NORAD says record number of calls to track Santa

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) ? Most of the thousands of children who call the annual Santa-tracking operation at a Colorado Air Force Base on Christmas Eve ask the usual questions: "Where's Santa, and when will he get here?"

So volunteer Sara Berghoff was caught off-guard Monday when a child called to see if Santa could be especially kind this year to the families affected by the Connecticut school shooting.

"I'm from Newtown, Connecticut, where the shooting was," she remembers the child asking. "Is it possible that Santa can bring extra presents so I can deliver them to the families that lost kids?"

Sara, just 13 herself, was surprised but gathered her thoughts quickly. "If I can get ahold of him, I'll try to get the message to him," she told the child.

Sara was one of hundreds of volunteers at NORAD Tracks Santa who answered thousands of calls, program spokeswoman Marisa Novobilski said. Spokeswoman 1st Lt. Stacey Fenton said that as of midnight Tuesday, trackers answered more than 111,000 calls, breaking last year's record of 107,000.

First lady Michelle Obama, who is spending the holidays with her family in Hawaii, also joined in answering calls as she has in recent years. She spent about 30 minutes talking with children from across the country, telling some who asked that her favorite toys growing up were Barbie dolls and an Easy Bake oven.

She also received an invitation to visit an 11-year-old boy in Fort Worth, Texas, and a request to put her husband on the phone. "He's not here right now. But you know what, I will tell him you asked about him. OK?" she replied.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for protecting the skies over both nations, tracks Santa from its home at Peterson Air Force Base.

NORAD and its predecessor have been fielding Christmas Eve phone calls from children ? and a few adults ? since 1955. That's when a newspaper ad listed the wrong phone number for kids to call Santa. Callers ended up getting the Continental Air Defense Command, which later became NORAD. CONAD commanders played along, and the ritual has been repeated every year since.

After 57 years, NORAD can predict what most kids will ask. Its 11-page playbook for volunteers includes a list of nearly 20 questions and answers, including how old is Santa (at least 16 centuries) and has Santa ever crashed into anything (no).

But kids still manage to ask the unexpected, including, "Does Santa leave presents for dogs?"

A sampling of anecdotes from the program this year:

___

THE REAL DEAL: A young boy called to ask if Santa was real.

Air Force Maj. Jamie Humphries, who took the call, said, "I'm 37 years old, and I believe in Santa, and if you believe in him as well, then he must be real."

The boy turned from the phone and yelled to others in the room, "I told you guys he was real!"

___

DON'T WORRY, HE'LL FIND YOU: Glenn Barr took a call from a 10-year-old who wasn't sure if he would be sleeping at his mom's house or his dad's and was worried about whether Santa would find him.

"I told him Santa would know where he was and not to worry," Barr said.

Another child asked if he was on the nice list or the naughty list.

"That's a closely guarded secret, and only Santa knows," Barr replied.

___

TOYS IN HEAVEN: A boy who called from Missouri asked when Santa would drop off toys in heaven.

His mother got on the line and explained to Jennifer Eckels, who took the call, that the boy's younger sister died this year.

"He kept saying 'in heaven,'" Eckels said. She told him, "I think Santa headed there first thing."

___

BEST OF: Choice questions and comments wound up posted on a flip chart.

"Big sister wanted to add her 3-year-old brother to the naughty list," one read.

"Are there police elves?" said another.

"How much to adopt one of Santa's reindeer?"

"What's the best way to booby-trap the living room to trap Santa?"

"When you see Santa, tell him hello for me, I never see him."

"How does Santa make iPads?"

____

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR: NORAD got calls from 220 countries and territories last year, and non-English-speakers called this year as well.

Volunteers who speak other languages get green Santa hats and a placard listing their languages so organizers can find them quickly.

"Need a Spanish speaker!" one organizer called as he rushed out of one of three phone rooms.

___

HE KNOWS WHEN YOU'RE AWAKE: At NORAD's suggestion, volunteers often tell callers that Santa won't drop off the presents until all the kids in the home are asleep.

"Ohhhhhhh," said an 8-year-old from Illinois, as if trying to digest a brand-new fact.

"I'm going to be asleep by 4 o'clock," said a child from Virginia.

"Thank you so much for that information," said a grateful mom from Michigan.

___

CHRISTMAS EVE IN AFGHANISTAN: Five U.S. service personnel answered calls from Afghanistan for about 90 minutes through a conferencing hookup.

"They had a great time," said Novobilski, the program spokeswoman.

NORAD wanted to set up a call center in Afghanistan but that proved too complex, she said.

___

HEY, MR. ELF: "Mr. Elf," said one caller, "This is Adam, and I've been really good this year."

___

FOR GEARHEADS: For people who want to know the specs of Santa's sleigh, NORAD offers a trove of tidbits, including:

Weight at takeoff: 75,000 GD (gumdrops).

Propulsion: 9 RP (reindeer power).

Fuel: Hay, oats and carrots (for reindeer).

Emissions: Classified.

___

Online:

Track Santa online at http://www.noradsanta.org

___

Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/norad-says-record-number-calls-track-santa-081609717.html

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Frugal Family Tree: Don't Let a Greedy Grinch Ruin Your Holidays

Don't Let a Greedy Grinch Ruin Your Holidays

Over the years I have heard many stories of greedy?Grinch?trying to steal someones Christmas. It makes me so sad! Well we can all?thwart?the?Grinch?with being aware of our own home security. We all get busy in the rush of holiday shopping, friends and family visiting and taking road trips. A few simple but often?forgettable?things can help decrease your odds of Grinch deciding your home will be his next target.

