Newton, Panthers keep Colts winless, 27-19

NASCAR series champion Tony Stewart waves to fans during the second quarter of an NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Carolina Panthers in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. Stewart is a native of Columbus, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

NASCAR series champion Tony Stewart waves to fans during the second quarter of an NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Carolina Panthers in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. Stewart is a native of Columbus, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Curtis Painter (7) is hit by Carolina Panthers strong safety Charles Godfrey during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. Painter fumbled on the play but the Colts recovered. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indianapolis Colts middle linebacker Pat Angerer (51) looks to recover a fumble by Carolina Panthers tight end Jeremy Shockey, left, during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. The Colts recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) scores a touchdown in front of Indianapolis Colts strong safety David Caldwell, left, and free safety Antoine Bethea during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Indianapolis Colts free safety Antoine Bethea, left, and cornerback Kevin Thomas, center, try to tackle Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? The Carolina Panthers finally found somewhere they could pull out a victory on the road: Indianapolis, home of the winless Colts.

DeAngelo Williams ran for two touchdowns and Cam Newton added another, leading the Panthers to a 27-19 win Sunday, their first outside of Charlotte, N.C., in nearly two years.

"This is something we can build off of, use as a springboard as we go forward," coach Ron Rivera said. "It's not where you are now ? it's where you're headed."

The Panthers (3-8) last won on the road Dec. 27, 2009, beating the New York Giants 41-9.

Williams rushed 15 times for 69 yards. Jonathan Stewart ran 10 times for 70 yards, and Newton finished with nine carries for 53 yards. The Panthers piled up a season-high 201 yards rushing, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and controlling the ball for more than 36 minutes.

It was just what the Panthers needed after blowing a double-digit lead at Detroit last weekend.

"Looking at records, we didn't want to put our guard down," Newton said. "I'm proud of this team, how we kept battling."

Indy is 0-11 for the first time since 1986. The Colts produced just 1 yard in the first quarter, drawing boos from a near-capacity crowd, and had only 142 total yards entering the third quarter.

But it was a far better performance than what the fans had seen.

After losing their last four games by a combined 137-27, the Colts finally scored an offensive touchdown early in the second period, ending a nine-quarter drought. Dwight Freeney recorded his first sack since Oct. 9, and, in the final minutes, Indy had two chances to force overtime. Both ended with interceptions in the end zone.

"At least we put ourselves in position to win it in the second half," said Curtis Painter, who was 15 of 29 for 226 yards with one TD and the two interceptions. "But we were in it. We had a shot at the end, just came up a little short."

Newton was 20 of 27 for 208 yards, and Steve Smith caught three passes for 68 to top the 1,000-yard mark. But the Panthers wore down Indy's defense with run after run.

In the final quarter, the Panthers kept giving themselves what seemed like a comfortable cushion against the NFL's lone winless team only for the Colts to rally.

Williams scored his second touchdown early in the fourth to make it 24-13. Painter then hooked up with Reggie Wayne, who slipped a tackle in the middle of the field, turned left and sprinted into the end zone for a 56-yard TD. The 2-point conversion pass failed, making it 24-19.

Carolina answered with Kealoha Pilares' 81-yard kickoff return, which led to a 41-yard field goal.

Painter, however, got the Colts back into scoring position before Chris Gamble picked off an underthrown ball in the end zone, right in front of Pierre Garcon.

It still wasn't over.

The Colts forced a punt, and Painter got Indy back inside the Carolina 5 with about a minute to go. But when Austin Collie couldn't hang onto Painter's pass, Sherrod Martin snagged it out of the air and toe-tapped the end line for an interception to finally give Carolina the rare road victory.

"In light of what happened the first half of the season, how close we had come and not gotten it done, we came in at the half, we talked about what we had to do when we came out," Rivera said. "And we did it."

The Panthers jumped to a 10-0 lead thanks to Olindo Mare's 40-yard field goal and Newton's dancing 14-yard run into the end zone.

Donald Brown answered with a 17-yard scoring burst for the Colts, and Adam Vinatieri tied the score at 10 with a 31-yard field goal late in the first half.

Carolina broke the tie with a nifty 25-yard run from Williams, who sidestepped one defender in the middle of the field, cut right and outran the Colts defense for the score.

Notes: Peyton Manning joined former receiver Marvin Harrison during the induction ceremony into the Colts' Ring of Honor. ... Indy also honored three-time Cup champion Tony Stewart during the break for the two-minute warning at the end of the first half. ... Colts defensive back Stevie Brown injured his quadriceps in the first half and fullback Ryan Mahaffey left in the third quarter with a concussion. ...Pilares had a long punt return called back in the first half because of an illegal block. ... Newton has now rushed for 10 TDs this season. Only two quarterbacks have ever had more ? Kordell Stewart (11) with Pittsburgh in 1997 and Steve Grogan (12) with New England in 1976.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-11-27-Panthers-Colts/id-016feb8679ab45229482438606a7a2d7

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Research for the Development of Chinese Contracted Finance ...

?Abstract? The thesis does main research on the Contracted Financial Institutions Development in China. Compared with other emerging capital markets, Contracted Financial Institutions have developed well in most western developed countries. Ordinarily speaking, Contracted Financial Institutions contain pension, insurance fund and mutual fund.First, the thesis makes a description on the main categories and features of the Contracted Financial Institutions, and then analyzes the main factors for the supply and demand of the rapid development of the Contracted Financial Institutions. At last, this thesis analyzes the relationship between the Contracted Financial Institutions and Bank, as well the relationship between the Contracted Financial Institutions and Capital Market.Through the comparison between the Contracted Financial Institutions and Bank, we make a conclusion that the Contracted Financial Institutions could make up the weakness of the Bank. Also, with the competition and cooperation between the two, there will be a great change and a development in the financial market.Through the comparison between the Contracted Financial Institutions and Capital Market, we conclude that the Contracted Financial Institutions could enhance the depth and liquidity of the capital market and it could also improve the financial structures of the enterprises.Finally, the thesis focused on the development of Contracted Financial Institutions in China with the combination of Chinese current financial environment which is Bank-Oriented. Well, there will be a hidden in the stability of the finance if financial system is Bank-Oriented. Suggestions given by this thesis are that in China it should develop the Contracted Financial Institutions rapidly. The Contracted Financial Institutions will also bring a positive influence on the stock market and the fund market.

Title: Research for the Development of Chinese Contracted Finance
Category: Finance economics
Filename: Research for the Development of Chinese Contracted Finance.pdf
Pages: 129
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Source: http://www.economics-papers.com/?p=65329

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Why You Should Skip Black Friday And Shop On Small Business ...

This article originally appeared at American Express OpenForum

If you're not one to brave the crowds on Black Friday, you might consider shopping on?Small Business Saturday.

