Israel approves construction of 130 homes in east Jerusalem

By BNO News

JERUSALEM (BNO NEWS) -- The Jerusalem municipality on Wednesday approved a plan for the construction of 130 housing units in the east of the city, officials said.

The homes are to be built in the neighborhood of Gilo, which is regarded by the international community as a settlement. The plan still needs to be approved by the Interior Ministry and Regional Planning Committee, Ynet news reported.

Pepe Alalu of the left-wing Meretz party said the new homes will be built in three 12-story tower blocks in the neighborhood near the northern West Bank city of Bethlehem. He said that a large tourist complex will also be built in the heart of the Silwan, a neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

Palestinian Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned the Israeli municipality's decision. He told the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) that peace negotiations cannot be resumed without a complete halt of all settlement activities.

The move comes about two weeks after the Construction and Housing Ministry and the Israel Land Administration announced that hundreds of housing units will be marketed beyond the Green Line. According to the announcement, 348 of the units will be built in the town of Beitar illit, 500 in Har Homa in south Jerusalem and 180 in Givat Ze'ev in the northern part of the capital.

The four European Union members of the United Nation Security Council strongly criticized Israel's plan to expand its settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Britain, France, Germany and Portugal issued a joint statement, saying the Israeli settlements in Palestinian occupied territories and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law.

Last year, Israel and the Palestinian Authority stalled the peace negotiations, which were supported by the United States and the United Nations, after the Jewish nation refused to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territory in September.

In response, Palestinian President Abbas broke off direct talks as recommended by Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union and countries such as the United States and Israel. Israel has since resumed settlement construction even though they have been labeled as a violation of international law by the international community.

Palestine has demanded a stop to settlement construction in the disputed East Jerusalem and West Bank area as a key element for continuing peace talks, aimed at reaching a two-state solution based on the 1967 Green Line. However, Israeli authorities have rejected the Palestinian solution based on the 1967 borders as that measure would leave a large population of Israelis in Judea and Samaria outside Israel's borders.

(Copyright 2012 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 at 10:46 pm | BNO News | 1 Comment

Source: http://wireupdate.com/israel-approves-construction-of-130-homes-in-east-jerusalem.html

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Jim Carrey Steps Out with His New College-Student Girlfriend

Jim Carrey is having a college romance at age 49. The New York Post reports that his new girlfriend is Anastasia Vitkina, a blonde Russian college student in New York City who, according to the International Business Times, is currently studying at NYU.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/jim-carrey-steps-out-his-new-nyu-student-girlfriend/1-a-414273?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ajim-carrey-steps-out-his-new-nyu-student-girlfriend-414273

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Lawson, Nuggets cruise by defenseless Mavs 115-93

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) attempts to grab a rebound away from Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) attempts to grab a rebound away from Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Denver Nuggets center Nene (31) goes up for a shot as Dallas Mavericks center Brendan Haywood (33) and forward Lamar Odom (7) defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) goes up for a shot as Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Kidd (2) and guard Vince Carter (25) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Dallas Mavericks center Brendan Haywood (33) attempts a shot as Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

El ala pivote de los Mavericks de Dallas Dirk Nowitzki (41) va a la banca durante el partido contra el Heat de Miami en Dallas, el domingo 25 de diciembre de 2011. los Mavericks perdieron 105-94. (Foto AP/LM Otero)

(AP) ? Ty Lawson and the Denver Nuggets opened their season with a performance that sent a clear message to the rest of the NBA.

Not about them. About the Dallas Mavericks.

The reigning champions have quickly become a team everyone wants to play. There's no telling which is worse right now, their offense or defense, their conditioning or chemistry, as they were drubbed for a second straight game, losing 115-93 to the Nuggets on Monday night.

Dallas gave up 20 straight points in the second quarter and had a stretch of 14 straight missed shots during a 9:52 drought between baskets. It was so bad that their player of the game, Sean Williams, threw up when he left the court.

Williams, the 13th and final guy off the bench, was so gassed from scoring 12 points in 11 energetic minutes that he vomited in front of the team's bench. Teammates and owner Mark Cuban laughed, and fans in the area gave a light-hearted standing ovation while an usher mopped up the mess.

Williams wasn't sick, just not quite in game shape because of the lockout. Of course, the way things are going for Dallas, plenty of jokes were made about that being an editorial statement about their performance.

"We look old and slow and out of shape ? a bad combination," said Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 20 points and sat out the entire fourth quarter for a second straight game, yet another indication of how bad things are going. "I still think this team has a lot of potential. But we have to turn the corner."

The Mavs trailed by 33 in the third quarter, a day after being down by 35 in the third quarter against Miami. Counting a pair of preseason games against Oklahoma City, Dallas has been behind by at least 23 points in every game since being crowned champs.

There are plenty of reasons to choose from: an overhaul of their rotation, the shortened training camp and other teams being motivated to take them down.

"We're not comfortable with each other on both ends of the floor," Shawn Marion said. "We're trying to get acclimated and you can tell it's not flowing the way it should be and there's going to be some bumps."

The challenge for coach Rick Carlisle is finding the right combination of players. He's trying to squeeze in Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and Delonte West to replace Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea and others, all with little practice time. Carlisle already has seen a lack of trust on defense, and that throws everything else out of whack.

"We're going to recharge tomorrow, have a hell of a practice on Wednesday and then we've got to go up to Oklahoma City and we're going to have to play a lot better," Carlisle said. "I've got a lot of work to do."

The Nuggets hope this was an indication of what they can be like when they have everything clicking, regardless of the foe.

Lawson made 8 of 9 shots in the first half, and finished with 27 points. Andre Miller and Al Harrington each scored 18 points off the bench, and Denver's deep, athletic roster scored on 19 of its 25 possessions in the second quarter.

