Category: News

It’s the playoffs but instead of watching the games Pete and Kevin get stuck at a terrible Christmas party.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:58:05 UTC 2009
Air date: Thu Dec 03 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 21:20
Closed captions available.

Brennan spends the holidays with a distant relative.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:58:05 UTC 2009
Air date: Thu Dec 10 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 43:40
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Bart wishes for a brother this year.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:58:05 UTC 2009
Air date: Sun Dec 13 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 22:01
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Peter celebrates the season as a corporate mogul.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:58:05 UTC 2009
Air date: Sun Dec 13 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 21:07
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Christmas chaos erupts in Stoolbend.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:58:05 UTC 2009
Air date: Sun Dec 13 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 21:43
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Stan and Francine fight to see another Christmas.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:58:05 UTC 2009
Air date: Sun Dec 13 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 21:54
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From TheAtlantic.com…

If you were counting on what Glenn Reynolds calls “the retail support brigade” to come riding over the hills, you might want to rethink. After last year turned in one of the worst holiday shopping seasons in decades, people were hoping that things might perk up this year, but Black Friday’s results don’t look too good for retailers.  Sales were up a paltry 0.5% from last year, and that only because a lot more people came out bargain-hunting.

Sales on the day after Thanksgiving rose just 0.5% to $10.66 billion, according to ShopperTrak RCT Corp., a research firm that monitors sales at more than 50,000 stores. That compared with a 3% year-over-year Black Friday increase in 2008 and an 8.3% surge in 2007.

“It’s a positive sign that we had an increase in sales, but the numbers certainly don’t indicate that those will be sustained,” said Britt Beemer, chairman of consumer behavior firm America’s Research Group.

Nationwide, 195 million shoppers visited stores and websites over the four-day weekend, up from 172 million last year, the National Retail Federation said Sunday.

It’s too early to be certain, of course, but to me this points to a brutal trend:  everyone is looking for bargains, and refusing to buy anything else.  That means that profit margins are likely to be thin, and even with aggressive discounting, retailers may not be able to drive much volume. 

What’s bad for retailers may be good for us, of course.  The amount of consumer credit outstanding has fallen pretty dramatically, but because of the buying binge we were on, it’s still kinda high, as is the ratio of debt service payments to income.  On the other hand, many of us are retailers, or work for them, or for companies that sell all the things that Americans aren’t buying.  The contraction is probably necessary.  But it is not going to be pleasant.

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See Also:

• Deutsche Bank: Sports Authority Was Wildly Busy On Black Friday, Pottery Barn Not So Much
• Black Friday Was A Huge Hit Because Americans Are Broke
• Amazing Footage Of Black Friday Chaos Inside Wal-Mart (WMT)

The story of Little Brown Dog, who about a month ago was brought to UT’s College of Veterinary Medicine after being dragged for several miles behind a pickup truck, shook the Knoxville community. In this News Sentinel story, assistant professor and attending physician Patricia Sura, discusses the dog’s treatment and recovery.

PS3 (http://ps3.qj.net/category/Bayonetta/cid/5070),

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Hatchback, India, Tata

Tata Nano – Click above for high-res image gallery

Once again, Tata chairman Ratan Tata has confirmed via the South Korean Maeil Business Newspaper that his company intends to launch a hybrid version of the Nano. While it’s impossible to know for sure, we’d imagine that starting off with the World’s Least Expensive Automobile may very well equal the World’s Least Expensive Hybrid.

We’re also unsure what kind of hybrid system Tata is developing – we wouldn’t expect to see a full hybrid system with an electric motor and battery pack large enough to power the vehicle for long periods of time, but we’d still hope for something more substantial than a simple stop/start micro system.

Previous reports indicate that a diesel engine is also in the works for the Nano, and we have high hopes that the inexpensive machine will make its way in somewhat modified form to the United States. Even with its current drivetrain, the gas-powered Nano delivers well over 50 U.S. miles per gallon, which would surely make for a welcome option here in America.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req’d]

REPORT: Ratan Tata again confirms hybrid Tata Nano originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Found this on a site and figured it would be helpful.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/sup…s/protein.html

Whey Protein:
The ultimate source of protein! It’s the highest quality of protein available. Whey protein is a rich source of BCAAs) containing the highest known levels of any natural food source. This is also one of the best in a whey isolate or hydrolized whey isolate.

