ProPublica announces partnership to buy e-books (Reuters)

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) ? Digital publisher Open Road has partnered with award-winning journalistic outfit ProPublica to release a series of e-books, the two companies announced Monday.

The books will take ProPublica's stories, add introductions, expand upon the original content and enhance the experience with photos, videos, related documents, maps and interviews with journalists and editors.

"E-books are a very promising platform for publishing journalism with high impact, and therefore a critical venue for ProPublica," Paul Steiger, editor-in-chief and CEO of ProPublica, said in a statement. "We are delighted to be moving ahead in this new arena with Jane Friedman and her incredibly talented colleagues at Open Road."

ProPublica is a non-profit company focused on investigative journalism that has partnered with everyone from the New York Times to CNN to NPR.

It became the first and only online news outlet to win a Pulitzer Prize in 2010 and followed that up with a second award in 2011.

Two of the initial digital books will be "Presidential Pardons: Shades of Mercy" based on a series of stories detailing inequities in the pardoning process that ran in the Washington Post, and "Post Mortem: Death in America," an examination of "the nation's dysfunctional coroner and medical examiner offices."

Open Road, the publisher, has released e-books from authors such as William Styron, Pat Conroy and Alice Walker.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/media_nm/us_propublica

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Newt Gingrich the tea party favorite? Not necessarily in Florida. (+video)

Tea party supporters in Naples, Fla., offer a range of views on the remaining GOP presidential candidates. Especially among rank-and-file tea partyers, anything goes.

Amid a sea of Romney supporters, there it flies: a bright yellow ?Don?t Tread on Me? flag, the banner of the tea party movement ? at a rally Sunday in downtown Naples, Fla., for the former governor of Massachusetts.

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?I know that?s a contradiction,? says Cheryl Blackburn, the flag-waver. ?But in the last few weeks I?ve decided [Mitt Romney] is the one to follow. He has the integrity, and when all is said and done, he?s the most electable.?

No major tea party leaders are backing Mr. Romney, who is seen as too willing to compromise on conservative principles. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the candidate boasting the largest roster of tea party leaders in his camp. But the low-tax, small-government movement is highly decentralized, and among rank-and-file tea partyers, it?s anything goes.?

A straw poll of Florida tea party supporters taken Sunday night, following a tele-forum hosted by the Tea Party Patriots with three GOP presidential candidates, showed Mr. Gingrich ahead with 35 percent of the vote. Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania came in second with 31 percent, and Romney was third with 18 percent. Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who is not campaigning in Florida and did not take part in the tele-forum, got 11 percent.

But more-scientific polls of likely Florida GOP primary voters show a different picture. A Quinnipiac poll released Monday shows Romney beating Gingrich among self-described tea party supporters, 40 percent to 35 percent (and winning among all Florida Republicans 43 percent to 29 percent). Although an NBC/Marist poll released over the weekend shows Gingrich slightly ahead of Romney among Florida tea party supporters, 36 percent to 34 percent, it also found Romney winning in Florida overall 42 percent to 27 percent.

The disparities may come in who self-identifies as a tea party supporter. Anyone can tell a pollster that they support tea party principles, but it?s the real die-hards who serve in leadership positions, take part in tele-forums, and attend tea party rallies.

Byron Donalds, a member of the leadership council of the Naples Tea Party, is still deciding between Gingrich and Mr. Santorum ? and did not go near the Romney rally on Sunday.

?I believe Newt is brilliant,? says Mr. Donalds, who is running for Congress. ?What we?re concerned about is, will he be disciplined enough, both in the campaign and in the White House.?

Donalds says he likes Santorum?s vision for the country but isn?t sure he can get through to voters in time. Regardless of what happens in Florida?s primary Tuesday, Donalds does not think Gingrich should drop out. And he is not concerned that Gingrich?s vow Sunday to ?go all the way to the convention? will leave the party divided and unable to rally effectively around its nominee. After all, he says, ?It helped Barack Obama to have a long primary against Hillary Clinton in ?08.?

Tea party activists see in Romney another John McCain ? the Republican Party?s unsuccessful nominee in 2008. Like Romney, Senator McCain had run before unsuccessfully for the nomination, and he did not excite the party?s base.

The tea party movement, which formed soon after Mr. Obama took office, has provided a loose structure to conservative activism, but is aggressively decentralized. Still, with so many groups sprinkled around the state, it is a ready source of activism for a candidate seeking to tap into the movement?s energy.

Some tea party leaders see Romney as missing a big opportunity by not wooing tea partyers aggressively.

"Romney just totally ignored the tea party," Everett Wilkinson, chairman of the South Florida Tea Party, told the Sun-Sentinel. "Most of us are going with Newt, just because he's got an outreach program. His people are actively trying to get you to back him, making calls and setting up meetings and rallies.?

If Romney wins the Florida primary without the largest share of tea party supporters, it will be a first for this primary season. So far, exit polls show that the candidates who won the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire primary, and South Carolina primary also won the most self-identified tea partyers.

The fact that three different candidates won the first three contests gives Gingrich more fuel for his argument that he should not give up if he loses Florida. It has been a volatile GOP primary season, and tea party supporters are far from monolithic.

Some, in fact, thoroughly reject the argument that Gingrich best represents their movement.

?Gingrich is a total hypocrite,? says Robert Rappaport, wearing a Tea Party Patriots T-shirt at the Romney rally in Naples. He?s for Santorum, but wanted to see what Romney had to say for himself.

?When Gingrich went after Romney on Bain Capital, I wrote him off,? says Mr. Rappaport, referring to the private-equity firm that Romney cofounded and that Gingrich has attacked for being ?exploitive.? Rappaport also doesn?t think that Gingrich?s idea of setting up moon colonies makes any sense, given the nation?s huge debt. ?And,? he adds, ?I?m a space nut.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Ly9sX5Pqy8w/Newt-Gingrich-the-tea-party-favorite-Not-necessarily-in-Florida.-video

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SAG Awards Red Carpet Ruled By Pastels, Sexy Details

Emma Stone, Lea Michele and Angelina Jolie flaunt what they've got in couture on Sunday night.
By Jocelyn Vena

Angelina Jolie at the 2012 SAG Awards
Photo: Getty Images

The SAG Awards may honor actors and their hard work, but on the red carpet on Sunday (January 29), it was all about recognizing all of the hard work they put into their looks. At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, the overarching trend seemed to be flaunting what you've got.

