Colbert's Super PAC has raised over $1 million

FILE- This Thursday, June 30, 2011 file photo shows comedian Stephen Colbert as he appears before the Federal Election Commission in Washington. Colbert's ?super? PAC has raised a staggering $1 million. Political action committees were required to submit their financial reports to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. Colbert disclosed that as of Monday, his Americans for a Better Tomorrow PAC has raised $1,023,121.24. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

FILE- This Thursday, June 30, 2011 file photo shows comedian Stephen Colbert as he appears before the Federal Election Commission in Washington. Colbert's ?super? PAC has raised a staggering $1 million. Political action committees were required to submit their financial reports to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. Colbert disclosed that as of Monday, his Americans for a Better Tomorrow PAC has raised $1,023,121.24. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stephen Colbert's sway in the presidential election might be a joke, but he's got some real financial muscle.

The comedian disclosed Tuesday that his Americans for a Better Tomorrow "super" political action committee has raised a staggering $1.02 million. PACs were required to submit their financial reports to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday.

In a letter to the commission, Colbert was quoted as saying, "How you like me now, FEC?"

"I'm rolling seven digits deep!" Colbert said. "I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain't one!"

Colbert raised the money by asking for donations from viewers of "The Colbert Report." He has used the PAC to highlight what he considers the absurdity of campaign finance law and, in particular, the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations and unions to raise limitless money to run campaign ads.

"We raised it on my show and used it to materially influence the elections ? in full accordance with the law," Colbert said in a press release. "It's the way our founding fathers would have wanted it, if they had founded corporations instead of just a country."

When Colbert earlier flirted with running for president, he legally transferred control of his PAC to Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show." On Monday's "The Colbert Report," he elaborately hunted down Stewart to regain his PAC presidency.

Colbert said Tuesday that the PAC is considering yet another name change to: John Colbert Cougar Super MellenPAC.

On "The Report," Colbert has portrayed every turn of the screw in the life of a political action committee, going through the minutia of the law with his attorney, Trevor Potter, former Federal Election Commission chairman.

Thus far, his PAC has created a handful of television ads, including an over-the-top negative ad against Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and an anti-players ad during the NBA lockout.

Tuesday's FEC filing also revealed the donors who gave more than $200 to Colbert's PAC. Among them are Gavin Newsom, lieutenant governor of California (who gave $500), Bradley Whitford of the "The West Wing" ($250) and "Hot in Cleveland" star Laura Sangiacomo ($250).

Colbert is yet to say what he intends to do with his money.

___

Online:

http://www.fec.gov/disclosure.shtml

http://www.colbertsuperpac.com/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-31-Colbert-Super%20PAC/id-9403fabc2bb049b8982c4173b50bb293

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Gingrich stays on attack in Florida with one day left (Reuters)

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (Reuters) ? U.S. Republican Newt Gingrich scrambled to revive his fading hopes in Florida on Monday, lashing out at rival Mitt Romney as a liberal party insider the day before the state's crucial presidential primary.

Polls showed Romney with a commanding lead in the state, where Gingrich's attacks on the former head of a private equity firm as an elite friend of Wall Street have failed to make an impression with Republicans who cast ballots on Tuesday.

Gingrich kept up the offensive on the campaign trail and in television interviews on Monday, pledging to stay in the White House race for the long haul and insisting Republicans eventually would rally to his candidacy.

"On big philosophical issues, he is for all practical purposes a liberal and I am a conservative and that's what this fight is going to be about all the way to the convention," he said of Romney on "CBS This Morning."

A win in Florida would be a vital boost for Romney, who was backed last week by several prominent conservatives and party leaders worried a Gingrich nomination would doom Republicans in the general election against President Barack Obama.

Gingrich said heavy spending by Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and the Super PAC that supports Romney had killed the momentum Gingrich built with a double-digit win over Romney on January 21 in South Carolina.

"He can bury me for a very short amount of time with four or five or six times as much money, most of it raised in Wall Street from the guys who got bailouts from the government," Gingrich said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

A Quinnipiac University poll of likely Florida voters released on Monday indicated Romney has a 14-point advantage over Gingrich with broad-based support from across the Republican coalition including self-described conservatives, white evangelical Christians and Tea Party supporters.

Other polls also have shown Romney opening up a double-digit lead on Gingrich, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"If this margin holds up tomorrow, it's hard to see where Gingrich goes from here," Quinnipiac pollster Peter Brown said.

But the Gingrich campaign worked to spread the idea he was staying in the race long-term. "This race is just getting started," Martin Baker, Gingrich's national political director, said in a memo to reporters.

At least 1,114 delegates are needed to secure the Republican nomination in August. Florida is the largest state to hold a presidential primary so far this year, and 50 delegates are at stake in a winner-take-all format that will decide who faces Democratic President Barack Obama in November.

'LONG WAY TO GO'

But Baker said even a Romney win in Florida will give him just 7 percent of the delegates needed to claim the nomination. The next contest after Florida will be Nevada on Saturday, followed by Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri on February 7.

"There is a long way to go before either candidate clinches the nomination, and this campaign will continue for months," he said. "The campaign is shifting to a new phase where opportunities are not limited to a single state."

Talking to reporters on Monday, Romney noted Gingrich's growing interest in the campaign's long haul.

"That's usually an indication that you think you're gonna lose. When you say 'I'm gonna go on no matter what happens,' that's usually not a good sign," Romney said.

Gingrich said opposition to his candidacy by party insiders was a badge of honor and a sign of how threatening his candidacy was the elite.

"They recognize I'm a genuine outsider. I know a lot about Washington having served as speaker but have none of the establishment ties and I will shake the system up. They don't want to be shaken up," he said on CBS.

Both candidates crisscrossed Florida in a final hunt for votes on Monday. The two other remaining Republican contenders, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum and U.S. Representative Ron Paul, are looking beyond Florida to the next races in Minnesota, Colorado and Nevada.

After bickering with Romney over which of them was best suited to extend former President Ronald Reagan's legacy of conservatism, Gingrich brought Reagan's son, Michael, with him on the campaign trail on Monday to bolster his case.

Gingrich said Reagan's presence should end questions from the party establishment about his links to Reagan.

"I figured if his son was prepared to campaign with me, for anybody with an open mind, that should settle that issue once and for all," Gingrich said in Jacksonville.

