GOP Rivals Court Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - With time running short, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum and other Republican presidential contenders argued Sunday that they could beat President Barack Obama as they worked to persuade undecided Iowa Republicans aching to win the White House to choose them over chief rival Mitt Romney.

"I'm the candidate that actually was able to win in states, as a conservative, in getting Democrats and independents to vote for us," Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator who is surging in the race and is a favorite among cultural conservatives, said in an interview on CNN. "Mitt Romney has no track history of doing that."

Paul, a libertarian-leaning Texas congressman who Romney has said is outside the GOP mainstream, countered the suggestion that he's a fringe candidate. In an interview with ABC from his home state, where he was spending the weekend, Paul insisted: "I'm electable. I've been elected 12 times in Texas, when people get to know me."

Article Photos

AP Photo
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign appearance at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame on Saturday in Knoxville, Iowa.

With Romney in a position of strength in Iowa, both Santorum and Paul went directly at the former Massachusetts governor's chief argument - that he is the most electable Republican in a head-to-head matchup against Obama next fall. They hope they can sway the roughly half of likely caucus-goers who say they are undecided or willing to change their minds two days before the leadoff presidential caucuses.

A Des Moines Register poll released Saturday showed Romney and Paul locked in a close race, with Santorum rising swiftly to challenge them. Nearly half of likely Iowa caucus-goers view Romney as the Republican most likely to win the general election. He was far ahead of Santorum and Paul, who was viewed as the least likely to win.

Those two are fighting against the notion in GOP circles that their bases of support are narrow and neither would be able to cobble together the diverse voting coalition necessary to beat Obama in November. Paul attracts legions of backers who put states' rights above much else, while Santorum - an anti-abortion crusader - is popular among Christian conservatives who make up the base of the Republican Party.

In contrast, Romney has styled himself during this campaign as a Republican able to attract a broad spectrum of voters. As polls showed him in strong standing in Iowa in the past week, he has redoubled his effort to portray himself as the business-savvy executive with national appeal who is best able to defeat Obama on the campaign's most pressing issue, the economy.

Although the race remains fluid, it appeared that Romney's carefully crafted plan to avoid underperforming in Iowa, where he campaigned little until last week, may be working, given a divided GOP electorate torn between several more conservative candidates and Paul's appeal to libertarians.

The issue of what type of candidate to choose cuts to the heart of why the Iowa race is so volatile; an NBC/Marist poll last week showed nearly even percentages of Iowa caucus-goers want a candidate who shares their values as want a candidate who can beat Obama.

"The first thing you see when you talk to any Iowa Republican is that desire to beat Barack Obama," Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn said on CNN.

Mindful of that, both Romney and Santorum canvassed the state Sunday as they cast themselves as the strongest contender.

Romney was set to appear in Atlantic and Council Bluffs as he works to maximize the edge he holds in critical areas, especially those he won in his second-place finish here four years ago.

Santorum, for his part, was campaigning deep into GOP-rich rural northwest Iowa Sunday, with stops in conservative counties won by Mike Huckabee during the former Arkansas governor's victorious campaign here four years ago.

As he met voters, his final ad for Iowa TV called him "a full spectrum conservative" who is most likely to beat Obama and the "trusted conservative who gives us the best chance to take back America."

Source: http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/563784.html

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China factories struggle, policy action seen ahead (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China's big manufacturers narrowly avoided a contraction in December a survey showed on Sunday, but downward risks persist and suggest the world's second's second-largest economy will need fresh policy support to counter a slowdown in growth.

The official purchasing managers' index (PMI), complied by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) on behalf of the National Bureau of Statistics, rose to 50.3 in December from 49 in November.

That indicated a slight expansion in business activity in China's vast factory sector, but the reading was barely above the flatline of 50 that demarcates expansion from contraction which the index fell below in November for the first time since early 2009.

Analysts had expected the official PMI to be at 49.1 in December.

"The rebound in the December PMI shows that there will be no big slowdown in the Chinese economy," Zhang Liqun, a researcher with the Development Research Centre of the State Council, wrote in the CFLP statement.

The economy faces downward pressure but there are positive elements that could underpin growth, Zhang sid.

The new orders sub-index rose to 49.8 in December from 47.8 in November while the sub-index for new export orders rose to 48.6 from November's 45.6.

A similar survey on Friday by HSBC and UK-based data provider, Markit, which captures data from smaller factories, inched up to 48.7 in December from a 32-month low of 47.7 in November but still signaled a modest contraction in activity on the month, reinforcing the case for pro-growth policies.

