Saturday, December 31, 2011

Singer, actress Kaye Stevens dies in Florida (AP)

THE VILLAGES, Fla. ? Singer and actress Kaye Stevens, who performed with the Rat Pack and was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show," has died at a central Florida hospital. She was 79.

Close friend Gerry Schweitzer confirmed that Stevens died Wednesday at the Villages Hospital north of Orlando following a battle with breast cancer and blood clots.

Stevens, a longtime South Florida resident, performed with Rat Pack members including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop. She also sang solo at venues like Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and the Plaza Hotel's Persian Room in New York City.

During the Vietnam War era, Stevens performed for American soldiers in the war zone with Bob Hope's USO tour.

According to a handout from friend Rhonda Glenn, Stevens was born Catherine Louise Stephens in Pittsburgh. Her family eventually moved to Cleveland, where a teenage Stevens got her start as a drummer and singer. She later married now deceased bandleader and trumpet player Tommy Amato, and the couple performed throughout the eastern U.S.

During a gig in New Jersey, Stevens was discovered by Ed McMahon, Carson's longtime sidekick, which led to new bookings. Her big break came when she was playing a lounge at The Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. Debbie Reynolds became ill and was unable to perform in the main room. Stevens filled in and was an instant hit.

Besides singing, Stevens also acted in film and television. She appeared in six movies, earning a Golden Globe nomination in 1964 for "The New Interns." She was a regular celebrity player on game shows and appeared as a regular on "Days of Our Lives" from 1974-79.

During the past two decades, Stevens started her own ministry and began performing only Christian and patriotic music. She staged benefits to help build St. Vincent Catholic Church in her longtime home of Margate, Fla., where city officials named a park in her honor.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111230/ap_en_ot/us_obit_kaye_stevens

faroe islands faroe islands corso james arthur ray james arthur ray elisabeth shue avastin

Friday, December 30, 2011

Seth?s most-used iPhone and iPad apps of 2011

These are Seth’s most used apps of 2011. Others have their own most used apps, but these are Seth’s. Tweetbot I’ve come to rely on Twitter for far...


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/PsmdJZueRS4/story01.htm

risky business weather nj weather nj nyc weather nyc weather philadelphia weather chris carpenter

People don't just think with their guts; logic plays a role too

People don't just think with their guts; logic plays a role too [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Anna Mikulak
amikulak@psychologicalscience.org
202-293-9300
Association for Psychological Science

For decades, science has suggested that when people make decisions, they tend to ignore logic and go with the gut. But Wim De Neys, a psychological scientist at the University of Toulouse in France, has a new suggestion: Maybe thinking about logic is also intuitive. He writes about this idea in the January issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Psychologists have partly based their conclusions about reasoning and decision-making on questions like this one:

"Bill is 34. He is intelligent, punctual but unimaginative and somewhat lifeless. In school, he was strong in mathematics but weak in social studies and humanities.

Which one of the following statements is most likely?

(a) Bill plays in a rock band for a hobby.

(b) Bill is an accountant and plays in a rock band for a hobby."

Most people will let their stereotypes about accountants rule and pick (b). But, in fact, we have no idea what Bill does for a livinghe could be a politician, a concert pianist, or a drug dealerso it's more likely that only one random possibility, the rock band, is true, than that both (a) and (b) would happen to be true.

This line of research has suggested that people don't use logic when making decisions about the world. But the truth is more complicated, De Neys says. When most people read a question like the one above, there's a sense that something isn't quite right. "That feeling you have, that there's something fishy about the problemwe have a wide range of ways to measure that conflict," De Neys says. For example, he has shown with brain imaging that when people are thinking about this kind of problem, a part of their brain that deals with conflict is active. "They stick to their gut feeling and don't do the logical thing, but they do sense that what they are doing is wrong," De Neys says.

De Neys thinks this sense, that something isn't quite right with the decision you're making, comes from an intuitive sense of logic. Other scientists have found that children start thinking logically very early. In one study, 8-month-old babies were surprised if someone pulled mostly red balls out of a box that contained mostly white balls, proof that babies have an innate sense of probability before they can even talk. It makes sense, De Neys says, that this intuitive sense of logic would stick around in adults.

This research deals with the basics of how we think, but De Neys says it may help explain more complex decision-making. If you want to teach people to make better decisions, he says, "It's important to know which component of the process is faulty." For example, if you want to understand why people are smoking, and you think it's because they don't understand the logicthat smoking killsyou might put a lot of energy into explaining how smoking is bad for them, when the actual problem is addiction. It's a long way from a question about Bill's career to understanding something like why someone decides to get married, for example; but research like this should help," De Neys says.

###

For more information about this study, please contact: Wim De Neys at wim.deneys@univ-tlse2.fr.

Perspectives on Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information. It publishes an eclectic mix of thought-provoking articles on the latest important advances in psychology. For a copy of the article "Bias and conflict: A case for logical intuitions" and access to other Perspectives on Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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.


People don't just think with their guts; logic plays a role too [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Anna Mikulak
amikulak@psychologicalscience.org
202-293-9300
Association for Psychological Science

For decades, science has suggested that when people make decisions, they tend to ignore logic and go with the gut. But Wim De Neys, a psychological scientist at the University of Toulouse in France, has a new suggestion: Maybe thinking about logic is also intuitive. He writes about this idea in the January issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Psychologists have partly based their conclusions about reasoning and decision-making on questions like this one:

"Bill is 34. He is intelligent, punctual but unimaginative and somewhat lifeless. In school, he was strong in mathematics but weak in social studies and humanities.

Which one of the following statements is most likely?

(a) Bill plays in a rock band for a hobby.

(b) Bill is an accountant and plays in a rock band for a hobby."

Most people will let their stereotypes about accountants rule and pick (b). But, in fact, we have no idea what Bill does for a livinghe could be a politician, a concert pianist, or a drug dealerso it's more likely that only one random possibility, the rock band, is true, than that both (a) and (b) would happen to be true.

