CSN: The dangers of being 'all-in'

January 30, 2012, 2:47 pm

The Detroit Tigers won the American League Central by 15 games last season. They have the reigning MVP and Cy Young Award winner in Justin Verlander. Now they've added Prince Fielder for nine-years, $214 million, the largest contract in franchise history, in the hopes of getting 82-year-old owner Mike Ilitch a World Series ring.

But Detroit, before you crown your Tigers World Series Champions, or even division champions, be aware of the dangers of going "All-In" like you appear to be.

"If they're using that slogan, then I like our chances because the Red Sox had that slogan, we had that slogan and it didn't work out for either one of us," said A.J. Pierzynski in an interview with Comcast SportsNet.

A.J. knows from experience.

Last season, Jerry Reinsdorf and Kenny Williams bet heavy on free agents Pierzynski, Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko, and Jesse Crain with the hopes of bringing another title to Chicago. What did they get for it? 79 wins and a whole lot of heartache.

Pierzynski was also the featured star in an "All-In" commercial that seemed to run on a loop everyday from April through October.

"I'm glad it's over to say the least," Pierzynski said about the 2011 season. "Frustrating, confusing, everything. Every word you can use to describe craziness is about how it went last year. It wasn't good. It wasn't fun. It wasn't the way it was supposed to be. Things just didn't work out."

Go ahead and point the finger at Dunn, Alex Rios, and Gordon Beckham. Everyone else is. But really,? if you look at how the whole season unfolded, with the exceptions of maybe Mark Buehrle and Konerko, every single White Sox player had a role in it: Matt Thornton unable to save games early, Juan Pierre's struggles on the basepaths and in the outfield, John Danks 0-8 start, Sergio Santos giving up 7 runs in back-to-back losses just as the Sox were making a move in June. There's plenty of blame to go around.

"It's not one person's fault. People want to look at this person to blame, that person, but it was everybody," Pierzynski said.

While the White Sox were crushing the Indians on Opening Day in Cleveland, Jim Thome says he and his Twins teammates were watching the game on television in the clubhouse.

?And I remember our guys saying, ?It looks like Chicago is going to be tough to handle,'" Thome said. "And then as baseball goes, you just never know."

The White Sox won the first two games of the season and led the division by a half-game. They'd only be in first place one more time. Four days later. And they were tied.

Meanwhile, after a slow start themselves, the Tigers won 95 games thanks to an all-world season by Verlander, closer Jose Valverde not blowing a single save all season, and 24-year-old catcher Alex Avila suddenly hitting like Johnny Bench. Now after winning the division, and the pressure and expectations to win it all in 2012, could the Tigers find themselves in the same boat the White Sox were last year?

"One break here or there, one tough loss, you never know how people are going to react," Pierzynski said. "One guy goes down like Dunn last year with the appendectomy, and it seemed to affect him the whole year. You just never know. One little thing can affect the team for a long time. If [the Tigers] don't get off to the start they're supposed to get off to, maybe the pressure will rise, expectations mount, fans will get on them and they might struggle. But if you look at them on paper, they're as good as anybody."

The Tigers are good. Potentially great. The last time we said this about them was 2008 when they traded for Miguel Cabrera. What happened that season?

They finished in last place.

You just never know.

Source: http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/whitesox-talk/post/Sox-Drawer-The-dangers-of-being-All-In?blockID=641252&feedID=621

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Music training has biological impact on aging process

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Wendy Leopold
w-leopold@northwestern.edu
847-491-4890
Northwestern University

Aging-related hearing loss is not set in stone, study finds

EVANSTON -- Age-related delays in neural timing are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training, according to a new study from Northwestern University. The study is the first to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience has an impact on the aging process.

Measuring the automatic brain responses of younger and older musicians and non-musicians to speech sounds, researchers in the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory discovered that older musicians had a distinct neural timing advantage.

"The older musicians not only outperformed their older non-musician counterparts, they encoded the sound stimuli as quickly and accurately as the younger non-musicians," said Northwestern neuroscientist Nina Kraus. "This reinforces the idea that how we actively experience sound over the course of our lives has a profound effect on how our nervous system functions."

Kraus, professor of communication sciences in the School of Communication and professor of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, is co-author of "Musical experience offsets age-related delays in neural timing" published online in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

"These are very interesting and important findings," said Don Caspary, a nationally known researcher on age-related hearing loss at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. "They support the idea that the brain can be trained to overcome, in part, some age-related hearing loss."

"The new Northwestern data, with recent animal data from Michael Merzenich and his colleagues at University of California, San Francisco, strongly suggest that intensive training even late in life could improve speech processing in older adults and, as a result, improve their ability to communicate in complex, noisy acoustic environments," Caspary added.

Previous studies from Kraus' Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory suggest that musical training also offset losses in memory and difficulties hearing speech in noise -- two common complaints of older adults. The lab has been extensively studying the effects of musical experience on brain plasticity across the life span in normal and clinical populations, and in educational settings.

However, Kraus warns that the current study's findings were not pervasive and do not demonstrate that musician's have a neural timing advantage in every neural response to sound. "Instead, this study showed that musical experience selectively affected the timing of sound elements that are important in distinguishing one consonant from another."

The automatic neural responses to speech sounds delivered to 87 normal-hearing, native English-speaking adults were measured as they watched a captioned video. "Musician" participants began musical training before age 9 and engaged consistently in musical activities through their lives, while "non-musicians" had three years or less of musical training.

###

Kraus, who co-authored the study with Northwestern researchers Alexandra Parberty-Clark, Samira Anderson and Emily Hittner, is available at nkraus@northwestern.edu or at 847-491-3181. For more about the work of Kraus' Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory on music perception and learning-associated brain plasticity, visit http://www.soc.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/.

---

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?

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

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Wendy Leopold
w-leopold@northwestern.edu
847-491-4890
Northwestern University

Aging-related hearing loss is not set in stone, study finds

EVANSTON -- Age-related delays in neural timing are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training, according to a new study from Northwestern University. The study is the first to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience has an impact on the aging process.

Measuring the automatic brain responses of younger and older musicians and non-musicians to speech sounds, researchers in the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory discovered that older musicians had a distinct neural timing advantage.

"The older musicians not only outperformed their older non-musician counterparts, they encoded the sound stimuli as quickly and accurately as the younger non-musicians," said Northwestern neuroscientist Nina Kraus. "This reinforces the idea that how we actively experience sound over the course of our lives has a profound effect on how our nervous system functions."

Kraus, professor of communication sciences in the School of Communication and professor of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, is co-author of "Musical experience offsets age-related delays in neural timing" published online in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

"These are very interesting and important findings," said Don Caspary, a nationally known researcher on age-related hearing loss at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. "They support the idea that the brain can be trained to overcome, in part, some age-related hearing loss."

