Tuesday, January 31, 2012

'Watch What Happens Live': Brad Goreski And Gary Janetti Play Plead The Fifth (VIDEO)

Stylist Brad Goreski had his boyfriend, "Will & Grace" writer/producer Gary Janetti, a little worried when the pair agreed to play "Plead the Fifth" on "Watch What Happens Live" (Weeknights, 11 p.m. EST on Bravo).

Host Andy Cohen asked, "Tell us one unflattering thing about Gary we would be surprised to hear." To which Brad replied, "He loves getting blowouts." A worried-looking Gary obviously thought Brad was going to say something else and just about exploded in relief when he heard the word "blowout."

Then, Cohen asked Brad to name a celebrity he would refuse to style. Diplomatically, Brad replied, "My door's always open."

When Gary was in the hot seat, Cohen asked him "Will or Grace?" The answer: Will, natch. But Gary showed he could be just as diplomatic as Brad when asked what was the worst project he'd ever written for. He plead the fifth on that.

Watch Andy and his guests in the Bravo clubhouse on "Watch What Happens Live," Weeknights at 11 p.m. EST on Bravo.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

Related on HuffPost:

MONDAY, JANUARY 30: "Gossip Girl"

1? of ?22

"Gossip Girl" (8 p.m. EST on The CW) The stylish soap hits 100 episodes this week, featuring an elaborate musical dream sequence involving Serena, Blair and all the men in their lives. Also, while Chuck wrestles with the reality that Blair is about to walk down the aisle with Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), the return of Georgina Sparks (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) might make the royal affair a royal disaster. "Gossip Girl" (8 p.m. EST on The CW)
The stylish soap hits 100 episodes this week, featuring an elaborate musical dream sequence involving Serena, Blair and all the men in their lives. Also, while Chuck wrestles with the reality that Blair is about to walk down the aisle with Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), the return of Georgina Sparks (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) might make the royal affair a royal disaster.

MONDAY, JANUARY 30: "Gossip Girl"

"Gossip Girl" (8 p.m. EST on The CW) The stylish soap hits 100 episodes this week, featuring an elaborate musical dream sequence involving Serena, Blair and all the men in their lives. Also, while Chuck wrestles with the reality that Blair is about to walk down the aisle with Prince Louis (guest star Hugo Becker), the return of Georgina Sparks (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) might make the royal affair a royal disaster. "; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/31/watch-what-happens-live-brad-goreski-gary-janetti-video_n_1243411.html

steve wynn lytro camera lytro camera st. louis cardinals gaddafi bodyguards gaddafi bodyguards muammar gaddafi

The Science and Technology of Gaming Continues to Evolve ? Blog ...

? ?I predict a sell out of this gaming technology book within hours of store openings,? said Tricia Valerie, when asked about Tepler Atwill?s recent new book

?This is the biggest story of my career,? said Wetzstein Bonello, a reporter for ?The Globe?, a state wide newspaper with the best circulation rates, ?I?m getting calls from gaming technology industry executives, investors, and general employees all asking about what is going on, and if they can provide information for the news agency. Of course, they want their names mentioned so that a little publicity is given to their particular gaming technology company, but it does save me from hunting these people down and taking interviews.? Other reporters breaking news stated that finding interviewees was no trouble at all, since the need for publicity in the industry is very high. Cobo Kostick Corp, which is based down town, also released plans to expand its building into the old Wiren Straight Mercantile Shop, which has been vacant for about a year now. Said CIO Ferranti Mancusi, ?The recent news in the gaming technology industry means big things for us, including the need to expand our physical building and operations. We?ll be able to hire an additional, and much needed, 100 new employees who will help push our efforts forward. This is going to be great!? Reaction from the market regarding the news in the gaming technology sector was positive overall. Stock from key companies, such as Brzezinski Miltner Corp., Steffanie Preisach and Partners, and Danna Yochum LLC all saw dramatic increases in share value. Each of these companies uses important gaming technology technology in its general operations, and the news of advancements has spurned more venture capitalists to invest and make some quick cash. ?This is a huge opportunity for everyone,? said Dabney Canute, a day trader at the Polo Bring INC firm, which also manages a series of hedge funds in the gaming technology sector. ?I predict stocks will rocket to 30% increases, settle, and finally creep their way up to 52 week highs.? Investors won?t be the only ones reaping a profit from these latest developments. The research and development company Letty Mazon INC, which did most of the work on creating this new technology, will get a huge payoff as it auctions its products off to gaming technology industry heavy weights. Patrina Welty, President of Letty Mazon INC, had this to say: ?To keep things fair for all parties, we?re going to begin a general auction for our new products within 30 days. Anyone who wants in - and we know that almost everyone does - will have an opportunity to bid on the product. First dibs go to the top 3 companies, who will enjoy a 90 period free of competition from other gaming technology entities. Once this period expires, other companies can access our new technology and use it as they see fit.? Reporters were scurying around to every gaming technology industry exec they could find to get the scoop on the lastest developments. Mailander Lundvall, who writes for economics publication ?The Stanford Bramblett Journal? was busy waiting for an exclusive talk with COO Rosenwinkel Eisbach of the Macpherson Gearin and Sons company. Macpherson Gearin, who has been the most outspoken and technology savvy gaming technology industry exec, plans a vast period of ramping up company operations, hiring, and investment. Other reporters also learned of plans to acquire another gaming technology related out-of-state company, alhtough this tip came from an anonymous source who did not wish to face charges of insider trading. In addition, there was speculation that increased trade in the gaming technology sector would create a larger market in the USA, and keep dollars within the country. Reporter Karin Cutrona was researching this angle, and believes that the recent news means more money for USA based gaming technology companies and their subsidiaries. Said Karin Cutrona, ?For the past five years, there has been a noticable trade imbalance between the USA and other nations working within the gaming technology market, particularly in operations and human capital. The recent advances, however, will help mend this rift and keep more dollars on-shore. I expect to see demand for labor increase in the long run, with additional long run profits for strong gaming technology USA companies that move forward.? Although the gaming technology news was received well by most, their was some concern at the local 359 labor union. Many organized labor groups become weary with new technological advances, since this tends to spell the end for human labor, especially in the gaming technology market. ?Our fingers are crossed that corporate execs will honor all current contracts and not fire anyone,? said Union leader Hutchin Stong, ?and if all contracts are solid, we?re willing to negotiate with management at an appropriate time in the future to make sure our interests are being satisfied.? The union has been apart of the gaming technology sector for some fifteen years, and commands strong loyalty and respect from its members. Cornelia Blome, a wire reporter, was pleased to announce the recent news in the gaming technology industry. ?I?m pleased to report that technological advances by Libutti Saraiva INC have created a much higher degree of efficieny in operations. This means big profits for most gaming technology related companies and their subsidiaries? Libutti Saraiva continued with a complete analysis, including some raw data that was mind blowing: ?Output of gaming technology related products will nearly double, overhead will decrease by 1/3, and employee salaries will increase by 15%.?


date?Posted on: Monday, January 30, 2012 at 12:07 am
Category?Uncategorized.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Comments are closed.

