Tuesday, January 31, 2012

When Charter Schools Fail: Crackdown Can Disrupt Students (Time.com)

Terri Griffin made herself a promise when her youngest daughter was ready for kindergarten: the little girl would never set foot in an Akron public school. Griffin, a jewelry-store clerk and graduate of the Ohio city's school system, had sent eight children -- two of her own and six others she raised as her own -- to traditional public schools.

She felt they were pushed through to a diploma and didn't learn enough. Teachers were eager to recommend special education, but Griffin couldn't get them to provide other, basic help. So for her youngest daughter, she sought out a charter school, Lighthouse Academy, and hoped for a better outcome. (See "New Grades on Charter Schools.")

Griffin didn't know about Lighthouse Academy's low test scores or that it had been identified by the state as being in an academic emergency on and off since opening in 2000. Instead, when she visited the west Akron school, Griffin saw caring teachers working with small classes in a school that was well established in the community. She hasn't once regretted her decision.

Now, under Ohio's charter school closure law, considered the toughest in the nation, Lighthouse Academy is slated to be shuttered at the end of the year. The 2006 law mandates that any charter school that has received the state's Academic Emergency rating or been placed on academic watch for two out of three years will be shut down. (The ratings are based on state test scores.)

Most of Lighthouse's 66 students will be thrust back into the same public schools their parents tried to flee. Nearby public schools perform only slightly better than Lighthouse on standardized tests, and some do just as poorly.

The closure is another blow for the children of this fading industrial city, where a third of all kids live in poverty and about a quarter of high schoolers fail to graduate. It's a scenario becoming familiar to thousands of families in the nation's poorest neighborhoods as more and more districts start cracking down on low-performing charter schools, which get public funds but operate without the usual bureaucratic constraints. (See pictures of a Mandarin school in Minneapolis.)

The dismantling of so many charters has some experts worrying that when students are forced to leave educational environments where they have friends and feel comfortable, the disruption is destabilizing and upsetting to some of the system's most vulnerable populations. Robert Slavin, director of the Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, believes closure should be a last resort, after giving schools support and experimenting with possible solutions. Otherwise, well-meaning educational programs could wind up hurting the very kids they are trying to help. "Letting alone or closing are not the only two options," Slavin says. "[Closing] is very damaging to kids."

Nonetheless, the crackdown on ineffective charter schools has the backing of charter supporters as well as critics. In an effort to save the charter movement, which has come under increasing scrutiny, advocates have asked for more accountability, supporting forced closures of low-performing schools. Florida has already adopted a law similar to Ohio's. During the current legislative session, charter advocates in Missouri are pushing a bill that would require charter schools to set up specific benchmarks, giving sponsors an easy way to hold schools accountable. The California Charter Schools Association has said it will start urging school boards to not allow faltering schools to stay open. (See "Why It's Time to Replace No Child Left Behind.")

Bill Sims, president of the Ohio Alliance of Public Charter Schools, says he regularly gets calls from his counterparts in other states asking for more information on Ohio's law so they can use it as a model for their own legislation.

"The good news is, Ohio doesn't keep underperforming schools open. The bad news is, it hit Lighthouse," says Marianne Cooper, director of the Richland Academy of the Arts, the nonprofit community arts center in Mansfield, Ohio, that sponsors Lighthouse. While the organization has closed the four other charters it operated, it saw potential in Lighthouse because of some of the same things that attracted and impressed Griffin.

"I love the way the classes are structured," Griffin says of her now second-grader's experience. "The teachers that she has had take those children in as their own."

The personal attention has not translated into convincing data, however. Lighthouse has struggled on state tests since it opened, falling well below state and district averages. Over the past six years, only about 31% of its students annually have reached proficiency across all grades and subjects. In some cases, only one student per class passed the exam.

Last year, every student demonstrated at least one year's worth of growth, according to state standardized tests, although many remained below grade level in their performance.

Using that growth as a key argument, Principal Fannie Brown plans to appeal the closure decision. However, the Ohio Department of Education says the decision will not be overturned.

"While the school made some academic gains in the last report-card period, it was simply not enough to surmount the consequences of the closure law," says Ohio Education Department spokesman Patrick Gallaway.

See "New Grades on Charter Schools."

If Lighthouse closes, as expected, it could represent the beginning of a major change in the way charter schools operate. Nationally, charter schools with low scores are only slightly more likely to close than traditional schools with low scores, according to a recent study by the Fordham Institute that examined charters in 10 states. New data released by the Center for Education Reform (CER), a pro-charter group, indicates that 15% of charter schools have been shut down over the course of the charter movement, which began two decades ago. But fewer than 200 of the 6,700 charters that have opened since 1992 were closed down for academic reasons; the majority were shuttered due to financial or mismanagement problems.

Jeanne Allen, CER's president, says administrative problems indicate that a school isn't working long before test scores come out; the center's data, she says, shows that failing schools do get shut down even without the new regulations. "The vast majority succeed [and] stay open," she says. "Those that don't are closed within a few short years before they can ever have any negative impact on students."

Many others within the charter movement, though, are not convinced that closures are always so timely.

The California Charter Schools Association, for instance, is poised to start holding charters to task with or without a new law, and is urging school boards to not allow faltering schools to stay open. Doing so might encourage more school boards to take the politically unpopular step of closing down schools, the group says. Myrna Castrej?n, a senior vice president of the association, says her group couldn't keep making the case for charter schools if it was seen as soft on failing charters.

More than almost any other state, Ohio shows that change is possible. The state originally took the "let a thousand flowers bloom" approach, encouraging rapid expansion of charter schools with minimal oversight. Ohio educators expected that parents would stay away from bad charters, which would then be forced to close down, says Todd Ziebarth, vice president of state advocacy and support for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.(See "Grading the GOP Candidates on Education.")

Instead, the state became something of a national embarrassment in the charter movement, with headlines about gross mismanagement and financial scandals. In 2006, when the automatic closure law was written, more than half of Ohio's charter schools were given a D or F under the state grading system.

The new regulation is a big step forward, but it hasn't fixed everything. Only 17 charters have been shut down in the past five years as a result of the new law, in part because of a loophole that allows high schools with "dropout-prevention programs" to stay open regardless of performance. And more charters have opened to replace those that have been shut down.

