Belt-whipping Texas judge suspended: Sign of shift on corporal punishment?

The Texas Supreme Court suspended the family-law judge who was caught on video beating his 16-year-old daughter. The move could signal that views on corporal punishment of kids are changing ? even in the South.?

The Texas Supreme Court has suspended the Texas family-law judge whose daughter secretly videotaped him belt-whipping her, suggesting to some observers that, even in the socially conservative South, where?corporal punishment is seen as important in shaping character,?the fine line between discipline and abuse is shifting.?

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Texas' highest court on Tuesday suspended Aransas County Judge William Adams with pay while the State Commission on Judicial Conduct investigates. Judge Adams,?who makes rulings on whether parents are fit to oversee their children, found himself at the center of a national firestorm when his 23-year-old daughter, Hillary, posted a video to YouTube in October that showed him beating her. The incident had taken place in 2004.?

Adams maintains that he did nothing wrong, and the investigation could exonerate him, but the fact that the Texas court took this step is significant, says?David Finkelhor, director of the University of New Hampshire Crimes against Children Research Center.

"We're in a normative shift regarding views on corporal punishment, and what shifts the fastest are views on extremes of what is tolerated," says Mr. Finkelhor. "This video is in the cusp area where there's a lot of controversy right now."

In the YouTube clip, Adams says, "Go get the belt. The big one. I'm going to spank her now." As Hillary wails and begs her father to stop, he lashes her with a belt across the legs.

Ms. Adams says she posted the video to force her father to get help for personal issues. He said the beating looked worse than it was, and that he had the right to discipline a child who had been caught uploading pirated music. Moreover, he alleges that his daughter posted the video in retaliation for his demand that she either return to college or he'd take away her car and cell phone.

Though the statute of limitations for any child-abuse charges has passed, experts say the behavior in the video would likely not qualify as child abuse under current laws, anyway.

Socially, the South is more supportive of corporal punishment to discipline a child, laws and studies show. For example, all Southern states except Virginia allow corporal punishment in schools, while no states in the Northeast or on the West Coast do. In addition, a?recent study by Southern Methodist University researcher George Holden, which?videotaped 37 north Texas parents, showed that nearly all hit or swatted their child in a 36-hour period.?

On Tuesday, Adams waived a preliminary hearing on his suspension, admitted no guilt, and agreed to cooperate with the investigation. How the court's judicial conduct board deals with Adams may be the ultimate indicator of how far attitudes on corporal punishments have shifted in society's eyes.

"I'll be interested to know whether the suspension is a fig leaf to say [the Supreme Court] is taking it seriously or are they really taking it seriously," says Finkelhor.

Another Texas court is expected to rule Wednesday on whether to uphold a restraining order on Adams that keeps him from visiting his 10-year-old daughter, who lives with his ex-wife.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/2uO1ieKzOxA/Belt-whipping-Texas-judge-suspended-Sign-of-shift-on-corporal-punishment

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Polish Oscar winner makes first film about Lech Walesa (omg!)

WARSAW (Reuters) - Lech Walesa will finally see his life made into a movie, more than three decades after the shipyard electrician launched the Solidarity union that helped topple communism in Eastern Europe.

On Thursday, Oscar-winning Polish director Andrzej Wajda began filming the first biopic about Walesa, who remains a respected but controversial figure.

While Walesa is revered abroad for his courageous leadership of the first independent trade union under communism and his imprisonment under martial law, he is a more divisive figure at home because of his record as Poland's first post-communist president and his often combative style.

"I don't want to, but I have to," Wajda, 85, told a news conference, using one of Walesa's famous sayings when the Nobel Peace Prize winner ran for office for the first time.

The veteran filmmaker said he had spoken to Walesa about making the movie and he did not object.

"I think if he didn't trust me, he would not let me make this film," said Wajda, who was also a member of Solidarity's advisory committee in the early 1980s and appeared at Gdansk shipyard in 1980 during the famous strike.

The film's writer said the movie, which will be called "Walesa," aimed to show the most famous living Pole as a human being, not just an icon.

"I agreed to write a script because the director told me that he didn't want to raise another Walesa monument," said Janusz Glowacki, who wrote the screenplay.

Robert Wieckiewicz, the lead actor, admitted it would be his most difficult role yet.

"Firstly, it's a contemporary character, who is still alive. Secondly, he's one of the best-known Poles and I think there are dozens of 'Walesa experts' in Poland and each of them will have their own opinion," Wieckiewicz said.

He also confided that he would have to resort to a fake mustache because he was unable to grow one to match that of his subject.

