Ed Gillespie hatches plan to replace lousy campaign websites (Daily Caller)

Veteran Republican strategist Ed Gillespie?s latest plan to help GOP candidates win state-level elections involves making sure they aren?t stuck with crappy campaign websites.

Gillespie?s organization, the Republican State Leadership Committee, has made a six-figure investment in an initiative that promises to replace poorly designed candidate websites with sophisticated, yet inexpensive sites.

The average budget for a state senate campaign is only $190,000, said RSLC press secretary Adam Temple. But a complete website created by the group?s GOPro program only costs Republican candidates $550.

?They can?t afford to use a major DC firm, and a lot of times they end up using local yokels who end up charging them two or three times that,? said Michael Luethe, a political consultant in North Carolina who has run four campaigns using the program.

?Candidates really are stuck in a difficult position between having to choose a crappy website or something that looks professional,? he told The Daily Caller. ?And usually professional ones are cost-prohibitive.?

The Daily Caller got a sneak peak at how the program works: Republican state legislative candidates who want to design a campaign website pay the $550 fee, fill out some information and choose from among five website templates.

Some sites have been launched in as little as 15 minutes, Temple said. The project, he said, is quick and easy to set up, is relatively inexpensive, and simplifies raising money online.

Temple said Democrat-leaning groups have done similar things, but not ?to the degree? of GOPro.

It?s available for Republican state-legislature candidates only, he said. The RSLC makes sure candidates are Republicans before approving their participation.

Fifteen candidates have used the program in Louisiana, Mississippi and North Carolina.

Rob Bryan, who is running for the state house in Charlotte, N.C., used the program to create FriendsofRob.com.

?I?ve seen a lot more expensive [websites] that I?ve liked less,? he told TheDC.

?I?ve gotten loads of compliments,? Bryan said. ?People love the site, think it looks great. ? It?s easy for people to give [money], it?s easy for us to track.?

Temple said the RSLC hopes several hundred candidates will use it in 2012. The group plans an nationwide rollout of the program in early February.

The RSLC?s mission is to elect more Republicans to the down-the-ballot offices of attorney general, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and legislator ? and to build ?the farm team? of future Republican candidates for higher office.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20120129/pl_dailycaller/edgillespiehatchesplantoreplacelousycampaignwebsites

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Motorola Droid Razr Maxx the longest lasting 4G

Courtesy of Laptop

By Sherri L. Smith
Laptop

Although much faster than their 3G competitors, 4G LTE phones have suffered from notoriously short battery life. How short? Try less than four hours in some cases. Fortunately, Motorola?s new Droid RAZR Maxx is set to change the LTE?s power-gulping reputation, as the Android handset lasted a full 8 hours and 25 minutes on the Laptop Battery Test. This test involves continuous surfing over 4G with the phone set to 40 percent brightness.

As you can see from the above chart, this is the longest endurance we?ve seen on any Verizon LTE phone, a full 3 hours and 40 minutes longer than the original Droid RAZR(4:45) and 1 hour and 43 minutes longer than the previous LTE leader, the Samsung Droid Charge. In fact, the RAZR Maxx is the longest-lasting 4G phone that we?ve tested on any network, including AT&T LTE (5:43, Samsung Skyrocket), and AT&T?s (6:51, Motorola Atrix 2) and T-Mobile?s (7:38, Samsung Galaxy S II)HSPA+ networks, and Sprint?s WiMAX (5:51, HTC EVO Shift 4G).

None of the phones on the AT&T?s 4G LTE network came close. The Samsung Skyrocket S II?s 5-hour and 42-minute time was the longest we saw on a network where the HTC Vivid (4:21), LG Nitro HD (3:53), and Pantech Burst (4:10) all lasted less than 4.5 hours.

To achieve this kind of epic battery life, Motorola has added a whopping 3,300 mAH battery to the design of its ultrathin RAZR phone. However, even with all that juice, the RAZR Maxx is only a mere .35-inches thick and 5.1 ounces, which is only slightly thicker and heavier than the .3-inch, 4.5-ounce original RAZR.

The Droid RAZR Maxx marks the beginning of a new era in smartphone longevity, but does it have more to offer than sublime battery life? Stay tuned for our full review to find out.

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Source: http://gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10272317-motorola-droid-razr-maxx-the-longest-lasting-4g-by-far

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RBS CEO turns down bonus amid criticism of payout (AP)

LONDON ? Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Stephen Hester will not be accepting a 1 million pound ($1.5 million) bonus that drew criticism from British public and politicians, the bank said Sunday.

Spokesman David Gaffney said Hester would not receive the bonus of 3.6 million shares he was awarded last week by the board of the largely state-owned bank.

The British government spent 45 billion pounds bailing out RBS three years ago. It still owns an 82 percent stake, and politicians had criticized the reward at a time when Britons face painful spending cuts and tax hikes.

The government ? which has insisted it has no control over the bank's bonuses ? welcomed the announcement.

"This is a sensible and welcome decision that enables Stephen Hester to focus on the very important job he has got to do, namely to get back billions of pounds of taxpayers' money that was put into RBS," Treasury chief George Osborne said.

The decision follows Saturday's announcement that RBS chairman Philip Hampton was waiving his own bonus of 1.4 million pounds in shares.

Hester and Hampton were brought in after Fred Goodwin, who led RBS's ill-fated takeover of Dutch bank ABN Amro, stepped down in October 2008 as the government was spending billions to prop up the bank.

The board of directors decided last week to award Hester a bonus of 3.6 million shares ? worth just under 1 million pounds at Friday's closing share price of 27.74 pence. That came on top of his annual salary of 1.2 million pounds.

Prime Minister David Cameron said Saturday that Hester's bonus was "a matter for him," but pointed out it was much less than last year's.

The government claimed it had no control over bonuses awarded by the bank, and said replacing Hester if he resigned would be more costly than paying the reward.

But many politicians were critical. London Mayor Boris Johnson, a Conservative like Cameron, said he found the bonus "absolutely bewildering."

Rachel Reeves, Treasury spokeswoman for the opposition Labour Party, said Sunday the sum was inappropriate "when families are feeling the pinch."

"It's time the government explained why they have allowed these bonuses to go through unchallenged," she said.

