Tell-It-Like-It-Is: 2012

Seven Strategies for Highly Effective New Year's Resolutions

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. It’s likely that at least one person will ask you what your resolutions are for the year ahead. Whether you like to make them or not, research has found that people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions. Yet as you know, it’s not so easy to keep your resolve as life returns to normal and your old habits of mind and action start testing your resolve and pulling you away from the new ones you resolved to create.

Change is difficult, yet as hard as it is, everyone has the ability to make and keep meaningful changes in their life, regardless of their age, or how well worn their habitual ways of engaging in the world.

Indeed there’s a science to success when it comes to achieving goals and making life changes – whether on January 1^st or any other time of year. On the link below are 7 strategies to help you make the changes you want in the year ahead – including making the right resolutions to begin with. I hope you will read it, but more so, I hope you will apply them so that 2013 will truly be the best year of your life. Not because everything will go as you want, but because you be firmly at the helm of your own life – living by design rather than by default.

7 Strategies for Highly Effective New Year Resolutions.

1. Know Your Why. For a resolution to stick, it has to be aligned with your core values. We all want to look better or get richer, but your resolutions have to go beyond superficial desires and connect with what truly matters most to you. In other words, you have to “Know your why” and feel truly passionate about the goals you set for yourself. If you don’t, then when the going gets tough or your alarm goes off at 5:30am, you won’t have the resolve to stick to your plan. Connect your resolutions to those things that give you a deeper sense of purpose and align with your core values. When your resolutions connect to a deeper sense of purpose, it compels you not to think small or play safe, but to dig deep and stay the course when the going gets tough – no matter how many hurdles.

2. Be Specific. Resolutions to ‘eat better, get fitter, be happier, relax more or have better life balance’ are doomed for failure because they lack specificity. The more specific you are, the more likely you will be able to succeed. Describe your goals and resolutions in ways that allow you to track your progress and measure your success. For instance, if you want to build a better relationship with your partner, schedule at least one date night per month, or, as I’ve done with my husband, one weekend away – sans kids – per year. Likewise if you’re committed to a better health and exercise regime, schedule how many workouts you’ll fit into each week.

3. Don’t Just Think It, Ink it! A Stanford University study found that when people wrote down their goal, it increased the probability of them achieving it by over 70%. But don’t just write down the specific goal, write down how you will feel when you’ve accomplished it. When you have finished penning your desires, jot down on sticky pads the words that inspire you most about your goal and put them around your home/office to remind you of why you are committed to doing what it takes to bring your goal into reality.

4. Design Your Environment. Never underestimate the power of your environment to support or sabotage your success. Design your environment so that it’s hard NOT to do what you resolved. Create a progress chart, recruit a cheer squad among your family and friends, find someone to hold you accountable, hire a trainer, join a group, create a blog. Likewise, if there are people or things in your life that pull you down or off track, address them directly and set whatever boundaries you know you will need up front.

5. Narrow Your Efforts. Trying to do too many things at once can make you so unfocused that you just bounce around like Tigger on Red Bull, not quite sure which direction you are going. Set yourself up for success and start with JUST ONE MAJOR UNDERTAKING come January 1^st. Then break that goal down into small bite size steps. Small steps, strong start!

6. Focus On The Process. It’s easy to get caught up in an initial wave of enthusiasm, only to come crashing down when your initial efforts don’t produce immediate and amazing results. So focus on the process itself, and develop greater competence of the actual activity, habit or skill you want to acquire. For instance, if you want to become more fit, focus on being able to jog a little bit further every time you go for a walk, rather than being able to run 5 miles within a week. PERSISTENCE ALWAYS PAYS OFF.

7. Forgive Your Failures. Your setbacks and failures will not define your success in the year ahead or any year. HOW YOU RESPOND WILL. If you happen to mess up, lose your resolve, press the snooze button or revert to a familiar well-practiced behavior, don’t beat up on yourself. Okay, so you didn’t get to the gym like you’d planned. How about 5 minutes of stretching? When it comes to slipping up and tripping up, you are in good company. It happens to everyone. Just don’t let your mishaps, setbacks and failures mean more than they do. Reflect on the lessons they hold, make adjustments accordingly, then tap your inner John Wayne and get back in the saddle. Life rewards those who work at it.

