Mysterious gelatinous spheres rain down in England (Yahoo! News)

The discovery of?mysterious, blue, gelatinous spheres in an English backyard has captivated the imagination of?scientists and the public alike. What the heck are the spheres? And?where did they come from?

The unscented, water-insoluble spheres were first found in the yard of former aerospace engineer Steve Hornsby. Since the discovery was made immediately following an?ususual hail storm, the spheres were first assumed to have come from the sky.?However, according to?the?Met Office, the U.K.'s?national weather service, the spheres are "not meteorological."

There's no consensus as of yet regarding the source of the gelatinous balls. One research assistant believes the spheres could be eggs from marine invertebrates that hitched a ride on birds' feet; another believes the gel could be a type of underwater bacteria colony. Yet another theory says the balls are made of hydrogel, a planting material used to regulate soil moisture, but Hornsby says he's never used the product.

It appears that the mystery may soon be solved. Hornsby saved a few spheres in his refrigerator, which?Bournemouth University have accepted for analysis.

[Image source:?Baok]

This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca

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Florida Primary: Five Things To Look For

Mitt Romney's money advantage could tip the scales.
By Gil Kaufman

Mitt Romney
Photo: Getty Images

Tuesday's Florida primary could be make-or-break for the two men battling to secure the Republican presidential nomination. After seemingly taking the first two contests (the Iowa caucus was belatedly handed to former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum) and then losing by double digits in South Carolina last week, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney appears to have gotten his groove back.

The on-and-off leading contender in the hotly contested GOP presidential scrum still has a solid New Hampshire win in his pocket, but his team is looking for a convincing win in the first big state on the primary map, Florida, to help solidify his lead and possibly push him out of reach of his rivals.

Newt Gingrich has a W in his column from South Carolina, but the conservative firebrand has seen his poll position slip over the past week. That drop is mostly due to Romney putting up two solid debate performances last week and splashing out millions from his massive campaign war chest on ads attacking the former House Speaker.

So what should voters be on the lookout for on Tuesday?

Money: Gingrich's win in South Carolina helped him raise $1 million to spend on ads in Florida — combined with $2.5 million from the outside group Winning Our Future. But those figures paled next to the estimated $15 million that Romney (and his affiliates) spent to saturate the airwaves in a state where media ubiquity helps seal the deal. Tough ads linking Gingrich to Freddie Mac and the housing crisis and reminding Hispanic voters that he once called Spanish the language of the "ghetto" showed a tougher side of the Romney team.

Too-close-to-call: If Romney can't deliver a decisive win in Florida over Gingrich, the former House leader may be able to make good on his promise this week to hang around until this summer's RNC convention. A solid victory, though, could cause Gingrich's donations to shrink and push him back out of contention.

Hispanic vote: Both Romney and Gingrich — Santorum is polling well behind both men and Rep. Ron Paul has decided to skip campaigning in Florida to focus elsewhere — heavily courted the state's 1.5 million Hispanic voters. Gingrich called Romney the GOP field's most anti-immigration candidate at Thursday's debate and the men have very different views on how to deal with illegal immigrants who are already in the country.

The debate factor: After Gingrich zoomed back into contention thanks to some strong debate performances before the South Carolina contest, Romney's team put their candidate on the attack in the two pre-Florida showdowns. The tactic worked, as Romney put the usually unflappable Gingrich on his heels. Exit polls could show how big an impact those debate performances had on voters' decisions.

Herman Helper?: Momentary field leader Herman Cain dropped out of the race due to a series of sexual harassment and infidelity allegations in December, but he got his name back on voter's lips this week when he "enthusiastically" endorsed Gingrich. But given the tawdry allegations that undid Cain and Gingrich's own battle to turn talk away from his three marriages, it will be interesting to see if Cain's endorsement gave Gingrich a bump or peeled voters away.

Check back for up-to-the-minute coverage on the primary races and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the 2012 presidential election season.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678108/florida-primary-mitt-romney-newt-gingrich.jhtml

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Clinton heading to UN to condemn Assad regime

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she'll attend a U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday to lend her support to Syrians seeking democratic change.

