Apple hires Dixons chief to drive global retail (Reuters)

LONDON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) ? Apple Inc has hired Dixons Chief Executive John Browett, who revived the British electronics retailer by emphasizing customer service, to lead the iPad maker's global retail expansion.

Apple chief Tim Cook, making his first high-profile hire since taking the helm of the world's largest technology company, lured the well-regarded industry executive to fill a critical post once held by Ron Johnson, another outsider who left Target Corp to join Apple in 2000.

Johnson resigned from Apple last November to join retailer J.C. Penney Co Inc as chief executive.

Browett, Dixons' CEO since 2007, was previously chief executive of Tesco Plc's successful online shopping site. He will oversee Apple's retail strategy and the expansion of its stores around the world, from the current total of around 300.

The executive, credited with freshening Dixons' image with innovative marketing -- including an advertising campaign featuring Darth Vader -- joins Apple as the Silicon Valley giant eyes markets abroad to sustain its growth.

"An outsider with international experience will help guide Apple's global expansion strategy," said RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky. "His experience includes localizing stores for multiple countries."

On Johnson's watch, Apple opened its first retail outlet -- in McLean, Virginia -- in May 2001. It now has a chain of more than 300 stores, which generated an average of $34.1 million each in fiscal 2010 and accounted for 15 percent of the company's net sales.

"(Browett)'s got big shoes to fill," said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis. "Ron Johnson drove the Apple store as a customer experience with a positive halo effect for the business."

Wall Street views Apple's stores as an important advantage in competing with rivals Google Inc and Amazon.com Inc as well as other traditional PC makers.

"Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we've met," said Cook.

INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION

Apple's retail success is likely to keep growing over the next few quarters as huge numbers of consumers continue to snap up the company's popular iPhones and iPads. Apple sold 37 million iPhones and more than 15 million iPads during the last quarter, and its cash balance swelled to nearly $100 billion by the end of 2011.

Last week, Apple posted quarterly results ahead of market expectations.

Browett's appointment has sparked speculation in some quarters that Apple may be planning a push in its retail operations in Europe, where his expertise is greatest.

But Gillis said that while Browett's international experience is helpful, he did not appear to have the relevant expertise in Apple's key growth markets in Asia.

In October, Best Buy abandoned plans for a chain of European megastores, while Kesa Electricals, Europe's No. 3 player, effectively paid a bidder to take the British money-losing Comet chain off its hands.

Both companies, as well as Home Retail's Argos business, have struggled to compete with Dixons in the UK as Browett revamped stores, focused on more popular megastores and improved product ranges with a mantra of improving the shopping trip for customers.

Shares of Dixons Retail, Europe's second-largest electronics retailer and owner of the Currys and PC World chains in Britain, fell on Tuesday following the news that Browett would leave in April to join the world's leading smartphone maker as senior vice president of retail, based in California.

Dixons, which also runs Elkjop in Nordic countries, UniEuro in Italy and Kotsovolos in Greece, said Sebastian James would succeed Browett.

James, who was instrumental in executing much of Dixons' turnaround plan, is the company's operations director and a former strategy director at mother and baby products retailer Mothercare.

"We understand that the (Dixons) board had already carried out external bench-marking as part of its succession plans, and had decided that internal candidates would provide the best solution," said Investec analyst David Jeary.

Dixons shares, which rose more than 50 percent in the last month after the well-received Christmas trading update, were down 8.7 percent at 13.95 pence. Apple was up 0.25 percent at $454.12 in afternoon Nasdaq trading in New York.

($1 = 0.6377 British pounds)

(Additonal reporting by Yinka Adegoke in New York and Juhi Arora in Bangalore; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Chris Wickham and Lisa Von Ahn)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/bs_nm/us_apple

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Eric Cantor Blames Obama for Republicans' Harmful Tax Policy (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in response to the State of the Union address by Barack Obama. President Obama discussed the "Buffett Rule," which says essentially that very wealthy people should shoulder a fair share of the nation's tax burden, according to CBS. Cantor attempted to sting Obama in his commentary -- but was Cantor's speech honest?

Warren Buffett's secretary, Debbie Bosanek, is said to have paid a higher tax rate than her billionaire boss, according to the Washington Post. Cantor claimed to "care about Warren Buffett's secretary," according to Politico. Cantor rhetoric then took a confusing turn by trying to pass the buck for his own party's policies and blame the tax inequality problem on the Obama Administration.

Let's take a quick look at the facts.

If you examine the tax history chart from the Tax Policy Center you can see what the highest tax rates have been since income taxes were established. The top tax rate has been exactly the same since the Bush tax cuts for tax year 2003. The Obama administration has not raised the marginal income tax level.

Here's another fact you can see: During the Reagan-Bush I era the highest tax rate dropped like a rock while the economy tanked. During the Clinton years it was raised a bit, and the economy prospered. During the Bush II era it dropped again, and look, what a shock -- the economy tanked.

If Buffett pays a lower tax rate than Bosanek it's not because Obama made her pay more. It's because right-wing administrations keep lowering the taxes, letting rich people pay less.

The lesson to be learned here is that a nation cannot prosper while the wealthy continue a class war against the poor and redistribute wealth from the poor to the rich by failing to pay their fair share.

If the Obama administration is to blame in any way for this situation it's by failing to raise taxes on the wealthy investor class to reverse the catastrophic harm caused by the unending efforts of the right wing to protect the rich.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120131/pl_ac/10884421_eric_cantor_blames_obama_for_republicans_harmful_tax_policy

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Oakland police use tear gas on Occupy protesters

Stephen Lam / Reuters

Police officers arrest an Occupy Oakland demonstrator during a clash Saturday in Oakland, Calif., where officers fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters who tried to take over a shuttered convention center.

By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

Oakland police used tear gas and "flash" grenades Saturday to break up an estimated 2,000 Occupy protesters after some demonstrators started throwing objects at officers and tearing down fencing.

There were at least 19 arrests in the afternoon, but no reports of serious injuries.

---

After 6 p.m. (9 p.m. ET), police?in riot gear declared a group of protesters gathered near the YMCA under arrest en masse for failing to disperse.

Several protesters appeared to be put hard to the ground as police moved in and at least one protester had blood on his face.

