'The Help,' Dujardin win at lively SAG Awards (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Finally, an awards show with some surprises and spontaneity.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards featured some unexpected winners, including "The Help" for best overall cast performance and Jean Dujardin for best actor in "The Artist" alongside some of the longtime favorites in movies and television.

But there was a looseness and a playfulness that permeated the Shrine Exposition Center Sunday night ? maybe because it was a room full of people who love to perform, without the rigidity of one single host to lead them.

Unlike the great expectations that came with the sharp-tongued Ricky Gervais' reprisal at the Golden Globes a couple weeks ago or the much-anticipated return of Billy Crystal to the Academy Awards next month, there was no master of ceremonies at the SAG Awards. The presenters and winners seemed to have more room to improvise and put their own spin on the evening ? but mercifully, the show itself still managed to wrap up on time after just two hours.

And so we had three of the stars of best-cast nominee "Bridesmaids" ? Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy ? introducing their comedy with a joke about turning the name "Scorsese" into a drinking game, which became a running gag throughout the night. When HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" won the award for best drama series cast, among the first words star Steve Buscemi uttered in accepting the prize were "Martin Scorsese" ? he just happens to be one of the show's executive producers.

One of the more exciting moments of the night was the announcement of Dujardin's name in the best-actor category for his performance in the silent, black-and-white homage "The Artist." In winning the award for his portrayal of a silent-film star who finds his career in decline with the arrival of talkies, Dujardin definitely boosts his chances at the Oscars on Feb. 26. Little-known in the United States before this, the French comic bested bigger names like George Clooney ("The Descendants"), Brad Pitt ("Moneyball") and Leonardo DiCaprio ("J. Edgar").

If he follows this up with an Academy Award, Dujardin would become the first French actor ever to take the prize. Asked backstage how it would feel, Dujardin launched into a jaunty rendition of "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem.

"Pressure, big pressure," Dujardin then added in his halting English. "It's unbelievable. It's amazing already. Too early to tell."

Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer continued to cement their front-runner status in the actress and supporting actress categories, respectively, for their formidable work in "The Help." Both women play black maids in 1960s Mississippi who dare to go public about the bigotry they've endured.

"I just have to say that the stain of racism and sexism is not just for people of color or women. It's all of our burden, all of us," Davis said, accepting the ensemble prize on behalf of her "The Help" co-stars.

Backstage, Davis said of her own victory: "A few more people checked my name in the box for whatever reason. This time I kind of fooled them."

Meanwhile, Christopher Plummer picked up yet another supporting-actor prize for his lovely turn as an elderly widower who finally comes out as gay in "Beginners." Plummer won at the Golden Globes and is nominated for an Oscar. He would become the oldest actor ever to win an Academy Award at age 82, two years older than Jessica Tandy was when she won best actress for "Driving Miss Daisy."

Backstage, Plummer joked when asked if he would like to win an Oscar, an honor so elusive during his esteemed 60-year career that he did not even receive his first Academy Award nomination until two years ago, for "The Last Station."

"No, I think it's frightfully boring," Plummer said. "That's an awful question. Listen, we don't go into this business preoccupied by awards. If we did, we wouldn't last five minutes."

The win for overall cast for "The Help," when "The Artist" and "The Descendants" have been the favorites all along, makes the conversation more interesting but it isn't necessarily an indicator of how the film will do come Oscar time.

The guild's ensemble prize, considered its equivalent of a best-picture honor, has a spotty record at predicting what will win the top award at the Oscars. While "The King's Speech" won both honors a year ago, the SAG ensemble recipient has gone on to claim the top Oscar only eight times in the 16 years since the guild added the category.

The winners at the SAG ceremony often do go on to earn Oscars, however. All four acting recipients at SAG last year later took home Oscars ? Colin Firth for "The King's Speech," Natalie Portman for "Black Swan" and Christian Bale and Melissa Leo for "The Fighter."

On the television side, comedy series awards went to "Modern Family" for best ensemble; Alec Baldwin as best actor for "30 Rock"; and Betty White as best actress for "Hot in Cleveland."

"You can't name me, without naming those other wonderful women on 'Hot in Cleveland,'" the 90-year-old White said. "This nomination belongs to four of us. Please, please know that I'm dealing them right in with this. I'm not going to let them keep this, but I'll let them see it."

The TV drama show winners were: Jessica Lange as best actress for "American Horror Story"; and Buscemi as best actor for "Boardwalk Empire."

For TV movie or miniseries, Kate Winslet won as best actress for "Mildred Pierce," while Paul Giamatti was named best actor for "Too Big to Fail."

The guild gave its lifetime achievement award to Mary Tyler Moore, presented by Dick Van Dyke, her co-star on the 1960s sit-com "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

Moore recalled that when she entered show business at age 18 in 1955, there were already six others Mary Moores in the Screen Actors Guild. Told to change her name, she quickly added Tyler, the middle name she shares with her father, George.

"I was Mary Tyler Moore. I spoke it out loud. Mary Tyler Moore. It sounded right so I wrote it down on the form, and it looked right," she said. "It was right. SAG was happy, my father was happy, and tonight, after having the privilege of working in this business among the most creative and talented people imaginable, I too am happy, after all."

___

AP writers David Germain and Beth Harris contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.sagawards.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_help_dujardin_win_lively_sag_awards070044601/44350968/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/help-dujardin-win-lively-sag-awards-070044601.html

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Oil above $99 in Asia on Europe's austerity move (AP)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia ? Oil rose above $99 a barrel Tuesday in Asia in sync with gains in regional equity markets after Europe took measures to battle its debt crisis.

Benchmark crude for February delivery was up 59 cents at $99.37 a barrel at midday Kuala Lumpur time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 78 cents to finish at $98.78 on Monday.

