Arizona Gov. Brewer gets book critique from Obama (AP)

MESA, Ariz. ? Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer came to greet President Barack Obama upon his arrival outside Phoenix Wednesday. What she got was a critique. Of her book.

The two leaders could be seen engaged in an intense conversation at the base of Air Force One's steps. Both could be seen smiling, but speaking at the same time.

Asked moments later what the conversation was about, Brewer, a Republican, said: "He was a little disturbed about my book."

Brewer recently published a book, "Scorpions for Breakfast," something of a memoir of her years growing up and defends her signing of Arizona's controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants, which Obama opposes.

Obama was objecting to Brewer's description of a meeting he and Brewer had at the White House, where she described Obama as lecturing her. In an interview in November Brewer described two tense meetings. The first took place before his commencement address at Arizona State University. "He did blow me off at ASU," she said in the television interview in November.

She also described meeting the president at the White House in 2010 to talk about immigration. "I felt a little bit like I was being lectured to, and I was a little kid in a classroom, if you will, and he was this wise professor and I was this little kid, and this little kid knows what the problem is and I felt minimized to say the least."

On the tarmac Wednesday, Brewer handed Obama an envelope with a handwritten invitation to return to Arizona to meet her for lunch and to join her for a visit to the border.

"I said to him, you know, I have always respected the office of the president and that the book is what the book is," she told reporters Wednesday. She said Obama complained that she described him as not treating her cordially.

"I said that I was sorry that he felt that way. Anyway, we're glad he's here, and we'll regroup."

A White House official said Brewer handed Obama a letter and said she was inviting him to meet with her. The official said Obama told her he would be glad to meet with her again. The official said Obama did note that at their last meeting, which the official described as a cordial discussion in the Oval Office, the governor inaccurately described the meeting in her book. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation between the president and the governor.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_el_pr/us_obama_arizona_governor

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ABC Finally Admits Emily Maynard is The Bachelorette

ABC finally confirmed the news we've been all but sure of for over a week: Emily Maynard is getting her second shot at love on The Bachelorette in 2012!

The 25-year-old single mom from North Carolina, will footsteps of Ashley Hebert ... who she bested for Brad Womack's love on The Bachelor last spring.

Maynard, who went on to split with Brad last summer, will begin filming in March, a source said, adding, "She's looking for a man ... not a little boy."

An interesting comment, since Brad is more than a decade older than Em.

The West Virginia native, who resides in Charlotte, N.C., with her 6-year-old daughter Ricki, was previously engaged to NASCAR driver and owner Ricky Hendrick.

He died in a plane crash in October 2004 while Maynard was pregnant, but before she even realized it. She went on to name their daughter after her late fiance.

"Emily’s strength, passion and southern charm - as a mother and as a woman - would make anyone happy to make her his wife," ABC says in a press release.

"She found love again with Brad and, even though it didn’t work out, she realized that the series can work. Among those 25 men, she is looking for someone who makes her laugh, doesn’t take himself too seriously and can be her best friend."

"Emily Maynard is hoping that the third time is the charm."

Emily Maynard as The Bachelorette: Good pick?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/abc-finally-admits-emily-maynard-will-be-the-bachelorette/

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Workers to pump oil from grounded cruise Saturday

An Italian Navy officer talks on a walkie-talkie in the harbor of the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, where the cruise ship Costa Concordia run aground, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

An Italian Navy officer talks on a walkie-talkie in the harbor of the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, where the cruise ship Costa Concordia run aground, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

The grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia lies on its side off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Salvage experts can begin pumping fuel from a capsized cruise ship as early as Tuesday to avert a possible environmental catastrophe and the ship is stable enough that search efforts for the missing can continue, Italian officials said. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

In this undated photo released by Vigili del Fuoco (Italian firefighters) Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 scuba divers of the firefighters unit inspect the Costa Concordia cruise ship, off the tiny Giglio island, Italy. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Vigili del Fuoco)

In this undated photo released by Vigili del Fuoco (Italian firefighters) Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 rocks emerge from the Costa Concordia cruise ship, off the tiny Giglio island, Italy. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Vigili del Fuoco)

Italian Guardia di Finanza and Civil Protection officers recover pieces of furniture from the grounded cruise ship Costa Concordia off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Italian officials say Monday two more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a cruise liner capsized off the Tuscan coast, bringing the number of confirmed dead to 15. The national civil protection agency official in charge of the search said Monday that divers recovered the bodies of two women from the ship's internet cafe. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

ROME (AP) ? A barge carrying a crane and other equipment hitched itself to the toppled Costa Concordia on Tuesday, signaling the start of preliminary operations to remove a half-million gallons of fuel from the grounded cruise ship before it leaks into the pristine Tuscan sea.