Clinton says the U.S. will support an Arab-backed condemnation of President Bashar Assad's regime. She says Assad is blocking a peaceful transition by attacking the Syrian people, and warned that instability could spill over throughout the Mideast.

Assad's regime is intensifying an assault against army defectors and protesters. The U.N. says more than 5,400 people have been killed in a crackdown since March. More than 190 were killed in the past five days.

Clinton's statement condemned the Assad regime's escalation of violence "in the strongest possible terms." She called the shelling of civilian areas with mortar and tank fire "brutal" and said whole buildings were leveled.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-30-US-Syria/id-a232cf61abea436e9c13a439c1916b5b

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Polls show Florida rout. Can Newt Gingrich survive till convention?

Even if he loses in Florida, Newt Gingrich might be able to remain a factor in the GOP presidential race until the national convention. But the Republican establishment would not be pleased. ??

Newt Gingrich appears headed toward a big defeat in Tuesday?s GOP primary in Florida. Five polls out Monday show Mitt Romney ahead of him by at least 5 percentage points (Insider Advantage) and as much as 20 points (Suffolk University). In the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls, Mr. Romney leads Mr. Gingrich by 12.5 points.

Skip to next paragraph

The polls reflect a stunning reversal of fortune for the former House speaker, who trounced Romney in the South Carolina primary only nine days ago by nearly 13 points. Gingrich is reacting defiantly, insisting that the Republican nomination race will go on all the way to the party?s convention in August.??

Candidates in trouble always say they?re in it for the long haul. After all, why telegraph to your supporters that you may be a lost cause? And after Tuesday, only a tiny fraction of convention delegates will have been awarded.

But in Gingrich?s case, he may mean it. He has long dreamed of becoming president, and at age 68, this is likely his last chance to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate. But first, there?s the question of money.

?It is conceivable that Gingrich could stay alive but he has to replenish his campaign coffers first,? says Ford O?Connell, a former aide to the McCain campaign in 2008.

Enter Sheldon Adelson, the Nevada casino magnate, and his wife, who have already pumped $10 million into a pro-Gingrich super political-action committee that has funded ads highly critical of Romney. If the Adelsons re-up with another donation to Winning Our Future, that signals to potential Gingrich campaign donors that he?s still in the game.

As for his own campaign finances, Gingrich has already shown that he can live off the land. His role model could be Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who stayed in the 2008 campaign for weeks even after it was clear John McCain was going to win the Republican nomination.

Working against Gingrich is the lack of debates for the next three weeks. Debates have been his savior as they have allowed the cash-poor former speaker to shine in the national spotlight ? for free.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/M6Nv4xJIjlI/Polls-show-Florida-rout.-Can-Newt-Gingrich-survive-till-convention

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Breitbart Editor John Nolte Picks a Fight With the Muppets (Little green footballs)

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

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For Floridians, it's all about the economy

Rock Center

In central Florida, the road to The White House starts on Interstate 4. The highway cuts across the state from east to west. Nearly one in four voters along the "I-4 corridor" are registered independent or have no party affiliation and no allegiance to Republicans or Democrats. They are a swing part of a swing state that's up for grabs in 2012.

While Republican candidates Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul fight for victory in Tuesday's Florida primary,?NBC's Kate Snow?talks to residents about the issues that will determine the outcome of the election in November. No matter who they intend to vote for, there's a pervasive sense?that the system in Washington is ?broken.?

Editor's note: Kate Snow's report, "Florida, Florida, Florida!" airs Monday, Jan. 30 at 10pm/9c on Rock Center with Brian Williams.

Source: http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10270419-ahead-of-primary-journey-along-florida-highway-reveals-challenges-for-both-parties

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Turning Two: FoundersCard Pulls Back The Curtain On Its Membership Community For Entrepreneurs

The top executives in today's largest corporations not only travel in style, but they have access to an absurd array of perks while they travel, from awards and complimentary products to discounts on just about everything. On the IPO "road show" for his company VarsityBooks (now part of eFollet.com), serial entrepreneur Eric Kuhn remembers being "amazed" by witnessing firsthand "the rates and privileges that top executives at the underwriting investment banks received." After leading VarsityBooks to be twice-listed as a public company on NASDAQ (the only company I'm aware of to do so), Kuhn got out in 2006 and started FoundersCard in 2009 -- determined to bring the same rewards and opportunities to entrepreneurs and founders -- "the true risk-takers and value-creators," he says.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/VHvE50E3npQ/

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NHL commissioner: Plan B for Coyotes is premature (AP)

OTTAWA ? NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says price is not holding up the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes, and it's premature to discuss a Plan B for the franchise's future.

