Tuesday's Daily Brief

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 Arianna Huffington: 2011: The Year the Power Went Off in Washington Arianna Huffington: Again and again in 2011, as the country sat mired in crises and the long-term effects of joblessness, declining wages, and downward mobility, the response by the governing class could not have been more disproportionate to the problems. Like a terrible reality show, each week brought some fresh, completely made-up five-alarm crisis. And the media would dutifully follow suit, breathlessly giving its attention to the latest make or break negotiations in Washington. And then would come the front-page breakthrough deal that would essentially maintain the status quo. Instead of this manufactured Beltway clown show, there are very real and growing problems the media could be putting the spotlight on. Maybe we need to take Rick Perry's suggestion of making Congress part-time seriously in order to free up some media oxygen that can be used to focus on the real solutions -- the real creativity and innovation -- being summoned to meet our challenges around the country. POLITICS Gingrich Praised Rival For Plan He Now Attacks WORLD After Days Of Attacks, Syria Pulls Tanks From Homs POLITICS GOP Candidates Making Final Iowa Push SPORTS Drew Brees Makes NFL History BUSINESS Major Retailer To Close At Least 100 Stores BLOG POSTS James Moore: Last Lap Around Iowa As Iowa approaches, it has to be said: The fact that Rick Perry is given any type of consideration by Republican voters is a condemnation of their party and the American electoral process. And Perry owes Texans millions for the money he has wasted on traveling security. Lyric Hughes Hale: The Coming Accidental War with Iran Now that America's withdrawal from Iraq has been formalized, and Osama bin Laden and a host of autocrats have been vanquished, after a year of unbelievable changes throughout the Middle East, my prediction is that Iran is about to regain center stage in the region. Larry Magid: Big 2011 Tech Stories About People, Not Products There were plenty of gadgets shipped in 2011, but the big stories of the year were about the people who made them and used them to change the world. Jean Fain, L.I.C.S.W., M.S.W.: New Year's Resolutions: Eating Experts Wish You a Diet-Free New Year Before you make yet another New Year's resolution to lose weight for good, now might be a good time to ask yourself Dr. Phil's quintessential question: "How's that working for you?" Keli Goff: The Best and Worst Presidential Campaign Ads of the Year While Hollywood is gearing up for the Golden Globes on January 15th, the political world, or "Hollywood for ugly people" as it is sometimes jokingly called, is gearing up for its own Golden Globes.

MOST POPULAR ON HUFFINGTONPOST.COM Woman Arrested After Punching Walmart Employee In The Face 7 People Celebrating Christmas Shot Dead In Texas Home, Motive Unclear Police Find Missing Toddler Following Massive Christmas Eve Search ON TWITTER WATCH: Little Girl Furious Of Gender Stereotypes In Toy Store Are Aliens On The Moon? Scientists Want YOU To Join The Search Get To Know Camila Alves ON FACEBOOK WATCH: Little Girl Furious Of Gender Stereotypes In Toy Store Mother Saves Herself And 17-Month-Old Son By Posting On Facebook Things Not To Post On Facebook: Photos Of Stuff You Stole