Casein Protein:
Micellar Casein is a slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to feed your muscles long after whey proteins have dropped off.

Egg Protein:
Egg protein is made from pure egg white. It’s fat-free, fast digesting and rich in BCAAs and glutamic acid.

Soy Protein:
Fast digesting form of protein with a solid BCAA profile. Made from non-animal sources, Ideal for lactose intolerant and vegans!

Protein Bars:
Need a quick hit of protein? Protein bars give you 20-40g of protein, with little fat and carbs, in a delicious tasting and easy to eat bar.

Meal Replacements:
Meal replacement products combine protein, carbohydrates and fats to create a complete meal! Ideal for busy lifestyles, weight gain and weight loss!

How much protein do I need to build muscle?
Studies have shown that 1-1.5 grams of protein, per pound of bodyweight, per day is the optimium amount of protein for muscle building. Protein should be consumed over 6-8 meals/shakes throughout the day.

What is the difference between whey protein and casein protein?
The main difference between whey and casein is disgestion time. Whey protein is a fast acting form of protein with a high bioavailability (BV). It’s perfect for first thing in the morning and after training where you need to get nutrients into your system quickly. Casein protein is much slower digesting, in fact it can take up to 7 hours to fully digest. This time release property of casein protein makes it ideal for before bed and meal replacements, when you don’t need all the protein to be absorbed quickly.

What is the best type of protein?
Whey protein is far superior to any other type of protein. Whey has a complete amino acid profile for muscle building and has a very high biological value (BV), making is the fastest digesting protein source.

When should I take protein shakes?
There are 3 main times when you should consume protein. These are first thing in the morning, immediately after a training session and before bed. If you goal is to gain weight, you may also you whey protein (or meal replacement shake) throughout the day to increase your protein/calorie intake.

Does taking protein supplements help with weight loss?
Adding protein shakes, protein bars and/or meal replacements to your diet is a great way to jump start your weight loss. Protein supplements can give you quality protein without the extra calories. Meal replacement shakes can provide you with a well rounded, low calorie liquid meal that will keep you going for hours.

Can protein be mixed with other supplements?
Yes, in fact it’s encouraged! Mixing protein with other ingredients (like dextrose) can increase the rate which protein is absorbed. A good post workout shake typically includes whey protein, creatine monohydrate, dextrose and glutamine. You should always read the label before mixing supplements

DB analyst Mike Baker released a report today on how well retailers did during Black Friday in terms of busyness. He uses the unscientific “busyness” indicator to measure what percentage of a store’s locations he would characterize as busy. Across the board, busyness was a bit better than last year.

Deutsche Bank: Over the weekend, we called our visited close to 300 hardline stores (Figure 1) across a variety of concepts to gauge holiday traffic patterns, with over a 67% response rate. This is similar to the calling program that we have conducted in each of the past several years, giving us the ability to compare results versus past holidays. We also compare individual companies to gauge market share trends.

Admittedly, this is an unscientific survey with some randomness, and judging a store’s busyness based on a quick conversation with a store associate certainly has its pitfalls. But, with over 200 responses and a similar number in past years, we believe the survey is a useful tool among other fundamental pieces of analysis. Also, note that as much as possible, we do attempt to call the same stores at the same time each year, to minimize the impact of the timing of the call.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Battle Royale: Office Depot Vs. Office Max (ODP, OMX)
• Retail Sales Already HOT In November
• Black Friday Sales Frenzy Explodes As Americans Kiss Recession Goodbye

The following is a guest blog by James Bell, Founder and Executive Director of the W. Haywood Burns Institute. HBI and Community Justice Network for Youth are partners in CMJ’s Racial Justice Framing Project.

“>*Pacifica’s Mitch Jesserich spoke to James about reauthorization of the JJDPA and the BI’s new report!

