Giggs: Experience will help United in title push

By STEVE DOUGLAS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:42 a.m. ET Dec. 29, 2011

LONDON (AP) -With most of its title rivals toiling over the Premier League's traditionally busy holiday period, Manchester United has found an extra gear that seems likely to take the team to the top of the standings heading into 2012.

United has wiped out the five-point lead held by Manchester City at the start of December and is seeking a sixth straight win when it hosts bottom side Blackburn on Saturday - the day manager Alex Ferguson celebrates his 70th birthday.

That would leave City in the unusual position of being behind in this season's title race when Roberto Mancini's team visits Sunderland on New Year's Day.

Even a mountainous injury list - currently featuring 11 players - hasn't yet upset United, the reigning champions seeking a 20th English championship success.

"The experience that the manager, the players and the coaching staff have of what's required in the second half of the season, as well as the overall hunger and desire to win competitions, will help us," said veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs, who recently scored for the 20th straight season in the Premier League.

"Big players can't wait for big games. Toward the end of the season the games just get bigger and bigger. For me personally, you want that in the run-in - you want to be involved in big games and going for the title. That's why you become a footballer."

City goes into the latest round of fixtures over the festive period ahead of its fierce rival on goal difference but, without an English title since 1968, it doesn't have United's experience heading into the run-in.

The leaders have dropped five points in its last four matches.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool seem to be out of the title picture, leaving Tottenham, which has won eight of its last 10 matches, looking like the only side capable of breaking the Manchester duopoly at the top of the table.

Seven points behind the pair with a game in hand, Spurs visit Swansea on Saturday where in-form Wales winger Gareth Bale will return to his native country.

"It's great to be up there but we know ultimately that we have to keep concentrating," said Bale, who scored both of Tottenham's goals in the 2-0 win over Norwich on Tuesday.

"It's not even halfway through the season, there's still a lot of games to go and nothing's achieved at this stage of the season. Hopefully we can keep the form that we're in and keep pushing ourselves up the table."

Chelsea - four points adrift in fourth after a run of three straight draws - hosts Aston Villa and fifth-place Arsenal is at home to Queens Park Rangers.

The stand-out match sees Liverpool host Newcastle on Friday, when home striker Andy Carroll looks to start repaying the faith shown in him by manager Kenny Dalglish.

Luis Suarez's one-match suspension for sticking his middle finger up at Fulham fans in a recent league match should ensure Carroll starts at Anfield against the team that sold him for 35 million pounds ($56 million) in a stunning last-minute deal in January's transfer window.

The mighty price tag - which made him one of the world's costliest ever players - appears to be weighing heavily on the England international, who has only scored twice in the league this season and has often started on the bench behind Suarez.

Brushing aside regular stories in the British press about Carroll's off-field habits - he was urged by England manager Fabio Capello in September to drink less if he is to become a regular in the national squad - Dalglish insists the player can still thrive at Liverpool.

"He is adapting well to the change and we will keep working with him and, fortunately for Andy, we have much greater belief in him than a lot of people have who write about him," Dalglish said.

"He is not struggling to deal with anything - I don't think self-belief is a problem for Andy Carroll, I don't see why it should be."

Carroll - a boyhood Newcastle fan - could be set for an extended run in Liverpool's starting lineup after Suarez was handed an eight-match ban from the Football Association last week for racially insulting Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during a match in October.

The Uruguay international is likely to appeal against the suspension but could face a lengthy spell out, giving regular opportunities to Carroll.

With Liverpool having drawn its last two games, against lowly sides Wigan and Blackburn, it needs to get back to winning ways to keep pace with its rivals for the Champions League places.

Liverpool is currently in sixth place, a point and a place above Newcastle but three off Chelsea.

"I think we deserve to be higher up the table than we are but you've got to earn that right and not talk about it," Dalglish said. "To be fair, they (the players) have done a lot of talking on the pitch for us.

"As long as we are in there somewhere, continue to do the right things and give ourselves a chance (come the end of the season) then we'll be happy with that."

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Lebanon rallying around team

Ali al-Saadi gave Lebanon a 1-0 lead against South Korea and the sectarian chants echoing across Cite Sportive stadium suddenly gave way to a more hopeful cheer.

Off-field woes

Football in 2011 was dominated by events off the field rather than on it.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44031201/ns/sports-soccer/

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U.S., South Korean defense chiefs discuss regional stability (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his South Korean counterpart discussed the stability of the Korean peninsula on Thursday, the day after North Korea mourned the death of its long-time leader Kim Jong-il.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Panetta spoke with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin for 20 minutes.

"The Secretary and the Minister shared the view that peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is our overarching priority and agreed to maintain close cooperation and coordination in the weeks and months ahead," Little said in a statement.

Around 100,000 people gathered in Pyongyang on Wednesday to mourn the former North Korean leader, who died on December 17.

As his son Kim Jong-un, in his late 20s, takes over, worries abound about the direction and the stability of the unpredictable, nuclear-armed state, especially among U.S. allies such as South Korea.

(Reporting By Missy Ryan)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/nkorea/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111230/wl_nm/us_usa_southkorea_pentagon

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As Iraq War ends, no parade for troops is imminent (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Americans probably won't be seeing a huge ticker-tape parade anytime soon for troops returning from Iraq, and it's not clear if veterans of the nine-year campaign will ever enjoy the grand, flag-waving, red-white-and-blue homecoming that the nation's fighting men and women received after World War II and the Gulf War.

Officials in New York and Washington say they would be happy to help stage a big celebration, but Pentagon officials say they haven't been asked to plan one.

Most welcome-homes have been smaller-scale: hugs from families at military posts across the country, a somber commemoration by President Barack Obama at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

With tens of thousands of U.S. troops still fighting a bloody war in Afghanistan, anything that looks like a big victory celebration could be seen as unseemly and premature, some say.

"It's going to be a bit awkward to be celebrating too much, given how much there is going on and how much there will be going on in Afghanistan," said Don Mrozek, a military history professor at Kansas State University.

Two New York City councilmen, Republicans Vincent Ignizio and James Oddo, have called for a ticker-tape parade down the stretch of Broadway known as the Canyon of Heroes. A similar celebration after the Gulf War was paid for with more than $5.2 million in private donations, a model the councilmen would like to follow.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said last week that he was open to the idea but added, "It's a federal thing that we really don't want to do without talking to Washington, and we'll be doing that."

A spokesman for the mayor declined to elaborate on the city's reasons for consulting with Washington. Ignizio said he had been told by the mayor's office that Pentagon officials were concerned that a celebration could spark violence overseas and were evaluating the risk.

Navy Capt. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said that he has not heard that issue raised and that New York has yet to make a formal proposal. He also said officials are grateful communities around the country are finding ways to recognize the sacrifices of troops and their families.

