Spreckelsville Maui Real Estate Update - The Maui Real Estate ...

By Pete Jalbert R(S)

With the year coming to an end, we wanted to start taking a look at different communities around the island and how they performed in 2012. The first market we wanted to tackle is the North Shore community of Spreckelsville. Spreckelsville has a Paia mailing address, but it is a neighborhood unto itself. The community consists of higher end properties ranging from executive homes along the Maui Country Club golf course to multi-million dollar oceanfront estates. ?Sprecks? is also home to Sugar Cove, the only beachfront condominium complex on the North Shore. Sprecks is a popular community both for kama?aina and second home owners. Owners in the area are drawn to the central location, beaches, access to Paia, proximity to the country club and the water sports accessible just offshore. Windsurfing, kitesurfing, surfing, SUP, body boarding and just plain beach walking are all available at the beaches and offshore reefs of Spreckelsville. The map below shows the location of the 2012 Spreckelsville real estate sales marked by blue pins and the current active real estate listings marked by green.

View Spreckelsville Real Estate Market Update in a larger map

Here are a few observation on the 2012 real estate sales activity in Spreckelsville.

• The eleven homes sold in 2012 represent a 57% increase in sales volume over the 7 that were sold in 2011.
• The median sales price for homes sold in 2012 was $1,495,000.
• The high sales price was $2,520,000 for a beachfront home on Stable Road.
• There was one two acre, vacant lot sold in Spreckelsville this year for $680,000.
• There was an usually high amount of sales activity in old Sprecks. The older streets in the neighborhood like Nonohe, Paani, Kealakai and Laulea typically only see one or two real estate transactions in a year. This year there were five total transactions on Nonohe and Kealalkai.
• Six of the eleven home sales this year were properties that were either unlisted or never made it to the MLS. Most of these sales were among residents who already lived in the neighborhood.

Overall, it was a pretty active year for the Spreckelsville Real Estate market. What will 2013 bring in this community? There are seven properties actively listed in the community at this time. There are five homes listed ranging in price from $1,395,000 to $10,500,000. There is also one luxury condo available for Sale in Sugar Cove and one lot with with deeded beach access for sale. You can find all of the current Spreckelsville Real Estate listings on MauiRealEstate.com. You may also contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you have questions on Spreckelsville. With our broker and one other agent calling the neighborhood home, you can rest assured that we know this community well.

Tags: Baby Beach, Old Sprecks, Spreckelsville Condos, Spreckelsville Homes, Sugar Cove

Source: http://www.mauirealestate.com/blog/2012/12/31/spreckelsville-maui-real-estate-update/

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This Miniature Marble Machine Is Majorly Mesmerizing

There's something about repetitive motion that's just hypnotizingly relaxing. This DIY, laser-cut marble machine is a perfect example. Crank the handle and the tiny marbles bounce up their little escalator, swirl down their track and start all over again. I could watch this all day. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/kTxj6jj2Hnk/this-miniature-marble-machine-is-majorly-mesmerizing

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The Lure of extreme sports Have you ever had the sudden urge to ...

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The Lure of extreme sports Have you ever had the sudden urge to ride your bike off of a cliff and do aerial summersaults into a lake one hundred feet below? Believe it or not, this is just one of the emerging hobbies of extreme sports enthusiasts these days. But you dont need a bike in order to vault off a cliff; a parachute will do just finet least most of the timend if you have a parachute, you dont need a body of water to break your fall. What on earth motivates people to partake in such feats of madness? What about sailing around the world alone or snowboarding off the rock-cragged face of a mountain? Chances are, if youre like most people, you are perfectly content to be an armchair enthusiast when it comes to the intriguing and amazing world of extreme sports. Let the crazy, courageous souls of the world risk their lives and press the limits of human endurance; you say to yourself, while you sit in your safe, comfortable recliner and eat a bowl of ice cream. After all, you risk plenty just driving to work during rush hour traffic.The most important thing in the selection of the isabel marant shoes is to understand the importance of creating a personal image.. You may or may not be one of them, but there seems to be a certain kind of individual who is born to push the limits. They thrive on the challenge and the adrenalin rush experienced when they risk it all and come out intact. They take pride in doing something few humans have ever done before or would ever even dare to try. Its all about taking it to the next level, and then the next.This is a Nice collection of Discount Evening Gowns let?s buy now.. Competition is in their blood, and there is a growing number of ways in which these athletes can compete on both an amateur and a professional level. Although many athletes compete in extreme sports competitions, there are others who just embark on various death-defying feats for the pure thrill of it. Scuba diving, sky-diving, and bull riding, for instance, have been around for a long time, but many contemporary and dangerous activities have come along to bump these off the top of the list.When you want to buy a Moncler Jackets Sale on our website, maybe you will worry about fabric quality. So we could ship the fabric sample out to you. You could check it, and then buy the dress from us.. Storm chasing, though technically not a sport, is one of them, and its becoming more popular, especially since TV shows have brought it to the masses. Then theres bungee jumping, something even an amateur can do. Those who have tried it and lived through it can attest to the way their legs shook in the moments before they plummeted toward the ground. As fun as these activities might seem, people dont always survive. Just as with any sport, the athletes assume the risk when they make up their mind to partake.For high school girls, there is no other thing will be more important than choosing a proper wedding wraps for her prom night.. There are a growing number of videos on the Internet showcasing athletes in all manner of extreme recreation that can blow your mind. Some of these feats of athletic danger would never have even been dreamed up years ago, yet they have become a reality. Its amazing what the human body can accomplish if a person can envision it and set his or her mind to it. It leaves one to wonder what the next big craze is going to be in the world of extreme sports.Just as what has mentioned above, Louis Vuitton Women Wallet in early times are very traditional.. What seemingly impossible, death-defying activities are going to spring to life in the next fifty years? Alexandru F Bobica is an author, business owner, and social media promoter. In addition to running TheBros, an internet marketing company he also creates niche sites about diverse topics such as .

