Dave Barry on man-vs.-snake Everglades smackdown




















Would you like to make some extra money, and at the same time run the risk of being eaten by a carnivorous reptile the size of a war canoe?

If your answer is “yes,” I have an exciting opportunity for you. It’s called the Python Challenge, and I am not making it up. It’s a real event that was dreamed up by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which apparently was concerned that Florida does not seem insane enough to people in normal states.

The Python Challenge is a month-long contest; its purpose, according to the official website (pythonchallenge.org) is “to raise public awareness about Burmese pythons.”





Q. What do they mean by “raise public awareness about?”

A. They mean “kill.”

The contest is open to anybody who registers, pays a $25 fee and takes an online training course; so far about 400 people have signed up. These people have from Jan. 12 through Feb. 10 to go out in the Everglades and raise public awareness on as many pythons as they can. There’s a $1,500 prize for whoever kills the most pythons, a $1,000 prize for whoever kills the longest python, and a $500 prize for whoever kills the python with the best personality.

I’m kidding about that last prize, of course. Burmese pythons do not have personalities: All they do is eat and destroy the ecosystem. They are the teenage males of the animal kingdom. That’s why the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is trying to get rid of them.

Be advised, however, that you cannot kill these pythons any old way you want. No, sir: This is an official state-sponsored event, and if there is one word that comes to mind whenever you hear the name “Florida,” that word is “ethics.” The Python Challenge guidelines clearly state that you have — this is an actual quote — “an ethical obligation to ensure a Burmese python is killed in a humane manner.” That means you cannot kill your python using cruel and inhumane methods such as forcing it to watch Here Comes Honey Boo Boo until it commits suicide, or placing it at the entrance to a Boca Raton restaurant just as the Early Bird special begins, where it would be trampled to death in seconds.

So how do you ethically kill a Burmese python? According to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, you can use a device called a “captive bolt,” or you can shoot it in the head with a firearm of “a safe, but effective caliber.” (Got that? You want your caliber to be safe, but also effective.)

You are also permitted to whack off the python’s head with a machete, provided you do so in an ethical manner. To quote the commission: “Make sure your technique results in immediate loss of consciousness and destruction of the Burmese python’s brain.” (If you think I’m making any of this up, I urge you to go read the Python Challenge guidelines.)

One thing the guidelines are not very specific about is how you’re supposed to catch the python in the first place. I happen to have some experience in this area. A few years ago, I captured a snake that somehow got into my office and onto my desk, despite the fact that I live in Coral Gables, where snakes are a clear violation of the zoning code. The technique I used to capture this particular snake was as follows:





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“Storage Wars” porn lawsuit: alleged Brandi Passante video distributor found in contempt






LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – “Storage Wars” star Brandi Passante has won a legal victory over the man accused of distributing a fake pornographic video of her on the Internet.


Or, at least, the alleged porn-monger has suffered a legal setback.






Federal judge James V. Selna of U.S. District Court in Central California found Hunter Moore, former operator of the website Is Anyone Up, in contempt of court on Tuesday. Selna ruled Moore failed to comply with a preliminary injunction ordering him to remove the images of Passante from the websites that he posted them to.


According to the order issued by Selna, if Moore has not “purged his contempt” (presumably, meaning “removed the images,” but feel free to supply your own mental imagery) by the time he has received the order, he will be fined $ 50 for each day that he fails to comply with the injunction.


After that, the fine increases to $ 100 per day, and a warrant for his arrest will be issued if he fails to comply after 14 days.


As reported earlier by TheWrap, Passante sued Moore in October, claiming that he published photos and video purporting to depict Passante in pornographic situations. (Passante claims that the images are fake.)


The suit says that Passante first became aware of the images when she received a tweet reading, “Love the pics” from Is Anyone Up’s Twitter account.


The complaint goes on to claim that Moore later posted the video to porn-friendly website Fleshbot.com, adding that when users clicked on the video, a virus immediately began to download onto their computers.


Since filing the suit, Passante has claimed to suffer further headaches due to Moore’s efforts. In November, the “Storage Wars” buyer and her attorney Linda S. McAleer filed declarations that Moore had violated a temporary restraining order by targeting the pair in a digital harassment campaign.


According to the declarations, Moore published a number of obscene tweets with Passante’s Twitter handle tagged, ensuring that she would see them.


In another instance, McAleer claimed, when she emailed a copy of the restraining order to Moore, he replied with a message asking “if brandi had missed this?” with a photo of himself naked from the waist down and in an aroused state.


(Pamela Chelin contributed to this report)


Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News




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Buzzmakers: Dina Lohan's Black Eye And New The Voice Clips

What had ET readers buzzing this week?

1. Dina Lohan's Black Eye Photos

Following Dina Lohan's shocking claims that her husband Michael abused her during their marriage (and Michael's denial), ET has obtained vintage photos of the mother of four with a black eye.

Click here for the shocking pics.

2. 'The Voice' Coaches Dish on New Season

It looks like Adam Levine is off the hook for the upcoming season of The Voice, as Blake Shelton has a new man crush on Usher.

During the Television Critics Association Press Tour, the singers revealed that Shelton's uncomfortable advances towards Levine -- done in jest -- have now been turned to the newest male addition on the coaching panel.

"He's left me for Usher now," Levine joked. "So he gets to spend the season making Usher feel uncomfortable."

"And I think I'm doing a really good job of that, by the way," Shelton added. "I've said and done about everything that crosses the line."

While Shelton's focused on Usher, the rest of the fellas seem to have eyes for Shakira, who will also be joining the show for the upcoming season.

"She's so sexy," said host Carson Daly.

"She's a sweetheart," Levine agreed.

Season four of The Voice premieres March 25 on NBC. Click here for the panel's new interviews!

3. Miranda Lambert Defends Her Chris Brown Comments

Country crooner Miranda Lambert has no intention of retracting her statements made this past year about R&B singer Chris Brown and his domestic abuse in 2009 towards his on-again, off-again girlfriend Rihanna.

At the Grammy Awards this past year, Lambert, 29, tweeted following Brown's performance, writing: "He beat on a girl. not cool that we act like that didn't happen."

"I didn't feel right about not saying something. The loudmouth that I am, I say what I think," she told Redbook magazine of the tweet. "I wanted everyone to know that I don't agree with the message it's sending to young women."

