Anger and poverty unite former enemies in Bosnia (AP)

KOCINOVAC, Bosnia-Herzegovina ? They were bitter enemies on opposite sides of the front line during the horrors of the Bosnian War. Now, one side is bailing out the other in an act of once-unimaginable generosity.

In 2010, soldiers above 35 years of age were pensioned off as Bosnia tried to rejuvenate its army. But the checks never came ? and hundreds fell into poverty.

Slavko Rasevic, a Serb veteran, was one of them. Things got so bad he was forced to siphon electricity from a neighbor's home because he couldn't pay the bills. He couldn't even afford the bus fare to get his three kids to school.

Then, just as he was about to tell his 17-year-old daughter she'd have to drop out of school, he got a bit of unexpected news.

Bosniak and Croat soldiers who had begun receiving a special handout were banding together to create a lifeline for their less fortunate Serbian former foes ? contributing 5 euros each to a Serb veterans' fund.

This month, Rasevic was singled out by his fellow Serbian vets as one who should be among the first to benefit. Instead of spreading the first collection of about 5,000 euros ($6,500) thinly over hundreds, the Serbs decided that the most desperate would get substantial chunks of money.

His family and another one will get more than 500 euros, while 55 other struggling Serb vets will get some 60 euros each.

"High praise to those people over there," he said, referring to his former foes.

It's the latest example of former enemies edging closer together in a country still scarred by the legacy of Europe's worst bloodshed since World War II. Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs have banded together in railway strikes and now serve together in the army. But this is the first time people from one side have reached into their pockets to help another.

Rasevic joined the Bosnian Serb army 20 years ago to fight against his Bosniak and Croat enemies in a war that killed 100,000 people and turned almost 2 million ? including him ? into refugees.

The violence ended with a peace agreement in 1995 that carved the once-multiethnic nation into two ethnic mini-states ? a Serb republic and a Bosniak-Croat federation.

A decade later the three wartime ethnic armies melded into one. As a professional soldier, Rasevic found himself sharing army barracks with his former enemies. That was a major move toward reconciliation for a country that still struggles with ethnic mistrust and is held together by an international administrator.

In 2010, parliament forced soldiers over 35 to retire but failed to allocate pension funds in that year's budget. Then the six parties that won national elections were unable to form a government because of disputes over which ethnic group will run which ministry ? and the country has been rudderless ever since.

With no government, there's no budget ? and no pensions for the retired veterans.

Pressed by veteran protests, the government of the Bosniak-Croat region agreed to pay some 160 euros per month from its own budget to retired soldiers living in its territory for as long as it takes to pass the state budget.

However, the Bosnian Serb region refused to do the same for veterans living there.

Anger over how politicians are treating the veterans generated a wave of solidarity among former foes in this country with 30 percent unemployment.

As soon as the first handout money reached their accounts in January, Bosniak and Croat veterans started collecting donations and transferred the pile to the account of Serb veteran Rade Dzeletovic, who is in charge of distributing the money.

"It was a shock," Dzeletovic says of the campaign. "We shot at each other once and now this comes from them."

In Gorazde, on the other side of the ethnic boundary, Bosniak Senad Hubijer is amazed at how politicians are unwittingly contributing to ethnic reconciliation.

"When we were 16, politicians gave us guns and forced us to kill each other. Now, their ignorance is forcing us to help each other," he said.

During the war, Hubijer could not have imagined that one day he could set foot in the nearby majority Serb town of Rogatica. Now he drives through that town when he goes to Sarajevo to protest against the government together with Serb veterans.

Veteran Nihad Grabovica, a Bosniak, can't help but laugh at the historical irony.

"I am now helping the people who shot at me so they can feed their children," he said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_re_eu/eu_bosnia_foes_united

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Pentagon's Failure to Handle Iraq's Money Harms America's Reputation (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Sara Sorcher of the National Journal reports the Department of Defense cannot account for some $2 billion given to it by the government of Iraq to pay bills on contracts awarded in 2003 and 2004. Auditors claim poor record-keeping led to the inability to track the money, while others insist that acceptable efforts were made and that the money made it to the appropriate recipients.

The article reports the Iraqi government is upset over the news and might begin seeking compensation. American contractors are allegedly being hassled within Iraq, and the U.S. embassy is reporting "meager" supplies due to supply convoys being harassed or detained.

If the local population of Iraq did little to support the U.S.-led coalition in their nation-building efforts after the 2003 invasion, how will the population affected by America's next nation-building spree react to the news the Pentagon cannot handle their money well? The U.S., once held in high esteem for its use of the Marshall Plan to help rebuild Europe after World War II, now looks incompetent and callous. Iraq, after all, was not a wealthy nation that could easily afford to have $2 billion go unaccounted for.

Without the goodwill of the people that comes from genuine respect and admiration, the U.S. will have to fight more wars as an aggressor rather than a liberator. While this is not necessarily a problem (personally, I feel that many problems come from trying to fight wars on the cheap and play "liberator" rather than righteous avenger), it will force drastic changes to the U.S. foreign policy playbook. Changes we would rather not have to make because they limit options

I would prefer Washington have the option of being a money-savvy liberator when it wishes to be. Now, with losing track of Iraq's hard-earned money, it is unlikely that people will accept the "we come in peace to free you and rebuild your country" explanation. Being callous with people's money seems more like a practice of 18th-century Britain, from which we declared our independence, than a practice of the nation that famously rebuilt Europe with the Marshall Plan.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120130/pl_ac/10902821_pentagons_failure_to_handle_iraqs_money_harms_americas_reputation

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Karen Dalton-Beninato: Brad Pitt and the Business of Making it Right (PHOTOS)

"Blogger Karen Dalton-Beninato sent me this beautiful picture of the project Brad Pitt is working on..."

Five years ago, Arianna Huffington posted my husband's photo of pink tents in a planned green community in New Orleans. That was two years post Hurricane Katrina levee failures, and it often felt like New Orleans was stuck in neutral.

It was 2007 and the 9th Ward still looked like an overgrown prairie strewn with concrete slabs, all that was left of most houses near the Industrial Canal. Residents were coming back to FEMA trailers, if they could get one, and gutted out homes. In the years since then, Make It Right NOLA has assembled a living study in sustainable architecture for returning residents.

