Genetic breakthrough for brain cancer in children

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julie Robert
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca
514-934-1934 x71381
McGill University Health Centre

Canadian-led research team identifies 2 mutations in crucial gene involved in deadly pediatric brain tumors

This press release is available in French.

Montreal -- An international research team led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) has made a major genetic breakthrough that could change the way pediatric cancers are treated in the future. The researchers identified two genetic mutations responsible for up to 40 per cent of glioblastomas in children - a fatal cancer of the brain that is unresponsive to chemo and radiotherapy treatment. The mutations were found to be involved in DNA regulation, which could explain the resistance to traditional treatments, and may have significant implications on the treatment of other cancers. The study was published this week in the journal Nature.

Using the knowledge and advanced technology of the team from the McGill University and Gnome Qubec Innovation Centre, the researchers identified two mutations in an important gene known as the histone H3.3. This gene, one of the guardians of our genetic heritage, is key in modulating the expression of our genes. "These mutations prevent the cells from differentiating normally and help protect the genetic information of the tumor, making it less sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy," says Dr. Nada Jabado, hematologist-oncologist at The Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and principal investigator of the study.

"This research helps explain the ineffectiveness of conventional treatments against cancer in children and adolescents we've been failing to hit the right spot," says Dr. Jabado, who is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McGill University. "It is clear now that glioblastoma in children is due to different molecular mechanisms than those in adults, and should not be treated in the same way. Importantly, we now know where to start focusing our efforts and treatments instead of working in the dark".

Inappropriate regulation of this gene has been observed in other cancers such as colon, pancreatic, lymphoma, leukemia and pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, and future research could therefore reveal improved treatments for these diseases. "What is significant here is that for the first time in humans we have identified a mutation in one of the most important genes that regulates and protects our genetic information. This is the irrefutable proof that our genome, if modified, can lead to cancer and probably other diseases. What genomics has shown us today is only the beginning," says Dr. Jabado.

"Gnome Qubec is proud to have contributed to a project whose results will make a significant impact on the treatment of pediatric glioblastoma," underlines Marc Le Page, President and CEO of Gnome Qubec. "The outstanding contribution of experts in genomics and new sequencing technologies, made by the McGill University and Gnome Qubec Innovation Centre and as part of Dr. Jabado's project, is further proof that genomics has become essential for development and innovation in medical research. I wish to acknowledge the excellence of the teams involved in this study and the model of interdisciplinary collaboration that was implemented."

"Personalized medicine has amazing potential for many areas of health care, including infection, rare diseases and cancer. Researchers, like this team, play a vital role in translating discoveries into improved patient care," says Dr. Morag Park, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research. "Through research advancements like this, there is now greater emphasis on using genetic information to make medical decisions. We congratulate Dr. Jabado and her team on these results".

Brain tumours are the primary cause of death for children with cancer in Europe and North America. The diagnosis of glioblastoma in a child or adolescent remains a death sentence and about 200 children in Canada die every year of this cancer. Most children will die within the two years of their diagnosis regardless of treatment.

###

About the study:

This work was supported by the Cole Foundation, and was funded in part by Genome Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) with co-funding from Genome BC, Gnome Qubec, CIHR-ICR (Institute for Cancer Research) and C17, through the Genome Canada/CIHR joint ATID Competition (project title: The Canadian Paediatric Cancer Genome Consortium: Translating next generation sequencing technologies into improved therapies for high-risk childhood cancer.

The paper may be found here: http://www.nature.com

Related links:

McGill University Health Centre (MUHC): http://www.muhc.ca

Research Institute of the MUHC (RI MUHC): http://www.cusm.ca/research/dashboard

McGill University: http://www.mcgill.ca

Gnome Qubec: http://www.genomequebec.com

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Genome Canada: http://www.genomecanada.ca

Media contact:

Julie Robert
Communications Coordinator
Public Affairs & Strategic Planning
McGill University Health Centre
514-934-1934 ext. 71381
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Julie Robert
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca
514-934-1934 x71381
McGill University Health Centre

Canadian-led research team identifies 2 mutations in crucial gene involved in deadly pediatric brain tumors

This press release is available in French.

Montreal -- An international research team led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) has made a major genetic breakthrough that could change the way pediatric cancers are treated in the future. The researchers identified two genetic mutations responsible for up to 40 per cent of glioblastomas in children - a fatal cancer of the brain that is unresponsive to chemo and radiotherapy treatment. The mutations were found to be involved in DNA regulation, which could explain the resistance to traditional treatments, and may have significant implications on the treatment of other cancers. The study was published this week in the journal Nature.

Using the knowledge and advanced technology of the team from the McGill University and Gnome Qubec Innovation Centre, the researchers identified two mutations in an important gene known as the histone H3.3. This gene, one of the guardians of our genetic heritage, is key in modulating the expression of our genes. "These mutations prevent the cells from differentiating normally and help protect the genetic information of the tumor, making it less sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy," says Dr. Nada Jabado, hematologist-oncologist at The Montreal Children's Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and principal investigator of the study.

"This research helps explain the ineffectiveness of conventional treatments against cancer in children and adolescents we've been failing to hit the right spot," says Dr. Jabado, who is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McGill University. "It is clear now that glioblastoma in children is due to different molecular mechanisms than those in adults, and should not be treated in the same way. Importantly, we now know where to start focusing our efforts and treatments instead of working in the dark".

Inappropriate regulation of this gene has been observed in other cancers such as colon, pancreatic, lymphoma, leukemia and pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, and future research could therefore reveal improved treatments for these diseases. "What is significant here is that for the first time in humans we have identified a mutation in one of the most important genes that regulates and protects our genetic information. This is the irrefutable proof that our genome, if modified, can lead to cancer and probably other diseases. What genomics has shown us today is only the beginning," says Dr. Jabado.

"Gnome Qubec is proud to have contributed to a project whose results will make a significant impact on the treatment of pediatric glioblastoma," underlines Marc Le Page, President and CEO of Gnome Qubec. "The outstanding contribution of experts in genomics and new sequencing technologies, made by the McGill University and Gnome Qubec Innovation Centre and as part of Dr. Jabado's project, is further proof that genomics has become essential for development and innovation in medical research. I wish to acknowledge the excellence of the teams involved in this study and the model of interdisciplinary collaboration that was implemented."

"Personalized medicine has amazing potential for many areas of health care, including infection, rare diseases and cancer. Researchers, like this team, play a vital role in translating discoveries into improved patient care," says Dr. Morag Park, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research. "Through research advancements like this, there is now greater emphasis on using genetic information to make medical decisions. We congratulate Dr. Jabado and her team on these results".

