Officials: Car bombs kill 14 across Baghdad

People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Sadr City eastern of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Two separate car bombs exploded in the Shiite district of Sadr City killing and wounding several people, police said. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

People gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Sadr City eastern of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Two separate car bombs exploded in the Shiite district of Sadr City killing and wounding several people, police said. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

A man inspects the scene of a car bomb attack in Sadr City eastern of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Two separate car bombs exploded in the Shiite district of Sadr City killing and wounding several people, police said. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Security forces inspect the scene of a car bomb attack in Sadr City eastern of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Two separate car bombs exploded in the Shiite district of Sadr City killing and wounding several people, police said. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

A man inspects the scene of a car bomb attack in Sadr City eastern of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Two separate car bombs exploded in the Shiite district of Sadr City killing and wounding several people, police said. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

BAGHDAD (AP) ? A wave of car bombings hit the Iraq capital on Tuesday, killing 14 people and wounding more than 70 as violence surges in the country amid an escalating political crisis a month after the U.S. military withdrawal.

At least 170 people have died in attacks since the beginning of the year, many of them Shiite pilgrims attending religious commemorations. The last American soldiers left the country Dec. 18.

Suspected Sunni insurgents have frequently targeted Shiite communities and Iraqi security forces to undermine public confidence in the Shiite-dominated government and its efforts to protect people.

Tuesday's first attack targeted an early morning gathering of day laborers in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. Police said eight were killed and another 21 wounded. Minutes later, an explosives-packed car blew up near a pastry shop in the same district, killing three people and wounding 26, police said.

Later in the morning, two more explosives-laden cars detonated, killing three and wounding 29 people.

A parked car bomb exploded near a high school at 10:30 a.m. in the predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Shula in northern Baghdad, killing two students and wounding 16 others, most of them also students, according to local police.

In the neighboring district of Hurriya, one person was killed when an explosives-packed car, parked along a busy commercial street detonated five minutes after the Shula blast, police officials said. Thirteen people were injured in that bombing.

Hospital officials in Baghdad confirmed the death toll. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

While insurgents have carried out a number of deadly attacks in recent years, there is little indication so far that the country is slipping back toward the widespread sectarian bloodshed of 2006 and 2007.

Nonetheless, these recent attacks are seen as particularly dangerous because they coincide with both the departure of U.S. troops, as well as a political crisis pitting Shiite officials against the largest Sunni-backed bloc.

The political battle erupted last month after the Shiite-led government issued an arrest warrant against the Sunni vice president, Tareq al-Hashemi, on terrorism charges, sending him into virtual exile in the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq. In protest, al-Hashemi's Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc has been boycotting parliament and Cabinet sessions, bringing government work to a standstill.

Sunnis fear that without the American presence as a last-resort guarantor of a sectarian balance, the Shiite government will try to pick off their leaders one by one, as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki tries to cement his own grip on power.

Last week, the leader of the Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc, Ayad Allawi, accused al-Maliki of unfairly targeting Sunni officials and deliberately triggering a political crisis that is tearing Iraq apart. Allawi, who is a Shiite, said Iraq needs a new prime minister or new elections to prevent the country from disintegrating along sectarian lines.

____

Associated Press writer Barbara Surk in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-24-ML-Iraq/id-d0a8ce4152d3469b90ba01bf8b06a902

cotto vs margarito miguel cotto cotto ncaa bowl games bowls brooke mueller herman cain

Chinese vice president Xi to visit U.S. next month (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama will meet Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, the country's likely next ruler, at the White House on February 14, the White House said on Monday.

Obama and Xi will discuss "a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues," it said in a statement, but gave no further details on a trip experts say will help set the tone in U.S.-China ties for coming years.

The two powers have delicate issues to work through, ranging from currency policy to differences over how to halt the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, to a recent Chinese crackdown on critics and activists that has drawn U.S. criticism.

Beijing has voiced misgivings about Obama's plans to beef up the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and remains unhappy about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China calls an illegitimate breakaway province.

China, Iran's biggest oil customer, also bristles at U.S. efforts to tighten sanctions on that country in order to halt Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Beijing recently rebuffed a U.S. official's call to cut back oil purchases from Iran.

While the United States is in an election year that has seen Republican candidates fire harsh campaign rhetoric at China, Beijing will later this year begin a power transfer that will see Xi and other younger officials take over as President Hu Jintao and his generation of leaders retire.

Obama, facing a tough re-election in November, is expected to renew his call for China to allow its yuan currency to appreciate during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, as he highlights U.S. exports among his proposals to boost jobs.

In an interview published in Time magazine last week, Obama said U.S.-China friction arose because China "sees itself as a developing or even poor country that should be able to pursue mercantilist policies that are for their benefit and where the rules applying to them shouldn't be the same rules that apply to the United States or Europe or other major powers."

In a speech last week in Beijing, Xi stressed Beijing's desire for steady relations and tried to set an upbeat tone for his visit.

"In dealing with major and sensitive issues that concern each side's core interests, we must certainly abide by a spirit of mutual respect and handle them prudently, and by no means can we let relations again suffer major interference and ructions," he said.

In August Xi hosted U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on a visit that gave Washington policymakers a chance to size up China's president-in-waiting.

Biden will host Xi in Washington, but analysts said the trip is of far greater consequence than their titles suggest.

"The man Biden's hosting, barring something no-one forsees at this point, will become the head of China, head of the Communist Party, head of the government and head of the military," said China expert Kenneth Lieberthal of the Brookings Institution in Washington.

"This is really a chance for the Obama administration to look forward to the succession and post-succession period in China and begin to establish critical personal relationships and a personal comfort level back and forth," he said.

Xi, who will be in the United States for several days, is also set to travel to Iowa and California, two states keen to boost already fast-growing trade with China and to court Chinese investment. The dates have not formally been announced for the rest of the trip.

Xi's first known visit to the United States was to Iowa in 1985 as a junior official in the northern province of Hebei, which has a sister state/province relationship with Iowa.

"The strong relationship Iowa has with the incoming leader of China has economic benefits that are beyond measure," said Governor Terry Branstad.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for Iowa, and we will make the most of our time with Vice President Xi," he said.

