T.I. To Celebrate New Year's Eve With New Mixtape

'New year, new money. That's that,' Tip tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX

T.I.
Photo: Chris McKay/ Getty Images

T.I. has a lot to celebrate this New Year's Eve. This time last year, the King of the South was locked up, serving an 11-month sentence for a probation violation, but since his September release Tip has been on a tear, dropping a ton of new music and landing a reality show with his wife, Tiny, on VH1.

Tip has some big plans for ringing in the new year, even though he tries to downplay things. "For New Year's I'm gonna be waitin' on F--- da City Up to drop. We got a party poppin' off down here in Atlanta, 200 Peachtree. We gonna turn up and it's basically that," he told MTV News nonchalantly. "Between the party and the mixtape, that's all I got going. New year, new money. That's that."

Tip has been dropping viral teasers for F--- da City Up for about a week; the latest one, which dropped on Tuesday, shows T.I. in the studio with Dr. Dre.

"Dre was here. He sent for me, and of course I answered. We really just turned up more than anything else. It was about creating chemistry," T.I. told MTV News while in Atlanta preparing for the release of the tape.

On New Year's Eve, T.I. and his Grand Hustle fam will host a party in the Grand Atrium at 200 Peachtree in downtown Atlanta from 9 p.m. ET to 3:00 a.m. Sounds like fun.

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• T.I.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676615/new-years-eve-ti-mixtape-f-da-city.jhtml

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Getting Auto Insurance Tips That Are Quick And Easy | Lamed ...

If you own a vehicle, you need to have insurance. However, remember that not all auto insurance companies are the same. By brushing up on the subject of car insurance, you will be better equipped to get the best deal on the coverage you need.

Purchasing auto insurance can potentially be overwhelming nevertheless you do not need to worry about receiving the ideal price point by going to a website that helps you find the cheapest car insurance guaranteed.

One way to get lower insurance premiums is to raise the amount of your deductible. Having a high deductible is the best way to have high premiums. You will want to know that you are liable for the deductible when you make a claim. You should put some money to the side in case this occurs.

When deciding on what coverage to get, consider the age and value of your vehicle. An older vehicle doesn?t need quite the same coverage as a newer vehicle. The rate at which cars are stolen is also something that is a factor. The more likely it is that your vehicle will be stolen, the more you should think about paying for comprehensive insurance.

If you have a safe driving record, you may be eligible for discounts. Insurance companies frequently offer you discounts if you are a careful driver and obey traffic regulations. Letting your driving record get sloppy costs money. If you develop cautious habits instead, you may save money on your insurance premium.

By raising your credit score it is possible to obtain cheaper motor vehicle insurance. A little known fact is that insurers actively check your credit. Insurance companies use credit scores as one of the factors in determining your rates, because studies have found a correlation between people with low credit scores and people who get into accidents. You can maintain a lower insurance rate by keeping a good credit score.

They type of vehicle you buy will play a huge role in the price you pay for your insurance policy. Depending on your taste in vehicles, from a luxury model hybrid to a beat up gas guzzler, your insurance premium will reflect that taste. The most cost effective choice is to find a simple, yet safe, vehicle that you like.

You must notify the police if there is a car accident. Law enforcement agents are trained on how to collect and file relevant facts. When you have to file with your insurance, a police report may be required. Contact the local police department as soon as possible.

Moving to another city or state can lower the price of your insurance plan. Insurance regulations and premiums vary from place to place. In other words, car insurance can be cheaper when you live somewhere else.

Be careful to always maintain a clean driving record. Having tickets or accidents on your driving record can raise your rates on your insurance policy. Once you have something negative on your driving record, you may be able lower your insurance by attending traffic school.

As you have read, there are numerous ways to change the price you pay on your auto insurance. You can control how far you commute, your driving history and your credit rating. By learning how these factors effect you, you can reduce the cost of your insurance to an amount that you are happy with.

Source: http://lamedchicago.com/?p=16

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Issue for the week of January 14th, 2012

With a little data, Eureqa generates fundamental laws of nature (p. 20)

Elite athletes get their heads in the game (p. 22)

Elements under pressure reveal secrets of extreme chemistry (p. 26)

Nine-year record collected from orbit finds supply dropping mostly due to agriculture. (p. 5)

A brain-damaged man yields controversial clues to how people identify complex objects. (p. 8)

Treatment enables cells to produce a key blood-clotting compound, allowing some patients to quit medication. (p. 9)

The Kepler space telescope gets one step closer to its mission of discovering habitable worlds by finding two orbs of terrestrial proportions orbiting a distant sunlike star. (p. 10)

Nearly a year after receiving a spectacular celestial gift, astrophysicists are still asking: ?What is it?? (p. 11)

Based on the way that primitive lungfish use their fins to move along tank bottoms, researchers argue for an underwater start to four-legged locomotion. (p. 12)

Island?s natural fruit supply iffy for orangutans. (p. 12)

Just hearing recordings of predators, in the absence of any real danger, caused sparrows to raise fewer babies. (p. 13)

A fossilized feathered dinosaur dined on bird not long before its own demise. (p. 13)

People in southern Arabia around 100,000 years ago made tools like those of East Africans. (p. 14)

When stressed, bacteria can temporarily turn comatose and dodge germ-screening tests. (p. 16)

The complete genetic instruction book for making monarch butterflies contains information about how the insects manage their long migration to Mexico. (p. 16)

Naked mole rats don?t feel the burn of acid thanks to tweaks in a protein involved in sending pain messages to the brain. (p. 17)

Decisions more democratic when individuals with no preset preference join a group. (p. 18)

Analysis of stock trading data suggests an effort to manipulate the market in 2007. (p. 18)

Review by Bruce Bower (p. 30)

Review by Nick Bascom (p. 30)

(p. 30)

(p. 30)

(p. 30)

(p. 30)

(p. 30)

(p. 4)

(p. 4)

(p. 4)

(p. 31)

A pituitary hormone goes from labor drug to love drug. (p. 4)

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/issue/id/337264/title/Issue_for_the_week_of_January_14th,_2012

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Jamie Dupree's Washington Insider: Sen. Ben Nelson Retires

By Jamie Dupree

Democrats got some unwelcome election news on Tuesday, when Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska announced he would not seek re-election, giving Republicans a good opportunity to pick up a Senate seat in the 2012 elections.