European leaders agreed Monday on a new treaty to stop overspending and put an end to the region's crippling debt woes. They also pledged to stimulate growth and employment amid fears of a looming recession. Greece and its bondholders are also inching closer to a deal to significantly cut the country's debt and pave the way for it to receive a much-needed euro130 billion ($170 billion) bailout.

"The announcements in the eurozone helped ease concerns but crude prices are going to be choppy going forward. The market is grappling with a weaker demand scenario and uncertainties in the supply side coming from Iran," said Natalie Robertson, commodities analyst at ANZ Banking Group in Melbourne.

Iran has welcomed international weapons experts into the country in hopes of refuting claims that it is building a nuclear weapon. That eased concerns about possible military action in the region.

Still, Europe plans to embargo Iranian oil this summer to pressure Iran about its nuclear program. If that happens, Iran says it could retaliate by blocking passage through the Persian Gulf, where tankers carry one-sixth of the world's oil exports.

The U.S. is ready to implement sanctions on Iran's central bank that will make it harder for Iran to sell oil. India has however, joined China in saying it will not cut back on crude imports from Iran.

In other energy trading, heating oil rose 2 cents to $3.06 per gallon and gasoline futures were down 0.5 cents to $2.87 per gallon. Natural gas fell 6 cents to $2.65 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_re_as/oil_prices

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Carrefour CEO stepping down, replacement named

PARIS (AP) ? The head of Carrefour SA is to be replaced by a veteran French clothing retailer after a string of profit warnings sent the French retail giant's share price tumbling.

Lars Olofsson will be replaced by clothing retail executive Georges Plassat at Carrefour's annual shareholder meeting in June, the company said in a statement. The company said Olofsson had informed its board of directors that he would not seek renewal of his mandate at the general assembly June 18, but no explanation for the decision was given.

The 60-year-old Swede leaves Carrefour, the world's second largest retailer by sales, in almost the same troubled condition that he found it when he took over the troubled retailer just three years ago.

As then, the company's performance and strategy are in doubt, the share price is lagging and key shareholders have given up waiting for management's repeated attempts to turn round the core hypermarkets business to bear fruit.

Carrefour shares plunged 38 percent last year, well underperforming the wider CAC40 index as the company's serial profit warnings and missed earnings targets sent investors scrambling for the exits.

Olofsson's 62-year-old replacement Plassat joins Carrefour from Vivarte, a French fashion retailer he has run since 2004.

In Carrefour's latest profit warning earlier this month, the company admitted its 2011 earnings would by close to 20 percent lower than in 2010, as sales stagnated and Olofsson's much vaunted revamp of the hypermarkets business failed to pay off with improved margins. The group is scheduled to report 2011 earnings on March 8.

Carrefour's shares were down 2.9 percent at midday to euro17.74, underperforming the wider market decline as investors shed risk ahead of an anticipated EU summit in Brussels.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-30-EU-France-Carrefour/id-3f0368d72bd64afb9112f21de0ffb7f3

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HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

If there's one thing we took away from our jaunt at CES, it's this: consumers' appetites for mainstream laptops haven't waned all that much. Even in the Ultrabook category, Intel expects half of the models to go on sale this year will have 14- and 15-inch screens -- as strong an indicator as any that lots of folks aren't yet ready to give up their slightly larger screens, their discrete graphics, their (gasp!) optical drives. While HP recently announced its first Ultrabook for the consumer market, the Envy 14 Spectre, it's fully fleshed out its premium Envy series to include two additional models for people who crave more oomph.

The Envy 15 is the medium-sized member of the crew, with a 15.6-inch screen and the same overhauled design you'll find across the Envy lineup. Delightfully, too, it marks the return of HP's eye-popping Radiance display, and also comes with a generous two-year warranty and full copies of Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements. And with a starting price of $1,100, it sharply undercuts the 15-inch MacBook Pro, while taking direct aim at other high-end 15-inchers, like the Dell XPS 15z and Samsung Series 7 Chronos. So how does it stack up? Meet us after the break to find out.

Gallery: HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

Continue reading HP Envy 15 review (early 2012)

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Stocks move lower after new growth figures

By Reuters

Stocks fell on Friday on news the U.S. economy grew more slowly than expected in the last quarter of 2011, while the euro held firm on hopes of an imminent deal on Greece's debt that could help avert a disorderly default.

The world's biggest economy grew at an annualized 2.8 percent pace during the last three months of 2011. It was the fastest growth rate in gross domestic product in 1-1/2 years, but fell short of the 3.0 percent predicted by economists, and much of the increase came from inventory building rather than business investment or consumer spending.

For the year, U.S. GDP grew 1.7 percent, weaker than the 3 percent growth in 2010.

The GDP report spurred worries about U.S. economic growth after the Federal Reserve signaled its own doubt on Wednesday, when it delayed the timing for an interest rate hike until at least late 2014.

"Today's GDP numbers, while positive, indicate that the economy is not really doing all that well and (Federal Reserve) Chairman Bernanke's extreme policy may be in fact what's needed," said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial in Westport, Connecticut.

European stocks were down 0.9 percent after flirting with five-month highs earlier, while Tokyo's Nikkei closed down 0.09 percent. Emerging market stocks clung to a 0.2 percent gain after touching a new three-month peak earlier.

In Europe, European Union Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said talks with private creditors on restructuring Greek debt are "very close" to closing. Athens needs a deal quickly to avert an unruly default when a major bond redemption comes due in March, an outcome that could wreak havoc across financial markets.

The mark-up that investors charge other indebted European economies' bond issues also fell. Italy's six-month borrowing costs dropped below 2 percent at an auction, the lowest since May, due to demand from domestic banks flush with European Central Bank funds. Spanish 10-year government bond yields also fell to their lowest since November 2010.

