Michael Moore will sing on Occupy Wall Street album

An album to benefit Occupy Wall Street is planned with Jackson Browne, Third Eye Blind, Crosby & Nash, Devo, Lucinda Williams and even some of those drummers who kept an incessant beat at Manhattan's Zuccotti Park.

Participants said Wednesday that "Occupy This Album," which will be available sometime this winter, will also feature DJ Logic, Ladytron, Warren Haynes, Toots and the Maytals, Mike Limbaud, Aeroplane Pageant, Yo La Tengo and others.

Activist filmmaker Michael Moore is also planning to sing.

Jason Samel, a musician who is putting together the disc, said the goal is to raise between $1 million and $2 million to help fuel the movement that is protesting income disparity.

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"It's really going to be an amazing help for years to come," Samel said.

Money raised will go through the nonprofit Alliance for Global Justice. The initial plan is that half of the proceeds will go to the New York movement that was based in Zuccotti Park until being kicked out last week, and the other half to offshoots across the world who apply for specific projects, he said.

While many members of Music for Occupy have worked with Occupy Wall Street, the album was produced autonomously, organizers said.

Consumer fasts, mall sit-ins urged

There's a long history of benefit albums, from George Harrison's "Concert for Bangla Desh" that raised millions for flood victims through Unicef in 1971, and the "We Are the World" single in the 1980s, which raised more than $60 million for famine relief in Africa.

Amnesty International also announced Wednesday that it will put on sale in January a 75-song set of Bob Dylan covers by various artists to benefit the human rights organization.

The Occupy Wall Street album will be available in digital form first, with plans for a physical CD still unclear.

The music will generally be a mixture of live cuts and new songs. Third Eye Blind, for example, has already posted its song, called "If There Ever Was a Time," which specifically addresses the protest movement.

To demand or not? That's 'Occupy' question

Haynes has offered a live version of "Rivers Gonna Rise," a song from his last disc.

Some little-known artists who have participated in the protest will also be included, such as Kaneska Carter and Matt Pless, who wrote "Something's Got to Give."

"The lyrics convey a universal feeling of compassion and a hope for a better existence that I believe are the common threads that wind through everyone," Pless said. "The positive spirit behind this song is a reflection of what birthed the movement and still exists at its core."

One song will feature the loosely-formed group of people that would beat on drums at the entrance to Zuccotti Park, much to the consternation of neighbors and even some demonstrators as they tried to get some sleep.

Musicians like Tom Morello, David Crosby and Graham Nash had impromptu concerts for some of the demonstrators.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45418892/ns/today-entertainment/

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Dominican authorities probe US bomb plot suspect (AP)

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic ? Dominican authorities said Tuesday they are investigating the background of an immigrant accused of plotting to attack police stations and post offices in New York.

Police Chief Jose Armando Polanco said the investigation is ongoing even though suspect Jose Pimentel Sosa left the Dominican Republic at a young age and has no criminal past in the Caribbean country.

U.S. authorities have said that Pimentel, who faces terrorism-related charges, is an "al-Qaida sympathizer" who converted to Islam in 2004 and went by the name Muhammad Yusuf. He was born in the Dominican Republic but lived most of his life in Manhattan.

His father, Juan Jose Pimentel, told Dominican TV News SIN that he believes his son is innocent and the victim of bad luck.

"They want to set an example with terrorism (charges)," he said, referring to New York authorities.

He said that Pimentel changed when he got divorced about two years ago.

"He became a recluse, he was depressed," he said.

Pimentel last visited the Dominican Republic in 2007.

New York authorities said Pimentel was overheard talking about attacking police patrol cars and postal facilities, killing soldiers returning home from abroad and bombing a police station in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111122/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_dominican_republic_nyc_bomb_plot

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Vote for the greatest Science Geek Gift

Bre Pettis

Uranium marbles glow under ultraviolet light in a picture taken by MakerBot Industries co-founder Bre Pettis.

By Alan Boyle

How about a dinosaur skull for the holidays? Or a handful of glow-in-the-dark uranium marbles? Cast your vote and help us crown the geekiest gift for the holiday season.

