Kimmel: It's 'National UnFriend Day' on Facebook

The Official Jimmy Kimmel Live Channel / YouTube

By Suzanne Choney

It's "National UnFriend Day" according to comedian Jimmy Kimmel; the perfect opportunity to lose some folks from your bloated buddy list on Facebook. Too hard to decide how to pick and choose? Kimmel has devised a point system to help you out.

"If any of your so-called friends make it to 50 points, unfriend them," he said on his show. Here are some of the point ratings:

  • "If they change their profile picture more than once a month," 5 points.
  • "If they took their profile picture in the bathroom mirror using a cellphone," 5 points.
  • "If they've ever posted more than three photos of food, that's 5 points each."
  • "If they've ever posted the phrase, 'OMG, my friends are the best,'" 5 points.

The Official Jimmy Kimmel Live Channel / YouTube

But those aren't the among the worst of unfriendable infractions, at least for Kimmel. "If they've uploaded an embarrassing photo of you from junior high and tagged you in it, that's 15 points," he said.

And one of the ultimate offenses? "If they've used the phrase 'amazeballs,' that's 40 points."

You can see Kimmel's full bit on this by going to his YouTube channel. But hurry: National UnFriend Day is quickly evaporating, as is your chance to winnow your list. And judging by his point system, we'll all be down to zero friends by the end of the day.

Related stories:

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on?Facebook,?and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

Source: http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/17/8864382-kimmel-its-national-unfriend-day-on-facebook

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House panel moves to block Fannie, Freddie pay (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The House of Representatives Financial Services Committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would crack down on the pay packages for executives at mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNMA.OB) and Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB).

The bill would suspend 2011 compensation packages for executives at the two companies, which were taken over by the government in 2008, and instead have them paid based on a government pay scale.

(Reporting by Dave Clarke; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111115/bs_nm/us_financial_regulation_fanniehouse

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Landmines hamper Iraq oil boom, delay investment (Reuters)

RUMAILA, Iraq (Reuters) ? In Iraq's vast southern desert, red sandbags stretch along roadsides to warn of the danger from Saddam-era landmines that litter the prized Rumaila oilfield. White ones signal areas safe to walk or drive.

Now recovering from decades of conflict, Iraq may have 25 million landmines and millions of other unexploded bombs that are slowing development of some of the world's largest fields and one of Iraq's key cities, the southern oil hub Basra.

"Landmines and (unexploded) war remnants are the silent enemy," said Ali al-Maliki, head of the municipal security committee in Basra, where leftover ordnance is slowing the construction of bridges, homes and commercial districts.

The red- and white-painted sandbags seem a fragile safety barrier for the thousands of workers now striving to ramp up production from 17-billion-barrel supergiant Rumaila and the other massive fields surrounding Basra.

There was no protection for six de-miners killed recently when a pile of recovered mines and old ordnance exploded.

"The demining workers, along with Iraqi army officers, ignited a fuse to detonate a land mine pile close to Rumaila North, but nothing happened. When the team went back to check, the pile exploded," said a Basra oil police investigator.

The threat of landmines extends far beyond the small army of workers now trying to clear the southern oilfields. The United Nations Development Programme says mines caused 14,000 casualties in Iraq between 1991 and 2007. More than half died from their wounds.

MINES BY THE MILLIONS

The environment ministry estimates that 25 million landmines are scattered around Iraq, many along the border with Iran, a legacy of the 1980-88 war between neighbors that killed a million people. UNICEF puts the number of anti-personnel mines around 20 million, along with 50 million cluster bombs.

Mines can block developers from sinking new wells in promising areas and building pipelines and other infrastructure needed to fulfill Iraq's ambitious goal of ramping up capacity to 12 million barrels per day by 2017, a figure that would rival top global producer Saudi Arabia.

Iraq's current production is 2.9 million bpd.

Many of the mines are deeply buried in the sand after so many years in place, and removal efforts have delayed plans to sink wells, notably at 12.9-billion-barrel supergiant West Qurna Phase Two, being developed by Russia's LUKOIL and Norway's Statoil, said a report by the state-run South Oil Company.

