Friday, December 30, 2011

IRS sues Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner over tax refund (AP)

NEW YORK ? The Internal Revenue Service is suing New York Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner over what it calls an "erroneous" tax refund of more than $670,000.

The suit was filed Tuesday in federal court in Tampa, Fla.

The dispute dates to the 2001 tax year and involves a refund the IRS paid in 2009. The IRS says the refund claim was filed too late and has sued Steinbrenner and his wife, Christina, to recover $670,493.78.

Yankees spokeswoman Alice McGillion says Steinbrenner's representatives hadn't received any prior notices regarding the matter from the IRS.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bba_yankees_steinbrenner_irs_suit

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US warns Iran against closing key oil passage

(AP) ? The U.S. strongly warned Iran on Wednesday against closing a vital Persian Gulf waterway that carries one-sixth of the world's oil supply, after Iran threatened to choke off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz if Washington imposes sanctions targeting the country's crude exports.

The increasingly heated exchange raises new tensions in a standoff that has the potential to spark military reprisals and spike oil prices to levels that could batter an already fragile global economy.

Iran's navy chief said Wednesday that it would be "very easy" for his country's forces to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which about 15 million barrels of oil pass daily. It was the second such warning by Iran in two days, reflecting Tehran's concern that the West is about to impose new sanctions that could hit the country's biggest source of revenue, oil.

"Iran has comprehensive control over the strategic waterway," Adm. Habibollah Sayyari told state-run Press TV, as the country was in the midst of a 10-day military drill near the strategic waterway.

The comments drew a quick response from the U.S.

"This is not just an important issue for security and stability in the region, but is an economic lifeline for countries in the Gulf, to include Iran," Pentagon press secretary George Little said. "Interference with the transit or passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will not be tolerated."

Separately, Bahrain-based U.S. Navy 5th Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Rebecca Rebarich said the Navy is "always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation."

Rebarich declined to say whether the U.S. force had adjusted its presence or readiness in the Gulf in response to Iran's comments, but said the Navy "maintains a robust presence in the region to deter or counter destabilizing activities, while safeguarding the region's vital links to the international community."

Iran's threat to seal off the Gulf, surrounded by oil-rich Gulf states, reflect its concerns over the prospect that the Obama administration will impose sanctions over its nuclear program that would severely hit its biggest revenue source. Iran is the world's fourth-largest oil producer, pumping about 4 million barrels a day.

Gulf Arab nations appeared ready to at least ease market tensions. A senior Saudi Arabian oil official told The Associated Press that Gulf Arab nations are ready to step in to offset any potential loss of exports from Iran. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the issue.

Saudi Arabia, which has been producing about 10 million barrels per day, has an overall production capacity of over 12 million barrels per day and is widely seen as the only OPEC member with sufficient spare capacity to offset major shortages.

What remains unclear is what routes the Gulf nations could take to move the oil to markets if Iran goes through with its threat.

About 15 million barrels per day pass through the Hormuz Strait, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

There are some pipelines that could be tapped, but Gulf oil leaders, who met in Cairo on Dec. 24, declined to say whether they had discussed alternate routes or what they may be.

The Saudi official's comment, however, appeared to allay some concerns. The U.S. benchmark crude futures contract fell $1.98 by the close of trading Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but still hovered just below $100 per barrel.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner played down the Iranian threats as "rhetoric," saying, "we've seen these kinds of comments before."

While the Obama administration has warned Iran that it would not tolerate attempts to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials do not see any indication that the situation will come to that. Nor do they believe that Iran, which is already under increasing pressure from sanctions, would risk disrupting the Strait because doing so would further damage Iran's own economy.

Instead, the administration believes Iran is playing the only card it has left: issuing threats and attempting to shift focus away from its own behavior.

U.S. officials have not said whether there is a concrete response plan in place should Iran seek to block the Strait. But the administration has long said it is comfortable with the U.S. Naval presence in the region, indicating that the U.S. could respond rapidly if needed.

The White House has been largely silent on Iran's threat, underscoring the administration's belief that responding at the White House level would only encourage Iran.

While many analysts believe that Iran's warnings are little more than posturing, they still highlight both the delicate nature of the oil market, which moves as much on rhetoric as supply and demand fundamentals.

Iran relies on crude sales for about 80 percent of its public revenues, and sanctions or even a pre-emptive measure by Tehran to withhold its crude from the market would already batter its flailing economy.

IHS Global Insight analyst Richard Cochrane said in a report Wednesday that markets are "jittery over the possibility" of Iran's blockading the strait. But "such action would also damage Iran's economy, and risk retaliation from the U.S. and allies that could further escalate instability in the region."

"Accordingly, it is not likely to be a decision that the Iranian leadership will take lightly," he said.

Earlier sanctions targeting the oil and financial sector added new pressures to the country's already struggling economy. Government cuts in subsidies on key goods like food and energy have angered Iranians, stoking inflation while the country's currency steadily depreciates.

The impetus behind the subsidies cut plan, pushed through parliament by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was to reduce budget costs and would pass money directly to the poor. But critics have pointed to it as another in a series of bad policy moves by the hardline president.

So far, Western nations have been unable to agree on sanctions targeting oil exports, even as they argue that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran maintains its nuclear program ? already the subject of several rounds of sanctions ? is purely peaceful.

