Russian lawmakers back adoption ban in dispute with U.S.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's lower house of parliament approved on Friday a proposed law banning Americans from adopting Russian children, in retaliation for U.S. human rights legislation which Vladimir Putin says is poisoning relations.

The State Duma overwhelmingly backed a bill which also would outlaw U.S.-funded "non-profit organizations that engage in political activity", extending what critics say is a clampdown on Putin's opponents since he returned to the presidency in May.

The bill responds to a new U.S. law known as the Magnitsky Act, passed by the U.S. Congress to impose visa bans and asset freezes on Russian officials accused of involvement in the death in custody of anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009.

Washington's ambassador to Moscow, Michael McFaul, said the Russian bill unfairly "linked the fate of orphaned children to unrelated political issues," while the U.S. State Department rejected any parallels with the Magnitsky Act.

Putin hinted at a news conference on Thursday that he would sign the bill into law once the Senate votes on it next week, describing it as an emotional but appropriate response to an unfriendly move by the United States.

"It is a myth that all children who land in American families are happy and surrounded by love," Olga Batalina, a deputy with Putin's ruling United Russia party, said in defense of the new measures.

In a pointed echo of the Magnitsky Act, the Russian legislation has become known as the Dima Yakovlev law, after a Russian-born toddler who died after his American adoptive father left him locked in a sweltering car.

The bill has outraged Russian liberals who say children are being made victims of politics. Some government officials, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, have expressed reservations about the legislation.

"Children should not be a bargaining chip in international affairs," said Mikhail Fedotov, the head of the Kremlin's human rights council.

Speaking in Washington, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the United States is ready to work with Russia on any concerns over adoptions, but rejected any comparisons between the Magnitsky Act and the Russian legislation.

"It's hard to imagine a reciprocal situation," Ventrell said. "It's Russian children who will be harmed by this measure."

Last year, 962 Russian children from orphanages were adopted by Americans. More than 45,000 have found homes in the United States since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Their parents are either dead or unable to care for them and some have complex medical needs.

Meanwhile, the United States and Russia formally informed the World Trade Organization in Geneva on Friday that they would apply the WTO agreement between each other.

Russia joined the WTO in August, but the two countries have not had full WTO relations because the U.S. Congress needed to pass a bill first to establish "permanent normal trade relations." It did that as part of the Magnitsky legislation.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the two countries also reached agreement on an action plan to reduce Russian pirating and counterfeiting of American goods through improved enforcement of intellectual property rights.

RHETORIC REMINISCENT OF COLD WAR

The Duma debate on adoption was peppered with patriotic rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War. Deputies described foreign adoptions as an embarrassment, implying Russia could not care for its own.

The proposal was backed by 420 deputies and opposed by only seven in the 450-seat chamber. It's easy passage reflected a growing conservatism since Putin's return to the presidency.

The provision targeting non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, has also upset international human rights groups, which accuse Putin of clamping down on civil society and dissent in his new six-year term as president following the biggest protests of his 13-year domination of Russian politics.

"There is a huge risk that the vaguely worded provisions in this bill will be used to clamp down on government critics and exposers of abuses," said John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Program Director at Amnesty International.

Some prominent NGOs will be threatened with closure as the bill bans U.S.-sponsored political NGOs from working in Russia. Russians who also hold U.S. passports will be unable to lead such groups.

Russian rights activists said the latter provision specifically targeted veteran campaigner Lyudmila Alexeyeva, 85, a Soviet-era dissident who leads the Moscow Helsinki Group.

Putin has accused the United States of stoking protest against him and Russia ordered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to halt its work in the country in October.

Russian officials say they fear foreign powers will use non-profit groups to bring about the type of street protests that toppled governments in Georgia and Ukraine.

(Additional reporting by Masha Tsvetkova and Nastassia Astrasheuskaya in Moscow and Andrew Quinn and Doug Palmer in Washington; writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; editing by Timothy Heritage and Will Dunham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-parliament-approves-ban-u-adoptions-105037448.html

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McLemore's 22 gives Kansas huge road win, 74-66

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? It's not supposed to be this easy for a kid playing his first collegiate road game.

Kansas' Ben McLemore, a redshirt freshman surrounded in the starting lineup by seniors, didn't let the raucous crowd, the travel or sleeping in a strange bed bother him.

McLemore scored 22 points and No. 9 Kansas proved it was more than just a bully at home by beating seventh-ranked Ohio State 74-66 on Saturday.

"This was great. It was my first time playing in an away game," McLemore said with a slight smile. "You go up and down the court a little bit, and you get into the game. I kept my intensity, I just played my game."

For that matter, none of the Jayhawks had yet played a true road game this season. Kansas, which has won nine in a row since losing to Michigan State 67-64 on Nov. 13 in Atlanta, came in 7-0 at home, with two other games played before friendly fans in nearby Kansas City.

They had barely heard a boo all season.

No wonder coach Bill Self was a little worried.

"I had concerns, for sure," Self said. "Our seniors are good and quality and they've been through some things, but against a team that pressures man-to-man and you're playing with one primarily (ball) handler? That was my biggest concern."

But the Jayhawks (10-1) weathered a 14-0 run by the Buckeyes (9-2) in the first half that turned the volume up in Value City Arena to 11 on a scale of 10. Then, down in the second half, they held cold-shooting Ohio State without a field goal for more than 10 minutes to take control.

The Buckeyes, who were led by Deshaun Thomas' 16 points and a career-best 15 by Shannon Scott, hit just 9 of 36 shots from the field in the final 20 minutes. For the game, they ended up making only 31 percent of their shots from the field.

No wonder coach Thad Matta looked so stunned when he spoke after the game.

"There was one point in the second half where I turned to the bench and I said, 'Hey, let's call a play where we score,'" he said, heavy on the irony. "A lot of it just comes down to you've got to put the ball in the basket in a game like this and we couldn't do it. It became contagious."

Sixty percent of the starting lineup ? star defender Aaron Craft, usually reliable Lenzelle Smith Jr. and post man Evan Ravenel ? was a combined 5 of 24 from the field.

Credit the Jayhawks, who play withering man-to-man defense and then are backed up by the incredible wingspan of 7-foot Jeff Withey underneath. Or blame the Buckeyes, who frequently were all alone when they bricked a shot off the rim. But no matter the reason, Ohio State couldn't buy a bucket for most of the second half.

It was the third victory for the Jayhawks in little more than a year over the Buckeyes (9-2). Kansas won a 64-62 thriller in last year's NCAA semifinals.