Before the bank's announcement, the Labour Party said it would force a vote in the House of Commons next month calling for Hester to be stripped of his bonus.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_britain_rbs

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Germans float direct EU control over Greek budget (AP)

BERLIN ? Germany is proposing that debt-ridden Greece temporarily cede sovereignty over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts, an official in Berlin said Saturday.

The idea was quickly rejected by the European Union's executive body and the government in Athens, with the EU Commission in Brussels insisting that "executive tasks must remain the full responsibility of the Greek government, which is accountable before its citizens and its institutions."

But the German official said the initiative is being discussed among the 17-nation currency bloc's finance ministers because Greece has repeatedly failed to fulfill its commitments under its current euro110 billion ($145 billion) lifeline.

The proposal foresees a commissioner holding a veto right against any budgetary measures and having broad surveillance ability to ensure that Greece will take proper steps to repay its debt as scheduled, the official said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential.

Greece's international creditors ? the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank ? already have unprecedented powers over Greek spending after negotiating with Athens stringent austerity measures and economic reforms in return for the first bailout.

The so-called troika of creditors is currently negotiating another euro130 billion rescue package for the heavily indebted country. German news magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday cited an unnamed troika official as saying Greece might actually need a euro145 billion package because of its prolonged recession.

The German proposal, first reported by the Financial Times, is likely to spark controversy in Greece.

Despite the quick rejection from the EU Commission, Germany's demand underlines the frustration of the eurozone with Greece's slack implementation of the promised reforms, spending cuts and privatizations. During every verification mission last year, the troika found huge implementation shortfalls, which in turn increased gaps in Athens' budget and intensified the need for a second bailout.

A powerful budget commissioner would further diminish the political leeway of Greece's government, just as politicians there are gearing up for an election set to take place this spring.

A government official in Athens said a similar proposal had been floated last year but got nowhere. Greece would not accept such a measure, he added. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no formal proposal has been made by the EU or Germany yet.

The unprecedented and sweeping powers for creditors would indeed deal a huge blow to Greece's sovereignty, but they could help mobilize more support for the government in Athens from its European partners.

Several German lawmakers have repeatedly said that giving more money to Greece is unthinkable without stricter enforcement and control of the conditions attached to the rescue packages.

Greece is currently locked in a twin effort, seeking to secure a crucial debt relief deal with private investors while also tackling the pressing demands from its European partners and the IMF for more austerity measures and deeper reforms.

Failure on either front would force the country to default on its debt in less than two months, pouring new fuel on the fires of Europe's debt crisis.

In that case, Greece would likely leave the eurozone, which would bring disaster to the country, destabilize the currency bloc, fuel panic on financial markets and ultimately threaten the fragile world economy.

Despite two weeks of intensive talks, a debt relief agreement with private investors worth some euro100 billion has yet to be reached.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos met anew with representatives of international banks and other private institutions Saturday, but the talks ended without a final deal and were expected to resume Sunday, officials in Athens said.

With the current troika mission still ongoing and no final deal with the private sector creditors, Greece is unlikely to feature prominently at a summit of the EU's 27 leaders Monday, according to officials in Brussels.

___

Demetris Nellas in Athens and Gabriele Steinhauser in Brussels contributed to this report.

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

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HP open sources Enyo framework, makes webOS-style apps possible for iPhone, iPad

HP has made good on releasing a roadmap for their webOS open source initiative and, as part of it, have fully open sourced the Enyo 2.0 application framework. But

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/PR7Wr1eQntg/story01.htm

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Motorola Droid Razr Maxx available now: more battery, same shape

Kevlar-coated phones with a sprinkling of LTE sound like a pretty sweet proposition. Now the Droid Razr's been further sweetened by its new Maxx recast, and Motorola appears to be pretty darn proud of its bordering-on-tablet-territory 3,300mAh battery. Those yearning for a smartphone that'll last longer than daylight hours can hit up the source below -- Verizon's offering it up for $299 on contract, starting today.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx available now: more battery, same shape originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/-83AZzuDxbs/

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Obama to take on economy in State of the Union (AP)

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama is ready to reclaim the spotlight with a plea for economic fairness in a State of Union address that opposition Republicans panned in advance as a rehash of old ideas.

Obama delivers his third State of the Union address Tuesday in a capital and country shot through with politics, with his re-election campaign well under way and his potential GOP opponents lobbing attacks against him daily as they scrap for the right to take him on.

Obama's 9 p.m. EST address to a joint session of Congress and millions of television viewers will be as much as anything an argument for his re-election, the president's biggest, best chance so far to offer a vision for a second term.

Senior political adviser David Plouffe said Tuesday morning the president is "happy to have a debate" about his performance.

Bill Galston, a former Clinton administration domestic policy adviser now at the Brookings Institution, said, "Almost by definition it's going to be at least as much a political speech as a governing speech."

"The president must run on his record," Galston said, "and that means talking candidly and persuasively with the country about the very distinctive nature of the challenges the American economy faced when he took office and what has gone right for the past three years, and what needs to be done in addition."

With economic anxiety showing through everywhere, the speech will focus on a vision for restoring the middle class, with Obama facing the tricky task of persuading voters to stick with him even as joblessness remains high at 8.5 percent. Obama can point to positive signs, including continued if sluggish growth; his argument will be that he is the one to restore economic equality for middle-class voters.

Implicit in the argument, even if he never names frontrunners Gingrich and Mitt Romney, is that they are on the other side.

Obama's speech will come as Gingrich and Romney have transformed the Republican campaign into a real contest ahead of Florida's crucial primary next week. And he'll be speaking on the same day that Romney, a multimillionaire, released his tax returns, offering a vivid illustration of wealth that could play into Obama's argument about the growing divide between rich and poor.

Asked in an interview Tuesday about Romney's relatively modest tax rate in the range of 15 percent, given that he's a multi-millionaire, Plouffe said, "We need to change our tax system. We need to change our tax code so that everybody is doing their fair share."

Obama will frame the campaign to come as a fight for fairness for those who are struggling to keep a job, a home or college savings and losing faith in how the country works.

