'Arthur & Lancelot' Gets Benched, 'Jack The Giant Killer' Bumped Nine Months

If you were looking forward to the Warner Bros films "Jack the Giant Killer" and "Arthur & Lancelot," it's time to hold on to that excitement. The studio has pushed both flicks way, way back, even going as far as to take "Arthur & Lancelot" off its release calendar. The bad news first: due to an [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/01/20/arthur-lancelot-jack-the-giant-killer/

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97% The Artist

The Artist is a black and white silent movie set in the late 1920s and continuing into the 1930s about two actors and how the arrival of sound in motion pictures impacts their silent movie careers. This is undeniably one of the most brilliant films in recent years. It's charming, witty, funny, shocking, emotional, and a delight from start to end. If you've never seen a silent film before, this is the perfect one to start with. It not only homages the genre, but embraces it and reminds us of a lost palette that still holds up after 80 years of absence. The Artist's most endearing quality is how anyone of any age can enjoy this film no matter what genres peak their interest. I had the pleasure of spending it with an audience full of demographics that was just as alive as the images on the silver screen. The film's only fault in my opinion, which may be the film's greatest strength, is how it takes the aged art of early cinema and cleans it up with minimal scratching, bigger scaled shots, occasional CGI, and the introduction of sound (which may in fact be the film's highest point considering the film's plot). It doesn't matter if you're into stoner comedies or somber dramadies, The Artist is definitely one that can't be missed.

January 1, 2012

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_artist/

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Analysts mull impact of accident on cruise sector (AP)

NEW YORK ? Shares of cruise operators declined on Tuesday, with analysts questioning whether the capsizing of a Carnival Corp. vessel would hurt travel demand just at the start of the important bookings season.

The Friday night capsizing of the Costa Concordia off a Tuscan island has left at least 11 people dead, according to the latest reports on Tuesday.

Greg Badishkanian of Citi Investment Research said in a client note that the accident could be an overhang on shares of Carnival and rival Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., as it took place during the cruise industry's busiest booking period of January through March, commonly known as wave season.

Badishkanian said that cruise booking volumes likely fell 6 percent to 10 percent over the past few days but stressed that the decline is within normal day-to-day volatility.

Pricing is still firm and there has been no material increase in cancellations, he added, "which means there is no major passenger fear of cruising thus far."

But Badishkanian says that negative press surrounding the capsizing is not helping, as pictures and videos are more graphic and widespread than previous cruise incidents.

"The media coverage could also be prolonged as the 100-year anniversary of the Titanic is in three months," he added.

In two separate reports, Susquehanna Financial Group's Rachael Rothman lowered the ratings of Carnival and Royal Caribbean, both based in Miami, to "Neutral" from "Positive." She also reduced Carnival's price target to $29 from $40 and cut Royal Caribbean's price target to $26 from $39.

The analyst said that the bad press will probably "be a severe headwind to bookings in the months ahead," adding that wave season can make up close to about 35 percent of annual bookings.

Carnival's stock slid $4.73, or 13.8 percent, to $29.55 in afternoon trading. The stock is trading at the low end of its 52-week range of $28.52 to $48.13. Shares of Royal Caribbean fell $1.03, or 3.6 percent, to $27.72.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_bi_ge/us_cruise_industry_stocks

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NYC, world ring in 2012, bid adieu to a tough year

Revelers cheer behind police barricades in Times Square in anticipation of midnight on New Years Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. Some revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Revelers cheer behind police barricades in Times Square in anticipation of midnight on New Years Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. Some revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Jessica Ong from Singapore starts her new year celebrations early on New Year's Eve, at the Hogmanay street party on Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, Saturday Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo / David Cheskin/PA) UNITED KINGDOM OUT

Fireworks explode over the Houses of Parliament, including St Stephen's Tower which holds the bell known as Big Ben as London celebrates the arrival of New Years Day Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Ally Savage, left, of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Michael Carajohn, of New York City, share a new year's eve kiss in front of an illuminated U.S. flag during the new year's eve celebration at Times Square, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Revelers are showered in confetti in Times Square in anticipation of midnight on New Years Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. Some revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

(AP) ? Revelers erupted in cheers amid a confetti-filled celebration in New York's Times Square to welcome in the new year, part of star-studded festivities and glittering fireworks displays around the world to usher in 2012.

From New Zealand to New York, the world eagerly welcomed a new year Sunday and hoped for a better future, saying goodbye to a year of hurricanes, tsunamis and economic turmoil that many would rather forget.

