Three Afghans killed in Kandahar city suicide attack (Reuters)

KABUL (Reuters) ? Three Afghan civilians were killed in a suicide attack in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar early on Monday, authorities in Kandahar said.

The blast was close to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) building in Kandahar, the U.N. said.

"We are aware of an explosion which took place earlier this morning in the vicinity of the UNHCR guest house," United Nations spokesman Dan McNorton said. "All our international staff are accounted for ... the incident is still ongoing. We are working through our processes to make sure all our Afghan staff are safe."

Authorities in Kandahar said three civilians had been killed, describing the incident as a suicide attack.

"(There have been) three local civilians killed and another one wounded. A Nepali is wounded too," the provincial governor's media office said on its Twitter feed, adding that two armed attackers were still shooting at security forces.

The attack is the latest in a string of lethal assaults on foreigners in Afghanistan.

On Saturday, a suicide car bomber killed 13 troops and civilian employees of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, including Americans, Britons and a Canadian, in the deadliest single ground attack against the coalition in 10 years of war in Afghanistan.

(Reporting by Daniel Magnowski; Editing by Ed Lane)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111031/wl_nm/us_afghanistan_attack

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Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies

When Paranormal Activity 3 chalked up record-setting numbers at last weekend?s box office (its $54 million was the most ever for a horror film), Stuart Fischoff wasn?t surprised. ?Films like Paranormal Activity 3 have a pre-registered audience just waiting for the latest Hollywood bouquet of blood, sweat, tears, and chills to exquisitely fill our lust for horribly sweet sensations,? says Fischoff, professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and senior editor of the online Journal of Media Psychology.

The fact that some people like to be scared out of their wits never ceases to baffle those of us who would as soon see Freddy Krueger slash his way through A Nightmare on Elm Street as we would have surgery without anesthesia. But to masters of the genre, as well as to experts in media psychology, it makes perfect sense. In Danse Macabre, Stephen King described ?terror as the finest emotion, and so I will try to terrorize the reader.? What makes it so fine? ?One of the major reasons we go to scary movies is to be scared,? says Fischoff. But the scare we crave?and this applies to haunted houses and spooky corn mazes no less than to horror movies?is a safe one. ?We know that, in an hour or two, we?re going to walk out whole,? says Fischoff. ?We?re not going to have any holes in our head, and our hearts will still be in our bodies.?

But those hearts will likely be pounding a bit harder than if you had just seen, say, Dolphin Tale. And that accounts for a lot of the appeal. ?If we have a relatively calm, uneventful lifestyle, we seek out something that?s going to be exciting for us, because our nervous system requires periodic revving, just like a good muscular engine,? says Fischoff. A 1995 study found that the higher people score on a scale that measures sensation-seeking, the more they like horror films. ?There are people who have a tremendous need for stimulation and excitement,? says Fischoff. ?Horror movies are one of the better ways to get really excited.?

That may explain why horror movies are most popular with younger audiences. Teens and twenty-somethings ?are more likely to look for intense experiences,? says John Edward Campbell, an expert in media studies at Temple University. That fades with age, especially as people become more sensitive to their own physiology: middle-aged and older adults tend not to seek out experiences that make their hearts race, and feel that real life is scary enough. (Did we mention foreclosure? Unemployment? Divorce?) They don?t need to get their scares from movies. Or as Fischoff puts it, ?Older people have stimulation fatigue. Life?s [real] horrors scare them, or they don?t find them entertaining any more?or interesting.?

Getty Images

One of the more counterintuitive findings in the science of fear is that the stronger the negative emotions (fear, worry, anxiety...) a person reports experiencing during horror films, the more likely he or she is to enjoy the genre. Distress and delight are correlated. ?The pleasure comes from the relief that follows,? says Campbell. ?It provides a cathartic effect, offering you emotional release and escape from the real world of bills and mortgages and the economy and relationships.?

The catharsis theory is one of several that have been floated over the years to explain the appeal of being scared out of your wits. Freud suggested that horror was appealing because it traffics in ?thoughts and feelings that have been repressed by the ego but which seem vaguely familiar,? as a 2004 paper explained. Jung argued that horror touches on primordial images in the collective unconscious. But since there is no evidence that many of us have repressed feelings of drowned children like Freddy marauding through a summer camp in Friday the 13th, let alone that that?s part of our collective unconscious, such psychoanalytic explanations for the appeal of fear have fallen by the wayside.

Instead, scientists suspect that other motivations, besides catharsis, are at work. One comes from the fact that horror movies, even slasher flicks, generally stick to an almost Victorian moral code. You can be pretty sure that the girl who has sex with her boyfriend will wind up dead (as parodied in the Scream movies), as will teenagers who pick up deranged hitchhikers. Horror films thus appeal to people who like predictability and neat ends, hold the ethical relativism: in these movies, there is no question about who the bad guy is. And despite the high and often gory body count, the films tend to have a (relatively) happy ending. ?Control lost under the cover of darkness is rediscovered in the light of day; danger posed by things unknown is reduced by increased knowledge and predictability,? explained clinical psychologist Glenn Walters of Kutztown University in that 2004 paper (written when he worked at a federal prison in Minersville, Pa.)

He suggests that the appeal to teenagers also goes beyond thrill-seeking and catharsis. Horror movies help young people learn to manage terror. ?They can either succumb [to frightening images] or learn to manage,? he argues. ?By learning to suppress feelings and display mastery or cling to others in a dependent ploy for protection, a person learns to cope with another aspect of his or her environment, a skill that may be useful in dealing with more than just horror pictures.? That may explain another oddity of the genre: horror movies are popular date films. ?Teenage boys enjoyed a horror film significantly more when the female companion... expressed fright, whereas teenage girls enjoyed the film more when the male companion... showed a sense of mastery and control,? Walters argued.

Older adults tend not to seek out experiences that make their hearts race. They feel that real life is scary enough.

