Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Occupy DC protesters reminded of no-camping ban by authorities

US Park Police have reminded Occupy DC protesters of a no-camping ban in two locations in the nation's capital. A judge is expected to hear arguments on the ban Tuesday.

U.S. Park Police on Monday began quietly enforcing a no-camping rule at two Washington sites where Occupy protesters have been demonstrating for months. But despite heightened tensions, there were no arrests reported by the afternoon and no forced evictions.

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Some Occupy protesters had been bracing for a possible confrontation since Friday, when the National Park Service warned demonstrators that they must stop camping at the sites by noon Monday. Those who defy the order or violently resist could face arrest.

The demonstrators, some with faces obscured by masks and bandannas, seemed prepared for police to try to evict them. A large white sign visible Monday at one of the entrances to McPherson Square, one of the two Occupy sites, read: "High Noon U.S.A. Park Police Showdown." Yet noon came and went without any forced eviction, and Sgt. David Schlosser, a Park Police spokesman, said officers were trying to take an "incremental and measured" approach by reminding demonstrators of the deadline and urging them to respect the camping ban.

He said some of the few dozen remaining demonstrators had already followed the order, though he did not know how many. He declined to discuss a timeline for eviction, though he said the camping ban pertained not only to sleeping on the grounds but also to possessing bedding materials such as blanket and pillows.

At nearby Freedom Plaza, many protesters had packed up their belongings and opened the flaps of their tents in an effort to comply with the no camping rules.

Marja Hilfiker, 67, had her tent open and her belongings in a backpack. She said Freedom Plaza occupants were "trying to cooperate and resist at the same time."

Said Hilfiker: "We want to keep the movement going. It's an important symbol for the country."

The mood was more spirited at McPherson Square, where demonstrators covered most of a statue of Major General James McPherson, a Civil War figure for whom the park is named, with a blue tarp that said "Tent of Dreams" ? an apparent violation of regulations, Schlosser said. The crowd danced, passed out Occupy-themed newspapers and chanted the now-familiar mantra of "We are the 99 percent!" as well as "Let us sleep so we can dream!"

Jeremiah DeSousa, a McPherson Square protester from Charlotte, N.C., said he would not be deterred by the regulation but he did not know exactly how he would respond if threatened with eviction.

"Them coming in with the fliers of, 'You can stay here but you can't sleep' ? that's not going to stop us," DeSousa said, 29. He added: "I'm going to take it as it comes. I'm going to let my actions by dictated by their response."

The Occupy?DC movement has continued uninterrupted since October, but a relationship that had been largely peaceful in the first two months of the encampment turned rockier in December. About 30 were arrested early last month and refusing to descend from and dissemble a wooden structure they had they erected in McPherson Square. And about five dozen were arrested several days after that during a mass demonstration that shut down Washington's K Street.

The most recent scuffle happened Sunday, when a police officer used a Taser-style gun to subdue a protester.

The demonstrators have also lost the support of some early backers, such as Mayor Vincent Gray, who this month called on the National Park Service to remove the Occupy group from McPherson Square amid concerns of a rat infestation and other health concerns. He suggested that they relocate to Freedom Plaza. Last week, National Park Service head Jonathan Jarvis told a House subcommittee that the camping ban would soon be enforced against individuals.

A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments Tuesday on a request to prevent the National Park Service from enforcing the camping ban. A judge has already ruled that the protesters must be given advance notice of an eviction attempt, except in the event of an emergency.

Authorities here seem determined to avoid the type of mass clash seen in other cities like Oakland, where more than 400 protesters were arrested Saturday in demonstrations marked by rock and bottle throwing by protesters and the use of tear gas by police.

Aaron Sinift, an artist who periodically visits McPherson Square in support of the movement but does not spend nights there, predicted a peaceful resolution.

"Everything will be all right in the end," he predicted. "Cooler heads will prevail, and I think we'll be able to make our point without any real disruption."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/SbSP5AgiKZU/Occupy-DC-protesters-reminded-of-no-camping-ban-by-authorities

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Working Out The Weight Of Backpacker Insurance | welcome to ...

January 30, 2012 by

After they finish their education, a whole lot of youthful college students love to take the year off to benefit from a gap year or to travel in a particular nation, and as a result, they should buy backpacker insurance or gap year travel insurance. It is a good option to purchase such insurance policy coverage, since you do not know whether or not something may go amiss. Be it loss of baggage, or perhaps even if you are unsure of the health care scenario in the nation you might be traveling to. Therefore, possessing backpacker insurance or gap year travel insurance may enable you to feel less dangerous and permit you to loosen up whenever you trek to different nations.

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Backpacker insurance and gap year travel insurance typically consist of a form of medical insurance in addition to their other services. If you should become sick while journeying, you might discover that the cash required to be cared for might be out of your price range, based upon the kind of injuries and exactly how critically you might be hurt. This may denote a contracted journey, or it might force you to raise ample cash for your treatments. The drawback with both aforementioned options happens to be that these are time wasters, and tend not to be of any aid if you planned to move for an extended duration of time. Having said that, with backpacker insurance or gap year travel insurance, you?ll be able to effortlessly go to see any health center you would like and get the assistance you need for any wellness associated predicament you could end up tangled in. This style of protection even helps individuals that suffer an accident.

It is completely essential, in case you?re an adolescent guy or lady searching for a touch of excitement in their lifetime by journeying, regardless of whether ahead of going to university or following, that you purchase backpackers insurance or gap year travel insurance prior to your excursion. An additional crucial aspect to determine will be whether or not the insurance coverage company you settle on for your backpackers insurance or gap year travel insurance supplies coverage in the nation you would like to go to. The secret?s to get your gap year insurance from a company that grants area office amenities in your preferred nation, or at the very least has affiliates at hand you are able to look at.

As referred to above, it?s worthwhile that your backpacker insurance or gap year travel insurance provides much of the crucial capabilities you might require for your journey. Some of the most vital constituents of your safety, as talked about above are: medical coverage, and private merchandise loss coverage. This should always be sure to include loss of luggage. This safeguards you even if the airline is responsible for losing your baggage. With luggage loss protection, it is possible for you to to procure some further supplies of money to secure your necessary bits and pieces and not be caught having to cut down your journey, or deaden your mood.

Are you all set to acquire backpacker insurance? The advantages far outweigh the cost.