"We could see the market going higher if there was a positive outcome as far as the Greek debt talks are concerned," said Keith Bowman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown in London. But he cautioned that a deal would not solve the broader issues of fiscal support across the union.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/27/10251419-stocks-move-lower-after-new-growth-figures

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94% Pina

All Critics (67) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (4) | DVD (1)

This meditation on movement and space, transportation and transcendence is not to be missed.

What the filmmaker has created is an inspired simulacrum - a jewel-box that contains more of Bausch's kinetic soul than film has any right to.

Crane and steadycam allow Wenders to get so close to the action that in the minimalist Caf? M?ller, one's illusion of being on stage is uncanny.

"Pina"is the best possible tribute to Bausch, and to adventurous image-making.

I watched the film in a sort of reverie.

Whether you're familiar with Pina Bausch's work or not, the new film "Pina" is a knockout.

This seems like a ripping good idea. In practice, "Pina" turns out to have a few problems.

Suggests thrilling new possibilities for the marriage of movies and dance.

Even for someone who would rather count sheep than attend a ballet, these scenes are nothing short of astonishing, beautifully presenting dance's ability to depict words.

You won't hear the names Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Paul Taylor or Bob Fosse breathed herein.

An exhilarating experience, both in its celebration of Bausch's groundbreaking work and in the thrilling way that Wenders captures it on camera.

It's not an overview of Bausch's career or a statement on her art, but a celebration of her work and the dancers who bring it to life.

This is a stunning film, a glorious homage to modern dance and one of its premier authors and the best justification of 3D technology to date.

With a breakout use of 3D for artistic rather than solely commercial blockbuster purposes, German director Wim Wenders gives extraordinary life to the work of choreographer Pina Bausch.

From the hauntingly beautiful to the scary, Pina Bausch's post-modern dance sparkles in 3D.

It's an enchanting film, one that makes you feel you are missing something dear if you don't dance or appreciate it as an art form.

More Critic Reviews

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pina_3d/

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Obama looks to Mich. to revive clean energy debate (AP)

DETROIT ? A Michigan factory that made luxury yachts before the recession and diversified to add wind energy products when times got tough was touted by President Barack Obama at his State of the Union Address as an example of an industry creating forward-thinking jobs ? with a little help from the government.

In urging Congress to approve clean energy tax credits, Obama cited Energetx Composites LLC, a wind turbine blade manufacturer in Holland, Mich., that received millions in government assistance. Invited to sit in the first lady's box during the speech Tuesday night was Bryan Ritterby, 58, who went to work for Energetx after being laid off from his furniture-making jobs three years ago.

"Some technologies don't pan out; some companies fail," Obama said. "But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away from workers like Bryan."

Without mentioning it by name, Obama appeared to be defending his administration's support of Solyndra LLC, the California solar panel maker that received a $528 million government loan but filed for bankruptcy court protection last year. Energetx is in a somewhat different situation than Solyndra but still must fend off skepticism from critics who contend government-assisted clean energy products often don't produce enough high-wage jobs to make it worth the money.

"They must have had to look pretty hard to find someone working in alternative energy," said Donald Grimes, a senior research specialist at University of Michigan. "I think the politics is what's driving almost this delusion of where the jobs are. If you want to tout the future of where green energy jobs are going, it's going to be garbage collection."

Indeed, waste management and treatment is among the categories with the most "clean economy" jobs in the United States, according to a 2011 report by the Metropolitan Policy Program of the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit think tank. The category represented about 385,000 jobs in 2010; the wind industry employed 24,294 the same year, the report said.

In 2009, a state board announced a $27.3 million tax credit over 15 years to encourage Energetx to expand. The money is tied to the creation of about 1,000 jobs at the company, and won't be awarded in cases where jobs don't materialize. It also got a $3.5 million state award for "energy excellence" in 2010, which was expected to be matched by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The company is far short of its ultimate job target now ? with fewer than 50 employees currently making the turbine blades and other projects ? but it expects to hire roughly 100 more this year, mostly in composite manufacturing. The company would not release specific wage ranges, but human resources director Steven Busch said pay will be competitive with similar manufacturing jobs in the Midwest.

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Republican whose district includes Holland, said he doesn't "see a Solyndra-type situation" with Energetx or other clean energy companies in southwest Michigan, such as those that produce batteries for alternative-fuel vehicles. Combined, the area around Holland has about 7.5 percent of its workforce employed in the broad category of "clean jobs," compared with the national average of 2 percent.

"This isn't our preferred route, but if this is the route that's presented to us, we're going to take it and make it as successful as we can make," Huizenga said. "Ultimately, the business principles have to be sound. Whether it's wind, solar, nuclear ... these industries aren't going to just be able to depend on government subsidies forever. At some point you've got to be able to stand on your own two feet."

While Michigan remains stung by the decline in the auto industry, some officials see this new technology as an area where it can lead again.

"It's communicating a message to people: This is a place on the cutting-edge of change and solving problems," said John C. Austin, a Brookings senior fellow and visiting faculty member at University of Michigan. "That's been our big problem in Michigan. We fought for years protecting the auto industry from change. Now we can be the leader in increasing the production of electric cars."

Brookings officials acknowledge the alternative industry is hard to assess since such jobs pervade all parts of the economy, but its study last year aimed to provide a comprehensive, detailed snapshot of what the sector truly represents.

Erik Nordman, an assistant professor of renewable energy and lead investigator of the West Michigan Wind Assessment project, says the Energetx's transition isn't as far-fetched as it might seem because the keel of a yacht closely resembles the blade of a turbine.

With wind energy seemingly more marketable in the future, West Michigan economic developers envision a time Energetx will expand and have hundreds of workers.

