@WalmartLabs Acquires Mobile Agency Small Society

@WalmartLabs, the retailer's digital technology division, has acquired Portland-based mobile agency Small Society. The company helped businesses create, develop and launch?iOS applications, and has served a number of high-profile clients, including DoubleTree, Starbucks (the original app), Amazon (the Amazon Deals app), ?Whole Foods, the Democratic National Convention, WordPress, ZipCar and others.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/xcfC5qMRDas/

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Obama vows US will stay world's top military power

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama vowed Thursday the United States will remain the world's pre-eminent military power even as the Pentagon scales back spending, shrinks the Army and Marine Corps and pulls back from Europe.

In a rare appearance at the Pentagon, Obama said the U.S. is "turning a page" after having killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, withdrawn troops from Iraq and begun to wind down the war in Afghanistan. He outlined a vision for the future that would ensure an uncompromised U.S. military strength operating with less money.

"Our military will be leaner, but the world must know the United States is going to maintain our military superiority," Obama said, with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey at his side.

Obama said his administration would not repeat the mistakes made after World War II and Vietnam when defense reductions left the military ill-prepared.

"As commander in chief, I will not let that happen again," he said. "Not on my watch."

Both Panetta and Dempsey said they anticipate heavy criticism of their new strategy, which is meant to guide future defense budgets, including the 2013 spending plan that Obama will submit to Congress in February.

The criticism from Republicans came quickly.

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., chairman of the House Armed Services, issued a statement saying, "This is a lead-from-behind strategy for a left-behind America." He called it a "retreat from the world in the guise of a new strategy."

Dempsey praised the strategy and the work of crafting it, calling it inclusive and comprehensive.

"It's not perfect," the general said. "There will be people who think it goes too far. Others will say it doesn't go nearly far enough. That probably makes it about right. It gives us what we need."

Obama said the strategy overhaul is designed to contend with hundreds of billions of dollars in budget cuts and refocus the United States' national security priorities after a decade dominated by the post.-Sept. 11 wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The strategy, devised through a comprehensive review by civilian and military leaders, centered on the military the country needs after the "long wars of the last decade are over," Obama said.

Panetta said that smaller military budgets will mean some trade-offs and that the U.S. will take on "some level of additional but acceptable risk." But Panetta said that at this point in history, in a changing world, the Pentagon would have been forced to make a strategy shift anyway. He says the money crisis merely forced the government's hand.

The president announced that the military will be reshaped over time with an emphasis on countering terrorism, maintaining a nuclear deterrent, protecting the U.S. homeland, and "deterring and defeating aggression by any potential adversary."

Those are not new military missions, and Obama announced no new capabilities or defense initiatives. He described a U.S. force that will retain much of its recent focus, with the exception of fighting a large-scale, prolonged conflict like the newly ended Iraq mission or the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

"As we end today's wars and reshape our armed forces, we will ensure that our military is agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies," the president wrote in a preamble to the new strategy, entitled, "Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense."

The strategy strongly suggests a reduced U.S. military presence in Europe, notwithstanding a continuing close relationship with NATO, and says Asia will be a bigger priority. It also emphasizes improving U.S. capabilities in the areas of cyberwarfare, missile defense, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Obama's decision to announce the strategy himself underscores the political dimension of Washington's debate over defense cuts. The administration says smaller Pentagon budgets are a must but will not come at the cost of sapping the strength of a military in transition, even as it gets smaller.

In a presidential election year, the strategy gives Obama a rhetorical tool to defend his Pentagon budget-cutting choices. Republican contenders for the White House already have criticized him on a wide range of national security issues, including missile defense, Iran and planned reductions in ground forces.

Obama also wants the new strategy to represent a pivotal point in his stewardship of defense policy, which has been burdened throughout his presidency by the wars he inherited and the drag these conflicts have placed on military resources.

The new strategy moves the U.S. further from its longstanding goal of being able to successfully fight two major regional wars - like the 1991 Gulf War to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait or a theoretical ground war in Korea - at the same time.

The document released Thursday made clear that while some current missions of the military will be curtailed, none will be scrapped entirely.