Iowa's exports to China -- mostly farm goods, machinery and processed food -- rose 1,293 percent from in the decade to 2010, when the state sold $627 million of goods to China, according the U.S.-China Business Council.

(Reporting By Alister Bull; Editing by Xavier Briand and Sandra Maler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/pl_nm/us_usa_china_xi

lindsay lohan playboy cover shooting at virginia tech shooting at virginia tech blagojevich rod blagojevich rod blagojevich harry morgan

Lisa Wexler: Mitt Romney Needs a Hillary Clinton Cry

On Saturday night Mitt Romney delivered essentially the same speech to South Carolina voters that he did to New Hampshire voters. The only trouble is that Mitt won in New Hampshire, whereas he lost in South Carolina. Everyone knows that you feel differently when you win than when you lose. Where is the pathos? Where is the regret? Where is the disappointment? I didn't see any on Saturday night. If you listened without knowing the results, you might be convinced that in fact Mitt Romney had actually won tonight, rather than lose by a stunningly large margin in a state where he led the polls just a week ago. A normal person, a relatable person, would have come on the stage and said, "Well, I blew it. I'm sorry. And by the way, here are my tax returns!" The crowd would have laughed, would have roared, would have forgiven, and would now be raring to go fight the fight in Florida. Instead, what did we hear? We heard a man who put a good face on defeat, who believes that by looking good and sounding optimistic, he can win over the crowd.

In many ways, Mitt Romney strikes me as old fashioned, a candidate from the 1950s. This is a man who thinks hard. This is a man who shields his personal life from public view as much as he can, despite running for president. This is a man who has genuinely lived a life of traditional family values, and therefore does not feel the need to brag about them. This is a man who shirks from cheap shots to his opponents, who prefers to take the high road in running for the highest public office we have. These are not bad qualities, and in fact I admire them. But 60 years have passed since Eisenhower led, and today Americans prefer candidates who feel, rather than candidates that think. Ask Hillary Clinton, and she'll tell you. Hillary Clinton pulled her win in the New Hampshire primary of 2008 because she cried, not because she thought. Her tears proved to us that she was a real person, rather than a robot set on autopilot, giving speech after speech about public policy issues. We wanted a human being, someone who understood our pain. We already knew how well Hillary could think; we wanted to be sure that she could also feel.

When Mitt Romney answered "Maybe" in response to Jon King's question as to whether he would release his tax returns, Mitt sealed his own fate in the South Carolina primary. Not only was it the wrong answer to the question, more importantly the answer played into the narrative of a man with something to hide. The most consistent attack on Mitt Romney, and the one that sticks, is that he is a man who does not reveal his true self. On issues like abortion, gay rights and health care, we think we know where he stands today but he hasn't convinced us that his change of heart has been anything other than political opportunism. Mitt's devotion to the Mormon faith confirms this storyline as well, because Mormonism is a religion which shrouds itself in secrecy, revealing its innermost traditions only to the most "worthy" practitioners of the faith. When confronted about these issues, Mitt is enigmatic, obscuring his own self in pious language that does not ring true. Why doesn't that language ring true? Because Mitt is not talking in the kind of language we are now accustomed to hearing. Because Mitt has not convinced us that we know how he really "feels."

Mitt Romney, America demands that you cry! If you can't cry when you lose, then cry when you win. Only don't wait too long, or you may not get the chance to cry at all.

?

Follow Lisa Wexler on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lisawexler

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-wexler/mitt-romney_b_1222603.html

houshmandzadeh houshmandzadeh bieber baby justin beiber dia de los muertos dia de los muertos david arquette

Open Thread (Balloon Juice)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/189711492?client_source=feed&format=rss

constitution day dolly parton richard threlkeld stephen colbert running for president moonrise kingdom coachella lineup natalee holloway

Gina Carano?s ?Haywire? opening to very good reviews

The chances Gina Carano returns to get punched in the grill anytime soon gets slimmer and slimmer by the second with the release of her new movie "Haywire."

[Yahoo! speaks with Gina Carano about Haywire]

The L.A. Times wrote glowingly about the performance by the former "face of women's mixed martial arts."

[...] watching Carano kick, spin, flip, choke, crack and crush the fiercest of foes ? mostly men about twice her size ? is thoroughly entertaining, highly amusing and frankly somewhat awe-inspiring.

That's something MMA fans have been entertained by for years, but to hear a non-fan that impressed, has to make Carano feel pretty good. It's certainly going to make a huge impression on folks looking to include the fighter in future projects.

The film critic Betsey Sharkey says the movie isn't Steven Soderbergh's best effort - she lists "Traffic" - but says Haywire is far from his worst. She also hints strongly that Carano has future beyond on-screen kicks and submissions.

There is a sense within all the haywire high jinks that Carano might be able to do just fine with a role that didn't rest so heavily on fighting (though stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell proved a genius in choreographing all those tumbling rumbles). Her athleticism gives her movement a kind of force that translates powerfully on screen ? people do seem inclined to get out of her way even when she's not angry.

Carano, the daughter of former NFL quarterback Glenn Carano, took up Muay Thai in her teens. She fought professionally in MMA eight times. She hasn't fought since losing back in aug. of 2009 to Cristiane Santos. Chances are she never will again if Haywire continues to get reviews like this.

The Vancouver Sun also liked the film. So did the Washington Times, AP, L.A. Weekly, and Rolling Stone invoked the name of Alfred Hitchcock. The U.K.'s Guardian found it a bit boring beyond the fighting scenes.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/gina-carano-haywire-opening-very-good-reviews-040425047.html

coachella 2012 line up lsu crimson tide crimson tide dixville notch 2013 ford fusion lsu football

HRW calls on West to end 'Arab exception'

Protesters chant slogans at a rally honoring those killed in clashes with security forces in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, nearly a year after the 18-day uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Activists are now trying to energize the public to demand that the ruling military step down. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Protesters chant slogans at a rally honoring those killed in clashes with security forces in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, nearly a year after the 18-day uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak. Activists are now trying to energize the public to demand that the ruling military step down. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Protesters seen through the Syrian national flag chant slogans during an anti-regime protest in front of the Syrian embassy in Amman, Jordan, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)

CAIRO (AP) ? Popular uprisings sweeping the Arab world exposed biases by Western governments that supported Arab autocratic rulers for the sake of "stability" while turning a blind eye to their repressive policies, Human Rights Watch said Sunday.