"The new Northwestern data, with recent animal data from Michael Merzenich and his colleagues at University of California, San Francisco, strongly suggest that intensive training even late in life could improve speech processing in older adults and, as a result, improve their ability to communicate in complex, noisy acoustic environments," Caspary added.

Previous studies from Kraus' Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory suggest that musical training also offset losses in memory and difficulties hearing speech in noise -- two common complaints of older adults. The lab has been extensively studying the effects of musical experience on brain plasticity across the life span in normal and clinical populations, and in educational settings.

However, Kraus warns that the current study's findings were not pervasive and do not demonstrate that musician's have a neural timing advantage in every neural response to sound. "Instead, this study showed that musical experience selectively affected the timing of sound elements that are important in distinguishing one consonant from another."

The automatic neural responses to speech sounds delivered to 87 normal-hearing, native English-speaking adults were measured as they watched a captioned video. "Musician" participants began musical training before age 9 and engaged consistently in musical activities through their lives, while "non-musicians" had three years or less of musical training.

###

Kraus, who co-authored the study with Northwestern researchers Alexandra Parberty-Clark, Samira Anderson and Emily Hittner, is available at nkraus@northwestern.edu or at 847-491-3181. For more about the work of Kraus' Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory on music perception and learning-associated brain plasticity, visit http://www.soc.northwestern.edu/brainvolts/.

---

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/nu-mth013012.php

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Iraq officials: Baghdad bomb blast kills 1 (AP)

BAGHDAD ? A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol in southeastern Baghdad killed one person on Sunday, officials said. The attack came two days after a blast in the same area claimed the lives of 33 people.

The bomb in Baghdad's predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Zafaraniyah wounded nine others, police said. A police vehicle and a civilian car were damaged by the explosion, they added.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualties.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

On Friday, a suicide car bomber struck a Shiite funeral procession in Zafaraniyah. Many Iraqis suspect al-Qaida militants of engineering a recent series of attacks on Shiites to provoke a counterattack by Shiite militias, and rekindle widespread sectarian conflict now that U.S. troops have left Iraq.

Al-Qaida and other Sunni extremist groups are also thought to be exploiting sectarian tensions in the wake of a political crisis which erupted last month, after authorities in the Shiite-dominated government issued an arrest warrant against the Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi on terrorism charges.

In protest, the Sunni-backed bloc has been boycotting parliament and Cabinet sessions.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq

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Officer Mike Russow takes UFC on Fox 2 decision

CHICAGO -- Mike Russow did his city proud with a decision victory at UFC on Fox 2. The judges scored it 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 for Russow, causing loud cheers from the crowd at the United Center.

Russow started with a quick takedown. When they returned to their feet, Russow was aggressive, landing a combination before clinching up with Einemo. He moved inside with strikes, and then got another takedown. From there Russow controlled Einemo until the last five seconds, when Einemo briefly reversed position before the round ended.

The second round started much like the first, with Russow getting a quick takedown. Russow briefly stood up and towered over Einemo, but returned to controlling him on the ground. They were stood up with 22 seconds left in the round, but Russow returned to the takedown that served him well for the first two rounds.

Einemo was more aggressive in the third round, and nailed Russow with a knee and a punch. Russow got the takedown again, but had more trouble with it. When on the ground, Einemo came close to take Russow's back, but Russow slipped out of it. Russow controlled Einemo for most of the round, but the two were stood up with just over a minute left. Einemo hit Russow with a knee, then Russow used the next knee for another takedown.

Russow is a full-time member of the Chicago Police Department and took a month off from the department to prepare for this bout. He's now 4-0 in the UFC and 15-1 overall. Einemo, a member of the famed Golden Glory camp, has lost both of his UFC bouts.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/officer-mike-russow-takes-ufc-fox-2-decision-002431342.html

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Super Bowl advertisers seek buzz on social media (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? In the age of Twitter and Facebook, many Super Bowl viewers will use the commercial breaks to go online and see what people are saying about the game. This year, advertisers want them to tweet about their favorite commercials as well.

Having spent record-breaking sums to secure the most valuable television slots in advertising, global brands from Coca-Cola to Volkwagen are looking to leverage social media to extend the buzz and reach of their ads.

According to executives from Comcast Corp's NBC television network, which will broadcast the February 5 football game, a 30-second commercial slot cost $3.5 million on average this year, up from $3 million for last year's Super Bowl, which was on News Corp's Fox station.

"The social media conversation has put more value on a Super Bowl ad, fans will discuss your ads on Twitter and Facebook and then go to YouTube to watch it on demand over and over again," said Brad Adgate, senior vice president of research at Horizon Media.

This year's Super Bowl will take place in Indianapolis, with the New York Giants and New England Patriots battling it out for the National Football League Championship. An expected 100 million people will watch the game, which is among a dwindling number of TV programs that still draw big live audiences.

NFL games are so valuable to advertisers that the league recently secured hefty pay increases that will bring in about $6 billion a year from Walt Disney Co's ESPN, broadcast networks and satellite TV provider DirecTV for rights to air games and sell the advertising time.

The average price of Super Bowl ads have risen more than 50 percent in the last 10 years, defying economic downturns and secular industry issues. NBC sold out all 70 spots around this year's game shortly after Thanksgiving weekend in November and reached a new high with one slot selling for around $4 million.

The game, including lower priced halftime slots, could easily generate over a quarter of a billion dollars in ad sales.

"The overall demand for Super Bowl spots is very high this year," said Tim Calkins, marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "Prices are high. Demand is high. I think that's a very positive sign for the economy."

Consumer research forecasts that 60 percent of fans watching the Super Bowl will also be tied into a second screen such as a smartphone or tablet.

COKE Vs PEPSI ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Anheuser-Busch, which typically buys exclusivity as the only beer advertiser during recent Super Bowls, is again the biggest spender, according to industry sources.

Not unlike past Super Bowls, Coca Cola Co and PepsiCo Inc will face-off for soda supremacy. Both beverage makers have come up with campaigns that attempt to leverage social media after their commercials air.

Coca-Cola's TV commercials, which will air during the first-and second-quarter breaks, will center around its computer-generated Arctic polar bears watching the game. The bears will then be brought to life on Twitter, Facebook and on a dedicated Website doing such things as responding to fans and commenting on the game. They will even have their own Twitter hashtag --#GameDayPolarBears -- for fans to follow.

"We wanted to interact with consumers in the most simple and organic way so they would have nothing to do other than what they usually do," said Pio Schunker, Coca Cola senior vice president of integrated marketing platforms.

Fans who catch Pepsi's commercial with "X Factor USA" winner Melanie Amaro performing the Otis Redding song "Respect" will be able to download a free video of the performance by using the Shazam app on their phones to capture audio from the commercial.

