Consumers using smart phones while shopping

By Eve Tahmincioglu

Santa was no match for tech-savvy shoppers during the holiday season.?

When it came to finding the best products and the best prices, more than half of consumers came armed with their cell phones to help them make purchasing decisions. And just as traditional brick-and-mortar retailers feared, many of those shoppers decided not to buy merchandise from stores they visited thanks to information they got via mobile phone comparison shopping.?

Those findings come from a study released Monday by the Pew Research Center?s Internet & American Life Project, which found:?

• 38 percent of cell owners used their phone to?call a friend?while they were in a store for advice about a?purchase they were considering making.
• 24 percent of cell owners used their phone to?look up reviews of a product online?while they were in a store.
• 25 percent of adult cell owners used their phones to?look up the price of a product online while they were in a store, to see if they could get a better price somewhere else.?

?Consumers are feeling like they have a leg up on retailers,? said Esther Swilley, assistant professor of?marketing at Kansas State University, about the increasing use of mobile devices to bargain hunt. ?They can get price quotes quickly, and they now realize, ?I can do better than what you?ve got here.? ??

Not surprisingly, the under-50 crowd was more likely to use mobile devices for online product reviews, and urban and suburban cell phone owners were about twice as likely as rural users to have recently used their phones for product analysis.?

Minority mobile users were more apt to look up online reviews than white cell phone owners; and college-educated shoppers were more likely to dial for deals?than those who did not attend college.?

Retailers who are worried about consumers? new-found independence, she added, are going to have a hard time curbing these cell-phone price crusaders.?

Target recently moved to try and derail mobile deal seekers by asking some manufacturers?to create Target-exclusive items that would make it harder to comparison shop. The retailer, along with many other merchants who rely heavily on in-store sales, don?t much like the growing habit of ?showrooming,? an industry term for shoppers who use stores as a place to check out items and then buy products online at lower prices.?

Such fears, it turns out, are warranted, according to the Pew study.?

Researched asked respondents what actions they took after using their phones in stores to look up prices, and 37 percent said they decided not to buy the product at all.?

In addition:?

• 35 percent purchased the product at that store.?
• 19 percent purchased the product online.?
• 8 percent bought the product at another store.?

That?s just the beginning, said Eric Johnson, management professor and information technology expert at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University, who expects mobile devices will become a shopping mainstay.?

Retailers such as Target and Best Buy, he said, have been the most worried about how the technology will undermine sales because of the ?petting-zoo phenomenon,? but they?ll have to learn to embrace it given the potential upside.?

Savvy merchants are using mobile technologies to ?augment the shopping experience,? he explained, pointing to Wet Seal, the junior apparel chain, as a prime example.?

Wet Seal offers its customers an app that gives them suggestions for ensemble pieces, or accessories, when they scan codes on merchandise in the store. They can buy the products in the store, or go to a virtual shelf online and purchase the color or size they want if it?s not in stock, he said. Mobile users can upload the outfits to Facebook so friends can offer their ?likes? or ?dislikes? before shoppers buy.?

This type of mobile integration, he said, ?is where the real excitement is.??

Traditional retailers, he continued, ?can?t just employ defensive moves to make it difficult to compare, but they have to find substantial ways to connect with the shopper in the shopping experience, and do that with mobile apps.?

Related story:

Target tries to fight off online retailers?

{"contentId":"10272875","totalVotes":"1428"}

Do you use your smart phone to look for deals while in the store?

?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10272875-more-consumers-using-smart-phones-while-shopping

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The Week in Android News

Phew. Another week complete and we all made it through with our sanity (well ok, some of it atleast). Odds are that over the course of the past week you missed something that happened, so check out below some of the highlights and be sure to keep yourself up to date.

General News

• MIT and Google open-source App Inventor code, public release of MIT's version on track for April
• Apple lawsuit is not targeting Galaxy Nexus unlock screen
• Kinect meets Android, a new input method is born
• RIM's new CEO on Android hardware: 'they are all the same'

Hardware News

• Huawei Honor Review
• Sony unveils new CMOS sensors for smartphones
• Sony ST25i 'Kumquat' looks set to launch as 'Xperia U'
• AT&T Galaxy Note rumored to launch Feb. 18, along with two unannounced devices
• LG Spectrum review - Verizon gets another decent second-gen LTE phone

Tablet News

• Notion Ink partners with Texas Instruments for its next-generation Adam II Tablets
• Samsung defends against Apple design infringement claim in Netherlands
• Transformer Prime bootloader unlock tool coming in Feb. says ASUS
• ZTE Optik Honeycomb tablet coming to Sprint with a $99 price tag
• Acer Iconia A200 Review
• Wifi-only Motorola XYBOARDs now shipping
• Verizon ZTE V66 tablet gets pic outed by the Bluetooth SIG

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

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Ryman Auditorium getting new stage after 61 years (AP)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ? It's time for a new stage at Ryman Auditorium, a significant moment in the history of a building known for its significant moments.

Scuffed by the heels of "The King," "The Queen of Soul" and thousands of singers in cowboy boots, scarred by an uncountable stream of road cases and worn by six decades of music history, the Ryman's oak floorboards have reached the end of a very long, very successful run.

"That stage has had a wonderful life," said Steve Buchanan, senior vice president of media and entertainment for Gaylord Entertainment, owners of the Ryman.

The current stage is just the second in the 120-year history of the "Mother Church" after the original was installed in 1901 for a performance of the Metropolitan Opera. It was laid down in 1951 and has lasted far longer than expected. The stage was refinished during a renovation in 1993-94 and even then officials knew it would be the last resurfacing. Today it's heavily scuffed and scarred, its age easily visible from the Ryman's balcony.

The Ryman is still the building most associated with The Grand Ole Opry, though it moved to the Opry House in 1974, and has hosted a number of significant moments in American culture.

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash stood together on those boards and changed music. Cultures clashed there too when the boo birds took on country rockers The Byrds. Today the Ryman is a much sought-after destination point for musicians of all genres and many shows take on a unique aura.

Dylan recently returned, more than 40 years after "Nashville Skyline." Taylor Swift sang there recently with her good friends, The Civil Wars. Even the heaviest of rockers get a little nostalgic, like Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, who said it was an honor to get drunk while performing in the building last year.

Keith Urban, making his return from vocal surgery, will be among the last performers on the stage when the Opry plays its final winter date Friday at The Ryman. Dierks Bentley will play the last standalone concert Thursday.

As a young, aspiring performer in Nashville more than a decade ago, Bentley would run his fingers along the building's brickwork late at night as he walked home from performing on Lower Broadway, daydreaming of playing on that stage. He calls it "one of the most precious places in Nashville and in country music to me."