Actual pumping of the oil isn't expected to begin until Saturday, but officials from the Dutch shipwreck salvage firm Smit were working on the bow of the Concordia on Tuesday, making preparations to remove the fuel.

They were at work as divers located another body from the wreckage, bringing the death toll to 16.

Officials have identified an initial six tanks that will be tapped, located in a relatively easy-to-reach area of the ship. Franco Gabrielli, head of the national civil protection agency, told reporters Tuesday that once the tanks are emptied, 50 percent of the fuel aboard the ship will have been extracted.

The pumping will continue 24 hours a day barring rough seas or technical glitches in this initial phase, he said.

"This is a complicated operation," Gabrielli warned. Smit has estimated the extraction operation could last a month.

The Concordia ran aground and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio on Jan. 13 after the captain veered from his approved course and gashed the ship's hull on a reef, forcing the panicked evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew.

So far 16 bodies have been found, including one located on the third floor deck on Tuesday. At least six of the badly decomposed bodies remain unidentified, and are presumed to be among some of the 17 passengers and crew still unaccounted for.

Divers, meanwhile, continued blasting holes inside the steel-hulled ship to ease access for crews searching for the missing. The search and rescue operation will continue in tandem with the fuel removal operation.

On Monday, islanders and officials spotted an oil film on the water about 300 meters (yards) from the wreck. Absorbent panels were put around the oil to soak up the substance and officials said Tuesday it was a very thin film that didn't present any significant levels of toxicity.

Giglio and its waters are part of a protected seven-island marine park, favored by VIPs and known for its clear waters and porpoises, dolphins and whales.

Gabrielli said he had formally asked Costa Crociere SpA, the owner of the Concordia, to come up with a plan for what to do with the innards of the ship that are floating away ? the tables and chairs and other furniture that are being hauled away by barge on a daily basis.

And he said he had asked provincial authorities to designate a site on the mainland where the material can be dumped.

Costa is a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world's biggest cruise operator.

It has blamed the captain, Francesco Schettino, for the disaster, saying he made an unauthorized and unapproved deviation from the route. Schettino remains under house arrest facing accusations of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship before all passengers were off.

Early Tuesday, amid continued outrage by passengers of the chaotic evacuation, Costa promised to refund the full cost of the cruise, reimburse all travel expenses to and from the ship, all on-board expenses and any medical expenses incurred as a result of the grounding.

"Every effort will be made to return the valuables left in the cabin safe," Costa said in a statement.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-24-Italy-Cruise%20Aground/id-94a1682eb58449c4bb4b6333ad524ae1

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Communications Degree ? Licensure, Association and Certification ...

Find out some important communications degree institutions for licensure and certification.

Nowadays, only a few marketing, advertising and PR managers have certifications.
However, the number of communications professionals who are looking for professional recognition is projected to increase as the industry becomes more competitive.
Examinations and presentations of your winning projects may earn you professional accreditation from several large communications degree-centered institutions and non-profit organizations.

Among the popular professional accreditations and associations are the Public Relations Society of America, International Association of Business Communicators, Canadian Public Relations Society and National Communication Association.
Being a member of these organizations provides a handful of benefits and networking opportunities for communications degree holders.
Here is the overview of several communications organizations for licensure, certification and association.

Chartered in 1947, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the world?s biggest and pioneer organization of public relations professionals.
PRSA offers professional development, supports ethical principles for its members and sets standards of excellence.
The organization upholds greater understanding of public relations services and acts as one of the leading voices of the industry concerning professional and business issues.

Individuals with a communications degree (associate?s, bachelor?s or masters in communication) who want to accelerate their career may seek help from PRSA.
One of the advantages of being a member of this institution is networking, putting you in touch with other PRSA members and providing you niche conferences and other learning opportunities.
The organization has 10 PRSA districts and 111 chapters that connect members with other professionals in your area.

Besides professional networking, members may receive professional recognition during Silver Anvil, the most prestigious award event, celebrating various public relations achievements.
Other PRSA recognition awards are for tactical excellence, individual accomplishment and achievement in specialized areas.
Other benefits of PNSA for communications professionals include accreditation through the Accredited in Public Relations program (APR), learning and job guide.

Another good organization for a communications professional is the International Association of Business Communicators.
Founded in 1970, it offers a professional network for nearly 15,000 business communications professionals in more than 80 countries.
Being a member of the IABC professional network can help you find hidden job markets, and enhance your learning and skills with the website?s robust library.