"I want to thank Senator Nelson for his years of service representing the people of Nebraska," said President Obama in a written statement issued by the White House.

Mr. Obama also took time to note Nelsons's middle-of-the-road politics, which often earned him the political stink eye from fellow Democrats.

"Over the course of his career, Ben?s commitment to working with both Democrats and Republicans across a broad range of issues is a trait far too often overlooked in today?s politics," said the President.

But to most in both parties, Nelson's willingness to vote with Republicans was reason number one that many Democrats had been secretly wishing that Nelson would just stay in Omaha.

Nelson is certainly one of a dying breed, the Blue Dog Democrat, as those conservatives are almost extinct now in the Congress.

As of now, this seat would seem to favor Republicans; but a lot of that could well depend on the candidates who end up in the race.

Democrats were already trying to convince former Sen. Bob Kerrey to run again; it doesn't seem that long ago that I was covering Kerrey when he crossed swords with President Bill Clinton on budget policies.

Just as I'm dating myself a little with a mention of Bob Kerrey, it doesn't seem that long ago that the Congress had a big chunk of conservative Democrats and more liberal Republicans.

But both parties have done a very effective job of purging those types from their party ranks.

Chalk up another one with Nelson's departure.

Source: http://www.wsbradio.com/weblogs/jamie-dupree/2011/dec/27/sen-ben-nelson-retires/

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A Christian on Hitchens' Atheism and Lowe's Muslim Problem (Time.com)

David Caton owes me one. I interviewed the head of the Florida Family Association last week during his bigoted but successful crusade to get companies like Lowe's to pull ads from All-American Muslim, the Learning Channel reality show about a community of Muslim Americans. Before Caton hung up on me -- he gets angry when you question his complaint that the show presents Muslims in too positive a light and not as crazed radicals plotting to impose Islamic shari'a law from Maine to Monterey -- I corrected his pronunciation of imam, a Muslim cleric, from Eye-mam to the proper Ee-mawm. Later that day, I heard him say it properly on CNN.

But that's all he got right. I concern myself with Caton -- who also likes to hire small planes to haul banners over Orlando warning people that homosexuals visit Disney World -- only for two reasons. One is that a major corporation like Lowe's actually caved to the Evangelical's ugly Islamophobia. The other is that he got his 15 minutes of fame at about the same time that Christopher Hitchens died, on Dec. 15. Hitchens was best known as one of the "angry atheists" for his 2007 best seller God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, and narrow-minded fundamentalists like Caton made his work a lot easier. So of course did extremist Muslims, as well as extremist Roman Catholics, Jews, Hindus and all the fanatics who ruin religion the way drunks ruin driving. Which is why Hitchens' attacks on faith, while brilliantly written, could also feel gratuitous. (See "Christopher Hitchens, RIP.")

So it's fitting, at least for the silent majority of Christians who aren't hatemongering zealots but who derive hope and humane inspiration from our beliefs, that Caton and Hitchens should both be in the news during the Christmas season. The holiday's anticommercialization critics are right to argue that Christians spend too much time on outdoor lights at the expense of the inner light kindled by the story of God's incarnation in a manger. I'm as guilty as anyone in that regard. But Caton and Hitchens at least give us Christians a convenient place to start. They prod us on the one hand to assess what isn't Christian -- like demonizing gays and Muslims -- and on the other hand to reaffirm why Christianity and religion itself are a positive and not always poisonous influence in the world.

The crux of the Florida Family Association's campaign is Caton's preposterous claim, as he told me, that "every Eye-mam in this country wants to put the U.S. under shari'a law." Every imam I know here in Miami rejects the idea. "Muslims are only 6 million out of 300 million in this country," one reminds me. "We rely on U.S. law to protect our rights as a minority." They're also a minority who wish Christians well at Christmas: the Koran reverently mentions Jesus and the Virgin Mary almost 60 times. (See "Do Shari'a Courts Have a Role in British Life?")

One way, then, that Christians can practice Jesus' teachings of love, tolerance and charity this yuletide is by resolving to reassure folks like Muslims that we're not like the Florida Family Association. That we're committed to the code of Christmas -- "Peace on earth to people of goodwill" -- trumpeted by the same angels we place atop the trees in our living rooms.

That's also one of the best ways to answer Hitchens as well as other angry atheists like Richard Dawkins and quite a few members of my own hypersecular profession. It's a fairly widely accepted maxim that atheist fundamentalists, as I call them, can be just as intolerant as religious fundamentalists. And the problem they share is that both take religion way too literally. Just as Christian fundamentalists insist on a literal reading of the Bible, angry atheists tend to insist that belief in God qualifies you as a raving creationist. (See "Why Christopher Hitchens Is Wrong About Billy Graham.")

Here's what they refuse to get: Yes, Christians believe that Jesus' nativity was a virgin birth and that he rose from the dead on Easter. But if you were to show most Christians incontrovertible scientific proof that those miracles didn't occur, they would shrug -- because their faith means more to them than that. Because in the end, what they have faith in is the redemptive power of the story. In Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited, an agnostic says to his Catholic friend, "You can't seriously believe it all ... I mean about Christmas and the star and the three kings and the ox and the ass."

"Oh yes, I believe that. It's a lovely idea."

"But you can't believe things simply because they're a lovely idea."

"But I do. That's how I believe."

I'm willing to bet it's how most believers believe. Before Hitchens died at 62 from esophageal cancer, he made a point of declaring he was certain no heaven awaited him. But that swipe at the faithful always misses the point. Most of us don't believe in God because we think it's a ticket to heaven. Rather, our belief in God -- our belief in the living ideal of ourselves, which is something even atheists ponder -- instills in us a faith that in the end, light always defeats darkness (which is how people get through the wars and natural disasters I cover). That does make us open to the possibility of the hereafter -- but more important, it gives us purposeful inspiration to make the here and now better.

