Saturday, January 21, 2012

NASA still not hiding aliens: Triangular 'UFO' debunked (+video)

Footage captured by NASA shows Venus, Earth and, on the opposite side of the field-of-view, a?briefly?mysterious triangular object headed our way.

Once again, alien conspiracy theorists have attempted to use publicly available NASA images to prove that the space agency must be engaging in an elaborate UFO cover-up. And, once again, they've been foiled by the laws of physics.

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This time, they called attention to?peculiar new footage?captured by a telescope onboard NASA's STEREO-B spacecraft ? one of a pair of probes parked on either side of the sun which, together, provide a 360-degree view of the inner solar system. The footage shows Venus, Earth and, on the opposite side of the field-of-view, a mysterious triangular object headed our way.

"Comparing it for size to the planetary objects that are seen in this telescope, if my calculations are correct, that thing is enormous," said YouTube user "BeePeeOilDisaster" in his video commentary on the footage, which was captured Dec. 27 -29. Talk of a cover-up quickly followed when, a few days later, NASA scientists updated the STEREO website to display newer images.?

This is not the first time?alien hunters?have found what they believe to be enormous UFOs in images captured by the STEREO probes. [Mysterious Planet-Size Object Spotted Near Mercury]

But this time, the team of scientists who work with data from the probes decided to address the claim directly. In?a post on the STEREO website, the researchers offered up an explanation of the triangular feature in the December footage. The researchers say it's no more than a trick of the light.

"The answer lies on the exact opposite side of the image," the scientists wrote. "At the same time as this strange-looking feature starts being visible, the very bright planet Venus enters the [telescopic camera's] field-of-view from the lower left."

The scientists note that Venus and the triangle, opposite each other across the middle of the camera plane, stay in step as they move. "This is not a coincidence. The strange-looking geometrical 'object' is actually an internal reflection of?the planet Venus?within the telescope optics. This effect has been seen many times before."

In this optical effect, incoming light reflects back and forth off lenses and mirrors inside the telescope; the shape of artifacts produced by this scattered light ? usually triangles and circles of various sizes ? depends on the relative orientations of those lenses and mirrors.?

Another example of internal reflection, this time of light from planet Earth, can be seen in?a STEREO-B image from May 2007. More examples of internal reflection and other optical and data-processing artifacts are displayed on the scientists' "Image Artifacts" Web page, along with explanations of the various effects.

Follow Life's Little Mysteries on Twitter @llmysteries, then join us on?Facebook.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/LbY_7SaN6ow/NASA-still-not-hiding-aliens-Triangular-UFO-debunked-video

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Friday, January 20, 2012

Eli Manning misses practice with stomach illness (AP)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning missed part of Wednesday's practice session with an illness that coach Tom Coughlin called "a stomach bug, hopefully a 24-hour deal."

Manning was placed on the Giants' injury report for the first time this season as a limited participant in practice, though he missed the majority of it. The team is preparing to play the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday for the NFC championship.

"If there is one guy who can miss a practice Wednesday mentally, it's No. 10," guard Chris Snee said of Manning, who has had his best pro season. "He was probably in here on Monday and Tuesday looking at film."

Tight end Jake Ballard figured Manning headed right home to recuperate ? and watch film.

"He's probably going to spend the rest of the day doing that," Ballard said.

Also limited Wednesday were defensive ends Justin Tuck (shoulder) and Osi Umenyiora (ankle, knee), cornerback Corey Webster (hamstring) and rookie linebacker Mark Herzlich (ankle).

Missing practice completely was running back Ahmad Bradshaw with a foot problem. Bradshaw frequently has sat out practices or been limited in recent weeks.

Ballard said it was apparent immediately Wednesday morning that Manning wasn't feeling well.

"You could tell he was hurting bad," Ballard said. "He usually toughs things out like that. You could tell he was dragging, and you don't like to see your Pro Bowl quarterback throwing up or feeling like that. Hopefully he's better tomorrow."

Snee wants to make sure of that, so he offered some help.

"I'm actually going to bring him some soup tomorrow," Snee said. "I'll do whatever it takes to make sure he is at full strength."

Some home cooking?

"Southern gumbo," Snee joked. "Or whatever they have in the cafeteria."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_eli_manning_illness

nene leakes

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Personal Finance Roundup - The Consumerist

What If I Lost My Career? Envision, then Act [Free Money Finance] "The bottom line is that whatever your job situation, you can't bury your head in the sand and think that your employer will always take care of you."

10 Things You Do to Save Money That End Up Costing You More [Wise Bread] "Here are 10 things that you may be doing to save money that could actually cost you a lot more in the weeks, months, or years to come."

Career resolutions: How to negotiate a raise [CNN Money] "Before you go into your boss's office demanding more money, take the time to lay the groundwork for a successful conversation."

4 Mobile Apps for Job Seekers [US News] "77 percent of job seekers use mobile apps during their job hunt."

Financial Scams 2012: The Latest Twists in the Ever-Evolving Art of the Con [Daily Finance] "Here are some highlights from scams that made the rounds in 2011 ? and will likely be back in some form or another this year."

?FREE MONEY FINANCE

From ConsumerReports.org:

Source: http://consumerist.com/2012/01/personal-finance-roundup-234.html

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Monday, January 16, 2012

Obama seeks to revamp government, focus on exports (reuters)

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Obama takes on big government: 'It has to change'

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on government reform, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on government reform, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama waves after delivering remarks on government reform, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on government reform, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on government reform, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

(AP) ? Seeking more power to shrink the government, President Barack Obama on Friday suggested smashing six economic agencies into one, an election-year idea intended to halt bureaucratic nightmares and force Republicans to back him on one of their own favorite issues.

"The government we have is not the government we need," Obama told business owners he'd gathered at the White House. Lawmakers seemed willing to at least consider his ideas.

Sounding like a manager of a disorganized company, and looking like one by pointing to slides as he spoke, Obama asked Congress to give him a kind of reorganization power no president has had since Ronald Reagan. It would guarantee Obama a vote, within 90 days, on any idea he offers to consolidate agencies, provided it saves money and cuts the government.

His first potential target: Merging six major trade and commerce agencies into a one-stop-shopping department for American businesses. The Commerce Department would be among those that would cease to exist.

Attacking senseless duplication across the executive branch he runs, Obama said: "Why is it OK for our government? It's not. It has to change."

Politically, Obama is seeking advantage on the turf often owned by Republicans: Smaller government.

