Get Your Finances in Order for Tax Season | Money & Finance

January 30, 2013 ? 4:08 pm

Saving Money

By: Michelle Gregory

When most people think of making a New Year?s resolutions, they usually decide to give up eating junk food, smoking cigarettes or make an effort to drink less alcohol or exercise more, but there is something that most people have in common; going overboard spending during the holidays. Right in time for Tax Season, Ellen Rohr, a writer for the Huffington Post, advises her readers to take a good look at their finances and see where they can cut back on some of their oversized debt. Rohr offers big spenders a few tips that they can put into practice. Read on and see if your checking account needs a more balanced diet.

Go on a Spending Fast

Flush out the debt in your bank account by spending less and saving more. So many people go on food fasts and cleanses, depriving themselves of their guilty pleasures in spending, how often does anyone think to apply this concept to their spending habits? Rohr says to try to go one day without buying anything. Make your coffee at home in the morning and don?t eat out. If you can go one day, move to a week and then a month. Try to walk or ride your bike to save gas money and you?ll be getting some exercise at the same time.

Be Sensible With Your Spending

It?s so easy to grab a slice of greasy pizza if you?re hungry, but your body and wallet won?t think it was such a great idea after you?ve done that everyday for a week. The same is true about your spending habits. If you need to buy something, don?t choose the first option that comes up in your Google search; do your research to get the best deal for the dollar amount.

Keep All Documents

When it comes time to file your taxes, it?s hard to remember where you put all of your receipts, W-2s, 1099s and health savings account information. Getting something like a data backup from Mozy can secure your data and have all of your finance in a safe, easy to access space. You can use this backup solution for your personal files or to share project files and reports at work.

Mint.com

Mint.com, a finance management application, helps the financially challenged to better manage their spending. To activate this clever tool, all you need to do is link your online bank account(s) to the app and begin organizing categories of which expenses go where. If you spend $50 at the bar, that would go into the category marked ?extras,? if you spend $100 at the grocery store, that would fit into the category ?food.? You can get a clear idea of how much you?re spending and on what.

Keeping track of your spending is like counting your calories; no one wants to do it, but if you are mindful, you might be surprised at how much you can save in the long run and maybe you?ll actually get to use your tax return to buy something you really want.

About the Author:
Michelle is a financial consultant for middle class individuals and families. She loves helping her clients climb out of debt and into a more financially secure future.

Source: http://www.notjustthekitchen.com/money-finance/get-your-finances-in-order-for-tax-season/

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Sony launches 'My Xperia' phone security service

Many phone manufacturers -- and some third party apps -- offer a way to track down and secure a lost or stolen handset, and today Sony's bringing this kind of service to some of its Xperia smartphones. The company has announced the pilot launch of "My Xperia," which Sony fans might remember from a recent ROM leak and earlier trademark filing.

The premise is pretty simple and familiar -- link your Xperia phone up to MyXperia.com. Then, if the phone's lost or stolen, there'll be a few options available, as Sony Experience Planner Marcin Zielinski explains on the company's official blog --

• Locate your smartphone on a map
• Sound an alert to get someone’s attention – it’ll also override silent mode and wake the display
• Lock the phone to keep info private, and ping a message with contact details or…
• Erase both internal and external SD card info / data if required

Sony's planning a "phased launch" for the service, starting on the Xperia Acro S in Nordic countries, and moving to other Android 4.0-based 2012 Xperia phones  in the weeks ahead. Eligible users will receive an update through the Update Center app, Zielinski says.

Based on the presence of "My Xperia" in leaked Jelly Bean firmware for the Xperia S, it's probably a safe to say that that phone will be added to the pilot when the update is finalized. We'd also expect to see it on the new Xperia Z, as well as whatever Sony shows off at Mobile World Congress, all of which should be running the company's latest Android-based software.

Source: Sony Mobile Blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/ybnjJU5rUxg/story01.htm

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RBS hit by report of possible criminal charges over Libor

(Reuters) - Royal Bank of Scotland Group saw 1.3 billion pounds wiped off its value on Tuesday following a report that it could face criminal charges as part of an impending settlement over its role in a global interest rate rigging scandal.

The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. authorities were pushing RBS to accept criminal charges as part of a settlement which will see it fined up to 500 million pounds for the attempted manipulation of the London interbank lending rate (Libor) and other benchmark interest rates.

"It's put the word 'Libor' back in front of the banks and people are using it as an excuse to take profits," says Central Markets chief strategist Richard Perry.

RBS shares closed the day down 6 percent, the leading faller in a 0.28 percent-weaker European bank sector <.sx7p>, with volume in the bank's shares at 257 percent of the 90-day daily average.

The bank declined comment on the WSJ report.

One RBS shareholder told Reuters that criminal charges would make the bank more vulnerable to future litigation and said Chief Executive Stephen Hester would be reluctant for the bank to accept criminal responsibility.

"Stephen Hester is not the kind of man to play a dangerous game but the stakes here could be rather high," one of the bank's biggest institutional shareholders said.

The bank is braced for fines of up to 500 million pounds ($785 million) for its role in the scandal and expects the punishment to be meted out as early as next week, sources have said.

RBS, which is 81 percent owned by the British taxpayer, would be the third bank after Barclays and UBS to settle allegations over the attempted manipulation of the London interbank offered rate (Libor) and other benchmark interest rates.

Barclays was fined $453 million in June while UBS paid about $1.5 billion in December. However, some analysts believe those fines could be dwarfed by the costs to banks from civil litigation linked to attempted interest rate rigging.

BONUS BATTLES

British trade union Unite attacked RBS over a report in the Financial Times saying it planned to pay its investment bankers bonuses of as much as 250 million pounds at a time when branch staff are being laid off. Unite called on Britain's Chancellor to intervene.

"Once again it looks like ordinary bank workers and taxpayers will pay the price for the greed at the top of RBS. It is time George Osborne put his foot down. This is no way to repay the country's patience," the union said.

RBS paid out 390 million pounds in bonuses at its investment bank a year ago. Sources have told Reuters it plans to reduce payments by over 100 million pounds this year to help pay Libor fines.

RBS is facing intense scrutiny on its pay and bonuses due to the state's majority ownership, although Barclays has also come under stiff pressure to cut pay for its executives and investment bank staff for several years.

Barclays is under particular pressure to show restraint this year following its Libor punishment and criticism that its culture and standards were too lax.

New CEO Antony Jenkins, who took over in August after his predecessor Bob Diamond was felled by the Libor scandal, has pledged to improve standards and restrain pay for staff and the bank has sounded out some leading investors for their views.

Barclays could award bonuses of 1.5 billion to 2 billion pounds for last year, Sky News reported on Tuesday, citing people close to the bank. That would be down from 2.2 billion a year ago.

Jenkins, who gets a base salary of 1.1 million pounds and could get 2.75 million in annual bonus, is being lined up to get a bonus of more than 1 million pounds, payable in deferred shares, Sky said.

Barclays declined to comment.

($1 = 0.6367 British pounds)

(Reporting by Matt Scuffham, Sinead Cruise and Steve Slater; Editing by Hans-Juergen Peters)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rbs-close-libor-settlement-u-uk-authorities-wsj-064007813--sector.html

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Microsoft Office 2013, Office 365 Home Premium available now; 365 for business coming later

Until now, we've known almost all there is to know about Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 365: we got hands-on with the new features last summer, and the company has even confirmed pricing. The only thing we weren't sure of was the exact on-sale date, but even that got leaked when a Canadian retailer put up a pre-order page indicating the two products would ship January 29th. Well, what do you know? Today is January 29th and sure enough, Office 2013 is on sale, along with the subscription service Office 365. To be clear, while every version of the boxed software is now out, 365 is only being offered to consumers; the business version will arrive later, on February 27th.