The U.S. Congress has passed a bill that penalizes foreign firms that do business with the Iran Central Bank, a move that would heavily hurt Iran's ability to export crude. European and Asian nations use the bank for transactions to import Iranian oil.

President Barack Obama has said he will sign the bill despite his misgivings. China and Russia have opposed such measures.

Sanctions specifically targeting Iran's oil exports would likely temporarily spike oil prices to levels that could weigh heavily on the world economy.

Closing the Strait of Hormuz would hit even harder. Energy consultant and trader The Schork Group estimated crude would jump to above $140 per barrel. Conservatives in Iran claim global oil prices will jump to $250 a barrel should the waterway be closed.

By closing the strait, Iran may aim to send the message that its pain from sanctions will also be felt by others. But it has equally compelling reasons not to try.

The move would put the country's hardline regime straight in the cross-hairs of the world, including nations that have so far been relative allies. Much of Iran's crude goes to Europe and to Asia.

"Shutting down the strait ... is the last bullet that Iran has and therefore we have to express some doubt that they would do this and at the same time lose their support from China and Russia," said analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland.

Iran has adopted an aggressive military posture in recent months in response to increasing threats from the U.S. and Israel of possible military action to stop Iran's nuclear program.

The Iranian navy's exercises, which began on Saturday, involve submarines, missile drills, torpedoes and drones. A senior Iranian commander said Wednesday that the country's navy is also planning to test advanced missiles and "smart" torpedoes during the maneuvers.

The war games cover a 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) stretch off the Strait of Hormuz, northern parts of the Indian Ocean and into the Gulf of Aden near the entrance to the Red Sea and could bring Iranian ships into proximity with U.S. Navy vessels in the area.

The moderate news website, irdiplomacy.ir, says the show of strength is intended to send a message to the West that Iran is capable of sealing off the waterway.

"The war games ... are a warning to the West that should oil and central bank sanctions be stepped up, (Iran) is able to cut the lifeblood of the West and Arabs," it said, adding that the West "should regard the maneuvers as a direct message."

___

El-Tablawy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Adam Schreck in Dubai, Julie Pace in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Abdullah Shihri in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-12-28-ML-Iran-Oil/id-640496e272944a559614bf7d80a1678e

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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Rev. Tom Davis: A Modest Proposal -- In the Interest of Justice (Huffington post)

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31 injured in jet's crash-landing in Kyrgyzstan (AP)

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan ? The Kyrgyz government says that 31 people have been injured in the crash-landing of a passenger jet.

Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry said the Soviet-built Tu-134 jet was carrying 95 passengers and six crew when it crash-landed in deep fog Wednesday at the airport of the southern city of Osh.

Emergency Situations Minister Kubatbek Boronov said the plane flying from the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek was damaged when it made a rough landing in Osh. He didn't elaborate, but eyewitnesses said the jet rolled off the runway, broke its wing, overturned and caught fire.

Boronov said that 17 of the 31 injured were hospitalized.

The Tu-134 is a two-engine jet that has remained in service with many post-Soviet carriers.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_re_as/as_kyrgyzstan_crash_landing

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Obama spends Christmas with family, military (AP)

HONOLULU ? President Barack Obama blended his roles as a father and commander-in-chief this Christmas, exchanging presents and singing carols with his family, then greeting U.S. service members stationed at a Marine base in Hawaii.

The president and his family woke up early Sunday to open gifts, the White House said, then had breakfast and sang Christmas carols at the multimillion-dollar house they rent in Kailua Beach, near Honolulu.

Obama made two trips on Christmas to nearby Marine Corps Base Hawaii, first to attend church services at the base chapel. The president dressed casually in dark khaki pants and a short-sleeve blue shirt, and his wife and daughters donned sundresses for Christmas services on a bright, breezy day on the island of Oahu.

After spending a few hours at their rental home, the president and Michelle Obama returned to the base to visit with several hundred service members and their families, as they have done in past years.

The Obamas posed for photos, signed autographs and stopped to chat with the military families gathered in the dining hall, where roast beef, salad and apple pie were on the Christmas Day menu.

Eight-month-old Cooper Wall Wagner, son of Capt. Greg Wagner, got up close and personal with the president, grabbing his face, then sticking his fingers in Obama's mouth.

An amused Obama said he thought the baby just liked his "big nose" ? a comment that drew laughter from several of the Marines.

Many of the service members stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii have deployed to Afghanistan, as well as Iraq, where the last American troops were withdrawn earlier this month.

Back in the Washington area, Vice President Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden spent Christmas visiting wounded service members and their families at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Obama also called 10 service members stationed around the world ? two from each branch of the military ? on Christmas Eve. The White House said he thanked them for their service and the sacrifice of being away from their families at the holidays.

The Obamas were wrapping up their Christmas festivities with dinner at the rental home with friends and family. Among those joining the first family in Hawaii are the president's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, who lives on Oahu, and several friends Obama has known since high school.

The president has kept a low profile since arriving in Hawaii on Friday evening to start a vacation delayed by the stalemate in Washington over extending payroll tax cuts. He has no public events planned, and his only outings are expected to be to the golf course or to take his daughters for shave ice, a Hawaiian snow cone.

The Obamas are expected to return to Washington shortly after New Year's Day.