He is attempting to directly counter Republican arguments that he has presided over the kind of regulation, spending and debt that can undermine the economy ? a dominant theme of this year's debate and one often cited by his potential re-election rival, Republican Mitt Romney.

Obama said he would use his expanded authority to recommend the collapsing of other agencies across the government, not just in the business field, without getting specific. Congress would keep the final say over any proposal. But fast-track power would give Obama a stronger hand to skip much of the outside lobbying and turf battles and get right to a vote.

Congressional reaction was mixed, but generally followed a pattern from both parties ? support for making government more efficient, and wariness about how Obama's plan could upend the trade American trade agenda or undermine the prerogatives of Congress.

Republicans skeptically pointed to Obama's past promises as the size of the nation's debt keeps growing.

"It's not often that we see real proposals from this administration to make government smaller," said Rep. Fred Upton, the Michigan Republican who is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "I look forward to reviewing the proposal and hope that it will be the first of many to unravel the red tape."

Indeed, Obama promised more plans to shrink things if given more power, citing inefficiencies all across the government.

In an unusual united front that underscored some bipartisan skepticism, the chairmen of two of Congress' most powerful committees joined in a statement that questioned the president's desire to wrap the U.S. Trade Representative office into a new agency. The House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont, said government cannot be reduced "at the expense of programs that are helping businesses, ranchers and farmers create jobs."

For Obama, it was all about common sense.

He spoke of business people who deal with the government as part of their daily life and are exasperated by a maze of agencies, permits and websites.

"We can do this better," he told them. "So much of the argument out there all the time is up in 40,000 feet, these abstract arguments about who's conservative or who's liberal. ...You guys are just trying to figure out, how do we make things work? How do we apply common sense? And that's what this is about."

Obama had an imperative to deliver. He made the promise to come up with a smart reorganization of the government in his State of the Union speech last January.

Not in decades has the government undergone a sustained reorganization of itself. Presidents have tried from time to time, but each part of the bureaucracy has its own defenders inside and outside the government, which can make merger ideas politically impossible. That's particularly true because "efficiency" is often another way of saying people will lose their jobs.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she hoped Congress would quickly approve Obama's proposal, which she said tracked with worries Democrats have been hearing from small business owners.

Beyond the politics, the merger Obama offered would have big implications for trade and commerce in America.

Presidents held a fast-track reorganizational authority for about 50 years until it ran out during Reagan's presidency in 1984, the White House argued.

Obama wants to merge: the Commerce Department's core business and trade functions; the Small Business Administration; the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the Export-Import Bank; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and the Trade and Development Agency.

The White House says 1,000 to 2,000 jobs would be cut, but the administration would do so through attrition. The administration says the consolidation would save $3 billion over 10 years by getting rid of duplicative overhead and programs, although it has yet to spell out any plan in detail.

Obama's announcement treads on ground that Romney, the Republican front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, frequently stakes out on the campaign trail. Romney often says he would try to shrink government by eliminating offices that duplicate functions performed somewhere else, citing as examples more than 80 different workforce training programs.

Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said streamlining government was always a potentially good idea but expressed suspicion about whether the plan by Obama would really help business. Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, pledged Obama's plan would get a careful review.

But he added: "It's interesting to see the president finally acknowledge that Washington is out of control."

__

Associated Press writers Kasie Hunt, Alan Fram, Erica Werner and Ken Thomas contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-13-Obama-Trimming%20Government/id-1e8ff053053b4b01b114285289ac3588

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Saturday, January 14, 2012

Verizon to enable global roaming for LG Spectrum and Droid 4

VZW's latest LTE handsets don't make the best travel companions right now. Aside from getting stressed in airports and talking too much on coach trips, they also lack support for global GSM roaming. However, Big Red says it's "working on a few network enhancements" that will let the LG Spectrum and Droid 4 (shown above) work outside CDMA areas -- probably by the first half of this year. It's a nice gesture, but it also reminds us that what we're going to need in future -- full-on data roaming at LTE speeds -- will be a lot trickier to achieve.

Verizon to enable global roaming for LG Spectrum and Droid 4 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/12/verizon-to-enable-global-roaming-for-lg-spectrum-and-droid-4/

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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Insight: New DNA reader to bring promise (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? A new DNA reader could bring genetics to medical clinics.

After years of predictions that the "$1,000 genome" - a read-out of a person's complete genetic information for about the cost of a dental crown - was just around the corner, a U.S. company is announcing Tuesday that it has achieved that milestone and taken the technology several steps ahead.

The new genome-sequencing machine from Ion Torrent, a division of Life Technologies Corp., in Guilford, Connecticut, is 1,000 times more powerful than existing technology, says CEO and chairman Jonathan Rothberg.

Taking up about as much space as an office printer, it can sequence an entire genome in a single day rather than six to eight weeks required only a few years ago. The new sequencer, says cardiologist Eric Topol, chief academic officer of private California hospital and doctor network Scripps Health, "represents an exceptional advance and can change medicine."

Ion Torrent will sell the tabletop machine, called the Ion Proton Sequencer, for $99,000 to $149,000, making it affordable for large medical practices or clinics; existing sequencers cost up to $750,000. The computer chip and biochemicals to sequence a genome will cost $1,000, compared to, for example, $3,000 to test for mutations just in the BRCA genes that raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and $5,000 for a complete genome sequencing by Ion Torrent competitor Illumina Inc.

For a graphic on the shrinking cost of genome sequencing, see: http://link.reuters.com/xys85s

For now, Rothberg expects research labs to be his main customers, using Proton to obtain the complete genome sequence of people with cancer or autism, for instance, and thereby elucidate a disease's underlying genetic causes as well as possible ways to treat it. The company has signed on Baylor College of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine and the Broad Institute as its first customers.

Other scientists and physicians, however, say the long-awaited arrival of the $1,000 genome opens the door to widespread whole-genome sequencing even of people who are not ill. And that raises ethical, legal, and medical issues that experts are only beginning to grapple with.

"I'm a big proponent of bringing genetics into the clinic," says Thomas Quertermous, chief of the division of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University and an expert in the genetics of heart disease. "But it has to be done in a timely way, and not before its time."

Babies might be first in line for whole-genome sequencing. Every state requires newborns to be screened for at least 29 genetic diseases.

"If the cost of whole-genome sequencing gets sufficiently low, you could sequence all the genes in a newborn" for less than the individual tests and follow-ups required when one comes back positive, says Richard Lifton, chairman of the genetics department at Yale University. "I'm increasingly confident that's going to happen. But we need to be careful how we utilize this information. Do you tell a newborn's parents his apoE status" -- that is, whether he has the form of a gene that raises the risk of Alzheimer's disease?