"Wholesale divestment of the capability to conduct any mission would be unwise, based on historical and projected uses of U.S. military forces and our inability to predict the future," the document said.

It said the U.S. will maintain a robust nuclear arsenal but hinted at reductions.

"It is possible that our deterrence goals can be achieved with a smaller nuclear force, which would reduce the number of nuclear weapons in our inventory as well as their role in U.S. national security strategy," the strategy said.

The administration and Congress already are slashing projected defense spending to reflect the closeout of the Iraq war and the drawdown in Afghanistan. The massive $662 billion defense budget planned for next year is $27 billion less than Obama wanted and $43 billion less than Congress gave the Pentagon this year.

The Pentagon announced no specifics on the size of expected troop reductions; the Army and Marine Corps already are set to shrink beginning in 2015. The document said the Pentagon will have to find savings in pay and health care benefits for members of the military, but it offered no specifics.

Factors guiding the Obama administration's approach to reducing the defense budget are not limited to war-fighting strategy. They also include judgments about how to contain the growing cost of military pay and health and retirement benefits. The administration is expected to form a commission to study the issue of retirement benefits, possibly led by a prominent retired military officer.

The administration is in the final stages of deciding specific cuts in the 2013 budget, which Obama will submit to Congress next month. The strategy to be announced by Panetta and Dempsey is meant to accommodate about $489 billion in defense cuts over the coming 10 years, as called for in a budget deal with Congress last summer. An additional $500 billion in cuts may be required starting in January 2013.

A prominent theme of the Pentagon's new strategy is what Panetta has called a renewed commitment to security in the Asia-Pacific region.

The administration is not anticipating military conflict in Asia, but Panetta believes the U.S. got so bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11 that it missed chances to improve its strategic position in other regions.

---

Ben Feller and Pauline Jelinek in Washington contributed to this report.

- Robert Burns can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/robertburnsAP

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEFENSE_STRATEGY?SITE=INELK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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Mother says LA arson suspect is mentally ill

NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.

By NBC News and news services

LOS ANGELES -- The mother of a German man accused in a slew of arson attacks that terrorized the Hollywood area appeared in court Tuesday to answer to legal troubles of her own, including accusations that she skipped out on paying for a 2004 breast-augmentation surgery in her native country.

Dorothee Burkhart, the mother of Harry Burkhart, was arrested last week and on Tuesday?had a brief extradition hearing?in federal court related to a criminal warrant issued against her by the German government. The diminutive and heavy-set woman sat down and proceeded to ask about her son.

"Where is my son?" she asked. "He should come to the court, where is my son?"

When U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Nagle opened the hearing, Dorothee Burkhart said?she didn't want to be handcuffed. The judge granted her request.

Her second question was again about her son.

"What did you do to my son?"

The judge responded, "We are not here to do anything or talk about your son."

Burkhart said, "My son has disappeared. Maybe the Nazis know about my address and took him. He is mentally ill."

The judge brushed off her question before granting a continuance of the hearing to Friday.

Dorothee Burkhart?was arrested?Wednesday on fraud charges from?her native Germany. At her initial hearing a day later, her son?exploded in an expletive-laced rant against the United States.

The next day, police say, the 24-year-old began a nighttime rampage of arson attacks.

Authorities have yet to disclose why they believe that the pony-tailed Hollywood resident set the fires, but his mother's legal trouble provides one glimpse into the turmoil in his life.

Court documents unsealed Tuesday said Dorothee Burkhart, who is in her 50s, was charged with 19 counts of fraud in Frankfurt, including failing to pay for a 2004 breast-augmentation surgery and pilfering security deposits from renters.

Harry Burkhart was being held without bail after being arrested in the arson case Monday.

Outside his Hollywood apartment, some neighbors described him as a loner who loitered around the busy commercial strip at night and could be heard arguing with his mother.

But Shlomo Elady, a hair stylist who regularly trimmed Burkhart's long hair, recalled someone who spoke three languages, dreamed of visiting Jerusalem and cared for a sickly mother who had trouble walking. Elady said the Burkharts lived above his?Sunset Boulevard shop.?

Elady said he was stunned that?Harry Burkhart is suspected of torching vehicles, some just steps from his home. The fires caused an estimated $3 million in damage.

