The top 10 stories in Bay Area sports in 2011

1. The Death of Al Davis

When Davis died Oct. 8, at age 82, it left obituary writers scrambling for ways to sum up a man who not only was the face of the Raiders franchise but also its heart, its brains and its combative personality.

The Raiders themselves took their best crack on the day Davis died, describing their patriarch as "unique -- a maverick, a giant among giants, a true legend among legends, the brightest star among stars, a hero, a mentor, a friend."

Davis spent 48 years defining the franchise, as a coach, as general manager and, most famously, as an owner. He controlled everything, right down to the team colors. (Davis picked silver and black because he thought it would look intimidating.)

Stocked with misfits that only Davis and his fans would love, the Raiders went 372-219-11 and won three Super Bowls from 1963 through 2002.

By the time Davis died, his team hadn't finished with a winning record in its past eight seasons. But this year's Raiders are within reach of a playoff spot, buoyed by the audacious trade for quarterback Carson Palmer, a deal that coach Hue Jackson said his old boss would have loved.

As Raiders safety Michael Huff said when the Raiders beat Houston less than 24 hours after Davis' death: "He's never gone in our eyes. We'll never let him go. He's with us."

2. Harbaugh leads 49ers resurgence

A division title. An invigorating new

coach. A new stadium on the way. This was the year in which a long-dormant dynasty came roaring back to life.

The 49ers are 12-3 behind a top-ranked defense that could have them playing deep into January.

Team president Jed York hired Jim Harbaugh as his coach and Trent Baalke as his general manager in January, and the 49ers have done nothing but press the right buttons since.

The list of transformative feats includes a sensational first-round draft pick (sack-machine Aldon Smith), a wave of bargain free agents (kicker David Akers, defensive back Carlos Rogers, safety Donte Whitner) and a surprisingly solid season from quarterback Alex Smith.

Summing up Harbaugh's impact, 49ers Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott told Sirius XM radio that "this might be the greatest coaching that I've ever seen in the history of the game of professional football."

3. Buster Posey busted at home plate

Scott Cousins didn't slide, but the Giants sure did. They were 2?1/2 games up in the National League West on May 25 when Cousins, the nicest villain you will ever meet, blasted into Buster Posey in a home-plate collision.

A broken bone in his lower left leg and three torn ligaments in his ankle cost the star catcher the remainder of the season.

The defending World Series champs never recovered, finishing last in the National League with a .303 on-base percentage.

"If I never hear from Cousins again, or he doesn't play another day in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy," general manager Brian Sabean told KNBR in June. (Sabean has since reached out to apologize.)

Major League Baseball officials deemed it a clean play and have resisted the Giants' pleas for a rule change to protect catchers from being targeted in home-plate collisions.

4. Andrew Luck stays in school

Andrew Luck had an opportunity to take the money and run. Instead, he passed.

The quarterback delayed entry into the NFL so that he could keep Stanford humming as a national power. And Luck delivered as hoped, leading the Cardinal (11-1) to a No. 4 national ranking and a Fiesta Bowl showdown against No. 3 Oklahoma State (11-1)

For the picky, there was a whiff of disappointment: He threw two interceptions in a loss to Oregon that dashed Stanford's hope of a national title and sank Luck's chances of a Heisman Trophy (he was the runner-up again).

But he mostly flourished, securing Stanford career records for passing touchdowns (80) and passing efficiency (161.7), among legions of other records.

The NFL won't have to wait much longer. Luck is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the April draft.

5. Giants oust owner Bill Neukom

In the span of less than a year, Bill Neukom went from waving in a victory parade to waving goodbye.

The Giants' managing general partner and chief executive officer was ousted after an apparent series of disagreements with the 10-member executive committee.

This newspaper broke the news of the shake-up in September, less than 11 months after Neukom hoisted the first World Series trophy in the Giants' 53 years in San Francisco.

In the wake of the report, the Giants announced that Neukom would "retire from his position effective Dec. 31," with Larry Baer taking over CEO duties.

Baseball sources said Neukom's falling out with the executive committee stemmed from how to divvy up the additional millions of dollars that flowed into team coffers after the World Series championship.

6. The Warriors rebuild with splashy names

Though NBA action was disrupted by a labor dispute, Warriors ownership still managed to treat 2011 like one long fast break. New managing partners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber restructured the basketball operations staff, replaced an entire coaching staff and made several changes at the executive level on the business side.

Needing help, ownership also added two men with a combined 16,000 assists. They hired Jerry West, the Hall of Famer and respected front-office architect, in May and added former All-Star guard Mark Jackson as their coach weeks later.

"I fully expect, put it in bold letters, the Golden State Warriors to be a playoff team next year," Jackson said. "If I did not expect that, I would not have taken the job. ... We are looking to turn the Bay Area upside down."

7. The saga of Bryan Stow

In a horrific chapter to a storied sports rivalry, Giants fan Bryan Stow was punched in the head, kicked and slammed to the ground outside Dodger Stadium in March.

"It brings tears to my eyes," longtime Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said, reacting to the news. "This is not what baseball is all about."

Stow, a paramedic and father of two young children, spent months in a medically induced coma and only recently became able to hold a simple conversation. He is fed by a tube and needs round-the-clock care. Stow, 43, is expected to be permanently disabled.

The Stow family chronicles Bryan's recovery on their blog (support4bryanstow.com).

8. Cal sports make a comeback

Giving new meaning to the term elimination games, the Cal baseball team rallied back from an incredible deficit -- as in $10 million.

The Bears athletic department had announced in the fall of 2010 that it was cutting four sports and reclassifying men's ruby as a varsity club sport as a drastic move to bridge a budget shortfall.

But the endangered Bears rallied. Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau announced in February that enough money had been raised to keep rugby, women's lacrosse, women's gymnastics and men's gymnastics.

The comeback was complete April 8, when Cal announced that baseball would be saved thanks to the former players and alumni who generated $9 million in financial commitments.

Instead of going extinct, the Bears rolled all the way to the College World Series. "A wild ride," coach David Esquer called it.

9. Sharks bounced short of the Cup

Even for fans accustomed to coming up short, this one was tough to take. A freakish bounce off a stanchion finished the Sharks' title hopes May 24, when Vancouver's Kevin Bieksa scored a strange and fortuitous goal during the second overtime of Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

As Bieksa screamed in delight, almost everybody else was still looking for the puck.

"It came right to Bieksa. One more bounce he probably whiffs on it, we're still playing. Nothing we can do about it," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said after the game.

10. Stanford women win first soccer title

With one last spectacular goal, the seniors on the Stanford women's team secured the status as one of the greatest classes in college soccer history.