"The significance of that stage and who played there before me will definitely be in the back of my head all night," Bentley said in an email. "As a member of the Grand Ole Opry, I couldn't be any prouder."

That a busy venue needs a new stage is not necessarily news. The stage at the Opry's permanent home, for instance, has been changed multiple times over the years with little comment. But when the Ryman stage is replaced, officials in some sense are altering an icon that is closely watched by sometimes vocal guardians of its cultural significance.

Officials are prepared for questions. They point out the building has gone through many upgrades over the years and that each step was vital to preserving the building. Most recently the roof was replaced in 2009.

"We're not in the business of getting rid of old things just to get rid of them," Ryman general manager Sally Williams said.

They will retain an 18-inch lip of the blonde oak at the front of the stage, similar to the way the Ryman stage was commemorated in a circle of wood at the new Opry House. The rest of the stage will be stored and replaced with a medium brown Brazilian teak that will be far more durable and camera friendly.

Beneath the stage, the original hickory support beams will be kept and reinforced with concrete foundations, crossbeams and joist work that will help triple the stage's load capacity.

Work will begin Feb. 4 and continue seven days a week until Feb. 20, when rising country stars The Band Perry will make its Ryman debut with a sold-out show. Tours will continue throughout the work, allowing members of the public to watch.

Williams says she's gotten no negative feedback as word has spread because everyone understands the importance of the project.

"I think it will be interesting because I think it's obvious we're doing something ensuring that people will be coming here and having those Ryman moments in 120 years," she said.

___

Online:

http://www.ryman.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_en_mu/us_music_ryman_stage

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London Olympic travel plan: Be patient, drink beer

This is an image of a poster made made available by Transport for London about travelling on public transport during the London 2012 games Monday Jan. 30, 2012. Olympic organizers have some travel advice for the millions of people who work and live in London: Be patient. Have a beer. Telecommute. Rejecting suggestions of possible transport chaos during the July 27-Aug. 12, games, they unveiled a 8.8 million-pound (US$13.3 million) campaign Monday to persuade city residents to change their travel patterns to ease the strain on public transport. (AP Photo/Transport for London)

This is an image of a poster made made available by Transport for London about travelling on public transport during the London 2012 games Monday Jan. 30, 2012. Olympic organizers have some travel advice for the millions of people who work and live in London: Be patient. Have a beer. Telecommute. Rejecting suggestions of possible transport chaos during the July 27-Aug. 12, games, they unveiled a 8.8 million-pound (US$13.3 million) campaign Monday to persuade city residents to change their travel patterns to ease the strain on public transport. (AP Photo/Transport for London)

This is an image of a poster made made available by Transport for London, about travelling on public transport during the London 2012 games Monday Jan. 30, 2012. Olympic organizers have some travel advice for the millions of people who work and live in London: Be patient. Have a beer. Telecommute. Rejecting suggestions of possible transport chaos during the July 27-Aug. 12, games, they unveiled a 8.8 million-pound (US$13.3 million) campaign Monday to persuade city residents to change their travel patterns to ease the strain on public transport. (AP Photo/Transport for London)

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London leaves on his bicycle after a press conference for the unveiling of a major UK transport campaign 'Get Ahead of the Games' at King's Cross station, which is currently undergoing development, in London, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. With just under 200 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, The new 'Get Ahead of the Games' campaign explains directly to the public how they can plan ahead and avoid the travel hotspots during the games. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A poster is seen at the unveiling of a major UK transport campaign 'Get Ahead of the Games' at King's Cross station, which is currently undergoing development, in London, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. With just under 200 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, The new 'Get Ahead of the Games' campaign explains directly to the public how they can plan ahead and avoid the travel hotspots during the games.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London reacts during a press conference for the unveiling of a major UK transport campaign entitled "Get Ahead of the Games", in London, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. With just under 200 days to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, The new Get Ahead of the Games campaign explains directly to the public how they can plan ahead and avoid the travel hotspots during the games. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

LONDON (AP) ? Olympic organizers have some travel advice for the millions of people who work and live in London: Be patient. Have a beer. Work from home.

Rejecting suggestions of possible transport chaos during the July 27-Aug. 12 games, they unveiled a 8.8 million-pound ($13.3 million) campaign Monday to persuade city residents to change their travel patterns to ease the strain on public transport.

Even as London Mayor Boris Johnson tried to focus attention on the positive, transport officials had to bat back demands by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union for more money. Union officials say subway staff are not being offered enough to compensate them for working more hours and erratic schedules during the Summer Olympics.

The fresh union demands came just moments before London transport officials unveiled posters, signs and banners to make travelers aware of how to handle transport issues during the games. Johnson directed his remarks at what he called "Olympo-skeptics."

"They predict that tumbleweed will be going down Shaftesbury Avenue," Johnson said, referring to a main London thoroughfare. "They are completely wrong and mistaken and missing a huge opportunity to profit."

London transport officials have been at pains in recent weeks to downplay concerns about whether the city's aging transportation system can handle the extra traffic from tourists, spectators and others expected to use the network.

Officials point to a 6.5 billion-pound ($10.2 billion) investment in the transport system. They say train journeys are faster and note that many more trains will run ? and that some will even have air conditioning ? during the games.

If office workers do things as simple as stopping and have a beer on their way home, it will spread out the rush-hour demands, they assert. No recommendations ? alcoholic or otherwise ? were made for the morning commute.

Businesses have been asked to consider whether London workers could telecommute or have more flexible working hours.

The trouble is that even on regular days London struggles with constraints on the Tube, an aging system that handles 12 million trips a day. The Olympics is estimated to add 3 million trips on busy days. Keeping the system running smoothly is predicated on the notion that locals will rearrange their schedules, change travel patterns and adjust their lives to accommodate.

Even Johnson acknowledged that travelers on the Jubilee line ? one of the key arteries for the games ? would not be "short of company."

London wants all of its spectators to arrive by public transport ? or foot and bike. Ticket holders to Olympic events will receive day passes for the subway as part of their package. A special train known as the "Javelin" will take spectators directly from central London's St. Pancras train station to the Olympic Park in the East London neighborhood of Stratford.

The "Get Ahead of the Games" campaign that kicked off Monday marks the biggest effort yet to directly reach the public. Featuring cartoonlike posters and directional signs in hot pink and maroon, the campaign tries to let people know about upcoming disruptions and gives suggestions on how to address them.

The campaign, funded as part of the 9.3 billion pounds ($14.6 billion) devoted to staging the Olympics, will run in national newspapers, rail stations and radio stations across the country as well as around Olympic venues.

