Tuesday, January 31, 2012

An Enemy in the Ranks


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Image of the Week #28, January 30th, 2012:


From: An Enemy in the Ranks by Alex Wild at Compound Eye

Source: Alex Wild Photography

The rear end of the ant-mimic crab spider Amyciaea albomaculata has two black spots that are spaced so they could easily be mistaken for the eyes of the weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina. The spider uses this disguise to hide in plain day and pick off unsuspecting ants who venture too close. Photographer and entomologist Alex Wild captures this behavior in a stunning photo essay he took while in Australia.

Bora ZivkovicAbout the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Drug Addiction May Make Users More Vulnerable to Stress

Head Lines | Mind & Brain Cover Image: January 2012 Scientific American MagazineSee Inside

ECK: Depression and substance abuse modify the same brain circuitt

Image: Malcolm Case-Green Alamy

Mood disorders such as depression are known to increase drug abuse risk. Yet mounting evidence suggests that substance abuse also makes people more vulnerable to depression and the negative effects of stress, according to Eric J. Nestler, chair of neuroscience at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He and his team reported new details about the link between depression and drug abuse in Neuron in August.

The team found that mice given cocaine daily for a week?a simulation of chronic drug abuse in humans?were more likely than their drug-free counter?parts to display behaviors reminiscent of depression after being subjected to socially stressful situations involving an aggressive and intimidating mouse. The drug-treated mice became lethar?gic and reluctant to interact with other mice following a shorter-than-usual bout of this ?social defeat? stress, which is commonly used to study depression in mice.

Most striking, the researchers found that the cocaine use led to the same molecular changes in the nucleus accumbens, a reward region, as are found in mice prone to stress and depression. The mice had lower levels of a molecule that polices the activity of certain genes and keeps at least one signaling circuit in check.

When the researchers artificially dialed down or up the levels of this regulatory molecule in the nucleus accumbens, they were able to produce or protect against depression in mice. This effect suggests that shifts in that brain region can cause?and are not just a side effect of?depression.

Testing for such changes in the human brain is trickier, of course.The team did find low levels of some of the same gene-regulating com?ponents in postmortem tissue sam?ples from the nucleus accumbens of people diagnosed with depression, hinting that humans with the disorder might experience altered signaling in this brain region, too.

If so, the findings may provide clues about why cases of drug abuse and depression sometimes spiral out of control, given that drug-induced de?pression is believed to ratchet up the chances of subsequent abuse in the same way that naturally occurring depression can.


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Mercury space capsule heads to Boston, D.C.

The capsule that launched the first American into space more than 50 years ago will soon be moved from Maryland to Massachusetts, before ultimately landing in Washington, D.C. in 2016.

Freedom 7, the Mercury spacecraft that NASA astronaut Alan Shepard rode on a 15-minute suborbital flight on May 5, 1961, is leaving the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., where it has been on display since December 1998. Shepard, who died earlier that same year, graduated from the academy in 1945.

The Naval Academy announced the spacecraft's pending departure on Jan. 18, promoting the "last chance" for the public to see the capsule on display at its Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center. Freedom 7 is expected to leave Annapolis in late February, according to an academy spokesperson.

On loan from the Smithsonian Institution, the capsule is departing the Naval Academy to be displayed at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum at Columbia Point in Boston, Mass.

"A plan for loaning [Freedom 7] to the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston is being developed," the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum said in a statement. [ Photos: The Flight of Freedom 7 ]

Less than a month after the flight of Freedom 7, Kennedy challenged the nation to "commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth." Shepard later became the fifth man to walk on the moon.

Freedom 7's arrival at the library will mark the second time a Mercury spacecraft has visited Massachusetts. In 2002, Liberty Bell 7, which followed Freedom 7 into space, was displayed at the Museum of Science in Boston.

Long-range plan
Like Liberty Bell 7, the JFK Library's exhibit of Freedom 7 will be temporary.

"The National Air and Space Museum is working on a long range plan for exhibiting the Mercury Freedom 7 capsule," the museum explained in a statement. "The plan includes placement of the artifact in a major new gallery which is expected to open in the museum's Washington building in 2016."

The National Air and Space Museum plans for Freedom 7 to be a part of a "new Apollo gallery for a new generation." Replacing the "Apollo to the Moon" exhibition room, which opened with the museum in 1976, the new gallery "will tell the story of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, going from nothing to six landings on the Moon in only 14 years ? only eight years and two months from Kennedy's challenge to successfully landing."

The new gallery will highlight artifacts from the museum's collection, including Freedom 7, while adding "new content for a whole generation of people who grew up after Apollo was over."

Mercury museums
The Air and Space Museum currently displays Friendship 7, the Mercury capsule that launched John Glenn on the United States' first orbital mission in February 1962, in its "Milestones of Flight" gallery. The museum's annex, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, has "Freedom 7 II," the Mercury capsule that Shepard had hoped to fly for his second flight before the mission was canceled.

Three other flown Mercury spacecraft are on loan from the Smithsonian to museums around the country, including the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Florida, Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry in Illinois, and at Space Center Houston in Texas.

The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center displays the Liberty Bell 7. In 1999, the museum recovered the sunken spacecraft from the ocean floor.

NASA gave Freedom 7 to the Smithsonian five months after it flew to be the first manned spacecraft added to the National Collection. Prior it going to the Naval Academy in 1998, the capsule was on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

Follow collectSPACE on Facebook and Twitter @ collectSPACE and editor Robert Pearlman @ robertpearlman. Copyright 2011 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.

? 2012 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46174619/ns/technology_and_science-space/

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

29 Chinese missing after militant attack in Sudan

(AP) ? Militants apparently captured 29 Chinese workers after attacking a remote worksite in a volatile region of Sudan, and Sudanese forces were increasing security for Chinese projects and personnel there, China said Sunday.

