White House criticizes Italian captain comparison

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House is criticizing comments by the Republican National Committee chairman that compared President Barack Obama to the Italian cruise ship captain who allegedly abandoned his sinking ship.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" that Obama was "our own little Captain Schettino." Capt. Francesco Schettino is accused of abandoning his ship as it sank, killing at least 16 passengers with another 16 still missing; Priebus accused Obama of abandoning ship in the U.S. to spend more time on his re-election campaign.

Former RNC Chairman Michael Steele told MSNBC the analogy was "unfortunate."

In response Monday, White House press secretary Jay Carney said Priebus' comment showed that the Republicans were "desperate for attention."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-30-Republicans-Ship%20Aground/id-581029de7ac94d1c9ac7edca9cce7692

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Scientists Examine Hope Diamond for Clues to Its Blue

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The diamond holds a different allure for those studying the history of the Earth.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=79ac02df10b1dc746a233bfa7d00208d

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Jennifer Aniston Chows Down on Short Ribs in Front of Justin Theroux (omg!)

Justin Theroux is getting a taste of the good life -- thanks to Jennifer Aniston.

The 42-year-old actress brought her boyfriend to the 64th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards in Hollywood Saturday, where Aniston was nominated alongside Demi Moore, Penelope Spheeris, Alicia Keys and Patty Jenkins for co-directing Lifetime's Five.

PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston's on-set PDA

Aniston wore a strapless black Dolce & Gabbana mini, highlighting her toned physique. Theroux, 40, wore a matching black suit.

"Jen and Justin talked to each other quite a bit," an onlooker tells Us Weekly. "They would turn to each other and talk, and they took turns putting their arms on the backs of each other's chairs."

PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston's best hairstyles

The actress isn't afraid to chow down in front of Theroux, either: she polished off the lobster and artichoke salad, followed by short ribs and steamed vegetables.

VIDEO: Jennifer Aniston mocks Chelsea Handler's hygiene

"During the actual show, Jennifer seemed really interested," the onlooker says. "She'd refer to her program and clap for the various winners, and occasionally comment to Patty and Justin about whatever was going on onstage."

PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's matching outfits

Though Aniston and her pals lost to The Kennedy's Jon Cassar, that didn't stop her and Theroux from having a good time. Post-show, the Wanderlust costars hit up a private members' club in West Hollywood, where Theroux was spotted "continuously putting his arm around her or touching her in some way."

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_jennifer_aniston_chows_down_short_ribs_front_justin162417357/44346115/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/jennifer-aniston-chows-down-short-ribs-front-justin-162417357.html

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Boatright attorney blasts NCAA after probe (AP)

HARTFORD, Conn. ? A lawyer representing the mother of Connecticut guard Ryan Boatright says the family is considering legal options after the NCAA detailed its investigation into the freshman's eligibility.

The NCAA has cleared Boatright to play, but said Saturday he and his mother had accepted more than $8,000 in impermissible benefits from at least two people.

Attorney Scott Tompsett issued a statement Sunday calling the NCAA's news release false and misleading. He said the people providing the benefits were friends of the Boatright family and had "no expectation of repayment or reciprocation."

"And there's not a shred of evidence that they influenced Ryan's decision to attend UConn or that they intend to represent Ryan if he ever goes pro," he said. "The public also should know that the NCAA never told Tanesha and Ryan who made the accusations about them or told them the substance of the accusations so they could defend themselves."

Messages were left Sunday seeking comment from the NCAA.

Boatright has missed nine games this season as a result of the investigation, including a six-game suspension to start the season. He also is repaying $4,500 in benefits. He was held out of the last three games as the NCAA looked into additional information.

The NCAA said it allowed Boatright to return to action after determining he has lived up to an agreement that gave him limited immunity for cooperating in the investigation, and is "likely the least culpable" of those involved in the violations.

The 6-foot Boatright was back in uniform Sunday as UConn hosted Notre Dame. He received a standing ovation when he entered the game just under 4 minutes into the first half. His first points came on a runner in the lane at the halftime buzzer that gave UConn a 24-21 lead.

"Ryan and his mother Tanesha cooperated fully with the NCAA with the clear understanding that the information they provided would be kept confidential and would not be released to the public," Tompsett said. "The NCAA has violated the Boatrights' privacy by releasing their personal information."

Tompsett said he also has represented Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun in the past.

Before Tompsett's release, university President Susan Herbst issued a statement on Sunday praising Boatright's character.

"This young man has shown tremendous patience and poise all the while in the national spotlight," she said. "This is a strength of character that is seldom demanded of college freshmen and I am extraordinarily proud of him, our team and our coaching staff."

Connecticut went 6-3 this season with Boatright out of the lineup, but dropped two of three when he was forced to sit out a second time. The Huskies (14-5, 4-3 Big East) won at Notre Dame, snapping the Irish's 29-game home-court winning streak, before losing consecutive games to Cincinnati and Tennessee, each by three points.

The NCAA said the benefits included car payments, travel expenses for his mother during four official visits to NCAA schools, and approximately $1,200.

"In addition, Mr. Boatright was provided travel expenses, hotel, meals and training expenses during a two-night trip to California," the organization said.

The NCAA said the benefits came from at least two people with links to "nonscholastic basketball and professional sports."

Several news organizations, including ESPN and The New York Times, had previously reported that a plane ticket was purchased for Boatright's mother by Reggie Rose, who runs the AAU team for which Boatright played. Rose, the brother of NBA star Derrick Rose, has declined to comment on the case.

Boatright averaged more than 10 points and three assists in the 10 games he played after being reinstated to the team.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_sp_co_ne/bkc_uconn_boatright

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New Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX released on Verizon (Appolicious)

Battery life has been an issue for smartphones from the very beginning. Motorola hopes to stand out from the crowded smartphone market with its newest Droid Razr Maxx, combining an extended battery life with a sleek design for a truly new-age phone. LG?s also debuting a CES treat on Verizon, marking a 4G first for the Android manufacturer, while Inspiration Works delivers an Android tablet just for kids. Here are this week?s top Android devices.

Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX

Just launched on Verizon for about $300, Motorola?s Droid RAZR Maxx has increased battery life over the original RAZR while still maintaining the same sexy and slim figure. Apparently, you?ll get 21 hours of talk time on a single charge, and seven hours of streaming video, even when you take into consideration Verizon?s battery-hogging 4G LTE network. It?s the RAZR MAXX?s 3,300 mAh lithium ion battery that powers extended life, nearly twice the capacity of the original RAZR. There?s also some software perks, such as ?Smart Actions,? to automatically monitor GPS, Wi-Fi and other battery-draining settings to keep your phone powered up. Thanks to the massive battery, the RAZR MAXX weighs 0.32 pounds and measures 0.28 inches thick (slightly bigger than the original RAZR). Shipping with Android 2.3.5, expect the RAZR MAXX to be appearing in stores now, with the ability to upgrade to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in the future.

LG Spectrum

LG is upping the ante on 4G with its latest Spectrum, available now through Verizon Wireless. The Spectrum debuted at CES a couple weeks ago, boasting an HD screen at 4.5 inches, with a Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core processor. Running Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, the LG Spectrum will later be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. There?s also an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus and LED flash, as well as 1080p video capture. The front-facing camera is 1.3 megapixels, and the Spectrum also comes with SmartMovie HD, an app for creating and editing HD videos on the fly. Expect to pay about $200 for the Spectrum with a new two-year contract.

Inspiration Works Kurio

If you?re tired of your two year-old banging away at your tablet, get them one of their own. Unveiled at the Toy Fair 2012, Inspiration Works has wrapped an Android 4.0-powered tablet in sturdy plastic with a kid-friendly user interface. Dubbed the Kurio, this tablet is for entertainment and education, complete with parental controls to limit web access and control app downloads and purchases. You can add up to eight profiles on the Kurio, each customizable. You can time-lock the tablet as well, keeping kids from downloading apps after bedtime. As far as specs go, the Kurio has three models: a 7-inch version with a capacitive 800x480 display, an 8-inch model with a squarer 800x600 screen and a 9.7-inch version closer to an iPad in size, with a 1024x600 panel. All three models come with USB ports, mini HDMI and 4GB of built-in storage, expandable to 32GB with a microSD card. The larger models have 2-megapixel front- and 0.3-megapixel rear-facing cameras (the smallest Kurio comes only with a rear-facing camera). Look for this toddler-ready Android tablet to hit stores in July, with an initial release in the UK and no details yet on a U.S. release.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_androidapps_com_articles10893_new_motorola_droid_razr_maxx_released_on_verizon/44338786/SIG=1310gfdgp/*http%3A//www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/10893-new-motorola-droid-razr-maxx-released-on-verizon

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American Idol to President Obama & Al Green: Sing For Us!

If you haven't seen the video of President Obama singing Al Green at a fundraiser at New York City's legendary Apollo Theater last week, you need to.

No matter what you think of his views, the Prez proved with his riff on "Let's Stay Together" that he's got pipes! And we weren't the only ones impressed.

Friday, American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe Tweeted an official offer to the Commander in Chief that he can't refuse. Or at least he shouldn't:

Obama Sings Al Green

"@BarackObama we loved your vocal performance so much we'd love to invite you on to #AmericanIdol this Season for a duet with Al Green."

Now that would be the DVR moment of the decade.

We're gonna guess that Obama will cite scheduling conflicts and pass, but if you think about it, what better way to win over voters in an election year?

Okay, perhaps a robust economy would be a bigger ballot box boost, but you get the idea. The guy's vocal chops are legit and deserve a wider audience.

President Obama in 2012?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/american-idol-to-president-obama-and-al-green-sing-for-us/

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Valve ventures into mobile with Steam on iOS and Android (Digital Trends)

Launched earlier this week and announced on the Steam site, Valve has started a closed beta for Steam Mobile on the iPhone and Android phones. The mobile application brings a vast amount of core functions found within the PC and Mac version of the Steam software, the most notable being the ability to make purchases through the application. This will allow any mobile Steam user to take advantage of the frequent sales?that cut popular games up to 90 percent off. Assuming the user agrees to notifications from the application, Steam will also be able to feed mobile alerts to the user when a game on a user?s wishlist goes on sale. The interface offers the familiar Steam categories of new, featured, popular and specials. In addition, there?s a search interface allowing the user to find games by price, title or genre.?

After a user logs into the mobile application, they have the ability to chat with Steam friends, peruse friend activity, read gaming news, check out profiles and groups in addition to looking at screenshots and other gaming media. Within the chat interface, friends are split up into?categories?such as?recent chats, in-game, online and offline. However, group chat is?unavailable?through this version of the mobile interface. There?s also no obvious link between the mobile device and a PC at home that would allow a user to queue up Steam downloads while away from the computer.?

While all of Steam?s features aren?t included within the application,?Valve president Gabe Newell?believes?that this application represents a good start.?Newell?stated ?Seeing which of your friends are online and playing a game, sending quick messages, looking at screenshots for an upcoming game, or catching a sale ? these are all features customers have requested. Mobile is changing way people interact, play games and consume media, and the Steam app is part of our commitment to meet customer demands and expand the service functionality of Steam to make it richer and more accessible for everyone.? Newell did not indicate if the Steam platform would start to sell mobile games.

While Steam is moving forward with mobile,?Electronic Arts still hasn?t rolled out a mobile counterpart to the Origin download service. Origin also lags behind Steam in terms of the amount of games offer for sale on the service. While Steam offers more than 1,800 titles for sale, Electronic Arts lists less than 10 percent of that figure. Electronic Arts did announce an additional 11 third-party publishers have been added to the Origin service recently, but did not indicate how many games would be added over the coming months. ?

As reported at CES 2012, Valve is still prepping Steam?s ?Big Picture? user interface designed to bring the Steam experience to the television screen. This will allow users to hook a computer to the television and play games on a much larger screen, similar to user experience of console owners.?Newell hasn?t indicated if Valve will release a set-top box to offer this feature to consumers that don?t have a computer hooked into their main television in the living room. Some analysts have also speculated that the??Big Picture? mode could utilize cloud streaming technology similar to OnLive and be delivered through an application on gaming consoles or through?Internet-connected televisions. However, Valve has said repeatedly that??Big Picture? mode will include controller support.?

While the mobile application is currently in a closed beta, Steam users can download the mobile application onto the iOS platform and log into the application to declare interest in joining the beta. Valve plans to roll out new invites slowly while the application is still being tested over the next few weeks.

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20120126/tc_digitaltrends/valveventuresintomobilewithsteamoniosandandroid

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Bayern frustrated by persistent Bundesliga rivals

By CIARAN FAHEY

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:44 a.m. ET Jan. 26, 2012

BERLIN (AP) -Despite spending freely on new players last year, Bayern Munich has found itself caught up in the closest Bundesliga race in 20 years.