The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is another organization for public relations in Canada and other countries.
Founded in 1948, it started with two original groups ? one in Montreal and the other in Toronto.
In 1957, it became a national society.

Today, the CPRS consists of 16 member societies, with connections in major cities and organized provinces.
CPRS aims to advance the professional standing of public relations and monitors its practice to uphold the protection of public interest.
Other than regulation of PR practice, it serves the public interest by implementing a code of ethics and a standard of proficiency.

Most importantly, the National Communication Association is the biggest national organization promoting communication education and scholarship.
NCA serves teachers, scholars and practitioners by supporting their interests in teaching and research.
It is a non-profit organization with more than 8,000 members working and living in the US and over 20 other countries.

Do you know what you can do with a communications degree association?
Without some experience and an outstanding portfolio after graduation, entry-level communications degree applicants with unadorned resumes have difficulty finding a job.
As such, having connections with esteemed professionals in the field of communication and membership to established organizations can give you an upper hand over other interested applicants.

Source: http://www.bluebearalaska.com/2012/01/23/communications-degree-%E2%80%93-licensure-association-and-certification/

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$25B nationwide mortgage deal goes to states

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The nation's five largest mortgage lenders have agreed to overhaul their industry after deceptive foreclosure practices drove homeowners out of their homes, government officials said Monday.

A draft settlement between the banks and U.S. states has been sent to state officials for review.

Those who lost their homes to foreclosure are unlikely to get their homes back or benefit much financially from the settlement, which could be as high as $25 billion. About 750,000 Americans ? about half of the households who might be eligible for assistance under the deal ? will likely receive checks for about $1,800.

But the agreement could reshape long-standing mortgage lending guidelines and make it easier for those at risk of foreclosure to restructure their loans. And roughly 1 million homeowners could see the size of their mortgage reduced.

Five major banks ? Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank and Ally Financial ? and U.S. state attorneys general could adopt the agreement within weeks, according to two officials briefed on the discussions. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the agreement publicly.

The settlement would be the biggest of a single industry since the 1998 multistate tobacco deal. And it would end a painful chapter that grew out of the 2008 financial crisis.

Nearly 8 million Americans have faced foreclosure since the housing bubble burst. In some cases, companies that process mortgages failed to verify the information on foreclosure documents. The worst practices, known collectively as "robo-signing," included employees signing documents they hadn't read or using fake signatures to sign off on foreclosures.

President Barack Obama is expected to tout the settlement in his State of the Union address Tuesday. His administration has put pressure on state officials to wrap up a deal more than a year in the making.

But some say the proposed deal doesn't go far enough. They have argued for a thorough investigation of potentially illegal foreclosure practices before a settlement is hammered out.

New York, Delaware, Nevada and Massachusetts have argued that banks should not be protected from future civil liability. The deal will not fully release banks from future criminal lawsuits by individual states.

In December, Massachusetts sued the five major banks over deceptive foreclosure practices.

Ian McConnell, director of the fraud division for Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, said Monday that Biden is "opposed to the proposed settlement as drafted."

"This position, given his prior public comments, should come as no surprise," McConnell said, adding that Biden will comment further when the still-confidential deal is made public.

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said in a statement that her ability to go after potential wrongdoing by mortgage lenders "remains a key lens through which she will evaluate any proposals." In September, California announced it would not agree to an earlier version of a settlement over foreclosure abuses that state and federal officials have been working on for more than a year.

But her office declined to comment on the proposed deal circulating among the states. And it wouldn't say whether California, the state with the greatest number of people who lost their homes to foreclosure, would agree to the deal.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has taken a public stance against halting investigations of fraudulent business practices as part of a national settlement, had no immediate comment Monday.

A signed deal is not expected this week, said Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, who has led the 50-state negotiations. Greenwood said late Monday that there are "terms we must still resolve."

The settlement would only apply to privately held mortgages issued between 2008 and 2011, not those held by government-controlled Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Fannie and Freddie own about half of all U.S. mortgages, roughly about 31 million U.S. home loans.

As part of the deal, about 1 million homeowners could also get the principal amount of their mortgages written down by an average of $20,000. One in four homeowners with a mortgage ? or roughly 11 million people ? owe more than their home is worth. These so-called "underwater" borrowers have little chance at refinancing.

Democratic attorneys general met Monday in Chicago to discuss the deal with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan. Republican attorneys general were briefed about the deals via conference call later in the day.