China has close political and economic relations with Sudan, especially in the energy sector.

The Foreign Ministry in Beijing said the militants attacked Saturday and Sudanese forces launched a rescue mission Sunday in coordination with the Chinese embassy in Khartoum.

The Ministry's head of consular affairs met with the Sudanese ambassador in Beijing and "urged him to actively conduct rescue missions under the prerequisite of ensuring the safety of the Chinese personnel," the statement said.

In Khartoum, a Chinese embassy spokesman said the northern branch of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement announced that 29 Chinese workers had been captured in the attack. The spokesman, who asked not be identified, gave no other details and it wasn't clear if the militants had demanded conditions for their return.

Other details weren't given. The official Xinhua News Agency cited the state governor as saying the Sudan People's Liberation Movement attacked a road-building site in South Kordofan and seized the workers.

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement are a guerrilla force that has fought against Sudan's regime. Its members hail from a minority ethnic group now in control of much of South Sudan, which became the world's newest country only six months ago in a breakaway from Sudan.

Sudan has accused South Sudan of arming pro-South Sudan groups in South Kordofan. The government of South Sudan has called such accusations a smoke screen intended to justify a future invasion of the South.

China has sent large numbers of workers to potentially unstable regions such as Sudan and last year was forced to send ships and planes to help with the emergency evacuation of 30,000 of its citizens from the fighting in Libya.

China has consistently used its clout in diplomatic forums such as the United Nations to defend Sudan and its longtime leader Omar al-Bashir. In recent years, it has also sought to build good relations with leaders from the south, where most of Sudan's oil is located.

Chinese companies have also invested heavily in Sudanese oil production, along with companies India and elsewhere.

___

Associated Press writer Mohamed Saeed contributed to this report from Khartoum.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-29-AS-China-Sudan/id-1d46cda9ed1745119bbe4aeecdcacb07

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I Get Excited About Insurance Too - Gifs, Gifs and More Funny Gifs ...

Source: http://senorgif.memebase.com/2012/01/28/funny-gifs-i-get-excited-about-insurance-too/

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, ships this Spring for $269

MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, shipping this Spring for $269
Looking to add some muscle to your mobile recording kit? MOTU waited to pull the curtain back on the MicroBook II until after NAMM, revealing a revamped portable audio interface for those who fancy tracking on-the-go. The studio-quality kit plays nice with both Mac and PC, offering a compact 4-input / 6-output, bus-powered recording option with 96kHz recording and playback support. Sporting inputs for mics (XLR), guitar, keyboard and powered speakers, the MicroBook II connects to your computer of choice via USB 2.0 and boasts on-board volume controls. All four inputs can be recorded simultaneously while internal CueMix tech allows for a unique stereo mix for each output pair. Speaking of outputs, the dimunuative box houses six of said channels alongside TRS 1/4-inch, stereo mini, S/PDIF, and 1/4-inch headphone offerings. You'll have to wait until Spring to snag one, but for now hit the PR after the break for a full list of specs.

Continue reading MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, ships this Spring for $269

MOTU sneaks in MicroBook II post-NAMM, ships this Spring for $269 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Romney failed to disclose income from Swiss bank (The Arizona Republic)

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

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Iran's offer to talk nukes: A win for the West? (The Week)

New York ? Tehran says it's willing to resume discussions, but insists it won't cave to foreign demands that it stop enriching uranium

Facing a potentially devastating oil embargo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that his government was ready to resume talks with foreign leaders who want to curb Iran's controversial nuclear program. But Ahmadinejad said international pressure would not force his country to give up enriching uranium, a demand that caused talks to break down last year. Are tough sanctions working, or is Ahmadinejad just trying to trick the West into loosening the noose?

It's foolish to trust Iran: Ahmadinejad and Iran's ruling mullahs aren't really seeking a nuclear truce, says Jonathan S. Tobin at Commentary. They're just trying to give President Obama "an excuse to back away from the confrontation." They know Obama has to talk tough to counter election-year attacks from Republicans, but they're confident he's in no rush to start an embargo that could trigger "a spike in oil and gas prices and help send an already shaky economy into another tailspin."
"Will Obama take Ahmadinejad's bait?"

Tehran can't win this time: "No one trusts Iran" when it insists it wants only nuclear energy, not bombs, says The Seattle Times in an editorial. That's why the U.S., Europe, and even China are now hitting Iran with "hardball diplomacy." Otherwise, Tehran will never start "talking seriously" about definitively swearing off a quest for nuclear weapons. "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can compete with bluster and bellicosity, but he is no match for a united front."
"Diplomats flex their economic options and Iran gets squeezed"

Iran's leaders care about survival more than nukes: "It's far too early to declare victory," says Michael Moran at Slate, but "the end is nigh." With its currency collapsing and oil revenues threatening to dry up, Tehran is getting desperate ? why else would it threaten a suicidal move like shutting down Gulf oil shipping lanes? The mullahs know their regime's very survival is at stake, and it looks like they're "interested more in self-preservation and holding onto power than in [sowing the seeds of] nuclear Armageddon."
"Iran's crisis: The Saudis in the catbird seat"

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Will Beyonce Join The Ranks Of Celebrity Mommy Moguls?

