Kevin Garnett tells George Karl he loves cancer patients

A little more than a month ago, Kevin Garnett(notes) raised the ire of the basketballing community when he called Charlie Villanueva(notes) — who has alopecia — a "cancer patient" while trash-talking during a game. It was a messy moment for one of the game's loudest on-court players, a point at which his insane competitiveness was shown to the world as a pretty damn nasty habit.

Garnett tried to clear things up by saying that he called Villanueva "cancerous to your team and our league," but no one quite believed that one. Yet that apology paled in importance to the one he had to give Wednesday night.
[Related: Golfer wears pink pants in touching gesture]

In case you missed it, the Celtics played George Karl's Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. Karl, as you may

Wall Street boosted by jobs data, euro weighs, BAH News

Stocks rose modestly after encouraging labor market data renewed optimism the fragile economic recovery was track, but gains were limited by a decline in the euro.
The Dow Jones industrial average was off 8.10 points, or 0.07 percent, to 11,364.38. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 1.62 points, or 0.13 percent, to 1,229.90. The Nasdaq Composite Index edged up 3.59 points, or 0.14 percent, at 2,612.75.
European shares hit a 26-month high on optimism US tax cuts would boost consumption, with technology stocks boosted after ASML lifted its booking forecast.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares was 0.3 percent higher at 1,122.96 points.
Japan's Nikkei average climbed 0.5 percent and briefly hit a seven-month high as foreign funds shifted their focus to financials from exporters in their continued buying spree in Tokyo stocks.
The benchmark Nikkei closed the day up 0.5 percent at
10,285.88. At one point it hit a seven-month high of 10,298.25.

Fitch slashes Ireland to BBB+ on bank restructure, BAH News

Fitch Ratings slashed Ireland's credit rating by three notches to BBB+ from A+ and put it on a stable outlook, saying the downgrade reflected the additional costs of restructuring and supporting the banking system.
"The scale and pace of the deterioration of public finances, continuing contingent fiscal and macro-financial risks emanating from the banking sector means that Ireland's sovereign credit profile is no longer consistent with a high investment grade rating," Fitch said in a statement.
It added that while Ireland had received relative security via emergency funding from the EU and IMF, the highly uncertain economic outlook and loss of market access had also contributed to the downgrade.

Clashes as UK parliament debates student fees, BAH News

Hundreds of protesters clashed with police in front of the British parliament in central London ahead of a vote on university tuition fees which will test the strength of the coalition government.
Demonstrators threw missiles and placards at police in the square in front of parliament. Mounted police then tried to break up the crowd in increasingly chaotic scenes.
Police said they had attempted to contain protesters in the square after flares, snooker balls and paint balls were thrown at them. The protesters tried to push the police back using metal barriers.
Commentators said the vote was the biggest challenge faced by the coalition during its seven months in office.
"The vote on tuition fees will be the first ... acid test of how the coalition holds together," said Ben Page, chief executive of pollsters Ipsos MORI.
The honeymoon is over for the coalition parties, he said, but securing recovery from recession is voters' biggest worry.
"Tuition fees may be a storm in a teacup ... the state of the economy is absolutely the issue," Page said.
Inside parliament, the government defended the plans ahead of the vote on an issue which has divided the coalition and already sparked violent protests in London last month.
The bill is expected to pass in a vote today evening, but some members of the Liberal Democrats, the junior partner in the Conservative-led coalition, were expected to oppose it.
A handful of Conservatives may also rebel.

'Criminal organizations are taking advantage of out-of-control immigration,' Mayor Macri says

Amidst the controversy that arose after the violent eviction process in Villa Soldati, city mayor Mauricio Macri blamed the current situation on "criminal organizations" taking advantage of "out-of-control immigration," and advised people who buy property "in good faith" not to do it again since "the government is not going to allow the purchase of public space."

Gendarmería promete agilizar los trámites en la frontera, TDF news

El Segundo Comandante de Gendarmería y Jefe de la Sección Reforzada Río Grande, Virgilio Ferreira Ortellado, en Radio Fueguina manifestó que se aumentó la cantidad de personal en San Sebastián y se duplicó el sistema informático. Dijo que no solicitarán la RTO.