The gift suggestions for this year's Science Geek Guide are in line with a proud tradition here at msnbc.com. You can always find guides to Black Friday tech deals, or the top 20?toys of 2011, or the hottest holiday hostess gifts. But where else can get a line on a nuclear-powered?plaything, or a six-dimensional paperweight, or brains to fit your budget?


Live Poll

Vote for the top geek gift

  • 169026

    Uranium marbles

    23%

  • 169027

    Dinosaur skulls

    5%

  • 169028

    Elements Vault

    4%

  • 169029

    Magnifying glasses

    2%

  • 169030

    Mars lunchbox

    6%

  • 169031

    USB microscope

    8%

  • 169032

    Plush microbes

    4%

  • 169033

    Wi-Fi T-shirt

    18%

  • 169034

    Star Trek pizza cutter

    25%

  • 169035

    Pi plate

    5%

VoteTotal Votes: 2183

Even better, this is a geek gift guide created by geeks for geeks, with some geeky prizes thrown into the bargain. Last week I put out the call for?suggestions, and?it'll be up to you to select the?coolest,?most offbeat prize from the top 10. The geek who made the top-rated suggestion will be eligible to receive a pile of books, including "Science Ink," "The Cult of Lego," "The Physics Book" and "The Case for Pluto" (autographed by?yours truly).

Here are this year's 10 finalists:

Uranium marbles:?"Nothing says Merry Christmas like a little bit of radiation," says?Richard-1971294. He'd love to get his hands on some uranium marbles. Back in the old days,?pigments containing uranium oxide were used in?lots of items, including ceramic glazes, green-tinted glassware and, yes, children's marbles. Black Light World, which sells a three-pack of uranium-doped marbles for $9.95, says they're "totally safe" ? even though?radioactive caution?stickers are plastered all over the promotional images. You can also find 'em on eBay.

Dinosaur Corporation

A carnotaurus skull is flanked by a scale replica, available from the Dinosaur Corporation.

Dinosaur skulls: "Dino skull replicas are cool and geeky!" David Flowers tweeted in his response to the call for entries.?The Dinosaur Corporation offers a wide selection of skulls, molded?out of?polyurethane resin?to look like the real thing ...?only smaller. If you're looking for a real dinosaur skull, that'll cost you. A T. rex skull sold for $215,000 in March (and some?dino dung went for $1,200). Flowers also put a naked mole rat plushie on his geek-gift wish list.

The Elements?Vault: "Physics is hot these days, but for lovers of chemistry, this kit from Theodore Gray will be a real treat." says KGill. "His gorgeous book about the elements, 'The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe,' showcased the elegance of the periodic table, and the beauty of the elements. This collection incudes new text and photographs, reproductions of historic documents, a pop-up model of an atom, and samples of several elements."

Magnifying glasses and other optics: "Nothing beats a brand new magnifying glass," says?Jennifer Hancock, a Humanist author and speaker. "They get cruddy after a while, always nice to have a new one." Here's the set she has her eye on. Oh, and she wouldn't mind?getting a hand-held microscope and illuminator, plus a snazzy pair of binoculars. In her Twitter profile, Hancock calls herself a dork, but she sounds like?a bona fide geek to?me.?There is a difference.

NASA / JPL

Flaunt your Martian pride with a JPL lunchbox.

Mars rover lunchbox: Lights in the Dark blogger Jason Major says anything from ThinkGeek will do the trick, but he'd sure like to get a $20?Mars Exploration Rover lunchbox from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's online store. Space geeks of the female persuasion might consider some Red Planet earrings in honor of the about-to-be-launched Mars Science Laboratory mission.

USB microscope: "A USB microscope, with the ability to capture images digitally, is a great geek gift!" says Paliniasky. There's a mind-boggling selection, ranging from less than $20 to astronomical prices.

Plush microbes:?"GiantMicrobes are way awesome and super cute ? stuffed animal versions of microorganisms," says biology student?Kelsey Plesniak, a member of the Cosmic Log corps on Facebook. As we head into flu season, what better gift could you give a microbiology geek than ... a cuddly flu bug?