"Today's probably the best we've played against Ohio State in the three games," Self said. "We were really good except for about a 3-minute stretch in the first half when they went on a (14-0) run. Other than that stretch, that was a pretty good 35 minutes we played out there."

Withey added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Jayhawks. Elijah Johnson had 13 points and Travis Releford 11.

They weathered Ohio State's first-half tear by relying on the seniors.

"We have a good group of vets and we've been in tough situations before," Withey said. "We just bounced back. We just had to kind of breathe a little bit."

Ahead 56-52 with 7 minutes left, Kansas pulled away thanks to its McLemore. He hit a pair of foul shots and then flipped in a 15-foot jumper that bounced not once, not twice, but three times before falling through. Off an inbounds pass, McLemore then came off a back pick and dunked to push the lead to 62-52 with 5 minutes left.

The Buckeyes never got closer than six points again.

Self said he found out a little more about McLemore in the game.

"There's a lot of stuff I'm curious about Ben," he said. "He's still trying to figure out how to play. You can tell in late-game situations, he's played less basketball than anybody that's as old as him and as good as him around. It's all new to him. When it all comes naturally to him, he's going to become terrific."

In his first road game, he already was.

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mclemores-22-gives-kansas-huge-road-win-74-021402086--spt.html

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Mass. braces for Senate race if Kerry leaves seat

BOSTON (AP) ? Massachusetts voters weary from one of the nation's costliest and most divisive U.S. Senate races are all but certain to find themselves thrown back into another tumultuous election now that President Barack Obama has nominated Sen. John Kerry for secretary of state.

If confirmed by the Senate, as expected, Kerry would have to resign the seat he's held for nearly three decades, prompting a special election ? the state's third Senate contest since 2010.

Already, jockeying is well under way. The big question is whether Republican Sen. Scott Brown will go for the seat, after losing his last month to Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren.

He kept the door wide open to another run during a farewell address on the Senate floor, declaring that both victory and defeat are "temporary" things. "Depending on what happens, and where we go, all of us, we may obviously meet again."

And perhaps as soon as next year.

Brown would be a formidable candidate. He has a statewide political organization and more than $400,000 left in his campaign account. He remains popular and demonstrated an ability to raise millions of dollars in campaign donations. But he would still have to contend with all the hurdles facing any Republican in Massachusetts.

Still, he'd probably have a clear path to the GOP nomination. "The candidacy is his for the asking," said Rep. Brad Jones, the Republican leader in the Massachusetts House. "If he runs, then get out of the way and put your oar in the water and row in the same direction."

Should Brown opt out, former Gov. William Weld, former gubernatorial candidate Charles Baker and Richard Tisei, who lost a narrow race to Democratic U.S. Rep. John Tierney, are among the Republicans waiting in the wings for a possible run.

Democrats don't have a clear front-runner, given that Gov. Deval Patrick doesn't plan to break his pledge to serve out the last two years of his term.

He still could play a pivotal role.

Patrick could use his sway in the party to clear what looks like a potentially crowded Democratic field. His backing of Warren was seen as giving her a critical edge by helping energize Democratic voters. On Friday, however, he said he'd probably not endorse anyone in a Democratic primary.

Attorney General Martha Coakley, who lost to Brown in the 2010 special election, pulled her name out of contention on Friday.

Several Democratic members of the state's congressional delegation have said they would seriously consider running, including Reps. Michael Capuano, Edward Markey, Stephen Lynch, and Niki Tsongas. Most of those House members would begin a campaign with a financial edge. Markey has one of the largest war chests with more than $3.1 million, and Capuano has nearly half a million dollars in his account while Lynch has more than $740,000. Tsongas has about $166,000.

But all would have to work quickly to expand their appeal outside of their home districts.

Others mentioned by Democratic insiders as potential candidates: U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz and Ted Kennedy Jr., a son of the late senator, an advocate for the disabled and co-founder of the New York-based Marwood Group, which described itself as "a healthcare-focused strategic advisory and financial services firm."

The governor also will be required to fill Kerry's seat temporarily with an interim appointment, while setting a day for the special election between 145 days and 160 days after Kerry's resignation. In the 2010 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy, Patrick required his interim appointee, former Democratic Party chairman Paul Kirk, not to run for a full term.

Patrick said he expects anyone he appoints on a temporary basis this time would also not run in the special election.

Former Gov. Michael Dukakis, retiring Rep. Barney Frank and Victoria Kennedy, widow of Sen. Kennedy, have been mentioned in Democratic circles as possible interim senators. This week, Dukakis played down interest in the post while Kennedy declined comment.

Although Democrats are riding high off Warren's win, several of the arguments they brought to bear in the 2012 campaign wouldn't apply in a special election. They can't say, as they did in the Warren campaign, that defeating Brown might tip the balance of power in the Senate. Or that electing him would strengthen the hand of a Republican president.

Still, Democratic Party Chairman John Walsh said the party has a wide pool of candidates and attributed Brown's loss to a rejection of his voting record.

"I don't think Scott Brown is any kind of prohibitive favorite," Walsh said. But he'd "certainly be a front-runner."

If there is a special election, whoever wins shouldn't get too comfortable. The senator will face re-election in 2014, when Massachusetts voters will endure yet another Senate election.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-braces-senate-race-kerry-leaves-seat-080651186--election.html

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Acer V350 reportedly spotted in benchmarks with Snapdragon S4, Jelly Bean

Acer V350 reportedly spotted in benchmarks with Snapdragon S4, Jelly Bean

Acer may be something of a leaky ship. Just days after we saw the supposed V360 smartphone pose for the camera, a possibly related V350 model has reportedly shown up in GLBenchmark's results. Despite the lower number in the naming scheme, the device put through testing looks to be the higher-end of the two. It jumps to a 720p screen, a speedier 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and even a slightly newer Android 4.1.2 build of Jelly Bean. Without a peek at other details, we don't know what else if anything might be upgraded over the V360, or if this is indeed a real device -- benchmarks aren't definitive proof, after all. If history is an indicator, though, we could get full details of the V350 near Mobile World Congress in February, like with past devices. We just hope Acer is timelier about actually getting to market this time around.

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Via: Phone Arena

Source: GLBenchmark

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/JF0R_52HF8w/

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Friday Weird Science: The evolutionary psychology of the romance ...

