Catastrophe losses weigh on Loews (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Loews Corp (L.N), run by the billionaire Tisch family, posted quarterly earnings below analysts' estimates for the third time in a row, hurt by a fall in its investment income and higher catastrophe losses at its biggest holding CNA Financial (CNA.N).

The company, which has interests ranging from insurance and luxury hotels to energy exploration and natural gas pipelines, said net investment income for the third quarter almost halved to $333 million from the year ago.

Catastrophe losses at CNA, in which Loews has a 90 percent stake, were $32 million after-tax, compared with $8 million a year ago.

Most insurers, including rivals Chubb Corp (CB.N) and Travelers (TRV.N), have seen their profits dented by high catastrophe losses due to Hurricane Irene.

Net income attributable to Loews rose to $162 million, or 40 cents per share, from $36 million, or 9 cents per share, a year ago.

Revenue fell 7 percent to $3.43 billion.

Analysts, on average, had expected earnings of 66 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

CNA posted a profit of $75 million, or 28 cents a share, compared with a loss of $140 million, or 59 cents per share, a year ago. Net operating income was 34 cents a share.

Analysts had expected CNA to earn 24 cents a share.

Earlier in the month, Diamond Offshore, in which Loews has a 50.4 percent stake, reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by higher dayrates and utilization for its deepwater rigs.

Loews said it had repurchased shares worth $690 million for the nine months ended September.

Shares of Loews, which has a market value of $16.74 billion, closed at $41.28 on Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. They have gained almost 25 percent from a year-low of $32.91 earlier this month. Shares of CNA last closed at $26.13.

(Reporting by Tanya Agrawal and Sharanya Hrishikesh in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel, Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111031/bs_nm/us_loews

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Nokia Devises U.S. Strategy, But Can They Pull It Off?

Nokia's new Windows Phones won't hit our shores for at least a few more months, but Nokia's top brass is already hard at work devising their strategy for cracking the U.S. market. According to Digits, Weber and Nokia are looking to attract first-time smartphone users who feel overwhelmed by other options on the market, and don't want to pay a princely sum for a new device.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/qnLA2DwBiwE/

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How to unbalance nothingness

Friday, October 28, 2011

Nothingness ? this is the research subject-matter of a team of theoretical physicists from the Universities Jena (Germany) and Graz (Austria). "The ground state of our world can't be described by the absence of all matter," Professor Dr. Holger Gies from the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena and the Helmholtz-Institute Jena explains. "This so-called quantum vacuum rather turns out to be a complex state of constantly fluctuating quantum fields with physical properties."

The world-wide community of physicists is hoping to be able to witness a particularly spectacular characteristic in a few years' time: the spontaneous decay of the vacuum into pairs of particles of matter and antimatter in super strong electric fields. Due to the new research results of the Austro-German team of physicists, this goal came a few steps closer.

Although first theoretical consideration concerning the spontaneous decay of the vacuum dates back to the year 1931, its comprehensive understanding is still in its infancy. ?A great challenge in modern theoretical physics is the description of quantum fields out of equilibrium," Professor Gies explains. "We are facing this problem in phase transitions in the early Universe as well as in many experiments in solid state physics." Therefore experimental proof of the vacuum decay ? as it might be delivered by high intensity lasers in the near future ? will provide knowledge exceeding this particular field.

The scientists from Graz and Jena now succeeded calculating the time evolution of the vacuum decay in detail. "Even we were surprised by the results," Professor Gies confesses. According to the results particles of matter and antimatter behave in a novel self-focusing way and therefore the possibility of discovering them is higher than expected. "The quantum vacuum has already had some surprises in store," says the Heisenberg-Professor for Theoretical Physics. "To unbalance this nothingness could develop into a new prolific field of research."

###

Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena: http://www.uni-jena.de

Thanks to Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/114737/How_to_unbalance_nothingness

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No hard feelings for Rachel Zoe's former employee (AP)

NEW YORK ? Reality TV star Brad Goreski says there are no hard feelings between him and celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe despite their much buzzed-about professional split.

Goreski says "everything's totally fine" with him and his former boss. He praised Zoe as "a great teacher" at the launch of Tommy Hilfiger's Eau de Prep fragrance Thursday in New York.

The bowtie-clad stylist branched out on his own last year after nearly three years working with Zoe and starring in "The Rachel Zoe Project" on Bravo.

On the latest season of the show, Zoe claimed Goreski lied about his reasons for leaving and then went on to pursue her clients.

Goreski's new reality series is called "It's a Brad, Brad World." It's slated for next year.

___

Online:

http://www.bravotv.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_en_ot/us_people_brad_goreski

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Tebow inspires phenomenon called 'Tebowing'

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow sits on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow sits on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Miami Dolphins fans watch as Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow celebrates with Eddie Royal after scoring a 2-point conversion in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 23, 2011, in Miami. The Broncos won 18-15 in overtime. (AP Photo/Miami Herald, Charles Trainor Jr.) MAGS OUT

DENVER (AP) ? Tim Tebow inspired a phenomenon when he dropped to a knee and began praying as his teammates wildly celebrated around him after an improbable overtime victory in Miami last weekend.

That was simply Tebow "Tebowing," a phrase coined by a fan sitting in a bar in New York watching the popular yet polarizing quarterback rally the Denver Broncos.

Jared Kleinstein was mesmerized by Tebow's peaceful demeanor kneeling on the turf amid all the chaos that ensued. He launched a website in which fans could submit photos of themselves "Tebowing," which means getting down on a knee and praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.

The trend is picking up steam.

Kleinstein has received quite a collection of photos. There are fans striking the Tebow prayer pose next to statues, in bowling alleys, on boats and while waiting in line for tacos.

There are kids getting ready for ballet performing the pose, an airline pilot just before takeoff and a construction worker on a rooftop. Recently, Kleinstein even received a photo of a solider in Afghanistan emulating Tebow's pose.

"It's addictive to be a Tebow fan," said Kleinstein, who grew up in Denver before moving to New York.

Never did Kleinstein envision this venture taking off so quickly. Kleinstein started the website earlier this week after purchasing the domain name ? Tebowing.com ? for $10.

Almost overnight, it caught on through social media. He went from an audience of 785 to nearly 390,000 in just a few days.

The amount of pictures he's receiving also is staggering. Just Friday alone, Kleinstein had to sort through more than 1,300 snapshots to post on the site.

But Kleinstein wanted to make one thing clear: The undertaking isn't meant to mock Tebow or poke fun at his religious beliefs, just show support.

On Friday after practice, Tebow said he appreciated the spirit of the website.