Wi-Fi detector shirt: This $14.99 ThinkGeek T-shirt has a?decal that glows to indicate the signal strength of wireless networks in the area. "My son the math teacher bought one of these earlier this year," George Buddy?Dow says on Facebook. "Inexpensive and practical." Just don't forget to remove the decal and the battery pack before you put it in the wash. Dow also puts in a plug for the "Ant Farm Revolution," which sounds like an entomological Occupy movement.

ThinkGeek

Cut a slice with the starship Enterprise.

Star Trek pizza cutter: Joel Davis casts his vote for a $29.99 ThinkGeek?kitchen accessory that promises to "boldly?cut pizza where no man has cut before." It's as if you're?holding a miniaturized starship Enterprise in the palm of your hand. Come to think of it, I've seen that episode.

Pi plate: "A pi plate is available. To make pies in," Jan Smith writes. "Has a large pi symbol in the center and the numbers 3.14159...?etc., all around the edge of the plate. I got one for my son." Here's an alternate design for the pi plate. Any way you slice it, this will be a good kitchen item to have around for March 14 ...?Pi Day.

Extra credit: You'll find all sorts of geeky (and not-so-geeky) gift ideas by following the links below,?and?you'll also want to check out our holiday book?roundup. You might also consider supporting The Illuminated Origin of Species, an effort by artist/naturalist Kelly Houle to create?an illuminated manuscript of Charles Darwin's masterwork in the spirit of the Book of?Kells. To support the effort, Houle is offering sets of Darwin-themed greeting cards, beetle prints and an adopt-a-beetle program.

Don't forget to cast a vote for your favorite gift among the top 10, and may the best geek win!

Previous Science Geek Gift Guides:

More science gifts:


You don't need to buy me a present. All I ask is that you connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.?

Source: http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/23/8960430-cast-your-vote-for-the-geekiest-gift

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FACT CHECK: Hyperbole on terror interrogations

Republican presidential candidates former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, left, listens to Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., answer a question during a Republican presidential debate in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidates former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, left, listens to Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., answer a question during a Republican presidential debate in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

(AP) ? Michele Bachmann did not intend to be taken literally when she told the Republican presidential debate Tuesday that civil-liberties activists have taken over the interrogation of terrorists from the CIA. But even as a rhetorical point, it didn't hold water.

Her hyperbole on the American Civil Liberties Union was one of the more notable stretches in the national security and foreign policy debate. A look at some of the claims and how they compare with the facts:

___

BACHMANN: "This is one thing we know about Barack Obama: He has essentially handed over our interrogation of terrorists to the ACLU. He's outsourced it to them. Our CIA has no ability to have any form of interrogation for terrorists."

THE FACTS: The CIA still has the ability to interrogate terrorists. President Obama formed the High Value Interrogation Group, which includes the FBI, the CIA and the Pentagon. It centralizes expertise so that when a terrorism suspect is caught, everyone with a stake in the issue is involved in the questioning. The CIA also can sit in on interrogations in other countries, asking questions directly or through officials of the host government.

Whether the policy on interrogating suspects should be tougher is a matter of authentic debate. But the CIA is hardly emasculated. The agency has dramatically expanded its on-the-ground operations worldwide since 2001, and the U.S. killing of a succession of al-Qaida figures in Pakistan ? Osama bin Laden chief among them ? demonstrates the potency of the hunt for terrorists. Moreover, the U.S. killing of an American citizen abroad ? the radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki ? is well outside the range of action that would be condoned by civil liberties advocates.

___

MITT ROMNEY: "What they're doing is cutting a trillion dollars out of the defense budget."

RON PAUL: "They're nibbling away at baseline budgeting. ... There's nothing cut against the military. And the people on the Hill are nearly hysterical because they're not going ? the budget isn't going up as rapidly as they want it to."

THE FACTS: Paul was more accurate than Romney in describing what is happening with defense spending. Constraints in the military budget are much more modest than Romney suggested.

Both Romney and rival Rick Perry have been criticizing Obama for looming defense cuts that are triggered by the failure of the deficit supercommittee to act. But the cuts would only slow the rate of growth of Pentagon spending, which has been vastly increased because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, now winding down. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the planned Pentagon budget for 2021 would be some $700 billion, an increase over the current level of about $520 billion. The cuts agreed to last summer plus the automatic reductions would trim the projected 2021 budget by about $110 billion.