Economists at Citi believe a policy response is growing ever more likely to combat what the bank believes is a tangible slowing of economic activity.

"Accumulating evidence of economic weakness would herald more policy easing in the months ahead, starting with another RRR cut by the Chinese New Year," they wrote in a client note, citing risks to growth from the euro zone, property prices, industrial production (IP) and fixed asset investment (FAI).

"Although domestic consumption held up steadily, its contribution may have been more than offset by weakened investment activity and deteriorating foreign trade conditions. We estimate that GDP has grown by 8.5 percent year on year during Q4 and 9.1 percent for the entire year," they wrote.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

China's central bank is in the spotlight with widespread speculation in financial markets that it will soon unveil a cut in the required ratio of reserves (RRR) it demands commercial lenders hold, after cutting it by 50 basis points on November 30 from a record high of 21.5 percent.

Such a move would free up funds that could be used for lending to support growth, but China's leaders remain wary of relaxing their grip too soon on inflation, the annual rate of which remained stubbornly above the 4 percent target through 2011 and hit a three year of 6.5 percent in July.

The official survey showed that a significant drop in price pressures in November did not follow through to December. The prices sub-index of the official PMI rose to 47.1 from 44.4 in November.

Still, Chinese officials have warned that demand-destroying effects of Europe's debt crisis and weakness in U.S. consumption could put more pressure on Chinese exporters in coming months and have pledged to fine-tune economic policy settings in response.

Analysts expect Beijing to ease monetary policy and step up fiscal spending to bolster the vast factory sector which supports an estimated 220 million Chinese jobs.

"Overall, the economy is weakening and it's still too early to tell any clear signs of recovery at this stage," said Hua Zhongwei, senior economist at Huachuang Securities in Beijing.

He said the central bank could still cut the amount of cash that banks must hold as reserves to underpin growth. Analysts expect the next cut in RRR could come early this month.

Despite the uptick for the official PMI, both it and the HSBC index are stuck near their weakest levels since early 2009, when China took a blow from the global financial crisis.

China's economy is on track to slow for a fourth successive quarter, easing further from the first quarter's 9.7 percent annual growth rate with economists expecting the final three months of the year to have slipped below 9 percent.

Economists polled by Reuters earlier this month forecast the PBOC will deliver 200 bps of RRR cuts by the end of 2012, but refrain from an outright cut in interest rates unless quarterly GDP growth dips below 8 percent.

Economists typically view growth of 7 to 8 percent as the bare minimum needed to generate enough jobs to help China absorb the urban influx of rural migrants and maintain social harmony.

(Reporting by Kevin Yao; Editing by Nick Edwards)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120101/bs_nm/us_china_economy_pmi

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What Were Lady Gaga & Mayor Bloomberg Saying During The Kiss?

Bloomberg: "Nice to meet you! You know, Gaga, some people look a lot different on TV than in person, but your face is exactly the same."

Bloomberg: "Nice to meet you! You know, Gaga, some people look a lot different on TV than in person, but your face is exactly the same."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/01/lady-gaga-mayor-bloomberg-kiss-new-years-eve-ball-drop_n_1178562.html

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Canada's game: it's hockey time in nation's backyard rinks

FREDERICTON -- While most were dreaming of a white Christmas, Robert Morimanno just wanted a frozen one.

For the past four years, Morimanno has laid down plastic sheeting in his downtown Fredericton backyard to make, what in plus-temperatures, looks like a giant waterbed framed by timbers purchased from the local hardware store.

It's just part of winter life for Morimanno, whose backyard-rink projects are a real passion.

"My dad would do the old-fashioned 'stomp on the snow and pour water on it' when I was growing up in the 1970s," Morimanno said. "The problem with that was the first thaw, and it all disappears."

For Morimanno, and New Brunswickers from all corners of the province, winter is about perfecting the art of the backyard rink.

He has gone as far as dismantling part of a fence which runs the perimeter of his yard to truck in soil to level his lawn so that when it's cold outside it's Maple Leaf Gardens in the backyard for his two boys - Caleb, 11, and Pascal, 7.

Morimanno has even rigged up his own version of the Zamboni to resurface his rink. It involves a broom and a hose with several holes in it to distribute water evenly to the sweeper's bristles.

"I call it the Zambo-rimanno," he said. "Over the years you pick up some ideas."

In this country of 34 million people, there are one half-million registered hockey players, according to Hockey Canada.

