Comodo Internet Security Pro 2012

The folks at Comodo clearly enjoy assembling different applications out of the same building blocks. Their Comodo Internet Security Pro 2012 ($4.99/year direct) security suite is a construct containing the firewall component from Comodo Firewall 5, the antivirus component from Comodo Antivirus 2012, and the Defense+ behavior-based malware detector shared by both.

The one big bonus in the inexpensive suite is support from Comodo's GeekBuddy service. In testing the other products, I repeatedly encountered screens offering cleanup by a GeekBuddy expert, but at an extra cost. GeekBuddy support is included with the suite. Note that this is not the same as the $49.95/year full GeekBuddy service, which promises live remote-control help with every kind of PC Problem. With the suite you specifically get help for malware removal.

Low Scores from the Labs
The independent labs don't give Comodo's basic antivirus technology high marks. ICSA Labs and Virus Bulletin certify it for virus detection, but not virus removal. Virus Bulletin has tested it five times, and all five times it fell short of VB100 certification. It also failed to achieve certification in a whole-product test by AV-Test.org last year, scoring especially poorly in the malware repair test. The chart below summarizes Comodo's lab test results along with those of other current products. For details on how I interpret the various tests, see How We Interpret Antivirus Lab Tests.

Firewall and Defense+
My review of Comodo Antivirus 2012 (free, 3 stars) covered the company's Defense+ technology, and my review of Comodo Firewall 5 (free, 3.5 stars) offers details on the firewall component. Please refer to these articles for full details; I'll summarize here.

Defense+ aims to keep your system safe from malware by blocking access to sensitive system areas. When it detects an access attempt it pops up a yellow, orange, or red alert and asks you what to do. Some alerts specifically identify the program in question as malicious; others specifically state that you must make the decision yourself.

I don't approve of security software that pushes important decisions off on the user, since most users aren't trained in security. For testing, I blocked all activity reported as a red alert and allowed yellow and orange alerts. If the alert recommended running the program in Comodo's sandbox, meaning limiting its access to sensitive areas, I always chose the recommended option.

I found that Defense+ detected suspicious activity by every single one of my malware samples. However, it also popped up red alerts for every single PCMag utility I tested. I specifically used old utilities that aren't digitally signed. The majority either wouldn't install or wouldn't run when I followed my block-on-red rule.

The firewall itself properly stealthed all ports and resisted Web-based attacks, though it did nothing to block attacks attempting to exploit system vulnerabilities. In its default program control setting it blocks outbound connections and allows inbound connections. However, also by default it automatically allows any questionable connection, so in effect its program control isn't active.

Antivirus Alone
In testing the standalone antivirus, I found that it did a mediocre job of malware cleanup, especially against rootkits. Even when I turned on the hidden option to scan for rootkits, it left some rootkits running.

Blocking malware from attacking a clean system was a team effort by Defense+ and the antivirus. Defense+ was always first to the crime scene, but in quite a few cases the antivirus jumped in to quarantine known malware. Comodo's malware blocking score was excellent, though tarnished by its high incidence of false positives in my testing with PCMag utilities.

I didn't invoke GeekBuddy help for each individual malware sample. Doing so would have taken an impossibly long time, and in any case Comodo scored quite well without GeekBuddy. For an explanation of how I test and score malware blocking, see How We Test Malware Blocking.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/qj8M44TlduM/0,2817,2399585,00.asp

heritage foundation dancing with the stars results 2011 ali fedotowsky ali fedotowsky krill oil krill oil black friday 2011

Divorce hurts health more at earlier ages

ScienceDaily (Jan. 30, 2012) ? Divorce at a younger age hurts people's health more than divorce later in life, according to a new study by a Michigan State University sociologist.

Hui Liu said the findings, which appear in the research journal Social Science & Medicine, suggest older people have more coping skills to deal with the stress of divorce.

"It's clear to me that we need more social and family support for the younger divorced groups," said Liu, assistant professor of sociology. "This could include divorce counseling to help people handle the stress, or offering marital therapy or prevention programs to maintain marital satisfaction."

Liu analyzed the self-reported health of 1,282 participants in Americans' Changing Lives, a long-term national survey. She measured the gap in health status between those who remained married during the 15-year study period and those who transitioned from marriage to divorce, at certain ages and among different birth cohorts, or generations.

Liu found the gap was wider at younger ages. For example, among people born in the 1950s, those who got divorced between the ages of 35 and 41 reported more health problems in relation to their continuously married counterparts than those who got divorced in the 44 to 50 age range.

From a generational perspective, the negative health impact was stronger for baby boomers than it was for older generations -- a finding that surprised Liu.

"I would have expected divorce to carry less stress for the younger generation, since divorce is more prevalent for them," she said.

Liu said this may be because the pressure to marry and stay married was stronger for older generations, and so those who did divorce may have been among the most unhappily married -- and thus felt a certain degree of relief when they did divorce.

Overall, the study found that those who transition from marriage to divorce experience a more rapid health decline than those who remain married. However, those who remained divorced during the entire study period showed no difference than those who remained married.

"This suggests it is not the status of being married or divorced, per se, that affects health, but instead is the process of transitioning from marriage to divorce that is stressful and hurts health," Liu said.

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 Michigan State University.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Hui Liu. Marital dissolution and self-rated health: Age trajectories and birth cohort variations. Social Science & Medicine, 28 January 2012 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.11.037

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://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131155.htm

pueblo co pueblo co pineapple express martyn martyn ecri stacey dash

EU leaders seek growth as Greece case looms (AP)

BRUSSELS ? European leaders were trying Monday to come up with ways to boost economic growth and jobs, which are being squeezed by their own governments' steep budget cuts across the continent.

The 27 EU leaders meeting in Brussels were also looking for common ground on a new treaty to toughen spending rules to dig the continent out of a crippling debt crisis. The elephant in the room, though, will be Greece.

Greece and its bondholders have come closer to a deal to significantly reduce the country's debt and pave the way for it to receive a much-needed euro130 billion ($170 billion) bailout.