Moreover, the spending cuts set in motion by the supercommittee's failure to reach an agreement are not to begin until January 2013, which gives lawmakers time to try again to produce a debt plan. That's what Obama has in mind ? using the threat of defense cuts to push lawmakers to make a deal.

Romney's figure encompasses two sets of Pentagon spending cuts, only one of which was proposed by Obama. The president's budget called for $450 billion in savings from the defense budget; the rest is fallout from the supercommittee, a creature of Congress.

___

RICK PERRY: "When you sanction the Iranian central bank, that will shut down that economy. ... This president refuses to do that, and it's another show of lack of leadership from the president of the United States."

THE FACTS: Obama, like George W. Bush before him, hasn't issued a blanket ban on dealings with Iran's central bank. Perry could try as president, but he'd find himself with some angry allies and perhaps some economic damage for the United States.

U.S. sanctions already severely restrict what contact American and foreign companies can have with Iranian banks. That has made the central bank the primary conduit for purchasing Iranian oil exports.

Blacklisting the central bank entirely would put energy companies and banks from places such as Japan in a dilemma: either find new oil sources, or risk punishment in the United States. The same applies for China, Russia, Turkey and other countries with investments in Iran ? and the rush for new fuel providers could lead to a spike in gasoline prices that hampers the American economic recovery.

In reality, however, it's unlikely the U.S. would be prepared to blacklist Japan's banks for financial transactions with Iran's central bank. So the power of the sanction would be unclear.

___

BACHMANN: "Almost every decision that the president has made since he came in has been one to put the United States in a position of unilateral disarmament, including the most recent decision he made to cancel the Keystone pipeline. That would have not only created jobs, but it would have helped us in energy independence."

THE FACTS: Obama didn't cancel the Canadian oil pipeline. Instead, his administration delayed the decision in order to explore an alternative route to avoid areas of Nebraska that include wetlands and an aquifer providing water crucial to huge swaths of U.S. cropland. Bachmann also overlooked that the delay came under pressure from Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, a Republican. When the pipeline was delayed, Heineman hailed the decision and called it "an exceptional moment for Nebraskans."

___

PERRY: "When you put the no-fly zone above Syria, it obviously gives those dissidents and gives the military the opportunity to maybe disband."

ROMNEY: "They have 5,000 tanks in Syria. A no-fly zone wouldn't be the right military action ? maybe a no-drive zone. ... I mean, this is a nation which is not bombing its people at this point, and the right course is not military."

PERRY: "I think you need to leave it on the table to make sure, because this is not just about Syria. This is about Iran and those two as a partnership, and exporting terrorism around the world. And if we're going to be serious about saving Israel, we better get serious about Syria and Iran, and we better get serious right now."

THE FACTS: As Romney suggested, a no-fly zone by itself wouldn't do much to stop Syrian tanks and bullets from killing civilians. Unlike in Libya, where Moammar Gadhafi used his air force to fire on cities, President Bashar Assad's government has by and large stuck to ground forces. There have been a few cases of helicopters allegedly used, but they are exceptions.

Perry's follow-up argument that a no-fly zone in Syria could help deter Iranian terrorism and save Israel wasn't clear. He seemed to be referring to Iranian and Syrian support for anti-Israel groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, neither of which has air power. Weapons smuggling also can occur by ground or sea.

___

Associated Press writers Bradley Klapper, Matt Apuzzo, Donna Cassata and Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-22-GOP%20Debate-Fact%20Check/id-1ef8b32bc00c4035bf81a0c6d6e074da

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Meet the 2011 Mashable Awards Nominees for Business

Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn ? none of these companies would be able to sustain themselves without advertising. But getting your brand in front of users who?ve never had to sit through an ad in their life can be a challenge. That?s why it?s important to acknowledge the brands and marketers that are burning calories to figure out ways to get their message across in a fragmented media environment.

The nominees below thought of novel ways to adapt their messages to the social media environment. Often, these are ads and campaigns that are part of the conversation, rather than a disruption to it.