Ziebarth thinks closing schools like Lighthouse should be an easy decision. If a school fails to live up to expectations in five years, it should be shut down, he says, adding, "What we can't do is perpetuate mediocrity and failure."

Nonetheless, Lighthouse's Brown and her faculty members think they should have more time to improve before putting their students through the disruption of being sent back to regular public schools, some of which might be worse or only slightly better than Lighthouse. They admit that the school has had a rocky history but say they've replaced the staff in an ongoing effort to improve. "I only wish that Dr. Brown had taken this school on two or three years ago," Cooper says. (See "7 Things You Need to Know About a School Before Enrolling Your Kid.")

For now, it's business as usual for Lighthouse students. On a cold November afternoon, first- and second-graders practiced how to take out books and put them back with the spine facing the right way in the school's brand-new library, then danced to a YouTube video of "Five Little Reindeer Jumping in the Snow."

But the adults in the building can't escape the sadness of impending closure.

Over microwaved pizza and other reheated leftovers in the staff lounge, teachers say they're just trying to get through the school year before thinking about looking for a new job. They worry about what will happen to their children next year in "bigger, rougher" public schools. "The best schools in Akron," says teacher Jessica Satterlee, "are not where our kids live."

Griffin is still hoping that the closing can be averted, but if not, she's sticking to her vow. If Lighthouse shuts down, her daughter still won't be going to an Akron public school. Instead, she will be in private school, which Griffin's extended family will help pay for. "It's hard to explain -- as a mother who really, really has a passion for their child's education -- I felt so bad. I didn't know what to do," Griffin says. "This school is the only thing she knows."

See "A Separate Peace: Portraits from a Gay-Friendly School."

-- With reporting by Emily Alpert / California

This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education-news outlet affiliated with Teachers College, Columbia University.

More from The Hechinger Report:

Understanding Teacher Evaluations

What the U.S. Can Learn About Higher Education from Other Countries

View this article on Time.com

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/education/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20120201/us_time/08599210573300

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Exxon selling Japan unit for $3.9B to cut refining (AP)

TOKYO ? Exxon Mobil Corp. is selling its Japanese refining and marketing business to partner TonenGeneral Sekiyu K.K. in a $3.9 billion deal that reflects a long-term decline in Japan's demand for fuel and a global strategy to refocus on exploration.

TonenGeneral Sekiyu will buy 99 percent of the shares of Exxon Mobil Yugen Kaisha, which refines and sells fuel and lubricants, the Japanese refiner said about the deal, announced Sunday. Exxon Mobil's stake in TonenGeneral will drop to 22 percent from 50 percent.

Large oil and gas companies have been shedding refining operations in recent years and turning to oil exploration and production in the hope of bigger profits. Tighter rules for car and truck fuel efficiency are expected to weigh on growth in demand for fuel in developed countries for years to come.

Sherman Glass, president of ExxonMobil Refining, told a press conference Monday in Tokyo that it was a restructuring move amid a changing global energy market, but said the company remained "very committed" to its refining ? or downstream ? operations.

"What we continue to do is try to restructure ? in some cases invest, in some cases divest and in some cases restructure ? to make it a strong group of operations in our downstream" business, Glass told reporters.

Exxon has a "long-term strategy of moving away from refining, where the margins are wafer thin, and into exploration," said Nicholas Smith, a strategist at CLSA in Tokyo. "Refining is something that anybody can do. You can buy the tech off the shelf."

TonenGeneral said the move would give it more flexibility and competitive in a challenging environment.

"The Japanese market is getting tougher," said Jun Mutoh, the company's managing director. "The decision-making within the company will be more effective in the newly integrated production-distribution operation."

TonenGeneral will continue to deliver products and services under the Esso, Mobil and General brands and continue to rely on Exxon Mobil's technology and technological support in the refining and petrochemicals businesses.

Other major oil companies are making similar moves.

Marathon Oil spun off its refining operations last July. This summer ConocoPhillips also plans to split itself in two, separating its refining operations from its more profitable oil and gas exploration and production business. BP and Shell are selling refineries in the U.S. and Western Europe.

Exploring and producing oil and gas offers investors a chance for faster growth. Also, oil prices are high and are expected to remain so, which has helped producer profits and funded a boom in new exploration.

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

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Former Italian president Scalfaro dies at 93 (AP)

ROME ? Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, a past president of Italy who helped write its post-war constitution and was a founding member of the former Christian Democrats, died Sunday in Rome. He was 93.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano paid tribute to his predecessor as "a protagonist in the democratic political life" and called him an example of "moral integrity."

No cause of death was immediately reported.

Scalfaro held numerous prestigious posts before becoming Italy's ninth postwar president, a position that is largely ceremonial but carries the significant role of moral compass for the country.

As president from 1992-1999, Scalfaro was often called upon to resolve Italy's recurrent political crises, either choosing a new premier or calling early elections. He once called Italy's volatile political situation "pathological."

The National Magistrates Association remembered Scalfaro as a "strenuous defender of constitutional values and the autonomy and independence of the magistrates."

A devout Roman Catholic with a law degree from the Catholic University of Milan, Scalfaro spent the war years working to help imprisoned anti-Fascists and their families.

Then, in 1946, he won a seat in the assembly that wrote the constitution for the Italian Republic, declared in late 1947 after a popular referendum abolished the monarchy.

Scalfaro, a native of the northern city of Novara, was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in the republic's first general election in 1948 and remained a deputy until he was elected president in 1992.

He also was one of the founding figures of the former Christian Democrats, for decades Italy's most powerful party until its demise in corruption scandals in the early 1990s.

Scalfaro held junior posts at various ministries through the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1966, he gained his first Cabinet position when Premier Aldo Moro appointed him transportation minister.

In subsequent governments, Scalfaro served two more stints as transport minister and was education minister and interior minister. He was vice president of the Chamber of Deputies from 1976 to 1983.

He became a senator for life after completing his term as president.

