Steve Jones not returning as 'X Factor' host (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Steve Jones is leaving "The X Factor" stage.

The Fox talent competition host said Monday on Twitter that he wouldn't be returning to host the show's second season.

Jones, a British TV personality, called his departure "a shame" and added that he couldn't "complain as I've had a great time." He gave no reason why he wasn't returning.

Jones was originally slated to host "X Factor" alongside Nicole Scherzinger, who replaced British pop star Cheryl Cole as a judge when executive producer Simon Cowell and other producers had second thoughts about Cole joining the series.

Despite consistent viewership, "X Factor" has failed to achieve popularity similar to "American Idol," which Cowell left to import "X Factor" from the U.K.

The second season is set to debut later this year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_en_tv/us_tv_x_factor_jones

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EU leaders struggle to reconcile austerity, growth (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? European leaders struggled to reconcile austerity with growth on Monday at a summit due to approve a permanent rescue fund for the euro zone and put finishing touches to a German-driven pact for stricter budget discipline.

Officially, the half-day summit was meant to focus mainly on ways to revive growth and create jobs at a time when governments across Europe are having to cut public spending and raise taxes to tackle mountains of debt.

But disputes over the limits of austerity, and about Greece's unresolved debt restructuring negotiations with private bondholders, may sour efforts to send a more optimistic message that Europe is getting on top of its debt crisis.

The risk premium on southern European government bonds rose while the euro and stocks fell on concerns about a lack of tangible progress in the Greek debt talks and gloom about Europe's economic outlook.

Highlighting those fears, Spain's economy contracted in the last quarter of 2011 for the first time in two years and looks set to slip into a long recession.

And France halved its 2012 growth forecast to a mere 0.5 percent in another potentially ominous sign for President Nicolas Sarkozy's troubled bid for re-election in May. Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the cut would not entail further budget savings measures.

Conservative Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, attending his first EU summit, said Madrid was clearly not going to meet its target of 2.3 percent growth this year. That has raised big doubts about whether it can cut its budget deficit from around 8 percent of economic output in 2011 to 4.4 percent by the end of this year as promised.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hinted that Brussels may ease Spain's near-unattainable 2012 deficit target after it updates EU growth forecasts on February 23.

Italy, rushing through sweeping economic reforms under new Prime Minister Mario Monti, was rewarded with a significant fall in its borrowing costs at an auction of 10- and 5-year bonds, despite double-notch downgrades of its credit rating by Standard & Poor's and Fitch this month.

But Portugal's slide towards becoming the next Greece - needing a second bailout to avoid chaotic bankruptcy - gathered pace as banks raised the cost of insuring government bonds against default and insisted the money be paid up front instead of over several years.

The yield spread on 10-year Portuguese bonds over safe haven German Bunds topped 15 percentage points for the first time in the euro era. It cost a record 3.9 million euros ($5.12 million) to insure 10 million euros of Portuguese debt.

OUTLAWING KEYNES?

With Britain standing aloof, most of the other 26 EU leaders were set to approve a fiscal pact to write balanced budget rules into their national law, despite economists' doubts about the wisdom of effectively outlawing deficit spending.

"To write into law a Germanic view of how one should run an economy and that essentially makes Keynesianism illegal is not something we would do," a British official said.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz told the leaders the new fiscal treaty was unnecessary and unbalanced, because it failed to combine budget rigor with necessary investment in public works to create jobs.

The 17th summit in two years as the EU battles to resolve its sovereign debt problems was called to shift the narrative away from politically unpopular austerity and towards growth.

Despite the rhetoric on growth, debate over strengthening the euro zone's financial defenses and lowering Greece's debt burden are likely to dominate the talks.

Negotiations between the Greek government and private bondholders over the restructuring of 200 billion euros of Greek debt made progress over the weekend, but were not concluded before the summit began.

A Greek official said Prime Minister Lucas Papademos would give the summit a brief report on the situation and meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines.

Until there is a deal between Greece and its private bondholders, EU leaders cannot move forward with a second, 130 billion euro rescue program for Athens, which they originally agreed to at a summit last October.

Germany caused outrage in Greece by proposing last week that a European commissar take control of Greek public finances to ensure it meets fiscal targets. Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said that to make his country choose between national dignity and financial assistance ignored the lessons of history.

The German idea won cautious backing from the Dutch and Swedish prime ministers.

"We need to have things in place for monitoring that they are really doing what they are promising," Swedish Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeldt told reporters on arrival.

But Merkel played down the idea of placing Greece under stewardship, saying: "We are having a debate that we shouldn't be having. This is about how Europe can be supportive so Greece can comply, so there are targets."

PERMANENT RESCUE FUND

The leaders were to sign a treaty creating the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), a 500-billion-euro permanent bailout fund that is due to become operational in July, a year earlier than first planned.

But there was a last-minute hitch over the terms of a 'fiscal compact treaty' tightening budget rules when four central European states demanded that countries planning to join the euro be allowed to attend all euro zone summits.

The prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia agreed to seek an amendment to the text as a condition for joining the pact, a Hungarian spokesman said.

The ESM was meant to replace the European Financial Stability Facility, a temporary fund that has been used to bail out Ireland and Portugal.

But pressure is mounting - including from Italy's Monti, IMF chief Christine Lagarde and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner - to combine the resources of the two funds to create a

super-firewall of 750 billion euros ($1 trillion).

The International Monetary Fund says if Europe puts up more of its own money, that will convince others to contribute more resources to the IMF, boosting its crisis-fighting abilities and improving market sentiment.

But Germany has so far resisted such a step.

Merkel has said she will not discuss the issue of the ESM/EFSF's ceiling until the next EU summit in March. Meanwhile, financial markets will continue to worry that there may not be sufficient rescue funds available to help the likes of Italy and Spain if they run into renewed debt funding problems.

"There are certainly signals that Germany is willing to consider it and it is rather geared towards March from the German side," a senior euro zone official said.

The sticking point is German public opinion which is tired of bailing out the euro zone's financially less prudent.

The summit was expected to announce that up to 20 billion euros of unspent funds from the EU's 2007-2013 budget will be recycled towards job creation, especially among the young, and will commit to freeing up bank lending to small- and medium-sized companies.

But with no new public money available for a stimulus, leaders focused mainly on promoting structural reforms such as loosening labor market regulation, cutting red tape for business and promoting innovation.

However, they were unlikely to resolve a decade-old battle over creating a single European patent which would reduce the high cost of registering inventions and protecting intellectual property. Firms currently have to register patents in each of the 27 member states. The streamlining has long been stymied by disputes over language and the location of an EU patent court.