Rove SuperPAC Spending Millions To Attack Elizabeth Warren

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 THE BIG STORY One Week Before Iowa, Newt Is Already Looking Toward Ohio Among "Anybody but Romney" Republicans in a key conservative region of Ohio, Newt Gingrich has been picking up support as an alternative to the former Massachusetts governor. The former House speaker has moved to the top in recent polling in Ohio, just as Republican presidential candidates prepare for the Jan. 3 caucuses in Iowa, followed closely by the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. Ohio's presidential primary is scheduled for March 6 -- one of the biggest prizes for Republicans among about a dozen states voting on "Super Tuesday." READ MORE Send To A Friend >> ELECTION 2012 Outside, Rove-Affiliated Groups Spend Millions In Unaccountable Cash Attacking Elizabeth Warren The Supreme Court, in a trio of decisions capped by the landmark Citizens United case in 2010, eased restrictions on the use of corporate money in political campaigns and paved the way for such spending. Massachusetts is front and center, with the conservative Crossroads GPS spending $1.1 million on one spot casting Warren as aligned with radical elements of the Occupy Wall Street movement and another that has her siding with Wall Street bankers. And that's just the beginning. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> INFRASTRUCTURE The Cost Of Budget Cuts: U.S. Cities Struggle To Staunch Sewer System Overflows Twice in recent summers, visitors to Michigan's western coast were greeted by mounds of garbage strewn along miles of sandy beach: plastic bottles, eating utensils, food wrappers, even hypodermic syringes. At least some of the rubbish had drifted across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee, a vivid reminder that many cities still flush nasty stuff into streams and lakes during heavy storms, fouling the waters with bacteria and viruses that can cause serious illness. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> AROUND THE WORLD North Korea Succession: We Still Don't Know Anything, And That's Terrifying The Obama administration says it is respecting North Korea's national mourning period, knowing that its officials will not be available for discussions. Yet Washington has steadfastly refused to express any condolences for the late Kim Jong-Il, whose regime is widely regarded as among the very worst human rights violators in the world. Without solid intelligence on the opaque transition process -- and fearful of misunderstandings that could provoke the notoriously erratic North -- U.S. officials concluded that the best course is to say little, watch, and wait. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> FEATURED COLUMN: BILL PRESS John Boehner's Self-Destruction: Enjoy It! It's not just the tax issue that no longer belongs to Republicans. Ever since Sept. 11, the Republican Party has also sold itself as tough on terrorism. But no longer. It was Barack Obama who gave the orders to track down and kill Osama bin Laden, after George W. Bush abandoned the hunt. It was Barack Obama who led an international coalition against Moammar Gadhafi. And it was Barack Obama who, very quietly, dispatched U.S. drones to kill Anwar al-Awlaki and scores of other al-Qaida leaders. So now Democrats are also the party of national security, the party that keeps America safe. Why have Congressional Republicans made their own situation worse? READ MORE Send To A Friend >> CARTOON OF THE DAY Send To A Friend >>

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New York, NY 10001

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Monday, December 26, 2011

Shoppers hit stores to make returns, use gift cards | VIDEO If you received a present that doesn't fit or isn't quite right, you've got a couple choices -- re-gift or return. Cops: Man tried to steal iPhone from ex-wrestler | VIDEO A would-be iPhone thief learned a hard lesson about messing with the wrong guy. ME: Cold exposure contributed to woman's death The Cook County medical examiner says exposure to the cold contributed to the death of a South Side woman. SUV slams into West Side church | VIDEO The driver of an SUV lost control and crashed into a church on Chicago's West Side. Trooper's car side-swiped on toll road An Indiana trooper may consider herself lucky not to have been seriously hurt when a semi side-swiped her squad car on a toll road in LaPorte County. Chicago looks to tear down historic synagogue The city of Chicago is seeking bids to tear down a historic synagogue on the West Side where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once spoke. MORE STORIES Strange News 1941 fruitcake in Ohio sells for $525 Texas men trade same Christmas card for decades Mass. woman says TSA confiscated frosted cupcake Runaway Fla. cat found 2,000 miles away in Colo. Deputies: Man returned to beer after bank robbery Consumer Shoppers hit stores to make returns, use gift cards | VIDEO More retailers pull formula after Mo. infant death New Air Jordans cause nationwide shopping frenzy Last-minute shoppers hit the stores | VIDEO Last-Minute Stocking Stuffers Under $25 | VIDEO Healthbeat New device detects diabetes at 'light' speed Report OKs whooping cough vaccine Ill. company finds no trace of bacteria in formula Kidney transplant perfect gift for suburban man | VIDEO France offers to pay for breast-implant removal MOST POPULAR Special Segment: When Called to Resign Cops: Man tried to steal iPhone from ex-wrestler Trooper's car side-swiped on toll road Two dead, one injured after West Side shooting Fire at Conn. home kills ad exec's 3 kids, parents All Most Popular

Advertisement TODAY'S WEATHER OUTLOOK 47°F 32°F Sunny to partly cloudy and breezy Hour-by-Hour | 7 Day Forecast | Radar & Satellite TONIGHT ON ABC Lottery Results Your Daily Horoscope 1941 fruitcake in Ohio sells for $525 A 1941 fruitcake has sold for $525 to an Arizona man in an Ohio company's online auction, and the money will go to the homeless in southwest Ohio. Submit Your Holiday Lights Photos/Videos to ABC7 E-mail us photos or video of your holiday splendor of lights! Holiday Lights 2011