Source: http://www.persmaitb.com/2012/01/30/when-the-news-about-gaming-technology-broke-yesterday-stocks-bumped-up-a-bit-said-soder-wolinski-cfo-of-gagnier-fitzgibbon-ltd.php

demi moore and ashton kutcher demi moore and ashton kutcher kim zolciak kim zolciak jerry sandusky interview white house shooting internet censorship

Monday, January 30, 2012

History of Florida Republican Primary (ContributorNetwork)

The Florida Republican Primary is slated for Tuesday. It is the fourth state to vote, after Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. There were different winners in each state. Florida, traditionally viewed as a swing state, feels that because of its size that its primary should be among the first and this year chose to jump ahead of Nevada, putting itself in fourth position, rather than fifth, as the Republican National Committee rules require. As it has in the past, Florida may pay for this decision.

* In 2008, the Florida GOP delegation was sanctioned by the Republican National Committee for holding its primary early, resulting in a 50 percent loss of delegates, dropping from 99 to 50.

* In late September 2011, the Florida GOP made the decision to break from Republican National Committee rules and move its primary to the early date, moving ahead of the Nevada caucus, which according to RNC rules is to be among the first four states to hold primaries or caucuses. A 50 percent loss of delegates has been promised again by the RNC for this breech.

* Florida is a winner-take-all state, meaning all delegates cast their votes for the winner of the primary. It has been suggested that because of the Florida GOP holding its primary at such an early date, that according to the RNC rules the Florida delegates might be forced to use a proportional allocation, instead of casting all of its votes for the winning candidate.

* Florida GOP voters in the past have chosen candidates who went on to win the Republican bid at the GOP convention, with John McCain and George W. Bush being the most recent.

* Florida GOP voters are a diverse group of voters, with native residents, immigrants and retirees from other states, making up their voter base. In the past, Florida Republican voters have prided themselves on voting uniquely according to their state's needs, not the trends of the country. They are not followers. They want to be seen as leaders.

* With a different winner coming out of each of the first three GOP caucuses and primaries, the Florida GOP primary may retain its long standing swing state reputation by breaking the three way tie among Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney.

* Past winning GOP candidates in Florida have often won by a narrow margin. This year's primary should prove to be no different, and is being called the closest Florida primary race ever.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120130/us_ac/10902937_history_of_florida_republican_primary

blue bloods temple grandin texas rangers marie osmond st louis cardinals josh hamilton beavis and butthead

State Dept: Americans take refuge at Cairo embassy (AP)

CAIRO ? Three American democracy advocates barred by Egyptian authorities from leaving the country have sought refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, officials said Monday, as tensions between the two allied nations sharply escalated over a probe into foreign-funded organizations.

The unusual step comes amid a row over an Egyptian crackdown on U.S.-funded groups promoting democracy and human rights that has jeopardized more than $1 billion of crucial U.S. aid to Egypt, one of its biggest recipients.

The investigation is closely intertwined with Egypt's political turmoil since Hosni Mubarak's fall nearly a year ago. The generals who took power have accused "foreign hands" of being behind protests against their rule and frequently depict the protesters as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.

Egyptian authorities are preventing at least six Americans and four Europeans from leaving the country, citing a probe opened last month when heavily armed security forces raided the offices of 10 international organizations. Egyptian officials have defended the raid as part of legitimate investigation into the groups' work and funding.

Those banned include Sam LaHood, son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, but officials would not say whether he is at the embassy. The younger LaHood, who heads the Egypt office of the Washington-based International Republican Institute, referred queries to a spokeswoman in Washington who did not return calls seeking comment.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Kate Starr told reporters in Washington Monday that the citizens were in the embassy.

"A handful of U.S. citizens have opted to stay in the embassy compound in Cairo while waiting for permission to depart Egypt," she said.

Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said three Americans are at the embassy, adding that the move was not because the U.S. feared their imminent arrest.

A former IRI official quoted in The Washington Post Sunday, however, said his colleagues had indicated that they would only move to the embassy if they feared they'd be arrested soon.

U.S. officials have warned that restrictions on civil society groups could hinder aid to Egypt, which would be a major blow to the country as it struggles with economic woes and continued turmoil in the wake of the 18-day popular uprising that led to Mubarak's Feb. 11 ouster. Egypt's military has been locked in a confrontation for months with protesters who demand it immediately hand over power to civilians.

The Egyptian army itself receives more than $1 billion a year from Washington. The December raids brought sharp U.S. criticism, and last week President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Egyptian military chief Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi about the issue.

Recent U.S. legislation could block annual aid to Egypt unless it takes certain steps. These include abiding by its 1979 peace treaty with Israel, holding free and fair elections and "implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association and religion and due process of law."

The U.S. is due to give $1.3 billion in military assistance and $250 million in economic aid to Egypt in 2012. Washington has given Egypt an average of $2 billion in economic and military aid a year since 1979, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Sam LaHood of IRI said last week that three other employees of his organization were on the no-fly list, two American and one European.

From the National Democratic Institute, which was also raided in December, three Americans and three Serb employees are on the list, the group's Egypt director, Lisa Hughes, said last week.

Hughes said in a text message Monday that none of NDI's employees are residing at the U.S. Embassy.

A U.S. embassy spokeswoman did not respond Monday to requests for comment.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_us/egypt_us

teleprompter ashley greene mukesh ambani mukesh ambani bob harper x factor judges x factor judges

Romney uses Tom Brokaw to make his case against Gingrich (Washington Bureau)

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, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192633503?client_source=feed&format=rss

dancing with the stars elimination nexus prime nexus prime new iphone new iphone tmobile iphone van jones

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Golden Globes trial exposes misleading negotiating tactics (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES, Jan 27 (TheWrap.com) ? Dick Clark Productions Chief Executive Officer Mark Shapiro had to admit in Los Angeles District Court late this week that he employed bluffs and half-truths to get NBC to agree to an $150 million deal to air the Golden Globes.

