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Monday, December 26, 2011

Egypt's military rulers study plan to speed up vote (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? Egypt's military rulers are studying a proposal from their own advisers to bring forward parliamentary elections by two weeks after demands from protesters and politicians to speed up transition to civilian rule, an advisory council member said Sunday.

Many Egyptians believe the army is no longer fit to manage security on the ground and carry out difficult reforms at a time of political and economic crisis.

Friday, thousands rallied in Cairo and other cities to demand the army give up power and to vent anger after 17 people were killed in recent protests where troops beat and clubbed women and men even as they lay on the ground.

Voting for the upper house, or Shura Assembly, is due to be held in three rounds beginning on January 29 and ending on March 5. It follows a similarly protracted vote for the lower house that began in November and is due to end in mid-January.

"The military council has agreed to study the option of shortening the election time for the Shura by two weeks, to end on February 22," Sherif Zahran, a member of a council advising the military on the transition to civilian rule told Reuters.

Zahran said the judiciary had agreed to the idea of squeezing Shura elections into two stages instead of three and that a plan to shorten the vote tallying process was being studied also.

"This would allow for both the (lower house of) parliament and Shura to convene in a joint meeting by the end of February," Zahran told Reuters.

Once parliament convenes, Egypt will draw up a constitution and a presidential vote is planned before the end of June.

Protests continue daily in Tahrir Square. Several hundred protesters have set up camp there. Some are demanding the army bring forward the presidential vote to as early as January 25, the first anniversary of the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak.

Others, worrying that 10 months after Mubarak's downfall Egypt remains in disarray, protested Friday to end protests so order can be restored and the economy revitalized.

A source close to the army said the military council, including leader Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, was meeting to decide on what was needed to speed up the Shura vote.

"Other changes will have to take place if this plan passes, such as how long the constitutional committee will take to draft the constitution," the source said, adding that Tantawi would first have to ratify any new voting timetable.

No one at the military council was available to comment.

Analysts say a speedy transfer could play into the hands of military by boosting the chances of presidential candidates with close ties to the army, including Amr Moussa.

Moussa, a former foreign minister and ex-head of the Arab League, said an earlier presidential was also being studied.

"Field Marshal Tantawi said presidential elections will be held no later than June 30. This means there is room for presidential elections to come sooner," Moussa, who is also a member of the advisory council, told Reuters Sunday.

(Writing by Patrick Werr)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111225/wl_nm/us_egypt_vote

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

Startup Brings Ecommerce Directly to Magazine Websites (Mashable)

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. Name: 72Lux

[More from Mashable: You Know Your Klout Score. What?s Your Kred Score?]

Quick Pitch: Shop across many online retailers with a single checkout and shipping fee.

Genius Idea: Bringing that service to third-party publishers.

[More from Mashable: Keas Is Like FarmVille for Corporate Wellness]

Shopping for women's apparel and accessories across different retailers isn't as difficult as it was a few years ago, thanks to search tools such as ShopStyle and Google Product Search. Checking out, however, can still be a chore when you're dealing with multiple site registrations and shipping fees.

72Lux eliminates much of the hassle by allowing you to shop from more than 900 retailers from its website, including such recognizable brands as Bloomingdales, Macy's and Yoox. You can browse (by designer, garment type, color and size), search and select different goods from retailers, and check out only once. What's more, you'll pay a flat shipping fee of $15, although returns have to be addressed specifically to individual retailers.

The startup takes a cut of every sale, which founder and CEO Heather Marie says is greater than the 2-3% affiliates usually receive.

That's a promising business in and of itself, but what's even more promising is the ecommerce solution 72Lux is developing for third-party publishers. As we've seen, many retailers are developing content offerings on their websites to make them more like shoppable magazines. Now, certain consumer magazines -- Marie declined to disclose which -- are working to allow customers to shop directly from their sites, instead of referring them elsewhere to purchase. The first launch will be announced in Q1 2012, Marie says.

That could open up a significant new revenue stream for publishers, although it's not yet clear what effect that will have on magazines and their readers. Enabling readers to quickly and seamlessly purchase the goods they're reading about is, yes, a convenience, but there's also the risk that readers will begin to question recommendations for products that publishers have such an obvious, vested interest in.

72Lux has raised $300,000 in seed funding to date and is currently raising its next round.

Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark

The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20111223/tc_mashable/startup_brings_ecommerce_directly_to_magazine_websites

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Christopher and has given that canada goose coats

A Quebec outfitters journey canada goose coats will put you specifically in the rich and awe-inspiring Canadian forest. Towering Canadian conifers and lush broadleaved trees in the forest will immerse you in nature when you could have by no means seen or knowledgeable it ahead of. And there is no superior method to practical experience everything the terrific northern Canadian wilderness must present than that has a guided hunting excursion. North American black bears are a number of the greatest predators all around, especially up in Quebec. With bears weighing in at wherever from 200 to 400 kilos, you may see why it would be advisable to own an expert with you. You would not need to be canada goose jackets in the erroneous spot with the incorrect time when a person of these monsters happens lumbering up!Moose hunting is one canada goose parka more well-known supplying from outfitters. Moose vary all around the good Canadian frontier. Standing amongst six to 7 ft tall, with douleur weighing anyplace among 850 to one,000 lbs, this really is the accurate definition of 'big video game hunting'.A professional clothing store can make certain that you simply can benefit from the thrill of the hunt. They are able to help you discover canada goose sale your bear, regardless of whether it can be as a result of bait or even a 'spot and stalk' program. The moment you make your shot, they will allow you to retrieve it. Generally, a bear hunting package deal will incorporate issues like permits, licenses, manual fees, and trophy costs. Ensure that which the clothing store you seek the services of contains canada goose jacket items like this. But most significantly of all, ensure you may have entertaining and revel in anything that a professional outfitter can carry in your northern Canadian hunt.

Source: http://heraldbulletin.neighborsink.com/node/123824

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The winner of 'The X Factor' is ...

By Craig Berman, TODAY.com contributor

Michael Becker / FOX

Melanie Amaro was crowned the first "X Factor" champ on Thursday night.

Melanie Amaro was crowned the winner of ?X Factor? on Thursday, surprising almost nobody and completing the journey that nearly ended before it began.

Amaro famously wasn?t one of judge Simon Cowell?s original four female finalists, but got called back into the competition when he either changed his mind or decided that the charade had gone on long enough, depending on how cynical you are. Once she got that second chance, she immediately became the favorite among the women, sailing through the competition and earning the $5 million recording contract.

She fell to her knees in prayer after hearing the news, overwhelmed enough to resist host Steve Jones? numerous attempts to get something resembling a sound bite out of her. She choked up several times during her show-closing number, but presumably will recover in time to record what everyone at Fox hopes?will be?a monster album that sells millions of downloads.

Josh Krajcik, the former burrito maker and champion of the 30-somethings, came in second, with Chris Rene having been eliminated earlier in the evening as the third-place finisher.

The result capped an evening that was more of a holiday special than a coronation. The three finalists all sang Christmas tunes, as did Justin Bieber in a duet with Stevie Wonder. Bieber than sang a few notes with Drew, the teenager eliminated earlier in the competition who auditioned with Bieber?s ?Baby? and seemed as overwhelmed by the opportunity as any girl her age would.

?She is a very special girl and she will go far,? Bieber said, though he did not indicate that he was prepared to fulfill Drew?s fantasy of a date with him at the beach.

The show also featured the snippets of interviews with friends and family members that tug at the heartstrings and are a staple of all reality competitions, or so it seems.

?We used to complain about you singing all the time, and now look at you singing in front of millions of people,? Amaro?s brothers said.

?I?m not really surprised we?re here right now. I want you to know that I love you so much, and I don?t think I say that enough,? said Krajcik?s daughter.

The night also saw the rivalry between Simon and judge?L.A. Reid depicted as a battle of heavyweights, while judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Adbul had the ?Cry-Off? clip show instead. This concept was brought to you by the 1950s, which wants its gender roles back.

Rachel Crow made her return, two weeks after her elimination in what was called the most shocking moment of the season. She didn?t seem to have any lingering scars from that experience.

?I?m gonna steal your job,? she told Steve.

It was a tough night for the host in general, who was often stymied in his attempts to talk with the contestants and had Nicole whiff on a punchline several times before he finally threw up his hands and gave up.

Other acts included 50 Cent, who tested the Fox censors and was accompanied by some of the less-heralded members of the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as Ne-Yo and Pitbull. Also singing was Leona Lewis, who won the British version of the show and is what the folks at Fox are desperately hoping that Amaro becomes. That, as much as anything else, will determine whether this becomes the next ?American Idol? or just one of the countless shows stuck in its wake.

Did the right contestant win?

More in The Clicker:

Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/22/9645437-the-winner-of-the-x-factor-is

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

The GOP and Religious Radicals

Why do you suppose the GOP has sold out to religious radicals? I totally understand why they have sold out to the corporationists, but you'd think the goals of the radical religious zealots of the country run contrary to the traditional goals of "small, limited government" the GOP used to hold so dear.

Today, Republicans like Rick Santorum and Rick Perry carry the water for the Radical Religious Zealots as if they were competing for the nomination of the Evangelical party instead of the Republican party...

What part of "small, limited government" prohibits Terry Schiavo's husband from making end of life decisions for his invalid wife (Rick Santorums claim to fame, btw), or prevents people from suffering from medical conditions from being able to seek relief using marijuana, or regulates what adults can do with each other in the privacy of their own bedroom, or limits who can, and who cannot marry each other.

Source: http://patrick.net/forum/?p=1206240

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