Mommy Mogul Kimora Lee Simmons and experts discuss the balance between motherhood and business.
By Jocelyn Vena



Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

<P>Now that <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/knowles_beyonce/artist.jhtml">Beyonc&#233;</a> has added a new job to her resume, mom, there's a slew of potential new projects the pop-star mogul might add to her ever-growing empire. Gwen Stefani, Madonna and Victoria Beckham are just a sampling of pop stars who have managed to write a whole new chapter into their careers thanks to motherhood. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:724613.id:1676907" width="240" height="211"></div><p> These celebs have expanded their personal brands to include children's clothing lines, books, songs and movies and have even revitalized themselves in their image as super-glam supermoms. As Beyonc&#233; looks to the future and her role as <a href="/news/articles/1676906/beyonce-jay-z-baby-born-ivy-blue.jhtml">Blue Ivy</a>'s mama, mommy mogul Kimora Lee Simmons and Christopher Gavigan, who works with Jessica Alba on her Honest brand, talked to MTV News about the balance between parenthood and the business world. "I always tell people I'm not the glamorous Hollywood mom," said Simmons, who continues to expand her own fashion brand to include Shinto Clinical skincare line. "I'm not the kind of celebrity that lives in the spotlight. I'm famous from work that I do. I've always been in the business and raised my family in the business so it's like a second nature for me. I think that's the key is striking a balance. For me it's always about prioritizing." What's Simmon's advice for new celeb moms looking to follow her lead? "I think it's about choosing what you want and going after that. Do the best you can, but you don't have to be Superwoman." And Simmons isn't the only Hollywood A-lister trying to do it all. Alba launched Honest with Gavigan to give moms a place to find eco-friendly products for their babies. "Jessica is like every other mom. Every other mom is a major multi-tasker," Gavigan said of working with the star. "Jessica was very in line with everyone, the average mom and dad out there." "Find what you're passionate about and go do that," he advised to any future mom moguls. "You articulate that in a brand or in a way you feel from a business perspective that you feel you get your focus articulated in some meaningful or special way. A lot of it is partnerships and leveraging the greatest assets of each other." With all that advice in mind, some celebrity experts weighed in on what B just might do now that she is a mom. "I think it's going to come very naturally for Beyonc&#233; to emerge as this celebrity mom, just given all the current existing brand extensions she has," said David Caplan, who has worked at <i>Star</i> and <i>People</i> magazines. "Having a child will give her legitimacy, obviously, to the moms, and clearly there's lots and lots of money to be had there. So, I think you will see her lend her hand in the baby arena, whether it's her brand extensions intentionally or just emerging as some sort of Hollywood celebrity mom icon, which happens sometimes with these celebrity mothers. "Whether or not it's intentional or not, I think she's definitely going to emerge as a celebrity mother icon," he continued. "And I'm sure she'll take advantage of that and invest in her brand." A suggestion from another expert fits right in line with the first move her hubby, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jay_z/artist.jhtml">Jay-Z</a>, made when he dropped his track <a href="/news/articles/1676945/blue-ivy-carter-new-jay-z-song-glory.jhtml">"Glory"</a> just says after Blue's birth, which features his <a href="/news/articles/1677033/blue-ivy-beyonce-jay-z-leaves-hospital.jhtml">baby girl</a>. "I think that this is a woman that has tried terribly hard to keep her private life private," HuffPost celebrity columnist Rob Shuter said. "I think it'll be the same with her baby. I can't imagine her doing a Bethenny Frankel move." <center><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:728285/cp~vid%3D728285%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A728285" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></center> <i>How do you think motherhood will affect Beyonc&#233;'s career? Share your thoughts below!</i></p>

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677997/beyonce-motherhood-business.jhtml

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Calif. poised to vote on new 'clean car' regs

(AP) ? The head of California's air quality board is calling proposed rules that would require automakers to build less-polluting cars and trucks by 2025 a historic move for a cleaner environment.

A vote on the rules will come at a meeting that began Thursday of the California Air Resources Board.

Board Chairman Mary Nichols says she hopes the rules to require that vehicles emit about three-quarters less smog-producing pollutants will "lead the nation and the world."

The new standards, which also include big cuts in greenhouse gas pollutants, would begin with new cars sold in 2015, and get increasingly more stringent until 2025.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-26-California%20Clean%20Car%20Standards/id-0c7384284c5b45f5a6dfeb552178ec43

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Bernanke says Fed pondering further stimulus (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Wednesday the central bank was ready to offer the economy additional stimulus after it announced interest rates would likely remain near zero until at least late 2014.

The Fed also took the historic step of adopting an explicit inflation target, though Bernanke took pains to stress that officials would be flexible about reining in price growth when unemployment was too high.

The late 2014 timeframe for the first rate hike was considerably later than investors had expected and some 18 months later than the Fed had suggested last year, and the announcement prompted a rally in U.S. government bonds.

Speaking at a news conference after a two-day policy meeting, Bernanke was cautious about recent improvements in the U.S. economy and he left the door open to further Fed bond purchases.

"I don't think we're ready to declare that we've entered a new, stronger phase at this point," Bernanke said. "If the situation continues with inflation below target and unemployment declining at a rate which is very, very slow, then ... the logic of our framework says we should be looking for ways to do more."

In response to the deepest recession in generations, the Fed slashed the overnight federal funds rate to near zero in December 2008. It has also more than tripled the size of its balance sheet to around $2.9 trillion through two separate bond purchase programs.

The policy is credited with preventing an even more devastating downturn, but it has been insufficient to bring unemployment down to levels considered normal during good economic times. Many Fed watchers expected a further round of bond buying, likely focusing on mortgage debt.

RANGE OF VIEWS

Fed officials agreed that a goal of 2 percent inflation would be in keeping with their congressional mandate of price stability. By their favorite measure, core inflation is running at about 1.7 percent.

They declined to announce a target for unemployment, saying the job market was often influenced by forces beyond their control.

In another key shift touted as part of an effort toward greater transparency, the Fed for the first time published policymakers' projections for the appropriate path of the benchmark overnight federal funds rate.

These showed a wide range of views, from the three of 17 policymakers who said they thought rates should rise this year to two who want to hold off on any increase until 2016.

Still, the biggest concentration of estimates - five of 17 - was around 2014. The new, later expiration date for the Fed's zero rate policy pushed stock and gold prices higher, and dragged the dollar lower.