"He loved his mom, the way every son loves his mom," Elady said. "He's not a creepy guy."

Burkhart was taken into custody after authorities received a tip from federal officials who recognized him in a security video that showed a pony-tailed man emerging from a garage where a car was set ablaze.

"When they saw the security footage, they recognized him and they contacted the arson task force," a State Department official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigations are ongoing.

The official didn't know the mother's status or what type of visas the pair used to enter the country. As German citizens, they would be eligible to come to the U.S. without a visa for 90 days under the Visa Waiver Program.

A federal law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Harry Burkhart was present when his mother was arrested Dec. 28 on a provisional?warrant.

Provisional arrest warrants are normally issued when there are criminal charges pending overseas against someone. Ordinarily, U.S. authorities then obtain an arrest warrant through the State Department and the Justice Department.

At his mother's Thursday court hearing, Harry Burkhart launched into an obscenity-laden tirade, saying "(Expletive) the United States!" said Thom Mrozek, spokesman at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.

Mrozek said Burkhart was detained and later escorted out of the courthouse. He said Burkhart did not make any specific threats against anyone or property at his mother's court hearing.

Galina Illarionova, who lives in the same apartment complex as the suspect, said through a Russian translator that an agitated Burkhart visited her Sunday and said his mother was having some kind of legal problems.

He told her his mother was in trouble with authorities and wanted Illarionova to attend a legal hearing with him, but he later said he didn't need her help.

A domain name for a website offering appointment-only sensual massage is registered to Dorothee Burkhart. Her name is not mentioned on the website, which states the service is not prostitution.

The series of fires appeared to have stopped with Burkhart's arrest. The onslaught?kept residents anxious over the holiday weekend in some of the most densely populated areas of the city.

One of Saturday's fires occurred at the Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex, a popular tourist destination bordered by the Walk of Fame in a neighborhood that includes Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Damaged buildings included a former home of Doors singer Jim Morrison.

No serious injuries were reported.

?This story contains information from NBC News and The Associated Press.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/03/9927208-mother-says-la-arson-suspect-is-mentally-ill

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Sports: Vikings edge Junction City girls, 35-30

Wednesday, Jan. 4

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

11 a.m. to noon Blood pressure checks at Senior Citizens Center

11:15 a.m. to noon Lil Emerging Artist (ages 3 to 5), JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

7 p.m. Woodcarvers meet at JCAC studio, 109 W. Seventh St.

7:30 p.m. Melita Chapter 116, Order of the Eastern Star, 722 1/2 N. Washington St.

7:30 p.m. Chapman Rebekah Lodge #645, Chapman Senior Center

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Friends of the Library board does not meet in January

Thursday, Jan. 5

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

1 to 2: 30 p.m. Troubadours of JC special rehearsal at Senior Citizens Center, 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:15 p.m. JC Sundowners Lions Club dinner/business meeting at Peking Restaurant, 836 S. Washington

6:30 p.m. Flinthills Depression and Bipolar Alliance Support Group, First Christian Church, Fifth and Humboldt, Manhattan

7 p.m. Junction City Aglow Lighthouse meets at Senior Citizens Center, 1107 S. Spring Valley Road

7 p.m. Mahogany Readers book discussion group paperback trade at library annex, 238 W. Eighth St.

7:30 p.m. Stated Communications, Union Masonic Lodge No. 7 AF&AM

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Jan. 6

9 a.m. to noon The Geary County Senior Center indoor yard sale, 1025 S. Spring Valley Rd.

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 p.m. It?s About Me Breast Cancer Awareness Association, Medical Arts II Conference Room, Geary Community Hospital

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals?

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. American Legion Riders, Chapman American Legion, 222 1/2 Marshall

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Jan. 7

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Noon to 1 p.m. Drawing class for elementary age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with full meals, evening special available from 5 to 8 p.m.

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Drawing class for middle schol age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Jan. 8

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Jan. 9

9:30 a.m. Board meeting at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

1 to 2:30 p.m. Troubadours of JC rehearsal at Senior Citizens Center, 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

4 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5:30 p.m. Friends of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group and Circle of Hope Cancer Support Group, Medical Arts Building II, Third Floor Conference Room, Geary Community Hospital

5:30 p.m. Library Board meeting

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Sirloin Stockade, 426 Golden Belt Blvd.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Geary County Fish & Game Association meeting, 3922 K-244 Spur

7 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary meeting, 203 E. 10th St.