He is survived by a daughter, Marianna.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obits/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_eu/eu_italy_obit_scalfaro

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Theater Arts ? Blog Archive ? Investing Strategy: Covered Call ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Experts in the field of investment believed that it is important to invest your hard earned dollars properly and in a secure manner. They believed that you money should work for you and for you to enjoy life. When talking about investment, many ...

Source: http://www.cendresetsang-lefilm.com/uncategorized/investing-strategy-covered-call-things-you-need-to-know

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Bucks trample travel-sick Lakers (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? The Milwaukee Bucks, missing key starters, stunned the travel-sick Los Angeles Lakers 100-89 Saturday, helped by a herculean effort from Drew Gooden.

The Bucks (8-11) were without leading rebounder Andrew Bogut, who has a broken ankle, while second top scorer Stephen Jackson sat out the game with suspension.

Gooden filled the void with 23 points - 18 coming in the second half - and eight rebounds, Mike Dunleavy and Ersan Ilyasova scoring 15 points each coming off the bench.

The loss dropped Los Angeles (11-9) to a woeful 1-7 on the road.

Gooden hit a three pointer late in the first quarter to spark a 17-0 Milwaukee run that extended into the second quarter to turn a six-point deficit into an 11-point lead at 34-23.

"I've been working on that day-in and day-out, and the best thing I like about it is coach (Scott Skiles) is giving me the confidence to shoot it," Gooden told reporters.

"I have to thank my coach and my teammates for having the faith in me shooting that three, and it is helping our offense."

Outside of a brief Lakers surge near the end of the third quarter that trimmed the Bucks lead to three points, Milwaukee maintained a comfortable grip on the lead.

Dunleavy scored 10 points in the first half but went silent in the second half until scoring five points in a 40-second span in the final two minutes of the game.

That spurt helped push the Bucks' lead back to an insurmountable 11 points.

"As so often happens, they made a little run at us and we had to make some big shots and big plays - and tonight we made them," said Skiles.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with a near triple double, including 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while the Bucks limited Andrew Bynum to 15 points.

Spaniard Pau Gasol grabbed 15 rebounds but scored just 12 points.

"Before the game, the question was, 'How are we going to guard Bynum and Gasol?' And I kept saying they've got to guard us also," said Skiles.

"We put them in as many pick-and-roll situations as possible. We made (Lakers coach) Mike Brown have to switch the coverage numerous times.

"They got a little confused out there on certain occasions and it led to open jump shots or we made a play to the open man."

Brown lamented his team's poor play away from home

"I just hope that we don't need a home crowd to get us juiced, to play the right way," he said. "We're not bringing it mentally nor physically when we're playing on the road."

(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario. Editing by Alastair Himmer)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/sp_nm/us_nba_nuggets

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Storm scares pets from home | KXAN.com

AUSTIN (KXAN) - If this week's driving rain, high winds and pounding thunder left you a little rattled, imagine what it must have been like for the dogs and cats.

Since then, more than 60 dogs and cats have been rescued by the Austin Animal Center .

"A lot of dogs have serious anxiety about storms," said Sarah Hammond, the center's foster director. "And they'll do things you don't think they could do, like jump a fence or dig out of the yard."

  • If you need to report or find your lost pet, call 512-978-0500. If you are outside the Austin City limits call 512-974-2000

The shelter has offered to give free identification tags and microchips for the pets to owners who come to reclaim their lost pets.

Unfortunately, most of the rescued pets will not be reunited with their previous owners. After three days in the shelter pets are available for adoption.

Volunteer Lisa Sandbert said she has noticed the huge influx of dogs and cats from the storm.

"What Austin has done with no-kill is amazing but we are running out of room," she said.

Some owners have been searching the cages looking for their lost pets.

Santiago Galvan was searching for a blue heeler who broke the leash in a frenzy during the storm.

"Unfortunately, he's my brothers dog," said Santiago, who was dog-sitting while his brother and wife were on vacation. "The last word his wife told me is, 'Don't let me down, Santiago.' So I'm looking for this dog."

The Austin Animal Center is already at maximum capacity but staff is expecting more strays to come in from the storm.

"If there's a lost dog in the county, this is where they would be," Hammond said.

Source: http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/austin/Storm-scares-pets-from-home

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

California passes new auto emission rules (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? California air regulators passed sweeping auto emission standards Friday that include a mandate to have 1.4 million electric and hybrid vehicles on state roads by 2025.

The California Air Resources Board unanimously approved the new rules that require that one in seven of the new cars sold in the state in 2025 be an electric or other zero-emission vehicle.

The plan also mandates a 75 percent reduction in smog-forming pollutants by 2025, and a 34 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over roughly the same time.

California's auto emissions standards are influential and often more strict than federal ones. Currently 14 other states have adopted the California rules as their own.

Automakers worked with the board and federal regulators on the greenhouse gas mandates in an effort to create one national standard for those pollutants.

Companies including Ford Motor Corp., Chrysler Group LLC, General Motors Co., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. and others submitted testimony Thursday in support of the new standards during a meeting of the board.

Industry groups representing auto dealers worried that the new regulations would increase the costs of vehicles for consumers and stifle the industry's growth.

The California New Car Dealers Association and other industry groups representing those who sell cars said the board is overestimating consumer demand for electric vehicles and other so-called "zero-emission vehicles."

Some dealer groups have estimated that $3,200 would be added to the average cost of a car because of the technological changes, and that consumers have been slow to adopt them.

Jonathan Morrison, of the state dealers' association, said car retailers are supportive of new technologies that are accepted by their customers but the acceptance of electric and other vehicles has been slow.

"Consumers do not make purchasing decisions based upon regulatory mandates," he said.

The board's research staff disputes those estimates and says increases in hybrid and other sales continue to rise as more cars hit the market. They argue that fuel cost savings will make up for any vehicle price increase.

"Our research shows a $1,400 to $1,900 car price increase. But over the life of the vehicles, the owners save $6,000 in reduced fuel and maintenance costs," board spokesman David Clegern said.

One of the nation's foremost consumer groups, the Consumers' Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports, supported the changes.

