FASEB SRC announces conference registration open for: Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression: Mechanisms of MRNA Decay

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Emily Benson
SRC@faseb.org
301-634-7010
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Bethesda, MD The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) announces the opening of registration for the Science Research Conference (SRC): Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression: Mechanisms of mRNA Decay.

This conference will take place June 24-29, 2012 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The goal of the conference is to improve our current understanding of the fundamental mechanisms by which post-transcriptional control of RNA stability and translation regulates gene expression in normal and disease states. The program will consist of sessions that will broadly address cutting-edge issues including 5' and 3' end control of mRNA decay, subcellular localization of mRNA translation and decay, and RNA-binding proteins and mRNA fate. Small poster sessions will also enable all participants to contribute to, and learn about, these topics. There is also free time in the program for informal discussions among established and junior principal investigators, post-doctoral trainees and graduate students from the U.S. and abroad. This meeting will bring together sets of researchers who, despite having converging interests, have infrequent opportunities to meet as a group. A particular attraction is to bring together researchers focused on prokaryotic and eukaryotic features of post-transcriptional control to exchange information and stimulate new ideas. The resulting discussions and cross-fertilization will help define critical areas to propel this field forward.

###

Since 1982, FASEB SRC has offered a continuing series of inter-disciplinary exchanges that are recognized as a valuable complement to the highly successful society meetings. Divided into small groups, scientists from around the world meet intimately and without distractions to explore new approaches to those research areas undergoing rapid scientific changes.

In recent years, the SRC series has expanded into non-summer months. To better enhance the SRC series and allow for future expansion of conferences, FASEB's Office of Scientific Meetings and Conferences recently changed the SRC name from Summer Research Conferences to Science Research Conferences.

FASEB SRC has announced a total of 36 SRCs in 2012, spanning from June through October. To register for an SRC, view preliminary programs, or find a listing of all our 2012 SRCs, please visit http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

Additionally, in efforts to continue expanding the SRC series, potential organizers are encouraged to contact SRC staff at SRC@faseb.org. Proposal guidelines can be found by clicking "Submit a Proposal" on our website at http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Celebrating 100 Years of Advancing the Life Sciences in 2012, FASEB is rededicating its efforts to advance health and well-being by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Emily Benson
SRC@faseb.org
301-634-7010
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Bethesda, MD The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) announces the opening of registration for the Science Research Conference (SRC): Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression: Mechanisms of mRNA Decay.

This conference will take place June 24-29, 2012 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The goal of the conference is to improve our current understanding of the fundamental mechanisms by which post-transcriptional control of RNA stability and translation regulates gene expression in normal and disease states. The program will consist of sessions that will broadly address cutting-edge issues including 5' and 3' end control of mRNA decay, subcellular localization of mRNA translation and decay, and RNA-binding proteins and mRNA fate. Small poster sessions will also enable all participants to contribute to, and learn about, these topics. There is also free time in the program for informal discussions among established and junior principal investigators, post-doctoral trainees and graduate students from the U.S. and abroad. This meeting will bring together sets of researchers who, despite having converging interests, have infrequent opportunities to meet as a group. A particular attraction is to bring together researchers focused on prokaryotic and eukaryotic features of post-transcriptional control to exchange information and stimulate new ideas. The resulting discussions and cross-fertilization will help define critical areas to propel this field forward.

###

Since 1982, FASEB SRC has offered a continuing series of inter-disciplinary exchanges that are recognized as a valuable complement to the highly successful society meetings. Divided into small groups, scientists from around the world meet intimately and without distractions to explore new approaches to those research areas undergoing rapid scientific changes.

In recent years, the SRC series has expanded into non-summer months. To better enhance the SRC series and allow for future expansion of conferences, FASEB's Office of Scientific Meetings and Conferences recently changed the SRC name from Summer Research Conferences to Science Research Conferences.

FASEB SRC has announced a total of 36 SRCs in 2012, spanning from June through October. To register for an SRC, view preliminary programs, or find a listing of all our 2012 SRCs, please visit http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

Additionally, in efforts to continue expanding the SRC series, potential organizers are encouraged to contact SRC staff at SRC@faseb.org. Proposal guidelines can be found by clicking "Submit a Proposal" on our website at http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Celebrating 100 Years of Advancing the Life Sciences in 2012, FASEB is rededicating its efforts to advance health and well-being by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/foas-fsa_16013012.php

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Marshall's 4 TD catches lift AFC in Pro Bowl

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, of the AFC, catches a pass for a touchdown as Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) of the NFC watches in the third quarter of an NFL football Pro Bowl game Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall, of the AFC, catches a pass for a touchdown as Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) of the NFC watches in the third quarter of an NFL football Pro Bowl game Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall (19) of the AFC pulls in a touchdown over Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) of the NFC during the second quarter of the NFL Pro Bowl football game at Aloha Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, rear, of the NFC, can't pull in a catch over San Diego Chargers free safety Eric Weddle, of the AFC, during the third quarter of the NFL Pro Bowl football game at Aloha Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson (83) of the AFC rolls to a head stand after catching a pass against the NFC in the second quarter of the NFL football Pro Bowl game Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings (85) of the NFC shows the "G" for Green Bay on his gloves after a touchdown reception against the AFC in the second quarter of the NFL football Pro Bowl game Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

HONOLULU (AP) ? Brandon Marshall isn't taking time in the islands to relish his record-breaking Pro Bowl performance. He's ready to get back to work.

The Miami Dolphins wide receiver caught six passes for 176 yards and a Pro Bowl-record four touchdowns, and the AFC used a second-half surge to beat the NFC 59-41 Sunday.

Marshall, who had a game filled with highlight-reel grabs, was selected the game's MVP, and his name now will join the likes of Walter Payton and Jerry Rice on the banners at Aloha Stadium.

"You know what? I wanted it," he said. "It's a Pro Bowl. Some guys are playing 100 (percent), some guys are playing 90, some guys aren't playing at all, but it means a lot to be up in the rafters with some of these guys."

Marshall hopes some of the Pro Bowl magic will carry over to next season, where the Dolphins will be under new coach Joe Philbin, Green Bay's offensive coordinator for the past five years.

"Hopefully down in Miami we can get some things turned around," Marshall said. "We have some special things to do, and we will do some special things down in South Beach."

Marshall had changed his flight to leave Honolulu on Sunday night, so he could meet Philbin on Monday. "I know he's going to do a great job," he said.

