2 shot dead in Senegal election protest

FILE - This Tuesday June 27, 2006 file photo shows Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, as he waves to photographers during a farewell ceremony in Tehran. Senegal's highest court ruled just after midnight on Monday that the West African country's aging leader was eligible to run for a third term in next month's election, rejecting the appeals filed by the opposition and eliminating the last legal avenue for challenging President Abdoulaye Wade's candidacy. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian, File)

FILE - This Tuesday June 27, 2006 file photo shows Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, as he waves to photographers during a farewell ceremony in Tehran. Senegal's highest court ruled just after midnight on Monday that the West African country's aging leader was eligible to run for a third term in next month's election, rejecting the appeals filed by the opposition and eliminating the last legal avenue for challenging President Abdoulaye Wade's candidacy. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian, File)

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) ? Paramilitary police in northern Senegal opened fire Monday on men and women protesting the president's plan to run for a third term, killing a woman in her 60s and a high school student, a witness and a rights group said.

The violence is uncharacteristic for Senegal, a normally peaceful nation on Africa's western coast, and suggests its political conflict is escalating. Protests spread from the capital to the interior last Friday after the constitutional court validated President Abdoulaye Wade's candidacy in next month's election.

The legality of the 85-year-old Wade's quest for a third term is disputed. The constitution was revised in 2001 to impose a two-term limit. Wade, who came to power in 2000, argues that he is exempt because he was elected before the new law was drafted.

Early on Monday, the five-judge panel rejected the appeals lodged by the opposition over the weekend. Later in the day, demonstrators gathered in the center of Podor, some 300 miles (480 kilometers) north of the capital of this nation of 12 million, to protest the court's siding with Wade.

Amadou Diagne Niang, a resident of Podor who is the local correspondent for Le Soleil, the state-owned newspaper, said the paramilitary police, known as the gendarmes, ran out of tear gas. When the protesters refused to disperse, they opened fire with live bullets. The woman and young man were killed in front of him, Niang said by telephone from Podor

Amnesty International confirmed the killings, and its West Africa researcher, Salvatore Sagues, said it "marks a dramatic escalation in the violence that has plagued Senegal in the run up to its elections."

"As further protests are planned for tomorrow, we call on the authorities to refrain from using live bullets against peaceful protesters," Sagues said.

Cmdr. Papa Ibrahima Diop, a spokesman for the National Gendarmerie, also said he had been informed that two people were killed in Podor, but that he could not disclose details because an investigation is ongoing.

In the court's ruling, the judges said Wade's first term under the new constitution should be considered as being the one that started when he was first re-elected in 2007. Therefore, his second term would be the one that he would serve if he is re-elected in Feb. 26 election.

"It was never our intention in any way to violate the constitution of our country," Wade's spokesman Cheikh Serigne Ndiaye told reporters on Monday. "The (constitutional) council agreed with our reasoning."

Besides the protest in Podor on Monday, a demonstration in the capital on Friday turned violent, claiming the life of a police officer, who was stoned to death by rioters. The police reacted by arresting leading opposition figure Alioune Tine, a noted human rights activist, who was taken into custody on Saturday. His continued detention became a rallying point for the opposition, and music icon Youssou Ndour got into a shoving match with police over the weekend when he tried to force his way into the police station where Tine was being held.

Late Monday after more than 48 hours, Tine was finally released, said his collaborator Assane Dioma Ndiaye, the president of the Senegalese League for Human Rights.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Monday that the United States respects the decision of the court. But she added that it was not in Senegal's best interest for the elderly Wade to seek another term.

"Our message to him remains the same: That the statesmanly-like thing to do would be to cede to the next generation. And we think that would be better," she told reporters in Washington.

___

Associated Press writers Sadibou Marone in Dakar, Senegal, and Bradley Klapper in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-30-AF-Senegal-Election/id-cd868b7fa04940b9b6e809e65f547b25

brown recluse joplin tornado heather locklear hospitalized there will be blood there will be blood extreme makeover home edition friday the 13th

Pets and their owners can rest in peace

Susan Dahl of Kent and her a Great Dane mix, Travis, get some exercise near the new pet burial area in Standing Rock Cemetery. (Mike Cardew/Akron Beacon Journal)

By Paula Schleis
Beacon Journal staff report

KENT: Families have been known to skirt cemetery rules in trying to reunite Fido or Patches with their owners, slipping a tiny tub of ashes into a casket or sprinkling their remains at a grave site when no one?s looking.

But come spring, animal lovers won?t have to be surreptitious anymore at Standing Rock Cemetery.

The public cemetery, operated by trustees on behalf of Kent and Franklin Township, will allow burial of animal remains in a newly designated section of the cemetery. People may also be buried with the ashes of their pet in the area bordering the pet section.

?I don?t think people loved their pets less 50 years ago, but they take it a little more serious these days,? trustee John Sapp said. ?With our society moving in that direction, we thought it would be quite popular.?

It is rare to find a traditional cemetery that welcomes man?s best friend. Of 10 randomly chosen cemeteries surveyed on the topic, none accepted pets.

?Although we have heard of cases where the ashes of a pet are put into a casket when a person is laid to rest, if we know beforehand, we can?t allow it,? said Tedi Kallis, manager of Crown Hill Cemetery in Twinsburg. ?If we knew it, we would have to have the pet removed. The caskets are sealed at the funeral home, and we don?t ask what is in there.?

Standing Rock has heard similar tales. Grounds crews have also reported finding empty containers that indicated someone had scattered pet ashes over a grave.

Some folks aren?t content burying their pets in a backyard because if they move, the site becomes inaccessible, Sapp said.

?There was some demand for [a burial site] and quite frankly, we were looking at revenue,? he said. ?We?re a business and we have to pay employees and buy equipment.?

Kent resident objects

The concept is not without controversy.

Kent resident Carol Alumeyri, who has four generations of family at the cemetery as well as her own prepaid spot, wants the cemetery to remain exclusively for humans.

?To me, it?s sacred ground. I think it?s disrespectful to the people who are buried there,? she said.

Alumeyri said she?s fielded a lot of mean comments from people after voicing her opposition at recent trustees meeting, but she feels strongly about the sanctity of one?s final resting place.

?It?s fine to have pets and people love them and I understand, but there is a proper place to bury them and it?s not there,? she said. ?I go to the cemetery every week. Standing Rock is a beautiful cemetery and they do a wonderful job of taking care of it. I just don?t want to be buried in the same place? as animals.

Alumeyri said she is seeking advice from an attorney as to whether trustees acted properly in adopting the rule without a public hearing and paying for the pet section granite marker with public funds.

?We were never given a voice. Voters were never allowed to consider the matter,? she said.

Opening in spring

But barring legal action, the cemetery will be open to pets beginning this spring.

?We never expected there to be any controversy over this,? Sapp said.

Sapp emphasized that the pet section is in the back of the cemetery and separate from the area where humans are buried, adding that the land there ?wasn?t too good for human burial.?

The rest of the cemetery is big enough to support human burials for up to 150 years at the current rate, he said.

Jean Chrest, the cemetery?s clerk-treasurer, said no one has called to inquire about a pet burial yet.