Perhaps most fundamentally, horror films are popular because they speak to the basic human condition of existential fear, the knowledge that we are all doomed (albeit not as messily as Jason?s or Freddy?s victims). By sitting through a fictional depiction of that fact?even if the movie?s victims slough their mortal coil in a more sensational way than most of us, God willing, will?we face our greatest fear.

Yet when people are asked to name their top 25 favorite films, horror almost never makes the cut, Fischoff and colleagues found. (The Godfather, Star Wars, Casablanca, and The Sound of Music jostle for room at the top; the closest the horror genre comes is an occasional appearance by Ghost, which is more romantic than scary.) ?Horror is almost no one?s favorite genre,? says Fischoff. The two horror films named by the most people, Nightmare on Elm Street and The Exorcist, each got only six mentions from the 560 people surveyed. People 50 and older almost never name a horror film as one of their 25 favorites (0.2 percent of this group?s top 25 lists include a horror movie). But the genre accounts for only 3.2 percent of the top films named by people 13 to 25, and 2.3 percent of those named by those 26 to 49. (For whatever it?s worth, the ethnic group that names the most horror films to its top 25 lists is Latinos.)

Why is horror less popular than other genres? ?Generally, people anticipate feeling entertained and feeling good when they leave a movie,? explains Fischoff. But while horror films excite and arouse, they ?often leave people feeling nervous and unsettled,? despite any catharsis. ?This is not a state which leads to fond memories.? As anyone with nightmares after Nightmare can attest.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1923853/news/1923853/

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Man convicted in 1967 Ohio schoolgirl slaying

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) ? A man accused of snatching an Ohio teenager on her way home from school in 1967 and holding her captive for days in his basement before killing her was convicted Friday of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Robert Bowman, formerly a successful businessman, was found guilty of the death of 14-year-old Eileen Adams, a case that had stumped investigators for more than four decades even after his ex-wife told police she saw the girl alive and tied up in their basement.

Bowman, 75, addressed Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Gene Zmuda moments before the judge sentenced him and after hearing the victim's sister describe how Adams' death emotionally tore the family apart.

"I recognize the pain and suffering I've just heard," Bowman said. But "I'm not responsible for that. I feel no remorse."

The teenager was sexually assaulted, tied up and a nail was driven into the back of her head before her body was dumped in southern Michigan, prosecutors said. The high school freshman was either strangled or died from a blow to the head that cracked her skull.

Adams' sister Maggie Kirschman was 8 when Adams went missing about a week before Christmas.

"We all waited for a Christmas miracle waiting for Eileen to come home," she told the judge.

She said there has been "no forgetting" for her and her six other siblings and her sister's death led her father to drink and her mother to pray.

"Mom and Dad became strangers to the rest of us," she said.

Kirschman said the family knew Bowman was responsible in the early 1980s after his ex-wife came forward.

"It was as if there was nothing we could do. It made us all sick," she added.

Bowman disappeared in the 1980s into a life on the streets in Florida and California.

Detectives first tried to link him to the slaying in the early '80s, but they didn't have enough evidence to bring charges until a cold case squad reopened the investigation five years ago. New DNA evidence connected Bowman with the killing, and police arrested him near Palm Springs, Calif., in 2008.

Another jury in August failed to reach a verdict in the case, which forced the retrial.

Bowman's former wife was a key witness in both trials, testifying that she found Adams naked in their fruit cellar after the girl disappeared just before Christmas in 1967.

Margaret Bowman said she was hanging laundry when she thought she heard rats in the cellar. She said she opened a wooden door and saw a girl with her arms outstretched and bound, "hanging like Jesus."

She said she ran upstairs and that her husband confronted her, saying he now had to kill the girl. He also threatened to kill his wife and their newborn daughter if she told anyone, she said.

That same night, she testified, Bowman made her go with him as he dumped the body just north of Toledo, across the state line in Michigan.

Robert Bowman, who took the witness stand after not testifying at his first trial, accused his ex-wife of lying and said investigators manufactured evidence against him.

He denied any involvement in the killing.

"That isn't something I would do," he said.

Defense attorney Peter Rost tried to cast doubt on Margaret Bowman's account. He said that she waited 14 years to tell her story to police and that she stayed with Bowman for over a decade, moving with him to three different states before leaving when his business failed.

Even after she went to detectives in 1981, they still didn't charge Bowman. Rost also said that the DNA evidence did not conclusively point to Bowman.

Bowman had owned a construction company in Ohio and later a business that made high-end purses in Florida and sold its handbags in Nieman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue stores.

But when police detectives tracked him down in Florida in 1982, he was living in an abandoned restaurant, wearing a tattered shirt and jeans and a scruffy beard.

Hanging from the restaurant ceiling were three dolls, some with their feet bound with string. A nail had been driven into the head of two dolls ? eerily similar to how a hunter had found the body of Adams.

Bowman talked with police, but he then dropped out of sight.

Cold case investigators in 2006 discovered that DNA evidence from semen on the victim's thermal underwear linked Bowman to the crime, they said. Police soon after charged Bowman even though they had no idea where he was living or even if he was still alive.

He was profiled on the "America's Most Wanted" and police in southern California arrested him when he was spotted riding a bicycle. His attorney said he had been living under a tarp in the desert.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-10-28-Cold%20Case%20Killing/id-ecaa6fffc36c4c338ff4af3844b37835

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7 dead after semi-truck slams into minivan in Ind.

BRISTOL, Ind.?? A tractor-trailer slammed into the back of a packed minivan in northern Indiana late Thursday, killing at least seven people and sending four other to hospitals, authorities said.

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Indiana State Police reported that the minivan was carrying 10 people when it was hit along the Indiana Toll Road near Bristol, just south of the Michigan border. Police said witness accounts suggest that the minivan may have hit a deer, then slowed or stopped in the eastbound lanes before it was hit from behind by the tractor-trailer.