Adding to her opinion of Brown, Lambert, who is married to The Voice judge Blake Shelton, said, "It's not okay. At all. To be celebrated after doing something like that. I don't think it's right, I never will, and I will stand by what I said till the day that I die."

4. Diane Lane After Husband Josh Brolin's Arrest

As news broke of Josh Brolin's New Year's Day arrest, ET caught up with Brolin's wife Diane Lane at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, where she appeared sans her husband.

Lane arrived cheerful and relaxed alongside her Nights of Rodanthe co-star Richard Gere, whom she presented the Chairman's Award.

"[Brolin] is actually with my wife [actress Carey Lowell] tonight, so everything's fine," joked Gere when asked how Brolin felt about missing the event.

"We have an arrangement," Lane kidded. "It's all good."

5. Fierce Fashions: The 2013 People's Choice Awards

The sparkling stars of film, TV and music donned their red carpet best as they kicked off awards season Wednesday night at the 2013 People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

Visit our gallery for all the stunning styles!

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Flu outbreak leads NY to declare public health emergency








The state of New York declared a public health emergency today amid the worst flu outbreak in years.

Gov. Cuomo pushed through legislation that allows pharmacies to administer flu shots to kids — not just adults — to combat the sickness.

New York has already been blasted with more than three times as many flu cases this year than last.

Cases are up from roughly 4,400 to 19,100 and two children have already died this year, according to the New York State Department of Health.

“All New Yorkers, children and adults alike, [should] have access to critically needed flu vaccines,” Cuomo said.



Kids under 18 years old can now recieve a flu vaccination, which is effective in 62 percent of cases, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.










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Miami Beach builder Robert Turchin looks back — and ahead




















If former Miami Beach vice mayor Robert Turchin had been a Miami decision maker during the recent vote that decided the fate of The Miami Herald building, he would probably have voted with the ‘nays’ allowing its demolition.

“There’s nothing special about it,” says the 90-year-old Turchin as he cruises Collins Avenue between 63rd and 48th streets, a strip dense with buildings from the same period as the Herald’s — specimens of post-war Miami Modern (MiMo) architecture that he constructed.

It is no exaggeration to say that Turchin built much of post-war Miami Beach, collaborating with Melvin Grossman, Morris Lapidus and other MiMo period architects. From 1945 to 1985, his firm was the busiest in the building trade. Royal York, Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, King Cole, Charter Club, Four Ambassadors — the list goes on, numbering upward of 100 buildings.





“I grew up when Miami Beach was a small town. It was 1945, and the hotels would close during the summer for renovations because they had no air conditioning. I couldn’t wait for summers, when I would return from school and work on the construction sites,” Turchin says.

In an era when hotel signs sometimes read “No Jews or dogs,” Turchin’s father was a successful builder who hoped his son would be a diplomat. It was not to be. After serving in World War II, for which he recently received a French Legion of Honor medal, he started his first project. Like subsequent ones, it broke the mold.

“The GI Bill made housing affordable for veterans, but it was single-family housing. I wanted to build a four-family unit under the bill,” Turchin says. It was an unprecedented proposal that went from city to state to federal agencies before it was approved. The multi-unit buildings launched the concept of condominiums.

As did other builders, he began to experiment with air conditioning. “Once we were able to air condition them, the hotels stayed open year-round. The beach boomed then,” he says.

Buildings came down to make way for new ones. Turchin’s Morton Towers went up where Carl Fisher’s circa 1920 Flamingo Hotel stood on 15 acres. “The land had become more valuable than the building,” he explains.

Turchin became known as “the builder’s builder” for riding to the top floor of construction sites on the hook of a crane, and walking the beams to inspect the work. His view of the built landscape was daring, pragmatic, and often at odds with those of preservationists like Nancy Liebman, a Miami Beach city commissioner from 1993 to 2001 who served with Turchin on the city’s first historic preservation board.

“A lot of the beautiful mansions on the bay and beach were lost to that kind of development,” laments Liebman. “It was the typical mentality of throw it away and build something new.”

But Turchin was building for the next generation. To him, the Art Deco buildings of his father’s generation — Edgewater Beach, the Sands and the Sea Isle where he honeymooned with his wife — were old school.

“They made no sense. They were all building with a few trees in front. They weren’t called Deco back then. Curlicues on concrete is how we thought of them,” he says.





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South Florida man charged with brewing moonshine in his backyard




















Authorities say they have arrested a 23-year-old man who has been distilling and selling moonshine at his Lantana home.

Daniel David Pawa is in the Palm Beach County Jail this morning facing charges including possessing moonshine, conspiracy to violate beverage laws and possessing a fire arm, according to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Department officials say Pawa was arrested early this morning in Lantana by agents from their Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. The address of Pawa’s West Palm Beach home, where authorities say he was cooking the alcohol, was not immediately available.





Authorities did say that undercover agents had bought more than 40 gallons of moonshine from Pawa. When they searched his home they found a moonshine still, liquor bottles, a hydrometer, mason jars and a .45 caliber gun.

Possession of the gun is the most serious charge, a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Pawa faces four other charges, all third-degree felonies that could earn him up to five years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine for each should he be found guilty.

The West Palm Beach and Lantana police departments assisted with the arrest and securing the home. The address where Pawa was arrested was also not immediately available.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad responded to scene when a grenade was found during the search, according

to the department.

Authorities are still looking for two other individuals they believe were in on the moonshining operation.





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Video game retail sales continued to slide in December, down 22% from 2011









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Keith Urban Randy Jackson Hottest 'American Idol' Judge

With American Idol's season premiere less than a week away, ET's Rocsi Diaz sat down with judges Keith Urban and Randy Jackson to get their take on the upcoming season and the highly publicized feud between fellow panel members Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.

Keith admitted that things felt "a bit surreal" the first few days at Idol, but says he's since settled into his new role as a judge. "I mean the way I look at it is you've got four really passionate people -- and we are genuinely -- and we're all artists, so we're all sensitive darlings, all of us." 

VIDEO: Keith Urban Responds to American Idol Fight

He likened the experience to a bunch of people being thrown onto a dance floor with no specific directions or choreography.
Keith was also asked directly about reported cat fights between Mariah and Nicki. "Of course some toes get stepped on, and we try and figure it out," he said. "But then we get a groove, and I think we have a good groove going."

When Rocsi suggested to Keith that he's clearly "the hottest judge" on the panel, he responded, "No, that's Randy. He's just it -- he's the fashionista."

