Marshall Goldsmith: Stop Doing Business In the Dark!

So much has changed at the workplace today. Which business practices hold? Which don't? I recently spoke with Alexandra Levit, author of Blind Spots: The 10 Business Myths You Can't Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success. In her book, she explains the business myths that are even more dangerous and less reliable than ever given today's changing business climate and severe competition. This is a fascinating account of what works, what doesn't, and the myths we don't want to propagate! Following is my brief interview with Alexandra:

MG: What is the premise of Blind Spots?

AL: The recent recession has toppled and transformed our ideas about just about everything. Massive change is afoot and many of us are still reeling from the work-force bloodletting that began three years ago and the downfall of companies we thought we all respected.

If we take the time to examine the world that's rising out of the ashes, we see that a major paradigm shift is occurring. We have realized that money and manipulation will only go so far, and we've come 180 degrees from the backbiting and dirty politics that characterized the dog-eat-dog 1980s. Inside the business world, organizations and individuals are looking inward and seeking a return to traditional human values like honesty, trust, moderation, open communication, and one-on-one relationship building.

Those who wish to be gainfully employed for the foreseeable future must take this transformation seriously and adapt new ways of doing things. In Blind Spots, I explore the 10 biggest myths of business success that people believe to be true even though they don't work for 98 percent of all truly successful people.

If adhering to these myths didn't get you places before, it really won't today, when employers want to hire people with Puritan work ethics, people who want to do their jobs well without rocking the boat too much and who are strong representatives of the organization's culture.
If you want to get ahead in this values-driven environment, putting on blinders is not an option and you can't afford to waste time. You must throw away these myths, determine what will work in their place, and immediately put it to use. That's what I'm trying to help people do in Blind Spots.

MG: In Blind Spots, one of the myths you explore is that generating controversy can get you into trouble due to the ethical scrutiny now pervasive in the business world. What do you recommend people do keep their noses clean?

AL: Employees use all kinds of excuses for unethical behavior, including "everyone does it this way," "I'm under so much pressure," "I have to get results," and "If I don't do it, someone else will, and then he'll get ahead and I won't."

The tendency to slip up starts in academic life, and few of us are able to say that we never cheated on a test or homework assignment in school. Yet most of us escaped unscathed. In the business world, however, the stakes can be much higher, especially now that several CEOs have been carted off to jail and everyone is paying more attention. Strong professional ethics involves more than just telling the truth or avoiding activities that are morally wrong. So what if you're not certain if an action is unethical? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Are there any potential legal restrictions or violations that could result from the action?


• Does my company have a Code of Ethics (formalized rules that describe what a company expects of employees) or a policy on the action?


• Would I like to see my action published on the front page of the New York Times?


• Will this action reflect badly on the company or on me personally?


• Will my action withstand open discussion with coworkers and managers and survive untarnished?

MG: One of the biggest challenges facing business world employees today is dissatisfaction with their roles, but you suggest that far too often, people incorrectly blame their unhappiness on the organization. How can business world employees take ownership of their work frustration?

AL: A key ingredient for frustration is the lack of control that a person perceives for the outcome of their work. In psychology, this is called Locus of Control, a concept that was originally developed by Julian Rotter in the mid twentieth century. One has an internal locus of control if he believes that he controls his own destiny, and he has an external locus of control if he believes that his destiny is controlled by other forces like authority figures, fate, or God.

In general, having an internal locus of control is viewed as more desirable, since these individuals tend to be more achievement-oriented. They are more persistent and work longer and harder to get what they need or want. It's better from a mental health perspective too, because when you feel that you can affect the outcome of your work, you are more satisfied and have a greater sense of accomplishment.

If you are a person who is prone to an external locus of control, this could be a major cause of your dissatisfaction at work. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to develop an internal locus of control, and I go into more detail about what these are in Blind Spots. I hope everyone will read it!

?

Follow Marshall Goldsmith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/coachgoldsmith

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marshall-goldsmith/stop-doing-business-in-th_b_1240329.html

breast cancer walk breast cancer walk major league major league alicia sacramone occupy chicago occupy chicago

Downton Abbey, Season 2

Mrs. Bates has transformed into the Wicked Witch of the West. She is nothing but an instrument of pointless evil and destruction. Why, once she's got her blackmail money and then some, would she still care if she brought down the Crawleys? Can she possibly begrudge Bates a sliver of happiness out of sheer spite? Her character, as scripted, makes little sense to me.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=abedb516f6700733a8a865a25ad61982

defamation solyndra tesla model s tesla model s prohibition alex honnold koch industries

Gingrich wants panel to look at in vitro clinics (The Arizona Republic)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/193015114?client_source=feed&format=rss

justin bieber paternity justin bieber paternity denver news kym johnson how old is justin bieber how old is justin bieber north dakota jobs

Turn a Canning Jar into a Travel Mug with Cuppow

Cuppow is a silicone drinking lid that converts any wide-mouthed canning jar into a travel mug.? Canning jars are sturdy, heat-resistant, easy to clean, and cheap, but their wide openings don’t make them a travel-friendly mug.? Simply replace the seal with the Cuppow, screw the ring back on, and you have a eco-friendly cup that [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/01/28/turn-a-canning-jar-into-a-travel-mug-with-cuppow/

walmart jcpenney loft old navy cyber monday best deals cyber monday best deals brownback

Celebrity pot busts put tiny Texas county on map (AP)

SIERRA BLANCA, Texas ? Nestled among the few remaining businesses that dot a rundown highway in this dusty West Texas town stands what's become a surprise destination for marijuana-toting celebrities: the Hudspeth County Jail.

Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and actor Armie Hammer have been among the thousands of people busted for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town in recent years, bringing a bit of notoriety to one of Texas' most sparsely populated counties.

"Once I was in Arizona, and when I said where I was from, they said, `That's where Willie Nelson was busted,'" said Louise Barantley, manager at the Coyote Sunset souvenir shop in Sierra Blanca.

Hudspeth County cameos aren't only for outlaws: Action movie star Steven Seagal, who's already deputized in Louisiana and Arizona for his reality show "Steven Seagal Lawman" on A&E, has signed on to become a county officer.

Locals already have found ways to rub shoulders with their celebrity guests.

Deputies posed for pictures with Snoop Dogg after authorities said they found several joints on his bus earlier this month. When Nelson was busted here in 2010, the county's lead prosecutor suggested the singer settle his marijuana charges by performing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court. Nelson paid a fine instead, but not before county commissioner Wayne West played one of his own songs for the country music legend.