Protesters chanted, "Let us disperse," but instead were taken one by one for police processing.

Earlier, Officer Jeff Thomason said police started making arrests when some in the crowd started throwing objects at them during the afternoon rally. Police declared an unlawful assembly after marchers tore down perimeter fences at the vacant Henry Kaiser Convention Center.

Three officers were injured, police said, but did not elaborate.

After meeting up at Frank Ogawa Plaza around noon, protesters marched toward the convention center in hopes of making it their new meeting place and social center, NBCBayArea.com reported.

Read NBCBayArea.com coverage of the protest

Oakland officials said about 250 people were in the group when the protest started but the crowd grew to about 2,000.

@OaklandPoliceCA tweeted around 3 p.m., "Area of Oakland Museum and Kaiser Center severely impacted. Persons cutting and tearing fences for entry. Bottles and objects thrown at OPD."

Earlier during the rally one of the organizers, Shake Anderson, said, "We are here to protect each other and to be civil disobedient. ... We're doing it to change the world, not just today but every day."

Stephen Lam / Reuters

Occupy Oakland demonstrators shield themselves from an explosion Saturday during a confrontation with the police near the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, Calif.

The protesters were walking through Laney College around 2:30 p.m. Some people were wearing bandanas over their mouths and others were holding signs saying, "We are the 99%." A marching band dressed in pink and black tutus and neon pick tights also was in the crowd.

Once they reached the center, organizers planned to kick off a two-day "Oakland Rise-up Festival" to celebrate the establishment of the movement's new space.

Occupy Oakland spokesman Leo Ritz-Bar said the group's new headquarters "signals a new direction for the Occupy movement: putting vacant buildings at the service of the community."

He also warned that protesters could retaliate against any repressive police action by blocking the Oakland International Airport, occupying City Hall or shutting down the Port of Oakland.

City officials said that while they are "committed to facilitating peaceful forms of expression and free speech, police would be prepared to arrest those who break the law.

"The city of Oakland will not be bullied by threats of violence or illegal activity," city administrator Deanna Santana said in a statement issued Friday.

This article includes reporting from NBCBayArea.com, The Associated Press and msnbc.com's Miranda Leitsinger.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/28/10260959-oakland-police-fire-tear-gas-flash-grenades-on-occupy-protesters

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As Newt Gingrich Fades In Florida, February Once Again Looks Like Tough Sledding

TAMPA, Fla. -- The conventional wisdom for much of the fall was that February would be a very difficult month for any of Mitt Romney's challengers. That was until Newt Gingrich won South Carolina.

Gingrich's Palmetto State romp over Romney, followed by the initial polls in Florida showing the former House Speaker from Georgia surging ahead of the former Massachusetts governor here, recast the entire nomination fight.

Suddenly, an alternate universe presented itself as a real possibility. With its dearth of contests except for a few caucus states, February looked like it could be a turbulent month of pressure on Romney if the last big mark on the calendar was a big fat "L" in his column for the Sunshine state.

Sure, Romney would probably still do well in the first week of February even if Gingrich won Florida. Romney and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) are far ahead of Gingrich and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) in organizing for the four caucuses in Maine, Nevada, Minnesota and Colorado. But Gingrich's momentum would likely be so strong that it would overshadow any meager wins for Romney in the caucus states, preserving the former speaker's status as the frontrunner.

And Romney would have had to fight the notion that he was incapable of winning over Republican voters for nearly three weeks until Michigan and Arizona held their primaries on Feb. 28.

Over the past week, however, as Romney has outperformed Gingrich at two debates and as he and outside groups have outspent Gingrich on the TV airwaves, he has moved back ahead of Gingrich in the polls, and now looks set to win Florida's 50 delegates on Tuesday. The conventional wisdom is back: February will be a winter of discontent for Gingrich, not Romney.

"If Newt had won Florida then he might have been able to become the frontrunner, but that's not what's happened," Charlie Black, a veteran Republican political consultant and a Washington lobbyist, told The Huffington Post. "Romney's going to win it and have great momentum going into a friendly calendar."

Gingrich has pointed to Gallup's national tracking poll, which on Friday showed him leading Romney 32 percent to 24 percent among Republicans and Republican-leaning independent voters. But as quickly as polling numbers have moved up and down in the states where Romney and Gingrich are fighting hand to hand, the national polling numbers have been seen as a lagging indicator instead of a leading one.

"I think you will see Newt lose his national lead soon, and [he] has no place in the short term to recover momentum," said Matthew Dowd, a political strategist who worked for former President George W. Bush.

Four states will hold caucuses in early February: Nevada on Feb. 4, Colorado and Minnesota on Feb. 7, and Maine's Republicans for a week with results to announced on Feb. 11.

Dowd pointed out that there are no debates until Feb. 22, depriving Gingrich of his best opportunity to score big points.

"He has a tough few weeks ahead of him. He needed to win Florida to keep things going through this hard period," Dowd said.

Gingrich was defiant on Saturday, vowing to stay in the race until the summer and to campaign "state by state."

"I will go all the way to the convention," Gingrich said.

But at some point, if Gingrich loses Florida, money will talk, and it will tell Gingrich he should drop out. Of course, he might not listen, just like he did not listen to those who said he was finished last summer when all of his top advisers quit his campaign.

It's also not clear how long Gingrich will continue receiving financial support, indirectly, from Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. Adelson and his wife have now contributed $10 million to a super PAC supporting Gingrich, which has allowed Gingrich to stay somewhat competitive on TV with Romney.

Before Adelson gave his initial $5 million to Winning Our Future, there were reports that he was preparing to give $20 million to Gingrich's cause. That did not materialize, but that number could represent the ultimate ceiling of his contributions. Yet at some point, Adelson may decide not to throw good money after bad. And he could also come under significant pressure from others in the Republican party to stop giving to Gingrich if it looks like his friend is just staying in the race to make life difficult for Romney.

On Saturday, Romney supporters authorized by the campaign to speak on behalf of the candidate -- known in the political world as "surrogates" -- began to frame the Gingrich campaign as running out of steam already.