"Yeah, some people don't necessarily take it seriously but they're on their knee praying, so who knows what you're going to think about after that and how that can affect you?" Tebow said. "Hopefully, it's a good example for people."

His teammates have even taken part. Rookie linebacker Von Miller tweeted a photo of himself Thursday in a Tebow jersey and doing the pose.

"Tim Tebow's a celebrity and I'm on Team Tebow," Miller said. "I'm one of his biggest supporters and want to see him do it all.

"That's the way he prays. So what better way to capture that than to have a 'Tebowing' thing like that?"

All it took was a small miracle to make it "Tebowing" time.

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Florida was abysmal for the opening 55 minutes in Miami. Then, Tebow turned electric as he brought the Broncos back from a 15-0 deficit in the final moments to force overtime, where the team pulled out an 18-15 win. It's the largest deficit overcome in a victory with less than 3 minutes since the 1970 NFL merger.

"When we won the game, the people in the bar were jumping around as if the Broncos had just won the Super Bowl, even though we had only beaten the last-place team in the league," Kleinstein recalled. "I just looked up at the screen ? the team is celebrating and he took a quick bow. I just said, 'That's Tebowing. That's how we should pay tribute.'"

After the commotion quieted, Kleinstein and his friends went outside to take a group photo in Tebow's prayer formation. He posted it on Facebook just for fun and it spread quickly.

Soon after, he decided to launch the website.

Not only does Kleinstein post the photos, he also captions them. And they're quite hilarious.

For instance, there's a picture of a person with a bowling ball in a lane striking the pose with the explanation, "Tebowling." On another, there's a person perched on an exercise ball with the slogan "Tebow to the core" underneath. In yet another, a man in his office has a caption reading, "President and CEObowing."

"Tim praying, it's part of who he is," Kleinstein said. "It's not something that should be mocked or seen in any other way."

Tebow understands that. He recently received a tweet from a kid who's undergoing cancer treatment that melted his heart.

"It said, 'I'm Tebowing while I'm Chemoing,'" Tebow recounted. "How cool is that? That's worth it right there. If that gives him any encouragement or puts a smile on his face or gives him encouragement to pray, that's really awesome. And that's completely worth it for me."

There are even other standouts in the Mile High City getting in on the act. Colorado Rapids forward Omar Cummings dropped to a knee and did the pose after scoring a goal in a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Crew on Thursday night in an MLS wild-card soccer game.

"I think what's funny about it is how rapidly it's caught on and how much it's taken off," said Tebow, whose Broncos host the Detroit Lions on Sunday. "I had no idea, then Von texted me what he did. Goof ball.

"But then going back and looking back and seeing everything, it was like, 'Wow this really took off.' That's what's really incredible about it."

Even if it might not be completely original.

After all, dropping to a knee and praying after a game has been around for, well, quite a while.

"I've taken a knee many times on late field goals or those types of things in my football career," Broncos coach John Fox said. "Not taking anything away from Tim and his outstanding popularity."

___

Online: www.tebowing.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-10-29-FBN-Broncos-Tebow-Tebowing/id-1b1f2016b3f54786bfa3c3ce9c3267dc

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Thai PM hopeful floods will spare most of Bangkok

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, Thai flood victims make their way down the tunnel after being ordered to evacuate from the flood relief center at Don Muaeng airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Defenses shielding the center of Thailand's capital from the nation's worst floods in nearly 60 years mostly held at critical peak tides Saturday, as the waters began to recede after killing almost 400 people. But the threat to central Bangkok was not over, the prime minister said, and the city's northern districts remained submerged along with much of the countryside. (AP Photo/Karntachat Raungratanaampon)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, Thai flood victims make their way down the tunnel after being ordered to evacuate from the flood relief center at Don Muaeng airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Defenses shielding the center of Thailand's capital from the nation's worst floods in nearly 60 years mostly held at critical peak tides Saturday, as the waters began to recede after killing almost 400 people. But the threat to central Bangkok was not over, the prime minister said, and the city's northern districts remained submerged along with much of the countryside. (AP Photo/Karntachat Raungratanaampon)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, a Thai soldier carries life jackets near the flood relief center at Don Muaeng airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Defenses shielding the center of Thailand's capital from the nation's worst floods in nearly 60 years mostly held at critical peak tides Saturday, as the waters began to recede after killing almost 400 people. But the threat to central Bangkok was not over, the prime minister said, and the city's northern districts remained submerged along with much of the countryside. (AP Photo/Karntachat Raungratanaampon)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, Thai flood victims sit near their tents after being ordered to evacuate from the flood relief center at Don Muaeng airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Defenses shielding the center of Thailand's capital from the nation's worst floods in nearly 60 years mostly held at critical peak tides Saturday, as the waters began to recede after killing almost 400 people. But the threat to central Bangkok was not over, the prime minister said, and the city's northern districts remained submerged along with much of the countryside. (AP Photo/Karntachat Raungratanaampon)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, Thai flood victims pack their belongings after being ordered to evacuate from the flood relief center at Don Muaeng airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Defenses shielding the center of Thailand's capital from the nation's worst floods in nearly 60 years mostly held at critical peak tides Saturday, as the waters began to recede after killing almost 400 people. But the threat to central Bangkok was not over, the prime minister said, and the city's northern districts remained submerged along with much of the countryside. (AP Photo/Karntachat Raungratanaampon)

In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, Thai flood victims wade with belonging through floodwater on a road outside Don Muaeng airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Defenses shielding the center of Thailand's capital from the nation's worst floods in nearly 60 years mostly held at critical peak tides Saturday, as the waters began to recede after killing almost 400 people. But the threat to central Bangkok was not over, the prime minister said, and the city's northern districts remained submerged along with much of the countryside. (AP Photo/Karntachat Raungratanaampon)

BANGKOK (AP) ? Thailand's prime minister expressed optimism Sunday that the country's worst flooding in a half-century would mostly spare Bangkok, as some dikes overflowed but the capital's defenses otherwise held firm during critical high tides.

Waters were receding from many inundated areas of Thailand after killing 381 people, but the misery remained for several communities still under water and feverish efforts to protect downtown Bangkok continued as runoff from the north pushed through on its way to the Gulf of Thailand.

Rescuers evacuated a heavily pregnant woman stranded in the swamped neighborhood of Thonburi in the northern outskirts of the city.

"We had to get her to hospital," said marine rescue team member Nitipat Mongolpradit.

The network of dikes defending against the city's main Chao Phraya river broke down in at least two neighborhoods as a record high tide pushed up from the gulf, with water spilling into streets as city workers and troops rushed to shore up concrete walls with sandbags.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told residents of Bangkok to be "confident" as she headed into a government crisis meeting, saying there may be overflow into some areas but that it would not cause any great damage.