The 59 points by the AFC set a Pro Bowl mark, and the 100 points scored by the teams combined was the second highest, a touchdown shy of the 107 scored in 2004.

While everyone was playing at half-speed and ready to extend their Hawaiian vacations, Marshall played with urgency.

"You never know when you're going to be back," Marshall said, "and I wanted to go all out today because it could be my last Pro Bowl."

He hauled in a deflected, go-ahead 47-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton, while on his back, to give the AFC a 38-35 lead late in the third quarter. It was Marshall's third TD catch of the game, tying Jimmy Smith's Pro Bowl record set in 2004.

"It was the most unathletic highlight I ever had," he said. "Andy put it up there for me to make a play. I saw the ball, got nervous, fell, saw the ball, kicked it up and it just fell in my hands."

Marshall, making his third Pro Bowl appearance, then nabbed a 3-yard TD pass from Dalton that gave the AFC a 52-35 lead with 8:25 left.

Hawaii has been kind to Marshall, who also won MVP honors at Aloha Stadium in his final game at Central Florida in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl, where he caught 11 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns.

Marshall noted he had six TDs this season, but four this game.

"It says a lot when you're playing with these type of quarterbacks," Marshall said. "They just put it in the right place and I just made the play. Hats off to those guys throwing me the ball."

The game featured rookie quarterbacks Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals, who replaced Super Bowl quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady and played the entire second half. Their selection made this Pro Bowl the first to feature two rookie signal callers.

While Dalton looked composed, Newton played horribly ? struggling to move the ball, stay in the pocket and find his targets, which drew some boos from the sun-splashed, sellout crowd of 48,423.

"No excuses," Newton said. "When you hang the ball up there, against these kind of players, that's what you get," Newton said. "It's the good and the bad of playing in a Pro Bowl. I learned a lot."

Newton finished 9 of 27 for 186 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Eric Weddle picked off Newton twice. Dalton, meanwhile, was 7 of 9 for 99 yards and two TDs.

For the NFC, Aaron Rodgers was 13 of 17 for 141 yards and two TDs. But he was watching late in the game as Newton struggled.

"It's tough to be the last guy in, when it's the fourth quarter and money becomes an issue," he said. "Guys are playing a little bit harder. They come at you."

The NFC had three players with 100-yard yard receiving: Tony Gonzalez (seven for 114), Larry Fitzgerald (6 for 111) and Steve Smith (5 for 118).

Rodgers and Fitzgerald connected for a pair of scores on back-to-back plays to put the NFC up 14-0 early in the game.

After stopping the AFC on fourth down at midfield, Rodgers drove the NFC down the field and threw a 10-yard TD toss to Fitzgerald. Six seconds later, Rodgers aired a 44-yard rainbow in the end zone to Fitzgerald for another score after the NFC got the ball back with a surprise onside kick.

The reception was Fitzgerald's sixth career TD catch in the Pro Bowl, tying Gonzalez's record. He would break the record with the game's last touchdown, on a 36-yard pass from Newton.

The AFC came right back and tied it up on two deep TD passes on the right side by Ben Roethlisberger. He threw a 34-yarder to rookie A.J. Green, and then connected with Marshall on a 74-yarder.

Each AFC player earned a record $50,000 for the win, while the NFC players received $25,000.

While the players hope to return to Hawaii next year, it's still unknown where the 2013 Pro Bowl will be played. Sunday's game marked the final one under contract between the NFL and Hawaii.

"As someone who played in the Pro Bowl when it was in a different city, I can tell you that it's not a real comparison," Rodgers said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-30-Pro%20Bowl%20Folo/id-2d471063a56b46d182fda24ff86fe8f3

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Palin's Swipe at Republican Establishment 'Cannibals' Part of a Strategy (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | The pile on Newt Gingrich by the Republican establishment, as well as some conservative writers, has drawn the ire of Sarah Palin, who decried the attacks of "Cannibals in GOP Establishment" in a recent Facebook post.

Palin has not formally endorsed Gingrich, though she did offer him support in the South Carolina primary. Palin's rebuke is not so much a defense of Gingrich than it is an assertion of tea party power and ideas, which she believes should be the driving force in the effort to replace President Barack Obama. Right now, Gingrich represents the best expression of the tea party approach.

Palin is also continuing her strategy of making sure the primary contest does not end too soon, on the theory that whoever comes out the nominee, Mitt Romney or Gingrich, will be the stronger for having competed.

Palin's expression of support might be too late to save Gingrich in Florida. The Real Clear Politics average has Romney ahead comfortably. But Gingrich is still ahead in the national polls, according to RCP.

Palin has again shown a certain adroitness that most of her critics cannot credit. If she can single handedly keep the Republican primary process going, she will have solidified her status as a Republican "gray eminence," albeit not a member of holy orders. If Gingrich is the nominee, he will be beholden to her. If Romney is the nominee, then he will be obliged to appease her to gain the support of tea party conservatives he will need to win the general election.

How that influence will redound to Palin's benefit is unknown. Gingrich has hinted she might be in line for the vice presidency or a Cabinet post in his potential administration. Romney would be advised to keep her in mind for some office of trust as well. He will also have to have her blessing where it concerns his positions and his future plans as president.

A lot of people were disappointed when Palin chose not to run. But it looks like she knew what she was doing. As a presidential candidate, she would have been just one among many. As Sarah Palin, private citizen, she is the Mama Grizzly, to be courted and appeased and to be crossed at ones peril.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120128/pl_ac/10896339_palins_swipe_at_republican_establishment_cannibals_part_of_a_strategy

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St. Louis hosting 1st big parade on Iraq War's end

Stephanie King holds a picture of her uncle, Col. Stephen Scott who was killed in Iraq in 2008, as she prepares to participate in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Stephanie King holds a picture of her uncle, Col. Stephen Scott who was killed in Iraq in 2008, as she prepares to participate in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Spectators cheer and wave as they watch a parade to honor Iraq War veterans pass Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Spectators applaud as a parade to honor Iraq War veterans passes Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Pictures of solders killed in Iraq and Afghanistan hang on the side of a truck taking part in a parade to honor Iraq War veterans Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, in St. Louis. Thousands turned out to watch the first big welcome home parade in the U.S. since the last troops left Iraq in December. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

ST. LOUIS (AP) ? Thousands of people lining downtown streets cheered wildly as veterans, some wiping away tears, marched through St. Louis on Saturday during the nation's first big welcome-home parade for Iraq War veterans.

