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Saturday, February 18, 2012

Lexus London SUVs

February 17th, 2012 by admin

My husband wanted a sport utility vehicle or SUV, so I told him about the Lexus RX crossover SUV I spotted at Lexus London. A crossover SUV is sometimes called a CUV for crossover utility vehicle. The SUV/CUV is built using a car platform and then combining features of a conventional SUV. The 2007 RX 400h is a hybrid vehicle (the little h beside the 400 number stands for hybrid), so it will save on gas money. It has 75,100 miles on it, and the asking price is 16,990 GBP. The colour is a sleek Astral Black, and it has many useful features included.

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Source: http://www.notwithoutafight.net/automotive/lexus-london-suvs/

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Friday, February 17, 2012

The Daily Show, 12 More News Outlets Join Facebook?s Media App Virality Bonanza

There's a referral traffic goldmine on Facebook, and today 13 more news outlets are staking their claim. The Daily Show, MSNBC, Buzzfeed, and The Huffington Post are launching Facebook Open Graph reader and video watching apps today or soon, Facebook just announced. By automatically publishing stories back to the Facebook Ticker, Timeline, and News Feed, these apps will hope to score the same traffic boosts attained by The Washington Post, Yahoo, and Digg. However, if they should also provide "mark as unread / unwatched" options to let users curate what they share.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/1fj4e4RqJik/

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Eunice Hyon Min Rho: The Conspiracy to Expand Democracy

Even though we pride ourselves as a beacon of democracy around the world, a recent Pew Report revealed that we are falling far short of our ideals. We are one of the few democratic nations in the world that imposes on voters the burden of registration. This has significant costs, both in real dollars and to our democracy. In this modern age, our registration system is almost entirely paper-based. When this is coupled with the requirement that voters re-register each time they move in our highly mobile world, it is hardly shocking that nearly a quarter of eligible voters remain unregistered and that this burden falls disproportionately on the mobile, young, low-income, and those serving in our nation?s armed services. The study?s findings are especially dismaying in light of the sustained attack on our fundamental right to vote, which willfully ignores the real problems plaguing our system of elections.

Not too long ago, a rebellious, renegade body known as the United States Congress declared,

The right of citizens of the United States to vote is a fundamental right; It is the duty of the Federal, State, and local governments to promote the exercise of that right; and Discriminatory and unfair registration laws and procedures can have a direct and damaging effect on voter participation in elections for Federal office and disproportionately harm voter participation by various groups, including racial minorities.

By enacting the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA, more commonly known as the ?motor voter? law) in 1993, Congress sought to increase registration opportunities -- by making registration more convenient to voters. This law was a true breakthrough: Not only would the government now serve voters? needs, the law required public assistance agencies and those serving the disabled to offer comprehensive voter registration opportunities.

The proposal to expand registration opportunities to low-income and marginalized Americans was hotly contested. Opponents argued that this was a mere partisan conspiracy designed to increase turnout for one party and that opening up public assistance and disability assistance agencies to voter registration would invite fraud.

In response to this suspicion and fear mongering, the late Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota implored for extending the government?s reach to the underserved, stating, ?The only conspiracy to this particular bill is a conspiracy of political participation: the conspiracy of voter registration; the conspiracy of voter turnout; the conspiracy of expanding democracy; the conspiracy of encouraging and enabling people to participate in the political process in America.?

Nonetheless, state governments continue to defy this critical law. In response, the ACLU, along with its partners, recently sued the State of Georgia for denying lower-income and disabled voters the opportunity to participate in our democracy. We will continue our fight in states like Senator Wellstone?s own Minnesota, where legislators are contemplating a constitutional amendment to require voter ID, and in South Carolina, which may severely restrict voter registration drives by burdening them with unnecessary restrictions and fines.

Take action and help us stop these misguided laws. Join us in our conspiracy to preserve democracy.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eunice-hyon-min-rho/the-conspiracy-to-expand-democracy_b_1280013.html

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The Importance of Self Defense for Women

Published by Elizabeth | February 15, 2012 | | 9

It is vital that women know how to protect themselves as statistically speaking women are at a greater risk of being attacked than men. Two Self defense techniques that reduce a female?s risk of being attacked are:

? ?Avoid going anywhere at night alone
? ?Avoid poorly lit areas.

As a female one of your most useful self defense technique is your intuition. if you are out shopping and it gets too late do not hesitate to ask the security guard to accompany you? to your vehicle, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Having simple self defense weapons readily at hand such as a pepper spray canister can be the difference between life and death; as such it is highly recommended that all females invest in one of these.