There are also partnerships with online radio service Pandora Media Inc and social TV specialist GetGlue centered around the game and other free content.

"Our philosophy now is nothing happens in isolation," said Shiv Singh, global head of digital for Pepsico Beverages. "Social TV is a massive phenomenon and a critical element of our Super Bowl campaigns."

AUTOS SPEND BIG AGAIN

The biggest spender by category is the autos industry, which made a big comeback last year and was noted for one of the most memorable spots -- Volkswagen AG's ad with a young child dressed in a Darth Vader outfit believing he can control the Passat car's lights.

This year, Volkswagen's Audi is hoping to win more creative kudos with a spot that taps into the "Twilight" teen vampire pop culture phenomenon. The 60-second spot, which will air during the first break in the game, will highlight the new 2013 Audi S7 and its LED headlight technology, which has unfortunate consequences for a party of young vampires.

Audi hopes to continue the conversation about the ad via the Twitter hashtag #SoLongVampires.

NBC executives say the auto makers are leading a trend toward long-form campaigns of 60 seconds or more, allowing high-end creative concepts to be fleshed out in the commercial's narrative rather than just going for a quick gag and punchline.

Chrysler Group LLC, Toyota Motor Co, Honda Motor Co Ltd, Hyundai Motor Co, and other automakers will also be advertising during the game.

General Motors Co's mainstream Chevy brand will run seven TV commercials before, during and after the game, for instance. It will also center its overall campaign heavily around Web-based partnerships with NBC, Twitter and Facebook.

SOCIAL MEDIA HELPS SELL

With the conventional wisdom being that consumers are more likely to make a purchase if recommended by a friend or family member, chief marketing officers are keen to insert themselves in a Facebook or Twitter conversation about the products and services they sell.

Bluefin Labs, a start-up company that aggregates and analyzes TV viewer data and comments on Twitter and Facebook, has been hired by several advertising agencies with Super Bowl campaigns to help understand how football fans react to the commercials during the game.

"Advertisers don't think about the TV campaign alone anymore but as a way to reach eyeballs and then stimulate conversations about their brands," said Bluefin executive Tom Thai.

While advertisers are eager to experiment with social media during a big-ticket event like the Super Bowl, there are still questions on how they measure its impact with a consistent, industry-accepted method, said Alex Iskold, founder of GetGlue, which lets TV fans share their viewing experiences by 'checking-in' in exchange for online rewards.

"Social TV engagement hasn't been fully priced yet," Iskold said. "We are collectively working to figure out the value to the advertisers. "It took years for the traditional display ad model to solidify; I don't think it will take us that long to price social TV."

(Reporting By Yinka Adegoke in New York,; additional reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles,; editing by Peter Lauria)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/wr_nm/us_superbowl_advertising

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Tuition Refund Insurance

Sallie Mae, one of the largest private lenders in the country, just launched open online enrollment for a host of insurance plans for consumers.?

This isn't the lender's first foray into the insurance world. It launched a tuition refund insurance plan back in May for college students.

With the latest additions to its suite of insurance offerings, including plans for for auto, renter's, health and travelers insurance, Sallie's clearly looking to diversify its business outside the realm of college campuses.?

There's nothing all that special about the new policies, but the whole idea of tuition refund insurance gave us pause.?

Insurance policies for college tuition function as a way to protect students if they have to suddenly drop out due to underlying medical issues. For $249 per year, Sallie Mae's plan will cover 100 percent of lost tuition but only up to $5,000 per semester.?

"With the average private college tuition in excess of $38,000, that leaves a sizable shortfall," says Joseph Orsolini of?College Aid Planners, Inc. "That being said, I once had a client whose student gotten bitten by a spider in her dorm room and when into a comma for three days. She had to dropout for obvious reasons. This type of plan would have come in handy."?

But what about the rest of students out there?

Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Fastweb.com and FinAid.org, has some reservations.

"Tuition refund insurance provides the family with peace of mind, but is probably not necessary for most students," he says.?

There's one case in which it might be a good idea: If you have a long-standing medical illness you fear might take a turn for the worse or require a lot of in-patient treatment. But as Orsolini points out, you might already be covered under your parent's health plan so you'll want to doublecheck beforehand.?

Thanks to a bit of public backlash last year, the tuition refund plan also covers tuition costs for students forced to dropout for mental health reasons. Originally, it only covered up to 75%.?

If it makes a difference, the tuition plan also includes up to $1,000 in coverage for physical or virus damage to your personal computer for all states except New York.?

When it comes to the rest of the lender's insurance offerings, a few might be worth looking into.

Renter's insurance is always a good idea, especially if you're living off campus and want protection for your expensive belongings like furniture and electronics. The plan covers up to $95,000?in losses from?fire, water damage and theft. You can also share the policy with your roommates.

Auto, health, and travel are worth a glance, but you can get those plans from just about anywhere. Do your homework in advance and shop around to compare prices to Sallie Mae's.

Here's one you can skip: Life insurance.

Unless you have children to care for, there's not much need for college students to have one, Kantrowitz?says. If you're on the fence about getting a plan, check out this helpful infographic.?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/college-tuition-refund-insurance-is-it-worth-the-cost-2012-1

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Dow slips to first losing week of 2012

In this Jan. 25, 2012 photo, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. World stocks faced multiple headwinds Friday Jan. 27, 2012 after disappointing Japanese earnings, higher unemployment in Spain and weak U.S. home sales. Investors awaited quarterly growth figures from the U.S. later in the day. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

In this Jan. 25, 2012 photo, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. World stocks faced multiple headwinds Friday Jan. 27, 2012 after disappointing Japanese earnings, higher unemployment in Spain and weak U.S. home sales. Investors awaited quarterly growth figures from the U.S. later in the day. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The stock market closed mostly lower Friday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average to its first losing week of 2012, after the government reported that economic growth was slower at the end of last year than economists expected.

The Dow spent the whole day in the red. It ended down 74 points, or 0.6 percent, at 12,660.46. The loss snapped a three-week winning streak for the Dow, which fell 60 points for the week but is still up 3.6 percent for the year.

The Standard & Poor's 500 struggled above even with an hour to go in trading, but it lost the gains and finished down 2.10 points at 1,316.33. The S&P finished the week up a sliver ? 0.95 points.

The Nasdaq composite, which has more than doubled the Dow's gain for the year, edged up 11.27 to 2,816.55. It rose about 30 points this week.

Economic growth for October through December came in at an annual rate of 2.8 percent. That was the fastest of 2011 but lower than the 3 percent that economists were looking for.

Utility companies led the way down with a fall of 1.3 percent. Most of the other nine industries in the S&P also fell, but only slightly, continuing a curious trading pattern this year: Trading has been calm in the past four weeks, a big change from the violent moves up and down that marked much of 2011.