Four teams are separated by only one point for the first time after 18 games since 1991-92. Bayern leads defending champion Borussia Dortmund and in-form Schalke on goal difference, while Borussia Moenchengladbach is a point behind.

"You could put four dice with the respective club logos in a cup, shake, and whoever comes out first will be German champions," said Udo Lattek, the former Bayern, Moenchengladbach and Barcelona coach.

After losing to Moenchengladbach 3-1 last weekend, Bayern is hoping to get back on track when it hosts Wolfsburg on Saturday.

Wolfsburg has been the only side to rival Bayern's spending this season, paying out a reported ?27.2 million ($35.4 million) for eight players in January to make up for a disappointing first half to the season.

"You could see their potential," Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath said about his new players after a 1-0 win over Cologne last week.

Also Saturday, Dortmund hosts Hoffenheim and Schalke visits Cologne, while Moenchengladbach travels to Stuttgart on Sunday.

Bayern lost its opening game of the season 1-0 to Moenchengladbach and responded by winning its next 10 games in all competitions, scoring 28 goals and conceding none.

"There was a real song and dance (after the first loss to Moenchengladbach) and it'll happen again this time," director of sports Christian Nerlinger said. "Once we're out on the field, we'll give the same answer as last summer."

Jerome Boateng is likely to start in central defense for Bayern after Daniel van Buyten broke a metatarsal in the loss to Moenchengladbach. The Belgian defender will be out for two months.

"We have enough quality in defense," said Boateng, who has mostly featured at right back. "I'm always delighted when I get to play in the center. Every player has a favored position, and mine's center back."

Boateng knows that Bayern will have to quickly recover its early season form to keep its rivals at bay.

"As we saw back then, we're capable of playing better football than now," Boateng said. "We have to watch ourselves and turn the corner."

Bayern will be able to count on French winger Franck Ribery, who returns from suspension and is likely to start despite a minor back problem.

Bastian Schweinsteiger should also play after shaking off a knee problem. The Germany midfielder has only recently returned from a broken collarbone.

"If we show what we can do we should take the three points," Schweinsteiger said Thursday.

Wolfsburg has only claimed one point from 14 Bundesliga games in Munich, but welcomes back top scorer Mario Mandzukic from injury. The Croatian is keen to add to his eight goals.

"We needn't be afraid. These days we can beat anyone, even Bayern," Mandzukic said. "I'm fired up for this game."

Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowski, who scored twice in Dortmund's 5-1 rout of Hamburg, will start again in place of the injured Mario Goetze, who has been ruled out for two months because of a pubic bone injury.

"For Mario and for us it's a big blow," said Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc. "We have to try and compensate for his absence as well as possible."

Schalke also has its injury concerns, with captain Benedikt Hoewedes ruled out for two weeks after breaking his cheekbone in the 3-1 win over Stuttgart.

Spanish striker Raul Gonzalez has been unable to train since Tuesday due to a calf problem.

"Raul is being looked after. We'll have to see how it looks for him on Saturday," Schalke coach Huub Stevens said.

Stuttgart has reinforced its forward line with the signing of Vedad Ibisevic from Hoffenheim, and the Bosnian is likely to start against Moenchengladbach, which hasn't won in Stuttgart since December 1994.

Also Sunday, Mainz hosts Freiburg.

In the rest of Saturday's games, Werder Bremen hosts Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV visits Hertha Berlin, and Augsburg hosts Kaiserslautern in a relegation battle.

Nuremberg gets the weekend's action under way at Hannover on Friday.

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

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Barca holds off Madrid rally

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

Do-or-die

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

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44000621/ns/sports-soccer/

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North Korea makes using a cellphone a war crime during 100 day mourning period

Dear Leader may have blessed his subjects with the gift of 3G in 2008, but in his death he is taking it back... at least temporarily. As part of the country's 100 days of mourning, cellphones have been banned within its borders. If you're caught pulling out a portable to make a call, send a text or get directions to the nearest statue of the departed dictator you'll be charged as a war criminal -- that means serious time in a labor camp or death. Fun! Then again, in a nation where the average income is about $1 a month and cellphone ownership is a highly restricted privilege, we can't imagine too many people have anything to worry about. Sadly, this also means there's one less way to get information out of the already hard to crack territory.

North Korea makes using a cellphone a war crime during 100 day mourning period originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/27/north-korea-makes-using-a-cellphone-a-war-crime-during-100-day-m/

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Invisibility cloak uses 'metamaterial' to hide three-dimensional objects

It may not be a cape of magical, silvery material, but it's still an invisibility cloak. A tube made of an insulating material striped with long, thin strips of copper makes objects within it invisible to microwaves. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin reported their cloaking chamber Jan. 25 in the New Journal of Physics.

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Different lab groups have been trying to cloak objects from light waves and microwaves for years. Previous efforts rendered objects invisible?along a plane, in two dimensions, by bending microwaves around the objects. Last year researchers?demonstrated an invisibility cloak?that worked in three dimensions, concealing a bump on a reflective surface.

This newest cloak makes three-dimensional objects invisible without using reflective surfaces or specialized microwave chambers. "We don't need mirrors, we don't need waveguides, we just built a cloak with a cover around an object," said Andrea Al?, an engineer at Texas-Austin who led the research.

The cloak makes objects invisible to microwaves from all angles, Al? and his colleagues found. They aimed microwaves at an 18-centimeter-long cylinder, fitted inside the invisibility chamber, from different angles. They found reduced microwave reflection from the cylinder no matter where they observed it.

Objects reflect light and other electromagnetic waves when they're just sitting around. That's how your eyes can see them and how devices such as radar detectors can sense airplanes and ships. Al?'s cloak works by reflecting electromagnetic waves in a way that cancels out the waves that the object reflects. "It's kind of an interference between the two," he told InnovationNewsDaily. "The combination of the two becomes invisible."

The secret to the cloak's exactly canceling waves is a "metamaterial," a man-made material that doesn't appear in nature and that has,?as one paper put it, "exotic electromagnetic properties." Al? first?published his ideas?for how to make an invisibility cloak using this canceling metamaterial in 2005 and has been working on the idea ever since.