Speaking after the NHL's Board of Governors meeting during the All-Star weekend in Ottawa, Bettman remains hopeful a deal can be reached with one of three prospective buyers to keep the league-controlled Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz.

On other topics, Bettman acknowledged a longstanding rift between New Jersey Devils owners Jeff Vanderbeek and Ray Chambers. Describing the franchise as stable, Bettman says the NHL is attempting to resolve the dispute by having one or the other assume control.

As for labor talks, Bettman says he intends to open informal discussions with the NHL Players' Association soon, but adds no timetable has been set for formal talks. The current deal expires in September.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_sp_ho_ne/hkn_all_star_board_of_governors

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Video: Science whiz homeless no more

Samantha Garvey, a homeless teen from New York?s Long Island who inspired many as a semi-finalist in a prestigious science competition, and her family get the keys to an affordable home thanks to help from across the country. NBC?s Kate Snow reports.

>>> there is more good news to report tonight about the homeless teen from new york's long island whose story inspired so many people after she was named a semifinalist in a prestigious science competition. well, tonight, samantha garvey and her family are homeless no more. today, they received the keys to a new home through a program that helps families move out of shelters. the family had been flooded with an outpouring of support from folks all across the country.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46176622/

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Paterno's son: 'Dad, you won. You can go home now'

BC-FBC--Penn State-Paterno, 2nd Ld-Writethru,1217Paterno's son: 'Dad, you won. You can go home now'Eds: Adds video. AP Video.AP Photo PAJL126, PAAB116, PAJL131, PAJL121, PAJL135, PAYOK120, PAYOK121, PAYOK119By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and GENARO C. ARMASAssociated Press

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) ? Jay Paterno leaned over his dying father, gave him a kiss, and whispered in his ear.

"Dad, you won," he said. "You did all you could do. You've done enough. We all love you. We won. You can go home now."

Joe Paterno died Sunday of lung cancer at age 85.

At a memorial service Thursday that drew some 12,000 people to the Penn State basketball arena, Jay Paterno reflected on what he called the "magnificent daylight" of his legendary father's life. It was primarily a glowing tribute to Paterno and his accomplishments during 46 years as Penn State's football coach ? but also an opportunity to defend his legacy against criticism that he failed to do more when told about an alleged child sexual assault involving one of his former assistants.

Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight won a thunderous standing ovation when he defended Paterno's handling of the 2002 allegations against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. Paterno, he hinted, had been made a scapegoat.

"If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation and not in Joe Paterno's response," Knight said. Paterno's widow, Sue, was among those rising to their feet.

Capping three days of mourning on campus, the 2?-hour ceremony was filled with lavish praise for the man called "JoePa." Paterno racked up more wins ? 409 ? than any other major-college football coach, led his team to two national championships, and preached "success with honor" while insisting his athletes focus on academics. The Paternos donated millions to Penn State.

Though the campus and surrounding community have been torn with anger over the Sandusky scandal and Paterno's summary dismissal by the board of trustees two months before his death, Jay Paterno said his father didn't hold a grudge.

"Despite all that had happened to him, he never wavered in his belief, in his dream, of Penn State. He told me he wanted to use his remaining time on earth to see Penn State continue to thrive. He never spoke ill and never wanted anyone to feel badly for him," Paterno said.

Players from each decade of Paterno's career as the Nittany Lions' coach spoke in loving terms about their mentor, saying he rode them hard, but always had their best interests at heart and encouraged them to complete their educations and become productive members of their communities.

Among the speakers were Michael Robinson, who played for Paterno from 2002 to 2005 and flew in from Hawaii, where he was practicing for his first Pro Bowl; star quarterback Todd Blackledge from the 1980s; and Jimmy Cefalo, a star in the 1970s. Like Robinson, Blackledge and Cefalo went on to play in the NFL.