Source:Forbes

End of the World: Here’s the Only Gadget You’ll Need

What’s going to happen?
Either nothing, or something where a lot of people die but there are some survivors left to repopulate civilization, or our souls all collectively shift into the next level of consciousness. We’re rooting for nothing or the soul thing. The second thing is the most work, by far, if you happen to survive it.
Assuming nothing doesn’t happen – either the second or the third thing happens, that is – let’s move on.
Will the Internet work?
Probably not.
Will my cell phone work?
Probably not.
Will faxing work?
Probably, because nothing’s been able to kill the fax machine. It’s like the cockroach of the tech industry.
Will I need any gadgets?
The only gadget I’d take is the WikiReader, which bills itself as “the Internet without the Internet.” I reviewed it three years ago – I have no idea if it’s still in active development but it’s basically all of Wikipedia in a portable device with a low-power screen.
Take batteries, too. You’ll need AAA batteries. It’s supposed to last up to a year, so take two AAA batteries for every year you expect to be around (and maybe some extras just in case).
How am I supposed to get one of these before tomorrow?
I didn’t think about that. You could order it from Amazon, choose overnight shipping, and hope the FedEx person shows up before everything goes down.
You could also download all of Wikipedia yourself and copy it to a different portable device you have. Remember batteries!
Why Wikipedia?
People are going to need to know how to do stuff. You’ll be revered as a teacher, a scientist, a news anchor and an HGTV host all at the same time. Until the printing press, radio, TV and the Internet get re-invented, you’ll have plenty of downtime, too, so it’d be nice to have some reading materials while you’re waiting.
What if nothing happens and I’m stuck with this $17.89 device?
Consider that when time travel is perfected, this would be the perfect gadget to bring with you to just about any point in time. Make bets with people. Lots and lots of bets. Don’t forget batteries

14 Ways To Be Better At Your Job In 2013

With a new year approaching, many people have an “out with the old and in with the new” mentality—and work is usually a big part of that, says corporate veteran and author Andy Teach.
“No one has a perfect work life and there is always room for improvement,” says Teach, author of From Graduation to Corporation: The Practical Guide to Climbing the Corporate Ladder One Rung at a Time. “Most people aspire to be better at their jobs because it results in increased happiness and personal satisfaction.”
Why do people typically feel this way toward the end of the year?
Shawnice Meador, Director of Career Management MBA@UNC, says most employees have had their year-end performance review at this point, and they now have a “clearer view of their strengths, weaknesses and goals laid out for them by their employers.”
Others will take time off from work before the New Year begins, and they’ll have time to decompress and reflect on the past 12 months, she adds. “Since people spend a lot of time at work throughout the year, work tends to be a big part of the ‘new year, new me’ attitude.”
Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, says, “When you read ‘Jan. 1’ on your calendar, it’s numerically and psychologically a fresh start. We spend most of our waking hours at work, so it’s natural that you’ll reflect on your work life and career from a broader perspective around New Year’s, and strive to be a better employee in the coming year.”
In Pictures: How To Be Better At Your Job In 2013
If you’re feeling that way—here’s are 14 things you can do to be better at your job in 2013:
Anticipate your department’s needs. “Being a reliable source for your department leader and seeing opportunities for your department to improve are great ways to be better at your job,” Meador says. “Take on tasks that your department leader may not need to oversee directly and present a finished product to him or her.” Seeing this initiative from you often helps them understand that you can handle tasks proactively and things will not be falling solely on their shoulders.
Get to know your boss better. Your boss controls your destiny so it’s in your best interest to get to know them better both personally and professionally, Teach says. “It doesn’t mean you need to be friends with them or hang out with them, but you do need to learn what makes them tick. The more you communicate with your boss, the better it is for you.” While you’re at it, get to know your boss’s boss as well, he suggests.
Assume success. “Your positive attitude can be seen in your facial expression, posture, tone and speed of your voice,” Taylor says. “Be confident in your work. You’re uniquely qualified to do exactly what you do.” Imagine that everything you contribute helps the bottom line, she says. “Even when things are dicey, you can challenge yourself in 2013 to use setbacks as opportunities.”
Study your industry. Your industry is constantly changing and you need to keep up with what’s happening now, Teach says. “Most industries have trade magazines or websites that have the latest news in that industry. It’s important to read these so that you are well informed and can discuss recent industry events and changes with your co-workers, supervisors, and management. Information is power.”
Always come to the table with a solution. Offering a solution or idea is only half of the equation and many managers feel that an idea without an action plan will only create more work for them, Meador says. “Share ideas with context and a clear path for implementation for the leader to evaluate.” The more you present any issues with recommended solutions and then implement those solutions in a timely and effective manner, the more the leadership team will rely on you and think about you for future projects and new responsibilities, she says.
In Pictures: How To Be Better At Your Job In 2013