The last combat troops in Iraq pulled out more than a week ago. About 91,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are in Afghanistan, battling a stubborn Taliban insurgency and struggling to train Afghan forces so that they eventually can take over security. Many U.S. troops who fought in the Iraq War could end up being sent to Afghanistan.

A parade might invite criticism from those who believe the U.S. left Iraq too soon, as well as from those who feel the war was unjustified. It could also trigger questions about assertions of victory.

Mrozek noted that President George W. Bush's administration referred to military action in the Middle East as part of a global war on terror, a conflict that's hard to define by conventional measures of success.

"This is not a war on a particular place or a particular force," he said.

Bush himself illustrated the perils of celebrating milestones in the war, Mrozek said, when he landed on an aircraft carrier and hailed the end of major combat operations in Iraq behind a "Mission Accomplished" banner in May 2003. U.S. troops remained in Iraq for 8 1/2 more years, and Bush was criticized over the banner.

The benchmarks were clearer in previous wars. After World War II, parades marked Japan's surrender. After the Gulf War, celebrations marked the troops' return after Iraqi forces were driven out of Kuwait.

The only mass celebrations of U.S. military activities since Sept. 11, 2001, were largely spontaneous: Large crowds gathered in Times Square and outside the White House in April after Osama bin Laden was killed.

At the same time, Iraq veterans aren't coming home to the hostility many Vietnam veterans encountered. The first large-scale event honoring Vietnam veterans was not held until 1982, when thousands marched in Washington for the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Parades were later held in New York in 1985 ? 10 years after the war ended ? and in Chicago the next year.

"I think we've seen recent history in Vietnam, where that wasn't done appropriately, and we want to make sure we do the appropriate thing by those that made the ultimate sacrifice and risked their lives for us to say thanks," Ignizio said.

At Fort Hood in Texas, troops have returned to welcome-home ceremonies at the post that were attended mostly by soldiers' families. Soldiers in uniform run to hug their loved ones after an announcer yells, "Charge!"

Col. Douglas Crissman, commander of the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, said Saturday after one such ceremony that that is as large-scale a welcome as the troops need.

"This is just the right size because it's quick and meaningful and it gets them home to their families," Crissman said.

Staff Sgt. Troy Rudolph was among the first troops to arrive in Iraq in March 2003 and was in the last combat brigade to leave. Rudolph said that a large-scale ceremony would be nice but that he feels appreciated even without confetti falling from the sky.

"I've had people buy me lunch at airports just because I was in uniform," said Rudolph, who lives at Fort Hood with his wife and 9-year-old stepdaughter. "It's emotional because you don't realize what kind of impact you have on people across the country."

In Washington, federal agencies take the lead on planning parades, and so far nothing is in the works. A spokesman for Mayor Vincent Gray said the city would be honored to host a parade but said local officials wouldn't take the lead in staging one.

In recent years, most of the ticker-tape parades in New York have been held for the city's championship sports teams.

"The sports celebrations that we've had in New York for the Yankees and the Mets were amazing," Oddo said. "But these are the real heroes."

___

Gross reported from New York. Associated Press writers Angela K. Brown in Fort Hood, Texas, and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

___

Follow Ben Nuckols on Twitter at http://twitter.com/APBenNuckols.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_re_us/us_iraq_war_no_parade

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Debra Scherer: The Social Bubble

What if social media, as it functions today, was merely the first step towards a new sophistication in human interaction? We must admit it has its fascinating aspects, as we are inherently social beings. Yet, watching the development so far, one thing is for sure, human interactions can be as subtle and sophisticated as an elegant waltz and as unsophisticated, clunky and childish as a game of dodge ball. Of course, the worst most unsophisticated versions of things appear first and become wildly popular. Just as music may have started with the beating of a primitive drum, now we have symphonies. Eventually, they become more refined, more poetic, or in other words, they finally grow up.

We spoke with great friend of The Little Squares, Randy Komisar, a partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Silicon Valley's leading venture capital firm, about the state of social media, and he agrees, we're not quite there yet.

"Social media clearly has a lasting, enduring place in the technosphere, it's not going anywhere, but it's clear to me that it's very primitive in its attempt to capture the value of relationships."

So in our current social situation, what is going on? It's about a couple of things. One as we have mentioned, is this childish attitude we always seem to have to new shiny sparkly things. We are so easily seduced by simple marvels, like watching a young child's face when you blow a bubble and the sunbeams make its fragile universe sparkle with wonder as it floats away. That's the magic moment. And its exactly what is happening with these social communities that are forming around very simple and usually unsophisticated groups who are commenting, liking, following and participating, not only through Facebook, but also in newly forming worlds, new "bubbles" like Instagram, where everyone takes super processed digital images of anything and they are truly fascinated with their computer generated sunset or landscape and millions of other cool people with cool names say "Wow, cool pic!" or "Awesome shot!", just like a three year old watches his bubble float away, simply mesmerized.

"One of the dangers in media, as we have blown the doors off of distribution, is without that constraint, it's really hard to sort through everything. And there are so many voices. There are no gatekeepers, so we have to figure out how to protect ourselves from the garbage. Garbage makes me crazy. I love the web, but I hate stumbling through the garbage."

"How are we going to truly express ourselves in ways that others truly can consume and enjoy and share? How are we going to relate to others in meaningful ways in a virtual medium? But in a much more natural way than us all having a high school locker in the hall way with pictures pinned inside when you open it up. Its not who we are anymore, not even most of Facebook's customers, but were kind of locked into that paradigm."

Eventually, we will look back at the silliness of its uses and declarations of what it all means and have a laugh. In fact, lets laugh right now. Even the concept that political movements, protests and popular uprisings are somehow the result of Twitter or Facebook should be insulting to every high school history teacher. Martin Luther certainly didn't need Twitter and I would argue along with many a watchdog group that reliance on technology in the wrong place at the wrong time could be the ultimate undoing of a social uprising that really counts. There have been popular uprisings against powers that be long before anyone could read or write, let alone post video to their Facebook "timeline" directly through their smart phone.

Another example of this childlike behavior is the rise of "the fear of missing out." It seems like every technology marketing campaign talks about giving one the ability to never miss the party. And that means every party. All the time.

"The fear of missing out is the new psychosis driving the valley. It's amazing to watch, because almost all of the behaviors we see in the valley are natural behaviors of certain age groups, but they get amplified across other age groups largely because of the money involved. So I always liken it to, you know, the 60-year-old guy trying to fit into tight jeans to fit in. They are trying to do that here in Silicon Valley because that's where the money is.