The practice is likely standard operating procedure in Hollywood, but copping to the ploys can not have been pleasant for Shapiro.

The deal is at the center of a legal scuffle between DCP and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the non-profit group behind the Globes, over who controls the rights to the broadcast of the highly-rated awards show. Marc Graboff, NBC's former business affairs chief, took the stand Friday morning, with testimony from CBS CEO Les Moonves expected next week.

The HFPA sued DCP and its parent company Red Zone Capital in November 2010, alleging that the company negotiated a new contract with NBC without their consent and that by failing to put the rights out for bidding by other networks, potentially cost them millions of dollars.

DCP claims that thanks to an amendment in its contract, the production company retains the rights to the broadcast every time it reaches a new deal with NBC. It also claims that it did not need the approval of the HFPA to extend the pact with the network.

Under questioning by HFPA attorney Linda Smith this week, Shapiro shied away from using the word "lie" or "mislead," but he did acknowledge that he led NBC executives to believe that he had HFPA's approval for the extension agreement.

Asked directly by Judge A. Howard Matz, at one point, if he had made false statements during negotiations with NBC, Shapiro said, "right."

He also claimed that he could hammer out a deal with NBC to air the awards pre-show, but said that he would need HFPA's approval before an agreement could be reached. He acknowledged that he told network executives that the HFPA was primarily interested in working out an extension of their deal before they tackled the issue of the pre-show.

Graboff told the court that NBC would not have done a deal for broadcast rights to the show if it had known that the HFPA was not being kept in the loop. But he also said if he had known that the organization was shopping the show to other networks -- as they apparently were trying to do with Moonves and CBS -- he would have tried to block a deal from taking place.

Moonves will likely emerge again during the course of the trial. The CBS chief is scheduled to testify next week -- although whether that testimony is given remotely via video conferencing or in-person is still the source of some debate.

HFPA Chairman Philip Berk met with Moonves in summer of 2010 to discuss the possibility of the Globes migrating to CBS, but DCP attorneys plan to argue that the lunch was in violation of its agreement with NBC. Under that pact, the HFPA was not allowed to talk to any third party about distributing the show until its deal with the network had expired.

The uncertainty around who would control the broadcast of the red carpet arrivals caused some friction. In a note, Graboff told Shapiro that DCP's reluctance to negotiate terms around the pre-show, while insisting that NBC immediately sign the extension agreement, "raises red flags for us."

As part of its justification for its "extensions clause," attorneys for DCP have argued that the HFPA was willing to give the production company broad rights to the program because its reputation was in tatters. The Golden Globes had been pushed off of the major broadcast networks for decades following a series of scandals involving their voting practices and allegations that Pia Zadora's husband had bought his wife an award by giving the group's members gifts.

Private correspondence that surfaced during the trial revealed Shapiro's unvarnished opinion of the controversial organization. In an email to William Morris Endeavor partner Ari Emanuel, Shapiro said that former NBCUniversal Chief Executive Officer Jeff Zucker understood the difficulty in dealing with the HFPA.

Wrote Shapiro: "Jeff knows these people are crazy."

(Editing By Zorianna Kit)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/tv_nm/us_goldenglobes_trial

pac 12 championship game bobby valentine bobby valentine al franken al franken mary did you know seattle seahawks

North America boosts Ford in 4Q

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2010 file photo, Ford vehicles are reflected in the bumper of a Ford F-350 truck, at Fremont Ford in Newark, Calif. Ford said Friday Jan. 27, 2012 it made $13.4 billion in the fourth quarter, largely due to an accounting change. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2010 file photo, Ford vehicles are reflected in the bumper of a Ford F-350 truck, at Fremont Ford in Newark, Calif. Ford said Friday Jan. 27, 2012 it made $13.4 billion in the fourth quarter, largely due to an accounting change. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) ? Ford has shown it can make money even with U.S. car sales at depressed levels. Now it needs to show it can manage a myriad of challenges outside its home region.

North America was the only region where Ford Motor Co. saw profits rise in the fourth quarter and in all of 2011. Everywhere else the automaker lost money or saw profits fall, hurt by nervous consumers in Europe, flooding in Asia and aging products in South America. Costs rose faster than expected, too.

Ford reported $13.62 billion in net income, but investors brushed off the result because most of that came from an accounting change. Excluding that change, earnings totaled $1.1 billion, or 20 cents a share, down 15 percent from the fourth quarter of 2010. Ford missed Wall Street's expectations by 5 cents.

The stock price took an early hit but recovered once the company promised better ? if still bumpy ? results in 2012. Shares fell 4 percent to close at $12.21.

Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth said the Thai flooding and the rising cost of steel and other commodities hurt Ford more than analysts expected.

The November floods, which affected Thai parts suppliers, cost 34,000 units of production in Thailand and in South Africa, which relies on Thai-made parts. Ford also spent $2.3 billion more on commodities in 2011 than the prior year, or $100 million more than it forecast.

Bill Selesky, an auto analyst with Argus Research, said investors relaxed after Ford explained its accounting change and reassured them that it expects operating margin to increase this year.

Ford's operating margin ? a measure of how much the company earned after all the costs of doing business ? fell to 2.2 percent from 3 percent in 2010, largely because of commodity costs.

"The company said, 'Listen, we can manage through this, and North America is very, very strong,'" Selesky said.

North American operating profits rose 33 percent to $889 million in the fourth quarter. For the full year, North American profits rose 15 percent to $6.2 billion.

Ford's U.S. market share was up for the year, and the company got higher prices for new vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Ford Focus. U.S. buyers paid an average of $29,524 for Ford cars and trucks last year, up 6 percent from 2009, according to automotive pricing site TrueCar.com.

But in Europe, Ford's second-most important region by sales, fourth-quarter operating losses more than doubled to $190 million and sales fell 1 percent.

Booth said the company isn't sure how much impact the debt crisis will have on European sales this year. But CEO Alan Mulally said he's optimistic, since Ford has 10 new or revamped vehicles going on sale in the region. In the meantime, Ford is cutting European production by 36,000 vehicles in the first quarter.

Rival General Motors Co. is also expected to be hurt by weak results in Europe. It reports quarterly results Feb. 16. Chrysler Group, which has little international exposure, will be buoyed by its U.S. sales when it releases earnings Feb. 1.

In Asia, Ford's sales fell 7 percent in the fourth quarter, largely because sales in China have slowed. Ford's Asia Pacific region lost $83 million in the quarter after posting a profit in 2010.

Booth said things will be bumpy in Asia for the next several years as Ford embarks on a major expansion that includes the construction of seven plants. The company aims to triple the cars in its Chinese lineup to 15 over the next three years.