___

Associated Press writer Jaymes Song in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111226/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama

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Cops: Someone took missing Maine toddler

A police chief leading a search for a missing 20-month-old girl says investigators believe someone took her from her father's home in Maine.

The comment Monday by Waterville police Chief Joseph Massey marks the first time he has said directly he doesn't believe Ayla Reynolds left her home by herself.

Ayla had been living with her father, who reported her missing Dec. 17. He told police he last saw her when he put her to bed the previous night at his home in Waterville. The home has been sealed with crime scene tape.

Also Monday, Waterville lawyer John Nale announced a $30,000 reward from businesses and individuals for information leading to Ayla's whereabouts, WCSH6 reported.

Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland says it's the largest reward ever offered in a Maine missing-person case.

Ayla's disappearance was featured on "America's Most Wanted" on Friday night.

Information from The Associated Press and WCSH6.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45791588/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Sushubh: http://t.co/zsK4EWwf duh. it's wedding insurance not marriage insurance.

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Monday, December 26, 2011

3. Cricket: Cowan celebrates half-century on debut in India test

MELBOURNE (Reuters): Ed Cowan showed impressive composure on debut to raise a patient half-century but Ricky Ponting's century drought continued as he was caught behind to mar a dominant second session for the Australians in the first test against India on Monday.

The 29-year-old Cowan, who replaced the axed Phillip Hughes as opener after enjoying career-best form in the domestic competition, combined for a 113-run stand with Ponting to push Australia to 170-3 at tea at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Having threatened to bat through the session, Ponting was tempted on 62 into poking at a stinging Yadav delivery that bounced savagely and glanced the bat to give VVS Laxman a simple catch in the slips.

Ponting's dismissal four overs before lunch was Yadav's third wicket and just rewards after he repeatedly asked questions of the former Australia captain with his pace and varying bounce on the green-tinged wicket.

Cowan, on 58 and captain Michael Clarke (7) negotiated a tricky few overs to the break as the clouds scattered late in the session to bathe the crowd of 70,000 in glorious sunshine.

Cowan and Ponting had resumed after lunch on 68 for two and set about attacking India's pacemen with gusto after play resumed 40 minutes late due to rain-showers. Each brought up their half-centuries in quick succession.

The 37-year-old Ponting survived a few false strokes but built his total quickly with a rash of pull shots and hooks.

He raised his half-century with an unsightly slog that pushed the ball square into a gap for three.

After a perfunctory wave of the bat in the direction of the dressing room, Ponting was coaxed into a proper salute of the crowd after many rose to their feet to give the under-pressure batsman a standing ovation.

Cowan, who scratched out only 14 runs by lunch, played a more controlled innings than his senior team mate, but opened up as he grew in confidence and brought up his 50 by lofting a short ball over gully for four.

Yadav earlier dismissed Shaun Marsh for a duck shortly after belligerent opener David Warner for a quickfire 37 after Clarke elected to bat having won the toss.

Warner, a Twenty20 specialist who scored an unbeaten century against New Zealand earlier this month, blasted four boundaries and a six but was out first ball after a short rain delay in the morning when he miscued a hook shot to be caught behind by India captain Mahendra Singha Dhoni. Yadav coaxed Marsh forward with a fuller, wider delivery that he drove half-heartedly straight at Virat Kohli in the gully.

Source: http://thestar.com.my.feedsportal.com/c/33048/f/534601/s/1b435090/l/0Lthestar0N0Bmy0Csports0Cstory0Basp0Dfile0F0C20A110C120C260Csports0C20A1112261442110Gsec0Fsports/story01.htm

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Making Time New Year?s Eve 2011/12 at Union Transfer on 12/31/2011 09:00 PM EST

Making Time New Year?s Eve 2011/12

Making Time & R5 Presents ::

Main Floor DJs : Dave P / Sammy Slice / Mike Z / Dave Pak, Room 2 : A Rock Tits Event, ROOM 3 : In the HYPERCAGE

Sat, December 31, 2011

Doors: 9:00 pm / Show: 9:00 pm (event ends at 2:00 am)

Union Transfer

Philadelphia, PA

This event is 21 and over

http://www.utphilly.com/event/80975/

Making Time New Year?s Eve 2011/12

Making Time New Year?s Eve 2011/12

Three rooms / 12 DJs and open bar for New Years Eve!

Main Floor DJs : Dave P / Sammy Slice / Mike Z / Dave Pak

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With DJs Joel Flood, Russ Alexander and Steve Vena. With a combined squat weight of 600 pounds and backs like a barrel of
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Venue Information:
Union Transfer
1024 Spring Garden St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123

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Sunday, December 25, 2011

mtvnewscanada: GO CANADA!! RT @NikeTraining: Behind the scenes at the #PRESSUREISPOWER World Juniors commercial. http://t.co/U1nWMjgS

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UPDATE: Wisconsin Assistant Paul Chryst to Coach at Pitt


UPDATED Thursday, December 22, 2011 --- 3:07 p.m.

PITTSBURGH (AP)?Paul Chryst turned Wisconsin?s historically ho-hum offense into a high-powered attack that lit up scoreboards across the Big Ten.

Pittsburgh would love to see him do the same with the Panthers, but only after he provides the beleaguered program with some much-needed stability.

