Santa tracker launches again with smart phone app, volunteers ready
From The Christian Science Monitor
The volunteer Santa trackers at the North American Aerospace Defense Command are bracing for tens of thousands of calls and emails when their operations center goes live on Christmas Eve.
The military base has been telling anxious children about Santa's whereabouts every year since 1955. That was the year a Colorado Springs newspaper ad invited kids to call Santa on a hotline, but the number had a mistake, and dozens of kids wound up talking to the Continental Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor.
The officers on duty played along and began sharing reports on Santa's progress. It's now a deep-rooted tradition at NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada command that monitors the North American skies and seas…(full story)
Ohio State brings home Urban Meyer to rebuild program
From USA Today
Urban Meyer says he was convinced a year ago he was through with coaching. He didn't like the sordid state of college football. He wanted to spend more time with his family, watch his three kids play sports and get a handle on his health issues.
A year after resigning from Florida, after promising his children he would find balance between football and family, after saying his health was fantastic and resolving not to try to solve all of college football ills, Meyer says he's back where he belongs.
Ohio State athletics director Gene Smith welcomed Meyer home when he introduced the Ohio native as the Buckeyes' new coach Monday. But the program Meyer comes home to is one that has come to symbolize what's wrong with big-time college sports…(full story)
Barney Frank, a Top Liberal, Won't Seek Re-election
From New York Times
Simply put, Barney Frank has had enough.
Speaking from his district office here on Monday after announcing his plan to retire from the House of Representatives, Mr. Frank said he was tired of the scorching partisan battles that did not exist when he first won office three decades ago, tired of campaigning, which he detests, and, at 71, just plain tired.
“By the end of next year, I will have been doing this for 45 years with one six-month sabbatical,” Mr. Frank said in an interview, referring to his career in politics, which started as an aide to former Mayor Kevin White of Boston. “It’s been a privilege to fight for the quality of people’s lives, but I’m ready to put a little more quality into my own life.”
Earlier in the day, Mr. Frank announced at a news conference that he had decided to retire at the end of next year after his Massachusetts district was recently redrawn and it became clear that he would have to fight harder than he wanted for re-election.
Mr. Frank said he had intended to serve one more term but that after seeing his redrawn district, which would give him more than 300,000 new constituents and would not include blue-collar New Bedford, one of his strongholds, he changed his mind.
In the interview at his office, the wry and often cantankerous Mr. Frank — who has been among the nation’s most prominent gay elected officials, as well as a frequent target for conservatives in Congress — was relaxed and full of one-liners as he discussed the mood on Capitol Hill and his reasons for leaving. When he arrived in the House in 1981, he said, “you had Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan talking about how they were friends after 5 o’clock — although if you knew Reagan’s work habits it was really, like, after about 2:30.”
Now, Mr. Frank said, the notion that wrangling between Democrats and Republicans is “a competition between people of good will with different views on public policy” has vanished. For that, he blames Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and current Republican presidential candidate with whom he has a tense history...(full story)
Kyle Orton Not Suiting Up And Ricky Stanzi's Injured Ankle Spells Trouble For
From SB Nation
As if the Kansas City Chiefs weren't already facing heavy odds against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday evening, according to a tweet from Nick Wright not only will newly acquired quarterback Kyle Orton not be suiting up for the Chiefs, but it appears now that second string quarterback Ricky Stanzi injured his ankle during practice this week.
That leave the burden squarely on Tyler Palko's shoulders against the Steelers. The 28-year old former U of Pittsburgh alum was 25-of-38 for 236 yards and threw three interceptions in his starting debut last Monday night on the road against the New England Patriots.
It now appears should something happen to Palko during the game, there is a possibility that Jerheme Urban would be pushed into duty at quarterback. A seven year veteran out of Trinity College in Texas, Urban is the emergency quarterback for the Chiefs…(full story)
New 2011 SanDisk Cyber Monday deals
From Gadget 411 News
This year’s Cyber Monday sales are some of the best we have ever before witnessed. Practically each retailer is handing out large discounts on the year’s very best client electronics. Suppliers across the USA are opening their doorways as early as doable in an work to pull in the most bucks.
Gadget411news searched the world wide web for the most current SanDisk information out there so you did not want to.
