মঙ্গলবার, ৩১ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Panasonic Lumix ZS20: The Slimmest 20x Zoom Camera Yet [Cameras]

The Panasonic Lumix ZS20 crams a 20x Leica zoom lens into a camera that measures just 1.11 inches thick. But it's more than just a slender beauty—the ZS20 is packed with tech from some of Panasonic's most advanced compact cameras. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/1gRbRQkxcKk/panasonic-lumix-zs20-the-slimmest-20x-zoom-camera-yet

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Allen West being redistricted out of existence in effort led by Romney ...

The establishment is fighting back, alright.

This has not received a lot of national attention, but the Republican legislature in Florida is about to push through a plan which puts Allen West at serious risk, and the person leading the effort is one of Mitt Romney?s spokemen.? As reported by The Shark Tank:

After last night?s [Jan. 26] Republican Presidential debate, the candidates? respective spinmeisters made their cases to the media as to why their guy won the debate.? One of Governor Mitt Romney?s spokesmen was Florida Representative Will Weatherford, and during the course of his remarks in the ?Spin Room?, he shed a very dim light on the ongoing redistricting process in the Florida Legislature?.

West?s congressional district inexplicably sheds the most out support as compared to all other incumbent Republican and Democrat Congressman. A few weeks back we quoted an unnamed legislator saying that, ?Allen West was screwed?, a statement which was originally made about made five months before the purposed maps were made public, leading insiders to believe that the fix was in against Allen West.? But in light of Weatherford?s comment, it is increasingly clear that this is a fait accompli.

According to Weatherford, those preliminary maps will not change- at the most, any additional changes would be minimal, and those changes would not make any appreciable difference from the preliminary maps.? In addition, Weatherford stated that a deal was struck between him, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, and Senator Don Gaetz to finalize these maps and push them through as soon as possible.

Weatherford tried to hide behind a need to comply with [state and]?federal law, but that?s obviously a dodge since there could have been many ways to comply yet not sacrifice West:

A website, SaveAllenWest, had been set up, but it appears to be too late.

One of the rising stars of the Tea Party is about to be sacrificed by?the Republican establishment in Florida, led by someone spinning for Mitt Romney.

Don?t say you weren?t warned.

Update 1-30-2012:? Florida redistricting looking even worse?and Dem SuperPAC targeting ?Tea Party 10?.

Also, Will Weatherford: The Florida legislature has NOT targeted Allen West

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/allen-west-being-redistricted-out-of-existence-in-effort-led-by-romney-florida-spokesman/

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সোমবার, ৩০ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

SAG Awards 2012: List of Winners!


"Dream big, dream fierce." - Viola Davis, The Help

It's an appropriate motto for The Help cast, recognized for their work as an ensemble, the top honor of the night at Sunday's 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The awards show gives actors a chance to honor their peers in a ceremony that often (historically) sheds light on who will go home with an Oscar next month.

And features an A-list red carpet, of course ...

Stacy Keibler, George Clooney Photo

The best in TV are also honored, with the Boardwalk Empire and Modern Family casts receiving the top accolades. Who else took home the trophies last night?

See our full list of 2012 SAG Award winners (bold, starred) below:

FILM

Best Actor

    George Clooney, The Descendants
    Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
    Demian Bichir, A Better Life
    JEAN DUJARDIN, The Artist *
    Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Actress

    Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
    VIOLA DAVIS, The Help *
    Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
    Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
    Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin

Best Supporting Actor

    Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
    Nick Nolte, Warrior
    Jonah Hill, Moneyball
    Armie Hammer, J. Edgar
    CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, Beginners *

Best Supporting Actress

    Berenice Bejo, The Artist
    Jessica Chastain, The Help
    Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
    OCTAVIA SPENCER, The Help *
    Jessica Chastain, The Help

Outstanding Performance by a Cast

    Bridesmaids
    The Artist
    The Descendants
    THE HELP *
    Midnight in Paris

TV

Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama

    Glenn Close, Damages
    Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
    Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
    JESSICA LANGE, American Horror Story *
    Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Best Actor in a TV Series – Drama

    STEVE BUSCEMI, Boardwalk Empire *
    Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
    Michael C. Hall, Dexter
    Patrick J. Adams, Suits
    Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights

Best Actress in a TV Series – Comedy

    Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
    Tina Fey, 30 Rock
    Julie Bowen, Modern Family
    Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
    BETTY WHITE, Hot In Cleveland *

Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy

    ALEC BALDWIN, 30 Rock *
    Ty Burrell, Modern Family
    Steve Carell, The Office
    Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
    Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Ensemble in a Drama Series

    BOARDWALK EMPIRE *
    Breaking Bad
    Dexter
    The Good Wife
    Game of Thrones

Ensemble in a Comedy Series

    30 Rock
    Glee
    The Big Bang Theory
    MODERN FAMILY *
    The Office

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/sag-awards-2012-list-of-winners/

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Mad Catz Cyborg M.M.O.7 gaming mouse now on sale, F.R.E.Q 5 ...

Mad Catz Cyborg M.M.O.7 gaming mouse now on sale, F.R.E.Q 5 headset hits pre-order

Gamers looking for some hardware assistance can breathe a sigh of relief; Mad Catz's latest eye-catching forays into gaming mice and headsets are almost, if not already, upon us. The Cyborg M.M.O.7 mouse (?130) manages to offer up 78 definable commands beneath those eye-catching metallic hues and is available to buy now, while its F.R.E.Q 5 headset ($150) has hit pre-order on the manufacturer's site. Acronym-loving thrill-seekers can check out both at the source below.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/30/mad-catz-cyborg-m-m-o-7-gaming-mouse-now-on-sale-f-r-e-q-5-head/

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Rita Altman, R.N.: The Benefits of Caring for a Pet

No doubt you can still recall your first dog or cat and all the joy they brought into your life. For the young as well as the old, especially if they have Alzheimer's disease or another form of memory loss, there are many benefits in caring for pets.

I remember one woman who was in her mid-50s and had been diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. When she first moved to the memory care neighborhood at a senior living community, she had a really difficult time adjusting to her new environment. She was extremely reticent when asked to join in social activities and often seemed to be searching for someone or something. An immediate transformation occurred when she was introduced to the neighborhood dog. It seemed as if she found exactly what she had been searching for during her frequent walks up and down the hallways.

