Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Bright lights of purity

Bright lights of purity [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Lynn Yarris
lcyarris@lbl.gov
510-486-5375
DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab researchers discover why pure quantum dots and nanorods shine brighter

To the lengthy list of serendipitous discoveries gravity, penicillin, the New World add this: Scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered why a promising technique for making quantum dots and nanorods has so far been a disappointment. Better still, they've also discovered how to correct the problem.

A team of researchers led by chemist Paul Alivisatos, director of Berkeley Lab, and Prashant Jain, a chemist now with the University of Illinois, has discovered why nanocrystals made from multiple components in solution via the exchange of cations (positive ions) have been poor light emitters. The problem, they found, stems from impurities in the final product. The team also demonstrated that these impurities can be removed through heat.

"By heating these nanocrystals to 100 degrees Celsius, we were able to remove the impurities and increase their luminescence by 400-fold within 30 hours," says Jain, a member of Alivisatos' research group when this work was done. "When the impurities were removed the optoelectronic properties of nanocrystals made through cation-exchange were comparable in quality to dots and nanorods conventionally synthesized."

Says Alivisatos, "With our new findings, the cation-exchange technique really becomes a method that can be widely used to make novel high optoelectronic grade nanocrystals."

Jain is the lead author and Alivisatos the corresponding author of a paper describing this work in the journal Angewandte Chemie titled "Highly Luminescent Nanocrystals From Removal of Impurity Atoms Residual From Ion Exchange Synthesis." Other authors were Brandon Beberwyck, Lam-Kiu Fong and Mark Polking.

Quantum dots and nanorods are light-emitting semiconductor nanocrystals that have a broad range of applications, including bio-imaging, solar energy and display screen technologies. Typically, these nanocrystals are synthesized from colloids - particles suspended in solution. As an alternative, Alivisatos and his research group developed a new solution-based synthesis technique in which nanocrystals are chemically transformed by exchanging or replacing all of the cations in the crystal lattice with another type of cation. This cation-exchange technique makes it possible to produce new types of core/shell nanocrystals that are inaccessible through conventional synthesis. Core/shell nanocrystals are heterostructures in which one type of semiconductor is enclosed within another, for example, a cadmium selenide (CdSe) core and a cadmium sulfide (CdS) shell.

"While holding promise for the simple and inexpensive fabrication of multicomponent nanocrystals, the cation-exchange technique has yielded quantum dots and nanorods that perform poorly in optical and electronic devices," says Alivisatos, a world authority on nanocrystal synthesis who holds a joint appointment with the University of California (UC) Berkeley, where he is the Larry and Diane Bock professor of Nanotechnology.

As Jain tells the story, he was in the process of disposing of CdSe/CuS nanocrystals in solution that were six months old when out of habit he tested the nanocrystals under ultraviolet light. To his surprise he observed significant luminescence. Subsequent spectral measurements and comparing the new data to the old showed that the luminescence of the nanocrystals had increased by at least sevenfold.

"It was an accidental finding and very exciting," Jain says, "but since no one wants to wait six months for their samples to become high quality I decided to heat the nanocrystals to speed up whatever process was causing their luminescence to increase."

Jain and the team suspected and subsequent study confirmed that impurities original cations that end up being left behind in the crystal lattice during the exchange process - were the culprit.

"Even a few cation impurities in a nanocrystal are enough to be effective at trapping useful, energetic charge-carriers," Jain says. "In most quantum dots or nanorods, charge-carriers are delocalized over the entire nanocrystal, making it easy for them to find impurities, no matter how few there might be, within the nanocrystal. By heating the solution to remove these impurities and shut off this impurity-mediated trapping, we give the charge-carriers enough time to radiatively combine and thereby boost luminescence."

Since charge-carriers are also instrumental in electronic transport, photovoltaic performance, and photocatalytic processes, Jain says that shutting off impurity-mediated trapping should also boost these optoelectronic properties in nanocrystals synthesized via the cation-exchange technique.

###

This research was supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.



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


Bright lights of purity [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Lynn Yarris
lcyarris@lbl.gov
510-486-5375
DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Berkeley Lab researchers discover why pure quantum dots and nanorods shine brighter

To the lengthy list of serendipitous discoveries gravity, penicillin, the New World add this: Scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered why a promising technique for making quantum dots and nanorods has so far been a disappointment. Better still, they've also discovered how to correct the problem.

A team of researchers led by chemist Paul Alivisatos, director of Berkeley Lab, and Prashant Jain, a chemist now with the University of Illinois, has discovered why nanocrystals made from multiple components in solution via the exchange of cations (positive ions) have been poor light emitters. The problem, they found, stems from impurities in the final product. The team also demonstrated that these impurities can be removed through heat.

"By heating these nanocrystals to 100 degrees Celsius, we were able to remove the impurities and increase their luminescence by 400-fold within 30 hours," says Jain, a member of Alivisatos' research group when this work was done. "When the impurities were removed the optoelectronic properties of nanocrystals made through cation-exchange were comparable in quality to dots and nanorods conventionally synthesized."

Says Alivisatos, "With our new findings, the cation-exchange technique really becomes a method that can be widely used to make novel high optoelectronic grade nanocrystals."

Jain is the lead author and Alivisatos the corresponding author of a paper describing this work in the journal Angewandte Chemie titled "Highly Luminescent Nanocrystals From Removal of Impurity Atoms Residual From Ion Exchange Synthesis." Other authors were Brandon Beberwyck, Lam-Kiu Fong and Mark Polking.

Quantum dots and nanorods are light-emitting semiconductor nanocrystals that have a broad range of applications, including bio-imaging, solar energy and display screen technologies. Typically, these nanocrystals are synthesized from colloids - particles suspended in solution. As an alternative, Alivisatos and his research group developed a new solution-based synthesis technique in which nanocrystals are chemically transformed by exchanging or replacing all of the cations in the crystal lattice with another type of cation. This cation-exchange technique makes it possible to produce new types of core/shell nanocrystals that are inaccessible through conventional synthesis. Core/shell nanocrystals are heterostructures in which one type of semiconductor is enclosed within another, for example, a cadmium selenide (CdSe) core and a cadmium sulfide (CdS) shell.

