LA prosecutors seek to violate Lohan's probation

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Los Angeles prosecutors on Tuesday asked a judge to revoke Lindsay Lohan's probation and schedule a hearing that could lead to the actress' return to jail.

The filing came one day before Lohan is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday on three misdemeanor charges filed last month related to a June car crash.

Lohan will not need to be present for Wednesday's arraignment on charges she lied to Santa Monica police, was driving recklessly and obstructed an officer from performing duties related to the crash investigation. She remains on probation for a 2011 necklace theft case and could be sentenced to 245 days in jail if a judge determines her conduct was a probation violation.

Her attorney Shawn Holley did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

City attorney's spokesman Frank Mateljan said any probation violation proceedings are likely to be heard after the Santa Monica case. Prosecutors allege Lohan lied about being a passenger in her Porsche when it crashed on Pacific Coast Highway on the way to a film shoot.

The "Liz and Dick" star was released from supervised probation in March after completing several months of court appearances and morgue cleanup duty.

Lohan has yet to be booked on the new charges and a judge on Wednesday will likely set bail and the terms of her release.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/la-prosecutors-seek-violate-lohans-probation-013247302.html

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Drug combination acts against aggressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Dec. 10, 2012 ? A two-prong approach combining ibrutinib and rituximab (Rituxin?) to treat aggressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) produced profound responses with minor side effects in a Phase 2 clinical trial at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Researchers presented the results at the 54th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH).

"This is a patient population with a great need for more targeted therapies," said Jan Burger, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in MD Anderson's Department of Leukemia. Burger was lead author of the study.

"Many CLL patients, especially those with indolent or non-aggressive disease, do well on the standard treatment of chemotherapy and antibodies," he said. "But for a certain subset of high-risk patients, treatment often fails, and remissions, if they are achieved, are short."

According to the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database, CLL is the most common type of adult leukemia in the United States. An estimated 16,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year, and about 4,600 people will die because of the disease. Median age of diagnosis is 72, and it is more common in men than women.

Although chemotherapy combinations have improved the cure rate for CLL, side effects often are severe. A sizeable number of CLL deaths are from secondary cancers caused by treatment.

Early studies showed potential

Ibrutinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that thwarts B-cell receptor signaling, is a promising new targeted therapy for mature B-cell malignancies, including certain types of myeloma and lymphoma. It has been shown to be especially effective in CLL.

Over the past two years, Phase 1/2 trials at MD Anderson and other sites showed high-risk CLL patients responded as well as low-risk patients to ibrutinib. However, the response often is lessened because of persistent lymphocytosis, an increase in leukemia cells in the blood due to release of CLL cells from the tissues (lymph glands) into the blood stream. Rituximab, a well-established antibody, was added to capture the CLL cells in the blood and thereby accelerate and improve response.

"When we looked at how well the high-risk patients were doing on ibrutinib -- even though it was a small number -- we saw a great opportunity to find out if combining the two drugs would have a positive impact on these patients," Burger said.

Combination tolerated well

Forty patients with high-risk CLL were enrolled in the study earlier this year. They received:

* Daily oral doses of 420 mg ibrutinib throughout treatment

* Weekly infusions of rituximab (375 mg/m2) weeks one through four

* Monthly rituximab infusions for the next five months

At a median follow up of four months, 38 patients remained on ibrutinib therapy without disease progression. One patient died from an unrelated infectious complication, and one patient discontinued therapy due to oral ulcers.

Preliminary results: 85 percent response rate

Of 20 patients evaluated for early response at three months, 17 achieved partial remission for an overall response rate of 85%. Three achieved partial remission with persistent lymphocytosis.

Interestingly, lymphocytosis peaked earlier and the duration was shorter than with ibrutinib alone.

Treatment was well tolerated, with 13 cases of grade 3 or grade 4 toxicities, including neutropenia, fatigue, pneumonia, insomnia and bone aches. Most side effects were unrelated and transient. Many patients reported improved overall health and quality of life after three cycles of treatment.

"Although this study has a short follow-up time, we are encouraged by the fact that the vast majority of patients are responding and are able to continue on treatment, Burger said.