Source: http://golfequipment.jugem.jp/?eid=145

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Source: http://igyalymos.posterous.com/the-lure-of-extreme-sports-have-you-ever-had

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Source: http://halsey9.posterous.com/the-lure-of-extreme-sports-have-you-ever-had

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Source: http://mypicipy.posterous.com/the-lure-of-extreme-sports-have-you-ever-had

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Source: http://feruvaledir.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/the-lure-of-extreme-sports-have-you-ever-had-the-sudden-urge-to/

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Unnatural Acts And The Rise Of Mobile

Editor?s note: Keith Teare?is General Partner at his incubator Archimedes Labs and CEO of recently funded just.me. He was a co-founder of TechCrunch. As all predatory, or formerly predatory, men and women know, if you're at a party and still by yourself at 2 a.m., and the drinks have been flowing, bad behavior replaces etiquette as the crowd shrinks. That?s when desperation to not leave alone kicks in.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/FQhrxrc-FJQ/

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Saracens coach kicks 'boring' tag into touch

On a dank day at Saracens' training ground, Mark McCall is throwing light on his team's try-scoring record, or should that be a lack of one. Saracens stand second in the Premiership table and are heading powerfully towards a fourth successive finish in the play-off places. Yet they have managed just 10 tries in 11 league matches, four fewer than the second and third bottom clubs, London Irish and London Welsh. It is an amazing statistic that has drawn accusations that Saracens, the 2011 Premiership champions, are boring.

That denunciation from, among others, two former England internationals turned BBC TV pundits, Jerry Guscott and Brian Moore, draws a passionate denial. "You could only say that's a factor if you've got an unhappy playing group," says McCall. "We've got a very happy, ambitious and motivated group. They know we don't set out to play in a boring way.

"They will tell you they don't feel shackled in any way. We have scored far too few tries in the Premiership. We'd love to score more. At the same time we have played some outstanding rugby."

Some context is called for. Saracens in the mid-Noughties were a mid-table team defined by a wretched tendency to lose matches from winning positions. They needed to change ? and keep changing. "We had a sobering experience about two-and-a-half years ago," says McCall. "There were consecutive games against Leinster [a 43-20 loss away] and Clermont [24-14 winners at Watford] that exposed a few things that had been disguised in the Premiership: our physicality and set-piece issues. It was a bit of a water-shed. Since then we have had 56 Premiership/Heineken Cup matches and we've won 43. That means we're doing something right."

And here's some more figures: today's meeting of Saracens and Northampton at Vicarage Road will be the seventh in the Premiership this season among last season's four play-off clubs. The previous six have produced just four tries. So the business end is being tightly fought.

Saracens, while hampered by back-row injuries, have built victories on a committed kick-chase and dynamic attack in the breakdown and set-piece. McCall's point is that they are not the only ones. "Harlequins understand that as well as having the ball-in-hand stuff, other things needed to be put in place. Their set-piece now is outstanding and their defence is very good.

"You can throw the try-scoring stat at us, I can throw a stat at you. We've kicked 54 penalties this season, which means the opposition have given away 54 penalties in their half. In the same number of games, Northampton have had [only] 25 penalties they've kicked. That is not the same as saying we have a win-at-all costs mentality. We're building pressure and the only way for the opposition to stop us is illegally. And when you have Charlie Hodgson and Owen Farrell, you kick your goals."

McCall says winning with one try or no tries away to Harlequins and Northampton, and against Gloucester at home, and 22-0 at Bath last weekend, was just fine. "At Sale and London Welsh we could have scored five tries, then we wouldn't be having this conversation," he says.

Conceivably, a shortage of tries may hurt Saracens if they finish level on points and wins with a rival. But Alex Goode's counterattack try at Franklin's Gardens and the one from a line-out by Richard Wigglesworth at The Rec proved they can be exciting and incisive. They are top of their Heineken Cup pool. And England have picked their backs liberally: Goode, Chris Ashton, Brad Barritt and Farrell started in the win over New Zealand.

And McCall promises Saracens will not stand still. "Kevin Sorrell [Andy Farrell's successor as backs coach] is making changes," he says. "Our first-phase moves have become more important. We tried before to pass around teams, using a pod system. Kev has made us a lot more confrontational with our attack, more tidy."

Trying times for top four

Results between last year's top four this season, with tries in brackets:

Saracens 9 (0) Leicester 9 (0)

Leicester 9 (0) Harlequins 22 (1)

Harlequins 16 (1) Saracens 18 (0)

Northampton 6 (0) Saracens 16 (1)

Leicester 16 (1) Northampton 12 (0)

Northampton 9 (0) Harlequins 18 (0)

Total tries by Premiership top four:

2012-13 Harlequins 28, Leicester 23, Gloucester 19, Saracens 10.

2011-12 Leicester 70, Harlequins 53, Northampton 51, Saracens 35.

2010-11 Leicester 67, Gloucester 58, Northampton 58, Saracens 35.

2009-10 Bath 49, Leicester 46, Northampton 44, Saracens 39.

Hugh Godwin

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/266/f/3794/s/270b622e/l/0L0Sindependent0O0Csport0Crugby0Crugby0Eunion0Cclub0Erugby0Csaracens0Ecoach0Ekicks0Eboring0Etag0Einto0Etouch0E84332820Bhtml/story01.htm

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Gophers football: 'No comparison' between 2011 and 2012, Jerry Kill says

Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill sees similarities between rebuilding the Gophers football program and what he accomplished at Northern Illinois. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

HOUSTON -- At the beginning of the 2012 season, Jerry Kill compared his rebuilding project at the University of Minnesota to the difficult one he faced at Southern Illinois.

But at the end of this season, the second-year Gophers football coach is seeing similarities to another rebuilding situation he faced, one that was turned around faster.

After Minnesota's 34-31 loss Friday night, Dec. 28, to Texas Tech in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas at Reliant Stadium, Kill's disappointment quickly turned to optimism. The Gophers, in his view, are on pace to repeat the success of his former Northern Illinois program.

Northern Illinois, which Kill coached from 2008-10, is playing in a BCS game this season. Kill isn't making any Tim Brewster-like Rose Bowl forecasts for Gopher Nation. But, he said, there's "no comparison" between the Gophers program that finished 3-9 in 2011 and the one that went 6-7 and made a bowl game in 2012.

"I know where we were when we took the job," Kill said. "Coming here and having the opportunity to win, and the way we played, there is no question that we are moving forward.

"I was at another school, in a similar situation, at Northern Illinois. I think there is no question that the seniors have done a great job, and we will have a lot of players back. And this bowl experience, the way we played even though we didn't win the game, will certainly help us."

Kill and his staff turned Northern Illinois into a Mid-American Conference

title contender by developing players. And finding the right quarterback was critical.

Chandler Harnish started four years and led the Huskies to four straight bowl games. Minnesota freshman Philip Nelson, who started the final seven games, has been compared to Harnish. Despite throwing a costly interception in the fourth quarter Friday, Nelson led the Gophers to a second-half lead and is determined to prove his team can win a bowl game next year.