Former NFL player Charles V. Pittman, speaking for players from the 1960s, called Paterno a lifelong influence and inspiration.

Pittman said Paterno challenged his young players, once bringing Pittman to tears in his sophomore year. He said he realized later that the coach was molding him into the man he would become.

"What I now know is that Joe wasn't trying to build perfection. That doesn't exist and he knew it. He was, bit by bit, building a habit of excellence," said Pittman, now a media executive on the board of The Associated Press.

Paterno was fired Nov. 9 after he was criticized for not going to police in 2002 when he was told that Sandusky had been seen sexually assaulting a boy in the showers. Sandusky was arrested in November and is awaiting trial on charges that he molested 10 boys over a 15-year span.

As the scandal erupted, Pennsylvania's state police commissioner said Paterno may have met his legal duty but not his moral one. Penn State president Graham Spanier was also fired in the fallout.

Knight, appearing about midway through the memorial, became the first speaker to explicitly address the scandal. He said the coach "gave full disclosure to his superiors, information that went up the chains to the head of the campus police and the president of the school. The matter was in the hands of a world-class university, and by a president with an outstanding national reputation."

Lanny J. Davis, an attorney for the board, responded after the service by saying: "All the reasons for the board's difficult and anguished decision ? made unanimously, including former football players and everyone who still loves Coach Paterno and his memory ? reached a decision which was heartfelt. All 32."

"The facts speak for themselves" and include the grand jury testimony, he said.

Chris Marrone, another former player who eulogized Paterno, said Knight was his "new hero" for expressing the "pent-up frustration" of Paterno's supporters.

"I think the response that he got is indicative of how folks feel," Marrone said.

Only one member of the university administration ? the dean of the college of liberal arts ? and no one from the board of trustees spoke at the memorial, which was arranged primarily by the Paterno family.

People said it felt good to remember and celebrate the good times.

Tennessee Titans coach Mike Munchak, who played for Paterno, said he attended the service "because I'm a part of his legacy."

"It was not only about football," Munchak said. "It was about life and how he affected all of us as men."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-27-Penn%20State-Paterno/id-30807e1a7fd14a919e63962069522425

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LivingSocial Now At 5,000 Employees, Half The Size Of Groupon

A few days ago, at the DLD conference, Groupon CEO Andrew Mason revealed that his three-year-old daily deal company now has 10,000 employees, with about 70 percent overseas. What about LivingSocial, the No. 2 daily deal company? Tim O'Shaughnessy told me yesterday the company is now at 5,000 employees worldwide, with "just under half" in the U.S.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/KjGRvRUpKEY/

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Russell Brand To Star In Michael Bay's 'Hauntrepreneur'

Brand will also perform at Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball, along with Coldplay, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.
By Jocelyn Vena

Russell Brand
Photo: Getty Images

Russell Brand has nabbed a starring role in the Michael Bay-produced "The Hauntrepreneur."

The movie will revolve around a "peculiar man" (presumably Brand, given his penchant for those types of roles), who is hired by a family to help them adjust to living in a new town. Calling himself the "Hauntrepreneur," he creates a haunted house full of kooky characters to try to help them get acclimated to their new surroundings, Variety reports.

The studio, Paramount, has yet to comment on the casting. It marks the latest move Brand has made since filing for divorce from Katy Perry over New Year's weekend.

On Wednesday, it was announced that Brand will perform as part of an Amnesty International benefit March 4 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. It marks his first public appearance since news broke of his split from Perry. Coldplay, Mumford & Sons, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Reggie Watts and others will also appear at Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball.

Brand will next be seen in "Rock of Ages," alongside Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Mary J. Blige and Alec Baldwin. The big-screen adaptation of Broadway's rock musical will open June 1. He's also attached to Diablo Cody's "Untitled Diablo Cody Project," which also will feature Hough.

Additionally, he's working with the FX network on a series of six half-hour late-night comedy specials that will be filmed in front of a live audience as well as an animated comedy he co-created that will air on the Fox network.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677931/russell-brand-hauntrepreneur-movie.jhtml

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I Just Banned Jesus Diaz [Announcements]

Last night, during a heated discussion in a post about Google, Jesus called someone a "corporate cocksucker". Then he did it again. Then he said something I don't really understand about tits. It's a clear violation of our commenting policy. More »

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EU and Haiti sign deal to lengthen rural highway (AP)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti ? The Haitian government and European Union have signed an agreement for building a road to connect the capital with the country's second largest city.