For photos of the stars on the SAG Awards red carpet, click here.

Zoe Saldana went light in a sequined white dress with a drop waist and floral detailing. Kristin Wiig's look, though, had a bit of a split personality: Her pale-hued Balenciaga gown was decidedly glam thanks to tailoring that showed off her long, lean body, but her black metal choker was a bit too heavy and goth for the overall look.

Two of the biggest divas on Fox's "Glee," Lea Michele and Naya Rivera, made pale colors look red-hot. Michele's lavender Versace had a body-hugging bodice and thigh-high slit, while Rivera's ice-blue dress was made even sexier thanks to a plunging neckline.

Red also ruled the carpet. "My Week With Marilyn" star Michelle Williams was chic in a bright-red Valentino dress, which was cut right above the ankle. Her ladylike look was capped off with lace detailing along her sleeves and neckline. "Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter also opted for a red-and-lace red-carpet look.

Using a similar color palette, Sofia Vergara's hot pink, strapless Marchesa gown was super hot. Her "Modern Family" co-star Julie Bowen went Grecian in a purple gown.

Emma Stone, Angelina Jolie, Tina Fey and Ashlee Simpson decided that a little black dress wasn't too simple for Sunday's show. Jolie played up her inner vixen in a Jenny Packham halter gown with a draped neckline. Meanwhile, Stone went quirky in a three-quarter-length strapless black dress with lace details. "The Help" star played up the fun aspect of the Alexander McQueen design with platform shoes.

Simpson, meanwhile, looked like a character right out of boyfriend Vincent Piazza's show "Boardwalk Empire" in a '20s-style Jenny Packham gown with sequins and see-through fabric along the neckline. Fey brought the "va va voom" in her black strapless column dress: It was all party on top — with grey and black shades — and business at the bottom in a plain black fabric.

The guys didn't disappoint, either. Fellas like Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Jonah Hill kept it classic and simple in tuxedos, choosing ties over bowties. One guy, however, had a little fun with it, and that honor went to "Modern Family" star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who wore a blue pinstripe suit with a matching blue-velvet bowtie.

Share your favorite SAG red-carpet looks on our Facebook page.

Stick with MTV News all night for the 2012 SAG Awards winners, and don't miss all the fashion from the red carpet!

Related Photos

• Stars Light Up The SAG Awards Stage
• SAG Awards 2012 Red Carpet

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1678103/sag-awards-2012-red-carpet-fashion.jhtml

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Immigration Stances of Four Remaining GOP Candidates (ContributorNetwork)

The Florida presidential primary is Tuesday. The state's most prominent face of immigration is Sen. Marco Rubio, elected in the 2010 midterm elections as a Republican. Rubio stated he would remain neutral in the primary, although immigration reform will be a major issue for the millions of Cuban-Americans in South Florida.

All four mainstream candidates have published immigration policies.

Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich has a plan based upon three principles and 11 solutions. Gingrich believes there is no comprehensive solution to the immigration problem facing the United States. He also believes law-abiding citizens should have a path to citizenship that supersedes those who are in America illegally. To that end, a system must be established to balance the legality and reality of deportation involving family ties in the United States versus those engaged in illegal activities such as drug trafficking.

Gingrich's first solution is to control the border with Mexico. Second is to create a more efficient visa program to allow visitors to the United States legally. Other solutions include more tourist visas, create new paths to legality for some 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States and quick deportation of known criminals.

Rep. Ron Paul

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has somewhat more drastic measures for immigration policy. He agrees with Gingrich that border security must be enforced. Paul also wants to end the clause in the Constitution of the United States that gives people born in the United States automatic citizenship rights.

Paul wants to end the massive "welfare state" that he claims encourages illegal immigration. The Representative from Texas also wants a policy of no amnesty for undocumented illegal immigrants. Paul's strategy is much more simplified and less detailed than that of the other candidates.

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney's stances on immigration are straightforward and stark. In his foreign policy paper published in October 2011, Romney calls Mexico "a failed state" that has wrought "death and mayhem" across the country due to drugs. Romney believes the United States should cooperate with allies in Mexico to secure the border.

In speeches and interviews, Romney is against giving benefits to illegal immigrants such as in-state tuition to public universities. The former governor of Massachusetts has fought amnesty for undocumented immigrants and advocates for a tamper-proof employment verification system for workers.

Rick Santorum

Rick Santorum is proud to be the son of an Italian immigrant. The former Senator from Pennsylvania calls upon the immigration system in America to be "fair and robust" when dealing with illegal immigrants. Like every other mainstream GOP candidate, Santorum believes the first thing that should be done is securing the border with Mexico.

Streamlining visa programs, outlawing amnesty and deporting criminals are also priorities for Santorum. He also believes English should be made the official language of the U.S. government. He also advocates greater teaching of American history in schools and wants the promotion of legal immigration for entrepreneurs and highly educated citizens of other countries.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120129/pl_ac/10899103_immigration_stances_of_four_remaining_gop_candidates

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HBT: Cuban out of running to buy Dodgers

UPDATE: Well, we can cross two big names off the list. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times has learned that the groups led by Mark Cuban and former agent Dennis Gilbert didn?t make it to the second round of the bidding process.

Meanwhile, Tony Jackson of ESPNLosAngeles.com hears that Peter O?Malley?s group and the group led by?Stanley Gold (who runs the investment firm for the family of the late Roy Disney) have advanced. O?Malley has reportedly discussed joining forces with Gold?s group.

9:30 PM: We learned earlier this week that the Dodgers received more than 10 opening bids in advance of Monday?s deadline from those interested in buying the team from Frank McCourt. The opening bids aren?t binding and new bidders could still emerge in the days to come, but we have some early word on who made it through to the next round.

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that?at least eight groups have advanced, including the Magic Johnson/Stan Kasten group, the Joe Torre/Rick Caruso?group and the group headed by hedge fund manager?Steven Cohen. No word on any others, but it?s safe to say most of the big names are sticking around.

The Dodgers released a statement a little while ago confirming that ?the round of preliminary bidding has been completed successfully.? However, they didn?t say who advanced or provide a timeline for the next step.

