Gay marriage supporters look to next session

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — With a vote to legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois looking less likely to happen in the next few days, supporters of marriage equality are looking ahead to the following legislative session as their next best hope.
A Senate committee voted 8-5 late Thursday in favor of a bill that would allow gay marriage. But with key supporters absent, Senate Democrats delayed a full floor vote. The Senate then canceled its Friday schedule, and President John Cullerton said lawmakers are unlikely to return to Springfield before the session ends Jan. 9. New lawmakers will be sworn in that day.
Sen. Heather Steans, the bill's sponsor, said it was a matter of "when, not if" the measure will pass. She said people across Illinois and state lawmakers are changing their minds every day and supporting gay marriage.
"This is never going to be an easy one, but it's only going to get easier," Steans said.
Cullerton said it might be weeks before the bill gets a full Senate vote. His spokeswoman conceded that "the bill needs work," and even Steans suggested working with recalcitrant Republicans to get a bipartisan agreement.
"What's important when we reconvene is that we work to protect and strengthen all Illinois families, and that's what this legislation does," Cullerton said in a statement released by a coalition of supporters.
Hopes were high for a productive end to the 97th General Assembly, with legislation not only on gay marriage but on assault-weapons restrictions and a solution to the $96 billion hole in state retirement-benefit accounts.
Gun curbs advanced, and a pension fix has been proposed in the House, which isn't scheduled to return to Springfield until Sunday, giving Gov. Pat Quinn reason to stay optimistic that his top priority will still get attention.
Democrats hold a 35-24 majority in the Senate, but party members outside Chicago don't always toe the line. Not all are on board with extending marriage rights to same-sex couples, and some key supporters did not attend Thursday's session.
Hoping to ride momentum from the November elections and public encouragement from President Barack Obama, backers were jolted by the postponement.
A gay actor who stars in a popular TV comedy campaigned for the measure in Illinois while religious leaders — including 1,700 clergy, from Catholic to Muslim — united in writing to exhort lawmakers to oppose it.
Ralph Rivera, a lobbyist for the Illinois Family Institute, told lawmakers the bill was "an attack on our particular religious beliefs" and that it would force churches and other religious institutions to allow their facilities to be used for same-sex marriages.
Steans said that wouldn't be the case, and that she planned to work with Republicans to address some of those concerns.
Supporters said they pressed the matter in the waning days of the General Assembly's session to take advantage of soaring support in the state and nationally. And lame-duck lawmakers theoretically have more freedom to vote without fear of voter backlash.
Even though Democrats will claim a 40-19 advantage in the new session, newcomers will bring more diverse views in a state where southern Illinoisans live closer to Birmingham, Ala., than to Chicago.
The plan comes just 18 months after Illinois recognized civil unions.
If Illinois approves gay marriage, it would become the 10th state in the nation to do so.

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Richardson: NKorea trip is private, humanitarian

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says the State Department should not be nervous about a visit he's making to North Korea with Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt.
The State Department has advised against his making the trip. But Richardson says he doesn't work for the U.S. government.
Richardson said Friday he's concerned about an American citizen detained in North Korea, Kenneth Bae, and has spoken to Bae's son. The former U.N. ambassador and U.S. energy secretary points out he has helped negotiate the release of American service members and hostages in the past. Richardson says he's also concerned about what the U.S. believes is covert nuclear testing.
Richardson tells CBS "This Morning" it's a private, humanitarian mission and says the State Department shouldn't be so worried.

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Some push secret lottery wins, but not lotteries