Seven of the minivan's occupants died at the scene and the other three were taken to hospitals, including two who were airlifted. The driver of the tractor-trailer was also hospitalized.

None of the victims' names has been released. The conditions of those who survived also haven't been released.

Both vehicles ended up in the center median, blocking traffic in both directions. No other vehicles were involved in the accident, which was reported shortly before 8 p.m. The crash shut down the roadway in both directions until after midnight.

Other details weren't immediately available, police said.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45071878/ns/us_news/

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Ben Stiller Reveals Zoolander 2 Details

The great Derek Zoolander once said, "There's more to life than being really, really ridiculously good looking." Well, he may learn the true meaning of that in 'Zoolander 2.' In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ben Stiller revealed some tidbits about the upcoming sequel, which will pick up ten years after the last movie left off. As Stiller tells it, the plot will focus on "Derek's 'School For Kids Who Can't Read Good,' [which] has been destroyed, leaving him in charge of its pupil." The story sounds promising, however, the movie almost happened sans Stiller. (Seriously.)

The actor admits that "at one time I walked away from it and they had somebody else rewrite it and they were going to do it without me, which was kind of ironic. Then it came back around." We can't imagine another 'Zoolander' without, well, Zoolander, so we're not sure how that would've worked out.

Stiller also says that there are plans for a new 'Night at the Museum' sequel. To read about Stiller's work in 'Tower Heist,' as well as how he got his start in the business, head over to THR.

[via THR]

[Photo: Getty]

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1923833/news/1923833/

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How motherhood behavior is influenced by alterations in brain function

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2011) ? Instinctive mothering behavior towards care of newborns has long been recognized as a phenomenon in humans and animals, but now research at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has shown that motherhood is associated with the acquisition of a host of new behaviors that are driven, at least in part, by alterations in brain function.

The research, by Dr. Adi Mizrahi of the and Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Silberman Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University, has just been published in the journal Neuron. It provides insight into how neural changes integrating odors and sounds lie behind a mouse mother's ability to recognize and respond to distress calls from her pups.

"We know that distinct brain changes are linked with motherhood, but the impact of these changes on sensory processing and the emergence of maternal behaviors are largely unknown," explains Mizrahi. "In mice, olfactory and auditory cues play a major role in the communication between a mother and her pups. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be some interaction between olfactory and auditory processing so that pup odors might modulate the way pup calls are processed in the mother's brain."

Dr. Mizrahi and his post-doctoral colleague Dr. Lior Cohen examined whether the primary auditory cortex, a brain region that is involved in the recognition of sounds, might serve as an early processing region for integration of pup odors and pup calls. The primary auditory cortex is known as a site that undergoes functional changes in response to sensory input from the environment.

In their study, the researchers exposed regular mice, mice that had experienced interaction with their pups, and lactating mother mice to pup odors, and then monitored both spontaneous and sound-evoked activity of neurons in the auditory cortex. The odors triggered dramatic changes in auditory processing only in the females that had interacted with pups, while the lactating mothers were the most sensitive to pup sounds. The olfactory-auditory integration appeared in lactating mothers shortly after they had given birth and had a particularly strong effect on the detection of pup distress calls.

Taken together, the findings suggest that motherhood is associated with a previously un-described form of multisensory processing in the auditory cortex.

"We have shown that motherhood is associated with a rapid and robust appearance of olfactory-auditory integration in the primary auditory cortex occurring along with stimulus-specific adaptation to pup distress calls," says Dr. Mizrahi. "These processes help to explain how changes in neocortical networks facilitate efficient detection of pups by their caring mothers."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Hebrew University of Jerusalem, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Lior Cohen, Gideon Rothschild, Adi Mizrahi. Multisensory Integration of Natural Odors and Sounds in the Auditory Cortex. Neuron, 2011; 72 (2): 357 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.08.019

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084331.htm

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Sprint posts smallest quarterly loss in 4 years

NEW YORK (AP) ? Sprint Nextel Corp. on Wednesday reported its smallest quarterly loss in four years, as it continued a turnaround and kept getting better at keeping and attracting customers.

The country's No. 3 wireless carrier added a net 1.3 million subscribers in the July to September period, the best result since 2006. Sprint continued to lose subscribers from its lucrative contract-based plans, but at a relatively low rate: 44,000 in the quarter.

Sprint's total customer count, 53.4 million, is now back at where it was in 2007, before the exodus of Nextel customers turned into a torrent.

The Overland Park, Kan.-based company has made steady gains in the last year and a half. Unfortunately for the company, most of the new customers are low-paying ones. They buy service from Sprint's low-cost Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile or Assurance Wireless brands, or from non-Sprint brands that use the company's network.

The latest subscriber results don't include the effect of the iPhone, which Sprint started selling Oct. 14. The phone is expected to further improve the carrier's ability to keep customers, but at a high price. Apple charges about $600 for a phone that Sprint sells for $200.

Sprint on Wednesday said it had raised the limit on its credit line by $150 million and amended the terms so that an increase in the total amount of phone discounts doesn't affect its creditworthiness. It said it had $1 billion undrawn on the line.

Sprint net loss was $301 million, or 10 cents per share, for the third quarter. That's down from $911 million, or 28 cents per share, a year ago. It was the best performance by Sprint since it reported a profit of $64 million in the third quarter of 2007.

Revenue rose 2.2 percent to $8.3 billion.

Analysts polled by FactSet expected a loss of 22 cents per share on $8.4 billion in revenue.