"Kids are naturally insecure about who they are and what other people think about them and "the fear of missing out" and "who's the best," but for all of us to act like kids everyday does us all a disservice. And that's what you find in the valley is that "fear of missing out" is driving this entire engine for not just the kids, which is quite natural for them, but to adults and people who should know better. And people who should demand more. And want more from all this than reverting back to their insecure adolescence."

So lets demand more. While Silicon Valley keeps funding new games of dodge ball, its up to us to decide to "sit this game out." The systems are out there and technology will allow eventually for the development of scaled experiences that reflect more grown-up wonders.

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/debra-scherer/the-social-bubble_b_1172707.html

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In GOP race, Iowa and New Hampshire aren't what they used to be

Iowa still goes first in the presidential nominating contests, followed by New Hampshire. But voters there have lost their outsized influence in personally sizing up nominees, as televised debates and social media take precedence.?

The 2012 caucuses and primaries are finally upon us, and now it can be said: Iowa and New Hampshire may be a thing of the past.

Skip to next paragraph

What's fading is not their place in the celestial order as hosts of the first nominating contests, but rather their outsize role in personally sizing up Republican nominees.

An obscure Democratic governor named Jimmy Carter set the paradigm in 1975, when he essentially took up residence in Iowa and shook countless hands on his way to becoming the top named vote-getter in the 1976 caucuses. The Georgia governor's upset victory set him on a path to the presidency.

When Iowa Republicans caucus on Jan. 3, chances are the voters will know more about the candidates from nationally televised debates and interviews than from personal interaction. Ditto the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 10.

"If the protester is Time's person of the year, then the debate is the primaries' theme of the year," says Republican strategist Ford O'Connell.

Contrary to popular belief, there have not been more Republican debates than there were four years ago. In 2007, GOP contenders took part in 15 debates; this year, they had 13. But the 2011 debates have been more memorable, in part because the field has been so fluid. Over time, Iowa has had a succession of six front-runners. And when a new one rises up ? say, Texas Gov. Rick Perry ? he or she becomes the focus of attention in debates, both by the other candidates and the moderators.

That means more questions and attacks, which increase the possibility of a stumble. Governor Perry's stunning brain freeze in the Nov. 9 debate, where he could not remember the third government agency he would close, sealed his fate as yesterday's news.

Herman Cain benefited from the debates, as they gave him a platform to show off his charisma and "9-9-9"-infused sound bites. When allegations of sexual impropriety emerged, viewers tuned in to the debates to see what he would say.

Ron Paul's quirky authenticity shines through in debates, helping the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman build a devoted following that is unparalleled in this cycle.

Debates have also been central to a candidate's revival. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich appeared mortally wounded in June when most of his staff resigned over his unorthodox campaign strategy. He was ridiculed for taking a Mediterranean cruise, rather than the Holiday Inn circuit around Iowa. And he appeared woefully out of touch in tough economic times when he defended his $500,000 line of credit at Tiffany's.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/mY8_pvS_6eA/In-GOP-race-Iowa-and-New-Hampshire-aren-t-what-they-used-to-be

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Techofes'12 at College of Engineering Guindy (CEG), Anna University

College of Engineering Guindy (CEG), Anna University will conduct Techofes 2012 from 15^th to 18^th, February 2012.

Techofes' 12 is the annual cultural fest of college of engineering, Guindy Anna University happening in the month of February, with a footfall of more than 40,000 every year. Techofes is held for four nights and thee days and draws students from nearly 300 colleges across Tamilnadu and over 100 colleges across India. Techofes attracts around 30,000 students every year.

Techofes'12 is organized by the Students Association and Arts Society, an elected, student-run, non-profit organization. With an approximate strength of 600, this team works on conceptualization to successful execution every year, with no assistance from any event management company or professionals.

Techofes'12, now in its thirty sixth editions, has snowballed to become one of the biggest fests in India. The festival draws the best talents of South India to its competitions, covering areas ranging from music and drama to literary, games, arts and quizzing. There are several events focussed on building social responsibility amongst the youth. Professional shows and workshops by various groups and prodigies from all over the country are an added attraction. Techofes is all about bigger, more enthusiastic participation, high performance competitions, amazing pro shows, innovative workshops and attractive prizes.

Events:

• Pro-nite
• Choreo-nite
• Star attraction
• Rock show
• Competitions
• Literary events
• Dramatic events
• Dance & Music
• Art
• Public speaking
• Film/movie making
• Photography contests
• Treasure Hunts
• Multiple category quizzes
• Workshops in the arts and other areas
• Professional shows, entertaining guest lectures and Celebrity concerts

Venue: ?College of Engineering Guindy (CEG), Anna University, Chennai, Tamilnadu

Contact Details:

President: V.P Gautham, 9003416485, president@techofes.in

Core Co-Ordinator: ?A.M Arun Koushic, 9944233885, corecoordinator@techofes.in

Website:? www.techofes.in

Event Youtube page:? www.youtube.com/user/techofestv

Event Facebook page: www.facebook.com/techofes.in

Source: http://www.minglebox.com/article/Campus/techofes-12-at-college-of-engineering-guindy-ceg-anna-university

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Adopt-A-Soldier program shines: El Paso families open their hearts to troops

Soldiers Jasmine and Justin Miller, at right, spent Christmas day with the Stricklin family, Mia, 9, left, Aiden,2, and Helen and Bill in Northeast El Paso. (Vanessa M Feldman / El Paso Times)

Staff Sgt. Bill Stricklin grew up in a military family so it's only natural that he would want to participate in the Army's Adopt-A-Soldier program during the holidays.

Stricklin and his wife, Helen, hosted a married Army couple -- Spc. Justin and Pfc. Jasmine Miller -- at their house on post Sunday for Christmas dinner and other fun activities.

"I saw how Dad's senior leaders took care of him and our family," Stricklin said. "It seems only the right thing to do the same for others."

Stricklin, with Operation Test Command, said they've been part of the Adopt-A-Soldier program every year he's been stationed stateside during his 15 1/2-year Army career -- either as adoptees or as a host family.

For the past nine years, they've been hosts. One year while at Fort Benning, Ga., they had 30 guests over, Helen Stricklin said.

"I don't know if I could be comfortable knowing there were people sitting home alone," she said.

In El Paso, 45 families hosted more than 100 troops and their families for Christmas this year, according to post officials.

This program is closely aligned with the White House's Joining Forces initiative to get communities involved with supporting service members and their families, said Bliss spokesman Maj. Myles Caggins. Hundreds of other soldiers were informally adopted by the leaders in their units, he added.

"Adopt-A-Soldier strengthens the ties between Fort Bliss and El Paso and it gives individuals a chance to thank service members for

their sacrifices," Caggins said.

Soldiers from the Michigan and Massachusetts Army National Guard also participated. They are at Fort Bliss training for deployment.

Bill Stricklin doesn't consider it to be a duty or some big responsibility to host other soldiers during the holidays.