Remembering to lock doors and windows before you go out shopping, even if its for a quick trip to the store. Leaving a light on while your out to let it appear someone is there. Turn off your Christmas tree lights and be sure to close the blinds. Open blinds letting your Christmas tree be seen is beautiful but also a lure to a greedy Grinch.?

Leaving the porch light on is another small but sometimes?forgettable?thing that can help keep your home less of a target. Having motion activated exterior lights is also a good idea. If you are planning to go on a trip have your neighbors gather your mail and newspaper. Don't forget to lock the doors that lead to your home from the garage. I often have forgotten that one myself. A garage can be easier to get into and if your home door is lock often the Grinch can't get further than your garage.?

In the delight of the Holiday season just be sure to be take a few extra steps to make sure you have a bit more home?security.

Here is a cute?article about how Santa can perhaps be the slickest break in artist of them all! (but we?don't?mind?him, he leaves presents in exchange for cookies and milk!)

Santa Claus: Holiday's Biggest Ho-Ho-Home Security Threat


*This is a sponsored post

Source: http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/12/dont-let-greedy-grinch-ruin-your.html

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Instagram Admits It Screwed Up and Goes Back to the Old Terms of Service That Won't Sell Your Photos

Instagram has just announced that it'll be reverting back to the original Terms of Service for the advertising section that has been in place since 2010. Which basically means they've abandoned the whole mess they just created because they saw how pissed off everyone was. Good thing Instagram pays attention to the Internet! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/HZiAx-LCekY/instagram-is-going-back-to-the-old-terms-of-service

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social media: How to Download Your Instagram Photos and Kill Your Account

Today Instagram unleashed brand-new terms of service that has rubbed many of its loyal users the wrong way. Instagram can sell your photos to third parties for ads without telling you.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/x8iIJ2rgTI8/

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The Girl's Guide to Understanding Travel Insurance ? Go! Girl Guides

?

This is a guest post by Virginia of TravelInsuranceReview.com. When she contacted us to give us the low down on travel insurance, we jumped at the chance to get an insider?s view on the industry. Find out what plans are right for you, how and why travel insurance matters, and much more!?

###

Wherever a woman goes in the world, there are always risks ? often the same risks you?d face at home: accidents, burglary, severe weather, traffic accidents, illness, etc. When a woman heads out into the world to travel for business, for fun, for learning, or for giving back, her travel insurance plan could turn out to be one of her best friends when things go wrong.

Travel insurance differs little between men and women, but women have unique health concerns to deal with. If a woman becomes pregnant on her trip, for example, and needs to be medically treated, or if that pregnancy disrupts travel plans, having a great travel insurance plan is invaluable.

This is the traveling girl?s guide to understanding travel insurance. Let?s get started with what travel insurance covers.

Travel Insurance has 5 Important Benefits

There are essentially five benefits provided with any travel insurance plan ? these are the ones that travelers think of when they think of travel insurance, and (depending on the trip) these are the benefits that are most important for a woman traveler to have:

1. ? ? ?Medical emergencies?- most people think that as long as they have health insurance, they?re covered, but most health insurance coverage stops at the border (even Medicare does). This benefit covers medical treatment, emergency transport, physician?s fees, medicine and more when you travel outside your health insurance network.

2 . ? ??Trip cancellations?- traveling typically requires at least some investment in up-front cash and often that money is non refundable. No one likes losing money. This benefit reimburses the cost of plane tickets, cruise fare, tour packages, hotel rooms, and more.

3. ? ? ?Emergency evacuations?- an emergency evacuation can easily cost as much as $50,000 and often more. This benefit arranges and pays for emergency evacuation costs such as medically equipped flights to a hospital and then back home after you?re stable.

4. ? ? ?Losses and delays?- travel delays are not only annoying, they can also be costly. The loss of your baggage is even more so. This benefit reimburses you for lost, damaged, destroyed or delayed baggage and the unexpected expenses related to flight delays.

5. ? ? ?Global emergency assistance services?- your lifeline to call when something goes wrong on a trip. These reps can help a girl book a new flight, find a hotel room, call an ambulance, replace a prescription, and overcome critical language barriers.

Depending on your trip, you may not need all of these benefits. For example, if you?re traveling inside your home country you may not need much medical coverage because your health insurance will cover your illnesses and injuries (even if it is at out-of-network coverage rates).

Optional Coverage for Special Circumstances

Depending on the travel insurance plan, you may also have the following benefits:

• Hazardous sports coverage to extend your medical benefits to cover activities like SCUBA diving, rock-climbing, and more
• Pre-existing medical condition waivers to extend your medical benefits if you have an existing medical condition or regularly take medication
• Rental car coverage (at a cost that?s far more competitive than the rental car companies, if you don?t already have the coverage with your credit card)
• Life insurance for flight accidents and AD&D (Accidental Death & Dismemberment)
• Identity theft services in the event your identity is stolen on a trip

Depending on the plan you choose, some of the above are included and some require a special purchase.

Travel Insurance Comes in 2 Popular Flavors

There are only two types of travel insurance that most travelers buy. In fact, the first type is so common it represents over 94% of all travel insurance purchases!