Brain tumours are the primary cause of death for children with cancer in Europe and North America. The diagnosis of glioblastoma in a child or adolescent remains a death sentence and about 200 children in Canada die every year of this cancer. Most children will die within the two years of their diagnosis regardless of treatment.

###

About the study:

This work was supported by the Cole Foundation, and was funded in part by Genome Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR) with co-funding from Genome BC, Gnome Qubec, CIHR-ICR (Institute for Cancer Research) and C17, through the Genome Canada/CIHR joint ATID Competition (project title: The Canadian Paediatric Cancer Genome Consortium: Translating next generation sequencing technologies into improved therapies for high-risk childhood cancer.

The paper may be found here: http://www.nature.com

Related links:

McGill University Health Centre (MUHC): http://www.muhc.ca

Research Institute of the MUHC (RI MUHC): http://www.cusm.ca/research/dashboard

McGill University: http://www.mcgill.ca

Gnome Qubec: http://www.genomequebec.com

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Genome Canada: http://www.genomecanada.ca

Media contact:

Julie Robert
Communications Coordinator
Public Affairs & Strategic Planning
McGill University Health Centre
514-934-1934 ext. 71381
julie.robert@muhc.mcgill.ca

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/muhc-gbf012912.php

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My Series on the Painkiller Panic (Theagitator)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/193374589?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Etta James remembered as triumphant trailblazer (AP)

GARDENA, Calif. ? Etta James was remembered at a service Saturday attended by hundreds of friends, family and fans as a woman who triumphed against all odds to break down cultural and musical barriers in a style that was unfailingly honest.

The Rev. Al Sharpton eulogized James in a rousing speech, describing her remarkable rise from poverty and pain to become a woman whose music became an enduring anthem for weddings and commercials.

Perhaps most famously, President Barack Obama and the first lady shared their first inaugural ball dance to a version of the song sung by Beyonce. Sharpton on Saturday opened his remarks by reading a statement from the president.

"Etta will be remembered for her legendary voice and her contributions to our nation's musical heritage," Obama's statement read.

The Grammy-winning singer died Jan. 20 after battling leukemia and other ailments, including dementia. She had retreated from public life in recent years, but on Saturday her legacy was on display as mourners of all ages and races converged on the City of Refuge church in Gardena, south of downtown Los Angeles.

Among the stars performing tributes to James were Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera, who told the gathering that she has included "At Last" in every concert she's performed as a tribute to her musical inspiration.

Wonder performed three songs, including "Shelter In the Rain" and a harmonica solo. James' rose-draped casket was on display, surrounded by wreaths and floral arrangements and pictures of the singer.

Sharpton, who met James when he was an up-and-coming preacher, credited her with helping break down racial barriers through her music.

"She was able to get us on the same rhythms and humming the same ballads and understanding each other's melodies way before we could even use the same hotels," Sharpton said.

He said James' fame and influence would have been unthinkable to a woman with James' background ? growing up in a broken home during segregation and at times battling her own demons.

"The genius of Etta James is she flipped the script," Sharpton said, alluding to her struggles with addiction, which she eventually overcame.

"She waited until she turned her pain into power," he said, adding that it turned her story away from being a tragic one into one of triumph.

"You beat `em Etta," Sharpton said in concluding his eulogy. "At last. At last. At last!"

The assembly roared to their feet, and would again stand to applaud performances by Wonder and Aguilera, who filled the sanctuary with their voices.

"Out of all the singers that I've ever heard, she was the one that cut right to my soul and spoke to me," Aguilera said before her performance.

Throughout the service, a portrait of James as a woman who beat the odds in pursuit of her dreams repeatedly emerged.

"Etta is special to me and for me, because she represents the life, the triumphs, the tribulations of a lot of black women all over this world," said U.S. Rep Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

"It does not matter who sang `At Last' before or after Etta. It does not matter when it was sung, or where it was sung. `At Last' was branded by Etta, the raunchy diva ? that's her signature and we will always remember her."

James won four Grammy Awards, including a lifetime achievement honor and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. In her decades-long career, she became revered for her passionate, soulful singing voice.

She scored her first hit when she was just a teenager with the suggestive "Roll With Me, Henry," which had to be changed to "The Wallflower" in order to get airplay. Her 1967 album, "Tell Mama," became one of the most highly regarded soul albums of all time, a mix of rock and gospel music.

She rebounded from a heroin addiction to see her career surge after performing the national anthem at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She won her first Grammy Award a decade later, and two more in 2003 and 2004.

James is survived by her husband of 42 years, Artis Mills and two sons, Donto and Sametto James.

"Mom, I love you," Donto James said during brief remarks. "When I get to the gates, can you please be there for me?"

___

Follow Anthony McCartney at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_en_mu/us_etta_james_funeral

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Ask Engadget: Best HD LED Pico Projector for a small room?

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Ellio, who fancies switching up his home entertainment kit with a HD LED projector. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I'm looking to buy a small HD LED projector to use at home for movies and games etc. I'd prefer it to be small to avoid having another large black box cluttering up the place and LED because of the decent lifetime compared to traditional projectors. I'd be happy with a 720p resolution device, but a lot of pico projectors are under 30 lumens, is this level sufficient for a decent size-display in a dim room? Thanks a bunch!"

So, what's it gonna be dear friends? If you don't know the drill: it's a jump to your left, a step to your right, put your hands on your hips and leave a comment below.

Ask Engadget: Best HD LED Pico Projector for a small room? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/28/ask-engadget-best-hd-led-pico-projector-for-a-small-room/

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Penguins: Crosby dealing with neck injury (AP)

PITTSBURGH ? Sidney Crosby isn't just dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion. A California doctor says the Pittsburgh Penguins' star also is recovering from a neck injury.

And Crosby's agent, Pat Brisson, said he can't rule out the possibility that the injury could be to his vertebrae.

"There's been speculation that I really can't comment on at this point," Brisson said Saturday night at the All-Star game skills competition in Ottawa. "I can't rule it out. I don't know. I'm not a radiologist."

Brisson also said he didn't consider the findings to be a setback.

Crosby visited with neurological spine specialist Dr. Robert S. Bray in Los Angeles this week as he continues treatment for symptoms that resurfaced during a loss to Boston on Dec. 5.

The 2009 league MVP missed more than 10 months after sustaining head shots in consecutive games in early January 2011. He returned on Nov. 21 and had 12 points in eight games before the symptoms resurfaced following a physical game against the Bruins.