The cost of whole-genome sequencing will continue to plummet. Lifton foresees a "zero-dollar genome," making it likely that "we will just do it as part of routine clinical care" for children and adults. A Yale team led by Murat Gunel has already used partial genome sequencing of the 1.5 percent of the genome, called the exome, that codes for proteins to determine the cause of a mysterious and still unnamed genetic disease that results in severe brain malformations.

Because no genes had been identified as causing the malformation, it was not possible to do a standard genetic test, which reveals whether a particular gene is normal or mutated. But exome sequencing showed that a previously unknown gene on chromosome 19 is responsible, he and colleagues reported in 2010. "The new Proton instrument is a big step up," says Lifton. "It promises to markedly increase the speed and reduce the cost of genome-level sequencing."

TSUNAMI OF DATA

The discovery of the mutation behind the mysterious genetic disorder demonstrated the advantage of whole-genome sequencing compared to single-gene tests, as scientists can't test for a gene they don't know exists. Beyond such uses, say experts, whole-genome sequencing might not be the medical miracle that proponents forecast.

One problem is that the costs only start with the actual sequencing. "The cost of understanding the sequence will be much, much higher," says bioethicist Hank Greely of Stanford University. He participated in a 2010 project that sequenced the full genome of Stanford bioengineer Stephen Quake. The sequencing cost $48,000.

But because it found 2.6 million DNA misspellings and 752 other genetic glitches, says Greely, "it took a few hundred thousand dollars worth of labor from Ph.D. students and faculty working 4,000 to 5,000 hours to understand what the sequence meant" -- that Quake had a higher-than-average risk of sudden cardiac death, a lower risk of Alzheimer's, and a higher risk of prostate cancer.

Another challenge is that whole-genome sequencing generates a tsunami of data. It would take a genetic counselor some five hours to explain what a typical genome means, further adding to the true cost. The United States has about 2,500 genetic counselors, not nearly enough to meet the need if whole-genome sequencing becomes widespread. Might doctors take up the slack? "Surveys show that 90 percent of patients trust their physician to explain genomics data to them," says Scripps' Topol. "And 90 percent of physicians say they don't feel comfortable with genomics data."

Although many bioethicists focus on the psychological harm patients might suffer when DNA tests show an elevated risk of cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, and other diseases, genomics information could also threaten patients' physical health if it is misconstrued. A woman whose DNA sequencing shows she does not carry BRCA mutations that raise her risk of breast cancer "might say, great, I don't need mammograms," says Stanford's Greely. "But a negative BRCA test reduces her risk of breast cancer from 12 percent to 11.96 percent. My dread is less that patients will be damaged psychologically and more that they will misunderstand (genome sequence data) and do stupid things."

Unlike tests that detect glitches in genes that a patient or physician asks to have checked (those that raise the risk of, say, colon cancer if that disease runs in the family), and unlike the dozens of genes that "personal genetics" companies test for, whole-genome sequencing reveals every bit of information the genome contains about diseases or traits.

Given the ubiquity of mutations, everyone carries genes that predispose them to more than one serious or lethal disease. Bioethicists are only beginning to study how that knowledge might affect someone's decisions, from marrying or having children to saving for retirement.

Another challenge is that although a person's genome doesn't change, its meaning will. As scientists uncover more DNA variants that protect against disease and variants that make it more likely, a genome sequence that meant one thing in 2012 will have a different meaning in 2013, not to mention 2020.

A DNA variant that was once thought to be dangerous "might turn out to be benign if countered by another," says Greely. "Whose responsibility will it be to tell you that, years later?" Today's DNA testing companies offer subscriptions that give customers regular updates like that.

Geneticists are also still struggling with the fact that most of the risk genes raise the likelihood that the person will develop the disease only slightly. "The bottom line is, the effect size is so small it's virtually insignificant clinically," says Quertermous. "So how should doctors incorporate that knowledge into their armamentarium? They won't be able to look at 6 billion data bits" - the amount in a whole-genome scan - "and evaluate what it means for patients."

Knowing a patient's whole-genome sequence, even if it raises the risk of diseases by only a few percent, might lead malpractice-wary doctors to order follow-up tests. If someone's genome suggests an elevated risk of heart disease, for instance, a physician might feel compelled to order regular cardiac CT angiograms, which cost $1,500 or more.

That would not only raise health-care costs, but might put patients through a physically and psychologically onerous ordeal unnecessarily. "There is no evidence that 'positive' (DNA) tests, based only on the screening for common genetic variations, will justify a specific medical follow-up and procure a medical benefit to individuals," argues geneticist Thierry Frebourg of University Hospital in Rouen, France in a commentary in an upcoming issue of the European Journal of Human Genetics. Instead, whole-genome sequencing might join the ranks of diagnostics, such as PSA tests for prostate cancer, that cost tens of millions of dollars a year but do not benefit patients, let alone save lives.

INEFFECTIVE DRUGS

Full-genome sequencing could provide real benefits in determining which patients will benefit from a drug. For instance, only half the hepatitis C patients who take Pegasys, a $50,000-a-year drug from Roche Holding AG's Genentech, and half the rheumatoid arthritis patients who take $26,000-a-year Enbrel from Amgen Inc and Pfizer Inc, benefit from them, notes Scripps' Topol, who analyzes the potential benefits of genomic medicine in his upcoming book, The Creative Destruction of Medicine.

Using genomic data to identify which patients will and will not benefit could save patients and insurers tens of billions of dollars a year now spent on ineffective drugs.

If genetic information causes patients to take better care of themselves - eating more healthfully if they carry genes that raise the risk of diabetes or heart disease, for instance - they can improve health. One 2010 study found that of people who bought direct-to-consumer genetic testing by companies such as 23andme, 34 percent said the results made them more careful about their diet and 14 percent exercised more.

Others incorrectly see DNA as destiny, and interpret an increased genetic risk of, say, obesity as a license to overeat, thinking they are fated to be fat. "Good" genes might lead to equally dangerous behavior. "A patient with hypertension might be told by his doctor, 'I've looked at your DNA and you're clean!'," says Stanford's Quertermous. "He might think, great, I don't need to check my blood pressure anymore or even take my medication."

As the science advances, however, the value of whole-genome sequencing to patients will grow. The common DNA variants that have been identified "account for only a small part of the heritability of disease," says Kari Stefansson, founder, chairman, and CEO of deCode Genetics of Reykjavik, Iceland.