The European Union will spend 40.7 million euros ($52.6 million) on a project that will first pave a dirt national highway linking the central towns of Hinche and St. Raphael. It is 27 miles (44-kilometer) long.

The second phase of the project calls for the highway to be extended 20 miles (33 kilometers) from St. Raphael to Cap-Haitien, a coastal city on the northern end of Haiti.

The work is to begin in 2012. Organizers hope the paved highway will improve commerce between the north and the capital.

The agreement was signed Wednesday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_new_road

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NEC NP-V260

The NP-V260 ($440 street) from NEC Display Solutions of America is a budget data projector best for use at one school or office, though it?s portable in a pinch. Its features and resolution are modest, but its data image quality is fine for running typical business presentations.

The DLP-based NP-V260 has a native SVGA (800 by 600) resolution?a 4:3 aspect ratio befitting a data projector?and its brightness is rated at 2,600 lumens. It?s one of several budget SVGA data projectors we?ve reviewed recently; others include the Epson PowerLite S9 Multimedia Projector ($499 direct, 3.5 stars), the Dell 1210S ($449 list, 3.5 stars) and Optoma Pro160S ($500 street, 3.5 stars).

Though fairly lightweight at 5.5 pounds, the V260?white with rounded corners?is large for a portable SVGA data projector, measuring 3.7 by 2.2 by 9.7 inches (HWD). It does not come with a carrying case, which is unusual these days even with budget projectors. These factors, and its lack of a port for a USB thumb drive (which lets you run standalone presentations without the need for a computer), largely limit the NP-V260 to fixed-location duties in a classroom or conference room, though you can travel with it in a pinch. (You could buy a carrying case for it for about $50, but most of the competition is throwing it in for free.)?

The NP-V260 has a modest collection of ports, including VGA-in with component video; S-Video; an RCA video jack; an audio-in jack; and an RS232 jack for PC control.

Data and Video Image Testing

The NP-V260?s 2,600 lumens proved adequate for throwing a 65-inch diameter image on our test screen that held up reasonably well, even with considerable ambient light. In data image testing using the DisplayMate test suite, image quality was suitable for a typical business presentation. There was some tinting (white areas sometimes looked slightly yellow or bluish, and yellows looked mustardy) and color fringing at the intersection of bright and dark areas. The smallest size of white-on-black type looked fuzzy, and some white letters showed traces of color.

All DLP projectors are potentially subject to the rainbow effect, in which light areas appear broken down into their component colors to form rainbow glints when either one?s head or the image moves. People vary in their sensitivity to this effect (I seem to be of average sensitivity). With the NP-V260, I saw occasional rainbow glints; they?d have the potential to distract someone more sensitive than I.

Video testing also revealed traces of the rainbow effect, as well as a motion artifact in which darker solid areas in changing scenes sometimes showed a structure of very fine striations. It happened infrequently enough, and was subtle enough, that it wasn?t too distracting.

Other Issues

The projector has a single 7-watt speaker that?s loud enough to fill a small conference room with sound, even if its audio isn?t of particularly good quality.

The NP-V260 is 3D ready, compatible with DLP Link, though you?ll need active shutter 3D glasses (about $50 a pair) to watch 3D content.

Other budget SVGA projectors, such as the Epson PowerLite S9, the Dell 1210X, and the Optoma Pro160S, have similar feature sets and data image quality. Those models have one thing the NP-V260 lacks: a carrying case.? If you plan for your projector to stay put, the NEC will do fine for basic business presentations. If you need something more, the Editors? Choice NEC NP-M260W ($850 street, 4 stars) throws in the case, provides higher (WXGA, 1,280 by 800) native resolution, adds a wealth of features, and has better image quality for both data and video.

More Projector Reviews:

??? NEC NP-V260
??? NEC NP-V260X
??? Epson EX5210 Multimedia Projector
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?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Q4PgLxUGADM/0,2817,2399229,00.asp

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GOP candidates prepare for Univision forum (AP)

Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum will be participating separately in a forum at the Univision TV network in Miami.

