Rose Parade float may set a record

Construction on the Natural Balance Pet Foods 'Surf's Up' Tournament of Roses parade float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale Wednesday, December 28, 2011. (Hans Gutknecht / Staff Photographer)

Belinda Onate, Arcadia, works on the Natural Balance Pet Foods 'Surf's Up' Tournament of Roses parade float at Fiesta Parade Floats in Irwindale Wednesday, December 28, 2011. (Hans Gutknecht / Staff Photographer)

It's as long as a tennis court, weighs as much as 10 African elephants and carries a tropical paradise where seven dogs surfboard on 65-foot-long waves.

And when the "Surf's Up" float travels Monday along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, it is expected to break world records as both the longest and the heaviest float in Tournament of Roses Parade history.

"Nothing like it has ever been done before," said Joey Herrick, founder and president of Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods, which is sponsoring the float. "It's a monstrosity."

Just shy of 120 feet, "Surf's Up" is about three times longer than the typical float and seven feet longer than the record-setting float Natural Balance sponsored in 2010.

And on Friday, when the California Highway Patrol brings its commercial scales to the Irwindale warehouse where the float is being assembled, designers expect its official weight will top 100,000 pounds. That's about 8 tons more than the record set by last year's Natural Balance entry and would earn the company another listing in Guinness World Records.

Like the previous Natural Balance floats that featured company mascot Tillman the bulldog on a skateboard, a snowboard and jumping off a dock into a pool, Herrick got the idea for "Surf's Up" while commuting.

Herrick wanted Tillman and his canine companions to really surf - to give spectators an eye-popping experience and, perhaps, break the world records.

He

took his vision to Tim Estes, president of renowned Fiesta Parade Floats.

Estes loved Herrick's idea, but conceded the logistics of the design initially gave him "a moment's pause." Because floats are built on a single chassis, the extra weight and length of "Surf's Up" will make it even more difficult for the float's pilot to navigate turns on the 12-mile trek from Irwindale to Pasadena. Using the experience of nearly 35 years of float-making, Estes created an engineering marvel.

Tillman and six other specially trained dogs will be placed on surfboards for the one-minute ride down the Plexiglass-lined wave channel.

"It's a year's timeframe come to life," said Estes.

barbara.jones@dailynews.com

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Source: http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_19635093?source=rss

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US warns Iran against closing key oil passage (AP)

TEHRAN, Iran ? The U.S. strongly warned Iran on Wednesday against closing a vital Persian Gulf waterway that carries one-sixth of the world's oil supply, after Iran threatened to choke off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz if Washington imposes sanctions targeting the country's crude exports.

The increasingly heated exchange raises new tensions in a standoff that has the potential to spark military reprisals and spike oil prices to levels that could batter an already fragile global economy.

Iran's navy chief said Wednesday that it would be "very easy" for his country's forces to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the passage at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which about 15 million barrels of oil pass daily. It was the second such warning by Iran in two days, reflecting Tehran's concern that the West is about to impose new sanctions that could hit the country's biggest source of revenue, oil.

"Iran has comprehensive control over the strategic waterway," Adm. Habibollah Sayyari told state-run Press TV, as the country was in the midst of a 10-day military drill near the strategic waterway.

The comments drew a quick response from the U.S.

"This is not just an important issue for security and stability in the region, but is an economic lifeline for countries in the Gulf, to include Iran," Pentagon press secretary George Little said. "Interference with the transit or passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will not be tolerated."

Separately, Bahrain-based U.S. Navy 5th Fleet spokeswoman Lt. Rebecca Rebarich said the Navy is "always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation."

Rebarich declined to say whether the U.S. force had adjusted its presence or readiness in the Gulf in response to Iran's comments, but said the Navy "maintains a robust presence in the region to deter or counter destabilizing activities, while safeguarding the region's vital links to the international community."

Iran's threat to seal off the Gulf, surrounded by oil-rich Gulf states, reflect its concerns over the prospect that the Obama administration will impose sanctions over its nuclear program that would severely hit its biggest revenue source. Iran is the world's fourth-largest oil producer, pumping about 4 million barrels a day.

Gulf Arab nations appeared ready to at least ease market tensions. A senior Saudi Arabian oil official told The Associated Press that Gulf Arab nations are ready to step in to offset any potential loss of exports from Iran. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the issue.

Saudi Arabia, which has been producing about 10 million barrels per day, has an overall production capacity of over 12 million barrels per day and is widely seen as the only OPEC member with sufficient spare capacity to offset major shortages.

What remains unclear is what routes the Gulf nations could take to move the oil to markets if Iran goes through with its threat.

About 15 million barrels per day pass through the Hormuz Strait, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

There are some pipelines that could be tapped, but Gulf oil leaders, who met in Cairo on Dec. 24, declined to say whether they had discussed alternate routes or what they may be.

The Saudi official's comment, however, appeared to allay some concerns. The U.S. benchmark crude futures contract fell $1.98 by the close of trading Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but still hovered just below $100 per barrel.

U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner played down the Iranian threats as "rhetoric," saying, "we've seen these kinds of comments before."

While many analysts believe that Iran's warnings are little more than posturing, they still highlight both the delicate nature of the oil market, which moves as much on rhetoric as supply and demand fundamentals.

Iran relies on crude sales for about 80 percent of its public revenues, and sanctions or even a pre-emptive measure by Tehran to withhold its crude from the market would already batter its flailing economy.

IHS Global Insight analyst Richard Cochrane said in a report Wednesday that markets are "jittery over the possibility" of Iran's blockading the strait. But "such action would also damage Iran's economy, and risk retaliation from the U.S. and allies that could further escalate instability in the region."

"Accordingly, it is not likely to be a decision that the Iranian leadership will take lightly," he said.

Earlier sanctions targeting the oil and financial sector added new pressures to the country's already struggling economy. Government cuts in subsidies on key goods like food and energy have angered Iranians, stoking inflation while the country's currency steadily depreciates.

The impetus behind the subsidies cut plan, pushed through parliament by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was to reduce budget costs and would pass money directly to the poor. But critics have pointed to it as another in a series of bad policy moves by the hardline president.

So far, Western nations have been unable to agree on sanctions targeting oil exports, even as they argue that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran maintains its nuclear program ? already the subject of several rounds of sanctions ? is purely peaceful.

The U.S. Congress has passed a bill that penalizes foreign firms that do business with the Iran Central Bank, a move that would heavily hurt Iran's ability to export crude. European and Asian nations use the bank for transactions to import Iranian oil.

