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Joomla Website cms On your Business | Webmaster Articles

2012-02-10T22:13:00.001-08:00

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Source: http://webmasterarticles.net/joomla-website-cms-on-your-business/

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Why Egypt may not care about losing US aid

2012-02-10T18:14:00.001-08:00

Some say that Egypt's military rulers may be willing to forgo $1.3 billion in aid if it means a boost in popularity.

A growing number of US officials are warning that Egypt?s insistence on prosecuting at least 16 Americans in a crackdown on pro-democracy organizations will have drastic consequences.

Skip to next paragraph

As the diplomatic crisis escalates, the looming threat is that the US will cut off its $1.3 billion per year in military assistance to Egypt, which has flowed every year since 1987 as unofficial compensation for Egypt?s peace treaty with Israel. ?

Yet despite the warnings, Egypt has refused to back down, instead escalating the crisis at every turn. It's unclear whether Egypt sees the US threats as serious. But some say that the military rulers may see the domestic gains to be made in establishing Egypt's independence from the US, which supported former President Hosni Mubarak for decades, as outweighing the benefits of the aid.

?They're trying to provoke [the severing of US aid]," says Robert Springborg, an expert on the Egyptian military at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. "Because they're desperate and they want to present themselves as popular defenders of the nation. So what better way to do it??

Furthermore, he argues, ?It wouldn't mean a thing? to Egypt?s military were the aid to stop. ?A great bulk of that has gone into the procurement of weapons systems that have not been used, are not likely to be used, and that [Egyptian forces] haven't been properly trained on.?

The $1.3 billion in aid isn?t given as cash to Egypt?s military. Instead, it is used to buy US-made military equipment for Egypt, or to pay for upgrades or maintenance for military equipment. In the past, Egypt has used the assistance, which makes up at least 20 percent of its military budget, to buy equipment like Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets, M-60A3 and M1A1 tanks, and armored personnel carriers. Egypt has already placed orders, for 2012 and 2013, for F-16s and M1A1 Abrams tanks. Egypt?s military also regularly sends officers to the US for training.

Springborg says Egypt does not properly maintain many of the M1A1 Abrams tanks, does not have all of them in service, and does not regularly train servicemen on them. The F-16s, he says, are ?dumbed-down? versions that are ?not effective fighting planes.?

?These are just trinkets,? says Springborg. ?Militarily, they don?t mean anything. [Defacto leader Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein] Tantawi knows that full and well. ? Cutting off military aid is not a real threat. It?s a hollow threat on our part.?

The military council that took power when former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after massive protests last year has sought to present the unrest and instability that has plagued the country since as the work of ?foreign hands? out to destroy Egypt. The crackdown on civil society organizations has been positively portrayed in many newspapers as an attempt to uphold Egypt?s sovereignty against foreign meddling. A recent Gallup Poll found that 71 percent of Egyptians oppose the idea of American aid to Egypt. Some suggest that the investigation may have become too big of an issue domestically for the military to shut it down without losing face.

And some say the generals would not be so quick to wave goodbye to a large chunk of its defense budget. Michael Wahid Hanna, a fellow at the New York-based Century Foundation, says the behavior of Egypt?s leaders suggests that they don?t believe?the US is serious about the aid being in jeopardy.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Kxnd7oORxII/Why-Egypt-may-not-care-about-losing-US-aid

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IP Laws have changed. You need to understand the impact ...

2012-02-10T08:51:00.001-08:00

IP Laws have changed. You need to understand the impact. ? Business Innovation Zone

This project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA?s funding should not be construed as an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. All SBA-funded projects are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Source: http://bizci.org/ip-laws-have-changed-you-need-to-understand-the-impact/

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Afghan private security handover looking messy

2012-02-10T04:55:00.001-08:00

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? The push by Afghanistan's president to nationalize legions of private security guards before the end of March is encouraging corruption and jeopardizing multibillion-dollar aid projects, according to companies trying to make the switch.

President Hamid Karzai has railed for years against the large number of guns-for-hire in Afghanistan, saying private security companies skirt the law and risk becoming militias. He ordered them abolished in 2009 and eventually set March 20 of this year as the deadline for everyone except NATO and diplomatic missions to switch to government-provided security.

Afghan officials are rushing to meet the cutoff with the help of NATO advisers. But with fewer than six weeks to go, it's likely that many components will still be missing on March 20. And even once everything falls into place, higher costs and issues of authority over the government guards will remain.

The change imperils billions of dollars of aid flowing into Afghanistan, particularly from the United States. In a country beset by insurgent attacks and suicide bombings, the private development companies that implement most of the U.S. aid agency's programs employ private guards to protect compounds, serve as armed escorts and guard construction sites.

On March 21, approximately 11,000 guards now working for private security firms will become government employees as members of the Afghan Public Protection Force, or APPF. They will still be working in the same place with the same job. Except now they'll answer to the Interior Ministry.

"We don't want to have security gaps. This is really important to our customers and to us," said the head of the APPF, Deputy Minister Jamal Abdul Naser Sidiqi. It will happen, he says, because the presidential order says it has to.

Officially, everyone is optimistic.

"The APPF is now open for business," a U.S. embassy official said, speaking anonymously to discuss private agency contracts.

But many are still worried that the entire plan could fall apart. Development contractors for the U.S. Agency for International Development told The Associated Press they were explicitly told not to discuss the changeover with reporters because media attention could endanger the delicate process. Everyone critical of APPF insisted on speaking anonymously for this article.

Last week the chairman of the House subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations wrote a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing concern that the APPF may not be ready to take over security for aid projects.

Even so, no one expects that there will be a visible problem on March 21.

"The guys who guard our gates today wear a certain baseball hat, and on the 21st of March they'll come wearing a different uniform. It should be pretty seamless," said Bill Haight, head of an infrastructure-building project run by Louis Berger Group and Black and Veach. He said his projects are nearly finished and so he doesn't expect many problems.

But companies with long-running projects are worried. New contracts and operating rules will probably still be in the works when the deadline hits.

The APPF has yet to sign a contract to provide security for any of the approximately 75 companies expected to switch over to government guards in March, according to Noorkhan Haidari, the APPF business manager.

And international firms that are expected to act as middlemen managing the guards are having trouble getting licensed. Though about 20 companies have said they plan to register as so-called Risk Management Companies, or RMCs, only one license has been issued ? reportedly after a wait of about two months. Others trying to get licensed say the required documents change every day.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Foreign Ministry has also denied visas to foreign workers for at least three security companies that are trying to get registered as RMCs or are working on one of the exempt contracts, according to a security adviser for a major development contractor. These firms have been told they have to wait for new procedures under the new APPF system. But given that they don't have much time to get everything in line, they're increasingly looking at what bribes they can pay to make it happen, the same person said.

Firms don't have to hire RMCs, but they add a level of management and oversight that meets the standards of international organizations.

Companies have long hired private guards precisely because they don't trust the Afghan police to protect them in a crisis. The United Nations used Afghan police to guard its staff housing until an 2009 attack on a residential hotel in which Taliban assailants quickly made it past police guards and killed five U.N. staffers. The U.N. has since increased its security to include foreign guards.

Afghans working with APPF have gone so far as to urge the business licensing agency to "stop stalling the process," according to a letter sent to U.S. government officials by a development company and obtained by the AP.

"The painfully slow momentum of the various Afghan government entities may have scuppered the chances of a timely handover to the APPF," the letter argues.

Sidiqi said the complaints of delays were overblown, noting that there is a standard three-day licensing process. If there are delays, he said it is because the would-be RMCs are dragging it out.

"We need the RMCs," Sidiqi said. "They have the experience."

He dismissed the possibility of bribery. "This is a legal government organization, so corruption is not going to be possible," Sidiqi said.

But with so much undecided, some development organizations are opting to hunker down inside their compounds until the details are worked out.

A manager with one U.S. government development contractor said the company expects to delay visits to projects in dangerous places until all documents are finalized. The official spoke anonymously to avoid endangering contracts still being negotiated.

Going forward, the development company manager worried about recruiting for projects in places like the insurgent-heavy south. Some employees have already said they won't sign on to projects if their only security is going to be APPF guards.

But even once the RMCs are licensed and in-country, it is unclear that they will provide an easy transition.

These companies will not be able to directly control the guards that they manage. They can only give advice to an Afghan supervisor. If there's a dispute between the two, it will have to be taken to a government-run arbitration panel.

The issue has already caused problems on APPF-guarded projects before the mandatory switch. During the 2010 parliamentary elections, Afghan police pulled a group of APPF guards who were protecting a railroad construction project in the northern province of Balkh off their posts to guard polling stations, according to the former APPF commander.

"I told them it was a violation of the law but they said you have to do it. I was obliged," said Sayed Asghar Asgari. So he gave over 50 of his 462 guards. The guards were returned four days later, but the incident shows the potential for a blurring of lines between the Afghan security forces and guard units.

And as budgets for aid projects are decreasing, the APPF program is likely to increase security costs substantially.

An APPF guard will cost at least $770 a month, according to an AP analysis of official government figures, while private security providers contacted for this story say they usually charge $510-$630 a month per guard.

To avoid pay cuts for guards, individual companies will have to supplement salaries. And any costs for RMC managers will be on top of this. Once these expenses are figured in, security costs could easily double under the APPF.

It is still not clear what these changes will mean for existing USAID contracts. The aid agency has given no overarching guidance for how it will deal with delays or higher costs, though it has urged its partners to review their individual contracts to decide what their obligations and rights will be, the U.S. embassy official said.

Meanwhile, the Afghan government won't officially have all the APPF guards trained for more than a year. By March 20, about 1,840 of the existing guard force will have gone through the formal training program, which graduates about 220 people every three weeks, according to a NATO official who spoke anonymously to discuss an Afghan government program.

The hope is that on-the-job training will be enough in the near term, especially since most private security guards will probably agree to join the APPF. But like much with the APPF right now, it is just a hope.

"It is very complicated and very difficult, but we are trying our best," Sidiqi said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-02-10-AS-Afghan-Private-Security/id-e5f56b85deeb43e7b0e3dcaaad55d9f7

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US, Japan pave way to send Okinawa Marines to Guam (AP)

2012-02-09T19:33:00.001-08:00

TOKYO ? The transfer of thousands of U.S. Marines to Guam will not require the prior closure of a base on the southern Japan island of Okinawa, the United States and Japan announced Wednesday in a compromise they hope will break a stalemate over opposition to the large U.S. military presence there.

The announcement follows high-level talks to rework a 2006 agreement for 8,000 Marines on Okinawa to move to Guam by 2014 if a replacement for the base ? Marine Corps Air Station Futenma ? could be built.

In a joint statement Wednesday, the two governments said they will discuss a reduction of the Marines on Okinawa and return of some of the bases vacated as a result, apart from the base issue. Details of the realignment will be discussed further, but about 10,000 troops will remain on Okinawa as in the original agreement.

That agreement has been effectively scuttled by opposition on Okinawa, where many believe the base should be simply closed and moved overseas or elsewhere in Japan. More than half of the 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan, including 18,000 Marines, are stationed on Okinawa.

"We decided to choose to reduce Okinawa's burden as much as possible rather than being stuck in a stalemate by sticking to an earlier package," Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told a news conference. "We believe the agreement is a major progress toward a deeper Japan-U.S. alliance."

Gemba said that the agreement sets a stage for the two allies to review how they can coordinate better to step up deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Wednesday's statement was vague on specifics of what lies ahead. Officials said details will be determined through further discussions over the next few months.

But senior Japanese officials have said 4,700 Marines will be transferred to Guam. The remaining 3,300 would reportedly rotate among Australia, Hawaii or the Philippines.

Progress on the issue is important to the United States, which is looking to revise its military and diplomatic posture in Asia ? in what is being called the "Pacific Pivot" ? to reflect the rising power of China and increasing tensions over territorial disputes throughout the region.

Washington is also under pressure to make the most of its resources as budget cuts loom in Congress with the winding down of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Guam has pushed hard for the buildup because of the potential economic boom.

"We are the closest U.S. community to Asia. We are very patriotic citizens. And unlike many foreign countries and even some U.S. communities, we welcome an increased military presence," Gov. Eddie Calvo said in a statement released last week. "We are the closest U.S. community to the fastest-growing region in the world."

Tokyo, meanwhile, is hoping the reduction of troops on Okinawa will ease local opposition and demonstrate its desire to stand by promises to reduce the island's share of the troop-hosting burden. Officials say they remain committed to closing Futenma, which the U.S. and Japan agreed to do after the rape of a schoolgirl in 1995 led to mass protests.

Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima had a mixed response. He welcomed the agreement to move ahead with U.S. Marines relocation and a return of some of the bases as serving "Okinawans' desire to reduce the U.S. military presence," but repeated his rejection to move Futenma to another location on the island.

"A relocation without local consent would be impossible. We want Futenma moved out of Okinawa," Nakaima said in a statement.

The most likely replacement site, on a less crowded part of the island, is widely opposed on Okinawa and its viability remains a heated political debate.

Guam, which is being built up to play a greater role in Washington's Asia-Pacific strategy, could also stand to get far fewer Marines than expected if the new plan goes through. The tiny U.S. territory had been counting on a huge boost from the restructuring plan, and may have to revise its forecasts.

But officials said the revised number could be more manageable.

A smaller contingent of Marines would alleviate concerns on Guam that the swelling military presence would overwhelm the island's infrastructure and environment.

Mark G. Calvo, the director of Guam's military buildup office, said the territory has been briefed by the Department of Defense about the talks with Japan and supports the transfer, even if it is smaller than expected. He said the idea of reducing it to about 4,000 Marines had been discussed after an environmental impact assessment two years ago pointed to possible problems.

"There are concerns about a loss of economic benefits, but it puts us in a better position to adjust our infrastructure," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oceania/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120208/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_us_military

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Most fish in the sea evolved on land

2012-02-09T11:11:00.001-08:00

Family histories don't come much more bizarre. Three-quarters of the fish in the sea can trace their origins back to a freshwater ancestor. The finding highlights how important rivers and lakes are as a source of new species, just as that supply is under threat from disappearing freshwater habitats.

Fish first evolved in the sea. The oceans have been teeming with them for almost half a billion years, so there is no reason to doubt that the fish living there today did all their evolving in salt water - until you take a closer look at their family tree.

Greta Vega and John Wiens at Stony Brook University in New York noticed something peculiar while studying the evolutionary tree of ray-finned fish, a mega-group comprising 96 per cent of all freshwater and marine fish species on the planet.

They realised that all the fossils belonging to the ancestral group that gave rise to ray-fins some 300 million years ago ? known as the polypteriformes ? came from freshwater deposits. In fact, according to Vega and Wiens's tree, the ray-fins may not have taken to the sea in large numbers until about 170 million years ago. Their descendants now make up three-quarters of all marine fish (see diagram).

We've seen this kind of topsy-turvy evolution before. Most whales, dolphins and porpoises, live in the sea, but like the ray-finned fish, they all evolved in rivers.

Michael Benton of the University of Bristol, UK, says that combined with what we know about whales and dolphins, the new study may point to a more general pattern: that most major groups of vertebrates came from land-based ecosystems. But we'll need many more studies to confirm that, he says.

What could be driving such a pattern? Wiens says it is possible that seas may be more prone to extinctions than land, rivers or lakes; while rivers and lakes form an "arc of survival" that can reseed the oceans when marine species are lost.

"I don't think our results show that seas are strongly inhospitable, but they may become so at certain points in time," he says. Unfortunately, the strong ocean acidification that is predicted for the near future means we may be heading for one of those times now, he adds.

Today, however, rivers and lakes may not be healthy enough to help re-supply the oceans. "Freshwater ecosystems suffer from a higher rate of species loss than any other major ecosystem," says Peter Bosshard, policy director at International Rivers, a non-profit NGO based in Berkeley, California. "This study shows that by damming, diverting and polluting the world's rivers, we may deplete the seed bank of future generations."

Journal reference: Proceedings of the Royal Society B, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0075

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Lost treasures: The Maxberg Archaeopteryx

2012-02-09T06:12:00.001-08:00

One of the rarest Archaeopteryx fossils disappeared after its irascible owner died. Was it stolen, is it buried with him, or something else?

Read more: "Nine lost treasures ? and why science wants them back"

Fossils have been forgotten in storerooms, pilfered from digs and sunk in shipwrecks. But none can match the charisma and mystery of the missing Maxberg Archaeopteryx. This skeleton was hoarded for years by a cantankerous quarry manager. When he died in 1991, it vanished.

Only 11 reasonably complete skeletal fossils of Archaeopteryx have ever been discovered, which makes the loss of the Maxberg specimen all the more tragic. Its bones established that birds descended from two-legged predatory dinosaurs and if we could study the fossil today, it could answer big unresolved questions such as whether the fossils all come from the same species.

The Maxberg specimen's story begins in 1956, when two quarrymen were carving out the Solnhofen limestone in Germany and stumbled on a fossil they could not identify. Two years later, quarry owner Eduard Opitsch lent it to a geologist, who in turn sent it to Florian Heller at the University of Erlangen. The skeleton's head and tail were missing, but Heller, a palaeontologist, discerned faint feather impressions and realised it was Archaeopteryx.

It was only the third recognised specimen, so it was big news. Some of its bones were broken, revealing for the first time that Archaeopteryx had the hollow bones that make modern birds light enough to fly. And the orientation of its hip bones identified the "lizard-hipped" saurischian dinosaurs as the unequivocal ancestors of modern birds.

Opitsch allowed the Maxberg Museum in nearby Mornsheim to display the fossil, but initially sought to sell it. The Munich state museum was willing to pay 40,000 deutschmarks, but Opitsch didn't want to pay taxes on the proceeds, and broke off negotiations in 1965, according to palaeontologist Peter Wellnhofer, author of Archaeopteryx: The icon of evolution. In 1974, Opitsch turned down Wellnhofer's request to borrow the fossil for further study and took it home, where he was rumoured to have stored it under his bed.

An increasingly grumpy old man, Opitsch refused access to his specimen. He died at the age of 91 in Pappenheim, where he lived alone. The fossil was never found.

So what happened? It's possible Opitsch could have sold it years before, but there is no evidence to support this, according to Wellnhofer. And although Wellnhofer describes how Opitsch was considered "a queer fellow", no one thought he would have destroyed the fossil. Theft was possible because the house was left unattended for weeks after Opitsch's death, but the two slabs of the fossil were heavy and unwieldy, making for a difficult getaway. Others have suggested that Opitsch hid it, or might have had it buried with him.

"It's been lost 20 years, so it's hard to believe it's been in a private collection without anyone knowing it," says Gerald Mayr of the Senckenberg Museum. But others continue to hope it was stolen, and may surface one day.

When palaeontologists originally had access to the Maxberg specimen, they made cast copies, and studied it with X-rays. But that was in 1959, and the technology available to them was limited. If the fossil is ever discovered, CT scans could reveal the bones in 3D detail, and synchrotron radiation could record trace elements left by the creature's plumage. According to Phil Manning of the University of Manchester, the fossil was never completely cleaned of sediment and so it's possible the bones would reveal even more secrets.

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Germany arrests 2 alleged Syrian spies (AP)

2012-02-08T21:38:00.001-08:00

BERLIN ? German police on Tuesday arrested two men on allegations they were spying on Syrian opposition groups in Germany, prosecutors said.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said he summoned the Syrian ambassador to tell him that Germany cannot tolerate such activities "against Syrian opposition figures."

Some 70 police officers searched the suspects' apartments and those of six alleged accomplices who are also under investigation, the Federal Prosecutors' Office said

They say a 34-year-old Syrian, identified only as Akram O., and a 47-year-old German-Lebanese double national, Mahmoud El A., are suspected of "having spied over several years on Syrian opposition figures in Germany," according to prosecutors.

The arrests and searches are the result of an "extensive" investigation by Germany's domestic intelligence service, the said.