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Source: http://www.horrorfestsweeps.com/working-out-the-weight-of-backpacker-insurance/

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Gingrich bemoans Romney's Florida "carpet-bombing" (AP)

MIAMI ? Newt Gingrich slammed GOP presidential rival Mitt Romney for "carpet-bombing" his record ahead of Tuesday's presidential primary in Florida, trying to cut into the resurgent front-runner's lead in the final 48 hours before the vote.

On the defensive after barrage of attacks from Romney and a political committee that supports him, Gingrich said Romney had lied and the GOP establishment had allowed it.

"I don't know how you debate a person with civility if they're prepared to say things that are just plain factually false," Gingrich said during appearances on Sunday talk shows. "I think the Republican establishment believes it's OK to say and do virtually anything to stop a genuine insurgency from winning because they are very afraid of losing control of the old order."

Despite Romney's effort to turn positive, the Florida contest has become decidedly bitter and personal. Romney and Gingrich have tangled over policy and character since Gingrich's stunning victory over the well-funded Romney in the South Carolina primary Jan. 21.

Showing no signs of letting up, Gingrich objected to a Romney campaign ad that includes a 1997 NBC News report on the House's decision to discipline the then-House speaker for ethics charges.

"It's only when he can mass money to focus on carpet-bombing with negative ads that he gains any traction at all," Gingrich said.

Gingrich acknowledged the possibility that he could lose in Florida and pledged to compete with Romney all the way to the party's national convention this summer.

An NBC/Marist poll showed Romney with support from 42 percent of likely Florida primary voters and Gingrich slipping to 27 percent.

While Romney had spent the past several days sharply attacking Gingrich, he pivoted over the weekend to refocus his criticism on President Barack Obama, calling the Democratic incumbent "detached from reality." The former Massachusetts governor criticized Obama's plan to cut the size of the military and said the administration had a weak foreign policy.

Gingrich's South Carolina momentum has largely evaporated amid the pounding he has sustained from Romney's campaign and the pro-Romney group called Restore Our Future. They have spent some $6.8 million in ads criticizing Gingrich in the Florida campaign's final week.

Gingrich planned to campaign Sunday in central Florida, while Romney scheduled rallies in the south. He was also looking ahead to the Nevada caucuses Feb. 4, airing ads in that state and citing the endorsement Sunday of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada's largest newspaper.

Gingrich collected the weekend endorsement of Herman Cain, a tea party favorite and former presidential hopeful whose White House effort foundered amid sexual harassment allegations.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, trailing in Florida by a wide margin, planned to remain in Pennsylvania where his 3-year-old daughter, Bella, was hospitalized, and resume campaigning as soon as possible, according to his campaign. She has a genetic condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 18th chromosome.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul has invested little in the Florida race and is looking ahead to Nevada. The libertarian-leaning Paul is focusing more on gathering delegates in caucus states, where it's less expensive to campaign. But securing the nomination only through caucus states is a hard task.

Gingrich appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and ABC's "This Week." Paul was on CNN's "State of the Union."

___

Associated Press writer Philip Elliott in Tampa contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign

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Is Obama the Rhetorical Rip-Off Artist Really a Republican? (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address proved himself to be a Republican rhetoric rip-off artist. Obama stole key components of Jon Huntsman's stump speech and recycled one of Rick Perry's key phrases. As if stealing from drop-out candidates wasn't enough, he borrowed from Newt Gingrich, too.

In 2008, when Obama praised Ronald Reagan and the Republicans for having better ideas than Democrats, he was attacked by rivals Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, according to the Associated Press. Obama's borrowing may be emblematic that Obama, elected as a center-left progressive who tacked right after his inauguration, has morphed into a center-right pragmatist who is relatively indistinguishable from his Republican opponents.

Obama talked about "an economy built on American manufacturing," evoking what the Boston Globe called the "central tenet of (Huntsman's) economic platform." He also borrowed the climax of Huntsman's stump speech, his identification of a "Trust Deficit" in America.

The Bangor Daily News reported Huntsman took a hard-line against big banks. He proposed taxing them to raise revenue, according to Time. Channeling his inner-Huntsman, the candidate The Australian claimed Obama most feared, the president vowed to levy a fee on banks as it "will give banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust."

Later, Obama said, "I've talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad -- and it seems to get worse every year."

Obama also adopted Huntsman's "nation building here at home" theme. Talking about the military and increasing the V.A.'s budget, Obama said, "it means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our nation."

He purloined Rick Perry's "all-of-the-above energy policy" phrase Perry used in official speeches, according to his official site, and during his presidential campaign. According to Time, Obama also stole the title of Newt Gingrich's book, "Winning the Future" when he told Congress, "Don't let other countries win the race for the future." The Atlantic reports Obama used the phrase 11 times.

Hearing Obama steal Huntsman's "Trust Deficit" theme was jarring. Obama may just be a hustler on the make, a political magpie ready to steal whatever is shiny. But it may be symptomatic of a deeper existential problem: Barack Obama doesn't know who he is.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120128/pl_ac/10890257_is_obama_the_rhetorical_ripoff_artist_really_a_republican

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Rescuers searching for survivors in Rio collapse

Firefighters carry away a body from the rubble after a building collapsed in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday Jan. 27, 2012. The building collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 9 people and at least 16 are still missing. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Firefighters carry away a body from the rubble after a building collapsed in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday Jan. 27, 2012. The building collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 9 people and at least 16 are still missing. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

A firefighter stands on the remains of a building that collapsed in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. The building collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 9 people and at least 16 are still missing. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

A firefighter searches for a victim among the smoldering rubble of a building that collapsed in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday Jan. 27, 2012. The building, which collapsed on Wednesday, killed at least 9 people and at least 16 are still missing. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Firefighters put out a fire in the smoldering rubble of a collapsed building in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday Jan. 27, 2012. The building collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 9 people and at least 16 are still missing. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

Firefighters search for victims in front of the Municipal Theater, behind, where a building collapsed in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday Jan. 27, 2012. The sign on the theater's door, background top, reads "Sceneries." The building collapsed on Wednesday, killing at least 9 people and at least 16 are still missing. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)

(AP) ? Rescue workers feverishly dug through the wreckage of three downtown buildings Friday, hunting for survivors of a collapse that killed at least 12 people and left 17 more missing, police and municipal authorities said.