Connecticut gun rampage: 28 dead, including 20 schoolchildren

A couple embrace each other near Sandy Hook Elementary School, were a gunman opened fire on school children and staff in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012. REUTERS-Adrees Latif

A boy weeps as he is told what happened after being picked up at Reed Intermediate School following a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012. REUTERS-Lucas Jackson

Parents pick-up their children after a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012. REUTERS-Michelle McLoughlin

A couple embrace each other near Sandy Hook Elementary School, were a gunman opened fire on school children and staff in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

By Dan Burns and Chris Kaufman

NEWTOWN, Connecticut | Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:00am IST

(Reuters) - A heavily armed gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children from 5 to 10 years old, in a rampage at a Connecticut elementary school on Friday, one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.
The gunman - who according to a media report carried four weapons and wore a bulletproof vest - was dead inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, state police Lieutenant Paul Vance told a news conference.
Vance said authorities found 18 children and seven adults, including the gunman, dead at the school, and two children were pronounced dead later after being take to a hospital. Another adult was found dead at a related crime scene in Newtown, he said, bringing the toll to 28.
"Our hearts are broken today," President Barack Obama said in an emotional televised address to the nation.
"Evil visited this community today," Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy told reporters.
Two law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation confirmed to Reuters the shooter had been identified as Adam Lanza, 20. Adam's brother Ryan Lanza was "either in custody or being questioned" at this hour, one of the sources said.
The New York Times reported that the gunman walked into a classroom where his mother was a teacher, shot his mother and then 20 students, most in the same classroom, b e fore shooting five other adults and killing himself. One other person was shot at the school and survived, the Times said.
The holiday season tragedy was the second shooting rampage in the United States this week and the latest in a series of mass killings this year, and was certain to revive a debate about U.S. gun laws.
Chaos struck as children gathered in their classrooms for morning meetings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, a city of 27,000 in Fairfield County, about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of New York City.
Police swarmed the scene and locked down the school, rushing children to safety, some of them bloodied. Distraught parents converged, frantically searching for their daughters and sons. Neighbors and friends wandered in shock, looking for information.
"It's hard to believe that anything like this could happen in this town," said resident Peter Alpi, 70, as he fought back tears. "It's a very quiet town. Maybe it's too quiet."
Hours later, Obama, wiping away tears and pausing to collect his emotions, mourned the "beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old" who were killed. He ordered flags flown at half staff at U.S. public buildings.
"As a country, we have been through this too many times," Obama said, ticking off a list of recent shootings.
"We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics," Obama said in apparent reference to the influence of the National Rifle Association over members of Congress.
Obama remains committed to trying to renew a ban on assault weapons, White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
BLOODIED CHILDREN LEAVE SCHOOL
Vance said the shootings took place in two rooms of Sandy Hook Elementary School, which teaches children from kindergarten through fourth grade, roughly aged 5 to 10.
Witnesses reported hearing dozens of shots; some said as many as 100 rounds.
"It was horrendous," said parent Brenda Lebinski, who rushed to the school where her daughter is in the third grade. "Everyone was in hysterics - parents, students. There were kids coming out of the school bloodied. I don't know if they were shot, but they were bloodied."
Lebinski said a mother who was at the school during the shooting told her a "masked man" entered the principal's office and may have shot the principal. Lebinski, who is friends with the mother who was at the school, said the principal was "severely injured."
Lebinski's daughter's teacher "immediately locked the door to the classroom and put all the kids in the corner of the room."
Melissa Murphy, who lives near the school, monitored events on a police scanner.
"I kept hearing them call for the mass casualty kit and scream, 'Send everybody! Send everybody!'" Murphy said. "It doesn't seem like it can be really happening. I feel like I'm in shock."
The toll exceed that of one of the most notorious U.S. school shootings, the 1999 rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where two teenagers killed 13 students and staff before killing themselves.
A girl interviewed by NBC Connecticut described hearing seven loud "booms" while she was in gym class. Other children began crying and teachers moved the students to a nearby office, she said.
"A police officer came in and told us to run outside and so we did," the unidentified girl said on camera.
In Hoboken, New Jersey, police cordoned off a block in connection with the Connecticut shootings, but an officer told reporters there was no body inside, contrary to an earlier media report.
The United States has experienced a number of mass shooting rampages this year, most recently in Oregon, where a gunman opened fire at a shopping mall on Tuesday, killing two people and then himself.
The deadliest came in July at a midnight screening of a Batman film in Colorado that killed 12 people and wounded 58.
The Connecticut shootings appear certain to trigger renewed debate over U.S. gun laws. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder of the advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said it was "almost impossible to believe that a mass shooting in a kindergarten class could happen.
"We need immediate action. We have heard all the rhetoric before. What we have not seen is leadership - not from the White House and not from Congress," Bloomberg said. "That must end today."
In 2007, 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech university in the deadliest act of criminal gun violence in U.S. history.
In another notorious school shooting outside the United States, a gunman opened fire in 1996 in an elementary school in Dunblane, Scotland, and killed 16 children and an adult before killing himself.
(Additional reporting by Hilary Russ, Edith Honan, Chris Francescani, Peter Rudegeair, Ellen Wulfhorst, David Gregorio and Erin Geiger Smith; Writing by Daniel Trotta and Jim Loney; Editing by Peter Cooney)