VIDEO: Nicki Minaj on Idol Drama: There is No Feud!

Randy also addressed the quarreling controversy between the judges, but said he thinks things are "all good" now. "You know, for all of the stuff -- the talk and the chatter out there -- it's really good," he said. "I mean, whenever you get a group of people together with that much energy, and that many opinions, and that distinctively different, it's always going to be a little of a dysfunctional happy family. But you know, it's good right now."  

Watch the video for more from the two judges, including Randy's assessment of this year's new crop of talent!

RELATED: Keith Urban to Return to the Stage After Surgery

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No relief: Flu vaccine only effective in 62 percent of cases








A flu shot might not keep you from getting sick, government doctors admitted today.

This year’s vaccine is effective in about 62 percent of cases, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

And this year’s vaccine appears least effective in the elderly or people with other health problems — the very folks who need flu shots the most.

Getting a flu shot is still a good idea, said CDC director Thomas Frieden.

“The flu vaccine is far from perfect. But it is still by far the best tool we have to prevent the flu,” Frieden, a former New York City health commissioner, told reporters.




Scientists haven’t figured out how to make a vaccine that protects against more than three strains of the flu.

So before flu season begins, vaccine makers have to figure out which three will be most prevalent, and formulate the vaccine accordingly, doctors explained.

Vaccine makers appear to have made the right choices this year, Frieden said. But there are other strains of the flu out there not covered by the vaccine.

Drug makers are working on vaccines that can protect against four or more strains.

It’s possible tens of thousands of people will die from the flu this year — but final estimates on the death toll won’t be available for months, the CDC says.

So far this flu season, the government has counted 20 flu-related deaths among children under age 18. The CDC says it closely tracks pediatric flu deaths.

In New York, about 5 percent of emergency room visits are flu-related, city health officials report. That’s up from 2 percent during last year’s flu season.










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Legal feud over Spanish-language TV leads to federal suit in Miami




















What began as a highly-touted affiliation between a new Spanish-language national television network and a popular independent local station in Miami has dissolved into a legal dispute of David and Goliath proportions.

MundoFox Broadcasting, part of the family of communications giant News Corporation, filed suit in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida against the parent company of America Tevé Channel 41-WJAN, America-CV Network, for breaching two agreements forged in May.

The complaint alleges that in South Florida "MundoFox’s initial launch had less exposure, viewership was lower, soliciting advertisers became more difficult and advertising revenue decreased,” because the network was swapped to inferior channel positions by cable providers.





In a statement, America-CV Network, denied the allegations in the complaint and announced that it will defend itself vigorously.

— DANIEL SHOER ROTH





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Plan to add 100 Miami police officers wins city commission support




















The Miami City Commission will move forward with a plan to expand its police department by 100 officers.

The additional personnel will boost the department’s ranks to 1,244 sworn officers, and better align the ratio of police to residents in Miami with cities like Baltimore, Atlanta and Memphis.

“If we are ever going to become the great city that we claim we are going to become, we need to do at a minimum what Philadelphia does,” said Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, noting that Philadelphia employs 4.3 officers for every 1,000 citizens, compared to the 2.6 officers for every 1,000 citizens in Miami.





While the commission did not take an official vote, a majority of members and Mayor Tomás Regalado expressed support for the initiative, and City Manager Johnny Martinez said he would begin work on a detailed strategy for police hiring.

“The number one priority should be policing,” Commissioner Francis Suarez said. “It’s a critical need in the city.”

Sarnoff, who pitched the idea in his first official act as commission chairman, wants to go further, adding 300 officers over the next three years.

It won’t be easy. Miami is already 50 officers shy of the 1,144 officers covered by the budget. City officials blame the shortage on administrative hiccups between the police department and the city’s human relations department.

Making the bottleneck worse, Miami must adhere to special guidelines from the Department of Justice when recruiting new officers.

Regalado said that streamlining the process for hiring police might require a change to the city charter. If that is the case, he said, it would have to wait until the next election.

But Police Chief Manuel Orosa said the city could reasonably hire between 150 and 200 new officers in 2013 by adding a few additional police academy instructors.

“Parts of our city are becoming more vertical,” Orosa said. “You need more officers to cover the density.”

Orosa estimated that the salaries for 100 new officers would cost about $7.4 million a year. There would be additional costs for the officers’ uniforms, cars and fuel, he said.

The commission would need to formally approve the additional expenses.

After Thursday’s discussion, Regalado said he was committed to expanding the police department as quickly as possible.

Martinez, the city manager, offered a note of caution.

“We need to be very strategic,” he said. “It’s not just hiring 100 officers, it is hiring the right 100 officers.”





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Can Social Media Help You Lose Weight?






At the start of the New Year, when weight loss is often a priority, building a support team to help keep us on track can be extremely helpful. This might typically consist of family members, friends, co-workers, or perhaps even a nutritionist or registered dietitian. But today, support can also be found online. Plenty of Web sites focus on losing weight, and include communities that provide support and encouragement. Since many of us spend a lot of time on social media sites–maybe too much if you ask my husband!–why not use these platforms as another tool for support? In fact, one study suggests employees participating in a workplace wellness program who also joined the company’s Facebook page, run by a registered dietitian, stayed with the program longer than those who didn’t.


[See Already Struggling With Your New Year's Resolution?]






Could it actually make sense that gluing ourselves to our mobile device or computer could help us shed pounds? It sounds like quite the oxymoron, since increased screen time doesn’t usually equate to weight loss. But here’s how to make social media sites work for you:


Facebook


Facebook is a place where you can share what’s going on in your life with friends, but you may not feel comfortable announcing what you weigh or that you’re trying to lose weight. On the other hand, you may enjoy posting fitness milestones, such as training for and completing your first marathon, or a bike ride for your favorite charity. Sharing your fitness goals with the Facebook universe may be helpful, because the more people who know about it, the more likely you are to stay committed.


[See Small Steps, Big Change: How to Lose 50 Pounds Without Really Trying]


Rather than simply connecting with friends on the site, you can also connect with health and fitness professionals, such as registered dietitians, or pages for diet books, like mine, The Small Change Diet. You can also “like” the pages of health and fitness magazines and your favorite brands. The folks who run these pages may post articles that provide you with helpful weight-loss tips, and many organize regular Facebook chats, allowing you to ask an expert your questions. The more that healthy information is “in your face,” the more likely you are to stick to it.