West acknowledged he's a big fan of Nelson and wanted to capitalize on a golden chance to perform for such a noted "captive audience."

"Willie loved the song, he is a real outgoing individual" he added.

The once-thriving town of Sierra Blanca began to shrink to its current 1,000-person population after the construction of nearby Interstate 10 ? a main artery linking cities from California to Florida ? offered an easy way to bypass the community.

Now the highway is sending thousands of drug bust cases Sierra Blanca's way, courtesy of a Border Patrol checkpoint just outside of town where drug-sniffing dogs inspect more than 17,000 trucks, travelers ? and tour buses ? daily for whiffs of contraband that may have made its way inland from the border.

Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, younger brother of the musically inclined commissioner, said his office handled about 2,000 cases last year, most of them having to do with drugs seized at the checkpoint.

Border Patrol agents say people busted with small amounts of pot often say they have medical marijuana licenses from California, Arizona or New Mexico ? three states along I-10 that, unlike Texas, allow for medicinal pot prescriptions ? and claim to believe the licenses were valid nationwide.

Nelson's publicists declined to comment about the specifics of the singer's case. Representatives for Snoop Dogg, who will pay a fine and court costs after being cited for possession of marijuana paraphernalia, did not return several messages seeking comment.

County authorities have not yet decided whether to prosecute or issue a citation for Hammer, who starred in the 2010 film "The Social Network" and more recently played the FBI's number two man in "J. Edgar" He was arrested in November on his way to his wife's bakery in San Antonio after authorities said they found marijuana-laced brownies and cookies. His attorney Kent Schaffer has called the case a "total non-issue."

Local officials say they're not on a celebrity witch hunt, but some residents are enjoying the publicity from the high-profile arrests. They say the once forgotten town of Sierra Blanca should take pride in not pandering to famous people caught breaking the law.

"We get attention because something is being done right," resident Adolfo Gonzalez said while shopping at a local convenience store. "It'd be worse if we'd let them go because they are celebrities."

That's not expected to change when Seagal comes to town. Sheriff West insists the "Under Siege" star hasn't indicated any plans to film his show here ? but the sheriff isn't ruling it out.

"If he wants to, we can do it but that's not what he said this was about," West said.

West's spokesman, Rusty Flemming, said Seagal will patrol the area and train colleagues in martial arts and weapons techniques. The actor is expected to arrive in Hudspeth County within months, once he's done filming a new movie in Canada.

Seagal's management agency did not return calls and emails seeking comment about his plans in Texas.

Commissioner West, meanwhile, is keeping his musical skills sharp ? just in case another performer pays a surprise visit to the county jail. The lead guitarist and vocalist of a local band, West said he regrets not having a chance to sing for Snoop Dogg, but wasn't sure if the rapper would have enjoyed the performance anyway.

"Our stuff is laid back," he said. "Mas o menos (more or less) country."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_en_ot/us_celebrity_checkpoint

tom bradley tom bradley penn state riot penn state riot state college pa wilson ramos kidnapped mcqueary

Friend says on 911 call Demi Moore was convulsing (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Demi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was convulsing and "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a frantic 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.

The woman tells emergency operators that Moore, 49, had been "having issues lately."

"Is she breathing normal?" the operator asks.

"No, not so normal. More kind of shaking, convulsing, burning up," the friend says as she hurries to Moore's side, on the edge of panic.

The recording captures the 10 minutes it took paramedics to arrive as friends gather around the collapsed star and try to comfort her as she trembles and shakes.

Another woman is next to Moore as the dispatcher asks if she's responsive.

"Demi, can you hear me?" she asks. "Yes, she's squeezing hands. ... She can't speak."

When the operator asks what Moore ingested or smoked, the friend replies, but the answer was redacted.

"Some form of ... and then she smoked something. I didn't really see. She's been having some issues lately with some other stuff. So I don't know what she's been taking or not," the friend says.

The city attorney's office advised the fire department to redact details about medical conditions and substances to comply with federal medical privacy rules.

Asked if Moore took the substance intentionally or not, the woman says Moore ingested it on purpose but the reaction was accidental.

"Whatever she took, make sure you have it out for the paramedics," the operator says.

The operator asks the friend if this has happened before.

"I don't know," she says. "There's been some stuff recently that we're all just finding out."

Moore's publicist, Carrie Gordon, said previously that the actress sought professional help to treat her exhaustion and improve her health. She would not comment further on the emergency call or provide details about the nature or location of Moore's treatment.

The past few months have been rocky for Moore.

She released a statement in November announcing she had decided to end her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, 33, following news of alleged infidelity. The two were known to publicly share their affection for one another via Twitter.

Moore still has a Twitter account under the name mrskutcher but has not posted any messages since Jan. 7.

During the call, the woman caller says the group of friends had turned Moore's head to the side and were holding her down. The dispatcher tells her not to hold her down but to wipe her mouth and nose and watch her closely until paramedics arrive.

"Make sure that we keep an airway open," the dispatcher says. "Even if she passes out completely, that's OK. Stay right with her."

The phone is passed around by four people, including a woman who gives directions to the gate and another who recounts details about what Moore smoked or ingested. Finally, the phone is given to a man named James, so one of the women can hold Moore's head.

There was some confusion at the beginning of the call. The emergency response was delayed by nearly two minutes as Los Angeles and Beverly Hills dispatchers sorted out which city had jurisdiction over the street where Moore lives.

As the call is transferred to Beverly Hills, the frantic woman at Moore's house raises her voice and said, "Why is an ambulance not on its way right now?"

"Ma'am, instead of arguing with me why an ambulance is not on the way, can you spell (the street name) for me?" the Beverly Hills dispatcher says.

Although the estate is located in the 90210 ZIP code above Benedict Canyon, the response was eventually handled by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

By the end of the call, Moore has improved.

"She seems to have calmed down now. She's speaking," the male caller told the operator.

Moore and Kutcher were wed in September 2005.

Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore's three daughters ? Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle ? from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly.

Moore and Kutcher created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations' efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.

Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films "Margin Call" and "Another Happy Day." Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV's "Two and a Half Men" and is part of the ensemble film "New Year's Eve."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_en_mo/us_people_demi_moore

pierre thomas calvin johnson calvin johnson patsy cline portlandia detroit lions kelly clarkson

In original Internet shows, hints of coming change (AP)

NEW YORK ? After years of experimenting, the top video destinations on the Web are suddenly flush with original programming: documentaries, reality shows and scripted series.

Over the next few months, YouTube, Netflix and Hulu will roll out their most ambitious original programming yet ? a digital push into a traditional television business that has money, a bevy of stars and a bold attitude of reinvention.