The Cardinal beat Duke 1-0 in the College Cup final Dec. 4, capping a 95-4-4 record for a senior class and easing the pain from losses in the previous two national title games.

Camille Levin delivered a cross to Teresa Noyola for a point-blank header in the 53rd minute.

"I've never seen a team work so hard for each other and want to win for each other," Levin said. "I've never played on a team like that in my life."

Also receiving consideration: "Moneyball" movie fares better than current A's; Kelly Slater wins 11th surf title at Ocean Beach; Barry Bonds sentenced to 30 days' house arrest, pending appeal; Chris Mullin and Tara VanDerveer inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame; Stanford women's basketball team makes fourth consecutive Final Four; Tiger Woods helps lure record crowds to Frys.com Open; America's Cup awarded to San Francisco for 2013.

Contact Daniel Brown at dbrown@mercurynews.com

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/other-sports/ci_19647902?source=rss

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In Iowa, Obama toils while GOP roars, then departs

President Barack Obama holds hands with his daughters Malia, left, and Sasha, right, as they leave Sea Life Park, a marine wildlife park, with family friends, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, in Waimanalo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Barack Obama holds hands with his daughters Malia, left, and Sasha, right, as they leave Sea Life Park, a marine wildlife park, with family friends, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, in Waimanalo, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks during a campaign stop at Elly's Tea and Coffee in Muscatine, Iowa, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich makes a stop at the National Farm Toy Museum in Dyersville, Iowa, on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, in Dyersville, Iowa. Gingrich also made stops in Dubuque and Decorah Tuesday afternoon and evening. (AP Photo/The Gazette, Nikole Hanna)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? One presidential campaign claims an impressive effort in Iowa this year: eight offices opened, 350,000 phone calls to potential supporters and 1,280 events to recruit and train volunteers.

It's not Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich or Ron Paul. It's Obama for America, the president's re-election campaign, which badly wants to win this battleground state in November, as it did in 2008.

Next Tuesday's Republican caucus has dominated political conversations. Largely overlooked is that Obama is running unopposed in the Democratic caucus the same night.

It's a dramatically different scene from four years ago, when Obama set his course for the White House by beating John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton after months of intense campaigning in Iowa.

Obama can coast as far as this year's nomination is concerned. But Iowa remains a general election swing state, and no one assumes his 9-point win here over John McCain in 2008 will give him a cushion next November.

Obama's campaign never entirely left Iowa or several other competitive states, where he hopes relentless organizing can overcome a weak economy and his mixed record of fulfilling campaign pledges in the face of strong GOP opposition in Congress. If thousands of volunteers flocked to Obama's 2008 campaign, this time he's having to work a bit harder to recruit and energize them.

"People say, 'The mood is different this time, it's not the same,'" said Peggy Whitworth, an Obama volunteer in Cedar Rapids. "Well of course it's not the same. But it's not about mood or feeling. It's about the future of the country."

Whitworth, 69, said she joins other Obama volunteers four hours every Tuesday night, and sometimes on other evenings as well, to telephone potential supporters. Many say they will vote for Obama again, she said, and some volunteer to help the campaign. But some are disappointed or angry that the president fell short on campaign promises such as ending the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, and bringing a greater spirit of bipartisanship to Washington.

"Sometimes they simply want to have someone listen to them," Whitworth said. Most say they will stick with Obama after they've had a chance to vent their frustrations, she said.

Obama lacks some key advantages he enjoyed in 2008. They include a deeply unpopular GOP president who was largely blamed for a faltering economy, and a widespread excitement about Obama's precedent-breaking campaign built on "hope and change."

In exchange, of course, he has the power of the presidency and a well-oiled political organization that has been refining its practices for five years. Obama will raise many millions of dollars, although his eventual Republican opponent may do nearly as well.

Nowhere does Obama have a bigger base to build on than in Iowa, where he campaigned for months in 2007. Romney, Gingrich and other GOP contenders have not made comparable efforts, although they say the economy and other issues will make Obama's task much harder next year.

In activities that rarely compete with the hoopla of the GOP nominating contest, Obama's campaign has placed a handful of paid staffers in each of several key states. They try to leverage their clout by recruiting and training scores of volunteers. The volunteers, in turn, knock on doors, organize house parties and, above all, place phone calls to voters in hopes of identifying likely Obama supporters and tracking them through Election Day.

In a tortoise-versus-hare strategy, Obama supporters hope their steady chugging will build support precinct by precinct, town by town, while Republicans spend resources chasing the nomination for a few more weeks or months. The Republican candidates and their broadcast ads are flooding Iowa this week, but they will abruptly shift to New Hampshire on Jan. 4, the day after the caucuses.

"The Republicans are here today, gone tomorrow," said Obama volunteer Pat Walters, of Johnston, a suburb of Des Moines. "We've been doing this since 2009."

Walters, a 60-year-old insurance executive, said he is a "neighborhood team leader" who helps organize house parties, phone banks and other activities. His chief recruiting tools, he said, involve reminding Iowans of Obama's accomplishments that include expanding medical benefits in the hard-won 2010 overhaul of the nation's health care system.

Walters said he hopes the week-by-week, month-by-month effort will build a strong ground operation to turn out Obama's voters next November. The Republican nominee will have to play catch up, he said.

Obama's ground game "is already in place," Walters said. "It's just a matter of growing it."

Obama campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the caucus provides another opportunity to tell Iowans about Obama's accomplishments, including ending the Iraq war.

"On Jan. 4, we'll have the strongest grass-roots organization and campaign finance infrastructure in place of any candidate going forward," she said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-28-Obama%20Campaign-Iowa/id-81f47bc5bf314e239501b84c0270ab1f

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Scholars want help identifying slaves' origins

This March 2010 photo provided by Emory University shows Liz Milewicz, former project manager for African-Origins. Researchers using audio recordings of names found in Courts of Mixed Commission records for Havana, Cuba, and Freetown, Sierra Leone, to identify their likely ethno-linguistic origins, at Emory University in Atlanta. The recordings helped connect the sound of the name to its spelling, enabling a more accurate assessment of the name's possible ethnic origins. (AP Photo/Emory University, Bryan Meltz)

This March 2010 photo provided by Emory University shows Liz Milewicz, former project manager for African-Origins. Researchers using audio recordings of names found in Courts of Mixed Commission records for Havana, Cuba, and Freetown, Sierra Leone, to identify their likely ethno-linguistic origins, at Emory University in Atlanta. The recordings helped connect the sound of the name to its spelling, enabling a more accurate assessment of the name's possible ethnic origins. (AP Photo/Emory University, Bryan Meltz)

In this March 2010 photo, provided by Emory University, Nafees Khan, project manager for African-Origins, right, and Daniel B. Domingues da Silva, Central Africa consultant and Portuguese translator for the project, review the audio recordings of African names on the site at Emory University in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Emory University, Bryan Meltz)

In this March 2010 photo, provided by Emory University, Nafees Khan, project manager for African-Origins, listens to the audio recordings of names found in Courts of Mixed Commission records for Havana, Cuba, and Freetown, Sierra Leone, to identify their likely ethno-linguistic origins at Emory University in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Emory University, Bryan Meltz)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Almost two centuries before there was a man named Obama in the White House, there was a man named Obama shackled in the bowels of a slave ship. There is no proof that the unidentified Obama has ties to President Barack Obama. All they share is a name. But that is exactly the commonality that Emory University researchers hope to build upon as they delve into the origins of Africans who were taken up and sold.

