Nintendo, Sony and EA quietly drop SOPA support

Major game companies Nintendo, Sony and Electronic Arts have quietly removed themselves from the official list of organizations that support the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

For anyone who?s unfamiliar with it, the proposed SOPA legislation gives both the U.S. government and copyright holders the authority to seek court orders against websites associated with infringing, pirating or counterfeiting intellectual property. If the act passes, it could drastically change the way the Internet operates.

On the surface, the gaming companies probably threw their support to the bill because it would also help curb piracy of gaming. However, I?m sure they?ve been paying attention to the onslaught of negative press and customer dissidence experienced by domain registrar Go Daddy over the last few weeks.

In Sony?s case, it?s probably best to stay clear of any piece of legislation that would draw attention from activists. Earlier today, ?hacktivist? group Anonymous pledged to once again take down Sony?s Playstation online gaming network due to the company?s SOPA support.

Overall, public support for SOPA seems to be crumbling, as a number of big companies have removed their names from the official congressional list (see a PDF of what companies still support SOPA).

For more information about the SOPA legislation, check out VentureBeat?s ongoing SOPA coverage.

Via Electronista

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Tags: SOPA

Companies: Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Sony

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2011/12/30/nintendo-sony-drop-sopa-support/

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Health Tip: Dealing With Alzheimer's (HealthDay)

(HealthDay News) -- Getting a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease doesn't mean life as you know it is ending. People with Alzheimer's can lead a purposeful and productive life if they take steps to care for their physical and mental health, the Alzheimer's Association says.

Here's what the association recommends to protect physical health:

• Get regular physical checkups.
• Take all medications as directed by a physician.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Be physically active every day.
• Get rest when fatigued.
• Limit alcohol intake.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/seniors/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111230/hl_hsn/healthtipdealingwithalzheimers

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Actress Patricia Clarkson to lead Carnival parade

FILE- In this Tuesday, Dec, 13, 2011 file photo, Patricia Clarkson attends the premiere of "The Iron Lady" at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York. Clarkson will lead the Carnival parade of the Krewe of Muses in her hometown of New Orleans. The star of the 2010 thriller "Shutter Island" and the 2003 drama "Pieces of April" will step into a whimsical limelight by riding on a red fiber-optic-lit float shaped like a high-heeled shoe. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, FILE)

FILE- In this Tuesday, Dec, 13, 2011 file photo, Patricia Clarkson attends the premiere of "The Iron Lady" at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York. Clarkson will lead the Carnival parade of the Krewe of Muses in her hometown of New Orleans. The star of the 2010 thriller "Shutter Island" and the 2003 drama "Pieces of April" will step into a whimsical limelight by riding on a red fiber-optic-lit float shaped like a high-heeled shoe. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, FILE)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Actress Patricia Clarkson will lead the Carnival parade of the Krewe of Muses in her hometown of New Orleans.

The star of the 2010 thriller "Shutter Island" and the 2003 drama "Pieces of April" will step into a whimsical limelight by riding on a red fiber-optic-lit float shaped like a high-heeled shoe.

The Krewe of Muses is an all-women's organization that parades through New Orleans on Feb. 16.

The krewe traditionally selects an honorary rider who exemplifies a muse from Greek mythology, such as dance, poetry or music. For 2012, the club said it chose Clarkson as its honorary "EveryMuse" because she embodies the spirit of all muses.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-29-People-Patricia%20Clarkson/id-4633ce87589845aea8bd07e8bf4fc80d

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Video: GOP ?slow and methodical? about picking nominee

Arc: Big East loaded with good, not great, teams

Beyond the Arc: Georgetown's win over Louisville on Wednesday is the sort of thing we'll be seeing a lot of this season in the Big East, a league stocked with good teams, but no great ones beyond Syracuse.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45809443#45809443

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The Year In Dirty Energy: Money, Corruption, And Misinformation

It is said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That statement has proven itself true time after time in both politics and business, but I would like to amend that statement slightly: Power corrupts, but money and power corrupt absolutely. This year has been no different. We?ve seen unprecedented amounts of money flowing from the dirty energy industry into the hands of politicians in order to achieve everything on their corporate wish?lists.

From near constant hammering of the Environmental Protection Agency, to getting approval for dirty energy projects, corporate money has corrupted every level of politics this year.

I already covered the extensive efforts of the Koch brothers in a previous post, but they are hardly the only culprits who are attempting to undermine democracy and decency by pouring money into politics. Here are a few other stories of interest that DeSmogBlog has covered over the last 12 months:

The biggest ?non-event? for climate denier dollars this year was the Heartland Institute?s ?Denial-a-palooza??conference:

The Heartland Institute gathered a who?s-who of the global warming denial network together in Chicago in May for the fourth International Conference on Climate Change.

As in years past, the event is expected to receive very little mainstream media coverage. The deniers like to think the reason is some liberal media conspiracy. In reality, the lack of interest stems chiefly from the fact that this denial-a-palooza fest is dripping with oil money and represents a blatant industry effort to greenwash oil and coal while simultaneously attacking the credibility of climate scientists.

Despite the lack of press interest, the show must go on. After all, the Chicago meet-up provided deniers and industry front groups a chance to coordinate their ongoing efforts to smear the reputation of the IPCC, and they can reminisce about the Climategate non-scandal like boys in the schoolyard kicking around a rusty old can.

For insight into the underlying aim of the Chicago denier conference, let us take a look at the funding sources for the sponsoring organizations.

19 of the 65 sponsors (including Heartland itself) have received a total of over $40 million in funding since 1985 from ExxonMobil (funded 13 orgs), and/or Koch Industries family foundations (funded 10 orgs) and/or the Scaife family foundations (funded 10 orgs).