Negotiators for the bondholders said Saturday that a debt-reduction deal could become final within the next week. If the agreement works as planned, it could help Greece avoid a catastrophic default, which would be a blow to Europe's already weak financial system.

But European officials are afraid that even that deal may not be enough to fix Greece's finances, with some blaming Athens for dithering in its austerity promises.

German officials over the weekend proposed that Athens temporarily cede control over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts.

The idea proved immediately controversial ? both the European Commission and the Greek government refuted it ? to the point that German Chancellor Angela Merkel pulled back on the idea when she arrived in Brussels.

She said Europe had to support Greece in implementing promised austerity and reform measures, "but all that will only work if Greece and all other states discuss this together."

Though vital to turning around Europe's crisis, the negotiations in Greece don't resolve the weakening economic conditions across Europe as countries rein in spending to get their debts under control.

Front and center in Monday's discussions will be the continent's increasingly tough labor market.

Many now fear that Europe is on the verge of another recession, and leaders gathering Brussels said that spurring growth would be the focus of their talks Monday.

The big question is where to find money to boost growth when governments are trying to reduce debt.

"We have to have balanced budgets and at the same time focus on growth and jobs," said Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt of Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of European Council. "It is possible to both at the same time and it is important to understand that these are two sides of the same coin."

Unemployment is rising steadily. In Spain, it has soared to nearly 23 percent and closed in on 50 percent for those under age 25, leaving more than 5 million people ? or almost one out of every four ? out of work as the country slides toward recession.

To help jump-start the EU toward more growth and employment, the European Commission is proposing to the summit leaders to redirect euro82 billion in existing development funds toward countries in dire need of help to fix their labor market.

The 27 heads of state and government got a taste of the popular frustration with austerity and high unemployment on their way to Monday's summit in a city paralyzed by strikes. Leaders had to fly into the military airport of Beauvechain 20 miles (30 kilometers) outside of Brussels after the city's main airport was shutdown by a 24-hour strike.

Belgium's three main unions joined hands in the walkout to protest national budgetary measures that have in part been imposed on the country by the EU. If the country hadn't met cost-cutting targets, financial sanctions would have been imposed.

Monday's strike has been mirrored in many other member states. Overall, 23 million people are jobless across the EU, 10 percent of the active population.

"Europe has to offer jobs, social protection and perspective for the future. Otherwise it risks losing the support of its citizens," said the strike manifesto of the ACV union.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

university of michigan nadal murray cyndi lauper 127 hours 127 hours true grit serena williams

The problem with democracy is all the debating (Unqualified Offerings)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192684581?client_source=feed&format=rss

weather nj nyc weather nyc weather philadelphia weather chris carpenter chris carpenter the brothers grimm

Sanctions to hit EU buyback firms: Iran oil chief (Reuters)

TEHRAN (Reuters) ? European companies owed oil by Iran could lose out if Tehran imposes a ban on crude exports to the European Union next week, the head of Iran's state oil company said on Saturday.

Iran's parliament is due to debate a bill on Sunday that would cut off oil supplies to the EU in a matter of days, in revenge for a decision last Monday by the 27 EU member states to stop importing crude from Iran as of July 1.

"Generally, the parties to incur damage from the EU's recent decision will be European companies with pending contracts with Iran," Ahmad Qalebani, head of the National Iranian Oil Co. told the ISNA news agency.

"The European companies will have to abide by the provisions of the buyback contracts," he said. "If they act otherwise, they will be the parties to incur the relevant losses and will subject the repatriation of their capital to problems."

By turning the sanctions back on the EU, Iranian lawmakers hope to deny Europe the six-month window it had planned to give those countries most dependent on Iranian oil - including some of the most economically fragile - time to adapt.

The EU banned imports of oil from Iran on Monday and imposed a number of other economic sanctions, joining the United States in a new round of measures aimed at deflecting Tehran's nuclear development programme.

Under buyback contracts, a common feature of the Iranian oil industry, investments in oil field projects are paid back in oil, often over many years.

Italy's Eni says it is owed $1.4-1.5 billion in oil for contracts in Iran dating from 2000 and 2001 and has been assured by EU policymakers its buyback contracts will not be part of the European embargo but the prospect of Iran acting first may put that into doubt.

The EU accounted for 25 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the third quarter of 2011.

(Writing by Robin Pomeroy; Editing by David Stamp)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/ts_nm/us_iran_oil_sanctions

turkey pot pie southern university regenesis fanboys ucla usc ucla usc sean taylor

Cruise ship fuel removal stalled due to rough seas (AP)

GIGLIO, Italy ? Rough seas off Italy's Tuscan coast forced a delay in the planned Saturday start of the operation to remove a half-million gallons of fuel from the grounded Costa Concordia, and officials said pumping may now not begin until midweek.

Recovery operations continued, however, and on Saturday yielded a 17th body: The woman who wasn't wearing a life jacket was found by divers on the submerged sixth floor deck, civil protection officials said.

The Concordia ran aground on Jan. 13 off the port of the island of Giglio port after the captain deviated from his planned route and gashed the hull of the ship on a reef. Some 4,200 passengers and crew endured a panicked evacuation after the abandon ship alarm didn't sound until the ship had capsized so much that some life boats couldn't be lowered.

Some 16 people remain unaccounted for and are presumed dead. The body discovered Saturday has not yet been identified.

The removal of the fuel aboard the Concordia is a key concern since the seas around Giglio form part of a protected marine sanctuary and are a favorite destination for scuba divers. So far, no leakage has been detected.

Dutch shipwreck salvage firm Smit has been contracted by the Concordia's owner Costa Crociere SpA, a unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp., to remove the fuel. Smit's divers have made the necessary preparations to begin pumping out fuel from six outer tanks that hold more than half of the 500,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil that are aboard the ship.

The rest of the fuel is contained in inner tanks that are harder to access.

So far, divers have drilled into four of the six outer tanks and fixed valves on them: one on top, one on bottom. Hoses will then be attached to the valves and as the oil ? which must be warmed to make it less gooey ? is sucked out of the upper hose, sea water is pumped in to fill the vacuum via the lower hose.