The handsome stranger clutched her shoulders, supporting her as she swooned. The suddenness and violence of the robbery and her rescue disoriented Beverlee, and for a few moments she did not know where she was. But as she began to be conscious of her surroundings, she was increasingly aware of the tall, firm man she leaned against, of his? big hands clasped around her shoulders, warm through the thin linen of her chemise.

She looked up hesitantly through her lashes, and into the dark, deep eyes of her rescuer. As their eyes met, a shock seemed to pass through them both. He leapt backward, and for an instant Beverlee felt the loss of his touch, the coldness where his hands had touched her.? But the moment passed, and gathering himself, her rescuer spoke.

"Christmas" he said, flatly. "Bride baby cowboy doctor secret lady." And each word sang deep in Beverlee's spirit, tapping something deep in her she hadn't known existed: the desire to find a long term mate that would provide food and shelter while she had loads of babies.

-from the romance novel I will someday write.

Ahh, romance novels. Can't live with 'em, don't want to live without 'em.The genre of romance, of bodice-bustin' babes and their brawny bonafide boytoys, has been around, well, for at least as long as the written word, and most likely long before that. Tristan and Isolde, Guinevere and Arthur/Lancelot (I hope there was middle ages slash-fic of that, btw), Scarlett and Rhett, and the many improbably named men (my personal favorite was "Devilyn") and women (I bet there really IS a "Beverlee" already) of 18th century style bodice rippers.

mcmullet

(LOL!!! I am so naming my next dog "McMullet")

Romance novels are incredibly popular, despite their often hilarious covers (and heck, if you've got a Kindle, no one ever needs to know!).? If you go by the definition of a romance novel as "a romantic relationship is driving the story forward", then everything from 50 Shades of Grey to Twilight to Jane Austen counts.

And boy do we love them all. So much so that in 2007 we spent 1.3 BILLION US dollars on them (other genres didn't even crack a billion). Lots of people read them, estimates are that at least 1/3 of US women have read at least one (even if a good number of us, myself included, mostly do it to point and laugh). .

But why DO we like them so much? Why do people crave cheesy serial romance? Some have suggested that it's because the stories reflect our desire to nurture. Some have suggested it's an acceptance of patriarchal bondage.? Some have suggested outlets of female resentment. No one has yet suggested the appeal of cheesy stories combined with nice dresses and soft-core porn. The authors of this paper, however, think it's because these book "address evolved, sex-specific mating interests". In other words, it's evolution, baby.? Evolutionary Psychology.

Cox and Fisher. "THE TEXAS BILLIONAIRE?S PREGNANT BRIDE:? AN EVOLUTIONARY INTERPRETATION OF?? ROMANCE FICTION TITLES" Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology, 2009.

According to evolutionary psychology, men and women possess sex-specific needs.

That is, due to biological sex differences, women conceive children
whereas men do not. Across cultures, women tend to be the primary caregivers, although? men often provide paternal support (Bribiescas, 2006). Furthermore, women have notably? lower limits on the number of children that they can have, as compared to men. These? differences have led evolutionary psychologists to propose that women tend to seek commitment from their mates, and prefer mates who have a propensity to accrue resources (e.g., Buss, 1989) since they will need these resources while they tend to the
children. Therefore, we propose that a better interpretation? for the success of Harlequin romance novels is that the books are addressing women?s sex-specific, evolved, mating? interests. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the titles of Harlequin romance novels.

So basically, women want stable baby-daddies, and therefore we should find this in the titles of the romance novels. After all, you have to assume that romance novel publishers do a ton of market research, they want to develop titles that will sell. And if women are indeed seeking male providers, the titles that sell will predict this. Since potential purchasers only look at the front of a romance novel for about 7 seconds before they decide whether or not to buy it, the authors figure it has to be the title they are basing their decision on (though the hilarity of the usually shirtless man and fainting, scantily-clad woman on the cover might also be additional factors).

But these authors think it's the titles, and that words in romance novel titles will reflect a desire for stability, babies, etc. So for example, women should feel more of a desire for reproduction, and words referencing pregnancy and babies should be frequent. Women should also be seeking out male providers who will support them, so there should be a lot of themes of wealth in the titles as well. Thirdly, according to evolutionary psychology, women should be seeking long-term relationships specifically, so there should also be references to things like marriage. Finally, women should prefer attractiveness...so there should be a lot of references to male hotness.

The authors analyzed over 15 THOUSAND Harlequin romance titles, from 1949 to 2009.? From these, they got the top 20 words used in the romance novel titles:

They note that some of the words they anticipated ("husband", "child", "doctor", "bride", etc) did appear in the top 20, especially those relating to things like babies and husbands. But they did NOT see any references to wealth (unless, I guess, you count "octor"), or to physical attractiveness. And I don't think anyone has ANY idea why "Texas" and "nurse" are in there.

The authors try to relate some of the professions listed to things like resources (doctor for example), and others to physical hotness (um..."cowboy"). And if you look at the top 20 professions listed, there are also many relating to traditional female roles (nurse, midwife) and males bringing home to bacon (doctors, princes, knights, and...pirates. Pirates were definitely in there).

Finally, the authors analyzed the data from the titles to show two particular themes. The first was a theme of commitment, references to weddings, brides, husbands, fiancees, etc. The second theme was reproduction, with lots of reference to children, pregnancy, sons, daughters, etc. After that, themes got a little less relevant, with things like Texas (wtf is UP with Texas and romance novels? I guess Massachusetts is just too prosaic?), resources (references to money), medical, Christmas (?), royalty, and professionals (like CEOs. Because we ALL want to read "A CEO takes over...my loins".

The authors conclude that romance novel titles indicate what women are after, and that they vote with their money to show what they want. And what they want is the long term security of a well-endowed (with MONEY, obviously) man to father their children. Doctors are big because they are secure and provide money. Cowboys are big because of their physical prowess.

So ladies, if you're reading romance novels, you are clearly doing it for the doctor, babies, princes, and cowboys. These words speak deeply to your very DNA and require you to pursue all that really matters in life: financial security and a good father to your children.

The big issue I have with...well with the very hypothesis this paper is based on, is this: WHY would people, who the authors acknowledge are already in stable relationships, be unconsciously seeking out, um, other stable relationships? After all, other studies have shown that women who read romance novels are actually MORE likely to be in a long-term romantic relationship than those who don't read them. They already have their stable (possibly providing), man. And according all the OTHER evolutionary psychology I've read, women seek out these nice stable providers, and then they seek racy boytoys on the side who will provide them with dominant high-impulsivity children. IF this is true (and that is a rather big "if", I would make it bigger but WordPress won't let me), then why would we be spending zillions on romance novels which focus entirely on...the stable things we probably already have?? Shouldn't we be focusing on love'em and leave'em?