The resident eagerly agreed to be of assistance when the staff asked her to help them keep fresh food and water available and walk the dog in the courtyard each morning and evening. She no longer looked sad and withdrawn because she once again had meaning and purpose in her life as well as a sense of structure to her day. As a result of this intervention, her husband also said that he felt much better about his decision to move her there. He reported that he was very pleased to see her self-confidence reemerging and felt that the community pet was a symbol of the one she loved and cared for at home some years earlier.

Many senior living communities, such as Sunrise Senior Living, integrate pets into the daily lives of residents by having a dog or cat live full-time in the community. Here are five benefits that pets offer for seniors, whether at home or in a senior living community:

1. They provide companionship

An older adult's basic human need for security, affection and sensory contact can be met by holding, stroking or nurturing a pet. Experts report that pets can decrease loneliness, help to reduce stress, and encourage exercise and playfulness. This not only benefits the body but also the spirit! Because of the companionship and unconditional affection they give, pets can be a great source of comfort and security to seniors that tend to be isolated, which helps them to feel less lonely.

2. They increase social interaction

You've probably noticed that people respond both visually and verbally more to others who bring their pets with them on a walk around the neighborhood or to the park. There is something about a pet that often helps to "break the ice" and promote conversation. Having a pet encourages social interaction, which is known to be beneficial to both cognitive and emotional health. Many people like to tell stories about their pets or give updates on their well-being, so pets can also serve as a conversation starter with visitors, family and friends.

3. They have a calming effect

Pets offer comfort and ease anxiety. Playing with a pet can raise levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine which stimulate relaxation. According to research, pets also have both a normalizing and a calming or soothing effect on seniors with memory loss who exhibit actions such as aggression and agitation.

4. They provide meaning and purpose

People with Alzheimer's disease or another form of memory loss have the same basic human needs as everyone else. Many still express great joy and satisfaction through interacting with animals. Whether at home or in a senior living community, seniors with memory loss may enjoy taking on the role of caregiver for a pet by helping with the pet's feeding and grooming needs. This gives them a newly found sense of identity and purpose.

5. They add to the homelike environment

Especially in a senior living community, pets have a way of creating a homelike environment. In fact, the community dog is frequently the first to greet visitors as they enter the front door, making them feel welcomed immediately.

Even if it's not feasible for a senior to own and care for a pet, look for opportunities to spend time with animals, whether it's visiting a senior living community or caring for a friend's dog or cat for a short term. Sometimes a dog or cat can provide comfort that a human just can't!

2012-01-24-petpost-sunrisedog.jpg


Photo courtesy of Sunrise Senior Living, Inc.

For more by Rita Altman, R.N., click here.

For more on pet health, click here.

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Follow Rita Altman, R.N. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sunrisesrliving

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rita-altman-rn/pets-seniors_b_1229150.html

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রবিবার, ২৯ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Incident highlights fate of pets in domestic violence | St. Louis Family ...

Pets are an often-overlooked factor in domestic violence, especially when a national survey revealed that 85 percent of all women entering a domestic abuse shelter told officials that a violent partner has threatened, injured or killed a family pet. Worry over a pet's well-being could keep women away from making a decision that is best for their safety.

The Kansas City domestic violence shelter has taken a step to remedy this, now accepting companion pets to its facility.

Were it not for her pet dog, a Kansas City, Missouri woman could have been even more seriously injured, after an incident of physical altercation with her boyfriend. During the argument, the woman's boyfriend attempted to strike her with a hammer.

However, during the occurrence, the woman's Great Dane jumped on top of her, and helped to spare her from some of the hammer's blows. After giving up with the hammer, the man then pushed the woman and her dog out of a second-story window. Their fall to the ground gave both the woman and canine serious injuries.

Even after that incident, the woman was hesitant to seek the aid of a domestic violence shelter. She did not want to check in to the facility and leave her heroic dog behind or with her violent boyfriend.

Workers at one Kansas City-based domestic violence shelter said that around 40 percent of women who inquire about rooms do not take them because the facility does not allow pets. This will leave those women living in places like cars or back in dangerous situations with an abusive partner.

There are many reasons why an individual chooses to stay in an abusive relationship. Fortunately for this woman, she was able to not only leave an unhealthy situation, but also find shelter for herself and her brave canine.

Source: The Huffington Post, "Dogs now welcome at domestic violence shelter thanks to heroic pooch," Jan. 14, 2012

Source: http://www.stlouisfamilylawyersblog.com/2012/01/incident-highlights-fate-of-pets-in-domestic-violence.shtml

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Fitch downgrades 5 eurozone nations (AP)

FRANKFURT, Germany ? Fitch Ratings downgraded the debt of Italy, Spain and three other countries that use the euro on Friday, a possible setback as European leaders work to contain the continent's debt crisis.

The lower government-debt ratings for Italy, Spain, Belgium, Cyprus and Slovenia could make it more expensive for these countries to borrow.

Fitch said its decision was based on the deteriorating economic outlook in Europe, a concern that Europe's bailout fund is not large enough and a belief that European leaders are not acting quickly or boldly enough to prevent the debt crisis from worsening.

The downgrade came after European financial markets had closed. The major stock indexes of Germany, France and Britain fell slightly on Friday, while the euro rose 0.83 percent to $1.3189.

Government debt ratings can play a significant role in determining countries' borrowing costs. The higher the costs the greater the likelihood of default for a heavily indebted country.

Ireland, Greece and Portugal have been cut off from bond market borrowing because of investors' fears that they might default. They have had to take bailout loans from other eurozone governments and the International Monetary Fund.

Lower debt ratings do not guarantee higher borrowing costs, however.

Borrowing costs for many European countries have fallen in recent weeks despite Standard and Poor's decision on Jan. 13 to lower its ratings for nine countries that use the euro. This reflects growing investor confidence in those countries' economic policies and the impact of the European Central Bank's decision to loan hundreds of billions of euros to banks at very low rates. Some of that money has been used to buy government bonds, which are paying higher interest rates and enabling banks to earn a tidy profit.

The latest example was on Thursday, when Italy borrowed nearly $6.5 billion in two-year bonds at an interest rate of 3.76 percent. It paid 4.85 percent in a comparable bond auction in December.

Fitch lowered its ratings for the five countries by one notch and placed a negative outlook on all of them ? meaning there is more than a 50 percent chance of a further downgrade over the next two years.

Italy was lowered to a rating of A-, while Spain was downgraded to A. The rating of a sixth country, Ireland, was affirmed at BBB+, but it also received a negative outlook.