The embattled McCourt faces an April 30 deadline to sell the team and has agreed to identify the winning bidder by April 1. The sale is expected to fetch an MLB record price tag in excess of $1 billion.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/27/magic-johnson-joe-torre-and-steven-cohen-among-finalists-to-own-dodgers/related/

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Bats occupy Israeli army ghost bunkers (Reuters)

QASR AL-YAHUD, West Bank (Reuters) ? Abandoned Israeli army bunkers along the Jordan River are providing a lifeline for bats on the endangered species list, researchers say.

Soldiers left Israel's underground forts along the frontier with Jordan after a 1994 peace treaty between the two countries. With much of the former front line, some of it dotted by mine fields, still designated by the military as off-limits to civilians, bats swooped into the secluded and dark steel caverns.

Several years ago, researchers from Tel Aviv University were granted access to the ghost bunkers. Now, they say, they have identified 12 indigenous bat species in the 100-kilometre- (60 mile)-long tract between the Sea of Galilee in Israel and the Dead Sea's northern edge in the occupied West Bank.

Two of the species commonly known as the Mediterranean horseshoe bat and Geoffroy's bat are on the critical list and three others are designated as endangered.

"There is no doubt that by being in a closed military zone that has prevented human interference, the bat habitat will allow these delicate creatures to thrive," said one of the researchers, Eran Levin.

But he said it was too early to quantify the growth of the local bat population, estimated to be in the thousands, because the research project was not yet complete.

One former bunker -- overlooking the spot along the Jordan River where some Christian faithful believe Jesus was baptized by John -- has been turned into a more accommodating home for the webbed-wing mammals.

To give the bats more grip, the research team roughed up its smooth steel and concrete walls, suspended mesh sheets and wooden palates, sprayed insulating foam and stuck stones to surfaces.

Different bat species each preferred different grip surfaces, Levin said.

A thick layer of bat guano now covers the floor and metal bunk-bed frames the military left behind.

A night-vision camera follows the bats' movements during the period they inhabit the bunkers from March to October when daytime temperatures in the area soar above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Enjoying their own peace dividend, the bat population could also give something back to Israelis, Jordanians and Palestinians in the area.

Aviam Atar of Israel's Nature and Parks Authority said the bats help to reduce crop damage by eating insects at night, coming out to feed in the dark when the fields are empty.

"Because each bat can eat a few grams of insects each night, they reduce the need for the use of pesticides and this certainly has potential for facilitating green farming. The crop growers don't even know this is happening," he said.

(Writing by Ori Lewis, Editing by Jeffrey Heller)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120127/lf_nm_life/us_israel_bats

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Arab League observers see spike in Syrian violence

CAIRO (AP) ? The head of the Arab League observers in Syria says violence in the country has spiked over the past four days.

Sudanese Gen. Mohammed Ahmed al-Dabi said in a statement Friday that three Syrian cities ? Homs, Hama and Idlib ? have witnessed a "very high escalation" of violence since Tuesday.

The head of the League's operations room for the mission, Adnan al-Khudeir, said 30 additional observers will be sent to Syria next week to bolster the mission.

The observers are in Syria to monitor a League plan to end the country's 10-month-old crisis.

The mission has been widely criticized for failing to stop the violence.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-27-Syria/id-cfa71855188d4be68ab5e18da7267de6

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Tom Hooper Ends Engagement To Pregnant Fiance Tara Subkoff

Tom Hooper Ends Engagement To Pregnant Fiance Tara Subkoff

Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper is a single guy again after breaking off his engagement to fashion designer Tara Subkoff. Hooper, 39, ended their relationship last [...]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/wjcuSC1OUQo/

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Convicted Marine apologizes to Iraqi civilians (AP)

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. ? When Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich finally spoke in court, he did not address the judge but instead directed his words at the Iraqi family members who survived his squad's attacks in 2005 that left 24 unarmed civilians dead.

The 31-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine apologized for the loss of their loved ones and said he never intended to harm them or their families. He went on to tell the court that his guilty plea in no way suggests that his squad behaved badly or dishonorably.

"But even with the best intentions, sometimes combat actions can cause tragic results," Wuterich said in an unsworn statement.

The lone Marine was convicted of a single count of negligent dereliction of duty. He faces having his rank reduced but he will not go to jail as a part of a plea agreement that abruptly ended his long-awaited manslaughter trial.

Wuterich, who acknowledged to instructing his men to "shoot first, ask questions later," defended his order to raid homes in Haditha after a roadside bomb killed a fellow Marine. He said his aim was "to keep the rest of my Marines alive."

His sentence Tuesday ended a six-year prosecution that failed to win any manslaughter convictions. Eight Marines were initially charged; one was acquitted and six others had their cases dropped.

The plea deal that dropped nine counts of manslaughter sparked outrage in the besieged Iraqi town and claims that the U.S. didn't hold the military accountable.

"I was expecting that the American judiciary would sentence this person to life in prison and that he would appear and confess in front of the whole world that he committed this crime, so that America could show itself as democratic and fair," said survivor Awis Fahmi Hussein, showing his scars from a bullet wound to the back.

Military judge Lt. Col. David Jones initially recommended the maximum sentence of three months for Wuterich, saying: "It's difficult for the court to fathom negligent dereliction of duty worse than the facts in this case."

Then he opened an envelope containing the plea agreement to learn its terms ? as is procedure in military court ? and announced that the deal prevented any jail time for the Marine.

"That's very good for you obviously," Jones told Wuterich.

Jones did recommend that the sergeant's rank be reduced to private, which would dock his pay as a result, but he decided not to exercise his option to cut it by as much as two-thirds because the divorced father has sole custody of his three daughters. The rank reduction has to be approved by a Marine general, who already signed off on the plea deal.

Defense attorney Neal Puckett said Wuterich has been falsely labeled a killer who carried out a massacre in Iraq. He insisted Wuterich's only intention was to protect his Marines.

"The appropriate punishment in this case, your honor, is no punishment," Puckett said.

Wuterich, who hugged his parents after he spoke, declined comment on Jones' decision. Puckett and his co-counsel Haytham Faraj, said in a statement: "We believe justice prevailed for Staff Sgt. Wuterich and in turn, he wishes it was within his power to impart the same measure of justice to the families of the victims of Haditha."