Under the deal:

? $17 billion would go toward reducing the principal that struggling homeowners owe on their mortgages.

? $5 billion would be placed in a reserve account for various state and federal programs; a portion of that money would cover the $1,800 checks sent to those homeowners affected by the deceptive practices.

? $3 billion would to help homeowners refinance at 5.25 percent.

In October 2010, major banks temporarily suspended foreclosures following revelations of widespread deceptive foreclosure practices by banks. Discussions then began over a national settlement.

Both sides have fought over the amounts of money that should be placed in the reserve account for property owners who were improperly foreclosed upon. Many of the larger points of the deal, including a $25 billion cost for the banks, have long been worked out, officials say.

Associated Press Writers Michael Virtanen in Albany, N.Y., Randall Chase in Dover, Del., and Ben Feller in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-23-Mortgage%20Settlement/id-2852f921f6e34aceaf567affaf8e71e2

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Is Camille leaving 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'?

Tibrina Hobson / Getty Images

According to Radar, Camille Grammer might not be back on "RHOBH."

By Anna Chan

Fans of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" have watched Camille Grammer go through some trying times on the hit?Bravo reality show. And now, Radar Online is reporting that the reality personality may not return next season.

"Producers are asking Lisa Vanderpump, Adrienne Maloof and Kyle Richards if any of their wealthy female friends would be interested in appearing on the show," a network insider reportedly told the website. "It's an open secret that Camille most likely won't be back for a third season."

A source close to the show told us that casting decisions have not yet?been made.

Bravo had no comment on Camille's rumored exit on Friday.

Would you miss Camille if she left? Who do you think should leave the show? Take our poll, and share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

{"contentId":"10201860","totalVotes":"6608"}

If one person had to leave 'RHOBH,' who should it be?

?

Related content:

Dana Wilkey	? 30.3% (2,003 votes)
Kim Richards	? 25.3% (1,670 votes)
Taylor Armstrong	? 19.5% (1,287 votes)
Brandi Glanville	? 15% (991 votes)
No one should leave. The cast is great!	? 4.4% (291 votes)
Camille Grammer	? 2.3% (155 votes)
Kyle Richards	? 1.8% (117 votes)
Adrienne Maloof	? 0.7% (49 votes)
Lisa Vanderpump	? 0.7% (45 votes)

Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/20/10201860-is-camille-leaving-real-housewives-of-beverly-hills

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Chocolate muffins with white chocolate and dried cherries

Because these very chocolate-y chocolate muffins are a little decadent, they are perfect for a winter weekend breakfast and leftovers will be lovely for late-afternoon tea.

Skip to next paragraph Pam Anderson, Sharon Anderson, and Maggy Keet

Veteran cookbook author, Pam Anderson, and daughters, Maggy and Sharon, believe that just about anything worth being part of happens in the kitchen. Each week they share their thoughts about recipes, cooking, eating, and anything that comes with it (which in their world, is just about everything). There are three cooks in their kitchen. Sometimes that?s too many, but usually it?s just right.

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The batter is thick, which means you can fill the cups to the brim and they?ll bake into nice big muffins. You can start from scratch in the morning, but I prefer to measure out the ingredients the night before, which means my batter?s ready to hit the oven by the time it?s preheated.

So enjoy. Here in the Northeast the temperature continues to drop by the minute, so heat up that oven and stay warm!

Chocolate Muffins with White Chocolate and Dried Cherries
Makes 1 dozen large muffins

If short on time melt the butter and mix it with the egg and yogurt, stirring this wet mixture into the dry ingredients.

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup each: white chocolate chips and coarsely chopped dried cherries, divided

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer over medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Alternating between ingredients beat in 1/3 each of the yogurt and flour mixture until both are fully incorporated and batter is smooth. Stir in 3/4 cup each of the chips and cherries.

Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray or line with muffin cups. Use a large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among the cups (they will be full). Top with remaining 1/4 cup cherries and white chocolate.

Bake until muffins are browned and cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit a couple of minutes in muffin tin and then turn onto a wire rack to cool slightly.

Serve.

Related posts:Quick Orange Sweet Rolls with Cranberries and Walnuts,?Easy Savory Strata,?Big Brunch Strategy

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of food bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by The Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own and they are responsible for the content of their blogs and their recipes. All readers are free to make ingredient substitutions to satisfy their dietary preferences, including not using wine (or substituting cooking wine) when a recipe calls for it. To contact us about a blogger, click here.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/F0Qs4oH6Kco/Chocolate-muffins-with-white-chocolate-and-dried-cherries

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