South Africa's Nelson Mandela 'looks well' in hospital

South African President Jacob Zuma has visited Nelson Mandela in hospital and says he "looks well after a restful night", Mr Zuma's spokesperson said.

The president has been reassured that Mr Mandela is in the hands of a competent medical team at the hospital in Pretoria, Mac Maharaj told the BBC.
The 94-year-old was admitted to hospital on Saturday to undergo tests.
South Africans have been waiting for word on Mr Mandela's condition amid messages of hope for a speedy recovery.
'Great person' Mr Mandela was taken from his home in the rural village of Qunu, in Eastern Cape province, to hospital in the capital on Saturday.

“Start Quote

Get well and continue to inspire us”

Congress of South African Trade Unions

Local media report that the decision to move him was taken so quickly, some family members and his own foundation were initially unaware it had happened.

Mr Zuma's office said on Saturday that Mr Mandela was doing well and that there was "no cause for alarm", but did not give details about the reasons for his admission.
Mr Mandela needs medical attention "from time to time which is consistent with his age," the statement added.
The authorities are keen to respect Mr Mandela's privacy and control any information about his health, the BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg reports.

Nelson Mandela's health scares

Feb 2012: In hospital for minor procedure to treat abdominal pain
Jan 2011: In hospital for a few days with serious chest infection
2001: Diagnosed with prostate cancer, of which he was cured
1994: Underwent cataract surgery soon after becoming president
1988: Diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis while in prison
1985: Surgery for an enlarged prostate gland

But there is enormous public concern here for the man widely revered as the father of democratic South Africa, he adds.

Prayers were held for the former leader at the Regina Mundi Catholic church in the Soweto area of Johannesburg, once the centre of protests and funerals during apartheid.
"Yes, it really worries us because he is a great person," churchgoer Shainet Mnkomo told Associated Press. "He did so many things to the country, he's one of those persons who we remember most."
The Congress of South African Trade Unions said it hoped the government's statement about his condition was true, and urged Mr Mandela to: "Get well and continue to inspire us".
Good spirits Mr Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.

File picture taken on June 17, 2010 shows former Nelson Mandela at the funeral of his great-granddaughter in Sandton, north of Johannesburg

Nelson Mandela is rarely seen in public

He served as South Africa's first black president between 1994 and 1999, and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
That was after spending more than two decades in jail under the white minority apartheid regime.
Mr Mandela was last in hospital in February, when he underwent a minor procedure to investigate the causes of abdominal problem.
And in January 2011 he was treated for a serious chest infection.
Mr Mandela spends the majority of his time in Qunu, which is close to where he was born.
Our correspondent says he is known to be frail and his memory is fading, but visitors have repeatedly said he is in good spirits.

Syria conflict: Twin bomb blasts shake Damascus suburb

No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts

Syria conflict

At least 34 people are reported to have been killed and many injured by two car bomb explosions in a south-eastern district of Syria's capital, Damascus.