For now, Office 365 Home Premium is priced at $99.99 for an annual subscription, with permission to install the suite on up to five PCs and Macs. There's also a "University" version for college students and faculty, which costs $79.99 for a four-year plan. Either way, the sub includes 20GB of SkyDrive storage, which is to say if you previously only had 7GB of space, your limit will now get bumped to 20 gigs. (In other words, people grandfathered into 25GB don't get an additional 20 gigabytes.) Of course, you can always deactivate a particular machine through Office.com if you need to free up a license. Naturally, too, as a part of the subscription you'll always have the most recent version. That means Office 2013 for Windows users; Office for Mac 2011 if you're on OS X. That last piece is a bit of a bummer, for sure, but for what it's worth Microsoft has said a new Mac product is in the works, and that subscribers will get it as part of a future software update.

If you'd rather buy the software outright, you can do that today too. At the low end, there's Office 2013 Home and Student 2013 ($139), which comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. Home and Business adds Outlook for $219, while the top-of-the-line Professional package includes all of the above along with Access and Publisher for $399. Remember, though: these come with only one user license, and you don't get any complimentary cloud storage or upgrades to future versions. It's your money, obviously, but it seems clear to us that Microsoft has gone out of its way to make its Office 365 service the more attractive option. So, you might want to think long and hard about how much owning your software really means to you before going the old-fashioned route.

Show full PR text

Microsoft Releases Office 365 Home Premium
Jan. 29, 2013
New consumer cloud service works across devices to help busy people simplify their lives and get more done.

NEW YORK - Jan. 29, 2013 - Microsoft Corp. today announced worldwide availability of Office 365 Home Premium, a reinvention of the company's flagship Office product line for consumers. Office 365 Home Premium is a cloud service designed for busy households and people juggling ever-increasing work and family responsibilities. The new offering includes the latest and most complete set of Office applications; works across up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs and Macs; and comes with extra SkyDrive storage and Skype calling - all for US$99.99 for an annual subscription, the equivalent of US$8.34 per month.

"Today's launch of Office 365 Home Premium marks the next big step in Microsoft's transformation to a devices and services business," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. "This is so much more than just another release of Office. This is Office reinvented as a consumer cloud service with all the full-featured Office applications people know and love, together with impressive new cloud and social benefits."

Microsoft also announced it will now deliver many new features and services to the cloud first, transforming the company's traditional three-year release cycle. Now, new features and services stream to subscribers as soon as they are ready, keeping subscribers always up to date while eliminating the hassles of upgrading.

"This is a major leap forward," said Kurt DelBene, president of the Microsoft Office Division. "People's needs change rapidly, and Office 365 Home Premium will change with them."

Simultaneously, Microsoft today released Office 365 University for college or university students, faculty and staff at a price of just US$79.99 for a four-year subscription - the equivalent of US$1.67 per month. Globally, the company also released updated versions of the traditional Office suite: Office Home and Student 2013, Office Home and Business 2013 and Office Professional 2013. Office 365 for businesses will be released globally with new capabilities on Feb. 27.

Time to Do the Things You Want

In a recent global survey,* nearly 60 percent of people said they don't have the time to do the things they want to do, and more than 80 percent said they could save one or more hours a day if they were better organized. Office 365 Home Premium is designed to help people be more productive from virtually anywhere and find the flexibility to do the things they want.

"Between kids and career, I'm never completely at home or completely at work - and thanks to technology, that suits me just fine," said Jen Singer, an author, blogger and mom of two teen boys. "With Office 365 Home Premium, I can work around my kids' schedules, so I can drive the soccer carpool, coordinate errands while at a doctor's office and still hit my deadlines at work. And, with one subscription for everyone in my family, it's an absolute steal."

To help people find more time to do the things they want, Microsoft is introducing Time to 365 (http://www.office.com/timeto365), a new crowd-sourced website where people can find and share tips, tricks, ideas and inspiration from around the world. Contributors include experts such as "techorating" pro Janna Robinson (http://www.jannarobinson.com) and everyday working parents who have found ways to simplify their lives. Tips on the site include, for example, an idea for organizing your grocery list with OneNote on your phone, a pointer on how to pick the right-sized TV for your living room, and ways to use Office applications to help plan a child's birthday party.

About Office 365 Home Premium

Office 365 Home Premium is available in 162 markets in 21 languages and includes the following:

o. The latest and most complete set of Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access

o. One license for the entire household to use Office on up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs or Macs, and Office on Demand available from any Internet-connected PC**

o. An additional 20 GB of SkyDrive cloud storage, nearly three times the amount available with a free SkyDrive account

o. 60 free Skype world calling minutes per month to call mobile phones, landlines or PCs around the world***

o. Future upgrades, so you always use the latest time-saving technology

People can learn more about Office 365 Home Premium or try it free for 30 days at http://www.office.com.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

* Microsoft surveyed more than 10,000 people in over 20 countries.

** App availability varies by operating system, device and language.

*** Skype world minutes not available in all countries. Calls to select countries.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

Comments

Source: Microsoft

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/microsoft-office-2013-office-365-home-premium-available-now/

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PFT: Rams will not hire Rob Ryan

AP

The bounty case essentially is over, but bits and pieces of evidence continue to surface.

More than a few bits and pieces have come from the disclosure of a significant portion of the appeal hearing testimony from former Saints interim head coach and current linebackers coach Joe Vitt.

Among many other things, Vitt?s testimony before former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue sheds light on some of the contentious aspects of the relationship between the league office and the organization.? Vitt says that, at one point, Saints owner Tom Benson told NFL V.P. of security Jeff Miller to leave the premises.

?Jeff Miller took a plane ride from New York down to New Orleans, and the way he talked to our owner, what he said to our owner made me want to throw up, to the point where Mr. Benson kicked him off the property and didn?t let him back on the property,? Vitt said, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

?This almost killed our owner.? Our owner has done nothing but be a great owner in the National Football League the whole time he?s been in the league. . . .? And now this guy takes a plane ride down and throws some documents in front of our owner?s face, and our owner has got to kick him out of the building?? That?s what we?re dealing with.? That?s fine.?

Vitt also explained that, even though notes generated by former Saints assistant Mike Cerullo indicated that Vitt had offered $5,000 to the alleged bounty on former Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, Miller didn?t believe it happened.

?The investigators, Jeff Miller in particular, acknowledged that I did not give any money to a bounty because he said to me, you know, we heard that your wife is so cheap that you have a hard time getting lunch money every day,? Vitt said.? ?That was his comment to me.? And I said, well, your wife must have a pretty good sense of humor, too, with the clothes you?re wearing right now.?

Vitt also had some strong comments for Cerullo.

?Mike Cerullo is a liar,? Vitt said. ?We?ll get some notes here from Mr. Cerullo. I?ll say this to you, Commissioner, and anybody that?s interested. I?m taking Mike Cerullo to court.? I?m going to sue his ass for the things he said about me, the things he said about this football team.? He?s going to be held accountable for everything he said. I make this offer again.? If we want me to take a lie detector test this afternoon, I will do so.? Or if you want me to do it tomorrow morning or tomorrow afternoon, I will do so. Mike Cerullo is a liar.? A liar.?

Vitt also talked at length regarding coach Sean Payton?s decision after the 2011 season to part ways with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.? Payton began to sour on Williams after the head coach caught Williams texting draft picks to the media during the 2011 selection process.