Reagan said he owed Gingrich a campaign appearance "because of what he's done for the Republican Party over the years. I remember him back in the 1980s during the Reagan revolution."

(Additional reporting by Sam Youngman, Susan Heavey; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Mary Milliken and Doina Chiacu)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/ts_nm/us_usa_campaign

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Frugal senators return office funds to U.S. (Politico)

Sen. Rand Paul made a big show of it: He called a news conference and unveiled a Publishers Clearinghouse-size check for $500,000, the amount of unspent office funds he was returning to the U.S. Treasury after his first year in office.

Just doing his part to reduce the deficit, right? But Paul (R-Ky.) isn?t special ? virtually every senator returns a few bucks to the treasury each year from their office budget ? and some have become pretty aggressive about showing their fiscal fortitude.

Continue Reading

During the past three years, Sen. Richard Shelby has returned more money to taxpayers than any other senator ? about 40 percent or $1.2 million a year ? according to a POLITICO analysis of all Senate office budgets. Sen. Barbara Boxer has consistently given back the least: less than 1 percent each year.

The gulf between Shelby, an Alabama Republican, and Boxer, a California Democrat, reflects a philosophical divide in Congress about how much money lawmakers need to effectively represent their states and constituents as the debate rages over the proper size and scope of the federal government.

But the office budget stats don?t necessarily play to stereotypes about fiscal conservatives versus Big Government liberals. The most frugal senators after Shelby in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 were Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), who returned a combined 34.3 percent of his budget; Jim Risch (R-Idaho) at 25.1 percent; Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) at 23.6 percent; and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) at 23.5 percent.

Don?t mistake Shelby?s thriftiness for inaction, his spokesman warned. Since his election to the Senate in 1986, Shelby has attended 1,681 town halls. And what about his 23-member staff, split between Washington and five offices in Alabama? It?s ?lean and efficient but well paid,? spokesman Jonathan Graffeo said.

Other senators seem content to use virtually all the office money they?re allotted.

During those same fiscal years, Boxer returned 0.65 percent of her budget; Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), a member of the bipartisan Gang of Six deficit-cutting group, returned 0.86 percent; former Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) gave back 0.89 percent; Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) returned 0.92 percent; and Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) tied at slightly more than 1 percent.

Boxer?s office is unapologetic about its spending.

?We have always dedicated our resources to serving the 38 million people who live throughout California,? spokesman Andy Stone said, ?whether it?s helping thousands of homeowners avoid foreclosure, ensuring that veterans and seniors get the benefits they deserve or responding to the millions of calls and emails we receive each year from constituents.?

Overall, Senate Republicans returned about 11.7 percent of their $269 million in available office funds and Democrats returned about 8.3 percent of their budgeted amount of $390 million over the past two years, according to a POLITICO analysis of salaries, travel, rent, supplies and other expenses published by the secretary of the Senate.

This analysis did not take into account funding for Senate committees.

Of course, the total savings by Senate offices in those two fiscal years ? about $64 million ? won?t even nick the surface of the nation?s $15 trillion debt. But some senators said it?s crucial for lawmakers to lead by example. Republicans, in particular, have called for extending the two-year pay freeze for federal workers an extra year to pay for the cost of the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits package.

?If Congress is not prepared to show leadership, I think it undermines your ability to ask other people to sacrifice,? Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the Budget Committee, told POLITICO. Sessions returned roughly 9 percent of his budget in 2009 and 2010. He gave back more than 15 percent in fiscal year 2011, though figures for last year are incomplete since many senators are still in the process of submitting expenses.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/politico_rss/rss_politico_mostpop/http___www_politico_com_news_stories0112_72184_html/44360771/SIG=11mv9milm/*http%3A//www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72184.html

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WrestleMania XXVIII Axxess tickets now available

The ultimate interactive WWE fan experience ? WrestleMania Axxess ? is coming to Miami from March 29 - April 1 at the Miami Beach Convention Center (Hall D). This is one event WWE fans of all ages will want to be part of! (WATCH)

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Children 3 years and under - FREE

*Prices are PER SESSION and do not include applicable fees or sales tax.

WrestleMania XXVII Axxess photos
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/28/axxess-tickets

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EU leaders to discuss growth as Greece case looms (AP)

BRUSSELS ? European leaders will try to come up with ways to boost growth and create badly-needed jobs, which are being squeezed by steep budget cuts across the continent, when they meet in Brussels on Monday.

The 27 EU leaders on Monday will also look to find common ground on a new treay to toughen budget spending. The elephant in the room, though, will be Greece.

Greece and investors who own its bonds have come closer to a deal to significantly reduce the country's debt and pave the way for it to receive a much-needed euro130 billion bailout.

Negotiators for the investors said Saturday a debt-reduction deal could become final within the next week. If the agreement works as planned, it could help Greece remain solvent and help Europe avoid a blow to its already weak financial system, even though banks and other bond investors will have to accept multibillion-dollar losses.

Still, it doesn't resolve the weakening economic conditions in Greece and other European nations as they rein in spending to get their debts under control.

Athens' euro partners have grown frustrated with its slack implementation of spending cuts and reforms almost two years after first receiving international aid.

Without an agreement, bankruptcy would loom large for Greece and raise a big question mark over the euro currency shared by 17 nations.

Another divisive issue is a German proposal that debt-ridden Greece temporarily cede sovereignty over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts.

The idea was quickly rejected by Barroso's Commission and the government in Athens, both insisting the budget remain a national prerogative.

At the same time, the EU also has to deal with an increasingly tough labor market.

Spain's brutal unemployment rate has soared to nearly 23 percent and closed in on 50 percent for those under age 25, leaving more than 5 million people ? or almost one out of every four ? out of work as the country slides toward recession.

To help jump-start the EU toward more growth and employment, the EU Commission is proposing to the summit leaders to redirect euro82 billion in existing development funds toward countries in dire need of help to fix their labor market.

The 27 heads of state and government got a taste of the popular frustration with austerity and high unemployment as they try to get to the summit in a city paralyzed by strikes.

Belgium's three main unions joined hands in a 24-hour strike to protest national budgetary measures that have in part been imposed on Belgium by the EU. If the country hadn't met cost-cutting targets, financial sanctions would have been imposed.