No further details were given and the investigation remains ongoing. Westerwelle also declined to elaborate on the investigation.

(This version CORRECTS Corrects transposition of suspects' names.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120207/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_syria_spies

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With Funding In Tow, Uniiverse Launches A Platform For Collaborative Living

2012-02-08T16:36:00.001-08:00

You have to love the accelerated development cycle that spins so fast in the tech industry's echo chamber. Just as most Americans are starting to get comfortable with this whole "social revolution," the tech industry has already exhausted every inch of "Social" (and social networking) to the degree that most are now tired of hearing about social. Case-in-point: A startup launching today, called Uniiverse, begins its pitch with this simple message, "Uniiverse is not a social network." I advised co-CEOs Craig Follett and Ben Raffi to put that bit in caplocks going forward. That's part of the reason Uniiverse is resistant to being lumped in with social networks, as the Canadian startup is building an online platform that focuses on bringing value to our offline lives.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/2GJxRF6vn_Q/

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food and drink ? Blog Archive ? SANTA FE PASTA SALAD

2012-02-08T03:58:00.001-08:00

16 oz. pkg. Rotini pasta, cooked, drained, tossed with a little oil and chilled

Dressing

1-1/4 c. V-8 juice

1-1/2 tbsps. olive oil

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1-1/2 tsps. chili powder

3/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. cooked yellow corn kernels

1/3 c. chopped cilantro

1/4 c. chopped green onion

2 tbsps. diced red bell pepper

2 tbsps. diced green bell pepper

1 chicken breast fillet, cooked and diced, optional

Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill the dressing until

needed.

Pour pasta into a large bowl. Add the dressing, then toss. Add the remaining ingredients to the

pasta, and toss until combined. Cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Serves 6

Source: http://oregonfarmblog.com/2012/02/santa-fe-pasta-salad/

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Bacteria-Killing Plasma Torches Could Make Raw Food Safer Without Cooking It [Science]

2012-02-08T03:22:00.001-08:00

When it comes to kitchen safety, raw chicken can be even more dangerous than a sharp knife because of bacteria like salmonella. But a new study reveals that cold plasma torches could eliminate those harmful pathogens, without cooking the food. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GD1CjfDxBcQ/bacteria-killing-plasma-torches-could-make-raw-food-safer-without-cooking-it

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How To Be A Group Boss And Travel Free | radcivil.com

2012-02-07T14:44:00.001-08:00

Those in quest of a resort which usually succeeds in sustaining its unique Indian native charm will make sure to delight in Kovalam: Situated on the actual south coast in addition to characterised by a few sandy bays in addition to authentic fishing towns, the region is probably the Government?s prime holidaymaker centres. These embassies provide many of the support from emergency. Genuine The african continent travel agents along with tour operators ought to be open with your cancellation policy. If you want someone to travel at hand, ask your journey agent for thoughts or suggestions. Although there are lots of Phuket News genuine travelling offers, there are additionally many travel stings that defraud not guilty travelers out of vast amounts each month. The pleasure to be there, seeing with your own personal eyes.

Basic Lessons in Airlines, Travel Agency & Excursion Operation Management. The net is brimming using the discounted travel services, cheap hotels, lodges, resorts, travel tickets etc, in all the major instead of so popular destinations across the world. This study suggested the particular travelers would two times their spending in the event that some minor amenities were provided. It boasts of most modern amenities but yet preserves an old charm.

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YTB Travel offers the opportunity to get the travel and leisure booking engine 100 % free, once you hired and maintained 5 YTB RTA?s, but MOST YTB RTA?s were struggling to get the free site due to their initial start upward costs. Parent stress is invariably high when travelling with young kids or toddlers as children within this age bracket currently have multiple needs, short attention spans and are also easily bored or maybe agitated when cooped up for long periods. The best and a lot suitable travel package will be availed on those places at cost effective price. Cutting down spending and will cost you, while still enjoying your a vacation to its fullest, is the major to guaranteed being successful and fiscal burden. Renewals involving policy, etc are one or two important questions that the travel guide answers for everyone.

Source: http://radcivil.com/?p=705

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lunar islamist: www.feadreader.com - EDUCATION BLOG Stats

2012-02-07T14:09:00.001-08:00

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Source: http://lunar-islamist.blogspot.com/2012/02/wwwfeadreadercom-education-blog-stats.html

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Workplace Rivalry

2012-02-07T10:22:00.001-08:00

Q. Unethical Fake Job Reference: Joanne, my BFF and co-worker, and Melanie, a former co-worker, both recently applied for the same exciting, awesome job. When the diligent, talented Melanie left our company, I offered to be a reference for her. Joanne told me how intense the application process was?her parents were divorcing at the same time, so she was frazzled?so I expected a call from the hiring company. It never came. Neither Joanne nor Melanie got the job. Recently Joanne confessed that while in my office one day, she intercepted a call from the hiring company; the rep wanted to talk about Melanie's employability. Joanne told the rep that Melanie was intelligent but also lazy and entitled. She didn't think the reference was bad enough to tarnish Melanie's or my reputation permanently and begged for my forgiveness. Joanne is normally a sweet person, and I don't think she would have done this if she hadn't been so stressed. My question is, what do I do now? I don't want to see Joanne hurt.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=de072fcf75590abaec773a2e66a9dd83

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No more Naptown: Super Bowl boosts Indy's image (AP)

2012-02-07T00:55:00.001-08:00

Indianapolis was once called Naptown and India-No-Place for a reason.

Native son Kurt Vonnegut Jr. referred to it in 1970 as "the 500-mile speedway race, and then 364 days of miniature golf, and then the 500-mile speedway race again." People used to roam city streets on Sundays, picking off pigeons with shotguns as part of "Operation Pigeon-Rid." For decades, there was no reason to stay downtown after dark.

This week, as 150,000 visitors descended on a new, vibrant district before Super Bowl Sunday, even cynics agreed that the city had successfully shed its image as a bastion of boredom in what was once called "flyover country." Hotels, restaurants, theaters and a 3-mile canal walk flank Lucas Oil Stadium and Super Bowl Village. Thousands of residents have moved into downtown apartments and condo complexes are rapidly rising. And visitors have noticed.

"Incredulity is in the air. Naptown is alive and thriving. The urban Super Bowl is a huge success, where everything is in walking distance, and everyone feels the electricity," wrote Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic.

The transformation was decades in the making, beginning long before city leaders ever dreamed of bidding for the Super Bowl. In the 1970s, then-Mayor Bill Hudnut decided that sports was the ticket to revitalizing the city and putting it on the national map.

It seemed to be a good fit. Indianapolis was the capital of a sports-crazed state that had Notre Dame winning national football championships in the north, Indiana University winning national basketball championships in the south, the Indianapolis 500 in the middle and a high school basketball tournament that created Hoosier Hysteria.

The city had one professional team, the NBA's Indiana Pacers, but it struggled financially; a telethon was staged to sell tickets to ensure the owners didn't move the team.

But, Hudnut said, "we needed an NFL team."

Hudnut, mayor from 1976 to 1991, began attending NFL meetings with other city officials in the late 1970s; in 1978, he traveled to Chicago to meet with Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay about moving the team to Indianapolis.

"He wasn't that interested at that time in talking with me," Hudnut said.

In 1982, the city began construction on a $77.5 million stadium without any guarantee it would ever house an NFL team.

"Politically, it would have been regarded as folly and as a white elephant if we had not been able to acquire a team," said Hudnut, now a professor of professional studies in real estate at Georgetown University. "But I knew what we were doing was right. I wanted to make Indianapolis a major league city. In order to do that, you had to have major league sports."

The city lured the Colts from Baltimore in 1984, a year after making a presentation to NFL owners to gain some interest in an expansion team.

Irsay, meanwhile, had thought of moving the Colts from Baltimore to cities including Phoenix, Memphis, Jacksonville and Indy. City officials began negotiating with Irsay in secret in 1984. Just weeks later, with Maryland lawmakers threatening to use eminent domain to keep the team in the state, the Colts sneaked out of Baltimore in the middle of the night and moved to Indianapolis.

"It changed the spirit of the city. People were really excited," Hudnut said. "It enhanced our image."

The Hoosier Dome opened in July 1984 to a crowd of 67,596 for an Olympic team exhibition. The Colts began playing in the same stadium in August.

Indy wasn't ready to stop.

The city had hosted the National Sports Festival in 1982 and built a natatorium that would later host NCAA men's and women's swimming championships and U.S. Olympic trials. A track and field stadium and a velodrome were built, and the city began billing itself as the nation's amateur sports capital. It hosted the Pan Am Games in 1987. The NCAA's Final Four was played in Indianapolis in 1980. Five men's and one women's final four have been held there since. The NCAA, the National Federation of State High School Associations and the governing bodies of seven sports ? including track and field and gymnastics ? are all based in Indianapolis.

As the city's sports reputation grew, it gained new life at its heart.

Before the sports renaissance, there were few reasons to stay in the heart of the city after businesses closed. For half a century, the city's biggest event was the Indianapolis 500, which attracts more than a quarter-million fans each Memorial Day weekend. But there was little nightlife, and even fewer places to stay.

Now, the city that had fewer than 500 hotel rooms downtown in 1970 has more than 6,500, and about a dozen new hotels have opened in the past decade, including a 1,000-room JW Marriott. The number of downtown restaurants and bars has doubled to 300 in the past 10 years, and there are more than 200 shops, according to Indianapolis Downtown Inc., the city's tourism agency.

On any given night, visitors can travel just a few blocks to see the Pacers at Banker's Life Fieldhouse, stage productions at the Indiana Repertory Theatre or live music at the Old National Centre or White River State Park. The downtown canal walk offers pedal boats, gondolas and bicycles for rent.

Thousands of residents have embraced downtown living, and more than 3,200 houses, condominiums and apartments are expected to be under construction or completed within five years.

Tourism officials say visits to downtown attractions have increased 83 percent since 1994.

The numbers don't surprise Don Ruark, a 78-year-old retiree from Fillmore, Ind., who recalls the city's quiet days when he worked at drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co.

"What's happened here has really been an awakening," Ruark said. "If word hasn't gotten out about Indianapolis, it should."

A Super Bowl had still seemed out of reach to many. The city lost out to Minneapolis for the 1992 game and to Dallas for 2011.

Indiana University athletic director Fred Glass, president of Indianapolis' 2011 bid committee, said the city was given little chance of hosting because it was a small-market city in a cold-weather climate. But the committee agreed this time that decades of transformation had paid off.

Visitors have noticed the transformation, too. After only 24 hours in Indianapolis, Chuck Pinto of Vineland, N.J., was sold on the city's charms.

He and his wife, Sherrie, said they thought Indianapolis was just a little town in the Midwest before arriving there Saturday morning. But since then, he said he's been amazed by how friendly and welcoming people were and how accessible the city was.

"When New York hosts the Super Bowl, I hope we do it as well as Indy," he said.

Steve Seeley of Dana Point, Calif., had always thought of the city as sleepy, but after an evening in the downtown's outdoor Super Bowl Village and beautiful pre-game weather, he said his opinion changed completely.

"I've just had the best time," Seeley said. "There are the nicest people here. I've had nothing but great experiences here ? as a Pats fan, the only mean people here are Giants fans."

Despite naysayers who say the game is a one-time gift, city leaders are already thinking about future Super Bowls.

"I'm pretty confident we're going to nail this and people are going to say, `Wow, they put this on really, really well,' " Mayor Greg Ballard said. "'We need to go back there.'"

___

Associated Press writers Jim Suhr and Carrie Schedler contributed to this story from Indianapolis.

___

Tom Coyne can be reached at http://twitter.com/TomCoyneAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120205/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_super_bowl_indy_s_image

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Plug Your Guide! On-line Book Advertising and marketing for ...

2012-02-06T21:03:00.001-08:00

Plug Your Book! On-line Book Advertising for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking

Get enormous exposure for your book, no unique laptop or computer capabilities required ? trade printed or self posted, fiction or nonfiction.Discover why authors fail with compensated marketing, spend-for each-just click, payment-dependent testimonials, and ?bestseller? campaigns.Weblog to link with visitors, driving them to Amazon and bookstores.Boost your visibility with Google, ignite term-of-mouth with social networks for viral marketing.Capitalize on peer subject material and ?newbie? book critiques.????????????

Record Value: $ eighteen.95

Price tag: $ 9.66

Source: http://www.readbuddies.com/plug-your-guide-on-line-book-advertising-and-marketing-for-authors-ebook-publicity-through-social-networking/

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Some Skiing Strategies for Beginners and Newcomers | Submit An ...

2012-02-06T11:39:00.001-08:00

Skiing generally is a daunting sport for freshies to try to often puts many individuals off the way it appears hard. As it usually takes a while to get and longer to get down, the expertise of hurtling down snow covered mountains on skis generally is the highest experiences to have.

There are lots of aspects to skiing to understand as you go along, but here are a few simple tricks for you to definitely read prior to heading from the piste.

Gravity and balance will become the perfect greatest enemies to the slopes, to be able soon as you become the knack of your respective stance and staying stable in your skis, you?ll want to be fine. Remember everyone falls over when studying to ski, so avoid being embarrassed because of it.

Your clothing is definitely a critical facet of enjoying the initial skiing holiday. Providing protection, warmth and luxury in paramount on the subject of choosing your outfit. Layering your clothes can keep you warmer along with a thermal layer can help much more. Waterproof trousers and coats are necessary to end the unsurprisingly wet snow from soaking your clothes. Well fitting boots usually supplies warmth on your feet and you ought to just have one couple of socks, anymore and you will take off your circulation.

Skis and boots could be hired on your holiday, because these items can be expensive if you pick them outright. It could be worth purchasing some self-assured in your your holiday and think you are likely to start more frequently.

Learning how to remain true, stance, stopping yourself and turning can be difficult to describe and is particularly quicker to learn through some beginner lessons when for your destination resort. You may be thinking like most people are whizzing around the slopes and causing behind, but there?ll be others learning how to Ski initially and everybody must start somewhere.

When booking your travel cover, be sure to include snowboarding cover since it is often a new extra generally insurance carriers that will require an additional premium.

Booking your holiday using a specialist ski company might make the main skiing experience much easier as they possibly can give you tailored advice to your location you happen to be heading as well as kit you will need. They should likewise be able to offer you professional skiing lessons to assist you turned into a pro right away.

Just don?t use additional considering it, pretty much schedule your own approaching singles ski holidays

Source: http://www.submitanarticle.info/recreation-and-sports/snowboarding/some-skiing-strategies-for-beginners-and-newcomers/

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Significance of Nutraceutics Vitrin in Health and Fitness ...

2012-02-06T07:49:00.001-08:00

Health and fitness have become a important component of human life. With the raise in obesity troubles, a revelation for people today, have manufactured it essential for all ages of people today to retain their diet program in verify. Being overweight is not the only challenge, acquiring a life where there is no scope of wellbeing and fitness the person will close up not only remaining a sofa potato but carries alongside with it considerable wellbeing issues. Think about likely to everywhere, you go on a automobile, incase due to any circumstance you do not have a automobile and have to walk. Your physique will not even have the minutest stage of stamina making you walk a mile. Therefore, a tiny walk just to a nearby store would cause immense agony to the physique, as your muscle tissues will become so weak that will not be capable to support your physique. It seems astonishing right but this is what essentially comes about. Therefore, wellbeing and fitness must be kept as 1 of the life?s priorities with smooth agile dmt.

No 1 would like to go as a result of the agony of illness, and that is why we have to have to try to eat healthy and balanced and retain ourselves match. For a physique to continue being healthy and balanced, appropriate training and healthy and balanced food is needed which consists of all the important chemical substances needed by the human physique to perform correctly. Thus, it is important to have greens and fruits in their everyday lives. To triumph over the challenge of consuming distinctive types of greens and fruits every last day, the scientists have arrive with Nutraceutics Vitrin, which is distinctive from multivitamins obtainable in the current market.

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The antioxidant system of the medicine is made up from a selection of nutritional vitamins E, C, A, alongside with a checklist of fruits these kinds of as peaches, apples, pineapples, oranges and numerous much more. In addition to this, Nutraceutics Vitrin consists of elements of essential greens these kinds of as broccoli, spinach, carrot, cauliflower. Not every last multivitamin medicine would take into consideration these kinds of a major quantity of anti-oxidants and nutritional vitamins.

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Source: http://www.1stoparticleshop.info/?p=7620

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Syrian newspaper welcomes UN veto (AP)

2012-02-05T22:27:00.001-08:00

BEIRUT ? A Syrian state-run newspaper has welcomed the Russian and Chinese veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at stopping Damascus' crackdown on the country's uprising.

The Sunday article in Tishreen daily says that authorities will continue their efforts to bring back stability to the country.

The double-veto outraged the U.S. and European council members who feared it would embolden the regime of President Bashar Assad.

Tishreen also described the Saturday veto as an incentive for Damascus to continue with announced political reforms, which include drafting a new constitution and new parliamentary elections.

The crackdown on the nearly 11-month uprising has left more than 5,400 people dead, according to the U.N.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120205/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_syria

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Hiring surges in January; jobless rate at 8.3 pct.

2012-02-05T18:35:00.001-08:00

An auto worker assembles parts on the 2013 Dodge Dart at the Chrysler Plant in Belvidere, Ill., Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and CEO Chrysler Group, announced that Chrysler will add a third shift at the Belvidere Plant to begin production of the Dart. The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation's outlook for job growth. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

In this Jan. 30, 2012, UPS Store employee, Candy Mojica, weighs packages before shipping at The UPS Store in the Lake Balboa area of Los Angeles. The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation's outlook for job growth. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

In this Feb. 1, 2012 photo, an ironworker works in the steel framework of a roof in the remodeling of a downtown hotel in Pittsburgh. The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation's outlook for job growth. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

In this Feb. 1, 2012 photo, Navy veteran Shaundell Vannooten listens to a recruiter at a job fair sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, in New York. The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation's outlook for job growth. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

In this Feb. 1, 2012 photo, Army veteran Chris Kelley listens to a recruiter at a job fair sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, in New York. The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation's outlook for job growth. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? In a long-awaited surge of hiring, companies added 243,000 jobs in January ? across the economy, up and down the pay scale and far more than just about anyone expected. Unemployment fell to 8.3 percent, the lowest in three years.

The job growth was the fastest since last March and April. Before that, the last month with stronger hiring, excluding months skewed by temporary census jobs, was March 2006.

The unemployment rate came down by two notches from December. It has fallen five months in a row, the first time that has happened since 1994, two economic booms and two recessions ago.

"The economy is growing stronger," President Barack Obama said. "The recovery is speeding up."

Indeed, the report Friday from the Labor Department seemed to reinforce that the nation is entering a virtuous cycle, a reinforcing loop in which stronger hiring leads to more consumer spending, which leads to even more hiring and spending.

On Wall Street, where investors had already driven stocks to their best start in 15 years because of optimism about the economy, the jobs report triggered a spasm of buying.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 156.82 points, its second-best showing this year, and finished the day at 12,862.23, its highest close since May 2008, four months before the financial crisis struck.

The Nasdaq composite index finished at its highest level since December 2000, during a steep decline after the dot-com stock craze. Money poured out of bonds, which are considered less risky than stocks, and bond yields rose.

"Virtually every economist on the planet had expected a drop in the rate of job gains in January, which makes today's upward surprise even more surprising," Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at the brokerage BTIG, said in a note to clients. In December, 203,000 jobs were created.

The impressive jobs report reverberated through the presidential campaign and could improve Obama's re-election prospects. The drop in the unemployment rate put it exactly where it was in February 2009, the month after Obama took office.

In Arlington, Va., the president argued that now was no time to let a 2-percentage-point cut in the Social Security payroll tax expire, as it will if Congress doesn't take action by the end of the month. The tax cut reaches 160 million Americans.