In its second year, the?American Express-sponsored push aims to get consumers spending in smaller shops the Saturday after Thanksgiving, in lieu of Black Friday, to revitalize the shop-local tradition and infuse local economies.?Participating small businesses around the country are encouraged to offer deals to entice shoppers, and in the process build a foundation for a new holiday shopping tradition.

Plus, it feeds money directly back into communities.?One study shows?$45 of every $100 spent at small, local businesses stays in the local economy. National chains only keep local $13 of every $100 spent.

The initiative's reach extends to towns and neighborhoods across the country, including New York's Greenpoint neighborhood. Nestled between trendy Williamsburg and Queens, it's one of the last holdouts in northern Brooklyn. Only now are the young and hip noticeably carving out their place in the predominantly Polish area, filled with families and a distinct tight-knit feel. Locally-owned businesses, new and old, line the streets there.

Developing ways to promote local businesses has long been a priority for the neighborhood,?says business owner Ed Veneziano, the former co-chair of the?Greenpoint Business Alliance, a volunteer organization dedicated to serving and promoting the small businesses there. Veneziano also owns?Cato's Army & Navy, a business his parents started more than three decades ago.

The visibility associated with a company like American Express and its sponsorship of Small Business Saturday (New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg also put his weight behind the campaign) provides a needed boost, particularly in a tough economy.

A generational shift in shopping and spending habits, fueled by easy access to chain stores, has complicated things a bit for small business, Veneziano says.

"The younger, newer consumers are almost taken aback by the whole mom-and-pop experience," he says. "They're so used to the mall shopping experience. When they come into a store and someone wants to help them...they're almost nervous about it."

But in order for these small businesses and communities like Greenpoint to thrive, younger shoppers must latch onto the old-school comfort of a unique, homey storefront with a staff that probably isn't decked out in specific matching uniforms. Small Business Saturday, Veneziano says, is a key to remind people of that alternative.

"It's really important having these kinds of initiatives so people can start thinking outside their usual comfort zone and re-embrace the idea that you can come to a local store," he says. "The more things like that, the easier it is for small businesses to get people in that mindset."

That's exactly what Beth Lewand is going for. Her year-old Greenpoint-based beer and cheese boutique,?Eastern District, wouldn't be a typical stop for the hard-core holiday shoppers who hit the big stores, but Small Business Saturday offers her a chance to showcase a gift-giving alternative. She'll offer product tastings, and hopes to convey what small business is all about.

"It's a more humane approach to holiday shopping," Lewand says. "It will remind people of this experience of walking around a neighborhood and finding new places."

The initiative might also offer a chance for young businesses to find a foothold.?Troost, a months-old wine bar in Greenpoint, will feature an all-day happy hour for Small Business Saturday. The up-and-comer is also featured in?Paper?magazine's New York City guide, a citywide list of promotions for the culture-conscious.

"We're pretty excited about [Small Business Saturday]," says Troost co-owner John Ortiz. "We're still climbing up that ladder, but it feels like it's going in the right direction."

Beyond lending its name and brand power, American Express announced it's also?giving its cardholders a $25 credit?when they shop at?participating small businesses.

"There's an opportunity, especially in communities like Greenpoint that really can make a difference and become major mom-and-pop [or] small business thriving centers again," Veneziano says. "Local businesses put a lot more into the local economy than those big-box stores."

Now see how craft beer is taking over the U.S. and galvanizing small businesses >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-skip-black-friday-and-shop-local-instead-2011-11

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Gingrich risk: Will the GOP cast its lot with him? (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Being a conventional Republican has never been Newt Gingrich's style, and he clearly doesn't see it as the way to beat Mitt Romney in the presidential nominating contest.

Gingrich, the former House speaker, is sticking to his call for lenience for some illegal immigrants, a stand that critics call amnesty and that veers from GOP orthodoxy. A day after he emphasized his point in a debate, his position drew both praise and condemnation Wednesday.

But there's broader debate within Republican circles, six weeks ahead of the Iowa caucuses: Do party loyalists think their best challenger to President Barack Obama is a thrice-married, 68-year-old veteran of Washington's inside games who recently held a million-dollar consulting contract with mortgage backer Freddie Mac?

Gingrich is the latest Republican to emerge as a serious rival to Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is more popular with the party establishment than with conservative activists. Campaign veterans still tend to see Romney as the likeliest nominee. But Gingrich's long, roller-coaster career makes it hard to rule him in or out with confidence.

Gingrich seems to have become "the center of gravity in this very unusual Republican nomination contest," said Dante Scala, a University of New Hampshire political scientist. He said the former Georgia congressman might be able to unite very conservative voters "who want a fundamental change in the scale and scope of government" and "somewhat conservative Republicans, who just want to defeat Obama."

"Illegal immigration is Newt's acid test," Scala said, and tea party conservatives might be "having second thoughts today. Let's see if he can keep them on board."

Attention focused Wednesday on Gingrich's renewed call for pathways to legal status for illegal immigrants who have lived long, peaceful and tax-paying lives in the United States.

"I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families which have been here a quarter-century," Gingrich said in the Republican debate Tuesday night. "I'm prepared to take the heat for saying let's be humane in enforcing the law."

Heat came quickly. "Newt Gingrich is finished!" said William Gheen, president of the anti-immigration group ALIPAC.

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, one of Congress' most outspoken conservatives, said Gingrich's prescription "is a form of amnesty" that "makes it harder" to consider endorsing him.

King told reporters America will suffer "if we let the rule of law be eroded and we allow people to be rewarded for breaking the law" by entering the country illegally.

Gingrich allies noted that he doesn't advocate citizenship, even for law-abiding, long-term illegal immigrants. They say his plan is a humane and realistic acknowledgment that the government is not going to round up and deport 11 million people who are here illegally. The smartest use of resources, they say, is to focus on illegal immigrants with few ties to their communities and problematic records with paying taxes and staying out of trouble.

Rival Michele Bachmann was not interested in those arguments.

"He has said that we should make the 11 million illegal workers that are in this country legal," the Minnesota congresswoman told PBS' "NewsHour." "And he probably has the most liberal position on illegal immigration of any of the candidates in the race."

Romney, too, offered Gingrich no wiggle room. While campaigning in Iowa, he said, "People who have come to the country illegally should not have a special pathway that is preferable to those that stand in line in their home countries to come to this country."

Romney said Gingrich's plan would not stand scrutiny. "How about someone who's been here 20 years, how about 12 years, about 10, five, three?" he said. "How many children do you have to have to apply to this principle?"

"We make a mistake as a Republican Party in trying to describe which people who've come here illegally should be given amnesty," Romney said.