Smit spokesman Martijn Schuttevaer told reporters Saturday that the pumping operation may not begin now until midweek since the poor weather is forecast at least through Tuesday. Officials don't want to risk the possibility that a battering of the hoses caused by rough seas might lead to leakage.

On Saturday, the choppy waters partially dislodged Smit's barge that was hitched to the Concordia's hull and had served as a staging platform for the fuel removal operation. Smit brought it back into port, where it will stay until the weather improves, Schuttevaer said.

The Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, remains under house arrest, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning a ship before its passengers had evacuated. He has admitted he took the ship on "tourist navigation" to bring it close to Giglio but said the reef he hit wasn't marked on his nautical charts.

___

Winfield reported from Rome.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_eu/eu_italy_ship_aground

snow white and the huntsman snow white and the huntsman philip rivers 11 11 11 meaning miracle berry billy crystal veterans day thank you

Doctors Press Boehner To Stop Mandated Insurance Code Switch ...

The American Medical Association opposes implementation of the coding system known as ICD-10, saying it would require physician offices to deal with an estimated 68,000 insurance codes -- five times more than the current 13,000.

Modern Healthcare: AMA Chief Asks Boehner To Stop ICD-10
Dr. James Madara, executive vice president and CEO of the American Medical Association, has asked House Speaker John Boehner to stop the federally mandated implementation upgrade in October 2013 of the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision of diagnostic and procedural codes "and to call on stakeholders to assess an appropriate replacement for ICD-9" (Conn, 1/26).

The Hill: Doctors Lobby Urges GOP To Hault New Insurance Codes
The largest physicians lobby has sent House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) a letter?urging him to halt a federal requirement forcing doctors to switch to new insurance codes in 2013. The American Medical Association (AMA) says switching to so-called ICD-10 coding will require doctors' offices to deal with some 68,000 codes, more than five times the current 13,000. The change will cost medical practices anywhere between $83,290 and more than $2.7 million, depending on size ? at a time when Medicare payment rates face an almost 30 percent cut (Pecquet, 1/26).

Also in the news, the American College of Physicians urges Congress to fix the Medicare physician payment formula -

National Journal: Physicians Oppose Budget Cuts
Internal medicine physicians issued?a detailed report?on Thursday registering concerns about the political climate for health care. The American College of Physicians says looming budget cuts and political discord are likely to undermine successful programs that ensure people can get the medical care they need. The group has asked Congress to undo the mandatory budget cuts established last year, and to fix the longstanding but flawed pay formula for Medicare that perpetually threatens physicians with reimbursement cuts (Sanger-Katz, 1/26).

Medscape: ACP Annual Report Decries 'Broken Political Culture'
The American College of Physicians (ACP) discussed progress in healthcare, and called on Congress to reach bipartisan agreements to reduce the costs of healthcare by addressing the true drivers of healthcare costs, in its annual report. During a webinar on January 26, 2012, Robert Doherty, senior vice president of governmental affairs and public policy for the ACP, made 5 specific proposals to address rising healthcare costs (Barber, 1/26).

This is part of Kaiser Health News' Daily Report - a summary of health policy coverage from more than 300 news organizations. The full summary of the day's news can be found here and you can sign up for e-mail subscriptions to the Daily Report here. In addition, our staff of reporters and correspondents file original stories each day, which you can find on our home page.

Source: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2012/January/27/icd-10.aspx

cnn debate kennedy assassination kennedy assassination jfk assassination pie crust recipe heritage foundation dancing with the stars results 2011

Feds: 'Mob Wives' dad charged in NYC case

NEW YORK CITY -- DEA and FBI agents arrested four alleged?members of the Bonanno organized crime family early Friday on charges that include racketeering, gambling and drug sales, NBC New York has learned.? The father of a "Mob Wives" reality show star was also charged in the federal case.

Vincent Badalamenti, identified as a member of the Bonanno crime family administration, Nicholas Santora, a Bonanno family capo, Vito Balsamo, an acting captain, and Anthony Calabrese, a soldier, were arrested Friday and are are charged with racketeering, extortion, illegal gambling, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, a law enforcement official said.

---

Anthony Graziano -- a Bonanno family captain whose daughter Renee Graziano stars on the reality show? "Mob Wives" -- was also charged.? Graziano was already in custody on a prior conviction.

Read original story on NBCNewYork.com

Also arrested was James Laforte, an associate of the Gambino crime family, the official said.

All five men entered pleas of not guilty in federal court.? Calabrese and Balsamo were released on $1.5 million bail, which includes home confinement and electronic monitoring.?

Investigators used electronic and physical surveillance and cooperating witnesses in the investigation.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

The arrests are the latest in the federal government's investigation of the Bonanno crime family which has resulted in the prosecution of more than 175 members and associates of the family, officials said.

So far, more than 10 Bonanno family bosses, acting bosses and administration members have been convicted.

The suspects are due back in court on Feb. 7.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/27/10253124-feds-mob-wives-dad-charged-in-nyc-racketeering-case

weta weta rudolph the red nosed reindeer rudolph the red nosed reindeer adam carolla desean jackson rick neuheisel

New version of Google Music Manager allows easy downloading of purchased tracks

Here at AC, we love Google Music, and some of us have it cranked high all day long while the lovingly sweet sounds of Led Zepplin or Motorhead coax us through the workday.  But I digress, and maybe that's only me.  We especially love it when changes get made to makes things easier, and today is a good day for easy.  Google has updated the Google Music Manager program to allow for easy downloading of songs you have uploaded or purchased from the Android Market.  Music Manager is the portion of the service you run on your computer to upload and manage your library, and we have to admit when compared to competitors like iTunes or Zune it's a little sparse.  

With today's update, you can download all your legitimately *cough* purchased and uploaded music with just a few button clicks.  Right click on the Music Manager in your system tray, open the options dialog and choose the "Download" tab.  From there you have the option to download your library.  If you've downloaded it before, you'll also have an option to only download newly added songs.  The tracks are saved in the folder you specify as 320 kbps .mp3 files.  Your songs still stay in the cloud, but now you've got a local copy as well.