?I would say the final straw was the last two weeks of the season,? Vitt said.? ?Gregg kept coming to Sean every day and wanted his contract extension and wanted his extension done.? And Sean said, well, we?ll talk about it at the end of the season, well knowing what direction Sean was going in.? And the last week of the season, it?s all in the papers, you know, Gregg has gone to St. Louis, it?s his best friend Jeff Fisher, you know, ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom, trying to squeeze Sean, trying to squeeze Mickey to get his contract.? And the day after the playoff game that we lost against San Francisco, he went into Sean?s office and says I need to know right now, I need my contract, I?ve got to let Jeff know what I?m doing.? And Sean said, you?re not going to get a contract here.? I think it?s best go to St. Louis with your friend Jeff. And that was it. . . .? It didn?t end pretty. It didn?t end nice.?

There isn?t much nice or pretty about Vitt?s testimony, but it?s compelling and interesting and he has the kind of passion that typically is exhibited by a guy who has been accused of things he didn?t do.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/29/rob-ryan-wont-be-rams-defensive-coordinator/related/

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Obama Lays Out Key Principles For Immigration Reform | TPM ...

President Obama laid out a list of key principles that he wants to see in a comprehensive immigration reform bill, during a speech in Las Vegas, Nev., Tuesday.

Continuing to Strengthen Border Security

????????? Strengthen border security and infrastructure.? The President?s proposal strengthens and improves infrastructure at ports of entry, facilitates public-private partnerships aimed at increasing investment in foreign visitor processing, and continues supporting the use of technologies that help to secure the land and maritime borders of the United States.

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????????? Combat transnational crime.? The President?s proposal creates new criminal penalties dedicated to combating transnational criminal organizations that traffic in drugs, weapons, and money, and that smuggle people across the borders.? It also expands the scope of current law to allow for the forfeiture of these organizations? criminal tools and proceeds.? Through this approach, we will bolster our efforts to deprive criminal enterprises, including those operating along the Southwest border, of their infrastructure and profits.

????????? Improve partnerships with border communities and law enforcement.? The President?s proposal expands our ability to work with our cross-border law enforcement partners.? Community trust and cooperation are keys to effective law enforcement. To this end, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will establish border community liaisons along the Southern and Northern borders to improve communication and collaboration with border communities, boost funding to tribal government partners to reduce illegal activity on tribal lands, and strengthen training on civil rights and civil liberties for DHS immigration officers.?

????????? Crack down on criminal networks engaging in passport and visa fraud and human smuggling. The President?s proposal creates tough criminal penalties for trafficking in passports and immigration documents and schemes to defraud, including those who prey on vulnerable immigrants through notario fraud. It also strengthens penalties to combat human smuggling rings.

????????? Deporting Criminals. The President?s proposal expands smart enforcement efforts that target convicted criminals in federal or state correctional facilities, allowing us to remove them from the United States at the end of their sentences without re-entering our communities. At the same time, it protects those with a credible fear of returning to their home countries.??

????????? Streamline removal of nonimmigrant national security and public safety threats.? The President?s proposal creates a streamlined administrative removal process for people who overstay their visas and have been determined to be threats to national security and public safety.

????????? Improve our nation?s immigration courts.? The President?s proposal invests in our immigration courts. By increasing the number of immigration judges and their staff, investing in training for court personnel, and improving access to legal information for immigrants, these reforms will improve court efficiency.? It allows DHS to better focus its detention resources on public safety and national security threats by expanding alternatives to detention and reducing overall detention costs.? It also provides greater protections for those least able to represent themselves.

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Cracking Down on Employers Who Hire Undocumented Workers

????????? Mandatory, phased-in electronic employment verification. The President?s proposal provides tools for employers to ensure a legal workforce by using federal government databases to verify that the people they hire are eligible to work in the United States.? Penalties for hiring undocumented workers are significantly increased, and new penalties are established for committing fraud and identity theft.? The new mandatory program ensures the privacy and confidentiality of all workers? personal information and includes important procedural protections.? Mandatory electronic employment verification would be phased in over five years with exemptions for certain small businesses.

????????? Combat fraud and identity theft.? The proposal also mandates a fraud?resistant, tamper?resistant Social Security card and requires workers to use fraud?and tamper?resistant documents to prove authorization to work in the United States. The proposal also seeks to establish a voluntary pilot program to evaluate new methods to authenticate identity and combat identity theft.?

????????? Protections for all workers. The President?s proposal protects workers against retaliation for exercising their labor rights.? It increases the penalties for employers who hire undocumented workers to skirt the workplace standards that protect all workers.? And it creates a ?labor law enforcement fund? to help ensure that industries that employ significant numbers of immigrant workers comply with labor laws.

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Pathway to Earned Citizenship

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????????? Create a provisional legal status.? Undocumented immigrants must come forward and register, submit biometric data, pass criminal background and national security checks, and pay fees and penalties before they will be eligible for a provisional legal status.? Agricultural workers and those who entered the United States as children would be eligible for the same program.? Individuals must wait until the existing legal immigration backlogs are cleared before getting in line to apply for lawful permanent residency (i.e. a ?green card?), and ultimately United States citizenship. Consistent with current law, people with provisional legal status will not be eligible for welfare or other federal benefits, including subsidies or tax credits under the new health care law.

????????? Create strict requirements to qualify for lawful permanent resident status.? Those applying for green cards must pay their taxes, pass additional criminal background and national security checks, register for Selective Service (where applicable), pay additional fees and penalties, and learn English and U.S. civics.? As under current law, five years after receiving a green card, individuals will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship like every other legal permanent resident.

????????? Earned citizenship for DREAMers. Children brought here illegally through no fault of their own by their parents will be eligible for earned citizenship.? By going to college or serving honorably in the Armed Forces for at least two years, these children should be given an expedited opportunity to earn their citizenship.? The President?s proposal brings these undocumented immigrants out of the shadows.

????????? Create administrative and judicial review. An individual whose provisional lawful status has been revoked or denied, or whose application for adjustment has been denied, will have the opportunity to seek administrative and judicial review of those decisions.??

?

????????? Provide new resources to combat fraud. The President?s proposal authorizes funding to enable DHS, the Department of State, and other relevant federal agencies to establish fraud prevention programs that will provide training for adjudicators, allow regular audits of applications to identify patterns of fraud and abuse, and incorporate other proven fraud prevention measures.

?

Streamlining Legal Immigration

????????? Keep Families Together. The proposal seeks to eliminate existing backlogs in the family-sponsored immigration system by recapturing unused visas and temporarily increasing annual visa numbers.? The proposal also raises existing annual country caps from 7 percent to 15 percent for the family-sponsored immigration system.?? It also treats same-sex families as families by giving U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the ability to seek a visa on the basis of a permanent relationship with a same-sex partner. The proposal also revises current unlawful presence bars and provides broader discretion to waive bars in cases of hardship.

????????? Cut Red Tape for Employers.? The proposal also eliminates the backlog for employment-sponsored immigration by eliminating annual country caps and adding additional visas to the system.? Outdated legal immigration programs are reformed to meet current and future demands by exempting certain categories from annual visa limitations.

?

????????? Enhance travel and tourism.? The Administration is committed to increasing U.S. travel and tourism by facilitating legitimate travel while maintaining our nation?s security.? Consistent with the President?s Executive Order on travel and tourism, the President?s proposal securely streamlines visa and foreign visitor processing.? It also strengthens law enforcement cooperation while maintaining the program?s robust counterterrorism and criminal information sharing initiatives.? It facilitates more efficient travel by allowing greater flexibility to designate countries for participation in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of designated countries to visit the United States without obtaining a visa. ?And finally it permits the State Department to waive interview requirements for certain very low-risk visa applicants, permitting resources to be focused on higher risk applicants and creates a pilot for premium visa processing.

?