The big question at the summit is where to find money to boost growth when debt is preoccupying everyone. The austerity measures raise taxes and cut benefits for hundreds of thousands of workers in Belgium. And Monday's strike has been mirrored in many other member states.

Overall, 23 million people are jobless across the EU, 10 percent of the active population.

"Europe has to offer jobs, social protection and perspective for the future. Otherwise it risks losing the support of its citizens," said the strike manifesto of the ACV union.

For Monday, Thalys and Eurostar bullet trains to Brussels have already been cut, one airport has been closed and Brussels international airport is expecting heavy disruption. Contingency plans have been made to get the 27 European leaders to the center of Brussels, but even then convoys could end up in choking traffic if workers block the capital's beltway during morning rush hour.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

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Gingrich brands rival Romney with 'liberal' tag

AAA??Jan. 29, 2012?12:28 PM ET
Gingrich brands rival Romney with 'liberal' tag
SHANNON McCAFFREYSHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press??

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, speaks to media during a news conference outside the Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Lutz, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, speaks to media during a news conference outside the Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Lutz, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, speaks to media during a news conference outside the Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Lutz, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, with his wife Callista, second from left, signs an autograph as he walks towards a news conference outside the Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Lutz, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, center right, speaks to media during a news conference outside the Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Lutz, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

LUTZ, Fla. (AP) ? Newt Gingrich is calling GOP president rival Mitt Romney a "pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-tax increase liberal."

Gingrich made the comments outside a church in Lutz., Fla., two days before the pivotal presidential primary.

Gingrich is trailing Romney in Florida and has been labeling the former governor a Massachusetts moderate. Now Gingrich is adding the liberal tag to his criticism of his 2012 rival.

Gingrich also went after Romney during two television interviews Sunday morning. He said Romney "has a basic policy of carpet bombing his opponent" and that the "old establishment" in the party is trying to block Gingrich's path to nomination.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-29-Gingrich/id-0aa49b6b2994421cb4496209384e0158

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Philips CEO warns H1 2012 "won't be easy" (Reuters)

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) ? Dutch Electronics giant Philips will book further, unspecified, restructuring charges in the first half of 2012, Chief Executive Officer Frans van Houten said on Monday.

"The first half of 2012 will see the impact of these charges and overall we are cautious about the development of the first half of the year. It is not going to be an easy first half," said Van Houten.

Earlier on Monday, Philips reported a 45 percent fall in fourth-quarter core profit due to losses at both its health and lighting divisions, and said it was cautious about 2012 given uncertainty in the global economy, particularly in Europe.

Van Houten also said the firm is committed to achieving its 2013 financial targets.

(Reporting By Roberta B. Cowan, Editing by Mark Potter)

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

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Ellie Knaus: This is Only the Beginning: Surprising Advice From a Centenarian

My great-aunt Ida loves to say, "This is only the beginning." Gearing up for her 101st birthday this May, Ida thrives on a daily Coca-Cola, full-bellied laughter, and an abundance of nourishing memories. Ida is remarkable not only for how long she's lived, but also for how she's lived: always open to the call to adventure.

Ida was born during the Taft administration, but she's hip to the times. She lives independently in an apartment complex which mostly houses college students. She's on top of current events and her celebrity crush is Stephen Colbert. But Ida's epic small talk is what sets her apart. She'll casually share: "During Prohibition, when my father had me smuggling whiskey across the border," or, "Those years we were panning for gold near Yosemite..." or, "When I was in Timbuktu..."

No seriously. She's been to Timbuktu. "But enough about me," she'll say. "You're the one out in the world. Tell me something exciting going on in your life." Um. I went to Costco and found a parking space near the front. Our frequent visits always inspire me to see more, do more, love more, laugh more and experience more.

Here is some of the unconventional wisdom Ida likes to impart: "Being comfortable isn't worth losing out on an experience."

As a newlywed during the Great Depression, Ida realized that living well doesn't have to mean living with money. Throughout their lives, she and her husband Joe would invest the little money they saved into making memories. On a whim, they'd borrow an automobile, fill up the tank with gas, and drive out to the desert for the weekend. They'd sleep in the car or under the stars.

"Don't be afraid to do what you want to do. That's what it boils right down to. You want to go through life saying: I can't do this? I can't do that? ... And, for goodness sakes, don't wait around for a pat on the back."

In the early 1970s, when Ida's contemporaries were settling into quiet retirement, she and Joe sold what they owned, bought a camper, and struck out for Europe and Northern Africa. Friends and family bet they'd be back in three months. They lived in that van overseas for three years. They came home with an international Rolodex of new close friends and a Half-moon parrot they named Pedro Nunu.

"Don't let your husband know you're boss."

Ida lights up when she remembers her husband of 60 years. They were a team. "My friends always said I spoiled Joe. But I don't think I did. He spoiled me. And besides, our marriage is the one that lasted 60 years." She doted on him by tucking love notes into his work pants and cooking his favorite meals. He'd give her free reign to travel alone to places like Kathmandu or the pyramids.

"You have to have a good sex life with your partner. It's very important. Sex is a wonderful game."

Umm. We'll just let that speak for itself. Though if you'd like to hear more, Ida is more than happy to share.

"This is only the beginning..."

This personal catchphrase is all about delivery. Ida says it in a slow, foreboding tone and then punctuates it with laughter. It expresses her unwavering optimism that even when life is at its cruelest, there's always something more on the horizon. She's had her share of heartbreak. They lost their first child days after birth. Soon afterward, Joe was injured in a work accident, which didn't hinder their love life but meant that if they wanted children, they'd have to adopt. They cherished an adopted baby boy for four months until the biological mother changed her mind and wanted the child back. Nearly 70 years have passed, and yet, when Ida recalls holding the baby one last time, she weeps.

But for Ida and Joe, that was only the beginning. They became second parents to many, finding joy in helping out with their friends' children. They volunteered at their local elementary school. And they were always game for taking care of their siblings' children and grandchildren. When they were nearly 80 years old, they drove across the country eager at the chance to take care of me. Ida has a hard time distinguishing my features now. Her eyesight has greatly diminished. But in her mind's eye, she still sees me as a toddler polka dancing with her Joe.

When our visits come to an end, Ida always asks for her cane. "Give me my cudgel!" she playfully demands. (She uses it more as a prop than as a mobility aid.) Every time, she rises and opens her arms for a long, warm hug. She gently rests her head on my neck, and we cry. She's nearing the end of this journey, and I'm presumably still near the beginning. There's so much more for her to share and me to learn. And we love each other so much.