The speech will feature the themes of manufacturing, clean energy, education and American values. The president is expected to urge higher taxes on the wealthy, propose ways to make college more affordable, offer new steps to tackle a debilitating housing crisis and push to help U.S. manufacturers expand hiring.

Aides said the president would also outline more specifics about the so-called "Buffett Rule", which Obama has previously said would establish a minimum tax on people making $1 million or more in income. The rule was named after billionaire Warren Buffett, who has said it is unfair that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does.

White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said on Twitter Tuesday that Buffett's secretary, Debbie Bosanek, would attend the State of the Union in the first lady's box.

Even before Obama delivered his speech, Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, said he already felt "a sense of disappointment."

"While we don't yet know all of the specifics, we do know the goal," he said. "Based on what the president's aides have been telling reporters, the goal isn't to conquer the nation's problems. It's to conquer Republicans. The goal isn't to prevent gridlock, but to guarantee it."

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has called the themes of Obama's speech a "pathetic" rehash of unhelpful policies. But he said Tuesday he hoped Obama would "extend somewhat of an olive branch" to work with Republicans on the economy during his prime-time address.

For three days following his speech, Obama will promote his ideas in five states key to his re-election bid. On Wednesday he'll visit Iowa and Arizona to promote ideas to boost American manufacturing; on Thursday in Nevada and Colorado he'll discuss energy; and in Michigan Friday he'll talk about college affordability, education and training. Polling shows Americans are divided about Obama's overall job performance but unsatisfied with his handling of the economy.

The lines of argument between Obama and his rivals are already stark, with America's economic insecurity and the role of government at the center.

The president has offered signals about his speech, telling campaign supporters he wants an economy "that works for everyone, not just a wealthy few." Gingrich, on the other hand, calls Obama "the most effective food stamp president in history." Romney says Obama "wants to turn America into a European-style entitlement society."

Obama will make bipartisan overtures to lawmakers but will leave little doubt he will act without their help when it's necessary and possible, an approach his aides say has let him stay on offense.

The public is more concerned about domestic troubles over foreign policy than at any other time in the past 15 years, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. Some 81 percent want Obama to focus his speech on domestic affairs, not foreign ones; just five years ago, the view was evenly split.

On the day before Obama's speech, his campaign released a short Web ad showing monthly job losses during the end of the Bush administration and the beginning of the Obama administration, with positive job growth for nearly two Obama years. Republicans assail him for failing to achieve a lot more.

Presidential spokesman Jay Carney said Monday that Obama is not conceding the next 10 months to "campaigning alone" when people need economic help. On the goals of helping people get a fair shot, Carney said, "There's ample room within those boundaries for bipartisan cooperation and for getting this done."

Plouffe appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and was interviewed on NBC's "Today" show and "CBS This Morning."

___

Associated Press writers Ben Feller, Julie Pace and Alan Fram contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_state_of_the_union

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Treatment of silent acid reflux does not improve asthma in children, study finds

ScienceDaily (Jan. 24, 2012) ? Adding the acid reflux drug lansoprazole to a standard inhaled steroid treatment for asthma does not improve asthma control in children who have no symptom of acid reflux, according to a new study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Lansoprazole therapy slightly increased the risk of sore throats and other respiratory problems in children, however.

Results of this study, which was also sponsored by the American Lung Association (ALA), appears Jan. 25 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"This important finding could help prevent giving unnecessary medication to children," said Susan B. Shurin, M.D., acting director of the NHLBI and a board-certified pediatrician. "Doctors have suspected that acid reflux that does not cause symptoms interferes with asthma control and should be treated. This study shows that acid reflux medication should not be given to children for possible silent reflux in hopes of improving asthma control."

Shurin added that a previous NHLBI/ALA-funded trial from 2009 found that acid reflux drugs do not improve asthma control in adults who do not have symptoms of acid reflux.

Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid escapes to the adjoining esophagus. This condition occurs commonly in children and adults with asthma, although sometimes it can be silent and show none of the obvious symptoms such as heartburn, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. Lansoprazole suppresses the production of stomach acid.

To test whether reflux treatment improves asthma control in children, researchers at 18 ALA Asthma Clinical Research Centers across the United States studied 306 children and teenagers of various ethnicities aged 6-17 years. All study participants had inadequately controlled asthma despite taking inhaled corticosteroids. Approximately 40 percent of tested participants were identified as having acid reflux. Each participant was randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of lansoprazole or an inactive placebo pill along with their inhaled steroid therapy.

After 24 weeks of treatment, there were no significant differences in severity of asthma symptoms, overall lung function, or asthma-related quality of life between the lansoprazole and placebo treatment groups. These similar results were seen both in the whole study group as well as among the study subgroup that was positively identified as having acid reflux.

Children in the lansoprazole group did report more frequent adverse effects such as sore throat (52 percent versus 39 percent in placebo), upper respiratory infection (63 percent versus 49 percent) and/or bronchitis (7 percent versus 2 percent).

"This study addresses an important knowledge gap identified in the asthma guidelines," noted James P. Kiley, Ph.D., director of the NHLBI's Division of Lung Diseases. "This study, as well as the previous reflux trial in adults, will inform future guidelines for the treatment of asthma."

In the United States, asthma affects more than 7 million children and teenagers under age 18 years. Asthma disproportionately affects minorities and those with lower incomes. There is no cure for asthma, but guideline-based treatment can help prevent symptoms and attacks (shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness) and enable children with asthma to lead active lives. The lansoprazole and placebo used in the study was provided by its manufacturer, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, North America. In addition, GlaxoSmithKline provided Albuterol HFA, a bronchodilator that was used in the evaluation of study participants.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

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

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Journal References:

1. J. T. Holbrook, R. A. Wise, B. D. Gold, K. Blake, E. D. Brown, M. Castro, A. J. Dozor, J. J. Lima, J. G. Mastronarde, M. M. Sockrider, W. G. Teague. Lansoprazole for Children With Poorly Controlled Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012; 307 (4): 373 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2011.2035
2. F. D. Martinez. Children, Asthma, and Proton Pump Inhibitors: Costs and Perils of Therapeutic Creep. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012; 307 (4): 406 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2012.33

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/i8A8ZGz5xWc/120124184206.htm

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Zimbabwe state airline faces liquidation (AP)

HARARE, Zimbabwe ? State media says Zimbabwe's ailing national airline has been put under judicial management ahead of its likely liquidation.