The team says Bray found Crosby did have a concussion after taking shots to the head in successive games last January. Bray also discovered an unspecified neck injury, though Bray told the team the neck injury is "fully healed."

The team said Bray's findings will be evaluated by independent specialists.

General manager Ray Shero said at the All-Star game in Ottawa that Crosby had returned from California and that he was "optimistic" Crosby will play again this season.

"He's back in Pittsburgh now, hopefully we'll see next week where he is and we'll get the reports from California and compare notes to what's been done so far," Shero said.

Brisson said Crosby both looked and felt good while skating on his own last week, but there's no timetable as to when the player might be ready to play.

"Sidney's doing his best to be back playing as quick as he can and first of all safe," Brisson said. "His goal is to play hockey, and he'll play. The sooner the better."

The Canadian web site sportsnet.ca, citing unidentified sources, reported Crosby visited with a doctor in Utah, where an MRI revealed an abnormality in two vertebrae in Crosby's neck.

The 24-year-old Crosby acknowledged earlier this month he was still experiencing headaches and motion problems. He traveled to Atlanta recently to visit with Dr. Ted Carrick, a chiropractic neurologist who successfully treated Crosby last summer.

Crosby has been cleared for light exercise and skated with his teammates during a road trip through Florida two weeks ago.

The Penguins entered the All-Star break on a seven-game winning streak. Pittsburgh returns to practice Monday and will host Toronto on Tuesday night.

The team has stressed Crosby will not play until he is ready.

"The thing with Sidney is we want to continue to look to see how we can get this under control and manageable so he can return to play," Shero said. "As I said before he's not (playing) until those symptoms resolve but hopefully have him back at some point here soon."

___

AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Ottawa contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_sp_ho_ne/hkn_crosby_injury

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SmackDown live results - January 27, 2012

Refresh for the latest SmackDown match outcomes, videos and photos.

Aksana def. Natalya (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Brodus Clay def. Alex Riley (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Hunico def. Ted DiBiase (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett ended in a brutal No Contest (WATCH | PHOTOS)

WWE Tag Team Champions Primo & Epico def. Santino Marella & Yoshi Tatsu (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Sheamus def. Drew McIntyre (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes def. Justin Gabriel (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Just announced on SmackDown by General Manager Theodore Long: Big Show will battle Mark Henry in a gigantic main event later tonight, just two days before the Royal Rumble. (WATCH | PHOTOS)

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2012-01-27/live-results

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Late night poll: Do you hack your Android phone?

Hacking is half (or more) the fun for many an Android user.  With the right phone, you can change just about everything, making it have little resemblance to the way it came out of the box.  It's fun and addicting for the same reason computer tweaking and hacking is -- we do it because we can.  There's a good chance many of you guys reading this are the same way.  The simple fact that you found an Android site on the Internet makes you a more informed user, and you're exposed to all this hacking jazz.  

There's as good a chance that you're not into breaking hacking your phone.  We get that.  You like things well enough the way they are, and just use your phone.  We wanna hear from both sides this evening, so let us know in the poll.

 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/-QhbgTE0xFQ/story01.htm

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RolePlayGateway?

It's the last time that the students of Wellsville High are going to be in the same place at one time. The last time that they'll all be together, because within a few months, everything is going to change. People are moving away, going to colleges in different states, going on an around the world cruise, and getting a job that'll take up all of their time. This is the last chance they have, to right any wrongs, to sort out their problems with others, and get rid of all tension before it all ends.

For this six, it's their last chance.

*Aaron is the one hosting the party after graduation, the richest boy in the town, and the most popular boy at High School. He's the quater-back of the football team, and everything seemed perfect. He was the guy that everyone wanted to be, and was dating *Bella, the head cheerleader for three years. However, he recently cheated on her, sleeping with her best friend *Claire., the co-captain of the cheerleaders, behind her back for a few months. This, obviously devestated her, and caused her to run into the arms of *Daniel, the sweet, guitar playing student.She on the other hand, only slept with him because of *Edward. Whilst she has always had a problem with her, for being the head cheerleader, she has also always hated him. He bullied her when she was growing up, poking fun at her for being a "geek" when growing up. Finally, *Georgia is his little sister, the one that he hasn't spoken to since she slept with him, when she knew he was only using her for the fun. But then she got pregnant, and aborted it. He ran away, scared about what he would do about it. He isn't so innocent either, and has always had a crush on her. By sleeping with her, he thought that a new reputation would get him noticed by her, but it misfired.

---

"Didn't get any of that? Well;;"

*Aaron: - Reserved - Imagine That!
- The Cheater.
- Older brother to her, but they don't speak.
- Cheated on her with her best friend, her.
- Lost contact with him after he knocked up her.
- Still loves her, sincerely regrets what happened and wants her back. Hoping to get her jealous by inviting her to the party as his date.

*Bella: - Reserved - DarknessToDeath23
- The innocent.
- Ex-girlfriend of him
- Ran into the arms of him when he cheated on her.
- Now has a thing for him, despite his tries to get her back.
- Didn't know that she hated her until the affair happened. Now turned sour, she's a bitch to anyone that crosses her path and is on anti-depressants.

*Claire:
- The Deceiver.
- Has always had a hatred of her for always being the best.
- Seduced him to get back at her, for being more popular, and him for bullying her as a child.
- Has now grown feelings for him, and is trying to keep him from getting back with her.
- He is her best friend, and he put the idea of cheating in her head.

*Daniel:
- The Liar.
- Plotted with her to cause the break up of him and her.
- Has always had feelings for her, and thought the affair could gain her attention.
- Doesn't want him to know about his crush on her, as they used to be quite good friends.
- Also has a bit of a problem with drugs. Nothing too extreme, but still an addiction. Also loves his guitar.

*Edward:
- The Jerk.
- Slept with her, to get back at him. He had the girl that he wanted.
- She got pregnant, ruined the plan, and he ran away to South Carolina, to escape any consequences.
- Bullied her as a child for wearing braces and glasses, calling her a nerd and ruining her childhood happiness.
- Cousin of him, but was outcasted after her pregnancy.