In its announcement, the Fed repeated its view that the economy faced "significant downside risks" - an expression that has become code for the threat Europe's debt crisis poses to the United States.

In economic forecasts accompanying the rate projections, the Fed pointed to somewhat weaker economic growth this year and next, compared with estimates published in November. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate, which hit 8.5 percent in December, was seen only coming down slowly.

Economic conditions "are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014," the central bank said. After every previous policy meeting dating to August, the Fed had said rates were not likely to rise until mid-2013.

Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Jeffrey Lacker, an inflation hawk who rotated into a voting seat this year, dissented against the policy decision, preferring to omit the late-2014 date from the Fed's post-meeting statement.

INFLATION NOT A WORRY

The central bank appeared more sanguine on inflation, saying prices were likely to run close to or just below their target. The statement dropped a reference that said the Fed was monitoring inflation and inflation expectations.

Aside from the 2014 rate pledge, the Fed's statement hewed closely to its last policy pronouncement in mid-December.

It described the unemployment rate as still elevated and, in a slight shift, acknowledged a slowing in business investment.

"I think what they are seeing is that the rate of growth is not sufficient to bring down the unemployment rate," said Brian Dolan, chief strategist at FOREX.com in Bedminster, New Jersey.

In December, the U.S. jobless rate stood at 8.5 percent, and some 13 million Americans were still actively looking for work but could not find it.

While forecasters expect the U.S. economy grew at a 3 percent annual rate in the last three months of 2011, they look for growth of just around 2 percent this year.

(Editing by Tim Ahmann and Andrea Ricci)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/bs_nm/us_usa_fed

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

How Do Scientists Classify Solar Flares? (SPACE.com)

The sun is a violent place, one that seethes with solar flares that blast radiation, heat and charged particles out into space.

A whopper of a flare occurred Jan. 23, unleashing a gigantic burst of material that caused the strongest radiation storm since 2005. But while powerful, the flare wasn't the biggest solar storm the sun can unleash.

Astronomers rank solar flares in a classification system of five categories: A, B, C, M, and X. Class A flares are the weakest, while class X solar flares are the biggest, and can wallop the Earth with radiation that interferes with radio, GPS systems, and power grids.

The classification system, designed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes, in that each category is 10 times stronger than the one before it.

Thus, a B-class solar flare releases 10 times more energy than an A-class flare, while a C-class eruption releases 10 times more than a class B flare (and 100 times more than class A).

The scales are further divided into subcategories ranked from 1 to 9. The flare of Jan. 23 registered as an M8.7 on solar flare classification system.

While class A flares are pretty puny, stronger solar flares can pack a punch.

"The biggest X-class flares are by far the largest explosions in the solar system and are awesome to watch," NASA officials wrote in a statement. "Loops tens of times the size of Earth leap up off the sun's surface when the sun's magnetic fields cross over each other and reconnect. In the biggest events, this reconnection process can produce as much energy as a billion hydrogen bombs."

When aimed at Earth, powerful X-class solar flares can pose a threat to astronauts and satellites in space, disrupt satellites in orbit and even damage power grids on the planet's surface.

The strongest solar flare ever recorded occurred in 2003, and was so powerful it maxed out the sensors measuring it, which topped out at class X15. Scientists think this flare was probably closer to class X28, in reality.

Solar activity varies on an 11-year cycle, with the sun going through quiet and rowdy times periodically. The current solar cycle is known as Solar Cycle 24. Feb. 15, 2011 saw the first X-class flare of the current solar cycle, with more following over the summer.

With the sun recently coming out of a lull and gearing up for a solar maximum expected in 2013, this should bring many more strong solar flares, NASA scientists have said.

This story was provided by?Life's Little Mysteries, a sister site to SPACE.com. Follow Life's Little Mysteries on Twitter @llmysteries, then join us on?Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20120124/sc_space/howdoscientistsclassifysolarflares

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Primary day at hand, SC voters have their say (AP)

GREENVILLE, S.C. ? Primary day at hand, fast-climbing Newt Gingrich told South Carolinians on Saturday that he was "the only practical conservative vote" able to stop front-runner Mitt Romney in the GOP presidential race. Romney acknowledged the first-in-the-South contest "could be real close" and prepared for an extended fight by agreeing to two more debates in Florida, next on the election calendar.

Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum braced for a setback and looked ahead to the Jan. 31 contest after getting the most votes in Iowa and besting Gingrich in New Hampshire. Texas Rep. Ron Paul made plans to focus on states where his libertarian, Internet-driven message might find more of a reception with voters; his campaign said it had purchased a substantial ad buy in Nevada and Minnesota, which hold caucuses next month.

The first contest without Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out this past week and endorsed Gingrich, was seen as Romney's to lose just days ago. Instead, the gap closed quickly between the Massachusetts governor who portrays himself as the Republicans best positioned to defeat President Barack Obama and Gingrich, the confrontational former House speaker from Georgia.

Romney avoided a run-in with Gingrich at Tommy's Country Ham House, where both had scheduled campaign events for the same time. Romney stopped by the breakfast restaurant 45 minutes ahead of schedule. When Gingrich arrived, just minutes after Romney's bus left the parking lot, he said: "Where's Mitt?"

Earlier, Gingrich had a message for voters during a stop at The Grapevine restaurant in Boiling Springs not long after the polls opened: Come out and vote for me if you want to help deny Romney nomination.

He told diners who were enjoying plates of eggs and grits that he was the "the only practical conservative vote" to the rival he called a Massachusetts moderate. "Polls are good, votes are better," he said.

Gingrich also said he would put a stop to federal actions against South Carolina's voter ID and immigration laws.

Romney's agreement to participate in Florida debates Monday in Tampa and Thursday in Jacksonville was seen as an acknowledgement of a prolonged battle with Gingrich.

"This could be real close," said Romney as he chatted on the phone with a voter Saturday morning and urged the man to go vote.