????????? ?Staple? green cards to advanced STEM diplomas.? The proposal encourages foreign graduate students educated in the United States to stay here and contribute to our economy by ?stapling? a green card to the diplomas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) PhD and Master?s Degree graduates from qualified U.S. universities who have found employment in the United States.? It also requires employers to pay a fee that will support education and training to grow the next generation of American workers in STEM careers.

????????? Create a ?startup visa? for job-creating entrepreneurs.? The proposal allows foreign entrepreneurs who attract financing from U.S. investors or revenue from U.S. customers to start and grow their businesses in the United States, and to remain permanently if their companies grow further, create jobs for American workers, and strengthen our economy.

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????????? Expand opportunities for investor visas and U.S. economic development.? The proposal permanently authorizes immigrant visa opportunities for regional center (pooled investment) programs; provides incentives for visa requestors to invest in programs that support national priorities, including economic development in rural and economically depressed regions ; adds new measures to combat fraud and national security threats; includes data collection on economic impact; and creates a pilot program for? state and local government officials to promote economic development.

?

????????? Create a new visa category for employees of federal national security science and technology laboratories.? The proposal creates a new visa category for a limited number of highly-skilled and specialized immigrants to work in federal science and technology laboratories on critical national security needs after being in the United States. for two years and passing rigorous national security and criminal background checks.

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????????? Better addresses humanitarian concerns. The proposal streamlines immigration law to better protect vulnerable immigrants, including those who are victims of crime and domestic violence.? It also better protects those fleeing persecution by eliminating the existing limitations that prevent qualified individuals from applying for asylum.

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????????? Encourage integration. The proposal promotes earned citizenship and efforts to integrate immigrants into their new American communities linguistically, civically, and economically.

Source: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/obama-lays-out-key-principles-for-immigration-reform

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These Are Celebrity Trends For A Reason

Peoplestylewatch.com:

From Taylor and Maria's two-tone dresses to Carrie and Jessica's cozy vests, these are the hot styles to try right now - and we tracked them down for less.

Read the whole story at Peoplestylewatch.com

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/celebrity-trends-_n_2577304.html

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The Best Approach to Weight Loss

When people consistently follow weight-loss rules, they will see gradual weight loss. There could be periods of rapid weight-loss, as well. It is during those time periods when the weight does not appear to be decreasing that most people tend to have trouble staying focused. They often begin to feel burned-out, especially if they have been sticking to their diets and exercising. Sometimes people who are on a weight-loss journey gain weight before they lose the weight. In many cases, the weight gain could be attributed to a gain in muscle mass. However, because people tend to relate weight with fat, they tend to think that they are gaining fat, when might just be gaining muscles. Everyone wants to know how to lose weight fast, but fast weight loss can often cause serious weight problems. It is healthier to lose weight slowly and steadily. Everyone who has met a weight goals knows that weight loss helps people become motivated to lose more weight.

Although it is tempting to try strict diet plans that severely limit calorie intact, for most people, fast weight loss is usually not recommended. Even people who undergo medical procedures are counseled on what they should eat and how much they should eat. They are not asked to starve themselves. Instead, it is usually recommended that people eat several small meals a day when they seek to learn how to lose fat.

Because it is often difficult to see results in the abdomen area early in the process, it is more important than ever that the person who is attempting to lose weight stay motivated. Talking to a supportive friend, exercising with someone with similar goals, or even talking to a professional could help. Many people are emotional eaters. They eat when they are having trouble dealing with certain emotions, so speaking to a professional about those feelings could help someone who is trying to reduce fat overall or those who want to see results in specific areas.

Exercise is an extremely important component for those who are interested in learning how to lose weight fast. It is common that people do not see results, because they do not work out to an appropriate level. Exercising with a trainer can help people who need to make sure that they are exercising at appropriate levels.

Source: http://www.fairhopefoodie.com/global-health-news/the-best-approach-to-weight-loss/

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Of Brand Communications And An African Woman - Ventures Africa

VENTURES AFRICA ? Branding, communications, events planning and creative solutions all have one thing in common: Gloria Buckman Yankson. The young and talented Yankson is an award-winning event planning and brand communications professional and one of the brains behind PlanIt Ghana ? one of Ghana?s most popular and fastest growing events firms.

PlanIt Ghana?s roots go back to the hills of Scotland in the United Kingdom. The indigenous firm began in Scotland in 2006, when Yankson and her husband, both Public Relations Professionals, began dreaming of starting their own Event Strategy and Brand Communications firm. ?After much thought, they finally laid out a plan and spent the next three years steadily preparing for the technical and business aspects of running a firm. Yankson recalls spending as much time as she could every day after work, reading everything she could find on professional event planning. ?Our shelves filled up with books and magazines on the subject in no time.? Three years of preparation and one additional business partner later, PlanIt Ghana was born, deriving its name from the services they provided ? all things ?planning?.

The firm began officially in Ghana in 2009, fulfilling a long-held dream of ?returning home? for Yankson and her family. In the short time since arriving in Ghana, Gloria has earned herself the Young Creative Star of the Year Award in the Annual Global Professional Achievers (GPA) Gala 2011, beating out some of Ghana?s most renowned CEOs and Entrepreneurs. Again in 2012, Yankson and PlanIt Ghana were awarded the Efie Ne Efie (Home is Home) prize by the Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards, a prestigious annual awards ceremony recognising excellence and achievement in the British Ghanaian community and contributions to Ghanaians at home and abroad. Gloria?s journey to this stage has been one of extreme personal determination and zeal.

After studying at St. Rose?s Secondary School, Yankson obtained qualifications in public relations from the Ghana Insittute of Journalism, The London School of Public Relations and a Masters? Degree in Public Relations from the University of Stirling in Scotland. For her, the experience she gained working in the industry for 8 years before starting PlanIt, was invaluable. Gloria spent time working with multinational brand such as Sky TV and Hilton Plc where she gained hands-on experience in event planning and design. She then spent close to four years in the Marketing Communications Team for Morgan Stanley, a job she thoroughly loved. ?I don?t think you can get that kind of training and experience from sitting in any classroom?, she says.

Before joining PlanIt Ghana full-time, Gloria spent time working at Ghanaian real estate firm, DEVTRACO Limited, as the Director of Corporate Affairs and Marketing. In this position, Yankson truly made her mark. Just 27 years old at the time, she was the only female Director in the company?s top management team and acted as the voice of the company, spearheading the company?s marketing campaigns. Together with her team, they turned DEVTRACO into a household name and in the process bagged six awards, including the prestigious CNBC International Property Award ? the premier real estate award globally. DEVTRACO is the first and only Ghanaian real estate company to win this award. Despite her incredible success, she stepped down in 2010 to focus on building the PlanIt brand.

For her, the corporate world was no longer challenging enough: ?I felt restrained. And as the passion grew into an obsession, I felt more and more like my ideas were being locked up in a box. Not being able to build new and exciting ideas isn?t really my thing. So inadvertently, I suppose it was really about breaking free from the limitations.? Now, she is living her dream.

PlanIt is a full-service Event Production and Brand Communication services company that specialises in planning and producing Corporate and Social events with a specialty in weddings. The organisation also provides brand communications strategy services for corporate clients looking to launch a new product or service.

Speaking on her plans for PlanIt?s future, she says,

?At the moment, apart from Ghana, we have clients from South Africa, Europe and the USA. It is our hope, as a team, that one day our clientele will be dotted across the world. We?re working towards building PlanIt into a global brand. In a few years we want to look back at how far we?ve come as a Brand Communications & Event Planning Firm; pat ourselves on the back and take a worldwide cruise. That day will soon come.?

Although Yankson does not believe the current Ghanaian economic climate welcomes entrepreneurship, she believes that this shouldn?t stop women from trying. Her advice to young African women: ?I am a strong advocate for women in the Ghanaian business world occupying key decision making positions. Women should believe in themselves more. If you can dream it, you can achieve it so go for it girl!?