The New-York based group urged democratic governments to adopt persistent and consistent support for peaceful protesters and to press both autocratic rulers and newly emerging democracies to avoid intolerance and seeking revenge.

"The events of the past year show that the forced silence of people living under autocrats should never have been mistaken for popular complacency," HRW's executive director Kenneth Roth said. "It is time to end the 'Arab exception.'"

The Arab Spring revolts began in Tunisia in late 2010 and quickly spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain, deposing or challenging authoritarian rulers as citizens who long seemed incapable or unwilling to rise against decades of repression took to the streets in a stunning awakening.

In some ways, the unexpected uprisings amounted to a slap to the United States and other Western governments, which had supported autocratic regimes that served as bulwarks against Islamists hostile to the West and appeared to offer stability in a volatile region.

Western governments also have been accused of being selective in supporting the protesters, with NATO airstrikes proving key to the ouster of slain Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. Meanwhile, the West has stood largely on the sidelines amid continued crackdowns in Bahrain, Yemen and Syria.

"The people driving the Arab Spring deserve strong international support to realize their rights and to build genuine democracies," Roth said in the group's annual report, which covers some 90 countries. He added that the Arab world is in a "transformative moment," and it will not be an easy one.

Human Rights Watch pointed to five main issues that dominated the relationship between Western governments and their Arab autocratic friends: the threat of political Islam, the fight against terrorism, support for Israel, protection of the oil flow and cooperation in stemming immigration.

Even after the leaders of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia were toppled, Western governments remained hesitant to lean too hard on other shaky authoritarian leaders, the group said.

As an example, the watchdog group singled out the United States, saying it has been reluctant to "press Egypt's ruling military council to subject itself to elected civilian rule," nearly a year after the country's longtime leader was ousted following an 18-day uprising.

Roth acknowledged Western governments were re-evaluating their policies as new governments emerge in the region, but said changes have been selective.

"The West has not put Bahrain under pressure, and other monarchs, to carry out reforms," he told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of the report's release in Cairo.

The organization also blamed the Western hesitation in part on the ascendence of political Islam in most of the countries that witnessed the fall of their autocratic rulers like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia.

HRW urged the West to recognize that Islamists are the "majority preference," while keeping pressure on the emerging new governments to respect human rights, especially regarding women and religious minorities.

Roth was cautious when asked about concerns about potential human rights violations under Islamist rule, particularly in Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood and ultraconservative Salafis won a majority of seats in the first post-Hosni Mubarak parliament.

He said the Muslim Brotherhood has been "saying the right things" but "we have to see how they govern and how they deal with women, religious minorities. These are the big questions."

The popular uprisings also have alarmed other repressive regimes such as China, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, where rulers were worried about facing similar fates. The group said China and Russia in particular acted "obstructionist," using their veto power at the U.N. security council to halt pressure on Syria to stop killings of protesters.

Saudi Arabia also continues to discriminate against its citizens and workers, according to HRW, which said 9 million women, 8 million foreign workers and 2 million Shiite citizens are either suppressed or lacking rights in the country.

"As we mark the first anniversary of the Arab Spring, we should stand firmly for the rights and aspirations of the individual over the spoils of the tyrant," Roth said.

Outside the Arab world, the last year has not witnessed significant progress in countries with poor human rights records, including China and North Korea, according to the report.

Corruption, poverty and repression still prevail in Equatorial Guinea, the tiny, oil-rich nation off the western coast of Africa, which has been ruled by Africa's longest-serving ruler Teodoro Obiang Nguema since he seized power in a 1979 coup, the group said.

Eritrea continues to be governed by "one of the world's most repressive governments," and its citizens are subjected to torture, detentions, restrictions on freedom of speech, HRW said.

It also cited Colombia, saying armed conflict in the South American country has displaced millions while paramilitary groups with ties to the security apparatus are on the rise.

Cuba, HRW said, remains "the only country in Latin America that represses virtually all forms of political dissent."

The group also claimed that even member states of the European Union have violated human rights through restrictive asylum and migration policies.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-22-Human-Rights-Report/id-cb9bc08685954025be900b9330733093

miss universe 2011 augmentin d2l d2l example example graphing calculator

Cults Wrap U.S. Tour With Sold-Out Show

Concert's stunning visuals help create a piece of modern art.
By Vaughn Trudeau Schoonmaker

Madeline Follin of Cults
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images

NEW YORK — Cults ended the brief final leg of their U.S. tour on Thursday night (January 19), drawing in a sold-out crowd at New York City's Webster Hall.

The band, led by singer Madeline Follin and guitarist Brian Oblivion, jammed their way through a solid set that brought the crowd from mesmerized silence during the softer, almost trance-driven songs to screaming cheers for Madeline's impressive high notes scattered throughout the fast-paced pop songs.

The matching long-haired duo, who remain the only act on British superstar Lily Allen's record label, In The Name Of, are already known for their edgy music videos. "Abducted" and "Go Outside" have both been lauded by critics and fans eagerly await their upcoming video for "You Know What I Mean." All three were performed true to the album versions during the 70-minute set.

As the band's translated their beautifully pop-heavy and catchy music to a live venue, videos blasted on a Multiplex-sized screen behind them throughout the show. Synchronized swimmers, owls, footage from Jonestown and frightening monkey-faced men emerged from a TV static as Madeline's live image juxtaposed throughout the entire set. The show felt more like a piece of modern art than a concert, in that the band not only put on a solid set of infectious music, but were also accompanied by a series of stunning visuals paced to their beat, transforming Webster Hall into a modern art gallery. They even threw in an inspired and seldom-played cover of Leonard Cohen's 1988 classic, "Everybody Knows," as well as an encore for the remix of "Bad Things," accompanied by the up-and-coming hip-hop star, Freddie Gibbs.

Cults head to Australia and Asia in February, and based on the stunned crowd, their fanbase's anticipation for a second album and another tour will be unbearable.