Newest SanDisk News
Specials 2011 SanDisk SDMX22-004G-A57K Sansa Clip Zip 4 GB (Black) MP3 SanDisk 2011
By Editor ⋅ November twenty five, 2011 ⋅ Post a remark Ideal for joggers, commuters, and other energetic new audio listeners, the Sansa Clip Zip delivers on-the-go songs at an value-efficient price. This compact MP3 participant is loaded with premium capabilities …
http://gadget411news.com/offers-2011-sandisk-sdmx22-004g-a57k-sansa-clip-zip-4-gb-black-mp3/02600
Xmas Deals 2011 SanDisk Cruzer 16 GB Cruzer USB two. Flash Drive SDCZ36 … SanDisk 2011
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SanDisk (SNDK) Exhibiting Bullish Technicals But Could Break Via .79 … SanDisk 2011
SanDisk Corp (NASDAQ: SNDK) closed Tuesday's trading session at $ 47.81. In the past calendar year, the stock has strike a 52-week very low of $ 32.24 and 52-week higher of $ 53.sixty. SanDisk (SNDK) stock has been demonstrating help all around $ 46.71 and resistance in the $ 48.79 …(full story)
Cyber Monday Deals 2011 Fellowes 55-Piece Computer Toolkit, Black
From Gadget 411 News
And there is definitely entirely no way better new day compared with what Cyber Monday ~ the certain Saturday most men and women rouse inside of the Thanksgiving gluttony then comprehend An anniversary is regarded to be only a thirty day period of time...(full story)
And there is definitely entirely no way better new day compared with what Cyber Monday ~ the certain Saturday most men and women rouse inside of the Thanksgiving gluttony then comprehend An anniversary is regarded to be only a thirty day period of time...(full story)
Cyber Monday deals 2011: six tips to nab them
From Christian Science Monitor
Retailers pulled out all the stops to lure foot traffic on Black Friday. Now, they've battling for consumer dollars in cyberspace.
Cyber Monday is likely to be the biggest day for online sales this year.
So how can you score the best deals on Cyber Monday? Here are six tips:
1) Get informed.
For starters, check out the various Black Friday deal sites, such as dealnews.com, bfads.net, and fatwallet.com. Find the retailers offering the merchandise you want, then sign up for automatic e-mail alerts. Then follow those retailers on Twitter.
"The retailers announce a lot of their deals on Twitter," says Dan de Grandpre, chief executive officer of dealnews.com, a website that tracks sales at large retailers across the country.
2) Stay up late. Get up early.
Just because Black Friday is over doesn't mean you can slack off. If anything, online crowds move faster than real ones do, so you need to be ready to take advantage when something goes on sale.
“Items get cheap and sell out very quickly," says Mr. de Grandpre. "Deals launch in the middle of the night, or very early, but it’s still cheaper than going to the store."
And it's more comfortable than camping out in front of a mall store.
3) Shop around.
More retailers than ever are going to compete for online sales this year, because sales are increasingly migrating online. Last year's Cyber Monday was the biggest online spending day on record, according to market research firm comScore, with spending topping $1 billion. This Cyber Monday is expected to be even bigger. E-commerce retail sales for the entire season should top $50 billion for the first time, according to IHS Global Insight, an economic research firm based in Lexington, Mass.
"It's going to be the biggest ever, in terms of stores participating," says Charlie Graham, CEO of Shop It To Me Inc, a free online personal shopper for sales of clothing, shoes, and accessories. So don't hesitate to go to smaller, second-tier stores.
One popular Cyber Monday offering should be apparel at niche retailers, such as the Gap, Aeropostale, and American Eagle.
3) Watch for price-matching.
Do you have a favorite retailer? If you prefer shopping at specific stores, check out their price-matching policies. If they will match the low price you've found elsewhere, stick with your favorite retailer. Many retailers will price match, at least to a limited degree. Amazon.com is known as an aggressive price-matcher, says de Grandpre.
4) Look for free shipping.
"The deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are pretty similar," says Mr. Graham. So retailers try to stand out on Cyber Monday by offering free shipping on items once you spend a certain minimum.
If you can't find free shipping for an item, calculate what it would cost you and check to see if another retailer offers a similar deal with free shipping thrown in.
5) Check out the return policy.
If your holiday gift doesn't work out, how easy is it to send back for a refund? Is there a restocking fee? Who pays the return postage? Companies have dropped some of these charges to simplify returns. In general, "retailers have good return policies," Graham says. "It's easy to buy almost anything."
6) Keep the boss at bay.
Half of the sales from last year's Cyber Monday came from people at work, according to comScore.
You don't want to jeopardize your job so you can get 50 percent off on dish towels, do you? So do your boss and your career a favor.