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FolakeSoetan

Folake is an aspiring Consultant in Global Health with a drive for improving health systems and making healthcare accessible to all. She received her B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Oregon in 2008 and after graduating, spent time working at the National Institutes of Health, USA. On returning to Nigeria in 2009, she spent two years organising corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for two leading healthcare companies while handling numerous public relations and media projects. Folake assisted with the development of ?Doctors on Air? the medical radio programme and coordinated the inaugural ?Doctors on Air? Medical Mission which mobilised top clinics in Nigeria to provide a variety of medical services to underprivileged populations in Lagos. She is currently pursuing a master?s in Global Health and Development at University College London, UK. Follow on Twitter: @FolakeSoetan

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Source: http://www.ventures-africa.com/2013/01/of-brand-communications-and-an-african-woman/

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Write, write, write: Script guru Michael Hauge on the hero&#39;s journey

After about a decade spent in the marvelously mad world of screenwriting, you'll know all the terms, you'll know about structure, you'll know what they want to hear in meetings and you'll know how to get it across.? After the second decade (as is the case with me), all of the above is pretty much internalized - you don't think about it anymore, it's become part of who you are. You're also in a place where you'll want to go your own creative ways, challenge yourself, break a few rules - and you can do all of that because you know the essentials inside out.

But as a beginner all that stuff, the books, the seminars, the workshops, the dos and don'ts - it can seriously wear you down and/or scare you off. Here's a few thoughts that'll hopefully encourage you to NOT quit (at least not before you've given it a decade or so).

And below's a series of roughly 4min clips by script guru Michael Hauge. I have to admit he pisses me off right off the bat - his first words are "The first 10% ..." - and you'll see he structures it all very ?concretely. I can't stand numbers and I most certainly don't think of scripts in percentages ... but you need to realize that the man's got a point - it's a business and if producers think in percentages, it is essential that you understand and speak their language, too.

So view the clips, they're sound - and what I particularly like - they lead you through the theory of the hero's journey with the concrete example of "The Firm". So watch, take from it what you can and then get back to writing!

Stage 1 and Turning Point 1

Stage 2 and Turning Point 2

Stage 3 and Turning Point 3

Stage 4 and Turning Point 4

Stage 5, Turning Point 5 and Stage 6

Source: http://www.danielmartineckhart.com/2013/01/script-guru-michael-hauge-on-heros.html

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Internet TV Startup Aereo Could Help Cord-Cutting Catch On | MIT ...

Broadcast news: Aereo sends broadcast television shows to its customers by assigning each user one of the tiny antennas (seen here) it has deployed in a data center.

Over the last few years, big broadcast networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS have only slowly started to air their regular shows and big events online. A startup called Aereo has a brash plan to profit from that by making it possible for its customers to watch live broadcast programming on their computers, phones, and tablets. If it survives legal challenges, it could encourage more people to cancel their cable or satellite TV subscriptions.

Aereo has cleverly designed its technology to exploit the fact that anyone is allowed to put up an antenna to get free, over-the-air broadcast signals. In the U.S., an estimated 20 million homes still get programming this way, through antennas on the roof or rabbit-ear-style ones on their TV sets. Aereo essentially does this on behalf of its customers. The company makes quarter-sized antennas and packs them into a data center. Each antenna picks up on a broadcast signal and relays it, one viewer at a time, to an Internet-connected device.

Because the antennas can grab only local broadcast signals, Aereo?s customers can use the service to watch shows broadcast over the air on their local stations. But even that makes a lot of programming available that would otherwise be hard to see live, if at all, on the Internet: sports, news, and big events like the Academy Awards. Aereo?s customers can also record shows and watch them later.

Aereo began a year ago in New York City and is now expanding into 22 markets. It is going after the growing contingent of TV ?cord-cutters? who would rather watch on-demand content online than pay for cable or satellite packages. Aereo charges a minimum of $8 a month for a subscription.

Chet Kanojia, Aereo?s CEO and founder, won?t say how many New York City residents have used the service since the company launched (and prompted immediate lawsuits from the broadcast networks). Whatever progress Kanojia and his investors have seen, however, has been enough to encourage the company?s announcement earlier this month of an aggressive 22-city expansion. ?We have ambitions to be a global company at some point, and you?ve got to start somewhere,? says Kanojia. ?There?s much more of a market opportunity if you don?t just sit on your hands.?

The next year could determine Aereo?s fate. Last July, a federal judge ruled against shutting down Aereo, but that decision is now in appeal. TV networks argue that, like cable and satellite providers, Aereo should pay ?retransmission? fees in order to carry their broadcasts.

Aereo, backed by media company IAC and its chairman, Barry Diller?a former TV and movie executive?has gotten generally positive reviews (see ?Aereo Has Landed in New York (First Impressions).? But there will be technological challenges ahead, says Ramesh Sitaraman, a University of Massachusetts computer engineering professor who focuses on the design of large-scale Internet systems. His research shows that audiences are sensitive to the quality of a video streaming service. Delivering that for large TV audiences, fitting the stream to many devices, and creating a reliable recording service would be big challenges for any startup, he says. For now, Aereo works only on devices made by Apple and Roku.

Kanojia says it takes Aereo no more than 60 days to expand into a new city. In that time, the company can find roof space for the antennas on top of an existing data center, where it rents space for servers. Delivering the streaming content, he says, is faster and far cheaper than it is for, say, Amazon, because Aereo only provides service in that city. He acknowledges, however, that it has been a challenge for Aereo to deliver content to every possible device (it has no Android app yet), which is one reason the company is hiring more engineers with part of its recent $38 million fundraising round. It has raised more than $60 million overall.

Dan Rayburn, an analyst with the firm Frost & Sullivan, questions how many people will pay for a service that is essentially limited to broadcast television. Aereo has so far struck one deal to pay for a cable channel, Bloomberg TV.

Kanojia points out that there are more than 100 million cable and satellite subscribers in the U.S., and that Aereo doesn?t need to disrupt the entire industry to succeed. Getting five million subscribers?or 2 to 3 percent of the population in each market?would be a ?home run? for the company, he says.

Aereo?s larger impact could come from prodding traditional programmers and cable providers to provide more online options, on more devices, and with a greater variety of pricing structures. Last year, for example, NBC broadcast the Super Bowl online for free for the first time. But ABC has not yet made the Oscars, for instance, available live on its own sites. Now Aereo gives people a way to see the awards show on a computer even without ABC?s involvement.

Source: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/509926/watch-out-for-the-startup-using-tiny-antennas-to-show-the-oscars-on-an-iphone/

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Address: Obama looks to turn a page on first term (The Arizona Republic)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/278004179?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Andy Cohen, Bravo TV Host, On Surprising Fans And The Woman ...

Jodie Foster, 2013

The "Silence of the Lambs" star ended years of rampant media speculation when she casually came out of the closet while accepting her Cecil B. Demille award at the 2013 Golden Globes. "I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago, back in the Stone Age," she said in the speech. "In those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to trusted friends, and family, coworkers and then gradually, proudly, to everyone who knew her."

Gillian Anderson, 2012

The "X-Files" actress <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/gillian-anderson-lesbian-relationships-out-magazine_n_1342801.html" target="_hplink">revealed she's had numerous relationships</a> with women in a 2012 interview with <em>Out</em> magazine. The 43-year-old mother of three, who's long enjoyed a sizable lesbian fanbase, told <em>Out</em> that she first had a relationship with a woman while still in high school, after moving from her native England to suburban Michigan. "If I had thought I was 100 percent gay, would it have been a different experience for me?" Anderson, who was voted "Most Bizarre" and "Most Likely to Be Arrested" in high school, ponders. "Would it have been a bigger deal if shame had been attached to it and all those things that become huge life-altering issues for youngsters in that situation? It's possible that my attitude around it came, on some level, from knowing that I still liked boys."