"While holding promise for the simple and inexpensive fabrication of multicomponent nanocrystals, the cation-exchange technique has yielded quantum dots and nanorods that perform poorly in optical and electronic devices," says Alivisatos, a world authority on nanocrystal synthesis who holds a joint appointment with the University of California (UC) Berkeley, where he is the Larry and Diane Bock professor of Nanotechnology.

As Jain tells the story, he was in the process of disposing of CdSe/CuS nanocrystals in solution that were six months old when out of habit he tested the nanocrystals under ultraviolet light. To his surprise he observed significant luminescence. Subsequent spectral measurements and comparing the new data to the old showed that the luminescence of the nanocrystals had increased by at least sevenfold.

"It was an accidental finding and very exciting," Jain says, "but since no one wants to wait six months for their samples to become high quality I decided to heat the nanocrystals to speed up whatever process was causing their luminescence to increase."

Jain and the team suspected and subsequent study confirmed that impurities original cations that end up being left behind in the crystal lattice during the exchange process - were the culprit.

"Even a few cation impurities in a nanocrystal are enough to be effective at trapping useful, energetic charge-carriers," Jain says. "In most quantum dots or nanorods, charge-carriers are delocalized over the entire nanocrystal, making it easy for them to find impurities, no matter how few there might be, within the nanocrystal. By heating the solution to remove these impurities and shut off this impurity-mediated trapping, we give the charge-carriers enough time to radiatively combine and thereby boost luminescence."

Since charge-carriers are also instrumental in electronic transport, photovoltaic performance, and photocatalytic processes, Jain says that shutting off impurity-mediated trapping should also boost these optoelectronic properties in nanocrystals synthesized via the cation-exchange technique.

###

This research was supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. For more, visit http://www.lbl.gov.



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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/dbnl-blo013012.php

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Food52: 5 Ways To Use Leftover Bread

There's nothing to making this French toast. But there is one thing that makes it exceptional: cream. This recipe cuts to the chase, forgoing spices and extracts, and focussing instead on eggs, cream and challah. You whip together the eggs and cream, which form a custardy mixture, then dip the eggy bread into this custard -- make sure to gently squeeze the bread with your fingertips to draw the eggs and cream to the center -- and fry them in butter. Outside is a crisp crepe-like shell. Inside, pudding. What are you waiting for? - Amanda & Merrill

Get the recipe Photo: Sarah Shatz

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/food-52/leftover-bread_b_1239171.html

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Monday, 30 January 2012

Dual use research: H5N1 influenza virus and beyond

Dual use research: H5N1 influenza virus and beyond [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Diana Friedman
dfriedman@nyas.org
212-298-8645
New York Academy of Sciences

Experts to discuss controversial studies on avian flu virus at live event

WHAT: Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond

WHEN: Feb. 2, 6pm to 8pm

WHERE: The New York Academy of Sciences

REGISTER: www.nyas.org/H5N1

The US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recently recommended that journals Nature and Science remove certain methodological details from controversial studies on the avian influenza virus (H5N1) to minimize the risk of these findings being misused by would-be bioterrorists. On February 2 from 6pm to 8pm, the Emerging Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Discussion Group of the New York Academy of Sciences presents Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond, a discussion between scientists, publishers, and legal experts that will explore the myriad issues surrounding the impending publication of these two studies and measures that will need to be undertaken to ensure the security of future such research.

To weigh in on matters of censorship and public safety, W. Ian Lipkin, MD, Center for Infection & Immunity at Columbia University, will moderate a panel discussion with Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and member, NSABB; Laurie Garrett, PhD, Council on Foreign Relations; Barbara R. Jasny, PhD, Science; Veronique Kiermer, PhD, Nature Publishing Group; Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, and member, NSABB; Peter Palese, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Vincent Racaniello, PhD, Columbia University; and Alan S. Ruldolph, PhD, Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

###

Attendees must register at www.nyas.org/H5N1. Media must RSVP to Diana Friedman, dfriedman@nyas.org.



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


Dual use research: H5N1 influenza virus and beyond [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Diana Friedman
dfriedman@nyas.org
212-298-8645
New York Academy of Sciences

Experts to discuss controversial studies on avian flu virus at live event

WHAT: Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond

WHEN: Feb. 2, 6pm to 8pm

WHERE: The New York Academy of Sciences

REGISTER: www.nyas.org/H5N1

The US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) recently recommended that journals Nature and Science remove certain methodological details from controversial studies on the avian influenza virus (H5N1) to minimize the risk of these findings being misused by would-be bioterrorists. On February 2 from 6pm to 8pm, the Emerging Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Discussion Group of the New York Academy of Sciences presents Dual Use Research: H5N1 Influenza Virus and Beyond, a discussion between scientists, publishers, and legal experts that will explore the myriad issues surrounding the impending publication of these two studies and measures that will need to be undertaken to ensure the security of future such research.

To weigh in on matters of censorship and public safety, W. Ian Lipkin, MD, Center for Infection & Immunity at Columbia University, will moderate a panel discussion with Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and member, NSABB; Laurie Garrett, PhD, Council on Foreign Relations; Barbara R. Jasny, PhD, Science; Veronique Kiermer, PhD, Nature Publishing Group; Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, and member, NSABB; Peter Palese, PhD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Vincent Racaniello, PhD, Columbia University; and Alan S. Ruldolph, PhD, Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

###

Attendees must register at www.nyas.org/H5N1. Media must RSVP to Diana Friedman, dfriedman@nyas.org.



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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/nyao-dur013012.php

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3 people die in freezing weather in Serbia (AP)

BELGRADE, Serbia ? Three people have died and two more are missing in central and southern Serbia amid heavy snow and freezing temperatures, authorities said Monday.

Authorities in 14 municipalities throughout the country have introduced emergency measures to deal with the situation.

Police said a woman froze to death in a snow storm in a central village, while an elderly man was found dead in the snow outside his home. An 81-year-old died in his snow-covered home in the same area.

Further south, emergency crews are searching for two men in their 70s, who are feared dead.

Authorities urged elderly people to stay indoors as temperatures dropped to minus 20 Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) in some parts of the country.

Heavy snow also caused problems in traffic and power supplies, leaving thousands without electricity for much of the past week.

Clearup efforts have been additionally hampered by strong winds, said police official Goran Nikolic.