PHOENIX (AP) — When two winning tickets for a record $588 million Powerball jackpot were claimed from the Nov. 28 drawing, the world focused on the winners.
A Missouri couple appeared at a press conference and held up the traditional giant-sized check. The Arizona winner, however, skipped the press conference where lottery officials announced last month that someone had claimed the second half of the prize.
The differing approach to releasing information on the winners reflects a broader debate that is playing out in state Legislatures and lottery offices nationwide: Should the winners' names be secret?
Lawmakers in Michigan and New Jersey think so, proposing bills to allow anonymity because winners are prone to falling victim to scams, shady businesses, greedy distant family members and violent criminals looking to shake them down.
Lotteries object, arguing that publicizing the winners' names drives sales and that having their names released ensures that people know there isn't something fishy afoot, like a game rigged so a lottery insider wins.
When players see that an actual person won, "it has a much greater impact than when they might read that the lottery paid a big prize to an anonymous player," said Andi Brancato, director of public relations for the Michigan state lottery.
Most states require the names of lottery winners be disclosed, albeit in different ways. Some states require the winner to appear at a press conference, like Missouri winners Mark and Cindy Hill did on Nov. 30.
Arizona and other states allow winners not to appear in public, but their names can be obtained through public records laws. The Arizona winner, Matthew Good, was not identified at the news conference a week after the Hills' came forward, and has not given interviews or appeared in public.
When news media learned of his name through records requests, TV crews and reporters flocked to Good's neighborhood to get reaction from the winner of a lottery that captivated the nation.
Jeff Hatch-Miller, executive director of the Arizona Lottery, said he understands winners' desire for privacy, but he argues they are essentially entering into a large contract with the government that is public. Others argue that appearing at a news conference helps defuse media interest because the winner is available to answer questions that satisfy the media's interest in telling their stories.
In Michigan, Republican state Sen. Tory Rocca pushed a lottery bill that allows winners to remain anonymous. It didn't pass, but in arguing for it, he cited cases where lottery winners were shot and killed because of their newfound wealth.
A Florida woman was convicted last month of first-degree murder after she befriended a man who won a $30 million jackpot in 2006. Prosecutors said she took control of his assets, killed him, buried him in her yard and poured a concrete slab above the grave.
An effort in New Jersey by Democratic Sen. Jim Whelan took a middle ground between public release and privacy, calling for a one-year delay in releasing winners' names. It also didn't make it out of the Legislature last year, but he said he'll keep pressing to get it passed.
Whelan said a one-year delay would give winners a chance to adjust while still keeping the public disclosure lotteries say they need. However, Whelan said he doesn't really buy the agencies' arguments for public disclosure.
"I'm not sure how many people are spurred to buy a lottery ticket because they see a picture of someone in the paper holding up a big check - and I don't think people don't buy a ticket because they think the whole thing's fixed," Whelan said.
Of 44 states participating in Powerball and 33 in Mega-Millions, only Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota and Ohio allow blanket anonymity, said Chuck Strutt, executive director of the Multi-State Lottery Association, which oversees the games.
"Obviously, it is a law that is designed to ensure an open and transparent process, so that the public can be ensured that insiders are not winners," Strutt said. "But in today's world, most of us can understand the wish to remain anonymous."
The most famous modern lottery fraud case happened in 1980 when Pennsylvania Lottery district manager Edward Plevel and TV announcer Nick Perry were convicted of fixing the result of the Daily Number drawing.
Authorities found that some of the ping pong balls used in the game were injected with paint to make them too heavy to float up the winning slots. The result paid $3.8 million, a record at the time, and eight people involved in the fix won a total of about $1.2 million.
Former Missouri child services worker Sandra Hayes shared a $224 million Powerball jackpot with a dozen co-workers in 2006 and said she understands the push for anonymity.
Hayes said she received many requests for money or to make investments, both at work (she kept her job another month) and at home, where she'd find people waiting on her porch. Her lump sum payout after taxes was more than $6 million.
Even if people are allowed to remain anonymous, it's often inevitable that their identities will become known.
Steve Thornton, a lawyer in Bowling Green, Ky., has helped two big lottery winners shield their names through corporations despite rules in his state that require disclosure of winners. Even though they were kept out of the public eye, one winner couldn't stay hidden.
"It was not many months later that lots of people knew who won, even though it was not released, because of their gifts and their spending." Thornton said.

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Correction: Obit-Schwarzkopf story

WASHINGTON - WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story Dec. 28 about the death of U.S. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, The Associated Press reported erroneously the date of Schwarzkopf's birth. He was born on Aug. 22, 1934, not Aug. 24.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Desert Storm commander Norman Schwarzkopf dies
His days of stormin' behind him, retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf chose charities over politics
By MITCH STACY and LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press
Truth is, retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf didn't care much for his popular "Stormin' Norman" nickname.
The seemingly no-nonsense Desert Storm commander's reputed temper with aides and subordinates supposedly earned him that rough-and-ready moniker. But others around the general, who died Thursday in Tampa, Florida, at age 78 of complications from pneumonia, knew him as a friendly, talkative and even jovial figure who preferred the somewhat milder sobriquet given by his troops: "The Bear."
That one perhaps suited him better later in his life, when he supported various national causes and children's charities while eschewing the spotlight and resisting efforts to draft him to run for political office.
He lived out a quiet retirement in Tampa, where he had served his last military assignment and where an elementary school bearing his name is testament to his standing in the community.
Schwarzkopf capped an illustrious military career by commanding the U.S.-led international coalition that drove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in 1991 — but he'd managed to keep a low profile in the public debate over the second Gulf War against Iraq, saying at one point that he doubted victory would be as easy as the White House and the Pentagon predicted.
Schwarzkopf was named commander in chief of U.S. Central Command at Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base in 1988, overseeing the headquarters for U.S. military and security concerns in nearly two dozen countries stretching across the Middle East to Afghanistan and the rest of central Asia, plus Pakistan.
When Saddam invaded Kuwait two years later to punish it for allegedly stealing Iraqi oil reserves, Schwarzkopf commanded Operation Desert Storm, the coalition of some 30 countries organized by President George H.W. Bush that succeeded in driving the Iraqis out.
At the peak of his postwar national celebrity, Schwarzkopf — a self-proclaimed political independent — rejected suggestions that he run for office, and remained far more private than other generals, although he did serve briefly as a military commentator for NBC.
While focused primarily on charitable enterprises in his later years, he campaigned for President George W. Bush in 2000, but was ambivalent about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In early 2003 he told The Washington Post that the outcome was an unknown: "What is postwar Iraq going to look like, with the Kurds and the Sunnis and the Shiites? That's a huge question, to my mind. It really should be part of the overall campaign plan."
Initially Schwarzkopf had endorsed the invasion, saying he was convinced that Secretary of State Colin Powell had given the United Nations powerful evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. After that proved false, he said decisions to go to war should depend on what U.N. weapons inspectors found.
He seldom spoke up during the conflict, but in late 2004 he sharply criticized Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and the Pentagon for mistakes that included erroneous judgments about Iraq and inadequate training for Army reservists sent there.
"In the final analysis I think we are behind schedule. ... I don't think we counted on it turning into jihad (holy war)," he said in an NBC interview.
Schwarzkopf was born Aug. 22, 1934, in Trenton, New Jersey, where his father, Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, founder and commander of the New Jersey State Police, was then leading the investigation of the Lindbergh kidnap case. That investigation ended with the arrest and 1936 execution of German-born carpenter Richard Hauptmann for murdering famed aviator Charles Lindbergh's infant son.
The elder Schwarzkopf was named Herbert, but when the son was asked what his "H'' stood for, he would reply, "H."
As a teenager Norman accompanied his father to Iran, where the elder Schwarzkopf trained Iran's national police force and was an adviser to Reza Pahlavi, the young Shah of Iran.
Young Norman studied there and in Switzerland, Germany and Italy, then followed in his father's footsteps to West Point, graduating in 1956 with an engineering degree. After stints in the U.S. and abroad, he earned a master's degree in engineering at the University of Southern California and later taught missile engineering at West Point.
In 1966 he volunteered for Vietnam and served two tours, first as a U.S. adviser to South Vietnamese paratroops and later as a battalion commander in the U.S. Army's Americal Division. He earned three Silver Stars for valour — including one for saving troops from a minefield — plus a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and three Distinguished Service Medals.
While many career officers left military service embittered by Vietnam, Schwarzkopf was among those who opted to stay and help rebuild the tattered Army into a potent, modernized all-volunteer force.
After Saddam invaded Kuwait in August 1990, Schwarzkopf played a key diplomatic role by helping persuade Saudi Arabia's King Fahd to allow U.S. and other foreign troops to deploy on Saudi territory as a staging area for the war to come.
On Jan. 17, 1991, a five-month buildup called Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm as allied aircraft attacked Iraqi bases and Baghdad government facilities. The six-week aerial campaign climaxed with a massive ground offensive on Feb. 24-28, routing the Iraqis from Kuwait in 100 hours before U.S. officials called a halt.
Schwarzkopf said afterward he agreed with Bush's decision to stop the war rather than drive to Baghdad to capture Saddam, as his mission had been only to oust the Iraqis from Kuwait.
But in a desert tent meeting with vanquished Iraqi generals, he allowed a key concession on Iraq's use of helicopters, which later backfired by enabling Saddam to crack down more easily on rebellious Shiites and Kurds.
While he later avoided the public second-guessing by academics and think-tank experts over the ambiguous outcome of the first Gulf War and its impact on the second Gulf War, he told The Washington Post in 2003, "You can't help but ... with 20/20 hindsight, go back and say, 'Look, had we done something different, we probably wouldn't be facing what we are facing today.'"
After retiring from the Army in 1992, Schwarzkopf wrote a bestselling autobiography, "It Doesn't Take A Hero." Of his Gulf War role, he said: "I like to say I'm not a hero. I was lucky enough to lead a very successful war." He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and honoured with decorations from France, Britain, Belgium, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
Schwarzkopf and his wife, Brenda, had three children: Cynthia, Jessica and Christian.
___
Stacy was the AP's Tampa, Fla., correspondent when he prepared this report on Schwarzkopf's life; he now reports from the AP bureau in Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press writers Richard Pyle in New York and Jay Lindsay in Boston contributed to this report.

