Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Government steps up Jeep Liberty air bag probe

(AP) ? Federal safety regulators have stepped up their investigation into the Jeep Liberty SUV after 50 people reported they were hurt when the air bags inflated even though the vehicle wasn't involved in a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started investigating Liberty SUVs made by Chrysler Group LLC from the 2002 and 2003 model years in September. The investigation was upgraded to a full engineering analysis last week.

Documents on the agency website say Chrysler and regulators have gotten 87 complaints of air bags going off by surprise. Nearly 387,000 vehicles are under investigation.

Drivers reported burns, cuts and bruises. No deaths have occurred.

Forty-two of the incidents involved the driver's front air bag, with the remaining 45 cases involving both the driver and front passenger air bags, the documents said. The incidents occurred as the vehicle was being started and while it was being driven. The agency said some of the Liberty owners reported that the air bag warning light illuminated just before the air bags were inflated. But others reported that they didn't see any warning light.

NHTSA said in the documents that Chrysler inspected the air bag control computer chip and found that it fails due to a possible electrical voltage spike.

The company says no incidents have happened in vehicles made after March 19, 2003. But regulators say Chrysler can't explain that, so they are starting an engineering analysis.

Chrysler spokesman Vince Muniga said Monday that the company is fully cooperating with NHTSA and is trying to determine the cause of the problem. He said he has asked company engineers about what owners of the SUVs should do if they fear the air bag might inflate unexpectedly, but he has not received a reply.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-30-Chrysler-Jeep%20Airbags/id-b467d5d3460e40ebabd7942de981b3fa

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Video: Volatility on the Rise? What You Should Do

David Wright, Sierra Investment Mgmt., and Joe Quinlan, U.S. Trust., debate whether it's time to get more defensive as stocks start the week on a bumpy ride.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46194277/

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Oil near $99 in Asia on Greece debt concern (AP)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia ? Oil fell to nearly $99 a barrel Monday in Asia amid fresh concerns that the eurozone may refuse to grant Greece a fresh bailout.

Benchmark crude for March delivery was down 42 cents at $99.14 a barrel at midday Kuala Lumpur time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 14 cents to finish at $99.56 on Friday.

Victor Shum, an energy analyst with Purvin & Gertz in Singapore, said crude prices were volatile after Germany's finance minister warned that the eurozone might not give Greece a fresh bailout unless it can overhaul its state and economy. Analysts fear this could reignite the region's debt crisis.

European leaders were to meet later Monday in Brussels to discuss austerity measures and a tentative deal reached Saturday between Greece and its private investors to avert a disastrous Greek default on its debt.

Shum said supply concerns also weighed on the market although Iran has postponed plans to immediately cut the flow of crude oil to Europe in retaliation for EU sanctions over its nuclear program.

Iran also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil passage, and the head of its national oil company warned Sunday that EU sanctions could push oil prices up to between $120 and $150 a barrel. The market is also awaiting report from an International Atomic Energy Agency team that is currently touring Tehran, Shum said.

"Trade has been flat. The geopolitical tension in Iran and concerns over Greece's debt default are driving oil in different directions. This has helped oil to hold steady," Shum added.

In other energy trading, heating oil rose 1 cent to $3.07 per gallon but gasoline futures were steady at $2.92 per gallon. Natural gas added 7 cents to $2.82 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_as/oil_prices

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

US citizen kidnapped in Nigeria returns to US (AP)

ATLANTA ? A U.S. citizen kidnapped by gunmen in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta returned to Georgia on Sunday after being held captive for a week, his family said.

William Gregory Ock arrived in Atlanta on Sunday morning to a warm greeting from family and friends, said his sister-in-law Tamara Lane. She said Ock, 50, is feeling well but not yet ready to talk about his experience.

"We're all very excited. We had a big turnout for him, and he looks great," Lane said. "We just hope he gets some good rest."

U.S. Embassy officials said Ock was released after being captured in Warri in Delta state on Jan. 20 but declined to offer further details, citing privacy rules.

It wasn't immediately clear whether a ransom had been paid to secure his release, although many companies in the region carry kidnap insurance. Authorities say kidnappers had previously demanded a $330,000 ransom for Ock's safe return.

The attack took place outside a bank branch in Warri, one of the main cities in the Niger Delta, an oil-rich region where foreign firms pump 2.4 million barrels of crude oil a day. The gunmen ambushed Ock as he came outside, fatally shot his police escort and then abducted him, said Charles Muka, a Delta state police spokesman.

He said investigators suspect the gunmen trailed him for some time before the attack, one of several recent assaults targeting foreign workers. A recent U.S. State Department travel advisory said there were five reported kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Nigeria in 2011.

Lane said Ock and his family are grateful for all the help they received during this ordeal.

"The family just wishes to thank everybody for their well wishes, prayers and thoughts," Lane said. "We have had such amazing support."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_us/us_nigeria_oil_unrest

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Cars circle central Moscow in anti-Putin protest (AP)

MOSCOW ? Thousands of cars flying white ribbons or white balloons circled central Moscow on Sunday in a show of protest against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The cars jammed the inner lanes all along the 16-kilometer (nearly 10-mile) Garden Ring, which has as many as 16 lanes of traffic at its widest points. More protesters stood along the side of the road waving white ribbons and flags as the cars passed, their horns blaring.

White ribbons became an opposition symbol during demonstrations to protest alleged fraud in a Dec. 4 parliamentary election said to have boosted the results for Putin's party.

Tens of thousands turned out for two mass protests last month to demand free and fair elections, and protest organizers are now preparing for a third big demonstration on Saturday.

Putin is running in a March 4 presidential election to reclaim the post he held from 2000 to 2008. He is expected to win, but is under pressure to show he can win fairly.

Sunday's action was seen as helping to build momentum for the protest movement and it provided another outlet for the creativity that has been a defining feature of the demonstrations.

While most drivers were content to tie white ribbons and balloons to their car antennas, sideview mirrors and door handles, some decorated their vehicles with original signs and banners.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_opposition

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Belkin ScreenCast


More and more laptops equipped with Intel's second-generation Core processors offer a nifty perk for presentation givers and multimedia buffs: Wireless Display or WiDi, which beams the laptop's display and audio to a living-room HDTV or conference-room monitor with no cords or cables required. What is required, however, is a WiDi adapter or receiver connected to the TV, and Belkin has a fine example in the ScreenCast TV Adapter for Intel Wireless Display ($129.99 list). It's one of the most effective and easiest-to-use accessories we've seen, and as such, it's our Editors' Choice for WiDi adapters.

An alternative to the arguably better-known (or at least more promoted by Best Buy and, mea culpa, more often mentioned by PCMag) Netgear Push2TV HD (4 stars, $99.99 list), the ScreenCast is a similar black plastic box about the size of a trade paperback. It plugs into a TV or monitor using an HDMI cable (supplied) or three-pronged RCA cable (not supplied), and also into an AC outlet using a provided adapter.

