Columbus, Ohio. ?Yes, James Huston was shot down. ?That?s Bob Greenwall who was also on the USS Natoma? James recounted confidentley as he looked at USS Natoma picture?s of the men on board. And they tracked down James sister Anne, ?Her name is Annie, and I had an older sister than that named Ruth.? His sister was amazed at James recall, ?It?s just to incredible. He is telling me of when we are children, things that happened that really happened. James and my sister are the only two people alive that new of two painting of James and myself. Only they could know this to be true.? When the Janapese media heard that James was shot down in Chi Chi Jema Japan and the site of James Huston?s plane crash they paid and had James and his family flown to the site in Japan. With out any help, James recounted where the planes had come from that shot him down. They held a memorial for his death and of the other?s that had died. James became very emotional and lost it. ?It wwas cathardic for James, the pictures of war and distruction that James had been drawing were replaced with pictures of Japanese boat?s and whales and dolphin?s. A book call ed ?Soul Survivor? was written. James, on the book, ?I truly hope that people will read the book and realise how precious and meaningful life is. And I hope it open?s people?s minds to the fact that reincarnation can happen.?
The Art of Dying Dr Peter Fenwick
In his book, ?The Art of Dying? Dr Peter Fenwick tell a similar occurance. ?Dying people tell of a dead relative coming to them, sitting on their bed, agreeing on a contract with the dying person, that they will return in a week?s time and than take the dying person on a journey. That at the time of death, alarms go off, T.V.?s stop working, there is a light around the dying person, cat?s, dog?s, birds respond to the dying person, that the dying person stands in a light that is with love and compassion and this is a very spiritual experience for them.
Regressions Therapy is a highly effective way to find out about past lives. Many Lives, Many Masters by Dr Brian Weiss is a wonderful read.
FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, file photo, the dome of the Capitol is reflected in a skylight of the Capitol Visitor's Center in Washington. By delaying hard choices on spending, the fiscal cliff deal guaranteed more confrontation and uncertainty this year, especially when Congress must vote later this winter to raise the government?s borrowing limit. That?s likely to keep businesses cautious about hiring and investing. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, file photo, the dome of the Capitol is reflected in a skylight of the Capitol Visitor's Center in Washington. By delaying hard choices on spending, the fiscal cliff deal guaranteed more confrontation and uncertainty this year, especially when Congress must vote later this winter to raise the government?s borrowing limit. That?s likely to keep businesses cautious about hiring and investing. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
HONOLULU (AP) ? President Barack Obama is hailing a last-minute deal that avoids the so-called fiscal cliff but says it's just one step in a broader effort to boost the economy and shrink federal deficits.
Obama said in his radio and Internet address Saturday that the new law ? approved by Congress on New Year's Day and signed Thursday ? raises taxes on the wealthiest Americans while preventing a middle-class tax hike that could have thrown the economy back into recession.
With the "fiscal cliff" crisis barely over, Obama faces new battles in Congress over raising the country's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit, as well as more than $100 billion in automatic spending cuts for the military and domestic programs which were delayed by two months under the compromise.
Lawmakers promise to replace those across-the-board cuts with more targeted steps that could take longer to implement.
Obama ? speaking from Hawaii, where he is on vacation with his family ? said he is willing to consider more spending cuts and tax increases to reduce the deficit.
But he said he "will not compromise" over his insistence that Congress lift the federal debt ceiling. The nation's credit rating was downgraded the last time lawmakers threatened inaction on the debt ceiling, in 2011.
"Our families and our businesses cannot afford that dangerous game again," Obama said.
If elected officials from both parties "focus on the interests of our country above the interests of party, I'm convinced we can cut spending and raise revenue in a manner that reduces our deficit and protects the middle class," Obama said.
In the Republican address, Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan said that as attention again turns to the debt limit, "we must identify responsible ways to tackle Washington's wasteful spending."
Americans know that "when you have no more money in your account and your credit cards are maxed out, then the spending must stop," Camp said.
PARIS (Reuters) - Former French screen goddess Brigitte Bardot on Friday threatened to follow Gerard Depardieu in asking for a Russian passport, in protest not at tax hikes, but at the treatment of two circus elephants.
The animals, named Baby and Nepal and owned by a touring circus, are thought to be carrying tuberculosis and were ordered to be put down by a court in Lyon, southern France, on Friday as a precautionary measure.
Bardot's threat comes a day after fellow actor Depardieu caused a storm in France by becoming a Russian citizen in protest at high tax rates proposed by the Socialist government, which he accuses of penalizing success.
"If those in power are cowardly and impudent enough to kill the elephants... then I have decided I will ask for Russian nationality to get out of this country which has become nothing more than an animal cemetery," Bardot said in a statement.
Owners Cirque Pinder also said on Friday they would appeal to save the elephants, which first tested positive for tuberculosis in 2010 but have since been kept in a zoo in Lyon away from the general public.
Bardot, who first rose to fame as a screen siren in the 1956 Roger Vadim film "And God Created Woman", has become an increasingly controversial figure with her outbursts on animal rights, but also on gays, immigrants and the unemployed.
Since retiring from the screen in the 1970s she has become a semi-recluse, devoting herself to her Brigitte Bardot Foundation for animal rights, and has frequently taken aim at Eid al-Adha festivities when Muslims ritually slaughter sheep.
In 2008 she was convicted for a fifth time in 11 years for incitement to religious hatred, over a 2006 tract on Eid al-Adha in which she said the Muslim community in France was "destroying our country by imposing its acts'.
(Reporting By Vicky Buffery, editing by Paul Casciato)
It's never easy seeing your ex has moved on?? especially when you break into his apartment and watch him sleep with his new girlfriend.
Nicole Dobol found this out the hard way when she busted into her ex-boyfriend's home and was so overcome by jealousy that it made her a bit crazy. The 29-year-old set the couple's mattress on fire while they were asleep and stood over them, watching the flames grow higher.