Of the economic recovery, he said: "We've got to do everything in our power to keep it going. We can't go back to the policies that led to the recession, and we can't let Washington stand in the way of the recovery."

His Republican foes used the numbers to argue that the pace of improvement was not good enough.

"We can do better," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner. "These numbers cannot hide the fact that President Obama's policies have prevented a true economic recovery."

Unemployment was 6.8 percent when Obama was elected, 7.8 percent when he was sworn in and 10 percent, its recent peak, nine months later. No president since World War II has won re-election with unemployment higher than 7.2 percent.

The job gains in January were widespread:

? The professional services category, which includes high-paying jobs like architects, accountants and engineers, added 70,000 jobs, the most in 10 months. The category also includes temporary workers.

? Manufacturing added 50,000 jobs, the most in a year, and the beleaguered construction industry added 21,000, its second straight month of strong gains. Construction added 31,000 jobs in December. Both months were probably helped by the warm winter.

? The leisure and hospitality industry, which includes restaurants and hotels, added 44,000 jobs. Retailers added nearly 11,000. Governments cut 14,000 jobs, which means the private sector added 257,000.

The 243,000 jobs added far exceeded the estimate by economists of 155,000, according to FactSet, a provider of financial data. Some surveys of economists came in even lower.

Government revisions to previous months' totals were another encouraging sign. Hiring was stronger in November and December by 60,000 jobs than first estimated. November was revised up from 100,000 to 157,000 and December from 200,000 to 203,000.

The government also issued its annual revisions to jobs data going back five years. They showed that hiring was stronger over the past two years than previously thought. The economy added about 1.82 million jobs last year, compared with an original estimate of 1.64 million.

"This is a very positive employment report from almost any angle," said Brian Bethune, an economics professor at Amherst College.

The government uses a survey of mostly large companies and government agencies to determine how many jobs were added or lost each month. That survey produced the 243,000 number.

It uses a separate survey of households to determine the unemployment rate. The household survey had more good news: 631,000 people said they found work in January. That pushed the unemployment rate down to 8.3 percent and the number of unemployed down to 12.8 million, the fewest in three years.

And 250,000 people streamed back into the work force and started looking for jobs. That increased slightly the size of the work force, which the government defines as people working and people unemployed but seeking work.

At the same time, the proportion of the population working or looking for work is its lowest in almost three decades. The length and depth of the recession have discouraged millions of people from looking for jobs. The better news of the past couple months has not yet encouraged most of them to start searching again.

Economists said the report probably makes it less likely that the Federal Reserve will take additional steps to help the economy soon, such as the massive bond-buying programs it launched in 2008 and 2010. That was another reason bond prices fell after the report was released.

The Fed has already held its benchmark short-term interest rate near zero for three years and bought almost $2 trillion in government bonds and other securities to keep long-term rates low.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said last week that the central bank planned to keep its short-term rate near zero at least until late 2014. But if the unemployment rate keeps coming down, that date could be moved up, several economists said.

Even with January's gains, the job market is a long way from full health. The nation has about 5.6 million fewer jobs than it did when the Great Recession began in December 2007.

Employers have added an average of 201,000 jobs a month the past three months. That's 50,000 more than the economy averaged each month last year.

Still, 11 million people either have stopped looking for jobs or are working part time and would rather work full time. When those people are added to the 12.8 million unemployed, nearly 24 million are considered underemployed. The so-called underemployment rate edged down in January to 15.1 percent, from 15.2 percent.

Although the road back from the Great Recession certainly seems long, it would not be unusual for hiring to accelerate, as it appears to be doing, 31 months after the recession ended in June 2009.

After the previous recession, which lasted from March through November 2001, it took until March 2004 ? 28 months after the economy started growing again ? for hiring to pick up considerably. The recession before that was from July 1990 through March 1991, and it took 22 months, until January 1994.

The Great Recession was longer and deeper than the previous two recessions, or any other since the Depression, so a longer lag hasn't been surprising to some economists.

The jobs report put an exclamation mark on a week of encouraging economic news.

? Manufacturing grew in January at the fastest pace in seven months. Factory orders rose in December by 1.1 percent, driven higher by big increases in spending on industrial machinery and autos.

? The four-week average of people filing for unemployment benefits fell to its second-lowest since June 2008. The drop shows that companies are cutting fewer jobs, which usually leads to more hiring.

? Automakers began 2012 with a strong sales gain in January. Healthier auto sales can boost a range of companies, from steel makers to parts suppliers to shippers.

Also Friday, a private trade group said U.S. service companies, including stores, hotels and restaurants, expanded at the fastest pace in nearly a year in January. The survey's employment index soared to its highest level in nearly six years.

The economy grew faster every quarter last year. From October through December, it expanded at a 2.8 percent annual rate, the best since the spring of 2010 and a full percentage point higher than in the previous quarter.

Growth could slow later this year. Much of the fourth quarter's expansion was due to companies ordering more goods to restock their warehouses. Restocking is likely to slow in the first three months of this year, and that would bring down growth.

Europe's financial crisis could also slow demand for U.S. goods. And average wages failed to keep up with inflation last year. That leaves Americans with less spending power, which can hamper growth.

But many analysts are optimistic. Jennifer Lee, an economist at BMO Capital Markets, said she expects the economy to expand at a 2.5 percent annual clip in the first quarter, up from an earlier estimate of 2 percent.

There is optimism among business leaders, too. Lanham Napier, CEO of Rackspace Hosting, a San Antonio company that hosts and maintains corporate websites, said his company hired about 650 people last year and plans to add roughly as many this year.

Napier said his company's clients are spending about 10 percent more than a year ago because their businesses are picking up. When online retailers receive a crush of sales, for example, they pay Rackspace for more computer capacity.

"We're making more money than we've ever made," Napier said. "We're optimistic about 2012."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-02-03-Economy/id-08750880a0cc4ee7b2a969869e0a5f66

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Board rejects mercy for condemned Ohio arsonist

2012-02-05T09:12:00.001-08:00

FILE - This is an undated photo provided by the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Corrections shows Michael Webb, scheduled to be executed next month for the arson death of his 3-year-old son two decades ago. Webb doesn?t dispute the blaze was arson, but denies starting the fire and says investigators using now-discredited methods came to the wrong conclusion about where in the house it may have broken out. It was a mistake that he says points to someone else as the culprit. (AP Photo/Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction)

FILE - In this undated file photo, Han Tak Lee gestures at an unknown location in Pennsylvania. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Lee, imprisoned for life, can present evidence backing up his claim the July 1989 fire that killed his 20-year-old daughter in a cabin at a religious retreat was an accident. (AP Photo/The Philadelphia Inquirer, Todd Buchanan, File) MAGS OUT; NO SALES; TV OUT; NEWARK OUT

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice shows Cameron Todd Willingham who was executed in 2004 for setting fire to his Corsicana house, killing his 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old twins. Stacy Kuykendall, In one of the highest-profile innocence claims to death, arson experts questioned the evidence used to gain Cameron Todd Willingham's Texas conviction for a 1991 fire that killed his three daughters. The Texas State Fire Marshal's Office stood by its findings and Willingham was executed Feb. 17, 2004, but experts since then have testified the fire was accidental. (AP Photo/File)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? A death row inmate's theory that a mysterious "man in red" could have started the arson fire that killed his 3-year-old son is "an extraordinary stretch of the imagination," the state parole board ruled Wednesday in unanimously rejecting his plea for mercy.

Michael Webb doesn't dispute the 1990 blaze was arson, but he denies starting it and says investigators using now-discredited methods came to the wrong conclusion about where in the house the flames broke out. He says the correct determination points to someone else as the culprit.

Investigators say Webb set the fire to kill his family, collect the insurance and start a new life with his mistress.

The Webb case is one in a series of cases around the U.S. that represents a new legal frontier: Defense attorneys in Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas and other states are using advances in the science of fire investigation to challenge arson convictions, in much the same way they are employing DNA to clear those in prison for murder and rape.

The board called Webb's theory of an alternate suspect who could have entered the house undetected "an extraordinary stretch of the imagination."

"Given the overwhelming evidence of guilt, there is no manifest injustice in this case that would warrant the grant of executive clemency," the board said.

Clermont County prosecutor Don White said Wednesday that he wasn't surprised because he always thought Webb's claim was meritless. Messages left with Webb's attorney weren't immediately returned.

Gov. John Kasich has the final say on clemency for Webb, whose execution is on hold because of an unrelated lawsuit over lethal injection.

Research in recent decades has challenged long-held assumptions about how flames spread and the tell-tale signs they leave.

"Our scientific understandings have improved in recent years, and the effect of that has to be to say, 'We've got some innocent people who've been declared guilty based on misunderstandings,'" said John Hall, director of analysis and research for the National Fire Protection Association.

For example, decades ago, it was common for investigators to conclude an accelerant like gasoline was used if a fire burned particularly hot. In fact, the new arson science has found no such correlation, experts say. Another mistaken assumption: A V-shaped pattern on a wall of a burned building is proof of arson. All it shows is where a fire started.

In Ohio, Webb's chief argument is that a fire investigator wrongly concluded that the 1990 blaze started near a closet or a bathroom where Webb acknowledged he was standing.

In a report submitted on Webb's behalf earlier this month, Gerald Hurst, a chemist and fire investigator in Austin, Texas, said that based on gasoline-spill experiments conducted around the U.S. in the years since the crime, the origin of the fire could have been anywhere on the main floor.

That is important to Webb's case because of statements by one of his teenage daughters that she saw "a man in red" in the house the morning of the fire. Webb's attorneys argue that that person could have been the boyfriend of Webb's other daughter.

Webb's lawyers acknowledge Hurst's findings don't exonerate Webb, but say they raise enough questions to justify a new trial.

Prosecutors dismiss the "man in red" theory, saying the girl's statements varied, that no evidence implicating the boyfriend was found, and that the daughter could have actually seen Webb holding a red gas can. They say Webb is presenting nothing new.

Webb is making "a contention of innocence that is refuted by the hard evidence in the case," Clermont County prosecutors said in their filing with the parole board.

___

Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached at http://twitter.com/awhcolumbus.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2012-02-01-Arson-Innocence/id-63da802fa0a84220a2b96b07c4bc2540

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NC's Heath Shuler won't seek re-election to House

2012-02-05T05:16:00.001-08:00

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) ? U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler of North Carolina announced Thursday he won't seek re-election in what's become another blow to conservative Democrats on Capitol Hill and the party's state congressional delegation.

Shuler, a former professional football player and conservative who challenged House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi for her post following the November 2010 elections, announced in a statement that he will not seek a fourth House term representing far western North Carolina.

Shuler said he discussed running for North Carolina governor with his family but decided against it earlier this week.

"I spent time with the family and realized I have to be at home more, spend some more time with them." Shuler and his wife have two children ages 10 and 7.

Shuler told reporters in Washington his decision had nothing to do with his unsuccessful challenge to Pelosi or his occasional clashes with party leaders, who are all more liberal than he is. He was a leader in the so-called Democratic Blue Dog Coalition in Washington, which included moderate and conservative Democrats who lobbied for greater fiscal responsibility in Washington.

"I feel very at peace," Shuler told reporters in Washington. "There's no other reason other than to spend as much time as I possibly can with them. When you've got a 7-year-old girl, and you left on Tuesday and she calls you Wednesday and says, 'Come home now,' I want to be home with those kids."

In January 2011, 11 Democrats voted for Shuler for speaker, an apparent effort to express some unhappiness with Pelosi's previous four years as speaker.

"We need more commonsense voices in Congress like Heath Shuler who judge policy based on its merits, not on party allegiance," U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., a Blue Dog Coalition co-chairman, said in a statement.

Pelosi praised Shuler as "a national leader for fiscal responsibility who has always maintained a laser-like focus on his constituents in western North Carolina."

Republicans in the state Legislature had made his 11th District seat more difficult to win through redistricting, particularly by splitting Democratic-leaning Asheville.

While Shuler, who was also considered anti-abortion, said polls showed he was still ahead by about 8 percentage points in the 11th District, at least nine Republicans had expressed interest in unseating him.

Shuler is now the second North Carolina Democrat not to seek re-election.

Five-term U.S. Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh announced last week he wouldn't run because he had been drawn into the 4th District represented by veteran Democratic Rep. David Price of Chapel Hill. Miller is also now considering a bid for governor.

Shuler had become a strong voice for white Democrats in the South, said Chris Cooper, an associate professor in political science at Western Carolina University.

His departure "points to what a good job Republicans did on redistricting" to expand their power, Cooper said. "He was really increasingly becoming a key figure for the Democrats in Washington."

Shuler, now 40, grew up in North Carolina and was a football star at the University of Tennessee where he set numerous passing records before being drafted by the Washington Redskins. He also played for the New Orleans Saints and the Oakland Raiders before an injury ended his NFL career.

He said he expected to be in the business world in some capacity after leaving Congress.

___

Associated Press writer Alan Fram in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-02-02-Congressman-Retirement/id-12936af01ecd426ea8ef0582680d7c6e

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Tustin Communications Manger Named PIO of the Year ? Our Town ...

2012-02-04T19:59:00.001-08:00

A hat tip to our friends at The Liberal OC for a great story about Tustin?s Public Information Officer, Lisa Woolery.Lisa was recently named Public Information Officer of the Year by PublicCEO. It should be noted, she was the only Orange County winner of an ?of the year? award? by the organization.

If you are on Facebook or Twitter and have ?friended? the City of Tustin, you have seen Lisa?s handiwork. She also manages the front page of the website, press releases and other publicity for the city and city officials. In fact, the majority of information released to the public in most any form probably has her handiwork in it. She has arranged interviews for this blog that would probably not have happened otherwise, convincing some, I am sure, that Our Town Tustin just ?wants the facts?. And, Lisa knows how to package those facts and put the best face on, sometimes, sticky situations.

From Public CEO:

In the City of Tustin, 2011 was a dynamic year. Challenges cropped up as the City dealt with lawsuits with the local school district, and a recall effort was waged against the Mayor. However, the City also restarted a massive redevelopment project for the Tustin Air Base and opened a new facility at the Tustin Metro stop. Helping with each challenge, success, or program there was the Public Information Officer, Lisa Woolery.

?I was really proud that our council let me break into social media,? said Woolery in an interview with PublicCEO. ?It was at a time when our budgets were being cut and mine was cut in half and then cut in half again. I was stuck in a position on how to get my message out to Tustin when I didn?t have the budget to do it.?

Lisa says she relies on social media like Facebook and Twitter to help get he message across. She is tech-savvy and knows her way around social media sites. She likes the social aspect as it lets her immediately connect with folks and ?answer questions directly?. We couldn?t agree more. Lisa pays attention to the feeds and, if you put a question to her on Facebook, she is likely to get back to you in a few minutes. Of course, complex answers may take a little longer, but she will make sure she gets an answer for you. ?I don?t know? is not a phrase she uses. ?Let me find out for you.? is a common phrase for her.

We won?t go into all the details that Dan Chmielewski did at the Lib but we do agree that, at times, Lisa deserves combat pay for having to work for former Mayor Jerry Amante and the Gang of Five. She has (sometimes rightfully) defended the council for certain actions and, even when I think something they did is indefensible, she at least explains it and shows me a different point of view. She certainly has my respect and I appreciate the professional courtesy and friendship.

So, we certainly join Dan and The Liberal OC in saying, congratulations for your professional achievement and a great honor. Hopefully, she and the Lib can build those bridges Dan speaks of.

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Source: http://ourtowntustin.com/2012/02/03/tustin-communications-manger-named-pio-of-the-year/

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It's not Elo Hell, I'm just losing Elo. - Blog - SoloMid.NET - League of ...

2012-02-04T16:04:00.001-08:00

It's not Elo Hell, I'm just losing Elo.

by FYA Umashi @ February 3, 2012
7363 Views So lately I've been getting a lot of messages regarding my Elo because in the last six days or so I went from 1950 to 1750. I expect I'll probably drop to around 1600 at this rate but I'm not worried. I'm 100% sure I'll get it all back.

A lot of people have been claiming this is Elo Hell. What I'm experiencing. Just no matter how hard I play I cannot win. You can call that Elo Hell if you'd like but I just call it a losing streak. I'm going to get all my elo back and this is how I know.

This all started because I playing champions I'm not as good at (Viktor, Galio, Etc) so I dropped from about 1950 to 1880. After that I decided to go and get my plat back before playing around more and I got a few bad teams. Now anybody who has ever had a few bad teams in a row where you play amazing and still lose would know that once you actually get a good team you're so demoralized you yourself are playing like shit. This is what is happening to me right now.

If I get a bad team I'll do good and lose, if I get a good team I'll do bad and lose. So I do nothing but lose. This has happened to me before, I was 1750 in S1 and I had a streak like this with the exact same thing happening and I fell to 1250. I got all the elo back and another 100 on the way back up but it was still demoralizing and painful.

Now what I mean by bad teams when I do good and good teams when I do bad is this.

Sejuani, 1-7-8, Team gave me a 2 hit leash with no help on wolves and then let the enemy Shyvana counter jungle me and even when I ran into her in the jungle they refused to leave their lanes, aka bad team.
Ziggs, 0-7-1, My team wasn't very good (all lanes fed, jungler too) but I was somewhat out of it and possibly could've carried it had I not been caught out of position by the enemy Udyr so many times.
Sivir, 2-4-2, Dominated my lane hard early. Taric goes and feeds the enemy graves a free kill then my team comes down and towerdives giving another 2 kills. Enemy Graves and Annie got fed off of dives and ended up winning, bad team.
1-6-1, Udyr, We were winning hard. I dominated my lane in cs despite giving the jungler a few kills. I had gotten two top turrets easily and if we had kept split pushing we would've won. Team groups up and we lose.
5-5-5, Wukong, Kennen Mid feeds incredibly hard making it impossible to carry.
1-3-7, Jungle Warwick, Same Kennen playing Brand now feeds 3-9-3 and blames me for being jungle Warwick (lol).
3-2-0, Wukong, FP Wukong, next picks are Jungle Twitch, Sivir, Irelia, and Sona. Irelia takes top and loses forcing me mid against a Mordekaiser. Sona doesn't give Twitch a proper leash like he requested so he falls behind and can't gank. Sivir loses to Caitlyn. 20 min Surrender.

So basically, as you can see, I'm just on a downward spiral. Now the educational portion, how will I get it back? That's simple. Eventually I will get a decent team and do well and it'll put me in a positive mood, from there I'll start playing champions I'm strong at and it'll spiral backwards taking straight back up. Now, what champions will I use once this happens? Pubstompers, champions that can carry entire teams.

Top, Wukong, Gangplank, Riven
Mid, Vladimir, Mordekaiser, Morgana, Twisted Fate
Jungler, Shyvana, Skarner, Wukong, Gangplank
AD, Corki, Sivir, Graves, Kennen
Support, Sona

All these champions are fantastic at pubstomping and I personally am very good at them. There are more that I'm not as good at and there champions I can pubstomp as that aren't pubstompers (warwick) but this is how I will do it.

So despite losing all this elo, and the fact I will keep losing, I do not believe in elo hell still. I just think it's a streak of bad games and I think, no, I know that I will recover from it and I will blast straight back up, because you always end up at the elo you belong in the end.

tl;dr, No matter what, even if you lose non-stop, you will eventually hit the elo you belong at it. It may fluctuate but you will get back.

Source: http://www.solomid.net/blog.php?v=19273

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'Smash' Star Katharine McPhee Talks Auditioning For Steven Spielberg

2012-02-04T06:49:00.001-08:00

'Mr. Spielberg, when you meet him, he is not intimidating at all,' McPhee tells MTV News.
By Christina Garibaldi

Katharine McPhee
Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images

It's been a while since we've seen Katharine McPhee in the spotlight. Now all eyes are on her as the "American Idol" alum takes on the leading role as Karen Cartwright in the highly anticipated NBC musical drama "Smash."