The two flavors of travel insurance are:

1??????Vacation plans?- these are full-featured travel insurance plans, also called package plans, and they deliver the most coverage in a single plan ? including trip cancellation and travel medical, which represent the most expensive risks most travelers face.

2??????Travel medical plans?- these are like regular health insurance that works outside your home country. These plans do not include trip cancellation, but if that?s not a risk for your trip, you can save a whole lot of money by getting one of these plans.

Now that you have a better understanding of what travel insurance covers and the types of plans you can buy, let?s look at how to buy the right plan for your trip.

7 Steps to Buy the Right Travel Insurance Plan

In order to figure out what coverage you need, travelers should follow these steps:

1. ? ? ?Don?t buy your plan on a booking site.?These are one-size-fits-all plans that are heavily weighted in favor of the travel insurance company. So many travelers have been left high and dry with these plans that some states are now banning due to complaints.

2. ? ? ?Determine your coverage needs.?Depending on your trip, your style of travel, the activities you want to do, where you?re going, and how much you?ve pre-paid, determine what coverage you need on your trip.

3. ? ???Check your credit card travel protection benefits. In most cases, the cancellation benefit is severely limited (but it might be enough) and you won?t have any travel medical coverage. The car rental, baggage, and travel assistance coverage is often identical to travel insurance, however, and it won?t cost you extra. Cha-ching!

4. ? ? ?Decide whether you need the optional coverage.?If you have a pre-existing condition or plan to participate in hazardous activities, for example, you?ll want to purchase the waivers to these common exclusions.

5. ? ?? Compare travel insurance quotes to get the best value. While you may be worried about adding the cost of travel insurance to your trip, it turns out it?s not all that expensive when you consider what you might have to pay out of pocket for a medical emergency in a foreign country.

6. ? ???Buy the coverage early.?Many plans require that you purchase your travel insurance plan soon after making your first trip payment. It?s a critical factor that can affect whether your coverage is valid when you need it, so buy it quickly after making your first trip purchase.

7. ? ? ?Read and understand your coverage.?All travel insurance plans come with a free review period which you can use to carefully review the travel plan (don?t worry, they?re a lot easier to read than other legal docs) and make changes or cancel the plan.

Remember, any insurance plan ? homeowners, auto, life ? is purchased to protect us against the unexpected stuff that can happen, so take a little time and think about what?could?happen on your trip (not that it will) and then protect yourself with travel insurance. After that, bon voyage!

Want to compare travel insurance plans now??See?Travel Insurance Review?for a great travel insurance comparison tool and?tips to save money on your travel insurance plan

Source: http://gogirlguides.com/female-travel/the-girls-guide-to-travel-insurance/

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Man charged with threatening massacre at Indiana elementary school

(Reuters) - A 60-year-old Indiana man found to have concealed dozens of firearms in his home has been jailed on charges he threatened to kill people at a nearby elementary school a day after one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.

Von Meyer was arrested and charged on Saturday after police found 47 weapons and ammunition in his two-story house, about 1,000 feet from Jane Ball Elementary School in Cedar Lake, Indiana, roughly 45 miles southeast of Chicago.

A police statement about the arrest accused Meyer of having said "he would enter the school and kill as many people as he could before police could stop him."

Police were dispatched to Meyer's home and searched it after his wife called authorities to report that he had threatened to set her on fire after she fell asleep. No apparent motive for Meyer's behavior was offered by police.

He was charged on Saturday with four counts of felony intimidation, one count of misdemeanor domestic battery and two counts of misdemeanor resisting law enforcement. He was being held in Lake County jail without bond, pending an initial court hearing.

Police said they notified the school of the threat and increased security measures on the campus, which is linked to the suspect's home by trails and walking paths.

The incident came a day after a 20-year-old man in Newtown, Connecticut, shot his mother to death, then went on a shooting rampage at a nearby elementary school, killing 20 children and six adults there before taking his own life.

The massacre there ranks as one of deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.

The cache of weapons that police said they found at Meyer's Indiana home, many of them collector's items, were valued together at more than $100,000, according to authorities.

(Reporting and writing by Brendan O'Brien; Editing by Steve Gorman and Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/man-charged-threatening-massacre-indiana-elementary-school-220951296.html

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Shared Web Hosting Solutionadvantages | The Floor Geek

But take our term for it: you will find a means, ? a method ? to legitimately, and easily, maneuver by way of this minefield, and pay back off your property finance loan in a portion within the time. Remember, the ideal bargain offers you just about the most features a Windows Server Backup can have without needing to overprice primarily when a giant percentage of your amount will form just the upfront charge. You shouldn?t choose any web hosting provider that requires the complete sum up front. For the brilliant tutorial also to obtain a freeware FTP method, FTP Commander, check out http://www.nexcess.net/hosting/support/tutorials/ftp/ftpcommindex.php. How can a webmaster determine if their page will be in this type of league without having the traditional .com? To conclude, it is always clever to just outsource any internet style requirements, due to enough time and finances you would be in the position to save. 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If you?re evaluating the services feedback belonging to the internet web hosting supplier you?re taking into consideration, be sure that you are analyzing the go through of these within the shared servers somewhat than those with additional pricey designs or expertise. Yes astray if you decide to practically never want your website down time then you really have to host your website at devoted world-wide-web server. Remember to be happy to submit your private reviews on world wide web internet hosting internet hosting services. During this posting, I?ll attempt to include the basic principles of making an ideal excellent internet style template for the internet site. The aims and aspiration are mirrored in highly effective fashion which happens to be really properly represented by web web site creating and development. Test out their terms and disorders webpage and it will need to indicate when they enable adult articles for being hosted. Would you buy a product without checking out what other individuals consider it? You?re going to must get resourceful to locate it, despite the fact that, because nearly every single word in English is gone. Since the Online proceeds to develop, you can find an ever-increasing requirement for brands young and more mature to market products and services and be half of on the internet marketing campaigns. It is important to have a very ?Home?, ?About Us?, ?Service Area?, and ?Contact Us? tab, in the seriously least. Your web page might consist of a good deal of text and will have just about every of one?s key phrases and keyword phrases found in distinct variations. The business gives you a high-tech world-wide-web internet hosting platforms that could be secure and reliable.