"It's a matter of giving back," he said.

The Millers, who are both from New York state, said they were thrilled to be taking part.

They were planning a trip to Albuquerque to visit some family but that was canceled at the last minute because of concerns over snowy weather that hit the region.

"This is so awesome," Jasmine Miller said. "We were really in the Christmas spirit and didn't want to sit at home -- just me and him. We do that every day."

Everyone they know had gone home for the holidays or already had plans, she added.

Helen Stricklin started cooking Saturday night. She made turkey, ham, a pork shoulder roast, Southern-style stuffing or dressing, homemade mashed potatoes and other yummy-sounding dishes.

She considers herself to be a Georgia native, but also has strong ties to El Paso. She went to Ysleta High School for two years and her mom is from the Sun City.

Besides dinner, the Stricklins planned a white elephant gift exchange and other Christmas games.

"After the turkey kicks in, I'm sure we'll be lounging around watching TV," Helen Stricklin said.

Justin Miller said he was also happy to be a part of the Adopt-A-Soldier program.

"We're hoping we'll be doing this soon at our house" and hosting other soldiers, he said.

Last year, the Millers had gotten back from being deployed in Iraq the week before Christmas.

"We were sitting around an empty apartment in Germany with nothing, no furniture," Jasmine Miller said. "We weren't sad or anything. We were just glad not to be in Iraq."

The Stricklins have been at Fort Bliss since this July, while the Millers have been here since May.

"We really love it here," Jasmine Miller said. "We love the outdoors. We love having a view of the mountains from our backyard."

--

Source: http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_19619301?source=rss

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Apple plots smartphones powered by hydrogen

?Our country's continuing reliance on fossil fuels has forced our government to maintain complicated political and military relationships with unstable governments in the Middle East, and has also exposed our coastlines and our citizens to the associated hazards of offshore drilling,? Apple says in its patent filings.

It also notes that hydrogen fuels cells could be smaller and lighter than batteries, while still powering mobile computers for longer.

?Such fuel cells and associated fuels can potentially achieve high volumetric and gravimetric energy densities, which can potentially enable continued operation of portable electronic devices for days or even weeks without refuelling,? Apple said.

The two patents, ?Fuel Cell System to Power a Portable Computing Device? and ?Fuel Cell System Coupled to a Portable Computing Device? not the first signs that Apple is working to replace battery technology. In October a further pair of patent applications detailed ways of squeezing more power from lighter hydrogen fuel cells.

Battery technology has long been viewed as a bottleneck in the smartphone industry, leading microchip developers to focus on developing processors with lower power consumption.

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568302/s/1b3f2124/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Ctechnology0Capple0C89753820CApple0Eplots0Esmartphones0Epowered0Eby0Ehydrogen0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Video: 'Peter Pan' still packs them in

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First lady helps track Santa on Christmas Eve (CNN)

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18th Airborne Corps commander, troops home from Iraq

By John Ramsey
Staff writer

The three-star general in charge of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq returned home to Fort Bragg on Thursday along with about 350 other paratroopers, some of the very last to leave the nine-year war.

Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of Fort Bragg and the 18th Airborne Corps, said Thursday that he was both extremely happy to return home at the close of the Iraq war and still trying to process the historical importance of U.S. efforts there.

After U.S. forces ousted Saddam Hussein, Iraq had no military and a police force that was in shambles, Helmick said. The U.S. - over the course of a long and bloody war that cost more than 4,000 American lives - helped Iraq form a military and trained its police force, and provided security for the fledgling democracy to hold elections.

On the same day Helmick arrived home, coordinated bombings in Baghdad killed at least 63 people. Helmick said Iraq has the potential to be a leader in the Middle East, but it has responsibility for its security and future now.

"There's going to be some rough spots in the next year coming up, and the Iraqis are on their own," Helmick said. "We did all we could do."

Helmick also thanked the communities surrounding Fort Bragg for supporting the troops who were deployed to Iraq. And although this war is over, he said, deployments for Fort Bragg's soldiers will continue as long as the fight continues in Afghanistan.

Awaiting arrival

The flight carrying Helmick as well as soldiers from the 18th Airborne Corps and the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team was one of about a dozen of its kind this month. Officials said one more flight, carrying a few dozen soldiers, is bound for Fort Bragg on Saturday.

Excited family members - some in their Sunday best, others donning Santa hats - waited at Green Ramp at Pope Field for their loved ones to land. A military band played "Joy to the World" and "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas."

Four-year-old Sara Coleman insisted to her eight-months pregnant mother, Nicole, that daddy wasn't headed home in an airplane.

"He's coming on Santa's sleigh," the girl said.

Jeanette Hicks arrived at Green Ramp with 18-month-old Benjamin on Thursday morning, more than two hours before the plane carrying her husband, Sgt. Brandon Hicks, would touch down.

But she had run out of things to do at home. After a near-sleepless night, she got out of bed at 5 a.m. and cleaned the house until it sparkled. She washed the sheets and curtains, bleached the counters. Then she got behind the wheel of her husband's prized Honda Civic and drove it to the Army installation so he could see it soon after his return.

Her excitement was mixed with anxiety that the young boy might not remember his daddy's face.

But Benjamin only hesitated briefly before Brandon Hicks took him in his arms. The unfamiliarity went both ways. As Benjamin later walked across the floor, Brandon followed close behind, waiting for him to topple over. Benjamin wasn't walking so well the last time the two saw each other.

It wasn't long before Jeanette coaxed the two syllables out of the shy boy: "da-da."

The reunion was a whirlwind of happiness, with soldiers hugging and kissing spouses and family members all around.

"It's very overwhelming. It's just, there he is. I don't know how else to put it. Insanely happy," Jeanette Hicks said of the moment she saw her husband walking toward her. "After a few minutes, it was almost like he never left. Life is now perfect."

Staff writer John Ramsey can be reached at ramseyj@fayobserver.com or 486-3574.

Source: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2011/12/23/1145770

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Turkey angered by French bill to criminalize 'Armenian genocide denial'

The French parliament is expected to pass a bill Thursday dealing with the 1915 killing of Armenians in present-day Turkey.? Any denial could result in a one-year jail term and a $58,000 fine. Turkey is furious.

Nearly 100 years have elapsed since the killing of thousands of Armenians, but the wounds seem far from healed.

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The French parliament is to vote on a bill on Thursday making it illegal to deny that the 1915 killing of Armenians during World War I was genocide.? The bill, which is expected to pass, provides for a one-year prison term and a fine of $58,000 (45,000 euros) to anyone who publicly denies it was genocide.?

The vote in the French National Assembly has stirred a diplomatic frenzy and French and Turkish politicians are jumping into the fray.?