"We will recover soon," she said.

Bangkok's governor, Sukhumbhand Paribatra, said the Chao Phraya reached a record level early Sunday of 2.53 meters (8.3 feet), just above what he previously said were dike heights of 2.5 meters. However, the tides were expected to ease below critical levels after Monday, and officials have suggested that the flooding situation will improve after that.

Floodwaters have submerged entire towns across the country's heartland and shuttered hundreds of factories over the last two months. In the past week, the waters have reached into outer neighborhoods of the capital, while its central districts of skyscrapers, apartment towers and glitzy malls have remained dry.

This weekend's high tides were described as the greatest test of the capital's flood defenses, and many wary business owners hastily built temporary cement-and-brick walls around their entrances.

While downtown Bangkok was bone-dry, areas along the city's outskirts saw flooding spread. Seven of Bangkok's 50 districts ? all in the northern and western outskirts ? are heavily inundated. Eight other districts have seen less serious flooding.

Thousands of Bangkok residents used a special five-day holiday to leave town, with some wary of confusing warnings regarding the flood threat and others concerned about sparse supplies in stores due to weeks of panic buying and flood-related distribution problems.

The governor highlighted another threat: sanitation. He urged residents to make less garbage, saying refuse collectors were having trouble reaching all areas of Bangkok.

___

Associated Press writer Vee Intarakratug contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-30-AS-Thailand-Floods/id-00df7b2638df425ebc0d3eb0dcc209e7

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Experts begin to doubt Obama???s re-electability (Daily Caller)

Where?s the evidence President Obama can win the 2012 election?

Where?s the evidence that swing-voters even want to listen to him?

Barack Obama polls below 50 percent in every state that matters. The economy has stalled, unemployment is much higher than the official number of 9 percent, and Hispanics and African Americans are disappointed. The president?s approval ratings have tanked, and the right-track/wrong-track number fell of the cliff in the summer.

Obama has reached the stage of political doom when voters? disappointment is so deep that they just don?t want to listen to him, talk about him or watch him, said David Hill, a veteran GOP strategist and pollster, in an interview with The Daily Caller.

?Nobody says it to their loved ones ? [and] they don?t want to do anything about it,? said Hill, who has worked for conservative and liberal Republicans on the East Coast, the West Coast and in the Midwest, since 1984.

A tipping point might have been reached in August, when the monthly jobs report showed zero new jobs, Republican pollster Glenn Bolger told TheDC. ?With [George W.] Bush, it happened sometime in 2006, after Katrina and the 2005 Iraq situation,? said Bolger, who heads the polling firm Public Opinion Strategies.

Even Obama-friendly experts are close to dismissing him.

Gallup numbers show the president?s approval at 41 percent, and show him trailing an unnamed ?generic Republican? by eight percentage points, National Journal?s Charlie Cook wrote on Oct. 28. ?These numbers certainly don?t show Obama?s reelection fortunes as hopeless, but they paint a very challenging situation.?

?Nobody?s gotten elected with these kinds of numbers,? James Carville, the Democratic Party?s snapping turtle, told a radio interviewer Oct. 25. ?Everything worries me ? I profoundly admit that,? he said on Scott Hennen?s show.

Even Bill Daley, the president?s chief of staff, is hoping for a secular miracle. ?I don?t think it?s outside the realm of possibility that we have a stronger attitude around the economy ? just the beginning of a psychological change,? he told Politico on Oct. 28. ?That is the biggest thing. What are the factors that [will create] that? Who knows??. you can just feel this electorate is very volatile.?

Even if there is a turnaround, ?Hill told TheDC,??there has been such a long and steady and consistent loss of affection for him it would be very difficult to give him credit ? I don?t think they?ll be listening.?

Back in 1992, the stalled economy roared into life in the last quarter before President George H.W. Bush faced the electorate. But voters didn?t notice the 5.6 percent growth until President Bill Clinton was inaugurated in January 1993.

It is true that Obama is running above Jimmy Carter?s approval numbers, that the GOP candidates haven?t excited swing-voters and that a wealthy RINO Republican liberal ? perhaps a certain former Utah governor ? might yet run as a GOP-splitting independent candidate.

But Obama?s right-track/wrong-track numbers are horrible.

Only 16 percent of Americans believe the country is on the right track, down from 32 percent last October, according to Rasmussen Reports. Whatever percent of swing-voting independents continue to believe the country is on the wrong track will pull the the GOP lever in November 2012.

The same plummet of optimism is splashed throughout state polls. An August poll of 600 Michigan voters conducted by the Lansing-based EPIC-MRA, reported that only 14 percent think the country is on the right track, down from 25 percent the in firm?s July sample.

The public is even more pessimistic than during Carter?s final dive. In November 1979, just 19 percent of Americans said they were satisfied ?with the way things are going in the country.? Today, that score is 11 percent.

?No president gets re-elected when 70 or 65 percent say the nation?s heading in the wrong direction ? it just doesn?t happen,? Hill explained.

Obama seems to share some of that pessimism. He told donors at a September fundraiser that ?this is a great, great country that had gotten a little soft and, you know, we didn?t have that same competitive edge that we needed over the last couple of decades.?

?That is amazingly poor judgement,? Bolger told TheDC. ??I?m not successful right now, so it must be your fault,? that?s what?s he saying.?

Obama isn?t finished, say his supporters. They point to polls that show him ahead of named Republicans, or surveys showing his calls for higher taxes getting majority support.

Overall, Obama?s strategy is to use his war chest to paint his eventual GOP opponent as untrustworthy, out of touch and unacceptable, and to win a man-to-man, knock-down, drag-out mud fight in a few critical swing states. The election, say Democrats, will be a choice, not a referendum on Obama?s record.

Hill, though, isn?t convinced. ?He?s lost credibility on managing the economy of the nation,? he said. ?I don?t know why people would have confidence in his critique of his opponent; ?He?s telling me Mitt Romney is a moron?? ? it?s going to be very tough sale.?

Cards, Rangers both asked for divine help in game 6

The bloated rise of the diversitocracy

White House orders independent review of Solyndra scandal

Al-Qaida plants its flag --- literally --- in Libya

A closer look at James Madison, 'Father of Politics'

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20111028/pl_dailycaller/expertsbegintodoubtobamasreelectability

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'X Factor' host: Simon Cowell's 'just so childish'

Simon Cowell is a lot of things. Blunt. Straightforward. British. But is he, as one of his fellow "X Factor" stars claim, childish in his judging methods?