Setup takes under a minute if you dawdle; the Belkin device even shaves a few seconds off the Netgear Push2TV setup time by shipping with its HDMI and power cables already connected. Once you've plugged the ScreenCast in, tune your TV to the proper video input (such as HDMI 2 or HDMI 3); after a few seconds, a "Ready for connection" screen will tell you to launch the WiDi software on your laptop. The latter will scan for adapters and find the ScreenCast. Double-click on it, and you'll be prompted for one-time entry of a four-digit security code that appears on the TV screen. Then you can rename the adapter to something descriptive such as "Living Room" or "Conference Room C."

Pressing the Windows key and P, as with a projector or other external monitor, lets you choose whether to duplicate the notebook's display on the TV or extend the desktop across both so you can, say, drag a Windows Media Player or WinDVD movie to the big screen while checking e-mail on the laptop.

The only thing that might be a little daunting for nontechnical users is keeping up with Intel's updates. Our test unit automatically noticed and installed a firmware update, and Belkin suggests making sure you've got the latest WiFi and graphics drivers and WiDi software to enjoy the latest capabilities.

Those capabilities include HDCP support for copy-protected as well as unprotected video content, meaning you can stream a DVD or Blu-ray title across the room at full 1080p resolution with 5.1 surround sound. PC Labs' Blu-ray of Ghostbusters, popped into a Toshiba Satellite P745-S4320 notebook, looked and sounded great on a 75-inch Sharp HDTV, as did 1080p video clips from YouTube and the Labs' collection. There were no latency problems or stutters at distances ranging from 5 to 15 feet, apart from a couple of buffering moments with the YouTube clips that were almost certainly ordinary cases of WiFi rather than WiDi latency.

Indeed, whereas our reviewer noticed some slight mouse and keyboard lag with the Push2TV, I couldn't make that complaint about the ScreenCast: Rather than "typing on the laptop's keyboard and watching the letters appear a millisecond (or two) later," text on the TV kept up with my utmost typing speed. Credit probably goes to driver updates since that June 2011 review (or your being a slower typist?Ed.), but it's another way the Belkin proved trouble-free. Actually, the only improvement the ScreenCast could use is a small price cut: At $129.99, its list price is $30 higher than its Netgear rival's, though we easily found online resellers offering it for around $100.

Just as the number of laptops with WiDi 2.1 is growing, it seems likely that more and more HDTVs will soon have WiDi receivers built in; Intel and LG announced last month that the latter's Cinema 3D Smart TVs will be so equipped in 2012. Even then, the Belkin ScreenCast earns an Editors' Choice nod as a sensational way to stream content to or just enjoy working on a big screen from the comfort of your couch.

More Media Hub & Receiver reviews:
??? Belkin ScreenCast
??? Netgear NeoTV NTV550
??? Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player (NSZ-GT1)
??? Roku LT
??? Grace Digital Victoria Nostalgic Internet Radio
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/UNRJqBFJqWY/0,2817,2399461,00.asp

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PocketCPR app by the British Heart Foundation hits the App Store

The British Heart Foundation has released an app that provides detailed instruction on how to give CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) should the need ever arise. Performing CPR could save the life of a friend or relative and is a practice everyone should know how to perform.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/bbVUzj0DwJA/story01.htm

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Nadal tops Federer in Australian Open semifinal (AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia ? Rafael Nadal outlasted Roger Federer 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4 in an Australian Open semifinal on Thursday night, the longtime rivals playing with the intensity normally displayed when meeting in a Grand Slam final.

The stars who met in eight Grand Slam finals were on the same side of the draw for the first time at a major since 2005.

Two weeks ago, Nadal injured his right knee and wasn't sure he'd be able to start the tournament. Now, he can barely believe he's in the final.

"If you tell me that two Sundays ago, I really cannot imagine," Nadal said. "For me, it's a dream to be back in a final of the Australian Open."

Nadal will have the opportunity to win another championship on Sunday night when the Spanish left-hander plays the winner of the semifinal Friday between defending champion Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Earlier Thursday, Maria Sharapova overcame Petra Kvitova to advance to the women's final against Victoria Azarenka. Sharapova broke Kvitova's serve in the last game to finish off a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory and the third-seeded Azarenka beat defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 to set up a Saturday night final at Rod Laver Arena that will decide the No. 1 ranking.

Nadal, who holds a 6-2 edge in Grand Slam finals against Federer, made the key service break in the ninth game of the fourth set, making an incredible cross-court forehand winner from well behind the baseline, then watching as Federer hit a backhand wide to give Nadal a 5-4 lead.

Serving for the match, Nadal moved two points away from the win when Federer sent a backhand long. He won on his second match point when Federer floated a forehand long.

At the end, Nadal smashed a ball up high in the stadium, almost clearing the roof. He then applauded along with the crowd when Federer walked off.

The 25-year-old Spaniard won the 2009 Australian title but lost in the quarterfinals in his next two trips to Melbourne Park. Federer hasn't added to his record 16 Grand Slam titles since he won the 2010 Australian Open.

"I thought Rafa played well from start to finish," Federer said. "It was a tough match physically as well. I'm disappointed, but it's only the beginning of the season. I'm feeling all right, so it's OK."

When the often enthralling play was suspended for 10 minutes late in the second set for an Australian Day fireworks display, Federer seemed to be affected most. Nadal led 5-2 at the time, and Federer lost his serve in the next game to give the Spaniard the set. In all, the Swiss dropped 11 points in a row.

"It's tough, it's not helpful, that's for sure," Federer said of the break for the fireworks. "They told us before, so it was no surprise. But I knew it was a lot of points in a row that I lost."

The capacity, 15,000-strong crowd was evenly split in its support, with the names seeming to blur after the R in rival chants.

Each time somebody called out for Rafa, it was met by a response for Roger. The cheers were just as loud for Nadal's scrambling, sometimes astonishing, passing shots as for Federer's deft winners.

With the players on serve in the second set, Nadal went so far wide on a Federer return that he was near the side wall of the arena. Incredibly, he stretched wide and returned the ball crosscourt for a winner. That set up three break points and Nadal clinched the game to take a 4-2 lead in the second set.

Federer saved a set point in the 11th game of the third set that eventually forced a tiebreaker. But Federer made three unforced errors in the tiebreaker to give Nadal a 6-1 lead, and the Spaniard eventually clinched the set on his last opportunity of five set points.

"Please win the point, that's all," Nadal recalled when asked what he was telling himself at 6-5 in the tiebreaker. "I was very, very nervous at that moment. Losing four set points in a row is tough, especially when you play the toughest in history."

Clijsters was in the crowd, only hours after her title defense ended. And Ivan Lendl was at Rod Laver Arena for a second night, scouting opponents again as Murray's coach. So were former Australian greats Laver, Ken Rosewall and Pat Rafter.

Sharapova lost to second-ranked Kvitova in the Wimbledon final last year, her first major final since returning from an injury layoff following a shoulder operation in 2008. She has won three majors, but none since the 2008 Australian Open.

"In the third set, I felt she always had the advantage because I was always down on my serve," said Sharapova, who served five double-faults in the third set and 10 in the match. "I just told myself 'You just gotta go for it, don't let her finish off the points like she likes to.'"

Azarenka won the first semifinal after twice recovering from periods when a resurgent Clijsters seemed to have the upper hand, to secure victory in only her second appearance in a major semifinal.