Which Options Must You Search For In A Web Hosting Plan can provide you with greatest data for One Of The Best Ways To Find Energetic Internet Hosting Coupon Codes.Please check out the written article for additional info!

Related posts:

1. Web Hosting And Shared Hosting
2. Choosing The Right Shared Web Hosting Service
3. Shared Internet Hosting Simplified
4. Shared Internet Hosting Solutionadvantages
5. Skilled Shared Web Hosting What It Is And How You Can Profit From It.

Source: http://www.thefloorgeek.com/2012/12/shared-web-hosting-solutionadvantages/

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Tech Is Making Meetings Worse, It?s Time For Digital Hat Racks

Editor?s Note: Nir Eyal writes about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business at?NirAndFar.com. The first thing Don Draper does when he gets to his office is give his busty secretary a suggestive wink. The second thing he does is take off his fedora. Finally, depending on the severity of the previous night, he completes his morning routine with a stiff drink.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/TL_ukaOlnqg/

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Georgetown advances to NCAA soccer final

HOOVER, Ala. -- Georgetown goalkeeper Tomas Gomez blocked Helge Leikvang's shot in the final round of a shootout, lifting the Hoyas over Maryland 4-3 on penalty kicks Friday night following a 4-4 tie in the NCAA soccer semifinals.

Georgetown (20-3-2) beat Maryland (20-2-2) for the first time in 29 tries and will face Indiana in Sunday's final. The seven-time champion Hoosiers beat Creighton 1-0 in the second semifinal.

Maryland scored twice in a 3 1/2-minute span late in the second half to tie it at 4.

Maryland held a 3-2 lead through the first three rounds of the penalty kicks, but the Hoyas rallied for a 4-3 lead and won when Gomez dove to his left to stop Leikvang's shot.

"I just had a hunch to go there, and it worked out," Gomez said.

Steve Neumann scored three goals for the Hoyas, including two in a 1:31 span to give Georgetown a 2-1 halftime lead. It was the first hat trick in the College Cup since 1993.

"You always dream about having games like that on big stages like this," Neumann said. "It's an unbelievable feeling and something I'll cherish the rest of my life."

Neumann made it 4-2 with 30 minutes left in regulation, but Maryland tied it on goals by Patrick Mullins and Christiano Francois.

"You're never going to feel secure with a two-goal lead against a team like Maryland," Georgetown coach Brian Wiese said. "There were several times in the second half when Maryland could have chucked it, and they never did. They showed tremendous resilience."

Maryland outshot Georgetown 18-12, including five shots in the final 12 minutes of regulation after tying it.

"I don't think we ever for a moment thought that we weren't going to come back and win," said Maryland's Patrick Mullins, who had a goal and two assists. "We just knew somebody was going to find a way to get us that one goal. We had some decent chances at the end."

The eight goals tied for the second-most in College Cup history. It also marked the first time a team has scored four goals in a College Cup game since 2006.

The Terrapins had given up a total of only four goals in their past four games combined.

"Our defending let us down," Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski said. "It's very difficult to cope with the reality that we're not advancing and playing on Sunday. We just came up a little empty."

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/07/3132348/georgetown-advances-to-ncaa-soccer.html

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Sparks celebration features tree lighting tonight, parade and toy drive Saturday

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.rgj.com/article/20121208/LIV/312070004/1089

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Moving During the Holidays ? The Relocation Review

Sometimes it is unavoidable.? You?ve accepted a position in a new city or state and must move at holiday time.? Christmas is a special time of the year when friends and family gather to spend the holidays together.? Probably, the hardest part about relocating during the holidays is having to leave cherished friends and family behind.? If it becomes necessary for you and your family to vacate your home prior to Christmas and you are this year?s designated dinner host it might be a good idea to ask another family member or friend to take over.? This way you and your family can focus on getting ready for your upcoming move and also enjoy holiday activities/parties without the added stress.? The season?s gatherings could also prove to be a wonderful opportunity to say goodbye to everyone.

One thing to remember is to pay close attention to your children.? For them a move can be a traumatic experience especially if it occurs around Christmas.? Take time to talk to them about their worries, such as whether or not Santa will know your new home address. Involve children in the planning as much as possible. It makes them feel like participants in the moving process or in the search for a new school. This can help make the change feel less like its being forced on them.

