Natural gas plunges, oil drifts lower (AP)

Natural gas prices fell to levels not seen in a decade after a government report showed weak demand and high supplies.

The price of natural gas slid 6.1 percent to $2.32 per 1,000 cubic feet Thursday after the Energy Department said the nation's supplies were 21 percent above the five-year average. It's the lowest price since February of 2002.

Supplies have been growing in recent years as drillers have learned to use a controversial drilling technology called fracking to tap vast reserves of natural gas trapped in shale formations under several states. Extreme weather during the last two summers and winters pushed demand for the fuel higher and kept prices from falling sharply.

Now a mild winter across much of the country has crimped demand and created a glut. In the Northeast, December was the fourth warmest in the last 117 years, according to the National Weather Service. Natural gas prices have fallen 23 percent since the beginning of the year.

About half of U.S. homes use natural gas for heating, and natural gas is used to generate about a quarter of the nation's electricity.

Changes in natural gas prices can take up to a year to trickle to customer bills because of the way gas and electric utilities purchase the fuel. Still, lower natural gas prices of recent years are saving residential customers about $200 per year, according to a study by Navigant Consulting.

Low natural gas prices are also a boon to chemical companies that use it as a feedstock and to manufacturers who use it to fire boilers.

The price of benchmark U.S. oil ended a little lower on Thursday following a series of reports that pointed to an improving U.S. economy.

Jobless claims fell, consumer prices were steady and the dismal home construction market showed more signs of life at the end of 2011.

A stronger economy means demand for energy products should improve. However analysts say oil prices will continue to swing between gains and losses until there is more certainty about the direction of the global economy.

Benchmark oil fell 20 cents to finish at $100.39 per barrel in New York on Thursday. It was as high as $102.06 earlier in the day. Brent crude, which is used to price many varieties of foreign crude sent to U.S. refineries, rose 89 cents to end at $111.55 per barrel in London.

The Labor Department said the number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level since April 2008. The drop is more evidence of a strengthening job market. A department spokesman said that the number can be volatile this time of year because it reflects temporary hires in the holiday season.

The government also reported that consumer prices were unchanged last month, as the inflation rate remains at a low.

Builders began construction on nearly 607,000 homes last year. That is about half of what economists say is needed for a healthy market. The numbers rose over the course of 2011, raising expectations that the collapse of the housing industry has at last hit bottom.

The Energy Department said Thursday that the nation's crude oil supplies declined about 1 percent last week. Gasoline supplies rose 1.7 percent and demand over the past four weeks is down 6.1 percent from a year ago.

Worries about Europe's debt crisis and future energy demand receded as France and Spain staged successful bond auctions, indicating that investors have not been scared off by S&P's recent downgrades of eurozone countries.

Gas pump prices in the U.S. are at the highest level they've ever been for this time of year. The national average remained at $3.38 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA, Wright Express and OPIS. That's about 17 cents more than a month ago and 27 cents more than a year ago.

Fred Rozell, retail pricing director at Oil Price Information Service, expects gasoline prices to be around $4 a gallon by spring.

Heating oil rose 2 cents to end at $3.04 per gallon and gasoline futures fell 1 cent to end at $2.82 per gallon.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices

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'American Idol' Experts Suggest Season 11 Upgrades

Shorter audition episodes and less judge talk are among suggestions.
By Gil Kaufman


"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson
Photo: Tony Duran/ FOX

It's hard to know what needs fixing on a show that has held the #1 spot in the ratings for seven consecutive seasons. But every year around this time, Monday morning quarterbacks line up to suggest ways for "American Idol" to get its groove back.

Yes, "Idol" is starting to look gray around the temples in comparison to hipper, flashier competitors such as "X Factor" and "The Voice." But maybe that's the way producers want it, and unlike last season — when they dropped the age cutoff to 15, added new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, took the top 60 to Las Vegas and returned the "wild card" round — there has been no hint yet that big changes are slated for season 11, which kicks off Wednesday night (January 18) with the first audition episode.

