Shoppers welcome holiday sales by buying early, often — and online

Shoppers swooped into stores in droves on Thanksgiving weekend, topping last year’s sales, as more retailers opened their doors earlier than ever on Thursday, luring bargain hunters away from eating another plate of turkey.And now Cyber Monday is expected to set a record for online shopping this year, for those who prefer the Internet to the mall.Spending per shopper nationwide...

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Police seize haul of bogus lobster tags

An ongoing investigation into an elaborate scheme to counterfeit state-issued tags for spiny lobster traps has pulled in a second suspect.Jesus Alonso Perez, 51, of Miami was charged with possession of phony trap tags after his arrest last week by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers in Miami-Dade County.Perez is the first person arrested in the case...

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Yes, the Government Can Still Spy on Your Digital Life (for Now)

Ahead of a controversial Senate debate on digital privacy this week, the battle over warrantless cell-phone and Internet searches is beginning to take shape — even as law-enforcement agencies continue to carry out the searches anyway. Judges across the country have thrown out cases that used tracked digital American lives without warrants, but others haven’t, reports The New York Times‘s Somini...

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Joe Manganiello on 'How I Met Your Mother'

Now enjoying the skyrocketing success of True Blood and his recent film Magic Mike, Joe Manganiello now revisits the recurring role on How I Met Your Mother that enabled him to achieve that success."It's awesome," Manganiello told ET's special correspondent Melissa Peterman of returning to the show. "I missed everybody. You see everybody out and about over the years...but it was just really fun to...

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Serbian man sentenced in Binghamton bar brawl released from jail

BELGRADE, Serbia - A former Serb college basketball player serving a two-year prison sentence for beating an American into a coma in New York state has been freed about two months early.Miladin Kovacevic was sentenced by a Serb court for his attack on fellow Binghamton University student Bryan Steinhauer of Brooklyn in 2008 in a barroom brawl.The Serb's...

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Shifting tides of Panama real estate echo Miami trends

PANAMA CITY, Panama — As a real estate agent shows off a model apartment — white leather sectional, stainless steel appliances, open concept, ocean views — in the 59-story Yacht Club Tower, and touts its fitness center and pool deck designed to mimic a ship floating on the sea, he makes a telling statement:“We tried to emulate the Miami style in this building.”Approaching...

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Never mind shopping; Messiah concert marks start of holiday season

Participating in the annual Messiah sing-in, always made me feel like the Season had begun. I was a member of the community chorus for many years, under the late Dr. Lee Kjelson. It was a wonderful feeling, singing the words from the Bible that foretold the coming of Jesus. Now, decades later, the Messiah sing-in tradition is still going strong.At 2:30 p. m. on Dec. 9,...

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Larry Hagman Dies

Larry Hagman, best known for playing Dallas villain J.R. Ewing, died Friday morning from complications stemming from his recent battle with cancer.He was 81 years old.Video: Larry Hagman Talks 'Dallas', Cancer and Veganism "Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most," his family said in a statement via The Dallas Morning News. "When he passed, he was surrounded...

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Bronx teen found unconscious was strangled to death

The Bronx girl found unconscious in the lobby of her aunt’s apartment building was strangled to death, authorities said yesterday.An autopsy yesterday revealed that the tragic death of Destiny Sanchez, 15, was caused by compression of her neck and smothering, according to the medical examiner.The victim’s sister tried to revive her through CPR after her...

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Is the electric car dying again?

A second administration of President Barack Obama will be forced to revisit the issue of subsidies for renewable energy and, with it, those for electric vehicles. Despite the millions of dollars spent on government incentives, marketing and promotion, sales of fully electric cars are well below projected targets. Investment in vehicle charging infrastructure also has fallen...

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