9 astounding Halloween costumes (Yahoo! News)

It takes a little geek plus a little cute to make a memorable costume

When you consider pumpkin carving and Halloween light shows, it becomes clear that Halloween is the most creative celebration of the year. The costumes, though, are what really knock Halloween creativity out of the park. Everyone gets to decide what they want to be for Halloween, and you can go as far with your costume as you'd like.

Consumers get bombarded with ads pushing professional and retail costumes every year. The true Halloween aficionado knows, however, that it's the homemade stuff that makes a costume special. In the spirit of the holiday, check out these nine amazing homemade costumes that will inspire your trick or treat weekend.

These vintage video game costumes are a home run

Pac-Man
This Pac-Man costume is more than just a static creation. Slip inside this big, yellow binge eater and move the mouth open and closed. Check out this amazing video to get a better idea of this dynamic costume in action. Pac-Man is a feat of both engineering and creativity. (Image credit:?Matthew Varas)

A costume only a nerd could love

TI-83+ calculator
This creative costumer reached deep into his memories of school, science, and mathematics to design a TI-83 calculator costume. The TI-83 is a time-honored gadget that helps students plot graphs, handle advanced formulae, and achieve ever-higher scholastic feats.

People who saw the costume for the first time often mistook it for a smartphone. The creator says folks would push the buttons and ask what kind of reception the costume could get. In reality, though, the only connection a TI-83 has with a smartphone is that you could use it to calculate your early termination fees.

Krang the Conqueror
Krang is a villain from the early Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. The unique thing about Krang's design is that he's a brain-like creature with hands. He rode around inside a human-sized robot suit. Halloween costumer?Melissa Dunphy has recreated the effect with hilarious success. Watch while her husband shuffles around in the?robot costume,?Krang shouting threats the whole time from inside the belly. Krang's arms even move to heighten the effect.

The most adorable Ewok ever

Ewok
There's almost nothing as adorable as a small child encased within an Ewok costume. Not only is the outfit too cute to stand, the warm layers and thick fur go a long way toward keeping warm in the chilly October weather. And who doesn't want to see a child dressed up as such an endearing character? Add accessories like a leather bag and a walking stick, and that Ewok costume steps up to legendary status.

This costume is even better because the trick-or-treater clearly knows how to work it like an Ewok. That stride looks like he's ready to walk onto the set of Return of the Jedi. Find a way to get some lightsaber-wielding kittens in there, and this will be the last costume you ever need. (Image credit:?razorsheldon)

An enlightened youngster

Baby Lama
This baby's parents were aiming for a costume that takes advantage of a child's bald head. Using clothes from the doll section at a local craft store, baby Grace is transformed into the Dalai Lama.

Grace's content, calm expression serves to enhance the ensemble. The child-sized glasses are especially adorable. Last year, Grace dressed up as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family. It makes sense to get all the bald characters out of the way early in life, because that smooth head won't last much longer. (Image credit:?tbudd)

A despicable crew

Disney collection
Normally, you have to be very young to wear a costume in Disney. Adults aren't allowed to play dress-up in those magical kingdoms, a right reserved for the people who get paid to portray the characters inside the parks.

For special occasions like Halloween, though, Mickey loosens those rules. Check out this carful of costumed park-goers enjoying a ride as Honorary Costume Party Guests. With so many of the minions from Despicable Me all piled in one vehicle, you know despicable evil is going down somewhere. (Image credit:?Elizabeth Harper)

Who didn't want to be a fireman as a kid?

Firefighter in his own truck
Firefighters are awesome. Almost every little boy out there has a righteous and thorough interest in fire trucks, firefighters, and the heroic task of saving lives. The people who do that job deserve the adulation, and thousands of kids deliver it in the form of fun costumes every Halloween.

This fire truck costume is a fantastic way of accomplishing the task. The trick-or-treater gets the both of both worlds ??he gets to be both the fire engine and the firefighter. (Image credit:?Brett Holt)

Fully functional camera
This costume (top) is amazing in more than one way. Not only is it a creative costume, helping Tyler dress up as a favorite camera, but the costume is actually capable of taking photographs. It has its own shutter release button and built-in screen. Tyler even rigged the costume so that it can control his strobe lights. (Image credit:?Tyler Card)

Creepy? Yes. Awesome? Yes.

Frankenstein's monster
The final costume in our montage is a classic: Frankenstein's monster. The creature was spotted roaming the streets of Minneapolis, where we can hope no mobs armed themselves with torches and pitchforks to chase him around. There's something to be said for the classics, and you don't get any more classic than this monster masher. (Image credit:?Elkman)

Unleash your inner creative ghoul
No matter what costume you choose for Halloween, make sure you let your inner creativity out and do something spectacular. Whether you're building a high-tech costume like Tyler Card's working camera or a fun, peaceful outfit like Grace's Dalai Lama, you're only limited by your imagination. Go out and trick or treat in style!

This article was written by Michael Gray and originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20111028/tc_yblog_technews/9-astounding-halloween-costumes

star wars blu ray star wars blu ray trans siberian orchestra trans siberian orchestra drive patch adams preamble

Cain momentum continues; South could be key (The Arizona Republic)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/155001490?client_source=feed&format=rss

brady quinn nick fairley barry sanders barry sanders tim allen enlightened enlightened

Man City stays clear of United

By STUART CONDIE

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:58 a.m. ET Oct. 29, 2011

LONDON (AP) -Manchester City stayed five points ahead of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, while Chelsea lost ground on the leaders with a 5-3 defeat against visiting Arsenal.

City overcame a second-half red card for Vincent Kompany to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 and defending champion United won 1-0 at Everton, but the most notable result was at Stamford Bridge, where Robin van Persie scored a hat trick for the visiting Gunners.

Andre Santos and Theo Walcott got Arsenal's other goals as their club recorded its best win at Chelsea since 1934.