"Walesa" will be the first Polish production about Walesa, although the former Solidarity leader has already been portrayed in Volker Schlondorff's film "Strike" five years ago.

Walesa played himself in dozens of productions, including Wajda's "Man of Iron," which won the Palme d'Or for best picture at the 1981 Cannes film festival.

He also inspired U2's song "New Year's Day" that coincidentally came out on January 1, 1983, the day after Poland's authorities suspended martial law.

The movie is scheduled to hit the screens in autumn next year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_polish_oscar_winner_makes_first_film_lech_walesa191713395/43706640/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/polish-oscar-winner-makes-first-film-lech-walesa-191713395.html

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Ten Insurance Policies You Need To Own (Free Money Finance)

The following is a guest post from Hank who writes about personal finance on Money Q&A.

I wish I had more insurance coverage. How many times do you actually hear that or say that to yourself? Most people hate talking or even thinking about insurance. It isn?t a pleasant subject. In fact, more people would rather visit their dentist for a filling than think about the types or amounts of insurance that they need to purchase in order to protect themselves, assets, and families. There are an incredible number and array of different types of insurance policies that you can purchase and quite a few that you should own. You may look at the number ten and think that is just way too many, but when you get right down to it, they might be just right to keep you and your family protected.

Ten Insurance Policies You Need To Own

1. Disability Insurance ? A third of Americans will find themselves disabled and unable to work at some point during their careers. In fact, almost half of all home foreclosures are a direct result of people being disabled and unable to work. While disability insurance may be an expensive addition to your insurance coverage, it is well worth having it protect your future income. You can choose to purchase long-term disability insurance that does not start until you have been disabled for over six months in an effort to save money on your premiums, but of course this assumes that you have a fully funded emergency fund in place to cover you until then.

2. Umbrella Insurance ? No longer is umbrella insurance something that only the rich need to purchase. We continue to live in an ever-increasing litigious society that is quick to sue each other over the smallest issues. People mistakenly think that they will not be sued if they do not have much in the way of assets, but they often forget their most important asset of all, their future income. The cost of umbrella insurance is incredibly small for the large amount of liability insurance coverage that you obtain as a result.

3. Long-Term Care Insurance ? Almost 70% of Americans will require some type of care such as an in-home nurse or a nursing home after they reach the age of 65. A year-long stay in a nursing home can cost $60,000 per year or more depending on the amenities. That can quickly eat up any savings or retirement nest egg that you have spent decades to accumulate. Long-term care insurance can provide you with money to live out your last years comfortably while not depleting your retirement portfolio that your spouse may later need.

4. Term Life Insurance ? Term life insurance is one of the best deals in personal finance and provides an excellent amount of life insurance coverage for a specific period of time. There are very few needs in life for permanent insurance, and most people find themselves not requiring life insurance after their home mortgages are paid off and their children are grown. Term life insurance can fill the gap when you need life insurance the most while keeping your premium costs low.

5. Health Insurance ? Not having health insurance is one of the fastest ways to find yourself in financial trouble and possibly on the way to bankruptcy. One accident or significant illness without coverage can leave you holding hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills if you are not careful. If you are recently out of work and without coverage, you may want to consider purchasing COBRA insurance coverage for you and your family or even catastrophic health insurance coverage until you can hopefully receive coverage through a group plan with an employer.

6. Renter?s Insurance ? Homeowners with mortgages accept homeowner?s insurance as a fact of life, but far too many renters go without purchasing renter?s insurance. This is a huge mistake. For as little as $20 per month, you can purchase renter?s insurance that will protect your assets from theft, fire, liability, and many other disasters. Renters often mistakenly think that their landlord?s insurance policy will cover them, but the policy only provides protection for the building and not your items inside your rental home or apartment. Too many renters are risking huge losses by not owning inexpensive renter?s insurance.

7. Flood Insurance ? Flood insurance is not simply for homeowners who live in a flood zone. In fact, FEMA estimates that one third of all homes damaged by flooding are not even in a flood zone or near a body of water. Flood insurance is very cheap, costing just a couple of hundred dollars per year, if you do not live in a federally designated flood zone. It is a critical piece of insurance protection that too many homeowners are lacking.

8. Earthquake Insurance ? Most homeowners realize that their typical homeowners insurance policy does not cover them for earthquake damage, and many simply think that they do not need coverage because they live so far from a fault line. But, the unusual recent earthquake along the northeast coast of the United States shows that earthquakes can strike almost anywhere in the country. You could find yourself paying a hefty amount out of pocket if you are not covered and an earthquake damages your home.