"We've been jelling real quick," Lawson said. "I knew we'd come out strong. ... That's when we're good, when we get out and run. It's my job to make sure the tempo is fast and guys are running in those lanes."

Denver made only 12 baskets in the second half, but it hardly mattered. The Nuggets led by 27 at halftime, and stretched it during the third quarter.

"It's way too early to get crazy but it felt good," Nuggets coach George Karl said.

Danilo Gallinari had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Arron Afflalo scored 11.

Dallas was so out of sync that fans were booing before halftime. The jeers came when a turnover near midcourt turned into a three-on-none fast break for Denver. The Nuggets had enjoyed so many easy baskets at that point that they didn't even bother doing anything fancy, with Gallinari softly tossing the ball to Harrington for a routine dunk that made it 65-41.

For Dallas, Jason Kidd scored 12 points, Carter scored 11 and Rodrigue Beaubois scored 10. Aside from Nowitzki and Kidd, the other three starters (Marion, Brendan Haywood and West) scored a combined 11 points.

Odom scored three points, making only 1 of 10 shots.

"We look like a team that's new," he said.

Williams played with as much intensity as he could muster because this is his second time in the NBA. After being told he wouldn't return, he's trying to prove he has staying power.

Leaving the way he did isn't the kind of mark he's trying to make.

Williams actually started losing it while on the court. He caught it in his mouth and hustled off with his cheeks full. He couldn't make it to the tunnel, or even a trash can.

"It was awkward, man, pretty awkward," he said. "It's never happened to me before ? not ever, even in a practice."

NOTES: Dallas is 0-2 for the first time since 2006-07, which is also the last time the Mavs were coming off a trip to the NBA finals. That team actually went 0-4, yet wound up winning 67 games. ... Denver got Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer in a trade from Dallas during training camp. Fernandez scored eight points and Brewer had five. ... The Mavs forced a shot-clock violation on the opening possession of the second half and drew one of the biggest cheers of the night. They ended up keeping the Nuggets below 30 points in the quarter, yet Denver grew its lead anyway. ... Kenyon Martin, a Dallas native and former Denver star, watched from the stands. ... West started at shooting guard instead of Carter, who started on opening night. Jason Terry replaced West to start the second half.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-27-BKN-Nuggets-Mavericks/id-ef56e36fb9d4420aa1c1a7bf949e9984

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Thatcher's "Iron Lady" image softened by new movie (omg!)

Former Prime Minister Lady Thatcher (L) is shown in this 1997 file photo combined with a publicity photo of actress Meryl Streep portraying Thatcher in her new film "The Iron Lady" in this combination photo December 26, 2011.   REUTERS/Russel Boyce/Files and Alex Bailey/Courtesy of Pathe Productions Ltd/ The Weinstein Company/Handout

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Making a film about an iconic politician like Britain's Margaret Thatcher is akin to walking into a movie minefield, and casting an American -- even one as revered as Meryl Streep -- is asking for more trouble.

Yet the makers of new movie "The Iron Lady," which opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, went one step further.

They chose to depict Thatcher, now 86, as a confused, lonely woman looking back on past glories, and doing so takes the kind of guts once exhibited by the former British prime minister herself.

British director Phyllida Lloyd and screenwriter Abi Morgan said they never set out to make an historical biopic or a film about politics. They wanted to tell the story of a woman of ordinary origins who rose to great power only to fall back again into a normal, elderly life that is much like anyone's.

"It is a Shakespearean story about power and loss, and the cost of a huge life, and letting go," Lloyd told Reuters.

"The Iron Lady" is the first feature film about Thatcher, Britain's only female prime minister who was elected in 1979 and forced, in tears, out of office in 1990 after losing the support of her cabinet.

Thatcher, a Conservative, was revered for uncompromising opposition to the Soviet Union and for putting the "Great" back in Great Britain. But she also was reviled by labor unions and blamed for creating deep divisions in British society.

Lloyd said there has been "astonishingly little backlash" in Britain about casting American Streep to play the British icon. Moreover, the role required portraying a woman in the prime of her life and in decline, and that sort of contrast meant a skilled actress who understood the nuances of both.

"You needed someone of the magnitude of Meryl Streep to take on Margaret Thatcher's size and personality. You needed a superstar to play a superstar," Lloyd said.

The casting appears to have worked. Streep, a master of theatrical manipulation, has received an armful of awards for her performance and is tipped to get her 17th Oscar nomination when Academy Award nominees are announced in January.

MORE THAN A BIOPIC

But Streep and the filmmakers wanted to do more than a movie biography of Thatcher and her politics .

"Meryl said that, for some time, she had been looking for a project that considered the end of things. She didn't see it as a biopic in any way," said Lloyd.

And fitting all the decisions in 11 years of leadership, along with Thatcher's rise from grocer's daughter to the highest echelons of power in a male-dominated world, was "like squeezing a large lady into a too-tight dress," Morgan said.

So Morgan chose to set the movie in the present day, when Thatcher has decided to let go of her dead husband Denis's clothes and is ambushed by selected memories of her past.

That decision meant introducing the fragile mental health of Thatcher, who suffered a series of small strokes after leaving office. In 2008, her daughter Carol revealed that the former titan of British politics suffers from dementia. Thatcher herself has been out of the public eye for 10 years.

"We considered very deeply the morality of discussing this issue about someone who was still alive. But we felt Carol (Thatcher) had given us this cue, that it was something that could be discussed. And we were all confident that Meryl would take care of Lady Thatcher's dignity," said Lloyd.

The filmmakers did not seek the cooperation of Thatcher's family but relied on her published memoirs, input from 1980s politicians, and hours of TV footage and speeches.

Lloyd and Morgan hope their approach will help the movie resonate with people who are less familiar with Thatcher.