Missy Jordan of Hummel Pet Services confirmed that more people are getting dead pets cremated. The Copley Township business started in 2007 and has grown every year, to ?well over 4,000 pets per year,? she said.

?A lot of people say they will have their pet?s cremated remains buried with them,? Jordan said, but few inquire about separate burial service.

For those who want a lasting memorial, there are at least three pet cemeteries in the area: Butterbridge Farms Pet Cemetery in Stark County?s Lawrence Township; Paws Awhile Pet Memorial Park in Richfield Township, and Woodside Pet Cemetery in Bethlehem Township near Navarre.

At Standing Rock, a pet gravesite can include up to two cremated remains and cost $250 for residents and $450 for others. Full-size lots for humans who want to be buried with their pet?s remains are $450 for residents and $650 for others.

Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.

Source: http://pets.ohio.com/2012/01/pets-and-their-owners-can-rest-in-peace/

ios 5 features ellen degeneres show ellen degeneres show david guetta david guetta work of art iphone update

Tiger falters as Rock wins Abu Dhabi Championship (AP)

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates ? Tiger Woods talked all week about his improved ball control ? then it let him down when he needed it most.

Woods resembled the Tiger of old over the first three rounds at the Abu Dhabi Championship, stringing together a trio of rounds below par before shooting an even 72 in Sunday's finale to finish in a tie for third place behind winner Robert Rock and U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy.

The 117th-ranked Rock shot 70 for an overall 275 to beat McIlroy (69) by a shot. Woods was a further shot back with Thomas Bjorn (68) and Graeme McDowell (68). The 18-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero (69) and George Coetzee (70) of South Africa were another shot back.

"Today I just didn't give myself enough looks at it," Woods said. "Most of my putts were lag putts. I didn't drive the ball in as many fairways as I should have ... It was a day I was just a touch off the tee and consequently I couldn't get the ball close enough."

It marked the second straight time Woods hasn't won with at least a share of the lead after 54 holes. He failed to win the Chevron World Challenge in 2010 after going into the final round with a four-shot lead over McDowell.

The 14-time major winner appears to have recovered from a two-year victory drought in which he was sidelined by injuries and personal turmoil. But Woods must now face the fact that, at age 36, there are plenty of players ? known and unknown ? who can potentially beat him.

Woods, though, was looking for the silver lining out of his third-place finish. He insisted he has been steadily improving ? hitting a high percentage of fairways and greens until Sunday and putting much better.

"There's plenty of big events to go, but I'm pleased at the progress I've made so far," said Woods, who won the Chevron World Challenge last month to end his drought. "I just need to keep building, keep getting more consistent, and today was a day where I putted beautifully. Just didn't give myself enough looks."

Coming into Sunday, Woods was tied for the lead with the unheralded Rock and was the clear favorite to win. Rock had only one victory under his belt compared to 83 for Woods worldwide, but it was Rock ? battling his nerves over playing alongside one of his golfing idols ? who held it together down the stretch.

"It's pretty hard to believe that I managed to win today. Very surprised," the Englishman said. "I played good. So I guess I had a chance from early on, a couple of birdies made the day feel a little bit easier."

"But it's difficult playing with Tiger. You expect almost every shot to threaten to go in. It felt a lot of pressure and couldn't afford any lapses in concentration at all."

Woods started strong and it looked as though he might pull away from Rock, sinking a 40-footer on No. 2 for birdie and chipping to within a foot of the cup for a second birdie on the 3rd. But Rock didn't blink, making birdie on two of the first three holes to keep pace.

Then Woods began to unravel.

He started spraying his drives into the thick rough and fairway bunkers, resulting in bogeys on Nos. 4 and 5. When Woods wasn't missing the fairways, he was scrambling to save par as he did on 11 after overshooting the green. As he approached his shot in deep rough just off the 11th green, he sighed heavily and let out a stream of obscenities under his breath.

Woods managed to save par by sinking a 12-footer and Rock just missed a birdie putt. Woods pumped his fist and appeared to be regaining momentum as he pulled within one shot of Rock on No. 13 when the Englishman had one of his three bogeys. But the 34-year-old Rock birdied two of the next three holes to regain control.

Rock wobbled on the 18th when his drive landed in a pile of rocks near the water ? forcing him to take a drop ? but he recovered beautifully, reaching the green in four and two-putting for the win.

"I was just focusing on trying to hit fairways and then hit my iron shots as good as I have been and give myself chances at birdies," Rock said. "Both Tiger and Peter struggled on occasions on a few holes and I managed to keep my ball in the right position and didn't put myself under too much stress until the last, which was a relief."

It was a storybook ending for Rock, who rose from a club pro to join the European Tour in 2003 and only got his first tour win last year at the Italian Open. The victory will elevate him into the top 60.

"It doesn't get an awful lot harder than playing with Tiger Woods," Rock said. "So I guess barring a major championship, I know I can handle that again. So that's pretty nice to know."

While most of the attention was on Rock and Woods, several players surged into contention down the stretch.

McIlroy, playing ahead of Rock and Woods, birdied No. 18 to move to 12 under and give himself a chance. But he came up short with four rounds of par or better golf being undone by several costly mistakes ? the worst coming Friday when the third-ranked McIlroy was penalized two shots for brushing away sand in front of his ball in the rough of the 9th.

"You know, you've got to take the positives," McIlroy said. "It's the first week of the year, and you know, it looks like it's going to be the second year in a row here that I'll finish second. But still a very good start to the season and something I'll build on."

McDowell played the most exciting round of the tournament on Sunday, with an ace on No. 12, a chip-in on 13 and then a shot off the grandstand on the 18th that led to a birdie and a tie for third. For the 2010 U.S. Open champion, it was a good way to start the year after failing to win in 2011.

___

Follow Michael Casey on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mcasey1

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_sp_go_su/glf_abu_dhabi_championship

danielle chiesi walter payton oneiric oneiric eartha kitt psych david ortiz

No podcasts tonight, see you Wednesday!

Sadly there will be no Apps and Accessories Live or ZEN and TECH tonight as Rene is delayed en route back from Macworld 2012 and Seth is, according to Rene,

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

dancing with the stars elimination dancing with the stars elimination nexus prime nexus prime new iphone new iphone tmobile iphone

29 Chinese missing after militant attack in Sudan

BEIJING (AP) ? Militants apparently captured 29 Chinese workers after attacking a remote worksite in a volatile region of Sudan, and Sudanese forces were increasing security for Chinese projects and personnel there, China said Sunday.

China has close political and economic relations with Sudan, especially in the energy sector.

The Foreign Ministry in Beijing said the militants attacked Saturday and Sudanese forces launched a rescue mission Sunday in coordination with the Chinese embassy in Khartoum.

The Ministry's head of consular affairs met with the Sudanese ambassador in Beijing and "urged him to actively conduct rescue missions under the prerequisite of ensuring the safety of the Chinese personnel," the statement said.

In Khartoum, a Chinese embassy spokesman said the northern branch of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement announced that 29 Chinese workers had been captured in the attack. The spokesman, who asked not be identified, gave no other details and it wasn't clear if the militants had demanded conditions for their return.