The school hired Chryst on Thursday to replace Todd Graham, who bolted for Arizona State last week after less than a year on the job.

The 46-year-old Chryst is Pitt?s fourth head coach in the last 13 months, following Dave Wannstedt, Mike Haywood and Graham, who left for the Sun Devils following a disappointing 6-6 season.

Pitt is hoping Chryst, who spent seven seasons as offensive coordinator at his alma mater, sticks around much longer. In addition to the seemingly endless coaching chaos, the Panthers are leaving the Big East for the ACC by 2014.

?We believed it was important to find a leader who gets the very best from his players while also developing the kind of culture that fits the University of Pittsburgh,? Pittsburgh athletic director Steve Pederson said. ?Paul Chryst is that leader.?

Chryst molded No. 9 Wisconsin (11-2) into an offensive powerhouse since joining the program in 2005, and may have done his best job this season. The Badgers ranked fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 44.6 points while winning the Big Ten championship and earning a Rose Bowl berth.

It?s uncertain whether Chryst will stay on at Wisconsin through the bowl game or join his new team immediately. Pitt plays SMU in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Jan. 7, with Keith Patterson serving as interim coach.

When he starts hardly mattered to Chryst on Thursday as he met with his new players and toured the team?s practice facility with his family.

?Pitt and Pittsburgh are absolutely the right fit for us, and we?re looking forward to getting immersed in our new hometown,? Chryst said. ?We are committed to building a program on and off the field that will make people proud.?

Words of comfort to a fan base still reeling from Graham?s graceless departure after 338 days at the helm. Graham resigned suddenly a week ago when Pitt denied him permission to talk to Arizona State, alerting his players via forwarded text message of his decision to leave.

The Panthers lashed out at Graham in the aftermath, with wide receiver Devin Street calling his former coach a ?liar? through his Twitter feed.

There appear to be no such issues with Chryst, with Street tweeting he?d be ?very? happy if Chryst brought his offensive fireworks to Pitt.

Chryst will be introduced on Thursday afternoon, ending an eight-day search for Graham?s replacement. Contract terms were not immediately available, but he beat out Florida International coach Mario Cristobal and interim Ohio State coach Luke Fickell for the job.

It?s one the Panthers hope Chryst will hold onto as the school prepares to join Syracuse in leaving the Big East for the ACC sometime in the next three seasons.

Graham said repeatedly over the last 11 months he was looking forward to the challenge, constantly preaching character, commitment and a ?high octane? offense designed to take the Big East by storm.

It never happened as the Panthers struggled adapting from Wannstedt?s pro-style approach to Graham?s modified spread attack. Pitt allowed 57 sacks this season, easily the most in the FBS, and Graham drew the ire of the fan base for shifting blame from himself to quarterback Tino Sunseri.

The growing pains led to a wildly uneven season in which the Panthers let winnable games slip away. Pitt held double-digit second-half leads over Iowa, Cincinnati and rival West Virginia only to collapse in the final minutes.

There have been so such issues for the Badgers with Chryst calling the plays.

Chryst anchored the offense around massive offensive line that churned out 1,000-yard rushers with regularity, but also showed an ability to adapt.

When former N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson transferred in this fall, Chryst didn?t hesitate to let Wilson go to work. The senior finished second in the country in pass efficiency while throwing for 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions. The running game was its usual self as Montee Ball rushed for 1,759 yards and 32 touchdowns while becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Graham didn?t leave the cupboard completely bare. Running back Ray Graham was among the nation?s leaders in rushing yards before tearing the ACL in his right knee in October, ending his season. He is expected to return for his senior season, and if he?s healthy he will give Chryst the kind of dynamic threat out of the backfield that was a fixture during Chryst?s days at Wisconsin.

Chryst?s first job, however, will be selling the Panthers that he?s in it for the long haul.

?The bar is set high in the `City of Champions? and that is incredibly exciting and inspiring,? Chryst said. ?I can?t wait to meet our players and get to work.?

____________________________________________

UPDATED Thursday, December 22, 2011 --- 7:20 a.m.

AP Source: Paul Chryst to coach at Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (AP) ? A person with knowledge of the decision says Pittsburgh has hired Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst as its head football coach.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not yet been made.

Chryst replaces Todd Graham, who left the Panthers last week after one season to coach Arizona State.

The 46-year-old Chryst helped mold the Badgers into an offensive powerhouse since joining the program in 2005. Wisconsin (11-2) is ranked fourth in the country in scoring this season, averaging 44.6 points while winning the Big Ten championship and earning a Rose Bowl berth.

The Panthers went 6-6 in Graham's one season and are in desperate need of stability. Chryst is the school's fourth head coach in 13 months.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

_________________________________________________

Posted-December 21st, 2011 10:55 pm

The list of suitors over the past few years is long for Paul Chryst. Finally after years of producing one of the most prolific offenses in all of college football the Badgers offensive coordinator is getting the chance to become a head coach.

Multiple reports confirm that Chryst will be the next coach at Pittsburgh. He could be introduced within the next 48 hours. Chryst had interviewed for but lost out on the same job opening last year and was not considered to be the front funner this time around either. But strong endorsements from UW athletic director Barry Alvarez and a decision to remain at Florida International by front runner Mario proved to work in the favor of Chryst this time around.