But the road to "Smash" hasn't been an easy one for McPhee. After coming in as runner-up in the 2006 season of "American Idol" and starring in "The House Bunny," McPhee has had a rough road on her career path. She was dropped from her record label in 2008 and struggled with getting other movie projects off the ground. But her determination paid off, which is something she could relate to when playing her character on "Smash."

"My character, Karen, is the biggest dreamer of them all, she dreams big. Our show is about dreaming big," McPhee told MTV News at the New York premiere of "Smash." "She has a big heart, she has a lot of drive and she's very determined about what she wants in her career and what she wants out of it and how she's gonna go about doing it, and keeping a real strong moral code. I think she is a little green when you first meet her. She's not quite sure how things go and how things are worked in the business, [and] she learns a lot throughout the course of the first season."

The show centers on the making of a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. In the first episode, viewers will see McPhee's struggle with several auditions before getting a callback to compete against newcomer Megan Hilty's character for the part of Marilyn. But according to McPhee, her audition for the role of Karen was nothing like the one you will see during the premiere on Monday.

"I did have to audition for this," McPhee said. "It was actually one of the more simple auditions I've been through. I auditioned, put myself on tape, flew to New York the next week, was testing for it. I waited two days for Mr. Spielberg to watch the tape and I got the part."

Yes, that's right. McPhee had to audition for Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg, who is a producer on the series. So we had to ask: Who is more intimidating to audition for, Spielberg or former "Idol" judge Simon Cowell?

"I would say neither," McPhee declared. "Mr. Spielberg, when you meet him, he is not intimidating at all. He's the most lovely, wonderful, gentle man."

Are you excited for Monday's premiere of "Smash"? Let us know in the comments.

Related Artists

Katharine McPhee

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678499/smash-katharine-mcphee.jhtml

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Romney stock trades clash with divestment pledge (AP)

2012-02-04T03:05:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON ? During his presidential campaign in 2007, Republican candidate Mitt Romney promised that a trust overseeing his financial portfolio would shed any investments that conflicted with GOP positions toward Iran, China, stem cell research and other issues. But Romney's family trusts kept some of those stocks and repeatedly bought new investments in similar holdings as recently as 2010, when they were sold in advance of his latest White House campaign, a detailed review of Romney's financial records by The Associated Press shows.

Recently disclosed 2010 tax returns for three family trust funds for Romney, his wife, Ann, and their adult children show scores of trades in such investments, worth more than $3 million when the holdings were all sold in 2010.

A Romney campaign spokeswoman, Andrea Saul, said the former Massachusetts governor has no control over the investments made by his blind trust, but the trustee has tried to manage the trades "in a manner consistent with Gov. Romney's publicly expressed positions."

The continual trading between 2006 and 2010 raises questions about why the investments continued for three years, even after Romney said the trust would sell off any conflicted holdings, during a period when Romney has sought to convince voters of his conservative Republican values. The trades also raise questions about whether any of the transactions were vetted for possible conflicts or purposes of political perception before they were made.

"Financially, these would seem to be completely legitimate investments," said Thomas B. Cooke, a professor of business law at Georgetown University and former president of the National Society of Tax Professionals. "But for someone running for president, there's also a smell test."

Romney's spokeswoman would not respond to questions about the timing or vetting of his investments in his blind trust. She said, however, that the lawyer running the trust occasionally makes adjustments in holdings with Romney's positions in mind.

Romney has kept many of his investments in a trust he describes as blind since he entered the Massachusetts governor's race in 2002. The trust is designed to eliminate conflicts of interest by preventing Romney from knowing about trades made on his behalf and from making specific financial decisions. A Boston attorney who runs the trust oversees Romney's far-flung holdings in stocks, mutual funds and securities.

Romney can set the general direction of his finances, Cooke and other tax experts said. Romney made that clear in August 2007, as he tried to quell a growing furor about his ownership of some stocks that clashed with Republican positions on Iran, China and other issues.

"The trustee of the blind trust has said publicly that he will endeavor to make my investments conform to my positions, and I have confidence that he will do that well," Romney said in 2007. The lawyer heading Romney's trust, R. Bradford Malt, had said earlier in 2007 that he was trying to eliminate conflicts between Romney's holdings and his policy positions.

In some cases, though, it took more than three years for Romney's trust to sell off stocks in companies whose operations appeared to be problematic for him. The AP review of Romney's capital gains financial statements indicate that he lost about $70,000 on the trades.

In 2007, Romney held between $100,000 and $250,000 worth of shares in Novo Nordisk, a Danish pharmaceutical company that engages in limited use of stem cells for research. But it was not until October 2010, on the eve of his second White House run, that Romney's trust sold off the last 27 shares of Novo Nordisk stock ? among 90 shares worth $7,700 that Romney's trust sold that year.

Romney supported stem cell research during his 2002 race for governor but changed his mind before the 2007 presidential race, saying the turnabout led him to oppose abortion. Now, like many social conservatives and his Republican campaign rivals, Romney opposes any use of human embryonic stem cells for research into diseases and other medical issues because the work could destroy viable human embryos.

Romney's trust also waited until 2010 to sell more than 900 shares ? worth nearly $50,000 ? that it held since 2006 in Teva Pharmaceutical, an Israeli company that engages in stem cell research. Teva also manufactures "Plan B One-Step," an emergency contraceptive known as the "morning after pill," which is opposed by anti-abortion groups.

In 2005, as Massachusetts governor, Romney vetoed an attempt by the state legislature to require hospitals to provide morning-after pills to rape victims and make them available to women and teenaged girls without a prescription. Romney said at the time he opposed the contraceptive's distribution because the pill would not only prevent conception but "would also terminate life after conception." His veto was overruled.

The Obama administration recently drew criticism from pro-abortion rights advocates by allowing the Teva contraceptive to be sold over the counter, but not to girls younger than age 17, who would still require a prescription.

As late as 2009, the Romney trusts bought 600 new shares in Fresenius Medical Care, a German firm that also did stem cell work. The trust sold the Fresenius holdings, worth more than $30,000, in 2010.

The head of the Susan B. Anthony List, a political committee that supports anti-abortion candidates, said she was concerned about Romney's investments in firms whose work is opposed by social conservatives.

"Embryonic stem cell research is the issue that was the catalyst for the governor's pro-life conversion," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, the committee's president. "He should explain what appears to be a lack of follow-through in coming to terms with an issue about which he expresses great passion."

Romney's tax returns, which he released under pressure on Jan. 24, also described numerous recent stock trades in companies tied to the Chinese government or to its censorship and crackdown on free speech. As recently as October 2009, Romney's trusts were buying stock in companies like China Northshore Oil and China Merchants Holdings. More than 130 shares of the oil company were sold in late January 2010 for $19,000, along with 630 shares of China Merchants worth $21,000. The Chinese government has long incurred criticism for its tight control of the country's media and internet and for its suppression of dissent.

Shares of other Chinese assets that Romney's trust bought and sold in 2010 included the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Life Insurance and New Oriental Education, a company sued in 2003 by a U.S. firm for copyright infringement.

The director of an international organization advocating human rights in China said Romney's personal investments were as important as his political statements in trying to gauge the depth of his support for change inside China.

A presidential candidate "is accountable to the public for his full record, including financial investments and the potential human rights impact of the companies he has invested in," said Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China.

Some of the largest stock trades made by the Romney trust involved companies that have operated in Iran. Romney has urged toughened sanctions and military steps against Iran and has called for strategic divestment of firms that do business there. In 2007, his trustee said he had sold off Romney investments in French and Italian energy companies with business ties to Iran.

But between mid-2009 and mid-2010, the Romney trusts made large investments in securities from BNP Paribas, a French bank with long-standing operations in Iran. The bank halted new business in Iran in 2007 but is still trying to terminate outstanding loans there. In all, Romney's family trusts bought more than 2.6 million shares, which were all sold in late 2010 for about $2.5 million.

Romney's trust for his grown children also bought and sold shares in China North Oil, recently named by the Congressional Research Service as a likely violator of the Iran Sanctions Act, and in Intesa Sanpaolo, an Italian bank that has been under investigation by U.S. authorities for handling of Iranian funds. There were also trades in stock of Gazprom, Schlumberger, Komatsu and Unilever ? all firms that have had business in or with Iran.

Many of those companies are included among an extensive list compiled by United Against Nuclear Iran, a bipartisan group urging pressure on firms with business in Iran. A spokesman for the group, Nathan Carleton, declined to comment on Romney's holdings. But Carleton noted that the group's list ? it named several of the firms the Romney trusts bought stock in ? "is available for anyone to investigate."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120202/ap_on_el_pr/us_romney_s_investments

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daily sun | Editorial | IT education and human resource development

2012-02-03T17:35:00.001-08:00

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IT education and human resource development

? Irrespective of whether everybody in the country has access to computer technology, we are living in a world of information and communication technology. Though Bangladesh is lagging far behind other countries in terms of computer use and Internet connectivity, its public administration and flow of information at domestic level, education and scientific research, mass media and publication, as well as business and agriculture are already depended, and rightly at that, so much on ICT that we can no longer think of a moment without the use of this most modern technology. ICT is a blessing for mankind, as is with Bangladesh too. Introduction of information technology contributed to tremendous socio-economic development in many countries; it can neither be otherwise for this country.

Bangladesh is striving hard to come out of the least developed country status, therefore, large-scale IT education will strengthen the efforts and act as an impulse to human resource development, socio-economic growth and establishment of a knowledge-based society. It is universally recognised that the more universal computer education is in society, the faster will be the pace of development. It is in line with this conviction that experts at the inaugural ceremony marking the 21st founding anniversary of the International University of Business Agriculture and Technology, according to a daily sun report yesterday, underlined the introduction of extensive computer education and emphasised the need for full-scale computer use both at personal and social level in order to achieve the above objectives.

That computer technology in Bangladesh has a bright prospect has been adequately demonstrated by our IT experts and computer programmers who achieved brilliant successes in different international competitions as well as software development. Software export to countries like the USA and Japan and outsourcing business are fetching millions of dollars for the country every year. Wide ranging computer education possibly at all mid-level to higher educational institutions will open wide doors for the development of ICT. And for this to happen, computer and Internet connectivity should be made available for every educated person. ICT is the most effective and the cheapest means of human resource development. Investment in this sector will undoubtedly be highly rewarding.

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The clashes and ensuing stampede did not appear to be directly linked to the political turmoil in Egypt, but the violence raised fresh concerns about the ability of the state police to manage crowds. Most of the hundreds of black-uniformed police with helmets and shields stood in lines and did nothing as soccer fans chased each other, some wielding sharp objects and others hurling sticks and rocks.

Several enraged politicians and ordinary Egyptians accused officials who are still in their jobs after the fall of Mubarak of complicity in the tragedy, or at least of allowing a security vacuum that has let violence flourish in the past 12 months.

"The security forces did this or allowed it to happen. The men of Mubarak are still ruling. The head of the regime has fallen but all his men are still in their positions," Albadry Farghali, a member of parliament for Port Said, screamed in a telephone call to live television.

Security officials said the ministry has issued directives for its personnel not to "engage" with civilians after recent clashes between police and protesters in November left more than 40 people dead.

Activists scheduled rallies Thursday outside the headquarters of the Interior Ministry in Cairo to protest the inability of the police to stop the bloodshed.

Related: Fatal disasters at soccer stadiums

The violence also underscored the role of soccer fans in Egypt's recent protest movement. Organized fans, in groups known as ultras, have played an important role in the revolution and rallies against military rule. Their anti-police songs, peppered with curses, have quickly become viral and an expression of the hatred many Egyptians feel toward security forces that were accused of much of the abuse that was widespread under Mubarak's regime.

The stadium in Port Said, a multi-use 18,000 all-seater venue, was built in 1955 and more than met FIFA's standards after modern improvements and hosted matches in the 2006 African Cup of Nations and the World Under-20 Cup in 2009.

Unlike other disasters the stadium could not be faulted for the resulting loss of life which appears to be due entirely to human failings.

Egypt is not immune to soccer violence. In April, the ineffectiveness of the police force also was on display when thousands of fans ran onto the field before the end of an African Champions League game between local club Zamalek and Tunisia's Club Africain.

The hundreds of police on duty at Cairo International Stadium could not stop the violence then, either.

More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/02/10295975-egypt-military-leader-we-will-not-let-rioters-get-away

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Video: U.S. Retirees Head South of Border

2012-02-02T15:11:00.001-08:00

Jennifer Stevens, International Living, explains what's driving retirees south of the border.

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2012-02-02T06:54:00.001-08:00

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'New Girl': Schmidt's Rant About How Living With A Girl Isn't As Cool As He'd Hoped (VIDEO)

2012-02-02T02:03:00.001-08:00

"New Girl" (Tue., 9 p.m. EST on Fox) added another new girl to the cast, with Jess revealing a new friend, Sadie (June Diane Raphael). Add Nick's new girlfriend Julia (Lizzie Caplan) and it was simply way too many women for Schmidt. He decided that it was because of all the added estrogen in the apartment that it was always wet in the bathroom, leaving his towel damp.

After he stupidly moved the towel to his room to keep it dry, and then found himself without one in the bathroom, he neared his boiling point. He fell on the way to his room in front of Jess and her friends, revealing everything to them, pushing him over the edge and into a tirade. Not about the towel, but about how awesome the idea of rooming with a girl seemed, and how not awesome it's turned out.

As for the mystery of the damp towel? It wasn't the girls exuding some kind of moisture into the air. Apparently, Schmidt and Nick had been sharing the same towel. Oh, and Nick never washes his towels as he doesn't see the point. He's clean. The towel's clean. At what point does their union make either dirty?

In the larger story, Nick and Julia finally decided to define their relationship, while the women slowly learned that it was okay to be different kind of women and still get along. Throw in Winston realize he had no game on a disastrous "date" with Shelby (Kali Hawk) and that's three women added in the last two episodes.

Catch new episodes of "New Girl" on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox.

Related on HuffPost:

MONDAY, JANUARY 30: "Gossip Girl"

1? of ?22

"Gossip Girl" (8 p.m. EST on The CW) The stylish soap hits 100 episodes this week, featuring an elaborate musical dream sequence involving Serena, Blair and all the men in their lives. Also, while Chuck wrestles with the reality that Blair is about to walk down the aisle with Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), the return of Georgina Sparks (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) might make the royal affair a royal disaster. "Gossip Girl" (8 p.m. EST on The CW)
The stylish soap hits 100 episodes this week, featuring an elaborate musical dream sequence involving Serena, Blair and all the men in their lives. Also, while Chuck wrestles with the reality that Blair is about to walk down the aisle with Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), the return of Georgina Sparks (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) might make the royal affair a royal disaster.

MONDAY, JANUARY 30: "Gossip Girl"

"Gossip Girl" (8 p.m. EST on The CW) The stylish soap hits 100 episodes this week, featuring an elaborate musical dream sequence involving Serena, Blair and all the men in their lives. Also, while Chuck wrestles with the reality that Blair is about to walk down the aisle with Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), the return of Georgina Sparks (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) might make the royal affair a royal disaster. "; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/new-girl-schmidt-rant-about-living-with-a-girl-video_n_1246026.html

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Terry to stand trial for racism

2012-02-01T17:44:00.001-08:00

By ROB HARRIS

updated 11:48 a.m. ET Feb. 1, 2012

LONDON - England captain John Terry will stand trial after the European Championship over allegations he racially abused an opponent during a Premier League match ? possibly clearing the way for him to play in the tournament.

England coach Fabio Capello has previously stressed that Terry is "innocent until proven guilty," meaning Terry could remain captain at the June 8-July 1 tournament.

The Chelsea defender is accused of shouting abusive comments at Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand during an October match. He did not attend Wednesday's first hearing into the case, where his legal team entered a plea of not guilty. The Westminster Magistrates' Court then set a trial date of July 9.

The 31-year-old Terry faces a maximum fine of $3,940 if convicted of a racially aggravated public order offense.

"Mr. Terry looks forward to the opportunity to clear his name," Terry's legal team said in a statement. "Mr. Terry has consistently and resolutely maintained that his well-publicized remarks were made in the belief that he was being accused of racist abuse by Mr. Ferdinand.

"Mr. Terry was shocked and disgusted by that accusation at the time. Mr. Terry denies making any racist statement and will establish in court that he is not guilty of any such offense. Mr. Terry has never racially abused another player in his entire career."

The allegations first surfaced when footage was posted online of Terry appearing to hurl abuse at Ferdinand during Chelsea's 1-0 loss at west London rival QPR in October.

Terry has said his comments were taken out of context and that he was responding to an accusation from Ferdinand.

The delay in the case means that Terry could be partners with Ferdinand's brother Rio in central defense at Euro 2012 with the allegations still unresolved.

Terry has already lost the England captaincy once ? to Rio Ferdinand ahead of the 2010 World Cup ? after being embroiled in a sex scandal, but he regained the armband last year.

Terry's case comes while Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is serving an eight-match ban for repeatedly racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra during another October Premier League match.

More newsGlyn Kirk / AFP - Getty Images

Terry to stand trial for racism

??England captain John Terry will stand trial after the European Championship over allegations he racially abused an opponent during a Premier League match ? possibly clearing the way for him to play in the tournament.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46217821/ns/sports-soccer/

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Stocks rise on manufacturing data

2012-02-01T12:51:00.001-08:00


	Essential News from The Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-02-01-Wall%20Street/id-ddcba14419614064b4a6844974858921

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13 New Best Picture Nominees [Shooting Challenge]

2012-02-01T00:23:00.001-08:00

The Academy Awards: the final bastionary celebration of the non-YouTube-famous. For this week's Shooting Challenge, you created homages to your favorite films of the year. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vAmuKlCDti0/13-new-best-picture-nominees

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GOP Rep. Dan Burton of Ind. won't seek re-election (AP)

2012-01-31T23:45:00.001-08:00

INDIANAPOLIS ? Indiana Republican Dan Burton, whose ardent investigations of Bill Clinton in the 1990s lifted his national profile, announced Tuesday that he is ending a three-decade career in the U.S. House due to an undisclosed family health concern.

Speaking before the Indiana House, where he began his career in elected office, Burton said he'll not run again when his term ends this year. He prevailed in tough GOP primary battles the past two elections and was expected to face another this year, but he told reporters before the speech that's not the reason for his retirement.

"I don't want to get into it, it's about personal problems with family health," he said.

Burton, who was elected to his 15th term in November 2010, doggedly pursued Clinton through the 1990s as chairman on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In 1994, he told House colleagues he shot a watermelon with his rifle as part of a bizarre re-enactment of the alleged murder of Clinton aide Vince Foster.

As he grilled the former president for his infidelity during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Burton was forced to admit to an extramarital affair after it was discovered he had a child out of wedlock.

Burton held the oversight committee gavel until 2003 after he stepped down from the chairmanship because of House Republicans' six-year term limit on running committees.

After his speech at the Indiana Statehouse, he was asked about the lapel pin he wore for the occasion. He said it was Don Quixote, a role model for him as he tilted at the occasional windmill during his long career.

"All my life I wanted to fight for the impossible dream," he said.

Indiana Republicans redrew his congressional district last year to remove some of his strongest bases of support. Meanwhile, a strong crop of contenders led by former federal prosecutor Susan Brooks and former Rep. David McIntosh has been running hard against Burton in the Republican primary race.

Burton said Tuesday he did not have any plans to endorse a successor.

He first won election in 1982 to the 5th District, which remains heavily Republican under new electoral boundaries state legislators approved last year. It includes all of Hamilton County and the north side of Indianapolis, but lost some rural counties closer to Fort Wayne that Burton carried on his way to winning the 2008 and 2010 primaries.