In addition, server side changes now allow you to share the Youtube video for purchased songs with your Google+ circles.  Click the dropdown next to the song title to share the video with your circles, and they'll see it in their Google+ timeline.  Now if only the rest of the planet could use Google music, it would be perfect.

Source: Android Market support; via +Android

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/1hJse_21Xfc/story01.htm

haywire carlos pena bruce arians dog the bounty hunter doppler radar tacoma narrows bridge db cooper

Google adding Public Alerts to Maps, keeps you in the loop in times of worry

You can't deny that Google often hands out marvelous tools for the masses to utilize (yes, some can be a miss), and today the King of Search is launching a fresh virtual apparatus as part of its Crisis Response project. Dubbed "Public Alerts," the feature is accessible from within Google Maps, keeping you in the loop during times of high alert. Your search query will trigger things like weather relevant to your area, public safety and earthquake alerts -- all of which are provided by the NOAA, the National Weather Service and the US Geological Survey. The Crisis Response squad says its goal is "to surface emergency information through the online tools you use everyday," which is a great idea, but we honestly hope that you don't have to use it very often. Those of you stateside can start using Public Alerts now -- as for the rest, let's hope that the search giant brings its alerts to a map near you sooner rather than later...

Google adding Public Alerts to Maps, keeps you in the loop in times of worry originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Google.org Blog  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/25/google-adding-public-alerts-to-maps/

zach braff kevin federline amy smart michael jackson dead michael jackson dead prickly pear prickly pear

New Xbox said to be six times as powerful as the Xbox 360 (Yahoo! News)

Will Microsoft's next machine blow its current console out of the water?

The current?video game console generation is entering its twilight years, and with that inevitability comes the unceasing rumors of what each company's next hardware will be capable of. Nintendo has already shown its hand by?unveiling the Wii U, and now some tasty tidbits are beginning to surface regarding the next Xbox from?Microsoft. Popularly nicknamed the Xbox 720, some new, well-sourced rumors suggest that it will be six times as powerful as the current console.

The?Xbox 360 is no slouch, and it can still play host to the?hottest new releases, but the hardware is approaching its 6th birthday and some serious advancements have been made in the world of graphics processing in the last half decade. The new Xbox will reportedly run on a derivative of AMD's 6670 graphics chip, which supports 1080p HD, 3D, and linking to multiple external displays.

Compared to the Wii U, the Xbox 720 should be roughly 20% more powerful, though the stats of the two systems appear to be close enough that players may not notice a difference. Like Microsoft, Sony has yet to officially reveal anything about its followup to the?PlayStation 3, but based on their console release history, a new machine is undoubtedly in the works. Where the PlayStation 4 will stack up in comparison to the new systems by Nintendo and Microsoft is anyone's guess.

(Source)

This article originally appeared on Tecca

More from Tecca:

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/techblog/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_technews/20120125/tc_yblog_technews/new-xbox-said-to-be-six-times-as-powerful-as-the-xbox-360

2012 nfl draft order rashard mendenhall rachel zoe penn state football mt rainier national park rose parade ticket city bowl

Panasonic intros a pair of 12.1-inch Let's Note Laptops

Panasonic Japan's quirky range of chunky Let's Note laptops has swelled by a factor of two, thanks to a pair of 12.1-inch units ousted today. The stock models come with a 1280 x 800 display (extra cash will get you a 16:9 1600 x 900 screen with a built-in 720p webcam). By default, you'll get an Intel Core i5 2450M chip, USB 3.0, WiFi (and WiMax!), Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, HDMI-out and on the SX edition, an optical drive. Build-to-order options include swapping in an SSD and a battery pack that promises an unbelievable (i.e. we don't) twelve hours of life on the road. There's no mention of when they'll be available beyond "Spring," nor any indication of the cost, so instead let's think about that crazy circular track-pad, eh?

Panasonic intros a pair of 12.1-inch Let's Note Laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akhibara News  |  Panasonic (Translated)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/YK3st6XGFR4/

snapdragon kim jong ill dead wedding crashers next iron chef next iron chef aquamarine iraq war

Giffords' husband to be State of the Union guest

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House says President Barack Obama has invited Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' husband to attend Tuesday's State of the Union address.

White House spokesman Jay Carney says the president looks forward to having Mark Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, as a guest in the first lady's box.

Carney says Obama and Kelly spoke Monday morning. He says the president thanked both Giffords and Kelly for their patriotism and dedication to the country.

Kelly's wife, the Arizona congresswoman, was shot in the head just over a year ago in an assassination attempt. She announced Sunday that she was resigning from Congress to focus on her recovery.

Giffords also plans to attend Tuesday's address.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-23-State%20of%20the%20Union-Guests/id-f7a62d8c379a428cac0cd1ddc9f90835

giants game norman borlaug rick santorum santorum atlanta falcons new hampshire debate brandon jacobs

RIM and BlackBerry on the edge under new CEO (Reuters)

TORONTO/LONDON (Reuters) ? Takeover talk swirled around Research In Motion on Monday as investors and analysts pondered whether new Chief Executive Thorsten Heins had been appointed to lead a turnaround of the struggling smartphone maker or prepare it for sale.

Heins, who joined the company that makes the BlackBerry in 2007 and took over the top job on Saturday when co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie resigned, said he wants to do a better job in rolling out innovative new products to get ahead of the competition. But he argued the company doesn't need seismic change.

Still, key shareholders and analysts alike signaled they are impatient for drastic improvement at a company that has lost market share and market value after being comprehensively outplayed by the likes of Apple and Google.

"If Thorsten really believes that there are no changes to be made, he will be gone within 15 to 18 months. He will be a transitional CEO and this will be a transitional board," said Jaguar CEO Vic Alboini, who leads an informal group of 16 RIM shareholders holding just under 10 percent of the company's shares.

Alboini criticized the retention of Balsillie and Lazaridis on RIM's board and called for several other board members to step down before the company's mid-year annual meeting.

"If we're wrong, prove us wrong," Alboini said in an interview, referring to the group of shareholders who support his view. "This group is not going anywhere. This is just putting RIM in a position where it might be able to get back into the game. It's early days."