Once you?ve actually made your final move to the new location put up your Christmas tree as soon as possible.? Whether your tree is real or artificial, having your ornaments and Christmas stockings hung might help to alleviate any feelings of homesickness you might have and allow you and your family to begin creating new holiday traditions.? As soon as you?re settled, try to get to know your new neighbors by baking them some cookies or dropping a Christmas card in their mailbox with your contact information. If you have children, volunteer at their new school holiday parties or at holiday events around town.

Relocating around holiday time can present many challenges but it?s important to keep things in perspective.? Next year you will have the opportunity to enjoy new traditions with your family and new and old friends. You might even surprise yourself and find your family has grown closer having gone thru the challenges of relocation together.

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Source: http://reloreview.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/moving-during-the-holidays/

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Florida voters won't decide fate of big casinos | StAugustine.com

TALLAHASSEE (AP) ? Florida's gambling future, including the fate of its horse and dog tracks, Internet cafes and tribal-run casinos, appears likely to be decided by the Republican-controlled Legislature.

After spending nearly $1 million on an effort to let voters decide what kind of gambling to allow, a major casino developer has decided to work with legislators over the next two years.

Companies affiliated with Genting, the Malaysian gambling powerhouse, had poured money this year into a political committee that hired consultants, lawyers and a company known for collecting voter signatures for constitutional amendments.

But Genting executives this week met with legislative leaders to tell them they would not move forward on the amendment to allow casino gambling.

Instead they want to see what emerges from a promised comprehensive look at gambling to be launched by GOP leaders.

"Hopefully something will come from that that makes sense," said Brian Ballard, a Tallahassee lobbyist who represents a Genting subsidiary. "We want to work with them. We want it to be a collaborative process."

Genting has already spent nearly a half-billion dollars to acquire real estate in downtown Miami for a proposed mega resort. But efforts to get state legislators to approve a bill to allow major casinos in South Florida have failed during the past two years.

This past year there was a push for legislation that would have granted casino licenses to developers who pledged to spend at least $2 billion on a resort. It was one of the most heavily lobbied bills of the 2012 session and drew opposition from such heavyweights as the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Disney.

After the last legislative defeat, Genting began considering whether to ask voters to approve casino gambling.

Florida voters three times in the past have rejected constitutional amendments to allow casino gambling. But voters approved a measure in 2004 to give South Florida counties the ability to decide whether to add slot machines to existing dog and horse tracks.

Since that vote, gambling has expanded in the state. Voters in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties voted in favor of adding slots to local tracks and the state reached deals that have allowed casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida to expand.

New Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, has established a stand-alone legislative committee to look at gambling issues over the next two years.

Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples and chairman of the new committee, said he plans to hire a firm to do an extensive study of gambling in the state and the potential impact of any changes.

Richter said his goal is to come up with something that will "minimize any regrets" with whatever lawmakers decide. Richter also said it is likely the committee will hold hearings on gambling in several locations around the state.

Source: http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2012-12-07/florida-voters-wont-decide-fate-big-casinos

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Video: Mike Lee shares his story

Dateline NBC

'Dateline NBC,' the signature broadcast for NBC News in primetime, premiered in 1992. Since then, it has been pioneering a new approach to primetime news programming. The multi-night franchise, supplemented by frequent specials, allows NBC to consistently and comprehensively present the highest-quality reporting, investigative features, breaking news coverage and newsmaker profiles.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/vp/50078679#50078679

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What happens to the Web now that smartphones and ... - Tech Trends

Everyone knows smartphones and tablets are hot, but guess what? By some reckonings, they've eroded almost two thirds of the Wintel empire.

The Web as we know it may have been born, conceived and improved on computers, but as it turns out, those keyboarded beasts no longer have much of a claim to it. According to a a recent report by analyst Mary Meeker, mobile devices running iOS and Android now account for 45 percent of browsing, compared to just 35 percent for Windows machines.

Windows hasn?t dipped so low since about 1985. What?s more, Android and iOS have essentially achieved their share in just five years, and by all reckonings are still in the early stages of their growth.

What?s the message? Mobile is huge, it?s going to get tremendously larger, and will soon become the primary way most people experience the Internet. How did this shift happen, and what does it mean now that more people are accessing the Web through tablets and smartphones than laptops and desktops?

Mobile Internet is becoming the Internet

Smartphones and tablets are obviously the hottest technology products right now, but figures about how significant they have become are daunting. Meeker forecasts the worldwide number of smartphone and tablet users should overtake the worldwide number of PC users next year. That means around the world, more people?s experience of ?computing? and Internet technology will come from mobile devices than via traditional desktop or notebook PCs. If forecasts bear out, this shift will not only continue, but accelerate. Based on data from Morgan Stanley and a few assumptions about device lifetime, Meeker estimates roughly 2.9 billion people around the world will be using smartphones and tablets by 2015.

Meeker?s forecast for accelerating adoption seems to be bearing some fruit. Back in May, she found that about 10 percent of global Web traffic came from mobile devices. In this new update, the level has jumped to 13 percent ? and that?s just over a period of a few months. Meeker also notes a Nielsen report that found amongst children aged 6 to 12, 43 percent want an iPad and 36 percent want an iPad mini. (The only non-Apple product desired by more in that age group was the Nintendo Wii U; some 29 percent indicated they wanted a tablet ?other than an iPad.?) In other words, at least in the United States, children?s formative experiences with technology are increasingly smartphones and tablets, not computers.