Whether they take our advice or not, MTV News asked a few of our favorite "Idol" experts to make five suggestions for how "Idol" can keep the fire burning.

Village Voice music editor Maura Johnston
Shorten the audition period: "Something that gets people invested in the contestants earlier," said Johnston, pointing to the quicker triggers on competing shows. "In any reality show where there's more than 10 people competing, it does get confusing, so they really need to get to the point faster."

Shake up the results show: "It's so long now. I know it does well in the ratings, but two minutes of content in a 60-minute bag creates its own viewer fatigue. They could put all the Ford ads and fake suspense in there in a half-hour and use the extra half-hour for something else."

Sing the same song: "When it gets down to 10 people, what if you had them all sing the same song to see the different ways they approach it?" Johnston wondered. "In the post-David Cook era, with its emphasis on artistry and transformation of songs, it would be great to see a side-by-side comparison [of the contestants' styles] to see their strengths and weaknesses."

Less judges talk: "The judges should talk about themselves less. They would get mired in discussion about themselves and try to elevate themselves above the singers. The same thing happened on 'The Voice,' too, where 'Moves Like Jagger' [became bigger than the contestants]. It was great for Maroon 5 and Christina, but it took the shine off Javier [Colon]'s win."

On the road: "Maybe take the show on tour for a week and bring it to New York and set it up at Radio City Music Hall and have a live audience made up of completely different people. It would be special because it would be the first time in 'Idol' history they've done this, and you'd get the same vibe because it's live on TV in front of an audience, but you'd also get a mystique surrounding it that would be a lot more charged."

Hollywood Reporter music editor Shirley Halperin had some similar ideas, with a few added twists to mix it upReal talk from judges: "I would like to see them talk to the contestants the way they were talked to coming up. I want them to give more constructive advice and be more critical, but not be mean for the sake of being mean. These kids are not perfect, and if you listen to the judges' comments from last year, you would think they were." Yes, she added, Tyler and Lopez are there to, respectively, entertain with flashy wordplay and outfits, but both have had heavy doses of the realities of the music industry that Halperin said they could and should share with the budding stars.

More pizzazz?: While "The X Factor" had so much flash and bang that it looked like the Grammys or VMAs every week, "Idol" has long held the spectacle aspect of performances to a minimum. "If any show should have that kind of production, it's 'Idol,' because it's the moneymaker," she said. "But 'Idol' doesn't seem interested in [messing] with the formula. They could have kicked it up any time over the past five years, but they've let the audience dictate how far they'll go. At this point, the performances still look good because they are focused on the performer, not distracting fire and dancers."

Pull back the curtain: "One reason people got to know the 'X Factor' contestants is because the press and bloggers had unfettered access to them early on and it was not limited or constricted in any of the ways 'Idol' is," she said. "They're very precious about it on 'Idol,' but when we did get access to [the contestants], it allowed us to get to know them better and tell their story and get excited about them because we were invested in their backstories." While "Idol" has loosened the reins a bit over the past few years and allowed the contestants to have a light social-media presence and Twitter feeds, Halperin said the show needs to rethink their lockdown mentality.

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677483/american-idol-season-11-eleven.jhtml

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Should We Temper Presidential Debate Audiences? (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Todd Graham of CNN opines that loud hecklers at the GOP debate in South Carolina on Monday night effectively hindered the flow of what should have been an informative exercise of democracy and campaigning.

Tyranny of the loud is not a recent phenomenon: The outspoken have had an oversized share of public discourse since the dawn of mankind, when the biggest and loudest Cro-Magnon could force others to run and hide. These days the tyranny of the loud is often parodied in comedy, showing a loudmouth being accommodated by civilized people who are too cultured to throw out ultimatums (or fists). A Dilbert comic strip once showed a character receiving a job, then an immediate promotion simply because he was loud and the boss wanted to placate the volume.

We accommodate and placate the loud because we are often socialized to do so. But when it comes to democracy and justice, where equality should be paramount, is it fair to let the loud and aggressive have a bigger share of our political leaders' attentions? No, it is not.