The second issue relates to professions. If you break it down by profession...well of COURSE some of them will be lucrative, and of COURSE some of them will be traditional female roles. You will also notice that most of the professions referenced are either money-making, highly respectable, or, you know, cowboys. But not all money making professions are on there. Where is "financial analyst"? Where is "drug lord"? Additionally, they authors did not take into account whether the profession referenced in the title belonged to a male or a female (there are, after all, female doctors, CEOs, and consultants).

Third issue: the analysis of the data to reveal different themes, which the authors assume all reflect a woman's desire to find financial security and a long-term father to her children. While some of them may reveal that, the words they chose are not always indicative. For example, they talk about the word "son" as being reference to reproduction, but is that REALLY the case? Most romance novel titles with "'son" in them will not be things like "for the sake of my son". Rather they will be things like "the son of a cowboy", "The duke's wayward son", etc. References to "baby" are just as like to be "Be my baby" as they are to be "father my baby". Not exactly a reproductive message. And in their references to resources (things like wealth and heirs)...well romance novel titles are often things like "the wayward heiress", "the wealth of a duchess", etc. Sure, they refer to resources, but not in the sense of seeking them from a man.

Fourth, if women really are voting with their money for romance novel titles of specific types...why did this study analyze ALL the romance novels from the last 60 years?! Why not look at the top ten sellers from each year? Wouldn't that give a better perspective on how, exactly, women are voting with their money? Market research is all well and good, but if "The texas billionaire's pregnant bride" doesn't sell, then it doesn't mean much for evo psych. The theme of Christmas, for example, came out as extremely significant, because each year Harlequin releases a pile of Christmas novels.? Not because people BOUGHT them, but because they were produced. It says nothing about why, or even if, women are exceptionally attracted to Christmas.

Finally, there is? no escaping the fact that all of these romance novels are designed around very strict cultural lines. The women are always traditionally beautiful (or if not, there is always something that is mysteriously sexy about them). The men are always, ALWAYS handsome. Everyone is successful and everyone gets married. Are these things we seek because our evolutionary psychology tells us we need them? Or are they things we seek because society tells us that that is what is good, what is right, and what is required to make someone a good person? I think this study can't possibly separate that out. You can't pull romance novels out of their cultural context, which means you can't get down to the evo psych. You can only get down to what the culture we are in expects us to want: doctors, babies, and cowboys (not necessarily in that order).

So maybe it should go like this:

"Christmas" he said, flatly. "Bride baby cowboy doctor secret lady." And each word sang deep in Beverlee's spirit, tapping something deep in her she hadn't known existed: the cultural trappings of her entire life, telling her that we all need babies, all want a wedding, and all need a doctor to provide for us.? And, of course, that Christmas is irresistibly sexy. Beverlee smiled. She always had wanted a cowboy for Christmas.

-from the romance novel I will someday write.

Source: http://scientopia.org/blogs/scicurious/2012/12/21/friday-weird-science-the-evolutionary-psychology-of-the-romance-novel/

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World of Warcraft Patch 5.2 PTR patch note preview

A preview of the notes for the patch 5.2 PTR has just been released on the official blog. While the PTR may not be open until January, Blizzard certainly isn't wasting any time with getting the information out there and readily available to players. The trend of speedy patches in Mists of Pandaria seems to be continuing as hoped, which should make players very happy, and far less apt to run out of content to do. Highlights from the patch include:

  • The new raid, Throne of Thunder, which includes 12 new raid encounters and an additional 13th foe unlocked upon defeating Emperor Lei Shen in Heroic mode.
  • New daily quest hub: The Isle of the Thunder King -- the Kirin-Tor Offensive and the Sunreaver Onslaught face off to lay claim to Emperor Lei Shen's island stronghold and the treasures contained therein.
  • Two new world bosses, Nalak the Storm Lord and Oondasta
  • An option to purchase Sunsong Ranch to make it a resting point like an inn. Work orders will come in from various factions, and completing the work orders will grant you reputation with the issuing faction.
  • All world bosses are now Tap to Faction. This new system offers every eligible player of the same faction that engages a boss the chance to earn loot.

Read on for the full list of patch notes for Patch 5.2.