The long-predicted collision between Internet video and broadcast television is finally under way.

No one is suggesting that the quality on the Internet is close to that of broadcast TV, but it's becoming easy to imagine a day when it will be.

And even though critics question whether new media can rival a business that's been around for about 70 years, the video sites have sought partnerships with seasoned professionals. And they benefit from the different economics of global Web-based entertainment.

Either way, what's happening now is just the first wave.

"This convergence is now," says documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, who created "The Failure Club," a series about people trying to do the things they've always feared, for Yahoo, and "A Day in the Life," a series documenting 24 hours of someone's life, for Hulu.

He says the quality still varies, but viewers will soon see talent and production values begin to change.

On Feb. 6, Netflix will premiere its first scripted show, "Lilyhammer," in which Steve Van Zandt ("The Sopranos") plays a New York mobster in witness protection in Norway. Later this year, it will release "House of Cards," a highly anticipated adaptation of the British miniseries produced by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey. Next year, it will debut new episodes of the cultish comedy "Arrested Development," which originally aired on Fox.

Hulu plans a Feb. 14 premiere for "Battleground," a mock political documentary. The site will later release "Up to Speed," a six-part documentary by Richard Linklater about "monumentally ignored monuments of American cities."

Hulu, which has some 30 million monthly users and 1.5 million for its monthly subscription service Hulu Plus, is co-owned by the parent companies of NBC, Fox and ABC.

Yahoo has sought to capitalize on its enormous search audience of nearly 180 million unique monthly visitors by drawing viewers to its original programming, including a slate of women-focused shows launched last fall and comedy programming planned for February. Its first scripted entry will be "Electric City," a futuristic animated series produced by Tom Hanks, who will also voice a character.

YouTube recently launched an entire catalog of original programming, spending $100 million on the gradual rollout of more than 100 niche-oriented channels.

The channels don't have the pressures of a 24-hour schedule and instead focus on short-form, on-demand programming. Partners vary from the Wall Street Journal to World Wrestling Entertainment to Madonna.

At the recent consumer electronics trade show CES, YouTube's global head of content predicted that by 2020 about 75 percent of channels will be transmitted by the Internet. And video will soon be 90 percent of all traffic.

"Over time, you will see more and more television properties, television channels distributed over the Internet," Robert Kyncl said. "Everything in its due time."

Internet delivery allows programming that is "much harder to fulfill through traditional distribution means...because we have a global scale," Kyncl added.

And online systems can serve niche audiences that would be difficult to sustain any other way, and do so at lower cost.

YouTube plans to expand to hundreds of Internet channels, just as television went from a few networks to dozens of cable channels. In the next few years, "most of your interests will have channels on YouTube," Kyncl predicts.

Netflix, which streamed 2 billion hours of video in the fourth quarter of 2011, is already operating under the assumption that video networks ? whether streaming or televised ? are converging. Just as Web video is undertaking original programming, TV networks are experimenting with systems such as TV Everywhere, which allows viewers to watch channels on the Web and on mobile devices.

"You can think of us as a cable-TV network, but we like to think we are at the center," says Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix. "We are an Internet TV network, and then they are going to become like us. But it's the same thing, really."

Hastings offers a comparison between Netflix and HBO: "We are becoming more like them in doing some originals, starting that journey, and they are becoming more like us in creating an on-demand interface like HBO Go," which allows viewers to watch channels on the Web and on mobile and tabulate devices.

HBO declined to comment.

Production schedules will vary widely at the sites, but Netflix plans one notable difference: All its episodes will be released at once.

James McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester Research, says the fact that Hanks is making a series for the Internet shows how the traditional TV system is "ready to unravel.

McQuivey says the disruption in video will "unfold in front of us like a slow-mo replay of an accident."

"The new content won't be as good as what you watch Thursday nights from 9 to 10 p.m., but it's going to get closer to that quality," he adds. "And it's certainly as good as what you watch on Thursday from 3 to 4 in the afternoon or Saturday morning from 10 to 11."

Hulu and Netflix both want to use original content to entice viewers to their much larger libraries of older content. For Netflix, that's movies and old TV; for Hulu, that's last night's TV and older series. Hulu executives say any new original series has to be match up to traditional content.

"If you're ever going to do anything original, it's got to stand up to that," says Andy Forssell, senior vice president of content at Hulu. "That can't be `Web video,' it's got to be TV quality."

Original content remains a small percentage of the budget for Hulu, which plans to spend $500 million on content in 2012.

Erin McPherson, head of original programming at Yahoo, likes to call Yahoo "the fifth network." Its Yahoo Studios production house in Los Angeles produces as many as 30 originals a month, often partnering with production companies such as Reveille (NBC's "The Office"). Its original programming attracted more than 26 million unique visitors in November, according to comScore.

"The time is right," says McPherson. "We're finally here."

___

AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_en_tv/us_original_online_programming

2013 ford fusion lsu football lsu football bcs jay z glory alabama crimson tide barry larkin

?UFC on Fox 2?s? Mike Russow balances police work and fighting

CHICAGO -- As a rookie police officer, Mike Russow was assigned to work a Chicago Bulls game at the United Center in 2003. On Saturday, he will be back at the United Center. This time, instead of keeping the peace, he'll fight Jon Olav Einemo at "UFC on Fox 2."

While putting together a record of 14-1 with three wins in the UFC, Russow has kept his day job in the Chicago Police Department. Russow currently patrols the third district on the city's South Side. He is understandably hesitant to give specifics about the details of his daily work,? but said that he has been recognized as a fighter when on the job.

"I had someone who I was arresting for a warrant, and he saw the Chicago Sun-Times picture that day. He noticed," Russow said.

Though Russow can't use his Octagon-worthy moves on offenders, he says police work and fighting share a mental side.

"You have to be calm. There's a lot of situations with police work where it's scary. You're clearing a house, by yourself, it's dark, no lights, and you don't know if the offender is in there. It's just like in the cage."

His calm demeanor came in handy when Russow fought Todd Duffee at UFC 114.

"When I was fighting Todd Duffee, he was beating my ass. I stayed calm, hung in there, and got a lucky punch. I think that's how it helps. Being mentally tough."

He broke his left arm early in the bout, and was having trouble with his right arm. Still he knew he had to pull something out to get the win.

"It was like an effortless punch. The right technique, and the right time, and I hit him and he went down. I was coming off of elbow surgery, and I couldn't extend my right arm all the way. My left arm broke. I knew something was wrong. Right before that I thought, I got to do something."