The South American market was another disappointment. Both sales and market share fell. Booth said South America is getting more competitive, and Ford's products there are older than other brands. Ford aims to turn that around when it introduces new products there next year.

For the full year, the Dearborn-based company reported net income of $20.2 billion, or $4.94 per share.

Ford's accounting change resulted in big gains on paper. The move dates to 2006, when Ford moved $15.7 billion worth of tax credits and other assets off its books because it wasn't making money so it couldn't take advantage of them. Now that it's profitable, the company moved most of those assets back onto its books.

The change will affect Ford's tax rates going forward. Ford's tax rate was 9 percent in 2010 because of the assets that were being held under the valuation allowance. Ford's new rate will be closer to 30 percent.

Booth called the change a "significant milestone" and said it's a strong indication that the company expects to stay profitable. Another is Ford's decision last month to reinstate a 5-cent quarterly dividend starting in March.

Without the big accounting gain, Ford earned $8.76 billion, or $1.51 per share, its highest operating profit since 1999. Revenue rose 13 percent to $136.3 billion. Analysts had forecast full-year earnings of $1.86 per share on revenue of $127.31 billion.

Based on its full-year North American results, Ford will make profit-sharing payments of around $6,200 each to its 41,600 U.S. hourly employees. Employees will get their checks in March.

Ford also said Friday that it plans to contribute $3.5 billion to its global pension funds this year. Underfunded pensions have been another area of concern for investors and for ratings agencies, which recently raised Ford's credit rating to one notch below investment grade. Ford has been below investment grade since 2005.

Standard and Poor's analyst Efraim Levy, who maintains a "buy" rating on Ford shares, said he wasn't concerned that Ford missed analysts' expectations.

"I don't think they have to fully meet their goals to be successful," he said. "Directionally, they are moving where they have to be."

But Levy said Ford will have to watch its back in the U.S., where Toyota and Honda are finally recovering from earthquake-related shortages and smaller players like Volkswagen and Kia are making inroads.

"I tend to give Ford the benefit of the doubt, but I do think the easy gains are over for them," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-27-Earns-Ford/id-195375fc03154b85a744541d338d6a4c

oregon state football knocked up knocked up edgar cayce eagle rock music festival eagle rock music festival arbor

Saturday, January 28, 2012

St. Louis hosts 1st big parade on Iraq War's end

Niliah Banks, foreground, works with other students in her fifth grade class at Ross Elementary create hand-made signs Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Creve Coeur, Mo. The signs will be used when St. Louis hosts a "Welcome Home the Heroes from Iraq Day" on Jan. 28 with a noontime parade through downtown to welcome veterans of the war in Iraq. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Niliah Banks, foreground, works with other students in her fifth grade class at Ross Elementary create hand-made signs Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Creve Coeur, Mo. The signs will be used when St. Louis hosts a "Welcome Home the Heroes from Iraq Day" on Jan. 28 with a noontime parade through downtown to welcome veterans of the war in Iraq. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Ross Elementary fifth grade students, clockwise from left, Juilanna Bell, Mollie Weinberg, Courtney Turner and Mckenzie Thompson work to create a hand-made sign Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Creve Coeur, Mo. The sign will be used when St. Louis hosts a "Welcome Home the Heroes from Iraq Day" on Jan. 28 with a noontime parade through downtown to welcome veterans of the war in Iraq. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

(AP) ? Since the Iraq War ended there has been little fanfare for the veterans returning home. No ticker-tape parades. No massive, flag-waving public celebrations.

So, two friends from St. Louis decided to change that. They sought donations, launched a Facebook page, met with the mayor and mapped a route. On Saturday, hundreds of veterans are expected to march in downtown St. Louis in the nation's first big welcome home parade since the last troops left Iraq in December.

"It struck me that there was this debate going on as to whether there should or shouldn't be a parade," said Tom Appelbaum, one of the organizers. "Instead of waiting around for somebody somewhere to say, 'Yes, let's have a parade,' we said, 'Let's just do it.'"

Appelbaum, a 46-year-old lawyer, and Craig Schneider, a 41-year-old school technology coordinator, said they were puzzled by the lack of celebrations marking the war's end. But, they wondered, if St. Louis could host thousands of people for a parade after their beloved Cardinals won the World Series, why couldn't there be a party for the troops who put their lives on the line?

The effort got help with donations from two corporations with St. Louis connections ? $10,000 from Anheuser-Busch and $7,500 from the Mayflower moving company. Individual donations have boosted the project's total budget to about $35,000. By comparison, more than $5 million was spent two decades ago on New York's welcome-home parade for Gulf War veterans who helped drive Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

Ticker-tape salutes to returning troops are part of the American culture, including parades in many cities honoring veterans of World War I and World War II.

Since the end of the latest Iraq War, there have only been small events at military posts, gatherings of families at airports and a low-key appearance by President Barack Obama at Fort Bragg, N.C., a base that endured more than 200 deaths from fighting in the war.

"Many communities across the country are finding ways to recognize the service and sacrifice of our troops and their families," said Maj. Chris Perrine, a spokesman for the Defense Department. "We are certainly encouraged by that and grateful for it."

Celebrating the end of the Iraq War isn't as simple as the outpourings after the world wars, said Wayne Fields, professor of English and American Culture Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. With 91,000 troops still fighting the war on terrorism in Afghanistan, many Iraq veterans could be redeployed ? suggesting to some that it's premature to celebrate their homecoming.

"We're not celebrating the end of a war the way we were with V-E Day or V-J Day (after World War II)," Fields said. "Part of what this is trying to do is recognize the special service of those who were there even though we can't declare a victory over a clearly identified enemy."

In May 2003, President George W. Bush landed on an aircraft carrier to hail the end of major combat operations in Iraq. Behind him during that speech was a banner that read, "Mission Accomplished," yet U.S. troops remained in Iraq for 8 ? more years.

Even some of the festivities in St. Louis will serve as a reminder that Bush launched the Iraq War as part of the larger war on terror following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

As part of the weekend, a "Reading of the Fallen" will begin at 9:11 p.m. Friday at Soldiers Memorial downtown. It will continue until the names of the approximate 6,500 Americans killed since the attacks are read.

"Veterans have sacrificed so much for the safety and well-being of St. Louisans," Mayor Francis Slay said. "This is a chance to demonstrate our appreciation for them."

City officials agreed to waive permit fees and allow use of streets for the parade from the heart of downtown along Market Street to Union Station, the former train station that is now a shopping center and hotel. A "Resource Village" will be set up there that will include food, music and entertainment but will also connect returning vets with organizations to help ease transition to civilian life.