RIM's U.S.-listed shares climbed 4.1 percent to $17.69 in premarket trade on Monday.

RIM looks badly in need of a leader that can rejuvenate both the design and operational sides of the business or prepare it for sale to one of a raft of rumored buyers, its critics said.

"If there are no meaningful signs of an imminent turnaround then I think the spotlight will turn back on to the assets that RIM holds and who they might be attractive to," CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood told Reuters.

"The annual analyst event in May will now become the focal point to the unveiling of Thorsten's vision. We know the speed with which you make strategic changes and implement them is absolutely critical because the mobile phone business will not stand still."

On the surface, the former Siemens AG executive appeared to suggest he would stick to the current strategy, but analysts expect that to change in the coming months.

RIM's existing product lineup has struggled to compete with Apple's iPhone and iPad and the slew of large-screen and powerful devices from Samsung and other manufacturers using Google's Android operating system.

U.S. WOES

First on the agenda will be a need to improve execution, with a particular focus in North America where RIM has hemorrhaged market share after a year marked by product delays and a botched launch of its PlayBook tablet.

"It takes nine months for a product to get to market once you have thought about what you want to do," Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi told Reuters. "They are looking at least a year from a transitional perspective.

"Picking Thorsten is a sign that they haven't quite decided that (a sale is what) they want to do, so they might give it yet another shot at looking at the business and trying to come back".

As the window for a turnaround closes, the clamor from shareholders for the company to license its technology to third parties or even sell the business has got louder.

"RIM's Achilles heel is its hardware focus," said Victor Basta, managing director at Magister Advisors.

"IBM is a very rare exception to the rule, but it took them a decade to transition from a hardware to a software focus. RIM does not have the luxury of a decade."

Investors have seized on any rumor of a deal, whether with Amazon as reported by Reuters in December or with Samsung last week, as reason to celebrate.

NOKIA IN THE FRAME

Analysts have said that logical buyers for RIM also include fellow-struggler Nokia, perhaps with support from Microsoft, and Facebook which is increasingly pushing its content to users via their mobile phones.

If there is no obvious buyer, Heins does have more immediate options to add value to the business.

Heins says his most immediate concern was to sell RIM's current lineup of BlackBerry 7 touchscreen devices, deliver on a promised software upgrade for its PlayBook tablet computer by February, and rally RIM's troops to launch the next-generation BlackBerry 10 phones later this year.

Longer term, RIM could license its software or integrate its email package, a strategy that many analysts and investors have thought the company might pursue. Heins, formerly one of RIM's chief operating officers, said it would be wrong to focus on that option but he is still open to discussions.

The two men who Heins replaces together built Lazaridis' 1985 start-up into a global business. Both men, also two of RIM's three largest shareholders with more than 5 percent each, will remain board members while Lazaridis will stay on as the head of a newly created innovation committee.

"RIM have had big challenges in the past and they succeeded in moving from a corporate product to be also a consumer product, to get a foot in the consumer market and very few people expected them to do that," consultant John Strand said.

"Now they have to reinvent themselves again."

(Writing by Andrea Hopkins; Editing by Andrew Callus and Frank McGurty)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/bs_nm/us_rim

portland news portland news tibetan mastiff manny pacquiao pacquiao blanche blanche

Video: The Bathtub Mystery, Part 3

Dateline NBC

'Dateline NBC,' the signature broadcast for NBC News in primetime, premiered in 1992. Since then, it has been pioneering a new approach to primetime news programming. The multi-night franchise, supplemented by frequent specials, allows NBC to consistently and comprehensively present the highest-quality reporting, investigative features, breaking news coverage and newsmaker profiles.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/vp/46104880#46104880

great pumpkin charlie brown the strangers all hallows eve all saints day all saints day bernard madoff ct news

January Tornadoes Turn Deadly in Alabama (ContributorNetwork)

A severe line of storms that started in Arkansas and Missouri moved eastward, leaving a trail of destruction from high winds and tornadoes in the Midwest and the South. According to MSNBC, at least three people are dead in Alabama, and homes and businesses were destroyed in several states and thousands without power late Sunday and early Monday.

* The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service posted preliminary data from the overnight storms and it included 22 tornado reports.

* In Arkansas, the SPC reported tornadoes were spotted near Fordyce, Coy, Slovak, Lodge Corner, DeWitt and Burks. The counties were Cleveland, Dallas, Lonoke, Prairie, Arkansas and Crittendon.

* In Mississippi, tornadoes were spotted near Trebloc and Lauderdale.

* In Tennessee, there was a possible tornado report in Dickson.

* MSNBC reported that in Alabama, the three deaths occurred near Birmingham. Center Point was hit especially hard. Tuscaloosa, which saw death and destruction from tornadoes in April, suffered damage.

* Accuweather.com reported a fourth fatality had occurred in Alabama.

* Accuweather also reported damage in the Paradise Valley, Millbrook and Clanton areas in Alabama. In Clanton, a tornado is believed to be behind the destruction of a radio station and transmission tower. A report from Millbrook stated winds knocked down trees and power lines and tore apart fences and metal buildings.

* There were reports of severe damage, downed trees, snapped power lines and debris blocking roads in several areas around Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana. The SPC received numerous reports of high winds and wind damage, lightning and power outages across parts of these states.

* In Arkansas and Tennessee, there were reports of tractor-trailers and signs blown over on Interstates, according to the SPC.

* Large hail was reported to the SPC from several states, with multiple reports of quarter-sized hail in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois and Kentucky. Some locations reported hail that was half-dollar in size and larger. There was a report of hail the size of a hen's egg in Calloway County, Ky., and at least one report of hail the size of softballs in Jefferson County, Ark.

* Following overnight high winds, the ferry at Cave-in-Rock, Ill., was closed temporarily, as reported by WPSD-TV. The ferry transports travelers the Ohio River between Illinois and Kentucky but high winds that continue in the region on the heels of Sunday night's storm system are still creating dangerous conditions in the area and the decision was made to close the ferry until weather conditions improve.