"I think international audiences will see it as a very humane study of power and the isolation of power. I don't think they bring the same baggage to the film as British audiences," said Morgan.

With a female director, writer and star, "The Iron Lady" has strong feminist undertones and highlights nuances of the British class system in which Thatcher was viewed as an outsider.

Yet, despite dealing mainly with events 20 years ago, it also has resonance today. "We find ourselves back in a position where there are not many women (in high positions) in parliament," Lloyd said.

"Britain has a government quite dominated by men from very privileged backgrounds. We are in a recession, our government has taken austerity measures, we have riots on the streets and strikes. Does that make Margaret Thatcher just one pendulum swing in history, or the architect of where we are today?"

(Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_thatchers_iron_lady_image_softened_movie130627594/44010989/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/thatchers-iron-lady-image-softened-movie-130627594.html

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Amerson helps NC State beat Louisville 31-24 (AP)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ? N.C. State sophomore cornerback David Amerson wasn't thinking about breaking records coming into the season.

He ended up shattering one few thought would ever fall.

Amerson had two interceptions Tuesday night ? one that he returned 65 yards for a touchdown and another with 41 seconds left that sealed the Wolfpack's 31-24 victory over Louisville in the Belk Bowl ? to give him an ACC record 13 for the season.

Former North Carolina star Dre' Bly set the previous mark of 11 in 1996.

"I don't know much about (Bly), but I hear a lot about him," Amerson said. "I heard he was pretty good and he did this as a freshman, so that speaks for itself. ... It's really an honor for me. Coming into this season I wasn't thinking about that."

Amerson has more interceptions than his closest competitor in the nation.

Amerson's touchdown return in the third quarter was a thing of beauty, with the cornerback breaking four tackles. But it was the pick at the end of the game that prevented Louisville from capping a 21-point comeback.

"The DB's had to step up and make a play at the end of the game and that's what we did," Amerson said. "I just saw that ball and it was like tunnel vision. I was going to go get it."

N.C. State picked off three of Teddy Bridgewater's passes and sacked him five times, twice knocking him out of the game for a play.

"Their blitz pattern was simple. It's just that they blitz so much though that they disguised it well," Bridgewater said. "It was more than I've been chased all year."

Amerson's performance was a big part of the N.C. State's win, but he had help.

Mike Glennon, the game's MVP, threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns, including two to senior receiver T.J. Graham, who made the most of his final game at N.C. State with seven catches for 116 yards.

Glennon threw another TD pass to Tobais Palmer, who made what Glennon called "the best catch I've seen all year" when he completely spun his body around in the air and managed to catch the ball and keep running to the end zone. He scored from 35 yards out.

Glennon finished the season with 31 touchdown passes.

The offensive play of the game came when Graham caught a pass over the middle from Glennon and broke two tackles en route to a 68-yard touchdown reception that gave the Wolfpack (8-5) a 21-10 lead just before halftime.

N.C. State coach Tom O'Brien took a lot of heat when he decided to part ways with star quarterback Russell Wilson and go with the unproven Glennon as his starter.

It all worked out Tuesday night.

So O'Brien feels vindicated, right?

"I never had to feel vindicated by any of that," said O'Brien, 8-2 in bowl games. "That would never be my goal once I made a decision. I don't care what people think. I made a decision what was best for this football team going forward. When I made the decision and weighing all options and looking at the talent this kid has I knew we would have a quarterback. I don't have to feel vindicated by anybody."

Then he smiled and added, "but he helped (vindicate) me."

"I knew Russell was a great player and would do great wherever he ended up but I also felt confidence in myself and I know my teammates had confidence in me, so I knew I would do just fine this year," Glennon said.

The Cardinals finished the season 7-6.

"North Carolina State is an outstanding football team, but we are nowhere near what we should be," Louisville coach Charlie Strong said. "If you look at a team that's what we have to get to. We have to do a better job of recruiting and we have to be able to go make plays and get playmakers into our offense and also get playmakers into our defense. It was a good learning experience for us."

"We were able to come back the second half and get the game back to seven but we still were just battling and then too much pressure on the quarterback. Teddy took a beating tonight but we knew they were going to bring pressure and we just weren't able to block them and they were able to beat one on one blocks and we weren't able to get to their quarterback."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/fbc_belk_bowl

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Monday 26th December 2011 : Psyrhythmix Boxing Day Special @ Club 414, 414 Coldharbour Lane London

Psyrhythmix Boxing Day Presents

-------------------------------------
Cathar - First Contact EP
-------------------------------------

For this Boxing Day Special. .. .
We have teamed up with world class Psychedelic Label "Free-Spirit Records"

Monday 26th December 2011

@ Club 414,
414 Coldharbour Lane,
Brixton, SW9 8LF, London, UK

Free before midnight
?10 after.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Artists on the night

Cathar Live!
(Free-Spirit Records)
Showcasing their first Digital EP 'First Contact
http://www.catharworld.com/
http://www.free-spiritrecords.com/

Journey Live!
(Free-Spirit Records)
Showcasing his second Album 'Through The Mirror'
http://www.free-spiritrecords.com/

Prozak Dj Set!
(Free-Spirit Records)
Showcasing some tracks from the upcoming compilation 'Free-Spirit Vol.7'
http://www.free-spiritrecords.com/
http://www.cohesionparty.com/
http://www.djprozak.com/

Andy Force
(Halcyon)

Neill Moore
(Psyrhythmix)

Sachin

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Free before midnight
?10 after.

http://www.club414.org/
info@club414.org
0207 924 9322

We have a Roof Terrace
A chill out zone
Amazing Sound &
Light Shows
Plus an amazing up for it crowed :)

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

(Press Releases)

CATHAR - First Contact (Press Release)

Since the first time Cathar showcased their music it was clear something special was in the making. In a short space of time the duo managed to shape and perfect their unique sound - resulting in the upcoming release of their hard hitting debut EP on Free-Spirit Records.