7 p.m. Hope Al Anon meeting at First United Methodist Church

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Library winter reading program begins (Winter Stage for adults and Winter Wild Things for grades K-8 and families)

Registration and fee deadline for LIFE class on basketmaking

Tuesday, Jan. 10

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

10 to 11 a.m. Bible study at Senior Citizens Center

1 p.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 p.m. Winter Wild Things (grade school readers) at library annex, 238 W. Eighth St. (?Grubs, Worms, and Other Tasty Treats?)

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6 p.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, JC airport terminal, 540 Airport Road

7 p.m. Mystery Club book discussion group reader?s choice at library annex, 238 W. Eighth St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Junction City Chapter, Royal Arch Masons No. 17 meeting

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Wednesday, Jan. 11

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

10 a.m. Mother Goose Time for Tots (age 2 with adult caretaker) at library

11:15 a.m. to noon Lil Emerging Artist (ages 3 to 5), JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

7 p.m. Woodcarvers meet at JCAC studio, 109 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Thursday, Jan. 12

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

11:30 a.m. NARFE Old Trooper Chapter 383 luncheon meeting, Senior Citizens Center, 1107 S. Spring Valley Road, members and guests welcome

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

1 p.m. LIFE class: Writing Your Family History at library

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. JC Arts Board meeting

6 p.m. LIFE class: Basketmaking at Hobby Haven

6:30 p.m. Fantastic Realms book discussion group movie night (?Blade Runner?) at library annex, 238 W. Eighth St.

7 p.m. LIFE class: Crochet

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Jan. 13

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals?

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6 p.m. Smoky Hill Free Trappers, Tyme Out Lounge

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Jan. 14

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Noon to 1 p.m. Drawing class for elementary age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with full meals, evening special available from 5 to 8 p.m.

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Drawing class for middle schol age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Jan. 15

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Fr. Kapaun Knights of Columbus meeting, basement of St. Mary?s Chapel, Fort Riley

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Jan. 16

10 a.m. Troubadours of JC perform at Martin Luther King ceremony, JC Church of the Nazarene, 1025 S. Washington St.

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

4 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Sirloin Stockade, 426 Golden Belt Blvd.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Hope Al Anon meeting at First United Methodist Church

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center and library closed for Martin Luther King holiday

Tuesday, Jan. 17

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friend-to-Friend Caregiver Support Group, Faith Lutheran Church, 212 N. Eisenhower Drive

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

10 to 11 a.m. Bible study at Senior Citizens Center

1 p.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6 p.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

6 to 8 p.m. Jam session at JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

6:30 p.m. Sunflower Quilters Guild, Dorothy Bramlage Library

7 p.m. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, JC airport terminal, 540 Airport Road

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Wednesday, Jan. 18

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

10 a.m. Mother Goose Time for Tots (age 2 with adult caregiver) at library

11:15 a.m. to noon Lil Emerging Artist (ages 3 to 5), JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

7:30 p.m. Melita Chapter 116, Order of the Eastern Star, 722 1/2 N. Washington St.

7:30 p.m. Chapman Rebekah Lodge #645, Chapman Senior Center

7 p.m. Woodcarvers meet at JCAC studio, 109 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Thursday, Jan. 19

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

1:30 p.m. Job Club at Senior Citizens Center

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. Flinthills Depression and Bipolar Alliance Support Group, First Christian Church, Fifth and Humboldt, Manhattan

7:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie meeting, 203 E. 10th St.

7:30 p.m. Stated Communications, Union Masonic Lodge No. 7 AF&AM

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Jan. 20

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals?

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Jan. 21

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Noon to 1 p.m. Drawing class for elementary age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Father Kapaun Knights of Columbus, basement of St. Mary?s Chapel, Fort Riley

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with full meals, evening special available from 5 to 8 p.m.

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Drawing class for middle schol age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Jan. 22

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Jan. 23

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

1 to 2:30 p.m. Troubadours of JC rehearsal at Senior Citizens Center, 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

4 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Sirloin Stockade, 426 Golden Belt Blvd.