Univision is the nation's largest Spanish-language television network. The forum Wednesday is co-sponsored by Miami-Dade College and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Romney has additional events Wednesday in Miami and Orlando.

Gingrich is giving a lecture on Latin American policy at Florida International University and visiting Coral Springs and then Cocoa, Fla., for a space industry round table and a town hall.

Santorum is speaking at a rally in Naples before participating in the Univision forum.

Ron Paul has no events scheduled in Florida, which holds its Republican primary on Jan. 31.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign

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English FA chief defends referee Webb's integrity

By ROB HARRIS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 5:18 p.m. ET Jan. 25, 2012

LONDON (AP) -The head of English football launched a rare public defense of a referee on Wednesday following criticism of Howard Webb's conduct by the agent of Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.

Webb missed Balotelli appearing to stamp on Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker during Sunday's Premier League match, but the referee told The Football Association the following day that had he seen the incident the striker would have been sent off.

Balotelli accepted the charge of violent conduct and will serve a four-match ban, starting with Wednesday's League Cup semifinal against Liverpool.

But the Italian's agent, Mino Raiola, said Webb "should be disqualified for two lifetimes," claiming that "he lied, he saw (the incident)."

FA chairman David Bernstein responded by defending the 2010 World Cup final referee.

"Howard Webb is a fantastic referee and a great ambassador for the sport. His ability and integrity are beyond question," Bernstein said. "He has the utmost respect from within football in England and around the world.

"That could not have been demonstrated more clearly than in 2010, when he was chosen to referee the UEFA Champions League final and the FIFA World Cup final, and this summer he has been selected for UEFA Euro 2012."

Bernstein said that everyone in football has "a duty to respect our referees."

"To question their integrity or imply anything other than total impartiality is reckless and unfounded," the former Manchester City chairman said. "It harms the perception and treatment of referees at every level of football, and we must not allow that climate to exist."

City assistant manager David Platt pointed out that some incidents often look worse when they are replayed in slow motion.

"Referees have only one live opportunity to make a judgment call on those instances that they see in a fast-paced game," Bernstein said. "They do not have the benefit of numerous camera angles and replays, they make these decisions with honesty and integrity."

After avoiding being sent off on Sunday, Balotelli went on to earn and score a penalty kick to clinch a 3-2 victory for Premier League leader City over Tottenham.

City had until 1800 GMT Wednesday to respond to Balotelli's charge of violent conduct.

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

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Barca holds off Madrid rally

Pedro Rodriguez and Daniel Alves scored first-half goals, and Barcelona held off a spirited Real Madrid comeback attempt to eliminate the defending Copa del Rey champion with a 2-2 tie Wednesday night.

Do-or-die

The U.S. women's soccer team was still on the field, having dispatched rival Mexico, when Abby Wambach gathered her teammates for a little speech.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46130678/ns/sports-soccer/

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The Most Mesmerizing Drum Solo Committed to Video [Video]

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Just a few ancestors give Thoroughbreds speed

Thoroughbred horses owe their amazing sprinting capabilities to just a couple of ancestors, according to a new study that traces the genetics of these racehorses.

The research finds that a genetic variant associated with speed likely originated with a single mare in the mid-17th century. The gene variant became widespread in modern thoroughbreds, thanks to a single stallion named Nearctic, the father of the most-bred stallion of modern times.

"Changes in racing since the foundation of the Thoroughbred have shaped the distribution of 'speed gene' types over time and in different racing regions," study researcher Emmeline Hill, a genomics scientist at University College Dublin, said in a statement.

Built for speed
In 2010, Hill and her colleagues announced they had discovered how variations in the genetic code of Thoroughbreds translated to speed. A gene called MSTN, associated with muscle growth, comes in two varieties, or alleles: C and T. Horses with two copies of the C allele are fast, short-distance sprinters. Horses with one C and one T tend to be strong middle-distance runners. And T/T horses have less speed, but greater stamina.

Now, Hill and her colleagues have traced the history of the C and T alleles, reaching back into the horse family tree to learn where these genetic variations arose and how they spread as the demands of horse breeders changed. The C variant doesn't show up in distant horse cousins such as zebras, the researchers found, revealing that the stamina-bestowing T was the norm in ancestral wild horses. That makes sense, Hill and her colleagues reported Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications, as wild horses needed the ability to roam over long distances.