We caught up with Cowell, Paula Abdul, Steve Jones, Nicole Scherzinger and L.A. Reid after last night's "X Factor" elimination show, and someone had some pretty harsh words in regard to Simon's attitude. Of course, the master of mean had some harsh thoughts of his own to let loose...

MORE: Who's Off The X Factor Already?!

"Simon is the worst!" host Jones exclaims. "For such an intelligent and successful man he can be just so childish. Whenever L.A. was trying to speak, Simon would go like this to the crowd [raises arms] so they would drown him out basically. So they just would cheer all over his speech. It's so childish, yet so yummy."

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Either he means the drama is yummy, or someone has a man-crush on Simon! But you know who isn't Simon's No. 1 fan right now? Scherzinger. Especially after last night when it seemed like they were butting heads.

Huge 'X-Factor' episode cuts 5 acts

"I have no idea what her problem was tonight, seriously," Cowell tells us. "Somebody was a little bit grumpy." And when we brought up the bad blood to the former Pussycat Doll, she just laughed it off. "I am pretty tough. I know how to handle [Simon] but sometimes I've just got to bite back," she says. "I can't help it, especially when he talks about me not connecting with my contestant when I know how hard I've worked with them and the time I've spent."

Speaking of those contestants, Simon revealed that he had a soft spot for Melanie, and even admitted to us that (gasp!) he was wrong. "Judging by the reaction tonight and the point that she proved, she is a class act, and I like the fact that she bounced back and she proved a point. And I was happy to admit I was wrong," he says. We don't understand a world in which Simon admits he made a mistake. Is the sky still up?

Are you enjoying "The X Factor"? Who do you think is headed for victory? Tell us on the Facebook page for our TV blog, The Clicker!

PHOTOS: TV Celebrity Stunt Casting

? 2011 E! Entertainment Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45053823/ns/today-entertainment/

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Kirsten Dunst stars in R.E.M.'s new video

Kirsten Dunst has certainly perfected the pixie-like, ethereal actress thing ?"The Virgin Suicides" or "Melancholia," anyone?

Now, she's using her charming superpowers in a mesmerizing new R.E.M. video, shot in black and white with a stationary camera capturing close-up footage of Dunst.

So what's she doing?

MORE: Kirsten rocks a bikini in Vegas

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Dunst isn't really doing much of anything during the song, "We All Go Back to Where We Belong," but the video is still entirely watchable.

The actress, wearing a black dress with white flowers, just stands against a white wall and appears to be listening to the song, absorbing the lyrics.

Story: Rolling Stone exclusive: Why R.E.M. broke up

Yet you can't wait for her next expression, as she looks like she's thinking, then swaying, then dissolving into giggles. She looks so sweet and pretty throughout the video, and says nothing until the final frame, where she appears to mouth "it's amazing" about the tune.

MORE: Kirsten Dunst: German citizen

Two versions of the video were made, with poet-activist John Giorno starring in the second version, which has a style similar to Dunst's and was also shot with a stationary camera. In a band statement, R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe described the videos as having "gravity and beauty."

PICS: The rocker chic look

The song is part of the band's new album, titled "Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011," which is a 40-song retrospective on the group's long career.

The album will be available Nov. 15.

? 2011 E! Entertainment Television, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45063662/ns/today-entertainment/

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Adele's "21" regains top spot on Billboard chart (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? British singer Adele regained the top spot on the Billboard Top 200 album chart on Wednesday, marking her 13th week at No. 1 with "21" and making it the first album since the "Titanic" film soundtrack to claim as many weeks atop the chart.

"21" sold 106,000 copies to pass the 4 million sales mark last week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan. It is the biggest selling album of 2011 so far, with Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" far behind with 1.9 million sales.

The singer plans to follow-up "21" with a live CD and DVD release on November 29 that taped from a performance at London's Royal Albert Hall, according to a posting on her website.

Adele's return to the top spot prevented Christian rock group Casting Crowns from earning their first No. 1 with "Come to the Well," which sold 99,000 copies in its first week of release and came second on the album charts.

"American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery's former No. 1 album "Clear As Day" rose from fourth to third place, while last week's chart-toppers, Gothic rockers Evanescence fell to fifth with their latest self-titled album.

The top 10 albums for the week also include Tony Bennett's "Duets II" at No. 5, Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter IV" at No. 6, R&B singer Joe at No. 8 with 'The Good, The Bad, The Sexy," and Lauren Alaina's "Wildflower" in tenth place.

Next week's album charts are expected to be shaken up with new releases from Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble and Coldplay,

(Reporting and Writing by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111026/music_nm/us_adele_charts

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Kick Other Devices off a Wi-Fi Network with WiFiKill on Android [Evil Week]

Android: We heard about WiFiKill a while ago, but it just seemed too, well, evil to write about until now. The app disables the connection of other devices on the same Wi-Fi network; essentially you can bump people off without them knowing.

WiFiKill is designed to take revenge on bandwidth hogs who are slowing down your network. As developer bponury describes it on the XDA Developers forum:

So if someone (anyone) is abusing the internet wasting precious bandwidth for a Justin Bieber videoclips you could just kill their connection and stay happy with a full bandwidth just for yourself.

The app works only with rooted phones and works, similarly to FaceNiff, by spoofing ARP replies to trick other devices on the network into thinking your Android phone is the router. WiFiKill then drops all their network packets. To the victims, it still appears as if they are connected to the network, but the Internet just appears to have stalled.

Besides pranking people, pure selfishness, and meanness, WiFiKill might have some use for controlling devices on your own network. For example, if you're a small business owner and you don't want to allow your staff to use the Wi-Fi network during certain hours, you or your IT admin could kill their connection (of course, you could do this from the router too, but perhaps you want to do it from your phone). Perhaps you're a parent and want to cut off an errant teenager's Internet access.

Just as we've seen with network sniffing tools, WiFiKill also demonstrates weaknesses in Wi-Fi security, so I guess the app could also be considered educational.

The app, however, was considered too evil for Android Market and Google pulled it, so you'll have to get it from the XDA Developers forum. (Try not to be too evil with your power!)

Lifehacker's Evil Week is all about topics such as password cracking, social hacking and other questionable tricks to make sure you're in the know. Knowledge is power, and whether you use that power for good or evil is in your hands.

WiFiKill | XDA Developers

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You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter or Google+.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/YTGmFCZ_MLU/kick-other-devices-off-a-wi+fi-network-with-wifikill-on-android

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Progeria: Promising results from new gene therapy on animals

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2011) ? Huge progress has been made over the last few years in scientific research into progeria, a disease that leads to premature aging in children. In 2003, a team directed by Nicolas L?vy discovered the gene, and, in 2008, 12 children were able to begin clinical trials in which two molecules were combined to slow down the characteristic effects of the disease: premature aging. Researchers are continuing their efforts in an attempt to counter the consequences of the genetic defect that causes progeria.