Officials believe unauthorized construction work inside a 20-story, 72-year-old building damaged its structure and caused it to crumble, wrenching down two neighboring office buildings of approximately the same age about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Police investigators were interviewing the buildings' tenants and workers, including construction worker Alexandro Fonseca, who was inside an elevator when the tallest building fell, but was pulled from the wreckage alive.

Fonseca told news media gathered at the site that workers had removed several walls on the ninth floor, but said that didn't affect the building's infrastructure. He didn't know if there was an engineer in charge of the project.

Rio's Regional Council of Engineering has said the last time they authorized refurbishing in the building was in 2008. But Mayor Eduardo Paes said a license from city hall is not required for internal construction projects, and the responsibility for such projects lies "exclusively in the hands of workers."

Paes said at a news conference Thursday night that the focus would remain on saving lives and supporting the families of victims. There were 390 workers searching the site, and more than 400 truckloads of debris had been removed, according to the mayor's office.

The head of Rio state's Civil Defense agency said the hunt for survivors will continue for 48 hours more.

City officials said the accident should not cast doubt on Rio's ability to organize and host the upcoming Olympics and World Cup.

"This was an isolated incident that occurred on private property," the mayor's office said in a statement. "The case is entirely unrelated to the preparations for the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Olympic Games and other events that are already part of the city's calendar."

The families of the missing spent the night in a nearby government building, holding out increasingly slim hopes. Some relatives recognized belongings of victims as workers picked through hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble.

Searchers pulled out Alessandra Alves Lima's purse. Nearby they found the ID card of Edson Menezes. A dentist saw some of the computer material from his office being carried from the site.

Other family members got nothing: no news, no sign of their loved ones.

Afonso Celso Menezes rushed to the site after being alerted by a cousin that the building where his sister worked had crumbled. He didn't want to leave without news of Kelly Menezes. She worked in finance and stayed late closing the month's books in the 20-story building, which housed several accounting offices. By Friday, there was no sign of the 28-year-old.

The office buildings in Rio's historic center were full of a wide range of businesses. Most tenants were gone by the time of the collapse Wednesday, but some had remained to finish leftover work. Several of the missing were in a computing course.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-27-LT-Brazil-Building-Collapse/id-869265fc7d7647baab7da1f1fa6f9afe

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Growth quickens, but speed bumps ahead (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The economy grew at its fastest pace in 1-1/2 years in the fourth quarter, but a rebuilding of stocks by businesses and slower business spending warned of weaker growth in early 2012.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.8 percent annual rate, the Commerce Department said on Friday, a sharp acceleration from the 1.8 percent in the prior three months.

It was, however, a touch below economists expectations in a Reuters poll for a 3 percent rate, and two-thirds of the increase was due to the build-up in business inventories.

Soft underlying demand and a sharp slowing in core inflation supported the Federal Reserve's decision this week to keep in place an ultra easy monetary policy to nurse the recovery.

"The areas of strength are unlikely to be strong in the current quarter and the areas of weakness are more than likely to be weaker," said Steve Blitz, a senior economist at ITG Investment Research in New York. "Frankly, I don't think there is an awful lot the Fed can do about it."

On Wall Street the Dow ended down as investors took a dim view of the composition of growth. U.S. Treasury debt prices rose for a third day and the dollar hit a 6-1/2 week low against the euro.

The economy got a temporary boost from the rebuilding of inventories, which logged the biggest increase since the third quarter of 2010.

Excluding inventories, the economy grew at a tepid 0.8 percent rate, a sharp step-down from the prior period's 3.2 percent pace and a sign of weak domestic demand.

THE POLITICS OF GROWTH

For all of last year, the economy grew just 1.7 percent, and economists expect only a bit of quickening this year.

Sluggish growth could hurt President Barack Obama's chances of re-election in November, and might lead the Fed to launch a further round of bond purchases to spur the recovery.

"Clearly, much work remains to achieve the Fed's dual mandate of maximum sustainable employment in the context of price stability," New York Federal Reserve Bank President William Dudley told reporters.

The central bank on Wednesday said it expected to keep interest rates at rock bottom levels at least through late 2014, and it warned the economy still faced big risks, a suggestion the euro zone debt crisis could still hit hard.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Friday also gave a lukewarm assessment of economy's prospects.

"We're still repairing the damage done by the financial crisis. On top of that we face a more challenging world. We have a lot of challenges ahead in the United States," he said at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS

The robust inventory accumulation in the fourth quarter - a $56 billion build-up - suggests the recovery will lose a step at some point in early 2012 when businesses throttle back.

But economists said there was no sign businesses were uncomfortable yet with the amount of inventory they had on hand, suggesting they could add more in the current quarter.

"We had dealer stock build in the fourth quarter, but it was really to make sure we had the inventories that support the going-rate in terms of days' supply," Ford Motor Corp Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth said on a conference call.

"I think we're at 58 days, which is actually lower than our typical level," he said.

Weak spots during the quarter included business investment spending, which advanced at just a 1.7 percent annual rate, the slowest since 2009.

A sharp drop in defense spending and still weak outlays at state and local authorities combined to yield a fifth straight quarterly contraction in government spending.

Though exports held up, an increase in imports left a trade gap that also chipped growth, and while home construction rose at the fastest pace since the second quarter of 2010, it was helped by unseasonably mild winter weather.

SLUGGISH INCOME GROWTH

Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, also accelerated, stepping up to a 2 percent rate from the third-quarter's 1.7 percent.

However, it was largely driven by pent-up demand for cars. The Japanese earthquake and tsunami had disrupted supplies early last year, leaving showrooms bereft of popular models.

Consumers also benefited from a moderation in inflation.

A price index for personal spending rose at a 0.7 percent rate in the fourth-quarter, the slowest increase in 1-1/2 years.

A core measure that strips out food and energy costs rose at a 1.1 percent pace, off sharply from the prior quarter and the slowest in a year. The slowdown could worry the Fed, which would prefer it nearer its 2 percent inflation target.

High unemployment has led to sluggish income growth, which in turn has prompted households to tap savings and credit cards to fund their purchases.

A sustained GDP growth pace of at least 3 percent would likely be needed to make noticeable headway in absorbing the unemployed and those who have given up the search for work.

"Though the unemployment rate has improved, the jobs market remains a major challenge," said Adolfo Laurenti, deputy chief economist at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.

"The high level of people out of the workforce and underemployed people show there isn't really much income generation to contribute to a better spending pattern."

Even so, another report on Friday showed consumer sentiment reached its highest level in nearly a year this month.

(Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by Neil Stempleman and Tim Ahmann)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/bs_nm/us_usa_economy

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Launch Center puts Messages, Facebook, Twitter, a flashlight and more in your iPhone Notification Center [Macworld 2012]

Launch Center, a new shortcuts app for iPhone, aims to make everything from sending messages and mail to posting on Facebook and Twitter, to turning on your LED flashlight, faster


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/WkeujsSZqx4/story01.htm

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Friday, January 27, 2012

U.S. lawmaker may pursue limited China bill (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? An influential Republican lawmaker said on Wednesday he may pursue "narrowly targeted" legislation to ensure the Commerce Department can impose countervailing duties on subsidized imports from China and other "non-market economies."

"I am willing to consider targeted legislation that ensures our countervailing duty laws can be used to protect U.S. employers and workers from unfairly subsidized imports from countries like China," House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp said in a statement.

A recent U.S. court ruling struck down the Commerce Department's ability to apply to countervailing duties to non-market economies, saying that Congress needed to change the law for the department to do that.

Camp emphasized that any legislation to address the ruling "would have to be narrowly targeted ... and be able to pass the House and Senate without complications."

However, the prospect of the Republicans moving any China bill is likely to invite attempts by Democrats to attach a measure to address China's currency practices.

Last year, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bill to pressure China on its currency, which many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say is undervalued and gives Chinese manufacturers an unfair price advantage.

But House Republican leaders have sat on the bill, which they said could start a damaging trade war.

Former President George W. Bush's administration, responding to pleas of domestic producers, changed longstanding policy to allow countervailing, or anti-subsidy, duties to be applied to goods from non-market economies.

Previously, the Commerce Department had taken the position it was too difficult to calculate subsidy levels in economies where the state plays a dominant role in setting prices.

However, U.S. industry groups persuaded the Bush administration that was no longer the case with China.

(Reporting By Doug Palmer; editing by Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/pl_nm/us_usa_china_trade

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Actor who played 'Kotter's' Epstein dies

Larry Busacca / Getty Images

By TODAY.com news services

Robert Hegyes, who played Juan Luis Pedro Philippo DeHuevos Epstein on 1970s hit "Welcome Back, Kotter," has died at 60.

A spokesman at JFK Medical Center in Edison, N.J., told the Star-Ledger newspaper that Hegyes, of Metuchen, arrived at the hospital in the morning in full cardiac arrest and died.

Hegyes' Epstein was one of the Sweathogs, remedial wisecracking students taught by Gabe Kotter (Gabe Kaplan). His character, a Puerto Rican Jew, was known for?constantly attempting to pass off notes he would write to try and get out of tests or class, always signing the notes "Epstein's Mother."

Hegyes, already 24 when he started in "Kotter" in 1975, was just six years younger than Kaplan. Hegyes also worked as a director on the popular show, which ran from 1975-1979 and helped launch co-star John Travolta as a major star. The show also produced numerous catchphrases, including "Up your nose with a rubber hose!"

Hegyes also appeared on numerous TV shows, including "The Love Boat," "Chico and the Man" and "NewsRadio," and movies including "Bob Roberts" and "Honeymoon Hotel." He also starred in an award-winning Volkswagen Passat commercial dubbed "The Chase."

Do you remember Hegyes on "Kotter," or in his other roles? Tell us on Facebook.

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Source: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10245327-actor-who-played-kotters-epstein-dies

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Summary Box: Discounts, higher costs ding H&M net (AP)

PROFIT DROP: Swedish fast-fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB on Thursday said fourth-quarter net income dropped 2 percent on higher raw material costs and heavy discounting to attract customers during an economic downturn.

GROWING: But the company's revenue increased 4 percent, and H&M said its market share is growing.

DIGITAL: H&M plans to launch online sales in the U.S. this year. It also intends to open 275 new stores, including its first Latin American store, in Mexico.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_sweden_earns_h_m_summary_box

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Calculated Risk: Greece: Eurozone finance ministers push for lower ...

by CalculatedRisk on 1/24/2012 08:39:00 AM

From the Athens News: Eurogroup rejects PSI deal

Eurozone finance ministers on Monday gave the thumbs-down to a plan for private sector involvement (PSI) in the writedown on Greek debt.
...
"We told him [Venizelos] to continue the negotiations [with Dallara] until the interest rate comes down below 4 percent," Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker told a news conference in Brussels late on Monday.

Juncker was referring to the average interest rate (annual coupon) of the new 30-year bonds that will be issued to bondholders after the haircut of 50 percent on the face value of their portfolio.

From the WSJ: EU Ministers Resume Crisis Talks
The International Monetary Fund and the euro zone's four triple-A-rated countries?Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Luxembourg?are pushing for a low average interest rate on new bonds to be issued as part of the restructuring ...

"Obviously Greece and the banks have to do more in order to reach a sustainable debt level," Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager said ... He said debt restructuring terms that ensure a sustainable debt level is "absolutely a precondition" for a second EU bailout package for Greece.

Of course Greece is a small part of the problem, also from the WSJ: Fears Mount That Portugal Will Need a Second Bailout

Source: http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2012/01/greece-eurozone-finance-ministers-push.html

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Analysis: For all his challenges, Obama has a reason for optimism (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/191167477?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Heaven help us. |ooc&su|

In 2018, the United States and North Korea exchanged nuclear bombs. Two to each country. The two in the U.S took out most of Los Angles, and a good part of Sacramento. And then for a whole year or so, it seemed as if Californians were the only ones who really suffered...but in 2019, the entire nation was subject to nuclear fallout. The past year, the radiation from the bombs had hung in the air and was pushed along by wind currents, and eventually, it came down to earth. Everyone was subject to a bit of it at first. Some more than others, of course. But almost as soon as the first person went to the hospital for minor effects of it, the nation panicked and everyone took all measures possible to prevent from it. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough for some people.

During that time of radiation babies, were born, naturally. For the women with little radiation, births went just as births are expected to, with mother and child going on perfectly healthy. But those with more radiation weren't faced with such happy endings. In those cases, it wasn't uncommon for mother or child to die. In fact, in most cases neither made it. But there were quite a few occurrences also where the baby made it...although they all suffered from radiation poisoning passed down through their mother.