As I headed out last weekend, she added: "Go for a walk. Make love to your husband. And don't obsess about health... That's not healthy."

For more by Ellie Knaus, click here.

For more on happiness, click here.

For more on aging gracefully, click here.

?

Follow Ellie Knaus on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ellieinla

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellie-knaus/life-tips_b_1237208.html

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Firing of TV host a victory for Pakistani liberals (AP)

ISLAMABAD ? In a rare victory for Pakistani liberals, a private TV station decided to fire a popular morning show host after she sparked outrage by running around a public park trying to expose young, unmarried couples hanging out, a taboo in this conservative Muslim country.

Pakistani liberals derided host Maya Khan's behavior on Twitter and Facebook, comparing it to the kind of moral policing practiced by the Taliban, and started an online petition asking Samaa TV to end this "irresponsible programming" and apologize.

The company responded Saturday in a letter sent to reporters saying it had decided to fire Khan and her team and cancel her show because she refused to issue an unconditional apology for the Jan. 17 program.

Samaa TV's decision marked an unusual victory for Pakistan's beleaguered liberal minority, which has become more marginalized as the country has shifted to the right and whose members have been killed by Islamist extremists for standing up for what they believe.

Critics of the program also praised the company's decision as a positive example of self-regulation by Pakistan's freewheeling TV industry, which was liberalized in 2000 and has mushroomed from one state-run channel to more than 80 independent ones.

Some shows have been praised for serving the public good by holding powerful officials to account, but many others have been criticized for doing anything that will get ratings, including pandering to populist sentiments at the expense of privacy and sometimes truth.

"Samaa management has set a good example that some others need to follow," said prominent human rights activist and journalist Hussain Naqi.

During the program in question, Khan and around a dozen other men and women chased down young couples in a seaside park in the southern city of Karachi. Several couples raced away from the group. One young man put on a motorcycle helmet to hide his identity, while his female friend covered her face with a veil.

Khan finally accosted one couple sitting on a bench and pestered them with questions about whether they were married and whether their parents knew they were there. The man said the couple was engaged and asked Khan to shut off her cameras and microphone. She lied and said they were off.

"What is the difference between this kind of media vigilantism and that demonstrated by the Taliban?" said Mahnaz Rahman, a director at the Aurat Foundation, an organization that fights for women's rights in Pakistan.

Islamist extremists have been ruthless in targeting liberal Pakistanis who disagree with their hardline views. One of the most prominent examples was in last January, when a bodyguard shot to death the governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer, because of his criticism of Pakistani laws that mandate the death penalty for criticizing the Prophet Muhammad.

Following Khan's program, one headline in a local paper called the host and the other women who appeared on the show "Vigil-aunties," referring to the South Asian term "aunty" for a bossy older woman.

A petition posted online that criticized Khan's behavior as "highly intrusive, invasive and potentially irresponsible" and demanded an official apology attracted more than 5,000 signatures.

Khan reportedly rejected the criticism at first but eventually issued on apology on TV to anyone she may have offended, saying "it was not my objective to make you cry or hurt you."

This fell short of the apology that Khan's bosses demanded, according to a letter written by the chairman of Samaa TV, Zafar Siddiqi. It said Khan and her team would receive termination notices on Jan. 30 and her show would be canceled.

Siddiqi said the company did not "absolve such behavior irrespective of ratings the show was getting."

Scores of Pakistanis on Twitter praised Samaa TV's decision.

"Journalists must never forget the dividing line between public interest & private freedom," tweeted Najam Sethi, a prominent Pakistani journalist.

___

Khan reported from Karachi. Associated Press writer Zarar Khan contributed to this article.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_liberal_victory

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Twitter boycotted Saturday by some

Twitter

By Suzanne Choney

How do you get the word out about a boycott of Twitter when it's Twitter that's needed to get the word out? It was tough, especially in the case of the hastily organized one for Saturday meant to protest the site's new policy of censoring certain tweets, or posts, in some countries.

Some users spread the word by using the black-bar approach (above). But, like Twitter itself, the boycott translated to many different emotions and reactions:

Twitter

As Saturday became Sunday in some parts of the world, for those who did boycott, this man's tweet spoke volumes about how some people feel about Twitter:

Twitter

Yet others said perhaps another (better-organized) boycott is in order:

Twitter

This person, involved in the "Occupy" movement, was torn between protests:

Twitter

On Twitter's worldwide "trending" chart, the boycott did not make the top 10:

Twitter

Twitter, contacted by msnbc.com Saturday, declined to comment on the boycott.

But one of the tweets posted by its Twitter's communications team (@twittercomms) suggested "#TwitterBlackout reading," including analyses by the Center for Democracy & Technology, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a fellow from Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society for different perspectives on the new policy.

"Let?s be clear: This is censorship. There?s no way around that," wrote Jillian C. York, the EFF's director of international freedom of expression, on a blog. "But alas, Twitter is not above the law. Just about every company hosting user-generated content has, at one point or another, gotten an order or government request to take down content."

Zeynep Tufekci, the Berkman Center fellow, wrote that the new policy is "not made hard to circumvent. Twitter helpfully included instructions on how to change your country ('manually override' the country setting which is determined by IP). I don?t know about you, but does this sound like Twitter is caving? Also, obviously, Tor users and proxy users will be able to access the content fairly easily."

Twitter said Friday its users "now send a billion tweets every four days," and that it will not be filtering tweets, something that is "neither desirable nor realistic. With this new feature, we are going to be reactive only: that is, we will withhold specific content only when required to do so in response to what we believe to be a valid and applicable legal request."

Related stories:

Check out Technolog, Gadgetbox, Digital Life and In-Game on?Facebook,?and on Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/28/10260364-twitter-boycotted-saturday-by-some

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UNICEF says 384 children killed so far in Syria (Reuters)

GENEVA (Reuters) ? At least 384 children have been killed during Syria's 10-month uprising and virtually the same number have been jailed, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.

UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado told Reuters the figures were based on reports by human rights organizations which it judged to be credible.

"As of January 7, 384 children have been killed, most are boys. Some 380 children have been detained, some less than 14 years old," Rima Salah, acting UNICEF deputy executive director, told reporters in Geneva.