Also Saturday, Blackburn drew 3-3 with Norwich, Aston Villa drew 2-2 at Sunderland, Swansea beat Bolton 3-1 and Fulham won 2-0 at Wigan.

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

advertisement

More newsOlly Greenwood / AFP - Getty Images

Man City stays clear of United

Manchester City stayed five points ahead of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League on Saturday, while Chelsea lost ground on the leaders with a 5-3 defeat against visiting Arsenal.

'Monster'?

Ex-U.S. coach Bob Bradley has the daunting challenge of reviving the hopes of the "monster'' of African football ? Egypt.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44131091/ns/sports-soccer/

much ado about nothing sean hayes ndamukong suh ndamukong suh caroline manzo caroline manzo the haunting in connecticut

How the major stock indexes fared Wednesday (AP)

Stock indexes finished higher Wednesday following reports that China will come to the aid of Europe by investing in a financial rescue fund.

Agence France-Presse reported that China has agreed to invest in Europe's financial rescue fund, which will be used to support struggling countries and banks in the European Union. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 100 points after the report came out in the early afternoon.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 162.42, or 1.4 percent, to 11,869.04.

The S&P 500 rose 12.95, or 1.1 percent, to 1,242.

The Nasdaq composite rose 12.25, or 0.5 percent, to 2,650.67.

For the week:

The Dow is up 60.25, or 0.5 percent.

The S&P is up 3.75, or 0.3 percent.

The Nasdaq is up 13.21, or 0.5 percent.

For the year to date:

The Dow is up 291.53, or 2.5 percent.

The S&P 500 is down 15.64, or 1.2 percent.

The Nasdaq is down 2.20, or 0.1 percent.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111026/ap_on_bi_ge/us_wall_street_box

amanda knox latest news leann rimes brass monkey x factor auditions x factor auditions flds flds

Nokia: Let?s Call It A Comeback

It's been a long time coming but after a decade of slowly losing its way, I think Nokia is headed back from the land of the lost. This is not to say that I think the two new Lumia phones will pull Nokia out of its doldrums. However, I think the company has finally made some bold, intelligent decisions and, like it or not, Windows Phone will save them over the next few years.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UPQhctQcyds/

neutrinos autumnal equinox rob bell jaycee dugard meg whitman f8 f8

Not your fault! Hormones linked to weight regain

NEW YORK (AP) ? Any dieter knows that it's hard to keep off weight you've lost. Now a study finds that even a year after dieters shed a good chunk of weight quickly, their hormones were still insisting, "Eat! Eat! Eat!"

The findings suggest that dieters who have regained weight are not just slipping back into old habits, but are struggling against a persistent biological urge.

"People who regain weight should not be harsh on themselves, as eating is our most basic instinct," Joseph Proietto of the University of Melbourne in Australia, an author of the study, said in an email. The research appears in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Weight regain is a common problem for dieters. To study what drives it, Proietto and his colleagues enrolled 50 overweight or obese patients in a 10-week diet program in Australia. They wanted to see what would happen in people who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight. Ultimately, only 34 people lost that much and stuck with the study long enough for analysis.

The program was intense. On average, the participants lost almost 30 pounds during the 10 weeks, faster than the standard advice of losing 1 or 2 pounds a week. They took in 500 to 550 calories a day, using a meal replacement called Optifast plus vegetables for eight weeks. Then for two weeks they were gradually reintroduced to ordinary foods.

Despite counseling and written advice about how to maintain their new weights, they gained an average of 12 pounds back over the next year. So they were still at lower weights than when they started.

The scientists checked the blood levels of nine hormones that influence appetite. The key finding came from comparing the hormone levels from before the weight-loss program to one year after it was over. Six hormones were still out of whack in a direction that would boost hunger.

The dieters also rated themselves as feeling hungrier after meals at the one-year mark, compared to what they reported before the diet program began.

Experts not connected to the study said the persistent effect on hormone levels was not surprising, and that it probably had nothing to do with the speed of the weight loss.

People who lose less than 10 percent of body weight would probably show the same thing, though to a lesser degree, said Dr. George Bray of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.

A key message of the study is that "it's better not to gain weight than to try to lose it," Bray said.

Why would a dieter's body rebel against weight loss? It's an evolutionary holdover from earlier times, when weight loss could threaten survival and reproduction, says Dr. Rudolph Leibel, an obesity expert at Columbia University in New York. So "it's not surprising at all" that our bodies would fight back for at least a year, he said. "This is probably a more or less permanent response."

People who lose significant weight not only gain bigger appetite but also burn fewer calories than normal, creating "a perfect storm for weight regain," Leibel said.

He said avoiding weight regain appears to be a fundamentally different problem from losing weight in the first place, and that researchers should pay more attention to it.

The study was supported by the Australian government, medical professional groups and a private foundation. Proietto served on a medical advisory board of Nestle, maker of Optifast, until last year.

___

Online:

New England Journal of Medicine: http://www.nejm.org

___

Malcolm Ritter can be followed at www.twitter.com/malcolmritter

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-10-26-Diet-Hormones/id-da8d845c22284714817b1b730518bb17

columbus day columbus day mark davis bank holidays bank holidays john galt john galt

BOJ to debate easing with eyes on yen, Europe (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Japan's central bank is likely to debate easing monetary policy further at a meeting on Thursday after the yen rose to another record high and doubts mounted over whether Europe can forge a clear plan to tackle the euro zone debt crisis, sources said.

If the central bank acts, it will likely expand its 50 trillion yen ($660 billion) asset-buying program by around 5 trillion yen, sources familiar with the bank's thinking said.

The Japanese economy is recovering from the devastating March earthquake and tsunami and the central bank has been counting on fiscal spending on reconstruction and demand from emerging markets to sustain the upturn.