Romney still has significant advantages over his three remaining Republican rivals, including an enormous financial edge and a well-organized campaign.

But with his Iowa victory now rescinded, losing in South Carolina would be a setback that could draw the primary contest out much longer. Just 10 days ago, Romney's campaign team was looking ahead to the general election as it anticipated a quick sweep in early primaries.

By Saturday, state Treasurer Curtis Loftis, a top Romney backer, was on an automated telephone message attacking Gingrich's ethics record in Congress, while Romney's wife, Ann, was on a separate one urging voters to consider the candidates character.

"Look at how they've lived their life," she says. "And that's why I think it's so important to understand the character of a person."

Before the ham house standoff that wasn't, Romney stood outside his Greenville headquarters and undertook a new attack on Gingrich. He called on Gingrich to further explain his contracts with Freddie Mac, the housing giant, and release any advice he had provided to the company. He has said the contracts earned two of his companies more than $1.6 million over eight years, but that he only pocketed about $35,000 a year himself.

`I'd like to see what he actually told Freddie Mac. Don't you think we ought to see it?" Romney said.

It was another response to pressure on Romney to release his tax returns before Republican voters finish choosing a nominee.

A day earlier, Romney had called on Gingrich to release information related to an ethics investigation of Gingrich in the 1990s. Gingrich argues that GOP voters need to know whether the wealthy former venture capital executive's records contain anything that could hurt the party's chances against Obama.

Romney has said he will release several years' worth of tax returns in April. Gingrich has called on him to release them much sooner. On Saturday, Romney refused to answer questions from reporters about the returns and whether his refusal to release them had hurt him with South Carolina voters.

Gingrich, buoyed by Perry's endorsement as he left the race Thursday, has called Romney's suggestion about releasing ethics investigation documents a "panic attack" brought on by sinking poll numbers.

The stakes were high for Saturday's vote. The primary winner has gone on to win the Republican nomination in every election since 1980.

It's very important, but it's not do or die," Paul told Fox News

Some of South Carolina's notorious 11th-hour devilry ? fake reports in the form of emails targeting Gingrich and his ex-wife Marianne ? emerged in a race known as much for its nastiness as for its late-game twists.

"Unfortunately, we are now living up to our reputation," said South Carolina GOP strategist Chip Felkel.

State Attorney Gen. Alan Wilson ordered a preliminary review of the phony messages to see if any laws had been broken.

Gingrich's ex-wife burst into the campaign this week when she alleged in an ABC News interview that her former husband had asked her for an "open marriage," a potentially damaging claim in a state where the Republican primary electorate includes a potent segment of Christian conservatives. The thrice-married Gingrich, who has admitted to marital infidelities, angrily denied her accusation.

___

Associated Press writers Beth Fouhy and Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report from South Carolina.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign

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Morgan Stanley CEO to receive $10.5 million (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Morgan Stanley (MS.N) Chief Executive James Gorman was awarded a $10.5 million bonus for 2011, down 25 percent from the previous year, according to a source familiar with the matter.

All of Gorman's bonus will be deferred for a period of two to three years, including a $5.1 million restricted stock award detailed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday evening.

The lower bonuses with tighter restrictions reflect weak performance at Morgan Stanley in 2011, as capital markets reacted to the European sovereign debt crisis and a downgrade of the U.S. bond rating. Clients pulled back sharply on trading and investment banking activity, hurting profits across Wall Street.

Morgan Stanley lost money in two of four quarters and had difficulty meeting profitability targets that were earlier outlined by senior management. Its return on common equity - a key measurement of profitability - was a meager 3.9 percent from continuing operations for the full year.

Morgan Stanley, like other rivals including Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N), responded to rough market conditions by cutting staff and salaries.

The bank capped cash bonuses at $125,000 for employees, an unusually low amount for a workforce accustomed to multi-million dollar paydays. In mid-December it announced plans to lay off 1,600 employees, which comes in addition to hundreds of underperforming financial advisers dismissed from its wealth management business earlier in the year.

Overall, Morgan Stanley paid out $16.4 billion worth of compensation and benefits in 2011, which translated into $264,996 per employee. The figures were higher than the previous year because of severance costs from recent layoffs, higher pay for financial advisers and an unusually large amount of deferred compensation from previous years that came due in 2011.

Gorman and other members of his operating committee have been given a 21 percent cut in bonuses collectively, all of which will be deferred, said the source familiar with top-level pay.

In Form 4 filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, Morgan Stanley detailed $24.5 million worth of restricted stock to nine top executives on Thursday as part of their 2011 bonus payments.

Greg Fleming, the head of Morgan Stanley's wealth management business, and Paul Taubman, an investment banker who is co-head of institutional securities, each received restricted stock worth $3.4 million on Thursday, using the bank's closing price of $18.28. Colm Kelleher, the bank's other co-head of institutional securities, who has a background in trading, received a $2.6 million award.

Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat received $3.2 million worth of restricted stock and her deputy, Paul Wirth, received $1.1 million in RSUs. Chief Operating Officer Jim Rosenthal received $2.9 million worth, while Chief Risk Officer Keishi Hotsuki received $1.8 million in RSUs.

Newly promoted Chief Legal Officer Eric Grossman was the only executive to receive an award under $1 million, at $975,000.

The restricted stock units, as well as other performance-based stock awards, will vest over a three-year period, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

In addition to those awards, Gorman will also receive a cash bonus over a period of two years. The $10.5 million total bonus comes in addition to the $800,000 salary he received for 2011 and is down from $14 million in 2010.

(Reporting By Lauren Tara LaCapra; editing by Andre Grenon)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120121/bs_nm/us_morganstanley_stock

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Asthma Meds Likely Safe During Pregnancy: Study (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, Jan. 20 (HealthDay News) -- A new study found no statistically significant link between asthma medication use during pregnancy and common birth defects.