"After Hurricane Katrina, many people said the Lower 9th Ward could not be rebuilt, but the spirit of the Lower Ninth and its residents is vibrant and resilient," Brad Pitt recently said through his Foundation. "Today, the neighborhood is growing and alive with new homes, playgrounds, gardens and block parties. With the help of generous partners like Hyatt, Make It Right will fulfill our goal of building 150 sustainable homes for those in this community who lost everything in the storm." Pitt is hosting a March 10th MIR benefit at the newly reopened Hyatt Regency in New Orleans, and the Hyatt is underwriting the cost of the event so proceeds go to rebuilding. Pitt also took to Google + to announce the event.

Why the focus on New Orleans, and Pitt and Jolie's move to the French Quarter? Robert Kinney described it as well as anyone in his 1941 guidebook, The Bachelor in New Orleans: "New Orleans is the lotus land, to which all travelers return - once visited, it haunts you, calling your blood always."

"I'm from New Orleans, I love New Orleans and I love that Make It Right continues to help the people there rebuild their beautiful city," event co-chair Ellen DeGeneres said of the project. "Brad Pitt is amazing - not only for what he started, but also because, who else can make a hard hat look like a jaunty fall fashion accessory?"

DeGeneres will be joining my friend Mac Rebennack a/k/a Dr. John, and other NOLA natives Wendell Pierce and Mayor Mitch Landrieu at the benefit. And they will be joined by Seal, Rihanna, Sheryl Crow, Randy Jackson, Josh Brolin, Chris Paul, Djimon Hounsou, Spike Lee, Blake Lively, Sean Penn, and Kevin Spacey, with dinner prepared by chefs John Besh, Giada DeLaurentiis and Emeril Lagasse. Aziz Ansari of Parks and Recreation is hosting the after-party. With all the celebrities expected, it would probably be shorter to list who's not coming.

The event will sprint the project to its final goal of 150 platinum LEED certified homes in its 16-block neighborhood, and eventually help Make it Right move into helping Pitt's home territory of Joplin, Missouri with what they've learned from rebuilding green in New Orleans.

Steve Ragan is MIR's Development Director, and he walked us through the neighborhood's homes. We started out at the one that was built to float, designed by Tom Mayne of Morphosis Architects. Modular construction was assembled at UCLA, shipped to New Orleans and reassembled as the first home in the United States permitted for a floating foundation. All the connections to utilities are flexible tubing and piping, and if the home did begin to float they would be safely cut leaving its two masts to support it, Ragan explained. "It's probably our most cutting edge design. If we opened our program up to young hipsters, it would have sold quickly." The home eventually sold to an older man who needed a smaller space than the multi-generational homes occupied by many of his neighborhood.

"The most important thing is the immediate good for people who live here," Ragan says. "Second most important is advancing construction of energy efficient homes. Third, if you can imagine, is having the final neighborhood of 150 homes designed by 21 of the greatest architects in the world. In 20 years the people who will be touring the homes hopefully won't be thinking of them as advanced technology any more, but because they're architecturally significant."

Landscaping is largely made up of indigenous plants that help soak up water. Make it Right has patented a permeable concrete with 100 percent drainage throughout the development, and Ragan pours his coffee onto the surface to show us how quickly it disappears. That drainage also helped along with gray water collected beneath the homes. One of MIR's contractor was at a funeral and thought of using concrete crypts under the residents' homes to collect gray water. It's the right size, half the cost of building a container and feels appropriate in a city where dancing at funerals is not out of the norm.

Homes are built at least 4 feet off the ground, but MIR encourages residents to go higher. Residents have skin in the game, typically paying $75,000 with the rest of the $150,000 subsidized with a forgivable mortgage. With solar panels, Energy Star appliances and every possible new green technology on hand, only two homes in the development regularly use more energy than they produce, and those are multi-generational.

"If we had not focused on one area, we would have been able to build faster but people would have been pioneers sitting on their own," Ragan said. He's seen the crawfish boils, family reunions and arrivals of other developers as the area came to life. The 9th Ward was at 80 percent home ownership before Katrina, families who had lived there before the Industrial Canal was built and passed their homes down through generations. Some former residents are now back home, with green rooftop decks offering a view across the river.

"Homeowners choose their home as long as it's something that through our assistance they can afford. They're treated with the same respect, able to make the same decisions about design as a private developer would," Ragan said. "You can see some differences between first of the homes and later. We've managed as we've gone along with every iteration of homes to increase energy efficiency and lower costs. It's great when you can get an academic architect to take pause and say, 'how did you do that?"

It's something to see, and the visitors are coming in ever-increasing numbers. "I counted tour buses one day, and we were at 48," Ragan said. That number will only grow, with the Hollywood of the South bringing even more tourists to New Orleans. The Pugh Scarpa home we walked through had far more natural light than you would expect from the exterior view. Window direction adds to passive heating and cooling technologies, much like early Creole homes in the French Quarter. In the morning, the home is flooded with light. But by afternoon, the side with fewer windows, all hurricane resistant, cools the home down. Wireless lighting systems save on wiring costs, and directed vents at the top of the wall where hot air rises help cool the house faster. The architects are clearly familiar with Louisiana summers. Floors are reclaimed pine, and all the paint in the home is VOC-free. "We haven't had hard data, but anecdotally children who suffer from asthma have fewer problems once they move in." Architects meet with stakeholders early on, and the project has focused on residents who had lived in the Lower 9th Ward. One of the main design alterations requested has been larger porch and terrace areas for neighborhood socializing.

"I just love to come out here on a Saturday," Ragan said. "You've got construction crews working, you've got homeowners socializing, this neighborhood has come back to life. Architects talk about how architecture engages people. Tourists come outside, and a homeowner will come out and start explaining the home to them. Then another will come out and say, let me tell you about mine."

Plantings and mulch are available to community members. And the Make it Right playground, made of recycled materials, has wi-fi installed so children can compete with children in a playground on the other side of the world with the same system installed. Bayou Bienvenue backs up to the development, but its original cypress trees were killed off years ago as canals brought saltwater intrusion from the Gulf to the city. An older man walks up and reminisces about the years when the bayou was fresh water and the cypress trees grew. He talks about trapping and walking through the bayou, pointing to the stumps that now exist.

We meet Robert Green, a Make it Right resident and its unofficial ambassador. "I've been fortunate enough to be here when most people come by," he said. Green asked for the Waiting for Godot sign from the 9th Ward production starring Pierce, so the front of his house greets visitors with words by Samuel Beckett. Green often takes people into his home to show them construction, which he's proud of. His was the second lot in the program, and he bought the adjacent lot through the city's Lot Next Door program. He's considered putting in a gazebo.

