Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Megaupload users: EFF wants to help you recover lost files (Digital Trends)

megaupload-seized

As of Monday, it seemed all but guaranteed that the files stored on the servers used by Megaupload, which was seized by the US government on January 19, were gone for good. This includes the data of people who used Megaupload for legitimate purposes, like distributing work documents, or their own photo and video creations. But thanks to a collaborative effort between the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and Carpathia Hosting, which owns and operates many of the servers used by Mega in the US, users who lost their files may now have a way to get them back.

The EFF is now offering its legal services to ?innocent? Megaupload users who lost access to their files. While the online rights organization does not guarantee that it can successfully help recover users? data, it has asked users to email with details about their situation, which will be used to help the case for gaining access to the data.

?EFF is troubled that so many lawful users of Megaupload.com had their property taken from them without warning and that the government has taken no steps to help them,? said Julie Samuels, Staff Attorney at EFF, in a statement (pdf). ?We think it?s important that these users have their voices heard as this process moves forward.?

At present, Carpathia ?does not have access to any data for Megaupload customers,? said Brian Winter, CMO of Carpathia Hosting, in a statement. But he added that Carpathia supports ?the EFF and their efforts to help those users that stored legitimate, non-infringing files with Megaupload retrieve their data.? To backup their claims of support, Carpathia has launched MegaRetrieval.com, which provides contact information and further details about the EFF?s efforts to help users recover their files.

Users who wish to utilize the EFF?s legal resources can email the organization with details of their case to this address: megauploadmissing@eff.org.

We have reached out to the EFF to find out more details about what kind of information such users should provide, and what kind of legal hurtles stand between users and their data. We will update this piece as soon as they respond.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enterprise/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20120131/tc_digitaltrends/megauploaduserseffwantstohelpyourecoverlostfiles

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China says 29 abducted in Sudan still being held

BEIJING (AP) ? None of the 29 Chinese workers abducted after an attack in a volatile region of Sudan have been freed, Chinese state media said Tuesday, dismissing reports that some of the workers had been released.

The workers were abducted Saturday by militants in a remote region in the country's south. Sudanese state media reported Monday that 14 of them had been freed, but the official Xinhua News Agency and China Daily newspaper said all 29 were still being held.

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

The Chinese ambassador to Sudan, Luo Xiaoguang, told China Central Television in an interview in Khartoum that anti-government rebels attacked the road project the Chinese were working on.

"There are still Chinese workers missing. Some others are still being held by the anti-government armed forces," Luo said.

Xinhua said 47 Chinese workers were caught in the attack in the South Kordofan region of Sudan. It said 29 were captured and the other 18 fled, and that one of those who fled remains missing.

The Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that a working group had been sent to Sudan to assist in the rescue work.

"China calls upon relevant parties to maintain calm and exercise restraint, to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel, and from a humanitarian point of view, to the release of Chinese personnel as soon as possible," the statement said.

A statement from the workers' company, Sinohydro Corp., said that it and the Chinese Embassy would "spare no effort in ensuring the personal safety of those abducted and rescuing them."

On Monday, Sudan's state-run SUNA news agency quoted South Kordofan provincial governor Ahmed Haroun as saying that 14 workers had been released.

SUNA said the attack took place near Abbasiya town, 390 miles (630 kilometers) south of Khartoum.

Sudanese officials have blamed the attack on the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North, a branch of a guerrilla movement that has fought various regimes in Khartoum for decades. 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 says the accusations are 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. Last year it 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 used its diplomatic clout to defend Sudan and its longtime leader, Omar al-Bashir. Recently, it has also sought to build good relations with leaders from the south.

South Sudan and Sudan are in bitter dispute over oil, which is produced primarily in South Sudan but runs through Sudanese pipelines for export.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-31-AS-China-Sudan/id-db229069fb774b1483935d06e62eb50b

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Stocks slump amid Greek budget woes

By msnbc.com news services

U.S. stocks slid at Monday?s open as concerns grew about the state of Europe's finances as Greece and Germany sparred over budget measures for Athens.

The Dow Jones industrial average was lately down over 100 points.

Bank stocks led the way lower after a report that Germany was pushing for Greece to give up control over its budget policy to European institutions as part of discussions over a second bailout package.

The issues in Greece added to uncertainty ahead of a Monday summit where European Union leaders will sign off on a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone. The leaders are expected to agree on a balanced budget rule in national legislation.

"Resolution for Greece is now up in the air, and that's causing some concern. We could give up the gains we've seen so far this month if there ends up being no progress," said Alan Lancz, president of investment advisory firm Alan B. Lancz & Associates Inc. in Toledo, Ohio.

While sentiment has improved over the euro zone lately, with the S&P 500 up 4.7 percent this month, many investors still view the region with caution as setbacks in solving its sovereign debt issues could hamper international economic growth and erode domestic bank profits.

U.S.-listed shares of Barclays Plc fell 4.6 percent to $13.44, and Deutsche Bank sank 5.6 percent to $41.94. European shares were down 1 percent while an index of European banks lost 3.3 percent.

Standard & Poor's late Friday issued negative ratings on three brokerage firms, including Jefferies Group Inc, citing the impact of a prolonged crisis in Europe.

Issues in Europe have taken a backseat to the focus on corporate earnings in recent weeks. By the end of last week, a majority of companies have topped analyst consensus expectations, though by a lower rate than previous quarters.

Gannett Co reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings that beat expectations. McKesson Corp is scheduled to report later Monday, with Amazon.com Inc Exxon Mobil Corp and Pfizer Inc on tap for later this week.

Shares of Pep Boys Manny, Moe and Jack soared 25 percent to $15.10 in premarket trading after the company agreed to be bought by Gores Group for $791 million.

Swiss engineering group ABB agreed to buy U.S. electrical components maker Thomas & Betts Corp for $3.9 billion in cash, sending shares of the company up 22 percent to $70.90 in premarket trading.

Bank of America Corp is shaking up the leadership of its investment bank as it looks to find its footing in a difficult market environment. The stock fell 2.2 percent in premarket trading.

U.S. consumer spending was flat in December as households took advantage of the largest rise in income in nine months to boost their savings, setting the tone for a slowdown in demand early in 2012.