Its shares rose 7 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $2.77 in premarket trading.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-10-26-Earns-Sprint%20Nextel/id-e71f13cce35149709c0bddaf6b6fd67f

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Video: Talking Numbers: S&P 500 Then & Now

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45022806#45022806

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Guide To Energy Management: International Version (5th Edition)

The Guide to Energy Management continues as one of the leading educational resources for the person who is active as an energy manager or energy professional, as well as helping new people enter the fascinating and important field of energy management and energy engineering. It is the most widely used college and university textbook in this field, as well as one of the most widely used books for professional development training in the field. In this new Fifth Edition, William J. Kennedy has completely revised the two chapters dealing with boilers, steam systems and waste heat recovery. Some of the less practical material was removed, and new topics were added to present material on increasing the efficiency of boilers and steam systems. In terms of energy audits of commercial and manufacturing facilities, the boiler room presents one of the major areas of opportunity for energy cost savings.

Designed to fulfill the needs for both a Senior level university course in energy management as well as a professional development course in this growing field, the Guide to Energy Management (GTEM) has been a significant educational resource since its first appearance in 1994. Until 2008 the GTEM was only available in editions that used Inch Pound (IP) units for the United States market. This revised Fifth Edition of the GTEM has been edited and modified to respond to the educational needs of the International community. This new International Edition uses only the System International (SI) units, as well as addressing energy management issues and technologies from the International perspective.

Common terms and phrases:
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Contents

?

Chapter 1 Introduction to Energy Management ...................................... 1

Chapter 2 The Energy Audit Process: An Overview ............................. 61

Chapter 3 Understanding Energy Bills ................................................... 87

Chapter 4 Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Costing ........................ 133

Chapter 5 Lighting ................................................................................... 175

Chapter 6 Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning ....................... 235

Chapter 7 Understanding and Managing Boilers ................................ 271

Chapter 8 Steam Distribution Systems .................................................. 293

Chapter 9 Control Systems and Computers ......................................... 319

Chapter 10 Energy Systems Maintenance ............................................... 339

Chapter 11 Insulation ................................................................................. 365

Chapter 12 Process Energy Management ............................................... 389

Chapter 13 Renewable Energy Sources and Water Management ....... 429

Chapter 14 Distributed Generation ......................................................... 463

Appendix One?Study Questions and Problems ...................................... 491

Appendix Two?Steam Tables ..................................................................... 527

Index ................................................................................................................ 533

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nulibrary/~3/Q8RIp7Om0qM/Guide%20To%20Energy%20Management%3A%20International%20Version%20(5th%20Edition)

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California GOP hard-pressed to dispute law that moves initiatives to November ballot (San Jose Mercury News)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/152712837?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Former Governor Mark Sanford heads to Fox News (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) ? Mark Sanford, the disgraced former governor of South Carolina, has joined Fox News as a television analyst, a Fox spokeswoman confirmed with TheWrap on Friday.

Sanford, who served three terms in the House of Representatives before returning to South Carolina for two terms as governor, was once considered a potential candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. At least until a salacious cheating scandal derailed his political career.

He will join a long line of prominent former GOP politicos, including Mike Huckabee, Karl Rove and Sarah Palin, at the network.

Sanford disappeared for six days in June of 2009, leading the media to speculate as to his whereabouts. His staff, unaware of his location, claimed he was hiking on the Appalachian trail. He later admitted that he had been carrying on an affair with Argentine journalist Maria Belen Chapur.

The South Carolina state legislature censured Sanford after revelations of his affair and cover-up. Sanford later quit as chairman of the Republican Governors' Assn.

Sanford left office when his term ended in January of this year and will likely provide commentary on an election he once could have participated in.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111021/tv_nm/us_marksanford

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TiPb is giving away 5 copies of the Steve Jobs biography

It’s safe to say that without Steve Jobs, TiPb wouldn’t be here, and many others may not be enjoying the careers or hobbies they enjoy today, at least not in the same way. So, in honor of the upcoming release of the authorized biography of Steve Jobs,...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/iPMwtOzdmak/

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Nintendo Bringing Hulu Plus to the Wii and 3D Video to 3DS (Mashable)

Hulu Plus and 3D video recording are coming soon to the 3DS and Wii, Nintendo announced Friday. Device owners will be able to access TV shows and movies through Hulu Plus "by the end of the year." Hulu Plus, which was more or less the only streaming video service not previously available on those systems, offers access to current and past seasons of shows from ABC, Comedy Central, Fox, NBC and MTV for $7.99 per month.

[More from Mashable: Hulu Surpasses 1 Million Paying Subscribers]

A 3DS system update, which includes 3D video capture, will arrive by the end of November. Users, who are currently only able to capture 3D images, will soon be able to record up to 10 minutes of 3D video and create their own 3D stop-motion animated videos.

The company also announced that four new Nintendo-published games would be coming to its eShop, including Pokemon Rumble Blast (Oct. 24), Super Mario 3D Land (Nov. 13) and Mario Kart 7 (Dec. 4). The fourth game and its launch date were not disclosed.

[More from Mashable: PlayStation Vita Not Coming to the U.S. Until 2012]

Nintendo's next-generation gaming console, the Wii U, is expected to launch early next year.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/videogames/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20111021/tc_mashable/nintendo_bringing_hulu_plus_to_the_wii_and_3d_video_to_3ds

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Wichita's newest dog park opens to excited pets, owners | Wichita ...

WICHITA - The four-legged guests of honor at a ribbon-cutting Friday tried to contain themselves before the gates opened at the new dog park at the Murfin Animal Care Campus.

Most of them sat patiently, wagging their tails, through the official speeches.

But a few barked, catching the attention of Wichita City Council member Lavonta Williams.

"They're saying they're ready to play," Williams interpreted.

The dog park, near K-96 and Hillside, is the final touch at the Kansas Humane Society's 2-year-old digs. It features three fenced-in play areas for pooches ? two for large dogs and one for small dogs. The small dog area will always be open. The two large dog areas will rotate to give the grass a chance to recover.

Dogs packed the park on its first day. Dalmatians, Chihuahuas, goldendoodles and Labrador retrievers all sniffed each other, chased each other and slobbered on each other.