Snow has caused trouble in other parts of the Balkans as well.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_eu/eu_europe_weather

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Sunday, 29 January 2012

Amazon merchant caught bribing customers for five-star reviews (Digital Trends)

amazon-box

As reported by the New York Times earlier today, an Amazon merchant?known as?VIP Deals issued a letter to all customers that purchased the Vipertek black leather, case folio cover?designed for the newly released Kindle Fire. As detailed in the correspondence here, the merchant?offered a full refund of the $10 case in exchange for a review on Amazon. While the letter didn?t specifically ask for a positive review, it stated ?Please share your experience to help others learn more about the specific features and qualities of the product, what you liked about it and the benefits to owning the product.? Later in the document, the seller went on to state ?Please also rate your 5-star experience, we strive to earn 100% perfect perfect ?FIVE-STAR? scores from you!? The letter was dated December 16, 2011.

positive-amazon-reviews-fakeBy late January, approximately 92 percent of the 335 product reviews were five stars along with glowing?accolades within the text of each review. Only a handful of reviewers made their?displeasure?of the bribe known within the reviews. According to three customers interviewed by the Times, the letter was packaged with the product during shipment. According to the Times, a representative for VIP Deals denied that the letters were included within each package. However, the merchant?had received nearly 5,000 positive reviews on Amazon which rounded out to a 4.9 star rating.?

The bland, form letter design of the correspondence likely allowed the merchant?to include the bribe within all VIP Deals products sold on Amazon. After the Times sent Amazon a copy of the letter, the retail giant started deleting all reviews created for the product. Eventually, Amazon removed all products sold by the merchant?and ultimately banned the seller from the marketplace.

According to Amazon?s guidelines, merchants are forbidden from offering monetary incentive to create product reviews.?However, this marketing scheme allowed VIP Deals to quickly become the top seller of Kindle Fire cases and Amazon definitely profited by the increase in sales over the two-month time period. If Amazon was completely oblivious to VIP Deals operation, the online retailer definitely needs to improve its ability to discover and punish these types of merchants. ?

review-computer-handThis isn?t the first time that a seller or brand has attempted to influence the Amazon review system. During late January 2009, networking and peripheral gear maker Belkin was busted using the Amazon-owned?Mechanical Turk service to purchase positive reviews for 65 cents each.?Mechanical Turk workers were directed to mark negative reviews as unhelpful and create a positive review with a story regarding the product. After an investigation, it became evident that Belkin business development representative?Michael Bayard was responsible for the post. After Belkin president?Mark Reynoso apologized for the incident and condemned the unethical nature of the scheme,?Bayard?s employment ended at Belkin during?February?2009 according to his LinkedIn page.

Pointed out by Laura Owen at paidContent.org during June 2011, consumers should also be wary of the Top 1000 Reviewers on Amazon. According to the article, people within the Top 1000 are often courted with free products from various brands. This group of elite reviewers makes calculated choices on what to accept for review as the outcome of the review could easily alter their elite status. For instance, giving a poor review to a well-liked product may result in many ?not helpful? ratings. In addition, the top reviewers that do not like a free product are often encouraged by the company?not to post a review.?

Covered during mid-2011, a group of researchers at Cornell are working on a?computer algorithm that can tell if a review is fake. Designed to point out the fake reviews created by freelancers at Fiverr and Amazon?s Mechanical Turk, researchers found the?algorithm was able to knock out 90 percent of fake reviews during initial testing. The group is continuing to perfect the system and has fielded requests from?Amazon, Hilton and TripAdvisor regarding their progress.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20120127/tc_digitaltrends/amazonmerchantcaughtbribingcustomersforfivestarreviews

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Why Gingrich Trails: Heavy Deluge of Negative Ads (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Sometimes a negative political ad can hurt the candidate it's directed at or the one who has put it together. In the case with the upcoming Florida primary for the Republican presidential race, it is the former. The TV ads airing in Florida against Gingrich are out with a vengeance. No wonder one of the leading polls on Friday shows Newt Gingrich falling behind Mitt Romney. Romney leads Gingrich by 8 percentage points in the Reuters/Ipsos poll

During the times when the local and national news are on, in addition to the pre-prime time hours, that's when the political ads run in any given campaign season. It is no different in the Tampa area, where the Republican National Convention is to be held in August. During the week it was the same two negative Gingrich ads playing at every commercial break. This was to the point of overkill where you just had enough. One is Romney's Super PAC ad, the other his attack ad. Unfortunately, negative ads work. I vividly remember for the Florida governor's race in 2010. Rick Scott ran a number of negative ads against his opponent for the general election that obviously worked.

Romney's Super PAC, Restore Our Future, TV ad is titled "Reagan (FL)", reports The Guardian. The Florida primary TV ad shows a montage of how Gingrich would mention "Ronald Reagan" 50 times over the course of many debates during the campaign, even before Iowa and New Hampshire. It opens with "You'd think Newt Gingrich was Ronald Reagan's vice president." If that wasn't enough, it goes on with another barb how Reagan only mentioned Gingrich once in his diary.

To add further insult to injury, President Ronald Reagan, according to this Super PAC, rejected Gingrich's ideas on defense and his thoughts on policy. The final kicker comes with its closing "On leadership and character, Gingrich is no Ronald Reagan." The last line is very reminiscent when Dan Quayle compared himself to John F. Kennedy and his debate opponent Lloyd Bentsen quickly pointed out "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." What happened to that so-called caring and compassionate candidate Mitt Romney portrays in his Internet ad?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120128/us_ac/10896795_why_gingrich_trails_heavy_deluge_of_negative_ads

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Saturday, 28 January 2012

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


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

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France brings Armenian genocide bill one step closer to law

The French Senate today approved a controversial bill making it a crime to deny the Armenian genocide in what many see as a political ploy ahead of elections this spring.

France poked Turkey in the eye last night by approving a new "genocide denial" bill, then this morning urged Turkey to ?remain calm.?

Skip to next paragraph

But Turkish reaction was not especially calm.

After the French Senate voted in the late hours Monday to criminalize a denial of the 1915 Armenian genocide ? punishable with a year in jail and a $58,000 fine ? Turkey?s ambassador to France said he will leave.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today called the new law ?discriminatory? and ?racist? and a ?massacre of free expression,? and pointed out that French President Nicolas Sarkozy?s ancestors had once sought refuge in Turkey.