They have built an online database around those names, and welcome input from people who may share a name that's in the database, or have such names as part of their family lore.

"The whole point of the project is to ask the African diaspora, people with any African background, to help us identify the names because the names are so ethno-linguistically specific, we can actually locate the region in Africa to which the individual belonged on the basis of the name," said David Eltis, an Emory University history professor who heads the database research team.

So far, two men named Obama sit among some 9,500 captured Africans whose names were written on line after line in the registries of obscure, 19th century slave trafficking courts. The courts processed the human chattel freed from ships that were intercepted and detoured to Havana, Cuba or Freetown, Sierra Leone. Most of the millions of Africans enslaved before 1807 were known only by numbers, said James Walvin, an expert on the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Once bought by slave owners, the Africans' names were lost. Africans captured by the Portuguese were baptized and given "Christian" names aboard the ships that were taking them into slavery.

But original African names ? surnames were uncommon for Africans in the 19th century ? are rich with information. Some reveal the day of the week an individual was born or whether that individual was the oldest, youngest or middle child or a twin. They can also reveal ethnic or linguistic groups.

The president's father was from Kenya, on the eastern coast of Africa, and Eltis said it was rare for captives to hail from areas far from the port where their ships set sail. The unidentified Obamas on the slave ships sailed from west Africa. Walvin, author of "The Zong," a book about the slave trade, said there were Africans who had been brought great distances before they were forced onto ships.

"Often their enslavement had begun much earlier, deep in the African interior, most of them captured through acts of violence, warfare or kidnap, or for criminal activity ..." Walvin said in his book, which chronicles the true story of a captain who ordered a third of the slaves aboard his ship thrown overboard due to a shortage of drinking water.

Obama's ancestors, a nomadic people known as the River Lake Nilotes, migrated from Bahr-el-Ghazal Province in Sudan toward Uganda and into Western Kenya, according to Sally Jacobs, author of "The Other Barack", a book about the president's father. They were part of several clans and subclans that eventually became the Luo people of Kenya, Jacobs writes.

The president's great-grandfather's name was Obama. Obama is derived from the word "bam", meaning crooked or indirect, she said in her book.

But it's also possible that Obama was a name used by other cultural groups in Africa and for whom the name had a different meaning.

The slaves found aboard intercepted ships provided their names, age and sometimes where they were from, through translators, to English and Spanish speaking court registrars who wrote their names as they sounded to them.

Body scars or identifying marks also were recorded. The details were logged in an attempt to prevent the Africans from being enslaved again, which didn't always work.

Emory's researchers are including audio clips of the names as they would likely be pronounced in Africa.

"These people enslaved were not just a nebulous group of people with no place and no name," said Kwesi DeGraft-Hanson, one of the researchers, who has found variations of his name, his brother's and his children's names in the database. He is originally from Ghana. "That's how lot of us view slavery. We don't have names faces to go with it ... It makes them that much more removed from us."

Eltis and his researchers acknowledge the database may not help African Americans with genealogical research because records on the Africans once they were freed from the ships are harder to find, if they exist at all.

However, the project provides another piece in a major jigsaw, and helps put together a bigger picture on slavery, Walvin said.

Before this project, Eltis and others assembled a database of 35,000 trans-Atlantic slave ship voyages responsible for the flow of more than 10 million Africans to the Americas.

Together, the two databases provide some details on the horrific voyages of the Africans, including the Obamas.

The Xerxes, which carried one of the unidentified Obamas, was a 138-foot schooner that began its voyage in Havana with a crew of 44. Five guns were mounted aboard when the ship left on a slave purchasing trip to Bonny on Feb. 10, 1828.

Sailing under the Spanish flag, the ship's captain Felipe Rebel purchased 429 slaves, nearly one third of them children, before setting out on a return trip to the Americas. But on June 26, 1828, the Xerxes was intercepted and forced to dock at an unknown Cuban port. By then, 26 slaves had died.

The other unidentified Obama, 6-foot-3-inches tall, was one of 562 Africans shackled in the belly of the Midas. The vessel was a Brig, a fast, maneuverable ship with two square-rigged masts. It was equipped with eight guns.

Midas' captain J. Martinez and a crew of 53 left Cuba on an unknown date. It left Bonny with 562 slaves but was intercepted. It docked in Cuba July 8, 1829 minus 162 slaves who had died during the voyage.

Some slaves freed from seized ships were returned to Africa, but not always to their original homelands. Some were sent to Liberia or were allowed to remain free in the cities where the courts were located. Some may have been re-enslaved and some died on ships that were returning them to Africa.

___

On the Net: African Origins: http://www.african-origins.org/

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Voyages: http://www.slavevoyages.org

___

Suzanne Gamboa can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/APsgamboa

Associated Press

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A caffeine addict's guide to the world

Alberto Pizzoli / AFP/Getty Images

When in Rome, espresso should be downed in one gulp.

?

By Nicholas DeRenzo, Budget Travel

Choosing a cup of coffee is about more than just milk or sugar. From the Ethiopian countryside where coffee was first discovered to the baroque cafes of imperial Europe to the high-tech streets of Tokyo, coffee has adapted to almost every culture ? even infiltrating tea-loving strongholds such as India and Hong Kong. Here's your global guide to regional coffee styles: some that have caught on across the globe, some that represent a special link to the area ? and some that are just plain weird.

Slideshow: See how folks around the world take their coffee?

Italy: Espresso

Description: The perfect cup should have a caramel-colored crema layer on top that is thick enough to support a spoonful of sugar for a few seconds before breaking.
Sip tip: Espresso should be downed in one gulp while standing at the bar; if you sit at a table, that privilege will cost you up to four times more than standing.
Cafe: Experts claim you can find Rome's best espresso near the Pantheon, where water is sourced from springs by the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct built in 19 B.C. The most popular with locals is at?Caffe Sant'Eustachio, where Romans have been stepping up to the stainless-steel bar since 1938 for their morning brew ? always presweetened here. Piazza Sant'Eustachio 82, santeustachioilcaffe.it, espresso $1.50.