It is worth noting that those global figures gloss over a lot of regional variation ? and those differences can be significant. For instance, in the United States about 78 percent of the population has access to the Internet, putting the U.S. way out in front of most other nations. However, while only about 11 percent of India?s population has access to the Internet, mobile Internet traffic has already eclipsed Internet traffic generated by traditional computers in India. And where in the United States roughly half mobile users are on smartphones, in India that figure is just four percent. In other words, emerging economies like India, China, Brazil, and Indonesia are leading shift towards a mobile-centric Internet.

How will the Internet change?

Is it really a big deal if most people?s experience of the Internet and the Web shifts to mobile devices? After all, isn?t much of the promise of the the Internet rooted in being able to access it from anywhere ? from any device?

Well, yes. However, Meeker is essentially arguing that the technology industry?s rapid shift towards mobile represents a fundamental shift in the way most of humanity will consider the Internet. Mobile technologies and applications will quickly trump what until now have been mainstream Internet experiences. Mobile versions of innovative technologies ? like Siri ? are already becoming premiere products and experiences, rather than also-rans and follow-alongs.

What will that mean for the mainstream Internet?

Sites will look more like apps

As mobile devices take over, the use of today?s desktop browsers like Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari will decline. To be sure, mobile browsers are already very capable and will increasingly adopt HTML5 and leading-edge Web technologies. But, fundamentally, mobile devices will nearly always have less screen real estate than traditional desktops, and mobile users will not have the fine control of a mouse and keyboard. That means for sites to be successful on a mobile-centric Internet, they?re going to need to function more like mobile apps and less like collections of links.

Apps may rule

Right now, native apps for smartphones and tablets almost always trump websites designed for mobile devices because they can tap into devices? native capabilities for a more responsive and seamless experience. (A colleague recently compared the experience of using a HTML5 Web app on a mobile device to using a Java app on a PC: It usually works, but it?s awkward at best.) This may not always be true ? most experts agree HTML5 is eventually the way of the future. But it doesn?t look like the HTML5 future is going to arrive before smartphones and tablets eclipse traditional PCs. If HTML5 lags more than a year or so behind mobile devices emerging as the mainstream way of accessing the Internet, traditional websites will be second-class citizens, as Internet developers focus first and primarily on mobile experiences. This is already the status quo in social gaming: Think about where hits like Angry Birds and Words with Friends launched. Some services won?t be available at all to traditional PCs ? they won?t be worth developers? time.

Know thy user

Presenting less information at once means Web sites and publishers will no longer be able to take a shotgun approach: throwing everything new at visitors and hoping something sticks. Smaller screens and lower information density means sites will tap into user preferences and profiles to customize the information they present. Increasingly, the Internet will become unusable unless sites believe they know who you are. Some services will handle these tasks themselves, but the most likely contenders for supplying digital identity credentials are Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Twitter, and mobile carriers.

Sharing by default

Facebook?s Mark Zuckerberg once opined that privacy is not a ?social norm.? In a mobile-focused Internet, that might be better expressed as ?sharing is the social norm.? One consequence of the mobile Internet is that very few people are anonymous: Virtually every mobile device can be definitively associated with a single person (or small group of people). Defaults to share information and experiences with social circles and followers will be increasingly common, along with increasing reliance on disclosure of personal information (like location, status, and activities, and social connections) to drive key functionality. As the Internet re-orients around mobile, opting out of sharing will increasingly mean opting out of the Internet.

Emphasis on destination, not navigation?

Smaller screens, touch interfaces, and app-like designs also mean that the traditional understanding of the Web as an impossibly vast collection of interlinked sites and documents will start to break down. Web browsers were designed to enable users to jump quickly around the world from site to site and page to page; however, the mobile Internet experience wants to be more of a seamless application experience, not hopping around the Internet willy-nilly.

URLs are not going to die: People will still send links to their friends and Web search will remain most users primary means of finding information online. But Internet-based sites and services will increasingly function as silos of content and functionality reluctant to link out to other sites or drive traffic (and potential advertising revenue) elsewhere. These have long been factors in many sites? designs (including Digital Trends), but mobile devices amplify these considerations by making traditional Web navigation awkward and difficult.

Shedding weight

Meeker?s presentation makes the case that the increasing ubiquity of mobile technology ? and the panoply of devices and services it can replace ? represents a shift towards an ?asset-light? rather than an ?asset-heavy? lifestyle. As people rely on mobile, cloud, and broadband services, the necessity to do things like commute, store large volumes of records or media, or patronize physical businesses will decline. The need to own a vehicle, for instance, declines with access to mobile computing and telecommuting. Maybe you can get by with no car or pick one up from time to time through ZipCar. Businesses won?t need to save years of invoices, statements, and paperwork in file boxes and storage facilities ? cloud storage can come their rescue. Banks will become purely virtual institutions consumers deal with online via their phones. Distance learning and collaborative tools will let students take their coursework with them anywhere ? and eliminate the need to worry about reselling enormous textbooks.

Going mobile

The future isn?t written in stone. Although Mary Meeker presents a compelling case for mobile rapidly become the dominant experience in personal computing and technology, forecasting the future is a notoriously tricky business. The world economy could take another punch to the gut; Microsoft might be right about Windows 8 and start a second PC revolution; Facebook might push sharing one step too far. Heck, five people in a garage somewhere might have just soldered together the components that?ll turn the entire personal technology industry on its head. We just don?t know. Meeker herself points out that consumers? unsteady financial footing and significant debt levels cast doubt on technological innovation. After all, it doesn?t matter how cool the toys are if nobody can afford them.