Green was sent back from the Superdome when they couldn't offer adequate help to his mother who had Parkinson's Disease. So the family returned home, and the next day the water started rising. Green saved two of his granddaughters, but he lost his mother and granddaughter in the floodwaters that came through the broken levee on August 29, 2005. A marker for each rests in front of his home, under his Waiting for Godot sign.

A country road. A tree. Evening.

Details on A Night to Make It Right are available at: nighttomakeitright.com

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-daltonbeninato/brad-pitt-and-the-busines_b_1239228.html

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Allmendinger leads Michael Shank Racing to win (AP)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger earned his first major victory in almost six years by closing out the Rolex 24 at Daytona for Michael Shank Racing.

Allmendinger drove the final stint in the No. 60 Ford Riley, spending almost three hours behind the wheel at the end of the twice-around-the-clock endurance race. His team included IndyCar driver Justin Wilson, and Grand-Am regulars Ozz Negri Jr. and John Pew.

Ryan Dalziel was at the wheel for Starworks Motorsports' second-place finish, and Felipe Nasar was driving for Shank when he crossed the line in third. Ford swept the top three spots of the Daytona Prototype class.

The vaunted teams from Chip Ganassi Racing finished fourth and sixth after both cars had mechanical issues.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_sp_au_ra_ra_su/car_grand_am_daytona24

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Despair, crackdowns breed more violence in Tibet (AP)

BEIJING ? A young man posts his photo with a leaflet demanding freedom for Tibet and telling Chinese police, come and get me. Protesters rise up to defend him, and demonstrations break out in two other Tibetan areas of western China to support the same cause.

Each time, police respond with bullets.

The three clashes, all in the past week, killed several Tibetans and injured dozens. They mark an escalation of a protest movement that for months expressed itself mainly through scattered individual self-immolations.

It's the result of growing desperation among Tibetans and a harsh crackdown by security forces that scholars and pro-Tibet activists contend only breeds more rage and despair.

That leaves authorities with the stark choice of either cracking down even harder or meeting Tibetan demands for greater freedom and a return of their Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama ? something Beijing has shown zero willingness to do.

"By not responding constructively when it was faced with peaceful one-person protests, the (Communist) party has created the conditions for violent, large-scale protests," said Robbie Barnett, head of modern Tibetan studies at New York's Columbia University.

This is the region's most violent period since 2008, when deadly rioting in Tibet's capital Lhasa spread to Tibetan areas in adjoining provinces. China responded by flooding the area with troops and closing Tibetan regions entirely to foreigners for about a year. Special permission is still required for non-Chinese visitors to Tibet, and the Himalayan region remains closed off entirely for the weeks surrounding the March 14 anniversary of the riots that left 22 people dead.

Video smuggled out by activists shows paramilitary troops equipped with assault rifles and armored cars making pre-dawn arrests. Huge convoys of heavily armored troops are seen driving along mountain roads and monks accused of sedition being frog-marched to waiting trucks.

For the past year, self-immolations have become a striking form of protest in the region. At least 16 monks, nuns and former clergy set themselves on fire after chanting for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama, who fled to India amid an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

China, fiercely critical of the Dalai Lama, says Tibet has been under its rule for centuries, but many Tibetans say the region was functionally independent for most of that time.

In a change from the individual protests, several thousand Tibetans marched to government offices Monday in Ganzi prefecture in Sichuan province. Police opened fire into the crowd, killing up to three people, witnesses and activist groups said.

On Tuesday, security forces opened fire on a crowd of protesters in another area of Ganzi, killing two Tibetans and wounding several more, according to the group Free Tibet.

On Thursday in southwestern Sichuan province's Aba prefecture, a youth named Tarpa posted a leaflet saying that self-immolations wouldn't stop until Tibet is free, the London-based International Campaign for Tibet said. He wrote his name on the leaflet and included a photo of himself, saying that Chinese authorities could come and arrest him if they wished, group spokeswoman Kate Saunders said in an email.

Security forces did so about two hours later. Area residents blocked their way, shouting slogans and warning of bigger protests if Tarpa wasn't released, Saunders said. Police then fired into the crowd, killing a a 20-year-old friend of Tarpa's, a student named Urgen, and wounding several others.

The incident, as with most reported clashes in Tibetan areas, could not be independently verified and exact numbers of casualties were unclear because of the heavy security presence and lack of access. The topic is so sensitive that even government-backed scholars claim ignorance of it and refuse to comment.

The government, however, acknowledged Tuesday's unrest, saying that a "mob" charged a police station and injured 14 officers, forcing police to open fire on them. The official Xinhua News Agency said police killed one rioter and injured another.

"The Chinese government will, as always, fight all crimes and be resolute in maintaining social order," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in comments on the incident.

The harsh response points to a deep anxiety about the self-immolations, said Youdon Aukatsang, a New Delhi-based member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile.

"They're worried that there is an underground movement in Tibet that is coming to the surface," she said.

Tibetan desperation has been fed both by the harsh crackdown ? security agents reportedly outnumber monks in some monasteries ? along with a deep fear that the Dalai Lama, probably the most potent symbol of Tibet's separate identity, will never return.

The 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate handed his political powers to an elected assembly last year. That was intended to ensure the Tibetan cause would live on after him, but was met with considerable anxiety among many Tibetans who saw it as a sign he was giving up his role as leader of their struggle.

Dibyesh Anand, a Tibet expert at London's University of Westminster, said resistance to Chinese rule is likely to grow more fierce.

"Protests will get more radicalized since the Tibetans in the region see no concession, no offer of compromise, no flexibility coming from the government," he said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_as/as_china_tibet_spiral_of_violence

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Teen ends globe-circling voyage in St. Maarten (AP)

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten ? Laura Dekker set a steady foot aboard a dock in St. Maarten on Saturday, ending a yearlong voyage aboard a sailboat named "Guppy" that apparently made her the youngest person ever to sail alone around the globe, though her trip was interrupted at several points.

Dozens of people jumped and cheered as Decker waved, wept and then walked across the dock accompanied by her mother, father, sister and grandparents, who had greeted her at sea earlier.