Until now, no model had been able to accurately imitate the effects of the disease in humans. For several years, research has been conducted in close collaboration from teams led by Nicolas L?vy and Annachiara De Sandre-Giovannoli at Inserm/Universit? de la M?diterran?e and from a team led by Carlos L?pez-Ot?n (University of Oviedo) and has succeeded in making such a model possible. The lifespan of mice treated through gene therapy is significantly extended and several other parameters related to them are improved. The research, published Oct. 26, 2011 in Science Translational Medicine, received backing from the AFM thanks to donations from a Telethon.

Progeria is a rare genetic disease. Children suffering from it seem to experience accelerated aging (chronic hair loss, joint pains, thin and hairless skin, cardiovascular problems). In 2003, Nicolas L?vy and his team identified the cause of the disease when they discovered the involvement of the LMNA (nuclear protein-coding) gene, lamin A/C. The mutation causes the production of a truncated protein, progerin, which accumulates in the nuclei of cells and its toxic effects cause their deformation and various other malfunctions. It has since been proven that progerin progressively accumulates in normal cells, thus establishing a link between the disease and physiological aging.

In 2008, European clinical trials began on twelve children suffering from progeria. The treatment is based on a combination of two existing molecules: statins (prescribed in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risks) and aminobisphosphonates (prescribed in to treat osteoporosis and to prevent complications in some forms of cancer). The use of both these molecules aims to chemically alter progerin to reduce its toxicity. However, although this treatment aimed to slow down the development of the disease, it did not reduce the quantities of progerin. To study this aspect, researchers needed to obtain a relevant animal model.

An "authentic" progeria model?

To generate a model of this kind, Spanish and French researchers decided to introduce a gene mutation (G609G), equivalent to that identified in humans (G608G), in mice to reproduce the exact pathological mechanism found in the children, with a view to then blocking it. The mice models were created under the supervision of Bernard Malissen using the IBISA platform located at the Marseille-Luminy Centre of Immunology. This approach made it possible to obtain young mice that produced progerin, characteristic of the disease in humans. After three weeks alive, the mutated mice displayed growth defects, weight loss caused by bone deformation and cardiovascular and metabolic anomalies mirroring the human phenotype and considerably reducing their lifespan (an average of 103 days compared with two years for wild mice). The progerin thus produced accumulates in mouse cells via genetic mechanisms (abnormal splicing) identical to those observed in humans, i.e. the source of anomalies characteristic of the disease.

? for a targeted gene therapy

Using this unique progeria animal model, the researchers focussed their efforts on implementing a mutation-targeted treatment, with a view to reducing, and, if possible, preventing the production of progerin. To this end, they used "vivo-morpholino" antisense oligonucleotide technology. "This technology, explains Nicolas L?vy, is based on introducing a synthetic antisense aglionecleotide into mice. As is the case with progeria, this sequence is applied to block (or facilitate) the production of a functional protein using a gene. In this case, the production of progerin, as well as lamin A from the gene, were reduced."

There was a highly significant increase in life expectancy of mice treated using this new technology, from an average of 155 days to a maximum of 190 days.

Nicolas Levy's team, with continued collaboration with Carlos L?pez-Ot?n, now intend to translate this preclinical research into a new therapeutic trial for children, possibly combined with other pharmacological molecules. Other research is being conducted in parallel to find alternative administration channels for antisense oligonucleotides.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by INSERM (Institut national de la sant? et de la recherche m?dicale).

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Fernando G. Osorio, Claire L. Navarro, Juan Cadi?anos, Isabel C. L?pez-Mej?a, Pedro M. Quir?s, Catherine Bartoli, Jos? Rivera, Jamal Tazi, Gabriela Guzm?n, Ignacio Varela, Danielle Depetris, F?lix De Carlos, Juan Cobo, Vicente Andr?s, Annachiara De Sandre-Giovannoli, Jos? M. P. Freije, Nicolas L?vy, Carlos L?pez-Ot?n. Splicing-Directed Therapy in a New Mouse Model of Human Accelerated Aging. Science Translational Medicine, 2011; 3 (106): 106ra107 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002847

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

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

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111027150202.htm

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NY lawmaker to bring home US-Israeli (AP)

WASHINGTON ? A U.S. congressman has arrived in Israel to bring home a U.S.-Israeli citizen who was arrested in Egypt four months ago on suspicions of espionage.

A statement from Rep. Gary Ackerman on Wednesday said he traveled to Israel to bring home Ilan Grapel, a Queens, N.Y., constituent. Grapel is expected to be released Thursday afternoon. The timing on his return to New York is uncertain.

The 27-year-old Grapel was arrested June 12 during the height of Egypt's uprising, which ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt accused Grapel of being a Mossad agent trying to sabotage the revolution. But it gave no evidence to support the claims, and even in Egypt, the arrest was widely ridiculed.

Israel on Tuesday approved a deal to swap 25 Egyptian prisoners for Grapel.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111026/ap_on_go_co/us_israel_egypt_congress

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HALLOWEEN PET SAFTEY TIPS - Thee Fish Bowl

No Scaredy Cats This Halloween: Top 10 Safety Tips for Pet Parents

Attention, animal lovers, it?s?almost the spookiest night of the year! The ASPCA recommends taking some common sense precautions this Halloween to keep you and your pet saying ?trick or treat!? all the way to November 1.

1. No tricks, no treats: That bowl of candy is for trick-or-treaters, not for Scruffy and Fluffy. Chocolate in all forms?especially dark or baking chocolate?can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also cause problems. If you do suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

2. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered to be relatively nontoxic, but they can produce stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

3.?Wires?and cords from electric lights and other decorations should be kept out of reach of your pets. If chewed, your pet might suffer cuts or burns, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

4. A carved pumpkin certainly is festive, but do exercise caution if you choose to add a candle. Pets can easily knock a lit pumpkin over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned or singed by candle flames.

5. Dress-up can be a big mess-up for some pets. Please don?t put your dog or cat in a costume UNLESS you know he or she loves it (yup, a few pets are real hams!). For pets who prefer their ?birthday suits,? however, wearing a costume?may cause undue stress.

6. If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn?t annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal?s movement or hearing, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, be sure to?try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed, allergic or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting him go au naturale or donning a festive bandana.

7. Take a closer look at your pet?s costume and make sure it does not have small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that he could choke on. Also, ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

8. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. Too many strangers can be scary and stressful for pets.