U.S. stocks ended little changed on Friday as investors saw dips in the market as an opportunity to buy into what has been a strong first month of 2012.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10270353-stocks-slump-amid-greek-budget-woes

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Google, Facebook, Privacy ? And You

google privacy policyLike millions of other people, I got an email from Google this morning. It was entitled ?Changes to Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service?. The first sentence describes the intent of the changes as shortening 60 policies into one, and improving their readability.

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

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Family, friends gather for Etta James' funeral

Singer Etta James's picture is seen next to her casket during a funeral, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, Calif. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Singer Etta James's picture is seen next to her casket during a funeral, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, Calif. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Singer Etta James's picture is seen next to her casket during a funeral, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, at Greater Bethany Community Church City of Refuge in Gardena, Calif. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Louis Medina poses with a t-shirt and pictures of Etta James as he stands in line for a public viewing for the singer, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Inglewood, Calif. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Fans stand in line for a public viewing for singer Etta James, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Inglewood, Calif. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Fans stand in line for a public viewing for singer Etta James, Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Inglewood, Calif. James died last Friday at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She was most famous for her classic "At Last," but over her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate singing voice. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

(AP) ? Hundreds of Etta James' friends, fans and family gathered Saturday at a Los Angeles-area church to remember the legendary rhythm and blues singer, who died this month.

Mourners at James' funeral included entertainment luminaries, with both Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera performing. Aguilera sang the song that James made famous, "At Last," while Wonder performed with the church's choir.

The Rev. Al Sharpton was to deliver the eulogy.

James died Jan. 20 at age 73 after battling leukemia and other ailments. She was most famous for her rendition of "At Last," and in her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate, soulful singing voice. Her version of the song has become an enduring anthem for weddings and commercials.

Perhaps most famously, President Barack Obama and the first lady danced to a version of the song at his inauguration ball.

"Etta James was a pioneer. Her ever-changing sound has influenced rock and roll, rhythm and blues, pop, soul and jazz artists, marking her place as one of the most important female artists of our time," Rock and Roll Hall of Fame President and CEO Terry Stewart said after her death.

James won four Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement honor and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive "Roll With Me, Henry," which had to be changed to "The Wallflower" in order to get airplay. Her 1967 album, "Tell Mama," became one of the most highly regarded soul albums of all time, a mix of rock and gospel music.

Over her lifetime, James battled adversity, including a turbulent upbringing and drug addiction.

She rebounded from a heroin addiction to see her career surge after performing the national anthem at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She won her first Grammy Award a decade later, and two more in 2003 and 2004.

She is also an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

James is survived by her husband and two sons.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-28-Etta%20James-Funeral/id-cfc05d43df364232836385cbb1365c71

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Freed Egypt activist says will not stay silent (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? An Egyptian activist who became a symbol of resistance to the army's trials of civilians said Saturday he would not be silenced and denounced the army for detaining and mistreating "prisoners of conscience."

Maikel Nabil has been jailed twice since President Hosni Mubarak was toppled from power last February on charges of defaming the army, but was pardoned by the head of the ruling army council earlier this month along with almost 2,000 others.

In his first public appearance since his release from military jail, the 25-year-old said the army had tortured him in prison but he remained defiant.

"We cannot be silent about any violation against us," said Nabil, whose staged a hunger strike during his imprisonment.

Nabil, a Coptic Christian by birth, was jailed after using his blog (www.maikelnabil.com) to accuse the army of attempting to quell the uprising against Mubarak. At the time, most Egyptians saw the army as a neutral force, admired for their role in defending the nation, in contrast to the hated police.

But many Egyptians have since been horrified by images of soldiers dragging, beating and firing tear gas at protesters who were demanding a swift end to military rule.

Nabil said that during his detention he was given drugs that blurred his mind and was also kept in a psychiatric hospital for some of the time, despite being mentally sound.

"This was a tactic to affect my psychological state, to create a kind of hysteria and panic," Nabil told a news conference in Cairo. "It is unthinkable that such tactics are used in 2011."

He said he was confined for some of the time in a cell one meter by one meter in which a lamp continually flickered.

Army sources could not be immediately reached to respond to Nabil's comments.

The rights group 'No To Military Trials' estimates 12,000 people have been referred to military courts since Mubarak's fall, many more than in the whole of Mubarak's 30-year rule when security courts were the favored venue for emergency trials.

When he appeared before a military court, Nabil said he was barred from calling witnesses. He said he had received messages of support from junior army officers who opposed the army's crackdown on dissent, but did not give details.

Nabil described seeing two prisoners being stripped naked and beaten. "It was the first torture incident I witnessed with my own eyes," he said.

It was not possible to independently confirm his account.

Generals who have ruled Egypt since Mubarak's fall have pledged to hand over to civilian rule by July. They routinely deny charges of abuses or of trying anyone because of their opinions.

International rights groups have accused the army of using heavy-handed tactics, reminiscent of techniques use during Mubarak's era, to stifle dissent.

(Editing by Edmund Blair)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/wl_nm/us_egypt_activist

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Friday, January 27, 2012

House Republicans Question the Safety of Chevy Volt Batteries (ContributorNetwork)

House Republicans railed against the Obama Administration Wednesday during an investigative hearing on General Motors' Chevy Volt, after a probe conducted by the federal auto safety agency ruled that the electric cars' batteries are not prone to causing fires. "The Chevrolet Volt is safe to drive and it has been safe to drive the whole time," asserted David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Not only would I drive it, I would [take] my wife, my mother and my baby sister along for the ride."

The contention ignited after a government investigation was administered that resulted in three fires breaking out after a series of side-impact crash tests were conducted. General Motors, the NHTSA, and Democratic lawmakers all contended that leaking battery coolant may have prompted a delayed ignition (the fires did not occur until days later), and that there is no conclusive evidence that the batteries pose any danger.

However, the final verdict did not satisfy Republicans, largely due to President Barack Obama's relentless push for environmentally-friendly policies. The electric car market, where the Chevy Volt currently holds the spotlight, is one of the President's most touted "green" accomplishments (not to mention, the federal government still lays claim to 26.5 percent of GM's shares). "Whose best interest were you acting in?" Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) charged. "It certainly wasn't the American public."