The agency receives information from human rights groups who review doctors and hospital reports, interview families of victims and gather witness testimony, Mercado said.

The previous death toll for children was 307, U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay said on December 2, denouncing what she called "ruthless repression" by Syrian forces.

In mid-December, the overall death toll stood at more than 5,000, including soldiers and those executed for refusing to shoot civilians, according to a U.N. figure compiled after cross-checking information from various groups.

But since then accurate reports have become more difficult to obtain, especially with parts of the town of Homs sealed off and with violence spreading, Pillay's spokesman said on Friday.

"It has gotten too difficult now to do sufficient verification to come up with a new estimate. We don't doubt for a second that many more people are being killed, but we're not really in a position to quantify it anymore," U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told Reuters.

Fighting erupted in Homs on Friday, a day after townspeople said Alawite militiamen killed 14 members of a Sunni Muslim family in one of Syria's worst sectarian attacks since a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad flared in March.

UNICEF is concerned about the situation in Syria, which has a legal obligation to protect children and uphold their rights, Salah said, adding that the agency is in talks with authorities.

"When there are conflicts, it has a very, very negative impact on children. We know that children are in detention. As the President of Syria himself said, 50 percent of children do not go to school now.

"So we are working with the government of Syria and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent also to see how we can rehabilitate schools and send those children to school," she said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/un/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/wl_nm/us_syria_un_children

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Video: Earnings Scorecard This Week

Dow components Chevron, Procter & Gamble and Honeywell wrapped up what has been another big week of earnings, with CNBC's Brian Shactman.

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Prevalence of oral HPV infection higher among men than women

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The overall prevalence of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is approximately 7 percent among men and women ages 14 to 69 years in the United States, while the prevalence among men is higher than among women, according to a study appearing in JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

"Oral HPV infection is the cause of a subset of oropharyngeal [relating to the mouth and pharynx] squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). Human papillomavirus?positive OSCC are associated with sexual behavior in contrast to HPV-negative OSCC that are associated with chronic tobacco and alcohol use. At least 90 percent of HPV-positive OSCC are caused by high-risk (or oncogenic) HPV type 16 (HPV-16), and oral infection confers an approximate 50-fold increase in risk for HPV-positive OSCC. The incidence of OSCC has significantly increased over the last 3 decades in several countries, and HPV has been directly implicated as the underlying cause," according to background information in the article. "Although oral HPV infection is the cause of a cancer that is increasing in incidence in the United States, little is known regarding the epidemiology of infection."

Maura L. Gillison, M.D., Ph.D., of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, and colleagues examined the prevalence of oral HPV infection in the United States. The researchers used data from a cross-sectional study as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, a statistically representative sample of the U.S. population. Men and women ages 14 to 69 years examined at mobile examination centers were eligible. Participants (n = 5,579) provided a 30-second oral rinse and gargle with mouthwash. For detection of HPV types, DNA purified from oral exfoliated cells was evaluated via testing methods.

The researchers found that the overall prevalence of oral HPV infection was 6.9 percent, and the most prevalent HPV type detected was HPV-16 (1.0 percent). The prevalence of oral HPV infection had peaks in different age ranges, with a first peak in prevalence observed among those 30 to 34 years of age (7.3 percent) and a second, higher peak among those ages 60 to 64 years (11.4 percent). Men had a significantly higher prevalence than women for overall oral HPV infection (10.1 percent vs. 3.6 percent). Prevalence of HPV was higher among current smokers and heavy alcohol drinkers and among former and current marijuana users.

The authors also found that oral HPV prevalence was associated with several measures of sexual behavior, including higher prevalence among individuals who reported ever having had sex vs. not (7.5 percent vs. 0.9 percent). Prevalence of HPV increased with lifetime or recent number of partners for any kind of sex, vaginal sex, or oral sex.

In analysis inclusive of individuals 14 to 69 years of age, factors independently associated with prevalent oral HPV included age, sex, lifetime number of sexual partners, and current number of cigarettes smoked per day.

The researchers write that their data provide evidence that oral HPV infection is predominantly sexually transmitted. "Taken together, these data indicate that transmission by casual, nonsexual contact is likely to be unusual."

"Our results have important research as well as public health implications. Natural history studies of cervical HPV infection were essential for the development of public health interventions, such as HPV vaccination to prevent and HPV detection to screen for cervical cancer," they write. "Natural history studies of oral HPV infection are therefore necessary to understand the effects of age, sex, and modifiable risk factors (e.g., smoking and sexual behavior) on the incidence and duration of oral HPV infection."

"Vaccine efficacy against oral HPV infection is unknown, and therefore vaccination cannot currently be recommended for the primary prevention of oropharyngeal cancer. Given an analysis of U.S. cancer registry data recently projected that the number of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers diagnosed each year will surpass that of invasive cervical cancers by the year 2020, perhaps such vaccine trials are warranted. Such trials could inform ongoing discussions regarding the benefits of HPV vaccination for males, given the higher prevalence of oral HPV infection demonstrated here as well as higher incidence of HPV-positive OSCC among men," the authors conclude.

(JAMA. 2012;307[7]doi:10.1001/JAMA.2012.101.

###

JAMA and Archives Journals: http://www.jamamedia.org

Thanks to JAMA and Archives Journals for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117091/Prevalence_of_oral_HPV_infection_higher_among_men_than_women

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iFixit iPhone transparent rear panel mod kit review

“iFixit’s iPhone transparent rear panel mod let’s you give your iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S an amazingly distinctive look in a world where tens of millions of them are otherwise

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An electrical engineer and a biologist walk into a bar? (Unqualified Offerings)

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Active Ingredient in Viagra Shrunk Disfiguring Growths in Kids (HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- A new preliminary report suggests that the active ingredient in Viagra, sildenafil, could reduce the size of large growths that can disfigure the bodies of children.

The findings could point to yet another use for the medicine, which was first developed as a heart medication until researchers noticed that it helped impotent men have erections. This time, researchers stumbled upon an alternate use while using a Viagra-like drug to treat a rare condition that causes high blood pressure in the arteries that lead to the lungs.

There are caveats: The treatment is very expensive, the research is only in its early stages, and the medication may not be a cure. Still, the research raises the prospect that "we could treat some of these little kids who have little or no hope," said report co-author Dr. Alfred Lane, a professor of dermatology and pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine.