Several hundred veterans, many dressed in camouflage, walked alongside military vehicles, marching bands and even the Budweiser Clydesdales. People in the crowd held signs reading "Welcome Home" and "God Bless Our Troops," and fire trucks with aerial ladders hoisted three huge American flags along the route.

"It's not necessarily overdue. It's just the right thing," said Maj. Rich Radford, who became a symbol of the event thanks to a photo of his young daughter taking his hand while welcoming him home from his second tour in Iraq in 2010.

Since the war ended, there has been little fanfare for returning veterans aside from gatherings at airports and military bases ? no ticker-tape parades or large public celebrations ? so two friends from St. Louis decided to change that.

They sought donations, launched a Facebook page, met with the mayor and mapped a route in a grass-roots effort that raised about $35,000. More than half came from Anheuser-Busch and the Mayflower moving company, which both have St. Louis ties.

On Saturday, the work paid off ? and the biggest cheers clearly were for the veterans. People standing along the route waved small American flags and wildly cheered as groups of troops walked by, with some veterans wiping away tears as they acknowledged the support.

Gayla Gibson, a 38-year-old Air Force master sergeant, was proud that her hometown was the first to honor Iraq War veterans. Gibson spent four months there in 2003 working as a medical technician.

"We saw some horrible things," she said. "Amputations. Broken bones. Severe burns from IEDSs."

Gibson said she was moved by the turnout and the patriotic fervor.

"I think it's great when people come out to support those who gave their lives and put their lives on the line for this country," she added.

Radford, a 23-year Army veteran, served two tours in Iraq totaling about 25 months, never at ease.

"The Iraqis didn't like us, didn't want us in their country. They would sellout our positions, our missions. That invited danger every day," he said.

When he came back from his second tour, he said his then-6-year-old daughter Aimee reached up and grabbed his hand, saying simply: "I missed you, daddy." Radford's sister caught the moment with her camera, and that image now graces T-shirts and posters for the parade.

With 91,000 troops still fighting in Afghanistan, many of those veterans could be redeployed ? suggesting to some that it's premature to celebrate their homecoming. In New York, for example, Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently said there would be no city parade for Iraq War veterans in the foreseeable future because of objections voiced by military officials.

But others wanted to hold a large, public event to say thanks. While the parade in St. Louis was held to mark the end of the Iraq War, all military personnel involved in post-Sept. 11 conflicts were welcomed to take part, organizers said.

"It struck me that there was this debate going on as to whether there should or shouldn't be a parade," Tom Appelbaum, one of the organizers, said ahead of the event. "Instead of waiting around for somebody somewhere to say, 'Yes, let's have a parade,' we said, 'Let's just do it.'"

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-28-Iraq%20War-Parade/id-260b41b46f48490c99257bc67479d59e

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Amid tears, Giffords bids her farewell to Congress

This video image provided by House Television shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Giffords resigned from the House on Wednesday amid tears, tributes and standing ovations, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo/House Television)

This video image provided by House Television shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Giffords resigned from the House on Wednesday amid tears, tributes and standing ovations, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo/House Television)

This video image provided by House Television shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., accompanied by Democratic National Committee Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Giffords resigned from the House on Wednesday amid tears, tributes and standing ovations, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo/House Television)

This video image provided by House Television shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Giffords resigned from the House on Wednesday amid tears, tributes and standing ovations, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo/House Television)

This video image provided by House Television shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Giffords resigned from the House on Wednesday amid tears, tributes and standing ovations, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo/House Television)

This video image provided by House Television shows Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. Giffords resigned from the House on Wednesday amid tears, tributes and standing ovations, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin. (AP Photo/House Television)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The applause rolled through the big chamber, growing ever louder as hundreds of Republicans and Democrats suddenly realized Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was back in the House.

But this time she had come to say goodbye.

Fellow lawmakers gave her a fitting send-off: cheers, hugs, a cascade of tributes and plenty of tears in a rare moment of political unity.

A year since that fateful Saturday morning when Giffords was severely wounded during a shooting rampage in her home district, the Arizona congresswoman resigned on Wednesday with a plea for civility ? and a hint that she'll be back on the national stage. For now, the 41-year-old said, her movements and speech still halting, she needs to focus on her recovery.

For all the kind words showered on her, Giffords reflected in her resignation letter about a level of respect that seems like an aberration these days in a bitterly divided Washington.

In her five years in Congress, she said, "Always I fought for what I thought was right. But never did I question the character of those with whom I disagreed. Never did I let pass an opportunity to join hands with someone just because he or she held different ideals."

Said Republican Rep. Ted Poe of Texas in the first of many tributes: "Gabby is the spirit of bipartisanship that we should all learn from."

Giffords' friend Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., became emotional before reading Giffords' resignation letter in the well of the House. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., held Giffords' hand. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, cried after Giffords slowly made her way to the podium and handed him the envelope with her resignation letter.

Last January, a gunman opened fire at Giffords' "Congress on Your Corner" event in Tucson, killing six people, including a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge and wounding 13, including Giffords who suffered a gunshot wound to her head. She has spent the past year recovering, showing up in the House just once last August to vote on raising the nation's borrowing authority.

That appearance stirred speculation about her political future and whether she would seek another term or even pursue an open Senate seat.

Giffords put that talk to rest on Sunday, announcing in a Web video that she would resign this week. On Monday, she met with survivors of the shootings in Arizona, , finishing the event that she had started outside a supermarket. On Tuesday night, she received thunderous applause and a hug from President Barack Obama at his State of the Union address.

Colleagues and friends stood with her, Flake by her side. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., had her back.

On Wednesday, Republicans and Democrats turned a morning debate over Giffords' last bill into a forum to praise her work and perseverance.

"We haven't seen the last of Gabby Giffords," said Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas. "I believe ... whatever the future holds for her she has made this a better place."

Around 10 a.m., Giffords entered the chamber through the main door, the same one Obama used the previous night. Wasserman Schultz assisted her as she made her way down the aisle, greeted warmly by colleagues with kisses and hugs. She sat in the front row for a flurry of tributes. In the gallery sat her mother, Gloria, and husband, retired Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, the former astronaut.

"All of us come to the floor today ... to salute her as the brightest star among us, the brightest star Congress has ever seen," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said he received a call from Kelly on Sunday informing him of Giffords' plans to resign. He said Giffords' "strength against all odds serves and will continue to serve as a daily inspiration to all of us."