?This proposed law targets and is hostile to the Republic of Turkey, the Turkish nation and the Turkish community living in France,? Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister wrote in a letter to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Reuters reports.?

During a Saturday news conference, Mr. Erdogan suggested that France ought to investigate her own role and actions in colonial Africa, including Rwanda.?

Turkey maintains that the proposed bill is a political ploy by Sarkozy's political party to win the votes of 500,000 Armenians in France ahead of next year?s parliamentary and presidential elections. Sarkozy has also been an outspoken opponent of Turkey desire to join the European Union.

Jean Leonetti, the European Affairs Minister of France, dismisses such allegations and says that opposition Socialists will endorse the bill as well. ??It has been nearly 100 years since the Armenian genocide took place, those responsible are dead, it is simply a matter of recognizing a fact of history,? he told Radio Classique, The Telegraph in London reports.

Ersin Onulduran, chairman of the department of international relations at Ankara University, told Today's Zaman, a Turkish daily, that ?only historians and archival experts should pass judgment on the merits of historical events.?

Although there is little consensus, Armenians say that about 1.5 million people were killed during the mass deportations of 1915-16.

The Turkish government acknowledges the death of many Armenians, yet, it denies that Ottoman forces deliberately exterminated them.?? Turkey considers the numbers as inflated and says that Turks were also killed due to the upheaval that followed the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. ?

Many Turks, disappointed and disillusioned by European delays over entry into the EU, are now embracing a more assertive rhetoric.

?I want to state clearly that such steps will have grave consequences for future relations between Turkey and France in political, economic, cultural and all areas,? Erdogan said according to Reuters.? While Turkey implicitly threatens to boycott French products if the bill passes, it has ruled out imposing trade sanctions.

So far this year, bilateral trade between Turkey and France is estimated at more than $13.5 billion.? About 1,000 French companies operate in Turkey.

"We have to remember international rules and with regard to Turkey it's a member of the WTO (World Trade Organization) and is linked to the European Union by a customs union and these two commitments mean a non-discriminatory policy towards all companies within the European Union," said French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero, Reuters reports.

In 2006, a similar bill was introduced and approved by the French National Assembly but was later dropped by the Senate.? In France, any legislative initiative requires the endorsement of both parliament and the Senate to be enacted.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/RNn13R951rM/Turkey-angered-by-French-bill-to-criminalize-Armenian-genocide-denial

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Life as a Healthcare CIO: We Have Cancer

Cancer. ?It's a word that creates fear and uncertainty. ? Many of the doctors I know use the word "hate" whenever they discuss their feelings about cancer.

Last Thursday, my wife Kathy was diagnosed with poorly differentiated breast cancer. ? ?She is not facing this alone. We're approaching this as a team, as if together we have cancer. ?She has been my best friend for 30 years. ?I will do whatever it takes to ensure we have another 30 years together.

She's has agreed that I can chronicle the process, the diagnostic tests, the therapeutic decisions, the life events, and the emotions we experience with the hope it will help other patients and families on their cancer treatment journey.

Here's how it all started.

On Monday, December 5, she felt a small lump under her left breast. ? She has no family history, no risk factors, and no warning. ? We scheduled a mammogram for December 12 and she brought me a DVD with the DICOM images a few minutes after the study. ? On comparison with her previous mammograms it was clear she had two lesions, one anterior and one posterior in a dumbbell shape. ? ?I hand carried the DICOM images to the Breast Center team at BIDMC.

On December 13 she had an ultrasound guided biopsy which yielded the diagnosis - invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 3.

We assembled an extraordinary team of Harvard faculty - a primary care provider (Dr. Li Zhou), a surgeon (Dr. Mary Jane Houlihan), a medical oncologist (Dr. Steve Come), a radiation oncologist (Dr. Abram Recht), ?a pathologist (Dr. James Connolly), and a skilled breast imaging team. ? I also contacted my associates from the genomics research community.

On December 16, after my daughter's last final exam at Tufts, Kathy told Lara about the diagnosis. ? Lara immediately offered her love and support. ? We also told the grandparents.

Today, Kathy completed a bone scan and chest/abdominal CT. ? Both are negative for metastases.

We also received the receptor studies from the tumor tissue.

HER-2/neu gene amplification - Not Amplified
Estrogen Receptor - Strong
Progesterone Receptor - Strong

Our next step is to complete the staging via an ambulatory surgical procedure on Friday - a sentinel node biopsy?to determine if the lymph nodes closet to the tumor have evidence of malignant cells.

Summarizing what we know thus far - the tumor is less than 5 cm, poorly differentiated/fast growing, not yet spread to bones or organs, HER-2 negative and Estrogen/Progesterone Receptor positive. ? Once the staging is completed we'll be able to finalize a treatment plan and?determine an estimated 5 year survival rate.

Likely, she'll begin with chemotherapy to be followed by a left mastectomy in early 2012.

We'll also explore her genome to understand the risk factors and determine if a bilateral mastectomy reduces future risk.

We'll face many decisions ahead and many emotions. ? We've already assembled a community of supporters.

1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. ? We never thought we'd be the one.

My Thursday blogs for the next 6 months will document our progress on the healing journey.

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Source: http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2011/12/we-have-cancer.html

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WATCH: 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' Trailer!

It's time to head back to Middle-earth! Almost exactly 10 years after The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring wowed audiences, the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, part 1 of the two-part LOTR prequel, has debuted online. Watch it below!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/hobbit-unexpected-journey-trailer/1-a-412841?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ahobbit-unexpected-journey-trailer-412841

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Colbert offering $500K to pay for SC GOP primary

FILE- This Thursday, June 30, 2011 file photo shows comedian Stephen Colbert as he appears before the Federal Election Commission in Washington. Colbert says he will pay half a million dollars to help fund South Carolina's first-in-the-South GOP presidential primary. The Palmetto State native wrote in an op-ed Thursday in The State newspaper in Columbia that his super PAC will bridge the gap after state Republicans refused to contribute anything above candidates' filing fees. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

FILE- This Thursday, June 30, 2011 file photo shows comedian Stephen Colbert as he appears before the Federal Election Commission in Washington. Colbert says he will pay half a million dollars to help fund South Carolina's first-in-the-South GOP presidential primary. The Palmetto State native wrote in an op-ed Thursday in The State newspaper in Columbia that his super PAC will bridge the gap after state Republicans refused to contribute anything above candidates' filing fees. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) ? Comedian Stephen Colbert is offering to pay half a million dollars to help subsidize South Carolina's first-in-the-South GOP presidential primary, as state officials struggle to pay for it, but there's doubt whether it would even be legal.

The Charleston native wrote in an op-ed Thursday in The State newspaper in Columbia that Colbert Super PAC ? a type of political action committee that allows him to raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions and individuals ? will bridge the gap after state Republicans refused to contribute anything above $180,000 collected in candidates' filing fees.