The Sunday Mail reported on Sunday that the High Court in Harare appointed an executive of a top independent accounting firm to takes charge of Air Zimbabwe, sweeping aside all powers of the board of directors.

It said the court order Friday followed claims by pilots and employees for unpaid income and allowances of up to $35 million dating back to January 2009.

Last month the former colonial-era airline, founded in 1964, paid $1.2 million to release an aircraft impounded over debts in Britain. It owes $140 million to its creditors and has now grounded all but some domestic flights.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_re_af/af_zimbabwe_airline

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Clijsters beats Wozniacki to move into semifinals

Kim Clijsters of Belgium reacts after winning a point against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Kim Clijsters of Belgium reacts after winning a point against Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Kim Clijsters of Belgium makes a forehand return to Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark hits a forehand return to Kim Clijsters of Belgium during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark serves to Kim Clijsters of Belgium during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Victoria Azarenka of Belarus reacts after winning a point against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland during their quarterfinal at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Kim Clijsters is moving on to the Australian Open semifinals, and Caroline Wozniacki is moving out of the top spot.

Two days after saving four match points and spraining her left ankle in a fourth-round win over French Open champion Li Na, Clijsters showed no signs of weakness as she continued her title defense at Melbourne Park with a 6-3, 7-6 (4) quarterfinal win over Wozniacki.

The four-time major winner next plays third-seeded Victoria Azarenka, who beat No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2 earlier Tuesday to move into the semis of a Grand Slam for the second time.

Wozniacki needed to reach the semifinals to retain the top ranking she has held at the end of the last two seasons. Her place in the rankings has attracted some criticism because the 21-year-old Dane has never won a major.

But even after another major setback, Wozniacki remained confident she'll not only reclaim the top ranking but will get her Grand Slam breakthrough.

"You know, I will get it back eventually, so I'm not worried," she said. Critics "talk to me like I'm finishing my career and I only have one year left and time is running out.

"The fact is I still have quite a few good years in front of me."

Clijsters slipped to No. 14 after beating Li Na in the last Australian final, losing in the second round at the French Open and then missing the next two majors due to injuries. But after losing her first four finals in the majors, she's learned how to win them.

She set an example for Wozniacki of how to go about it.

Both players started nervously on Tuesday, with three service breaks until Clijsters held in the fourth game. The 28-year-old Belgian dictated play from her first hold until she was serving for the match while a break up in the second.

She had the rally on her racket at 30-30, but let her guard down and allowed Wozniacki back into the match. Wozniacki took a chances and got back level, going into the tiebreaker with momentum.

Clijsters had never lost any of her eight previous tiebreakers at Melbourne Park, and she hit a backhand down the line to take a 5-4 lead. She set up double match point with a cross-court forehand winner and sealed it with a volley.

"It definitely didn't feel like being up a set and 5-2," Clijsters said. "I had to work really hard for it. Caroline is a great fighter.

"I was happy to get through, and not in a three-setter because it's so hot," she said.

The crowd at Rod Laver Arena was solidly behind Clijsters from the start, shouting "C'mon Kimmie" in between nearly every point and cheering when Wozniacki missed a shot.

Four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer is another crowd favorite. He had the next scheduled match on Rod Laver against U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal played Tomas Berdych in a night match.

Azarenka opened the action on Rod Laver in a match that contained 15 breaks of serve, including eight in the first set.

After being comprehensively outplayed in the opening tiebreaker, Azarenka won seven straight games to move closer to the victory that kept her among the three players who can overhaul Wozniacki at No. 1.

The 22-year-old Belarusian, who makes a distinctive hooting sounds as she hits the ball, extended her winning streak this season to 10 matches, including a title at Sydney, where she beat Radwanska in the semifinals. She served six double-faults and had 38 unforced errors, but showed maturing mental resolve but holding her nerve on the big points.

"I'm really happy with my win. I think it was very important to see how I could adjust after not playing really well in the first set," she said. "I completely turned it around.

"Today I really tried to forget about the first set and start from zero and really fight hard. So I think that was a different mental approach a little bit."

Five-time champion Serena Williams is already out of the tournament. Her 17-match winning streak at the Australian Open ended in a 6-2, 6-3 loss to No. 56-ranked Ekaterina Makarova.

The margin equaled the biggest Grand Slam defeat of Williams' 17-year career.

Makarova will face three-time major winner Maria Sharapova in an all-Russian quarterfinal.

Sharapova rallied past Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 before defending men's champion Novak Djokovic fended off a resurgent Lleyton Hewitt in a dramatic last match of the day, winning 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

With Hewitt's loss, Australia's chances of celebrating a home singles winner were over. American hopes had already evaporated with the defeat of Williams ? her first in Melbourne since 2008 and earliest since 2006.

"I can't even describe how I served, to be honest," said Williams, who finished with seven double-faults, including four in one game in the second set. "My lefty serve is actually better than that. Maybe I should have started serving lefty."

Williams tried not to blame her left ankle injury from a tuneup tournament in Brisbane two weeks ago. But she didn't move well and seemed to have particular difficulty running to her left. She said if it hadn't been a Grand Slam, she wouldn't have played at all.

"Usually I play myself into the tournament," Williams said. "But I don't have a huge problem with an injury. So this is a completely different situation. Usually it's easier for me to play myself in because I'm usually physically OK."

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova had a 6-2, 7-6 (2) win over former top-ranked Ana Ivanovic on Monday and will next play Sara Errani of Italy, who beat 2010 semifinalist Zheng Jie 6-2, 6-1.

Djokovic had won 23 straight sets at Melbourne Park before he suddenly wobbled against Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion who has slipped to No. 181 in the rankings after a series of injuries.

Hewitt, a wild-card entry in his 16th straight Australian Open, rallied from 3-0 down in the third set in front of a raucous home crowd to force a fourth set, but Djokovic gathered his composure.

Next up for Djokovic is fifth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, who had a surprisingly easy 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 win over Richard Gasquet.