Have you seen the Cults live? Tell us what you think of the band in the comments section below!

Related Videos

• PUSH: Cults

Related Artists

• Cults

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677594/cults-tour.jhtml

midnight madness john henry john henry zack greinke zack greinke siri san diego news

Gingrich angrily denies he sought open marriage

Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich reacts to a question at the start of the Republican presidential candidate debate at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Gingrich is denying that he ever asked his ex-wife for an open marriage and angrily denounced CNN's John King, moderator of Thursday night's Republican debate for raising the issue. Gingrich blasted what he called the "destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich reacts to a question at the start of the Republican presidential candidate debate at the North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, S.C., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. Gingrich is denying that he ever asked his ex-wife for an open marriage and angrily denounced CNN's John King, moderator of Thursday night's Republican debate for raising the issue. Gingrich blasted what he called the "destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media." (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich shakes hands with supporters while standing with his wife Callista Gingrich before speaking at Mutt's Barbeque in Easley, S.C. Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/The Independent-Mail, Nathan Gray) THE GREENVILLE NEWS OUT, SENECA NEWS OUT

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) ? Presidential contender Newt Gingrich on Thursday angrily denied that he asked his second wife for an "open marriage" that would allow him to have a mistress as she claims in an interview broadcast two days before the South Carolina primary.

"Let me be quite clear. The story is false," Gingrich said at a debate, without elaborating.

At the same time, his campaign released his tax returns, showing that he paid more than $994,000 in federal taxes on more $3.1 million in income in 2010.

It was a day of ups and downs for Gingrich, who picked up the endorsement for former rival Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The former House speaker is working to consolidate the support of conservatives behind his candidacy with polls showing him rising in his bid to overtake Republican front-runner Mitt Romney.

"Newt is not perfect but who among us is," Perry said as he bowed out of the race, seeking to provide Gingrich with some political cover in a state filled with evangelicals likely to cringe at Gingrich's two divorces and acknowledged infidelity.

Gingrich's ex-wife threatened to throw his campaign off course.

In excerpts the network released earlier in the day, Marianne Gingrich told ABC News in an interview being broadcast late Thursday that when she discovered Gingrich was having an affair with Callista Bisek, a congressional staffer, he asked his wife to share him.

"And I just stared at him, and he said, 'Callista doesn't care what I do,'" Marianne Gingrich told ABC News. "He wanted an open marriage, and I refused."

She confirmed to The Associated Press that the former speaker had asked her for an open marriage, but she refused his request. She declined to comment further.

At the debate Thursday, Gingrich forcefully denied his ex-wife's charges and castigated debate moderator ? CNN's John King ? for raising the issue at the start of the two-hour long event.

"I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office," Gingrich said. "And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that."

As he stood on stage in Charleston, his campaign released his 2010 income tax returns, which showed he paid roughly 31.6 percent of his adjusted income in taxes, giving about 2 percent to charity. Gingrich criticized rival Romney ? who is worth more than $250 million ? this week for saying he paid only 15 percent.

Gingrich gave $81,133 in cash or checks to charities, about 2.6 percent of his income. That is considerably less than the average of $259,692 that households earning at least $2 million a year gave to charities in 2009, according to research from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Personal financial disclosure forms filed last summer show Gingrich is worth more than $6.5 million. He reported at least $500,000 in assets from Gingrich Productions, his media company that produces books and films.

Two days before the pivotal South Carolina primary, Gingrich's political and private life were clashing just as new polls showed him rising as he looks to overtake Romney in the third state to weigh in on the presidential race. Gingrich has seen his crowds grow in recent days after a strong performance in a debate Monday.

It was unclear how the new revelations from Marianne Gingrich would play in a state where religious and socially conservative voters hold sway. The interview's mere existence shines a spotlight on a part of Gingrich's past that could turn off Republican voters in a state filled with religious and cultural conservatives who may cringe at his two divorces and acknowledged marital infidelities.

Marianne Gingrich has said Gingrich proposed to her before the divorce from his first wife was final in 1981; they were married six months later. Her marriage to Gingrich ended in divorce in 2000, and Gingrich has admitted he'd already taken up with Bisek, the former congressional aide who would become his third wife. The speaker who pilloried then President Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky was himself having an affair at the time.

Earlier in the day, a Gingrich spokesman suggested, like Gingrich's daughters did a day earlier, that Marianne Gingrich's comments may be suspect given the emotional toll divorce takes on everyone involved.

"Divorces are very tough and people have very different recollections of how things happen," R.C. Hammond said.

Equally uncertain was whether Gingrich would get a boost from Perry's endorsement, given that the Texas governor had little support in the state, and get conservative voters to coalesce behind his candidacy. Complicating Gingrich's effort is another conservative, Rick Santorum, who threatens to siphon his support.

A CNN/Time South Carolina poll released Wednesday showed Gingrich in second place with support from 23 percent of likely primary voters, having gained 5 percentage points in the past two weeks. Romney led in the poll with 33 percent, but he had slipped some since the last survey. Santorum was third, narrowly ahead of Texas Rep. Ron Paul and well ahead of Perry.

Regardless of the South Carolina outcome, Gingrich was making plans to compete in Florida's primary on Jan. 31.

Confidence exuded from Gingrich, who rose in Iowa only to be knocked off course after sustaining $3 million in attack ads from an outside group that supports Romney. Gingrich posted dismal showings in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

By the time the race turned to South Carolina, he was back on course ? and criticizing Romney as a social moderate who is timid about attacking the nation's economic troubles.

___

Ray Henry in Atlanta and Jack Gillum in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-19-Gingrich/id-4d997a2f794b40c3929c385c796b8fa3

the green mile james whitey bulger elizabeth warren coptic church amerigo vespucci julio jones steve bartman

Which direction now? Just ask the north-facing map in your head

ScienceDaily (Jan. 18, 2012) ? You're driving from work to pick up your kids at school. The drive is familiar; you've done it almost every day for years. But how do you know in which direction the school is from your home? Landmarks? The sun? Animal instinct? Now, a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science, yields an alternative answer that surprised even its authors, Julia Frankenstein, Betty J. Mohler, Heinrich H. B?lthoff, and Tobias Meilinger, who collaborated at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, in T?bingen, Germany.