($1 = 0.7615 euros)

(Additional reporting by Harry Papachristou and Robin Emmott in Brussels, Marius Zaharia, William James, Chris Wickham and Jeremy Gaunt in London,; Roberta Cowan in Amsterdam,; Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by Mike Peacock/Elizabeth Piper/Janet McBride)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/bs_nm/us_eu_summit

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Fizban > Gilean (Unqualified Offerings)

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UN nuclear team in Iran to seek answers

VIENNA?? U.N. nuclear inspectors arrived in Iran on Sunday, hoping to shed light on suspected military aspects of Tehran's atomic work, on the day its lawmakers look set to ban oil exports to Europe in revenge for new EU sanctions.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency delegation said he aimed to "resolve all the outstanding issues with Iran" over the nuclear program which the West believes is aimed at making weapons but which Iran insists is peaceful.

"In particular we hope that Iran will engage with us on our concerns regarding the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program," IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts told reporters before departing from Vienna airport.

Story: Israel senses bluffing in Iran's retaliation threats

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That may be a tall order, with Iran insisting its right to peaceful nuclear technology be recognized by skeptical countries which say its uranium enrichment activities - some of which have been moved to a bomb-proof bunker - go beyond what is needed for atomic energy.

Tensions with the West rose this month when Washington and the European Union imposed the toughest sanctions yet in their campaign to force Tehran into making concessions. The measures take direct aim at the ability of OPEC's second biggest oil exporter to sell its crude.

Less than one week after the EU's 27 member states agreed to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1, Iranian lawmakers were due to debate a bill later on Sunday that would cut off oil supplies to the EU in a matter of days.

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

The head of the state-run National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said late on Saturday that the export embargo would hit European refiners, such as Italy's Eni, that are owed oil from Iran as part of long-standing buy-back contracts under which they take payment for past oilfield projects in crude.

"The decision must be made at high echelons of power and we at the NIOC will act as the executioner of the policies of the government," Ahmad Qalebani told the ISNA news agency.

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

"Generally, the parties to incur damage from the EU's recent decision will be European companies with pending contracts with Iran."

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

Eni declined to comment on Saturday.

The EU accounted for 25 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the third quarter of 2011. However, analysts say the global oil market will not be overly disrupted if parliament votes for the bill that would turn off the oil tap for Europe.

"The Saudis have made it clear that they'll step in to fill the void," said Robert Smith, a consultant at Facts Global Energy.

"It would not pose any serious threat to oil market stability. Meanwhile Asians, predominantly the Chinese and Indians, stand to benefit from more Iranian crude flowing east and at potential discounts."

Potentially more disruptive to the world oil market and global security is the risk of Iran's standoff with the West escalating into military conflict.

Iran has repeatedly said it could close the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane if Western sanctions succeed in preventing it from exporting crude, a move Washington has said it would not tolerate.

Video: Exclusive: tensions flare near crucial oil chokepoint (on this page)

The IAEA's three-day visit may be an opportunity to defuse some of the tension. Director General Yukiya Amano has called on Iran to show a "constructive spirit" and Tehran has said it is willing to discuss "any issues" of interest to the U.N. agency, including the military-linked concerns.

But Western diplomats, who have often accused Iran of using such offers of dialogue as a stalling tactic while it presses ahead with its nuclear program, say they doubt Tehran will show the kind of concrete cooperation the IAEA wants.

They say Iran may offer limited concessions and transparency in an attempt to ease intensifying international pressure, but that this is unlikely to amount to the full cooperation required.

The outcome could determine whether Iran will face further international isolation, or whether there are prospects for resuming wider talks between Tehran and the major powers on the nuclear dispute.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46174915/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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Information from Australian PM's aide led to clash (AP)

CANBERRA, Australia ? A clash between protesters and Australian police that forced bodyguards to rush Prime Minister Julia Gillard out of an event appears to have been set off by information released by one of Gillard's own aides.

The aide, media adviser Tony Hodges, resigned. Gillard's office said Friday that he told someone that opposition leader Tony Abbott would be at the awards ceremony where the clash occurred. A spokesperson said in a statement that the information was passed on to indigenous-rights protesters who were demonstrating nearby.

The protesters were angry about comments Abbott made about their movement, and about 200 of them surrounded the Canberra restaurant where the ceremony was being held. Gillard stumbled as she was rushed out and lost a shoe, which the protesters picked up.

Gillard said Saturday that Hodges acted alone, and that she accepted his resignation because she considered his conduct unacceptable. She said she was upset that protesters disrupted the awards ceremony, which honored Australians for their service and courage during recent natural disasters.

Abbott on Saturday demanded more details and an investigation into what he called a "serious security breach." He told Sky News the incident appeared to be an attempt to "trigger something potentially dire for political advantage."

"Trouble was triggered and it seems that someone from the prime minister's office had a very big hand in all of that," he said.

Gillard said the suggestion that she played a role in the clash was "deeply offensive" and added that "it is absolutely typical of Mr Abbott's negativity and his tendency to go too far."

The restaurant where Thursday's clash occurred is close to the so-called Aboriginal Tent Embassy, where the protesters had demonstrated peacefully earlier in the day. That long-standing, ramshackle collection of tents and temporary shelters is a center point of protests against Australia Day, which marks the arrival of the first fleet of British colonists in Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788.

The Tent Embassy celebrated its 40th anniversary on Thursday, and Abbott had earlier angered activists by saying it was time the embassy "moved on." Abbott said Friday that his comment had been misinterpreted, and that he never meant to imply the embassy should be torn down.

The blue suede shoe Gillard lost was handed to a security guard at Parliament House late Friday and taken to her office.

(This version corrects that adviser resigned rather than was fired.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_as/as_australia_indigenous_protest

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Magnitude 5.5 quake shakes Japan (AP)

TOKYO ? A magnitude-5.5 earthquake rattled Yamanashi prefecture in central Japan on Saturday morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued.

The temblor was some 20 kilometers (12 1/2 miles) deep and hit at 7:43 a.m. local time (2243 GMT Friday), the Japanese earthquake-reporting agency said.

Last year, a magnitude-9 quake on March 11 and subsequent tsunami about 140 miles (230 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing.

Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_earthquake

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Video: Time lapse pictures of Olympic Park construction

The stadium, village and aquatic center are all expected to be up and running for the opening ceremonies, just six months from today. NBC?s Brian Williams reports.

>>> all is not quite ready for the summer's london olympic games , but it's getting there, as you can see in these new time lapse pictures. a whole lot of construction going on in the stadium. the olympic village , the aquatic center , all expected to be up and running for the opening ceremonies when we get to hear that music again. opening ceremonies six months from today.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46169949/

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Making better electronic memory

ScienceDaily (Jan. 27, 2012) ? A rare combination of electric and magnetic properties in a now readily producible material could improve electronic memory devices.

An electric field can displace the cloud of electrons surrounding each atom of a solid. In an effect known as polarization, the cloud centers move away slightly from the positively charged nuclei, which radically changes the optical properties of the solid. Materials that can maintain this polarization, even when the external electric field is removed, are known as ferroelectrics and they could provide a novel route to higher-density memory devices.