Friday was the 17th day in a row of moves of less than 100 points up or down for the Dow. The last time the index had a longer period of such small moves was a 34-day stretch that started Dec. 3, 2010.

Despite the drift lower, investors displayed some bullishness.

Roughly two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. And the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks rose nearly 2 percent for the week. Investors tend to sell stocks in the Russell when they're worried, not buy them, because smaller firms often don't have much cash and other resources when times get tough.

"Risk-taking is picking up," says Jeff Schwarte, a portfolio manager at Principal Global Equities. He says his firm has been buying small firms since late last year. "We're still finding attractive stocks."

Next week, investors will turn their attention to Facebook, the powerhouse social network, which appears headed for the most anticipated initial public offering of stock in years.

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said Friday that Facebook could raise as much as $10 billion in an offering that would value the company at $75 billion to $100 billion.

That would vault Facebook into the largest public companies in the world, on par with the likes of McDonald's, Amazon.com and Visa. The Journal said Facebook could file IPO papers as early as Wednesday.

Investors earlier in the week had plenty of reason to hope the indexes would keep moving higher.

On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve announced it would likely keep benchmark interest rates near zero through late 2014, more than a year longer than it previously indicated. That helped send the Dow to its highest close since May.

Also lifting spirits: Apple had its best quarter for profits, trouncing expectations.

On Thursday, the Dow kept rising, briefly passing its highest close since the financial crisis three years ago. But the rally faded after news that new home sales in December had dropped, capping a year that ranked the worst for home sales since record-keeping began in 1963.

Among stocks making big moves Friday:

? Chevron fell more than 2 percent, the most of the 30 stocks in the Dow average, after its quarterly profit and revenue came in well below what analysts were expecting. Oil and natural gas production declined.

? Ford fell 4 percent after reporting disappointing earnings because of weak sales in Europe. The company said its results were also hurt by problems at parts suppliers in Thailand because of flooding there.

? Starbucks fell 1 percent after reporting late Thursday that that full-year results were likely to come in less than expectations.

? Procter & Gamble, which makes Tide, Crest and other consumer products, fell less than 1 percent after cutting its earnings outlook.

? Legg Mason dropped 5 percent after the investment management company's earnings fell by half as clients pulled money out. Legg Mason posted earnings of 20 cents per share. Analysts expected 25 cents, according to FactSet.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-27-Wall%20Street/id-a4861997e6b540d58f977afc0b2ae672

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NJ camel predicts Giants will win the Super Bowl

Princess, a Bactrian camel famous for her ability to correctly predict the winner of football games, nuzzles with John Bergmann, general manager of Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township, N.J. on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012, one day after Princess picked the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Princess makes her "picks" by choosing one of two graham crackers Bergmann holds out to her, with each cracker corresponding to one of the teams involved in the game. She's 88-51 lifetime, and predicted the winners of five of the last six Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Princess, a Bactrian camel famous for her ability to correctly predict the winner of football games, nuzzles with John Bergmann, general manager of Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township, N.J. on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012, one day after Princess picked the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Princess makes her "picks" by choosing one of two graham crackers Bergmann holds out to her, with each cracker corresponding to one of the teams involved in the game. She's 88-51 lifetime, and predicted the winners of five of the last six Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

John Bergmann, general manager of Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township N.J. scratches the next of Princess, a Bactrian camel famous for her ability to correctly predict the winner of football games, on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012, one day after Princess picked the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Princess makes her "picks" by choosing one of two graham crackers Bergmann holds out to her, with each cracker corresponding to one of the teams involved in the game. She's 88-51 lifetime, and predicted the winners of five of the last six Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Princess, a Bactrian camel famous for her ability to correctly predict the winner of football games, at her home in Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township, N.J. on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012, one day after Princess picked the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Princess makes her "picks" by choosing one of two graham crackers the zoo's general manager holds out to her, with each cracker corresponding to one of the teams involved in the game. She's 88-51 lifetime, and predicted the winners of five of the last six Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Princess, a Bactrian camel famous for her ability to correctly predict the winner of football games, nuzzles with John Bergmann, general manager of Popcorn Park Zoo in Lacey Township, N.J. on Thursday Jan. 26, 2012, one day after Princess picked the New York Giants to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Princess makes her "picks" by choosing one of two graham crackers Bergmann holds out to her, with each cracker corresponding to one of the teams involved in the game. She's 88-51 lifetime, and predicted the winners of five of the last six Super Bowls. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) ? People use all sorts of ways to try to predict the winner of the Super Bowl: comparing regular season records, judging who looked stronger in the post-season run-up to the big game, or watching the betting lines from Las Vegas oddsmakers.

But the closest thing to a sure thing may come from a camel in New Jersey.

Princess, the star of New Jersey's Popcorn Park Zoo, has correctly picked the winner of five of the last six Super Bowls. She went 14 and 6 predicting regular season and playoff games this year, and has a lifetime record of 88-51.

Her pick this year: The New York Giants.

The Bactrian camel's prognostication skills flow from her love of graham crackers. Zoo general manager John Bergmann places a cracker and writes the name of the competing teams on each hand. Whichever hand Princess nibbles from is her pick. On Wednesday, she made her pick with no hesitation at all, predicting bad news for Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, even though the Las Vegas oddsmakers have New England favored by about 3 points.

Her only miscue in the big game was picking the Indianapolis Colts over the New Orleans Saints two years ago, indicating that even camels know it's generally risky to go against Peyton Manning.

"It started out when a local radio station was looking to have some fun, so they asked Princess who was going to win a particular game each week, and it just took off from there," Bergmann said. "Now we have guys calling up on Sunday morning wanting to know who Princess has picked that week. One guy even asked if she does lottery numbers."

Her best season was 2008, when she got 17 out of 22 games right, including correctly picking the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the Super Bowl.

Princess doesn't do point spreads. But she has nearly mastered the art of picking straight-up winners.

The cunning camel was once the personal pet of heiress Doris Duke, the only child of tobacco and electric energy tycoon James Buchanan Duke.

Doris Duke raised Princess and her sister Babe from youngsters, Bergmann said.

The pair of camels had their own barn, and spent summers at Duke's Rhode Island estate. During bad weather, they were put up in the solarium.

After Duke's death in 1993, the camels stayed on her estate in Hillsborough. Babe died several years ago, leaving just Princess.

When Princess' caretaker was about to retire, the estate offered Princess to Popcorn Park Zoo, which took her in. The zoo cares for abandoned and abused animals.

___

Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-01-26-US-ODD-Super-Bowl-Camel/id-e9e0aa1d82014a41b80e58ca83bfe0f2

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Economy likely ended 2011 with strong growth

A sold sign is seen in fron of a new home in Jefferson, Pa., Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. The economy likely grew at annual rate of 3 percent in the October-December quarter, according to a survey by FactSet. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

A sold sign is seen in fron of a new home in Jefferson, Pa., Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. The economy likely grew at annual rate of 3 percent in the October-December quarter, according to a survey by FactSet. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A weak year for the economy likely ended on a hopeful note.