Said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., "The House of Representative has been made proud by this extraordinary daughter of the House. Gabby, we love you, we have missed you."

Prolonged standing ovations and spontaneous whoops marked the tributes. Giffords briefly waved at Kelly and her mother when their names were mentioned.

Surrounded by colleagues and friends, Giffords stood in the well of the chamber to resign. Wasserman Schultz read her two-page letter to Boehner.

"Everyday, I am working hard," Giffords wrote. "I will recover and will return, and we will work together again, for Arizona and for all Americans."

She purposefully made it to the podium to deliver the letter to Boehner.

Moments later, the House, including Giffords, voted for her final piece of legislation ? a bill that would impose tougher penalties on smugglers who use small, low-flying aircraft to avoid radar detection and bring drugs across the Mexican border.

The vote was 408-0. The Senate, which recently passed a version of the bill, is expected to vote Thursday on the measure and send it to Obama for his signature.

Giffords submitted resignation letters to both Boehner and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. It falls to Brewer to set a date for a special primary and general election to fill the Arizona seat. That will probably happen in the spring or early summer. In November, voters will choose someone for the full two-year term.

After the tribute, Kelly said his wife realized stepping down was the right thing to do.

"But I'm more optimistic than anybody else about her future. She just needs some more time, whether it's a year or two years or three years, I'm very confident she's going to have a long and effective career as a public servant," he said.

Asked about her daughter's future, Gloria Giffords said, "I kind of think she's transcended Congress. I don't know where she's going to end up."

"She's remembered every boy she's ever kissed, every song she's ever sang, every bill she's ever passed," she said. "So upward and onward."

___

Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Jim Abrams contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-25-US-Giffords-Resignation/id-b641f7c0cbb9460da95bc443134657cc

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Mexican moms: We were duped into giving up kids

ZAPOPAN, Mexico?? Life seemed to give Karla Zepeda a break when a woman came to her dusty neighborhood of cinderblock homes and dirt roads looking for babies to photograph in an anti-abortion ad campaign.

The woman allegedly asked to use the 15-year-old's baby girl in a two-week photo shoot for $755 (10,000 pesos), a small fortune for a teen mother who earns $180 a month at a sandwich stand and shares a cramped, one-story house with her disabled mother, stepfather, and three brothers.

But 9-month-old Camila wasn't just posing for photographs when she was taken away.

Jalisco state investigators say the child was left for weeks at a time in the care of an Irish couple who had come to Ajijic, a town of cobblestone streets and gated communities 37 miles away, thinking they were adopting her.

Prosecutors say the baby was apparently part of an illegal adoption ring that ensnared destitute young Mexican women trying to earn more for their children and childless Irish couples desperate to become parents.

Camila and nine other children have been turned over to state officials who suspect they were being groomed for illegal adoptions.

And authorities hint that far more children could be involved: Lead investigator Blanca Barron told reporters the ring may have been operating for 20 years, though she gave no details. Prosecutors also say four of the children show signs of sexual abuse, though they gave no details on how or by whom.

Nine people have been detained, including two suspected leaders of the ring, but no one has yet been charged.

At least 15 Irish citizens have been questioned, the Jalisco state attorney general's office said, but officials have not released their names.

Neighbors say most or all have returned to Ireland after spending weeks or months in Ajijic trying to meet requirements for adopting a child. None was detained.

Mom: It 'seemed very normal'
For Karla Zepeda, the story began in August, when she was approached by Guadalupe Bosquez and agreed to lend her daughter for an anti-abortion advertising campaign, she told The Associated Press.

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Bosquez later returned with another woman, Silvia Soto, and gave her half the money as they picked the child up. She got the rest two weeks later when they brought Camila home.

"They showed me a poster that showed my girl with other babies and said 'No To Abortion, Yes To Life,'" said Karla, a petite girl cleaning her house to loud norteno music. "I thought it was legal because everything seemed very normal."

Before long, the message spread to her neighbors. Seven other women, most between the ages of 15 and 22, agreed to let their babies be part of the ad campaign.

Some already had several children. Some are single mothers. One of them doesn't know how to read or write. Five of them told the AP that they did not even have birth certificates for their babies when they came across Bosquez and Soto.

Story: Women held in Mexico-to-Ireland adoption racket

One said she needed money to pay for her child's medical care, another to finish building an extra room on her house.

All deny agreeing to give their children up for adoption.

"We're going through a nightmare," said Fernanda Montes, an 18-year-old housewife who said she took part to pay a $670 hospital bill from the birth of her 3-month-old. "How could we have trusted someone so evil?"

Babies given new clothes
The women say that Bosquez and Soto persuaded three of them to register their children as single mothers so they could participate in the anti-abortion campaign, even though they live with the children's fathers.

Children's rights activists say that also could have made it easier to release the child for adoption: Only the mother's signature would be needed.

The mothers were assured that the babies were being taken care of by several nannies and checked by doctors. The babies often returned home wearing new clothes.

Video: Mexican drug cartels target children (on this page)

Some of the mothers said they began having second thoughts. But when they declined to send their children back, they say, Bosquez and Soto insisted they would have to pay for the strollers, car seats, diaper bags and everything else they had bought for the babies.

Investigators say that Bosquez and Soto were taking the children to a hotel in Guadalajara, where they met with Irish couples who believed they were going to adopt them.

The plan began to unravel on Jan. 9, when local police detained 21-year-old Laura Carranza and accused her of trying to sell her 2-year-old daughter.

Slideshow: Narco culture permeates Mexico, leaks across border (on this page)

Investigators said Carranza denied that allegation, but acknowledged she was "renting" her 8-month-old son. She then led authorities to Bosquez and Soto.

Both are now being held on suspicion they ran the alleged anti-abortion ad campaign as a front for an illegal adoption ring. It was not clear if they have attorneys and they have not yet been brought before a judge to say if they accept or reject the allegations.

Carranza is also being held, as is Karla's mother, Cecilia Velazquez, who hasn't worked since she lost both legs in a traffic accident in 2010. Karla says her mother's only fault was agreeing to the ad campaign.

'Problems'
Seven of the mothers interviewed told the AP that the children had most recently been picked up by Bosquez and Soto between Dec. 27 and Dec. 30 for an alleged photo shoot. They returned the babies on Jan. 9 and 10, saying "there had been problems." The mothers said they didn't notice anything wrong with the babies or any signs of abuse.