This gathering was just the beginning of the massive astroturf campaigns that the dirty energy industry worked on this year:

The oil industry has put their astroturf and lobbying efforts into overdrive over the last few months, preparing for a bitter fight in the upcoming 2012 presidential election. In addition to their usual work of pushing for increased domestic oil production and the opening of federal lands for oil drilling, the industry is working around the clock to convince lawmakers to sign off on the Keystone XL Pipeline that would transport crude tar sand oil from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries.

ThinkProgress reporter Lee Fang has helped uncover some of the oil industry?s recent astroturf tactics at townhall meetings across the country. But the oil industry isn?t just limiting themselves to townhall meetings ? they have also embraced social media as a means to manipulate public opinion. Rainforest Action Network blog The Understory and Mother Jones are reporting that oil industry insiders are creating fake Twitter accounts to tout the need for the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Chris Mooney offered a great analysis of why these astroturf groups have become so important to the industry, and how effective it can?be:

One obvious goal of astroturfing is to shape public policy, and public opinion, in a manner congenial to corporate interests. And indeed, the outrage over astroturfing in a sense presumes that this activity actually works (or else, why oppose it).

Yet there have been few scientific tests of whether the strategy does indeed move people?in part, presumably, because doing a controlled experiment might be hard to pull off. That?s why I was so intrigued by a new study in the Journal of Business Ethics, which attempts to do just that.

Charles H. Cho of the ESSEC Business School in France, and his colleagues, set up a study in which they created (ironically) fake Astroturf websites related to global warming?as well as fake grassroots websites on the same issue?and tested over 200 college undergraduates on their responses to them. To ensure a strong experimental design, only a few things were varied about these websites?what they claimed about the science, and what they disclosed about their funding sources.

Interestingly, when the results were gathered, it turned out that information about the site?s funding source didn?t have any significant effect on the study participants? views. However, readers of the astroturf sites were much more likely to feel that the science of global warming is uncertain, and to question the phenomenon?s human causation.

One finding was particularly disturbing: People found the Astroturf messages less trustworthy overall, and yet were still influenced by them. The most influenced were those study participants who were the least engaged in the climate issue?and thus, presumably, the most vulnerable to astroturf misinformation.

In cases where astroturfing isn?t effective enough at confusing the public, dirty energy companies like Exxon have attempted to just pay scientists to deny global climate change:

The Carbon Brief (TCB) has a nice analysis on the not-very-startling coincidence that at least nine of the top 10 ?skeptical? ?scientists? who are publishing on climate change have direct links to Exxon.

This is interesting, as well, in that it doesn?t account for the increasing amounts of money being invested invested by funders (such as the Koch brothers) who have been taking a less transparent approach than Exxon in acknowledging their links.

In a second instalment, TCB also took a closer look at both the quality and content of the purported ?900+? science papers identified by the Global Warming Policy Foundation as somehow skeptical of the science of climate change. The news, for the skeptics as for the climate, turns out to be all bad.

Only a small number of the papers actually appeared in reputable publications (eg., 34 in Nature, 33 in Science), and many of those either don?t address the climate question directly or do NOT come to the conclusion that the GWPF attributes.

The industry has even tried to push their agenda in our school systems:

Under fire from outlets like The New York Times, the education publishing behemoth Scholastic (of Clifford the Big Red Dog and Harry Potter fame) pulled an energy curriculum sponsored by the American Coal Foundation, which gave a nice PR sheen to coal without bothering to cover, uh, the whole environmental angle. The curriculum had reportedly already been mailed to 66,000 classrooms by the time it got yanked.

What?s currently seeping into classrooms across the country is far, far worse?more ideological, and more difficult to stop. We?re talking about outright climate denial being fed to students?and accurate climate science teaching being attacked by aggressive Tea Party-style ideologues.

Even with the propaganda taken from the schools, the dirty energy industry has found another way to covertly push their misinformation onto the?public:

There appears to be an increasingly sophisticated and planned effort by conservatives and polluter front groups to use ?persona management? software to pollute social media outlets and website comment forums with auto-generated sockpuppet swarms designed to mislead and misrepresent real people.

Leaked emails from Aaron Barr, CEO of a federal subsidiary for HB Gary, disclose the latest efforts and technology used underhandedly for ?ganging up on bloggers, commenters and otherwise ?real? people to smear enemies and distort the truth.?

This phenomenon was first reported by Happy Rockefeller over at Daily Kos.

ClimateProgress is following this issue, particularly when it comes to the online discussion about climate change, noting that readers joke about pre-programmed ?denier-bots? and ?how the same arguments and phrasings keep cropping up in the comments? section of the many unmoderated news sites on the web.?

Public opinion is one thing, but political positions are another. That?s why American Petroleum Institute president Jack Gerard made the following admission this?year:

Oil industry lobbyist and president of the American Petroleum Institute (API) Jack Gerard made his industry?s goal clear in a recent interview with Fortune Magazine. Mr. Gerard said he hopes that in the near future there will be an oil lobbyist on the ground in every U.S. Congressional district in order to help his industry flourish, ?so when a policy proposal hits the industry?s bottom line, lawmakers from Seattle to Savannah will hear complaints about it from voters back home.?

And on the big issues of the year, like the Keystone XL Pipeline, the industry sent their dollars directly to the?source:

After applauding the House?s vote to rush a decision on TransCanada Corp?s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a new campaign to boost the controversial project. The Partnership to Fuel America is run out of the U.S. Chamber?s Institute for 21st Century Energy, and seems positioned to be the U.S. Chamber?s main influence channel to drum up support for Keystone XL. Supportive comments aside, it?s also the first time the U.S. Chamber has so publicly and overtly aligned with the Canadian company?s project.

And more:

TransCanada Corp, the company hoping to build the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, spent $540,000 on lobbying in the third quarter of 2011, according to lobbying disclosure records released this week.