"The function of ferroelectric materials is much expanded if they are also magnetic, and if there is a strong coupling between polarization and magnetization," explains Yasujiro Taguchi from the RIKEN Advanced Science Institute in Wako. Taguchi and his colleagues from RIKEN, and several other Japanese research institutes, recently demonstrated experimentally that the material strontium barium manganite ((Sr,Ba)MnO3) has this rare combination of properties1.

Previous experimental studies on (Sr,Ba)MnO3 did not identify any signs of the ferroelectricity promised by theoretical simulations. The problem was an insufficient ratio of barium to strontium atoms: conventional crystal growth techniques had produced material with only a maximum ratio of 1:4. Taguchi and his colleagues therefore developed a new two-stage growth technique that enabled them to increase the barium content to 50%. By comparing the properties of crystals with different levels of barium content, they identified a transition to a ferroelectric state at a content ratio of between 40 and 45%.

Strontium barium manganite has a so-called perovskite crystal arrangement, which is characterized by a repeating cubic structure (Fig. 1). Manganese atoms are located at the center of the crystal and oxygen atoms are situated in the middle of each of the six sides. Either a strontium or a barium atom sits on each corner of the cube. The spin, or rotation, of an electron in the manganese ions makes the crystal magnetic. Ferroelectricity arises because the manganese ions are displaced slightly from the center of the cube. "Therefore the manganese ions are responsible for both polarization and magnetism and thus a strong coupling between the two emerges," explains Taguchi.

Materials that are both ferroelectric and have magnetic properties are called multiferroics. The multiferroic materials identified so far have either strong coupling between electricity and magnetism but small polarization, or large polarization with weak coupling. "We have now discovered a multiferroic material that has both [strong coupling and large polarization]," says Taguchi. "These properties are necessary requirements if multiferroic materials are to be applied to devices. One possible example is low-power-consumption memory devices."

The corresponding author for this highlight is based at the Exploratory Materials Team, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127135441.htm

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Warren Buffett: Shut up, he explained (Powerlineblog)

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Djokovic edges Murray, sets up final vs Nadal (AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia ? Novak Djokovic overcame his breathing problems and fatigue to beat friend Andy Murray 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 7-5 Friday in a nearly five-hour Australian Open semifinal.

Facing second-ranked Rafael Nadal in the final on Sunday, he'll try to become only the fifth man since in the Open Era started in 1968 to win three straight majors, joining Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Nadal.

"I'm extremely delighted to be in the final," Djokovic said. "What can be a bigger challenge than playing against Rafa Nadal, one of the greatest players ever."

Despite appearing tired and sore after the second set, Djokovic rallied to beat Murray in a rematch of the 2011 final at Melbourne Park to reach his third consecutive Grand Slam final.

After wasting a chance to serve out the match at 5-3 in the fifth and letting Murray back into the contest, Djokovic cashed in his first match point when the Scottish player missed a forehand after four hours, 50 minutes.

Djokovic dropped onto his back, fully laid out on the court. He got up and shook hands with Murray, before jogging back out onto the court like a boxer, dropping to his knees and crossing himself.

"You have to find strength in those moments and energy, and that keeps you going," he said. "At this level, very few points decide the winner.

"I think we both went through a physical crisis. You know, him at the fourth set, me all the way through the second and midway through the third. It was a very even match throughout, from the first to the last point."

It was already after 12:30 a.m. Saturday when he got up again and pumped his arms triumphantly.

"Andy deserves the credit to come back from 2-5 down. He was fighting. I was fighting," Djokovic said. "Not many words that can describe the feeling of the match.

"It was a physical match ... it was one of the best matches I played. Emotionally and mentally it was equally hard."

It was a bitter setback for Murray, who lost the previous two Australian finals.

Murray believes he's already improved in the few weeks since hiring eight-time major winner Ivan Lendl as coach.

"Yeah, it was tough at the end 'cause, you know, obviously you come back, then you get close to breaking," he said. "But a different player, a different attitude to this time last year. I'm proud of the way I fought."

Djokovic finished last year at No. 1 after winning three of the four majors, including a straight-sets win over Murray in the Australian final. His only loss at a Grand Slam in 2011 was against Federer in the French Open semifinals.

It was phenomenal season after previously only winning one major ? the 2008 Australian Open ? and not returning to a final for 11 Grand Slams.

"To be honest, I think I matured as a player. I started to believe on the court I could win majors," he said. "Rafa and Roger are the most dominant players for the last seven, eight years. ... It was very hard to take away the titles from them. They will not give you the titles. You have to earn it."

Djokovic's 70-6 win-loss record in 2011 included those six wins over Nadal in finals ? including Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. However, Nadal will have an extra day to prepare for this final.

In 2009, Nadal beat Fernando Verdasco in a 5-hour, 14-minute semifinal before facing Federer in the final and winning less than 24 hours later.

On Friday night, both Djokovic and Murray had form dips ? but Djokovic's were more obvious. He led by a set and a break before Murray started coming back. Then Djokovic started walking gingerly and appeared to be struggling for breath ? just as he had been in his straights sets quarterfinal win over No. 5-ranked David Ferrer.

At one point, he pointed to his nose and seemed to indicated to his support group that he was having trouble breathing.

In the opening game of the third set, Djokovic had to fend off five break points before holding a game that lasted 14 minutes, then asked the chair umpire for a handful of tissues to blow his nose.

He said his breathing problems were from allergies, and said he'd seen a doctor.

He stayed in the points, despite Murray scrambling and trying to get him involved in long rallies. Relentlessly pushing the limits hurt Murray in the end, finishing with 86 unforced errors against 47 winners. Djokovic had 69 unforced errors and 49 winners.

After winning a tight third-set tiebreaker but then virtually conceding the fourth set, Murray rallied again after falling behind 5-2 in the fifth. He broke Djokovic at love when the Serb was serving for the match and rallied to tie it 5-5, putting all the pressure back on the defending champion.

But Djokovic composed himself and seemed to gather energy as the match wore on. He held serve and then broke Murray to finish it off.

"I'm going to try to recover," Djokovic said. "Obviously, it's going to be physical as well."

Despite being friends and childhood rivals, this was only the second meeting between Djokovic and Murray at a Grand Slam. Djokovic beat Murray in the 2011 Australian final and had a 6-4 lead in their overall head-to-heads at tour level.

Murray won the Brisbane International and came into the semifinal on a 10-match winning streak with Lendl in his box.

The blue-and-white crossed Scottish flags fluttered in the crowd, held by fans with the flag painted on their faces and some wearing their tartan Tam hats. The support was evenly split at Rod Laver Arena, encouraging both players in the tense final set.

The Maria Sharapova vs. Victoria Azarenka women's final on Saturday night is previewed by local media as a battle of the two loudest grunters on the tour.

Azarenka, who won the Sydney International title the weekend before the season's first major, has been mocked by the crowd for her hooting sounds. She'll be playing her first Grand Slam final.

Sharapova has won three majors, but none since the 2008 Australian Open. She also displays a loud, piercing sound when hitting the ball.