6 p.m. LIFE class: Basketmaking at Hobby Haven

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary meeting, 203 E. 10th St.

7 p.m. Hope Al Anon meeting at First United Methodist Church

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Tuesday, Jan. 24

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3 to 5) at library

10 to 11 a.m. Bible study at Senior Citizens Center

1 p.m. Storytime (ages 3-5) at library

1 p.m. Low vision meeting at Senior Citizens Center

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6 p.m. Storytime (ages 3 to 5) at library

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, JC airport terminal, 540 Airport Road

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Wednesday, Jan. 25

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

10 a.m. Mother Goose Time for Tots (with adult caregiver) at library

11:15 a.m. to noon Lil Emerging Artist (ages 3 to 5), JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

7 p.m. Woodcarvers meet at JCAC studio, 109 W. Seventh St.

7 p.m. New Beginnings-New Life Support Group, Martha Hoover Conference Room, Geary County Community Hospital

7 p.m. LIFE class: Meditation and You at library annex, 238 W. Eighth St.

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

January birthdays party at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Thursday, Jan. 26

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3 to 5) at library

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

1 p.m. LIFE class: Writing Your Family History at library

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

7 p.m. LIFE class: Crochet at library

7:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie, 203 E. 10th St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Registration and fee deadline for LIFE class on basketmaking Feb. 9

Friday, Jan. 27

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals?

6 p.m. Evening meal (ham, scalloped potatoes, broccoli with cheese and fruit dessert) at Senior Citizens Center

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

7 to 10 p.m. Dance at Senior Citizens Center

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

6:30 p.m. JC Sundowners Club coronation of Snow King and Queen following monthly evening meal at Senior Citizens Center, 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Jan. 28

9 a.m. Saturday @ the Library (Winter Family Fun), Junction City Municipal Building

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Noon to 1 p.m. Drawing class for elementary age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with full meals, evening special available from 5 to 8 p.m.

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Drawing class for middle schol age, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

6 to 10 p.m. JC Arts Murder Mystery Dinner

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Jan. 29

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Jan. 30

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

1 to 2:30 p.m. Troubadours of JC rehearsal at Senior Citizens Center, 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

4 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Sirloin Stockade, 426 Golden Belt Blvd.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Hope Al Anon meeting at First United Methodist Church

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Tuesday, Jan. 31

10 a.m. Storytime (ages 3 to 5) at library

10 to 11 a.m. Bible study at Senior Citizens Center

1 p.m. Storytime (ages 3 to 5) at library

4 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

4 to 5 p.m. Creative Zone for K-5th grade, JC Arts, 109 W. Seventh St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6 p.m. Storytime (ages 3 to 5) at library

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, JC airport terminal, 540 Airport Road

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon computer class at Senior Citizens Center

Source: http://www.thedailyunion.net/newsdetail.asp?article_id=10927

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Cruise's 'Mission' stays on top with $31.3 million (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Tom Cruise's new mission remains impossible to beat at the box office.

Studio estimates Sunday placed "Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol" in the No. 1 spot for the second-straight weekend with $31.3 million. With a $134.1 million domestic total, it's the first $100 million hit with Cruise in the lead role since 2006's "Mission: Impossible III."

The Paramount release led a solid New Year's weekend as Hollywood managed fair business to end a sluggish year on a more promising note for 2012. Domestic revenues closed out at $10.22 billion for 2011, down 3.4 percent from 2010's, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

That was a slight improvement over Hollywood.com's projections a week earlier, when Hollywood was limping through the normally busy holiday season with a lineup of underachieving movies.

"This week was a pleasant surprise," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "Last week, we were really pretty gloom and doom, but this final push at the end of the year was stronger than expected. It's a good way to head into 2012, with at least a little bit of momentum at the box office."

Still, movie admissions were down sharply for the second year in a row. Factoring in higher ticket prices, domestic attendance slipped to 1.28 billion in 2011, off 4.2 percent from 2010 admissions and the smallest audiences Hollywood has had since 1995, according to Hollywood.com.