The White House's "green" agenda creates a conflict of interest, the GOP lawmakers argued, particularly as the President works to usher in new mileage requirements that were negotiated last year. Moreover, the administration doled out hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies to help foster the Volt's development, including $151.4 million in stimulus funds for a Michigan-based company that produces lithium-ion batteries.

In a preliminary report, Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee expounded on how in 2008, the domestic automobile industry endured a perilous spike in labor costs, as expensive union contracts threatened the viability of Ford, GM, and Chrysler.

The federal government, in its meddlesome fashion, intervened and attempted to prop up the companies to divert the possibility of bankruptcy. This "too big to fail" mentality is what paved the way for the auto bailouts, where the federal government captured a large stake in GM and Chrysler. This, the lawmakers allege, is the "conflict of interest" they are alluding to.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120126/us_ac/10885737_house_republicans_question_the_safety_of_chevy_volt_batteries

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video)

Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video)

Nothing screams World of Tomorrow quite like quantum dots. Alongside the possibility of paint-on solar cells, the technology could also multiply optic fiber bandwidth by up to ten times. The Photonic Network Research Institute at NICT has been able to crank up the capacity of the data transmission system by combining a light source and photonic crystal fiber. The quantum dots act as the light source, and via the NICT's new "sandwiched sub-nano separator structure" [above], they can be tweaked to work at 70THz -- far in excess of the 10THz frequencies typically used. Aside from optical communications, the potency of these high frequencies allow it to pass beyond skin, opening up the use of quantum dots to medical scanning and high resolution cell imaging. Is there anything these dots can't do? Catch a slightly more technical explanation in the video right after the break.

Continue reading Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video)

Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today on New Scientist: 25 January 2012

Full text RSS feed Full text RSS - You can now subscribe to the full text of Today on New Scientist.

Sleeping sickness tests may identify better therapies

Just five drugs work against sleeping sickness and all can be toxic - new lab tests are the first step towards finding safer alternatives

What your online friends reveal about where you are

Even for the most privacy-conscious individual, contacts are a liability and may give away your location

Fracking health risks: Drilling into the unknown

Many fear that by-products of shale fracking - cracking the rock to release its gas - will harm their health. New Scientist examines the evidence

World's only iridescent mammal is a shiny accident

Many animals have iridescent colours to draw the eye. But golden moles are blind and live in the dark, so why them?

Painting computer surprises viewers with its artwork

Watch software paint in a variety of styles, challenging the notion that machines can't be creative

Goose flying upside down captured in slow-mo movie

Watch the first slow motion video of a goose flipping its body during flight before landing

Design Museum's aspirations for inspiration

London's Design Museum has revealed its plans to move sites in a bid to solve the world's problems with the power of design

What does 2012 hold for the jobseeking scientist?

It still being January means we are (just about) still allowed to make predictions for the coming year - Charlie Ball peers into his crystal ball

Will the Costa Concordia become an oil-spill disaster?

As work gets under way to pump fuel oil from the wrecked cruise liner, we assess the risk to the local ecosystem

Vultures skeletonise corpse for the sake of forensics

A camera, a GPS unit and a corpse left to forensic science are shedding some light on the way vultures consume people

Blindness eased by historic stem cell treatment

People with eye degeneration report better vision after controversial treatment based on human embryonic stem cells

Hyperactive sun clears space junk - for now

Increased solar activity as the sun nears its maximum has removed satellite debris from low Earth orbit, making it temporarily safer

Life's secrets lie in stars and Petri dishes

What is life, asks Dimitar Sasselov in The Life of Super-Earths: How the hunt for alien worlds and artificial cells will revolutionize life on our planet

Driller killers: Turning bacteria's weapons on them

Bacteria battle each other with highly sophisticated smart impalers - now we're turning this arsenal against them

Solar storm engulfs Earth

Solar radiation levels around our planet are at their highest levels since 2003, but they don't seem to be breaching our magnetic shields

Game on, Babe: iPads hit the pigpen

See how a new collaborative game between humans and pigs could be used to combat barnyard boredom

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Annie Leibovitz opens new art show at Smithsonian (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Photographer Annie Leibovitz says she has come back from some dark days and revived her creativity with a new project now on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum that marks a departure from her popular celebrity portraits.

Two years ago, Leibovitz was facing millions in debt and a mismanaged fortune that nearly cost her the legal rights to her own work, which includes some of pop culture's most memorable images. The ordeal was a good lesson in managing her business, Leibovitz said, but left her "emotionally and mentally depleted."

On Tuesday, she led a tour through the photographs she says renewed her inspiration with a few road trips through U.S. history. The idea grew out of a book she had wanted to make with her partner, Susan Sontag, with a list of destinations and an excuse to visit them. After Sontag died, she eventually revived the idea with her young children.

It began with a six-hour drive to Niagara Falls during the period of her financial troubles only to find out her credit card had been rejected at a hotel and their rooms had been given away. While they found another place to stay, Leibovitz was upset wanted to go home. But she agreed to go to a lookout point at the waterfalls with her kids.

"I was sitting off to the side, feeling a little down, and I saw my children mesmerized, studying the falls," she said. "And I walked over, stood behind them ... and I took this picture."

It's a snapshot anyone could have taken, she said: an image that captures the blue-green water before it plunges over the falls. Soon she began thinking of other places to visit.

The images that would become "Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage" include depictions of landscapes and people, but no faces. Instead, Leibovitz photographed historic objects and scenes, including the homes of "Little Women" author Louisa May Alcott, essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson, entertainer Elvis Presley and others.

"I was swept away when I walked into these places," she said. "I found myself taking pictures and not thinking about any consequences. I was seduced."

There were obstacles, though. One was coming to terms with photographing objects, she said, and finding a way to give them some emotion. She began creating close-up images, as with a nightdress worn by Emily Dickinson. Leibovitz zoomed in on the intricate detail.

"That is not my kind of picture. I mean, I don't ever come in tight like that," Leibovitz said. "It's not me."

It's also her first all-digital photography show. Leibovitz said she is still learning about new technology and about herself.

"This is an amazing time to be a photographer," she said. "I discovered things about myself which were really comforting ? that the work had a deep well, that it wasn't going to go away."

She also learned it was a mistake to let others manage her business affairs.