"Georgia: - Reserved - Madmoiselle
- The Child.
- The youngest of the lot, his little sister.
- He got her pregnant, and left her alone, in the care of him. Now hates his guts.
- Isn't trusted by him any more, after her abortion, and now they don't speak to each other.
- Told her about the affair, and started off all of the turmoil.[/font]

*Names are subject to change <3

---

Code: Select all

[font=Georgia][center][size=200][color=ColorHere][b]Full Name here[/b][/color][/size][/center]
[right][img]RealisticImageHere[/img][/right]
[color=ColorHere][b]Nicknames[/b][/color] [size=85] Anything?[/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Age[/b][/color] [size=85]How old are you? (Seventeen to Twenty!)[/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Role[/b][/color] [size=85]What's your place in this story? (eg. Aaron, The Cheater.)[/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Likes[/b][/color] [size=85] Five minimum![/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Dislikes[/b][/color] [size=85] Five minimum![/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Fears[/b][/color] [size=85] Everyone has to be scared of something.[/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Quirks/b][/color] [size=85] Any little things specific to your character that we should know?[/size]

[color=ColorHere][b]Appearance[/b][/color] [size=85] Just a written description of your character, please.[/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Personality[/b][/color] [size=85] What are you like? [/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Your side of the story:[/b][/color] [size=85]In your own words, what happened between you and everyone else? What do you think about them?[/size]
[color=ColorHere][b]Other[/b][/color] [size=85]Is there anything else you think we need to know about your character?[/size][/font]

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway

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US panel mulls merge of NFL concussion suits

MIAMI (AP) ? An attorney for the NFL says former players should not be allowed to sue for damages over concussions they suffered because player safety issues are governed by the league's collective bargaining agreement.

NFL lawyer Beth Wilkinson said Thursday there are now 21 lawsuits filed in six states by more than 300 former players over head injuries. Some players are also suing helmet maker Riddell.

A federal judicial panel held a hearing in Miami on whether to consolidate the lawsuits before a single judge for pretrial matters. The leading choice is a judge in Philadelphia, where the first lawsuit was filed.

The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation typically issues decisions within a few weeks

Plaintiffs include former stars Ottis Anderson, Mark Duper, Tony Dorsett, Jim McMahon, Lem Barney and others.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-26-NFL%20Player%20Concussions-Lawsuits/id-61eb8aa9ac1048488cf767f57ddb0177

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Stocks mostly lower ahead of Fed policy statement (AP)

Stocks mostly fell early Wednesday ahead of a statement on interest rates from the Federal Reserve and a news conference by its chairman.

Traders also fretted about Greece's slow progress in talks with private bondholders aimed at reducing the nation's crushing debt load.

Tech stocks rose, bucking the wider market, after consumer electronics giant Apple Inc. reported a best-ever quarter driven by strong sales of iPhones and iPads.

Apple's stock jumped 6.8 percent, helping lift the Nasdaq composite index 4 points to 2,790. The Nasdaq is up 7.1 percent this year, more than twice the gain for the Dow Jones industrial average.

The Dow fell 80 points, or 0.6 percent, to 12,595 in the first half-hour of trading. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 6, or 0.5 percent, to 1,308. Information technology was the only rising sector of the ten in the S&P 500.

Shortly after noon, the Fed will offer details about how long it plans to keep interest rates very low, an important issue for financial companies that lend to consumers and businesses. Access to credit is vital for the economic recovery. Low interest rates also encourage investment in stocks by reducing the returns traders can earn from many bonds.

The Fed will also release an economic forecast later Wednesday, and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will take questions from reporters in his quarterly news conference.

European markets retreated earlier as Greece's bondholders held a closed-door meeting to discuss whether they will continue to negotiate with the crisis-stricken nation.

Greece wants the investors, mostly banks and hedge funds, to voluntarily write off about half of its debt. Otherwise, Greece will be unable to obtain needed bailout cash and will default. That could set off a financial crisis similar to the aftermath of Lehman Bros.' failure in 2008.

The main stock indexes in France, Britain and Germany fell more than a half-percent. Borrowing costs for Italy, Spain and France increased, a sign of traders' fears that the debt crisis will spread. Adding to gloom was a report that Britain's economy shrank by 0.2 percent in the fourth quarter.

Apple's gains followed news late Tuesday that it sold 37 million iPhones in its fiscal first quarter, the first period after the death of CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs. That was coupled with a big jump in iPad sales to 15.4 million, and a more modest increase in Mac sales.

Apple's net income leapt 118 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. Revenue soared 73 percent. Both results blew the doors off Wall Street's expectations.

Among the other companies making big moves after announcing earnings:

? US Airways Group Inc. jumped 13 percent and Delta Air Lines Inc. rose 9 percent. Both carriers reported earnings that were far better than Wall Street analysts expected. The airlines raised fares during the fourth quarter while keeping costs under control. Delta also cut the number of flights it makes to keep pace with demand.

? WellPoint Inc., the nation's largest health care insurer based on enrollment, fell 5 percent. The company's fourth-quarter earnings dropped 39 percent, far more than analysts had expected. The Indianapolis company's full-year forecast also fell short of Wall Street's forecasts. Medical claims, its largest expense, rose nearly 10 percent in the quarter.

___

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

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/us_wall_street

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Somali captors move US hostage after SEAL raid

This combination photo made from undated images provided by the Danish Refugee Council shows Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, left, and American Jessica Buchanan. U.S. military forces flew into Somalia in a nighttime raid Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 and freed the two hostages while killing nine pirates, officials and a pirate source said. (AP Photo/Danish Refugee Council)

This combination photo made from undated images provided by the Danish Refugee Council shows Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, left, and American Jessica Buchanan. U.S. military forces flew into Somalia in a nighttime raid Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 and freed the two hostages while killing nine pirates, officials and a pirate source said. (AP Photo/Danish Refugee Council)

Map locates area around the town of Adado, Somalia, where two hostages were rescued during a helicopter raid.

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) ? A group holding an American hostage in Somalia moved him at least three times in the day since U.S. Navy SEALs rescued an American and a Dane and killed their nine kidnappers, pirates said Thursday. The abductors said they would kill the hostage if they are attacked.

The high-profile rescue early Wednesday raised questions about whether the many other Western hostages held in Somalia have a greater chance at release ? or are in greater danger.

"If they try again we will all die all together," warned Hassan Abdi, a Somali pirate connected to the gang holding the American. "It's difficult to hold U.S. hostages, because it's a game of chance: die or get huge money. But we shall stick with our plans and will never release him until we get a ransom."

U.S. Navy SEALs parachuted into Somalia early Wednesday and hiked to where captors were holding American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Hagen Thisted, a 60-year-old Dane. A shootout ensued and nine captors were killed. Buchanan, Thisted and the U.S. troops were all unharmed. The two aid workers had been kidnapped by gunmen in October while working on demining projects for the Danish Refugee Council.