The growths in question are known as severe lymphatic malformations. They appear in children, including babies, and create disfiguring growths of fluid and vessels.

The growths can be as big as a volleyball or a basketball, Lane said. They seem to appear when the lymphatic system, a component of the body's immune system, becomes clogged, although the exact cause isn't clear, he said.

In some cases, the growths can be dangerous, such as when they pose a risk of blocking an airway pressuring a nearby organ.

Surgery to remove the growth is one option, although it may not be possible, he said. For some children, "there's not a whole lot you can do about it."

That's where sildenafil may help.

Researchers used a form of the medication called Revatio to treat a baby girl who suffered from pulmonary hypertension, the condition that causes high blood pressure in certain arteries. The investigators found that the medication had another effect: it reduced the size of a lymphatic growth.

The child, who was severely ill, died. But researchers were curious about the effects of the drug, and they tried it on two other children. Their growths shrunk and became softer after 12 weeks.

The parents of the children decided to continue giving the drug to their kids; it's not clear how they're doing now, but Lane will see one of the patients soon.

The drug may not eliminate a growth, "but if it can reduce it to the size that they can remove it, that would be good," Lane said.

Revatio costs $800 to $1,000 a month, Lane said, although the Pfizer drug company is donating the drug for research purposes. While the dose is low, potential side effects include dizziness, eye problems, nosebleeds and nausea, Lane said.

Researchers don't know how the drug works to reduce the size of the growths, Lane noted, although one possibility is that it makes it easier for the lymph system to drain fluid.

A new study of the treatment is underway.

Dr. Richard Smith, a pediatric otolaryngologist who's familiar with the report, said it offers an "exciting and serendipitous finding." But it must still be validated to prove that it truly holds promise, said Smith, vice chair of the University of Iowa's department of otolaryngology -- head and neck surgery.

The report appears in the Jan. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

More information

Children's Hospital Boston has details about lymphatic malformations.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120126/hl_hsn/activeingredientinviagrashrunkdisfiguringgrowthsinkids

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Glee's Lea Michele fills closet with Candie's (AP)

NEW YORK ? Lea Michele is moving from a locker to a much bigger closet. She's the star of the new Candie's ad campaign, dubbed "Hanging at Home," shot at a private mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif. The images show her poolside, in the kitchen, in a bed with satin sheets and in a walk-in closet, wearing a new outfit and pair of shoes in each one.

The 25-year-old star of "Glee" is following in the high-heel footprints of former brand spokeswomen Britney Spears and Fergie, among others. Michele says she particularly liked Spears' old ads. "I think they're fun and flirty and show off her body great."

Michele does a little showing off here, too, with some sexy poses, some silly poses and some glamorous ones.

Anyone who has seen Michele do a turn on the red carpet knows she's got her moves down for the camera.

She has become a "get" for designers eager to show off their gowns on a hot, young starlet. At the recent Golden Globes, she wore a silver Marchesa gown that was straight from the runway.

Her sentimental favorite gown, though, was probably the one she wore to her first Globes in 2010: a black, strapless Oscar de la Renta with a full skirt.

Other tidbits from Michele in an email interview:

AP: What was your wardrobe like in high school?

Michele: My wardrobe in high school was very simple. Jeans and maybe a sweatshirt and sneakers.

AP: Is there a style trend that you love?

Michele: I love wide-leg, high-waisted pants. If done the right way, they're very chic.

AP: Is there a trend you wish would go away?

Michele: Feathers in people's hair!

AP: Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Michele: I LOVE beauty products. Face and body creams are my obsession.

The Candie's brand is available exclusively at Kohl's Department Stores.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/fashion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_en_tv/us_fea_fashion_lea_michele_candie_s

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Big East, Navy announce Middies getting on board (AP)

NEW YORK ? Navy accepted an invitation to play football in the Big East, starting in 2015.

The service academy has been a football independent since the program began in 1879. The Midshipmen have been thriving over the last decade. They played in eight straight bowl games before slipping to 5-7 this season and have won a record 10 straight games against rival Army.

"While our independent status has served Navy football well to date, Big East conference affiliation will help ensure our future scholar-athletes and athletic programs remain competitive at the highest levels for the foreseeable future," said Vice Admiral Michael Miller, superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy.

Big East Commissioner John Marinatto was to hold a conference call Tuesday afternoon with Miller, athletic director Chet Gladchuk and football coach Ken Niumatalolo.

In December, the Big East added Boise State and San Diego State as football-only members and SMU, Houston and Central Florida in all sports. Those schools will join in 2013.

The Big East is trying to build a 12-team football conference with an eastern and western division and a league championship game. The conference is losing Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the Atlantic Coast Conference and West Virginia to the Big 12, but it's unclear when.

West Virginia filed a lawsuit against the Big East so it can join the Big 12 in 2012. The Big East sued West Virginia to make the school abide by the league's 27-month notification period, which would keep the Mountaineers in the Big East through the 2013-14 school year.

A Rhode Island judge has ordered West Virginia and the Big East to enter nonbinding mediation to resolve their competing lawsuits.

Pitt, Syracuse and the ACC have said they will not challenge the Big East bylaws.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_big_east_navy

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Manning, Giants heading to Indy to face Pats again (AP)

Hey, Indianapolis. A Manning will be playing in your Super Bowl, after all.

No, not that one.

It'll be Eli Manning leading the New York Giants to a Super Bowl rematch against the New England Patriots ? and this time on older brother Peyton's home field.

"It doesn't matter to me where you're playing it or the fact that it's in Indianapolis," Eli Manning said. "I'm just excited about being in one."

And if the Giants can pull this one off, Eli will have sibling bragging rights with one more Super Bowl ring than Peyton, who missed this season for the Colts after having neck surgery.

It sure won't be easy for the Giants, though. Four years after New York stunned previously undefeated New England in the Arizona desert, they'll play a Super sequel.

Eli vs. Brady. Coughlin vs. Belichick. The Giants vs. the Patriots.

Sound familiar? Here we go again.

"It's awesome and we look forward to the challenge," Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora said. "They are a great football team. They have always been a great football team. We are looking forward to it, and it's going to be a great game."