Something?s definitely out of whack in this diplomatic fallout. But it isn?t entirely Turkey?s inability to face its Ottoman past, which includes the killing or deporting of some 750,000 to 1.5 million Armenians during World War I.

Even French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, a member of the ruling party, thinks the new French law is a bad idea and ?ill-timed.?

?I?m sure we?ll find again a constructive relationship,? Mr. Juppe told French TV. ?I put out my hand and I hope it will be shaken one day.?

In fact, there are actual reasons why Turkey might see fit to remain calm, as Juppe urges. This law really isn?t about Turkey. It?s French politics.

Turkish leaders take the genocide law as a matter of national dishonor and high principles, and point to French slaughters in Algeria, and speak of rights, including of independent thought, that France champions. It is highly emotional.

Yet in France the new genocide law is seen with considerable cynicism, and with little emotion or much regard. It comes just ahead of national elections this spring. Along with its slightly craven appeal to the hundreds of thousands of French-Armenian voters, for whom the issue has always been a defining one, the law also gives President Sarkozy a way to remind conservatives that he?s against a Muslim country joining Europe.

Mr. Sarkozy has a problem with a poll-surging Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front, who accuses him of overseeing an ?Islamization? of France.

The bill is "not entirely free of ulterior electoral motives considering that there is a 500,000-strong French Armenian community in France," as the French daily Liberation put it.

French politicos have portrayed their new legal concoction as part of a long, historic fight against a ?poisonous denial? by the human race of various mass murders.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/FyoW4sKFXgk/France-brings-Armenian-genocide-bill-one-step-closer-to-law

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Friday, 27 January 2012

Despite online outrage, Netflix adds customers

Netflix Inc won back Wall Street's affections on Thursday after adding more U.S. subscribers than expected in the fourth quarter, a rebound that prompted analyst upgrades and the company's biggest one-day stock jump in two years.

The Los Gatos, California-based company's shares soared 23.5 percent to $117.40 in afternoon trading. Shares had dropped to a year's low of $62.37 on Nov. 30.

Analysts at Citigroup, Barclays and J.P. Morgan Securities raised their price targets for Netflix. The fourth-quarter gain of more than 600,000 U.S. customers may help alleviate concerns about the company's ability to gain new business after a series of high-profile missteps, they said.

Citigroup also upgraded the stock to "buy" from "neutral."

Other analysts maintained their price targets, urging caution in the face of growing competition including a potential stand-alone offering of Amazon.com Inc's video streaming product at a lower price.

"We believe Netflix was a bit dismissive of the potential competitive threat here, but the degree of risk almost entirely depends on whether Amazon would approach such a service with its existing content library, or whether it would be willing to step up spending dramatically to acquire more content," JP Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth said in a client note.

He said that in the end, competition with Amazon would not be good for the shares of either company.

On Wednesday, Netflix management acknowledged the competitive landscape. In a letter to shareholders, Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings shrugged off the threat from Amazon.com and Hulu Plus and said both services offered far less content. The greatest competition will come from cable networks going mobile, he said.

Thursday's share gains represented the biggest one-day jump for Netflix since January 2010, when the stock rose 23 percent after better-than-expected earnings and a bullish subscriber forecast.

Netflix, which outraged customers with a surprising price increase and a botched attempt to split off its DVD-by-mail service in 2011, added 610,000 net new subscribers in its home U.S. market in the fourth quarter, helping revenue leap 47 percent to $876 million.

A contrite Hastings had promised that Netflix would lure back customers, and so far it has been even more successful than he forecast.

"You are never as smart or dumb as they say," Hastings said in a Wednesday interview. "We know we are just beginning to climb back in terms of consumer trust and affection."

The fallout from the earlier customer defections contributed to a 14 percent decrease in Netflix's fourth-quarter earnings.

Total U.S. subscribers stood at 24.4 million at the end of December, still below the 24.6 million the company boasted at the end of June.

Still, it would take a major positive run for Netflix to return to its former heights as a Wall Street darling, as recently as seven months ago when its shares peaked at $304 on July 13.

As the company shifts customers from its DVD-by-mail service onto instant streaming, Netflix has been writing ever-heftier checks to acquire more TV programs and movies for its streaming service. The company said it will operate with a loss for a few quarters this year while it expands in Latin America, Britain and Ireland.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46151906/ns/business-us_business/

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Thursday, 26 January 2012

Drew Carey calls off engagement after 5 years

By Gina Serpe, E! Online

Neilson Barnard / Getty Images

Drew Carey and Nicole Jaracz in New York in November.

The price may be right, but the relationship was all wrong.

Sadly, Drew Carey has called off his nearly five-year engagement to Nicole Jaracz, his longtime fiancee.

"The Price Is Right" host popped the question to the culinary school grad and mother to 6-year-old Connor (from a previous relationship) back in October 2007, though no wedding date was ever set (or at least announced).

So what went wrong?

MORE: Speaking of breakups...what's the deal with Johnny and Vanessa?

The verdict is still out, though Carey's rep released a statement indicating that their separation was an amicable one. He also made clear that despite their split, and despite Connor not being Carey's biological son, the star would still play an active role in the boy's life.

"He and Nicole still have a great deal of love and affection for one another," his rep told People. "He will still be very involved with their son's life."

The 53-year-old even credited the boy, whom he refers to as his son, with being the motivation behind his more than 70-pound weight loss, telling Parade back in 2010, "I thought, I'm never going to see him graduate high school."

Way to keep it civil, guys.

PHOTOS: Big Celebrity Splits

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10244331-drew-carey-calls-off-engagement-to-fiancee-of-5-years

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Obama challenges: Shrink gap between rich, poor (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Declaring the American dream under siege, President Barack Obama delivered a populist challenge Tuesday night to shrink the gap between rich and poor, promising to tax the wealthy more and help jobless Americans get work and hang onto their homes. Seeking re-election and needing results, the president invited Republicans to join him but warned, "I intend to fight."

In an emphatic State of the Union address, Obama said ensuring a fair shot for all Americans is "the defining issue of our time." He said the economy is finally recovering from a deep and painful recession and he will fight any effort to return to policies that brought it low.