Buchanan and Thisted on Thursday were at the U.S. Naval Air Base at Sigonella, Sicily as part of their reintegration process, undergoing more complete medical examinations and debriefing. Officials could not immediately say how long they would stay there before returning home.

The U.S. government said the raid was prompted by Buchanan's deteriorating health. An ailing Frenchwoman kidnapped by Somali gunmen died in captivity last year after not having access to her medication.

"Holding hostages in one place is unlikely now because we are the next target," Abdi said, referring to the raid in a phone conversation with The Associated Press. He expressed concern that the U.S. had pirate informants.

"It wasn't just a hit and run operation, but long planned with the help of insiders among us," Abdi said, noting the soldiers had struck at the time when the pirates were least on their guard.

The gang has moved an American kidnapped on Saturday in the northern Somali town of Galkayo three times in the last 24 hours, he said.

Other hostages held in Somalia include a British tourist and two Spanish aid workers seized in neighboring Kenya, a French military adviser and 155 sailors of various nationalities hijacked by pirates at sea.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders, known as Medecins Sans Frontieres, employed the two Spanish women. The group said it is pleased that Buchanan and Thisted were freed and that MSF is still seeking the liberation of its workers, Montserrat Serra and Blanca Theibaut. It hinted, though, that it views military raids as risky.

"MSF strongly favors the nonviolent resolution of such cases, as the use of force endangers the lives of the hostages and may result in the tragic loss of human lives," the group said. "We call upon the Somali population, especially the local authorities in control of the areas where the two are held, to do everything in their power to assist in their safe release."

It's not always clear what group is holding a captive in Somalia. Hostages have sometimes been sold from one gang to another. Captives can be held for long stretches: Two journalists from Canada and Australia were held for 15 months before being released in 2009, and the French military adviser has been missing for more than two years.

The security community is divided over whether the U.S. raid would make life more difficult for other captives, one Western official in Kenya said, or whether the killings of the nine captors might make pirates think twice about launching future operations. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

On Wednesday evening, hours after the U.S. military raid, the gang holding the American kidnapped on Saturday started circulating false rumors that they had executed him.

Another security official who has years of experience in the region said it is likely the men holding the American would move him onto a ship with other foreign hostages, because ships were easier to defend and planning rescue operations is more complicated when there are hostages from other countries involved.

The official also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. At least one pirate agreed with his analysis.

"I think land captivity is going to end now. Sea is much safer," pirate Mohamed Nur said by phone from the coastal town of Hobyo. "Even ships are not very safe but you can at least hit back and resist."

Americans have been captured by Somali pirate gangs before. In 2009, the cargo vessel Maersk Alabama was briefly hijacked before pirates took to the lifeboat with the ship's captain, who was rescued after Navy sharpshooters killed the pirates.

But in a sign that pirates are getting increasingly violent ? and perhaps jittery ? four Americans onboard a hijacked yacht were killed last February. It's still unclear why the hostages were shot. Two of the pirates had already boarded a U.S. warship shadowing the yacht.

Several senior pirates condemned Wednesday's U.S. raid, which was authorized by President Barack Obama, and at least one warned that any other U.S. hostages might suffer as a result.

"They send hit squads and kill all they want, so there is no way we will care for their people (hostages) while they are killing us. They will see the aftereffects and reap the results of their actions," said Bile Hussein, a Somali pirate commander.

A spokesman for Somalia's weak U.N.-backed government said the pirates had got what they deserved.

"Pirates have no place in our society," Abdirahman Omar Osman told AP. "This is a huge and unforgettable lesson for them."

___

Associated Press writers Jason Straziuso and Katharine Houreld in Nairobi, Kenya contributed to this report.

___

Follow Katharine Houreld at http://twitter.com/khoureld

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-26-AF-Somalia-Raid/id-92578797f5c24194b33d426f2c83a8b6

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iPhone, iPad app rewards being a couch potato

This product image provided by Function Inc., shows the Viggle App for iPhone. When you tap the screen, Viggle's software for iPhones and iPads listens to what's on, recognizes what you're watching and gives you credit at roughly two points per minute. It even works for shows you've saved on a digital video recorder. Rack up 7,500 points, and you'll be rewarded with a $5 gift card from retailers such as Burger King, Starbucks, Apple's iTunes, Best Buy and CVS, which you can redeem directly from your device. (AP Photo/Function Inc.)

This product image provided by Function Inc., shows the Viggle App for iPhone. When you tap the screen, Viggle's software for iPhones and iPads listens to what's on, recognizes what you're watching and gives you credit at roughly two points per minute. It even works for shows you've saved on a digital video recorder. Rack up 7,500 points, and you'll be rewarded with a $5 gift card from retailers such as Burger King, Starbucks, Apple's iTunes, Best Buy and CVS, which you can redeem directly from your device. (AP Photo/Function Inc.)

This product image provided by Function Inc., shows the Viggle App for iPhone. When you tap the screen, Viggle's software for iPhones and iPads listens to what's on, recognizes what you're watching and gives you credit at roughly two points per minute. It even works for shows you've saved on a digital video recorder. Rack up 7,500 points, and you'll be rewarded with a $5 gift card from retailers such as Burger King, Starbucks, Apple's iTunes, Best Buy and CVS, which you can redeem directly from your device. (AP Photo/Function Inc.)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Want to earn stuff by watching TV? An app for that is set to debut Wednesday.

When you tap the screen, Viggle's software for iPhones and iPads listens to what's on, recognizes what you're watching and gives you credit at roughly two points per minute. It even works for shows you've saved on a digital video recorder.

Rack up 7,500 points, and you'll be rewarded with a $5 gift card from retailers such as Burger King, Starbucks, Apple's iTunes, Best Buy and CVS, which you can redeem directly from your device.

With some back-of-the-napkin math, you can figure that it would take three weeks of watching TV every night for three hours to earn enough for a latte at Starbucks.

But the company plans to offer bonus points for checking into certain shows such as "American Idol" and 1,500 points for signing up. You can also get extra points for watching an ad on your device. The beta version awarded 100 points for watching a 15-second ad from Verizon Wireless.

"Viggle is the first loyalty program for TV," said Chris Stephenson, president of the company behind Viggle, Function (X) Inc. "We're basically allowing people to get rewards for doing something they're doing already and that they love to do."

The idea behind Viggle is that by giving people an added reason to watch TV, the size of the audience will increase, thereby allowing makers of shows to earn more money from advertisers. Advertisers such as Burger King, Pepsi and Gatorade have also agreed to pay to have point-hungry users watch their ads on a mobile device.