"Our memory for our city of residence shows a map-like character," says Meilinger, a research scientist at the institute. "And that map seems to be oriented towards the north." Frankenstein adds: "At least in western societies, where maps are north-oriented, and people usually use maps and are able to read them, they can -and will- rely on their memory of city maps for certain spatial tasks."

Some theories of how we locate ourselves in place and space posit that each of us creates a personal "global reference frame," constructed of environmental factors (a city's grid, a cathedral visible everywhere in town) and individual experience, such as where we live in town. Others say we orient ourselves depending on where we are -- parallel to the street we're on. According to either of these theories, the further away an invisible location is, the longer it takes us to point in its direction and the more likely we are to make a mistake.

The T?bingen study does not support these theories. In it, 26 residents of T?bingen (who had lived in T?bingen for at least two years) were put into a virtual-reality headset and seated in a chair that didn't allow them to swivel. Participants found themselves in the virtual three-dimensional photorealistic model of their hometown, at locations familiar to them, surrounded by fog masking all but the near distance. Then they had to point to an invisible location -- say, the main gate of the university or the fire station. The scenes changed, and so did the participant's spatial orientation. After 60 three-location trials, participants were asked to draw a map of the town including all the locations they'd pointed to.

The results: Although participants drew differently oriented maps, everyone performed most accurately when facing north and got worse the further they deviated from north. The only explanation the researchers could figure was that they'd all seen, and internalized, a map of T?bingen at some point, and Western maps are all oriented the same way -- north on top.

Meilinger conjectures that we rely on this mental map out of cognitive laziness. "If you acquire your knowledge from navigation only, the task [of pointing to an invisible target] requires you to coordinate a lot of things into the same reference frame" -- walked trajectories, experienced views, and so on. "A map gives all that information within one frame." Frankenstein refines: "The memory of a map does not need to be updated by further experience, as it depicts all spatial relations undistorted within one reference frame. It therefore provides a very reliable source of spatial information." She emphasizes, that "remembering a map is not the only strategy to solve spatial tasks. We do not necessarily get lost in environments where we have never seen a map of- e.g., buildings or our flat." And while participants used the map for pointing, the replication of the map (i.e., drawing a map) did not result necessarily in north-oriented maps. "Our brain seems to choose the easiest and best strategy to solve spatial tasks, but relying on a mental city-map is one of them," concludes Frankenstein.

Meilinger says it's possible that the increasing reliance on GPS devices will eventually erase these memorized maps. "If somebody doesn't care to learn the environment, that's totally fine with me," he comments. "But they shouldn't complain if their mobile is not working and they are completely lost." How to avoid this? "Look at maps before you start your trip, keep them at hand, but navigate yourself, and try to rely on your memory- it will work better than you expect! Give your brain the chance to train its spatial abilities -- use them or lose them," adds Frankenstein.

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 Association for Psychological Science.

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

---

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/XbBTQveLWVQ/120118123058.htm

arturo gatti arturo gatti stoma stoma money ball bill cunningham vladimir putin

Yu Darvish, Rangers Agree To $60M, 6-Year Deadline Deal

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Yu Darvish is coming to America to pitch.

Japan's best pitcher and the Texas Rangers agreed before Wednesday's deadline to a $60 million, six-year contract. In addition to the salary, the Rangers will pay a posting fee of $51,703,411 to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League.

"We look at this as really a perfect fit," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Obviously he has yet to pitch in the major leagues, but we feel he has proven himself on a big stage. ... "It's all winning."

The deal came at the end of a 30-day negotiating window that began Dec. 19 when the Rangers' bid to negotiate with the pitcher was accepted.

Had a deal not been reached by the 4 p.m. CST deadline, Darvish would have remained with the Fighters. And Texas, which has been to consecutive World Series without winning the title, would have kept the posting fee that ends with the jersey numbers of Rangers President and Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan (34) and Darvish (11).

When the deal was reached in Texas by his agents Don Nomura and Arn Tellem, the 25-year-old Darvish was home in Japan, where he returned for offseason training after his first and only visit to Texas two weeks ago. The Rangers plan to formally introduce Darvish on Friday night.

Tellem said the Rangers not only spent more time than any other team scouting Darvish, but also built a personal relationship with the pitcher while scouting him. He said the pitcher is excited about the opportunity in Texas.

"It's a great team that's been on the door step, and hopefully with Yu coming they will finally reach the goal of winning a World Series," Tellem said. "Yu is excited about helping a team that has not won achieve that goal. ... He's really thrilled to be coming here. This is where he wanted to be."

Darvish had a 93-38 record with a 1.99 ERA over the past seven seasons in Japan. The 6-foot-5 right-hander was a two-time Pacific League MVP and a five-time All-Star. He led the league in strikeouts three times, in ERA twice and won two Gold Gloves.

Ryan was impressed by Darvish's size and attitude about wanting to compete when they met for the first time earlier this month.

"The thing that stood out probably is just his passion for the game and trying to be the best he can possibly be," Ryan said Wednesday. "One of the motivations about coming to the major leagues here is it's another challenge for him, it's an opportunity on a stage that he hasn't been on to show what he's capable of doing."

The deal surpasses what Daisuke Matsuzaka got when he left Japan and signed with the Boston Red Sox just more than five years ago. Dice-K got a $52 million, six-year deal and the Red Sox also had to pay a $51.111 million posting fee that was the highest for a Japanese player before what the Rangers bid for Darvish.

When Ichiro Suzuki used the posting system in 2000 to get to the major leagues, the Seattle Mariners won the right negotiate with a bid of about $13 million, then signed him to a $14 million, three-year contract.

Through last season, 38 Japan-born pitchers had appeared in the major leagues. There were nine last season, including relievers Yoshinori Tateyama and Koji Uehara with the Rangers. Both are still on the 40-man roster in Texas.

Matsuzaka is 49-30 with a 4.25 ERA in 106 games (105 starts) in five seasons with the Red Sox since his high-profile move from the Seibu Lions to Boston in December 2006 when he was 26 years old.

