In Miami Beach, homes face teardown frenzy or preservationist zeal

In South Florida’s suddenly resurrected real estate market, Miami Beach has plenty to offer buyers in search of a dream home.Stocked with miles of bayfront land and picturesque waterways, the Million Dollar Sandbar boasts scores of pricey waterfront properties. And, for better or worse, many lots come standard with pre-WWII homes designed by some of Miami’s most famous early...

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Facebook releases ‘Poke’ for the iPhone to compete with Snapchat

Title Post: Facebook releases ‘Poke’ for the iPhone to compete with SnapchatRating: 100%based on 99998 ratings.5 user reviews.Author: Fluser SeoLinkThanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comm...

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Buzzmakers: New X Factor and Miss Universe Winners

What had ET readers buzzing this week?1. 'The X Factor' Crowns A Winner!And the $5 million recording contract goes to…Tate Stevens! The 37-year-old country crooner beat out runner-up 13-year-old Carly Rose Sonenclar for the top prize Thursday night. 35 million votes were cast Wednesday to determine victory for L.A. Reid's mentee.Near tears, the Raymore, Missouri native thanked his fans for their overwhelming...

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Staten Island man killed in early-morning house fire

A Staten Island man was killed when an early-morning fire swept through his home, police and relatives said.Jameek Champagne, 23, died in the third-floor attic of the home on Osgood Avenue in Clifton. His brother and grandfather escaped the blaze uninjured.A neighbor reported the blaze after seeing flames erupt from the house at about 5:40 a.m. He banged on the door in a frantic effort to awaken its...

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Time’s up for holiday shopping procrastinators

Last minute shoppers like Josette Tyne are in luck this year.With a long weekend before Christmas, retailers want to make it easier for procrastinators to finish their gift buying. Macy’s for the first time is keeping all its stores open around the clock from Friday until Sunday at midnight. Toys “R” Us and Walmart Supercenters will be open non-stop until Christmas Eve.Even...

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Great-grandmother leads annual Miami-Dade, Monroe toy drive

Beginning in August, Bunchy Gertner puts aside her social life, her needs and even her great-grandchildren to head over to the “North Pole,” the place where she stores, wraps and distributes thousands of toys destined for foster care children in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.“This is top banana,” said Gertner referring to the nonstop volunteer work she has done for the past...

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TSX ends flat as RIM buckles, gold miners bounce

TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada‘s main stock index ended little changed on Friday as gold miners gained on safe-haven buying amid U.S. budget uncertainty, while BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd plunged more than 20 percent.The index’s materials sector, which includes miners, rose 0.4 percent. Even though the price of gold was near its lowest level in four months, the gold-mining sub-sector added...

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Sam Champion Marries Partner

Love is in the forecast! Good Morning America anchor and ABC News weather editor Sam Champion wed partner Rubem Robierb on Friday afternoon at his New York City apartment.On this morning's GMA, Sam said, "The whole family is at the house right now, so I should be able to walk in and have everything [done]."RELATED: 'GMA' Team Joins Robin Roberts to Deck the HallsCo-anchors Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer,...

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Watch and remember some of the memorable stories of 2012

2012 is on its last hoorah as the New Year approaches. To commemorate the changing of the guards, The New York Post took a look back at some of the most memorable moments we caught on video. Actress Lindsay Lohan kept Page Six busy this year as she became a a frequent visitor of the NYPD. On one occasion, she allegedly clipped a pedestrian with...

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Brazilian carrier now offering daily flights at MIA

Brazilian budget airline GOL is now offering daily flights between Miami International Airport and Sao Paulo. The scheduled service started Dec. 15.The airline had been offering weekly charter flights since July.GOL is the third airline to fly daily between Miami and Sao Paulo, along with American Airlines and TAM. Brazil is the airport’s top international market; last year,...

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Defense questions Graham’s former cellmate

A day after telling jurors that Geralyn Graham confessed in jail to killing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, jailhouse informant Robin Lunceford repeatedly sparred Thursday with a defense lawyer who sought to portray Lunceford as a malcontent and opportunist who would say anything to get out of prison.Lunceford testified that she befriended Graham in jail in 2004, and,...

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Stars Reveal Their Plans for the Holidays!

Even the hardest working Hollywood stars take time off for the holidays and we caught up some of them to find out the ways they plan to celebrate!NCIS: Los Angeles star LL Cool J said one must for his holiday will be enjoying the good food of the season. "You know what? I just want to eat a lot of stuff that I'm not supposed to eat. Just stick my face as deep in the plate as possible -- and just...

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Bernie Madoff's brother gets 10-year sentence

The brother of imprisoned financier Bernard Madoff has been sentenced in New York to 10 years in prison for crimes committed in the shadow of his notorious sibling.Peter Madoff was sentenced Thursday after victims described their anguish at losing their life savings in the Ponzi scheme. The sentence was announced in a crowded Manhattan courtroom by Judge...

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John Fumagalli succeeds Sheldon Anderson at Northern Trust Florida

Northern Trust has named John Fumagalli President of Northern Trust in Florida. Fumagalli succeeds well-known banker Sheldon Anderson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. A Northern Trust veteran, Fumagalli joined Northern Trust in Chicago in 1989. In the years since he was served as President and CEO of Northern Trust in Missouri, President and CEO for the Southwest...

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Miami-Dade elections report: County to blame for some problems

The waits of up to seven hours at some Miami-Dade polls during last month’s presidential election occurred in part because the county failed to estimate how much time it would take to fill out 10- to 12-page ballots, did not open more early-voting sites and decided not draw new precincts this year as planned, a report issued Wednesday concluded.A last-minute surge in absentee...