Democrats denounced Romney's position Wednesday. And some defended Gingrich, which may be of little help in Republican primaries.

"The truth is, he's correct," Rep. Charles Gonzales, the Texas Democrat who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, told reporters. "I'm hoping former Speaker Gingrich doesn't start walking back from it."

Steve Duprey, a Republican National Committee member from New Hampshire, who is uncommitted in the presidential race, said he applauds Gingrich for tackling the touchy immigration issue. "But he's going to have a problem with the conservatives," Duprey said.

Some conservative journals are taking a wait-and-see approach to Gingrich's prospects.

"If 2012 were an ordinary election year, Gingrich would be doomed by his gaffes, three marriages and fleeting alliances with Hillary Clinton on health care and Nancy Pelosi on global warming," columnist Fred Barnes wrote in The Weekly Standard. But Republicans are obsessed with ousting President Barack Obama, he said.

"And if that means choosing a candidate with a lurid past and a penchant for self-destruction," Barnes said, then Republicans "are likely to swallow hard and nominate Gingrich."

Romney will keep arguing that he is best-suited instead.

___

Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont in Iowa and Philip Elliott in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111124/ap_on_el_ge/us_gingrich_s_risk

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Police find 13 burned bodies in western Mexico (AP)

CULIACAN, Mexico ? Police have found 13 shot and burned bodies in two pickup trucks in the western city of Culiacan.

Sinaloa state Attorney General Marco Antonio Higuera Gomez says neighbors called police after seeing a pickup truck on fire early Wednesday in the Antonio Rosales neighborhood. Higuera says investigators found nine bodies on the bed of the truck.

Higuera says that minutes later, authorities received another report of a pickup truck burning behind a store. Police found four bodies inside that vehicle.

Higuera said all 13 had been shot.

Culiacan is the capital of the Pacific coast state of Sinaloa, which is home of a major drug cartel named for the state.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111123/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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Video: Thanksgiving takes many forms around nation

Millions line Manhattan streets for the Macy?s parade; Atlanta feeds thousands of homeless, and service members in Tucson, Ariz., get surprise servers. NBC?s Jeff Rossen reports.

Related Links:

http://www.facebook.com/nbcnightlynews

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45431416/

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Canadian Light Source making positive economic, scientific impacts for Canada

Public release date: 22-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Matthew Dalzell
matthew.dalzell@lightsource.ca
306-657-3739
Canadian Light Source, Inc.

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN - The Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron is making a strong contribution to the national, provincial and local economy, and has a positive return on investment in terms of academic and industrial research and the training of the next generation of scientists. These are some of the findings of an economic impact study conducted by Insightrix Research Inc. for the CLS.

"We are very pleased with what the study found as it clearly demonstrates that we are contributing to the advancement of Canadian science, the innovation of industry in Canada and abroad, as well as the training of our country's future researchers and technologists," says Josef Hormes, Executive Director of the CLS. "The data indicate that we are on the right track as we complete the transition into a mature synchrotron facility."

"It is apparent that the contribution of the CLS to the Canadian economy extends beyond economic impact data with the potential for a large impact in the years to come," says Larry Goodfellow, partner with Insightrix Research who conducted the study. "Although many respondents felt that it was still too early to completely measure results, those that we have seen are very positive."

The study, conducted between June and August, consisted of surveys and in-depth interviews of the synchrotron's academic and government users and industrial clients. It focused on the research activities of academic users during the 2010 calendar year and industrial clients during fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Key findings include:

• CLS operations directly contributed almost $90 million to Canadian GDP during the study period: for every dollar of CLS operating funding our operations contributed three to the Canadian economy.
• CLS operating funds spent in Saskatchewan generated over $33 million in GDP for the province of Saskatchewan.
• Spending by our users visiting Saskatoon contributed close to $1 million to the local economy in 2010.
• Academic research done at the CLS in 2010 contributed to the publication of over 130 scientific articles to date, the training of 500 highly-qualified personnel (HQP, such as graduate students).
• Respondents among academic users estimated the commercial value of the research they did at the CLS during 2010 at $28 million, with an additional $2.5 million related to the training of students and post-docs. This includes the commercial value of new inventions of over $12 million, and new or improved products and processes at $15.5 million.
• 97 percent of academic respondents indicated that some part of their research depends on synchrotron data.
• Over 98 percent of the researchers surveyed intend to return to the CLS to do future research.
• Clients who responded to the survey reported the value of the research projects conducted for their businesses at close to $15 million from fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

###

The Canadian Light Source is Canada's national centre for synchrotron research and is a global leader and a recognized centre of excellence in synchrotron science and its applications. Located on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, the CLS has hosted over 4,600 user visits from academic institutions, government, and industry, and delivered over 15,000 experimental shifts to users from across Canada and 18 countries since 2005. CLS operations are funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, National Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan. http://www.lightsource.ca/media/quickfacts.php.

A backgrounder with additional findings and highlights is available at http://www.lightsource.ca/media/backgrounder_20111122.php.

---

[ | 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: 22-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Matthew Dalzell
matthew.dalzell@lightsource.ca
306-657-3739
Canadian Light Source, Inc.

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN - The Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron is making a strong contribution to the national, provincial and local economy, and has a positive return on investment in terms of academic and industrial research and the training of the next generation of scientists. These are some of the findings of an economic impact study conducted by Insightrix Research Inc. for the CLS.

"We are very pleased with what the study found as it clearly demonstrates that we are contributing to the advancement of Canadian science, the innovation of industry in Canada and abroad, as well as the training of our country's future researchers and technologists," says Josef Hormes, Executive Director of the CLS. "The data indicate that we are on the right track as we complete the transition into a mature synchrotron facility."

"It is apparent that the contribution of the CLS to the Canadian economy extends beyond economic impact data with the potential for a large impact in the years to come," says Larry Goodfellow, partner with Insightrix Research who conducted the study. "Although many respondents felt that it was still too early to completely measure results, those that we have seen are very positive."