However, the study did find a positive association between some rare birth defects and mothers with asthma, and potentially with their medication use. But, the researchers couldn't tease out whether the problem was a loss of oxygen from less than well-controlled asthma or an effect of medications.

"Worsening asthma is a risk to the mom and the fetus. Hypoxia (a lack of oxygen) we know is a problem for a developing fetus. And, the potential risk they found here is very small. Even if it turns out to be a true increase, the risk is so small. This study raises more questions than it answers," said Dr. Natalie Meirowitz, chief of the division of maternal fetal medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

What's most important, she said, is that expectant mothers with asthma don't just stop their medications. "That's really a problem, and then they end up needing more medication," she said.

Findings from the study were published online Jan. 16, ahead of February print publication in Pediatrics.

Between 4 percent and 12 percent of expectant mothers have asthma, according to background information in the article. Current guidelines recommend that women keep taking their asthma medications during pregnancy.

There are two main types of asthma medications: bronchodilators (also known as rescue medication) and anti-inflammatories, which include inhaled and oral steroids, as well as several other medications. Anti-inflammatory medications are generally used long term to help control asthma symptoms.

For the study, the researchers compared nearly 2,900 infants born with birth defects to more than 6,700 babies born with no birth defects. Mothers of these infants were asked to recall their medication use one month before and during pregnancy.

For most birth defects, the researchers found no statistically significant associations between asthma medication use and the development of birth defects.

They did, however, find a positive association between asthma medication use and certain rare birth defects. The risk of isolated esophageal atresia -- an abnormality of the esophagus -- was more than doubled in women who used bronchodilators. The risk of isolated anorectal atresia -- a malformed anus -- was more than doubled with maternal anti-inflammatory use. And, the risk of omphalocele -- a defect in the abdominal wall -- was more than quadrupled for either type of asthma medication.

But, the authors wrote, the "observed associations may be chance findings or may be the result of maternal asthma severity and related hypoxia rather than the medication use."

They added that it's also important to keep these findings in context. The rate of these birth defects ranged from 1.2 to 4.6 per 10,000 births. So, even a four-fold increase in the risk of having one of these defects results in far less than a 1 percent chance for any individual woman and her child.

"As obstetricians, we need to pay attention to this, but it's really important to oxygenate mom. We really need to make sure that there's oxygen flowing freely between mom and baby," said Dr. Mary Rosser, an obstetrician with Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

Also, Rosser pointed out that there was a lot that wasn't known about the expectant mothers. The authors weren't able to assess the severity of their asthma. They also didn't know anything about the medication doses.

Asthma expert Dr. Jennifer Appleyard agreed with Rosser and Meirowitz. "They really couldn't tease apart what was the medicine and what was the asthma," she said.

"You need to treat the asthma. There's more risk to uncontrolled asthma than a slight possible risk of a rare birth defect," said Appleyard, the chief of allergy and immunology at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit.

"No matter what type of patient you're treating -- expectant mom or not -- the goal is to treat patients with the minimum amount of medication necessary," she added.

Rosser and Meirowitz said that, ideally, women should visit their obstetrician/gynecologist before getting pregnant to review their medication use and to make sure that their asthma is well controlled.

More information

Learn more about asthma during pregnancy from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120121/hl_hsn/asthmamedslikelysafeduringpregnancystudy

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Obama to press Congress to revisit $1.2T in cuts (AP)

WASHINGTON ? In its budget submission next month, the Obama administration will urge lawmakers to revisit the failed attempt by a congressional supercommittee to cut the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion, the White House says.

The proposal runs counter to the common wisdom in Washington that any major deficit reduction effort is unlikely in a presidential election year. Instead, lawmakers are focusing on a one-year extension of a payroll tax cut and supplemental jobless benefits sought by the president as part of last fall's jobs agenda.

But also looming are sweeping across-the-board spending cuts required next year because of the supercommittee deadlock. Top lawmakers like House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., are focusing on a less ambitious one-year plan to give the Pentagon a reprieve from cuts that both the administration and Republicans say would cripple the military.

The White House plan, likely to reprise new taxes and fee proposals that are nonstarters with Capitol Hill Republicans, would turn off the entire nine-year, $1.2 trillion across-the-board spending cuts, referred to as a "sequester."

"We have a sequester coming less than a year from now unless Congress acts," said a senior administration official. "We're going to ask Congress to do now what we think Congress should have done in December, which is enact more than $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction, turn off the sequester and maintain the (spending caps)."

The official required anonymity as a condition to speak to a reporter on the plan.

That plan of budget cuts would be imposed under last summer's budget and debt pact between Obama and Congress that imposed $900 billion in savings from accounts appropriated by Congress each year and promised at least $1.2 trillion more from the work on the deficit supercommittee, or, failing that, across-the-board cuts to a sweeping set of defense and domestic programs.

The threat of the across-the-board cuts was supposed to prod the panel, but it never got on track and collapsed just before Thanksgiving over intractable differences on tax increases and cuts to popular programs like Medicare.

The failure of the panel capped a long, difficult budget year in which the warring sides were only able to agree when facing either a shutdown of the government or an unthinkable default on U.S. obligations. Policymakers face the prospect of more gridlock this year as election-year politics promise to even further cripple the already limited ability of Obama and Capitol Hill Republicans to work together.

In that light, the administration's proposal could be doomed to dead-on-arrival status despite widespread desire to turn off the automatic cuts

At the same time, a new wrinkle has emerged due to the collapse of the supercommittee: a new set of spending caps for the 2013 budget year that begins Oct. 1 that require cuts of about $8 billion from the $554 billion budget for defense programs, the first outright cuts since the so-called peace dividend of the early 1990s.

The required defense cuts are separate from those that would be imposed under the sequester, but the administration official predicted lawmakers might revisit them when turning to the annual appropriations bills later this year.