"Being in this situation, it's only going

Freshman quarterback Philip Nelson played well enough at times in the bowl game to generate some momentum into spring football as he competes for the starting spot. (Kevin M. Cox/MCT)

to help us gain experience, and now if we get in that situation again we should be able to execute better," Nelson said. "Coach has said before (that) we have progressed throughout the season, and now we know where we need to go for next season."

Nelson completed just 7 of 18 passes for 138 yards, but he threw two second-half touchdown passes, including a 1-yard strike to Drew Goodger on third-and-goal to take a 31-24 lead in the fourth quarter. The 19-year-old from Mankato played well enough at times in the bowl game to generate some momentum into spring football as he competes for the starting spot with redshirt freshman Mitch Leidner and incoming recruit Chris Streveler.

"The way we came out and played is going to increase the confidence of the younger guys going into next season," senior quarterback/wide receiver MarQueis Gray said. "I feel like this will help turn the program around. You want to win, but we're looking forward to next year."

Starting spots at wide receiver and tailback also should be wide open, although junior receiver Derrick Engel made a statement with four catches for 108 yards Friday. Sophomore Donnell Kirkwood and freshman Rodrick Williams, who combined to rush for 137 of the team's 222 yards in the bowl game, give the Gophers two power runners who will benefit from a deeper and more talented offensive line in 2013.

Ohio State sophomore transfer Brian Bobek is a front-runner to be the starting center. Redshirt freshmen Jonah Pirsig, Isaac Hayes and Ben Lauer are expected to challenge for playing time.

On defense, the Gophers will lose several senior starters, including cornerbacks Michael Carter (two interceptions Friday) and Troy Stoudermire, linebackers Mike Rallis and Keanon Cooper and defensive end D.L. Wilhite, an All-Big Ten selection.

The safety position should be a strength next year with junior Brock Vereen (10 tackles Friday), sophomore Cedric Thompson (seven tackles), freshman Antonio Johnson (six) and sophomore Derrick Wells (five) returning. Defensive tackle Ra'Shede Hageman's decision to return for his senior season gives the Gophers potentially one of the most physically dominant linemen in the Big Ten next year.

Hageman had six tackles, including a sack, Friday.

"Once we got adjusted to the rhythm, I thought our kids competed very well," defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said. "And I'm extremely excited for the ones coming back. It's a good thing to build on."

Source: http://www.twincities.com/gophers/ci_22281425/gophers-football-no-comparison-between-2011-and-2012?source=rss

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Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class appears in diecast form

Only a couple of days after we showed you what were purportedly leaked official images of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class sedan, this came in: according to?China Car Times, toy makers in the Middle Kingdom have apparently managed to make diecast models of the new CLA, which were put up for auction on online shopping giant Taobao?around the region of 300 RMB (RM150) apiece.

The car news website says the 1:18 scale models have since been withdrawn from?Taobao, but the images are circulating around Weibo?(the Chinese version of Twitter). It adds that the models are made by French toy car maker Norev.

Exterior-wise, the model appears to be less kitted out than the one in the alleged press shots. Front and rear bumpers and wheels are clearly more sedately styled, and the interior (which is pretty detailed for a toy!) seems to echo that in the earlier shots ? that is, carried over from the A-Class. We see only two headrests at the back ? a four-seater, just like the CLS-Class?

It could be that this one is the base model in miniature, and the one you see in the earlier shots is the CLA 45 AMG.?Whatever it is, at next month?s Detroit show, all will be revealed.

?

Source: http://paultan.org/2012/12/28/mercedes-benz-cla-appears-in-diecast-form/

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Any ?fiscal cliff? deal must get through political obstacle course in next few days (Washington Post)

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French court rejects 75 percent millionaires' tax

PARIS (Reuters) - France's Constitutional Council on Saturday rejected a 75 percent upper income tax rate to be introduced in 2013 in a setback to Socialist President Francois Hollande's push to make the rich contribute more to cutting the public deficit.

The Council ruled that the planned 75 percent tax on annual income above 1 million euros ($1.32 million) - a flagship measure of Hollande's election campaign - was unfair in the way it would be applied to different households.

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the government would redraft the upper tax rate proposal to answer the Council's concerns and resubmit it in a new budget law, meaning Saturday's decision could only amount to a temporary political blow.

While the tax plan was largely symbolic and would only have affected a few thousand people, it has infuriated high earners in France, prompting some such as actor Gerard Depardieu to flee abroad. The message it sent also shocked entrepreneurs and foreign investors, who accuse Hollande of being anti-business.

Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said the rejection of the 75 percent tax and other minor measures could cut up to 500 million euros in forecast tax revenues but would not hurt efforts to slash the public deficit to below a European Union ceiling of 3 percent of economic output next year.

"The rejected measures represent 300 to 500 million euros. Our deficit-cutting path will not be affected," Moscovici told BFM television. He too said the government would resubmit a proposal to raise taxes on high incomes in 2013 and 2014.

The Council, made up of nine judges and three former presidents, is concerned the tax would hit a married couple where one partner earned above a million euros but it would not affect a couple where each earned just under a million euros.

UMP member Gilles Carrez, chairman of the National Assembly's finance commission, told BFM television, however, that the Council's so-called wise men also felt the 75 percent tax was excessive and too much based on ideology.

FRANCE UNDER SCRUTINY

Hollande shocked many by announcing his 75 percent tax proposal out of the blue several weeks into a campaign that some felt was flagging. Left-wing voters were cheered by it but business leaders warned that talent would flee the country.

Set to be a temporary measure until France is out of economic crisis, the few hundred million euros a year the tax was set to raise is a not insignificant sum as the government strives to boost public finances in the face of stalled growth.

Hollande's 2013 budget calls for the biggest belt-tightening effort France has seen in decades and is based on a growth target of 0.8 percent, a level analysts view as over-optimistic.

Fitch Ratings this month affirmed its triple-A rating on France but said there was no room for slippage. Standard & Poor's and Moody's have both stripped Europe's No. 2 economy of its AAA badge due to concern over strained public finances and stalled growth.

The International Monetary Fund recently forecast that France will miss its 3 percent deficit target next year and signs are growing that Paris could negotiate some leeway on the timing of that goal with its EU partners.

The INSEE national statistics institute this week scaled back its reading of a return to growth in the third quarter to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent, and the government said it could review its 2013 outlook in the next few months.

Saturday's decision was in response to a motion by the opposition conservative UMP party, whose weight in fighting Hollande's policies has been reduced by a leadership crisis that has split it in two seven months after it lost power.

The Constitutional Council is a politically independent body that rules on whether laws, elections and referenda are constitutional.