Dekker arrived in St. Maarten after struggling against high seas and heavy winds on a final leg from Cape Town, South Africa,

Dekker claims she is the youngest sailor to complete a round-the-world voyage, but Guinness World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council did not verify the claim, saying they no longer recognize records for youngest sailors to discourage dangerous attempts.

Dutch authorities tried to block Dekker's trip, arguing she was too young to risk her life, while school officials complained she should be in a classroom.

Dekker said she was born aboard a yacht off the coast of New Zealand and said she first sailed solo at 6 years old. At 10, she said, she began dreaming about crossing the globe. She celebrated her 16th birthday during the trip, eating doughnuts for breakfast after spending time at port with her father and friends the night before.

The teenager covered more than 27,000 nautical miles on a trip with stops that sound like a skim through a travel magazine: the Canary Islands, Panama, the Galapagos Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Bora Bora, Australia, South Africa and now, St. Maarten, from which she set out on Jan. 20, 2011.

"Her story is just amazing," said one of Dekker's fans, 10-year-old Jody Bell of Connecticut. "I can't imagine someone her age going out on sea all by herself."

Bell was in St. Maarten on a work trip with her mother, Deena Merlen, an attorney in Manhattan, who wanted to see Dekker complete her journey. The two wore T-shirts that read: "Guppy rocks my world."

"My daughter and I have been following Laura's story, and we think it's amazing and inspiring," Merlen said.

Unlike other young sailors who recently crossed the globe, Dekker repeatedly anchored at ports along the way to sleep, study and repair her 38-foot (11.5-meter) sailboat.

During her trip, she went surfing, scuba diving, cliff diving and discovered a new hobby: playing the flute, which she said in her weblog was easier to play than a guitar in bad weather.

Dekker also complained about custom clearings, boat inspections, ripped sails, heavy squalls, a wet and salty bed, a near-collision with two cargo ships and the presence of some persistent stowaways: cockroaches.

Highlights of her trip include 47 days of sailing the Indian Ocean, which left her with unsteady legs when she docked in Durban, South Africa, where she walked up and down the pier several times for practice.

Dekker launched her trip two months after Abby Sunderland, a 16-year-old U.S. sailor, was rescued in the middle of the Indian Ocean during a similar attempt. Jessica Watson of Australia completed a 210-day solo voyage at age 16, a few months older than Dekker.

Dekker has said she plans to move there after her voyage, but it is unclear is she still plans to do so.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_st_maarten_young_sailor

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Investing in bio diesel: Add to an environmentally friendly world as ...

There is increased attention in this issue in the latest years, yet is it worthy of investing in bio diesel? There is certainly no hesitation that authorities and folks close to the world are under increased pressure than in the past to generate clean energy, that?s, energy that?s not produced from standard fuels because of the bad influence they?ve on the setting.

Predictions determine that will the need for energy will possess increased simply by Sixty-five per nickle in between right now as well as The year 2030 so it is clear which alternative sources need to have to be produced. Bio diesel is actually proving to always be one of those alternative sources and so the demand for it will merely boost.

To people sceptics which feel that bio diesel just isn?t way up to the job, then it is worth jotting it was utilized in the The Mans 24-hour strength ethnic background through the Lola access, knowning that a number of main airways are using the idea in a range of mixtures in test travel arrangements they are hoping will enable for cheaper air travel that will will get an a lot diminished carbon foot print.

Curiously, the source of this bio-diesel will be the Jatropha tree, which is what exactly is making a lot pleasure when considering to investing in bio diesel. This is not a new source of green oil; it really is currently used for transfer along with in a few countries it?s also used to generate energy creation on a large range. The beauty of it really is that it is nearly co2 natural when it?s utilised along with, of course, it soaks in skin tightening and if it?s developing.

The fruit which the Jatropha creates gives a normal oil that can become bio diesel; the husk of the fruit can even be crushed and used up for heating, or even employed because a fertilizer, in medicines and also the creation of latex. It takes one tree to produce an actu of oil and a 1000 trees (therefore a thousands of ltrs) can end up being produced on one acre.

Obviously, fiscal issues must be regarded as when considering investing in bio diesel: it requires three years for a Jatropha tree to achieve the greatest productivity, however this particular does not necessarily mean that it wouldn?t offer an excellent return sooner than this particular. In fact, mindful predictions calculate that the first year will bring a return of 5%; the second year will double to carry a return of 12 per cent; and thereon for upwards to 45 years there will end up being a return of 20 per cent.

These figures happen to be calculated on a conventional price of oil, so it is safe to assume that ought to the price of oil rise significantly, therefore will the desire for bio diesel and, therefore, the dividends.

Investing in bio diesel while an alternative investment would make a great harmony to a stock portfolio, and it has a lot of bonus deals; including the financial results and the benefits that it will provide to the atmosphere along with to the maqui berry farmers in addition to their community economic climates.

To learn more, go to Investing in bio diesel as well as Alternative Investments

Source: http://www.articlezio.com/2012/01/22/investing-in-bio-diesel-add-to-an-environmentally-friendly-world-as-well-as-make-money/

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Snooki And Deena Bring 'Team Meatball' To 'Jersey Shore'

"We're just little girls getting drunk and having a good time," Deena tells MTV News.
By Christina Garibaldi, with additional reporting by Matt Elias

Snooki and Deena
Photo: MTV News

There have only been a few episodes of "Jersey Shore", and already season five has been filled with hook-ups, arguments and some serious drama. But what has the cast been missing since their return to Jersey? Meatball problems.

Snooki and Deena formed Team Meatball during season four in Italy. We saw the duo take numerous falls on the cobblestone streets of Florence, expose certain body parts while dancing in clubs and even lock lips. Now, it seems that meatball problems may be traveling to the states.

Following Vinny's shocking departure on last week's episode due to his battle with anxiety, Snooki and Deena will mourn the only way they know how: getting into trouble.

"I would say in Jersey, Team Meatballs really did what we had to do." Deena told MTV News recently. "We had so much fun. I think some of the best memories were with Nicole — just being Team Meatballs, running around and being silly, and that's us."

But Deena said she isn't too fond of the bad reputation that she and Snooki have developed due to their sometimes outlandish behavior. She promises that they're just looking to have a good time.

"We're so harmless, and I hate when people are like, 'Ugh, they're terrible,' " Deena said. "No, actually we're just little girls just getting drunk and having a good time. We never hurt anybody. We really are harmless, and we're like little flies that you're like, 'you're annoying,' you know? So I love Team Meatballs."