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Appeals court faults EPA for soot regulation

WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court is siding with environmental groups that had challenged Environmental Protection Agency regulations on soot as too weak.
The three-judge panel ruled Friday that the EPA regulated soot of a certain size under weaker cleanup requirements than it should have.
The environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, had challenged two rules dating back to the George W. Bush administration. The court sent the rules back to the EPA with instructions to strengthen them.
Soot, or fine particulate matter, is microscopic pollution released from smokestacks, diesel trucks and other sources. Breathing it can cause lung and heart problems, contributing to heart attacks, strokes and asthma attacks.
Two of the three judges were appointed by Republican presidents, the third by a Democrat.

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Business Systems Integrators’ EDI Suite Announces General Release of Integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013

BSI provides EDI integration with newly released Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 to broaden capabilities and support for Dynamics GP users.

Lawson, MO (PRWEB) December 27, 2012
Business Systems Integrators, LLC, (BSI) a best-of-breed EDI solutions provider for the Microsoft GP, AX and NAV marketplace, today announced the general release of integration of its BSI EDI Suite with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013. BSI’s EDI Suite provides Electronic Data Interchange capabilities for multiple versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP, and now also for GP 2013. This integration provides the same user-friendly capabilities and support for numerous industries and usage scenarios, including 3PL, retail/grocery and supplier onboarding, with one of the deepest, most robust integrations in the market. The additional integration that BSI has with Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0, 10.0, 2010 and AX 3.0, 4.0, 2009, 2012 and NAV shows the company’s parallel positioning with Microsoft’s history of providing cutting-edge, agile and easy-to-use solutions for the Microsoft Dynamics user community.
“This general release broadens our support for our Dynamics GP users--for our on-premise EDI users as well as our SaaS users with our partner, SPS Commerce,” said Larry Knoch, CEO and founder of BSI.
About Business Systems Integrators
Business Systems Integrators, LLC. is a Microsoft-Certified software and service provider who has been involved in ERP and EDI for nearly 24 years. BSI provides on-premise EDI as well as SaaS EDI in conjunction with SPS Commerce. BSI, LLC prides itself on quality solutions and service that meets customers’ needs and exceeds expectations - whether it's implementing one of BSI’s software products or for custom integration development.

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Global Technology Transfer Group (GTT Group) Releases December Patent Market Outlook and Q3 2012 Patent Market Index (PMI)

Global Technology Transfer Group, Inc. (GTT Group), the world leader in patent transaction advisory and patent analysis services, releases the Q3 2012 Patent Market Index (PMI), an index tracking patent transaction activity and trends in the patent marketplace. The Q3 2012 PMI continues the steady growth trend set since Q3 2009, growing 13.1 points in Q3 2012 over the previous quarter.