"This is new product entry," said Rick Chapla of The Right Place, a western Michigan economic development organization. "This is complex manufacturing. This is not something that has been done or will be done overnight. It won't be done in one year. It will be done over a period of years."

It's fertile political ground for Obama too. Not only is Michigan considered a swing state in the November election, but he has made several trips to the area to tout clean energy projects, and his administration has provided $2.4 billion in federal grants to develop next-generation electric vehicles and batteries.

Grimes remains skeptical. He says it's appropriate for the government to invest in research, but not in fledgling commercial enterprises. He cites Solyndra as an example but argues even "picking winners" can prove problematic, since "creative destruction" is a common byproduct of successful yet disruptive technologies.

"They don't do well with innovation because it costs people jobs," Grimes said.

___

Associated Press writer Tim Martin contributed to this report.

___

Follow Jeff Karoub on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffkaroub

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/us_state_of_the_union_michigan

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Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in fish collected from the urban tract of the river Tiber in Rome (Italy).

Relationship between the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls in maternal blood and those in breast milk.

Todaka T, Hirakawa H, Kajiwara J, Hori T, Tobiishi K, Yasutake D, Onozuka D, Sasaki S, Miyashita C, Yoshioka E, et al. Chemosphere. 2010 Jan; 78(2):185-92. Epub 2009 Oct 21.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?tmpl=NoSidebarfile&db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=21952158&dopt=Abstract

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In Myanmar, a "sham" parliament stirs to life (Reuters)

NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (Reuters) ? In Myanmar's sprawling parliamentary complex, lawmakers flexed their newly democratic muscles on Thursday. Some drafted anti-graft legislation for one of the world's most corrupt nations or clamored for transparency on a typically secret national budget.

Others wanted answers from the government: why are train lines across the country woefully inefficient? Will the government move faster to revamp clearer foreign-exchange rate laws and hold companies to task for shabby infrastructure on state contracts?

Derided as a well-choreographed sham in one of the world's most authoritarian countries when it opened a year ago, Myanmar's parliament began a third session on Thursday with feisty stirrings of democracy, under pressure to accelerate economic and political reforms that could soon convince the West to lift decades-old sanctions.

The main legislation up for debate requires the government to seek parliamentary approval for its budget. That alone is a significant change for Myanmar, where past military regimes drew up spending plans in secrecy, often carving out largesse for the army, which handed power to a nominally civilian government in March last year.

In the cavernous hallways of the lower house and the gilded main legislative chamber, legislators expressed unvarnished views, including some scathing criticism of government policy by those in the opposition.

It wasn't always this way.

"When we first came to parliament, we were worried we might be arrested," said U Ba Shin, a member of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, a major ethnic party that won nine of the lower house's 440 seats in the first general election in two decades in November 2010.

"Now there is less fear among the people. But many people still don't know their rights or speak their minds in parliament. There is big room for improvement."

Myanmar's purpose-built capital, Naypyitaw, has been a curiosity since it was built from scratch seven years ago, a virtual fortress where the then-military rulers of the former Burma isolated themselves some 320 km (200 miles) from the largest city, Yangon.

Bestowed with manicured, heavily watered lawns and forbidding stone walls, Naypyitaw bears no resemblance to the rest of the country, one of Asia's poorest, including nearby villages of mostly thatched wooden huts. Parliament's 31 buildings with pagoda-style roofs are its main attraction. Its wide boulevards and streets are eerily quiet.

In addition to the lower house there is a 224-seat senate. There are also 14 assemblies spread across the country.

"DON'T BE SCARED"

But changes inside the Hluttaw, or legislative chamber, are at the heart of the most dramatic reforms since the army took power in a 1962 coup and ushered in five decades of unbroken military rule that ended with the 2010 elections.

Shwe Mann, speaker of the house and a member of the military-backed dominant party that won the election, encouraged lawmakers to speak their minds on at least three occasions in the second session of parliament, from August 22 to November 25.

Shwe Mann's call for openness is in stark contrast to a year ago, when he was the powerful third-in-command of a much-feared junta that brutally crushed dissenting voices.

"He is trying very hard to put this democratic process in the parliament. He has been saying when we hold open voting 'You can openly show your opinion. Don't be scared'," said Sai Saung Si, 65, a member of parliament from northern Shan State and vice-chairman of the Shan Nationalities Development Party, that won 18 lower house seats in the election.

Sai Saung Si regularly voices the concerns of his constituency, including illegal seizures of land by companies or the army that went on for years unchecked.

"In the past, it would get taken away and people wouldn't know where to go to complain. But now we raise it in parliament. Seizing the land is not according to the law ... they must give it back to the people," he said in an interview.

Overtures by the government in recent months have included calls for peace with ethnic minority guerrilla groups, some tolerance of criticism, an easing of media controls, the legalization of labor unions and more communication with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was released in 2010 after spending 15 of the past 20 years in detention.

But there is plenty of work to do and challenges ahead. Parliamentary politics is clearly a new phenomenon. Just ask the men in green.

Sitting on the right flank of the lower-house chamber are military men in fatigues. A quarter of lower house seats are reserved for the military.

And there are other conservative pockets of resistance to reforms, say legislators, although President Thein Sein stressed last week in an interview with the Washington Post that his government had "no intention to draw back" on reform.

"It is not at all impossible for the reforms to be reversed," said Sean Turnell, an economist at Macquarie University in Sydney who closely follows Myanmar.

"There are significant groups that are in opposition to some of the reforms but overall we are in a very much different space than we were only a matter of six months ago."

He described the first legislative session convened by the former military junta in January last year as "a mockery of a parliament." But there were flickers of change in the second session after the junta formally ceded power.