The rules will "protect consumers by encouraging the development of cleaner, more efficient cars that save families money, help reduce the American economy's vulnerability to oil price shocks and reduce harmful air pollution," according to a letter from the group.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/us_california_clean_car_standards

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Information from Australian PM's aide led to clash (AP)

CANBERRA, Australia ? A clash between protesters and Australian police that forced bodyguards to rush Prime Minister Julia Gillard out of an event appears to have been set off by information released by one of Gillard's own aides.

The aide has been fired. Gillard's office said Friday that a member of her media unit told someone that opposition leader Tony Abbott would be at Thursday's event in Canberra, the capital. A spokesperson said in a statement that the information was passed on to indigenous-rights protesters who were demonstrating nearby.

The protesters were angry about recent comments Abbott made about their movement, and about 200 of them surrounded the restaurant where he and Gillard were. Gillard stumbled as she was rushed out and lost a shoe, which the protesters picked up.

Gillard's office said that although the staff member had not suggested or encouraged violence or demonstration, the release of the information was "an error of judgment."

Abbott told Sky News on Saturday that Gillard must reveal exactly what the fired staffer said, and to whom. He called it a "serious security breach" and an apparent attempt to "trigger something potentially dire for political advantage."

"Trouble was triggered and it seems that someone from the prime minister's office had a very big hand in all of that," he said.

Michael Outram, national manager of protection for the Australian Federal Police, said police may file charges against some of the protesters. Protest leaders denied doing anything wrong, accused the police of manhandling protesters and said they planned to lodge a complaint against the officers involved.

About 200 indigenous-rights supporters marched on the nation's Parliament House on Friday, burning an Australian flag in front of a wall of police and carrying signs with messages such as "All cops are bastards." No one was hurt and the protesters left minutes later.

The restaurant where Thursday's clash occurred is close to the so-called Aboriginal Tent Embassy, where the protesters had demonstrated peacefully earlier in the day. That long-standing, ramshackle collection of tents and temporary shelters is a center point of protests against Australia Day, which marks the arrival of the first fleet of British colonists in Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788. Many Aborigines call it Invasion Day because the land was settled without a treaty with traditional owners.

The Tent Embassy celebrated its 40th anniversary on Thursday, and Abbott had earlier angered activists by saying it was time the embassy "moved on." Abbott said Friday that his comment had been misinterpreted, and that he never meant to imply the embassy should be torn down.

The blue suede shoe Gillard lost was handed to a security guard at Parliament House late Friday and taken to her office.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_as/as_australia_indigenous_protest

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96% The Muppets

All Critics (169) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (162) | Rotten (6)

It may not entirely work as a movie, but The Muppets shines as a piece of touching pop nostalgia.

The purity of the nostalgia turns this franchise film into a love letter to childhood.

You can rest easy - if you have previously loved the Muppets, you will likely currently love The Muppets.

The chorus of one of the songs declares, 'I've got everything that I need, right in front of me.' For 120 minutes, that's precisely how I felt.

[Filmmakers] hew close to the essential innocence informing the Muppets' silliness.

The Muppets is a triumph of simplicity, innocence and goofy jokes. It's a triumph of felt.

It's never cloying or too knowing. Cynicism and wariness are real world concerns that have no place among the foam and felt.

Brushing aside decades of nostalgia, this is a whip-smart postmodern romp with a warm heart to boot, and as such, it should please both life-long fans and new initiates to the Muppet universe.

invites viewers to become a bit like the dreamer Walter and, in (re)discovering and embracing their inner child (not to mention their inner muppet), to join a fantastic, funny family that never grows old, no matter how times may have changed.

The innocence is slightly twisted, the harmonious camaraderie is slightly corrosive and the characters are slightly eccentric

I smiled throughout this madcap joyous adventure in which the Muppets are funny, silly, colourful and totally endearing in what must be the happiest film of the New Year

MY inner child - the one who loved The Muppet Show, The Muppet Movie and The Great Muppet Caper - really wants to give this film five stars.

By focusing on the Muppets of The Muppet Show (1976-1981) rather than the independent Muppets of prior films, the writers open up an unexplored aspect of Muppet lore ripe for revival.

A nice throwback to the good old days of the Muppets.

Under James Bobin's direction, however, the outing feels cheap and strangely small-screen.

An altogether charming, smart and strangely moving little movie.

The Muppets may be one of the best films of the year, not judged as a children's film, or a family film, but instead, simply as a film.

The Muppets is really two movies. And one of those movies is quite good, albeit awfully similar to previous films.

Even balcony critics Waldorf and Statler would have a hard time faulting this Wonkaful delight.

I am a fan of The Muppets and I'm glad to see them making a comeback. Maybe if this movie is a hit, they'll make a sequel where they'll actually get to be the stars of their own film.

A good imitation of the Muppet style.

The Muppets is a celebration of all things Muppets -- filled with fun, laughter and moments of pure joy.

The Muppets heralds the return of Jim Henson's beloved furry creations, resurrected from pop-culture irrelevance and lovingly restored to their former greatness in a vibrant comedy-musical.

The film's success is owed to the fact that the living, breathing actors understand the show belongs to the Muppets. In their capable paws, claws, and flippers, the fun, kindness, and total, unadulterated wackiness of The Muppet Show is finally back.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_muppets/

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Next Xbox Could Be Six Times As Powerful [Gaming]

According to IGN, sources close to the next Xbox project have told them the new console will have six times the graphics processing power of the Xbox 360, and will have 20 percent more performance than Nintendo's Will U. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ADgEOjRfH3s/the-next-xbox-could-be-six-times-as-powerful

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Pharma's niche focus spurs US aid for antibiotics

(AP) ? The pharmaceutical industry won approval to market a record number of new drugs for rare diseases last year, as a combination of scientific innovation and business opportunity spurred new treatments for diseases long-ignored by drug companies.

Drug companies are increasingly taking advantage of the commercial benefits of developing so-called orphan drugs, which include extra patent protections, higher pricing and a streamlined review process by FDA. Among the innovative treatments approved in the past year were the first new drug for lupus in 50 years and the first new drug for Hodgkin's lymphoma in 30 years.

But the focus on specialty drugs has put pressure on the U.S. government to ramp up its own spending on vaccines, antibiotics and drugs for more widespread health threats, which are less profitable for companies.