The economy likely grew at annual rate of 3 percent in the October-December quarter, according to a survey by FactSet. The Commerce Department will release the actual figure Friday.

The gain would represent modest improvement from this summer, when the economy grew just 1.8 percent. However, even with the strong finish, economists believe the economy expanded just 1.7 percent for the whole year ? roughly half the growth in 2010.

And growth is expected to slow in the first three months of this year. A key reason is wages have failed to keep pace with inflation. That will likely force many consumers to pull back on spending after splurging over the holidays.

Consumer spending is important because it makes up 70 percent of economic activity.

Businesses are also expected to reduce spending in the first quarter after building up their stockpiles in the final months of 2011.

Richard DeKaiser, a senior economist at Parthenon Group, expects just 2 percent annual growth in the January-March quarter. But Kaiser says that should be the weakest quarter. He expects the economy to gain strength in each quarter and grow 2.6 percent for the entire year.

The year is off to a good start. Companies invested more in equipment and machinery in December. The unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent last month ? the lowest level in nearly three years ? after the sixth straight month of solid hiring.

People are buying more cars, and consumer confidence is rising. Even the depressed housing market has shown enough improvement to make some economists predict a turnaround has begun.

Still, many economists worry that a recession in Europe could dampen demand for U.S. manufactured goods, which would slow growth. And without more jobs and better pay, consumer spending is likely to stagnate.

The Federal Reserve signaled this week that a full recovery could take at least three more years. In response, it said it would probably not increase its benchmark interest rate until late 2014 at the earliest ? a year and a half later than it had previously said.

The central bank also slightly reduced its outlook for growth this year, from as much as 2.9 percent forecast in November down to 2.7 percent. The Fed sees unemployment falling as low as 8.2 percent this year.

DeKaiser said part of his optimism stems from a view that housing sales and prices will rise moderately this year. That should lift the battered construction industry, which ended last year with three months of gains in single-family home construction.(backslash)

At the moment, housing remains the weakest part of the economy. New-home sales fell last month, and total sales for 2011 were the lowest on records dating back to 1963.

"I think the clouds will gradually lift over housing. Rising home prices will make consumers feel wealthier and this will translate into stronger consumer spending," DeKaiser said.

.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-27-Economy/id-3b6f41d4e5544080aa35147280d9a4c7

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Obama wants to boost aid to Egypt quickly

By msnbc.com staff and news services

DAVOS, Switzerland -- President Barack Obama plans to accelerate the pace of American aid to Egypt by redirecting non-urgent aid slated for other countries, a top U.S. diplomat said Wednesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum, Undersecretary of State Robert Hormats said Washington wants to provide more immediate benefits to the most populous Arab nation, which earlier this month conducted its?first democratic elections in decades.

Besides redirecting some foreign aid, funding in the pipeline for long-term programs in Egypt would be shifted to quick-impact projects, Hormats said.

Related: Huge crowd gathers in Cairo

Congress approved $1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt for the current fiscal year, but with conditions attached. It also approved $250 million in economic aid, as well as an "enterprise fund" of up to $60 million.

It was unclear whether the total amount of U.S. aid to Egypt would be increased.

"Whether it's an increase or whether it's reprioritizing existing assistance, we're still working this out," Hormats said.

Also, he said,?the White House had not made any?decisions and that he was providing Washington's "broad thinking" on the subject.

The United States wants to be seen as doing more to assist a hoped-for democratic evolution in Egypt, where the military still holds ultimate power on the first anniversary of protests that ousted President Hosni Mubarak, Hormats said.

Photos: One year on, Egyptians fill Tahrir Square again

In his State of the Union address Tuesday, Obama said the United States had a "huge stake in the outcome" of the revolutions that have swept the Arab world?but offered no concrete proposals for additional assistance.

Retuers contributed to this report.

Get instant updates from NBC News correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin on Twitter:

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10235860-obama-wants-to-boost-aid-to-egypt-quickly

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Recording: Bombing suspect had 'nothing to lose' (AP)

PHOENIX ? One of two white supremacist brothers accused of bombing a black city official in suburban Phoenix told a government informant shortly before his arrest that once his mother died, he would return to a life of "bomb throwing" and "sniper shooting" because he had nothing to lose, according to a recording played for jurors Wednesday.

The recording of 61-year-old Dennis Mahon was made by a government informant, identified in court records as civilian Rebecca Williams, after he left her a voicemail on March 29, 2009, about three months before he and his identical twin brother, Daniel Mahon, were arrested at their Illinois home.

Prosecutors played the tape and others for jurors on Wednesday as Williams sat on the stand and confirmed that the voices on the recordings were hers and Dennis Mahon's.

The Mahons have pleaded not guilty to the February 2004 bombing of Don Logan, Scottsdale's diversity director at the time.

But prosecutors are arguing to jurors that phone conversations between Dennis Mahon and Williams, and other in-person recordings of Daniel Mahon, prove that they admitted their involvement to her.

"Once my mother passes away, I go back to my radical bomb-throwing, sniper-shooting realm," Dennis Mahon said. "Look out because I've got nothing to lose."

In the same voicemail, he goes on to say that he knows how to take down the U.S. electrical power system during the coldest part of winter or hottest part of summer using explosives and high-powered rifles, and once he does that: "The non-whites shall destroy each other," he said.

During a May 4, 2006, phone call, Dennis Mahon mentions Logan by name and continues telling Williams that Scottsdale police officers were responsible for bombing him, but that he helped. He also suggests that next time, Logan wouldn't survive.

"He doesn't understand ? they're not going to get him where he works. They're going to get him where he lives," he said. "They're going to tail pipe the son of a bitch and blow up his car while he's in it."

In other conversations, Mahon speculates about his own eventual arrest, saying that he'd be armed when authorities come knocking on his door.

"They'll find out they've got a big problem with something called white terrorists," he said during a Jan. 5, 2009 phone call with Williams.

Earlier in the trial, prosecutors played for jurors recordings of the brothers using racial slurs for black people and pointing out the bombing site to Williams while they were in Scottsdale under a ruse that she had to pay a speeding ticket.

Williams met the Mahons in January 2005 after federal investigators recruited her to become an informant. They hoped that Williams could use her feminine wiles while acting like a white supremacist and a government separatist to get the brothers to admit to the bombing.

Over a four-and-a-half-year period, she spent several weeks in person with the brothers, but many of the recordings were made over the phone while she lived in Arizona and the brothers were in Illinois.

Defense attorneys have heavily criticized her behavior with the brothers, referring to her as a "trailer park Mata Hari" ? a reference to the Dutch exotic dancer who was convicted of working as a spy for Germany during World War I.