Well, judging from the last time these teams met in the Super Bowl ? David Tyree's jaw-dropping, helmet-pinning catch and all ? it just might be.

"Being in this situation is a great moment," Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork said. "You have to cherish this moment."

New England (15-3) opened as a 3-point favorite for the Feb. 5 game against New York (12-7), but the Patriots know all about being in this position. They were favored by 12 points and pursuing perfection in 2008, but New York's defense battered Brady, and Manning connected with Plaxico Burress on a late touchdown to win the Giants' third Super Bowl.

That TD came, of course, a few moments after one of the biggest plays in playoff history: Manning escaping the grasp of Patriots defenders and finding Tyree, who put New York in scoring position by trapping the football against his helmet.

"Hopefully, we will have the same result," Umenyiora said. "We still have one more game to go, but this is truly unbelievable."

Especially since the Giants appeared on the verge of collapsing with Tom Coughlin's job status in jeopardy just a month ago, when they fell to 7-7 with an embarrassing loss to the Washington Redskins on Dec. 18.

"We've been here before," linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said at the time, "and we'll get back."

Boy, was he right.

The Giants were facing elimination against the rival Jets and Rex Ryan, who boldly declared that his team ruled New York. Well, Coughlin's crew silenced Ryan with a 29-14 victory. The Giants followed that with a 31-14 win over Dallas in the regular-season finale to clinch the NFC East and get to the playoffs for the first time since the 2008 season.

New York dominated Atlanta at home in the opening round. Then came a stunner: a 37-20 victory at Green Bay ? knocking out the defending Super Bowl champions.

On Sunday, Manning extended the best season of his career with one more solid performance, and Lawrence Tynes kicked the Giants past the San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in overtime for the NFC title.

"I'm just proud of the guys, what we've overcome this year, what we've been through," Manning said, "just never having any doubts, keep believing in our team that we could get hot and start playing our best football."

The Patriots are rolling into the Super Bowl having won 10 straight, with their last loss being to ? you guessed it ? the Giants, 24-20 back in early November.

"We know they're a great team," Manning said. "We played them already this year. They've been playing great football recently."

They sure have. And now Brady and the Patriots are in familiar territory, playing in the Super Bowl for the fifth time in 11 years ? and first since the stunning upset in Arizona.

New England hopes to avoid all that sort of drama this time around. Unless it goes in the Patriots' favor, as it did in the AFC title game.

Brady was unusually subpar in the Patriots' 23-20 victory over Baltimore, throwing for 239 yards with two interceptions and, for the first time in 36 games, no TD passes. But he got some help from the Patriots' much-maligned defense, which made some crucial stops down the stretch.

A few mistakes by the Ravens helped greatly, too, as Billy Cundiff shanked a 32-yard field goal attempt with 11 seconds left ? soon after Lee Evans had a potential winning touchdown catch ripped out of his hands in the end zone.

"Childlike joy. It's all about childlike joy," linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "Last night felt like the day before Christmas for me and I haven't had that feeling in a long time."

New England last won the Super Bowl in 2005, a long drought considering that the Patriots took home Lombardi trophies three times in four years. There are only a handful of players left from that team, with guys like Corey Dillon, Tedy Bruschi and Rodney Harrison replaced by young up-and-comers such as Mayo, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

"It doesn't even feel right, especially playing with the veterans here," Gronkowski said. "I watched them go to the Super Bowl as I was growing up, and now I'm part of it? It is an unreal moment."

The constants, though, are Brady and Bill Belichick. And that's been a winning combination for New England, combining to become the first QB-coach combination to win five conference championships in the Super Bowl era.

Belichick did perhaps his finest coaching job this season, piecing together a defense that ranked second-to-last in the league during the regular season. That led to plenty of shootouts, and Brady was more than up to the task, throwing for a career-high 5,235 yards while tossing 39 touchdown passes.

"They're an amazing team," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said. "They're a great brotherhood; they're a family."

And they're all looking to lift another Super Bowl trophy together. Patriots-Giants. One more time.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_super_bowl

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Jorge Posada: 17 seasons, 5 titles and 1 team (AP)

NEW YORK ? Jorge Posada was watching television when he saw speculation on which teams were interested in signing him as a free agent.

"They put my face on different uniforms," he said. "And it didn't look good."

He began a Yankee and ended as a Yankee, spending his entire career in pinstripes.

Flanked by his wife and children, with five World Series trophies sitting on a table to his right, the five-time All-Star catcher retired at age 40 on Tuesday after 17 major league seasons. He finished with a .273 career batting average, 275 home runs and 1,065 RBIs.

At a crowded Yankee Stadium news conference, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia were among those who watched Posada fight off tears as he sat on a dais with wife, Laura, 12-year-old son Jorge Jr. and 9-year-old daughter Paulina. It was clear the rest of the family also wanted to be Yankees lifers.

"This is so cool," Paulina said to her dad as she picked up the cardboard in front of her seat with her name and the famous interlocking "NY" logo. "I'm going to keep this."

Posada joins Bernie Williams and Andy Pettitte in retirement, leaving only the 37-year-old Jeter and 42-year-old Rivera from the core group that led the Yankees to four World Series titles in five years from 1996-2000.

"Mariano said this is it. He says one more year. But Derek says he's got like three more to go. So we'll see," Posada said, adding he didn't expect the great closer to quit after next season.

"I don't think about it right now. But the time will come," Rivera said. "Definitely the time will come when I'll have to just admit it and hang (up) the glove and the uniform and move on. We all go through that."

Jeter, the Yankees' captain and leader, expects to outlast Rivera.

"Mo's still got to go first. He's a lot older than me," he said before adding with a laugh: "Mo's going to be here longer than all of us."

Shrieking at success and fuming over failure, Posada often was nuclear fission at the center of the Yankees and what became known as the Core Four. While Jeter and Rivera rarely reveals their feelings, and Pettitte does only on occasion, Posada has been a passionate open window into the Yankees, praising, strutting, venting and battling.

"We feel the same way; I'm just better at hiding it. But we feel the same way inside, and I think that's why we've gotten along so well throughout the years," said Jeter, who first played alongside Posada in the minors in 1992.

He has called him "Posado" for years, even since late Yankee Stadium announcer Bob Sheppard mispronounced his name when he pinch ran for Wade Boggs in Game 2 of the 1995 AL playoffs.