World of Warcraft PTR Patch 5.2

General

  • New Daily Quest Hub: The Isle of the Thunder King.
    • Here players can join the assault to conquer Emperor Lei Shen's island stronghold, unlock new questlines and daily quest hubs, participate in special events, earn the right to visit the fabled Treasure Room, lay claim an arsenal of powerful Mogu artifacts for their faction, and more.
    • Each faction's finest are spearheading the assault: the Kirin-Tor Offensive led by Jaina Proudmoore and the Sunreaver Onslaught led by Lor'themar Theron. Earning reputation with these new factions offers heroes the opportunity to receive new quests and reputation rewards, including powerful items and an intimidating new mount.
    • After both the Alliance and the Horde have eked out a foothold on the isle, players can choose to perform quests that are PvE or PvP focused. PvP quests will direct players against opposing faction NPCs, but slaying opposing players will grant credit as well.
    • As the heroes conquer the Isle, they will unlock the powerful Lightning Forge, which will allow Blacksmiths to forge mighty raid-worthy items, as well as classic weapons from the past.
    • Players on the PTR can teleport to the Isle of the Thunder King at their faction shrines in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. While the Isle of the Thunder King will be unlocked progressively by each realm based on participation in the war effort, initially only some of the Isle's features will be unlocked. Future updates will include the Shipyard and the Main Courtyard. Some features, including the Treasure Room, will not yet be available.
  • New Raid: Throne of Thunder
    • Emperor Lei Shen, the Thunder King, has returned to wreak his vengeance on Pandaria. It falls to the heroes of the Alliance and the Horde to stop the newly resurrected tyrant and his Zandalari allies in the massive new raid: Throne of Thunder.
    • Throne of Thunder is a sprawling citadel housing 12 new raid encounters, and players that defeat Emperor Lei Shen in Heroic mode can earn the opportunity to face an additional 13th foe.
    • The Raid Finder version of the Throne of Thunder will be divided into 4 different wings.
    • Join the Shado-Pan Assault in their singular drive to see Lei Shen, The Thunder King defeated once and for all, and gain access to impressive Valor reward items. Reputation with this faction can be earned only within the Throne of Thunder raid dungeon.
    • Please note: During the 5.2 PTR, this raid dungeon will only be available during a limited testing window. Keep an eye on our PTR Discussion Forum for details.
  • The Legendary Quest Continues:
    • Wrathion must know the origin and source of Mogu power, and Azeroth's mightiest heroes will aid the Black Prince in finding out what it is. The search for information will take players into the depths of the Thunder King's Palace, and pit them against trials of perseverence and skill. Along the way, they'll unlock the secrets to a new headgear enchantment, the Crown of the Heavens.
    • Please note: Initially this quest is not available on the PTR, but will be coming soon.
  • New World Bosses: Nalak, the Storm Lord and Oondasta
    • Nalak, the Storm Lord
      • After the Isle of the Thunder King has been conquered, the gate guardian of the Thunder King's citadel will appear: Nalak, the Storm Lord. Players will frequently have the opportunity to test their mettle against him.
    • Oondasta
      • Found in a place that has been lost in time, the great devilsaur lord Oondasta has been outfitted for battle with weaponry and armor by the Zandalari, and awaits players brave enough (or foolhardy enough) to seek him out on the mysterious Isle of Giants found in the seas north of Kun-Lai Summit.
  • Buy The Farm
    • Players that have grown attached to working the land at Sunsong Ranch can now purchase the land from Farmer Yoon. Once the farm is owned by a player, it becomes a rest point like an Inn, where the player can bind and instantly log out. Work orders will pour in to the farm from factions across Pandaria, and completing a work orders will earn a reputation boost with the issuing faction.
    • Please note: The new Sunsong Ranch features are not available on the PTR, but will be coming soon.
  • New World Boss System
    • All world bosses are now Tap to Faction. This new system offers every eligible player of the same faction that engages a boss the chance to earn loot. Under the new system, players will only be able to earn loot from each world boss once per week, but bonus rolls apply. Bosses will now respawn more frequently as well.
Classes
  • Death Knight
    • Death Siphon now heals for 150% of the damage dealt (was 100%).
    • Conversion now costs 5 Runic Power plus 5 per second thereafter (was 10 Runic Power plus 10 per second).
    • The Bloodworms summoned by Blood Parasite now have 200% more health.
    • Unholy
      • Reaping now also applies to Icy Touch.
      • Summon Gargoyle no longer costs Runic Power.
      • Gargoyle Strike now deals Shadow and Nature damage (was Nature only).
      • Ebon Plaguebringer now causes Plague Strike to inflict Frost Fever, in addition to its other effects.
  • Druid
    • Cyclone now has a 30 second cooldown for Feral Druids. In addition, it will now share diminishing returns with Banish, Seduction, Bind Elemental, Hex, Freezing Trap, Wyvern Sting, Gouge, Sap, Hibernate, Paralysis, Polymorph, Ring of Frost, Repentance, and Quaking Palm.
    • Symbiosis
      • Shattering Blow now has a 1.5 second cast time to align correctly with the Warrior version of this ability.
    • Displacer Beast has been redesigned. It now triggers Cat Form and grants 50% increased movement speed for 4 seconds after teleporting, and no longer activates Prowl.
    • Cenarion Ward now grants 100% increased healing.
    • Frenzied Regeneration now scales 10% more efficiently with attack power.
    • Tooth and Claw now scales 10% more efficiently with attack power.
    • Mastery: Nature's Guardian now provides 20% more armor per Mastery rating.
    • Rejuvenation now costs approximately 9% less mana.
    • Revive and Mark of the Wild now cost 55% less mana.
    • Faerie Swarm can now snare more than one target at a time.
    • Mass Entanglement now has a 30 second cooldown (was 2 minutes).
    • Typhoon now has a 30 second cooldown (was 20 seconds).
    • The Treants summoned by Force of Nature now deal more damage and healing, and the Force of Nature tooltip will report the capabilities of these summoned pets.
    • Soul of the Forest
      • Balance: Now generates 40 Lunar or Solar energy upon leaving Eclipse.
      • Feral: Unchanged.
      • Guardian: Generates 3 additional Rage per Mangle.
      • Restoration: Now grants 70% Haste on the next spell cast after the Druid casts Swiftmend.
    • Nature's Vigil now has a 90 second cooldown (was 3 minutes), and now increases damage and healing done by 10% (was 20%).
  • Hunter
    • Bestial Wrath may now be activated when there is no line of sight to the Hunter's pet.
    • Silencing Shot now has a 24 second cooldown (was 20).
    • Binding Shot no longer has a Focus cost.
    • Wyvern Sting no longer has a Focus cost, and its cooldown is now 45 seconds (was 60 seconds).
    • Glyph of Marked for Death has been removed, and its effects are now baseline.
    • New Glyph: Glyph of Liberation. This glyph now causes Disengage to heal the Hunter for 5% of maximum health when used.
  • Mage