Most importantly, you may discover a weight-loss community on Facebook, where like-minded individuals share their weight losses (or gains) and offer support. Daily accountability could be just what you need, and knowing others are rooting for you can make a world of difference. If you can’t find a Facebook community you like, start your own.


Twitter


So many of my patients don’t have Twitter accounts, because they think they have nothing clever or witty to say. My advice to them is always the same: You don’t have to “say” anything; you can just follow, at least at the beginning. Registered dietitians (I’m @kerigans) have great tips and, if they’re like me, are more than happy to answer questions via Twitter. I’ve had followers tweet a picture of their dinner and ask what my dietitian colleagues and I thought of it–priceless information for free.


[See Best Plant-Based Diets]


Just as you do on Facebook, follow fitness professionals, health magazines, and other sources that provide weight-loss motivation. Once you feel comfortable, you may decide to join in the conversation, since that’s what social media is all about. Perfect example of how it can benefit you: One morning, I tweeted that I felt more like staying in my pajamas than going to yoga. Some of my followers chimed in that they were feeling the same way, BUT stressed that we should all still exercise. And so we all did. And trust me, none of us regretted going–rather, we were thankful for each other.


[See Are Mobile Health Apps Helpful?]


Seek out people on Twitter and Facebook who you find inspirational, and hopefully a little of what they do will rub off on you. Since nothing is etched in stone, you can unfollow, unlike, or unfriend them if they aren’t helping you. And please keep in mind that while social media can be another tool in your pursuit of weight loss, it’s not the end all. Healthy eating, fitness, and plenty of sleep actually need to happen away from a screen.


Hungry for more? Write to [email protected] with your questions, concerns, and feedback


Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian, media personality, spokesperson, and author of The Small Change Diet. Gans’s expert nutrition advice has been featured in Glamour, Fitness, Health, Self and Shape, and on national television and radio, including The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, ABC News, Primetime, and Sirius/XM Dr. Radio.


Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Golden Globes Ballot 2013 Pick The Winners

The Golden Globes air live this Sunday on NBC, and ET wants you to pick the winners!

Sign up with your Facebook account to use our interactive ballot, and vote for who you think should win come Globes night. You can even share your ballot on Facebook to see how your choices stack up against your friends.


Pics: The 2013 Golden Globes Presenters

From our Ballots Hub Page, you can see the trending favorites in each category, and even ballots from industry professionals including Nancy O'Dell!

Then, come back during the ceremony on January 13, 2013 to view the results and see how your ballot scored in real time.


Click here to fill out your ballot now and make your Globes choices known.

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Unemployment claims on the rise in Miami-Dade




















Miami-Dade County ended 2012 with more people joining the unemployment rolls than it did last year.

The late-year increase in first-time unemployment claims broke a trend of declining applications throughout most of 2012. First-time claims spiked about 15 percent in November and December, with about 17,500 new applications in all over those 60 days. That’s compared to 15,000 during the same time in 2011. For the entire year, claims were still down about 10 percent.

In Broward, overall claims were down 15 percent. In November and December, Broward residents applies for 10,200 first-time unemployment benefits, compared to about 10,500 in 2011 — a 3 percent drop.





DOUGLAS HANKS





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Hollywood OKs deal with Cinema Paradiso




















Cinema Paradiso will soon have a sequel.

Hollywood’s Community Redevelopment Agency board agreed Wednesday morning to buy 3,000 movie tickets a year — at a cost of $30,000 — to help the small art house theater open a second location.

“The outpouring of support is amazing,” said Gregory von Hausch, the theater’s executive director. “Now we just have to work to get it open.”





Having a Hollywood location has been three years in the making. The theater, which shows documentaries, foreign and independent films and retro movies, currently operates from a spot near the Broward County Courthouse on Southeast Sixth Street in Fort Lauderdale, but wanted a second, more metropolitan location.

It’s worked out a deal to lease a nearly 3,000-foot space at 2008 Hollywood Boulevard.

It just needed the CRA’s guaranteed financial support in order to commit. And city leaders say the theater is the perfect for downtown, where they envision an arts and cultural district.

“This is more than a no brainer,” said Mayor Peter Bober. “This is a deal that makes absolute sense.”

The tickets will be given for free to area hotels to distribute to guests. The theater will also work something out to encourage Hollywood residents to view films there.

Several residents and theater supporters came out in favor of having a theater location in Hollywood.

“Here is a wonderful way of bringing people from all over Hollywood downtown,” said Terry Cantrell, president of the Hollywood Lakes Civic Association.

With the approval, von Hausch said they will immediately start work on the space to create a ticket booth, concession stand, screen and other theater necessities. The hope is for the theater, which will have about 100 seats, to open in three months.

Board Chair Alan Koslow is already dreaming of a second phase.

“This is just the start,” he said, adding that the film society would love to add a film school. “We want to bring Hollywood, California to Hollywood, Florida.”





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Nintendo president describes Wii U sales as ‘not bad’






Nintendo’s (NTDOY) new Wii U gaming console came out of the gate strong and saw first-week sales reach 400,000 units in the U.S., however sales have since stalled and the system has been labeled a flop by some. While consumer interest in the company’s new console has slowed right out of the gate, Nintendo’s president recently said that he isn’t worried even though sales aren’t where he hoped they would be.


[More from BGR: Smooth sailing is over for Apple]






“At the end of the Christmas season, it wasn’t as though stores in the U.S. had no Wii U left in stock, as it was when Wii was first sold in that popular boom,” Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said in an interview with Reuters. “But sales are not bad, and I feel it’s selling steadily.”


[More from BGR: New ‘higher-end’ iPhone reportedly launching by June, low-end model could be coming as well]


The executive declined to give specific details on sales or forecasts, although he did say that Nintendo plans to focus on developing attractive software for its 3DS handheld to appeal to new users, and will seek new ways to increase Wii U sales in a changing market.


Nintendo previously announced that it hopes to sell 5.5 million Wii U devices by the end of March and more than 24 million Wii U games in the same timeframe.


This article was originally published by BGR


Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Kim and Kyle Richards Talk Stars in Danger

For the last two years, the world has watched Kim Richards grapple with addiction and recovery. In her sobriety, Kim's struggled to successfully mend the fractured relationship she shares with sister Kyle Richards. That was just one of the reasons The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills agreed to star on Fox's new series, Stars in Danger: The High Dive.