This line of research has suggested that people don't use logic when making decisions about the world. But the truth is more complicated, De Neys says. When most people read a question like the one above, there's a sense that something isn't quite right. "That feeling you have, that there's something fishy about the problemwe have a wide range of ways to measure that conflict," De Neys says. For example, he has shown with brain imaging that when people are thinking about this kind of problem, a part of their brain that deals with conflict is active. "They stick to their gut feeling and don't do the logical thing, but they do sense that what they are doing is wrong," De Neys says.

De Neys thinks this sense, that something isn't quite right with the decision you're making, comes from an intuitive sense of logic. Other scientists have found that children start thinking logically very early. In one study, 8-month-old babies were surprised if someone pulled mostly red balls out of a box that contained mostly white balls, proof that babies have an innate sense of probability before they can even talk. It makes sense, De Neys says, that this intuitive sense of logic would stick around in adults.

This research deals with the basics of how we think, but De Neys says it may help explain more complex decision-making. If you want to teach people to make better decisions, he says, "It's important to know which component of the process is faulty." For example, if you want to understand why people are smoking, and you think it's because they don't understand the logicthat smoking killsyou might put a lot of energy into explaining how smoking is bad for them, when the actual problem is addiction. It's a long way from a question about Bill's career to understanding something like why someone decides to get married, for example; but research like this should help," De Neys says.

###

For more information about this study, please contact: Wim De Neys at wim.deneys@univ-tlse2.fr.

Perspectives on Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information. It publishes an eclectic mix of thought-provoking articles on the latest important advances in psychology. For a copy of the article "Bias and conflict: A case for logical intuitions" and access to other Perspectives on Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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/2011-12/afps-pdj122911.php

new earth light year light year michelle rounds michelle rounds cabin in the woods dan quayle

Thursday, December 29, 2011

bbqbusdc: Thx friends sharing lunch w us! We'll see everyone tomorrow at Union Station!

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
Thx friends sharing lunch w us! We'll see everyone tomorrow at Union Station! bbqbusdc

BBQ Bus

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/bbqbusdc/statuses/152093012527288321

dan gilbert david stern david stern julian beever appeasement ian stewart ian stewart

HP TouchPad Go gets reviewed, but remains already long gone (video)

While we already rode the white unicorns of HP's now disintegrated webOS series, there was one little filly we didn't get to saddle up. A developmental model of the seven-inch TouchPad Go has now made it into the hands of webOSnation and has been given a thorough going over. The major differences from its bigger brother? A rear-facing 5 megapixel camera and a smudge buffering matte finish on the back are the main signifiers. Aside from those (and an experimental build of the next firmware update), it's a tiny TouchPad. The Go matches the resolution of the original, also packing the same processor innards of the defunct white TouchPad. Those unwilling to accept the future of webOS can still absorb the full critique of what could have been in a video review after the break.

Continue reading HP TouchPad Go gets reviewed, but remains already long gone (video)

HP TouchPad Go gets reviewed, but remains already long gone (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcewebOS Nation  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/28/hp-touchpad-go-gets-reviewed-but-remains-already-long-gone-vid/

asu football arkansas lsu storage wars storage wars millionaire matchmaker millionaire matchmaker shawshank redemption

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Ron Paul Calls GOP Rivals Serial Hypocrites, Flip-Floppers (ABC News)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/180111702?client_source=feed&format=rss

beavis and butthead cardinals jennifer nicole lee jennifer nicole lee chris harris peter schiff matt holliday

Maple Leafs confirm coach Ron Wilsons extension

Giants coach downplays injury, ready for Dallas

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Walking into his news conference to kick off an NFC East showdown week with the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Coughlin couldn't hide the injury.

Strong Support

FLINT, Mich. ? Growing up poor and black in Mississippi, Gerri Hall learned there was a meanness in the world, a set of laws and customs aimed at people like her, which her mother ...

Pros see stocks up in 2012, but big risks, too

(AP) The good news is that Wall Street experts think stock prices will rise more than 10 percent next year. The bad news is that they expected big gains in 2011 and got nearly zer ...

Arethas Christmas: Silent Night with Four Tops

(AP) Detroit's Queen of Soul knows how to throw a Christmas party, and she welcomed in the holiday with glitter, a jazzy musical backdrop and a finale of "Silent Night" with the F ...

Plymouth VFW Shawnee Post raises money for Toys for Tots drive

The Plymouth VFW Shawnee Post 1425 recently held a drive to raise money for the local Toys for Tots Program. The post raised a total of $1,201. Several members shopped at the Plymo ...

Source: http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=182641&44=136233863&32=3991&7=186441&40=http://www.timesleader.com/business/Maple_Leafs_confirm_coach_Ron_Wilsons_extension_12-26-2011.html

st louis cardinals josh hamilton beavis and butthead cardinals jennifer nicole lee jennifer nicole lee chris harris

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

HODINKEE: A man finds a vintage @IWC with true military provenance, and gets to meet the original owner. A great story, indeed. http://t.co/yvkPRZlC

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
A man finds a vintage @IWC with true military provenance, and gets to meet the original owner. A great story, indeed. bit.ly/vEGKda HODINKEE

Hodinkee.com

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/HODINKEE/statuses/151308665046044672

miranda lambert kim kardashian divorce generators generators lesean mccoy while you were sleeping while you were sleeping

Gingrich fails to qualify for Va. primary ballot (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich failed to qualify for Virginia's Super Tuesday primary ballot, the latest setback for a candidate whose standing in polls has been slipping. Gingrich's campaign said he would pursue an aggressive write-in campaign, though state law prohibits write-ins on primary ballots.

The state party said early Saturday that Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry had failed to submit the required 10,000 signatures to appear on the March 6 ballot.

Failing to get on the ballot in Virginia, where Gingrich lives, underscores the difficulty first-time national candidates have in preparing for the long haul of a presidential campaign.

