Great-grandmother leads annual Miami-Dade, Monroe toy drive

Beginning in August, Bunchy Gertner puts aside her social life, her needs and even her great-grandchildren to head over to the “North Pole,” the place where she stores, wraps and distributes thousands of toys destined for foster care children in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.“This is top banana,” said Gertner referring to the nonstop volunteer work she has done for the past...

Read More..

Pope pardons ex-butler who stole, leaked documents

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday granted his former butler a Christmas pardon for stealing the pontiff's private papers and leaking them to a journalist, one of the gravest Vatican security breaches in recent times.The pope met for 15 minutes with Paolo Gabriele in the prison where the ex-butler was serving his sentence for the theft. Gabriele...

Read More..

Investors shuffling assets ahead of fiscal cliff

Some citizens aren’t waiting to find out if the White House and Republicans in Congress will be able to reach a last-minute deal to pull the country away from the “fiscal cliff.” They are selling securities while capital gains tax rates are still low or transferring millions into trusts for the benefit of children and grandchildren before estate tax laws become more stringent....

Read More..

Weather alert: South Florida to feel ‘freezing’

Get ready to say, “Brr.”South Florida temperatures will dip into the 40s Friday night, but the wind chill will leave Miami-Dade and Broward feeling more like the 30s.Although a freeze watch is in effect late Friday through Saturday morning, the cold front will be mostly dry. There is a 30 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms Friday morning, but no chance of rain late...

Read More..

Golden Globes Flashback: Ed Harris 1999

After twenty years in the business, Ed Harris was finally granted his first Golden Globe in 1999 for his role as the creator of the show within The Truman Show. Catching up with Entertainment Tonight after winning the award, the Best Supporting Actor winner reflected on his last-minute addition to the project that won him the award.The role of "Christof," the man who oversees the show of Jim Carrey's...

Read More..

'Sandy Claus' delivers toys to storm-stricken kids

From his toy-cluttered Brooklyn apartment, the man in the red suit was making his list and checking it twice. But he made no distinction between naughty or nice: Every child on it would receive a gift from this Santa Claus.For the children whose toys floated away during Superstorm Sandy, Michael Sciaraffo is playing the role of a real-life Saint...

Read More..

Cuba lashes out against U.S. fines on foreign banks

The Cuban government Thursday denounced what it called the “unjust and illegal” multi-million dollar fines the U.S. government slapped on two foreign banks for violating Washington’s sanctions on the island. The U.S. actions show that its “ferocious persecution of financial and commercial transactions by Cuba and those with legitimate relations … has only changed but has...

Read More..

Florida schools buy emergency toilets for extended lockdowns

TRINITY -- The Seven Spring Middle School eighth-graders warily eyed the white plastic bucket.Is it for carrying cleaning supplies? Moving mulch?Then they noticed the black plastic seat on top. Their eyebrows raised, their noses crinkled, as it dawned on them that this was a portable toilet, designed for use during emergency lockdowns in classrooms without restrooms. ...

Read More..

Best Practice Institute Introduces New Social Network that Promises ‘Future of 360′

A new social network, skillrater.com launched today, makes it easy for members to request work performance ratings from overseers, co-workers and direct reports across a domestic and global workforce.West Palm Beach, Fla. (PRWEB) December 20, 2012Skillrater.com, an online social network that launched today, makes it easy for members to request work performance ratings from overseers, co-workers and...

Read More..

A White House Christmas: First Families Remember Clips

While the masses scramble around to pick up their last-minute gifts for Christmas, it's hard to picture the President of the United States heading to the mall and picking out presents for the First Family. However, President Obama and past presidents have joined the masses for some holiday shopping.As we see a sneak peek of NBC's special "A White House Christmas: First Families Remember," holiday...

Read More..

US economy grew at annual rate of 3.1 percent over summer

WASHINGTON — The US economy grew at an annual rate of 3.1 percent over the summer as consumers spent more and state and local governments added to growth for the first time in nearly three years. But the economy is likely slowing in the current quarter.The Commerce Department's third and final estimate of growth for the July-September quarter was revised...