Here are all the nominees from the 2011 Mashable Awards Business category.


Viral Campaign of the Year


This category honors the reader?s choice for their favorite viral advertising campaign launched in 2011.

Most Innovative Use of Social Media for Marketing


This category honors the reader?s choice for the most innovative social media marketing campaign launched in 2011.
  • Orabrush ? The consumer packaged goods startup got a Walmart distribution deal after building its brand on YouTube.
  • Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange ? Consumers across the globe traded their nightlife experiences via Facebook thanks to Smirnoff.
  • @Ifeelgoods Heist It Back ? The Facebook promotion for Universal?s Tower Heist mirrored the film?s plot by letting fans ?heist? Facebook credits.
  • RadioShack #Kindofabigdeal ? This promotion showed a live shot of a phone on a table. The phone would vibrate every time someone tweeted the associated hashtag. If your tweet sent the phone off the table, you got to keep it.
  • Domino?s Pizza ? Domino?s in Japan got online buzz for an ?Is this for real?? project to put a Domino?s on the moon.
  • Diesel ? Fans got the chance to ?Like? the brand on Facebook via a QR code.
  • Coca-Cola ? Coke?s viral campaigns in 2011 spread happiness around the globe via live stunts and YouTube vids.

Best Branded Mobile App


This category honors the reader?s choice for the best mobile app created specifically by a brand for consumer use on either a smartphone or tablet.
  • Robbie Williams App ? An app for the popular British singer.
  • Super 8 ? The classic Super 8 simulated film experience promoted the movie at the same time.>.
  • Domino?s Pizza USA ? The popular Domino?s app lets you order a pizza on your iPhone.
  • KRAFT iFood Assistant ? One of the first branded iPhone apps, it offers recipes with Kraft foods.
  • Titan HTSE ? This app is light-activated, like the watch it promotes.
  • GEICO BroStache ? Taken straight from the brand?s television ad campaign, this app lets you simulate having a mustache.
  • Glee by Smule ? Sing into the app with headphones on and you sound like a star.

Must-Follow Brand on Social Media


This category honors the readers? choice for the brand that best uses Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr or other mainstream social networking sites.
  • WWE ? The professional wrestling organization has great live chat options for fans.
  • The Young Turks ? A political video show that began on YouTube and can now be seen on Current TV.
  • Cirque Du Soleil ? The circus-inspired entertainment company offers fans a myriad of content.
  • Sega ? Sega hosts Free Stuff Fridays, a community favorite, on Twitter.
  • Carnival Cruise Lines ? The cruise line engages its community with video, games and blogs.
  • DKNY ? DKNY?s popular Facebook page offers exclusive deals and giveaways.
  • CharityBuzz ? The CharityBuzz community has access to quality video content from the red carpet and cbuzzTV.

Best Social Good Cause Campaign


This category honors the reader?s choice for the best use of digital or social media in a non-profit, philanthropic, cause-focused or corporate social responsibility campaign.
  • WWE Be a Star Campaign ? An anti-bullying effort from the wrestling entertainment giant.
  • Joplin Tornado Info ? Social media helped survivors and others get information about the disaster.
  • Feed it Forward by Restaurant.com ? This CSR campaign lets you send gift cards for free meals anonymously.
  • Your Man Reminder ? This app features images of hunky guys, who pop up to remind women to give themselves regular breast exams to screen for cancer.
  • The Trevor Project ? A suicide-prevention campaign that featured celebs like Daniel Radcliffe and Neil Patrick Harris.
  • AT&T Texting While Driving ? Graphic videos warned of the danger of texting while driving.
  • ItGetsBetter.org ? This star-studded campaign overcome sexual preference challenges, and reminds them that life gets better.

Digital Company of the Year


Editor?s Note: Originally, we had defined this category ?the top traditional (non-digital) company that has excelled in the digital space in 2011.? After considering the nature of the nominations, we broadened the category to include traditional, non-digital companies as well as agencies that are heavily utilizing digital in their operations.
  • Progressive Insurance ? The insurer might be best known for its popular television ad featuring Flo, an amiable company rep, who is also the face of their social media communities.
  • WWE ? The wrestling entertainment juggernaut has a devoted online fan base.
  • engage121 ? A maker of social media aware CRM software.
  • Likeable Media ? A social media and word-of-mouth marketing firm.
  • Possible Worldwide ? And interactive marketing firm.
  • Big Fuel ? A social media marketing firm.