What do you think of Team Meatball? Let us know in the comments!

Don't miss every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. For continuing "Shore" coverage, be sure to check in with MTV's Remote Control blog.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677527/jersey-shore-snooki-deena-team-meatball.jhtml

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Facebook launches Timeline Apps platform, socialites rejoice

Facebook, along with its launch partners, has finally let loose its Timeline Apps platform, setting Open Graph apps free to roam the web. Announced at the company's f8 conference in September, Timeline Apps allow third-parties to build Facebook applications that facilitate information sharing amongst users and their social network. While FB initially focused on the music and movie genre, Zuckerberg & Co. seem to have keyed-in on a variety of markets for today's launch, from travel (TripAdvisor) to cuisine (Foodspotting), and even ticketing companies like ScoreBig, Eventbrite, StubHub, TicketFly and Ticketmaster. So now everyone will know immediately when you scored those backstage passes to Ricky Martin because you're living la vida loca with Timeline. Get the full story from Facebook at the source and PR from ScoreBig awaits after the break.

Continue reading Facebook launches Timeline Apps platform, socialites rejoice

Facebook launches Timeline Apps platform, socialites rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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House passes symbolic measure against debt hike (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The GOP-controlled House on Wednesday kicked off another session with a protest vote against raising the government's borrowing cap by $1.2 trillion, but the maneuver amounted to political theater under a process stacked on purpose in President Barack Obama's favor.

The nearly party-line 239-176 vote puts the House on record against Obama's use of unprecedented authority ? awarded to him through a mechanism devised by the Senate's top Republican ? to unilaterally raise the so-called debt limit unless Congress can muster the votes to block him.

The Senate is sure to kill the measure next week, and Obama's veto power serves as a final guarantee that the increase will go through as intended and that the nation won't face another debt crisis like last summer.

The political dance choreographed under last summer's Budget Control Act was designed to permit lawmakers, mostly Republicans, to vote against debt increases but not actually block them ? and provoke a first-ever, market-rattling default on U.S. government obligations.

The debate offered tea party-backed GOP freshmen an almost three-hour opportunity before C-Span cameras to cast blame on the White House and Democratically controlled Senate for the nation's fiscal ills. The national debt has skyrocketed during Obama's first term ? from $10.6 trillion on Inauguration Day to $15.2 trillion today. Much of the blame lies with the deep recession Obama inherited, which made revenues plummet, but almost $1 trillion of the increase can be attributed to Obama's 2009 deficit-financed economic stimulus bill.

"Instead of giving the President more power to spend money we do not have, Congress should work together to find ways to cut spending and put America back on a path to fiscal responsibility," said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.

"Today's vote will clearly show the American people who in this chamber want to further grow the size of government, let it intrude further into the private sector, and give more power Washington bureaucrats to meddle in the everyday lives of American citizens," said Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Ill. "And in contrast, it will show those of us who believe that a smaller government increases our constituents' liberty."

Democrat Jared Polis of Colorado said that under last year's nonbinding House GOP budget plan, the national debt would have risen by more than $5 trillion over the coming decade anyway. And he pointed out that the new borrowing authority is needed to pay for a $1 trillion-plus omnibus spending bill that many Republicans supported just last month.

"We're here playing a counter-productive and absurd game," Polis said.

"Let's be honest with the American people," said Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. "We've all incurred a debt. We all spent the money. We drove on the roads. We were defended abroad. We invested in health care research. We all incurred these debts."

Even one GOP veteran said Wednesday's debate was a futile exercise, given how the August debt pact intentionally stacked the cards in Obama's favor.

"We have, in effect, given the president of the United States the ability to raise the debt ceiling without us ... having any control whatsoever," said veteran Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind. "We gave the president carte blanche and it's dead wrong."

Conservative groups weren't joining in the GOP pep rally. The Club for Growth, which raises campaign cash for free-market conservative candidates, issued a half-dozen "Debt Hypocrisy Alerts" blasting lawmakers like Jim Renacci, R-Ohio, Tom Rooney, R-Fla., and Tom Reed, R-N.Y., for touting their support for Wednesday's measure after voting to increase the debt limit last summer.

Democrats went through the motions as well, arguing against a measure that they know isn't going anywhere.

"They're playing with fire and that's reckless. They know that others will put out the fire. And we'll vote, many of us, to do that today, and if we don't succeed, the Senate will do so," said Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich. "This, I think, is worse than a charade because it really assumes that the agenda of this congress should essentially be a kind of a plaything."

The House passed a similar resolution in September after Obama used his authority to raise the debt cap by $500 billion.

Last year's debt agreement permits a total debt limit increase of $2.1 trillion in exchange for an equivalent amount in spending cuts, which would be spread out over the coming decade. The first $900 billion comes from caps on the day-to-day operations of federal agencies.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_go_co/us_congress_debt

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Perry: Marines in video are 'kids,' not criminals

Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, speaks as he campaigns at the Faith and Freedom Coaltion Prayer Breakfast in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, speaks as he campaigns at the Faith and Freedom Coaltion Prayer Breakfast in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, and former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton, left, laugh as they campaign in Hilton Head, S.C., Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry on Sunday accused the Obama administration of "over-the-top rhetoric" and "disdain for the military" in its condemnation of a video that purportedly shows four Marines urinating on corpses in Afghanistan.

Perry's comments put him at odds with Sen. John McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, who said the images could damage the war effort.

"The Marine Corps prides itself that we don't lower ourselves to the level of the enemy," McCain said when asked about Perry's position. "So it makes me sad more than anything else, because ... I can't tell you how wonderful these people (Marines) are. And it hurts their reputation and their image."

No one has been charged in the case, but officials in the U.S. and abroad have called for swift punishment of the four Marines. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said last week that he worried the video could be used by the Taliban to undermine peace talks.

A military criminal investigation and an internal Marine Corps review are under way. The Geneva Conventions forbid the desecration of the dead.

Texas Gov. Perry said the Marines involved should be reprimanded but not prosecuted on criminal charges.

"Obviously, 18-, 19-year-old kids make stupid mistakes all too often. And that's what's occurred here," Perry told CNN's "State of the Union."

He later added: "What's really disturbing to me is the kind of over-the-top rhetoric from this administration and their disdain for the military."

Later appearing on the same show, McCain said he disagreed.