Prosecutors say that Williams never had sex with either brother, but did flirt with them and send racy photos to them in order to allay their suspicions that she was not to be trusted.

Among the racy photos she sent them was one that showed her in a white bikini with a grenade hanging between her breasts and a swastika and pickup truck in the background. Another showed her from behind wearing Confederate flag bikini bottoms, a black leather vest, thigh-high black boots and ripped fishnet stocking.

Defense attorneys have shown the photos to jurors.

Williams appeared in court for the first time Tuesday, testifying that the Mahons fell for her so much that Dennis Mahon even said he wanted to father her child.

Under tense questioning by defense attorney Deborah Williams, the informant admitted to previously being an exotic dancer and became bashful when asked whether she knows how to use her body around men.

Deborah Williams also focused much of her questioning on how much the informant was paid by the government for her work on the Mahon case.

Rebecca Williams testified that she was paid $100 for in-person contact with the brothers on top of $300 every month for their phone conversations. She got a total of $45,000 for her work, including reimbursements for her expenses.

Rebecca Williams also said that it was her understanding that she would be paid $100,000 upon the Mahons' convictions.

Williams also admitted that she was about to be evicted from her trailer in Flagstaff when she agreed to be a paid informant and that she hoped to use the $100,000 to help set up a home for herself in Hawaii.

___

Follow Amanda Lee Myers on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AmandaLeeAP

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

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Romney and Gingrich Discuss the Space Program at Tampa Debate (ContributorNetwork)

During the Republican presidential candidate debate that took place Monday in Tampa, Fla., Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich were asked questions on space policy, according to Space Politics. The answers the two gave were illuminating.

Romney and Gingrich had clashed before on space, when during a previous debate Romney had ridiculed an idea the latter had championed for lunar mining colonies. Gingrich defended the idea at the debate and later during a meeting with the Orlando Sentinel editorial board. But in Tampa, both suggested a change in the current way NASA does business.

What was Romney's proposal?

Romney suggested going back to the drawing board, seeming to suggest another presidential commission, similar to the Augustine Committee, to determine a new mission for NASA that would excite young people, would have commercial potential and would employ people and technology in Florida's space coast. Romney also suggested NASA (or perhaps he meant the mission to be conducted by NASA) be partly funded by the private sector. The mission itself would be a collaborative effort between NASA, the commercial sector, the military, and academia.

What did Gingrich have to say?

In perhaps a preview of his planned space vision speech, Gingrich concentrated on a series of prize competitions, similar to the Ansari X Prize and the Google Lunar X Prize, as a means to open up space. Gingrich also took his now familiar swipe at NASA bureaucracy, but suggested such a program would be of benefit to Florida's space coast.

What are some of the open questions about the proposals?

Romney did not open his mind about what he thought NASA's mission should be. He did not give an answer about why the U.S. should have a space program, what its purpose should be or an argument for paying for it. His proposal was to, in effect, study a question that has already been studied in the late 1960s with the proposals of the Space Task Group, the 1980s with the National Commission on Space, the 1990s with the first Augustine Committee, and the current era with the second Augustine Committee.

Gingrich was effusive about building space stations and a lunar settlement and going to Mars. He did not cover some of the practical questions surrounding his space prize approach, especially its practicality, political and otherwise. Would Congress actually transform NASA from a cutting edge space exploration agency to a paymaster for prize competitions? Would Congress actually leave billions, perhaps tens of billions of dollars in escrow accounts for years until the prizes were judged to have been won? How would private groups raise the vast sums necessary to go back to the moon or voyage to Mars? Perhaps these are questions that will be answered in his speech on Wednesday.

Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker . He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly Standard.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120124/sc_ac/10877071_romney_and_gingrich_discuss_the_space_program_at_tampa_debate

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European Lawmakers Want "Right to Be Forgotten" on Facebook, Google (Mashable)

European Internet users may be getting better control over information posted online, thanks to some proposed sweeping reforms lawmakers proposed Wednesday designed to protect digital privacy. The suggested law calls for a "right to be forgotten" and a "right to data portability." The former would require Internet companies such as Facebook and Google to completely wipe all of a user's info from their servers if such a request was made. The latter demands users be allowed to easily transfer data from one online service to another, a currently difficult task.

[More from Mashable: Google Thinks I?m a Middle-Aged Man. What About You?]

The "right to be forgotten" wouldn't be granted to users attempting to remove information relevant to a criminal investigation.

All online businesses operating in Europe would be bound to the new rules, whether or not they're based on the continent. Should web services fail to comply with these rights, they would be slapped with fines of up to ?1 million or up to 2% of the global annual turnover of a company (The total value of all products made in a 12-month period).

[More from Mashable: 10 Simple Google Calendar Tips and Tricks to Boost Your Productivity]

In the past, European Union (EU) member states have issued varying interpretations on existing digital privacy laws. Those different analyses have resulted in discordant levels of enforcement from country to country. If passed, this law would unify all 27 EU member states under a single set of privacy rules.

The EU argues this Europe-wide standardization would save businesses money by providing a sole definitive source of online privacy law for the continent. However, many internet companies depend on access to users' data for advertisement revenue.

A spokesman for European Union justice commissioner, Viviane Reding, told the BBC that the proposed laws are a means of protecting children and young adults who share details online which they later want removed for professional or personal reasons.

"These rules are particularly aimed at young people as they are not always as aware as they could be about the consequence of putting photos and other information on social network websites, or about the various privacy settings available," said spokesman Matthew Newman.

SEE ALSO: European Politicians Didn?t Like SOPA Any More Than You [VIDEO]

For the proposed new rules to become European law, they will need approval from the EU's member states followed by ratification from European Parliament. That process may take up to two years.

Do you think Internet users should be granted a "right to be forgotten?" Let us know in the comments below.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, richterfoto

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enterprise/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20120125/tc_mashable/european_lawmakers_want_right_to_be_forgotten_on_facebook_google

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Verizon releases Q4 results, sees jump in revenue, broadband subscribers

Verizon has just come out with its Q4 results this morning, ending the fiscal year with yet another solid performance. According to the provider, total revenue reached $18.3 billion during the final quarter of 2011, up 13 percent from last year. Verizon saw a particularly notable spike in data revenue, which reached $6.3 billion, representing a 19.2 percent increase over the year, and comprising nearly 42 percent of all revenue. The company also saw an increase in its subscriber base, adding 98,000 broadband customers in the span of a quarter, along with a net increase of 1.2 million postpaid subscribers. As far as demographics go, smartphones now comprise a full 44 percent of Verizon's consumer base, up from 39 percent last quarter. For the full year, total revenue finished at $70.2 billion, up 10.6 percent from Big Red's 2010 figures. For more stats and breakdowns, check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Verizon releases Q4 results, sees jump in revenue, broadband subscribers

Verizon releases Q4 results, sees jump in revenue, broadband subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/24/verizon-releases-q4-results-sees-jump-in-revenue-broadband-sub/

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Yahoo delivers another listless performance in 4Q

In this Jan. 4, 2012 photo, the Yahoo company logo is displayed at their headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. Yahoo Inc., reports quarterly financial earnings Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close.(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

In this Jan. 4, 2012 photo, the Yahoo company logo is displayed at their headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif. Yahoo Inc., reports quarterly financial earnings Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, after the market close.(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Yahoo's latest financial results show the Internet company is still losing ground in the battle for online advertising.