"I felt like my hand is about 200 kilograms and my body is about 1,000 and everything is shaking, but that feeling when you finally win is such a relief. My God, I cannot believe it's over. I just want to cry," Azarenka said as she choked back tears, then buried her face in a towel.

Clijsters is popular in Australia, where she's widely known as "Aussie Kim" after dating Lleyton Hewitt years ago. She had most of the backing from the crowd on the national holiday in what is likely to be her last Australian Open.

Azarenka held her nerve despite the crowd and playing against a proven big-match player. Clijsters has won four majors and has defended a Grand Slam title ? winning the U.S. Open in 2009 and '10. To reach the semifinals, the Belgian saved four match points despite a sprained ankle to beat French Open champion Li Na in the fourth round and beat top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.

"I guess before you all thought I was a mental case," Azarenka said in a courtside interview. "I was just young and emotional. I'm really glad the way I fight, that's the most thing I'm really proud of. I fight for every ball."

Wozniacki will vacate top spot in next week's rankings after her quarterfinal loss, leaving either No. 3 Azarenka and No. 4 Sharapova a chance to move to the top.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_sp_te_ga_su/ten_australian_open

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Eurpean Union test case: stop Hungary from backsliding on democracy

It's hard to love the EU ? bureaucratic, legalistic, mired in gridlock. The euro crisis hasn't earned it much praise lately, either. But the EU still has vital clout. It can help force member states like Hungary to stick to democracy, rather than backslide into dictatorship.

It is hard to love the European Union. Bureaucratic and legalistic, often mired in gridlock, it is little wonder that the EU has such trouble winning over the hearts and minds of European citizens or inspiring confidence internationally. The eurozone crisis has made all of this worse, with skeptics questioning whether the common currency or the EU itself will survive. But the EU?s mounting conflict with the Hungarian government reminds us why this union of 27 democratic nations remains so vital.

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In 2010, Viktor Orb?n and his party, Fidesz, won over two-thirds of the seats in Hungary?s parliament ? a majority large enough to amend the Hungarian Constitution. Since then, the Orb?n government has pushed through a slew of laws, constitutional amendments, and institutional reforms designed to remove any checks on his government and to consolidate his party?s hold on power for years to come.

The Orb?n government has passed laws attacking freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the independence of the judiciary, and the independence of Hungary?s central bank. They replaced Hungary?s previous electoral system with a new system designed to strongly favor Fidesz.

On Jan. 1, 2012, a new constitution went into effect ? a constitution designed to perpetuate Fidesz?s hold on power. The new constitution requires that laws in many key areas of public policy can only be changed by a two-thirds super-majority in parliament. Fidesz can use its current two-thirds majority to pass laws that future governments ? holding only a simple majority ? will be unable to change.

Moreover, the new constitution establishes extremely long terms of office for key positions in government, including the public prosecutor and heads of the new budget council, media board, and national judicial office. These positions have been staffed with Fidesz party loyalists who will remain in office for years, regardless of the outcome of the next election.

In December, as international criticism of his government?s actions mounted, Mr. Orb?n declared that no one in the world could tell the Hungarian parliament which laws to pass and which not to. Fortunately, he is wrong. In his bluster, Orb?n ignored the fact that Hungary has joined the European Union, making it subject to European law. Ultimately, the European Court of Justice can tell Hungary when its laws are unacceptable.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/RtfbW_jL8DQ/Eurpean-Union-test-case-stop-Hungary-from-backsliding-on-democracy

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Israel sets sights on next-generation Internet (AP)

JERUSALEM ? Israel is often referred to as "Startup Nation," thanks to its long history of high-tech breakthroughs produced by scrappy little companies. But in one critical area, the speed of Internet connections, Israel has fallen behind other tech-savvy countries.

In the coming months, Israel's state-owned electric company hopes to change this by rolling out a nationwide, high-speed broadband network. Exploiting the small size of the densely populated country, the effort aims to put Israel at the forefront of the next generation of Internet technology.

Experts say the fiber-optic lines can provide connections of 10 to 100 times current speeds, transforming the way the Internet is used in such areas as entertainment, business and health care.

"All the developing countries that have a vision for 10 years ahead, or 20 years ahead, understand that the name of the game will be communications, broadband communications, very fast communications," said Tzvi Harpak, the electric company's senior vice president for logistics.

The technology is known as "fiber to the home," or FTTH. Using fiber optic lines, it can provide connection speeds of 100 megabits to a blazing 1 gigabit per second. Today, the typical broadband user in the developed world connects at five to 10 megabits using older cable and DSL connections.

Oliver Johnson, chief executive of British research firm Point Topic, said FTTH technology is the "gold standard" of the next generation of broadband service. Although cable and DSL lines can be upgraded to higher speeds, FTTH has smoother transmission of data and a much higher upside in terms of speed, he said.

"It's easier to go higher. It's future-proofed," he said.

The added bandwidth could transform the way the Internet is used. Massive video files will be downloaded instantly, opening the door for high-definition and 3D movies to be delivered more easily.

Since the system will have equally fast upload speeds, individuals or businesses will also be able to deliver pictures, videos and other large files. In South Korea, where FTTH lines are common, users rave of the lightning fast downloads and crystal clear Skype connections.

This could mean much-improved videoconferences in the workplace, easy sharing of information in complicated engineering tasks, doctors monitoring their patients or assisting in operations by long distance. It will also likely speed up the migration of information, photos and video from personal computers to the "cloud," making it easy for users to access their information from any Internet connection.

Around the world, decision-makers are reaching the conclusion that faster connections will be essential for economic growth. A number of countries are engaged in a gold rush of sorts as they build new networks with FTTH technology.

"Everyone feels that bandwidth will be this commodity down the road. If you don't have it, you'll be out of luck," said David St. John, spokesman for the FTTH Council, an industry trade group based in the U.S.

FTTH technology was introduced more than a decade ago, but adoption has generally been slow because of its high costs. As costs have gradually come down, particularly in densely populated areas, it has begun to take off. And when new networks are rolled out, it makes more sense to go with the new technology.

According to the council, heavily urbanized South Korea leads the world with just over half of households connected to FTTH lines, followed by Japan and Hong Kong, both at about 40 percent. In the U.S., about 7.1 million homes, or 6.6 percent, have the technology through services like Verizon's FiOS.

Not surprisingly, South Korea leads the world in average broadband connection speed at 13.8 mbps, followed by Hong Kong and Japan, according to Akamai Technologies Inc.'s closely watched "State of the Internet" report. The U.S. is ranked 16th.

Israel, dominated by DSL and cable broadband services, is No. 28, with an average connection speed of about 4.5 megabits per second. According to Point Topic, 92 percent of Israeli homes have broadband connections, a respectable number but only about 19th in the world.

Despite its small size, Israel is one of the world's leading high-tech centers.

Israeli companies have created leading products in areas such as security software, instant messaging and e-commerce. Microsoft Corp., Intel Corp. and other technology giants maintain operations here, and Apple Inc. is reportedly planning its first overseas development center in Israel. Akamai itself was co-founded by an Israeli-American.