"We're trying to win the hearts and minds" of the Afghanistan population, he said. "And when something like that comes up, it obviously harms that ability."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-15-US-Perry-Marines-Desecrated-Corpses/id-952580036eb049a680640e6155376754

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Apple stops selling iPhone 4S in China to protect its staff

Apple says it's suspending iPhone 4S sales in mainland China following the violence we reported earlier, in which angry customers threw eggs at the company's flagship store in Beijing. The crowd had queued in freezing temperatures to purchase the newly-arrived 4S, but were subsequently told the store would not be opening for business -- hence their angry response. It seems that many in the mob weren't normal consumers, but were workers put in place by resellers who wanted to buy up devices and sell them on at a profit. There was similar disorder when the iPad 2 went on sale in China, and now an Apple spokesperson has said the risk to its staff is too great, forcing it to halt 4S sales "for the time being."

Apple stops selling iPhone 4S in China to protect its staff originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  NYTimes, BBC News  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/13/apple-stops-selling-iphone-4s-in-china-to-protect-its-staff/

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Buying Texas Health Insurance | Find Dental Health Insurance

Posted on 14 January 2012. Tags: health insurance, health insurance coverage, health insurance plans, health insurance provider, major search engines, medical facility, texas health insurance

Having health insurance in Texas is crucial to keeping your health intact. There are plenty of places that have health insurance in Texas. Most of them are competitive, because they have affordable prices. So basically, you have your pick of the small when searching for a health insurance plot. If you are one of those people that don?t have a clue as to how you should go about looking for an affordable health plot, this article will clarify how to go about it.

Health insurance quotes

With the emergence of the internet, it is much simpler to find what you?re looking for in health insurance coverage. Just use one of the major search engines and plug in where you live along with the words ?health insurance quotes?. With some health insurance plans in Texas, they are connected with certain hospitals, depending on where you live. It?s a excellent thought to have health insurance where you can go to a medical facility that is close to your home.

There will probably be many entries for you to choose from. Look through the ones that you reckon best fit you and go over what they have. Look for those that are affordably priced and have the options that you want. There are some of them that don?t cover certain options, such as testing and related items. You need to know what options are available with the plot you?ve selected. You want your health insurance in Texas to cover the things you need.

You can always consult with the health insurance provider to make sure that you have the right options for your health insurance. Then you may not need extras with your health insurance. It all depends on what you need. Some people with health insurance in Texas need more; on the other hand some people need less. It all depends on the needs of the policyholder and their family. The need to have health insurance in Texas is very crucial; without it you and your family could suffer a fantastic disservice.

If you are looking for dental insurance, that will probably be separate from regular health insurance. In addition to that, vision insurance may be on a separate platform. Question the health insurance provider for quotes before you make your final choice on health insurance in Texas. Also, question the health insurance provider about making arrangements for flexible payment plans. It?s vital for you to know your payment schedule before you start giving them money.

Just like with health insurance anywhere else, you have to make sure that you can afford the payments. You don?t want to skip on a payment and then be cancelled. You should customize your health insurance so that you won?t have distress paying on it each month. Having health insurance in Texas is crucial in order for you to stay healthy.

Even though you may be bogged down with looking for health insurance in Texas, it has still become simpler to get, especially with the internet. the internet has made it possible to research further and get the best deal for you and your family.

Source: http://www.projektgenerika.org/buying-texas-health-insurance.html

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London Olympics Restrict Volunteers Twitter and Facebook Use (Mashable)

London 2012 Olympic volunteers have been banned from posting updates and photos to Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. The London Organizing Committee announced Friday that Games Makers, the 70,000 person volunteer squad, cannot post their roles, locations, or details about the athletes and other VIPs online. "We understand that many of our Games Makers will want to use social media to share their exciting experiences at London 2012 with their friends and family," a spokesman told Reuters. "As is standard in most organizations, we have provided some practical guidelines to give basic advice on interacting in a social media environment with the aim of protecting the interests of our workforce and operation."

[More from Mashable: Charting the CES Chatter, Wednesday Edition [INFOGRAPHIC]]

Broadcasting our whereabouts on Foursquare or snapping an Instagram of a celebrity sighting have become second nature for many of us. While athletes are permitted to tweet or post Facebook updates, the London Organizing Committee has made a decision that will limit the citizen discussion of Olympic events.

SEE ALSO: London to Get Europe?s Biggest Ever Wi-Fi Zone Before Olympics

[More from Mashable: In Tiff With Google, Twitter Turns to Wrestling]

Additional restrictions prevent Game Makers from making public statements relating to the London games, without prior permission from Olympics spokespeople, or speaking to schools about the events.

This won't mean much of a change from Beijing 2008, considering that China bans Twitter and Facebook. However, one may argue Olympic volunteers could have provided excellent stories from behind the scenes at the games.

Do you think the Olympics are making a mistake by restricting what volunteers can post to social networks? Let us know what you think in the comments.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20120111/tc_mashable/london_olympics_restrict_volunteers_twitter_and_facebook_use

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Innergie PocketCell can power over 10,000 USB devices, just not at the same time

Between your tablet, phone, GPS and whatever else, keeping powered up on the move is a challenge for us all. Innergie wants to crush that problem with its PocketCell battery pack. Yep, it's a power cell, yes it fits in your pocket, but here's what you might not have worked out from the name: it has a 3,000 mAh capacity, mini / micro USB connectors built-in along with an Apple 30 pin adapter (as it's based on its Magic Cable design we loved so much) and a fast "Smart Charge" function for the impatient. There's five built in protections against unstable voltage, so you can be confident your digital world won't burn out in your hand. The makers reckon you can get an extra 4.5 hours of iPad usage and about 15 more hours on the horn to mom -- though, we're sure your mileage may vary. You can get charging from today for $79.99, which includes the Magic Cable, or touch up the PR after the jump for more info.

Continue reading Innergie PocketCell can power over 10,000 USB devices, just not at the same time

Innergie PocketCell can power over 10,000 USB devices, just not at the same time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/10/innergie-pocketcell-portable-usb-battery-charger/

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Marines probe video depicting urination on corpses

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Marine Corps said Wednesday it is investigating a video depicting what appears to be four Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters.

In a statement, the Marine Corps said it has not verified the origin or authenticity of the YouTube video. But it also said the actions portrayed are not consistent with Marine values.