Tammy Lee Morris is certified as a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member and is a trained Skywarn Stormspotter through the National Weather Service. She has received interpretive training regarding the New Madrid Seismic Zone through EarthScope -- a program of the National Science Foundation. She researches and writes about earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, weather and other natural phenomena.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120123/us_ac/10872709_january_tornadoes_turn_deadly_in_alabama

andrea bocelli john hughes panasonic lumix dmc lx5 ucla football taylor momsen deliverance muhammad ali

PFT: Colts eye Tressel? |?? Dolphins hire Philbin

Getty Images

On Friday morning, seemingly out of the blue, the NFL announced that the Rams will play a home game in each of the next three seasons in London.

It wasn?t a surprise only for the fans in St. Louis.? In an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show coming less than an hour after word of the three-year deal broke, new coach Jeff Fisher said he found out about the potential move the prior day.

?I had discussions with [COO] Kevin Demoff late yesterday,? Fisher said, in response to the question of when he first learned about the arrangement.? ?[Demoff] said it might be a possibility.? I guess they firmed things up in the last 24 hours.?

The development has ruffled feathers in St. Louis, for multiple reasons.? First, the team has given up what would have been one of the more compelling contests on the 2012 slate of home games.? Second, the city will lose one of the 10 annual occasions (preseason and regular season) on which revenue spikes for hotels, restaurants, bars, and related game-day/game-weekend services.? Third, and perhaps most importantly, the three-year deal coincides with the three remaining years before the team can abandon its current lease, if the Edward Jones Dome isn?t among the top 25 percent of all NFL stadiums.

To his credit, Kevin Demoff applied a thick layer of skin and absorbed the slings and arrows from the St. Louis fan base in a chat that was conducted Friday afternoon by the team?s official website.? And Demoff wasn?t bashful about responding to aggressive fans.? Here?s the verbatim content of one of the first questions posted, even though it was more of a statement:? ?Tired of the constant F-you?s by your organization. You guys have successfully alienated your entire fanbase over and over again. You guys are the laughingstock of the league, congrats.?

Conceding in his first response that the Rams knew the announcement would trigger a ?mixed bag? of responses, Demoff subsequently summarized the benefits of the move:? ?1. The league is placing its faith in the St. Louis Rams and now has a vested interest in our success. That means potentially a better schedule, a possible primetime game, things like that. 2. This is a unique opportunity to showcase St. Louis globally and especially in the UK. For multinational businesses like AB, Monsanto, Enterprise, Emerson, Purina, etc, this provides a platform that combines their local roots with international reach. 3. The bigger we can make our brand nationally and globally, the bigger it makes our ?effective market size?.? If you look at Buffalo playing yearly in Toronto, they are applying the same concept to grow their fan base while still being a regional and local team.?

The second point makes plenty of sense.? The third point becomes relevant only if folks from St. Louis will be traveling to the London games, and vice-versa.? As to the first point, the notion that the Rams would get a ?better schedule? has, in our view, no link to the willingness to play a home game each year in London.? The league doesn?t select prime-time games based on the potential ratings boost in other countries; the games are picked based on how the league believes those games will perform in the U.S.? For American viewers, the fact that the Rams will play seven games domestically and one internationally in each of the next three years simply doesn?t matter.? Moreover, the actual slate of games is based on a formula tied to whether the team finishes in first, second, third, or fourth place in its division; where those gave have been or will be played simply doesn?t matter when determining the opponents.

Demoff provided a somewhat more persuasive answer as to the possible on-field edge to be derived from three years of playing in London:? ?We actually hope that we can gain a competitive advantage by playing abroad and knowing exactly how to adapt to the conditions versus a team traveling to the UK for the first time.? Additionally, with Arsenal?s facilities, we should have the opportunity to have a normal practice schedule in the UK should we want it.? Finally this will allow us to have a bye in early November for the next few years which is highly important to the overall health of our team down the stretch.? And let?s face it, we haven?t played any better at home the past few years than on the road.?

That said, there are a few flaws in the logic.? The Patriots played a London game in 2009; thus, the organization and plenty of players will have an edge over the Rams in the 2012 game.? The fact that Stan Kroenke owns Arsenal would make it far cheaper to have a ?normal practice schedule? in London; any NFL team that goes to London could have a ?normal practice schedule? if it so chooses, as the Bucs did in 2011.? Also, any potential free agents with relatively equal offers from the Rams and another team may choose the other team in order to avoid having to go to London during the season for each of the next three years.? This could make it more expensive to sign free agents.

Demoff provided some insights into the manner in which the deal came together, which could make Fisher wonder why he wasn?t told about the possibility of playing games in London before Thursday.? ?[T]he league approved an initiative in October allowing teams to apply to play for up to five years,? Demoff said.? ?The majority of teams applied for three years because that was enough time for the league to consider the request but also not committing for the long term.? There is some connection to the lease timing, but that wasn?t the driving force in the years.? The driving force was our desire to partner with the league in putting on these games and knowing we had to show a commitment to the league.? On the flipside, people want to say that once the games expire we can leave, but what if we also look at it as once the improvements take place we want to return back to a refurbished building for good??

That?s a potent paragraph.? Demoff admits ?some connection? to an arrangement to play in London through 2014 and a St. Louis lease that can be escaped after 2014.? The last sentence strongly implies dissatisfaction with the current building in St. Louis, along with an expression of hope that, after 2014, the stadium would be properly ?refurbished.?

Thus, it?s fair to characterize this move by the Rams as a deliberate, calculated, and shrewd business decision.? Though Demoff?s contention that playing three games in London creates a ?chance to become the next Dallas Cowboys or Pittsburgh Steelers? represents the kind of stretch that could shatter a rubber band, the decision to take away one home game per year forces the powers-that-be in St. Louis to make the commitment sooner rather than later to properly upgrade the stadium ? or confront the possibility that the team will leave.

Making the tactic even more brilliant from a business perspective is the fact that the Rams, and in turn the NFL, will now be able to pit Los Angeles against London in the hopes of getting the best possible deal for the relocation of the Rams, if it comes to that.