Portland, OR (PRWEB) December 27, 2012
Global Technology Transfer Group, Inc. (GTT Group), the world leader in patent transaction advisory and patent analysis services, releases the Q3 2012 Patent Market Index (PMI), an index tracking patent transaction activity and trends in the patent marketplace.
The Patent Market Index grew 13.1 points in Q3 2012 over the previous quarter, from 96.5 to 109.6. The Q3 2012 PMI continues the steady growth trend set since Q3 2009.
“One important indicator of the current quarter PMI strength is the significant number of small and medium sized transactions,” explained Michael Lubitz, CEO and Chairman of GTT Group. “Our expectation when reporting the Q2 2012 PMI was for a significant uptick in Q3 and Q4, and it came through for Q3. We remain optimistic to report continued growth in Q4 through the first half of 2013. ”
The number of Patent Asset Transfers jumped in Q3 2012, but this was due to a large backlog at the USPTO. The PMI should maintain its 100-plus level into the first half of 2013 with secondary transfer returning to recent representative levels. Twelve transactions made the Notable Patent Transfers list this quarter, a reflection of the current activity in small and medium sized transaction. Most Active Dealmakers of Q3 2012 included Intel, Samsung, Microsoft, Cisco, and Facebook.
To obtain a complete copy of the Patent Transaction Market Report, subscribe to the Quarterly Patent Transaction Market Report and Patent Market Index by visiting the GTT Group website. GTT Group makes this information available as a courtesy to the community.
Additional research and analysis studies are listed in the Quarterly Patent Transaction Market Report. For access to any of these studies, or to inquire about developing a study for a specific company, please contact Dan Buri, Director Asset Services at GTT Group.
About Global Technology Transfer Group, Inc.

Global Technology Transfer Group, Inc. is a patent transaction advisory and consulting firm. GTT Group combines core competencies in patent valuation with its global network to deliver unparalleled results. GTT Group’s services include Patent Valuation, Patent Brokerage, Patent Acquisition, Patent Licensing Support, Patent Related Standards Analysis, Patent Research and Strategic Analysis. The company’s corporate headquarters are in Portland, Oregon, with representation in North America, Asia, and Europe.

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Whisky Marketplace Offering a Wide Range of Aged Whiskies

Online seller of whisky brands WhiskyMarketplace.co.uk is now offering an exciting range of aged whiskies. The seller offers different blends of whisky originating from distilleries around the world that are arranged in order of age between three years and fifty years.

(PRWEB) December 27, 2012
Going into 2013, Whisky Marketplace is now offering its customers a wide range of blends with varying ages. Ranging from three years to even sixty year old whiskies, the website’s extensive whisky collection is appreciated by whisky lovers in many parts of the world. For those keeping score, the age printed on a whisky label denotes the youngest possible age of the whisky and makes a perfect gift for any season, or even a way to kick off the new year.
Each bottle is a blend of whiskies from different casks, with each whisky at least as old as the label shows. Most people will be familiar with the range of popular 12 year old whiskies, which are reasonably priced and include popular brands such as Ballantines and Old Pulteney. In its 15 year old range, some of the most popular brands on Whisky Marketplace in 2012 included Ardbeg, Dalwhinnie, Glenfiddich, and Old Elgin among several others.
The website boasts an extensive collection of 18 year old whiskies such as the Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Glenrothes. Beyond that, favourites in the 21 year range include brands such as Highland Park, Gordon & MacPhail, Mortlach, Benriach, and Bladnoch. The seller’s 25 year old whisky collection is an enviable set of fine blended and well aged brands like Glen Grant, Benromach, and Linkwood. Ideal for special occasions, the 25 year old whisky collection at Whisky Marketplace is a great place to find presents for all seasons.
For lovers of slightly rare, exclusive and expensive whiskies, there are 30 year old whisky blends from Carsebridge, Glentauchers, Strathclyde, and MacPhail. Forming some of the finest and more expensive whisky blends, the 40 year old whisky collection includes classics such as the Bunnahabhain 1972, Abbey Speyside and Linkwood 1970.
And it goes further back than that, with almost 30 different versions of 50 year old whisky. Some of the most popular blends with the 50 year old mark include North British 1962, Glenfarclas 1959 and 1961, MacPhail 1937, Pride of Strathspey 1937 and Glen Grant 1936.
How far back does it go? Three of Whisky Marketplace’s most prized whiskies include the Macallan 1949 priced at £15,000, the Macallan Lalique Crystal worth £17,500 and the Springbank 1919 priced at a whopping £50,000.

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CitizenShipper.com Members Find Delivery Jobs That Drive Them to the Moon and Back....Twice

CitizenShipper.com, an online marketplace of shipments that connect with drivers passed a major milestone this year, with drivers on the site clocking up over a million miles. For those looking to find delivery jobs and driving jobs, CitizenShipper.com offers a cosmic solution.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) December 27, 2012
Denver based startup company, CitizenShipper.com, is a new peer-to-peer marketplace that connects people who have shipping requirements with people who can actually do the driving. The site has been serving the US market since 2009, and recently expanded into Canada helping Americans and Canadians find driving jobs in a down economy.
Citizenshipper offers companies and individuals a better alternative to high priced, time-constrained and inflexible conventional delivery/courier services. CitizenShipper links people who want something delivered (the customer) with the people wish to do the delivering (the driver). It can be anything, a letter, a package, to something as large as a big-screen TV. Pets are also popular things that are transported on the site.
This year, CEO Richard Obousy announced a major milestone for the company. "We tallied the total number of miles drivers registered on our site have driven shipping stuff." Explains Obousy. "It turns out, you could get to the Moon and back...twice!" It's a nice metric when you think about it, and just goes to show how active the drivers are who are registered to the site.
CitizenShipper has grown quickly into a marketplace where drivers planning on making a trip somewhere anyway can leave quotes on thousands of online shipments. Payments for these completed shipments range from as low as $20 for local delivery jobs, to as much as $5,000 for heavy equipment and difficult to move items
"This is a great way for people to get stuff shipped, and also great for people looking to find driving jobs and delivery jobs." Closes Obousy.

