SF sheriff pleads not guilty to domestic violence (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? San Francisco's new sheriff pleaded not guilty to domestic violence and other charges Thursday as a judge ordered him to stay away from his wife and toddler son despite her tearful pleas not to keep the family apart.

Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's lawyer, Robert Waggener, entered the pleas during an arraignment in San Francisco Superior Court, where Mirkarimi, 50, is also charged with child endangerment and dissuading a witness after a New Year's Eve incident with Lopez at their home.

Judge Susan Breall issued a stay-away order requiring Mirkarimi not to have any contact with his wife, Eliana Lopez, or their 2-year-old son.

"The violence against me is that I don't have my family together," Lopez said repeatedly in court. "Let me have my family together. This is the only reason I am here is that I have my family with Ross."

Lopez, 36, a former Venezuelan telenovela star, also told the judge that she is not some "poor little immigrant," and added, "I'm not afraid of my husband at all."

Mirkarimi, who did not speak during Thursday's hearing, could be seen taking his glasses off and wiping away tears during Lopez's testimony.

Breall said she found Lopez to be strong, engaging and "quite charming." But the judge said that based on an arrest warrant affidavit that contains "physical and emotional abuse," a stay-away order was still necessary.

"I believe Eliana when she says the sheriff is a good person and a loving father. I absolutely believe that," Breall said. "I believe Eliana never wanted this to go to this extreme and to end up in court.

"This is still a volatile situation. The affidavit shows a volatile situation."

During the frenzied two-hour hearing, prosecutor Elizabeth Aguilar-Tarchi argued that the stay-away order was requested because of the charges and not because of Mirkarimi's status.

Waggener said he was disappointed with the judge's ruling.

"I don't think there was a basis for a stay-away order. I don't think the proper decision was made. We'll come back and we'll fight it," Waggener said. "Mr. Mirkarimi did not commit domestic violence, he did not endanger his child, and he did not try to dissuade his wife from talking to the police or anybody else. That's the bottom line."

Mirkarimi is due in court again Monday to set a trial date and again on Jan. 26 to request a modification of the stay-away order.

According to the arrest affidavit released Tuesday, Mirkarimi is alleged to have mistreated his wife on two separate occasions last year and to have told her he was a "very powerful" man who could take away their son.

Lopez appeared on a Jan. 1 videotape candidly discussing the Dec. 31 confrontation and another incident earlier last year, according to the affidavit.

The footage was shot by a neighbor, Ivory Madison, whose call to police prompted an investigation. Lopez is crying and visibly upset about the couple's run-in the day before, the affidavit said, and she points to a bruise on her right bicep where she said Mirkarimi grabbed her.

"This happened yesterday," Lopez tells the camera. "Two times in 2011, and this is the second time this is happening."

Madison eventually told police investigators what Lopez had relayed to her but would not surrender the videotape. Police obtained it and other evidence through a search warrant.

Investigators from the district attorney's office later found another neighbor who gave an account similar to Madison's and said Lopez described Mirkarimi as "going ballistic." The neighbor also said the couple's son told his mother, "Daddy made boo-boo on Mommy's arm."

Lopez married Mirkarimi after having their first child in 2009. She said in court Thursday that her son woke up early in the morning asking for his father and she promised that he would be home Friday.

She was wearing a shirt she said her son had decorated that read, "I want Daddy back."

Meanwhile, several domestic violence groups have called for Mirkarimi to either step aside temporarily until the case is closed or resign.

Mirkarimi, who was sworn in as sheriff nearly two weeks ago after serving two terms as a San Francisco supervisor, said he has no intention of leaving his new post.

However, he could face up to a year in jail if he's convicted.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_us/us_sf_sheriff_domestic_violence

hope solo texas high school football fugazi fugazi nba lockout dramamine dramamine

Blues singer Etta James dies at 73 (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Three-time Grammy winner singer Etta James, a pioneer of 1950s rhythm-and-blues and rock music known for her show-stopping hit "At Last," died on Friday from complications of leukemia, age 73.

James died at a hospital in Riverside, California, east of Los Angeles, said her manager and friend of some 30 years, Lupe De Leon. She would have turned 74 on Wednesday.

"She passed away this morning. She was with her husband and her sons," said De Leon.