($1 = 0.7564 euros)

(Reporting by Emile Picy; Writing by Catherine Bremer; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-french-court-rejects-75-percent-upper-tax-115449992--business.html

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Fenninger beats Maze; Shiffrin of US 8th in GS

SEMMERING, Austria (AP) ? Anna Fenninger of Austria had two near-perfect runs to win a World Cup giant slalom on Friday, while second-place Tina Maze of Slovenia extended her lead in the overall standings.

In difficult conditions because of snowfall, Fenninger posted the fastest time in both runs on the Panorama course and finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 13.09 seconds to beat Maze by 1.10. Tessa Worley of France, who was second after the opening run, was third.

American teenager Mikaela Shiffrin, who won her first World Cup race last week, was eighth for the best GS result in her career. She's now 10th in the overall standings.

Shiffrin had several mistakes in her final run but used a blistering second to finish2.68 seconds off Fenninger's winning time.

"I had some energy that run," said Shiffrin, who struggled with a cold. "My energy level has been OK, or maybe I am just telling myself that's OK ? mind over matter ... Hopefully tonight I get a good night of sleep and come out tomorrow (for the slalom) and have some fun."

Shiffrin leads the slalom standings, the first time since 1982 that the U.S. women's team has three racers in the top 10.

Defending overall champion Lindsey Vonn of the United States skipped the race. Vonn, who is fifth in the overall standings, is taking a break from the circuit to fully recover from an intestinal illness.

Fenninger earned her second World Cup victory after claiming a GS on home soil ? in Lienz ? a year ago to the day.

"I was very difficult to free my mind before the start," said Fenninger, who had never led a World Cup race after the first run before. "I tried to tell myself that it's just an ordinary race. I kept repeating that, and it worked."

Fenninger held a 0.90-second margin over Maze going into the final run but refused to hold back and managed to even increase that lead, to the delight of the home crowd.

Maze, who won the first four GS events this season, accepted her defeat.

"I am really happy with my skiing," said Maze, who lost time early in her opening run as she struggled for rhythm in the first flat section. "I lost a lot of time there. I fought until the end but Anna really had a perfect day. She was unbeatable today."

Maze became the first woman skier to earn nine podium finishes in GS within one year, beating the record previously held by Lise-Marie Morerod of Switzerland (1977), Deborah Compagnoni of Italy (1997) and Anita Wachter of Austria (1999).

"It's my skiing that makes me confident, I don't look at the points or the records," the Slovenian said. "I try to prepare each race as well as I can. It's not always perfect but I am a fighter."

Maze finished runner-up to Vonn last season without winning a race. In the first 15 events of this season, Maze won five times and earned five more podium finishes.

She tops the overall standings with 999 points, and is likely to surpass the 1,000-point mark in Saturday's slalom, the last women's race of 2012.

Maze already leads second-place Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany by 417 points. Vonn is fifth, trailing Maze by 585 points.

"It's still a long season, anything can happen," Maze said. "If Lindsey comes back and she wins all the downhills, you never know. I am not calculating. I hope Lindsey returns to the circuit quickly, but of course her health is most important."

The only other racer besides Maze and Fenninger to win a GS this season, Olympic champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany, finished 1.91 behind Fenninger in fifth place.

After six of nine events, Maze is a strong favorite to take the discipline title. She leads No. 2 Kathrin Zettel by 198 points, with each victory worth 100 points.

There is one more women's GS scheduled ahead of February's world championships ? in Maribor, Slovenia, on Jan. 26.

The 2006 Olympic champion, Julia Mancuso, finished 25th on Friday, 4.16 seconds behind Fenninger.

"I felt pretty well but somehow the time isn't there," the American said. "I was surprised that I was that far behind. I thought I had a pretty good section."

Mancuso switched her ski supplier in the offseason. Her best result so far in the discipline was sixth on Dec. 16 in Courchevel, France.

"I am better when the snow is really hard," Mancuso said. "I guess these are not quite my conditions."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fenninger-beats-maze-shiffrin-us-8th-gs-160645430--spt.html

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Larklife

The first time I launched the Larklife iPhone app, I thought, "How can an app this well designed and different from the competition go with a gadget that's so clunky and awkward?" Larklife ($149.99, direct) is just one of many fitness-tracking gadgets vying for the attention of consumers who want to be motivated to get moving. And the app could do just that, provided you have an iPhone, because it really does work differently from all the other personal health and wellness programs you'll find. But the wristband that goes with it doesn't compare to the more slender and sophisticated models you'll find in big brand names like Nike and Jawbone. Due to Larklife's lackluster form factor and slightly high price, it sits somewhere in the middle of the fitness gadget pack. It's not bad, but not great, and for less money you can probably find something you'll like better.

For me, the answer is the $100 Fitbit One, our Editors' Choice and one of only a few fitness gadgets that isn't a bracelet, making it easier to conceal when you don't want your friends or a hot date to know you're monitoring your physical activity. The Fitbit costs less than most other devices, works with both a Web app and smartphone app, and connects with a host of other personal health apps and devices.?

More similar to Larkflife are the Nike+ FuelBand and the Jawbone UP. The Jawbone UP fits the most comfortably of the three, although the Nike+ FuelBand at least puts visual data, like the time and your total activity for the day, right on the bracelet itself?neither Larklife nor Jawbone UP do. If I'm going to wear a gadget 24/7, I'd at least like it to tell me the time.

Design
Though a bracelet, Larklife disassembles in a way that I've never seen before in a fitness tracker. Its core component is a small piece of plastic with a strip of LED lights and a single button on the side. That core piece snaps into a plastic bracelet or "day band," as well as a separate and more flexible strap for overnight use to track your sleep. The USB rechargeable battery isn't in the core piece but rather in each band.

The lights serve a couple of purposes, like flashing to remind you to be active or to indicate a function. For example, press the button twice to automatically log when you eat a meal so you don't have to take out your smartphone to record everything you eat during dinner. You can add specifics later, or not.

In wearing Larklife for several days, I got used to it the same way I got used to wearing a wristwatch. I removed it to type and to slide my arms into a fitted jacket. But I didn't like that the blue bracelet called attention to itself. Fitbit One, on the other hand, hides discreetly out of sight on a waistband, bra strap, or even in a pocket (the thing is tiny), giving you more control over who knows you're wearing one.

The Jawbone UP is much smaller and sleeker than Larklife, but in other ways they're extremely similar. Each is designed to be worn on the wrist and only sync via an iOS device (not a computer), although Larklife syncs via Bluetooth whereas Jawbone UP connects via the headphone jack. Both the Jawbone UP and Larklife include silent alarms that vibrate to wake you, as does Fitbit One.