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PSA/DNA Forgery Experts Warn: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Babe Ruth Top 2012's "Most Dangerous Autographs"

The signatures of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Neil Armstrong, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle were among the most forged autographs in the collectibles marketplace the past year, according to PSA/DNA Authentication Services in their new report on the "most dangerous autographs" of 2012.

Newport Beach, California (PRWEB) December 28, 2012
There's probably less than a 50/50 chance autographs offered in the marketplace of Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Babe Ruth are genuine, according to a year-end report by PSA/DNA Authentication Services (http://www.psadna.com) of Newport Beach, California, the world's largest third-party autograph and memorabilia authentication service. The company has issued a consumer advisory about the "most dangerous autographs" of 2012 (http://www.psacard.com/MostDangerousAutographs/2012/), and the names on the list are familiar.
PSA/DNA officials caution there was a significant increase in forgeries submitted to them of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong's autograph. His death this past July sparked renewed interest and demand for items he personally signed. According to PSA/DNA, a genuine autographed Armstrong photograph can sell for $5,000 or more, a contract or letter signed by Elvis might be worth $35,000 or more and a high-quality Ruth-signed baseball could be valued at $60,000 or more.
"Whether it's the signature of a famous sports hero, an entertainment star or an important historical figure, it's important that consumers buy from reputable sellers who use credible, expert third-party authentication," advises Joe Orlando, President of PSA/DNA.
"There are a lot so-called 'deals' for autographs that can be found online, at local flea markets and even at some collectibles conventions, but most of those 'deals' are simply too good to be true. Genuine autographs do not often sell for a huge discount," warns Orlando.
In 2012, PSA/DNA experts evaluated over 350,000 autographs submitted by collectors worldwide.
"Unfortunately, a large portion of them were forgeries. In fact, it's not uncommon for our experts to reject 50 percent or more of the signatures submitted to our company, especially when it comes to the more prominent names," said Orlando.
The company has issued an advisory entitled 2012 PSA/DNA Autograph Report: The Ten Most Dangerous Autographs. It is available free online at http://www.psacard.com/MostDangerousAutographs/2012/.
Among the most frequently submitted counterfeit signatures of historical and entertainment figures the past year were:
    1) Elvis Presley

    2) The Beatles

    3) Neil Armstrong

    4) John F. Kennedy

    5) Michael Jackson
The "most dangerous" autographs of sports stars' autographs in 2012 were:
    1) Babe Ruth

    2) Lou Gehrig

    3) Mickey Mantle

    4) Michael Jordan

    5) Muhammad Ali
"What is most startling about the number of fake autographs in the marketplace is that PSA/DNA does not often receive obvious forgeries for evaluation. So, if our rejection rate for a particular autograph approaches 50 percent, then you can only imagine how high that percentage of forgeries actually might be in the overall marketplace," cautioned Orlando.
The public can see and compare hundreds of genuine sports, historical and entertainment autographs free online at http://www.PSAAutographFacts.com, including examples of how a person's signature may change over the years.
"With the proper precautions and education, collectors can participate in a safe hobby environment and avoid becoming prey for unscrupulous sellers," said Orlando.

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Detained Nigerian newspaper journalists released

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — An official says two Nigerian journalists have been freed after being detained without charges for more than a week by the nation's secret police following writing stories about a radical Islamist sect and alleged military abuses.
Mohammed Garba, president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, said Tuesday that Musa Mohammed Awwal and Aliyu Saleh, journalists with the weekly Hausa language newspaper, Al-Mizan, were freed around noon. Garba said the two men had not been abused or mistreated while in custody. He said the two men may have to return for questioning again by Nigeria's secretive State Security Service.
The two journalists were arrested Dec. 24 at their homes in Kaduna. Their newspaper has published a series of stories about alleged military abuses and the sect known as Boko Haram.

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C. African Republic capital fears rebel attack