"I wanted to do it because, obviously we've had a rough couple of years on Housewives, and I thought this would be something fun," Kim tells ETonline. "Just get away from the Housewives and spend some quality time together, and that's what we did."


VIDEO - The Housewives Get Real About Plastic Surgery

Although the process wasn't easy for either lady, Kyle faced the largest hurdle as she had to overcome a debilitating fear of heights. "Believe me, my desire to do this show had nothing to do with getting on a diving board, that's for damn sure," Kyle tells me. "I thought it would be a good experience for Kim and me since we'd spent every single day together ... in a pool ... freezing our butts off ... in bathing suits!"

They laugh now, but the reality of competing on a televised diving competition was far from funny at the time. "Every single day we wanted to quit," Kyle admits. "I can tell you personally, each time I dove, I didn't want to do it. Every time I climbed the ladder, I would hyperventilate and was bawling backstage."


VIDEO - Take A Tour of Yolanda Foster's Home

But the risk was worth the reward. "At the end of the day, I was elated. The sky was blue, the birds were chirping," Kyle laughs. "I never got to a place of enjoying it. It's not like I overcame my fear, we just had to endure it."

Relying on one another throughout this experience achieved the result both desired at the outset. "There were days where we were both crying, cursing and leaning on one another for support," says Kyle. "But it was such an amazing experience. It's like having the Kim I grew up with back again."

Kim says, "I've learned a lot about myself in the last two years, but this was such a mental, physical and emotional challenge, the fact I didn't quit makes me so happy. All away around, this whole experience has not only done something for me and something for my sister, but it's made a huge impact on my kids as well. And that's been the best thing of all."


Stars in Danger: The High Dive
airs January 9 at 8 p.m. on Fox.

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4 smartphones with standout features




















These days, smartphones are almost all drawing from the same bag of tricks, and it can be hard to tell one from the next. If the average smartphone will do all the basic things you want it to, what does it take to be special? Here are four smartphones with unusual features that really make them stand out.

Nokia Lumia 920

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)





The good: This phone forges new Windows Phone ground with wireless-charging support and a highly sensitive screen you can use with gloves. Moreover, Nokia helps fill in Windows Phone OS gaps with a few missing features.

The bad: A thick, heavy build and slippery finish for some colors make the Lumia 920 harder to hold and carry, and the phone’s overhyped camera doesn’t have enough settings.

The cost: $99.99

The bottom line: Nokia’s Lumia 920 is heavy and thick, but if you want the most powerful, feature-rich Windows Phone smartphone available, this is it.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: Oodles of screen real estate make this terrific for videos, games, and reading, and its improved stylus aids productivity. A blazing quad-core processor, a great camera and strong battery life round out the advantages of this Android 4.1 phone.

The bad: The huge display makes it unwieldy to carry, and hiccups in the S Pen stylus and apps can slow you down. The pricey Note 2 isn’t a suitable tablet replacement across all categories.

The cost: $149.99 to $309.99

The bottom line: Samsung delivers a powerful, boundary-pushing device that gets a lot right. Yet its complicated features and high price raise questions about its purpose.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: This Droid (Verizon) offers fast performance, a big, eye-popping screen and luxurious design. It also has great call quality, lots of storage, 4G data speeds, and unbeatable battery life.

The bad: The major weakness is a camera that produces subpar images. The phone is filled with Verizon bloatware as well.

The cost: $149.99 to $299.99

The bottom line: Motorola’s fast, stylish Droid Razr Maxx HD offers outstanding battery life, but its camera captures unimpressive images.

Samsung Galaxy Beam

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: An integrated pico projector, as well as a dual-core processor, 720p video capture and a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen.

The bad: The projection software needs some work, the 5-megapixel camera sometimes blurs indoor shots, and the Beam is thicker and heavier than many phones.

The cost: $474.49 to $839.99

The bottom line: Despite weak software, the Galaxy Beam’s bright projector pushes boundaries, and strong smartphone features make it a worthy standalone device.





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Argentine ship seized over unpaid debt to hedge funder Paul Singer returning home








MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina — An Argentine naval ship detained for more than two months in Ghana because of a financial dispute was returning home Wednesday to a triumphant welcome.

Thousands of Argentine government sympathizers traveled to the seaside resort of Mar del Plata, some 250 miles from the Argentine capital, to celebrate the return of the ARA Libertad.

Ghana courts ordered the ship held in October on a claim by Cayman Islands-based hedge fund NML Capital Ltd. Its owner, American billionaire Paul Singer, leads a group demanding payment in full, plus interest — about $350 million — for dollar-based Argentine bonds bought at fire-sale prices after Argentina's 2001-2002 economic collapse forced a sharp devaluation of its currency.





AP



The ARA Libertad





The conflict over the ship reached an especially tense moment in November, when Argentine sailors brandished weapons to block Ghanaian officials from moving the vessel to a less busy dock.

But the UN's International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered the ship's release last month after Argentina argued that warships are immune from seizure.

President Cristina Fernandez has called Libertad a symbol of Argentina's sovereignty and has hailed its return as a victory for the country. She planned to head a ceremony in the afternoon to receive the ship.

Argentina, currently Latin America's third-biggest economy, engaged in the biggest sovereign debt default in history a decade ago. The government has restructured about 92 percent of its world record $95 billion debt default since then.

But Fernandez refuses to pay the holdouts, calling NML Capital and others "vulture funds" for buying debt for pennies on the US dollar in 2002, when Argentina's economy during its worst crisis, and now trying to collect in full.

The fiery, center-left leader says it was their loss for refusing two opportunities to swap defaulted bonds for new, less valuable bonds that the state has reliably paid since 2005.

Members of Argentina's political opposition have called the welcoming ceremony for the ship an effort to boost support for Fernandez at a time when their compatriots are frustrated by soaring inflation, violent crime, allegations of high-profile corruption, and government currency controls that make it difficult to buy dollars.

Critics say that Argentines were humiliated by the government's failure to foresee that the ship would be seized in Ghana and other ports where it docked during training exercises.

Anti-government activists handed out fliers in Mar del Plata on Wednesday, encouraging people to join a pot-banging protest in the evening. "If were for you, Cristina, they would have kept the ship," the fliers read. "Stop the insecurity, the corruption and inflation for an independent justice."










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Scott Israel is sworn in as Broward sheriff




















As several thousand people looked on inside the Faith Center of Sunrise, new Broward Sheriff Scott Israel was introduced at Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony to a standing ovation.