The state Election Commission, which administers South Carolina's voting, has said it has $1 million on hand for the primary but is short of the total $1.5 million price tag. Spokesman Chris Whitmire says the Commission has notified budget officials the state may need to seek permission to run a deficit to fund the primary.

Colbert wrote that he offered make up that $500,000 funding gap after state Republicans ultimately turned down his proposal to pay them $400,000 if they'd name the contest after him. Party officials have confirmed meeting with Colbert earlier this year to discuss a deal that would have renamed the balloting "The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary" in exchange for a check from the comedian.

Colbert says he also wanted to put a question about "corporate personhood" on the January ballot. He seized on the issue after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling eased restrictions on campaign spending by corporations.

Ultimately rebuffed by the GOP, Colbert says he started working with Democrats to get the issue on the ballot, but state Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian said Thursday that effort also fell through.

State GOP executive director Matt Moore said party officials were skeptical of Colbert from the beginning but entertained his early communications before turning him down.

"Despite our repeatedly saying 'no,' Stephen Colbert, the comedian, seems intent on being involved," Moore said. "It's exactly why we were wary in the first place."

Regardless of the party's position, it would be up to the state whether to accept or reject any offer.

Whitmire said the question of whether a PAC can fund a South Carolina primary is a new one. If the Election Commission were presented with the money and decided to accept it, he said, they would have to ask state Attorney General Alan Wilson to decide if state law permits a political action committee to fund a primary.

Colbert, who did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment, wrote that he will be spending the holidays in his native state and is open to discussions.

"The counties need the money, and Colbert Super PAC wants to give it to you; call it a Christmas Miracle," he wrote. "I'm going to be home in South Carolina over the holidays, so just give me a call. Both state parties have my contact info."

___

Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2011-12-22-SC%20Primary-Colbert/id-d056b6cf069f4e40a87ad873312da58d

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Jon Huntsman Plays Piano on Late Show

In desperate need of a bump in the polls, Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman might consider making this a regular part of his campaign stops.

The former Utah Governor may trail frontrunners Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul where it counts - name recognition - but are any of them in a band?!

After sitting down with David Letterman last night, Huntsman sat in with the band on a rocking version of the Chuck Berry classic, "Johnny B. Goode." Really.

Watch him play the piano on The Late Show below!

Jon Huntsman Plays Piano

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/jon-huntsman-plays-piano-on-late-show/

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Irish economy slumps as euro debt tensions mount (AP)

DUBLIN ? Ireland's economy shrank 1.9 percent in the third quarter, an unexpectedly large drop that raised doubts about the country's capacity to meet its deficit-fighting targets through painful cuts.

The report from the Central Statistics Office on Friday dashed forecasts of only a minor drop in economic activity and led a litany of bad financial news across Europe.

Spain's central bank reported that debt levels for the country's 17 regions have soared 22 percent over the past year. In Brussels, EU officials warned that private creditors were resisting EU efforts to write off euro100 billion ($130 billion) in Greek debts.

And in Portugal, the main opposition party refused to support the government's plan to amend the constitution to include a budget limit. All 17 members of the eurozone are supposed to make such commitments as part of the bloc's week-old plan to get its debt crisis under control.

Until now, EU leaders have held up Ireland as an example of how a country can keep growing its economy while simultaneously sucking money out of it through spending cuts and tax hikes. Ireland's economy was performing better than those of Greece and Portugal, the other two European nations to have received an international bailout.

But Ireland, midway through a seven-year deficit-fighting program that requires at least modest growth to meet its targets, said its gross domestic product fell 1.9 percent in the July-September period ? the worst quarterly fall in the eurozone.

Economists had expected a drop of only around 0.5 percent following two quarters of gains.

The third-quarter drop means Irish growth is averaging just 0.7 percent so far this year. Economists said they doubted that Ireland could rebound sufficiently in the current quarter, if at all, to meet the government's modest target of 1 percent GDP growth.

The European Union and International Monetary Fund last year extended a potential euro67.5 billion ($88 billion) line of credit to Ireland. Greece received its own bailout in May 2010, Portugal in April 2011.

As part of its deal, the Irish promised to rein in their deficit to the eurozone's 3 percent limit by 2015. Ireland posted an EU-record deficit of 32 percent of GDP in 2010 but hopes to reduce it to 10.1 percent this year.

All sides agree that Ireland cannot hope to meet the 2015 goal if its economy doesn't grow sufficiently.

Alan McQuaid, chief economist at Bloxham Stockbrokers in Dublin, said Ireland would "do well" to reach 0.5 percent growth this year "given the deteriorating world economic backdrop and the fall-off in global demand."

David Begg, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions representing about a third of Ireland's 2 million-strong work force, said the government's austerity program was too severe and "making recovery almost impossible."

"No economy can sustain the sort of ongoing damage that is being inflicted on us," Begg said. "The latest figures show, yet again, a big drop in domestic demand while retailers warn of more closures in the new year. We need growth and we need it quickly."

Fergal O'Brien, chief economist at the Irish Business and Employers Confederation that represents 7,500 companies, noted that Irish exports were still growing, while much of the quarterly fall was caused by a 20.9 percent drop in business investment in new equipment.

"It is likely that some firms are slowing investment decisions again due to the deteriorating international outlook," he said.

Ireland's latest austerity plans published last month are based on the presumption that Irish GDP will grow 1.6 percent in 2012 and 2.8 percent annually in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Economists have labeled those figures too optimistic.

Gross national product, meanwhile, fell 2.2 percent, short of expectations for a flat performance. Many economists consider GNP a better barometer of Ireland's economic health because it excludes the largely expatriated profits of nearly 1,000 foreign companies operating in the country.

Ireland this year is spending euro57 billion ($74.5 billion) ? including more than euro10 billion ($13 billion) in aid to its five nationalized banks ? but collecting barely euro34 billion ($44 billion) in taxes.

To try to reduce the gap, the government is imposing euro2.2 billion ($2.9 billion) in 2012 spending cuts and raising euro1 billion ($1.3 billion) in extra taxes, including a 2-point hike in sales tax to 23 percent and a new national property tax.

EU heavyweight France also sought to come to grips with a new report putting the country on course for renewed recession.

The French statistics agency Insee forecast Thursday night that the country's economy would decline for the last two quarters of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012 and resume weak growth only thereafter.

Insee said it expects the eurozone as a whole to experience "a short recessive episode" over the winter, and cautioned that market volatility made such predictions difficult.

France has been bracing for a potential downgrade of its top AAA credit rating. Its leaders insisted Friday their nation's economic fundamentals are strong ? and lashed out at Britain, which has been blamed for undermining confidence in Europe's efforts to tame the eurozone debt crisis.