James was diagnosed with leukemia two years ago and had been in failing health for a number of years. Her live-in doctor said in December she was terminally ill with leukemia. James also suffered from diabetes, kidney problems and dementia and was hospitalized late in 2011 because she was struggling to breathe.

The R&B singer saw numerous ups-and-downs in her career and personal life. She struggled with obesity and heroin addiction, ran a hot-check scheme and had troubled relationships with men, including some gangsters. Her weight ballooned, and in 2003 she underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost more than 200 pounds.

Yet in the music industry, among fellow R&B artists and rock icons, James' own reputation grew into legend. With songs like "The Wallflower" and "Good Rockin' Daddy," the three-time Grammy winner was a key figure in the early days of rock 'n' roll, and her signature song, the 1961 ballad "At Last," proved her mastery of the blues.

She sang with a mixture of power and pain that led veteran musical producer Jerry Wexler to call her "the greatest of all modern blues singers ... the undisputed Earth Mother."

James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 but throughout her long career she diversified into mainstream blues, soul and R&B.

"Etta James is simply one of the best singers I've ever heard," singer-guitarist Bonnie Raitt wrote in Rolling Stone magazine. "... Etta is earthy and gritty, ribald and out-there in a way that few performers have the guts to be."

James' last album, "The Dreamer," was released in 2011. She spent the latter part of her life at home in California.

GOSPEL TO GREATNESS

She was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles on January 25, 1938, to an unmarried teenager who told her that her father was legendary pool shark Rudolph Wanderone, better known as Minnesota Fats. James told CNN she introduced herself to Wanderone in 1987 but was unable to confirm he was her father.

James sang gospel in the church choir and stood out even as a 5-year-old. By 1954, she recorded "Roll With Me Henry" with two other girls in a trio called The Peaches.

The group was discovered by bandleader Johnny Otis, and their song, renamed "The Wallflower," topped R&B charts in 1955. The Peaches eventually split up, but James continued recording and later that year "Good Rockin' Daddy" hit the charts.

Otis died on Tuesday in the Los Angeles area, age 90.

In the 1960s, James signed with Chicago's legendary Chess Records label and sang songs like "At Last" and "Trust in Me" that were backed by orchestras. But she never strayed too far from her gospel roots, as evidenced by 1962's "Something's Got a Hold of Me."

Over the decades, James' hit the R&B charts with 30 singles, and placed nine of those songs in pop music's top 40. She has often been cited as influencing singers including Raitt, Janis Joplin and Tina Turner.

James won her first Grammy in 1995 for her album, "Mystery Lady: The Songs of Billie Holiday." She also won Grammys in 2003 and 2005, as well as a lifetime achievement award in 2003 from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Grammys.

She is survived by her husband, Artis Mills, two sons Donto and Sametto who played in James' backing band, and four grandchildren.

(Reporting By Bill Trott and Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/en_nm/us_ettajames

grand theft auto 5 kris jenner kris jenner livestand power ball kelly slater kelly slater

Another One Bites the Dust: Virgin Mobile Will Soon Throttle Unlimited Data Users [Carriers]

It seems like all the carriers have banded together to kill the angel known as unlimited data. Even little 'ol Virgin Mobile has joined the murder party, informing their customers that as of March 23rd, Virgin Mobile will throttle users who pass the 2.5GB data threshold. That supposedly effects 3% of their customers. Et tu, Virgin? [Virgin Mobile via The Verge] More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nmAgxQD6YL4/another-one-bites-the-dust-virgin-mobile-will-soon-throttle-unlimited-data-users

paulina gretzky wayne gretzky wayne gretzky occupy los angeles occupy los angeles comedian patrice o neal occupy philadelphia

Will Ron Paul pick up many of Rick Perry's voters?

While Perry has endorsed Gingrich, Ron Paul stands to benefit somewhat from his fellow Texan's departure from the Republican race. But then, so do the rest of the candidates.?

Will Ron Paul benefit from Rick Perry dropping out of the presidential race? There?s been lots of talk today about how Newt Gingrich might pick up voters from the Perry campaign?s demise, but less about how it might affect the libertarian from Texas, who ? it must be noted ? is now one of only four major candidates left in the race.

Skip to next paragraph

Congressman Paul himself joked about picking up Perry supporters Thursday morning. Asked for his reaction to the Perry news by a CBS News reporter, Paul said, ?I?m glad, I?ll have all his votes!? Then he laughed. Clearly, he was kidding.