Breakout Startup of the Year


This category honors the reader?s choice for the top startup company in the digital space that has experienced impressive growth or mainstream attention in 2011.
  • Manilla ? This app offers an all-in-one location for managing your bills.
  • Punchtab ? This app bills itself as the ?world?s first instant loyalty platform.?
  • GetGlue ? Social media engagement for fans of TV, music, movies and other media.
  • Twilio ? A cloud communications platform that helps firms create voice and SMS apps.
  • Taskrabbit ? This app lets you outsource your chores.
  • Zaarly ? An alternative to eBay, this peer-to-peer marketplace has even attracted former eBay CEO Meg Whitman to its board.
  • Codecademy ? A site that offers beginner lessons for learning how how to code.

Source: http://mashable.com/2011/11/23/mashable-awards-business/

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New computer system can read your emotions, will probably be annoying about it (video)

It's bad enough listening to your therapist drone on about the hatred you harbor toward your father. Pretty soon, you may have to put up with a hyper-insightful computer, as well. That's what researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid have begun developing, with a new system capable of reading human emotions. As explained in their study, published in the Journal on Advances in Signal Processing, the computer has been designed to intelligently engage with people, and to adjust its dialogue according to a user's emotional state. To gauge this, researchers looked at a total of 60 acoustic parameters, including the tenor of a user's voice, the speed at which one speaks, and the length of any pauses. They also implemented controls to account for any endogenous reactions (e.g., if a user gets frustrated with the computer's speech), and enabled the adaptable device to modify its speech accordingly, based on predictions of where the conversation may lead. In the end, they found that users responded more positively whenever the computer spoke in "objective terms" (i.e., with more succinct dialogue). The same could probably be said for most bloggers, as well. Teleport past the break for the full PR, along with a demo video (in Spanish).

Continue reading New computer system can read your emotions, will probably be annoying about it (video)

New computer system can read your emotions, will probably be annoying about it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/22/new-computer-system-can-read-your-emotions-will-probably-be-ann/

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Obama signs bipartisan bill to help jobless vets (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Heralding a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, President Barack Obama signed into law Monday legislation aimed at helping unemployed veterans find work while putting more cash in the hands of companies with government contracts.

The legislation, which creates tax breaks for companies that hire jobless veterans, marks the first proposal from Obama's $447 billion jobs bill to be signed into law. The rest of the package of new taxes and spending has largely failed to garner support from Republican lawmakers.

"Because Democrats and Republicans came together, I'm proud to sign those proposals into law," Obama said during a signing ceremony Monday.

Looming over the brief moment of unity, however, was the apparent failure of lawmakers from both parties to agree on $1.2 trillion in spending cuts ahead of a Wednesday deadline by a special committee. While Obama didn't directly address the looming deadline, he said the American people deserve bold, bipartisan action.

"My message to every member of Congress is keep going. Keep working. Keep finding more ways to put partisanship aside and put more Americans back to work," he said.

The veterans' legislation had overwhelming support from both parties, with the House passing the measure 422-0 and the Senate approving it 95-0. In addition to the tax breaks for businesses, it also beefs up job-training and counseling programs for unemployed veterans.

The legislation also repeals a 2006 law that would have required the federal, state and local governments to withhold 3 percent of their payments to nearly all contractors. That statute, which doesn't take effect until 2013, was supposed to pressure contractors to pay their taxes in full, but lawmakers now say the law would deny cash to companies that need it to hire more workers.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said passage of the bill showed that it is possible for both parties to reach a consensus.

"By focusing on areas of agreement ? rather than partisan stimulus bills ? we can pass legislation to help foster job growth. Neither of these measures alone is going to solve the jobs crisis, but they'll provide relief to job creators and help American veterans," McConnell said.