After beating Duffee, Russow TKOed Jon Madsen. Those wins earned him a shot at Einemo, a highly decorated grappler. Because of Einemo's ground skills, Russow hopes to keep the fight standing.

"I've really worked a lot on my stand-up game. He's a world-class jiu jitsu guy, so even if I did get the takedown, I don't know if I want to play in his world. I'm more or less going to try and control him and keep it standing."

To prepare for this bout, Russow used up all of his vacation time and spent time just training. Most UFC-level fighters train full time, and Russow was appreciative of the chance to focus on MMA. He said he would love the chance to fight full time, but it's not a practical option.

"Right now I'm married and with a baby, a mortgage. I'm not in a position where I could train full time. I'm 35, and I can't take that chance. My dream would be to fight solely for the UFC."

Unlike UFC welterweight Sean Pierson, who was not allowed to join the Toronto Police Department because of his fight career, the CPD has been supportive of Russow.

"I've never had any problems. My bosses have been really supportive. I've been fortunate. They think it's a little nuts, but they support it."

Balancing the two careers is not easy. Since he works from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., his sleep and diet are both disrupted.

"Every time you go to a gas station, they try to give you something, take this, take that. Not that I do, but it makes it harder. And you get hungry anyways around 10 or 11. I wish I was in bed, but I'm stuck out there working."

But this Saturday, when his friends, family and fellow police officers fill the United Center with cheers, Russow will be living a dream. He'll be fighting in the Octagon in the city he patrols. It's a far cry from the days he had to sit outside the United Center, waiting for the Bulls game to end.

"Back then, I never would have imagined this."

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fox-2-mike-russow-balances-police-fighting-154723780.html

michael oher glenn miller marist south carolina primary results marco scutaro betty white chad ochocinco

No energy industry backing for the word 'fracking' (AP)

NEW YORK ? A different kind of F-word is stirring a linguistic and political debate as controversial as what it defines.

The word is "fracking" ? as in hydraulic fracturing, a technique long used by the oil and gas industry to free oil and gas from rock.

It's not in the dictionary, the industry hates it, and President Barack Obama didn't use it in his State of the Union speech ? even as he praised federal subsidies for it.

The word sounds nasty, and environmental advocates have been able to use it to generate opposition ? and revulsion ? to what they say is a nasty process that threatens water supplies.

"It obviously calls to mind other less socially polite terms, and folks have been able to take advantage of that," said Kate Sinding, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council who works on drilling issues.

One of the chants at an anti-drilling rally in Albany earlier this month was "No fracking way!"

Industry executives argue that the word is deliberately misspelled by environmental activists and that it has become a slur that should not be used by media outlets that strive for objectivity.

"It's a co-opted word and a co-opted spelling used to make it look as offensive as people can try to make it look," said Michael Kehs, vice president for Strategic Affairs at Chesapeake Energy, the nation's second-largest natural gas producer.

To the surviving humans of the sci-fi TV series "Battlestar Galactica," it has nothing to do with oil and gas. It is used as a substitute for the very down-to-Earth curse word.

Michael Weiss, a professor of linguistics at Cornell University, says the word originated as simple industry jargon, but has taken on a negative meaning over time ? much like the word "silly" once meant "holy."

But "frack" also happens to sound like "smack" and "whack," with more violent connotations.

"When you hear the word `fracking,' what lights up your brain is the profanity," says Deborah Mitchell, who teaches marketing at the University of Wisconsin's School of Business. "Negative things come to mind."

Obama did not use the word in his State of the Union address Tuesday night, when he said his administration will help ensure natural gas will be developed safely, suggesting it would support 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade.

In hydraulic fracturing, millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals are pumped into wells to break up underground rock formations and create escape routes for the oil and gas. In recent years, the industry has learned to combine the practice with the ability to drill horizontally into beds of shale, layers of fine-grained rock that in some cases have trapped ancient organic matter that has cooked into oil and gas.

By doing so, drillers have unlocked natural gas deposits across the East, South and Midwest that are large enough to supply the U.S. for decades. Natural gas prices have dipped to decade-low levels, reducing customer bills and prompting manufacturers who depend on the fuel to expand operations in the U.S.

Environmentalists worry that the fluid could leak into water supplies from cracked casings in wells. They are also concerned that wastewater from the process could contaminate water supplies if not properly treated or disposed of. And they worry the method allows too much methane, the main component of natural gas and an extraordinarily potent greenhouse gas, to escape.

Some want to ban the practice altogether, while others want tighter regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency is studying the issue and may propose federal regulations. The industry prefers that states regulate the process.

Some states have banned it. A New York proposal to lift its ban drew about 40,000 public comments ? an unprecedented total ? inspired in part by slogans such as "Don't Frack With New York."

The drilling industry has generally spelled the word without a "K," using terms like "frac job" or "frac fluid."

Energy historian Daniel Yergin spells it "fraccing" in his book, "The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World." The glossary maintained by the oilfield services company Schlumberger includes only "frac" and "hydraulic fracturing."

The spelling of "fracking" began appearing in the media and in oil and gas company materials long before the process became controversial. It first was used in an Associated Press story in 1981. That same year, an oil and gas company called Velvet Exploration, based in British Columbia, issued a press release that detailed its plans to complete "fracking" a well.

The word was used in trade journals throughout the 1980s. In 1990, Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher announced U.S. oil engineers would travel to the Soviet Union to share drilling technology, including fracking.

The word does not appear in The Associated Press Stylebook, a guide for news organizations. David Minthorn, deputy standards editor at the AP, says there are tentative plans to include an entry in the 2012 edition.

He said the current standard is to avoid using the word except in direct quotes, and to instead use "hydraulic fracturing."

That won't stop activists ? sometimes called "fracktivists" ? from repeating the word as often as possible.

"It was created by the industry, and the industry is going to have to live with it," says the NRDC's Sinding.

Dave McCurdy, CEO of the American Gas Association, agrees, much to his dismay: "It's Madison Avenue hell," he says.