Since 2006, government spending on research for familiar diseases like staph infections, smallpox and botulism has increased more than 660 percent, from $54 million to $415 million last year

"Many of these are everyday, general diseases that we thought we had conquered decades ago, but we've seen some of them pop up again," said Dr. Robin Robinson, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which is tasked with acquiring vaccines, drugs and other necessities for public health emergencies.

Since 2005, BARDA has awarded $3.5 billion to outside companies to encourage research and production of antibiotics, flu vaccines and other products that are seen as less profitable than specialty drugs.

"We have pushed the envelope more toward diminishing the risk for companies so that they'll be more interested in getting involved with us and developing things like vaccines and antivirals," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, infectious diseases chief at the National Institutes of Health, which funds research into bird flu, tuberculosis and other potential pandemics. The government's role in developing new therapies goes beyond awarding contracts and includes offering assistance in designing trials and recruiting test subjects.

The need for such assistance stems in part from a new focus among pharmaceutical companies on drugs for rare diseases or unusual strains of common diseases.

Eleven of the 30 new drugs approved last year, or 37 percent, were for rare medical conditions, the highest percentage on record since the FDA began offering incentives to develop such therapies, known as orphan drugs, about 30 years ago. Additionally, nearly half of the 30 drugs were cleared under FDA's "fast track" program reserved for drugs that fill an unmet medical need.

"The companies are saying 'this is actually a viable model.' Whereas back in the nineties they were skeptical, now they seem convinced," said Mark Schoenebaum, an analyst with International Strategy & Investment.

Analysts credit scientific advances and looming patent expirations with the spate of innovative products. Drugs worth a mammoth $255 billion in global annual sales are set to go off patent before 2016, according to EvaluatePharma Ltd., a London research firm.

The pharmaceutical industry reached its peak of profitability in the 1990s with heavily marketed drugs for common afflictions, like AstraZeneca PLC's Nexium pill for heart burn and Pfizer Inc.'s Lipitor for high cholesterol. In the last decade drugmakers managed to extend the patents on those drugs by tweaking their formulations, resulting in so-called 'follow-on' drugs. But with most of those products on the cusp of losing patent protection, drugmakers have finally been forced to innovate, often turning to hard-to-treat diseases for which there are few existing therapies.

The FDA grants companies seven years of exclusive, competition-free marketing for each newly approved orphan drug, as well as tax breaks on the costs of developing the drugs. Orphan drugs also typically command much higher prices than other drugs. Last year French drugmaker Sanofi paid $20 billion to acquire specialty drugmaker Genzyme, whose products range from $100,000 to $300,000 for one year's supply.

One side effect of the focus on developing drugs for rare diseases is increased investment by the government to spur research into more common public health threats with the potential to cause mass outbreaks of illness. One such threat comes from so-called superbugs, or bacteria that have grown resistant to antibiotic drugs.

Robinson says government support is needed to spur antibiotic development because of how sparingly the products are used in medical practice. After decades of routine use, many first-generation antibiotics like penicillin are no longer effective against common bacterial strains, such as the staphylococcus aureaus, which causes staph infections. Physicians are encouraged to use newer antibiotics only in critical situations so that superbugs have less chance to build a resistance to them. As a result, drugmakers do not see a large commercial market for new antibiotics. Now the federal government is providing an incentive.

BARDA has awarded a series of contracts to encourage development of new antibiotics that can be stockpiled for use in a natural outbreak or during a bioterrorism attack.

? The agency has allocated up to $64 million to Achaogen, a San Francisco startup, for development of a new antibiotic against tularemia, a bacterium that can cause pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Public health officials are especially focused on Tularemia because it could also be used in a potential bioterrorism attack. Robinson says the contract is an example a new strategy of encouraging companies to produce therapies with dual uses: as federal preparatory measures and as commercial medical products.

Achaogen has received $155 million in research contracts and has several antibiotics in early and mid-stage, though none are currently available for sale.

? Under a $38.5 million contract awarded in September, BARDA will help GlaxoSmithKline PLC test an experimental antibiotic against both bioterrorism agents and infections like hospital-acquired pneumonia.

The U.S. government has used a similar pump priming strategy to encourage investment in flu vaccines. The Department of Health and Human Services wants to be able to provide enough vaccine for the entire U.S. population within six months of a flu pandemic. To meet that goal the government has tried to boost vaccine production by encouraging more Americans to get the standard flu vaccine each year. The government's hope is that by making the shots routine for more Americans, companies will invest in larger vaccine facilities that can ramp up production in the event of a pandemic.

Last month Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG opened the first U.S. vaccine facility equipped with cell culture technology, a faster method for producing vaccines than the traditional technique using chicken eggs. The U.S. government provided half of the $1 billion investment for the facility, as part of its preparations for a potential flu pandemic.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-25-US-Dread-Disease-Aid/id-9f46dc3d092b4840aefb0b64e4bd637f

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Dropped heart successfully transplanted in Mexico (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? A heart that was dropped on the ground while being transported to a hospital has been successfully transplanted into a 28-year-old hair stylist.

Dr. Jaime Saldivar says Erika Hernandez doesn't yet know that her new heart made national news when a medic stumbled and the plastic-wrapped heart tumbled out of a cooler onto the street two weeks ago.

Saldivar says it will be up to the family to tell her.

A rosy-cheeked Hernandez spoke briefly with reporters on Tuesday and thanked the donor's family, saying "I have no words to express how happy I am."

Hernandez was born with a congenital heart defect. She received the heart of a man who died in a car accident.

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

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China leader-in-waiting Xi to visit White House next month (Reuters)

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama will host China's likely next leader, Vice President Xi Jinping, at the White House on February 14, in a visit set to boost Xi's credentials as the man who will steer Beijing's close but quarrelsome ties with Washington.

Obama and Xi will discuss "a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues," the White House said in a statement on Monday announcing the visit, when Xi will be hosted by Vice President Joe Biden.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has yet to confirm the date of the visit; it had no immediate comment on Tuesday, and did not answer faxed questions. This week is the Lunar New Year public holiday in China.