9. When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, take care that your cat or dog doesn?t dart outside.

10. IDs, please! Always make sure your dog or cat has proper identification. If for any reason your pet escapes and becomes lost, a collar and tags and/or a microchip can?be a lifesaver, increaing the?chances that he or she will be returned to you.

Source: http://www.theefishbowl.com/new-animal-news/halloween-pet-saftey-tips/

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Price hikes help DuPont profit beat Street (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Chemical maker DuPont (DD.N) posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday due to a double-digit price hike and raised its 2011 earnings forecast, pushing its shares up more than 1 percent.

Strong demand for titanium dioxide, a key white pigment used to make paint and other consumer goods, fueled much of the earnings beat.

DuPont is the largest global producer of the chemical, also known as Ti02. Even though construction and automobile markets remain weak, DuPont and rival Ti02 producers Huntsman Corp (HUN.N) and Tronox Inc (TROX.PK) have successfully raised prices in the past year due to tight supply.

DuPont also makes a range of niche products, including Kevlar and Tyvek. Companywide, executives were able to boost pricing in the third quarter by 15 percent.

(For a graphic on DuPont's results: click http://link.reuters.com/vap64s )

For the third quarter, the company posted net income of $452 million, or 48 cents per share, compared with $367 million, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, including charges from the buyout this year of Danish food enzyme maker Danisco, DuPont earned 69 cents per share.

By that measure, analysts had expected earnings of 56 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net sales rose 32 percent to $9.24 billion. Analysts had expected $8.79 billion.

DuPont's 15 percent price jump was its largest quarterly increase in more than a decade.

Most of the price rise came in the performance chemicals unit, which makes the Ti02 pigment.

The companywide increase had an effect on demand: Total volume rose only 1 percent during the quarter.

DuPont said that while demand for Ti02 remains strong, it expects a "pause" during the fourth quarter.

"Titanium dioxide remains a central element of the DuPont story," Ticonderoga Securities analyst Mark Gulley said. "We estimate that Ti02 will be about 25 percent of this year's earnings and next year could be a third."

Strong Latin American sales partially offset heavy spending in DuPont's agriculture unit, where an operating loss shrank 64 percent to $69 million.

The unit was hampered last August after DuPont recalled its widely used Imprelis herbicide. Many customers and several lawsuits had complained that the treatment killed thousands of trees.

The company spent heavily in its safety and protection unit, which makes the popular Kevlar material for bulletproof vests. DuPont recently expanded a South Carolina Kevlar plant.

Operating income in the safety and protection unit slipped 12 percent to $118 million.

Last month a U.S. federal jury awarded DuPont $919.9 million in damages, ruling that Kolon Industries Inc (120110.KS) had stolen Kevlar trade secrets. Kolon is appealing the ruling.

For the year, DuPont expects to earn $3.97 to $4.05 per share. The company had previously forecast $3.90 to $4.05.

Analysts expect 2011 earnings of $3.96 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Shares of Wilmington, Delaware-based DuPont were up 1.5 percent at $46.80 in trading before the market opened. The stock has fallen 8 percent so far this year.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Derek Caney, Gerald E. McCormick and Matthew Lewis)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111025/bs_nm/us_dupont

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Wall Street hit by worries before Europe debt summit (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday on doubts European leaders can agree on a plan to end the euro zone debt crisis, while major corporations disappointed investors with their outlooks.

Though European Union and euro zone leaders still planned to hold a summit on Wednesday, markets were spooked by news that a meeting by euro zone finance ministers was canceled.

The news fed fears that leaders will be unable to come up with the detailed plan for ending the crisis that investors want.

"There have been a number of different statements coming out that seem to suggest Europe is having a hard time coming to any real hard conclusions at solving their debt issues," said Gail Dudack, chief investment strategist at Dudack Research Group in New York.

"That alone has added a big wave of disappointment to today's market."

The S&P 500 has rallied nearly 9 percent for the month on optimism European leaders will succeed in tackling the region's debt crisis. Investors fear the impact that an uncontrolled fiscal crisis in the euro zone could have on the global economy.

On Tuesday the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) lost 205.18 points, or 1.72 percent, to 11,708.44. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (.SPX)(.INX) fell 24.96 points, or 1.99 percent, to 1,229.23. The Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC) dropped 61.02 points, or 2.26 percent, to 2,638.42.

Adding to the pessimistic tone, 3M Co (MMM.N) reported quarterly profits that missed expectations and cut its 2011 forecast. The Dow component said the crisis in Europe was weakening consumer demand and taking a toll on profit, sending shares down 6.3 percent to $77.04.

In after-market activity, Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) slumped 15 percent to $193.10 after the world's largest Internet retailer reported weaker-than-expected results as it spent heavily on a new tablet computer and other long-term projects.

Other companies reporting on Tuesday included engine manufacturer Cummins Inc (CMI.N), which fell 5.1 percent to $93.81 after cutting its outlook. United Parcel Service (UPS.N) shed 2.1 percent to $69.35 after the company's chief executive said he sees the slow-growing economy continuing.

The S&P industrials index (.GSPI) lost 2 percent.

Netflix (NFLX.O) plunged 34.9 percent a day after the movie rental company said it lost more customers than it anticipated in the third quarter and warned of still more departures. The stock sank to $77.37.

Economic data showed U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly dropped to its lowest level in 2 1/2 years in October, while house prices were unchanged at low levels in August, suggesting the consumer is still struggling.

Volume was light, with about 7.78 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Amex and Nasdaq, slightly below the daily average of 8.01 billion.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 2,491 to 520, while on the Nasdaq, decliners beat advancers 2,033 to 462.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111025/bs_nm/us_markets_stocks

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Friendship makes a difference in stress regulation

Public release date: 26-Oct-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Hutcheon
shutcheon@srcd.org
202-289-7905
Society for Research in Child Development

Social rejection can cause stress in preschoolers, adolescents, and adults. But what happens in middle childhood, a time when peer rejection can be particularly stressful and friendships are key? A new study has found that friendships serve as a buffer against the negative effects of classmates' rejection.

The study, conducted by researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, appears in the journal Child Development.

Cortisol, a human stress hormone, mobilizes energy and helps us respond to potential threat when we're under stress. Increased levels of cortisol are adaptivethey help us adapt how we function to changing circumstances and cope with stressors when they occurbut chronically high levels can have negative effects on how we function, especially on our immune system.

This study looked at almost 100 fourth gradersan age that's been understudied in this regardto determine whether victimization and exclusion by peers were related to increases in cortisol, and whether friendships moderated this association. The children were part of a longitudinal study on infant and child development that was carried out in the Netherlands and designed to be representative of the Dutch population.

