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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 >>

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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.

Racist Ron Paul Newsletters Posted Online

Saturday, December 24, 2011 THE BIG STORY, BY MATT TAYLOR Occupy Christmas? Occupy Wall Street protesters will hold an "Occupy Christmas" 24-hour vigil at Zuccotti Park beginning late on Christmas Eve, hoping to inject the perceived moral authority -- and mainstream cultural appeal (not just dirty hippies!) -- of Christian faith into the cause, much like Civil Rights leaders did to great effect in the 1960s. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> FEATURED COLUMN: KAREN GREENBERG Can An American Jury Acquit A Terror Suspect? When we embrace an unbroken record of terrorism convictions as proof that the federal court system worked, we are embracing a deep and unsettling irony. We have no doubt that a jury of twelve American citizens is capable of convicting, but can they entertain the possibility of an acquittal in a terrorism prosecution, especially when the case revolves around instances of free speech that many of us find objectionable? READ MORE Send To A Friend >> FEATURED COLUMN: JONATHAN ALTER The Worst Political Lies Of 2011 In 2011, Mitt Romney claimed that President Barack Obama "went around the world and apologized for America," and Michele Bachmann claimed that the vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus can "cause mental retardation." These and other contenders for this year's Lie of the Year title are worth cataloguing, but let's remember that not all big fat ones inflict equal damage on our politics. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> Featured Column: Margaret Carlson If Paul Wins Caucuses, Iowa Loses Ron Paul's late surge this year may help nudge Iowa back toward political obscurity. Giving the nod to a novelty candidate like Paul would further undermine Iowa's already shaky claim to first-in-the-nation status. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> HUMAN RIGHTS Can Hillary Clinton Pave The Way For More Female Diplomats? A new National Action Plan aims to fully integrate women in diplomacy and defense, but holding on to the progress they've already made may be a greater challenge. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> POLITICS Copies Of Paul's Racist, Homophobic Newsletters Appear Online The blog "Et tu, Mr. Destructo?" has obtained scans of over 50 copies of the various Paul newsletters, and posted them online. Some of the entries are racist; some are homophobic; some seek to incite violence against the government; all are deeply damaging to Paul's presidential ambitions. READ MORE Send To A Friend >> CARTOON OF THE DAY Send To A Friend >>

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28 West 27th Street, Suite 502
New York, NY 10001

Join the Effort to Mentor and Educate Black Children; 70 Cities Join National Black Male Achievement Mentoring Effort; Pray The Devil Back To Hell