___

Jonathan Fahey can be reached at http://twitter.com/JonathanFahey.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/us_fracking

giants vs 49ers san francisco 49ers san francisco 49ers news channel 5 49ers news ketamine sf 49ers

French president's son hospitalized in Ukraine

In this Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011 file photo French President Nicolas Sarkozy's son Pierre Sarkozy arrives at the clinic in Paris, where French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gave birth to a baby girl named "Giulia" , the first infant born to a sitting president of modern-day France. The French Embassy in Ukraine said Wednesday Jan. 25, 2012 that the son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been hospitalized in the Black Sea city of Odessa. Ukrainian media reports said Sarkozy was in Odessa to perform at an elite club, but his appearance was canceled due to his illness. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

In this Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011 file photo French President Nicolas Sarkozy's son Pierre Sarkozy arrives at the clinic in Paris, where French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy gave birth to a baby girl named "Giulia" , the first infant born to a sitting president of modern-day France. The French Embassy in Ukraine said Wednesday Jan. 25, 2012 that the son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been hospitalized in the Black Sea city of Odessa. Ukrainian media reports said Sarkozy was in Odessa to perform at an elite club, but his appearance was canceled due to his illness. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) ? The son of French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been hospitalized with food poisoning in the Black Sea city of Odessa, French and Ukrainian officials said Wednesday.

Pierre Sarkozy, a rap producer in his twenties, has been taken to a hospital after feeling ill, French Embassy spokesman Emmanuel Berard told The Associated Press.

Anna Osipchuk, a spokeswoman for the city administration, said Sarkozy had food poisoning apparently contracted outside Ukraine, and was to be flown home to France Wednesday.

Sarkozy, also known as DJ Mosay, was in Odessa to perform at an elite club called Tchaikovsky on Tuesday, but the show was canceled after he fell ill, the club said.

Sarkozy is the French president's oldest son by his first wife, Marie-Dominique Culioli.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-25-EU-Ukraine-Sarkozy's-Son/id-7fd1e047701c48fea870a7523fbcbeec

coachella 2012 lineup school delays critics choice awards 2012 honey badger colbert president huntingtons disease rob

Upcoming Speaking Gigs in Nashville, D.C. (Theagitator)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/191505716?client_source=feed&format=rss

kenyon martin kenyon martin lizard lick towing megatron richard simmons war of 1812 war of 1812

Cooling semiconductor by laser light

ScienceDaily (Jan. 22, 2012) ? Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have combined two fields -- quantum physics and nano physics -- and this has led to the discovery of a new method for laser cooling semiconductor membranes. Semiconductors are vital components in solar cells, LEDs and many other electronics, and the efficient cooling of components is important for future quantum computers and ultrasensitive sensors. The new cooling method works quite paradoxically by heating the material! Using lasers, researchers cooled membrane fluctuations to minus 269 degrees C.

The results are published in the journal Nature Physics.

"In experiments, we have succeeded in achieving a new and efficient cooling of a solid material by using lasers. We have produced a semiconductor membrane with a thickness of 160 nanometers and an unprecedented surface area of 1 by 1 millimeter. In the experiments, we let the membrane interact with the laser light in such a way that its mechanical movements affected the light that hit it. We carefully examined the physics and discovered that a certain oscillation mode of the membrane cooled from room temperature down to minus 269 degrees C, which was a result of the complex and fascinating interplay between the movement of the membrane, the properties of the semiconductor and the optical resonances," explains Koji Usami, associate professor at Quantop at the Niels Bohr Institute.

From gas to solid

Laser cooling of atoms has been practiced for several years in experiments in the quantum optical laboratories of the Quantop research group at the Niels Bohr Institute. Here researchers have cooled gas clouds of cesium atoms down to near absolute zero, minus 273 degrees C, using focused lasers and have created entanglement between two atomic systems. The atomic spin becomes entangled and the two gas clouds have a kind of link, which is due to quantum mechanics. Using quantum optical techniques, they have measured the quantum fluctuations of the atomic spin.

"For some time we have wanted to examine how far you can extend the limits of quantum mechanics -- does it also apply to macroscopic materials? It would mean entirely new possibilities for what is called optomechanics, which is the interaction between optical radiation, i.e. light, and a mechanical motion," explains Professor Eugene Polzik, head of the Center of Excellence Quantop at the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen.

But they had to find the right material to work with.

Lucky coincidence

In 2009, Peter Lodahl (who is today a professor and head of the Quantum Photonic research group at the Niels Bohr Institute) gave a lecture at the Niels Bohr Institute, where he showed a special photonic crystal membrane that was made of the semiconducting material gallium arsenide (GaAs). Eugene Polzik immediately thought that this nanomembrane had many advantageous electronic and optical properties and he suggested to Peter Lodahl's group that they use this kind of membrane for experiments with optomechanics. But this required quite specific dimensions and after a year of trying they managed to make a suitable one.

"We managed to produce a nanomembrane that is only 160 nanometers thick and with an area of more than 1 square millimetre. The size is enormous, which no one thought it was possible to produce," explains Assistant Professor S?ren Stobbe, who also works at the Niels Bohr Institute.

Basis for new research

Now a foundation had been created for being able to reconcile quantum mechanics with macroscopic materials to explore the optomechanical effects.

Koji Usami explains that in the experiment they shine the laser light onto the nanomembrane in a vacuum chamber. When the laser light hits the semiconductor membrane, some of the light is reflected and the light is reflected back again via a mirror in the experiment so that the light flies back and forth in this space and forms an optical resonator. Some of the light is absorbed by the membrane and releases free electrons. The electrons decay and thereby heat the membrane and this gives a thermal expansion. In this way the distance between the membrane and the mirror is constantly changed in the form of a fluctuation.

"Changing the distance between the membrane and the mirror leads to a complex and fascinating interplay between the movement of the membrane, the properties of the semiconductor and the optical resonances and you can control the system so as to cool the temperature of the membrane fluctuations. This is a new optomechanical mechanism, which is central to the new discovery. The paradox is that even though the membrane as a whole is getting a little bit warmer, the membrane is cooled at a certain oscillation and the cooling can be controlled with laser light. So it is cooling by warming! We managed to cool the membrane fluctuations to minus 269 degrees C," Koji Usami explains.

"The potential of optomechanics could, for example, pave the way for cooling components in quantum computers. Efficient cooling of mechanical fluctuations of semiconducting nanomembranes by means of light could also lead to the development of new sensors for electric current and mechanical forces. Such cooling in some cases could replace expensive cryogenic cooling, which is used today and could result in extremely sensitive sensors that are only limited by quantum fluctuations," says Professor Eugene Polzik.

Recommend this story on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:

Other bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Copenhagen.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. K. Usami, A. Naesby, T. Bagci, B. Melholt Nielsen, J. Liu, S. Stobbe, P. Lodahl, E. S. Polzik. Optical cavity cooling of mechanical modes of a semiconductor nanomembrane. Nature Physics, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nphys2196

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122152546.htm

florida marlins ncaa basketball boise state football boise state football jack and jill uss carl vinson holly marie combs

AUTOMOTIVE - AUTOS: Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Scores With ...