In New York, hundreds of thousands gathered at the crossroads of the world to witness a crystal ball with more than 30,000 lights that descended at midnight. Lady Gaga and Mayor Michael Bloomberg led the crowd in the final-minute countdown of the famed crystal-paneled ball drop.

Matheus Campos, a law student from Brazil, threw both arms in the air as the new year began in Times Square.

"It's awesome," he said.

Revelers in Australia, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, which jumped across the international dateline to be first to celebrate, welcomed 2012 with booming pyrotechnic displays. Fireworks soared and sparked over Moscow's Red Square, crowds on Paris' Champs-Elys?es boulevard popped Champagne corks at midnight.

But many approached the new year with more relief than joy, as people battered by weather disasters, joblessness and economic uncertainty hoped the stroke of midnight would change their fortunes.

"It was a pretty tough year, but God was looking after us and I know 2012 has got to be better," said Kyralee Scott, 16, of Jackson, N.J., whose father spent most of the year out of work.

Some New York revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, even as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights. The crowds cheered as workers lit the crystal-paneled ball that drops at midnight Saturday and put it through a test run, 400 feet above the street. The sphere, now decorated with 3,000 Waterford crystal triangles, has been dropping to mark the new year since 1907, long before television made it a U.S. tradition.

In Times Square, hundreds of thousands people crammed into spectator pens ringed by barricades, enjoying surprisingly warm weather for the Northeast. The National Weather Service said it was about 49 degrees in nearby Central Park ? about 10 degrees warmer than the normal high temperature.

As the country prepared for the celebration, glum wasn't on the agenda for many, even those who had a sour year.

"We're hoping the next year will be better," said Becky Martin, a former elementary school teacher who drove from Rockford, Ill., to Times Square after spending a fruitless year trying to find a job. "We're starting off optimistic and hoping it lasts."

Many expressed cautious hope that better times were ahead after a year in which Japan was ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami, hurricanes wreaked havoc across the country and a debt crisis devastated Europe's economy.

"Everybody's suffering. That's why it's so beautiful to be here celebrating something with everybody," said Lisa Nicol, 47, of Melbourne, Australia.

For all of the holiday's bittersweet potential, New York City always treats it like a big party ? albeit one that now takes place under the watchful eye of a massive security force, including more than 1,500 police officers.

Dick Clark, who suffered a stroke in 2004, put in a few brief appearances mentioning that he has hosted his namesake New Year's Eve celebration for years, but said "tonight, it's better than ever." Clark, looking cheerful but struggling with his speech, introduced a performance by Lady Gaga and also assisted in the countdown. The show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest also featured a performance by Justin Bieber.

Natalie Tolli, a 13-year-old from Yonkers, said "it was the best time I ever had, especially seeing Justin Bieber in his red hat."

The father, George Tolli, said he and his wife and three daughters and son waited since 2 p.m. to get their place.

"It was a pleasant surprise, very controlled," he said. "In my 51 years, I've never been here for New Year's. But I did it for the kids. And it was worth it."

In Las Vegas, fireworks were launched from eight rooftops at midnight. Police earlier shut down a four-mile section of the Strip to vehicle traffic, letting revelers party in the street. Casino nightclubs touted pricey, exclusive bashes hosted by celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Fergie, and fireworks were expected to shoot from the rooftops of eight of the city's most famous casinos.

Authorities reported only minor hiccups, including an ash tray canister fire on the 15th floor of the Paris Las Vegas hotel casino and an intermittent power outage at Bellagio in the afternoon that led to casino officials closing its buffet.

The Bellagio outage also affected a bank of slot machines and some guest rooms, but the problem was fixed before 8 p.m., allowing all gambling, planned nightclub parties and shows to go forward as expected.

Thousands of New Year's celebrants turned out in Salt Lake City for a variety of events organized by the Downtown Alliance, while in Seattle crowds were treated to a fireworks display that included barrages from the top of the city's iconic Space Needle.

A typically busy New Year's Eve in Los Angeles became even busier as police and fire crews remained on alert for more arson attacks, after dozens of deliberately set car fire hit the city in the early morning hours of Friday and Saturday. Four suspicious car fires were reported Saturday evening.

Atlanta welcomed thousands to its downtown, where a giant peach dropped at midnight. Fireworks were to be launched from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle; in Houston, tens of thousands were celebrating at a party with country singer Delbert McClinton.