Pitt was left scrambling for a coach after Arizona State plucked Todd Graham Dec. 14 after one season with the Panthers.

Chryst, 46, was under consideration for recent openings at Illinois and Kansas.

The former Badgers quarterback and Madison native Chryst joined the Badgers as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2005, and was previously Wisconsin's tight ends coach in 2002. He was offensive coordinator at Oregon State from 2003-04 and served as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers from 1999-2001.

Chryst is expected to serve as the Badgers offensive coordinator in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2nd against Oregon.

Source: http://www.nbc15.com/sports/headlines/Reports_badgers_Chryst_leaving_UW_for_Pitt__136047008.html

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

iOS Apps Generate 6 Times the Revenue of Android Apps

Distimo, an app store analysis firm, compared the 200 highest-grossing apps in each market. According to a study released Tuesday, the firm found that the iOS App Store has generated six times the total revenues of the Android Market.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/tkB_x1TCQX0/

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Early animals dethroned

Cell division in controversial fossils places them outside the animal kingdom

Web edition : Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

The oldest known "animal" fossils may have been living in the wrong kingdom. New images suggest that 570-million-year-old, many-celled blobs from China are not animal embryos as once thought, but rather some kind of spore-releasing cyst.

?They are not animals and they are not embryos,? says Stefan Bengtson, a paleobiologist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm. The work, done with colleagues including Philip Donoghue of the University of Bristol in England, appears in the Dec. 23 Science.

The fossils come from the Doushantuo rock formation in southern China. Once thought to represent algae, the fossils were reclassified as animals in 1998 based on how their cells divided. Blobs caught in various stages of division showed that they split into two cells, then four, then eight and so on without the organism growing larger ? a process called palintomy.

Scientists have debated ever since what this cell division really means, with some arguing that the fossils represent giant bacteria rather than multicellular creatures.

Bengtson?s group used high-energy X-rays to probe 450 Doushantuo fossils. By tracing the blobs? growth into more advanced developmental stages than other scientists had done, the team found that the fossils didn?t start to develop new tissue types the way animals would. Instead, the cells kept dividing through palintomy, creating more tiny cells that eventually lost their shape and got squeezed out as if being released as spores.

?I think it?s even more interesting than if they had been animals,? Bengtson says.

The scientists suspect the fossils may belong to a group of organisms known as Mesomycetozoea, which arose after the last common ancestor of animals and fungi but before the last common ancestor of living animals.

The title of world?s oldest animal fossil remains unclaimed. In September in Evolution & Development, Bengtson and Chinese colleagues propose that another fossil, of around the same age as the Doushantuo blobs, is an early type of comb jelly. But that interpretation remains controversial, as do many other claims of early animals.

Finding the earliest animals may come down not to finding their physical remains but to spotting ways in which they changed their environment, writes Nicholas Butterfield, of the University of Cambridge in England, in a commentary accompanying the paper.


Found in: Earth, Life and Paleontology

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/337115/title/Early_animals_dethroned

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benlippert: I just ousted Anthony C. as the mayor of Murphy's Pub & Grill on @foursquare! http://t.co/Dp8n7Yi8

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Friday, December 23, 2011

NCAA, North Dakota Spar over 'Fighting Sioux' Name (Time.com)

For years, college and pro sports teams have taken heat for caricaturing Native Americans with their nicknames and mascots. Sometimes, teams do the right thing. In 1994, for example, St. John's University changed its name from the Redmen to the Red Storm. At other times, they've acted irresponsibly. We still have the Washington Redskins, and the Cleveland Indians haven't scrubbed Chief Wahoo ? a cartoonish representation of a Native American ? off their hats. In other instances, a tribe's backing has allowed a team to keep its nickname, as happened with the Florida State Seminoles and the Utah Utes.

And then there's the puzzling, unique case of North Dakota. In 1930, the University of North Dakota (UND) adopted "Sioux" as its nickname for its sports teams. UND teams then became the Fighting Sioux in the 1960s. Spirit Lake, the Sioux reservation closest to the University of North Dakota's campus in Grand Forks, overwhelmingly backs the name. The tribe argues, and evidence seems to support the case, that Spirit Lake and another local Sioux reservation, Standing Rock, actually gave UND its blessing to use the nickname in a religious ceremony over 40 years ago. (See the top 10 worst team names.)

On the surface, the name seems harmless and even a positive for the Sioux nation ? many Irish Americans, for example, bleed Notre Dame green simply because of the school's Fighting Irish moniker. The school's logo is not cartoonish; it's classy in its simplicity: a headshot of a stern-looking Sioux warrior. Nor does UND have an idiotic mascot who would be unflattering to Native Americans. In April, the North Dakota legislature passed a law stipulating that the University of North Dakota would always be known as the Fighting Sioux.

So why, then, is the University of North Dakota preparing to phase it out?

For Spirit Lake tribe members, the blame rests with a familiar foe: the NCAA. In 2005, the NCAA mandated that UND and 17 other schools ban the use of American-Indian imagery and nicknames. If they refused, the schools would not be able to host postseason events or use the nickname or logo during postseason play. "Why should the NCAA come in and tell us that we should be offended?" asks Frank Black Cloud, Spirit Lake's pro-nickname leader. "It makes no sense to us."