More from YourTango: How Relationships Affect Our Decisions (Including My Own)
Find out what happened to Dobol, her ex and his new flame at Huffington Post Crime:?Nicole Dobol Set Fire To Mattress Where Ex-Boyfriend, Another Woman Were Sleeping: Cops
<strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> You really think we've seen the last rose handed out? Not in a million years. ABC has already tapped their next "Bachelorette," and we know they'll have their eyes peeled for a hot rejected man from that spinoff to be the next "Bachelor."
"The Bachelorette"
<strong>"The Bachelorette," ABC</strong> <br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "Bachelor" Brad's also-ran Emily Maynard is getting her turn as the rose giver for the seventh season of "The Bachelorette" this summer. As long as there are people willing to look for love on reality TV, this show will keep on trucking.
"Body of Proof"
<strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "Body of Proof" has been falling below its timeslot competitor, CBS's "Unforgettable," but it still draws a decent audience and its fans are very vocal. ABC has decided it deserves a third season.
"Castle"
<strong>"Castle," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This show's ratings have definitely suffered without "Dancing With the Stars" airing beforehand, but it is a consistent performer. And now that Castle and Beckett's relationship is evolving, a fifth season of "oh yes they will" is a no-brainer.
"Charlie's Angels"
<strong>"Charlie's Angels," ABC</strong> <br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Not really a shock for anybody, but "Charlie's Angels" is cooked. Flimsy story, bad remake, questionable casting.
"Cougar Town"
<strong>"Cougar Town," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed -- for TBS!<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> The Season 3 ratings weren't boosted much by holding this show until midseason, but ABC's wonky air schedule also didn't help ... which is why the news that TBS has picked up the show for a fourth season is huge. Cheers with your Big Carl!
"Dancing With the Stars"
<strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "DWTS" may have lost its luster in the ratings, but if the viewers are still coming.
"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23"
<strong>"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> ABC's new bleep-worthy comedy starring Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker and James Van Der Beek is a funny one, and definitely embraces the quirk (Beek Jeans!), so we're excited to see what they do with a second season.
"Desperate Housewives"
<strong>"Desperate Housewives," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> After countless deaths, murders, betrayals and natural disasters on Wisteria Lane over the show's eight seasons, the ladies of "Desperate Housewives" will say goodbye forever this May.
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
<strong>"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br />
<strong>Why:</strong> After a whopping nine seasons, the do-gooding show came to an end in January. But worry not, it will continue to have a few specials to make viewers cry tears of joy.
"GCB"
<strong>"GCB," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This "Desperate Housewives"-esque dramedy premiered to less than 8 million viewers, and the phenomenal cast (Kristin Chenoweth, Annie Potts, Leslie Bibb) couldn't bring in a Texas-sized audience, so ABC canceled it.
"Grey's Anatomy"
<strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Shonda Rhimes' medical drama is a ratings juggernaut, even in its eighth season, and with most of her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/greys-anatomy-ellen-pompeo_n_1506113.html?ref=tv" target="_hplink">big stars signed on for more</a>, ABC gave the go-ahead for a ninth season.
"Happy Endings"
<strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This show is way too "ca-yute" to bubble it, and obviously someone high up at ABC agrees. After its first season was moved around and aired all out of order, the network still gave it another chance to find its audience in Season 2 ... and it has, and hopefully will continue to in Season 3.
"Last Man Standing"
<strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status: </strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Ratings for Tim Allen's return to sitcoms have been very strong, making it Tuesday's most-watched comedy. If you can beat "Glee" and "The Biggest Loser," a second season is a given.
"Man Up!"
<strong>"Man Up!," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> ABC pulled the show after eight episodes.
"The Middle"
<strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Now in its third season, "The Middle" is still holding onto its middle position in the ratings on Wednesday nights, and that seems just about right. It doesn't do "American Idol" or "Survivor" numbers, of course, but with over 7 million viewers, it's a strong comedy for the network that easily beats anything NBC is offering.
"Missing"
<strong>"Missing," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Ashley Judd lead this drama about a former CIA agent whose son goes missing, kicking her back into action to find him. The series was only set to air 10 episodes, miniseries-style, with the potential for more, but a cancellation means that's all they're getting.
"Modern Family"
<strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "Modern Family" remains ABC's biggest sitcom success story of the last decade, both in ratings and awards love. This critical darling is getting a fourth season of hijinks with the hilarious Pritchett-Dunphy clan.
"Once Upon A Time"
<strong>"Once Upon A Time," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "Once Upon a Time" has gotten praise for being one of the more family-friendly dramas on TV, and it's been pulling in close to 10 million viewers each week because of it. We're excited by the almost endless possibilities for new fairy tale-inspired stories to tackle in Season 2.
"Pan Am"
<strong>"Pan Am," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Poor "Pan Am" just never quite took off. The series' vintage look actually worked against it, much like NBC's swiftly canceled "Playboy Club" -- guess when you're being compared to award-winning shows like "Mad Men," it makes it more than a little tough to live up to the hype.
"Private Practice"
<strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "Private Practice" has never gotten "Grey's Anatomy"-level ratings, and things got shakier when ABC bumped it to Tuesday nights to make room for creator Shonda Rhimes' <em>other</em> new show, "Scandal," but they've given the show a sixth season order.
"Revenge"
<strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> With a clever mix of drama, mystery and serious revenge-ing, this is hands down one of the most addictive new shows on TV, and we can't wait to see where they take things in Season 2.
"The River"
<strong>"The River," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> The promise of "Paranormal Activity"-like scares each week quickly fizzled after this show premiered, along with the ratings. The first season's eight episodes came and went, and ABC has nixed any plans for more.
"Scandal"
<strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Shonda Rhimes' latest show isn't about doctors at all -- and that's why we're glad it's sticking around. Kerry Washington is amazing as Olivia Pope, a Washington, D.C. fixer with a crack team of specialists helping make bad headlines vanish before they're ever written. Here's hoping for more than seven episodes in its second season.