Development of ibrutinib for CLL crucial

Researchers said these data, together with the previous Phase 1/2 studies, emphasize the need for rapid further development of ibrutinib for high-risk CLL patients.

Pharmacyclics, the company that is developing ibrutinib, is proceeding with a Phase 3 multi-center clinical trial, in which MD Anderson will participate. Additionally, MD Anderson researchers will conduct a follow-up study on their research in high-risk CLL patients.

Other research team members from MD Anderson's Department of Leukemia included Michael Keating, M.D.; William Wierda, M.D., Ph.D.; Julia Hoellenriegel, M.S.; Alessandra Ferrajoli, M.D.; Stefan Faderl, M.D.; Susan Lerner, M.S.; Gracy Zacharian; Hagop Kantarjian, M.D.; and Susan O'Brien, M.D. Also participating were Xuelin Huang, Ph.D., of the Department of Biostatistics at MD Anderson; and Danelle James, M.D. and Joseph Buggy, Ph.D., of Pharmacyclics, Inc, Sunnyvale, CA.

Support for the study was provided by Pharmacyclics and CLL Global Research Foundation.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/9SigYjRYJU0/121210163432.htm

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Dating Violence in Teen Years Can Have Lasting Impact - Domestic ...

HealthDay News
by By Carina Storrs
HealthDay Reporter
Updated: Dec 10th 2012

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MONDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Teenagers who experience dating violence could be more likely to get involved in violent relationships and have health problems as young adults, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed surveys of nearly 6,000 teens across the United States that were taken when the teens were between the ages of 12 and 18, and again five years later. The surveys asked about physical and psychological violence in romantic relationships, and also about feeling depressed, having suicidal thoughts, drinking and doing drugs.

"What stood out was, across both genders and types of victimization, teens who experienced teen dating violence were two to three times more likely to be re-victimized by a partner in young adulthood," said study author Deinera Exner-Cortens, a graduate student in the department of human development at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

Exner-Cortens and her colleagues also found that teens who were victims of dating violence faced higher rates of depression, suicidal thoughts and heavy drinking, which varied by gender.

The findings were published online Dec. 10 and in the January 2013 print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

"Romantic relationships are really important developmental experiences, where [teens] develop their identity," Exner-Cortens said. "If these relationships aren't going very well, it somehow skews their view of what a healthy relationship is and their healthy development."

Previous research from nationwide surveys has found that about 20 percent of teens said they have experienced psychological violence in their relationship, such as being insulted or threatened.

Approximately 9 percent of teens reported that they experienced physical dating violence, such as being slapped, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the current study, Exner-Cortens and her colleagues looked at data that had been collected on nearly 5,700 heterosexual adolescents who had been in a dating or sexual relationship in the past year. The surveys, which were part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, included 52 middle schools and 80 high schools across the United States representing both urban and rural areas.

In the first round of surveys, interviewers asked the teens about psychological and physical violence. Interviewers also assessed whether the participants had depressive symptoms, suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem or antisocial behavior; had engaged in risky sexual behavior such as not using a condom; tried to control their weight through means such as vomiting or diet pills; or engaged in heavy drinking, cigarette smoking or illegal drug use.

Five years later, interviewers asked participants the same questions, when they were between the ages of 18 and 25, but instead of asking about both psychological and physical violence, they inquired about adult intimate partner violence, which is based only on physical violence.

Exner-Cortens and her colleagues found that psychological violence on its own could increase the likelihood of several unhealthy behaviors for girls and boys.

Girls were 44 percent more likely to drink heavily and 87 percent more likely to have partner violence as young adults, whereas boys were more likely to have antisocial behavior, 90 percent more likely to have suicidal thoughts, 34 percent more likely to use marijuana and more than twice as likely to experience partner violence as young adults.

The researchers found, however, that psychological and physical violence together seemed to have more long-term effects on girls than boys. Although girls who were victims of this type of teen dating violence were more likely to have symptoms of depression, twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts, 50 percent more likely to smoke and about three times as likely to have partner violence, the only association among boys was that they were three and a half times more likely to have partner violence.