And it illustrates the advantage held by Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who has essentially been running for president for five years. Romney's team, larger than those of most of his opponents, has paid close attention to filing requirements in each state. He will appear on the Virginia ballot along with Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who also has run a national campaign before.

Ironically, Gingrich had a slight lead over Romney in a Quinnipiac poll of Virginia Republicans released earlier in the week.

The former House speaker surged in popularity in early December and tried to use that momentum to make up for a stalled campaign organization. But his standing in polls has slipped in recent days amid a barrage of negative ads in Iowa, where the Jan. 3 caucuses begin the contest for the Republican presidential nomination.

Three other candidates ? Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman ? did not submit signatures before Virginia's deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday.

Gingrich's campaign attacked Virginia's primary system on Saturday, saying that "only a failed system" would disqualify Gingrich and other candidates and vowing to run a write-in campaign.

"Voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender, especially leading candidates," Gingrich campaign director Michael Krull said in a statement. "We will work with the Republican Party of Virginia to pursue an aggressive write-in campaign to make sure that all the voters of Virginia are able to vote for the candidate of their choice."

However, according to state law, "No write-in shall be permitted on ballots in primary elections."

"Virginia code prohibits write-ins in primaries. He can't do it," said Carl Tobias, a law professor at University of Richmond.

Tobias said Gingrich may have had trouble meeting a requirement that he must submit 400 signatures from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts.

Gingrich's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Gingrich had been concerned enough to deliver his signatures personally. Rushing Wednesday from New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Jan. 10, he had supporters sign petitions before entering a rally in Arlington, Va.

Virginia GOP spokesman Garren Shipley said in a statement that volunteers spent Friday validating signatures on petitions that Romney, Paul, Perry and Gingrich had submitted. "After verification, RPV has determined that Newt Gingrich did not submit required 10k signatures and has not qualified for the VA primary," the party announced early Saturday on its Twitter feed. Shipley did not respond to telephone calls Saturday seeking comment.

Forty-six delegates will be at stake in Virginia's Super Tuesday primary. That's a small fraction of the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination. But they could prove pivotal in a close race, especially for a candidate like Gingrich, who expects to do well in Southern contests.

Gingrich already missed the deadline to appear on the ballot in Missouri's Feb. 7 primary, though he insists it doesn't matter because the state awards delegates based not on the primary but on a Republican caucus held in March.

Meanwhile, Virginia's Democrats said President Barack Obama's re-election campaign gathered enough signatures to get him on the state's primary ballot though he was the only candidate who qualified.

___

Associated Press writers Will Lester and Stephen Ohlemacher contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_ballot

lionel richie cma awards cma awards christmas tree tax cmas cmas world series of poker

Monday, December 26, 2011

Former South Korean first lady to go North to mark Kim's death (Reuters)

SEOUL (Reuters) ? South Korea said on Saturday a former first lady and the chairwoman of the giant Hyundai business conglomerate will be permitted to cross into North Korea next week to join ceremonies marking the death the North's leader, Kim Jong-il.

A spokesman for the South Korean Unification Ministry said Lee Hee-ho, the widow of late president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kim Dae-jung, will lead a 13-member delegation for a two-day trip from Monday. Kim died a week ago.

The ministry also said Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun, the wife of the business group's former chairman Chung Mong-hun, will lead another five-member delegation to Pyongyang.

The South Korean government has said it will allow the two delegations to make the trip to the communist North because Pyongyang sent groups to Seoul to mark the deaths Kim Dae-jung and Chung.

However the delegations will not attend Kim Jong-il's funeral, scheduled for Wednesday, and no government officials, politicians or other prominent figures will accompany them.

Kim Dae-jung, who died in 2009, reopened ties while he was in office from 1998 to 2003, culminating in a historic meeting with Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang in 2000. He was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Chung was the fifth son of the Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung, who established Hyundai Asan Corp. in 1999, a major investor in North Korea's Mt. Kumgang tourist resort business.

The business has been suspended since the fatal shooting in 2008 of a South Korean tourist at the resort.

Hyundai Asan is also involved in the Kaesong Industrial Park project in the North, one of the impoverished North's main sources of foreign cash.

Seoul sent a message of sympathy to the North Korean people after Kim Jong-il's death, although the North denounced South Korea for not extending official condolences.

North and South Korea are technically still at war, with the 1950-53 ending in a ceasefire rather than a formal armistice.

(Reporting by Sung-won Shim; Editing by Paul Tait)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111224/wl_nm/us_korea_north_visits

bridge school miami dolphins charlie and the chocolate factory ou football ryan torain ryan torain world series game 3

SebastienPage: Best Buy Has Buy One Get One Free iPhone 4 Today http://t.co/3Q7deMVH via @iDownloadBlog

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
Best Buy Has Buy One Get One Free iPhone 4 Today idownloadblog.com/2011/12/24/bes? via @iDownloadBlog SebastienPage

Sebastien Page

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/SebastienPage/statuses/150675551978393600

wayne gretzky wayne gretzky occupy los angeles occupy los angeles comedian patrice o neal occupy philadelphia occupy philadelphia

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Florida Looks for Curbs on Some Snake Species

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Source: www.nytimes.com --- Sunday, December 25, 2011
Florida?s Congressional lawmakers are pushing for approval of a Fish and Wildlife Service rule that would list nine kinds of large constrictor snakes as an ?injurious species.? ...

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/us/florida-looks-for-curbs-on-some-snake-species.html

weather houston weather houston small business saturday small business saturday hank baskett beyonce dance for you beyonce dance for you

Update on Minneapolis Ford plant renovation

Home Join us on the new DiggFollow us on TwitterFollow us on Facebook

Shanghai News.Net
Thursday 22nd December, 2011 (Source: Star Tribune)

here about the historic Ford Building in Minneapolis ? yes, Minneapolis.

The Ford Center, at 420 Fifth St. North, (otherwise known as adjacent to Target Field) has undergone an extensive, $40-million-plus renovation over the past year or so, and now HGA Architects and Engineers has moved in.