The C allele shows up in other breeds of domesticated horses besides Thoroughbreds, the researchers found. European and Asian horses have it, as do almost all American quarter horses, another talented sprinter and the most popular horse breed in the U.S. today.

Registered Thoroughbreds haven't reproduced outside their breed since 1791, so the researchers knew that the C allele had to have been in the line by that time. Fortunately for their research, Thoroughbred breeding records are, well, thorough, and all modern Thoroughbreds can trace their paternal lineages back to one of three stallions: Byerly Turk, which lived in the 1680s; Darley Arabian, born in 1704; and Goldolphin Arabian, born in 1729.

By testing historical samples related to Darley Arabian, the researchers were able to determine that he lacked the C allele. It's not clear whether the other two stallions had this allele, but their contribution to the gene pool is minimal compared with Darley. That makes it most likely that the C variant entered the Thoroughbred line through a single mare bred in the 17th century, right before the thoroughbred population closed off to outbreeding.

"The results show that the 'speed gene' entered the Thoroughbred from a single founder, which was most like a British mare about 300 years ago when local British horse types were the pre-eminent racing horses," Hill said.

Dominating genes
But that finding didn't explain how the C allele became so widespread in modern thoroughbreds. To find out, the researchers examined the pedigrees of 56 elite-performing C/C and T/T horses. They found that the genetic data converged on one horse, Nearctic, born in 1954 to a stallion named Nearco, who was known as one of the best racehorses of the era. Nearctic, in turn, sired a horse named Northern Dancer, in 1961.

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Northern Dancer never came in lower than third in his time as a racehorse, and he won 14 of the 18 races he ran. When he retired, he became the most influential stud horse of the era, according to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. At one point in the 1980s, it cost $1 million to have Northern Dancer breed with a mare.

Northern Dancer's prolific breeding allowed the C allele to spread far and wide among Thoroughbreds, the researchers found. But it wasn't just good looks and luck that made Northern Dancer popular. In the late 1800s and into the 1900s, horses began at racing younger and younger ages, starting at 2 rather than 5 or 6. At the same time, races were becoming shorter. The C allele, which leads to fast muscle growth early in life, made for good sprinters for this new type of racing.

This little gene means big bucks for horse breeders and owners. The winnings of all of Northern Dancer's 635 registered foals, for example, exceeded $26 million at the time of their sire's death in 1990. Hill is a co-founder of Equinome, a company which tests for the C and T alleles. This test is used by the racing industry to determine the optimal racing distances for individual Thoroughbreds.

The study also reveals the power of racing trends in determining the genetics of racehorses, Hill said.

"This just goes to show the power breeders have to shape the genetic make-up of their horses," she said. "Decisions regarding the race pattern in each racing jurisdiction and the commercial demand for certain types will also rapidly influence the genetic make-up of the population."

You can follow LiveScience senior writer Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46118196/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Oscar nominations announced for lead actress (AP)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. ? The 84th annual Academy Award nominations for lead actress in a motion picture have been announced in Beverly Hills, Calif., by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The nominees announced Tuesday morning are: Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"; Viola Davis, "The Help"; Rooney Mara, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"; Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn."

The Oscars will be presented Feb. 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Billy Crystal and broadcast live on ABC.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_en_mo/us_oscar_nominations_actress

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Pantech Burst, Element now on sale at AT&T

The Pantech Element tablet and Burst smartphone made up a third of the half-dozen LTE devices that AT&T announced at its annual Developer Summit. And, now, they're available for purchase. You can get the Element, an 8-inch water resistant tablet, and the Burst, a 4-inch smartphone, by themselves for $300 and $50 each, respectively, on contract. Or, you can buy them together for $250 total (with a couple lines to pay for, however).

More at AT&T: Pantech Element, Pantech Burst
See our hands on: Pantech Element, Pantech Burst

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/F6_1ssubzSA/story01.htm

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Interview with Erica Lee (Offthekuff)

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Yemen's leader allowed to come to US (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration will allow Yemen's outgoing president to come to the U.S. temporarily for medical treatment, a move aimed at easing the political transition in Yemen, a key counterterrorism partner.