Hollywood started the year in a deep rut, with domestic revenues trailing 2010's by 20 percent or more as a weak first quarter fell far short of the previous year's spectacular results for the sci-fi sensation "Avatar."

Studios nearly dug themselves out from that deficit over the summer, but business lagged through the fall and holidays as audiences had a ho-hum response to most movies.

Some studio executives had predicted record revenues for 2011. The movies themselves may simply have held less appeal to fans than expected, though audiences also could be skipping trips to theaters to watch movies on big-screen home setups or to play with the countless entertainment gadgets now on the market. Viewers can watch films at home or on portable devices for a fraction of the cost of going to theaters.

The industry is looking ahead to an impressive lineup to turn things around this year. Big titles include the superhero tales "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers"; the latest in the animated franchises "Ice Age" and "Madagascar," along with "Brave," the new adventure from animation master Pixar; Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' "Men in Black 3"; Daniel Craig's new James Bond thriller "Skyfall"; Johnny Depp's vampire story "Dark Shadows"; Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," a cousin to his sci-fi classic "Alien"; and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first in a two-part prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" films.

The rest of this weekend's top-three remained unchanged. Robert Downey Jr.'s "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," from Warner Bros., finished second again with $22.1 million, raising its domestic total to $132.1 million.

The 20th Century Fox family sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" was still at No. 3 with $18.3 million to lift its haul to $94.6 million.

In its first full weekend, Steven Spielberg's World War I epic "War Horse" came in fourth with $16.9 million, pushing its domestic total to $43 million.

At No. 5 was David Fincher's thriller "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" with $16.3 million. The Sony release, which stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, now stands at $57.1 million domestically.

Cameron Crowe's family tale "We Bought a Zoo," featuring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, finished at No. 6 with $14.3 million. Released by 20th Century Fox, the movie raised its total to $41.8 million.

Rounding out the top films was Spielberg and producer Jackson's animated action story "The Adventures of Tintin" at No. 7 with $12 million. The Paramount release lifted its domestic sum to $47.8 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol," $31.3 million.

2. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $22.1 million.

3. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $18.3 million.

4. "War Horse," $16.9 million.

5. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," $16.3 million.

6. "We Bought a Zoo," $14.3 million.

7. "The Adventures of Tintin," $12 million.

8. "New Year's Eve," $6.7 million.

9. "The Darkest Hour," $4.3 million.

10. "The Descendants," $3.7 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120101/ap_en_ot/us_box_office

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"Merkozy" play leads in beloved German New Year skit (Reuters)

BERLIN (Reuters) ? A skit of "Dinner for One," the British vaudeville comedy sketch so loved in Germany it holds cult status and is screened every New Year's Eve, with Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy as "Miss Sophie" and her bumbling butler, has become an Internet smash.

In the black and white original, filmed in 1963, Miss Sophie celebrates her 90th birthday with four imaginary guests as butler James darts around the table, pretending to be each of them and downing their drinks, becoming increasingly inebriated in the process.

The skit, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8kj4JBf-W0, made for German broadcaster ARD and titled "The 90th euro rescue summit or euros for no one," has the heads of the German chancellor and French president superimposed over the original actors.

This time the imaginary dinner companions include former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Sarkozy pretends to be Cameron, as Merkel toasts him and tells him: "Don't forget we speak German in Europe."

"You are looking younger than ever," "Cameron" starts in English, then switches to German and says: "You are looking richer than ever."

As Sarkozy continues to scurry around the elegantly set table, the narrators sighs, explaining: "This is what happens every euro rescue summit, whether or not anyone else is there, it is just these two doing everything themselves."

The original will be shown seven times by different German television stations on New Year's Eve. Its popularity in Germany and Scandinavia has made it one of the world's most repeated television shows, but it is hardly known in Britain.

Its euphemistic closing line - when James asks whether it will be "the same procedure as last year," as he escorts Miss Sophie upstairs to bed, then promises to do "his very best" - has become a catchphrase in Germany.

At that point in the skit, which has had almost 200,000 views on the Internet, Sarkozy, whose country's top sovereign credit rating is at risk, tells Merkel he will give her his "triple A."