Two-time finalist Andy Murray advanced when Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan retired after 49 minutes with a left hip injury while trailing 6-1, 6-1, 1-0. After knocking out the first player from Kazakhstan to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam, Murray's next opponent will be another history-maker.

Kei Nishikori beat sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to become the first Japanese man to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open since the Open era began in 1968.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-24-TEN-Australian-Open/id-6707316f145949578a354b3eb7326f64

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3 die in house fire near Marist College

By NBC New York

An early-morning fire at a house near Marist College Saturday has left at three dead and four others with smoke inhalation, authorities said.

In a press conference held Saturday afternoon, Poughkeepsie Police confirmed that two female students from nearby Marist College and a male in his 20s died in the fire. Police said that the male victim was not a student.?

Four others escaped from the house with smoke inhalation, and were treated and released from the hospital.?

The fire began sometime after 1 a.m at 112 Fairview Avenue, officials said. The fire chief believes the fire may have started in the back of the house. ?

In a statement, Marist College said that school security and other officials are "working closely with the emergency responders to gather more information about the incident." ?

The house was privately owned and was not affiliated with the college.? ?

The Town of Poughkeepsie police are in charge at the scene, and continue their investigation. ?

An eyewitness told the Poughkeepsie Journal that she drove down Fairview Ave. at 1:20 a.m and saw the green house on fire. While standing on the street, she saw a female "fly through" a first floor window, breaking the glass. ?

"Apparently her boyfriend threw her out," she told the paper. The female and her boyfriend were both taken to the hospital and survived. ?

The identities of the victims have not been released at this time.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/21/10207477-3-die-in-house-fire-near-marist-college

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Bestselling books the week of 1/19/12, according to IndieBound*

1. Death Comes to Pemberley, by P.D. James, Knopf
?2. Believing the Lie, by Elizabeth George, Dutton
?3. The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes, Knopf
?4. The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain, Ballantine
?5. 11/22/63, by Stephen King, Scribner
?6. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson, Knopf
?7. State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett, Harper
?8. The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday
?9. 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami, Knopf
?10. The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides, FSG
?11. The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach, Little Brown
?12. The Orphan Master's Son, by Adam Johnson, Random House
?13. A Dance With Dragons, by George R.R. Martin, Bantam
?14. The Cat's Table, by Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
?15. The Litigators, by John Grisham, Doubleday

ON THE RISE:
?16. How It All Began, by Penelope Lively, Viking
?Lively's latest novel explores the powerful role of chance in people's lives and the surprising ways lives intersect.

Published Thursday, January 19, 2012 (for the sales week ended Sunday, January 15, 2012). Based on reporting from many hundreds of independent bookstores across the United States. For information on more titles, please visit IndieBound.org

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/p7HALXgZSUc/Bestselling-books-the-week-of-1-19-12-according-to-IndieBound

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Obama: Syria violence unacceptable, government must leave (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama on Tuesday condemned as "unacceptable" Syria's continuing crackdown on protesters and repeated his call for President Bashar al-Assad's government to leave power.

"We're continuing to see unacceptable levels of violence inside that country, and so we will continue to consult very closely with Jordan to create the kind of international pressure and environment that encourages the current Syrian regime to step aside," Obama said after White House talks with Jordan's King Abdullah.

(Reporting by David Alexander)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120117/wl_nm/us_syria_usa_obama

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Drop in Melanoma Deaths Limited to Educated Whites: Study (HealthDay)

MONDAY, Jan. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Recent declines in death rates due to the skin cancer melanoma among white Americans appear to be limited to those with higher levels of education, researchers have found.

The findings reveal a widening education-related disparity in melanoma death rates and highlight the need for early-detection strategies to effectively target high-risk, low-educated whites, the American Cancer Society researchers said.

The investigators noted that overall melanoma death rates among white men and women aged 25 to 64 in the United States have been declining since the early 1990s, but it hasn't been known if death rates among whites might vary depending on a person's socioeconomic status, a term used to describe their levels of income and education.

To examine the issue, the researchers reviewed death certificates from 26 states and found that melanoma deaths declined about 10 percent between 1993-1997 and 2003-2007 in both men and women.

However, reductions occurred only among whites with at least 13 years of education, and there were actually slight increases among those with the least education. As a result, the education-related gap in melanoma death rates rose by nearly 52 percent in men and by almost 36 percent in women between 1993-1997 and 2003-2007, the investigators found.

The study was published in the Jan. 16 online edition of the journal Archives of Dermatology.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to document this education gap in melanoma mortality trends among non-Hispanic whites in the U.S.," study leader Vilma Cokkinides said in an American Cancer Society news release.

"The reasons for the widening of the educational gap in mortality rates are not yet understood, but we do know the cornerstone of melanoma control is recognizing the signs of melanoma early. Lower socioeconomic status is associated with suboptimal knowledge and awareness of melanoma, inadequate health insurance, and lower rates of skin self-examination or physician screening," she explained.

The researchers said there's a need for more vigilant primary and secondary melanoma-prevention education campaigns that target high-risk people with low socioeconomic status and the doctors who care for them.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about melanoma.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120116/hl_hsn/dropinmelanomadeathslimitedtoeducatedwhitesstudy

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Wis. Democrats still searching for Walker opponent (AP)

MADISON, Wis. ? Supporters of a push to oust Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker from office are prepared to declare victory in their effort to force the Republican into a recall election. But a problem looms for Democrats: They still don't know who would run against him.

Recall organizers say they have gathered far more than the 540,208 signatures required to force the election against both Walker and GOP Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and will submit their petitions Tuesday.

Walker has meanwhile dominated the state's airwaves with ads defending his agenda, including the law enacted last year that ended nearly all collective bargaining rights for most public workers and spurred the recall effort in the first place.

He's also crisscrossed the country raising millions of dollars, taking full advantage of both the conservative rock star persona built as he put Wisconsin at the center of the national labor rights debate and a quirk in state law allowing those targeted for recall to ignore normal contribution limits until an election date is set.

Walker reported in mid-December that he'd already raised $5.1 million, with about half of that coming from out of state. He received $250,000 alone from Bob Perry, the Texas conservative who was one of the main financial backers behind the Swift Boat Veterans ads that attacked Sen. John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign.