The truth is that why learning martial arts help you to defend yourself as a female, most men are able to overpower the average female which is the very reason why females are at a greater risk of being attacked.

Having self defense weapons like tasers, stun guns and the previously mentioned pepper spray helps to even the odds a bit. These weapons can buy you a few valuable seconds to make your escape or raise an alarm. Always be aware of your surroundings and ensure that these weapons are easily accessible at all times.

It is important that you do not make a target of yourself. Walk with your head held high and with confidence. Perpetrators tend to target the victims they believe will provide the least resistance as such females that appear meek and scared are favorable targets. Your body language can be a huge deterrent. If an attacker is trying to put you into a vehicle drop all of your weight to the ground. It will make it more difficult for your attacker to get you in the vehicle and can be used as a subtly cry for help.

The odds of you being a victim of a violent crime this year is 1 in 48. Learn how to protect and defense yourself and loved ones so you don?t become a statistic. For more information on The Importance of Self Defense for Women visit www.protectionandselfdefense.com/sdfree.html.

Source: http://www.1directory.net/womens-interests/the-importance-of-self-defense-for-women-4790.html

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Bulldog adopts 6 wild boar piglets in Germany

French bulldog named Baby, left, attends the feeding of wild boar piglets by employee Norbert Damm at the Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. Six little pigs have found a new friend in a maternal French bulldog named Baby. The Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin says Baby took straight to the wild boar piglets when they were brought in Saturday, three days old and shivering from cold. Sanctuary worker Norbert Damm said Wednesday as soon as the furry striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, even though they're already about her size. He says the piglets' mother was likely killed by a hunter and the litter was found abandoned in a forest. The piglets are being bottlefed right now and should be released to an animal sanctuary when they can feed themselves in about three months. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

French bulldog named Baby, left, attends the feeding of wild boar piglets at the Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. Six little pigs have found a new friend in a maternal French bulldog named Baby. The Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin says Baby took straight to the wild boar piglets when they were brought in Saturday, three days old and shivering from cold. Sanctuary worker Norbert Damm said Wednesday as soon as the furry striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, even though they're already about her size. He says the piglets' mother was likely killed by a hunter and the litter was found abandoned in a forest. The piglets are being bottlefed right now and should be released to an animal sanctuary when they can feed themselves in about three months. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

BERLIN (AP) ? Forget the three little pigs hiding from the big bad wolf. These six little pigs have found a new friend in a maternal French bulldog named Baby.

The Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin said Baby took straight to the wild boar piglets when they were brought in Saturday, three days old and shivering from cold.

Sanctuary worker Norbert Damm said Wednesday that, as soon as the furry striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, even though they're almost her size.

The 8-year-old bulldog has stayed right by their side since then, making sure they're OK, Damm said.

"She thinks they're her own babies," Damm said.

It isn't the first time Baby's taken to new guests at the sanctuary ? she's also raised raccoons, cats and many other animals, Damm said.

"She's an uber-mother," he said.

The piglets' own mother was likely killed by a hunter and the litter of three males and three females was found abandoned in a forest.

At the time they were found they weighed in at under a kilogram (two pounds) each but are being bottle-fed at the sanctuary and are growing well, Damm said.

He said they can't be released into the wild because they have no fear of humans, but it should be possible to set them free in a nature reserve in about three months, once they can feed themselves.

Wild boars are common in Germany, even in big cities, and herds have been growing as expanding commercial crops have provided them with more food.

Recent estimates have put the boar population at more than 10,000 in Berlin alone, where they live in extensive wooded areas and often venture into backyards and sports fields, tearing up turf to look for food.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-02-15-EU-ODD-Germany-Six-Little-Pigs/id-d6ce9c637b04440eba73dfdf95e842c4

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

For Houston mourners, a dearth of places to grieve

People walk past, a large image of Whitney Houston displayed on the side of the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. Houston's funeral will be held Saturday in the church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child, her family choosing to remember her in a private service rather than in a large event at an arena. Officials had discussed the possibility of holding a memorial at the Prudential Center, a major sports and entertainment venue that can seat about 18,000 people, but the funeral home said it had been ruled out. Houston, 48, died Feb. 11 at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., just hours before she was set to perform at producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards bash. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Lamar Coleman of Newark dressed as Michael Jackson, pays respect to Whitney Houston at Whigham Funeral Home, in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. The 48-year-old pop star was found dead in the bathtub in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, hours before she was supposed to appear at a pre-Grammy gala. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Stephanie Crews, of Newark, as she places balloons outside the front door of Whigham Funeral Home, which will hold a private service for the late Whitney Houston, in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. Crews says she knows the family from church. The 48-year-old pop star was found dead in the bathtub in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, hours before she was supposed to appear at a pre-Grammy gala. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