The traditional concept of one person, one vote should be extended to one's representation at a debate or other political activity in a public setting. Obnoxious behavior, as if a presidential debate were a football game or mixed-martial arts match, should be considered voter intimidation.

Just because it's not a day at the ballot box does not mean it is acceptable to intimidate through volume and display. People will feel disenfranchised if they cannot attend a political debate in person without being worried about being shouted down.

Freedom of speech is one thing, but what says the Constitution about freedom of volume?

As a relatively quiet person, I know I am biased. I cannot stand people who are loud simply for the sake of being loud. I've often felt they get some misguided sense of power out of being able to make others cringe or stay away. They seem to exude an obnoxious and odious challenge: You want me to quiet down? Well, what are you gonna do about it?

They know most people will not challenge their misbehavior -- we are socialized to want to de-escalate situations. But now that an area of intellectual of discourse seems to be falling prey to the loud and profane, will we "properly" socialized people stand up for ourselves?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120117/cm_ac/10845367_should_we_temper_presidential_debate_audiences

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Wikipedia to be blacked out over anti-piracy bill (AP)

Wikipedia will black out the English language version of its website Wednesday to protest anti-piracy legislation under consideration in Congress, the foundation behind the popular community-based online encyclopedia said in a statement Monday night.

The website will go dark for 24 hours in an unprecedented move that brings added muscle to a growing base of critics of the legislation. Wikipedia is considered one of the Internet's most popular websites, with millions of visitors daily.

"If passed, this legislation will harm the free and open Internet and bring about new tools for censorship of international websites inside the United States," the Wikimedia foundation said.

The Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Protect Intellectual Property Act under consideration in the Senate are designed to crack down on sales of pirated U.S. products overseas.

Supporters include the film and music industry, which often sees its products sold illegally. They say the legislation is needed to protect intellectual property and jobs.

Critics say the legislation could hurt the technology industry and infringe on free-speech rights. Among their concerns are provisions that would weaken cyber-security for companies and hinder domain access rights.

The most controversial provision is in the House bill, which would have enabled federal authorities to "blacklist" sites that are alleged to distribute pirated content. That would essentially cut off portions of the Internet to all U.S. users. But congressional leaders appear to be backing off this provision.

Tech companies such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter, eBay, AOL and others have spoken out against the legislation and said it threatens the industry's livelihood. Several online communities such as Reddit, Boing Boing and others have announced plans to go dark in protest as well.

The Obama administration also raised concerns about the legislation over the weekend and said it will work with Congress on legislation to help battle piracy and counterfeiting while defending free expression, privacy, security and innovation in the Internet.

Wikipedia's decision to go dark brings the issue into a much brighter spotlight. A group of Wikipedia users have discussed for more than a month whether it should react to the legislation.

Over the past few days, a group of more than 1,800 volunteers who work on the site and other users considered several forms of online protest, including banner ads and a global blackout of the site, the foundation said. Ultimately, the group supported the decision to black out the English version of the site.

Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia who first announced the move on his Twitter account Monday, said the bills are a threat to the free, open, and secure web.

"The whole thing is just a poorly designed mess," Wales said in an email to The Associated Press.

Wikipedia is also requesting that readers contact members of Congress about the bill during the blackout.

"I am personally asking everyone who cares about freedom and openness on the Internet to contact their Senators and Representative," Wales said. "One of the things we have learned recently during the Arab spring events is that the Internet is a powerfully effective tool for the public to organize and have their voices heard."

Wikipedia will shut down access from midnight Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday night until midnight Wednesday.

This is the first time Wikipedia's English version has gone dark. Its Italian site came down once briefly in protest to an Internet censorship bill put forward by the Berlusconi government; the bill did not advance.

"Wikipedia is about being open," said Jay Walsh, spokesman for the Wikimedia foundation. "We are not about shutting down and protesting. It's not a muscle that is normally flexed."