In exchange, users earn points, which Viggle converts into real value by buying gift cards at a slight discount from retailers.

If the company gets the point-count economy right, it can end up making more money from advertisers and networks than it gives away in rewards.

The app will also give the company valuable insight into who is watching what, as redeeming rewards requires putting in your age, gender, email address and ZIP code.

"It really shows what social TV is going to evolve into," said Michael Gartenberg, a technology analyst at research firm Gartner. "For folks behind the scenes, this is a great way of seeing who really is watching."

The company hopes that user activity will grow by word of mouth, especially by offering a 200-point bonus to people who successfully get their friends to try out the service.

The app makes its debut in Apple Inc.'s app store on Wednesday. Versions for Android devices and computers are in the works.

The company has put in some safeguards. You must watch a show at least 10 minutes to earn bonus points. And you can't watch the same ad over and over again to earn more points; there's a one-ad-view-per-person rule.

Function (X) is owned and led by entertainment entrepreneur Robert F.X. Sillerman, who once owned a big stake in "American Idol" owner CKx Inc. That gives the company deep and broad connections in the entertainment business.

Function (X) has brought in $100 million in investment capital, and its stock trades on the Pink Sheets, a platform that allows people to buy shares but doesn't require the company release its financial results. Function (X) currently has a market value of about $1 billion.

.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-25-Rewards%20for%20Watching%20TV/id-54a08a2945654f7985febf99d9752f03

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Government informant testifies in Ariz. bomb trial

FILE - In this March 30, 2004, file photo, Don Logan, director of Scottsdsale's Diversity and Dialogue Office, speaks at a news conference , at the Human Resources Complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., after Logan returning to work a month after a package bomb exploded in his hands. A trial is set to begin Tuesday for two white supremacist brothers charged in the 2004 bombing that injured the city official with wounds to his right forearm and ring finger. (AP Photo/East Valley Tribune, Emily Piraino, File)

FILE - In this March 30, 2004, file photo, Don Logan, director of Scottsdsale's Diversity and Dialogue Office, speaks at a news conference , at the Human Resources Complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., after Logan returning to work a month after a package bomb exploded in his hands. A trial is set to begin Tuesday for two white supremacist brothers charged in the 2004 bombing that injured the city official with wounds to his right forearm and ring finger. (AP Photo/East Valley Tribune, Emily Piraino, File)

PHOENIX (AP) ? A government informant who used her good looks and feminine wiles to befriend two white supremacist brothers charged with bombing a black city official took the witness stand Tuesday in their trial, describing how the men fell so hard for her that one wanted to father her child.

The woman, identified in court records as Rebecca Williams, spent about five years talking with identical twins Dennis and Daniel Mahon, surreptitiously recording their conversations and getting them to open up about the plot with a series of provocative acts.

She moved into a trailer at an Oklahoma campground where the brothers were staying, displayed a Confederate flag and sent the men racy photos, including one showing her in a bikini top with a grenade hanging between her breasts. A pickup truck and a swastika were in the background of the photo.

She works in a motorcycle shop and was recruited by the lead agent in the bombing case to befriend the brothers in hopes that they would admit to her that they committed the bombing. Williams received $45,000 for working as an informant on the case over a five-year period and was promised $100,000 if the brothers are convicted.

Defense attorneys have criticized Williams' behavior around the Mahons and dubbed her the "trailer park Mata Hari" ? a reference to the Dutch exotic dancer who was convicted of working as a spy for Germany during World War I.

Defense attorneys showed the jurors some of the photos, one of which showed Williams in a leather jacket, fishnet stockings and a thong that completely exposed her buttocks, along with a note that said, "Thought you'd love the butt shot," court records said.

Attorney Deborah Williams said that prosecutors can only prove that her client, Dennis Mahon, was involved in "a conspiracy of lust."

The brothers eyed Rebecca Williams as she walked into the courtroom for the first time Tuesday and swore to tell the truth. She wore a gray pantsuit with a dress shirt buttoned up to her neck, black high heels and had her long, dark hair pulled up.

She said that she and the brothers had sexual conversations that were mostly joking in nature, but that Dennis Mahon told her he wanted her to have his baby and made sexual advances to her one night when he stayed in her hotel room.

She said she repeatedly turned him down, and that on the night in question, she was wearing a full pajama set and that nothing happened.

The Mahon brothers, both of Davis Junction, Ill., have pleaded not guilty to the 2004 bombing of Don Logan, Scottsdale's diversity director at the time. Logan's hand and arm were injured, and a secretary was hurt.

Logan was in court Tuesday, sitting about 20 feet from the brothers.

Since the trial began earlier this month, jurors have heard recordings of the Mahons using racial epithets for black and Hispanic people and saying that violence is the only answer for white men.

Williams testified that Dennis Mahon told her about his group, White Aryan Resistance, soon after they met at the Oklahoma campground.

She said investigators had her act like a separatist who was fleeing an arrest warrant and was interested in learning about Aryan resistance and about how to make a bomb so she could use one on a child molester that she knew. But that story was a ruse designed to get the brothers to open up to Williams, who also was chosen as an informant for her good looks.

Williams lives in Arizona and testified that she has worked various odd jobs, including raising animals, waitressing, bartending, doing drywall and housecleaning. Court records say she now works in a motorcycle shop.

While Williams was on the stand, prosecutors played conversations between her and Dennis Mahon, and voicemails he left for her.

In the messages, Mahon refers to Don Logan using a racial slur and tells her that he helped Scottsdale police officers make the bomb.

"Don Logan must have a death wish," he said. "The vast majority of white officers hated that bastard's guts so maybe next time they'll splatter that bastard's innards all over the hallways."

In one conversation, Dennis Mahon is heard telling Rebecca Williams about a gun show and being able to purchase something "horrifying" that will "change peoples' minds real quick" for about $200, although he does not mention specifics.

In another conversation, he tells her to "set your targets high."

"Don't just shoot some damn Mexican ? take out these politicians," he said.

Earlier Tuesday, a bomb scare disrupted the proceedings. A U.S. marshal saw a small metal container in a planter and part of the building was evacuated. No one was allowed to leave or enter the building as it was examined.

The container turned out to have marijuana inside.

Defense attorneys for the Mahons argued the incident would scare jurors and taint their eventual verdict, so they asked for a mistrial.

Judge David Campbell questioned all 16 jurors and alternates about whether it concerned any of them or would affect their decision-making. They all said no.