In summer temperatures at Key West, Fla., three separate midnight drops took place. A giant facsimile of a conch shell was lowered at Sloppy Joe's Bar, Ernest Hemingway's favorite watering hole when he lived in Key West. At the Schooner Wharf Bar, the bar owner dressed as a pirate wench and dropped down from a mast of a tall sailing ship. And at the Bourbon Street Pub complex, a drag queen named Sushi descended in a glittering 6-foot red women's high heel.

The town of Eastport, Maine, lowers an 8-foot-long wooden sardine from a downtown building at midnight, in celebration of its sardine canning and fishing history.

In San Francisco, revelers were lining the waterfront for the annual fireworks show. Though the city's fickle weather and persistent fog can never be counted on to cooperate, forecasters say the skies above the city should be clear overnight.

The first worldwide celebrations started in the island nation of Samoa, which hopped across the international date line at midnight on Thursday, skipping Friday and moving instantly to Saturday.

Samoa and the neighboring nation of Tokelau lie near the dateline that zigzags vertically through the Pacific Ocean; both sets of islands decided to realign themselves this year from the Americas side of the line to the Asia side to be more in tune with key trading partners.

In Sydney, more than 1.5 million people watched the shimmering pyrotechnic display designed around the theme "Time to Dream." In London, some 250,000 people gathered to listen to Big Ben chime at the stroke of midnight.

World leaders evoked 2011's struggles in their New Year's messages with some ambivalence.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Europe's crisis is not finished and "that 2012 will be the year full of risks, but also of possibilities."

Pope Benedict XVI marked the end of 2011 with prayers of thanks and said humanity awaits the new year with apprehension but also with hope for a better future.

"We prepare to cross the threshold of 2012, remembering that the Lord watches over us and takes care of us," Benedict said. "In him this evening we want to entrust the entire world. We put into his hands the tragedies of this world of ours, and we also offer him the hopes for a better future."

In Brazil, heavy rains didn't halt parties as upward of 2 million people gathered on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro and nearly as many on a main avenue in Sao Paulo, South America's biggest city. Massive fireworks displays and top music acts graced stages across the nation.

Brazil has seen healthy economic growth in recent years, as the country prepares to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Growth, however, has stalled in recent months, and Brazilian leaders are trying to stimulate the economy in the new year.

"This was a good year for Brazil and I think things are only getting better, it feels like we're making big advances," said Fabiana dos Santos Silva, an 18-year-old student who gathered with hundreds of thousands of others on a main avenue in Sao Paulo.

Several people preparing to celebrate the holiday in the U.S. told the AP that they would usher in the New Year hoping the Congress would become a more cooperative place. Some talked about their hopes for the presidential election. Others said they hoped to hold on to their job, or find a new one to replace one they'd lost.

An Associated Press-GfK poll conducted Dec. 8-12 found that 62 percent of Americans are optimistic that the nation's fortunes will improve in 2012, and 78 percent hopeful that their own family will have a better year. Most wrote off 2011 as a dud.

Debbie Hart, 50, of Perry, Ga., called herself the "perpetual optimist" who believes each year will be better than the one before.

"I married a farmer. 'Wait until next year. Next year will be better.' That's what I've been hearing for 30 years," said Hart. "I have faith."

___

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Chris Hawley and David B. Caruso in New York, Oskar Garcia in Las Vegas, Bruce Shipkowski in Jackson, N.J., Dorie Turner in Atlanta, Greg Keller in Paris, Harold Heckle in Madrid, Kristen Gelineau in Sydney, Ray Lilley in Wellington, New Zealand, Frances D'Emilio in Vatican City, Meera Selva in London, Bradley Brooks in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Jack Chang in Mexico City and Melissa Eddy in Berlin.

.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-01-New%20Year's%20Eve/id-6ab29933d5484471ab945783dbc97b8f

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This year was UK's second-warmest ever

LONDON | Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:22am EST

LONDON

(Reuters) - The year 2011 was Britain's second-warmest ever, the Met Office said on Friday, although temperatures in December have in fact been close to average.

The mean temperature so far this month has been 4.7 degrees Celsius (40.5 degrees Fahrenheit), 0.5 above the 1971-2000 average, a far cry from 2010, when temperatures were 5 degrees below average to notch up the coldest December on record.

"While it may have felt mild for many so far this December, temperatures overall have been close to what we would expect," said John Prior, national climate manager at the Met Office.