Fitch also issued a warning to Italy, a recent focus of the crisis because of its euro1.9 trillion ($2.5 trillion) in debt and sluggish, bureaucracy-choked economy. The agency said the third-largest eurozone economy would face permanently higher borrowing costs that would make it harder to keep its debt under control. It resisted stronger ratings action because of the "strong commitment" of the new Italian government under Prime Minister Mario Monti to balance the country's budget and make Italy a better place to do business.

European leaders have been criticized for moving too slowly in tackling the crisis, which started in October 2009 when Greece admitted it was in deep financial trouble.

Led by Germany, the eurozone's largest member, governments have resisted sweeping solutions such as pooling their borrowing power in so-called eurobonds and have balked at increasing the financing of their bailout funds from euro500 billion. Efforts have focused instead on making bailed-out countries try to cut spending and reduce their budget deficits. The 17 members have also agreed to come up with a treaty requiring national laws to limit deficits.

At the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos this week, leading European finance chiefs have sought to reassure anxious global business leaders that Europe is on track to solve its debt crisis.

But Fitch said that European leaders' "gradualist" approach to tackling the crisis meant that Europe will continue to face episodes of severe financial volatility that would erode government's ability to repay debt.

Fitch said the eurozone's difficulties would be compounded by a shrinking economy.

"The eurozone crisis will only be resolved as and when there is broad economic recovery," Fitch said. "It is evident that further substantial reforms of the governance of the eurozone will be required to secure economic and financial stability, including greater fiscal integration."

Greece is locked in talks to secure a crucial debt relief deal with private investors while also tackling demands from its European partners and the IMF for deeper economic reforms.

Failure on either front would force the recession-bound country to default on its debt in less than two months, pouring new fuel on the fires of Europe's debt crisis.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_credit_ratings

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শনিবার, ২৮ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Warren Buffett: Shut up, he explained (Powerlineblog)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192652786?client_source=feed&format=rss

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CA-CANADA Summary (Reuters)

Canadian pipeline needs aboriginal consent: chief

OTTAWA (Reuters) ? Enbridge Inc's controversial plan to build a pipeline to the Pacific Coast from oil-rich Alberta requires the consent of aboriginal bands, some of whom staunchly oppose the project, Canada's top native leader said on Wednesday. The contention underlines the difficulties facing Enbridge as it tries to push through the C$5.5 billion ($5.4 billion) Northern Gateway project, which would cross land belonging to many Indian bands, or first nations, so the oil sands-derived crude could be shipped to Asia and California.

Clock ticking on possible Air Canada strike, lock-out

(Reuters) - Air Canada's refusal to extend a period of conciliated labor talks with its pilots' union raises the chance of a strike or lock-out at the country's biggest airline by as early as February. The 3,000-strong Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) said on Tuesday the carrier had declined to extend labor contract negotiations that had been taking place under a conciliator appointed by the federal government.

Harper fears Europe, U.S. problems to get worse

(Reuters) - Canada is very concerned about the economic problems facing Europe and the United States and fears they could become even more severe in future, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Thursday. Harper told the World Economic Forum in Davos that the uncertain international outlook meant he would focus on boosting the Canadian economy by cutting red tape as well as slowing the growth of spending.

Ontario finance minister sees targeted budget reforms

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ontario's spring budget will see targeted changes to the public sector, rather than cuts across all areas, the finance minister of Canada's most populous province said on Wednesday. "I categorically reject that we will do across the board cuts," Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan said in an interview.

Canada education sector toughest job market

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Unemployed workers in Canada's educational services sector faced the toughest job market in the country in the July-September period, according to a new Statistics Canada report on Tuesday. For every 10 unemployed workers in education, there was just one vacancy, the agency's new data on job vacancies in the three-month period showed. The second worst sector was construction where the ratio was 5.1.

Canada's telecoms regulator appoints interim chief

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's telecoms and broadcasting regulator appointed Vice-Chairman Leonard Katz as its interim chairman on Wednesday as predecessor Konrad von Finckenstein's term ended. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said in a statement that Katz will exercise the chairman's powers until the federal cabinet appoints a permanent replacement for von Finckenstein.

Rwanda genocide suspect deported from Canada

KIGALI (Reuters) - A Rwandan man charged with crimes against humanity has been deported from Canada and is due to arrive in the central African country overnight, Rwanda's justice minister said on Tuesday. Leon Mugesera, who lost a 16-year battle to stay in Canada, will face charges of inciting murder, extermination and genocide.

Pilots say Air Canada quit talks; government disagrees

CALGARY/OTTAWA (Reuters) - Air Canada pilots said on Tuesday the airline had abandoned contract talks in the hope that Ottawa would step in to resolve the dispute, but the country's largest carrier said it was awaiting the union's response to its latest offer. Canadian Labour Minister Lisa Raitt also said talks had not broken down and the federally appointed conciliator remained in contact with both parties and was available to assist with negotiations.

Ottawa sees itself as protector of oil sands benefits

VANCOUVER/CALGARY (Reuters) - Canada's government has a responsibility to make sure people can take advantage of the economic benefits Alberta's massive oil deposits can generate, the country's energy minister said on Monday as he once again decried "radicals" bent on stopping Enbridge Inc's Northern Gateway oil pipeline. As about 50 protesters demonstrated noisily outside, Joe Oliver, minister of natural resources, said in Vancouver that "environmental and other radical groups" are indiscriminately opposing any and all large industrial projects and are using Canada's regulatory system as their main battleground.

Canadian minister blasts China ahead of PM's visit

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's foreign minister launched an outspoken attack on China's "abhorrent" treatment of religious minorities on Monday, just weeks before Prime Minister Stephen Harper goes to Beijing in a bid to sell more oil. John Baird's comments came as a major surprise, given Canada's right-of-center Conservative government has gradually toned down its attacks on Chinese human rights issues over the years in favor of boosting trade.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/wl_canada_nm/canada_summary

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শুক্রবার, ২৭ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

U.S. Soldiers Face Host of Mental Health Issues (HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. military personnel and veterans are plagued by substance abuse, depression and suicide, three new studies indicate.

In one study, researchers surveyed nearly 600 veterans returning from war zone deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan, and found that they were at increased risk for mental health problems and alcohol and drug abuse.

Nearly 14 percent of the veterans screened positive for probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 39 percent for probable alcohol abuse, and 3 percent for probable drug use. Men reported more alcohol and drug use than women, but there were no gender differences in PTSD or other mental health conditions.