___

Follow Amanda Lee Myers on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AmandaLeeAP .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-24-Scottsdale%20Bombing-Trial/id-8611f350cc784a10b37199b8a335e6d2

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FACT CHECK: Gingrich flubs history in GOP debate (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Newt Gingrich called rival Mitt Romney a "terrible historian" but flubbed his own history in Congress on Monday night when he claimed the nation ran four consecutive budget surpluses during his time as House speaker. Romney attacked Gingrich's financial links to Freddie Mac while ignoring his own.

The accusations were fast out of the gate in the latest Republican presidential debate, and reality got tromped in the process.

A look at some of claims and how they compare with the facts:

___

GINGRICH: "When I was speaker, we had four consecutive balanced budgets."

THE FACTS: Actually, two.

The four straight years of budget surpluses were 1998 through 2001. Gingrich left Congress in 1999, so he only had a hand in surpluses for his last two years. The budget ran deficits for his first two years as speaker.

The highest surplus of that four-year string came in budget year 2000, after Gingrich was out of office.

Overall, the national debt went up during the four years Gingrich was speaker. In January 1995, when he assumed the leadership position, the gross national debt was $4.8 trillion. When he left four years later, it was $5.6 trillion, an increase of $800 billion.

___

ROMNEY: "I don't think we can possibly retake the White House if the person who's leading our party is the person who was working for the chief lobbyist of Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac was paying Speaker Gingrich $1.6 million at the same time Freddie Mac was costing the people of Florida millions upon millions of dollars."

THE FACTS: While going after Gingrich forcefully on the issue, Romney did not mention his own earnings from the government-backed lender and its sister entity, Fannie Mae, which came to light in his most recent financial disclosure report.

The report shows he has as much as $500,000 invested in the two lenders. GOP presidential hopefuls almost across the board have blamed the two institutions for contributing to the housing crisis that helped to drag the nation into recession. Among Romney's ties: a mutual fund worth up to $500,000 that includes assets from both lenders among other government income, and separate investments in each of the lenders in Romney's individual retirement account, each worth between $100,000 and $250,000.

Romney campaign officials said Monday the investments were handled by a trustee with no direction by the candidate.

___

GINGRICH: "I left the speakership after the 1998 election because I took responsibility for the fact that our results weren't as good as they should be. I think that's what a leader should do. I took responsibility. And I didn't want to stay around, as Nancy Pelosi has. I wanted to get out and do other things."

ROMNEY: "He had to resign in disgrace."

RON PAUL: "I think the reason he didn't...run for speaker, you know, two years later ? he didn't have the votes. That was what the problem was. So this idea that he voluntarily reneged and he was going to punish himself because we didn't do well in the election, that's just not the way it was."

THE FACTS: Gingrich didn't exactly resign in disgrace after he became the first speaker reprimanded and fined for ethics violations, slapped with a $300,000 penalty, in January 1997. He limped to re-election as speaker after that. But his number was soon up.

Within months, he was fending off a revolt from fellow Republicans weary of his antics and mercurial ways.

As Paul suggested in the debate, unexpected GOP losses in the 1998 elections were the last straw for Gingrich in the eyes of House Republicans. Three days later Gingrich announced he was stepping down as speaker and giving up his seat in Congress.

Paul's recollection now is supported by some of Gingrich's words back then. He told Republicans, "I'm willing to lead but I'm not willing to preside over people who are cannibals," sounding less like a man interested in a career change than one intent on escaping a boiling pot.

___

ROMNEY: "Our Navy is now smaller than any time since 1917. And the president is building roughly nine ships a year. We ought to raise that to 15 ships a year. Under this president, under prior presidents, we keep on shrinking our Navy."

The FACTS: Romney is correct about the size of the Navy, but the numbers alone don't tell the story.

At 285 ships the Navy is small by its own historical standards but still larger than the navies of the next several nations combined. These days, it's not how many ships but what they can do. There is a longstanding trend toward smaller numbers of more complex and expensive vessels.

Still, the Navy has noted the smaller size of the current fleet and plans to add 28 ships over several years. The shrinking of the fleet size has spanned Republican and Democratic administrations, as the Navy restructures and plans for the addition of new platforms.

___

RICK SANTORUM: "One of (my proposals) would be to be able to deduct losses from the sale of your home. Right now you can't do that. You have to pay gains, depending on the amount, but you can't deduct the losses, as other capital losses can be."

THE FACTS: For a brief description, it was accurate. What Santorum did not explain, in appealing to Floridians who have one of the worst housing markets in the country, is that the tax code is already stacked in favor of home ownership.

Homeowners get many tax breaks from the government, most notably mortgage interest and property tax deductions. Under federal law, when you sell your private residence, you can make up to $250,000 in profit ? $500,000 if you are married ? and not owe any capital gains taxes. That's a large tax break. There's no such break if you have such a profit in selling stocks or works of art.

But there is a trade-off: You can't claim a loss when you sell your private residence.

___

ROMNEY: President Barack Obama's $814 billion economic stimulus program "didn't create private-sector jobs."

THE FACTS: There is no support for that assertion. Between 1.2 million and 3.7 million full-time-equivalent jobs were created last year because of the stimulus, according to an August 2011 report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Meanwhile, another government report found the stimulus program has paid $34.5 billion in tax incentives to businesses, including $260 million to hire younger, unemployed war veterans.

Economists debate whether the stimulus lived up to its promise or was worth the cost, but no one seriously argues that it created no jobs. Many believe it helped to end the recession even while falling short of its employment goals.

___

Associated Press writers Tom Raum, Jim Drinkard, Anne Gearan and Jack Gillum contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_el_pr/us_republicans_debate_fact_check

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RNC spoils Obama???s big day with swing-state attack ad (Daily Caller)

The Republican National Committee (RNC) released a new TV ad in several swing states on Tuesday morning that uses Barack Obama?s own words against him and aims to knock some of the presidential glitter off of tonight?s campaign-themed State of the Union speech.

?The president will use his address to campaign and continue to make the same failed promises we?ve seen for the past three years,? said a statement from Kirsten Kukowski, an RNC spokeswoman. But his speech also ?presents us with an opportunity to speak directly to voters in those key battleground states about what the state of our union really is,? she said.

The ad is being broadcast in the D.C. media marketplace, in two swing states ? Virginia and North Carolina ? and in Michigan, where Obama is slated to give an education policy speech Jan. 26.

?We?re going into Michigan to show voters how vulnerable this president is in what many would consider his own backyard,? said Kukowski.

The dark-toned and dramatically scored 30-second ad begins by highlighting Obama?s Feb. 2009 statement ? ?If I don?t have this done in four years, then there?s going to be a one-term proposition? ? and immediately contrasts it with his economic record.