It’s one of the most powerful elected post in the county, overseeing about 5,500 employees and a $670 million budget.

The BSO Honor Guard and a pipe and drum corps led the procession on stage. Israel’s triplets, 16-year-old Blair, Blake and Brett, led the “Pledge of Allegiance.’’





Israel, a Democrat, takes the reins from form Sheriff Al Lamberti, a Republican, who served in the post since first being appointed by then-Gov. Charlie Crist in 2007. Lambert won over challenger Israel in 2008, but in the most recent election, Israel handily ousted the incumbent. Lamberti has not said what his future plans include.

Even before taking office, Israel set to work changing things at BSO. In December, his transition team sent emails to 28 high-ranking employees telling them they would be out once Israel took over. Many top officials had already announced they would be leaving, including BSO spokesman Jim Leljedal, attorney Judith Levine and Undersheriff Tom Wheeler. Emails from Israel’s transition team to BSO show that Israel has sought information about every aspect of the agency, including budget forecasts, contracts for everything from garbage collection to lobbying, statistics about the race of employees and even about the protocol for military casket arrivals.

Beyond staff changes, it is not yet clear how Israel, a 56-year-old former Fort Lauderdale police captain and North Bay Village police chief — will change BSO.

But Israel’s senior command staff includes many who played key roles in his campaign, including his new general counsel, Ron Gunzburger, son of County Commissioner Sue Gunzburger, and Lisa Castillo, who worked on Israel’s campaign. The name of her husband, Pembroke Pines Commissioner Angelo Castillo, is also being bandied about as having a role in the Israel administration.

Israel, his wife Susan and their teenage triplets live in Parkland.

Miami Herald staff writer Amy Sherman contributed to this report.





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Sony unveils Xperia Z Android phone with full HD display









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The Hunger Games Costumes Tour and Auction

The Hunger Games fans looking to catch a glimpse of the film's incredible costumes up-close are in luck -- Haxbee, Inc. just announced the Hunger Games Costumes Exhibit & Auction tour, which will include original screen-worn costumes worn by Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Elizabeth Banks as Effie, Stanley Tucci as Caesar, Liam Hemsworth as Gale, and more.

Haxbee and Blacksparrow Auctions will provide a special sneak preview at The Hollywood Show convention in Los Angeles from January 11 to 13, after which the exhibit will continue its tour on March 1-3 at the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, WA; April 26-28 at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) in Chicago, IL; and lastly on October 10-13 at the New York Comic Con in New York, NY, with additional dates and locations to be announced.

Related: 'Hunger Games' Launches 'Capitol Couture'

After the tour ends in New York, ReedPOP will hold an auction with over 200 costumes from the film, where interested bidders will be able to bid live in-person, by telephone, via absentee, and on the Internet.

Related: A Guide to the Best 'Hunger Games' Fashion

No word yet on if Elizabeth Banks' stunning shoes will be included in the mix, but you can bet that her Capitol Couture looks (as well as Jennifer Lawrence's famous "Girl on Fire" dress) will be amongst the most popular in the exhibit!

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Jobs grow, wages dip




















Wages in South Florida took a dip last summer, despite a spike in hiring.

New federal data show that while employment continues to grow in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, the average weekly wage dropped during the second quarter of 2012. In Broward, the weekly wage dropped .7 percent to $830 and in Miami-Dade it inched down .5 percent to $876, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.





The shift is tiny, and bucks an overall trend of rising wages in South Florida since the end of the 2007-09 recession. But the statistics also show South Florida underperforming most of the nation as the recovery gains traction. Of the ten largest counties in the country, only Miami-Dade saw wages decrease between the second quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2012.

Taking the broader pool of the 329 largest counties in the United States, Broward have 276th worse record in terms of wage gains for the second quarter of 2012, and Miami-Dade the 269th.

Both counties fared far better in terms of adding jobs, with employment up 2 percent in Broward and 2.3 percent in Miami-Dade. That put Broward in 122nd place in terms of employment growth among the large counties, and Miami-Dade in 98th place.





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'Linen King' charged with owning illegal gun








There's more dirty laundry for the "Linen King."

Millionaire George Bardwil — owner of the country's biggest table-linen company, Bardwil Home — has been charged with possessing an illegal gun in his E. 51st Street apartment.

Bardwil, 60, is already on the hook for allegedly pummeling his beautiful ex-wife, Emiko, 26, last year. Cops are now alleging in the new charge that Bardwil called 911 on Sunday to report an attempted burglary, then showed them surveillance footage of himself pointing the gun in question at the retreating thief.

The gun — a loaded, .40 caliber Sig Sauer — turned out to be unregistered, according to the criminal complaint against him.





Dan Brinzac



George Bardwil





Bardwil remains free on a $250,000 bail bond, and is due back in Manhattan Criminal Court on Jan. 11 to learn if he has been indicted on criminal possession of a weapon.

First, though, the bed-sheet magnate is due in court tomorrow on his second degree assault charge, for allegedly throwing Emiko to the ground and bashing her head into the sidewalk as they argued outside the same Turtle Bay apartment in May 2012.

The ex required staples to close a gash to her head, prosecutors say. Bardwil has countered through his lawyer, Michael Bachner, that there was no assault involved.

"This was the second robbery attempt by the same person," Bachner said of Bardwil's brush with both a burglar and the police. "It's an inside job, somebody George knew and a warrant is out for his arrest."










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Live at the BCS: Alabama fans find Alabama Jacks bar; crashes delaying I-95 traffic in Broward; rain chance 20 percent for game




















FATHER OF A PLAYER: Arturo Martinez of Pinecrest is the father of walk-on football player from Notre Dame who overcame cancer and was featured on the front page of Sunday's Miami Herald. Martinez pulled into the West parking lot of Sun Life Stadium. He said the weather is beautiful, with just a couple of clouds hovering. "There are wall-to-wall people everywhere, and we're still six hours to kickoff,'' Martinez said. "A lot of people setting up for their tailgates, a lot of excitement, music playing everywhere. A lot of joy for all of us to be here.'' Martinez said Sunday's article "brought everyone out of the woodwork, and I wish I was technologically prepared to respond to these wonderful well-wishers. We were overwhelmed by the story.''