UND sued the NCAA, arguing that the Fighting Sioux name was neither hostile nor abusive. Under the terms of the lawsuit settlement, the NCAA said that if the university wanted to keep the Fighting Sioux name and not face sanctions, both Spirit Lake and Standing Rock, the other Sioux reservation headquartered in North Dakota, would need to approve it. In 2009, Spirit Lake put the question to a full tribal vote: members voted by a 2-to-1 ratio in favor of keeping the name. "UND has allowed us to participate and have input on some of the Indian programs they have developed," says John Chaske, a Spirit Lake member. "The school deserves to use our name. We should take pride in that. There's nothing wrong with that." (See the top 10 sports moments of 2011.)

Standing Rock's tribal council has voted to eliminate the name. The council, however, has not put the question to a full tribal vote, to the dismay of Standing Rock members who like the Fighting Sioux. "Aw, man, it's not right for people not to have a say," says Archie D. Fool Bear, a member of Standing Rock. Fool Bear says he has petition signatures from 1,000 Standing Rock residents opposing the nickname change, and he is confident his side would prevail in a full vote. Calls to the home and office of Charlie Murphy, chairman of the Standing Rock tribal council, were not returned.

Other Native American tribal councils, from both Sioux nations and non-Sioux nations like North Dakota's Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, have passed resolutions stating their opposition to the Fighting Sioux name and logo. To which Black Cloud responds: Butt out. "We, as tribal members and Sioux, we don't tell other tribes what to do," he says. "We would expect that same respect from them as well." Opponents of the nickname cite instances in which the Sioux logo was defaced on T-shirts worn by supporters of North Dakota State, UND's archrival. "Those are isolated incidents that people like to exploit to say that's the norm," says Black Cloud. "There are several thousand events that happen where the name is held in high respect and high regard."

In August, top UND officials and state lawmakers, including Governor Jack Dalrymple, met with the NCAA in Indianapolis. There, they asked the organization to reconsider its stance on the Fighting Sioux name. Spirit Lake was not asked to participate. "How can we not have a seat at the table?" asks Black Cloud.

In response to an interview request, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson wrote in an e-mail, "The settlement between the NCAA and the university gave the university three years to obtain agreement from the tribes. That did not occur. The policy does not require a change in nickname or logo. That is a university decision. But without a change, the university cannot host a championship or display the nickname or logo at a championship."

After that meeting, at which the NCAA made clear that UND would face sanctions if the nickname wasn't changed and the logo wasn't removed, the North Dakota legislature repealed the April law keeping the Fighting Sioux name on the books. "The directive from the State Board of Higher Education is to transition away from the nickname and logo," says Peter Johnson, a UND spokesman. "At this point in time, that's the best thing for our athletic programs. There's no question about that." (Watch TIME's video "The Best NCAA Upset.")

Fighting Sioux supporters argue that the NCAA is violating their religious rights. The Grand Forks Herald reported on July 21, 1969, that "a band of Standing Rock Sioux formally gave UND teams the right to use the name of 'Fighting Sioux' for their athletic teams." Black Cloud insists that Spirit Lake members also took part in this ritual blessing. (UND recognizes that a ceremony took place but says the intent of it remains unclear.) So why should a current tribal council, the NCAA or anyone else reverse the wishes of the elders who are so respected in Native American culture? "If we let an outside entity dictate to us how we should feel about our sacred ceremonies," says Black Cloud, "what does that say about us?"

The NCAA has plenty of issues to worry about, most importantly melding academics and athletics. Isn't the organization picking the wrong fight here? According to UND, a public university, the estimated cost of selecting a new nickname, removing the Fighting Sioux logo from athletic facilities across campus and ordering new equipment and apparel without the Fighting Sioux logo would be at least $750,000.

Spirit Lake and the 1,000 nickname supporters from the Standing Rock tribe recently filed a federal lawsuit against the NCAA, claiming violation of religious rights. Black Cloud is also leading an effort to repeal the repeal of the state law keeping the Fighting Sioux name in place. "We fight for what Spirit Lake wants," says Black Cloud. "Why is the NCAA ignoring us? We are a sovereign nation. The name is an enormous source of pride. To have that taken away from us ? it's more hurtful than you can possibly understand."

Sean Gregory is a staff writer at TIME. Keeping Score, his sports column for TIME.com, usually appears every Friday. Follow him on Twitter at @seanmgregory. You can also continue the discussion on TIME's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

See TIME's Pictures of the Week.

See TIME's top 10 everything of 2011.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/time_rss/rss_time_us/httpwwwtimecomtimeartsarticle08599210277200htmlxidrssnationyahoo/43972296/SIG=12jt31t6e/*http%3A//www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2102772,00.html?xid=rss-nation-yahoo

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Army transfers 8 US soldiers after suicide

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Army shows Pvt. Danny Chen,19, who was killed Monday, Oct. 3, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The U.S. Army says eight American soldiers have been charged in connection with the Oct. 3 death of a fellow soldier in southern Afghanistan. In a statement, the military said the eight soldiers from Chen's company faced charges ranging from dereliction of duty, assault, negligent homicide and involuntary manslaughter. Chen was found in a guard tower in Kandahar province with what the Army described at the time as "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound." He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, File) (AP Photo/U.S. Army, File)