He has had six stints on the disabled list, including last season when he had right elbow surgery and didn't pitch after May 16. He is going into the final season of his contract with the Red Sox worth about $10 million.

Darvish, the son of an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA last season in Japan, when he made the equivalent of about $6 million. He had 276 strikeouts to lead the Pacific League.

Darvish, who turned pro at 18, pitched in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was a member of the Japanese team that won the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The right-hander has superb control and throws seven effective pitches.

The Rangers lost their pitching ace in free agency after both World Series appearances.

Cliff Lee left Texas to return to Philadelphia after the 2010 season, when he was with the Rangers just more than three months after his midseason trade from Seattle. C.J. Wilson last month got a $77.5 million, five-year contract from the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels.

Even with the loss of Wilson, Darvish becomes part of a rotation that already had at least six starting candidates going into spring training.

Colby Lewis, Derek Holland, Alexi Ogando and Matt Harrison were starters last season. The Rangers have already determined that closer Neftali Feliz will make the transition from the bullpen to the rotation this year after abandoning such plans last spring. Scott Feldman was a 17-game winner in 2009 before microfracture surgery in his right knee at the end of the 2010 season.

The New York Yankees earlier this month failed to sign Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima within 30 days after they won negotiating rights with a high bid of $2.5 million. The 29-year-old Nakajima hit .297 with 16 home runs and 100 RBIs last year with the Seibu Lions, who now retain his rights.

Nakajima and Darvish were teammates during the 2008 Olympics and on Japan's championship team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/18/yu-darvish-texas-rangers-agree-contract-mlb_n_1214997.html

aaron curry ios 5 features ios 5 features ellen degeneres show ellen degeneres show david guetta david guetta

Follow All the Morons Confused by Wikipedia's Blackout in One Place [Wikipedia]

OMG why is wiki down?? How will I do my homework? WTF is this??? JESSIE have u seen this?? DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN THE WAR OF 1812 STARTED OR WHY OR WHAT IT IS?? I'm angry on Twitter. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ntwtr7a0f68/follow-all-the-morons-confused-by-wikipedias-blackout-in-one-place

golden globe nominees arian foster joe philbin miss america pageant 2012 shipwreck lana del rey jose aldo vs chad mendes

Exactly about Real Estate Investing Guide - cherokeehumanities.com

Real Estate Investing isn?t the particular particular past time associated with abundant marketers. Behind closed doors real estate book has developed into a prevalent personal motion for people coming from all parts of society. This specific movement will almost certainly to keep to perform will into the estimated long term. This change is due to reduction plus focus on company type of pension blueprints. Individual shelling out guideline has got swapped out efforts because preferred solution to insurance policy for old age

Real estate e book increases the know-how and information inside real estate property industry. People who converse in solid real estate market include the those that have expertise in property sector. A proper estate e-book and that is released digitally known as as Real property E-book.

A real estate making an investment e book is really a collection of paper, parchment and other product, bound jointly down a single borders in handles which contain info on investment business. A proper estate e book is yet another property literary deliver the results or maybe a main division of these a piece.

An actual est making an investment book may very well be learned by way of housing system college students by using an ebook review. This publication may also be examine using a real estate property professional or maybe real estate investment business enterprise person who desires have more exposure to many theme in connection with property. There are numerous advisable property investing guides readily available for improving your real estate investment know-how and gaining better real estate investment business enterprise.

Real estate guide is one of the minimum risky kinds of assets publications ask for. In lieu of paying for a guessing game stocks which can be from time to time unstable, real estate is usually a considerably more constant market place. If you make a shrewd property investing book acquire, it is possible to extend ones investment?s really worth as time passes even though you fit little if any know-how and also primary ideas in it.

The goal of the Committing e-book would be to provide all of the right information to enable you to receive new skills along with inform extra by yourself in solid house investment area, to acheive established worthwhile results from your investing from the stock trading game! The particular Committing e-book intends to not simply deliver guidance on opportunities for novices, but seeks to offer you new ideas for expert traders. Your Making an investment e-book now offers a list of making an investment conditions as well as important phrases how the people will need to end up being well-known having on their departure in to opportunities.

Source: http://www.cherokeehumanities.com/2012/01/16/exactly-about-real-estate-investing-guide/

pie crust pie crust stuffing recipe happy thanksgiving dwts cnn debate kennedy assassination

Boston's Crawford has surgery, Ellsbury gets deal (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Boston Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford could miss the start of the 2012 Major League Baseball season after undergoing wrist surgery on Tuesday, the team said.

The Red Sox also announced they signed outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, infielder Mike Aviles and pitcher Franklin Morales to one-year, non-guaranteed contracts.

Financial terms were not disclosed but Boston media reported Ellsbury's deal was worth $8 million.

The runner-up in voting for American League most valuable player, Ellsbury hit .321 with career-highs in doubles (46), home runs (32) and runs batted in (105) last season.

Crawford's surgery was performed after he felt soreness in his left wrist during off-season hitting activity, Boston General Manager Ben Cherington told reporters.

Since the pain was consistent with soreness Crawford had experienced in recent years, his doctor recommended surgery.

"We expect him to be hitting at some point during spring training and then expect him to be in position to return to play at some point very early in the season," said Cherington.

The Red Sox open their season on April 5 at Detroit.

Crawford, 30, hit .255 with the Red Sox last season with 11 home runs and 56 runs batted in.