THE WEATHER: Now that Big Game Day is here, will the weather cooperate? Forecasters think so. Rain chance is 20 percent chance Monday night, with partly cloudy skies and a possibility of isolated showers, according to the National Weather Service. Highs of 80 during the day will cool to 72 at night. Kickoff for the BCS championship is 8:30 p.m. at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens. The forecast will be similar through the workweek, with highs in the low-80s and lows in the low-70s. Winds will pick up Tuesday night, with gusts 18-25 mph.

THE TRAFFIC: Several crashes are delaying traffic in Broward County. Delays are reported on southbound I95 at Oakland Park Boulevard and the northbound I-95 ramp to Sunrise Boulevard. In Miami-Dade, a crash is blocking lanes on Northwest 57th Avenue at State Road 826.





THE STORES: Fans are hungry. And they’re doing something about it. A Publix north of downtown Miami was packed during the lunch hour with Alabama and Notre Dame fans buying sandwiches, chips and beer for their tailgating pleasure. It wasn’t hard to spot them: Alabama fans wore red, Notre Dame fans were in blue.

THE ALABAMA BAR: Mike “Dawg” Arnold, general manager at Alabama Jacks near the Keys, said not much of the staff is from Alabama, but the original owner of the restaurant was. His nickname was "Alabama Jack." Said Arnold: “It’s been a blast. I think [the Alabama fans are] coming here for good luck. In the last three days, I’ll say it’s been for every one Irish fan, we had 100 Alabama fans. We’ve had a blast with it. All the fans have had a great time." The bar won’t be hosting a watch party because the hours are 11 to 7 p.m. The games starts at 8:30. Instead, there will be a party offsite for the staff.

This article will be updated as more information is available.





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LG kicks off CES with 55-inch ‘ultra-HD’ TV






LAS VEGAS (AP) — LG unveiled a 55-inch TV that sports “ultrahigh-definition” resolution with four times the sharpness of regular HD television sets, kicking off what is likely to be a mini-obsession with the latest super-clear format at the annual International CES gadget show.


The model announced Monday is the smallest in a 2013 lineup that includes 65-inch and 84-inch versions. But the smaller size — and smaller price tag — begins the parade of TV makers that are seeking to bring ultrahigh definition to the masses.






Also known as “4K,” ultrahigh-definition screens are 3,840 pixels wide and 2,160 pixels tall, or more than 8 million in all. The higher resolution will let TV screens get larger without degrading picture quality, though initially the price tag will limit those sets to technology’s early adopters.


LG said the 55-inch and 65-inch versions will be available later this year in the U.S. No price was announced, but it will be less than $ 10,000. The 84-inch version that went on sale late last year cost $ 20,000.


For a few years, though, there won’t likely be a mainstream standard for getting native ultra-HD movies and TV shows to the screen either by disc or broadcast.


LG Electronics Inc. said these new TVs will have upscaling technology that takes images of lesser quality and renders them in high detail. The Korean electronics maker also said it has formed an ultra-HD content agreement with Korea’s top broadcaster, KBS, and is seeking out deals with other global content providers. The company offered no specifics.


LG said that with an ultra-HD TV, it will be possible to play phone games with very sharp resolution and in 3-D. The company said it has been possible to hook up smartphones to the TV to play games with current sets, but the resolution isn’t good.


Along with the lineup of higher-resolution TVs, LG unveiled a new Magic Remote, which acts like a wand that is sensitive to motion and is used to navigate on-screen menus. LG said the new model responds better to natural speech and can be controlled with a single finger rather than “very tiring arm gestures.” It also lets you change the channels by writing numbers in the air.


The company also touted the ability to tap different devices so they can share data. With that capability, you’d be able to see what’s inside your refrigerator while shopping, and you’d be able to monitor how clean your house is getting with cameras on a robotic vacuum. Washing machines will also have such capabilities.


Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Naomi Watts & Liev Schreiber Golden Globes Date Night

With the Golden Globe Awards just days away, the pre-parties have already kicked off and we caught up with Best Actress nominee Naomi Watts, who explained that it will be the first time she'll be attending a major awards show with her partner, Liev Schreiber.

Speaking at a kickoff bash hosted last night by Audi at Cecconi's in West Hollywood, Watts revealed she'll be spending the week deciding what gown to wear. She joked that she's envious of Schreiber, who doesn't have to plan much in advance before quickly getting dressed in his tux. "I go off in a room and get it together -- it takes hours -- and he gets to get ready in 10 or 15 minutes."

VIDEO: Impossible Oscar Buzz Makes Naomi Watts Nervous

The Impossible star pointed out that she's looking forward to turning the awards show into a date night. "Well this will be our first time going to a big awards ceremony together." Watts also reacted to her Globe nomination for her performance in the tsunami drama and said she feels "really connected" to the film's story.

Watch the video for more nominee interviews, including Nashville star Connie Britton, Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston and Modern Family actor Eric Stonestreet!

RELATED: Naomi Watts Reacts to Golden Globe Nomination

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Chicago man murdered by cyanide poisoning day after collecting $1M lottery

CHICAGO — A Chicago medical examiner says a lottery winner was fatally poisoned with cyanide a day after he collected nearly $425,000.

Cook County Medical Examiner Stephen Cina says a limited exam initially found Urooj Khan died of natural causes, but a relative asked for a deeper investigation.

A full toxicology test revealed Khan had ingested a deadly amount of cyanide, and his death was re-classified as a homicide.

Khan died July 20, a day after collecting the lump sum option on a $1 million win. He bought the ticket at a 7-Eleven near his home in West Rogers Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's North Side.




AP



Illinois Lottery winner Urooj Khan posing with a winning lottery ticket.



Cina said Monday it's likely that Khan's body will be exhumed as part of the investigation into his death.

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Florida company provides electrical power for the world




















More than 4,000 miles from its home base in Doral, Energy International is helping keep the lights on and the power grid humming in Gibraltar, the British territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.

Energy International, a global provider of power plants and energy solutions, sent a temporary plant that will provide power for at least the next two years while a more permanent fix is sought for the territory’s erratic and aging electrical system.

The Doral company was founded 14 years ago as MCA Power Systems and its initial goal was to pursue energy contracts in Latin America. It began 2000 with a name change and in recent years its focus has become global.





“The world needs energy,’’ said Brett Hall, EI’s vice president of finance.

While the 2007-2008 recession curtailed the growth of worldwide energy demand, the U.S. Energy Information Agency has projected that global demand for electricity will increase by 2.3 percent annually from 2008 to 2035.