Former state Rep. Mike Murphy, who was among the 2010 challengers to Burton, said the redrawing of the congressional district by the GOP-dominated Legislature took away many of the voters who continued to support him ? including boosting him to a 2010 Republican primary win with 30 percent of the vote in a seven-candidate field.

"The more outrageous things he did, the more that core seemed to say `Go get 'em Dan' and a lot of that core was in the northern part of that district," said Murphy, a former Marion County Republican chairman.

Murphy said the greater concentration of the district in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis put Burton at a greater disadvantage since he had lost that area to other candidates in the 2008 and 2010 primaries.

Burton recently flew to Florida to campaign for his former boss, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary there.

Murphy said he expected "a race to the finish" for the Republican nomination between former Marion County coroner John McGoff, Brooks and McIntosh.

State Sen. Mike Delph of Carmel, a former Burton aide, has been mentioned as a possible candidate, but declined Tuesday to discuss a possible candidacy. Candidates have until Feb. 10 to enter the race.

"Today is about Congressman Burton and we'll deal with all these other matters down the road," Delph said.

Delph could run safely for Congress and still run again for his state Senate seat, which is not up until 2014, if he loses. Delph, who worked as an aide to Burton from 1996-2004, said he found out about Burton's decision Monday night.

___

Tom LoBianco can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/tomlobianco

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_el_ho/us_congress_burton

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School bans fuzzy boots used to hide cell phones

2012-01-31T11:08:00.001-08:00

PHILADELPHIA?? Singer Nancy Sinatra may have had boots made for walking, but she never attended Pottstown Middle School.

Starting Monday the Philadelphia suburban district is banning the wearing of fuzzy open-top boots, including the popular Ugg brand, to middle school classes because students have been stashing cell phones in the loose footwear, according to district director of community relations John Armato.

"Cell phones are a problem for obvious reasons," Armato said.

Superintendent Reed Lindley said the school principal asked for the boot ban "because of the classroom disruptions that are resulting from ringing cell phones."

Students at the school can avoid going toe-to-toe with school officials by wearing boots that lace up and usually have a snugger fit.

First time offenders will get detention, and subsequent violations include two detentions, followed by confiscation of the phone, Armato said.

Middle school parent Adrienne Beyer said she thinks the ban is extreme.

"I understand there may be a handful of kids that shove cell phones down their boots, but why does the handful have to ruin it for the other 600 students? But, I said to my daughter, 'It's a rule and we're going to follow it,'" Beyer said.

Ugg sheepskin boots originated in Australia and New Zealand and have become popular with pre-teens and teenagers in the United States in recent years.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46182308/ns/technology_and_science-wireless/

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UN maps 'future worth choosing'

2012-01-31T10:39:00.001-08:00

30 January 2012 Last updated at 01:44 ET By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News

Growing inequality, environmental decline and "teetering" economies mean the world must change the way it does business, a UN report concludes.

Health and education must improve, it says. Subsidies on fossil fuels should end, and governments must look beyond the standard economic indicator of GDP.

The High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability was established in 2010 by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Its report will feed into discussions leading to the Rio+20 summit in June.

It is being launched in Addis Ababa by its two co-chairs, Finnish President Tarja Halonen and her South African counterpart Jacob Zuma.

"With the possibility of the world slipping further into recession, policymakers are hungry for ideas that can help them to navigate these difficult times," said Mr Zuma.

"Our report makes clear that sustainable development is more important than ever given the multiple crises now enveloping the world."

Ms Halonen emphasised the theme of equality that runs through the report, in terms of gender and redressing the burgeoning gap between people on high and low incomes.

"Eradication of poverty and improving equity must remain priorities for the world community," she said.

Pushing the boundaries Continue reading the main story

The panel's diagnosis

The number of people living in poverty is declining, but the number hungry is rising
Inequality in wealth distribution is rising
Access to clean water is increasing, but 2.6 billion people lack access to modern sanitation
By 2030, demand for food will rise by 50%, for energy by 45% and for water by 30%
Women are too often excluded from economic opportunities
The financial crisis was partly caused by market rules that encourage short-termism and do not reward sustainable investment
The current economic model is "pushing us inexorably towards the limits of natural resources and planetary life support systems"

The panel's 22 members include heads of government and ministers past and present, including Barbadian Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, Australian Foreign Minister and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and India's Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh.

They also include Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Norwegian Prime Minister who led the Brundtland Commission in 1987.

It was that report that coined the most familiar definition of sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

Twenty-five years on, the new report concludes that although substantial progress has been made in many directions, such as reducing poverty, development is anything but sustainable.

"We undertook this report during a period of global volatility and uncertainty," it says.

"Economies are teetering. Inequality is growing. And global temperatures continue to rise.

"We are testing the capacity of the planet to sustain us."

To turn this around, it says: "We need to change dramatically, beginning with how we think about our relationship to each other, to future generations, and to the ecosystems that support us".

Changing track

The report - Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing - includes 56 recommendations that would, if implemented in full, have profound implications for societies, governments, and businesses.

Governments would build the true environmental costs of products into the prices that people pay to purchase them, leading to an economic system that protects natural resources.

Goods would be labelled with information on their environmental impact, enabling consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions.

With UN support, governments would adopt indicators of economic performance that go beyond simple GDP, and measure the sustainability of countries' economies.

Governments would change the regulation of financial markets to promote longer-term, more stable and sustainable investment.

Subsidies that damage environmental integrity would be phased out by 2020. The UN estimates that governments spend more than $400bn each year subsidising fossil fuels, while OECD countries alone spend nearly the same amount on agricultural subsidies.

In parallel, access to energy, clean water, sanitation and food would be increased, meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and going beyond them.

New targets would be established of ensuring "universal access to affordable sustainable energy" by 2030, while universal telecommunications and broadband access should arrive by 2025.

Governments "should consider establishing a global fund for education" in order to meet the existing MDG on universal access to primary education by 2015, and aim for universal access to secondary education by 2030.

These and other targets should be incorporated into a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to be drawn up in the next few years, the panel says.

Some of its recommendations parallel the initial draft agreement drawn up for the Rio+20 summit.

"We greatly welcome the report of the panel and its messages," said Farooq Ullah, head of policy and advocacy at Stakeholder Forum, a civil society group involved with preparations for the summit.

"It outlines a vision of the future which is people-centric and which exists within the safe operating space necessary for planetary health and our existence."

Follow Richard on Twitter

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/science-environment-16775264

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Marshall's 4 TD catches lifts AFC in Pro Bowl (AP)

2012-01-30T21:32:00.001-08:00

HONOLULU ? Brandon Marshall caught six passes for 176 yards and a Pro Bowl-record four touchdowns, and the AFC used a second-half surge to beat the NFC 59-41 on Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins wide receiver had a touchdown catch in each quarter, including an early 74-yarder and a 3-yarder in the fourth, in a game filled with highlight-reel catches. He was selected the game's MVP and his four TD catches set a Pro Bowl record.

The 59 points by the AFC set a Pro Bowl mark, and the 100 points scored by the two teams combined was the second highest, a touchdown shy of the 107 scored in 2004.

But it was clear from the start it was Marshall's day. He hauled in a deflected, go-ahead 47-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton, while on his back, to give the AFC a 38-35 lead late in the third quarter. It was Marshall's third TD catch of the game, tying Jimmy Smith's Pro Bowl record set in 2004.

Marshall, making his third Pro Bowl appearance, then nabbed a 3-yard TD pass from Dalton that gave the AFC a 52-35 lead with 8:25 left and put the game away.

The game featured 36 first-timers, including rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals, who replaced Super Bowl quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady. Their selection made this Pro Bowl the first to feature two rookie signal callers.

While Dalton looked composed, Newton played horribly ? struggling to move the ball, stay in the pocket and find his targets, which drew some boos from the sun-splashed, sellout crowd of 48,423.

Newton finished 9 of 27 for 186 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Dalton, meanwhile, was 7 of 9 for 99 yards and two TDs.

On his first series, Newton overthrew a wide-open Tony Gonzalez over the middle, with the ball sailing into Eric Weddle's hands. The San Diego Chargers safety popped up to his feet and returned it 63 yards to the NFC 23, leading to a 37-yard FG by Sebastian Janikowski, which gave the AFC its first lead of the game at 31-28.

Newton recovered on the next series, airing out a 55-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Panthers teammate Steve Smith, making it 34-31. But he was intercepted again on the next series.

With the Pro Bowlers unable to get out of third gear ? particularly on the offensive and defensive lines ? and hitting each other as though they were having a pillow fight, the Pro Bowl featured some good, bad and real ugly ? sometimes on the same play. For example, Aaron Rodgers caught a pass from himself. His throw was deflected at the line and he leaped to catch the ball and backpedaled for a 15-yard loss.

Rodgers was 13 of 17 for 141 yards and two TDs, giving him a quarterback rating of 139.6, higher than his NFL record 122.5 rating during the season. But he was watching late in the game as Newton struggled.

The NFC had three players with 100-yard yard receiving: Gonzalez (seven for 114), Larry Fitzgerald (6 for 111) and Smith (5 for 118).

The AFC and NFC traded score after score, and turnover after turnover in the first half.

Rodgers and Fitzgerald connected for a pair of scores on back-to-back plays to put the NFC up 14-0 early in the game.

After stopping the AFC on fourth down at midfield, Rodgers drove the NFC down the field and threw a 10-yard TD toss to Fitzgerald. Six seconds later, Rodgers aired a 44-yard rainbow in the end zone to Fitzgerald for another score after the NFC got the ball back with a surprise onside kick.

The reception was Fitzgerald's sixth career TD catch in the Pro Bowl, tying Gonzalez's record.

The AFC came right back and tied it up on two deep TD passes on the right side by Ben Roethlisberger. He threw a 34-yarder to rookie A.J. Green, and then connected with Marshall on a 74-yarder.

But Drew Brees and the NFC kept the scoring going. Just like in the regular season, Brees and Saints teammate Jimmy Graham hooked up to give the NFC a 21-14 lead in the second quarter. On fourth-and-goal, Brees zipped a pass to Graham for a 6-yard score and would later find Brandon Jennings for an 11-yard TD.

Antonio Gates pulled in a 27-yard TD from Chargers teammate Rivers as time expired in the half to tie it at 28.

Each AFC player earned a record $50,000 for the win, while the NFC players received $25,000.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_pro_bowl

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How Gossip Saves Society [Science]

2012-01-30T08:23:00.001-08:00

Everybody loves to talk about other people. It's human nature. But our society seems to stigmatize gossip, branding it as common, rude and just a little bit shameful. Turns out, though, it's not all bad. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/NYpB-YLOq5g/how-gossip-saves-society

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Saturday Links (Theagitator)

2012-01-29T19:50:00.001-08:00

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192657302?client_source=feed&format=rss

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After David Wu sex scandal, Democrats spend big to keep seat in Oregon special election (Star Tribune)

2012-01-29T19:21:00.001-08:00

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192983340?client_source=feed&format=rss

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The Cain-Gingrich Endorsement (Little green footballs)

2012-01-29T06:14:00.001-08:00

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192774529?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site?

2012-01-29T02:27:00.001-08:00

Seriously, we can't caveat this one enough -- there is no way of knowing if this is in fact the Galaxy S III or, if it is, when it might come to market -- but, it looks like Samsungs "next big smartphone" just made a cameo on the company's support pages. Listed as the GT-i9300, the mystery device reared its head over at the Global Download Center of the United Arab Emerites site. If Sammy is to keep with its naming scheme i93XX would be a flagship device -- the i90XX line was the Galaxy S, i91XX represents the S2 series, while the i9250 and i9220 are the Nexus and Note respectively. As we warned before though, this could be some mid-range device and Samsung could be changing its naming conventions. Or, perhaps, its yet another variation of an existing model. Still, we'll take this as a good sign that Seoul squad has something interesting brewing.

Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/did-the-galaxy-s-iii-just-pop-up-on-samsungs-support-site/

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GOP candidates' pitch to voters: I'm your leader (AP)

2012-01-28T17:07:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON ? The pitch from the Republican presidential contenders to voters sounds a lot like the children's game of follow the leader.

When Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich aren't puffing up their own leadership credentials, they're running down the leadership skills of one another and of President Barack Obama.

If anyone missed Monday's conference call from the Romney campaign about Gingrich's record as a "failed leader," not to worry. They could have tuned in to Tuesday's conference call. Or Wednesday's. Or Thursday's. Or checked out the "unreliable leader" banner splashed across a Romney news release that labeled Gingrich "unhinged."

Romney's political biography, meanwhile, is all about his leadership as a businessman, Massachusetts governor and savior of the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

It's hard to miss Gingrich's frequent broadsides at Romney for failing to provide consistent, visionary leadership. Or the former House speaker's pronouncements that he, by contrast, offers "exactly the kind of bold, tough leader the American people want." Or Gingrich's descriptions of all that was accomplished in his four years as speaker in the 1990s.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, trailing in the polls, keeps trying to muscle his way into the conversation by offering himself as the steady bet who can be counted on to offer more reliable conservative leadership than "erratic" Gingrich or "moderate" Romney.

In a race where all the candidates are trying to out-conservative one another, stressing leadership credentials gives the GOP rivals a way to try to distinguish themselves. In a year when Obama's own leadership skills are seen as one of his weakest qualities, it gives the Republicans one more arrow in their quiver as they argue over who would be most electable in a matchup with Obama come November.

Leadership is always a part of the equation in presidential elections. In 2008, for example, the candidates all were abuzz with claims that they offered "transformational" leadership.

"I want to transform this country," Obama said when he announced he was running.

This year, leadership is getting an extra dose of attention, perhaps because of statistics such as this: The share of Americans viewing Obama as a strong leader slipped from 77 percent at the start of his presidency to 52 percent in a Pew Research Center poll released this month. Among Republicans, only about one-fourth of those surveyed in the most recent poll said Obama was a strong leader, compared with 80 percent of Democrats.

At a campaign debate last week in Tampa, Fla., Gingrich and Romney both turned a question about electability into an answer about the L-word.

"This is going to come down a question of leadership," Romney said. Then the former Massachusetts governor recited his track record as a leader in business and government and took a dig at Gingrich for having to "resign in disgrace" when he was speaker in the 1990s.

Gingrich, answering the same question, aligned himself with the leadership record of conservative hero Ronald Reagan and offered himself as someone "prepared to be controversial when necessary" to bring about great change.

The answers offer a window into how differently the two candidates define leadership: Romney more as a manager with business school credentials, Gingrich more as a big-thinking visionary.

The leadership argument is a particularly potent campaign weapon for Romney because a number of Republicans who served in Congress with Gingrich have been happy to describe his shortcomings in running the House.

"If you were somebody trying to serve with him, you were always sort of left standing with your hands empty in terms of moving forward with an actual plan or putting a plan to paper," Rep. Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., said of Gingrich on a Romney campaign conference call Thursday. "So for me, it's an example that he's just not an effective leader. I think Mitt has the temperament and the ability to lead."

Gingrich, who resigned after a spate of ethics problems and a poor showing for House Republicans in the 1998 elections, managed to turn even his resignation as speaker into evidence that he's a strong leader.

"I took responsibility for the fact that our results weren't as good as they should be," he said in the Tampa debate. "I think that's what a leader should do."

As for the turbulence of his tenure as speaker, Gingrich casts that, too, as evidence of his bold leadership.

"Look, I wish everybody had loved me, but I'd rather be effective representing the American people than be popular inside Washington," he said earlier in the campaign.

Stephen Wayne, a presidential scholar at Georgetown University, said the harsh judgment of Obama's presidential leadership by Republicans and even some Democrats in part is due to the high hopes that he raised during the 2008 campaign. Obama the president has been measured against the words of Obama the candidate ever since.

Now that it's campaign season again, says Wayne, "he's not competing against his own image, he's competing against a real life person that has frailties. ... In a sense, that lowers the bar for Obama."

___

AP Deputy Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report.

___

Follow Nancy Benac at http://www.twitter.com/nbenac

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_follow_the_leader

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Next Up in Nuclear: Small Modular Reactors

2012-01-28T13:31:00.001-08:00

Today, one-fifth of America?s electricity comes from nuclear power. The federal government wants to gradually expand that fraction in order to phase out greenhouse-gas-emitting coal-fired plants, which generate most of our energy. But nuclear power plants take a long time and a lot of money to build. That?s why the Department of Energy is pushing a new technology called the small modular reactor (SMR). Last week, the department announced that it would invest $452 million toward developing and licensing a smaller and sleeker nuclear reactor.

SMRs will be small enough to be pre-assembled in a factory and shipped to location. These easy-to-install reactors could potentially shave years and millions of dollars off the construction of nuclear power plants, and could make it economical to bring nuclear power to rural areas or developing countries that lack infrastructure. That?s why SMRs are being hailed as the next generation in nuclear technology.

How It Works

First, don?t let the name fool you. "These are not going to fit in your backyard," says Paul Genoa, a policy director with the Nuclear Energy Institute. "They?ll still be industrial facilities, but the footprint will probably be like that of a small shopping mall, but with more land around it." SMR plants could fit inside the footprint of the old coal-fired plants they?re expected to replace, Genoa says.

An SMR would generate one-tenth to one-third the energy of a conventional reactor. Rather than producing 1000 megawatts of electricity, for example, an SMR might produce 300Mw or less. For example, the company NuScale Power is developing a 45Mw SMR that would be able to supply electricity to 45,000 American homes for a year, making it well suited for smaller towns and cities where a conventional reactor would be overkill. And because SMRs are modular, they?re scalable. The power plant can install additional SMRs as electricity demand grows.

There are three main varieties of SMR in development.

Light-Water SMRs

These are basically a scaled-down version of the light-water reactors already working in the United States. Inside a light-water reactor, heat from the uranium core turns water into steam, which spins turbines that generate electricity. The same thing happens in a light-water SMR, with a few modifications.

Unlike traditional reactors, which position the generators outside the reactor, some SMRs, such as the Babcock & Wilcox 125Mw "mPower" reactor, locate the generators inside the reactor. John Kelly, the energy department?s deputy assistant secretary for nuclear reactor technologies, says this makes manufacturing easier and eliminates the piping between reactors and generator, which is a safety liability. (If a pipe breaks, it becomes difficult to deliver coolant back to the hot core.)

Some light-water SMRs also incorporate what engineers call passive safety features?in an emergency, they could cool a reactor core even if the power goes out. At Fukushima Daiichi in Japan, the site of last year?s post-tsunami nuclear disaster, the plant relied on electrically driven pumps to deliver water to the hot core and cool it down. When the power went out and diesel backups failed, operators had to resort to desperate measures to prevent total catastrophe.

By contrast, small reactors such as the Westinghouse SMR would rely on gravity and thermodynamics to circulate coolants. As the radioactive core heats the water surrounding it, that hot water becomes less dense and flows upward toward the heat exchangers that turn the heat into electricity. As the water loses heat to the exchangers, it cools, becomes more dense, and falls back toward the core?no electricity required.

"The new plans are elegant in their simplicity," Genoa says. "Passive features allow reactors to go without operator interaction, and without pumps to move water around." To further improve on safety, several SMRs are meant to be installed and operated underground.

The light-water SMRs in development have been slightly less efficient than normal reactors, meaning less of the uranium?s potential energy is turned into electricity. But small light-water reactors may eventually deliver electricity that is less expensive than what larger reactors can produce simply because construction and installation costs would be lower. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects to approve the first light-water SMR power plants in the early 2020s.

Gas-Cooled SMRs

The idea behind gas-cooled reactors, Genoa says, is to rule out even the possibility of a meltdown. "It is physically impossible for the reactor to get hot enough to damage the fuel," he says. That?s because rather than using water as a coolant, gas-cooled SMRs would use helium.

As water boils it can build up pressure inside a reactor. Under extreme heat it can also react with zirconium alloys in the core. At Fukushima Daiichi, water-zirconium reactions caused a hydrogen explosion that blew the roofs off several reactors.