With all due respect to the memory of Christopher Hitchens, making the here and now better would be difficult without religion. But it's also hard enough without the un-Christian antics of people like David Caton. As Christmas ought to remind us.

See TIME's 2011 Person of the Year.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20111227/us_time/08599210292700

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No holiday weekend traffic deaths in L.A.; 6 die in California

For a second consecutive year, there were no fatal car accidents on Los Angeles freeways over the holiday weekend, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Statewide,?six people were killed in traffic accidents on California?s vast network of freeways and in the unincorporated areas patrolled by CHP, said Officer Jennifer Connolly.? That marked a significant increase over last year, when the agency investigated only one death in all of California.

The number of people arrested on suspicion of drunk driving jumped.?In Los Angeles County, the CHP made 182 such arrests this year, compared to 102 in 2010, according to CHP figures. In all of California, 889 alleged drunk drivers were taken into custody ?- a 25% increase?from last year.

The tallies run from Friday evening through Monday morning.? The Los Angeles Police Department, the county Sheriff?s Department and other local agencies have not yet released figures for areas they patrol.

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Four injured in ambulance accident

-- Joel Rubin (twitter.com/joelrubin)

Photo: Fall traffic on the Hollywood Freeway. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/BXBo4VrPIqI/no-fatalities-holiday-weekend-traffic.html

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Nigerian blasts mar pope's Christmas peace appeal (AP)

VATICAN CITY ? Pope Benedict XVI issued pleas for peace to reign across the world during his traditional Christmas address Sunday, a call marred by Muslim extremists who bombed a Catholic church in Nigeria, striking after worshippers celebrated Mass.

The assault on the Catholic church left 35 dead in Madalla, near the Nigerian capital. A failed bombing also occurred near a church in the city of Jos, followed by a shooting that killed a police officer. The blast came a year after a series of Christmas Eve bombs in Jos claimed by Islamist militants killed 32.

Benedict didn't refer explicitly to the Nigerian bombings in his "Urbi et Orbi" speech, Latin for "to the city and to the world" in which he raises alarm about world hotspots. But in a statement, the Vatican called the attacks a sign of "cruelty and absurd, blind hatred" that shows no respect for human life.

Elsewhere, Christmas was celebrated with the typical joy of the season: In Cuba, Catholics had plenty to cheer as they prepared for Benedict's March arrival, the first visit by a pontiff to the Communist-run island since John Paul II's historic tour nearly 14 years ago.

"We have faith in God that we will be allowed to have this treat," said Rogelio Montes de Oca, 72, as he stood outside the Cathedral in Old Havana. "Not every country will have the chance to see him physically and receive his blessing."

And in the Holy Land, pilgrims and locals alike flocked to Jesus' traditional birthplace in numbers not seen since before the Palestinian uprising over a decade ago, despite lashing rains and wind.

"We wanted to be part of the action," said Don Moore, 41, a psychology professor from Berkeley, California, who came to Bethlehem with his family. "This is the place, this is where it all started. It doesn't get any more special than that."

The holy town of Bethlehem is no stranger to violence. Like the rest of the West Bank, it fell on hard times after the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation broke out in late 2000.

But as the violence has subsided, tourists have returned in large numbers. On Saturday, turnout for Christmas Eve festivities in Bethlehem was at its highest since the uprising began driving tourists away. An estimated 100,000 visitors streamed into Manger Square on Christmas Eve, up from 70,000 the previous year, according to the Israeli military's count.

The Holy Land and the entire Mideast were very much on Benedict's mind as he delivered his Christmas speech from the the sun-drenched loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. The 84-year-old pontiff appeared in fine form, just hours after celebrating a two-hour long Christmas Eve Mass that ended around midnight.

"May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood," Benedict said.

He said he hoped that the birth of Jesus, which Christmas celebrates, would send a message to all who need to be saved from hardships: that Israelis and the Palestinians would resume peace talks and that there would be an "end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already been shed."

He called for international assistance for refugees from the Horn of Africa and flood victims in Thailand, among others, and urged greater political dialogue in Myanmar, and stability in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa's Great Lakes region, which includes Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.

After his speech, Benedict delivered Christmas greetings in 65 different languages, from Mongolian to Maori, Aramaic to Albanian, Tamil to Thai. He finished the list with Guarani and Latin, as the bells tolled from St. Peter's enormous bell towers.

In the piazza below, thousands of jubilant tourists and pilgrims, and hundreds of colorful Swiss Guards and Italian military bands mingled around the Vatican's giant Christmas tree and larger-than-life sized nativity scene.

In the U.K., the leader of the world's Anglicans, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said the summer riots in Britain and the financial crisis had abused trust in British society.

In his Christmas Day sermon, Rowan Williams appealed to those congregated at Canterbury Cathedral to learn lessons about "mutual obligation" from the events of the past year. He said Sunday that "the most pressing question" now facing Britain is "who and where we are as a society."

"Bonds have been broken, trust abused and lost," he said.

Britain's royal family, meanwhile, celebrated Christmas with one notable absence. Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Philip remained hospitalized after having a coronary stent put in after doctors determined the heart pains that sent him to the hospital on Friday were caused by a blocked artery.

Elizabeth's annual Christmas message dealt with the theme of family. The message was recorded Dec. 9, before Philip went into the hospital.

Wearing a festive red dress, the Queen said that the importance of family was driven home by the marriages of two of her grandchildren this year. Elizabeth spoke of the strength family can provide during times of hardship and how friendships are often formed in difficult times.

She pointed to the Commonwealth nations as an example that family "does not necessarily mean blood relatives but often a description of a community."

And in the United States, members of the loose-knit hacking movement known as "Anonymous" claimed to have stolen a raft of e-mails and credit card data from U.S. security think tank Stratfor, promising a weeklong Christmas-inspired assault on targets including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, Goldman Sachs and MF Global.

The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on companies such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal, as well as others in the music industry and the Church of Scientology.