However, the yen's renewed climb to record highs against the dollar and stock market losses -- driven largely by market concerns that Wednesday's European Union crisis summit will fail to produce a decisive solution -- are dimming Japan's economic outlook.

Many central bankers have hoped to save their limited policy options for later, the sources told Reuters, but in light of the latest market jitters the decision will be a close call.

The BOJ last eased policy by boosting its asset buying pool in August, acting in tandem with the finance ministry which ordered Japan's biggest ever single-day currency intervention selling more than 4.5 trillion yen.

The impact, however, proved short lived and the yen crawled back to trade close to its record highs.

This has been a source of deepening frustration for Japanese officials, who argue that a rallying currency is one problem too many for a nation grappling with a nuclear crisis, a $250 billion post-quake rebuilding effort and ballooning debt.

SPECULATORS WARNED

The yen's break to new peaks against the dollar last Friday and again on Tuesday prompted a barrage of warnings from the Japanese authorities that they were ready to step in if speculators kept driving the currency higher.

Finance Minister Jun Azumi on Wednesday served dealers another warning after the yen climbed to 75.73 to the dollar in New York the previous day, saying he would not rule out any steps to curb currency speculation and had instructed staff during the morning to be prepared for all possible measures on foreign exchange.

He also hinted at possible concerted action with the central bank.

"The BOJ shares our sense of crisis, so I'm sure they will take appropriate steps when necessary," Azumi said.

The yen was quoted around 76.10 to the dollar in early Tokyo trade while Tokyo stocks were down 1 percent (.N225), reflecting market nervousness about the outcome of the EU summit.

The prospects for a comprehensive deal to resolve the euro zone debt crisis this week looked dim, with deep disagreement remaining on critical elements, including how to give the region's bailout fund greater firepower.

Investors fear that, without a clear solution, the sovereign debt crisis engulfing highly indebted nations of the euro zone periphery could trigger a banking crisis and a credit crunch similar to what followed the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008.

Since September 2010, Japan has intervened twice on its own and once jointly with other Group of Seven rich nations to weaken the yen. But the effects of intervention have proved fleeting in the face of steady demand from nervous investors seeking highly liquid and relatively safe assets such as Japanese government bonds.

(Additional reporting by Stanley White; Writing by Tomasz Janowski; Editing by Edmund Klamann)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111026/bs_nm/us_japan_economy

colorado avalanche bass lake michael jackson kids michael jackson kids father of the bride father of the bride bluebeard

Leatherface Makes The Cut For MTV's Killer Halloween

Vote for the best and scariest movie murderer in our Killer Halloween matchup.
By Kara Warner

Leatherface in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
Photo: Vortex

MTV's Killer Halloween continues! We're on a mission to find out who the best and scariest movie murderer is based on your votes, and we're ranking these ghastly guys on their most deadly attributes. We've got matchups between Freddy Krueger and Ghostface, Jason and Leatherface.

Check out our latest killer profile, for "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" crazy man Leatherface, and be sure to visit us every day this week to see the latest matchups!

Name: Leatherface
Occupation: Taxidermist, cannibal, serial killer

Weapons: Chainsaw, meat hooks, butcher's hammer, family baggage

Archenemy: Sanity, vegetarians, syphilis (the reason Leatherface doesn't have a nose)

Profile: What's not to love about a killer who wields a chainsaw and wears a mask made of human skin? Not to mention that bloody butcher's apron — it is a killer getup, pun intended. Leatherface made his terrifying debut in 1974's beloved slasher classic "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." The backwoods cannibal's gruesome appeal is enhanced by the involvement of his totally twisted, psychotic, inbred family members, who own and operate the Last Chance gas station and use it to find new victims to torture, kill ... and barbecue.

Horror movie expert Brian Collins of Horror Movie a Day attributes Leatherface's appeal to his simplicity and consistency.

"They never really screwed him up like the other guys. Freddy [Krueger] turned into a cartoon, Michael [Myers] was ret-conned into a henchman for some druid cult, but Leatherface was always just a simple cannibal with a chainsaw and a mask made of human skin," Collins told MTV News. "He always had a group of other killers to play off of, making him a little more three-dimensional than the others who worked alone."

Leatherface and his family, along with their creepy cannibalistic ways, were featured in several other films following the original: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2," "Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation," the 2003 Michael Bay-produced remake, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and a 2006 prequel, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning."

Their appalling adventures also inspired several comic books: 1991's four-issue series, "Leatherface," 1995's three-issue "Jason vs. Leatherface," and one-off special issues like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Special" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Cut!"

"Leatherface is up there with Freddy, Jason and Michael as far as the die-hard horror fans are concerned," Collins said of the chainsaw wielder's place among favorite horror movie killers, adding that the hankering for human flesh and hacking through it is an unforgettable combo, even if he isn't as mainstream as the likes of Freddy and Jason. "I don't think he's as iconic to the casual moviegoer as the others, since there haven't been as many movies," he said.

Check out everything we've got on "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Photos

• Killer Halloween: Greatest On-Screen Villains

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673100/killer-halloween-leatherface.jhtml

demi moore and ashton kutcher demi moore and ashton kutcher credit unions delonte west bank of america black eyed peas central park occupy wallstreet

Another Tibetan monk sets himself on fire in China (AP)

BEIJING ? A British human rights group says another Tibetan Buddhist monk has set himself on fire in a protest against Chinese rule over the Himalayan region. It is the 10th self immolation this year.

The London-based Free Tibet group said in a statement that the the monk set himself ablaze early Tuesday outside a Tibetan monastery in southwestern Sichuan province's Garzi prefecture.

The group said it was unable to confirm the monk's age or name. It was unsure of his condition and whereabouts.

At least nine Tibetans in their late teens and 20s have self-immolated since March, with five or more of them dying from their injuries. All but one of those occurred in Aba, a town in Sichuan near Tibet that has been the site of a series of protests.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111026/ap_on_re_as/as_china_tibet

occupy chicago occupy chicago ron white ron white widespread panic widespread panic alcs

Zooey Deschanel Sings National Anthem at World Series

Who's that girl singing "The Star-Spangled Banner"?