Souring the big launch was the rail union's announcement that subway train drivers considered a one-time payment of around 500 pounds ($784) inadequate.

"All we are calling for is a fair deal for all the staff involved in delivering the colossal transport challenge that we will be facing this summer and the negotiations to achieve that are ongoing," Union chief Bob Crow said in a statement.

Crow said the union was ready for more talks. Peter Hendy, the Transport for London commissioner, called the union announcement "a tactic," and maintained that everyone at the transit agency is proud of helping out at the games.

Hendy refused to say how much he was prepared to pay to compensate the transport workers, but the pressure comes at a time when Olympic organizers are straining to stay within budget.

The National Audit Office, Britain's spending watchdog, has reported that only 500 million pounds ($785 million) remains unspent for dealing with future Olympics-related costs.

Hendy insisted the money to cover compensation for transport workers would be available once a deal was struck.

__

www.getaheadofthegames.com or following the (at)GAOTG Twitter

___

Danica Kirka can be reached at http://twitter.com/DanicaKirka

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-30-OLY-London-2012-Transport/id-e6af5beec43a471db517263b03f7a532

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Iran upbeat on nuclear visit, delays EU oil ban

TEHRAN?? Iran sent conflicting signals in a dispute with the West over its nuclear ambitions on Sunday, vowing to stop oil exports soon to "some" countries but postponing a parliamentary debate on a proposed halt to such sales to the European Union.

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The Islamic Republic declared itself optimistic about a visit by U.N. nuclear experts that began on Sunday but also warned the inspectors to be "professional" or see Tehran reducing cooperation with the world body on atomic matters.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection delegation will seek to advance efforts to resolve a row about nuclear work which Iran says is for making electricity but the West suspects is aimed at seeking a nuclear weapon.

Tensions with the West rose this month when Washington and the European Union (EU) imposed the toughest sanctions yet in a drive to force Tehran to provide more information on its nuclear program. The measures take direct aim at the ability of OPEC's second biggest oil exporter to sell its crude.

In a remark suggesting Iran would fight sanctions with sanctions, Iran's oil minister said the Islamic state would soon stop exporting crude to "some" countries.

Rostam Qasemi did not identify the countries but was speaking less than a week after the EU's 27 member states agreed to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1.

"Soon we will cut exporting oil to some countries," the state news agency IRNA quoted Qasemi as saying.

Iranian lawmakers had been due to debate a bill on Sunday that could have cut off oil supplies to the EU in days, in a move calculated to hit ailing European economies before the EU-wide ban on took effect.

But Iranian MPs postponed discussing the measure.

"No such draft bill has yet been drawn up and nothing has been submitted to the parliament. What exists is a notion by the deputies which is being seriously pursued to bring it to a conclusive end," Emad Hosseini, spokesman for parliament's Energy Committee, told Mehr.

Iranian officials say sanctions have had no impact on the country.

"Iranian oil has its own market, even if we cut our exports to Europe," oil minister Qasemi said.

Another lawmaker, Mohammad Karim Abedi, said the bill would oblige the government to cut Iran's oil supplies to the European Union for five to 15 years, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

By turning the sanctions back on the EU, lawmakers hope to deny the bloc a six-month window it had planned to give those of its members most dependent on Iranian oil - including some of the most economically fragile in southern Europe - to adapt.

The Mehr news agency quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi as saying during a trip to Ethiopia: "We are very optimistic about the outcome of the IAEA delegation's visit to Iran ... Their questions will be answered during this visit."

"We have nothing to hide and Iran has no clandestine (nuclear) activities."

Striking a sterner tone, Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, warned the IAEA team to carry out a "logical, professional and technical" job or suffer the consequences.

"This visit is a test for the IAEA. The route for further cooperation will be open if the team carries out its duties professionally," said Larijani, state media reported.

"Otherwise, if the IAEA turns into a tool (for major powers to pressure Iran), then Iran will have no choice but to consider a new framework in its ties with the agency."

Iran's parliament in the past has approved bills to oblige the government to review its level of cooperation with the IAEA. However, Iran's top officials have always underlined the importance of preserving ties with the watchdog body.

Before departing from Vienna, IAEA Deputy Director General Herman Nackaerts said he hoped the Islamic state would tackle the watchdog's concerns "regarding the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program."

The head of the state-run National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said late on Saturday that the export embargo would hit European refiners, such as Italy's Eni, that are owed oil from Iran as part of long-standing buy-back contracts under which they take payment for past oilfield projects in crude.

"The European companies will have to abide by the provisions of the buyback contracts," Ahmad Qalebani told the ISNA news agency. "If they act otherwise, they will be the parties to incur the relevant losses and will subject the repatriation of their capital to problems."

Italy's Eni is owed $1.4-1.5 billion in oil for contracts it executed in Iran in 2000 and 2001 and has been assured by EU policymakers its buyback contracts will not be part of the European embargo, but the prospect of Iran acting first may put that into doubt.

Eni declined to comment on Sunday.

The EU accounted for 25 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the third quarter of 2011. However, analysts say the global oil market will not be overly disrupted if parliament votes for the bill that would turn off the oil tap for Europe.

Potentially more disruptive to the world oil market and global security is the risk of Iran's standoff with the West escalating into military conflict.

Iran has repeatedly said it could close the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane if sanctions succeed in preventing it from exporting crude, a move Washington said it would not tolerate.

The IAEA's visit may be an opportunity to defuse some of the tension. Director General Yukiya Amano has called on Iran to show a "constructive spirit" and Tehran has said it is willing to discuss "any issues" of interest to the U.N. agency, including the military-linked concerns.

But Western diplomats, who have often accused Iran of using such offers of dialogue as a stalling tactic while it presses ahead with its nuclear program, say they doubt Tehran will show the kind of concrete cooperation the IAEA wants.

They say Iran may offer limited concessions and transparency to try to ease intensifying international pressure, but that this is unlikely to amount to the full cooperation required.

The outcome could determine whether Iran will face further isolation or whether there are prospects for resuming wider talks between Tehran and the major powers on the nuclear row.

Salehi said Iran "soon" would write a letter to the E.U.'s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to discuss "a date and venue" for fresh nuclear talks.

"Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili in this letter, which may be sent in the coming days, also may mention other issues as well," Salehi said, without elaborating.

The last round of talks in January 2011 between Jalili and Ashton, who represents major powers, failed over Iran's refusal to halt its sensitive nuclear work.

"The talks will be successful as the other party seems interested in finding a way out of this deadlock," Salehi said.

Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46180904/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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Late Night Math: Pets, Beacon and Heroic Yor'sahj : Kurn's Corner

Apotheosis (A-25m-2/8HM, seeking casters and a resto shaman! </shamelessplug>) got Heroic Hagara down as a server-first and our next target is Heroic Yor?sahj the Unsleeping.