"The second session started to behave like a parliament. It was no longer a vehicle purely of the president or the military. It had a degree of independence. We are looking now to the third session to see which one was representative -- the first session or the second."

BARRIERS TO PROGRESS

It is a crucial question for investors who see plenty of opportunities as Myanmar begins to opens up.

But barriers to progress are formidable: U.S. sanctions, an incoherent exchange rate regime, woeful infrastructure, weak investment laws, a crippled banking system, decades of mismanagement and a shortage of skilled workers.

"Economic reform, if anything now, is beginning to lag behind the political reform," said Turnell, adding that investors were waiting for a long-overdue foreign investment-protection law to snake through parliament.

"We have yet to see it. I am a little bit worried about that. It is a law that needs to get through but there is still a little bit of debate about it.

"When something like that does pass, that will be quite a signal that real economic reform is under way."

Some see that change happening if Suu Kyi wins a seat in the lower house in April by-elections.

"When she comes to the parliament, if she raises one issue, and this issue is very beneficial to the country, then who will dare go against it?" said Sai Saung Si.

(Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun; Editing by Martin Petty and Robert Birsel)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/wl_nm/us_myanmar_parliament

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Mary J. Blige at Sundance 2012

Mary J. Blige, who recently celebrated her 41st birthday, was on-hand for the 2012 Sundance Film Fest in Park City Utah to announce that she will be lending her vocals to The Invisible War, which documents the trauma suffered by female and male victims of rape at the hands of their military colleagues and the [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/mary-j-blige-at-sundance-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mary-j-blige-at-sundance-2012

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Former CIA officer accused of terror leaks (AP)

ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? In the latest criminal case in the Obama administration's effort to punish leakers, an ex-CIA officer who helped track down and capture a top terror suspect was charged Monday with disclosing classified secrets about his teammates to the media.

John Kiriakou (keer-ee-AH'-koo), 47, of Arlington is charged with violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act and the Espionage Act. A judge at a federal court hearing ordered Kiriakou to be released on a $250,000 unsecured bond.

According to authorities, Kiriakou told a New York Times reporter classified information about a fellow officer who participated in interrogating suspected al-Qaida financier Abu Zubaydah in 2002, eight months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times and his case has been made an example by those who believe the interrogation technique should be outlawed.

According to an affidavit, FBI agents interviewed Kiriakou last week, and he denied leaking the names of covert CIA officers. When specifically asked whether he had provided the Zubaydah interrogator's name to the Times for a 2008 article, he replied "Heavens no." A New York Times spokeswoman said the newspaper declined comment.

Kiriakou's attorney, Plato Cacheris, said after his hearing that a potential defense argument could be that the charges criminalize conduct that has been common between reporters and government sources for decades. If convicted, Kiriakou could face decades in prison and a fine up to $1 million.

Prosecutors started their investigation after defense attorneys for suspected terrorists filed a classified legal brief in 2009 that included details that had never been provided by the government. Authorities concluded that Kiriakou had leaked the information to reporters, and that reporters had provided the information to the defense.

The charges state that Kiriakou, who was an intelligence officer from 1990 to 2004, leaked information about the identity of another officer who interrogated Zubaydah. In a 2007 interview with ABC News, Kiriakou said that waterboarding was used ? effectively ? to break down Zubaydah. But he expresses ambivalence about the use of waterboarding in general.

Kiriakou has worked as a consultant to ABC News, although he hasn't appeared on the network since early 2009. ABC had no comment on his arrest.

According to a court affidavit, the photographs of the CIA officer who participated in the Zubaydah interrogation were found in the possession of terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The charges also accuse Kiriakou of lying about his actions in an effort to convince the CIA to let him publish a book, 2010's, "The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA's War on Terror."

Since leaving the agency, Kiriakou has worked as a consultant and on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to his LinkedIn profile. He earned a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern studies in 1986 and a master's degree in legislative affairs in 1988, both from George Washington University in Washington.

The Justice Department's campaign to punish leakers has been unrelenting. This is the sixth criminal leak case opened under the Obama administration and the second involving a former CIA officer and The New York Times. Federal prosecutors claim Jeffrey Sterling divulged classified information to Times reporter James Risen about CIA efforts to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. Sterling is awaiting trial.

"Safeguarding classified information, including the identities of CIA officers involved in sensitive operations, is critical to keeping our intelligence officers safe and protecting our national security," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "Today's charges reinforce the Justice Department's commitment to hold accountable anyone who would violate the solemn duty not to disclose such sensitive information."

In light of the indictment, CIA Director David Petraeus reminded his agency's employees of the essential need for secrecy in their work.

"When we joined this organization, we swore to safeguard classified information; those oaths stay with us for life," he said "Unauthorized disclosures of any sort ? including information concerning the identities of other Agency officers ? betray the public trust, our country, and our colleagues."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/terrorism/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_re_us/us_cia_leak_charges

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La. seafood board may buy N.O. arena naming rights (AP)

NEW ORLEANS ? The Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board says it may use some of the $30 million it received from BP PLC after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill to buy naming rights for the New Orleans Arena, where the NBA's Hornets play.

Executive director Ewell Smith said Tuesday the promotional value would be part of a campaign to restore confidence in Gulf seafood. Many seafood grounds were closed during the spill.

Smith said the campaign could include setting up Louisiana seafood vendor booths at other NBA arenas around the country.

He said the board has spoken with the Hornets and is awaiting more information. The arena is state-owned. A deal, he said, could come within 90 days.

The naming rights proposal was first reported in The Courier of Houma.