Zooey Deschanel did the honors at Game 4 of the World Series last night, and let's just say the actress can belt out a tune as easily as a witty one-liner?

Sure, it was a nice plug for her new show on the network that aired the game (see some of her best New Girl quotes), but Fox wasn't reaching, either.

Girl can sing! Watch Zooey in action here ...

Zooey Deschanel Sings National Anthem

Deschanel is part of indie pop duo She & Him, sings wonderfully in Elf and those Cotton commercials ... and of course does her own New Girl theme song.

And unlike American Idol winner Scotty McCreery, who possibly flubbed the lines during Game 1 of the World Series, she nailed the words. Just saying.

The big guns come out for the Fall Classic, currently tied 2-2 between Texas and St. Louis. On tap to perform the song before Game 5? Demi Lovato!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/10/zooey-deschanel-sings-national-anthem-at-world-series/

sand dollar just dance 3 just dance 3 cliff lee cliff lee the raven the raven

Nevada Moves Back Caucus (WSJ)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/151989128?client_source=feed&format=rss

evan longoria janeane garofalo janeane garofalo neil degrasse tyson neil degrasse tyson braves braves

Rangers bounce back in Game 4

Series tied 2-2 as Holland stifles Cards, Napoli hits key home run in 4-0 win

Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

Derek Holland, who pitched 8 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 4, hugs Mike Napoli after Sunday's game.

updated 11:14 p.m. ET Oct. 23, 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas - Derek Holland kept Albert Pujols in the ballpark and the Texas Rangers in this World Series.

In a title matchup that's getting more interesting with every game, Holland put the emphasis back on pitching. Given a pep talk by manager Ron Washington minutes before the game, Holland threw two-hit ball for 8 1-3 innings to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 on Sunday night and even things at 2-all.

Holland struck out seven, walked two and never was in trouble against a team that erupted for 16 runs the previous night. He came within two outs of pitching the first complete-game shutout in the World Series since Josh Beckett's gem for Florida to clinch the 2003 title at Yankee Stadium.

"I was very focused. I knew this was a big game for us," Holland said. "I had to step up and make sure I was prepared."

Hobbled Josh Hamilton put Texas ahead with an RBI double in the first inning. Then Mike Napoli broke it open with a three-run homer in the sixth that set off a hearty high-five in the front row between team president Nolan Ryan and former President George W. Bush.

And just like that, for the first time since 2003, the World Series stood at two games apiece. Now the whole season is down to a best of three, with the outcome to be decided back at Busch Stadium.

Game 5 is Monday night at Rangers Ballpark. It's a rematch of the opener, when Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter topped C.J. Wilson.

A day after Pujols produced arguably the greatest hitting show in postseason history, tying Series records with three home runs, six RBIs and five hits during the Cardinals' romp, Holland emerged as the unlikely star.

Holland got a big cheer when he took the mound in the ninth and was still throwing 96 mph. With the crowd chanting his name, he walked Rafael Furcal and was pulled by Washington after a long talk on the mound.

"I was begging to stay out there," he said. "I said, 'I'll give it everything I've got. I can get the double play.'

"When I came off the field my arm hair was sticking up ? not like I have much."

Holland tipped his cap and waved to the fans as he walked off. His outing was the longest scoreless appearance by an AL starter in the Series since Andy Pettitte also went 8 1-3 at Atlanta in 1996.

Neftali Feliz took over and closed. He walked Allen Craig, then retired Pujols on a fly ball and struck out Matt Holliday to end it.

Pujols finished 0 for 4 and hit the ball out of the infield only once.

"I wanted him to see my 'A' game," Holland said.

Said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa: "Well, I would just say he worked us over. Give him credit."

"Good pitching is always going to stop good hitting," he said.

Holland was in tune all evening with his Napoli, his pal and catcher. Much better than the battery for the pregame ceremony ? Bush tossed a wild pitch that glanced off the catcher's mitt Ryan wore.

"I should've gone with the regular glove," Ryan said with a chuckle.

The bounce-back Rangers managed to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since Aug. 23-25, a streak that's kept them out of trouble in the postseason.

The Rangers also completed a Sunday sweep in the matchup of teams from St. Louis and the Dallas area. Earlier in the afternoon, the Cowboys beat the Rams 34-7 right across the parking lots. Hamilton and Lance Berkman served as honorary captains for the pregame coin toss, wearing their baseball uniforms.

Many fans might remember Holland from last year's World Series. He's the reliever who came in against San Francisco, walked his first three batters and promptly got pulled.

Maybe that guy was an impostor. Because this 25-year-old lefty with the sorry little mustache was completely poised, with pinpoint control. Perhaps it was the talk he got from Washington near the dugout shortly before taking the mound.

Washington put both hands on Holland's shoulders and talked to him tenderly, like a dad about to send his teenage son off to college. Holland kept nodding, and Washington finished up with a playful pat to Holland's cheek.

"He shows that he cares about all his players, and he definitely showed that when he talked to me," Holland said.

After that, Holland was in total command in his first Series start, and improved to 3-0 lifetime in the postseason. The only hits he allowed were by Berkman: a double in the second and a single in the fifth. Holland got even later, getting Berkman to look at a strike three that left the St. Louis star discussing the call with plate umpire Ron Kulpa.

Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson kept his team close despite a wild night. He walked seven, and eventually they caught up with him.

It was 1-0 when La Russa yanked Jackson after two one-out walks in the sixth and signaled for reliever Mitchell Boggs. Napoli was up, and the sellout crowd chanted his name as he stepped into the batter's box.

Boggs stayed in the stretch for an extra beat while Furcal ducked behind Nelson Cruz from shortstop. When Boggs finally threw a 95 mph fastball with his first pitch, Napoli whacked it.