President Barack Obama has said he will sign the bill despite his misgivings. China and Russia have opposed such measures.

Sanctions specifically targeting Iran's oil exports would likely temporarily spike oil prices to levels that could weigh heavily on the world economy.

Closing the Strait of Hormuz would hit even harder. Energy consultant and trader The Schork Group estimated crude would jump to above $140 per barrel. Conservatives in Iran claim global oil prices will jump to $250 a barrel should the waterway be closed.

By closing the strait, Iran may aim to send the message that its pain from sanctions will also be felt by others. But it has equally compelling reasons not to try.

The move would put the country's hardline regime straight in the cross-hairs of the world, including nations that have so far been relative allies. Much of Iran's crude goes to Europe and to Asia.

"Shutting down the strait ... is the last bullet that Iran has and therefore we have to express some doubt that they would do this and at the same time lose their support from China and Russia," said analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland.

Iran has adopted an aggressive military posture in recent months in response to increasing threats from the U.S. and Israel of possible military action to stop Iran's nuclear program.

The Iranian navy's exercises, which began on Saturday, involve submarines, missile drills, torpedoes and drones. A senior Iranian commander said Wednesday that the country's navy is also planning to test advanced missiles and "smart" torpedoes during the maneuvers.

The war games cover a 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) stretch off the Strait of Hormuz, northern parts of the Indian Ocean and into the Gulf of Aden near the entrance to the Red Sea and could bring Iranian ships into proximity with U.S. Navy vessels in the area.

The moderate news website, irdiplomacy.ir, says the show of strength is intended to send a message to the West that Iran is capable of sealing off the waterway.

"The war games ... are a warning to the West that should oil and central bank sanctions be stepped up, (Iran) is able to cut the lifeblood of the West and Arabs," it said, adding that the West "should regard the maneuvers as a direct message."

___

El-Tablawy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Adam Schreck in Dubai and Abdullah Shihri in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_oil

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Newt Gingrich cries while recalling late mother (AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa ? Newt Gingrich choked up and wiped away tears Friday while recalling his late mother's struggle with depression and mental illness.

Speaking at an event with mothers in Des Moines, Iowa, the former House speaker said his focus on brain science issues stems directly from "dealing with the real problems of real people in my family."

"And so it's not a theory. It's, in fact, my mother," he said as he wiped away tears.

Kit Gingrich died in 2003 at age 77. Gingrich said she spent her final years in a long-term care facility suffering from depression, bipolar disease and gradually acquired physical ailments.

The moment was reminiscent of Hillary Rodham Clinton's teary-eyed response to a question just before the 2008 Democratic primary in New Hampshire. That rare, emotional response by the former first lady was credited with humanizing her in the eyes of voters. She went on to pull off a win in the state.

After showing his emotions, the cerebral Gingrich said he does "policy much easier than he does personal."

His wife, Callista, and two daughters, were in the audience.

"Callista will tell you I get teary-eyed every time we sing Christmas carols," Gingrich said.

Gingrich has fallen in recent Iowa polls, with the state's caucuses just several days away. He is in the midst of a 22-stop bus tour across the state.

___

Follow Shannon McCaffrey on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/smccaffrey13

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111230/ap_on_el_pr/us_gingrich

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2001 Ford Fiesta Flight from UK and Ireland

Fun to drive, cheap to run and repair, simple and basic interior but engine is reliable and responsive and in 1.st, 2.nd, 3.rd gears the car is nippy but lack of torque means poor acceleration in 4.th and 5.th gear.

I could write better review if car was higher up model with more features; but for this, the flight, I was very disappointed with lack of trip computer, rev counter, temperature gauge and anti-lock brakes.

Doors ice up easily denying access in sub zero temperatures.

This car also steams up quickly in wet and I've bought dehumidifier to try alleviate the problem to increase visibility.

Cabin noise on motorway is rather intrusive, I had ringing ears after some journeys.

Radio is unsatisfactory with 2.1 sound system, speakers are installed in the rear however there is no wire loom to connect them.

Generous boot space for hatchback.

Standard cassette player is outdated; cassette adapters are available for iPods.

Fuel efficiency is good but could be better (38 mpg combined).

Wing mirrors are small and limits perspective. This especially bothersome when parking. Central mirror suffers same problem and its difficult to set it in a optimum viewing position for driving.

Cleanage of air filter and crankshaft pressure release to prevent failures and reduced fuel economy.

Braking power is very poor even when firm, it is ideal to brake well in advance.

Grips well in ice and snow due to front wheel drive and light weight of car (900kg).

3 star Euro NCAP better than most small hatchbacks from its era but by no means safest car to be in during an accident.

Drive sensibly and the car shouldn't give you too much trouble. I'm nit-picking with many issues herein other than exhaust; it's a good little runaround and many failures/problems stated are typical of any vehicle.

Source: http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/ford/fiesta/2001/

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Chad Ochocinco's gal hit up for Antoine Walker's debt

Evelyn Lozada, galpal of New England Patriots [team stats] wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, is being sued in bankruptcy court for allegedly helping her former fiance, ex-Celtic captain Antoine Walker, blow through the fortune he made in the NBA.

Lozada, star of VH1?s ?Basketball Wives,? is being accused of taking something in the neighborhood of $560,000 from Walker, who made more than $110 million during his basketball career but squandered it all ? and then some. Now the bankruptcy trustee wants Lozada to pony up the $560K ? plus interest, attorneys? fees and costs ? so it can be returned to ?Toine?s creditors.

According to the suit, Walker made more than $110 million during his 13-year career, not including endorsements and other business ventures, but he lived ?paycheck to paycheck.?

?He was consistently in the negative and insolvent,? the suit states. ?The debtor spent more money than he actually made and accumulated debts far beyond his financial ability to pay.?

Walker owned ?multiple homes in Miami and Chicago,? the suit says. Other luxuries included ?Bentleys, Range Rovers, furs, diamond-encrusted jewelry and exotic vacations.?

?The debtor also accumulated millions of dollars in debts owed to multiple casinos which remain unpaid,? the suit states.

You may recall that ?Toine, 34, was arrested in Tahoe in 2009, accused of writing bad checks to three Vegas casinos for markers totaling close to $1 million. He declared bankruptcy last year, listing total assets of $4.3 million and debts of $12.7 million.