Boyadjian alertó sobre las “cartoneras” radicadas en la ciudad , TDF News

A raíz del reclamo formulado por vecinos de Río Grande, la concejal Miriam Boyadjian advirtió la situación que existe en las denominadas “cartoneras” y recordó que esta vigente “la prohibición de hacer acopio a cielo abierto” además manifestó que hay lugares dónde “existe mucjavascript:void(0)ha desidia”.

Distress in Antarctica: Cruise Ship Faces 30-Foot Waves - TIME NewsFeed

When the power went out and the ship's windows shattered, passengers suddenly cared a lot less about their en-suite marble bathrooms.

Outer island berths ready for MV 'Otuanga'ofa ferry

TONGA'S new inter-islands ferry, moored in the Nuku'alofa harbour since it arrived on October 15, was moved to its new berth place at the Queen Salote Wharf yesterday, December 8 - leaving everyone guessing on when the ferry will make its maiden run to Vava'u and Ha'apai.

Tongan dress impresses Miss SP Pageant

Winner "Best Traditional Wear", Miss Tonga Mafi Tu'inukuafe
WITHOUT the support of her family Mafi Tu'inukuafe, Tonga's Miss Heilala 2010-11, would not have been able to represent Tonga at the Miss South Pacific Pageant held in Papua New Guinea from November 21-27, where she impressed the judges with her fabulous traditionally-inspired dress.

Christmas-New Year Holidays, Gifts, Travel ....

Financial news, money, banks, stock, economic, crisis ...

OFF THE RUN: Stocks To Beat Bonds In 2011 On Economic Outlook Wall Street Journal "Safe-haven buying has brought US yields down this year, but as Europe and the US get back on track finally after the worst financial crisis since the Great ... See all stories on this topic »

The Federal Reserve's $3.3 Trillion Insider Loans Follow a History of Corrupt ... Huffington Post (blog) Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Ron Paul led the efforts to pass an audit bill of the Fed activities during the recent economic and financial crisis. ... See all stories on this topic »

CNO Markets Debt as Junk Yield Spreads Plummet: New Issue Alert Bloomberg Proceeds may be used with $340 million of bank debt and $370 million of new common stock to pay for its acquisition by Veritas Capital, S&P said. ... See all stories on this topic »

UAE participates in third BDF in Indonesia

WAM Bali, Dec 9th, 2010 (WAM) -- UAE is participating in the Third Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) inaugurated yesterday by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia in the presence of a number of Head of states, governments, ministers, representatives of States, international organizations and non-governmental organizations.

Indonesia to Help Timor Leste Join ASEAN

VIVAnews - Timor Leste, the youngest democratic state in the region, has expressed its intention for a membership in ASEAN. However, the ASEAN member countries have yet to give a nod to the proposal.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono nonetheless has showed a gesture of friendship by assuring Timor Leste about, during Indonesia's leadership, getting ASEAN membership next year.

Palace rejects calls for PNoy to overhaul legal team, Philippines

Malacañang on Thursday junked again suggestions to overhaul the presidential legal team after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled as unconstitutional President Benigno Simeon Aquino III's Executive Order No. 1 creating the Truth Commission.
In a radio interview, Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. maintained that Aquino still trusts his legal team.

PNoy beefs up legal team, taps mom's adviser, Dec 09, 2010

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III is tapping the services of his mother's former lawyer following Malacañang's latest judicial setback at the Supreme Court. Aquino said he invited former Court of Appeals Justice Magdangal Elma to help map out the executive branch's strategy after the High Court declared as unconstitutional Executive Order 1 creating the Truth Commission.











info@als-alexander.org or interalex1@yahoo.com

How to Profit From Europe's Stealthy Resurgence

By Martin Hutchinson

European countries - both inside and outside the Eurozone - are slashing their budget deficits.
Greece, Portugal and Spain - three of the so-called "PIGS" - have to do so, of course. But Germany - generally reckoned to be in excellent shape - is also cutting its deficit, as is France, which hasn't run a budget surplus in 40 years. Britain, too, with no need to protect the euro (it's not a Eurozone member) just introduced a budget that cut the deficit by $140 billion over four years.