Larklife's Strength: A Simplified App
While the Larklife band may be clunky, its companion iPhone app, where you see all the data the device collects, is decidedly simplified. It has only four categories for logging data?meals, workout, boost, and sleep?and automates some of the recordkeeping for you. If you run or workout vigorously while wearing Larklife, the app automatically records that activity as a workout (although it once thought I worked out when all I did was scurry to catch a train). A "boost," the way the app describes it, could be anything that makes you feel refreshed, from taking a brisk walk or heading to the water cooler for some office gabbing. It can be whatever you want, and I like that Larklife includes it in its data collection. Decreasing stress should be seen as an integral part of wellness.

The band and app sync over Bluetooth, so you always have quick access to the data when your iPhone is nearby. I ended up flipping the Bluetooth off quite often, however, to conserve my phone's battery.

Most of the app display appears in portrait mode. Bubbles relating to each of the four logged activities (meal, workout, boost, sleep) fill up a screen for one day's activity. Drag your finger around the current day's screen, and the bubbles bounce and move around. Turn the phone horizontally, and your day's activity plot onto a bar graph that shows when you were active, total time active (in minutes), calories burned, distance traveled, and your sleep data.

What Larklife captures isn't remarkably different than other fitness gadgets and apps, except for the unique "boost" category, but it does simplify the process of recording. When you enter a meal, for example, the app doesn't ask you to search a massive database of foods for exactly what you've eaten, but rather offers a selection of basic food types?protein, vegetable, fruit, grain, and water?and has you tap the ones you've consumed. Again, the emphasis is more on wellness and thinking positively than getting into the nitty gritty of what you did wrong for the day, although not everyone will agree with this approach. I, for one, learn a lot when I count calories and pay close attention to exactly what I'm eating. I'd rather have a more detailed system than a general one. But it could be appealing for people who want to change their fitness and eating habits in a way that will actually stick.

Better Fitness Through Personal Data
Larklife is a good product but it competes with a few that are better and less expensive. The Fitbit One remains the clear Editors' Choice for its excellent form factor, top-notch data collection, and wonderful companion app for iPhone, Android, and the Web. It also integrates with a host of other apps and gadgets. When you can get all that for $99, Larklife just doesn't seem like it has much appeal.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/y3IS6pRH3oU/0,2817,2413317,00.asp

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Home prices rose in ninth straight month: S&P

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Single-family home prices rose in October for nine months in a row, reinforcing the view the domestic real estate market is improving and should bolster the economy in 2013, a closely watched survey showed on Wednesday.

The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas gained 0.7 percent in October on a seasonally adjusted basis, stronger than the 0.5 percent rise forecast by economists polled by Reuters.

"Looking over this report, and considering other data on housing starts and sales, it is clear that the housing recovery is gathering strength," David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at Standard & Poor's, said in a statement.

While record low mortgage rates and modest job growth should keep the housing recovery on track, analysts cautioned home prices face downward pressure from a likely pickup in the sales of foreclosed and distressed properties and reduced buying investors and speculators.

Prices in the 20 cities rose 4.3 percent year over year, beating expectations for a rise of 4.0 percent.

Las Vegas posted the biggest monthly rise on a seasonally adjusted basis at 2.4 percent, followed by a 1.7 percent increase in San Diego, the latest Case-Shiller data showed.

"Higher year-over-year price gains plus strong performances in the Southwest and California, regions that suffered during the housing bust, confirm that housing is now contributing to the economy," Blitzer said.

Housing contributed 10 percent to the overall U.S. economic growth in the third quarter, while the sector represented less than 3 percent of gross domestic product, he said.

Last week, the government said U.S. GDP expanded at a stronger-than-expected 3.1 percent annualized pace in the third quarter.

Excluding seasonal factors, however, home prices in 12 of the 20 cities fell in October from September as home values tend to decline in fall and winter, Blitzer said.

Chicago experienced the largest non-seasonally adjusted decline at 1.5 percent, followed by a 1.4 percent fall in Boston.

(Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/home-prices-rose-october-p-140523488--business.html

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US Treasury to take steps to avoid debt ceiling

11 hrs.

From wire services , NBC News

WASHINGTON --?The U.S. Treasury on Wednesday announced the first of a series of measures to delay hitting the government's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit. Without those steps, the debt ceiling?would be hit on Dec. 31.?

The government is facing a crunch on the debt ceiling because the issue has become ensnarled in talks to avoid some $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts due to begin in early January. Failing to raise the debt ceiling could cause the government to default on its debt.

To cut government spending and delay bumping up against the debt ceiling, the Treasury will suspend issuance of state and local government series securities -- known as "slugs" -- beginning on Dec.?28.

Investments in a government employee pension fund will also be suspended, along with some other measures, although Treasury did not give dates for when these other measures will begin.

"These extraordinary measures ... can create approximately $200 billion in headroom under the debt limit," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner wrote in a letter to congressional leaders.

Normally, these measures would buy the Treasury about two months time before hitting the debt ceiling, Geithner said in the letter. But a series of planned tax hikes and spending cuts due to take effect in early January could give Treasury further time if they take effect as scheduled, he said.

"Treasury will provide more guidance regarding the expected duration of these measures when the policy outlook becomes clearer," he said.

The instruments known as slugs are special low-interest Treasury securities offered to state and local governments to temporarily invest proceeds from municipal bond sales. They have been suspended several times over the last 20 years to avoid hitting the debt ceiling.

Many analysts believe the measures available to the Treasury can stave that date off into late February.

The U.S. Congress typically authorizes government borrowing in a two-stage process, first drafting plans to spend more than it raises in tax revenues. Every few years, it raises a limit on government borrowing to accommodate annual deficits, a process that this year has become ensnared by the contentious budget talks in Washington.?

Information from the Associated Press and Reuters was included in this report.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/us-treasury-take-steps-avoid-hitting-debt-ceiling-monday-1C7662780

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RolePlayGateway?

This page is for the characters with combative prowess. Please list and detail your character's current stats and skills for all to see so that there is no confusion as to the capabilities and performance limitations to which they are governed. To give the example and to get it out of the way, I am posting Shadow's "strengths" first so that you all can analyze it and provide the same listed strengths as I provide, albeit in accordance with your own character and not mine. This page will be updated as the RP progresses whenever training periods come and go, or when certain battles are over and/or new weaponry or clothing is acquired (and yes, clothing can make a difference). So please do check back regularly and make changes whenever appropriate.

Thank you!