    • Invocation now removes Evocation's cooldown and reduces its channeling time and duration by 50%. A completed Evocation now grants 15% increased damage (was 25%) for 1 minute (was 40 seconds) after an Evocation is completed. Passive mana regeneration is reduced by 50% only while Invoker's Energy is active.
    • Greater invisibility now has a 90 second cooldown (was 2.5 minutes).
    • Frostbolt cast by Mirror Images now deals 50% more damage.
    • Improved Counterspell has been removed.
    • Glyph of Fire Blast has been replaced with Glyph of Inferno Blast. Glyph of Inferno Blast causes damage over time effects spread by Inferno Blast to spread to 1 additional target.
    • Blazing Speed can now be triggered at will.
    • Cold Snap now heals the Mage for 15% of maximum health when used (was 30%).
    • Ice Floes now has a 45 second cooldown (was 1 minute).
    • Scorch now costs 3.5% of base mana (was 0.1%).
    • Arcane
      • Arcane Blast's mana cost has been increased to 1.66667% of base mana (was 1.5%).
    • Frost
      • Frostbolt now deals 24% more damage, but its debuff no longer increases subsequent Frostbolt damage.
      • Water Elemental
        • Freeze no longer does damage, and only provides Fingers of Frost on a successful freeze.
  • Monk
    • New Level 60 Talent: Ring of Peace
      • Ring of Peace forms a 8 yard sanctuary around the target for 8 seconds, causing all enemies in the area of effect to be silenced and disarmed.
    • New Windwalker and Brewmaster ability added at level 30: Nimble Brew. Nimble Brew removes all stun, fear, and root effects, and reduces the duration of those effects if they are re-applied by 60% for 6 seconds. It has a 2 minute cooldown.
    • Chi Wave now does 100% more damage and healing, and no longer costs Chi, but now has a 15 second cooldown.
    • Zen Sphere now has a limit of 2 (was 1), now detonates when either the recipient reaches 35% health or the Zen Sphere is dispelled, and no longer costs Chi.
    • Chi Burst now does 100% more damage and healing, no longer costs Chi, and now has a 30 second cooldown.
    • Path of Blossoms has been removed.
    • Deadly Reach has been removed.
    • Paralysis is now a physical, non-magical effect, and can no longer be dispelled, grounded or reflected, and its base range has been increased to 20 yards.
    • Tiger's Lust and Touch of Karma no longer have a Chi cost.
    • Tiger's Lust can no longer be used on targets that have other temporary speed increases active.
    • Charging Ox Wave now has a 30 second cooldown (was 60 seconds).
    • Dampen Harm can now be used while stunned, and its cooldown will now begin when used, not when the effect ends.
    • Healing Elixirs now heals the Monk for 15% of maximum health (was 10%).
    • Chi Torpedo now deals 15% more damage.
    • Healing Spheres now have a duration of 1 minute. Healing Spheres generated by Mastery: Gift of the Serpent now have a duration of 30 seconds.
    • Mistweaver
      • Life Cocoon can no longer be dispelled.
      • Zen Focus, the 4-piece Mistweave set bonus, is now more responsive.
      • It is no longer possible to use Thunder Focus Tea while silenced.
      • Healing Spheres will now heal for 50% of their original value if they expire without being picked up. This healing will factor in relevant Mastery.
      • Xuen will now fixate on the Monk's original target.
    • Windwalker
      • New Level 75 Ability: Storm, Earth and Fire
        • The Windwalker can summon up to two elemental duplicates that mirror damaging abilities that the Monk uses while they are active. For each spirit summoned, the Monk's damage is reduced: 1 spirit causes the Monk and the spirit to deal 60% of the Monk's normal damage, while 2 spirits will cause the Monk and both active spirits to deal 40% of the Monk's normal damage. Each spirit lasts until the ability is canceled, or that spirit's target dies or otherwise becomes unavailable.
      • Combo Breaker is now a passive ability granted at level 15 that grants a 12% chance to make the Monk's next Blackout Kick or Tiger Palm cost no Chi.
      • New Mastery: Bottled Fury -- Increases the damage bonus provided by Tigereye Brew by .2% per Mastery per stack.
      • Tigereye Brew now increases damage by 1% per stack (was 2%), but is now improved by Bottled Fury.
      • Tigereye Brew now gains 1 charge after spending 2 Chi (was 4 Chi).
      • Tigereye Brew will now stack to 20, but only 10 charges can be consumed per activation.
      • A user interface alert now displays upon reaching 10 stacks of Tigereye Brew.
    • Brewmaster
      • Mastery: Elusive Brawler now provides 25% more Stagger per Mastery rating.
  • Paladin
    • Hand of Purity now reduces all incoming damage by 10% in addition to its other effects.
    • Eternal Flame's periodic heal now provides 100% more healing when self-cast.
    • Judgment now costs 5% of base mana.
    • Protection
      • The base damage of Consecration has been increased by 789%, and it now scales less efficiently with attack power by approximately 11%.
  • Priest
    • Power Word: Solace has been redesigned.
      • Power Word: Solace replaces Holy Fire. It deals the same damage and interacts with other spells and abilities in the same manner, but is instant, costs no mana, and restores 1% of maximum mana on each cast.
    • Dominate Mind now has a 1.8 second cast time (was 2.5 seconds).
    • Angelic Feather now has a 6 second duration (was 4 seconds).
    • Body and Soul now has a 3 second duration (was 4 seconds).
    • Glyph of Holy Fire has been redesigned. It now increases the range of Holy Fire, Smite, and Power Word: Solace by 10 yards.
    • Discipline
      • Focused Will now reduces damage taken by 15% per stack, with a limit of 2 stacks.
      • Spirit Shell no longer benefits from Mastery, and now properly includes the benefits of Divine Aegis and critical effect chance.
      • Rapture now provides mana equal to 250% (was 200%) of the Priest's Spirit, but no longer benefits from Spirit provided by short duration bonuses.
  • Rogue
    • Preparation is now a baseline ability learned at level 68.
    • Versatility has been removed.
    • New Level 90 Talent: Marked for Death
      • Marks a target and instantly generates 5 combo points. When that target dies, Marked for Death's cooldown is reset. This talent has a 1 minute cooldown.
    • New Level 60 Talent: Cloak and Dagger
      • Ambush, Garrote, and Cheap Shot now have a 30 yard range, and will cause the Rogue to teleport behind the target.
    • Burst of Speed now costs 30 Energy (was 50 Energy), can be used in Stealth, and always grants increased movement speed in addition to breaking snare effects, but no longer breaks root effects.
    • Shuriken Toss now causes the Rogue to throw shuriken instead of autoattacking for 10 seconds after Shuriken Toss is used.
    • Deadly Throw can now interrupt spellcasting when used at 3, 4, and 5 combo points, and upon interrupt prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 4, 5 and 6 seconds respectively (was 5 combo points and 6 seconds).
    • Nerve Strike now reduces the effectiveness of healing provided by the target by 25%.
    • Shadow Focus now reduces ability energy costs by 75% while stealthed (was 100%).
    • PvP set bonuses have been changed:
      • Vigor is now the 4 piece set bonus and increases maximum energy by 50 (was 10).
      • Deadly Brew is now the 2 piece set bonus, and its effects remain unchanged.
    • Combat
      • Vitality now increases attack power by 30% (was 25%).
      • Blade Flurry now deals 75% less damage.
    • Subtlety
      • Sanguinary Vein now increases the damage the target takes by 20% (was 16%).