The study, conducted between June and August, consisted of surveys and in-depth interviews of the synchrotron's academic and government users and industrial clients. It focused on the research activities of academic users during the 2010 calendar year and industrial clients during fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Key findings include:

• CLS operations directly contributed almost $90 million to Canadian GDP during the study period: for every dollar of CLS operating funding our operations contributed three to the Canadian economy.
• CLS operating funds spent in Saskatchewan generated over $33 million in GDP for the province of Saskatchewan.
• Spending by our users visiting Saskatoon contributed close to $1 million to the local economy in 2010.
• Academic research done at the CLS in 2010 contributed to the publication of over 130 scientific articles to date, the training of 500 highly-qualified personnel (HQP, such as graduate students).
• Respondents among academic users estimated the commercial value of the research they did at the CLS during 2010 at $28 million, with an additional $2.5 million related to the training of students and post-docs. This includes the commercial value of new inventions of over $12 million, and new or improved products and processes at $15.5 million.
• 97 percent of academic respondents indicated that some part of their research depends on synchrotron data.
• Over 98 percent of the researchers surveyed intend to return to the CLS to do future research.
• Clients who responded to the survey reported the value of the research projects conducted for their businesses at close to $15 million from fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

###

The Canadian Light Source is Canada's national centre for synchrotron research and is a global leader and a recognized centre of excellence in synchrotron science and its applications. Located on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon, the CLS has hosted over 4,600 user visits from academic institutions, government, and industry, and delivered over 15,000 experimental shifts to users from across Canada and 18 countries since 2005. CLS operations are funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, National Research Council of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Government of Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan. http://www.lightsource.ca/media/quickfacts.php.

A backgrounder with additional findings and highlights is available at http://www.lightsource.ca/media/backgrounder_20111122.php.

---

[ | 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/2011-11/clsi-cls112211.php

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Ecologists Take the U.S.'s Environmental Pulse [Slide Show]

Features | Energy & Sustainability

A new nationwide project aims to monitor the environment of the U.S. and enable comparisons of large-scale problems and variables such as climate change, pollution and sprawl

By David Biello ?| November 21, 2011

ECOLOGICAL MONITORING: Sensors atop this tower in the Harvard Forest have provided the longest-term measure ever collected by scientists in the U.S. of the interactions between an ecosystem and the atmosphere. Image: Courtesy National Ecological Observatory Network

A new network of observatories aims to take ecological science to the continental scale in the next 30 years. The National Science Foundation?sponsored network, called the National Ecological Observatory Network, or NEON, will link 20 field stations selected to provide data from 20 distinct U.S. biomes as well as 40 portable stations that can be moved from site to site. NEON will monitor how large-scale problems such as climate change, pollution and urban sprawl affect ecosystems as diverse as the Great Lakes and Hawaii.

Construction needed to link all the stations will begin soon in the Mountain West and Northeast, including monitoring towers that will characterize each site. The full network should be in place and operational by 2016.

View a slide show of the different regions NEON will study.

In the near-term, sensors scattered in field and stream will begin to collect regional data in standardized ways that can then be compared nationwide. Readings will range from simple rain gauges to sophisticated measurements of air pollution levels. Samples will be taken of organisms ranging from microbes to ground beetles. And all measurements will be standardized to allow rigorous comparison of the effects of big environmental problems on different eco-regions. That is more ambitious and potentially more scientifically fruitful than the previous such foundation project?the Long Term Ecological Research Network begun in 1980?which largely answered specific questions about impacts in a specific region, albeit in a way that failed to allow comparisons with other sites.

Ultimately, NEON hopes to show how humans can maintain our quality of life on this planet by better understanding how ecosystems deliver vital services?clean water, air, pollination?and respond to our own impacts on these systems. In essence, NEON will light up the night of our own ecological ignorance.

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Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=54af8c4e3e257db71a070f0212fb8b25

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Don't slash military budget, GOP contenders say (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Republican presidential hopefuls warned in near unanimity against deep cuts in the nation's defense budget Tuesday night, assailing President Barack Obama in campaign debate but disagreeing over the extent of reductions the Pentagon should absorb to reduce deficits and repair the frail U.S. economy.

The debate ranged widely, from Iran's threat to develop a nuclear weapon to the anti-terror Patriot Act, the war in Afghanistan, U.S-Pakistan relations and illegal immigrants who have entered the U.S. across the Mexican border. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said some should be allowed to stay, drawing fire from rivals Mitt Romney and Michele Bachman.

On defense spending, former Massachusetts Gov. Romney said nearly $1 trillion in cuts are on the horizon for the Pentagon over the next decade, noting that is the same as the costs for the nation's new health care law. He blamed Obama for that, adding, "We need to protect America and protect our troops and our military and stop the idea of Obamacare."

Texas Gov. Rick Perry was harshly critical of the magnitude of potential cuts saying the Obama administration's Pentagon chief had called them irresponsible. "If Leon Panetta is an honorable man, he should resign in protest," Perry said.

Neither Perry nor Romney specified if they support any cuts in the Pentagon's accounts, but Gingrich and Jon Huntsman, one-time ambassador to China, both indicated the topic should be on the table as budget-cutters look for savings.

"It's clear that there are some things you can do to defense that are less expensive," said Gingrich.

Only Rep. Ron Paul of Texas sounded unperturbed, saying that despite ominous talk, lawmakers are considering only reductions in future military growth, not actual cuts.

In a race constantly in flux, the former House speaker has recently emerged as Romney's principal rival atop the public opinion polls. As he looked around him, he saw other rivals who once held that position ? Bachmann, Perry and businessman Herman Cain among them.

They and the other GOP would-be commanders-in-chief made their points in a national security debate a mere six weeks before the Iowa caucuses begin the formal competition for delegates to next summer's National Republican Convention. The venerable DAR Constitution Hall was the site ? a few blocks from the White House and as close as most if not all of the GOP hopefuls are likely to get.

On immigration, Gingrich said that while some who are in the country illegally should be forced to leave the country, that wasn't true for all of them.

"If you've been here 25 years and you got three kids and two grandkids, you've been paying taxes and obeying the law, you belong to a local church, I don't think we're going to separate you from your family, uproot you forcefully and kick you out," he said.

Romney and Minnesota Rep. Bachmann strongly differed.

She said, "I don't agree that you would make 11 million workers legal, because that, in effect is amnesty."

Neither the format nor the moderator permitted all eight candidates to answer any one question, producing a somewhat disjoined event in which there was relatively little back-and-forth among the rivals.

Syria was one exception ? Perry saying he supported a no-fly zone over the nation where President Bashir Assad's forces are using force to quell protests, and Romney saying now is not the time.

The focus on defense cuts came one day after Congress' supercommittee failed to reach agreement on a plan to reduce red ink by $1.2 trillion over the next decade, an outcome that threatens to trigger a similar amount in automatic spending cuts beginning in 2013.

The Pentagon's share of those reductions would be about $500 billion, an amount that would come on top of Obama's own plan to trim military costs by about $450 billion.

Romney did not distinguish between the two categories when he accused Obama of targeting the Pentagon for debilitating reductions.

"They're cutting a trillion out of the defense budget, which just happens to equal the trillion dollars that they're putting into Obamacare," he said. He said such a Pentagon reduction would crimp weapons acquisition and other critical defense needs.

Several Republicans spoke up strongly for the anti-terror Patriot Act, saying it should be extended or perhaps strengthened to help identify and capture those who would attack the United States.