Anderson Cooper, 2012

Anderson Cooper's sexuality had been <a href="http://www.out.com/entertainment/2008/09/22/glass-closet">scrutinized for years</a> but it wasn't until July 2012 that he finally addressed the issue when he <a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/07/anderson-cooper-the-fact-is-im-gay.html">came out in an email </a> to his friend and fellow journalist, Andrew Sullivan, this summer. In Cooper's message, which was posted on Sullivan's blog, "The Dish," on <em>The Daily Beast</em>, the CNN anchor states, "The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn?t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud."

Lana Wachowski, 2012

Award-winning filmmaker <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0905154/">Lana Wachowski</a>, who's best known for co-writing and -directing the "Matrix" trilogy with her brother, Andy Wachowski, is the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender in July 2012. The Chicago native recently released "Cloud Atlas" and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/24/lana-wachowski-transgender-cloud-atlas-director-reveals-pain-suicide-attempt_n_2009112.html">received the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award</a> in October 2012, where she delivered a revealing and heartfelt speech (VIDEO).

Zachary Quinto, 2011

Long rumored to be gay, the actor, most famous for his roles on "Heroes" and in the recent "Star Trek" film, came out in a October 2011 <em>New York</em> magazine profile, saying: <blockquote>"In light of Jamey's [Rodemeyer] death -- it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it -- is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. Our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country."</blockquote>

Meredith Baxter, 2009

In December 2009 Baxter, most famous for playing Elyse Keaton on '80s sitcom "Family Ties," went on the "Today Show" and told Matt Lauer that she was a lesbian. Baxter said, "Some people would say, well, you're living a lie and, you know, the truth is -- not at all. This has only been for the past seven years."

Frank Ocean, 2012

No mainstream black male hip-hop artist had ever come out until <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/07/arts/music/frank-ocean-draws-praise-for-declaring-his-homosexuality.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">Frank Ocean did in July 2012</a>, just before he debuted his first solo album, "Channel Orange." The singer-songwriter posted a Tumblr post which read, in part, "4 summers ago, I met somebody. I was 19. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. Everyday almost. And on the days we were together, time would glide.? After that, Ocean received support from fellow hip-hop artists Jay-Z (and wife, Beyonc?), 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and more. Daryl Hannah, director of media and community partnerships for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said, "[The support for Frank is] an extension of the overall kind of support we?re seeing across the country for LGBT people, and not just in a broad sense, but specifically from iconic members of the black community.?

Wanda Sykes, 2008

The comedian and actress came out in November 2008 <a href="http://thestrippodcast.blogspot.com/2008/11/wanda-sykes-lv-gay-rally-im-proud-to-be.html" target="_hplink">while speaking at an anti-Prop 8 rally</a> in Las Vegas. Sykes said in part: <blockquote>"I got married Oct. 25, I don't really talk about my sexual orientation, I felt like I was living my life, I wasn't in the closet, but I was just living my life. Everybody who knows me personally, they know I'm gay. And that's the way people should be able to live our lives, really. We shouldn't have to be standing out here demanding something we automatically should have as citizens of this country."</blockquote>

Matt Bomer, 2012

The 34-year-old "White Collar" hunk <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/13/matt-bomer-comes-out-gay-thanks-partner_n_1272997.html" target="_hplink">thanked his partner</a> Simon Halls and his three children during Saturday's Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, where he received the New Generation Arts and Activism Award for his work in the fight against HIV/AIDS. "I'd really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry," he told the crowd. "Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment."

Anne Burrell, 2012

"Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" host Anne Burrell confirmed she's a lesbian and in a committed relationship with a woman, just days after "Chopped" host Ted Allen made a reference to her sexuality in a radio interview. "Anne doesn't feel she was outed," Burrell's rep told Page Six. "She has made no secret of her relationship." The rep went on to note, "Her significant other is a very private woman. They have been together for a couple of years and spend a lot of time together."

Adam Lambert, 2009

The singer's sexuality was always a topic of discussion for viewers when he was performing on "American Idol," but Lambert didn't come out until after the competition had wrapped. In a June 2009 <em>Rolling Stone</em> cover story, Lambert said, "Right after the finale [of "AI"], I almost started talking about it to the reporters, but I thought, 'I'm going to wait for <em>Rolling Stone</em>, that will be cooler,'.. I didn't want the Clay Aiken thing and the celebrity-magazine bullshit. I need to be able to explain myself in context."

Jim Parsons, 2012

<em>New York Times </em>scribe Patrick Healy confirmed "The Big Bang Theory" star's sexuality<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/27/theater/jim-parsons-prepares-for-his-lead-role-in-harvey.html?_r=1" target="_hplink"> as part of a profile</a>. The revelation came late in the article, when Healy describes the 39-year-old actor's role in the 2011 revival of Larry Kramer's HIV/AIDS crisis drama, "The Normal Heart." Wrote Healy: '"The Normal Heart" resonated with him on a few levels: Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said." Though the <em>Times </em>didn't identify Parsons' partner, he has been romantically liked with art director Todd Spiewak (pictured).

Laura Jane Grace, 2012

Punk band Against Me!'s lead singer made headlines in May with the announcement that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/tom-gabel-transgender-against-me_n_1501731.html">she is transgender and will be now known as Laura Jane Grace</a>. The musician, who shared her story in <em>Rolling Stone</em>, said "For me, the most terrifying thing about this was how she [my wife, Heather] would accept the news. But she's been super-amazing and understanding." The couple has a 2-year-old daughter.

Cynthia Nixon, 2004

The "Sex And The City" star was out-ed in 2004 when the <em>NY Daily News</em> and the <em>New York Post</em> <a href="http://www.afterellen.com/People/92004/cynthianixon.html" target="_hplink">reported she was living</a> with another woman in September 2004. Nixon half-heartedly confirmed the rumors when she told the <em>Daily News</em>, "My private life is private... But at the same time, I have nothing to hide. So what I will say is that I am very happy."

Sam Champion, 2012

ABC's "Good Morning America" weatherman, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/fashion/weddings/patrick-abner-and-thomas-roberts-vows.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&ref=weddings">Sam Champion,</a>, not only came out of the closet in October 2012, he also announced his engagement to longtime boyfriend, Rubem Robierb, at the same time. <em>The New York Times</em> subtly mentioned the news in an article about MSNBC personality <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/01/thomas-roberts-married-msnbc-host-weds-longtime-boyfriend_n_1928841.html">Thomas Roberts' recent wedding</a>, where Champion and Robierb were guests. After his revelation, Champion, 51, discussed about his plans on "GMA" and thanked everyone for their support (see video clip).

Kelly McGillis, 2009

Kelly McGillis, known as who starred opposite Tom Cruise in "Top Gun," <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1175410/Im-lesbian-declares-Top-Gun-siren-Kelly-McGillis.html">revealed she's gay</a> on lesbian website SheWired.com. McGillis, who was married twice to men and has two daughters, said, "It's a part of being true to yourself. That's been a challenge for me personally."

Chris Colfer, 2009

The "Glee" actor came out on the "Chelsea Lately Show" in December 2009: Chelsea Handler: "Your character on the show's gay. We know that you're gay. That's good for you. Congratulations. Don't be shy about that. Seriously. You shouldn't be shy about that because every time...an actor like you is helping a zillion other people that are scared to talk about their sexuality so good for you." Chris Colfer: "Thank you. You know what my answer to that question was prior to coming out -- was that I was straight as every other actor in Hollywood."