"Shark Tank"
<strong>"Shark Tank," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Now in its third season, this reality competition show is unlike any other on network TV and ABC is keeping it around for more for that very reason.
"Suburgatory"
<strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> It's smart, quick and not too cute -- "Suburgatory" is consistently named the sitcom you should be watching, but probably aren't. The great cast makes this one a no-brainer, and the ratings have stayed pretty consistent, too. We're thrilled it's getting a second season to shine!
"Work It"
<strong>"Work It," ABC</strong> <br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Let us count the ways ...
"2 Broke Girls"
<strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why: </strong>At first, people balked at the racist supporting characters, but now it seems that audiences are all over "2 Broke Girls" -- it's ratings have seen a steady increase, and it won the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Comedy.
"A Gifted Man"
<strong>"A Gifted Man," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why: </strong>"A Gifted Man's" total viewer numbers were OK for a Friday night, but a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic is especially bad for CBS. Another bad sign: star Patrick Wilson tweeted about the end: "I had a great time. Thanks to my fans. So happy it's done." And done it is.
"The Amazing Race"
<strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status: </strong>Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Voted the best reality show on TV several times (albeit years ago), "The Amazing Race" isn't going anywhere. Ratings have dropped a bit, but are still solid.
"The Big Bang Theory"
<strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Nothing seems to be able to make a dent in this show. With fantastic ratings (it beat "Idol"!) and a rabid following, we'll be seeing plenty more "Big Bang" before its run is over.
"Blue Bloods"
<strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed <br />
<strong>Why:</strong> The anchor of Friday nights on CBS, "Blue Bloods" has performed well, pulling in around 11 million viewers an episode. The show might not have the youngest audience, but it's still enough for CBS to keep it on the schedule.
"Criminal Minds"
<strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Paget Brewster might be checking out, but "Criminal Minds" is here to stay. In Season 7, the procedural is still a consistently strong ratings performer for CBS.
"CSI"
<strong>"CSI," CBS</strong> <br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Whenever the time comes, the "CSI" mothership will end with a lot of fanfare, but not this year. With new faces Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue around, there is going to be at least one more season.<br />
"CSI: Miami"
<strong>"CSI: Miami," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Out of the three (!) "CSI" programs on the air, "CSI: Miami" is the one to say goodbye first. The one-time ratings giant has been affected by football overruns (just as "The Good Wife" has) and "CSI: NY" has the edge in terms of total viewers, meaning a "Miami" sunset was inevitable. <br />
"CSI: NY"
<strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Of the two "CSI" spinoffs, "CSI: NY" is the stronger -- pulling in more than 10 million viewers on a Friday night is no easy task -- and with "CSI: Miami" canceled, "CSI: NY's" renewal was a no-brainer.
"The Good Wife"
<strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This critical darling suffered after its move from Tuesdays to Sundays thanks to sports overruns. The viewers are frustrated, but given its strong cast and Emmy love, the show is still coming back for more.
"Hawaii Five-0"
<strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Despite the scheduling setback as Alex O'Loughlin seeks treatment, Season 2 is still doing well for CBS in a very competitive timeslot.<br />
"How To Be a Gentleman"
<strong>"How To Be A Gentleman," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Not even having "The Big Bang Theory" as a lead-in could save this David Hornsby project, which only lasted three episodes.
"How I Met Your Mother"
<strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> CBS renewed "How I Met Your Mother" for two more seasons in March 2011, so fans can look forward to being strung along about the titular mother's identity for a bit longer.<br />
"The Mentalist"
<strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Although the show hit a season ratings low in the middle of February, its fanbase and overall ratings were enough to have it return for another season.
"Mike & Molly"
<strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Thanks to an Emmy win and Oscar nomination, Melissa McCarthy is a Hollywood power player and CBS is keen to keep her around. Just look at the multiple pilots she has in the works as a behind the scenes player! "Mike & Molly" will be back for a third season.
"NCIS"
<strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> The long-running procedural has become a ratings juggernaut at a time when most shows start shedding viewers. Season 10 is now happening.
"NCIS: Los Angeles"
<strong>"NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong>Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This show has gone up in the ratings over the last couple of years, and people can't get enough of L.L. Cool J and Chris O'Donnell.
"NYC 22"
<strong>"NYC 22," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This "Rookie Blue" clone from executive producer Robert DeNiro didn't really move the needle when it premiered midseason; CBS officially axed it with three episodes left to air.
"Person of Interest"
<strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> With ratings matching juggernauts like "Grey's Anatomy" and fans popping up everywhere, we'll be seeing another season of "Person of Interest."
"Rob"
<strong>"Rob," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> "Rob's" spot after ratings juggernaut "The Big Bang Theory" probably went a long way in helping it survive to see the end of its first season, but that's as far as it'll get.
"Rules of Engagement"
<strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> This show has moved around so much it's hard to remember when it's on, and with six seasons under its belt it's had quite a nice run. Despite slipping ratings and the aforementioned constant switcheroos, there's still a future for "Rules of Engagement."
"Survivor"
<strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status: </strong>Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Of <em>course</em> we have "Survivor" coming back for another season. Where else are we going to see petty squabbles and insane behavior on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world?
"Two and a Half Men"
<strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> Despite a less-than-favorable critical response, the revamped "Two and a Half Men" keeps pulling in respectable numbers every week. Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones will all return for a Season 10.
"Undercover Boss"
<strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong><br />
<strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br />
<strong>Why:</strong> The inherent addictiveness of this show has gone a long way in securing loyal viewers -- it has been on top of the ratings several times this season alone.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The U.S. job market proved resilient in December despite fears that a budget impasse in Washington would send the economy over the fiscal cliff and trigger growth-killing tax hikes and spending cuts.