The fourth-quarter breakdown announced Tuesday is the latest in a succession of ho-hum performances.

The company earned $296 million, or 24 cents per share, in the October-to-December period. That is down 5 percent from $312 million, or 24 cents per share, a year earlier. The earnings matched analysts' estimates.

Fourth-quarter revenue dropped 13 percent from the previous year to $1.32 billion.

After subtracting commissions, Yahoo's revenue totaled $1.17 billion. That was $20 million below analyst projections.

It's the 13th straight quarter that Yahoo's net revenue has declined from the prior year.

Yahoo Inc. recently hired former PayPal executive Scott Thompson as CEO in its latest attempt at a turnaround. Thompson is the fourth CEO in less than five years to try to snap Yahoo out of a financial funk that has depressed its stock.

Yahoo dipped 2 cent to $15.67 in extended trading after the report came out. The stock price has fallen by about 40 percent from its levels five years ago.

As the company ushers in Thompson, Yahoo isn't making any promises for a quick start under his leadership. Yahoo predicted its net revenue in the first quarter will range from $1.02 billion to $1.1 billion. The mid-point of that target works out to $1.06 billion, unchanged from last year's first quarter.

Yahoo's financial malaise comes as advertisers are shifting more of their budgets to the Internet as people spend more of their time on the Web. The biggest beneficiaries of this boom so far have been Internet search leader Google Inc. and Facebook, the owner of the largest online social network.

While Yahoo continued to struggle during the final three months of last year, Google's revenue rose 25 percent from the same period in 2010. As a privately held company, Facebook doesn't disclose its financial results, but data compiled by independent research firms show its website has been luring advertisers away from Yahoo.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-01-24-Earns-Yahoo/id-06ffb1eef5984ae7b463d94e20068dae

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Yemen's leader allowed to come to US (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration will allow Yemen's outgoing president to come to the U.S. temporarily for medical treatment, a move aimed at easing the political transition in Yemen, a key counterterrorism partner.

A senior administration official said Ali Abdullah Saleh would travel to New York this week, and probably stay in the U.S. until no later than the end of February. U.S. officials believe Saleh's exit from Yemen could lower the risk of disruptions in the lead-up to presidential elections planned there on Feb. 21.

A presidential spokesman in Yemen said Saleh had left the capital of Sanaa earlier Sunday on a jet headed for the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman. An official close to Saleh, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the trip, said the president would undergo medical exams in Oman before heading to the U.S.

The U.S. official did not say whether Saleh planned to return to Yemen, Oman or elsewhere after finishing his treatment in the U.S. The official was not authorized to discuss details about Saleh and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Yemeni embassy in Washington said Saleh planned to return home in February to attend a swearing-in ceremony for the country's newly elected president.

The mercurial Saleh, who ruled Yemen for more than three decades, agreed to transfer power to his vice president late last year in exchange for immunity from prosecution. He had faced months of protests calling for his ouster, to which the Yemeni government responded with a bloody crackdown, leaving hundreds of protesters dead and sparking wider violence in the capital with rival militia.

Even after agreeing to leave power, Saleh continued to wield his influence behind the scenes, and U.S. officials believed getting him out of Yemen was necessary in order to ensure the February elections took place. The U.S. also worried about instability in a nation grappling with growing extremism, including the dangerous al-Qaida branch known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Still, Saleh's request last month for a U.S. visa put the Obama administration in the awkward position of either having to bar a friendly president from U.S. soil or risking appearing to harbor an autocrat with blood on his hands.

As U.S. officials weighed Saleh's request, they sought assurances that he would not seek political asylum or any type of permanent relocation in the U.S.

"We wanted to make sure that there was an understanding that it would be for medical purposes and that's what it is for," John Brennan, President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, said Sunday.

Saleh was badly burned and wounded during a June rocket attack on his compound in Yemen. He sought medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia for three months. American officials had hoped he would remain there, but the Yemeni leader returned and violence worsened anew.

Protesters and human rights groups have criticized Saleh's immunity clause and insisted he stand trial for his alleged role in protester deaths.

Brennan said there was a divide in Yemen over Saleh's future, with some Yemenis supporting Saleh's decision to seek medical treatment in the U.S. In the short-term, he said, it was imperative to ensure that the February elections take place.

"We thought it was important, given where Yemen is right now as far as moving forward with its political transition, to do what we can to support the government and the elections that are scheduled for the 21st of February, and that seems to be on track," he said.

Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is expected to be rubber-stamped as the country's new leader in the elections, in which he is expected to be the only candidate.

Brennan spoke with Hadi on Sunday, and told him the U.S. was encouraged by his leadership during a difficult period of transition. With fresh demonstrations likely in the weeks leading up to the elections, Brennan urged Hadi to ensure that Yemeni security forces exercise restraint.

The Obama administration's approval of Saleh's visa brought back memories from three decades ago, when President Jimmy Carter allowed the exiled shah of Iran into the U.S. for medical treatment. The decision contributed to rapidly worsening relations between Washington and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's revolution in Tehran, with Iranian students occupying the U.S. Embassy in Iran a month later.

Fifty-two American hostages were held for 444 days in response to Carter's refusal to send the shah back to Iran for trial.

___

Associated Press writers Ahmed al-Haj and Ben Hubbard in Sanaa, Yemen, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_yemen

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Meshaal planning to step down as leader of Hamas (Reuters)

GAZA (Reuters) ? Khaled Meshaal, the top political official of Palestinian Islamist faction Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip, will not seek reelection when a vote to choose its leadership is held soon, the group said on Saturday.

A Hamas statement said Council of his intention to step down, wanting to stress the path of democracy and bring in new blood to the leadership but the Shura Council will make the final call," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in Gaza.

Meshaal, 55, has been based in Damascus since 2001 fearing for his safety and restriction of movement in Gaza. He has been Iranian-backed Hamas's chief leader since 1996, responsible for setting policy and planning attacks against Israel.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement which holds sway in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in a brief civil war in 2007.

Hamas and Fatah agreed to bury the hatchet and end their hostility with a reconciliation deal last year, but their agreement has yet to be implemented in deed or in spirit.