Austria: Melange

Description: The most popular drink in Viennese cafes, Austria's take on cappuccino combines espresso and steamed milk, topped with milk foam or sometimes whipped cream.
Sip tip: Cafes usually serve a glass of water with coffee, meant to be drunk between sips to hydrate and cleanse the palate.
Cafe: With its elegant rococo interiors and elaborate sugar displays in the front window, it's no wonder that the Demel cafe once served as the official confectionary of the Hapsburg imperial court. Don't skip a slice of Vienna's signature dessert, Sacher torte (chocolate cake, apricot jam and dark chocolate icing). Kohlmarkt 14, demel.at, melange $5.40.

Ethiopia: Buna

Description: In the birthplace of coffee, the drink may be served with salt or butter instead of milk and sugar (and a side of popped sorghum kernels) in the countryside, but sugar has become increasingly popular since the 1930s Italian occupation.
Sip tip: If invited into someone's home for the elaborate hours-long coffee ceremony, don't stop drinking until you've had cup number three (called bereka), which is considered a blessing.
Cafe: Addis Ababa's Habesha Restaurant brings Ethiopia's rural traditions to the heart of the capital city: The coffee ceremony is performed throughout the day in a thatched hut in its outdoor dining area. Bole Rd. (next to the Sabit Building), 011-251/11-551-8358.

Mexico: Caf? de Olla

Description: Traditionally drunk at all-night Mexican wakes, the spiced drink is brewed in an earthenware pot with cinnamon sticks.
Sip tip: Don't add extra sugar ? the drink comes presweetened with piloncillo (unrefined dark brown sugar).
Cafe: Mexico City's El Baj?o is widely considered one of the top spots for home-style Mexican cooking in the world. The original location is a bit off the tourist path in the northern district of Azcapotzalco, but their Polanco branch sits squarely in the city's upscale boutique-and-gallery district. Alejandro Dumas 7, carnitaselbajio.com.mx, caf? de olla $1.50.

Saudi Arabia: Kahwa

Description: A hallmark of Bedouin hospitality, the cardamom-infused drink is almost always offered with sweet dried dates, which counter the bitterness of the coffee.
Sip tip: A younger person is always expected to pour coffee for his elders.
Cafe: Note that women are typically not welcome in Riyadh's traditional coffee and shisha (water pipe) shops. To get your caffeine fix as a Western tourist, you'll want to stick to the capital's more upscale hotels. At the Caravan Stop in the Hotel Al Khozama, you can sip coffee with traditional desserts like rosewater custard and almond puff pastry. Olaya Rd., al-khozama.com, desserts from $9.

Turkey: T?rk Kahvesi

Description: A remnant of Ottoman coffeehouse culture, this thick brew is made in a copper cezve (a long-handled pot) and often served after meals with chewy Turkish delight candy.
Sip tip: Don't drink the thick layer of sludge on the bottom of the cup. You won't want to end up chewing on leftover grounds; besides, they can be used for a special form of fortune-telling called tasseography.
Cafe: Founded in 1923 in Istanbul's Kad?k?y market, Faz?l Bey'in T?rk Kahvesi offers its small cups of Turkish coffee in flavors like cardamom, vanilla or mastic ? an aromatic resin used in Mediterranean desserts. Serasker Cad.Tarihi Kad?k?y ?ar??s? 1a, fazilbey.com, T?rk kahvesi $2.50.

Hong Kong: Yuanyang

Description: An East-meets-West mix of coffee and tea (and milk), this unlikely pair is named for the Mandarin duck ? a species in which the male and female look totally different but mate for life.
Sip tip: A proper cup should be made with Hong Kong?style milk tea, a strong blend of black tea filtered through a fabric bag that looks remarkably similar to pantyhose (in fact, it's sometimes nicknamed "silk stocking tea").
Cafe: The most popular places to find Hong Kong comfort food and milk tea are the 24-hour, retro-style diners called cha chaan tengs. Among the best is Tsui Wah, a spot known for its giant neon sign and its all-hours crowds. 15?19 Wellington St., tsuiwahrestaurant.com, yuanyang from $1.90.

Greece: Frapp?

Description: The ubiquitous foam-topped iced drink is made with Nescaf? instant coffee, cold water, sugar and evaporated (or regular) milk ? and always served with a straw.
Sip tip: Any self-respecting Greek knows a frapp? should always be shaken, not stirred.
Cafe: A great place to sip the cool stuff is Thessaloniki, Greece's seaside Second City and the drink's hometown ? it was reportedly invented here in 1957 at the Thessaloniki International Fair by a representative of the Nestle company. For the best views, stop by the stylish Kitchen Bar, which sits on the harbor overlooking the city's famous White Tower. B Port Depot, kitchenbar.com.gr, frapp? $2.70.

India: Kaapi

Description: Brewed with chicory, this South Indian variety comes with a layer of foam formed during the cooling-down process: The server pours the coffee back and forth between two stainless-steel tumblers in long, sweeping arcs to aerate it.
Sip tip: You might see this coffee referred to on menus as "meter coffee" or "coffee by the yard," a reference to the desired height from which the coffee should be poured between tumblers.
Cafe: Opened in the 1950s by a coffee workers' cooperative, the Indian Coffee House is a popular national chain, well-known for its extremely cheap eats. Perhaps the most famous of the branches is Kolkata's College Street location, which has attracted its fair share of students, intellectuals, and even revolutionaries, such as the founders of the Indian Communist Party. 15 Bankin Chatterjee St., indiancoffeehouse.com, kaapi 16?.

Vietnam: Ca Phe Sua Da

Description: Made tableside by pouring hot water through a stainless-steel filter (phin) balanced over your glass, the coffee drips slowly onto a layer of sweetened condensed milk.
Sip tip: If the beans are too finely ground, the coffee will drip through the filter too quickly, making for a weak brew.
Cafe: Hotel Continental's La Dolce Vita Cafe, with its whirring ceiling fans and wicker terrace chairs, will immediately call to mind colonial Saigon. 132?134 Dong Khoi St., continentalhotel.com.vn, ca phe sua da $3.

Cuba: Caf? Cubano

Description: This Italian-style espresso shot gets its unique taste from adding raw demerara sugar, resulting in a sweet brown foam on top called espumita.
Sip tip: The best way to achieve the perfect espumita is by mixing the first few drops of coffee with the sugar ? creating a sugary sludge ? before adding the rest of the coffee.
Cafe: The coffee daiquiri on the menu may not be the most traditional, but everything else at Caf? el Escorial, which is housed in a colonial mansion overlooking Havana's Plaza Vieja, screams Old Cuba. Mercaderes No. 317, 011-53/868-3545, caf? cubano from 75?.