HGA takes up four floors of the 11-story brick st... ...

Read the full story at Star Tribune

?


Source: http://feeds.shanghainews.net/?rid=202081297&cat=3a8a80d6f705f8cc

do a barrelroll bérénice marlohe bérénice marlohe google offers tim gunn tim gunn death clock

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Cuba to free 2,900 in sweeping amnesty (Reuters)

HAVANA (Reuters) ? Cuba will release 2,900 prisoners in the coming days for humanitarian reasons in a sweeping amnesty ahead of a visit next spring by Pope Benedict XVI, the Cuban government said on Friday.

Those to be pardoned do not include American Alan Gross, serving 15 years in prison for setting up Internet equipment on the island under a secretive U.S. program in a case that stalled progress in U.S.-Cuba relations, a government spokesman said.

The ruling Council of State granted the amnesty in a decision that President Raul Castro, in a separate speech to the National Assembly, said had "taken into account" the upcoming papal visit and requests by, among others, top Roman Catholic Church officials in Cuba and family members of the prisoners.

President Raul Castro said the ruling Council of State that granted the amnesty had "taken into account" the upcoming papal visit and requests by, among others, top Roman Catholic Church officials in Cuba and family members of the prisoners.

The action showed the "generosity and strength" of the Cuban revolution, he said in a speech to the National Assembly.

Those to be released included some who had been convicted for crimes against "the security of the state," but the government spokesman said they were not jailed for political reasons.

Cuba freed more than a 100 political prisoners in a deal brokered by the Catholic Church in 2010. Cuban dissidents have said there are still at least 60 people behind bars for political reasons.

Elizardo Sanchez, head of the independent Cuban Commission on Human Rights, downplayed the importance of the prisoner release. "It's a shallow measure by the government, a gesture to improve its international image," he said.

The freed prisoners will include persons more than 60 years of age, prisoners who are ill, women and some young prisoners who had no previous criminal history, the government said.

Castro said 86 of the prisoners are foreigners from 25 countries who committed crimes in Cuba, but they would be released only if their countries agreed to repatriate them.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the amnesty and its failure to include Gross, but has repeatedly said in the past that he was only providing Internet access for Jewish groups in Cuba and should be released immediately.

Gross was working as a subcontractor in a U.S.-funded program promoting political change in Cuba. The Cuban government considered it subversive. His arrest halted a brief warming in U.S.-Cuba relations that have been hostile since Fidel Castro embraced Soviet Communism after his 1959 revolution.

Pope Benedict said recently he would visit Cuba before Easter, which falls on April 8. It would be the second papal visit to Cuba since Pope John Paul II's historic trip in 1998.

After that visit, in which the pontiff criticized the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, the Cuban government freed about 300 prisoners, including 101 political prisoners. The others were in jail for common crimes.

Minor prisoner releases have taken place over the years, usually as a goodwill gesture accompanying the visit of a dignitary such as former U.S. President Jimmy Carter or other foreign representatives.

Cuba freed 3,600 political prisoners after then Cuban leader Fidel Castro met with exiles in 1978 during Carter's presidency.

Many Cubans had expected President Castro to announce a liberalization of immigration rules that would make it easier for them to travel abroad, but he said only that it was being worked on and changes would be made gradually.

(Reporting by Jeff Franks; editing by Anthony Boadle)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111224/wl_nm/us_cuba_prisoners

moonshine how to make moonshine patti labelle the weeknd the weeknd payroll tax payroll tax

Study linking virus and chronic fatigue retracted

(AP) ? The journal Science is retracting a controversial 2009 report that linked chronic fatigue syndrome to a virus.

In an unusual move, Science is taking that step on its own. Normally, authors retract their own research papers when serious problems arise after publication.

But Science has lost confidence in the report and the validity of its conclusions, editor-in-chief Bruce Alberts writes in Friday's issue. He said most of the authors have agreed in principle to retract the paper, "but they have been unable to agree on the wording of their statement." A retraction signed by all the authors "is unlikely to be forthcoming," Alberts wrote.

The original paper, from scientists at the Whittemore Peterson Institute in Nevada and the National Cancer Institute, reported finding a virus called XMRV in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. That raised hope that a cause of the mysterious illness had been found.

But follow-up studies by other scientists found no evidence of such a link. Last May, Science published two reports suggesting the original finding was due to lab contamination.

At the time, Alberts published a statement declaring that the validity of the study was "now seriously in question."

Then in September, the authors retracted some of the data, citing contamination.

In his statement on the full retraction, Alberts said the authors had also acknowledged omitting important information about the study's procedures in an illustration of some lab results.

Robert Silverman of the Cleveland Clinic, one of the paper's 13 authors, said in a statement Thursday that he was pleased by the full retraction. He said he had sought one this summer after finding that blood samples were contaminated.

The Whittemore Peterson Institute is preparing a statement about the retraction, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

___

Online:

Science: http://www.sciencemag.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2011-12-22-Chronic%20Fatigue/id-4635387b16d6477794769d0b10c7f5a0

mindy mccready mindy mccready cliff harris cliff harris josh turner bishop eddie long chicago news

Friday, December 23, 2011

Best Buy is bad Santa, cancels online orders

Dario Cantatore / Getty Images

Where's our canceled orders? Electronics retailer Best Buy has announced that, due to tremendous demand, it wouldn't be able to fulfill some online orders placed with the store in November and December.

By Marisa Taylor

Retailers have offered special Internet deals and free shipping for online purchases as a means to entice shoppers to make ample purchases this holiday season.

But that strategy may have backfired for at least one retailer. Electronics retailer Best Buy announced late on Wednesday that, due to tremendous demand, it wouldn?t be able to fulfill some online orders placed with the store in November and December.

"Due to overwhelming demand of hot product offerings on BestBuy.com during the November and December time period, we have encountered a situation that has affected redemption of some of our customers' online orders," the company said in a statement. "We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused and we have notified the affected customers."