"I mean, I had a great ride," she said. "I was like a girl who went out and took pictures, and everyone else took care of everything else. Now I really do need to take care of everything."

Leibovitz didn't discuss the status of her debt but said she has good business advisers. "I'm back, for all intents and purposes," she said.

Her travels for "Pilgrimage" produced images of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud's couch, sharpshooter Annie Oakley's heart-shaped shooting target, Presley's Harley-Davidson and a TV he once shot with a gun at Graceland.

As a nod to Sontag, Leibovitz visited the home of Virginia Woolf, one of her partner's favorite writers, where she was happy to learn such a brilliant person could have such a messy studio, she said.

Andy Grundberg, guest curator for the show and a dean at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, said Leibovitz is presenting cultural history in a new way.

"She's trying to convey a sense of people without the people actually being there in front of the camera," he said of Leibovitz' travels. "She was kind of bushwhacking through our cultural legacy and figuring it out as she went along."

In some cases, one destination would lead to several others. Leibovitz was fascinated with the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, which led her to find Lincoln's top hat at the Smithsonian, models for Lincoln's statue in the studio of sculptor Daniel Chester French and a concert gown of Marian Anderson, who sang at the memorial when she was shut out of a segregated concert hall.

Leibovitz eventually compiled the project into a book that evolved into the new exhibit. The show is on view in Washington through May 20 and then will travel to U.S. museums through 2014. The photographs on display will be donated to the Smithsonian American Art Museum for its permanent collection.

Leibovitz said she pursued her new project to protect and nurture her lucrative portrait work by going back to it revived with new energy.

"It's a project I did for myself. I wanted to be seduced into a photograph and not make it up," she said. "And I wanted to take my time."

___

Smithsonian American Art Museum: http://americanart.si.edu

___

Brett Zongker can be reached at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/arts/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_en_ce/us_art_annie_leibovitz

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Weaver revisits paranormal with 'Red Lights' (AP)

PARK CITY, Utah ? Sigourney Weaver may not believe in ghosts, but the paranormal world of her latest film is not alien territory for her.

Weaver's Sundance Film Festival premiere, "Red Lights," is a dark exploration of the supernatural realm she previously took on in comic mode with "Ghostbusters" and its sequel.

"I probably don't believe in fairies and ghosts, but I certainly believe that people have souls," Weaver, 62, said in an interview. "I think that, and that's there's more going on around us than we can explain in a rational way."

What did surprise Weaver in preparing for her role is "what a huge business psychic entertainment was," she said.

"Red Lights" features Weaver as a skeptic whose life's work is debunking phony claims of the paranormal. The film from writer-director Rodrigo Cortes co-stars Robert De Niro as a superstar of the psychic realm, Cillian Murphy as Weaver's assistant and Elizabeth Olsen as one of their students.

There has been talk of a third "Ghostbusters" movie that would reunite Weaver with Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and other co-stars. Weaver likes the idea but has doubts it will happen.

"I'd love to work with everybody again," Weaver said. "I think, mmm, at this point, I think it's probably less than 50-50. That's what I think."

Another sequel to one of Weaver's blockbusters definitely is on. But Weaver cannot say much about "Avatar 2," James Cameron's next chapter in his science-fiction franchise. The first "Avatar" film was the biggest commercial smash of modern times, making $2.8 billion worldwide.

Weaver's character died and underwent a cosmic transformation in "Avatar." But Weaver has been bumped off before in her "Alien" sci-fi franchise and came back to battle on in another sequel.

"As Jim would say, there's no death in science fiction," Weaver said. "But no, I can't really talk about it. But I am looking forward to it."

Weaver is more talkative about a film that's an offshoot of the franchise that made her a star. In Ridley Scott's 1979 hit "Alien," Weaver played Ellen Ripley, the lone survivor of a spaceship crew terrorized by an unstoppable creature.

She earned a best-actress Academy Award nomination as Ripley in Cameron's 1986 follow-up "Aliens," and she reprised the role in two more sequels.

Scott makes his return to science fiction with this summer's "Prometheus," a cousin to "Alien" that stars Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender. The director and his actors have been coy about whether "Prometheus" is an outright prequel to "Alien," though they have said there are connections between the films, and the trailer for the new one has images resembling the design and features of the 1979 tale.

"Whatever they call it, I think everyone's very excited to see what Ridley does with some of these wonderful elements, and I think I'll be just as excited as everybody," Weaver said. "I don't really want to know anything about it. I have great confidence in him, and I'm sure they'll make a wonderful movie."

Could Weaver ever imagine resurrecting Ripley for another film?

"No. Let the poor woman rest," Weaver said. "No one ever believed her, anyway. They gave her such a hard time."

___

Online:

http://www.sundance.org

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_en_ce/us_film_sundance_sigourney_weaver

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Discovery Communications to Report Fourth Quarter and Full Year ...

(Silver Spring, Md.) Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) will report fourth quarter and full year 2011 results on Thursday, February 16, 2012, at 7:00 a.m. EST. The company will host a conference call at 8:30 a.m. EST to discuss the results. To access the conference call in the U.S.?


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Source: http://www.magnaglobal.com/global-2/discovery-communications/discovery-communications-to-report-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2011-results-on-thursday-february-16-2/

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Manning, Giants heading to Indy to face Pats again

New York Giants Eli Manning lifts the George Halas Trophy in the locker room after the Giants won in overtime at the NFC Championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in San Francisco. The Giants won 20-17 to advance to Super Bowl XLVI. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

New York Giants Eli Manning lifts the George Halas Trophy in the locker room after the Giants won in overtime at the NFC Championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in San Francisco. The Giants won 20-17 to advance to Super Bowl XLVI. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady wears a championship hat and t-shirt after their AFC Championship NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Ravens 23-20 to win the AFC Championship. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, center, celebrates with players in the locker room after the NFC Championship NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in San Francisco. The Giants won 20-17 in overtime to advance to Super Bowl XLVI. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick tips his hat to the crowd during the trophy presentation after the AFC Championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Ravens 23-20 to win the AFC Championship. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Hey, Indianapolis. A Manning will be playing in your Super Bowl, after all.

No, not that one.

It'll be Eli Manning leading the New York Giants to a Super Bowl rematch against the New England Patriots ? and this time on older brother Peyton's home field.