Organizers expect about 100 parade entries ? floats, marching bands, first-responders, veterans groups. Appelbaum said that while the parade marks the end of the Iraq War, any military personnel involved in post-Sept. 11 conflicts are welcome.

Appelbaum has no idea how many people will turn out to cheer on the troops but said response has been overwhelming despite the lack of any substantial marketing.

"It's significant that this is strictly a grassroots effort, and coming out of the heartland of the U.S., I think it really says something," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-27-Iraq%20War-Parade/id-0661496ca7194617868fc5460f2a3503

portland news portland news tibetan mastiff manny pacquiao pacquiao blanche blanche

Friday, January 27, 2012

Tired and broke, Santorum heads home to do taxes

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum listens to a question at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum listens to a question at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

(AP) ? Rick Santorum is tired, almost broke ? and going home.

The former Pennsylvania senator is leaving Florida just days before the Tuesday primary that even he expects to deal him a third consecutive loss.

Santorum says he would rather spend his Saturday sitting at his kitchen table to do his taxes than campaigning in a state where the race for the Republican presidential nomination has become a two-man fight between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.

The cash-strapped candidate acknowledges that he simply can't keep up with the GOP front-runners in Florida.

"We're going to talk about the Constitution and talk about being a strong conservative," Santorum said at an event here this week. "And that's all we can do."

Outside advisers are urging him to pack up in Florida completely and not spend another minute in a state where he is cruising toward a loss.

Santorum seem to be listening. He has yet to announce his primary day schedule but says it was a mistake for him to remain in South Carolina on its primary day.

"We can't let grass grow," he told reporters Thursday. "South Carolina Election Day was sort of a wasted day for us."

But he pledged to continue his campaign regardless of the Florida outcome.

It's a grim period for Santorum, who just three weeks ago was riding high after narrowly winning the Iowa caucuses. The victory was short-lived. He lost big in both New Hampshire and South Carolina.

He faced an uphill battle even before the race turned to Florida. He doesn't have the money to spend on television ads in Florida's expensive media markets. He couldn't compete with the thousands-strong crowds his rivals have been drawing. And he wasn't able to find a moment here that crystalized the rationale for his candidacy.

"Other candidates tell you they need your help," Santorum told Florida Republicans this week ? almost pleaded really. "They're lying. I really need your help."

But help didn't come ? at least in this state ? for a candidate who is visibly exhausted and running on, at most, four hours of sleep each night.

So Santorum is going home to Pennsylvania, which he represented in the Senate, and Virginia, where he lives with his wife and seven children, to get some rest and, he says, prepare his own taxes. He also plans fundraisers in both states as he works to rebuild his campaign account to pay for upcoming contests in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado.

Santorum also is looking at Arizona and Michigan, which vote at the end of February ? if he makes it that far.

His inner circle of advisers is looking at the campaign checkbook. They say they can keep a lean campaign rolling in case Gingrich or Romney implode.

"This race is just starting. It's a three-man race," Santorum insists. "We're going to be in this race for the long term."

For now, at least, polls show Santorum dramatically trailing in Florida, the largest and most diverse state in the early nominating schedule. And he seems to be coming up short as he tries to win over voters with his everyman persona.

"I wish he had a little more passion in the belly," said Don Waldt, a Punta Gorda retiree who attended a Santorum rally at dusk this week. "He is conservative and authentic. But he isn't on top and doesn't seem to have a clear path to the top."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-27-Santorum/id-14637f3d930c4651a8183f50aa1140b3

kate middleton pregnant national book awards jessica sutta sexiest man alive 2011 ruben studdard ruben studdard black friday sales 2011

Infinity stops cancer trial as drug fails to show (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Infinity Pharmaceuticals said it stopped a mid-stage trial of its experimental pancreatic cancer drug following an interim analysis that showed it would not meet its main goal.

Data from the preliminary analysis showed that patients receiving placebo along with an anti-cancer chemotherapy drug lived longer than patients who received Infinity's drug saridegib plus the chemotherapy.

Infinity is also testing saridegib in mid-stage trials as a single agent therapy in myelofibrosis -- a rare bone marrow disorder -- and a life-threatening cancer of the cartilage.

The company expects to report data from the myelofibrosis mid-stage trial in the second half of 2012.

Shares of the company closed at $9.95 on Thursday on the Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/hl_nm/us_infinitypharmaceuticals

ponder ponder extract extract bobby jindal bobby jindal talladega

Some DODDS sports events in Italy postponed due to strike

By Kent Harris

Stars and Stripes

Published: January 26, 2012

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy ? A nationwide truck strike that has resulted in highway closures and concerns of fuel shortages at gasoline stations also led DODDS-Europe to postpone some sports competitions scheduled in Italy over the weekend.

High school basketball games involving Aviano vs. Marymount International and Vicenza vs. American Overseas School of Rome scheduled for this weekend have been postponed, and Naples? contest with Florence International also scheduled for this weekend has been canceled, according to DODDS-Europe Athletic Director Karen Seadore. Games between American School of Milan and Sigonella are still scheduled for the coming weekend, she said.

A wrestling meet Saturday at Aviano will continue without half its scheduled participants, she said. Vilseck, Germany; Naples; AOSR; and Sigonella are not sending wrestlers. However, Vicenza; Black Forest Academy in Kandern, Germany; and a small contingent from Rota, Spain, still planto attend. Vilseck will now wrestle at Heidelberg on Saturday.

Truckers began their strike Monday in protest over rising fuel prices and high road tolls. It is supposed to end Friday. Since American high school basketball matchups are Friday-Saturday affairs and some wrestling squads would be traveling on Fridays, the cancelations made sense, Seadore said.

?Obviously, we do not want our kids to be in buses and stranded on the autostrada,? she said.

Vilseck canceled after being told that the Brenner Pass, one of the main routes connecting Italy with Austria and its neighbors to the north, had been blockaded by the striking truckers, Seadore said.

The strike has also led some Americans based in Italy to take precautions. Aviano Air Base and other U.S. installations have tried to keep servicemembers updated on local conditions.

Senior Airman Creighton Daetwyler, filling his car Thursday afternoon, brought along a 19-gallon container to fill.

He said the strike ?hasn?t impacted me yet, and I?m hoping with this container it won?t.?

Annette Fornier, a public affairs officer for U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, said there was ?no indication? of gas shortages outside the base. But she said soldiers have been advised to keep their tanks at least half full.