Assuming holy paladins are in the mix, a popular healing strategy is to beacon the tanks and heal the pets in the raid, because heals from Beacon of Light do not stack Deep Corruption and pets don?t receive stacks of Deep Corruption.

The question came up, the other day, about whether or not a hunter should use a Tenacity pet, who has the Blood of the Rhino talent. Would the lower DPS be worth 40% extra healing to a pet and then, ostensibly, 20% extra healing to the tank through Beacon of Light?

This was a popular strategy back on Valithria Dreamwalker. You would park a turtle or some other Tenacity pet with the same +healing talent basically on top of Dreamwalker or right next to her and you?d heal the pet for extra healing done. Unfortunately, this stopped being viable eventually when they fixed Blood of the Rhino to only affect the pet and no copied heals from that (ie: Beacon of Light).

But that was back in 3.3. Did 4.3 mean this was somehow working again?

I bothered Daey to get on his holy paladin, Saerani, while I was on Kurn and we experimented with him beaconing me and healing my pet. The first pet he healed was my cat, Whisper, who has no +healing talents at all, being a Ferocity pet.

So you can see here that Daey hits Whisper for 55355 (crit). This bounces to me for 27677, which is just half of that heal. (Yeah, I miss 100% Beacon transfers, too!) The same with the 27672 hit, that gets me for half ? 13836. That is totally expected. This is the control for the experiment. Now let?s look at Daey healing my bear, Fozzie.

First, note that the non-crit heal hits for 40,102. Based on the heals Whisper got, it?s clear that Fozzie has the Blood of the Rhino talent if it hit him for a 40k non-crit.

But then you see that the heal to me was only 14322.

MATH TIME.

14322 x2 = 28644 x 1.4 = 40,101.6 = 40,102.

So the original heal size, without the Blood of the Rhino bonus was 28644. With the 40% extra healing, we get 40,101.6 (rounded up to 40,102). If this +healing did transfer through Beacon of Light, we wouldn?t see me being healed for half of the original heal?s size. We would see it be half of the final heal?s size. The final heal was 40,102, so we would be looking for 20,051 as the heal that I got. But alas, I was only healed for 14,322.

Let?s see how this holds up with the next heal.

Fozzie is healed for 71865. I get healed for 25666.

25666 x2 = 51,332 x 1.4 = 71,864.8 = 71,865

Yup, same deal.

So it?s quite clear ? Blood of the Rhino does not transfer any extra +healing from the pet to the Beacon of Light target. As such, on the Heroic Yor?sahj the Unsleeping encounter, I do encourage you to beacon the tanks and heal the pets, but don?t gimp your hunters? DPS by forcing them to bring a Tenacity pet to the raid. Their regular pet will do exactly the same thing a Tenacity pet will.

Source: http://kurn.apotheosis-now.com/?p=2175

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Quincy Jones 'So Proud' Of Daughter Rashida's Sundance Film: 'She's Amazing' (omg!)

Quincy Jones is still beaming with pride after heading to Park City, Utah last week to support daughter Rashida Jones at the Sundance premiere of her film, "Celeste and Jesse Forever."

"I was so proud of her," the proud papa told Access Hollywood of Rashida's success, during an interview at the Los Angeles premiere of Cirque du Soleil's "Michael Jackson The Immortal" on Friday. "To see she produced, co-produced, co-wrote and starred in [the film] -- all [of my] kids are growing up... It's amazing.

PLAY IT NOW: 2012 Sundance Film Festival: Rashida Jones & Andy Samberg Talk Starring In ?Celeste & Jesse Forever?

"It's very satisfying and very rewarding," he added.

Quincy gave the movie - which nabbed a distribution deal with Sony Pictures Classic at the festival, and also stars Emma Roberts and "Saturday Night Live's" Andy Samberg - a rave review.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Rashida Jones

"I loved it!" he told Access, when asked if he enjoyed "Celeste and Jesse Forever." "[Rashida] is amazing. She really is. I am so proud of her."

While Quincy is thrilled to witness his daughter's growing success (the 35-year-old actress stars on NBC's "Parks and Recreation" and was recently seen on the big screen in "The Muppets"), the father of seven said raising girls may to be blame for his lost locks.

"Daughters will take all your hair away," he told Access with a laugh. "But they fill your heart up though!"

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood Dads & Their Adorable Little Ones!

"[Age 13 is] the werewolf stage. I've got six werewolves!" he jokingly added. "One son and six daughters."

Catch Rashida, alongside Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe, on "Parks and Recreation" -- Thursdays at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: They?re In The Biz: Celebrity Offspring Following In Their Parents? Footsteps

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_quincy_jones_proud_daughter_rashidas_sundance_film_shes223020235/44340870/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/quincy-jones-proud-daughter-rashidas-sundance-film-shes-223020235.html

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Buy and sell your used items with these iPhone apps (Appolicious)

Barcode scanner app ShopSavvy has been around for a few years now, but it?s about to receive a major upgrade. The ShopSavvy developers are integrating a feature into the app to allow users to scan an item?s barcode and then list that item for sale to other ShopSavvy users, creating a sort of instant Craigslist that they?re calling SavvyListings.

The combination of barcode scanning and user-to-user transactions is particularly, well, savvy considering that once a user scans the barcode the app will automatically populate with information about the item, meaning the user won?t have to bother with cumbersome descriptions or even provide their own photos.

But if you can?t wait for the feature to be added to ShopSavvy and you have items you want to get out of your house, there are already a few marketplace style apps that can help you out.

You can always go with the standard in online marketplace transactions, Craigslist. There are a number of Craigslist-friendly apps available but Craigslist++ ($0.99) has a robust feature set that should take care of whatever need you have with the website. Users can browse actual Craigslist postings, while the more visually inclined can browse listings via a photo wall. Posting using Craigslist++ is simple and all posts can be edited from within the app. Users who want a chuckle can also browse the ?The Best of Craigslist? for a look at some of the more entertaining postings available.

If you?re more interested in buying or selling offbeat items, like the kind you might find at a garage sale, Yardsellr is a free app worth looking at. Yardsellr is not as feature-rich as Craigslist++ but it allows you to quickly list knickknack style items you?d like to have someone take off your hands. The search function for Yardsellr is also very photo-friendly, so you?ll know exactly what you?re buying before you take out your credit card.

Supposing you?d like another reason to kill time on Facebook when you should be working, Marketplace for Oodle and Facebook (free) should serve as a decent excuse. Users can quickly snap a picture an upload it via the Marketplace app where it will be instantly posted on both Oodle and Facebook.