But unlike water, helium doesn?t boil or react. This allows the gas-cooled reactor to operate safely at temperatures up to 1000 degrees C, which increases the reactor?s efficiency. While a light-water reactor typically extracts roughly 34 percent of its core?s potential energy, a gas-cooled reactor would operate at more than 40 percent efficiency. A gas-cooled reactor developed by the Japanese Atomic Energy Research Institute has achieved 45 percent efficiency, and General Atomics? Modular Helium Reactor achieves up to 47 percent.

To accommodate the high heat needed to achieve such high efficiencies, engineers must modify other elements of the gas-cooled reactor. The fuel requires a heat-tolerant carbon coating, for example, and metal parts of the reactor are replaced with ceramics, Genoa says. Because gas-cooled reactors require these new technologies, the Nuclear Regulatory Council estimates they won?t come on line until the mid-2020s.

Fast Reactors

Normal nuclear reactors use what are called moderators to slow down neutrons and control the chain reactions that happen during fission. That?s because the "fast neutrons" created when uranium splits are less likely to cause fission in the neighborhood?and keep the chain reaction going?than slightly slower neutrons are.

Fast reactors, though, are optimized for fast neutrons, which allows them to extract 60 times more energy from uranium than a typical light-water reactor can. That also means that fast reactors can digest the nuclear waste of other reactors, reducing the waste?s radiotoxicity while extracting energy in the process.

Fast reactors already in development include Argonne National Lab?s 175Mw reactor, Advanced Reactor Concept?s sodium-cooled ARC-100, and the 25Mw Hyperion Power Module. But because uranium is still in abundant supply, and because fast reactors can be used to breed weapons-grade plutonium, these SMRs are not economical (or legal) at this point.

Potential Snags

Before any SMR can be used in a power plant, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must create regulations for it. Any new reactor design raises a slew of new questions. Since SMRs are smaller and have lots of passive safety features, are fewer operators needed per reactor? Should the 10-mile evacuation radius mandated for traditional reactors be smaller for a smaller reactor? What are the proper safety protocols for an SMR? Once the NRC figures out how to adapt current regulations, it could go certify SMR designs and issue licenses to operate new power plants.

SMRs may be the reactors of the future, but Genoa says traditional reactors aren?t going away anytime soon. "Small reactors are not a substitute for big reactors, but we can?t build a big reactor everywhere," he says. "Just like when you go to the auto store and you can choose a sedan, a minivan or a truck, the nuclear market needs more options."

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/nuclear/next-up-in-nuclear-small-modular-reactors?src=rss

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Taco Bell jumps into the breakfast market

2012-01-28T04:05:00.001-08:00

This product image provided by Taco Bell Corp., shows Taco Bell's new Johnsonville sausage and egg wrap, one of the items the fast-food chain will be offering on its new breakfast menu which debuts Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012.

By Marisa Taylor

It's getting a little crowded in the breakfast nook.

Fast food chain Taco Bell?announced Thursday that it's entering the?breakfast fray. It joins larger rivals such as McDonald's, Wendy's and Subway in a?market?saturated with breakfast options including specialty coffees to lure in addicts who?ll buy a breakfast sandwich along with that daily cup of joe.

Irvine, Calif.-based Taco Bell, which is known for its low price points and late night hours,?is introducing a breakfast menu at nearly 800 restaurants across 10 Western states, including California and Arizona.

?This is a very important launch for our brand,? said Brian Niccol, Taco Bell?s chief marketing and innovation officer, in a statement. ?While we're beginning in the West, where people grew up with breakfast burritos, we plan to reach a national audience in the future, becoming a part of their morning routine, and truly opening people's minds and taste buds as they begin to open their eyes and take on the day."

Notably, Taco Bell?s breakfast offerings include well-known brands like Tropicana, Cinnabon, and Seattle?s Best Coffee, which may serve to alleviate customer concerns about food quality following a 2011 lawsuit in which the contents of Taco Bell?s beef were called into question.?

?It helps with one of the issues that they need to content with, which is quality,? said David Morris, an analyst for consumer goods research firm Packaged Facts. ?That?s a smart move.??

The chain plans to open its drive-through locations an hour earlier than normal for breakfast, generally around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., and will offer breakfast until 11 a.m. It aims to roll out its breakfast menu on the East Coast in 2013, and will begin experimenting with offering breakfast foods during late-night hours in late 2012.

Fast food breakfast has turned into one of the swiftest growing areas in the entire restaurant industry, and Taco Bell competitors like McDonald?s, Wendy?s and Subway have already successfully rolled out breakfast menus.?A 2010 report from NPD Group found that breakfast accounted for 60 percent?of the restaurant industry?s growth over the last five years, with breakfast traffic increasing by an average of 2 percent per year. Lunch traffic,?was largely flat, while dinner traffic decreased by an average of 2 percent?per year during the same five-year period.?

Despite the already-crowded market for breakfast, Taco Bell?s low price points and?its Mexican food-tinged variation on the traditional breakfast offering?should?serve it well in the battle over breakfast, experts say.

?Taco Bell has done a great job at being an industry leader in that category,? said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic, a food and beverage industry research firm. ?If you have a good coffee offering like many of the successful chains have, you can then provide a differentiated product because of the Mexican food offering.?

He added, ?Younger Americans, specifically millenials, are looking for not only spiciness at breakfast, but also the cheaper price point.?

Taco Bell has?some catching up to do, however.?McDonald?s is already raking in a hefty 27 percent?of its $33 billion in annual sales at breakfast, according to Tristano.

It could serve as a slightly cheaper alternative to some of its competitors.?Among Taco Bell?s new breakfast offerings are sausage or bacon and egg burritos for $1.49, grand skillet burritos for $2.79, and $3.99 combo meals containing a breakfast item with a drink and hash browns. That?s slightly less than breakfast combo meals elsewhere, which tend to approach $5 and up.

Another plus for Taco Bell that stands to help it capture part of the breakfast market is its already-established drive-thru presence, as well as its decision to sell Seattle's Best Coffee, which Packaged Facts? Morris says is one of the major reasons for the growth of sales in the breakfast category. ?The magic of coffee is that it?s been one of the few products that people have been willing to pay more for both before the recession and after,? he said.

Taco Bell later opening hours?versus competitors?could be a problem, though. ?A coffee drinker is going to go elsewhere if they [Taco Bell] don?t open early enough,? Morris said. ?They?ll need to contend with that in order to compete with more established limited-service breakfast players.?

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10244227-taco-bell-jumps-into-the-breakfast-market

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Record-Setting Astronaut Retires from NASA (SPACE.com)

2012-01-28T00:13:00.001-08:00

NASA astronaut Jerry Ross, the first person ever to fly seven space missions, is hanging up his spacesuit.

After three decades as an astronaut, including almost 1,400 hours spent in orbit, Ross is retiring from NASA and plans to take some time off.

"Jerry has been instrumental in the success of many of NASA's human spaceflight missions and numerous spacewalks," said NASA's Chief Astronaut Peggy Whitson in a statement. "Not only were his skills and operational excellence key in major spaceflight activities but his expertise and vigilance also helped all those who followed in his footsteps. We are the better for his years of dedication to the corps and NASA."

During his seven flights, Ross spent 58 hours and 18 minutes on nine spacewalks ? enough to rank third on the list of people who've accumulated the most time floating outside a spacecraft. [Biggest Human Spaceflight Records of All Time]

?"As one of the most experienced astronauts? ??not just by number of launches, but by time spent outside during spacewalks ??Jerry Ross made long-lasting and important contributions to U.S. space history," said space history and artifacts expert Robert Pearlman, editor of SPACE.com sister site collectSPACE.com.?"I understand that he plans to release his autobiography, titled 'Space Walker,' in next couple of years. I, along with a good number of space history enthusiasts, will be eager to read his insights into the shuttle and space station programs."

Ross, now 64, plans to explore a bit closer to home in his retirement.

"Ross and his wife of 42 years, Karen, are looking forward to continued travels, especially visiting New Zealand and Australia," his hometown local newspaper Northwest Indiana Times reported. "Ross will have time for his many hobbies, including genealogy, woodworking, photography and model rocketry."

Ross, a retired Air Force colonel, joined NASA's astronaut corps in 1980. He flew on three different space shuttles ??Endeavour, Columbia and Atlantis ??during his spaceflight career.

Ross' first flight into space was on Atlantis' STS-61B mission to deploy three communications satellites in 1985. Ross' last mission was the STS-110 flight of Atlantis in 2002, which delivered the S-Zero truss segment to the backbone of the International Space Station.

Ross' daughter Amy Ross is an engineer who designed space gloves for NASA. Her father wore the first pair she designed during a spacewalk on the STS-88 mission to the space station in December 1998.

In addition to flying in space, as an astronaut Ross managed NASA's Vehicle Integration Test Office.

"Jerry was equally invaluable leading this critical team, especially through space station assembly, the transition to the space shuttle retirement, and during the initial phases of our future programs," said Janet Kavandi, director of Flight Crew Operations at NASA, in a statement. "He was considered a mentor to many he worked with there. We wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement."

You can follow SPACE.com assistant managing editor Clara Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20120127/sc_space/recordsettingastronautretiresfromnasa

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Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck: PDA Alert!

2012-01-27T15:04:00.001-08:00

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner get close! Check out more pics of Hollywood's tightest twosomes

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/star-snapshots-celebrity-couples-photos/1-b-73237?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Astar-snapshots-celebrity-couples-photos-73237

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GTA III for Android hits 1.3, brings Liberty City to the Transformer Prime

2012-01-27T11:20:00.001-08:00

Select iOS and Android devices have had the ability to terrorize Liberty City while on-the-go since December, but sadly those with Transformer Primes thus far have been left out of all that fun. Luckily, an update to the game ends that double standard, enabling Rockstar's classic to run on ASUS' tablet and Medion Lifetabs everywhere. It doesn't just bring expanded hardware support to the table though, as amongst other "technical fixes," the release also heralds new video display settings and the capability of installing the game on a SD card. And fans of tactility, know that controls on the Xperia Play have been reworked, and it now boasts full support for GameStop's wireless controller. Still here? You shouldn't be -- grab the update in the source link below.

GTA III for Android hits 1.3, brings Liberty City to the Transformer Prime originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Rockstar Games, Android Market | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/26/gta-iii-for-android-hits-1-3-brings-liberty-city-to-the-transfo/

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What are friends for? Negating negativity

2012-01-27T02:03:00.001-08:00

What are friends for? Negating negativity Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-2424 x5068
Concordia University

Concordia study shows that the presence of friends mitigates the effects of negative experiences

This release is available in French.

Montreal, January 26, 2011 'Stand by me' is a common refrain when it comes to friendship but new research from Concordia University proves that the concept goes beyond pop music: keeping friends close has real physiological and psychological benefits.

The presence of a best friend directly affects children going through negative experiences, as reported in the recent Concordia-based study, which was published in the journal Developmental Psychology and conducted with the collaboration of researchers at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Feelings of self-worth and levels of cortisol, a hormone produced naturally by the adrenal gland in direct response to stress, are largely dependent on the social context of a negative experience.

"Having a best friend present during an unpleasant event has an immediate impact on a child's body and mind," says co-author William M. Bukowski, a psychology professor and director of the Concordia Centre for Research in Human Development. "If a child is alone when he or she gets in trouble with a teacher or has an argument with a classmate, we see a measurable increase in cortisol levels and decrease in feelings of self-worth."

A total of 55 boys and 48 girls from grades 5 and 6 in local Montreal schools took part in the study. Participants kept journals on their feelings and experiences over the course of four days and submitted to regular saliva tests that monitored cortisol levels.

Although previous studies have shown that friendships can protect against later adjustment difficulties, this study is the first to definitively demonstrate that the presence of a friend results in an immediate benefit for the child undergoing a negative experience.

These results have far-reaching implications. "Our physiological and psychological reactions to negative experiences as children impacts us later in life," explains Bukowski. "Excessive secretion of cortisol can lead to significant physiological changes, including immune suppression and decreased bone formation. Increased stress can really slow down a child's development." When it comes to feelings of self-worth, Bukowski goes on, "what we learn about ourselves as children is how we form our adult identities. If we build up feelings of low self-worth during childhood, this will translate directly into how we see ourselves as adults."

The study builds on previous research at Concordia that has shown multiple friendships inoculate against negative outcomes such as bullying, exclusion and other kinds of aggression.

###

About the study: The paper, "The Presence of a Best Friend Buffers the Effects of Negative Experiences," published in the journal Developmental Psychology, was authored by William M. Bukowski of Concordia University in Canada, Ryan E. Adams of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and John Bruce Santo of the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the United States.

Related links:
Media contact:
Cla Desjardins
Senior Advisor, External Communications
University Communications Services
Concordia University
Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068
Email: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Twitter: http://twitter.com/concordianews
Concordia news: http://now.concordia.ca

[ | E-mail | Share ]
?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

What are friends for? Negating negativity Public release date: 26-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Clea Desjardins
clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
514-848-2424 x5068
Concordia University

Concordia study shows that the presence of friends mitigates the effects of negative experiences

This release is available in French.

Montreal, January 26, 2011 'Stand by me' is a common refrain when it comes to friendship but new research from Concordia University proves that the concept goes beyond pop music: keeping friends close has real physiological and psychological benefits.

The presence of a best friend directly affects children going through negative experiences, as reported in the recent Concordia-based study, which was published in the journal Developmental Psychology and conducted with the collaboration of researchers at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Feelings of self-worth and levels of cortisol, a hormone produced naturally by the adrenal gland in direct response to stress, are largely dependent on the social context of a negative experience.

"Having a best friend present during an unpleasant event has an immediate impact on a child's body and mind," says co-author William M. Bukowski, a psychology professor and director of the Concordia Centre for Research in Human Development. "If a child is alone when he or she gets in trouble with a teacher or has an argument with a classmate, we see a measurable increase in cortisol levels and decrease in feelings of self-worth."

A total of 55 boys and 48 girls from grades 5 and 6 in local Montreal schools took part in the study. Participants kept journals on their feelings and experiences over the course of four days and submitted to regular saliva tests that monitored cortisol levels.

Although previous studies have shown that friendships can protect against later adjustment difficulties, this study is the first to definitively demonstrate that the presence of a friend results in an immediate benefit for the child undergoing a negative experience.

These results have far-reaching implications. "Our physiological and psychological reactions to negative experiences as children impacts us later in life," explains Bukowski. "Excessive secretion of cortisol can lead to significant physiological changes, including immune suppression and decreased bone formation. Increased stress can really slow down a child's development." When it comes to feelings of self-worth, Bukowski goes on, "what we learn about ourselves as children is how we form our adult identities. If we build up feelings of low self-worth during childhood, this will translate directly into how we see ourselves as adults."

The study builds on previous research at Concordia that has shown multiple friendships inoculate against negative outcomes such as bullying, exclusion and other kinds of aggression.

###

About the study: The paper, "The Presence of a Best Friend Buffers the Effects of Negative Experiences," published in the journal Developmental Psychology, was authored by William M. Bukowski of Concordia University in Canada, Ryan E. Adams of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and John Bruce Santo of the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the United States.

Related links:
Media contact:
Cla Desjardins
Senior Advisor, External Communications
University Communications Services
Concordia University
Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 5068
Email: clea.desjardins@concordia.ca
Twitter: http://twitter.com/concordianews
Concordia news: http://now.concordia.ca

[ | E-mail | Share ]
?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/cu-waf012612.php
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Alaska Airlines retiring meal tray prayer cards (AP)

2012-01-26T22:26:00.001-08:00

SEATTLE ? Alaska Airlines is ending decades of giving passengers prayer cards with their meals, saying Wednesday the decision was made out of respect for all passengers.

Airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said the airline heard from customers who preferred not to mix religion with transportation. The decision reflects respect for the diverse religious beliefs and cultural attitudes of Alaska Airlines' customers and employees, the company said in announcing the change.

"Some customers were comforted by the cards and some didn't feel religion was appropriate on the plane and preferred not to receive one," she said.

The cards began as a marketing ploy 30 years ago to differentiate the regional airline from its competitors. The company admits the idea was borrowed from another airline.

The cards offer a short except of a psalm from the Old Testament printed on a beautiful photograph. One current example includes this excerpt printed over a beach scene: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever."

A card with a mountain scene says, "I will be glad to rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name O most high."

Since 2006, when the airline stopped offering meals to customers in the main cabin, the cards have only appeared on meal trays in first class.

For a long time, Alaska Airlines got more positive comments than negatives ones. But lately, opinion has shifted.

Egan said the decision was made out of respect for all of their customers.

"After carefully considering all sides, it was agreed that eliminating the cards was the right thing to do," Egan said.

The airline sent an email to its frequent flyers on Wednesday explaining the change that will take effect Feb. 1.

"Religious beliefs are deeply personal and sharing them with others is an individual choice," said the email signed by both airline CEO Bill Ayer and President Brad Tilden.

The email said some of its customers enjoyed the cards but others were offended by them.

"It is important that everyone know that this decision does not change our core values nor our care for our customers," the email said.

___

Associated Press writer Donna Blankinship can be reached at _http://twitter.com/dgblankinship
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/us_airline_prayer_cards
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Scientists create first atomic X-ray laser

2012-01-26T13:04:00.001-08:00

ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2012) ? Scientists working at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have created the shortest, purest X-ray laser pulses ever achieved, fulfilling a 45-year-old prediction and opening the door to a new range of scientific discovery.

The researchers, reporting in Nature, aimed SLAC's Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at a capsule of neon gas, setting off an avalanche of X-ray emissions to create the world's first "atomic X-ray laser."

"X-rays give us a penetrating view into the world of atoms and molecules," said physicist Nina Rohringer, who led the research. A group leader at the Max Planck Society's Advanced Study Group in Hamburg, Germany, Rohringer collaborated with researchers from SLAC, DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Colorado State University.

"We envision researchers using this new type of laser for all sorts of interesting things, such as teasing out the details of chemical reactions or watching biological molecules at work," she added. "The shorter the pulses, the faster the changes we can capture. And the purer the light, the sharper the details we can see."

The new atomic X-ray laser fulfills a 1967 prediction that X-ray lasers could be made in the same manner as many visible-light lasers -- by inducing electrons to fall from higher to lower energy levels within atoms, releasing a single color of light in the process. But until 2009, when LCLS turned on, no X-ray source was powerful enough to create this type of laser.

To make the atom laser, LCLS's powerful X-ray pulses -- each a billion times brighter than any available before -- knocked electrons out of the inner shells of many of the neon atoms in the capsule. When other electrons fell in to fill the holes, about one in 50 atoms responded by emitting a photon in the X-ray range, which has a very short wavelength. Those X-rays then stimulated neighboring neon atoms to emit more X-rays, creating a domino effect that amplified the laser light 200 million times.

Although LCLS and the neon capsule are both lasers, they create light in different ways and emit light with different attributes. The LCLS passes high-energy electrons through alternating magnetic fields to trigger production of X-rays; its X-ray pulses are brighter and much more powerful. The atomic laser's pulses are only one-eighth as long and their color is much more pure, qualities that will enable it to illuminate and distinguish details of ultrafast reactions that had been impossible to see before.

"This achievement opens the door for a new realm of X-ray capabilities," said John Bozek, LCLS instrument scientist. "Scientists will surely want new facilities to take advantage of this new type of laser."

For example, researchers envision using both LCLS and atomic laser pulses in a synchronized one-two punch: The first laser triggers a change in a sample under study, and the second records with atomic-scale precision any changes that occurred within a few quadrillionths of a second.

In future experiments, Rohringer says she will try to create even shorter-pulsed, higher-energy atomic X-ray lasers using oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur gas.

Additional authors included Richard London, Felicie Albert, James Dunn, Randal Hill and Stefan P. Hau-Riege from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL); Duncan Ryan, Michael Purvis and Jorge J. Rocca from Colorado State University; and Christoph Bostedt from SLAC.