Democrats and union leaders insist they're not concerned about not having someone actively running against Walker and trying to match his fundraising. In fact, they say it was part of their strategy.

"It forced Walker and his minions to run on their record and issues rather than to run against an announced Democratic candidate," said Marty Beil, president of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, the largest union of state workers. "That was part of the rationale through the whole recall petition collection process."

Democrats and union leaders said they also never anticipated competing with Walker on fundraising. Beil said the key for recall supporters will be to maintain the enthusiasm that fueled recall signature collection for the past two months.

"And we win with some resources, but we don't see matching him for dollar by dollar," Beil added.

Walker's campaign spokeswoman Ciara Matthews said in a statement that the governor's record will "stand in stark contrast to whoever the eventual Democratic nominee is." She defended Walker's record from last year, noting he balanced the state's $3.6 billion shortfall without massive layoffs of state employees.

Democrats have framed Walker's budget-balancing tactics as an attack on labor unions, one of their key constituencies. Thousands of demonstrators staged non-stop protests at the Capitol for three weeks and the Senate's 14 minority Democrats even fled the state in a futile attempt to block the collective bargaining plan that Walker signed into law last March.

The Democratic field of would-be challengers to Walker is expected take shape once the Government Accountability Board certifies that petition circulators have gathered enough signatures. Beil said he expected it be clear by the end of the month, while state Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said he didn't expect a set field before March.

"I don't see any need for a candidate to dip their toe in the water until they absolutely feel it is necessary to do so," Tate said. "We have a blessing of riches in the Democratic Party. We have several people who would make wonderful governors."

Numerous prominent Democrats have said they're considering a run but the two highest profile ones ? former Sen. Russ Feingold and retiring Sen. Herb Kohl ? have repeatedly said they aren't interested.

Moderate Democrat state Sen. Tim Cullen has said he intends to take on Walker but has not made a formal announcement or been actively campaigning. He said he expects and welcomes a Democratic primary, which likely would be held in May, although the timing will be unclear until possible delays related to the signature verification process and any legal challenges are resolved.

"If there's not a primary, then who's actually deciding this?" Cullen said.

Walker and his allies say organized labor will decide the Democratic candidate. Public workers and their unions have been a driving force behind the recall, helping provide the manpower needed to circulate petitions.

Union leaders have made some of their preferences known. They've been clear in their distaste of a potential candidacy by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who lost to Walker by 5 percentage points in 2010. Barrett has angered some unions with cuts he made to the city budget and his support of a plan a couple years ago that would have given him control of the troubled Milwaukee Public Schools.

Beil and Mary Bell, the head of the statewide teachers union, met with Barrett in December and unsuccessfully tried to dissuade him from running, based on an email Bell sent to other union leaders that was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Bell confirmed the meeting and email to The Associated Press but declined to comment in more detail about Barrett or who the union is supporting. Beil also has been outspoken in his opposition to Barrett but won't say who the union supports yet.

Barrett has announced that he's seeking re-election as Milwaukee mayor, which will be decided on April 3. But he's repeatedly dodged questions about another run against Walker, refusing to rule it out or commit to it.

"The candidate has to be a champion of these thousands of people who have said we need a change," Beil said. "The candidate has to be a champion, it can't be the same old message."

One potential candidate organized labor does like is Kathleen Falk, a retired Dane County executive who said she is considering running. Falk, who previously ran unsuccessfully for governor and state attorney general, has been traveling the state speaking out in support of the recall.

Other potential Democratic candidates include former U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, current U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, state Sen. Jon Erpenbach and state Rep. Peter Barca.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/democrats/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120116/ap_on_re_us/us_wisconsin_governor_recall

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Hulu?s 2011 Revenue Grew 60 Percent To $420M, Will Invest $500M In New Content This Year

Hulu CEO Jason Kilar just posted a recap of the online content business in 2011, and revealed that Hulu's revenue grew 60% from 2010 to approximately $420 million. While the growth is a good sign, this is less that the $500 million expected for the year. Kilar says that Hulu Plus now has more than 1.5 million paying subscribers and is attracting more than 2 times the number of subscribers each day when compared to this time last year. Hulu continues to expect that its subscription services will account for more than half of Hulu?s overall business later this year.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/TUNUFtxr4N8/

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Firefighters reach two people alive on cruise ship: report (Reuters)

ROME (Reuters) ? Firefighters have reached two people alive on the stricken Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, the Italian news agency Ansa reported on Sunday.

The firefighters had made voice contact with the couple earlier and found them in a cabin.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120115/wl_nm/us_italy_ship_people

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CES 2012: Casio creates wild art images with 3D printing (Yahoo! News)

Turn your 2D images into 3D art with Casio's 3D painting technology

From making?hermit crab shells to creating?vases based on the shape of your face,?3D printing seems to be doing everything these days. So, really, we shouldn't have been surprised to see?Casio showing off their own 3D printing tech on the?CES show floor.

Casio's gallery of 3D artwork was created from 2D images and their own 3D printing technology. It comes in two flavors: relief paintings, like the image above, which are subtly textured; and 3D digital paintings, like the ones below, which make a big jump into the third dimension. (We can't lie: while the technology at work here is definitely impressive, some of their pet photos were a bit on the creepy side.)

Though it's not on the market yet, Casio hopes to offer this wild 3D printing technology as a service at some point in the future ? so if you're interested, you should start looking for your best pet photos to digitize right now.

Creepy or cool? You decide

This article originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20120112/tc_yblog_technews/ces-2012-casio-creates-wild-art-images-with-3d-printing

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Bob Kerrey spars with Karl Rove (Washington Post)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/186436056?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Gaming Nexus - Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon - Review ...

Originally released six months ago on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is finally making its way to the PC.? That's good news for anybody who likes to squash giant alien insect invaders, all while crushing large sections of the fictional city of New Detroit.? Unfortunately, I have bad news for anybody hoping for something less repetitive and shallow.? For better or worse, this remains the exact same game that caused so many divisive opinions when it was first released last July.

Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon marks the third installment in Sandlot's humans vs. giant insects trilogy (which also includes Global Defense Force and Earth Defense Force 2017).? While the concept is ambitious enough, this has always been a series based around cheesy open-world action at a budget price.? Insect Armageddon is no exception, offering only a few hours of gameplay, mediocre graphics and a repetitive campaign that is unbearable if you're playing by yourself.

Here we see New Detroit being overrun by giant alien insects.? Your job is to team up with three other characters and destroy this scourge once and for all.? You do this by running around large city areas shooting giant ants, spiders, ticks, wasps and the like.? Eventually the game will teach you to destroy the insect's nest (such as a giant ant hill), otherwise you'll be left to fight a never ending supply of bug baddies.? Other enemies may require a more direct shot, but this is a basic concept that gets repeated level after level until you beat the stunningly short game.

There are four classes to choose from, each with their own sets of abilities and weapons.? My favorite was the Jet class, which allows the player to both speed around the level and fly above it with an exclusive jetpack.? The Battle class is the other side of the equation, a slow-moving, heavily armored fighter with large guns.? Then there's the Tactical class, which allows players to put down turrets and other helpful items in the middle of battle.? The final class is the Trooper, a well-balanced soldier that is able to use every type of gun.

The game makes an excellent first impression.? There's something ridiculously exciting about see a bunch of enormous bugs speeding at you.? It's even more exhilarating when you realize you can take down any building, sign, bridge or monument that stands between you and safety.? With so much over-the-top action happening at once, it's easy to get sucked into the game within seconds of starting it.? Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for this euphoria to wear off.

While the non-stop action persists through the game's short campaign, you'll quickly realize that every level is essentially the same old thing.? They may throw a new wrinkle at you, but you're constantly being asked to do the same thing over and over again.? Worse yet, the unspectacular level designs all start to blur together, something that made it hard to appreciate the progress I was making in the game.? At the end I felt like the action overstayed its welcome, even when it clocked in at a mere five hours.

To be fair to Earth Defense Force, this may be the type of game you aren't supposed to play in one or two sittings.? I can see how playing a mission here and there may keep the excitement alive, even if each stage offers diminishing returns.? The new insects added throughout the course of the game are fun to discover, even if most of the time it means you'll have to stand in one place shooting into the air for five minutes.? A few of the bosses really impressed, which is saying something give the game's so-so presentation.

Unfortunately, I went through the game quickly.? Maybe too quickly.? By the end of the game I was left with a bad taste in my mouth.? As a single-player game, Earth Defense Force should be avoided at all costs.? The paper-thin gameplay just doesn't hold up by yourself.? However, I did have a lot more fun taking on these insect invaders with friends.? Here we were able to come up with devilishly clever ways to take down the bugs and save the world.? Still, even with friends around, the shallowness of the experience left me wanting more.

What this game has going for it is a large variety of guns to earn and buy.? Players will have to beat the game several times in order to collect all of the types of guns, a strong incentive for the online multiplayer mode.? You get a lot of familiar gun types (sniper rifles, missile launchers, shotguns, etc.), each with their own advantage depending on the situation.? Even late into the game I was still having a great time taking out giant spiders with the new and upgraded weapons.

Beating the campaign unlocks a remix mode, which adds new enemies into each of the missions.? While this offers players a new challenge, I found this to be more of the same.? It would have been nice to see some more variety in the gameplay.? It goes back to the game's underlying problem, that it's far too repetitive for its own good.

Much like the past installments, Insect Armageddon looks dated and cheesy when compared to other modern games.? It's not that the game looks bad, but rather that it lacks the polish you expect from a game released in 2011.? The animation is stiff, the level designs are uninspired and there's nothing you'll remember about the presentation after you turn it off.? Then again, the mediocre graphics isn't the thing that brings this game down.

At a paltry $20, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is a no-frills budget title.? You get some solid action that is easily digested with friends and not much more.? If you don't mind some mind-numbing repetition, then you could do a whole lot worse than D3's fashionably late port.? However, anybody thinking about playing this by themselves should look elsewhere.? It turns out that no amount of giant insects can fix monotonous gameplay.

C-

Even with a budget price, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon is tough to recommend. The mediocre graphics and monotonous gameplay bring down an otherwise solid premise. This is only worth playing if you have friends to play with, solo players should take a can of Raid to this repetitive mess.

* The product in this article was sent to us by the developer/company for review.

Page 1 of 1

Source: http://www.gamingnexus.com/Article/Earth-Defense-Force-Insect-Armageddon/Item3338.aspx

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Syria's president blames 'foreign conspiracy'

(AP)? BEIRUT ? Syrian President Bashar Assad said Tuesday he will not step down, insisting that he still has his people's support despite a 10-month-old uprising against him.

In his fourth speech since the Syrian revolt began in March, Assad also lashed out at the Arab League and accused the Cairo-based bloc of failing to protect Arab interests.

The League has suspended Syria and sent a team of monitors into country to assess whether the regime is abiding by an Arab-brokered peace plan that Assad agreed to on Dec. 19. The moves were humiliating for Syria, which considers itself a powerhouse of Arab nationalism.

"The Arab League failed for six decades to protect Arab interests," Assad said in the speech at Damascus University, where he stood at a podium flanked by Syrian flags. "We shouldn't be surprised it's failed today."

Assad repeated claims that a conspiracy is behind the unrest, but he said it is failing.

"We will declare victory soon," Assad said. "When I leave this post, it will be also based upon the people's wishes," he added.

The president has made few public appearances since the anti-government uprising began in March, inspired by the revolutions sweeping the Arab world. The regime's crackdown on dissent has killed thousands and led to international isolation and sanctions.

Assad also accused hundreds of media outlets of working against Syria to "push us toward ... collapse."

"They failed, but they have not given up," he said in the speech, which was broadcast live on state television.

Since the start of the uprising, Assad has blamed a foreign conspiracy and media fabrications for the unrest ? allegations that the opposition and most observers dismiss. The regime has banned most foreign news outlets and prevented independent reporting.

In recent months, Syria's conflict has turned increasingly violent as army defectors turn their weapons on the regime and some protesters take up arms to protect themselves.

Syria agreed in December to an Arab League-brokered plan that calls for an end to the military crackdown on protesters, but killings have continued.

About 165 Arab League monitors are in Syria to determine whether the regime is abiding by the plan to stop violence and pull heavy weapons out of the cities.