With so much at stake, it is not surprising the government is backing Israel Electric Corp.'s effort to roll out the fiber-optic network.

"Providing high-quality, fiber-to-the-home bandwidth for consumers all over Israel (especially in peripheral areas) is a national interest as it promotes economic growth, education, provision of government services, social welfare," said Eden Bar-Tal, the director general of Israel's Communications Ministry.

Despite the relatively late start, Israel is well-positioned to quickly join the world's leaders. About 92 percent of the 7.8 million people live in urban areas, according to government statistics, making it easier to connect large numbers of people relatively quickly.

The electric company also has a key advantage in being able to build on top of its existing infrastructure of overhead wires. That avoids the costly process of having to dig up existing cables or laying down new wires.

It hopes to have 10 percent of the country wired by next year, and two-thirds of the country covered within seven years.

If Israel can stick to that schedule, it would be "among the leading countries" in terms of deployment, said St. John of the trade council.

Harpak, of the electric company, said IEC is seeking bids from potential partners to help build the network. Companies have until Jan. 31 to submit their business plans.

Under guidelines set by the government, the partner will hold a 51 percent stake in the new company, while the electric company will hold a 49 percent stake. Bidding starts at 300 million shekels, or around $75 million, said Harpak, who is heading the election committee that will choose the new partner.

The election committee will review the proposals and hold an online auction by midyear to select its partner, Harpak said.

IEC is banned from identifying any of the potential suitors, but local media reports have said Telecom Italia SpA, BT Group PLC and local companies Elbit Systems Ltd., Rapac Communication & Infrastructure Ltd. and private equity firm Tamares are all in the running.

The new company is to build the infrastructure, while allowing Internet service providers to actually market the service to consumers.

"There's been quite a lot of interest," said Philippe Guez, Managing Director at Rothschild, the investment bank that is acting as the financial adviser to the election committee. "We believe and hope the government and the Israel Electric Corp. will make the appropriate changes in order to make this wonderful project happen."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_hi_te/ml_israel_wired_nation

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Photo of the Day (Theagitator)

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Proposal made for sweeping data protection in EU (AP)

BRUSSELS ? Applying the same standards to protect personal data in all 27 European Union countries will save businesses billions, a senior European Union official said Tuesday, launching a proposal for reforms she said would also safeguard individual privacy.

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding's proposal also included a "right to be forgotten" that would mean if a Facebook user wants to take down photos or posts, the company will also have to delete them from its database.

Reding said if enacted the reforms would save businesses operating in the EU about euro2.3 billion ($2.99 billion) a year as they would have just one set of rules to follow rather than the 27 member countries' different sets.

Rule breaches could be punished by fines of up to euro1 million ($1.3 million), or up to 2 percent of the company's annual turnover, she said.

In addition, she asserted that giving consumers increased confidence about the security of their personal information would boost online business in the EU.

"The protection of personal date is a fundamental right for all Europeans, but citizens do not always feel in control of their personal data," Reding said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_hi_te/eu_eu_data_protection

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Marine faces 3 months in brig for Iraqi deaths (AP)

CAMP PENDLETON, California ? Military prosecutors worked for more than six years to bring Marine Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich to trial on manslaughter charges that could have sent him away to prison for life.

But only weeks after the long-awaited trial started, they offered Wuterich a deal that stopped the proceedings and could mean little to no jail time for the squad leader who ordered his men to "shoot first, ask questions later," resulting in one of the Iraq War's worst attacks on civilians by U.S. troops.

The 31-year-old Marine, who was originally accused of unpremeditated murder, pleaded guilty Monday to negligent dereliction of duty for leading the squad that killed 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha in 2005 during raids after a roadside bomb exploded, killing a fellow Marine and wounding two others.

Wuterich who was indicted in 19 of the 24 deaths now faces no more than three months in confinement.

It was a stunning outcome for the last defendant in the case once compared to the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. The seven other Marines initially charged were exonerated or had their cases dropped.

Military judge Lt. Col. David Jones will hear arguments from both sides Tuesday at Camp Pendleton, Calif., before sentencing him.

Legal experts say the case was fraught by errors made by investigators and the prosecution that let it drag on for years. The prosecution was also hampered by squad mates who admitted they had lied to investigators initially and later testified in exchange for having their cases dropped, bringing into question their credibility.

In addition, Wuterich was seen as taking the fall for senior leaders and more seasoned combat veterans, analysts say. It was his first time in combat when he led the squad on Nov. 19, 2005.

Brian Rooney, an attorney for another former defendant, said cases like Haditha are difficult to prosecute because a military jury is unlikely to question decisions made in combat unless wrongdoing is clear-cut and egregious, like rape.

"If it's a gray area, fog-of-war, you can't put yourself in a Marine's situation where he's legitimately trying to do the best he can," said Rooney, who represented Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking Marine charged in the case. "When you're in a town like Haditha or Fallujah, you've got bad guys trying to kill you and trying to do it in very surreptitious ways. Marines understand it's a crazy environment. You've got to do the best you can with what you've got."

Marine Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Joseph Kloppel said the deal was not a reflection or in any way connected to how the prosecution felt their case was going in the trial.

The Haditha incident is considered among the war's defining moments, further tainting America's reputation when it was already at a low point after the release of photos of prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison.

It still fuels anger in Iraq today.

Kamil al-Dulaimi, a Sunni lawmaker from the Anbar provincial capital of Ramadi, called the plea agreement proof that "Americans still deal with Iraqis without any respect."

"It's just another barbaric act of Americans against Iraqis," al-Dulaimi told The Associated Press. "They spill the blood of Iraqis and get this worthless sentence for the savage crime against innocent civilians."

Wuterich, the father of three children, had faced the possibility of life behind bars when he was charged with nine counts of manslaughter, which now will be dropped. Besides now facing a maximum of three months in confinement, he could also lose two-thirds of his pay and see his rank demoted to private when he's sentenced.

.Wuterich, his family and his attorneys declined to comment Monday after he entered the plea. Prosecutors also declined to comment on the plea deal.

During the trial before a jury of combat Marines who served in Iraq, prosecutors argued he lost control after seeing the body of his friend blown apart by the bomb and led his men on a rampage in which they stormed two nearby homes, blasting their way in with gunfire and grenades. Among the dead was a man in a wheelchair.

In the deal, Wuterich admitted that his orders misled his men to believe they could shoot without hesitation and not follow the rules of engagement that required troops to positively identify their targets before they raided the homes.

He told the judge that caused "tragic events."

"I think we all understood what we were doing so I probably just should have said nothing," Wuterich told the judge.

He said his orders were based on the guidance of his platoon commander at the time, and that the squad did not take any gunfire during the 45-minute raid.

Many of his squad mates testified that they do not believe to this day that they did anything wrong because they feared insurgents were inside hiding.

Haditha prompted commanders to demand troops be more careful in distinguishing between civilians and combatants.

Former Navy officer David Glazier said the case shows such rules are essential to helping the United States prevail in an armed conflict.

"The reality is that this incident has had significant consequences for the U.S. in Iraq," said Glazier, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. "It probably fueled the resistance and so it probably ended up costing additional soldiers and Marines their lives later on."