Obama Now Must Rally Democrats to Seal Tax Deal With GOP

By Don Miller

President Barack Obama on Monday struck a deal with Republicans to extend the Bush-era tax cuts and federal unemployment insurance as well as a host of other tax breaks, but now he faces an uphill battle to convince reluctant members of his own party to go along.
Ignoring Democratic opposition, President Obama agreed to the compromise package, which cuts taxes on businesses in an effort to help the economy recover.

Asia's Surging Economic Growth Pushes Global IPO Market to Record High That Will Continue in 2011

By Kerri Shannon

Despite market volatility and a shaky economic recovery, the global initial public offering (IPO) market for 2010 is on track to hit a record high – and 2011 is poised to continue the hot streak.
A study by accounting group Ernst & Young yesterday (Wednesday) showed that funds raised through global IPOs are expected to surpass $300 billion in 2010, topping the 2007 record of $295 billion. IPOs in the first 11 months of the year collected $255.3 billion in 1,199 deals.

Russian Oil & Gas Sector Headed for Major Shakeup

By Kent Moors, Ph.D.

SURGUT CITY, Central Russia – Welcome to Surgut City, about 1,325 miles east of Moscow in the Surgut district, which in turn is the primary area of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region (KMAR).
I am here at the request of the Russian Ministry of Energy, to sit as an outside member on a task force reviewing production options for the next five years.

Greece News

Nation Branding: 5 things Greece should do | Dot Kite
By Thomas Mylonas
Greece's nation brand image is suffering badly from the Greek government's debt crisis, and the country has to do something about it urgently. Greece has no positive brand in the modern sense of the word and it needs to improve it. ... Naming: Before re-creating a brand for Greece, we should start from the most important element, the name. The Hellenic Republic (official name of Greece) is most commonly known as Greece and less commonly known as Hellas. ...
Dot Kite - http://www.dotkite.eu/

World News

China must do more to restrain N. Korea, Mullen says Washington Post By Chico Harlan TOKYO - As North Korea on Wednesday startled Seoul by firing artillery off the peninsula's west coast, the top US military official directed sharp criticism at China for its "tacit approval" of North Korea's recent behavior. ... See all stories on this topic »

Ivory Coast: UN Affirms Vote Results New York Times By REUTERS The incumbent president, Laurent Gbagbo, had no grounds to dispute the results of the Nov. 28 presidential election that gave the victory to his rival, the United Nations said Wednesday after reviewing the vote. ... See all stories on this topic »

Designing an enforceable climate law ABC Online The impending failure of the international climate conference at Cancun is the latest in a string of failures going back 20 years, to the negotiations that crafted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). I was at the UN Conference that ... See all stories on this topic » ABC Online

Overcrowding a "disgrace," Chilean says after deadly prison fire Fox News Santiago – At least 81 inmates died in a fire that erupted early Wednesday at a packed penitentiary in the Chilean capital, prompting President Sebastian Piñera to label the country's prison overcrowding problem a "disgrace." The blaze broke out at the ... See all stories on this topic »

Dhaka-Ctg-Sylhet train service resumes partially The Daily Star Rail communications on Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes resumed partially Wednesday night nearly five hours after two trains collided head-on in Narsingdi, killing 14 people. The authorities resumed train services on track No-3 since 9:00pm ... See all stories on this topic »

US embassy cables: Uganda's president eroding 'an African success story' The Guardian Monday, 19 October 2009, 11:29 CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 04 KAMPALA 001197 SIPDIS FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON FROM AMBASSADOR LANIER EO 12958 DECL: 10/18/2019 TAGS PREL, PGOV, PINS, PHUM, EAID, KDEM, UG SUBJECT: UGANDA: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF ... See all stories on this topic »

Blair's back BBC News By Peter Biles BBC world affairs correspondent It is not immediately obvious what questions the members of the Iraq Inquiry want to put to Tony Blair when he is recalled to give further evidence next month. However, a significant number of key ... See all stories on this topic »