"We've come too far to turn back now," he declared.

Obama outlined a vastly different vision for fixing the country than the one pressed by the Republicans confronting him in Congress and fighting to take his job in the November election. He pleaded for an active government that ensures economic fairness for everyone, just as his opponents demand that the government back off and let the free market rule.

Obama offered steps to help students afford college, a plan for more struggling homeowners to refinance their homes and tax cuts for manufacturers. He threw in politically appealing references to accountability, including warning universities they will lose federal aid if they don't stop tuition from soaring.

Standing in front of a divided Congress, with bleak hope this election year for much of his legislative agenda, Obama spoke with voters in mind.

"We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by," Obama said. "Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules."

A rare wave of unity splashed over the House chamber at the start. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, survivor of an assassination attempt one year ago, received sustained applause from her peers and cheers of "Gabby, Gabby, Gabby." She blew a kiss to the podium. Obama embraced her.

Lawmakers leapt to their feet when Obama said near the start of his speech that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, killed by a raid authorized by the president, will no longer threaten America.

At the core of Obama's address was the improving but deeply wounded economy ? the matter still driving Americans' anxiety and the one likely to determine the next presidency.

"The state of our union is getting stronger," Obama said, calibrating his words as millions remain unemployed. Implicit in his declaration that the American dream is "within our reach" was the recognition that, after three years of an Obama presidency, the country is not there yet.

He spoke of restoring basic goals: owning a home, earning enough to raise a family, putting a little money away for retirement.

"We can do this," Obama said. "I know we can." He said Americans are convinced that "Washington is broken," but he also said it wasn't too late to cooperate on important matters.

Republicans were not impressed. They applauded infrequently, though they did cheer when the president quoted "Republican Abraham Lincoln" as saying: "That government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves ? and no more."

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, offering the formal GOP response, called Obama's policies "pro-poverty" and his tactics divisive.

"No feature of the Obama presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others," Daniels said after the president's address.

In a signature swipe at the nation's growing income gap, Obama called for a new minimum tax rate of at least 30 percent on anyone making over $1 million. Many millionaires ? including one of his chief rivals, Republican Mitt Romney ? pay a rate less than that because they get most of their income from investments, which are taxed at a lower rate.

"Now you can call this class warfare all you want," Obama said, responding to a frequent criticism from the GOP presidential field. "But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense."

Obama calls this the "Buffett rule," named for billionaire Warren Buffett, who has said it's unfair that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does. Emphasizing the point, Buffett's secretary, Debbie Bosanek, attended the address in first lady Michelle Obama's box.

Obama underlined every proposal with the idea that hard work and responsibility still count. He was targeting independent voters who helped seal his election in 2008 and the frustrated masses in a nation pessimistic about its course.

In a flag-waving defense of American power and influence abroad, Obama said the U.S. will safeguard its own security "against those who threaten our citizens, our friends and our interests." On Iran, he said that while all options are on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon ? an implied threat to use military force ? "a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible."

With Congress almost universally held in low regard, Obama went after an easy target in calling for reforms to keep legislators from engaging in insider trading and holding them to the same conflict-of-interest standards as those that apply to the executive branch.

With the foreclosure crisis on ongoing sore spot despite a number of administration housing initiatives over the past three years, Obama proposed a new program to allow homeowners with privately held mortgages to refinance at lower interest rates. Administration officials offered few details but estimated savings at $3,000 a year for average borrowers.

Obama proposed steps to crack down on fraud in the financial sector and mortgage industry, with a Financial Crimes Unit to monitor bankers and financial service professionals, and a separate special unit of federal prosecutors and state attorneys general to expand investigations into abusive lending that led to the housing crisis.

At a time of tight federal budgets and heavy national debt, Obama found a ready source of money to finance his ideas: He proposed to devote half of the money no longer being spent on the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan to "do some nation-building right here at home," to help create more jobs and increase competitiveness. The other half, he said, would go to help pay down the national debt.

Obama also offered a defense of regulations that protect the American consumer ? regulations often criticized by Republicans as job-killing obstacles.

"Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a government and a financial system that do the same," Obama said. "It's time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts and no cop-outs. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody."

Obama will follow up Tuesday night's address with a three-day tour of 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 on 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 speech Tuesday night comes just one week before the Florida Republican primary that could help set the trajectory for the rest of the race.

Romney, caught up in a tight contest with a resurgent Newt Gingrich, commented in advance to Obama's speech.

"Tonight will mark another chapter in the misguided policies of the last three years ? and the failed leadership of one man," Romney said from Florida.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_state_of_the_union

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Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Could 'Magic' Mushrooms Ease Depression? (HealthDay)

TUESDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Psychedelic mushrooms may point to new ways to treat depression, suggest two small brain imaging studies that seem to show how psilocybin -- the active ingredient in such mushrooms -- affects the brain.

One study included 30 healthy people who had psilocybin inserted into their blood while magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners measured changes in their brain activity. The scans revealed that psilocybin caused decreased activity in what the researchers described as the brain's "hub" regions -- areas especially well-connected with other areas.

That study was published in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The second study included 10 healthy volunteers and found that psilocybin boosted their recall of personal memories and their emotional well-being for up to two weeks. The researchers said this suggests that psilocybin might prove useful as an adjunct to psychotherapy. That study will be published online Thursday in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

A study published last year found that people with anxiety who received a single psilocybin treatment had lower depression scores six months later.

David Nutt, who's with the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, was the senior author of both of the new studies.

"Psychedelics are thought of as 'mind-expanding' drugs, so it has commonly been assumed that they work by increasing brain activity, but surprisingly, we found that psilocybin actually caused activity to decrease in areas that have the densest connections with other areas," Nutt said in a college news release. "These hubs constrain our experience of the world and keep it orderly. We now know that deactivating these regions leads to a state in which the world is experienced as strange."

The impact of psilocybin reported by the study participants -- such as seeing "geometric" patterns, experiencing an altered sense of time and space, and unusual physical sensations -- correlated with a decreased flow of oxygen and blood to parts in the brain's posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the study authors said.