So, here we go!

Shadow

Shadow's body to arm ratio: Shadow is 6' 0" tall, however, his arm span is slightly longer a 6' 1". This means that Shadow has a longer reach than most men who are 6', as their arm length will typically be less than their height which gives him an advantage in combat against men of his size or within a two to three inch margin.

Shadow's weight: Shadow weighs approximately 190 to 200 lbs of raw, lean muscle which is above average for one of his size. The average body weight for a healthy young man at 6' is approximately 170 lbs. That extra thirty pounds makes him deceptively powerful thanks to his lean frame which disguises the true depths of his power.

Shadow's reaction time: Shadow's reaction time is 120 milliseconds +/- 5 milliseconds depending on the number of distractions in his immediate area. The average healthy and active human being's reaction time is about 250-300 milliseconds. I think you can do the rough math on that one. Lol.

Shadow's clothing: Shadow's jacket weighs about two pounds and is black leather. His vambracesare coated with Orichalcum, and weigh twenty pounds each. He wears black gloves as well which have Orichalcum coverings across each finger for protection when he punches hard surfaces. These coverings weigh about a pound each, for a total of five pounds on each hand. Shadow's shirt is lightweight and flexible, as are his pants which are held up by a belt which weighs no more than a pound. Shadow's boots have Orichalcum toes and souls, each one weighing about a total of about ten pounds. His greaves weigh thirty pounds each, and are also coated in Orichalcum. When combining the weight of all of the Orichalcum he wears, coupled with his two Orichalcum daggers which weigh forty pounds each, Shadow is wearing a total of approximately three hundred and twenty pounds of extra weight.

This means that Shadow, at any one time when he's fully dressed and prepared for combat, weighs in excess of four hundred pounds. This makes him comparable to a human tank, being almost immovable thanks to the weight of the Orichalcum covering his body. Add in the fact that all this weight does very little to slow him down because of how long he's worn it and trained in it, and you'll start to see just how strong Shadow really is.

Shadow's speed: Some of the fastest boxers on Earth today can only get in about six to seven punches per second when they really go or it, and even then they're cutting their punches short by not retracting them all the way back to the waist. Shadow can punch from the waist about eight times in a single second, and that is when he pulls his fists all the way back to his waist each time. No short punches here.

On the same note, Shadow can kick at over 90 mph, +/- 5 mph, when he really goes for it. To give some perspective, the fastest competitive martial artists alive today kick about 70 mph with a "flick kick", which is to say that they kick for speed and not for power. The impact of a 90+ mph kick, when coupled with Shadow's strength, can literally decapitate a human being inside their own body by severing the skull from the spinal chord. Though it does not break the skin or muscles in the neck, the fact that the skull is removed from the spine defines it as a decapitation.

Shadow's eyesight: Shadow's eyes are more suited to nighttime, which is why his vision at night is 20/5 and his vision in the day is 20/10. Obviously, this has to do with the fact that his eyes are red and can glow, but I won't divulge the secret to that yet.

That's about it! Whenever you have the time, please provide the same overall stats for your character to show us where they stand and what they can do. Obviously there are some liberties taken with these stats, so don't feel completely limited by "reality". Though this RP is going to be as realistic as possible, this pertains primarily to the laws of physics, and not the limitations of the human body which is why Shadow is so strong. Have at it!

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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VP says Chavez up, walking; doubts persist

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Vice President Nicolas Maduro surprised Venezuelans with a Christmas Eve announcement that President Hugo Chavez is up and walking two weeks after cancer surgery in Cuba, but the news did little to ease uncertainty surrounding the leader's condition.

Sounding giddy, Maduro told state television Venezolana de Television that he had spoken by phone with Chavez for 20 minutes Monday night. It was the first time a top Venezuelan government official had confirmed talking personally with Chavez since the Dec. 11 operation, his fourth cancer surgery since 2011.

"He was in a good mood," Maduro said. "He was walking, he was exercising."

Chavez supporters reacted with relief, but the statement inspired more questions, given the sparse information the Venezuelan government has provided so far about the president's cancer. Chavez has kept secret various details about his illness, including the precise location of the tumors and the type of cancer. His long-term prognosis remains a mystery.

Dr. Michael Pishvaian, an oncologist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, said it was an encouraging sign that Chavez was walking, and it indicated he would be able to return to Venezuela relatively soon. But he said the long term outlook remained poor.

"It's definitely good news. It means that he is on the road to recover fully from the surgery," Pishvaian said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The overall prognosis is still pretty poor. He likely has a terminal diagnosis with his cancer that has come back."

Pishvaian and other outside doctors have said that given the details Chavez has provided about his cancer, it is most likely a soft-tissue sarcoma.

Chavez first underwent surgery for an unspecified type of pelvic cancer in Cuba in June 2011 and went back this month after tests had found a return of malignant cells in the same area where tumors were previously removed.

Venezuelan officials said that, following the six-hour surgery two weeks ago, Chavez suffered internal bleeding that was stanched and a respiratory infection that was being treated.

Maduro's announcement came just hours after Information Minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement saying Chavez was showing "a slight improvement with a progressive trend."

Dr. Carlos Castro, director of the Colombian League against Cancer, an association that promotes cancer prevention, treatment and education, said Maduro's announcement was too vague to paint a clear picture of Chavez's condition.

"It's possible (that he is walking) because everything is possible," Castro told AP. "They probably had him sit in up in bed and take two steps."

"It's unclear what they mean by exercise. Was it four little steps?" he added. "I think he is still in critical condition."

Maduro's near-midnight announcement came just as Venezuelan families were gathering for traditional late Christmas Eve dinners and setting off the usual deafening fireworks that accompany the festivities. There was still little outward reaction on a quiet Christmas morning.

Danny Moreno, a software technician watching her 2-year-old son try out his new tricycle, was among the few people at a Caracas plaza who said she had heard Maduro's announcement. She said she saw a government Twitter message saying an announcement was coming and her mother rushed to turn on the TV.

"We all said, thank God, he's okay," she said, smiling.

Dr. Gustavo Medrano, a lung specialist at the Centro Medico hospital in Caracas, said if Chavez is talking, it suggests he is breathing on his own despite the respiratory infection and is not in intensive care. But Medrano said he remained skeptical about Maduro's comments and could deduce little from them about Chavez's prognosis for recovery.

"I have no idea because if it was such a serious, urgent, important operation, and that was 14 days ago, I don't think he could be walking and exercising after a surgery like that," Medrano said.

Over the weekend, Chavez's ally, Bolivian President Evo Morales, made a lightning visit to Cuba that only added to the uncertainty.