Indonesia: Kopi Luwak

Description: This infamous brew starts its trip to the cup by passing through the digestive tract of the civet, where enzymes are said to make the beans smoother, richer and less bitter. The catlike mammal eats the ripest coffee berries and then excretes the undigested inner beans, which farmers harvest from their droppings. (This may not be any comfort, but the beans are then thoroughly washed!)
Sip tip: The world's most expensive coffee (it's often sold for hundreds of dollars per pound) has spawned a slew of counterfeiters. Be wary if you see the coffee being sold at a deep discount ? chances are no civets were used in the making of this bean.
Cafe: Located in Jakarta's Chinatown, the city's oldest coffee shop, Warung Tinggi, opened in 1878 and traces its history back to Indonesia's days as a Dutch colony. Bonus: Jakarta sits on the island of Java! Jl. Batu Jajar No. 35B, warungtinggi.com, kopi luwak $150 per pound.

Malaysia: Pak Kopi/Kopi Putih/Bai Ka-fe

Description: Introduced to the Perak region by 19th-century Chinese tin miners, this lighter brew ? also called Ipoh white coffee after the town where it was developed ? is made by roasting coffee beans in palm-oil margarine. Traditional Malaysian black coffee (kopi o) is roasted with both margarine and sugar, resulting in a darker roast.
Sip tip: Unlike in most other countries, in Malaysia the term "white coffee" does not mean that milk is included ? it simply refers to the lighter color of the roast. Nevertheless, like the rest of Southeast Asia, Malaysians will most often serve white coffee with condensed milk.
Cafe: With its stark tiled interiors and Coca-Cola sign over the door, Sin Yoon Loong in Old Town Ipoh is decidedly no-frills, but this is the original white coffee cafe. Try the specialty for breakfast with toast and homemade coconut jam. 15A Jalan Bandar Timah, 011-60/05-2414-5601, white coffee 45?.

Argentina: Cortado

Description: Taking its name from the Spanish word for "cut," this drink is a simple espresso "cut" with a small splash of milk. The connection to Italian espresso is no coincidence ? Buenos Aires is the Latin American city with perhaps the closest ties to Europe and its old-world cafe culture.
Sip tip: If you like your coffee (much) milkier, order a l?grima ("tear" or "teardrop" in Spanish), which reverses the ratio: a lot of hot milk with a splash of coffee.
Cafe: Founded in 1858 by a French immigrant, Buenos Aires's?Cafe Tortoni is the country's oldest cafe, offering nightly tango shows in its simple basement venue. Avenida de Mayo 825, cafetortoni.com.ar, cortado $2.50.

Australia/New Zealand: Flat white

Description: Though the Aussies and the Kiwis still feud over who invented the drink, they agree on one basic fact: It's not a latte! A flat white is coffee mixed with steamed milk, served in a ceramic cup with a handle; a latte also includes froth on top and should be served in a tall glass.
Sip tip: A flat white shouldn't be made with just any milk ? the recipe calls for micro-foam, the non-frothy steamed milk at the bottom of the vessel. (Macro-foam, or dry foam, comes from the top of the steaming pitcher, includes more bubbles, and is used in cappuccinos.)
Cafe: First they tackled wine. Now they're onto coffee. Both Australia and New Zealand have turned into countries of caffeine connoisseurs (snobs even!) and have followed by opening a slew of sleek, urban cafes. Campos Coffee, a tiny timber espresso bar in Sydney's Newtown neighborhood, is known for its crowds, the speed of its baristas (up to 200 coffees served per hour), and its quirky house blends: The Obama includes beans from both Kenya and the Americas (193 Missenden Rd., camposcoffee.com, flat white $3.55). In Auckland, Espresso Workshop ups the coffee-snob quotient with an on-site roastery, barista lessons and coffee-appreciation classes (19 Falcon St., espressoworkshop.co.nz, flat white $4.15).

Spain: Caf? Bomb?n

Description: This sweet combination of equal parts espresso and condensed milk originated in Valencia and has since become popular throughout the country.
Sip tip: The drink is most often served in a small glass (similar to a shot glass) to show off the distinct layers of the black coffee and the off-white condensed milk. In order to keep the layers separate, the espresso must be poured into the glass very slowly, often over the back of a spoon.
Cafe: If you're in search of a caf? bomb?n, chances are you have a serious sweet tooth. Don't miss one of Madrid's famous churrerias, where you can dip sugary sticks of fried dough into insanely thick and rich hot chocolate. Locals prefer Chocolat, an unassuming churro spot tucked into a neighborhood side street a 10-minute walk from the Museo del Prado. Santa Maria 30, 011-34/914-294-565, caf? bomb?n $2.30.

Morocco: Caf? des ?pices

Description: A delicious by-product of Morocco's spice markets, this brew can incorporate a number of flavors depending on the whims of the cafe owner, including ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, sesame, cumin and cloves.
Sip tip: The sweetness of your cup of coffee is often dictated by the occasion, with sweet coffee served symbolically at happy occasions like weddings and bitter, black coffee served at funerals.
Cafe: Aside from the spiced coffee ? hence the name Caf? des ?pices ? this cafe in the Marrakech medina offers mint tea, fresh-squeezed orange juice, flatbread sandwiches and rooftop seating from which to gaze out over the buzzing market. 75 Lakdima Rahba, cafedesepices.net, caf? des epices, $1.80.

France: Caf? au Lait

Description: This quintessential morning drink made with hot (but not steamed) milk is often served in a wide-mouthed bowl to accommodate the dunking of baguettes or croissants. A similar drink you may see on menus is caf? cr?me; many say the drinks are nearly identical, but cr?me is more often ordered in the afternoon.
Sip tip: If you'd like only a little milk in your coffee, do as the locals do and ask for caf? noisette (hazelnut coffee) ? it has nothing to do with hazelnut flavoring, but instead takes its name from the toasty, nutty color imparted by the dash of milk.
Cafe: Situated in the 6th arrondisement on Paris's Left Bank, the Caf? de Flore looks much the same as it did when Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir argued about existentialism here during World War II, with its famous red-leather booths, mahogany paneling and mirrored walls. 172 Boulevard Saint-Germain, cafedeflore.fr, caf? cr?me $7.