___

Associated Press writers Barbara Surk and Mazin Yahya in Baghdad, and Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Raquel Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_re_us/us_marines_haditha

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Jake Burton Kicking Cancer's Ass at Boardistan

Jake BurtonWe?re super stoked to report that according to a memo sent out to Burton employees this week Jake Burton?s ?cancer is toast.? Jake says:

It appears that my cancer is toast. It?s scans and observation from here forward. There is still the possibility of surgery or some radiation down the road, but it will be clean-up in nature and I?m not too stressed about it. As my oncologist Steven Ades said, ?Jake, you get your diploma?. . . As I transition from being a patient to being a survivor, I move on with enormous respect for both cancer (?The Emperor of Diseases?) and chemotherapy (how can something so beneficial be so simultaneously harmful).

Jake goes on to thank Donna, his three boys George, Timi, and Taylor and the entire Burton family. We knew he?d power through this flat spot and now we?re wishing him prolonged health. Follow the jump for the complete memo.To: All Burton

From: Jake

Re: ? and finally some good news

It appears that my cancer is toast. It?s scans and observation from here forward. There is still the possibility of surgery or some radiation down the road, but it will be clean-up in nature and I?m not too stressed about it. As my oncologist Steven Ades said, ?Jake, you get your diploma?.

As I transition from being a patient to being a survivor, I move on with enormous respect for both cancer (?The Emperor of Diseases?) and chemotherapy (how can something so beneficial be so simultaneously harmful).

I have also grown to appreciate those around me more than ever. From my soul mate Donna (I can?t even start) to my three boys: George came home from a semester off in Chile to help out for 3 months (he left as one of my best friends) and Timi and Taylor who went out of their way on a valuable vacation powder day to spend my last day of chemo with me passing out cupcakes to the whole clinic. Our extended families and friends also went out of their way to do anything possible to make life easier for us.

The Burton family and the entire board sports industry could not have been cooler about the whole ordeal. Burton has so much momentum I wonder if they really need me. The Senior Management Team stepped up to the plate big time. Assistants Harriet, Roberta and Katie ran my life without me. I owe so many people so much.

Looking ahead I am pretty much broken. While I am on the mend, I have a lot of healing to do. I take great pride and happiness in my ability to ride 100 days a year and surf a bunch too. I am so far from that level right now it?s embarrassing, but when I look at role models like Lance Armstrong, I know I have no excuses.

See you on the hill, in the water or at some trade show somewhere.

Jake

Source: http://www.boardistan.com/?p=27943

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Meredith Bodgas: What No One Admits About Wedding Dresses

This story originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

Every bride would have you believe that her wedding gown is the most perfect garment she's ever laid eyes upon. But the truth is, most wedding dresses have some secrets brides would rather their guests didn't know.

The wedding-day bustle doesn't look as good as it did in the store.

First, let's define bustle. You know how wedding gowns have extra fabric in the back that drags along the floor for the ceremony? That's a train. Trains make it likely that you will trip and fall while you dance at your wedding reception, so you essentially need to fold it up so it's out of the way. The under-your-butt gathering of the train is a bustle. And unless you have a highly skilled BFF or mom, it's difficult to replicate the gorgeous way the seamstress or consultant at the bridal salon folded it.

Related: 6 things not to say to childhood sweethearts

It takes forever to put your wedding gown on.

Psst...lots of wedding dresses have built-in corsets on the inside that need to be buttoned or tied up. And that takes time and additional hands. I've yet to meet a bride who put on a traditional wedding gown by herself. (If you did, you have my respect and admiration.) It's not that brides are divas who demand help for simple tasks like getting dressed -- it's literally impossible to get that thing on by yourself, especially if you have a wedding to attend in a few hours (which you better, otherwise why the hell are you putting on a wedding dress? Oh, you wore one for Halloween? Okay, me too this one time).

Those buttons down the back don't do diddly.

I so badly wanted a dress that had them -- and I got one. I can't articulate why this was so important to me, but one thing's for sure: It had nothing to do with function.

See more: You won't believe what this bride expected of one bridesmaid

You can't sit normally in a wedding dress.

Yes, those white dresses that J. Crew calls "wedding dresses" may not restrict you when you sit. Mine and thousands of others on the other hand will poke into your ribs if you decide to take a load off. The one bright side to this? It hurts more to slouch, so your posture's pretty perfect when everyone's snapping photos of you at your sweetheart table.

Altering a wedding gown can change how it looks.

A fabulous seamstress will ensure that all the features you loved about the wedding dress (the one you ordered seven sizes too big at the salon's insistence) remain the same once the gown is taken in to fit you. The dirty truth is that most seamstresses aren't fabulous, and the shape and accents you adored may look decidedly different post-alterations.

Wedding dresses take forever to take off.

After our wedding reception, our limo driver kindly waited while I slipped into sweats and dropped off my dress at my parents' house before he whisked me and Paul to the mediocrity that was our wedding night hotel (hey, Staten Island isn't known for its hospitality -- only its mob wives). He was waiting quite a while since I had to unbutton and untie the various fabrics that were sucking me in. Don't worry -- he got a generous tip.

What else don't brides share about wedding dresses? Married ladies, did you not have any of the above experiences? (I ENVY YOU!)

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/meredith-bodgas/what-no-one-admits-about-_b_1220267.html

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Bird Flu Scientists Agree to Pause H5N1 Research

[unable to retrieve full-text content]A national biosecurity panel in the United States had asked researchers who produced a more contagious form of the bird flu virus to keep some data secret.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=924347f31b0f4b2874a0134903f6877b

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

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More cracks found in Airbus A380 wings (Reuters)

PARIS (Reuters) ? Airbus (EAD.PA) said on Thursday it had discovered more cracks in the wings of two A380 superjumbo aircraft but insisted the world's largest jetliner remains safe to fly.

It is the second time in as many weeks that hairline cracks have been reported in the wings of the double-decker aircraft, which first entered service four years ago, and they are expected to lead to additional safety checks.

"Airbus confirms that some additional cracks have been found on a limited number of non-critical brackets ... inside the wings of some A380s," the planemaker said in a statement.

"Airbus emphasizes that these cracks do not affect the safe operation of the aircraft".

Airbus has dismissed calls to ground its superjumbo fleet over the cracks, which first came to light during repairs of a Qantas (QAN.AX) A380 that was damaged by an engine blowout shortly after taking off from Singapore in November 2010.

Two aviation industry officials said European safety inspectors would however order additional safety inspections.

A spokesman for the European Aviation Safety Agency confirmed it would issue an airworthiness directive on Friday.

EASA and its U.S. counterpart, the Federal Aviation Administration, issue dozens of bulletins weekly from routine updates to emergency directives following a major scare.

The latest cracking problem was discovered in two aircraft during routine two-year inspections, an Airbus spokeswoman said.

She declined to name the operator of the aircraft, but two industry sources, asking not to be identified, said the latest discovery involved aircraft operated by Dubai's Emirates.

Although Emirates did not comment on the latest Airbus disclosure, a spokesperson said the airline was awaiting an update from EASA regarding cracks found several weeks ago in the wings of five A380 aircraft.