___

Skidmore reported from Portland, Ore.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_hi_te/us_wikipedia_blackout

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Search teams suspend operations at stricken ship

The cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, after running aground on the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, on Friday evening. Italian naval divers on Tuesday exploded holes in the hull of a cruise ship that grounded near a Tuscan island to speed the search for 29 missing passengers and crew while the seas remain relatively calm. The search intensified as prosecutors prepared to question the captain, who is accused of causing the wreck that left at least six dead by making a maneuver that the Italian cruise operator said was "unapproved and unauthorized." (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on its side Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, after running aground on the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, on Friday evening. Italian naval divers on Tuesday exploded holes in the hull of a cruise ship that grounded near a Tuscan island to speed the search for 29 missing passengers and crew while the seas remain relatively calm. The search intensified as prosecutors prepared to question the captain, who is accused of causing the wreck that left at least six dead by making a maneuver that the Italian cruise operator said was "unapproved and unauthorized." (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

A scuba diver recovers a body from the cruise ship Costa Concordia, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012. Italian media say five bodies have been found aboard a cruise ship capsized off the coast of Tuscany, raising the official death toll to 11. Teams have been searching the ship for passengers and crew missing since the Costa Concordia struck rocks Friday evening and capsized. Rescuers exploded four holes in the hull of the ship earlier Tuesday to gain easier access to areas that had not yet been searched. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian naval divers recover a body from the cruise ship Costa Concordia, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012. Italian media say five bodies have been found aboard a cruise ship capsized off the coast of Tuscany, raising the official death toll to 11. Teams have been searching the ship for passengers and crew missing since the Costa Concordia struck rocks Friday evening and capsized. Rescuers exploded four holes in the hull of the ship earlier Tuesday to gain easier access to areas that had not yet been searched. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

The cruise ship Costa Concordia lays on its side after running aground off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012. Italian navy divers on Tuesday exploded holes in the hull of a cruise ship that grounded near a Tuscan island to speed the search for 29 missing passengers and crew while the seas remain relatively calm. The search intensified as prosecutors prepared to question the captain, who is accused of causing the wreck that left at least six dead by making a maneuver that the Italian cruise operator said was "unapproved and unauthorized." (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italian navy divers approach the cruise ship Costa Concordia Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, after it ran aground on the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, on Friday evening. Italian naval divers on Tuesday exploded holes in the hull of a cruise ship that grounded near a Tuscan island to speed the search for 29 missing passengers and crew while the seas remain relatively calm. The search intensified as prosecutors prepared to question the captain, who is accused of causing the wreck that left at least six dead by making a maneuver that the Italian cruise operator said was "unapproved and unauthorized." (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

ROME (AP) ? Search teams have suspended operations after an enormous cruise ship grounded and partially submerged off the coast of Tuscany shifted under turbulent seas.

The Costa Concordia cruise liner had more than 4,200 passengers and crew on board when it slammed into the reef Friday off the tiny island of Giglio after the captain made an unauthorized maneuver.

Firefighters searched the part of the ship above water overnight, but found none of the passengers and crew still missing.

The bodies of five adult passengers were discovered in the ship on Tuesday, raising the death toll to 11. Their nationalities were not immediately released.

The bodies were discovered after navy divers exploded holes in the hull of the ship to allow easier access. They are expected to blast more holes in the submerged area on Wednesday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-18-EU-Italy-Cruise-Aground/id-1e68648afd0949bcaa97aacf1575a46d

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Nigeria labor announces suspension of fuel strike