Then state police investigators showed up at their homes and drove them and their children to the police department for questioning. The babies were taken from them and put into state protective custody. The women complained that only four of them have been allowed to see their babies since, and only once.

A statement from Jalisco state prosecutors' said authorities seized Carranza's two children from her and the other seven while they were with Irish couples. Prosecutors didn't respond to requests by the AP to clarify the discrepancy.

Residents of Ajijic, a town on the shore of Lake Chapala favored by American and Canadian retirees, say Irish citizens looking to adopt Mexican children began appearing there at least four years ago.

Jalisco state prosecutors' spokesman Lino Gonzalez wouldn't confirm the Irish had left, but said none had been charged with a crime.

Even if they had adopted the children, Ireland might not have accepted them because the adoptions were handled privately, Frances FitzGerald, Ireland's minister for children, said.

"Obviously, for any couple caught up in this, it's a nightmare scenario," she said.

"What you can't have in Mexico is people going to local agencies or individuals doing private adoptions because when they come back, there is going to be a difficulty," she added.

Prosecutors say they have been trying without success to reach the attorneys who were handling the adoption paperwork in the neighboring state of Colima.

Custody release statements signed by all of the mothers carry the logo of Lopez y Lopez Asociados, a firm owned by Carlos Lopez Valenzuela and his son, Carlos Lopez Castellanos. Authorities raided their home last week.

The release statements were shown to the AP by a local advocate for missing and stolen children, Juan Manuel Estrada of Fundacion FIND, who said they had been leaked to him by a state official. He said Lopez Valenzuela had separately sent him a lengthy statement by email declaring that he too may have been duped in the case and denying wrongdoing.

Prosecutors wouldn't confirm the authenticity of that statement, but it mirrors the stories of seven mothers who were interviewed by the AP.

Cheating 'very easy'
According to the statement, Lopez said he had handled adoptions in Colima state for 63 Irish couples since 2004. He said he first met Bosquez when she approached him in 2009 about giving her own unborn child up for adoption to an Irish couple, a process, he wrote, that was completed legally.

The statement said that Bosquez also introduced Lopez to a social worker and together they brought him the current case involving Zepeda and the other women from Zapopan, apparently hoping he could match the children to adopting couples.

It says Lopez was told the mothers wanted only to deal with the two women, and he agreed. The young mothers confirmed they never met Lopez.

Lopez didn't respond to emailed interview requests from the AP.

According to the statement, Lopez said he follows the stringent adoption laws set by the Hague Adoption Convention, which Mexico has signed.

Unlike Guatemala or China, Mexico has not been a popular destination for foreigners looking to adopt, perhaps because the process, done by law, is complicated.

"The legal adoption process in Mexico is difficult, but cheating in Mexico is very easy," Estrada said.

Associated Press writer Shawn Pogatchnik in Dublin contributed to this report.

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

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46101549/ns/world_news-europe/

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Magnetic soap hope for oil spills

23 January 2012 Last updated at 18:09 ET

An international team of scientists has demonstrated the first soap that responds to magnets.

This means the soap and the materials that it dissolves can be removed easily by applying a magnetic field.

Experts say that with further development, it could find applications in cleaning up oil spills and waste water.

Details of the new soap, which contains iron atoms, are reported in the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie.

It is similar to ordinary soap, but the atoms of iron help form tiny particles that are easily removed magnetically.

"If you'd have said about 10 years ago to a chemist: 'Let's have some soap that responds to magnets', they'd have looked at you with a very blank face," said co-author Julian Eastoe of the University of Bristol.

He told BBC News: "We were interested to see, if you went back to the chemical drawing board with the tool-kit of modern synthetic chemistry, if you could...design one."

Iron clad

Soap is made of long molecules with ends that behave differently: One end of the molecule is attracted to water and the other is repelled by it.

The "detergent" action of soap comes from its ability to attach to oily, grimy surfaces, with the "water-hating" end breaking up molecules at that surface. The soap molecules then gather up into droplets in which all the "water-loving" ends face outward.

Prof Eastoe and his team started with detergent molecules that he said were "very similar to what you'd find in your kitchen or bathroom" - one of which can be found in mouthwash.

The team found a way to simply add iron atoms into the molecules. The droplets that the soap formed were attracted to a magnet, just as iron filings would be.

But single iron atoms would not behave as tiny individual magnets, so some other process had to be at work. To get a look at what was going on in the chemical process required a view at the molecular level.

So the team sent their samples to the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France, where an intense beam of the sub-atomic particles known as neutrons shed light on the matter.

They saw that the iron particles were clumping neatly together into iron nanoparticles, tiny clumps of iron that could in fact respond to a magnetic field.

Prof Eastoe said the research was still at the laboratory stages but was already the subject of discussion.

"The research at the University of Bristol in this field is about how we can take the ordinary and give it extraordinary properties by chemical design," he said.

"We have uncovered the principle by which you can generate this kind of material and now it's back to the drawing board to make it better."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/science-environment-16681106

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New Zealand whale stranding kills 36, threatens 40 (AP)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand ? A mass-stranding of whales on a New Zealand beach has left 36 of the creatures dead and threatens 40 more.

Department of Conservation area manager John Mason said 99 pilot whales stranded themselves Monday on Farewell Spit on the South Island. By Tuesday, 36 whales had died and another 40 remained stranded and were still in danger.

Mason said conservation staff and volunteers had successfully refloated 17 whales, which had swum out to deeper water. Another six whales remained unaccounted for.

The 40 beached whales were briefly swimming in shallow water early Tuesday afternoon but became stranded again by the evening as the tide went out. Mason said volunteers would try to keep the whales cool and wet until dark. He said after that, all they could hope for was that the whales would swim away on the next high tide during the night.

Pilot whales grow to about 20 feet (6 meters) and regularly strand themselves in large numbers during the New Zealand summer months.

Experts describe Farewell Spit as a whale trap due to the way its shallow waters seem to confuse whales and diminish their ability to navigate.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oceania/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_re_as/as_new_zealand_stranded_whales

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All-white blackbird photographed

23 January 2012 Last updated at 00:13

This unusual blackbird is attracting bird watchers to a Nottinghamshire country park.

The bird is leucistic, which is a genetic mutation that prevents pigments from being deposited normally in its feathers.

It has been residing for the last four years in the woodland of Rufford Abbey Country Park.

Each year, observers say, it has steadily shed its black feathers for white feathers.