  • Warlock
    • The Felhunter ability Spell Lock is now an interrupt, and no longer applies a 3 second blanket silence.
    • Blood Fear has been redesigned. This ability is now cast on the Warlock, and causes melee attacks that strike within the next 60 seconds to fear the attacker. When cast, the ability has 1 charge, costs 20% health to activate, and has a 30 second cooldown.
    • Soul Leech now provides an absorption shield instead of healing.
    • Sacrificial Pact now requires the pet to sacrifice 25% of its health to activate (was 50%).
    • Kil'jaeden's Cunning is now a passive talent, and its activated ability has been removed.
    • The passive damage from Archimonde's Vengeance no longer has a visual effect.
    • Grimoire of Sacrifice now increases the damage of abilities by 20% (was 25%) for Destruction, and 45% (was 50%) for Affliction.
    • Grimoire of Sacrifice now provides the spell Whiplash instead of Seduction when a Succubus is sacrificed.
    • Glyph of Burning Embers has been removed, and its effects are now baseline for Destruction Warlocks.
    • Glyph of Soul Shards has been removed, and its effects are now baseline for Affliction Warlocks.
    • New Glyph: Glyph of Ember Tap. This glyph increases the healing gained from Ember Tap by 50%.
    • New Glyph: Glyph of Drain Life. This glyph increases the healing gained from Drain Life by 30%.
  • Warrior
    • Shockwave now has a 40 second cooldown (was 20 seconds), striking 3 or more targets will reduce its cooldown by 20 seconds.
    • Second Wind now causes a Warrior that has been reduced to 35% health or lower to regenerate 2% of their health per second (was 3%), and now generates 15 Rage over 10 seconds (was 20 Rage).
    • Warbringer now reduces the target's movement by 50% for 15 seconds (8 seconds in PvP) in addition to its other effects.
    • Shield Barrier now scales approximately 10% less efficiently with attack power.
    • Storm Bolt now deals 125% weapon damage (was 100%).
    • Enraged Regeneration now costs 30 Rage (was 60).
    • Glyph of Death from Above no longer increases the damage dealt by Heroic Leap.
    • Arms
      • Taste for Blood has been redesigned. It now causes the Warrior to gain 2 stacks of Overpower (maximum of 5 stacks) when Mortal Strike deals damage or the target dodges, and no longer interacts with Heroic Strike. It now requires level 20 (was level 50).
      • Slam now deals 220% weapon damage (was 190%).
    • Protection
      • The base damage of Shield Slam and Revenge has been increased by 150%, but these abilities now scale approximately 10% less efficiently with attack power.
  • Shaman
    • Elemental Mastery now has a 1 minute cooldown (was 2 minutes).
    • Shamanistic Rage is now available to Elemental Shamans as well as Enhancement Shamans.
    • Conductivity no longer requires that the target be within the area of effect of Healing Rain.
    • Ancestral Swiftness now increases spell haste by 5% and melee haste by 10% (was 5%/5%).
    • Glyph of Purge now adds a 6 second cooldown to Purge.
    • Stone Bulwark Totem now absorbs 25% more damage.
    • Unleashed Fury Flametongue now increases Lightning Bolt damage by 20% (was 30%), and Lava Burst damage by 10% (was 0%).
    • Primal Earth Elemental and Primal Fire Elemental now deal 20% more damage.
    • Elemental Blast now has a chance to increase the caster's Agility for Enhancement Shamans.
    • Glyph of Flame has been redesigned. This glyph now causes the Shaman to heal for 50% of the damage dealt by Flame Shock.
    • Flame Shock's duration has been increased by 25%.
Quests
  • Warlocks can now undertake a solo adventure that culminates with the ability to change the color of their Fire spells to appear Fel green. The quest begins for those Warlocks determined or fortunate enough to have laid their hands on teh fabled Codex of Xerrath.
Creatures
  • Zandalari forces have begun scouting the shores of Pandaria, searching for the perfect invasion point. The Zandalari can be found in Krasarang Wilds, Dread Wastes, Townlong Steppes, Jade Forest, and Kun-Lai Summit. Zandalari Scouts can be handled by 1 or 2 players, while elite Zandalari Warbringers will likely require a full party of 5 heroes. Defeat Warbringers to gain special drops, including crafting materials, reputation gains, an achievement, and even the chance to get one of three new rare mounts!
  • Galleon now respawns much more frequently, but players can only receive loot from him once per week.
  • Dire Horns have been added as a tameable species for Hunters that have learned the required skill. Aspiring Dire Horn owners should seek out clues regarding these auspicious beasts
Pet Battles
  • Supercharge now provides a 125% damage bonus (was 150%), and its cooldown is now 4 rounds (was 3).
  • Sprite Darter Hatchling ? Evanescence and Arcane Blast have swapped ability positions.
  • Nether Roach is now a real roach and can now survive the apocalypse.
  • Battle Pet Bandages now stack to 25 and are Bind to Account.
  • Battle-Stones now have a chance to be awarded from PVP Pet Battles.
  • Pets whose color schemes change each time they are summoned have returned. Older pets with this behavior now have it back, as well as some newcomers.
  • Pet levels will now only display on the map when pets are tracked.
  • Taming the World now lists its reward correctly in the Achievements pane.
  • Level capped players will now have a chance to each Lesser Charms of Good Fortune after winning a pet battle versus a Pet within 5 levels of the highest level pet on their team. Higher level pets will offer a better chance to earn a Charm.
  • Winning a pet battle versus a team within 5 levels of the player's highest level pet will now award player experience.
  • Fleeing a pet battle will no longer despawn the pet that was being battled, but doing so will now inflict some damage on the fleeing pet battle team.
  • Disconnecting from a pet battle will once again respawn the pets you were fighting.
  • Any pet that has been killed in a pet battle will now never respawn.
  • A number of new pets can be found on the Isle of Lightning, including Rare spawn drops, wild pets, and raid boss drops.
  • Elite Battle Pets have been added to the game world. These rare pets will spawn alone against an entire team. A new quest has been added to track progress as these new pets are hunted down, and defeating that quest will award the new Red Panda pet.
  • Please note: Many of these changes have not yet come to the PTR, but will be available soon.
PvP
  • PvP trinkets that clear loss of control effects will now also clear these effects from the player's pet as well.
Items
  • Skyshards are now Bind on Account.
Sunsong Ranch
  • Seed bags have been added, that allow planting of crops 4 plots at a time.
  • Yoon's Mailbox has been renamed to Sunsong Ranch Mailbox.
  • The yield from special crops has been improved to make farming them competitive with gathering these items out in the world.
  • Running the Master Plow across underground Virmen will cause them to pop out of the ground at 30% health and stunned.
  • Wild Crops will now occur less often.
Bug Fixes
  • Classes
    • Druid
    • It is no longer possible for a weaker application of Living Seed to overwrite a stronger one.
    • Paladin
    • It is no longer possible to refresh Inquisition to a lower duration.
    • Mage
    • The cooldown of Cauterize will now properly reset upon entering an Arena.
    • Warlock
    • Grimoire of Service now describes its special abilities on the tooltip.