The two sides will have plenty of strains to talk about, especially over trade, human rights, North Korea and Iran. Above all, the Obama administration will keen for clues about Xi's worldview and how he intends to handle these thorny issues.

"The man Biden's hosting, barring something no one forsees at this point, will become the head of China, head of the Communist Party, head of the government and head of the military," said China expert Kenneth Lieberthal of the Brookings Institution in Washington.

"This is really a chance for the Obama administration to look forward to the succession and post-succession period in China and begin to establish critical personal relationships and a personal comfort level back and forth."

For Xi, the visit will be a valuable trophy that helps advertise his readiness for the top job.

His growing prominence indicates that he is virtually certain to replace Hu Jintao as Communist Party chief in late 2012 and then replace him as state president in early 2013.

The two powers have delicate issues to work through, ranging from currency policy to differences over how to halt the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, to China's recent crackdown on critics and activists that has drawn U.S. criticism.

Beijing has voiced misgivings about Obama's plans to beef up the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and remains unhappy about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China calls an illegitimate breakaway province.

China, Iran's biggest oil customer, also bristles at U.S. efforts to tighten sanctions on that country in order to halt Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Beijing recently rebuffed a U.S. official's call to cut back oil purchases from Iran.

While the United States is in an election year that has seen Republican candidates fire harsh rhetoric at China, Beijing will this year begin the power transfer that will see Xi and other officials take over as President Hu and his generation retire.

Obama, facing a tough re-election in November, is expected to renew his call for China to allow its yuan currency to appreciate during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, as he highlights U.S. exports among his proposals to boost jobs.

In an interview in Time magazine last week, Obama said U.S.-China friction arose because China "sees itself as a developing or even poor country that should be able to pursue mercantilist policies that are for their benefit and where the rules applying to them shouldn't be the same rules that apply to the United States or Europe or other major powers."

XI SETS UPBEAT TONE

Xi, 58, is the son of the late, reformist vice premier Xi Zhongxun, making him a "princeling": one of the privileged offspring of China's leaders who rose to power under Mao Zedong. He rose through the party ranks in coastal provinces.

Xi's family background and coming of age in the turmoil of Mao's Cultural Revolution (1966-76) have prompted some observers to suggest he could take a harder line against Washington, which would also reflect growing nationalist sentiment in China.

But in a speech last week, Xi stressed Beijing's desire for steady relations and tried to set an upbeat tone for his visit.

"In dealing with major and sensitive issues that concern each side's core interests, we must certainly abide by a spirit of mutual respect and handle them prudently, and by no means can we let relations again suffer major interference and ructions," he told a meeting in Beijing.

Regardless of the international situation, he said, "our commitment to developing the Sino-U.S. cooperative partnership should never waver in the face of passing developments."

Xi will probably be looking to set a "pragmatic but frank" tone for ties with Washington, said Zhang Musheng, a former Chinese central government official who has met Xi and other rising officials and written widely about their challenges.

"I don't feel that they're hardline in their views," Zhang told Reuters of China's emerging leaders, including Xi.

"It will still be the same basic approach of seeking steady, predictable relations (with the U.S.)," added Zhang.

"But as China develops economically, it's attracting more criticism and suspicion, and there's a sense that we need to get used to putting our own views without creating alarm or conflict. That's not hardline; it's practical and realistic."

In August, Xi hosted Biden on a visit that gave Washington policymakers a chance to size up China's president-in-waiting.

Xi is also set to travel to Iowa and California, states keen to boost already fast-growing trade and to court investment. Dates have not formally been announced for those stops.

Xi's first known visit to the United States was to Iowa in 1985 as a junior official in the northern province of Hebei, which has a sister state/province relationship with Iowa.

Iowa governor Terry Branstad said his state would "make the most of our time with Vice President Xi."

(Additional reporting by Sabrina Mao in Beijing; Editing by Jonthan Thatcher)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/pl_nm/us_usa_china_xi

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Reno wildfire that destroyed 29 homes contained

Chris Watts cries after pulling his grandmother's coffee mug out of the rubble of her home Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev. Authorities confirmed that the body of June Hargis, 93, was found in the aftermath of Thursday's brush fire, but her cause of death has not been established, so it's not known if it was fire related. The Watts family also lost their home, barn and three horses. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

Chris Watts cries after pulling his grandmother's coffee mug out of the rubble of her home Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev. Authorities confirmed that the body of June Hargis, 93, was found in the aftermath of Thursday's brush fire, but her cause of death has not been established, so it's not known if it was fire related. The Watts family also lost their home, barn and three horses. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

Jeannie Watts, left, looks through the rubble of her barn for the bodies of her three horses on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, after her home in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev., was destroyed in Thursday's brush fire. Family friend Brenda Moore is at right. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

Comforted by neighbors, Jeannie Watts, left, stands Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, outside the rubble where her mother, June Hargis, 93, died in Thursday's brush fire in Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev. The family also lost their home, their barn and three horses. Authorities confirmed that Hargis' body was found in the fire's aftermath, but her cause of death has not been established, so it's not known if it was fire related. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

Standing in front of the rubble of her home Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, Jeannie Watts holds a picture of herself and her mother, June Hargis, who died Thursday as a wind-driven brush fire burned through Pleasant Valley, south of Reno, Nev. Authorities confirmed that the body of Hargis, 93, was found in the fire's aftermath, but her cause of death has not been established, so it's not known if it was fire related. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

Patrick, left, and Jeannie Watts, center, are consoled by neighbors at their Pleasant Valley home, south of Reno, Nev., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Their home was one of 29 destroyed by a wind-driven brush fire that raced through the area on Thursday. Authorities confirmed that the body of Jeannie Watts' mother, June Hargis, 93, was found in the fire's aftermath, but her cause of death has not been established, so it's not known if it was fire related. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

(AP) ? The wildfire that destroyed 29 homes near Reno is contained. Thousands of evacuees are back home. And the family of the woman found dead says there's no point in prosecuting the remorseful man who accidentally started it.

Fire officials declared the blaze contained Saturday after a storm brought precipitation that the region hasn't seen in months. All evacuations were lifted and U.S. 395 reopened through the 3,200-acre fire zone.