"It doesn't matter to me where you're playing it or the fact that it's in Indianapolis," Eli Manning said. "I'm just excited about being in one."

And if the Giants can pull this one off, Eli will have sibling bragging rights with one more Super Bowl ring than Peyton, who missed this season for the Colts after having neck surgery.

It sure won't be easy for the Giants, though. Four years after New York stunned previously undefeated New England in the Arizona desert, they'll play a Super sequel.

Eli vs. Brady. Coughlin vs. Belichick. The Giants vs. the Patriots.

Sound familiar? Here we go again.

"It's awesome and we look forward to the challenge," Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said. "They are a great football team. They have always been a great football team. We are looking forward to it, and it's going to be a great game."

Well, judging from the last time these teams met in the Super Bowl ? David Tyree's jaw-dropping, helmet-pinning catch and all ? it just might be.

"Being in this situation is a great moment," Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. "You have to cherish this moment."

New England (15-3) opened as a 3-point favorite for the Feb. 5 game against New York (12-7), but the Patriots know all about being in this position. They were favored by 12 points and pursuing perfection in 2008, but New York's defense battered Brady, and Manning connected with Plaxico Burress on a late touchdown to win the Giants' third Super Bowl.

That TD came, of course, a few moments after one of the biggest plays in playoff history: Manning escaping the grasp of Patriots defenders and finding Tyree, who put New York in scoring position by trapping the football against his helmet.

"Hopefully, we will have the same result," Umenyiora said. "We still have one more game to go, but this is truly unbelievable."

Especially since the Giants appeared on the verge of collapsing with Tom Coughlin's job status in jeopardy just a month ago, when they fell to 7-7 with an embarrassing loss to the Washington Redskins on Dec. 18.

"We've been here before," linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said at the time, "and we'll get back."

Boy, was he right.

The Giants were facing elimination against the rival Jets and Rex Ryan, who boldly declared that his team ruled New York. Well, Coughlin's crew silenced Ryan with a 29-14 victory. The Giants followed that with a 31-14 win over Dallas in the regular-season finale to clinch the NFC East and get to the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 season.

New York dominated Atlanta at home in the opening round. Then came a stunner: a 37-20 victory at Green Bay ? knocking out the defending Super Bowl champions.

On Sunday, Manning extended the best season of his career with one more solid performance, and Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants past the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime for the NFC title.

"I'm just proud of the guys, what we've overcome this year, what we've been through," Manning said, "just never having any doubts, keep believing in our team that we could get hot and start playing our best football."

The Patriots are rolling into the Super Bowl having won 10 straight, with their last loss being to ? you guessed it ? the Giants, 24-20 back in early November.

"We know they're a great team," Manning said. "We played them already this year. They've been playing great football recently."

They sure have. And now Brady and the Patriots are in familiar territory, playing in the Super Bowl for the fifth time in 11 years ? and first since the stunning upset in Arizona.

New England hopes to avoid all that sort of drama this time around. Unless it goes in the Patriots' favor, as it did in the AFC title game.

Brady was unusually subpar in the Patriots' 23-20 victory over Baltimore, throwing for 239 yards with two interceptions and, for the first time in 36 games, no TD passes. But he got some help from the Patriots' much-maligned defense, which made some crucial stops down the stretch.

A few mistakes by the Ravens helped greatly, too, as Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds left ? soon after Lee Evans had a potential winning touchdown catch ripped out of his hands in the end zone.

"Childlike joy. It's all about childlike joy," linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "Last night felt like the day before Christmas for me and I haven't had that feeling in a long time."

New England last won the Super Bowl in 2005, a long drought considering that the Patriots took home Lombardi trophies three times in four years. There are only a handful of players left from that team, with guys like Corey Dillon, Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison replaced by young up-and-comers such as Mayo, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

"It doesn't even feel right, especially playing with the veterans here," Gronkowski said. "I watched them go to the Super Bowl as I was growing up, and now I'm part of it? It is an unreal moment."

The constants, though, are Brady and Bill Belichick. And that's been a winning combination for New England, combining to become the first QB-coach combination to win five conference championships in the Super Bowl era.

Belichick did perhaps his finest coaching job this season, piecing together a defense that ranked second-to-last in the league during the regular season. That led to plenty of shootouts, and Brady was more than up to the task, throwing for a career-high 5,235 yards while tossing 39 touchdown passes.

"They're an amazing team," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "They're a great brotherhood; they're a family."

And they're all looking to lift another Super Bowl trophy together. Patriots-Giants. One more time.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-23-Super%20Bowl/id-7c8e3e914fdc432ab4abeea2ef0e79c8

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Cruise ship captain says he was told to perform fatal maneuver

Divers find the body of a woman in the ship as pressure grows to speed up the salvage operation. NBC's Duncan Golestani reports.

By NBC News and msnbc.com news services

Updated at 4:00 p.m. ET: GIGLIO, Italy --? The operators of the Costa Concordia faced questions over their share of the blame for the shipwreck, as divers recovered another body from the stricken liner Sunday, bringing the known death toll to 13.

Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of steering the cruise ship too close to shore while performing a maneuver known as a "salute" in which liners draw up very close to land to make a display.

Schettino, who is charged with multiple manslaughter and with abandoning ship before the evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew was complete, has told prosecutors he had been instructed to perform the maneuver by operator Costa Cruises.

Prosecutors say he steered the massive ship within 150 meters of the Tuscan island of Giglio, where it struck a rock that tore a large gash in its hull, letting water flood in and causing the 114,500-ton ship to capsize.

It is now lying on its side on an undersea ledge, half-submerged and posing a growing environmental threat with the risk that it could slide into deeper waters.

As the days have passed, there have been growing questions about the ultimate responsibility for the accident, which Costa Cruises has blamed on "unfortunate human error" and placed firmly on the shoulders of the captain. It has suspended Schettino and will not be paying his legal fees.

Costa chief executive Pier Luigi Foschi has said that ships sometimes engage in "tourist navigation" in which they approach the coast but that this is only done under safe conditions and he was not aware of any riskier approaches so close to the shore.

Costa is a unit of Carnival Corp, the world's largest cruise line operator.