This gender difference in long-term health outcomes of physical violence could be because girls experience physical violence differently than boys, Exner-Cortens said. "Males are more likely to laugh off physical violence, whereas girls feel it as a more fearful [experience]," she explained.

Although the findings do not prove that teen dating violence causes adult intimate partner violence or other health effects, it does suggest it is a risk factor, Exner-Cortens said.

Pamela Orpinas, professor of health promotion and behavior at the University of Georgia, was not surprised by the findings. Previous research has shown that teen dating violence is associated with a number of other health risk behaviors, she said.

"What is unclear is whether young people who have teen dating violence already have some other health-related problems," Orpinas said.

The findings underscore the need to screen teens for dating violence and intervene, the study authors said. "Parents, schools and health care providers all have important roles to play," Exner-Cortens said.

Adults who are close to the teens can play a big part in intervention, Orpinas said.

Parents can talk to their teens about their relationships in a positive and caring way, and make sure they know what is appropriate behavior in a relationship, Orpinas said. If parents feel that their child is having dating problems, they can try to get help from a school counselor or therapist, she added.

"We've done a lot of focus groups with adolescents on this topic, and consistently they say they would like to be able to talk with teachers and counselors and social workers about relationship issues," Orpinas said.

More information

For more information and support on teen dating violence, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics Connected Kids program.

Source: http://www.ncbhs.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=news&id=151529&cn=43

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Washington State Senate: Republicans Claim Majority After Democrats Defect

Two Democratic Washington state senators have decided to caucus with the opposition party, handing control of the state Senate to Republicans -- the second state Senate to flip to GOP control in less than a week.

State Sens. Rodney Tom (D-Bellevue) and Tim Sheldon (D-Potiatich) announced Monday that they would caucus with Senate Republicans, flipping the chamber's 26-23 Democratic majority to a 25-24 Republican coalition majority, The Seattle Times reports. Tom will become majority leader in the new coalition-led Senate, with committee chairmanships being split between both parties. Last week, five Democratic state senators in New York, who belong to the Independent Democratic Conference, formed a coalition with state Senate Republicans.

Tom and Sheldon told The Seattle Times they believed the new coalition would allow more effective governing.

"This is not about power. This is not about control," Tom told the newspaper. "This is about governing in a collaborative manner."

Tom's comments were similar to those by New York state Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx) on why his group joined Republicans. Under the New York plan, Klein and Senate GOP Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) will rotate the office of temporary president of the Senate every two weeks and will have equal say in setting the Senate agenda and making patronage appointments. In addition to the coalition, New York state Sen.-elect Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) said he would join the GOP caucus.

A Washington state Senate press release said Republicans would chair committees overseeing the budget, health care, education, government operations and elections, tribal relations, commerce, labor and the judiciary. Democrats will helm committees overseeing natural resources, parks, agriculture, trade, economic development, banking and insurance, higher education, the environment and water. Co-chairs will be named to committees overseeing corrections, human services, transportation and energy.

In New York, committee chairmanships have not been announced. For the past several years, New York's Senate has had several bipartisan committee chairs, with the Independent Democratic Conference members chairing four committees over the last two years. In 2010, under a Democratic majority, Republicans chaired the energy and mental health committees.

While New York saw the state Senate go from Republican to Democratic in the election before the flip, Democrats had retained the Washington state Senate in the election. The Washington House of Representatives remains Democratic, along with Gov.-elect Jay Inslee (D).

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/10/washington-state-senate-republican-majority_n_2273850.html

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Steroid hormone receptor prefers working alone to shut off immune system genes

Dec. 9, 2012 ? Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have obtained a detailed molecular picture that shows how glucocorticoid hormones shut off key immune system genes.

The finding could help guide drug discovery efforts aimed at finding new anti-inflammatory drugs with fewer side effects.

The results are scheduled for publication Dec. 9 by the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.

Synthetic glucocorticoid hormones -- for example, prednisone and dexamethasone -- are widely used to treat conditions such as allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases and cancer. They mimic the action of the natural hormone cortisol, which is involved in the response to stress and in regulating metabolism and the immune system. For this reason, synthetic glucocorticoids have a variety of severe side effects such as increased blood sugar and reduced bone density.