Wuterich directly addressed family members of the Iraqi victims, saying there were no words to ease their pain.

"I know that you are the real victims of Nov. 19, 2005," he said.

He went on to tell the court: "When my Marines and I cleared those houses that day, I responded to what I perceived as a threat and my intention was to eliminate that threat in order to keep the rest of my Marines alive," he said. "So when I told my team to shoot first and ask questions later, the intent wasn't that they would shoot civilians, it was that they would not hesitate in the face of the enemy."

"The truth is I never fired my weapon at any women or children that day," Wuterich later told Jones.

The contention by Wuterich, of Meriden, Conn., contradicts prosecutors and counters testimony from a former squad mate who said he joined Wuterich in firing in a dark back bedroom where a woman and children were killed.

Prosecutors argued that Wuterich's knee-jerk reaction of sending the squad to assault nearby homes without positively identifying a threat went against his training and caused needless deaths of 10 women and children.

"That is a horrific result from that derelict order of shoot first, ask questions later," said Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan.

Military prosecutors worked for more than six years to bring Wuterich to trial on manslaughter charges that could have sent him away to prison for life. But only weeks after the long-awaited trial started, they offered Wuterich the deal.

It was a stunning outcome for the last defendant in the case once compared with the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.

The Haditha attack is considered among the war's defining moments, further tainting America's reputation when it was already at a low point after the release of photos of prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison.

During the trial before a jury of combat Marines who served in Iraq, prosecutors argued Wuterich lost control after seeing his friend blown apart by the bomb and led his men on a rampage, blasting their way in with gunfire and grenades. Among the dead was a man in a wheelchair.

Faraj said the government was working on false notions and the deal was reached last week when prosecutors recognized their case was falling apart with contradictory testimony from witnesses who had lied to investigators. Many of the squad members had their cases dropped in exchange for testifying. Prosecutors have declined to comment.

Marine Corps spokesman Lt. Col. Joseph Kloppel said the deal was the result of mutual negotiations and does not reflect how the case was going for the prosecution. He said the government investigated and prosecuted the case as it should have.

Wuterich plans to leave the Marine Corps and start a new career in information technology. His lawyers said they plan to petition for clemency.

___

Associated Press writers Barbara Surk and Mazin Yahya in Baghdad, Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Raquel Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/usmilitary/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_us/us_marines_haditha

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Column: 'We knew he had 4 concussions' (AP)

After muffing one punt and fumbling a second in an overtime loss last weekend, San Francisco's Kyle Williams was subjected to an all-too-predictable barrage of Twitter hate and several death threats. Compared to that, what two members of the winning New York Giants recklessly boasted about after the game sounded almost tame.

Almost.

"The thing is, we knew he had four concussions, so that was our biggest thing, was to take him outta the game," said Jacquian Williams, who forced the second fumble, in overtime, to set up New York's game-winning field goal.

"He's had a lot of concussions," said Devin Thomas, who recovered both fumbles. "We were just like, `We gotta put a hit on that guy.'" Later in the same interview, he told the Newark Star-Ledger that teammate and backup safety Tyler Sash "did a great job hitting him early and he looked kind of dazed when he got up. I feel like that made a difference and he coughed it up."

That the Giants targeted a vulnerable opponent like Kyle Williams hardly qualifies as news, nor even that they zeroed in on his head. Those tactics, despite all the attention advancing science has focused on the dangers of concussions, were part of football long before helmets became mandatory. More troubling, but hardly news, either, is the implication that it was part of the Giants' game plan, something that was discussed in the film room or a special-teams meeting among the players, with or without input of the blessing of the coaching staff. It wouldn't be the first time that happened, either.

No, the surprising thing is that Thomas and Jacquian Williams came right out and said it.

The few Giants who were available at the team's practice facility Tuesday did their best to walk those statements back.

"In our meetings, we do not talk about it. Concussions are a big deal and we don't talk about it at all. We are a fraternity of brothers across the league," linebacker Michael Boley said. "You don't think about someone's past injuries or what was wrong with them. Obviously if something is wrong with them, they would not be on the field."

"I never had that conversation," said defensive end Justin Tuck. "Obviously we consider ourselves to be a physical group that wants to hit everyone. I don't think we've ever talked about knocking someone out, concussion-wise. We want to hit everybody hard, but we stay away from that."

Kyle Williams, a second-year pro who inherited the punt-return job because front-liner Ted Ginn Jr. was injured, was informed of the Giants' postgame remarks. He accepted full responsibility for his miscues afterward, but said through agent Ken Sarnoff that he is done speaking publicly and ready to move forward toward the 2012 season. The 49ers had no comment Tuesday and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league considers the matter closed.

"Players are held accountable for their actions on the field," he said in an email. "There were no illegal hits to the head or neck area against Kyle Williams on Sunday. There was no conduct by the Giants of any kind that would suggest an effort to injure Kyle Williams in any way."

Right.

What's certain is that it's no longer possible to look at concussions, intentional or not, the way we did just a few seasons ago. The NFL gospel that bigger and faster are better can be proven any given Sunday. What's changed is how many Sundays that guarantee is good for. It was easy enough to write off career-ending hits to the knees and worse as occupational hazards, because even players forced out of the game left with the prospect of more good days ahead than bad. Concussions have changed the equation in the most insidious way, upping the ante without disclosing the real cost until it's too late. And the money in pro football is so good now that few players even bother to tote up the risk.

"If I have a concussion these days, I'm going to say something happened to my toe or knee just to get my bearings for a few plays," Bears' tough-guy linebacker Brian Urlacher told HBO during a taping of "Real Sports."

"I'm not going to sit in there and say I got a concussion. I can't go in there the rest of the game."

Kyle Williams missed the 49ers last regular-season game because of a concussion. Given his history, he was no doubt informed along the way of the dangers posed by just one concussion, let alone the compounding effect of each one after that. The Giants knew that, too, and apparently went after him anyway. Unsettling as that seems, it's a little late in the game for anyone to feign surprise.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and follow him on Twitter.com/JimLitke.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_jim_litke012512

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Decline and fall (Balloon Juice)

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Balotelli lifts Man City

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updated 3:59 p.m. ET Jan. 22, 2012

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

Third-place Tottenham rallied from 2-0 down to tie the score. But Jermain Defoe missed an injury-time chance for Tottenham and Mario Balotelli won the game for City with a penalty kick he earned himself.