AUTOS: Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Scores With Million-Dollar Saturday Sales

Tucker Torpedo, Bentley Franay, Mercedes Gullwing among the prime-time cars selling for more than $2 million each.

The big-dog collector cars hit the stage at Barrett-Jackson on Saturday, with a number of multi-million-dollar sales as superb classics and unique concepts thrilled the gigantic crowd in the main tent.

All told, eight cars ran into the millions of dollars. Through Saturday, total sales for the Scottsdale auction exceed $76 million.

The rare and beautifully restored 1948 Tucker Torpedo is the highest seller of the Scottsdale auction at $2.65 million, plus 10 percent bidder fee. (Photo: Bob Golfen) Not surprisingly, the headline collector car of the Scottsdale auction, the 1948 Tucker Torpedo, became the top sale of the event with a resounding bid of $2.65 million, plus 10 percent bidder fee.

One of just 51 cars built in the short life of the Tucker car company, the gleaming-blue, rear-engine sedan with its signature triple headlights rolled onto stage with a round of applause from the massive auction crowd that didn?t stop until the Tucker was hammered ?sold? by auctioneer Spanky Assiter.

?The best Tucker in the world in my opinion,? Barrett-Jackson president Steve Davis said of the car consigned from the Ron Pratte collection in Chandler, Ariz.

Another star of the Scottsdale auction, the 1947 Bentley Mark VI with its glorious Franay body, climbed quickly to a winning bid of $2.5 million, plus 10 percent bidder fee.

The Franay-bodied 1947 Bentley Mark VI won a top sale of $2.5 million. plus bidder fee. (Photo: Bob Golfen) Widely considered to be the most beautiful Bentley ever built, the auction car was also brought to the auction by Pratte, a Barrett-Jackson regular and renowned car enthusiast.

?An English chassis with a beautiful French coach on it,? auction CEO Craig Jackson said before the bidding. ?This has to be the most beautiful Bentley ever produced.?

The all-original 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing driven just over 4,000 miles was the first car of the evening to hit $2 million, before 10 percent bidder fee, which is a towering price for a steel (rather than alloy) Gullwing but not unexpected considering its pristine condition.

Next up was the exotic and extremely rare 1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow, also from Don William?s Blackhawk Collection, that equaled the Gullwing sale at $2 million, before fee.

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-barrett-jackson-scores-with-million-dollar-saturday-sales/

flat tax flat tax divine bettie page harry caray northern lights maksim chmerkovskiy

Box Office: Underworld: Awakening Comes Out On Top (omg!)

The Underworld franchise continued to show life at the box office, with the fourth installment taking the top spot, Box Office Mojo reports.

Underworld: Awakening, starring Kate Beckinsale, grossed an estimated $25.4 million in its first weekend of release. Red Tails, also in its debut weekend, took in $19.1 million to take second place.

Catch up on today's latest news

Last weekend's No. 1 film, Contraband, fell to third with $12.2 million. At No. 4, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close drew $10.5 million after expanding nationwide on Friday. The weekend's third major new release, Haywire, completed the top five, opening to $9 million.

Beauty and the Beast 3D ranked sixth, with $8.5 million. Earning $6.1 million, Joyful Noise followed in seventh place.

Rounding out the top 10: Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol (No. 8, $5.5 million ? bringing its total to $197.3 million after six weekends), Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (No. 9, $4.8 million? bringing its total to $178.6 million after six weekends) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (No. 10, $3.7 million).

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_box_office_underworld_awakening_comes_top003300108/44267759/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/box-office-underworld-awakening-comes-top-003300108.html

today show smokin joe conrad murray verdict tappan zee bridge jessica chastain jessica chastain nook tablet

[OOC] Stranded in the Far past

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Stranded in the Far past?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Stranded in the Far past"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

POWER TO THE ROLE PLAYERS

i am 33% evil, 33% insane, 33% role player, and 1% other (Note: Insane and Brilliant are the same thing!)

My test:

My Brothers Test: [CENTER]

Mr. Baneling Squishy

Member for 2 years

---

---

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: Abraxas*, Agent*, AmiOfTheRain, AzricanRepublic*, Bashie L. Craft, BekaL101, Bionic00, blackwolf*, Breyerluv*, brigitteanncastro, Bromander Shepard, Brony Otaku, Calvazara, Chulance*, Cloasse, cmpuncle, CriminalMinds*, Cure, danm36*, deathrisesagain, DemiKara*, Doomshifter, Dr. Seuss*, Erlanis*, Ernest12, Forevveru, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Hadespwr, Halfanelf, hayleymaee, HeroValour, Horseygirl, Iamdeadpool*, inara1917, jackrules158*, Jaybt9, Jimmeh1993, Kesteven, Kestrel, KethryMoondragon, kingjpc*, KuruLesperance, Light_of_the_Fallen, Lloyd999, LostInFantasy, Loxley, Lucaris*, Majestic-12 [Bot], Marionette*, MSN [Bot], MSNbot Media, mummydove, Myst5981*, Neon.lynxie, nightwolf, nltniko, Nocte*, Nyxeth*, OdiOdi, Otowar, Patcharoo*, PirateofPie*, Porecomesis*, Princess Awinita*, RainWish, ReiRyuusei, Rem?us*, Revolverhelden, Rill, Riverstyx777, RosexXxStarlight*, Rougeshadow, RubyBlue*, RydeDawg, ScarletRivers, Script*, SerenityMist, Smileybird*, StandardFiend, Starryskies*, SuperQ19, Sweet Angel Jocelyn, SynapticError*, The Angry Penguin, The Illusionist*, The Protagonist, The Vampire Mistress, TheFlag*, Tigeress, Tiko*, Tropicalpeacock, unmog, Usui*, Valkyrieknight*, Velvet_Harmony, wednesdaysun, Wing06Twilight, XavierDantius32, Xavirne, xoxMissClairexox, Zetta, ? ????????? ?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/ZUAkMdCA8JI/viewtopic.php

nl mvp nl mvp verlander verlander justin verlander pepper spraying cop pepper spraying cop

LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," Reenacted in MS Paint

To think, you probably only considered the lyrics to "Party Rock Anthem" kind of asinine before now. If you even realized the catchy hip-hop/dance track had lyrics.

It does, and we're proud to present to you, below, a literal interpretation of LMFAO's hit single in Microsoft Paint form. Nicely done once again, Internet.