"It may be that the stark change from last year, which was the coldest December on record for the UK, has led many to think it has been unseasonably warm."

This year marked a return to a trend of warmer than average annual temperatures, the Met Office said, noting that all the UK's top seven warmest years have happened in the last decade. The warmest was 2006.

It was the warmest April and Spring on record in 2011, and the second warmest Autumn on record.

The highest single-day temperature for October was also broken -- with Gravesend in Kent notching up 29.9 degrees on Oct 1, beating the previous record of 29.4 at March in Cambridgeshire on October 1 1985.

The top temperature of the year was 33.1 on 27 June at Gravesend, which was the warmest temperature recorded in the UK for five years. Britain's hottest-ever mark came in the Summer of 2003 when the record of 38.1 degrees was reached, again in Gravesend.

There were some marked variations in rainfall in 2011.

Scotland had its wettest year on record, beating the previous record set in 1990 but some parts of England have had very low levels of rainfall. East Anglia had its second driest year on record and the Midlands its third driest.

(Reporting by Stephen Addison; editing by Peter Griffiths)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/AKe03XhCOdI/us-britain-weather-idUSTRE7BT0N420111230

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BYU football: Cougars are expecting Tulsa?s tricks in Armed Forces Bowl.

Fort Worth, Texas ? BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall, who doubles as the football team?s defensive coordinator, probably watches less football on television than any coach in the country.

But even Mendenhall has noticed the abundance of trick plays in the dozen or so bowl games played so far this bowl season.

?When you have extra preparation [time] ? normally after a week or a week and a half, you are looking for things to do ? I think that?s why you will see more plays that are a little bit unusual, just because of the extra time,? he said.

Which brings the Cougars to their opponent in Friday?s Armed Forces Bowl (10 a.m., ESPN), the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. BYU is expecting a lot of trickery from the Conference USA team and not just because Tulsa used several ?gadget plays? in 2007, when it rolled up 595 yards and 55 points on the Cougars.

?Especially when they get to what most people refer to as the red zone, or the blue zone, that?s kind of part of their identity already,? Mendenhall said after the Cougars? practice on Wednesday. ?My guess is we will see some we haven?t seen yet. ? No way can we predict which one it is going to be, but we have put an emphasis on it and hopefully that will be enough.?

As for the Cougars? offense, expect business as usual, said running back JJ Di Luigi.

?We are going to run our basic stuff,? he said. ?No need to change it now. It has been working, so why change??

Story continues below

Slowly sinking in

Approximately 16 seniors will be playing their final games as Cougars on Friday, including Di Luigi. Linebacker Jordan Pendleton is also with the team but won?t play after having had season-ending knee surgery last month.

?It is a little weird, a little surreal right now,? said Di Luigi, who graduated earlier this month. ?I think it will set in after the game. ? I mean, it is a sad time, and it is a happy time at the same time.?

More problems for Putnam

Senior Matt Putnam?s college football career is over. The BYU defensive end will not play in Friday?s game because he is academically ineligible, Mendenhall announced after Wednesday?s practice. Putnam apparently failed to improve an incomplete grade in one class dating back to last summer when academic struggles kept him from playing in the first five games of the season.

Putnam recently had surgery on a broken finger but that was after learning he would not be eligible for the game.

Next Page ?

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars/53195144-88/cougars-football-byu-tulsa.html.csp

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iPad 3 Has Release Date on Steve Jobs? Birthday?

A report from 9to5Mac said tech giant Apple, Inc. will release the much anticipated iPad 3 on Feb. 25 to honor Steve Jobs' birthday.

According to 9to5Mac's report, Apple usually unveils its products on press conferences scheduled on a Tuesday or a Wednesday and makes it available on a Friday or a Saturday. Feb. 24 is a Friday, if Apple will stick to its schedule, the iPad 3 will hit the stores on Steve's birthday but will be unveiled earlier that month.

Earlier this year, iPad 2 was unveiled on March 2 in a media event; however, it hit the stores on March 11. During those times, Jobs' was on medical leave but returned to show off the new tablet saying, "We've been working on this product for a while and I didn't want to miss today."

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The first generation of iPad was unveiled on a Wednesday, Jan.27, but hit the stores on a Saturday, April 3.

As expected from Apple, the company is still mum about the next generation of the tablet and many are waiting for the invites from the Cupertino-based company. Whenever the release of the new gadget will be, we will see a lot of rumors surrounding the iPad in the coming weeks. We have seen reports about the early 2012 release, revamped iPad, display shipments, a March launch with a smaller dock, and a cheaper, smaller iPad.