Read More..

Survey shows better lending climate

Most Miami-Dade businesses believe they have easier access to borrowed money amid a slowly improving economy.That’s one result from a recent survey of executives by Miami’s Bilzin Sumberg law firm. The online survey of about 200 top executives was conducted during the second half of 2012. Nearly 60 percent of respondents said they thought the financing environment had improved...

Read More..

Stone-crab season suffers in the Keys

Despite rocketing prices for stone-crab claws, many Florida Keys commercial fishermen have nearly given up on the season only 2 months old."We may see record prices but also record pain," said Gary Graves, general manager of Keys Fisheries in Marathon. "Prices don't mean anything if you can't catch anything."Harvests since shortly after the season opening Oct. 15 have been...

Read More..

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg donating $500 million in stock to Silicon Valley charity

SAN FRANCISCO – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday he is donating nearly $ 500 million in stock to a Silicon Valley charity with the aim of funding health and education issues.Zuckerberg donated 18 million Facebook shares, valued at $ 498.8 million based on their Tuesday closing price. The beneficiary is the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a non-profit that works with donors to allocate...

Read More..

Barack Obama Time Magazine Person of the Year

For 2012, Time Magazine has selected President Barack Obama as their Person of the Year."For finding and forging a new majority, for turning weakness into opportunity and for seeking, amid great adversity, to create a more perfect union, Barack Obama is Time's 2012 Person of the Year," Time's Managing Editor Richzard Stengel explained. RELATED - President Obama Fights Back TearsHe also cited both...

Read More..

Russia gives initial OK to American adoption ban

MOSCOW — Russia's parliament on Wednesday gave overwhelming preliminary approval to a measure banning Americans from adopting Russian children, a harsh retaliatory move against US human rights legislation.Top Russian officials have expressed unease about the proposal, an apparent indication that the Kremlin opposes the move.The lower house of parliament,...

Read More..

Stone-crab season suffers in the Keys

Despite rocketing prices for stone-crab claws, many Florida Keys commercial fishermen have nearly given up on the season only 2 months old."We may see record prices but also record pain," said Gary Graves, general manager of Keys Fisheries in Marathon. "Prices don't mean anything if you can't catch anything."Harvests since shortly after the season opening Oct. 15 have been...

Read More..

Broward brothers face detention hearing in terrorism case

Two Pakistani brothers accused of a plotting a terrorist attack in the United States face a detention hearing in Fort Lauderdale federal court Tuesday.The Oakland Park pair pleaded not guilty earlier this month to conspiring to deploy explosive weapons against an American target.The brothers, 20-year-old Raees Alam Qazi and 30-year-old Sheheryar Alam Qazi, have each been...

Read More..

Oscars Flashback: Halle Berry 2002

At the 2002 Academy Awards, Halle Berry won an Oscar for the drama Monster's Ball. While the award was a first for her, it was more importantly a landmark win for the Oscars. After an emotional acceptance speech, she continues to succumb to emotion when thinking about the enormity of the moment.In the prior 74 Academy Awards ceremonies, a woman of black descent had never won the Best Actress Award,...

Read More..

Westchester County won't host gun show

Westchester County will not host a gun show early next year in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Conn.County Executive Rob Astorino said it would be inappropriate for the county to hold the event.Former County Executive Andrew Spano had banned the show after the 1999 Columbine school shootings in Colorado. The ban remained in effect for more than a decade.Astorino...

Read More..

American Airlines adds new agreements, flights in South America

In a nod to the importance of Latin America for its business, American Airlines on Monday announced new codeshare agreements with airlines in the region as well as new routes.American has agreed to codeshare with TAM Airlines, based in Sao Paulo, and LAN Colombia, both part of LATAM Airlines Group.The airline also said that it will add new routes in late 2013 between Miami...

Read More..