Only Rep. Paul among the eight presidential hopefuls dissented, arguing that the law is "unpatriotic because it undermines our liberties."

Gingrich jumped at that. "That's the whole point. Timothy McVeigh killed a lot of Americans," the former House speaker said. "I don't want a law that says after we lose a major American city, we're sure going to come and find you. I want a law that says, you try to take out an American city, we're going to stop you."

Neither Gingrich nor any other Republican mentioned that Obama, like President George W. Bush before him, signed legislation extending the Patriot Act. He did so while traveling in Europe last May, putting him name on a four-year extension of the law that gives the government sweeping powers to search records and conduct wiretaps in pursuit of terrorists.

Asked about the same general topic, Bachmann said Obama has "essentially handed over our investigation of terrorists to the" American Civil Liberties Union. "Our CIA has no ability to investigate," she said. Bachmann did not cite any examples to buttress either of her claims.

On other issues, Cain seemed to sidestep when asked if he would help Israel attack Iran in the event the Islamic regime acquired nuclear weapons. He said he would want to know what the plan was and have an understanding of its chance of success.

Gingrich said he would bomb Iran only as a last resort and with a goal of bringing about the downfall of the government.

There was disagreement when it came to the war in Afghanistan.

Former Utah Gov. Huntsman said it was time for the United States to withdraw nearly all its troops.

Romney said top generals disagreed with that and asked Huntsman if he was talking about a withdrawal beginning immediately.

"Did you hear what I said?" Huntsman asked across the debate stage, noting that under the Constitution the president is commander in chief. A few moments later, referring to Vietnam, he said a president had listened to the generals in 1967, and the outcome was not in the interests of the United States.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111123/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_debate

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Refresh Roundup: week of November 14, 2011

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup after the break. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout attips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of November 14, 2011

Refresh Roundup: week of November 14, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canada joins US and Britain on new Iran sanctions (AP)

TORONTO ? Canada is announcing additional sanctions against Iran in tandem with the U.S. and Britain to pressure Tehran to halt its suspected nuclear weapons program.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement Monday that the expanded sanctions prohibit almost all financial transactions with the Iranian government. They also add individuals and entities to the list of designated persons and expand the list of prohibited goods.

Baird says Canada is deeply disturbed by the information contained in the most recent International Atomic Energy Agency report suggesting Iranian work toward the development of atomic weapons.

Baird says the regime in Tehran poses the most significant threats to global peace and security today.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111121/ap_on_re_ca/cn_canada_iran_sanctions

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Report says iOS 5.0.2 may finally fix iOS 5, iPhone 4S battery issues (Appolicious)

Since the launch of the iPhone 4S last month, one of the major issues users have been reporting is a short battery life in the device. However, a new report says Apple is working to fix it again.

It?s a big deal for Apple. The company prides itself on providing long battery life in its mobile devices as one of their selling points. But with the iPhone 4S specifically ? and with devices running the newly released iOS 5 operating system in general ? battery life seems to have diminished for many users, and Apple has blamed the mobile operating system.

Apple has responded to reports of shortened battery life for the iPhone 4S by trying to tweak iOS 5?s software with an update, marked as iOS 5.0.1. That update dropped last week, but things didn?t get better because of it. In fact, some users reported that battery life was made even worse on their devices. And while the issue seems to be most noticeable for iPhone 4S owners, it appears as though battery issues have become something of a more widespread problem as the software has gotten spread around to more of Apple?s mobile devices.

But Apple is still on the case, and is preparing another update, according to a story from PC World. Apparently, Apple is cracking away at another iOS 5 update (iOS 5.0.2) which is intended to really fix the battery life problem, for real this time.

In fact, according to German website Macerkopf, where the story originated, Apple is aiming for 40 hours of battery life when the iPhone 4S is in standby and 10 hours of active use. That sounds a lot more in line with Apple?s usual battery performance record, and it?s not at all far-fetched to expect that Apple really is currently working on another update, given that it has already acknowledged that battery issues remain.

More updates for Siri on the way?

The report also suggests that another new update is coming for iOS 5 that will include some specific new features for the iPhone 4S. Macerkopf reports that iOS 5.1, the first major iteration of the software, will include a few improvements to the iPhone 4S-specific Siri voice-activated personal assistant software. Already, Siri has APIs that allow it to interact with other services the iPhone includes, like maps and web searches.

In iOS 5.1, apparently, Siri will be able to control taking photos and shooting videos when prompted by your voice. It will also be able to do more simple things like switching on and off your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections.

But iOS 5.1 is probably a ways off yet. It likely won?t be released until the end of the year, Macerkopf says. In the meantime, Apple has that battery issue to deal with. Hopefully the fix works this time.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_appolicious_com_articles10255_report_says_ios_5_0_2_may_finally_fix_ios_5_iphone_4s_battery_issues/43648362/SIG=13l1tvgse/*http%3A//www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/10255-report-says-ios-5-0-2-may-finally-fix-ios-5-iphone-4s-battery-issues

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Dead or No Deal, Downgrade From Moody's Unlikely (ABC News)

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Dwayne Johnson Picks Up The Monster Hunter's Survival Guide

The Rock is ready to take on monsters. It was announced today that Dwayne Johnson is now attached to star in the feature film adaptation of John Paul Russ? comic book miniseries The Monster Hunter?s Survival Guide. The book ?is a comprehensive guide to hunt monsters, the undead and unnatural beasts, and survive the confrontations.? Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class) will produce through his Genre Films shingle. It?s not a terrible idea for a film, though I sincerely hope they steer clear of the Van Helsing approach. Is it too much to hope for an R-rated version with Johnson violently taking on ginormous, gnarly monsters?

Johnson is currently filming G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, where he plays Roadblock. He?ll follow G.I. Joe 2 with the action thriller Snitch, where he stars opposite Susan Sarandon and Michael K. Williams. He?s also attached to play Goliath in a retelling of the David and Goliath story in Goliath, but that film is currently lacking a David. Johnson will next be seen in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which opens February 10th, 2012.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1923983/news/1923983/

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Herman Cain's Secret Service Request Prompted by Journalist Skirmishes (The Atlantic Wire)

Herman Cain, who's security team manhandled?multiple reporters recently, became the first GOP candidate to receive Secret Service protection in this election cycle--and Cain's spokesman, J.D. Gordon said skirmishes with journalists prompted the decision,?The Washington Post?reported. "Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon said Thursday night that the campaign asked for the protection after The Washington Post posted an article online that morning?detailing a series of physical skirmishes involving journalists at Cain rallies."