"Landmines are buried to around three meters, and that makes it difficult to spot them," the report said. "Landmines and unexploded ordnance have cause a delay in developing some fields and the preparation of drilling pads, as at West Qurna 2 and other border fields like Fakka and Badra."

The international companies investing billions of dollars in Iraq's lucrative fields have hired demining companies to clear them, and under their service contracts with Baghdad, Iraq must repay firms for the considerable cost.

Arab Gulf Co. was hired to demine Rumaila, West Qurna, Zubair and Badra. Some of its workers are Saddam-era army officers with demining experience.

Most of the landmines around oil production facilities in the south were planted by Saddam's army in the 1980s to prevent Iranian attacks on key oil infrastructure.

"Until now we have managed to defuse around 8,900 landmines and unexploded ordnance from Rumaila North and South ... we have cleared around 45 million square meter of Rumaila," said Nawaf Abdulla, head of operations at Arab Gulf. "Our contract with BP covers 125 million square meters."

"Decades have passed and lifting landmines becomes nearly impossible. We have to detonate mines at the location as a last resort," he said.

DREAM OF BRIDGES, MALLS, HOMES

Under its economic development plan, Iraq aims to attract $86 billion in investment by 2014 as it tries to rebuild more than eight years after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Authorities in Basra, one of Iraq's largest cities and the hub of oil production and exports, say mines are hampering billions of dollars worth of development projects.

"We have ambitious plans to revive the eastern part of the city, building new bridges, residential complexes and markets, but landmines from the Iraq-Iran war are discouraging foreign investors from coming here," said Haider Ali, the Basra investment office spokesman.

Located about 420 km (260 miles) south of Baghdad, Basra has been relatively peaceful in recent years while many areas battle a stubborn Sunni insurgency and Shi'ite militias responsible for scores of bombings and other attacks each month.

But the city saw fierce fighting in 2008 when Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered the Iraqi army to crush Shi'ite militias and criminal gangs. Now Basra is focused on reconstruction.

In the eastern Basra district of Shatt al-Arab, Mayor Haider al-Ibadi has been trying to lure investors to build housing and entertainment areas.

"Investors are not ready to risk billions of dollars in a land mine area," said Ibadi. "If we could overcome this issue, billions in investments could be secured for this area."

(Writing by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Jim Loney and Richard Balmforth)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111116/wl_nm/us_iraq_landmines

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Pressey helps No. 24 Mizzou top Mercer 81-63 (AP)

COLUMBIA, Mo. ? Coming off two knee surgeries, it would be understandable if it took Jibri Bryan a few games to regain his composure on the court.

But in just the second game of his college career, Bryan scored 19 points to lead Mercer in an 81-63 loss to No. 24 Missouri on Monday night.

"It felt great," Bryan said. "Really it started from the bench, encouraging everyone else. When you get in the game, you already feel like you're in the game, so it just flowed right in to it."

Missouri (2-0) built a 16-point halftime lead and pushed it to 61-39 midway through the second half before Mercer (1-1) used a 14-2 run to get within 10 points, capitalizing on Missouri's 10 turnovers in the second half.

"When we sped the game up, they started turning it over and we started making some plays and our guys just hung in there and kept fighting the rest of the game," Mercer coach Bob Hoffman said.

Missouri's Phil Pressey had a career-high 22 points with four assists and five steals. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound guard had contemplated leaving to go to Arkansas alongside coach Mike Anderson, who joined the Razorbacks this year after recruiting Pressey at Missouri.

But it wasn't a perfect night for Pressey, who received some words after the game from new coach Frank Haith about committing three turnovers in the second half.

"I have to take control of the game, and finish the game like a great point guard should do," Pressey said.

In the first round of the CBE Classic, Missouri extended its school-record winning streak over nonconference opponents at home to 60 games, since the 2005-06 opener. The Tigers entered the season ranked for the first time since 2003-04 coming off three NCAA tournament bids, and gave Haith his second victory at the school.

Kim English added 18 points and Michael Dixon had 14 as Missouri used its speed to force 14 steals. Dixon and Pressey combined for 18 points in the Tigers' first game against Southeast Missouri State on Friday.