State media said "terrorists" were behind the blasts in Jaramana and broadcast pictures showing several charred vehicles and damaged buildings.

The district is predominantly Druze and Christian, two communities which have so far not joined the uprising.

Earlier, there were clashes between security forces and rebels in Jaramana.

There has been fierce fighting in recent days in eastern parts of the countryside around Damascus, known as the Ghouta.

'Suicide attacker'

Pro-government TV channel Addounia said the car bombs had exploded in Jaramana shortly after 06:40 local time (04:40 GMT).

Analysis

Lina SinjabBBC News, Damascus

The car bombs exploded in an area which is predominantly Druze and Christian - two minorities which President Bashar al-Assad's government says it is protecting from "terrorist extremists".

These are not the first attacks in Jaramana to have been blamed on those seeking to overthrow the government. But in the past, the armed opposition has denied any involvement and repeatedly said it is targeting Mr Assad's forces and not minority groups. Areas like Jaramana are heavily guarded by pro-government militia known as Popular Committees.

The conflict in Syria is rapidly taking on a sectarian dimension. Earlier this month, similar attacks took place in pro-government Alawite districts like Mezzeh 86 and Woroud.

Meanwhile, government forces continue to bombard rebel-held areas in Damascus and elsewhere in the country that are predominantly Sunni. The opposition says the decisive battle to overthrow Mr Assad will be in Damascus. The city has become heavily fortified, with security forces personnel and checkpoints all over. Many people here feel the tension of further escalation yet to hit the capital.

In pictures: Aftermath of car bomb blasts

"Terrorists blew up two car bombs filled with a large amount of explosives in the main square," the official Sana news agency reported.

State television quoted a source at the interior ministry as saying that 34 people had died and 83 had been seriously injured.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based activist group, put the death toll at 47, including women and children. It said it had so far identified 38 of the victims and that the death toll would probably rise.

"Activists and residents in the town said most of the victims were killed when a suicide attacker blew up his car, just after an explosive device was used to blow up another car," it added.

Two smaller bombs also exploded in Jaramana at around the same time as the attack, Sana said, adding that nobody was killed by them.

No group has said it was behind the bombings, and there was no immediately obvious military or government target, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut.

"What do they want from Jaramana? The town brings together people from all over Syria and welcomes everybody," one resident told the AFP news agency.

The population of Jaramana is mainly Christian and Druze, a heterodox offshoot of Islam. It is also home to many Palestinian and Iraqi refugees.

Few members of Syria's minority groups have supported the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad. They are fearful for their future if the country's majority Sunni Muslim community chooses an Islamist leadership to replace decades of secular rule.

Supporters of the government in Jaramana and other Damascus suburbs have set up armed vigilante groups - known as Popular Committees - to prevent attacks such as Wednesday's. On 29 October, 11 people were killed in a car bombing in Jaramana.

Injured man in hospital (28 November 2012)

Jaramana is a mainly Druze and Christian district

Elsewhere on Wednesday, activists posted video footage online apparently showing a government warplane being shot down by rebels over Darat Izza, in the northern province of Aleppo, and one of its pilots being captured.

Coming just a day after a helicopter was reported to have been brought down, it suggests that rebel fighters may be starting to obtain more effective weapons to counter the government's monopoly on air power, our correspondent says.

Fighter jets earlier bombarded rebel positions in the western Damascus suburb of Darayya, the SOHR said.

The government army also reportedly shelled Zabadani, a town in the mountains north-west of the capital.

Activists say more than 40,000 people have been killed since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011.

Black Friday Ushers In US Shopping Frenzy

America's biggest shopping day of the year kicks off even earlier this year as retailers take advantage of extended opening hours.

Shoppers move through a Best Buy store in Naples, Florida. Black Friday, the day following
Thanksgiving Day, is traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the US.
Many big stores decided to open early, at midnight on Thanksgiving.
Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year for many retailers.
People make purchases at the Black Thursday sale at the Toys'R'Us store in Times Square,
New York.
Shoppers enter a Kmart store in Indiana as it opens.
Assistant manager Charles Johnson hands out vouchers to the first people in the queue.
Bargain hunters wait to get into Macy's department store in New York at midnight.
People crowd the first floor of the department store.
People wait in line to get their hands on a deal at a Target store.