The suit against Lozada, the first in connection with Walker?s financial mess, contends that the hoop heavy gave away millions to family, friends, acquaintances and ?others he barely knew.? He also ?engaged in questionable business deals ... that were doomed to fail from the start,? the suits says.

Lozada was one of the recipients of the broke basketball hero?s largesse, the suit states. He transferred $560K to the reality TV star, who was then his fiancee, ?to support her lifestyle? and to fund Dulce, her shoe store in Coral Gables, Fla.

?At the time the debtor made the transfers he had multiple creditors that he was indebted to and the debtor was insolvent since his liabilities far exeeded his assets,? the suit states. ?The transfers were made to Lozada to fund her own lifestyle at the expense of the debtor?s creditors.?

Vincent Alexander, the attorney for bankruptcy trustee Drew M. Dillworth, told the Track Lozada now has the opportunity to respond to the suit but hasn?t yet done so. Chad?s GF also didn?t respond to our request for comment yesterday. However, TMZ.com, quoting sources, reported that Lozada claims she sold her engagement ring from ?Toine to fund the shoe store and that she had no idea he was that deeply in debt.

Lozada and Walker broke up in 2009, around the time he filed for bankruptcy. A coincidence? Discuss ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bostonherald/track/~3/hC46G9pc24U/view.bg

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Level 3 Powers California Central Valley Broadband Project

Level 3 Powers California Central Valley Broadband Project??????????
Level 3 will provide IP capacity for the Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure project, a $66.6 million total cost project that is being partly funded with $46.6 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The project will bring advanced communications to rural, underserved areas by creating a 1,300 mile, high-capacity fiber-based infrastructure throughout 18 counties in California's Central Valley. Level 3 is providing over 300 route miles of fiber for the project.
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Egyptian Women Get Another Win with 'Virginity Test' Ban (The Atlantic Wire)

Woman today in Egypt won a right that they obviously should have had all along after an Egyptian court banned the administration of "virginity tests" on female prisoners, reports MSNBC and CNN. The officially given reason why?the government needs to know whether or not its detainees have had sex is beyond our comprehension, ostensively to "safeguard against the women accusing authorities of sexual assault," according to CNN. But the real motive seems obvious to us, and to Samira?Ibrahim, a 25-year-old Egyptian?pictured to the right above who sued the government after she was forced to have a virginity test after being arrested in March: "degrade the protesters."?

Related: Four New York Times Reporters Missing in Libya

Today, though, we're happy with the refreshing feminist voice heard in the new unrest in Egyptian, a region where women often don't have much of a chance to make themselves heard. Last week thousands of Egyptian women took to the streets?after the now-famous blue-bra-woman beating. Consider this another win for Egyptian women.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/20111227/wl_atlantic/egyptianwomengetanotherwinvirginitytestban46682

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The Year In Photos (talking-points-memo)

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Japan concerned about India's nuke plants

Published: Dec. 23, 2011 at 3:57 PM

NEW DELHI, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is to visit India next week with nuclear energy issues reportedly on the agenda.

Noda is to meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the Sixth Annual Summit between Japanese and Indian leaders.

Unidentified Indian diplomatic sources stated that New Delhi believes that Noda will voice concerns over the safety of Indian nuclear power plants during his visit, The Pioneer newspaper reported Friday.

"Safety of nuclear installations assumes maximum importance after the nuclear accident in Japan and it would be taken up," a source said. "The talks about enhancing the nuclear cooperation between the two countries would form the part of discussions between the two leaders."

Japan's ruling Democratic Party is promoting nuclear technology exports as a pillar of its economic growth strategy. Nine months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident Japan is reviving policies that it hopes will lead to exports of commercial nuclear technology to counties like India and Vietnam even as Japan scales back the domestic use of nuclear energy.

Source: http://pheed.upi.com/click.phdo?i=0bb971ee41dd5ff4369e2e2e559ffa2b

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Microsoft thinks white spaces wireless market could be big

Earlier this week, the Federal Communications Commission gave their approval for the first database and the first hardware device that can access the white spaces wireless spectrum. The device is made by Koos Technical Services and will be tested in the Wilmington, North Carolina area starting in January 2012. White spaces use is expected to expand nationwide in the future.

The so-called white spaces are actually unused parts of the broadcast TV signal spectrum in the US.? So if you can pick up a TV signal at home, you could be able to access a signal from the "white spaces" to access the Internet. Business Insider has posted an interview with Dan Reed, the corporate vice president of Microsoft's Technology Policy Group. Reed claims that Microsoft is in full support of using white spaces for wireless Internet needs.

He states in the interview:

If you look at the economic returns that have been accrued by WiFi, it's a multi-billion economic impact. We absolutely believe this has the same potential. Given the explosive demand for wireless communications, perhaps even larger.

Reed also says there are a number of different business models for white spaces use including free, advertiser-based, subscription-based and more.

John Callaham

John began his journalism career writing for print newspapers but 11 years ago moved on to write mostly for online outlets, particularly PC gaming sites. He has worked for a variety of sites including Firing Squad and most recently AOL's Big Download web site.

Source: http://feeds.neowin.net/~r/neowin-all/~3/1FvMBD3zhKo/microsoft-thinks-white-spaces-wireless-market-could-be-big

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North Korea to be at center of Japan-China talks (AP)

BEIJING ? Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda arrives in Beijing on Sunday for talks focused on North Korea and promoting stability in the closed country after the death of Kim Jong Il.

Noda's first official visit to Beijing would normally have focused on bilateral issues, such as squabbles over islands claimed by both countries, but the death of Kim a little more than a week ago and the announcement of his son Kim Jong Un as the country's "supreme leader" has shifted the focus away from bilateral issues.

Noda is the first foreign leader to meet China's leaders since Kim's death and he will emphasize the need to get stalled six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program back on track.

"I would like exchange views and information in detail so as to avert a harmful effect on peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," Noda told reporters in Tokyo before he left for his trip.

Noda meets his counterpart Wen Jiabao on Sunday, and then President Hu Jintao on Monday before returning home. His visit to China was planned before Kim's death was announced Dec. 19.

He will tell Wen that China's role as chair of the six-party talks is "very important," Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said Saturday.

The six-party talks, which include the two Koreas, the United States and Russia, are aimed at disarming North Korea of its nuclear capability. Pyongyang walked out on the talks in 2009 ? and exploded a second nuclear-test device ? but now wants to re-engage.