Napoli stood at the plate for a moment as the ball sailed deep, just inside the left field line. Boggs could only contort his body, seeing the game get out of hand.

Hamilton forced the Cardinals to play catch-up for the first time in a while. St. Louis had scored first in 10 straight postseason games, one shy of the record set by Detroit during a span from 1972-84.

Elvis Andrus singled with one out in the Texas first and sped home when Hamilton doubled into the right field corner. The reigning AL MVP has been slowed by a strained groin, part of the reason he hasn't homered in 57 at-bats this postseason.

NOTES: Napoli became the first catcher to hit two homers in a Series since Mike Piazza of the Mets in 2000. ... Texas 2B Ian Kinsler and St. Louis C Yadier Molina played a little game of back-and-forth in the second. Kinsler robbed Molina of an RBI single with a nice stop up the middle to end the top half. In the bottom half, Molina made a snap throw that trapped Kinsler off first base for the last out. ... Mitch Moreland batted last for Texas. It's the sixth time a starting first baseman in the World Series had hit ninth in order, four by Moreland.

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

advertisement

More news

Rangers bounce back in Game 4

Mike Napoli hit a three-run homer on reliever Mitchell Boggs' first pitch in the sixth inning, Derek Holland was dominant on the mound and the Texas Rangers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45010253/ns/sports-baseball/

bobby flay clemson football the new girl miami hurricanes football miami hurricanes football emmy winners emmy winners

Heir adds a voice to her millions (Star Tribune)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/152074801?client_source=feed&format=rss

palin occupy wall street second time around bill gates steve jobs bill gates steve jobs sara evans brett favre

Young adult series "Empty Coffin" headed to big screen (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen has sold the movie rights to his young adult novel series "Empty Coffin" to independent financier and production company Kerry Kimmel & Pollack and Eric Thompson's Vigilante Entertainment, the companies announced.

Kerry Kimmel & Pollack's CEO, Michael Pollak ("Black Forest") and president Mark Morgan will produce with Eric Thompson ("Rites of Spring"), Brett Hudson and Kami Garcia.

They plan to begin production in the fall of 2012.

Morgan produced 2008's "Twilight" and 2010's "Twilight Saga: New Moon" for Summit.

Thompson produced the indie horror "Rites of Spring," which premieres at the 2011 Screamfest. He is preparing production on the sequel.

"Envy," the first of the book series "Empty Coffin" series, was released in September.

The series is about twin sisters who try to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of their friend.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111021/film_nm/us_emptycoffin

god bless america flight 93 flight 93 al qaeda infiniti empire state building amazing grace

'Albedo effect' in forest disturbances can cause added warming, bonus cooling

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Wildfire, insect outbreaks and hurricanes destroy huge amounts of forest every year and increase the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, but scientists are now learning more about another force that can significantly affect their climate impact.

Researchers conclude in a new study that the albedo effect, which controls the amount of energy reflected back into space, is important in the climatic significance of several types of major forest disturbances.

In some cases ? mostly in boreal forests with significant snow cover ? increases in reflectivity can provide cooling. If the area disturbed by fire or insects is large, this cooling can substantially offset the increase in global warming that would otherwise be caused by these forest disturbances and the release of greenhouse gases. In other cases where the ground itself is unusually dark, albedo decreases can magnify concerns about warming.

Wildfires are not the only disturbance that significantly alters surface albedo, this study concluded. Insect outbreaks and defoliation by hurricanes can also change surface reflectivity, with effects on climate as great as those caused by carbon dioxide release from the disturbed area.

"On a global scale, warming caused by increased carbon dioxide still trumps everything else," said Beverly Law, a professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University. "On a smaller or local scale, however, changes in albedo can be fairly important, especially in areas with significant amounts of snow, such as high latitudes or higher elevations."

Albedo is a measure of radiation reflected by a surface, in this case the surface of the planet. Lighter colors such as snow reflect more light and heat back into space than the dark colors of a full forest and tree canopy.

"This decreased absorption of heat by the land surface is a local atmospheric cooling effect," said Tom O'Halloran, a recent postdoctoral researcher at OSU who is now with the Department of Environmental Studies at Sweet Briar College. "This was clear in one case we studied of trees killed by mountain pine beetles in British Columbia.

"In areas with substantial snow cover, we found that canopy removal due to either fire or insect attack increased reflected radiation and approximately offset the warming that would be caused by increased release of carbon dioxide," O'Halloran said. "However, we haven't been able to measure the full impact from the current beetle outbreak, which could take decades to complete."

This complex phenomenon would be much less in lower latitudes or areas without snow for much of the year, the researchers said. It relates primarily to boreal or colder mid-latitude forests, such as the Canadian insect outbreak over 374,000 square kilometers of forest.

"The impacts of insects on forest carbon dynamics and resulting changes in albedo are generally ignored in large-scale modeling," Law said.

The study also found that forest disturbance does not always cause an albedo increase. When Hurricane Wilma in 2005 partially defoliated more than 2,400 square kilometers of a mangrove forest in the Florida Everglades, it exposed an underlying land surface darker than the previous forest canopy. In that case, an albedo decrease effectively doubled the warming impact of released carbon dioxide.

All of the forces studied in this research ? fire, insect attack and hurricanes ? are expected to increase in severity, frequency or extent under climate change scenarios, the scientists said. In the United States alone, these events affect 20,000 to 40,000 square kilometers of forest a year. If Earth system models are to be accurate, this makes it important to more accurately incorporate changes in albedo.

Globally, forest disturbances are a major factor in the carbon cycle and greenhouse gas warming. They can instantly switch forests from carbon sinks into carbon sources for two decades or more. In cold regions where forest recovery is slower, albedo increases can persist for 100 years.