A recent incident in Omaha, Nebraska brings urgency to an issue soon to be debated in Congress regarding the handling of youth offenders by juvenile and criminal justice systems. In this case, police shot a 15-year-old boy in the chest following a traffic stop. Investigators said the boy shot at police first. The case has led one local senator to call for an overhaul of Nebraska’s juvenile justice system that would identify “aggressive juvenile offenders.”

This is a dangerous reaction to a singular incident. But it is not uncommon. Politicians often legislate by anecdote. When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

When one examines this case further, it becomes clear that for Nebraska State Sen. Brad Ashford to use this particular incident as an example of why the city’s “most aggressive juvenile offenders need to be more readily identified,” is a slippery slope. Ashford told an Omaha television station that he is working on legislation that would do just that.

“The best way to unclog the juvenile court system, and the best way to prevent violence amongst juveniles, is to catch these young people early as they exhibit behaviors that indicate they will very likely shoot somebody someday,” Ashford told KETV Omaha.

There is no evidence that any justice system can viably identify and “catch” potential violent offenders. Indeed, years of reactive legislation by politicians demonstrate that just because they have a bully pulpit and power does not make them informed, thoughtful or effective. In fact, Sen. Ashford’s efforts could actually result in an increase in the use of incarceration for juveniles and adult lock-ups. This is an alarming reaction for those who use data to drive policy and practice. Research shows that youth confined in adult jails and lock-ups are more likely to re-offend upon release and while confined are at pronounced high risk of suffering assault and committing suicide.

Congress is expected to soon consider the reauthorization of the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act (JJDPA), which among many provisions that ensure protection for youth in juvenile and criminal justice systems, would help to keep youth awaiting trial in criminal court out of adult lock-up and ensure “sight and sound separation” in the limited circumstances where they are held in adult facilities. This is sound public policy. Any rational civil society values the separations of young people and adults in confinement. If reauthorized, the JJDPA would also permit States to continue to house and rehabilitate youth convicted in adult court in juvenile facilities until they reach a certain age.

But sound legislation based on data and research is often threatened by political rhetoric and emotional reaction, as we have seen across the country in our work to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in local juvenile justice systems. In this particular case, Omaha’s police union president, Aaron Hanson, responded to the incident by saying the case and others like it have “to do with the fact that many of these youthful violent offenders are sent through the juvenile justice system, as opposed to the adult criminal justice system.”

This is a familiar line of thought that is woefully inaccurate. Such thinking was first popularized by in the late eighties by John Dilulio, a Princeton political scientist who coined the phrase “super-predators.” Soon thereafter, politicians and the media adopted this phrase and ushered in an avalanche of draconian laws based on anecdote and worse-case scenarios rather than actual data or research. Those laws remain today and are responsible for the notion of “throw-away” youth. We do not increase public safety by using detention early and often for young people in trouble with the law.

This particular case should be handled individually, applying the facts and the law, and not as a launching pad for legislative short-term gain. Today, a majority of youth in detention are incarcerated for minor and nonviolent offenses. Two-thirds of youth in detention are youth of color, though they are only one-third of the total U.S. youth population. In other words, African American youth are 5.5 times more likely to be detained than White youth, while Latino youth and Native American youth are both 2.5 times more likely to be detained than White youth.

The JJDPA reflects a better approach. When passed, it would limit the amount of time that juveniles are detained for “nondelinquent status offenses,” such as truancy, running away or violating curfew, alcohol and tobacco laws. Its other vital provisions include increasing financial incentives for States to improve diversion programs for youth with mental health and substance abuse needs; directing States to develop policies and procedures to eliminate the use of isolation and restraints, and to enhance alternatives to detention and transitional services.

Importantly, the JJDPA would also direct States and localities to actively work to reduce racial and ethnic disparities. Today, research demonstrates that youth of color are incarcerated more often than White youth even when charged with the same category of offense. Currently, the JJDPA requires States to “address” disparities within the juvenile justice system, but it does not require oversight of reduction efforts, accurate collection of relevant data, development of work plans with measurable objectives, or regular monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

We hope that this bill will move through the Senate Judiciary Committee and to the floor of the Senate before the end of the year. And we trust that the Senate will do everything within its power to preserve the prevention focus of the JJDPA by guarding against any amendments that would link the JJDPA to provisions or other forms of federal legislation that introduce new federal categories of juvenile crime, new or enhanced federal penalties affecting juveniles, or incentives for States to advance new or enhanced penalties for juveniles.