You can set your own price, or simply give your item away for free if it?s really bugging you. The app has also recently added a ?circles? feature where you can view items posted from like-minded groups. This limits your search options and hopefully provides you with exactly the kind of narrow-focus you need to track down (or get rid of) that one item driving you crazy.

If you?re more interested in buying something but don?t want to put the work in to find it yourself, the free Zaarly app lets you create a post outlining the item you?re looking for and what you?d prefer to pay. From there, other Zaarly users can come to you with offers until the transaction is completed.

Although I?m certainly excited about SavvyListings, and I can?t wait to see exactly how it will be integrated into ShopSavvy, there?s plenty of competition for marketplace apps. That?s not a bad thing, as often one app will have some features that another one doesn?t offer. However, ShopSavvy had better be prepared for some serious competition as it prepares its new offering. After all, it?s a buyer?s market out there.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_appolicious_com_articles10897_buy_and_sell_your_used_items_with_these_iphone_apps/44337200/SIG=134qib4i5/*http%3A//www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/10897-buy-and-sell-your-used-items-with-these-iphone-apps

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Germans float direct EU control over Greek budget (AP)

BERLIN ? Germany is proposing that debt-ridden Greece temporarily cede sovereignty over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts, an official in Berlin said Saturday.

The idea was quickly rejected by the European Union's executive body and the government in Athens, with the EU Commission in Brussels insisting that "executive tasks must remain the full responsibility of the Greek government, which is accountable before its citizens and its institutions."

But the German official said the initiative is being discussed among the 17-nation currency bloc's finance ministers because Greece has repeatedly failed to fulfill its commitments under its current euro110 billion ($145 billion) lifeline.

The proposal foresees a commissioner holding a veto right against any budgetary measures and having broad surveillance ability to ensure that Greece will take proper steps to repay its debt as scheduled, the official said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential.

Greece's international creditors ? the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank ? already have unprecedented powers over Greek spending after negotiating with Athens stringent austerity measures and economic reforms in return for the first bailout.

The so-called troika of creditors is currently negotiating another euro130 billion rescue package for the heavily indebted country. German news magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday cited an unnamed troika official as saying Greece might actually need a euro145 billion package because of its prolonged recession.

The German proposal, first reported by the Financial Times, is likely to spark controversy in Greece.

Despite the quick rejection from the EU Commission, Germany's demand underlines the frustration of the eurozone with Greece's slack implementation of the promised reforms, spending cuts and privatizations. During every verification mission last year, the troika found huge implementation shortfalls, which in turn increased gaps in Athens' budget and intensified the need for a second bailout.

A powerful budget commissioner would further diminish the political leeway of Greece's government, just as politicians there are gearing up for an election set to take place this spring.

A government official in Athens said a similar proposal had been floated last year but got nowhere. Greece would not accept such a measure, he added. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no formal proposal has been made by the EU or Germany yet.

The unprecedented and sweeping powers for creditors would indeed deal a huge blow to Greece's sovereignty, but they could help mobilize more support for the government in Athens from its European partners.

Several German lawmakers have repeatedly said that giving more money to Greece is unthinkable without stricter enforcement and control of the conditions attached to the rescue packages.

Greece is currently locked in a twin effort, seeking to secure a crucial debt relief deal with private investors while also tackling the pressing demands from its European partners and the IMF for more austerity measures and deeper reforms.

Failure on either front would force the country to default on its debt in less than two months, pouring new fuel on the fires of Europe's debt crisis.

In that case, Greece would likely leave the eurozone, which would bring disaster to the country, destabilize the currency bloc, fuel panic on financial markets and ultimately threaten the fragile world economy.

Despite two weeks of intensive talks, a debt relief agreement with private investors worth some euro100 billion has yet to be reached.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos met anew with representatives of international banks and other private institutions Saturday, but the talks ended without a final deal and were expected to resume Sunday, officials in Athens said.

With the current troika mission still ongoing and no final deal with the private sector creditors, Greece is unlikely to feature prominently at a summit of the EU's 27 leaders Monday, according to officials in Brussels.

___

Demetris Nellas in Athens and Gabriele Steinhauser in Brussels contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

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UFC on Fox 2 picks, Vegas-style: Bisping really getting annoyed by Sonnen?s wrestling lines

CHICAGO -- It's all about staying off your back and top control in tonight's three big fights on the UFC on Fox 2 card.

If they control the pace in fights, top level wrestlers have the ability to steal rounds and money. A mix of underdogs and favorites (Chael Sonnen, Phil Davis and Chris Weidman) with excellent college wrestling backgrounds, will be an interesting follow on the betting scene.

Sonnen's controlled the pace so well in his recent fights, it's made him just about unbeatable and a huge favorite over Michael Bisping. We'll find out tonight if Bisping's takedown defense allows him to stay in the fight. Hopefully keeps his cool. Sonnen along with yesterday's weigh-in crowd at the Chicago Theater really got under the Brit's skin.

As an underdog, Phil Davis will be looking to do slow things down against Rashad Evans. Chris Weidman's in the most interesting position because the former Hofstra star could probably stay on top of Demian Maia the entire fight, but that's incredibly dangerous place to be against a top level jiu-jitsu fighter. In spite of that Weidman is a pretty solid favorite over the UFC veteran.

Former UFC bantamweight champ Miguel Torres joined Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole and myself on ESPN1100/98.9 FM to pick the fights using the Las Vegas' numbers.

UFC on Fox 2 odds:
Best plays in bold

Rashad Evans (-205) vs. Phil Davis (+175) - Light heavyweight
Michael Bisping (+360) vs. Chael Sonnen (-450) - Middleweight
Demian Maia (+120) vs. Chris Weidman (-140) - Middleweight
Evan Dunham (-355) vs. Nik Lentz (+295) - Lightweight
Mike Russow (-150) VS. Jon-Olav Einemo (+130) - Heavyweight
George Roop (-115) vs. Cub Swanson (-105) - Featherweight
Charles Oliveira (-490) vs. Eric Wisely (+390) - Featherweight
Shane Roller (-225) vs. Michael Johnson (+185) - Lightweight
Joey Beltran (-205) vs. Lavar Johnson (+175) - Heavyweight
Chris Camozzi (-150) vs. Dustin Jacoby (+130) - Middleweight

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fox-2-picks-vegas-style-bisping-really-211806558.html

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Ford Motor Co.'s 2011 profits at a glance (AP)

Skip to navigation ? Skip to content ? By The Associated Press The Associated Press ? Fri?Jan?27, 4:53?pm?ET

Ford Motor Co. released its full-year earnings on Friday. This shows the automaker's operating profits, by region, and the comparison to profits in 2010.