Filed under: News items, Mists of Pandaria

Source: http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/12/22/world-of-warcraft-patch-5-2-ptr-patch-note-preview/

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Source: http://www.blackstealtharticles.com/the-best-way-to-reach-millions-of-men-and-women-andre-johnson-jersey-with-your-item-or-services/

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Source: http://ysonicypo.posterous.com/the-best-way-to-reach-millions-of-men-and-wom

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Source: http://linearity-purify.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-best-way-to-reach-millions-of-men.html

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Midwest winter storm brings blizzards, blackouts

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The first major winter storm of the year hit the U.S. Midwest on Thursday, bringing a blizzard to the Plains and tornadoes to Alabama and Arkansas, and leaving some 133,000 customers without electricity.

Bad driving conditions led to a 25-car pileup on a highway near Clarion, Iowa, that left three people dead, authorities said. Blizzard warnings were in effect in eastern Iowa and parts of Wisconsin and Illinois Thursday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

"It's going to be very windy with considerable blowing and drifting of snow," said Bruce Terry, a senior National Weather Service forecaster at the HydroMeteorological Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. He called the pre-Christmas storm "a major winter snowstorm" for the Midwest and western Great Lakes.

Accumulations of up to a foot of snow were expected in some areas, Terry said, adding there was a potential for severe weather on the so-called "warm side" of the storm in the U.S. Southeast.

Blowing snow led to school closures in parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, plus the closure of all state government offices in Iowa.

"Thunder" snow was reported in Iowa Wednesday night, especially in southeastern Iowa, as thunder and lightning accompanied the storm as it surged across the state.

Travel was not advised on Iowa roads for the rest of the day, according to Annette Dunn with the Iowa Department of Transportation.

"We're going to have visibility and drifting problems through midnight," she said.

Late Thursday morning, troopers responded to a 25-car crash which killed three people on southbound Interstate 35 in northern Iowa. Iowa DOT closed I-35 at Highway 30 due to deteriorating conditions.

The Iowa National Guard has deployed about 80 soldiers from across the state to help highway assistance teams cope with the storm.

In Nebraska, portions of I-80 were closed Thursday due to snow-packed and icy road conditions. The entire road was expected to reopen before 4 p.m. local time.

In Chicago, rain was expected to change to snow Thursday night, with wind gusts of as much as 50 miles per hour, the NWS said.

Due to low visibility, airlines at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport were reporting delays of up to 90 minutes and have canceled more than 200 flights. At Midway Airport in Chicago, airlines canceled 150 flights and Southwest Airlines canceled all flights after 4:30 p.m.

A twister near downtown Mobile, Alabama, damaged buildings, snapped trees, downed power lines and flipped vehicles early on Thursday, but there were no reports of injuries, authorities said.

"The potential is there certainly for some isolated tornadoes," Terry said, referring to a broad swath of Gulf of Mexico coast and inland territory stretching from southeast Louisiana through the western Florida Panhandle.

The National Weather Service confirmed on Thursday that a tornado destroyed a mobile home southwest of Sheridan, Arkansas. There were no reports of injuries.

High winds of around 45 miles per hour in Tennessee knocked down trees and power lines.

While the heavy snow in the Upper Midwest will create potentially dangerous travel conditions, meteorologist Jeff Masters said it put an end to this year's "record-length snowless streaks in a number of U.S. cities."

Writing on his website weatherunderground.com, Masters said the storm would also provide "welcome moisture for drought-parched areas of the Midwest."

The winter storm, named Draco by the Weather Channel, began Tuesday in the Rocky Mountains and marked a dramatic change from the mild December so far in most of the nation.

High winds kicked up a dust storm in West Texas on Wednesday, leading to at least one death in a traffic accident near Lubbock.

Power companies reported electrical outages in Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, with a peak of 400,000 customers without power Thursday morning. That fell to 133,000 by Thursday afternoon.

(Writing by Tom Brown and Nick Carey; Reporting by Mary Wisniewski in Chicago, Eileen O'Grady in Houston, Kaija Wilkinson in Mobile, Alabama and Keith Coffman in Denver, Tim Ghianni in Nashville, Kay Henderson in Des Moines, Iowa, Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Matthew Waller in San Angelo, Texas and Suzi Parker in Little Rock, Arkansas.; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Greg McCune, Tim Dobbyn and Jim Marshall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/winter-storm-bears-down-midwest-dumping-snow-rockies-015336203.html

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96% Sister

All Critics (51) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (2)

"Sister" avoids sentimental indulgence. There's no room for wallowing in this spare, almost ascetic exercise ...

French-born director and co-screenwriter Ursula Meier balances the scenario's bleak, wrenching aspects with a stirring confidence in the redemptive power of love.

Seydoux perfectly captures the anger and self-defeat of ill-educated, hedonistic, man-chasing young women who live on the fringes.

L?a Seydoux fulfills Louise, and Kacey Mottet Klein, as Simon, is one more to join the pantheon of film's excellent child actors.

Haunting and sad. And absolutely worth seeing.

The chemistry between the two leads is a razor's-edge dance: feral, childish, tender and always complex.

We come away relieved and somehow chastened, the same way we might feel after having our pocket picked by a true artist.

The storytelling is exciting and the characters well-observed.

For the most part a distant film, Sister supplies a full behavioral experience that's riveting at times, with lead performances by Lea Seydoux and Kacey Mottet Klein communicating isolation in bravely vulnerable ways.

Emotionally engaging and impeccably crafted

Klein and Seydoux give such naturalistic performances that they're never overwhelmed by the spectacle.

"Sister" is loose and episodic, but held together with nicely sketched characters.

[A]voids bathos. . .reveals unexpected depth in a heartbreaking bond. . . Different classes conflict [in] adjacent spaces . . .in spare, realistic Dardennes' style.

Meier draws out wonderfully naturalistic performances from her young stars, with Mottet Klein particularly good as the young roustabout Simon ...

It comes over like a subtle short story and is well acted.

Meier's portrait of Simon ... is richly atmospheric and never sentimental.

An enigmatic, heartfelt account of a vulnerable young boy's yearning for a better life.

Most intriguing is how the writers and director have transformed what's essentially a rather dark, bleak story into something involving and emotionally resonant, all without ever turning sentimental.

It is an interesting and well-made movie, though with an uncertain ending.

Sister gradually reveals pattern in its tapestry of everyday life.

An expert piece of storytelling with a host of strong character turns and thematic depth to burn.

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

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