The budget is slated to be released Feb. 6.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_budget

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

F1 drivers legal update > F1 News > Grandprix.com

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Lewis Hamilton is expected to appear as a witness for Adrian Sutil in the German's aggravated assault trial on January 30.

An incident occurred in a Shanghai nightclub last April as the pair celebrated Hamilton's win in the Chinese Grand Prix. It is claimed that Sutil struck Lotus Renault GP's Eric Lux with a champagne glass, causing a gash that required multiple stitching.

A court spokeswoman told the German media that Hamilton's presence is a mandatory appearance.

The Sutil camp and manager Manfred Zimmermann are reportedly confident of either an acquittal or, worst case scenario, a conviction for negligent injury and claim they have video evidence to prove that Sutil did not intentionally injure Lux.

Some suggest that fears of a Sutil conviction were a contributory factor in Bruno Senna securing the last meaningful place on the 2012 F1 grid at Williams, ahead of Sutil.

In Holland, meanwhile, Jos Verstappen was released from prison today following an attempted murder charge that followed his girlfriend allegedly being struck by Verstappen's car in Roermond.

The former GP driver has been incarcerated for the past fortnight but a lawyer's statement claims that the original charge has been withdrawn and there is insufficient evidence to hold the Dutchman on an assault charge.

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Source: http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns23851.html

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Direct Deals Mobile Ad Marketplace Chartboost Expands To Asia

cb_logo_onwhiteA month after its expansion to Android,?Chartboost, the?newly launched?(already profitable) direct deals mobile ad marketplace for game developers is expanding to Asia. Starting today, the company is rolling out localized versions in?Chinese,?Japanese?and?Korean.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/4qrC6vjA-tQ/

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Narendra Modi wonders if elephants at R-Day parade a violation of code

Amid the raging debate in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh over draping of elephant statues ? election symbol of BSP ? Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today wondered whether elephants during Republic Day parade were a violation of the model code of conduct.

"Centre makes bravery-award winning children sit on elephants during 26th Jan parade. Doesn't that violate model code of conduct?" he posted on micro-blogging site twitter on the EC regarding the election symbol of Bahujan Samaj Party.

The Gujarat Chief Minister asked whether Congress will demand removing the elephants from the parade.

"Will Congress ask for elephants to be removed? What will happen to Live TV coverage? So ridiculous..."

Incidentally, Mayawati, had campaigned for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi during the 2002 state polls after the post-Godhra riots. Mayawati was supporting NDA at that time.

At the AICC briefing spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi frowned upon making a mockery of the EC directive and maintained that the issue involved was one of government use of funds in building the statues.

He recalled that the poll panel had issued a similar directive during the NDA rule as regards the photos of the then Prime Minister.

On Gujarat High Court rejecting petitions seeking contempt proceedings against Modi for making public his letter to the Prime Minister seeking recall of state Governor on the issue of appointment of Lokayukta, Singhvi said there was no legal merit in the case and it was rightly dismissed.

They were ill-conceived move which ought not to have initiated," he said.

... contd.



Tags: UP polls, BSP election symbol, Narendra Modi, Republic Day parade, nation news




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Source: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/narendra-modi-wonders-if-elephants-at-rday-parade-a-violation-of-code/901046/

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Richmond mayor fires juvenile detention superintendent. Who is she?

RICHMOND, VA (WTVR)-? Dianne L. Gadow, the superintendent of Richmond?s Juvenile Detention Center, has been relieved of her duties by the mayor and a new management team has been set up to correct issues that led the center to be placed on probation last week by the Virginia State Board of Juvenile Justice.

?Major Jones gave us a very clear directive that we had to take very quick and aggressive action in turning the center around,? Richmond Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Carolyn Graham told CBS-6. ?We will finish the work before we go back to the board in April.?

The mayor?s office released this statement Tuesday afternoon: ?Effective January 16, 2012, the superintendent of the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center has been relieved of her duties and Jack Scott, Executive Director of the Crater Youth Commission in Petersburg, has been named interim superintendent. Chuck Kehoe, director of the Richmond Department of Justice Services (RDJS) will serve as the lead for the RJDC organization?s Correction Action Plan. Also, Charles Lampkin from RDJS has been named as the interim assistant superintendent.?

Who is Dianne Gadow, the superintendent relieved of her duties?

Even though she ran one of the tougher detention facilities in the state, she?s never been quoted in a news story or given a TV interview.

Gadow, a recognized juvenile corrections reformer, was brought here two years ago to turn Richmond?s program around.

Records indicate Gadow served as the Deputy Director of Operations for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections.

She ran a juvenile correction center in Delaware, and worked with Youth Services in Colorado. She?s been the Chairperson of the American Correctional Association Juvenile Corrections Committee. And she?s known for building programs that focus on mental health, special education and other issues to get offenders out of the incarceration loop.

She came here with a three-to-five-year plan to do that. But persistent problems at the 60-bed detention center continue after two years on the job, including lingering training shortcoming, maintenance and some security and safety issues.

That?s why the state Board of Juvenile Justice put the facility on probation last week. The Virginia State Conference of the NAACP has been pushing for investigations and corrective actions. That organization?s executive director, King Salim Khalfani, has called the center a ?cesspool of corruption.?

In 2003, when Gadow ran the detention facility in Delaware, she was sued for racial and sexual discrimination in federal court for suspending an employee who had violated protocol. That case was summarily dismissed.

Was her tenure here in Richmond a case of a bad fit, or did she run into a system that was resistant to reform?

When she was the juvenile corrections administrator for Arizona, she wrote an article about modern challenges facing those trying to turn around young offenders. She urged a community- and government-wide approach to fixing one of society?s toughest problems ? turning youthful offenders around.

She quoted President Eisenhower?s secretary of state, saying: ?"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year."