"The expectation is that a significant part of the missing heritability lies in rare variants, and to find those you have to do whole-genome sequencing." deCode is sequencing the complete genomes of 3,750 Icelanders, and has so far identified rare variants with large effects on the risk of ovarian cancer, glioma, gout, and heart conditions that require a pacemaker. Those discoveries would have been difficult or impossible without whole-genome sequencing.

Whole-genome sequencing also promises to address one of the most troubling problems with current DNA tests, which probe some of the 1,500 or so genes that have been associated with disease out of a total of 22,000 human genes. But scientists do not know how disease risk is raised or lowered by "moderator genes," which affect other genes. "Do we know how combinations of genes affect risk?" Stanford's Quertermous asks. "The answer is completely no." As a result, the disease risk that is calculated from current genetic tests might be inaccurate. With millions of whole-genome sequences, biologists believe, they can begin to work out those crucial combined effects.

One upcoming study shows how important gene combinations can be. In research scheduled for publication in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, scientists led by Charis Eng of the Cleveland Clinic examined the incidence of breast, thyroid, and other cancers in patients carrying a mutation in a gene called PTEN. Such mutations are typically interpreted as raising the risk of cancer. But Eng found that the presence or absence of mutations in another gene, called SDHx, can alter that risk.

"Current genetic testing, which looks at only a few genes, is like trying to forecast the stock market by looking at just 26 stocks," says Eng of the Cleveland Clinic. Such limited genetic data can be misleading.

In a separate study of 44 patients, scheduled for publication in the European Journal of Human Genetics, Eng and colleagues find that family medical history assessed the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancer more accurately than DNA sequencing. For instance, family history correctly classified eight women as being at high risk for breast cancer. But only one of the eight was so classified by DNA. "For now, family health history is a better predictor of cancer risk than genomic testing, which looks at too few genes," Eng says.

Because whole-genome sequencing is not yet being marketed to consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not taken a position on it. But it is concerned by existing tests that are sold directly to the public by Navigenics, Pathway Genomics and 23andme, and has invited companies that sell them to meet with agency officials to work out ways "to provide consumers with accurate, reliable kits," says FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson.

Until then, the companies are prohibited from marketing the tests to the public. "Manufacturers have not provided scientific evidence about the accuracy and reliability of their tests, which can lead to incorrect treatment decisions with serious health consequences," says Jefferson. "The risk of getting a disease depends on a set of complex interactions," so "even people with the same genetic make-up may have different risks of disease."

Gene-sequencing companies understand the challenges.

"Each genome has probably 24,000 mutations that we can understand," says Ion Torrent's Rothberg. "But there are probably 400 that have never been seen before" and whose significance for health is an enigma. Ion Torrent is working on algorithms to determine the medical significance of the millions of DNA glitches that will be found in every genome. Companies such as Personalis, of Palo Alto, California, have sprung up to determine the medical significance of whole-genome sequences. That will take years.

"We recognize this is just the beginning," Rothberg says.

(Editing by Michele Gershberg and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120110/hl_nm/us_dna_reader

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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

holacomar: [VERANO] Dos looks muy originales estrenaran Marcela Kloosterboer y Paula Morales en esta fiesta #mdpmodashow

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Fire Kills 8 Pets At Macomb County Mobile Home ? CBS Detroit

HARRISON TOWNSHIP (AP) ? Eight pets have died at a Macomb County mobile home in a fire that may have been caused by lamps used to grow medical marijuana.

Harrison Township fire battalion chief Kevin Seehase says the lamps use a lot of power. Christine Bartoli says the home began filling with smoke around 9:15 a.m. Sunday. She and companion Edward Hanmer escaped without taking anything with them.

The Macomb Daily says the couple lost three dogs, two cats and three ferrets. One of the dogs was taken to a clinic but didn?t survive.

The floor of the mobile home collapsed as firefighters worked the scene. The home was declared a total loss.

(? Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Source: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/01/09/fire-kills-8-pets-at-macomb-county-mobile-home/

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Monday, January 9, 2012

Automotive Fast Prototype Fail Initial Paradox

New products improvement and innovation is much more troublesome and time consuming than most other business activities. Automotive speedy prototype enormously enhances figuring out speed and reduces the danger of new automotive sections improvement.

Traditionally, the automotive business may be utilising speedy prototype as a vital device in the automotive sections structure course of action. The highly fast-paced automotive structure cycles want a particularly swift prototyping procedure which could yield automobile sections swift and inexpensively.

The primary goal of automotive prototyping will be to learn fairly quickly: how a whole new automotive products behaves in its pure operating conditions, earlier than transferring the prototype towards the creation line. A lot of periods, mistakes are discovered only after a new automotive element is introduced. This is often the principle explanation for very poor automotive sections structure, from products mismatch, very poor engineering and perform or end, and overpriced creation. So that you can speed up the figuring out curve, earlier than these high-priced automotive prototyping mistakes are created, a single will have to speed up and facilitate feedback loops from tests in the lab and marketplace trials.

Automotive Manufacturing Systems

Operating with the assortment of speedy prototype equipment, automotive prototyping engineers employ essentially the most state-of-the-art 3D printers, in their quest for ultimate sort, perform and utility. Operating in state-of-the-art production centers, the automotive engineers make use of the engineering to confirm what they are performing, and, equally important, to avoid wasting massive quantities of time, and revenue.

Automotive speedy prototype Compresses Progress Time

The benefits of 3D speedy prototype model development as opposed to viewing a cad/cam model on a home pc display is palpable. Automotive sections engineers get together explore the pros and cons of a quickly generated automotive sections model and explore the pros and cons within the structure, as they pass it roughly, twisting and viewing the prototype, and make up your mind if that may be what that they had in mind. This way, dilemmas get solved up front, earlier than going to the assembly line! When determined which the automotive prototype structure is a go, the model can then be sent to a die maker.

Automotive Prototyping and therefore the Die Maker System

The die maker can not use model to produce the die, but given that they have it in their hand and may have a look at it and feel it, they might decide the place the parting lines shall be Markets.com and precisely what amount steel they may must yield it. The timing within the die course of action is enormously compressed.

Examples of Automotive speedy prototype Areas

Engine castings and sections

Car or truck Engine sections

Automobile Mechanical sections

Car or truck Dashboards

Car or truck Handles and Knobs

Automobile Physique Elements

Car or truck Trim sections

Fall short to begin with Paradox in Automotive speedy prototype

The automotive speedy prototype paradox will be to fail earlier nstead of later on. By failing earlier, the structure engineers astonishingly triumph in accelerating the undertaking; this enormously reduces improvement expense chance. By thinking of all automotive prototype failures as figuring out experiments, the engineer has quite a bit a lot less emotional stress, figuring out that they are practicing the outdated adage, that results originates from ninety-nine percent failure and introspection.