Related: Introducing Herman Cain, the Lovable GOP Candidate

From The?Post's take, Gordon's remark could mean "we needed protection from aggressive journalists" or "we needed protection for journalists because they were getting trampled," which?Slate's David Weigel?notes and clears up. He asked Gordon: "Was the campaign concerned about injured journalists; was that why the request was made?" Gordon said,??"No. It wasn't the reason."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/20111118/pl_atlantic/hermancainrequestedsecretservicehelpprotecthimmedia45164

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The Romney ceiling: Can he ever win over conservatives? Does he need to?

No matter what, Mitt Romney appears unable to get more than 25 percent of likely GOP primary voters to choose him in a poll. But the other candidates' shortcomings could be all he needs.

What does Mitt Romney have to do to win his party?s base? And does he even need to?

Skip to next paragraph

As the former Massachusetts governor?s eventual nomination as the GOP presidential candidate becomes ever more likely, there seems to be an increased desperation among those conservatives willing to ally themselves with anyone but him.

The momentum has swung from Michelle Bachmann to Rick Perry to Herman Cain to Newt Gingrich as candidate after candidate flies high, only to crash. (Ron Paul has his own coterie of intensely loyal supporters, but also has a hard time winning the GOP base.)

So, why not Mitt?

Media speculation about the search for an ?anti-Romney? candidate has been rampant for months, but polling suggests the idea isn?t just a fabrication of pundits looking for something to talk about.

Despite his success ? and his consistency throughout the campaign ? Mr. Romney seems to have hit a ceiling of about 25 percent in virtually any poll.

A recent Bloomberg News poll of likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa suggests one reason, with 58 percent of those polled saying they would rule out any candidate who had favored a mandate to buy health insurance.

There was more opposition on that score than on any other point the voters were asked about, including how they felt about a candidate who had been married three times and had extramarital affairs (48 percent said they?d rule him out), or who had been accused of sexual harassment (30 percent).

To many core Republicans, Romney can?t shake his image as a liberal-to-moderate Northerner ??a former GOP governor of a Democratic state who used to favor abortion rights and pushed through a health-insurance mandate that was the model for Obama?s.

One conservative blogger recently called his run ?a hostile takeover of the conservative movement.?

The fact that he?s a Mormon only makes him more suspect. (Romney?s faith has been attacked directly by at least a few conservatives, including intellectuals like Christopher Hitchens and prominent pastors like Robert Jeffress.)

All of which seems to make some Republicans more willing to embrace a thrice-married philanderer (Mr. Gingrich) than Romney. At least, the former House Speaker seems the current choice of the anti-Romney Republicans. A Fox News poll released Wednesday shows him doubling his support in the past three weeks to 23 percent, essentially tying Romney (22 percent) for the lead, and several other national polls now put him at or near the top.

None of this is news to Romney. Despite moving ever farther to the right, he knows his challenges with conservative Republicans.

It?s one reason he seems to be making less of an effort in Iowa (where committed caucusgoers tend to be further to the right), despite recently earning the censure of Iowa?s powerful governor for passing up events like this weekend?s Christian conservative candidate forum and the governor?s birthday fundraiser.

?I think he?s making a big mistake by not coming here ? and spending more time,? Gov. Terry Branstad said Wednesday at a Politico-sponsored forum.

But does it really matter?

So far, Romney?s strategy seems to be working, as one after another of his opponents self-destructs. It?s hard to picture any of them, at this point in the campaign, rallying enough support to win the nomination, however much the conservative wing of the party dislikes Romney.

One irony to all that opposition: Repeated polls suggest that Romney has a far greater chance than Gingrich, Mr. Perry, or almost any other GOP candidate of beating President Obama in the general election.

Which, according to most of the Republican base, is their top goal.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Fa-V2uyFMTQ/The-Romney-ceiling-Can-he-ever-win-over-conservatives-Does-he-need-to

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Italy's Monti center stage, France "alarm bells" (Reuters)

ROME (Reuters) ? Prime Minister-designate Mario Monti raced to assemble a new government for Italy on Tuesday while a sharp rise in French borrowing costs raised fears that the two-year debt crisis may spread to the euro zone's second biggest economy.

European shares and the euro fell on Tuesday as investors renewed selling of Italian and Spanish bonds and any relief from having new leaders in Italy and Greece proved short-lived with investors seeking safe-haven assets like German bonds.

Italy's 10-year bond yield rocketed back above 7 percent, pushing its borrowing costs to a level widely seen as unsustainable and which helped trigger the fall of Silvio Berlusconi's government last week.

Global markets harbor deep concerns about whether Monti and new Greek leader Lucas Papademos, unelected European technocrats without a domestic political base, can impose the needed tough austerity and far-reaching economic reform.

A think-tank report said the situation in triple-A rated France should also be "ringing euro zone alarm bells" because of the country's inability to make rapid adjustments to its economy.

Germany and France posted solid growth in the third quarter, statistics released on Tuesday showed, but euro zone nations on the front line of the debt crisis fared much worse and analysts expect bleaker times ahead in the core economies.

"The German economy has lost its immunity," said Carsten Brzeski of ING, a Dutch bank. "With the latest stage of the sovereign debt crisis, today's numbers are as good as it gets for the German economy."

As the euro zone's largest economy and growth engine for the past two years, any hiccups in the coming business quarters in Germany would have wider effects in the region.

A rebound in household consumption lifted France's growth to a better-than-expected 0.4 percent in the third quarter, after a contraction in the second, but economists warned it was just a lull before a likely return to recession.

"You could call this the lull in the storm," said Marc Touati of Assya Compagnie Financiere. "What's worrying is that industrial investment has started going down, which proves that the virtuous circle of investment, growth and job creation is not working."

"ALARM BELLS"

The urgency of resolving the crisis was underscored by a report by the Lisbon Council, which said France's inability to make rapid adjustments to its economy was a serious worry and should be of acute concern for the euro zone.

"Among the six euro zone countries with a AAA rating, France achieves by far the lowest ranking in the study's fundamental health check," the Brussels-based think-tank found in the 75-page report, called the Euro Plus Monitor.

"The results are too mediocre for a country that wants to safeguard its place in the top league ... Alarm bells should be ringing for France.

With the survival of the 17-state currency zone in its current form now at risk, EU governments have until a summit on December 9 to come up with a bolder and more convincing strategy, involving some form of massive, visible financial backing.

Prospects are uncertain as the German government, the Bundesbank and hardliners in the European Central Bank have so far blocked key policy options.

These include issuing common euro zone bonds, mutualizing the euro zone's debt stock, letting the ECB create money to fight the crisis, or having it act as lender of last resort, directly or via the euro zone rescue fund.

The debt crisis is likely to make matters worse in the next months with nations such as Italy, Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain forced to adopt politically unpopular cuts to stop the bond market driving them toward default.

Economists say there is no visible growth strategy in place to counter those austerity measures.

