This Is 2012 Summed Up in One Image

Hey girl — it’s been a good year. No need to panic if you missed something along the way, though. Just look at the picture above.[More from Mashable: 20 WTF New Year’s Resolutions]Reddit user SellingIsSoExciting mashed together some of 2012′s biggest Internet moments into one masterfully crafted photo. It’s a grumpy, Gangnam-styling, Path to Prosperity-pumping collection of awesomeness.[More from...

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Hollywood tops Chinese film market in 2012, first time in four years

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China‘s 2012 box office was dominated by foreign films for the first time in four years as a deal cemented earlier this year saw more Hollywood film screened on the mainland, squeezing out domestic competition.China’s box office receipts are expected to reach 16.8 billion yuan ($ 2.7 billion) in 2012 and about 8 billion yuan ($ 1.28 billion), or slightly less than half the receipts,...

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FDA new drug approvals hit 16-year high in 2012

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. regulators approved 39 new drugs in 2012, the most in 16 years, suggesting that pharmaceutical makers are poised for growth after losing billions of dollars in recent years to generic drug makers because of patent expirations.There were eight approvals in December alone, including a new treatment from Johnson & Johnson called Sirturo for drug-resistant tuberculosis...

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China’s Futile War on Web Pseudonyms

Chinese Internet cops are at it again. On Dec. 28, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress came out with new regulations forbidding Chinese citizens from using pseudonyms when signing up for Internet service.The official Xinhua news agency quickly tried to reassure everyone not to worry about any chilling effect on Chinese cyberspace. “Instead of depriving netizens’ freedom and entitlement,...

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Pope marks end of difficult year, notes God’s good

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI marked the end of a difficult year Monday by saying that despite all the death and injustice in the world, goodness prevails.Benedict celebrated New Year’s Eve with a vespers service in St. Peter’s Basilica to give thanks for 2012 and look ahead to 2013. He appeared tired during the service and used a cane afterward — an indication that the busy Christmas season...

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14 Solutions to Your New Year’s Midnight Kiss

Find a BabyThere’s got to be one crawling around somewhere. What’s cuter than kissing a baby’s fat cheek? Photo by Win McNamee/Getty ImagesClick here to view this gallery.[More from Mashable: Here’s a Depressing Look at Man’s Impact on Earth]Do you find yourself in a panic every New Year’s Eve because everyone’s counting down and Billy Crystal has yet to explain all of the reasons why he’s madly in...

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Pediatricians say kids need recess during school

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A group of American pediatricians is telling school districts that children need recess and free time during the school day, and it should not even be taken away as punishment.“We consider it essentially the child’s personal time and don’t feel it should be taken away for academic or punitive reasons,” said Dr. Robert Murray, who co-authored the new policy statement for...

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Behind the Bidding War For a Gene Sequencing Firm

In June, Complete Genomics (GNOM), the struggling maker of the world’s most accurate gene-sequencing machine, put itself up for sale. Nothing happened initially. Analysts predicted the company would soon need to wind down operations.Cut to December. A pair of genomics superpowers, China’s BGI and San Diego-based Illumina (ILMN), have suddenly made competing bids to buy Complete, and politicians and...

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Pakistan militants kill 41 in mass execution, attack on Shi’ites

PESHWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani militants, who have escalated attacks in recent weeks, killed at least 41 people in two separate incidents, officials said on Sunday, challenging assertions that military offensives have broken the back of hardline Islamist groups.The United States has long pressured nuclear-armed ally Pakistan to crack down harder on both homegrown militants groups such as...

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Facebook’s SnapChat Intimidator Was Great for SnapChat’s Business

This probably isn’t the outcome Facebook was hoping for. After Facebook created Poke, its very obvious SnapChat intimidator, the rival app saw a big boost in numbers. RELATED: Facebook’s SnapChat-Style Sexting App Is Called Poke (Seriously)The people over at Bloomberg Businessweek looked at the hard numbers and concluded (with charts!) that SnapChat saw a huge uptick in attention after Facebook...

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