Retailers pulled out all the stops to lure foot traffic on Black Friday. Now, they've battling for consumer dollars in cyberspace.
Cyber Monday is likely to be the biggest day for online sales this year.
So how can you score the best deals on Cyber Monday? Here are six tips:
1) Get informed.
For starters, check out the various Black Friday deal sites, such as dealnews.com, bfads.net, and fatwallet.com. Find the retailers offering the merchandise you want, then sign up for automatic e-mail alerts. Then follow those retailers on Twitter.
"The retailers announce a lot of their deals on Twitter," says Dan de Grandpre, chief executive officer of dealnews.com, a website that tracks sales at large retailers across the country.
2) Stay up late. Get up early.
Just because Black Friday is over doesn't mean you can slack off. If anything, online crowds move faster than real ones do, so you need to be ready to take advantage when something goes on sale.
“Items get cheap and sell out very quickly," says Mr. de Grandpre. "Deals launch in the middle of the night, or very early, but it’s still cheaper than going to the store."
And it's more comfortable than camping out in front of a mall store.
3) Shop around.
More retailers than ever are going to compete for online sales this year, because sales are increasingly migrating online. Last year's Cyber Monday was the biggest online spending day on record, according to market research firm comScore, with spending topping $1 billion. This Cyber Monday is expected to be even bigger. E-commerce retail sales for the entire season should top $50 billion for the first time, according to IHS Global Insight, an economic research firm based in Lexington, Mass.
"It's going to be the biggest ever, in terms of stores participating," says Charlie Graham, CEO of Shop It To Me Inc, a free online personal shopper for sales of clothing, shoes, and accessories. So don't hesitate to go to smaller, second-tier stores.
One popular Cyber Monday offering should be apparel at niche retailers, such as the Gap, Aeropostale, and American Eagle.
3) Watch for price-matching.
Do you have a favorite retailer? If you prefer shopping at specific stores, check out their price-matching policies. If they will match the low price you've found elsewhere, stick with your favorite retailer. Many retailers will price match, at least to a limited degree. Amazon.com is known as an aggressive price-matcher, says de Grandpre.
4) Look for free shipping.
"The deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are pretty similar," says Mr. Graham. So retailers try to stand out on Cyber Monday by offering free shipping on items once you spend a certain minimum.
If you can't find free shipping for an item, calculate what it would cost you and check to see if another retailer offers a similar deal with free shipping thrown in.
5) Check out the return policy.
If your holiday gift doesn't work out, how easy is it to send back for a refund? Is there a restocking fee? Who pays the return postage? Companies have dropped some of these charges to simplify returns. In general, "retailers have good return policies," Graham says. "It's easy to buy almost anything."
6) Keep the boss at bay.
Half of the sales from last year's Cyber Monday came from people at work, according to comScore.
You don't want to jeopardize your job so you can get 50 percent off on dish towels, do you? So do your boss and your career a favor.
NBA Lockout is Over, Why Owners Are the Clear Winners: Fan’s View
From Yahoo! Sports
At 3 a.m. on November 26, 2011, the NBA owners and players reached a deal on a new labor agreement, ending the 149 day lockout. The deal calls for a 66 game season in 2011-12, that will begin on Christmas Day, December 25, 2011.
As an NBA fan, I'm relieved the lockout is over. As a New Jersey Nets fan I'm really relieved the deal is done because the Nets are moving to Brooklyn in 2012-13. If the NBA canceled the whole season, the Nets would have never played another game in New Jersey, where I live.
Reading through the details of the new labor agreement, I think it's pretty clear that one side got major concessions from the other. Here's the winners from the new NBA labor agreement…(full story)
At 3 a.m. on November 26, 2011, the NBA owners and players reached a deal on a new labor agreement, ending the 149 day lockout. The deal calls for a 66 game season in 2011-12, that will begin on Christmas Day, December 25, 2011.
As an NBA fan, I'm relieved the lockout is over. As a New Jersey Nets fan I'm really relieved the deal is done because the Nets are moving to Brooklyn in 2012-13. If the NBA canceled the whole season, the Nets would have never played another game in New Jersey, where I live.