There are roughly 2,500 indoor rinks, plus 11,000 outdoor rinks and "countless" backyard rinks.

By contrast, the United States has a combined 2,000.

New Brunswick is known worldwide for its outdoor hockey each winter at the World Pond Hockey Championship in Plaster Rock.

According to Environment Canada climatologist David Phillips, while winters are getting warmer everywhere, Atlantic Canada has seen little change in its "ice-making index."

"There's a little bit of folklore that is very much true to New Brunswick," Phillips said. "As the days lengthen - meaning more daylight after the first day of winter - the cold strengthens."

From the 1940s to the present, the prairie provinces have seen their average temperature increase by 3.2 C. In southern Ontario, the global warming effect has added 1.3 C to the average temperature.

In Atlantic Canada, the difference - seven decades later - is just 0.5 C.

"The thinking is that the melting of the ice in the North is keeping the Atlantic waters cooler than it would be," Phillips said. "It's slowing the warming down."

In the past decade, Moncton averaged 72 days when the temperature stayed below the freezing mark, down from 80 days in the 1950s and '60s, according to Phillips. Go a little bit farther north and that ice making index climbs to 74 days in Miramichi, down from 83 days five decades ago.

"If warming continues the way we think it will, you won't be raising Bobby Orrs or Wayne Gretzkys in the backyard," Phillips said. "But it will be something that is there for a little while longer.

"There's still time."

Across town from the Morimanno rink is Adam Wilson's ice sheet, which began when a low-lying part of his yard pooled with water.

"I had a drain pipe put in to drain the water out of that area when I realized, 'Hey, this is a perfect spot for a rink,'" Wilson said. "So I plugged the pipe and had more water than I wanted."

The rink naturally floods from the rain in the fall.

"And then I just perfect it with the garden hose," he said.

Wilson has collected wood pallets from across the city to construct boards that enclose the perimeter of the rink, which is indisputably the largest backyard ice surface in the city. It measures 105 feet by 50 feet. An NHL-calibre rink measures 200 feet by 85 feet.

"We always flood with hot water, and that might seem like a crazy approach with a surface as large as mine, but we actually use a lot less water that way," Wilson said, adding that the hot water melts away imperfections in the ice quickly and freezes as smooth as glass.

"But I have come in on a few cold nights nearly frozen to death and with no hot water left to get a warm shower."

Over the past six years, Wilson has added three spotlights, nets above the boards at each end to keep the puck in play, and a warming room beside the ice for breaks.

"The whole family gets out there and the whole neighbourhood can enjoy it," Wilson said, adding both his son and daughter enjoy the ice. "That being said, the time we spend using it is far less than the time we spend maintaining it.

"Some people probably think we're crazy, but it's worth it. I do it for the joy of my kids."

Chris Kane, a backyard rink maker in Beresford, north of Bathurst, N.B., started an online blog to share his rink-building strategy, complete with weather charts and commentary from season to season.

A quote on Kane's blog states: "Pond hockey: Short of getting Gordon Lightfoot to write a song about Stompin' Tom Connors singing a song about Anne Murray, you just can't get any more Canadian."

Said Kane, who has been making ice in the backyard since 2005 for his son and two daughters: "You're out there in the freezing cold pouring water, you think about your experiences, and I thought it would be fun to put that out there."

"It was my father's idea to make the rink.

"I grew up outside of Saint John in Titusville and my father built a rink for me and my brother every year, so one year he said that I should build a rink of my own and that started it."

For Don Belliveau of Dieppe, N.B., it's the end of an era.

"My kids are older, so I have retired this year," he said. "I haven't given the boards away or anything like that yet, but I have been doing it for 18 years so it's hard not to do it."

Belliveau is a past winner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Moncton Wildcats' rink-building competition for an ice surface complete with painted blue lines, goaltender creases and centre ice faceoff dot.

A lucky loonie was also always buried at centre ice following an Edmonton icemaker who began the Canadian tradition at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

"It was always just the thrill of having your own rink to skate on whenever you wanted," Belliveau said. "You pray for the weather to hold up so the kids can have a nice long season."

Back in Fredericton, Morimanno's 20-by-20-foot construct has grown to 44-by-21 in the past few years.

"It's a good size rink," Morimanno said. "The only issue is that if we do play a game we use the soft rubber puck.

"I have a picture window and one year I did rifle a shot that was about a foot below the window and my wife saw me shoot it. So now we use the soft rubber puck."