Source: http://tristaterentallistings.com/automotive-fast-prototype-fail-initial-paradox/

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Nigerian president pleads with public ahead of strike (Reuters)

ABUJA (Reuters) ? President Goodluck Jonathan pleaded with Nigerians on Saturday to support the removal of fuel subsidies and pledged to cut government salaries, in an effort to prevent a nationwide strike planned for Monday.

Nigeria's fuel regulator announced on January 1 the end of the subsidy as part of efforts to cut government spending and weed out corruption in the downstream oil industry, which it hopes will encourage more foreign investment in local refining.

Petrol prices have more than doubled to around 150 naira ($0.93) per litre and protests have erupted across the nation.

Trade unions have said they will begin an indefinite general strike from Monday, including workers in Africa's largest energy sector. Industry sources do not expect strikes to significantly affect crude exports.

"If I were in your shoes at this moment, I probably would have reacted in the same manner as some of our compatriots, or hold the same critical views about government," Jonathan said in a statement, his first official comment on subsidies since the policy was announced.

"The deregulation of the petroleum sector is a necessary step that we had to take. I want to assure every Nigerian that whatever pain you may feel at the moment will be temporary."

Nigeria produces more than 2 million barrels per day of crude oil but almost all of this is shipped to the United States, Europe and Asia. Nigeria has to import its refined fuel, like petrol and diesel, because decades of mismanagement and corruption mean its refineries are in disrepair.

Economists say the subsidy encouraged corruption and waste and handed over billions of dollars of government cash to a cartel of wealthy fuel importers.

The government estimates it will save 1 trillion naira ($6.21 billion) this year by eliminating it.

CORRUPTION

Most people in Nigeria live on less than $2 a day and view cheap fuel as the only benefit they get from living in an oil-rich state. Critics say wealthy politicians should have found savings within government and tackled oil industry corruption before imposing costs on the public.

Jonathan said he understood the problems of corruption and the high cost of government, which were being addressed.

"We are all greatly concerned about the issue of corruption. The deregulation policy is the strongest measure to tackle this challenge in the downstream sector."

"To save Nigeria, we must all be prepared to make sacrifices. On the part of government, we are taking several measures aimed at cutting the size and cost of governance."

He said this year the basic salaries of all politicians in the executive arm of government would be reduced by 25 percent. This does not include members of parliament, whose salaries make up a large portion of government spending.

Jonathan said all overseas travel by politicians would be reduced to the bare minimum and the size of delegations on foreign trips would be cut. He also said overlapping committees and departments would be looked at to reduce costs.

Jonathan's critics say he is guilty of wasting money on committees and dozens of special advisers.

He is also under fire for failing to rein in almost daily attacks by an Islamist sect in the northeast of Nigeria.

Many Christians have begun to flee northern Nigeria after dozens were killed in a series of religious attacks in recent days.

(Reporting by Felix Onuah; writing by Joe Brock; editing by Andrew Roche)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120107/wl_nm/us_nigeria_strikes_president

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Sunday, January 8, 2012

British police make new phone hacking arrest (AP)

LONDON ? British police investigating tabloid phone hacking on Friday arrested a long-serving former assistant to ex-News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks and other executives at Rupert Murdoch's News International group.

Police said the 47-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice and later released on police bail to return for more questioning later this month.

Officers said the woman was detained at her home and taken to a police station in Essex, east of London, but did not confirm her name.

A person briefed on the arrest, who demanded anonymity to discuss details of the sensitive police investigation, said the woman was Cheryl Carter, the longtime personal assistant of Brooks ? also an ex-News International chief executive ? and other senior staff.

News International declined to comment.

The person said Carter's arrest was linked to the recovery of incriminating company emails from a data center in India last year. The content of tens of thousands of archived News International emails are being examined by investigators.

Detectives have so far arrested 23 people as part of new investigations into alleged phone hacking, computer hacking and police bribery at the Murdoch-owned News of the World and other British tabloids. No one has been charged with any offense.

Murdoch shut down the News of the World in July after evidence emerged that its employees had routinely eavesdropped on the cell phone voice mail messages of celebrities, sports figures, politicians and even crime victims.

The scandal has spawned a huge police investigation and a public inquiry into media ethics and seen top police officers, media executives and Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman ? an ex-News of The World editor ? all resign their posts.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120106/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_britain_phone_hacking

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Europe's debt crisis: 'No clear end in sight'

The debt crisis in Europe will continue to dominate markets in 2012 as governments and banks face big refinancing needs and investor confidence remains low.

The debt crisis in Europe will continue to dominate markets in 2012 as governments and banks face big refinancing needs and investor confidence remains low.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Last year was supposed to be the make or break year for Europe's debt crisis. Neither happened.

That means the chronic uncertainty that investors grappled with for most of 2011 is likely to continue, if not intensify, in the first half of this year.

"There are a myriad of factors, both political and economic, that could hit confidence," said Grant Lewis, head of research at Daiwa Capital Markets in London. "Given this backdrop, continued uncertainty is inevitable."

Despite an explosion of political summits last year, there is still no definitive solution to the crisis, which has become the single biggest threat to the global economy and the bane of financial markets around the world.

While a break-up of the euro currency union still seems unlikely, investors are not willing to rule out the nightmare scenario completely.

"The chances of break-up remain low, but non-negligible for sure," said Lewis. "That is not something that we would have said 12 months ago."

Eurozone leaders have taken steps toward a more binding fix for the political and economic problems at the root of the crisis. But they have yet to put the measures into practice, something that has proven difficult because of competing national interests.

To make matters worse, the eurozone economy appears to have slipped into recession at a time when governments across the continent are embarking on new austerity regimes. This sets up a difficult balancing act for policy makers as they confront the need to cut spending and boost economic growth simultaneously.

"As we start the New Year, the investing landscape doesn't look all that different," said Kevin Giddis, director of fixed-income at Morgan Keegan. "To put it charitably, economic conditions in Europe remain tenuous, with no clear end in sight."

The lack of a comprehensive solution has prompted warnings from credit rating agencies about more government downgrades, which could continue to be a drag on sovereign debt markets.