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The Gritty Sixties Will 'Not Fade Away'

The Sixties, music and teen rebellion are the subject of Not Fade Away, the first feature film from The Sopranos creator David Chase in theaters Friday, and the young stars of the film – including John Magaro, Jack Huston and Bella Heathcote – are refreshingly plugged in to the era of their baby boomer parents.Video: Mini 'Sopranos' Reunion in 'Not Fade Away' Trailer "I grew up listening to [Sixties...

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Madoff victims angry Ponzi schemer brother gets pricey meal ahead of sentencing

They hope you choke!Two of Bernie Madoff's victims are outraged that his younger brother got to publicly scarf down a pricey meal ahead of his sentencing tomorrow for helping pull off the world's biggest Ponzi scheme.In a letter to the judge, Jill and Nancy Miller said they are "very unhappy" that Peter Madoff got his punishment postponed from Nov. 9."This...

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For South Florida hotels, BCS championship a post-holiday gift

This season is bringing some extra gifts for South Florida’s tourism industry: Tuesday holidays that allow for extra-long weekends away from home and the college football championship that will extend festivities another week.For locals who want to put relatives up in area hotels or just drive around town without traffic, the crush of visitors might be a bother, but hoteliers...

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Return to sender: Christmas card didn’t come from Governor’s Mansion

TALLAHASSEE -- It is definitely not the Governor’s Mansion. There are no stately white columns on the modest house 3 miles east of the state Capitol.But that’s the return address on envelopes containing a Christmas card and a $25 historical Christmas ornament sent to several thousand of Gov. Rick Scott’s supporters.The mail is from Let’s Get to Work, the political committee...

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Google Music adds free iTunes-like song-matching feature

Title Post: Google Music adds free iTunes-like song-matching featureRating: 100%based on 99998 ratings.5 user reviews.Author: Fluser SeoLinkThanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comm...

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STREAMING: Alicia Keys Live on Letterman

The Live on Letterman concert series is closing out 2012 with an unforgettable performance by Alicia Keys, live streaming now!PICS: ET's New Music Tuesday!This caps off a star-studded year for Live on Letterman, which has surpassed 130 million views with the help of Carrie Underwood, Maroon 5, Coldplay, Adele, Mumford & Sons and more.Alicia will be singing fan favorites like 2007's No One as well...

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MTA Chairman Lhota to resign, announce plans to run for mayor

MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota will resign from his post on Friday to announce plans to run for mayor, a surprise development that comes a day before the agency greenlights fare hikes for next year, sources said. Lhota will make current MTA board member and former Bronx Boro President Fernando Ferrer the vice chairman of the board tomorrow at the panel’s monthly...

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Sale of Lincoln Road properties sets record

In a sign of continued rising prices for property on Lincoln Road, Terranova Corporation and Acadia Realty Trust paid $139 million in cash Tuesday for a three-building portfolio of retail storefronts.The deal is being billed as the largest retail acquisition in Florida during 2012 in terms of dollar value. The next closest was Vornado Realty Trust’s $132 million purchase...

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College leaders consider making Florida’s next public university online-only

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida’s 12th university became a reality earlier this year, and there is already discussion about whether the state needs a 13th.House Speaker Will Weatherford challenged the board governing state universities to look into creating an online-only school in order to increase access to distance education. And Monday, the Board of Governors received the results...

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Charlie Brown’s Christmas Reunion Will Ruin Your Childhood

We realize there’s only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today:RELATED: A ‘Straight’ Protest Against Chick-Fil-A; Mark Hamill’s ‘Star Wars’ AuditionSometimes we don’t get...

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Dr. Phil's Advice: How to Answer Tragedy Questions

The heartbreaking tragedy in Newtown, CT is very difficult for all of us to wrap our minds around, and many parents are struggling with just what to say to their children when they have questions about what happened. TV's most trusted psychologist Dr. Phil and other experts weigh in with advice for concerned parents. Watch the video.Related: Celebs Tweet Reactions to CT School Shooting "This was tragic,...

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Ex-con with Gambino ties found guilty of bank robbery and gun charges

An ex-con with links to the Gambino crime family was found guilty of bank robbery and firearms charges today after a mob associate flipped to testify against him.A jury in Brooklyn federal court deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Gary Fama.Fama, 47, who has previous convictions on firearms and drug charges, faces 17 years in prison when...

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Miami in spotlight at AVCC, other entrepreneurship events

Entrepreneurs from around the world took the stage during this packed week of entrepreneurship events in Miami: Florida International University’s Americas Venture Capital Conference (known as AVCC), HackDay, Wayra’s Global DemoDay and Endeavor’s International Selection Panel.The events, all part of the first Innovate MIA week, also put the spotlight on Miami as it continues...

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Doyle Conner, longtime Florida ag commissioner, dies at 83

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Doyle Conner, the youngest House speaker in Florida history who went on to spend 30 years as the state's agriculture commissioner, died Sunday. He was 83. Conner, who had been in poor health in recent years, died Sunday morning at the Cross Landing Nursing Home in Monticello. The Bevis Funeral Home in Tallahassee said it had received his body and...

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Pregnant Kate Middleton Attends First Public Event Since Hospitalization

A pregnant Kate Middleton made her very first public appearance in London on Sunday after a brief hospital stay due to acute morning sickness.Glowing in green, the Duchess of Cambridge presented two awards during the Sports Personality of the Year ceremony broadcast live in Britain. Kate appeared "healthy and strong," reports The Associated Press, as she bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award to...

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Miami in spotlight at AVCC, other entrepreneurship events

Entrepreneurs from around the world took the stage during this packed week of entrepreneurship events in Miami: Florida International University’s Americas Venture Capital Conference (known as AVCC), HackDay, Wayra’s Global DemoDay and Endeavor’s International Selection Panel.The events, all part of the first Innovate MIA week, also put the spotlight on Miami as it continues...

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