According to the Taiwanese news agency DigiTimes, tech giant Apple, Inc. will be releasing its much-awaited next generation of iPad in the next three to four months.

DigiTimes reported that their sources from the Apple's supply chain said that the production for the iPad 3 ramped up and the production of current generation of iPad decreased. Specifically, the source of the news agency confirmed that OEM production of the iPad 2 will remain high, producing 14 to 15 million units by the fourth quarter of 2011 but will drastically decline to 4 to 5 million units on the first quarter of 2012 to pave the way for the new iPad.

The production of the new iPad 3 is expected to reach up to 9.5 to 9.8 million units in the first quarter of 2012. The new iPad will be equipped with Retina Display and is expected to have its launch on March or April based on Apple's yearly product cycle. Looking back the first iPad went on sale in the United States on April 3, 2010. The iPad 2 became available on March 11, 2011.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/273419/20111228/ipad-3-release-date-steve-jobs-birthday.htm

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SPORTS: Wrestling teams showing star power

CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAID that there was no star power in wrestling this year on the North Olympic Peninsula because there are no returning top-three state competitors.

But conventional wisdom has been taken down and is close to being pinned after several wrestlers have shown they can compete at state-caliber levels in the early season.

Cutter Grahn of Forks, the top area returner after capturing fourth place in state last season, has shown he is to be reckoned with in Class 1A competition while Port Angeles and Sequim showcased their wrestlers at The Battle for the Axe tournament in Port Angeles last Wednesday.

The tourney opened with star power when former Port Angeles state champions John Camp and Julio Garcia were introduced to wrestling fans just before action started in the first round. More on the special guests later in this column.

The Roughriders and Wolves dominated their team pools Wednesday and ended up meeting for the tournament championship match, won 50-24 by Port Angeles.

Some of those top-notch wrestlers to watch this year are Riders Brady Anderson, Josh Basden, Ozzy Swagerty, Kody Steele, Kacee Garner, Brian Cristion and Zach Grall.

Sequim?s senior co-captains Dakota Hinton and Clay Charlie are proving hard to beat like they have been in the past couple of seasons.

Going undefeated against at times state-caliber competition were Sequim?s Charlie and Port Angeles? Anderson, Basden, Swagerty and Grall.

Grall, a senior and team captain at 195 pounds, had an especially strong tournament, not only going 4-0 but winning all four matches by pin in the first round.

Grall?s weight class opened the championship match against Sequim as the senior pinned Austin Leach quickly for a 6-0 lead that Port Angeles never gave up.

Grall, who is an impressive 10-2 record on the year, said he wanted to open the tourney?s last team match on a strong note.

?We wanted to keep the Axe [tourney trophy], and I wanted to come out and take care of business,? Grall said at the end of his match.

The 2011 Battle for the Axe was a strong tournament that helped Grall keep his focus during the long day.

?We have some tough teams here,? he said. ?I?m used to hard competition and I just wanted to go out and take care of business.?

The standout wrestler, who is ranked No. 7 in state on the Class 2A level, said he plans to stay on message the entire season and finish up his prep career on a high note.

?My personal goal is to take state,? he said.

?I know where I want to be at, but I also know that it?s going to be a lot of hard work.?

Peninsula tournament

Port Angeles coach Erik Gonzalez was elated to be wrestling rival Sequim for The Battle of the Axe trophy, which is a real axe mounted on an impressive plaque with all six previous winners printed on it.

?That is why I created the tournament in 2005, to showcase our local feel and our local history here,? Gonzalez said at the end of the tourney.

Area teams have dominated the event over the years with the Riders winning the first tourney in 2005, the Forks Spartans earning the Axe in 2008, Sequim taking it in 2009 and the Riders grabbing it back by just nudging La Center High School for the team title in 2010.

Port Angeles became the first team to win the trophy two years in a row and is the only squad to claim it more than once.

Last week?s tourney started out on a star-studded note as the two wrestlers to win individual state titles during Gonzalez?s coaching tenure showed up at the tourney and were photographed together for the first time (see photo on Page B1).

Julio Garcia won his title during Gonzalez?s first year in 2003 while John Camp earned his championship by going undefeated in 2010.

Garcia, 26, was in Port Angeles visiting his family during the Christmas holiday for the first time in a few years.