Other details weren't given. The official Xinhua News Agency cited the state governor as saying the Sudan People's Liberation Army attacked a road-building site in South Kordofan and seized the workers.

The Sudan People's Liberation Army are a guerrilla force loyal to the southern movement and hail from a minority ethnic group now in control of much of South Sudan, which became the world's newest country only six months ago in a breakaway from Sudan.

Sudan has accused South Sudan of arming pro-South Sudan groups in South Kordofan. The government of South Sudan has called such accusations a smoke screen intended to justify a future invasion of the South.

China has sent large numbers of workers to potentially unstable regions such as Sudan and last year was forced to send ships and planes to help with the emergency evacuation of 30,000 of its citizens from the fighting in Libya.

China has consistently used its clout in diplomatic forums such as the United Nations to defend Sudan and its longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. In recent years, it has also sought to build good relations with leaders from the south, where most of Sudan's oil is located.

Chinese companies have also invested heavily in Sudanese oil production, along with companies India and elsewhere.

___

Associated Press writer Mohamed Saeed contributed to this report from Khartoum.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-29-AS-China-Sudan/id-94970055ef1d45cab1906a87e51f10d1

google tv cornel west marzieh vafamehr marzieh vafamehr lady liberty lady liberty the rum diary

Citigroup cut investment bank bonuses by 30 percent: report (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Citigroup (C.N) has cut bonuses for its investment banking division by about 30 percent on average, Bloomberg said, citing a person briefed on the matter.

Some businesses within the securities and banking unit had bonuses reduced by as much as 70 percent, Bloomberg reported.

Citigroup was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bangalore; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/bs_nm/us_citigroup

michael lewis palin occupy wall street second time around bill gates steve jobs bill gates steve jobs 99%

Magnitude 5.5 quake shakes Japan (AP)

TOKYO ? A magnitude-5.5 earthquake rattled Yamanashi prefecture in central Japan on Saturday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued.

The temblor was some 20 kilometers (12 1/2 miles) deep and hit at 7:43 a.m. local time (2243 GMT Friday), the Japanese earthquake-reporting agency said.

Last year, a magnitude-9 quake on March 11 and subsequent tsunami about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake

jimmy kimmel tilt do a barrel roll. fsu football fsu football do a barrelroll bérénice marlohe

Japan's 'Nuclear Alley' conflicted over reactors

Kansai Electric Power Co's Ohi nuclear power plant No. 3, right, and No. 4 reactors are seen in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday began their first inspection of the Japanese nuclear power plant that has undergone official "stress tests" _ a key step required to restart dozens of nuclear plants idled in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Kansai Electric Power Co's Ohi nuclear power plant No. 3, right, and No. 4 reactors are seen in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday began their first inspection of the Japanese nuclear power plant that has undergone official "stress tests" _ a key step required to restart dozens of nuclear plants idled in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Kansai Electric Power Co's Ohi nuclear power plant No. 2, right, No. 3, center, and No. 4 reactors are seen in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday began their first inspection of the Japanese nuclear power plant that has undergone official "stress tests" _ a key step required to restart dozens of nuclear plants idled in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team leader James Lyons, center, speaks during a press conference following their inspection tour of Kansai Electric Power Co's Ohi nuclear power plant in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, western Japan, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. The IAEA experts on Thursday began their first inspection of a Japanese nuclear power plant that has undergone official "stress tests" _ a key step required to restart dozens of nuclear plants idled in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

Kansai Electric Power Co's Ohi nuclear power plant No. 3 reactor stands in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, north of Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday began their first inspection of the Japanese nuclear power plant that has undergone official "stress tests," a key step required to restart dozens of nuclear plants idled in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

FILE - This July 16, file 2011 photo shows Kansai Electric Power Co.'s No. 3, right, and No. 4 units of the Ohi nuclear power plant in Ohi, Fukui prefecture, western Japan. Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 began their first inspection of the Japanese nuclear power plant that has undergone official "stress tests," a key step required to restart dozens of nuclear plants idled in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. A 10-member IAEA team was inspecting the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the plant. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO LICENSING IN CHINA, FRANCE, HONG KONG, JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA

OHI, Japan (AP) ? International inspectors are visiting a rugged Japanese bay region so thick with reactors it is dubbed "Nuclear Alley," where residents remain deeply conflicted as Japan moves to restart plants idled after the Fukushima disaster.

The local economy depends heavily on the industry, and the national government hopes that "stress tests" at idled plants ? the first of which is being reviewed this week by the International Atomic Energy Agency ? will show they are safe enough to switch back on.

But last year's tsunami crisis in northeastern Japan with meltdowns at three of the Fukushima reactors has fanned opposition to the plants here in western Fukui prefecture, a mountainous region surrounding Wakasa Bay that also relies on fishing and tourism and where the governor has come out strongly against nuclear power.

"We don't need another Fukushima, and we don't want to repeat the same mistake here," said Eiichi Inoue, a 63-year-old retiree in the coastal town of Obama. "I know they added stress tests, but what exactly are they doing?"

"I oppose restarting them," he said.

Other residents said that economic realities made the plants indispensable, including Chikako Shimamoto, a 38-year-old fitness instructor in Takahama, a town that hosts one of the region's nuclear plants.

"We all know that we better not restart them," Shimamoto said. "But we need jobs and we need business in this town.

"Our lives in this town depends on the nuclear power plant and we have no choice," she said.

On Thursday, an IAEA team visited a plant in the town of Ohi to check whether officials at operator Kansai Electric Power Co. had correctly done the tests at two reactors. The tests are designed to assess whether plants can withstand earthquakes, tsunamis, loss of power or other emergencies, and suggest changes to improve safety.

Their visit, at Japan's invitation, appeared aimed at reassuring a skeptical public that authorities are taking the necessary precautions before bringing nuclear plants back on line. After the visit, IAEA team leader James Lyons said its assessment would be released at the end of the month but deciding whether to restart the reactors was up to the Japanese goverment.

Some experts are critical of the stress tests, saying they are meaningless because they have no clear criteria, and view the IAEA as biased toward the nuclear industry.

"I don't view their evaluation as something that is trustworthy or carries any weight," said Hiromitsu Ino, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo and member of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency's stress test panel.

The government idled of Japan's 54 reactors for mandatory tests and maintenance after the Fukushima disaster. The number still operating dropped from four to three Friday morning, when Chugoku Electric Power Co. suspended operations at the Shimane No. 2 reactor for scheduled tests.

If no idled plants get approval to restart, the country will be without an operating reactor by the end of April.

Before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima crisis, nuclear plants generated about 30 percent of the country's electricity. To make up for the shortfall, utilities are temporarily turning to conventional oil and coal-fired plants, and the government has required companies to reduce their electricity consumption.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has promised to reduce Japan's reliance on nuclear power over time, but it still needs some nuclear power until next-generation sources are developed.

In Fukui, 13 reactors at four complexes are clustered along a 55-kilometer (35-mile) stretch of coast with snow capped mountains facing the Sea of Japan. It's known as "Gempatsu Ginza," a phrase that roughly translates to "Nuclear Alley."