We previously brought you the music of Chris Brown set to MS Paint, and this is rather similar. Only more absurd, given some of the lyrics involved. Watch in awe:

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem (in MS Paint)

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/lmfao-party-rock-anthem-reenacted-in-ms-paint/

the fall the fall kellen winslow ben folds sprint iphone sprint iphone defamation

Tuskegee airman buried at Arlington (omg!)

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) ? On the same day that retired Air Force Lt. Col. Luke Weathers Jr. took his resting place among other war and military heroes, his real-life story as a World War II aviator played out on movie screens across the country.

Weathers was buried Friday at Arlington National Cemetery in a service that began with a flyover of four F-16 jets in the Missing Man formation, a special honor reserved for pilots, by the 113th Wing of the D.C. Capital Guardians, the same unit that guards the airspace over the nation's capital.

Weathers died Oct. 15 in Tucson, Ariz., of pneumonia at age 90. His burial coincided with the official opening in theaters of "Red Tails," a George Lucas-produced movie retelling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen who debunked widely held beliefs that black pilots were incapable of fighting in combat.

Shortly after the flyover, in which one of the three jets departed from formation, a caisson pulled by six horses carried Weathers' body to his burial spot amid hundreds of the stark marble tombstones that cover the grounds of the national cemetery. An Air Force band accompanied the wagon, its drummer thumping a solemn beat as family followed on the chilly, overcast Friday morning. Family members wore red ties and scarves, as they had at Weathers' Memphis funeral, as a nod to the aviators who painted their aircrafts' tails red to set themselves apart.

Luke Weathers III, 61, said his father and other black Americans who fought in World War II did so to prove they were men, "and then they wanted their country to love them, but that didn't happen, either." Friday's ceremony, however, finally delivered recognition of his father as a national hero, Weathers said.

This kind of attention to the Tuskegee Airmen is what the elder Weathers wanted throughout his life, said his daughter, Trina Weathers Boyce. Weathers was not vain, but he wanted to share the lessons of the airmen's courage in war, their struggles for equality and their victory over a wartime enemy and over racism, she said.

"He would talk about his hard trials and tribulations to others, to children, because he never wanted us to feel like this (racism) is a reason we couldn't make it," Weathers Boyce said in a telephone interview Thursday. "He would tell us nothing good comes easy. He'd say there are going to be barriers ... and you can overcome them."

Before the Tuskegee Airmen were formed in 1941, black men were forbidden to fly for the U.S. military, even though they could be drafted. After years of struggle, the Army Air Corps began to allow African Americans to train for flight, albeit in still-segregated units.

Many of the tens of thousands of Tuskegee airmen, which included navigators, mechanics, medical personnel and others in support roles, trained from 1941 to 1949 at the Tuskegee Institute, which was founded by Booker T. Washington and was already home to an aeronautical engineering program. In the home state of the institute, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed a proclamation honoring the airmen, saying they changed Americans attitudes about race relations.

More than 900 Tuskegee Airmen were U.S. pilots, said Trent Dudley, an Air Force lieutenant colonel who is president of the East Coast Tuskegee Airmen Inc. chapter. An estimated 250 to 300 Tuskegee airmen are still alive. The exact number is not known because some have not registered with chapters.

"As with all the airmen, when we lose one of them, there is a chunk of history that goes with them," Dudley said.

Defying social norms was already a family trait when Weathers was born in Grenada, Miss.

At the time, the town's railroad track served as the economic dividing line. Weather's mixed-race father and black mother defied that dividing line, which led them to move to Memphis, where they opened their own grocery store.

Years later, Weathers was studying biology at Lane College in Jackson, Tenn., when he stumbled on an article in an international newspaper about the Tuskegee Experiment, the federal government's name for the Army Air Corps training of African Americans, Weathers Boyce said.

His mother turned to the prominent Memphis family she worked for and, with the help of the family's connections, Weathers was considered and eventually accepted into their program.

He always talked about the maneuver that save his life, Weathers Boyce said. A skillful pilot, he was a target of the Germans. In one combat flight, German aircraft were pursuing him and firing. He was forced to dip down and make a few turns in his plane to keep from getting shot, she said.

Weathers flew P-51 and P-39 fighters during his service from 1942 to 1945 and earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, according to the National Guard Bureau. He and other Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.

After the war, Weathers went on to become the first African American air controller, run a coin-operated laundry, raise five children, open a flight school, provide vocational rehabilitation for veterans and write a book about his life story that has not yet been published, Weathers Boyce said.

"We are still educating people on the Tuskegee history," Weathers said, "because it's a big part of American history, not African American or black history, but American history."

___

Online:

Arlington National Cemetery: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/

___

Suzanne Gamboa can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/APsgamboa

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_tuskegee_airman_buried_arlington204601258/44249688/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/tuskegee-airman-buried-arlington-204601258.html

fox 4 fox 4 adam levine vs fashion show 2011 victoria secret fashion show beverly hills hotel beverly hills hotel

San Francisco's Top 10 Cupcake Spots (PHOTOS)

SF Weekly:

In a fickle landscape for food businesses, many cupcake shops have opened in recent years in San Francisco -- and, happily, they continue to stick around. While not every innovation regarding the dessert has worked out in practice (cupcake and wine pairings should be banned), there's still a clear demand.

SFoodie is a tough customer when it comes to cupcakes. We are not on a diet. We are not lured or fooled by a sky-high swirl of frosting. And we're not swayed by sprinkles, though we do have an appreciation for the occasional edible glitter. Attention must be paid to the cake itself, ideally with a not-too-dense crumb (how the inside looks, not what falls off it). You'd probably not be shocked to know how many places make that an afterthought.

Here are our 10 favorite current spots for cupcakes:

Read the whole story: SF Weekly

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/san-franciscos-top-10-cupcakes_n_1219411.html

gifts for mom gifts for mom pepper spray storage auctions storage auctions les miles les miles

Obama rejects Canada-Texas oil pipeline ? for now (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Raising the stakes on a bitter election-year fight with Republicans, President Barack Obama on Wednesday rejected a Canadian company's plan to build a U.S.-spanning, 1,700-mile pipeline to carry oil across six U.S. states to Texas refineries.

Though the project promises thousands of temporary jobs for the recovering U.S. economy, Obama said a February deadline set by Congress would not allow for a proper review of potential harm from the $7 billion Keystone XL project.

"As the State Department made clear last month, the rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline's impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment," Obama said.

The plan proposed by Calgary-based TransCanada would carry oil from tar sands in western Canada to Texas, passing through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Republicans assailed Obama's decision as a job-killer and said the fight wasn't over.