Employers added 155,000 jobs last month, roughly matching the solid but unspectacular monthly pace of the past two years.
The gains announced Friday weren't enough to reduce unemployment, which remained a still-high 7.8 percent. The November rate was revised up a notch from the 7.7 percent the government had originally reported.
The stable pace of December hiring suggested that many employers tuned out the fracas in the nation's capital. The threat wasn't averted until a deal won final passage on New Year's Day.
Rather than hold back until the fiscal cliff was resolved, many employers kept hiring, most likely in anticipation of higher customer demand.
"What would hiring have been if we had not been facing the fiscal cliff in December?" said Robert Kavcic, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets. "We might have seen quite a bit stronger job growth" ? something closer to 200,000 a month.
That's an encouraging sign for the job market, because an even bigger budget showdown is looming: Congress must vote to raise the government's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit by late February. If not, the government risks defaulting on its debt. Republicans will likely demand deep spending cuts as the price of raising the debt limit.
Robust hiring in construction and manufacturing drove last month's job increases. Construction firms added 30,000 jobs, the most in 15 months. In part, that increase likely reflected hiring needed to rebuild from Superstorm Sandy. And the housing market's gradual recovery has energized homebuilding. Manufacturers added 25,000 jobs, the most in nine months.
Economists found other hopeful news in the report. Americans were given more work hours in December ? an average 34.5 hours a week in December, up from 34.4 in November. And their pay outgrew inflation. Hourly wages rose 7 cents to $23.73 last month, a 2.1 percent increase compared with a year earlier. Over the same period, inflation rose 1.8 percent.
"Perhaps (the) underlying economic performance is accelerating, and even Washington can't screw it up," said Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG.
One company that hired last year and would like to add more jobs in 2013 is Arteriocyte, a Cleveland-based stem-cell therapy and medical device company. But CEO Don Brown is concerned about potential cuts in government spending, which he says could erode Arteriocyte's revenue.
One such cut is a 2 percent reduction in the reimbursements Medicare gives doctors and hospitals. That reduction was delayed by the budget deal reached this week. If the reimbursement cut is imposed later this year, it would lower revenue for the hospitals and surgeons that buy Arteriocyte's advanced products.
"Our entire customer base is unsure about what their reimbursement landscape is going to be," Brown said.
The Obama administration's health care reform law also imposed a 2.2 percent sales tax on medical devices. Brown estimates that will cost his company $400,000. He had hoped the tax would be eliminated as part of a fiscal cliff agreement.
Arteriocyte hired 10 workers last year and now employs 76. The new hires included research scientists, two marketing specialists and a sales representative. Brown hopes to make five to 10 additional hires this year, but he might be unable to do so if the Medicare cut takes effect.
Despite last month's hiring gains, Friday's report pointed to some weakness in the job market. For example, the number of unemployed actually rose 164,000 to 12.2 million. About 192,000 people entered the work force last month, but most did not find jobs.
The unemployment numbers come from a government survey of households. The number of jobs added comes from a separate survey of businesses.
A broader category that includes not only the unemployed but also part-time workers who want full-time jobs and people who have given up looking for work was unchanged in December at 22.7 million.
The government revised up its estimates of job growth for October and November by 14,000 jobs. October's job increases were revised down from 138,000 to 137,000 but November's were revised up from 146,000 to 161,000.
Economists said the pace of hiring almost certainly isn't strong enough to lead the Federal Reserve to cut short its bond-buying program. The Fed is spending $85 billion a month on bond purchases to try to drive down long-term borrowing costs and stimulate economic growth.
The job market is being held back by government cutbacks. Governments at all levels cut 13,000 jobs in December. Since the Great Recession ended in mid-2009, governments have eliminated 645,000 jobs ? an average of nearly 15,400 a month.
By contrast, during the recoveries from the recessions of 1990-1991 and 2001, governments added an average of more than 15,000 jobs a month. If governments were hiring at that pace instead of slashing payrolls, the U.S economy would be generating more than 180,000 jobs a month.
Instead, for two full years, monthly job growth has remained stuck at a tepid pace: It averaged 153,000 in both 2011 and 2012. That isn't enough to lower unemployment to what economists regard as a "normal" rate of 6 percent or less. The Federal Reserve doesn't expect unemployment to drop that low until after 2015.
The economy has replaced just 4.8 million, or 54 percent, of the 8.8 million jobs lost between January 2008, when the job market peaked, and February 2010, when it bottomed during the recession. It has been, by far, the weakest jobs recovery since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
"A status quo report in today's labor market represents an ongoing jobs crisis," says Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the liberal Economic Policy Institute.
Still, the economy has been showing broad improvement. Layoffs are down. Banks are lending a bit more freely. Companies have built up a near-record $1.7 trillion in cash. Consumers have cut their debts to pre-recession levels. Europe has avoided a financial catastrophe.
The once-depressed housing market is rebounding. A gauge of U.S. service firms' business activity expanded in December by the most in nearly a year. Manufacturing is benefiting from the best auto sales in five years. And Americans spent more at the end of the crucial holiday shopping season.
"There is little doubt that the seeds of faster growth are being planted," James Marple, an economist at TD Bank, said in a note to clients.
That said, most economists expect slight improvement at best in hiring this year. A 2 percentage point cut in the Social Security tax expired Jan. 1. That means a household with income of about $50,000 will have about $1,000 less to spend. A household with two high-paid workers will have up to $4,500 less.
And the government may impose spending cuts this year.
Higher taxes and less government spending, along with uncertainty about future budget fights, could restrain growth and hiring.
That "likely means acceleration in the labor market will remain elusive for the time being," said Ellen Zentner, an economist at Nomura Securities.