Region 2011 Operating Profit/Loss 2010 Operating Profit Percent change

North America $6.2 million $5.4 billion 15 percent

South America $861 million $1 billion -14 percent

Europe -$27 million $182 million -114 percent

Asia-Pacific/Africa -$92 million $189 million -148 percent

Source: Ford Motor Co.

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Copyright ? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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A look at economic developments around the globe (AP)

A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Friday:

___

BERLIN ? Germany will be flexible in considering how existing European Union funds can be used to stoke growth, Chancellor Angela Merkel said, as she praised Spain's efforts to cut its budget deficit and tackle sky-high unemployment.

___

LONDON ? World stock markets rose after the U.S. Federal Reserve pledged to keep interest rates low until late 2014 to nurture the country's stubbornly slow economic recovery.

Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.3 percent, Germany's DAX gained 1.8 percent and France's CAC-40 added 1.5 percent.

___

TOKYO ? In Asia, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.3 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index jumped 1.6 percent. Benchmarks in Thailand and Singapore also rose.

Japan's Nikkei was down 0.4 percent as a weakening dollar pressured the country's exporters. Benchmarks in Malaysia and the Philippines also fell.

___

BERLIN ? A survey shows that consumer confidence in Germany is improving as Germans take a more optimistic view of the country's economic outlook.

___

ATHENS, Greece ? Greece's prime minister resumed talks with top bank negotiators to try to overcome obstacles to a major debt-relief deal needed to avoid bankruptcy.

___

MILAN ? Italy easily raised $6.47 billion in a pair of bond auctions that saw a sharp drop in borrowing rates, a sign that investor confidence in the country is improving.

___

MADRID ? Spain's unemployment rate jumped to nearly 24 percent in the fourth quarter, Finance Minister Cristobal Montoro said, confirming that the country is still in the throes of a long and painful economic crisis.

___

BRASILIA, Brazil ? Brazil is reporting that unemployment for the past year was 6 percent. That's the lowest rate since officials began using the current formula for calculating joblessness in 2002.

___

SEOUL, South Korea ? South Korea's economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter last year as manufacturing waned amid weak overseas demand.

___

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/us_economy_countries_glance

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DOS CANDENTES COMBATES AGREGADOS A LA TRANSMISI??N DE SHOWTIME ORTIZ-BERT?O II

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Source: http://www.boxeomundial.net/article_view.php?category=NOTICIAS&id=27356

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

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ? 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 1/2-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."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_penn_state_paterno

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Stocks rise after solid economic reports, earnings (AP)

Stocks are opening higher as solid economic news and strong corporate earnings highlight the economy's growing momentum.

The government said Thursday that orders to factories for long-lasting manufactured goods increased in December for the second straight month as companies bought more machinery and equipment. New claims for unemployment benefits rose only modestly.

Manufacturing conglomerate 3M rose 1.5 percent after its fourth-quarter profit beat Wall Street's estimates. Caterpillar rose 3 percent after beating analysts' estimates last quarter. The heavy equipment maker said it expect to do the same this year.

The Dow Jones industrial average is up 52 points, or 0.4 percent, at 12,809. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is up 4, or 0.3 percent, at 1,329. The Nasdaq composite average is up 10, or 0.4 percent, at 2,828.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/us_wall_street

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Video: Under the electron microscope - a 3-D image of an individual protein

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

When Gang Ren whirls the controls of his cryo-electron microscope, he compares it to fine-tuning the gearshift and brakes of a racing bicycle. But this machine at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is a bit more complex. It costs nearly $1.5 million, operates at the frigid temperature of liquid nitrogen, and it is allowing scientists to see what no one has seen before.

At the Molecular Foundry, Berkeley Lab's acclaimed nanotechnology research center, Ren has pushed his Zeiss Libra 120 Cryo-Tem microscope to resolutions never envisioned by its German manufacturers, producing detailed snapshots of individual molecules. Today, he and his colleague Lei Zhang are reporting the first 3-D images of an individual protein ever obtained with enough clarity to determine its structure.

Scientists routinely create models of proteins using X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance, and conventional cryo-electron microscope (cryoEM) imaging. But these models require computer "averaging" of data from analysis of thousands, or even millions of like molecules, because it is so difficult to resolve the features of a single particle. Ren and Zhang have done just that, generating detailed models using electron microscopic images of a single protein.

He calls his technique "individual-particle electron tomography," or IPET. The work is described in the January 24 issue of PLoS One, the open-source scientific journal, in an article entitled "IPET and FETR: Experimental Approach for Studying Molecular Structure Dynamics by Cryo-Electron Tomography of a Single-Molecule Structure."

The 3-D images reported in the paper include those of a single IgG antibody and apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1), a protein involved in human metabolism. Ren's goal is to produce individual 3-D images of medically significant proteins, such as HDL? the heart-protective "good cholesterol" whose structure has eluded the efforts of legions of scientists armed with far more powerful protein modeling tools. "We are well on our way," says Ren.

Ren has the credentials of one who knows what he can do. He was recruited to work at Berkeley Lab in August 2010 from the University of California at San Francisco, where he had used a cryo-electron microscope and more conventional averaging techniques to discern the 3-D structure of LDL ? the "bad cholesterol" thought to be a major risk factor for heart disease.

His images of single proteins are a bit fuzzy, even after they are cleaned up by complex computer filtering, but very informative to the trained observer. These individual particles are extraordinarily tiny, requiring Ren to zero in on a spot of less than 20 nanometers. He has reported protein images as small as 70 kDa. That's kilodaltons, a Lilliputian scale (expressed in units of mass) set aside for taking the measure of atoms, molecules, and snippets of DNA. It's a more useful way to size soft objects like proteins that can be clumped, stringy, or floppy.

Unlike the sculptural images of protein models, a suite of these photographs can convey a sense of these particles in all their nanoscale floppiness. Within the complex structure of these proteins lies the secrets of their function, and perhaps keys to drugs that block the bad ones and promote the good ones. With some additional computer filtering, a high-contrast model of protein can be generated from the images and animated to show its moving parts in 3-D.

"This allows you to see the personality of each protein,'' says Ren. "It is a proof of concept for something that people thought was impossible."

A computer animation demonstrates the flexible dynamics ? the moving parts ? of human IgG antibody. 3-D images of two individual antibody particles (gray) were generated using EM tomography with IPET. The demonstration shows how the same molecular chains (red, orange, and green noodle-like models) of antibody particle #1 can fit precisely into particle #2, which was found under the microscope in an entirely different pose.