A tribute to Whitney Houston is displayed on the large video board outside the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. The 48-year-old pop star was found dead in the bathtub in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, hours before she was supposed to appear at a pre-Grammy gala. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Carolyn Whigham, owner of Whigham Funeral Home, where the body of singer Whitney Houston is held since its arrival in New Jersey, talks to the media, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, in Newark, N.J. Whigham said funeral services for the late singer are set for Feb. 18 at New Hope Baptist Church. Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Feb. 11. She was 48. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) ? In Whitney Houston's hometown, her family plans a private church service, with no public memorial set. In Los Angeles, where she died, there's not even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for fans to pile flowers. So for the legion of music lovers mourning a global superstar, where do broken hearts go?

Fans who have gathered outside the church where Houston will be eulogized Saturday at an invitation-only service ? and outside the funeral home where her body now rests ? say they understand why the family wants to keep the world out the best they can. But they also yearned for the chance to fully share in the grief and the remembrance of a native daughter who made it big and made them proud.

Samuel Turner Jackson, of Newark, said he was looking forward to heading down to "The Rock," as the Prudential Center is known. Before, that is, the funeral home announced Tuesday that no public service would be held at the 18,000-seat arena, an option that had been discussed.

The arena, home to home to the NHL's New Jersey Devils, displayed an image of Houston on a screen outside Tuesday.

"We don't know what the circumstances are, but we're sure that the family did want to share something with the community that she gave so much to," he said. "But they have their reasons, and we're going to do the best we can to pay our respects and to mourn her."

Antonio Ballinger, of Newark, also hoped to attend a public service and "see her off," and said he was saddened to hear he wouldn't get the opportunity.

"But my blessings go out to the family, and I wish them nothing but the best," he said.

The family said Tuesday it had no plans right now for a public memorial. Still, fans in this downtrodden city held out hope.

"Maybe at some point down the road, they might do something," said B.J. Frazier, of East Orange. "It's like they're saying today, they shared her for a long time and they just want her to themselves for now."

Houston, a sensation from her first, eponymous album in 1985, was one of the world's best-selling artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, turning out such hits as "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," ''How Will I Know," ''The Greatest Love of All" and "I Will Always Love You." But as she struggled with drugs, her majestic voice became raspy, and she couldn't hit the high notes.

Houston, 48, died Feb. 11 at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., just hours before she was set to perform at producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards bash. Officials say she was underwater and apparently unconscious when she was pulled from a bathtub.

Authorities Sunday said an autopsy found no indications of foul play or obvious signs of trauma on Houston. It could be weeks, however, before the coroner's office completes toxicology tests to establish the cause of death.

Houston was born in Newark and was raised in nearby East Orange. She began singing as a child at New Hope Baptist Church, where her mother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, led the music program for many years. Her cousin, future pop star Dionne Warwick, also sang in its choir.

The family decided that, after sharing Whitney with the city, state and world for more than 30 years, "this is their time now for their farewell," said funeral home owner Carolyn Whigham.

"The family thanks all the fans, the friends and the media, but this time is their private time," she said.

The hearse that carried Houston's body from an airport to the Whigham Funeral Home came into Newark under the cloak of darkness, in the middle of the night, denying local folks another opportunity to grieve publicly.

Police met with church officials Tuesday to discuss logistics and how to handle the large crowds expected to gather Saturday in the streets outside the New Hope Baptist Church, about a mile from the funeral home.

In Newark, perennially ranked among the nation's poorest and most dangerous cities, a public memorial at taxpayer expense is a tricky proposition. New Jersey's largest city, at more than 270,000 residents, laid off more than 160 police officers in November. The dismal school system is relying on a large grant from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for salvation.

And whether the megastar's estate would pick up any slack for a memorial is up for debate. The singer failed to fulfill a $100 million recording deal in 2001 that reportedly called for six records. Since then, only four have come out, including a greatest hits collection that was not released in the United States. She lost two homes to foreclosure several years ago.