Veterans returning from Iraq reported more depression or functioning problems and more alcohol and drug use than those returning from Afghanistan. Army and Marine veterans reported worse mental and physical health than Air Force or Navy veterans.

The studies were published online Jan. 25 in the American Journal of Public Health and are scheduled to appear in the March supplement print issue of the journal.

In the second study, researchers found that major depression and substance use disorders have increased among active duty combat-exposed veterans. The finding comes from an analysis of data from 678,382 active personnel serving between 2001 and 2006.

Those who were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan were more likely to be diagnosed with major depression or substance abuse than non-deployed personnel. Army and Marine Corps personnel were more likely to be diagnosed with the conditions than Navy and Air Force personnel.

"Our study provided valuable insight for the mental health readiness of the U.S. armed services and implications for potential, continued support of ongoing operations and their post-deployment health care needs," the researchers wrote in a journal news release.

"Given the continuing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and other parts of the world, and the increasing trend in major mental health conditions reported in the U.S. military, it would be important for the Department of Defense to assess whether the current system has adequate resources and manpower to handle the increasing number of active duty personnel who need mental health services," they concluded.

The third study found that suicide rates for all U.S. military services increased between 2005 and 2007, particularly for members of the regular Army and National Guard.

The analysis of data from 2,064,183 active duty personnel in 2005 and 1,981,810 active duty personnel in 2007 also showed that mental health diagnoses, mental health visits, prescriptions for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and sleep medicines, reduction in rank, enlisted rank and separation or divorce were all associated with suicides.

Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan were associated with an elevated risk of suicide among all services in 2007, and for the Army in 2005.

The increased risk of suicide associated with deployments in 2007 compared with 2005 may be due to the extended duration of war and increasing lengths of deployment for Army and Air Force personnel, the researchers suggested.

"Additional research needs to address the increasing rates of suicide in active duty personnel. This should include careful evaluation of suicide prevention programs and the possible increase in risk associated with SSRIs and other mental health drugs, as well as the possible impact of shorter deployments, age, mental health diagnoses and relationship problems," the researchers concluded.

More information

The American Psychiatric Association has more about military mental health.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/meds/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120126/hl_hsn/ussoldiersfacehostofmentalhealthissues

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Crude price rises on promise of low interest rates (AP)

NEW YORK ? Benchmark oil prices rose Wednesday afternoon, briefly topping $100 per barrel, after the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates at record lows for a year longer than expected.

The Fed's plan allows consumers and business to continue to borrow money cheaply in the U.S., which should help boost the economy of the world's largest oil consumer. The central bank, which has kept its benchmark interest rate near zero for three years, said it doesn't plan to raise the rate before late 2014.

"They're telling investors `Hey, there's a lot of uncertainty in this world, but the one thing you can count on is that we're going to keep interest rates low,'" PFG Best analyst Phil Flynn said. That kind of promise should spark more expansion among American businesses "and that will hopefully encourage more energy demand."

Benchmark crude on Wednesday rose by 45 cents to finish at $99.40 per barrel in New York. At one point it was as high as $100.40. Brent crude fell 22 cents to end at $110.21 per barrel in London.

Major stock indices also rose in afternoon trading following the Fed statement.

Earlier in the day, the Energy Department said the nation's crude supplies increased by 3.6 million barrels last week, far more than analysts expected. Demand for oil dropped by about 4 percent. Gasoline demand was down as well, with the four-week average 6.4 percent below year-ago levels.

Supplies of gasoline and distillates, which include diesel fuel, dropped as refineries slowed operations in the face of slack demand.

Meanwhile, Iran ratcheted up tensions in the Persian Gulf with threats to halt oil sales to Europe.

Iran, the world's third-largest oil exporter, has been engaged in a lengthy dustup with Western nations over its secretive nuclear program, which may be developing a nuclear bomb. The European Union recently announced plans to embargo Iranian oil this summer. Iran now threatens to cut oil off to Europe sooner than that. EU nations account for about 18 percent of Iran's oil sales, and Iranian lawmakers think stopping oil sales to Europe would hurt those nations more than it would Iran.

Natural gas prices continued to rebound from recent 10-year lows, rising 17 cents, or nearly 7 percent, to finish at $2.73 per 1,000 cubic feet on Wednesday. Prices are being pushed up by forecasts for cooler winter temperatures across much of the country, closer to average for this time of year. The mild winter thus far has slowed demand for natural gas to heat homes.

Gasoline pump prices in the U.S. were flat on Wednesday at a national average of $3.38 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. That's about the same as a week ago, 15 cents higher than a month ago and 27 cents more than a year ago.

In other energy trading heating oil was virtually unchanged at $3.02 a gallon and gasoline futures rose by 3 cents to end at $2.83 a gallon.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_bi_ge/oil_prices

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বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৬ জানুয়ারী, ২০১২

Liverpool reaches League Cup final with 2-2 tie

updated 5:16 p.m. ET Jan. 25, 2012

LIVERPOOL, England - Craig Bellamy scored against his former club in the 74th minute, and Liverpool advanced to the English League Cup final with a 2-2 tie against Manchester City on Wednesday night and a 3-2 aggregate win.

Liverpool will play Cardiff in the final at Wembley on Feb. 26.

Following Liverpool's 1-0 win in the first leg of the home-and-home, total-goals semifinal, Nigel de Jong put City ahead with a spectacular long-range strike in the 31st minute. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard tied the score with a penalty nine minutes later, but Edin Dzeko gave the visitors a 2-1 lead with a tap-in from close range in the 67th

Bellamy scored with a low shot from inside the penalty area.

___

MILAN (AP) ? Edinson Cavani scored twice to lead Napoli over two-time defending champion Inter Milan 2-0 and into the Italian Cup semfinals.

Cavani converted a penalty kick in the 50th minute after being tripped by Thiago Motta in what could have been the Brazilian's last game for Inter. Cavani added a goal in stoppage time.

Inter failed to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2003.

Napoli will meet Siena after the Serie A struggler reached the semifinals for the first time by winning 1-0 at Chievo Verona despite having a player ejected. Mattia Destro scored in the 54th minute, and Paolo Grossi was sent off six minutes later.

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


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Barca holds off Madrid rally

??Pedro Rodriguez and Daniel Alves scored first-half goals, and Barcelona held off a spirited Real Madrid comeback attempt to eliminate the defending Copa del Rey champion with a 2-2 tie Wednesday night.