9. Rider Or Floater Insurance ? Did you know that your homeowner?s insurance and renter?s insurance only covers a small amount of losses on specific items such as electronics, artwork, and jewelry? In many cases, the amount of coverage in a basic homeowner?s insurance policy is limited to as low as $2,500. One nice engagement ring and wedding band can quickly eclipse your coverage limits, but you can add a floater insurance policy or a rider on your current homeowner?s insurance that can add extra insurance coverage for specific items. These insurance policies are called riders because they ride the coattails of your primary policies, and the additional insurance can be bought for a very low sum.

10. Title Insurance ? Title insurance is something that homeowners are very familiar with, but you can also buy title insurance for other large purchases as well. If you are considering purchasing an expensive used car, for example, you may want to consider buying separate title insurance as well. Like purchasing a home, title insurance can protect you from a fraudulent seller or undisclosed damage to the property that would ultimately make reselling it a nightmare.

Do you really need ten different types of insurance policies? Maybe you do and maybe you don?t. But, do the risks of not having these policies outweigh their costs? In many cases, you are taking potentially devastating financial risks by not having these insurance policies in place even though they ultimately have very low premium costs. The benefits of owning these insurance policies far outweigh their costs.

Source: http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2011/11/ten-insurance-policies-you-need-to-own.html

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Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR wheel and Elite pedals review

Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel for Xbox 360 review

Fanatec Porsche GT2 wheel and Clubsport pedals review

Forza Motorsport CSR and CSR Elite wheel and pedals hands-on

It's amazing to realize that about two years ago Fanatec's first Xbox 360 racing wheel, the Forza 3 Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel, hit the scene. Although it turned out to be a mixed bag, Fanatec pleasantly surprised us with its Porsche GT2 and Clubsport Pedals in January of this year -- despite a roaring fan and shaky shifter mounts. Now, we're saying hello to a new trio of racing sim-related goods from the company intended for Forza Motorsport 4 on Xbox 360: the $249.95 Forza Motorsport CSR Wheel, $59.95 shifter set, and $149.95 CSR Elite Pedals.

If you'll recall, it was back in March that we checked some of this kit out, and now with Forza 4 here, we hooked this mashup of gear up with our Playseat Evolution for a massive amount of virtual spins. So, did this combination help speed past the checkerboard with a respectable feel? Shift past the break find out in our full review.

Gallery: Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR Wheel and Elite Pedals review

Continue reading Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR wheel and Elite pedals review

Fanatec Forza Motorsport CSR wheel and Elite pedals review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/24/edit-fanatec-forza-motorsort-csr-wheel-and-elite-pedals-review/

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Tascam unveils iM2 microphone add-on for iOS devices, makes live Foo Fighters bootlegs a breeze

Sure, audio recording via the stock mic and iOS app is pretty serviceable for most tasks, but what about capturing that next Avett Brothers gig? You need look no further than Tascam's iM2 stereo microphone for your Apple handheld or slate. Equipped with a pair of condenser microphones -- the same kit as the outfit's DR-series recorders -- the iM2 plugs right in to the dock port of your iOS device. The duo is adjustable over 180-degrees for the perfect capture and it sports its own preamp and analog-to-digital converter to cut out unwanted coughs and increase those vicious banjo chops. Since the peripheral doesn't use the stock iPhone preamp, it is capable of capturing up to 125dB levels without distortion. And don't worry about that 4S dying mid-set, as the iM2 features a USB input that enables charging through the encore. If you're jonesin' for a closer look, hit the gallery below before grabbing yours for $80.

Gallery: Tascam iM2

Tascam unveils iM2 microphone add-on for iOS devices, makes live Foo Fighters bootlegs a breeze originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/22/tascam-unveils-im2-microphone-add-on-for-ios-devices-makes-live/

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Mexico senator drops out of presidential race (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? Mexican Sen. Manlio Fabio Beltrones says he won't seek the presidential nomination for the Institutional Revolutionary Party, leaving former Mexico State Gov. Enrique Pena Nieto effectively unopposed.

Beltrones says in an announcement published Tuesday that he wants to maintain his party's unity as it seeks to regain the presidency it lost in 2000 after 71 years in power.

The move means that two of the three major candidates expected to compete in the 2012 race are unofficially set.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of leftist Democratic Revolution Party was selected as presidential nominee after winning an opinion poll released last week.