___

Jon Gambrell in Lagos, Nigeria, Dalia Nammari in Bethlehem, Paul Haven in Havana and Cassandra Vinograd in London contributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_eu/world_christmas

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Ethiopia jails two Swedish journalists for aiding (Reuters)

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) ? An Ethiopian court sentenced two Swedish journalists on Tuesday to 11 years in prison for helping and promoting the outlawed Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) rebel group and entering the country illegally, a judge said.

Reporter Martin Schibbye and photographer Johan Persson were arrested in July after they entered Ethiopia's Ogaden province from Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region with a team of ONLF fighters.

"The court has sentenced both defendants to 11 years. We have heard both cases ... and we believe this is an appropriate sentence," Judge Shemsu Sirgaga told the court.

Both journalists looked at the judge without expression as the sentence was being read out and then translated by their defense lawyer, a witness said. No family members were present.

The sentencing is likely to cause outcry in Sweden, where last week's guilty verdicts provoked anger in Swedish media amid accusations the case had taken on a political dimension.

The journalists' lawyer said his clients were weighing the option of an appeal, but that for now there was no talk of pleading for clemency.

"We are only talking about the possibility of appealing for the time being, which follows judicial procedure," defense lawyer Sileshi Ketsela told Reuters.

(Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Yara Bayoumy)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111227/wl_nm/us_ethiopia_sweden_journalists

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Berkshire completes deal to buy Omaha World-Herald

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2011 file photo, U.S. billionaire investor Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, speaks during a news conference at the headquarters of cemented carbide tool supplier Tungaloy Corporation after inaugurating its new factory in Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture, northern Japan. Buffett said Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, Berkshire Hathaway is buying the Omaha World-Herald Co. and expanding the firm's newspaper holdings despite Buffett's misgivings about the industry. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2011 file photo, U.S. billionaire investor Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, speaks during a news conference at the headquarters of cemented carbide tool supplier Tungaloy Corporation after inaugurating its new factory in Iwaki city, Fukushima prefecture, northern Japan. Buffett said Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011, Berkshire Hathaway is buying the Omaha World-Herald Co. and expanding the firm's newspaper holdings despite Buffett's misgivings about the industry. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)

Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, speaks on the sale of the Omaha World-Herald to Berkshire Hathaway Wednesday Nov. 30, 2011 in Omaha Neb. The sale is pending approval of the World-Herald's shareholders. (AP Photo, The Omaha World-Herald, Jeff Bundy) MAGS OUT TV OUT, LOCAL TV OUT

Terry Kroeger, President and Publisher of the Omaha World-Herald Company introduces Warren Buffett Wednesday Nov. 30, 2011 in Omaha Neb. The sale is pending approval of the World-Herald's shareholders. (AP Photo, The Omaha World-Herald, Jeff Bundy) MAGS OUT TV OUT, LOCAL TV OUT

The Omaha World Herald building is seen in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway said Wednesday that it is buying Buffett's hometown newspaper, the Omaha World-Herald Co. and expanding the firm's newspaper holdings despite Buffett's misgivings about the industry. Terms of the deal, which must be approved by the Omaha World-Herald's employee owners and other shareholders, weren't disclosed. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, speaks on the sale of the Omaha World-Herald to Berkshire Hathaway Wednesday Nov. 30, 2011 in Omaha Neb. The sale is pending approval of the World-Herald's shareholders. (AP Photo, The Omaha World-Herald, Jeff Bundy) MAGS OUT TV OUT, LOCAL TV OUT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has completed the purchase of company chairman Warren Buffett's hometown newspaper, the Omaha World-Herald.

The deal announced Nov. 30, for $150 million and the assumption of $50 million in debt, ended one of the newspaper industry's last sizable employee-ownership plans.

World-Herald spokesman Joel Long said Monday that the deal closed Friday. World-Herald shareholders ? about 275 employees and retirees and the Peter Kiewit Foundation ? approved the sale by an overwhelming vote, Long said. The amount employees received for each of their shares, which are not publicly traded, wasn't disclosed.

Under the agreement, Berkshire acquires the flagship World-Herald and daily newspapers in Kearney, Grand Island, York, North Platte and Scottsbluff in Nebraska; the Council Bluffs Nonpareil in Iowa; a number of weekly newspapers in the region; and World Marketing, a direct-mail company with operations in Omaha, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

Buffett, who is Berkshire's chairman and chief executive, had said he probably wouldn't increase Berkshire's newspaper holdings because of the industry's dwindling returns. Berkshire owns the Buffalo News and it has a sizable investment in the Washington Post Co.

But during a meeting with World-Herald shareholders, he said: "I wouldn't do this if I thought this was doomed to some sort of extinction."

The Omaha World-Herald Co. has about 1,600 employees, including about 650 at the flagship newspaper in Omaha. Its daily circulation is just over 135,000 and a Sunday circulation of a little over 170,000.

World-Herald CEO Terry Kroeger said when the deal was announced that the company's employee-ownership structure was restrictive and had forced the newspaper to repurchase stock from departing employees.

Buffett promised to stay out of editorial decisions at the World-Herald Co.'s newspapers. Berkshire Hathaway usually doesn't make major changes at the companies it buys. Instead, Buffett likes buying well-run companies, allowing them to continue operating in their fashion.

When the deal was announced, Buffett said the World-Herald "delivers solid profits and is one of the best-run newspapers in America."

Berkshire owns more than 80 subsidiaries, including clothing, insurance, furniture, utility, jewelry and corporate jet companies. It also has big investments in companies including Coca-Cola Co. and Wells Fargo & Co.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-26-Berkshire%20Hathaway-Newspapers/id-06a82ff200ba4ac48cedce101cb7af80

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Trump drops Republican Party, registers as ?unaffiliated? in NY to keep 2012 options open (Washington Post)

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chanian: My broken English/Chinese accent is thicker around the holidays... Despite the fact that I don't speak a word of Chinese. #okThankYou

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My broken English/Chinese accent is thicker around the holidays... Despite the fact that I don't speak a word of Chinese. #okThankYou Il y a environ 4 heures via Twitter for iPhone from Toronto, Ontario??