"If you look here, there's almost nobody at this," said Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.), a Romney endorser, who attended Gingrich's Hispanic Town Hall event in Orlando and gestured around at the lackluster attendance. "This is -- there's almost no one here."

Mack said an attempt by Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond to engage him in a debate on Saturday morning at a Gingrich event in Port St. Lucie -- which was captured on video -- was a sign that the Gingrich campaign is "desperate."

"At first he tries to act like a reporter, like he's asking questions, with a recorder. Of course we all know who he is. So we know he's not a reporter. But then he just shouts over you, bullies you, those types of things. That's fine. I think it just shows the erratic nature of the campaign and how unhinged they are," Mack told HuffPost's Amanda Terkel. "You can just tell this is a campaign in decline."

Most observers expect Gingrich and Santorum to stay in the race at least through Super Tuesday on March 6.

But among the 11 contests on Super Tuesday, only Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee are contests that tilt in Gingrich's favor, Black said. Gingrich is not even on the ballot in Virginia, one of the biggest primaries that day.

The volatility of this GOP primary -- driven by the search among conservatives for an alternative to Romney -- means things could take another turn in Gingrich's favor, or Santorum's, at any moment.

But if the current trend continues and Romney wins Florida and then goes on to dominate February and Super Tuesday, the roots of Gingrich's demise will trace back to his failure to land a punch on Romney at the debates this past week on Monday and Thursday.

If that's the case, Gingrich's end will defy what many expected: instead of committing some outsized gaffe and exiting the race with a bang, he will have missed his moment and instead gone out with a whimper.

Amanda Terkel contributed reporting from Orlando.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/29/newt-gingrich-mitt-romney-florida-primary-election-2012_n_1239227.html

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

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LMFAO Joining Madonna At Super Bowl?

Will.i.am claims party rockers LMFAO will perform with Madonna at Super Bowl.
By Gil Kaufman

LMFAO
Photo: Steven Lawton/ FilmMagic

It's a good thing the Super Bowl provides its halftime performer with the biggest platform in television, because according to the latest rumors Madonna is going to need a seriously massive stage to hold all her guests at the February 5 game.

Following reports that Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. as well as "The Voice" coach Cee Lo Green
 may make appearances comes news that LMFAO could be called off the bench also.

A year after his group, the on-hiatus Black Eyed Peas, played the big game,
 will.i.am told English radio station Capital FM that his party rocking homies will be in the mix. "I'm going to the Super Bowl this year to see my group LMFAO perform with Madonna," he said. "Check that out, Will.i.am Music Group is pretty freaking two for two! One year the Super Bowl, the next year another group part of the Super Bowl in collaboration with Madonna. That's still happening."

According to sources, the Madonna asked Green to perform with her at the showdown in Indianapolis between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, which is traditionally the most-watched TV event of the year. "The Insider" reports that he's been flying to New York to rehearse with the pop icon. The sources add that he will contribute his signature flair to some of her classic tunes.

The pairing would make sense given that the new season of "The Voice" premieres right after the Super Bowl next month. MTV News caught up with the Queen of Pop at her "W.E." premiere earlier this week in New York, and the singer only had one tease about the Super Bowl gig. "I am not saying 'Yes,' and I am not saying 'No,' " she replied when asked whether Minaj and M.I.A. would take the stage with her. She added, "Pom poms. That's all I can tell you."

As if the pom poms and all the alleged guests aren't enough, the halftime show will be "imagined" by trippy Canadian circus troupe Cirque du Soleil and Madonna's longtime choreographer and creative director Jamie King. According to reports, the set list could include Madonna's new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin," as well as such classics as "Ray of Light," "Vogue" and "Music."

In addition to her Super Bowl performance, Madonna's fans are awaiting the release of her next studio album, M.D.N.A., out later this year.

Related Artists

• Lmfao
• Madonna

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678014/lmfao-madonna-super-bowl-halftime.jhtml

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Mark C. Russell, Ph.D., ABPP: Preventing Military Misconduct Stress Behaviors

January 2012 ushered in a new year, but an old, recurring problem for war veterans. According to a January 2012, CareerCast.com article, "The 10 Most Stressful Jobs in 2012," the No. 1 stressful vocation in the U.S. is an "enlisted soldier."

Here are just some of news headlines at the mid-month mark alone that appear to lend credence to the selection:

? An Iraq War veteran is arrested for the brutal murder of five homeless men after his friend's death in Afghanistan. His family said he had become a "troubled man" since returning from Iraq.

? A video is released showing U.S. Marines urinating on Taliban corpses.

? A picture is published of U.S. Air Force personnel charged with handling American remains pretending to be dead in an open casket with a noose around an airman's neck, with the words "Sucks 2 Be U."

? A 19-year-old Army private dies from a "self-inflicted gunshot wound" in Afghanistan, after unrelenting physical, racial and emotional torment from his fellow soldiers.

? Video is released of U.S. Army soldiers joyfully slaughtering an Afghanistan boy's sheep.

? An Iraqi war veteran kills a Washington State Park Ranger, then dies from exposure

? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reported a "stain" on the military with 3,191 sexual assaults occurring last year, but he said that because so few victims report the crime, the real number is closer to 19,000 assaults.

What do the above incidents share in common besides making the January headlines and involving enlisted military members during a time of war? They exemplify what the American military calls "misconduct stress behaviors," present during every armed conflict, including by officers, as evident in the My Lai massacre.

Combat and Operational Stress Reaction -- or "COSR" -- is the new DoD-approved term referring to the adverse reactions military personnel may experience when exposed to combat, deployment-related stress or other operational stressors. The U.S. military recognizes a continuum of COSRs ranging from adaptive stress reactions to "misconduct stress behaviors." Misconduct stress behaviors describe a range of maladaptive stress reactions from minor to serious violations of military or civilian law and the Law of Land Warfare, most often occurring in poorly-trained personnel, but "good and heroic, under extreme stress may also engage in misconduct" (Department of the Army, 2006; p. 1-6). Examples include: mutilating enemy dead, not taking prisoners, looting, rape, brutality, killing animals, self-inflicted wounds, "fragging," desertion, torture and intentionally killing non-combatants. The military has identified factors that may increase misconduct stress behaviors, including:

? Boredom and monotonous duties, especially if combined with chronic frustration and tension.