According to transcripts of his hearing with investigators leaked to Italian newspapers, Schettino told magistrates Costa had insisted on the maneuver to please passengers and attract publicity.

"It was planned, we were supposed to have done it a week earlier but it was not possible because of bad weather," Schettino said, according to the Corriere della Sera daily.

"They insisted. They said: 'We do tourist navigation, we have to be seen, get publicity and greet the island'."

He said he had performed similar maneuvers regularly over the past four months on the Costa Concordia and on other ships in the Costa fleet along the Italian coast line which is dotted with small islands that are popular with tourists.

"But we do it every time we do the Sorrento coast, Capri, we do it everywhere," he said.

Foschi, who visited Giglio Sunday, declined to respond to Schettino's latest comments.

"As an investigation by magistrates is currently underway, we cannot give out any information," he said.

Seemingly minute shifts in the position of the cruise ship that partially sank in an Italian port is hampering the underwater search for 21 passengers and crew missing for more than a week. NBC's Michelle Kosinki reports from Giglio, Italy.

Identifying victims
As the search continued into a ninth day, divers found the body of a woman on a submerged deck near the bow of the vessel, bringing the total number of known dead to 13, only eight of whom have been identified.

Unregistered passengers might have been aboard the stricken cruise liner that capsized off this Tuscan island, a top rescue official said Sunday, raising the possibility that the number of missing might be higher than the 20 previously announced.

Civil protection official Francesca Maffini told reporters the victim found on Sunday was wearing a life vest and was found in the rear of a submerged portion of a ship by a team of fire department divers. The unidentified body was being removed from the ship.

Earlier, Italian authorities raised the possibility that the real number of the missing was unknown because some unregistered passengers might have been aboard. As of Sunday, 19 people are listed as missing, but that number could be higher.

"There could have been X persons who we don't know about who were inside, who were clandestine" passengers aboard the ship, Franco Gabrielli, the national civil protection official in charge of the rescue effort, told reporters at a briefing on the island of Giglio.

Gabrielli said that relatives of a Hungarian woman have told Italian authorities that she had telephoned them from aboard the ship and that they haven't heard from her since the accident. He said it was possible that a woman's body pulled from the wreckage by divers on Saturday might be that of the unregistered passenger.

But in addition to the body recovered on Sunday, the body found on Saturday and those of three men found a few days earlier, have yet to be identified, because the corpses were badly decomposed after so much time in the water. Gabrielli said they have identified the other eight bodies: four French, an Italian, a Hungarian, a German and a Spanish national.

Until Sunday, authorities had said that 20 people are still missing.

DigitalGlobe

The Costa Concordia ran aground Jan. 13 off the coast of Italy, resulting in the evacuation of thousands of passengers as the ship began heavily listing.

Broken black box
Meanwhile, police divers, carrying out orders from prosecutors investigating Schettino for suspected manslaughter and abandoning the ship, swam through the cold, dark waters to reach his cabin. State TV and the Italian news agency ANSA reported that the divers located and remove his safe and two suitcases. His passport and several documents were also pulled out, state media said.

Searchers inspecting the bridge Saturday also found a hard disk containing data of the voyage, Sky TG24 TV reported.

Italian newspapers have also published photographs of the Costa Concordia apparently performing the "salute" close to other ports including Syracuse in Sicily and the island of Procida, which is near Naples and Schettino's hometown of Meta di Sorrento.

Schettino said the fatal maneuver was originally intended to bring the ship half a mile from the shore, "but then we brought it to 0.28" (of a nautical mile), he said.

Investigators have said the actual point of impact was much closer to the shore but establishing the exact sequence of events could be complicated by problems with the recording equipment used to track the ship's progress.

Schettino said the black box on board had been broken for two weeks and he had asked for it to be repaired, in vain.

In the hearing, Schettino insisted he had informed Costa's headquarters of the accident straight away and his line of conduct had been approved by the company's marine operations director throughout a series of phone conversations.

As soon as he realized the scale of the damage, he called Roberto Ferrarini, marine operations director for Costa Cruises.

"I told him: I've got myself into a mess, there was contact with the seabed. I am telling you the truth, we passed under Giglio and there was an impact," Schettino said.

"I can't remember how many times I called him in the following hour and 15 minutes. In any case, I am certain that I informed Ferrarini about everything in real time," he said, adding he had asked the company to send tug boats and helicopters.

He acknowledged, however, not raising the alarm with the coastguard promptly and delaying the evacuation order.

"You can't evacuate people on lifeboats and then, if the ship doesn't sink, say it was a joke. I don't want to create panic and have people die for nothing," he said.

Costa Cruises Chief Executive Pier Luigi Foschi says Schettino delayed issuing the SOS and evacuation orders and gave false information to the company headquarters.

"Personally, I think he wasn't honest with us," Foschi told Corriere della Sera Friday. He said the first phone conversation between Schettino and Ferrarini took place 20 minutes after the ship hit the rock.

As the death toll rises from the Costa Concordia, the ship's captain is fighting back against allegations that he abandoned his post. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.

Documents from his hearing with a judge say he had shown "incredible carelessness" and a "total inability to manage the successive phases of the emergency."

Taped conversations show ship's officers told coastguards who were alerted by passengers that the vessel had only had a power cut, even after those on board donned lifevests.

According to transcripts of his questioning by prosecutors leaked to Italian media, he said that immediately after hitting the rock he sent two of his officers to the engine room to check on the state of the vessel.

Holding out hope
Meanwhile, family members of a couple from the state of Minnesota still missing after last week's cruise ship wreck say they've been meeting in Italy with rescue workers.

In an email statement sent Saturday night to news organizations, relatives of Jerry and Barbara Heil say the captain in charge of the operation indicated he wasn't ready to give up hope that the missing can be found.

The family members say they and relatives of others missing from the Costa Concordia accident were taken out near the ship and allowed to place flowers in the water honoring their loved ones. They say the workers stopped what they were doing and saluted during the tribute.

The Heil family says it's grateful for the efforts from the workers trying to find the missing.

The search had been halted for several hours early Sunday, after instrument readings indicated that the Concordia has shifted a bit on its precarious perch on a seabed just outside Giglio's port. A few yards away, the sea bottom drops off suddenly, by some 65-100 feet, and if the Concordia should abruptly roll off its ledge, rescuers could be trapped inside.