Many years of crafting their skills in various styles of dance music has enabled them to deliver top class material for this EP and the following debut album, The Union. Their impact has already seen them build up a loyal fan base and we are sure this will grow explosively with this release.

This first EP will be released worldwide on 06-12-2011 and it will be available from all good download stores. Be a part of the future of psy-trance and grab yourself a copy!

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

CATHAR is a brand new psychedelic music group formed by Steve Morley and Jessica B. Both have already enjoyed considerable success in their musical careers in various genres. Steve Morley has been a record producer and DJ since 1992, and is a classically trained pianist and composer. Steve has a discography containing in excess of 120 releases and countless remixes - on highly respected record labels. His love for Trance music saw him produce and play almost all sub genres, and his affection for psychedelic music stems from the time he discovered Goa trance in the mid 90's. Jessica B started working as a producer and DJ in 2005 instantly receiving recognition and praise for her first releases, which gained massive Radio 1 support. During her career, Jessica discovered her love for psychedelic music and teamed up with Steve to form their new group. Since that moment they have been on a long creative journey together, shaping and fine tuning their sound while testing their new material on stage.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

JOURNEY's second Album 'Through The Mirror' (Press Release)

Howdy music lovers, welcome to a special edition of What Does Free Spirit Records Have New For You? Regular readers will know that Free Spirit Records is London based psy-trance label that has been bringing us aural wonderment through umpteen releases (too many for this humble journalist to accurately recall) from around the globe and across the spectrum. And the reason why this a special edition of WDFSRHNFY? Because it heralds the return of Jay OM's other half, the producer Journey, and the release of his second full-length album - Through the Mirror.
Jay OM/Journey have been doing it tough over the winter months, foisting their immeasurable talents upon the natives of southern Africa. Winning great acclaim and fostering many a friendship. Prior to this though he could be found squirreling away in his North London studio channelling his creativity to create the ten tunes that make up this latest offering all the whilst trying to avoid the concerns that come with following up the success of The Man Who Sold Time, his 2009 debut album.
The album feature some killer collaborations including artists such as Tron, Rastaliens, Holophonik, Monastic Squid and finishing with a superb downtempo track with Alexampt and Mononegro.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

JOURNEY is Giampiero 'Jay' Mastino born in Italy and now resides in London. His earliest psychedelic-rock influences were forged playing guitar in local bars in Milan and his romance with the decks began in the late 80's whilst working for a local radio station where he was given the opportunity to spin his first record.

This love firmly in place the move to London followed in 1998. In 1999 he started djing professionally as Jay OM and since then has been rocking the crowds at many of the biggest venues in London as well as outdoor parties in the UK, Europe, South America & South Africa.

In 2003 he studied Sound Engineering and Music Technology and began solo production under the name Journey. In 2009 started a progressive project under the name Omsphere and in 2011 a collaboration project with Ralph K under the name Crocodile Rangers

In 2004, he conceived the vision of a network of like-minded artists in the psy-trance and ambient genres, all working to promote themselves and each other under one banner. Thus the Free-Spirit label was born. .. Originally intended to focus on artist management, the label's skyrocketing success combined with the enthusiasm of Jay, the artists, and fans enabled Free-Spirit to outgrow its horizons. Free-Spirit continues to build a collective of artists and djs from around the globe, aiming to create and provide access to a combined set of resources not available to them as individuals, making it just a little easier for all to concentrate on what they truly love, which is the music!

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

DJ PROZAK has been DJ'ing for the past 16years and is truly in a class of his own. With current residencies around the globe and running his own promotion Cohesion, there isn't a club he hasn't played at. With a collection of over 35,000 records this DJ can turn his hand to literally any style of music.

Not content with just playing records. DJ Prozak produces, engineers & re-mixes tracks & dj demos at his studio (LG4) in London. This DJ plays along-side the worlds most famous DJ's (Infected Mushroom- Astrix- Paul Van Dyk - Jeff Mills- Christian Smith and of course Tiesto) 2 name but a few. Famed for his monumental euphoric psychedelic full on trance sets, electro & progressive cutting edge dance.

Safe And Friendly Environment
Roof Terrace for Smokers
Chillout Area
Amazing Sound
Light Shows

Info Line: 0207-924-9322

Email: info@club414.org

**********
TRANSPORT
**********

Underground: Brixton (Victoria Line)

Rail: Brixton mainline station

Bus: 2,3,35,37,45,59,109,118,133,159,196,250,
322,333,345,355,415,432,P4,P5

Night bus: N2,N3,N35,37,N133,N159,250,689,690

Source: http://www.spraci.com/events/244491.html

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Record Sales In Japan Push 3DS Past 4 Million Mark

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Record Sales In Japan Push 3DS Past 4 Million Mark


Nintendo has now sold over 4 million 3DSes in Japan, moving a record high of more than half a million units last week, as two of its games became million-sellers. Earlier this year, the portable suffered lagging sales to due to expensive pricing and a dearth of compelling titles. Many believed the popularity of smartphone gaming and these initial launch woes would prevent the 3DS from matching even a sizable fraction of the original DS's ...


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Brees sets passing mark, Saints top Falcons 45-16 (AP)

NEW ORLEANS ? After Drew Brees broke an NFL passing record that stood for nearly three decades, his teammates called on him to make a speech in the Saints' locker room.

"This record isn't about one person. There might be just one name that goes in ledger under the record, but it's really about the team," Brees told his teammates. "I want everyone to feel a huge part of this, that this record would not have been possible without them."

It was quite a night for Brees and the Saints ? a record and a rout.