In addition to $390,000 reported by Paul Elliott, TransCanada Pipelines, Ltd's infamous in-house lobbyist, two outside firms lobbied on TransCanada's behalf to promote the Keystone XL pipeline: Bryan Cave LLP, which reported $120,000 in earnings from TransCanda in quarter three; and McKenna, Long & Aldridge, which was paid $30,000 by TransCanada in the same period.

And when they feared that their generous tax breaks could be repealed, the dirty energy industry sent their best lobbyists to the members of the ?super committee?:

As the so-called ?Super Committee? works to figure out how to trim $1.2 trillion from the U.S. government?s federal deficit, the dirty energy industry has their lobbyists working overtime to make sure that their billions of dollars in annual subsidies aren?t among the items on the chopping block.

Not being ones to miss an opportunity, members on the committee have scheduled dozens of personal fundraisers for their campaigns before that deadline hits. And many of the companies who fear that their subsidies could be cut will be in attendance. After all, the lobbyist blitz contains more than 180 former staffers of members of the Super Committee, so access is not an issue, and no introductions will be necessary.

But money doesn?t always come from lobbyists or special interests; sometimes it comes from the most obvious source: The banks. Alternet has put together a fantastic piece detailing the top 20 banks that have helped fund anti-environmental efforts this?year:

A new study by Urgewald, a German environmental organization, establishes a strong link between large multinational banks and the coal industry, one of the biggest contributors to climate change.

The study (.pdf), "Bankrolling Climate Change," identifies the top 20 "climate killer" banks by the amount of financial support they give the coal industry. Number one is JP Morgan Chase, followed by Citi and Bank of America. That's despite lofty rhetoric from these companies about their work to address climate change.

Building a 600-megawatt coal-fired power plant - a typical size - is going to cost over $2 billion. That's not money that utilities usually have just lying around in the corner. Bank financing pays an important role, either through direct lending or banks organizing capital for utilities to pursue these projects. The two most important roles of banks are as providers of corporate loans for the coal industry and as providers of investment banking services, meaning helping the company to sell shares or bonds. In terms of our calculations of the amounts of money in the "climate killer bank" rankings, we didn't differentiate between these roles. We figured it's secondary whether a bank directly gives its own money or plays an organizing role: This is support the banks give to the coal industry.

So whether the money comes from banks, corporations, or lobbyists, the impact that big money has on politicians and policy is undeniable. Until the funds dry up, we?ll never be in short supply of politicians willing to do the dirty work of the dirty energy?industry.

Source: http://www.desmogblog.com/year-dirty-energy-money-corruption-and-misinformation

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Italy raises $14 billion at much lower cost (AP)

ROME ? Strong demand for Italian government debt on Wednesday pushed the country's borrowing costs lower and suggested investors have become less jittery about a possible default by the eurozone's third-largest economy.

Italy raised euro10.7 billion ($14 billion) in a pair of auctions at sharply lower rates than those it was forced to pay just a month ago when investor concerns over the ability of the country to service its massive debts became particularly acute and effectively prompted a change in government.

The sharp decline in Italy's borrowing costs could be a signal that commercial banks from the 17 countries that use the euro diverted some of the money they tapped from emergency loans from the European Central Bank last week to buy the bonds of heavily indebted governments. It may also suggest rising investor confidence in Italy's recent efforts to reduce its long-term debt through a variety of austerity measures.

The Bank of Italy said the average yield on its euro9 billion ($11.8 billion) six-month bill offering was 3.251 percent, half the 6.504 percent rate it had to pay at the equivalent auction last month. And an auction of two-year bonds, which raised euro1.7 billion ($2.2 billion), also saw the yield fall to 4.853 percent from 7.814 percent last month.

In the wake of the auction results, Italy's benchmark ten-year bond yield in the markets consolidated below the 7 percent level, which is widely considered to be unsustainable in the long-run.

"This is an encouraging development, suggesting that the Italian sovereign debt market has pulled back from the dangerous situation in late November," said Raj Badiani, a senior economist at IHS Global Insight.

"The calmer environment reflects the passing of additional austerity measures and some welcome progress on the structural reform agenda, coupled with the ECB's decision to provide additional cheap financing to Italian banks," Badiani added.

Italy is the eurozone's third-largest economy and is considered too big to save under the eurozone's current bailout funds. Markets have grown fearful over the past few months that Italy will find it difficult to pay off its massive debts, which stand at around euro1.9 trillion ($2.5 trillion). Next year alone, Italy has some euro330 billion ($431 billion) of debt to refinance.

A further test of investors' appetite for Italian debt will come Thursday when the country offers more bonds, that could potentially raise a similar amount to Wednesday's offerings.

Mario Monti, the country's new premier, got parliamentary approval last week for more spending cuts and tax increases intended to save the country from financial disaster. One of the most controversial aspects of the austerity package is reform of Italy's bloated pension system.

As well as possibly indicating increased confidence that Monti's efforts will keep the country's finances on a sustainable path, Wednesday's auctions could also have been supported as well by a large infusion of credit to eurozone banks last week from the European Central Bank. A week ago, 523 banks took the opportunity to swell their coffers by euro489 billion ($639 billion), the largest ECB loan operation in the 13-year history of the euro.

There has been speculation that the stronger banks might use the cheap, long-term loans ? on which the current interest rate is 1 percent ? to purchase government bonds that carry higher interest rates and profit from the difference.

That could support both government and bank finances. But it would run contrary to efforts by many banks to lower their exposure to bonds issued by heavily indebted governments.

While some banks may be using the money they got from the ECB to buy up government debt, many others appear to have opted for a much safer option ? depositing their new cash back with the central bank. Figures Wednesday showed eurozone banks parked a record euro452 ($591) billion overnight at the bank Tuesday, surpassing the previous record of euro411.80 set only Monday.

The markets responded fairly positively to Wednesday's auctions though a disappointing opening on Wall Street tempered the optimistic mood. Italy's main FTSE MIB index of leading Italian shares was up only 0.3 percent, having earlier traded 1 percent higher.