The effort to find survivors and bodies has postponed an operation to remove heavy fuel in the Concordia's tanks; specialized equipment has been standing by for days.

Light fuel, apparently from machinery aboard the capsized ship, was spotted in nearby waters, authorities said Saturday.

Environment experts have warned that contamination of the pristine waters around Giglio, which is in the middle of a national marine park, is already under way and it is imperative to start recovering the fuel oil as soon as possible.

More from msnbc.com and NBC News:

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/22/10210202-cruise-ship-captain-says-he-was-told-to-perform-fatal-maneuver

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

House GOP seeks unity in election-year challenge

House Speaker House John Boehner of Ohio speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, as the House returned to work from its winter recess. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker House John Boehner of Ohio speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, as the House returned to work from its winter recess. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, center, accompanied by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., right, and Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012, to discuss President Barack Obama's decision to halt the Keystone XL pipeline. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

President Barack Obama sings before speaking at a campaign event, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, at the Apollo Theatre in the Harlem neighborhood of New York. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

(AP) ? House Republican leaders pleaded for elusive unity from the disparate factions in their party as they pursue a dual election-year prize of retaining their majority and denying President Barack Obama a second term.

"Unity, unity, unity," Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., said Friday after hearing his leadership's overriding message at a series of private meetings at the GOP's annual three-day retreat. The fresh appeal to many of the 242 members comes just weeks after rank-and-file opposition to a short-term extension of the payroll tax cut exposed deep divisions among Republicans and ended 2011 on a discordant political note.

Rancor in 2012, Republicans understand, would be politically perilous, especially with the American people already holding Congress in such low regard. Republicans expect Obama to campaign against the "do-nothing Congress," using the presidential bully pulpit to try to make his case.

Looking ahead to a new year, Republicans said their strategy is to highlight stark differences with Democrats on job creation, deficit spending and how Obama runs the government.

"It's pretty clear it's going to be a referendum on the president's policies. ... the devastating impact of these policies on our economy," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in brief remarks to reporters.

Boehner said he had instructed each committee chairman to step up oversight of the Obama administration, an examination that would touch on everything from national security to education and echo last year's hearings on an Energy Department loan to a now-bankrupt solar energy company and a problem-plagued gun smuggling investigation known as Operation Fast and Furious. Money from the stimulus package in Obama's first year also will face scrutiny.

Republicans painted a dire picture of the economy, with high unemployment, housing woes and Obama regulations, or even the possibility of new rules, hampering small businesses and hiring.

"If I were Barack Obama I wouldn't want to talk about my record either," said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore.

But in recent months, there have been signs of an economy on the upswing. Applications for unemployment benefits have dropped to their lowest level in nearly four years, housing sales increased and companies posted better earnings. The Dow Jones closed above 12,700 on Friday.

Economic indicators as well as perceptions of the nation's financial health will largely determine the re-election chances for Obama and members of Congress.

In perhaps a preview of the GOP effort to shape the debate, Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said the latest positive economic signs reflect a resilient economy and added, "Imagine what growth could be if we got all of these barriers out of the way."

Election-year politics are certain to limit any attempts at an ambitious legislative session, but high-profile votes and issues can clarify the battle lines. Republicans made clear they will continue the fight over Obama's decision to block, at least temporarily, a 1,700-mile Canada-to-Texas pipeline known as Keystone XL.

Rep. Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said Republicans were open to making it part of the next round of negotiations on a Social Security tax cut and unemployment benefits, an attempt certain to draw Democratic opposition. House and Senate negotiators face a Feb. 29 deadline to coming up with a plan for a yearlong extension that also resolves the question of Medicare reimbursements for doctors.

"We are absolutely committed ? as a Republican team ? to keep the Keystone XL pipeline on the front burner," said Upton, R-Mich. He will hold hearings next week with State Department officials on their pipeline recommendation to the president.

Republicans argue that Obama's decision was politically driven and will cost the nation not only jobs but a new energy source.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said Obama took "20,000 shovel-ready jobs on Keystone and buried them." Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said if Obama were serious about helping the middle class, he would allow the Keystone project to proceed, with scores of jobs for blue-collar workers.

In addition to working out a compromise on the payroll tax cut, Republicans pledged to be aggressive in crafting a budget and cutting spending, arguing that Obama's policies have contributed to the growing deficit. House members acknowledged that their legislation has little chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate or with Obama, but Ryan made clear they will still press ahead to ensure the electorate has a choice.

"At the end of the day, we'll kick this up to the American people and let them decide what kind of America they want to have," he said.

In a series of meetings, Republicans heard from former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, a onetime presidential candidate, who focused on Obama's policies and their impact on free enterprise. They also heard about teamwork from former Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs.

On Friday night, popular Republican and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who many had hoped would seek the presidency, was scheduled to speak to the Republican conference behind closed doors.

Surprisingly, lawmakers said there was little talk of presidential candidates. Pollsters did tell the GOP that once the party gets a nominee, it was critical that members of Congress and the candidate be on the same page, according to Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., who said he didn't foresee any problems.

Few members interrupted the gathering and socializing to watch Thursday night's debate from South Carolina.

"You get to the 18th debate," Terry joked. "Come on..."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-20-House%20Republicans-Strategy/id-c09f18016c354b659d8cb1c67e2a2d73

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

PSU trustees hope to address alumni concerns

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2011, file photo, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno watches warm ups before an NCAA college football game against Purdue in State College, Pa. In his first public comments since being fired two months ago, former Penn State coach Paterno told the Washington Post he "didn't know which way to go" after an assistant coach came to him in 2002 saying he had seen retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy, the Post reported on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2011, file photo, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno watches warm ups before an NCAA college football game against Purdue in State College, Pa. In his first public comments since being fired two months ago, former Penn State coach Paterno told the Washington Post he "didn't know which way to go" after an assistant coach came to him in 2002 saying he had seen retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy, the Post reported on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

(AP) ? Penn State's embattled Board of Trustees meets Friday for the first time since the chaotic week in November when shocking child sex abuse allegations were brought against a retired assistant football coach.

In the frantic first few days after authorities charged Jerry Sandusky, trustees ousted Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno and school President Graham Spanier, and pledged to uncover the truth. Their actions have since left some anguished alumni and former players questioning the trustees themselves.