The potential is especially strong in developing nations. The International Energy Agency estimated that in 2009, 21 percent of the world’s population — 1.4 billion people — didn’t have access to electricity. In sub-Saharan Africa, the percentage of people without power rises to 69 percent.

Energy International has expanded sales from Latin America and the Caribbean to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, boosting revenue from $100 million annually in 2009 to more than $300 million today, Hall said. This year, EI is anticipating revenue of $350 million to $375 million.

In the next seven years the company, which is privately owned by American shareholders and affiliated with Gecolsa — the Caterpillar dealership in Colombia — hopes revenue will top $1 billion, he said.

Even though Energy International is based in the United States, it does little work domestically. Its sweet spot is emerging economies and contracts of $100 million or less.

“Our focus is to do whatever makes the most economic sense for a particular market,’’ said Hall.

“We’re not going to be building a nuclear power plant,’’ he said. But EI will accommodate its solutions to local fuel supplies whether it’s biofuel, natural gas or heavy fuels that are more prevalent.

When it comes to the type of temporary power solution needed by Gibraltar, which had been plagued by a string of power outages at its archaic electrical facilities, EI can have a temporary plant up and running in 30 to 40 days, supplying the engineering, rental turbines and other equipment and doing the installation.

“We were able to support Gibraltar’s power needs on short notice,’’ said Andres Molano, EI’s vice president of sales. “Some of their equipment required major maintenance and they needed to stop their plants.’’

EI, one of the world’s largest suppliers of interim energy solutions, signed a $12 million contract with the government of Gibraltar in November and the plant was operational by Dec. 21. The agreement includes an option for a three-year extension.

The equipment now in use in Gibraltar is considered part of EI’s fleet and will move on to other energy emergencies when its service in the territory famed for the Rock of Gibraltar is complete.

But when it comes to its permanent power plants, EI will build a facility for a client looking to generate its own power or construct a plant, run it and sell power directly to the final user.

“We can do all the work ourselves. We have all the skills in house — finance, design, operations, maintenance, building and the equipment,’’ said Hall.

Energy International has moved into the Middle East, completing projects in Oman and Yemen and establishing a subsidiary in Dubai in 2012 to pursue business in Africa and the Middle East, said Molano.

“Africa is new to us, but we believe there are opportunities there,’’ he said.

The company also is looking for continued growth in Latin America, especially in Colombia, which is now attracting foreign investors who previously had been spooked by violence.

Remote areas of the Amazon where temporary power solutions are needed also represent opportunity for the company.

“EI is very fortunate to be in a position in which we have more excellent opportunities than capital.’’ said Hall, so this year it will be concentrating on raising equity to finance growth.

“One of our biggest challenges in 2013,’’ Hall said, “will be to find investors or joint venture partners to provide capital that will enable EI to perform these projects so our aggressive revenue growth targets can be achieved.’’





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Conjunction Junction: Schoolhouse Rock celebrates 40 years




















The creator of “Schoolhouse Rock” from the heyday of Saturday morning cartoons is celebrating 40 years of the popular educational songs at the Kennedy Center on Sunday.

Bob Dorough, who wrote and voiced many of the tunes, will lead a free sing-along concert at 6 p.m. of the short, rhyming songs used to teach children math, grammar and science.

His “Schoolhouse Rock” jams first appeared on television 40 years ago next week.





The first three-minute animated video was “My Hero, Zero.” It appeared on Jan. 13, 1973.

Dorough, now 89, was a jazz composer in the early 1970s when he was tapped to write catchy and educational songs.

Among the most popular video giggles: “Conjunction Junction.”

“Schoolhouse Rock” ran until 1985 then remerged for several years in the 1990s.

__





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Kuwaiti gets two years for insulting emir on Twitter






KUWAIT (Reuters) – A Kuwaiti court sentenced a man to two years in prison for insulting the country’s ruler on Twitter, a lawyer following the case said, as the Gulf Arab state cracks down on criticism of the authorities on social media.


According to the verdict on Sunday, published by online newspaper Alaan, a tweet written by Rashid Saleh al-Anzi in October “stabbed the rights and powers of the Emir” Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah.






Anzi, who has 5,700 Twitter followers, was expected to appeal, the lawyer, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.


Kuwait, a U.S. ally and major oil producer, has been taking a firmer line on politically sensitive comments aired on the Internet.


In June 2012, a man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of endangering state security by insulting the Prophet Mohammad and the Sunni Muslim rulers of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on social media.


Two months later, authorities detained Sheikh Meshaal al-Malik Al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, over remarks on Twitter in which he accused authorities of corruption and called for political reform, a rights activist said.


While public demonstrations about local issues are common in a state that allows the most dissent in the Gulf, Kuwait has avoided Arab Spring-style mass unrest that toppled three veteran Arab dictators last year.


But tensions have intensified between the hand-picked government, in which ruling family members hold the top posts, and the elected parliament and opposition groups.


(Reporting by Mahmoud Harbi; Writing by Mahmoud Habboush; Editing by Jason Webb)


Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News





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Michael J Fox NBC Comedy 2013

NBC brought their new and returning hits to The Television Critics Association Tour in Pasadena, CA this morning and one of the biggest headlines involved the content of Michael J. Fox's TV comeback.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the TV icon had his half-hour comedy pitch greenlit to series based solely off an idea (a rarity in this industry). This morning, Jennifer Salke, President of NBC Entertainment, detailed what the show would look like.


RELATED - Cher is Coming to TV!

Inspired by Fox's life, the still-untitled Fall comedy revolves around a father and a husband and family man who is grappling with his disease. Although his character is a newscaster, not an actor, who had resigned following his diagnosis. But thanks to a new drug, feels healthy and ready to return to work.

The story of the pilot is Fox's character coming back to the news with a special interest story and lot of great fun guest casting, Salke said. "At the end of the day, [Fox] approaches his work and his life with a lot of irreverence. He laughs at himself."

Remains to be seen if America laughs as well.

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Dead woman found naked in Marine Park








Benny J. Stumbo


A dead woman was found in Marine Park this morning



The naked body of a dead woman was found in Marine Park in Brooklyn this morning, law-enforcement sources said.

A 911 caller reported finding the woman’s body in the nature preserve near Gerritsen and Lois avenues around 7:15 a.m., police said.

Responders found the victim in a sandy clearing surrounded by thick brush on the border of Marine Park and Gerritsen Beach. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The woman has not been identified. Cause of death has yet to be determined. Police are investigating whether there was foul play.











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