USGS
An earthquake struck at midnight Friday off the coast of Alaska.
JUNEAU, Alaska — A strong earthquake shook parts of southern Alaska and coastal Canada this morning, but officials say the waves don't pose a serious threat.
A tsunami warning was issued after the magnitude 7.6 quake struck at midnight Friday and was centered about 60 miles west of Craig.
That warning was canceled about an hour later.
In the end, even the almighty Adele and Taylor Swift could not hold back the inevitable.
Spec’s, one of the last great record stores, will close its flagship location in Coral Gables on U.S.1, thus joining once-favored chains like Virgin, Tower and Peaches, locally and abroad, that have withered from Internet shopping.
With the closing, sometime in January after the merchandise is liquidated, 64 years of history becomes memory for countless people who discovered a love of music in the home Martin “Mike” Spector built in 1948 when U.S.1 was but a two-lane road.
The original store, which sold cameras alongside 78-rpm records, was a few blocks south on the highway in South Miami and is now an Einstein’s bagel spot. The present location, opened in 1953 in Coral Gables, lived through the bobby sox era, Beatlemania, disco, punk, hip hop/rap, grunge, electronic dance music and all the format changes including 12-inch vinyl, 45-rpm, reel to reel, 8-track, cassette, compact disc and mp3.
After the first music industry recession in the late 1970s, Spec’s still managed to double in size by breaking through the walls of two restaurants in 1980 on its north side. The original room on the south side of the building would house, first, Spec’s’ VHS movie rentals and sales — Saturday Night at Spec’s! — and, later, one of the most expansive collections of classical music in town.
“It’s the soundtrack of our lives,” said store manager Lennie Rohrbacher, who spent 23 years of his life working at Spec’s, from Clearwater to Coral Gables
Music sales
At its peak, the Spec’s chain grew to some 80 stores in Florida and Puerto Rico. In 1993, annual sales exceeded $70 million. Spec’s went public in 1985 and, in 1998, the Spectors sold to Camelot Music Group, which was acquired by Trans World Entertainment Corp.
Trans World, which did not return several telephone messages, shrewdly kept the Spec’s name attached to the flagship store as goodwill even though, technically, it operated under the company’s retail subsidiary, F.Y.E. (For Your Entertainment).
But those are the cold, hard business facts.
Spec’s was “not like another Eckerd’s,” a drug store chain that also slipped into oblivion amid changing times, said Rohrbacher. “This was part of the community, part of my life. It’s not another store going under.”
Indeed, Spec’s was, first and foremost, a community gathering spot to share a love of music. In the ‘70s and ‘80s Spec’s resembled a makeshift camp site where people would sleep overnight in the parking lot to get the best shot at concert tickets in a pre-Internet world. Spec’s, a hop-skip from the University of Miami’s music school, served as its own music education outlet thanks to a knowledgeable sales staff.
Music education
“The proximity to the UM is prime real estate. Not to have it there will really be different. Even if they didn’t have what I was looking for, the staff was knowledgeable and you were sort of tapping into this knowledge base of people who could turn you on to new music. That’s what I’ll miss about it and the community around the store,” said Margot Winick, an employee at the Coral Gables Spec’s in the mid-1980s when she was a freshman at the UM.
Nearly 800,000 people requested background checks so they could buy guns in Florida in 2012 — far more than in any recent year.
Statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement show 797,970 background checks were requested last year — nearly 200,000 more than were requested in 2011 and more than double the number for 2004, the earliest year for which statistics were provided.
The numbers were already higher than usual in the first 10 months of 2012, but surged after President Barack Obama won re-election in November and skyrocketed in the days after the Dec. 14 mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 children and six adults.
The dramatic spike is likely fueled by fear that greater gun control laws may be passed after the Connecticut shooting.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with the national tragedy. It’s not the direct cause,” said Marion Hammer, the chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association in Florida. “The direct cause is when politicians call for gun bans, that creates fear.”
In December alone, there were 131,103 background checks requested through the FDLE — the highest number the agency has recorded in any single month. That beat the previous record, set only a month earlier, when 84,745 background check requests were submitted in the same month that Obama was re-elected.