Like many retailers, Best Buy had offered free shipping on all orders through December 27, without any minimum purchase requirements, which may have contributed to a high volume of purchases.?

The company didn?t specify how many orders would be canceled or which products it had run out of.?Best Buy also released a statement on its website?Thursday that promoted?savings on a ?wide selection? of tech-related gifts, both ?in-store and online.?

TheStreet.com reported on Tuesday that some Best Buy customers had received email notices from the company informing them that their orders would be canceled, and some users took to BestBuy.com message boards to discuss the issue.

For example, user Wavelandscott said that he had ordered a Playstation 3 console from BestBuy.com on Black Friday, only to receive an email from the retailer weeks later that his order had been canceled because it wouldn?t be receiving any more of the product from the supplier. ?Are you trying to get?everyone to shop at Amazon instead?? he complained.?

CNBC's Jane Wells explains why the electronics retailer won't be able to fill some of the customers' online orders, just days before Christmas.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/22/9637968-best-buy-cancels-some-online-orders

lakers monday night football monday night football bonjovi bonjovi kim jong un antonio brown

iMAME emulation app hits the App Store, humanity cheers in unison

No interest in snapping up an iCade? No sweat. Jim VanDeventer has just pushed today's app-to-end-all-apps into Apple's App Store, and while it's only been live for a few hours, iMAME is already on a mission to change the world. Built-in titles include Circus, Crash, Hard Hat, Fire One, Robot Bowl, Side Track, Spectar, Star Fire and Targ, and while it's not officially endorsed by Nicola Salmoria or the MAME Team, you can certainly pretend. It's available now in the source link for precisely nothing, and yes, both the iPhone and iPad (and iPod touch!) are supported. Get it while the gettin' is good.

iMAME emulation app hits the App Store, humanity cheers in unison originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceiTunes  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/YFQMMvZhJOk/

stanley tucci stanley tucci x factor voting â€Å“do a barrel roll” oakland texas judge texas judge

Thursday, December 22, 2011

The year in music: The odds and ends (AP)

Sure, everyone has their list of top albums. But how do you rank the things that really resonated in pop music this year ? like Nicki Minaj's ubiquity, the best song you were embarrassed to sing out loud, and the top return of the year? We try to put a spotlight on some of music's other highlights here.

_____

BEST HOOK: The chorus of Rihanna's "S&M" is downright nasty, so we can't repeat it here, but it's downright catchy, too. Na, na, na, na, c'mon!

BEST GUILTY PLEASURE SONG: "Tonight, Tonight" AND "I Like It Like That" by Hot Chelle Rae.

BEST USE OF NICKI MINAJ: Last year, Nicki Minaj costarred on many songs, but this year she focused more on her solo efforts. Her best guest appearance is on David Guetta's "Turn Me On," a future hit that highlights the rapper's singing chops.

BEST AWARD SHOW PERFORMANCE: Kelly Rowland's live rendition of "Motivation" at the BET Awards reminded viewers that training alongside Beyonc? for years has a plus-side: Rowland's vocals were crisp and her sexy dance moves helped her come off like a contemporary version of Janet Jackson.

BEST UNRELEASED TRACK: Frank Ocean's "Thinking About You" did not appear on his free album and it was never supposed to be a single. He recorded a demo of the song for singer Bridget Kelly, but his version is personal and perfect, with its Maxwell-esque falsetto breakdown.

BEST INANE LYRIC: Insert LMFAO song here.

BEST KATY PERRY SINGLE: Katy Perry has a slew of No.1 hits, but her best song this year was the Ke$ha-sounding party jam "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" It's hard not to love lyrics like: "Think I need a Ginger Ale/that was such an epic fail."

BEST MUSIC VIDEO: Swedish singer Lykke Li is hauntingly amazing in her video for "I Follow Rivers," filmed on a snowy, deserted island. It's cinematic, dramatic and classic, and by far the best music video of 2011.

BEST COMEBACK: While some people were impressed with Chris Brown's rap on "Look at Me Now," it was Busta Rhymes who stole the show with his fantastic flow. Did I just rhyme? Oh snap! Anyway, it was a tease and has everyone wondering: When is that album coming out, Busta?!!

BEST REMIX: Adele and reggae? No way! But Jamie xx's remix of the British singer's "Rolling In the Deep" ? dubbed "Rolling In the Heat" ? is fun, epic and sweat-inducing.

BEST MIXTAPE: Ethiopian-born R&B singer The Weeknd, who is based in Canada, is one of the year's brightest newcomers, and his mixtape "House of Balloons" is just as great as Drake's first mainstream offering, "So Far Gone." Must be something in Canada's water.

BEST ALBUM UNRELEASED IN AMERICA: 2011 marked the death of Amy Winehouse, one of music's best singers. It was also a year that birthed a new star: Winehouse's 15-year-old goddaughter Dionne Bromfield. Her sophomore album "Good for the Soul" is a flawless collection of songs that bump with soul and pop flavors. And it rivals Adele's "21" for top album of the year.

BEST "GLEE" COVER: The songs covered on "Glee" are often current hits on the music charts, and that can get annoying. So it was refreshing to hear a cover of k.d. lang's "Constant Craving," and there should be more like it.

BEST ALBUM THAT (ALMOST) NO ONE BOUGHT: I got it for free, so technically I didn't buy it either, but Panic! at the Disco's "Vices & Virtues" is an excellent CD filled with uptempo gems that are addictive, layered and theatrical. You should listen to the album, which has sold 148,000 copies since March. (Runner-ups: Ellie Goulding's "Lights" and "Charity Starts at Home" by Phonte, formerly of Little Brother).

BEST BEYONCE VIDEO: This diva released a whopping seven music videos in six months, and honestly, most of them are average. But Beyonc? is a killer on the dance floor, and in the "Run the World (Girls)" clip, her moves are infectious and mind-blowing. She still does run the music world.