Do-or-die

The U.S. women's soccer team was still on the field, having dispatched rival Mexico, when Abby Wambach gathered her teammates for a little speech.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46138063/ns/sports-soccer/

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War of words over Greek debt heats up (AP)

ZURICH ? The war of words between Europe and private investors heated up Tuesday as talks to reduce Greece's massive debt burden hit an impasse.

While the finance ministers of the countries that use the euro as their currency adopted a tough stance on how much rescue money they would pump into the Greek economy, the head of the group that represents the country's private creditors ? banks and other investment firms ? warned that the future of Europe was being threatened if a voluntary debt reduction deal over Greece was not agreed.

Charles Dallara, the managing director of the Institute of International Finance, warned that Europe is putting decades of progress at risk over the management of Greek debt-reduction talks, which stalled over the weekend.

"European stability is at stake as well," Dallara said at a news conference in Zurich.

On the front line of Europe's sovereign debt crisis, Athens is trying to get its private creditors to swap their Greek government bonds for new ones with half their face value, thereby slicing some euro100 billion ($130 billion) off its debt. The new bonds would also push the repayment deadlines 20 to 30 years into the future.

However, the main stumbling block over the past few weeks to securing this deal has been the interest rate these new bonds would carry. A high interest rate could buffer losses for investors, but would also require the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund to put up more than the euro130 billion ($169 billion) in rescue loans they promised in October.

Dallara said the private creditors, which include banks, insurance companies and hedge funds, are acting in good faith and that the proposal made last week was in the spirit of October's agreement. At that time, Europe's leaders said Greece should look to reduce the value of its private sector debts by 50 percent, or euro100 billion ($130 billion).

In the early hours of Tuesday, eurozone politicians drew a firm line on the Greek debt restructuring.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister who chaired a meeting of finance ministers on efforts to fight the crisis, said the average interest rate over the lifetime of the new Greek bonds must be "clearly below 4 percent," with an average rate of less than 3.5 percent for the period until 2020. That is below the more than 4 percent average demanded by the Institute of International Finance, which has been leading negotiations for the private bondholders.

The European ministers' tough stance on the interest rates underlines that the eurozone and the IMF are unwilling to increase new rescue loans above the promised euro130 billion, even though Greece's economic situation has deteriorated. After already granting Greece a euro110 billion bailout in May 2010, the eurozone and the IMF are threatening to withhold further funding for the country, which has repeatedly failed to hit budget and reform targets required in return for the financial aid.

The interest rate caps will also seriously test the willingness of private bondholders to agree to a debt deal voluntarily.

Dallara said talks would continue over the coming days, adding that he is confident there will be "large-scale" participation by the private sector if a "voluntary" deal is clinched.

However, he refused to put a deadline on the discussions.

Given the complexity of the negotiations and the legal consequences that would ensue, a deal has to be agreed very soon if Greece is to meet a vital bond repayment deadline in March. A Greek government official said Monday that Athens wants to submit a formal swap offer to investors by Feb. 13, and the EU's Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn stressed Tuesday it would be better to have a final agreement with bondholders this month.

If it can't pay its bond, Greece would be in default of its debts, a scenario that could lead to renewed panic in financial markets and potentially derail a feeble global economic recovery.

Dallara said Europe must keep the support of the private sector, given the massive amounts of debt that have to be refinanced from France to Portugal.

He added that there isn't a country that doesn't need investment from the private sector.

"Investors need to feel confident in their investments ... in sovereign debt," he said.

Before Dallara's latest comments, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the current impasse is a normal part of difficult negotiations.

"We continue the negotiations (with investors) as happily, but also as little susceptible to blackmail as possible," he told reporters in Brussels. "That exists in every bazaar ? a final offer ? one shouldn't let oneself be overly impressed by that."

The alternative to a voluntary deal would be to force losses on to investors ? a move that the eurozone has so far been unwilling to make. Some officials fear that a forced default could trigger panic on financial markets and hurt bigger countries such as Italy, Spain or even France.

But several ministers indicated that they might be willing to accept a forced default if it puts Athens in a position where it can eventually repay its remaining debt ? including the rescue loans from the eurozone and the IMF. The eurozone has said that Greece's debt is sustainable, if it falls to some 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020. Without a restructuring it would reach close to 200 percent by the end of the year.

Rehn, who represents the European Commission, which has been very reluctant to have any kind of private creditor involvement in aiding Greece, said that forcing some holdouts to accept a restructuring that has the support of the majority of bondholders would be acceptable.

"That is possible within the framework of achieving a voluntary agreement on private sector involvement," Rehn said, referring to so-called collective action clauses that Greece could write into its old bond contracts to allow majority decision making.

But ministers also put the pressure on Greece to reach a manageable debt level by bolstering its reform and austerity measures.

"Greece and the banks have to do more in order to reach a sustainable debt level," Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager told reporters as he arrived for a second day of meetings with his European counterparts. "We have to await the discussions about that because a sustainable debt level is absolutely a precondition for the next (rescue) program."

Schaeuble also insisted that firm support for new austerity measures from all major Greek parties ? including after elections expected in April ? is a precondition for a new bailout.

__

Steinhauser reported from Brussels. Nicholas Paphitis in Athens, Greece, and Toby Sterling in Brussels contributed to this story.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

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U.S., Arab states press Russia on Syria (The Envoy)

(CNN, via Today's Zaman)

A top American Middle East diplomat visited Moscow Tuesday as part of an international effort to get Russia to support a UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to the violence in Syria, which has killed well over 5,000 people since last spring.

Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Jeff Feltman was in Moscow as part of an increasingly frantic international effort to intervene in the troubled Middle Eastern country, American officials said.

"Issue number one on [Feltman's] agenda there is Syria and our interest in being able to move forward in the UN Security Council and talking about how the situation looks after the Arab League report over the weekend," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told journalists at a press briefing Monday.

Feltman's trip came as five Persian Gulf states on Tuesday joined Saudi Arabia in announcing they are withdrawing from a month-old Arab League monitoring mission to Syria because of the observers' inability to curb Bashar al-Assad's brutal crackdown, and instead are turning their hopes for intervention to the United Nations.

"The Syrian regime did not implement the Arab plan under existing Arab pressure, so there was no other way except to approach the Security Council," one Arab League ambassador told Reuters, speaking anonymously to explain the decision to withdraw some 55 members of the 165-member Arab League team.

American officials are also expected to ask Moscow about media reports that it has inked a deal to sell combat jets to the Assad regime, the State Department said.