Journalists had been summoned to cover his arrival and departure in Havana, but hours later that invitation was canceled. No explanation was given, though it could have been due to confusion over Morales' itinerary as he apparently arrived later than initially scheduled.

Cuban state media published photos of President Raul Castro receiving Morales at the airport and said he came "to express his support" for Chavez, his close ally, but did not give further details. He left Sunday without making any public comments.

For the second day in a row Tuesday, Morales made no mention of his trip to Cuba during public events in Bolivia.

Yet more questions surround Chavez's political future, with the surgery coming two months after he won re-election to a six-year term.

If he is unable to continue in office, the Venezuelan Constitution calls for new elections to be held. Chavez has asked his followers to back Maduro, his hand-picked successor, in that event.

Venezuelan officials have said Chavez might not return in time for his Jan. 10 inauguration.

Opposition leaders have argued that the constitution does not allow the president's swearing-in to be postponed, and say new elections should be called if Chavez is unable to take the oath on time.

But government officials have said the constitution lets the Supreme Court administer the oath of office at any time if the National Assembly is unable to do it Jan. 10 as scheduled.

___

Associated Press writers Peter Orsi in Havana, Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Camilo Hernandez in Bogota, Colombia, and Paola Flores in La Paz, Bolivia, contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vp-says-chavez-walking-doubts-persist-175119675.html

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So, what'd you get?

Is it the best day ever? A close second? If you're able to take two seconds and spend a few quality moments with a few folks you love, it'll probably be tough to complain either way. But 'round here, it's pretty common for us to ask for something electronic on December 25th. Did you manage to unwrap a new phone? Tablet? Ultrabook? Or, for those who prefer to give, what kind of gadgetry did you bestow upon that special someone? Let us know in comments below -- and remember, go easy on any customer service reps you end up phoning today.

When you're done, check out what people got jazzed about in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/25/christmas-gadget-bonanza/

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Katy Perry and John Mayer: Home For the Holidays!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/katy-perry-and-john-mayer-home-for-the-holidays/

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Archbishop of Canterbury says Anglican church wounded, not dead

LONDON (Reuters) - The leader of the Church of England on Tuesday said a vote last month that struck down proposals to allow women to become bishops had been "deeply painful", but that Christianity was still relevant in Britain despite falling numbers of believers.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who leads the global 80-million-strong Anglican Communion, said in his Christmas day sermon that the answer to the question of whether Christianity had "had its day" was a "resounding no".

The Church of England narrowly voted against allowing women bishops last month - to the dismay of Williams and Prime Minister David Cameron - in a move its leaders said risked undermining its role as the established church in society with clerics in parliament's upper chamber.

The media, many politicians and some members of the public have criticized the Church of England for failing to allow women bishops and for failing to back government plans for gay marriage at a time when it is under pressure to modernize.

In separate comments aired on Tuesday but recorded earlier, the Roman Catholic Church's leader in England and Wales, Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, said the government's plans to allow gay marriage were a "shambles" and had no mandate.

No religious organization or cleric will be forced to conduct gay weddings under the plans, but critics fear that clause could be challenged under European human rights laws.

A census showed earlier this month that the number of people in England and Wales describing themselves as Christian has declined by 13 percent over the last decade, but Williams warned secularists not to become "too excited".

"There are a lot more questions to ask before we could possibly assume that the census figures told us that faith was losing its hold on society," Williams said.

"In the deeply painful aftermath of the synod's vote last month, what was startling was how many people who certainly wouldn't have said yes to the census question turned out to have a sort of investment in the church," he said.

Williams, 62, is stepping down after 10 years in his post, and will be replaced next year by former oil executive Justin Welby.

Williams has agonized over schisms in the Anglican Communion and has said he hopes his successor has "the constitution of an ox and the skin of a rhinoceros".

(Reporting by Mohammed Abbas; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/archbishop-canterbury-says-anglican-church-wounded-not-dead-124122617.html

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Win a Uniworld Boutique River Cruise for Two in Italy

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?

? Win a Uniworld Boutique River Cruise for Two in Italy Uniworld Boutique River Cruises?is giving away a river cruise package for two on their new 7-night 2013 Venice & the Po River cruise itinerary including enchanting Venice; Ravenna, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site; Padua, with its astonishing frescoes; Verona, home to literature?s most famous lovers, Romeo and Juliet; and Bologna, the culinary capital of Northern Italy. To enter the contest, go to?facebook.com/uniworldrivercruises, ?Like? Uniworld on Facebook, and enter a caption for the photo to submit your entry.Starting on November 16, 2012 through February 28, 2013, Uniworld?s Facebook fans can enter to win the river cruise package in Italy including a riverview stateroom on the elegant?River Countess?; all meals onboard; complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner onboard; six shore excursions with a local expert, four UNESCO World Heritage Sites; and Uniworld?s exclusive Epicurean Adventurer Program?, which allows Uniworld?s guests to delve deeper into the world of Italian food and wine. Uniworld?s Epicurean Adventurer Program? includes a pasta-making workshop in Bologna, an Italian dessert-making demonstration and tasting, an olive oil and wine tasting, and a special wine and food pairing dinner. ? ? ? ?We?re thrilled to launch our third Facebook contest exclusively to the wonderful fans of Uniworld. We enjoy connecting and getting to know them using social media and also meeting people who may never have heard about river cruising, which is now the fastest growing segment in the cruise industry. Uniworld is also proud to announce that we will be the only North American river cruise line to sail the Venice Lagoon and Po River in 2013,? states Maria Ellen Grimardi, Vice President of Marketing for Uniworld.Please visit?facebook.com/uniworldrivercruises?to read more details and for the terms and conditions of the contest.About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the world?s only authentic boutique cruise line?, is recognized among the ?World?s Best River Cruises? by?Travel + Leisure. Uniworld was voted the?#1 River Cruise Line in the World? in?Cond? Nast Traveler?s?Readers? Choice Awards, was named to?Cond? Nast Traveler?s?prestigious Gold List and their Platinum Circle for having made the list consistently for the past five years, and won ?Best River Ships? in their Readers? Poll, which ranked?River Queen?and?River Beatrice?#1 and #3 of all cruise ships in the world, respectively, along with eight other highly ranked ships in the top 40 river ships category. Uniworld?s cabins and dining are also ranked among the top three in the world by Zagat Survey?, with Uniworld being the only river cruise line named in the Zagat Survey? amongst the best of the best in the cruise industry. Uniworld features luxurious boutique ships with an average capacity of 130 guests, included shore excursions fully hosted by local experts, world-class gourmet cuisine, and award-winning, personalized hospitality. Uniworld offers over 500 departures sailing on over 13 rivers in more than 20 countries throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. For more details, please visit?uniworld.com?or connect with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises at?facebook.com/uniworldrivercruises?or?twitter.com/uniworldcruises.? About TreadRight TreadRight is a not-for-profit foundation established by?The Travel Corporation?to encourage sustainable tourism within our own family of brands, and in the places we visit. To date, TreadRight has donated more than USD 1.5 million to sustainable tourism projects worldwide, and encourages industry best practice by annually supporting the World Travel & Tourism Council?s Tourism for Tomorrow awards. To learn more about the many projects TreadRight is funding please visit us at?treadright.org. Uniworld is a member of CLIA, Cruise Lines International Association