After remaining mostly silent the last two months, trustees this week began to divulge the reasons behind their actions, hoping to sway skeptics and critics seeking change.

Leadership positions will be up for election at Friday's meeting. Also listed on the agenda is an overview of athletic programs.

"We have lots of things that we need to do in terms of the board and how it operates, and I think you'll see some positive things come out of that," trustee Mark Dambly said Thursday.

Some critics of the trustees have called for wholesale changes in how the board operates in order to better promote transparency. Trustee Stephanie Deviney said governance and the administration are among the topics trustees plan to consider.

The issues have also drawn unprecedented interest among potential candidates for three alumni-elected seats on the board up for a vote this spring.

Typically, about six to 12 candidates express interest. But the group Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship alone has received 30 applications seeking an endorsement. The group started in mid-November, growing out of what a spokeswoman said was a common frustration among members over a lack of due process at the school.

Comments this week by the trustees about why the board ousted Paterno on Nov. 9, four days after Sandusky was charged, failed to convince the alumni group, too.

Trustees interviewed Thursday by The Associated Press said they decided to force Paterno out in part because he didn't meet a moral obligation to do more to alert authorities about a child sex abuse allegation against Sandusky.

The trustees interviewed also cited statements from Paterno in the days and hours leading to his dismissal ? after nearly a half-century of leading the Nittany Lions ? that they felt challenged the trustees' authority. Board members saw that as inappropriate, particularly at a time of intense scrutiny over the Sandusky case.

Sandusky was charged with dozens of child sex abuse counts four days before Paterno was pushed out. The head coach had testified before a state grand jury about a 2002 allegation against Sandusky that was passed on to him by a graduate assistant.

A day after the graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, came to see him, Paterno relayed the accusations to his superiors, one of whom oversaw campus police. Board members didn't think that was enough.

"There's an obligation, a moral responsibility, for all adults to watch out for children, either your own or someone else," Dambly said. "It was in our opinion that Joe Paterno did not meet his moral obligation and for that reason ? me, personally for that reason, I felt he could no longer lead the university and it was unanimous."

But Dambly and three other trustees interviewed Thursday on the Penn State campus said they still intended to honor Paterno's accomplishments and contributions to the school. He won a Division I record 409 games over 46 seasons and the Paterno family has donated millions of dollars to the school.

"Obviously Joe Paterno is a worldwide icon and has done a tremendous amount for the university," trustee Joel Myers said. "We have sorrow and all kinds of emotions, empathy, sympathy for what has occurred. That's universal.

"But the university, this institution is greater than one person."

An attorney for Paterno on Thursday called the board's comments self-serving and unsupported by the facts. Paterno fully reported what he knew to the people responsible for campus investigations, lawyer Wick Sollers said.

"He did what he thought was right with the information he had at the time," Sollers said.

In a separate statement, Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship said the board's comments have "done nothing but raise additional questions."

"We can conclude, that consequently, their hasty and panicked damage control efforts in the first days of November, and the uncomfortable position they found themselves in, being caught flat-footed, instead of in a proactive leadership position, led to the unjust firing of Joe Paterno, without so much as a conversation, let alone complete due process," the group's statement said.

The trustees described the long deliberations in the days leading up to Paterno's ouster as emotional and nerve wracking, echoing the confusion and anguish also felt among students and alumni as the scandal unfolded. They were shocked by the lurid details that had emerged about the case that week, after having been given a short briefing about Sandusky months earlier by Spanier and general counsel Cynthia Baldwin. That session lasted roughly 7 minutes and provided few insights, trustees said.

Paterno was dismissed the same day Spanier also departed under pressure. The board initiated an internal investigation into the Sandusky case and the role of Penn State officials.

Since then, some alumni and former players have been questioning the actions of the trustees ? criticism that boiled over in three town hall-style meetings last week hosted for alumni by new school President Rodney Erickson.

According to Dambly, trustees had been advised not to speak because of the ongoing investigations but changed their minds following the town hall sessions.

They began a series of interviews this week with media outlets. Also sitting in Thursday's interview with the AP was Lanny Davis, a prominent Washington attorney who has been retained by Erickson and the trustees as an adviser.

"We determined as a group that the Board of Trustees needed to answer the questions of what we knew, when we knew it and why we made the decisions that we made," Dambly said.

The trustees on Thursday cited three reasons for Paterno's immediate removal as head coach. Besides the moral obligation to do more in conjunction with reporting the 2002 allegation and statements issued by Paterno they felt may have challenged trustees' authority, the trustees also said there was concern that Paterno would not be able to properly represent the school if allowed to stay on as head coach the rest of the 2011 season.

According to The Washington Post, trustees vice chair John Surma told Paterno, "In the best interests of the university, you are terminated." Paterno hung up and repeated the words to his wife, who redialed the number.

"After 61 years he deserved better," Sue Paterno said. "He deserved better." Then she hung up.

According to Davis on Thursday, Surma never got the chance to say two more things that night: that he regretted having to tell him the decision over the phone; and that the school was going to honor his contract and retirement package as if he had retired at the end of 2011.

Dambly insisted Paterno was not fired, although he never appeared as coach again. He remains a tenured faculty member.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-20-Penn%20State-Trustees/id-9f28f14525da4cbbb4e34467c86628e0

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Unlike Conservative Critics, GOP Base Has Favorable View of Mitt Romney

While some high profile conservatives activists have problems with Mitt Romney as the Republican nominee, for the most part the Republican base claims to like him as well as or better than his rivals. From Gallup:

Total Favorable and Unfavorable Ratings of Republican Presidential Candidates, January 2012

If a large segment of the Republican base held unfavorable views about Romney, or if the Republican base viewed an alternative candidate significantly more favorably, it is conceivable Romney could be in trouble despite his early wins and large lead among GOP candidates in national polls.

As it currently stands, however, Romney appears on a glide path to quickly clinch the nomination, and the Republican base is mostly okay with that.

As long as Romney remains broadly acceptable to the Republican base, I simply don?t see how any of the other candidates stands a chance of stopping the strong momentum Romney currently has.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/firedoglake/fdl/~3/4nYE6DF_7yQ/

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