The deterioration in market sentiment as U.S. markets opened took their toll on Italian bonds too and the yield on the country's 10-year bond pushed up from the immediate aftermath of the auction to 6.90 percent. It's still below the 7 percent level it had spiked to on Tuesday ? a level that is considered unsustainable in the long run and eventually forced Greece, Ireland and Portugal to seek outside financial help.

Further insights into the level of demand for Italy's ten-year bonds will emerge in Thursday's auction.

___

AP Business Writer David McHugh contributed from Frankfurt, Germany.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_italy_financial_crisis

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Synchronoss Appoints Robert Garcia to President and Chief Operating Officer

December 28, 2011 8:03 AM EST

Company Announces Other Key Management Appointments

BRIDGEWATER, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNCR), the world?s leading provider of transaction management, cloud enablement and mobility management for connected devices, today announced that its Chief Operating Officer, Robert Garcia, has been promoted to President. Mr. Garcia will continue to report to the Synchronoss Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Waldis.

As President and Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Garcia will assume responsibility for the day to day business and the company?s global operating plans. Mr. Garcia has been with Synchronoss since its founding in 2000 and brings over 20+ years' leadership experience in both technology and telecommunication companies.

In addition to Mr. Garcia?s promotion, David Berry will be re-joining Synchronoss in the position of Chief Innovation Officer, reporting directly to Mr. Waldis. Mr. Waldis and Mr. Berry will work together with other members of management to lead a major initiative within the Company to focus on further developing the Synchronoss brand and product portfolio assisting in global growth and innovation. Mr. Berry previously served as Chief Technology Officer for Synchronoss from 2000 to 2006.

?Bob has been a tremendous asset to the company since the very beginning and I have full confidence in his abilities to continue to lead this organization to new levels of success,? said Stephen Waldis, Founder, Chairman, and CEO. ?With Bob assuming additional responsibility of our day to day operations, it now allows me to spend more time focused on innovation and exploring new business opportunities.?

Waldis added ?By Dave Berry re-joining our team, we plan to work closely together with the rest of the management team to ensure all Synchronoss products are aligned to take advantage of the explosive growth opportunity in the mobility, cloud computing, and connected devices industries over the coming years.?

In addition, Karen Rosenberger, the Company?s Vice President of Finance and Controller, has been promoted to the role of Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer. Ms Rosenberger will continue to report directly to Lawrence R. Irving, the Company?s Chief Financial Officer. In addition to retaining her responsibilities Ms. Rosenberger will oversee the domestic and international accounting operations as well as the tax and financial reporting functions for the Company.

Andrew Wilmott, Vice President and General Manager, Service Delivery has been promoted to the role of Senior Vice President of Service Delivery and General Manager. Mr. Wilmott will continue to report directly to Bob Garcia the Company?s President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Wilmott will be responsible for the Delivery, Account Management and P&L functions for the company?s largest Key Account.

About Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.

Synchronoss Technologies (NASDAQ: SNCR) is the world?s leading provider of transaction management, cloud enablement and connectivity services for connected devices. The company?s technology platforms ensure a simple and seamless on-demand channel for service providers and their customers.

For more information visit us at:

Web: www.synchronoss.com

Blog: http://blog.synchronoss.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/synchronoss

The Synchronoss logo, Synchronoss, ConvergenceNow, InterconnectNow, ConvergenceNow Plus+ and SmartMobility are trademarks of Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.Media:Stacie Hiras, 908-547-1260Stacie.hiras@synchronoss.comInvestor:Tim Dolan, 617-956-6727investor@synchronoss.com

Source: Synchronoss Technologies, Inc.

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Video: Washington girl killed in Christmas Day accident

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Tragedy

AP Video

Published Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 5:19PM EST

A nine year old girl in Washington was killed while riding in an SUV with her family Sunday when the car was struck by a tree. The accident happened after a blast of windy weather blew through the region.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheGlobeAndMail-Front/~3/pQGWyrE8--8/

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Lemon Pickers Union

Source: http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?p=111359

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TV producer won't fight extradition to Mexico

LOS ANGELES -- A reality show producer charged with murdering his wife during a Mexican vacation is dropping his extradition fight and will stand trial in Cancun, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Bruce Beresford-Redman's attorney said the onetime "Survivor" producer has decided not to appeal a Los Angeles federal court ruling upholding his extradition to Mexico.

"He feels he is not going to prevail on appeal and he'd like to get moving on proving his innocence," said attorney Richard Hirsch.

He said the producer could be sent to Mexico within 60 days following review of the extradition request by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Beresford-Redman, 40, is being held in a Los Angeles federal prison.

Monica Beresford Redman, 42, disappeared from a Cancun resort where the couple was vacationing with their two children last year. Her body was found stuffed in a sewer cistern.

"He is innocent and it is his hope that the court in Mexico will assure that he receives a fair trial in which, he is confident, he will be exonerated," Hirsch said.

The family of Monica Beresford-Redman has said the couple went to Cancun to try to save their marriage. They claim Bruce Beresford-Redman, who is also the co-creator of the series "Pimp My Ride," was having a long-term affair with another woman. His wife, originally from Brazil, owned and operated a restaurant in Los Angeles.

U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez upheld an extradition order earlier this month, saying that there are many pages of competent evidence supporting prosecution claims that the producer killed his wife.

"All of this evidence points to homicide committed by the fugitive," said the judge's ruling.

Prosecutors presented statements from hotel guests who said they heard loud arguing and cries of distress coming from the couple's room on the night Monica Beresford-Redman went missing.

The producer's attorneys have claimed the noises came from Beresford-Redman and his children playing loud games throughout the night. They introduced statements from the couple's 6-year-old daughter to corroborate the claim, but judges who have reviewed the case were not swayed.