“The White House has made it clear that they’re going to push for gun bans,” Hammer said. “As long as people have money and guns are available, I would imagine people are going to keep buying.”
Whatever the exact cause, the most recent presidential election years do seem to have stoked fears of new restrictions on gun purchases.
FDLE numbers show that the number of gun background checks spiked significantly in November and December of 2008 as well, with nearly 64,000 requests during each of those months.
In 2007, the numbers were far less — 36,948 in November and 48,416 in December.
But the most recent numbers appear to show gun sales at an all-time high.
“The NRA is hard at work frightening people that Obama is going to take their guns,” said Art C. Hayhoe, executive director of the Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. “Why would you think these guns won’t ultimately be a problem? If you’re going to have a place saturated with guns, why would anybody be surprised if there’s more gun violence?”
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said he doesn’t believe the increased sales are necessarily a cause for concern.
“I don’t know of any incidents that have taken place because of law-abiding citizens and responsible gun owners that have created a problem for us,” Gualtieri said.
The sheriff noted that most of the firearm-related crimes his agency deals with have to do with felons who have guns or guns that have been obtained illegally. Most gun owners are responsible with their weapons and purchase them through legal means, he said.
What would be of concern, the sheriff said, is if the surge in gun purchases is for assault rifles, and weapons bearing more power than what one might require for sporting or personal security. Some gun sellers have reported an uptick in sales of such high-powered weapons after the Connecticut shooting, but whether those sales are widespread is unclear.
“I think there is room for a good, solid discussion about what measures are appropriate and what policies we should set,” Gualtieri said. “This is a tough issue, and it’s an important issue.”
Dan Sullivan can be reached at dsullivan@tampabay.com or 727-893-8321.
The latest rumor surrounding Apple’s (AAPL) next-generation “iPhone 5S” is that it will launch in May or June with two different screen sizes and five different color options. So said Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White in a research note earlier this week. White has made some good early calls before — he was one of the first to report that Apple was working on the iPad mini — but nothing is official until Apple announces it on stage at a press conference. One thing we can say with some amount of certainty, though, is that a sizable portion of Apple fans would be interested in a next-generation iPhone made available with new color choices.
[More from BGR: Samsung confirms plan to begin inching away from Android]
In a poll published by BGR on Wednesday, 35% of respondents reported that they would purchase the next iPhone in either blue, pink or yellow if Apple were to launch the device in those colors, as suggested by White. Another 28.4% said they would be interested in the new color options, but they would want to see how they look before making a purchasing decision.
[More from BGR: Microsoft called a failing giant that only survives by charging prices that ‘bleed customers dry’]
More than 2,000 people voted in the poll and roughly 85% of respondents live in the United States.
The results are not scientific, however they do suggest that there would be significant demand for an iPhone with new color options in key markets like the U.S. And where the iPhone 4S had Siri and the iPhone 5 had a fresh new design with a larger display, Apple will certainly look to launch its next-generation smartphone with some key points of differentiation.
As they were with the iPod touch, new color options may be among the next iPhone’s key new features when it launches later this year — and if that is indeed the case, it looks like the new colors will be met with significant interest from consumers.
This article was originally published by BGR
Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News
From Annie Hall to Morning Glory, Diane Keaton has fascinated fans for decades with her quirky, wonderful characters. Off screen, the 66-year-old legend elicits her charms with a revolutionary style all her own.
Pics: Worn Out? Stars Step Out in Same Style
Join us as we look back at Diane's best and most iconic looks over the years!
Paul J. Bereswill
Mayor Bloomberg attended Thursday's Knicks game - and may have unwittingly contributed to New York's victory.
Mayor Bloomberg's hunger may have helped the Knicks.
Bloomberg was sitting courtside at Thursday's Knicks-Spurs game when he evidently decided to order a box of popcorn.
As the waitress bent down near Hizzoner, Spurs forward Stephen Jackson took a shot, stepped backward and tripped over the waitress, spraining his ankle.
The Knicks, down 17-14 at the time of Jackson's injury, won the game 100-83.
Bloomberg also appeared on last night's episode of "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," making fun of the host's scruffy look while discussing his turn with the Rockettes on New Year's Eve.