If verified the video could create a strong backlash in the Muslim world and beyond for the disrespectful actions it portrays.

A defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss a sensitive aspect of the matter, said the case will be referred to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Navy's worldwide law enforcement organization.

The Council on Islamic-American Relations, a prominent Muslim civil rights and advocacy group based in Washington, quickly condemned the video.

"We condemn this apparent desecration of the dead as a violation of our nation's military regulations and of international laws of war prohibiting such disgusting and immoral actions," the group wrote in a letter faxed to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

"If verified as authentic, the video shows behavior that is totally unbecoming of American military personnel and that could ultimately endanger other soldiers and civilians," the letter said.

Marine Corps headquarters at the Pentagon said, "The actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marines in our Corps. This matter will be fully investigated."

A Marine Corps spokesman, Lt. Col. Stewart Upton, added, "Allegations of Marines not doing the right thing in regard to dead Taliban insurgents are very serious and, if proven, represent a failure to adhere to the high standards expected of American military personnel."

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said the video is deeply troubling.

"Whoever it is, and whatever the circumstances ? which we know is under investigation ? it is egregious behavior," Kirby said.

It is unclear who shot the video and who posted it online.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-11-Marines-Taliban%20Corpses/id-93f5ca4151ea46a4b019d59177e40d26

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47,000 people killed in drug violence in Mexico (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? Two decapitated bodies were found at the entrance to one of Mexico's most luxurious shopping malls on Wednesday and prosecutors announced that more than 47,000 people have been killed in drug violence in the five years since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown against drug cartels.

The bodies were found before dawn inside a burning SUV just off a toll highway at the entrance to the shopping mall in the heart of the Santa Fe district that is a haven for international corporations, diplomats and the wealthy. The heads and a threatening message were dumped nearby, Mexico City prosecutors said in a statement.

Local media published images of the charred car and reported the note written on hot pink paper was signed by the drug gang "Mano con Ojos," or "Hand with Eyes." The gang was once part of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel.

The victims, a man and a woman in their 30s, have not been identified, prosecutors said. They said the SUV with license plates from the neighboring State of Mexico had been stolen.

Mexico's sprawling capital had been something of an haven from the brutal cartel violence along the border and in outlying states. But gangs have been fighting for an increasingly lucrative local drug market for more than a year, mainly on capital's working class outer neighborhoods and suburbs.

The Santa Fe district, built atop a former landfill on the western edge of Mexico City, houses the Mexican headquarters of major corporations and the Iberoamerican University, one of Mexico's top private schools, as well as modernistic, heavily guarded high-rises where wealthy Mexicans and foreigners live.

Most of the violence had escaped Santa Fe, which had been seen as a sterile oasis disconnected from the hubbub of most of the capital.

But as the fight among splintering drug cartels intensifies, the brazen attackers have reached even into the country's most guarded districts.

In October, the same Manos con Ojos gang claimed responsability for leaving two severed heads on a street across from the nation's top military base in Mexico City.

The Attorney General's Office said Wednesday that 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011.

Drug-related killings went up 11 percent in the first nine months of 2011 when 12,903 people were killed, compared to 11,583 in the same period of 2010, the office said.

The figures indicate that three quarters of all homicides in Mexico are now linked to the drug war.

The office found one small consolation: "It's the first year (since 2006) that the homicide rate increase has been lower compared to the previous years."

There had been a 70 percent increase in drug-related killings in the same period a year earlier, when death rose from a nine-month total of 6,815 for 2009.

Prosecutors said a large majority of the killings last year happened in eight of Mexico's 32 states.

The Mexican government had been periodically releasing the number of drug war dead but it stopped a year ago when they reached nearly 35,000.

Mexico's freedom of information agency had said it would ask for an investigation if prosecutors didn't release the data requested by several journalists by Wednesday.

The Attorney General's Office said that more than releasing the number of dead, what's important "it's to guarantee that each killings is investigated." Records show few of the killings have been investigated.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120111/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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Prep football: Damonte Ranch coach Amantia steps down

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Nigeria's double trouble: nationwide fuel strike and 'ban' on Christians

Attacks by Islamist group Boko Haram are 'worse than civil war' of 1960s, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan says, but a nationwide fuel strike sparked by a cut in subsidies presents him with his toughest challenge.

With terrorist attacks against Christians in the north by an apparent Islamist militant group and the beginning of a nationwide protest against soaring fuel prices, Nigeria?s President Goodluck Jonathan is faced with a double challenge.

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President Jonathan declared a state of emergency last week after the Islamist militant group Boko Haram killed some 29 people in the northern state of Adamawa?(click for map). More than 500 people have been killed by Boko Haram ? whose name means ?Western education is a sin? ? in the past year. But equally dangerous is the possibility of nationwide strikes called by labor unions and a nebulous ?Occupy Nigeria? movement after Jonathan?s Jan. 1 decision to remove a government fuel subsidy paid to fuel importers.

Most of Nigeria?s 150 million citizens survive on less than $2 a day, and the removal of the subsidy will have the effect of instantly raising the cost of a liter of gasoline from 41 cents to 89 cents. Nigeria is Africa?s largest oil-producing nation, but because its refineries have not been well maintained, Nigeria imports more than 75 percent of its fuel from outside the country.

In a televised speech, quoted by Nigeria?s Vanguard newspaper, Jonathan said he understood the anger of citizens over the cut in the fuel subsidy, but said the step was necessary, since the subsidy absorbs nearly 25 percent of the country?s yearly budget.

?If I were not here to lead the process of national renewal, if I were in your shoes at this moment, I probably would have reacted in the same manner as some of our compatriots, or hold the same critical views about government?. My fellow Nigerians, the truth is ? either we deregulate and survive economically, or we continue with a subsidy regime that will continue to undermine our economy and potential for growth, and face serious consequences,? Jonathan said.

As for the religious violence of Boko Haram, Jonathan told citizens in a televised address that the Boko Haram attacks are "worse than?the civil war" of the 1960s.?"During the civil war, we knew and we could even predict where the enemy was coming from," he said. "But the challenge we have today is more complicated."