But in addition to two inches of rain, the storm also brought another challenge for emergency workers. Officials fear its potential for causing flooding in burned areas, after one of the driest winters in Reno history.

"I'm confident we'll be able to respond successfully if necessary," Washoe County Manager Katy Simon said, adding that hydrologists and officials were monitoring the situation.

The blaze erupted shortly after noon on Thursday and raced quickly through the dry countryside, propelled by wind gusts of 82 mph. At its height, the fire forced evacuation calls for some 10,000 people.

The blaze was very similar to a wildfire that destroyed 30 homes in Reno in mid-November.

June Hargis, 93, was found dead in a studio apartment next to her daughter's home in Washoe Valley, where the fire started. Washoe County Sheriff Mike Haley said her cause of death has not been established, so it's not known if it was fire related. No other fatalities or major injuries were reported.

Her family said Saturday that there was no point in prosecuting the man who admitted accidentally starting it by improperly discarding fireplace ashes outside his home.

Authorities have described man, whose name was not released, as being extremely remorseful.

Haley said that prosecutors will have to give the case a lot of deliberation. "The fact he came forward and admitted it plays a role. But so does the massive damage and loss of life," he said Friday. "It's a balancing act."

Hargis's son, Jim Blueberg, 68, told The Associated Press Saturday that he didn't think filing criminal charges against the elderly man "would do any good."

"The man had the courage to come up and say he did this. He's remorseful. I think he's punished himself enough. It was a silly, stupid mistake to make, there's no doubt about that. But I just want him to know I forgive him, and my heart goes out to him," he said.

His sister, Jeannie Watts, 70, had returned home from an errand to find the apartment next door and a barn with three horses inside engulfed in flames. She agreed that there was probably no need to file charges against the man.

"What good is that going to do? Everything is already gone," Watts said.

"He'll pay the rest of his life for that," she added.

Watts said it took only about 15 minutes for her three-bedroom farmhouse to burn down, though the fire reached her mother's apartment and the barn first. She said her mother appeared to be mentally alert when she last saw her.

"Before I got home, my son told her, 'Get your stuff and get out of here,'" Watts told the AP. "She said to him, 'Well, I can smell smoke but I can't see any fire,' and she went back inside. She probably suffocated from the smoke because it was so thick."

She said that when she got home, she shouted: "Where's my mom? Where's my mom?"

"The firefighters didn't know," she said. "Later, an official came to me and said, 'Yes, she was in (the burned studio).' Then they called the coroner. I was just crying and screaming. I still can't believe it."

Blueberg said the death of their mother comes after his sister had been through "one hard knock after another" in recent years.

The fire left her financially strapped, with virtually no earthly possessions, he said. "She told me the other day, 'All I have is my purse, that's all I have,'" he said.

She and her husband, Pat, met with an insurance agent on the property. In addition to the destroyed buildings, three horses in her barn died, though firefighters rescued all five dogs from her home.

"My stomach is up in the air," Watts said. "I want to cry and I can't. I want to say, 'Why us? Why anybody? Why does anything like this have to happen to anybody?"

___

Associated Press writers Scott Sonner in Reno, Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas and Sandra Chereb in Carson City contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-22-Reno%20Brush%20Fire/id-fa593dafb33d49fcb9752c9d4573a895

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Add a Weight-Stabilizing Hook to Your Camera Tripod [Photography]

Add a Weight-Stabilizing Hook to Your Camera TripodShooting from a camera mounted to a tripod rather than handheld usually results in better images as the camera is more stable and less likely to move during the shot. A heavier tripod generally is more stable, but you don't want to lug one around on an outdoor shoot. Instead, attach a weight-bearing hook to the center column of your tripod. Now you can hang your camera bag, your backpack, or even a workout weight onto the the hook and enjoy the stability provided by a heavier tripod.

Instructables user Andrew Axley came up with the design. Simply drill a hole through the center column of your tripod, use a bolt and nut to fit the hole you've drilled, bend the top of an S-hook to fit inside the center column, and hang the S-hook from the the bolt. Of course, complete directions and step-by-step photos can be found at the source link below.

This mod gives you a sturdy hook that you can attach any convenient object to stabilize your tripod. It's definitely a nice upgrade for a cheap tripod.

Tripod Stabilizer Weight Hook | Instructables

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/XxjnfD8VOpc/add-a-weight+stabilizing-hook-to-your-camera-tripod

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Play a Mario Kart Ripoff, Scan Your Business Cards, and Defend Your Miners [App Deals Of The Day]

There are games we really want on the iPhone but we know we'll probably never get. Actually anything Nintendo makes would be great as an iPhone app. But there is one app in particular that would really make me happy: Mario Kart. Lucky for me, there's a complete ripoff of the game in the App Store right now. Plus, another tower defense game and a way to organize all those business cards, all in today's app deals. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Dg7yplAsqiU/play-a-mario-kart-ripoff-scan-your-business-cards-and-defend-your-miners

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Mark Wahlberg apologizes for 9/11 comments (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Mark Wahlberg apologized on Wednesday for saying events may have turned out differently had he been on one of the planes that crashed on 9/11, after incurring the wrath of critics and one victim's widow.

"If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry,'" the actor said in an interview with Men's Journal magazine that was released one day earlier.

"The Fighter" star, 44, was scheduled to be on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and made the comments in that context, but after media outlets reported that a widow of one 9/11 victim called his comments "disrespectful," the actor issued a formal apology.

"To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention," Wahlberg said in a statement.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who started his career in music as rapper Marky Mark, transitioned into film and is currently promoting "Contraband," a high-octane action movie in which he plays a former smuggler forced to protect his brother-in-law.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

(This version corrects date in paragraph 3 to 2001 from 2011)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_mark_wahlberg_apologizes9_11_comments_003014395/44249812/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/mark-wahlberg-apologizes-9-11-comments-003014395.html

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Saturday, January 21, 2012

IBM, other tech results point to robust IT demand (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? A strong outlook from IBM and decent results from Intel Corp and Microsoft Corp suggest that corporate decision makers are shaking off nervousness about economic growth and boosting spending on technology.