###

This research was published in Global Change Biology

Oregon State University: http://www.orst.edu

Thanks to Oregon State University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 40 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/114477/_Albedo_effect__in_forest_disturbances_can_cause_added_warming__bonus_cooling

labor day jane fonda interpol fist under armour pepsi crocodile

Daily Deal: Seidio Innocase II Surface for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 only $16.95!

For today only, the TiPb Store has the Seidio Innocase II Surface for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 on sale for only $16.95!. That's thin, convenient protection in black, blue, burgundy, amethyst, ash gray, rose pink, sage, and white -- get them before they're gone! Shop Seidio Innocase II Surface for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 now!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/MF3RV1fLjMo/

hes just not that into you hes just not that into you eagle rock music festival eagle rock music festival arbor clemson apple crisp recipe

Kornik Academy for Demons and Angels: RP'ers wanted

Demons and Angels

This Roleplay is about Angels and Demons, They both have extraordinary powers
They all go to Kornik Boarding Academy. Angels have Tele-Powers and Demons have elemental powers.
But demons have a bad reputation, for their ancestors were slaves of the devil. Angels think of Demons as
Horrible evil creatures, but everything's about to change, there's a revolution about to start. They are preparing
the demon students with offensive magic just in case something were to happen. Can the teen Angels and Demons
make peace with each other for a better future?

Hey if your interested in this role play, just follow this link --> roleplay/kornik-academy-for-angels-and-demons/ and you'll find the role play

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/jk3drGguLXo/viewtopic.php

doctor saab megalodon human centipede ancient egypt paranormal activity 2 the great gatsby

Astronomers Spot Birth Of Alien Planet for First Time (SPACE.com)

Astronomers have photographed the youngest exoplanet ever found, spotting the alien world as it is still forming out of the dusty disk around its parent star, a new study reports.

Researchers used Hawaii's Keck Observatory to capture the first direct images of a planet in the process of forming around its star. The newly born object, which astronomers are calling LkCa 15 b, appears to be a hot "protoplanet" that is sucking up a surrounding swath of cooler dust and gas.

The new images from Keck reveal that the alien planet sits in a wide gap between its host star and an outer disk of dust, the researchers said.

"LkCa 15 b is the youngest planet ever found, about five times younger than the previous record holder," study lead author Adam Kraus, of the University of Hawaii, said in a statement. "For the first time, we?ve been able to directly measure the planet itself as well as the dusty matter around it." [See photos of dusty disk for planet LkCa 15]

Finding a newly forming planet

The newly forming planet is a relatively close neighbor to Earth; it's located only about 450 light-years away in the constellation Taurus (the Bull). But spotting it wasn't easy.

Astronomers relied on Keck's adaptive optics capability, which incorporates a deformable mirror to correct for distorted starlight caused by our atmosphere. They then canceled out bright starlight using a technique called aperture mask interferometry, which involved placing a mask with several holes in the path of the light collected by Keck.

These methods allowed the team to resolve the protoplanetary disk around the star LkCa 15, and to see the gap in the disk where the baby planet was lurking.

"Interferometry has actually been around since the 1800s, but through the use of adaptive optics has only been able to reach nearby young suns for about the last seven years," said study co-author Michael Ireland of Macquarie University and the Australian Astronomical Observatory. "Since then, we?ve been trying to push the technique to its limits using the biggest telescopes in the world, especially Keck."

The researchers discovered LkCa 15 b after initiating a survey of 150 young dusty stars, which led to a more concentrated study of a dozen stars. They hit the jackpot early.

"LkCa 15 was only our second target, and we immediately knew we were seeing something new," Kraus said. "We could see a faint point source near the star, so, thinking it might be a Jupiter-like planet, we went back a year later to get more data."?[The Strangest Alien Planets]

Kraus presented the results today (Oct. 19) at a meeting at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The discovery will also be published in an upcoming issue of The Astrophysical Journal.

A big baby

As far as infants go, LkCa15 b looks like a whopper, perhaps harboring as much mass as six Jupiters. But since the planet is still forming, it could end up being considerably smaller, Kraus explained.

"A lot of the light that we?re seeing from this object could be released by this material falling on it," he said. "So, six Jupiter masses should really be regarded as an upper limit. It may be that very little of the light is coming from the planet, and it could be much less massive."

However big it is, the alien world is definitely young. Its parent star, which is about as massive as the sun, is only about 2 million years old, Kraus said.

Astronomers have long surmised that baby planets carved out the gaps they've observed in young stars' dusty disks. Now that they've demonstrated the ability to spot one such infant world, scientists could soon start detecting many more.

"This is exciting because we look at them [the gaps] and know there?s a planet there," Kraus said. "We know from the location of the gap where the planet is likely to be sitting, and it?s just a matter of looking at them and finding a way to detect these planets."

SPACE.com staff writer Denise Chow contributed to this story.You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter: @michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20111019/sc_space/astronomersspotbirthofalienplanetforfirsttime

yvette vickers yvette vickers ronald reagan sidney crosby nhl mph abraham lincoln

USA Taps Yap.TV For New Social TV App

Today the USA television network has announced a partnership with Yap.TV to power its mobile social application. Yap.TV is one of the hottest social TV apps on the App Store, offering users the chance to chat up television shows in real time. It's basically a souped-up Twitter client for TV, and now all the same cool functionality will be available for USA programming. USA's Yap.TV-powered app won't debut until November, but it'll give owners of the Apple iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad a way to discover USA television shows that they might otherwise be unaware of.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ojtcEw-bEQg/

arizona cardinals minnesota vikings chargers cake boss san diego chargers san diego chargers bengals

Fukushima victims are desperate, angry

FUKUSHIMA, Japan?? At last, victims of Japan's nuclear crisis can claim compensation. And they are angry.

They are furious at the red tape they have to wade through just to receive basic help and in despair they still cannot get on with their lives seven months after the huge quake and tsunami triggered the world's worst nuclear disaster in 25 years.