Violence in Iraq kills three and injures Iranian pilgrims CNN International (CNN) -- A series of attacks Wednesday killed two government officials and a civilian and injured 20, including a group of Iranian pilgrims marking the holy month of Muharrram. In the al-Taji area, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Baghdad, ... See all stories on this topic »

For US airport security, saree seems to be the hardest word Times of India WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: Security in the United States is never having to wear...a saree? India's ambassador to Washington, Meera Shankar, who brings sartorial grace and poise to the largely grey-suited diplomatic world with her elegantly draped sarees, ... See all stories on this topic »

WikiLeaks: Shell 'knows everything' about the Nigerian government Telegraph.co.uk The top Shell executive in Nigeria told US diplomats that the company "knows everything" about decisions made in all the main ministries of the Nigerian government, according to WikiLeaks documents. By Our Foreign Staff 7:00AM GMT 09 Dec 2010 Shell's ... See all stories on this topic » Fall of the Australian Dollar | World News Heard now By Kara.Thomas It seems the decision made by American President Barack Obama to maintain the policy of tax cuts affected the course of the Australian dollar while the U.S. World News Heard now - http://www.worldnewsheardnow.com/ University World News - IRAN: Student stars that punish, not reward Some 217 individuals are named in the report, but director of the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Hadi Ghaemi, told University World News many more were too frightened to give their names. ... University World News - http://www.universityworldnews.com/ Italy's 'Obama', BBC World News By Busby SEO Italy's 'Obama'. BBC World News, Busby SEO Challenge. Busby SEO Challenge - http://www.denniscabase.com/busbyseochallenge/ PRIVATE SPACECRAFT BRINGS BACK ALIENS! | Weekly World News By J.B. Smitts But an inside source at NASA headquarters had some exclusive information to reveal to the Weekly World News. “Those aliens are better off in NASA's hands,” said the source, who wishes to remain nameless. “I know that those SpaceX guys ... Weekly World News - http://weeklyworldnews.com/ Mancebo To Captain RealCyclist.com Professional Cycling Team ... By admin cycling news, bicycle racing news, race results, bicycle reviews. Bike World News - http://www.bikeworldnews.com/

LIFESTYLE, Entertainment, Music, Fashion, Sports, Dec 09, 2010

Week in review: Week ending 8 December 2010 Media Update Jamie cooks up a festive feast Jamie Cooks Christmas premieres on Monday, 13 December at 20:30 on BBC Lifestyle. The hour-long special will be packed with ... See all stories on this topic »

AKATSUKI Venus orbit injection plan to be reviewed

JAXA found that we have failed to inject the Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI" into the planned Venus orbit after conducting the Venus orbit insertion maneuver (VOI-1) on December 7. While we set up a new investigation team to study the cause and countermeasures, we will also review the Venus orbit injection plan again to take the next opportunity in six years when the AKATSUKI flies closest to Venus.

ESA Portal - Long-distance ultrasound exams controlled by joystick

Remote-controlled ARTIS ultrasound device used on a patient
Long-distance ultrasound exams controlled by joystick
Ultrasound is an extremely useful medical technique, provided the operator has the expertise. In small clinics, however – and still more on spacecraft – trained radiologists are rare.

Space News, NASA, ESA, The Planetary Society ...

SpaceX rocket launch heralded as successful test of commercial spaceflight Washington Post exclaimed Bill Nye, the executive director of the Planetary Society, a large and active space advocacy group founded by Carl Sagan and space engineer Louis ... See all stories on this topic » Washington Post

Bill Nye Congratulates SpaceX The Planetary Society Today, its international membership makes the non-governmental Planetary Society the largest space interest group in the world. Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray and ... See all stories on this topic »

Japanese Probe Misses Mark on Venus Discovery News "The Planetary Society regrets that the innovative Akatsuki spacecraft seems to have missed its opportunity to lock into an orbit of Venus. ... See all stories on this topic »

DLR and NASA conclude bilateral framework agreement German Aerospace Centre In terms of space, the emphasis will be on Earth observation and conducting research in the space environment, as well as space operations and planetary ... See all stories on this topic »