Key Largo man shot in argument over open relationship, police say

What began as a jealous argument almost turned deadly for a Key Largo man involved with a woman in an open marriage, Monroe County police say.Candice Lee, 37, allegedly shot her former lover, Shakir Muilam, 45, with a .22-caliber rifle after the two argued over her relationship with a new boyfriend, said Deputy Becky Herrin, spokeswoman with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.Lee...

Read More..

Modern Etiquette: A bit of netiquette will keep Christmas real

LONDON (Reuters) – Christmas is a convivial time of year when people get together for celebrations and conversation. It’s all about human contact so it’s important that you’re discriminating about how you use your digital devices.It’s fine if they’re used to facilitate get-togethers and spread seasonal cheer. But Christmas is a real, not a virtual event, so it’s important to discard the phones, tablets...

Read More..

Lady Gaga Gimme Shelter With The Rolling Stones

On December 15, Lady Gaga watched (along with millions on Pay-Per-View) watched her dream come true as she performed Gimme Shelter with The Rolling Stones at their 50th Anniversary Concert in Newark, NJ's Prudential Center. RELATED - 12 Best Gowns of 2012"I had a life dream to be transported in a time machine to 1973 NJ, beer + badboys. Someone heal me it happened + then I sang with the Stones," she...

Read More..

Mom warned ex-babysitter not to turn back on Adam Lanza: report

A former babysitter says he was told to never turn his back on crazed gunman Adam Lanza - even as a young child, according to a new report.Ryan Kraft, who now lives in California, said he watched Lanza when he was only 9 or 10 and Kraft was a teen, CBS News reports.Kraft said the shooter's mother, Nancy Lanza, warned him "to keep an eye on him at all times...

Read More..

Boat sales jump 10% this year

More evidence that the U.S. economy is climbing out of the recession: Sales of new recreational powerboats are estimated to be up by 10 percent in 2012, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.“We are pleased to see the industry growing,” NMMA president Thom Dammrich said. “Our projection is the industry will grow in 2013 by another 5 to 10 percent.”Dammrich...

Read More..

7-year-old in critical condition after accident

Police were investigating an accident involving a 7-year-old who was struck by a vehicle in a Lauderhill neighborhood late Saturday, Lauderhill Police spokesman Rick Rocco said. The vehicle and its driver, who has not yet been identified, remained on scene after the incident near the intersection of Northwest 27th Court and 56th Avenue.The child was transported to Broward...

Read More..

The Surface might be even more overpriced than the iPad

Everyone knows that Apple (AAPL) gets away with charging a premium for its wares because its fans have shown they’re willing to pay more money for their favorite products than fans of, say, Samsung (005930) and Amazon (AMZN) are willing to pay. This practice has led to enormous gross margins for Apple products but has not spawned many imitators because few companies command the sort of loyalty...

Read More..

Riveting Details Emerge from CT School Rampage

As morning turned to afternoon on Friday, further details continued to emerge from Newtown, CT, a tight-knit community shaken by a massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School that took the lives of innocent students and teachers, in addition to the gunman, reportedly identified as Adam Lanza.RELATED: President Fights Tears as He Addresses NationAs President Barack Obama touched on in his tear-jerking...

Read More..

State education officials brace for test-score drop due to tougher standards

New York students are heading toward the testing cliff.Kids in grades 3 to 8 will face much tougher questions on state math and English exams in April and May — and education officials expect scores to nose-dive.“People are bracing for a major drop,” one official told The Post. The tests will include complex math problems and reading passages — a...

Read More..

Miami in spotlight at AVCC, other entrepreneurship events

Entrepreneurs from around the world took the stage during this packed week of entrepreneurship events in Miami: Florida International University’s Americas Venture Capital Conference (known as AVCC), HackDay, Wayra’s Global DemoDay and Endeavor’s International Selection Panel.The events, all part of the first Innovate MIA week, also put the spotlight on Miami as it continues...

Read More..