Ezra Miller, 2012

Breakout, up-and-coming actor Ezra Miller, who stars in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," <a href="http://www.out.com/entertainment/movies/2012/08/15/ezra-miller-im-queer">came out as queer in an interview with Out magazine</a> in August. The 20-year-old actor, who's also known for his big screen roles on "City Island" and "We Need To Talk About Kevin," told Out: "I have a lot of really wonderful friends who are of very different sexes and genders. I am very much in love with no one in particular."

Sara Gilbert, 2010

Sara Gilbert, who's best known for her role on "Roseanne," <a href="http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/07/28/sara-gilbert-lesbian-the-tal/">officially came out in 2010</a>. At that time, she was getting ready to launch "The Talk," a daytime talk show which focuses on parenthood and families, so Gilbert felt compelled to acknowledge her sexuality. ?I don?t ever really think of things as out or in,? Gilbert said. ?I just think I am who I am, and when topics come up that are appropriate, I?ll talk about them and share when it seems right.?

Chaz Bono, 2009

Chaz Bono revealed his plan to transition in May 2009. TMZ.com broke the story <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/11/chastity-bono-becoming-a-man/#.TptSZ2VPkqU" target="_hplink">via a prepared statement</a> from Bono's publicist that read, in part: <blockquote>"Yes, it's true -- Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity... He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones. It is Chaz's hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his 'coming out' did nearly 20 years ago."</blockquote>

Andrew Rannells, 2012

Andrew Rannells has had a stellar year. Since nabbing a Tony nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for the Broadway blockbuster "The Book of Mormon," Rannells went on to star in HBO's "Girls" and ABC's "The New Normal." In November, the 34 year old was named to Out magazine's prestigious <a href="http://www.out.com/out-exclusives/out100-2012/2012/11/15/out100-andrew-rannells">"OUT100" list</a>. ?I feel very proud to be a part of The New Normal,? Rannells told Out. ?I hope that it?s considered to be a part of the evolution of gay relationships on television. Coming from Nebraska, it?s exciting to me that people I went to grade school with, people that I grew up going to church with, are watching the show.?

Joanna Johnson, 2012

"Bold and the Beautiful" star Joanna Johnson became daytime soap opera's only active "out" actor when she said <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/14/joanna-johnson-lesbian-bold-and-the-beautiful_n_1515489.html">she was a lesbian in May</a>. Johnson said she feared coming out would prohibit her from getting acting roles. Johnson told <em>TV Guide</em> in an exclusive interview that she's married to L.A. club promoter Michelle Agnew, with whom she has two children, five-year-old Julian and Harlow, who is two.

George Michael, 1998

After being caught performing a "lewd act" in a public restroom, Michael came out to CNN in April 1998. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9804/11/george.michael/" target="_hplink">Michael said</a>, "This is as good of a time as any... I want to say that I have no problem with people knowing that I'm in a relationship with a man right now. I have not been in a relationship with a woman for almost 10 years." Later that year Michael spoofed the incident in the music video for his single "Outside."

Don Lemon, 2011

The CNN news anchor came out to the <em>New York Times</em> in May 2011. Lemon <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/business/media/16anchor.html?_r=3" target="_hplink">told the paper</a>, "It's quite different for an African-American male... It's about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You're taught you have to be a man; you have to be masculine. In the black community they think you can pray the gay away."

Todd Glass, 2012

Comedian Todd Glass <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/16/todd-glass-comes-out-as-gay-on-wtf-with-marc-maron_n_1209291.html">came out in January</a> in an episode of the "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast. Glass cited the slew of LGBT teen suicides as his impetus for coming out. He told Maron: "I cannot listen to stories about kids killing themselves any longer without thinking [to myself], 'When are you going to have a little blood on your shirt for not being honest about who you are?'"

Rosie Pierri, 2012

Everyone loves Rosie. In a June episode of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," Rosie Pierri candidly came out to her sister, Kathy Wakile, a main cast member, proclaiming, "God made me this way. That's it." Pierri <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/30/rosie-real-housewives-nj_n_1555421.html">spoke with <em>The Huffington Post</em> in May</a> before the episode aired and shared that she was a "late bloomer," who didn't come to the realization until her 30s.

Jonathan Knight, 2011

The New Kids On The Block singer was out-ed by fellow '80s teen pop star Tiffany in January 2011 when she revealed she dated Knight before "he became gay later." In response, Knight posted a message on his website <a href="http://www.towleroad.com/2011/01/jonathan-knight.html#ixzz1azmexp8H" target="_hplink">stating in part</a>: <blockquote>"I have never been outed by anyone but myself! I did so almost twenty years ago. I never know that I would have to do it all over again publicly just because I reunited with NKOTB! I have lived my life very openly and have never hidden the fact that I am gay!"</blockquote>

Sean Maher, 2011

Sean Maher, known for his roles on "Firefly" and "Playboy Club," confirmed his sexuality in an <a href="http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/09/26/firefly-playboy-club-actor-sean-maher-comes-out-ga/"><em>Entertainment Weekly</em> interview</a>, saying, "This is my coming out ball. I?ve been dying to do this.?

Ricky Martin, March 2010

In March 2009 pop star Ricky Martin <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/29/ricky-martin-comes-out-im_n_517625.html" target="_hplink">posted a message on his website</a> telling the world, "I am a fortunate homosexual man."

Sean Hayes, 2010

Long dogged by rumors about his sexuality, the "Will and Grace" actor <a href="http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/People/Sean_Hayes_I_Am_Who_I_Am/" target="_hplink">finally came out</a> in <em>The Advocate</em> in April 2010: "I am who I am. I was never in, as they say. Never," he said.

Lady Sovereign, 2010

In May 2010 the British rapper came out in <em>Diva</em> magazine. <a href="http://perezhilton.com/2010-05-12-lady-sov-comes-out#.Tpt-2WVPkqU" target="_hplink">Sovereign said</a>: <blockquote>"Magazines would always ask about it but [questions about my sexuality] would get stopped by my publicists. It was my choice, too, because I was a bit worried about it but now I don't really give a shit. You can't hide away forever. It's just stupid and now I've come out I feel a lot more comfortable with myself. But it was a bit scary back then because some people do have horrible opinions."</blockquote>

T.R. Knight, 2007

<a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20008737,00.html">T.R. Knight's coming out</a> wasn't necessarily ideal. The actor, who played George O'Malley on ABC's <em>Grey's Anatomy</em>, was called a "faggot" by co-star Isaiah Washington, prompting Knight to stand up for himself and others. He told Ellen DeGeneres, "I've never been called that to my face. So I think when that happened, something shifted, and it became bigger than myself."

Kristy McNichol, 2012

People magazine reported In January 2012 that Kristy McNichol, who was beloved for playing Buddy Lawrence in the '70s show "Family," for which she won an Emmy, and later Barbara Weston on the "Golden Girls" spin-off "Empty Nest," revealed she is a lesbian because she is "approaching 50" and wants to "be open about who I am." <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/07/kristy-mcnichol-comes-out-as-lesbian_n_1191204.html">McNichol</a> also cited the wave of antigay bullying stories for coming out, hoping to help bullied LGBT youth who need support.

Benji Schwimmer, 2012

After Benji Schwimmer won the second season of Fox's long-running hit series "So You Think You Can Dance," the 28-year-old dancer-choreographer became somewhat of a Mormon rockstar. But in a tell-all, five-hour interview for "Mormon Stories," Schwimmer came out and discussed at length his homosexuality and the church's views on the issue. He <a href="http://www.out.com/news-commentary/2012/06/18/benji-schwimmer-naked-truth-sytycd-gay-mormon-sexuality">spoke with Out magazine in June</a> and said: "I get at least 10 emails a day from kids that say, I was going to kill myself, and I heard something in the podcast that rang true to me, and I?m holding on. For that validation alone?it?s nice that Perez Hilton and Out are covering this, but just that personal touch is what it?s about. For the last year, I didn?t hide it. I held hands with a boyfriend in the streets. I kissed him in bars?in straight bars. I don?t give a fuck."