Of course, the cylinder he cloaked in this latest study is still visible to the naked eye, which detects light waves, not microwaves. He said his technique works best with objects of comparable size to the wavelengths they're trying to hide from. Thus cigar-size cylinders are well masked from microwaves, which can be several centimeters long, while microscopic objects are best masked from visible light waves. So Al?'s metamaterials can't be used to cover certain boy wizards or anybody else, he said. "You can't use this to cloak a human body or a large object to visible light." He's working on creating a material that will cloak a microscopic object from visible light, which would be useful for machines that take microscopic photos.

As for the cloak he's already made, Al? thinks it would work well for stealth operations. "But it's superior to stealth, because stealth cancels the reflection but not the shadow of an object," he said.

You can follow?InnovationNewsDaily?staff writer Francie Diep on Twitter @franciediep. Follow InnovationNewsDaily on Twitter @News_Innovation, or on?Facebook.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/v3G6AsRL2DI/Invisibility-cloak-uses-metamaterial-to-hide-three-dimensional-objects

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Kim Kardashian Donates $50,000 to The Trevor Project

Kim Kardashian is giving back to a cause close to her heart. The reality-show star is donating $50,000 that she raised in September 2011 to The Trevor Project, a suicide-prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBT adolescents.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/kim-kardashian-donates-50000-trevor-project/1-a-421924?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Akim-kardashian-donates-50000-trevor-project-421924

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Sen. Brown, rival agree to curb Mass. attack ads (AP)

BOSTON ? Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and his chief Democratic rival, Elizabeth Warren, have signed a pledge to curb political attack ads by outside groups in their Massachusetts Senate race.

Under the terms of the deal, each campaign would agree to donate half the cost of any third-party ad to charity if that ad either supports their candidacy or attacks their opponent by name.

At least one outside group that has targeted Warren immediately raised objections to the deal.

Brown first laid out the basic terms of the deal last week, but top-level staffers for both candidates were unable to reach a final deal on Friday.

Then early Monday morning, Warren responded, saying she was ready to sign off on the deal as long as it included a few final changes, such as adding Internet advertising to the deal and closing any other loopholes that could permit third parties to help one campaign or the other by running ads.

"With an agreement to try to stop third party advertising, we can set an historic example in Massachusetts and give the people we want to represent an opportunity to make a choice free from the kind of out-of-control, outsider advertising that has plagued so many recent elections," Warren wrote.

Brown quickly agreed, and signed what he described as the "People's Pledge."

"This is a great victory for the people of Massachusetts, and a bold statement that puts Super PACs and other third parties on notice that their interference in this race will not be tolerated," Brown said in a statement.

Both campaigns then quickly pointed out that each has already been the target of outside advertising.

Referring to Warren's background as a Harvard professor, Brown said "the extreme liberal groups who planned to pollute the airwaves with their false and misleading ads in support of Professor Warren can now pack their bags and find someplace else to do their dirty work."

Brown has come under fire from the League of Conservation Voters and the League of Women Voters, which have spent a total of about $3 million on separate ad campaigns criticizing him.

The League of Women Voters' ad rapped Brown for voting with other Senate Republicans to ban the Environmental Protection Agency from controlling gases blamed for global warming. They urged Brown to "protect the people and not the polluters." Another spot by the League of Conservation Voters slammed Brown for siding with "big oil."

Neither ad mentioned Warren, who pointed to outside ads that have targeted her campaign. Crossroads GPS, an affiliate of American Crossroads, a group with ties to GOP political operative Karl Rove, has already sponsored two ads.

"Karl Rove and his Crossroads GPS have pledged to spend millions of dollars in this campaign, and he has a long history of using every trick in the book. So I sign this agreement with both hope and vigilance, and I assume you do the same," Warren wrote.

One Crossroads ad used spliced images of Warren with rowdy Occupy Wall Street protesters to claim that she "sides with extreme left" protesters who "attack police, do drugs and trash public parks." A second ad by the group then painted Warren as being too cozy with Wall Street.

The president of American Crossroads, Steven Law, quickly criticized the deal saying it fails to cover union phone banks, direct mail, and get-out-the-vote drives, "all union core specialties."

The Crossroads GPS ads and the ads from the League of Women Voters and the League of Conservation Voters would all appear to come under the terms of the agreement.

Brown's campaign has also pointed to online ads from Rethink Brown ? a political action committee formed last year. Its mission, according to its website, is "to encourage Massachusetts voters to make up their own minds about U.S. Senator Scott Brown's actual record and potentially `rethink' their initial opinions about him."

A spokesman for Warren's campaign said joint letters signed by Warren and Brown will be going out to third-party groups ? including Rethink Brown and American Crossroads ? asking them to pull their ads.

The U.S. Supreme Court has paved the way for millions of dollars in spending by super PACs following a trio of decisions capped by the landmark Citizens United case in 2010, which eased restrictions on the use of corporate money in political campaigns.

The Senate campaign is expected to be one of the costliest in state history.

Warren has reported raising $5.7 million during the final three months of 2011, eclipsing Brown's $3.2 million for the same period. Brown still enjoys an overall money advantage with $12.8 million in cash on hand, compared to the more than $6 million Warren has in her account.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_el_se/us_massachusetts_senate_attack_ads

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GOP race turns to new terrain in Florida (AP)

TAMPA, Fla. ? Now it's Florida's turn.

And Republican presidential rivals Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have just 10 days to navigate a state unlike any they've competed in so far. Florida is six times larger than New Hampshire, has almost five times more Hispanics than Iowa, and, with numerous media markets, is much more expensive for candidates than South Carolina. That's where Gingrich trounced Romney on Saturday night, suddenly scrambling the GOP presidential race ahead of Florida's Jan. 31 primary.

"It's been fascinating spectator sport so far," Beth Schiller, 48, said inside Buddy Brew Coffee shop the next morning. "But it's coming here now. They're all coming."

Indeed, the remaining candidates in a shrunken field ? Romney, Gingrich, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Texas Rep. Ron Paul ? planned to be in the state Monday for the first of two presidential debates this week.

All eyes were certain to be on what's essentially a two-man race.

After a crushing South Carolina defeat, Romney no longer faces the prospect of wrapping up the nomination quickly and now is forced to regroup. He has spent months planning for the Florida campaign, essentially building a firewall in the state. He has the largest organization of any candidate. And he and his allies combined have had the TV airwaves all to themselves for weeks, already spending roughly $6 million combined. The former Massachusetts governor's areas of strength in the diverse state may be with the transplanted Northeasterners and snowbirds along the Gold Coast.