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Army shows Pvt. Danny Chen,19, who was killed Monday, Oct. 3, 2011 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The U.S. Army says eight American soldiers have been charged in connection with the Oct. 3 death of a fellow soldier in southern Afghanistan. In a statement, the military said the eight soldiers from Chen's company faced charges ranging from dereliction of duty, assault, negligent homicide and involuntary manslaughter. Chen was found in a guard tower in Kandahar province with what the Army described at the time as "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound." He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, File) (AP Photo/U.S. Army, File)

FILE - In a Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, a portrait of Pvt. Danny Chen is displayed on a vehicle during his funeral procession in New York. Chen was killed on Oct. 3 in a noncombat-related death in Kandahar province in Afghanistan. The U.S. Army says eight American soldiers have been charged in connection with the Oct. 3 death of Chen. In a statement, the military said the eight soldiers from Chen's company faced charges ranging from dereliction of duty, assault, negligent homicide and involuntary manslaughter. Chen was found in a guard tower in Kandahar province with what the Army described at the time as "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound." He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (AP Photo/Jin Lee, File)

Elizabeth OuYang, president of the New York chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans, center, speaks at a news conference while the parents of Pvt. Danny Chen, Yan Tao Chen, left, and Su Zhen Chen listen in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Eight U.S. soldiers have been charged over the October death of Chen who apparently shot himself in Afghanistan, the Army said Wednesday, and supporters said the 19-year-old had been taunted with racial insults. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Su Zhen Chen, mother of Pvt. Danny Chen, weeps during a news conference in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Eight U.S. soldiers have been charged over the October death of Chen who apparently shot himself in Afghanistan, the Army said Wednesday, and supporters said the 19-year-old had been taunted with racial insults. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Su Zhen Chen, mother of Pvt. Danny Chen, weeps while speaking during a news conference in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. Chen was found on Oct. 3 in a guard tower in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, with what the Army has described as "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound." Eight American soldiers have been charged in Chen's death, the Army said Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

(AP) ? Pentagon officials say they have transferred eight soldiers to another base amid allegations that they mistreated one of their comrades shortly before he committed suicide in a guardhouse in Afghanistan.

The soldiers face charges ranging from dereliction of duty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of 19-year-old Army Pvt. Daniel Chen of New York City. Chen's relatives say he endured weeks of racial teasing and name calling while in training, then was subjected to hazing after he was deployed to Afghanistan.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said Wednesday the military was taking a zero-tolerance attitude toward soldiers who mistreat their comrades.

"That's what this uniform requires. And when we don't, there's a justice system in place to deal with it," Kirby said. "Hazing's not tolerated in the military. If it's found and it's proven, it's dealt with."

The eight soldiers are part of an infantry regiment based in Fort Wainright, Alaska. The soldiers are still in Afghanistan but have been relieved of their duties and confined to a different base, the military said. The next step is a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for a court martial. The proceedings are expected to be held in Afghanistan.

The two most serious charges, involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide, carry prison sentences of up to 10 years and three years, respectively, under military law.

At a news conference in New York's Chinatown, Elizabeth OuYang, a community activist who is representing his parents, said Chen had complained about the teasing in Facebook and email messages, discussions with cousins and in his journal. The Army has released excerpts of the journal to his parents.

Fellow soldiers at a base in Georgia teased him about his Chinese name, crying out "Chen!" in an exaggerated Asian accent, OuYang said. They called him "Jackie Chen," a reference to the Hollywood action star Jackie Chan. People would ask him repeatedly if he was Chinese, even though he was a native New Yorker.

At one point Chen wrote in his diary that he was running out of jokes to respond with.

Then he was sent overseas, and the hazing began: Soldiers dragged him across a floor, pelted him with stones and forced him to hold liquid in his mouth while hanging upside down, OuYang said.

On Oct. 3, Chen was found dead in a guardhouse in Afghanistan with what the Army said was apparently a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

"Whether suicide or homicide, those responsible for mistreating Danny are responsible for his death," OuYang said.

Attorneys for the defendants could not immediately be located.

Eugene Fidell, an expert on military law and former president of the National Institute of Military Justice, said bullying has been a recurring problem for the military.

"If there was brutality within the unit, that's a betrayal of the bond of brotherhood," he said. "That is, in theory, the underpinning of what holds a military command together."

In 2010, three Army sergeants were punished after Pvt. Keiffer Wilhelm of Willard, Ohio, killed himself 10 days after arriving in Iraq with a platoon based in Fort Bliss, Texas. Wilhelm's family said he was being bullied and forced to run for miles with rocks in his pockets.

Two sergeants were imprisoned for six months and three months, respectively, on charges of cruelty and maltreatment. The third was convicted of obstructing justice and given a one-grade reduction in pay.

Activists said Chen's case has raised questions about the military's treatment of its tiny Asian-American minority.

"We love our country and we want to serve our country, but it's not worth it if we can't be protected from people who are supposed to be on our side," OuYang said.

In 2008 people of Asian descent made up only 1.8 percent of new military recruits, even though they represent 4.15 percent of the total population of American 18-to-24-year-olds, a Pentagon report said. The percentages of whites, blacks and Hispanics reflected the wider population more closely.