How long are we as a nation going to allow justice policy to be determined by anecdote, storytelling and worst-case scenarios? When are we as a society going to pierce the veil of supposedly “tough on crime” legislation? If and when we do, we will find that we are a safer and more productive society by being “smart on crime.” That means allowing the court system to do its job for violent crimes, while not over-reacting with blanket legislation to any dramatic incident that grabs media attention. We must act now to ensure the best outcomes for our future generations.

Guests Barret Swatek, Alex Blagg, Remi Spencer and Michelle Malkin discuss Katie Couric’s latest poetry.

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Added: Mon Nov 30 21:05:04 UTC 2009
Air date: Wed Nov 25 00:00:00 UTC 2009
Duration: 43:45

Tennessee Athletics and the Mission of Hope will team up Tuesday, Dec. 1 to collect toys for this year’s Mission of Hope Toy Drive. Fans that donate a new toy will receive free admission to the match-up against George Washington. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena.

“Our fans are always so giving this time of year,” Women’s Athletic Director Joan Cronan said. “It’s such a great feeling to be part of something that positively affects so many people in our area.”

Collection bins will be located at the Thompson-Boling Arena Ticket Office as well as the northwest and northeast gates beginning at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow. Suggested items include sports balls and equipment, action figure sets, fashion doll sets, arts & crafts sets, hand-held games for children ages 10-14.

Members of the Tennessee Athletic Department and the Mission of Hope will be at collection sites accepting toy donations. Gates will open at 6 p.m. For more information call 974-4114.

About Mission of Hope

The Mission of Hope is a nonprofit organization that serves and assists children and families in dire need throughout numerous distressed communities in rural Appalachia. The group has several ministries include Christmas and back-to-school campaigns, health care events and construction and resource ministries.

Yet again, despite all the secrecy and bogus claims of “national security,” the details behind what’s being proposed in ACTA have leaked, and they don’t look good at all. It’s basically an attempt to force the worst of the DMCA on much of the rest of the world, with a few carefully chosen modifications. While there are lots of issues, it’s worth noting the most basic of all, found in the first paragraph that contains the “general obligations” of participating countries. As Michael Geist details:

These focus on “effective enforcement procedures” with expeditious remedies that deter further infringement. The wording is similar to TRIPs Article 41, however, the EU notes that unlike the international treaty provisions, there is no statement that procedures shall be fair, equitable, and/or proportionate. In other words, it seeks to remove some of the balance in the earlier treaties.

This is the sort of thing that you really have to watch out for in these types of agreements. The lobbyists for the entertainment industry are amazingly good at carefully selecting or omitting words that, to the casual observer, don’t seem all that important. However, in the long-term, they can change the entire thrust of an agreement. By leaving out the requirement that enforcement be “fair, equitable and/or proportionate,” it makes it much easier for the industry to push for more and more draconian enforcement measures under a typical game of leapfrog or “ratcheting,” where they focus on getting one country that’s agreed to ACTA to impose something draconian, and then insisting that everyone else has to follow through in the name of “harmonization.” Be aware of these sorts of tricks as the Hollywood lawyers will waste little time in leaping forward with claims that these rules really aren’t any different than what’s already in place. Of course, if that were actually the case, they wouldn’t be arguing so hard for these new rules. They know how to work the system.

The second paragraph is also a bit troubling, as it would require a contributory infringement setup, or an “inducement standard.” The industry has been pushing for this for a while, and while it failed to get the INDUCE Act passed in the US, it effectively got close with the troubled ruling in the Grokster case, written by a Justice who clearly admitted to not understanding basic technology. The problem with any sort of inducement standard should be obvious (though, it seems like it’s not to maximalists): you are creating a liability for someone based on the actions of others. That should always be seen as a bad idea. However, the entertainment industry loves it, because they would rather fight legal battles against a small number of file sharing services and sites, rather than the users of those service and sites.