"Obviously, if [the media reports are] accurate, it would be quite concerning," Nuland said Tuesday. "But as we've been saying for months, our firm belief is that any country that is still trading in weapons and armaments with Syria really needs to think twice, because they are on the wrong side of history and those weapons can be used against innocents, and have been."

Over the weekend, the State Department said it is considering closing the U.S. embassy in Syria due to continued security concerns, but it had not yet decided whether to do so. On Monday, it again issued a warning urging American citizens to leave Syria.

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Want more politics? Visit?The Ticket or connect with us?on Facebook, follow us?on Twitter, or add us?on Tumblr. Handy with a camera? Join?our?Election 2012 Flickr group to submit your photos of the campaign in action.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theenvoy/20120124/ts_yblog_theenvoy/u-s-arab-states-press-russia-on-syria

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HuffPost Radio: Both Sides Now: Can Romney Rebound With an Atlas Shrugged Speech?

By Mark Green

Rick Perry's campaign hits a reef and capsizes. He'll be missed since few candidates assert that NATO ally Turkey is run by "Islamic terrorists" and that a Christian president has launched a war against his own religion.

The Fox and CNN debates last week made Kennedy-Nixon look tame by comparison. Discussing them and the curiouser and curiouser GOP contest, Eliot Spitzer and Mary Matalin reach consensus on what Romney needs to do to salvage his wounded candidacy but then clash over whether Gingrich was a racial demagogue in South Carolina or just a conservative populist.

*On Romney's Returns: Since he's confronted the issue of disclosing tax returns in his '94 Senate race, '02 governor's race, '08 presidential bid, why did Romney commit the "unforced error" of vacillation? "Maybe" he'd follow his father's example with a multi-year disclosure? [Host: after taping Both Sides Now and his loss in South Carolina, the former governor announced that he'd release two years, 2010 and 2011.]

Eliot and Mary agree with nearly all editorial writers that Romney needs to disclose years of his returns -- it's "political malpractice" not to do so, she declares -- but also that he change the subject from his Gekko-image to the "craziness" of the current tax code. Mary elaborates with a specific course of action: As Perot did on deficits, he should buy time on all stations to deliver a 30 minute address on the moral virtues of capitalism [like John Galt's 70 page stem-winder in Atlas Shrugged?] "If he doesn't or can't do it ," she concludes, "either Romney won't be the nominee or will lose to Obama."

Question: if FDR, JFK and ES were wealthy candidates who weren't as disparaged as Richie-Richs, why is Romney? "Because he's a Republican, duh," answers Mary with fervor. Eliot explains how he himself tried to connect with blue-collar voters and why Mitt, though personally frugal, doesn't. "$364,000 in speeches is a rounding error to a businessman used to big deals." So who then persuades the jury of white working-class male voters this Fall -- the white 1% businessman or the black professor/organizer/president? "Depends who can show life will be better in the future" says Mary.

*On Gingrich vs. the "food stamp president." Was Gingrich's now (in)famous debate exchange with Juan Williams -- and the thunderous audience approval -- based on a racial appeal or economic one? Mary observes that the big lesson she's learned in politics, "especially from my liberal friends", is that "what matters is not what you say but what they hear." She discounts any racial motive because Gingrich's larger point concerned "government overreach." Eliot condemns the former Speaker for using code words to his base and explains that a) food stamp use is high because of a great recession Obama didn't cause and b) no one, black or white, prefers food stamps to a job.

Mary counters that "liberals see things through race-colored glasses while conservatives see individuals." She challenges the charge of so-called "code words" -- "tell me what's the code? I don't know the code!" We then listen to a South Carolina woman telling Gingrich the day after the Fox debate, "Thank you for putting Juan Williams in his place." OK, Mary acknowledges, Newt did invoke the NAACP in making his point but, since nutrition programs aim to help both poor blacks and whites and isn't doing enough, "all of us should at least reexamine this policy."

*On John King and Marianne Gingrich. The two agree that CNN's King ("the best political reporter in the business" according to Mary) was right to ask a question based on the newsworthiness of Marianne's interview with ABC News that day. And that Gingrich was smart to blame-the-messenger -- ABC, CNN, the "elite media" -- for their "despicable, vicious, appalling" judgment to publicize his private life." The Host asks whether those words also describe Gingrich's attempt to impeach a sitting president for similar offenses? There's agreement that voters are free to consider or ignore such private philandering... a non-partisan understanding that would allow Kennedy, Clinton and Gingrich to run and serve. [But the segment runs out before discussing whether Gingrich Republicans will now cease the sanctimony of harshly judging the private morality of others.]

*On the Keystone Pipeline Decision. Eliot thinks that both parties are engaged in politics on this issue, noting that a) the GOP House forced a premature decision by tying it to a non-germane bill on the payroll tax extension and b) Obama has an environmental base he cares about. Mary emphasizes not politics but "the insanity of the policy" -- namely, America needs the energy and jobs that would come from a pipeline shipping hundreds of barrels of crude daily from Canada to the Gulf. Eliot wonders how she could ignore the environmental effects given such calamities as the Fukashima Nuclear plant to the BP explosion near her native New Orleans.

What do they make of the Obama campaign's first tv spot denouncing two billionaires for attack ads about the Administration's record on green jobs and ethics? Eliot believes that the President's spots are necessary to rebut a $6 million barrage from the Koch brothers against his renewable energy agenda in general and Solyndra in particular. Mary believes it to be too defensive and small-minded.

*Quick Takes: Marines. SOTU. What do both sides think of the video of Marines urinating on dead Taliban? They agree that it's deplorable and disgusting. But Mary expresses sympathy for the impossible situation of training young men how "to murder [in combat]" but then asking them to treat the dead respectfully. Eliot slams "those policymakers who pushed these kids into such a losing war."

What do they think President Obama will emphasize in his State of the Union Tuesday night? Mary doesn't bite, concluding that there shouldn't be a SOTU in an election year since it will only be about "the state of his election." Eliot argues that the President should argue that "we're winning the war against terrorism on his watch and the economy is slowly coming back because of his policies." Conclusion: if Mr. Spitzer has to listen to 17 GOP debates, Ms. Matalin should have to listen to one Democratic SOTU.

Mark Green is the creator and host of Both Sides Now, which is powered by the American Federation of Teachers.

Send all comments to Bothsidesradio.com, where you can also listen to prior shows.