Newark's quandary is similar to the decisions Los Angeles had to make when Michael Jackson, another pop superstar brought down before his time, died in 2009. A public memorial at the Staples Center, a professional sports arena, cost taxpayers about $3 million but pumped a million more than that into the local economy through hotel stays, restaurants and other businesses, according to a city report.

In Los Angeles, it has become a tradition that whenever a major celebrity dies, fans lay flowers and other gestures of sorrow and tribute on the deceased's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Houston had no star, leaving Angelenos with nowhere in particular to express their grief.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which manages the Walk of Fame, explained that Houston was selected for a star in 1995, but a date was never requested by the singer's representatives for an unveiling ceremony. That selection expired in 2000, it said, but can be reconsidered if desired by the family.

Gospel singer Marvin Winans, a Grammy Award winner and longtime family friend, has been chosen to give the eulogy in Newark, his son, Marvin Jr., and Winans' office at Perfecting Faith Church in Detroit told The Associated Press.

Winans, in his role as a pastor, married Houston and fellow singer Bobby Brown in 1992; the couple later divorced. The Winans and Houston families have been friends for years, and Houston performed with Winans' siblings CeCe and BeBe, members of one of gospel music's most prominent families.

Houston was especially close to CeCe and BeBe Winans and performed with both. She and CeCe Winans sang "Count on Me," for the movie "Waiting to Exhale," in which Houston starred.

In a show of support for the local community and in lieu of flowers, Houston's family asked Tuesday that any donations in her memory be sent to the Whitney Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, a public school in East Orange serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Houston attended the school as a girl, when it was named the Franklin School, and regularly visited for many years afterward. On Monday, students held an outdoor service in her memory.

Houston left behind one child, daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, 18, from her marriage to Brown.

Gov. Chris Christie ordered flags flown at half-staff Saturday at state government buildings, describing Houston as a "cultural icon" who belongs in the same category of New Jersey music history as Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Bruce Springsteen.

"Her accomplishments were a great source of pride for the people of the state," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Dave Porter in Newark and Ryan Nakashima in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-02-15-Whitney%20Houston/id-684c5b6f027b4201917de8a93ebcb215

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Is Fox News shifting to the Left? (The Week)

New York ? Conservatives are grumbling that Fox isn't speaking their language anymore. Did Fox chief Roger Ailes take his "course correction" too far?Fox News chief Roger Ailes ordered a "course correction" at the network last year, parting ways with Glenn Beck and telling the rest of Fox's conservative talent to tamp down the rhetorical heat and extol the Tea Party movement less avidly. Conservatives aren't loving the change, says Keach Hagey in Politico, and some are tuning out. Fox's apparent shift toward the center was widely discussed and lamented at last weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). "I've gone from all Fox to no Fox, and replaced it with CNN, which I think right now is giving me a much fairer analysis of what's going on," right-wing Virginia talk radio gabber John Fredericks tells Politico. Is Fox News really veering leftward?

I guess "shift to the Left" is relative: What proof did Fredericks offer of this leftward lurch, asks Ed Kilgore in Washington Monthly. He's apparently upset ? "seriously" ? that Karl Rove (despite his supporting Romney) and Sean Hannity (allied to the Republican establishment) seem to be getting extra airtime. Other right-wing critics are griping over Beck's ouster. In other words, "any 'shift to the left' makes sense only as a relative term for any fixed object that is part of a Republican Party apparatus moving rapidly to the right."
"Fox's 'Shift to the Left'"

The shift is real, and politically savvy: The disgruntled conservatives are right about Fox's "subtle but real" move toward the center, says Paul Waldman in The American Prospect. But the "fevered conspiracy theories" they're employing to explain the shift are amusingly off base. Fox isn't caving to George Soros or going soft; it's moving "in the direction that Roger Ailes believes is the most advantageous for the GOP." In 2010, that was fueling the Tea Party. But to win a presidential race, you aim for the middle.
"Fox News, now part of the liberal media"

This is about business, and Fox isn't alone: Fox is, above all else, a very successful business, and good businesses adapt, says Evan McMurray in PoliticOlogy. Fox and its liberal counterpart, MSNBC, have both tapped "their respective extremes for all they're worth," and both are moving toward the center in an effort to grow their stagnating audience numbers. So Fox ditches Beck, and MSNBC loses Keith Olbermann, and "the effect overall can't help but be good" for each side ? if, that is, the polarized audiences they helped create go along.
"Fox News changes anger Tea Party audience"

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