The winner will move to the top of the rankings. Caroline Wozniacki, who came into the tournament as No. 1, will drop three places after her quarterfinal loss to 2011 champion Kim Clijsters.

In the men's doubles final Saturday, American twins Bob and Mike Bryan are aiming for a Grand Slam record 12th major when they take on Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek.

Russians Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva won the women's doubles final on Friday with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory over the Italian duo of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands and her Romanian partner Horia Tecau advanced to the mixed doubles final with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Indian pair Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi. They'll play Elena Vesnina of Russia and Leander Paes of India.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_sp_te_ga_su/ten_australian_open

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Limiting protein or certain amino acids before surgery may reduce risk of surgical complications

Limiting protein or certain amino acids before surgery may reduce risk of surgical complications

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Limiting certain essential nutrients for several days before surgery?either protein or amino acids?may reduce the risk of serious surgical complications such as heart attack or stroke, according to a new Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) study.

The study appears in the January 25, 2012 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

"Food restriction as a way to increase stress resistance may seem counterintuitive, but in fact our data indicate that the well-fed state is the one more susceptible to this kind of injury," said James Mitchell, assistant professor of genetics and complex diseases at HSPH.

The researchers, led by Mitchell and Wei Peng, a former HSPH postdoctoral fellow, analyzed two groups of mice. One group was allowed to eat normally for 6 to 14 days; the other group was given a diet free of protein or lacking a single amino acid (amino acids are the building blocks of proteins). Both groups were then subjected to surgical stress that could potentially harm the kidneys or liver. In the mice that were allowed to eat as usual, about 40 percent died. The protein- and amino acid-free mice all survived.

The researchers also found that removing the gene that senses levels of any type of amino acid eliminated the protective effect. This suggests that the pathway activated by amino acid deficiency?rather than the absence of any particular amino acid?is responsible for the observed benefits, and opens up the potential for targeting drugs toward that pathway.

The results are significant because they pinpoint protein as an important substance to eliminate from the diet before surgery to avoid complications. Stroke risk related to cardiovascular surgery ranges from 0.8% to 9.7%, depending on the procedure. Heart attack risk is 3% to 4%.

In numerous animal studies over the past few decades, scientists have found that long-term dietary restriction can improve health and lengthen life. Benefits include increased stress resistance, reduced inflammation, improved blood sugar regulation, and better cardiovascular health?and many of these benefits extend to humans. There is debate, however, about whether the benefits stem from the source of the calories (fat, sugar, or protein) or simply the total calories. Recent research on fruit flies demonstrated the benefits of restricting protein. The HSPH study aimed to provide further clarity by determining the benefits of protein or amino acid restriction in rodents.

As a next step, Mitchell and his colleagues will try to determine whether dietary preconditioning works as well lowering surgery-related risk in humans as it did in mice. They have taken early planning steps with colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston on a clinical trial of patients on protein-free diets before surgery. If the benefits are confirmed in humans, it may be possible to perform surgeries with significantly reduced risk of complications.

###

Harvard School of Public Health: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu

Thanks to Harvard School of Public Health for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117090/Limiting_protein_or_certain_amino_acids_before_surgery_may_reduce_risk_of_surgical_complications

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Belkin ScreenCast

More and more laptops equipped with Intel's second-generation Core processors offer a nifty perk for presentation givers and multimedia buffs: Wireless Display or WiDi, which beams the laptop's display and audio to a living-room HDTV or conference-room monitor with no cords or cables required. What is required, however, is a WiDi adapter or receiver connected to the TV, and Belkin has a fine example in the ScreenCast TV Adapter for Intel Wireless Display ($129.99 list). It's one of the most effective and easiest-to-use accessories we've seen, and as such, it's our Editors' Choice for WiDi adapters.

An alternative to the arguably better-known (or at least more promoted by Best Buy and, mea culpa, more often mentioned by PCMag) Netgear Push2TV HD (4 stars, $99.99 list), the ScreenCast is a similar black plastic box about the size of a trade paperback. It plugs into a TV or monitor using an HDMI cable (supplied) or three-pronged RCA cable (not supplied), and also into an AC outlet using a provided adapter.

Setup takes under a minute if you dawdle; the Belkin device even shaves a few seconds off the Netgear Push2TV setup time by shipping with its HDMI and power cables already connected. Once you've plugged the ScreenCast in, tune your TV to the proper video input (such as HDMI 2 or HDMI 3); after a few seconds, a "Ready for connection" screen will tell you to launch the WiDi software on your laptop. The latter will scan for adapters and find the ScreenCast. Double-click on it, and you'll be prompted for one-time entry of a four-digit security code that appears on the TV screen. Then you can rename the adapter to something descriptive such as "Living Room" or "Conference Room C."

Pressing the Windows key and P, as with a projector or other external monitor, lets you choose whether to duplicate the notebook's display on the TV or extend the desktop across both so you can, say, drag a Windows Media Player or WinDVD movie to the big screen while checking e-mail on the laptop.

The only thing that might be a little daunting for nontechnical users is keeping up with Intel's updates. Our test unit automatically noticed and installed a firmware update, and Belkin suggests making sure you've got the latest WiFi and graphics drivers and WiDi software to enjoy the latest capabilities.

Those capabilities include HDCP support for copy-protected as well as unprotected video content, meaning you can stream a DVD or Blu-ray title across the room at full 1080p resolution with 5.1 surround sound. PC Labs' Blu-ray of Ghostbusters, popped into a Toshiba Satellite P745-S4320 notebook, looked and sounded great on a 75-inch Sharp HDTV, as did 1080p video clips from YouTube and the Labs' collection. There were no latency problems or stutters at distances ranging from 5 to 15 feet, apart from a couple of buffering moments with the YouTube clips that were almost certainly ordinary cases of WiFi rather than WiDi latency.

Indeed, whereas our reviewer noticed some slight mouse and keyboard lag with the Push2TV, I couldn't make that complaint about the ScreenCast: Rather than "typing on the laptop's keyboard and watching the letters appear a millisecond (or two) later," text on the TV kept up with my utmost typing speed. Credit probably goes to driver updates since that June 2011 review (or your being a slower typist?Ed.), but it's another way the Belkin proved trouble-free. Actually, the only improvement the ScreenCast could use is a small price cut: At $129.99, its list price is $30 higher than its Netgear rival's, though we easily found online resellers offering it for around $100.

Just as the number of laptops with WiDi 2.1 is growing, it seems likely that more and more HDTVs will soon have WiDi receivers built in; Intel and LG announced last month that the latter's Cinema 3D Smart TVs will be so equipped in 2012. Even then, the Belkin ScreenCast earns an Editors' Choice nod as a sensational way to stream content to or just enjoy working on a big screen from the comfort of your couch.