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Android Central Editors' app picks for Dec 24, 2011

Who doesn't love some new applications for their Android device? If you happen to be a fan of new applications be sure to hit the break and check out some of our favorites from this week.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/QdmENpSj8hQ/story01.htm

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NCAA, North Dakota Spar over 'Fighting Sioux' Name (Time.com)

For years, college and pro sports teams have taken heat for caricaturing Native Americans with their nicknames and mascots. Sometimes, teams do the right thing. In 1994, for example, St. John's University changed its name from the Redmen to the Red Storm. At other times, they've acted irresponsibly. We still have the Washington Redskins, and the Cleveland Indians haven't scrubbed Chief Wahoo ? a cartoonish representation of a Native American ? off their hats. In other instances, a tribe's backing has allowed a team to keep its nickname, as happened with the Florida State Seminoles and the Utah Utes.

And then there's the puzzling, unique case of North Dakota. In 1930, the University of North Dakota (UND) adopted "Sioux" as its nickname for its sports teams. UND teams then became the Fighting Sioux in the 1960s. Spirit Lake, the Sioux reservation closest to the University of North Dakota's campus in Grand Forks, overwhelmingly backs the name. The tribe argues, and evidence seems to support the case, that Spirit Lake and another local Sioux reservation, Standing Rock, actually gave UND its blessing to use the nickname in a religious ceremony over 40 years ago. (See the top 10 worst team names.)

On the surface, the name seems harmless and even a positive for the Sioux nation ? many Irish Americans, for example, bleed Notre Dame green simply because of the school's Fighting Irish moniker. The school's logo is not cartoonish; it's classy in its simplicity: a headshot of a stern-looking Sioux warrior. Nor does UND have an idiotic mascot who would be unflattering to Native Americans. In April, the North Dakota legislature passed a law stipulating that the University of North Dakota would always be known as the Fighting Sioux.

So why, then, is the University of North Dakota preparing to phase it out?

For Spirit Lake tribe members, the blame rests with a familiar foe: the NCAA. In 2005, the NCAA mandated that UND and 17 other schools ban the use of American-Indian imagery and nicknames. If they refused, the schools would not be able to host postseason events or use the nickname or logo during postseason play. "Why should the NCAA come in and tell us that we should be offended?" asks Frank Black Cloud, Spirit Lake's pro-nickname leader. "It makes no sense to us."

UND sued the NCAA, arguing that the Fighting Sioux name was neither hostile nor abusive. Under the terms of the lawsuit settlement, the NCAA said that if the university wanted to keep the Fighting Sioux name and not face sanctions, both Spirit Lake and Standing Rock, the other Sioux reservation headquartered in North Dakota, would need to approve it. In 2009, Spirit Lake put the question to a full tribal vote: members voted by a 2-to-1 ratio in favor of keeping the name. "UND has allowed us to participate and have input on some of the Indian programs they have developed," says John Chaske, a Spirit Lake member. "The school deserves to use our name. We should take pride in that. There's nothing wrong with that." (See the top 10 sports moments of 2011.)

Standing Rock's tribal council has voted to eliminate the name. The council, however, has not put the question to a full tribal vote, to the dismay of Standing Rock members who like the Fighting Sioux. "Aw, man, it's not right for people not to have a say," says Archie D. Fool Bear, a member of Standing Rock. Fool Bear says he has petition signatures from 1,000 Standing Rock residents opposing the nickname change, and he is confident his side would prevail in a full vote. Calls to the home and office of Charlie Murphy, chairman of the Standing Rock tribal council, were not returned.

Other Native American tribal councils, from both Sioux nations and non-Sioux nations like North Dakota's Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, have passed resolutions stating their opposition to the Fighting Sioux name and logo. To which Black Cloud responds: Butt out. "We, as tribal members and Sioux, we don't tell other tribes what to do," he says. "We would expect that same respect from them as well." Opponents of the nickname cite instances in which the Sioux logo was defaced on T-shirts worn by supporters of North Dakota State, UND's archrival. "Those are isolated incidents that people like to exploit to say that's the norm," says Black Cloud. "There are several thousand events that happen where the name is held in high respect and high regard."

In August, top UND officials and state lawmakers, including Governor Jack Dalrymple, met with the NCAA in Indianapolis. There, they asked the organization to reconsider its stance on the Fighting Sioux name. Spirit Lake was not asked to participate. "How can we not have a seat at the table?" asks Black Cloud.

In response to an interview request, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson wrote in an e-mail, "The settlement between the NCAA and the university gave the university three years to obtain agreement from the tribes. That did not occur. The policy does not require a change in nickname or logo. That is a university decision. But without a change, the university cannot host a championship or display the nickname or logo at a championship."

After that meeting, at which the NCAA made clear that UND would face sanctions if the nickname wasn't changed and the logo wasn't removed, the North Dakota legislature repealed the April law keeping the Fighting Sioux name on the books. "The directive from the State Board of Higher Education is to transition away from the nickname and logo," says Peter Johnson, a UND spokesman. "At this point in time, that's the best thing for our athletic programs. There's no question about that." (Watch TIME's video "The Best NCAA Upset.")

Fighting Sioux supporters argue that the NCAA is violating their religious rights. The Grand Forks Herald reported on July 21, 1969, that "a band of Standing Rock Sioux formally gave UND teams the right to use the name of 'Fighting Sioux' for their athletic teams." Black Cloud insists that Spirit Lake members also took part in this ritual blessing. (UND recognizes that a ceremony took place but says the intent of it remains unclear.) So why should a current tribal council, the NCAA or anyone else reverse the wishes of the elders who are so respected in Native American culture? "If we let an outside entity dictate to us how we should feel about our sacred ceremonies," says Black Cloud, "what does that say about us?"

The NCAA has plenty of issues to worry about, most importantly melding academics and athletics. Isn't the organization picking the wrong fight here? According to UND, a public university, the estimated cost of selecting a new nickname, removing the Fighting Sioux logo from athletic facilities across campus and ordering new equipment and apparel without the Fighting Sioux logo would be at least $750,000.