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

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Daily Desired: Designer 3-D Glasses Cool Enough for James Dean [Desired]

Remember after watching Piranha 3D when you walked off with a set of 3-D glasses, and then wore them in public? You felt silly. These glasses are different. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Hv4IHIYUFkw/daily-desired-designer-3+d-glasses-cool-enough-for-james-dean

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Mystery Surrounds Air Force's Secretive X-37B Space Plane Landing Plan (SPACE.com)

The United States Air Force's secretive X-37B space plane has been circling Earth for more than 10 months, and there's no telling when it might come down.

As of Friday (Jan. 20), the mysterious robotic X-37B spacecraft has been aloft for 321 days, significantly outlasting its stated mission design lifetime of 270 days. But it may stay up for even longer yet, experts say, particularly if the military views this space mission ? the second ever for the hush-hush vehicle ? as something of an endurance test.

"Because it is an experimental vehicle, they kind of want to see what its limits are," said Brian Weeden, a technical adviser with the Secure World Foundation and a former orbital analyst with the Air Force.

A long mystery mission

The Air Force launched the X-37B in March 2011, sending the reusable space plane design on its second space mission. The X-37B now zipping around our planet is known as Orbital Test Vehicle-2, or OTV-2.

Another X-37B vehicle, the OTV-1, launched in April 2010 and landed in December of that year, staying on orbit for 225 days ? well under the unmanned spacecraft's supposed 270-day limit. But OTV-2 has already exceeded that limit by more than seven weeks, and the calendar keeps turning over. [Photos of the 2nd Secret X-37B Mission]

Racking up a lot of time in space might be a key part of the current mission, according to Weeden.

"I think they didn't want to push it, just because it was the first of its kind," he told SPACE.com, referring to OTV-1's flight. "But I think that they are looking to push the second one."

Statements from Air Force officials appear to support Weeden's supposition.

"This successful flight is important in the progression of the X-37B program, moving us forward in our effort to prove the utility and cost-effectiveness of an unmanned, long-duration, reusable spacecraft," Air Force Lt. Col. Tom McIntyre, the X-37 systems program director, told SPACE.com in late November, when OTV-2 hit the 270-day milestone.

"We look forward to trying to expand the platform's envelope by extending the mission further," McIntyre added.

Testing new technologies?

The X-37B looks a lot like NASA's now-retired space shuttle, only much smaller. The unmanned vehicle is about 29 feet long by 15 feet wide (8.8 by 4.5 meters), with a payload bay the size of a pickup truck bed. For comparison, two entire X-37Bs could fit inside the payload bay of a space shuttle.

Just what the X-37B does for so long while circling our planet remains a mystery, because the space plane's payloads and missions are classified.

Partly as a result of the secrecy, some concern has been raised ? particularly by Russia and China ? that the X-37B might be a space weapon of some sort. But the Air Force has repeatedly denied that charge, claiming that the vehicle's chief task is testing out new technologies for future satellites.

That's likely to be the case, said Weeden, who published a report in 2010 that investigated the X-37B and its likely missions.

The Air Force doesn?t disclose the X-37B's orbital parameters, but amateur observers have tracked the movements of both OTV-1 and OTV-2. They've found that OTV-2 is not looping around Earth in a polar orbit, which enables a good look at every spot on the globe.

Rather, the spacecraft is flying repeatedly over the stretch of Earth from 43 degrees north latitude to 43 degrees south latitude. Weeden thinks the space plane may be observing the Middle East and Afghanistan with some brand-new spy gear, perhaps instruments optimized to observe in wavelengths beyond the visible-light spectrum.

Earlier this month, an article in Spaceflight Magazine, a British publication, speculated that OTV-2 might be spying on Tiangong 1, China's recently launched prototype space module. But the orbits of the two robotic vehicles are quite different, making this scenario highly unlikely, Weeden and other experts have stressed.

You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter: @michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/space/20120121/sc_space/mysterysurroundsairforcessecretivex37bspaceplanelandingplan

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96% Pariah

"Pariah," from first-time writer/director Dee Rees, doesn't break much artistic ground. It tells the same gay/lesbian coming-out story that we've seen a million times. But it's told particularly well and from within a black urban context, which I don't believe has been done before. It also goes a bit deeper into the hearts and minds of the homophobic parents than typically is done, which was great. Unfortunately, it only scratches those surfaces. Kim Wayans, who of course has a long history in comedy, shows she has major dramatic talent, playing the homophobic mother of the main character. The cast is universally good, but Wayans is the stand-out. The main character is a black teenage girl in Brooklyn going through the coming-out process. She has fully come out to herself as a lesbian, and she has even found her way into a lesbian circle of friends. She even frequents a women's night club. But she hasn't told Mom or Dad about any of this, both of whom are homophobic. Mom is particularly venomous in her hatred of gays and lesbians. You can see that Dad, a detective in the NYPD, in his heart of hearts is not a bigot. Thrown into the mix to complicate things a little bit is a bisexual girl eager to have lesbian experiences to explore herself. But she tosses lesbians aside like useless candy wrappers after she's had her fun. If I were going to give Dee Rees advice, I would say this: Ms. Rees, in "Pariah" you started digging into the parent characters with some real psychological and artistic depth. I encourage you to go more deeply in that direction. I think your true gifts as an artist lie there. I would give anything to see a sequel where you explore what happened to that mother and what she's really fighting. You hint that her husband is beginning to stray, but I think there's more in there. Help us see it. Remember when that great schoolteacher tells Alike that she could "go deeper" with her poetry? You could go deeper with your films. I know you could.

January 1, 2012

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pariah_2011/

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Seafarers outraged that captain jumped ship (AP)

STOCKHOLM ? Seafaring tradition holds that the captain should be last to leave a sinking ship. But is it realistic to expect skippers to suppress their survival instinct amid the horror of a maritime disaster? To ask them to stare down death from the bridge, as the lights go out and the water rises, until everyone else has made it to safety?