Last year, Pyongyang also was blamed for two military attacks on South Korea that heightened tensions on the peninsula.

Noda, who came to power in September, met Hu in November on the sidelines of an APEC meeting in Hawaii.

Japan does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea, while China is the impoverished country's most important supporter and supplies it with food aid and much of its energy resources.

Noda also is expected to discuss the possibility of renting pandas for a zoo in Sendai to cheer up the northern Japanese region as it recovers from the tsunami disaster in March.

Japan and China have a list of sensitive topics they are trying to make progress on, including fights over islands and energy disputes in the East China Sea, and recently the arrests of Chinese fishermen Japan says have been illegally fishing in its waters.

The countries also want to make sure relations are on an even keel in the run-up to the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in September.

___

Associated Press reporter Mari Yamaguichi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_as/as_china_japan

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VEJA: Conhe?a a brasileira que, aos 23 anos, deixou Google e Microsoft para criar sua pr?pria empresa http://t.co/CMK7q8uO

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Video: Is JFK?s life relevant today?

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University Club of Michigan State wedding photographers

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Source: arisingimages.com --- Thursday, December 22, 2011
The University Club of Michigan State University is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and caters to the community as well as students and alumni from MSU. Dazzling guests for over 80 years, the University Club sits nestled in the lush countryside near Michigan State University, with stunning views of Forest Akers Golf Course. The conference facilities of the James B. Henry Center for Executive Development are conveniently located adjacent to the University Club, along with the comfortable accommodations of the Candlewood Suites hotel. The University Club is an extraordinary location for your perfect day ? the premier venue for wedding receptions in Lansing. Let our talented catering staff guide you through all the details of planning your wedding reception, bridal showers, rehearsal dinner. A mix of historic and modern architecture, downtown Lansing is a great place to go for your outdoor Michigan wedding photography. For more information about Detroit wedding photographers, please go here arisingweddings.com . For more information on weddings at University Club of MSU, pleae go here http://www.universityclubofmsu.org/ . ...

Source: http://arisingimages.com/blog/2701/2701/

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Royal Dutch Shell Reports Oil Spill of Nigerian Coast

Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian division said it shut down an offshore drilling platform because of a leak involving transfer of oil to a shipping tanker.

"The company can confirm it is responding to an oil leak at the 200,000 barrel-per-day capacity Bonga deepwater facility, approximately 120 kilometers off the Nigeria coast. The leak occurred Tuesday, Dec. 20, during a routine operation to transfer crude oil from Bonga's floating production, storage and off-loading vessel to a waiting oil tanker," the company said in a statement.

"An export line linking the FPSO to the tanker has been identified as the likely source," Shell said.

The Daily Vanguard in Nigeria reported Friday Shell stands to lose $21.47 million daily based on the current price of $107.38 for Brent oil.

Shell said it responded quickly as the leak was discovered and "early indications show that less than 40,000 barrels of oil have leaked in total."

Also on Friday, the Nation reported Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Co.'s Oil Spill Response Procedure and Emergency Response Team was called in to manage the spill.

Source: http://www.thirdage.com/news/royal-dutch-shell-reports-oil-spill-of-nigerian-coast_12-22-2011

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HTC Wildfire S (MetroPCS)

The HTC Wildfire S is a cute, tiny Android smartphone for MetroPCS. But at $179, it's also a bit overpriced and underpowered. It should satisfy users who aren't too demanding of their devices, but you can make a better choice for less money.

Design and Call Quality
The Wildfire S is nearly identical to the model we reviewed?over on T-Mobile (Free, 3 stars). It's very small for a smartphone, at just 4.0 by 2.3 by 0.5 inches (HWD), and weighs a light 3.7 ounces. It's made entirely of smooth, white plastic, with silver accents around the display and camera. It looks attractive, and gives the appearance of a higher end device. The 3.2-inch, 320-by-480-pixel capacitive display lowers your expectations. It looks bright and colorful, but that resolution makes images a bit gritty. Typing on the onscreen QWERTY keyboard was fine, thanks to large touch keys, although they block half of the screen.

The Wildfire S is a dual-band 1xRTT (800/1900 MHz) device with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi; it connected to my WPA2-encryped home network without issue. Reception and call quality are both average. Voices sound full and clear in the phone's earpiece, but the phone rattles a bit at higher volumes. Calls made with the phone sound somewhat fuzzy, though still understandable, with average noise cancellation. The speakerphone sounds fine, but it's far too low to use outdoors. Calls sounded clear through a Jawbone Era?Bluetooth headset ($129, 4.5 stars) and voice dialing worked fine over Bluetooth without training. Battery life was disappointing at just 4 hours, 28 minutes of talk time.

Data Plans and Apps
MetroPCS has no 3G data network, so if you don't have a 4G device, you're stuck with 2G. That makes for slow data speeds on the Wildfire, though MetroPCS tries to make up for it by including the free DeviceScape Wi-Fi hotspot client (which appears in your notification window as "MetroPCS Easy WiFi"). DeviceScape links together many free hotspots, which is helpful, though it doesn't guarantee widespread Wi-Fi coverage.

The Wildfire S's 2G speeds don't negate the fact that unlimited talk, text, and data plans for $50 are a fantastic value. $60 per month, you can get the same plan with unlimited music from Rhapsody. But keep in mind that you can also get unlimited, talk, text, data, and 3G from Boost Mobile for the same price, also without a contract.

The 4G smartphones on MetroPCS cost a lot more than the Wildfire S. The two phones we currently recommend are the capable Samsung Galaxy Indulge?($299, 3.5 stars), or the LG Esteem?($349, 5 stars), our Editors' Choice, but the priciest of the bunch. Note that 4G speeds on MetroPCS are a lot different than 4G speeds on Verizon Wireless, or AT&T's new 4G LTE network. As we discovered in our Fastest Mobile Networks testing, rather than offering spectacular speeds, MetroPCS is going for merely decent speeds at very low prices. The carrier's average 4G speeds are more like a very good 3G network.

The Wildfire S runs Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread). There's no word on an update to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). HTC's Sense UI 2.1 looks sharp and friendly, with upgraded apps, seven customizable home screens, and strong contact management. The FriendStream app aggregates a number of social networking updates on one page. There?s also Google Maps Navigation for free voice-enabled, turn-by-turn GPS directions, and a bit of bloatware from MetroPCS. You should also be able to run most of the 250,000+ third-party apps in the Android Market.