IBM, the world's largest technology services company, easily beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter profit expectations and promised earnings growth of 10 percent this year.

Intel, the leading microchip maker, announced ambitious spending plans after reporting quarterly results that topped scaled-back analyst forecasts.

Microsoft's results were largely in line with expectations, with growth in its servers and tools business offsetting weakness in Windows sales to PCs.

"Those results look largely favorable," said JMP Securities analyst Alex Gauna. "So far what we have seen in technology, looks like we are turning the corner and things are getting better. Turning the corner in terms of cleaning the excess inventory in the channel and seeing a better demand outlook."

Microsoft, IBM and Intel have a combined market capitalization of about $580 billion, representing 15 percent of the Dow Jones industrial index. Shares of IBM shares rose 3 percent in extended trading after its results, while Microsoft shares rose 2 percent and Intel shares rose 1 percent.

The only downer in the tech world on Thursday was Google Inc, whose quarterly results fell far short of high expectations set by strong online shopping during the holiday season, sending its shares down 9 percent.

"Expectations had got ahead of themselves for Google, largely because investors don't have a good feel for what happens outside the U.S.," said Stifel Nicolaus analyst Jordan Rohan. "North America has remained strong, but there are parts of the world where there's a lot of economic pressure," he said, pointing to austerity measures in Europe.

IT SPENDING HOLDING UP

Prior to Thursday's results, other technology giants had sent mixed messages about global IT spending.

Software maker Oracle Corp, for example, missed expectations last month and outsourcing company Accenture Plc spooked investors with its cautious quarterly outlook.

But Oracle rival SAP AG pleased the market last week with sales and profits that beat estimates, signaling global companies were confident enough to spend more on technology.

IBM, a tech bellwether because of its global reach and scale, said strong signings of services contracts and its services backlog put the company in a solid position as it starts the year.

"When you look at the overall pipeline going into 1Q for software and services ... I think they look pretty good," IBM Chief Financial Officer Mark Loughridge said on a call with analysts on Thursday.

Asked if, like Oracle, IBM was seeing longer approval times for tech spending by companies, Loughridge said: "As far as lengthening of the sales cycles, more approvals, I do think people and CFOs are cautious about their business and they want to make sure they have the right processes engaged and we did see that."

CONSUMER VS CORPORATE

Sales at Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, were strong even though its profit slipped as slower personal computer sales to consumers hurt its Windows software business.

But even as consumers fled to cheaper tablet computers from rivals, Microsoft boasted strength from business customers and in emerging markets where computer demand was healthy.

"We all expected the PC market to be weak and the Windows business was down because of that. But the server and tools business is growing well," said Sunit Gogia, an equity analyst at Morningstar.

Kim Forrest, a senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh said that all the tech results showed strong demand for products from which corporations expect a future benefit, such as improving employee productivity.

"It means despite a slowing economy in Europe and other places there's companies still spending on productivity-enhancing technologies," Forrest said. "There has been a lot of M&A in the past years and the companies that made smart investments are seeing them pay out."

(Reporting by Nicola Leske, Noel Randewich, Bill Rigby, Alexei Oreskovic, Poornima Gupta, Jim Finkle, Yinka Adegoke, Sarah McBride and Alistair Barr; Writing by Sinead Carew; Editing by Tiffany Wu, Bernard Orr)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/bs_nm/us_ibm

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US military chief holds talks in Israel on Iran (AP)

JERUSALEM ? The U.S. military's top general conducted an intense string of closed talks with Israeli leaders Friday, amid apparent disagreements between the two countries over how to respond to Iran's nuclear program.

The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, and Israeli leaders kept silent about the exact content of their discussions. Dempsey was expected to urge Israel not to rush to attack Iran at a time when the U.S. is trying to rally additional global support to pressure Tehran through sanctions to dial back its nuclear development program.

Dempsey met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been warning about the dangers of the Iranian nuclear program for more than a decade. No details of their talks were released.

At the start of a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Dempsey said the U.S. and Israel "have many interests in common in the region in this very dynamic time, and the more we can continue to engage each other, the better off we'll all be."

"There is never a dull moment, that I can promise you," Barak replied, in comments released by Barak's office.

Israel believes Iran is close to completing the technology to produce an atomic weapon. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Israel has said it prefers employing international diplomacy to solve the problem, but Israel has not taken the option of a military strike off the table.

Israel considers Iran an existential threat because of its nuclear program, missile development, support of radical anti-Israel forces in Lebanon and Gaza and frequent references by its president to the destruction of Israel.

In an interview published Friday in the Israeli daily Maariv, Israel's recently retired military intelligence chief. Amos Yadlin, said the U.S. and Israel now agree that Iran is deliberately working slowly toward nuclear weapons, to minimize international diplomatic pressure and sanctions.

The U.S. and Israel differ about what would be considered unacceptable Iranian behavior that would require a military strike, the former chief claimed.

"While Israel defines the red line as Iran's ability and potential for a breakthrough, the Americans draw the red line a lot farther away," Yadlin said. He stepped down as intelligence chief in late 2010.

He said the Iranian nuclear program was Israel's "only existential threat," noting that in addition to the possibility of a nuclear attack from Iran, its possession of nuclear weapons would spark a regional arms race.

"In that situation, in a nuclear neighborhood, the chance grows that a nuclear weapon could slip into the hands of terrorists," Yadlin said.

Gen. Dempsey also met with Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, and President Shimon Peres.

"I am sure that in this fight (against Iran) we will emerge victorious," Peres said to Dempsey, in comments provided by the president's office. He called Iran a "center of world terror."

Dempsey told reporters he "couldn't agree more" with Peres' "characterization of the common challenge we face."

In between the meetings, Dempsey visited Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial and museum. He wrote in its guest book, "We are committed to ensuring that such a human tragedy (as the Holocaust) never happens again." He added, "God bless the victims and protect Israel."

Six million Jews were killed by Adolf Hitler's German Nazis and their collaborators during World War II.

In the past, Netanyahu has sharply criticized Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust and has drawn parallels between the world's treatment of Iran today and its failure to act against Hitler in time to save European Jewry.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_us

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