Italy and Spain both need to issue hundreds of billions of euros worth of bonds to refinance existing debt and raise cash. Italy is expected to issue some ?245 billion of bonds in 2012, up from ?223 billion in 2011, according to HSBC. Spain will be coming to market with ?87 billion of debt next year.

Italy is particularly worrisome because its ?1.9 trillion debt burden makes it too big to bail out. But as the third-largest economy in the eurozone, Italy is also too systemically important to fail.

While Italy and Spain have dominated headlines, Greece remains the most at risk of a default. And that could force it out of the currency union.

"The risk of Greece leaving is very serious," said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank. "But beyond Greece, all other countries will be kept in the eurozone by forceful intervention if need be."

Greece is due to receive a second bailout package this year, but there is widespread disagreement over whether the requisite austerity will cure the nation's debt problems or push it's economy deeper into recession.

At the same time, the role private sector investors will play in the restructuring of Greek debt -- a key condition of the second bailout deal -- hasn't been fully worked out.

In October, banks and investors agreed, in theory, to voluntarily reduce the value of Greek government bonds by 50%. The talks have yet to be finalized, but negotiators representing Greek bondholders said earlier this week that progress has been made.

Meanwhile, the financial 'firewall' that is supposed to prevent the crisis from spreading is still a work in progress. And few investors expect much progress on fundamental reforms such as issuing common debt in the form of Eurobonds.

If it seems like investors have been fretting over Europe for a long time, that's because they have.

But after being in crisis mode for nearly two years, some investors are sounding more optimistic about the second half of 2012.

"A lot of fear and negativity has been injected into European assets, and the prices are certainly much more attractive than they have been historically," said Lawrence Creatura, a portfolio manager with Federated Clover Investment Advisors. "But investment returns from this point could go either way."

The European Central Bank recently pumped some ?500 billion into the banking sector, and will offer more long-term loans in February. That helped ease fears of an immediate credit crisis, but European banks are facing new capital requirements this year and the wholesale funding market remains chilly.

The ECB is widely seen as the only European institution with the financial strength to restore confidence in the bond market, and many investors believe it will eventually step in to prevent the crisis from spiraling out of control. Many investors also say that Germany, Europe's largest economy, won't allow the euro union to fail.?To top of page

Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/money_topstories/~3/_CWxWj36fPc/index.htm

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Saturday, January 7, 2012

'Jersey Shore' And More TV To Look Forward To In 2012

With a new series from Steven Spielberg plus the return of 'Mad Men' and many others, TV addicts have a lot to get hyped about.
By Jim Cantiello


The cast of "Jersey Shore"
Photo: MTV

"Revenge," "American Horror Story," "New Girl," 2 Broke Girls," "Girl Girl" (OK, we made that last one up). Coming off one of the most satisfying fall seasons in recent memory, 2012 has a lot to live up to in order to keep TV addicts hyped up in the new year. Admit it, couch potatoes: We've been spoiled. Can the upcoming midseason keep the momentum going?

Perhaps the biggest hope for viewers is Steven Spielberg's "Smash," a new musical series starring "American Idol" alum Katharine McPhee and "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing. Although "Glee" comparisons are unavoidable (OMG, people are singing songs and dancing on prime-time TV!), the extended previews suggest a more mature affair. "Smash" is a warts-and-all depiction of what it's like to create a new Broadway show. Competing actresses, sparring producers, Anjelica Friggin' Huston in your living room chewing scenery every week ... What's not to love?

Spielberg isn't the only movie maverick headed to the television world this year. "Paranormal Activity" mastermind Oren Peli is partially responsible for ABC's "The River," in which a travelogue host goes missing in the Amazon, sparking a rescue mission led by his wife, son and former TV crew. Will Peli's patented "found footage" device work on the boob tube?

Small-screen suspense is hot thanks to Ryan Murphy's "American Horror Story," whose addictive first season wrapped up before Christmas. However, Murphy's Achilles heel is sustaining quality and buzz over multiple seasons (see "Nip/Tuck," "Glee"), so fans are cautiously optimistic for its return in the fall. Murphy also has his hand in a new sitcom pilot about a gay couple and a surrogate that caused a bidding war between all the major networks, not to mention several feature films in development and the third season of "Glee," which continues to roll along. Fingers crossed Murphy can stay focused enough on F/X's breakout gothic hit to keep season two just as juicy and batsh-- as its debut.

Speaking of shows that derailed after one season, "Heroes" creator Tim Kring is back on the network horse, bringing the touchy-feely father-son drama "Touch" to Fox this spring. The premise? Kiefer Sutherland plays a widowed dad struggling to take care of his mute, autistic son. Can't wait to watch Ryan Seacrest awkwardly interview Kiefer in the "Idol" audience about that one.

There's a mini-"Lost" reunion happening on Fox thanks to "Alcatraz," J.J. Abrams' latest. It's a (what else?) convoluted mystery that takes place on an island! Instead of plane crash survivors, this one's about long-deceased guards and inmates reappearing decades later. Hurley (a.k.a. Jorge Garcia) co-stars. No word yet on whether the smoke monster will make a cameo.

In 2011, MTV had a breakout year with scripted television thanks to action-packed "Teen Wolf" and sharply hilarious "Awkward." Both of your faves will be back this summer. Brooklyn-based comedy "I Just Want My Pants Back" will get the full-season treatment in February. And millions of fist-pumpers will be happy when America's most popular partiers get belligerent in Seaside Heights when the fifth season of "Jersey Shore" spreads like an STD on January 5.

On the opposite end of the TV spectrum, AMC's "Mad Men" will finally be back in March. We've waited longer than usual for new Don Draper exploits thanks to a behind-the-scenes kerfuffle between show creator Matthew Weiner and the cable network. Now that the contracts have been signed, we can all jump back into the adventures of the 1960s advertising world. For those of you who forgot where we left off (spoilers on the way), Don's engaged to secretary Megan, his (crazy!) ex-wife is shacking up with a politician, Joan's preggers and their preteen daughter is a chronic masturbator. And you wonder why this show wins a million Emmys.

The other Emmy favorite, "30 Rock," has found itself stuck between a very odd rock and hilarious hard place now that Kim Jong-il has passed away. Remember, last season ended with Jack Donaghy's wife, Avery Jessup, kidnapped in North Korea and forcibly married to Jong-il's son Kim Jong-un. Given the breaking news, the show's sixth season may need to re-vamp its planned plotline with Margaret Cho as the recently deceased dictator. Showrunner Robert Carlock recently told the press that "30 Rock" plans on airing the episodes they've already banked with Cho and aren't even sure they'll kill off her character at all. Sounds twisted!