Tammy Allen, chairwoman of the society's board of directors, kicked off the opening of the park by thanking supporters for their contributions to the campus, which combines the society's shelter and Wichita Animal Control.

Barry Schwan, who co-chaired the fundraising campaign for the campus, said the new center last year prevented 100,000 unwanted puppies and kittens through spaying and neutering, saved the lives of 9,056 homeless pets who were adopted by families or rescue groups and reunited 1,700 pets with their families.

"We're helping more animals than ever before," Schwan said, adding that the society is moving closer to its goal of ending the euthanasia of adoptable animals by 2014.

To do so, Schwan said, the shelter must reduce the number of animals coming in and increase the number of animals being adopted out.

Sue Kleinheksel, a volunteer for the society, was one of the first visitors to the park. She brought her mixed spaniel dog, Bridget, who had been adopted through a companion animal program. When Bridget's companion died, Kleinheksel adopted her.

Bridget goes everywhere with her, she said.

"How many dogs have gone to lunch at the Wichita Country Club or to dinner at Ya Yas'?" she asked. "She's been to a military funeral and puts on fashion shows."

Bridget's collar was blinged out with Halloween decorations.

J.C. Combs and his wife, Karen, brought Chuck, their goldendoodle ? a cross between a golden retriever and poodle.

The visit was Chuck's first trip to a dog park in Wichita. The city has another dog park at Chapin Park near MacArthur and Hydraulic.

"This will be a great place to run off energy," J.C. Combs said.

Williams said the dog park will give owners an excuse to exercise, too.

Dog parks, she said, help dogs keep in shape and also help them socialize with other animals.

"A tired dog is a happy dog," Williams said.

The park will be open every day from dawn until dusk. Dogs must be at least 5 months old and current on all vaccinations, including rabies.

Reach Deb Gruver at 316-268-6400 or dgruver@wichitaeagle.com.

Source: http://www.kansas.com/2011/10/21/2071316/wichitas-newest-dog-park-opens.html

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http://www.lern2play.com Lern2Play.com features a large MMORPG Forum with over 265,000 posts. Active MMORPG and MMO community and MMO Games Forums. Join now to talk about Lord of the Rings Online, World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Star Wars Galaxies and more.enhttp://www.lern2play.com/images/lern2play/misc/rss.jpghttp://www.lern2play.com http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107490-margin-call-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107489-colombiana-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107488-the-entitled-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107487-margaret-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107486-cars-2-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107485-the-debt-i-2010-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107484-machine-gun-preacher-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107483-captain-america-the-first-avenger-2011-eng-dvdrip.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107482-the-big-year-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107481-like-crazy-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107480-bucky-larson-born-to-be-a-star-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107479-texas-killing-fields-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107478-killer-elite-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107477-blackthorn-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/107476-take-shelter-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/lern2play

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Hamas frees Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in prisoner swap

JERUSALEM ?? Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinians crossed Israel's borders in opposite directions on Tuesday as a thousand-for-one prisoner exchange brought joy to families but did little to ease decades of conflict.

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Simultaneously, Israel freed 477 Palestinian prisoners, most of them to the Gaza Strip, where Hamas leaders greeted former prisoners piling off buses bearing Red Cross insignia.

Palestinians, awaiting the release of prisoners at a West Bank checkpoint, hurled rocks at Israeli soldiers, who responded with tear gas, after the military announced to the crowd over a loudspeaker that the group had been taken to another crossing.

In all, Israel is setting free 1,027 Palestinians in return for the liberty of Shalit. Some have spent 30 years behind bars for violent attacks against Israel and its occupation of land taken in the 1967 Middle East War.

Over 100 of the 477 prisoners released in the first phase of the exchange were taken to the West Bank. The rest were coming into Gaza, apart from 41 who were due to fly out from Cairo to exile in Turkey, Syria or Qatar.

Video: Hamas releases kidnapped Israeli soldier (on this page)

A further 550 Palestinians are planned to be set free later this year in an elaborate prisoner swap deal that involves a series of staged releases, each one triggering the next.

Hamas and other Gaza militant groups have vowed to seize more Israeli hostages for exchange until all 5,000 Palestinians still in Israeli prisons are released.

"The rest of the prisoners must be released because if they are not released in a normal way they will be released in other ways," said Moussa Abu Marzouk, Hamas deputy leader in exile.

Outpouring of emotion
Sergeant Shalit, 25, returned home to a national outpouring of emotion in Israel after five years in captivity in the Gaza Strip, while the first few hundred of over a thousand Palestinians being freed in stages from Israeli jails were greeted with kisses and flags in Gaza and the West Bank.

"I missed my family," a pale and extremely thin Shalit said in an interview with Egyptian TV conducted before he was transferred to Israel and broadcast after he went free.

"I hope this deal will promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians," said Shalit, whose breathing labored at times.

Shalit was examined by military doctors after being freed.? An Israeli military official who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that the freed soldier showed signs of malnutrition and lack of exposure to the sun.

Shalit was taken across the frontier from the Gaza Strip into Egypt's Sinai peninsula and driven to Israel's Vineyard of Peace border crossing, where a helicopter flew him to an Israeli air base for a reunion with his parents.

At Tel Nof air base in central Israel, Shalit saw his parents, whose public campaign for his release put pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make a deal with a bitter enemy. Netanyahu also met Shalit there. Later, Shalit flew by helicopter to his family home in northern Israel.

Shalit reportedly said he was happy after meeting his family.

"Gilad spoke very quietly and said he was tired and would like to get some sleep," Gilad Shalit's grandfather Zvi Shalit said, according to www.ynet.co.il.

Gilad Shalit was "in better shape than what we had feared," Zvi Shalit reportedly added.

In the television interview, Shalit said he found out a week ago that he was to be released. The soldier, who had not been seen since a 2009 video, said he had feared he would be held "for many more years."