Ajdezi Safet, who works at the Agip station where Daetwyler was filling up in Aviano, said his station should have gasoline through the weekend, but also recommended that drivers not let their tanks get close to empty.

A message posted on the NSA Naples Facebook page Thursday stated, in part: ?We are hearing plenty of reports that many gas stations have run out of unleaded fuel again.?

A report filed by ANSA, the Italian news service, said the strike was continuing Thursday despite some concessions by Italy?s government.

harrisk@estripes.osd.mil
?

Source: http://www.stripes.com/news/some-dodds-sports-events-in-italy-postponed-due-to-strike-1.166854?localLinksEnabled=false

vt cleveland browns los angeles angels los angeles angels lindsay lohan’s playboy cover leaked online lindsay lohan’s playboy cover leaked online kevin martin

Bucs hire Rutgers' Greg Schiano as new coach

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2010 file photo, Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano listens to a question during a news conference in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2010 file photo, Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano listens to a question during a news conference in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 25, 2006 file photo, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano leads his team onto the field before a football game against Syracuse in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2009 file photo, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano reacts to play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)

FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2008 file photo, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano shouts to his players during an NCAA college football game against North Carolina in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans,file)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? The Buccaneers are counting on Greg Schiano to lead them back to respectability and transform Tampa Bay into consistent winners ? much in the same way he made Rutgers matter again.

The 45-year-old former Scarlet Knights coach was hired Thursday, more than three weeks after the Bucs fired Raheem Morris following a 4-12 finish.

The team scheduled a press conference for Friday to introduce Schiano, who inherits a team that allowed the most points in the NFL this season.

"Coach Schiano is a bright, meticulous teacher who knows how to get the most out of his players," general manager Mark Dominik said. "He built and ran a pro-style program at Rutgers, and he's a defensive-minded coach whose teams have always been characterized by toughness and a physical style of play."

Schiano was at Rutgers for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstocks to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. He was an assistant coach in the NFL with Chicago from 1996-98.

The Scarlet Knights appointed offensive line coach Kyle Flood as interim head coach while the school searches for Schiano's replacement.

The Bucs fired Morris on Jan. 2 after Tampa Bay lost 10 straight games to end the season, most of them by double-digit margins. The collapse following a promising 4-2 start came only a year after the NFL's youngest team went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs.

The Glazer family that owns the team interviewed at least 10 candidates for the opening, including Oregon's Chip Kelly, who was offered the position before turning it down earlier this week.

The Bucs also talked to former NFL head coaches Mike Sherman, Brad Childress and Marty Schottenheimer; Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski; Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray; Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer; Green Bay quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who accepted the head coaching opening with the Miami Dolphins.

An 11th known candidate, ex-Dallas Cowboys coach and current Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, canceled a scheduled interview with the Bucs that would have taken place while the Texans were in the playoffs.

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said the club was thrilled to entrust the team's rebuilding project to Schiano.

"During our thorough search, we met with numerous impressive candidates, but coach Schiano surely distinguished himself," Glazer said. "From his leadership skills to his considerable track record, he is, simply put, the right man for the job."

It's not the first exhaustive search the Glazers have conducted for a coach.

The Bucs pursued Steve Spurrier before hiring Tony Dungy in 1996, then tried to lure Bill Parcells and Steve Mariucci to Tampa Bay before trading two first-round draft picks, as well as a pair of second-rounders and $8 million cash to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the opportunity to negotiate a contract with Jon Gruden after the 2001 season.

Gruden led the Bucs to their only Super Bowl title the following season, but Tampa Bay hasn't won a playoff game since. The Glazers fired him three weeks after the Bucs lost the final four games of 2008 to miss the playoffs, and promoted Morris as his successor.

Tampa Bay went 17-31 under Morris, who served as his own defensive coordinator. The Bucs allowed a franchise-record 494 points in 2011, including 31 of more in seven of the last eight games.

In addition to fixing a defense that's been rebuilt over the past two drafts, getting young quarterback Josh Freeman back on track with be a priority this offseason.

Freeman threw for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, his second year in the league and his first as a full-time starter. The 24-year-old passed for 16 TDs vs. 22 interceptions this season.

The timing of the move could put Rutgers in a bind with national signing day less than a week away. This is a pivotal time in the recruiting process, with coaches locking up commitments from high school prospects who make those agreements official by signing national letters of intent starting Wednesday.

Schiano's contract with Rutgers runs through 2016 and pays him around $2.35 million per year.

He played linebacker at Bucknell, but never in the NFL. His first big break in coaching came at Penn State, where Joe Paterno hired him to coach defensive backs in 1991. He was at Penn State through 1995, before being hired by the Bears.

Because of his success at Rutgers, there had often been speculation for years about Schiano possibly replacing Paterno when the Hall of Famer was done coaching. But when Penn State was looking for a replacement after firing Paterno amid a child sex-abuse scandal involving one of his former longtime assistants, the school hired Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

Schiano has been courted by several other colleges during his time at Rutgers, most notably Miami and Michigan.

Michigan pursued Schiano after Lloyd Carr retired in 2007. Schiano passed and the Wolverines hired Rich Rodriguez.

Schiano's first four seasons at Rutgers produced losing seasons, but the program he took over was practically at rock bottom in major college football. Before he was hired, the Scarlet Knights played in only one bowl game in their history.

Schiano brought structure and discipline to a program that sorely lacked both on every level. Not only has Rutgers become a consistent winner in the Big East, but the Scarlet Knights have regularly been among the top teams in the country when it comes to graduating players. He also helped secure funding for multimillion dollar upgrades to Rutgers' facilities, including a major stadium renovation.

In 2005, Rutgers went 7-5 and the next season the Scarlet Knights were 11-2. They played in six bowls under Schiano, winning five, including a victory over Iowa state in the Pinstripe Bowl to cap a 9-4 season in 2011.

___

AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-26-Buccaneers-Schiano/id-5da62fba3a40447d94380866d4ca0075

meredith kercher meredith kercher waxahachie waxahachie erin burnett four loko michael savage

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Dispute over additive limits US meat exports

Michaela Rehle / Reuters

Fed to an estimated 60 to 80 percent of pigs in the United States, ractopamine has sickened or killed more of them than any other livestock drug on the market.

?

By Helena Bottemiller
The Food and Environment Reporting Network

A drug used to keep pigs lean and boost their growth is jeopardizing the nation?s exports of what once was known as ?the other white meat.??