Shouts fill a room at a temporary housing complex where seven officials, kneeling in their dark suits, face 70 or so tenants who were forced to abandon their homes near the Fukushima nuclear plant after some of its reactors went into meltdown after the March 11 quake struck.

"We don't know who we can trust!" one man yelled in the cramped room where the officials were trying to explain the hugely complex procedures to claim compensation.

"Can we actually go back home? And if not, can you guarantee our livelihoods?"

About 80,000 people were forced to leave their homes by the nuclear crisis.

While the owner of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co, has made temporary payments to some victims, it was only last month that it finally began accepting applications for compensation.

But the procedure is so complicated that it seems to just make things worse.

After claimants have read a 160-page instruction manual, they then have to fill in a 60-page form and attach receipts for lodging, transportation and medical costs.

"It's too difficult. I'm going to see how it goes. I don't want to rush and mess up," said Toshiyuki Owada, 65, an evacuee from Namie town, about 20 km (12 miles) away from the plant.

Owada is one of many who still has not applied for compensation even though they have lost jobs or businesses and are running out of cash.

1. Only on msnbc.com

   1. Stuxnet authors strike again
   2. Kids under 2 should play, not watch TV
   3. Docs: No bumpers in crib safer for baby
   4. Andretti remembers IndyCar racer Dan Wheldon
   5. Gadhafi's weapons of war become makeshift museum
   6. Dealers charging for unnecessary car repairs?
   7. Woman taps 'Occupy' protest to avoid foreclosure

Complex and unfair
The complexity of the task is one deterrent.

There is another ? ?the perception that Tepco is not playing fair.

Confidence in the authorities is low. The government is seen as having bungled its early response to the crisis and being secretive about what was really happening.

Tepco is accused of failing to take sufficient safety measures at the Fukushima plant even though it knew the risks and then deliberately underplaying the extent of the accident.

It is also seen as insensitive.

One clause in the original instruction booklet telling victims they would have to agree to waive their right to challenge the compensation amount in order to receive payment provoked a public uproar.

Chastised by the government, the company promised to drop the clause, issued a simplified 4-page instruction booklet and assigned 1,000 employees to Fukushima prefecture to help victims with the process.

"There may be times when the content is difficult to understand or in some cases our employee in charge may not grasp it fully, but we would like to explain and respond as carefully as possible," said Tepco spokesman Naoyuki Matsumoto.

A government panel overseeing the compensation scheme estimates claims are likely to reach 3.6 trillion yen ($46.5 billion) in the financial year to next March.

Few claimants
But so far just 7,100 individuals have applied to Tepco for compensation out of the 80,000 it send forms to.

And of the 10,000 businesses in the Fukushima area, a mere 300 have submitted claims.

The company expects a total of 300,000 claims from businesses given that the impact of the radiation crisis has been so widespread.

Victims can sue but that is rare.

Junichi Matsumoto, a Tepco official, said the utility faces about 10 lawsuits so far. He declined to disclose details but said some were seeking more than the firm deemed appropriate.

Yuichi Kaido, an attorney and the secretary-general of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, said lawsuits are considered a last resort in conservative rural northeast Japan.

"In the end, many lawsuits could take place," he said.

"But the majority is thinking of first speaking with Tokyo Electric or seeking mediation."

Sense of resignation
The final compensation depends on whether and when victims will be able to return to homes within a 20-km evacuation zone. That question remains unanswered, breeding a growing sense of resignation among evacuees.

Some said they doubt they will ever be able to go home and suggested their entire towns simply be relocated and many worry about long-term health effects of radiation.

An Asahi newspaper poll showed this month that 43 percent of evacuees still want to return, down from 62 percent in June.

For many, what is now on the table -- reimbursement for moving and transportation costs associated with evacuating, compensation for damage to health, lost jobs, and psychological suffering -- only deepens frustration over what they have lost.

Tokyo Electric said it will pay about 100,000 yen a month for the period to end of August as compensation for psychological trauma. After that, the sum will be halved.

"Evidence that we have lived our lives is completely destroyed and for that, we are told that we will be compensated 100,000 yen for our psychological suffering. That's it?" said 75-year-old restaurant owner Sumiko Toyoguchi, who had to leave her home in Namie.

"What's at the root of our frustration is that we cannot see what our tomorrow will be like."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44947085/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

the island mcdonalds beating dreamcatcher georgia tech big east expansion big east expansion michigan football

Shannen Doherty Weds Photographer Kurt Iswarienko!

Shannen Doherty Weds Photographer Kurt Iswarienko!

Let’s hope the third time’s the charm for former Beverly Hills 90210 actress, Shannon Doherty. Shannen married photographer Kurt Iswarienko on Saturday at a friend’s [...]

Shannen Doherty Weds Photographer Kurt Iswarienko! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/HuTegOdM2Ik/

houston texans houston texans courageous courageous red tide red tide steelers

Chris Weigant: The End of the Iraq War Is in Sight

The end of the American military's involvement in Iraq is almost upon us. Someone in the White House recently leaked what should have been apparent to everyone all along -- that the Pentagon is preparing to withdraw all our remaining troops from Iraq, by the end of this year. Less than 200 will remain, to guard the embassy, but all our other brave men and women in uniform will be home to celebrate the dawning of a new year.

This story broke over the weekend, but not much attention has been given to it by the media as yet. The Associated Press reported: "...a senior Obama administration official in Washington confirmed Saturday that all American troops will leave Iraq except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy."

This should not be surprising news to anyone. Just before President George W. Bush left office, he signed a Status Of Forces Agreement (S.O.F.A.) with Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki of Iraq. This agreement contains the key sentence: "All the United States Forces shall withdraw from all Iraqi territory no later than December 31, 2011." Which is exactly where we find ourselves now.