EUROPE FACES "TOUGHEST HOUR"

German Chancellor Angela Merkel caught the mood of crisis with a stark warning on Monday that Europe could be living through its "toughest hour since World War Two." She told her CDU party she feared Europe would fail if the euro failed and vowed to do anything in her power to stop this from happening.

Monti pursued his efforts on Tuesday to secure support from feuding politicians to allow his cabinet of experts to speed up reform of pensions, labor markets and business regulation needed to put Italy's finances on a sustainable footing.

Italy has to refinance some 200 billion euros ($273 billion) of bonds by the end of April, a daunting prospect.

High borrowing costs and the release of figures showing industrial production slumped by 2 percent in the euro zone in September, raised the specter of recession and provided a gloomy backdrop to Monti's talks with the heads of smaller parties.

"Monti spoke about a significant program with many sacrifices," Francesco Nucara, a lawmaker from one of the myriad tiny parliamentary groups involved in the talks, said after meeting the prime minister-designate.

Monti, a respected former European commissioner, on Tuesday met leaders of the two largest parties of the center-right and the center-left, unions, and representatives of women and youth groups.

Expected to seek a confidence vote by Friday, Monti has said that he aimed to serve until scheduled elections in 2013, not just until reforms had been pushed through.

Far-reaching reforms are seen as crucial if Italy is to end years of stagnant growth, trim a debt mountain equal to 120 percent of gross domestic product and avoid the sort of crisis that forced bailouts of Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

GREEK DEFAULT FEARS

Papademos said late on Monday that Greece had no choice but to stay in the euro zone, telling lawmakers reforms were the only solution.

But conservatives on whom Papademos must rely for support demanded pro-growth policies and rejected any more cuts, fueling fears of a Greek default that may force Athens out of the currency group triggering a euro zone debt meltdown.

Austerity measures had deepened Greece's recession but reforms -- including widening the tax base and fighting rampant tax evasion -- could mitigate the problem, said Papademos, who oversaw Greece's entry to the euro zone in 2002.

But New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said he would not vote for new austerity measures. Spending cuts and tax rises agreed with foreign lenders should be changed in favor of economic growth, he said.

Inspectors for Greece's international lenders, known as the troika, were due to meet Papademos's administration after the confidence vote, but an EU official said the visit might not happen until the end of the week.

Most Greeks hailed Papademos's appointment, but thousands of people angry at more than a year of austerity are expected to rally on Thursday, the anniversary of a 1973 student uprising that helped to bring down the colonels' junta of 1967-74. ($1 = 0.734 Euros)

(Additional reporting by Luke Baker in Brussels; Writing by Peter Millership; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111115/bs_nm/us_eurozone

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What does a chair leg sound like?

Chelsea Whyte, contributor

Five artists have come together for an show that excites your senses - in surprising ways.

(Image: Owl Project, 9v Sound System, acoustic 11-sided horn (elm, reclaimed oak), electronics, 2011, Sound Lathe, wood, electronics, 2007, courtesy the artists, photo: Tomas Rydin, thisistomorrow.info)

The entrance to the brightly lit main gallery of the TERRA exhibition at Jerwood Space in London?s Southbank is lined with a handful of glass urns, translucent pots with pointed lids all standing on pedestals about four feet high. Artist Edwina fitzPatrick presents these thin glass vessels as one piece, called Arboreal laboratory: In mythology the Gods always smelled good. They are beautiful on their own, and as I leaned in to look closer at the carefully placed holes around the rims, I caught a whiff of something that smelled of sandalwood and saltwater. It was strong but fleeting and it brought back a memory of playing on the beach when I was a child.

FitzPatrick created this series of scent-filled urns as an exploration of Jacobson?s organ, a pair of small pits on either side of the nasal septum just above the nostril. The role of this organ in humans is disputed, though it?s known in animals to aid in sensitive chemical detection, and some say humans use it to sense pheromones.

Once I realised the seemingly empty vases held scents, I moved along to each one, leaning carefully over the delicate glass and inhaling deeply. One smelled of roses and my grandmother?s perfume. One smelled of grass and honey and somehow, strangely, sunshine. I wondered if every scent smelled a little differently to each person, because they each brought back a specific memory for me. Those memories flashed in my mind, almost sculpted out of thin air.

(Image: Edwina fitzPatrick, Arboreal Laboratory: In mythology the Gods always smelled good, glass vessels, scent, perspex plinths, 2004, courtesy the artist, Arboreal Laboratory was created through a Stour Valley arts residency, funded by the Arts Council and the Esm?e Fairburn Foundation, photo: Tomas Rydin, thisistomorrow.info)

Moving through the exhibit, I came to a large installation called Sound Lathe by Owl Project, an artistic collaborative made up of Simon Blackmore, Antony Hall and Steve Symons. The sculpture consists of two wooden structures that look like elongated gramophones connected to a lathe, which is used to carve a piece of wood that is fitted with sensors. Although I didn?t see it being played, the Sound Lathe is a musical instrument. The sculpture amplifies the sound of woodworking as the rhythm from the machine travels through electric cords to the cone-shaped wooden speakers - you can hear a chair leg or stair railing being made.

In the back room of the gallery I encountered more sobering work. In a piece made specifically for the TERRA exhibition, Luke Jerram created a three-dimensional representation of a portion of the seismogram of the 2011 Tohuku earthquake in Japan. Seismograms are graphs made from the measurement of ground motion and are composed of vertical lines of varying heights that correspond to the size of a tremor. Jerram converted this two-dimensional readout into a three-dimensional representation using discs printed with a 3D layering technique and stacked together.

(Image: Luke Jerram, Tohoku Earthquake (rotated 9-minute-long seismograph from Tohoku earthquake, Japan 2011), 3D printed data in resin, 2011, courtesy the artist)

It?s curious to be able to visualise 9 minutes of history. It?s also strange, and somewhat relieving, to see such an enormous and tragic event reduced to an object no bigger than a toaster. Standing in front of it, I was glad for the protective glass box the museum has set it in. I almost wanted to pick it up, to throw it, to smash it even. It is physically beautiful, with a pleasant honey colour that almost glows from the light beneath it, but what it represents - loss, terror, the uncontrollable power of nature - is frightening.

Continuing in his exploration of things invisible to the naked eye, Jerram?s piece from his Glass Microbiology series steals the show. A large, clear glass sculpture of an E.coli virus cell sits atop a table lit from within. It is an arresting piece: beautiful but, again, almost frightening. They say you have to face your fears to conquer them, so I stepped up to the table to inspect the fine tendrils of hair all around the body of the cell. The sculpture is about 5 feet long in total, half of it devoted to two delicate tails that looked like they might snap if I touched them.