Former President Bill Clinton is shown saying that ?things are not going in the right direction: They?re going in the wrong direction.? Obama gets the final cut, declaring on video that ?I don?t think they?re better off than they were four years ago.?

Watch the new RNC ad:

The ad?s reliance on Democrats? comments about Obama is likely to be a feature of the RNC?s 2012 media campaign, partly because the public finds inter-party accusations untrustworthy.

?Barack Obama has a lot of a explaining to do in tonight?s State of the Union Address,? said a statement from RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.

?The day after he delivers his State of the Union Address, Barack Obama will be jetting off to five states he wants to win to be reelected ? [but] the American people need a president who will focus on the single most important issue in the country: fixing our economy,? said his statement.

Join the conversation

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Cooley leads Irish upset of No. 1 Syracuse (AP)

SOUTH BEND, Ind. ? Jack Cooley scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Saturday night as Notre Dame upset No. 1 Syracuse 67-58 and handed the Orange their first loss after 20 straight victories.

Fans stormed the court after the Irish's rousing victory. It was the eighth time Notre Dame has beaten a No. 1 team ? that ties for fourth-most all-time, with North Carolina having the most with 12.

The Orange (20-1, 7-1) played without starting center Fab Melo, who did not make the trip and will not play Monday against Cincinnati.

Without Melo in the middle, the 6-foot-9, 248-pound Cooley was a major force for Notre Dame (12-8, 4-3) and the Irish won the rebound battle 38-25.

Melo had started all 20 of the Orange's first games, was their leading rebounder with 5.7 a game, averaged 7.2 points and three blocks. School officials gave no explanation why the talented center did not make the trip. C.J. Fair started for the Orange.

James Southerland scored 15 points for Syracuse, which shot just 34 percent and had its lowest scoring game of the season. Scott Martin added 13 for Notre Dame, which hit 50 percent of its field-goal attempts.

Southerland's 3-pointer with 53.9 seconds left brought the Orange to within 62-56 before the Irish held on as Jerian Grant sank four free throws in the final 32 seconds.

It was the first time the Irish have beaten a top-ranked team since 1987 when they defeated North Carolina, also in South Bend. One of the Irish's most dramatic victories over a No. 1 came in 1974, when they stopped UCLA's 88-game winning streak by 71-70.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was denied his 877th career victory, which would have put him in sole possession of fourth place among Division I men's coaches.

Notre Dame led in the first half by as many as 18 and was up 35-23 at the half, shooting 54.4 percent and holding the Orange to 2.6 (8-for-18). Syracuse was only 4-of-13 from the 3-point line and was beaten on the boards 20-13 as Notre Dame seemed to be half step quicker.

Syracuse got off to a better second-half start and whittled the lead to eight less than three minutes in. But Martin hit another 3-pointer for the Irish as the shot clock was winding down and Cooley ? benefiting from Melo's absence ? bulled his way in for a layup to restore the lead to 12. Cooley then dropped in two free throws and Martin again sank a 3-pointer and the Irish were rolling with a 17-point lead.

The Orange then went on a 9-2 run and Kris Joseph's 3-pointer made it a 10-point game with 7:43 to go. Syracuse again cut it to eight before Cooley roared down the court for a dunk with just over five minutes left.

Triche's three-point play with 2:24 left cut it to seven as the Orange made a final run.

Pat Connaughton, inserted into the Irish starting lineup, had a pair of 3s in the early going and Notre Dame bolted to an 11-2 lead.

Notre Dame kept up the long-range accuracy, making four of its first six attempts. And when Eric Atkins grabbed a rebound and went the length of the floor for a layup, the Irish were up 21-10 as the fans at Purcell Pavilion went wild.

And without Melo in the middle, the Irish were all over the boards with an early 13-4 advantage.

Atkins picked up his third foul with 9:04 left, but Jerian Grant's 3-pointer gave the Irish a two-touchdown lead at 28-14.

The Orange missed 14 of their first 19 field-goal attempts and nothing was falling. Tom Knight's left-handed shot in the lane doubled the score, putting the Irish up 32-16.

Alex Dragicevich's 3-pointer as the shot clock was running down put the Irish up 35-18 with 1:12 left in the half. Dion Waiters then responded with a pair of quick 3-pointers to get the Orange to within 12 at the end of a frustrating first half.

The 23 points represented the Orange's lowest-scoring half of the season.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/bkc_t25_syracuse_notre_dame

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Romney Will Release 2010 Tax Returns And 2011 Estimates On Tuesday

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bending, halfway, to political pressures, Mitt Romney pledged on Sunday to release his most recent year of tax returns this coming week as well as an estimate for his upcoming filings.

In an interview on "Fox News Sunday," the former Massachusetts governor said his campaign would be putting out tax information for 2010 and projections for 2011 on Tuesday.

"I was planning on releasing them in April when they have been released by other candidates in the past," Romney said to the show's host Chris Wallace. "But given all the attention that has been focused on tax returns, given the distraction that I think they became in these last couple weeks -- Look, I'm going to make it very clear to you right now, Chris. I will release my tax returns for 2010, which is the last returns that were completed. I will do that on Tuesday this week."

"I will also, release at the same time, an estimate for 2011 tax returns," Romney added. "So you will have two years, people will have a good look at it. We will put it on the website. And you can go through the pages. I think we just made a mistake in holding off as long as we did. It was a distraction. We want to get back to the real issues in the campaign."

This is undoubtedly a big shift for Romney, who just one month ago was saying he doubted that he would make any tax returns public, only to then say he'd wait until April to do so. But it's also a piecemeal bit of disclosure. One year of tax returns might match the amount that Newt Gingrich has offered (it bests Rep. Ron Paul) but it falls well short of the standard set by Romney's father when he launched his presidential bid. And it certainly doesn't give voters the type of comprehensive insight into how he made his money and the rate he paid for taxes during his post-Bain Capital career.

"Well that would be more than any other Republican candidate," Romney said, when pressed to disclose more than one year. "I'm not going to go back to my dad's years. That was even before the Internet. We will be putting our returns on the Internet. People can look through them. It will provide, I think, plenty of information for people to understand that the sources of my income are exactly as described in the financial disclosure statements that we put out several months ago."

Appearing on "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning, Newt Gingrich reacted in real time: "I think that?s a very good thing he is doing and I commend him for it," he said, according to a tweet from the show's executive producer, Betsy Fischer.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/22/romney-tax-returns_n_1221889.html

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