McConnell praised Obama for inviting Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts to attend the ceremony. It was Brown who had introduced the 3 percent withholding bill.

Brown was joined on stage with the president by two other GOP lawmakers ? Florida Rep. Jeff Miller and Tennessee Rep. Diane Black ? as well as a handful of Democrats.

The tax credits for hiring veterans will cost the government an estimated $95 million ? a tiny fraction of Obama's overall jobs plan. The credits would be as much as $9,600 for companies hiring disabled vets who have looked for work for more than half a year. The size of the credit would be based on the worker's salary and how long the worker was unemployed.

The programs would be financed mostly by extending a fee the Veterans Affairs Department charges to back mortgages.

Erasing the withholding requirement for contractors would reduce federal revenues by an estimated $11.2 billion over the coming decade. It would be paid for by making it harder for some elderly people to qualify for Medicaid by changing the formula used to determine their eligibility.

Many economists have said annulling the withholding law would have a minimal impact on hiring.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111121/ap_on_re_us/us_obama

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Light Strike Assault Striker D.C.R-012

The holiday season is fast approaching, and again parents are asking themselves, "What should I get my kid?" The Light Strike Assault Striker D.C.R-012 ($39.99 list) is the at-home consumer version of laser tag. It comes with one gun and a plastic orb for target practice?and batteries are not included. Playing with this high-tech toy is fun, but parents be warned if you have no intention of joining in the fire-fight: This toy is noisy.

The Assault Striker D.C.R-012 has a bright sci-fi pattern on the exterior, and from the box image you may think you're getting a dynamically molded gun, but it's just a bunch of stickers on a flat surface, which may leave the gun prone to looking weathered quickly if the stickers start to peel. The gun has a lot of touch-sensitive buttons, the most important one parents and stealth shooters will want to take note of is the volume button. You can't completely mute the gun, but you can install ear buds into the headphone jack to silence the weapon.

Setting up the Assault Striker D.C.R-012 will require a Phillips head screwdriver and four AA batteries for the gun, and three AAA batteries for the Strike Target.

The Laser Strike isn't that heavy, and it's pretty accurate. It has a range of 30 feet, and when I took the orb out for target practice, the further away I went, the more challenging it was to hit the target, which I thought was well within reason. Booting up the gun, requires only to flip a switch and press the "fingerprint reader" touch button. You can have up to 4 players in an all-out deathmatch and up to 4 teams in a team deathmatch. The features on the gun remind me of a certain sci-fi first-person shooter game (Halo). There's a shield button, which halves any damage that you may take when activated, and the built-in health meter tracks how much damage you've taken (the gun also functions as the tag sensor). There's also a weapon selection button that allows you to switch between several "weapon" modes to help you with your strategy?unless you just like to run-and-gun.

Laser: It's the default weapon mode that doesn't offer a lot of firepower, but you'll be able to get your shots off quicker.

Stealth: This option allows you to shoot with the same power and frequency as the Laser Strike, but your shots will be muffled.

Pulse: This mode with use up your ammo faster and has a longer delay between blasts, but it packs a lot more damage per shot.

Rail: This weapon mode offers even more firepower, but also goes through ammo fast and there's a longer delay between shots.

Sonic: This mode is the biggest "weapon" in your arsenal, packing the largest amount of damage, but you'll go through ammo quickly and there's a long delay between blasts.

The Assault Striker D.C.R-012 also has room for expansion options, like the Enemy Scanner, Scope, Rapid Fire System, and Refractor Launch System that may give wealthier children an edge against their competition.

If there are a lot of kids in your neighborhood, this gift is definitely a good buy especially if it's a coordinated effort among the other parents. I had a lot of fun playing with it, running around the office (after work hours) and essentially skeet-shooting with the plastic orb.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/2gaFo7SRrBw/0,2817,2396716,00.asp

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Can 'Rocky: The Musical' deliver a knockout?

Apparently not bowed by the train wreck that was "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," Sylvester Stallone is teaming up with world champion boxing brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko to make a musical version of his Oscar-winning boxing film "Rocky."

Stallone and the Klitschkos, who will produce "Rocky: The Musical" together with Kevin King Templeton of Stallone?s Rouge Marble shingle, announced the project in Hamburg on Monday.