Protesters run away from tear gas fired by police officers during a demonstration against spiraling fuel prices in Lagos, Nigeria, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. For the first time since protests erupted over spiraling fuel prices, soldiers barricaded key roads Monday in Nigeria's two biggest cities as the president offered a concession to stem demonstrations that he said were being stoked by provocateurs seeking anarchy. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Protesters run away from tear gas fired by police officers during a demonstration against spiraling fuel prices in Lagos, Nigeria, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. For the first time since protests erupted over spiraling fuel prices, soldiers barricaded key roads Monday in Nigeria's two biggest cities as the president offered a concession to stem demonstrations that he said were being stoked by provocateurs seeking anarchy. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Protesters run away from tear gas fired by police officers during a demonstration against spiraling fuel prices in Lagos, Nigeria, Monday, Jan. 16, 2012. For the first time since protests erupted over spiraling fuel prices, soldiers barricaded key roads Monday in Nigeria's two biggest cities as the president offered a concession to stem demonstrations that he said were being stoked by provocateurs seeking anarchy. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Fuel tankers are parked near an oil terminal in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. Nigeria's government and labor unions failed to end a paralyzing nationwide strike over high gasoline costs, potentially sparking an oil production shutdown in a nation vital to U.S. oil supplies. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A cabbage cleaner stands in front of fuel trucks in Lagos, Nigeria, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. Nigeria's government and labor unions failed to end a paralyzing nationwide strike over the high costs of gasoline, and potentially sparking a national oil production shutdown. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

(AP) ? Unions suspended their nationwide strike on Monday, hours after Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan partially reinstated subsidies to keep gasoline prices low and deployed soldiers in the streets to halt widening demonstrations.

Union leaders described their decision as a victory for labor, allowing its leaders to guide the country's policy on fuel subsidies in the future while having gas prices drop to about $2.27 a gallon (60 cents a liter).

However, many protesters joined the demonstrations with hopes of seeing gas return to its previous price of about $1.70 per gallon (45 cents per liter), while also speaking out against a culture of government corruption in Africa's most populous nation. Deploying soldiers to the street stopped demonstrators from gathering on Monday. At one point they fired over the heads of protesters to disperse them. But the deployment of troops in a nation with a history of military coups did nothing to cool the populist rage that swept the country in recent days.

"This is a clear case of intolerance and shutting of the democratic space against the people of Nigeria which must be condemned by all democracy-loving people around the world," read a statement from the Save Nigeria Group, which has organized massive demonstrations in Lagos.

The Nigeria Labor Congress and the Trade Union Congress told journalists on Monday in Nigeria's capital Abuja they applauded the government's recent promise to explore corruption in the country's oil sector. They described the six-day strike a success.

"We are sure that no government or institution will take Nigerians for granted again," said Abdulwaheed Omar, the president of the Nigeria Labor Congress.

But while Jonathan offered an olive branch to unions with the gas price relief, he used military power to make sure no one protested against the government Monday. In a rare display of military might, soldiers took over major highways and road junctions throughout Lagos, home to 15 million people, and Kano, Nigeria's second-largest city.

In an early Monday morning address aired on state-run television, Jonathan warned that provocateurs were using the gas-price protest to cause instability.

"It has become clear to government and all well-meaning Nigerians that other interests beyond the implementation of the deregulation policy have hijacked the protest. ... These same interests seek to promote discord, anarchy and insecurity to the detriment of public peace," Jonathan said.

Labor organizers had urged workers to stay home on Monday after Jonathan appealed to them over the possibility of insecurity in the country. At the Lagos headquarters of the Nigeria Labor Congress, some 50 protesters gathered anyway. Lawyer Bamidele Aturu led the crowd in chants and cheers, comparing the president to military rulers of the past who used soldiers to suppress dissent.

"It's very clear the revolution has begun!" Aturu shouted. However, those gathered looked warily at passing pickup trucks filled with soldiers.

On Monday, hundreds of people started marching toward Lagos' Ojota neighborhood, where tens of thousands of protesters had gathered in recent days. However, soldiers had already taken positions there overnight, waving away would-be demonstrators. Two military armored personnel carriers were parked near an empty stage.

The crowd passed soldiers who slung their assault rifles over their shoulders, allowing them to pass. But as they drew closer to Ojota, around 20 soldiers arrived in two pickup trucks to cut them off, bayonets affixed to their assault rifles. They told the protesters to go back and some of them began to turn around.

Soldiers fired into the air and tear gassed the crowd to disperse it, leaving protesters running through the stinging gas as gunshots echoed down the highway.

Meanwhile, authorities also targeted some foreign media outlets in Lagos. Officers of the State Security Service, Nigeria's secret police, raided an office compound Monday used by the BBC and CNN, witnesses said. Marilyn Ogar, a secret police spokeswoman, said she had no information about the raid.