It's thought that the posterior cingulate cortex plays a role in consciousness and self-identity. Research has shown the medial prefrontal cortex to be especially active in people struggling with depression, so psilocybin's effect on this area of the brain could be responsible for some of the antidepressant effects reported in previous research, the study authors said.

Nutt and his colleagues also found that psilocybin reduced blood flow in the hypothalamus, where blood flow increases in people with cluster headaches. Some headache sufferers have reported that psilocybin improved their symptoms.

"Psilocybin was used extensively in psychotherapy in the 1950s, but the biological rationale for its use has not been properly investigated until now. Our findings support the idea that psilocybin facilitates access to personal memories and emotions," Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris, from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, and first author of both studies, said in the news release.

"Previous studies have suggested that psilocybin can improve people's sense of emotional well-being and even reduce depression in people with anxiety. This is consistent with our finding that psilocybin decreases mPFC activity, as many effective depression treatments do. The effects need to be investigated further and ours was only a small study, but we are interested in exploring psilocybin's potential as a therapeutic tool," Carhart-Harris added.

The study authors reiterated that both trials contained small numbers of participants, and further research into psilocybin's effects on the brain is needed.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about depression.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120125/hl_hsn/couldmagicmushroomseasedepression

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Finding the Hawaii of 'The Descendants'

Doug Peebles / Kauai Visitors Bureau

By Lygia Navarro, msnbc.com contributor

Who hasn?t dreamt of Hawaii, fueled by a postcard from a friend vacationing there, an image in a magazine, or a movie scene? With the popularity of the Oscar-nominated film "The Descendants," crowds of travelers are being drawn to Hawaii by the film?s portrayal of what the author of the novel inspiring the film calls "the real Hawaii" ? Hawaiians struggling with workaday concerns (health problems, marital difficulties and arguments over an inheritance) amidst gorgeous island backdrops.

?It?s ironic that I wrote this book that shows other sides of Hawaii, that?s not so pretty and glamorous, and that?s why people want to come,? said author Kaui Hart Hemmings, a Hawaii native. ?I don?t think Hawaii has ever been captured on film, as it really is, until now.?

?It?s almost become like our modern-day ?South Pacific,? said Kauai Visitors Bureau executive director Sue Kanoho, comparing the film to the blockbuster 1958 musical shot on Kauai. Tour operators note the influx of visitors looking for scenes from the film, and the visitors bureau will begin surveying visitors on whether ?The Descendants? inspired their trip.

Hemmings and Kanoho both say director Alexander Payne worked to make the film look like their lives. ?He really took time to get it right,? said Kanoho, ?and gave a glimpse into modern-day Hawaii life. The film touches upon that it?s more than a sun and surf location, but really about the legacy of the land and the people.?

Protecting Hawaii?s natural beauty is a central drama in the film ? and in real life. ?People are very protective of the land, what you call the ?aina?? in Hawaiian, said Kanoho. ?The challenge is about having people come and experience the beauty, but then really understanding and respecting what [the land] means to the people here.?

/

The Hawaiian Islands are the perfect vacation destination for travelers of all types.

Kanoho says the conundrum over what to do with inherited land ? sell for the financial windfall, or keep for the islands? posterity ? is faced by many Hawaiian families. In fact, the property owned by the fictional King family in ?The Descendants? is a real cattle ranch: the former sugarcane plantation called Kipu Ranch, near Lihue, Kauai, is still owned by descendants of former Kauai governor William Hyde Rice, who bought the land from the Hawaiian monarchy in the 1870s.

For the view George Clooney?s character showed his daughters of their family?s land, visitors (including people with mobility issues and children at least five years old) can hop an all-terrain vehicle with Kipu Tours?for a three-hour ranch and mountain tour or a four-hour waterfall picnic tour. And Roberts Hawaii runs the Hawaii Movie Tour?on Kauai, highlighting spots shown in ?Jurassic Park,? ?Pirates of the Caribbean? and others, including Tahiti Nui, the restaurant and bar where Clooney?s and Beau Bridges? characters share a drink.

Robert Y. Ono / ? Robert Y. Ono/CORBIS

Her warm friendly people, inspiring natural beauty and unique culture draw people to the immaculate shores of Oahu.

On Oahu, where the fictional King family lives, author Hemmings recommends tourist favorites and stops off the beaten path. ?If this [film] gets people to venture out and get to know more, that?s a big score,? Hemmings said. Hemmings loves the bustle of Honolulu?s Chinatown?and the ?pockets of quiet? that can still be found in Kailu, where she lives, and on the north shore of Oahu, where visitors can watch surfers ride enormous waves.

Not to be missed, Hemmings says, is the volcano at Haleakala?? even if it is so touristy that hard-core hikers mix with Japanese tourists in high heels. ?It?s a big volcano ? there?s snow. You can hike down into the crater, but you really feel like you?re walking into the moon.??

More stories you might like:

Source: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10219749-finding-the-hawaii-of-the-descendants

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Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Libya could fall into 'bottomless pit', leader warns

By msnbc.com staff and news services

Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the head of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council, warned on Sunday the country could be heading towards a "bottomless pit" after protesters stormed a government office in Benghazi when he was inside.

A crowd demanding the resignation of the Libyan government smashed windows and forced their way into the NTC's local headquarters late on Saturday, in the most serious show of anger at the new authorities since Moammar Gadhafi was ousted.


The NTC has the support of the Western powers that?helped force out Gadhafi in a nine-month conflict, but it is unelected, has been slow to restore basic public services, and some Libyans say too many of its members are tarnished by ties to Gadhafi.

Abdul-Jalil later?suspended the six representatives to the NTC?from Benghazi, the main city in eastern Libya. They can continue to serve only if approved by the local city council.?

He also?said he appointed a council of religious leaders to investigate corruption charges and identify people with links to the Gadhafi regime.

The body's deputy head, Abdel-Hafiz Ghoga, resigned in protest over the suspensions. Ghoga, known for his polished language and expensive suits, was a prominent spokesman during the eight-month civil war that ended with Gadhafi's capture and killing in October.

Another delegate, Fathi Baja, called the move "illegitimate" and said he would stand down only if the people of Benghazi asked him to. Baja, a well known critic of Gadhafi even before the uprising, also criticized the appointment of religious leaders, saying that when he was criticizing Gadhafi, "they were calling on people to obey the leader."