The work was supported by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program. Authors Roca, Purvis and Ryan were supported by the DOE Office of Science. LCLS is a national scientific user facility operated by SLAC and supported by DOE's Office of Science.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Nina Rohringer, Duncan Ryan, Richard A. London, Michael Purvis, Felicie Albert, James Dunn, John D. Bozek, Christoph Bostedt, Alexander Graf, Randal Hill, Stefan P. Hau-Riege, Jorge J. Rocca. Atomic inner-shell X-ray laser at 1.46 nanometres pumped by an X-ray free-electron laser. Nature, 2012; 481 (7382): 488 DOI: 10.1038/nature10721

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/L8DKDJB3JwE/120125132819.htm
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Nancy Reagan 1995: Ronnie turned that torch over to Newt - Le?gal ...

2012-01-26T09:17:00.001-08:00

There is something truly obscene about the full blown assault on Newt Gingrich?s strong Reagan conservative history from and on behalf of Mitt Romney, who unabashedly ran away from the Reagan legacy and conservative principles in his 1994 Senate campaign and 2002 gubernatorial campaign. Truly obscene.

The latest iteration comes from Elliott Abrams writing in National Review, quoting pieces of a single speech Newt apparently gave on the floor of the House on March 21, 1986, in which Newt criticized certain foreign policy decisions of the Reagan administration. Abrams does not link to the full speech or to other speeches of Newt at the time.

Instead much of the anti-Newt conservative media ? including a screaming Drudge banner ? accuses Newt of ?insulting? Reagan.? It is part of a smear campaign which started when Newt surged in Iowa and National Review unloaded with it?s infamous ?Marvin the Maritan? issue, and now it has resurfaced once again now that Romney is in electoral?trouble.

A more honest assessment comes from Jeffrey Lord at The American Spectator.? Lord, who was in a position to know because he witnessed first hand Newt?s interaction with Reagan, has written a critical column, Reagan?s Young Lieutenant, ?Much like Byron York?s column debunking Romney?attacks regarding Newt?s ethics charges, Lord?s column is a critical contribution to the truth in a sea of shameless lies.

Lord portrays Newt in a much more favorable?light:

Newt Gingrich was part of the Reagan Revolution?s Murderers? Row. And anybody who was in Washington in the day, much less in the Reagan White House or the 1984 Reagan re-election campaign (and I would make that particular cut of three), knew it?.

?. time after time after time in the Reagan years, a number of those times which I had the opportunity to see up close as a young Reagan staffer charged in my duties with being the White House liaison to Gingrich and Kemp?s Conservative Opportunity Society, Newt Gingrich was out there again and again and again for Ronald Reagan and conservative principles. In his own memoirs, The Politics of Diplomacy, James Baker noted of his days as Reagan White House Chief of Staff that he always ?worked closely? with the people Baker described as ?congressional leaders.? And who were those leaders? Baker runs off a string of names of the older leaders of both House and Senate in the formal positions of power ? plus one. That?s right: young Newt Gingrich?.

?..But whatever happens, quite unlike the picture Romney is trying to paint of his prime opponent in South Carolina, Newt Gingrich was very much present and accounted for on the Reagan team. To borrow from Reagan?s farewell address to the nation and the men and women who served him, Newt Gingrich wasn?t just marking time. He made a difference. He helped make that City on a Shining Hill stronger. He helped make the City freer.

Quite to the contrary of the Romney message, Newt Gingrich was in fact one of Reagan?s Young Lieutenants.

One of the best.

At the 1995 Goldwater Institute Dinner honoring President Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich was the keynote speaker. Nancy Reagan gave a short speech on behalf of herself and President Reagan, in which she both spoke warmly of Newt and?recognized Newt at the heir to the Goldwater and Reagan legacies:

The dramatic movement of 1995 is an outgrowth of a much earlier crusade?that goes back half a century.? Barry Goldwater handed the torch to Ronnie, and in turn Ronnie turned that torch over to Newt and the Republican members of?Congress to?keep that dream?alive.

Nancy Reagan had it right, as does Jeffrey Lord.? Newt was part of the Reagan revolution and?he was the heir to that legacy, not alone, but as someone to whom the torch had been passed.

That torch never was passed to Mitt Romney, and if it had been, he would have rejected it:

The promotion of Romney?s presidential aspirations has forced much of the conservative media to conflate capitalism and free markets with the Bain business model, a?position we will live to regret.

So too, in order to promote someone who never was part of the Reagan revolution and opposed?the conservative agenda of the 1990s, we are willing to?reinvent and distort the history of conservatism.

We deserve what we get.

?

?

?
Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/nancy-reagan-1995-ronnie-turned-that-torch-over-to-newt/
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SNK's new Neo Geo: 20 retro classics in one modern handheld

2012-01-26T08:40:00.001-08:00

We rubbed our eyes a little when they first landed on this fine looking specimen, just to make sure they weren't deceiving us. But no, this really does appear to be a new handheld Neo Geo. We've seen SNK make inspired controllers, bring its catalog to other platforms and even make handhelds before, but nothing like this. The iPhone-esque body and 4.3 inch screen house a D-pad, shoulder and front buttons while hiding 2GB of storage inside -- pre-loaded with 20 classic titles (yes Fatal Fury and League Bowling included, and all in English). There's also an SD slot which we really really hope is for more games, as well as an AV output for some good old big-screen action. Famicon Plaza claims it's a licensed product not yet in full production, so there's no whiff of availability just now. When it does finally land, we hope it's not at a 2012 equivalent of grandad's $600+ price tag.
Gallery: SNK Neo Geo portable
SNK's new Neo Geo: 20 retro classics in one modern handheld originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink The Verge, Andriasang | Famicom Plaza | Email this | Comments
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/snks-new-neo-geo-20-retro-classics-in-one-modern-handheld/
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Lawyer says he advised Gingrich on lobbying laws in 2000 (reuters)

2012-01-25T19:39:00.001-08:00

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/191027552?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Supreme Court Says Warrant Required for GPS Tracking (See correction below) (Theagitator)

2012-01-25T16:01:00.001-08:00

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/190567027?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) Dividend Stock Analysis ...

2012-01-25T06:45:00.001-08:00

This article originally appeared on The DIV-Net January 16, 2012.
Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:
Company Description: Verizon Communications Inc. offers wireline, wireless and broadband services primarily in the northeastern United States. It acquired MCI in 2006 and has since sold or spun off non-core assets. Alltel was acquired in early 2009.

Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Avg. High Yield Price
2. 20-Year DCF Price
3. Avg. P/E Price
4. Graham Number
VZ is trading at a discount to only 3.) above. Since VZ's tangible book value is not meaningful, a Graham number can not be calculated. The stock is trading at a 41.1% premium to its calculated fair value of $27.17. VZ did not earn any Stars in this section.
Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Free Cash Flow Payout
2. Debt To Total Capital
3. Key Metrics
4. Dividend Growth Rate
5. Years of Div. Growth
6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
VZ earned two Stars in this section for 1.) and 2.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%.
Source: http://www.istockanalyst.com/finance/story/5627779/verizon-communications-inc-vz-dividend-stock-analysis
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iPhone 4S and iPad 2 get Corona command line jailbreak tool

2012-01-25T02:52:00.001-08:00

If you're a little too impatient to wait for the Absinthe jailbreak tool to make its way to Windows, good news, there's another option. The iPhone Dev Team has released Corona, a command line-based option for Mac and Windows 7 that will deliver Cydia to your iOS 5.0 or 5.0.1-running iPhone 4S or iPad 2. Obviously, you'll want to be comfortable with the terminal and command prompt but, if you can handle a little CTRL+c and CTRL+v action, jailbreaking your brand new iOS device shouldn't prove too difficult. Hit up the source link for complete instructions on how to free your shiny A5 portable from Apple's shackles while still using your Microsoft machine.
iPhone 4S and iPad 2 get Corona command line jailbreak tool originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | TechnoBolt | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Lt1ekyaL3Bw/
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Rihanna and Chris Brown: Clubbing Together?!

2012-01-24T17:41:00.001-08:00

Fueling rumors that they are getting back together, or at least hooking up with each other again, Rihanna and Chris Brown partied at the same club last night.

The two singers, who have been the subject of so much speculation lately, left Greystone Manor, a West Hollywood club, in separate cars, around the same time.

It's unclear if they came together or headed to the same place after, but Rihanna and Chris Brown were ... there at the same time. Make of that what you will.

Again, we emphasize that several people who were at the club Tweeted that as far as they could see, Rihanna and Chris were there with separate groups.

The protective order, which required that the Grammy nominees have no contact with each other after Brown beat Rihanna in 2009, was lifted a year ago.

They've also exchanged not-so-subtle Tweets lately, so wouldn't be at all scandalous, let alone illegal if they were there together. Let the gossip continue ...

Should Rihanna and Chris Brown get back together?

UPDATE: According to Chris' rep, the singer was only interested in one girl at the club... and that was Karrueche Tran. Brown's girlfriend. So there's that.
Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/rihanna-and-chris-brown-clubbing-together/
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Florida Republican debate: What to watch for (Washington Post)

2012-01-24T14:05:00.001-08:00

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/190605452?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Long Race Better for GOP (ContributorNetwork)

2012-01-24T04:37:00.001-08:00

COMMENTARY | CNN reports Rick Santorum is declaring the race for 2012 Republican presidential nominee to be a long and winding road, especially since each of the first three primaries has been won by a different candidate. Santorum eked out an updated victory in Iowa, Mitt Romney cruised to a win in New Hampshire and former underdog Newt Gingrich routed the competition in South Carolina. As the primary in Florida looms large, many people are declaring the race for the GOP nomination to be wide open.

Is a lengthy, high-octane primary season good or bad for Republicans?

Though critics might contend a long, drawn-out primary election unnecessarily batters the eventual nominee and gives opponents ample time to develop battle strategy, I like to view a lengthy and arduous challenge as a strength -- and discipline -- building exercise. A battle-tested candidate who fought through a tough primary will perform better in the general election. This was the case with both political parties in 2008, where competition among both Democrats and Republicans was fierce: Think Mitt Romney vs. John McCain and Hillary Clinton vs. Barack Obama.

Additionally, the job of president is a tough one. Those who wish to reap its rewards should have to demonstrate that they can handle its challenges and responsibilities. One of the best ways to do that is to undergo trial by fire where one's thoughts, opinions and past decisions are tested and scrutinized by competitors and voters alike. You only know your weaknesses once they have been exposed.

Finally, competition is as American as free enterprise capitalism. Whenever a candidate is discussed as the inevitable shoo-in for a party's nomination I am unhappy. Politics should always be a healthy challenge, not a fixed game. Regardless of whether you are Democrat or Republican, there should never be an uncontested election. There should always be multiple names on the ballot. A person elected to public service should be one who proves his or her desire and ability by challenging an equal rival. Elections that lack competition smack of corrupt political machines reminiscent of the Gilded Age.

Therefore, I hope it is a long and trying Republican primary for the remaining four candidates. Regardless of who wins, all will be made stronger by their effort.
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120122/pl_ac/10868427_long_race_better_for_gop
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House votes on permanent electronic duck stamp (AP)

2012-01-24T00:49:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON ? The e-Duck Stamp would become a permanent part of federal law under legislation passed by the House Monday.

Since 1934, migratory waterfowl hunters over the age of 16 have been required to buy the federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps, or duck stamps, at post offices or sporting goods stores.

But four years ago, eight states joined a pilot program allowing them to sell temporary duck stamps through the Internet. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., said that program has been a success and it was time to make it federal law.

The bill passed 373-1. If passed by the Senate, it would give the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service authority to make that program permanent and extend it to all states.

The electronic stamps are valid for 45 days, giving hunters and other purchasers time to get their actual stamps through the mail.

The program also makes it easier for hunters to go online to buy their federal stamps and state hunting licenses at the same time.

The stamps now cost $15 a year, with 98 percent of the revenues going to buy or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund has received more than $800 million since 1934, putting 5.3 million acres of wetlands under the refuge system. The program currently generates about $25 million a year.

The stamps also give birders and other non-hunters free access to the nation's 553 wildlife refuges.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sponsors a contest every year where wildlife artists from around the country vie to have their entry selected as the design for the stamp the next year.
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_go_ot/us_duck_stamp
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Danica Patrick won't run Indy 500 this year (AP)

2012-01-24T00:16:00.001-08:00

CONCORD, N.C. ? Danica Patrick became a worldwide sensation as a rookie at the Indianapolis 500, challenging for victory and becoming the first woman to lead laps in the showcase race.

Those Indy days are fading fast.

Patrick's shift to stock cars is long under way and her ties to IndyCar were cut even further Monday ? she said she won't run in this year's Indy 500.

Her focus is entirely on NASCAR, and on May 27 she'll race in the Coca-Cola 600. She said skipping the Indy 500 was a "business decision."

"I hope to do it in the future, the Indy 500 that is, and maybe it will be a double," she said. "But at this point in time, after a lot of conversations, it's just going to be the Coke 600 and I think it's going to be a big challenge. It's just is something that didn't work out, as far as the business side of things. ... For this year, it just didn't happen."

Patrick led 19 laps late and finished fourth in 2005. She was a career-best third in 2009.

When she jumped full time to NASCAR she said the Indy 500 was still under consideration. Her NASCAR season includes the full second-tier Nationwide Series schedule for JR Motorsports and 10 races in the elite Sprint Cup Series for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Patrick had previously announced eight of her races. The Coca-Cola 600 ? Patrick jokingly called NASCAR's longest event of the season "The Coke 6,000," ? is the ninth announced race. The Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 are both May 27.

"We didn't tell her she couldn't run the 500. It was left up to her," team co-owner Tony Stewart said. "It shows how dedicated she is to making this transition."

Stewart, Robby Gordon and John Andretti have all tried to run both events on the same day. Stewart, NASCAR's three-time champion, completed the double twice: In 1999, he was ninth at Indy and fourth at Charlotte, and in 2001, he was sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte.

He's not tried Indianapolis since, and has let go of his childhood dream of winning the 500. He has twice won the Brickyard 400, NASCAR's race at the storied Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"The hard part for me was you make that decision when you sign up to do (NASCAR)," Stewart said. "The decision you make, you have to come to peace with yourself with saying `I'm not going to do this.' That was my childhood dream anyway. It may be a different scenario and feeling for her. But it was hard knowing when I signed that (NASCAR) contract that I was writing off the opportunity to go race at Indy.

"It's figuring out at the end of the day what do you really want to do. I guess that's the part that even though it was hard to watch opening day of practice at Indianapolis, I'm enjoying what I'm doing, too, and this is what I want to do at the end of the day," he continued. "It makes you want 30-hour days and 400-day years and we always want to do more than what we're capable of doing, but the reality is you have to pick at some point and choose your career path. This is what I've done and what she's doing now."

But Stewart said so long as Indianapolis Motor Speedway makes it logistically possible for Patrick to attempt both races, she may eventually run the race again. He said he has no interest in fielding a car for her, citing how much he's already doing with all his other teams.

The IndyCar Series would also welcome back its most recognizable driver to its biggest event of the season.

"We continue to wish Danica the very best on this new phase in her career. The door is always open should she wish to run the Indianapolis 500 in the future," IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said in a statement.

Patrick has already set some of her expectations for NASCAR, and sounded Monday as if she expects her debut in the Daytona 500 next month to go as well as her debut in the Indianapolis 500. She tested there two weeks ago with new crew chief Greg Zipadelli, and after leading 13 laps at Daytona in last July's Nationwide race, likes her chances in the Feb. 26 season opener.

"At Daytona, the cars are very fast, so I feel good about that race," she said. "I was lucky enough to get to run with Tony in the Nationwide race last summer and that went pretty good, so I feel good about Daytona and I think there's a real chance, if luck falls our way, to perhaps win.
"I think it's a real chance. I mean a guy like Trevor Bayne last year showed that. Those are the expectations for the first race."
Bayne, a rookie last season, was the upset winner of the Daytona 500, which Stewart said was proof that Patrick is a viable contender.
"A rookie won it last year, why would you ever count yourself out?" he asked. "She's a talented driver. Our cars were really fast at Daytona. At that point, I'd have that confidence."
But Stewart is cautious regarding his expectations for Patrick. Although she said she'd like to knock down top-20 finishes in the Cup Series, the car owner was more concerned with Patrick simply turning laps and learning as much as she can before her scheduled full-time move to the Cup in 2013.
"I crashed everything that I drove when I drove the Nationwide cars. We got to the Cup side and it got better, obviously," Stewart said. "But I think looking at it, these 10 races for her this year, for me, it's just finishing the races and just getting the track time. I'm not worried about what her finish is at the end of the day.
"I think the success at the end of the year won't be judged by where the finishing positions are at the end of the day, as much as what she takes away from each race weekend. That's what my goal is for her."
Patrick has higher goals for the Nationwide Series, where she's run 25 races over the last two series. She has three top-10 finishes and one top five, all last season with JRM. The Daytona 500 will be her Cup Series debut.
"With the Nationwide stuff, it very much depends on the individual weekend itself. There are still some tracks that I haven't raced before, so probably a little bit different expectations for those," she said. "But, for the most part, solid top 10s and getting into the top five consistently through the year would be a goal. And I'd like to get to Victory Lane."
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_sp_au_ra_ne/car_indycar_indy500_patrick
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Wealthy hit the skids in Sundance doc 'Versailles' (omg!)

2012-01-23T11:58:00.001-08:00

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) ? Lauren Greenfield's Sundance Film Festival entry "The Queen of Versailles" tells the story of every American in danger of losing a home amid the economic crisis.
The difference is that the home in question was a 90,000-square-foot mansion inspired by the excesses of France's Palace of Versailles.
Greenfield's documentary chronicles the financial success of Florida time-share condominium entrepreneur David Siegel and his wife, Jackie, who set out to build the largest house in America at the height of the real-estate bubble.
When the bubble burst, the Siegels had the same rude awakening as millions of others: They had been living easy on borrowed money they now could not repay.
One of the opening-night films Thursday at the Sundance showcase for independent cinema, "Queen of Versailles" presents an intimate portrait of the Siegels' extreme wealth and the hard fall they took as the markets crashed and money dried up in 2008.
"It is a metaphor for what we have all gone through in the economic crisis, and that's what was really compelling to me about the story," Greenfield said in an interview Friday. "It's not a reality show, it's not a gotcha on the 1 percent. It's really looking at their life in the big, kind of epic size that it is, and having that be a window in which to kind of think about what happened to us all."
Greenfield, a photographer whose debut documentary "Thin" premiered at Sundance in 2006, met Jackie Siegel at a photo shoot for fashion designer Donatella Versace. Siegel, who says in the film that she used to spend $1 million a year on clothes, was one of Versace's best customers, and she and Greenfield hit it off right away.
As Siegel described her life ? flying with her eight children on a private jet, building the biggest home in the country ? Greenfield realized the family was an ideal subject for her long-term photographic project on wealth. Greenfield visited the Siegels to shoot photographs and eventually convinced them to let her document their lives and the construction of the house on film.
The documentary starts out like a twist on "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," revealing the splendor of the 26,000-square-foot home the Siegels occupied and the gaudy grandeur of the palace they were building that would be nearly four times bigger. Greenfield examines the family business, including its crown jewel, a new time-share tower in Las Vegas, and traces the self-made couple's humble origins before rising to wealth.
When the economy went sour, the Siegels allowed Greenfield to continue her shoot. The film follows them down as they are forced to sell assets, fire employees, fight to avoid foreclosure on their unfinished mansion and struggle to hold onto the Vegas tower.
The marriage grows shaky as the Siegels fight over money. Jackie is unable to rein herself in on a colossal Wal-Mart spending spree, while David balls out the family for leaving all the lights on and threatens to let the power company cut off their electricity.
Jackie Siegel attended the Sundance premiere, but her husband did not. David Siegel is suing Greenfield and the Sundance festival, claiming materials used to promote the documentary are defamatory. Greenfield said she could not comment about the lawsuit.
The indulgence of the Siegels' lives seems absurd, sparking hearty laughter at times from the Sundance audience at the film's premiere. David Siegel proudly proclaims that his reason for building his immense house is simply "because I can," while Jackie Siegel is shown dutifully trying to cut back on expenses by flying commercial and renting her own car, then learning to her surprise at the Hertz leasing counter that the vehicle doesn't come with a driver.
Yet despite their wealth and privilege, the Siegels are sympathetic figures. The strain of trying to hold his empire together becomes apparent on David Siegel's face as his interviews with Greenfield progress. Jackie Siegel visits an old friend in danger of losing her own modest house to foreclosure and sends her $5,000 to help fend off the bankers.
"It's got a human element that I think is unexpected for the viewers going in. I think they thought it was going to be a look at the rich or this kind of reality-show craziness about the building of the biggest house in America, and it starts that way and takes you in, and then takes you on this other path that's really about looking at the American dream ? both its virtues and its flaws, and how we all got caught up in that," Greenfield said.
"I remember David said to me in one of the interviews ? I keep thinking about this, and maybe I should have put it in the movie ? he said, 'Money doesn't make you happy. You just can be miserable in a better part of town.'"
___
Online:
http://www.sundance.org
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_wealthy_hit_skids_sundance_doc_versailles223317062/44248819/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/wealthy-hit-skids-sundance-doc-versailles-223317062.html
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Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt trade views on filmmaking (Reuters)

2012-01-23T11:14:00.001-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? They're arguably Hollywood's highest-profile couple, so it's only natural that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would privately discuss the art and business of filmmaking. According to Pitt, they don't always agree.