Continue reading the main story

Ghostly plumage

• Leucism is often confused with the rarer condition albinism, a genetic condition that prevents the production of melanin in the body; in leucism, these colouring chemicals are present in the body, but are not deposited in feathers
• Some colours in birds' plumage come from other pigments such as carotenoids, so birds can be albinistic and still have some colour
• Leucistic birds may be completely white and still have melanin in their bodies; as for this blackbird, such animals will have dark eyes and white feathers
• Albino birds and animals also have pink eyes, as the only colour in the eyes comes from the blood vessels behind the eyes

Park rangers took this picture of the blackbird - which is now completely white with no visible pigmented feathers - in the summer of 2011.

Leucistic birds are often very vulnerable to predators, because of their bright white plumage. So the park's managers are urging birdwatchers to keep an eye out for this unusual blackbird.

Site manager John Clegg said: "This bird has been steadily turning whiter over the years and last summer it was completely white.

"It has become quite a character at the park in recent years.

"It tends to appear in the warmer months and we have not seen it for a few months but hope it will return here soon."

Most leucistic birds have some spots or patches of colouration in their feathers from other pigments, so this is a particularly unusual specimen.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/16646922

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An emotional start as Philbin takes over Dolphins (AP)

DAVIE, Fla. ? New Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin stood at a lectern, swallowed hard and began to talk about his son's recent drowning. His wife and their five surviving children sat to the side with somber expressions reflecting a loss worse than any game.

Moments later everyone was laughing as Philbin joked about his good fortune in becoming a first-time head coach. He and his family are counting on a bright future to ease the pain of the recent past, and his introductory news conference Saturday was part of the healing process.

"All people suffer loss," said Philbin's wife, Diane. "When you lose someone, it's part of life, but you have to be resilient. You have to take the bad things and difficult times and turn them into good, and that's what we will do. And we'll do it with the Miami Dolphin family."

Philbin, the Green Bay Packers' offensive coordinator for the past five years, said he's eager to lead the Dolphins back to the top of the NFL. He noted they haven't been there since 1973, the year of their most recent Super Bowl championship season.

He also did a little math regarding his career. He has been an assistant since 1984 ? 10,061 days, by his count ? and said that gives him sufficient experience to succeed as a head coach.

"I have a lot of faith in what I'm capable of doing," he said. "I've been fortunate to work with a lot of good people. I've been fortunate to be around winning programs, places where we developed players, we developed men, we had good teams. I'm just confident we'll be able to build the same thing here in Miami."

And then, 22 minutes into the news conference, the subject turned to his son's death.

Philbin interviewed with the Dolphins for the first time Jan. 7. The next day, the body of 21-year-old Michael Philbin was recovered from an icy Wisconsin river.

"You're heartbroken. You're devastated. It's hard to comprehend," Philbin said.

He spent a week away from the Packers, drew comfort from a funeral that included 68 family members, then rejoined his team last Sunday for its divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants.

Philbin said he went home that night uncertain whether to remain a candidate for the Dolphins' job ? or whether the position was even still open.

"I had no idea," he said. "The TV hadn't been on in our house for a week."

Philbin then received a pep talk from his 16-year-old son, Tim.

"He said, `You're going to go after the job, aren't you?'" Philbin recalled. "I said, `I don't know what I'm going to do.' I was dejected on a lot of different fronts. He said, `You'd better go after that job. Michael would want you to.'

"That was the start of me getting back and getting moving again."

Philbin met Wednesday for a second interview with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and general manager Jeff Ireland, who admired the way the coach dealt with the family tragedy.

"You find out what a person is all about in times like that," Ross said. "He's a strong person, a family person. He has a lot to look forward to. I think this opportunity and change of scenery is probably great for him."

Ross said Philbin reminds him of the only coach to lead Miami to a Super Bowl, Hall of Famer Don Shula. Philbin played a significant role in the development of Pro Bowl quarterback Aaron Rodgers and helped the Packers rank in the top 10 in the NFL in yardage each of the past five seasons.

They won the Super Bowl a year ago and went 15-1 this season.

"When I first met Diane Philbin today, she said something I took to heart," Ross said. "She said, `You hired Joe to win, because that's what he's all about.' I think that sums it up."

Not that Philbin was the Dolphins' first choice. Jeff Fisher turned them down a week ago to become coach of the St. Louis Rams.

With a coach finally in place, Ross couldn't resist taking a jab at Fisher.

"We interviewed six people in person," Ross said. "With the exception of one, they were all excited about wanting to lead the Miami Dolphins."

Ross fired Tony Sparano last month with three games to go in his fourth year as coach. The Dolphins finished 6-10, their third consecutive losing season, and haven't won a playoff game since 2000.

Philbin becomes Miami's seventh coach ? including two interim coaches ? in the past eight years. Ross is desperate for some stability, which sounds good to Philbin.

"I'm 50 years old," the coach said. "I anticipate this being the last job I ever take."

When the news conference ended, Philbin posed for photos holding a Dolphins helmet and wearing a smile. Off to the side, his wife thought of their late son and fought back tears.

"Michael's looking down," she said. "And Michael's happy."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120122/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/fbn_dolphins_philbin

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Croatia votes on EU membership amid concerns (Reuters)

ZAGREB (Reuters) ? Croatia voted on Sunday on joining the European Union, a move the government says offers the former Yugoslav republic its only chance of economic recovery despite turmoil in the 27-state bloc.

Opinion polls suggest the binding national referendum should pass, but opponents have appealed to many by playing up fears that membership would end 20 years of Croatia's sovereignty and result in a selloff of its assets and national resources.

Supporters say a 'No' vote will leave Croatia stuck with its struggling fellow ex-Yugoslav republics in the western Balkans, which was ravaged by war in the 1990s.

"This is a big day for Croatia and 2013 will be a turning point in our history. I look forward to the whole of Europe becoming my home," President Ivo Josipovic said after voting.

The EU has said Croatia can become its 28th member on July 1, 2013, after completing seven years of tough entry talks in June last year. It would become the second former Yugoslav republic to join, following Slovenia in 2004.

Croatia was left out of the EU's expansion to ex-communist eastern Europe in 2004 and 2007.

The last opinion poll, released on Saturday, put support for accession at 61 percent. The 'Yes' camp this week won the endorsement of Croatia's powerful Roman Catholic church.

Residents were out in force on the streets of the capital Zagreb on Sunday, enjoying the sparse winter sun. Most of those interviewed by Reuters seemed to be in favor.