More Media Hub & Receiver reviews:
??? Belkin ScreenCast
??? Netgear NeoTV NTV550
??? Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player (NSZ-GT1)
??? Roku LT
??? Grace Digital Victoria Nostalgic Internet Radio
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/UNRJqBFJqWY/0,2817,2399461,00.asp

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Law protecting iPhone jailbreaks could expire soon (Appolicious)

The law that protects users who choose to ?jailbreak? their iOS devices from copyright law is set to expire, which could change the iPhone and iPad landscape if it does.

According to a report from Mashable, the law is an exemption to the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which was created to help deal with software copyright issues in the Internet age. The U.S. Copyright Office created the exemption, allowing users who purchase electronic devices protection from certain software copyright laws concerned with modifying them.

?Jailbreaking? iOS devices refers to removing software locks added by Apple that limit the things it can do, allowing users to download third-party apps from stores that aren?t run by Apple, for a start. Doing so voids the device?s warranty, but if Apple and other device makers had their way, it?d be illegal to break the maker?s controls on devices completely. Opponents of such copyright law often argue that the result is effectively renting a device from Apple, Microsoft and other electronics makers, rather than owning it outright.

The exemption to DMCA protects users who purchase devices from legal threats from those devices? creators, effectively allowing users to modify devices they purchase as they see fit, like iPhones, iPads and video game consoles, for example. If the exemption expires, it?s possible that device makers will start throwing copyright suits at known jailbreakers and modders, just as Microsoft did a few years ago when it targeted an Xbox hacker.

Electronics rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation has started a petition in an attempt to get the Copyright Office to extend the exemption. It?s also calling on users of jailbroken devices to sign the petition as well as send comments to the Copyright Office in favor of the extension. You can find the petition here.

The petition and the possible expiration of the exemption follow on the heels of a big event in the jailbreak community. Earlier this week, iPhone hackers released a jailbreak for the latest iOS devices using Apple?s A5 chip, the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2, after 10 months of the iPad being on the market. If you?re into jailbreaking, you might want to enjoy this one while you can, and contact the Copyright Office to let it know that you want jailbreaking to continue into the future.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_appolicious_com_articles10875_law_protecting_iphone_jailbreaks_could_expire_soon/44313489/SIG=133kfdhd6/*http%3A//www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/10875-law-protecting-iphone-jailbreaks-could-expire-soon

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Gay marriage returns to the political spotlight

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 file photo, Ken Jackson, right, and Don Taylor carry a sign that reads "Stand Up For Marriage - One Man + One Woman" following a rally at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. on the day Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, announced her support for legalizing gay marriage. With a flurry of coast-to-coast developments in late January 2012, same-sex marriage is back in the political spotlight and likely to remain there through Election Day as a half-dozen states face potentially wrenching votes on the issue. In most of the showdown states - notably Maryland, New Jersey, Washington and Minnesota - polls suggest voters are almost evenly divided on whether gays deserve the right to wed. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 file photo, Ken Jackson, right, and Don Taylor carry a sign that reads "Stand Up For Marriage - One Man + One Woman" following a rally at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. on the day Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, announced her support for legalizing gay marriage. With a flurry of coast-to-coast developments in late January 2012, same-sex marriage is back in the political spotlight and likely to remain there through Election Day as a half-dozen states face potentially wrenching votes on the issue. In most of the showdown states - notably Maryland, New Jersey, Washington and Minnesota - polls suggest voters are almost evenly divided on whether gays deserve the right to wed. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 file photo, Daryl Fields, center, and his partner O'Brian Banner, right, speak during a news conference in Annapolis, Md. to announce support of a same-sex marriage bill by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, left. A similar bill passed the state Senate last year but stalled in the House of Delegates. With a flurry of coast-to-coast developments in late January 2012, same-sex marriage is back in the political spotlight and likely to remain there through Election Day as a half-dozen states face potentially wrenching votes on the issue. In most of the showdown states - notably Maryland, New Jersey, Washington and Minnesota - polls suggest voters are almost evenly divided on whether gays deserve the right to wed. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

With a flurry of coast-to-coast developments this week, same-sex marriage is back in the political spotlight and likely to remain there through Election Day as a half-dozen states face potentially wrenching votes on the issue.

In Maryland, New Jersey and Washington, bills to legalize same-sex marriage have high-powered support and good chances of passage in the legislature. Gay-marriage opponents in Maryland and Washington would likely react by seeking referendums in November to overturn those laws, while New Jersey's Republican governor, Chris Christie, says he'll veto the bill if it reaches him and prefers that lawmakers OK a referendum so voters can decide.

In all three states, polls suggest voters are closely divided on whether gays should have the right to marry, so there's a chance one could emerge as the first state to support same-sex marriage in a statewide vote.

Maine voters also may have an opportunity to vote for same-sex marriage in November; an announcement by gay-rights activists about a ballot-measure campaign is set for Thursday. Proposed amendments for constitutional bans on gay marriage will be on the ballots in North Carolina on May 8 and in Minnesota on Nov. 6.

In New Hampshire, Republicans who now control the legislature are mulling whether to repeal the 2009 law legalizing same-sex marriage. Their state is one of six with such laws, along with Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia.

Added together, the state-level showdowns will likely raise the prominence of the marriage issue in the presidential campaign, even though it's not a topic that the leading candidates tend to broach proactively.

"There's a lot going on," said gay-marriage advocate Evan Wolfson, president of Freedom to Marry. "It means that candidates ? whether Romney or Obama ? who hope to avoid the discussion will not be able to."

Three of the remaining Republican presidential contenders, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, have signed a National Organization for Marriage pledge opposing same-sex marriage and endorsing a federal constitutional amendment to ban it. But it's not among the topics prominent in the stump speeches of Romney or Newt Gingrich, the two front-runners.

On the Democratic side, President Barack Obama has taken several steps during his first term that have pleased gay-rights advocates, but says he is still "evolving" in regard to same-sex marriage and isn't ready to endorse it. Some activists hope he will do so before the election, though there's been no strong hint of that from the White House.

"Obama will get asked about it, and you can't straddle both sides of this forever," said Richard Socarides, a former Clinton White House adviser on gay rights. "Clearly he's not going to retreat, so he only has one place to go, and I think he will do it before the election."

Another potential factor: Judgments could be issued during the campaign in one or more of several pending federal court cases about same-sex marriage. Appeals could result in the issue heading toward the Supreme Court, and the presidential candidates would be expected to comment on any major development.

A summary of the latest state-by-state events:

NEW JERSEY: Thanks to a change of heart by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, a gay marriage bill is now seen as having a strong chance of passage in the Democratic-controlled legislature. Christie, a Roman Catholic who has long opposed gay marriage, says he'd veto the bill if it reaches him, but on Tuesday he urged lawmakers to put the issue before voters in a statewide ballot measure.

"Let us have a discussion about this in halls of schools and homes and synagogues and churches and ball fields across New Jersey, and let people decide," Christie said.

Sweeney rejected the suggestion, saying, "Civil rights is not to be placed on the ballot."