? Rapid return of soldiers to close contact with noncombatant military, civilians, or families after an intense battle experience without a unit stand-down period in which to defuse.

? Commission of atrocities by the enemy, especially if against U.S. personnel, but also if against local civilians.

? Racial and ethnic tension which can occur within the U.S. civilian population and among army personnel. Tension and misconduct may also stem from major cultural and physical/ racial differences between U.S. soldiers and the local population.

? Local civilian population may be perceived as hostile, untrustworthy or "subhuman."

? Failure of expected support, such as inadequate medical support.

? Popular opposition at home to the war; lack of understanding or belief in the justness of the effort.

What can be done to prevent misconduct stress behaviors?

It would be an accurate statement that none of the service members that made the January 2012 headlines got there without a long trail of opportunities for someone(s) to intervene. Expert consensus within and outside the military is that early identification and intervention is critical in order to avoid severe, chronic COSRs such as PTSD, depression and suicide, substance abuse and misconduct stress behaviors. The military's deployment cycle health screenings, Combat Operational Stress Control programs, anti-mental health stigma, resiliency training and a plethora of post-deployment and transitional support programs, along with the Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA) mental health outreach and suicide prevention programs, all represent notable efforts to stem the tide.

However, military, government, media and multiple other sources all point to dramatic escalations in rates of military and veteran suicides, domestic violence, divorce, mental health diagnoses such as PTSD, sexual assault, substance abuse, homelessness, joblessness, health problems and misconduct stress behaviors including homicides. What else can be done?

Alternative early interventions in the war zone and back home

One possible early intervention strategy that has yet to be fully explored is EMDR therapy. Clearly not a panacea, however EMDR should be strongly considered as a frontline treatment option for the full continuum of COSR-especially while the service member remains within the supportive framework of the military, and hopefully before the commission of any serious misconduct stress behaviors.

Since 2004, EMDR has been recognized by the DVA and DoD as a top evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorders according to their own clinical practice guidelines. With high rates of mental health stigma in the military, EMDR has the unique advantage of being noticeably different than standard talk therapy. Service personnel are not required to self-disclose details of events that they have witnessed or participated in, and the effects tend to be more rapid and generalize to other contributing experiences that often underlie difficulties associated with depression, suicide, anger, substance use, aggression, medically unexplained conditions, and so on.

As a recently-retired military psychologist, former enlisted Marine and OEF/OIF veteran, I have successfully treated hundreds of military personnel with EMDR therapy before, during and after deployments including problems involving combat-related acute stress disorder, traumatic grief, depression and suicidal ideation, phantom limb pain, PTSD and aggressive impulses.

This is not to suggest that any of the January incidents would definitely have been prevented even if those veterans had received EMDR. However, there is no doubt in my mind that EMDR therapy can significantly reduce and/or relieve a lot of pain and suffering for many military members and veterans, and doing so would prevent an untold number of misconduct stress behaviors and chronic war stress injuries such as PTSD and depression. If you are interested in finding an EMDR therapist that specializes in veteran treatment, try the EMDR International Association or the EMDR Institute.

That war changes everyone is an irrefutable fact of military life. Tragically, it is also a fact that warring Western societies have repeatedly neglected to learn the so-called "psychiatric lessons of war," resulting in monumental failures to anticipate and meet the mental health needs of those sent in harm's way. Consequently, there is always more that can and should be done to prevent the tragedies that have occurred in January 2012. If we prevented one incident, saved one life, it would be worth the time and investment.

For more by Mark C. Russell, Ph.D., ABPP, click here.

For more on PTSD, click here.

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-c-russell-phd-abpp/ptsd-veterans_b_1228546.html

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Richard (RJ) Eskow: Last Night's GOP Debate Was Like Bad 1950's-Style Science-Fiction (Huffington post)

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Happy Australia Day! Your photos from Down Under

Submitted by Melissa Nagy / UGC

Happy Australia Day! January 26, according to the History Channel, marks both the founding of the country by white British settlers, but it also acknowledges that Aborigines lost their land as Australia was colonized.

We're celebrating the country's modern cities and impressive natural beauty with a few gorgeous pictures submitted by our readers.

Submitted by Lisa Yaconiello / UGC

Submitted by Steven Lee Choate / UGC

Ayers Rock in central Australia

If you have photos you'd like to share of destinations around the world, submit them for a chance to be featured in the weekly gallery by clicking here.

In the meantime, be sure to check out this week's It's a Snap gallery and vote for your favorite photo.

More photos:

Source: http://todaytravel.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/26/10242946-happy-australia-day-your-photos-from-down-under

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Obama courts Latino vote on economic tour (AP)

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. ? President Barack Obama is courting Hispanics in politically important states, setting himself up as a champion of the crucial Latino voting bloc and as a foil to Republican candidates fighting for a share of support from the same groups.

With Latino voters voting overwhelmingly Democratic, Obama is not in danger of losing the support of a majority of Hispanics. But he does need their intensity, and a Gallup tracking poll shows that while a majority of Hispanics approve of Obama, that approval is not as high as it is among black voters.

Pitching his economic agenda during a three-day, five-state trip this week, Obama has not ignored the fact that three of the states ? Nevada, Arizona and Colorado ? all have Hispanic populations of 20 percent or more. A majority of them are Democratic, but they also could be a factor in upcoming nominating contests in those states. Nevada and Colorado hold caucuses within two weeks and Arizona has a primary Feb. 28.

In Arizona Wednesday, where he was drawing attention to his efforts to increase manufacturing, Obama playfully interacted with a supporter who shouted out: "Barack es mi hermano! (Barack is my brother!)"

"Mi hermano ? mucho gusto (My brother, a real pleasure)," Obama shouted back.

And it was no accident that he scheduled an interview with Univision, the Spanish language network that reaches a broad swath of the U.S. Latino population, while he was in Arizona and with local Telemundo affiliates Thursday in Las Vegas and in Denver. All that while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and the rest of the Republican presidential field were battling in Florida, another state with a key Latino voting bloc.

"It's an important community in this country and he will continue to have those interactions," White House spokesman Jay Carney said of Obama's efforts to reach out to Spanish language media.