_____

Mesfin Fekadu covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111220/ap_en_mu/us_ye_music_s_odds___ends

rocksmith blackbeard widespread panic widespread panic

Monday, December 19, 2011

Egypt's Christians Back Parties That Oppose Islamists (Time.com)

Egypt's Islamists appeared to sweep the vote in the mostly poor and rural areas of the country that voted Dec. 14 and 15 in the second round of a three-stage parliamentary election. But Egypt's minority Christians, motivated by a desire to see checks on the Islamists' power in the legislature, also turned out to vote -- mostly for liberal parties -- in the districts of Upper Egypt where the sectarian divide often runs deepest.

Even before the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak, Christians -- who make up roughly 10% of Egypt's 85 million citizens -- had complained of heightened discrimination and sectarian violence in recent years. Then last winter's uprising unleashed a wave of radical Islamism into an unstable security environment fraught with economic despair, producing a dramatic spike in sectarian violence in the months since Mubarak's ouster. And Christians complain that the ruling military has done little to stop it. In at least one case, security forces actually joined in attacks on Christians. That was in October, when soldiers attacked a Christian protest in downtown Cairo, killing 24 people, some of whom were run over by army vehicles. (See photos of Christians under attack in Cairo.)

Many Christian voters canvassed by TIME at the polls in the country's rural center said they had voted for the liberal groups that emerged strongest after the first round of voting -- often sacrificing a vote for their preferred party in favor of backing the one most likely to succeed in preventing an Islamist sweep. "I wanted to vote for the Continuous Revolution party, but they only got 7% in the first round," said Ibram Faris, a 22-year-old Christian resident of Tizment al-Gharbia, a predominantly Muslim village about 70 miles south of Cairo. Instead, Faris gave his vote to the more popular liberal Wafd party.

The region known as Upper Egypt, which encompasses the villages south of Cairo and stretches along the Nile all the way to the Sudanese border, has long been plagued by sectarian tensions. Here, the competition for jobs and resources, coupled with a growing religious conservatism and a largely absent government, has fueled escalating outbreaks of violence in recent years. Bloody riots have erupted over religious conversions and the construction of churches and mosques -- a process far more onerous for Christians than it is for Muslims. In the months since the uprising, the region has been rocked by church burnings, small-scale riots and an Islamist sit-in that ultimately ousted the Christian governor of Qena.

With Islamists predicted to win a landslide majority in parliament, Christians fear a system even more rigidly fundamentalist and neglectful of their rights than the last one. "They'll make [Egypt] an Islamic state, and they will force us to wear certain things," said Selwa Gaber, a Christian housewife who cast her vote in the Upper Egyptian city of Beni Suef. Her daughter, Marina Magdy, said, "[The Christians] will vote for the Wafd and the stairs and the fish," citing two candidates' electoral symbols. (The symbols are part of a system to provide guidance to illiterate voters). Neither Magdy nor her mother knew who the stairs or the fish represented, but what mattered, they said, is that they were anti-Islamist. (See video of Islamists in Tahrir Square.)

Mohamed Shehata, a poll monitor for the ultraconservative Salafist Nour party, insisted that such fears were overblown: "We're all one. We're not separated by religion." He said that even though the Nour party would seek an Islamic state, it had no plans to alter the legal rights of Christians. Supporters of both the Nour party and the more moderate and popular Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), claimed many Christians had even voted for them.

But Christian voters disputed that claim. "There are very few Christians here, but I'm sure they will all vote like me," said Faris. "Christians will reject the concept of parties based on religion."

Religious intolerance is one reason Egypt's Christians and liberals fear an Islamist government, but another is the economy. Egypt's tourism revenues have already dropped by one-third this year, Reuters reported on Dec. 13. The country's ancient heritage sites -- many of them located in Upper Egypt -- have fared worse in the tourist trade than have Egypt's picturesque beach resorts.

But Christians and liberals fear that it's the beach resorts that an Islamist government would target first. A number of candidates from the Nour party and at least one from FJP have promised to ban alcohol and revealing clothing. "I personally am worried about tourism because the Salafis want to close the beaches," said Mohamed Heggo, a Muslim salesman in the town of Beni Suef, south of Cairo. Heggo said he had once visited Ras Mohamed, a marine nature reserve on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and one of the world's prime diving locations. Though he doesn't work in tourism, Heggo said he could appreciate the spot's value. "A place like Ras Mohamed is 80% of the tourism revenue," he added, and for that reason, he would vote for a liberal party.

See photos of Egyptians heading to the polls.

See TIME's 2011 Person of the Year.

View this article on Time.com

Most Popular on Time.com:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20111217/wl_time/08599210262100

world series game 2 libya bay area news lettuce recall lettuce recall zanesville ohio zanesville ohio

Sunday, December 18, 2011

PFT: Bears' Hurd's clients reportedly NFL players

Jacksonville Jaguars v Atlanta FalconsGetty Images

WR Roscoe Parrish is set to be an unrestricted free agent, but he wants to return to the Bills.

Two Dolphins fans plan to take to the sky with a plea for owner Stephen Ross to fire G.M. Jeff Ireland.

LB Tracy White has become a mainstay in the Patriots defense.

S Brodney Pool isn?t daunted by having to step into a starting spot on the Jets defense.

It looks like Ravens CB Jimmy Smith will be in the starting lineup in his return to Southern California this weekend.

Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap feels good about his chances of getting back on the field this week.

RB Peyton Hillis? future with the Browns remains unclear.

If C Maurkice Pouncey can?t play, Trai Essex would move into the starting lineup for the Steelers.

Texans QB T.J. Yates is the first quarterback to lead his team to victories in the fourth quarter and overtime in his first two starts since 1968.

A look into the perpetual optimism of Colts offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen.

Through three quarters on Thursday night, Jaguars QB Blaine Gabbert had been sacked more often than he?d completed a pass.

The Titans believe that a key to beating the Colts is keeping the quarterback in the pocket.