Still, our friends in St. Louis shouldn?t abandon hope, yet.? The team?s tactic will bring the situation to a head.? And if the outcome becomes that the Rams will be moving out in three years, the folks in the Show Me State can hope that the Jaguars will be able to show three straight years of financial losses in Jacksonville, which would allow new owner Shad Khan to break the lease at Everbank Field and move the team to St. Louis.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/21/reports-say-colts-are-considering-tressel-for-head-coach/related/

lana del rey john 3 16 alex smith 49ers broncos broncos hgtv dream home miss america 2012

Video: 'The big ask is to listen to cities more and do more for our cities'

High stakes in South Carolina, where Republicans there have picked the party?s eventual nominee for the last 32 years. We?ll have complete analysis of the crucial contest and breakdown the results, including what they will mean for the road ahead. Joining us: Host of MSNBC?s ?Morning Joe,? Joe Scarborough, Republican strategist Mike Murphy, the BBC?s Katty Kay, and NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/46064404#46064404

f8 f8 catherine the great dark shadows ted haggard ted haggard neutrino

Air Force launches military satellite into space

A Delta IV rocket lauches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Complex 37 carrying a United Launch Alliance Wideband Global Positioning satellite Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, as seen from the Ocean Club in Port Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Malcolm Denemark)

A Delta IV rocket lauches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Complex 37 carrying a United Launch Alliance Wideband Global Positioning satellite Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, as seen from the Ocean Club in Port Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Malcolm Denemark)

Members of the media photograph the liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. The rocket is carrying another satellite in the Wideband Global SATCOM series for the Department of Defense. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Craig Bailey) NO SALES

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. The rocket is carrying another satellite in the Wideband Global SATCOM series for the Department of Defense. (AP Photo/Florida Today, Craig Bailey) NO SALES

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) ? The Air Force has sent into space a satellite that is expected to improve communications with military drones in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Officials say a Delta 4 rocket carried the WGS 4 satellite from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 7:38 p.m. Thursday.

It's the fourth in a series of military satellites that have been put into place since 2007. The next one is expected to be ready to launch next year.

WGS stands for Wideband Global SATCOM. The satellites are replacing aging Defense Satellite Communications System spacecraft and have 10 times the speed and capacity of the older satellites.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2012-01-20-US-Rocket-Launch/id-3a54a8d3ca834c6b9b7513371b730360

tori spelling brian williams patrice o neal patrice o neal paulina gretzky paulina gretzky wayne gretzky

Always Find Your Way When You're Lost by Facing North [Macgyver Tips]

Even if you have lived in a city for a few years you're bound to get lost or disoriented now and again. A new study in Psychological Science reveals the easiest way to reorient yourself and find your way is to face north and visualize the map.

When it comes to understanding environments, our brains refer back to what they know. Western maps are always oriented toward the north so our spatial memory does the same thing. When you face your body north, you visualize a map and can navigate based on memory. Even when you're visiting a new city you should be able to recreate a map you've only glanced at. One of the studies authors, Dr. Julia Frankenstein, suggests using the north trick to learn new cities:

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.

Of course, you need to know which direction north is for this to work. Thankfully, you can quickly find north using shadows or your wristwatch. It's also worth noting this is a great trick for when people ask you for directions. If you're stopped on the street in your hometown, orient yourself north before offering up direction advice. Photo by Ram Karthik.

Which Direction Now? Just Ask the North-Facing Map in Your Head | ScienceDaily

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/qui-PY3Ylbg/always-find-your-way-when-your-lost-by-facing-north

yolo steelers vs ravens jack dempsey lake malawi warren jeffs phaedra parks oklahoma earthquake

Marine's trial in Iraq deaths to continue Friday (AP)

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. ? Proceedings were stalled for a second day Thursday in the military trial of a major Iraq war crimes case, but court was expected to reconvene Friday.

A military judge excused the all-Marine jury Wednesday and lawyers were asked to explore their options, fueling speculation that a plea deal was in the works that could end the trial of Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich of Meriden, Conn.

Wuterich led a squad that killed 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians during raids on homes in the town of Haditha in 2005 after a roadside bomb killed one Marine.

But defense attorney Neal Puckett told The Associated Press late Thursday that he expected a full day of testimony Friday, with a squad mate and a forensic scientist with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service expected to take the stand.

Puckett said prosecutors also will show outtakes that Wuterich gave in 2007 to CBS's "60 Minutes." The trial was delayed for years by pre-trial wrangling between the defense and prosecution, including over whether the military could use the unaired outtakes. Prosecutors eventually won the right to view the footage.

Wuterich has said he regretted the loss of civilian lives but believed he was operating within military combat rules.

Prosecutors have argued Wuterich lost control of himself after seeing the body of his friend blown apart by the bomb.

The incident still fuels anger in Iraq today and was a main reason behind the country's demands that U.S. troops not be given immunity from its legal system. Those demands were the deal breaker in keeping forces there after the war ended in December.

Wuterich is one of eight Marines initially charged. None has been convicted.

His squad members have testified during the trial, which started 10 days ago. Several said they did not positively identify their targets before opening fire and tossing grenades into two homes near the bomb site. Some also said they did not believe the squad did anything wrong because they believed insurgents were in the homes.

The raid went on for 45 minutes. The Marines found no weapons or insurgents, and they met no gunfire in the homes. Among the dead were women, children and elderly, including a man in a wheelchair.

Six squad members have had charges dropped or dismissed, and one was acquitted.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_us/us_marines_haditha

reno fire regis philbin last show regis philbin last show ray lewis crystal cathedral sarah vowell fire in reno

Rapid Infant Growth Linked to Asthma in Study (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, Jan. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Rapid growth during the first three months of life is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in preschool children, a new study indicates.

The findings suggest that early infancy might be a critical period for the development of asthma, said the researchers at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands.

They examined data collected from 5,125 children who were followed from the fetal stage until they were 4 years old.

The researchers found no link between fetal growth and asthma symptoms. But in children with normal fetal growth, accelerated weight gain from birth to 3 months of age was associated with increased risk of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm.