Israeli-Palestinian prisoner swaps: a deadly cycle?

Political commentators said it appeared unlikely the prisoner exchange agreed by the two bitter enemies would have any immediate impact on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that broke down last year.

The mood in Israel was one of elation, with "welcome home" signs on street corners and morning commuters watching live broadcasts of the swap on cellular telephones.

Shalit has been popularly portrayed as "everyone's son" and opinion polls showed that an overwhelming majority of Israeli backed the thousand-for-one deal, although many of the prisoners going free were convicted of deadly attacks.

For Palestinians, it was a time to celebrate what Hamas hailed as a victory, and a heroes' welcome awaited the released prisoners. Palestinians see brethren jailed by Israel as prisoners of war in a struggle for statehood.

"This is the greatest joy for the Palestinian people," said Azzia al-Qawasmeh, who waited at a West Bank checkpoint for her son Amer, whom she said had been in prison for 24 years.

The deal received a green light from Israel's Supreme Court late on Monday after it rejected petitions from the public to prevent the mass release of prisoners, many serving life sentences imposed by Israeli courts for deadly attacks.

Cross-border raid
Shalit was abducted in June 2006 by militants who tunneled into Israel from the Gaza Strip and surprised his tank crew, killing two of his comrades. He was whisked back into Gaza and has since been held incommunicado.

Israel, which withdrew troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005, tightened its blockade of the small coastal enclave after Shalit's disappearance.

The deal with Hamas, a group classified by the United States and European Union as a terrorist organization over its refusal to recognize Israel and renounce violence, is not expected to spur peace negotiations.

Who wins in the prisoner swap deal?

Those talks, led by Israel and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas rival, collapsed 13 months ago in a dispute over settlement building in the occupied West Bank. Abbas now wants the U.N. to recognize Palestinian statehood, a unilateral bid opposed by Israel and its main ally, the United States.

The repatriation of captured soldiers, alive or dead, has long been an emotionally charged issue for Israelis. Many have served in the military as conscripts and see it as sacrosanct. But they also feel stung by the high price they feel Israel is paying for Shalit.

"I understand the difficulty in accepting that the vile people who committed the heinous crimes against your loved ones will not pay the full price they deserve," Netanyahu wrote in a letter, released by his office, to bereaved Israeli families.

'I must be dreaming'
Qahera Assadi, one of 27 released female prisoners, fainted when greeted by her loved ones after her release in the West Bank. She regained consciousness minutes later as medics splashed her face with water.

"I must be dreaming," said Assadi, speaking during the chaos of a reception at the Palestinian presidency in Ramallah where thousands gathered to welcome the ex-prisoners as national heroes.

"I can't believe it, I can't believe it," she repeated, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The sister of one of the most prominent Islamic Jihad leaders in the West Bank, Assadi had been handed three life terms for acting as a logistical officer for the Islamic Jihad group and driving a suicide bomber to a target in Jerusalem where he killed three people in 2002.

Assadi was arrested in 2002, at the height of the last Palestinian uprising against Israel. The Jenin refugee camp became notorious in Israel during the Intifada as a hub for gun and suicide attacks but was a symbol of the armed struggle among Palestinians.

"I am not at all regretful about what I did. I did what I did in defense of my nation and children and have no regrets at all," she said, adding "I was kidnapped from my children and spent a decade in prison."

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44940342/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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China rare earths supplier suspends production

BEIJING (AP) ? China's biggest producer of rare earths is suspending production for one month in hopes of boosting slumping prices of the exotic minerals used in mobile phones and other high-tech products.

This week's move by Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare-Earth (Group) Hi-Tech might fuel tensions with the United States and Europe. They have questioned Beijing's decision announced earlier to limit exports while it tries to develop its own manufacturers of magnets and other products made of rare earths.

In a statement through the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Baotou Steel said it wants to "balance supply and demand" after prices for rare earths fell amid uncertainty about the U.S. and European economic outlooks.

Rare earths are a group of 17 minerals used in manufacturing flat-screen TVs, mobile phones, batteries for electric cars, wind turbines and weaponry.

China has about 30 percent of global rare earth deposits but accounts for 97 percent of production. Beijing has alarmed global manufacturers by reducing exports, prompting pressure from Europe and the United States to treat foreign and domestic buyers equally.

In China, prices of some rare earths have fallen sharply since June.

The price of neodymium oxide has declined 34 percent to $157 per kilogram, while europium oxide is down 35 percent at $2,904 per kilogram, according to Lynas Corp., an Australian rare earth producer.

Beijing is merging its rare earths producers to tighten control over production, sales and pricing.

It announced in June that Baotou Steel would become the only miner, refiner and seller of rare earths in the northern region of Inner Mongolia, a production center. It said 35 other companies there would be merged or closed.

Sichuan province in the southwest and Shandong in the east also have abundant rare earths deposits.

The United States, Canada and Australia also have rare earths but stopped mining them in the 1990s as lower-cost Chinese ores flooded the market.

Since then, Chinese officials have been concerned that uncontrolled exports were allowing Western and Japanese producers of lightweight magnets and other products made of rare earths to capture most of the profits.

Companies are restarting production in Canada, California, Russia and elsewhere but it will be some time until those supplies make it to market.

In September, China's Ministry of Land and Resources ordered a further tightening of controls on exploration, mining and sales of rare earths, which it called China's "21st century treasure trove of new materials."

___

Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare-Earth (Group) Hi-Tech: www.reht.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-10-20-AS-China-Rare-Earths/id-5f1f493972c34c4bbb3af0f60d3c7f1e

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UnitedHealth shares slide after CEO talks 2012 (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS ? Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc. tumbled Tuesday as the health insurer's CEO gave a cautious preview of 2012 after his company delivered a better-than-expected earnings performance for the third quarter and raised its 2011 forecast.