Beresford-Redman had been ordered to stay in Mexico after his wife's body was found but he left and returned to his home in Los Angeles. He voluntarily surrendered to U.S. authorities after a warrant was issued in Mexico for his arrest.

Hirsch said that Beresford-Redman's family has been in contact with a Mexican lawyer who will represent him at trial. Mexican courts do not have juries and the producer will be tried by the same judge who issued the warrant for his arrest, Hirsch said.

If he is convicted of aggravated homicide in Mexico, he faces 12 to 30 years in a Mexican prison.

His two small children have been placed in the custody of Beresford-Redman's parents with visitation by their mother's sisters.

Source: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/12/27/1871868/tv-producer-wont-fight-extradition.html

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iOS, Android reach 55% penetration with US installed base of 109M

? Home | Apple Stock | Tracked Sites | TechNN | | E-Mail | Sherlock Plugin Close Left Panel | Login | Subscribe to MacSurfer's Headline News Poll | Most Popular | Talking Heads | A Year Ago Today | Saturday, December 24, 2011 Checked 7:05 AM; Last Updated 9:15 PM CST; 03:15 GMT
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Subscriptions Benefits Include: ? Custom Newspages ? Keyword-Built Page ? Timestamp Options ? Choice of RSS Feeds ? Headline Discussions ? MORE ...	WEEKEND BLOWOUT: Every NEW or RENEWING paid subscriber receives 2 YEARS FREE.... Should Apple buy Nintendo? Cast your vote in "Today's Poll..." in the left column below or go straight to the results here. Friday Highlights: Fortune, The Register recap Apple vs. Android in 2011, Chloe Albanesius of PC Magazine rewinds 2011 looking at Apple's highs, lows, Steve Jobs' passing; customer satisfaction is why Apple's iPad leads; when it comes to online shoppers/traffic, Apple outguns giants like Walmart, the NY Times, even eBay; a Fortune slideshow highlights how Steve Jobs changed the world; iTunes Match now available in 17 countries; bring back the OS 9 sliding folder tabs in OS X with Tab Launcher; UK's Telegraph tech prediction for 2012 include a real Apple TV; beware, hackers can intercept crash reports when your iPhone sends them in; 90% of mobile purchases were made on iPhones, iPads; 500 iPads to become "official instrument of lawmaking" in Poland; back in 2010, Steve Jobs spelled out reasons for Apple to not build a TV set; how long will MAME, a new arcade emulator last on the App Store?; new stat shows Apple sells 925 iPhones every 60 seconds; MacRumors offers some PDF printouts of exactly what a 7.85" iPad would look/feel like; rumor mill a-churnin' with iPhone 5 arriving in May with iOS 6, A6 chip, and another analyst splashes cold water on 7" iPads in 2012; Macworld reviews Find My Friends iApp, says it does what it says; you can recalibrate the home button on your iDevice; PC Magazine tips for keeping your iPhone safe amidst holiday distractions; The Next Web urges Nintendo to develop games for iOS. This weekend's MacUpdate Promo offers 50% off iStat Menus Family Pack (5 Users) 3.19. "iStat Menus lets you monitor your system right from the menubar. Included are 8 menu extras that let you monitor every aspect of your system."
	Welcome to MacSurfer's Headline News! Is this the headline you are looking for? Fri Dec 23 "iOS, Android reach 55% penetration with US installed base of 109M" AppleInsider 9:15 PM Mac RAM Upgrades: MacBook Pro 16GB kits $475, 8GB Kits for $119.99! iMac 16GB RAM Kits (4x 4GB) for $229.99! Mac Pro Memory 32GB Kit for $399.99, 64GB Kit for $889.99! Mac Hard Drives 2TB Seagate SATA II for $249.99! Click Here! TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Holiday Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Did you know that you can download an online Mac poker game? Start winning right now and play Poker for Mac Now. "Remains of the Day: The future is hazy"?Macworld?9:15 PM "Apple's TV spots featuring Santa Claus using his iPhone's Siri is named the No.1 holiday ad for 2011"?New York Daily News?4:11 PM "Apple's Santa TV spot deemed best ad of holiday season"?AppleInsider?7:06 PM "Technology predictions for 2012: The birth of Apple TV and failure of Google+ are among the technology team's predictions for 2012"?Telegraph?7:56 AM "Hackers intercept iPhone crash Reports"?GMA News?7:50 AM "Study: Apple's iPhone, iPad account for 90 percent of mobile purchases"?GigaOM?10:48 AM "Apple's iPad still beating Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet in sales"?Washington Post [Free Registration Required]?11:43 AM "Apple Flexes Bargaining Power With Carriers For Fat iPhone Margins"?Forbes?10:40 AM "Apple iPad and ebook readers again define the year on The Mobile Gadgeteer"?ZDNet?7:51 AM "Sejm wants to buy 500 tablets. The savings: Seimas closed the tender for the purchase of tablets for Members. Poland is one of the first countries in Europe, where the iPad will be the official instrument of lawmaking."?Google Polish-to-English: wyborcza?10:03 AM "Video: Steve Jobs on TV's go-to-market problem/He laid out the reasons NOT to build an Apple television at All Things D in 2010"?Fortune?10:18 AM "Peek Into Store's Wi-Fi Network Finds 335 Devices"?ifoAppleStore?8:11 AM "Arcade emulator MAME slips under Apple radar"?The Register?8:02 AM "Lost iPhone? iMessages might be sent to new 'owner'"?CBS?10:18 AM "Every 60 seconds: Apple sells 925 iPhones, 2 million people watch online porn, more"?BGR?10:17 AM "iPhone Case Gift Guide: A Case to Suit Any Personality" [Slideshow]?Techland?8:19 AM "NORAD brings Santa -- and elf tossing -- to iPads, iPhones, Android devices"?Network World?11:06 AM Non-Apple News "GoDaddy Drops SOPA Support, But Not As Such"?TidBITS?3:23 PM "Vietnam store makes Christmas tree from cellphones"?Associated Press?11:16 AM "The CIO's lament: 20-something techies who quit after 1 year/Harry Fox Agency's IT chief discusses how hard it is to retain younger IT professionals, especially Java programmers"?Network World?11:04 AM "Razer Delays Gaming Laptop -- But Sweetens Release"?PCWorld?11:02 AM "No Ice Cream