Reality junkies are stoked for the second season of Lifetime's "Dance Moms," launching January 10. Pittsburgh's leading instructor for aspiring Broadway starlets Abby Lee Miller is looking to add a new dancer to her competitive troupe. Grab-the-popcorn alert: A new dancer means a new mom with whom she will clash. Loudly. Plus, producers have smartly signed on rival Candy Apples dance instructor Cathy Nesbitt-Stein for another batch of episodes.

2012 will also bring us explosive new seasons of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" (long in the can and still making headlines thanks to public feuds between castmembers), Oxygen's late-bloomer "The Glee Project" and a bigger, badder, bolder "X Factor" this fall. "X"-man Simon Cowell recently promised a "blood bath" behind the scenes. RIP awkward host Steve Jones?

Aspiring fashionistas have a lot to add to their DVRs. ABC Family's latest is called "Jane by Design," sort of a weekly "Devil Wears Prada" for the teenage set. NBC is premiering Elle Macpherson and Jessica Simpson's reality competition "Fashion Star" in March. Lifetime is airing a full "Project Runway All Stars" season (featuring MTV News fave Sweet P!) as well as a new show called "24 Hour Catwalk," hosted by Alexa Chung. The CW has a "Kitchen Nighmares"-type series about modeling agencies called "Running Out of TV Ideas," I mean, "Remodeled." Lastly, Rachel Zoe's former assistant Brad Goreski gets top billing in Bravo's "It's a Brad, Brad World," beginning January 2. That's a lot of look.

And finally, as if you need any reminding, "American Idol" is back for its 11th season on January 18. Last year boasted beefy ratings despite star Simon Cowell jumping ship, a winner who shattered Billboard country records and more frilly scarves than HSN's stockroom courtesy of new judge Steven Tyler.

However, last year's "AI" premiered in a pre-"Voice," pre-"X Factor" landscape. With NBC's blind-auditions-and-Xtina-in-a-swivel-chair gimmick returning in a cushy post-Super Bowl spot (where, coincidentally, "Idol's" sophomore season kicked off in 2003), and with "The X Factor" shattering pre-conceived notions of what reality production value can be, will the aging Fox staple now seem quaint? Or perhaps it will feel like a familiar hug from a grandmother. Regardless, even if the reality juggernaut loses half its audience, it will still make the network oodles of money. In other words, "American Idol" may outlive us all.

What shows are you most excited to see return? Any new series already set on your DVR? Let us know in the comments!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676765/television-2012-jersey-shore-mad-men.jhtml

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Thursday, January 5, 2012

US auto industry to post another good sales year

In this Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011 photo, a Lime Squeeze Metallic 2012 Ford Fiesta SE, left, and an Ingot Silver Metallic 2012 Ford Focus Titanium 5-Door Hatchback are shown at the Maroone Ford of Miami dealership in Miami. Ford, GM and Chrysler saw their combined share of the U.S. market rise by 200,000 cars and trucks between the end of 2010 and November, 2011. U.S. auto sales are poised for a second straight year of growth in 2012 _ the result of easier credit, low interest rates and pent-up demand for cars and trucks created by the Great Recession. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

In this Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011 photo, a Lime Squeeze Metallic 2012 Ford Fiesta SE, left, and an Ingot Silver Metallic 2012 Ford Focus Titanium 5-Door Hatchback are shown at the Maroone Ford of Miami dealership in Miami. Ford, GM and Chrysler saw their combined share of the U.S. market rise by 200,000 cars and trucks between the end of 2010 and November, 2011. U.S. auto sales are poised for a second straight year of growth in 2012 _ the result of easier credit, low interest rates and pent-up demand for cars and trucks created by the Great Recession. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

This photo taken Dec. 11, 2011, shows 2012 Chrysler Jeep Wranglers for sale at a auto dealership in Springfield, Ill. After hitting a 30-year low in 2009, U.S. auto sales are poised for a second straight year of growth in 2012 _ the result of easier credit, low interest rates and pent-up demand for cars and trucks created by the Great Recession. Auto website Edmunds.com forecasts a 37 percent rise in sales at Chrysler Group LLC in December. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

(AP) ? After hitting a 30-year low in 2009, U.S. auto sales are poised for a second straight year of growth ? the result of easier credit, low interest rates and pent-up demand for cars and trucks created by the Great Recession.

The sales forecast bodes well for the industry's continued recovery and for the broader American economy.

In 2009, Detroit automakers were in peril. Car sales plunged as unemployment soared, and loans became harder to get. Chrysler and General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection. Ford avoided bankruptcy only by borrowing billions.

Now credit is more available, interest rates are low and Americans need to replace old cars and trucks they kept during and after the downturn. Millions of drivers in their teens and 20s are expected to buy vehicles, too. That could mean more jobs, more factory shifts and overall growth.

Vince Powell, a retiree from Winfield, Pa., recently traded in his wife's 7-year-old Chrysler 300 luxury sedan for a 2011 model. The old car had 145,000 miles on it, but it was the deal he got that most attracted him: a low interest rate (2.7 percent per year), a six-year loan term and a big discount off the $31,900 sticker price.

"I'm getting a $300 per month payment," he said just before closing the sale at Beaver Motors in Beaver Springs, Pa., near Harrisburg. "I've never had a new car for 300 bucks a month."

In their effort to survive, all three automakers downsized and positioned themselves to turn profits ? even if sales remained depressed. Now that sales are rising, the outlook has brightened considerably.

Automakers report U.S. sales for 2011 on Wednesday. When final figures are calculated, sales of new cars and trucks are expected to reach 12.7 million, up from 11.5 million in 2010 and 10.4 million in 2009, the worst year since 1982.

In 2012, they could climb as high as 13.8 million, close to what experts consider a healthy market ? around 14 million.

December sales could reach an annual rate of 13.4 million, which would make it the second-strongest month of the year. Only November was better. Auto website Edmunds.com forecasts a 37 percent rise in sales at Chrysler Group LLC in December, thanks to new and revamped products such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV and the Chrysler 200 midsize sedan.

Carmakers have announced plans to crank up factories and add thousands of jobs. Last January, Ford said it would hire 7,000 workers over the next two years. During the summer, GM said it would add 2,500 at the Detroit factory that makes the Chevrolet Volt electric car. Volkswagen hired 2,000 for a new plant in Tennessee, and Honda added 1,000 in Indiana. The industry will add 167,000 jobs by 2015, a 28 percent increase over current levels, predicts The Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.