MARYLAND: In contrast to Christie, Maryland's Catholic governor ? Democrat Martin O'Malley ? supports gay marriage. Unlike last year, when a marriage bill stalled in the House of Delegates, O'Malley is now making the issue one of his top legislative priorities. He and his allies hope to broaden support among lawmakers and the public by making clear in the new bill that religious freedom will be protected. Public opinion could be crucial, because opponents of gay marriage are expected to seek a referendum in November to overturn a marriage bill if one passes in the legislature.

WASHINGTON: Like O'Malley, Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire has strongly endorsed a pending gay-marriage bill, which received its first legislative hearing this week. Based on public commitments from lawmakers, the bill has enough votes to win passage. However, as in Maryland, opponents are poised to petition for a referendum challenging the law.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: A bill pending in a House committee would repeal the state's same-sex marriage law and replace it with civil unions for any unmarried adults. It would not invalidate the same-sex marriages already legalized since 2009. The fate of the bill is uncertain, facing possible revisions before a vote and a promised veto by Democratic Gov. John Lynch if it does pass. If it gets that far, and lawmakers override a veto, the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union has indicated it would challenge the new law in court.

MAINE: Gay marriage supporters in Maine have spent several months assessing whether they would seek a referendum in November to legalize same-sex marriage. Their decision will be announced Thursday, and national gay-rights leaders believe the campaign will be launched. Maine is the only state in New England that doesn't allow either gay marriage or civil unions. Its lawmakers approved a gay marriage law in 2009, but it was overturned months later by a statewide referendum.

NORTH CAROLINA and MINNESOTA:

Voters in 30 states have approved constitutional amendments aimed at solidifying bans on gay marriage; Minnesota and North Carolina could join those ranks if measures placed on the ballot by Republican-controlled legislatures win approval later this year. Neither Minnesota nor North Carolina allow gay marriage now, but supporters say the amendments are needed to prevent judges or lawmakers from changing that policy in the future. The North Carolina amendment also would prevent the state from recognizing civil unions or domestic partnerships.

In all the showdown states, national advocacy groups are expected to be active on both sides. The Human Rights Campaign, for example, has promised to provide funding, strategic advice and field staff for the various campaigns supporting same-sex marriage.

On the other side, the National Organization for Marriage is vowing a multistate effort, including promises of financial support in the primaries to defeat any Republican lawmakers who support gay marriage in Washington.

Though several major national polls now show that a slight majority of Americans support same-sex marriage, National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown predicts his side will continue its winning streak and prevail in any state referendums that are held this fall.

"There's a myth that history is on a trajectory moving toward same-sex marriage," Brown said. "There is no such momentum."

___

Online:

Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/

National Organization for Marriage: http://bit.ly/14OBri

___

David Crary can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-25-US-Gay-Marriage-Politics/id-0016d08da1374801bfcaa0dc5259b9a1

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Consumer finance chief touts enforcement powers (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The government's new consumer finance watchdog agency is prepared to sue companies that offer unfair or deceptive mortgages and credit cards, its director said Tuesday.

Addressing a congressional panel, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray defended his appointment to the post and assured critics that the agency will work with financial companies whenever possible.

But "we will not hesitate to use enforcement actions to right a wrong," Cordray told the Republican-controlled subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee.

Cordray was addressing Congress for the first time since his recess appointment by President Barack Obama earlier this month. He faces questions about the bureau's actions and the legitimacy of his appointment.

Republicans call the appointment illegal because the Senate technically was not in recess. Republicans were holding minutes-long sessions during their vacation to prevent the President from making any appointments.

The CFPB might lack credibility in part because it is run by a director whose "appointment was constitutionally questionable," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., chairman of the subcommittee.

McHenry is a major beneficiary of political donations from the payday lending industry, which will face much tighter oversight because of Cordray's appointment.

Cordray said that he is aware of objections to his appointment, but "I'm in the job, it's an important job, it's a big job, it commands all of my time and attention, and all I can do is try to carry out the responsibilities."

Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., asked whether the agency has made plans for what to do it Cordray's nomination is invalidated by a legal appeal.

"We have to carry out the intent of that law," Cordray replied. "Either we do or we don't. It seems to me that the right answer is that we do."

Senate Republicans had refused to confirm Cordray because many opposed the creation of the agency. They wanted it run by a bipartisan commission and pledged to block any nominee until the powers of the director were reduced.

Officials from the team that set up the agency, including Elizabeth Warren, now running for Senate from Massachusetts, had testified before Congress 11 times since the agency was created under the financial overhaul law in July 2010.

___(equals)

Follow Daniel Wagner at www.twitter.com/wagnerreports.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_bi_ge/us_consumer_protection_cordray

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Google to merge user data across more services (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Google announced a plan Tuesday to link user data across its email, video, social-networking and other services that it says will create a "beautifully simple and intuitive" user experience. But critics raised privacy concerns like those that helped kill the search giant's Buzz social networking service.

The changes, which take effect March 1, will remove some of the legal hurdles Google Inc. faces in trying to link information across services from Gmail to YouTube to the Google Plus social network that replaced Buzz.

More than 70 different company policies are being streamlined into one main privacy policy and about a dozen others. Separate policies will continue to govern products including Google's Chrome Web browser and its Wallet service for electronic payments.

The company said the new system will give users more relevant search results and information, while helping advertisers find customers ? especially on mobile devices.

For example, if you spend an hour on Google searching the Web for skateboards, the next time you log into YouTube, you might get recommendations for videos featuring Tony Hawk, along with ads for his merchandise and the nearest place to buy them.

"If you're signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries ? or tailor your search results ? based on the interests you've expressed in Google (Plus), Gmail and YouTube," the company says on a new overview page for its privacy policies. "We'll better understand (what) you're searching for and get you those results faster."

The changes follow the shutdown of Buzz last month. After its introduction less than two years ago, the social networking tool was ridiculed for exposing users' most-emailed contacts to other participants by default, inadvertently revealing some users' ongoing contact with ex-spouses and competitors.

Google has since made Plus the focal point of its challenge to Facebook's social network. In the first seven months since its debut, Plus has attracted more than 90 million users, according to Google. To promote Plus, Google recently began including recommendations about people and companies with Plus accounts in its search results. That change has provoked an outcry from critics who say Google is abusing its dominance in Internet search to drive more traffic to its own services.

Google and the Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement last year that forbids Google from misrepresenting how it uses personal information and from sharing an individual's data without prior approval. Google also agreed to biennial privacy audits for the next two decades.

Google said it talked to regulators about the upcoming privacy changes, which it will apply worldwide. An FTC spokeswoman declined to comment on the changes or say whether the agency was consulted.

Some critics saw Google as trying to beat regulators to the punch by setting a precedent before the FTC unveils its own framework for protecting online privacy.

Jeff Chester, executive director of the privacy group Center for Digital Democracy, said Google hopes "that by creating a one-stop shop for privacy policy it will deflect regulatory action."