In the same room where Pettitte announced his retirement 11 1/2 months ago, select season ticket holders were invited to sit in the audience.

Posada talked with great fervor about the team that drafted him on the 24th round in 1991.

"Every time I step through the Yankee Stadium doors," he began, "I quoted Joe DiMaggio and said, I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee."

"I could never wear another uniform," he said. "I will forever be a Yankee."

Posada's voice broke up, especially when he spoke in Spanish. He thanked his teammates, rubbing his chin three times and wiping his eyes. He called Rivera "my brother" and praised Jeter "who helped me stay focused and positive."

"Hopefully you won't miss me that much," he said.

Diana Munson, wife of the late Yankees catcher Thurman Munson, spoke admiringly of Posada, who kept a quote from her husband in his locker: "Batting fourth and being in the lineup is important, but I think the stuff I do behind the plate is more important." One day at Yankee Stadium, Posada sat next to her and told her about his admiration for the former captain, who died in a plane crash when Posada was 7. She wound up following Posada in the box scores.

"He in fact is the one who brought me back to baseball again. After losing Thurman, I kind of lost my heart for baseball," she said. "He plays the game I think the way Thurman played it: a lot of grittiness, lot of toughness. ... I think he and Thurman would have been best buds. He definitely has the it factor. I can't describe it. I don't know what it is. But I knew immediately upon meeting him that he had it, and I think the Yankee fans also have realized that, and I imagine they're as sad today as we all are."

She was followed by a video of fan tributes and by Lisa and Brett Niederer from Bristol, Wis. She talked about the Jorge Posada Foundation and its emotional support and financial assistance to families affected by craniosynostosis, a disease that causes bones in the skull to fuse prematurely.

Jorge Jr. has had nine operations, and Lisa Niederer was watching on television when the father and son went onto the field together during the introductions for the 1992 All-Star game. Brett, then 2 1/2, was diagnosed the disease around the start of that year, and they talked about the Posada family's assistance.

"I knew we were not alone anymore," said Lisa, who has become a mentor for the foundation.

When the focus returned to baseball, Posada recalled how he started his professional career as a shortstop, was moved to second base and was asked by the Yankees to move to catcher after the 1991 season.

"I felt like it was the worst decision ever," he said, remembering all the passed balls he allowed while catching top draft pick Brien Taylor. "It was not a pretty sight."

He went on to have one of the better offensive careers by a catcher. The switch-hitting Posada made the decision to retire during a season that turned tumultuous May 14 when he was batting .165 and was dropped to No. 9 in the batting order against Boston. He asked to be taken out of the lineup, saying he wasn't ready to play.

Posada rallied to hit .268 for the rest of the season, leaving him with a .235 average, 14 homers and 44 RBIs. And then on Sept. 21, his two-run pinch-hit single beat Tampa Bay to clinch the AL East and earn another huge ovation. He hit .429 (6 for 14) in the five-game loss to Detroit in the division series.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman said that was just a blip in his career ? part of Posada's fiery disposition, the one that drew fans to him, one that he may take with him into coaching or managing ? after the Yankees likely honor him with a tribute this year.

That nature caused him to tell his agents not to negotiate with other teams.

"They kept saying that people are asking about you," Posada said. "I'm like ? not interested."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bba_yankees_posada_retires

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Video: Watch highlights of US rout of Guatemala

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EU states agree ban on Iranian oil imports, central bank (Reuters)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? European Union governments agreed on Monday to an immediate ban on all new contracts to import, buy or transport Iranian crude oil, a move to put pressure on Tehran's disputed nuclear program by shutting off its main source of foreign income.

However, to protect Europe's economy as it battles to overcome a debilitating debt crisis, the governments agreed to phase in the embargo, giving countries with existing contracts with Iran until July 1, 2012 to end those deals.

At a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, EU governments also agreed to freeze the assets of Iran's central bank and to ban all trade in gold and other precious metals with the bank and other public bodies, EU officials said.

Western powers hope the far stricter sanctions net, which brings the EU more closely into line with U.S. policy, will force Iran to scale back or halt its nuclear work, which Europe and the United States believe is aimed at developing weapons. Iran says it is enriching uranium solely for peaceful purposes.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she wanted financial sanctions to persuade Tehran to return to negotiations with the West, which she represents in talks with Iran.

"I want the pressure of these sanctions to result in negotiations," she told reporters before the ministers met.

"I want to see Iran come back to the table and either pick up all the ideas that we left on the table ... last year ... or to come forward with its own ideas," she said.

Tehran says its nuclear program is necessary to meet its rising energy needs, but the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency said last year it had evidence that suggested Iran had worked on designing a nuclear weapon.

EU sanctions follow fresh financial measures signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama on New Year's Eve and mainly targeting the oil sector, which accounts for some 90 percent of Iranian exports to the EU. The European Union is Iran's largest oil customer after China.

MEASURED STEPS

Economic considerations weighed heavily on EU preparations for the embargo in recent weeks because of the heavy dependence of some EU states on Iranian crude. Greece, which is at the heart of the debt crisis, is almost entirely dependent on Iranian oil. It must now seek alternative sources.

Diplomats will return to the issue of oil sanctions before May, officials said, to assess whether the measures are effective and whether EU states are succeeding in finding sufficient alternative resources.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other oil-rich states in the Gulf are expected to increase their output of crude oil to offset the loss of access to Iranian exports.

"There will be a review of the embargo before May," one EU official said. The review could potentially affect the date when the full ban takes effect, diplomats said.

Greece, which depends on financial help from the EU and the International Monetary Fund to stay afloat, gets nearly a quarter of its oil from Iran, thanks to favorable financing terms from Tehran.

"The financial situation of Greece at the moment is not the brightest one, and rightly they are asking us to help them find a solution," a senior EU official told reporters on Friday.

With a significant part of EU purchases of Iranian oil covered by long-term contracts, the grace period will be an important factor in the effectiveness of the EU measures.

The unprecedented effort to take Iran's 2.6 million barrels of oil per day of exports off international markets has kept global prices high, pushed down Iran's rial currency and caused a surge in the cost of basic goods for Iranians.

(Additional reporting by Adrian Croft in London and Sebastian Moffett in Brussels; Editing by Luke Baker and)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/wl_nm/us_iran_eu_deal

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