Only one of the 13 reactors is still running. The rest have been shut down for regular inspections required every 13 months. To start running again, they must pass the stress test.

Another hurdle will be gaining local support for the plants to restart. While local consent is not legally required for that to happen, authorities generally want to win local backing and make efforts to do so.

Fukui Gov. Issei Nishikawa, however, says he will not allow a startup of any of the prefecture's commercial reactors.

And the city assembly in Obama ? a town that briefly enjoyed international fame when it endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential race? has submitted an appeal to the central Tokyo government to make Japan nuclear-free.

But officials in Mihama, another town that hosts a nuclear plant, have expressed support for the town's three reactors also operated by Kansai Electric, also called Kepco.

Fukui is a largely rural area, traditionally focused on fishing and farming, but it has a significant textile and machinery industry, and boasts of being a major producer of eyeglasses. Its nuclear power plants supply approximately half of all the electricity used in the greater Kansai region, which includes Osaka and Kyoto.

Several towns' fortunes are tied closely to the nuclear industry.

Community centers and roads are paid by the government subsidies for hosting the plants. Closing the plants not only means losing jobs for thousands of workers, but hardship for stores, restaurants and other service industries.

Many of those interviewed had family members, relatives or friends with jobs at the plants, and some refused to give their names due to fear of repercussions.

Noda has said the final decision on restarting nuclear plants would be political, suggesting that the government would override any local opposition if Japan's energy needs become dire.

Naozane Sakashita, a taxi and bus driver, said his salary had decreased "substantially" after the Ohi and other plants went offline.

"I think these idle plants should resume as soon as their safety is confirmed," he said. "Our jobs and daily life are more important than a disaster that occurs only once in a million years."

Still, he said he is concerned about the safety of the plants because his son works as a control room operator at the Takahama plant.

"If our economy prospers without compromising our safety, of course it would be best to live without nuclear energy," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-26-AS-Japan-Nuclear/id-409c97e29a584b72bf986aa4f641c87e

breedlove kowloon walled city knicks oklahoma city thunder florida state football florida state football ben breedlove

Italian borrowing costs drop sharply in bond sale (AP)

MILAN ? Italy easily raised euro5 billion ($6.47 billion) from the markets Thursday in a pair of bond auctions that saw a sharp dropping in borrowing rates.

The sale showed healthy investor appetite in the first test of market sentiment since ratings agency Standard & Poor's on Jan. 13 dropped Italy's credit rating by two notches.

The country paid a yield of 3.763 percent on euro4.5 billion in two-year bond, compared with 4.85 percent in a comparable auction in December. The borrowing cost for a new bond expiring in September 2014 was 3.2 percent.

Italy has seen its borrowing costs ease in recent weeks, after yields on benchmark 10-year bonds pushed to the perilous 7-percent level last year. The 10-year bonds were trading at 6.04 percent on the secondary market after Thursday's auction.

Premier Mario Monti recently passed a euro30 billion austerity package and announced liberalization measures.

Monti has sought a vote of confidence in the lower house of Parliament on a series of additional measures that include an increase in tax on cigarettes and funds for Italians who have been exiled from Libya. The vote of confidence was expected later Thursday, while a separate vote on the additional measures is expected by Tuesday.

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

philadelphia phillies sand dollar sand dollar just dance 3 just dance 3 cliff lee cliff lee

Elizabeth Banks: Platza Treatments Are Really Painful! (omg!)

Rest and relaxation? As if!

The type of spa treatments Elizabeth Banks goes for aren't quiet as and calm and laid-back as some spa-goers might prefer.

PHOTOS: Stars' biggest beauty indulgences

"The most ridiculous [spa] experience I've had was in Budapest. It's known for its bathhouses, and I'd never been to one of those. I had some giant Hungarian smack me with palm fronds," the actress told Time Out New York about her first platza treatment. "It was so painful [Laughs], but I was too embarrassed to say, "Please stop!"

PHOTOS: Skin secrets the stars use before hitting the red carpet

Like Banks describes, platza treatments are when a massage specialist continuously smacks a broom made of oak leaves soaked in warm water over your entire body. The procedure is said to be a natural way of removing toxins and skin-dulling residue from your body.

PHOTOS: See Elizabeth Banks in The Hunger Games

For a less rough-and-tumble service, Banks prefers to get wrapped up like a caterpillar.

"I recently had an amazing mud wrap [in Park City, Utah]. The aesthetician asked if I was claustrophobic, which made me wonder if I really knew what a wrap entailed," the Man on a Ledge actress continued to the weekly regional mag. "She said she was going to wrap me with foil and cover my eyes, which makes some people feel like they're in a coffin. [Laughs] I told her I thought I'd be okay, and I was."

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_elizabeth_banks_platza_treatments_really_painful214751389/44305933/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/elizabeth-banks-platza-treatments-really-painful-214751389.html

mine malta malta lulu tanzania setup dart

Gingrich donor is casino mogul, Israeli hardliner (The Arizona Republic)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/191689508?client_source=feed&format=rss

scrimshaw jacoby ellsbury jacoby ellsbury facebook charging act scores the good wife facebook changes

Japan kept silent on worst nuclear crisis scenario

FILE - In this March 18, 2011 file photo, evacuees and regular passengers crowd a check-in area at Narita airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, following advisories from foreign governments recommending citizens leave the country as the crisis at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in the northeast deepened. The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year had warned that a massive evacuation might needed, including for Tokyo residents, according to a report obtained Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 by The Associated Press. But officials kept silent, fearing widespread panic and are still trying to keep the report secret. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE - In this March 18, 2011 file photo, evacuees and regular passengers crowd a check-in area at Narita airport in Narita, east of Tokyo, following advisories from foreign governments recommending citizens leave the country as the crisis at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in the northeast deepened. The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year had warned that a massive evacuation might needed, including for Tokyo residents, according to a report obtained Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 by The Associated Press. But officials kept silent, fearing widespread panic and are still trying to keep the report secret. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE - In this March 19, 2011 file photo, children evacuees from Futaba, a town near the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, arrive with their family at their new evacuation shelter at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year had warned that a massive evacuation might needed, including for Tokyo residents, according to a report obtained Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 by The Associated Press. But officials kept silent, fearing widespread panic and are still trying to keep the report secret. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, the Unit 4 reactor building of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station is seen through a bus window in Okuma, Japan, when the media was allowed into the tsunami-damaged plant for the first time. The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year had warned that a massive evacuation might needed, including for Tokyo residents, according to a report obtained Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 by The Associated Press. But officials kept silent, fearing widespread panic and are still trying to keep the report secret. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool, File)

FILE - In this June 9, 2011 file photo released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), damaged equipments and piping on the fourth floor of the reactor building of the Unit 4, part of the cooling system at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, northeastern Japan, are shown. The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year had warned that a massive evacuation might needed, including for Tokyo residents, according to a report obtained Monday, Jan. 25, 2012 by The Associated Press. But officials kept silent, fearing widespread panic and are still trying to keep the report secret. (AP Photo/Tokyo Electric Power Co., File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

FILE - In this March 11, 2011 file photo, people wait for buses at a bus terminal near Tokyo railway station as train and bus services are suspended due to a powerful earthquake that devastated northeastern Japan and crippled a nuclear power plant in Fukushima. The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year had warned that a massive evacuation might needed, including for Tokyo residents, according to a report obtained Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, by The Associated Press. But officials kept silent, fearing widespread panic and are still trying to keep the report secret. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

TOKYO (AP) ? The Japanese government's worst-case scenario at the height of the nuclear crisis last year warned that tens of millions of people, including Tokyo residents, might need to leave their homes, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press. But fearing widespread panic, officials kept the report secret.