The U.N. estimated several weeks ago that more than 5,000 people have been killed since March. Since that report, opposition activists say hundreds more have died.

Adnan al-Khudeir, head of the Cairo operations room that the monitors report to, said more observers will head to Syria in the coming days and the delegation should reach 200. He said the mission then will expand its work in Syria to reach the eastern province of Deir el-Zour and predominantly Kurdish areas to the northeast.

Source: http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~r/CBSNewsGamecore/~3/IpwGYhEjgGI/

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These Four Investing Lessons Mean Everything Today - Money ...

Talk about information overload...

There's so much news and data, so many opinions about events and data points, so many financial publications, so many shows, so many stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), futures, options, derivatives, so many opposing points of views about everything, it's enough to make your head explode and your investing comfort level implode.

Most people tend towards like-minded analysts and economic analysis that confirms what they're seeing and thinking. There's a kind of comfort zone there, where "We're in this together and if we're wrong, well, I wasn't alone; but if we're right, boy am I smart."

Then there are the "skittish" investors who think they know what they're doing - that is, until they hear a different opinion from someone, anyone, they think has a leg up on them. And what do they do then? They usually ask, "Really?" Meaning, "Do you know something I don't know?" Chances are, at that point, they are going to panic.

And, of course, there are those investors who know they are right, and stick by their convictions and positions all the way to, well, you know where.

Maybe you've been there.

I was there myself when I started trading professionally on the floor of the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE) in 1982.

But I quickly distanced myself from all the noise that distracted me from being a successful trader.

There is no magic bullet to being a successful investor; that's the bad news. The good news is that it's a lot simpler that everyone makes it out to be.

Here are the four most important trading lessons I have learned:

If you've already signed up for Wall Street Insights & Indictments, Shah Gilani's new free newsletter, there is no need to sign up (you've already received this report as part of your existing subscription). But if you aren't a subscriber, take a moment to sign up below to receive this full article. You'll also receive Shah's just-released investor report on who caused the U.S. financial crisis.

Source: http://moneymorning.com/2012/01/10/these-four-investing-lessons-mean-everything-today/

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Next ice age not likely before 1,500 years: study (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? High levels of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere mean the next ice age is unlikely to begin for at least 1,500 years, an article in the journal Nature Geoscience said on Monday.

Concentrations of the main gases blamed for global warming reached record levels in 2010 and will linger in the atmosphere for decades even if the world stopped pumping out emissions today, according to the U.N.'s weather agency.

An ice age is a period when there is a long-term reduction in the earth's surface and atmospheric temperature, which leads to the growth of ice sheets and glaciers.

There have been at least five ice ages on earth. During ice ages there are cycles of glaciation with ice sheets both advancing and retreating.

Officially, the earth has been in an interglacial, or warmer period, for the last 10,000 to 15,000 years, and estimates vary on how long such periods last.

"(Analysis) suggests that the end of the current interglacial (period) would occur within the next 1,500 years, if atmospheric CO2 concentrations do not exceed (around) 240 parts per million by volume (ppmv)," the study said.

However, the current carbon dioxide concentration is of 390 ppmv, and at that level an increase in the volume of ice sheets would not be possible, it added.

The study based on variations in the earth's orbit and rock samples was conducted by academics at Cambridge University, University College London, the University of Florida and Norway's University of Bergen.

The causes of ice ages are not fully understood but concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, changes in the earth's orbit around the sun, and the movement of tectonic plates are all thought to contribute.

The world is forecast to grow hotter as greenhouse gases continue to rise, increasing threats such as extreme weather events and sea level rise.

Scientists have warned that global temperature rise should be limited to within 2 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst effects of climate change but delays in curbing emissions growth are putting the planet at risk.

(Editing by Alessandra Rizzo)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120109/sc_nm/us_ice_age_emissions

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Predecessors attack Mayor Bell's firing of two city employees

Read?more: Economy, Government, Local, Politics, News, Legal, Department of Neighborhoods Firings, Jack Ford and Carty Finkbeiner Press Conference, Director Katie Bond, Housing Comissioner Mike Badik, Termination, City Employees, Federal Housing Funds

TOLEDO -- Former Toledo mayors Jack Ford and Carty Finkbeiner had a bone to pick?about the recent firings in the?city's Department of Neighborhoods?during a?joint press conference on Monday.

Ford and Finkbeiner?denounced Mayor Mike Bell's decision to terminate Director Kattie Bond and Housing Comissioner Mike Badik, who are under investigation?for poor oversight and contract bid-rigging.?The former mayors?talked about the character of the two former?city employees, advocated a?lighter punishment and attacked Mayor Bell's judgment.

"It's time for Mike to be a man and start doing his job and taking responsibility,? Finkbeiner said.

Mayor Bell shot back at his predecessors and upheld?his decision,?maintaining?they risked losing federal housing funds if the city failed to act.

Source: http://www.northwestohio.com/news/money/story.aspx?id=705352

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UK spies won't face criminal charges for torture (AP)

LONDON ? Agents working for Britain's spy agencies won't face criminal charges over their alleged complicity in the mistreatment of former Guantanamo detainees, the country's top prosecutor said Thursday.

They may, however, still face civil action from victims who say the British government passed on information about them to their foreign captors accused in their mistreatment. None of the British agents were accused of directly torturing or mistreating detainees.

Prosecutors have been investigating allegations of ill treatment of detainees who eventually were sent to the U.S. prison in Guantanamo, Cuba. Most of the torture allegations come from terror suspects who were either initially held in Pakistan and Afghanistan, or sent to other countries such as Morocco for interrogation.

Police and the Crown Prosecution Service said if more evidence came to light, criminal investigations could be reopened.

A separate inquiry into British complicity in torture, intelligence sharing and the extraordinary rendition of terror suspects is set to begin now that the police and prosecutors have said there is insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.

Britain has already made payouts to 16 former detainees at Guantanamo. Among those alleged to have been part of the settlements were Binyam Mohamed, Bishar Al Rawi, Jamil El Banna, Richard Belmar, Omar Deghayes, Moazzam Begg and Martin Mubanga.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120112/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_torture_charges

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