By observing the structure of single proteins, it is possible to understand their flexible, moving parts. "This opens a door for the study of protein dynamics," Ren says. "Antibodies, for example, are not solid. They are very flexible, very dynamic."

How did Ren coax so much versatility out of his Libra 120? "It's not a very high-end model,'' he concedes. Much has to do with the accessories he bolts on to the machine, and with his own artistry and patience. He's equipped the microscope with a $300,000 CCD camera, some powerful image-processing software, special contrasting agents, and a device called an "energy filter" that sifts through the digitized camera data and culls weak signals. Thoroughly familiar with his customized machine, he also employs an element of elbow grease, working long hours to draw out the powerful images from a torrent of digital noise.

The multiple angles used to create the 3-D portrait help resolve the faint molecular image. "All images are noisy," Ren explains. "In physics, the noise is inconsistent among the images, but the signal ? the object or protein ? is consistent. By using this approach, we find the consistent portion (the signal) can be enhanced, while the inconsistent portion (the noise) will be reduced substantially."

Electron microscopes focus streams of electrons rather than light to see incredibly tiny things. The short wavelength of an electron beam enables much higher resolution and magnification than visible light. Powerful electron microscopes have been used for decades to probe materials at atomic-scale; and right next door to the Molecular Foundry is Berkeley Lab's National Center for Electron Microscopy, which houses the most powerful microscopes in the world. The TEAM 0.5 microscope can distinguish objects as small as the radius of a hydrogen atom. But these heavyweight microscopes pull off this atomic-scale resolution with pulses of energy that would obliterate most soft biological proteins. The high power electron microscopes are used primarily for probing atomic structure of strong, solid materials, such as graphene ? a lattice of carbon only one atom thick.

Ren's lab specializes in cryoEM, which examines objects frozen at -180 ?C (-292 ?F). A bath of liquid nitrogen flash-freezes samples so quickly that no ice crystals form. "It is amorphous, like glass,'' Ren says. The protein samples are frozen on a disk the size of baby's fingernail, filled with tiny wells 2 microns across. The disk is inserted into the microscope on a rotating support that can tilt the sample up to 140? inside a vacuum ? sufficient camera angles to produce a 3-D perspective. "The challenge is to isolate it from the air, and to turn it without vibrations, even the vibrations from the bubbling of liquid nitrogen,'' says Ren.

The extremely low temperature fixes the samples and prevents them from drying out in the vacuum needed for the electron scan. It creates conditions favorable for imaging at much lower doses of electrons ? low enough to keep a single soft protein intact while more than 100 images are taken over a one-to-two hour period.

###

DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: http://www.lbl.gov

Thanks to DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for this article.

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APNewsBreak: US warned on political financing (AP)

PARIS ? A top European anti-corruption body wants the U.S. to increase transparency of political funding through outside groups that donate millions to support candidates, warning that they could be used to skirt long-established disclosure rules.

The Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption ? known as Greco and which counts the U.S. as a member ? warns "soft money" political financing vehicles appear to be increasing in America.

The highly technical, 39-page report was approved by the Council of Europe's plenary session last month, but was not previously made public. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the report on Thursday. Greco officials then posted it online.

The practical effect on the United States of the European report ? seven months in the making and involving interviews with many U.S. parties ? was likely to be limited: Council officials admit the American political system is often more transparent than on the European side of the Atlantic.

But it could also embolden campaign-watchdog groups in the United States who have asked federal regulators to clamp down on unfettered streams of money in elections ? particularly cash used for so-called "social welfare groups" founded for political campaigns. They are classified as tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, known as 501(c) organizations under the tax code.

Donors may give to the non-profits ? which don't have to disclose their donors and can be feeders of funds into super PACs, independent groups that can raise unlimited amounts of money. The report did not mention super PACs by name, but it did focus on the 501(c) organizations.

The report made three recommendations to U.S. authorities, and Greco said it "invites" the U.S. to respond to those recommendations by the end of June 2013.

One recommended that U.S. authorities continue their push toward electronic filing of public disclosure of financial reports in Senate elections. Another urged a study of the effects of tie votes ? or "deadlocks" ? at the six-member Federal Election Commission.

The other recommendation called on U.S. officials "to seek ways to increase the transparency of funding provided to organizations" like social welfare groups when the aim of that funding is to affect an election result.

Bjorn Janson, deputy to the Greco executive secretary, praised the overall transparency of the U.S. political process, saying many countries in Europe itself have far murkier systems.

"The main message of this report is that the system is extremely transparent," Janson said.

One official involved in the report process, who did not want to be quoted by name because the report speaks for itself, said that it amounted to an important "peer review" evaluation.

That official said that authors were concerned about the potential fallout from super PACs, which were born out of a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that stripped away prior restrictions on some election spending.

Greco is the anti-corruption unit of the 47-country Council of Europe, which is based in the eastern city of Strasbourg and aims to promote human rights and democratic principles.

___

On the Web: http://www.coe.int/t/DGHL/Monitoring/Greco

___

Jamey Keaten can be reached at http://twitter.com/jameykeaten

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_us_campaign_financing

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Hollywood's 'startling' behind-the-scenes gender gap: By the numbers (The Week)

New York ? Only 5 percent of movie directors in 2011 were women ? a steep decline from 1998's already-paltry 9 percent figure

When the breakout success last year of Bridesmaids proved once and for all that women are commercially viable stars, movie industry insiders began heralding a new era for Hollywood actresses. But behind the scenes, the Hollywood gender gap is as prevalent as ever. According to a new report by the San Diego State University Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, of all the directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 highest-grossing movies last year, a scant 18 percent were women. Here, a numerical look at how Hollywood's "startling" women problem breaks down:

18
Percent of behind-the-scenes Hollywood jobs held by women last year. Considering that women make up 51 percent of the American population, this gap "impoverishes our culture," Martha M. Lauzen, the study's author, tells The Wrap.

SEE ALSO: Megan Fox's 'bizarre' Brazilian language school ad

?

17
Percent of?behind-the-scenes Hollywood jobs held by women in 1998, the first year the center began compiling data

5
Percent of last year's films directed by women

SEE ALSO: Petty controversy: Did The Artist 'rape' Vertigo by stealing its music?

?

9
Percent of films directed by women in 1998

13.4
Percent of the Directors Guild of America comprised of women

SEE ALSO: 4 reasons critics hate Rob Schneider's new sitcom

?

38
Percent of films last year that either employed no women, or only one, in the roles of director, producer, writer, cinematographer, or editor. "Women were most likely to work in the documentary, drama, and comedy genres," says Rebecca Ford at The Hollywood Reporter. The least likely genres: Horror, action, and animated.