(Reporting By Gene Cherry in Salvo North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120117/sp_nm/us_baseball_redsox

apostasy canon powershot elph 300 hs christmas lights canon eos rebel t3 christmas photo cards ar 15 costco

Must See HDTV (January 16th - 22nd)

After a CES related hiatus, we're back, and just in time for the premieres of a few of our favorite shows. Since we've been busy watching demo reels instead of what's on, feel free to let us know if we missed anything important during our Las Vegas trip (is anyone watching The Firm? Is it good?) Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Alcatraz
The latest show from J.J. Abrams (Lost, Fringe) finds a San Francisco where some of the most dangerous inmates of the infamous prison are suddenly reappearing on the streets. We'd explain the plot further, but given its creator there's probably no point. Given his track record, it's certainly worth given a look, even if only because Jorge Garcia (Hurley from Lost) is in it. The series premiere airs tonight, check out a quick preview trailer embedded after the break.
(January 16th, Fox, 8PM)

Archer
In case you somehow haven't caught on by now, we love Archer. While he's a terribly incompetent spy, Sterling Archer still somehow always completes his mission and in entertaining fashion. Season three is finally getting under way this week, if you've followed our advice you already have the S1 & S2 Blu-ray discs filed away and are ready to go.
(January 19th, FX, 10PM)

Justified
US Marshal Raylan Givens returns this week in season three of Justified, and with the return of his old friend Boyd Crowder to a criminal lifestyle, we're sure it will be an explosive one in Harlan County. After the events of last season, an all new lineup of interesting figures is set to try and take control of criminal enterprises in this tiny corner of the mountains, which will inevitably lead to two things: intricate, flowery dialogue, and people getting shot.
(January 17th, FX, 10PM)

Continue reading Must See HDTV (January 16th - 22nd)

Must See HDTV (January 16th - 22nd) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/16/must-see-hdtv-january-16th-22nd/

times square drew peterson earthquake new years eve ball drop new years eve times square 2012 prosperity 2012 holidays

Ideal Pet Christmas Gifts from Ideas-4-Pets | Philippines Press ...

West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, (9th December, 2011) ? Ideas-4-Pets, a leading UK-based online supplier of quality pet housing and other pet accessories, are offering a wide range of pet products ideal to give as Christmas gifts.

As part of their efforts to ensure Christmas shopping is as easy as possible for customers, Ideas-4-Pets are currently stocking cat toys, dog toys, blankets, scratching posts, bird toys, bird play stands and a myriad of other essential pet accessories and treats designed to offer the nation?s pets the ideal gift this festive season.

Ideas-4-Pets supplies these items and other related products throughout the year, but believes they could present the ideal gift-giving opportunity for people to give to their friends? or family?s pets, or to their own at Christmastime.

Sue Lloyd, a co-partner of Ideas-4-Pets, commented: ?Christmastime is a time when we are all feeling generous, and pet lovers often spare a thought for their animal friends at this time of year by purchasing edible treats for them to enjoy. We like to go one step further at Ideas-4-Pets and provide an eclectic selection of products of which is bound to include the perfect gift for your pet or your friend or relative?s pet.?

For more information on Ideas-4-Pets and their Christmas gift ideas, visit their website at www.ideas-4-pets.com or telephone 01274 562204.

About Ideas-4-Pets:

Since they began trading in 2003, Ideas-4-Pets have grown to become one of the largest online retailers of pet housing. They specialise in supplying high quality dog kennels, dog cages, dog beds, parrot cages, rabbit hutches, chicken coops and many other pet products at affordable prices, hand-in-hand with pet care advice and information to enable pet owners to provide a practical and safe environment for their pets.

?

Contact:

Ideas-4-Pets

Burley House

Parklands

West Yorkshire

Zip: BD16 3PD

Tel: 01274 562204

Email: pr@clickconsult.com

Source: http://www.philippinespressrelease.com/business/ideal-pet-christmas-gifts-from-ideas-4-pets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ideal-pet-christmas-gifts-from-ideas-4-pets

21 jump street 19 kids and counting 2011 election results 11/11/11 11 11 11 activision blizzard acrylamide

1 year after despot fled, Tunisians protest lack of jobs

TUNIS, Tunisia?? As a symbol of how far Tunisia still has to go to fulfill the promise of the first Arab Spring revolution, Ammar Gharsallah's death this week could hardly have been more poignant.

The 40-year-old father of three, despairing at his poverty, died after immolating himself with petrol, echoing the act of the Tunisian vegetable vendor who last year ago set off a wave of revolt that has not yet abated.

Tunisia will on Saturday hold celebrations in the capital to mark one year from the day when protests forced autocratic leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country, and gave birth to the "Arab Spring" uprisings.

But people also gathered to protest at the lack of jobs in the capital Tunis.

"Work, freedom and dignity," "Work is a right," "Tunisians rise up" and "We will continue the fight" were among the slogans chanted by demonstrators, the AFP news agency reported.

"We made this revolution against the dictatorship to impose our right to a dignified life and not to help certain opportunists realize their political ambitions," Salem Zitouni, 33, told AFP.

"We are faithful to the blood of the martyrs" and "We will never forget our martyrs," banners carried by the crowd read, AFP said.

Beacon for democracy
Since the uprising, Tunisia has been transformed into a beacon for democracy in the Middle East.

Egypt and Libya have followed it in driving out entrenched leaders, Syria's opposition is trying to do the same, and other countries in the region have had their political landscapes transformed for ever.

Interactive: Young and restless: Demographics fuel Mideast protests (on this page)

Yet Gharsallah's drastic act of protest was a reminder that, despite Tunisia's progress, the problems of poverty, unemployment and corruption that were at the root of Ben Ali's overthrow a year ago are still very much present.

1. Only on msnbc.com

   1. Where's Ron Paul? The candidate and his 'relaxed' schedule
   2. Vets hold 'eat-in' to back Uzbeks' vandalized restaurant
   3. Pardon power varies widely
   4. Homeless whiz kid will get a new home
   5. Rock Center: Koppel grills Colbert on SuperPac
   6. Republican voters know GOP when they see it
   7. Race relations and MLK's dream: Big generation gap

"Tunisia has succeeded in holding free elections and establishing a real plurality and a significant role for civil society," analyst Salah Attya said. "This is a dream come true."

"But on the other hand, social conditions have not changed, the economy has continued to stagnate and prices have continued to rise," Attya added.

The manner in which Gharsallah killed himself echoed the suicide of Mohamed Bouazizi. He was the young vegetable seller whose decision to set himself alight in the Tunisian provincial town of Sidi Bouzid inspired the revolution.

Gharsallah had been staging a sit-in protest outside the local government headquarters in Gafsa, a mining region in western Tunisia where unemployment is high and riots over living conditions frequently break out. He was demanding a job.

Many frustrated
On Jan. 5, the day when three ministers in the new Tunisian government were visiting Gafsa, he set himself on fire. He sustained third-degree burns and died in hospital on Monday.