2011-11-06-WORColorLOGO2in.jpg2011-11-07-blank.jpg2011-11-07-20101011aftsmall.jpg

Both Sides Now is available
Sat. 5-6 PM EST From Lifestyle TalkRadio Network
& Sun. 8-9 AM EST from Business RadioTalk Network.

2010-11-08-BTRNFINAL_2.25.jpg

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-radio/newt-gingrich-mitt-romney_b_1222524.html

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Study: Stem cells may aid vision in blind people

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Two legally blind women appeared to gain some vision after receiving an experimental treatment using embryonic stem cells, scientists reported Monday.

While embryonic stem cells were first isolated more than a decade ago, most of the research has been done in lab animals. The new results come from the first tests in humans for a vision problem. Researchers caution the work is still very preliminary.

"This study provides reason for encouragement, but plans to now get such a treatment would be premature," said stem cell expert Paul Knoepfler of the University of California, Davis, who had no role in the research.

Last summer, each patient was injected in one eye with cells derived from embryonic stem cells at the University of California, Los Angeles. One patient had the "dry" form of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness. The other had a rare disorder known as Stargardt disease that causes serious vision loss. There's no cure for either eye problem.

After four months, both showed some improvement in reading progressively smaller letters on an eye chart. The Stargardt patient, a graphic artist in Los Angeles, went from seeing no letters at all to being able to read five of the largest letters.

However, experts said the improvement of the macular degeneration patient might be mostly psychological, because the vision in her untreated eye appeared to get better too.

Both patients remain legally blind despite their improvements, said experts not connected with the study.

"One must be very careful not to overinterpret the visual benefit," said Vanderbilt University retina specialist Dr. Paul Sternberg, who is also the president-elect of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

The findings were published online Monday by the journal Lancet. This early test was meant to study whether the stem cell therapy was safe in people and not whether it would improve vision.

Scientists at UCLA and Advanced Cell Technology, which funded the work, said they were pleased that there have been no signs of rejection or abnormal growth months after the procedure.

Embryonic stem cells can transform into any cell of the body. Scientists are hoping to harness embryonic stem cells to create a variety of replacement tissues for transplant, but their use has been controversial because human embryos have to be destroyed to harvest the cells.

The latest news comes two months after Geron Corp. halted its stem cell-based experiment for spinal cord injuries, saying it planned to focus instead on two experimental cancer drugs.

Meanwhile, ACT is pushing ahead with its blindness study. The company said Monday that surgeons in London injected a patient with Stargardt disease last week.

___

Online:

Lancet: http://www.thelancet.com/journals

___

Follow Alicia Chang's coverage at http://www.twitter.com/SciWriAlicia

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-23-US-MED-Stem-Cells-Blindness/id-ee1d128bc39c4f67870f8bb28fb46ffd

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Evicted woman, 101, can't go home as promised

The federal government now says a 101-year-old Detroit woman it promised could move back into her foreclosed home four months ago can't return because the building's unsanitary and unsafe.

Texana Hollis was evicted Sept. 12 and her belongings placed outside after her 65-year-old son failed to pay property taxes linked to a reverse mortgage, The Detroit News reported Sunday. Two days later, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said she could return.

But now, HUD said it won't let Hollis move back in because of the house's condition. She had lived there about 60 years.

"Here I am, 100 years old, and don't have a home," Hollis said, rounding off her age. "Oh Lord, help me."

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Department spokesman Brian Sullivan told The Detroit News that an inspection determined the house "was completely unsuitable for a person to live in."

"We can't allow someone to live in that (atmosphere) now that we are essentially the owners of the property," Sullivan said. "The home isn't safe; it's not sanitary. It's certainly not suitable for anyone to live in, especially not a 101-year-old mother."

HUD doesn't want to pay to fix up the house, but Sullivan said the department's seeking other agencies that might help with the work and get Hollis back into her home.

"We're not giving up," Sullivan said. "We're talking with anybody and everybody about solutions to this situation, but the condition of the property is a challenge."

After hearing about her longtime friend's eviction, Pollian Cheeks, 68, offered Hollis a room at her home within a mile of Hollis' house. Hollis, who once taught Cheeks in Sunday school at St. Philip's Lutheran Church, agreed to the invitation and has been staying at Cheeks' house in the meantime.

"Polly's just as nice to me as anybody could be. She goes out of her way to help me," Hollis said, holding back tears. "It's just like living at home, but it's not my home."

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

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46093058/ns/us_news-life/

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Location-Based Shopping App Shopkick Now 3 Million Users Strong; 1B Deals Viewed

shopkickShopkick, an innovative geo-coupon system that is backed by Kleiner Perkins, Greylock, SV Angel and others, is debuting a number of momentum numbers today. The startup's service now has 3 million active users, up from 2.3 million active users in September. Here's how Shopkicks works. Instead of checking in, as you would with a geo app like Foursquare, Shopkick automatically recognizes when someone with the free Android or iPhone app on their phone walks into a store. Once a Shopkick Signal is detected, the app delivers reward points called ?kickbucks? to the user for walking into a retail store, trying on clothes, scanning a barcode and other actions.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/iSGBczEFQxI/

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Mecom to charge for news online in new strategy (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Loss-making European publisher Mecom is to slash costs, review assets and charge customers to access content online as it fights to revive a business hit by falling advertising sales and changing readership trends.

The group, which sold its Norwegian arm in December to cut debt, set out a new strategy Tuesday in response to what it called significant challenges to the industry.

It plans to make 70 million euros of cost savings, including an unspecified number of job cuts.

By introducing so-called pay walls on the internet Mecom will follow in the footsteps of such publications as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal in the United States and the Times and Financial Times newspapers in London.

Britain's Guardian newspaper, one of the most vocal proponents of providing free news on the internet, has also started introducing paid-for applications of late.

Mecom said it had decided to charge for online access to newspapers such as De Gelderlander as it increases its reliance on its solid subscriber base, which has maintained circulation revenues despite the economic challenges, at a time when advertising revenues continue to fall.

"We are going to face continual declines in advertising over the next three years," chief executive Tom Toumazis told reporters. "But having said that the other key revenue stream of circulation, we believe, is going to prove to be steady.

"So that plays to our strategic message which is our push in to the paid model and subscription model."

The group will introduce charges for its online content, bringing in a fee for Mecom applications on the Apple iPad and smartphones, to expand its existing 1.2 million subscriber base that already pay for print editions.

It will test different pay models on its general websites.