?If somebody else likes a Texan maybe [they?ll] come to me,? Paul continued, then kept moving along shaking hands with supporters.

Strictly speaking, Paul certainly will benefit from Mr. Perry pulling out. Mr. Gingrich won?t get all of Perry?s support. Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum will all pick up a share.

According to just-released Public Policy Polling tracking survey results, Gingrich is the second choice of about 26 percent of Perry voters in South Carolina. Mr. Romney gets about the same slice ? 26 percent of the now-former Perry supporters.

Paul is in line to pick up 10 percent of Perry?s Palmetto State votes, according to PPP. Mr. Santorum will get 15 percent, with 23 percent unsure who they might pick instead.

So, bottom line: the other candidates are predicted to pick up more Perry voters than Paul will, at least according to this survey. None of them will get a huge boost, however, as Perry was only getting about five percent of the total South Carolina vote, anyway. That?s why he dropped out. So the pie that is getting divided up here is snack-size to begin with.

Paul in any case is unlikely to make a run at the top spot in South Carolina. The state has a large military presence, and Paul?s non-interventionist views have not played well among Republicans there. That?s why his answers to foreign policy questions at times drew boos from the crowd during Monday?s South Carolina GOP debate. (However, Paul himself is now the only veteran in the race, as well as the only Protestant.)

Nate Silver, polling expert at the New York Times, has crunched a number of recent polls, and pronounces Paul?s chances of winning the South Carolina primary to be zero. He has Romney and Gingrich essentially tied, each with about a 34 percent chance of a victory.

For Paul, the race in South Carolina may be against Santorum. If the libertarian could edge out the social conservative for third, he might be able to declare some kind of victory.

But Paul's campaign has not put much emphasis on South Carolina, or the upcoming primary state of Florida, where he?s polling only in the high single digits. Instead it is looking to Nevada, Maine, and other caucus states as places where its committed supporters can produce delegates. Paul?s big advantage at the moment is cash: unlike Santorum, or even Gingrich, he has a well-lubricated fund-raising machine that looks as if it will enable him to keep campaigning as long as he wants.

---

Watch this video by Monitor Staff photographer Ann Hermes on the?key issues on the minds of social conservative or values voters in South Carolina.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/lFg2LUsX64Y/Will-Ron-Paul-pick-up-many-of-Rick-Perry-s-voters

mlk memorial mlk memorial brown recluse brown recluse heather locklear hospitalized joplin tornado there will be blood

Korg unveils two new Kaoss family members, brings anarchy to your pocket

Two K-words we're almost always pleased to hear: Korg and Kaoss. Good, then, that the former has decided to make more of the latter -- the mini Kaoss Pad 2 (effects unit), and Kaossilator 2 (synthesizer), to be precise. Both new editions will slip in your pocket, and are dominated by that all-important X-Y pad. The mini Kaoss Pad 2 is all about effects, packing 100 programs, three memory slots, and MP3 playback (with pitch adjust). The traditional flanger, filter, delay, and reverb ear candy are also joined by looper, vinyl break, and ducking compressor.

But what good are effects without anything to, er, affect? Enter Kaossilator 2. It's a palm-sized synthesizer, with 150 onboard sounds and a PCM engine for drums. You can sample via a built-in mic, gate and arpeggiate sounds, and create layered textures with loops. Both can record your performance, save it to SD, or impose share with others via a built-in speaker. It's all peace and quiet, though, until April when the Kaossilator lands for about £168 ($260). The KPad, on the other hand won't hit the market until May, retailing at the same price. Full PRs after the break.

Continue reading Korg unveils two new Kaoss family members, brings anarchy to your pocket

Korg unveils two new Kaoss family members, brings anarchy to your pocket originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceKorg  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/korg-unveils-kaossilator2-and-mini-kaoss-pad2/

lesean mccoy while you were sleeping while you were sleeping happy halloween happy halloween history of halloween eagles cowboys

paulstpancras: RT @mikejulietbravo: RT @Old_Holborn: If Wiki, Twitter, Facebook and Google went offline, mild mannered housewives from Godalming wd bec ...