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Monday's Daily Brief

Monday, December 26, 2011 Syrian Government Tanks Unleash Fire On Protesters, Killing At Least 20 TECHNOLOGY Kids Save The World WORLD More Bodies Found Far Away From Philippine Floods POLITICS OOPS: The Biggest Gaffes Of 2011 POLITICS Gingrich Gains Support From The 'Not-Romneys' BUSINESS IMF Head: World Economy In 'A Dangerous Situation' BLOG POSTS Leo W. Gerard: Republicans Try to Convert America Into Pottersville Republicans are attempting to impose a selfish belief system on a selfless American people, people like the citizens of Bedford Falls who rush to the rescue of neighbors. It won't work, just like it didn't in It's a Wonderful Life. Evelyn Leopold: UN Security Council Fiddles While Syria Burns (Albeit With Mock Humor) Arguing over a resolution on Syria, Russia and the United States indulged in barbs that resulted in a U.S. cartoon of the "Grinch Who Stole Christmas" adorned with the face of the Vitaly Churkin, Russia's U.N. ambassador. Svetlana Feller: 9 Natural Ingredients for Better Skin in the New Year I have put together a list of foods (that you likely have in your kitchen) for their nutritional benefits. They do wonders for your skin -- both internally and topically! Andy Wilson: You Just Got a Kindle or Nook -- Now What? 5 Books and Apps to Try Now! The Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet are amazing gadgets, not to mention their e-ink black and white cousins and the various other tablets and the iPad. But now that they're out of the box, what to do with them? Rozanne Gold: The Holiday Bartender Great drinks are not about lots of ingredients: Rather it is about the discreet balance of flavors -- with acidity and sweetness being key factors.

MOST POPULAR ON HUFFINGTONPOST.COM Police Call Mouse 'Hero' In Rescue Of 13-Year-Old Rape Victim Utah Nurses Fired For Taping Patient's Mouth Shut How To Track Santa On Christmas Eve ON TWITTER 'I've Learnt A Lot From Tom Cruise' WATCH: Little Girl Furious Of Gender Stereotypes In Toy Store 'Scrubs' Alum Cover 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' ON FACEBOOK WATCH: Little Girl Furious Of Gender Stereotypes In Toy Store Apple's Incredible New Plans Revealed 'A Christmas Story': What Happened To Its Stars?

Is Obama 2012's 'True Conservative'?

Monday, December 26, 2011 THE BIG STORY, BY E.J. DIONNE Obama: The True Conservative? Obama will be the conservative in 2012, in the truest sense of that word. He is the candidate defending the modestly redistributive and regulatory government the country has relied on since the New Deal, and that neither Ronald Reagan nor George W. Bush dismantled. The rhetoric of the 2012 Republicans suggests they want to go far beyond where Reagan or Bush ever went. And here's the irony: By raising the stakes of 2012 so high, Republicans will be playing into Obama's hands. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> CHRISTMAS Michelle Obama Answers Phone Calls About Santa's Progress Santa piled up more than presents this year -- trackers at NORAD say he also broke records during his global mission Christmas Eve. Volunteers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado fielded just under 100,000 telephone queries about his progress as of midnight MST Saturday, breaking the previous mark of 80,000. And Michelle Obama fielded at least 10 of those calls. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> FEATURED COLUMN: ALBERT HUNT Will Obama Get Lucky In 2012? Barack Obama probably will have to pull out a familiar card next year: the luck of the draw. In winning the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, the president defeated political heavyweights, starting with Hillary Clinton. His other triumphs were facilitated by lots of luck. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> AROUND THE WORLD Pope Calls For Peace On Christmas As Islamist Bombings Rock Nigeria The Holy Land and the entire Mideast were very much on Pope Benedict XIV's mind as he delivered his Christmas speech from the the sun-drenched loggia of St. Peter's Basilica. The 84-year-old pontiff appeared in fine form, just hours after celebrating a two-hour long Christmas Eve Mass that ended around midnight. "May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which even today stain the earth with blood," Benedict said. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> ELECTION 2012 How The Gingrich Lost Christmas Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich failed to qualify for Virginia's Super Tuesday primary ballot with the required 10,000 signatures -- the latest setback for a candidate whose early December resurgence has been diminished in recent polls. Gingrich's campaign said he will pursue an aggressive write-in campaign in the state where he lives, although state law prohibits write-ins on primary ballots. READ MORE Send To A Friend >>

(c) 2011 Eastern Harbor Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
28 West 27th Street, Suite 502
New York, NY 10001

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP)

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP):

Do you qualify for this program?

If you are current on your mortgage and have been unable to obtain a traditional refinance because the value of your home has declined, you may be eligible to refinance through HARP. HARP is designed to help you refinance into a new affordable, more stable mortgage. The HARP loan is a new loan and will require a loan application and underwriting process. Loan refinance fees will apply.