Unfortunately, the phone is powered by an older, 600MHz Qualcomm MSM8227 processor. For the price, I expected to see an 800MHz chip, which is quickly becoming standard in low-end smartphones. Thankfully, the Wildfire still feels responsive enough for most tasks, though you can count out high-end gaming. But Web browsing is slow, thanks to those 2G speeds, and there is no Flash support.

Multimedia, Camera, and Conclusions
There's a microSD card slot underneath the battery cover, which is very difficult to pry off. HTC includes a 2GB microSD card, along with 100MB of free internal memory; my 32 and 64GB microSD cards worked fine as well. Music sounded good through both wired earbuds, but I was unable to get my stereo Bluetooth headset to work. The phone played AAC, MP3, OGG, WAV, and WMA test files, but not FLAC. The built-in FM radio is a nice plus.

Video codec support is limited. I was only able to play 3GP, MP4, and M4V files at resolutions up 800-by-480. Videos looked fine, but it would have been nice to see greater file support; DIVX, XVID, and WMV files wouldn't play at all.

The 5-megapixel auto-focus camera comes with an LED flash and face recognition. Shutter speeds were slow, at 1.5 seconds. Test photos were better than on most low-end phones, though not on par with many other 5-megapixel shooters. Photos lack fine detail, and colors look somewhat dim. On the plus side, HTC has added some fun camera filters and effects to make the experience more fun. Recorded 720-by-480-pixel videos played back at 17 frames per second indoors and 23 fps outside, but videos looked jerky regardless of frame rate.

The HTC Wildfire S is a decent, low-end Android smartphone, but it's held back by a lack of power and a slightly too-high price. If you're looking for something less expensive, the Samsung Admire?($99, 3 stars) is a good alternative. It has a slightly more powerful 800MHz processor and a larger display, but a poor camera and mediocre voice quality. The LG Esteem is a 4G LTE device, but at $349, it's not for users on a budget. In the other price direction, the Huawei M835 may be cheap, but it isn't even worth the $79 price tag. You may also want to check out the Samsung Galaxy Prevail?($149.99, 4 stars) over on Boost, which features a faster processor and 3G speeds for less up front and the same monthly price as the Wildfire S.

Benchmarks
Continuous talk time:?4 hours 28 minutes

More Cell Phone Reviews:
??? HTC Wildfire S (MetroPCS)
??? Samsung Illusion (Verizon Wireless)
??? Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Verizon Wireless)
??? LG Optimus Slider (Virgin Mobile)
??? Samsung Focus S (AT&T)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Z-YydCGngrc/0,2817,2397878,00.asp

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5 Kitchen Tools for the High-Tech Chef

An immersion circulator is a machine that creates a controlled water bath: a pump circulates the water, and an electrical element heats it, holding the temperature steady to within a tenth of a degree. "It makes up the lifeblood of a lot of our cooking," Dufresne says.

This level of temperature control makes the immersion circulator a trusty workhorse in the lab, where scientists often need to run experiments at exact temperatures. But over the past decade, there has been an explosion of chefs who are discovering that this precision also makes it a great kitchen tool. The method it's used for is called sous-vide: cooking plastic-bagged food for a long time at a low temperature.

An immersion circulator can take a nice rib-eye, for example, to a perfect medium-rare temperature of 131 degrees Fahrenheit and hold it there for hours, giving you the flexibility to whip up the rest of the meal whenever you feel like it. "I can throw a piece of meat in there in the morning, and when I get home, it's still sitting in the Jacuzzi as happy as a clam," says Dufresne.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/reviews/5-kitchen-tools-for-the-high-tech-chef?src=rss

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New York state funding largely skips health (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

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Another end for America in Iraq (hamptonroads)

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Adam Lambert's Trespassing To Drop In March

The delayed For Your Entertainment follow-up sees Lambert working with the likes of Dr. Luke and Bruno Mars.
By James Montgomery

Adam Lambert
Photo: Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images

He's already referred to it as his "dream" album and as "existential pop," but now we know what Adam Lambert will actually be calling his sophomore album: Trespassing.

That's according to a press release sent out by his label, RCA, which not only announced the title of Lambert's follow-up to For Your Entertainment but revealed that the much-delayed disc would finally be hitting stores on March 20. The news came one day after Lambert unveiled a snippet of the album's first single, "Better Than I Know Myself."

Lambert serves as executive producer on the new album, which he describes as "an exciting journey through the past two years of my life. It's been a transformative period and I really wanted to make music from what I've experienced. All these songs honestly explore the ups and downs of my reality."

He also co-wrote most of the record, collaborating with a (seriously) loaded roster of talented hitmakers that includes Dr. Luke, Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams, Benny Blanco, Nile Rodgers and Claude Kelly.

And while his Glamberts will still have to wait until March to hear Trespassing, the simple fact that there's an actual release date for the album is probably good enough for now, given that for months it looked like the album might not come out at all. In November, Lambert spoke to The Advocate about the delays that had beset the project, which included some, uh, issues with RCA and a whole lot of tinkering to make his new songs right.

"I don't know how other artists do it, but for this project, I'm adopting the mentality of 'just keep writing and keep recording as much as possible,' " he said. "And then when we know that we're ready to decide which tracks are going to be on the album, we'll look at everything and narrow it down."

Related Artists

• Adam Lambert

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676118/adam-lambert-trespassing.jhtml

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Children's leukemia risk tied to father's smoking: study (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Children whose fathers smoked around the time of their conception have at least a 15 percent higher risk of developing the most common form of childhood cancer, a type of leukemia, according to an Australian study.

Although the findings, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, credit multiple factors in children developing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the study follows others that have also found an increased risk.

"Study results suggest that heavier paternal smoking around the time of conception is a risk factor for childhood ALL," wrote researchers led by Elizabeth Milne at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Australia.

Although ALL is the most common childhood cancer, it is still rare, affecting about three to five children out of every 100,000.

The researchers surveyed the families of nearly 300 children with ALL, asking about the smoking habits of both parents. They also compared these families to those of more than 800 children of similar ages who did not have leukemia.

The mothers' smoking behavior had no impact on the children's risk of developing the cancer, but children whose fathers smoked at all around the time of their conception were 15 percent more likely to develop leukemia.

Those whose fathers smoked at least 20 cigarettes per day around that same time were 44 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease.

Of nine earlier reports the researchers used in their comparison with the current study, six also found an increased risk.

"The importance of tobacco exposure and children's cancers has been overlooked until recently," said Patricia Buffler, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who was not involved in the study.