Getty Images for DCP
Mayor Bloomberg kicks his leg on New Year's Eve with the Rockettes.
"I couldn't get my leg as high up as they could," Hizzoner said, describing a photo showing his high-kicking moves alongside the dancers.
"We should have CGI'd that," Fallon responded.
Bloomberg also discussed his gun control platform with Fallon - a fitting topic, given the nighttime gunfire that later injured three police officers.
"There's just too many guns in the world, and certainly in this country, we've gotta do something about it," he said.
The cranes are coming back to Miami.
The battered construction industry is going higher in the new year after showing strong signs of life in 2012. Will Miami feel more like Manhattan in a few years? It just might.
So far, there has been more talk than action, fewer shovels in the ground than grand announcements. Even so, construction is underway on a dozen new condominiums in Miami-Dade County — something that seemed beyond the realm of possibility not so long ago.
Commercial building is picking up, too, particularly in Miami’s hot new urban core.
The construction sector, which posted 62 consecutive months of job losses in Miami-Dade as of November 2012, is expected to finally begin adding jobs in 2013.
By far the centerpiece project to date is Brickell CityCentre, a $1.05 billion shopping and mixed-use project that broke ground in June 2012 and will span three blocks just west of Brickell Avenue to the south of the Miami River.
The 5-million-square-foot mega-project by developer Swire Properties will include a department store, luxury shops, restaurants, a hotel, office towers and condominiums. It is expected to be connected with bridges and covered walkways and to cement downtown Miami’s emerging image as a trendy place to work, live and play.
In Brickell alone, three new condominium projects already are under construction: Jorge Perez’s Related Group is building Millecento, a 42-story tower with 382 units, and MyBrickell, a smaller project with 28 stories and 192 units shoehorned onto a 0.4-acre site. Newgard Development Group is building BrickellHouse, a 46-story, 374-unit project.
More building, much more, is coming.
“We’re going to see a lot of cranes popping up in the first and second quarter, and a year from now, we’re going to see cranes all over the skyline,” said Tom Murphy Jr., chairman and CEO of Coastal Construction, a large Miami builder that is involved in various projects, from hotels to condominiums. “I believe we as a community — South Florida, especially Miami — will build more in the next 10 years than we did in the last 15.”
Among a long roster of projects, Coastal was tapped by developer DACRA for a major renovation project in the Design District, which in 2012 marked the arrival of luxury fashion retailers such as Cartier, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Christian Dior and Prada, adding a new dimension to an area already known for home furnishings and restaurants.
DACRA president and CEO Craig Robins has a broader plan to bring in 40 to 50 luxury brands to the Design District by 2014. The area will have a pedestrian promenade, rooftop gardens and public plazas, in keeping with Miami’s emerging urban scene.
The focus on commercial development in Miami’s urban core, is all about providing more services to cater to the new residents who want everything within walking distance.
Spanish developer Espacio USA will break ground in 2013 on the first phase of a $412 million mixed-use project at 1400 Biscayne Boulevard. Starting with one 103,000-square foot office tower, the project will eventually include retail shops and residential units.
“It’s becoming much more of a New York lifestyle, and we’ll continue to see that,” said Ron Shuffield, president of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors in Coral Gables.
The new year is a great time to look back and consider how blessed you are. I try to do that every day, but often in my life I am overwhelmed at the enormous blessings the Lord has bestowed on me.
No, I didn’t get a great big financial windfall last year. And I walk with a cane, because of painful arthritis in one of my knees. Still, I am blessed. I can still walk.
A few years ago, I was told by two doctors that I was going blind. But today, I can see without eyeglasses. So, every time I pass a patch of flowering weeds along the road, I say a silent "Thank you," to the Lord for allowing me to see His beautiful handiwork. I even get excited when I see my mango tree heavy with new blossoms, signifying a bumper crop (hopefully) of mangoes this season. And when I see a momma bird caring for her young, it brings a smile to my face.
Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for as I go into this new year. And so do you. This is even more evident in a letter I received a few months ago from local gospel recording artist Pat Jackson. She briefly told her touching story of survival and blessings and wanted to know if I wanted to interview her. I did, and still do. However, Jackson’s email doesn’t seem to work and the number she enclosed in her letter was missing one digit.