Sandwich For Galaxy S And Galaxy Tab, Says Samsung"?TechCrunch?11:25 AM "Republic Wireless Scraps Data Restrictions"?PCWorld?11:02 AM "RIM Counters Charge of 'Lying' About BlackBerry 10 Delay"?PC Magazine?11:00 AM "Insurance Against Cyber Attacks Expected to Boom"?New York Times [Free/Paid Registration Required]?10:45 AM "Facebook fails to deliver on 'social shopping' this holiday season"?Financial Times [Free Registration Required]?10:44 AM "With Home Entertainment Sales Spiraling Downward, Movie Studios Turn to UltraViolet"?Forbes?10:39 AM "Raspberry Pi ?16 computer project nears lift-off"?ZDNet UK?11:43 AM "Bare bones Raspberry Pi PC gets ready to launch"?BBC?10:07 AM "In Japan, seat sensors that can recognize you"?CNET News?9:54 AM "AU Optronics taps display chief Peng president"?MarketWatch?9:41 AM "Say goodbye to Google's App Inventor: Google has reminded its users that the flagship platform to allow anyone to create an Android app will permanently shut down at the end of the year."?TG Daily?11:29 AM "Here Comes Google's Christmas (Er, Holiday) Greetings"?AllThingsD?9:41 AM "Retailers Try to Thwart Price Apps"?WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required]?9:36 AM "Face.com: Facial recognition for the masses"?CNNMoney?9:31 AM Publications/Podcasts "Gene Steinberg meets cutting-edge commentator Daniel Eran Dilger and Laptop magazine's Avram Piltch this week on The Tech Night Owl LIVE"?The Tech Night Owl LIVE?1:40 PM "Selena Gomez talks tech with TUAW"?TUAW?10:08 AM Deal Brothers Daily Deal: Apple Deals: Order online and Pickup in Store in Time for Christmas "iOS, Android reach 55% penetration with US installed base of 109M"?AppleInsider?9:15 PM "iOS dominates mobile shopping with 92% of market"?AppleInsider?9:07 PM "Steve Jobs riffs on the Library of Congress, education and 'bicycle for our mind"?FairerPlatform?7:34 PM "Steve Jobs Rendered on an Apple IIC (Video)"?MacTrast?4:07 PM "Apple at the retail crossroads: Question now is about growth in the store business"?MarketWatch?4:07 PM "Here's Why The Apple TV Might Be Awesome And Google TV Will Continue To Suck..."?Business Insider?12:40 PM "Mozilla Firefox, Apple: Hot Trends" [Video Report]?TheStreet?10:23 AM "Did Smartphones kill the Point-and-Shoot?"?PCWorld?10:08 AM "The Macalope Daily: The ghost of Apple future"?Macworld [Insider Content]?10:08 AM "How U.S. Carriers Fool You Into Thinking Your iPhone 4S Is Unlocked"?The Motley Fool?8:23 AM Non-Apple "Louis CK makes million, gives it away"?Tech.Blorge?7:09 PM "Programming resources for kids 101"?ZDNet?11:42 AM "No real surprise, Samsung not upgrading Galaxy S to Ice Cream Sandwich"?ZDNet?11:42 AM "Dropbox 2.0: Still the best choice for students?"?ZDNet?11:41 AM "Last Minute Geek Gift Ideas"?Wired?11:40 AM "Top 10 tech shocks of 2011"?V3?11:35 AM "At CES, Everyone's a Keynoter"?Techland?11:33 AM "Make room, internet, there's another 5 million domains to fit in: .com and .de top the charts in Q3 figures"?The Register?11:31 AM "Cheating Spreads Like Infections In Online Mulitplayer Games: If you have friends who cheat, you are more likely to become a cheater, according to computer scientists who say this can be used to label you as a potential cheater"?Technology Review?11:26 AM "Have a White Christmas With Google Maps, YouTube"?PC Magazine?11:01 AM "Best gameplay of 2011" [Video Report]?MSNBC?10:55 AM "10 nightmares traveling with tech -- and how to prevent them"?InfoWorld?10:46 AM "Mozilla's 3 bold bets to keep the Web open: Google's latest agreement with Mozilla will ironically fund three new areas of competition between Google and Mozilla"?InfoWorld?10:46 AM "Why Deus Ex: Human Revolution is My Game of the Year"?Forbes?10:40 AM "BlackBerry Bold 9900: The swan song of a standard/The last BlackBerry using the historic OS adds touch, but otherwise is the BlackBerry you've long known and perhaps loved"?InfoWorld?10:15 AM "Holiday Fun With Personal Collaboration: Use your free time to explore new consumer-driven products--and maybe pick up some valuable IT skills."?InformationWeek?9:57 AM "Is Yahoo Finally Coming Back To Its Long-Lost Senses?"?Forbes?9:49 AM "5 reasons to be optimistic about technology innovation in the year ahead"?ZDNet?10:23 AM "Dear Google: Please, Please, Please Invest More Money In Google Apps..."?Business Insider?8:20 AM "FAQ: So What's Up With These 'White Spaces,' Anyway?"?AllThingsD?7:57 AM Humor/Cartoons "If Car Companies Were Run Like Tech Companies ..."?New York Times [Free/Paid Registration Required]?10:29 AM "Intel's Dimmer PC View Darkens Outlook For Dell, H-P"?Forbes?10:39 AM "HP Plugs Security Hole With LaserJet Firmware Update, Says No Record Of Printers Set Ablaze By Hackers"?TechCrunch?11:26 AM "HP firmware to 'mitigate' LaserJet vulnerability"?CNET News?2:23 PM "Nokia, Skype, ARM: Microsoft's big year in review/Why 2011 is critical for 2012 at Redmond"?The Register?11:32 AM "Microsoft Cleaning Up on Patent Licensing Fees"?TheStreet?11:55 AM "Windows 8 picture security just a toy, claims RSA SecurID inventor: Photo unlock tool is not secure according to expert"?Network World?11:27 AM "No fix yet for mass Xbox Live error"?TG Daily?11:28 AM "Oracle, Salesforce Lead CRM Applications Market in 2011: IDC"?eWeek?10:24 AM "Advanced Micro Devices' New Fusion Processors Are Gaining Ground"?Morningstar?9:44 AM "Intel's smartphone guru angles for smooth landing"?Reuters?2:19 PM "Cloud Computing Still Faces Obstacles to Adoption"?eWeek?10:24 AM "CES 2012: What to expect"?VentureBeat [Free Registration Required]?9:42 AM "Can you keep your IT staff in 2012? As IT hiring rises, CIOs will find it harder to replace retiring Baby Boomers and retain 20-somethings"?Network World?11:04 AM "Ahead in 2012: Higher salaries, weaker demand/Commentary: Tech companies face rising costs for skilled workers"?MarketWatch?9:42 AM "Big Data, analytics get even bigger, hotter in 2012"?IDG News Service?11:05 AM "For 2012, Power-efficient Servers Could Get a Shot in the ARM"?IDG News Service?11:02 AM "Tablets: Barclays Cuts PC Numbers on Amazon Success"?Barron's?9:45 AM "For PCs, Will 2012 Be The Year Without Growth?"?Forbes?9:46 AM
?		?