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Stallone said in giving the pugilist classic the Andrew Lloyd Webber treatment he would b?e focusing on "Rocky?s" romantic side.

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"At the end of the day, 'Rocky'is a love story and he could never have reached the final bell without Adrian," said Stallone. "To see this story coming to life on a musical stage makes me proud. And it would make Rocky proud."

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Broadway veteran Thomas Meehan ("The Producers") will write the script to "Rocky: the Musical." "Ragtime?s" Tony-award winning lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty will re-team for the music, which will include songs from the "Rocky" films, among them ?Eye of the Tiger,? ?Gonna Fly Now? and ?Take You Back.? Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers will direct.

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In addition to co-producing, the Klitchko brothers will train the lead actor, who has not yet been cast, in the sweet science.

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Budgeted at $15 million, "Rocky: The Musical" will have its world debut, in German, in Hamburg November 2012. Stallone plans to then take an English version of the musical on the road to stages worldwide.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45400644/ns/today-entertainment/

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Bahrain admits 'mistreatment' of protesters

Bahrain admitted on Monday its forces had used excessive force and mistreated detainees during pro-democracy protests, as it awaited the release of an independent report expected to criticize the Gulf state's handling of the unrest.

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"The government has carried out its own assessments and conducted its own investigations. These investigations have revealed things to praise as well as things to deplore," said a cabinet statement sent to Reuters in English.

"Regrettably, there have been instances of excessive force and mistreatment of detainees. This was in violation of government policy. Twenty prosecutions against the officers involved have been initiated," it added.

The death of a Bahraini teenager after he was run over by police during protests last week has raised the stakes ahead of the release of a report into the government's crushing of the democracy protest movement early this year.

Sixteen-year-old Ali Yousef al-Sitrawi was killed during a protest in Manama. Officials said a police vehicle lost control because of oil spilled on the road deliberately by protesters, but activists say police often drove straight at them.

More than 40 people have been killed in the unrest which began in February, when thousands of Bahrainis, inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia and led by the Shiite majority, took over Pearl Roundabout in Manama demanding reforms.

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A month later Bahrain called in Saudi and U.A.E. troops to help crush the protests and imposed martial law.

The statement said the penal code would be amended to outlaw torture and the government would set up a human rights body.

The Sunni-led government has said the protests were fomented by Shiite power Iran and aimed to establish a Shiite Islamist republic like Iran's. Opposition parties say the ruling elite are playing on sectarian fears to avoid reform.

'Reckless provocation'
The report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Investigation (BICI) is due to be presented on Wednesday to King Hamad who requested the formation of the commission, led by eminent international rights lawyers, in June.

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The opposition and majority Shiites say they expect it to play down the harshness of the crackdown.

Street protests in Shiite districts could erupt after the release of the report, which the government has feted in official media in advance.

Amnesty International urged Bahrain to act on the report's findings.

"Allowing this independent inquiry ... was a very welcome move, but the whole exercise will have been meaningless if the report's recommendations are not translated into real action to redress abuses," Philip Luther, an Amnesty regional director, said in a statement.

The cabinet statement said police had suffered over 800 casualties and accused opposition protesters of provocation.

"Our police forces have generally shown admirable restraint when faced with great provocation. Every civilian casualty is a defeat for the government. The extremists know this, and have engaged in reckless provocation," it said.

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"The police have suffered 846 injuries since the beginning of the events; four deaths; innumerable threats and insults, especially to their families."

The economy of the island state has suffered during the civil unrest. Some banks and other firms have relocated business elsewhere in the Gulf.

Bahrain offered a high interest rate of 6.273 percent on an Islamic bond worth $750 million last week, with less turnout than usual from Asian consumers of debt, in a sign of investor concern about stability in Bahrain.

The government held a "national dialogue" in June which led to some promises of parliamentary reforms. But they stop short of the key opposition demand of giving the elected chamber legislative powers and power to form cabinets.

Bahrain's government is headed by the world's longest-serving prime minister, Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, an uncle of King Hamad who has occupied the post since 1971.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45398945/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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