Also Sunday, the head of the committee tasked with preparing the country's election law said its release would be delayed for one week. The final law, which was set to be announced Sunday, will be made public on Jan. 28, said Othman al-Mugherhi.

The committee published a draft law earlier this month and said it would solicit comments from Libyans. Al-Mugherhi said the delay will allow the committee to consider these comments while drafting the final law.

The law will spell out how Libyans will elect the 200-members national congress, which will oversee the drafting of a constitution. The body is supposed to be elected before June 23.

Al-Mugherhi also announced the formation of a 17-member electoral commission to oversee the vote. The body contains professors, judges, lawyers and men and women representing non-governmental organizations, he said.

Under Gadhafi's rule, Libya had no working parliament for four decades.

Abdul-Jalil warned the protests risked undermining the country's already fragile stability.

"We are going through a political movement that can take the country to a bottomless pit," he said. "There is something behind these protests that is not for the good of the country."

"The people have not given the government enough time and the government does not have enough money. Maybe there are delays, but the government has only been working for two months. Give them a chance, at least two months."

More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Reuters, The Associated Press?and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/22/10210037-libya-could-fall-into-bottomless-pit-leader-warns

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Japan manufacturers brace for euro zone breakup: Reuters poll (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) ? Japanese manufacturers are bracing for a possible breakup of the euro zone, according to a Reuters poll released on Monday, with 65 percent saying they see a need to prepare for the currency block's partial or complete collapse.

Europe's two-year old sovereign debt crisis, which has left Greece teetering on the edge of default, has taken a heavy toll on Japanese corporate sentiment as exporters struggle with a strong yen and slower growth in China.

When manufacturers were asked if they are considering changing business plans in Europe, 31 percent of those responding said they are in the process of doing so or have already made changes. Of those firms, 90 percent said they could scale back operations or have already done so.

Many manufacturers were also looking to shrink operations in China and North America in favor of expanding in other Asian countries to tap demand for their goods, the survey showed.

Euro zone finance ministers will decide on Monday what terms of a Greek debt restructuring they are ready to accept as part of a second bailout package for Athens after negotiators for private creditors said they could not improve their offer.

Resolving the issue of a Greek debt swap is key to putting Athens' debt on a sustainable path and avoiding a chaotic default that could threaten the whole currency bloc.

The poll, taken January 5-17, surveyed 400 big firms, of which 247 responded. The questions were part of the Reuters tankan for January, which was published on Friday.

The tankan, which is closely correlated with the Bank of Japan's quarterly tankan survey of business sentiment, showed manufacturers remained pessimistic about business conditions for the second straight month in January.

Manufacturers showed concern about China's growth prospects, with 50 percent saying they could change their business strategy as China's red-hot growth cools. Of those firms, 65 percent say they could shrink operations.

China's economy is expanding at its weakest pace in 2-1/2 years, with sequentially softer annual growth in the last four quarters seen spilling over into the first three months of 2012, leading many analysts to expect the worst full-year growth in a decade.

The poll suggested half of Japanese manufacturers are taking another look at Asian markets excluding China, and 52 percent of those firm want to expand in an attempt to reduce dependence on the Chinese market.

Only 24 percent of manufacturers were considering changing their North American strategy, but 61 percent of those firms said they are likely to scale back.

Manufacturers were pessimistic on the Japanese market. One in three are reconsidering domestic business plans. Of those, 78 percent said they are likely to shrink operations.

Non-manufacturers, which include construction firms and retailers, were more positive on the domestic economy as they are likely to benefit from reconstruction following last year's record earthquake and the worst nuclear crisis in 25 years.

The survey showed that 75 percent of non-manufacturers are looking to change their domestic strategy, with 60 percent of those firms leaning toward expansion.

When manufacturers and non-manufacturers are combined, almost 70 percent say the global economy is the biggest risk to their outlook, followed by 57 percent who said they are worried about the rising yen.

(Reporting by Izumi Nakagawa; Writing by Stanley White; Editing by Michael Watson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/bs_nm/us_japan_economy_tankan

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Monday, 23 January 2012

23rd annual SRI Conference for Sustainable, Responsible, Impact ...

UNCASVILLE, Conn. and COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ? The Mohegan Tribe joined First Affirmative Financial Network today in announcing that the sovereign Indian nation will host the 23rd annual SRI Conference for Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing (The SRI Conference) at the Mohegan Sun Conference Center in Connecticut, October 2-4, 2012.

The Mohegan Tribe?s role as host of this major industry event reflects the sharp rise in interest among Native American nations in community impact investing, which is one of the major elements of sustainable, responsible, impact investing (SRI).

Source: http://environmentalheadlines.com/ct/event/23rd-annual-sri-conference-for-sustainable-responsible-impact-investing/

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Gingrich upends Republican race in South Carolina (Reuters)

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Reuters) ? Newt Gingrich jolted the Republican presidential race on Saturday with a convincing come-from-behind victory in South Carolina, where voters rejected frontrunner Mitt Romney's pitch that he is the best bet to fix a broken economy and defeat President Barack Obama.

Gingrich's win injects unexpected volatility into a Republican nominating race that until this week appeared to be a coronation for Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and private-equity chief.

Three different candidates now have won the first three contests in the state-by-state battle for the Republican presidential nomination to face Obama, a Democrat, on November 6.

Former senator Rick Santorum won the Iowa caucuses on January 3 and Romney won the New Hampshire primary on January 10. Gingrich fared poorly in both those states and had trailed badly in South Carolina polls.

Riding a series of feisty debate performances, Gingrich captured the lingering unease of conservative voters in South Carolina who view Romney's moderate past and shifting policy stances with suspicion. The former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives argued that he would be able to better articulate the party's conservative ideals.

With 65 percent of the vote counted, Gingrich had pulled in 41 percent of the vote, followed by Romney with 26 percent, networks reported. Santorum was in third with 18 percent and U.S. congressman Ron Paul in fourth with 13 percent.

Gingrich contrasted his sometimes-chaotic management style with Romney's buttoned-down approach, arguing that his campaign was powered by ideas rather than logistics.

U.S. television networks declared Gingrich the winner shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m. EST (0000 GMT).