Source: http://www.macsurfer.com/redirr.php?u=651225

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JetBlue: @sucklepig thanks for what you do! -and wish the LGB team a Merry Christmas from the JetBlue Twitter team ^MJ

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@sucklepig thanks for what you do! -and wish the LGB team a Merry Christmas from the JetBlue Twitter team ^MJ Il y a environ 2 heures via CoTweet

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apphpod: http://t.co/OJWudclM Here's help getting started with your new gadgets: You can use iMessage on the iPad, which ... http://t.co/aq67w3xE

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bit.ly/9YhTIt Here's help getting started with your new gadgets: You can use iMessage on the iPad, which ... bit.ly/sN8Y0Z Il y a environ 4 heures via twitterfeed

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Source: http://twitter.com/apphpod/statuses/150996112784896002

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Best Blu-Ray Playback Suite? [Hive Five Call For Contenders]

If you're planning to hit the road with your Blu-ray enabled laptop for the holidays, or you just built an HTPC with a Blu-ray drive in it, your next job (after picking the movies you want to watch) is to select the Blu-ray compatible player you want to watch your movies in. This week we want to know which one you turn to for the most control over playback, the best video quality, and of course, the best bang for your buck.

There are media players that support Blu-ray, and then there are Blu-ray player applications that only do Blu-ray video and nothing else. Perhaps you use an all-in-one media player that does everything, or you'd rather use an application specifically designed for Blu-ray discs. Whichever you choose, cast your vote and let us know in the comments below.

Hive Five nominations take place in the comments, where you post your favorite tool for the job. We get hundreds of comments, so to make your nomination clear, please include it at the top of your comment like so: VOTE: BLU-RAY PLAYBACK SUITE. Please don't include your vote in a reply to another commenter. Instead, make your vote and reply separate comments. If you don't follow this format, we may not count your vote. To prevent tampering with the results, votes from first-time commenters may not be counted. After you've made your nomination, let us know what makes it stand out from the competition.

About the Hive Five: The Hive Five feature series asks readers to answer the most frequently asked question we get: "Which tool is the best?" Once a week we'll put out a call for contenders looking for the best solution to a certain problem, then YOU tell us your favorite tools to get the job done. Every weekend, we'll report back with the top five recommendations and give you a chance to vote on which is best. For an example, check out last week's five best android tablets.

Photo remixed from an original by Ruslan Ivantsov/Shutterstock.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/1777RL8vzTY/best-blu+ray-playback-suite

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NKorea pointing to heir's uncle playing key role

In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, by the Korea News Service, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest known son and successor, visits at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, to pay respect to his father. At far left front is Jong Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, by the Korea News Service, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest known son and successor, visits at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea, to pay respect to his father. At far left front is Jong Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 image made from KRT television, Kim Jong Un, center, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest known son and successor, with military officials, stand in front of his father's body displayed in a glass coffin, not in photo, at Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, North Korea. At far left is Jong Un's uncle Jang Song Thaek . (AP Photo/KRT via APTN) TV OUT, NORTH KOREA OUT

In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 by the Korea News Service, Moon Hyung-jin, president of the Unification Church, second from right, carries a wreath with unidentified men to lay in front of a portrait of the late Kim Jong Il at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

In this Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 by the Korea News Service, North Koreans react as they pay their respect to late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Nampo, North Korea. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

In this Dec. 23, 2011 photo released by the Korean Central News Agency and distributed in Tokyo Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 by the Korea News Service, North Koreans pay respects to their late leader Kim Jong Il in front of his portrait in South Hwanghae province, North Korea. (AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) ? North Korea on Sunday aired footage showing the uncle and key patron of anointed heir Kim Jong Un wearing a military uniform with a general's insignia ? a strong sign he'll play a crucial role in helping the young man take over power and uphold the "military-first" policy initiated by his late father, Kim Jong Il.

The footage on state television shows Jang Song Thaek in uniform as he pays respects before Kim Jong Il's body lying in state at Kumsusan Memorial Palace. Seoul's Unification Ministry says it's the first time Jang, usually seen in business suits, has been shown wearing a military uniform on state TV.