"We cannot stay out of the EU, we'll get a lot of good things out of it. Of course, there are downsides as well, but that is something we must get used to," said Josip Zavrski, a retired engineer and one of the first who cast his vote.

OPPONENTS SAY NO RUSH

The 'No' camp says the timing is all wrong because the EU is not what it once was given the debt crisis threatening the single currency. Others complain they are unsure what membership will mean for the country of 4.3 million people.

"The EU is politically and economically unstable. We should vote against and then have a public debate about the pros and cons and inform the citizens properly before holding a next referendum," one of the right-wing parties, the Party of Rights (HSP), said in a statement on the eve of the referendum.

Danijela Rozic, 40, who sells cheese at Zagreb's market, said she did not know how accession might affect farming.

"I am against. I've heard many people say the EU is not all that great, that prices will rise if we join," she said.

Croatia broke away from Yugoslavia in a 1991-95 war, and saw strong growth on the back of foreign lending and waves of tourists to its Adriatic coast.

But its economy has been hit hard by the global economic crisis. Analysts and government officials say a rejection of EU accession on Sunday would bring down the country's credit rating, deter investors and further dampen any prospect of a quick economic recovery.

If the referendum passes, all EU member states must ratify Croatia's accession before it can join, and then it will take several more years before it adopts the euro.

Its current GDP per capita is 61 percent of the EU average. It expects millions of euros from EU funds for infrastructure and regional development.

Voting ends at 7 p.m. (1800 GMT) and first results are expected around an hour after polls close.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120122/wl_nm/us_croatia_eu_referendum

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The Best Video Card Overclocking App for Windows [Windows App Directory]

Overclocking is a great way to eke a bit more gaming power out of your computer, and Windows users have quite a few tools to help them do it easily. Our favorite of the bunch is the insanely easy to use, feature-filled MSI Afterburner.

• Change your core clock, shader clock, memory clock, and fan speed using simple sliders
• Works on nearly any video card, not just MSI-manufactured cards
• Turn on voltage tuning for super high overclocks
• Built-in access to MSI's Kombustor benchmarking tool
• Monitor your clocks, voltage, fan speeds, frame rate, and more from the app's drawer or from an on screen display during games
• Save your settings to 5 different profiles for quick loading
• Take screenshots and capture videos from your games with hotkeys
• Fine tune the automatic fan control so you stay at the temperatures you want
• Multiple different skins for changing the interface
• Start with Windows or apply settings at boot, so your card is always overclocked

MSI Afterburner is so easy, a caveman could use it. Even without delving into the settings, you can overclock your card just by tweaking the sliders on the main window, hitting apply, and moving on to your game. The built-in access to a benchmarking program is great too, and being able to see your fan speeds and FPS levels in-game is super useful, especially when you first start overclocking. MSI Afterburner has just about everything you could want from a modern overclocking program.

My only beef with Afterburner is that the interface is very large. Many people probably won't find this to be an issue, but as someone who uses dual monitors to keep an eye on other things while I game?including my overclocking settings?it irks me that it takes up so much space. The interface also seems a little hard to read at times, what with all the cool colors jumping out at you. It also only has 5 profiles, and while that's more than I'll ever use, its competitors offer more. These are very tiny nitpicks, though, and would only really apply to people in specific situations.

EVGA Precision is nearly identical to MSI Afterburner in every way. It has all the same features (save the one-click access to Kombustor), but is branded with the EVGA logo instead of the MSI logo. I prefer it for its interface, which takes up half the size of MSI's and looks a little better. However, Precision's voltage tuning is buried in the settings rather than on the main window of the app, which is kind of weird. Afterburner's better placement of the voltage tuner and its one-click access to Kombustor is why we think it just edges out Precision, though they both have their perks. And seriously, other than that, they're the exact same.

ATITool is another popular program, though it isn't quite as powerful as Afterburner or Precision. It has simple core and memory clock sliders, as well as a built-in benchmarking tool, but neither are as good as the above. I've included it for completeness, but unless you're having problems with the other two, I'd skip ATITool.

Lastly, if you have an older card, you can try RivaTuner. RivaTuner was long the king of overclocking programs, but hasn't been updated in a few years, so it doesn't work with newer cards. And, while Afterburner and Precision are built off RivaTuner, RivaTuner has a lot of advanced options like plugins for CPU monitoring, monitoring cheat programs, and others. Its interface is not nearly as good as the others, though, so unless you see RivaTuner features you absolutely must have (and have an older video card), Afterburner is still your best bet.

These are the best tools out there for overclocking, but you'll need more than just an overclocking program to make it happen. Check out our full guide to overclocking your video card for more information, and share your own tips and favorite programs in the comments.

---

Lifehacker's App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/5aRepZ5B-sY/the-best-video-card-overclocking-app-for-windows

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Rafa, Roger rift emerges at Australian Open

Spain's Rafael Nadal listens to a question during a press conference at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Spain's Rafael Nadal listens to a question during a press conference at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Spain's Rafael Nadal gestures during a press conference at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Switzerland's Roger Federer walks down the court during a practice session at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Sarah Ivey)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? Rafael Nadal has criticized Roger Federer for letting other players "burn themselves" by complaining about tour conditions while maintaining his good reputation by rarely making negative comments about tennis.

The two have always been respectful rivals, but the ongoing debate about the overcrowded tennis calendar has exposed a difference of opinion on the eve of the Australian Open.

After telling a pre-tournament news conference Sunday he had no intention of being the frontman for the players' grievances because it has reflected badly on him in the past, Nadal was then critical of 16-time Grand Slam winner Federer in a Spanish-language interview.

Responding to the suggestion that Federer disliked players complaining openly about problems on the tour because it tarnished the image of tennis, Nadal said he took another view.

"No, I totally disagree," he said in comments translated from Spanish. "For him it's good to say nothing. Everything positive. 'It's all well and good for me, I look like a gentleman,' and the rest can burn themselves.

"Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions."

Nadal and No. 4-ranked Andy Murray are among the players who have been outspoken in recent months on issues including an overcrowded calendar and the scheduling of Davis Cup matches. Some players have talked of strike action as recently as Saturday's player meeting in Melbourne; Nadal has said players may have to resort to "strong action" if there isn't an "evolution" in the calendar.

Federer and Nadal, who has 10 Grand Slam titles, dominated men's tennis for the seven years before Novak Djokovic won three of the four majors in 2011 and passed them both for the No. 1 ranking.