Google, Facebook and other popular Internet services all want to learn as much as possible about their users so they can sell more advertising at higher rates to marketers looking to target people interested in specific products, such as golf clubs or skinny jeans.

Google says users who opt to see personalized ads are 37 percent more likely to respond to an ad than people who opt out of targeting.

The changes follow a rare letdown in revenue growth at Google's lucrative advertising network. Google's fourth-quarter earnings report last week showed the company's average revenue per click fell 8 percent from the previous year, despite robust growth in online shopping at the holidays.

Google shares, which have fallen 9 percent since the report, closed Tuesday at $580.93, down $4.59 for the day.

Ryan Calo, director for privacy at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society, said Google is trying to make its policy privacy transparent instead of bogging users down with pages of legalese; the new privacy policies run about 10,000 words, down from 68,000.

But he said the company must ensure that the ways it uses data help users without revealing sensitive information.

"If it creeps people out, then they need to be aware of that," he said.

___

Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/search/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_hi_te/us_google_privacy

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'The Bachelor' Recap: Season 20, Episode 4

So the first few few minutes of The Bachelor tonight were cut off because of a governor's speech, and when we join the women, they've already arrived in Park City, Utah, so I'm going to assume that the first minutes consisted solely of people being ridiculously excited about getting to go to Utah. What's next: Des Moines, Iowa! Lovely Newark! Anyway, all the women get a lecture from Chris Harrison on not being boring people when they have time to talk to Ben, and then he's all, "Later!" and he drops the microphone and stomps out of the condo or chalet or whatever this place is.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/bachelor-recap-season-20-episode-4/1-a-421556?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Abachelor-recap-season-20-episode-4-421556

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Segel is Harvard Hasty Pudding Man of the Year (omg!)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) ? Actor Jason Segel can add a Hasty Pudding pot award to his career highlights.

Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals on Monday named Segel its Man of Year.

The student group is the nation's oldest undergraduate drama troupe. It'll host a parade and roast for Segel on Feb. 3.

Segel got his start in the short-lived but critically acclaimed television series "Freaks and Geeks."

He later wrote and starred in the 2008 movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which earned more than $100 million worldwide. And he co-wrote and starred in last year's "The Muppets."

He plays Marshall Eriksen on the CBS comedy "How I Met Your Mother."

Last year, Jay Leno won the Hasty Pudding award, which recognizes outstanding entertainers.

Actress Claire Danes has been named this year's Woman of the Year.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_segel_harvard_hasty_pudding_man040125410/44280927/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/segel-harvard-hasty-pudding-man-040125410.html

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Health Insurance Increase Okayed In Mass. For 2012 ? CBS Boston

(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

BOSTON (CBS) ?Some Massachusetts residents will see only a small rise in health care premiums this year.

State regulators have approved premium hikes averaging 2.3% for what?s called the Small Group Market.? That includes thousands of small businesses and self-employed residents.
They go into effect in April.

Last year, people saw health care premiums rise 9 percent, and there have been double-digit increases in years past.

State officials say the lower increases reflect years of efforts to get costs under control.

Source: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/01/21/health-insurance-increase-okayed-in-mass-for-2012/

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Identity theft insurance not always worth the cost ? Maine Business ...

The phrase ?identity theft? has become one of those terms that makes one?s blood run cold. We?ve heard so many stories of financial losses, ruined credit and related horrors that we react emotionally to the subject.

That emotional response has prompted many consumers to buy insurance that kicks in if some form of identity theft strikes the insured. The question before us is, is such insurance worth the cost?

There?s no simple answer, as is usually the case in consumer matters. The quick historical view back to 2006 finds Consumer Reports said such coverage was ?typically not worth the money.? The magazine notes more than half of ID theft protection is sold by banks, and that those premiums amount to a consumer subsidy for federally required loss protection through credit card and bank account fraud. The passing of time hasn?t changed CR?s opinion that you can ? and should ? take more effective steps yourself to protect your credit and good name.

ID theft insurance typically costs $120 to $300 a year. That?s more than victims often incur through the theft and misuse of their credit card numbers, the most frequent type of ID theft. Federal law limits liability in such cases to $50 per card.

Those who sell the coverage point to the time-consuming process of restoring credit and correcting information on their credit histories. The insurers say their policies can help consumers cope with what can be a trying and frustrating process.

Most people in the insurance industry give the same advice they would when buying other types of coverage. Find out what the policy limits are; the National Association of Insurance Commissioners says most ID theft policies have policy limits of $10,000 to $15,000. If the policy covers lost wages, find out how the coverage is triggered and what limits apply. Know if there is a deductible; some policies require the holder to pay as much as $500 toward the cost of reclaiming your financial identity before the insurer pays a penny.

Before buying, check your homeowner?s insurance policy. It may include ID theft coverage, or you might be able to add coverage more affordably than buying separate coverage. If you decide to buy a separate policy, compare the coverage of several companies.

The insurance commissioners warn against becoming a victim of insurance fraud by making sure the agent and company you?re dealing with are licensed to do business in Maine. Find the Bureau of Insurance online ( http://www.maine.gov/pfr/insurance), by phone (207-624-8475 or TTY 888-577-6690) or by writing to the Bureau at 34 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333.

David Leach, principal consumer credit examiner for the Maine?s Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, advises people to be their own advocates. Leach says it?s critical for each of us to get one free credit report from one of the reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax and Trans Union) every four months. Do this by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com and only that site. That, plus keeping a close watch on all credit card activity, will help keep identity thieves at bay.

As to separate insurance, Leach says, ?Consumers who sign up for these types of services are paying close to $250.00 a year for a service they can essentially run themselves.? He notes that most financial institutions that issue credit cards will waive all losses in cases of identity theft or fraud. Visit the bureau?s website at www.credit.maine.gov.

For a rundown on federal ID theft laws and tips to protect yourself, visit the Federal Trade Commission website, www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast CONTACT, Maine?s membership-funded, nonprofit consumer organization. Individual and business memberships are available at modest rates. For assistance with consumer-related issues, including consumer fraud and identity theft, or for information, write: Consumer Forum, P.O. Box 486, Brewer 04412, or go to necontact.wordpress.com, or email atcontacexdir@live.com.

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/01/22/business/identity-theft-insurance-not-always-worth-the-cost/

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Economy improves but recovery hurdles persist (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The number of Americans filing for new jobless benefits dropped to an almost four-year low last week, and factory activity in the mid-Atlantic expanded moderately, suggesting the economy carried some momentum into the new year.

But the pace of growth probably will slow. Analysts cautioned the drop in jobless claims likely was exaggerated by seasonal factors, and the slow pace of new orders in the factory report along with a drop in new home building and permits in December showed that obstacles to a strong recovery remain.

Still, the employment and factory data added to a rash of stronger-than-expected economic signals, with growth in the fourth quarter forecast at an annual pace of about 3 percent - a step up from the prior quarter's 1.8 percent rate.