But now there are doubts about whether he can knit together the broad cross-section of Republican voters he'd need to win in this state, much less the nomination.

"I'm looking forward to a long campaign," Romney said on "Fox News Sunday," an acknowledgment that he wouldn't sew up the nomination with a Florida victory as aides once had hoped.

Gingrich, for his part, will work to keep his momentum going despite continued division among tea party and religious activists who, to a certain degree, continue to divide their support between him and Santorum. The state's conservative panhandle may be fertile ground for the former Georgia lawmaker who talks of his Southern roots often. His team also is working hard to court evangelicals, who vote in droves in the state's GOP primaries and who tend to look skeptically on Romney.

He dramatically trails Romney in fundraising and organization in the state, underscored by his launching of an online "money bomb" Saturday night to try to raise $1 million to help fund his efforts in Florida.

"My job in Florida is to convince people that I am the one candidate who can clearly defeat Obama in a series of debates and the one candidate who has big enough solutions that they would really get America back on track," Gingrich told CNN's "State of the Union."

His South Carolina victory is certain to change the dynamics in a state where Romney has led in polls for weeks.

"People want to get behind a winner," said Tom Gaitens, co-founder of the Tampa Tea Party and state director for the conservative organization FreedomWorks. "People will be drawn to Newt like a magnet."

Florida's size and diversity creates challenges for all the candidates. And the issues may be far different than those in the previous states.

There are 10 distinct media markets in Florida, which helps explain the tremendous cost of running a statewide campaign here.

And the voters are anything but homogenous.

Northern Florida along the panhandle is as close to the South as the state offers. It's the least populated and considered the most culturally conservative. Southeastern Florida, including the Miami area, is traditionally not as conservative as the rest of the state, offering a large Latino population and many Northeastern transplants and Jewish voters. The bulk of the state's Republicans, including a significant collection of evangelicals, live along central Florida's Interstate 4 corridor, including Tampa and Orlando.

Exit polling from the 2008 GOP primary shows that approximately 39 percent of voters identified themselves as born-again or evangelical Christians. That's a significant voting bloc Gingrich has been targeting. He won evangelicals soundly in South Carolina, where they constituted roughly 65 percent of the electorate.

Hispanics are also key.

Romney is already on television running an advertisement in Spanish. Gingrich plans to do the same. The Gingrich team is based in the Miami area, the epicenter of the state's considerable Cuban population. Cubans make up roughly a third of the state's Hispanic population and figure to play prominently.

Romney's team is based in Tampa, and it has spent weeks working to woo the 200,000 people who already have cast ballots through absentee and early voting.

Like everywhere else, the economy is certain to dominate the race in Florida. The unemployment rate here is 10 percent, much higher than the national 8.5 percent jobless figure. And more than 2 percent of all Florida housing units were involved in foreclosure last year, according to the RealtyTrac foreclosure listing service. Florida also is third in the number of homes with "upside down" mortgages, at 44 percent of all mortgaged properties, according to the CoreLogic real estate data firm.

But other topics also will dominate.

Florida is a retirement mecca, so expect discussion about Social Security. It's also home to a number of environmentalists working to protect the coastline and fight drilling, so those topics are all but certain to be touched on. And with a heavy influx of Hispanics, immigration is certain to be raised.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign_florida_s_turn

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Federal Judge Rules You May Be Forced To Provide Decryption Password

In July, we wrote about an ongoing case wherein a woman accused of fraud was being asked by the prosecution to provide the password to access her computer's data, which otherwise would remain encrypted and unreadable, weakening their case. They got permission to compel her to reveal the password, but the defense said that it was unconstitutional to do so, as providing that information was essentially self-incriminating testimony. The defense and the prosecution disagree, there is no single compelling precedent, and even the Supreme Court, which has weighed in on a similar topic, isn't quite sure what to make of the situation. So, doing what Judges are made to do, Judge Robert Blackburn made a decision: "the Fifth Amendment is not implicated by requiring production of the unencrypted contents of the Toshiba Satellite M305 laptop computer."

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

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America?s healthiest cities to visit

Cameron Neilson / Courtesy of Hotel Terra

The Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole, Wyo., is ideally located for outdoor fun and exploration.

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By Food & Wine

In great American cities where active lifestyles intersect with delicious food, it?s possible to plan a trip that?s both healthy and great fun. Walking often provides leisurely exercise for travelers, but fantastic hotels are making it easier for guests to stop feeling like tourists and explore outdoor attractions like locals.?

Slideshow: See the?healthiest cities to visit

To take advantage of Portland, Oregon?s extensive bike paths, the trendy Ace Hotel established a free bicycle-lending program. The city also maintains an impressive variety of parks, from the world?s smallest (the 24-square-inch Mill Ends Park) to 5,000-acre Forest Park, where visitors can run, hike or mountain bike on 75 miles of trails. Wildlife watchers walk along the paved Interlakes Trail at Smith and Bybee lakes ? the largest protected wetlands in an American city. Nearby, Alder Creek?s Jantzen Beach Store offers classes and rentals for kayaking on Columbia River.

After spending all day paddling and traipsing through city parks, Portland visitors will find a thriving dining scene, where, as in many of the country?s buzziest restaurants, the emphasis is on local ingredients. Everything at Park Kitchen chef Scott Dolich?s tavern The Bent Brick is from the Pacific Northwest. Dolich focuses on vegetables in small plates, like parsnips and carrots with rye berries, brown butter and sage. Even his cocktail program relies on locally made spirits.

Jackson Hole, Wyo., a serious winter-sport destination, is known for daredevil ski runs and powdery snow. Its deluxe spas and picturesque Teton Mountain setting make it a perfect spot for R&R as well. The boutique Hotel Terra couldn?t be better-located for active travelers: It?s an hour?s drive from Yellowstone National Park, less than a mile from Grand Teton National Park and nestled right near Jackson Hole?s major ski lifts.

For a warmer winter escape, Honolulu promises gorgeous lagoons, waterfalls and camera-ready beaches. "Lost" was filmed at Diamond Head, a must-climb volcano with amazing views of Waikiki Beach. Surfing beginners can test Oahu?s waves after taking lessons at Uncle Bryan?s Sunset Suratt Surf School.

Meanwhile, seafood is abundant for healthful meals. At the Royal Hawaiian hotel, Azure?s chefs hit the Honolulu Fish Auction at 5:30 every morning to choose from the daily catch, like opakapaka (pink snapper) roasted with white wine, Meyer lemon and fresh herbs.