From mariners on ships plying the world's oceans, the answer is loud and clear: Aye.

"It's a matter of honor that the master is the last to leave. Nothing less will do in this profession," said Jorgen Loren, captain of a passenger ferry operating between Sweden and Denmark and chairman of the Swedish Maritime Officer's Association.

Seamen have expressed almost universal outrage at Capt. Francesco Schettino, who faces possible charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his crippled cruise ship off Tuscany while passengers were still on board. The last charge carries a possible sentence of 12 years in prison.

Jim Staples, a captain for 20 years, who spoke Wednesday from the 1,000-foot (300-meter) cargo vessel he was captaining near New Orleans, said captains are duty-bound to stay with the ship until the situation is hopeless. When they bail early, everything falls apart.

"I'm totally embarrassed by what he did," Staples said of Schettino. "He's given the industry a bad name, he's made us all look bad. It's shameful."

Schettino should have remained on board "until the last passenger was accounted for," agreed Abelardo Pacheco, a Filipino captain who was held hostage for five months in Somalia and now heads a seafarers' training center in Manila.

"That is the responsibility of the captain. That's why all privileges are given to him. But he has together with that an equal burden of responsibility," Pacheco said.

The Costa Concordia, carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew, slammed into a reef on Friday, after Schettino made an unauthorized detour from the ship's programmed route. A recording of his conversation with the Italian coast guard shows he left the ship before all passengers were off, and resisted repeated orders to go back, saying the ship was tipping and it was dark.

Schettino said he ended up in a life raft after he tripped and fell into the water. He is being held under house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges.

Even if he's not convicted, it is highly unlikely he'll ever command a cruise or cargo ship again because of the damage to his reputation, said Craig Allen of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

"Some people panic, but a short time later they collect their senses and do the right thing," Allen said. "In this case there was more than enough time for the moment of panic to pass. It was abject cowardice."

The tradition of a captain standing by his ship isn't established in international maritime law, though some countries, like Italy, have included it in national laws.

Still, it is respected as "an unwritten rule or law of the sea," said Capt. Bill Wright, senior vice president of Marine Operations for the Royal Caribbean International cruise line.

A captain's responsibilities and authority are laid out in the International Safety Management Code, which is part of a larger convention adopted by the U.N. body in charge of safety and security of shipping. It was passed in 1914 as a direct result of the sinking of the Titanic, and has been amended many times since.

The code doesn't specifically say when a captain can leave a stricken ship, though it stresses his "overriding authority and responsibility to make decisions with respect to safety." It also says the ship owner must clearly define a captain's duties and assure he is "properly qualified for command."

Both literature and real life offer plenty of examples of shipmasters who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect their passengers and crew.

The most famous, perhaps, is Capt. Edward Smith of the Titanic, who helped evacuate the ship ? women and children first ? until there were no lifeboats left, and then perished with it.

A more recent example is Robert Royer, the captain of a fishing vessel that sank off Alaska in 2010. As water rushed into the ship and the three other crew members jumped overboard, Royer stayed in the wheelhouse to make a frantic mayday call and give the ship's position to the Coast Guard. The crew said that likely saved their lives, because the ship's emergency beacon didn't work.

After more than three hours in the water, they were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. Royer, however, died after suffering a head injury when he finally left the ship.

Maritime experts say such manifestations of courage at sea far outnumber incidents in which captains save themselves and leave their passengers behind.

Those who did earned instant infamy, like the captain of the Greek luxury liner Oceanos, which sank in rough seas off South Africa in 1991.

The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived, but Capt. Yiannis Avranas and other officers left the ship while some passengers were still on board.

A magician who had been performing on the ship took over the bridge, monitoring rescue calls as a fellow entertainer kept passengers calm by playing Beatles songs on his guitar. Avranas defended his actions, saying he left the ship to direct rescue operations.

"When I order abandon ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave," Avranas said at the time. "Abandon is for everybody. If some people like to stay, they can stay."

A Greek board of inquiry found Avranas and four officers negligent in their handling of the disaster.

In 1965, the captain and several other crew members were among the first to abandon ship after the Yarmouth Castle caught fire and started sinking off the Bahamas, killing 90. Fleeing in a lifeboat, they were told by the captain of a rescue ship to go back and help their passengers.

Captains accused of leaving prematurely often claim they can manage the situation better from the safety of a lifeboat, rescue vessel or on shore.

Allen dismissed that idea, saying the captain's knowledge of his ship is crucial in an emergency.

"Shoreside rescue people can do all the shoreside coordination efforts needed," he said. "You need someone on the ship to communicate with them, to command the people who are on the ship, to help get the passengers off and to guide the rescuers."

Rear Adm. Richard Gurnon, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, called Schettino's actions "abhorrent" and a violation of an unwritten code.

"It isn't just a maritime code, it's a code of leadership," Gurnon said. "If you are leader, you have responsibility for your people. They put their lives in your hands."

Steen Brodersen, a retired Danish captain, said that every single crew member, from the chief mate to the cooks, has a designated role in an emergency on a cruise ship. Regular drills ensure everyone knows what to do.

The captain must first ensure the safety of his passengers, then of his crew and, finally, of the ship, though the notion that he's supposed to go down with it is more legend than fact.

Brodersen, 60, said he never had to deal with that kind of situation, though he has sometimes thought about when his survival instinct would trump the hope of salvaging a doomed ship.

"There must be a point at which I would think that now it is time to jump into the water so I don't die," he said.

"But that would come after the ship has been evacuated," he added. "It is my responsibility. I am the captain."