Brees set the NFL mark for yards passing in a season, breaking a record Dan Marino held for 27 years, and New Orleans wrapped up the NFC South title with a 45-16 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

Brees nearly topped Marino three years ago, finishing with 5,069 yards passing. But that pursuit rang a little hollow because the Saints were 8-8.

This time, Brees' prolific passing has led New Orleans (12-3) to the playoffs and a legitimate shot at its second Super Bowl in three seasons.

"We all want this (record) very badly," Brees began, "but it's all about winning and we know if we just focus on that, all that other stuff will take care of itself."

Brees threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns, the last a 9-yard strike to Darren Sproles that set the record with 2:51 to go.

It was Brees' final pass of the game and it gave him 5,087 yards passing ? with one game left. Marino finished with 5,084 yards for the Miami Dolphins in 1984.

Minutes after Brees broke the record, Marino offered congratulations on Twitter.

"Great job by such a special player," Marino wrote.

As Sproles spiked the ball, Brees thrust his fist triumphantly in the air and started walking toward the sideline while the Superdome crowd went wild and his teammates chased him down. Offensive guard Carl Nicks was the first one to get there and tried to lift Brees onto his shoulder, but couldn't do it as teammates swarmed around.

"If I could have put him on my shoulders and paraded him around the whole stadium I would have done that. He deserves it," Nicks said. "It's like a movie, man. Just a movie ending. It's beautiful. ... You could tell by everyone's reaction after he did it how much people care about that guy. We all love him."

Brees pushed his touchdown total to 276, moving him ahead of Joe Montana (273) and Vinny Testaverde (275) for ninth on the career list. The former Purdue star is the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 5,000 yards twice.

Brees' first scoring pass went for 8 yards to Marques Colston and the second for 9 yards to Jimmy Graham. Graham's TD catch was his 10th of the season, a franchise high for a tight end. In the third quarter, Brees hit Robert Meachem for a score from 24 yards to make it 28-10.

The Saints (12-3) also had 463 total yards, giving them 6,857 offensive yards for the season, breaking the 2008 club record of 6,571. New Orleans continues to close in on the NFL record of 7,075 offensive yards set by the 2000 St. Louis Rams.

Brees might have broken the record in the third quarter if not for Sproles' 92-yard kickoff return, which set up John Kasay's 29-yard field goal. Brees also threw two interceptions, but New Orleans was still dominant enough to take a big lead.

The game became a romp when Julio Jones was stripped by Scott Shanle and Malcolm Jenkins returned it 30 yards for a score to make it 38-16 in the fourth quarter. The Superdome crowd was in full celebration by then, but the play also meant fans would have to wait until later in the fourth quarter before Brees finally got his chance to break the passing record.

The Saints can earn the No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye with a win Sunday over Carolina and a San Francisco loss at St. Louis, which is 2-13.

Atlanta (9-6) is headed to the playoffs as a wild card.

Uncharacteristically, Brees had only a yard passing during a span of a little more than 18 minutes in the second half. Fans howled, "Drehttp://wwww!" each time he took the field, and he finally gave them what they wanted after Atlanta failed on a fourth-down try at its own 33. That gave Brees, who needed only 30 yards for the record at that point, just enough space to work with.

The Saints didn't need another score, but Saints coach Sean Payton said he thought giving Brees a chance to go for the record was "appropriate."

Falcons coach Mike Smith diplomatically deflected questions about that, saying only, "It is our job to go out there and stop them. It doesn't matter if they are running the ball or throwing the ball."

Matt Ryan had 373 yards passing and one TD, including an early 21-yard scoring strike to Jones.

"We didn't really play well enough in any phase of the game to give ourselves a chance," said Smith, whose team came in with a chance to stay in the hunt for the division title. "It's not the type of effort that you want to have with so much on the line with what the outcome could have meant to our team."

Pierre Thomas scored New Orleans' first touchdown on a 4-yard run, after which he pulled a bow from his uniform pants, put it on the football and offered it as a gift to a woman with a parasol in the front row behind the end zone.

The referees weren't cutting Thomas any slack on his Christmas-themed celebration, flagging him for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Notes: Brees has passed for 300 yards or more an NFL-record 12 times this season. ... New England quarterback Tom Brady could also pass Marino next week ? and maybe even Brees, too. Brady has thrown for 4,897 yards. ... The Saints are 7-0 at home and never have gone undefeated at home in a full season.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_falcons_saints

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12 Best Christmas Pop Songs Of All Time1676456

Justin Bieber and Mariah Carey make our list of yuletide favorites.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Getty Images

Looking for some inspiration for Christmas-themed music? Well, don't worry, MTV News has wrapped up a special holiday playlist so that you can get into the spirit of the season. Grab a glass of eggnog, put on your best reindeer sweater and snuggle up by the fire with these choice tunes. "Mistletoe," Justin Bieber
Bieber's modern-day missive (released in 2011 off of Under the Mistletoe) about kissing under the mistletoe certainly harks back to carols of days gone by, but he updates the narrative using his own fly-boy language, referring to his girl as his "shawty." Awww!