No issue reverberates more in the appeal to Latinos than immigration.

For Obama, it reared up suddenly for him Wednesday when Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican who signed one of the toughest laws to curtail illegal immigration, greeted him at the airport tarmac in Mesa, Ariz., with a handwritten invitation for the president to join her in a visit to the Mexican border.

Obama replied coolly, noting that he did not appreciate the way she had depicted him in a book she published last year, "Scorpions for Breakfast." In the book, Brewer writes that Obama was condescending and lectured her during a meeting at the White House to discuss immigration. "He was a little disturbed about my book," Brewer told two reporters shortly after the encounter.

Obama continued to promote his economic plan Thursday in Nevada and Colorado, focusing on energy policy and his attempts to expand oil and gas exploration while also emphasizing clean energy.

"Doubling down on a clean energy industry will create lots of jobs in the process," the president said at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado, where the Air Force has installed solar panels and tested jets that run on biofuels.

As such, he was indirectly pitching to Hispanics as well. A new Pew Research Center poll found that 54 percent of Latinos believe that the economic downturn has been harder on them than on other groups in the U.S.

"There is no question that Latinos were hard hit, especially by the bursting of the housing bubble and the resulting steep decline in construction work," Carney said Thursday. "Latinos are overrepresented in the construction industry. It's one of the reasons why, certainly, Latinos would greatly benefit from infrastructure investments that put construction workers back to work."

In 2008, Obama beat Republican John McCain by a 2-1 margin among Hispanics.

To win again, he will need that level of enthusiasm to make up for weaknesses elsewhere in his voter support. In a bright spot for Obama, the Pew poll found that even though Hispanics believe their economic condition is poor, two-thirds of those polled said they expect their financial situation to improve over the next year, whereas 58 percent of the overall population expect the same.

In his interview with Univision, Obama made a point of noting that both Romney and Gingrich have said they would veto legislation, known as the DREAM Act, that would give a pathway to citizenship to children who came to the United States illegally but who attend college or enlist in the military.

"They believe that we should not provide a pathway to citizenship for young people who were brought here when they were very young children and are basically American kids but right now are still in a shadow," Obama said. "They've said that they would veto the DREAM Act. Both of them."

At a debate Monday on NBC, however, both Gingrich and Romney said they would support modified legislation that only applied to young people who joined the military. "I would not support the part that simply says everybody who goes to college is automatically waived for having broken the law," Gingrich said.

Obama, in the interview, explicitly connected the Republican presidential field to congressional Republicans, who suffer from bottom-dwelling approval ratings right now. Asked why he had been unable to deliver on his promise for overhauling the immigration system, Obama replied:

"Well, it's very simple. We couldn't get any Republican votes. Zero. None," he said. "So this is the kind of barrier that we're meeting in Congress. We're just going to keep on pushing and pushing until hopefully we finally get a break."

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

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Nokia releases Q4 2011 earnings report: operating profits drop, Lumia sales break one million

Nokia released its latest quarterly earnings report today, following up on a somewhat disappointing Q3 with a similarly bleak Q4. The Finnish manufacturer finished 2011 with a little more than €10 billion ($13.1 billion) in net sales -- 11 percent higher than Q3, but 21 percent lower than 2010, when Nokia raked in about €12.7 billion (approximately $16.7 billion). Operating profit, meanwhile, rose by 90 percent over Q3, but is still down on the year by a whopping 56 percent; this quarter, in fact, saw an operating loss of €954 million (about $1.3 billion). Its net cash and liquid assets also dropped by €1.4 billion over the year, marking a 20 percent decline. The general takeaway, then, is that things are looking better than they were last quarter, but worse than they were last year.

To date, the company has sold "well over" one million Lumia devices, but this Windows Phone surge has apparently come at Symbian's expense. "In certain markets, there has been an acceleration of the anticipated trend towards lower-priced smartphones with specifications that are different from Symbian's traditional strengths," CEO Stephen Elop said in a statement. "As a result of the changing market conditions, combined with our increased focus on Lumia, we now believe that we will sell fewer Symbian devices than we previously anticipated." Looking forward, Nokia expects to break even during the first quarter of 2012, due in part to lower than expected seasonal sales and what it calls "competitive industry dynamics." For the full report, check out the source link below.

Nokia releases Q4 2011 earnings report: operating profits drop, Lumia sales break one million originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get Auto Insurance Helps Budget Conscious Consumers Find ...

Salt Lake City, Utah -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/24/2012 -- If you are tired of trying to sort out all of the claims made by individual car insurance companies, the folks at Get Auto Insurance completely understand your frustrations. That's why they set up an easy-to-use website that filters out all the noise by using automated technology to submit the details of your car, drivers and policy options directly to multiple providers. At Get Auto Insurance you won't see cute little mascots; you won't hear cute little jingles; and you won't be constantly subjected to a dozen different car insurance companies claiming they'll all save you the most.

What you will find is a website dedicated to helping you find cheap auto insurance in your state. The site offers a good selection of information articles designed to keep you informed about the realities of the car insurance industry. You'll find information about insuring teenage drivers, finding car insurance for vintage and classic cars, and so much more. And of course, you'll find the Get Auto Insurance quote tool which can help you begin the process of finding affordable car insurance as soon as you're ready to start.

The website quote tool utilizes the latest technology to collect your information and get it directly to the insurance companies who fight for your business. Start the process by just entering your zip code. At Get Auto Insurance they know your time is valuable. Their website has been streamlined to help you make maximum use of your time so you don't spend hours upon hours looking for affordable car insurance.

Please keep in mind that Get Auto Insurance is not an insurance company offering policies to drivers. They are a fully independent entity that simply collects the information provided by participating users. You will need to choose from the list of quotes you receive from the insurance companies and deal with them directly. Furthermore, while the initial quotes you may receive might be fairly close, they probably won't be accurate down to the penny. The insurance company you eventually choose will have to verify your information and calculate a final price for you.