And the State Department said the decision was made "without prejudice," meaning TransCanada can submit a new application once a route through environmentally sensitive areas of Nebraska is established.

Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer, said the company plans to do exactly that. If approved, the pipeline could begin operation as soon as 2014, Girling said.

Republicans were not assuaged.

Newt Gingrich, campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination in South Carolina, called Obama's decision "stunningly stupid," adding: "What Obama has done is kill jobs, weaken American security and drive Canada into the arms of China out of just sheer stupidity."

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., has said of the Canadian crude oil: "It's going to go to China if we don't build it here."

But Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada Corp.'s president for energy and oil pipelines, said last week the company soon will have a new route through Nebraska "that everyone agrees on."

For now, though, Mitt Romney, the Republican nomination front-runner, called Obama's decision "as shocking as it is revealing," adding that it "shows a president who once again has put politics ahead of sound policy."

House Speaker John Boehner said Obama was breaking his promise to create jobs.

"This is not the end of this fight," said Boehner, R-Ohio. He called the pipeline good for the U.S. economy and a major job creator.

The pipeline proposal has forced the White House to make a politically risky choice between two important Democratic constituencies. Many labor unions back the project because of the prospects of new jobs in a fragile economy. Environmental groups fear the pipeline could lead to an oil spill disaster.

Some liberal donors threatened to cut off funds to Obama's re-election campaign to protest the project, which opponents say would transport "dirty oil" that requires huge amounts of energy to extract.

Obama said his decision was not based on the pipeline's merits but on what he called an arbitrary Feb. 21 deadline set by Republicans in Congress. GOP lawmakers set the deadline as part of a tax bill that Obama signed into law just before Christmas.

"I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my administration's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil," Obama said.

Under his administration, domestic oil and natural gas production is up, while imports of foreign oil are down, Obama said.

"In the months ahead, we will continue to look for new ways to partner with the oil and gas industry to increase our energy security," Obama said.

To underscore the point, Obama signaled that he would not oppose development of an oil pipeline from Oklahoma to refineries along the Gulf of Mexico. TransCanada already operates a pipeline from Canada to Cushing, Okla.

Refineries in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast can handle heavy crude such as that extracted from Canadian tar sands ? the type of oil that would flow through the Keystone XL pipeline.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he was profoundly disappointed that Obama turned down the pipeline.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said he doesn't believe the Keystone XL is a dead project. He said the Obama administration did not have enough time to review the project, given the Republican-imposed timeline.

"I don't believe this is the end of the story," Conrad told The Associated Press. "My personal view is that it should be constructed. It's clear Canada is going to develop this resource, and I believe it is better for our country to have it go here rather than Asian markets."

Bill McKibben, an environmental activist who led opposition to the pipeline, praised Obama's decision to stand up to what he called a "naked political threat from Big Oil." Jack Gerard, the oil industry's top lobbyist, had said last week that Obama faced "huge political consequences" if he rejected the pipeline.

"It's not only the right thing, it's a very brave thing to do," McKibben said. "That's the Barack Obama I think people thought they were electing back in 2008."

___

Associated Press writers Dina Cappiello, Ben Feller and Laurie Kellman in Washington, Shannon McCaffrey in Warrenville, S.C., and Ramit Plushnick-Masti in Houston contributed to this story.

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: (at)MatthewDalyWDC

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120118/ap_on_bi_ge/us_oil_pipeline

uss arizona memorial uss arizona memorial d day fun. words with friends words with friends roy orbison

EBay reports higher 4Q earnings, revenue (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? EBay reported on Wednesday that its net income grew sharply in the fourth quarter, helped by a gain from the sale of its remaining investment in Skype. Its results beat Wall Street's expectations, boosted by strong holiday sales at its namesake website and growth at PayPal, its online payments business.

Investors sent eBay's stock higher in after-hours trading. The company gave a first-quarter outlook that was shy of analysts' estimates. However, its guidance for the full year was stronger than expected, suggesting robust earnings momentum later in 2012.

CEO John Donahoe called 2011 an "inflection point for shopping." This means the lines between online and offline shopping are blurring, as even people who shop in retail stores are increasingly using their mobile devices to compare prices, check for deals or search for products.

If all goes as planned, that's where eBay comes in.

"For consumers and retailers, we intend to make shopping more locally convenient and more globally accessible," he said in a conference call with analysts. "This means enabling retailers of all sizes to reach consumers when, where and how those consumers want to shop."

EBay's long-term plan is to transform into a commerce company that melds the online and offline shopping worlds. As part of this effort, it has been expanding PayPal's reach beyond the Web, to mobile devices and tablets. The company is also testing a service that will let people use their PayPal accounts to shop in brick-and-mortar stores, though the program is still in the early stages.

The company earned $1.98 billion, or $1.51 per share, in the October-December quarter. That's up from $559 million, or 42 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. Excluding special items such as the Skype gain, eBay Inc. says it earned 60 cents per share in the latest quarter, above the 57 cents that analysts were expecting.

Revenue grew 35 percent to $3.38 billion from $2.5 billion.

On average, analysts polled by FactSet expected revenue of $3.32 billion.

The e-commerce and online payments company said its PayPal business continued to grow, ending the quarter with more than 106 million active accounts. That's up 13 percent from a year earlier. Revenue jumped 28 percent to $1.24 billion and the business processed $33.4 billion worth of payments during the quarter. That's up 24 percent from a year earlier.

As more people used their smartphones and tablets to buy things online, payments made through mobile devices accounted for $4 billion of the total payments processed through PayPal ? a more than fivefold increase from the prior year.

The company's marketplaces business, which includes eBay.com and other e-commerce sites and businesses, saw its revenue grow 16 percent to $1.77 billion. Marketplaces' gross merchandise volume, an important metric that measures all items sold on eBay excluding vehicles, rose 10 percent to $16.5 billion.

EBay's outlook for the current quarter fell shy of expectations. The company expects adjusted first-quarter earnings of 50 cents to 51 cents per share on revenue of $3.05 billion to $3.15 billion. Analysts are predicting earnings of 54 cents per share on revenue of $3.16 billion.

For all of 2012, the company is forecasting adjusted earnings of $2.25 to $2.30 per share on revenue of $13.7 to $14 billion. Analysts are expecting $2 per share in earnings and $11.59 billion in revenue.

The San Jose, Calif.-based company's stock climbed 60 cents, or 2 percent, to $30.94 in after-hours trading after closing down 19 cents at $30.34.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120119/ap_on_hi_te/us_earns_ebay

colbert president huntingtons disease news channel 5 the firm rob new york philharmonic critics choice awards