The drug, ractopamine hydrochloride, is fed to pigs and other animals right up until slaughter and minute traces have been found in meat. The European Union, China, Taiwan and many others have banned its use, citing concerns about its effect on human health, limiting U.S. meat exports to key markets.

Although few Americans outside of the livestock industry have ever heard of ractopamine, the feed additive is controversial. Fed to an estimated 60 to 80 percent of pigs in the United States, it has sickened or killed more of them than any other livestock drug on the market, an investigation of Food and Drug Administration records shows. Cattle and turkeys have also suffered high numbers of illnesses from the drug.

Growing concern over sick animals in the nation's food supply sparked a California law banning the?sale and slaughter of?livestock unable to walk, but that law?was struck down by the Supreme Court Monday. Meat producers had sued to overturn California?s ban, arguing that the state could not supercede federal rules on meat production. The court agreed.

The FDA,?which regulates livestock drugs in the United States, deemed ractopamine safe 13 years ago and approved it, setting a level of acceptable residues in meat. Canada and 24 other countries approved the drug as well.

U.S. trade officials are now pressing more countries to accept meat from animals raised on ractopamine -- a move opposed by China and the EU. Resolving the impasse is a top agricultural trade priority for the Obama administration, which is trying to boost exports and help revive the economy, trade officials say.

U.S. exports of beef and pork are on track to hit $5 billion each for the first time, the U.S. Meat Export Federation estimates. Pork exports to China quadrupled from 2005 to 2010 to $463 million but are still only 2-3 percent of the market.

?China is a potentially huge market for us,? said Dave Warner, spokesman for the National Pork Producers Council.

Part of a class of drugs called beta-agonists, ractopamine mimics stress hormones, making the heart beat faster and relaxing blood vessels. Some beta-agonists are used to treat people with asthma or heart failure, but ractopamine has not been proposed for human use.

In animals, ractopamine revs up production of lean meat, reducing fat. Pigs fed the drug in the last weeks of their life produce an average of 10 percent more meat, compared with animals on the same amount of feed that don't receive the drug. That raises profits by $2 per head, according to the drug's manufacturer, Elanco, a division of Eli Lilly. It sells the drug under the brand name Paylean.

Ractopamine leaves animals' bodies quickly, with pig studies showing about 85 percent excreted within a day. But low levels of residues can still be detected in animals more than a week after they've consumed the drug.

While the Department of Agriculture has found traces of ractopamine in American beef and pork, they have not exceeded levels the FDA has determined are safe.

But because countries like China and Taiwan have no safety threshold, traces of the drug have led to rejection of some U.S. meat shipments. The EU requires U.S. exporters to certify their meat is ractopamine-free, and China requires a similar assurance for pork.

Some U.S. food companies also avoid meat produced with the feed additive, including Chipotle restaurants, meat producer Niman Ranch and Whole Foods Markets.

The FDA ruled that ractopamine was safe and approved it for pigs in 1999, for cattle in 2003 and turkeys in 2008. As with many drugs, the approval process relied on safety studies conducted by the drug-maker -- studies that lie at the heart of the current trade dispute.

Elanco mainly tested animals -- mice, rats, monkeys and dogs -- to judge how much ractopamine could be safely consumed. Only one human study was used in the safety assessment by Elanco, and among the six healthy young men who participated, one was removed because his heart began racing and pounding abnormally, according to a detailed evaluation of the study by European food safety officials.

When Elanco studied the drug in pigs for its effectiveness, it reported that "no adverse effects were observed for any treatments." But within a few years of Paylean's approval, the company received hundreds of reports of sickened pigs from farmers and veterinarians, according to records from the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine.

USDA meat inspectors also reported an increase in the number of "downer pigs" -- lame animals unable to walk -- in slaughter plants. As a result of the high number of adverse reactions, the FDA requested Elanco add a warning label to the drug, and it did so in 2002.

The company also received a warning letter from the FDA that year for failing to disclose all data about the safety and effectiveness of the drug.

Since it was introduced, ractopamine had sickened or killed more than 218,000 pigs as of March 2011, more than any other animal drug on the market, a review of FDA veterinary records shows. Pigs suffered from hyperactivity, trembling, broken limbs, inability to walk and death, according to FDA reports released under a Freedom of Information Act request.

"I've personally seen people overuse the drug in hogs and cattle," said Temple Grandin, a professor at Colorado State University and animal welfare expert. "I was in a plant once where they used too much ractopamine and the pigs were so weak they couldn't walk. They had five or six people just dedicated to handling the lame pigs."

But she noted that producers have since scaled back use in response to the rash of illnesses.

"Our company takes adverse event reporting very seriously and is overly inclusive on the information we submit to ensure we're meeting all requirements," Elanco spokeswoman Colleen Par Dekker said. She said the label change in 2002 resulted from an ongoing process of evaluating adverse effects of the drug, adding that an industry trend towards heavier pigs contributed to rising numbers of lame animals in this period.

By 2003, with ractopamine rolling out across the livestock industry, U.S. trade officials began pressing to open world markets for meat produced with the feed additive. Their effort focused on a relatively obscure corner of the trade world -- the U.N.'s Codex Alimentarius Commission, which sets global food-safety standards.

Setting a Codex standard for ractopamine would strengthen Washington's ability to challenge other countries' meat import bans at the World Trade Organization.

The issue has reached the last step in Codex's approval process, but since 2008 the commission has been deadlocked over one central question: What, if any, level of ractopamine is safe in meat?

The EU and China, which together produce and consume about 70 percent of the world?s pork, have blocked the repeated efforts of U.S. trade officials to get a residue limit. European scientists sharply questioned the science backing the drug's safety, and Chinese officials were concerned about higher residues in organ meats, which are consumed in China.

?The main problem for us is that the safety of the product could not be supported with the data,? said Claudia Roncancio-Pe?a, a scientist who led the European food safety panel studying the drug.

U.S. trade officials say China wants to limit competition from U.S. companies, and the EU does not want to risk a public outcry by importing meat raised with growth-promoting drugs, which are illegal there.

The issue also has strained the U.S.-Taiwan trade relationship, since Taiwan -? the sixth-largest market for U.S. beef and pork ?- began testing for ractopamine last year. It found traces in?American beef and pork and pulled meat from store shelves, according to local press reports.

In the U.S., residue tests for ractopamine are limited. In 2010, for example, the U.S. did no tests on 22 billion pounds of pork; 712 samples were taken from 26 billion pounds of beef. Those results have not yet been released.

This article was produced by the Food and Environment Reporting Network, an independent, non-profit news organization providing investigative reporting on food, agriculture and environmental health.