VTT and Lumichip announce joint LED company investmentPublic release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Antti Sinisalo antti.sinisalo@vtt.fi 358-405-248-751 VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Simpler and more cost-effective methods are needed in LED lamp manufacture. VTT Ventures Ltd and Lumichip Ltd are pleased to announce a joint investment in Finnish LED technology company LightTherm Ltd that uses its innovative materials and heat management solutions to introduce novel design and manufacturing capabilities for LEDs. LightTherm's electro-thermo-mechanical technologies provide higher light output, leaner sizing and lighter weight in its products for the LED replacement lamp and luminaire industry.
The estimated global market for LED lamps is over US$20 billion, with more than 1 billion units due for manufacture in 2013. LED technology still faces some challenges, particularly where high light output is required from small compact light units. The major difficulty with LEDs is the heat sensitivity of used components and materials. Overheating can shorten the lifespan and efficiency of the LED, while light output falls below product optimal specification as temperatures rise.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland produces high-level technology solutions and innovation services for its customers. VTT Ventures Ltd supports companies exploiting new technology, from business plan through to funding.
LightTherm Ltd is VTT's new spin-off company, whose innovative LED interconnection solution can yield better thermal characteristics and cooler semiconductor junction temperatures. This capacity for better thermal efficiency management will have a major impact on the lifetime of LEDs. Combined with new materials for lamp body production, substantial cost savings can be achieved through reduced materials, manufacturing simplicity and total production automation.
"The high thermal management efficiency of this technology enables significantly higher light output for example from replacement spots than is currently available anywhere in the LED market," says Dr Juha Rantala, Chairman of Lumichip Ltd. "LightTherm materials, device construction and manufacturing processes give flexibility in design, and will enable the manufacture of entirely new lighting applications for both consumer and industrial luminaires. We believe this will change completely the way in which LED products are manufactured in the future."
LightTherm's technologies are based on years of development, characterisation and lifetime tests carried out at VTT Technology Research Centre of Finland, which provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services. "We are pleased to co-operate with a partner such as Lumichip to take this very innovative and promising technology to the industrialisation and commercialisation phase," says Antti Sinisalo, CEO of VTT Ventures Ltd.
LightTherm's founding team consists of Petri Nyman, Ville Moilanen and Kimmo Jokelainen. CEO and co-founder Petri Nyman has extensive experience in start-ups, as well as in the management of growth companies. Co-founders Ville Moilanen and Kimmo Jokelainen have a research background with VTT and have been instrumental in developing the core innovations behind this new technology.
###
About VTT and VTT Ventures
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is the largest multi-technological applied research organisation in Northern Europe. VTT provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services. The mission of VTT Ventures Ltd is to extract value from VTT technology by developing the international growth potential of VTT-based high-tech companies. VTT Ventures, together with its public and private innovation partners, provides entrepreneurs with professional business development support to facilitate the spin-off process, from business planning through to funding. VTT Ventures co-invests in its spin-offs with private investors. The goal of VTT Ventures is to stimulate innovation in Finland and to receive a return on its pre-seed and seed capital investments. For more information see www.ventures.fi.
About Lumichip
Lumichip is a leading provider of customised LED lighting components. Lumichip designs, manufactures and markets proprietary LED components and specialised COB devices, and offers custom designs and manufacturing services for high power LED light engines, special luminaires and multi-wavelength modules for lighting and industrial applications. The development and manufacturing operations in Asia and Europe provide customisation and service support for its worldwide client base. For further information see www.lumichip.com.
About LightTherm
LightTherm is an ODM designer and manufacturer of thermally highly efficient LED structures, components and designs. LightTherm's patent pending technologies enable the use of new materials in LED luminaires and LED engine components, resulting in greater design and manufacturing freedom and high quality light and lumen output from all its designs. LightTherm operates with customers and partners globally.
Contacts
VTT Ventures Ltd
Antti Sinisalo, CEO
Lumichip Ltd Juha Rantala, Chairman
tel. 358-94-123-700, juha@lumichip.com
LightTherm Ltd
Petri Nyman, CEO
tel. 358-40-511-1666, petri.nyman@lighttherm.com
Further information on VTT: Olli Ernvall
Senior Vice President, Communications
358-20-722-6747
olli.ernvall@vtt.fi www.vtt.fi
VTT - 70 years of technology for business and society
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a leading multitechnological applied research organization in Northern Europe. VTT creates new technology and science-based innovations in co-operation with domestic and foreign partners. VTT's turnover is EUR 290 million and itspersonnel totals 3,100.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
VTT and Lumichip announce joint LED company investmentPublic release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Antti Sinisalo antti.sinisalo@vtt.fi 358-405-248-751 VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Simpler and more cost-effective methods are needed in LED lamp manufacture. VTT Ventures Ltd and Lumichip Ltd are pleased to announce a joint investment in Finnish LED technology company LightTherm Ltd that uses its innovative materials and heat management solutions to introduce novel design and manufacturing capabilities for LEDs. LightTherm's electro-thermo-mechanical technologies provide higher light output, leaner sizing and lighter weight in its products for the LED replacement lamp and luminaire industry.
The estimated global market for LED lamps is over US$20 billion, with more than 1 billion units due for manufacture in 2013. LED technology still faces some challenges, particularly where high light output is required from small compact light units. The major difficulty with LEDs is the heat sensitivity of used components and materials. Overheating can shorten the lifespan and efficiency of the LED, while light output falls below product optimal specification as temperatures rise.
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland produces high-level technology solutions and innovation services for its customers. VTT Ventures Ltd supports companies exploiting new technology, from business plan through to funding.
LightTherm Ltd is VTT's new spin-off company, whose innovative LED interconnection solution can yield better thermal characteristics and cooler semiconductor junction temperatures. This capacity for better thermal efficiency management will have a major impact on the lifetime of LEDs. Combined with new materials for lamp body production, substantial cost savings can be achieved through reduced materials, manufacturing simplicity and total production automation.