Reading through the details of the new labor agreement, I think it's pretty clear that one side got major concessions from the other. Here's the winners from the new NBA labor agreement…(full story)
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Boosts Latest Mars Rover to the Red Planet
From Market Watch
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne demonstrated the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems by successfully boosting the Mars Science Laboratory rover, which will travel to the red planet to assess its habitability. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the Centaur upper stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. UTX +0.30% company, has powered 14 successful launches this year with payloads that included humans; cargo; and satellites vital to space exploration, worldwide communication, navigation, defense, research and development, and weather prediction. RD AMROSS LLC is a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NPO Energomash…(full story)
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne demonstrated the consistent reliability of its power and propulsion systems by successfully boosting the Mars Science Laboratory rover, which will travel to the red planet to assess its habitability. The mission launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida by a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The Atlas V is powered by the RD AMROSS RD-180 booster engine, and the Centaur upper stage is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RL10 engine. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a United Technologies Corp. UTX +0.30% company, has powered 14 successful launches this year with payloads that included humans; cargo; and satellites vital to space exploration, worldwide communication, navigation, defense, research and development, and weather prediction. RD AMROSS LLC is a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and NPO Energomash…(full story)
New Mars rover Curiosity is ultimate off-road vehicle
From USA Today
Today's blastoff of the latest rover raises an interesting question. Since it is as big as a car, with wheels the size of one, how would the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity stack up if it were the latest flashy model in your local showroom?
Well, for starters, we're not sure that name, Curiosity, would rank right up with other space-related monikers like Mercury Montego or Saturn Vue -- even Ford Galaxie. But when you get down to statistic about the latest, biggest rover, you come away seeing the possibilities.
Curiosity is as long as a Mini and as wide as a Hummer, making it plenty stable for the steep sides of canyons or craters, NASA tells Drive On. Some other cool stats that compare it to a car…(full story)
Today's blastoff of the latest rover raises an interesting question. Since it is as big as a car, with wheels the size of one, how would the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity stack up if it were the latest flashy model in your local showroom?
Well, for starters, we're not sure that name, Curiosity, would rank right up with other space-related monikers like Mercury Montego or Saturn Vue -- even Ford Galaxie. But when you get down to statistic about the latest, biggest rover, you come away seeing the possibilities.
Curiosity is as long as a Mini and as wide as a Hummer, making it plenty stable for the steep sides of canyons or craters, NASA tells Drive On. Some other cool stats that compare it to a car…(full story)
It's 'Small Business Saturday' as shoppers take break from Friday's crush at Big Box stores
From www.pleasantonweekly.com
After shoppers competed for discounts largely in major chain stores on Black Friday, several Bay Area cities, including Pleasanton, are encouraging shoppers to take part in "Small Business Saturday" today.
The national campaign is in its second year, and encourages shoppers to spend some time on Saturday doing their holiday shopping in small, locally owned businesses.
San Jose recently officially proclaimed today Small Business Saturday, encouraging residents to visit San Jose businesses, saying the campaign aligns with the city's Shop San Jose Initiative.
"These initiatives are an important way to connect our residents with the many great shops, restaurants and small businesses located here in San Jose," Mayor Chuck Reed said in a statement after the proclamation…(full story)
After shoppers competed for discounts largely in major chain stores on Black Friday, several Bay Area cities, including Pleasanton, are encouraging shoppers to take part in "Small Business Saturday" today.
The national campaign is in its second year, and encourages shoppers to spend some time on Saturday doing their holiday shopping in small, locally owned businesses.
San Jose recently officially proclaimed today Small Business Saturday, encouraging residents to visit San Jose businesses, saying the campaign aligns with the city's Shop San Jose Initiative.
"These initiatives are an important way to connect our residents with the many great shops, restaurants and small businesses located here in San Jose," Mayor Chuck Reed said in a statement after the proclamation…(full story)
NYC promotes 2nd annual Small Business Saturday
From Wall Street Journal
Small business owners hoping to reel in holiday shoppers are promoting the second annual Small Business Saturday in New York and 14 other U.S. cities.
The small-business promotion was first announced in 2010 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault.
It takes place the day after Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. It is intended to encourage shoppers to patronize independent local businesses…(full story)
Small business owners hoping to reel in holiday shoppers are promoting the second annual Small Business Saturday in New York and 14 other U.S. cities.
The small-business promotion was first announced in 2010 by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault.
It takes place the day after Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. It is intended to encourage shoppers to patronize independent local businesses…(full story)
Take part in Small Business Saturday
From fox11online.com
On Saturday, November 26 people all over the nation are encouraged to take part in Small Business Saturday .
This is the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday . It's a day for people all over to "shop local" and buy from a small business in their area…(full story)
On Saturday, November 26 people all over the nation are encouraged to take part in Small Business Saturday .
This is the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday . It's a day for people all over to "shop local" and buy from a small business in their area…(full story)
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