Mercer, picked to finish in the middle of the Atlantic Sun Conference, started one senior and four sophomores after losing two-thirds of its scoring and 60 percent of its rebounding from last season. The loss of seniors Jeff Smith and Brandon Moore leaves the team with 12 players on the roster who are freshmen or sophomores.

Justin Cecil, the lone senior on the roster and a former junior college teammate of Missouri's Ricardo Ratliffe, added nine points for the Bears.

"It was pretty cool going up against him at this level," Cecil said. "It was nice. It was something I was always hoping to get to do."

Bud Thomas, who scored a career-high 18 points against Emory on Saturday, was limited to a field goal and free throw at Missouri.

The Tigers lack height without 6-foot-9 Laurence Bowers, out for the season with a knee injury, and often had four guards on the court, but Mercer failed to take advantage on the boards, getting outrebounded by four.

"Rebounding is not just about how tall you are," Haith said. "It's about your desire, your passion. Paying attention to detail and blocking out. Those are the fundamentals."

After Mercer closed within 63-53, English hit a 3-pointer with 5:12 left to end the threat.

Missouri leads the series, 4-0. It was the first time the schools met since 1996.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111115/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/bkc_t25_mercer

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LG announces enhanced Optimus 3D Android 2.3 Gingerbread update

Optimus 3D

If you have an LG Optimus 3D in your hands are currently wondering, when exactly you may see an update for your device we have the answer. Nov. 21 -- that's date LG just announced as the starting point for rollout of enhanced Android 2.3 Gingerbread update for the LG Optimus 3D in Europe followed by other markets until the end of the year. So what makes it so enhanced?  Well a few things really:

  • Enhanced HSPA+ Speed via Faster Packet Data Services - Internet browsing and real-time streaming have become smoother and more seamless with up to 21Mbps HSDPA
  • Enriched 3D Experience with 3D Video Editor and Full-screen UI Preview - With 3D Video Editor, users will be able to easily create and edit 2D as well as 3D movies on their Optimus 3D. The preview screen has become wider with a transparent UI, enabling users to capture better quality 3D content
  • Improved Multimedia with 2D Video Stabilization and Faster Gallery Activation - Optimus 3D owners will now be able to record high quality video in 2D mode with video stabilization feature, previously only available in 3D mode. Gallery loading time has also been reduced.

Sounds pretty enhanced to us. Certainly not your run of the mill update you would get on other devices. If you're looking to scope out the full details jump on past the break, where you'll find the press release.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/YnHHLTLTIq8/story01.htm

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Oil hits $100, first time since July

(AP) ? Oil prices have hit $100 per barrel for the first time in nearly four months.

The price of benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude rose as high as $100.79 in electronic trading on Wednesday.

Oil prices have been soaring for several weeks as the economy improves while tensions rise in countries that hold some of the world's major sources of crude.

Benchmark crude has surged 26 percent since the end of September. It crossed the $100 mark after the Labor Department reported that consumers paid less for gas, cars and computers. As inflation slows, it increases pressure on the Federal Reserve to do more to further stimulate the economy.

Fears of another U.S. recession had knocked oil prices from their 2011 peak at $113.93. But recent economic reports have shown that consumers are spending more, and manufacturing activity continues to grow.

Meanwhile, Iran, the world's fourth-largest oil exporter, is suspected of developing nuclear weapons, according to a United Nations report earlier this month. Its nuclear program could lead to international trade sanctions, and Israel has threatened military action.

Companies operating in Nigeria also say that oil production has been hurt by spills, sabotage and outright thefts. Nigeria is one of the top five oil exporters to the U.S.

Supplies of oil, gasoline and diesel also have been falling in the U.S.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-11-16-Oil%20Prices/id-32032f94f6d741239f7a90a21619277c

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South Korea shuts down for the all-or-nothing Korean SAT

Some 80 percent of Korea's high school students go on to further education. And to ensure students have the best chance, one day every year Korea changes its plane schedules, redirects traffic, and holds its breath.

So much rests on today's annual college entrance exam in South Korea that planes were grounded, roads were closed, and places of worship were thronged with parents praying for divine intervention as students plowed through its five separate sections for nine hours.