Finland: Kaffeost

Description: Especially popular among the local Sami population in the eastern region of Kainuu, this dish/drink is made by submerging chunks of leip?juusto (a cow- or reindeer-milk cheese curd with a caramelized crust that makes it look like bread) into a cup of black coffee, fishing them out, and then drinking what's left. ??
Sip tip: If you're looking to make the treat yourself, the distinctive cheese is sold under a number of different names: leip?juusto (bread cheese), juustoleipa (cheese bread), and narskujuusto (which refers to the squeaky sound the curds make on your teeth).
Cafe: This rural treat is more often made at home rather than purchased at a cafe, especially in cosmopolitan Helsinki. You can pick up leip?juusto at most markets and dunk it yourself. Or head to Zetor, a Finnish-countryside-themed restaurant that is decorated with tractors and milk jugs and serves classic dishes like reindeer and leip?juusto with cloudberry jam. Mannerheimintie 3?5, ravintolazetor.fi, cheese $10.75.

Ireland: Irish Coffee

Description: Served in a stemmed whiskey goblet with a heaping dollop of whipped cream, this warming drink ? more classic cocktail than morning pick-me-up ? is made with hot coffee, sugar and Irish whiskey and was reportedly invented by Chef Joseph Sheridan in 1942 to warm up arriving passengers at what is now Shannon Airport.
Sip tip: Don't stir the cream into your coffee! The hot coffee is meant to be drunk through the cold whipped cream.
Cafe: Though the Irish coffee may be a relatively recent addition to the centuries-old pub scene, the drink has become all but ubiquitous across the Emerald Isle. In Dublin, sipping an Irish coffee is all about the atmosphere, and it doesn't come much more authentic than the Brazen Head. Established in 1198, the pub claims to be the country's oldest ? although the present building dates back to the still-impressive 17th century. Plus it's only a 10-minute walk to the Irish whiskey motherlode: the Jameson Distillery. 20 Lower Bridge St., brazenhead.com, Irish coffee $8.

United States: Frappuccino

Description: Starbucks has become synonymous with American cafe culture, and this milkshake-coffee hybrid has become the ultimate symbol of the brand: a ubiquitous, endlessly customizable, massive seller tailored to the country's sweet tooth. Taking into account the bottled version sold in supermarkets and convenience stores, annual Frappuccino sales have exceeded the $1 billion mark.
Sip tip: Looking for an extra boost? Frappuccinos can be ordered "affogato-style," which means they come topped with a shot of espresso. But you won't see this drink listed on any menus. In addition to the 87,000 combinations advertised by the brand in the past, the truest Starbucks connoisseurs speak in a language of off-menu secret specialties (a "short," for example, is a third smaller than a "tall" and comes at a cheaper price). Remember that, though relatively common, these drink orders are not official, so don't get too mad if your barista doesn't know what you're talking about!
Cafe: Whether or not you're a Starbucks skeptic, you can't miss Seattle's Pike Place Market location. The first link in the ever-expanding global chain opened here in 1971. 1912 Pike Pl., starbucks.com, Tall from $2.95.

Netherlands: Bakkie Troost

Description: Literally translating to "cup of comfort," the Dutch bakkie troost usually comes black and served alongside a single spice cookie (you may also commonly see the drink simply referred to as kaffe). If you want a latte, you'll have to order koffie verkeerd, or "coffee wrong."
Sip tip: Know your terminology! A bruine kroeg (brown cafe) is a tobacco-stained, pub-like bar, known for its untranslatable sense of gezelligheid (similar to coziness); a koffieshop (or simply "coffee shop") is the infamous Amsterdam shop that sells marijuana products; a koffiehuis will sell coffee and light meals; and a cafe is similar to a restaurant with a bar. You can find a good cup of coffee in any of them, but you should know what you're getting yourself into before going inside.
Cafe: Amsterdam is a city of coffeehouses, from less than savory to gleaming and grand. Often, the most rewarding spots are those steeped in centuries of history. Situated in one of Amsterdam's oldest wooden houses, Cafe In 't Aepjen (literally "In the Monkeys") gets its odd name from the tavern's storied history as a sailor's haunt. Reportedly, men returning from Asia in the 16th century sometimes paid out their tabs with monkeys they had picked up in their travels. Zeedijk 1, cafeintaepjen.nl, kaffe $3.17.

Brazil: Cafezinho

Description: The diminutive name of this drink (meaning "a little coffee" in Portuguese) belies a big fact about Brazil's coffee economy ? the country produces almost a third of all the world's coffee beans. The national coffee is filtered through a cloth strainer and often served in tiny plastic or china cups, and comes very sweet and very strong.
Sip tip: A cafezinho often comes free at the end of a meal in a restaurant.
Cafe: Skip the European-style grand cafes and head to one of Rio de Janeiro's botequins (neighborhood bars) like Caf? Ga?cho. At this popular sidewalk spot, guests must follow a few steps to fit in like a local: Pass coins to the cashier, get a small receipt, bring it to the man behind the circular counter, and receive your distinctly bitter cup of coffee. Rua S?o Jos? 86, 011-55/25-339-285, cafezinho 50?.

Poland: Kawa Parzona

Description: Also called kawa naturalna, this traditional Polish-style coffee is made by simply mixing ground coffee beans and boiling water directly in a glass with no filter.
Sip tip: If you want to steep your coffee the traditional way, look on the label for drobno mielona, which is an extra-fine, Turkish-style ground. If the label just reads mielona, these beans have been ground and are suitable for a regular drip coffee pot or an espresso machine.
Cafe: Finding traditional Polish coffee is becoming increasingly difficult in the country's major cities, but it's simple to make the drink yourself once you buy the correct grounds. Though the coffee may come out of a copper pot rather than brewed in your individual glass in the traditional manner, Warsaw's Cafe Blikle serves up one of the most classic Polish cafe experiences. While most of the capital was damaged or destroyed during the two world wars, this spot has been going strong since 1869, thanks in no small part to its world-famous p?czki (doughnuts). Nowy ?wiat 35, 011-48/022-826-0569, kawa $2.75.

Japan: Kan Kohi

Description: Introduced by the Ueshima Coffee Co. in 1969, canned coffee (which became kan kohi through Japan's system of adapting foreign phrases) is found in most grocery stores and vending machines, from which it is dispensed hot in the winter and cold in the summer.
Sip tip: Though canned coffee is perfectly portable, that doesn't mean you should bring it everywhere. Eating or drinking on Japanese subways, for instance, is generally considered rude.
Cafe: Searching for the best place to find canned coffee in Japan is akin to searching for the best place to buy Coca-Cola in the United States ? it's everywhere. The country operates an estimated 6 million vending machines (that's about one for every 23 people).?

More from Budget Travel

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Source: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/12/9392408-a-caffeine-addicts-guide-to-the-world

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Gomez reveals sister's name was Scarlett Teefey

We're happy to report Selena Gomez and her family are doing OK.

The pop star and former Disney princess has broken her silence since tragedy struck when her mom recently suffered a miscarriage.