"We have a very real chance on an idea basis as conservatives to offer a better future for the American people. We have an ability to reach out to lots of people and communicate with them without millions of dollars of paid advertising," Gingrich said on Fox Business Network.

"This race is getting to be even more interesting," Romney told supporters.

"We're now three contests into a long primary season," he added in a speech in which he took several shots at Gingrich, including condemning Republican rivals for assaulting free enterprise as they criticized his business resume.

FLORIDA IS NEXT

The next contest is the Florida primary on January 31. It will be the largest state yet in the nomination battle and one that will require the candidates to spend quite a bit of money on advertising.

Romney starts off with a wide lead in the polls in Florida and a distinct edge in logistics and fund-raising, which will be crucial in a state that has 10 separate media markets.

A drawn-out Republican contest would likely help Obama as Republican candidates would continue to spend time and money attacking each other.

Obama, who does not face a primary challenger, will have his turn in the spotlight on Tuesday with his State of the Union address. In a message to supporters on Saturday, he said the speech would focus on "building an economy that works for everybody, not just a wealthy few.

Animosity between Gingrich and Romney has been festering since December, when a group supporting Romney launched a blitz of negative TV ads in Iowa that effectively ruined Gingrich's campaign there.

In South Carolina, a state with a reputation for rough and tumble politics, the gloves came off.

Gingrich attacked Romney's business record and reluctance to release personal tax information, while Romney pointed to Gingrich's past ethics lapses and alluded to his messy personal life.

Voters said they were overwhelmingly focused on fixing the sluggish economy and finding the strongest candidate to defeat Obama. Some 78 percent said they were "very worried" about the economy and 45 percent said that the most important trait in a candidate was the ability to beat Obama, according to exit polls released by CNN.

Those issues are the twin pillars of Romney's candidacy.

Romney had developed an aura of inevitability after strong showings in the first two nominating contests, and he led South Carolina polls by 10 percentage points a week ago.

He suffered a setback on Thursday when Iowa officials declared in a recount that he had come in second place in that state's January 3 contest, behind Santorum, instead of winning narrowly as initially announced.

Romney is among the richest men ever to run for the U.S. presidency and his stewardship of the private equity firm Bain Capital has been criticized by Gingrich and others.

"If Republican leaders want to join this president in demonizing success and disparaging conservative values then they are not going to be fit to be our nominee," Romney told supporters.

Voters said they viewed Romney's business background as an asset. But he waffled this week when asked whether he would release his tax records, and acknowledged that he pays a much lower tax rate than many Americans.

'PUNCH IN THE MOUTH'

"This is the punch in the mouth/wake up call Romney needed if he wanted to be a strong general election candidate," Republican strategist Ford O'Connell said in a Twitter message, referring to the South Carolina results.

Romney attacked Gingrich's ties to mortgage giant Freddie Mac and criticized his time in the nation's capital. His campaign also highlighted Gingrich's $300,000 fine due to ethics lapses while serving as House speaker 15 years ago.

The thrice-married Gingrich has fended off publicity about his turbulent marital history. On Thursday, he rejected his second wife's accusation that he had asked her for an "open marriage" while he was having an affair with another woman in the 1990s.

South Carolina has been a tough state for Romney's presidential ambitions. In his previous run for the White House in 2008, Romney finished a poor fourth, with just 15 percent of the vote, behind winner and eventual Republican nominee John McCain. McCain endorsed Romney in the current campaign.

The winner of South Carolina's Republican presidential primary has gone on to win the party's nomination in every presidential election since 1980.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120122/ts_nm/us_usa_campaign

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Sunday, 22 January 2012

Iran says scientist's killer may have used U.N. info (Reuters)

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) ? Iran charged on Thursday that assassins who killed an Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran last week may have used information obtained from the United Nations.

Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, 32, was killed by a motorbike hitman who put a magnetic bomb on his car on a street during the morning rush hour on January 11. Iran, at odds with Western governments over its nuclear program, has accused U.S. and Israeli agents of being behind the killing.

Iran's deputy U.N. ambassador Eshagh Al Habib said there was a "high suspicion that ... terrorist circles used the intelligence obtained from United Nations bodies, including the sanctions list of the Security Council and interviews carried out by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) with our nuclear scientists, to identify and carry out their malicious acts."

Ahmadi-Roshan recently met with IAEA inspectors, Al Habib told the Security Council, "a fact that indicates that these U.N. agencies may have played a role in leaking information on Iran's nuclear facilities and scientist."

He also accused the world body of failing to observe secrecy over its inspections of nuclear facilities.

U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said he was looking into the allegations. The Vienna-based IAEA is the U.N. nuclear watchdog and has played a key role in trying to determine whether Tehran's atomic program has military dimensions.

The murder of Ahmadi-Roshan was the fifth daylight attack in two years on technical experts involved in Iran's nuclear program, which Western countries believe is aimed at producing an atomic weapon but Tehran says is for peaceful purposes.

The United States has denied involvement in the killing and has condemned it, as has U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. An Israeli minister also said this week that Iran's charges of Israeli involvement were "completely baseless."

The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear activities. Its list of sanctioned individuals does not include Ahmadi-Roshan, but does name another scientist, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, wounded in a Tehran car bomb blast in November, 2010.

Al Habib, addressing a Security Council debate on justice and the rule of law, said it was "odd" that the council had said nothing about attacks on Iranian scientists. "Is it the way to advance the rule of law at the international level?" he asked.

(Reporting By Soren Larson and Patrick Worsnip; Editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/wl_nm/us_iran_scientist_un

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Saturday, 21 January 2012

Video: Matthews: Romney isn?t what the GOP wants

Eating out tonight? Choose these skinnier options

??For most people, eating out is a normal part of their weekend routine, and you don?t have to avoid restaurants just because you?re watching your weight. Click for more and to join Joy Bauer's 25,000 pound Weight-loss Challenge.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46077212#46077212

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$356 Million Later, the Justice Department's Wireless Network Still Sucks [Feds]

After 9/11, three federal law enforcement agencies planned a massive project to replace a mishmash of aging and obsolete radios used by thousands of federal agents. A decade and $356 million later, the program has made "minimal progress" and the Department of Homeland Security, one of the project's key partners, wants little to do with it. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iPpfPhYpjnM/356-million-later-the-justice-departments-wireless-network-still-sucks

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