In eight of those cases in which the babies survived, the radiation didn't effect them in the harmful way it would be expected to. It actually altered them in such a way that gave them special abilities...superpowers, if you will. Of course no one knew this until the children were around three, and started to exhibit these powers. When a man named Gary Batts caught word of this, he adopted, or in some cases even kidnapped, these special children. After he had acquired all of them, he made it his mission to train them. To teach them how to use and control their powers, and not let having them corrupt them. They were all home schooled, and rarely saw life outside of the house...but since it was what they knew, they all seemed to be content with their situation. Well, all accept for the one child that disappeared when they were all around the age of ten.

---

The year is now 2036. All of the children are either seventeen or eighteen years old now. They've mastered their powers, and have been allowed to experience the outside world for the last two years...they'd even been offered the chance to move out. But none of them did. Not even after Mr. Batts passed away. That particular event actually left them lost, not knowing what to do with themselves.

As if coming from a comic book, they've decided that they must become a team of protectors for the dirty New Jersey city riddled with crime. Because they think it's probably what Mr. Batts would want from them. A couple of them have taken up jobs in order to privide for the essentials, but the rest of them usually stay at home. They'll occasionally go out and act as regular citizens...but only a couple times a week or so. They prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home most of the time. But whenever there's word of some kind of crime to be taken care of, they're all in the action.

Also not unlike a comic book, they have their own nemesis who is trying to destroy them. Due to this person also having powers, it can only be assumed that they are the run away member of their little family. And they have obviously chosen to use their powers for 'evil'. What their overall plan is is unknown. They just seem bent on killing their 'siblings'...maybe, just maybe, it could be to leave them the only one with powers. Maybe it's that they want to be the one to actually protect the city instead of harming it.. But again, that information is not known to anyone just yet.

So for now, they just fight.

The children
+TheOneAndOnly+
+TheOneAndOnly+
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight (now their nemesis)

There is a lot to read, I'm sorry =\ Please don't be put off by that...or if it seems confusing. Because I will explain anything that needs explaining if you just ask =)
Also, I want an equal gender count. 4 boys and 4 girls. I may or may not ask people to double, depending on how much interest this gets.
Anyway, that's about it out of me for now I suppose =p

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/sFLMYCdTa8g/viewtopic.php

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Snapdragon-toting Sony smartphones to get extra global positioning help from The Other GPS

Frustrated by the performance of GPS on your current Sony Ericsson phone? Well, if you've got the latest software and a device carrying Qualcomm's Snapdragon S2 or S3 processor, you're in luck. Alongside bright new darlings like the Xperia S and Xperia ion, all will be able to hook up to GLONASS, Russia's very own interpretation of GPS. Support on another global positioning network will increase the total of satellites orbiting around you from 31 to 55 -- more ways to find exactly where you got lost. GLONASS support has already launched on smartphone luminaries such as the iPhone 4S and the pocket-stretching Galaxy Note, but we're very happy to hear that the extra functionality will arrive on older Xperia handsets. According to the developer's own testing, the GLONASS assistance often improved accuracy by as much as 50 percent and should similarly reduce the chances of us being outed as map illiterates. You can grab more info on all the GLONASS goodness at the source below.

Snapdragon-toting Sony smartphones to get extra global positioning help from The Other GPS originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Sen. Mark Kirk suffers stroke affecting left side

In this Nov. 1, 2010 photo, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., looks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign rally in Wheaton, Ill. A spokesperson for Sen. Mark Kirk says the Illinois Republican has suffered a stroke and has undergone surgery early Monday, Jan. 23 2012 to relieve swelling around his brain. The 51-year-old Kirk checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital in Illinois. He was later transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where tests showed that he had suffered a stroke. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

In this Nov. 1, 2010 photo, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., looks to a crowd of supporters during a campaign rally in Wheaton, Ill. A spokesperson for Sen. Mark Kirk says the Illinois Republican has suffered a stroke and has undergone surgery early Monday, Jan. 23 2012 to relieve swelling around his brain. The 51-year-old Kirk checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital in Illinois. He was later transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where tests showed that he had suffered a stroke. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

FILE -- In this April 1, 2011 file photo, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. speaks in Springfield, Ill. Kirk's office says he has suffered a stroke, and is undergoing surgery. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)

Dr. Richard Fessler, a neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital who performed surgery on U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. after he suffered a stroke, answers questions about the Senator's conditions at a news conference, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, in Chicago. Kirk, 52, checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital over the weekend before being transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where tests showed he had suffered a stroke. Kirk's office said he had a tear in the carotid artery on the right side of his neck. Carotid arteries carry blood to the brain; carotid tears are a common cause of strokes, which can involve blood clots traveling to the brain and causing bleeding there. The surgery was performed Sunday night. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Dr. Richard Fessler, a neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital who performed surgery on U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. after he suffered a stroke, answers questions about the Senator's conditions at a news conference, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, in Chicago. Kirk, 52, checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital over the weekend before being transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where tests showed he had suffered a stroke. Kirk's office said he had a tear in the carotid artery on the right side of his neck. Carotid arteries carry blood to the brain; carotid tears are a common cause of strokes, which can involve blood clots traveling to the brain and causing bleeding there. The surgery was performed Sunday night. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, talks to the Associated Press by phone after learning that U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. had suffered a stroke, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, in Chicago. Kirk, 52, checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital over the weekend before being transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where tests showed he had suffered a stroke. Kirk's office said he had a tear in the carotid artery on the right side of his neck. Carotid arteries carry blood to the brain; carotid tears are a common cause of strokes, which can involve blood clots traveling to the brain and causing bleeding there. The surgery was performed Sunday night. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

(AP) ? U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk was in intensive care Monday after undergoing surgery to relieve swelling on his brain from a stroke that doctors said likely would make it "very difficult" for him to regain movement in his left arm and could result in facial paralysis.

But Dr. Richard Fessler at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where Kirk remained sedated in intensive care, said the Illinois Republican's chances for a full mental recovery are good. Doctors said Kirk appears to recognize those around him and is responding to commands, though it was unclear how long his recovery could take or whether full movement would be restored.

"We are very hopeful that when we get through all the recovery, all those functions will be intact," said Fessler, a neurosurgeon who performed the Sunday night surgery to remove a part of Kirk's skull. "This morning, he is doing quite well. I am very happy with his current status."

Kirk, 52, had reported feeling dizzy over the weekend checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital over the weekend before being transferred to Northwestern. Tests showed he had a tear in the carotid artery on the right side of his neck and had suffered a stroke.