Spirit Lake and the 1,000 nickname supporters from the Standing Rock tribe recently filed a federal lawsuit against the NCAA, claiming violation of religious rights. Black Cloud is also leading an effort to repeal the repeal of the state law keeping the Fighting Sioux name in place. "We fight for what Spirit Lake wants," says Black Cloud. "Why is the NCAA ignoring us? We are a sovereign nation. The name is an enormous source of pride. To have that taken away from us ? it's more hurtful than you can possibly understand."

Sean Gregory is a staff writer at TIME. Keeping Score, his sports column for TIME.com, usually appears every Friday. Follow him on Twitter at @seanmgregory. You can also continue the discussion on TIME's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

See TIME's Pictures of the Week.

See TIME's top 10 everything of 2011.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/time_rss/rss_time_us/httpwwwtimecomtimeartsarticle08599210277200htmlxidrssnationyahoo/43972296/SIG=12jt31t6e/*http%3A//www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2102772,00.html?xid=rss-nation-yahoo

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Limit Cold Medications During Pregnancy, Experts Advise (HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- It's prudent to limit the use of over-the-counter cold and flu medications during pregnancy, experts say.

This is because some medications may contain substances that are potentially harmful to developing fetuses, or that have not been well-studied for use in pregnant women.

"Every year around this time, we get a significant number of calls from pregnant and breast-feeding women in California who are battling colds and are worried about which meds they can and can't take," said Christina Chambers, professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Diego and program director at the California Teratogen Information Service.

To help expectant mothers who are sick this holiday season, Chambers offered these cold medicine safety tips:

• Take as little as possible. Over-the-counter cold remedies could contain up to six ingredients for a wide array of symptoms, such as a cough, runny nose or headache. Choose medications that contain just the ingredients you need for your specific symptoms.
• Avoid oral decongestants in early pregnancy. When taken during the first trimester, these medications have been linked to a slightly heightened risk of abdominal wall defects in fetuses. Saline drops or nasal sprays may be good short-term alternatives.
• Be cautious about herbal ingredients. Many over-the-counter medications may contain herbal ingredients that have not been evaluated for use during pregnancy.
• Don't overdo it with lozenges. These drops may soothe a sore throat but they often contain mostly sugar. Lozenges may also contain zinc and vitamin C, which should be taken only in limited daily doses (80 to 100 milligrams per day for vitamin C and 11 milligrams per day for zinc) during pregnancy.
• Choose alcohol-free cough syrups. Opt for cough remedies that do not contain alcohol.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about medication use during pregnancy.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111222/hl_hsn/limitcoldmedicationsduringpregnancyexpertsadvise

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New Mexico road conditions

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The latest winter storm is creating difficult driving conditions around the state, see the latest updates from NMRoads.

Closures:

I-40, WB CLOSED, from Grants to To'hajiilee

I-40, CLOSED, from Edgewood to Clines Corners.

I-40, EB CLOSED from Louisiana to Tramway Blvd.

I-40, WB CLOSED at 9-Mile hill.

NM 102, CLOSURE from mile marker 0 to mile marker 46 (Jct. of NM 402 to Jct. of NM 420), snow packed and icy, snow drifts.? Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering.? Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs.? This event will be updated as conditions change.

US 64/87, CLOSURE from mile marker 350 to mile marker 430 (Raton to Clayton), roadway is snow packed and icy, poor visibility due to blowing snow.? Motorists are to seek an alternate route and accommodations.? This event will be updated as conditions change.

Severe Conditions

US 56, SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 37 to mile marker 54 (Abbott to Jct. of NM 453), blowing snow and whiteout conditions from mm 44 to mm 54. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

Difficult Conditions

I-25, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 402 to mile marker 412 (Colmor to Springer), blowing snow creating snow drifts.? Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering.? Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs.? This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 39, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 39 to mile marker 94.3 (Abbott to Jct. of NM 102), blowing snow, road has some accumulation. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 39, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 10 to mile marker 15 (Logan to 10 miles North from Grady), blowing snow, road has some accumulation. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 94, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 0 to mile marker 18 (Mora to Jct. of NM 518) snow packed and icy, blowing snow. Crews are out plowing, salting and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 518, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 0 to mile marker 44.5 (Las Vegas to Holman Hill), snowing heavy from mm 36 to 44.5, snow packed and icy, mm 36 to 26 is slushy. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 434, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 0 to mile marker 26 (Mora to Black Lake), snow packed and icy. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

US 64, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 272.5 mile marker 305 (Taos Pass to Cimarron Canyon) road is wet. Crews have plowed, salted, and cindered. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 38, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 12 mile marker 29.7 (Bobcat Canyon to Eagle Nest) road is wet, icy in spots. Crews have plowed, salted, and cindered. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 434, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 26 mile marker 36 (Angel Fire to Black Lake) road is wet, icy in spots. Crews have plowed, salted, and cindered. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 120, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 0 to mile marker 17 (Black Lake to Ocate), snow packed and icy in spots. Crews have plowed, salted, cindered. We are asking that all motorists seek an alternate route. Please drive with caution, reduce speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 442, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 0 to mile marker 21 (La Cueva to Ocate), snowing light to heavy, getting some accumulation. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

I-25, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 299 mile marker 333 ( Glorieta to Tecolote), snowing moderate to heavy, snow packed and icy and slushy in areas. Crews are out plowing, salting, and cindering. Please drive with

caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 104, DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS from mile marker 0 to mile marker 32 (Las Vegas to Trujillo) snow packed and icy, blowing snow. Crews are out plowing, salting and cindering. Please drive with caution, reduce your speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

NM 21, FAIR DRIVING CONDITIONS from (Cimmaron to Springer) icy in spots. Crews have plowed, salted, and cindered. Please drive with caution, reduce speed and obey all posted traffic signs. This event will be updated as conditions change.

Source: http://www.kasa.com/dpps/traffic/new-mexico-road-conditions_4020669

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Bogle: Time for speculators to pay fair tax share (AP)

John C. Bogle counted himself among the 1 percent of wealthiest Americans a couple decades ago. You might not guess that today, when you hear the 82-year-old founder of mutual fund company Vanguard rail against economic inequality.

He can sound almost like an Occupy Wall Street protester: "Our markets have gone crazy, and there is 200 times as much speculation as there is investing," he says.