More from Food & Wine?

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Source: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/10/10098114-americas-healthiest-cities-to-visit

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Swag suites abound at the Sundance Film Festival (AP)

PARK CITY, Utah ? Where there are celebrities, there is swag, and the Sundance Film Festival is no exception. Nearly a dozen gift suites opened their doors Friday afternoon along the city's Main Street.

Kate Bosworth, Andy Samberg, Emma Roberts and Rashida Jones are among the famous folks who stopped by the VEVO PowerStation SOREL Suite, where they could indulge in moisturizing facials and lip treatments from Fresh cosmetics and outfit their feet in snow-ready footwear.

"I think we belong here," said Kimberly Barta, global brand director for SOREL snow boots. "It just makes sense."

The company is also offering a 24-hour concierge service that will deliver boots around the clock to stars who can't stop by the suite.

At the Alive Expo Green Pavilion, guests could pick up natural skincare products and handmade handbags by Kenyan artisans from Tembo Trading Co.

The Bertolli Meal Soup Chalet served up bowls of hot soup and handed out sunglasses and Lumene skincare products to visitors. Joe Pastorkovich of Lumene said Sundance is the perfect place to introduce the European brand to an American audience.

"We're expanding into the U.S., and our brand connects well to Park City," he said. "It's a good fit because of the naturalness of the product, and we're unpretentious. This festival is about independent film, and we're an independent brand."

Italian shoe company Carlo Pazolini also exhibited (and gifted) its wares at the Sundance fest as a means of expanding its market reach.

"We're a European company launching in the U.S., so we wanted to get our name out there," company executive Jennifer Damiano said from the Miami Oasis suite, where she gave away high-end leather shoes and handbags. Guests at the suite were also treated to gluten-free snacks, hair styling by got2B, and cocktails from DiSaronno and Patron.

The Miami Oasis is just one part of the brand-heavy T-Mobile Village at the Lift, which includes McDonald's McCafe Lounge, the Puma Social Lounge and a temporary Tao nightclub.

Actress Blythe Danner stopped by the Fender Music Lodge, which offered live music and swag including Bear Paw boots and Park Lane jewelry.

Sundance sponsors HP, Acura, Chase Sapphire and the Sundance Channel also hosted suites along Main Street.

Alex Wilson, who produced the VEVO suite, said brands love Sundance because of the concentrated star power and media presence.

"In one location for five days, you can't get any bigger as far as names and exposure," he said. "With the heat of Park City, word travels fast."

And the number of branded suites keeps growing, too, much to the chagrin of Sundance Institute founder Robert Redford. He lamented that the success of the festival has attracted what he calls "leveragers" who muddle its mission of nurturing and celebrating independent film.

"They come in with their own agendas to use the festival to piggyback their agendas," he said. "It's a free country and there's nothing we can do about that ... but we have to work harder and harder to point to the fact that this is about the filmmakers. This is about their work and showing their work to you."

Many of the gift suites will close by Monday. The Sundance Film Festival continues through Jan. 29.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen is on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/APSandy.

___

Online:

http://www.sundance.org/festival

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120121/ap_en_ot/us_film_sundance_swag

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How the major stock indexes fared on Friday (AP)

IBM and Microsoft drove the Dow Jones industrial average higher Friday after the tech giants reported stronger earnings than analysts expected.

Microsoft said sales of Xbox games and Office software helped push revenue up in the last quarter of 2011. IBM credited better sales of software and services and raised its earnings outlook for the year. Microsoft rose 6 percent and IBM rose 4 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 96.50 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 12,720.48.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 0.88 points, or 0.07 percent, to 1,315.38.

The Nasdaq composite index fell 1.63 points, or 0.06 percent, to 2,786.70.

For the week:

The Dow is up 298.42, or 2.4 percent.

The S&P 500 is up 26.29, or 2 percent.

The Nasdaq is up 76.03 or 2.8 percent.

For the year to date:

The Dow is up 502.92, or 4.1 percent.

The S&P 500 is up 57.78 points, or 4.6 percent.

The Nasdaq is up 181.55 points, or 6.9 percent.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enterprise/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_bi_ge/us_wall_street_box

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Actor Wahlberg apologizes for 9/11 comments (AP)

NEW YORK ? Actor Mark Wahlberg has apologized for asserting that he would have stopped terrorists from flying an airliner into New York's World Trade Center on Sept. 11 if he had been on the plane.

The star of the film "Contraband" issued his apology Wednesday after comments he made to Men's Journal drew criticism.

He told an interviewer in the February issue that had he been on American Airlines Flight 11 with his children "it wouldn't have went down like it did." Terrorists flew the plane with 92 people aboard into the north tower on Sept. 11, 2001.

In his apology, Wahlberg said to speculate was "ridiculous to begin with." He said that to suggest he "would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_en_mo/us_people_mark_wahlberg

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Heated Beds Now Available at Ideas-4-Pets | Philippines Press ...

West Yorkshire, United Kingdom, (7th December, 2011) ? Ideas-4-Pets, a leading UK-based online supplier of quality pet housing and other pet accessories, are now providing a range of heated pet beds on their website.

Ideas-4-Pets? range of heated pet beds is designed to offer animals a warm and comfortable area to relax and sleep in during the cooler months. Available for both cats and dogs, these heated pet beds offer a versatile and affordable means of ensuring that no matter how much the temperatures drop this winter, the nation?s pets will remain warm.

Customers can choose between purchasing heated dome beds, round beds, igloos or heated pads. Heated pads are ideal for customers with particularly fastidious pets, as they can be slipped underneath a pet?s current bed to ensure they can stay warm without being taken out of their comfort zone.

Sue Lloyd, a co-partner of Ideas-4-Pets, commented: ?Whilst keeping our pets warm during the harsh weather conditions this winter might not be on our priority list, it is still essential to ensure that our dogs and cats are comfortable and have adequate access to warmth during this time. Plus, as the release of these heat pads and beds coincides with the festive season, they might even make an ideal gift for your pet or a friend or relative?s pet.

?Browse our collection of heated dog and cat beds today to find the perfect, cosy hub for your pet this winter.?

For more information on Ideas-4-Pets and their heated pet beds, visit their website at www.ideas-4-pets.com or telephone 01274 562204.