About GetAutoInsurance.net
Get Auto Insurance combines the best of Internet technology along with a desire to help America's drivers in a website that makes finding affordable car insurance easy. The site's owners are committed to cutting through all of the clutter and hype in order to help budget conscious customers find out what they will really pay for their insurance. To that end, their website provides useful information and an insurance quote tool, all in a package that is easy to use and extremely quick. You may contact the folks at Get Auto Insurance if you have further questions or comments.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/get-auto-insurance-helps-budget-conscious-consumers-find-affordable-auto-insurance-123857.htm

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Barca awaits Real Madrid again

By PAUL LOGOTHETIS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 1:08 p.m. ET Jan. 23, 2012

MADRID (AP) -Real Madrid will likely abandon its defensive strategy and go on the attack against Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has come under fire for his choice of tactics following last week's 2-1 loss to Barcelona, with the Portuguese coach repeatedly jeered during a 4-1 league win over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

But that victory displayed the potent attack available to Madrid, which leads Barcelona by five points in the Spanish league after scoring 67 goals in 19 games to complete the first half of the season.

Still, Mourinho did not apologize for Madrid's approach to the first leg, which has polarized much of the Portuguese coach's support, not only among fans but also the usually staunch Madrid press. On Sunday, Marca newspaper reported divisions inside the club's dressing room while Mourinho's name was jeered throughout the Bilbao match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium for the first time since his arrival in 2010.

"Whoever says the changing room is divided or that some kind of fracture exists is lying," Sergio Ramos wrote on Twitter on Monday, a day after revelations of an argument between the Madrid defender and Mourinho were reported. "This is a great group that is well united, regardless what is said."

Madrid's attack could get a boost if Argentina forward Angel di Maria returns from injury.

Defender Pepe's availability is uncertain after the Portugal international was benched against Bilbao following the fallout from his stamp on Lionel Messi's hand in the first leg.

Madrid has won only one of its last 13 meetings against Barcelona - April's Copa del Rey final - with nine losses over that period.

Barcelona is coming off a 4-1 league win at Malaga in which Messi notched his 10th career league hat trick for the European champions. Messi now has 36 goals in all competitions this season, while teammate Alexis Sanchez has also found his rhythm with the Spanish champions, the Chile forward scoring three goals in his last four games.

"They lead the league, they can still reach the semifinals of the Copa and they are into the next round of the Champions League. From an outside perspective, it's hard to read whether or not they have problems," Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta said on Monday.

Also, Mirandes needs to beat Espanyol to become the first third division club to reach the semifinals since Fugueres in 2002. Mirandes trails 3-2 going into Tuesday's match at its 6,000-capacity Andova Municipal stadium.

Meanwhile, Valencia and Athletic Bilbao hold comfortable leads going into their away return legs.

Valencia travels across town to Levante on Thursday holding a 4-1 advantage and Bilbao is 2-0 up ahead of its game at Mallorca on Wednesday.

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

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More newsGiuseppe Cacace / AFP - Getty Images

Barca awaits Real Madrid again

??Real Madrid probably will abandon its defensive strategy and go on the attack against Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Manchester moment

Manchester City scored a dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham on Sunday, leaving Manchester United its only likely rival for the Premier League title.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44284319/ns/sports-soccer/

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9 Digital Ways to Become a Social Good Hero in 2012 (Mashable)

Scott Henderson is managing director of CauseShift and writes about social impact for the Chronicle of Philanthropy, RallytheCause.com and occasionally for the ableBanking blog. January is already half-over, so how?s that New Year's resolution to do more good coming along? If you haven?t made much progress, don?t fret -- changing the world might be easier than you think.

[More from Mashable: iPhotography Calendar: 12 Months Captured in 12 Stunning Snapshots [PICS]]

The web and social media continue to create new opportunities to do good in simple ways. Whether by putting aside some savings or checking-in with an app, you might be surprised how much good you can do with just a few clicks.

---

Do What You Already Do

---

[More from Mashable: Is It Time to Finally Ditch Your Paper Business Cards?]

• 1. Buy with Confidence: Find out whether the products you already use are healthy, green and socially responsible by consulting the Good Guide. Not happy with what you learn? Search thousands of products to find better ones.
• 2. Swipe Your Card: When you register with Swipe Good, your debit or credit cards will round up all your purchases to the nearest dollar. You choose which charity gets to keep the change.
• 3. Stuff Your Piggy Bank: Open up an online savings account with ableBanking, one of the companies I blog for. Right away, you?ll get $25 to give to your charity of choice. Each year, they?ll give you more money to donate, based on your account balance.

---

Baby Steps

---

For those feeling adventurous but strapped for time, give these new, simple actions a go.

• 4. Adopt a New Habit: People who track their new habits are more likely to keep them. Thanks to DailyFeats, track them easily while earning points, which you can then redeem for rewards from national brands or donate to a charity.
• 5. Give a Little Each Day: Who doesn?t love a special offer, especially when it helps a worthy cause? KarmaGoat, a local marketplace where you buy and sell items. The proceeds benefit the charity of your choice.
• 7. Give $10, Get Deals: Thanks to The Mutual, you can sign up to pay $10 each month, which is then donated to one of five featured monthly charities or spread evenly among them. In return, you?ll rack up points to use for special deals and offers from local businesses.

---

Take a Flying Leap

---

Feeling ready for something big? Take on one of these challenges.

• 8. Go Pro Bono: Catchafire matches up professionals with charities that need specific expertise for specific projects. You can build your resume, hone your abilities and help a worthy cause, all at the same time.
• 9. Rally Your Cause: Why wait for a charity to ask you to raise money? Sign up with Crowdrise, set up a fundraising goal, and start asking your friends, co-workers, neighbors and family. You can learn from other cause-promoters, earn reward points and cheer on other do-gooders.

Now that you know about these sites and services, what are you waiting for? Choose a strategy and mark off another New Year's resolution! What are your favorite new everyday ways of doing good? Did we miss one you think others would like?

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mangostock

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/internet/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/mashable/20120122/tc_mashable/9_digital_ways_to_become_a_social_good_hero_in2012

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Video: Battle for Florida primary looms large

>> to the battle for florida as the gop presidential race heats up on the heels of newt gingrich 's big win in south carolina . nbc's peter alexander is in tampa this morning. peter, good morning to you.