The study appears online ahead of print in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Previous research has shown an association between low birth weight and increased risk of asthma symptoms in children. This is the first study to examine specific fetal and infant growth patterns on asthma risk.

"Our results suggest that the relationship between infant weight gain and asthma symptoms is not due to the accelerated growth of fetal growth-restricted infants only," researcher Dr. Liesbeth Duijts said in a journal news release. "While the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear, accelerated weight growth in early life might adversely affect lung growth and might be associated with adverse changes in the immune system."

She added: "Further research is needed to replicate our findings and explore the mechanisms that contribute to the effects of growth acceleration in infancy on respiratory health. The effects of infant growth patterns on asthma phenotypes [observable characteristics] in later life should also be examined."

More information

The American Lung Association has more about children and asthma.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120120/hl_hsn/rapidinfantgrowthlinkedtoasthmainstudy

cujo hpv vaccine hurricane tracking hurricane tracking flat tax flat tax divine

Rate on 30-year mortgage down to record 3.88 pct.

[unable to retrieve full-text content]WASHINGTON (AP) ? The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell again this week to a record low. The eighth record low in a year is attracting few takers because most who can afford to buy or refinance have already done so.

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-19-Mortgage%20Rates/id-c6329a2b17e9438d84079c987b5fcadf

180 degrees askew cory smoot do a barrel roll jimmy kimmel tilt do a barrel roll.

Germany lowers 2012 growth forecast (AP)

BERLIN ? Germany's government cut the country's 2012 growth forecast Wednesday due to a faltering global economy and Europe's debt crisis, sparking fears that the region's largest economy could tip into recession.

Following what is believed to have been a contraction in economic activity in the fourth quarter of 2011, Economy Minister Philipp Roesler said the government had reduced Germany's growth forecast for this year from 1 percent to 0.7 percent ? its second reduction in three months. As recently as October, the prediction was 1.8 percent.

Germany's economy, the world's fourth-largest, is thought to have contracted by up to 0.3 percent in last year's fourth quarter compared with the previous three-month period, though final numbers aren't due until next month.

Roesler said he expected growth of 0.1 percent in the current quarter ? meaning that the German economy would hardly grow at all ? but would avoid slipping into a technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

However, other forecasters have painted a bleaker picture, with many ? such as Commerzbank last week ? predicting that Germany will fall into a modest recession in the first quarter before returning to growth.

Over 2011 as a whole, Germany grew by 3 percent ? following a growth spurt of 3.7 percent in 2010 after a deep recession the previous year.

That contrasted with the performance of many of its partners in the eurozone, which have seen their economies barely grow or shrink amid debt troubles and tough austerity measures.

Roesler said "a temporary dent in growth can be expected for the coming months" but predicted that "the economy will gradually liven up over the course of 2012." Growth next year is expected to speed up to 1.6 percent, he said.

Roesler conceded there were risks regarding the forecasts, primarily from financial market turbulence and the debt crisis in the 17-country eurozone.

"Germany remains on the course of growth ? assuming that there is no new sudden crisis on the financial markets, and the uncertainty in the eurozone above all gradually abates," said Roesler, who is also Germany's vice-chancellor.

The German government figures come after the World Bank forecast that the eurozone economy as a whole will contract by 0.3 percent this year. It sees the United States growing by 2.2 percent, Japan by 1.9 percent and China by 8.4 percent.

Exports have been the bedrock of Germany's growth over recent years, but Roesler said this year's expansion will stem from stronger domestic demand. His ministry forecast that export growth will slow to 2 percent from 8.2 percent last year.

It also expects a further improvement in Germany's already-bright labor market picture, with the average unemployment rate this year projected to fall from last year's 7.1 percent ? already a two-decade low ? to 6.8 percent.

Germany has insisted on debt-cutting and austerity as the main medicine to cure Europe's debt woes. It is the prime mover behind a planned new budget-discipline pact.

Last week, Standard & Poor's upheld Germany's AAA credit rating while nine eurozone countries were downgraded ? including France, Berlin's co-pilot in the eurozone rescue effort, which lost its top rating.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday brushed aside a reporter's question as to whether Germany would now need to do more to show solidarity with other countries.

"I'm still searching for what more exactly we are supposed to do," she said. "When I've found it out, I will answer you."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_germany_economy

demarcus cousins mount rainier savannah brinson ohio state football michigan state michigan state capital one bowl

Boa Constrictors Listen To Loosen

60-Second Science | More Science

Boa constrictors kept tightening their grip on dead rats with faked heartbeats for 20 minutes, but let go when the pulse stopped. Christopher Intagliata reports.

January 18, 2012?|

More 60-Second Science

Subscribe via iTunes

True to their name, boa constrictors squeeze the life out of their prey. But how does a boa know it's snuffed out a rat? The snake listens for a heartbeat. When it stops, that's the cue to let go, according to a study in the journal Biology Letters. [Scott M. Boback et al, Snake modulates constriction in response to prey?s heartbeat]

Researchers outfitted rat cadavers with artificial beating hearts. They used dead rats to control for other signs of passing, like muscle spasms. Then they warmed up the rats, set the hearts pumping, and dangled them in front of hungry boas.

The snakes attacked. And as long as that rat heart kept thumping, the boas kept tightening their coils and applying bursts of pressure, sometimes for more than 20 minutes. But as soon as scientists killed the heartbeat, the boas loosened up.

Even captive-born boas who'd never hunted live prey paid attention to the pulse?suggesting the behavior is innate. And for good reason. The authors say constriction takes a lot of energy. And it can be dangerous, say, if an enemy strikes while the snake's coiled around its quarry. But by following the telltale heart, boas can keep the pressure on just long enough. Before a relaxing meal.

?Christopher Intagliata

[The above text is a transcript of this podcast]?

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=7537ed60e1b9c0c5ff0a3e9328698497

lovelace andrew luck andrew luck love and hip hop 2012 nfl mock draft iowa caucus dick clark

Romney Pulls Away from GOP Pack (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/187264647?client_source=feed&format=rss

kit homes boxing day radio shack bethany hamilton bethany hamilton after christmas sales macys