About Ideas-4-Pets:

Since they began trading in 2003, Ideas-4-Pets have grown to become one of the largest online retailers of pet housing. They specialise in supplying high quality dog kennels, dog cages, dog beds, parrot cages, rabbit hutches, chicken coops and many other pet products at affordable prices, hand in hand with pet care advice and information to enable pet owners, to provide a practical and safe environment for their pets.

?

Contact:

Ideas-4-Pets

Burley House

Parklands

West Yorkshire

Zip: BD16 3PD

Tel: 01274 562204

Email: pr@clickconsult.com

Source: http://www.philippinespressrelease.com/business/heated-beds-now-available-at-ideas-4-pets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=heated-beds-now-available-at-ideas-4-pets

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Romney on the ropes (Americablog)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/188972121?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Russell Brand to interview Ringo for Sirius XM (AP)

NEW YORK ? British actor-comedian Russell Brand will interview former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr for Sirius XM Radio.

"Town Hall With Ringo Starr" will air live from Los Angeles on Jan. 30.

Music producer Don Was will moderate the Q&A, and Starr will perform at the event.

A day later, Starr will release his 17th solo album, "Ringo 2012."

Brand said in a statement Thursday that he's a "massive fan" of Starr, "but like most people I am ignorant as to his life before he rose to prominence with `Thomas the Tank Engine.'"

Added Brand: "Now we can unravel the enigma of Ringo."

Past "Town Hall" specials have featured Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Coldplay and members of Nirvana.

___

Online:

http://www.ringostarr.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_en_mo/us_people_russell_brand

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Obama rebuts Romney's foreign policy criticism (AP)

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama says Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney and his rivals are "playing to their base" in attacking his foreign policy record.

Obama tells Time magazine that they'll keep doing so until the primary season is over. But the president contends that overall it will be hard to argue that he hasn't executed a strategy that's put the country in a stronger position.

Responding to a question in the Time interview, Obama invokes Romney by name ? something he rarely does ? referring to "Mr. Romney and the rest of the Republican field" in saying they were playing to their base but that their attacks won't withstand what he calls "serious debate."

Obama also dismisses GOP claims that he has a policy of appeasement or apologizes for America.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_el_pr/us_obama_romney

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EU court denies Scot's extradition appeal (AP)

PARIS ? A European court has turned down an appeal by a British man who has been fighting extradition to the United States to face a murder charge for nearly a decade.

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, says extraditing Phillip Harkins to a country with the death penalty would not breach his human rights.

Harkins, a 33-year-old Scot, is accused of killing a man during an attempted robbery in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1999. He has been fighting extradition from Scotland since being released on bail in 2002.

He was arrested in the U.K. after the U.S. government applied for his extradition and gave assurances the death penalty would not be used in this case.

The European court ruled Tuesday that the U.S. assurances are "clear and sufficient."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_us_extradition

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Sundance Exclusive Clip And Poster: 'Uncle Luke' Gets 'Freaky'

At this month's Sundance Independent Film Festival, 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell will star in a short film probably unlike anything you've ever seen before.

"The Life and Freaky Time of Uncle Luke" tells a fictionalized account of Campbell's hip hop career and campaign to be mayor of Miami-Dade County. The story line strays from fact [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/01/17/life-and-freaky-times-of-uncle-luke-clip/

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DA: Homeless killings suspect stalked victims (AP)

SANTA ANA, Calif. ? The Iraq War veteran would carefully stalk each of his victims from among the thousands of homeless living in Southern California. He would then stab them repeatedly with a knife that could cut through bone, authorities say.

For his fourth and latest victim, they say, Itzcoatl Ocampo selected a homeless man featured in a Los Angeles Times story about a killing spree that terrorized those living on the streets for weeks.

And Ocampo had plans for more, until he was chased down by bystanders Friday night after the fatal stabbing of a 64-year-old homeless man. He was caught with blood on his hands and face, authorities say.

"He was a monster," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters at a news conference. "He was a terrible threat, particularly to the homeless people in our community."

Ocampo was charged Tuesday with four counts of murder and special allegations of multiple murders and lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon. Three victims were stabbed more than 40 times with a single-edged blade at least 7-inches long.

Authorities declined to say whether they had identified a motive. Rackauckas said he had no indication that Ocampo was mentally ill.

Ocampo's family said the 23-year-old was a troubled man after he returned from Iraq in 2008. Ocampo was being held in isolation at an Orange County jail while officers keep an eye on him 24 hours a day, officials said.

If convicted, Ocampo faces a minimum sentence of life in prison without parole. Authorities have yet to decide whether to seek the death penalty.

Ocampo is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday. It was not immediately known whether Ocampo had an attorney.

The killing spree began in December, prompting police and advocates to fan out across the county known as the home to Disneyland and multimillion-dollar beachfront homes to urge the homeless to sleep in groups or in one of two wintertime shelters.

Ocampo's arrest Friday was the latest violent crime involving a veteran. This month, an Iraq War veteran fatally shot a ranger at Mount Rainier National Park and died later as he fled police across the mountain's snow-covered slopes.

Veterans Affairs officials say such high-profile violence can paint an inaccurate picture of returning veterans. The cases, however, raise the issue of veterans having a difficult time adjusting back into civilian life.

To help, the VA created a program to assist veterans in adjusting to their new lives and avoid repeated brushes with the law. "We've seen over and over again that once they access those services, we can help them," VA spokesman Josh Taylor said.

A neighbor who is a Vietnam veteran and Ocampo's father both tried to push him to get treatment at a VA hospital, but he refused. His father, Refugio Ocampo, said, his son came back from his deployment a changed man. He said his son expressed disillusionment and became ever darker as he struggled to find his way.

After he was discharged in 2010 and returned home, his parents separated. The same month, one of his friends, a corporal, was killed during combat in Afghanistan. His brother said Ocampo visited his friend's grave twice a week.

Like the men Ocampo is accused of preying on, his father is homeless. His father lost his job and ended up living under a bridge before finding shelter in the cab of a broken-down big-rig he is helping repair.

Days before his arrest, Ocampo visited his father, warning him of the danger of being homeless. He showed him a picture of one of the slain men, his father said.

"He was very worried about me," his father said. "I told him, `Don't worry. I'm a survivor. Nothing will happen to me.'"

Itzcoatl Ocampo followed a friend into the Marine Corps right out of high school in 2006. He now lives with his mother, uncle, younger brother and sister in a rented house on a horse ranch surrounded by the sprawling suburbs of Yorba Linda.