When Bush turned the Oval Office over to President Barack Obama -- one month after Bush signed the S.O.F.A. -- America had close to 150,000 soldiers in Iraq. Obama has hit two milestones since then -- one imposed by the S.O.F.A., and one he imposed for himself. First, the S.O.F.A. dictated that all American troops pull back from Iraqi cities. Then Obama withdrew roughly 100,000 troops on a schedule of his own, which left over 40,000 troops still in Iraq. In two and a half months, all of these troops will come home as well.

Of course, not everybody's happy about this. The Pentagon would really like to keep American soldiers there longer -- they've been pushing to keep over 10,000 troops in Iraq past the withdrawal deadline. The White House reportedly was trying for a more modest force of around 3,000. But what the American media can't seem to wrap their minds around is the basic fact that this is not our decision to make. This is -- and always has been -- a decision for the Iraqi government to make. And all signs point to them having already made the decision: all U.S. troops will leave on schedule, as planned.

America always needs a formal agreement to station her troops in any friendly country. These agreements cover all sorts of details, but the key part in the Iraqi S.O.F.A. is that U.S. troops are immune from local law. Soldiers can't be hauled in to an Iraqi court, in other words. This may be the sticking point for Iraq, and why they are refusing to sign a new S.O.F.A. now, which would allow some U.S. troops to remain longer than the end of this year.

Or it may just be a convenient excuse for the Iraqis to get all U.S. troops out of their country. Most American media reporting on the question of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq have focused on the politics between the White House and the Pentagon, or between the White House and Congress, or even between our political parties. This is the wrong political question to focus on. The real politics which are determining the outcome are Iraqi politics -- because, remember, it is the Iraqi government who gets to decide this question, and not us.

Prime Minister Maliki recently survived a very close election. The two largest Iraqi political parties split the vote almost evenly. But neither had enough power to form a government on their own. So Maliki convinced Muqtada Al Sadr's party to join with his, preserving Maliki's job as the country's leader. But the Sadrists are rock-solid on the question of U.S. troops leaving. They are not going to support any new agreement at all. Leaving Maliki without the political support to even negotiate for an extension of American troops. Which is where we are currently. The White House and the Pentagon have been trying to pressure Maliki to get some sort of agreement passed -- the White House's offer of only 3,000 troops as opposed to over 10,000 was likely a ploy to make the idea more palatable to the Iraqis. In fact, the leaking of the news this weekend that the Pentagon is preparing a full withdrawal may also be a way of pressuring Maliki, as well: "If you don't act, then we're not going to be around much longer."

Muqtada Al Sadr, however, isn't having any of it. His name always appears in U.S. media with a prefix: "the anti-American cleric Muqtada Al Sadr." It's more likely that the Republicans in the U.S. Congress suddenly support a big tax hike than Sadr supporting U.S. troops in his country one day longer than previously agreed.

All America can do, at this point, is beg the Iraqis to come together and put aside their political differences, and do what we want them to do. The only problem with that is, we're not exactly the poster child for the rest of the world these days when it comes to putting aside political differences, are we?

Iraq faces serious problems if all American soldiers withdraw in a few months' time. There are still sectarian and ethnic hatreds which lie just beneath the surface. The Kurds, in particular, would really like to see some U.S. soldiers stay on. The Iraqi air force and navy are in a fragile and nascent state, and they could still use our help on the technical front.

But the symbolism may be too powerful for the Iraqis to make such considerations. They've had our troops occupying their country for over eight years now, and they are ready to see us go, to put it mildly. How would we feel if foreign troops were on U.S. soil, after all? We'd want to see them leave as well, wouldn't we?

Don't look for those questions to ever be asked in the next few months, however. The American media will look for familiar American political themes in the story of American troops coming home. Those clamoring for staying longer will decry President Obama for not doing so -- even though the real credit (or blame, take your choice) for the hard withdrawal date lies with President Bush. Republicans will attempt to make this a political issue, especially if violence breaks out in Iraq after we leave. Republicans will waste no time in saying "See, we told you we needed to stay longer!" Democrats, on the other hand, may finally give Obama some credit for ending one of America's wars, as he promised to do on the campaign trail -- again, even though Bush was the true instigator of this timeline. Democrats will taunt Republicans with: "Obama is bringing the deficit under control by ending a very expensive war, just as he promised he'd do."

But the man who deserves the real credit (or blame, if you wish) for the timing of America's exit is none other than Prime Minister Maliki. Bush initially was pushing for all sorts of clauses in the S.O.F.A. (remember, during the 2008 campaign, Republicans were stating that a "timetable for withdrawal" would be the worst possible thing America could do) which would have allowed America to essentially do whatever it wished. Maliki firmly told Bush: "No," and then dictated his own terms. Eventually, with the clock running out, Bush caved on almost every single one of Maliki's demands. One of which was the deadline we are about to face.

Maliki has been the most powerful player in this diplomatic negotiation from the very beginning. So, although the American media will likely gloss over this fact, Maliki is the one who will deserve whatever credit or blame there is. American anti-war types can thank Maliki for ending the war on schedule (although both Obama and Bush certainly deserve some credit, as well). Neo-conservatives and other war hawks should pin the blame on Maliki as well. Because no matter what the politics are in Washington, it is the politics in Baghdad which have dictated the final outcome. Because, once again, the timing of the end of the Iraq War is simply not ours to make. It is up to the sovereign government of Iraq -- and they have made it pretty clear that we're not going to be welcome past New Year's Eve. Our costly venture is almost over, and there's nothing we can do to change the schedule any more. The end of the Iraq War is in sight.

?

Chris Weigant blogs at:

Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Become a fan of Chris on The Huffington Post

?

?

?

?

Follow Chris Weigant on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ChrisWeigant

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/iraq-war-withdrawal_b_1016715.html

ozzie guillen kevin smith kevin smith washington monument demarcus ware terra nova miles austin