It has been 15 years since the low-cost investing pioneer stepped down as CEO of Vanguard. It was Bogle who launched the first index mutual fund in 1976. Vanguard Group has since grown into the largest fund company, managing nearly $1.7 trillion in U.S. fund assets.

Bogle remains wealthy, but his income is a fraction of what he earned when he ran Vanguard. He's paid a modest retainer to run Vanguard's Bogle Financial Markets Research Center, a think tank in Valley Forge, Pa.

He resists a label that applies to most people his age: "I'm so far from retired, it's almost an embarrassment. I'm here in the office every day." He's also writing his 10th book, "The Clash of Cultures: Investment vs. Speculation." And he continues to deliver speeches.

Bogle says he's paying close attention to tax policies he considers unfair, including one that's favorable to the fund industry and investors with taxable accounts. The top rate for dividends and long-term capital gains is historically low at 15 percent, as a result of the extension of Bush era tax cuts that Congress and President Barack Obama agreed to a year ago. In contrast, top earners pay 35 percent on regular income. He doesn't like that disparity.

Here are excerpts from a recent interview with Bogle:

Q: What do you think about the ongoing discussion over tax fairness?

A: I believe the rich should pay more, but that's not a good platform for tax policy. What has gone wrong is that we've failed to recognize the difference between earned income and unearned income. Is it really fair for gamblers on Wall Street to pay a 15 percent rate when they make a winning investment, and an honest working person ? a bricklayer for example ? may pay an equal or higher tax on their wages than a gambler? That's absolute absurdity.

Rates may have to be changed, but we also need to look at what is taxed, and how. Dividend income should be taxed at the same rate as ordinary income. As for capital gains, there ought to be some distinction between capital made by people who start businesses, and contribute value to society, and capital made by gamblers on Wall Street, some of whom win. Earned capital income should carry the regular dividend rate, but capital income gains by trading, and particularly short-term trading, should pay a higher tax, even than the present ordinary income rate.

Q: What's your take on the Occupy movement?

A: I'm happy to say that my current income puts me in the 99 percent group. So maybe I'm not so happy, I don't know.

This movement has brought to the surface some very serious problems in our country about disparities in opportunity and income. So many young people are having a terrible time getting a job.

Young people have great idealism, and the Occupy movement has been a bit unrealistic at times. So what? I can't imagine a worse America if our younger generation didn't have great idealism. I salute them for their enthusiasm, and their mission.

The negative side is that they just pushed too hard for too long. It's very difficult for any movement without any seeming leadership ? other than a good idea ? to have any sense of taste or judgment. Who's to say, `This is going too far'? In some places, it's just gone on too long, and it's been too disruptive. So I think it's good that we've been cleaning up the plazas where the Occupy movement set up.

Q: What's the focus of the book you're writing?

A: That our financial system has gone off the rails. It's something we think of as providing capital for new businesses, that will enable people to finance new companies or add to the capital of existing companies. We do that to the tune of about $200 billion a year in financing through Wall Street, or through the financial system. And yet we do some $40 trillion worth of trading every year. I'm selling my investment to you, and you're buying it from me, and it creates no value for society. Indeed, it subtracts value, because the guy in the middle gets his piece.

Many mutual funds turn over 100 percent of their portfolios each year. When I got into this business, it was maybe 18 percent a year. It's amazing. This industry is a big part of the problem. What we need is a transfer tax on trading. We need to tame the trading and speculative element in our financial system.

Q: What's your investment outlook heading into 2012?

A: If you're investing in stocks with idea of a one-year outcome, you should not invest. You can lose a lot. If you invest in stocks with a five-year outlook, I would think it is highly debatable if you should do that. You have to think about more than just the probabilities of a market crash. You have to consider the consequences for your savings, and whether you'd be decimated.

As for bonds, with interest rates and yields so low now, you just have to take those for what they are ? a lot lower than what they have been historically.

With the economy, I'm cautious. I don't expect a boom in consumer spending over the next two or three years. People don't have the wherewithal to spend a lot more, and in today's world, they don't have the confidence. Confidence can change overnight, but wherewithal cannot.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_bi_ge/us_of_mutual_interest_bogle_q_a

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T-Mobile Galaxy S II does battle with the iPhone 4S

Youtube link for mobile viewing

Bigger screen. Faster dual-core processor. And, of course, the speed of T-Mobile's 4G network. Those are but a few of the weapons available to the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II on T-Mobile's 4G network. That means faster, well, everything. And with T-Mobile's two lines for $49.99 each, faster doesn't break the bank, either. Take that, iPhone 4S.

Sponsored by T-Mobile

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/NggGZ4mJveE/story01.htm

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Turkish mosque collapse kills 1, injures 9 (AP)

ANKARA, Turkey ? An official says one worker was killed and nine others were rescued after the dome of a mosque collapsed.

Mayor Hasan Unver told NTV television that the dome of the mosque being built in an industrial area of central Turkish town of Acigol tumbled down during construction, trapping 10 workers under a pile of iron.

He says nine of the workers were rescued with injuries while the other was pulled out dead.

State-run TRT television showed images of rescuers, some carrying a bright orange stretcher, scrambling to rescue one trapped worker amid a pile of rubble and iron rods.

The cause of the accident was under investigation.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_re_eu/eu_turkey_mosque_collapse

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"Whatever" deemed most annoying word - poll (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Do you want to kill a conversation? Try saying "whatever."

Words like "you know" and "like" might be irritating to hear, but for the third year in a row, it's "whatever" that holds the most power to annoy, according to an annual survey by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.

Nearly four in ten adults named "whatever" as the most annoying verbal filler in casual conversation, while one in five adults had similar disdain for "like" and 'you know."

"Just sayin'" and "seriously" were more forgiving to the ears, though still quite irritating, Marist found.

The telephone survey of 1,026 adults nationally had a margin of error of three percentage points.

(Reporting by Edith Honan; editing by Patricia Reaney)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111216/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_words_whatever

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Video: Death penalty dying out

>>> we're back now with a surprising statistic. 2011 is ending with the lowest number of death sentences handed out by juries since capital punishment was reinstated in the u.s. 35 years ago. opponents of the death penalty say americans are turning away from it, worried that justice system sometimes gets it wrong. we get the story tonight from justice correspondent pete williams .