They're both key ambassadors for the tour, helping with promotional work and appearances at tournaments around the globe.

Nadal thinks that when players highlight problems on the tour, the intention is to make it better, not run it down.

"He (Federer) likes the circuit. I like the circuit," Nadal said. "It's much better than many other sports but that doesn't mean that it couldn't be better. It doesn't mean there are some things about the tour that could change. The tour is fine, but there are some things that are bad. That's all we're saying.

"And the vast majority of players have this same opinion. He's got a different opinion ... if the vast majority have one opinion, and a small minority think differently, maybe it's them who are wrong."

For the first time since the 2005 French Open, Federer and Nadal are on the same side of the draw at a major, which means only one of them can reach the final on Jan. 29.

They both start Monday. Third-seeded Federer, a four-time Australian Open winner, is on Rod Laver Arena in a night match against Russian qualifier Alexander Kudryavtsev.

No. 2-ranked Nadal has the last match on Hisense Arena ? the second show court at Melbourne Park ? against Russian Alex Kuznetsov.

Defending champion Djokovic doesn't start until Tuesday. Women's champion Kim Clijsters is third match on Rod Laver Arena on Monday against Maria Joao Koehler of Portugal.

Li Na, who lost the Australian final last year but rebounded to win the French Open to become China's first Grand Slam singles champion, has a first-round match against Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan and No. 1-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, still searching for a maiden major title, faces Australia's Anastasia Rodionova.

While the last eight women's Grand Slam titles have been won by six women and the draw in Melbourne is wide open, the men's tournament is widely tipped to go to one of the top four.

Since winning the Australian title in 2009, Nadal lost in the quarterfinals the last two years, both times hampered by injuries. He has had a sore left shoulder since late last season and is planning on taking a rest after the Australian Open.

Many players are calling for more rest due to the increasing pace of the game and the physical strength and endurance required to compete at the highest level.

Federer, now 30, quickly earned a reputation as a tennis statesman when he started accumulating major titles with such a graceful and seemingly effortless style that critics wondered if anyone could challenge him on any surface except clay.

Then Nadal started winning majors away from Roland Garros, with a high-energy game well suited to his muscular physique. But he thinks that has come at a cost.

"I love the game and there's a lot of things I'm grateful for. The game has allowed me to lead a fantastic lifestyle," he said. "But to finish your career with pain all over your body, is that a positive? No.

"Maybe (Federer) has got a super body and he'll finish his career like a rose. Neither myself, nor Murray, nor Djokovic are going to finish our careers like a rose.

"Tennis is an important part of my life, but it's a tough sport. We're not like him where it's effortless to play. All of us, it's a battle."

Nadal said his knees, hips, back and ankles were prone to soreness because "every year the ball flies quicker, there's more intensity. The surfaces are hard."

The ATP, which runs men's tennis, declined comment on the player meeting in Melbourne on Saturday where concerns were raised again. Other players, including former top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt, didn't want to discuss the meeting because they were concentrating on the Grand Slam tournament.

While not wanting to represent the group, Nadal did say he was confident small changes could be made to the calendar without any drastic effects on the sport.

___

AP Sports Writer Caroline Cheese contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-15-TEN-Australian-Open/id-223e195b2a33470e80282c485b3b5816

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Pets With Newt? - First Draft

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Source: http://www.first-draft.com/2012/01/pets-with-newt.html

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Lone Ranger to begin filming in NM (AP)

SANTA FE, N.M. ? Although reports of Johnny Depp sightings have already begun, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez says filming of The Lone Ranger will begin next month.

The film, which became a symbol of the flap between Martinez and the film industry, will shoot in and around Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Shiprock through the middle of August.

In a press release Friday, Martinez says, "The Lone Ranger is proof New Mexico's film industry is alive and well. She says it also proves her commitment to the industry.

A number of productions went to other states last year after the governor proposed legislation to slash tax breaks. And Lone Ranger Producer Jerry Bruckheimer had threatened to take his film to Louisiana. A compromise with lawmakers to cap annual payouts eased tensions with the industry.

Depp has been cast to play Tonto in the Walt Disney production.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120113/ap_en_mo/nm_lone_ranger

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Mysterious death of astrophysicist shocks Oxford

LONDON | Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:08pm EST

LONDON (Reuters) - The case of an Oxford University astrophysicist who was found dead in mysterious circumstances took a dramatic twist on Friday when his wife said she believed the death was an accident and not murder as initially suspected.

The body of Professor Steven Rawlings, 50, was found on Wednesday night at the home of his close friend and fellow Oxford academic Dr Devinder Sivia, 49, after a neighbor called police to report an incident.

Sivia was arrested on suspicion of murder that night and released on bail on Friday morning until April 18. Police said an autopsy conducted on Rawlings' body was inconclusive and further examinations were needed.

Later on Friday, Rawlings' wife Linda said she did not believe her husband had been murdered.

"Steve and Devinder were best friends since college and I believe this is a tragic accident," Linda Rawlings said in a statement emailed to journalists by the police on her behalf.

"I do not believe Devinder should be tarnished in this way," she said.

Police made no comment on her statement.

Rawlings' sudden death has shocked the 900-year-old university, where he held a prestigious post as professor of physics and had led the astrophysics department from 2006 to 2010.

"The entire university community has been profoundly saddened and shocked by the tragic and untimely death of Professor Steve Rawlings," said Oxford's Vice-Chancellor Andrew Hamilton, the university's senior officer.

Sivia is a lecturer in mathematics for the sciences at Saint John's, one of the 38 colleges that make up the university.

"The college is shocked and distressed by this tragic event," said Sir Michael Scholar, president of Saint John's.

Rawlings, who lectured on vector calculus to first-year undergraduates, was based at another Oxford college, Saint Peter's.

"He was a much-liked and admired tutor and colleague within the college and will be greatly missed," said Mark Damazer, master of Saint Peter's, in a statement.

Rawlings was one of the lead scientists in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), an international project to create the world's largest radio telescope.

"The SKA will give astronomers insight into the formation and evolution of the first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang, the role of cosmic magnetism, the nature of gravity, and possibly even life beyond Earth," says the project's website.

Sivia teaches maths for natural sciences to physics and chemistry undergraduates.

"My research interests revolve around the application of Bayesian probability theory to all sorts of data analysis problems, mainly in the physical sciences," he says on the Saint John's College website.

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon,; editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/W7jiRiYwHY4/us-britain-crime-oxford-idUSTRE80C1LT20120113

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