Fouled by Tottenham's Ledley King, the Italy striker took a step, paused and shot past U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel to give City its 11th win from 11 home games.

City is eight points ahead of Tottenham. Defending champion United is three behind in second place after a 2-1 win at Arsenal.

"We created an amazing amount of chances and to only score two is a bit disappointing," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "We should have rammed home our advantage in the first half."

Antonio Valencia scored United's first goal and set up the winner over an Arsenal team that slipped 18 points behind City and five behind the final Champions League qualifying berth.

Arsenal is five points behind fourth-place Chelsea ? which drew 0-0 at Norwich on Saturday ? and 18 behind City. Newcastle trails Arsenal on goal difference after Clint Dempsey's hat trick gave Fulham a 5-2 win over the Magpies on Saturday.

___

MADRID (AP) ? Lionel Messi scored a rare header in his hat trick to lead Barcelona to a 4-1 win at Malaga, keeping the pressure on Spanish leader Real Madrid ahead of its game against Athletic Bilbao.

Messi started the rout in the 33rd minute and then added two more after Alexis Sanchez had doubled the lead at the start of the second half. The Argentine has a league-high 22 goals this season, one more than Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Madrid will be trying to shake off its midweek loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals, with its fierce rivals trailing by two points in the standings midway through the season.

"There is a long way to go, all the second half of the season, and we will keep pushing all the way," Messi said.

Barcelona will try to protect its 2-1 advantage over Madrid at Camp Nou on Wednesday, and coach Pep Guardiola seemed to have the second leg in mind. Xavi Hernandez, Cesc Fabregas and Carles Puyol were left on the bench.

Third-place Valencia slipped to a 1-1 draw at Osasuna after being reduced to 10 men and conceding a stoppage-time equalizer to Manuel "Lolo" Ortiz. Mallorca edged out Rayo Vallecano 1-0.

___

PARIS (AP) ? Lyon needed late goals to beat Lucon 2-0 and avoid a humiliating draw with an amateur opponent as the seven-time league champions reached the last 16 of the French Cup.

Bafetimbi Gomis pounced on a loose ball before firing into the top corner in the 75th minute. Lisandro Lopez sealed the win for the visitors in the last minute following a counterattack. The Argentine played a one-two with Alexandre Lacazette and slammed the ball into the roof of the net.

Valenciennes and Gazelec Ajaccio also advanced. Foued Kadir shone in Valenciennes' 3-1 win over 10-man Bastia with two goals and an assist while third-division Gazelec Ajaccio beat second-tier Troyes 1-0.

___

BERLIN (AP) ? Borussia Dortmund pulled even with Bayern Munich and Schalke at the top of the Bundesliga following a 5-1 rout at Hamburger SV in the first round after the winter break.

Robert Lewandowski and Jakub Blaszczykowski both scored twice to help Dortmund send Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink to his first league defeat after eight games unbeaten.

Dortmund climbed ahead of Schalke to second behind Bayern on goal difference, while Moenchengladbach is a point behind the top three.

Bayer Leverkusen beat Mainz 3-2 but squandered a two-goal lead Lars Bender before put the home team back in front with a header from a corner in the 70th.

"Lars saved us," Leverkusen forward Andre Schuerrle said. "Hopefully the win means the team will be left in peace."

Many Dortmund fans traveled to Hamburg but remained outside the stadium to protest the cost of tickets, which start at more than $24 for a standing ticket.

___

ROME (AP) ? AC Milan and Udinese won to keep it a rare three-way race for the Serie A title with Juventus at the Italian season's midpoint.

Milan won 3-0 at last-place Novara with two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and another from Robinho, while Pablo Armero and Antonio Di Natale scored to steer Udinese to a 2-1 victory over Catania.

Juventus, which beat Atalanta 2-0 Saturday, holds a one-point lead over Milan and is three points in front of Udinese, which has never finished higher than third.

For the most part, the Serie A title race has been a two-team affair in recent seasons, with Inter Milan winning five consecutive championships from 2006-10 and Milan taking the title last year.

In other matches, it was: Lecce 2, Chievo Verona 2; Palermo 5, Genoa 3; Siena 1, Napoli 1; and Cagliari 0, Fiorentina 0.

___

AMSTERDAM (AP) ? Dutch league leader AZ Alkmaar had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Ajax after conceding a late own-goal that kept it in first place by a point.

Simon Poulsen put the ball in his own net in the 75th minute after Rasmus Elm had given Alkmaar a 37th-minute lead from a free kick.

The gap at the top remained unchanged, with second-place PSV Eindhoven playing to a draw at Utrecht.

Also Sunday, Leroy George scored the only goal of the game to give NEC Nijmegen its first win at Vitesse since 1979.

On Saturday, former England coach Steve McClaren marked his Eredivisie return with a victory, his Twente club romping past RKC Waalwijk 5-0.

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

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Balotelli lifts Man City

??Mario Balotelli scored a stoppage-time penalty kick Sunday to give first-place Manchester City a 3-2 victory over Premier League title rival Tottenham.

Mike Hewitt / Getty Images

Hat trick

Clint Dempsey became the first American to score a hat trick in England's Premier League, helping Fulham rally from a halftime deficit to rout Newcastle 5-2 Saturday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46085861/ns/sports-soccer/

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Financial Aid In The Communications Degree : WeeklyShredder.com

Will you be able to find a school that can answer to your expenses when you want to graduate from a communications course? There are a lot of jobs out there that accept those who graduate in programs related to communications, which is why when searching for financial assistance, you may be able to find a lot out there. If you are on a tight budget, know all about the financial aids that are available for people who want to take a communications degree.

Those with a communications diploma can have the chance to work in different areas, which is why funding for them can be really vast. Are you aware of the perks of having a communications diploma? Having a diploma in communications will help you land in areas related to arts and design such as journalism, photography, graphic designs and a lot more.

Realizing that occupations in here are vast, you would also understand that financial aid can be grabbed in this degree. So how do you earn these scholarships and grants? If you want to have it, then the process is no different compared to other courses.

You can earn a grant or scholarship through easy application. Keep in mind that some colleges or universities would require you to undergo a different application process. There are times in which you must show what you really can do in the application process here.