Gallery: US Black Friday Sales Scramble

Enlarge

Some of the UK's biggest retailers are cashing in on a US tradition, slashing their prices ahead of Christmas.

The traditional Thanksgiving shopping frenzy ate into the day itself this year with stores throwing open their doors on Thursday evening.

Black Friday - a key date in the two-month holiday season retail splurge - is the chance for stores across the US to turn a profit for the whole year.
Americans have grown more comfortable shopping online, putting pressure on traditional retailers who can make up to 40% of their annual revenue in November and December.
In what has been dubbed "Gray Thursday", Target opened its doors at 9pm, three hours earlier than last year. Sears, which did not open on Thanksgiving last year, opened at 8pm.
When Macy's opened its doors in New York at midnight, 11,000 shoppers showed up.
For some the lure of the potential bargains was enough to make them miss out on Thanksgiving dinner altogether.
Michael Prothero, 19, and his friend Kenny Fullenlove, 20 started camping out on Monday night outside a Best Buy store in Ohio, which was scheduled to open at midnight.
"Better safe than sorry," Mr Prothero said.
However not everyone was happy with the extended Thanksgiving hours.
"It shows that the companies are not valuing their workers. They're looking to their workers to squeeze out more profits," complained Carrie Gleason, director of the union-backed pressure group Retail Action Project.
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer which owns Asda in the UK, has been one of the biggest targets of protests against holiday hours.
Many of the its stores open 24 hours, but the company was offering early bird specials, once were reserved for Black Friday, at 8pm on Thanksgiving instead.
OUR Walmart, which includes disgruntled former and current workers, planned demonstrations and walkouts at hundreds of stores on Black Friday.
But retailers say they are giving shoppers what they want.
Kathee Tesija from Target said its 9pm opening struck "a perfect balance" for its customers.
Source:Skynews

Pope Benedict Disputes Jesus’ Date of Birth

Pope Benedict XVI holds a copy of his book

REUTERS / OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Pope Benedict XVI has revealed in the third installment of his trilogy, dedicated to the life of Christ, that Jesus may have been born earlier than previously thought. The calendar we use today, which commences with the birth of Christ and was created by a Dionysius Exiguus, a 6th century monk, may be mistaken. According to the Telegraph, the Pope explains in his book that Exiguus, who is considered the inventor of the Christian calendar, “made a mistake in his calculations by several years. The actual date of Jesus’ birth was several years before.” The suggestion that Jesus wasn’t actually born on Dec. 25 has been tirelessly debated by theologians, historians and spiritual leaders, but what makes this case different is that now the leader of the Catholic Church is the one asking the questions.

Pope Benedict’s book, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, was published on Tuesday. Like the previous two installments, it’s predicted to be a best seller, and a million copies of the book have already been printed. It is expected that the book will be translated into another 20 languages for publication in 72 countries. The Infancy Narratives follows the life of Jesus from conception to his presentation in the temple at the age of 12. The Pope describes this third book as a “small antechamber” to the trilogy on Jesus of Nazareth, reports the Vatican Press Office.

(MORE: Holy Hashtags! The Pope Will Soon Join the Tweeting Masses)

Pope Benedict makes some controversial statements in the book. He writes of how the Gospel of Matthew claims that Jesus was born when Herod the Great ruled in Judea. However, given that Herod died in 4 B.C., Jesus must have been born earlier than Exiguus originally documented. Arguments surrounding Jesus’ exact date of birth have confounded scholars for centuries. Even the Gospel of Luke contends that the birth took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria in A.D. 6.

The author takes the opportunity not only to dispute the date of Jesus’ birth, but also to reaffirm the doctrine of the virgin birth as an “unequivocal” truth of faith.Reuters writes that Benedict reminds his readers that sexual intercourse did not play a part in the conception of Jesus. He states that a belief in the Immaculate Conception of Christ is a “cornerstone of faith” and a sign of “God’s creative power.” “If God does not also have power over matter, then he simply is not God,” the Pope argues. “But he does have this power, and through the conception and resurrection of Jesus Christ he has ushered in a new creation.”

Pope Benedict also examines the “question of interpreted history,” referring in particular to the attempts of the Gospels, like those of Matthew and Luke, to make sense of events after they had occurred, notes Reuters. “The aim of the evangelists was not to produce an exhaustive account,” the Pope explains, “but a record of what seemed important for the nascent faith community in the light of the word. The infancy narratives are interpreted history, condensed and written down in accordance with the interpretation.”