RELATED: Selena Gomez Cancels Concerts After Mother Suffers Miscarriage

"Belated Merry Christmas everybody," Gomez tweeted and posted on Facebook this afternoon. "I can't thank you enough for all of your thoughts and prayers. I love you all so much and we hope you and your family had a beautiful Christmas!"

She not only signed the message from herself, but also included her mom, her stepdad and "our guardian angel Scarlett."

Gomez announced on Twitter late last month that mom Mandy and stepfather Brian Teefey were expecting their first child together. Sadly, Mandy miscarried mere weeks later.

Gomez subsequently pulled out of two radio station holiday shows to be with her family. She is expected to perform in Times Square during MTV's live New Year's Eve special.

GALLERY: Fashion Spotlight: Selena Gomez

? 2011 E! Entertainment Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45795938/ns/today-entertainment/

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World's first pop-up mall: London's Boxpark

Millions of us will head to the mall this week to return gifts or buy what we really wanted from the after-Christmas sales. Chain stores, fast food courts, and packed parking lots are what most of us associate with shopping malls, but a new retail concept in hip East London is looking to change that. Boxpark is the world's first pop-up mall, made out of 60+ shipping containers that house a mix of international labels like The North Face and Levi's, UK designers Luke and Boxfresh, plus cafes and eateries such as Pieminister. Boxpark will be open for five years, and stores may change after a year or two. Befitting the Shoreditch neighborhood, don't expect Claire's Accessories or the Gap, but rather street fashion, cool sneakers, and funky concept stores and art galleries Art Against Knives and Marimekko. Already a huge trend with restaurants, one-off shops, and hotels, the flexibility of the pop-up concept means an urban (or anywhere, since the containers can be moved!) location, up-and-coming designers, and more creative retail spaces.

Check out all the retailers at www.boxpark.co.uk plus info on sales and special offers.

Filed under: Europe, United Kingdom

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/weblogsinc/gadling/~3/Vafo8jJmflo/

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2008 Ford Escape LEATHER SUNROOF AWD - $14,900

• Interior Colour Tan Leather
• Exterior Colour CLAY
• Category SUV / Crossover
• Condition Excellent (Used)
• Fuel Type Gasoline
• Trans. Automatic
• Doors 4-door
• Engine 6-cylinder
• Drive Type All Wheel Drive

"ONE OWNER WELL MAINTAINED EXCELLENT CONDITION
ALL VEHICLES CAR PROOF VERIFIED
E TESTED CERTIFIED & SERVICED"

• Safety
  • Anti-Lock Brakes
  • Driver Air Bag
  • Fog Lights
  • Passenger Air Bag
  • Security System
  • Side Air Bag
  • Traction Control
  • Heated Mirrors
  • Rear Window Defrost
  • Child Seat Anchors
  • Anti-Theft System
• Power Options
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Windows
  • Power Steering
  • Power Door Locks
  • Power Trunk
  • Power Seats

• Exterior
  • Tinted Glass
  • Alloy Wheels
• Comfort
  • Air Conditioning
  • Keyless Entry
  • Tilt Steering Wheel
  • Sunroof / Moonroof
  • Steering Wheel Controls
• Convenience
• Seating
  • Bucket Seats
  • Folding Rear Seat
  • Heated Seats
  • Leather Seats
  • Split Rear Seat
  • Lumbar Support

• Media / Nav / Comm
  • Premium Sound System
  • CD Changer
  • AM/FM CD Player
• Warranty
  • Balance of Factory Warranty

Type your address in the From input box for turn-by-turn directions!

The finance application will open in a new window!

Source: http://www.carpages.ca/used/2008/Ford/Escape/Beamsville/Ontario/886667

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Surprise ?gift pets? are not recommended | Nooga.com

Published Saturday, December 24, 2011 3:12 am EST

Animal care experts say giving the gift of a pet this holiday season should not be done without serious consideration beforehand.

"Whether it is something as small as a mouse or as big as a dog, you are essentially giving a responsibility to someone ... it is important to make sure you really know a person," Adam Goldfarb, director of pet care issues for the U.S. Humane Society, said. "I would not recommend giving pets as gifts in general."

Any potential pet owners must consider time, training, patience, safety and cost before deciding to take on the responsibility of an animal, Karen Walsh, executive director of the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center, said.

"Pets require you to get up and walk them, feed them, provide them with love and attention," Walsh said. "If you can not provide them with all of the requirements of a good pet owner then please do not get one ... In order to socialize your pet they have to have time with you as a member of the family."

Pets can make a good gift but only if the recipient is willing and able to accept the animal, she said. Rather than giving a pet as a present, a photo of an animal or a certificate to adopt an animal is a better alternative.

Lost pets Currently, the return to owner rate for lost pets in Chattanooga is about 2 percent, Walsh said. That number is an improved number after 165 more dogs returned to their owners this year than in 2009. Microchipping, which is available at almost every vets office, is a simple and inexpensive way to make sure if your pet is found then it will be returned to you.

"Most people also want to bond with their own animal," she said. "We recommend a gift certificate for the adoption so the recipient can choose their own pet. Many elderly people get blindsided by the gift of a puppy or kitten when well-meaning adult children decide to get mom or dad a companion. Surprise pets are usually not a good idea."

Because of McKamey's adoption counselors, the shelter does not have problems with animal returns after the holidays, Walsh said.

"Our adoption counselors have extensive conversations with potential adopters so they realize that this is a lifelong commitment, not a holiday treat," she said. "We may bring them home for the holidays but we love them for life."

Although McKamey doesn't see an increase in returned animals after the holidays, Walsh said there is an increase in animals who were "gift pets" who are later surrendered to the shelter.

"There is an issue with expectations," Goldfarb said. "It is easy to picture the puppy under the tree with the wrapping paper and it's super cute, but you have to think beyond that."

So far this year, Walsh said, 2,174 pets have been adopted from McKamey. She said she expects the numbers to increase as the year ends, because more people will have vacation time available and can choose to adopt a pet themselves when they have time to enjoy it.

Source: http://www.nooga.com/27062_surprise-gift-pets-are-not-recommended/

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Nike Air Jordan Release Sparks Widespread Chaos

The holidays always bring out the crazy, but this is absurd.

A version of Nike's Air Jordan 11 Retro Concord shoe went on sale at midnight, with crowds lining up at stores across the country before they were even open.

An early crowd in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, outside D.C., had to dispersed by police this morning after chaos and unruliness ensued, authorities said.

In Loudoun County, Virginia, more than 250 people gathered in a parking lot at the Dulles Town Center Mall because of advertised sales starting at 3 p.m.

Some managed to enter the mall before it opened, authorities said, overwhelming deputies and mall security and prompting frantic calls for assistance.