?It?s been awhile since I have been here because of my traveling,? Garcia said during a phone interview Christmas Eve.

?It was good to be back to see the team and coach Erik Gonzalez.

?Erik had done a great job of establishing the high school program, the youth programs and the tournament over the years.?

Garcia, a Christian, has been traveling all over the world the past couple of years for a ministry, visiting such interesting locations as New Zealand, Egypt, Brazil, Paris and Rome.

?I have been to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, New Zealand and South America,? he said.

Garcia had a full-ride scholarship to attend and wrestle at Portland State right out of high school but instead took an opportunity to start his own marketing company.

He continued to operate his marketing business until he hit the road for a ministry in 2009.

?I had a home, I was making real good money but I knew a piece was missing when I had an encounter with the Lord,? Garcia said.

?I started walking closer to Jesus and decided to travel the world. It has been amazing.?

During his travels, Garcia spent time during a major earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Garcia?s ministry helped provide fresh water and repair buildings among other tasks.

The former wrestler said he is taking a break right now and reflecting on what he wants to start doing.

He is staying with his mother and stepfather, Jennifer and Glen Roggenbuck, and his little brother, Michael Roggenbuck, who is a fifth grader at Hamilton Elementary School, preparing to be a little Roughrider, Garcia said.

?He?s an amazing little man,? Garcia said about his brother.

?I love him a lot.?

There?s a lot of love, too, going around for this year?s wrestling programs, that are proving to be as exciting and tough as the past area wrestling teams.

________

Sports Editor Brad ?LaBrie can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at brad.labrie@peninsuladailynews.com.

Last modified: December 25. 2011 5:37PM

Source: http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011312269994

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Why Google Continues to Fund Firefox

Just before the holiday weekend Mozilla announced that it had renewed its long-standing search revenue agreement with Google, which will reportedly net Mozilla $300 million a year (as part of a three-year contract). The renewed contract comprises the bulk of Mozilla?s funding and is unquestionably a good deal for Mozilla. What?s less immediately clear is why Google ? which now has its own Chrome browser ? would want to continue the deal.

Indeed, why fund the competition? M.G. Siegler speculates (based on AllThingsD?s report that there was a bidding war over Mozilla) that Google is willing to spend that kind of money just to keep Microsoft from starting a partnership with Mozilla.

That?s one theory. But it may well be that the truth is much more mundane. It may be that Mozilla is just one of a number of payouts that Google makes to help drive ad sales.

In fact, as Mozilla?s Asa Dotzler points out, Google pays out roughly 24 percent of its ad revenues to drive more traffic to its ads:

Not all traffic to Google ads is ?organic? though. To help drive ad sales, Google pays for traffic to their ads. They paid out $2.21 billion, or 24% of their ad revenues in ?Traffic Acquisition Costs?. That money goes to revenue shares with their AdSense partners and to ?distribution partners? ? presumably browser makers, PC OEMs, and mobile OEMs and operators.

As Dotzler goes on to point out Google pays out similar money to Opera and Apple, which both use Google as the default search engine in their respective browsers ? again, driving eyeballs to Google ads. Dotzler?s point being that the Google-Mozilla deal is not a charitable arrangement, but a business deal built around driving eyeballs to Google ads. Firefox currently holds roughly 25 percent of the global browser market, which is certainly a healthy number of eyeballs..

Of course it?s possible that other factors may also influence Google?s decisions. Google Chrome developer Peter Kasting says that Google?s motivation for building Chrome is to ?make the web advance as much and as quickly as possible.? That means, according to Kasting, that ?it?s completely irrelevant to this goal whether Chrome actually gains tons of users or whether instead the web advances because the other browser vendors step up their game and produce far better browsers.? In other words, funding Firefox helps to further the same goal that drove the company to build Chrome in the first place ? advancing the web.

That would be somewhat easier to swallow if other parts of the Google machine didn?t build so many experiments that only work in Chrome.

Regardless of Google?s motivation for building Chrome, or for funding Mozilla, both moves have proved great news for users. And in the end the precise motivation behind the Google-Mozilla deal are something only tech writers really care about. Users care about speed and there?s no question that Chrome has helped spawned a renaissance among web browsers and helped put speed back on top of every browser makers? to-do list (the drive to adopt HTML5 has also done wonders to improve the average user?s experience on the web).

For most users the Mozilla-Google deal just means that there will continue to be a number of browsers to choose from and a number of browsers to help keep pushing the web, and each other, forward.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5668865109

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