Obama Invokes Newtown on 'Cliff' Deal

Invoking the somber aftermath of the school massacre in Newtown, Conn., President Obama today appealed to congressional Republicans to embrace a standing "fair deal" on taxes and spending that would avert the fiscal cliff in 13 days."If there's one thing we should have after this week, it should be a sense of perspective about what's important," Obama said at a midday news conference."I...

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Today on New Scientist: 18 December 2012

Violent polar storms help control the world's weather Without the mini-hurricanes which form over the Arctic, the world could face massive weather disruptionAncient city of Troy rebranded itself after war Changing styles of pottery 3200 years ago show the Trojans were quick to align themselves with the region's new political powerCourt ruling will clarify end-of-life decisions Canada's supreme...

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AU Optronics executive guilty in LCD price-fixing case

SAN FRANCISCO: A US jury on Tuesday found a former senior manager at Taiwan-based AU Optronics Corp guilty of taking part in a global scheme to rig prices of liquid crystal display screens.Shiu Lung Leung faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine for his crime, according to the US Department of Justice.Marketplace rivals fixed the prices of LCD panels during...

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House approves Netflix-backed changes to video privacy law

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a Netflix-backed bill today that would make it easier for people to share their video-viewing habits online, while failing to act on an e-mail privacy measure.By voice vote, members of the House approved H.R. 6671, which amends the Video Privacy Protection Act to allow video rental companies to obtain consent from customers in order to share information about...

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Race Is On to Find Life Under Antarctic Ice

A hundred years ago, two teams of explorers set out to be the first people ever to reach the South Pole. The race between Roald Amundsen of Norway and Robert Falcon Scott of Britain became the stuff of triumph, tragedy, and legend. (See rare pictures of Scott's expedition.)Today, another Antarctic drama is underway that has a similar daring and intensity—but very different stakes.Three...

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Newtown Shooting: Bushmaster Under Fire

When the private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management announced Tuesday it would unload its interest in Bushmaster – the company that built the weapon used in last week's mass murder of 20 Connecticut first graders -- it marked the beginning of what experts say is likely to be a challenging period for the North Carolina-based weapons manufacturer."They are looking at...

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Fungal frog killer hops into crayfish

Crayfish are vulnerable to the same fungus that is killing frogs all over the world. The discovery helps explain how the disease spreads even after all the amphibians in an area have been wiped out. Worryingly, chemicals released by the fungus may alone be enough to kill. ...

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Football: Singapore, Thailand vie for record fourth title

SINGAPORE: Singapore and Thailand will vie for the honour of becoming Southeast Asia's first four-time champions when the AFF Suzuki Cup final gets under way on Wednesday.Both teams have won the title three times, during a period in which they shared it for the first six editions, and they are reunited in the two-legged final after both failed to reach the semis at the last tournament...

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Tip: Quickly back up OS X system files and settings before tweaking

OS X ships with a default configuration and set of settings adjustment options that should work for most people's needs; however, there are times when you might wish to adjust a hidden setting or two, or troubleshoot problems by adjusting settings, databases, caches, and other files that are buried in various system folders. There are numerous online resources that can help, but even if you are comfortable...

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Newtown Boy Remembered as 'Old Soul'

Dec 17, 2012 6:02pm Family of Daniel Barden, who died in the Connecticut school shootings. From left, his brother James, 12, and his parents, Mark and Jackie. (Image Credit: ABC)Though he was only in first grade, Daniel Barden was very much an “old soul,” his family said today.  He was one of the 20 children who died Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in...

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