"We continue to closely monitor our A380 fleet," the spokesperson said. "The aircraft remain fully airworthy and pose no risk to flight safety as affirmed by EASA and the aircraft manufacturer, Airbus. The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority."

Earlier this month, Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI) and Qantas said they had found some cracks in A380 wings.

The latest problems were discovered in the same type of part as the earlier set of cracks, an L-shaped bracket which connects the wing's exterior to the internal "rib" structure.

However the appearance and location of the latest set of cracks were different. Two out of nine aircraft tested were found to have the newer cracks in the centre part of the wing.

MANUFACTURING ERROR

Aviation experts say the presence of tiny cracks is more risky near the root of the wing where loads are at their peak and least risky at the tip where the wing does the least work.

Designers say modern aircraft are built on a failsafe principle, allowing gigantic loads to be carried by a different part of the structure when one part fails, and most cracking is usually captured early without generating publicity.

"I don't think people necessarily need to be worried about cracks because they are caught in advance and repaired," said Snorri Gudmondsson, assistant professor of aerospace engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

"If the rib feet failed, the load would be transferred to other structural parts. These would eventually develop cracks themselves and increase the chances they would be discovered."

However, despite being billed as Europe's "21st century flagship," the A380 has had an unpredictable ride due to development problems and the Qantas blowout, and Toulouse-based Airbus is anxious to prevent any further damage to its image.

Officials said the cracks most likely stemmed from a manufacturing process that put too much stress on the brackets, known as rib feet. The parts themselves were not flawed, according to specialist journal Air Transport Intelligence.

The A380 -- developed at an estimated cost of 12 billion euros in Britain, France, Germany and Spain -- has room on its wings to park 70 cars and a wingspan of 79.8m (261ft 10in).

Its wings are assembled in Broughton, north Wales, and sent by barge, ship and special road convoy to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, where they come together with fuselage, cockpit and avionics in final assembly.

Airbus last week announced plans to outsource some work on smaller aircraft wings from Broughton to Korean Aerospace Industries (047810.KS), drawing fire from British unions who said the move gave an unnecessary edge to foreign rivals.

Airbus, the planemaking subsidiary of EADS (EAD.PA), has so far delivered 68 superjumbos, starting with Singapore Airlines which took the first aircraft in December 2007. It was followed by Dubai's Emirates and Australia's Qantas.

Other operators include Air France (AIRF.PA), Germany's Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), Korean Air (003490.KS) and China Southern (600029.SS).

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Cyril Altmeyer, Harry Suhartono, Dave Cutler; additional reporting by Bill Rigby and David Fogarty; Editing by James Regan, Christian Plumb, Dave Zimmerman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/bs_nm/us_airbus_a380

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Dung beetle dance provides crucial orientation cues

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The dung beetle dance, performed as the beetle moves away from the dung pile with his precious dung ball, is a mechanism to maintain the desired straight-line departure from the pile, according to a study published in the Jan. 18 issue of the online journal PLoS ONE.

The purpose of this dance, in which the beetle climbs to the top of the ball and rotates, had previously been unknown, so the authors of the PLoS ONE study, led by Emily Baird of Lund University in Sweden, investigated the circumstances that cause the beetle to dance. They found that the beetles are most likely to perform the dance before moving away from the pile, upon encountering an obstacle, or if they have lost control of the ball, suggesting that the behavior is crucial for keeping the ball moving in a straight line. Such direct, efficient navigation allows the beetle to quickly move away from the intense competition from other beetles at the dung pile. The authors propose that the beetles store a compass reading of celestial cues during the dance, which they then use to guide their straight-line trajectory.

###

Lund University: http://www.lu.se

Thanks to Lund University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 32 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116854/Dung_beetle_dance_provides_crucial_orientation_cues

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Combination of oral drugs suppresses common type of hepatitis C

Thursday, January 19, 2012

A new combination of investigational drugs successfully suppressed hepatitis C genotype 1 infection in a high percent of patients who had not responded to previous treatment in a study led by a University of Michigan hepatologist.

The study, which will be published Jan. 19 in the New England Journal of Medicine, focused on hepatitis C genotype 1, which is predominant in the United States and the most difficult to treat. Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver and can cause liver cancer and liver cirrhosis. It is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood and blood products.

In this pilot study, patients with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection, who had not responded to previous treatment with PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin, were given a combination of two investigational direct-acting antiviral agents (daclatasvir and asunaprevir) alone, or were given these two antiviral agents along with PEG-interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin. All the patients saw their hepatitis C viral load drop rapidly, says Anna S. Lok, M.D., professor of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Michigan Medical School and lead author of the study.

All 10 patients given the four drug treatment -- two direct-acting antiviral agents (daclastasvir and asunaprevir) that block the NS3 and NS5A regions of the hepatitis C virus plus PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin -- had sustained virologic response with undetectable virus at the end of treatment and at 12 weeks after stopping treatment. Four of the 11 patients given the two direct-acting antiviral agents only also achieved sustained virologic response.

A sustained virologic response or SVR means there is no detectable Hepatitis C virus in a patient's blood after treatment is stopped. Achieving sustained virologic response is important, because research has shown that late relapse is rare.

"The two recently approved hepatitis C drugs ? telaprevir or boceprevir -- combined with PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin have limited success in patients who have not responded to previous treatment with PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin. Because of this high unmet medical need, there is a necessity for new combination regimens that can increase response rates in that population," says Lok, who also is Director of Clinical Hepatology at U-M. "The high rate of sustained virologic response in patients who received the four drug regimen is very exciting. Although only four of 11 patients given the two direct-acting antiviral agents only achieved sustained virologic response, this is the first study to show that sustained virologic response can be achieved without the use of interferon or ribavirin. These data are very encouraging because PEG-interferon alfaand ribavirin are associated with many side effects and many patients with hepatitis C choose not to receive treatment for fear that they cannot tolerate those drugs."

An estimated 170 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C, with genotype 1 being the most prevalent genotype. Up to 80 percent of those infected with hepatitis C will become chronically infected. Twenty percent of people with chronic hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis and, of those, up to 25 percent may progress to liver cancer. Although there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, it is a potentially curable disease.

In the Phase II clinical trial, Lok, along with a team of researchers including scientists from Bristol-Myers Squibb, studied patients with Hepatitis C genotype 1, who had not responded to prior therapy with PEG-interferon alfa and ribavirin. The study was funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

"Overall, these results suggest that further research into combinations of direct-acting antiviral agents, with or without PEG-interferon and ribavirin, should be encouraged," Lok says. "Caution must be exercised in selecting the right combination of direct-acting antiviral agents in studies of interferon-free regimens because in this study, all 7 patients who received only two direct-acting antiviral agents that did not achieve sustained virologic response had emergence of drug resistance variants to both drugs."

In this study there were no serious adverse events on treatment or discontinuations due to adverse events. Diarrhea was the most common adverse event in both groups, but it was mild or moderate in all cases.