Similar to scholarships for English majors, most financial aid given to students will be based on your ability to speak your thoughts. Showing your communicating talents may be required or you might need to do a piece of writing. You will have to write an essay persuading them in order for you to have the financial assistance.

With an examination like this, they are able to separate those who are good from those who are not. A great heart would show when you are applying and it will also show if you truly are one of a kind. In your final decision of pursuing a communications degree grant, you also have to ensure that your communicating skills are great so that when you apply, you will really stand out.

We can say that there are a number of schools that offer grants. If you are interested in a certain communication program then go online and see the website of the specific college. If a student is majoring in something specific and wants financial assistance, then a private grant can be chosen.

A financial aid called the EDSF David Hoods Memorial Scholarship is being offered to those with communications degree by the EDSF or the Electric Document System Foundation. They offer 30 scholarships every year to students (fulltime) with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Betty Endicott/NTA-NCCB Student Scholarship and the James Lawrence Fly Scholarship are both grants that can be of service to students with communication degrees.

The communications department at each college or university usually offers some form of financial aid that is specifically aimed at communication majors. Currently, some schools have a good number of scholarship sources for their students. Some of the most popular universities include the University of Miami and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Keep in mind that in pursuing a communications course, it does not mean that you will have its degree. What happens is that they would just pursue a related degree. Take advantage by going into the application process of many different grants that are for those taking up communication programs.

Do you want to know what you can do with a communications degree? If so, hitting this masters in communication link should be ablet ot explain things further. Check it out now!

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Source: http://weeklyshredder.com/financial-aid-in-the-communications-degree

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Tom Cruise Sings 'Like An Opera Singer' In 'Rock Of Ages'

'He's Superman to me. He can do anything he sets his mind to,' co-star Malin Akerman says.
By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Tom Cruise in "Rock of Ages"
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

PARK CITY, Utah — He can run. He can climb cliff sides without harnesses. Heck, he can even scale the surface of the world's tallest building. And now, for his next trick, Tom Cruise will truly do the impossible: sing his heart out in front of moviegoers nationwide.

The "Mission Impossible" actor will next be seen as fictional rock god Stacee Jaxx in "Rock of Ages," director Adam Shankman's adaptation of the Broadway musical. If you think it's bizarre casting, take it from Cruise's costar, Malin Akerman — according to her, there is literally nothing that Cruise can't do, carrying a tune included.

"He's brilliant. You're going to be blown away," Akerman told MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival, which she's attending as an ambassador for the Brita FilterForGood Music Project campaign. "His voice is ridiculous."

Akerman should know. As reporter Constance Sack, she only has one musical number in "Rock of Ages" — a cover of "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner — which she sings opposite Cruise. "I auditioned with Cruise. We did our scene together and then I had to sing in the studio [for a musical audition]," she said of landing the role. "My role was actually one of the last ones cast, so I was the last onboard and had the least amount of prep [time]. It was nerve-wracking, to have to go in and sing in the audition."

But Akerman says any anxiety was transformed into elation when performing opposite Cruise, a Hollywood icon she likens to an equally iconic superhero.

"He's Superman to me. He can do anything he sets his mind to," she said, adding that on top of his talent as an actor and his ability to perform breathtaking stunts, Cruise can also "sing like an opera singer."

"When you're with Tom, you give it your all," Akerman said. "It was really amazing and surreal."

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance.

Related Photos

• Celebrities Hit The Ground At Sundance 2012 Film Fest
• Sundance 2012: Behind The Scenes Photos

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677692/rock-of-ages-tom-cruise.jhtml

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Fundamental malaria discovery

ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2012) ? A team of researchers led by Kasturi Haldar and Souvik Bhattacharjee of the University of Notre Dame's Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases has made a fundamental discovery in understanding how malaria parasites cause deadly disease.

The researchers show how parasites target proteins to the surface of the red blood cell that enables sticking to and blocking blood vessels. Strategies that prevent this host-targeting process will block disease.

The research findings appear in the Jan. 20 edition of the journal Cell. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Malaria is a blood disease that kills nearly 1 million people each year. It is caused by a parasite that infects red cells in the blood. Once inside the cell, the parasite exports proteins beyond its own plasma membrane border into the blood cell. These proteins function as adhesins that help the infected red blood cells stick to the walls of blood vessels in the brain and cause cerebral malaria, a deadly form of the disease that kills over half a million children each year.

In all cells, proteins are made in a specialized cell compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) from where they are delivered to other parts of the cell. Haldar and Bhattacharjee and collaborators Robert Stahelin at the Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend (who also is an adjunct faculty member in Notre Dame's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry), and David and Kaye Speicher at the University of Pennsylvania's Wistar Institute discovered that for host-targeted malaria proteins the very first step is binding to the lipid phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, PIP, in the ER.

This was surprising for two reasons. Previous studies suggested an enzyme called Plasmepsin V that released the proteins into the ER was also the export mechanism. However, Haldar, Bhattacharjee and colleagues discovered that binding to PIP lipid which occurs first is the gate keeper to control export and that export can occur without Plasmepsin V action. Further, in higher eukaryotic cells (such as in humans), the lipid PIP is not usually found within the ER membrane but rather is exposed to the cellular cytoplasm.

Haldar and Bhattacharjee are experts in malaria parasite biology and pathogenesis. Stahelin is an expert in PIP lipid biology, and David and Kaye Speicher are experts in proteomics and a method called mass spectrometry.