Both cortisol and synthetic hormones act by binding the glucocorticoid receptor, a protein that binds DNA and turns some genes on and others off. The hormone is required for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to enter the nucleus, giving it access to DNA.

For GR-targeting therapeutics, the desired anti-inflammatory effects are thought to come mainly from turning off inflammatory and immune system genes, while the side effects result from turning on genes involved in processes such as metabolism and bone growth.

The mechanism driving GR anti-inflammatory action has been debated, since was no GR binding site identified near these anti-inflammatory genes. Thus, GRs immunosupression was thought to occur indirectly, whereby GR blocks the ability of other critical DNA-binding proteins to stimulate gene expression. Last year French scientists discovered that the GR turns some immune system genes off directly by recognizing a distinct DNA sequence used only in gene repression.

Eric Ortlund, PhD, Emory assistant professor of biochemistry, and first author William Hudson, a Molecular and Systems Pharmacology graduate student, used X-rays to probe crystals of GR bound to a stretch of DNA where it acts "repressively" to shut down the transcription of immune genes.

When the GR turns genes on, two GR molecules grasp each other while binding to DNA. However, the mode of binding to DNA at repressive sequences had remained unknown. Their analysis demonstrated that GR binds to repressive sites in pairs, but with two monomeric GR molecules located on opposite sides of the DNA helix.

"This unexpected geometry was still a surprise because GR has never been crystallized as a monomer bound to DNA, though previous studies proposed that GR monomers repress genes as opposed to GR dimers, which activate genes," says Ortlund.

In addition, the two GR molecules bind to different DNA sequences within the repressive DNA element, Hudson and Ortlund found. They also analyzed how mutations affected the ability of GR to bind repressive sites, showing that binding of the first GR molecule inhibits the binding of a second GR molecule. This "negative cooperativity" may play a role in ensuring that only GR monomers bind to DNA.

The study suggests that a drug preventing GR from interacting with other GR molecules while still allowing them to bind DNA and turn genes off may have anti-inflammatory effects with fewer side effects. One such plant-based compound, "compound A," has been under investigation by several laboratories.

"Our structural data could help scientists design synthetic hormones that separate these two aspects of GR function, potentially leading to improved steroid hormones for diseases ranging from asthma to autoimmune disorders," says Ortlund.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Emory University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS. The original article was written by Quinn Eastman.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. William H Hudson, Christine Youn, Eric A Ortlund. The structural basis of direct glucocorticoid-mediated transrepression. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.2456

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/ImnVYyKj18I/121209152647.htm

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Taggart leaves Western Kentucky for South Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Willie Taggart has been hired as South Florida's new football coach after establishing himself as one of the nation's top young prospects by turning a losing program around at Western Kentucky.

USF scheduled a news conference for Saturday afternoon to introduce the 36-year-old, who grew up in the Tampa Bay area before heading off to play and later coach at Western Kentucky. He replaces Skip Holtz, who was fired following the worst season in USF's 16-year history.

Taggart led Western Kentucky to 7-5 record this season. The Hilltoppers will make their first bowl appearance against Central Michigan in the Little Caesars Bowl.

The former assistant to Jim Harbaugh takes over a program that went 16-21 under Holtz, who dropped nine of 10 games following a 2-0 start this season.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/taggart-leaves-western-kentucky-south-florida-141915103--spt.html

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Grieving Cowboys beat Bengals 20-19 on FG

CINCINNATI (AP) ? Numb. Grieving. Distracted. The Cowboys were all those things on Sunday, dealing with the death of one teammate and the tribulations of another.

Winners, too, though they hardly felt like it.

Dan Bailey kicked a 40-yard field goal as time ran out, sending the Cowboys to a 20-19 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that ended a tough afternoon with a little bit of relief and their playoff chances enhanced.

Didn't last long, though. There will be a lot more emotional days ahead in Dallas.

"It's a hard, hard situation we're in," quarterback Tony Romo said. "There's no playbook for this sort of thing in life."