###

University of Michigan Health System: http://www.med.umich.edu

Thanks to University of Michigan Health System for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 57 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116853/Combination_of_oral_drugs_suppresses_common_type_of_hepatitis_C

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Friday, January 20, 2012

2 bombs hit Northern Ireland city of Londonderry (AP)

DUBLIN ? Two bombs planted by Irish Republican Army dissidents detonated Thursday night in the Northern Ireland city of Londonderry, but no injuries were reported as police quickly evacuated the area following phoned warnings.

Martina Anderson, a former Irish Republican Army member who represents Londonderry for the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein, said one bomb left outside the city's main tourist office exploded as about 75 elderly residents of a nursing home were still being evacuated about 25 yards (meters) away.

She said IRA dissidents "need to come forward and explain how they believe this achieved anything, other than the disruption of vulnerable old people's lives."

Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin, the police commander in Northern Ireland's second-largest city, said much of central Londonderry would be sealed off Friday so that police could comb the bomb sites for forensic clues.

Police evacuated the city's major shopping center as bombs placed in nearby streets detonated within 10 minutes of each other. At least one bomb appeared to have been concealed in an abandoned gym bag.

Martin said police received two coded telephone warnings about a half hour before the first of the bombs exploded. The extent of damage wouldn't be determined until daybreak Friday because of the risk that dissidents had placed additional booby-trap bombs in the area to ambush officers.

"Thankfully we are not dealing with mass casualties or worse this evening," Martin said.

"The people in Derry do not want this disruption. It is cowardly and callous. People simply want to move on with their lives, not take a step back. Regrettably the whole community will once again suffer because of the needless actions of a few," he said.

IRA splinter groups based in the overwhelmingly Catholic west side of Londonderry have repeatedly targeted local businesses and police stations with a range of homemade bombs. They reject the IRA's 2005 decision to renounce violence and disarm, and insist that Northern Ireland should be ejected from the United Kingdom by force.

Their attacks have caused relatively little damage and few casualties, and chiefly appear to rally politicians from all sides in support of Northern Ireland's Catholic-Protestant government, the central accomplishment of nearly two decades of peacemaking.

"These are the desperate actions of yesterday's men. They seem to be more wedded to the struggle than to the cause they claim to be pursuing," said David Ford, justice minister of the unity government.

Thursday's attacks came on the eve of a court judgment in the trial of two suspected IRA dissidents charged with murdering two British soldiers in March 2009. The victims were off duty and unarmed when IRA dissidents shot them at close range as they collected pizzas outside the entrance of an army base. They were the first killings of British security forces in Northern Ireland since 1998, the year of the province's Good Friday peace accord.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_re_eu/eu_nireland_ira_dissidents

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Iowa Recount Lifts Rick Santorum Over Mitt Romney

Final caucus tally puts Santorum 34 votes ahead of Romney, as Perry slated to drop out of presidential race.
By Gil Kaufman


Mitt Romney
Photo: Win McNamee/ Getty Images

With the South Carolina primary just days away, front-running Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is suddenly looking for his second win in a row rather than a record third. Though the former Massachusetts governor appeared to eke out a slim eight-point win at the Iowa caucus on January 3, the Des Moines Register reported that the final count of the vote puts former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum ahead by 34 votes.

After a long night of vote counting and nail-biting, Romney appeared to post the slimmest-ever margin of victory in Iowa, but the Register revealed that missing data from eight precincts may never be certified or recovered. GOP officials discovered inaccuracies in 131 precincts, not all of which affected the final vote.

In the end, though, the certified number points to an asterisks-bearing win for Santorum, who won 29,839 votes to Romney's 29,805. In essence, state GOP officials said, the Iowa results come down to a "split decision."

"The results from Iowa caucus night revealed a virtual tie," Romney said after the news broke. "I would like to thank the Iowa Republican Party for their careful attention to the caucus process, and we once again recognize Rick Santorum for his strong performance in the state. ... The Iowa caucuses, with record turnout, were a great start to defeating President Obama in Iowa and elsewhere in the general election."

Iowa was close, but Romney put up a decisive victory in New Hampshire, getting 36 percent of the vote while Santorum wound up in fifth place with around 10 percent.

Though the belated Iowa victory doesn't have the same kick it might have for Santorum had he sealed the deal on the night of the caucus, it does deprive Romney of bragging rights over two victories in a row and could sway primary voters in South Carolina (on Saturday) and Florida (on January 31). Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich have been battling it out to capture the crucial Evangelical Christian vote in those two states and the after-the-fact win may give Santorum an advantage.

Another possible edge could come from CNN's report Thursday morning (January 19) that Texas governor Rick Perry is slated to suspend his campaign. Perry was touted as a strong contender for the GOP nomination when he entered the race last year, but a series of disastrous debate performances prevented him from climbing out of the single digits in polls.

Check back here around the clock for up-to-the-minute coverage on the primary caucuses and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the 2012 presidential election season.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677522/iowa-caucus-rick-santorum.jhtml

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Google plans home page protest against SOPA

Jens Meyer / AP file

By Suzanne Choney

Google has made no secret of its opposition to the controversial anti-piracy measures in Congress, but now the search giant plans to contest the bills by adding a protest Wednesday on its home page, the same page where those lovable Google doodles are often found.

While it's not the Internet blackout that some sites, including Wikipedia, are planning, the protest?will add to the growing chorus of voices saying the proposed laws are dangerous.

"Like many businesses, entrepreneurs and web users, we oppose these bills because there are smart, targeted ways to shut down foreign rogue websites without asking American companies to censor the Internet," Samantha Smith, a Google spokeswoman said in a statement to msnbc.com. "So tomorrow we will be joining many other tech companies to highlight this issue on our US home page."

As Red Tape's Bob Sullivan wrote, opponents of the legislation ? the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, and Protect IP Act (PIPA) ? are gathering strength; previous supporters in both houses of Congress appear to be backing off, and President Barack Obama has expressed concern.?

Vote on both bills had been scheduled in the coming weeks, and it appears those votes will be delayed.

(Msnbc.com is a joint venture of Microsoft and Comcast/NBC Universal. Microsoft has not taken a public position on SOPA. Comcast/NBC Universal is listed as a supporter of SOPA on the House Judiciary Committee website. The Business Software Alliance, in which Microsoft is a board member, initially offered support for the legislation, but later said the proposal "needs work.")

Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt said previously that the bills "go after all the wrong problems," and threaten free speech and due process. Schmidt described the bills as technologically difficult, including "giving copyright holders the right to delete links from the Internet and criminalizing the indexing of the content by search engines," the AP reported.

"There are a whole bunch of issues involved with breaking the Internet and the way it works," he said.

Of course, that didn't stop media mogul and recent Twitter-joiner Rupert Murdoch from tweeting over the weekendthat Google is a "piracy leader" that "streams movies free, sells advts around them. No wonder pouring millions into lobbying" against SOPA and PIPA.

Related stories:

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on?Facebook,?and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/17/10175792-google-plans-home-page-protest-against-sopa

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'Cougar Town' set for Valentine's Day return

By Philiana Ng, The Hollywood Reporter

Bruce Birmelin / ABC

Courteney Cox's Jules Cobb returns to the small screen in "Cougar Town" on Feb. 14.

ABC has set the return date for "Cougar Town."