Their interdisciplinary collaboration reveals a fundamental, novel cellular function, whose disruption can provide new therapies that are urgently needed for malaria.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Notre Dame.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Souvik Bhattacharjee, Robert?V. Stahelin, Kaye?D. Speicher, David?W. Speicher, Kasturi Haldar. Endoplasmic Reticulum PI(3)P Lipid Binding Targets Malaria Proteins to the Host Cell. Cell, 2012; 148 (1-2): 201 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.10.051

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184532.htm

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Croats vote in EU membership referendum

A Croatian EU sceptic holds an anti EU flag during a rally at the central square in Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Police clashed Saturday with a group of nationalist protesters who attempted to take down an EU flag on the eve of the country's membership referendum. The clash occurred at the end of protest rally by about 1,000 mostly war veterans and right-wing protesters opposed to Croatia's joining the European Union. (AP Photo/Filip Horvat)

A Croatian EU sceptic holds an anti EU flag during a rally at the central square in Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Police clashed Saturday with a group of nationalist protesters who attempted to take down an EU flag on the eve of the country's membership referendum. The clash occurred at the end of protest rally by about 1,000 mostly war veterans and right-wing protesters opposed to Croatia's joining the European Union. (AP Photo/Filip Horvat)

Croatian anti EU protestors hold a rally in the central square in Zagreb, Croatia, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Police clashed Saturday with a group of nationalist protesters who attempted to take down an EU flag on the eve of the country's membership referendum. The clash occurred at the end of protest rally by about 1,000 mostly war veterans and right-wing protesters opposed to Croatia's joining the European Union. Protesters wear t-shirts with 'NO' written inside the emblem of the EU. (AP Photo/Filip Horvat)

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) ? Croatians voted Sunday in a nationwide referendum on whether to join the European Union ? a test of how much the debt-stricken 27-nation bloc has lost its appeal among potential new members.

Several pre-vote surveys suggest that between 56 and 60 percent of those who take part in the vote will answer "yes" to the question: "Do you support the membership of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union?"

Those who support the EU say their Balkan country's troubled economy ? burdened by recession, a euro48-billion ($61-billion) foreign debt and a 17 percent unemployment rate ? will revive due to access to wider European markets and job opportunities that the membership should bring.

"It's a big moment in our history ... we are joining more successful countries in Europe," Croatia's President Ivo Josipovic said after casting his ballot, adding that he expects a "Yes" vote in the referendum.

Opponents say Croatia has nothing to gain by entering the bloc, which is fighting off the bankruptcy of some of its members. They say that Croatia will only lose its sovereignty and the national identity it fought for in a civil war for independence from Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Croatia signed an EU accession treaty last year and is on track to become a member in July 2013, if Croat voters say yes and all of the bloc's states later ratify the deal.

The Balkan nation started negotiating its EU entry six years ago, but since then the popularity of the bloc has faded, as Croats realize that EU membership would not automatically lead to prosperity.

In a sign of deep divisions in Croatia over the membership, police clashed Saturday in downtown Zagreb with a group of nationalist protesters who attempted to take down an EU flag.

"We won't have any say in our own affairs any more," Natko Kovacevic, one of the organizers of the protest, told the crowd carrying banners reading "No to EU" and "I love Croatia."

Croatian officials, who have launched a pro-EU campaign ahead of the referendum, warned that a "no" vote would deprive the country of the much-needed accession funds, and that even the payment of pensions for retirees and war veterans could be in jeopardy.

Croatia has received around euro150 million ($193 million) in pre-accession assistance since 2007. It is to receive another euro150 million for 2012 and euro95 million ($122 million) in 2013.

"Clearly all that funding will be stopped if the Croats say no in the referendum," Croatia's Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-22-EU-Croatia-EU-Referendum/id-1f1093fd663249f7aa08f78a8ee58990

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Engadget Distro Issue 24: CES Roundup, OK Go's Andy Ross and SOPA comic relief

We've spent the past week recuperating and reflecting, and while we're ready to put CES 2012 behind us, we're bring you this special roundup edition to cover all of our consumer electronics bases. In this issue, we'll dive deep into product categories that were overlooked in our previous CES editions, like audio, and flesh out those categories that dominated this year's coverage. Also in this issue, OK Go's Andy Ross takes on the Distro Q&A, we bring you a visual breakdown of Engadget's CES Vital Stats and Box Brown takes a comic look at the SOPA / PIPA debate. So join us in grabbing a cold one and get to downloading.

Update: Sounds like the latest issue hasn't hit the servers just yet. We're looking into it!

Distro Issue 24 PDF
Distro on the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Android Market
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
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Engadget Distro Issue 24: CES Roundup, OK Go's Andy Ross and SOPA comic relief originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/20/dnp-engadget-distro-issue-24-ces-roundup-ok-gos-andy-ross-and/

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Rapid Infant Growth Linked to Asthma in Study (HealthDay)

FRIDAY, Jan. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Rapid growth during the first three months of life is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in preschool children, a new study indicates.

The findings suggest that early infancy might be a critical period for the development of asthma, said the researchers at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands.

They examined data collected from 5,125 children who were followed from the fetal stage until they were 4 years old.

The researchers found no link between fetal growth and asthma symptoms. But in children with normal fetal growth, accelerated weight gain from birth to 3 months of age was associated with increased risk of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm.

The study appears online ahead of print in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Previous research has shown an association between low birth weight and increased risk of asthma symptoms in children. This is the first study to examine specific fetal and infant growth patterns on asthma risk.

"Our results suggest that the relationship between infant weight gain and asthma symptoms is not due to the accelerated growth of fetal growth-restricted infants only," researcher Dr. Liesbeth Duijts said in a journal news release. "While the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear, accelerated weight growth in early life might adversely affect lung growth and might be associated with adverse changes in the immune system."

She added: "Further research is needed to replicate our findings and explore the mechanisms that contribute to the effects of growth acceleration in infancy on respiratory health. The effects of infant growth patterns on asthma phenotypes [observable characteristics] in later life should also be examined."

More information

The American Lung Association has more about children and asthma.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20120121/hl_hsn/rapidinfantgrowthlinkedtoasthmainstudy

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Henrico County Public Schools holds community meeting on possible achievement gap

WTVR Staff

11:44 p.m. EST, January 17, 2012

Henrico County, VA (WTVR)- Henrico County School leaders met with the community Tuesday night to talk about a possible achievement gap between black and white students.

The U.S. Department of Education started a study in late 2010 on whether black students are being discriminated against in Henrico County schools. A focal point of the study was figuring out if children in the West End are afforded better treatment than children in the eastern part of the county.

That study by the Office of Civil Rights looked at the population growth of schools around the country, and found the population of African American students was higher in the East End of the county than in the West End.

Many parents told CBS 6 last may that they believe the County treats the east side differently regarding school resources and educational opportunities. Parents believe because there are more white people, businesses, and higher taxes being paid in the West End, schools there get more attention.

A new high school and middle school opened in western Henrico in the fall of 2010. The East End hasn't had a new high school in 50 years, but HCPS recently opened Harvie Elementary and Elko Middle Schools in the area.