The strike began Jan. 9, paralyzing the nation of more than 160 million people. Tens of thousands of people protested in cities across Nigeria. At least 10 people were killed. Red Cross volunteers have treated more than 600 people injured in protests since the strike began, officials said.

Though an oil workers association threatened to cut Nigeria's production of 2.4 million barrels of crude a day, they held off on shutdown onshore and offshore oil fields. Such a shutdown could have shaken oil futures, as Nigeria is the fifth-largest crude supplier to the U.S.

An offshore rig being run for a Chevron Corp. subsidiary near Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta caught fire and officials tried to account for all the workers there, the oil company said. Chevron spokesman Scott Walker said the fire started early Monday morning. There was no indication that the fire was related to Nigeria's unrest.

___

Associated Press writer Bashir Adigun and Lekan Oyekanmi in Abuja, Nigeria; Ibrahim Garba in Kano, Nigeria; and Yinka Ibukun in Lagos contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-16-AF-Nigeria-Fuel-Subsidy/id-c17c16a9482342b6956d7d8dbcc90ab1

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Travel photos from around the world

Submitted by Steve Stark / UGC

Early morning on the Madison River, Yellowstone National Park

Our readers have submitted some beautiful photos from far-flung corners of the globe. This week's gallery features images from Australia, Hawaii, Alaska and other stunning settings.

Scroll through this awe-inspiring set of images and vote for your favorite at the bottom.

Submitted by Steven Lee Choate / UGC

"12 Apostles," Great Ocean Road, Australia

Submitted by Joe Ayers / UGC

Kandooma Island, Maldives

Submitted by Robert Weiser / UGC

Pacific coast south of Tijuana, Baja, Mexico

Submitted by Mike Taylor / UGC

Panda, San Diego Zoo, Calif.

Submitted by Andy Tarsia / UGC

Submitted by Richard Paul / UGC

Glacier, near Juneau, Alaska

Submitted by Jason Wilson / UGC

Rainbow over Trunk Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Submitted by Rich Briggs / UGC

Independence Monument located in Colorado National Monument

Submitted by Andrea Paal / UGC

Submitted by Abby Benninghoff / UGC

Calf Creek Falls, Grand Staircase Escalante-National Monument, Utah

Submitted by Kimberly Kindell / UGC

Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Baker, Sausalito, Calif.

Submitted by Paul Kneisl / UGC

Submitted by Tammy Harrow / UGC

Submitted by Derek Givens / UGC

Mt. Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii

If you have photos you'd like to share, submit them for a chance to be featured in the weekly gallery by clicking here.

You can also join our It's A Snap Facebook community by clicking here, and share your photos with others.

Which is your favorite photo?

Which photo is your favorite?

6. Foggy New England road

?

15.3%

(262 votes)

8. Rainbow over Trunk Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

?

11.5%

(197 votes)

14. Positano, Italy

?

10.5%

(180 votes)

2. "12 Apostles," Great Ocean Road, Australia

?

10.2%

(175 votes)

15. Mt. Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii

?

8.1%

(138 votes)

11. Calf Creek Falls, Grand Staircase Escalante-National Monument, Utah

?

7.7%

(132 votes)

1. Madison River, Yellowstone National Park

?

7.7%

(131 votes)

5. Panda, San Diego Zoo, Calif.

?

6%

(103 votes)

3. Kandooma Island, Maldives

?

5%

(85 votes)

9. Independence Monument located in Colorado National Monument

?

4.8%

(82 votes)

7. Glacier, near Juneau, Alaska

?

3.7%

(64 votes)

10. Interlaken, Switzerland

?

3.1%

(53 votes)

12. Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Baker, Sausalito, Calif.

?

2.8%

(47 votes)

4. Pacific coast south of Tijuana, Baja, Mexico

?

2.3%

(39 votes)

13. Canmore, Alberta, Canada

?

1.2%

(21 votes)

Source: http://todaytravel.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/12/10137826-its-a-snap-travel-photos-from-around-the-world

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