The group, which publishes newspapers and websites in Denmark, Poland and has its core business in the Netherlands, said its cost-cutting drive would include outsourcing support work and greater integration across the group.

Mecom, which issued a profit warning in October due to plunging consumer confidence, said it would further review its business by considering options for its Polish operations and free sheet titles, either through further investment, collaboration or divestment.

"There is a clear need for Mecom to adapt quickly to meet the challenges our industry faces," Toumazis said.

"The strategy we are announcing today will ensure greater commercial focus through a commitment to paid platforms and closer integration to capture better the strengths of the group."

Shares in the group initially opened up over 2 percent before sliding to be down 8 percent Tuesday, following a rise ahead of the statement.

Analysts generally welcomed the review and said Mecom was well placed to grow its online revenues as it already has strong relationships with readers.

"We have long identified Mecom's high level of subscription revenue as a considerable asset and are supportive of the management focusing on this as a key driver of future growth," Numis analyst Lorna Tilbian said.

"We believe the direct relationship that Mecom has with its customers means the group is in a better position than UK peers to both monetize online and generate ancillary enterprise revenues."

($1 = 0.7665 euros)

(Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/media_nm/us_mecom

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Study: Unilateral divorce laws caused temporary spike in violent crime

Study: Unilateral divorce laws caused temporary spike in violent crime [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 23-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Kevin Stacey
kstacey@press.uchicago.edu
401-284-3878
University of Chicago Press Journals

Chicago -- U.S. states that enacted unilateral divorce laws saw substantial increases in violent crime in the years following the reform, according to research in the Journal of Labor Economics. But the ill-effects of the new laws appear to be largely temporary.

The research found an average 9 percent increase in violent crime after a state enacted a unilateral divorce law, which allows one spouse to end a marriage without the consent of the other. The increase in crime was mainly confined to the first two decades after the reform and was mostly attributable to individuals who were young children at the time the reform was enacted.

The link between unilateral reform and crime appears to be poverty and worsening in income distribution, say the study's authors, economists Julio Cceres-Delpiano (Universidad Carlos III, Madrid) and Eugenio Giolito (Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago, Chile).

"Mothers in adopting states were more likely to become the head of the household [after the reform] and to fall below the poverty line, especially less educated ones," they write. "Therefore, our results suggest that a potential channel linking unilateral reform with the increase in crime might have been the worsening in economic conditions of mothers and the increase in income inequality as unintended consequences of the reform."

The researchers used FBI crime reports from 1965 to 1996 for states that enacted unilateral reform during that period.

Unilateral divorce has been the subject of much study since a series of states started allowing it in the 1970s. Some researchers suggested that the reform caused a substantial and permanent uptick in divorce rates. But more recent research has shown divorce rates jumped in the first 10 years after reform, but the effects dissipated after that.

Cceres-Delpiano's and Giolito's results bolster the notion that the effects of reform on the number of divorcesand the social ills that accompany divorcewere short-term, mainly affecting "families 'trapped' in that transition" to unilateral divorce, the researchers say.

How might the temporary nature of the effects be explained? Some researchers suggest that people changed their approach to marriage once the laws were on the books. "Scholars suggest that the reform has caused changes in the selection into and out of marriage, increasing the average match quality of new and surviving marriages," Cceres-Delpiano and Giolito write.

###

Julio Cceres-Delpiano, Eugenio Giolito, "The Impact of Unilateral Divorce on Crime." Journal of Labor Ecnomics 30:1 (January 2012).

Since 1983, the Journal of Labor Economics has presented international research that examines issues affecting the economy as well as social and private behavior. The Journal publishes both theoretical and applied research results relating to the U.S. and international data. And its contributors investigate various aspects of labor economics, including supply and demand of labor services, personnel economics, distribution of income, unions and collective bargaining, applied and policy issues in labor economics, and labor markets and demographics.


[ 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.


Study: Unilateral divorce laws caused temporary spike in violent crime [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 23-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Kevin Stacey
kstacey@press.uchicago.edu
401-284-3878
University of Chicago Press Journals

Chicago -- U.S. states that enacted unilateral divorce laws saw substantial increases in violent crime in the years following the reform, according to research in the Journal of Labor Economics. But the ill-effects of the new laws appear to be largely temporary.

The research found an average 9 percent increase in violent crime after a state enacted a unilateral divorce law, which allows one spouse to end a marriage without the consent of the other. The increase in crime was mainly confined to the first two decades after the reform and was mostly attributable to individuals who were young children at the time the reform was enacted.

The link between unilateral reform and crime appears to be poverty and worsening in income distribution, say the study's authors, economists Julio Cceres-Delpiano (Universidad Carlos III, Madrid) and Eugenio Giolito (Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago, Chile).

"Mothers in adopting states were more likely to become the head of the household [after the reform] and to fall below the poverty line, especially less educated ones," they write. "Therefore, our results suggest that a potential channel linking unilateral reform with the increase in crime might have been the worsening in economic conditions of mothers and the increase in income inequality as unintended consequences of the reform."

The researchers used FBI crime reports from 1965 to 1996 for states that enacted unilateral reform during that period.

Unilateral divorce has been the subject of much study since a series of states started allowing it in the 1970s. Some researchers suggested that the reform caused a substantial and permanent uptick in divorce rates. But more recent research has shown divorce rates jumped in the first 10 years after reform, but the effects dissipated after that.

Cceres-Delpiano's and Giolito's results bolster the notion that the effects of reform on the number of divorcesand the social ills that accompany divorcewere short-term, mainly affecting "families 'trapped' in that transition" to unilateral divorce, the researchers say.

How might the temporary nature of the effects be explained? Some researchers suggest that people changed their approach to marriage once the laws were on the books. "Scholars suggest that the reform has caused changes in the selection into and out of marriage, increasing the average match quality of new and surviving marriages," Cceres-Delpiano and Giolito write.

###

Julio Cceres-Delpiano, Eugenio Giolito, "The Impact of Unilateral Divorce on Crime." Journal of Labor Ecnomics 30:1 (January 2012).

Since 1983, the Journal of Labor Economics has presented international research that examines issues affecting the economy as well as social and private behavior. The Journal publishes both theoretical and applied research results relating to the U.S. and international data. And its contributors investigate various aspects of labor economics, including supply and demand of labor services, personnel economics, distribution of income, unions and collective bargaining, applied and policy issues in labor economics, and labor markets and demographics.


[ 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/2012-01/uocp-sud012312.php

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