4
Percent of last year's cinematographers who were women

SEE ALSO: 30 Rock finally returns: 4 talking points

?

14
Percent of writers who were women

18
Percent of executive producers who were women

2:1
Ratio of men to women on screen in the top 100 box office films of 2009, according to a 2011 study from the USC Annenberg School of Communication

SEE ALSO: CBS This Morning's first episode: A 'snooze'?

?

48
Percent of characters in last year's female-directed films who were women

33
Percent of characters in last year's male-directed films who were women. "The mirror that Hollywood holds up to culture reflects back a distorted image," says Carrie Rickey at Truthdig.

SEE ALSO: Haywire: Finally, a believable female action star?

?

4
Women who have ever received Academy Award nominations for Best Director

1
Woman who has ever won that Oscar: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010

SEE ALSO: 6 'ridiculous' reasons moviegoers asked for their money back

?

413
Best Director nominees in Oscar history

$665.7 million
Worldwide box office haul for Kung Fu Panda 2, the highest-grossing film directed by a woman (Jennifer Yuh Nelson), eclipsing Phyllida Lloyd's $609.8 million tally for 2008's Mamma Mia!

SEE ALSO: Who will Ricky Gervais insult at the Golden Globes? 7 likely targets

?

Sources: Box Office Mojo, Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood Reporter, LA Times, SDSU, TIME, Truthdig, Wikipedia, Wrap

View this article on TheWeek.com
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Rihanna to UK fashion newbies: Dress me up (AP)

LONDON ? Rihanna has found a unique way of getting some new stage outfits.

The musical superstar from Barbados will be hunting for undiscovered design talent in Britain on a new TV show ? as yet unnamed ? in which she will be the executive producer and the star.

Sky Living HD announced Thursday it has commissioned media company Twenty Twenty to make the series and say Rihanna will be working mainly behind the scenes.

Hosting duties will go to another pop name, Nicola Roberts from the U.K. group Girls Aloud.

Together they will challenge fashion newcomers to create stage gear for musicians and celebrities ? with the final task to dress Rihanna for her July 8 performance at the Wireless music festival in London's Hyde Park.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_en_tv/eu_britain_rihanna

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Gingrich: Romney self-deportation plan a fantasy (AP)

DORAL, Fla. ? Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Wednesday ridiculed rival Mitt Romney's call for self-deportation of illegal immigrants as an "Obama-level fantasy" that would be inhumane to long-established families living in America. Romney, for his part, accused Gingrich of pandering to a Hispanic audience and said Gingrich himself had supported self-deportation in the past.

Discussing immigration in state where 13 percent of registered voters are Hispanic, the former House speaker criticized Romney's immigration policy during a forum with the Spanish-language television network Univision, saying the idea of self-deportation would never work. Romney snapped back at him later in the day at the same forum.

During a debate earlier this week, Romney said he favors self-deportation over policies that would require the federal government to round up millions of illegal immigrants and send them back to their home countries. Advocates of Romney's approach argue that illegal immigration can be curbed by denying public benefits to them, prompting them to leave the United States on their own.

"You have to live in a world of Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island accounts and automatically $20 million income for no work to have some fantasy this far from reality," Gingrich said, alluding to details in Romney's income tax returns made public Tuesday. "For Romney to believe that somebody's grandmother is going to be so cut off that she is going to self-deport, I mean this is an Obama-level fantasy."

But Gingrich's campaign has spoken of the self-deportation policy he ridiculed Wednesday.

"I recognize that it's very tempting to come out to an audience like this and pander to the audience," Romney said, pointing out that Gingrich has previously made comments supporting the idea of self-deportation. "I think that was a mistake on his part."

In debates, Gingrich has defended a proposal to allow some illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. if they've lived here for more than 25 years and have a local sponsor.

Romney's campaign directed reporters to past comments by Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond, who said that only a small percent of illegal immigrants would likely be allowed to stay in the U.S. under Gingrich's plan. Hammond went on to say that the vast majority of them would likely "self-deport."

Gingrich also ran into trouble over a radio ad calling Romney "anti-immigrant." Florida Sen. Marco Rubio called the ad "inaccurate" and "inflammatory." Romney's campaign also asked Gingrich in a letter to pull the ad. Gingrich's campaign had no immediate comment on whether it would comply with the request to pull the ad. The Miami Herald reported that the campaign planned to remove the ad based on Rubio's comments.

Romney called the anti-immigrant label an "epithet" and "inappropriate."

At the forum, Gingrich spoke instead about other elements of his immigration plan, including controlling the border and establishing a guest-worker program to better manage the influx of immigrants. Gingrich said he favors a path to citizenship for illegal immigrant children who serve in the military but not for simply completing college.

Romney defended his opposition to allowing the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at American universities. He said there are inexpensive options that will allow them to go to college.

Gingrich told Univision he believes states should charge in-state tuition rates for students who were born in the U.S. to illegal immigrant parents, but that he favors charging out-of-state tuition for children who were brought to this country illegally.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's support of a Texas policy to allow children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition proved to be problematic with conservatives nationwide. Perry dropped out of the race last week.

Gingrich began the interview by speaking a few halting phrases of welcome in Spanish ? "Buenos Dias estudiantes" ? but begged off when moderator Jorge Ramos pressed him to go further. Romney did not speak any Spanish during his interview.

Romney was asked about family members he has living in Mexico. Romney's father, George Romney, was born in Mexico but moved back to the U.S. as a young child.

Ramos asked Romney if he had a claim to being Mexican American.

"I don't think people would think I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican American but I'd appreciate it if you'd get that word out," Romney said, smiling.

Florida is home to many Hispanics of Puerto Rican or Cuban descent who don't view immigration as a priority but are more interested in the issue than the general public.

After the interview, Romney railed against Fidel Castro's Cuba in a speech before several hundred Cuban-American democracy activists. Romney has significant support from the Cuban-American political establishment in Miami.

"It is time for us to strive for freedom in Cuba, and I will do so as president," he said. "We must be prepared to support the voices for democracy in Cuba."

While the interview questions asked of both candidates were mostly about Hispanic concerns, Ramos asked Gingrich whether it was hypocritical for him to criticize then-President Bill Clinton and pursue his impeachment in the 1990s when Gingrich was being unfaithful to his second wife.

Gingrich snapped at the premise of the question and said it was Clinton's false testimony under oath that bothered him the most.

"The fact is I've been through two divorces. I've been deposed both times under oath. Both times I told the truth in the deposition," Gingrich said. "I have never lied under oath. I have never committed perjury."

Ramos asked Romney to declare his wealth, to which Romney replied that he's worth between $150 million and "200-and-some-odd million dollars."

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

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