__

Jay Lindsay in Boston, Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Cassandra Vinograd in London and Teresa Cerojano in Manila contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_cowardice_at_sea

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AT&T Hikes Data Plan Prices, Limits

AT&T announced Wednesday afternoon that the company would be adjusting its data plan pricing for smart devices, essentially hiking the rates while also upping the monthly data limit. Existing customers can stick with their current plans, but new customers will have to choose from one of the three plans outlined below (tablet plans remain separate).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/Qq_23m4T40A/

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Jersey Shore Recap: Birthday & Meatball Day Blues

You knew there would be some drama this week on Jersey Shore.

After all, Vinny Guadagnino peaced out of the house and half the crew didn't even know yet, so the reality of their "soul" returning to Staten Island was yet to sink in.

There were also two birthdays and two fools celebrating Meatball Day, which should really become some sort of holiday from now on, at least at The Hollywood Gossip.

How did it all play out? Come along as we recap Jersey Shore, THG style!

Deena breaks down when she hears about Vinny. "He was like, my soul," she says. Really? Your soul? Do you even know what that is? We love Vin but Minus 7.

"I'm going to smash this tattoo chick in my man Vinny's bed tonight, in honor of him leaving the house." - Pauly D with one of the best Jersey Shore quotes to date. Plus 30.

"It is what it is, I'm used to it," says a mature Jenni, who HAS to be the one that implodes at some point, right? She's been way too stable of late. Still, Plus 15.

The Situation speaks Italian with Pauly D's girl. Impressive? Sleazy? Eh, Wash.

Vinny returns home to his family. His mom greets him not with joy and warmth, but by telling him to go to bed. Wasn't expecting the cameras, probably. Plus 5.

Isn't that why he came back, too? To be told what to do by his mom? Minus 5.

"Meatball Day" ends badly for Deena and Snooki. Plus 20, because with those two, it can't possibly end "well" in the conventional sense. They go hard. Respect.

Deena rips out her hair extensions. You mean she's not all-natural?! Minus 10.

JWoww naps through her shift at work. Showing 80 percent of her breasts to whomever might walk by. What's the point of even wearing clothes? Still, Plus 11.

The Situation checks out a new Shore Store customer. Plus 10 because at least it's not some grenade or land mine. But Minus 15 for lack of stealthiness.

Back to Meatball Day for a moment. If that means daytime boozing sans pants and "underwears" popping out, they could rename it Wednesday. Minus 18.

The roommates call to check on Vinny. Aww. Plus 8.

Ron wore skinny jeans in honor of Vinny. Ron! Plus 3.

The Situation continues to hook up with Paula, and proves that against all odds, he may be capable of sustaining a real relationship? Or something? Plus 9.

When Pauly D's girl says she just wants to talk, he calls her a cab. Yep, time to get 'er outta here. All that's missing is the grenade horn sounding. Plus 12.

That tool The Unit is in town! Fist-pump/head-slap! Wash.

Sitch wants to play "Gym, Tan, The Truth Will Set You Free." Minus 9 because not even fans care that much about it anymore, let alone his alleged pals.

Alas, before Mike can even cause drama with Snooki, The Unit gets kicked out of the club for fighting. Plus 10 because that was likely best for everyone.

Sammi bonds with Paula, who she actually seems to like, even though she is all grimy and such. Plus 7 for girls showing a little mutual respect!

Mike admits he could get "wifed up" to Paula. Plus 10 for the sentiment, but Minus 15 because that just means girlfriend in Situation/Guido-speak.

Paula's so DTF she lets Mike scrawl "DTF" on her butt in marker. "She's like AAA. You call her and she's there!" Wife dat up, Sitch, Wife it. Plus 20.

Bosnian Grilled Cheese is becoming a Stage 3 or 4 stalker! Minus 12.

Pauly D gets a birthday haircut. Scary, but the blowout emerged A-OK. Plus 6.

Surrounded by his friends and family, Pauly D blows out his candles. Plus 7 because who doesn't love Pauly D. Apparently no one, and for good reason. Solid dude.

The guys prank Sitch after he isolates himself during Pauly D's dinner. Writing DOUCHE on his face in permanent marker would've been better, but Plus 9 for effort.

Sammi and the girls bake a cake for Pauly D's birthday. Plus 8, as that is such a "family" thing to do. Mike has always referred to them as such, which is odd, since ...

Situation feels alone during his own birthday. Minus 19, Mike, because there is only one person to blame for that. Stop causing drama and 2012 will be different!

Seriously, what do you expect when you stir $h!t up with Snooki and Jionni as a present to yourself. It's like you want no friends. Mission accomplished! Minus 11.

"That's what you get for being a f--king douchebag." - Snooki. Yep. Plus 5.

EPISODE TOTAL: +8! SEASON TOTAL: +104!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/jersey-shore-recap-birthdays-and-meatball-day/

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Video: Yang Out at Yahoo

WNBC's Jonathan Dienst, reports Yahoo co-founder, Jerry Yang has resigned, with CNBC's Jon Fortt. Also, the inspector general of the SEC is leaving, and some big name websites will go dark tomorrow to protest two Congressional bills.

Related Links:

Business & financial news headlines from msnbc.com

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46032696/

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Summary Box: Stocks rise on news IMF raising cash (AP)

RESCUE FUNDS: The IMF's managing director said the fund was looking at ways to raise another $500 billion for loans to struggling countries. The IMF has put up roughly a third of the money given as rescue loans to European governments.

HOUSING: The National Association of Home Builders index rose to its highest level since June 2007 as sales jumped. Analysts said it could be a sign the housing market has bottomed out.

GOLDMAN: Goldman Sachs Group' stock jumped 7 percent after the investment bank reported quarterly earnings that trumped analysts' expectations.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_bi_ge/us_wall_street_summary_box

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Our fundamental rights (Democracyforamerica)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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[OOC] Toxic Enemies

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