Loader RT @: If Wiki, Twitter, Facebook and Google went offline, mild mannered housewives from Godalming wd become feral Cannibal beasts

Source:

nbpa itunes match itunes match walmart black friday 2011 walmart black friday 2011 packers vikings bob costas jerry sandusky

CampusMBA Extends Educational Partnership With Insurance ...

CampusMBA, the education division of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), has announced it has extended its partnership with Stamford, Conn.-based Insurance Advisors LLC. Under the agreement CampusMBA, in conjunction with Insurance Advisors, will continue to offer live online workshops addressing a variety of insurance issues for commercial/multifamily real estate loans.

"We are proud to continue to join Insurance Advisors to offer valuable industry education, especially in this challenging economic environment," said David H. Stevens, MBA's president and chief executive officer. "Commercial insurance issues continue to be vital for our commercial and multifamily members, and we look forward to continuing to offer relevant courses to educate industry professionals on important and timely insurance related issues."

Each workshop will cover both broad issues as well a specific topics that industry professionals address on a daily basis. The workshops are designed to provide practical information that is useful to commercial loan originators and underwriters, loan closers, drafting attorneys and loan servicers.?Course topics will include: Self insurance, captives and fronting arrangement. The workshops will also cover terrorism insurance, flood insurance and the principles of property insurance.

"We are very excited to continue our work with MBA and its members on such relevant issues facing the industry," said Bernie Brown, president of Insurance Advisors LLC. "By working with MBA and its education division, CampusMBA, Insurance Advisors is able to educate industry professionals on vital and timely insurance related issues. We are committed to providing superior educational assistance to MBA members and we are proud the MBA has chosen to continue our partnership with them."

View the discussion thread.

Source: http://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news28052/campusmba-extends-educational-partnership-insurance-advisors

pat boone psn down rem typhoon dwts elimination kelly thomas international day of peace

James sent home from shootaround, Wade out again

Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) wipes his face during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) wipes his face during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade cheers from the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, in Miami. The Heat defeated the Spurs 120-98. Wade did not play due to a sprained right ankle. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra puts his hand to his head during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

(AP) ? LeBron James was sent home from Miami's game-day shootaround practice to rest Thursday morning, and the Heat say he will be a game-time decision for that night's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Meanwhile, the Lakers ? and James' former coach ? fully expect him to play.

"When you talk about great players like him, those guys even though they're sick or a little injured or whatever, they find a way to perform at a high level," Lakers coach Mike Brown, one of James' former coaches with the Cleveland Cavaliers, said Thursday afternoon. "I don't think it's any different for LeBron."

James has been battling flu-like symptoms for much of this week. He said it affected him in the early minutes of Miami's game against San Antonio on Tuesday, a contest where he started slowly and still finished with 33 points, 17 of those in a huge third-quarter run as the Heat turned a 14-point halftime deficit into a 22-point win.

James said he was feeling better Wednesday, though some symptoms apparently reappeared Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra indicated James was sent home only as a precaution.

"He's feeling under the weather still," Spoelstra said.

Miami will be without guard Dwyane Wade, whose sprained right ankle will keep him sidelined for the second straight game. It's the fifth game Wade will miss in Miami's first 14 this season because of injury, the first three of those caused by a sore left foot.

"The show still goes on," Heat forward Chris Bosh said. "We're still going to expect to win."

Whether James plays or not, the Heat plan to use Shane Battier and James Jones defensively on Lakers star Kobe Bryant, at least some of the time.

"It's always a luxury having such great players on your team," Bosh said. "But sometimes they're out. This is why we made moves this season, was to be a deeper team."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-19-BKN-Heat-Injuries/id-8b7c0b221a9c41cc92dc05cd81fb914c

david stern david stern julian beever appeasement ian stewart ian stewart odom

Newt?s Bright Night

Romney did not have his best night. He talks a lot about strength on the stump, particularly when it comes to national security. But he seemed weak onstage compared to Gingrich, Perry, and Santorum. Those candidates have an urgency in their voice when they talk about what they believe in (it?s not just that they?re urgent because they?re behind in the polls). Romney?s responses seemed rote for most of the debate. Usually he overcomes his lack of passion with precision and facts, but this time he was wobbly for a few patches, which made him seem vulnerable.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=2246d941a89bec1bf99a8bc27bf5b093

dallas weather the killing fields the killing fields texas killing fields burzynski pete seeger gazelle