Israel, the United States and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist group opposed to peace and committed to violence to destroy what it calls the "Zionist entity." Israel has said that a Palestinian unity government which includes Hamas will end peace hopes.

Meshaal's supporters among Palestinians and in Arab countries consider him to be a pragmatic leader who has attracted political support at home and financial support abroad for the movement that was founded in 1987.

Israel blames Meshaal for planning many attacks that have killed hundreds of its soldiers and civilians. In 1997 he was the subject of a failed assassination attempt by Mossad agents, an incident that caused a rift in Israel-Jordan relations.

Late Jordanian King Hussein forced Israel to supply the antidote for a lethal injection Meshaal was given, and to release the group's founder, Ahmed Yassin, from prison in 1997. Israel assassinated Yassin in an air strike in 2004.

Many Hamas operatives who were based in Syria have recently returned to Gaza as the group assesses the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime which is mired in a bloody 10-month-long uprising. Hamas has refused to openly back Assad.

RIFTS COULD EMERGE

A Gaza political analyst said that if Meshaal was replaced, hidden internal rifts could surface and the Hamas's Gaza leaders may take over as prime decision-makers from those in exile.

"If Meshaal insists on stepping down, it could pave the way for the rise of other power bases and the issue of who should lead Hamas - officials in Gaza or abroad - will surface," Hani Habib told Reuters.

He said that disputes between the leaders in Gaza and abroad worsened after Meshaal angered those in Gaza by agreeing to reconciliation with Fatah and giving Abbas a year to pursue peace talks with Israel.

Habib said he did not expect a more radical successor.

"In any circumstances I believe that the general trend within Hamas and political Islam in the world is now to show more flexibility towards engaging with the world," he said.

(Editing by Ori Lewis)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120121/wl_nm/us_palestinians_hamas

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VIDEO: Ralph Fiennes Reads Erotic Harry Potter Fan Fiction (omg!)

Ralph Fiennes, who played the boy wizard's greatest foe in the Harry Potter film franchise, made an appearance on Thursday's Watch What Happens: Live, where he made certain Potter fans' dreams come true when he read some erotic fan faction.

Check out the rest of today's news

Wearing his pajamas and fuzzy slippers, and with smooth jazz music playing in the background, Fiennes read a portion of "Broken Innocence," about a forbidden romance between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort.

Check out the video:

Related Articles on TVGuide.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_video_ralph_fiennes_reads_erotic_harry_potter_fan223900225/44249107/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/video-ralph-fiennes-reads-erotic-harry-potter-fan-223900225.html

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Rep. Giffords to resign from Congress this week

FILE - This Jan. 8, 2012 file photo shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords waving at the start of a memorial vigil remembering the victims and survivors one year after the Arizona congresswoman was wounded in a shooting that killed six in Tucson, Ariz. Giffords announced, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 she will resign from Congress this week. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, file)

FILE - This Jan. 8, 2012 file photo shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords waving at the start of a memorial vigil remembering the victims and survivors one year after the Arizona congresswoman was wounded in a shooting that killed six in Tucson, Ariz. Giffords announced, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 she will resign from Congress this week. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, file)

This video image provided by the Office of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords shows Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, walking. Giffords announced Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 she intends to resign from Congress this week to concentrate on recovering from wounds suffered in an assassination attempt a little more than a year ago. (AP Photo/Office of Gabrielle Giffords)

FILE - In this Jan. 2, 2012, file photo Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, left, accompanied by her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, reacts after leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of a memorial vigil remembering the victims and survivors one year after the Arizona congresswoman was wounded in a shooting that killed six othersin Tucson, Ariz. Giffords said Sunday Jan, 22, 2012, that she will resign from Congress this week. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

This video image provided by the office of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords shows Giffords announcing her plans to resign, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Office of Gabrielle Giffords)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona announced Sunday she intends to resign from Congress this week to concentrate on recovering from wounds suffered in an assassination attempt a little more than a year ago that shook the country.

"I don't remember much from that horrible day, but I will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice," the Democratic lawmaker said on a video posted without prior notice on her Facebook page.

"I'm getting better. Every day my spirit is high," she said. "I have more work to do on my recovery. So to do what's best for Arizona, I will step down this week."

Giffords was shot in the head and grievously wounded last January as she was meeting with constituents outside a supermarket in Tucson, Ariz. Her progress had seemed remarkable, to the point that she was able to walk dramatically into the House chamber last August to cast a vote.

Her shooting prompted an agonizing national debate about super-charged rhetoric in political campaigns, although the man charged in the shooting later turned out to be mentally ill.

In Washington, members of Congress were told to pay more attention to their physical security. Legislation was introduced to ban high-capacity ammunition clips, although it never advanced.

Under state law, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer must call a special election to fill out the remainder of Giffords' term, which ends at the end of 2012.

President Barack Obama on Sunday called Giffords "the very best of what public service should be."

"Gabby's cheerful presence will be missed in Washington," Obama said. "But she will remain an inspiration to all whose lives she touched ? myself included. And I'm confident that we haven't seen the last of this extraordinary American."

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said he saluted Giffords "for her service and for the courage and perseverance she has shown in the face of tragedy. She will be missed."

In a statement, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said that "since the tragic events one year ago, Gabby has been an inspiring symbol of determination and courage to millions of Americans."

Democratic officials had held out hope for months that the congresswoman might recover sufficiently to run for re-election or even become a candidate to replace retiring Republican Sen. Jon Kyl.

The shooting on Jan. 8, 2011, left six people dead, a federal judge and a Giffords aide among them. Twelve others were wounded.

A 23-year-old man, Jared Lee Loughner, has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges in the shooting. He has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and is being forcibly medicated at a Missouri prison facility in an effort by authorities to make him mentally ready for trial.

In the months since she was shot, Giffords, 41, has been treated in Houston as well as Arizona as she re-learned how to walk and speak.

She made a dramatic appearance on the House floor Aug. 2, when she unexpectedly walked in to vote for an increase in the debt limit. Lawmakers from both parties cheered her presence, and she was enveloped in hugs.

More recently, she participated in an observance of the anniversary of the shooting in Arizona.

In "Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope," a book released last year that she wrote with her husband, the astronaut Mark Kelly, she spoke of how much she wanted to get better, regain what she lost and return to Congress.

She delivers the last chapter in her own voice, saying in a single page of short sentences and phrases that everything she does reminds her of that horrible day and that she was grateful to survive.

"I will get stronger. I will return," she wrote.

Giffords was shot in the left side of the brain, the part that controls speech and communication.

Kelly commanded the space shuttle Endeavour on its last mission in May. She watched the launch from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Kelly, who became a NASA astronaut in 1996 and made four trips into space aboard the space shuttle, retired in October.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-22-US-Giffords-Resign/id-b17fea057a1746ec85412a584c46e915

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