"The high thermal management efficiency of this technology enables significantly higher light output for example from replacement spots than is currently available anywhere in the LED market," says Dr Juha Rantala, Chairman of Lumichip Ltd. "LightTherm materials, device construction and manufacturing processes give flexibility in design, and will enable the manufacture of entirely new lighting applications for both consumer and industrial luminaires. We believe this will change completely the way in which LED products are manufactured in the future."
LightTherm's technologies are based on years of development, characterisation and lifetime tests carried out at VTT Technology Research Centre of Finland, which provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services. "We are pleased to co-operate with a partner such as Lumichip to take this very innovative and promising technology to the industrialisation and commercialisation phase," says Antti Sinisalo, CEO of VTT Ventures Ltd.
LightTherm's founding team consists of Petri Nyman, Ville Moilanen and Kimmo Jokelainen. CEO and co-founder Petri Nyman has extensive experience in start-ups, as well as in the management of growth companies. Co-founders Ville Moilanen and Kimmo Jokelainen have a research background with VTT and have been instrumental in developing the core innovations behind this new technology.
###
About VTT and VTT Ventures
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is the largest multi-technological applied research organisation in Northern Europe. VTT provides high-end technology solutions and innovation services. The mission of VTT Ventures Ltd is to extract value from VTT technology by developing the international growth potential of VTT-based high-tech companies. VTT Ventures, together with its public and private innovation partners, provides entrepreneurs with professional business development support to facilitate the spin-off process, from business planning through to funding. VTT Ventures co-invests in its spin-offs with private investors. The goal of VTT Ventures is to stimulate innovation in Finland and to receive a return on its pre-seed and seed capital investments. For more information see www.ventures.fi.
About Lumichip
Lumichip is a leading provider of customised LED lighting components. Lumichip designs, manufactures and markets proprietary LED components and specialised COB devices, and offers custom designs and manufacturing services for high power LED light engines, special luminaires and multi-wavelength modules for lighting and industrial applications. The development and manufacturing operations in Asia and Europe provide customisation and service support for its worldwide client base. For further information see www.lumichip.com.
About LightTherm
LightTherm is an ODM designer and manufacturer of thermally highly efficient LED structures, components and designs. LightTherm's patent pending technologies enable the use of new materials in LED luminaires and LED engine components, resulting in greater design and manufacturing freedom and high quality light and lumen output from all its designs. LightTherm operates with customers and partners globally.
Contacts
VTT Ventures Ltd
Antti Sinisalo, CEO
Lumichip Ltd Juha Rantala, Chairman
tel. 358-94-123-700, juha@lumichip.com
LightTherm Ltd
Petri Nyman, CEO
tel. 358-40-511-1666, petri.nyman@lighttherm.com
Further information on VTT: Olli Ernvall
Senior Vice President, Communications
358-20-722-6747
olli.ernvall@vtt.fi www.vtt.fi
VTT - 70 years of technology for business and society
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a leading multitechnological applied research organization in Northern Europe. VTT creates new technology and science-based innovations in co-operation with domestic and foreign partners. VTT's turnover is EUR 290 million and itspersonnel totals 3,100.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
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Relatives greet the former Taliban militants following their release from Bagram detention center in Kabul, after they reached their home town in Ghazni, Afghanistan, Jan. 2, 2013. Some 16 former Taliban members who were detained during operations in Ghazni by the U.S. and Afghan forces were released as part of a government-backed program called Takhim-e-Solh, or "Strengthening Peace."
By Jim Maceda, NBC News
News analysis
There?s something wafting in the air in Afghanistan, and for once it?s not the smell of detritus, diesel or cordite.? People ? rivals, even enemies -- are talking about peace. Not just talks about talks ? those have been going on ? and off ? for a couple of years now.? But serious, genuine moves toward reconciliation are ? for the first time since I can remember ? actually squeezing into an otherwise depressing narrative of stalemate and loss.
Take the Pakistani government?s Dec. 31 release from prison of eight former Taliban members, including Taliban leader Mullah Omar?s right-hand man and former justice minister, Mullah Turabi. This move, Afghan analysts say, is part of a new strategy, formulated in a November meeting between Afghan and Pakistani officials in Islamabad. The release, they say, was more than a goodwill gesture between bitter rivals. The clear hope was that freed former Taliban officials with the stature of Turabi would serve as emissaries, clearing the way for peace talks between Hamid Karzai?s government and the current Taliban leadership ? based in Pakistan ? and with the Pakistan government?s blessing.?
This was no isolated move. Eighteen other jailed Taliban were released earlier in December, among them men who used to command Taliban units in the field. Not surprisingly, official Afghan reaction has been quick and positive. Ismail Qasimyar, a ranking member of the High Peace Council, Karzai?s appointed group of diplomats seeking reconciliation, said the gesture "shows the Pakistani authorities have opened a new chapter for positive cooperation with Afghanistan." It?s the first time since the war began that I?ve seen Afghanistan and Pakistan treat each other as potential partners, not spoilers.
Pakistan?s military, believed by many to be supporting the Afghan Taliban as a means of leveraging its influence with its chaotic neighbor, is now jumping on the peace bandwagon as well. And it?s not just Pakistan?s Army Chief Ashfaq Kayani, the alleged driving force behind the new rapprochement, who is changing his tune.
Buried in the pre-holiday build-up, a semi-secret meeting took place outside Paris between 20 key Afghan players, under the auspices of a French think tank. Afghan government and opposition figures, and, for the first time, insurgent leaders, including the Taliban and its offshoot, Hezb-e-Islami, all sat down together. There were no breakthroughs, or even concessions, but the point was to get all the warring sides to do something they hadn?t done in some 30 years: talk directly to each other.?
Officially, the Taliban stuck to its public positions. It called the Afghan constitution illegitimate and refused to negotiate with the "U.S. puppet" Karzai government, but a positive momentum does seem to be building. More "secret" talks are set to follow. The United Nations office in Kabul has invited the Taliban to a conference there. Meanwhile, an official Taliban bureau will soon open in Qatar for parallel talks with the United States.