On Wednesday Chen's relatives said they were encouraged by the Pentagon's action against the eight soldiers.

"We realize that Danny will never return, but it gives us some hope," Yen Tao Chen, his father, said through a translator.

Chen was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, based in Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

The Army identified the soldiers charged as 1st Lt. Daniel J. Schwartz, 25, of Maryland (no hometown was given); Staff Sgt. Blaine G. Dugas, 35, of Port Arthur, Texas; Staff Sgt. Andrew J. Van Bockel, 26, of Aberdeen, S.D.; Sgt. Adam M. Holcomb, 29, of Youngstown, Ohio; Sgt. Jeffrey T. Hurst, 26, of Brooklyn, Iowa; Spc. Thomas P. Curtis, 25, of Hendersonville, Tenn; Spc. Ryan J. Offutt, 32, of Greenville, Pa.; and Sgt. Travis F. Carden, 24, of Fowler, Ind.

VanBockel, Holcomb, Hurst, Curtis and Offutt were charged with the most serious offenses, including involuntary manslaughter, negligent homicide, and assault and battery.

Offutt's mother, Carol Tate of Sharon, Pa., told The (Sharon) Herald that she has known about the charges for a while and has talked to her son.

"I think there's a lot of things that really haven't been brought up," she said, but declined further comment.

Schwartz, the only officer among the accused, was charged with dereliction of duty.

The two most serious charges, involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide, carry prison sentences of up to 10 years and three years, respectively, under military law.

___

Associated Press writers Lolita Baldor at the Pentagon; Meghan Barr, Deepti Hajela and Verena Dobnik in New York; Patrick Quinn in Kabul, Afghanistan; Linda Ball in Dallas; and researchers Monika Mathur, Jennifer Farrar, Barbara Sambriski, Rhonda Shafner and Judith Ausuebel contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-22-Soldier's%20Death%20Investigated/id-0fa2b3ed6b4045a7b87d38f5d1298ba7

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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Firefox 9 for Android Adds Tablet Support, Speedier Start-Up [Firefox]

Firefox 9 for Android Adds Tablet Support, Speedier Start-UpAndroid: If you've got an Android tablet, you're going to want to give the latest mobile version of Firefox a try. It sports an all-new tablet-friendly interface, it feels pretty fast, and it gives you the extensions and customization you've come to expect from Firefox.

Those running Firefox on their Android smartphones won't notice much change with this update, save some snappier start-up speeds, but tablet users get a whole new interface to try out. Personally, I like it better than the default Android tablet browser, after just about 20 minutes of testing. There's a really handy "Save as PDF" option in the Menu button, and a handy batch of add-ons to try out.

Firefox 9 for Android is a free download in the Android Market.

Firefox | Android Market via Phandroid

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/iIVCjDi43S0/firefox-9-for-android-adds-tablet-support-speedier-start+up

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Monday, December 19, 2011

AP sources: Rollins, Phils agree on 3-year deal

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2011, file photo, Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins bats during the sixth inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League division series against the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis. Two people familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press on Saturday, Dec. 17, that Rollins has agreed to a 3-year, $33 million contract with the Phillies. The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth year. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement is not official. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 4, 2011, file photo, Philadelphia Phillies' Jimmy Rollins bats during the sixth inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League division series against the St. Louis Cardinals in St. Louis. Two people familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press on Saturday, Dec. 17, that Rollins has agreed to a 3-year, $33 million contract with the Phillies. The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth year. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement is not official. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Jimmy Rollins is bringing his swagger back to the Phillies. Three people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Rollins has agreed to a 3-year, $33 million contract with Philadelphia. The deal includes a vesting option for a fourth year.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the agreement is pending a physical.

"Gotta deal with me for 3 (4) more years!" Rollins wrote on Twitter. He also thanked former Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, who tweeted congratulations to Rollins and the Phillies.

Rollins is a three-time All-Star shortstop and the 2007 NL MVP. He has spent his entire career with the Phillies after being selected in the second round of the 1996 amateur draft, and was a free agent for the first time.

Rollins, who turned 33 last month, sought at least a five-year deal. The Phillies didn't want to go that long, and were able to reach an agreement after the market for Rollins lessened.

From the start, Rollins said he wanted to stay in Philadelphia. He has been the heart and soul of a team that has won five consecutive NL East titles and the 2008 World Series. Rollins is undeniably the team leader, a charismatic personality who brings a special confidence to the clubhouse.

Rollins was the guy who boldly proclaimed the Phillies were the team to beat in the division before the 2007 season, even though Philadelphia hadn't won anything in 14 years. He backed that up by having an MVP year, and leading the Phillies to their first postseason appearance since 1993.

Rollins hasn't come close to matching the numbers he put up in 2007 ? .296 average, 30 homers, 94 RBIs, 20 triples, 41 steals. But he remains one of the best defensive players at his position, and is still an offensive threat atop the lineup.

He hit .268 with 16 homers, 63 RBIs and 30 steals this year. He has been plagued by leg injuries in three of the last four years, and played in a career-low 88 games in 2010. He started 135 this year.

Re-signing Rollins had been a top priority for the Phillies. Their biggest move of the offseason was giving former Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon a $50 million, four-year contract.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-17-BBN-Phillies-Rollins/id-1e631202d5504f0494016181fc78d359

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