He has four spotlights on the rink for flooding the ice when the kids are in bed.

"I guess I'm a bit fanatical," Morimanno said. "But it's for the kids, so it's worth every hour put in."

? Copyright (c) New Brunswick Telegraph Journal

Source: http://feeds.canada.com/~r/canwest/F260/~3/JQpLZT-bALY/story.html

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China: Confession in $10 billion smuggling case

BEIJING?? China's most-wanted man, who was deported from Canada in July after a decade-long legal battle, has admitted to his crimes and will now be handed over to prosecutors, state media reported Friday.

Beijing had sought the deportation of Lai Changxing for years, accusing him of running a multi-billion dollar smuggling ring in the southeastern city of Xiamen in the 1990s.

The move brings authorities a step closer to a conclusion in one of China's most lurid, long-running corruption cases.

Prosecutors indicted Lai for allegedly masterminding a network that smuggled everything from cigarettes to cars and oil and bribed dozens of government workers between 1996 and 1999, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Lai and other key members of the syndicate have "confessed to the facts of the smuggling and bribery charges without concealing anything," the report said.

The "legal rights" of Lai and the other suspects were "fully guaranteed," with Lai able to meet with his lawyer, state radio added.

Lai became China's most-wanted man after he fled to Canada in 1999 and fought extradition for 12 years.

Nothing had been heard of him since he was returned to China over the summer.

Liquor and prostitutes
Before fleeing to Canada, he lived a life of luxury in China complete with a bulletproof Mercedes Benz. He is alleged to have run a mansion in which he plied officials with liquor and prostitutes.

At the time, state TV splashed pictures of the network's allegedly ill-gotten gains: A tiger skin rug laid out on a conference table, confiscated cars belonging to corrupt bureaucrats, a sack of gold rings, and a picture of a young woman, said to be a lover kept for one official by Lai.

Chinese media have said Lai's alleged smuggling operation was valued at $10 billion.

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China put more than 300 suspects on trial and sentenced 14 to death, including provincial officials and a former vice minister of public security, in a case Beijing has used for a propaganda campaign against corruption.

China's Communist Party has struggled to control widespread practices of embezzlement, taking kickbacks, and influence peddling that have degraded public faith and sometimes led to violent protest.

In Canada, Lai had avoided deportation by arguing he could face the death penalty or be tortured and would not get a fair trial in his home country.

But that legal battle ended in July when a federal court in Vancouver ruled Lai should not be considered a refugee and upheld his deportation.

China promised Canada that Lai would not get the death penalty in 2001 when then-President Jiang Zemin sent the Canadian prime minister at the time, Jean Chretien, a diplomatic note with assurances Lai would not be executed if returned.

Loopholes exploited
Lai's alleged crimes occurred in the special economic zone of Xiamen in Fujian province in the mid-1990s when Jia Qinglin, now the ruling Communist Party's fourth most senior leader, was the province's party boss.

Beijing has accused Lai's business empire, the Yuanhua Group, of bribing officials to allow a massive smuggling ring. Jia's wife, Lin Youfang, was among those implicated in the scandal. She denied any wrongdoing.

Lai admitted in a 2009 interview with Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper that he had avoided taxes by exploiting loopholes in the law, but he denies bribery charges.

Lai may face life imprisonment, state media has reported. But some legal experts and human rights activists have said it was unlikely Lai could receive a fair trial in China.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45825335/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

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SmackDown results: Barrett takes out Orton in brutal Falls Count Anywhere Match

INDIANAPOLIS ?? Not everyone got what he wanted from Santa. But during the final SmackDown of 2011, some Superstars did indeed have their holiday wishes come true. Wade Barrett finally earned retribution on Randy Orton, taking him out of commission in a brutal Falls Count Anywhere Match. Booker T got a title match with Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes. And, Big Show received a title match with World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan.

Wade Barrett battled Randy Orton in a Falls Count Anywhere Match (WATCH | PHOTOS)
Wade Barrett and Randy Orton continued their intense rivalry in a brutal Falls Count Anywhere Match. After waging war inside the ring, the action spilled outside, where The Viper tossed Barrett over the announce table. As Orton continued to pummel Barrett, he was shoved directly into the WWE ref, knocking him out cold. Next, the two continued to fight it out among the WWE Universe.