His family described a physical condition he suffered in which his hands shook and he suffered headaches. Medical treatments helped until he started drinking heavily, they said.

As fear spread through the homeless community, police in the last week set up road blockades to seek help from members of the public in tracking down a suspect. Ocampo, who appeared to relish the media spotlight, passed through the checkpoints twice but did not draw attention to himself, Rackauckas said.

Ocampo was arrested Friday night when witnesses chased him down after John Berry was stabbed to death outside a fast-food restaurant in Anaheim, about 26 miles southeast of Los Angeles, authorities said.

A day before he died, Berry had filed a report with police saying he believed someone was trying to follow him. It was one of nearly 600 leads and tips that officers received.

"It is unfortunate that we didn't get to him before the suspect did," Anaheim Police Chief John Welter said.

In addition to Berry, James Patrick McGillivray, 53, was killed near a shopping center in Placentia on Dec. 20 and Lloyd Middaugh, 42, was found near a riverbed trail in Anaheim on Dec. 28. The third victim, Paulus Smit, 57, was stabbed to death outside a library in Yorba Linda on Dec. 30.

Smit became homeless last year after his girlfriend's home was shuttered by code enforcement officers because of hoarding and clutter. Ever since, the father of three had moved between the homes of two of his children and spent some time on the streets, his daughter Julia Smit-Lozano said.

Smit-Lozano, who spent the Christmas holiday with her father days before he was killed, welcomed the news of Ocampo's arrest. "I'm glad the streets are a little safer for the rest of the homeless," she said.

___

Associated Press writer Kevin Freking in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120117/ap_on_re_us/us_homeless_homicides

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Paul fights Washington spending, flies first class

Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, campaigns in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, campaigns in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican presidential candidate, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, of Texas, speaks during a campaign event in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/The Sun News, Matt Silfer)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has been spending large amounts on airfare as a congressman, flying first class on dozens of taxpayer-funded flights to his home state. The practice conflicts with the image that Paul portrays as the only presidential candidate serious about cutting federal spending.

Paul flew first class on at least 31 round-trip flights and 12 one-way flights since May 2009 when he was traveling between Washington and his district in Texas, according to a review by The Associated Press of his congressional office expenses. Four other round-trip tickets and two other one-way tickets purchased during the period were eligible for upgrades to first-class after they were bought, but those upgrades would not be documented in the expense records.

Paul, whose distrust of big government is the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, trusts the more expensive government rate for Continental Airlines when buying his tickets. Paul chose not to buy the cheaper economy tickets at a fraction of the price because they aren't refundable or as flexible for scheduling, his congressional staff said.

"We always get him full refundable tickets since the congressional schedule sometimes changes quickly," said Jeff Deist, Paul's chief of staff. Paul might have to pay out of his own pocket for canceled flights in some cases if he didn't buy refundable tickets, Deist said.

But records show that most of the flights for Paul were purchased well in advance and few schedule changes were necessary. Nearly two-thirds of the 49 tickets were purchased at least two weeks in advance, and 42 percent were bought at least three weeks in advance, the AP's review found.

Paul charged taxpayers nearly $52,000 on the more expensive tickets, or $27,621 more than the average Continental airfare for the flights between Washington and Houston, according to the AP's review of his congressional expenses and average airfares compiled by the Department of Transportation.

The more expensive tickets have other benefits as well, including allowing Paul to upgrade to first class when his staff reserves a flight because his frequent government travel gives him membership in an elite class of Continental customers who earn travel perks. Upgrades to first-class with cheaper fares are possible, at times limited to available seats days before the flight. But those upgrades are not guaranteed and some require ticket changes at the airport, according to the airline's frequent flyer rules.

The AP reviewed congressional travel before the Iowa caucuses for the two members of Congress running at the time ? Paul and Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota. Bachmann later ended her presidential campaign.

House records show Bachmann, like most other congressional members, also paid the more expensive government rate for airfare. But her staff would not provide access to more detailed expense records that show when and what type of tickets were purchased.

Paul's congressional staff provided access to all expense records requested.

Congressional members don't have to pay the government rate for travel, but most do, including many like Paul and Bachmann who advocate cuts in federal spending.

"You could almost always beat the government rate," said Steve Ellis, vice president of the Washington-based Taxpayers for Common Sense, a federal budget watchdog group. "They need to be walking the walk, and one of the ways they can do that is to be fiscally responsible for how they spend their member office money."

Jesse Benton, Paul's campaign manager, didn't respond to a written request to explain how Paul's use of more expensive airfare, which allows him to fly first class, corresponds with his commitment to cut federal spending. Instead, he sent a statement that started, "No one is more committed to cutting spending than Dr. Paul."

But Paul's congressional travel conflicts with claims in campaign appearances that he's the most frugal and serious deficit hawk in the race.

"The talk you hear in Washington is pure talk, because there is nobody suggesting, the other candidates are not talking about real cuts," Paul said in a speech to supporters last week after his second-place finish in New Hampshire.

He has proposed cutting $1 trillion from the federal budget during his first year as president, and has confronted other candidates in public forums as "big government conservatives."

"You're a big spender, that's all there is to it," Paul told former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania during a GOP debate in New Hampshire.

Paul boasts on his website about declining other congressional perks, such as a pension and all-expense-paid travel "junkets" that other lawmakers take. And he says he regularly returns money from his congressional account to the treasury.

But when it comes to his congressional travel, Paul has opted not to search for cheaper airfares that could mean returning more of his office account to the treasury, which uses any money returned by House or Senate members to help reduce the federal deficit.

Paul paid $51,972 for his government-rate flights between Washington and Houston between May 2009 and March 2011, or more than twice the $24,351 average airfare on Continental for travel between Washington and Houston. The average airfare figure represents the price for all tickets purchased for Continental flights between Washington and Houston, including economy and first-class travel, according to the Transportation Department's Domestic Airline Fares Consumer Report, which collects airfare information for the nation's busiest travel routes.

Paul's staff regularly booked him in first class on flights when tickets were purchased, according to expense records. His office paid between $1,217 and $1,311 for each round-trip flight, compared to the average airfare for that trip ranging from $528 to $760, according to the airline fares consumer report.

The period reviewed by the AP was the most recent period for which complete congressional expense records were available.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-16-Paul-Travel/id-2bf366271adf407ea176e7e92f02db46

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