But the trend seems clear: For the vast majority of consumers worldwide, the primary computing and online experience will be on mobile devices. That means nearly every service, business, and (really) person who wants to use the Internet will be thinking mobile first and PC second, if they think about PCs at all.

Mary Meeker?s 2012 Internet Trends report slides:

Source: http://tech.mediapremium.info/various/what-happens-to-the-web-now-that-smartphones-and-tablets-run-the-show/

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Italy's Berlusconi puts pressure on new PM Monti

Supporters of former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi expose a banner reading "Silvio Italy trusts you" in front of Palazzo Grazioli, the residence of Berlusconi, in Rome, Thurdsday, Dec. 6, 2012. The 76-year-old Berlusconi has been hinting at a comeback, after earlier saying he would leave the party to a younger candidate. Berlusconi claims allies are pressing him to return, hoping that Monti's painful austerity measures will win votes for the center-right. Lawmakers belonging to Silvio Berlusconi's center-right party abstained Thursday from a confidence vote in the government of Premier Mario Monti, raising questions over its future and the progress of its economic reform program. (AP Photo/Alberto Pellaschiar)

Supporters of former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi expose a banner reading "Silvio Italy trusts you" in front of Palazzo Grazioli, the residence of Berlusconi, in Rome, Thurdsday, Dec. 6, 2012. The 76-year-old Berlusconi has been hinting at a comeback, after earlier saying he would leave the party to a younger candidate. Berlusconi claims allies are pressing him to return, hoping that Monti's painful austerity measures will win votes for the center-right. Lawmakers belonging to Silvio Berlusconi's center-right party abstained Thursday from a confidence vote in the government of Premier Mario Monti, raising questions over its future and the progress of its economic reform program. (AP Photo/Alberto Pellaschiar)

Italian Premier Mario Monti gestures during a press conference at the end of a cabinet meeting at Chigi Palace government's office in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Concerns over the stability of the Italian government grew on Thursday after Silvio Berlusconi's party withdrew its support, threatening to bring a premature end to Premier Mario Monti's ambitious reforms program. Berlusconi's center-right PDL party abstained from a confidence vote in the Senate on Thursday. Though Monti's government of unelected technocrats won the vote by 127 to 17, investors fear the move heralds a period of political uncertainty in the run-up to planned elections next year. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

Italian Premier Mario Monti listens to a question during a press conference at the end of a cabinet meeting at Chigi Palace government's office in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Concerns over the stability of the Italian government grew on Thursday after Silvio Berlusconi's party withdrew its support, threatening to bring a premature end to Premier Mario Monti's ambitious reforms program. Berlusconi's center-right PDL party abstained from a confidence vote in the Senate on Thursday. Though Monti's government of unelected technocrats won the vote by 127 to 17, investors fear the move heralds a period of political uncertainty in the run-up to planned elections next year. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

Italian Premier Mario Monti listens to a question during a press conference at the end of a cabinet meeting at Chigi Palace government's office in Rome, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012. Concerns over the stability of the Italian government grew on Thursday after Silvio Berlusconi's party withdrew its support, threatening to bring a premature end to Premier Mario Monti's ambitious reforms program. Berlusconi's center-right PDL party abstained from a confidence vote in the Senate on Thursday. Though Monti's government of unelected technocrats won the vote by 127 to 17, investors fear the move heralds a period of political uncertainty in the run-up to planned elections next year. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

ROME (AP) ? Although Italy's Silvio Berlusconi resigned in disgrace a year ago, has since been convicted of tax fraud and now faces plunging poll numbers, the media baron is showing he still has the power to put pressure on his successor, Premier Mario Monti.

With Europe still deep in its debt crisis, it doesn't take much to make the markets nervous. That's what happened Thursday when the 76-year-old Berlusconi withdrew his party's support for Monti's government, threatening a premature end to its ambitious reform program.

Economists for Unicredit, Italy's largest bank, say the decision was "significant and tends to confirm that the next few months will be bumpy" for Monti, with the possibility now looming of an early election before the expected date in March.

"The fact that the electoral campaign moves into top gear certainly increases the political uncertainty," said Chiara Corsa and Loredana Federico in their analysis.

The Italian economy, the third-largest of the 17 European Union countries that use the euro, is in recession as the government enacts tough measures to get a handle on its debts. Italy has the second-highest debt level as a percentage of its GDP in the eurozone ? at 126 percent. Only Greece's debt is higher with 150 percent.

Monti's government of unelected technocrats won both confidence votes by a wide margin Thursday, but the vote signaled dangers ahead for the technocratic premier.

With opinion polls showing that the main center-left party, which supports Monti, in line to win an election, the conservative Berlusconi appears to be distancing himself to capitalize on discontent?over new taxes and rising unemployment.? He has complained that Monti's policies have put Italy into a "spiral of recession."?

Berlusconi, three times premier, has hinted that he will run again. He claims his allies are pressing him to seek election again, hoping that Monti's painful austerity measures will win votes for the center-right.

Still polls say Berlusconi's party would drop to less than 15 percent of the next vote.

"He can't see himself leaving the stage," said Giovanni Orsina, a political science professor at Rome's LUISS university and author of "The Right After Berlusconi."