More from the Food & Environment Reporting Network:

Finding drugs in food?

Behind the trade dispute

Milk and water don't mix?

?

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10220221-dispute-over-drug-in-feed-limiting-us-meat-exports

kourtney kardashian pregnant kourtney kardashian pregnant eli manning eli manning steven tyler ny giants chip kelly

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

2nd day of mourning for Paterno to end with burial

Honor guard, Penn State football running back Michael Zordich pauses at the front of the casket of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno during a public viewing in the Worship room of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Honor guard, Penn State football running back Michael Zordich pauses at the front of the casket of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno during a public viewing in the Worship room of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Three women walk past a picture of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno to pay their respect in front of his casket during a public viewing in the Worship room of the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 in State College, Pa.. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Mourners line up a block from the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus for the viewing for former Penn State coach Joe Paterno Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 in State College, Pa. Paterno died Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Mourners line up at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus for the viewing for former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Former Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary departs the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the Penn State campus after the viewing for former Penn State coach Joe Paterno, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 in State College, Pa. Paterno died Sunday morning. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(AP) ? The second day of a three-day period of public mourning for the late Joe Paterno will culminate with the funeral and burial service for the Hall of Fame football coach who became the face of Penn State University.

Hundreds ? if not thousands ? of alumni, residents and students are expected to attend a four-hour visitation Wednesday morning to begin a slate of events that will end with a funeral service in the afternoon that the family has made private.

The 85-year-old Paterno died Sunday of lung cancer. He had been ousted just days before learning of his diagnosis in November, forced out of his job in the wake of child sex-abuse charges against a former assistant.

This week, mourners are focusing on the full body of accomplishments and philanthropy compiled by Paterno over his 46-year tenure as the Nittany Lions' coach.

"His legacy is still going to be filled with the great things that he did. Look at this place," said Tom Sherman, a 1969 graduate from Johnstown, Pa. Before tearing up, Sherman said he attended Paterno's first game as head coach in 1966.

"It's like he's part of your life. I admire that guy so much."

Thousands more waited in line Tuesday on an overcast winter afternoon for the first day of visitation at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, where Paterno family members regularly attended services.

Inside the hall, the coach's body lay in a closed, hardwood casket topped by a spray of white roses. About six feet away sat a stylized black-and-white picture of the man who became lovingly known on campus as "JoePa," smiling and peering out through his trademark thick-rimmed glasses.

Paterno's casket had an "honor guard" of two Penn State players ? one past and one present. Some mourners stopped for a moment of reflection, or to genuflect in the interfaith hall.

Others fought back tears and sniffles. The only other sounds were the occasional clicks of news photographers taking pictures.

Paterno won 409 games and two national championships in a career admired by peers as much for its longevity as its success. Paterno also took as much pride in the program's graduation rates, often at or close to the top of the Big Ten.

"The passion, the love that he gave almost gave you a sense that you wanted to give it back to him," Penn State men's basketball coach Patrick Chambers said after escorting his team to the worship hall Tuesday evening. "We're forever indebted to him and we will continue to work as hard as we can."

On Thursday, the school's basketball arena will be the site of a public service called "A Memorial for Joe." Tickets on Tuesday were quickly snapped up for the event, even though there was a two-per-person limit for those ordering.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-25-Penn%20State-Paterno/id-95f491d2bd494f5eb2d3aaa78556640f

richard pryor richard pryor don t ask don t tell don t ask don t tell dancing with the stars season 13 sam bradford nancy grace

About 12 groups submit Dodgers bids

By RONALD BLUM

updated 8:15 p.m. ET Jan. 24, 2012

NEW YORK - About 12 groups submitted initial bids to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt, several people familiar with the process said Tuesday.

Among the bidders were Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and former YES Network chief executive officer Leo Hindery, two people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the bids were to remain confidential.

One of the people also confirmed a Los Angeles Times report that Stan Kroenke was involved in the bidding. Kroenke already controls the NFL's St. Louis Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, Arsenal of the English Premier League and Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids.

Hindery's bid, made with Marc Utay, was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Bidders said they were waiting to hear from Blackstone Group, which is representing McCourt, what the next step in the process will be. Blackstone may ask Major League Baseball to conduct due diligence on up to 10 bidders, with each chosen group paying MLB $25,000 to cover baseball's costs.

McCourt is to pick his chosen owner by early April, with Major League Baseball approving the sale in time for a transfer by April 30, the day McCourt must pay former wife Jamie a $131 million divorce settlement.

Some of the other groups include former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson, former Dodgers manager Joe Torre, former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley and former agent Dennis Gilbert.

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


advertisement

More news
Fielder deal is good for now

??SportsTalk: The Prince Fielder signing helps the Detroit Tigers remain contenders, but the signing will create some problems down the road.

Getty Images

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46123813/ns/sports-baseball/

redskins oyster festival oyster festival hopkins hopkins the big year the big year

What will be will be, but what will we be?

Jamie Condliffe, contributor

25-things.jpgFUTURE-GAZING is a risky business. Cautious predictions may often come true, but a futurist stating the obvious lacks punch. On the flip side, bold forecasts may generate more buzz, but they are likely to go the same way as the predictions of flying cars and the household robots we are still waiting for.

Fortunately, in 25 Things You Need to Know About the Future, Christopher Barnatt treads a fine line between these two extremes with skill and balance. All the known quantities are here: from the realities of peak oil, to the burgeoning fields of synthetic biology and ubiquitous computing. But he is also unafraid of exploring ideas that may yet flop, including tantalising technologies such as space elevators and bioprinting.

Perhaps most importantly, Barnatt also carefully considers the ethical issues we will face. Most notably in the final section he focuses not on the way advancing technology will impact how we will live in the future, but rather how it will change what we ourselves will become. That's not to say that the tone is downbeat: in fact, Barnatt remains optimistic throughout.

Admittedly, with many of the ideas which Barnatt presents drawing on current, cutting-edge research, regular readers of New Scientist's news pages will find few of his predictions surprising. But the neat way in which he ties together the key themes worth worrying about over the next few decades makes this a worthwhile read for anyone curious to know what may await us.

Book Information
25 Things You Need to Know About the Future
by Christopher Barnatt
Published by: Constable
?8.99

Follow @CultureLabNS on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Subscribe to New Scientist Magazine

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1c0fc88e/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cculturelab0C20A120C0A10Cwhat0Ewill0Ebe0Ewill0Ebe0Ebut0Ewhat0Ewill0Ewe0Ebe0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

kim zolciak kim zolciak jerry sandusky interview white house shooting internet censorship sveum benetton ads