His frustration is familiar to most ordinary Tunisians. When Ben Ali was ousted, many people expected a quick improvement in their living conditions.

In fact, life has grown tougher in some ways. The revolution and the instability that followed it scared off some investors and caused a drop in bookings from foreign tourists, a big source of income.

A year ago 600,000 Tunisians were unemployed. That figure has now gone up to 850,000. Economic growth in 2011 was about zero, down from around 3 percent the year before.

A string of strikes and sit-ins by workers in the way of the revolution has put off some investors.

"One hundred and twenty foreign companies left Tunisia in 2011 because of the sit-ins," said Wided Bouchamaoui, president of the Tunisian Union of Industry and Trade. "The Tunisian economy is threatened with paralysis if it continues."

Samir Dilou, a spokesman for the new government, estimated that the economy lost 2.5 billion dinars ($1.6 billion) because of the effects of the revolution.

The Tunisian government, an Islamist-led coalition elected in the country's first ever democratic vote last October, has pledged to create about 100,000 new jobs in 2012, and to give priority to disadvantaged regions.

'Slowly dying'
Many Tunisians, though, struggle to understand why, a year on, their living standards have not improved.

"So far nothing changed," said Omar Gharbi, 30, an unemployed man. "Poverty increased, the cafes are packed with jobless people. There is great despair among young people .. We are dying slowly."

On Jan. 14, 2011, Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi boarded an aircraft and flew to Saudi Arabia. They fled after the army chief of staff refused to use troops to disperse anti-government protests in the centre of the capital Tunis.

This year, the Tunisian government has declared Jan. 14 a national holiday. Moncef Marzouki, a former political prisoner who is the new president, will host foreign visitors including the heads of state from Libya, Algeria and Qatar.

Civil society groups have been invited to organize their own celebrations along Bourguiba Avenue, the tree-lined thoroughfare in the centre of Tunis where the protests against Ben Ali reached their climax.

Despite the problems, Tunisians see plenty of cause to celebrate.

The North African country has calmly elected its own government, defying predictions it would descend into chaos.

Ben Ali's secret police have been disbanded. Newspapers, radio and television stations enjoy unprecedented freedoms.

Tunisia has also provided a model of how, in the wake of the "Arab Spring," Islamists can come to power without tearing up the fabric of the state or imposing a strict Islamic moral code.

"You should be proud because you made your country," Marzouki said in a message to the Tunisian people on the eve of the anniversary. "Have faith that we will overcome all the difficulties and get to safety."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45996205/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

jaws brock lesnar obscura first night ball drop dick clark new years eve brock lesnar vs alistair overeem

Make Pill Bottles Easier to Open with Sugru [Sugru]

If you or a family member has arthritis opening standard child-safety pill bottles can be a real pain. Use a bit of Sugru to give the lid a textured grip that makes it easier to open.

This idea comes from Instructables user Surfer24. All you need for this hack is to open a packet of Sugru and mold it into a long "snake" shape. Wrap the Sugru around the the bottle lid tightly and let it cure for 24 hours before use.

If the same prescription is used every month remember to keep the lid to transfer to the new pill bottle. If you don't already have Sugru on hand you can order it from the official website for as little as 6 packets for $12.

Sugru Pill Bottle Hack | Instructables

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/zIKSKjTerak/make-pill-bottles-easier-to-open-with-sugru

fergie one republic carlos santana new years ball drop new years rockin eve michael dyer suspended new york times square

Experts Urge Public Action to Aid Cancer Prevention (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, Jan. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Community support is essential for healthy behaviors that can reduce cancer risk, according to updated guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention released this week by the American Cancer Society.

"Our guidelines have always stressed what people can do themselves to lower their risk of cancer, and that's important," report co-author Colleen Doyle, director of nutrition and physical activity, said in a society news release.

"But we must also take public action to make those behaviors easier for all Americans. We can't just tell people to eat more fruits and vegetables and get more exercise when there are so many forces working against them being able to do that easily, and on a regular basis," she added.

"We've got to work together to ensure that worksites and schools have healthy food options; that our neighborhoods are designed so that our children can safely ride their bikes or walk to school; that people have the information they need to help them make healthier food choices, whether at the grocery store or when eating out," Doyle explained.

Along with four major recommendations on how individuals can reduce their cancer risk, the Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention also outline community actions that can support those personal cancer prevention behaviors.

The four major recommendations for individuals include: achieving and maintaining a healthy weight throughout life; being physically active; eating a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods; and limiting alcohol consumption.

Each of the major recommendations includes several supporting recommendations.

Weight

• Try to remain lean throughout life without being underweight.
• Take steps to avoid extra pounds at all ages.
• For people who are overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight is a good start and has health benefits.
• Key strategies for maintaining a healthy weight include regular physical activity and limiting consumption of high-calorie foods and beverages.

Physical activity

• Adults should get at least 150 minutes or moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity a week, or an equivalent combination. Children and teens should get at least an hour of moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity a day, with vigorous intensity activity at least three days a week.
• Make a point of limiting sedentary behavior, such as sitting, lying down, watching television and other types of screen-based entertainment.

Diet

• Eat at least 2.5 cups of vegetables and fruits a day.
• Avoid eating processed and red meat.
• Select whole grains instead of refined grain products.

Alcohol

• Men should have no more than two drinks per day and women should have no more than one drink per day.

The guidelines also include recommendations for community action to support individual cancer prevention lifestyle behaviors. Public, private and community organizations should work together at national, state and local levels to achieve policy and environmental changes that:

• Increase access to affordable, healthy foods in communities, workplaces and schools.
• Reduce promotion of and access to foods and beverages with low nutritional value, particularly to youth.
• Create safe, enjoyable and accessible settings for physical activity in schools and workplaces, and for recreation and transportation in communities.

"The environments in which we live, work, learn and play have a tremendous impact on our ability to make and sustain healthy lifestyle choices. So if we're not working to change those environments so that the healthier choice is the easier choice, we're missing the boat," Doyle said.

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer prevention.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120113/hl_hsn/expertsurgepublicactiontoaidcancerprevention

brian eno tomb of the unknown soldier tomb of the unknown soldier reo reo chilis snow white and the huntsman