The Cowboys overcame a nine-point deficit in the closing minutes behind Romo, who held his hand over his heart during a moment of silence to honor teammate Jerry Brown before the kickoff. The linebacker died in an auto accident early Saturday.

Defensive lineman Josh Brent, who was driving, was still jailed in Texas on Sunday, charged with intoxication manslaughter.

The Cowboys (7-6) learned about Brown's death on their flight to Cincinnati on Saturday. Coach Jason Garrett told his team that the best way to honor him was to play well in a game with playoff implications for both teams.

One of the visitors' metal lockers at Paul Brown Stadium had a strip of white athletic tape with "53 JERRY BROWN" attached to the top, a wooden stool inside sitting upside-down. Brown's No. 53 jersey was on the sideline during the game ? defensive tackle Jason Hatcher held it up after Bailey's kick decided it.

It wasn't much of a celebration by an emotionally spent team.

"I don't remember crying this much other than maybe the day I was born," defensive lineman Marcus Spears said. "With Josh's situation and Jerry being gone, you felt it."

Players couldn't keep the tragedy out of their thoughts during the game, finding their minds wandering on the bench.

"I rarely let my emotions get the best of me," fullback Lawrence Vickers said. "Today they did, but this was the place to do it."

Owner Jerry Jones described his team as grieving when it took the field. It was the second consecutive week that an NFL team was playing a day after losing a teammate. Kansas City beat Carolina 27-21 one day after linebacker Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend and then himself at the Chiefs' practice complex.

When Bailey's kick ended it, the Cowboys had a lot of thoughts racing through their heads.

"The last 24 hours has really been something I've never experienced," Romo said. "It's something I've never experienced, and I think a lot of guys will tell you that. It's just been a roller coaster of emotions.

"It was a very ? and still is ? a very difficult thing that this football team is dealing with."

The Cowboys salvaged the game by scoring on their last two drives against the Bengals (7-6), who had won four in a row and had a chance to move into position for an AFC wild-card berth with a victory.

Romo threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant with 6:35 to go. Anthony Spencer's sack of Andy Dalton forced a punt, and Romo completed four passes on the drive to Bailey's winning kick.

Romo finished 25 of 43 for 268 yards with a touchdown, an interception and three sacks. DeMarco Murray converted a third-and-5 play to extend the final drive and ended up with 53 yards on 21 carries.

Newcomer Josh Brown kicked field goals of 25, 33, 25 and 52 yards for Cincinnati, which wasted an opportunity to move ahead of Pittsburgh for the second AFC wild card.

"They came here in an emotional situation, and you knew they were going to fight all the way," Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth said. "That game meant a lot to them. They played great."

Dallas played a sloppy game until the closing minutes ? nothing out of character there ? and had a few especially bad moments.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan went onto the field and yelled at a Bengals player who had said something to the Cowboys bench, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Dallas in the third quarter. Dallas also was penalized for 12 men on the field during the drive, which ended with Brown's third field goal and a 16-10 Cincinnati lead.

In the end, a defense that has allowed only three touchdowns in the last four games couldn't hold on. And the Bengals made it tough on themselves by using all three of their timeouts early in the second half, leaving them unable to stop the clock on Dallas' final drive.

Dalton was 20 of 33 for 206 yards with five sacks, one touchdown and an interception that Brandon Carr returned 37 yards to set up Murray's 1-yard touchdown dive in the second quarter.

NOTES: Bailey's game-winner was his second of the season. His 38-yarder beat Cleveland in overtime. It was Bailey's sixth game-winning FG, second in Cowboys history behind Rafael Septien's seven. ... Bryant caught four passes for 50 yards, leaving him with 1,028 yards for the season. It's his first 1,000-yard receiving season and the first by a Cowboy since 2009 (Miles Austin and Jason Witten). ... Bryant has caught a TD pass in five straight games, the longest streak of his career. ... Romo's 25 completions gave him a club-record 349 for the season. He completed his last 12 throws the previous game and his first five on Sunday, setting a club record with 17 straight completions. ... Bengals RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 89 yards on 12 carries, breaking his streak of three straight 100-yard games.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/grieving-cowboys-beat-bengals-20-19-fg-212622807--spt.html

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A Holiday Birth! : Mom Knows It All. ? PR Friendly New Jersey Mom ...