During the summer, the auto industry was adding jobs at a faster pace than airplane manufacturers, shipbuilders, health care providers and the federal government. It kept adding jobs even when the national unemployment rate rose above 9 percent, Standard & Poor's downgraded U.S. debt for the first time and the stock market tumbled.

Government estimates show Americans spent roughly $40 billion more on new cars and trucks in 2011 than in 2009. Based on annualized figures from the first quarter of 2011, new-car spending totaled $206 billion, or 1.3 percent of the gross domestic product, Commerce Department data shows. That compares with $166 billion in 2009, about 1.2 percent of the country's economy.

And the momentum in auto sales is likely to continue because people need to replace aging cars, said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for LMC Automotive, an automotive consulting company in Troy, Mich. The average American car is now 11 years old.

U.S. auto sales peaked at 17 million in 2005, when Detroit's automakers were much bigger and overproduced cars that they were forced to discount heavily. Sales could eventually reach that level again around 2018, said Schuster, because of 70 million so-called millennials born between 1981 and 2000 who need to set up households and buy cars.

Other trends emerged in 2011. Many people bought smaller vehicles as gas prices hit a record average of $3.53 per gallon. Fuel-efficient compact cars, which have been vastly improved by automakers, are likely to unseat the midsize sedan as America's favorite passenger car for the first time in 20 years.

At the other extreme, pickups rebounded as businesses started to replace older trucks. Sales for the year were expected to rise 11 percent, and Ford's F-Series will remain the country's top-selling model, a title it has held for more than three decades.

For much of the year, U.S.-based automakers took advantage of Japanese car shortages to increase sales, especially in the compact car segment normally dominated by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Japanese companies ran short of popular models after an earthquake and tsunami disrupted production in Japan in March.

Ford, GM and Chrysler saw their combined share of the U.S. market rise by 200,000 cars and trucks between the end of 2010 and November, 2011. The Detroit Three's market share rose from 45.1 percent last year to 47 percent through November of last year. At the same time, Honda's share fell 1.6 percentage points to 9 percent, while Toyota's dropped 2.5 percentage points to 12.7 percent.

Schuster expects Japanese carmakers to take back some of the sales they lost.

Geoff Pohanka, who runs a chain of car dealers in the Washington area, said his December has been strong, thanks especially to the restocking of cars at his Honda and Toyota showrooms. He predicts Japanese car companies will offer incentives to regain lost sales.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-02-US-Auto-Sales-Preview/id-40f58d3526134e00b78791eb0ced5198

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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

'Mission: Impossible' Still #1 In 2012

'Ghost Protocol,' the fourth 'M:I' movie, made $134 million in 17 days.
By Ryan J. Downey


Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise's domination of the holidays continued as "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" remained the #1 movie at the box office, taking in $31.3 million over the New Year's weekend. The fourth entry in the action franchise made an estimated $134 million in just 17 days, which is about what "Mission: Impossible III" made during its entire theatrical run.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" was the runner-up in the box office race, collecting $22.1 million during its second weekend in theaters for $132.1 million total. Robert Downey Jr.'s second outing as the famous detective of classic literature carried an estimated production budget of $90 million.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," the third movie in the series, came in third on the New Year's box office scorecard. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" jumped 45 percent from last weekend with $18.3 million for a $94.6 million total, which is about $45 million behind where the first "Alvin and the Chipmunks" stood at the same point in its run.

Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" was in a close race for the #4 spot with David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." "War Horse" took in an estimated $16.4 million (for a $42.9 million total) while "Dragon Tattoo" earned another $16.8 million, which was a 16 percent increase from the weekend before. The first American adaptation of the popular Swedish novel has made a total of $57.1 million. Filmmaker Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo" was #5 with $14.3 million for a $41.8 million total.

Garry Marshall's critically reviled ensemble rom-com "New Year's Eve" doubled its previous weekend, thanks no doubt to the arrival of the holiday for which it's named. The follow-up to "Valentine's Day" has made just $46.4 million since its release, however, and 93 percent of film critics panned the flick, according to film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.

Looking back at the 2011 box office, the final "Harry Potter" film was #1 overall with its $381 million gross. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" was just behind with $352.3 million. Rounding out the top five were "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" ($275.4 million), "The Hangover Part II" ($254.4 million) and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" ($241 million).

Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676641/weekend-box-office-new-years-mission-impossible-ghost-protocol.jhtml

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    Old Yesterday, 02:35 PM ? #1
    oneatatime

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    DefaultIs it true the Gators were last in the NCAA in...
    number of offensive plays run?

    Not sure the source, but it makes sense given that many of our TDs were scored on big gainers on runs (demps and rainey) and receptions (Debose) and returns.

    This suggests why teams were not kicking or punting the ball to us, later in the season, seeing how poor we were offensively at sustaining drives.

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    Old Yesterday, 02:51 PM ? #2
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    Yes, just looked it up. Interestingly enough, the last three were all Florida teams.

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    It was a poor offense period. I also read something about lack of big plays so I'm not sure if the OP was on target when they attributed the lack of plays run to long gainers.

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    Old Yesterday, 03:49 PM ? #4
    villegator95

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    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ThomasGoldkamp

    Yes, just looked it up. Interestingly enough, the last three were all Florida teams.

    118. Florida Atlantic - 738
    119. Miami - 737
    120. Florida - 735

    Interesting that all 3 of these are "pro-style" offenses.

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    Old Yesterday, 03:54 PM ? #5
    DawgFanFromAlabam

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    Being 9th worse (#112) in the nation in 3rd down conversation leads to the lack of total offensive plays - or like the OP said the inability to sustain drives.

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    Old Yesterday, 03:56 PM ? #6
    MadduxFanII

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    Let's be clear: we came by this mark honestly, with a broad-based, well-rounded awfulness. We couldn't run, we couldn't pass, we couldn't block, we couldn't convert on third down, we couldn't sustain drives, we couldn't score quickly and we couldn't hold on to the football.

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    Old Yesterday, 04:10 PM ? #7
    SeaCay

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    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MadduxFanII View Post

    Let's be clear: we came by this mark honestly, with a broad-based, well-rounded awfulness. We couldn't run, we couldn't pass, we couldn't block, we couldn't convert on third down, we couldn't sustain drives, we couldn't score quickly and we couldn't hold on to the football.

    Unfortunately for us all, you've nailed it here.
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    Old Yesterday, 04:12 PM ? #8
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    I wouldn't be surprised if this dreadful offense was last in a bunch of categories---it was one of the worst at UF in 30 years.

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    Old Yesterday, 04:45 PM ? #9
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