Maralyn D. Hill,?The Epicurean Explorer

International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association?(IFWTWA)

Board Member, Co-Chair Conference & Media Trip Committee, Past President

Editor-at-Large,?CityRoom

Freelance Lifestyle Journalist

Blogs:?Where and What in the World?&?Success with Writing

https://authorcentral.amazon.com

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Source: http://www.theepicureanexplorer.com/2012/12/win-a-uniworld-boutique-river-cruise-for-two-in-italy.html

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Syria envoy meets Assad to discuss solutions to crisis

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday to discuss a solution to a 21-month-old conflict, which has seen violence rise across the country and around its capital.

The U.N. and Arab League envoy drove to the capital through Lebanon because of fighting around Damascus international airport made it impossible to fly - a sign of how the conflict is paralyzing much of Syria.

Brahimi told reporters his meeting with Assad dealt with the general conditions in Syria, and the two discussed potential solutions to a crisis that has killed more than 44,000 people, according to activists.

"I told him what I was seeing abroad and about the meetings I had with different officials in the region and abroad," he said. "The situation in Syria still is a reason for worry. We hope that all the sides work toward the solution, as the Syrian people want."

The meeting on Monday was Brahimi's third with Assad and violence has greatly escalated in that time. Rebel successes in capturing several military sites around the country, including close to the capital have caused government forces to hit back heavily with air and artillery strikes.

The fighting is now on the doorstep of Assad's seat of power in Damascus, with fighting in the southern districts of the city and all along the suburbs on its eastern outskirts.

(Reporting by Erika Solomon; Editing by Jon Boyle)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-envoy-meets-assad-discuss-solutions-crisis-093917470.html

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New iOS Device for the holidays? Download these games first!

Congratulations on your new iPhone or iPad! The first few days with a new iOS device can be daunting if you?re new to Apple?s walled garden. There are literally hundreds of thousands of apps available, and when it comes to gaming, there are a great many that aren?t worth your time, your hard drive space, or your $0.99. Wading through all those games can be tough, especially when user reviews are unreliable.Fortunately, instead of letting you spend the holidays doing a bunch of research on which games are great and which aren?t, we?ve made a handy list for you. These are the games you should download first. These are games that are the most fun, maximize your hardware, and are the best the platform has to offer.

It?s not a stretch to say that Telltale Games? Walking Dead: The Game might be the best game of the year, on any platform. It took top honors at Spike TV?s Video Game Awards 2012 as the best game of the year for its versions on PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. It?s gory and full of adult content, but it?s also one of the best-written video game stories out there, period.

Based on Robert Kirkman?s comic series of the same name (and not the AMC TV show), The Walking Dead is an adventure game, so the focus is often on talking with other survivors, making moral decisions, and keeping your frazzled group from tearing itself apart. But there are also plenty of zombie outbreak moments, too. In all, The Walking Dead is an action-packed, brilliant and emotional game, and you should absolutely play it on any device.

ChAIR and Epic Games? sword-dueling action-adventure game is still a standard on the iOS platform in terms of graphics and gameplay. The second entry in the franchise upped the game of the original Infinity Blade significantly, increasing the amount of story included in the game and regularly receives content updates to give you plenty more bad guys to beat, and in more interesting ways.

Infinity Blade II supports a multiplayer mode that lets players join together in battles to earn rewards as a group, and there have also been lots of weapons, levels and bad guys added to the game since its launch. Infinity Blade II is worth the investment and will impress you with the power of your iOS hardware.

Angry Birds Star Wars takes the familiar tropes of Angry Birds ? flinging birds to break stuff and pop pigs ? and expands them in great new ways to make what?s probably the best game in the series so far. The great thing about Angry Birds Star Wars is that, first, it continues to play on the new rules and physics added with Angry Birds Space, so it includes gravity wells and space combat.

The addition of Star Wars-influenced material includes levels based on the planets Tatooine, Hoth, Dagobah, and the Death Star. The birds brandish new weapons and abilities like ?lightsabers, blasters, the Force, tractor beams and more, all of which greatly change the formula of the game and make it feel very fresh. It?s also rather satisfying to see the cast of birds dressed up like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, R2D2, and C3PO. Plus, if you like Star Wars, it can be pretty funny, too.

This controversial classic game has made the jump from the Playstation 2 to your iPhone or iPad. Grand Theft Auto 3 is another fairly adult-themed game, what with the ability to pick up ladies of the night and shoot down police helicopters, but it?s also a smart satire and a fun open world to explore, exploit, and blow up.

There are a myriad of missions and other things to do in Grand Theft Auto 3, which means you get hours of gameplay for one dollar. Rockstar Games has done a pretty great drop of porting the game to iOS devices, as well, making the controls feel solid even on a touchscreen interface. You can also check out the newer Grand Theft Auto: Vice City ($4.99) or less affordable Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars ($9.99) if you hunger for more indiscriminate video game carnage and complex missions.

No crop of iOS games would be complete without an asynchronous multiplayer word game thrown into the mix, and Letterpess is a great one. It?s a newer addition to the iOS market, and is a bit more like Boggle than Scrabble, like most games in the category. Each game starts with a random grid of tiles, each with a letter on them. The goal is to tap those tiles to make words, and each time you make a word with tiles, they change to your color. Then your opponent takes a turn, makes a word, and turns tiles to their color ? like some of your tiles. You win if you can manage to color all the tiles by making words out of them, and have the most tiles with your color at the end.

You can play as many games at a time as you want in Letterpress, and you can take as much time for your turns as you like. The cool thing about the game is that it?s less about making good words (although that certainly helps) as it is about using letters strategically and at the right moments to win.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.appolicious.com/games/articles/13073-new-ios-device-for-the-holidays-download-these-games-first

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