The recent emergence of the 15-page internal document may add to complaints in Japan that the government withheld too much information about the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

It also casts doubt about whether the government was sufficiently prepared to cope with what could have been an evacuation of unprecedented scale.

The report was submitted to then-Prime Minister Naoto Kan and his top advisers on March 25, two weeks after the earthquake and tsunami devastated the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, causing three reactors to melt down and generating hydrogen explosions that blew away protective structures.

Workers ultimately were able to bring the reactors under control, but at the time, it was unclear whether emergency measures would succeed. Kan commissioned the report, compiled by the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, to examine what options the government had if those efforts failed.

Authorities evacuated 59,000 residents within 20 kilometers (12 miles) of the Fukushima plant, with thousands more were evacuated from other towns later. The report said there was a chance far larger evacuations could be needed.

The report looked at several ways the crisis could escalate ? explosions inside the reactors, complete meltdowns, and the structural failure of cooling pools used for spent nuclear fuel.

It said that each contingency was possible at the time it was written, and could force all workers to flee the vicinity, meaning the situation at the plant would unfold on its own, unmitigated.

Using matter-of-fact language, diagrams and charts, the report said that if meltdowns spiral out of control, radiation levels could soar.

In that case, it said evacuation orders should be issued for residents within and possibly beyond a 170-kilometer (105 mile) radius of the plant and "voluntary" evacuations should be offered for everyone living within 250 kilometers (155 miles) and even beyond that range.

That's an area that would have included Tokyo and its suburbs, with a population of 35 million people, and other major cities such as Sendai, with a million people, and Fukushima city with 290,000 people.

The report further warned that contaminated areas might not be safe for "several decades."

"We cannot rule out further developments that may lead to an unpredictable situation at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, where there has been an accident, and this report outlines a summary of that unpredictable situation," says the document, written by Shunsuke Kondo, head of the commission, which oversees nuclear policy.

After Kan received the report, he and other Japanese officials publicly insisted that there was no need to prepare for wider-scale evacuations.

Rumors of the document grew this month after media reports outlined its findings and an outside panel was created to investigate possible coverups. Kyodo News agency described the contents of the document in detail on Saturday.

The government continues to refuse to make the document public. The AP obtained it Wednesday through a government source, who insisted on anonymity because the document was still categorized as internal.

Goshi Hosono, the Cabinet minister in charge of the nuclear crisis, implicitly acknowledged the document's existence earlier this month, but said the government had felt no need to make it public.

"It was a scenario based on hypothesis, and even in the event of such a development, we were told that residents would have enough time to evacuate," Hosono said.

"We were concerned about the possibility of causing excessive and unnecessary worry if we went ahead and made it public," he said. "That's why we decided not to disclose it."

A Japanese government nuclear policy official, Masato Nakamura, said Wednesday that he stood behind Hosono's decisions on the document.

"It was all his decisions," he said. "We do not disclose all administrative documents."

Japanese authorities and regulators have been repeatedly criticized for how they have handled information amid the unfolding nuclear crisis. Officials initially denied that the reactors had melted down, and have been accused of playing down the health risks of exposure to radiation.

In another example, a radiation warning system known as SPEEDI had identified high-risk areas where thousands of people were continuing to live while the reactors were in critical condition. Officials did not use that data to order evacuations; they have since said it was not accurate enough.

The outside panel investigating the government response to the nuclear crisis has been critical, calling for more transparency in relaying information to the public.

"Risk communication during the disaster cannot be said to have been proper at all," it said in its interim report last month.

___

Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mariyamaguchi and Yuri Kageyama at http://twitter.com/yurikageyama

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-25-AS-Japan-Nuclear-Worst-Scenario/id-0db8b8dbe27e4e238d16024dd36d183e

times square new years eve ball drop new years eve times square 2012 earthquake phish 2012 holidays prosperity

iMore asks: Are you using Google Currents?

Are you using Google's digital magazine-style news aggregator, Google Currents on your iPad or iPhone? Subscribe on Google Currents: Android Central; iMore; Mobile Nations

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/0MKCzdGlxNk/story01.htm

jersey shore season 5 mark driscoll brandi glanville unemployment rate unemployment rate stephen hawking drew barrymore

Marine to serve no jail time in Iraqi killings (AP)

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. ? The lone Marine convicted in his squad's killing of two dozen unarmed civilians in one of the Iraq War's defining moments escaped jail time Tuesday after defending his order to raid homes in Haditha as a necessary act "to keep the rest of my Marines alive."

The sentencing of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich ends a six-year prosecution for the 2005 attack that failed to win any manslaughter convictions. Eight Marines were initially charged. One was acquitted, and six others had their cases dropped.

Wuterich admitted he ordered is squad to "shoot first, ask questions later" after a roadside bomb killed a fellow Marine as part of a deal that ended his manslaughter trial with a guilty plea Monday to a single count of negligent dereliction of duty.

The deal that dropped nine counts of manslaughter sparked outrage in the besieged Iraqi town and claims that the U.S. didn't hold the military accountable.

"I was expecting that the American judiciary would sentence this person to life in prison and that he would appear and confess in front of the whole world that he committed this crime, so that America could show itself as democratic and fair," said survivor Awis Fahmi Hussein, showing his scars from a bullet wound to the back.

The military judge, Lt. Col. David Jones, initially recommended the maximum sentence of three months for Wuterich, saying, "It's difficult for the court to fathom negligent dereliction of duty worse than the facts in this case."

But after opening an envelope to look at the terms of the plea agreement, as is procedure in military court, Jones announced the deal prevented any jail time for the Marine.

"That's very good for you obviously," Jones told Wuterich.

Jones did recommend that the sergeant's rank be reduced to private, which would dock his pay, but he decided not to exercise his option to cut it by as much as two-thirds because the divorced father has sole custody of his three daughters. The rank reduction has to be approved by a Marine general who already signed off on the plea deal.

Wuterich read a statement apologizing to the victims' families and said he never fired on or intended to harm innocent women and children. But he said his plea shouldn't be seen as a statement that he believes his squad dishonored their country.

"When my Marines and I cleared those houses that day, I responded to what I perceived as a threat, and my intention was to eliminate that threat in order to keep the rest of my Marines alive," he said. "So when I told my team to shoot first and ask questions later, the intent wasn't that they would shoot civilians, it was that they would not hesitate in the face of the enemy."

"The truth is I never fired my weapon at any women or children that day," Wuterich later told Jones.

The contention by Wuterich, 31, of Meriden, Conn., contradicts prosecutors and counters testimony from a former squad mate who said he joined Wuterich in firing in a dark back bedroom where a woman and children were killed.