>> reporter: matt, good morning to you. after being badly beaten in south carolina mitt romney hustled to florida to get a head start. having spent millions in this state already since the beginning of the month. romney 's senior advisers say you can expect him to ramp up the rhetoric against newt gingrich going forward, that we'll begin to see a more confrontational mitt romney and we are already beginning to see it on the campaign trail. looking to capitalize on his resounding south carolina win, newt gingrich arrives in florida today , focused on momentum and money.

>> in florida my case is simple. you have a clear establishment candidate in mitt romney . you have somebody whose entire career has been a reagan populist conservative going all the way back to the 1970s .

>> reporter: on twitter, gingrich boasted he raised more than $1 million in less than 24 hours and asked supporters to donate more to help him deliver a knockout punch.

>> this is a decision point.

>> reporter: mitt romney is looking to the sunshine state for a comeback.

>> what's he been doing for 15 years? he's been working as a lobbyist and selling influence around washington.

>> reporter: appearing on "meet the press" earlier, gingrich denied that.

>> i was not a lobbyist. i was never a lobbyist. don't mix these things up. the fact was i was an adviser stroo teenagecally.

>> reporter: during our interview romney ridiculed that.

>> if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's a duck.

>> reporter: what makes him unfit to be president of the united states ?

>> he was speaker of the house for four years and then was investigated by an ethics panel. those who knew him rejected him, reprimanded him and he left in shame.

>> reporter: after weeks of being coy about whether he'll release tax returns .

>> maybe.

>> reporter: he said he'll release his 2010 returns and an estimate for 2011 .

>> there are no surprises. nothing in the financial disclosure forms. we said, get it out there soon.

>> reporter: romney 's son put out this photo of his father doing laundry. do you see images like that and say, maybe i'm trying too hard to look like an average guy.

>> everybody knows i'm not an average guy.

>> reporter: are you doing your laundry on primary day?

>> we'll be on the road 30 days . who else does our laundry?

>> reporter: this state doesn't vote until january 31 is. romney said something new yesterday, ann romney referring to statements about the family's personal wealth saying they measure wealth and riches in the strength of the family. also worth noting, nearly 200,000 people in the state have already voted either by absentee or early voting.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46098250/

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Kurt A. Gardinier: Is Newt Race-Baiting?

If asked, Newt Gingrich would obviously say no, in his arrogant, 'you're asking me a ridiculously stupid question' sort of way, but it sure sounds like he is lately. And if he is, he may be doing the "right" thing politically. At least for now as the next two primaries take place in the south (South Carolina and Florida).

Over the past few weeks Gingrich asserted that the poor children of the country need to learn how to work, and he has repeatedly called President Obama "the best food stamp president in American history," which inspired enthusiastic applause at Monday's Fox News GOP Debate, and a standing ovation shortly thereafter. During a campaign event in New Hampshire earlier this month, Gingrich told an audience, "If the NAACP invites me, I'll go to their convention and talk about why the African-American community should demand paychecks and not be satisfied with food stamps." Is he suggesting that African-Americans choose not to work and are satisfied with not working and receiving food stamps? Seems like it. And it doesn't seem like he's even trying to be subtle about it.

The race-baiting strategy proved an effective one for another politician from the south. George Wallace. The four-time Alabama Governor who ran for president in 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (three as a Democrat and one on the American Independent ticket). His most successful run was in '68 where he won five states (all southern), 46 electoral votes and 13.5% (nearly 10 million) of the popular vote (Wallace remains the last third party candidate to win any electoral votes). And he accomplished all that without ever really saying anything overtly racist, but he spoke in code, a code that was easily deciphered by the millions of white southern voters who supported him.

In the George Wallace show I produced for C-SPAN's "The Contenders" series in November, Wallace's daughter Peggy Wallace Kennedy said that her father "was not a racist. He was a politician." There is certainly a case to be made that he was not a racist, or at the very least that he wasn't always one. During the 1958 campaign for governor, Wallace said, "if I didn't have what it took to treat a man fair regardless of his color, then I don't have what it takes to be the governor of your great state." His tone on race drastically changed during his next run for governor four years later when he famously called for "segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever" during his inaugural address.

Whether or not Wallace was truly a racist or not, he effectively used racism (however subtle it may have been) as a prominent theme of his gubernatorial and presidential campaigns. Gingrich seems to be doing just that in his current campaign (nearly forty years since Wallace last ran for President), aiming to make radical, latently racist ideas seem somehow acceptable or mainstream by articulating them clearly, confidently and unapologetically.

In the 1995 book From George Wallace to Newt Gingrich: Race in the Conservative Counterrevolution, 1963-1994, author Dan T. Carter discusses the role of right-wing reaction to the civil rights movement in Republican politics beginning with George Wallace's entrance on to the national scene, arguing that conservatives still exploit racism for political gain. According to Carter, Gingrich was already in the Wallace/race-baiting category back in the early 1990s, so it doesn't surprise me that these race-baiting allegations are being thrown at him now. Carter writes of the strategy of using race to win elections: "The trick lay in sympathizing with and appealing to the fears of angry whites without appearing to become an extremist and driving away moderates-or, as Ehrlichman described the process, to present a position on crime, education, or public housing in such a way that a voter could 'avoid admitting to himself that he was attracted by a racist appeal.'" This tactic seems like a tough thing to pull off, but so far Gingrich seems to be doing it, and effectively, as he continues to rise in the South Carolina polls.

No one will ever truly know if Gingrich is a racist (or if Wallace truly was for that matter) or if he is consciously race-baiting for votes, but like Wallace, he does seem to be speaking in the same kind of code, which may unfortunately work, at least in the short-term (in the upcoming southern primaries). With Governor Rick Perry dropping out yesterday and endorsing Gingrich, who knows what will happen Saturday. It sure is likely that it'll be close, and as Gingrich continues to remind us, every candidate who has won the South Carolina primary has gone on to be the Republican nominee for president.

Kurt A. Gardinier is a freelance producer, editor and writer who has worked at CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN and various production companies.

?

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kurt-a-gardinier/newt-gingrich-race-baiting_b_1220673.html

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Young The Giant takes seaside sound on U.S. tour (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? They made a splash with their California beach-inspired debut album. Now indie rock band Young the Giant are hoping the rest of America will be swept away by their carefree seaside sound.