"All I Want for Christmas Is You," Mariah Carey
Perhaps the most ubiquitous pop song of the last 20 years, Carey's iconic single may have been reimagined by Bieber, but it will forever be associated with Carey, her skimpy Santa suit and her desire to be reunited with her boy. "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays," *NSYNC
Spunky and funky, *NSYNC's 1998 track is all about getting together with your friends and family and wishing them "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" — a fitting sentiment for folks of all persuasions. "My Only Wish (This Year)," Britney Spears
Like Carey before her, Britney uses her sugary sweet, incredibly innocent ode to the holidays to pine away for the one thing she hopes Santa can get her: her one true love. "Last Christmas," Wham!
George Michael had one message for that ex-special someone: This year, to save him from tears, he'll give his heart to someone special. After it was released, the song immediately became a Christmas staple with radio and local malls playing it endlessly through the season. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid
While many Christmas songs focus on chestnuts roasting on an open fire, 1984's A-list-filled charity single reminded the world that not everyone has chestnuts or an open fire. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
This song had already been recorded and re-recorded, but when Springsteen put his Jersey sass on the Christmas classic, it became the type of jovial, rocked-out tune cool enough to top the lists of his fans. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," U2
Darlene Love may have recorded the track in 1963, but Bono and his boys put their own spin on the song when they released it in 1987. It's all about wanting your baby to come home to you on Christmas. And, really, who doesn't want that? "Baby, It's Cold Outside," Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson
In a world where these two are still together, it would actually be a cute idea to have this real-life couple sing about wanting to stay warm with one another on a chilly winter night. "Don't Shoot Me Santa," The Killers
Every Christmas playlist needs a kooky take on the holidays, and the Las Vegas band's spin on pleading with Santa to cut them a break is a bit country, a bit rock and roll, and all fun. See also: Blink-182's "I Won't Be Home for Christmas." "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Michael Bublé
Bublé's Christmas album has been sitting at the top of the charts for weeks, and this particularly stirring Christmas ballad is all about making sure you're with the people you love for the holidays. "Santa Baby," Madonna
Cooing and gushing about what she wants from her Santa Baby for Christmas is an incredibly decadent idea full of incredibly lavish gift ideas. Pretend like there's no recession, blast this one and imagine a world where cars and jewels are totally affordable Christmas gifts. Which is your favorite Christmas pop song? Tell us in the comments!

Related Videos Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676456/best-pop-rock-christmas-songs.jhtml

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Iowa GOP caucus 2012: Gingrich v Romney with seven days to go

5.29pm: Is Newt Gingrich's statement that he would not vote for Ron Paul ? if Ron Paul won the Republican nomination ? significant?

USA Today's Susan Page suggests it might be.

5.14pm: Fighting talk from Newt Gingrich in his interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN just now. Questioned about Romney's "Lucille Ball" remark earlier today ? making fun of Newt's inability to get on the ballot in Virginia ? Gingrich says: "I'd love to have him say that to my face."

Newt had a real sense of humour failure there. Yes, we'd love to have him say that to your face as well, Newt. Potential Gingrich follow-ups: "I know you are, but what am I?"

Asked about CNN's report that he was bad at paying alimony for the children from his first marriage, according to contemporary court documents unearthed by CNN, Gingrich won't answer, instead telling people to go and read some article by his daughter.

As they say in politics: if you are explaining, you are losing. Gingrich is losing.

Political meeting in Iowa Newt Gingrich electrifies an audience in Iowa today with his famous brand of firebrand rhetoric. Photograph: Charles Dharapak/AP

4.56pm: Pledging to run a positive campaign eschewing negative attacks on his opponents, Newt Gingrich on CNN just now says that he wouldn't vote for Ron Paul if he was the Republican nominee.

In a non-negative way Newt also says Ron Paul has a record of "systemic avoidance of reality". Mmm.

To paraphrase Gandhi: first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then Newt Gingrich accuses you of "systemic avoidance of reality", then you win the Iowa caucuses.

Gingrich unloads on Ron Paul's nutty 1990s newsletter-writing past and runs through the Ron Paul greatest hits: "His ads are about is accurate as his newsletters."

4.39pm: The glamour of American politics, part three:

Campaign glamour in Iowa: Newt Gingrich Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich signs a gavel for a supporter in Dubuque, Iowa. Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

Newt Gingrich autographs a gavel today at the Dubuque Golf and Country Club in Iowa. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This is worth precisely one.

4.23pm: Mitt Romney doing his weird dance move-jog thing again, this time in Portsmouth, New Hampshire:

Mitt Romney dancing in New Hampshire Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney dances for the crowds in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Photograph: Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters

That's the second time today. He really is in a good mood, isn't he?

4.02pm: Several hours ago we mentioned Alana Semuels's excellent piece for the Los Angeles Times on Pizza Ranch, the God-fearing chain of fast food restuarants frequented by Republican presidential candidates in Iowa.

But is the pizza any good? "I just had the breadsticks, and burned my tongue on the marinara sauce," replies Alana via email. "But let's just say people go there for the fried chicken..."

She's being polite. Let's face it, the name Pizza Ranch is a bit of a giveaway.

Ben Nelson's retirement statement

3.36pm: The Associated Press looks at Ben Nelson's retirement as US Senator for Nebraska and the problems it creates for the Democrats:

Republicans, who need to net four seats to take back the Senate in 2012, have heavily targeted Nelson's seat. They say Nebraska has tilted further to the right in recent years and think Nelson's vote for President Barack Obama's signature health care legislation would have weighed him down, noting he dipped in polls after the health care debate.

Nelson still would have given Democrats a fighting chance. A two-term governor before winning a Senate seat, he has shown an ability to rebound after being down in statewide races before.

Top Democratic rumour/wish of the day: former Republican senator Chuck Hagel to run for Nelson's seat as a Democrat. Also, the moon discovered to be made of delicious cheese.

3.15pm: There has been a lot of talk that the Newt Gingrich campaign has been a well-disguised book tour. Thankfully those rumours are laid to rest by this video from Gingrich's New Hampshire staff.

The reality is: the Gingrich campaign is a pilot for a spin-off from The Office.

2.46pm: Now this is how to write an intro, via the Omaha World-Herald:

A political tsunami hit Nebraska politics today, with Democratic US Senator Ben Nelson declining to seek a third term in the US Senate.

Political tsunami! I think we can say this news was unexpected. And since Nebraska is entirely landlocked, the state is never going to have a non-political tsunami so this may be as close as Cornhuskers ever get. The OWH continues:

It's good news for Republicans, but incredibly bad for Democrats who need the equivalent of a Christmas miracle to keep the seat.