CEO Stephen J. Hemsley told analysts he expects earnings to grow next year, but high unemployment rates, growing care use and the health care overhaul will pressure the Minnetonka, Minn., insurer's performance. He didn't offer a specific forecast for next year. The company is saving that for its Nov. 29 investor conference.

The CEO offered "a laundry list of negatives" regarding its 2012 outlook without an equal list of positives, other than noting the company's record of execution and innovation, said CRT Capital Group analyst Sheryl Skolnick

"They really want to make sure that people understand the challenges that the company faces with the thought that performance will drive upside if it happens, and that's an appropriate way of looking at the universe," she said. "Unfortunately it results in the stock being down on earnings day."

Company shares fell $2.10, or 4.5 percent, to $44.50 in afternoon trading, while broader trading indexes rose slightly. Even though the insurer's stock dropped, it was still up more than 20 percent for 2011.

UnitedHealth and other insurers have strung together several quarters of strong performances, helped in part by enrollment growth and health care use that use has grown at a slower rate than they expected when they set premiums.

Shares of UnitedHealth's competitors also sank Tuesday after UnitedHealth became the first managed care company to report third-quarter numbers and talk about expectations for the new year.

Both Skolnick and BMO Capital analyst Dave Shove expect a rebound.

Shove noted that investors have no context when UnitedHealth announces earnings. Other insurers also may say they expect challenges next year when they report earnings over the next several days, but Shove thinks the sector's stocks will recover as more companies report strong third quarters and increase their 2011 forecasts.

If UnitedHealth releases a 2012 forecast next month that's higher than analyst expectation, the company's stock could climb higher than it was before Tuesday's earnings report, Shove said.

Analysts currently expect, on average, earnings of $4.78 per share for 2012, according to FactSet.

UnitedHealth, the largest U.S. health insurer based on revenue, reported net income of $1.27 billion, or $1.17 per share, in the three months that ended Sept. 30. That compares with $1.28 billion, or $1.14 per share, in the same quarter last year, when the company had more shares outstanding. Revenue rose 7 percent to $25.28 billion.

Analysts forecast earnings of $1.12 per share on $25.41 billion in revenue.

The insurer also said it now expects 2011 earnings to range between $4.40 and $4.45 per share on more than $101 billion in revenue. That's up from its previous forecast for earnings of $4.15 to $4.25 per share on $101 billion in revenue.

Analysts expect 2011 earnings of $4.39 per share on $101.5 billion in revenue.

Revenue from UnitedHealth's largest segment, UnitedHealthcare, grew 6 percent to $23.64 billion, as the company's medical enrollment rose 5 percent to 34.4 million people compared to last year's quarter. UnitedHealthcare includes commercial coverage like employer-sponsored group insurance and government-funded Medicare and Medicaid business.

The company's medical costs also rose 7 percent to $18.41 billion compared to last year's quarter, mainly due to price increases. UnitedHealth also said it saw a "modest increase" in utilization trends for doctor's offices and outpatient care.

UnitedHealth is seen as a bellwether for managed care companies. WellPoint Inc. will follow with its third-quarter results on Oct. 26, and Aetna Inc. reports the next day. Humana Inc. reports its earnings Oct. 31, and Cigna Corp. announces results Nov. 3.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111018/ap_on_bi_ge/us_earns_unitedhealth

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New provincial atlas; information on lab testing key to managing diabetes among Albertans

Public release date: 17-Oct-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andrea Lauder
andrea.lauder@ualberta.ca
780-492-1982
University of Alberta School of Public Health

Edmonton, AB - A report just released by the Alberta Diabetes Surveillance System (ADSS) shows a need for more teamwork among patients and their health-care providers and more effective use of medical records to aid Albertans with getting the laboratory tests necessary to help manage and prevent long-term complications of the disease.

This is the first time that the Alberta Diabetes Atlas has included additional sources of data. With this enhancement it has become a vital tool for front line health-care providers and policy makers.

According to the Atlas, many Albertans who have diabetes are not getting the recommended number of laboratory tests. By monitoring the frequency of key laboratory tests along with test results in diabetes patients, health-care practitioners can more easily make decisions about whether to change or intensify therapy. And at a higher level, being able to monitor these values across regions and communities in Alberta allow health-system managers and policy makers to monitor patient populations, identify disparities, and ultimately improve the quality of care.

"Our desire was to enhance the service we are providing to practitioners through the Atlas," explains Jeffrey Johnson, a researcher with the University of Alberta's School of Public Health.

"By including lab data, we are able to look at issues related to quality of care. We've extended the scope, content and depth of the report," says Johnson. "We can identify trends over time, as well as across geography and age."

In 2009, there were nearly 206,000 people living with diabetes in Alberta, 2.5 times more people compared to 15 years ago. Approximately 19,300 of those people were newly identified cases of diabetes that year.

The Atlas is a product of the ADSS and is designed to provide information about diabetes within the province of Alberta, including the incidence, prevalence and use of health-care services for people with diabetes, and information about their related conditions and difficulties.

###

The Atlas is innovative and unique in Canada, offering an enhanced report that is systematically and regularly updated. It is available at www.albertadiabetes.ca.

The Alberta Diabetes Atlas is produced through a partnership between the University of Alberta's School of Public Health, the Institute of Health Economics and Alberta Health and Wellness.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 17-Oct-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andrea Lauder
andrea.lauder@ualberta.ca
780-492-1982
University of Alberta School of Public Health

Edmonton, AB - A report just released by the Alberta Diabetes Surveillance System (ADSS) shows a need for more teamwork among patients and their health-care providers and more effective use of medical records to aid Albertans with getting the laboratory tests necessary to help manage and prevent long-term complications of the disease.

This is the first time that the Alberta Diabetes Atlas has included additional sources of data. With this enhancement it has become a vital tool for front line health-care providers and policy makers.