Preparing for the no-huddle offense has been a big part of the Broncos defensive focus this week.

Delving into the buzz surrounding Josh McDaniels and the Chiefs coaching job.

Snap counts have proven to be a problem for the Raiders this season.

The Chargers have seen improvement from their young defensive linemen over the course of the season.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo said that he isn?t feeling more pressure to carry the offense with RB DeMarco Murray out of the lineup.

C Kevin Boothe?s shaky shotgun snaps have the Giants a little concerned despite his strong overall play.

Red zone defense will be crucial to the Eagles? chances.

Injuries got in the way of a safety duo the Redskins thought would do well this year.

The Bears are expected to promote DE Thaddeus Gibson from the practice squad.

The Lions insist they aren?t using WR Calvin Johnson as a decoy.

WR Tori Gurley opted to stay on the Packers practice squad when the Vikings offered him a chance to join their active roster.

Vikings DT Remi Ayodele has no regrets about his decision to leave the Saints as a free agent.

Falcons WR Roddy White went over the 1,000-yard mark for the fifth straight season on Thursday night.

If Panthers coach Ron Rivera got to decide, QB Cam Newton would go to the Pro Bowl.

The Saints are scaling back their practices as the end of the season approaches.

Chad Pennington and Ron Jaworski each believe Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman can bounce back from a disappointing season.

Third down efficiency is an area where the Cardinals could stand to improve offensively.

DE Chris Long has been a bright spot in the wreckage of the Rams season.

K David Akers is the only member of the 49ers who benefits from their red zone issues.

Thanks to LB K.J. Wright, the Seahawks have nothing to regret about trading LB Aaron Curry.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/12/15/report-hurds-drug-clients-included-many-nfl-players/related/

big ten acc challenge 2011 john wayne gacy amr jack del rio fired jack del rio fired made in america made in america

Biofuel research boosted by discovery of how cyanobacteria make energy

ScienceDaily (Dec. 15, 2011) ? A generally accepted, 44-year-old assumption about how certain kinds of bacteria make energy and synthesize cell materials has been shown to be incorrect by a team of scientists led by Donald Bryant, the Ernest C. Pollard Professor of Biotechnology at Penn State and a research professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University. The research, which will be published in the journal Science on Dec. 16, is expected to help scientists discover new ways of genetically engineering bacteria to manufacture biofuels -- energy-rich compounds derived from biological sources. Many textbooks, which cite the 44-year-old interpretation as fact, likely will be revised as a result of the new discovery.

Bryant explained that, in 1967, two groups of researchers concluded that an important energy-making cycle was incomplete in cyanobacteria -- photosynthetic bacteria formerly known as blue-green algae. This energy-producing cycle -- known as the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle or the Krebs cycle -- includes a series of chemical reactions that are used for metabolism by most forms of life, including bacteria, molds, protozoa and animals. This series of chemical reactions eventually leads to the production of ATP -- molecules responsible for providing energy for cell metabolism.

"During studies 44 years ago, researchers concluded that cyanobacteria were missing an essential enzyme of the metabolic pathway that is found in most other life forms," Bryant explained. "They concluded that cyanobacteria lacked the ability to make one enzyme, called 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, and that this missing enzyme rendered the bacteria unable to produce a compound -- called succinyl-coenzyme A -- for the next step in the TCA cycle. The absence of this reaction was assumed to render the organisms unable to oxidize metabolites for energy production, although they could still use the remaining TCA-cycle reactions to produce substrates for biosynthetic reactions. As it turns out, the researchers just weren't looking hard enough, so there was more work to be done."

Bryant suspected that the decades-old finding needed to be re-evaluated with a fresh set of eyes and new scientific tools. He explained that, after researchers in the 1960s concluded that cyanobacteria had an incomplete TCA cycle, that false assumption was compounded by later researchers who used modern genomics-research methods to confirm it.

"One idea we had was that the 1967 hypothesis never was corrected because modern genome-annotation methods were partly to blame," Bryant said. "Computer algorithms are used to search for strings of genetic code to identify genes. Sometimes important genes simply can be missed because of matching errors, which occur when very similar genes have very different functions. So if researchers don't use biochemical methods to validate computer-identified gene functions, they run the risk of making premature and often incorrect conclusions about what's there and what's not there."

To re-test the 1967 hypothesis, the team performed new biochemical and genetic analyses on a cyanobacterium called Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, scouring its genome for genes that might be responsible for making alternative energy-cycle enzymes. The scientists discovered that Synechococcus indeed had genes that coded for one important alternative enzyme, succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, and that adjacent to the gene for this enzyme was a misidentified gene that subsequently was shown to encode a novel enzyme, 2-oxo-glutarate decarboxylase.

"As it turns out, these two enzymes work together to complete the TCA cycle in a slightly different way," Bryant said. "That is, rather than making 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, these bacteria produce both 2-oxoglutarate decarboxylase and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase. That combination of enzymes allows these organisms to move to the next intermediate -- succinate -- and to complete the TCA cycle." Bryant also said that his team found that the genes coding for the two enzymes are present in all cyanobacterial genomes except those of a few marine species. Bryant's co-author on the Science paper is Shuyi Zhang, a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Penn State.

Bryant hopes to use the findings of his research to investigate new ways of producing biofuels. "Now that we understand better how cyanobacteria make energy, it might be possible to genetically engineer a cyanobacterial strain to synthesize 1,3-butanediol -- an organic compound that is the precursor for making not just biofuels but also plastics," Bryant said.

Bryant also said that his team's discoveries about cyanobacteria show how science is an ever-evolving process, and that firm conclusions never should be drawn from studies with negative results.

"Sadly, the conclusion that cyanobacteria have an incomplete TCA cycle is written into many textbooks as fact, simply because the research teams in 1967 misinterpreted their failure to find a particular enzyme," Bryant said. "But in science there is never really an end. There always is something new to discover."

The research was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Genomic Science Program of the U.S. Department of Energy.