The Courteney Cox comedy will premiere its 15-episode season 3 on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 8:30 p.m., taking over the slot vacated by canceled sitcom "Work It," The Hollywood Reporter confirms.

The news, as TVLine first reported, comes one week after ABC entertainment chief Paul Lee told reporters at the winter Television Critics Assoc. press tour that "Cougar Town" will likely see a March return.

?We?re going to give ["Cougar Town"] a really good launch pad,? said Lee, who added that the show could be part of a block of ?young comedies? with "Happy Endings" and midseason entrant "Don?t Trust the B--- in Apartment 23."

Co-creator Bill Lawrence embarked on a tour around the U.S., and threw an unofficial TCA cocktail mixer, to keep the show ingrained in people's minds.

Since bowing in 2009, the series has faced an uphill battle amid a series of scheduling jumps. Last season, the half-hour was slotted for a spring return after more than two months off the air on a Monday night before continuing in its usual home two days later.

Will 15 episodes be enough to satisfy your "Cougar" appetite? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

More from THR:

Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/17/10175935-cougar-town-set-for-valentines-day-return

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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

[OOC] Crazy Bored

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Crazy Bored?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Vital Signs: Too Much Vitamin D May Backfire, Study Suggests

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Vitamin D supplements reduce blood levels of an indicator of inflammation that is linked to cardiovascular disease. But too much can raise those levels.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=c8ea1f494c1341fcc61647efc742d6a8

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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

US names 20-play men's Olympic basketball pool

FILE - In this Dec. 27, 2011 file photo, Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots over Sacramento Kings' Chuck Hayes (42) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore. The U.S. added Blake Griffin of the Clippers and Aldridge of Portland on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, to the 18 holdovers who hope to go for more basketball gold. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 27, 2011 file photo, Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge (12) shoots over Sacramento Kings' Chuck Hayes (42) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore. The U.S. added Blake Griffin of the Clippers and Aldridge of Portland on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, to the 18 holdovers who hope to go for more basketball gold. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2012 file photo, Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Portland Trail Blazers, in Los Angeles. The U.S. added Griffin of the Clippers and LaMarcus Aldridge of Portland on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, to the 18 holdovers who hope to go for more basketball gold. (AP Photo/Bret Hartman, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2008,. file photo,?USA's Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd in celebration after beating Spain 118-107 in the men's gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The U.S. added Blake Griffin of the Clippers and LaMarcus Aldridge of Portland on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, to the 18 holdovers who hope to go for more basketball gold. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2008, file photo, USA player receive their gold medals following their win over Spain in the gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing. From left are Carmelo Anthony, Tayshaun Prince, Chris Paul, Chis Bosh, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Michael Redd, Deron Williams and Lebron James. The U.S. added Blake Griffin of the Clippers and LaMarcus Aldridge of Portland on Monday, Jan. 16, 2012, to the 18 holdovers who hope to go for more basketball gold. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

(AP) ? This U.S. basketball team might be even better than the last two that won gold medals.

"This will be the most talented of the three teams that I've had the opportunity to coach," coach Mike Krzyzewski said Monday during a conference call.

The Americans announced the 20 players who will be candidates for the London Games, adding Blake Griffin of the Clippers and LaMarcus Aldridge of Portland to the 18 holdovers from either the 2008 Olympics or 2010 world championship who have said they wish to be considered again.

The 12-man roster and alternates for the Olympics will be chosen from the new player pool in June.

Returning from the team that won gold in Beijing are: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Back from the reigning world champions are: Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Tyson Chandler, Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups, Russell Westbrook and Andre Iguodala.

"I like the fact that we have a roster full of guys who've been champions, either in the Olympics or world championships, and guys who are excited to play," Krzyzewski said.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo had planned to add Griffin to the national team roster in 2009, but he was hurt shortly after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick and those plans were scrapped. Aldridge was on the national team roster but withdrew from consideration for the 2010 worlds for personal reasons.

But both have a shot now if the Americans decide to bolster the frontcourt on a roster loaded with point guards and wing players. And it's an experienced group, with Anthony playing in 59 games for the U.S. and James 55.

"To be on that list, I'm honored again, to be able to represent my country at the highest level. I mean, it's an unbelievable class. We've got an unbelievable group coming in and I'm looking forward to it," James said.

The final roster of 12 players and six alternates is due June 18, before the NBA finals will be completed in this lockout-delayed season, so there will be no time for a tryout camp. But USA Basketball needed to submit the list of all candidates by the end of this month so they could be entered in the drug-testing program.

The Americans will have to decide how many point guards to keep from a list that includes Rose, the NBA MVP, Paul; Williams, Westbrook and Billups ? though he started at shooting guard in Istanbul, as he does now playing alongside Paul on the Clippers.

Size could be a consideration for a potential matchup against a Spain team that boasts Pau and Marc Gasol, along with Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka, which could help the two newcomers. Colangelo said Aldridge is a versatile big man who can shoot from the perimeter, and he sounds just as excited about Griffin as the many fans of his astounding dunks.

"He's showing what kind of future he has and I have no doubt that going forward Blake will have a significant impact on USA basketball, if not now than certainly in the future," Colangelo said.

Colangelo said the Americans decided to tab 20 players, rather than the 18 that were originally expected, to protect themselves in case some players aren't available when training camp opens. The Americans will start practicing July 6, before a free agency class that could be headlined by Howard and Williams will be able to sign contracts.

But Howard said his status wouldn't be a factor.

"I talked to Jerry a couple of days ago and I told him that I'm committed to being on the team and looking forward to winning another gold medal for the U.S. So nothing else matters," Howard said.

Whichever players are picked, the Americans will again have the unmatched athleticism that allowed them to end an eight-year Olympic gold-medal drought in Beijing and a 16-year absence from the gold-medal podium in the world championship two years ago.

Colangelo assembled the original national team roster in 2005 after taking control of the USA Basketball program following the Americans' poor performance a year earlier in Athens, where they managed only a bronze medal. That group committed to representing the Americans for three years, but then all the players and the entire coaching staff signed on for a return after winning gold in 2008.

None of those players competed in 2010, but the Americans won anyway with a young team led by Durant, the MVP of the world championships. Colangelo then combined the best of both rosters for the new pool.

Jason Kidd was the only former gold medalist on the squad when Colangelo formed the program. Now there are 18 in the mix to wear red, white and blue this summer.

"Things are moving smoothly and the proof of that pudding is we are loaded in terms of our pipeline," Colangelo said.

Only Kidd, who retired from international competition following a long career, Carlos Boozer, Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd weren't chosen from the 2008 team. Stephen Curry and Danny Granger aren't back from 2010.

Nor was Amare Stoudemire named after he was forced to pull out on the eve of U.S. practices in 2010 because his contract couldn't be insured. He wasn't aware if insurance was the reason he was bypassed this time, saying he wasn't even aware the roster was being announced.

"It's definitely not my choice. I would love to play. My loyalty is with USA Basketball, as it always has been," Stoudemire said. "Last year I couldn't play because I had pulled out, but if they want me to play, I'd be totally open to representing the USA."

___

AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-16-BKO-US%20Roster/id-4e898aa2a57a4100ba5cec68000c561c

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