Fuel-subsidy protests thus far have been mostly peaceful, but there are unconfirmed reports that the Lagos police department?s Rapid Response Force reportedly killed one protester in the Ogba area of Lagos. In Abuja, protesters pushed their way through a police cordon during a protest march.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/PWi8eL3paEY/Nigeria-s-double-trouble-nationwide-fuel-strike-and-ban-on-Christians

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Five things learned from the GOP debate

The six major Republican presidential candidates gather on stage before Sunday's debate in Concord, New Hampshire.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The candidates seem to relish a chance to follow up on Saturday's debate
• Huntsman: "I will always put my country first"
• Santorum offers perhaps his strongest statement on gay rights
• Gingrich, Romney say they have worked with Democrats to hammer out deals

(CNN) -- Five things learned from Sunday's GOP debate:

Everybody gets their follow-up

There's been a lot of grousing about the back-to-back debate schedule but, in fact, the candidates seemed to relish the chance to follow up on their performances Saturday night.

Both Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich were panned for failing to land a blow on Mitt Romney Saturday. That changed within the opening minutes of Monday's match-up, with both candidates moving aggressively against Romney right out of the gate.

Meanwhile, Jon Huntsman had clearly been thinking about Romney's Saturday criticism of his service as ambassador to China under President Barack Obama. Huntsman took the opportunity to respond Sunday.

"I was criticized last night by Gov. Romney for putting my country first," he said. "I will always put my country first. I think that's important."

The one candidate clearly put to a disadvantage by the opportunity to fix Saturday night's mistakes: Romney, the longtime front-runner who skated through the first debate untouched and who is hoping to maintain the status quo days before New Hampshire voters head to the polls.

Looking ahead to the general election?

As in Saturday's debate, gay rights once again played a role in this one. Rick Santorum -- a man who has run on a predominantly social values platform -- offered perhaps his strongest statement of homosexual support to date, saying he would not repudiate a son who told him he was gay.

He was careful, however, not to say that he would fight for gay individuals, instead saying he would be an advocate for "every person in America" and would make sure people are treated with "respect and dignity."

"That does not mean that I would agree with certain things that the gay community would like to do to change laws, with respect to marriage, with respect to adoption and things like that," he said.

On the same topic, Mitt Romney said he has hired gay staffers in the past and would never discriminate against gays or attempt to take away their rights.

Are these two men looking ahead to a general election, where strong social conservative values may not play as well on a national scale? Perhaps. Over the past few years the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) rights movement has made strides, and many question whether someone who is not pro-LGBT could win a general election in the United States in 2012.

That said, social issues played a big role in Iowa, and will do so again in South Carolina. Santorum's answer may have been a good middle-of-the-road response, and a reminder of a phrase often used by Christian conservatives: love the sinner, not the sin.

That may be a message to which conservative voters in the upcoming state of South Carolina can relate.

Dealing with Democrats

Calls for bipartisanship at a GOP presidential debate?

Could it be?

Both former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney touted their records of working with Democrats to hammer out legislative deals.

Gingrich, who is best know for battling President Bill Clinton in the 1990s, highlighted that he struck deals with the Democratic president, even though he wanted to make him "a one-term president."

And Romney noted that when he was running Massachusetts, the state legislature was 85% Democratic, but that he found "common ground," adding that he's proven that he can "work with Republicans and Democrats who are willing to work together."

Rick Santorum touted his ability to gain support among voters of both parties in his former Pennsylvania district, and Huntsman said serving one's country should always trump party loyalty.

But before candidates can work on uniting the party, they will have to triumph over their rivals as the bruising GOP primary plays out this winter.

Huntsman's last stand?

Since former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is placing all his chips on a strong finish in New Hampshire's Tuesday primary, this weekend's two presidential debates were his last, best chance to make his case for the GOP nomination. Saturday's lukewarm performance by Huntsman, who has failed to gain much traction in the polls, was followed by a stronger delivery on Sunday morning.

After coming under attack Saturday night by bitter rival Mitt Romney for his service as U.S. ambassador to China during the first two years of President Barack Obama's term, Huntsman Sunday strongly defended his time in Beijing. But he also highlighted his fiscal plans as in tune with conservative Republican principles.

And in a state where independent voters could determine who wins the primary, Huntsman made his pitch, saying "the American people are tired of the partisan division. They have had enough. And I say, we've had enough, and we have to change our direction in terms of coming together as Americans first and foremost and finding solutions to our problems."

No one taking super PAC high road

Gingrich finally had his face-off with Romney over super PAC ads that have been a negative undercurrent in the 2012 race. Both candidates ignored a question Sunday about whether they would agree to urge super PACs supporting their candidacy to take down negative advertisements.

It became clear, as long as the claims in the influential ads are factually accurate, neither Gingrich nor Romney is above letting the groups do their mudslinging for them.

Gingrich, the former speaker who has been the target of a majority of the negative super PAC ads, endorsed an upcoming movie-length spot about Romney and his work with venture capital firm Bain Capital.

"I agree with (Romney), it takes broad shoulders to run. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen," Gingrich said. "When the 27-and-a-half minute movie comes out, I hope it's accurate. I can say publicly I hope that the super PAC runs an accurate movie about Bain."

Gingrich also took aim at the front-runner for dishing "pious baloney" about his political history and reasons for launching a White House bid.

"I realize the red light doesn't mean anything to you because you're the front-runner," Gingrich said. "But can we drop a little bit of the pious baloney?"

And Romney chided Gingrich for his campaign trail rhetoric.

"Mr. Speaker, I wouldn't say some of the things you've called me in public," Romney said. "I think that's just over the top."

CNN's Paul Steinhauser, Shannon Travis, Shawna Shepherd, Rachel Streitfeld and Chris Welch contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/08/politics/gop-five-things/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular

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RNC to consider additional sanctions against Florida delegation at meeting this week

Tampa is hosting the Republican National Convention but Florida delegates will get inconvenient hotel spots, poor seating and lose guest passes, according to proposed sanctions the national GOP will vote on this week.

The penalties, which could make for an irritating convention experience in August, are the price for moving up the presidential primary to Jan. 31, a violation of Republican National Committee rules.

A draft resolution to be taken up Wednesday by the RNC's rules committee during the winter meeting in New Orleans calls for hotels to be neither "favorable" nor "convenient." Florida's spot on the floor of the Tampa Bay Times Forum would also be less than ideal.

Also, Florida Republican officials will lose the ability to dole out guest passes. Those passes will revert to the national party.

Story here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tampabaycom/blogs/buzz-heds/~3/QkJBPgF5bUc/rnc-consider-additional-sanctions-against-florida-delegation-meeting-week

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