Researchers asked children to nominate classroom peers who were often bullied, picked on, or excluded by other children. They also asked children about the number of friends they had within the classroom, and the quality of their best friendships. In addition, they questioned the children's parents about behavior problems, and they measured children's cortisol levels through saliva collections five times on each of two consecutive school days.

Children who were excluded by their classmates had elevated levels of cortisol at school, the study found. And they had a smaller decline in cortisol over the course of the day. Both of these findings may indicate that exclusion is stressful. This was even more pronounced for excluded kids who had few friends or had friendships that were characterized as low in quality.

Victimization by classmates wasn't associated with increased cortisol levels, suggesting that victimization is not as stressful as exclusion.

"Together, the results demonstrate that although friends cannot completely eliminate the stress of exclusion at school, they do reduce it," according to Marianne Riksen-Walraven, professor of developmental psychology at Radboud University Nijmegen. "And the number and quality of children's friendships can serve as a buffer against being rejected."

###

The study was funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.

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[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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: 26-Oct-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Hutcheon
shutcheon@srcd.org
202-289-7905
Society for Research in Child Development

Social rejection can cause stress in preschoolers, adolescents, and adults. But what happens in middle childhood, a time when peer rejection can be particularly stressful and friendships are key? A new study has found that friendships serve as a buffer against the negative effects of classmates' rejection.

The study, conducted by researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, appears in the journal Child Development.

Cortisol, a human stress hormone, mobilizes energy and helps us respond to potential threat when we're under stress. Increased levels of cortisol are adaptivethey help us adapt how we function to changing circumstances and cope with stressors when they occurbut chronically high levels can have negative effects on how we function, especially on our immune system.

This study looked at almost 100 fourth gradersan age that's been understudied in this regardto determine whether victimization and exclusion by peers were related to increases in cortisol, and whether friendships moderated this association. The children were part of a longitudinal study on infant and child development that was carried out in the Netherlands and designed to be representative of the Dutch population.

Researchers asked children to nominate classroom peers who were often bullied, picked on, or excluded by other children. They also asked children about the number of friends they had within the classroom, and the quality of their best friendships. In addition, they questioned the children's parents about behavior problems, and they measured children's cortisol levels through saliva collections five times on each of two consecutive school days.

Children who were excluded by their classmates had elevated levels of cortisol at school, the study found. And they had a smaller decline in cortisol over the course of the day. Both of these findings may indicate that exclusion is stressful. This was even more pronounced for excluded kids who had few friends or had friendships that were characterized as low in quality.

Victimization by classmates wasn't associated with increased cortisol levels, suggesting that victimization is not as stressful as exclusion.

"Together, the results demonstrate that although friends cannot completely eliminate the stress of exclusion at school, they do reduce it," according to Marianne Riksen-Walraven, professor of developmental psychology at Radboud University Nijmegen. "And the number and quality of children's friendships can serve as a buffer against being rejected."

###

The study was funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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/2011-10/sfri-fma101911.php

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NCAA weighing $2,000 payments to student athletes (AP)

WASHINGTON ? NCAA President Mark Emmert says he supports a proposal to allow conferences to increase grants to student athletes by $2,000, "to more closely approach" the full cost of attending college, beyond the athletic scholarships athletes receive for tuition, fees, room, board and books.

Emmert told the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics on Monday that the proposal will be finalized this week and he'll ask the NCAA Division I Board of Directors to support it. He noted that student athletes have limited opportunities to work outside the classroom and playing fields, and that the current model of athletic scholarship hasn't changed for 40 years.

Emmert says he'll also ask the board to allow colleges and universities to provide multiyear grants, instead of year-to-year scholarships.

"This week, I'll be asking the board to support a proposal to allow conferences ? not mandate anyone, but allow conferences, not individual institutions ? to increase the value of an athletic grant in aid to more closely approach the full cost of attendance," Emmert said.

"We are going to create a model that would allow ? probably ... up to $2,000 in addition to" tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111024/ap_on_sp_ot/us_ncaa_knight_commission

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Regulator throws lifeline to underwater homeowners (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Homeowners who owe more than their properties are worth got new help on Monday with the government's expansion of a refinancing program in a step that could help up to 1 million borrowers.

The regulator of mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eased the terms of a program that helps so-called underwater borrowers who have made payments on time but have been unable to refinance.

"These are important steps that will help more homeowners refinance at lower rates, save consumers money and help get folks spending again," President Barack Obama told a crowd in Las Vegas, a city hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.

The overhaul, which would only help a fraction of the country's 11 million underwater borrowers, is the latest government effort to breathe life into the crippled U.S. housing market.

Officials have been frustrated that numerous attempts to bolster the sector and help borrowers have had little success.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency said it was scrapping a cap that prohibited borrowers whose mortgages exceeded 125 percent of their property's value from refinancing loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the government's Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP).

It also took steps to coax homeowners into shorter-term loans and encourage more banks to participate in the program.

The Obama administration sees lowering mortgage payments as a way to free up cash for other spending that could help support the economy's tepid recovery.

The FHFA said it wanted to focus on loans made between 2004-08, when borrowers typically locked into rates above 5 percent. Currently, 30-year fixed mortgage rates are hovering just over 4 percent.

"Such modifications are no panacea, but they would move us in the right direction for housing-related stimulus for the economy," said Janaki Rao, vice president for mortgage research at Morgan Stanley in New York.

The White House expects homeowners refinancing under the program to save as much as $2,500 per household each year.

Investors in mortgage-backed securities, who had anticipated a revamping of the program, were surprised at the scope of the changes, and prices for housing debt issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac dropped sharply.

ADMINISTRATION PUSH

With political gridlock blocking legislation addressing the housing crisis, the administration had urged the FHFA to widen HARP to more borrowers. The regulator had moved cautiously, wary of piling too much risk on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

"This is an appropriate balancing of risk that's being borne by Fannie and Freddie, and hence the American taxpayer," FHFA's acting director, Edward DeMarco, said in a conference call with reporters. "This will make HARP more available."

In September 2008, the U.S. government seized Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two largest sources of U.S. mortgage financing, as losses on loans they backed spiraled. The two firms have so far received $141 billion in taxpayer bailouts.

After meeting with DeMarco earlier this month, one lawmaker said the expanded program could help as many as 600,000 to 1 million borrowers.

DeMarco and Obama administration officials said there was no way to forecast exactly how many borrowers could benefit, although the FHFA said it could double the number helped by the end of 2013. Previously, the program was due to expire in June.

There were some signs the announcement was having an impact.