Freedom is not free!!! Progress is priceless!!! The Black Star Project needs your support to continue our work.  Dear Friend of Progress,  This has been a tough year of fundraising for The Black Star Project.  Some of it is our fault.  We have to do a much better job of managing our membership and development efforts. Additionally, we must do a better job of communicating our work to our current members.  Even so, we have a fundraising goal for current membership drive of $50,000 by January 31, 2012. All of the funds raised will go toward supporting our Saturday University (free school) and our programs that support Black men and boys. These initiatives need your support as a community of concerned citizens so that we will continue this important work.   In Chicago this week, a Toys for Tots program announced that someone had embezzled $25,000 from the agency and that some children would not get toys for Christmas.  Immediately, multiple $25,000 donations were received by the agency and now they have received easily over $100,000.    At The Black Star Project, no one has embezzled money and we have sound fiscal practices, we just need money to educate Black children, and other children, and to mentor Black boys.      If you value our efforts to educate Black children, mentor Black boys, reduce violence in communities, rebuild strong families, will you become a member today?  At The Black Star Project, the more we have, the more we do.     You can make a one-time contribution/investment online or you can set up monthly contributions.    Or you may send contributions/investments to:   The Black Star Project, Suite 2B 3509 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois For each $100 contribution/investment, we will send you an Educate or Die T-Shirt For each $200 contribution/investment, we will send you 1) a copy of The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, 2) a copy of a DVD of Professor Alexander speaking in Chicago and 3) an Educate or Die T-Shirt.     Please call 773.285.9600 for more information.  There are many organizations in your city that are doing similarly important work as the work that we do at The Black Star Project.  You should find them and support them. No one organization is going to solve the issues of our nation, our cities or our communities.  We, organizations of change and progress, need your help and we all need to work together.    Thank you.  Happy Holidays!   Sincerely,    Phillip Jackson  Executive Director The Black Star Project     The Black Male Achievement Mentoring Initiative wants 100 cities in America to mentor 100 young Black boys and men during the month of January 2012.  Will your city join this effort? Join the Black Male Achievement Movement  during January and February 2012, as we mentor tens of thousands of Black boys and young men across America.    The only way you can get this.... ....is with this!!!   To become one of the the Servant Leaders in your city planning and directing this effort, please call 773.285.9600. We will provide you with an organizing kit that will help you step-by-step to create, manage or support an outstanding mentoring program in your city.  We will also provide technical assistance and ongoing support. Schools, faith-based organizations, fraternities, Masonic organizations, veterans associations, community-based organizations, affinity organizations, military service personnel, social service agencies, companies and corporations will participate in this effort. Most mentoring events will occur on January 31, 2012.  Please see cities that are expected to participate as of December 19, 2011:    Albany, New York Atlanta Georgia Baltimore, Maryland Baton Rouge, Louisiana Blandensburg, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Buffalo, New York Chicago, Illinois Chicago, Illinois - South Suburbs Cincinnati, Ohio Colorado Springs, Colorado Dallas, Texas Danbury, Connecticut Danville, Illinois Delray Beach, Florida Detroit, Michigan Denver, Colorado Durham, North Carolina East Chicago, Indiana Englewood, Colorado Flint, Michigan Gary, Indiana Gilbert, Arizona Harvey, Illinois Hillside, Illinois Houston, Texas Irvington, New Jersey Jackson, Mississippi Kansas City, Missouri Kenesaw, Georgia Lexington, Kentucky Lithonia, Michigan Los Angeles, California Louisville, Kentucky Macon, Georgia Manassas, Virginia Matteson, Illinois Milwaukee, Wisconsin Minneapolis, Minnesota Nashville, Tennessee New York City, New York - Manhattan New York City, New York - The Bronx New York City, New York - Brooklyn New York City, New York - Queens New York City, New York - Long Island New York City, New York - Harlem Newark, New Jersey Oakland, California Oak Park, Illinois Omaha, Nebraska Peoria, Illinois  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Phoenix, Arizona Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Richmond, Virginia Riverdale, Illinois San Bernardino, California Santan Valley, AZ Seattle, Washington Shelbyville, Indiana  Southaven, Mississippi St. Louis, Missouri St. Paul, Minnesota Tampa, Florida Toledo, Ohio Tshwane, Botswana University Park, Illinois Washington, D.C. Waukegan, Illinois White Plains, New York     This event was inspired by the life and life principles of Muhammad Ali (Rumble Young Man Rumble!).  The Black Male Achievement Movement was born in Louisville, Kentucky in September 2011.  Guidance, support and encouragement for this movement is provided by Open Society Foundations' Campaign for Black Male Achievement.  The National CARES Mentoring Movement and Mentoring U.S.A have signed on as national supporters.  For more information, please call 773.285.9600. Pray the Devil Back To Hell!!! Help end the war of youth violence that is killing thousands of our children in the streets of America.  If the women of Liberia can end violence by praying and acting, so can we.  Join the women of Chicago as they pray the devil of violence in Chicago back to hell.  Join us for the film -- Pray The Devil Back to Hell! on Monday, December 26, 2011 Film: 6:30 pm  Discussion and Prayer: 7:30 pm at  The Black Star Project 3509 South King Drive, Suite 2B Chicago, Illinois $5.00 for members - $10:00 for non-members.  Space is limited. You must RSVP and arrive at least 10 minutes before film time to be guaranteed your seat. All seats will be sold starting 10 minutes before film time. Please call 773.285.9600 to RSVP your seat.   Being sick and tire of being sick and tired is not enough!  You must pray and you must act. On Monday, December 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2011, the women of Chicago will gather to see the powerful movement and documentary of women that brought peace to war torn Liberia, Pray the Devil Back to Hell.  And the women of Chicago will work to pray the devil of violence and despair that is in Chicago back to Hell! Join them. Women across America can join this movement to Pray the Devil (of violence) Back to Hell in your city or town by calling 773.285.9600. Click Here to view a trailer of the documentary.  Those who have attended previous showings of this documentary will be admitted free.