Source: http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-richmond-mayor-fires-juvenile-detention-superintendent-who-is-she-20120117,0,3970399.story?track=rss

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Snooki Without Makeup: Holy ...


Wow. Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi from Jersey Shore actually looks semi-normal when you strip away the fake eyelashes and several gallons of lipstick and bronzer.

Seriously, she's demonstrably average looking!

The 24-year-old drunken maniac / reality star tweeted this all-natural photo of herself earlier today, with the caption "no make up today, and IDC [I Don't Care]."

Doesn't she look surprisingly decent? And probably 10 pounds lighter when you take off all that crap? You tell us. Check out these Snooki pics and vote on her best look!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/snooki-without-makeup-pic-holy/

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Afghan official: 12 killed by suicide attacker

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? An Afghan official says 12 people have been killed by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle in southern Afghanistan.

Daud Ahmadi, a provincial spokesman, says at least 23 others were wounded in the Wednesday afternoon blast in Kajaki district of Helmand province.

Mohammad Ismail, the deputy of the Afghan security forces coordination office in the area, says the suicide bomber blew himself at a bridge that was under construction.

Also on Wednesday, an Afghan intelligence official in Nad Ali district of Helmand province and two of his body guards were killed in an explosion.

Ahmadi says a remote-controlled bomb was detonated as the intelligence official, Wali Mohammad Khan, walked out of his house.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A senior Afghan official said Wednesday that NATO forces killed five civilians, including one woman and two children, during a night raid earlier this week in northeastern Afghanistan.

A NATO statement said the alliance was aware of a military operation in Chawkay district of Kunar province on Monday and was checking into the report.

Sayed Fazelullah Wahidi, governor of Kunar province, which includes the district, said the raid occurred Monday night. He said coalition helicopters fired into a compound, killing two militants and five civilians, including a woman and two children.

Coalition troops and Afghan special forces have been carrying out regular nighttime kill-and-capture raids against suspected insurgents across Afghanistan.

But the operations and allegations of civilian deaths have provoked anger over foreign meddling in Afghanistan and whether detention operations will be run by the Afghans or Americans.

President Hamid Karzai has demanded that foreign troops stop entering homes, saying Afghan citizens cannot feel secure if they think armed soldiers might burst into their houses in the middle of the night.

In November, Karzai convened a traditional national assembly known as a Loya Jirga that stopped short of demanding a complete end to night raids. Instead, it asked that they be led and controlled by Afghan security forces.

Meanwhile, Afghan security forces said they had killed nine armed insurgents and captured 23 suspects in a series of raids in the past 24 hours.

An Interior Ministry statement issued Wednesday morning said the operations in eight different provinces also uncovered caches of weapons, ammunition and explosives.

The Afghan Defense Ministry says a soldier was killed and four were wounded in clashes with insurgents on Tuesday.

Fighting across the country appears to have decreased in recent weeks, after heavy snows blanketed much of the mountainous terrain in which the Taliban usually operate.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-18-AS-Afghanistan/id-ead0339db99a44eb8adc9327e609e380

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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Christie's to sell Elizabeth Taylor art collection

Undated photo released by Christie's auction house in London Monday Jan. 16, 2012 of Vincent van Gogh's autumn landscape "Vue de l'Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy," which was once owned by actress Elizabeth Taylor and estimated to sell for 5 million to 7 million pounds ($7.6 million to $11 million) when auctioned in February 2012. Christie's auction house says 38 works belonging to the late actress will be included in their Impressionist and modern sale Feb. 7 and 8. (AP Photo/HO Christie's) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Undated photo released by Christie's auction house in London Monday Jan. 16, 2012 of Vincent van Gogh's autumn landscape "Vue de l'Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy," which was once owned by actress Elizabeth Taylor and estimated to sell for 5 million to 7 million pounds ($7.6 million to $11 million) when auctioned in February 2012. Christie's auction house says 38 works belonging to the late actress will be included in their Impressionist and modern sale Feb. 7 and 8. (AP Photo/HO Christie's) EDITORIAL USE ONLY

(AP) ? A Vincent van Gogh landscape and other paintings from the collection of Elizabeth Taylor are up for auction in London next month.

Christie's auction house says 38 works belonging to the late actress will be included in Impressionist and modern sales Feb. 7 and 8.

They include van Gogh's autumn landscape "Vue de l'Asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy," estimated at 5 million to 7 million pounds ($7.6 million to $11 million), as well as an Edgar Degas self-portrait and works by Camille Pissarro and Auguste Renoir.

The daughter of a London art dealer, Taylor amassed a significant collection of 19th and 20th century works.

Her father, Francis Taylor, bought the van Gogh painting in 1963 on his daughter's behalf for $257,600 at a Sotheby's auction in London.

It was later the subject of an ownership battle that ended in 2007, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider a claim brought by descendants of a former owner, a Jewish woman who had fled Germany in 1939.

"Having grown up surrounded by fine art and surrounded by her own canvasses until the end of her life, this collection of paintings was very important to Miss Taylor," said Christie's Impressionist and Modern specialist Giovanna Bertazzoni.

She said the auction "provides collectors with not only a very interesting insight into the icon herself, but also an exciting opportunity to acquire important works by leading Impressionist and modern artists."

Taylor's jewelry, fashions and movie memorabilia raised $156 million at a series of New York auctions last month, with one buyer paying $8.8 million for a 33.19-carat diamond ring given to Taylor by Richard Burton, the actor she married twice.

The screen goddess ? whose films included "Cleopatra," ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" ? died in March aged 79.

The works will be on display at Christie's London showroom Feb. 2-7.

Proceeds from the sale will go to the Elizabeth Taylor Trust.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-16-EU-Britain-Elizabeth-Taylor's-Art/id-7211e38fa0134942b96d68a92c33d52a

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