(Reporting by Alexandra Hudson; Editing by Alison Williams)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111231/en_nm/us_germany_merkozy_sketch

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In GOP race, Gingrich struggles to stay on message

As he scrambles to stop a slide in Iowa, Newt Gingrich?s strategy amounts to this: hammer home a message about jobs and the economy while wrapping himself in the mantle of Ronald Reagan. But the loquacious former House speaker keeps struggling to stay on message.

On a 22-stop bus tour of Iowa, Mr. Gingrich finds himself unloading on his GOP rivals and reviving talk of a Greek cruise that nearly sank his campaign earlier this year. He fields questions about his work for mortgage giant Freddie Mac, ethics allegations and whether his three marriages make him a polygamist.

More related to this story

The economy? Jobs? Those issues sometimes have been lost in the mix.

?It?s been wild and woolly,? Mr. Gingrich acknowledged to a voter as his wife, Callista, collected a double cappuccino at a Sioux City coffee shop.

If there was ever a time when Mr. Gingrich has needed the discipline he?s long lacked, it?s probably now, as polls show his support tumbling in Iowa in the wake of a storm of ads assailing him as a Washington insider who used his influence to line his pockets.

He now trails rivals Mitt Romney and Ron Paul in Iowa polls and, even if he does manage to score in the top three in Tuesday?s caucuses, he is still struggling to build an organization needed for the state-by-state primaries that follow.

Mr. Gingrich argues that his economic pitch is the key to victory, and he doubled down on it Thursday ?or at least tried to.

He appeared in Storm Lake with noted Reagan economist Art Laffer, who praised Mr. Gingrich as ?far and away the best person to bring this county back to prosperity.? Mr. Gingrich outlined his tax-cutting economic proposal and implied he was the heir to Reagan?s supply-side vision. But he also strayed into long-winded digressions on the federal government?s regulation of particulate matter load and conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.

His trademark spray of ideas leaves some voters impressed ? but overwhelmed.

?He has so many,? said Ruth Lawlor, 76, who came to hear Mr. Gingrich speak at a chocolate store in Algona this week. ?It?s hard to keep track.?

Mr. Gingrich?s predilection to go for the jugular also has tripped him up, earning his self-described ?positive? campaign headlines that he didn?t want. In an interview on CNN this week, Mr. Gingrich took the bait.

He not only blasted Romney and Paul but used some of the most incendiary language of the campaign so far. Romney wasn?t ?man enough? to own up to the negative attacks launched at Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker said. He placed Paul ?totally outside the mainstream of every decent American.?

Just days later, Mr. Gingrich seemed to be suffering from selective amnesia.

?The strategy of focusing on jobs and economic growth, staying positive and being pretty relentless in answering questions at every meeting is working,? he said Thursday.

At his campaign events, Mr. Gingrich encourages his audiences to fire away with questions about allegations made in attack ads.

In recent days, he?s been asked about an ethics fine he paid as speaker and his work for Freddie Mac.

?I don?t understand numbers with all those zeros,? said a man in Thursday?s crowd, referring to the $1.6-million Mr. Gingrich?s company earned from Freddie Mac.

Mr. Gingrich explained that he didn?t take in all that money himself and that he fought to improve regulations and not increase funding for the government-sponsored entity.

The candidate argues that such forums give him an opportunity to set the record straight on issues that have been distorted. But they also dredge up the controversies.

One example came in a telephone town hall meeting Wednesday night when a caller likened Mr. Gingrich?s three marriages to polygamy.

?Jesus very specifically states in the Bible that divorced people are really still married, which I think technically means now that you?re a polygamist, and I?m wondering what you?ll do to legalize polygamy in the U.S. if you were to be elected president,? the man said.

Mr. Gingrich labeled the question ?fairly unusual? and said he would oppose any effort to legalize polygamy.

The former Georgia congressman acknowledges his tendency to stray off script.

At Mabe?s Pizza in Decorah he was asked why his Republican rivals have been so eager to embrace government intervention in the economy.

He paused and an impish smile crept across his face.

?I?ll just get in trouble,? he said.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/in-gop-race-gingrich-struggles-to-stay-on-message/article2287378/?utm_medium=Feeds:%20RSS/Atom&utm_source=News&utm_content=2287378

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