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Even the much-feared warlord and former Mujahedeen commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who was labeled a global terrorist by the U.S. and has been on the lam for the past dozen years, is now launching his own peace balloons. In an interview that appeared in Wednesday?s British "Daily Telegraph," the man who, as prime minister in the 1990s, oversaw the brutal flattening of much of Kabul, spells out a 10-point peace plan, calling on all Afghan brothers to unite, asking "all the stakeholders within Afghanistan to join hands for a workable solution for Afghanistan and resolve disputes.??
Cynics ? and there are many ? aren?t buying any of it. Their arguments are well-known: They say civil war will break out as soon as the U.S. and its allies go home; that the moderate Taliban may want to put down their AKs and become a political force, but it?s the hard-core who rule, and who believe they?re winning the war; that all the peace feelers are just ways of buying time while the Afghan Taliban ratchets up its attacks on local security forces and the Pakistani Taliban doubles down on its side of the border, most recently killing a group of female NGO and aid workers.
All that rings true. But then I take a deep breath ?- and smell that very different smell -? and ask: could this really be the turning point I?ve been writing about for so long?
Jim Maceda is an NBC News foreign correspondent based in London and currently on assignment in Kabul, who?s covered Afghanistan since the 1980s.
Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images
More than ten years after the beginning of the war, Afghanistan faces external pressure to reform as well as ongoing internal conflicts.
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(Reuters) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett faces serious obstacles to winning his antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA over the harsh sanctions it imposed on Penn State in the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal, legal experts said on Wednesday.
While targeting the National Collegiate Athletic Association may be popular politically in a state where Penn State football is widely loved, the federal court handling the case might rule that the state lacks standing to bring the lawsuit in the first place, experts said.
Moreover, the state of Pennsylvania must demonstrate the NCAA penalties harmed consumers and constituted a breakdown in the competitive marketplace.
"It's not a frivolous lawsuit - there are real arguments to make - but, boy, is it weak," said Max Kennerly, a lawyer with the Beasley Firm in Philadelphia who has been following the case closely.
The sanctions the NCAA imposed on Penn State in July included an unprecedented $60 million fine and the voiding of all of the football team's victories over the past 14 seasons.
Corbett's lawsuit was distinct in that, unlike the university, the state of Pennsylvania was not a party directly affected by the sanctions. Instead, Corbett brought the suit on behalf of third parties such as stadium workers, shopkeepers, hoteliers and others whose businesses were disturbed because of the NCAA's penalties.
The obstacle Corbett faced was "converting what may be real and perhaps significant harm" to Penn State students and athletes and local businesses into an antitrust violation, said Gabriel Feldman, a professor at Tulane University Law School.
"This is an extremely uphill battle for Pennsylvania," Feldman said.
The NCAA has been sued on antitrust grounds fewer than 10 times over the past five years, estimated Matt Millen, a professor at Marquette University Law School and director of the National Sports Law Institute. Most of those cases were settled or dismissed because courts often defer to the NCAA when it comes to matters of rules and enforcement actions, Millen said.
Past antitrust suits against the NCAA that have been successful tend to involve operations such as marketing and licensing because the body has "a stranglehold" over those spheres, Kennerly said.
The Supreme Court ruled in the 1984 case of NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma that the NCAA's policies on television broadcast rights to college football games violated federal antitrust laws. Former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon led a class-action suit against the NCAA in 2009 that is still pending over the use of student-athletes' images and likenesses without compensation.
In contrast, antitrust lawsuits over NCAA sanctions have been less successful in court. In the 1988 case of NCAA v. Tarkanian, the Supreme Court ruled the NCAA was a private entity not obligated to abide by due process considerations when it hands down sanctions, Kennerly said.
Jan. 1, 2013 ? In a study that included nearly 30,000 women from Nordic countries who had filled a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) prescription during pregnancy, researchers found no significant association between use of these medications during pregnancy and risk of stillbirth, neonatal death, or postneonatal death, after accounting for factors including maternal psychiatric disease, according to a study in the January 2 issue of JAMA.
"Depression during pregnancy is common with prevalences ranging between 7 percent and 19 percent in economically developed countries. Maternal depression is associated with poorer pregnancy outcomes, including increased risk of preterm delivery, which in turn may cause neonatal morbidity and mortality," according to background information in the article. "Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy has been associated with congenital anomalies, neonatal withdrawal syndrome, and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. However, the risk of stillbirth and infant mortality when accounting for previous maternal psychiatric disease remains unknown."
Olof Stephansson, M.D., Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden and colleagues conducted a study to examine whether SSRI exposure during pregnancy was associated with increased risks of stillbirth, neonatal death, and postneonatal death. The study included women with single births from all Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) at different periods from 1996 through 2007. The researchers obtained information on maternal use of SSRIs from prescription registries; maternal characteristics, pregnancy, and neonatal outcomes were obtained from patient and medical birth registries. The authors estimated relative risks of stillbirth, neonatal death, and postneonatal death associated with SSRI use during pregnancy taking into account maternal characteristics and previous psychiatric hospitalization.
Among 1,633,877 singleton births in the study, there were 6,054 stillbirths; 3,609 neonatal deaths; and 1,578 postneonatal deaths. A total of 29,228 (1.79 percent) of mothers had filled a prescription for an SSRI during pregnancy. The researchers found that women exposed to an SSRI had higher rates of stillbirth (4.62 vs. 3.69 per 1000) and postneonatal death (1.38 vs. 0.96 per 1000) than those who did not. The rate of neonatal death was similar between groups (2.54 vs. 2.21 per 1000). "Yet in multivariate models, SSRI use was not associated with stillbirth, neonatal death, or postneonatal death. Estimates were further attenuated when stratified by previous hospitalization for psychiatric disease," the authors write.