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Kpademona Marcel and other residents of the capital of Central African Republic have watched in fear as rebels from the country's north seized control of more than half the country in less than a month. On Tuesday, all he could do was pray that a solution to the crisis could be found without the violence reaching Bangui.
"We are afraid for our nation and for our fellow citizens in the countryside," Marcel said, standing on the steps of the Notre Dame cathedral before a New Year's Day Mass. "The rebels are imposing themselves on the population and stealing things. We are here praying for peace."
As a new year began, the fate of the capital with 700,000 people, remained unclear. Government forces backed by a regional multinational force held a line in Damara, just 75 kilometers (45 miles) from Bangui. The rebels hold the city of Sibut, about 185 kilometers (115 miles) from Bangui.
While President Francois Bozize, after nearly a decade in power, has proposed a coalition government to include the rebels, a spokesman for the alliance of rebel groups advancing through the country said Monday they did not trust his offer. Former colonial power France already has said it will not protect Bozize's regime and has about 600 troops in the country just to protect its own interests.
Trucks full of soldiers bounced on the rutted roads of Bangui that are dotted with shacks where people can charge their mobile phones. Police officers stopped vehicles at intersections in another sign of stepped up security in this capital at the heart of Africa where even the banana and palm tree leaves are coated in heavy red dust from the earth.
Troops from neighboring nations arrived in the country, with a contingent from Gabon expected Tuesday. Their arrival comes a day after about 120 soldiers flew in from Republic of Congo with a mission to help stabilize the area between rebels and the government forces.
The political instability already has prompted the United States government to evacuate its ambassador and about 40 other people. There have been no mass civilian evacuations from the capital, though many residents have temporarily relocated to the southern side of Bangui, considered further from the path of a potential rebel invasion arriving from the north.
One woman in Bangui said she knew many people who already had fled the city but said she had too many family members to leave herself.
"I have five children and two grandchildren. I prefer to stay here and die with my children if it comes to that," she said, giving her name only as Lucienne.
In the Bimbo neighborhood, traders went about their business, selling everything from leafy greens to meat at roadside stands.
"We don't support what the rebels are doing," said banana farmer Narcisse Ngo, as a young boy played nearby with a monkey corpse for sale along with other meat. "They should be at the table negotiating without weapons. We are all Central Africans."
The landlocked nation of 4.4 million people is rich in diamonds, gold and uranium and yet remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Central African Republic has suffered many army revolts, coups and rebellions since gaining independence from France in 1960.
The rebels behind the current instability signed a 2007 peace accord allowing them to join the regular army, but insurgent leaders say the deal wasn't fully implemented and has made a variety of demands including payments to former combatants.

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Stampede after fireworks kills 61 in Ivory Coast

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A crowd stampeded after leaving a New Year's fireworks show early Tuesday in Ivory Coast's main city, killing 61 people — many of them children and teenagers — and injuring more than 200, rescue workers said.
Thousands had gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan's Plateau district to see the fireworks. It was only the second New Year's Eve fireworks display since peace returned to this West African nation after a bloody upheaval over presidential elections put the nation on the brink of civil war and turned this city into a battle zone.
With 2013 showing greater promise, people were in the mood to celebrate on New Year's Eve. Families brought children and they watched the rockets burst in the nighttime sky. But only an hour into the new year, as the crowds poured onto the Boulevard de la Republic after the show, something caused a stampede, said Col. Issa Sako of the fire department rescue team. How so many deaths occurred on the broad boulevard and how the tragedy started is likely to be the subject of an investigation.
Many of the younger ones in the crowd went down, trampled underfoot. Most of those killed were between 8 and 15 years old
"The flood of people leaving the stadium became a stampede which led to the deaths of more than 60 and injured more than 200," Sako told Ivory Coast state TV.
Desperate parents went to the city morgue, the hospital and to the stadium to try to find missing children. Mamadou Sanogo was searching for his 9-year-old son, Sayed.
"I have just seen all the bodies, but I cannot find my son," said a tearful Sanogo. "I don't know what to do."
State TV showed a woman sobbing in the back of an ambulance; another was bent over on the side of the street, apparently in pain; and another, barely conscious and wearing only a bra on her upper body, was hoisted by rescuers. There were also scenes of small children being treated in a hospital. One boy grimaced in pain and a girl with colored braids in her hair lay under a blanket with one hand bandaged. The death toll could rise, officials said.
After the sun came up, soldiers were patrolling the site that was littered with victims' clothes, shoes, torn sandals and other belongings. President Alassane Ouattara and his wife Dominique visited some of the injured in the hospital. Mrs. Ouattara leaned over one child who was on a bed in a crowded hospital ward and tried to console the youngster. The president pledged that the government would pay for their treatment, his office said.
The government organized the fireworks to celebrate Ivory Coast's peace, after several months of political violence in early 2011 following disputed elections.
This is not Ivory Coast's first stadium tragedy. In 2009, 22 people died and over 130 were injured in a stampede at a World Cup qualifying match at the Houphouet Boigny Stadium, prompting FIFA, soccer's global governing body, to impose a fine of tens of thousands of dollars on Ivory Coast's soccer federation. The stadium, which officially holds 35,000, was overcrowded at the time of the disaster.
A year later, two people were killed and 30 wounded in a stampede at a municipal stadium during a reggae concert in Bouake, the country's second-largest city. The concert was organized in the city, held by rebels at the time, to promote peace and reconciliation.
Ivory Coast is the world's largest cocoa producer, growing more than 37 percent of the world's annual crop of cocoa beans, which are used to make chocolate.

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Angola: Stampede kills 10 at religious gathering

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Angolan media say 10 people, including four children, have died in a stampede during a religious gathering at a sports stadium in Luanda, the Angolan capital.
Angop, the Angolan news agency, cited officials as saying Tuesday that 120 people were also injured. The incident happened on New Year's Eve when tens of thousands of people gathered at the stadium and panic ensued. Faustino Sebastiao, spokesman for the national firefighters department, says those who died were crushed and asphyxiated.
The event in the southern African nation was organized by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, an evangelical group founded in Brazil.
In western Africa, a crowd in Ivory Coast stampeded after leaving a New Year's fireworks show early Tuesday, killing 61 people and injuring more than 200.

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South Africa: Mandela rests at home

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's presidency says former leader Nelson Mandela is progressing with his recuperation from illness and doctors are closely monitoring his condition.
Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said Wednesday that "everything is moving OK" as 94-year-old Mandela rests at his home in Johannesburg after a hospital stay last month.
The former president received treatment for a lung infection and also had gallstones removed.
Maharaj says Mandela is "taking it easy" and is under "close medical attention."
Mandela spent 27 years in prison under apartheid and became South Africa's first black president in democratic elections in 1994.