Prosecutors argued that Wuterich's knee-jerk reaction of sending the squad to assault nearby homes without positively identifying a threat went against his training and caused needless deaths of 10 women and children.

"That is a horrific result from that derelict order of `shoot first, ask questions later,'" said Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan.

Defense attorney Neal Puckett said Wuterich has been falsely labeled a killer who carried out a massacre in Iraq and insisted he only intended to protect his Marines in an "honorable and noble" act.

"The appropriate punishment in this case, your honor, is no punishment," Puckett said.

Wuterich directly addressed family members of the Iraqi victims, saying there were no words to ease their pain.

"I wish to assure you that on that day, it was never my intention to harm you or your families. I know that you are the real victims of Nov. 19, 2005," he said.

Wuterich, who hugged his parents after he spoke, declined comment on Jones' decision. Puckett and his co-counsel, Haytham Faraj, said in a statement, "We believe justice prevailed for Staff Sgt. Wuterich and in turn, he wishes it was within his power to impart the same measure of justice to the families of the victims of Haditha."

Military prosecutors worked for more than six years to bring Wuterich to trial on manslaughter charges that could have sent him away to prison for life. But only weeks after the long-awaited trial started, they offered Wuterich the deal.

It was a stunning outcome for the last defendant in the case once compared with the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.

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

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

Faraj said the government was working on false notions and the deal was reached last week when prosecutors recognized their case was falling apart with contradictory testimony from witnesses who had lied to investigators. Many of the squad members had their cases dropped in exchange for testifying. Prosecutors have declined to comment.

Lt. Col. Joseph Kloppel, a Marine Corps spokesman, said the plea deal was the result of mutual negotiations and does not reflect how the case was going for the prosecution. He said the government investigated and prosecuted the case as it should have.

Wuterich was also seen as taking the fall for senior leaders and more seasoned combat veterans in his squad, analysts said. It was his first time in combat.

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

"If it's a gray area, fog-of-war, you can't put yourself in a Marine's situation where he's legitimately trying to do the best he can," said Rooney, who represented Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking Marine charged in the case.

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

Wuterich plans to leave the Marine Corps and start a new career in information technology. His lawyers said they plan to petition for clemency.

___

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

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_us/us_marines_haditha

bhutan zip code finder zip code finder blackhawks tigers tigers rangers

No injuries as tornadoes reported in Ark. (AP)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? Tornadoes were spotted in Arkansas as storms moved through parts of the South and Midwest on Sunday night, but there were no reports of any injuries.

The National Weather Service said it received reports of possible tornadoes in Arkansas, Dallas, Lonoke, Prairie and Cleveland counties Sunday night. The storms also brought hail and strong winds as they moved through parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois and Mississippi.

The storms were part of a system threatening parts of the South and Midwest overnight. A tornado watch was in effect for parts of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee early Monday.

National Weather Service forecaster Marlene Mickelson in Memphis, Tenn., told The Associated Press that the Memphis area had some damage from winds that reached 60 to 70 mph.

"Unfortunately it's going to continue across most of western Tennessee and northern Mississippi through most of the night," Mickelson said.

The storms were part of a system threatening parts of the South and Midwest overnight. Tornado warnings were in effect for parts of Tennessee and Alabama early Monday. A tornado watch was in effect for parts of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Memphis-area news stations closely tracked the storms as they approached that city, but it appeared to have been spared.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_re_us/us_severe_weather

nflx john mccarthy john mccarthy lumpectomy robin williams blaine gabbert netflix stock

House Republicans look to each other for rebirth (Reuters)

BALTIMORE (Reuters) ? Republicans in the House of Representatives, having seen their 2010 election victory dissolve into a near-suicidal tax fight, are promoting a repackaged jobs message they hope carries them to victory in the 2012 elections.

At a three-day retreat at a harborfront hotel in Baltimore, an hour's drive from Washington, House Speaker John Boehner mobilized prayer sessions, motivational speakers, spin doctors and even colorful New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to cheer up his 242-member House Republican conference.

House Republicans were ebullient when they gathered last year for their annual retreat after wresting control of the House from Democrats in elections a few months earlier. Twelve months later, the party faces a tough fight to hold those gains.

Polls show that Americans blame Republicans more than Democrats for the gridlock in Congress that has paralyzed decision-making on some of the toughest problems facing the country - job creation and dangerously high deficits.

By the time the retreat wrapped up on Saturday after gripe sessions, policy discussions and lectures on tactics and messaging, House Republicans may not have figured out how they will handle those problems, but Boehner proclaimed to reporters that in 2012, "our focus will be on the economy and jobs."

With a national jobless rate of 8.5 percent and millions of long-term unemployed people losing hope, Republicans and Democrats will both try to convince voters in the November presidential and congressional elections that they hold the keys to an improving economy.

President Barack Obama and fellow Democrats want to position themselves as protectors of the poor and middle class and a bulwark against Republicans who want to enrich the already rich.

Republicans counter that a free-spending president who racked up about $5 trillion in government debt wants nothing more than to overregulate job-creating companies and drive the country into the same economic ditch into which Europe is peering.

Emerging from the retreat, House Republicans plan to tout the 30 pieces of legislation they passed last year aimed at spurring job growth. While it is unclear how many jobs those bills would have actually created, Republicans will complain the measures were killed by an uncooperative Democratic majority in the Senate.

'PARTY OF SMALL BUSINESS'

The strategy is clear -- to rebut Obama's concerted efforts to paint Republicans as obstructionist for refusing to pass his own $447 billion jobs bill.

The 30 jobs bills will become a staple of the Republican election rhetoric, but that could open the party to the same accusations they level against Obama - that they are simply rehashing old ideas instead of proposing new ones.

"We must be the party of small business," House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the No. 2 House Republican, urged fellow lawmakers at the retreat, which was held behind closed doors.

"If you say it once an hour, it's not enough, if you say it every 15 minutes, it's still not enough," Cantor said.

Both parties cast themselves as the champions of small businesses, which economists say are the engines of U.S. economic growth and job creation.

Cantor, who has courted the often rebellious 85 first-term or "freshmen" congressmen, many of them small-government Tea Party activists, acknowledged their disappointment with the slow pace of change in Washington.

Reflecting on his party's year in control of the House - which ended with the U.S. budget being about the same size as when Republicans took power - Cantor told the rank and file, "We learned this year that progress must be more incremental than some of us would have liked."

FOOTBALL AND POLLSTERS

To rally his troops, Boehner recruited former Washington Redskins football coach Joe Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl winner now involved in NASCAR auto racing, to deliver a pep talk.

"He talked about football and NASCAR and about his life. His message was about the value of teamwork. That is what we are all about, teamwork," said first-term Representative Chuck Fleischmann.

Teamwork is something Boehner's fractious caucus has struggled with since Republicans won control of the House in 2010. Zealous freshmen aligned with the conservative Tea Party movement repeatedly frustrated the speaker's efforts to negotiate compromises with Democrats, raising questions from some about his effectiveness as a leader.