She added that since tobacco is full of toxins, including carcinogens, it was not unlikely that there could be damage in the cells that produce sperm.

Milne agreed, noting: "Sperm containing DNA (damage) can still reach and fertilize an ovum, which may lead to disease in the offspring."

But she added that the study did not prove that DNA damage in the sperm caused ALL in the children, since the disease was likely to be caused by a number of factors.

Other environmental factors tied to a greater chance of developing childhood leukemia are ionizing radiation such as x-rays, and the mother's exposure to paint or pesticides while pregnant. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/snq3sL

(Reporting from New York by Kerry Grens at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111215/hl_nm/us_leukemia

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Microsoft billionaire launches new space venture

Stratolaunch Systems continues a trend for Paul Allen, who has funded several different spaceflight and astronomy efforts over the years.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's new spaceflight venture shouldn't come as a big surprise, because the billionaire has set his sights on the heavens before.

Skip to next paragraph

Allen announced on Dec. 13 that he is forming a new company called?Stratolaunch Systems, which plans to launch payloads to orbit from a huge plane at high altitude. Stratolaunch Systems continues a trend for Allen, who has funded several different spaceflight and astronomy efforts over the years.

These ventures are the natural outgrowths of a lifelong fascination with space, said Allen, who as a boy dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

"For me, the fascination with space never ended, and I never stopped dreaming about what might be possible," Allen said during a press conference in Seattle today. [Images: Paul Allen's Giant Airplane Launch Pad]

Following SpaceShipOne

The air-launch concept behind Stratolaunch Systems is similar to that of SpaceShipOne, which won the $10 million Ansari X Prize for suborbital spaceflight in 2004.

The design of SpaceShipOne and its mothership, the White Knight, later became the basis for?Virgin Galactic's commercial spaceliner?SpaceShipTwo, which may begin carrying tourists to suborbital space as early as next year.

The similarity between the two projects is no coicidence. SpaceShipOne was a joint venture between Allen ? who reportedly invested more than $20 million in the effort ? and Scaled Composites, a California firm headed by aerospace engineer Burt Rutan.

Now, Rutan will serve on the board for Stratolaunch Systems, and Scaled will develop the new company's gigantic airplane mothership.

The multistage rocket booster used by Stratolaunch will be built by the California-based company Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, officials said.

Funding the SETI search

Allen has also advanced research in astronomy ? specifically, the hunt for intelligent alien life in the universe. His foundation helped fund the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute's?Allen Telescope Array?(ATA), a set of 42 radio antennas located about 300 miles (500 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.

Since 2001, Allen's foundation has given about $29 million to develop and help build and operate the array, which researchers use to scan newly discovered?alien planets?for microwave signals that could indicate the presence of intelligent civilizations.

"Paul was brave enough to go out on a limb and fund all of our technology development work for three years, because this is a new kind of telescope that no one had built before," Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research at the SETI Institute, told SPACE.com. "He has been a very good partner."

The long-term plan is to expand the array to 350 telescopes. Allen never intended to fund this larger array all by himself; he wanted some partners to come in and help out, Tarter said. That hasn't happened yet, so the SETI Institute is pressing forward with the 42 telescopes for now.

Allen also established the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, which opened in Seattle in 2004. His scientific interests aren't limited to spaceflight and exploration, however; they're very broad, and Allen has helped fund major research efforts in genetics, medicine and neuroscience, among other fields.

"I'm a huge fan of anything that pushes forward the boundaries of what we can do in science and technology," Allen said. "That's my history. Those are my passions."

You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter:?@michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter?@Spacedotcom?and on?Facebook.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/pvcqwTC_K-M/Microsoft-billionaire-launches-new-space-venture

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House Roll Call: Vote to extend payroll tax cuts (AP)

The 234-193 roll call Tuesday by which the House passed a bill to extend Social Security payroll tax cuts and require construction of a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline.

A "yes" vote is a vote to pass the bill.

Voting yes were 10 Democrats and 224 Republicans.

Voting no were 179 Democrats and 14 Republicans.

X denotes those not voting.

There is 1 vacancy in the 435-member House.

ALABAMA

Democrats ? Sewell, N.

Republicans ? Aderholt, Y; Bachus, Y; Bonner, Y; Brooks, N; Roby, Y; Rogers, Y.

ALASKA

Republicans ? Young, Y.

ARIZONA

Democrats ? Giffords, X; Grijalva, N; Pastor, N.

Republicans ? Flake, N; Franks, Y; Gosar, Y; Quayle, Y; Schweikert, Y.

ARKANSAS

Democrats ? Ross, Y.

Republicans ? Crawford, Y; Griffin, Y; Womack, Y.

CALIFORNIA

Democrats ? Baca, N; Bass, N; Becerra, N; Berman, N; Capps, N; Cardoza, Y; Chu, N; Costa, N; Davis, N; Eshoo, N; Farr, N; Filner, X; Garamendi, N; Hahn, N; Honda, N; Lee, N; Lofgren, Zoe, N; Matsui, N; McNerney, N; Miller, George, N; Napolitano, N; Pelosi, N; Richardson, N; Roybal-Allard, N; Sanchez, Linda T., N; Sanchez, Loretta, N; Schiff, N; Sherman, N; Speier, N; Stark, N; Thompson, N; Waters, N; Waxman, N; Woolsey, N.

Republicans ? Bilbray, Y; Bono Mack, Y; Calvert, Y; Campbell, N; Denham, Y; Dreier, Y; Gallegly, Y; Herger, Y; Hunter, Y; Issa, Y; Lewis, Y; Lungren, Daniel E., Y; McCarthy, Y; McClintock, N; McKeon, Y; Miller, Gary, Y; Nunes, Y; Rohrabacher, Y; Royce, Y.

COLORADO

Democrats ? DeGette, N; Perlmutter, N; Polis, N.

Republicans ? Coffman, Y; Gardner, Y; Lamborn, Y; Tipton, Y.

CONNECTICUT

Democrats ? Courtney, N; DeLauro, N; Himes, N; Larson, N; Murphy, N.

DELAWARE

Democrats ? Carney, N.

FLORIDA

Democrats ? Brown, N; Castor, N; Deutch, N; Hastings, N; Wasserman Schultz, N; Wilson, N.