Carotid arteries carry blood to the brain and carotid tears are a common cause of strokes in people in their 50s or younger.

Surgeons at Northwestern removed a 4-by-8-inch piece of Kirk's skull Sunday evening to alleviate pressure said Monday they hoped swelling would go down in the coming days. Fessler said the stroke that affected Kirk's left arm could possibly affect movement of his left leg and cause some facial paralysis.

Fessler said Kirk would undergo rehabilitation to regain movement to affected parts of his body, but added that the "the prospects for his full physical recovery, particularly on the left side of his body, are not great."

Though Fessler could not say when Kirk would be able to return to work, he described the senator as "young, very healthy and in good shape" and said he was hopeful of a full mental recovery.

"Sen. Kirk's job is cerebral, and I believe the functions required to do his job are going to be fine," Fessler said.

Kirk's family said in a statement that Kirk had "always shown great courage and resilience and we are confident that the fighter in him will prevail."

"We are very grateful for the excellent treatment and care provided by the doctors and their medical teams ... We are equally grateful for the love and support of our family and friends," the family said.

Kirk was elected to the Senate in 2010, winning the seat formerly held by President Barack Obama after a hard-fought election that often focused on questions about his own honesty.

Kirk at times exaggerated his record in the Navy Reserves. He incorrectly said he had been named intelligence officer of the year and took part in the invasion of Iraq. He said he came under fire while on a military flight but wouldn't provide details and stopped making the claim when questioned about it.

"I'm not perfect. I made a mistake and then apologized," Kirk said in a 2010 interview with The Associated Press. "Going forward, the question we have and the choice we make as to who our senator is has a lot less to do with what happened in the 20th century and a lot more with what's happening in the 21st century."

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said Monday he was shocked to learn of Kirk's stroke because kirk appeared to be a picture of health. A Kirk aide said the senator is a regular swimmer and has to pass medical checks every six months in the reserves.

Sen. Joe Manchin, with whom Kirk planned to sit during Tuesday night's State of the Union Address, issued a statement calling Kirk a "dear friend and truly a great American."

He said he's confident Kirk "will make a speedy recovery and I will do everything I can to support him and his family until he is able to join us back here in Washington."

___

Associated Press writers Lindsey Tanner in Chicago, Christopher Wills in Springfield and Andrew Taylor in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-23-US-Kirk-Stroke/id-b6122a8c99ac400b8a2a3ac1a99f6df7

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Romney vs Gingrich in crucial South Carolina fight (reuters)

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

US has new confidence in peace talks with Taliban (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration is expressing new confidence that talks with the Taliban next week offer the best chance yet to end the 10-year-old war in Afghanistan, despite warnings from the intelligence community that the Taliban is more interested in continuing fighting than making peace.

To guard against the Taliban using the talks to boost its standing, while delivering little in return, the U.S. this week will lay out confidence-building measures ? specific steps that the U.S. and the insurgents agree to take ahead of formal talks. Those talks, if they ever take place, would include the United States, the Taliban and the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai, a senior U.S. official said.

Like others interviewed, the official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive diplomacy.

The diplomatic, military and intelligence branches of the U.S. government differ over the value of talks with the Taliban or whether now is the right time to so publicly shift focus away from the ongoing military campaign that primarily targets Taliban insurgents. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and some uniformed military leaders recently have sounded some of the strongest notes of caution, especially on when to grant Taliban requests for the transfer of several of its prisoners from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military and other U.S. officials said.

The latest Afghan National Intelligence Estimate warns that the Taliban will grow stronger, using the talks to gain credibility and run out the clock until U.S. troops depart Afghanistan, while continuing to fight for more territory, say U.S. officials who have read the classified document. They spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the roughly 100-page review, an amalgam of intelligence community's predictions of possible scenarios for the Afghan war through the planned end of U.S. combat in 2014.

It says the Afghan government largely has failed to prove itself to its people and likely will continue to weaken and find influence only in the cities. It predicts that the Taliban and warlords will largely control the countryside. The NIE did suggest that eliminating top Taliban leaders in the next two years and continuing to build the Afghan government could help offset that.

Meanwhile, Karzai is still uneasy with the pace and direction of talks. He worries that the United States will strike a deal with the Taliban and force that deal on his government, two Afghan officials told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions.

U.S. officials close to the negotiations say that despite these warnings the Taliban high command is more ready for talks than in the past, at least with the United States if not the elected Afghan government it opposes.

One sign was the surprising public endorsement by the Taliban of the plan to open a negotiating office in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar. But U.S. officials also cite more subtle indications of a shift toward peace negotiations, including the recent participation in preliminary talks of more senior and influential Taliban representatives.

The senior U.S. official said negotiators are now confident they are talking to credible intermediaries for the main Taliban command based in Pakistan.

The administration's top negotiator, Marc Grossman, was building support for talks among regional allies such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia this week, to be followed by discussions with Taliban representatives, U.S. and other government officials said.

One topic was expected to be a U.S. offer to release two or three Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo to custody in Qatar, although two officials said that effort is moving more slowly than plans for the office. A waiting period would follow that transfer before any other Taliban transfers would be considered. U.S. officials said Congress would be consulted throughout.

The Taliban had sought both the office and the prisoner release as preconditions for real talks.

The senior U.S. official said the U.S. has set clear conditions for opening the office, including that the Taliban must agree not to use it for fundraising or propaganda, or to run insurgent operations. Larger conditions include assurances that the insurgents are truly interested in a political settlement and not using negotiations as a way to stall until U.S. forces leave.

The central political office confers instant, though controversial, legitimacy on the diffuse insurgency as a political movement and provides a site for formal talks. The idea is to give the Taliban room to negotiate in a location with less direct pressure from Pakistan, which has ties to some militant groups and houses parts of the Taliban leadership.

The U.S. intelligence assessment looks beyond the near horizon for talks.

It predicts the likely outcome of two strategies:

? Moderate engagement, in which the U.S. continues special operations raids against key Taliban leaders, and village outreach to strengthen local government, while conventional forces train Afghanistan's army and police force.

? Limited engagement, in which the U.S. would continue economic and political support, and some Afghan security training, but most troops would withdraw.

Both strategies can weaken the Taliban, the analysts say, but ultimately neither course of action is likely to stop the continued weakening of the Afghan state, the officials said.

In that way, the NIE's bleak predictions also give the White House reason to hasten the reconciliation process in order to pull U.S. troops out of what some analysts termed a hopeless stalemate.