(MORE: Why Popes Never Have to Say Sorry)

There have been countless interpretations of the birth, life and death of Christ throughout history. One such interpreter is Bill Darlison, former Unitarian Church minister and current vice president of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches in the United Kingdom. Like others before him, he asks whether Christ was actually born on Dec. 25 or whether perhaps he was born “on one of about 150 other dates which have been proposed down through the centuries. Was he born in Nazareth or in Bethlehem and, if Bethlehem, was it Bethlehem in Judea or Bethlehem in Galilee?” He also argues that the spiritual birth, or Immaculate Conception, “is always a virgin birth, because it is not related in any sense (except symbolically) to physical birth.” In 2004, TIME asked the same question, with David Van Biema wondering if “one might be tempted to abandon the whole Nativity story as ‘unhistoric,’ mere theological backing and filling.”The historical revisionism continues with the Pope raising the issue of the presence of animals at the birth of Christ. He reveals in Jesus of Nazareth that “there is no mention of animals in the Gospels.” This may come as a shock to the thousands of schools currently preparing their Nativity plays. But Pope Benedict reassures his readers not to worry — that “no one will give up the oxen and the donkey in their Nativity scenes,” notes the Telegraph. Even if animals did not feature at the birth, the Vatican seems happy to keep up the myth as it presents an elaborate life-size Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square this Christmas.

Source:newsfeed.time.com

Anonymous hacker group attacks Israeli websites

Anonymous announced its attacks via Twitter

Hacking group Anonymous has launched a series of cyber attacks against websites in Israel.

Data bombardments briefly knocked some sites offline and led to others being defaced with pro-Palestinian messages.
The OpIsrael campaign was launched by the hacking collective in retaliation for attacks on Gaza.
The cyber attacks come as the Israeli army updates its web campaign adding "achievements" and "badges" for regular visitors.
Propaganda war Anonymous said it had launched the OpIsrael campaign following threats by the Israeli government to cut all Gaza's telecommunication links. This, said the group in a statement posted to the AnonRelations website, "crossed a line in the sand".
"We are ANONYMOUS and NO ONE shuts down the Internet on our watch," it said.
The group warned the Israeli government not to cut off telecom and web links and urged it to end military operations in Gaza. If the attacks did not end, Israel would feel the group's "full and unbridled wrath".
Hours after the statement was launched, Anonymous posted a list of 87 sites it claimed had been defaced or attacked as part of OpIsrael. Many of the sites had their homepages replaced with messages in support of Hamas and the Palestinians.
Anonymous also produced a package of information for people in Gaza detailing alternative ways for them to communicate if net and other telecommunication links were cut.
At the same time as the Anonymous attacks were being carried out, the Israeli Defence Force re-started tools on its blog that reward people for repeat visits and interacting with the site.
Called IDF Ranks, the tools add a "game" element to the blog and reward repeat visitors with points. When visitors have amassed enough points they get a virtual military rank.
A visitor who goes to the site 10 times gets a "consistent" badge and someone who does lots of searches gets rewarded with the "research officer" rank.
The army said the rank system was turned off briefly as its social media sites had received very heavy traffic. On Wednesday, it began a live feed about its military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Similarly, Hamas has been giving running commentaries on its mortar and rocket attacks on Israeli targets via Twitter.

Israel and the Palestinians

Source:BBC

China confirms leadership change

The BBC's Martin Patience says the new leaders face immense challenges

Xi Jinping has been confirmed as the man to lead China for the next decade.

Mr Xi led the new Politburo Standing Committee onto the stage at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, signalling his elevation to the top of China's ruling Communist Party.
The party faced great challenges but would work to meet "expectations of both history and the people", he said.
Most of the new committee are seen as politically conservative, and perceived reformers did not get promotion.
Xi Jinping replaces Hu Jintao, under whose administration China has seen a decade of extraordinary growth.
The move marks the official passing of power from one generation to the next.
'Pressing problems'

Analysis

Raymond Li BBC Chinese

The new faces contain no surprises - as all of them are from the list of favourite names widely mentioned by the media.
The new line-up shows that 86-year old former leader Jiang Zemin still has important influence, because at least four out of seven new members are widely seen as his allies.
Meanwhile the outgoing leader Hu Jintao's three allies - Li Yuanchao, Liu Yuandong and Wang Yang - did not make it into the Standing Committee.
Mr Hu has also given up his post as the chairman of the Central Military Commission, indicating he will fully retire from his political posts and stay away from political life too.
The prospect of political reform now looks more unlikely as most of the new leaders are regarded as political conservatives.