Republicans ? Adams, Y; Bilirakis, Y; Buchanan, Y; Crenshaw, Y; Diaz-Balart, Y; Mack, Y; Mica, Y; Miller, Y; Nugent, Y; Posey, Y; Rivera, Y; Rooney, Y; Ros-Lehtinen, Y; Ross, Y; Southerland, Y; Stearns, Y; Webster, Y; West, Y; Young, Y.

GEORGIA

Democrats ? Barrow, Y; Bishop, N; Johnson, N; Lewis, N; Scott, David, N.

Republicans ? Broun, Y; Gingrey, Y; Graves, Y; Kingston, Y; Price, Y; Scott, Austin, Y; Westmoreland, Y; Woodall, N.

HAWAII

Democrats ? Hanabusa, N; Hirono, N.

IDAHO

Republicans ? Labrador, Y; Simpson, Y.

ILLINOIS

Democrats ? Costello, N; Davis, N; Gutierrez, X; Jackson, N; Lipinski, N; Quigley, N; Rush, N; Schakowsky, N.

Republicans ? Biggert, Y; Dold, Y; Hultgren, Y; Johnson, N; Kinzinger, Y; Manzullo, Y; Roskam, Y; Schilling, Y; Schock, Y; Shimkus, Y; Walsh, Y.

INDIANA

Democrats ? Carson, N; Donnelly, Y; Visclosky, N.

Republicans ? Bucshon, Y; Burton, Y; Pence, Y; Rokita, Y; Stutzman, Y; Young, Y.

IOWA

Democrats ? Boswell, Y; Braley, Y; Loebsack, Y.

Republicans ? King, Y; Latham, Y.

KANSAS

Republicans ? Huelskamp, Y; Jenkins, Y; Pompeo, Y; Yoder, Y.

KENTUCKY

Democrats ? Chandler, N; Yarmuth, N.

Republicans ? Davis, Y; Guthrie, Y; Rogers, Y; Whitfield, Y.

LOUISIANA

Democrats ? Richmond, N.

Republicans ? Alexander, Y; Boustany, Y; Cassidy, Y; Fleming, Y; Landry, Y; Scalise, Y.

MAINE

Democrats ? Michaud, N; Pingree, N.

MARYLAND

Democrats ? Cummings, N; Edwards, N; Hoyer, N; Ruppersberger, N; Sarbanes, N; Van Hollen, N.

Republicans ? Bartlett, Y; Harris, Y.

MASSACHUSETTS

Democrats ? Capuano, N; Frank, N; Keating, N; Lynch, N; Markey, N; McGovern, N; Neal, N; Olver, N; Tierney, N; Tsongas, N.

MICHIGAN

Democrats ? Clarke, N; Conyers, N; Dingell, N; Kildee, N; Levin, N; Peters, N.

Republicans ? Amash, N; Benishek, Y; Camp, Y; Huizenga, Y; McCotter, Y; Miller, Y; Rogers, Y; Upton, Y; Walberg, Y.

MINNESOTA

Democrats ? Ellison, N; McCollum, N; Peterson, N; Walz, Y.

Republicans ? Bachmann, X; Cravaack, Y; Kline, Y; Paulsen, Y.

MISSISSIPPI

Democrats ? Thompson, N.

Republicans ? Harper, Y; Nunnelee, Y; Palazzo, Y.

MISSOURI

Democrats ? Carnahan, N; Clay, N; Cleaver, N.

Republicans ? Akin, Y; Emerson, Y; Graves, Y; Hartzler, Y; Long, Y; Luetkemeyer, Y.

MONTANA

Republicans ? Rehberg, Y.

NEBRASKA

Republicans ? Fortenberry, N; Smith, Y; Terry, Y.

NEVADA

Democrats ? Berkley, N.

Republicans ? Amodei, Y; Heck, Y.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Republicans ? Bass, Y; Guinta, Y.

NEW JERSEY

Democrats ? Andrews, N; Holt, N; Pallone, N; Pascrell, N; Payne, N; Rothman, N; Sires, N.

Republicans ? Frelinghuysen, Y; Garrett, N; Lance, Y; LoBiondo, Y; Runyan, Y; Smith, Y.

NEW MEXICO

Democrats ? Heinrich, N; Lujan, N.

Republicans ? Pearce, Y.

NEW YORK

Democrats ? Ackerman, N; Bishop, N; Clarke, N; Crowley, N; Engel, N; Higgins, N; Hinchey, N; Hochul, N; Israel, N; Lowey, N; Maloney, N; McCarthy, N; Meeks, N; Nadler, N; Owens, N; Rangel, N; Serrano, N; Slaughter, N; Tonko, N; Towns, N; Velazquez, N.

Republicans ? Buerkle, Y; Gibson, Y; Grimm, Y; Hanna, Y; Hayworth, Y; King, Y; Reed, Y; Turner, Y.

NORTH CAROLINA

Democrats ? Butterfield, N; Kissell, N; McIntyre, N; Miller, N; Price, N; Shuler, N; Watt, N.

Republicans ? Coble, X; Ellmers, Y; Foxx, Y; Jones, Y; McHenry, Y; Myrick, Y.

NORTH DAKOTA

Republicans ? Berg, Y.

OHIO

Democrats ? Fudge, N; Kaptur, N; Kucinich, N; Ryan, N; Sutton, N.

Republicans ? Austria, Y; Boehner, X (the speaker by tradition often does not vote); Chabot, Y; Gibbs, Y; Johnson, Y; Jordan, Y; LaTourette, Y; Latta, Y; Renacci, Y; Schmidt, Y; Stivers, Y; Tiberi, Y; Turner, Y.

OKLAHOMA

Democrats ? Boren, Y.

Republicans ? Cole, Y; Lankford, Y; Lucas, Y; Sullivan, Y.

OREGON

Democrats ? Blumenauer, N; DeFazio, N; Schrader, N.

Republicans ? Walden, Y.

PENNSYLVANIA

Democrats ? Altmire, N; Brady, N; Critz, N; Doyle, N; Fattah, N; Holden, N; Schwartz, N.

Republicans ? Barletta, Y; Dent, Y; Fitzpatrick, Y; Gerlach, Y; Kelly, Y; Marino, Y; Meehan, Y; Murphy, Y; Pitts, Y; Platts, Y; Shuster, Y; Thompson, Y.

RHODE ISLAND

Democrats ? Cicilline, N; Langevin, N.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Democrats ? Clyburn, N.

Republicans ? Duncan, Y; Gowdy, Y; Mulvaney, Y; Scott, Y; Wilson, Y.