Little by little, North Korea is offering hints on the details of Kim Jong Un's rise and the future composition of his inner circle as millions continue to mourn for his father, who died just over a week ago. North Korea has also begun hailing Kim Jong Un as "supreme leader" of the 1.2-million strong military as it ramps up its campaign to install him as ruler.

"Let's become comrades of ... great comrade Kim Jong Un, the sun of the 21st century!" the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary carried Sunday by the official Korean Central News Agency.

The new title, a public show of support from top military leadership and the symbolic appearance of Jang in uniform send a strong signal that the nation will maintain Kim Jong Il's "military first" policy for the time being.

South Korean intelligence has reportedly predicted Kim Jong Un's aunt Kim Kyong Hui, a key Workers' Party official, and her husband Jang, who is a vice chairman of the powerful National Defense Commission, will play larger roles supporting the heir.

Jang and his wife have risen to the top of North Korea's political and military elite since the succession campaign began two years ago. Both 65, they also have the weight of seniority so important in a society that places a premium on age and alliances.

Kim Jong Un made a third visit Saturday to the palace where his father's body is lying in state ? this time as "supreme leader of the revolutionary armed forces" and accompanied by North Korea's top military brass, according to KCNA.

Earlier, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper urged Kim Jong Un to accept the top military post: "Comrade Kim Jong Un, please assume the supreme commandership, as wished by the people."

Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and was unveiled in September 2010 as his father's choice as successor, will be the third-generation Kim to rule the nation of 24 million. His father and grandfather led the country under different titles, and it remains unclear which other titles will be bestowed on the grandson.

Kim Il Sung, who founded North Korea in 1948, retains the title of "eternal president" even after his death in 1994.

His son, Kim Jong Il, ruled the country in his capacity as chairman of the National Defense Commission while concurrently serving as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and general secretary of the Workers' Party.

Kim Jong Un was promoted to four-star general and appointed a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party. He had been expected to assume a number of other key posts while being groomed to succeed his father.

His father's death comes at a sensitive time for North Korea, which was in the middle of discussions with the U.S. on food aid and restarting talks to dismantle the North's nuclear weapons program. Chronically short of food and suffering from a shortfall in basic staples after several harsh seasons, officials had been asking for help feeding its people even as North Koreans prepared for 2012 celebrations marking Kim Il Sung's 100th birthday.

North Korea has emphasized the Kim family legacy during the sped-up succession movement for Kim Jong Un. State media invoked Kim Il Sung in declaring the people's support for the next leader, comparing the occasion to Kim Jong Il's ascension to "supreme commander" exactly 20 years ago Saturday.

At the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Kim Jong Un and senior commanders paid silent tribute to Kim Jong Il, "praying for his immortality," KCNA said. The military also pledged its loyalty to Kim Jong Un, the report said.

"Let the whole army remain true to the leadership of Kim Jong Un over the army," KCNA reported ? a pledge reminiscent of those made when Kim Jong Il was named supreme commander.

The call to rally behind Kim Jong Un, dubbed the "Great Successor" in the wake of his father's death on Dec. 17 from a heart attack, comes amid displays of grief across North Korea. The official mourning period lasts until after Kim's funeral Wednesday and a memorial Thursday.

In Pyongyang, workers at beverage kiosks handed steaming cups of water to shivering mourners, including children bundled up in colorful, thick parkas. State media said Sunday the drinks were arranged at the instruction of Kim Jong Un, who ordered officials to take special measures to protect the health of mourners.

A throng of North Koreans climbed steps and placed flowers and wreaths in a neat row below a portrait of Kim Jong Il as solemn music filled the air and young uniformed soldiers, their heads shaved, bowed before his picture.

A sobbing Jong Myong Hui, a Pyongyang citizen taking a break from shoveling snow, told AP Television News that she came out voluntarily to "clear the way for Kim Jong Il's last journey."

Despite the grief, there are signs that the country is beginning to move on, with people going to work and "not giving way simply to sorrow," KCNA said. "They are getting over the demise of their leader, promoted by a strong will to closely rally around respected Comrade Kim Jong Un."

The Korean peninsula has remained in a technical state of war since the Koreas' 1950-53 conflict, but two groups from South Korea have permission from the South Korean government to visit the North to pay their respects, Unification Ministry spokesman Choi Boh-seon said Saturday in Seoul.

One group will be led by the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung, who held a landmark summit with Kim Jong Il in 2000, and the other by the wife of a late businessman with ties to the North.

On Sunday, North Korea accused South Korea of blocking many other groups from visiting Pyongyang to pay respects, warning the action would trigger "unpredictable catastrophic consequences" in relations between the countries. An unidentified spokesman at the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification said North Korea will test how sincere South Korea is in its calls for improved ties with North Korea.

The spokesman's statement was carried by KCNA.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said it will allow only the two groups to visit the North.

___

Associated Press writers Foster Klug and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee contributed to this report. Follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/newsjean and twitter.com/APKlug.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-25-AS-Kim-Jong-Il/id-3829ac548fd744fa80031c52baae2c7b

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Wireless MedCare joins with Texas company to test features of bed monitoring system - www.roanoke.com

Roanoke-based Wireless MedCare has signed a joint venture agreement with a Texas company that also includes placing its bed sensor patient monitoring device in senior living facilities being constructed by the Texas company.

The agreement with Senior Homestyle Living is to place Wireless MedCare's Vivatrak in 32 beds and use the joint venture to test new features that can be added to the monitoring system, said Wireless MedCare CEO Dan Wrappe.

Vivatrak is a sensor system that can detect movements in a bed. It is being marketed as a way to monitor patients.

Under the joint venture, Senior Homestyle Living and Wireless MedCare share equal ownership of VivaSense Solutions.

Source: http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/302775

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