___

Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann in Kabul and Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report.

___

AP Intelligence Writer Kimberly Dozier can be followed on Twitter at (at)kimberlydozier.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_afghanistan_taliban

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Etta James Dead At 73

Legendary singer, who influenced everyone from Janis Joplin to Beyoncé, died Friday after battle with leukemia.
By James Montgomery


Etta James in 1961
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives / Redferns

Etta James, the legendary singer whose career spanned six decades (and just as many musical genres) and whose voice has influenced everyone from Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt to Christina Aguilera and Adele, died Friday (January 20) after a lengthy battle with leukemia. She was 73 years old.

Best known for hits like "At Last," "All I Could Do Was Cry," "Tell Mama," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and "Good Rockin' Daddy," James learned to sing in church, and first recorded professionally as a member of the all-girl doo-wop group the Peaches, with whom she'd score a #1 hit ("The Wallflower," an answer to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie"). Soon after that song's success, James left the group and toured with the likes of Little Richard and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. She'd subsequently sign with Chicago's Chess Records in 1960, where her powerful contralto was featured on a string of crossover classics that spanned R&B, soul, gospel, blues and even rock. It was during that time that she also began a battle with heroin addiction, one that would lead to stints in rehabilitation facilities and stall her career's momentum.

James would continue to record for Chess until 1978, then, after a stint opening for the Rolling Stones, she'd spend the next decade largely adrift, before returning with her comeback album, 1989's Seven Year Itch, which reunited her with producer Jerry Wexler and began a period that saw her finally receive the acclaim she'd long deserved. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and, the following year, won her first-ever Grammy award. In subsequent years, she'd also be enshrined in both the Blues and Rockabilly Halls, earn a lifetime achievement award from the Grammys and continue to record a string of well-received blues and jazz albums.

Photos: The life and career of Etta James.

Her Chess Records period was brought to the big screen (with varying degrees of accuracy) in the 2008 musical biopic "Cadillac Records," with Beyoncé portraying James. Beyoncé's cover of "At Last" was released as the lead single off the film's soundtrack, and would go on to win a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Beyoncé would also perform the song at president Barack Obama's inaugural ball in January 2009, a move which led James to famously tell an audience in Seattle that B "has no business up there singing ... my song that I've been singing forever." She'd later explain to the New York Daily News that she was joking, but added that she could've performed the song better.

In recent years, with her status secured (and her addiction problems largely behind her), James continued to tour, and she's been championed by some of today's biggest contemporary stars, like Adele, Aguilera, Florence Welch, Paramore's Hayley Williams, Joss Stone and Jazon Mraz. She was also a particular favorite of the late Amy Winehouse, whose own battles with addiction sadly turned out differently than James'. And just this year, a sample of her "Something's Got a Hold on Me" was used to maximum effect by DJ Avicii on his international hit "Levels," while her voice can be heard via sample in Flo Rida's current top ten hit, "Good Feeling."

James' health had been in decline for several years. In 2010, her son Donto told reporters that James had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and in January 2011, court documents filed by her husband — who was seeking to take control of her finances, as she was extremely ill — revealed that she was also undergoing treatment for leukemia. In December, James' live-in physician told a California newspaper that the singer was "terminally ill" and asked "for the prayers of her fans and friends." James' final album, The Dreamer, was released in November.

Share your condolences with Etta James' family on our Facebook page.

Related Photos Related Artists

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677610/etta-james-dead.jhtml

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

Colts oust 8 assistants, while DC Murphy retires

(AP) ? The Indianapolis Colts have responded to their worst season in two decades with a major housecleaning.

Following the firing of head coach Jim Caldwell last week, the Colts announced the departure of eight assistants Thursday, as well as the retirement of defensive coordinator Mike Murphy.

The coaches let go were assistant Devin Fitzsimmons, offensive line coach Pete Metzelaars, special assistant to the defense Rod Perry, receivers coach Frank Reich, defensive assistant Bill Teerlinck, defensive line coach John Teerlinck, strength and conditioning coach Jon Torine, and quarterbacks coach Ron Turner.

With four-time MVP quarterback Peyton Manning sidelined all season because of a neck injury, the Colts stumbled to a 2-14 record, leading owner Jim Irsay to fire Caldwell, vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, the team's general manager.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-19-Colts%20Shakeup/id-def9f6a4bdfb463b88cd3d8eb2eaaa8f

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Pakistan scandal's latest twist: naked wrestling (AP)

ISLAMABAD ? A scandal over a secret memo to Washington that could bring down the Pakistani president took a strange turn Wednesday when a music video surfaced featuring the chief accuser acting as a commentator for a naked female wrestling bout.

Opponents of Mansoor Ijaz, an American of Pakistani origin, said the clip damaged his credibility ahead of his scheduled appearance at a Supreme Court commission in this conservative Muslim country. The Florida-born businessman has pledged to provide damning evidence that the Pakistani government sent the note seeking U.S. help preventing a military coup in the aftermath of the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011.

Others were simply amused at the latest twist in an affair that has transfixed the media and raised tensions between the government and the powerful military to dangerous levels. Dubbed "memogate" in the Pakistani media, one Twitter user suggested it should now be renamed "booty-gate."

Ijaz, who boasts of close friendships with the U.S. security establishment and past back-channel diplomatic roles in Sudan and Kashmir, claims the unsigned memo was authored by the then-Pakistan envoy to Washington, Husain Haqqani.

Ijaz says that at Haqqani's request, he delivered the memo to Adm. Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military officer at the time. Mullen's spokesman confirmed that his boss did receive the memo from Ijaz but that he did not find it credible and ignored it.

Haqqani denied any role in the memo but resigned last year amid pressure from the outraged military. Ijaz has said that he gave computer records implicating Haqqani to Pakistan's spy chief, Lt. Gen. Shuja Pasha, who he says flew to London to meet with him in October. Pasha has told the court that he found the evidence credible.

The country's top court is now probing the affair, which some believe could result in treason charges against Haqqani. President Asif Ali Zardari could also be vulnerable if ? as Ijaz's lawyer claims ? it can be proven he also knew about the note. The investigation comes as Pakistani-U.S. relations are at an all-time low.

It was unclear why the wrestling video, which was made in 2004 and has been viewed for years on the Internet, came to light only now. Ijaz's role was apparently spotted by a blogger late Tuesday and spread quickly through social media.