Speaking with Reuters at Saturday's Producers Guild Awards in Beverly Hills, Pitt said that he and Jolie, who are each busy on both sides of the camera as well as raising six children together, will talk shop at the end of a long day.

"Usually we argue shop every now and then," Pitt said, noting that they tend to differ in their approach. "She's much more decisive, she's much more quick. I've got to see everything. I've got to shop the entire eBay to know exactly what I want and what I need."

When he's stumped, Pitt said, "I'll always go to her and talk it out."

Jolie, who received the guild's Stanley Kramer Award for her directorial debut, "In the Land of Blood and Honey," said Pitt's role as a producer calls for different skills. He produced and starred in "Moneyball," one of the 10 films nominated for the Producers Guild's top prize.

"I had to direct, I think it's different. I think he'd execute properly if he was the director," Jolie said. "But I do like to think of myself as decisive, so I'll take that."

Regarding her first work in the director's chair, a love story set amid the harrowing destruction of the Bosnian War, Jolie said her intention "wasn't to make a political statement against anybody. It was simply to say, 'We must talk about what happened, we must try to learn from what happened, we must try to see humanity on all sides,' and if we can, then we can start to move forward."

On the other hand, Jolie admitted that she was "fascinated" by a political matter somewhat closer to home: the Republican presidential race.

"There's that part of us that's wanting to learn about what's going on, and wanting to see who could possibly be the next president, and taking that very seriously, which it is. And then there's that other part of it that is this strange television ... these characters that we're watching. So you try to kind of separate that," Jolie said, adding that "it goes into the bizarre sometimes."

(Reporting by Phil Furey, writing by Sheri Linden; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/en_nm/us_angelinajolie_bradpitt
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Analysis: Beijing targets trusts to stem shadow banking risks (Reuters)

2012-01-22T22:40:00.001-08:00

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China is intensifying its cat-and-mouse pursuit of the 4 trillion yuan ($635 billion) investment trust industry, with credit risks on the rise as economic growth slows.

The watchdog of the country's 60-strong trust investment firms, the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC), has made clear its disdain for the risks that off-balance sheet lending pose to the financial system, banning trust programs focused on bank-accepted commercial paper.

But Beijing's bans are a way of life for financiers constantly looking for the loopholes in China's tightly-controlled credit markets.

"Trust firms really know how to live with harsh regulation -- when one thing is banned, they can quickly find a new thing and make it big before regulators notice it," Li Yang, the chief analyst for Use Trust, a trust-focused consultancy in Chinese city of Nanchang, told Reuters.

Trust firms raise private capital fund vehicles, typically from high net worth individuals, working hand-in-hand with banks to find investors and distribute products.

Their emergence has been particularly appealing to China's big state-backed lenders who can use trust products to put deposits to work off-balance sheet, bending rather than breaking the rules on strict lending limits laid down by Beijing.

The seemingly-permanent shortage of official bank loans for the small firms that generate around 80 percent of the jobs in China, as well as negative real interest rates on bank deposits, has generated soaring demand for trust products.

Annual yields of 9 percent versus bank deposit rates of 3.5 percent and inflation that averaged 5.4 percent in 2011 have tempted a wide range of investors, even those who struggle to meet minimum investment rules of millions of yuan, designed to keep the general public out of the often risky enterprises.

"Sales are possibly the easiest part of managing a trust investment firm. You just print out the brochure and clients will knock at the door," Li said.

"The real tough job is to find right investment project that offers good returns."

FEAR OF FRENZY

Regulators fear a return to the experience of the late 1980s, when at the industry's peak China had more than 1,000 trust firms and a host of investment-fed asset bubbles, moral hazards and systemic risks that ultimately led to, at the time, the biggest bankruptcy in Chinese history.

The People's Bank of China, and later CBRC, clamped down aggressively. New rules from the CBRC since, such as no deposit-taking and no direct investment in property, have calmed the most unruly sector in China's financial world.

Still, trusts have boomed under the new rules.

Investment trust assets were worth 4.1 trillion yuan as the end of September 2011, up from 350 billion yuan at the end of 2006, according to figures from the China Trustee Association.

Analysts believe as much as 2 trillion yuan of credit has been extended by trusts, fuelling a shadow banking system that lends outside the scope of CBRC bank credit rules.

"Regulators can't tolerate banks which run under their radar," said a trust industry official in Shanghai who declined to be identified.

Patience has been stretched to the breaking point, as January's ban on trust programs focused on bank-accepted commercial paper demonstrated.
"Default risks in bank accepted commercial paper are almost zero, but regulators just can't tolerate the bank practices of taking credit off their balance sheet," Li with Use Trust said.
On the other hand, the CBRC will be acutely sensitive to the risk of cutting off regulated alternatives to bank credit as the economy slows and small firms struggle for cash.
"Trust companies have a lot of smart business plans and are always one step ahead of spotting the next money making market. I don't think the CBRC is very willing to tell them what they can or can't do, but feels it has to because of the current economic environment," Hao Wang, a partner at Beijing law firm Rayyin & Partners.
ESCHEWING SCANDAL
The last thing China's top leadership will want in the run-up to a political handover later in 2012 is another Wenzhou-style scandal, where a flurry of local entrepreneurs fled into hiding last year to escape the loan sharks they'd been forced to borrow from in the face of falling credit from big banks.
Premier Wen Jiabao was ultimately forced to step in and pledge to improve credit conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"The regulators know how important the shadow banking sector is in providing much needed non-bank capital funding for China's entrepreneurial SME market," said David Olsson, head of law firm Malleson's banking and finance practice in Beijing.
But there are big risks to manage, particularly in the property sector which has been a lucrative area for trusts as bank credit for property ventures has evaporated.
China International Capital Corp reckons Chinese property firms need to pay back 250 billion yuan in 2012 of an estimated 310 billion yuan owed to trust investors -- a daunting task for developers who had turned to the trusts because they were already struggling for cash.
Risks are imminent, CICC warns.
It's a delicate balance, Olsson said, and one likely to lead to more innovation.
"On one hand you're seeing these measures against trust companies which seem quite strict, but on the other hand you're starting to see much more commentary about the need to have a more considered plan for the development of the financial markets," he said.
"The trust companies are all looking a lot more actively at new ways to generate business. There are a lot of foreign financial institutions now working with the trust companies and there are quite a lot of discussions going on about how to bring in more international know-how to help them undertake different forms of businesses that they hadn't previously thought about."
($1 = 6.3120 Chinese yuan)
(Additional reporting by Rachel Armstrong in Singapore; Editing by Kim Coghill)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/bs_nm/us_china_economy_trusts
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Docs more likely to suspect abuse in poor kids (Reuters)

2012-01-22T22:11:00.001-08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) ? When a toddler has a broken bone, pediatricians may be more likely to suspect abuse if the family is lower-income, a new study finds.

Researchers found that pediatricians who read a fictional case report of a toddler with a leg fracture were more likely to suspect abuse if the child was described as coming from a lower-income family.

The hypothetical child's race, on the other hand, did not appear to influence doctors' opinions.

The second finding is somewhat surprising, according to the researchers. Studies looking at real-world cases have found that minority children are more likely to be evaluated for abuse than white children are.

And it's well known that the child welfare system in the U.S. has a disproportionate number of minority kids.

"There's very strong evidence of a racial difference in how patients are handled," said lead researcher Dr. Antoinette L. Laskey, a pediatrician at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.

But, she told Reuters Health, the reasons for that have not been clear -- including whether doctors may act based on unconscious racial stereotypes.

The current results suggest "there's more than race involved," Laskey said.

She was also quick to say, however, that the study doesn't mean pediatricians are consciously "classist" or otherwise biased when evaluating children's injuries.

The study, reported in the Journal of Pediatrics, included 2,100 U.S. pediatricians who responded to a survey that described one of four hypothetical cases.

All cases included an 18-month-old with an "ambiguous" leg fracture -- a type that can be caused by abuse or an accident.

But the cases varied by the child's race (black or white) and the family's economic situation; parents were described as having either professional jobs (accountant and bank manager) or working-class jobs (grocery clerk and factory worker).

Race had little effect on the doctors' responses. The study found that when the child was black, 45 percent of doctors believed there had "possibly" or "almost certainly" been abuse; another 32 percent were "unsure." If the child was white, 46 percent of pediatricians suspected abuse, with 28 percent saying they were unsure.

In contrast, there was evidence that parents' job descriptions swayed doctors' opinions.

When the child's family was lower-income, 48 percent of pediatricians thought there'd been abuse, versus 43 percent when the family was higher-income.

It's hard to know whether doctors' responses to a fictional case would be the same in real life.

And it's not clear, according to Laskey, whether attitudes about socioeconomic status might explain some of the racial differences in child abuse reporting seen in earlier studies.

She also stressed that she does not think pediatricians are consciously basing their diagnoses on parents' job titles. But in general, unconscious stereotypes can influence anyone's thinking.
"People tend to think that child abuse, or domestic violence, doesn't happen in upper-middle-class families, but of course it does," Laskey said.
It's important, she said, for doctors to be aware that unconscious generalizations could get in the way of diagnosing child abuse -- either missing it in kids from affluent families, or over-diagnosing it in children from poorer or minority families.
"My big take-home message for doctors is that we need to rely on the objective data," Laskey said.
It is true that studies have found children in poorer families to be at greater risk of abuse. But the poverty, itself, is not a "causative factor," Laskey said.
"Race and socioeconomic status shouldn't be things used in a diagnosis of abuse," she said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/wVlYrX Journal of Pediatrics, online January 5, 2012.
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/hl_nm/us_docs_abuse
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Mild winter offers break from high heating costs (AP)

2012-01-22T09:44:00.001-08:00

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. ? Ashley Tatum was three months behind on utility payments after leaving her job at a coffee shop because of pregnancy complications. The mother of two owed $648, and the tough economy did not offer many options.

The Milwaukee resident had one small reason to hope: The winter has been mild and her heating bills low, offering an unexpected chance to catch up on overdue payments.

"It was helpful because then I wouldn't have to stress about getting all this extra money," she said.

Although there have been some cold snaps and storms, the moderate weather has been a boon to millions of Americans, allowing them to save money on snow removal and permitting outdoor activities to continue well beyond autumn. But few have been more grateful than low-income families, who are getting a break from high heating costs.

Tatum first noticed the lower charges in November. Her bill covering most of December was $164, less than half the price from a year earlier.

"I was surprised," Tatum said. "I called my sister and said, `Girl, is your bill cheaper, too?' I'm happy that we had those nice warm days."

Initially, forecasters made grim predictions that this winter could rival or exceed the cold, snowy assault of 2010-11. But average temperatures have been well above normal across the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Combined with a lack of snow and ice, the unseasonable conditions have been a blessing for many families who normally devote much of their budgets to natural gas, propane or heating oil.

In Michigan, temperatures have been 15 percent above normal since October, and plentiful fuel supplies are driving down natural gas prices.

"It's helping all customers," said Judy Palnau, spokeswoman for the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Utility company Consumers Energy says its 1.7 million natural gas customers in Michigan are paying about 20 percent less than a year ago. The average residential bill for January will be $112, down from about $140.

Marc Ryan of Traverse City is living in a friend's trailer for the winter. His latest utility bill was for $90 ? about $25 less than last year.

"It's not a lot, but 25 bucks is 25 bucks," Ryan said. "It's half a tank of gas in my pickup truck. I'll take that."

Advocacy groups and government agencies agree the weather has been helpful ? to a point. Demand for heating assistance remains high, they say, partly because so many Americans are unemployed or working at low-paying jobs.

Congress in December slashed the federal program that provides low-income heating and utility subsidies from $4.7 billion to $3.5 billion for this year. But because of the moderate weather, assistance agencies that had been turning people away now have money to give.

Still, many recipients will be getting less. Minnesota's average grant is now $400, down from $500 to $600 a year ago. The state is helping 190,000 households with heating expenses ? more than last year, despite a 23 percent drop in federal payments.

"There are households that are calling. They're wondering, `What are we going to do? The grant I was provided will barely get me one fill of my propane tank,'" said Judd Schultz, housing director for Minnesota Valley Action Council, one of 28 nonprofit agencies through which the money is distributed.

In Indianapolis, employment coach Janice Duffey of Southeast Community Services said she's been flooded with calls for heating help and expects no letup anytime soon.

"The weather could go berserk in a week," Duffey said.
The owner of an oil company in Scarborough, Maine, said heating oil usage among his customers dropped about 25 percent in November and 18 to 20 percent in December.
Les Thomas, who runs Cash Energy, has two tanks in his house. "I've usually filled them up again around Christmastime," he said. This year, he didn't need to.
One couple's oil supply lasted so long that they stopped checking it regularly.
"I got home last night and realized my tank was just about empty. It's been so warm, I forgot about our oil," said Angie Tapper, a waitress who lives with her husband in Lewiston, Maine.
She also got used to having some extra money. "It's been a welcome break for our bank account," she said.
Still, Tapper knows there's still plenty of winter ahead.
"I've got to get into a January-February mindset," she said, "until I see flowers."
___
Associated Press writers Carrie Antlfinger in Milwaukee; Kathy Barks Hoffman in Lansing, Mich.; Corey Williams in Detroit; Carrie Schedler in Indianapolis; Alexandra Tempus in Minneapolis; and Glenn Adams in Augusta, Maine, contributed to this report.
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_re_us/us_mild_winter_cheap_heat
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6 Marines die in Afghanistan helicopter crash

2012-01-22T09:11:00.001-08:00

Six United States Marines were killed when their helicopter went down in Southern Afghanistan. An investigation is under way, but U.S. military officials say there was no evidence of enemy activity in the area. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.
By NBC News and news services
Updated at 3:33 a.m. ET: A helicopter crash in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan killed six U.S. Marines, the NATO?military command in Kabul told NBC News early Friday.
Officials said?there were no signs of enemy activity in the area at time of the crash.

The Marines have a substantial presence in Helmand province.

"We are still in the process of gathering more information on the incident," an official told Reuters.
It is the worst crash since last August?when 30 soldiers, including 22 elite Navy SEAL commandos, died when their helicopter came down in eastern Afghanistan.

The Helmand helicopter crash occurred on the same day seven civilians were killed outside a crowded gate at Kandahar Air Field, a sprawling base for U.S. and NATO operations, after a suicide attacker set off a vehicle laden with explosives. The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying?they were targeting a NATO convoy.
On Wednesday, 13 civilians, including three Afghan policemen, were killed when a suicide attacker blew himself up in a bazaar in? Helmand province. At least 22 others were wounded in the blast in Kajaki district.
????More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

NBC News, The Associated Press?and Reuters contributed to this report.
Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/19/10194355-6-marines-die-in-afghanistan-helicopter-crash
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Tragic saga ends with death of Ga. child killer (AP)

2012-01-21T20:45:00.001-08:00

ATLANTA ? In an abrupt end to an already tragic saga, a 20-year-old maintenance man was found dead in an apparent suicide in a Georgia prison, just two days after pleading guilty to molesting and killing a little girl.

Ryan Brunn took the witness stand Tuesday and, in chilling detail, explained how he lured 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera to a vacant apartment in an Atlanta suburb, molested her, stabbed her to death and then stuffed her body in a trash compactor.

That day, in a move that surprised even veteran law enforcement officials, he entered a guilty plea to Rivera's Dec. 2 killing at the complex in Canton, Ga., where she lived and he had worked for about a month. Two days later, corrections officials said he apparently took his life at the state prison in Jackson, Ga.

Brunn was found unresponsive at 4:15 p.m. Thursday and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:37 p.m., corrections spokeswoman Kristen Stancil said. She wouldn't comment on how he died or whether prison officials had taken precautionary measures to monitor him, such as putting him on suicide watch.

An autopsy likely would be conducted Friday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's medical examiner's office, GBI spokesman John Bankhead said. He said GBI agents are investigating Brunn's death.

Oddly enough, Brunn's guilty plea was designed to spare him the possibility of being executed and save Rivera's family the emotional trauma of an extended trial. Vernon Keenan, chief of the GBI, also said the guilty plea gave his agents a unique opportunity to delve into the mind of a "cold and calculated killer."

After entering the plea, Brunn briefly apologized to the girl's family members, who sobbed quietly in the front row of the courtroom. He was swiftly sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The girl's mother, Jocelyn Rivera, said in a statement at the hearing she hoped Brunn suffered for his crime. After learning of his death on Thursday, she expressed relief.

"This is the kind of justice that I was expecting for him for all the damage that he made to my little daughter," Jocelyn Rivera said, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Now, I can say that I feel satisfied."

Brunn's defense attorney, David Cannon, did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Cherokee County District Attorney Garry Moss also did not immediately return a call.

The case prompted the resignation of Canton police Chief Jeff Lance, after a scathing report found he took a "laid back" approach to the search for Rivera. The 17-page review revealed Lance's department violated several of its own policies during the search for Rivera, city manager Scott Wood said Thursday.

The inquiry said there was little doubt Rivera was already dead by the time Canton police received the missing child report. But it said if another such report were handled in the same manner, police "may indeed miss an opportunity to save a victim's life."

The review found that the officer who responded to the initial call treated the case as a routine one that "would be solved in the same manner as dozens of other such cases that the agency had handled in 2011."

Local officers arriving to search for Rivera failed to activate their dash-board cameras to record the scene, failed to immediately determine if any sexual predators lived or worked nearby, and didn't report her case to a national registry until almost a day after she went missing, the report said.

The report said Lance, who didn't respond to requests for comment, didn't arrive at the apartment complex until around 10:15 a.m. the next morning ? about 17 hours after the child was last seen. When he did arrive, it said he was talking to several other officers about the "Georgia game" and eventually turned the TV to a football game.

"Personnel present at the scene frequently characterized the chief's level of concern as `laid back,'" the report said.

Wood, the city manager, said the review should answer questions that were raised about the policies and procedures of the department, which has 48 sworn officers.

"Although sadly the family must still deal with the heartache and loss of this young child, from a legal perspective the matter has now been fully concluded," he said in a statement.
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_us/us_playground_abduction
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