>> reporter: an emotional scene outside an arkansas courthouse as three men walk to freedom after 18 years in prison, one of them on death row , all wrongly convicted of murder. a similar scene in illinois, ronald kitchen released after spending 21 years in prison, 13 on death row .

>> it really hasn't hit me yet. just like surreal.

>> reporter: as these scenes are repeated, say opponents of the death penalty , with dna evidence often making the difference, jurors have become less willing to impose the ultimate punishment . this year brought 78 death sentences nation-wide, the smallest number since 1976 .

>> it was indicative of a concern among the public, among the jurors, that death penalty can't be trusted, that you might make a mistake and find out information five, ten years from now that would make you think twice .

>> reporter: this year also saw fewer executions. 43 in all down from a high of 9of 98, 12 years ago. even in texas, just 13 executions this year, about half of last year's total. illinois this year took the death penalty off the books entirely. in oregon, governor john kitzaber barred executions as long as he's in office calling them morally wrong.

>> i refuse to be part in a compromise neck roll system any longer.

>>> three more states, california, connecticut and maryland may consider repeal thing it next year. while 61% of americans say they favor the death penalty that's the least support since the 1970s . even so 34 states retain the death penalty . supporters say it's imposed less often not because jurors think it's unfair but because a sentence of life without parole doesn't invite decades of legal appeals. another factor, they say, violent crime is down.

>> it's not the society that no longer supports the death penalty . it's the fact that there are just fewer murders in the united states by almost 50%. and that's good news.

>> reporter: whatever the reasons, the numbers show that while the death penalty in america remains an option, its heyday is in the past. pete williams , nbc news, washington.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45708944/

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Shutdown likely averted as tax talks go on

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Barack Obama speaks in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the campus in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, where he announced action to provide minimum wage and overtime protections for in-home care workers. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Congress appears on track to avert a government shutdown this weekend, even as President Barack Obama's push to extend a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits for another year is encountering snags.

Those hiccups in finding spending cuts to pay for extending a 2 percentage point cut in Social Security payroll taxes and jobless benefits for millions have prompted Democratic leaders to suggest just a two-month, $40 billion extension of expiring tax breaks and jobless benefits might be needed.

But the first act in clearing away a pile of unfinished business for an unpopular Congress is for the GOP-controlled House to pass a massive, bipartisan, $1 trillion-plus spending measure funding 10 Cabinet departments and U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That vote is on track for Friday afternoon, but a stopgap bill could be needed to fund the government into next week.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters Thursday night that he was still optimistic that bipartisan talks on yearlong extensions of the Social Security payroll tax cut and unemployment coverage would succeed. But as a "Plan B," he said, they were working on a two-month extension as well, which would also prevent cuts in Medicare reimbursements for doctors during that period.

"We're still working on the long-term" bill, Reid told reporters as he exited the Capitol after a day of talks over both the payroll tax and spending measures. As for the two-month version, he said, "We'll only do that if what we're working on doesn't work out."

Reid's remarks put a slight damper on a day on which for the first time, Democratic and Republican leaders expressed optimism at prospects for swift compromise on their payroll tax standoff and a spending battle that had threatened to shutter federal agencies beginning at midnight Friday.

A deal on the $1 trillion-plus spending bill was reached after Republicans agreed to drop language that would have blocked President Barack Obama's liberalized rules on people who visit and send money to relatives in Cuba. But a GOP provision will stay in the bill thwarting an Obama administration rule on energy efficiency standards that critics argued would make it hard for people to purchase inexpensive incandescent light bulbs.

A senior White House official said the administration supported the two-month plan.

Bargainers were considering the two-month extension of this year's payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits bill because so far, they haven't agreed how a yearlong extension would be paid for, said a Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private talks.

The two-month bill would cost $40 billion, according to the aide. It would be paid for from a list of around $120 billion in savings that bargainers are considering, including sales of the broadcast spectrum and raising fees that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac charge to back mortgages, the aide said.

The two-month extension would let lawmakers revisit the measure after returning to Washington after the holiday season. That could be risky because that work would come well into the 2012 presidential and congressional election year.

Without congressional action, the payroll taxes would rise and extra benefits for the long-term unemployed would expire on Jan. 1. Doctors' Medicare payments would be automatically reduced that day by 27 percent, a reduction that could prompt some to stop seeing Medicare patients.

"Right now, Congress needs to make sure that 160 million working Americans don't see their taxes go up on Jan. 1," said Obama, referring to the tax cut extension at the core of the jobs program he outlined in a nationally televised speech three months ago.

At Obama's insistence, Congress cut the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax to 4.2 percent this year in an effort to stimulate the economy with more consumer spending. The president has proposed deepening the cut to 3.1 percent next year, but Republicans have only shown a willingness to renew it at this year's level.

Obama also wants to leave in place a system that provides aid for up to 99 weeks for the long-term unemployed. The House-passed measure reduces the total by 20 weeks, a step that the administration says would cut off 3.3 million individuals and that Democrats are hoping to soften if not reverse.

Reid indicated that a number of expiring tax breaks were on the table, as well, a list that included a provision that benefits commuters who use mass transit.

The House-passed payroll tax cut measure relied on a pay freeze and increased pension contributions for federal workers, as well as higher Medicare premiums for seniors with incomes over $80,000, beginning in 2017. The bill would also raise a fee that is charged to banks whose mortgages are guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and cancel more than $40 billion from the year-old health care bill, Obama's signature domestic achievement.

The year-end, $1 trillion spending measure would lock in cuts that Republicans extracted from Democrats in negotiations conducted months ago against the deadline of a previous government shutdown threat. It funds 10 Cabinet departments, including the Pentagon and dozens of smaller agencies, awarding a slight increase to the military and veterans' programs while trimming most other domestic programs.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-16-US-Congress-Rdp/id-4bfd3a6d6c5a43d6a0bd7f0feebd5d17

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