"It's not a robust picture, but it's certainly an improving picture and one that you hope sets up some improvement over the longer term in consumption," said Brian Levitt, an economist at OppenheimerFunds in New York.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 50,000 to a seasonally adjusted 352,000 last week, the lowest level since April 2008, the Labor Department said.

The week also marked the largest drop in applications since September 2005 and took claims within spitting distance of the 350,000 mark that economists say would signal strong job growth.

The claims data covered the period when surveys are conducted for the government's January payrolls report, and claims dropped by 14,000 between the December and January survey periods.

But claims tend to be volatile around this time of year. The four-week moving average of claims, considered to be a better measure of labor market trends, fell 3,500 to 379,000 last week. It has held below 400,000 for 10 straight weeks.

"The initial indications for the jobs report in January are encouraging and suggest that we will see another 200,000-plus reading on private payrolls for the month," said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics in New York.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 200,000 in December, with the unemployment rate dropping to a near three-year low of 8.5 percent.

Separately, the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank reported its business activity index rose to 7.3 from 6.8 in December. A reading above zero indicates expansion in the mid-Atlantic region's manufacturing sector.

But new orders and shipments slowed, taking some shine off the report. In addition, unfilled orders and delivery time fell, indicating factory activity in the region could slow in the months ahead.

The region's employment picture improved, however, with factories adding more workers and extending hours for existing employees.

The data and strong demand at European bond auctions, which helped to ease some concerns about Europe's debt crisis, propelled U.S. stocks higher. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose for a third straight day.

U.S. Treasury debt lost some of its safe-haven appeal, sending prices tumbling. The dollar fell to a two-week low against the euro.

HOUSING MIXED

Other data showed housing starts fell 4.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 657,000 units in December. The decline came from the volatile multi-family segment, which plunged 20.4 percent.

Starts of single family houses - which account for a larger share of new home construction - rose 4.4 percent, adding to views that the housing market decline has bottomed and home construction will contribute to economic growth this year.

Permits for future home construction eased slightly.

"There are too many distressed homes on the market in the largest home building areas for starts to rise sharply," said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania. "Still, a recovery is under way and means housing will be adding to growth going forward."

The continued stream of relatively better economic data could further temper expectations among some economists that the Federal Reserve could launch a fresh round of bond buying to spur the recovery.

The Fed meets next week and no policy action is expected, although the central bank may signal it will keep overnight rates pressed to zero for longer than had previously been expected.

With inflation showing little signs of life, unemployment too high and Europe's debt troubles still a threat to the economy, analysts say a further Fed easing cannot be ruled out.

INFLATION STILL MUTED

The Consumer Price Index was unchanged in December for a second straight month. Core CPI, which excludes more volatile food and energy costs, inched up 0.1 percent after rising 0.2 percent in November.

"If inflation continues to moderate, it definitely opens the door for additional quantitative easing by the Fed," said Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics in West Chester Pennsylvania.

The Fed has already bought $2.3 trillion worth of bonds to keep borrowing costs low and stimulate the economy.

In December, overall inflation was held back by gasoline prices, which fell for a third month in a row. Food prices rose modestly. Overall consumer prices rose 3 percent last year after increasing 3.4 percent in November from a year earlier.

Core consumer prices last month were dampened by new motor vehicle costs, which fell for a third straight month, while used cars and truck prices dropped for the fourth successive month.

Clothing prices slipped, indicating discounting by retailers to attract holiday shoppers. But housing costs held up, reflecting the rising demand for rental apartments as the weak housing market pushes Americans away from home ownership.

In the 12 months to December, core CPI increased 2.2 percent after rising by the same margin in November. That follows a record low of 0.6 percent in October.

The Fed would like to see core inflation at 2 percent or a little less, although the price measure its follows most closely tends to run below the core CPI.

(Additional reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Leslie Adler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/bs_nm/us_usa_economy

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100 Years Ago: Vickers Machine Gun

THE TRACTIONEER: A new breed of farmer-engineer ushering in the era of mechanized agriculture, 1912 Image: Scientific American

February 1962

Error Codes
?Until quite recently the engineer who wanted to improve the quality of a communication channel concentrated his attention on reducing noise, or, to be more precise, on increasing the signal-to-noise ratio. The most direct way to achieve this is to increase the power of the signal. Within the past 15 years a host of new signal-processing devices?notably the electronic computer?have stimulated a different approach for transmitting signals with a minimum of error: the use of error-detecting codes. The principle underlying such codes has a long history. What is new is (1) a body of theory that tells the engineer how close the codes come to ideal performance and (2) techniques for constructing codes.?

Hiding Nukes
?It appears increasingly doubtful that an atomic-weapons test of significant dimension can be concealed either underground or in outer space. A five-kiloton nuclear explosion in an underground salt cavern near Carlsbad, N.M., in December was clearly recorded by seismographs as far away as Tokyo, New York, Uppsala in Sweden and Sodankyla in Finland. The seismograph records included tracings of the ?first motion,? considered critical in distinguishing between earthquakes and underground explosions.?

February 1912

Machine Replaces Muscle
?Probably no agricultural development of the last decade is of more interest or greater significance than the rapid advance in the use of the traction engine. The coming of the gas tractor was the first step in making power farming universally possible. The old-time thresherman was little more than a stationary engineer. With the coming of the all-purpose tractor, his duties multiplied. Besides keeping his engine in trim, he had to learn to drive straight, avoid holes and obstructions, and above all to earn money for the owner of the outfit by keeping it eternally on the move. Out of the necessity has grown a new type?a farmer-engineer of high caliber, tersely termed a ?tractioneer.??

Vickers Machine Gun
?Recently an improved type of the familiar Vickers light automatic rifle-caliber gun has made its appearance, and commands attention owing to its greater mobility and ingenious tripod. An appreciable reduction in weight has been also effected, for whereas the older weapon ready for use weighed 69 pounds, the new gun weighs only 36 pounds. This lessening of weight has been obtained by the use of high-class steel instead of gunmetal in the construction of all the parts.?

This water-cooled machine gun was used extensively during World War I, which broke out two years later. For a look into our archives at the technology of weapons and warfare in 1912, see the slideshow at www.ScientificAmerican.com/feb2012/warfare

February 1862

Does it Work for Shrapnel Wounds?
?The Committee on Military Affairs in the house of Representatives have under consideration the expediency of intro?ducing the system of Samuel Hahnemann [homeo?pathy] into the army. It was agreed to authorize Mr. Dunn to report a bill instructing the Medical Bureau of the War Department to permit, under certain restrictions as to number and qualifi?cations, the employment of graduates of regular Homeopathic colleges as army surgeons. This measure has been fought bitterly in committee, and has for its opponents the entire present medical force of the army. We understand that Gen. McClellan, who is a firm believer in homeopathy, is anxious to have the system tested in the army. Why not try it? It has thousands of firm believers in the country, and is rapidly gaining ground.?

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=b4f380399d382141fe3b2522a9175149

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