Democrats have no candidate waiting in the wings. They will have to scramble for a candidate who can quickly organize a statewide campaign and raise millions in less than a year, while competing against Republicans who have been in campaign mode for more than a year.

According to sources (Twitter), it would be cool if Warren Buffet ? a native of Nebraska and owner of the OWH ? ran for the seat for the Democrats. But he's probably too liberal for Nebraska.

2.30pm: Mitt Romney pokes fun at Newt Gingrich for failing to qualify for the Virginia primary ballot ? and shows that he's hip to what the kids are watching on the Tele-Vision these days, reports Politico:

I think he compared that to... Pearl Harbor. I think it's more like Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory.

What? Seriously. Lucille Ball? Chocolate factory? Yes I know who Lucille Ball is ... but way to haul in the under-40 demographic there Mitt.

Thanks to YouTube, here is the clip in question. Ah, right. Anyway the main thing is that this does not reveal Mitt Romney to be some sort of out-of-touch Manchurian Candidate figure who needs his "humor" software updated.

2.16pm: Buzzfeed's awesome Andrew Kaczynski has been on a roll so far in this election cycle, through using a little-known investigative technique known as "finding old stuff on the internet", and tracking down embarassing bits of Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich from years gone by.

Kaczynski's latest effort is a 2008 clip of Gingrich saying he loves the idea of a government mandate to force people to buy health insurance. Oh dear. To be fair he has probably changed his mind at least seven times since then.

1.56pm: The Los Angeles Times is on the case of Ben Nelson's retirement:

Ben Nelson, the Senate's most conservative Democrat and one of the party's most endangered incumbents, is expected to announce Tuesday that he will not seek a third term in 2012, a Democratic source confirmed.

Though the Nebraskan often voted with Republicans, Nelson's decision would be a blow to Democratic hopes of retaining control of the Senate next year, when they are faced with defending 23 of the 33 seats up for reelection.

1.47pm: Some actual political news from somewhere other than from Iowa or New Hampshire: Democratic senator Ben Nelson isn't running again in 2012. Given the state of politics in general and Nebraska in particular, that probably means a gain for the Republicans, making Democratic attempts to hang onto their Senate majority next year even slimmer.

Progressive Democrats won't be sorry to see Nelson go, given his voting record. But even so, it's bad news for the Democrats.

1.10pm: In case you missed it: the big political news of the Christmas period was the failure of Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry to qualify for the Virginia primary, thanks to their inability to collect the required 10,000 signatures from VA residents.

Virginia's requirements are unusually onerous but for Gingrich it's a bad blow: Virginia is now his home state, and in early polling he was leading Mitt Romney in one of the richest and largest states up for grabs on mini-super-Tuesday, 6 March.

Gingrich being Gingrich, he had to make a mountain out of a largeish molehill:

Newt Gingrich's campaign director said the candidate is viewing the setback in Virginia, in which he failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the state's primary, as an "unexpected setback" similar to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941," campaign director Michael Krull wrote on the Gingrich Facebook page.

Yes, Pearl Habor, nothing wrong with making that analogy at all. In fact it's a sign of Gingrich's nonexistant campaign organisation rather than thousands of people dying.

More to the point: Virginia ? the cockpit of American democracy and the home of Washington, Jefferson and Madison ? will in 2012 see Ron Paul and Mitt Romney alone battle for the GOP nomination. Which neatly sums up the 2012 Republican race.

Campaign glamour in Iowa: Rick Santorum and elephant Rick Santorum (back, right) speaking at a GOP forum in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP

12.48pm: Good news everyone, Rick Santorum promises to drop out if he gets a rubbish result from the Iowa caucuses:

Rick Santorum said if he finished badly in Iowa's January 3 caucuses, he would drop out of the presidential race.

"If I finish dead last in the mix I'll go home but I don't think that's going to happen," he said Tuesday on the Des Moines radio station WHO.

"Dead last" means "fewer votes than Michele Bachmann" in this instance. I'm guessing. Still, as Margaret Thatcher once said: Rejoice. Just rejoice.

12.30pm: The glamour of American politics, part two:

Campaign glamour: Mitt Romney in New Hampshire GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney performs at a campaign event in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Photograph: Charles Krupa/AP

Asked if he can sing, Mitt Romney reveals his well-polished Elvis impersonation to stunned voters in New Hampshire.

12.02pm: Bored, hungry Los Angeles Times journalist Alana Semuels finds God in the pizza chain in Iowa where that the candidates go to hunt down voters:

Conservatives like Pizza Ranch because it's a Christian-oriented restaurant whose mission is "to glorify God by positively impacting the world we live in" and whose charity blog, PizzaRanchServes, often discusses passages from the Bible.

"We call it Christian Pizza because it is a chain that's also a ministry, which does good works in a faith-centered way," said Steffen Schmidt, an Iowa State University professor.

Yes but is the pizza any good? I will ask via Twitter.

Readers: Have you been to a Pizza Ranch? Leave your review in the comments below.

11.45am: The glamour of American politics, part one:

Campaign glamour in Iowa 1 Campaign glamour in Iowa: Rick Sanorum town hall meeting in Fort Dodge. Photograph: Charlie Neibergall/AP

Thousands throng to hear Rick Santorum in Fort Dodge, Iowa, this morning.

11.25am: Attention Rick Perry campaign: whoever scheduled the meet and greet at the Fainting Goat restaurant in Waverly on Friday needs to be re-assigned to the South Dakota office. Optics people, optics.

11.19am: But where in Iowa is Jon Huntsman, you ask? He is snubbing the Iowa pizza lovefest. His campaign diary for today reads, from start to finish: "No public campaign events are scheduled."

For shame Jon Huntsman. This is why you will finish with somewhere between nought and zero in the Iowa caucuses.