A senior administration official said Ali Abdullah Saleh would travel to New York this week, and probably stay in the U.S. until no later than the end of February. U.S. officials believe Saleh's exit from Yemen could lower the risk of disruptions in the lead-up to presidential elections planned there on Feb. 21.

A presidential spokesman in Yemen said Saleh had left the capital of Sanaa earlier Sunday on a jet headed for the Persian Gulf sultanate of Oman. An official close to Saleh, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the trip, said the president would undergo medical exams in Oman before heading to the U.S.

The U.S. official did not say whether Saleh planned to return to Yemen, Oman or elsewhere after finishing his treatment in the U.S. The official was not authorized to discuss details about Saleh and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Yemeni embassy in Washington said Saleh planned to return home in February to attend a swearing-in ceremony for the country's newly elected president.

The mercurial Saleh, who ruled Yemen for more than three decades, agreed to transfer power to his vice president late last year in exchange for immunity from prosecution. He had faced months of protests calling for his ouster, to which the Yemeni government responded with a bloody crackdown, leaving hundreds of protesters dead and sparking wider violence in the capital with rival militia.

Even after agreeing to leave power, Saleh continued to wield his influence behind the scenes, and U.S. officials believed getting him out of Yemen was necessary in order to ensure the February elections took place. The U.S. also worried about instability in a nation grappling with growing extremism, including the dangerous al-Qaida branch known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Still, Saleh's request last month for a U.S. visa put the Obama administration in the awkward position of either having to bar a friendly president from U.S. soil or risking appearing to harbor an autocrat with blood on his hands.

As U.S. officials weighed Saleh's request, they sought assurances that he would not seek political asylum or any type of permanent relocation in the U.S.

"We wanted to make sure that there was an understanding that it would be for medical purposes and that's what it is for," John Brennan, President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, said Sunday.

Saleh was badly burned and wounded during a June rocket attack on his compound in Yemen. He sought medical treatment in neighboring Saudi Arabia for three months. American officials had hoped he would remain there, but the Yemeni leader returned and violence worsened anew.

Protesters and human rights groups have criticized Saleh's immunity clause and insisted he stand trial for his alleged role in protester deaths.

Brennan said there was a divide in Yemen over Saleh's future, with some Yemenis supporting Saleh's decision to seek medical treatment in the U.S. In the short-term, he said, it was imperative to ensure that the February elections take place.

"We thought it was important, given where Yemen is right now as far as moving forward with its political transition, to do what we can to support the government and the elections that are scheduled for the 21st of February, and that seems to be on track," he said.

Yemeni Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is expected to be rubber-stamped as the country's new leader in the elections, in which he is expected to be the only candidate.

Brennan spoke with Hadi on Sunday, and told him the U.S. was encouraged by his leadership during a difficult period of transition. With fresh demonstrations likely in the weeks leading up to the elections, Brennan urged Hadi to ensure that Yemeni security forces exercise restraint.

The Obama administration's approval of Saleh's visa brought back memories from three decades ago, when President Jimmy Carter allowed the exiled shah of Iran into the U.S. for medical treatment. The decision contributed to rapidly worsening relations between Washington and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's revolution in Tehran, with Iranian students occupying the U.S. Embassy in Iran a month later.

Fifty-two American hostages were held for 444 days in response to Carter's refusal to send the shah back to Iran for trial.

___

Associated Press writers Ahmed al-Haj and Ben Hubbard in Sanaa, Yemen, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_yemen

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Dutch court rejects Apple appeal, says Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is legal

A court in the Hague has just cleared the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for sale in the Netherlands, rejecting Apple's requests for a nationwide ban. As NU.nl reports, a different Dutch court had already issued a similar ruling in October, which Cupertino promptly appealed, claiming that Sammy's slate was too similar to its own iPad 2. Today, though, the Court of the Hague shot down Apple's arguments, determining that there are enough differences between the two products to legally justify their coexistence. Granted, this is only one of many patent battles that the two companies are currently waging, but for today, at least, it looks like Samsung has come out on top.

Dutch court rejects Apple appeal, says Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is legal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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