President Felipe Calderon's National Action Party has yet to choose a candidate.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111122/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_politics

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Column: BCS runs out of tweaks _ and luck

LSU coach Les Miles waves to fans at the end of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Nov. 19, 2011. Top ranked LSU won 52-3. (AP Photo/Austin McAfee)

LSU coach Les Miles waves to fans at the end of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Oxford, Miss., Nov. 19, 2011. Top ranked LSU won 52-3. (AP Photo/Austin McAfee)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban reacts near the end of a 45-21 win over Georgia Southern in the second half of an NCAA college football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino walks from the field after Arkansas' 49-7 victory over Tennessee in their NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

Over at the Bowl Championship Series, the short answer to the question of when there will be a playoff in college football remains the same.

Never.

But get back in touch with the BCS next week, or better yet, with their sponsors after the Jan. 9 championship game and ask the question then.

For years now, playoff advocates have been drawing up nightmare scenarios that would shame the BCS out of business, but this season it's practically guaranteed that the title game will leave many fans unsatisfied.

Last week, four of the top seven teams in the BCS standings lost their footing and left an unprecedented three teams from the same division ? the SEC West ? holding down the top of the leaderboard.

Two of them, most likely current No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, figure to be on hand at the Superdome for the title game. But even if No. 3 Arkansas grabs one of those spots, the newly crowned BCS champion will seem more mythical than ever.

Remember, the BCS hijacked the postseason in 1998 with the promise of matching the No. 1 and No. 2 teams at the very end. And every time logic didn't jibe with their rankings, the guys in charge "tweaked" the formula after the championship game and promised it wouldn't happen again. You can argue over which school got jobbed the worst since then, but the two unofficial tweaks that matter here ? a team must win its conference championship; the BCS finale shouldn't be a rematch of a regular-season game ? likely means it's the fans who will feel cheated the most.

LSU, Alabama and Arkansas all will have played each other by the time next weekend rolls around and it's possible that none of them will be the SEC champion when the game ends on Dec. 3.

Given the results of that little round-robin tournament so far, only fans of tractor pulls will be rooting to see any two of those three reprise those games in January.

LSU slogged past Alabama 9-6 in overtime and the Crimson Tide pounded Arkansas 38-14.

In the past, the waiting period between the end of the regular season and the championship game has always worked in the BCS' favor. Tempers cool as weeks pass. The outrageous lobbying and occasionally over-the-top remarks coaches make about the selection process recede into the background. Among fans, a kind of fatigue sets in. Arguing over whether either or both teams are deserving gives way to acceptance. It's like walking around with a rock in your shoe.

What makes this season even more aggravating is that the rankings are just about right. Arkansas ventures into Baton Rouge on Friday and if the Razorbacks pull off an upset and go on to beat SEC East entrant Georgia in the conference championship, they will have earned the trip to New Orleans. There are 14 one-loss teams in the mix at the moment, but few would deny that LSU ? even if the Tigers lose to Arkansas ? and Alabama would be the most deserving of the lot. The problem is that all three would have flaws we might be willing to overlook if they had to clear a path to that championship game on the field ? it's called a playoff ? instead of relying on computer operators and best guesses to deposit them there. Now, there's virtually no chance the winner gets the benefit of the doubt from the majority of fans.

All we know for certain is that the guys in charge at the BCS don't mind seeing their brand being kicked around like a rusty can everywhere from the Oval Office down to the corner tavern. It hardly matters to them if the tweaks require additional tweaking, or if they throw out a stinker in the showcase game now and then. We keep hearing how resilient college football is, but it's hard to remember a worse couple of years for the game.

Southern California isn't bowl eligible because of the excesses of the Reggie Bush era and Miami didn't even wait for an invitation to turn down because of the ongoing investigation into a rogue booster's largesse. Ohio State, on the other hand, isn't likely to say no, despite standing on the threshold of NCAA double-secret probation, and probably neither will Penn State, embroiled in a child sex-abuse scandal that makes the usual transgressions in the sport barely worth mentioning.

What all those scandals have in common is, at the very least, the whiff of corruption, not to mention what the NCAA terms a lack of institutional control. So how fitting is that the BCS, which has twisted itself into a pretzel countless times to hang onto the postseason franchise and been just transparent enough to stay ahead of lawsuits and the Congress, could finally get called out by the fans for doing exactly what it was created to do?

It's shaping up to be a bowl season that will be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Can't wait to see how the BCS tries to tweak its way out of this one.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org. Follow him at http://Twitter.com/JimLitke.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-11-21-FBC-Jim-Litke-112111/id-defc4c5829264208be72b09e89db7eb5

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