No arrests were made, though one woman suffered a leg injury and a pickpocketing was reported. Tickets for entry were later distributed by lottery.

In Annapolis, mall security requested police assistance around 5:30 a.m. Friday when an impatient crowd grew to over 500 people, according to reports.

In Indianapolis, a store’s door was torn off its hinges, while an Atlanta crowd also knocked down doors, and police had to pepper spray Seattle mall-goers.

Hey. This is a once-in-a-lifetime basketball shoe. Burns from pepper spray heal eventually, but there will never be another MJ. Just think about that.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/nike-retro-air-jordan-release-sparks-widespread-chaos/

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Henderson community welcomes home Navy E-2

HENDERSON, TX (KLTV)-

A big welcome home Friday for a young lady who's keeping a family tradition of service to country alive.

A roaring reception for Navy E-2 Kimberly Centers as she arrived home in Henderson.

Centers was greeted by Welcome Home Soldier members and her family.

The 19-year-old Henderson High graduate comes from an impressive family line. Her father, grand-father and great-grand-father all served in the military.

Willie Centers, Kimberly's father stated, "I am very proud of my daughter. This is the best thing possibly that could happen to her, I'm very proud of her achievements."

"I like it," says Kimberly, "It's an honor--makes me feel good doing what I do,"

Centers is home for two weeks leave before returning to duty in California.

Copyright 2011 KLTV. All rights reserved.

Source: http://henderson.kltv.com/news/news/75869-henderson-community-welcomes-home-navy-e-2

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Arlington grave markers may need replacement

ARLINGTON, Va.?? Thousands of grave markers at Arlington National Cemetery may need to be replaced or added to accurately account for the dead, following a meticulous Army review of each of the nearly 260,000 headstones and niche covers on the grounds.

In a report to Congress on Thursday, the Army found potential discrepancies between headstones and cemetery paperwork on about 64,000 grave markers ? about one in four.

Congress ordered the review last year following reports of misidentified and misplaced graves that led to the ouster of the cemetery's top executives.

The report found no further evidence of misplaced graves, though it cautioned that its review is not complete and that some errors could have gone undetected.

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There are potentially thousands of minor errors, including misspelled names, or incorrect military ranks and dates of birth and death.

Story: Senator: Arlington Cemetery has improved since scandal

The Army compared information on every headstone to its internal records, scouring handwritten logs of the dead from the Civil War and a hodgepodge of other records to verify accuracy.

In an interview, the cemetery's executive director, Kathryn Condon, said reviews are ongoing and it's premature to try to estimate exactly how many headstones may need replacement.

To be sure, many of the 64,000 discrepancies will turn up no problem with a headstone ? it may be as simple as a typo on an internal record. And in many cases, the discrepancies are not errors at all but reflect past practices at the cemetery that are now considered outdated.

Story: Volunteers lay 90K wreaths at Arlington cemetery

One of the biggest surprises uncovered by the review was that in most of the early 20th century, the cemetery did not include the name of a wife on a headstone when she was buried next to her husband. Under current practices, the name of the spouse is etched onto the back of the headstone.

Condon said the cemetery will correct that by adding the spouse's name to the gravesite. She said it is not only the right thing to do but is also required by law.

Accounting for the forgotten spouses alone will require thousands of corrections, officials said. In some cases, replacement headstones will be made. In cases where the headstones are considered historic, footstones will be added.

The Army and a team of 70 analysts are undertaking painstaking reviews of every case where they find a potential discrepancy to ensure that records are made accurate. Those reviews are expected to be completed in the summer.

The process began with a hand count, using simple mechanical clickers, of every gravesite ? 259,978 to be exact. (More than 300,000 people are buried at Arlington, but some grave markers have two or more names.) Then, during the summer, members of the Army's ceremonial Old Guard unit used iPhones to photograph the front and back of every headstone, so the information could be compared against internal records.

Officials cited Christian Keiner, a Civil War veteran from New York who died in 1919, as a typical example. The headstone reflected only his name, but internal records showed that his wife, Caroline Keiner, had also been buried there in 1915. In addition, the internal records spelled Caroline Keiner's name as "Kiner." Officials reviewed handwritten Census records from 1900 and Civil war-era military and pension records to confirm that "Keiner" was indeed the correct spelling.

John Schrader, co-chair of the Gravesite Accountability Task Force, said recordkeeping methods varied widely over the cemetery's 147-year history, from handwritten logs to index cards, to typewritten forms and two different computer databases. That sometimes compounded problems, as transcription errors were common. To avoid those problems, all of the old records have been scanned and digitized, rather than transcribed, to avoid introducing further errors, he said.

The sheer size of the cemetery also made the task difficult. It is the second-largest cemetery in the country as well as a tourist site that draws more than 4 million visitors a year, all while conducting nearly 30 burials a day, some with full military honors.

The most significant part of the review, Condon said, is that the cemetery for the first time has a single, reliable database that will allow officials to fix past mistakes and plan for the future.

The cemetery is currently testing an interactive, web-based version of its database that will allow visitors to click on a digital map to see gravesites and learn who is buried there, ensuring the cemetery's records are open and accessible going forward.

"We'll have 300 million American fact-checkers," Schrader said.

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

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45768646/ns/us_news-life/

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Why Don?t They Sell Eggnog Year-Round?

Although associated with the holidays, eggnog doesn?t need to be seasonal. Dairy plants could produce small batches of eggnog off-season for hard-core nogheads, but they don?t because it?s not cost-effective. Even a small run involves processing the ingredients, cleaning the machinery out, and updating the labels and packaging. It also takes up space on delivery trucks, and grocers need to figure out where to put it in on the shelves. In other words, off-season eggnog is a big hassle, and would appropriate resources from products that dairy makers know will sell?for example, white milk and chocolate milk, which have consistent demand throughout the year.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=10bb3944b271246b31ee84f79f1b9039

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iMAME emulation app hits the App Store, humanity cheers in unison

No interest in snapping up an iCade? No sweat. Jim VanDeventer has just pushed today's app-to-end-all-apps into Apple's App Store, and while it's only been live for a few hours, iMAME is already on a mission to change the world. Built-in titles include Circus, Crash, Hard Hat, Fire One, Robot Bowl, Side Track, Spectar, Star Fire and Targ, and while it's not officially endorsed by Nicola Salmoria or the MAME Team, you can certainly pretend. It's available now in the source link for precisely nothing, and yes, both the iPhone and iPad (and iPod touch!) are supported. Get it while the gettin' is good.

[Thanks, Gary]

iMAME emulation app hits the App Store, humanity cheers in unison originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/imame-emulation-app-hits-the-app-store-humanity-cheers-in-uniso/

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