"We would prefer to be French right now than British in terms of the economy," French Finance Minister Francois Baroin told Europe-1 radio.

Baroin described France's banks as "among the most resistant in the world" and called Britain's economy "worrying." He declined to elaborate.

Earlier this week France's central bank governor, Christian Noyer, told the French daily Le Telegramme that Britain should be at greater risk of losing its AAA rating than France.

He was quoted as saying that Britain suffers from "higher deficits, as much debt, more inflation, and less growth than we do. (Its) credit is collapsing."

___

Online:

Ireland's GDP and GNP, http://bit.ly/vTKjuI

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

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PFT: Steelers want to change ways, Farrior says

AP

The list of players apparently ignoring coach Mike Tomlin?s gag order on the James Harrison suspension continues to grow.

Steelers linebacker James Farrior, in a Thursday appearance on The Jim Rome Show, addressed the situation arising from Harrison?s latest violation of the rules.? Projecting something less than the trademark defiance that has characterized the Steelers? reaction to recent emphasis on illegal helmet-to-helmet hits, Farrior explained that he believes Harrison and other players need to change the way they plays.

?James is a passionate player,? Farrior said.? ?He plays the game with a lot of emotion.? He?s an awesome player.? I know he said he?s not going to change, but I know in the back of his mind, he?s gotta be really conscious about what?s he doing out there on the field.

?I hope he?s not that stubborn that he?s going to keep doing stuff like that.? We see what happens when we do stuff like that ? we get suspended, we get fined.? You know, we?re just kind of tired of being a target for the NFL, being the poster boy for these type of hits.? We want to try to change the way we play.? We still want to play as aggressive as we can, but we gotta play within the guidelines of the game.?

Though Farrior doesn?t believe that Harrison should have been suspended, Farrior thinks it?s time to submit to the league?s rules.? ?I think we have to accept it,? Farrior said.? ?We?re putting ourselves in bad situations, getting guys suspended. The only thing that?s going to do is hurt the team in the long run.? That?s not what we want to do.? That?s not what we?re about.?

Farrior deserves a ton of credit not only for coming to that conclusion, but also for verbalizing it.? Even if Harrison doesn?t realize that the suspension serves as a wake-up call for change, if it has that effect on his teammates, it?s worth it.

But then there are men like Troy Polamalu, who believe it?s impossible to teach an old dog new tricks.? ?I don?t think any football player is going to go out there and change the way they?re playing.? I think it?s too late in our lives to really do that,? Polamalu said.

That?s a cop out, and it perpetuates the stereotype that football players are cement-headed goons.? Anyone can change anything they do, if they truly want to do it.? If they don?t truly want to do it, they simply say they can?t.

Polamalu doesn?t want to change; Farrior realizes that they have to.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/15/james-farrior-says-james-harrison-needs-to-be-conscious-about-what-hes-doing/related/

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Gas and oil Investing Options | Article Directory Hub

Oil and gas investing gives a very good chance to earn money because of the ever rising demand world-wide. The planet has been dependent and will continue to depend upon oil and gas even in future. Oil and gas investing has various benefits. Since the desire is ever raising, investment in this niche offer better returns when compared with other industries. With the development in technology, the probability of risks are lessened to an excellent extent. Investment in crude oil market is considered to be safer, especially investment in significant firms. Also , government offers tax rebates on certain investments in this sector.

There are numerous ways of investing funds in gas and oil niche. People who?re conservative and present priority to basic safety of investment can invest in shares of big companies. Though the returns aren?t quite high, yet the key investment is safe and constant returns are reassured for a long duration of time. People who prefer better returns can invest in stocks of mid-sized businesses. All these companies are still growing; that?s why, they promise high returns yet these stocks carry a bit more risks. Individuals who wish to savor tax benefits and better returns can invest in independent corporations. Though the risk factor is high, but the returns are rewarding. Royalty money is one other way of investing in oil and gas industry. The returns are not very eye-catching, yet investors are assured of continuous revenue for yrs to come.

Investors who are trying to find high returns very quickly period can invest in mutual funds which specifically deal in oil and gas niche. The fund managers are experts, and investors stand an improved chance of earning high rate of returns fast. Nonetheless, investing in mutual funds is a more risky alternative. Commodities trading is another choice to invest in this field . This choice promises large returns in a very small amount of time period. You can double or triple your money in less than a month. But it?s a very risky option and investors can lose their whole investment. This alternative is ideal for people who are prepared to accept major chance of losing their entire money in an make an effort to gain huge profit by speculating fee movements in oil and gas field .

Hence , there are several ways of investing in crude market . It is constantly better to determine your requires and aims also as the amount of risk of investments before choosing any oil and gas investing choice.

Georgette Adanas has been writing articles on Oil and gas investing since 2001.

Source: http://www.articledirectoryhub.com/finance/gas-and-oil-investing-options/

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Fla. Gov. wants FAMU president suspended from job (AP)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? Florida's governor wants the president of Florida A&M University suspended amid multiple investigations spurred by a drum major's death.

Republican Rick Scott called the chairman of the FAMU board on Thursday and asked him to suspend James Ammons immediately. The board met last week and discussed suspending Ammons, but instead voted to publicly reprimand him. The board meets again Monday.

It was Scott who ordered Florida's law-enforcement agency to join an investigation into the death of Marching 100 band member Robert Champion. He died following a FAMU football game last month and hazing is suspected in his death.

State law enforcement officials said earlier this week they have opened a second investigation into possible criminal violations dealing with the band's finances.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_re_us/us_famu_student_dead

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The Snow-Covered Desktop [Featured Desktop]

Flickr user Sebastian Nielsen is feeling the cold temperatures, and wanted a desktop that was both informative but also reflects his hope for a white Christmas. He took this serene, snow-covered desktop and populated it with Rainmeter widgets to give him quick access to folders and his Google Calendar appointments.

If you want the same look for your Windows system, here's what you'll need:

If you need help getting all of the components to look just right, head over to tutorial on setting up Rainmeter to get started, or head over to Sebastian's flickr page and ask. If you have a Mac or are running Linux, you can approximate some of the same effects using GeekTool or Conky, respectively, but not everything.

Do you have a great, beautifully productive desktop of your own that you'd like to share? Go ahead and post it to the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group with a description of how you made it and it may be the next featured desktop.