Ijaz told The Associated Press he thought the video's emergence was part of an effort by Haqqani to discredit him ahead of his testimony but conceded he had no evidence of this. He confirmed that the video was not a hoax.

Ijaz appears in two versions of the same video for "Stupidisco," a house music track by Italian producer Junior Jack that was a club hit in 2004.

One clip features bikini-clad women wrestlers 'Double D' and 'Nasty Nancy,' who end up grappling on a mat in a sexually provocative fashion. The other is the same until the final 30 seconds, when the women remove each other's clothes.

Ijaz's scenes and dialogue feature in both versions.

"She's giving it to her good now! You've got some real tumbling going on here. Nancy's got that mean look," he says, as the two women wrestle in front of him. At one point, Ijaz's eyes widen and his mouth gapes as the video cuts to the women ripping each other's bikinis off.

Ijaz said he had not known he would appear in the version containing full nudity.

"I did this as a favor for my wife's best friend, whose planned actor for the part did not show up for the shoot that day," he said in a telephone interview from an undisclosed location, citing alleged threats to his life as a result of his role in the memo scandal. He said the shoot took place in Brussels, and that there was no other person available with an American accent.

"I was never present for any part of the video where those naked girls were shown. My wife was present at all times."

Ijaz provided the AP with 2004 email correspondence between him and the producer of the video in which he threatens legal action unless the producer removes him from the clip that contains nudity.

"Given my political and public profile in the United States and around the world, it is impossible for me to appear in any part of any video clip with nudity of any type," he wrote. He included a reply from the producer, who assured Ijaz he would cut his role from the X-rated version and remove it from the Internet.

Haqqani's lawyer, Zahid Bokhari, said the "Stupidisco" video shows that Ijaz "can break all the norms of decency."

"I think a man of that stature, one who can go to that extent for fame, he can make up all kinds of false stories. I am really stunned by this," said Bokhari. He dismissed Ijaz's claim that the video was part of campaign to question his credibility, noting that it was made and put on the Internet years ago.

The bikini video was uploaded onto YouTube in 2009, with 376,000 views since then, according to that website. The version in which the women appear naked was uploaded to a site called Dailymotion in 2007.

For Ijaz, the videos cast an unwelcome spotlight on his plans to come to Pakistan and testify to the Supreme Court commission next Tuesday. Ijaz has said he will present Blackberry smart phones with records of conversations between him and Haqqani that prove the former envoy authored the memo.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, a Zardari loyalist, has hinted Ijaz could face legal troubles himself if he comes to Pakistan, alleging he once claimed to have brought down an earlier government.

Local media have speculated that Ijaz will fly into a military air base and then be escorted by the army to the court to testify, such is his importance to the case.

Akram Sheikh, Ijaz's lawyer, claimed the government was trying to stop his client from traveling to Pakistan.

"So what if my client has been dancing on the Internet," said Sheikh. "What difference does that make? He has never claimed to be perfect, or running an orphanage. Would Mr. Haqqani like his personal life exposed?"

Haqqani, who returned to Pakistan to cooperate with the probe, is now living as a guest at the prime minister's residence, claiming his life is in danger. He has been banned by the commission from leaving the country. His wife has lobbied in Washington in his defense, and several U.S. lawmakers have spoken up for him.

The memo scandal is not the only threat to the Pakistani government, which has struggled since Zardari's election in 2008. Like previous governments, his administration has had difficult relations with the army, which has never trusted Zardari.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is to appear before the Supreme Court to explain why his government has not asked Swiss authorities to reopen an old corruption case against Zardari. The court has initiated contempt proceedings against Gilani for failing to do this.

The government has long refused to write the letter, arguing that Zardari enjoys immunity from prosecution while in office. But Gilani's lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, said Wednesday that "there was no harm" in writing the Swiss because Zardari enjoys immunity from prosecution.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Oil rises above $101 on positive China data, Iran

Oil advanced above $101 a barrel Wednesday, buoyed by positive economic data from China and continued concerns about diplomatic tensions with Iran and their potential effect on the flow of the region's oil exports.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for February delivery was up 74 cents at $101.45 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $2.01 to finish at $100.71 on Tuesday.

In London, Brent crude was up 44 cents to $111.97 on the ICE Futures exchange.

China, the world's second largest economy, reported 8.9 percent growth in the fourth quarter, slower than the previous quarter but robust enough to indicate it would avoid an abrupt slowdown. Retail and factory production improved while oil demand was up 6.4 percent in 2011 from 2010, according to data cited by Barclays Capital.

Tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as a move by France to accelerate the EU's implementation of an embargo on Iranian oil export also supported prices, he said.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi has said Saudi Arabia wants to stabilize prices at $100 a barrel this year and was ready to pump more oil if needed. That came as Iran warned Gulf nations not to make up any shortfall and that it may shut the Strait of Hormuz which is used to transport about a fifth of the world's oil.

Iraq's oil minister, Abdul-Karim Elaibi, who is also the rotating president of OPEC, said he would travel to Iran on Thursday to convince Tehran to assure the world that the Islamic Republic will not close the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway through which about one-sixth of the world's oil flows.

A slower pace of oil demand growth forecast by the International Energy Agency helped cap gains.

The Paris-based IEA said global demand for crude would rise by 1.1 million barrels a day in 2012, while earlier it was expecting demand to increase by 1.3 million barrels a day.

The IEA also warned that the relatively narrow band in which oil prices have been moving lately was not necessarily a sign of market consistency.

"A sustained spell of oil price stability is often seen as a good thing," the IEA said in its monthly report on the oil market. "But if it derives from the 'rock' of potential economic slump on the one hand, and the 'hard place' of possible geopolitical turmoil on the other, that is scarcely a source of comfort."

Investors will also be monitoring fresh information on U.S. stockpiles of crude and refined products.

Data for the week ending Jan. 13 is expected to show builds of 2.6 million barrels in crude oil stocks and of 3 million barrels in gasoline stocks, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.

The American Petroleum Institute will release its report on oil stocks later Wednesday, while the report from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration ? the market benchmark ? will be out Thursday.

Both reports are being released a day later than usual because of Monday's Martin Luther King holiday.

In other energy trading, heating oil rose 0.16 cent to $3.0388 per gallon and gasoline futures rose 0.83 cent to $2.7796 per gallon. Natural gas advanced 2 cents to $2.508 per 1,000 cubic feet.

___

Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-18-Oil-Prices/id-3892db132760415e95657fbc9c2c467f

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