The vicious battle then carried over into the locker room area of the Conseco Fieldhouse, where there was no WWE official present. The battle even waged on inside an elevator! But when their fight took them to the top of a staircase, it was Orton who ended up at the bottom. At first Barrett started down the stairs to approach Orton, but then backed away and exited through an arena door as The Viper laid motionless on the stair landing. When will WWE?s Apex Predator return to action? (MORE ON ORTON?S CONDITION)

World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show announced (WATCH)
To compete with the WWE Championship Match pitting CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler on Monday?s Raw, SmackDown GM Theodore Long announced a big match of his own for next week's SmackDown: World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show for Bryan's World Title.

Sheamus def. Heath Slater (WATCH | PHOTOS)
In a match made by Teddy Long, Heath Slater had his work cut out for him against Sheamus. Despite a good fight, Slater was no match for The Celtic Warrior?s brutal Brogue Kick.?

Sheamus vowed to win the 2012 Royal Rumble Match (WATCH | PHOTOS)?
Standing in the center of the ring, Sheamus vowed to win the 2012 Royal Rumble Match. But, Hornswoggle came out and declared he would be the winner. Next, Heath Slater came to ringside to state his case that he is the No. 1 redhead on SmackDown, not Sheamus. After exchanging words, The Great White sent Slater flying over the top rope.

Ezekiel Jackson def. Drew McIntyre (WATCH | PHOTOS)
With Drew McIntyre?s resolve and worth called into question by Teddy Long, the GM pitted him against Ezekiel Jackson. If McIntyre couldn?t win, Teddy said he?d have to start thinking about letting him go (WATCH). Fighting for his job, McIntyre clashed with the massive Ezekiel Jackson. While McIntyre argued with the ref about having his feet on the second rope during an attempted pinfall, Jackson swooped in, using his own questionable maneuver, grabbing McIntyre by the tights and rolling him up for the win.

Big Show def. David Otunga (WATCH | PHOTOS)
With Mark Henry watching from David Otunga?s corner, Otunga tangled with Big Show. During the bout, World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan attacked from behind, smashing Henry with his title. Next, Bryan taunted the dazed World?s Strongest Man, luring him up the entrance ramp. With Henry gone from ringside, Show promptly took care of Otunga, dropping him with a vicious WMD for the second week in a row.

Hunico def. Justin Gabriel (WATCH | PHOTOS)
Showing off his own moves against the athletic Justin Gabriel, Hunico dispatched of him with a flip from the top rope. After the win, Hunico and his friend Camacho teamed up to brutalize Gabriel by slamming him to the canvas.

Teddy Long revealed Mark Henry would be in David Otunga?s corner (WATCH)
Teddy Long passed on word form high above that the originally scheduled tag team match pitting Big Show & Daniel Bryan vs. David Otunga & Mark Henry would not take place. Instead, Big Show would face David Otunga ? with Mark Henry in his corner.

Kaitlyn & Alicia Fox def. Natalya & Tamina (WATCH | PHOTOS)
In tag team action, Alicia dropped Natalya with a Scissors Kick for the win. Then with Natalya still reeling, Tamina blasted her own partner with a kick to the face, followed up by a Superfly Splash from the top rope.The devastating move harkened back to that of her father, WWE Hall of Famer??Superfly? Jimmy?Snuka.

?

Jinder Mahal def. Ted DiBiase (WATCH | PHOTOS)
Sporting a turban, Jinder Mahal blasted the American tradition of making New Year?s resolutions. The aggressive Superstar then took it to Ted DiBiase, making him submit with the Camel Clutch.

Cody Rhodes agreed to face Booker T for the Intercontinental Championship then attacked his brother Dustin (WATCH | PHOTOS)?
After Booker T thanked the WWE Universe for an awesome year that began at Royal Rumble, Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes emerged to recap his year, including defeating Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania and bringing ?honor and prestige? back to Intercontinental Title. As Rhodes disparaged Booker ? calling him a washed up announcer ? his older brother, Dustin, came out to speak in Booker?s defense.?

?Dustin ? whose alter ego is Goldust ? said that when he was down and out, Booker took him under his wing and inspired him. But Cody didn?t want to hear any of it. Booker backed up his defender, saying he was more of man than Cody would ever be. Next, Booker said he wanted to face Cody for his Intercontinental Title. After Rhodes agreed to face Booker next week on SmackDown, he blasted his own brother with a cheap shot kick to the groin and a leaping kick to the face from the second rope.

MATCHES

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2011-12-30/results

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Stephen Ruddock is playing Madden NFL 11

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Source: http://getglue.com/conversation/stephen_ruddock/2011-12-31T04%3A31%3A57Z

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