Skip to next paragraph

For the nearly 700,000 high schoolers on their way out of school taking the test this morning, this will determine what university they will go to (if any), their salary, and their future fate.

Such is the all-or-nothing emphasis pinned on gaining entry to one of a handful of the top higher education institutions in the country ? anchored in the so-called SKY (Seoul National, Korea and Yonsei universities) trinity ? that the entire Korean education system is geared toward success on this single day of the year.

Beyond college, a place at one of the top colleges is seen as a golden ticket to the?ultimate prize of a job at one of the country's top conglomerates such as Samsung, Hyundai, and LG.

But the pressure-laden path to the test, say critics, is one littered with some of South Korea's most glaring social ills. Though its education system is held up as a model around the world, with about 80 percent of high school students going on to college, South Korea harbors one of the world's most astronomical levels of private education costs forked out by parents intent on ensuring their children get ahead. And some have linked the test to some of the increasing number of teen suicides in the country.

One national newspaper columnist noted that this surge for a limited number of places at so few universities has also been linked to a spike in real estates prices in school districts with rumors of historically high pass rates.

The winds of change have been set in motion, however. President Lee Myung-bak wants companies to focus energies on recruiting high school graduates from vocational-focused places of learning in a bid to curb a rising youth unemployment rate.

South Korea's high university graduate rate leads to a bottleneck in the job market, pitting too many applicants in competition for a much smaller number of jobs. That, say experts, helps explain the country's high youth unemployment rate.

Whether Koreans will make the switch and value vocational educations, remains to be seen. For now, the exams are a "Korean rite of passage." Students are scheduled to find out what life holds in store for them on Nov. 30.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/PItYxwuvbm0/South-Korea-shuts-down-for-the-all-or-nothing-Korean-SAT

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Taylor Swift and Flo Rida Team Up in Florida


Taylor Swift treated her fans to another special guest this week.

During a concert in Miami, the 19-year old sensation brought Flo Rida out on stage and jumped around with him on a version of "Right Round." Watch the fun now:

As she tours across the country, Swift has been asking various artists from her venue's hometown to join her for takes on their most popular hits. Other notable guests have included:

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/11/taylor-swift-and-flo-rida-team-up-in-florida/

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Peter Brant's SP Newsprint files bankruptcy (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? SP Newsprint Co, owned by newsprint magnate and art collector Peter Brant and which has called itself the fourth-largest North American newsprint manufacturer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday.

The filing by the Greenwich, Connecticut-based company and three affiliates follows a September 7 bankruptcy filing by NewPage Corp, which is North America's largest maker of magazine paper and owed by private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP.

SP Newsprint has between $100 million and $500 million of both assets and liabilities, according to its petition filed with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware.

Paper makers have struggled in recent years with rising raw material costs, increased competition from Asia and Europe, and falling demand as more advertisers and readers move online.

SP Newsprint operates mills in Dublin, Georgia, and Newberg, Oregon, with an annual capacity of 910,000 metric tons, and 23 recycling facilities through its SP Recycling Corp unit, according to the companies' respective websites.

The law firm representing SP Newsprint in the bankruptcy did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

Another of Brant's companies, newsprint manufacturer White Birch Paper Co, filed for bankruptcy protection in Canada in February 2010.

That company's U.S. unit, Bear Island Paper Co, filed for Chapter 11 protection the same month in Richmond, Virginia, and remains in bankruptcy proceedings, court records show.

Brant has been listed as a billionaire on Forbes magazine's annual list of the richest Americans, though he was not on this year's list. His second wife is supermodel Stephanie Seymour.

He has also run Brant Publications Inc, whose magazines include Art in America, The Magazine Antiques, and Interview, which was created by the artist Andy Warhol.

Brant was also the breeder of the horse Thunder Gulch, which won the 1995 Kentucky Derby.

The case is In re: SP Newsprint Holdings LLC, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, No. 11-13649.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Derek Caney and Matthew Lewis)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111115/media_nm/us_media_spnewsprint

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After Epic Debate Gaffe, Perry Backers Begin to Question Their Investment (Time.com)