Las Vegas-based mortgage originator Ben Petkewich said he had five clients who might qualify for the relaxed terms -- four paying 6 percent a year and another paying more than 8 percent.

"I got two phone calls this morning and have pulled three files," said Petkewich who runs The Mortgage Outlet. "I'm a one-person shop. That's a significant amount of business for me to look into."

The state of Nevada has the highest foreclosure rate in the United States.

The White House has been criticized for over-selling earlier efforts to help housing. When HARP was unveiled in March 2009, it predicted it would help 5 million borrowers, but so far fewer than 895,000 have refinanced through the program.

Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan said the overhaul was "only one piece of a broader strategy to help the housing market." He said the next step would be to find a way to rent, sell or dispose of foreclosed homes that are weighing on already depressed prices.

With housing impeding a broader economic recovery, some Federal Reserve officials have said the central bank should consider buying mortgage debt to drive down borrowing costs.

CHANGING INCENTIVES

To encourage banks to participate in the revamped program, FHFA moved to protect lenders from having to buy back loans if underwriting problems are later found. "Of all the barriers, this may be the most significant," said Gene Sperling, director of the White House National Economic Council.

In addition, banks will only have to verify that borrowers have made their last six mortgage payments and, in most cases, they will not need to conduct an appraisal.

FHFA said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will also eliminate certain fees for borrowers who refinance into shorter-duration loans, in a bid to spur homeowners to pay down the amount they owe more quickly.

Morgan Stanley's Rao said while the changes were helpful, they were unlikely to lead to a "wave" of refinancing.

Many economists have argued bolder steps are needed given the weight housing is placing on the recovery.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, in a Reuters column, said what is needed are writedowns on loan principal and mass sales of foreclosed homes to investors for rentals.

"With constructive approaches by independent regulators, far better policies could be in place six months from now," he wrote. "There is nothing else on the feasible political horizon that can make as a large a difference in driving American economic recovery."

(Additional reporting by Richard Leong and Leah Schnurr in New York, Jim Christie in San Francisco; editing by Tim Ahmann, Gary Crosse)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111024/pl_nm/us_usa_housing

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Hispanic voters: Stick with Obama or go with GOP? (AP)

LAS VEGAS ? A year before the 2012 presidential election, Hispanic voters are facing a choice. They can continue to support President Barack Obama despite being hurt disproportionately by the economic downturn or turn to Republicans at a time when many GOP presidential hopefuls have taken a hard line on immigration.

Obama kicks off a three-day trip to Western states trip with a stop Monday in Las Vegas, where he wants to rally support for his jobs agenda in Congress. Nevada has the nation's highest unemployment rate, 13.4 percent.

The trip comes as Republican candidates have taken a more strident tone on immigration.

Businessman Herman Cain recently suggested electrifying a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico to kill illegal immigrants; he later called the remark a joke and apologized. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann has raised the issue of "anchor babies," or U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants; it's a term that some people find offensive.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been criticized by opponents for signing a law allowing some illegal immigrants to get in-state college tuition. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said most of the jobs created under Perry's watch went to illegal immigrants. Perry lashed into Romney during last week's GOP debate in Las Vegas for hiring a lawn care company that employed illegal immigrants.

Obama won 67 percent of Hispanic voters in 2008 but many of those voters have become disillusioned during the past three years. Unemployment among Hispanics tops 11 percent and many Latinos are losing their homes. Others criticize the number of deportations under Obama's presidency and the lack of progress on a comprehensive immigration plan.

"I am willing to support him, but I would like him to keep his word on all the promises he made," said Marcos Mata, 17, a Las Vegas high school senior who will vote for the first time next year. "Not just on immigration. But I don't know if I see any improvement. The jobs act, it's a good idea but he should have been doing that a long time ago."

Recent Gallup polling showed Obama with a 49 percent job approval rating among Hispanics, compared with about 60 percent in the beginning of 2011. Hispanic voters could prove pivotal next year, especially in fast-growing and contested states such as Florida, New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado.

Obama has said his jobs agenda would help Hispanics in the construction industry and provide tax breaks for small businesses. On immigration, he has targeted violent criminals for deportation and urged Congress to create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Obama also has sought support for legislation that would provide a route to legal status for college students and members of the military brought to the country as children.

Republicans sense an opening and have courted Hispanic voters through Spanish-language radio and television ads, criticizing Obama's handling of the economy.

Crossroads GPS, a Republican political organization tied to strategist Karl Rove, ran a Spanish-language ad in five states last summer called "Despertarse," or "Wake up," depicting a young mother pacing her home early in the morning, worried about the economy and her children.

President George W. Bush was supported by 44 percent of Hispanic voters in 2004 but that level slipped for the 2008 GOP nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain. Party officials promote the success of prominent Hispanic Republicans, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, and Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, but some worry that a harsh tone on immigration could undermine their efforts.

"The fundamental question will be whether the economic concerns of the Latino community are so severe that they are less critical of anti-immigrant positioning by the Republican party," said Adam Mendelsohn, a Republican strategist and former adviser to ex-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California.

Mendelsohn warned that Romney could damage his general election prospects if he makes immigration a focal point during the primary. "If the conventional wisdom is that Romney won the nomination because he beat up Perry on immigration, that's a narrative that will alienate Latinos."

Voters like Jose Hernandez, a Republican, are watching closely. Hernandez said his Las Vegas real estate business has faltered with the housing market. Most of his neighbors and clients are more concerned about the economy than immigration but he has found the tone of the GOP debate offensive, including comments about illegal immigrants stealing jobs.

"That's just ignorance," Hernandez said. "The Republicans need to talk about making it easier for people to come here."

Democrats say the immigration rhetoric in the GOP debates could have a similar impact that tough anti-immigration laws had in California during the 1990s under Republican Gov. Pete Wilson. Democratic presidential nominees have not lost California since 1988.

Obama's campaign is aggressively courting Latino voters.

In Fort Collins, Colo., on Saturday, about a dozen volunteers walked door to door to register voters and hand out pamphlets. "If we turn out 15,000 to 20,000 votes, that's going to make a big difference," said Joe Perez, 67, of Greeley, Colo.

Turnout will be key. Many Hispanic Democrats say the Republican debate on immigration has turned off Latino voters but worry that a weak economy could make it more difficult to encourage Hispanics to support Obama.

"Building the excitement and the enthusiasm to go to the polls, that's something we're going to have to figure out how to do," said Maria Elena Durazo, secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. "They just feel down. The economy is terrible so our challenge is still going to be getting them to the polls. I think we can do it."

___

Thomas reported from Fort Collins, Colo.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111024/ap_on_el_ge/us_obama_hispanics

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