11am: The candidates' more significant campaign stops for today ? and it's all Iowa, all the time, apart from Mitt Romney, while Newt Gingrich visits a toy museum and Rick Perry hunts for Glenn Miller's body while whistling "Pennsylvania 1600":

? Mitt Romney

Noon ET: Meets with voters and discusses jobs and the economy. Geno's Chowder & Sandwich Shop, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
5.45pm: Remarks at Romney for President event. Hotel Blackhawk, Davenport, Iowa

? Newt Gingrich

1pm: Holds campaign event at Dubuque Golf and Country Club, Dubuque, Iowa
4.30pm: Visits the National Farm Toy Museum, Dyersville, Iowa

? Rick Perry

1.15pm: Greets voters at the Glenn Miller Museum, Clarinda, Iowa
5.30pm: Holds town hall at Clarke Electric Co-Op, Osceola, Iowa

? Ron Paul

7pm: Delivers speech "to lay out his plan to strengthen America's security and honor our brave men and women in uniform,'' Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines

? Michele Bachmann

On her bus tour through the state, including stops at three Pizza Ranch outlets. That's a lotta pizza.

Rick Santorum celebrates a shot bird Rick Santorum launches Guantanamo protest* during bird hunting in Iowa yesterday [*not really]. Photograph: Chris Carlson/AP

? Rick Santorum

5pm: Tours the Scratch Bakery, Cedar Falls, Iowa

Yesterday Santorum went pheasant hunting in Iowa accompanied by a few close friends and journalists ? but the candidate typically refused to make any political capital out of the event:

Santorum touched all the right bases, sporting an NRA cap, complimenting [influential Iowa congressman Steve] King on his Weatherby shotgun, and revealing he bought two such guns for his children as Christmas presents.

10.34am: So what is a caucus rather than a primary? Rather than blather on for too long, read this excellent piece on the subject.

Briefly, voters have to show up at 7pm at their local caucus venue ? in more remote areas that can be someone's living room. There are speeches from the candidates' representatives and a pitch from the local Republican organisation. Then:

Though methods may vary from precinct to precinct, each caucus-goer is typically handed a blank piece of paper on which to write the surname of the candidate for whom they are voting.

When everyone has voted, the total is tallied and reported to the GOP headquarters. And then Ron Paul wins. Or someone.

10.15am: Here is a run-down of the top links for today's GOP presidential race in Iowa:

? O Lucky Mitt ? New York magazine's John Heileman has a cracking profile of the MItt Romney campaign, notable for two great quotes. One is from Republican strategist Alex Castellanos calling the 2012 GOP contest "the world's greatest clusterfuck". The other reveals the confidence of the Romney campaign:

The dynamics couldn't be better for us," says a senior Romney strategist. "I don't see any scenario where we're not the nominee.

? Gingrich '06 Memo: Agree Entirely With Gov Romney on Health Care ? ABC News and others follow up BuzzFeed's Andrew Kaczynski uncovering of an old Gingrich memo supporting Romneycare:

We agree entirely with Governor Romney and Massachusetts legislators that our goal should be 100 percent insurance coverage for all Americans

? Six candidates set off on Iowa sprint ? The Washington Post's Dan Balz (America's finest political journalist) and Philip Rucker find the only certainty in Iowa is uncertainty:

I've never seen it this fluid, this late in the process, with this many candidates," Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn said. "In the past, maybe it's been down to a binary choice of a couple of candidates, but the fact that half of Iowans are telling pollsters they could change their minds is unprecedented.

? A Time for Choosing ? Conservative columnist Bill Kristol makes yet another plea for Someone Else to enter the Republican presidential contest. Yawn.

? Campaign 2012: A political version of American Idol? ? USA Today's veteran political journalist Susan Page finds a perfect metaphor for the up and down of the GOP race:

I really believe this country has gotten very used to multiperson talent competitions that play out on a weekly basis on television," says Tom Rath, a former attorney general in New Hampshire who is advising former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. "It's not Idol, but it's not unlike Idol. Look at the debates: The sets are getting glitzier and glitzier. And look at the ratings they've been getting: People are paying attention.

10.08am: As luck would have it, I have written a brief guide to the polling and history of the Iowa caucuses. Here is a taste:

With the first real voting just days away, you might think that opinion polls would be starting to show firm guidance on the likely winner. But you'd be wrong.

Republican voters are no closer to anointing a favourite, either in Iowa or nationally. The opinion polls agree only on one thing: it's an unusually unsettled race.

In Iowa, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich have all come and gone as opinion-poll leaders ? not to mention Herman Cain, another Hawkeye State frontrunner before he crashed and burned. But none of them currently sit in first place. That seat now narrowly belongs to Ron Paul.

Welcome to our live coverage of the GOP Iowa caucus, the start of a marathon to decide who will be the Republican party's presidential nominee against Barack Obama in 2012 ? and turning nasty as Newt Gingrich goes on the attack against his main rival Mitt Romney.

As it does every four years, the centre of US politics has shifted to the chilly environs of Iowa, where in seven days time the attack ads and opinion polling will briefly stop and real voters will make a decision between the candidates.

Between then and now we will be covering and reporting on all the action, with reporters live on the ground and on the web, in what is an unusualluy fluid race, with no clear leader and any one of perhaps three candidates ? Romney, Gingrich or Ron Paul ? could be the winner. Meanwhile, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry or Rick Santorum are all jostling for respectability for the future or a miracle upset.

Too much attention to what 100,000 Iowans think? But consider this: how these candidates perform in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Davenport in a week's time will have a huge impact on the Republican nomination. And that person may be the next president of the United States. Just imagine: "President Santorum".

Shall we begin?

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/richard-adams-blog/2011/dec/27/iowa-gop-caucus-2012-live

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