You are here: Home ? This and That ? A Holiday Birth!

I don?t hae a lot of experience with baby showers. I planned one impromptu small one and that?s it. I never really gave them a ton of thought, which is why I found this article sent to me by Jeni thought provoking.

baby shower

Whether it?s the birth of Jesus, a New Year to look forward to, or just a new holiday to enjoy, this is the time of year when we all think of new beginnings. Nowhere is a new beginning more celebrated than in the tradition of baby showers. Plenty of new mothers are awaiting their own newborns during this season. A holiday theme is a very? fitting and festive one to plan a baby shower around.

From the traditional Santa motif to a more abstract winter inspired one, the possibilities are infinite. It?s important, however, to harmonize the season with the overall baby shower theme. Choosing one visual or topical theme and threading it through all the party supplies, from quality invitations to personalized baby gifts, will help create excitement about the shower. It also helps the party planner set up a structure around which to plan the event.

One topical theme, even a general one like winter itself, can be combined with a baby shower for a unique event. A winter colors blue and silver theme might be a perfect one for a baby boy about to be born. A customizable blue-colored baby shower invitation, like any other winter theme, could be matched with bright blue bulbs and tinsel for decorations.

A traditional red and white Santa theme could include holiday cards with a snowmen or angels. A less traditional but chic red and white theme could be suggested with a decorated crib, holiday baby bunting or specially designed baby shower invitations from? http://www.invitationbox.com/. An air of friendly, low-key holiday party fun might begin with any of these choices.

Once the? baby shower holiday theme is established, the shower planner can pull together corresponding party supplies to fit the mood and season. A menu is usually made of light party finger food fare and party beverages. The expectant mother and her equally expecting friends would probably appreciate non-alcoholic refreshments.

Lastly, the shower planner may want to coordinate with the guest of honor in suggesting preferred baby gifts from her guests. This is done tastefully by collecting a list of items the new parents may especially need and then posting this publicly or passing it casually between friends. In that way, everyone can more effectively welcome the most important guest of honor, the baby about to arrive.

Tags: baby showers

Category: This and That

Source: http://www.valmg.com/index.php/2012/a-holiday-birth/

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NRSC Funneled Money to Missouri GOP That Supported Akin

Updated 11:55 a.m. | In the last days of the 2012 campaign, the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent $760,000 to the Missouri Republican Party, which appears to have used the money to run TV ads for Rep. Todd Akin?s ill-fated Senate campaign.

By not?transferring?the money until the first two days of November, people could only speculate as to the source of the cash infusion until after casting their ballots. Democrats would no doubt have targeted Republicans in other battleground states with ads and statements that the GOP was effectively backing Akin, despite indications to the contrary by the group?s chairman, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Democrats were quick to pounce on the news Friday morning after a report by the Springfield News-Leader outlining the apparent connection between the $760,000 transfer and an ad buy by the Missouri GOP for practically the same amount in support of Akin.

?It is not only wrong that the NRSC would provide funds to support a dangerous extremist like Todd Akin; it was underhanded and dishonest that they would purposely mislead the public about their actions,? said Matt Canter, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Shortly after securing the Republican nomination, Akin appeared on a St. Louis TV program and made what became?infamous?comments in which he suggested that?pregnancy?does not result from incidents of ?legitimate rape.? That was the first of many issues for Akin.

Akin then issued a statement saying he ?misspoke.?

There may also be questions about why the NRSC considered it a wise investment to put the money in Missouri. Despite public polls showing the race close between Akin and re-elected Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, it was not. McCaskill prevailed, 55 percent to 39 percent. Her internal polls regularly showed her with a double-digit lead, in line with the actual result.?The Missouri Senate race was just one of many with unreliable or misleading polling data.

The NRSC declined to comment.

Source: http://www.rollcall.com/news/nrsc_funneled_money_to_missouri_gop_that_supported_akin-219778-1.html

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