Even worse, by “harmonizing” these sorts of things via international treaty, we are left in the same troubled position we are on other similar treaties like Berne and TRIPS, whereby countries are locked into very specific rules on how intellectual property must work, and are unable to make serious and meaningful changes, based on their own knowledge of what works best to encourage and promote progress. Having a very small body of folks, heavily influenced by industry lobbyists, decide exactly what copyright laws must be does not allow for experimentation and actual knowledge of how these sorts of changes impact creative output. They’re designed to hide the damage done by bad copyright law, rather than figure out a way to fix it.

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It’s true, I’m a Dallas Cowboys football fan! When Swanson contacted me about posting menus for football season that were tailored to specific teams, I immediately asked if there was a Cowboys menu, and sure enough, there is! If you aren’t a Cowboys fan or just want more recipes, please visit the Swanson Chicken recipe site.

The Quick and Easy Tailgate Plan for a Cowboys Fan

– Brought to you by Swanson® Chicken Traveling Tailgate

Check out this collection of quick, easy and delicious recipes for your Cowboys’ tailgating and football parties! Whether you are cooking for the whole team or just the defensive line, these dishes are guaranteed to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites. Go Cowboys!

Starters:

Frank’s® RedHot® Buffalo Chicken Dip:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (9.75 oz each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast, drained
½ cup Frank’s® RedHot® Sauce
½ cup blue cheese salad dressing
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers

Directions:

1. Stir cream cheese in 9” deep dish pie plate until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 20 min. until hot and bubbling. Stir. Serve with vegetables and crackers.

Tips:
– Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar cheese for blue cheese crumbles.
– Make it tailgate friendly – prepare ahead of time and transport in a disposable heavy foil pan. When you get to the
tailgate heat it on a grill and serve nice and hot!
– Make this in the microwave by heating it on high for 5 minutes instead of baking
– Keep it warm in a crockpot or slow cooker

Monterey Jack Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 can (4.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 tablespoons chopped green chilies

⅛ teaspoon chili powder

4 flour tortillas (8-inch), warmed

Pace® Thick & Chunky Salsa

Sour cream

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Stir the chicken, 1/4 cup cheese, chilies and chili powder in a

medium bowl.

2. Place the tortillas onto 2 baking sheets. Spread 1/4 cup chicken mixture onto half of each

tortilla to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Brush the edges of the tortillas with water. Fold the

tortillas over the filling and press the edges to seal.

3. Bake for 5 minutes or until the filling is hot. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Serve with

the salsa and sour cream.

The Main Event:

Seven Ingredient Chili

Ingredients:

2 lb. ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 1/2 cups V8® 100% Vegetable Juice (Regular or Low Sodium)
1 small green pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cans (about 15 ounces each) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1. Cook the turkey, onion, chili powder and cumin in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until the turkey is well browned, stirring often.
2. Add the vegetable juice, pepper and beans to the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Spicy Onion Burgers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
1 pouch Campbell’s® Dry Onion Soup and Recipe Mix
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slice
Avocado slices

1. Thoroughly mix beef, picante sauce and soup mix. Shape firmly into 6 burgers, 1/2-inch thick each.
2. Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill the burgers for 10 minutes or until desired doneness, turning the burgers over halfway through cooking.
3. Serve in rolls with lettuce, tomato, avocado and additional picante sauce.

The Game Winner

Football Cake:

2 Pepperidge Farm® Chocolate Fudge 3 Layer Cake

Assorted decorating gel (black, white)

1 package (4.9 oz.) Pepperidge Farm® Mini Milano Cookies

Directions:

1. Remove cakes from freezer. Trim 1 edge of styrofoam plate even with cake, using scissors. Repeat with other cake. Place these two sides together. Carefully trim corners of cake to form a “football”. Set corners aside. Let stand 15 min. or until frosting softens.
2. Smooth frosting where cakes are joined, using a metal spatula dipped in water. Smooth frosting on sides of cake. If needed, use additional frosting from corners pieces.
3. Make an outline of a football on top of cake and laces down center, using white piping gel.
4. Decorate sides of cake with Mini Milano® cookies, pressing gently to adhere. Make football laces on cookies using black piping gel. Makes 1 cake.

For more easy and delicious recipes check out: www.Campbellskitchen.com and www.Swansonchicken.com