In Baltimore, some of the second-guessing about Boehner's decision-making continued, according to lawmakers who attended, but there was no overall discontent with his leadership.

So if the Republican message to voters this year is all about small business and job creation, the internal Republican message is party unity, something the party lacked in 2011.

"Every (Republican) leader ... talked about unity and working together, communicating to each other better. Unity, unity, unity," said Representative Lee Terry, a 14-year veteran.

The opposite of Republican unity was on display in the U.S. Capitol through much of last year, especially in November and December, as Obama and his Democrats pushed ahead with an extension of a tax cut for 160 million workers to help stimulate the economy.

It was a tax cut that Republicans were cool toward - partly because it was Obama's idea and partly because they had doubts about its effectiveness.

But as workers embraced having more money in their paychecks and economists warned against letting the year-old tax cut lapse, House Republicans fought with one another, first over whether to kill the tax cut and then over how to quell outrage from even the most conservative quarters that their delaying tactics would help re-elect Obama and give congressional Democrats a political boost in November.

Terry, a Nebraska lawyer who has been known to reach across the political aisle to get legislation moving, told reporters: "We've got to get on the same page here. We can't have what happened in December."

Former Republican Party Chairman Ed Gillespie delivered a simple message: "It's a tough year. You have to be ready."

Most political pundits think Democrats face an uphill battle

in November's elections to gain the 25 seats they need to return Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi to the House speaker's job. But Democrats are hoping to get within reach.

Pelosi, who grew up just blocks from where the Republican retreat was held and whose father was mayor of Baltimore, likely will likely do everything she can to poke holes in the new-found unity that Republicans say they forged in this blue-collar city.

(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro and David Lawder; Editing by Ross Colvin and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120121/pl_nm/us_usa_congress_republicans

rudolph the red nosed reindeer adam carolla desean jackson rick neuheisel rick neuheisel fast times at ridgemont high fast times at ridgemont high

Mild winter offers break from high heating costs

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich.?? Ashley Tatum was three months behind on utility payments after leaving her job at a coffee shop because of pregnancy complications. The mother of two owed $648, and the tough economy did not offer many options.

The Milwaukee resident had one small reason to hope: The winter has been mild and her heating bills low, offering an unexpected chance to catch up on overdue payments.

"It was helpful because then I wouldn't have to stress about getting all this extra money," she said.

Although there have been some cold snaps and storms, the moderate weather has been a boon to millions of Americans, allowing them to save money on snow removal and permitting outdoor activities to continue well beyond autumn. But few have been more grateful than low-income families, who are getting a break from high heating costs.

Tatum first noticed the lower charges in November. Her bill covering most of December was $164, less than half the price from a year earlier.

"I was surprised," Tatum said. "I called my sister and said, 'Girl, is your bill cheaper, too?' I'm happy that we had those nice warm days."

Initially, forecasters made grim predictions that this winter could rival or exceed the cold, snowy assault of 2010-11. But average temperatures have been well above normal across the Upper Midwest and Northeast. Combined with a lack of snow and ice, the unseasonable conditions have been a blessing for many families who normally devote much of their budgets to natural gas, propane or heating oil.

In Michigan, temperatures have been 15 percent above normal since October, and plentiful fuel supplies are driving down natural gas prices.

"It's helping all customers," said Judy Palnau, spokeswoman for the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Utility company Consumers Energy says its 1.7 million natural gas customers in Michigan are paying about 20 percent less than a year ago. The average residential bill for January will be $112, down from about $140.

Marc Ryan of Traverse City is living in a friend's trailer for the winter. His latest utility bill was for $90 ? about $25 less than last year.

"It's not a lot, but 25 bucks is 25 bucks," Ryan said. "It's half a tank of gas in my pickup truck. I'll take that."

Advocacy groups and government agencies agree the weather has been helpful ? to a point. Demand for heating assistance remains high, they say, partly because so many Americans are unemployed or working at low-paying jobs.

Congress in December slashed the federal program that provides low-income heating and utility subsidies from $4.7 billion to $3.5 billion for this year. But because of the moderate weather, assistance agencies that had been turning people away now have money to give.

Still, many recipients will be getting less. Minnesota's average grant is now $400, down from $500 to $600 a year ago. The state is helping 190,000 households with heating expenses ? more than last year, despite a 23 percent drop in federal payments.

"There are households that are calling. They're wondering, 'What are we going to do? The grant I was provided will barely get me one fill of my propane tank,'" said Judd Schultz, housing director for Minnesota Valley Action Council, one of 28 nonprofit agencies through which the money is distributed.

In Indianapolis, employment coach Janice Duffey of Southeast Community Services said she's been flooded with calls for heating help and expects no letup anytime soon.

"The weather could go berserk in a week," Duffey said.

The owner of an oil company in Scarborough, Maine, said heating oil usage among his customers dropped about 25 percent in November and 18 to 20 percent in December.

Les Thomas, who runs Cash Energy, has two tanks in his house. "I've usually filled them up again around Christmastime," he said. This year, he didn't need to.

One couple's oil supply lasted so long that they stopped checking it regularly.

"I got home last night and realized my tank was just about empty. It's been so warm, I forgot about our oil," said Angie Tapper, a waitress who lives with her husband in Lewiston, Maine.

She also got used to having some extra money. "It's been a welcome break for our bank account," she said.

Still, Tapper knows there's still plenty of winter ahead.

"I've got to get into a January-February mindset," she said, "until I see flowers."

___

Associated Press writers Carrie Antlfinger in Milwaukee; Kathy Barks Hoffman in Lansing, Mich.; Corey Williams in Detroit; Carrie Schedler in Indianapolis; Alexandra Tempus in Minneapolis; and Glenn Adams in Augusta, Maine, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46081588/ns/business/

earthquake california day light savings time curmudgeon daylight savings time 2011 selena daylight savings bobolink

Egyptians rally ahead of anniversary of uprising (AP)

CAIRO ? Hundreds of Egyptians are marching toward Tahrir Square ahead of the one-year anniversary of the uprising that toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

The protesters set out from different neighborhoods in Cairo on Friday, which they have dubbed "the dream of the martyrs."

They say the families of hundreds of people killed during the uprising and the around 100 others that have been killed in clashes with the military rulers that took over from Mubarak have yet to get their "retribution."

Activists organized the rallies as part of a week of "mourning and anger" around the Jan. 25 anniversary to muster support for their call to end military rule. They say the ruling generals have continued the policies of the toppled regime.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt

latin grammys latin grammys ogopogo walmart black friday walmart black friday raiders vincent jackson

In solar cells, tweaking the tiniest of parts yields big jump in efficiency

ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2012) ? By tweaking the smallest of parts, a trio of University at Buffalo engineers is hoping to dramatically increase the amount of sunlight that solar cells convert into electricity.

With military colleagues, the UB researchers have shown that embedding charged quantum dots into photovoltaic cells can improve electrical output by enabling the cells to harvest infrared light, and by increasing the lifetime of photoelectrons.

The research appeared online last May in the journal Nano Letters. The research team included Vladimir Mitin, Andrei Sergeev and Nizami Vagidov, faculty members in UB's electrical engineering department; Kitt Reinhardt of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research; and John Little and advanced nanofabrication expert Kimberly Sablon of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.