SOUTH DAKOTA

Republicans ? Noem, Y.

TENNESSEE

Democrats ? Cohen, N; Cooper, N.

Republicans ? Black, Y; Blackburn, Y; DesJarlais, Y; Duncan, Y; Fincher, Y; Fleischmann, Y; Roe, Y.

TEXAS

Democrats ? Cuellar, N; Doggett, N; Gonzalez, N; Green, Al, N; Green, Gene, N; Hinojosa, N; Jackson Lee, N; Johnson, E. B., N; Reyes, N.

Republicans ? Barton, N; Brady, Y; Burgess, Y; Canseco, Y; Carter, Y; Conaway, Y; Culberson, Y; Farenthold, Y; Flores, Y; Gohmert, Y; Granger, Y; Hall, Y; Hensarling, Y; Johnson, Sam, Y; Marchant, Y; McCaul, Y; Neugebauer, N; Olson, Y; Paul, X; Poe, Y; Sessions, Y; Smith, Y; Thornberry, Y.

UTAH

Democrats ? Matheson, Y.

Republicans ? Bishop, Y; Chaffetz, Y.

VERMONT

Democrats ? Welch, N.

VIRGINIA

Democrats ? Connolly, N; Moran, N; Scott, N.

Republicans ? Cantor, Y; Forbes, Y; Goodlatte, Y; Griffith, Y; Hurt, Y; Rigell, Y; Wittman, Y; Wolf, N.

WASHINGTON

Democrats ? Dicks, N; Inslee, N; Larsen, N; McDermott, N; Smith, N.

Republicans ? Hastings, Y; Herrera Beutler, Y; McMorris Rodgers, Y; Reichert, Y.

WEST VIRGINIA

Democrats ? Rahall, N.

Republicans ? Capito, Y; McKinley, N.

WISCONSIN

Democrats ? Baldwin, N; Kind, N; Moore, N.

Republicans ? Duffy, Y; Petri, Y; Ribble, Y; Ryan, Y; Sensenbrenner, Y.

WYOMING

Republicans ? Lummis, N.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111214/ap_on_go_co/us_house_rollcall_payroll_taxes

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Cancer group aims to boost trust in guidelines (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) ? In a field plagued by frequent controversy, the American Cancer Society has taken "a major step forward" with a new system for developing trustworthy screening recommendations.

Instead of having cancer specialists develop its guidelines, the ACS now leaves that to generalist health care professionals accompanied by a patient advocate.

The approach has previously drawn criticism for another prominent guideline-writing organization. The ACS argues, however, that it gets rid of an obvious conflict of interest, because oncologists might benefit financially from recommending new screening tests, which lead to more diagnoses and treatment.

Still, pulling the cancer experts, or subspecialists, was the toughest part of revamping the guideline process, said Dr. Tim Byers of the ACS, who led the new efforts.

"The conflict is that they know the most about it, but they also have the most self-interest in it," he told Reuters Health.

The ACS is the largest voluntary health organization in the U.S., and its guidelines are used by patients, doctors, insurance companies and policymakers alike. An article in today's Journal of the American Medical Association outlines its new system.

Most other groups that develop medical guidelines still have leading specialists at the helm. One exception is the government-backed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which consists of generalists such as family doctors and public health experts.

A few months ago, the panel caused an uproar among urologists when it issued a draft recommendation that healthy men not get screened for prostate cancer with the so-called PSA test.

And in 2009, it triggered a media storm after it recommended that doctors scale back routine mammograms for women in their 40s and 50s. Both recommendations are at odds with the ACS's guidelines.

While the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does consult with subject experts before making its recommendations, it hasn't been explicit about it, which has fueled criticism of its guidelines.

BE CLEAR ABOUT THE HARMS

Subspecialists will still have an advisory role in the guideline development at the ACS, but they will no longer be able to vote and will not be writing the guidelines.

Byers said making recommendations always involves some degree of value judgment, and that the new ACS guidelines will be more transparent about that.

"We need to more explicitly describe potential harms along with benefits, and when we make recommendations to be clear about the balance between benefits and harms," he said.

While some screening tests -- say, mammography or colonoscopy -- have been shown to save lives, all have downsides.

For instance, there is the cost of looking for disease in healthy people, the anxiety and the potential for procedure complications. The tests may also sound a false alarm that can lead to unnecessary biopsies, which carry their own risks. And in some cases, early detection means doctors diagnose and treat cancers that would never have caused any harm if left alone -- a phenomenon known as overdiagnosis.

"Overdiagnosis is an inherent issue in any screening, even screening that is proven to be beneficial like mammography," said Byers.

BREAKING NEW GROUND

The ACS will also conduct systematic reviews of the medical evidence before making recommendations, to make sure as much as possible of its guidance is based on data instead of opinion.

Recent studies have shown that many guidelines rely more on expert opinions that real experiments, making them vulnerable to personal biases.

In an email to Reuters Health, Dr. Sheldon Greenfield of the University of California, Irvine, called the ACS's new system "a major step forward."

He added that a major challenge would be to make sure the public grasps the complexity of the science in the guidelines.

Greenfield recently chaired an Institute of Medicine committee that released standards for how to make clinical guidelines better and more trustworthy.

Earlier this year, he told Reuters Health that good guidelines need to be based on extensive reviews of the medical literature done by researchers with no financial conflicts of interest.

Greenfield also said the guideline panels have to represent all stakeholders, including doctors from other specialties and patients. Fulfilling all three requirements, he said, was "about as common as peace in the Middle East."

Dr. Michael LeFevre of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force also applauded the ACS's efforts.

"This is the first time I have seen a major organization use the Institute of Medicine model," he told Reuters Health.

WILL CANCER SCREENING GUIDELINES EVER BE THE SAME?

LeFevre said he believes the new system might help align the advice from the two organizations.

"Many of the differences between Task Force recommendations and others have to do with the different processes by which those conclusions are reached," he said. "The process that was outlined certainly moves in the direction of the process that we use."

Byers was less convinced that the differences would disappear. Instead, his hope is "that we can be more explicit about what the reasons for those differences are."

The ACS is currently developing guidelines on lung cancer screening, a topic that sparked debate in the media earlier this year. According to Byers, the new system will be used "in spirit" to those guidelines, although it is too late to apply it full-out.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/t7yGNh Journal of the American Medical Association, December 14, 2011.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111214/hl_nm/us_cancer_group_guidelines

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