According to the Atlas, many Albertans who have diabetes are not getting the recommended number of laboratory tests. By monitoring the frequency of key laboratory tests along with test results in diabetes patients, health-care practitioners can more easily make decisions about whether to change or intensify therapy. And at a higher level, being able to monitor these values across regions and communities in Alberta allow health-system managers and policy makers to monitor patient populations, identify disparities, and ultimately improve the quality of care.

"Our desire was to enhance the service we are providing to practitioners through the Atlas," explains Jeffrey Johnson, a researcher with the University of Alberta's School of Public Health.

"By including lab data, we are able to look at issues related to quality of care. We've extended the scope, content and depth of the report," says Johnson. "We can identify trends over time, as well as across geography and age."

In 2009, there were nearly 206,000 people living with diabetes in Alberta, 2.5 times more people compared to 15 years ago. Approximately 19,300 of those people were newly identified cases of diabetes that year.

The Atlas is a product of the ADSS and is designed to provide information about diabetes within the province of Alberta, including the incidence, prevalence and use of health-care services for people with diabetes, and information about their related conditions and difficulties.

###

The Atlas is innovative and unique in Canada, offering an enhanced report that is systematically and regularly updated. It is available at www.albertadiabetes.ca.

The Alberta Diabetes Atlas is produced through a partnership between the University of Alberta's School of Public Health, the Institute of Health Economics and Alberta Health and Wellness.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-10/uoas-npa101711.php

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McCourts OK divorce deal; he gets Dodgers (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Frank and Jamie McCourt have reached a settlement in a costly and nasty feud over control of the Los Angeles Dodgers, paving the way for a showdown in bankruptcy court between the embattled team owner and Major League Baseball.

The deal was struck between the former couple, but the terms will not be released, according to a joint statement Monday from Frank and Jamie McCourt. A person familiar with the settlement who requested anonymity because it's not meant to be public told The Associated Press that Jamie McCourt would receive about $130 million, a figure first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

As part of the agreement, Jamie McCourt will withdraw her opposition to the proposed sale of the Dodgers' media rights, a move her ex-husband says would alleviate his financial woes. Instead, she will file a motion supporting the process, according to the statement.

"We're looking forward to having her support of the Dodgers plan as the bankruptcy case goes forward," said Victoria Cook, one of Frank McCourt's attorneys.

A Los Angeles judge still has to sign off on the agreement, but once he does the settlement effectively ends the divorce saga that began two years ago after Frank McCourt fired Jamie McCourt as the Dodgers' CEO.

In a separate statement, a spokesman for Jamie McCourt said she was willing to accept a settlement, even if it meant giving up her interest in the Dodgers, "if a fair resolution were possible."

"That has now been achieved through the cooperation of everyone involved and Jamie looks forward to moving on and focusing on new opportunities," the statement said.

The divorce case has been placed on hold until a bankruptcy court in Delaware determines the fate of the team. A hearing is scheduled for Wednesday and a judge will consider dueling motions over four days starting Oct. 31.

The agreement removes Jamie McCourt, who had asked the divorce court to order the Dodgers sold, as an obstacle in Frank McCourt's bid to keep ownership by selling team television rights.

"I think this may be a strategically sensible decision for her," said Scott Altman, a law professor at the University of Southern California. "If he (Frank McCourt) gets $130 million out of bankruptcy, it's hers. It reduces her risk because she doesn't have to share proceeds from the bankruptcy case."

The settlement now allows Frank McCourt to focus on his battle with MLB, which is seeking permission from a bankruptcy judge to file a reorganization plan that calls for McCourt to sell the Dodgers.

MLB spokesman Pat Courtney declined comment about the settlement.

"I think they want to show the world they are a united front," said Los Angeles-based family law attorney Lisa Helfend Meyer. "They are overtly showing MLB and other detractors that they are reasonable "

Attorneys for Frank McCourt have argued a media rights sale is the best path out of bankruptcy for one of baseball's most storied franchises.

The McCourts previously reached a divorce settlement on June 17, but the deal was contingent on approval of a proposed television contract between the Dodgers and Fox. That deal would have given Jamie McCourt $100 million and she would retain the former couple's six luxurious homes.

But baseball Commissioner Bud Selig rejected the 17-year TV contract with Fox, reported to be worth up to $3 billion, noting in part that almost half of an immediate $385 million payment would have been diverted from the Dodgers.

On June 27, Frank McCourt took the Dodgers into bankruptcy.

Jamie McCourt subsequently lined up behind Major League Baseball and Fox in asking the bankruptcy court to reject Frank McCourt's bid to auction Dodgers television rights.

If Frank McCourt were to prevail in bankruptcy court, it's unclear whether the judge would allow him to tap into the TV money to pay the settlement. It's also unknown whether the proceeds from the sale of the team would even exceed $130 million.

Some observers said one of the reasons behind the settlement may be the legal bills that have amassed over the past two years. The former couple has racked up more than $20 million in fees, according to court documents.

"This ends it," said Los Angeles family attorney Robert Nachshin. "They stop paying divorce lawyers and she gets $130 million."

MLB had assumed control of the club's day-to-day operations in mid-April before the team filed for bankruptcy. Former Texas Rangers President Tom Schieffer was appointed to monitor the team on behalf of Selig, who said he took the action because he was concerned about the team's finances and how the Dodgers are being run.

Last year, the McCourts went through a highly publicized trial that focused on a postnuptial marital agreement they had signed in 2004.

A Los Angeles judge ruled in December that the marital agreement which gave Frank McCourt sole ownership of the Dodgers was invalid, clearing the way for Jamie McCourt to seek half the team under California's community property law.

A group backed by Chinese government-owned investment banks had made a $1.2 billion offer to buy the Dodgers, but Frank McCourt has repeatedly said he's not interested in selling the team.

The couple, who were married in 1979, has four grown sons.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111018/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_dodgers_mccourts

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