Jerram employs scientific glass blowers - those who made beakers and bottles for laboratories before automation took over - and their expert craftsmanship is shown off in the intricate curls of the hairs and the twisted tube of cloudy glass that makes up the inner workings of the cell.

These small pieces are fitting for the meek gallery space and, though it may only take a few minutes to walk through, this exhibit has small moments of surprise built in to the displays that will keep you looking, listening, and smelling for a long time.

TERRA runs at Jerwood Space until 11 December.

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Wall Street lower after new warnings on Europe (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Stocks fell early Wednesday as policymakers warned Europe's debt crisis posed dangers to the global economy and on signs the contagion was starting to spread to larger European nations.

The yield spread of 10-year French government bonds over their German equivalents widened to a euro-era high on fears the crisis was moving to economies that had been considered more isolated from the problems.

Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa said the crisis was already affecting emerging nations and Japan in multiple ways, while the Bank of England forecast Britain was on the brink of a contraction and warned against inaction.

In what has become a familiar "risk off" trade, cyclical sectors of the stock market that are more sensitive to signs of economic weakness were among the worst performers. The S&P materials sector fell 1.1 percent.

But reflecting a belief by some U.S. investors that equities may be able to weather the storm, Bruce Zaro, chief technical strategist at Delta Global Asset Management in Boston, said while the crisis would affect some U.S. companies he believed it would be slight.

"I believe that market participants are really overreacting to the turmoil in Europe," he said. "The impact of the euro zone will have some effect on U.S. corporations, particularly S&P 500 companies with respect to their exports."

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 116.40 points, or 0.96 percent, to 11,979.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 12.24 points, or 0.97 percent, to 1,245.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index lost 25.10 points, or 0.93 percent, to 2,661.10.

The European Central Bank bought euro zone government bonds to stop a selloff, traders said. European equities rose on the move, then lost ground as the yield on Italian 10-year bonds continued to hover near 7 percent.

U.S. equity investors have closely watched European sovereign debt prices and the euro currency, which are currently barometers of risk aversion for the wider market. Trading has been volatile, with large intraday swings as sentiment oscillates with developments is Europe.

Still, U.S. stocks have shown resilience, clinging to the higher end of their recent trading range at around 1,250 on the S&P 500. Traders watched for a break below 1,230 as a potential warning sign.

In U.S. company news, Dell Inc, the computer maker, missed quarterly revenue estimates, and said full-year revenues could be hurt by an industrywide shortage of hard drives. The shares fell 1.9 percent to $15.34.

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Co slumped 12.6 percent to $48.72 after the teen clothing retailer's quarterly profit missed estimates by a huge margin.

Target Corp posted higher quarterly profit on higher food sales and as a 5 percent discount to cardholders drew shoppers. The shares rose 2.1 percent to $54.33.

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111116/bs_nm/us_markets_stocks

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Panetta details impact of deeper cuts in military (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Congress on Monday that deeper defense cuts would leave the military with the smallest ground force since 1940, lead to possible months-long furloughs of civilian employees and force the Pentagon to recalibrate its national security strategy to accept "substantial risk."

The Pentagon is already facing $450 billion in cuts to projected spending over the next 10 years, an amount that could more than double if members of Congress' supercommittee fail to produce a $1.2 trillion deficit-cutting plan by Nov. 23. Panetta, who repeatedly has argued against further reductions, offered the most detailed description of the implications of the automatic, across-the-board cuts that would kick in ? half coming from defense.

In the first year alone of 2013, it would add up to a 23 percent cut that Panetta called devastating.

"Such a large cut, applied in this indiscriminate manner, would render most of our ship and construction projects unexecutable -- you cannot buy three quarters of a ship or a building and seriously damage other modernization efforts. We would also be forced to separate many of our civilian personnel involuntarily and, because the reduction would be imposed so quickly, we would almost certainly have to furlough civilians in order to meet the target," Panetta wrote in a letter.

By his calculations, "we would have the smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915, and the smallest Air Force in its history" at the end of the decade, Panetta said.

Panetta, who has used apocalyptic terms such as "doomsday," "hollow force" and "paper tiger" to describe the cuts, spelled out the details in a letter to Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the panel. The two had written to Panetta earlier this month seeking specifics.

While painting a dire picture of the military if the automatic cuts are triggered, Panetta also implored the lawmakers to stave off such reductions.

If they did not, the Pentagon chief said the military would have to rethink its strategy.

"We would have to formulate a new security strategy that accepted substantial risk of not meeting our defense needs. A sequestration budget is not one that I could recommend," said Panetta, a former California congressman and head of the House Budget Committee.

At least two of the potential cuts outlined by Panetta would strike at the heart of U.S. defense strategy.

One is the elimination of missile defense in Europe. The Obama administration's commitment to building a network of radars and interceptors to defend all of Europe against a potential missile strike from Iran is central to U.S. efforts to update NATO defense priorities, improve defense cooperation with Russia and deter Iran.

The other ? eliminating one of three "legs" of the U.S. nuclear arsenal ? would force a historic shift in nuclear planning. Panetta said he would be forced to eliminate intercontinental ballistic missiles, the globe-circling missiles based in underground silos. These currently consist of 450 Minuteman III missiles based in the north-central U.S. The other two legs of the nuclear arsenal are submarine-launch ballistic missiles and air-launch missiles and bombs.

In his letter, Panetta said the deeper reductions would affect the military's ability to support the war in Afghanistan and lead to a fleet of fewer than 230 ships, the smallest number since 1915.

He offered a list of weapons programs that would be cut back, delayed or terminated such as the Joint Strike Fighter, the next generation ballistic missile submarine and new Army helicopters. Any reductions in weapons programs would set off a fierce fight in Congress as lawmakers look to protect programs and jobs in their districts.

Delaying or terminating surveillance drone programs would stifle a critical new technology that has allowed the U.S. to better track and eliminate terrorists in countries where American troops are not present.

Recent examples include the strike that killed al-Qaida-linked cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen and the surveillance that led to the death of ousted Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi. Drones are also the weapon of choice for the CIA as it hunts and kills insurgents in Pakistan that routinely target U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan.

Panetta's comments add pressure to the supercommittee just 10 days before its deadline as panel Republicans and Democrats struggle to fulfill their mandate. The Pentagon letter also stirs the recent talk in Congress about trying to nullify the automatic cuts, a step McCain and Graham have discussed. However, President Barack Obama said last week that he wouldn't accept any legislation that tries to undo the automatic cuts.

In a statement, McCain and Graham said the automatic cuts "would set off a swift decline of the United States as the world's leading military power. ... This is not an outcome that we can live with, and it is certainly not one that we should impose on ourselves. The sequester is a threat to the national security interests of the United States, and it should not be allowed to occur."

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Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/usmilitary/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111114/ap_on_go_co/us_defense_budget

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