With their first two singles, up-tempo tracks "My Body" and "Cough Syrup," garnering radio, television and film play, the band, all in their early 20s, are kicking off their first headlining tour on February8

"We're a little jittery in a good way, we're excited to do our first big headlining run in theaters. It's amazing to see people already buying tickets to these things. It takes a lot of weight off our shoulders as it's selling well," lead singer Sameer Gadhia told Reuters.

Formed in Irvine, California in 2004 as The Jakes, the band went through a few line-up changes before settling on Young The Giant, with Gadhia on vocals, Francois Comtois on drums, Payam Doostzadeh on bass and Jacob Tilley and Eric Cannata on guitar.

The band recorded their self-titled first album, released in 2011, while still in their teens living together on the beach in Southern California. Songs like "Strings" and "12 Fingers" emote the feel of seaside living while Gadhia's distinctive voice showcased against up-tempo guitar riffs.

"We were living a carefree lifestyle, I guess a respite from all the previous responsibilities that we had all had, and we just lived on the beach for a year. We didn't really have much money but we were writing music sometimes, and we were out on the beach just having a good time," said Gadhia.

Their sound attracted the attention of fans across the world. British singer Morrissey sang their praises and MTV selected them as a "push" artist, which led to Young The Giant performing a raucous rendition of "My Body" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.

"As far as VMAs and MTV, specifically VMAs, that's really what I think helped everything push so quickly," said Comtois.

The "Young the Giant" album peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200 chart, with Spin Magazine's David Menconi calling the music "boldly earnest anthems in need of a cozy arena." Rolling Stone's Matthew Perpetua called the single "Apartment" beautiful, while Drowned in Sound's Alex Yau drew comparisons to Tennessee band Kings of Leon.

However, not all critics were won over by the songs. Pitchfork's Ian Cohen called the album "corporate indie," while Paul Mardles at British newspaper The Observer described the band "an anemic Coldplay," giving the album two stars out of five.

CHASING A DARKER SOUND

Not wasting any time between records, the band are already working on their follow-up album, and planning to preview some new material during their 40 plus date U.S. tour.

"Definitely the first record was a success but we were 18 or 19 years old when we wrote that material. Now we've experienced a lot together, we've grown together as individuals, musicians and as a group, we don't feel like that was the best we could have done," said Gadhia.

"I think we really feel like we're in our element now and it took all that time to get to where we are right now."

While the first record was an homage to the carefreee seaside life, the second will explore a more mature sound from the band.

"We've experienced a lot, we've travelled so much. I think there will be a little bit darker songs on this (second record), but we're not trying to completely betray what we do naturally together," said the lead singer.

Young The Giant, who Gadhia calls "an Internet band," are closely connected with their fans on social media platforms, and

hosted an online contest after fans sent them remixes of their songs.

"It's constantly surprising to me how far reaching our fan base is," said the lead singer. "They're the ones that are always keeping in touch with us online and it's awesome to see that because we're most definitely from the Internet generation of bands."

The band released a free EP of remixes through their Facebook page in response, including two fan-made remix tracks along with fellow indie rock bands such as Two Door Cinema Club, Ra Ra Riot and Tokyo Police Club adding an electro-dance sound to their songs. Gadhia also expressed an interest in working with Brooklyn-based rap group Das Racist.

While the band are adamant they won't stray too far from rock, they may see some cross-genre collaborations down the line.

"Our musical tastes have adapted to our surroundings so I think we want to be able to bring in elements of what we listen to now into the way that we understand what pop music is," said Comtois.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/music_nm/us_youngthegiant

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'Arthur & Lancelot' Gets Benched, 'Jack The Giant Killer' Bumped Nine Months

If you were looking forward to the Warner Bros films "Jack the Giant Killer" and "Arthur & Lancelot," it's time to hold on to that excitement. The studio has pushed both flicks way, way back, even going as far as to take "Arthur & Lancelot" off its release calendar.
The bad news first: due to an [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/01/20/arthur-lancelot-jack-the-giant-killer/

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Defense wants Pa. boy murder suspect released (AP)

NEW CASTLE, Pa. ? Attorneys for a Pennsylvania boy who was just 11 when he allegedly killed his father's pregnant fiancee and unborn son want the Pennsylvania Superior Court to release him from juvenile custody while the court decides an appeal by newspapers to open his trial to the public.

The court heard arguments last week in Pittsburgh about whether to open the trial of Jordan Brown, who is now 14.

State law required Brown to be charged as an adult in the February 2009 killings before his attorneys convinced a judge to move the case to juvenile court. The trial was then closed to the public.

Brown's attorney tells the Beaver County Times ( http://bit.ly/w3RRga) the attorneys want Brown released until the trial, which has been delayed indefinitely by the newspapers' appeal.

___

Information from: Beaver County Times, http://www.timesonline.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_re_us/us_pregnant_woman_killed

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Sony schedules PSN maintenance today, wants you to know this time it's on purpose

Sony knows you're likely scarred for life after its many security snafus, so it's doing all it can to keep you in the loop in regards to its PSN. The network will be experiencing a temporary outage today to make room for "routine scheduled maintenance" starting at 11AM ET and ending at approximately midnight. As usual in these scenarios, you won't have access to any PlayStation services on your PS3 or PSP, including PlayStation Home and Sony's Music and Video Unlimited offerings. That said, if you were shootin' and slashin' fools before the downtime, you should have no hassle continuing with your current session -- though access to any of the aforementioned services is still out of the question. Desperate to know exactly when the PSN will be back up and running? Keep it locked on the Playstation Twitter feed to find out.

Sony schedules PSN maintenance today, wants you to know this time it's on purpose originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No deadline set for Italy ship rescue: firefighter spokesman (Reuters)

GIGLIO, Italy (Reuters) ? No deadline has been set for ending the search for missing people on the wreck of an Italian cruise liner that capsized off a Tuscan island, the chief spokesman of the firefighters said on Thursday.

"We have not yet set a deadline, the situation is still evolving," Luca Cari said.

Cari spoke after the head of a diving team on Giglio said rescue workers had a 12-24 hour window to complete the search.

(Reporting By Steve Scherer)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120119/wl_nm/us_italy_ship

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