Mr Xi was followed out onto the stage by Li Keqiang, the man set to succeed Premier Wen Jiabao, and five other men - meaning that the size of the all-powerful Standing Committee had been reduced from nine to seven.

Those five, in order of seniority, were Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang, Shanghai party boss Yu Zhengsheng, propaganda chief Liu Yunshan, Vice-Premier Wang Qishan and Tianjin party boss Zhang Gaoli.
The new leaders had great responsibilities, Mr Xi said, but their mission was to be united, and to lead the party and the people to make the Chinese nation stronger and more powerful.
"The people's desire for a better life is what we shall fight for," he said.
Corruption had to be addressed, he said, and better party discipline was needed.
"The party faces many severe challenges, and there are also many pressing problems within the party that need to be resolved, particularly corruption, being divorced from the people, going through formalities and bureaucratism caused by some party officials," Mr Xi said.

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The important thing is whether they can lead the country in a good direction; whether they can reduce corruption and incompetence”

Qian Ah Jie Amitabha Netizen

China media reaction

"We must make every effort to solve these problems. The whole party must stay on full alert."

'Confidence in continuity' The new Standing Committee was endorsed in a vote early on Thursday by the new party Central Committee, but in reality the decisions had been made in advance.
The new leaders will gradually take over in the next few months, with Hu Jintao's presidency formally coming to an end at the annual parliament session in March 2013.
Mr Xi has also been named chairman of the Central Military Commission, a Xinhua news agency report said, ending uncertainty over whether that post would be transferred from Hu Jintao immediately.

Xi Jinping

Born in Beijing in 1953, father was Xi Zhongxun, a founding member of the Communist Party
Sent to work at a remote village for seven years when he was 15
Studied chemical engineering at Tsinghua University and spent time at a US farm in 1985
Was Shanghai party chief in 2007 and became vice-president in 2008
Seen as having a zero-tolerance attitude towards corrupt officials
Married to well-known Chinese folk singer and actress Peng Liyuan with whom he has a daughter

Mr Hu's predecessor, Jiang Zemin, held on to the post for two years after he stood down from the party leadership.

New Standing Committee member Wang Qishan has also been named head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection - the party's anti-corruption watchdog.
Mr Xi, a former Shanghai party chief, was appointed to the politburo in 2007.
A "princeling" - a relative of one of China's revolutionary elders - he has spent almost four decades in the Communist Party, serving in top posts in both Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Shanghai.
His speech drew praise online, with a number of netizens liking his more informal style.
"This big boss at least is talking like a human being. I won't comment on the rest," well-known Chinese journalist Gong Xiaoyue said via micro-blog.
Mr Xi, 59, is said to be a protégé of Jiang Zemin, while Li Keqiang is said to have been Mr Hu's preferred successor.
Mr Hu has been the Communist Party chief since he led the Standing Committee line-up out on stage in November 2002.
Under his administration China has seen a decade of rapid development, overtaking Japan as the world's second-largest economy.
But the development has been uneven, leading to a widening wealth gap, environmental challenges and rumbling social discontent over inequality and corruption.

Party numbers

Ruled China since 1949
83m members in 2011
77% of members are men
Farmers make up one third of membership
6.8m members work for the Party and state agencies
Funded by government grant and membership dues
Private businessmen allowed to join since 2001

Analysts say there has been division at the very top of the leadership in the lead-up to the party congress, with two rival factions jostling for position and influence.

The transition process has also been complicated by the scandal that engulfed Chongqing party leader Bo Xilai - a powerful high-flier once seen as a strong contender for the top leadership. His wife has been jailed for murdering a British businessman and he looks set to face trial on a raft of corruption-related charges.
That notwithstanding, the power transition process has been orderly, for only the second time in 60 years of Communist Party rule.
"The ostensible lack of drama throughout the week-long session may disappoint sensation seekers," China Daily said in an editorial on Thursday before the new Standing Committee line-up was announced.
"But the confidence in continuity, instead of revolutionary ideas and dramatic approaches, means a better tomorrow is attainable."

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