Jackson said she is a survivor of thyroid cancer. Her story is so touching for this and any time of the year, that I will share with you what she shared with me in her letter.
Jackson, 50, has been plagued with serious health issues nearly all her life, that included multiple cysts, benign tumors, diverticulitis, ruptured intestines, four major surgeries, during one of which she nearly bled to death, survived six car accidents and a stray bullet that came through her sister’s home.
She never knew her biological mother or father and spent her entire childhood as a foster child. "I was very fortunate and was able to live in the same [foster] home until I became an adult," she said.
"But," she added, "Today, I am cancer-free, even though doctors doubted that I would ever be able to speak or sing again. To God be the glory, for allowing me life and a second chance," she wrote. She has an album titled, Lord, I’m Still Standing.
What’s your "I am thankful for another year" story? Tell me in a few words and I may use them in a future column.
Email them to me at: bea.hines@gmail.com, or write to me at: Bea L. Hines, c/o The Miami Herald, 2000 NW 150th Ave., Suite 1105, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028.
‘Jews of Asia and Africa’
If you want to be in the class, "Jews of Asia and Africa," to be offered at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, Jan. 9-April 17, you have until Jan. 9, to register.
The class will be taught by FIU research professors Nathan Katz and Tudor Parfitt, and is open to both degree-seeking FIU students and community members interested in taking the class on a auditing basis.
Community members interested in auditing the class may enroll through the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education at 305-576-4030, ext. 128, or carlaspector@cajemiami.org. The cost is $295. Students seeking credit may enroll in course REL 4312 through FIU.
The 12-week course will look at the Jewish experience beyond Florida, which has been the traditional focus of the museum. The class will also feature guest speakers to include a visiting member of Zimbabwe’s Lemba Jewish community, and will employ different methodologies, from genetic anthropology to participant/observation findings.
For more information, contact Katz at nathan.katz@fiu.edu.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp bought start-up id8 Group R2 Studios Inc as it looks to expand further in technology focused on the home and entertainment, a person familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.
id8 Group R2 Studios was started in 2011 by Silicon Valley entrepreneur and investor Blake Krikorian. It recently launched a Google Android application to allow users to control home heating and lighting systems from smartphones.
Krikorian’s Sling Media – which was sold to EchoStar Communications in 2007 – made the “Slingbox” for watching TV on computers.
Krikorian will join Microsoft with a small team, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported the acquisition earlier on Wednesday. Microsoft also purchased some patents owned by the start-up related to controlling electronic devices, the newspaper added.
Krikorian and a Microsoft spokesman declined to comment.
Krikorian resigned from Amazon.com Inc’s board in late December after about a year and a half as a director at the company, the Internet’s largest retailer.
(Reporting By Alistair Barr; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
Wireless News Headlines – Yahoo! News
CBS
Late-night host David Letterman opened up to Oprah Winfrey.
And the No. 1 person David Letterman blames for his sex scandal: David Letterman.
Although a former CBS producer went to jail for extortion after trying to sell for $2 million his silence about the late-night host's illicit affairs, Letterman says he holds himself responsible for the fallout.
"I have no one to blame but myself," Letterman tells Oprah Winfrey in an interview with the media maven airing Sunday on her OWN network. "And now, I feel better about myself, my relationship with my wife is never better, and it's just because I want to be the person I always thought I was and probably was pretending I was.
"And so far, it's been great. Things have been great. I hurt a lot of people. I have nobody to blame but myself. I'm not looking to blame anybody. I'm looking to find out why I behaved the way I behaved."
Letterman also tells Winfrey in the "Oprah's Next Chapter" interview that the top position on his funny-man list goes to, of all people, Jay Leno.
"I've never met anyone quite like Jay," Letterman says. "And I will say and I'm happy to say that I think he is the funniest guy I've ever known. Just flat out, if you go to see him do his nightclub act, just the funniest."
The interview was a breakthrough of its own. Winfrey and Letterman had squabbled for years, and promos for the interview said Winfrey would reveal the "true reason" behind their feud.
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