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 Penn State.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. S. Zhang, D. A. Bryant. The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Cyanobacteria. Science, 2011; 334 (6062): 1551 DOI: 10.1126/science.1210858

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/2011/12/111215141613.htm

packers aaron rodgers patsy cline packers stock sale

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Magic: Howard saga could go 'to end of the season' (AP)

ORLANDO, Fla. ? Magic general manager Otis Smith says the team's goal remains to keep Dwight Howard in a Magic uniform as long as they possibly can and that the trade talks "could go to the end of the season."

Smith would not say Wednesday whether trade talks for the center are off, but did say there was no deal in place. Smith says "right now we still have him in a Magic uniform, and that's where we expect him to be until that changes."

Howard confirmed over the weekend that he had requested a trade to New Jersey, Dallas or the Los Angeles Lakers. The 26-year-old center has publicly softened his stance, saying he would be amenable to remaining in Orlando.

Howard says the process has been a "roller coaster."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111214/ap_on_sp_bk_ne/bkn_magic_howard_limbo

eric johnson eric johnson russell pearce russell pearce emergency alert system chelsea handler alexander the great

Russia's Mars probe will crash to Earth in January

In this Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, the Zenit-2SB rocket with Phobos-Grunt (Phobos-Ground) blasts off from its launch pad at the Cosmodrome Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Russia's space agency says a probe bound for a moon of Mars that instead got stuck in Earth's orbit will plummet down to Earth next month.The agency said Friday Dec. 16, 2011 the unmanned Phobos-Ground probe that got stranded after its Nov. 9 launch will come crashing down between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19. (AP Photo/Oleg Urusov, pool)

In this Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 file photo, the Zenit-2SB rocket with Phobos-Grunt (Phobos-Ground) blasts off from its launch pad at the Cosmodrome Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Russia's space agency says a probe bound for a moon of Mars that instead got stuck in Earth's orbit will plummet down to Earth next month.The agency said Friday Dec. 16, 2011 the unmanned Phobos-Ground probe that got stranded after its Nov. 9 launch will come crashing down between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19. (AP Photo/Oleg Urusov, pool)

FILE In this Nov.2, 2011 file photo distributed by Russian Roscosmos space agency shows technicians working on the Phobos-Ground probe . Russia's space agency says the Phobos-Ground probe bound for a moon of Mars that instead got stuck in Earth's orbit will plummet down to Earth next month. Russia space agency said Friday Dec. 16, 2011 that the unmanned Phobos-Ground probe that got stranded after its Nov. 9 launch will come crashing down between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19.(AP photo/ Russian Roscosmos space agency, HO) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

(AP) ? A Russian spacecraft bound for a moon of Mars and stuck in Earth's orbit will come crashing back next month, but its toxic fuel and radioactive material on board will pose no danger of contamination, the Russian space agency said Friday.

Between 20 and 30 fragments of the probe with a total weight of up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds) will survive the fiery plunge and shower the Earth's surface, Roscosmos warned in a statement.

The agency said the unmanned Phobos-Ground spacecraft will plummet to Earth between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19, and the rough area of where the fragments could fall could only be calculated a few days ahead of its plunge.

As of now, it said only that the probe's fragments could rain down anywhere along a broad swath between 51.4 degrees north to 51.4 degrees south, which would include most of land surface.

While the agency had lost contact with the probe following its launch on Nov. 9, this was the first time acknowledged that the $170-million craft has been lost and will come crashing down.

Since its November launch the engineers in Russia and at the European Space Agency have attempted unsuccessfully to propel it away from Earths orbit and toward its target.

Phobos-Ground weighs 13.2 metric tons (14.6 tons), which includes 11 metric tons (12 tons) of highly toxic fuel. Experts had warned that if the fuel has frozen, some could survive entry into Earth and pose a serious threat if it falls over populated areas.

But Roscosmos said it is sure that all fuel will burn on re-entry some 100 kilometers (330,000 feet) above the ground and pose no danger. It said that 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of Cobalt-57, a radioactive metal contained in one of the craft's instruments, will not pose a threat of radioactive contamination.

The Phobos-Ground was Russia's first interplanetary mission since a botched 1996 robotic mission to Mars, which failed when the probe crashed shortly after the launch due to an engine failure. Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, and the latest spacecraft aimed to take ground samples on Phobos.

It was one of the most challenging unmanned interplanetary mission ever. Scientists had hoped that studies of Phobos' surface could help solve the mystery of its origin and shed more light on the genesis of the solar system. Some believe the crater-dented moon is an asteroid captured by Mars' gravity, while others think it's a piece of debris from when Mars collided with another celestial object.

The failed mission was the latest in a series of recent Russian launch failures that have raised concerns about the condition of the country's space industries. Officials have blamed the failures on obsolete equipment and an aging workforce.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-12-16-EU-Russia-Mars-Moon-Mission/id-913c828c03c748fcbccdc0b93b6f6244

mcfadden ponder ponder loretta lynn extract extract bobby jindal

Friday, December 16, 2011

Romney defends time in business world

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks during a Republican presidential debate in Sioux City, Iowa, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, Pool)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks during a Republican presidential debate in Sioux City, Iowa, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, Pool)

(AP) ? Mitt Romney is defending his time as a business executive, saying that he ultimately added tens of thousands of jobs despite cuts at some companies.

Romney on Thursday night acknowledged that he cut jobs at some of the businesses his venture capital firm took over. He says that some of his investments didn't pay off and that not all businesses succeed.

His chief rival, Newt Gingrich, has accused Romney of shredding companies and costing Americans jobs. Romney says that he worked to help businesses strengthen themselves and survive.

Romney also says that he welcomes the criticism and predicts that President Barack Obama will use it against him if Romney wins the Republican nomination.

Romney made the remarks during the latest GOP debate.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-12-15-Republicans-Debate-Romney-Business/id-e64d3cf272424bd79379e6c175444d29

grammys 2011 mike leach mike leach billy graham