?"He actually believes he is the best, that he can't be substituted," said Orsina.

But Orsina and others say Berlusconi's?legal woes also play a role.

The government has drafted legislation making candidates who have been convicted of crimes ineligible to run for office.

?Berlusconi is now appealing an October conviction for tax fraud for which he received a sentence of four years in prison. He is also standing trial on charges of having sex with an underage woman and using his office to cover it up with a verdict expected early next year. He has denied the charges.???

Berlusconi's top political aide and designated political heir, Angelino Alfano, insists the media mogul's party had no intention of sparking a crisis that could bring down the government.

"We didn't vote 'no' on the confidence votes," Alfano said Friday, explaining the party's abstention. He had earlier described the abstentions as a "clear signal" that Berlusconi's center-right forces "don't like the way the economy is going."

What he didn't acknowledge was that for the first time Berlusconi suffered several defections from faithful allies, such as former Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.?

Alfano met Friday with President Giorgio Napolitano on Friday to lay out his party's concerns.

The Monti government has several major legislative targets before his term ends, including passage of the budget, a law requiring a balanced budget and the abolition of a number of provinces to cut costs.

Monti's own political future is uncertain. He has sent our signals he would be available for another stint in the event no coalition succeeds in putting together a majority. He has also been mentioned as a possible successor to Napolitano, although the position of president is largely ceremonial.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-07-Italy-Berlusconi/id-6e141ca90c4c4cc9b5a7ec454ea2f68c

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S&P: Asia Pacific REITs to Face Slow Tenant Demand ? Real Estate ...

Standard & Poor?s credit analyst Craig Parker said in a report released Thursday that Asia-Pacific real estate investment trusts (REITs) will wrestle slow tenant demand due to a dismal business and consumer confidence from the expected slowdown in the economies in the coming months.

According to Parker, major real estate markets of Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and japan will experience economic problems that will keep rental growth in the short term. However, Asia-Pacific REITs will maintain their credit quality because of their established reputations.

Parker adds that these countries have kept a good leasing maturity profile and diverse tenant base which helps reduce the effects of cyclical volatility. Also, since they have well-established foundations, their property portfolios continue to attract tenants.

Majority of the rated REITs by S&P cover the region?s major real estate markets and have investment-grade ratings and a stable outlook.

Photo Credits: matsuyuki via Flickr Creative Commons

Tokyo Apartments For Sale | Tokyo Apartments For Rent | Real Estate Japan

Source: http://www.realestate.co.jp/2012/12/07/sp-asia-pacific-reits-to-face-slow-tenant-demand/

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ULC buys 100 units in Lakewood - Inside Real Estate News

An aerial view of the affordable housing project purchased by the Urban Land Conservancy in Lakewood.

The Urban Land Conservancy paid $7 million for a 100-unit, two-building rental property in Lakewood near the Wadsworth Light Rail Station on the West Corridor of FasTracks to preserve workforce housing near public transportation.

This marks ULC?s largest purchase to date and its first outside of Denver.

ULC is partnering with Rocky Mountain Communities and Colorado Resources & Housing Development Corporation in the management and eventual transfer of property ownership. This purchase is the first step in making a case for a regional transit-oriented development fund that will preserve affordable housing and other community assets at transit sites.

?It is critical to preserve quality workforce housing at transit sites during the build out of FasTracks, providing residents with access to transit, increased opportunity for jobs and additional income for an improved quality of life,? said Aaron Miripol, President and CEO of ULC. ?ULC is proud to partner with Citywide Banks, the State Division of Housing and two regional housing nonprofits who share our vision of providing these opportunities for the long term.?

The Villas at Wadsworth Station was purchased with support from a Citywide Banks $5.6 million loan and the Colorado Division of Housing, which is providing a $1.3 million, low-interest loan from the Colorado Housing Investment Fund.

This loan is the first made from the $13.2 million CHIF, funded through the $51.17?million mortgage servicing / foreclosure processing settlement recovered by the Colorado Attorney General earlier this year.

?As a locally owned bank, Citywide Banks is proud to support Urban Land Conservancy?s ongoing efforts to preserve real estate in our community,? said Chris Cerveny, Sr. Vice President of Citywide Banks.

Located at 1330 -1337 Yukon Street, The Villas include two apartment buildings and a community facility built in 1971. The property was purchased from G&S Investors LaSalle, LLC by ULC. The property has one and two-bedroom apartments. RMC will manage the property and partner with CRHDC to secure financing to purchase the property from ULC in 2014-2015.

Lakewood Ward 2 Council Members Cindy Baroway and Scott Koop represent the community where The Villas is located and are pleased that the ULC purchase ensures that residents can remain in their apartments without significant disruption.

?The arrival of light rail next to The Villas is a huge benefit to our residents,? said Council Member Baroway. ?I am especially pleased that ULC is partnering with Rocky Mountain Communities to maintain an important asset for Lakewood.?

Interested in buying a home in Lakewood? Check out what is available at COhomefinder.com.

Have a story idea or real estate tip? Contact John Rebchook at JRCHOOK@gmail.com. InsideRealEstateNews.com is sponsored by Universal Lending, Land Title Guarantee and 8z Real Estate. To read more articles by John Rebchook, subscribe to the Colorado Real Estate Journal.

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Source: http://insiderealestatenews.com/2012/12/ulc-buys-100-units-in-lakewood/

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