School leaders CBS 6 spoke with welcome the compliance review and tell us they started one themselves before the federal government got involved.

"We hope the community comes out to hear and see the data we've collected over the last several years on this achievement gap, and some of what we've recognized on our own and started to address on our own.? We want to share the data with them and then say, 'This is what we're doing. How can the community and the families help us close this achievement gap?'", said Mychael Dickerson, with Henrico County Public Schools.

Parents were stunned by the stark difference in academic performance between white and black students in Henrico County.

County data shows on reading SOL tests, 94% of whites passed compared to 82% of blacks. The gap widens even more on math SOL?s, with 92% of white students passing compared to just 78% of blacks.

School leaders still want more input. They?re holding another meeting on Wednesday, January 25^th from 6pm-7:30 pm at the Henrico Training Center located at 7701 E. Parham Rd.

Source: http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-henrico-county-public-schools-holds-community-meeting-on-possible-achievement-gap-20120117,0,4563698.story?track=rss

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Cop Out for the Ages!! (talking-points-memo)

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Park official: Snowshoer rescued, in good shape

SEATTLE (AP) ? A 66-year-old snowshoer who had been missing on Mount Rainier since Saturday has been rescued after searchers traversed deep snow and snowshoed up a river valley to pull him from the icy remote backcountry, a national park spokeswoman said.

The team reached Yong Chun Kim on Monday afternoon but it took nine hours to bring him from the rugged terrain covered in deep snow to a road, spokeswoman Lee Taylor said late Monday.

Kim was headed to a hospital to be evaluated, but he "seems to be in good shape and we're just thrilled to have been able to bring this search to such a successful conclusion," Taylor said.

Taylor said the experienced hiker from Tacoma, Wash., was alert, conscious and stable when he was found by a team of three searchers. He was reported missing on Saturday after he fell down a slope and became separated from a group he was leading in the Paradise area, a popular high-elevation destination on the mountain's southwest flank, about a 100-mile drive south from Seattle.

Snowshoers use specialized footgear that allows them to spread their weight over a larger area, which keeps them from sinking into deep snow and makes it possible to hike into snowy areas that would otherwise be inaccessible. Kim, who has been snowshoeing for a decade, was well equipped for a day trip but didn't have overnight gear.

Because Kim was the leader of his group, other snowshoers weren't able to accurately describe where he had slipped, Taylor said. Searchers had initially believed Kim fell in a different area, based on descriptions from the group, Taylor said.

Taylor said he was in a remote area with deep snow. Mount Rainier has seen temperatures in the teens, and eight inches of new snow fell in some places since Saturday. Wind-blown snow drifts were as high as 30 inches in some areas.

Bad weather prevented a helicopter rescue, so crews used a Sno-Cat snow vehicle to reach the area where Kim was. Then "searchers had to snowshoe up the river valley to reach him, load him into a kind of a litter that could be slid across the snow, sort of a sled, bring him back down and get him back into the Sno-Cat and bring the Sno-Cat back out to the road," Taylor said.

Kim's son, Malcom An, thanked authorities and the rescuers in a statement released through the National Park Service.

"A terrible situation that could have ended in tragedy, instead turned into another beautiful example of how Americans come together to help each other," he said.

Kim's sister-in-law, Sang Soon Tomyn, told The Associated Press that "as soon as we heard he was alive, my sister, his wife, praised God and said 'Hallelujah.' "We were so worried. We prayed every day."

She said her brother-in-law was a strong hiker, had food in his backpack and knew the area very well.

"He's a very strong person," she said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-17-Missing%20Snowshoer/id-28ed19e91d764fb496a352155f92b2f4

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Republicans point toward 1st of 2 SC debates (AP)

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. ? The Republican presidential contenders on Monday campaigned their way into the first of two debates before a pivotal weekend primary in South Carolina, with Mitt Romney savoring an endorsement from the latest campaign dropout and his pursuers struggling to emerge as the race's principal conservative.

Hours before the debate, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman withdrew from the race and announced his support for Romney despite their differences. He appealed to all remaining contenders to stop attacking one another.

There appeared little likelihood of that happening, either in the TV commercials, mail and other advertising blanketing the state ahead of Saturday's vote or, possibly, on the debate stage itself.

Romney wasn't present for Huntsman's endorsement, and Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Ron Paul all but ignored it as they sought to slow the front-runner's momentum in the race to pick a Republican rival to President Barack Obama this fall.

Romney has victories in the only two contests of the campaign thus far, the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary earlier this month. Gingrich has conceded that the former Massachusetts governor will likely be the party's nominee if he is similarly victorious in South Carolina, an assertion that none of the others in the race has so far contested.

That raised the significance of the night's debate, as well as another one scheduled for Thursday in Charleston.

Romney is the leader in the public opinion polls in South Carolina, although his rivals hope the state's high, 9.9 percent unemployment rate and the presence of large numbers of socially conservative evangelical voters will allow one of them to slip by him.

Huntsman was the second campaign dropout to endorse Romney, after former Minnesota Gov. Tom Pawlenty. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who quit after a last-place finish in Iowa, has not yet said which of the remaining contenders she supports. Herman Cain, who left the race in December after facing allegations of sexual impropriety, has promised an endorsement soon.

Huntsman's parting announcement included a reference to the differences he and Romney had. But he left the podium without responding to questions about his remark last week, in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary, that Romney was unelectable and out of touch.

It was unclear why Romney did not attend the announcement. He was in town for a later campaign appearance and then the debate.

Gingrich and Perry both began their day at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day observance, where they praised the legacy of the slain civil right legacy.

At about the same time, Santorum was complaining that attacks launched against him by a political action committee supporting Romney was spreading lies. He called on Romney to ask the group to edit or remove its ads from the air.

The attack on Santorum is patterned after one that helped send Gingrich into a nosedive in the polls in the final weeks of the Iowa caucus campaign.

Gingrich made similar demands on Romney to rein in his supporters, but was ignored.

Paul, who generally keeps a light campaign schedule, addressed the Faith and Freedom Coalition forum in the afternoon. The Texas congressman cast his libertarian message in religious terms, noting the Bible speaks up for private property ownership and sound currency.

___

Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont in Columbia and Beth Fouhy in Myrtle Beach contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120116/ap_on_el_pr/us_republicans_debate

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