Dual Screen Desktop | Flickr

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/vpd4NuRwHp8/the-snow+covered-desktop

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Sandusky waives hearing, vows to fight charges

Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, leaves the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, after waiving his preliminary hearing. The decision moves him toward a trial on charges of child sex abuse. At least some of his 10 accusers had been expected to testify at Tuesday's hearing. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Jerry Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, leaves the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, after waiving his preliminary hearing. The decision moves him toward a trial on charges of child sex abuse. At least some of his 10 accusers had been expected to testify at Tuesday's hearing. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Jerry Sandusky, left, the former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, arrives with his wife, Dottie Sandusky, at the Centre County Courthouse for a preliminary hearing, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, in Bellefonte Pa. Shortly after arriving, Sandusky waived his preliminary hearing, a decision that moves him toward a trial on charges of child sex abuse. At least some of his ten accusers had been expected to testify at the hearing. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Jerry Sandusky, left, the former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, arrives with his wife, Dottie Sandusky, at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. Sandusky has waived his preliminary hearing, a decision that moves him toward a trial on charges of child sex abuse. At least some of his 10 accusers had been expected to testify at the hearing. The move was announced as the hearing began Tuesday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Attorney Joe Amendola speaks outside the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, after his client, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, waived his preliminary hearing on charges of sexually abusing boys. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Jerry Sandusky, left, the former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing boys, arrives with his wife, Dottie Sandusky, for a preliminary hearing at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., where he will face his accusers Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) ? Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky opted against forcing his accusers to make their claims of child sex abuse in a packed courtroom Tuesday but then took his case to the courthouse steps as his lawyer assailed the credibility of the alleged victims and witnesses.

"There will be no plea negotiations," defense lawyer Joseph Amendola said. "This is a fight to the death."

Waiving such a preliminary hearing is not unusual but it was unexpected in this case: Amendola repeatedly had said his client was looking forward to facing his accusers. Afterward, he called the cancellation a "tactical decision" to prevent the men from reiterating the same claims they made to the grand jury.

Lawyers for the alleged victims said some were relieved they would not have to make their claims in public before a trial, but others said they had steeled themselves to face Sandusky and were left disappointed.

"It would have been apparent from watching those boys and their demeanor that they were telling the truth," said Howard Janet, a lawyer for a boy whose mother contacted police in 1998 after her son allegedly showered with Sandusky.

Sandusky has denied the allegations, which led to the departures of longtime Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and the university president. He is charged with more than 50 counts that accuse him of sexually abusing 10 boys over the span of 12 years.

Amendola said he believed some of the young men may have trumped up their claims and that others may came forward in a bid to make money by suing Sandusky, Penn State and the charity Sandusky founded.

"We're pursuing a financial motivation," Amendola said, "Finances and money are great motivators."

Michael Boni, a lawyer representing an accuser known as Victim 1, said Amendola was "reaching into his bag of tricks."

"I can tell you that Victim No. 1 is credible. He was the first one to come forward," he said.

Sandusky told reporters as he left the courthouse that he would "stay the course, to fight for four quarters" and "wait for the opportunity to present our side."

Many defendants waive preliminary hearings, during which prosecutors must show that they have probable cause to bring the case to trial. Prosecutors in this case were expected to meet that relatively low bar, in part because the case been through a grand jury.

Senior Deputy Attorney General E. Marc Costanzo said the move "provides maximum protection to most importantly the victims in this case."

"It avoids their having to testify for a second time," Costanzo said. "They will of course testify at a trial in the case."

Costanzo also said there had been no discussions about a plea bargain.

Sandusky also will waive his next court appearance, an arraignment, that had been scheduled for Jan. 11, Amendola said. He remains under house arrest.

The accusers who were prepared to testify were split in their reactions to the hearing being canceled.

Boni said he was encouraged that the accusers "do not have to relive the horrors they experience up on the witness stand" by having to testify at the hearing and at trial.

Ben Andreozzi, a lawyer representing another accuser, read a statement from his client, who called it the most difficult time of his life.

"I can't believe they put us through this until the last second," the statement read. "I still will stand my ground, testify and speak the truth."

Ken Suggs, another attorney for one of the accusers, called Sandusky a "coward" for not facing the young men.

Witnesses have contended before the grand jury that Sandusky committed a range of sexual offenses against boys as young as 10, assaulting them in hotel swimming pools, the basement of his home in State College and in the locker room showers at Penn State, where the 67-year-old former assistant football coach once built a national reputation as a defensive mastermind.

Sandusky has told NBC and The New York Times that his relationship to the boys who said he abused them was like that of an extended family. Sandusky characterized his experiences with the children as "precious times" and said the physical aspect of the relationships "just happened that way" and didn't involve abuse.

Amendola said Sandusky was always emotional and physical ? "a loving guy, an affectionate guy" ? who never did anything illegal. The lawyer likened Sandusky's behavior to his own Italian family in which "everybody hugged and kissed each other."

Sandusky retired from Penn State in 1999, a year after the first known abuse allegation reached police when a mother told investigators Sandusky had showered with her son during a visit to the Penn State football facilities. Accusations surfaced again in 2002, when graduate assistant Mike McQueary reported another alleged incident of abuse to Paterno and other university officials.

The grand jury probe began only in 2009, after a teen complained that Sandusky, then a volunteer coach at his high school, had abused him.

Sandusky first groomed him with gifts and trips in 2006 and 2007, then sexually assaulted him more than 20 times in 2008 through early 2009, the teen told the grand jury.

Amendola on Tuesday attacked McQueary by citing an anonymously sourced newspaper report that claimed the former graduate assistant changed his story when speaking to a family friend. The defense attorney said McQueary would derail the prosecution and other accusers also would be questioned.

"McQueary was always the centerpiece of the prosecution's case," he said.

No one answered the door at Mike McQueary's home and his father, John, told The Associated Press that he wouldn't respond to Amendola's comments.

Sandusky founded The Second Mile, an organization to help struggling children, in 1977, and built it into a major charitable organization, headquartered in State College with offices in other parts of Pennsylvania.

Two university officials have been charged with perjury and failure to report suspected abuse ? athletic director Tim Curley and former university vice president Gary Schultz. Their preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday in Harrisburg.

Curley has been placed on leave and Schultz has returned to retirement in the wake of their arrests. The scandal brought down university president Graham Spanier and longtime coach Paterno, who was fired last month.

Meanwhile, officials at Juniata College said Tuesday that Sandusky insinuated himself into the school's football program last year, despite being denied an official position because he failed a background check.

Sandusky had sought a volunteer coaching position at the Division III school in May 2010, more than a year after a high school where he volunteered began investigating his contact with a student there.

Sandusky attended Juniata practices and games despite the athletic director's directives to the then-head coach that Sandusky couldn't associate with the team, a school spokesman said.

The spokesman, John Wall, said the school has since taken steps to ensure better communication between coaches and administrators.

___

Associated Press writer Genaro C. Armas in Bellefonte and Randy Pennell in Philadelphia contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-13-Penn%20State-Abuse/id-97deb8fd8a3345e8a87b8bcd86d4a00b

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