Mitin, Sergeev and Vagidov have founded a company, OPtoElectronic Nanodevices LLC. (OPEN LLC.), to bring the innovation to the market.

The idea of embedding quantum dots into solar panels is not new: According to Mitin, scientists had proposed about a decade ago that this technique could improve efficiency by allowing panels to harvest invisible, infrared light in addition to visible light. However, intensive efforts in this direction have previously met with limited success.

The UB researchers and their colleagues have not only successfully used embedded quantum dots to harvest infrared light; they have taken the technology a step further, employing selective doping so that quantum dots within the solar cell have a significant built-in charge.

This built-in charge is beneficial because it repels electrons, forcing them to travel around the quantum dots. Otherwise, the quantum dots create a channel of recombination for electrons, in essence "capturing" moving electrons and preventing them from contributing to electric current.

The technology has the potential to increase the efficiency of solar cells up to 45 percent, said Mitin, a SUNY Distinguished Professor. Through UB's Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR), he and his colleagues have filed provisional patent applications to protect their technology.

"Clean technology will really benefit the region, the state, the country," Mitin said. "With high-efficiency solar cells, consumers can save money and providers can have a smaller solar field that produces more energy."

Mitin and his colleagues have already invested significant amounts of time in developing the quantum dots with a built-in-charge, dubbed "Q-BICs." To further enhance the technology and bring it to the market, OPEN LLC is now seeking funding from private investors and federal programs.

Recommend this story on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:

Other bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University at Buffalo.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Kimberly A. Sablon, John W. Little, Vladimir Mitin, Andrei Sergeev, Nizami Vagidov, Kitt Reinhardt. Strong Enhancement of Solar Cell Efficiency Due to Quantum Dots with Built-In Charge. Nano Letters, 2011; 11 (6): 2311 DOI: 10.1021/nl200543v

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184534.htm

aptera aptera facebook ipo facebook ipo national defense authorization act national defense authorization act seven days in utopia

Which Super Bowl matchup marketers want

When it comes Super Bowl participants, the best matchup for marketers doesn't necessarily involve X's and O's, but rather dollars and cents.

And that means rooting for the New York Giants to beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in one of two conference championship games ? the New England Patriots play the Baltimore Ravens in the other game ? in order to have a team from the No. 1 TV market in the big game on Feb. 5. (The San Francisco area is the No. 6 TV market in the U.S.)

"It's all about bang for the bucks, and with those kinds of bucks on the line I'd be surprised if (marketers) are not sending their own personally designed pass-rush plays to the Giants and Patriots," said Drew Kerr, president of the New York-based marketing firm Four Corners Communications.

"When you start looking at added value, to have a big-market team in the mix is great for any marketer and for the hospitality folks," said Barb Rechterman, exec VP and chief marketing officer of GoDaddy.com, which perennially pushes the envelope with its Super Bowl commercials.

Ad Age: Chevy introduces Super Bowl app for phones, tablets

Ms. Rechterman added "Go Giants!" now that her favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, have been bounced out of the playoffs.

A small sampling of marketers and sports-marketing experts noted that the best of the four possible matchups to come out of the conference championship games this weekend would be the New York Giants vs. New England Patriots. The Giants vs. the Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots vs. the San Francisco 49ers, and San Francisco vs. Baltimore remain a distant second. (See the pros and cons of the match-ups below.)

So, does that mean marketers who are spending up to $3.5 million for a 30-second spot root for the matchup that best serves their needs for return on investment? You bet.

"Yes, I do think marketers root for the most compelling matchup between the teams with the most avid fan bases and ideally the two best television markets," said Kevin Adler, president of Chicago-based sports marketing group Engage Marketing. "Any time a major market team like New York is in the mix it's a huge win for marketers. At the end of the day, for marketers, the Super Bowl is about affinity and eyeballs."

"Look, the Super Bowl is always going to draw big ratings no matter who's in it," said GoDaddy's Ms. Rechterman. "I think what any marketer ultimately wants is a good game, an exciting game, a close game where the viewers stay with it."

To Ms. Rechterman's point, she is correct about the ratings. Last year's game between the small-market Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers drew a record 111 million viewers. The Super Bowl is transcendent; it is celebrated like Christmas, and nobody forgets about Christmas.

But there's still something to be said for being there, and marketers on-site certainly hope for well-heeled fans ? say, from, New York ? to come into town and spend money.

Among those pulling for the Giants is Ryan Cheuvront, director of sales for Chicago-based VIP Sports Marketing, which books corporate outings. "When it gets down to these four ... the Giants will definitely be the biggest (draw) out of that," he said, noting that he has several New York clients ready to pull the trigger on travel and ticket packages.

San Francisco would be decent for business, although it might be hard to convince clients to make the trip from California to Indy, which is not as appealing "as going to New Orleans or Miami or something," he said. In the AFC, Mr. Cheuvront is rooting for the Patriots over smaller market Baltimore, which he called the "worst-case scenario" from a business perspective. (Mr. Cheuvront, we should note, is a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan, so rooting against the Ravens comes naturally.)

Because of a scarcity of upscale hotel rooms in Indianapolis, VIP is putting up some clients in Chicago at the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Packages ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 a person include a same-day charter flight to the game, pregame party and tickets.

Pros and cons of each potential Super Bowl matchup

New York Giants vs. New England Patriots
Pros: Big-market New York team; heavy fan base that travels for both teams; top-notch endorsers playing at quarterback (Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady); both teams going for fourth Super Bowl title; rematch of 2008 Super Bowl in which Giants upset New England and prevented the Patriots from completing an undefeated season

Cons: None

Verdict: Touchdown

New England Patriots vs. San Francisco 49ers
Pros: Tom Brady going for fourth Super Bowl title; heavy New England fan base that travels well; possible high-tech company bigwigs from San Francisco

Cons: No "name" players/endorsers from 49ers; distance from San Francisco to Indianapolis could prohibit more San Francisco fans from attending

Verdict: Field goal

San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens
Pros: First-ever brother vs. brother head-coaching matchup in Super Bowl history, between San Francisco's Jim Harbaugh and Baltimore's John Harbaugh

Cons: Two run-centric teams make for potentially un-sexy game; small markets; virtual unknowns in the marketing world at the premier positions on both teams

Verdict: Field goal

New York Giants vs. Baltimore Ravens
Pros: Big-market New York team; Giants quarterback Eli Manning; rematch of 2001 Super Bowl won by Ravens, 35-7.

Cons: More potential for less exciting, defense-oriented game; no "name" players/endorsers from Baltimore other than aging linebacker Ray Lewis

Verdict: Safety

More Super Bowl coverage from Ad Age:

CBS Already Notching Sales for Next Year's Super Bowl

VW to Trade Darth Vader for Dogs in Next Super Bowl Spot?

Who's Buying What in Super Bowl 2012

? 2012 Advertising Age

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46063475/ns/business-us_business/

terrapin manny pacquiao vs marquez manny pacquiao vs marquez dish network cbs news manny pacquiao fight pacquiao marquez