"The present study of more than 1.6 million births suggests that SSRI use during pregnancy was not associated with increased risks of stillbirth, neonatal death, or postneonatal death. The increased rates of stillbirth and postneonatal mortality among infants exposed to an SSRI during pregnancy were explained by the severity of the underlying maternal psychiatric disease and unfavorable distribution of maternal characteristics such as cigarette smoking and advanced maternal age."
"However, decisions regarding use of SSRIs during pregnancy must take into account other perinatal outcomes and the risks associated with maternal mental illness," the researchers conclude.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by JAMA and Archives Journals.
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Journal Reference:
Olof Stephansson et al. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors During Pregnancy and Risk of Stillbirth and Infant Mortality. JAMA, Jan 2013 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.153812
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
For last year?s words belong to last year?s language.? And next year?s words await another voice. ~ T.S. Eliot
Happy New Year!? We have once again turned the page of our calendars to January 1st.? This yearly tradition brings the promise of new beginnings and good things to come.? Accompanied by the customary festivities and lots of popped corks, cheers to 2013!
Life is filled with ups and downs and as I have found, one year is not always better or worse than another, but starting a new chapter gives us pause and makes us think about things we can do better or differently.
Resolutions never seem to make it past the first few weeks of January, however, thinking about goals and changes for our life provides a period of retrospection of the past and anticipation for the future.? Here are a few things I know I need to work on in 2013.
Soups are an excellent way to add more lentils or beans and vegetables to your diet
Exercise and eat better.? Most people feel the need to cut back on decadent food and drink after the festivities of the holidays and I am one of them.? Mr. B and I really do need to lose a few pounds.? Combined with lots of incredibly good food this past year and many hours of sitting and working on the computer, those dreaded extra pounds have crept up quietly and slowly and need to be banished.? Forever.? I don?t like the way I feel or look, so exercise will be an important part of my every day schedule.? It?s not only good for your body; working out exercises your mind, too.? It gives you more energy and relieves stress.? I know I could use both.? How about you?
Getting back in the kitchen.? The love of cooking is what brought me to this place, however, it seems it is the one thing I do the least of these days.? I do cook quite a bit and bake, but it?s usually on the weekend and it is often for the website, like a chef?s recipe.? It is the nightly dinner hour that takes a hit many days and at 7 pm after working all day, I find that I am throwing things together from the fridge, pantry, and freezer or we head out for a quick bite.? I want to focus on getting in the kitchen earlier in the day so that there is time to prepare a relaxed meal in the evenings.? Which leads me to the next goal and the most important.
Disengage.? Get up and walk away from the computer.? So many of us are obsessed with and exhaustively tied to technology.? We can?t have a conversation or read a newspaper without a mobile device.? It is long overdue and high time to make time to get outside and enjoy the gorgeous day.? Go shopping.? Have lunch with a friend.? Call a friend on the phone and not text them.? They will be pleasantly surprised to hear your voice.? That email can wait.? Trust me.? It will still be there when you get back.? Unless of course, you decide to delete it.
Pecorino Romano added the right amount of complexity in flavor to finish the soup
So with those few simple goals for the New Year, here is a recipe for one of the dishes I enjoy preparing the most, a hearty pot of soup.? There is nothing more satisfying and comforting on a dreary winter?s day than a steaming hot bowl of soup.? It is simple and quick to prepare and needs little else beside a salad and a loaf of crusty bread to have a complete meal.? Soups like this freeze well, so they are perfect for those hectic nights when you aren?t able to prepare an entire dinner, but still want a healthy meal to serve your family.
This recipe is a classic combination of sausage, kale, and lentils.? While this soup does include pork sausage (and you could substitute a good chicken sausage), it is also a nice way to add more beans to your diet.? Lentils are an excellent protein.? I intend to incorporate even more grains and beans in our diet this coming year as we continue to eat less meat.
I used the hot version of local pork sausage that was delightfully seasoned with a hefty amount of fennel seed.? While the soup was pretty fiery at first, the heat mellowed and the flavors came together nicely.? All it needed was a little salt and pepper and a generous grating of Pecorino Romano cheese to finish the soup.
What is important to change in your life this year?? Have you set some goals for yourself and your family?? I wish you all the best for the New Year.? May it be a healthy, happy and prosperous year for you!
An excellent recipe to include in your New Year?s menu planning
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Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard, and Garlic
Yield:Serves 6
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes
Total Time:1 hour
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling 4 large links of sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casing (I used hot local pork sausage) 1 medium onion, diced 2 celery stalks, cut into crescents 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into crescents 4 cloves garlic, sliced (reserve half for later in the recipe) Kosher salt A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (Optional - I did not use them since I substituted hot sausage) 1 cup brown lentils, sorted 2 bay leaves 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 6 cups water Freshly ground black pepper 3 to 4 cups shredded red Swiss chard leaves or kale (I used kale) Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Directions:
1. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot) in a large pot on medium heat and, when it?s hot, add the sausage. Break up the sausage with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. (* I drained the fat at this point since there was quite a bit. I left about a tablespoon of fat in the pot.)
2. Add the onion, celery, the first two garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, and if you like your soup spicy, a pinch of red pepper flakes (* and if you have used sweet sausage, rather than hot sausage). Stir, then add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, water, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes (It may be necessary to add more water if the soup gets too thick.)
3. When the lentils are cooked, add the Swiss chard or kale and cook until the leaves are tender, just a few minutes more. Discard the bay leaves.
4. To finish (and don?t skip this step!) add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to a small pot along with the remaining garlic; cook on medium heat just until the garlic turns soft (1 to 2 minutes) and then stir that, oil and all, into the soup. Drizzle the soup with more fresh olive oil and Percorino Romano cheese and pass more cheese at the table. Serve the soup hot. Leftovers will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
Recipe is from Gina DePalma, pastry chef at Babbo - New York Secrets of the Best Chefs Adam Roberts
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Public release date: 3-Jan-2013
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