Clay Aiken, 2008

After becoming a father in August of 2008, the "American Idol" runner up <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20228488,00.html" target="_hplink">came out on the cover</a> of <em>People</em> magazine in September 2008 saying, "[Coming out] was the first decision I made as a father... I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that."

Orlando Cruz, 2012

History was made in October when active professional featherweight boxer <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/04/orlando-cruz-comes-out-gay_n_1939204.html">Orlando Cruz of Puerto Rico came out</a>. He said in a USA Today article, "I've been fighting for more than 24 years and as I continue my ascendant career, I want to be true to myself. I want to try to be the best role model I can be for kids who might look into boxing as a sport and a professional career." He continued, "I have and will always be a proud Puerto Rican. I have always been and always will be a proud gay man."

Chely Wright, 2010

Country singer Chely Wright <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20365936,00.html" target="_hplink">came out in May 2010</a>. She told <em>People</em> magazine, "There had never, ever been a country music artist who had acknowledged his or her homosexuality... I wasn't going to be the first." But she changed her mind and said of her decision, "Nothing in my life has been more magical than the moment I decided to come out."

Mika, 2012

The flamboyant singer-songwriter played coy about his sexuality for many years before finally coming out as gay in the September 2012 issue of Instinct magazine. Mika <a href="http://instinctmagazine.com/blogs/blog/exclusive-sneak-peek-mika-tells-instinct-%E2%80%9Cyeah-i%E2%80%99m-gay-%E2%80%9D?directory=100011">told the magazine</a>: <blockquote>"If you ask me am I gay, I say yeah... Are these songs about my relationship with a man? I say yeah. And it?s only through my music that I?ve found the strength to come to terms with my sexuality beyond the context of just my lyrics. This is my real life."</blockquote>

Lance Bass, 2006

The 'N Sync pop star came out on the cover of <em>People</em> magazine in July 2006. When asked why he decided to come out then, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1219142,00.html" target="_hplink">Bass said</a>, "The main reason I wanted to speak my mind was that (the rumors) really were starting to affect my daily life. Now it feels like it's on my terms. I'm at peace with my family, my friends, myself and God so there's really nothing else that I worry about."

Denise Ho, 2012

Hong Kong's fourth annual LGBT Pride Parade in November saw beloved Cantonese pop star <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/13/denise-ho-singer-gay-coming-out-hong-kong_n_2122773.html">Denise Ho come out as a lesbian</a>. This announcement made her the first mainstream female singer in Hong Kong to say she's gay, according to several Hong Kong media outlets. "As a celebrity, I think I have an obligation, a duty to stand forward for the sake of love and equality," the 35-year-old singer told the crowd.

Amber Heard, 2010

"I personally think that if you deny something or if you hide something you're inadvertently admitting it's wrong. I don't feel like I'm wrong," said actress Amber Heard, 26, who <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/06/amber-heard-lesbian_n_792419.html">came out while attending GLAAD's 25th anniversary party</a>. Heard has starred in movies like as "Pineapple Express" and "Zombieland."

Elton John, 1976

In <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/elton-john-lonely-at-the-top-rolling-stones-1976-cover-story-20110202" target="_hplink">an interview</a> with <em>Rolling Stone</em> in October 1976, the rock star came out by saying, "There's nothing wrong with going to bed with somebody of your own sex. I think everybody's bisexual to a certain degree. I don't think it's just me. It's not a bad thing to be. I think you're bisexual. I think everybody is."

Suze Orman, 2007

Financial guru Suze Orman came out in a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/magazine/25wwlnq4.t.html">2007 <em>New York Times Magazine</em> article</a>. The 61-year-old Chicago native was asked if she was married in the interview, which prompted her to officially come out and set the record straight (so to speak).

David Hyde Pierce, 2007

"Frasier" actor David Hyde Pierce kept a low profile and <a href="http://www.afterelton.com/blog/brianjuergens/exclusive-david-hyde-pierce-is-officially-out">subtly came out</a> in an article on <em>CNN</em> where he mentioned his longtime partner, TV writer and producer Brian Hargrove. Later, while on "The View", Pierce spoke about Hargrove and his sexuality and said,"What you choose to talk about yourself is a personal decision."

Neil Patrick Harris, 2006

The "Doogie Howser, MD" and "How I Met Your Mother Star" came out on the cover of <em>People</em> magazine in November of 2006. <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1554852,00.html" target="_hplink">Harris told the magazine</a>: <blockquote>"The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships. So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love." </blockquote>

Darren Hayes, 2006

The former Savage Garden front man came out by marrying Richard Cullen in June 2006. He announced the civil union on his website <a href="http://chartrigger.blogspot.com/2006/07/darren-hayes-comes-out.html" target="_hplink">saying in part</a>: "As so many of you have given me your heart and soul over the past 10 years I thought it only fitting that I too return the respect and inform you of the most significant event in my life... On June 19th 2006 I married my boyfriend of two years, Richard, in a Civil Partnership ceremony in London."

George Takei, 2005

The beloved George Takei, known as Sulu on "Star Trek," <a href="http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/9845944/ns/today-entertainment/t/george-takei-mr-sulu-says-hes-gay/#.UHWbJ0JAsu8">came out</a> in a 2005 article in Frontiers, a biweekly LGBT Los Angeles magazine. Takei, 75, cited the political landscape surrounding LGBT issues as one reason for coming out. Since then, Takei has been an outspoken (and humorous) advocate for LGBT rights.

Portia de Rossi, 2005

The actress had been out to friends for quite some time, but she told the entire world in the fall of 2005 in interviews with <em>Details</em> magazine and <em>The Advocate</em>. "I've had my years of being not open, many years of it... It's an honor for me to do this; it's just nice to be asked," de Rossi said in her September 2005 <em>Advocate</em> <a href="http://crispie764.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Urgent&action=display&thread=35" target="_hplink">cover story</a>, her first with the gay press.

Heather Matarazzo, 2004

The actress, perhaps best known for her role as tormented teen Dawn Wiener in the film "Welcome To The Dollhouse," <a href="http://www.afterellen.com/archive/ellen/People/82004/heathermatarazzo.html" target="_hplink">came out in August 2004</a> by telling the <em>NY Daily News</em> about falling in love with Caroline Murphy: <blockquote>"I met the person I'm so madly crazy in love with...She's not famous yet. She will be. She wants to do musical theater and stage, which is not as demoralizing as the movie business is."</blockquote>

Rosie O'Donnell, 2002

The comedian and talk show host <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/2002/2002-02-27-rosie.htm" target="_hplink">came out by revealing</a> "I'm a dyke!" during her stand up act at the Ovarian Cancer Research benefit at Carolines Comedy Club in February 2002.

Nathan Lane, 1999

The hilarious Nathan Lane, who's well known for starring in films like "The Birdcage," officially came out in an <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/37588/nathan-lane-comes-out-finally">interview with <em>The Advocate</em></a> in 1999. In the issue, the 56-year-old Emmy- and Tony-winner said, "It's never been something I kept a secret." But Matthew Shepard's murder led the actor to publicly coming out. "It was like somebody slapped me awake," Lane said. "At this point it's selfish not to do whatever you can."

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/andy-cohen-bravo-tv-host-gq-magazine-interview-_n_2496708.html

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