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New Years Day Metal Print Sale: Metal Photo Company Announces First Annual Metal Print and Personalized Gift Sale.

New Years Day Sale: Metal Photo Company Announces Annual 50% off Metal Print and Personalized Gift Sale.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 01, 2013
MetalPhotoCompany.com is announcing a first annual 50% off sale New Year's Day only. Custom Monogrammed iPhone 4, 4S, 5, Samsung Galaxy 3, Nexus, Note or Blackberry case including custom photo cases are all included in the annual sale. Consumers will also be able to purchase matching iPad and device cases for as little as $25.00. Metal Photo Company offers Metal Murals up to sizes 48 x 48. Metal Prints are waterproof, archival, and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Consumers should use code: NEW YEAR at checkout to receive discounts.
Visit MetalPhotoCompany.com

Follow them on Facebook at [http://www.facebook.com/metalphotocompany
About Metal Photo Company

MetalPhotoCompany.com specializes in printing images on metal. Simply upload your photos or digital art and let Metal Photo Company turn them into beautiful prints on metal. Whether you want to put a picture on metal to decorate your home or office, give as a gift, or simply want to turn your very own photos to metal art, Metal photo Company has unique options for you. You can order a single metal print, stack two metal pics on top of one another for a unique three dimensional affect, or use several metal photo panels to create a photo mural for your wall. Your print on metal comes ready to hang or display so there is no need for a frame. We also take a personalized approach in creating each individual customer's metal print by inspecting each digital image to determine if editing or touch-ups are recommended before we print it to metal, ensuring that your final product will be the best it can be. Metal Photo Company has a complete line of personalized phone and device cases, as well as, photo ornaments.

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Kyriba Releases New Industry Inside: Demonstration of the Kyriba Treasury Management System

http://www.kyriba.com --Watch the demonstration of Kyriba's best-in-class, cloud-based solution that delivers optimized decision-making, enhanced control and compliance, and increased visibility for treasury and finance professionals.

New York, US (PRWEB) January 01, 2013
Clcik to view Kyriba Demonstration here: http://bit.ly/VpgIHr
Watch the demonstration of Kyriba's best-in-class, cloud-based solution that delivers optimized decision-making, enhanced control and compliance, and increased visibility for treasury and finance professionals.
Kyriba treasury management solution in the cloud delivers fully integrated cash, treasury, payment, risk management and supply chain finance solutions through a user-friendly, scalable and secure SaaS platform.
See why leading treasuries around the globe choose Kyriba treasury management solution in the cloud: http://www.kyriba.com/resources/videos-podcasts/demonstration-kyriba-treasury-management-system
About Kyriba

Kyriba is the global leader in next generation treasury solutions in the cloud. We enable CFOs and finance teams to optimize their corporate treasury functions by delivering fully-integrated cash, treasury, payment, risk management and supply chain finance solutions through a user-friendly, scalable and secure SaaS platform. Kyriba improves visibility and productivity, enabling our clients to minimize risks and have better control over their treasury and finance decisions. With a client loyalty rate of over 98 percent, we support more than 700 organizations globally including market leaders such as Amway, Electronic Arts (EA), Interpublic Group, PulteGroup, Inc. and Qualcomm. For more information, contact treasury(at)kyriba(dot)com

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Rudi’s Organic Bakery Toasts the New Year with a Pantry Full of Fun and New Facebook App

Toast-A-Gram invites Rudi’s Organic fans to create and share miraculous, toasted masterpieces on a piece of organic sandwich bread

Boulder, CO (PRWEB) January 01, 2013
Rudi’s Organic Bakery® is celebrating the New Year with a burst of creativity that will allow fans to toast the good life. We’ve all see the headlines—Elvis and the Queen miraculously appearing in the scorch marks of toasted bread. Through the new Rudi’s Organic Toast-A-Gram app on Facebook, now everyone can toast and share what or who they love on a yummy slice of Rudi’s Organic Sandwich Bread.
“At Rudi’s Organic Bakery, we’ve been baking on the bright side since 1976, creating scrumptious organic breads the whole family can enjoy,” said Doug Radi, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Rudi’s Organic. “While we’re focused on providing delicious organic bread made with tons of taste and zero added junk, we also believe life shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Through Toast-A-Gram, we’re giving moms the chance to have the best of both worlds—a smiling and healthy family all at the same time.”
Rudi’s Organic fans can participate in Toast-A-Gram starting today by ‘liking’ the Rudi’s Organic page on Facebook. Through the Toast-A-Gram app, Rudi’s Organic bread enthusiasts will be invited to create their own custom Toast-A-Gram by uploading a photo or typing a special message and watching it get miraculously toasted onto a scrumptious piece of organic bread. Fans looking for inspiration can select from a pantry stocked full of creative ideas from Rudi’s Organic. After creating their toasted masterpieces, fans can celebrate by downloading a $1 off coupon good for any Rudi’s Organic product and by sharing their creations with friends and family on their Facebook wall, Twitter, Pinterest or by email. All Toast-A-Grams will be shared in the pantry gallery and selected Toast-A-Grams will be featured on the Rudi’s Organic Facebook wall and in emails to all of Rudi’s Organic bread lovers.
To keep the celebration going throughout the year, Rudi’s Organic will periodically update the pantry with themed Toast-A-Grams for special occasions and holidays. Fans might even see special Toast-A-Grams toasting key moments in pop culture. Fans will be encouraged to keep participating throughout the year with special Toast-A-Gram offers and promotions that give another chance to grab life by the slice.
For more information on Toast-A-Gram and Rudi’s Organic Bakery products, including Sandwich Breads, Tortillas, Wraps, Buns, Rolls, Sandwich Flatz, Bagel Flatz, Bagels and English Muffins, visit rudisbakery.com.
About Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Inc.

Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Inc., has been passionate about baking better breads for families for more than 30 years. Founded and headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Rudi’s Organic Bakery is the only nationally available brand offering a full line of nutritious and delicious, certified organic breads and baked goods. Rudi’s Organic is committed to baking breads using only the best organic ingredients and no artificial additives, preservatives and GMOs. In 2010, Rudi’s Organic leveraged this heritage to create Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery, a line of gluten-free breads and baked goods made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients so that each bite tastes like the real thing. Rudi’s Organic and Rudi’s Gluten-Free products are available nationally at natural foods stores and select mainstream supermarkets. For more information, visit rudisbakery.com.

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AViiQ Releases the All New Leather iPhone 5 Wallet Case

AViiQ delivers well-designed protection to the Apple® iPhone 5 with the release of the Leather Wallet Series line of iPhone 5 Cases.

Santa Ana, CA (PRWEB) January 01, 2013
AViiQ, an award-winning brand of fashion, technology and lifestyle accessories has released a new offering for the all new Apple® iPhone 5. With three years of developing trend-setting design and innovation to the gadget accessory industry, AViiQ applies its design mastery to the Apple® iPhone 5 with the release of the Leather iPhone 5 Wallet Case.
AViiQ's Leather iPhone 5 wallet cases is the newest addition to AviiQ's iphone covers, designed to protect the iPhone 5 in style while doubling as a convenient wallet for carry credit cards and ID. The iPhone 5 leather wallet case features genuine sheep skin leather and has the award winning AViiQ Thin Series iPhone 5 Case integrated into it to give it a super low profile designer thinner than most wallet cases on the market today. It offer screen protection and privacy and also can function as a iPhone 5 Stand.
This is a cool iphone cases to match the new Apple iPhone 5 with a touch of elegance and multi-functionality, the AViiQ Leather iPhone 5 Wallet case is perfect. Currently available in black leather but with more color options to come.
Its lightweight polycarbonate material, which is stronger than standard ABS material, maintains a slim profile while providing all-round protection against scratches from everyday use. The AViiQ Leather iPhone 5 Wallet Case for the Apple® iPhone 5 allows easy access to all ports and buttons while protecting it in a luxurious genuine sheep skin leather case with cover. The AViiQ Leather iPhone 5 Wallet Cases is available in black color with a retailing at 34.99 USD.
All AViiQ products come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, a full refund policy within 30 days of purchase. For more information about this and the entire line of AViiQ products, contact PR representative Alan Yeung at alan(at)aviiq(dot)com
Find it at these online retail partners: AViiQ.com , Amazon.com , Lollimobile.com
ABOUT AVIIQ

AViiQ adheres to the tenet that form should follow function. Founded to create consumer mobile electronic accessories that maximize productivity through enhanced functionality and high-end design, AViiQ offers the finest in function and style.  Laptops revolutionized the computer world by adding the freedom of mobility and AViiQ transforms that freedom into power.  For more information about AViiQ please visit http://www.AViiQ.com
For additional information on this and other AViiQ products, please contact AViiQ PR at alan(at)aviiq(dot)com or at (949) 515-8840. Follow us on http://www.facebook.com/aviiq for current social updates.

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IHRIM Unveils Top 10 Predictions for HR Technology in 2013

Industry's Thought Leaders Gaze Into 'HR Tech Crystal Ball' to Provide Next Year's Forecast.

(PRWEB) January 01, 2013
Lynne Mealy, President & CEO of IHRIM, The International Association for Human Resource Information Management), the world's leading clearinghouse for the Human Resource Information Management industry, today unveiled IHRIM's top 10 predictions for HR Technology in 2013.
Before revealing the list, compiled by such industry leaders as Lexy Martin of CedarCrestone, Nov Omana of HR Collective Solutions and Karen Beaman of Jeitosa Group International, Ms. Mealy noted "2012 has been a big year for HR technology. With the growing implementation of HR in the cloud; the rise in popularity of Big Data; the surge of organizations using social networks to engage their workforce; and increasing conversations coming from the boardroom about analytics, 2013 promises to make even more waves in the industry. We are pleased to share our predictions to help organizations capitalize on trends & market opportunities to better plan for future growth."
IHRIM's HR Technology predictions address the trends of:

    Social Networking
    Personal Devices
    Mobile vs Desktop
    SaaS
    Predictive Analytics
    Cloud Computing
    Systems Integration
    Metrics
    Big Data
    Gamification
To read the full article and learn more about IHRIM's Top 10 HR Technology Predictions, visit http://tinyurl.com/IHRIMsTop10HRTechPredictions.
For more than 32 years, IHRIM has helped advance the HRIM industry through its community of industry experts and educational opportunities. With the support and dedication of its volunteer leaders, IHRIM will continue to carry out its mission of being the leading professional association for knowledge, education, and solutions supporting the Human Resource Information Management community.
About the International Association for Human Resource Information Management (IHRIM)

IHRIM is the world's leading clearinghouse for the HRIM (Human Resource Information Management) industry. Since 1980, IHRIM has been the only membership association for HR technology professionals, advancing the industry by providing unparalleled education and professional development opportunities through its annual conference, educational courses and webinars. IHRIM is a community of experts - a dynamic group of practitioners, vendors, consultants, students, and faculty that continues to grow, not just in numbers, but in its scope of knowledge and information.

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